Chapter 105 - You Shouldn't Have Come Back

"Then what is my back story or are you going to introduce me as a prisoner who you caught while being on your journey?" 

"We don't need such things," Aiden said with a sigh as he walked towards the entrance and saw the guards suddenly getting alert.

All the guards who worked in the capital were supposed to know the faces of all the nobles and the royals and that is why they immediately knew who Aiden was.

"Crown prince!" The leader of the guards said with a salute as all the other guards followed him. 

The black-haired boy rolled his eyes and dragged Artemis inside the capital. The silver-haired woman was let confused by the actions of the guard until she realized something.

'So the rumors about the prince leaving the capital to explore the rest of the world were true.' Her eyes were looking at Aiden's back as the teenager was rapidly teleporting them from one place to another.

"This should be a good enough place." He said with a sigh as the of them appeared in an alley in the commoner's section of the place.

His parents and the rest of the nobles would soon know that he had come back and a commotion would start at the palace. 

Now Aiden had to make sure that he convinced Artemis about his reason for lying/.

'But will it be worth it?' He asked Sera and the goddess inside him. The duo replied to him with the same answer.

< It will be >

[ It will be ]

'Whatever you guys say.' He replied and turned to look at the dangerous, beautiful woman he had met a few weeks back.

Aiden had traveled for almost two months and before that, he would have never thought that there was another capital like Mondstad. He had a lot of questions about this that he would ask his father.

But before that, he would go see his mother. 

"So you are the prince and were on a travel to see the rest of the world. Guess now I know why you hid yourself," She said with a smile as the black-haired boy blinked in confusion. "I am not some dumb woman who you have to explain yourself to. After all, I have lied too."

"Then that makes us even. I would like to take you to the palace though you know that won't be a good decision." Both of them knew that it was never a good idea to take a spy, no matter how close they were, to a very important place. 

"Then I guess I will explore this place." The beautiful woman said with a grin as Aiden rolled his eyes.

"Don't break into the noble houses and don't cause a commotion."

"As you say, partner."

"That doesn't sound reassuring." 

Aiden then vanished from his place as the silver-haired woman looked around the alley.

"Now where is the location of that maid hiring place which was exposed." She muttered under her breath and vanished too.

While Artemis was searching for the maid facility, the black-haired boy was traveling back to the palace.

< At least you weren't friend-zoned. >

'Why do you sound as though you are playing matchmaker.'

< Cause I want to. I promised you that you would experience love and if I don't play matchmaker, who else will? >

'Did you ever think that perhaps I could fall in love myself and get a wife easily?'

< Where's the fun in that? Why not go for multiple wives instead of a single one? >

'And that fulfills the criteria for the classic Japanese light novel MC.'

While talking with the Sera, Aiden's expression suddenly darkened as he remembered the last time he had been with his mother.

'System, do you think I should talk to father regarding this? There is a chance that he might be controlled too.'

< You either take the risk or you don't. These are the only two options Aiden. And for once, you can't create a third option. >

'If that's the case, I will talk with father after returning back.'

The black-haired boy then jumped down from the top of a building and landed on the ground with the help of his shadows.

The royal palace's entrance was a few meters away from where he was standing yet he saw no guards standing there.

This made the entire thing even weirder and put the teenager on his guard. He summoned Lightbringer and moved inside the palace.

'The entire place is too quiet.' The black-haired boy thought with an alert expression as he walked through the halls of the palace.

The entire place was so silent that Aiden could easily hear his heartbeat. His grip on the hilt of the sword suddenly tightened as he saw demon blood on the ground in front of him.

"Dry blood…" He muttered while checking the blood before he moved into the shadows and started moving forward from there.

< Aiden I am sensing some movement in the throne room. Be careful. > Sera had a feeling that something bloody was happening inside the palace and those in the capital were not aware of his.

The black-haired prince immediately teleported to the throne room and his stomach started churning.

"What the hell happened here…" He muttered under his breath as he looked around the throne room that used to be glorious not a long time ago.

Currently, it was bathed in black and red blood alike. Body parts of demons and perhaps humans were lying around the entire place.

< Aiden, don't look in your right direction. > Sera tried to warn the teenager but it was too late.

He had already turned in the right direction and in front of him were the faces of the three shadow element users who had grown alongside him.

The black-haired boy remained glued to his place as his heartbeat started to increase. The content in his stomach started to churn violently as he resisted the urge to throw up.

"Aiden?" A voice came from behind him as the black-haired boy turned back to see a man standing at the entrance of the room.

The man was completely bathed in blood, both black and red in color.

But Aiden could never mistake his father for someone else. Drake was standing at the entrance of the room with emotionless eyes.

But when he looked at Aiden, something ignited inside him and he wiped the blood off his face with the sleeves of his clothes.

He walked forward and hugged Aiden to his chest as the father-son duo stayed in this position for some time. Neither of them spoke anything and stayed still until Drake pushed back and stared into Aiden's eyes.

"You shouldn't have come back at this time…" The brown man stood up and looked around the room with the same emotionless eyes again.

Aiden on the other hand saw that his father had a few drops of blood on his clothes.

He was no stranger to blood and had seen it many times. But never had he seen anything so bloody and disgusting.

However, his mind suddenly went blank as he remembered something he had forgotten long ago.

'Liquid changed V2'

[ Unknown demon's blood ]

[ Unknown human's blood ]

[ Unknown demon's blood ]

[ Unknown demon's blood ]

[ Unknown human's blood ]

The same notifications filled his screen numerous times but he was no longer paying attention.

After all, it was the blood of people he didn't know.