“So it’s true, you have looks to boast of,” he commented, his gaze still fixed on the figure of the man whose beauty seemed almost unreal.
'What?' I blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected praise. 'Is he gay?'
The smirk that followed quickly dispelled any doubts, replacing confusion with a sharper sense of unease.
With a subtle gesture, the prince signaled to one of his warriors. The movement was deliberate, commanding. The warrior, with practiced efficiency, forced the woman beside the beautiful man to her knees. My confusion melted into grim realization as I recognized the striking similarity between the two—their resemblance was undeniable, suggesting a familial bond, though the nature of their relationship remained unclear. The idea that they might be siblings, or perhaps even the same person in some twisted way, was disturbing.
“You will be a great addition to my collection,” the prince said, his voice dripping with a cruel satisfaction as he surveyed the trembling woman. Her fear was palpable, her body quaking as she was forced to kneel before him by one of the warriors.
The man who had been identified as Prince Richard of Homonhon erupted in outrage. “Don’t touch my sister, you dam—!” His defiant cry was abruptly cut off as two of the prince’s warriors grabbed him, pinning him down and silencing his attempts to protect her.
“Ah, Prince Richard of Homonhon,” the prince mocked, his tone laced with cruel amusement still sitting in the trone. “It’s been a while indeed. Did you enjoy my gift?”
The words hung in the air, heavy with malice and a deep-seated enmity that promised more suffering to come. At the mention of the “gift,” the woman let out a heart-wrenching cry.
Watching from the sidelines, I felt a surge of helplessness and horror. Although I didn’t fully grasp the depth of their conflict, it was clear from the conversation that the prince of Homonhon and his sister were in grave danger. The scene before me mirrored my own desperate situation on the very first day I arrived in this world, evoking a chilling sense of déjà vu.
Despite being pinned down, the prince of Homonhon managed to summon a burst of strength fueled by desperation. With a fierce effort, he flipped over his captors and struck the warrior holding the princess. “Eliza!” Richard’s voice cracked with panic as he caught sight of her trembling figure, trapped in the chaos. He rushed to her side, gripping her arm with fierce urgency, eyes wide with a protective fire.
“Run, Eliza! GO!!” His voice broke, pushing her toward safety. There was a desperation in his touch—a silent promise that he would shield her, no matter the cost. He shouted, urgency lacing his voice as he pushed her away from danger and brandished a stolen sword to defend her.
“But where? W...what about you?!” Elisa cried, her voice trembling with confusion and fear.
“I’ll be fine. You know what I’m capable of, so go... GO!!” The prince’s voice was firm, his resolve unmistakable as he urged his sister to flee.
Eliza hesitated only briefly before closing her eyes and sprinting away, leaving her brother behind. As the prince brandished the stolen sword, his gaze never left her retreating form, his lips mouthing a wordless prayer. He fought valiantly, but it was evident that the warriors had overwhelmed the palace, leaving little hope for her escape.
“It’s no use,” the prince remarked with cold detachment. “She’ll be back here in no time, so this struggle means nothing.”
With a chilling calmness, he easily subdued the prince of Homonhon. Swiftly, he shattered the prince’s sword with a decisive blow, followed by a crushing punch to his stomach and face. The prince of Homonhon crumpled to the floor, bruised and battered.
‘No! Not the face!’ I thought, feeling a pang of sympathy despite the dire circumstances.
“Tie him down and get the princess,” the prince ordered with unfeeling authority. “Have you found the scroll?”
“Apologies, Your Highness. Our warriors are still searching for it,” one of the generals reported. The prince’s gaze shifted to the subdued prince of Homonhon, who lay bound and defeated.
“No need. I think I know where it is.” The prince approached the fallen prince of Homonhon, yanking his hair back to expose his face. “Search him.”
The warriors complied, and soon they discovered the folded scroll hidden in a secret pocket beneath the prince’s shoes.
“Historian.” The prince’s sudden address startled me. “Read this.”
With my mind racing, I approached the prince and took the scroll, bowing as I did so. As I looked up, I met the furious and resigned gaze of the prince of Homonhon. Ignoring him, I began to unfold the scroll, focusing on its contents.
Before I could react, I realized the situation was unfolding in a way I hadn’t anticipated. Why had the prince asked me to read the scroll if he knew I couldn’t fully decipher it? Perhaps he wanted me to verify its legitimacy—or maybe he was testing me.
“What should we do with the prince, Your Highness?” one of the attendants asked, glancing between the two princes.
“Kill him.” The prince’s command was sharp and decisive. Before anyone could act, I interjected.
“No,” I said firmly, causing all eyes to turn toward me, including those of both princes.
“You’d better explain yourself, or you’ll find out what happens next.” The prince’s sword was dangerously close to my neck, his expression cold and menacing.
“Yes, Your Highness,” I said quickly, my voice laced with desperation. “Unfortunately, this scroll is different from what we’ve read so far. It contains information I cannot—wait, let me explain!” I frantically said as he started pointing his sword at me.
“If you can’t read it, you’re of no use to us,” the prince replied, his tone uncompromising while his sword stop right at my neck.
“I... didn’t say I can’t read it at all, Your Highness,” I countered, my mind racing. I’ve got to be careful here. One misstep and I’ll never see my world again.
“What I mean is that this scroll contains words that only a citizen of the Homonhon would understand.” I held my breath, feeling the weight of every gaze on me. I need them to believe me long enough to keep Richard alive—long enough for me to crack this scroll and find my way home. The prince’s grip on his sword tightened, but I forced myself to meet his gaze. This has to work.
“Earlier, I saw some inscriptions on the pillars of this palace; they resemble some of the characters on this scroll,” I pointed to one of the characters. “That’s why I believe I’ll need someone from the royal family to fully interpret it.”
The prince was silent for a moment, his gaze scrutinizing me. Finally, he asked, “You only need one person, correct?”
“I think so,” I replied, my voice wavering slightly.
“We still have the princess for that, so kill him.” The prince’s order was chillingly dismissive.
What now? What more can I do?
‘Damn it!’ I thought, my mind racing to find a way to avert disaster.
“What if—!” I shouted, cutting into the tense silence. “What if we fail to retrieve the princess?”
“Are you questioning the capabilities of my warriors?” The prince’s glare was icy, but I stood my ground.
“No, Your Highness,” I responded, forcing calm into my voice. “I’m suggesting that the Homonhon prince and princess might know something crucial about the palace’s structure. There’s a strong possibility that there are hidden passages that could help the princess escape.”
Despite his battered state, the prince of Homonhon managed to speak through clenched teeth. “I didn’t realize you had intelligent people around you, Michaelli. My people have already secured my sister and will keep her safe. You won’t get what you seek.”
His words gave me a glimmer of hope. I took a deep breath, my fear mingling with relief as I realized my bluff had partially worked.
“Lock him up in the dungeon and search for the princess!” the prince ordered, his voice edged with frustration.
“Yes, Your Highness!” The warriors moved swiftly. The Homonhon prince was dragged away, bound and defeated, as the search began.
So the prince’s name was Michaelli... I didn’t know that until now. The thought flickered through my mind—probably not the most important detail at the moment, but I’d never bothered to ask.
“And you,” Michaelli’s sharp tone yanked me back to reality, “You’d better extract what you need from him and transcribe those scrolls for me as soon as possible.”
“Sure, Your Highness. Leave it to me.” I nodded quickly, feeling an odd sense of relief. Wait—did I just do a thumbs-up in front of the prince?! It was an instinctive, almost comical gesture, but in that moment, it felt like my own little act of defiance. A flicker of hope amidst the chaos.
The prince's gaze lingered on me for a moment, as if he were trying to decipher the meaning behind my casual defiance, but he soon turned away, his attention shifting back to the pressing task of finding the princess. The fate of both princes—and perhaps the entire empire—now hung in the balance of our next moves.
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