About a Not-So-Ordinary Boy

Aya never would've expected that Aiden would be the first to notice.

Then again, among the princes, he was the hardest to figure out. Drystan was honest to a fault, Enzo was committed to maintaining order, and Gabriel was attentive to details. Aiden, on the other hand, was elusive. He always smiled, but no one knew what he was thinking. She, at least, was aware of how she was perceived.

‘He did say he hates me.’

In which case, it wouldn't make sense for him to pay attention to her to the point where he found out what she's hiding. It could be that she was just right all along, and true royalty could recognize a fake one. So far, however, he had only brought up a subtle difference between her and the other princess.

‘If he really knew I was using an illusion…’

“Do you think it's possible to create a realistic copy of a person?”

‘...He wouldn't be asking that right now.’

Aiden stared at Aya intently. “Answer this, and I will keep your secret.”

“W-Which is…?”

“You’re not the person everyone thinks you are. You can fool them on stage all you want, but one mistake is worth more than a hundred perfect performances. I can set you up and bring about your undoing. I'm quite good at making people reveal their real faces.”

She fell silent, then inhaled and exhaled. ‘Phew! I got scared for a moment there! He has no clue whatsoever! From the sound of it, he only thinks I'm pretending to be a goody-goody. Okay, close enough.’

What he's scheming could be dangerous, though. She imagined him putting up some sort of trap. While there's a wind shield that encased her illusion like a protective barrier, which then kept it from disappearing when touched, she couldn't possibly cover every nook and cranny. Once someone targeted its weak spots, it would vanish. It proved to be a fortuitous credence that the Divine Vessels were untouchable.

‘Oh, oh! Is this what I think it is?’ Aya was thrilled. In novels, blackmail was a strong plot device, with how it introduced instant stakes that made the story more excitingly dramatic. Aiden could pull it off well. ‘But why would he go to such lengths?’

“Let’s continue this somewhere else.”

With that, they moved to a secluded aisle in the castle library. It was perfect for clandestine meetings, and the eerie atmosphere seemed intended to pressure her into coercion. Yet instead, she marveled at how the uncanny situation was unfolding as it would in books. Even Drystan joined in for the fun.

Aiden stood against the last rays of daylight, his face obscured by the encroaching darkness. “I have a deal for you.”

‘Ohhhhh! Ever since he gave me that serial-killer-look, I know he has what it takes!’

“You want her to help you study, too? But you’re already the top of our class.”

Aiden scowled at Drystan. “Listen carefully. This isn't me asking for a favor. I want to search for Calix, and I need Hiraya's illusion. We know how heavily guarded Divine Vessels are even within the palace grounds. I can't leave without permission, so I'll use that to sneak out.”

“I see… Wait, what?!”

Like Drystan, Aya was stunned. “Why are you searching for Calix?”

“I think he is in trouble.”

“Is this what earlier was about?”

“Earlier…?”

Aiden averted his gaze. “I brought up the Pureblood Covenant during the tea party for this reason, but Enzo was adamant not to broach the subject, and Gabriel was unresponsive throughout the discussion.”

“Um… Just what is the Pureblood Covenant?”

Drystan groaned and crossed his arms. “The Pureblood Covenant is a fringe faction of zealots who believe bloodline supersedes divine will. House Ruxandrion meets their standards. They have reared rulers for successive generations, so those extremists have been endeavoring to bolster Calix’s claim to the throne.”

“But he’s not even a Divine Vessel…”

“Many believe it’s a matter of time before he’s called to be the new Divine Vessel of Light, like his grandfather and great-great-grandfather.”

“Calix wants none of that, though.”

Aya turned towards Aiden with a start. “...He doesn’t?”

“I can’t speak for him. Regardless, those radicals have no right to hunt him down, or at least that's what I think happened. I don't have all the information. That's why I'm going.”

“Shouldn’t the king be doing something?”

His lips twisted into a sneer. “As a matter of fact, it was His Majesty himself who'd send out Calix on missions that risked him getting captured like this.”

“What?! What missions?! H-Hang on. Was that why he’s all over the place? Was he undercover the entire time?” she sputtered in shock.

“It is said that Calix has been training under Etor Gallahan's tutelage even before we arrived here,” Drystan whispered to Aya. “Think about it. Why is he living with his grandfather in the Royal Palace when his parents rule the Ruxandrion Isle?”

It had been five months since they met, but she had no idea at all.

Calixtus was her friend. She should've tried harder to get to know him better. She should've asked more even when she felt he wouldn't answer. Now, she understood why he always seemed out of reach despite her efforts to be closer —

And why even as he smiled like any normal boy, she couldn’t help but think he’s no one ordinary.

She would help him. Of course, she would. He'd been there for her no matter what happened. She couldn’t let him be just because he kept things from her all this time. She only wished he’d trusted her enough to do what he had for her.

“So, you plan to use my illusion to get past security and make it appear as though you’ve never left the palace.” Startled, Aiden and Drystan faced Aya. “That…won’t last long. Were you assuming that’s what I did when I escaped? I didn’t use illusion. I used invisibility-”

“You can turn invisible?!” they both exclaimed.

“I can’t anymore. It’s banned, and currently, harmful to me.”

Drystan flailed about, alarmed. “H-Hold on! Are you serious about going outside?!”

“If you’re not helping, then keep your mouth shut.” Aiden smiled in silent warning.

“This is for Calix! If he’s in trouble, we have to help!”

“But it’s impossible! You said it yourself. Illusion and invisibility are out of the question. I doubt anything else will-”

“As if I’ll divulge all those details without a backup plan,” Aiden scoffed, then reached for a book from one of the shelves. “I thought of this while watching the illusion Hiraya showed in Illsosch Atelier.”

“So, you really were peeping!”

He held the book between the three of them. “That was The Great Regional Conquest, right? I discovered some historical contradictions that compelled me to reinterpret that entire era of warfare. There are military logistics, schematics, and doctrines that make no sense.”

“Well, now, you understand what it feels," Drystan snickered.

The other boy rolled his eyes. “It makes no sense for you because you’re slow-witted. This is different.”

“I think I know what you mean,” Aya murmured.

“It’s easier to see when you have visual aids, right?” Aiden’s expression lit up. “Supply quantities that are too large to explain by conventional means. Fortresses and defenses with inexplicable features. Also, superstitious rules like “Never pass the eastern gate at first bell,” which could have been practical instructions rather than metaphors."

“Um, I’m not referring to those. G-Good observation, though!”

Drystan smirked. “Just say it doesn’t make sense, too.”

“No, he has a point. I believe we share the same thought.”

“About what exactly?”

“Remember that part in The Great Regional Conquest? The northern army attacked Ignatius Isle from the west, but an archaeological expedition found the remains of their siege camp on the eastern side in Delmaresch Isle.”

“Uhhh…”

“How about, “At midnight, the horns sounded. There was no army beyond the walls. Then, there was”? It’s on page one-hundred-sixty-four of the war anecdotes section!”

“Ermmm…”

“You’re hopeless,” Aiden remarked dryly. “What we’re suggesting is that people could teleport.”

“Huh?!”

“It’s theoretical at present,” Aya admitted sheepishly. “But the past has all that evidence.”

“Therefore, let us instead use teleportation to-”

“Are you out of your mind?!” Drystan cried in disbelief. “Teleportation magic doesn’t exist! Might as well scale the palace walls or slip through an underground tunnel! Either seems to have a decent chance of succeeding!"

From there, Drystan and Aiden argued with each other while Aya pondered their options.

It seemed sensible to rely on pragmatic methods rather than prove a theory founded on inconclusive proof. Still, there remained a possibility. Pursuing it could spare them considerable time and effort. Besides, she, too, had done the impossible. By first acknowledging the limitations of magic, one could identify exceptions.

‘Also, he looked happy when he talked about it.’ Aya glanced at Aiden. ‘I’m sure he put his whole heart into his research. I can tell he has the mind of a scholar. Everything he said up to this point shows his strong conviction, too. Even though he knew we’d be skeptical, he still told us...and it’s all for the sake of his friend.’

“What? Do you think we can just summon a portal or something-”

“A portal!” she blurted out, stealing back their attention. “There is a portal! You’ve been there, too!”

Drystan and Aiden exchanged puzzled looks. “...Where?”

“The Evertread! Didn’t the gate there take us to the Royal Palace?”

There was silence, then understanding struck them with the force of a revelation.