Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

-KRISELLA-

It took me a while to realize that there's a slight conflict regarding the way Lancelot and my history professor narrated the dark age of Gilead. However, we will soon find out what really causes this conflict as we take the plan in action a few more days from today.

According to Alex, Lancelot has devised a plan and he intended to use it on the day of the Christmas Ball.

{"You see, all local leaders are invited to this Christmas event." said Alex as we go by forming our own strategic plan to jeopardize Lancelot's then lifted his head to meet my gaze. "Why do you think will he do that?"

I tried to think of possible reasons behind that but only ended up feeling useless. As I gave up, I cast a blank look back at the captain. "You tell me because I can't think of any possible reasons at all."

Alex smacks his head with his right palm. "Still a dummy, I see."

"Hey! For the hundredth time, stop calling me that!"

Alex only shook his head disapprovingly and chose to ignore my remark. "It's because before this year ends… he intends to make himself the ruler of Gilead by means of removing Prince Arthur and the rest of his clan out of the people's minds through a powerful spell that he would spread across all nation."

My mouth instantly gaped at what I just heard. "That's insane! How could he possibly do that? He would surely need a powerful spell to be able to perform that kind of spell, wouldn't he?"

"Probably… or he would need Raven's help to spread his memory spell through a plague, just like what he did to those wizards to revive his brother."

Another revelation from him made my eyes go wide-eyed. There's no way we would let that happen! 

As I thought about it more carefully, something has suddenly crossed my mind that got my body jumped in surprise.

"Oh! So if they are to release the plague on Christmas, then does that mean…" I trailed off suddenly when I looked directly into the captain's eyes for the second time around. Even though I wasn't able to complete my sentence, through his slightly devastated and sad look, I immediately knew the answer to my question.

"On the Christmas Day, when everyone would be having a good time... Raven and a group of trained dark wizards that he managed to gather for years of staying in the dark are about to bring back a tyrant ruler from many years ago."

I pursed my lips as I envision what our nation would be like if that ever happens. All I can see is a world full of turmoil and grief that truly awaits us in the near future.

"No…" I said dreadfully. "There's no way we would let that happen!"}

By the time our holiday break officially starts, I would still pursue my plan of infiltrating the castle by dressing up as one of its servants. In that way, I could sneak inside along with Alex in the castle, and together, we will do everything that we can to stop them from spreading the memory spell to the citizens of Gilead. 

For that to happen, we would need allies to help us along the way. There's me, Alex, Lucas, and that she-devil who tried to steal away Alex from me for the past few weeks that we have lost our memories.

I was not very happy to hear that from him at first. Who knows if Lancelot has already her mind being brainwashed by that impostor?! But Alex said to leave everything to him and for that, I wanted to give my full trust to his plans.

One day before the official start of our holiday break, my friends Maggie, Ariella, and Cailin got me cornered, as expected. After leaving the pastry shop without telling the full details to them, it is only reasonable for them to be curious about it 

"So where have you been after you disappeared all of a sudden? You even left your bag at the pastry shop." Ariella asked with intense curiosity. She pointed at my bag which she had brought along with her. Good thing she brought my bag because I almost forgot about it.

I scratched the back of my neck wuth a downcast face as I carefully thought about the words that I am about to say to these girls when something had crossed my mind in a flash 

["We would really need as much backup as possible, but there's sadly just the four of us." Alex sighed in frustration as he and I formulated the plan that could--hopefully-- counter Lancelot's plan for the holiday season.]

That's it! Maybe, just maybe, I could seek my friends' help as an aid to defeat Lancelot and his minions. 

However, there's also the thought that they might reject it and also have me thrown out from their group once they know that I have been lying all along in their faces. That would really leave me devastated, but if that's what will happen, then it is only right for me to humbly accept the possible consequences.

I lifted my head up once again and looked at each of them in the eye before sighing nervously. 

"There's something that you need to know about me. " I said truthfully that caused my friends to throw confused looks at me.

I fidgeted as I went on, "The thing is, I haven't been truthful to all of you this whole time…"

During lunch break, I asked them to go with me at the back of the student building where only a few (or none) of the students are lurking around. There's only plain bermuda grass and a couple of pine trees that makes this place s bit relaxing because of the shade that it brings to people who's around here. 

My friends have been silent for a while now as they wait for me to go on with what I am about to tell them, as if they are just waiting for me to spill the beans. 

"If I will tell you now the truth, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about it… for it is sort of a confidential matter, that's why I was forbidden to tell you about it in the first place.. Understand?"

"Alright, you have my word." Ariella says. "Now spill the truth."

Without further adieu, I started confessing to them everything that I have been up to in my lowest voice possible.

I went on narrating from the first time I went here in Citadel, on how the captain of the magic army has mistaken me for being Prince Arthur himself (but leaving some details about how he cried in front of me). Then I continued to the part where he practically kidnapped me and presented me to Lancelot and Lucas and how the archbishop offered me to be the prince's impersonator for a while until they found the real one, like what he once told me a couple of months ago.

My eyes would eventually sneak a glance to my friends from time to time as I keep on narrating the past events that involves me being the prince's impersonator for quite some time now, up until the day we found out who is the real enemy and about the dreadful plan that they are about to execute on the holiday season. I could only see blank expression upon their faces as they keep on listening to my explanation and nodding their heads at occasional times in between.

Finally, as I closed my lengthy explanation with the counter plan that Alex and I had made yesterday, I asked the three of them if they are up to help us take it into action.

They have been silent for a while now, but not until Ariella chose to speak first.

"At the start, I already knew that there is something off about you, to be honest." she said, her eyebrows were somehow hunched together at me. "You seemed to be always eager to go home, and make random excuses that doesn't even connect with the other one. You know what I mean?"

I only stayed silent, so she carried on.

"After Maggie and I have been wondering what you might be up to, we kind of have you under investigation with the help of a private investigator which we have hired to follow you." Ariella confessed as well and managed to smile shyly at me. Maggie did the same as well.

"And guess who we seek help from…" Maggie chimed in.

Having no idea who it was, I gave up eventually. "Who?"

"It is none other than our arrogant and boastful class president!" she answered for me.

Wait, what?!

"We asked him to follow you around for a while. He got busted eventually but he did tell us all he knew for money's sake. He said he was broke at that time because his parents were not entirely happy with his test results, so he accepted our offer in the first place." Ariella continued for Maggie.

I'm still shocked with this sudden revelation. That is why we found him following me all the way to the castle! And he must have only pretended to be Alex's fan to avoid some punishment or something.

However. I am more surprised with the fact that my friends have already known so much about me but chose to play along with my games. Just… why?

Maggie may have seen the dumbfounded look on my face, thus she reached out her hand and patted me gently on the shoulders.

"We mean you no harm, Krisella…" she said, which caused my eyes to go in circles and my head to turn to face her. "All we want is to let you know that you still have someone whom you could count on whenever you're ready to tell the truth. We're glad you finally said it."

"I kind of know it as well." Cailin chimed in out of nowhere. "I could actually utilize a spell that would allow me to read people's minds if I wanted to."

These guys… They already knew who I am and yet are still here to support me. I can't help but feel teary-eyed with all these shocking revelations from them.

"Thank you guys. You're the best!" I spread my arms and hugged all of them out of delight 

"Now about that plan you mentioned…" Ariella says once they've break free from me. 

"Yes?" 

"Count us in!"