OPDPS 146

“It’s a circus troupe that performs on the streets every year. Want to go see it?”

“Yes!”

The two walked excitedly toward the circus troupe. It seemed as though they had quickly recovered the light mood from earlier, but no matter how crowded the area became, they didn’t hold hands again.

The circus troupe was as popular as rumored—there was already a large crowd gathered. Thanks to the Grand Duke standing beside him, Aeryl soon found himself right at the front, watching the performance up close.

Dum dum dum.

The show went on with the beating of drums. Twin girls came out and danced in perfect unison, then came a stunt where a man was tied up and knives were thrown around him. Aeryl, who had never seen anything like this in the imperial palace, was soon completely absorbed.

“Um… can you do that?”

“I can do more than that. Want me to show you when we get back?”

“…No, thanks.”

After that, exotic animals appeared and performed tricks, and finally, a blindfolded woman came out and began to sing. As she sang, flames suddenly burst into the air all around. Screams erupted from the crowd.

“Ahh!”

“It’s not real fire—it’s an illusion.”

The Grand Duke soothed Aeryl, who had been startled. When he reached out, the flames weren’t hot at all. It seemed the woman’s song itself was magical. Just as Aeryl was turning his attention back to her song—

Dum dum dum… DUM!

The music became urgent. Circus members unfurled black cloths like curtains, and from between them, a “monster” leapt out. It was covered in shaggy fur and shaped like a giant centipede.

Several people wore paper masks and moved together as if they were one body. The monster danced menacingly around the woman, circling her with threatening movements. In response, the woman drew a sword mid-song and began a sword dance.

“Wow…”

Her dance became increasingly dazzling, while the monster’s movements grew more frenzied. Before long, the woman struck the monster down with her blade.

“Wooooow!”

Gasps of awe erupted from the crowd. As the monster collapsed, a white curtain was raised again.

The song shifted to a bright and lively tune. It must have been a well-known song, as the crowd joined in singing. Aeryl didn’t know the lyrics, but the melody was simple enough that he mimicked singing along.

The woman set down her sword and began to dance beautifully, and the circus troupe returned to the stage. The monster mask appeared again, now dancing comically. The performers pulled members of the audience onto the stage one by one to join the fun.

Aeryl clapped along, enjoying himself, when the monster mask approached him. Swaying its “tail” playfully, it gestured for Aeryl to come up to the stage.

“Oh, I—I’m no good at dancing, haha…”

When Aeryl declined, waving his hands, the creature sulked dramatically, then slipped between him and the Grand Duke.

“Wahaha!”

“Oh my!”

The audience split to both sides, avoiding the monster. The long body of the monster slithered past Aeryl. Beneath the swaying frame, he glimpsed the circus members inside—drenched in sweat despite the cold. It was a striking sight.

It was because he’d been distracted that he didn’t react in time—someone wrapped an arm around his shoulder and swept his legs out from under him.

“Ugh! What the—!”

By the time he realized he was under attack, he was already being dragged away. He tried to scream, but suddenly noticed something was off—he could no longer feel the weight of the heavy glasses he’d been wearing just moments before.

His glasses were now in the attacker’s hand. The man grinned triumphantly.

“Let’s go quietly, Your Highness.”

“Sir Dervan…”

Why was he here? Hadn’t he left?

If he was dragged away like this, it was over!

Aeryl tried to resist, but Dervan struck him hard in the abdomen. A wave of unbearable pain surged through him—and his consciousness was cut off right there.

‘I should have just confessed earlier…’

His last thought was one of deep regret.

***

The reason Dervan had returned and targeted Aeryl became clear from his own explanation.

He possessed a tracking spell that allowed him to sense the location of his target. Until now, he had used it on Derbas, so the spell had remained intact without change.

That’s when he noticed something strange.

The Grand Duke had left the tailor’s shop and returned to the castle with Aeryl. The spell’s target was moving with the Grand Duke, but there was no mage in sight.

When the target moved all the way inside the castle, his suspicions deepened.

Could he have used a spell to alter his appearance?

By then, he had already been expelled from the castle, but he risked everything and snuck back into the tailor’s shop. After threatening the shopkeeper, he learned that someone claiming to be Aeryl’s attendant had arrived before the Grand Duke’s party.

‘The one I saw was the mage!’

His suspicions turned to certainty. He had been completely deceived by the mage and Aeryl.

Now that he was sure Aeryl was the prince, he had nothing left to fear. He spent the night preparing and waited for Aeryl to come down to the village.

Sure enough, Aeryl was with the Grand Duke, but the target remained at the castle. After one final check, Dervan switched the tracking spell’s target to Aeryl. Then, seizing the moment when Aeryl was distracted by the performance, he grabbed him.

‘Damn glasses.’

As soon as he removed them, he stomped on them and shattered them. Then, carrying Aeryl, he fled the estate and rode without rest until he reached Berel Southern Castle.

‘I’ve got him! I’ve captured the prince!’

Derban was ecstatic. He had completed the task given to him by the Emperor—now his life was set for glory and success!

“Ahem, hrm.”

He cleared his throat. It was time to report to the Emperor.

When they arrived at the Berel Southern Castle, they were shown to a room as planned, allowing them a moment to compose themselves. Though he wished to report immediately, the Emperor always preferred decorum and dignity above all.

Carefully, Dervan opened the circular cover at the center of the sun-shaped insignia—the symbol of an Imperial Knight. Inside was a transparent crystal orb.

Tok tok tok.

He tapped it three times and waited. Soon, the crystal began to glow, and a familiar voice came through.

[“My knight.”]

“Your Majesty. May your glory ever shine.”

Dervan knelt as though the Emperor were before him and kissed the crystal orb.

[“Have you found him?”]

“Yes. I have found him.”

[“Show him to me.”]

At the Emperor’s command, Derban turned the orb to reveal Aeryl.

Though Dervan could not see the Emperor, the Emperor could see them through the crystal. Aeryl, quietly seated in a chair, looked completely different from how he had appeared at the Grand Duke’s castle.

His brilliant blond hair, like molten gold, was let down to his shoulders, fully revealing his face. His golden eyes, now unobscured, shone with clear presence. Amid the radiant sparkle of his hair and eyes, what stood out most was Aeryl’s face itself.

With perfectly proportioned features set into an ideal facial structure, he looked as though the very concept of beauty had taken human form. The golden glow unique to the royal bloodline only added to the overwhelming aura that now surrounded him.

To present him properly to the Emperor, Dervan had removed the hair dye and groomed him meticulously as soon as they arrived at the fortress—thus restoring Aeryl’s princely appearance.

[“Hmm… His skin’s roughened. And his hair is damaged. Tsk. Such a shame for his appearance to be marred.”]

The Emperor observed Aeryl as if examining a product for flaws. Aeryl glared at the crystal orb.

“That’s all you have to say?”

He hadn’t expected concern like Are you hurt? Was life outside hard?—but to be criticized right away made him angry.

The Emperor showed not a hint of self-awareness.

[“His chastity—has he preserved it?”]

“And what if I haven’t?”

[“What? What sort of insolent tone is that! You wretched brat. You ran off and now you come back with nothing but insolence! Do you know how much trouble and shame I endured because of you? I did!”]

The Emperor burst into a rage.

“Then you shouldn’t have tried to sell your child.”

Aeryl muttered irritably.

[“Wh-what did you say!?”]

The Emperor was speechless.

While in the palace, Aeryl had always pretended to be obedient and docile, planning his eventual escape. That way, the watch would loosen, and they would let their guard down.

He had hidden his resentment toward the Emperor behind polite smiles. Now, with nothing left to lose, Aeryl let his true nature show, and the Emperor was visibly shaken.

[“Dervan! Is that really my youngest son!? Could there be some mistake!?”]

“Your Majesty, it is truly the Prince. Look at those eyes—there’s no mistaking him.”

“If you can’t recognize your own child, how do you can you rule as Emperor?”

Aeryl said loudly, as if talking to himself. Derban scowled harshly, but Aeryl ignored him.

What could he do—threaten him?

[“You insolent brat! Just wait until you return to the palace! I’ll scrub every trace of filth off you with harsh discipline!”]

Aeryl clicked his tongue. He knew his defiance would only make things worse once he returned to the palace. He would be put through cruel training under the guise of education. But he was done pretending to be submissive.

[“Bring that boy back to the palace at once!”]

With that final command, the crystal’s light faded.

“Your Highness, please show proper respect to His Majesty. This behavior will only make things more difficult.”

Dervan admonished him firmly.

“And are you showing me respect, Sir Dervan?”

Aeryl answered calmly, not at all intimidated.

“Tell me, Sir Dervan—who do you think I am?”