[Author's note: This chapter is still from Simon's perspective.]
The King looked at me closely as I smiled at him. However, the smile he had known before I joined the army was very different to the one I had now. I used to smile because I was genuinely happy. But ever since I slaughtered so many people for no reason, my smile now had a sense of danger around it.
It was a smile of one who may snap at any moment like a cold-blooded predator.
The King nodded, "If you do this, you must hide your true identity. No one can know what your objectives are. Not even your brothers know that I have asked you to do this. If you get captured, under no circumstances can you tell the Imperial swine what you are doing there."
I nodded at him, "I will not give anything away. I have been trained not to say anything even while being tortured. If there was ever a problem, I would just bite off my tongue so that I would die."
What a joke.
Shouldn't the King know I would not be forced to speak? So many of my fellow soldiers were killed because we had to endure training while being tortured. I have had my fingernails ripped off, my bones broken, even acid on my skin. I never once gave in to speak to the torturers either.
If I had, they would have killed me for being weak.
So why is he so concerned about me saying something?
The King was pleased by this, "Then I can only entrust this task to you. You can bring along some Royal guards to help you but remember that they must not tell another soul about what we are doing. If they compromise the mission, you must kill them."
I bowed to him, "I understand, your Majesty."
"Good. If you succeed, then I will allow you to return to the Palace as a proper Prince. Furthermore, I will also make you the new King of the Imperial Kingdom once our army takes it over. Surely these are enough incentives to make sure you do a proper job. I don't care how long it takes as long as it gets done."
How ambitious. Although, becoming a King does sound tempting. With that power, it is sure to be easier to dethrone this sorry excuse for a King.
After all, I didn't just desire my mother's death. I too longed to kill my father and take the throne for myself.
What was the ultimate revenge if not to take the very thing the King loved and ruining it?
The King waved me off completely unaware of my dark thoughts, "You may go now. Gilyn will tell you where you can find the Holy Empress. I trust that you will handle this matter secretly. Do not speak of what we discussed today to anyone. And above all else, do not forget that if that bastard child lives, he will be a threat to the throne. If you think about sparing him, it will not hurt just me. It will hurt you as well."
A threat to the throne? This is the second time he has mentioned it.
I bowed once more, "This loyal subject understands, your Majesty."
I left the room and went to find Gilyn. I looked at him with apathetic eyes, "The King said that you have the location of the Holy Empress."
Gilyn had already been told to hand over the location to the Prince, so he did just that. At first, he was worried when he heard that the King would be sending someone after the Holy Empress to bring her back. However, since he was sending Simon, Gilyn thought that she would be safe.
It was a mistake.
I looked at the location and was surprised to see that the Holy Empress was hiding out somewhere in the Imperial Kingdom. It was up to me to discover where exactly she was hiding since they couldn't pinpoint her exact location. But there was one thing that bothered me.
"Who is the father?"
Gilyn only stared giving nothing away, "It is better for you not to know, your Highness."
I glanced up at him and muttered, "Your Highness, you say?"
What a joke.
I held myself upright. Even though I was a child, I wouldn't let him think I was weak. I spoke, "The father must belong to the Imperial Kingdom if that is the place she chose to hide at. Since everyone is being secretive, then the father must be someone of high status. Most likely someone who is a noble. I think perhaps… Even belonging to the Royal Family?"
I then looked at him to read his reaction. However, Gilyn's poker face was far too skilled. I could not read him.
Gilyn was astonished to hear such a young child put everything together so flawlessly with little to no information. He spoke without hesitation, "You really must not look into it further. I do not wish for your Highness to get hurt."
I smirked at him, "Oh? Why would you worry about that now? After everything you and my mother did to me, why would you be concerned for my wellbeing?"
This time the shock was apparent on Gilyn's face, "Your Highness… What do you mean?"
Since we were alone, I spoke spitefully, "You sent a wolf to ensure that I suffered."
"Y-Your Highness… I really do not understand what you mean…"
"Your precious friend. You paid him to get me to trust him. Then while my guard was down, he attacked me." A sadistic grin spread across my face, "But your plan failed. I turned that bastard into paste."
Gilyn turned pale, "H-He did what?"
"Do not act innocent. I am not as weak as you think."
I left Gilyn behind as I went to the room the servants had prepared for me. Over the next few days, I put my group together and began to plan for my trip to the Imperial Kingdom. Since I guessed that the father was most likely from the Royal Family, then it would be more likely that she is hiding in the Imperial City under the father's protection. I will need to contact the people I know in the Imperial City.
The King's men helped me in the planning process, but for the most part I was able to plan everything out myself. It is not like I was without resources.
As I set off to the Imperial City, I knew in my heart I would one day return to the Sanki Kingdom. On that day, I will definitely overthrow the Sanki King and make him regret what he did to me.
However, I should still thank the Sanki King. He has given me the opportunity to go get revenge on my mother for abandoning me and sending that man to "protect" me. I could care less about that bastard child. However, for my father to care that much about killing her and the child, the child must be special.
Luckily, my experience has given me lots of connections to people who could find out the truth.
When I arrived, I quickly reached out to my connections. I was currently living in the basement of a house belonging to Sanki immigrants. The lie was that I was a relative who needed to stay with them since my parents died. Because of this, it was not suspicious that I arrived. The Royal Guards I personally selected to come with me were all scattered throughout the city to avoid suspicions.
I continued to play it safe. If I were to kill the Holy Empress and her child, then I would also need to be able to continue living in the Imperial City in order to kill the King. This family was merely a coverup and a disguise. We paid them enough to make sure they would not talk, so I was confident I did not have to worry about being discovered.
Also, we kidnapped the first-born son and threatened to kill him if they gave away our secret.
These Sanki people really value first-born sons. There was no way they would betray us.
None of the other citizens seemed to realize I did not look like this family one bit. They see a tan skinned boy and that is all they care about. Why does my Kingdom fear this one so much? They are so arrogant making them easy to manipulate and fool.
I left that house and went to the red-light district. Wearing a cloak, I made sure to cover my tracks and lose any eyes I could possibly have watching me. Although my time spent in the army was cruel and merciless, at least it taught me valuable things.
I found my way to the alley to meet up with my contact. A man hidden under a cloak stepped forward and bowed, "Your Highness."
I looked at him with bored eyes, "Did you find her location?"
"It's just as you said, your Highness. She is in the Imperial City."
I smirked knowing I had been right all along. I spoke, "So just who is the man she is hiding with?"
He shook his head, "She is not hiding with a man."
My smile froze. She was not hiding with a man? How could I be wrong?
I spoke in an icy tone, "Then where is she?"
"It appears she is hiding at a brothel."