The rebels suddenly emerged the next day, chasing Ming Yi and me through the city of Cassanova. They rode flying swords that effortlessly increased their speed, enhancing their mobility. Fear gripped my heart as I watched from the sidelines as Ming Yi bravely defended our position, sword raised before himself like the night he fought in the courtyard. Our surroundings filled with the cacophony of dying voices and laughter from the rebels, creating a chaotic frenzy that the citizens chose not to interfere with.

When Ming Yi returned to my side, emerging from the battle victorious, he was dripping with blood and sweat. I could visibly identify the tension in his muscles, his jaws clenched, and I knew he was about to say something stupid.

“Zhen Xue,” Ming Yi said, towering over my person. His hands splayed on either side of my head with my back pressed against the wall. He got closer, enough for his concerned green eyes to peer deeper into my placid gaze. “Why did you throw them away? I’m only a servant.”

His voice drove me mad with an itch I couldn’t quite place. I avoided his pursuit, ducking under his arm, and ignoring the question I dare not answer aloud. “Ming Yi, I’m not about to dive into your wild fantasies,” I said offhandedly, not bothering to hide my displeasure. “We have more important matters.”

He sighed in frustration as we left our hiding spot. “Sometimes I’m concerned about your level of stubbornness,” he said, following along with my pace.

“Oh, you’re one to talk,” I countered in return. “You call yourself a servant, but never do as you’re told.”

“Zhen Xue,” he said in a defeated voice. “That’s not true.”

I put on a wave of dramatics, scoffing at him. “You’re the definition of whimsical. I’d have a better chance getting a cat to listen.”

“Zhen Xue, don’t make fun of me…” he whined. “I’m doing my best.”

As we approached our destination, we walked across the vibrant green grass in the yard of an opulent manor, a building that far surpassed the luxury of most structures in Cassanova. I glanced back at Ming Yi, hiding my smile. “Maybe you should stop being so easy to bully.”

The manor door swung open before I could knock, unveiling a small voice. “Hello? Who are you?” the girl before us asked. Upon recollection, she bowed so deeply I thought her knees would crack. “Your Highness, I-I’m terribly sorry!”

Ming Yi held his mouth shut, trying not to laugh.

With her head down, Luna stood before us, her body tense with apprehension. “You Highness, p-please forgive me!”

“No,” I countered with regret. “I apologize for my carelessness, but I have urgent business.”

She nodded, opening the door wider. “I’ll wake my lady.”

“That’s alright, we can just speak with you.”

Her eyes widened, face becoming ghastly white. “M-me? I’m just a servant.” She ushered us inside with care, ignoring my previous statement. “Right this way. It’ll only take a moment.”

There were jewels engraved on the walls and gold interior. The hallway alone must have cost a heavy sum. I walked beside Luna, our footsteps resounding throughout the house.

The young girl burst into a delighted sigh, unable to hold back any longer. “I can’t believe I’m walking next to his royal highness. I’ve been a devoted follower of yours for a long time! Young women always dream of seeing such a handsome face.”

“You honor me too much,” I said, trying not to address the heat rising to my cheeks at her boldness. “My knight is far more admirable. People call him one of the most eligible bachelors in the land.”

Ming Yi’s face paled so fast one could think he was actually in pain.

The young maiden blinked at him, assessing his appearance anew. Her eyes squinted, then widened. Then squinted again as if fully assessing him was serious business. “You’re right, he is handsome!”

I almost burst out laughing at Ming Yi’s withered expression, as though twenty years of his life drained at her words. My smile grew so wide I was certain my hand couldn’t even cover the extent. As we entered the living room, memories of last night flooded my mind and my amusement vanished. “How is your arm, by the way?”

Unable to resist the opportunity to annoy me further, Ming Yi ignored me and broke into a story he knew well, leaving the girl glued to her seat. “After that, he came dangerously close to severing my arm,” he said delightfully. “He hasn’t touched a bow since.”

“I take back what I said. We have more eligible young bachelors.”

A smile broke out on Ming Yi’s face as he bit back his laughter. “Eligible or almost arm less?”

I rolled my eyes, followed by shooting him a glare. “Headless if you don’t stop.”

Ming Yi coughed and sat up straight like a pure, warmhearted young lad when the owner of the premises arrived.

The woman entered wearing a beautiful gown, giving us a curt smile. “Welcome Your Royal Highness. My name is Han Jing and that young girl beside you is my housemaid Luna. To what do we owe this pleasure?”

She chose not to bow and instead remained stiffly by the entrance. Maybe less agreeable than I thought. I smiled at her, realizing my plans to convince her won’t be easy. “You have a lovely home. I’ll cut straight to the chase and not disturb your rest any further. Might I inquire if you have business beyond these walls sometime soon?”

Han Jing pondered with a hand propped under her chin, “No, my husband is typically the one to travel. We sell silk, wool and iron goods beyond Calhoun Sea, most notably to the North.”

“Sounds like an exceptional business,” I said, trying to sound enticing without prodding too far. “I often hear the North singing your praises for the goods you deliver. Do you ever wish to join him? I hear the weather is beautiful around this time of year.”

Han Jing’s gaze held the curiosity of a cat.

As I adjusted my coat, I prepared to bring this conversation to a close. “I have business with the North. Should you find yourself in that direction, perhaps our paths might cross again.”

A smile reached her lips. “I think we could arrange that.”

We bid our farewell. Within the momentary silence from walking outside, I felt the weight of my decisions to save Cassanova growing heavier every day, leaving a bloodied trail of the unsaved. I can only hope my effort will be meaningful when the war happens. I turned to Ming Yi with a sigh, knowing he was about to unleash a storm. He hardly ever loses his composure, unless I’m involved, and in this case, that’s precisely what would make him snap.

As Ming Yi took several steps towards me with a heavy gaze. “You’re sending me away, aren’t you?” he asked. “What have I done wrong? Why can’t you come with me?”

“It’s not that simple,” I said, reaching for his shoulders to look at him more clearly. “There’s still a lot to handle before I can leave. You’re the only person I can send to the North.”

Ming Yi took a step back, evading my touch.

“Ming Yi... Ming Yi, where are you going?” I swore under my breath, picking up my pace to follow him. The distance between us kept increasing until I could barely see his silhouette down the street.

The only reaction I received was when Ming Yi paused mid-step as if the wind had swayed him the wrong way. He continued onward shortly after.

Wow, this kid. “Are you going to sulk all day? We actually need to-” A cloth went over my eyes, obscuring my vision.

Someone shoved me into the dark end of a bag. A hand covered my mouth, tightening at my attempt to escape. I grabbed at whatever I could, thrashing around until I couldn’t move. My vision tunneled, the street materializing in front of me, along with a person collapsing to the ground by my feet with a loud thud.

With a bated breath, I narrowed my eyes and peered down at them to find out whether they were alive. I removed the bag from their head, finding familiar features underneath the cloth accompanied by their long brown hair sprawled out on the surrounding concrete. Wait a minute, that’s me.

I stumbled backwards in surprise, looking down at my current smaller body. My hands were thin, skin taunt against the bone as if falling apart. I felt lighter, finding it easier to recover my balance.

Ming Yi appeared out of nowhere, gripping my wrist tightly with a rough grip. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” he demanded.

My voice gasped as pain shot through my arm from where he squeezed. “Ming Yi, calm down. It’s me,” I said, hissing at his temper. “Let me go.”

Ming Yi whirled me around, securing my hand against the wall above my head. He held my gaze, jaw tense, gesturing to my discarded body on the ground. “I know who you are, but rather, what have you done to him?!”

If I could move without alarming Ming Yi, I would’ve facepalmed myself at the continued misunderstanding. The looming threat in his glare didn’t diminish. From that moment onward, I knew he wouldn’t believe me. I realize now that was my mistake, considering how loyal he can be to my word alone.

With a firm grip on my wrist, he picked up my old body and made his way back to the palace, pulling me along. I stumbled over my feet, trying to keep up with his pace.

Ming Yi withheld years of emotions that were now ready to spill over. I’ve seen him this worked up before, but now he seems much worse.

He dragged me into the palace dungeons before I could explain myself, carrying my old body upstairs. I’m left alone in the dark, staring at the locked door that separated me from freedom.

With a sigh, I laid on the slab of stone in the corner. Three immediate ways to leave, but how the hell do I return to my body? Ming Yi won’t let anyone near me, let alone breathe in my direction, but if anyone could trick him, it would be me, since I know him best.

The iron bars were wide enough, allowing me to slip through easily, which I did. Traveling through the tunnel, the floor transitioned from stone and dirt floors. I’ve snuck out of the palace countless times, but never through the dungeons. One day, when the rebels invade the palace, they’ll make use of this long-forgotten tunnel to free the prisoners, and together rally against the royals. Naturally, I’ve implemented measures to avoid such events, but I never imagined I’d be facing those measures myself.

The sight of a light flickering up ahead made my blood run cold. I froze in my tracks, waiting for them to pass around the corner. The boy, who paused for a moment, tightened his grip on the torch and pressed onward.

I picked up my pace, hardly believing who I saw. As one of my side characters, he was hard not to recognize.

Helix was aware of my pursuit, continuously altering his path to evade me. I rounded another corner, my breath coming out in ragged gasps as I tried to keep up with his momentum, but this boy’s skills soon overwhelmed mine.

No longer able to run, I leaned over to catch my breath, shouting after his distant figure, “Wait, please! I need your help.”

His footsteps halted at the end of the tunnel, the light from the torch stretching between us.

“Relay my message to Li Wei. Tell him to come find me.”

A troubled look crossed Helix’s face as he studied the state of my wellbeing. He silently nodded, continuing around the corner without a word, but I realized he hadn’t gone too far and was deliberately slowing down for me to catch up.

Through a wall nearby, I saw a flicker of light where Helix vanished. I replicated his movements, navigating through the rocks, and emerged into the night beyond.