(The Royal Palace – Study Room)
Eyan sat in silence, slouched slightly in his chair, eyes fixed on nothing in particular. His fingers tapped idly against the armrest—lost in thought.
Hans entered, bowing respectfully.
"Your Majesty, what's troubling you? You look deeply lost in thought."
Eyan didn't look up. "I'm thinking about a birthday gift."
"For Her Highness?"
"Yes."
Hans straightened. "What about a dress? Or jewelry? Most women like that sort of thing."
Eyan sighed. "Hans, do you really think I didn't consider that already?"
"My apologies, Your Majesty."
"Most women might enjoy those things—but not Eva. She doesn't care for frills and gemstones. She's… different."
He leaned forward, running a hand through his silver hair. "It's hard to come up with something she'd actually treasure."
Hans paused, then smiled. "Your Majesty draws beautifully. Why not create a portrait for Her Highness? Something personal, from your own hand."
Eyan looked up at him. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Hans… that's a great idea."
Hans beamed. "I'm happy to be of service."
Eyan stood, his mind already moving. "And Hans—bring me the royal chef."
"The chef?" Hans blinked, confused.
"Yes."
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
A short while later, the royal chef stepped into the study, clearly nervous. He bowed quickly, his hands trembling.
"You called for me, Your Majesty?"
Eyan faced him with a calm but firm gaze. "Yes. I need you to teach me how to make a cake."
The chef's eyes widened, startled. "A… cake?"
"Yes," Eyan said simply.
The man swallowed hard, then bowed deeply again.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Eyan: "You may go now."
Chef: bowing "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The chef exited with a respectful nod. Once the door closed, Eyan turned to Hans with a sharpened gaze.
Eyan: "Hans, give me the report on the new guild's activity."
Hans: "Yes, Your Majesty."
Hans stepped forward, pulling a file from beneath his cloak.
Hans: "Here it is, Your Majesty."
Hans: "That guild seems suspicious, sire."
Eyan: "What did you find suspicious about it?"
Hans: "They lure innocent women with promises of jobs and offer them large sums of money."
Hans: "Many of those women have gone missing over the past month."
Eyan flipped through the report, eyes scanning the details with growing intensity.
Eyan: "Do you think they're being sold... or is something else happening?"
Hans: "We haven't been able to find that out yet, Your Majesty."
Eyan snapped the file shut with a firm hand.
Eyan: "Then I'll go there myself."
Eyan: "Hans, I'm going this evening. Tell the Royal Knights to be prepared."
Eyan: "They're to surround the guild and wait for my signal to strike."
Hans: bowing quickly "I'll inform them right away, Your Majesty."
Hans turned and left the room with urgency, leaving Eyan alone in heavy silence, the file still resting beside his hand.
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(Velmoria Market – Afternoon)
Eva strolled through the bustling marketplace, her eyes trailing over the vibrant stalls of fabric, spices, and jewelry. The air was filled with chatter, laughter, and the cries of merchants calling for customers.
Suddenly, she paused.
A large crowd of women stood gathered outside a building with a tall iron gate and a wooden sign that read "Velmoor Opportunity Guild." The sound of murmuring and excitement caught her attention.
Eva (to herself): "What's going on here? I should take a look."
Curiosity tugging at her, Eva stepped through the open doors and entered the building.
Inside, the room was filled with women talking amongst themselves. A sharply dressed man approached her with a wide smile.
Man: "Welcome, my lady, to our guild. Are you here looking for work?"
Eva: "Work...?"
Man: "Yes, our guild offers excellent opportunities to women who want to earn a lot of money in a short time."
Eva: "Work that pay a lot?"
Man: "Exactly."
Eva hesitated for a moment, then her thoughts drifted.
Kyel told me not to work... but I feel so bored staying home all the time. If they're offering good money, maybe it wouldn't hurt to try...
Eva: "What kind of work would I have to do?"
Man: "Nothing difficult. You'd just be serving food to guests."
Eva: "Serving food?"
Man: "Yes, there's a hotel within our guild building. Families often come to dine there. You'd simply be serving meals at their tables."
Eva: "That doesn't sound hard at all."
Man: smiling "So, what do you think, my lady? Interested?"
Eva: "What time would I need to start?"
Man: "In the evening. We'll first observe your performance for a night and decide whether to officially hire you."
Eva: nodding "Alright. I'll come."
The man smiled wider and gestured toward a table with forms and names already written.
Man: "Perfect. Just give your name at the front desk when you arrive."
Eva turned and walked out slowly, unaware of the eyes that followed her from the shadowed hallway above.
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