Chapter 66: Choices

The morning sun cast long, clean shadows across the marble floors of the palace corridor. Leo walked slowly down the high-arched stone lane, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Even though Prince Felipe had ordered the guards to treat him as a guest, the constant presence of armed soldiers standing at every single exit partition was a constant reminder that he was still trapped on an isolated island.

As he turned a wide corner near the central courtyard, a familiar figure stepped out from the shadows of a large pillar.

It was Alistair Roslav. The purple-haired older brother was dressed in another pristine, expensive designer suit, his posture completely rigid as he closed the physical distance. He stopped a mere two feet away, blocking Leo's path entirely as his piercing violet eyes flashed with an intense, burning hatred.

"Do not get too comfortable inside these walls, commoner," Alistair whispered in a cold, threatening tone, keeping his face calm but his voice snapping with raw fury. "My mother and father might be completely blinded by your lucky swordsmanship display in the arena, but I will never accept a street rat like you into our sacred royal family. Mark my words, I will personally uncover the exact truth behind your fake relationship and ensure your execution is finalized before the festival."

Leo didn't flinch. He simply stood tall, his body towering over the prince as he stared straight down into Alistair's furious eyes. A slow, thoroughly amused, and completely confident smirk traced Leo's sharp jawline. He let out a low, relaxed rumble of a laugh.

"Honestly, Alistair, watching you act so incredibly pathetic and whiny right now satisfies me completely," Leo said, his dark eyes carrying a mocking spark. "Think of it as my little revenge for your guards tying my hands and dragging me onto a private jet against my will. Have fun throwing your little tantrum."

Without waiting to hear another word, Leo casually turned around on his heel and walked down the opposite hallway, leaving the prince behind. Alistair's face turned a violent shade of crimson red, his fists clenching so hard his knuckles turned white, but he aggressively forced his posture back into a disciplined stance and marched away in the opposite direction.

.....

A short while later, Leo walked out into the massive, blooming royal gardens of the castle. The air was crisp, filled with the sweet scent of exotic flowers and the quiet splashing of stone fountains.

As he walked down a path lined with white rose bushes, his eyes stopped dead in his path.

Walking slowly through the greenery was Eleanor. Today, she had discarded her casual student clothes and glasses, wearing a breathtakingly beautiful, deep purple royal gown with gold embroidery that perfectly framed her figure. With her long purple hair cascading flawlessly over her smooth shoulders, she looked like an actual, elite princess.

Eleanor caught sight of him, a sudden blush painting her pale cheeks as she walked over smoothly, offering a small, elegant nod of greeting. "Good morning, Leo."

"Good morning, Princess," Leo offered an effortless grin, falling into step right beside her as they began walking down the sunlit stone path together. "You actually look princess today."

Eleanor bit her lower lip, her usual high-and-mighty pride completely missing as she looked around to make sure the garden guards were out of earshot. Her voice dropped into a frantic, excited whisper. "Leo... listen to me carefully. Last night, I was searching the old maps. I successfully found a secure exit. There is a hidden smuggling boat arriving at the eastern docks tomorrow night. I can use my royal pass to sneak you past the wall soldiers and help you escape the kingdom completely!"

Leo stopped his feet, his brow furrowing deeply as curiosity filled his mind.

Eleanor turned to face him, her violet eyes glistening with intense shyness and deep gratitude as she clutched her gown fabric. "Thank you... thank you once again for protecting me in the dining hall and facing Felipe on the sand. But I refuse to let a completely innocent person get stuck inside this messy royal situation because of my mistakes. You must take the boat and leave."

Leo looked down at her worried face, a long, grounded sigh escaping his lips. Before she could continue her frantic explanation, he reached out his large, warm hands, firmly yet gently grabbing her smooth shoulders to lock her frame in place.

Eleanor flinched, her entire body going completely rigid as a massive crimson blush exploded all the way down to her neck. Her violet eyes widened in pure, breathless shyness as she stared up into his dark gaze from mere inches away.

"Listen to me, Eleanor," Leo said, his deep voice carrying a thoroughly serious, unyielding authority. "It's completely true that I never wanted to come to this island, and I definitely didn't want to get dragged into your troublesome family drama. But... I can't just run away like a coward and leave you behind to face everything alone. If I disappear, your father will destroy your life."

Eleanor’s breath caught sharply in her throat, her lips parting in total shock.

Leo offered a soft, reassuring grin, his fingers tightening gently against her shoulders. "I'm going to proceed with the official engagement during the festival. And once the ceremony is fully finalized... we are going to pack our bags and leave this kingdom together. You told me you wanted to visit many different outer cities, right? I'll take you there."

Hearing his protective, incredible words, a sudden wave of intense emotion hit her chest, and fresh, happy tears began to spill from her violet eyes as she quickly looked down at his boots, her body trembling slightly with pure, genuine joy.

"Hey, hey, don't cry now," Leo teased softly, letting out a quiet rumble of a laugh as he let go of her shoulders. "If the wall guards see a princess weeping in front of a commoner, your father will definitely execute me before lunch."

Eleanor let out a sweet, wet chuckle, quickly wiping her eyes as a beautiful, glowing smile traced her lips. "You... you are an absolute devil, Leo," she whispered breathlessly, her face still completely red as they resumed their slow walk down the rose path, a deep, unbreakable bond finally forging between them.

.....

Meanwhile, far across the big ocean, the sleek, invisible hull of the space travel ship silently cut through the clouds, descending toward the sea level location.

Inside the high-tech cockpit, Stella sat flat in the co-pilot seat, her fingers actively tracking the glowing metallic device Princess Ophira had given her. She pointed a finger toward the main viewing glass. "Look! The energy is stabilizing right ahead!"

Lunaria leaned forward from the rear row, her long midnight-blue hair shaking as her eyes stretched wide in absolute, profound shock. Through the morning mist, a massive, incredibly beautiful island landmass rose out of the ocean, lined with towering white stone castles and grand high-society buildings that caught the sun. "My goodness... it's the kingdom."

Professor Julia sat calmly at the main control stick, a dark, knowing smirk tracing her lips as she carefully navigated the invisible ship. "Quiet down. We need to establish a secure ground position without triggering their primitive border radars."

Moving with flawless, elite efficiency, Julia guided the massive invisible ship downward, finding a completely isolated, dense forest ravine right near a wide, flowing riverside. The metallic landing gear touched the dirt with a soft, cushioned thud, completely hidden from human sight.

HISS.

The main automatic cabin doors ground open, and the three women stepped down the hidden ramp onto the damp grass, the cool island breeze hitting their faces.

Stella immediately pulled out the tracking device, her green eyes narrowing in absolute focus as she monitored the screen. The bright, pulsing neon-blue dot representing Leo’s System core was perfectly static.

"The signal is completely locked down," Stella announced seriously, slinging her dark bag over her shoulder as she pointed a finger toward the massive white stone palace structures looming in the distance. "The exact point is showing right in the centre of the island. Let's keep moving before the security patrols."

Julia let out a deeply amused chuckle, her smoky-grey eyes flashing with an unyielding hunger as she led the way into the heavy trees. "Lead the way."