NOVEL NEXT Chapter 145: Masks in the Royal Yard
As the carriages rolled through the grand gates, they turned into the Royal Yard. The midday sun lit the fountains so they sparkled, and the gardens bloomed in brilliant colors. The mansion ahead gleamed, its white stone walls glowing in the light, banners fluttering proudly above.
"Wow, it's really pretty," Celia said, her face pressed against the carriage window.
"Yes, it is," Linda agreed.
Nolan sat quietly, his eyes on the scenery, though a weight sat in his chest. He didn't feel as good as the others.
At last, the carriages came to a halt. One by one, the butlers stepped down and opened the doors for the contestants. Among them was Lyra, still disguised as a butler. She bowed politely as she opened Nolan's door.
"Hope you enjoyed the ride," she said—by mistake, using her real voice.
Nolan froze. "Wait… that voice… why does it sound so familiar?"
Lyra's eyes widened. "Oh, crap," she muttered before quickly correcting herself in the butler's voice. "Hope you enjoyed your ride, sir."
Celia tilted her head. "No… I'm sure I heard you talk like Lyra just now."
"Who is this 'Lyra' you speak of?" Lyra asked smoothly, feigning ignorance.
Celia frowned, then shook her head. "Maybe I imagined it."
As the group walked ahead, Lyra sighed with relief. Good thing they didn't notice. Nolan has no idea I can shape-shift. He'll never know. And I won't waste a chance to feast like this.
But Nolan still felt uneasy. He glanced back at her. "Why are you following us, old man?"
"What do you mean? I'm not following you. I'm going in this direction," Lyra replied, still in disguise.
"I can tell you're tailing us," Celia muttered.
"I already said I'm going the same way," Lyra snapped, forcing a smile.
The emissary led all fourteen contestants into the mansion. Inside, they were greeted by a magnificent dining hall. A massive table stretched across the room, laden with roasted chicken, fresh bread, fine wines, fruit parfaits, pastries, and even layered cakes.
"Wow! Look at this!" Celia and Linda gasped, running toward the feast.
The other contestants—Tharion, Zevric, and the rest—joined in eagerly. "I'm starving!" one said, grabbing a platter of meat. Soon the hall was filled with the sounds of laughter, clinking glasses, and tearing bread.
Lyra's mouth watered. She edged closer to the roasted chicken, her eyes shining. Finally. I've been waiting for this.
But before she could take a bite, a sharp voice cut through the hall.
"There you are! We've been looking for you," another butler barked. "Come. We have work to do—cleaning the house. Now!"
Lyra stiffened. "What? What house? No! I didn't come here to—" But before she could protest further, the butler grabbed her arm and began dragging her away.
"No, no, no, this was a bad idea," she groaned as she was pulled out of the dining hall.
The others blinked in confusion.
"Why was that butler acting so creepy? He was practically crying that he wanted to eat," Nolan muttered.
"I don't even know. That was weird," Linda said, shrugging.
"Well, never mind him. Let's quench our hunger," Nolan said, finally allowing himself to dig in.
And so the feast began.
"Wow, this is really good," Nolan said between bites. "The meat… I've never tasted anything like it. It's not just that it's sweet—it's the quality. You can tell this is rare. The flavor alone… I'm sure of it."
He leaned back slightly, savoring the richness that lingered on his tongue. "So this is what it means to enjoy true luxury."
Linda chuckled softly. "You still have a way of making food sound like treasure." She lifted her own forkful, eyes widening. "But you're right… it really is incredible."
Celia nodded eagerly, her cheeks full. "Mmhmm! I can't even describe it. It's like… everything I've eaten before was practice for this meal."
The three of them shared a laugh, their voices mingling with the sounds of the other contestants enjoying the feast. Plates clattered, wine was poured, and the grand dining hall felt alive with warmth and abundance.
They heard a young boy at the table, one of the contestants they hadn't seen perform that day. He was crying quietly as he ate, then forcing himself to stop. The tears were not from pain but from joy.
"Wow… this is really good," he murmured between bites. "I came all the way from my village to become someone. I trained so hard. The first round was brutal, I fought and fought because I wasn't strong enough. If I'd met an A rank back then I would've been finished. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy this." He swallowed, eyes bright. "I wish my village could taste something like this. I'll win, I promise. I won't go back until I've fixed the poverty there."
"Who's that kid?" Nolan asked, watching him.
"He looks really young," Linda said. "Maybe fourteen or fifteen. Look at how he carries his sword on his back, he could be a good swordsman."
"What is someone so young doing here?" Nolan wondered. "Does he want to get himself killed? What if he faces Kyrion? Kyrion's brutal. Or someone like Cora… if she really is in that cult, and she uses that Consume Life spell, that would be dangerous. If she tries anything, I'll break every bone with one swing." Nolan's eyes narrowed as he watched the boy, then shifted to where Cora and Kyrion were eating together.
"Master, what if Kyrion is also using the life-consume spell like Cora is? And what if they're both part of the cult? We don't know for sure."
"I won't break the rules," Nolan answered. "If they use that spell outside the arena, I'll take advantage of the opening and finish them off. But inside the arena, I won't just end it in a second — the crowd wants a show. I'll make it decisive, but I'll give them the match they came to see. No one is safe, though. If they're hiding forbidden magic, we have to be careful."