Author's note : This chapter is in Tristan's POV.
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Hello, I'm Tristan, currently working as the guard of the Second Prince of this Kingdom.
I came from a very poor family in the countryside so I have to work instead of going to school to support my family. One day I saw the Royal Guards Recruitment paper on the village's notice board. The salary was indeed very high, and I had all the requirements they were looking for. I thought that if I became a Royal Guard, then my family finance would be better, and my younger brothers and sisters could go to school. I discussed about this with my parents, they agreed but still showed some concerns about me going to the capital. On the night before my departure to the capital, my mother made a lot of my favourite food, even though our family was not rich.
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When I first arrived at the exam hall, I was surprise by the number of people here to take the exam, it seemed like there were more people who had interest to get this job than I though, and it looked like I was the youngest one. On the paper, it stated that only 50 people who could get the job, so it was more like a national-wide competition than a normal exam. I was afraid that I would not pass. The first day was only the briefing about the exam, and it only lasted for 5 hours at most, so I had free time for the rest of the day. Since it would be embarrassing for me to get lost on the exam day, I went around the area to get used to the paths. Somehow, I got lost when strolling around even though I had a map with me. While going around and reading the map, I saw some suspicious men wearing black capes and black masks. I thought that they were some of the Royal's secret squad or something, but they made their moves to the baby stroller which is near the fountain and pick the baby up. The baby was crying, because he or she cared or something, I don't know. It was then, I realised that the black capes people were up to no good. They seemed to be kidnappers, but what could I do, since I was just an eleven-year-old boy. I picked up a long stick under the tree next to me, although I knew that it was impossible to beat them with that, I still wanted to try my best to chase them away. I didn't even know who was the baby, but harming a small child was a bad thing so I need to protect him or her. I ran to the direction of those bad people and hit them by the stick. As expected, my strength wasn't enough to hurt them, but I had achieved my intention, that was make them scream or shout. Even though they were not hurt, they would be more or less surprised and eventually shouted. I was only hope that there would be some maids or guards who heard it and help me. I tried to defend myself from their punches and kicks. Finally, some guards cam, but it was also the moment that I almost fainted since my energy were all drained. I saw the guards seizing the kidnappers and the maids trying to take the baby to a safer place. I also heard someone asking me if I was okay, but I was tired and my body was hurt, I could not reply. And slowly, I passed out.
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I woke up in an unknown room. It was decorated with a lot of luxurious things, it was totally different from the room I received at the examinee's dormitories.
" You wake up. "
An unfamiliar voice asked me. From her clothes, I supposed that she was a maid who worked for the Royalties. She then gave me new clothes, they looked expensive and made out of high quality materials. She said that I need to follow her somewhere after changing. She also informed that the exam for the guards had passed when I was still in the coma. I was so disappointed, and I thought of going back to my home in the countryside and grow vegetables together with my family.
I followed the maid through the corridor that was decorated with those valuable paintings. Eventually, we reached a big door, behind it was an enormous hall. There were a man and a woman who sat on the chairs what was attached with varieties of gems and diamonds, I thought that they were the King and the Queen. I copied the maid and kneeled upon them.
" I heard that you saved my second son ? " The King asked me. Then the baby that was almost kidnapped was the Second Prince ?
" Your Majesty, it is true that I found those kidnappers, but I was not the one who seized them. It was the guards. "
" Anyway, if it not because you, the guards would not notice that my son was being kidnapped. And you were not able to take the guards exam due to this, so I think of giving to some rewards for saving my son and as an apologise for you for not able to take the exam. What do you want ? " The King said he would give a reward, but I only wanted to have a job here to support my family.
" I want to have a job as a guard here. "
" Hmm...? I can certainly give you the job, but only that ? " The King sounded a little surprise. But it was true that I wanted the job.
" Yes, it is good enough for me. " As long as I had a place to live and had a job and got paid, it was enough for me.
" So from this moment onwards, you shall be a guard of Ruby Palace, since my second son was saved by you. " As far as I know, the Ruby Palace is the place where the Second Prince lives, the Diamond Palace is the First Prince's place, the Silver Palace is where the King's concubines and mistresses lived, and finally the Platinum Palace which had the highest security level is where the King and Queen live. It is still like that until now.
" I am grateful for your kindness, Your Majesty. "
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I greeted the King and Queen and went out of the hall. I was pretty delight as I got a job in the Palace. The maid earlier asked me to take my things at the examinee's dorm as my things were still there, and she showed me the way to the Ruby Palace. Compare to the Palaces that I walked pass by, the Ruby Palace looked a little smaller and simpler, there were also not as much maids and guards in the Ruby Palace. But I didn't really mind about it. The next day, I was appointed to guard the entrance of the Palace. Since the Second Prince was kidnapped once, there would be chances that there would be more cases like that in the future. Then more than 2 years passed, the Second Prince was 3 years old. From the rumors I heard from the maids and butlers, the Prince was a stubborn and unsocial child, and he didn't have any emotions on his face. It seemed that he was a problematic Prince. I also noticed that during this 2 years, the King and the First Prince had never come and visit this place, the Queen came quite a few times, but only for a short while. Another year passed. One day, the Queen came and said that she came to take the Second Prince to the Diamond Palace to have a look of his brother, the First Prince. The butlers who were closed to the Second Prince showed their concerns and worries entirely on their face, but still, they could not disobey the Queen. In the evening of the same day, the Second Prince was brought back, but severely injured. I wondered what had happened to him during his visit to the Diamond Palace ?