1502 Who Are You?

Back hunched, weapon at hand, eyes darting around maniacally, Gregory felt a strange aura in the room far different from nature's.

That's right.

Being blessed with luck made him sense nature's presence very greatly.

Though he wouldn't be able to tell how many people were in a room with him, he would know if he was truly alone or not.

Maybe this was the true essence of his immense Luck.

Anything out of the ordinary or unexpected would alert even his bodily senses, from overly twitching eyes to hairs standing too erect for hours.

His entire being was like a warning bell going off when things weren't as planned.

Indeed.

Such a gift would be disastrous in the hands of someone else. But he knew his true nature had always been kind. And he didn't want to turn into the very beings he stood against.

With his body constantly giving off strange warnings, Gregory was on high alert. However, what was peculiar was the absence of killing intent.

So was the intruder a foe or a friend?

"Show yourself, and I might spare you!"

Oh?

Landon chuckled from above and descended with several front flips.

Bam!

Like a superhero, he landed with one hand on the ground with one bent knee.

Who was this?

Gregory watched the calm-faced Landon slowly rise to stare him straight on.

"Your highness Gregory... We meet at last."

At last?

Gregory was taken aback. His vigilance didn't go down either. "Do I know you?"

"No... But I know you."

--Silence-

... Thinning his lips, Gregory had a staring contest with Landon, not backing off for a second.

Though the stranger before him didn't show any killing intent, it might all be a trick.

His coronation was tomorrow. He had uncountable enemies vying for his throne and his purpose. At this point, only those he had known earlier could be trusted.

Yet why did something in his heart tell him to put his fate into this stranger's hand? As someone susceptible to luck and all the essence of goodness in this world, he could feel 'Luck' itself guiding him towards this stranger.

Gregory was shocked by his body's actions.

This... This has never happened before!!!

So why? Why was he feeling a strange force telling him to trust this man, a few years older than him?

Maybe this was why he hadn't called any of his guards in yet.

His gut told him to speak to the stranger on good terms.

Taking a deep breath, Gregory took a seat on one of the long couches, seemingly relaxed, though his clenched muscles betrayed him.

"So... I take it, you already know who I am?"

"Naturally," Landon replied, also taking a seat.

Now, the duo faced each other eye to eye.

Landon was also shocked by Gregory's actions. He expected that maybe they would spar for a while before convincing him to listen to what he had to say.

But who would've thought this son of luck would choose another route instead?

Landon shrugged. It all works out for him in the end, doesn't it?

"Your highness Gregory Ghoul... Do you believe in fate?"

"That depends," Gregory spoke out, as a matter of fact.

The concept of fate stipulated his life was moving in one straight line.

The concept itself depicted that no matter what he did, whether good or bad, the course of his life wouldn't change, straying on that one line.

But he didn't think humans were like that.

Each person had multiple lines or paths, which would lead them to many fates depending on what they chose.

If he decided to wake up late tomorrow, the fate of his coronation would get pushed back or even canceled.

But if he chose to do things in time, things would go as he initially fated.

So in a nutshell, he believed any fate wasn't fixed or predestined but only defined by one's present actions.

So where exactly did this stranger come in?

They had never seen each other and maybe had never influenced one another, so where does fate come into this matter?

Gregory didn't take his words seriously, thinking the stranger was trying things to strengthen their 'bond.'

Wait... Wasn't his thoughts shifting too fast?

'Who is this stranger?'

"Your Highness Gregory Ghoul... It may be hard for you to trust me, but I'm on your side." This time, Landon's words were quick.

He slowly stood and looked at his arm, revealing the strange gadget on his wrist.

What was this?

Gregory was dumbfounded but still stayed silent, listening to the stranger's words.

And the more he listened, the more in disarray he was.

The T.O.E.P?

This was the first time he heard of their existence.

If all this were true, it would make sense why his body had been acting too out of place these past few days.

Just the power behind them made him shudder. Even he felt his normal luck wouldn't be able to save him if things went as the enemy planned.

So... Was this why he had been warned severally?

Landon narrowed his gaze.

For now, the T.O.E.P might've planned to assassinate Gregory. But once he survives this matter, it doesn't mean their attempts at him would stop.

On the contrary, something else would shift their focus, wanting Gregory to stay alive rather than dead.

Why?

Because this 16-year-old Gregory Ghoul was one of the Keys!!!

His power would unlock the Holy Core to a whole new level!

But Landon wouldn't be foolish to tell Gregory all this now.

Even Tilda back in Baymard didn't know she was a Key. So why would he tell Gregory?

The enemy was still in the dark, unknowingly trying to kill one of the people they were looking for.

This alone showed their cluelessness.

But for how long?

Landon knew it would only be a matter of time before they realized his worth.

A strange light flickered in his eyes, thinking that in a few more weeks or so, the Holy Core should reach Abian's Capital city from his calculations.

By then, things would get interesting.

'I have to keep this guy in the dark until otherwise.'

For now, his goal was to put this son of Luck on the throne!

--1 Hour, 30 minutes later.--

Outside the room, the hidden guards suddenly felt weird movements in the room.

They could've stayed and watched the Young Master Gregory sleep. But he sent them out, allowing them to guard every possible way one could enter the room, be it from the balcony, window, roofs, or even the doors.

Gregory's room was located on the 5th Floor, far high above.

One mustn't forget that each floor was double-ceiling, meaning each floor was equivalent to 2 standard floors back in modern times.

But as castle-style buildings, they would shoot high up to the sky.

Maybe because of Gregory's overly sensitivity, he didn't like sleeping and being watched. It kept his entire nerves alert.

This was also a way for him to know if enemies were in the room or not.

Thus it was customary for the hidden guards to stay guard outside all exits and entry points into the room.

So unless one could punch through wartime walls and even break through the floors and ceilings, they couldn't bypass the hidden guards undetected.

At most, they would have to get through over their dead bodies!

But what was this?

Those on the balcony were stunned to feel a gust of wind flash by. And maybe it was their imagination, but did they see a figure jump down too?

No... Many shook their heads severally.

It had to be their imagination!

How can someone jump from the 5th floor without using a rope or even heading down using daggers along the rock walls?

Do you know how high each floor was?

Of course even though they felt it impossible, they still had anxious expressions on their faces thinking of the slight possibility of someone managing to do so.

Your highness!!

In a flash, they darted into the massive bedroom chamber and rushed towards Gregory's private Closet room.

"Did you see anyone pass by?" The backing guards asked those in the bedroom chambers.

What? How could someone pass them by undetected?

Even those in the room felt it was impossible but wasted no time tagging along and rushing towards the vast Dressing/Closet room.

'I hope nothing has befallen his highness!'

As hidden guards, they moved stealthily, lest they succeeded in startling any enemy in the dressing room with his highness.

Their hearts pounded, and their bodies quivered.

"Your Highness!!!

Everyone stormed in but was glad to see his highness still napping peacefully.

But was he truly fine?

Mirror underneath his nostrils, hands checked, body observed, they didn't see any signs of death or poisoning.