After getting the security check done, I entered the guest palace. There were four escalators ready to transport me to the desired floor. I skipped the escalators and got inside the portal chamber. The digital screen inside asked me for my room ID. I gave it and was teleported there.
[Eh? It's so dark in here, I don't remember switching off lights in the evening when I went to the citadel]
"Master command. Turn lights on."
[It didn't work, That's weird. Did someone tamper with the power button?]
My ears twitched, as I sensed another person's presence lurking. I took my fight stance and fully activated my tic.
[It probably is Beth, but I better be cautious than sorry, I never know when a hot female assassin attacks me!]
I concentrated my powers in my legs, my tic augmented the muscle strength and speed. Pushing the ground below me, I took a leap aiming towards the power button behind the bed. The force generated from my legs cracked the floor and gave me a tremendous push.
[Alright! Now I need to slow down before I reach the other side.]
"Ahh! Graah!!"
My power went out of control and I couldn't maintain the balance. Flipping in midair, I came crashing on the bed. Beth was on top of me and had me completely locked down.
[Damn, Beth, she always does this! Her tic is so annoying]
"Charles! Do you have any idea how long I waited in the hall for you? You ignored me the whole day! I texted you to come to the hall, so why didn't you come? And why were you staring and holding hands with Alyssa? It was supposed to be a display of friendship, not debauchery!" Beth shouted.
Her muscles were tense, tightening her grip on me by each second and her eyes were like that of a raging beast.
[Crap, she has gone nuts... aah! It pains.]
"Say something!!" she said.
Her strong olive toned arms pinned me on the bed; she sat over my crotch and made sure I wouldn't get up any time soon. I couldn't even use my tic to overcome her monstrous strength because of her tic, 'Confusiu', which interferes with others' tics and causes them self harm.
After a moment of thought, I finally decided to speak,
"Listen, I wasn't making you wait on purpose, you know! The Queen asked me to check up with the security of the Forbidden Library, so I was there the whole day. It was forced down on me, I couldn't say no. You can ask anyone who went to the Citadel. They would tell you I was there..."
"Hmm... what about your relationship with Alyssa?" she asked.
[Whaat? Did she digest that blatant lie with no complaints?]
"What about my relationship with her? She is nothing more than a political acquaintance and a childhood friend. The Queen was joking! Geez, learn to read the atmosphere. Plus, I was nervous in the public display so she helped me by holding my hand, Nothing more," I said.
"Oh... hmm, that does make sense. Hahaha, I knew the Queen was joking all along! I panicked, sorry."
""It's alright, I forgive you. Now, will you let me go? it... hurts," I asked with a pout, hoping to provoke her pity.
[Like hell do I forgive her!]
"Aww, it doesn't hurt that much, now! Does it?" she said playfully and lightened her hold.
[You are such a pain, Beth.]
Her face came closer to mine,
"Charles, you promise you only love me, right?" she asked.
"Wait? Love? I only said I like you! Please give me more time before I can make any commitments about love... that's what you agreed to when we started dating." I blushed.
She bent over to come closer and locked lips.
"Indeed, we agreed to, dear, but you're forgetting that each time we get intimate you start saying 'I love you' and 'I worship you.'" she said.
[ [ [That kiss was so sudden, It took me by surprise!] ] ]
"What? I do? I don't remember~" I said.
Beth teased me with her lips and smooched me again and again. The sound from our lips touching together was a melody to my ears, and the way she directed me to kiss her and moved her hip around my lower body made me want to follow her for the rest of my life.
"Now do you remember how much you love me, dear?" She asked.
"I don't know, but I am getting a vague memory... I might remember soon, maybee."
Saying that I gave her a deep kiss!
[Her lips are so soft, it always makes me crave for her... Moreover, why does her saliva taste this sweet!?]
[Damn it, I am a sucker for girls... I would probably die at the hands of some female assassin.]
I continued kissing her while I made us comfortable on the bed, she remained on top of me as she loved to dominate! We were quite sexually active as a couple and often got into intimate positions, but we had never gone beyond the second base and dry humping. In fact, I hadn't even seen her naked body. One hour had passed and we both were half-naked, playing with each other and dry humping.
"Beth... Beth... I love you, Beth."
"Hah, I knew it!" she exclaimed and suddenly halted the intimacy, making me crave for more of her. She got out of bed,
"Alright, I am going to take a bath. You order the food and prepare the bed for me... I cannot wait for our night~" she said.
"Eh? You are staying over in my room? Won't the military warden get suspicious about your whereabouts?" I asked.
"Shh... don't spoil the fun now. See you in fifteen~"
Saying that she stripped her underwear.
[ [ [A naked woman!! I never thought this would happen so early in my life. This isn't a dream, right? Or is this the last day of my life?] ] ]
"Wow... this is the most amazing piece of art I have ever seen."
Her curvy, olive body with voluptuous breasts and minor abs filled my mind with lust. My insatiable desire to prey on her like a wild beast grew larger by the second.
"Ha-ha, sometimes you make some cute remarks. It's a bit of a fan-service, reminding you of whom you really love. I will go and take a bath now; wait for me, honey."
She closed the bathroom door while teasing me and winking. The sound of the tap opening and water splashing on her while she cursed at its ice-cold temperature filled the silent room.
[I didn't hear the lock's click, does she want me to enter?]
[She said to arrange the bed and wait... Does that mean we are going to cross all boundaries tonight?! Are we going to have sex?? But wait! I haven't prepared myself mentally for that. I mean... It's my first time and I didn't plan on it happening so soon. Man, I am acting like a girl, so lame.]
Thinking and overthinking freaked me out. Even though I was aroused and excited, I couldn't help but become more and more anxious. Finally, I decided to stay the night out; after all, I was not so sure of losing my virginity. I left behind a letter with a made-up excuse and abandoned my room.
I went down through the escalator, observing the intricate and detailed designs all over the walls and roof of the castle, which reminded me how much value the inhabitants of this planet gave their guests.
I passed through the main hall and wandered the empty floors of the castle.
[78 guest rooms in 7 floors, not bad. Almost equal to the castle made for nobles from my planet.]
[But, the security of this palace sucks if they let Beth fool them, heh.]
Everyone on this planet had tics exclusively from the God-root, while the tics rest everywhere outside this planet are from Warrior and Phoenix-roots. So, to be honest, it was only natural that they weren't prepared for complex tics like Beth's which act on other tics.
Moving outside, I saw a garden filled with exotic trees on a floor made of beautiful flowers, there were trees from this planet, Bezerek, and Earth.
[I see, it portrays the friendship we three planets share. Cool.]
"Squeaak~"
Shivering through the cold breeze, I continued my short walk. The road ended in a lake, walking around which gave a soothing sensation.
[It's funny that there is a lake in the midst of icy roads, I wonder what keeps it liquid?]
The view from the lake was an eye-candy: all of the Ice-city could be visualized, whose reflection splendidly glowed.
While I was walking around the Lake, admiring its beauty, a feeling similar to what I got when I was near Alyssa set on me â the calmness and longing to observe them. Alyssa's personality was also like that of water; most times it would flow smoothly ignoring the noise from the environment, but when it becomes turbulent, no soul in this world could predict what was about to happen.
After pondering over the whole day's events, I decided not to lose my virginity tonight. Beth would probably understand what I was going through. It was not like I wanted to become a wizard or anything; I just didn't want to lose my virginity when I was so dumb and childish. In fact, right now more serious matters like the forbidden fruit of Citadel were waiting for me.
[Using the Super Portal would be fatal, as it will record my signature. I better take the long road.]
Activating my Tic to achieve Mach 1, I preyed upon the loophole I had found earlier to enter the library.
The place was silver and transformed from the light of the moons, which, outside the large picture-window, hung like three great luminous pearls on the radiant night sky. Inside, I saw many rows of shelves harboring some of the most sacred knowledge in the Universe. The deafening silence inside made my every step echo into the depths.
As much as I was uncomfortable walking like a snail, I continued with patience.
[The 1st row to the left should be alright, it's risky, but don't have any choice~]
I skimmed through various books in search of knowledge about the Legendary Dragonlords. That is when I stumbled upon 'History and Traditions.'
[Hah, this should definitely have what I am seeking.]
I fully activated my tic, focusing its powers on my eyes, Occipital lobe, and Wernicke's area of my brain. This maneuver augmented my reading-speed and memory.
I ran through 3000 pages at a speed of 208 words per second and finished the book in 2 hours. Sadly, there was no information regarding the legends. It focussed more on the traditions of Ice-Queen and the immediate history rather than the prehistoric period.
[Shit. I was really looking forward to reading about the achievements humans had on Earth and their great migration leading to the origins of our planets. 2 hours went straight to the dustbin.]
The old-book-smell emanating from the library exaggerated my frustration.
[I hate libraries. Fuck.]
[But, I did come to know a lot about the general structure and ruling system of this planet. And it is very different from where I am. One thing which intrigued me is the existence of Oracles and how their ruling system is separate from that of Ice-Queen's.]
[Wait. Does the fear and agony Alyssa expressed in Palladium have to do anything with what the Oracle might have told her?]
I liked the direction in which I was thinking. My intuition was shouting that I was onto something. Perhaps, there indeed was something malevolent about this planet which it desperately tried to hide?
"It all fits," I declared with joy.
"What fits, my prince?" Suddenly Alyssa appeared behind me and said with a tone of mockery.
"Hah, you see â wait! What are you doing here? And how long were you standing behind me?" I exclaimed.
"Shhhhh... I should be the one questioning you. What purpose do you have here? This place is forbidden to outsiders; you broke in, didn't you?"
The smell of sweet flowers entered my nose, and a happy feeling rose to my chest
[She smells so nice!! Probably her shampoo?]
"Yes, I broke in... I am sorry; I wanted some information regarding the Legend of Dragonlords; it is crucial to my research," I said while taking in more of her pleasant aroma.
"Legend of Dragonlords? That is forbidden and sacred information! An outsider trying to read it is an abomination!" she glared at me with intense emotion as if I was a murderer.
"But what is the point of information if you don't share it? You never know when this planet vanishes and all this information disappears from the reach of humans," I said.
[I intentionally said those last lines, to see her reaction. If she reacts, then it will confirm my hypothesis about the Oracle revealing her something.]
Hearing that, Alyssa's bright face became dim and she frowned, exactly like how it was in Palladium.
[Hah, Bingo!]
"That aside, prince, how did you break-in? The last I know you had cold feet. You are aware that breaking into this library is a crime worthy of treason?"
[ [ [Treason??? I did know it wasn't allowed to enter here, but TREASON??] ] ]
"What's happening here! Isn't that Prince Charles? Blasphemy!" a noble spoke.
While confronted by Alyssa, I didn't sense his presence. My heart raced and my mind went blank. I could not think of any response that would help me solve this situation.