Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

-THIRD PERSON-

News spread like wildfire as every media company printed a copy of the recent report that the knights from the magic army had provided for the public to know. Each of these new copies states the same headlines.

After almost two years of completely being silent, the MagicArmy has then concluded the missing case of Prince Arthur Spellman, ruler and master wizard of Gilead, and reported him… dead on the spot.

As each resident of Citadel has gotten their own copies of today's newspapers, all were incredibly shocked, while some of them have already been anticipating this fateful moment to come. Speculations of the prince's death have already been circulating around the city, but what they aren't expecting is today will be that day where all of their claims have finally been validated.

Every nation that was notified of the prince's untimely death has been extending their sincerest condolences to Gilead, some are even visiting in person to show their sincerity.  One of the known royalties who have visited his wake is Lady Catherine with her personal bodyguard, General Rosa. The two of them were received by Lucas and Lancelot, along with other visitors that have made it with them.

As the castle is in great chaos and solitude to grieve for the loss of the nation's prince and master wizard, Captain Alexander Crimson was just in his office, thinking about some random memories that he had shared with the prince-- one of his best buddies that he has ever had in his entire life. 

Prince Arthur has already been missing for almost two years now but… he still can't believe that he is now actually gone from him. The case is still a mystery to him and there are questions inside his head that haven't been found an answer yet. 

How did the prince's lifeless body end there in the first place? How did he end up missing? Where was the last place he went to? And why oh why did the potential killer decide to just overthrow him in the middle of a forest for us to see? What is he possibly up to?

Those were the questions that still linger inside his head that he is now so desperate to get all the answers. But he just doesn't know how and when will he get them.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Three consecutive knocks have immediately distracted him and pulled him back to reality. With a long, sharp sigh, he lets the person on the other side get in. Lancelot's figure soon enters his office with a plate of muffins that he freshly baked just now.

"I know you've got so worked up with this case, and the least that I could do for you is to bake these muffins to somehow lighten your mood." Lancelot smiles as he holds out a plate in front of him.

Even if he doesn't have any appetite to eat anything at the moment, he forces himself to smile back and take the muffins off from the archbishop. 

"Thank you, Lancelot. You know I am a big fan of your pastries," Alex says to freshen up the mood around here. He has been in a gloomy mood for so long that he doesn't want it to totally overwhelm him.

Alex added in the intention to fool around, "Why didn't you end up as a chef or something like that?"

"Because my family is not that rich to keep our family business, which is a bakery. And we don't have the means to let me enroll in a cooking class after my dad lost his job so… yeah that is why."

Alex soon felt guilty for having no idea that he was already asking a direct personal question to his friend like this. For that one, Alex gives Lancelot a sincere apologetic look and states his sincere apology.

"No, don't be, please." Lancelot only waves his hand off dismissively. "It is really nothing to me."

"Oh, okay. If you say so… father Lancelot." 

It was quite a while now since the last time Alex addressed the archbishop of Citadel like this. With a curtsy nod, Lancelot now takes his leave and leaves the office shortly after that. While a sudden random question has popped out of his head if priests could be also allowed to use magic or not, he sees something odd in his office desk, like something is not in its rightful place.

Beneath his desk where he is fully aware that a secret compartment was made, which he is the only who knew about it, the supposedly handle of that secret compartment which looks like a loose nail was intentionally pushed inside a little bit. He was one-hundred percent sure that this thing was not like this before…

Alex stretched forth one hand to reach out for it, and while his hand was about to touch that said thing, there came another knock on the door, making him pull back and return his hand to his side as he called in that person behind the door.

This time, it was Lucas who had disturbed his peace. He enters with a look of seriousness in his face, and he is surely known as a man who seldom acts seriously in his entire life. 

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Alex can't help but ask in advance. 

"Nothing much…" Lucas answers for him. "It's just that, the royal council members want to call a meeting… now."

Alex was surely astonished to hear about this. A meeting a day after the prince was found dead in the Enchanted Forest yesterday morning? How could this be even possible?

"What's the rush? I mean, we are still in agony of the prince's sudden death and now they want to gather for a council meeting? Is this even valid?"Alex could fill his blood boiling as rage starts to seep in his veins and goes up in his head. 

Lucas only shrugged. Even he, himself, can't believe that this is even happening right now. He, too, has lost a great friend. And now the council members are so eager to just replace him like that.

"I don't know man. But this can't be right…"

***

-KRISELLA-

Waking up to a normal day like this every day as the rays of the sun hit your face from the large window on my right feels so freaking good all the time. It's like the heavens have granted you another day to improve your life and get it all together. And today, that's what I am about to make as I finally view my results from the other day's exam.

I could feel my heart pounding as I walked into the gates of Gilead Academy. At the back of my head, I was really praying so hard. 'Please, I am begging to all the saints available, I may not be as smart as my friends and sometimes fail my short quizzes… but I am literally begging from you to let me pass the exam so that I could proceed with my plan as smoothly as possible.'

All of my friends are already inside the classroom as I pushed the doors open and went inside. As I went towards my seat, the very first thing that I needed to ask was if the results were already posted on the big bulletin board outside the administration office. And they said that they haven't seen it yet, so all my hopes of seeing it today have dissolved right away.

I sigh and look at them expectantly, "I really wish they'll be posting it sooner though. I am planning to apply for a new job this holiday season and I just wanted to pass this exam so that I won't be stuck in here for the holiday break."

All three of them looked at me with a hint of confusion plastered on their faces. "Well, what happened to that new job you've said you are working now in Central Town? I thought you are already a regular there?"

Yes, they knew about my job at the antique store in Lincoln and White because it was actually Cailin who referred me there after the original worker before me had decided to leave because that is her uncle's business.

"Yes, I am already a regular just a month ago…" I sneak a glance towards Cailin, who is now looking at me expectantly, making it hard for me to come up with a valid reason on why I need to get out of there.

"However, I really need a larger extra income that would suffice my everyday needs plus the rent in my apartment. " To Cailin, I said, "No offense to you Cailin."

The latter on the other hand only waves her hand dismissively and says, "Not a problem."

"Anyway, so there… I bet jobs in the holiday season are really a better catch."

Our conversation had to abruptly end there when Mr. Pumpkin has finally emerged inside the classroom with a stack of papers in hand and a really, really bad news to us all.

Clearing his throat and placing these papers on top of his desk, he announces, "Today, it has been known throughout the world that our beloved prince, Prince Arthur Spellman, has been found dead yesterday morning at the heart of the Enchanted Forest."