Seeing that Eve was about to lose her calm, Ava spoke up before she could, "You don't know who we are?"
'Why are they talking weird?' Valerio thought before answering her.
"No."
Ava breathed in, "I'm Avalina Sinclair, and this is my sister Evelyn Sinclair, princess of the Loom Empire." Ava replied as she pointed her thumb towards Eve who was staring intently at Valerio with a smug smile and her arms crossed across her chest.
'What the hell's wrong with her?' Valerio lampooned before pausing, 'Princesses huh?'
'The real question is, princesses of what exactly?'
Were they the princesses of the only empire leading this country or one of many?
"Nice to meet you, I'm Valerio Augustine" he replied, flashing his most brilliant smile in an attempt to make the best impression he could, though it was probably more than a little late for that. He also accentuated his last name, probing for a reaction as a small spark of hope lit up in his pupils, a small hope that they might recognise it.
Eve's haughty expression crumbled. Instead replaced with annoyance, as she turned to her sister, as if to tell her: 'Why isn't he kneeling and saluting yet?'
"Hello Valerio, how exactly did you get in here?" Ava said as she ignored her sister's antics.
'They're definitely talking weird, they sound like country bumpkins. Is this planet that primal, even princesses speak in such a brutish manner?'
'Wait do they think I speak like a country bumpkin?'
Valerio's brows furrowed as he dialled back into the conversation and evaluated their response.
'Maybe the forest was a restricted area. The sisters' clothing, paired with the fact that they came from a civilization mighty enough to call itself an 'empire,' suggests a society with both technological advancement and structure. Also, there were no beaten paths in the forest. No signs of travel—no trade routes. That, more than anything, hinted that people weren't meant to be here.'
Even though he'd gained a bit of knowledge, that wasn't enough to get him out of his situation.
If he decided to give a full confession, there were a few possible outcomes. One, he would be treated with caution and asked to come back to the empire. Though in such a scenario, he couldn't guarantee his safety, who knew what type of strength their empires held? Two, they wouldn't believe him and take him to be… special. Though even in that scenario he was likely to get brought back to the empire and jailed, and in the worst case, have himself inspected. Three, they would welcome him with open arms and help him get back home, he wouldn't bank on their goodwill.
And so he did the next best thing before a full confession. He feigned ignorance.
"What the forest?" spoke Valerio with an amused tone.
"Do you think you're funny? This is obviously not a normal forest, stop playing dumb!" spat Eve, losing control over her breathing again, but she wasn't finished.
"And do you not recognise our last names? What kind of idiot are you?"
Ava sent a glance towards Eve and let out a sigh.
"Although my sister's attitude is rude, you are trespassing into a Yin-Yang Forest, just this crime alone is equivalent to 2 years in the correctional facilities. If you do not want such a fate, the least you could do is answer the questions properly."
Valerio swiftly pieced together the fragments of information he had gleaned from their brief encounter. He had apparently trespassed into a holy ground of some sort, and the twins were part of a prominent family or clan akin to his lineage in Fluxara.
Though Valerio never saw himself in such a light, he was, in all respects, royalty within his galaxy. His upbringing had included extensive training in etiquette, strategy, and a myriad of skills deemed essential for someone of his standing.
Eve's reaction to Valerio's remarks made it obvious she was always respected, no matter who she spoke to. Ava's reserved and elegant voice was another indication of their somewhat high-class upbringing. That was not the attitude of someone with many equals. Moreover, he had seen their running technique, and though it wasn't similar to his family's technique, it wasn't standard. Whenever they took a step, it was as if a feather had touched the ground, their feet moving gently across the land, though the most interesting fact was that Valerio wouldn't even hear them running if it weren't for their breathing; their footsteps were silent. They could accelerate to full speed in an instant, but their stamina was too subpar, another factor that contributed to him talking to them.
"Let's try this again, clearly," Ava said with poise, though a thread of steel laced her tone.
"Valerio? How did you end up here?" She repeated with patience.
"And did you notice anything unusual a few kilometers from here?"
"In all honesty, I'm not really sure how I ended up here. I don't remember anything other than waking up here, and no, I did not notice anything unusual," Valerio spoke sincerely.
Ava's eyes scanned him like scales on a ledger. He didn't seem dangerous—but danger didn't always roar.
The twins exchanged glances, Eve looked like her fuse had been lit, a stark contrast to Ava who looked like she couldn't believe her ears.
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharpening. "People don't just 'wake up' in sacred zones without setting off half a dozen barriers."
After asking him to be truthful, he said that he woke up in one of the most sacred places in their empire.
The only reason they were allowed in here was because they were Eve and Ava Sinclair.
They owned these forests!
How was it that this guy expected them to believe he just… happened to wake up here, conveniently not knowing anything?
Moreover, he claimed he hadn't seen the grand commotion that had destroyed countless yin-yang trees.
Who would believe him?
This place wasn't a normal forest or his backyard, it was one of the 4 grand yin-yang forests!
These 4 forests were the only entities holding the planet together.