Palace

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in an unfamiliar place. The surroundings were grand and luxurious, a stark contrast to the healer's quarters I had seen before losing consciousness. Confusion settled in as I took in the opulent furnishings and the sheer size of the room.

"Aric, have you woken up?" Shadow's voice echoed in my mind.

"Yes, Shadow, but where am I? This isn't the healer's place."

"You are right, Aric. While you were unconscious, the princess ordered the knights to bring you to the royal palace. She requested this from the king, and because of his love for her, he agreed. So now, you are in the royal palace."

"What? I'm in the royal palace? That explains why this place is so beautiful and luxurious."

"Yes, Aric, this place is indeed grand," Shadow affirmed.

Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I instinctively touched my face, relieved to find the mask still in place.

"Don't worry, Aric. They can't remove your mask even if they wanted to. It's made of pure shadow, so they can't even touch it," Shadow reassured.

"Oh, good. I was worried they might have seen my face."

"So, what now? What should we do?" I asked, still a bit disoriented.

"I think now that you are awake, the king will likely summon you to thank you for saving the princess. Beyond that, I'm not sure," Shadow replied.

Just then, the door to the room opened, and a young maid entered, bowing politely. "Good morning, sir. The king requests your presence in the throne room."

I nodded, trying to mask my nervousness. "Thank you. I'll be there shortly."

As she left, I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the upcoming meeting. "Shadow, any advice?"

"Stay calm, be respectful, and remember that you have earned their gratitude," Shadow advised.

I stood up, straightened my clothes, and made my way through the grand corridors of the palace. The architecture was breathtaking, with high ceilings, intricate tapestries, and gleaming chandeliers. I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer opulence of it all.

Soon, I reached the throne room, where two guards opened the massive doors for me. Inside, the king sat on his throne, a regal figure with a commanding presence. Beside him stood the queen, elegant and poised, and next to her was Roselyn, looking relieved and happy to see me.

And there were many people standing by the king court Roselyn standing with two boys same as my age they were looking at me rather indifferent but I ignored them they should be Roselyn brothers.

King Edward Brightshield was a blonde hair and handsome face man with the aura of a powerful warrior which has fight numerous battles he was looking as he can crush anyone who oppose him

Queen Sylvia Brightshield was just like Roselyn silver hair with blue eyes she was the mature beauty which could have been a model in earth she was looking at me rather curious to how I befriend Roselyn who doesn't know to make friends and haven't had friends till now

"Welcome, young man," the king said, his voice powerful yet kind. "I have heard much about your bravery and the role you played in saving my daughter. Please, step forward."

I walked towards them, feeling the weight of their gazes. "Your Majesty, it was my honor to help the princess. I'm just glad she is safe."

The king nodded. "Indeed, you have done a great service to this kingdom. We owe you a debt of gratitude. Is there anything you wish for as a reward?"

I hesitated, not expecting such a direct offer. "Your Majesty, I seek no reward. I am just a traveler on my way to Elaria. And they happened to meet kidnappers of the princess it was my duty to ensure the safety of any girl seeking my help so it was only natural for me to save the princess."

"But Noah why don't you show us your face healer said that they couldn't detach it due to it being because of your abilities is that true" king said with curiously looking at me

"Your majesty it is true this is because of my ability only I can remove it " I said without any shed of nervousness

"Then can you show us your face I want to see who the young man is who saved the princess" king looking at me smiling

As the king requested to see my face, I felt a pang of nervousness. Revealing my identity was not something I wanted to do, but I had to maintain my composure.

"Sorry, Majesty, but this mask is for my family's safety. I prefer not to attract attention and potentially cause trouble for them," I explained respectfully.

The king nodded understandingly. "I am not offended, Noah. You have your reasons, and I respect that."

However, his curiosity seemed piqued as he continued, "But after hearing the praise from the princess and the knight about your swordsmanship and power, I am intrigued. I would like to see you compete with my second son, Draken, to gauge your strength."

Draken was the second prince of the kingdom with blonde hair just like his father the king and cocky face with overconfidence

Draken, the second prince, scoffed arrogantly. "Ha! Father, do you really think he can beat me in a duel? I am strong."

The king smiled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "I know, son, but I want to see you compete with your peers. This will be a valuable lesson for both of you."

Roselyn interjected, coming to my defense. "Noah has defeated monsters beyond your reach, brother. Do not underestimate him. And you can't even beat big brother so you have no chance"

Draken laughed dismissively. "You're just bluffing, sister big brother is strongest thats why I couldn't defeat him but him i can win without any efforts."

Roselyn sneered "Don't be cocky brother "

The king intervened, his tone firm. "Enough. No fighting between you two."

Turning to address me again, the king expressed his concern about my recent injury. "But what about your shoulder? It was damaged right. How did you recover so quickly?"

I hesitated, not wanting to reveal the extent of my abilities. "Actually, I heal quickly due to my abilities."

Surprised murmurs rippled through the group, but the king accepted my explanation without further question. "Very well. If you are ready for the duel, then let us proceed to the training court."

''Big brother revan just see how I defeat this mosquito and show father that I am second strongest after you"Draken said in confident tone

Revan sneered nonchalantly " Don't be overconfident Draken and just focus on the fight and don't disappoint father"Revan too has the blonde hair and was nonchalant personality like a royal

"Don't worry brother just see how I make father proud" Saying this Draken started heading towards the court

As we made our way to the training court, I could feel the tension rising. Draken seemed confident in his superiority, while I remained calm, focused on the upcoming challenge.