I sat on a small wooden stool in his tiny kitchen, watching the bearded man holding a kettle and pouring tea into a tea cup. Afterwards, he approached me to hand me the cup. He sat across from me and took a sip of tea.
"Are you ready for what I'm about to say?" he asked. His question made me swallow hard, but I couldn't explain why I was on edge. After all, my life wasn't hanging in the balance. Yet, I had forgotten one crucial detail: I'm a fugitive with a price on my head, and there are many seeking to capture me. No wonder I should be nervous. I tried to calm my nerves with a sip of tea.
As I stared into the tea, its surface began to swirl like a miniature whirlpool. Visions started to take shape within it, though the faces remained indistinct, veiled by the tea's misty depths. Yet, I was convinced I wasn't succumbing to fantasy or illusion.
"Your name is Revaliant, and you hold the title of prince in the esteemed kingdom of Lovelrinth. Your illustrious parents, the former King Reglorious and Queen Dauphine, have instilled in you the values of royalty. You have two siblings, Princess Recontessa and Prince Revictor. From the one occasion I've had the privilege of seeing your family together, it's clear that your parents have raised you all with impeccable care and guidance." Based on the image in the cup, I notice that Revaliant's family has a remarkable physical presence.
"Your father was a just and fair ruler, renowned for his bravery and devotion to his people. Your mother, equally admirable, possessed exceptional intelligence, compassion, and kindness. Yet, despite his admirable qualities, your father was accused of treason. He had formed a clandestine alliance with the kingdom's enemies, seeking to topple the monarchy. The National Convention found him guilty, and he was subsequently sentenced to death by guillotine." It felt like my heart was pierced by the information he revealed about Revaliant's father.
"How could he betray the kingdom when he loved his subjects so much?"
"That's the question that has puzzled many: what drove him to commit such a heinous act? Following the incident, your mother was unable to pursue justice, as she was herself imprisoned on charges of treason and corruption. Moreover, she was implicated in the conspiracy to topple the kingdom, and was also known to have recklessly squandered the kingdom's wealth on opulent attire and extravagant festivities. She was also sentenced to death by guillotine." The pain I felt intensified when I discovered the tragic fate that befell Revaliant's mother.
"Why is that? If they were good people, why did they meet such a fate?"
"I think your parents were surrounded by manipulative and deceitful people in the kingdom, and the accusations against them were fabricated and exaggerated. And when the parents are labeled as traitors to the kingdom, their children are also considered traitors. According to the hunters who hunt in these woods, you and your siblings escaped from the palace, and by order of the new throne owner, King Leclerc, your father's cousin, a bounty has been placed on the heads of all three of you."
I just stood there, staring into space. I felt sad because Revaliant's experiences in this world weren't easy either. Most people in my world either think of me as a troublemaker or look down on me, but Revaliant was labeled a traitor by the very people his parents once showed kindness to, and now he has a hefty bounty on his head and is being hunted.
I was just a child when my father abandoned us, leaving my mom to raise me on her own. She fell ill, and as soon as I was old enough, I had to take on extra work to support our family. I did odd jobs like car washing, gardening, and construction to make ends meet. It was a struggle, but my mom's presence made it bearable. She cared for me, cooked my meals, and washed my clothes, giving me a sense of stability. In contrast, Revaliant's life was turned upside down after losing his parents. Witnessing their public execution must have been an unbearable ordeal for him.
My mom's face flashed in my mind. I suddenly missed her. Even though she often scolded me and sometimes spanked me, I never talked back to her. Even when she often forgot my name, I never got tired of reminding her that I'm her son. Now that I'm away, who's keeping her company at home? Who's getting her medicine from the pharmacy? I can only hope that Honorious, the compassionate police officer who often showed us kindness, will look after her. I hope he'll keep a watchful eye on mom while I'm away.
If I could return to my own world, Honorious wouldn't need to take care of my mom. But how can I go back? How can I reclaim my true form? I'm at a loss. Perhaps this is my penance for all the mistakes I've made. At just 15 years old, it feels like an excessively harsh punishment.
"I understand your feelings," he said, his voice laced with empathy, but my doubts about him resurfaced. Can I genuinely trust him? Perhaps he saved me because he knew about Revaliant's bounty, and the substantial reward that came with it if he were to turn me over to the king. For now, he's putting on a facade of kindness to avoid arousing my suspicion, but I've seen through his ruse. As I devise a plan to escape, I'll feign ignorance and pretend not to suspect that he's a psychopath.
"I miss my home," I said, my voice filled with longing.
"For now, consider my house as your home."
"It would be okay if there were videogames here, but it seems like they don't exist in this place. I could tolerate it if you had board games, but it seems like you don't have those either. I don't know how long I'll last here." He gave me a peculiar look, as if 'videogame' were an extraterrestrial term, but I couldn't care less if he thought me strange or insane.
"I also know that you're thinking ill of me. If I were truly evil, I would have handed you over to the royal guards stationed here the moment I rescued you. I would be enjoying a hefty sum of money as my reward for turning you in, but I didn't do that." He makes a valid point - if his intentions were malicious, I'd be facing the king right now, not conversing with him. His words struck a chord, and I felt a pang of embarrassment for my behavior towards him.
"Where did you find me? What happened to me? Why did you rescue me?" I bombarded him with questions. He let out a deep sigh, as if his throat was parched from explaining everything to me, but he had no choice but to answer me, considering I knew nothing about Revaliant's life.
But I suddenly felt a surge of anxiety when I saw his expression as he gazed out the window, as if he had just received some bad news.
"The royal officers are here, and they're definitely looking for you. Hide under the sink in the cabinet before they see you, hurry!" he ordered me. I hastily stood up to follow his orders.
I wanted to sneak a peek at the royal guards through the window to check their bearing or aura, but I couldn't do it because my priority now is my safety. When I opened the cabinet, I saw empty brandy bottles stacked inside, and I thought I could fit in there. I managed to squeeze in, but I ended up looking like a meatloaf.