Long time ago, Michael realized he was a contradictory person.
Being the first imperial prince and the younger brother of the current emperor of the Emmanuel empire, many would think he had it easy.
When he was a naïve child, he believed he could live a carefree and worryfree life under the care of his doting family.
Just like in the fairy tales, he lived as a treasured son, adorable brother.
He believed naively that he was actually living in a fairy tale.
It didn't take long for that fairy tale to shatter.
He went from living in a fairy tale to living in a tragedy the moment his parents.
The same time they were gone, the protective shield around his brother and him vanished like the ashes of the dead.
The long held imperial power started to corrode bit by bit under the greedy hands of the nobles.
His brother had to take the mantle of being the emperor to protect him and Michael.
The power struggle between the nobles and the imperial family grew to the point that assassins targeted him and his brother, Pierce every night and day.
His doting and protective brother tried to shield him from the outside pressure and the worries as much as he could.
He succeeded for awhile at the beginning.
But he wasn't able to hold on for long either.
The first time Michael saw how his brother embraced him to fend off a dagger from him, he remembered vividly how the dagger cut through his brother's flesh and his blood, which was his brother's life force started to drip from the wound.
That was the day Michael shed his deep buried naivety, like a snake shedding skin.
Ever since he became aware of the hidden dangers of the palace and the hardships his brother suffered alone, he started to hate himself.
He hated the naivety he had held onto.
He always thought if he wasn't naïve, if he wasn't gentle, he wouldn't have been so weak back then.
Since then he loathed who were naïve, who were gentle.
To him, such people were weak.
But how ironic that he had to adapt to the facade of being the gentle and charismatic first imperial prince to survive in the cold war between the nobles and the imperial family.
He adapted and played that role well enough that he earned the good will of the people through it.
He despised how gentle he had to act to simply be able to breathe the next day.
His impression on such people didn't change for a long time.
Until he met.
'Keith Adams.'
He was sure it was a fake name just like the disguise he used.
His first impression of that youth was he was simply too innocent and gentle to survive in a cruel world.
With bright and lively round eyes that evoked the strange urge to protect him, he had greeted them with a beaming smile.
At first, he only felt a slight intrigue towards the exquisitely beauty of him.
He wasn't sure when that impression and the feelings he had towards him changed.
No, he knew exactly when.
When they were kidnapped by the pirates, he remembered how the youth seated next to him looked calm.
The intriguing feeling suddenly solidified into respect when Keith stood up for the citizens of Kaithakandu.
Along with the respect, admiration, wariness and familiarity mixed in after the sudden emergence of the monsters.
He wasn't a child who hadn't experienced the outside world but a youthful man who saw the world as he should.
Keith was a gentle but firm and steadfast person.
That was the conclusion he finally arrived on.
His mind quickly ran through calculations on how to persuade him to join his faction.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He sighed tiredly as he ascended the stairs leading to the deck of the ship.
The battle with the monsters had dragged on since morning to the evening.
He stood hidden behind the half-opened door as he admired the setting sun.
He slightly tilted his head and caught sight of the person he was searching for.
His breath stuttered and his heart started pounding like crazy.
A sensation akin to his heart fluttering swept over him.
Kai was in the forecastle deck, leaning against the bow sprit.
He was sitting on the wooden railing of the ship, one leg bent and placed over the wooden rails.
The other leg was stretched over and his eyes were closed, more likely he was asleep.
He was sleeping while his body was supported by the monster nicknamed lovingly as 'Sasha' by him.
Sasha had wrapped around the bow sprit once and had appeared behind Kai.
When he fell asleep, he lied on her body.
Other than Sasha, there were many sea serpents cluttered around her, listening to her weird noises, like children listening to a mother.
In a place like that, people would find even breathing hard rather than sleeping.
But Kai slept among the creatures, people considered ferocious monsters, like it was the safest place he could stay.
Kai's breathing was light and smooth.
Arad was sleeping on his lap, with Kai's arms wrapped around him and his white duffel coat draped over him.
Michael walked into this scene.
Of course, from his perspective what he saw was different, because anyone who came to the deck and caught sight of them would perceive it differently.
What would catch the attention and bind them into a spell the moment anyone arrive there would be the indescribable beauty of the youth peacefully sleeping.
The afterglow of the setting sun cast a glow on Kai's silhouette.
The leaving light caressed Kai from his head to toe. His disguised blue hair looked like soft silk rather than hair.
The sea breeze combed through his hair as his hair swayed softly.
His long eyelashes cast shadows on his velvety skin on his cheeks. His red rosy lips unconsciously pouted, that it looked so kissable.
Without his duffel coat covering his frame, Kai looked petite and harmless in his black turtleneck and white tight-fitting pants.
He looked like a jade beauty undisturbed by the perils of the mortals.
Michael thought Kai was more suitable to appear as the main highlight of a masterpiece.
He concealed his scent and his presence using mana, and slowed his breathing to hide himself from being perceived.
It was all for naught though.
The moment he slightly moved, all the monsters gathered around Kai turned their heads as one, like they had one mind, to the exact location he stood.
Their eyes flashed threateningly and issued a warning.
Sasha directly intervened as she blocked Kai from Michael's field of view. Her lips curled up, exuding menace and forbearance.
Michael broke out in a cold sweat and all his nerves blazed with adrenaline.
His heart started pumping blood faster as his body reacted to the physiological reflex of fear.
"Sasha, stop."
A sleepy hoarse murmur interrupted the stare down between them at that moment.
As soon as they heard that voice, all the monsters went back to being obedient and docile dogs when they turned towards Kai.
Even Sasha went behind Kai and merely stared down at him.
'They are only docile to him. Is he one of those awakened people ? If so, it will be tricky or easy depending on his state of mind to persuade him.'
Michael thought silently while he maintained a kind smile on his face.
"I'm sorry for bothering you during your sleep."
Michael said with an apologetic voice towards Kai, who was still drowsy from waking up from his nap.
Michael approached Kai silently and soon stood in front of him.
"It's alright, your highness."
Kai rubbed his eyes with his fist sleepily and he shook his other hand as if saying it's not a big deal.
He looked like a docile baby waking up from a nap.
Unexpectedly he was...
'Cute.'
It was the thought that lingered in Michael's mind.
He shook his head to clear out ambiguous emotions and again focused at the task at hand.
Kai crossed gazes with him and a flawlessly gentle smile appeared on the youth's face the moment his eyes became focused.
"I really didn't mean to disturb you. I apologize. You must be really tired too."
He said in a distressed voice that appeared genuine enough. Coupled with his dashing looks, it would have shaken even the most unmoved of hearts.
Sadly for him, the one he was trying to trick him was Kai.
Someone who had seen the best of famous celebrities and the worst of their scandals during his life at modern times.
He personally knew looks weren't everything.
Of course, if Michael had lived in the modern times, he would have become a world-famous celebrity just from his looks.
Even so, his tricks wouldn't have worked on Kai, just like now.
His bright eyes overflowing with patience and tolerance, sharpened in an instant.
His gaze became penetrating as he was examining one's soul and Michael was quite flustered though he outwardly appeared calm.
"Your highness, you shouldn't say things you don't mean."
Kai mentioned lightly as if the he was talking about an everyday topic like weather.
"Then shall we go inside and talk about what you want to discuss with me ?"
His smile was still gentle and his voice was soft. There was no forceful pressure behind his actions.
But his temperament made it hard for him to not follow Kai's pace.
*****
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Drop by drop, the red-coloured life force fell on the floor.
It was the only sound in the room that was plunged into darkness without no light in sight.
"Tsk."
The sound of a tongue being clicked, echoed in the room.
A pale feminine hand coated with blood was raised to rosy thin lips and a pink tongue peaked from the parted lips.
The warm fleshy meat licked the blood dripping from her hand.
"So you are telling me the first dungeon boss we prepared to instill terror in humans have died ? How irritating. Those pesky humans sure know how to cling onto their measly lives."
An arrogant feminine voice with an undertone of annoyance conveyed those words.
"..."
But there was no reply from the other person beside her as if he already knew that her barely held temper would flare if he tried to appease her.
She glared at him in anger and irritation having heard no response.
Suddenly a joyful smile crossed over her face.
"Even if they managed to kill it, there must have been a great sacrifice for that. Go and find out whether that ice cold monster died trying to kill it."
She ordered enthusiastically.