บท 26: Crown prince

Dark silk cast over the dome of the world, gradually covering the sky in silver beads of light. A bright moon dangled high above, moonlight devouring the darkness of the night.

The river water flowed relentlessly, flooding violently like an enraged divinity. The sound of splashing water cut the silence of nightfall, bringing a sense of freshness to the nigritude of eventide.

Blocking one side of the expansive river was a high cliff, while the other side was a dense forest. The cliff seemed to have cut the jungle in half, as greenery didn't cease to exist even on the other side. Only the tip of the high wall of stone was free of trees.

Sitting atop the cliff, a blue-haired youth was swinging his legs, eyes glued to the flow of water beneath, mind wandering around in memories of the distant past.

If it wasn't because of his regressions, those memories wouldn't feel so blurry. It has been a little bit over 10 years, 13 or 14, to be exact. He must've been able to remember everything clearly, or at least, not forget the most important parts, but now, after living so many lives and dying numerous times, most of the things were unclear for him.

Ian didn't care about the forgotten past. He knew the overall situation and that was enough. In fact, it was better this way. Nothing good ever awaited him in that past. However, it seemed that he needed those memories right now. The fact that he wasn't sure about anything left him irritated and stressed out.

-Master, someone is moving this way.

At Lior's words, Ian took his eyes off the water and looked back. A black horse galloped up the hill and stopped where the trees ended. A man, clad in clothes darker than the night, alighted from the horse with a light jump, landing next to it and standing still, tightly clenching his sword, watching the other boy in silence.

A breeze, cold as the gaze of the swordsman, swept past, swaying Ian's slightly long dark-blue hair around. His hair was as dark as the night sky as if each strand was directly soaked in the dome's color plate before birth.

"Hah!"

Ian let out a chuckle-like sigh while getting up. Did this mean his guess was proven right even though he still couldn't believe it?

"Life is truly full of surprises," he muttered under his lips, yet his voice audible to the other person in the stillness of the night.

"...."

Upon standing up, Ian brushed his hair back first before leaning a little bit forward, trying to make out the kind of expression his opposing boy was making.

"...I thought you'd forgotten everything."

Raven finally spoke, voice fleeting and hesitant.

"Forgotten? No, it's not that." Ian looked down the cliff, at the ruthless water he was once tossed into, and chuckled softly, "It's just that, the probability of you being still alive was so low that I didn't even consider it."

Not just in this life, but in all of his previous lives, Ian never ever thought of the possibility of this person's survival, but the man had always been alive, just around him, yet Ian didn't even notice.

"So was yours."

Raven raised a brow as if saying 'I recognized you so why couldn't you?'

"Come on! I go around carrying a blue flag with me all the time!"

Ian ruffled his hair, hinting that it was too easy for him to be identified.

"Hah, I'm still..."

'Frustrated over my blindness.'

Ian kept those words to himself. He pushed all the extra thoughts to the back of his head and instead, chuckled once more time.

"You've grown so much, Kieran!"

The young man with slightly curly, messy black hair had a few scars on his face and numerous on his hands, showing the life he'd gone through as a disciple of the sword. His eyes were deep and dark, like bottomless black holes, and his skin was slightly tanned due to the sun. He had a handsome face for a person his age, one that multiple girls would fall for if not for the murderous glare he had all the time, though, That glare was now gone, replaced with mild warmth.

'He's grown to look like his father.'

Ian couldn't help but reminisce, comparing the young man to the person in his memories.

"We are the same age, so you've grown too."

Though, he was too rigid and arrogant to be compared to that person.

'You won't know how much more I've grown, hehe!'

The wind was blowing on his hair, making it obstruct his vision. Ian covered the navy strains with a hand and cast his gaze at the distant city, bright with the lights of the house and cheerful due to the ceremony going on.

"You've changed a lot... Well, I guess that's called growing up!"

"Says who?" Kieran huffed under his breath. "I had so many doubts all because of your demeanor and behavior. Are you really the same child I know? Can growing up change someone to this extent?"

In his response, Ian only smiled. If Ian of the past saw his future self, he too wouldn't recognize himself.

The silence was heavy and long-lasting, yet relaxing for the two who had met each other after so many years. Thinking back at their first interaction, Ian couldn't help but chuckle.

"Why didn't you approach me properly from the beginning? You could just tell me your name, you know. You should've just come to me to have a talk, instead of stalking me like a freaking murderer. I really thought you wanted to kill me!"

The swordman's, Kieran's, brows arched, face instantly stained with surprise, as if that was the least probable thing he thought he'd hear.

"...I..."

Kieran paused first before walking forward, standing a few steps away from Ian. He raised the sword in his hand high and unsheathed it, revealing its clear blade that twinkled under the moonlight.

. . . . . .

"Young master Alaric, why don't you taste this wine? It's The Empire's most famous wine, and a pretty old one, they said."

"Hmm?" Alaric put down his glass of juice, "No, I don't like wine."

"Eh? Why not?"

At Barnett's response, Alaric only shrugged.

"I just don't like it."

"I see."

Barnett had a disappointed face but didn't bother the other nobleman more. Taking small sips of the crimson wine from time to time and discussing with the nobles the other times, he enjoyed a relaxing time at the banquet.

"Hey, tell me." After some time, Alaric Poqlen suddenly leaned his way, whispering a question, "Is that the heir of Isbert's family?"

He pointed at a blonde man on the other side of the table. He looked to be in his late twenties. As a noble young man with high social skills, his surroundings were always filled with multiple important figures discussing various matters with him.

Barnett's face darkened ever so slightly, but clear enough for Alaric to notice the change.

"Why do you ask about him?"

"Just curious."

"Hmm?" The son of the duke cast a glance at the other son of the duke and then back at his friend. "Is it because of your sister?"

"M-my sister?"

Alaric flinched, feeling that his thoughts were read through by the other party.

"I heard he was one of Miss Elaria's many marriage candidates, was the rumor wrong?"

"Eh???"

Marriage? Candidate? Alaric didn't know about that! He was flustered for a second, not knowing what to say or how to respond.

At that moment, a loud boom resounded in the hall, bringing a heavy silence with it. The announcer at the door shouted louder than ever as if wanting the whole world to hear his voice.

"His Majesty Gwynn Aster, The Great Emperor of Asteriand, are making their entry!"

The guests all acted at the same time, standing up and bowing their backs deep in front of the man as if facing a god and not a mere human. In the silence of the vast hall, the sound of footsteps echoed loudly, representing the arrival of the star of the banquet.

"We greet his majesty!"

Someone spoke. The others followed suit.

"We greet his majesty!"

Alaric awkwardly repeated everything the others did as he didn't know what he was supposed to say or do.

At that moment, the announcer shouted yet again.

"His Royal Highness, Eliot Aster, The Imperial Prince, are making their entry!"

Another pair of footsteps entered the hall, sounding lighter and faster than the previous ones. The two people who had brought a sense of heaviness and seriousness to the cheerful banquet walked atop the carpet and went up the high platform designed for them.

"You may sit!"

At the voice, everyone bowed one more time before moving back and sitting in their chairs. Once their movements ceased, the person whom everyone was gathered here for began his speech.

"Today is a great day for me..."

Alaric didn't pay any attention to the speech as he knew the person would say unimportant stuff in the most complicated way that it would seem very profound. Every high-position person spoke like that. Instead, he peeked at his face and at the young boy standing beside him.

The Emperor had a fitting build for a middle-aged man, seeming firm and healthy. His white, snow-colored hair was long and straight, tied with a ribbon behind his back, seeming elegant. His face had a few wrinkles and his bread was well-kempt, creating an atmosphere of deep wisdom around him.

Contrary to him was the young man at his side, the boy titled as the future emperor. He had a childish face, looking not even twenty, hair curly, dark blue in color. His eyes were lighter than his hair, also dark blue.

'I really didn't want to see the protagonist. At least, it's good that I don't have anything to do with him!'

Alaric heaved a sigh of relief. However, the more he looked at the young crown prince, the more he felt something amiss.

'Come to think of it, didn't most of the other kings and queens have similar hair color? They were mostly blue but in different shades. Is it something that goes in their blood?'

Alaric tilted his head from side to side. He'd never known about this fact. How was it possible for him not to know about such an important piece of information?

'It shouldn't be something special though, I mean, I have a blue-haired guy beside me too, but he is just a servant.'

He smiled at the thought and shook his head, a heavy feeling descending into his chest upon thinking of his friend.

'And he went missing just before the banquet...'

Alaric suddenly paused at his own thoughts, the smile freezing on his lips.

'A blue-haired servant that disappeared right before the banquet where the crown prince and the other kings all have blue hair and eyes...'

"...."

He put down the glass of juice he was holding.

"...."

One look at the prince, one at the emperor, and one at his glass of orange juice, Alaric repeated the procedure again and again.

"...."

. . . . . . . . .

The blade twinkled under the moonlight, reflecting its owner's face at one side and the blue-haired boy's expression at the other. Kieran flipped his arm, shifting the hilt between his fingers, before grabbing the sword with both hands and taking a large step forward.

"Murdering you?"

Stab

"I would never commit such a deed."

The tip of the blade thrust deep into the ground. The owner knelt down, leaning on his sword, bowing his head down to the other person.

"Crown prince!"