The delegation's camp was spread out on the edge of a dense forest—tents with heraldic emblems, campfires, the muffled conversations of guards. Yujin sat in his tent, studying a map of the area. He hadn't seen anyone from the enemy side yet, but he knew they could be identified by their patterned belts and massive buckles depicting golden dragons.

"Neutral forests… I wonder what lives and grows here?"

He stepped out to take a short walk. The guards watched him sullenly, but Yujin merely gave a polite nod and headed towards the bushes—"on business."

And then… he saw a butterfly. Not just any butterfly, but a huge one, with wings shimmering in blue and gold.

"Is that a *Morpho menelaus*? It lives here?" Yujin marveled, examining it. Nearby, a squirrel scurried up a rough-barked tree, and a little further away, a rainbow-colored bird took flight! And Yujin absolutely needed to get a closer look! He became so engrossed that he didn't even realize he had wandered all the way to the riverbank.

And there he saw him.

A young man stood waist-deep in the water, frozen, as if he had sensed danger. And the danger was… immense.

Rising from the water was a monster: a giant serpent-lizard. Its scales were black as pitch with white veins, its maw was filled with dagger-like teeth, and its eyes were cold, yellow, and unblinking.

Yujin froze.

"Wow… *Vipera magnum*…" he whispered in awe under his breath, watching how its scales shimmered in the bright sunlight. "First time seeing one alive, how marvelous!.."

However, his excitement quickly turned to horror, as the serpent was about to eat the stranger, and he himself was next on the menu—the gold inlays on his clothes had already attracted the monster's attention.

"Sword," the young man in the water said quietly, not moving.

Yujin looked down—a blade with a leather-wrapped hilt lay on the grass. But it was useless. The hide of a *Vipera magnum* couldn't be cut; it deflected blows like armor. However…

"Is your strike strong?" Yujin asked quietly, slowly stepping into the water, his eyes fixed on the monster as he approached it. The stranger smirked:

"Well, not bad."

"Then strike when I say."

The serpent was already swaying above them, maw open, revealing a… second tongue, thin and pink. Yujin suddenly raised the gold inlays on his clothes—they flashed in the sun.

"Now!"

The serpent lunged towards the glitter—and at that very moment, the stranger punched it right on the sensitive tongue.

The monster roared, thrashed, raising a wave that threw them both towards the shore.

Strong arms wrapped around Yujin, pressing him against a solid chest, while the stranger's other hand grabbed onto a fallen tree.

"Are you hurt?" The voice was slightly hoarse but warm.

Yujin, trembling, nodded.

"Why didn't you run?"

"It would have chased me anyway… because of the gold. It had already noticed it. And also… their second tongue is the only vulnerable spot. A sword wouldn't have helped, you can't pierce the scales…"

"And how do you know all this?" he asked with a smile, gently wrapping his hands around Yujin's waist and pulling him onto the shore.

"I just love animals," Yujin replied sincerely, getting to his feet. The stranger snorted and began to carefully wring out Yujin's clothes, quietly chuckling. Yujin felt embarrassed, but for some reason, he found his kind laughter pleasant—it didn't feel like mockery. And how could anyone be so handsome?

The young man before him was so breathtakingly beautiful: masculine, well-proportioned features, bright violet eyes, a straight nose and lips, a strong-willed chin. His slightly wavy, thick, light-brown hair was wet and fell onto his collarbones, leaving a damp trail on his broad chest, droplets tracing his firm, sculpted abdomen and perfectly shaped oblique muscles. And then Yujin was horrified—the belt. The handsome stranger had a belt with a massive golden dragon buckle. Yujin paled. His thoughts raced. They'd have been better off eaten by the serpent than this!

If this enemy-handsome man found out who Yujin was, his life would become a nightmare! He could be taken captive to secure more favorable terms! And if they resorted to blackmail, or started chopping off bits… Yujin's legs felt like giving way. He tried to pull away, and suddenly felt a firm, hot grip on his wrist. The stranger clearly had no intention of letting him go.

"What's your name?"

"It doesn't matter…"

"It matters very much."

"I-I… am a magical forest fairy!" Yujin blurted out, frantically trying to figure out how to escape. The young man holding him was as strong as he was beautiful.

"Really?" he laughed, pulling him closer. "As far as I recall, fairies are genderless. But yours… I felt quite distinctly."

Yujin flushed. Yes, in that moment when he was holding him after the shockwave, they had been pressed against each other! And Yujin, if he thought about it, had felt something too… It seemed even Yujin's ears were on fire. He awkwardly jerked his hand, trying to break free, but the young man didn't even seem to notice his efforts, looking at him with interest. So strong!

"L-let me go!"

"But I don't want to."

"T-then I'll play a dirty trick!" Yujin exclaimed indignantly, and suddenly brought the captured hand to his face and kissed his fingers. The handsome man released his grip, gasping in surprise, and Yujin bolted away. As he ran, he tore the light cloak from his shoulders and threw it right into the young man's face.

"Hey!"

But he was already rushing through the bushes, his heart pounding, a ringing in his ears. Greenery flashed before his eyes as he ran, not choosing a path. He didn't know how long he ran like that, but, thank all the gods, no one was chasing him. He leaned against a tree, breathing heavily, trying to collect himself. Some delegate he was! Truly a useless prince! The wet clothes felt unpleasantly cold against his body. Yujin looked around. He smirked. Escaped the serpent, escaped the handsome man—it would be the ultimate irony if he simply got lost in the forest and died because of it! However, it seemed the Goddess of Mercy had decided to take pity on him, and after a while, he heard muffled, familiar voices through the trees.

"Your Highness!" his guards exclaimed with worry. "Where did you go?! We sent a whole squad into the forest!.."

"I just needed… take a dump in…" Yujin laughed awkwardly, and everything swam before his eyes. He collapsed into their arms, sinking into unconsciousness.