NOVEL NEXT Chapter 144: Disguise
"Participants who want to stay in the mansion His Highness has prepared, step to the back of the arena," the emissary announced.
All fourteen participants began to move, Nolan among them. Lyra tried to join, but Nolan stopped her. Still, she slipped in with the group. A royal knight quickly noticed and removed her, knowing she wasn't a participant.
The king remained seated above with Rovanis, Alaric, and Darvin the Hero at his side.
"Thank you for coming. I have also prepared rooms for you in my royal castle," Rovanis said.
"Good. We'll take the offer, since we won't be going to Sindra for a while," Alvoryn replied.
"Yes, but please—I would like a room prepared for my companions as well. My party members came with me too," Alaric added.
"How many are there?" Rovanis asked.
"There are three," Alaric answered.
"Don't worry. It will be done," Rovanis assured him. Then he turned to Darvin. "Mr. Hero, do you have any requests?"
"No, I don't. Just prepare a special room for me," Darvin said.
"Good, it will be prepared. Don't worry. There's a special carriage waiting. You can all join me in my personal carriage," Rovanis said.
As they stepped out of the arena, a butler opened the carriage door. Alvoryn, Alaric, and Darvin the Hero entered and took their seats. The carriage pulled away, and another butler mounted the driver's seat, guiding the horses as they rode off.
"Wow, Master, I'm really going to the yard where the Royal Castle is, and I'll be staying by the mansion beside it!" Celia said excitedly.
"Yeah, of course we are," Nolan replied with a smile.
"I wonder what Lyra is doing," Celia mused. "She's such a foodie. She knows we're going to the king. If the king offers something magnificent and tasty, she won't be able to resist."
Linda chuckled. "Yes, she understands that. But I think she won't give up so easily. Hopefully, she doesn't disobey my order by coming."
The emissary raised his voice to the group. "Pick a carriage. Two people should try to share one. The last person remaining will join me in the carriage I am taking."
Celia, Linda, and Nolan chose the same carriage.
Kyrion , Cora, and sela also ended up together in another.
Tharion and Fenrir paired off in one more.
The rest of the contestants each found their own carriages.
At the end, two participants remained without a carriage. They joined the emissary in his.
Before leaving, the emissary walked toward Nolan carriage and opened the door. "Mr. Nolan, where's your butler? We have to go."
A sudden scream cut through the air. It sounded like the butler. Everyone turned toward the source. Moments later, the butler emerged, adjusting his hair and straightening his bow tie.
"I was just asking about you. Why did you scream?" the emissary demanded.
"It was nothing important," the butler said quickly, brushing it off.
With that, the carriages set off. Nolan carriage rolled down the royal road toward the mansion near the Royal Castle, while the emissary entered his own. Together, the convoy of carriages rode on toward the royal yard.
As the old carriage rolled down the royal road, Celia and Linda leaned toward the open window, watching the scenery pass by.
"Wow, this is my first time in a carriage. It's actually really comfy. And not only that, it's fancy," Celia said in awe.
Linda nodded. "I didn't expect this either."
Nolan sat across from them, lost in thought for a moment before speaking. "Hey… did you notice anything strange about the butler who's riding with us?"
"The one that screamed earlier?" Celia asked.
"Yes, that very one," Nolan confirmed.
"No, I didn't notice anything fishy," Celia replied.
"Same here," Linda added. "Nothing seemed off to me. Is something wrong, Master?"
"Nothing," Nolan said quietly, though his mind told a different story.
The truth was, the person acting as the butler wasn't the real one. It was Lyra. She had shape-shifted into the butler, stealing his clothes—that was why he had screamed earlier. She had left him behind with nothing but his underwear and singlet.
Inside the carriage, Lyra hid a mischievous smile. Master doesn't know I'm here. He thinks I'll obey and stay behind… but I won't miss this chance. Ever since I became human, I've been enjoying all kinds of things I never knew before. And now, with a royal feast waiting, there's no way I'll let it pass me by.
She adjusted her posture, pretending to be the quiet butler, while secretly delighting in her plan. Meanwhile, she kept her eyes on the road, following the other carriages closely—because in truth, she didn't even know the direction to the Royal Castle.
Meanwhile, at the back of the arena, the real butler slowly stirred awake.
"Oh… what am I doing here? Feels like I hit my head," he muttered groggily. He pushed himself up, finding his back against a giant crate. His eyes widened. "Wait—why am I only in a singlet and underwear?!"
He rubbed his neck, piecing the memory together. "The last thing I remember… there was this girl. Couldn't have been more than seventeen, she looked like a teenager. She struck me here—" he touched the side of his neck "—and then I blacked out."
"Hey! You there!" a royal knight's sharp voice cut through his thoughts. The knight marched toward him, frowning. "What are you doing back here? Weren't you supposed to be riding in one of the carriages? And—" the knight squinted "—why in the king's name are you standing around in your underwear? Isn't someone else wearing your butler's uniform right now?"
The butler's face went pale. He opened his mouth, stammering. "I… I don't remember what happened. I can't recall the details—"
"There's no need for excuses," the knight interrupted, shaking his head. "I don't have time for this. Listen, go to the starting room down that hall. You'll find something there to wear. Get yourself together quickly. I'm busy with more important matters."
Before the butler could argue, the knight turned on his heel and left him standing there, half-dressed, still dazed and humiliated.