After the showcase round, Elijah and Alaric made their way through the marbled corridors of the stadium, intending to meet the Constantine team. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement, but before they could leave the VIP wing, a smooth, commanding voice halted them.
"Alaric."
Alaric turned. A familiar warmth flickered in his eyes. "Rudolf."
King Rudolf Arakavas approached, flanked by two knights and his daughter, Cilie. Despite the royal armor and flowing cape, Rudolf's smile carried the mischief of an old friend rather than a ruler.
They clasped hands and shared a brief, hearty hug.
"It's been too long," Rudolf said, grinning. "Come, we have much to talk about."
Without waiting for formalities, he led them to a private lounge reserved for Velmoria's monarch. The chamber was luxurious yet homely—oak furniture polished to shine, magical portraits of past monarchs on the walls, and shelves filled with relics and old books.
Rudolf gestured to the seats across from him. "Sit, both of you."
Cilie quietly settled beside her father, her posture perfect, her face unreadable.
Alaric and Elijah sat opposite, a bit stiff from the royal presence. Rudolf leaned back, his golden eyes sparkling.
"Do you know how long it's been since we sat like this, Alaric?"
"Since the Constantine days," Alaric chuckled. "Still remember how you almost burned down the potion lab?"
"That was Victor's fault!" Rudolf laughed. "I only added the feather."
He reached into a drawer and pulled out a weathered photograph—a real one, not enchanted. The image showed a group of young students in school uniforms. Smiling, wild, brilliant.
Rudolf pointed at them one by one. "That's me… Alaric… Clark… and that tall fool there is Michael. Beside him, Leonard and Giselle. That's Sasha, and that grinning idiot—Victor."
Elijah leaned closer. "These people… you all studied together?"
"We were more than students," Rudolf said proudly. "We were called the Eight Constant Devils of Constantine High."
Elijah blinked. "Why that name?"
Rudolf grinned mischievously. "Because even Principal Belbub used to get cold sweats when we walked into a room. He thought we'd blow up the academy every other week."
Alaric added with a smirk, "To be fair, we nearly did… several times. Father had to create an entirely new disciplinary category for us: Devil-Class Infractions."
Rudolf laughed heartily. "He used to keep a second wand just to suppress our 'accidents.' Once, Victor accidentally summoned a minor fire beast in the library, and Giselle tamed it by feeding it book pages."
Laughter echoed through the room, but when Elijah innocently asked, "What happened to the others?", the warmth quickly faded.
Rudolf and Alaric's expressions darkened. Their hands tensed. Silence filled the room like a heavy fog. Elijah noticed the sudden shift and quickly looked down, feeling he had crossed a line.
"I... I'm sorry," he muttered.
Rudolf exhaled slowly, then returned to his usual jovial tone, though his eyes remained distant. "No need to apologize. You remind me of your mother, Sasha—always curious, always brave."
Then he turned to his daughter. "Cilie, come. Greet Elijah. You're both of the same age."
Cilie stood with practiced grace and faced Elijah. Her blue hair shimmered under the light, and her golden eyes seemed to look right through him. "Hello."
Elijah stood, equally reserved. "Hello."
Their gazes locked. Neither spoke.
After an awkward pause, Cilie finally said, stiffly:
"…What a sunny day."
A beat of silence.
Elijah replied, equally stiff, "…Yes."
That was it. The first exchange between the he and the princess.
Alaric and Rudolf sat frozen, jaws halfway to the floor.
"…Did they just…" Alaric whispered.
"…start with the weather?" Rudolf added, blinking.
The two adults burst into laughter.
Elijah coughed, embarrassed. Cilie turned slightly red and bowed before retreating silently from the room.
As the door clicked behind her, Rudolf sighed. "She's brilliant with magic but hopeless with words. Reminds me of her mother, actually."
Elijah sat again, still trying to process the surreal exchange.
Rudolf wiped a tear from his eye. "You've inherited her awkwardness too, huh? Just like Sasha."
Then, his expression turned serious.
"Now, back to the main reason I called you here."
He gestured to his butler, who silently exited the room. From beneath the table, Rudolf pulled out a flask filled with glowing liquid gold.
"Elijah. I heard from Alaric—you accidentally consumed a Red Elixir."
Elijah tensed. "I… yeah."
Rudolf held up the flask. "Don't worry. This is our solution. Me and Alaric created this together—a Golden Elixir. It can restore Celestial Path. Even better—it can advance you to the next stage."
Elijah's eyes widened. "That's… unbelievable. But if you use it on me—"
Rudolf interrupted, firm but kind. "We have a plan. You're not the only one we've prepared it for."
He leaned forward.
"But, there are few conditions and side effects. "we need to perform the Ritual of Celestial Tuning first. If you drink this without the ritual, your body might explode or… worse."
Rudolf nodded gravely. "It must be done under a full moon, inside a sealed hexagram, with three catalysts: Moonstone Ash, Phoenix Root, and an offering of blood."
Elijah looked down. "Blood?"
"Just a few drops," Alaric clarified. "To bind the elixir to your life force."
Elijah nodded slowly. "Okay… and the side effects?"
Rudolf opened his mouth to explain—when the door creaked open.
The butler entered again, bowing. "Your Majesty, the nobles have arrived. They await you in the sun court."
Rudolf sighed. "Duty never sleeps."
He rose, then looked at Elijah and smiled. "We'll talk about the side effects next time. They're not too terrible—just... fascinating."
He and Alaric embraced briefly. "We'll catch up tonight."
"Try not to blow up the palace this time," Alaric said with a chuckle.
"I make no promises," Rudolf grinned as he exited.
As the doors closed behind him, Elijah sat there, still thinking about the awkward conversation with Cilie, the mystery of the Eight Constant Devils, and the golden elixir that might change everything.
The day had only just begun—but destiny had already knocked.