They continued the game for a while, with Alexia accumulating more and more scratch marks, while Xavier's smile grew broader.
It was clear that he was toying with her, as no matter where he aimed, he somehow always "missed" his target.
"What's going on here?" A voice sounded.
Xavier and Alexia turned to face the newcomer.
They saw a beautiful girl with dark brown hair, vibrant green eyes, and pale skin. She had a curvaceous figure, with a large bust and hips, and a smaller waist. She was wearing a maid's outfit, a very short dress that reached only above her thighs. Another well-dressed maid stood, following right behind her.
As soon as she saw Xavier, she smiled widely and began walking towards him.
"Xavier, honey, I missed you so much!" She pouted, grabbing his hand intimately.
Xavier frowned, his expression disgusted. "Eva, how many times do I have to tell you that I have a strong disgust for dirty things? Never touch me again!" He pushed her away, his movements rough. He then picked a cloth from his pocket and started wiping the area where her body had touched.
"Hahaha..." Alexia burst into laughter though her face still recovering from her own recent humiliation.
'At least I'm not the only one suffering in the hands of this demon prince,' she thought, enjoying Eva's downfall.
Xavier gave her a cold glare, and she quickly shut her mouth.
Eva gritted her teeth and glared at Alexia, her eyes flashing with anger. 'How dare he laugh at me. Doesn't he know who I am?'
"Dad is waiting for you in the front courtyard," She finally said through gritted teeth, her voice tense.
Xavier frowned, still wiping his hands. "So, your dad actually saw you dress like this and didn't stop you? Wasn't he afraid that people might call his daughter a whore?"
Eva's face reddened with anger, but she bit it back. "Yes. My dad saw me, he wants to talk to you, and it has everything to do with why I'm dressed as your maid."
Xavier continued to wipe his hands, his expression disdainful.
"And aren't you done wiping that hand yet? Am I really that dirty to you?" She couldn't help asking.
"Yes," Xavier replied, tossing the cloth away. He started walking out without another word.
Once he was finally out of the courtyard, Eva turned to Alexia.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.
"I'm Alex," Alexia grinned.
"Oh, you mean the thief?" Eva mocked, staring at her resentfully.
"Thief? That's cute. I prefer 'legendary treasure hunter'," Alexia said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "And you can be my personal servant, Eva."
Eva's face reddened with anger. "How dare you call me by my name? Do you know who I am? And you think I should be your servant? Ha! Don't make me laugh."
Alexia covered her mouth in a fake gesture of surprise. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I was in the presence of Her Highness. Allow me to bow down to the power of your greatness... said no one ever."
"You—"
"Shhh... I'm not done yet," Alexia cut in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now, as for being my servant, I was only being polite. I'd rather have a pet rock as a servant than someone as useless as you. So, step up or step aside. I have treasures to hunt."
"You ugly thief! How dare you call me useless! What are you even worth?" Eva spat, her face red with anger.
Alexia smirked. "Wow, 'ugly thief', that's the best you've got? It's rich coming from someone whose only asset is their ugliness inside and out. As for worth, well, I'm worth more than your entire existence. At least my skills get me paid, and what do you get for being an 'egoistic genius'? A participation trophy?"
Eva's eyes flashed with anger. "Little boy! I'll definitely report you to Xavier. Just wait to get punished."
Alexia rolled her eyes. "Go ahead, run to His Highness. I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear about your fragile feelings. Just don't trip on your own dress... oh wait, you're not wearing any, whore!"
Eva's face turned purple with rage. "You bas...!" She raised her hand to slap Alexia, but Alexia caught it mid-air and stared at her in disdain.
"What do you think you're doing? Who gave you the right to try and slap me?"
"I...I..."
"Save it, I don't want to waste my breath on you," Alexia cut in, turning to walk away.
Eva stomped her foot in anger, her face red with rage. "This boy didn't give me any face at all, he even dared call me ugly!"
She turned to her maid and delivered a thunderous slap. "Why didn't you say anything when that boy was insulting me just now?"
The maid cowered, "Milady...I..."
Eva didn't let her finish, slapping her again. "You also enjoy when I'm insulted, huh?"
The maid tried to explain, "It's really not like that, it's just that you said..."
But Eva cut her off, her anger boiling over. "Shut up! I don't want to hear it. Pack your bags and leave."
With that, she turned on her heels and walked away, leaving the maid seething.
"Arrogant bitch!" the maid hissed once Eva was gone. "Finally met your match, hmph!"
*********
A handsome middle-aged man sat in front of a table, where a luxurious spread was arranged. Like Eva, he also had dark brown hair, but with a striking difference in eye color - Eva's vibrant green eyes versus his bright blue eyes.
This was none other than Eva's father, Winston Valtor, the Grand Duke of the Northern Territory of the Stones Kingdom. He stared ahead, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table, waiting patiently.
"Winston, old friend, I heard you were calling me." Xavier grinned as he walked in and sat himself down in the chair opposite the Duke.
The Duke smiled, his expression warm and indulgent. "You jest, Your Highness. This one has no right to call you. I was only hoping you could grace me with your presence."
Only a handful of people dared to address the Duke by his name, and even the king had to add the title "Duke" when speaking to him. But in front of Xavier, he didn't dare complain about this and was even somewhat flattered.
It was a well-known fact among those at the top that the most powerful person in the kingdom wasn't the crown prince or even the king, but this young man sitting in front of him - the supposed third prince.
"So, why are you looking for me?" Xavier asked, his playful appearance suddenly turning cold.
"Ahem." The Duke cleared his throat, his expression turning serious. "Your Highness, I wish to propose a deal to you."
Xavier raised a brow. "What sort of deal do you think you can offer me? And do you really believe you're qualified to negotiate with me?"
The Duke hesitated, his eyes darting momentarily before he spoke. "I-I know I don't have the right to make a deal with you, Your Highness, but this proposal will be profitable for you either way. You have nothing to lose, and in fact, you can only gain."
Xavier's interest was piqued. "So, what is it you're offering me? Certainly not your daughter, right?" He raised an eyebrow, his gaze skeptical.
The Duke smiled wryly. "No, not her. I heard you're looking for people. I have a hundred individuals I can give you. I don't know what you need them for, and frankly, I don't care. They're all criminals anyway."
Xavier's grin grew wider. "And what's the catch?"
The Duke hesitated before speaking. "My only condition is that you allow my daughter to stay here, under your protection."
Xavier's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Make it five hundred people, and we have a deal."
The Duke frowned, his expression darkening. "Your Highness, where do you expect me to find so many people?"
"That's not my concern. Whether you need to force, buy, or abduct them, I don't care. And I don't discriminate based on gender or age. Just get me five hundred people." He paused, his gaze intensifying. "Unless, of course, you'd rather not leave this place alive... with your daughter."
The Duke slammed his hand on the table, his face twisted in a scowl and his nose flared. "Are you threatening me?" he roared.
Xavier stood up, his aura growing cold. "I'm not threatening you, Winston. I'm simply stating facts. You see, I don't take like being told what to do. It's usually always the other way around." He leaned in closer, his eyes burning with intensity. "You should've known better than to try to make a deal with the devil."
As Xavier spoke, his eyes seemed to darken, and the air around him grew thick with an ominous energy. The Duke clutched his throat, gasping for breath, he felt as if his life force was being slowly drained away by Xavier's stare.
Xavier quickly withdrew the aura and sat down, his expression once again playful. "So, do we have a deal, Duke?"
The Duke drew in a fresh breath, relief washing over him as he was finally able to breathe again. For a moment, he had felt like he was already dead. He couldn't help but turn to the prince with a newfound fear in his eyes, just who was the third prince?.
He quickly shook off these thoughts and nodded. "Yes, Your Highness, I'll get you five hundred people. But should I take my daughter..."
Xavier waved his hand dismissively. "Leave her. If she wants to stay, she can. But I'll treat her like any normal maid. So, she'd better not cause any trouble, or else..." He paused, his grin growing wider. "I'll be adding her to my collection... of heads."
The Duke gulped, his eyes widening in fear. "I...I...Of course, Your Highness," he stuttered, trying to hide his terror.
'It was that foolish girl who wanted to stay with this demon prince anyway.'
At first, he had thought it was a good idea, thinking that if she could seduce the prince and marry him, he would be able to broaden his connections and territory. But now... not only did he have to give the prince five hundred people, but he probably also wouldn't gain anything from this relationship.
'Ugh... it's just a girl anyway. No loss,'