Going Back to The Ruins of Heiden

"We're here." The soldier's voice on the front seat woke Prince Xavier from his nap.

He opened the car door and stared at the abandoned palace ahead. Even in ruins, its magic barrier remained intact.

"Xavier."

He turned and saw his mother, Queen Lustia, stepping out of the car behind him.

"Mom."

The queen's complexion was pale, with a lingering sadness in her eyes.

Yesterday, Prince Xavier had walked in on his parents arguing in Rara's room. His mother wanted a divorce, but his father refused.

He rarely saw them fight, but this was their most alarming argument he had ever witnessed.

Afterwards, Queen Lustia personally recruited a few people into the palace and prepared to return to this forgotten place. Worried she might act recklessly and run into trouble, Prince Xavier silently agreed with his father to follow her.

They set off in the morning, stopping briefly for lunch and rest before arriving just before nightfall.

Other than the queen, Prince Xavier and Rara, Assistant Panda, with six maids, six servants, and twenty soldiers, also accompanied them.

"Mom, will the barrier be enough to keep us safe?" Prince Xavier asked, hesitation lacing his voice.

Queen Lustia surveyed the palace before replying, "This place has been abandoned for too long. Even with the barrier intact, there are still ways for others to get inside."

His frown deepened. "So we might run into intruders?"

The queen shook her head. "Don't assume the worst. Not everyone who enters is an enemy. Some may just be seeking refuge."

Prince Xavier was about to argue, but his mother had already stepped forward, placing her hand on the barrier.

As if recognizing its owner, the barrier flared to life, pulsing with brilliant light that nearly blinded them all. The ground rumbled beneath their feet, scaring them.

Everyone instinctively shut their eyes, waiting for the blinding light to fade before cautiously opening them again.

Astonishment filled their faces as the barrier parted, creating an entrance large enough for all nine cars to pass through.

Prince Xavier gestured to the soldiers behind the wheels. "Move in."

One by one, the vehicles rolled forward, traversing into the palace grounds. As soon as the last car entered, the barrier sealed itself once more, restoring its protective shield.

The convoy came to a halt in front of the palace.

"Secure the area!" Assistant Panda commanded, leading the soldiers inside to sweep the premises while the others remained standing behind their masters.

Prince Xavier expanded his senses to detect any hidden threats lurking in the shadows.

"Mom, if the barrier can protect the palace, why couldn't it shield the entire kingdom?"

Queen Lustia, lost in her thoughts, only snapped back to reality at the sound of Prince Xavier's question.

"It once did," she murmured. "Before the kingdom fell, the barrier stretched across the entire land. But after the destruction, its core—hidden within this palace—was barely strong enough to keep the ruins safe."

Prince Xavier nodded, mulling over her words. A moment later, he asked, "Have you ever thought about restoring the kingdom?"

The queen froze, caught off guard by his question. A bitter smile curved her lips. "And how would I do that? I have no resources, no workers to rebuild it. And even if I did..." She took a deep breath. "What's the point of restoring an empty kingdom with no people left to call it home?"

Her words made sense, but Prince Xavier wasn't ready to give up. "But you said people are still hiding here..."

The queen shot him a look, and Prince Xavier immediately shut his mouth, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Why are you so interested in recovering this place? Do you have resources? Do you have people? Do you have money?"

Prince Xavier pressed his lips together, turning his head away under the queen's glare.

"Agh!"

The stalemate ended when shouts echoed from within the palace.

They entered the palace door just as a soldier's body was thrown out, landing at their feet with a cough of blood. It wasn't long before another soldier was tossed out beside him.

"Who are you?! Show yourself!" Prince Xavier growled.

The room was dim, barely lit, but Prince Xavier and Queen Lustia had no trouble seeing through the darkness.

The man in the darkness answered with arrogance, "Someone you shouldn't offend."

Prince Xavier's eyes flashed with malice as he lunged at the man, moving with lightning speed. But the person effortlessly sidestepped him, causing Prince Xavier's punch to slam into the wall instead.

The man seemed surprised for a moment before a smirk curled up at the corner of his lips. "Interesting."

Prince Xavier relentlessly continued his assault, each strike aimed with the sole purpose of testing the mysterious figure.

But the person dodged his punches as nimble as a snake, evading every blow. The constant dodging only served to infuriate Prince Xavier.

His eyes glowed red with barely contained rage before he vanished instantly. The man was caught off guard; his eyes darted around, observing the darkness in search of the prince's whereabouts.

Unfortunately, he was unaware of the danger looming above him. By the time he sensed it, it was far too late. Prince Xavier's palm struck his head with quick precision, and terror filled the man's eyes when he felt his very soul being absorbed from his body.

It was Prince Xavier's witch essence, a power that would drain a person's soul until they died, leaving nothing but a lifeless skeleton.

"I lost!" The man, sensing his impending death, trembled in fear and immediately surrendered.

Prince Xavier, still lost in a haze of satisfaction, reveled in the power he'd just absorbed, his body filled with the delight of taking in such a potent soul.

Queen Lustia observed this and realized that Prince Xavier had yet to master control over his abilities. She moved to intervene, but before she could act, a servant burst into the room, shouting, "Lady Chihara woke up!"

At the sound of her name, Prince Xavier finally reacted. He released the man and bolted out the door.

The man crumpled to the floor with a thud, unconscious from the sudden loss of energy.

Excitement and anxiety flickered in Prince Xavier's eyes as he spotted Rara emerging from the car, one hand pressed against her head.

A frown creased her face.

"Hara! You're awake!" He rushed forward and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

Queen Lustia watched the scene in silence, her expression momentarily frozen. Then, a soft smile tugged at her lips.

It seemed Rara had a much greater impact on him than she had initially thought.