Chapter : 644

Ken Eliot stood near a massive marble pillar. He hated this party. He wore his tailored navy blue suit. His white dress shirt hung completely untucked over his belt. He refused to wear a tie. He slouched his shoulders. He slid his hands deep into his pockets. He looked around the room with sleepy, half-closed eyes.

"This party is boring," Ken mumbled to himself. He let out a loud yawn. "The music sounds like a sleep spell. The food portions are too small. I just ate a cracker the size of a coin. It tasted like cardboard. I need a massive slice of pizza. A real party always has pizza."

Naomi stood right beside him. She wore a sleek red dress. The bright color matched her red hair perfectly. Her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail. She smiled a very warm, bright smile. She playfully nudged his arm with her elbow.

"Stop complaining, Ken," Naomi said. Her green eyes sparked with genuine amusement. "You look very nice today. Just stand still. We need to look professional. The other Royal factions are watching us."

"Looking professional burns too many calories," Ken replied lazily. He offered her a goofy grin. "I am conserving my energy. Standing up straight is a massive workout. My spine is officially on strike."

Laxmi stood on the other side of the pillar. She wore a bright orange gown. She looked restless. She crossed her arms and pouted. "Ken is right. This party is terrible. Nobody is fighting. Nobody is throwing fireballs. I want to punch something. Can we just go home?"

"We cannot go home, Laxmi," Sayma stated politely. The intelligent Vice-Captain wore an elegant dark blue dress. She pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. "This gala is a mandatory diplomatic event. The 1st Prince hosted this party to evaluate his rivals. We must observe his actions. We must gather tactical data."

Zinia nodded in agreement. The strong earth mage wore a tailored dark green suit. She cracked her knuckles quietly. "Sayma is correct. We cannot show any weakness. We just tied for first place on the leaderboard. We are a premier faction now. The other units will try to intimidate us."

Luna sat on a velvet chair near the wall. She wore a loose gray dress. She rubbed her sleepy eyes. She let out a massive yawn. "Intimidation sounds exhausting. I am going to take a nap right here. Wake me up when the party is over."

Risa stood close to Princess Iris. The sweet pink-haired healer wore a beautiful pastel pink dress. She held a small, fancy purse instead of her usual teddy bear. She looked around the ballroom with wide, innocent eyes. "The lights are very pretty. But the people look very strict. I do not like their faces."

Princess Iris smiled a gentle, comforting smile. She wore a stunning silver gown. The fabric shimmered like moonlight. She looked flawless. She placed a kind hand on Risa's shoulder.

"Do not worry about them, Risa," Princess Iris said softly. Her violet eyes looked very calm. "We will just stay together. We will enjoy the music. We will leave as soon as it is polite to do so."

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Ken pulled a small wrapped candy from his pocket. He unwrapped it slowly. The plastic wrapper crinkled in his hand. He popped the strawberry candy into his mouth. He chewed it happily.

"I am ready to leave right now," Ken announced casually. He slumped his shoulders again. "I can cause a distraction. I can pretend to faint. You guys can carry me out the front door. We can go find a burger place."

Naomi laughed a quiet, musical laugh. She patted his arm gently. "We are not carrying you, slacker. Just eat your candy and behave."

Suddenly, the crowd of nobles parted. The wealthy aristocrats moved out of the way quickly. They stopped talking. The polite conversations vanished . A cold, strict silence fell over the massive ballroom.

Someone was walking directly toward the 13th Unit.

Ken stopped chewing his candy. He blinked his dark eyes. He looked past Naomi.

The 1st Prince, Zeus Belmontia, marched across the polished marble floor.

Zeus looked imposing. He wore his pristine white military uniform. Bright gold medals decorated his chest. His platinum-blonde hair was perfectly combed. He walked with absolute, uncompromising authority. Tiny yellow sparks of electricity popped around his polished black boots. He did not smile. His piercing green eyes locked directly onto Princess Iris.

His elite servants followed right behind him. They wore spotless white uniforms. They looked like a row of perfectly carved statues. They radiated a massive amount of strict discipline.

"Oh great," Ken mumbled lazily. He slipped his hands deeper into his pockets. "The final boss is approaching. He looks very angry. He probably did not get enough sleep last night. He really needs a nap."

Naomi instantly stopped smiling. Her green eyes turned sharp and focused. She took a step forward. She stood slightly in front of Ken. She wanted to protect her lazy friend from the aggressive Prince.

Laxmi uncrossed her arms. She glared at the 1st Prince. Zinia stood tall. Sayma pushed her glasses up. Ira stood perfectly still, her face a blank mask. The elite girls formed a tight, protective circle around Princess Iris.

Zeus stopped five feet away from the group.

He did not offer a polite bow. He did not say a friendly greeting. He looked at the 13th Unit with pure, unfiltered condescension. He viewed them as a massive nuisance.

"Iris," Zeus stated coldly. His deep voice echoed in the quiet ballroom. "We need to speak. Immediately."

Princess Iris did not flinch. She kept her chin held high. Her violet eyes met his cold green eyes. She showed zero fear.

"We are speaking right now, Brother," Princess Iris replied smoothly. Her voice was calm and steady. "What do you want?"

Zeus narrowed his eyes. He glanced at Naomi and Laxmi. He looked at their protective stances. He scoffed softly.

"I do not wish to speak with your pathetic guards," Zeus ordered firmly. He pointed a finger at the floor. "Tell them to step away. This is a private conversation between Royal bloodlines."

Naomi gritted her teeth. She did not move a single inch. She refused to leave her Princess alone with him. Laxmi clenched her fists.

Princess Iris raised her hand gently. She offered her vanguard a reassuring smile.

"It is alright, Naomi," Princess Iris said softly. "You may step back. I will hear what he has to say."

Naomi frowned. She did not like it. But she obeyed her leader. She took a slow step backward. Laxmi and Zinia also stepped back. The elite girls gave the two Royals a small amount of space.

Ken did not move. He was already leaning against the marble pillar. He was extremely comfortable. He drooped his shoulders. He chewed his strawberry candy. He watched the interaction with sleepy, half-closed eyes.

Zeus ignored Ken. Zeus thought Ken was just a , useless servant. Zeus did not consider the slouching boy a threat at all.