Chapter 28: Rematch
Arrive at the palace on time they did, because Damien had managed to clear the twenty kilometers in only forty minutes. By the time he returned home, however, Ahara had already bathed and applied her makeup, ready to leave for the palace.
And now here they were, facing the track behind the palace, with Lord Clement and the boy stretching themselves on the circular pavement whilst Eden, Ahara, and a few guards watched.
"I see you've been training him very well," the Vampire King commented Ahara, whose eyes were darting back and forth between the palace and the racers.
Damien smiled at himself when she stilled at the King's question, realizing she was looking back to see if the Queen would show up anytime soon.
"Ah, yes. He's been quite determined to race against you, my lord."
"Is it?" Lord Clement grinned at Damien. "Well, I suppose you can now sprint ten kilometers in an hour then?"
"Make it fifteen minutes," Damien stood and began to jump, flexing his hands to his sides. "I can do it in fifteen minutes."
He could feel the eyes of everyone behind him boring into his back, from Eden's direction especially. When Damien turned his body around as he jumped, he wasn't surprised to see her usually squinted eyes wider than saucers now.
"Y-you think you can sprint ten kilometers in fifteen minutes?"
"Hmm," Damien responded, his voice shaky from jumping.
"Are you insane? Only C-ranked Gibbits can run at such speeds! Hey, try knocking some sense into him, he'll exhaust his body before the enrollment on Tuesday," Eden pleaded with Ahara, but she only smiled at the girl, the gray hues of her eyes glinting proudly at her brother.