The Alchemists

"Please come in, everyone. Uncle Rory is very sorry because he forgot to invite you to his party a few years ago. He is indeed not very good at throwing parties. Auntie Portia, I hope you would forgive him ..." Aleksis welcomed them in with a cheerful expression.

Uncle Rory?

Alaric's head instantly became heavy.

Portia and Ned nodded and followed Aleksis into the castle. Their first impression of the girl was very pleasing and Portia's annoyance at Lauriel had diminished a little from hearing her explanation.

"Then where is your future husband?" Portia asked her. Now she was curious to see Lauriel's son who was getting married tomorrow. She wanted to know what kind of person he had chosen to be his heir.

"Oh ... Nic is in the back, I'll call him too ..." Aleksis called for the staff who immediately brought drinks and served it to the three guests before she excused herself. "I'll be right back. Please relax and enjoy drinks. Father and mother are almost here too."

When she disappeared behind the door, Alaric's consciousness returned, and tears started welling up in his brilliant purple eyes.

His brain had stopped working, but his legs subconsciously ran after Aleksis' shadow, as if they had their own mind. The girl had been standing there. She had disappeared behind the door.

This was not a dream!

This was not a fantasy feature on Holodeck!

He was at the Medici Castle and he just saw Aleksis in flesh...

Aleksis who was going to call her Uncle Rory ...

Uncle Rory who was apparently Lauriel himself …

Lauriel was Alaric's biological father.

"Eh ... Eli, where are you going?" Portia asked, confused. However, Alaric didn't reply. He didn't even turn his head.

His only focus was to look for Aleksis. He couldn't bear to lose her again!

When he arrived outside, Alaric found himself in an empty alley. Aleksis had disappeared from his sight.

"Where is Aleksis ...?" he asked urgently to a passing servant. The girl was surprised for a moment but quickly pointed towards a building across the garden. Alaric immediately ran that direction.

"Uncle Rory ... Auntie Portia has arrived. Are you in the library?"

Alaric heard Aleksis' voice calling for Lauriel when he arrived by the library door. He closed his eyes, absorbing her beautiful voice that he had been deeply missing for years. His brain immediately linked all the pieces of information stored in his memory and now he understood what had happened.

This was indeed the same Aleksis …

This was HIS Aleksis.

Now he understood why Aleksis had to keep her identity a secret. Not because she was the illegitimate child of Kurt Van Der Ven ... but because she was an Alchemist.

Now he understood why Caspar was so angry and chased after him, assuming Alaric was responsible for the accident that had befallen Aleksis ... Caspar was the girl's biological father.

Now he understood that Lauriel, his father, was Uncle Rory, Aleksis' godfather ... and the reason Lauriel wanted Alaric Rhionen dead was for the same reason as Caspar … Lauriel held him responsible for Aleksis' accident because his people slaughtered the Black River mafia group ten years ago ...

These were all very bad misunderstandings ...

And these misunderstandings had separated him from Aleksis for ten years.

Aleksis must have thought that he had died, just as he thought Aleksis had died ...

So, after ten years, Aleksis was finally able to move on and tomorrow she would marry another man...

The lonely man, who always thought he was alone, couldn't stop the tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Uncle Rory isn't here, apparently," murmured Aleksis. She placed her hands on her waist and tried to think about where Lauriel was now.

"Aleksis ..." A hoarse voice suddenly came from behind her, calling Aleksis's name so solemnly, as if offering a prayer. "Are you Aleksis Makela ...?"

Aleksis raised her face and turned toward the voice. Her forehead frowned because she thought that for some reason this voice sounded very familiar.

"Aleksis Makela? Are you Aleksis Makela?" asked the man once more in an urgent tone.

Aleksis was stunned to see the young man in front of her looking at her emotionally. The man looked very impressive in his casual party get up, custom-made for him. His attire was adorned with various badges and emblems of noble families from the Lewis and Baden families, and other families unknown to Aleksis.

Oh, wasn't this Ned and Portia's famous godson? Why did he chase me here? thought Aleksis, confused.

She had only briefly caught a glimpse of him because her mind had been distracted by party preparations and searching for Lauriel. Now that he was standing tall in front of her, and since Alaric was slowly closing the distance between them, Aleksis could observe him better.

This person had a very unique appearance, Aleksis thought admiringly.

The man's hair was platinum blonde. It was kept a bit messy and it framed his very handsome face perfectly. His face was beautiful and had perfect symmetry lines. His pair of brilliant purple eyes looked closely at Aleksis, and it made the girl feel a little awkward.

"Do I know you?" Aleksis asked in confusion. She had never met this man before, but there was something about him that felt familiar. "I don't think we've met before ..."

"Is your name Aleksis Makela? I've been looking for you for a long time ..."

"My name is Aleksis Schneider. Why are you looking for me? Do we know each other?" Aleksis asked. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see the man better. Since the man did not answer her question, Aleksis finally nodded, "I ... have indeed used the name Aleksis Makela before."

"Oh ..." The man was stunned; he was lost for words as Aleksis confirmed his question. He stared at Aleksis for a long time, and subconsciously a smile etched on his face. "You're so much more beautiful now."

"Thank you ..." Aleksis began to feel very uncomfortable. She knew that she was beautiful since her beauty had caused many problems before. She had no intention of lingering with strangers who praised her for her beauty just when she was about to get married. "If there is nothing important to discuss, I must return to the reception room."

She bowed slightly like a noble lady and walked past Alaric to get out of the library.

"You can't marry that man ..." Suddenly the man's voice came from behind her again. There was an urgency in his tone. "You already have a husband."

Aleksis stopped in her tracks. She turned around and looked at the man sharply. Only now did she notice that his purple eyes were very familiar.

Did ... did this person know Alaric? How did he know that Aleksis was married?

"Who are you, really?" Aleksis asked in a trembling voice. "My husband is dead."

The man bit his lip to hold back his emotions, and shook his head slowly, "I'm sorry ..."