Alex was speechless. He replied with a mocking tone, "You are lying about your level. Princess Eva is a liar." He frowned, suspecting this beautiful princess only wanted to boast about her fake level.
Alex had been training since age 3 and had started studying about the world when he was barely 2 and a half years old. He had been guided by his mother and father, occasionally by his grandfather and grandmother when they came to visit him.
Alex had learnt about the empire, its relation with other races and about the Dragon Continent, where he had decided to venture when he got powerful.
Alex's parents had often praised him for his hard work and talent. With a strong build thanks to the black dragon's bloodline running very thick in him, he didn't easily get hurt and was able to fight bare-handed. These qualities distinguished him from a young age.
Eva Evernight grew angry at Alex's reply. She shot back, "I'm telling you I'm level 8—why would I lie? All kids our age are at or above level 4, but I'm the only one at level 8." Princess Eva puffed her cheeks, repeating that she was the only one in her age group at that level.
Alex wanted to snap back, but he couldn't prove if she was level 8 or just bluffing. "How am I supposed to believe you? I'm only level 1, but my parents say I'm the most talented kid they've ever seen."
Princess Eva Evernight rolled her eyes at Alex's naive thinking. She said,"Let's run to the fountain and return to our seats; this way, you will find out I am a higher level than you".
Alex Drakethorne felt this way; at least he could judge whether she was at a higher level. Well, he still wouldn't be able to confirm whether she was level 8, but he would at least know whether she had a level above him.
Alex nodded his head and said, "Sure, also, the loser has to answer any question the winner asks"
Princess Eva Evernight, who was readying herself and stretching her legs, said,"Okay, but you can't back off later on".
Alex Drakethorne also started stretching and did some light work at his position to get ready.
Princess Eva Evernight said, "We will start the race on the count of 3".
Princess Eva and Alex started counting down the number together, "Three ..... Two ..... One".
Just as the count reached one, both shot forward at quick speed, blurring the background. But, soon enough, Princess Eva found herself ahead of him in the race just as expected. She turned to look back and found Alex was trailing behind by just a few inches. It only made her exert herself more and run faster. She reached the fountain, tapped the boundary of the fountain and turned back. As she turned to return, Alex also reached the fountain, touched the boundary, and turned back.
Princess Eva Had already shot forward while he was turning back. Alex, determined not to lose, pushed himself and was closing the gap, but Princess Eva increased her speed. Seeing this, Alex used all his energy to close the gap, but she had reached the start line, where they had started the race ahead of him by a few seconds.
Both were catching their breath; the distance wasn't long or short, but they had kept pushing themselves, not wanting to lose, so they had used up a lot of energy and were huffing and puffing.
Their faces were covered with sweat, but Eva had less than Alex. Princess Eva was the first to recover, and she sat down and looked at Alex, who was still catching his breath. While catching her breath, she said,"Hah, you remember our bet, right, Alex?"
Alex Drakethorne was shocked to find that the Princess was stronger than he was, which made him somewhat believe her words, but he felt he could have caught her and only fell short by a few inches in a race. He thought she was only above him by a few levels, not by seven levels.
Alex, still panting, said, "Yeah, I know. Go ahead—ask."
Princess Eva Evernight laughed. "I can ask you anything now, and you'll have to tell me the truth, won't you?"
Alex Drakethorne, feeling cornered, replied, "Yes, yes, I know, just ask the question first". He was feeling angry about being teased and cornered in every conversation.
Princess Eva Evernight steadied herself with slow breaths. She asked, "Can you heal the person who is on the deathbed, who will die soon?"
Alex Drakethorne frowned and said, "No, I can't. What made you ask such a thing, Princess Eva? Who could heal someone on their deathbed?"
Princess Eva Evernight was shocked by this revelation from the man himself, whose legend is famous throughout the empire, yet he says he can't. She felt annoyed that, despite saying he would answer truthfully, he was blatantly lying, even to a princess.
Princess Eva replied without hesitation: "You really are full of lies. First, you said you were level 1, yet you almost caught me in the race. Everyone knows a level 1 can't match a level 8, but you did. Now, you claim you can't heal, yet the whole empire knows your power. Why lie? You know you can't deceive the royal family, right?" She relied on her status to uncover the truth, unable to tolerate more lies.
Princess Eva Evernight struggled to trust Alex, who claimed to be only level 1, but he almost caught up to her in the race and fell back by just a few inches.
Princess Eva knew no level 1 could do that, since level 1 is considered human. Only at level 2 does a person become a novice, and not even someone at level 4 could match her. In fact, only a person at level 5 or higher can catch up to someone at level 8 in a race. Otherwise, she would have trusted him, but the race proved her doubts right that Alex couldn't be level 1.
Not only this, but Alex Drakethorne, heir to the grand ducal house, keeps lying and says he doesn't know healing magic, yet the whole empire sings tales about how he healed his mother when he was just born.
Alex Drakethorne thought Princess Eva was being distrustful of him and said angrily, "I am telling you the truth. I am level 1, and I don't know how to bring someone back to life from a deathbed."
He was frustrated that Princess Eva relied on her royal status to press him for answers, even after he had spoken honestly.
Princess Eva Evernight sighed at Alex's bold reply,"Hah, let's ask the grand duke and grand duchess, they will answer this question. What do you say, Alex? Do you want to back off now?"
Alex Drakethorne saw his chance for revenge. Voice cold but polite, he met her gaze and said, "Yes, let's ask my father and mother."
Alex Drakethorne started walking first and led the way.
Princess Eva, not wanting to fall behind, called, "Wait for me! I'm coming too." She ran and caught up with Alex Drakethorne. Together, they went to the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Drakethorne's house.
Princess Eva Evernight looked back at the dragon statue in the centre of the fountain, then turned to Alex, who was leading the way.
When she arrived at Drakethorne Palace, Princess Eva had been staring at the dragon statue, not the garden. She loved dragons and dreamed of exploring the dragon continent once she was old enough. This was why she stared at the dragon. Others assumed her attention was on the garden because it surrounded the fountain. So, when Alex's mother told Alex to show her the garden, Eva did not mind; she really wanted to see the dragon statue up close. She is a dragon-lover.
Princess Eva Evernight noted Alex's strong build and broad shoulders, admiring how he had regained a calm demeanour already as he led her to his parents. She sensed he was only shy around girls.