CH 2.2

Asheradren had become a harrowing memory to the royal couple, a reminder of their cruel past, and a grievous burden they could not bring themselves to extinguish.

However, the following year, after the King and Queen welcomed the birth of Princess Lethis, the prince gradually faded from their memories. The couple, relieved that Lethis was born whole and sound, with ten fingers and ten toes, found solace.

It was a relief. They were not the problem.

The King and Queen gathered all the affection meant for Asheradren and poured it onto Lethis. Lethis, a naive and joyful princess, blossomed in an environment untouched by hardship.

But Asheradren? The novel contained no further accounts regarding the prince.

“…I’ll be heading to the upper floor for a moment. By now, the prince has likely finished his meal.”

“I also need to continue my duties.”

“Shall we depart together, then?”

Exiting the dining hall, Sir Janiche and I parted ways and ascended the staircase. Ascending this towering flight of stairs multiple times a day demanded considerable physical stamina.

Was there no way to have the prince reside on the lower level this time? Although exercise is unquestionably beneficial, honestly, it proves quite taxing. Huffing and puffing, I reached the top floor.

And there it was. The meal I had left behind in the morning remained untouched, as though my visage had provoked such shock to the point of forgoing the meal.

Sigh.

“Your Highness, Prince Asheradren.”

“……”

Indeed, once again, no response reached my ears. Yet, a strange sense of determination surged within me, prompting me to persistently knock on the prince’s door.

Knock. Knock.

Knock. Knock.

Knock. Knock.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

Knock…

“Stop!”

After a considerable while, a reaction finally emerged from within the room. I should have done this sooner. I had many questions for the prince.

Why did you save me? How did you recognize me immediately when we had never crossed paths in my past life? If you had left me behind and fled, you might have had a bit more time to live…

Hmm, perhaps not. Long ago, the King and Queen, afflicted by sorrow, had sought a temple to inquire about the prince’s fate.

“He is a half-demon born with the blood of the Founding King running rich in his veins. If, as the Founding King decreed, he does not encounter his fated partner, he will not reach adulthood and die.”

However, even after attaining adulthood, the prince lived on for more than half a year. Aside from Princess Lethis, he would have been the longest-lived among the remaining royals.

When Asheradren continued living past the age of twenty, the King and Queen lost faith in the prophecy that predicted the kingdom’s downfall if the prince didn’t find his partner. Consequently, they no longer believed that the kingdom would eventually vanish.

Yet in the end, Verberat turned into an inferno sea and vanished. The prince, too, met his end without finding his fated partner. It was a lamentable turn of events. Hence, in this lifetime, I desired to find the prince’s partner.

It would undoubtedly be an arduous task. The secluded prince had not ventured beyond the castle, let alone its grounds.

Even if I were unable to find the prince’s partner, I felt a sense of obligation, as he had saved my life. Besides, there was a minuscule, almost infinitesimal chance that I could be the prince’s partner…

“Please, leave me be! Why are you suddenly doing this?”

Well, surely that wouldn’t happen. If it did, it would feel like something out of a novel. I stifled a laugh as I imagined the prince’s outburst, as the bombardment of knocks echoed in his ears.

“You haven’t had your meal, Your Highness. My duty is to ensure you’re well-fed.”

“….”

“Could you step out for a moment and bring the tray inside? I promise I won’t startle you like before.”

“…Lies. How can I believe those words?”

Confessionally, before my regression, I had never conversed with the prince for such an extended period. Although I didn’t talk with the expectation that the prince would hear me, I still chatted away.

But now, I knew. The prince, depicted as a white-furred beast in the book, was, in reality, was an incredibly handsome young man. With that astounding revelation, I couldn’t simply leave the prince as he was. Frankly, I did this also out of my own desires.

If I could just see the prince’s face one more time…

“I am not lying. How could I dare to deceive you, Your Highness? But if I fail in my duty, I will be dismissed.”

“….”

“Would you rather see me sprawled on the streets, beggar-like, right outside the castle, Your Highness?”

“…No, I didn’t mean that.”

The prince’s subsequent response held a trace of hesitation. As expected, he wasn’t the malevolent being that transforms into a monstrous creature, preying on children at night.

The prince is a good person. He even rescued someone like me, whom he had never laid eyes upon, and venture beyond the confines of the Nameless Castle to do so.

“Let’s see. It’s precisely 9:30 in the morning now, so I’ll return exactly one hour from now. Please have your meal and leave the empty dishes outside as before. I beg you.”

“….”

“Please, I beg of you!”

“…Fine.”

Having said that, I bounded down the staircase with a sense of urgency, or at least pretended to do so. Nonetheless, the naive prince appeared to believe my words implicitly. After a certain amount of time had passed, the door on the upper floor swung open.

I was certain that this time, upon seeing me, the prince would abruptly shut the door. Standing in the corridor, I firmly wedged open the gap in the door with a dusty mop, then yelled.

“Hello, Your Highness! I greet you once again. I am Daphne, who began working in the Nameless Castle a week ago… Huh?”

“Bark! Bark!”

In response, what I saw was a snow-white puppy energetically barking in my direction.

…What?