Joy and sorrow intertwined inside Alex, both emotions filling him. But the emotion that overwhelmed him at the moment was happiness.
Blessed happiness flowed through Alex. Happiness at the realization that Hannah wasn't dead. Happiness at the realization that he finally found her.
He could feel tears stream down his face, but that didn't make him let go of her. He hugged her tightly, almost as if afraid that she would disappear if he let go.
He was so lost in his emotions that he didn't even realize when a punch had landed on his guts, sending him flying back.
The Crown Prince caught him before he was sent any further. "Your Majesty," he called out. "Are you okay?" he asked.
His face was a mixture of shock, surprise, and confusion.
Alex wasn't hurt by the punch, just thrown away. There was strength in that punch, but it was only the strength of someone who had only just entered the Saint realms. Hannah wasn't very strong just yet.
Hannah was on her feet, her face showing some anger as well as some confusion. What are you doing? Words floated in front of her.
Long Huan was by her side, holding her and writing something into her palm. Then he turned around toward Alex. "What was that, Your Majesty?" he asked. He wasn't angry, but he didn't look happy either.
"You called her sister," Zhan Luoyang said. "Do you mean you know her?"
"She's my sister," Alex said hurriedly. "Err… Cousin. Us Players are used to calling our cousins the same as our siblings."
"Wait, you're her cousin? Actual blood?" the 2nd Prince asked, before quickly writing something into her hand. A look of surprise appeared in her wrinkled face.
Her hands moved a word appeared in front of her, glowing where it was.
Alex?
The 2nd Prince looked surprised. "She… she shouldn't know your name," he said, before quickly writing down something again. More words floated from Hannah.
Is it really you, Alex? Are you really here?
Alex swelled with happiness and saw more words float in front of Hannah.
What is your mother's name?
Alex chuckled softly. She was looking for proof. "Helen," he said and the 2nd prince wrote the answer into her palm.
Alex could visibly see the excitement and hope to fill Hannah.
I'm sorry. Did I hurt you? Are you alright? I'm sorry I punched you. Words appeared in front of her, barely legible with how much she was writing at once. She was never supposed to be writing this much at once. She wasn't supposed to be writing at all.
Alex walked up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders before making her sit again. He took her hand and held it tightly before looking toward the Crown Prince and Zhan Luoyang.
"Would you mind giving me some privacy?" he asked. "I wish to talk with my sister alone."
The Crown Prince hesitated but nodded in the end. Zhan Luoyang looked back and gave a small smile before walking through the formation and going outside.
"I will leave as—"
"No," Alex quickly said as the 2nd prince tried to walk away.
"But my brother—"
"Stay!" Alex said, putting more demand in his voice than he intended to.
The 2nd prince saw the look on Alex's face and found anger in it. He felt scared. "A-alright," the prince said and sat back down.
Alex's face no longer held any happiness at all. He had found his sister and that had brought momentary happiness, but seeing her current situation made him as angry as he had become at any other time.
"How did this happen?" Alex asked. "How did she get poisoned?"
"We were…" the man started speaking and paused. "No, it is better if you weren't aware of it. You can feign ignorance."
"I know it was your father, damn you!" Alex shouted at the man. "Why did he go after my sister?"
The 2nd prince looked shocked. "How did you know that?" he asked, suddenly getting apprehensive about it all. "Did my father send you?"
Alex saw fear in the 2nd prince's eyes and it was not because of him. "You're afraid of your own father?" Alex found it unbelievable. Surely the Dragon Emperor wouldn't kill his son.
The 2nd prince wanted to say something but lights floated in between them, forming words.
Why are you quiet? Talk to me. How did you come to this continent? I didn't even know you were playing the game. How did you recognize me? My husband called you a King. Are you really a King?
Alex ignored the 2nd prince for a second and looked toward his sister and her hands tightly. He tried to write in her hand, but he didn't know how to do it. How fast should he write? How thick did the letters have to be?
"Can you write for me?" Alex asked the 2nd prince, before belatedly remembering the word Hannah had used for him. Husband. "Brother-in-law."
The 2nd prince couldn't help but get a weird feeling hearing that word. He had never expected to hear anyone say it. He quickly nodded and sat down beside Hannah, ready to help the two communicate.
"For now, tell her I will explain to her in detail why I am here later." As soon as Alex stopped, the 2nd prince started writing his words. "For now, she should know that it is just not me here. My parents and her mother are here as well."
As soon as those words were written, small signs of shock and surprise filled her face. Those wrinkled faces refused to move much, but even with that Alex could read her expression.
Words floated out from her soon enough.
My mother? Aunt and Uncle? Are they alive?
"Yes," Alex answered, the words being written into her hand. "They're alive and doing well. I found them and they're with me in the Southern Continent. As for Uncle Rob… I'm sorry. We heard from credible sources that he passed away."
The words gave a melancholic feeling to Hannah that she couldn't show on her face. Weak lights poured out of her.
It is alright. I had already thought of everyone as being dead. This is more good news for me than you can think. I'm so happy.
Her emotions made her want to cry, but no tears came. Her hollow gray eyes did not move much.
Alex sighed and held her hands tightly, patting it a bit. He looked toward his brother-in-law and wanted more answers from him, but the situation of his sister made him want to deal with her problems first.
"We can talk later," he said. "I will try and see if I can heal her problems for now."
The 2nd prince nodded and told Hannah. Hannah nodded in the end as well.
Once Hannah was ready, Alex placed his two palms on her head and started peering into her mind, ever so slowly and cautiously. He sent his spiritual sense inside, looking for anything that was unusual.
Surprisingly, there was nothing in her mind at all. Alex was perplexed. What was going on?
He had been ready to be disappointed by not finding the poison up here as well, but what made him surprised was that she didn't even have a Spiritual Sea up there.
How the hell was that possible?
