2- Soul Contract (2)

“Is that what everyone thinks about me?”

Maize knew better than to answer, he still had too little value next to the prince. Instead, he leaned forward and warned, “Please be careful at the field, you can’t be seen at all costs, if anything happens, you must retreat immediately.”

Then he let out an exhausted breath “I’m already committing a treason by taking you there…ha.”

Raihle switched his sight to the window and assured him dryly. “You shouldn’t worry, I don’t plan to die.”

Not in this world, not in this body.

What the Real Raihle didn’t know was that Hyun Wa was the best at surviving, no matter where he was thrown.

“If you look closely behind the barriers, you can see the Lumier’s kingdom army, and in front is the commander, Moralex.”

Raihle looked through the window, he couldn’t see clearly but saw a crowd of armored people and horses.

‘It’s not as much as I expected…’

He imagined them to be a hundred thousand or more, but according to what he saw, they didn’t look more than one thousand.

“Doesn’t our number exceed theirs?”

“Yes, but that’s not the problem…”

Raihle moved his eyes back to Maize, who had a troubled look.

Raihle had first found it hard to believe that the Lumier got away with the war attempts unscathed even after trying twice, and Maize mentioned that the empire is the most powerful country on the continent, so how has this kingdom not been eliminated from the map yet?

“We don’t seek war.”

“What?”

Maize spoke slowly again, to make it clearer for him “The empire is a place for safety and peace for both humans and monsters. Although we have the power, we don’t wield it around or show our might against others. We forgive when we can and look over most threats as much as possible. It’s called the Dragon Empire, but that doesn’t mean we show arrogance and disapproval towards the others like the Ancient Dragon.”

Raihle thought he misheard, but everything was explained clearly.

The most powerful country on the continent is afraid to wield its power?

‘How ridiculous is that?’

Raihle couldn’t understand this horrible idea at all.

What’s the point of having power if you are going to sit and let others molest you?

He swallowed his grumbling and rubbed his brow. “Why are they targeting me? Can’t anyone beside me be the heir?”

Raihle barely tolerated the pity on Maize’s face when he looked at him.

“…Your Highness, you’re the only rightful son with the pure blood of the late emperor, the empress, and the current emperor’s grandson. It’s impossible for any illegitimate child to take the throne, not the nobles, commoners, or even the temple will accept that. You know corruption will occur if the same thing from 100 years ago happens again.”

Raihle wanted to sigh.

What a complicated reality he was dragged into.

He didn’t like having to play the role of a prince, the one and only at the top of that.

It takes a lot of responsibility, and Hyun Wa was the type who couldn’t abandon or slack off when he became responsible for something.

But he couldn’t afford that right now, he couldn’t forget what his actual responsibility was and get caught up with Real Raihle’s responsibility.

He needed to find a way back, a way to breach this unbreakable contract.

When the carriage stopped and Raihle got off, he was a little relieved.

For the first line of the battle, the area wasn’t as bad as he imagined.

The soldiers were running around in places and sharpening their swords, there weren’t many injured people on the ground, and the air didn’t have the whiff of blood and death. Raihle took that as a sign that they were probably staying on guard, waiting for him to reach safety.

Perhaps that’s also what led the enemy to get this far.

“…How ridiculous.”

Maize flinch to the cold mumble Raihle made as he gazed at the place.

Isn’t best to strike back who hit you first to make sure he wouldn’t do it again?

If you don’t then how is he going to stop?

Raihle was struggling to agree with the Empire beliefs.

Hyun Wa was the kid who found it hard to stay quiet at someone’s harassment, it was easier for him to kick that person in the guts than to take it lightly, and obviously that got him into trouble most of the time.

“Should we head to the commander’s tent?”

Raihle shook his thoughts and followed Maize to the large tent in the middle.

“Excuse me, Commander?” Maize’s voice didn’t reach inside, Raihle could hear a lot of people gathered so instead of waiting, he lifted the tent entrance and went in.

There was only a blue lantern hanging in the center of the tent, and the soldiers were coated with a layer of darkness that made their faces unseen. They were all too busy to notice Raihle as he headed to the center, where he heard a man speaking.

“At this point, here and here.” He was pointing at a map of the city on a large table “And lastly, here. The moment the prince exits the city, we will establish three barriers and stop the tropes from proceeding further.”

Raihle’s eyes fell on the map, he saw the Xs written where the commander had pointed.

“How can we be sure they are going to stay still until we build the barriers?” A younger man asked, Raihle saw the different color badge up his elbow. It was similar to the commander’s badge he put on his navy uniform, so he assumed he was the vice commander.

The commander shook his head. “We don’t know what’s keeping them still until now, but we can hope that it will be enough time.”

The vice commander turned his head. “Has anyone heard from the third unit yet?”

“No.”

“What the hell is taking them too long? Just grab the prince’s head and drag him out.”

Maize followed Raihle inside, but hesitated to speak and glanced at Raihle’s unchanged face.

Rather than focusing on what the man said, Raihle’s eyes were on the map until his cold voice drove everyone’s attention “What about the people in the city?” 

He lifted his eyes to meet the commander’s, they shone like sapphire under the dim blue light. “You won’t just block the enemy’s way but also the people’s escape route.”

The commander looked at him from head to toe, his clothes weren’t the only thing that didn’t fit in place. His pale unscathed skin that made as if he never set a foot under the burning sun and his hair was loosely dropped on his shoulders to the end of his back while he stood in arrogant posture that reminded him of prideful nobles.

He instantly knew he wasn’t from his men but couldn’t figure out his identity.

“Who are you, and how did you get in here?” His voice was harsh enough to alert the soldiers, who put their hands on their weapons.

“You were just talking about me.” Raihle said and waited for him to understand, but he only got irritated.

“Commander Gale!” Maize cried out when he felt the air getting hotter, he shook both of his hands. “He isn’t a suspicious person.”

His eyes moved to Maize and he recognized him, he was a member of the third unit that he had assigned to go to the city and help the prince escape.

“The prince…” he uttered with wide eyes.

Everyone almost gasped in shock.

“What?”

“Why would the prince be here?”

“Isn’t he supposed to leave?”

The commander smashed his hand on the table shutting everyone up.

“What…” he spoke through his teeth, raising his head slowly like a rigged animal. “What is this supposed to mean?”

His flaming eyes were on Maize, not Raihle, and it made him stutter and unable to speak.

“It’s…”

“It was my order.” Raihle didn’t wait for him to explain on his behalf. “I told him to bring me here instead of taking me away.”

His coldness poured on the commander’s heat like water on oil.

Commander Gale clenched his fists as hard as he gritted his teeth. “Do you understand what’s happening? Your highness?”

Your highness.

He spelled it like he was tasting something disgusting.

Raihle didn’t shudder under his look, the scars on his forehead, tainted skin, and large shoulders didn’t give him the same fright they gave his soldiers. There were things more important to focus on than starting a conflict, and someone as smart as Commander Gale should understand that soon.

“I don’t.” Raihle replied honestly. “That’s why I’m here.”

Commander Gale’s eyes widened and his face flushed, he suddenly burst into laughter and covered his face. Raihle saw the veins popping under his skin and knew that he was laughing out of uncontrollable fury.

Before he opened his mouth again, his face was forced toward the vice commander.

“Who do you think yourself?”

The man, who did not seem older than his mid-thirties, grasped him by the collar and lifted his chin up.

“You stupid bastard, who the hell do you think yourself?” His eyes were bloodshot, and the words were drying out of his stiff jaw. “We told you to leave, so you should have closed your mouth and left, or is that too hard for you to understand?”

Ah…

Raihle understood a little better now.

Real Raihle was a prince but lived in an old, crumbling corner of an abandoned house.

He is the only prince, but people call him an idiot and pity him.

They say he is valuable, but no one recognizes him when he stands right in front of them.

He was a prince, but that word loses all its meaning when it comes to him.

The vice commander released him when he saw him giving no reaction. He pulled his sword and placed it on the skin of his throat.

Raihle looked at him over the blade, sensing the coldness on his pulse, his eyes were like ice, sharp and frozen.

“If you aren’t willing to leave on your own, I will make you.”

‘Yes of course, because it’s the empire that matters not the prince’s life.’ Raihle wanted to mock.

How easy can these people switch their words.

Raihle parted his lips and said in a clear, calm voice, “The enemy is right in front of you, yet you point your sword towards the one on your side?”

It was the worst time to start a conflict, their plan lacks certainty and involves risks they can’t afford.

Raihle knew how the situation looked and wanted them to admit it.

The vice commander’s hand twitched, the sharp edge of his blade was urging him to slay Raihle’s throat open.

But his eyes were on his, and he felt an instant cold wave pour all over him. He couldn’t get a glimpse of what was behind those freezing eyes, it made him unsettled and tenuous. At some point, he felt like he wasn’t looking at a human being anymore.

“Xia.” Commander Gale called. “Put your sword down.”

Only then did Xia realize that his back was covered in cold sweat. He returned his blade to its sheath and rubbed the goosebumps off stealthily while peeking at Raihle’s face.

“Your highness,” commander Gale sounded much calmer, and even with a hint of respect. “What’s your plan?”

Raihle wasn’t surprised at his changed attitude, he probably got the opportunity that he can take now.

“Give me a sword,” Raihle’s eyes were still on Xia, “and let me go face to face with them.”

Everyone broke into chaos again, but Commander Gale silenced them. “This isn’t a playground.” He said strictly.

“Do I look like I came to play?”

“You will be killed.”

“I’m not planning to be so. Not by them.”

Commander Gale finally asked his last question. “Have you ever held a sword before?”

“Once.”

Honestly, sword was his least favorite, but he wasn’t in a position to complain now.

Commander Gale nodded and left the tent with others who followed.

The vice commander was about to leave when Raihle stopped him and scolded him “You should be respectful to those who are older than you.”

“Huh?”

“Ah,” only then Raihle remembered. “By the way,” he pointed at himself. “How old am I?”

“Huh?” Xia thought it was some kind of mockery he didn’t understand, but Raihle looked at him waiting for an answer. “I… I’m not sure.”

Raihle moved his eyes at Maize.

“I think you are 19…” Maize replied nervously.

“19?!”

My body was stolen by a kid thirteen years younger than me?

His head started spinning.

“Are you really letting him out?” Xia rushed behind the commander.

“What else can we do?”

Xia leapt in front of him and blocked his steps “We cannot let him out.”

Gale’s stoic face remained unchanged. “He will not go out alone, we will have his back.”

“But… "

“Don’t you see? The prince being here means we don’t have to take the battle to the territory, we can defend and end this here with fewer casualties.” Gale cut him off with a sharp voice. He didn’t know whether Raihle planned for this or not, but either way, he intended to make good use of him.

This is a chance for us to fight back.”

His eyes were flaming with quiet anger as he passed Xia.

Raihle held on to the hilt of a light sword, the metal was sharp and thin and reflected his eyes.

He swung it a few times to stretch his arm a little.

“Are you ready?” Xia’s annoyance sounded clear in his voice, although he tried to avoid meeting eyes with him.

Raihle headed to the gate instead of answering, the gate was lifted, and at the same time, the archers on the barrier held their positions and pointed their arrows.

Lumier’s army wasn’t far away, and they stood in position, while their leader was at the head of the soldiers.

Raihle walked forward, with Commander Gale following him closely with the soldiers.

“Has your prince finished hiding yet?”

Raihle’s eyes stopped at the man in the center. His grin was wide, and amusement seemed to cover all of his features. It was an expression for a man starting a war, it rather reminded Raihle of some sort of typical criminal.

He wore dazzling golden armor over his chest that probably held too much weight on his back, while his head and neck were exposed. He was a couple of heads taller than him, as he approached, he had to lift his head to keep eye contact. Raihle’s eyes twitched from the bothersome light reflection on the armor.

‘Did he say his name was Moralex?’

Maize mentioned the Lumier’s loyal commander’s name to him before they reached. A demonic man, crazy and unstoppable.

This was the third attempt at invasion, and the enemy finally used their most efficient asset, the commander, who never failed in taking down a country.

Moralex didn’t recognize him, Raihle expected that already since even his own people failed to know who he was.

Moralex twisted his head, Raihle, in his eyes, looked like a fragile piece of some sort of fancy candy, easy to break in half just by using your hands.

Moralex’s shoulders slumped, and his defensive posture slowly relaxed.

As if the sword in Raihle’s hand was a tree branch that wouldn’t even be able to scratch him.

“Couldn’t the great army of the Dragon Empire afford to give this kid a uniform?” He chuckled in an ugly voice.

His behavior started going into his people. Raihle saw them slowly turning their guards down, twisting their lips into smirks following their leader. Commander Gale bit his lips until he tasted blood on his tongue. 

His eyes were Raihle’s back, and with his grip fastening on the hilt of his sword, he was at full alert for the worst case possible.