Kingdom: Another World

Chapter 40: Reminiscing

"What – " Rio said. "I haven't thought of that ..." she muttered, her expression looking pensive.

"That's the lake in between the four kingdoms, right?" Chris asked.

We nodded. "Yeah. That's where we're all playing when we're kids." I said.

"Yeah. It brings back memories." Rio said and smiled. "Huh? Wait – scratch that! Why the lake?" she asked and frowned. "It couldn't be... " she muttered.

"It could." Phillix said. They all looked at him. "It appeared after the country was split in two. It appeared in the center of the country that he split into two. It's in between the kingdom that had been split into two – " he explained.

"Enough of that 'split into two'." I said. "Just tell them already." I told him, slightly frowning. What's his problem with 'split into two'? I thought and sighed.

Phillix just chuckled. "Okay, okay. Forgive me, Your Highness." He said and bowed.

I just grimaced.

He chuckled, then cleared his throat. "Yes. That's the only possible place left for him to reside." He said.

"Huh?!" Rio said. "Call me being hung up on the lake, but... aren't you blind?" he asked. "The lake is an open area. Anyone could've seen him if he'd stay there." He said.

"I'm not blind, Fairy." Phillix spoke. "But I didn't mean he resides there literally." He said.

"Then what do you mean?" Rio asked.

"I think... there's some opening there to his residence." Phillix answered.

"An opening?" Oril asked.

Phillix nodded. "Yeah. Some sort of a key... like in the Fairy's barrier. It was a door." He said. "But it's only visible to certain individuals." He added.

"'certain individuals'..." Chris said, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Such as?" he asked.

"Hmm... possessing some kind of a special power. Like that." Phillix said.

Silence filled the hall.

I sighed. "Enough. That's all for today." I said. "I deeply appreciate you gracing us by your presence, Your Majesty the West King." I told the West king and bowed.

Yako nodded. "Same here." He said.

I smiled. "Emil. Oril." I called.

"Yes, Your Highness!" they answered and saluted.

I nodded. "You escort the West king out of the kingdom." I said. "That's all." I said, then left.

They all stood up from their seat and followed behind me.

"Ah!" I exclaimed and took off the red cape that is hanging on my shoulders and is sliding on the floor as I walk. "Good thing I didn't wear the crown!" I said.

Phillix laughed and took the cape. He then passed it to Chris since Phillix is also wearing a cape. Chris' mouth went 'O'. "You'd look more regal." Phillix told me and laughed.

I grimaced. "Stop it!" I said.

They just laughed.

...

"This is better." I said and sighed, feeling satisfied, after I wore my usual clothes. 'Usual', meaning an ordinary citizen's clothes.

They grimaced. It's discomforting to see a princess wearing a civilian's clothes, especially when they were already used to seeing the princess in her regal clothes, and that she should actually really be wearing her regal clothes.

"We may be used to seeing you in that outfit, but you still looked like a princess." Chris said and smiled as she looked at my face.

Although Chris is beautiful, my face is of another kind of beautiful appearance. Chris' beauty is of the mature type, giving her the aura of an independent woman. Rio is the pretty type, making you want to pamper her. Meanwhile, my beauty is of the delicate type.

I frowned. They just laughed. "Oh, yeah." I said then ran to my terrace. "It's that, right?" I asked and pointed to the wide lake afar.

"Oh... it's really wide, now that I see it from a high place." Vice said.

I looked at her. She's standing beside me.

"What?" she asked when she noticed me looking at her.

I stared at her, then sighed. I smiled. "This brings back memories of those nights you came to my terrace – " I said.

"Waaah!! Stop!!" she said and covered my mouth with her both hands. Her face is beet red.

"Huh? What does that mean, Yelena?" Phillix asked and grinned widely at me and Vice. His eyes are twinkling, and his gaze on me and Vice is meaningful.

"Dunno if we should leave them two here." Chris said and they laughed.

Vice's face went redder as an apple. They laughed harder. "Ugh... Yelena, you stupid!" she said and pouted.

I laughed and took her hands that covered my mouth. "Huh? You forgot I'm the princess here, and you're in my castle. Want me to punish you for insulting me?" I joked. She went pale.

Phillix, Chris and Rio laughed.

I chuckled. "Just kidding." I said and smiled at Vice.

Her face went back to red. "Argh! Yelena, you're really stupid!" she yelled and hit me.

We just all laughed.

"Huh? What's the commotion about?" someone asked.

We turned and saw Emil and Oril on my door.

"Hey." I called them, my face was serious. "How dare you two open my door without permission?" I asked and crossed my arms as I sternly looked at them.

"Uh-oh." Chris said, making a worried expression on her face.

"You made the princess mad – " Phillix said and sympathetically shook his head.

"Bearil, you idiot!" Rio said and glared at Oril. Her hands on her hips.

"Huh?" the two went pale. They didn't expect for me to suddenly become mad.

"Your – Your Highness!" Emil cried, panicking. "We ... we deeply apologize – " he said and hurriedly went outside.

"Uh... uhm – " sweat fell down from Oril's face.

"Pft ....!" We laughed. "So priceless!" we said and held our stomach.

"What...?" the two said, shocked.

"Your Highness!" Emil said, pouting when he realized they have been tricked. "You're so mean!" he said and they went back inside my room. "Ah." Emil said, looking at the wall. "That..." he said and pointed at something.

"Hmm? Oh!" I spoke. "That's you and that West knight, Michele, right?" I asked.

Emil nodded and smiled sadly. "We were so close back then..." he said.

Oril patted his back. "It's okay, man. Just cry – ugh!" he cried when Emil elbowed him.

"Damn you!" Emil glared at Oril.

"You can have it if you want." I told Emil.