“Rapun, Rapun…”
With a look of utter dismay, Ludwig sprinted down the dock as if trying to catch the boat growing smaller in the distance. Even when he reached the end of the dock, he didn’t slow down, causing Robert to leap forward and stop him, and the two of them tumbled together for a while.
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
With his hands covering his eyes, Robert lay facing the sky and looked worriedly at the motionless Ludwig.
“Damn, to lose sight of it right in front of me.”
“I’m sorry, there was no time to react before they were on board…”
Robert’s usually playful eyes darkened as if swallowing the darkness. As Ludwig, supported by Elias, stood up, a calm fury, like the quiet before a storm, could be felt emanating from him.
“I suppose that’s to be expected. Failing to even properly time the meet—typical of the Imperial Knights of the Romanov Empire.”
Ludwig turned his back coldly.
In truth, he was angrier with himself than anyone else.
Having been magically sealed by the Emperor, he felt like a half-prince, unable to use even basic teleportation magic—helpless and pathetic.
But then a question occurred to him.
“Elias, why did Rapun even come here?”
“Who knows? Maybe he found out everything?”
“What everything? That Rapun’s sister stole a bracelet? Came looking for the sold and lost bracelet?”
“It seems he knows everything since he came here.”
“I didn’t want him to know…”
Especially because he’s already so burdened, if he found out about the seal inside the stolen bracelet caused him trouble, he’d surely blame himself…
A dark shadow flickered in Ludwig’s golden eyes.
“Huh?”
“Never mind. For now, let’s find out what kind of ship is docked, where it’s heading, and sneak aboard.”
Ludwig silently prayed as he rode away on a horse left at the dock.
‘Rapun, please be safe. I’ll come to rescue you soon…’
***
“Shick, shick, shick—it should be cut in one clean swipe. Then the cut will be as smooth and soft as a girl’s hand.”
Brimming with pride, Ricardo boasted about the numerous battlefields he had conquered and the creatures and men he had slain.
And so he went on, for hours on end. Whether it was dawn or not, bright and clear sunlight streamed through the bars, illuminating the inside of the warehouse.
“Ever held a girl’s hand?”
Ariel, seemingly curious, asked.
“Of course, I’m sixteen. Naturally!”
Ricardo pointed at himself and shrugged.
“Yes…”
As Ariel weakly responded, Ricardo, perhaps misunderstanding, confessed.
“Don’t be disappointed. I actually haven’t. If I were to hold a girl’s hand, I’d have to take responsibility as a man.”
“But why did you say that?”
“You really don’t know much. It’s called a poetic expression; that’s how you make things sound impressive.”
“…Yes.”
Ariel, nodding off from sleepiness, responded dryly.
All night long, she hadn’t slept a wink listening to Ricardo’s tales of artistic cutting.
“You, how old are you to be using honorifics all the time?”
“I’m sixteen.”
“What, that’s the same as me. Speak informally!”
“No, it’s okay.”
Nodding off, her head bobbed forward.
“Is that so? You’re a commoner, then. I’m a noble, but we can be friends; it’s fine.”
Ricardo offered magnanimously, but Ariel shook her head.
“No.”
‘I don’t want to be friends with someone who keeps me awake all night talking about clean cuts.’
Ariel grumbled to herself.
“Okay, this time I’ll tell you about catching a Red Dragon. Magic users and mercenaries gathered just to catch one dragon…”
“…”
“The head mage was about to cast a spell, but I beheaded it in the blink of an eye. Ricardo Ferzen von Edelweiss, that’s me.”
Ricardo looked at Ariel expectantly, like a child awaiting praise, but Ariel nodded off and then suddenly collapsed forward into Ricardo’s arms.
“What? Are you asleep?”
“…”
“You’re the only one who has stayed up all night listening to my stories since Rapunzel.”
Ricardo murmured regretfully as a voice came from outside.
“…He has a taste for pretty boys. Bring him along with the bracelet.”
“Jack, let’s make a real score this time and turn our luck around,” a voice called out.
Two distinct voices rang out.
Ricardo, carrying Ariel on his shoulder, effortlessly kicked the door open, which comically fell forward.
The sudden commotion took aback two men standing by the door, their eyes wide and mouths agape.
The face was that of a young boy, but he was around 180 cm tall and surprisingly strong. Awakened by the noise, Ariel, who was dangling from Ricardo’s shoulder, started to thrash in shock.
“Hold still; this will be over quickly.”
Ricardo had barely finished speaking when he swung the sword he was wearing at his waist.
“Aaaagh!”
Ariel, still perched on his shoulder, screamed wildly, and Ricardo set her down on the ground.
“What’s the matter? Such a scaredy-cat, screaming like a little girl…”
Ricardo remarked nonchalantly. Ariel, still shaking all over and frightened, forced her eyes open, fearing that there might be a criminal among them.
Luckily, one of the fallen men was indeed the culprit.
“Can I… can I take one of these guys with me?” Ariel managed to say.
“What?”
Ricardo looked at her as if she’d said something unexpected.
“Yeah, like you said… His sword skills are impressive, and I want to show my friends…”
“Really? You’re finally getting it?”
Ricardo asked, his face lighting up.
“Which one of these two seems better?”
“Uh, uh… this one!”
Ariel pointed to one of the men, half-covering her eyes.
“Hmm, really? I think so, too. He’s had the best sword skills I’ve seen lately. I’ll have to brag about it to my mom at home. You take this instead.”
Ricardo pointed at a face that wasn’t the culprit’s.
‘No, I need the culprit. What now…’
While Ariel was pondering, her stomach began to growl without anyone speaking up first.
“Are you hungry?”
Ricardo frowned as if troubled.
“Yeah.”
“What to do? There’s nothing to eat here. Let’s dock at the nearest pier and head to an inn or a restaurant.”
As Ariel nodded at Ricardo’s suggestion, her gaze drifted to a fish swimming gracefully in the sea, and she inadvertently swallowed.
“Since you’re good with a knife, can’t you catch some fish?”
“I’m perfect at everything, but I’m afraid of water.”
Ricardo shrugged apologetically, then walked over to the bodies.
He rummaged through a pocket and showed off various items he pulled out—daggers, jewels, a watch, potions, but nothing really exciting.
“Wow, this bracelet, I bet… it could buy a whole castle?”
As Ricardo waved the bracelet, Ariel made up her mind, grabbed the culprit’s face, and dashed. She snatched the bracelet from Ricardo’s hand and plunged into the sea.
Startled by the sudden turn of events, Ricardo looked bewilderedly into the sea and muttered.
“…I would have given it to you if you asked. Was that clean-cut really worth dying for?”
***
Ludwig and Elias entered the noble assembly hall with grim expressions.
Ludwig was worried about Rapun, and Elias had a nagging feeling that today’s noble meeting was a trap set by Prince Justin.
As Ludwig took his seat at the head of the table, Prince Justin and the nobles sat down.
The noble assembly was usually conducted by a rotation of high-ranking nobles chairing the meeting, and the emperor or crown prince sometimes attended when there were important issues.
“The drought in the western region is severe, and the serfs are dying. Please discuss the measures,” stated Duke Allen, who was chairing the meeting.
“We need to open the noble’s granaries. We can’t just let the people die,” proposed one participant.
“That’s not possible. With the ongoing war with the neighboring kingdom, nobles have not only emptied their granaries but also sent their children to war. And now you want to open the granaries again?”
“We should open the royal treasury. There’s growing resentment among the people because the palace keeps holding banquets every day.”
“We’ve already tapped into the royal treasury to keep the people in line, and even the palace is running low.”
“Ha, what a dilemma. Isn’t there some clever solution?”
“We should open the treasure stores of the Crown Prince.”
Duke Charmant, a close associate of Prince Justin, spoke up.
“No, Duke Charmant. Opening the Crown Prince’s treasury? His Highness cherishes those treasures.”
Justin said sarcastically.
“Ha, the people are suffering and you’re still hung up on treasures?”
Duke Charmant clicked his tongue in disdain.
“To His Highness, those treasures are more precious than the people.”
Justin looked around at the nobles, seeking agreement, but they all looked at Ludwig disapprovingly.
“What do you mean ‘treasures more precious than the people’?” Duke Allen asked with a voice full of anger.
“A few years ago, when visiting the people affected by floods, didn’t you refuse to get out of your carriage because you didn’t want to wet your feet?”
“…”
“You sat there, only reaching out your arm, and wasn’t it that very bracelet on your wrist that dazzled so brightly that it drew the people’s grievances?”
Prince Justin blatantly criticized Ludwig, listing only the facts, which made it difficult for anyone to counter.
However, everyone was simply waiting for Ludwig to make a decision.
“If that is the sentiment of the council, I will endeavor to address this drought.”
Ludwig conceded as Justin and Duke Charmant exchanged looks.
“Time is of the essence; please stamp the document.”
Duke Charmant presented Ludwig with a document that proposed using funds from the crown prince’s personal treasury to aid the drought-stricken western regions.
“I will review it and then approve.”
As Ludwig stood up, the snake-like and cunning Count Chatin seized the moment to speak.
“Your Highness, I notice the bracelet you always wore is missing.”
“Is it true that you’ve lost the bracelet?”
“And rumors suggest you’ve also lost the seal.”
Prince Justin’s associates swarmed Ludwig like bees attacking.
“Gentlemen, calm yourselves. The rumors are not true. I will review the details and then apply the seal.”
Elias spoke calmly.
“Your Highness, if you haven’t lost the seal, please show it to us here and now. Do you know that a crown prince who loses the seal can be deemed unfit for the throne? This was the case with the fifth crown prince, Prince Hose.”
Justin cornered Ludwig with the greedy eyes of a hunter closing in on his prey.
All eyes turned to Ludwig, and he momentarily closed his eyes, exhausted. Suddenly, the door burst open, and Rapunzel, wearing a cloak and her face covered with cloth instead of a mask to hide burn scars, burst in.
In one hand, she carried the swollen face of a criminal, and in the other, she waved the bracelet, panting.
“Ha, Your Highness. I apologize for the delay in completing my errand.”
Ludwig slowly scanned Ariel from head to toe as if time had slowed to a standstill.
The burn scars partially uncovered by the cloth and various scratches on her face momentarily overwhelmed him.
Something hot and fierce rose in his golden eyes, like lava.
🍉🍉🍉
T/N: this is just me posting reminder checkpoints every now and then to clarify that I’m still using feminine pronouns when the narration is referring to Ariel/Rapunzel. Still, otherwise, when Ludwig or his servants (who are not aware) are referring to her, I’d have to switch up the pronouns. Please let me know if this is confusing, or what you would rather prefer. Thanks and happy reading c:
