The sound of the heavy footsteps from Konrad and his knight's dully echoed in the small house at the edge of the city and the prince looked around carefully.

"You didn't purchase this house for this one purpose, right?" Konrad asked with a deadpan expression.

Fion held back an annoyed sigh and glanced over his shoulder. "I borrowed this house from a friend. I hope Your Highness will compensate them well."

Konrad only squinted at him. "Why me?"

"You asked for this mission to be done as fast as possible and I didn't have enough on me back then, so I told my friend you'd foot the rest of the bill, as well as the payment for the cleanup."

"My, my, aren't you a little bold, my white knight?"

"We all know how you act when it comes to matters regarding the Holy Maiden, you are a little on the impatient side."

Konrad let out a fake cough at that, unable to deny the comment.

Fion led the prince to a room on the second floor and opened the door for him. The room is dim but they could see the faint silhouette of someone inside.

Waiting inside is a person tied to a chair, with their head hung low and blood pooling around their feet. It seems like Fion held back on dishing out the punishment.

"A lady?" He said, slightly surprised when Fion turned on the lights. "I thought they'd use one as bait but to think the mastermind was really…"

The lady's skirt was torn at the hem and seemed to be soaked in blood, and there were minor visible injuries all over her.

Konrad raised an eyebrow at his knight. "I didn't expect you, of all people, to hold back like this."

"I was sure Your Highness wanted to deal with her personally." Fion told him without much emotion as he carefully walked over to stand behind the chair and pulled the lady's head back to show her face to the prince.

Konrad's expression turned grim. "Ah, I see. No wonder you were hesitant to hurt her further. Our Aine did favor her quite a bit…"

"Your…Royal Highness…" The woman called out to him weakly as Fion's action roused her back to consciousness. "For my…lady's…sake…"

Konrad stood in front of her, with a cold and impassive expression. "You've been dismissed from your service to her, Clarisse. Why do you still dare to speak her name?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at the prince she had admired for so long.

"Your Highness…for the past years…" She said, her voice coarse. "It was me who had been corresponding with you. I have been writing those love letters we frequently exchange…I am…'your Aine'...my lady has…not once…held real affection…"

Konrad clicked his tongue at that. "Aine had treasured you like a sister, and this is how you'd like to repay her? By trying to hurt her feelings? Did you really think that the man they call 'the crazy prince' would be easily swayed by your nonsensical affection?"

He slightly bent forward to her, the manic glint of anger visible in his eyes that Fion had to turn his gaze away from him, with chills running down his arms and stomach.

The silver haired knight has no idea why the Prince became obsessive with the only daughter of the Carran family, but he could hazard a guess for one of the reasons.

Aine had healed the ailing princess because Konrad begged her tearfully after learning that she had awakened to some healing abilities. However, the undertaking was too much for Aine and had almost lost her life as well but her awakening to a much higher power happened then.

Then she became the Holy Maiden at the tender age of seven. It was then that Konrad started behaving oddly towards her, as if he was a person possessed by an insatiable yearning.

To make matters worse, the prince would turn violent on anyone who'd try to hurt Aine, physically or emotionally.

Fion is thankful that the prince's violent tendencies have lessened and became controllable as he grew up; the strong longing had also disappeared, but every now and then it'll resurface, which becomes a headache for Fion to deal with because Konrad wouldn't cooperate with him until it's over.

"I'm glad that Aine has dismissed you from your duties. She wouldn't be bothered by your disappearance, forever."

"Your Highness…"

"Your Highness, I'll leave you to it." Fion said as he let go of Clarisse's hair. Dusting off his hands, the knight bowed politely to Konrad, sidestepping the blood on the floor and walked past the prince in silence.

Konrad's smile was cold and dangerous as Fion closed the door, making Clarisse be certain that she's not going to get out of this alive.

She closed her eyes, tears finally dropping down her cheeks as she silently prayed to the Holy Maiden, hoping she would deliver her soul to the heavens despite everything she had done.

☆☆☆

"Hm?" I hummed curiously, looking up from the page of the book I was running my forefinger on.

I thought I sensed a line of aether float by before disintegrating.

What was that all about?

I slid my eyes towards the clock and slightly panicked.

It was already two in the morning.

I got so engrossed in my reading that I forgot about the time.

Who said reading puts anyone to sleep? It obviously didn't work on me.

Or maybe I should use the Monarch studies as my sleep-inducing book? Though if anyone were to catch me reading that until I fell asleep, they won't believe a word I say that I honestly don't plan on being Queen.

It's hard to find a reason that the world I created where their star crossed love would accept. I don't know what Gods have inhabited the world as I never had a good relationship with religion back in my original life when I started writing, but it'd be better to tread carefully when I am powerless against many unknown forces.

Yawning, I set aside the book and stretched before snuggling comfortably under the covers.

Maybe it was part of a dream, but I think the terrace doors opened and Konrad's presence filled the room. It was odd to find comfort in him, knowing he's the reason for my death in two years.

His low humming and the comforting kiss on my temple was more than enough to lull me into deep sleep.

☆☆☆

"Your Highness, did you go into Her Grace's chambers like that?" Fion asked with a stern look once Konrad returned to his chambers.

"I've missed her." Konrad pouted. "The whole family's so intent on keeping us separated for so long…do you have any idea to get back into their good books, Fion? You were originally going to be engaged to Aine after all…"

"Your Highness, why do you like digging up that stupid past?"