In the kingdom of Arcis-Mundi...

  Julian walked through the kingdom with Millie and Natalie, their personalities clearly visible in the way they walked, Natalie skipping down the sidewalk with a dazzling smile, Millie walking elegantly, her high heels clicking on the ground, Julian walking in a standard way, between the two.

  Julian: So... What are we going to do today?

  Natalie: I have no idea, I figured you two would be the guides

  Millie: Do you plan a date where you don't know what you're going to do on it?

  Natalie: That's right!

  Julian: Oh my... I hope to someday reach that level of planning {ironic tone}

  Millie: {sigh of laughter} me too

  Julian: Geez, you laugh? You always have that stoic expression

  Millie: there's no reason to smile all the time

  Natalie: but you're also exaggerating, you have that serious face almost all the time, try smiling {grabs Millie's cheeks and stretches them into a smile}

  Millie: what are you doing? {holds Natalie's arms}

  Natalie: come on! Smile!

  Millie: you can't force me to smile! Say something funny and maybe I'll laugh!

  Natalie: that's right, right? That's how it works

  Julian: hey! {points to a coffee shop} why don't we come in here and chat for a bit, while we have a drink?

  The three of them enter the coffee shop, they go to an empty table and sit down, Natalie and Millie side by side, opposite Julian.

  Natalie: let's see, what coffee would you recommend, ma'am? {ironic tone}

  Millie: I would recommend... This one {points to the cheapest product}

  Natalie: Hey! What are you implying with that?!

  Millie: {tries to contain her laughter}

  Natalie: {sighs and sneers} You're laughing, aren't you?... Well, at least that, anyway, I'm going to order this one

  Julian: Why?

  Natalie: Because, yes, it's the first one I saw and it looks nice

  Julian: I see, I'm going to order this one

  Natalie: Why?

  Julian: Because, yes, I also found this one nice

  Millie: Are you ordering it just for that?

  Julian: we don't understand much about this

  Millie: I see, anyway, I've made my choice

  The three of them place their respective orders with the waiter and take advantage of the waiting time to talk

  Julian: so, let's take advantage of the time alone and talk a little, get to know each other better

  Natalie: what could we talk about?

  Julian: any funny stories we had?

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Millie: let's see, normally, it's really hard to remember a story when necessary, these things happen spontaneously, you know?

  Julian: I know, but what if it worked this time, it doesn't hurt to try

  Millie: I know, you're the one responsible for that accident two months ago, right?

  Natalie: Oh! What accident?!

  Millie: rumors about how the king was attacked by someone who broke into the castle

  Julian: why am I being considered a suspect?

  Millie: Because you are the son of Jonathan, the man who was wrongly sentenced to death by the king

  Julian: I don't like to remember this, but if you want to know...

  2 months ago...

  The young man disembarks from the Cruise with Joana and Olivia, he looks around, remembering the place where he spent his childhood, the place where he lived with his parents, now dead.

  Julian: I couldn't... Not even say goodbye to them, not in a proper way

  Olivia: Don't think about it too much, it will destroy you

  Joana: Olivia is right, Julian. If you think about it too much you may end up having thoughts or doing reckless things

  Julian: I know, but... {clenches his fists tightly}

  Olivia: Julian... Don't even think about it

  Julian: I was thinking about nothing {opens his hand}

  Joana: How about we go for a walk? Julian: There’s a place I want to go, can you wait for me a bit?

  Joana: Of course!

  He walks through the kingdom towards the castle where Alexander was, his expression completely serious, he invades the place ignoring the guards and going straight to a specific room. The young man enters the throne room, pushing the doors hard, he looks emotionlessly at the King before him, his apathetic expression soon transforms into one of pure anger, veins becoming more evident, Julian holds the sheath of his katana and brandishes it, he breathes deeply.

  Alexander: what are you doing?

  Julian: my parents, they died because of your decisions

  Alexander: I'm sorry, but... I know you'll refuse simple apologies

  Julian: no really, so... all you have to say is mere apologies?

  Alexander: I'm sorry, but... Yes, you know my reasons, what really happened for all that-

  Julian: terrorism... You said my parents were dangerous

  Alexander: that's not the truth, I already said I was threatened

  Julian: now it's going to be real terrorism, I'm going to kill you!!! You miserable piece of shit

  The boy advances against the King, his blade engulfs in fire and he launches cuts at the man, who brandishes his sword and uses it as a shield for Julian's cuts, Alexander just focuses on defending himself, with no desire to retaliate against the attacks he receives, while Julian continues with great fervent attacking without stopping, the walls being cut by the deflected cuts. Alexander from a certain point on starts to be hit sequentially, without being able to defend himself properly.

  Julian: is that all you can do? And you're still considered a king... A damn king... Weak, who can't protect his own people and... {his eyes narrow}

  Alexander: Julian... Stop... You're not like that, you're losing yourself, attacking me like that... It won't bring them back

  Julian: That'll comfort me

  Alexander: Stop! Are you listening to yourself?

  Julian: {his eyes widen} tsk...

  The young man drops the katana, letting it fall to the ground, his lips tremble, as he realizes what he said, and what he's doing, Julian takes a step back while placing his hands over his face, he sits on the ground.

  Julian: I... What am I doing? {looks at his hands}

  Alexander: you were getting lost, in a fog of revenge, but you haven't done anything wrong yet {holds out his hand} come on... Get up, get out of this pit that's not right for you

  Julian: {grabs Alexander's hand} I'm... I'm sorry, I was trying to kill you, I don't deserve this

  Alexander: you just had a slip in your self-control, we won't always be able to keep our cool, the important thing is that you're fine now, you're better and free

  Julian: {sighs} one way or another, I feel much better now, I was... Very bitter before, I couldn't... Stop thinking about all this while I was coming back here

  Alexander: I understand {puts his hand on Julian's shoulder} now, forget about it and... You came back to this planet, right? I sent a hello to Joana and told Olivia not to forget her appointment

  Julian: okay {steps away and bows} thanks... For understanding me, I'm going

  Alenxader: bye, you're going to give me a hard time hiding your mess here

  Julian: sorry {laughs nervously}

  The young man runs out of the castle, his smile restored.

  Back to the present...

  Julian: uh... Well, that was basically it, nothing more

  Natalie: Oh... It must have been hard for you

  Millie: it must have been

  Julian: anyway, it's in the past and today I feel good about it

  Millie: great!

  Natalie: so you're an only child?

  Julian: yes, by the way, what about you? Do you have any sisters?

  Natalie: not me, my father died on a mission and I only have my mother

  Millie: I'm a triplet

  Julian: what?!

  Natalie: how can that be?!

  Millie: I'm the youngest sister, the oldest is called Tamao and the middle one is called Mayumi

  Julian: These names... They're similar to the most recent names adopted

  Millie: My parents wanted to follow the trends with them, but when it was my turn, they decided to go with a standard name, they got very creative

  Natalie: I see, in the future, almost everyone should have this type of name, right?

  Julian: It's quite likely

  Millie: But these things happen, people and ideas change, and now, the type of names will change as a standard, so much so that, nowadays we are all much more technologically a dvanced than before

  Natalie: That was... Kind of annoying to hear, huh

  Julian: uh...

  The waiter arrives at the table with the three of them's orders, he puts the food on the table and leaves, Julian and Natalie look at the plate strangely, while Millie is intrigued by the two's reactions.

  Millie: what happened? {asks, even though she knows exactly what the problem is}

  Julian: the plate...

  Natalie: it's completely different from what...

  Julian: in the picture...

  Millie: it was to be expected, now you're going to have to eat it

  Natalie: well, at least it must be good

  Julian: it really is

  The two of them take their respective plates and start to digest.

  Natalie: uh... It's not bad, but it's not good either

  Julian: I came out on top, so I at least liked mine a little

  Natalie: damn... I'm the only one who lost

  Julian: idiot {points finger at Natalie}

  Natalie: ah... You brat {grabs Julian's meal and starts devouring it}

  Julian: hey! Eat your own food!

  Natalie: no way! That's what you get for making fun of me, idiot!

  Millie: hey! You guys are making a mess, we're going to get a warning for this!

  The two were so wrapped up in their own argument that they ignored Millie's attempts to separate them. The waiter came to the table, also trying to calm them down, but accidentally, a large drop from the plate fell on the waiter's face. Julian and Natalie stopped immediately, looked at each other and then pointed at each other.

  Julian: It was her.

  Natalie: It was him.

  In the end, the three of them ended up being thrown out of the place.

  Millie: Why did you kick me out too? I didn't do anything!

  Julian: That's complicated, I think we won't be able to get in here for a moment.

  Natalie: Captain Obvious.

  Julian: {he remains silent for a long moment, while looking at Natalie} Well, out here, no one is going to stop us, so... How about we settle this once and for all.

  Millie: Enough! You idiots!!! We were thrown out of a place, all because you acted like annoying, stubborn children!

  Julian: We stressed her out, we should apologize

  Natalie: She understands us, she'll apologize, she probably isn't that angry

  Julian: Really? She seems a little angry

  They both look at Millie, who is breathing heavily, the girl takes a deep breath and slowly regains her composure

  Julian: Are you calmer now?

  Millie: Uh... I am