(In a mansion somewhere in the east coast of Alvannia)

"Are you sure about this?" A short stout man that looked like a noble was looking afraid. "What if you do not succeed and I was implicated in aiding you?"

"Do not worry baron. I assure you that we will win in this war." High Priest Hector said with a confident smile.

The baron shivered seeing Hector's smile. He seemed like a demon under the disguise of an angel.

"And with this amount of magic stones in your disposal, you can defend yourself even if the royal army came." High Priest Hector said. "And after we win this war, we will keep our promise to you. You will be given the title of archduke and be given dominion of all Alvannia. The nobles that have looked down upon you will be under your hands, you can do as you please with them. The royal family that turned a blind eye towards you will be kicked off from their place. Well if you want, you can take the eldest princess as your mistress after you make her a widow. I heard she was quite a beauty."

The baron's eyes that was filled with fright a while ago was now glowing with lust. The tempting words of the high priest rubbed his lust for power and for beautiful women.

"My ships are at your disposal." The baron replied eagerly. "My private port is small, but it can surely accommodate most of my ships."

"It is enough for us." High Priest Hector replied. "Then we will be under your hospitality tonight. I bid you goodnight."

"Yes, yes. Please rest well here in my mansion." The baron said.

High Priest Hector walked away and ascended the stairs towards a room. He knocked before opening.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Come in." A voice of a woman is heard inside.

The high priest opened the door and came inside. "Greetings, my queen. Have you situated yourself comfortably?"

"Hmph, what do you think?" Queen Patricia said with an irritated face. She was seating by the window looking outside.

"I apologize if this mansion is shabby. But this is the best place to lay low for a while." High Priest Hector said. "The baron's estate is the best choice because of the small private port and ships he has. It will be the easiest way to go to the eastern sea undetected."

"Do you think that the baron will keep aiding us?" Queen Patricia asked.

"Human's that are greedy are the easiest to manipulate, your majesty. I assure you that he is of use to us." High Priest Hector said with an innocent smile.

"You look like a humble old priest, but you spout such evil words. And to think that I am still not used to your looks until now." Queen Patricia grumbled. "Just do not betray me in the end."

"If you hold your end of the bargain, I will be forever be loyal to you your majesty." High Priest Hector knew that Patricia was still wary of him even after so many years of their collaboration.

"I will give you what you want, do not worry." Queen Patricia replied.

What the high priest wants was eternal youth, a body that does not age. And to achieve that, obtaining the forbidden magic is necessary.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Your majesty, his highness crown prince Gladiolus has arrived." A servant said from outside the door.

"My son is back!" Queen Patricia quickly stood up from her seat and pushed aside Hector and the servants that were in the way.

"The only time she looks genuinely concerned is only to her son." High Priest Hector said with a scoff and shook his head slowly.

Meanwhile down stairs, Gladiolus and Clara were about to go inside when Gladiolus staggered in his step and fell off balance. Clara was quick to lend a hand by his side.

"Your highness, you can lean on me for support." Clara said while holding Gladiolus.

"I do not need your help. Get off me." Gladiolus said with irritation and pushed her away. Clara was clearly hurt by his words.

"But… I just want to help you your highness." Clara said with sorrowful eyes, like a puppy thrown away by its master.

"I do not want any other woman to touch me other than my future wife." Gladiolus said with anger.

"Gladiolus, my son." Queen Patricia was seen running down the stairs. "You have come back. Did your trip become fruitful." Gladiolus shot a glance towards his mother. Patricia was taken aback from his son's hateful gaze.

"Is that the first thing you will ask your son that just got back from a fight?" Gladiolus words were coated with frosty coldness. "Wouldn't a mother ask the well being of her son first before everything else."

"O-Of course…" Queen Patricia was startled with her son's cold words. "How are you my son? Are you hurt anywhere."

"Heh…" Gladiolus scoffed. "Why did I not see it before?"

"W-What do you mean… Gladiolus?" Queen Patricia was clearly confused with her son's cold tone.

*cough cough*

Gladiolus had a coughing fit just then and coughed out some blood.

"Gladiolus!" Queen Patricia showed genuine concern and wanted to tend to his son.

"Do not touch me!" Gladiolus slapped her hand away with force.

"G-Gladiolus?" Queen Patricia was surprised with what had just happened. It was the first time that her son had done something like this to her. She showed a painful expression on her face.

"Is this what you want?" Gladiolus took out half of the key fragment that he had obtained.

"The key fragment!" Queen Patricia smiled happily after seeing the key fragment in her son's hands. "I knew you would be triumphant in obtaining it. You really make me proud, my son."

"Make you proud?" Gladiolus scoffed. "Did you know what danger I faced just to get this item? I had to fight to the death just to get it!"

"I know you are strong my son. You will not be defeated by some half blood." Queen Patricia said.

"So you knew that he had Atlantian royal blood flowing in his veins, mother?" Gladiolus asked. "What other things are you keeping from me?"

"I-I did not think it was something important. He is not someone special." Queen Patricia stuttered. She did not know why her son is becoming hostile towards her.

"And Alicia… do you plan on killing her once we get to her?" Gladiolus asked.

Queen Patricia was caught off guard with Gladiolus' question. She had planned to kill Alicia once she find a way to transfer the forbidden magic to her. But his son genuinely loves her, and she knows that she cannot tell him of her plans.

"Of course not. How can I kill my niece?" Queen Patricia lied. "She will be your wife, and you will make offsprings that have pure Atlantian royal blood once more."

Gladiolus was silent for a while. He looked at his mother with a serious gaze.

"I will be holding on to this." Gladiolus put the half of the key fragment back in his pocket. He walked towards his mother, and stopped just by her side. "I do not know if I can still trust you, but I will not let you near Alicia. Once I get her back, I will take her to a place where you cannot find us. If you really love me as your son, then you will let us be on our own." He whispered to her and went upstairs.

Queen Patricia was surprised with her son's words. She does not know what happened that made him this hostile towards her, his own mother.

"It looks like your son became hostile to you." High Priest Hector had seen what happened from up stairs. "It looks like you will have a problem with obtaining the forbidden magic for your own."

Queen Patricia clenched her fist in anger after hearing High Priest Hector's words. She looked at him with a piercing gaze.

"We will still proceed as planned." Queen Patricia said. "We will let Gladiolus do what he wants at first. But after he gets Alicia, that is when we will strike. I will deal with my son in the aftermath."

"As you wish your majesty." High Priest Hector bowed. "But we only have half of the key. That means the other half is in King Regaleon's hands."

"That damn brat!" Queen Patricia said with fury.

"Do not worry, we still have a chance." High Priest Hector said. "We just need the two halves of the key to be in the same place at the same time." He smiled deviously.

"What do you mean?" Queen Patricia looked at the high priest questioningly.

"We just need to bait the king to the location of the forbidden magic." High Priest Hector said.

Queen Patricia quickly understood what the high priest was saying. There was no law saying that the key should be whole to be able to get to where the forbidden magic was. And now that Alicia was clearly at the center of it all, there was no lock to be opened using the key. They only need to take that woman and they clearly have won.

"I understand." Queen Patricia smiled after understanding High Priest Hector's plan. "And being in open sea is a great advantage to my Gladiolus."

"Yes, his highness prince Gladiolus will have great advantage in fighting in open sea. With all that water at his disposal." High Priest Hector said. "We can defeat the king of Grandcrest in this battle."

The two have their plan set in place.

Edited by: nalyn