Ronald looked at Torin with anger in his eyes... this little beastman dared to laugh at him... he'd definitely find a way to make him suffer... and then he'd be the one laughing... he made that evil plan in his head without anyone knowing...
Aleric looked at Silas and asked, "What he said..."
Before he could complete the sentence, Silas nodded his head. "Yes! Draven is my boyfriend."
Everyone looked at him in awe. Seraphina asked, "Are you sure about it!"
Silas nodded his head. "Yes! I was going to tell everyone after today, when he suddenly appeared during the coronation and accepted that damn knight token..."
He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist before saying the last part of his words....
Aleric frowned. "Let me test him first, if he is qualified enough to be my brother-in-law..."
Silas smirked. "Do as you please but.... where is he?"
Inside the castle, Draven had just come out of the Hall of Prophecy.... and looking around, he couldn't find a way to go back.... He searched for many ways, and after much thought, he decided to head in one direction....
He was walking along a long corridor, when suddenly someone grabbed his collar from behind and he instantly disappeared...
He tried to see the face of the person but couldn't see it at all...
When he reappeared, he saw himself standing in a dark hall. This was supposed to be the old main hall of the Valerius Archduchy.... after the Valerius Archduchy became the capital of the Ancient Kingdom, the main hall was changed to another, bigger one...
The moment Draven stepped into the hall, nine crushing pressures slammed down on him at once.
It wasn't just weight ,it was more like nine mountains had been dropped onto his shoulders, his chest and his soul. His knees buckled instantly. His breath caught. His vision blurred.
What the hell did I do? Did I just kick a beehive made of gods?
He forced his head up, sweat dripping down his pale neck, and then he saw them — nine figures seated on the high platform above, looking down at him like judges at an execution.
Cassian, Lucian, Selene, Nytheria, Varric, Elara, Auren, Isolde and Cedric.
Nine Saints of the Ancient Kingdom. Nine living legends.
Cassian's voice cut through the silence like ice.
"Are you the instructor from Argent Spire Academy?"
Draven lowered his head, his throat dry. "Yes, Archduke. I am Draven. Instructor at Argent Spire Academy."
Selene's eyes narrowed, cold enough to freeze blood. "What is your relationship with Silas?"
Draven's heart hammered. He couldn't lie not here, not under this pressure. He also doesn't want to lie to them even if they asked him normally.
But now the weight of nine Saints was grinding his bones. He dug his nails into his palms, gritted his teeth until his jaw ached.
"I..." his voice cracked. "I'm his boyfriend."
"HOW DARE YOU!"
Nytheria's roar shook the hall. Her aura exploded like a tidal wave of killing intent and Draven crashed to the floor on both knees, blood bursting from his lips.
Varric leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. "Do you even understand what you are saying? Silas is the Ancient King. You accepted the First Knight token. Your duty is to protect him , not to claim him as yours."
Draven tried to stand. His muscles screamed. His spine felt like it would snap. The pressure kept pushing him down and down trying to force his forehead to the cold stone.
Blood trailed from the corner of his mouth. His vision swam red.
But he forced the words out, one by one, through clenched teeth:
"Silas... and I... love... each other!"
He planted his hand on the ground and pushed.
His whole body trembled violently and then, deep inside his chest, something answered.
The seal over his heart flared.
A pure, blinding white light erupted from him, surging outward in a silent pulse. In an instant, the suffocating pressure of the nine Saints shattered like glass.
The hall went still.
Draven rose slowly to his feet, blood on his chin, his hair disheveled, but his eyes were burning, unwavering.
He looked up at all nine of them and spoke, his voice low, hoarse, but absolute:
"If anyone dares... to hurt him..."
"I'll kill them."
"Even if I have to die to do it."
Lucian rested a hand on his chin, his eyes amused and cold. "With your meager strength?"
Draven's gaze snapped to him, ice-cold and unwavering.
"There is no power more powerful than the power of love," he said. "If someone attacked your family... your loved ones... can you say you wouldn't destroy them no matter what? Even if it meant standing against the gods themselves?"
As he spoke, the seal over his heart pulsed and then blazed.
A brilliant light burst from his chest, washing over the hall. In the next instant, the pressure reversed.
It was no longer the nine Saints pressing down on Draven.
It was the First Knight's authority . Ancient, absolute, and suffocating power crashing down on them.
The nine saints of the Ancient Kingdom froze. Their eyes widened. For the first time in centuries, they felt their own shoulders grow heavy under someone else's will.
They all stared at Draven in awe.
Lucian stood up from his seat and walked down toward Draven. He tapped Draven's back twice, then looked up at the other eight on the high seats and laughed.
"Hahahaha! That's how my grandson-in-law should be... Good! Good! See? I told you he wasn't simple at all..." Then he grinned at everyone, proud as could be.
Cassian said nothing. He just frowned and crossed both arms over his chest. "Just so-so..."
Selene sneered at him. "He's hundred times better than you, Cassian... admit it!"
Cassian snapped back, " who's mother are you ! Mine or his ? "
Nytheria scoffed at him, "All he can do is frown... that's why I don't like him at all. Look at Silas. Even the life partner he chose can stand against us without hesitating for a second..." A rare smile appeared on her face.
Elara, Auren, Isolde, and Cedric all smiled together.
Auren cleared his throat. "Draven! Please don't tell Silas that we tested you, or else..." He scratched his head in shame. He definitely didn't want to get on Silas's bad side.
Elara covered her mouth to hide her laugh.
Cedric nodded vigorously at Auren's suggestion. Isolde chuckled softly and said, "Draven! I've watched Silas since he was a child... please take care of him for us."
Draven became dumbfounded. What just happened? The people who were criticizing him a moment ago had become so warm and lively that he felt like he had returned to a home he had always craved.
Varric also stood up from his seat and came down. He suddenly slapped Lucian's hand off Draven's back.
"You! Stop that. He is the Ancient Knight of our kingdom... show him proper etiquette."
Lucian scratched his head in shame.
Varric turned to Draven, his expression serious but kind. "Draven! You must be confused, right? As the elders, we should check the future generations. That's why we tested you... and you passed with flying colors." He laughed heartily. "Hahahaha, just don't tell Silas about it."
Everyone looked at him with puppy eyes even Cassian. Now that Silas held more power than any of them, they didn't want him taking revenge on them...
Draven smiled faintly. "I won't... I won't tell him anything."
Everyone gasped in relief.
They talked for a few more minutes. After that, Cassian handed Draven a map of the castle.
"Memorize this," he said curtly. "You'll need it for future operations."
Then he personally escorted Draven back outside. Once they were alone in the corridor, his expression turned cold again.
"If you ever hurt my child..." he said quietly, "...I'll kill you myself."
He didn't wait for an answer. He vanished into thin air.
Draven chuckled, looking at the empty void where Cassian had stood. "Mother was right... he just needs time to accept me." He scratched his head, then turned and headed outside, following the map.
On the road to the outer plaza, Draven ran into Silas, who had clearly been looking for him everywhere.
Silas rushed over immediately. Rising up on his toes a little, he kissed Draven gently on the lips.
Then he pulled back, worried. "Where were you? I've been trying to find you for the last few hours..."
He started checking Draven's body, patting his arms and chest to make sure he wasn't injured. Draven had already taken medicine to heal his wounds from the test, so Silas didn't find anything.
"You're not hurt, are you?" Silas asked, his brow furrowed.
Draven remembered everything that had just happened and chuckled. "Nothing! I was just lost in the castle... then..."
Silas looked at him curiously. "Then what?"
Draven said, "Then I met Archduke Cassian... and he gave me a map."
Silas's eyes went wide instantly. "Father! You met my father... he didn't do anything to you, did he?"
Draven grabbed Silas by the waist and pulled him close, smiling. "Why would my father-in-law do anything to me?"
Silas frowned. "You're lying, aren't you..."
Draven didn't say anything. He just leaned in and locked his lips with Silas's. The kiss deepened quickly, turning heated, and they lost themselves in it for a moment.
When they finally separated, both were breathless.
Draven brushed his thumb across Silas's cheek. "Let's go outside. Everyone is waiting for you..."
Silas nodded, but as they walked out he asked again, tugging at Draven's hand.
"Tell me, na! What did he say to you..."
Draven just chuckled and didn't say a word.