Rezal and Michaelis are just having a talk; mostly Rezal is the one talking.
"You should believe me. They looked ready to claw down at you."
"You are delusional. Why would they do that?"
Michaelis brushed away whatever nonsense Rezal said to him. Rezal said some young ladies looked at him while he was dancing just now and looked ready to swarm at him if Rezal did not come near him.
"I believe that they would ask you to dance if I didn't drag you here. Look."
Rezal pointed at one corner where some young ladies were talking and whispering while looking their way. Rezal shuddered when some of them looked at him like predators.
But when Michaelis looked at where Rezal pointed, all the young ladies looked away instantly. Rezal gaped at the situation.
"No, don't accuse them of something like that. They've done nothing wrong."
Michaelis shook his head from side to side and took another bite of the dark chocolate cake. After he finished with this, he would get out of there.
"They are sly."
Rezal spoke slowly when he saw the young ladies looking back in their direction when Michaelis looked away.
"I'm finished. I'll go now."
"Huh? Right now? It is still early, Micha."
Rezal was dumbfounded when Michaelis began standing.
"Hey, hey, I am still not done."
He looked at his plate, which was half-full. How the hell did Michaelis finish four slices of dark chocolate cake in just a few minutes? Rezal took that many to make Michaelis stay longer with him here. He still needed to wait for his sister to finish her meeting with the second princess.
He would be bored if he was here alone. He had already told his sister that he would wait there. If she came here and did not see him, his sister would confide in their mother. That always makes him annoyed.
"What? If you want to come with me, just come along."
Rezal made a face of disapproval.
"Brother!"
"Uff!"
Rezal's eyes lit up with the sudden appearance of the second princess and his sister.
'Lord Teresa must have heard my praying.'
"Nasharis, what did I say about running around?"
"But you are here to catch me."
Michaelis let out a sigh and patted her head.
"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince."
"It's nice seeing you here. I hope my sister did not trouble you so much."
Michaelis looked at the girl version of Rezal, who is the same age as Nasharis. Their friendship could also be described as he and Rezal's friendship.
"I don't cause trouble everywhere I go. Stop antagonizing me, brother. Right, Raisa?"
"Princess did not do anything to trouble me, Your Highness. She is a good friend of mine."
"Hey, why are you so polite to him but not to me?"
"I don't understand what you are talking about, princess."
Nasharis glared at her, and Raisa glared back with the same intensity. The white-haired boy just assumed that Raisa really acted like Rezal, but Rezal knew the truth.
"She's also head over heels with you."
Rezal let out an exasperated sigh and an annoyed face. He knew because Raisa would always ask him about Michaelis. He didn't comply, of course. She is too young for this kind of thing. Moreover...
Rezal looked at Michaelis, who he was sure was oblivious to why Nasharis and Raisa glared at each other.
'This boy was not even interested in anyone.'
Rezal assumed it would take a long time for this crown prince to even have that kind of relationship. Now, he felt worried if this boy would actually have the intention to have offspring later to continue the legacy.
Well, they are still kids. Rezal is sure that Michaelis will meet someone when he is in the academy later.
"Brother, where do you want to go?"
"I want to get out of here."
"Why?"
"Huh? Because I have already fulfilled mom's order."
Nasharis widened her eyes. Wait no! Her brother has danced with someone else before her!
"You should wait to dance with me."
Michaelis rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm sorry. You were nowhere just now, thus I have no choice. Well, we could dance now if you want before I go out."
"Hn! Let's go!"
Nasharis pulled his hand and looked back at Raisa with a mocking smile. Raisa huffed and pouted.
"Just give up. You won't get to him if you act childish like this."
Raisa glared at her brother.
"Shut up, bitchless."
"What the hell did you say?! And where did you learn to say something like that?! I will tell our parents!"
"Tell them then, you are the one who will carry the blame!"
"You little shit—!"
Rezal wanted to strangle his sister right here, right now. He didn't understand why Raisa couldn't be like Nasharis. He sometimes cannot believe that a brother-sister relationship like Michaelis and Nasharis is possible.
Obviously, not in the Nuribenstin household.
"Where are you just now?"
"I went to my room to show something to Raisa. We end up playing in my room."
That sounded fun. He also wants to go back to his room.
He twirled his sister around, and Nasharis giggled. This is not their first time dancing together, but somehow it feels different now. Maybe because of the place and atmosphere.
"Where is big sister?"
He tried to remember where Helenis was going just now. When he finally remembered, his eyes darkened.
"I should follow them just now."
"Huh? Is big sister with that boy again?"
"Unfortunately."
Nasharis puffed her cheeks. She didn't understand what made Helenis attracted to the purple-haired. He is not even attractive. Her big sister should choose someone as handsome as their papa and brother. Not someone who always smiles like a clown.
"Well, let's look for them together after this."
He flashed a mischievous smile. Nasharis knew that smile and formed her own sly smile.
"Of course. We can't let our big sister alone with that boy."
They move their bodies in sync. This was not his plan, but he eventually ended up with three dances tonight. It was not as bad as he thought.
"Do you see where mom and dad are?"
He asked when he couldn't see a glimpse of the couple.
"I met them earlier. Papa is accompanying Mama to her room because she is having a headache. He said he would be back later."
He hummed in understanding, and they ended their dance.
It is still early, and many people are still here. The main character for tonight had already fled away, and the host was still not coming back.
"Should we go look for her now?"
"Hn! Let's go!"
Michaelis grabbed Nasharis' hand. He just wanted to take a step forward when his vision suddenly turned dark.
"Ahh!"
"What's going on?"
"Why is it dark here so suddenly?"
"Is it a maintenance problem?"
"Calm down everyone; we'll look for the problem at hand."
"Brother."
He hugged the trembling Nasharis tightly. He let out a sigh when he calmed down a little.
'At least nothing serious happened.'
Nevertheless, he felt unsettled.
"Stay with me until the light comes again."
Nasharis hugged him tighter. He rubbed her back for reassurance.
He didn't know what had gone wrong, but Nasharis was hauled away from his grasp. His eyes widened.
"Brother!!"
"Nasharis!!"
He managed to catch her hand. But he noticed her hand was limp. He became panicky and activated his aura.
"Nasharis! Who the hell are y—ugh!!"
The sudden pain struck his stomach. His hold on Nasharis' hand loosens, and her hand is immediately pulled away from him. His hand just managed to hold onto the bracelet Nasharis wore.
"Nasha—"
"Sleep."
The eerie voice was heard before the same pain struck his stomach at the same spot. He could feel his shirt and pants becoming wet.
His aura became wild, and the attacker was thrown away from him. His eyes shone brightly before he could feel a presence coming from behind him. He managed to dodge the attack from behind, but the same pain struck at his back.
He coughed out blood.
"You are a pain in the ass."
He was kicked, and he fell to the floor.
'No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No! Nasharis! I have to get Nasharis back!'
His aura became wild and chilly.
Michaelis tried to stand up again. His vision was finally getting used to the darkness, and he managed to see a tall figure not far from him holding something sharp.
"Give her back."
The pain in his body was telling him to stop moving, but Nasharis was the only one on his mind right now. He needed to take her back. He needed to find her quickly. If not, he will lose her.
"Tsk."
The attacker clicked his tongue before a fast move was made. Michaelis took a wobble and was ready for any attack, but the attacker suddenly vanished from his sight.
"Like a cockroach."
Buk!
His head was hit from the back, and he fell to his knees. His vision was becoming blurry. Another hit at the same spot, and he collapsed on the floor with a bloody head.
"Finally."
The attacker was about to run away, but Michaelis caught his leg and used his aura.
"What the fu—?!"
Michaelis burned his leg, and the attacker screamed before he kicked Michaelis.
"Die!"
He was grabbed tightly by the neck; he clawed at the hand on his neck and used his aura to freeze the hand, but his hands went limp after a slash through his neck, and his mouth opened wide from the lack of air coming through his mouth.
"Let's go; we have no time in hand."
Suddenly, someone appeared from behind the attacker. The attacker threw Michaelis harshly out of anger, making him roll on the floor before both of them vanished in an instant.
'No!'
He needed to get up. They have Nasharis. They might harm Nasharis. They might...
His eyes shook violently. Breath, why can't he breathe?
He can't breathe. He can't breathe. He can't breathe. He can't breathe. He can't breathe. He can't breathe.
This was different when he was drowning in the sea.
He needs to breathe, but what he can feel is blood pooling under him.
His eyes slowly closed, even with his protest. The last thing he could see was the light turning back on.