Paralyzed (Tboah!AlbeCale)

9) 👀 👀 Pt. 1

A/n: Some of this is copy paste from the novel, but it's edited and important for story flow. Credit to Yoo Ryeo Han for those parts.

Screeeeech-

The large door opened and the main characters for this gathering showed up with their entourage.

The servant was ready to shout louder than he had shouted all night, but the person in front lifted his hand up to stop the servant.

Roan Kingdom's crown prince, the eldest prince of the kingdom, Alberu Crossman.

He seemed to enjoy the attention on him, as he headed to his elevated seat without any introduction. All of the nobles got up to greet him, and crown prince Alberu left the second and third princes behind as he headed to the highest spot in the hall.

Bang.

As soon as he stood in front of his seat, the door closed. It meant that everyone was present.

Crown Prince Alberu looked down at the second and third princes, as well as everyone else and started to speak.

"Welcome. Thank you for responding to my invitation."

This was somewhere where he did not need an introduction. Alberu looked down from the top. Cale blankly looked up at him, before looking back at the clock.

Just a couple more hours of this. He could do it. Who cares if his heartbeat is beating a little too fast and his palms feel clammy? If there wasn't a justifiable reason for his anxiety, it didn't matter to Cale.

He just had to persevere.

Cale could hear the crown prince starting to speak.

"Precious individuals who will make this kingdom shine, the future leaders of our kingdom, this prince is very happy that all of you have come to this gathering."

The crown prince was slowly turning on the engines of his glib tongue. As he talked, he looked over all the faces throughout the room, one by one.

It was at that moment.

The crown prince turned his gaze towards the entrance. For a fraction of a second, his eyes stopped at Cale.

Cale was confused. For some unknown reason, the crown prince stared at the area around him for a bit longer than everywhere else. Maybe he was imagining it, but it seemed like his eyes were locked onto Cale.

For a short duration, the crown prince seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, before he waved away a knight who was looking at him with concern and curiosity.

'This is weird. I guess there is something interesting behind me.'

Naturally, that 'something,' was something Cale did not particularly care to know about.

As he was thinking these things, the crown prince resumed talking. Cale noticed that the crown prince was spacing his words out with slightly longer pauses, almost like he had trouble remembering his speech.

Cale found this situation to be quite entertaining. Whatever was distracting the crown prince must be quite important.

'It will be fun to watch.'

The crown prince and the nobles of the different factions. It was fun looking at the expressions on all of their faces. It made Cale long for some popcorn. Cale liked it very much that he was just going to be still.

It was at the next moment again.

'Hmm?'

Cale made direct eye contact with the crown prince. It was a coincidence. The crown prince Alberu had continued glancing at different faces, and Cale was turning to look at the clock again. But in the process, the two of them made eye contact.