"Next," Arthur ordered.
In front of him, sprawled on the ground, one of the King's Wardens got up with what little strength he had left and slowly left the ring.
Arthur had been training them for a few days now, and the truth was that he was a little disappointed… though that was more his fault than theirs.
He had expected that in this time they would have improved, and they had—but not as much as he would have liked.
During the time they had been under Seishan's command, along with the Handmaidens, many had been… rather lazy regarding their training.
He didn't know if Seishan had gone easy on them or if the bastards had gotten distracted by something, but they hadn't improved that much.
Right now, he seriously doubted whether that comment about them being better than the Fire Keepers was real or not. But it didn't matter—if they weren't, he was going to make them better.
The next King Warden entered the ring, and Arthur began analyzing him intently.
His posture looked tired. The position of his legs was slightly off, causing his waist to have to move awkwardly when trying to dodge an attack. His arms were too close to his body, and he was gripping his axe slightly wrong.
Overall, it was a disaster… but that disaster was a positive thing.
All those things Arthur noticed disappeared in the next instant, and a nearly perfect posture took their place. In the end, it just needed to be beaten into them.
They were really quite talented to have incorporated his teachings in such a short time.
The King Warden, named Keeran, took a breath and launched his attack… however, before he could do anything, applause echoed from an interior balcony of the dojo.
They both stopped, and everyone in the dojo looked up.
On the balcony stood Seishan, with a not-so-friendly expression on her face, watching them.
"Arthur… I need to talk to you right now."
'Huh… vampire beauty is angry,' Regis commented.
Immediately, Sylvie added, 'And so am I… Arthur, you've been locked in that place for almost four days straight, training them without rest. Fortunately, the compound had capsules, but remember, they're only Awakened… Besides, you still haven't told the Queen about your decision to go to Antarctica.'
Arthur smiled at Seishan.
"Guys, you have the rest of the day off today."
Seishan left the balcony, and they both went to meet in the cafeteria. Meanwhile, the King's Wardens rejoiced at finally having a break and went their separate ways to their homes or to the capsules.
Minutes later, Arthur stood with his arms crossed, leaning his back against the wall, while Seishan sat cross-legged in a chair.
She still had a slightly annoyed expression.
"Could you tell me what you were thinking these past four days?"
Arthur frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The fact that I sent you messages and you didn't reply to any of them? And that you haven't been to Ravenheart in four days, and no one knows anything about you?" she replied, looking at him intently.
"Well, Eunbin and Hel know whe—" He caught himself and cleared his throat. "You're right. I should have replied and let you know what I was doing."
Seishan's expression didn't change, but Arthur was slightly startled by the tone she used.
"Eunbin and Hel know what?"
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes, staring at him, and then let out a sigh.
"You could have simply said you wanted to train your followers, and we would have understood, you know? Even mother asked about you recently…"
Arthur brought his hand to the back of his neck.
"Sorry. I acted on impulse, and—"
She interrupted him, elegantly raising her hand.
"You don't have to apologize. Just next time, let us know—and someone might even be able to help you…"
He fell silent, looking at her, crossing his arms again.
"Sorry, but, Shan… by any chance, did you want me to invite you to help me?"
"Me?" She pointed at herself and then looked away. "Well… maybe?"
He smiled with his eyes.
"I see. Next time, I'll invite you, and we can train the King's Wardens and the Handmaidens together, if you want."
Seishan nodded as she stood up.
"I'd love to, but…" She approached him and stared at him for a few seconds. "Why, instead of inviting me to train, don't you invite me to do something else?" She moved even closer. "You still owe me compensation, remember?"
Arthur let out a laugh.
"Ah… I see what's going on now." He smirked. "You were never actually angry with me. You just wanted me to ask you out."
"Will you?"
He met her gaze.
"I don't know… like you said, I've been training for four days, and I'm tired—"
Before he could finish the sentence, Seishan extended a hand and absentmindedly brushed a strand of hair that had fallen over his forehead. Her fingers barely grazed his skin.
He followed the movement of her hand with surgical precision and felt something move inside him.
"Arthur." Her voice was soft, but firm. "You still owe me compensation."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
She crossed her arms and held his gaze without flinching. "And refusing the person you owe compensation to seems like a rather strange way to pay a debt."
"Now it's a debt?"
"It has been ever since you admitted you should have told me."
Arthur let out a laugh and rolled his eyes theatrically.
"Legacies and their customs of always wanting to collect debts…"
"Guilty as charged."
He looked back at her, amused.
"You have no shame."
"Why should I?" Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "If I want something, I go and take it."
Arthur watched her for a few seconds before letting out a short laugh.
"How terrifying."
The silence that followed lasted only a few seconds. Seishan kept her gaze fixed on him, not looking away for an instant.
Arthur finally let out a sigh of surrender.
"Seishan."
"Yes?"
"Would you like to go on a date with me?"
A genuine smile appeared on her face. "Of course, Arthur. I'd love to." She took out her communicator and quickly checked something. "You have two hours to get ready."
"Two hours?" Arthur blinked. "What if I need more time?"
"You don't."
"How considerate."
"I know." She put her communicator away and began walking toward the exit. "See you in Ravenheart and come pick me up at my room." Before crossing the door, she paused for a moment and turned her head slightly. "And don't be late."
Arthur let out a laugh.
"I'll do my best."
She looked him up and down before replying. "You'll do more than that." With one final satisfied smile, she left the room.
Arthur stood there, staring at the spot where she had been, and let out a sigh.
'What are you supposed to do on a date?'
'Beats me. I've never had one,' Regis replied.
'Should we go watch that movie once and for all?'
Sylvie replied immediately, 'No! Don't you dare mention that in front of her!'
He couldn't reply because in the next moment, a new figure emerged from a reflection, and Mordret stood there looking at him with an amused expression.
Arthur had already gotten used to him appearing at any moment, so this time he wasn't startled.
"What do you want, Mordret?"
The Prince of War crossed his arms and mirrored his pose.
"My best friend, I wanted to ask you about a book I wanted to read, but I came at the wrong time, apparently."
'Why does he act as if he didn't just see everything that happened?'
"What book?"
He pulled a book out of a reflection.
"I've been wanting to read this saga called 'Red Rising' for a while now. Do you know it?"
Arthur remembered hearing the name but hadn't read it yet.
"I recognize the name, but I haven't read it yet."
Mordret let out a disappointed sound.
"Well, that's all, my friend. Good luck on your date with Seishan… and remember, the women of the Song Clan have different dietary preferences!" At that moment, he disappeared again.
'That guy is strange,' Regis mentioned.
Arthur couldn't help but agree.
'Well… I still don't know what to do on a date… maybe I could ask someone?'
Sylvie chimed in.
'A few weeks ago, an arcade opened to the public… you could go there?'
An arcade? Arthur didn't dislike the idea…
'Can you send me the address?'
'Of course!'
'Thanks, Sylv.'
Now it was time to get changed and wait until it was time for the date.
He found his tether and returned to Ravenheart, appearing in his room. But instead of changing, he decided to go to the throne room.
Knocking lightly on the door, it opened and closed behind him as he entered. Arthur stopped in front of Ki Song, who had simply watched him.
"Arthur… what brings you here?"
He blinked in surprise… hadn't Seishan said the Queen had asked about him? Was that a lie?
"Seishan told me you had asked about me."
Ki Song remained silent, looking at him strangely, but then her eyes widened slightly, and she replied.
"Oh, yes! Actually, I wanted to ask you how you were adjusting to Ravenheart."
Arthur frowned slightly but let it slide.
"Good so far. The people are very friendly, and they haven't crowded around me when I go out into the streets."
The Queen let out a laugh as she replied, "Very well, I'm glad to hear that, but… you're summing everything up in just one outing." She stopped laughing but kept smiling. "What have you been doing these past four days?"
"I've been checking the King's Wardens' level through sparring and training."
"And what's your verdict on them?"
Arthur shrugged.
"They're decent, but I expected a little more from them. Still, they're very talented."
Ki Song nodded at his answer.
"A very expected response from you, I'd say. Surely you compared your level to theirs, and that's why you were disappointed, right?"
"Now that you mention it," Arthur began, "you could say so. Having skipped the Awakened phase, I guess I expected something from them that was too complicated."
The Queen smiled.
"Well, that's what happens when you're very talented." She continued in a softer voice. "Still, it's good that you expected more from them. It means you still have that hunger to keep getting stronger."
Arthur accepted the compliment politely.
"Thank you, my queen."
"You're welcome, little Arthur." Her voice returned to its normal tone. "Although I must say, talking to you is something I enjoy, I do have to ask the real reason for your visit."
Arthur thought for a moment about whether he should tell her about his decision to go to Antarctica—which she wouldn't like in the slightest—but he didn't know exactly how to approach that conversation without having to tell her about his Flaw.
He would tell her his decision, and she would reject it. Then the complication would begin, and neither of them would back down.
Besides, the last thing he wanted was for more people to find out about his Flaw. Even though there were few who knew, and it wasn't that exploitable for manipulation, it was something better kept secret.
So instead, he asked her about the date with Seishan.
"You're right, Your Highness," he began. "My real reason for being here is because…" He continued with a hint of embarrassment. "Seishan and I are going on a date in a few hours, and I was wondering… I was wondering about her flower preferences and tastes."
Ki Song didn't reply for a long time, and suddenly a radiant smile appeared on her face.
"Ah, you have no idea how happy it makes me that you're asking me this, Arthur." He tilted his head, but she continued. "You're really making Shan very happy, and she deserves it." She laughed and continued. "To answer your questions… if you're going out on a date, the best thing is to talk to her during it and get to know each other better."
"I appreciate you coming to ask me, but that's something you should ask her—so you two can connect while getting to know each other."
Arthur nodded.
"I understand, and thank you, Your Highness, but… I would like to bring her a gift before the date starts."
Ki Song replied in an almost maternal tone.
"Let me tell you a secret, little Arthur… physical gifts are fine, but the best gift you can give someone is your full attention during the date… making them feel seen."
'She's right.'
"I understand." A pause. "I'll do that, then. Thank you very much for your time, Your Highness."
She let out a small laugh.
"You're welcome, little Arthur. Enjoy your date with Shan."
Arthur made a small bow and left the throne room, heading back to his room.
During the next two hours, he stayed in his room changing outfits and thinking in detail about what to do during the date. Sometimes he asked Sylvie for help, and other times Regis—though the latter was useless for everything.
Eventually, Mordret even showed up again and bothered him for a while.
Finally, only a few minutes remained until the two hours were up, and Arthur stood in front of Seishan's door.
He was wearing a plain blue short-sleeved shirt over a white t-shirt. He paired it with light blue oversized jeans and white shoes. He finished with a small backpack hanging from his shoulder.
Arthur took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Immediately, he heard Seishan tell him to come in, and he did.
The interior of her room was much more luxurious than his—for obvious and understandable reasons. A window let in the orange rays of the sun, which ended up reflecting off the double bed. The walls were all adorned with books, board games of all kinds, and the occasional plant.
The floor was a white carpet that covered the entire room, giving it a very cozy vibe.
But what Arthur focused on most was the fact that Seishan was sitting on her bed without a care in the world… and the fact that she wasn't ready at all.
He frowned.
"Shan? You're not ready yet!"
She stopped reading what was in her hand and turned to look at him. When she did, her eyes widened, and the papers in her hand fell to the floor.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, watching the papers fall.
"What?"
She cleared her throat and picked up the papers again.
"Nothing…"
"Why aren't you ready yet?" he asked, not believing her.
Seishan stood up and headed toward her wardrobe.
"I was waiting to see how you were dressed so I could match, actually…" She looked at him again. "You look dashing in that outfit."
Arthur smiled.
"Thanks. I would have said the same to you if you were ready."
"Oh, but you will." Seishan replied, starting to look for clothes. "Wait here and give me a few minutes."
After saying that, she pulled out a bunch of clothes and headed to the bathroom. Arthur went and sat on the bed to wait calmly.
Something that calmed him about the date was the fact that he wouldn't have Regis bothering him every two seconds, since he had threatened to cut off his Aether supply at the first out-of-line word.
Fortunately for him, Seishan didn't take long to come out of the bathroom in her new outfit, and when she did, Arthur was almost mesmerized by how good it looked on her.
"So? How does it look?" she asked with a smile.
She was wearing a loose burgundy sweater, slightly tucked into a pair of wide-leg black pants that gave her a relaxed but elegant look, complemented by simple black sneakers and a brown leather bag.
From one moment to the next, Arthur started feeling a little heat in his face.
He cleared his throat and said.
"That outfit looks amazing on you."
Seishan took a few steps and stood in front of him, looking down at him.
"Is that all you're going to say?"
Arthur smiled genuinely.
"No, actually—you look incredible."
Seishan extended her hand, and he took it, standing up from the bed.
"Very well, though I think you could do better, I'll let it slide this time."
After that, she linked her arm with his, and they both left the room until they crossed the Dream Gate. Once in the Waking World compound, they continued walking toward a PTV waiting for them at the exit.
The driver already knew where to go, so as soon as they got in, he drove off toward the arcade Sylvie had told him about.
During the ride, they were constantly talking about basically everything, but mainly about what their lives had been like before their First Nightmares.
He didn't want to talk to her about the war, and even less about the fact that her mother might have killed Nephis's father—mainly so as not to ruin the mood, and also because maybe she didn't know.
Another, more important reason was the advice the Queen had given him, so he decided to try to push everything to the back of his mind and simply enjoy the moment, giving her his full attention.
Eventually, they arrived at the arcade Sylvie had mentioned. It was actually a park with all kinds of shops and individual or pair games.
At the back, there were roller coasters and different types of rides, but sadly, those would be completely boring for them.
Most of those rides were designed for mundane people, not for two Ascended. Before entering, he changed his hair color, and they both went into the arcade section—where they spent most of their time.
There were several games, both individual and team-based, but they didn't care about the game mode. Whenever they could, they competed against each other.
Both of their competitive sides showed to the fullest at that moment—neither willing to give in in the slightest, though that didn't last long in Arthur's case.
In games that focused more on aim and skill, Arthur ended up winning, while in strategy and patience games, Seishan took a slight advantage—often winning by just one point or because of some mistake by Arthur.
Mistakes he tried not to make too obvious whenever he made them. He would have really liked to win every game, but when he saw the smile she had the first time she beat him in one, he decided to start letting himself lose discreetly just to see that smile longer.
It was one of the prettiest smiles he had ever seen in his life. Every time she smiled and accompanied it with a laugh or a celebration, he felt his heart slowly melting.
Arthur was having a great time.
In team games, they literally destroyed all the previous records on the machines, especially in the ones where the two of them faced hordes of zombies or Nightmare Creatures.
Each victory in the games earned them tickets that they could later exchange for prizes when they left. After several hours of intensive playing, both had enough tickets to take all the possible prizes.
And that was exactly what Arthur did.
The woman at the counter stopped to see the sheer amount of tickets Arthur had, and after painful seconds, she started calling more employees to help her.
They must have spent about ten minutes putting all the prizes into a giant bag, and when they finished, he thanked them, took the bag, and left.
People were already looking at them strangely, mainly because of their beauty—compared to mundane people, they were both much more beautiful—but now also because of the ridiculously large bag Arthur was carrying.
"Why did you ask for all the prizes, Art? It's not like you need them…" Seishan asked, confused.
Arthur looked at her and smiled.
"You'll see soon."
They were walking along one of the park's internal streets, where many other people were doing the same, and just at that moment, Arthur felt something he had already perceived multiple times through his Aether Sense in the last few minutes.
Arthur slowed down and moved to the side.
"Could you wait for me here for a few minutes? I need to use the restroom."
Seishan looked at him strangely but eventually agreed, and he left the bag with her.
He entered one of the nearby shops that had restrooms, but instead of using it, he simply sensed the Aetheric Pathways and used Godstep.
From one moment to the next, he appeared on the roof of a nearby building, where in front of him were two Awakened with Valor emblems on their uniforms.
'How did they know I'd be here? Or were they following Seishan…'
These Awakened hadn't noticed him yet, so he cleared his throat and said politely,
"Gentlemen, how can I help you?"
The two Awakened froze and turned around painfully slowly. When they saw him standing there with his hands behind his back, they moved to attack him, but at that moment, Regis emerged from his core and manifested, pinning one to the ground.
The other ended up falling to his knees when Arthur used King's Presence on him.
Arthur then used Aether Manipulation and bound them both by their legs and arms.
'What are we going to do with these, princess?' Regis asked mentally, keeping his fangs inches from one of their throats.
'I'm not doing anything. You stay here until Sylvie comes to take them away.'
"As you can see, I'm quite busy right now, so I'm going to leave you with my Echo to supervise you… I'd advise you not to try anything risky if you don't want to die—but you already did by trying to spy on me," Arthur told the two Awakened as they lay on the ground.
The one who had suffered King's Presence was actually unconscious, but the other didn't know that, so it worked better for him.
'Sylv, I found two spies following me. Can you come take care of them?'
Moments later, she replied.
'Yeah, sure. Give me a few minutes. Leave Regis watching them for now. Enjoy the date.'
Regis sent him mental approval, and Arthur used Godstep again back to the restroom.
Moments later, he came out of the store and met Seishan again.
The date continued at the same pace as before. Arthur didn't let the matter of the spies affect him in the slightest. If they had wanted to harm him, they would have had to send at least an Ascended instead of two Awakened, which meant these were only spies to create reports on them.
As they continued walking, Arthur finally arrived at where he wanted to go—the area with prize games. Since most of the people there were children, he noticed this and started giving away all the plushies and prizes in his bag.
In the end, after fifteen minutes, all the children present had one or two plushies for themselves.
Arthur smiled at the smiles on the children's and their parents' faces, and also at Seishan's smile as she watched him give away these plushies.
"That was very kind of you," she mentioned.
Arthur smiled wider and pulled out the last plushie from the bag, but instead of giving it to a child, he handed it to Seishan.
"And finally, I have one for you too."
Seishan took it, and it was a little animal with the same skin color as her—black fur and eyes that were two black pearls. In short, it looked just like her.
Somehow, her smile widened even more, and she gave the plushie a light hug.
"Thank you, Art."
He laughed lightly and tried to hide how he almost melted at the sight of her hugging the plushie.
"You don't have to thank me. Seeing you happy is enough for me."
She moved closer to him and leaned slightly against him. He returned the gesture by bringing one of his arms to her shoulder and hugging her lightly.
Then, in that closeness, they continued watching the rest of the park until night fell.
Once night fell in the Waking World, they both headed to the roof of one of the tallest buildings in all of NQSC. Actually, it was Arthur using Godstep and taking her with him.
On the roof, he took out some chairs from his storage Memory and placed them on the ground. Then he took out a few more utensils until in front of him was everything needed for a barbecue.
Arthur didn't know if having a barbecue in a public space like that was legal or not, but who was going to tell two Ascended from a clan like Song that they can't do it? No one.
For the rest of the night, he focused on cooking dinner while they continued talking about everything they both liked to do.
Arthur learned that Seishan's favorite color was gold, that she liked her meat on the very rare side, and that her favorite flowers were red roses.
While they waited for the meat to cook, they both sat in their chairs, but somehow, Seishan ended up with her head resting on his shoulder as they watched the sparks from the fire.
Even with the polluted air of the siege capital, the night was beautiful—and so was the company.
After eating and continuing to watch the sky in silence, a feeling of tranquility and peace began to float inside Arthur.
He had never experienced anything like this before, and it felt good. It felt better than good.
Eventually, Seishan turned her head slightly from his shoulder and looked at him calmly. He returned her gaze, and she said:
"The moon is beautiful tonight, don't you think?"