RGS Volume 2 Part 2

“That is not possible, Your Majesty.”

Truyde stepped forward and stared straight at the king.

“His Highness is a noble person. He is the only one who will become the next king. It is dangerous outside the palace. He cannot stay in a place where safety is not guaranteed.”

“Is the palace safe?”

When Trude responded to the king’s mocking tone with a “Yes?” and laughter was heard.

“Is the palace truly a safe place when even the sacred forest, which has been forbidden to the public for hundreds of years, can burn down in an instant?”

“……”

Truyde bit his lower lip, unable to answer. The King’s Hearts exchanged bewildered glances. The king had never questioned their actions before. If he expressed any opposition, he would not be able to obtain the desired medicine. But this time was different.

“Even though I am just a scarecrow king, it is a very unpleasant thing that Dragon Forest and a part of the royal palace disappeared without my permission.”

Instead of saying anything, he turned to look at the silent attendants and ordered firmly.

“Send the prince to a remote place where there are no people. Only one knight and one maid should accompany him, and make sure he would not receive any help from anyone. The knight who failed to prevent the prince’s act of treason will be exiled with him to atone for their sins. Do you understand? The prince cannot be summoned to the palace until I forgive him.”

The king gave the order, but the key figures who actually had the authority were discussing this matter for hours. If necessary, they could simply cut off the king’s medicine and wait for him to raise his hand, but the situation had become complicated because of the blatant mention of the Dragon Forest.

It was understandable for anyone to be angered by their setting the forest on fire without his consent. So, it was difficult for even the King’s Heart to refuse if they argued for the prince’s exile. The king seemed to be negotiating as if saying that if the prince disappeared from his sight, he would forgive the destruction of the forest.  It was a side of the king that they had never seen before.

“Now that the prince has become an easily controllable existence, it seems okay to send him into exile. Anyway, now that he has become blind, there is nothing he can do even if he grows up.”

Everyone, except Truyde, nodded in agreement with someone’s opinion. Soon, Norhox stepped forward to help.

“That’s right. What’s important now is to cater to the king’s whims. We can send the prince into exile for now, appease the king, and then quietly bring him back once things settle down. And even in a remote location, as long as soldiers are guarding, there shouldn’t be any danger, right?”

Then, as if a thought occurred to him, he added.

“Fortunately, there is a suitable girl to accompany the prince. It is a girl who has already poisoned Abel’s food and harbors resentment towards the prince, considering him a devil. So, there’s no need to worry about her administering the black potion to the prince.

Although Norhox recommended a suitable person to go there, Truyde still remained silent with a furrowed brow, not expressing his opinion.

“But Lord Truyde seems to oppose it…”

Norhox urged Truyed with his eyes to speak. Truyde finally looked around at the people.

“It is not good for the prince to be out of our sight. I believe he should stay in the palace.”

“His Majesty dislikes it, there is nothing we can do about it, right?”

“With time, His Majesty will eventually come to terms with it.”

“But as time passes, we will be known as the ones who set fire to the Dragon Forest. No matter how much power we hold, it will not be beneficial to be accused of destroying something sacred.”

Norhox added, strongly objecting.

“What we need now is a king who supports us. We need a proper justification. When Duke Truyde decided to burn the forest, we didn’t know what was coming.”

While everyone agreed to burn the forest, when things took an unexpected turn, others looked at Truyde with blame, just like Norhox. Truyde realized that the situation was unfavorable and frowned.

This time, he had to watch as the rest of the people decided to follow the king’s will. However, the reason for his bad mood was not because of this. It just felt like something was wrong. Despite everything was going smoothly, it felt strangely like plummeting off a cliff.

[T/N: The idiom “plummeting off a cliff” is often used figuratively to describe a sudden and dramatic decline or downfall in a situation. In the context of the sentence, it suggests that despite everything seeming normal or proceeding as expected, there is an underlying feeling of impending disaster or failure, akin to suddenly and unexpectedly plummeting off a cliff. This conveys a sense of unease or foreboding about the situation, even though there may not be any overt signs of trouble.]

Perhaps it was the sudden gathering of the attendants and the decree to exile the prince that caused it? He did not put medicine in the king’s food today, as if it were a punishment from the King’s Heart. However, the king just chuckled, even though his hands and feet were trembling due to his withdrawal symptoms.

“Your Majesty.”

The Regas, as slender as a woman who was next to him, called him in surprise, he couldn’t stop laughing, as if finding it amusing.

The prince was sent far away as he wished. But because of this, he would likely suffer quite a bit without his medicine for the next few days. However, the king simply could not stop laughing.

When he ordered the exile and mentioned the Dragon Forest, he remembered their surprised and bewildered faces. In the midst of his frequent laughter, the king remembered the one who made him laugh like this. No, the issue was what he had said. It was really just a trivial remark. He had only spoken a single sentence.

“Your Majesty.”

Talking about the Spring of Prayer was just an attempt to tease. It was to annoy the carefree Regas who stuck to the prince so closely. He made it seem like the Spring of Prayer, which was nothing special, held a great secret.

In the end, he hoped the Regas would despair in vain efforts. Because the prince’s Regas was too calm even though he knew he was going to die. He even spouted nonsense about the prince being strong. However, when he finished speaking and turned around, he called the king.

The king turned back with anticipation.

What secret is there in the Spring of Prayer?

Can you please tell me more?

He thought he would hear pleas and requests. But the person he faced looked at him warmly with his green eyes and said this.

‘Your Majesty’s life is not over yet.’

The king couldn’t move from where he was. He couldn’t take his eyes off that ugly face smiling. He still don’t know exactly why he was so surprised to hear those words. Maybe because those words were the complete opposite of his reality. His life was as good as over a long time ago.

Living like a scarecrow and spending time dazedly under the influence of medicine was his whole life. But it’s not over yet. At first, the king was uncontrollably furious at the words of the ignorant youngster, but soon, he changed.

“The prince’s Regas is said to have died.”

The King’s Regas, who delivered the news with a giggle, added that it was interesting that he ran away to the forest and died hugging the prince. Right in front of the Spring of Prayer. The foolish boy had truly died in vain, just as the king had intended.

However, he didn’t feel like laughing. It was no longer amusing. That night, strangely, even though he took the medicine, he felt clear-headed. It was as if he had returned to normal, and everything appeared vividly. After dismissing the Regas and spending his night alone, the king suddenly thought, Maybe I should try living a little.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Ashler felt that this place resembled the Dragon Forest. Though most forests made of trees would appear similar, it was just a feeling he had. The small castle where the prince was exiled was nothing more than a crumbling haunted house.

Except for himself, a knight, and one maid to attend to the prince, no one could stay by the prince’s side. Therefore, the soldiers set up outposts around the castle at a certain distance. The security was quite strict, so there was no worry about external intrusion, but the issue was the prince.

The prince who doesn’t even allow changing bandages to apply for medicine. With the yellowed bandages still wrapped around his face, the prince sat like a doll even in the new place. On the first night, Ashler knelt in front of him and pleaded.

“Please allow me to treat your wounds.”

There won’t be a reaction this time either. While thinking so, unexpectedly, the prince showed a reaction. Slowly raising his hand and fumbling, he began to untie the knot where the bandage was tied. Ashler was startled and quickly got up to help.

“Your Highness, let me help….”

“From now on.”

How long has it been since he last heard his voice? Ashler was stunned by the prince’s voice and couldn’t move. The prince began to slowly untie and remove the bandages. His voice was slow but clear.

“What you saw.”

One loop, two loops. The tightly wrapped bandage fell off like a white snake.

“If you say a word of it.”

Ashler stared at the prince’s eyes, now free of all bandages, as if under a spell. There were no wounds in his closed eyes, just smooth closed eyelids.

“Then.”

The eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened, revealing the pupils. They were the eyes of an ordinary person. They weren’t even yellow. Just very common gray eyes.

Gasp! As Ashler gasped for breath, a creepy voice that was hard to believe belonged to a child echoed.

“I will tear you to shreds.”

The gray eyes instantly turned into a blade as if following the prince’s will. Just like the previous eyes of a snake.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

It was a pleasant dream. Abel saw that the palace wasn’t burning. Melmond, who was as clear as the day, smiled happily with his pregnant wife, and his child named Roy, on either side. Ashler, wearing a shining armor, rode a horse magnificently and led numerous soldiers around somewhere.

In a certain place in the capital, Serene spent a busy day as the owner of a large store, dealing with many customers without a rest. Everyone looked happy. The scenery flashed by like the wind, and suddenly, a burning section of the palace appeared. Yet, amidst the flames, there were still those who laughed, having consumed the black potion.

Who are they? Why are they still burning?

Although it was an uneasy feeling, suddenly, relief came when looking at the back of someone watching the burning buildings and people. Although the tall man’s appearance was not clearly visible, it could be seen that he was the prince.

Thank goodness, the prince is well.

Moreover, the prince was holding the hand tightly of the person standing next to him. He kept looking down at him as if he were precious. Although the face of the slender person with blonde hair was not visible either, Abel was happy.

See? Everything will be fine in the future.

This is probably his last dream. He thought that such a deep sleep would end in death. Strangely, though, his senses did not fade.

Did he come to hell?

He slowly opened his eyes in confusion. A bright world appeared. And he, himself, was still alive.

Huh?