The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 38 : Regis

Dusk, Susco, Piggon, Sylvia and Mellow were sitting in the lounge of the Dorm 6 building. Susco was in a marvellous mood after getting the news that she was going to be paid $5,000 a month for her work as director of the tech company. This was in addition to the $2,500 she was getting from the Ministry. She was equally happy that Dusk would be paid $10,000 and therefore she decided to have a small party for Dusk and her friends.

They were having a round of drinks, with all the girls congratulating Dusk on getting such an assignment. The fact that she was now going to be a director in a tech company was astonishing news. She was perhaps the youngest director in a non-family business in the history of Uni-Viva. They did not know that she now even owned 25% of the company.

Dusk did not want the news to be made public, so she stopped Piggon from posting it in her military group. She had decided to hide the pink hover-car and use it only when no one else was there. She did not want to start another controversy. Even students from the Noble Families would not have their own hover-cars at the university.

Suddenly the Video Screen flashed its trademark white and red images, which it generally did to attract attention before some important announcement. Someone had tuned it to Royal Chaser Channel. The anchor was standing in front of a massive hotel in Regis, the capital of the Empire.

"We all have been waiting for long to know the next ruler of our country. The Emperor finally announced it some weeks ago that the young Prince Julien Lidwig has been chosen to be the Crown Prince, by passing a whole generation of Royals.

But no one has seen the Crown Prince either before or after the announcement. Our newspersons have been searching high and low and there is no news of him. There is no information of what he looks like, what he has studied, his likes, his dislikes, who is girlfriends are .... We only know that the Crown Prince has come to Regis and has been here for the a month.

But tonight, we have sources telling us that the Crown Prince is going to come to the Ball being thrown by Lord Sunjune, the Minister of Defence & Security. Lord Sunjune was believed to be the Heir of the Emperor after Prince Jules was banished to the Northern Provinces. Our Political Experts believe that Crown Prince' decision to attend a ball hosted by Lord Sunjune, allow him to be the first to host the newly appointed Crown Prince, was intended to give him 'face' and respect. It is also widely believed that since the Crown Prince wants to be in the good books of the Minister since he controls the Military."

"Oof! Don't these people have anything else to talk about? All this speculation about what he looks like, he thinks this, and he will do that, all speculation. I am also surprised that the public wants to see such things... I am sure none of these newspersons have ever met the Prince but can read his mind and predict his actions." Piggon commented.

On the screen, a fleet of Duo-Pax became visible. 5 pilot bikes in a 'V' shaped formation, followed by a fancy looking light green Hover-Car and 4 bikes in a rear-guard formation. There were 2 other hover-bikes were the 'flanks' of the formation. They were all travelling at a steady speed as they went down the road. The gates of the hotel closed behind them and the motorcade came up the driveway to the entrance of the palace.

The camera drones immediately focused on the scene and the newspersons could be seen running towards the entrance. Imperial Guards immediately formed a line on the lawn to stop people from getting closer. One camera drone that went beyond the line was immediately shot down. The Imperial Security was very serious in protecting their charge.

Lord Sunjune's staff rushed down the steps to welcome the guest. Then, one young man came running out of the palace and stood at attention at the top of the stairs leading to the palace. The anchor announced he was Prince Crator Lidwig, son of Lord Sunjune. It became obvious to everyone now that the motorcade was that of the Crown Prince. A babble of noises arose from the spectators. Behind Prince Crator, many of the young women from the Noble Families crowded the doorway, eager to have a look at the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom.