Genesis Code: The Genetic Awakening

"Wow… I can't believe the princess is that gutsy." Jess noted with a soft chuckle. "The girl confessed the very day she 'saw' you." The catwoman was impressed.

Arriving at the Royal Castle with Crusher, the two were guided to the guest area, where they met up with Caleb and assigned rooms. Of course, Jess chose to stay in Caleb's room; it was only natural.

The two had spent the night making up and catching up on things they missed. Jess filled Caleb in on the contents of the private council meeting, while Caleb narrated his side of the story.

Before the sun rose on the horizon, Caleb and Jess were already up. They continued to make small conversations, where the conversation gradually shifted to the prince and princess, leading to the comment Jess made.

"Hehe…" Caleb chuckled as well, caressing Jess's back as they lay on the bed. "The girl knows exactly what she wants."

"What about you?" Jess lifted her head from Caleb's chest, staring into his eyes. "Are you planning to accept the princess? You already have me and the duchess. Not to mention, you're making moves on the priestess."

Caleb stared back into Jess's eyes, not finding any trace of displeasure. The catwoman had no issue with Caleb having multiple partners. Honestly, it was strange for someone from Earth.

'There would have been hell to pay if this was Earth.' Caleb thought silently and then replied. "To be honest, I don't know. The princess is a charming girl, no doubt. However, we just met, and I barely know anything about her. Well, except for her daring personality."

He smiled at the last part, his gaze shifting to the ceiling. "I proposed we give ourselves time to see how things progress. What the princess might be feeling right now could be what I call the 'Hero Syndrome'."

"Hero syndrome?" The catwoman echoed, not quite familiar with the term. However, from how it sounded, Jess could make a guess. "So you think she feels that way because you saved her from her ailment?"

"Most likely." Caleb nodded. "It's why I propose we interact more before proceeding with anything."

"So the problem is not you but her…" Jess put the core of the message together. "You have no problem accepting her, but you want the princess to be sure of her feelings first."

"Yeah… You get me so well." Caleb caressed Jess's cat eyes, enjoying how they twitched under his touch. It was a feeling he couldn't put into words.

Looking towards the window, Caleb noticed the sun rising, signalling the start of a new day. "The sun's up."

"Mm," Jess mumbled and snuggled in close. The catwoman was getting comfortable instead of preparing to get out of bed. "A few more minutes."

"Sure… Why not?"

***

The night before, King Gray had sent a message over to Caleb and Jess, asking if they would like to join his family for dinner. King Gray was kind enough to give Caleb the option to refuse — a gesture not commonly seen.

The choice extended to the morning as well, giving Caleb and Jess the privacy they needed to spend time together. After having their breakfast delivered to their rooms, Jess and Caleb had a small feast before stepping out of their room.

When Caleb and Jess stepped out of their room, they weren't surprised to find a formally dressed steward waiting a few meters from their room.

"Good morning, Mr. Zane, Miss Retrove." The steward bowed and then introduced himself. "My name is Henry Faststarrow, the Lord Steward of the Royal Household. I'll be acting as your guide for the day."

Caleb and Jess nodded in acknowledgement, taking a moment to note the man's features. Standing at little over 1.7 meters, the Lord Steward was a classic man with neatly trimmed brown hair, hazel eyes and a clean shave.

The Lord Steward was clad in a deep charcoal coat trimmed with silver embroidery, its high collar and tailored sleeves bearing the subtle crest of the royal household.

Beneath the coat, a crisp white shirt and black waistcoat added formality, while his boots—polished to a mirror shine—clicked softly against the stone floor. Every detail of his attire spoke of quiet authority and courtly discipline.

Despite his role as the steward of the household, his physique was nothing to scoff at. He looked capable enough to hold his own.

"Thank you, Mr. Faststarrow. We'll be in your care." Caleb replied.

"It will be my pleasure, Mr. Zane." Henry gave another curt bow before clasping his hands before his back. "How about a tour of the Royal Castle?"

Caleb turned to look at Jess, who simply shrugged. Looking back at the steward, Caleb gestured ahead. "Please, lead the way."

"Of course," The steward nodded and took the lead, guiding Caleb and Jess on the tour of the castle.

Although Caleb had pretty much seen it all, it didn't hurt to actually experience it with his eyes. Taking your time to appreciate the things around you brought a different kind of feeling.

As they passed the room assigned to Crusher, Jess looked at the steward and asked, "Lord Faststarrow…?"

"Please, call me Henry." The steward quickly corrected Jess. He may be a noble himself, but these were the honoured guests of the king.

"Henry…" Jess nodded in acceptance. "The tigerkin I came with, where is he?"

"Ah… Master Orujan already stepped out to explore." The steward briefly said. "He was spotted in the training area with the knights."

"Thank you." Jess could picture Crusher doing just that.

"You're welcome, Miss."

From there, the steward guided Caleb and Jess to the various attractions in the Royal Castle. Naturally, only the accessible areas.

First, they were led to the Portrait Hall, where Henry gave brief descriptions of the paintings around and the history surrounding them. Caleb and Jess saw a long line of portraits representing the monarchs and their reign, up to the current King Gray.

It was a formidable line-up, and the bloodline had remained the same throughout the kingdom's hundreds of years of history — the Gray Family had been ruling since the kingdom's inception.

Following that, the steward led them to the main hall that was used for ceremonies and formal events. It was not surprising that the servants were already at work, preparing the place for the Royal Assembly of Nobles that would be take place in a few days.

Naturally, Caleb and Jess knew this was all an elaborate scheme, one that would have the nobles locked in with no chance of escape. It was a trap they had no choice but to step in.

'Huhuhu… This is going to be fun.' Caleb couldn't help but think to himself, nodding at the servants who sent greetings his way.

From there, they visited the Royal Gardens and Courtyards. The steward made sure to showcase the beauty of the gardens and their histories, his tone filled with pride and purpose.

The sight brought a smile to Caleb's lips. Growing up on Earth, this was something he never experienced. Simply taking the time to enjoy the scenery never appealed to him. But things were different now.

There were no electronic distractions, nor was there a fixed schedule. He had no timetable and could move at his own pace. Additionally, he was experiencing the life he had always read about and watched.

In all, it was a wholesome tour, one that Caleb and Jess appreciated. Everything appeared to be in order. From the guards stationed around the castle to the servants going about their duties.

"I guess this is pretty much all there is to see," Caleb commented once they came to a stop at one of the courtyards. Looking at the steward, Caleb proposed, "Why don't you guide us to the training grounds, I want to see what Crucher is up to."

Naturally, he had other plans. But Henry didn't have to know that. Besides, the steward was going to lead them there anyway. He simply wished for the duo to appreciate the Castle's atmosphere.

"Of course," Henry nodded and led the way.

***

Approaching the training grounds, Caleb and Jess could already hear the commotion. Just past the arch, they were welcomed into a scene where the knights stood around the princess and her instructor.

As usual, the princess was done with her court etiquette and other boring stuff she had learned in the morning. More than half the morning had already passed when Caleb and Jess completed their tour, coinciding with the time Princess Celine began her training.

"Come on, princess. You can do it!"

The loud cheers reached Caleb and Jess as they slowly approached the encirclement, watching as the princess went back and forth, exchanging swift sword strikes with her teacher.

Her cute little voice echoed every time she launched forward. It was a warm sight for all those who admired her. Seeing her this active was something they never thought they would see.

Despite her fragile appearance, the princess was anything but. Her physical strength and reflexes had improved by leaps and bounds. She might look small, but she excelled in combat.

"Hey, look. It's that Caleb fella."

The knights quickly spotted Caleb and Jess approaching, and like magic, the commotion began to die down, prompting everyone to turn and look. This caught the princess and her instructor's attention.

"Caleb!"

Princess Celine's expression lit up like the sun. Without a thought for the people around, she ran over to Caleb, coming to meet him halfway.

"You finally came…" With a beaming smile, the princess stood before Caleb and looked into his eyes.

"It was always part of the plan…"