The Five: The Fight for the Imperial Throne

Chapter 15: Alice's Truth Revealed

"Plac!!!"

A slap was heard again and hit the left face of the Marquess Glazer.

"Mr Princess?" Marquess Glazer asked the friend while holding her left face

"And that's for my mom! You deserve it, Malcolm!" Princess Ellie said firmly in an angry tone while holding her left hand that had slapped the face of the Marquess Glazer.

"Well! You'll see, and you're Ellie sooner or later you'll know the truth behind your mother's downfall!" Said the Marquess Glazer threateningly and left the others just like that.

"Uncle, I'll excuse you for a second." Said Princess Ellie leaving Her Majesty and the others.

"Well..." Said His Majesty, who regretted the opportunity to talk alone with his nephew.

"What's up, Pa?" Ask Princess Lea.

"No, it's nothing, son." Said His Majesty the Emperor while stroking the child's hair.

"By the way, Lea what are you doing here? And who are you two? You guys look foreign to me." Asked His Majesty while pointing to the two children among the four children who had just arrived there.

"Greetings to the Imperial Sun. Introduce me Alice Schubert De Castina and this is my sister Luca Arendo De Castina." Said Alice while greeting His Majesty the Emperor.

"Owh. You're Rydin and Jeremiah's children. I've heard a lot about you guys, and you must be the son Rydin saved 7 years ago while you were living in the Hallerbos forest with your parents." Said His Majesty while pointing his finger at Alice.

Alice was shocked after hearing the words that came out directly from the mouth of the Emperor.

"That's right, Your Majesty, I am the son saved by him who is now my adoptive father. But Your Majesty, how do you know that I am the child saved by him?" Alice asked curiously.

"Hohohoho, that's easy. But before that let's move first." His Majesty the Emperor gave the code to Grand Duchess Yuuki, Young Duke Verita, Miss Lawson Bates, Miss Everest, Miss Paddington, and Marquess Meligina.

"Then we'll excuse Your Highness, Princess." Say the six of them while returning to their respective places.

"Pa, how about we go there? It's very quiet there and no one's gonna bother us to talk." Said Princess Lea while pointing towards a gazebo located not far from Lake Worthington.

"Alright, it looks pretty comfortable for us to talk about it." His Majesty walked there followed by Princess Lea, Ivy, Eugeo, Sena, Alice, and Luca

Arriving at the gazebo...

"... 7 Years ago after Rydin came home from his expedition in the Hallerbos forest he once told me that he found an old hut in the interior of the Hallerbos forest."

"After he traced the forest area he saw 3 people, 1 old woman, 1 girl and 1 old man. As she notices the family's condition, Rydin decides to help her but is rejected."

"Monster...?" Ask Princess Lea, Sena, Luca, Eugeo.

"Sorry, Sire from here let me explain." Alice volunteered to tell her about the incident she experienced 7 years ago.

"Oh, please, please." Said His Majesty the Emperor.

"Yes, monster. The monster was body like a human and head like a bird. He likes to suck human blood and come out at night."

"But at that time my family and I did not see that Impundulu was there, because Impundulu likes to move from one place to another according to weather and climate conditions." Alice explained.

"Impundulu? What'sthat?" Ask the five of them.

"Impundulu is a bird-headed and human-bodied monster who sucks human blood and comes out at nightfall, sometimes he can also turn into a handsome man who has burn scars around his face." Alice explains the characteristics of Impundulu, the monster that attacked her and her family.

"When the Impundulu came attacking, my family and I were out looking for firewood, he said, when my father found a very good wood but when my father turned he was immediately caught and sucked blood by the impundulu and followed by my mother."

"As I could do nothing, I shouted and Count Castina, not far from where I and my family were, heard my screams and ran towards me and my family. Count Castina helped me exterminate the monster but every time it was slashed the monster bounced back as if he felt no pain at all."

"I saw him feeling very desperate, but when I was at my worst, I saw a bright light shining on my body, Count Castina who was near me was surprised to see the Impundulu that was in front of us was smashed into pieces into ashes, after witnessing that Count Castina directly called me 'Lightful Sacred Girl' and knelt before me and brought me home to Count Castina. Then there I was greeted warmly by everyone in the residence."

"Initially I thought they hated me and disliked me, it turns out I was wrong after I got to know Count Castina and his Wife I was sure that the Goddess gave me the opportunity to be able to feel the warmth of the family." Alice said as she held the hand of her foster sister, Luca.

Princess Ellie and Marquess Glazer....

"Malcom! Malcolm wait, wait a minute!" Shouted Princess Ellie while panting with exhaustion chasing after the Marquess Glazer.

"What's? Are you still not satisfied slapping me? Do you want to slap me for the third time, Ellie?" Marquess Glazer to Princess Ellie.

"Enough! I can't possibly do that to my friend, the person who's most precious to me." Princess Ellie yelled back at Marquess Glazer.

"Then? Didn't you slap me in the face?" Said the Marquess Glazer who was increasingly yelling at Princess Ellie.

"That's.... I had to do it, I'm sorry Malcolm." Princess Ellie bowed her head.

"Huh! Pardon you? It's not as easy as you think, Ellie." The Marquess Glazer did not receive an apology from Princess Ellie.

"Then what do I have to do to make you forgive me, Malcolm?" Princess Ellie asked confusedly.