In Ragnar's private plane all the way to Frizkiel, Ren was parched on the sofa while Ragnar was doing something on his laptop.
"You've been absent from the game for almost a month now," Ragnar said, breaking the silence between them. His eyes on his laptop still.
"Leonel and the others could handle it." How could Ren enter the game if all he wanted to do was to see and speak to Evie? A day without her was depressing, torture beyond compare.
Ragnar quickly shot Ren a glance. "A month in real-time is too long in the game. Everything is already changing."
". . . It's fine." Ren closed his eyes tight. "I could always easily catch up."
Many things had happened in the past few weeks. His parents' death. Their funeral. And now Evie. How could Ren think of even entering a game when his mind was in chaos?
He wasn't in the right state of mind to enjoy COVENANT and even think about entering the game.
"How far are we?" Ren asked, fingers tapping on the top of his knee.
"Only an hour away now."
Ren leaned on the leather couch as he removed his earpiece. He slightly pinched the center of his brows and closed his eyes to rest from thinking too much. And Sumeri's voice entered in his mind at this time.
'If you tell her to trust in something she couldn't see, she would feel anxious. If you want her to trust in you, why not give her something, anything that would make her feel assured?'
Ren rubbed his neck and glanced at the snow-barren lands from outside the plane's window. A landscaped with snow mountains and glaciers covered with snowflakes and trees.
What a gloomy country.
Ragnar casually sipped his tea while his ashen blue eyes remained unmoved, locked on Marcus Frizkiel while Ren remained stony face.
The moment the regal man entered and saw Ren, Marcus already knew why they were here.
"I know why you're here," Marcus said. "But sadly, you can't see my daughter."
Ren was about to open his mouth, but Ragnar stopped him. He could feel Ren's agitation, and it was best if he handled this. Least, he wanted Ren to explode at Marcus and blow everything up.
"And why is that?"
Marcus took a mouthful of breath. "She is guarded by the Coles. Even I am not allowed to take her away from her room."
"Isn't that illegal?" Ragnar asked.
"Yes. But this country is already under the Cole's leadership. The only thing missing was the signing and official announcement. They're planning to make it all happen at Evangeline's wedding in a month's time."
Evangeline . . . the name was so foreign to Ren. But he liked the feel of her real name when he uttered it, nonetheless.
"So no one can see her right now? Not even her friends?" they traveled for two days, and Ragnar didn't want to go home empty-handed.
Marcus was about to open his mouth and say something when the door burst open, and came in a handsome, tall, dark skin man with white hair and golden eyes.
"Uncle! I heard that Eve has been found! Is that true?!"
At the sight of the newly arrived guest, Marcus stood from his seat, and his eyes shone with an idea. "Lamir. You're right on time!"
At the mention of the name Lamir, Ragnar and Ren stood from their seat as well. He was Evie's fiancé!
Ren was dissecting the man with his glare when Lamir merely blinked and said, "Oh . . . you have guests?"
Marcus introduced everyone, and Lamir's eyes shone when his golden gaze met Ragnar and Ren's.
"Oh my . . . two beautiful men, and one is Eve's boyfriend? So that means . . . you're single, Ragnar?"
Ragnar's skin crawled all of a sudden. He took a step back and immediately said, "I have a fiancée."
Lamir paused before he clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Of course you have. All fine men has apparently."
Ren's anger and jealousy took a curved when he noticed that Lamir . . . was acting weird. His feelings towards the man immediately changed to one of fear and worry when Lamir's shot him a wink.
Ren shivered.
"Anyway, Lamir," Marcus gripped Lamir's shoulders. "Take them to Evangeline."
". . . Egh?"
After taking many twists and turns, Ren, and Lamir were now traversing the hallway to Evie's room. Ragnar stayed behind with Marcus because they felt like they were only going to get in the way.
But the main reason was the two didn't want to see Ren and Evie getting comfy with one another.
"Aren't you Evie's fiancé?" Ren asked, observing Lamir. The man was tall, a head taller than him, and had a lean build. He was perfect from all angles, but Ren couldn't hate the guy.
Maybe because Lamir was easy going and he made anyone feel at ease with him.
"Yes," Lamir replied. "But rest assured, I'd rather have you as my fiancé than her." he gave Ren another wink.
Ren looked to the other side and groaned. This was definitely the reason why he couldn't be angry with Lamir.
They rounded a few corners and then stopped in front of a golden carved double door with four soldiers barging their way.
"Out of the way," Lamir said to the guards.
The guards looked at each other, and said, "My Prince, we can let you in, but the one behind you–"
"He is my man–"
Ren shot a glare at Lamir.
"I mean my personal guard," Lamir corrected with a cough. "Let us in if you don't want to lose your job."
The guards could do nothing but let the two in when Lamir's eyes squinted at them. The prince could really be intimidating if he wanted to be.
The first to enter was Lamir, and he immediately greeted Evie with a loud sweetly sick voice.
"Evangeline, darling!"
His tone then changed to one of berating when the door closed. "You idiot! Why have you shown your face? I told you to be careful! Now it's impossible to get you out with all the guards here! What are we going to do now?!"
