All four of us immediately entered the room.

There it is, the Prince, who was dead for sure, completely fine and well, in fact he looks even better, the sun that bathes his room makes he, himself, shine.

But in his face there is an unfamiliar expression, confusion, worry. And that's not the only thing different, the atmosphere of the room feels weird, heavier, and his golden eyes, which were most often dull, are now shining brightly.

A shine so bright that looks like the sun itself.

Something's wrong, I think.

Soon after Andreas speaks: “How can we help you, your highness?” I hold my urge to roll my eyes out of annoyance and anger. The man who was dead just minutes ago is now alive and well, and the one ready to pin the blame of his death on others is now sucking up to him.

“Your highness?” The Prince asks, frowning. He pushes his silver hair back, exposing his forehead, in moments like these I catch myself admiring his beauty just like a statue made by a master sculptor. “Who are you and where the fuck am I?” His question makes all of us hesitant, did he become crazy from the poison? Or perhaps he is feeling ill. Sure, the Prince was always a bit… eccentric, not to mention his short temper and prone to violence, but he was never harsh, not like this, his words are spat with nothing but contempt, his eyes look at us as if not only he doesn't recognize us, but also harbors hostility towards us.

As if we're enemies about to point our swords at his throat.

This shift in the atmosphere makes all of us servants hesitant. My ears start to ring with the situation, I can’t hear a word being said, my eyes fixed onto the Prince, for once I feel relieved that Andreas is taking the lead, even if he’s being extremely hypocritical. 

Wracking my brain to try to understand where it went wrong, did his body simply naturally recover? Or one of the antidotes I’ve attempted worked? No, that’s not possible, his heart had completely stopped.

My thoughts are interrupted the moment the Prince gets up, walking towards one of the mirrors in his room. Even the way he walks is different, more confident and even if the feeling of elegance is there, he looks more unpolished than before. ‘’What is my name?’’ The Prince asks after looking at himself in the mirror, making my whole body shiver, something went terribly wrong. How can I even begin fixing this situation? We’ll end up in the streets for sure, but that’s the best case scenario.

In the worst one, we will all be dead by the end of the day.

The fact is, very few people can utter the Prince’s name without consequences. Although me and Raphael use it when talking privately and sometimes even with his highness himself occasionally, there are limits and situations.

It's weird, why even would he be asking such a question? Sometimes Prince Nikias would be… weird, distant, different, as if he was stepping into a boundary he set himself.

Oftentimes it was merely a test to see if me and Raphael were loyal to him, maybe he was scared we would also turn our backs at him.

Could this be a test? I think, worried, but no, his golden eyes don't show any insecurity or worry about our responses, he is simply… waiting.

Andreas takes the lead again, answering: “You're the second star of the Empire, Prince Nikias Gregor Chrysl”, his answer isn't perfect, in fact, is missing decorum and respect, but the Prince looks at him coldly. We all bow to him after Andreas' words, as a sign of respect, although the protocol in said cases would be to kneel, we do not do so.

Simply because the Second Prince never required us to.

I turn my face towards Raphael, and our gaze meets, I can see what he’s thinking, that the Prince finally fully went crazy, what wouldn’t be that hard to think, since it was a natural progression from all he went through.

Yet it makes no sense. Why suddenly? Why even pretend to be amnesiac? Going as far as acting completely different?

Can he even make his gaze feel different by pure will?

Eyes that before felt sad and dull are now bright and heavy.

Me and Raphael nod in understandment, whatever it is that happens from now on, we must act with our best interest at hand and do our best to cater to whatever game his highness is playing.

After a while in silence, staring at his own reflection, the Prince speaks again: ‘’I don’t have any recollection of being a Prince’’, his words are careful and he speaks differently from usual.

That matters not, as Andreas turns to us, his eyes show pure annoyance, I almost roll my eyes, frustrated at the action of someone who cares so little about a job most would kill to have. He asks Raphael to fetch a physician, something it should have been done before.

Contrary to my expectations, the physician comes, what is even more surprising than the sudden shift of actions of the Prince. As the physician talks with both the Prince and Andreas, I pull Raphael’s shirt calling him to a corner.

‘’What is happening?’’ Raphael asks before I can say anything, in response I simply shake my head. ‘’Did he go crazy because of the poison? I’m glad he’s alive, but…’’

He doesn’t finish his sentence as the Empress suddenly appears, started we all bow the moment she enters the room calling for the Prince, she’s the most pure symbol of elegance, every move of hers exude money and power, from her sweet and striking pink irises, shining silver hair to her extravagant dress and well-polished nails. A woman that never had to touch a single dish or wash a single sheet.

With the Empress’ appearance, the physician’s demeanor changes, smiling and speaking as if he was always there to care for Prince Nikias. Two faced asshole, I think, looking back at Raphael, avoiding to raise my blood pressure hearing the bullshit coming out of that sleeky man’s mouth. 

‘’Whatever is happening, let’s keep the Prince calm and happy’’, I mumble to my brother who nods in response, the confliction of emotions inside him clear in his light brown eyes, although his face is a reflection of mine, my feelings are different from his. All I am able to feel is fear, fear of something going even more awry.

No, I should be glad he’s not actually dead, this way we won’t be killed… We could still be fired or punished, but as long as we’re alive, everything will be fine. We can start over as many times as necessary, it’ll be sad to not work for the Prince anymore, but that’s not something up to us. 

‘’What are your names?’’ The Prince’s voice snaps me away from my thoughts, just then I notice that the Empress is gone and the door of the room is closed, only the Prince and us servants remain.

The gaze in his eyes is cold, expressionless, he feels like a statue that came to life, not only due to his beauty, but also the lack of a single emotion reflected in his golden eyes. Andreas attempts to speak, but the Prince frowns, it’s the first time I see someone appear annoyed yet the feeling of their gaze doesn’t shift for a second, I think, impressed. ‘’You already spoke your name, Andreas of House Gasser’’, the Prince says, his hoarse tone due to still recovering from the poison makes Andreas blush, and saying that, I also can’t avoid feeling the warmth spreading across my face as his voice makes my chest tingle.

Contrary to how most people feel towards his highness, I feel like when someone stumbles upon a beautiful painting or sculpture, art so striking you can’t help but be mesmerized, enchanted even, however, I would never even entertain the idea of being attracted in any way that isn’t platonic towards the Prince.

As the gaze of lust and desire I saw often towards him, were never similar to my own.

Once, a single time, I saw a concerning expression in Raphael’s face towards the Prince, but it was a single occasion, that never happened again, so although I sometimes think about it, I never thought about confronting my brother about it or entertaining the idea he might also be similar as those other people surrounding the Prince.

If he ever did, I would’ve  dragged him away from the Palace and away from his highness forever.

Because we’re commoners and he’s a noble.

Not any noble, the Second Prince of the second most powerful Empire on the planet. 

Getting involved with him would only bring suffering, and I didn’t save us for him to doom himself over a temporary fleeting feeling.

Again, I am pulled away from my thoughts with the firm and hoarse voice of the Prince: ‘’You’re fired’’, his words startle all of us, due to both his harsh tone and the sudden action. He must’ve truly gone through shock because of trauma, otherwise he would never… 

His words were directed towards the other servant, Conrad Burton blushes violently due to embarrassment, probably, in his place I would be indeed quite embarrassed, there are no feelings of pity in my heart for him, only worry that me and Raphael might be next.

The man tries to question, but the Prince cuts him off: ‘’You heard me’’, his highness sighs, his eyes make my hair stand on end, my whole body shivering, being in his presence was never this difficult, the only other time I felt like this was when the laboratory’s leader visited.

Andreas steps in quickly, ‘’Your highness, it’s unwise to fire him without reason’’, I almost scoff at his words, who does he think he is? A mere son of a ruined Baron trying to advise a Prince over who he can or cannot fire? Of course this isn’t anything new, he always does this, subtly trying to manipulate the weak hearted Prince Nikias.

But he should’ve noticed, the shift in his highness eyes, the shift in his mood and poise. He was never too smart, although he was always good at manipulation, I must give him that.

‘’I have a reason, he’s ugly’’, his highness answers, I can see with the corner of my eye that Raphael turns his face to hide a chuckle. 

‘’Firing a servant based on their looks isn’t wise’’, Andreas sighs, he sounds annoyed. Advising a Prince that never requested your opinion isn’t either, I think but remain silent.

Prince Nikias chuckles, his eyes changing just for a single second from the coldness to light amusement, but the warmth in his gaze doesn’t last. ‘’I thought I was a Prince, don’t I have the authority to fire a staff I dislike?’’ His words surprise me, he’s not simply acting differently, he’s completely opposite than usual. From his gaze, to the way he acts and even his words.

Like a completely different person.

The poison must’ve acted in his brain, and since his heart actually stopped, the lack of oxygen must’ve also played a factor, his personality changing is a possibility, but if he indeed doesn’t remember anything, is this simply his true personality coming to light? I always felt like he was hiding something, is this it? Did he always have this drive inside him, but was just suppressed by a traumatic life?

How bad was his life before we arrived at the Palace for him to change so much?

I can’t help but think, wonder, try to make every sense possible of the situation, especially when it was my poison in his system, sure, not actually mine, but it was at least slightly inspired by it.

If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t even be having this conversation.

‘’Yes, your highness, you do, I just would advise against’’, Andreas’ words seem to piss the Prince even more.

Prince Nikias ponders for a few seconds before answering the servant: ‘’You dress like a servant, yet want to act as an advisor?’’ His words drive Andreas silent for a few moments, the man looking slightly embarrassed as well.

His common sense seems to still exist, does he keep a few memories? Or is it just his personality that changed? But that doesn’t explain the questions… Is this truly a test? I should seek a few texts on amnesiac patients and the effects of both poison and lack of oxygen on the brain.

Sure I’ve read a lot of books on poison but I never thought of seeking studies made over the correlation of poison and the loss of memories or shift of personality…

Maybe it's a new effect due to my poison? When I tested it caused only mana disruption, but since his highness has no mana…