Chapter 15 Did The Prince Turn Cold?

-Morning in Haria Castle-

“Clove?” Luke knocked on the door of the prince’s room. Prince Clove fixed his clothes first before he opened the door.

Luke frowned as he notice he was alone in the room and didn't see the attendant. “Where is your attendant?” he asked.

“I told him to leave since I don’t need him. I can get dressed on my own.” And it's not comfortable that someone I don't know will attend to me, Clove thought.

Luke sighed. “I notice that you seem a bit different. Are you really..…” Luke stared at him. Prince Clove suddenly got startled. Did he notice that I’m not the real prince?

“Are you really...nervous on your first day of hunting demons?”

“W-what?” Prince Clove was taken aback, he didn't expect Luke's question.

“Haha. I knew it, you are nervous, Clove. Naturally, you will feel nervous since it will be your first time hunting demons. But do not worry. You have my full support. Since you’ve decided to hunt demons, I am sure that you’ve realized that you can control your powers now. But to be honest, I am a little bit… just a little bit, okay? I...I do not trust that you think you can control your powers now! Are you sure you will start hunting demons now? Well, Denver is a genius kid. He will probably protect you. But remember the other day? Your power is too strong! I was not able to sleep last night, because I’m so worried about you---“ Clove suddenly cut him off. “Stop.” What is he, my mother? He keeps on nagging me. Well, I’m glad that he doesn’t notice that I am not the real prince. Zale thought.

“May I ask where the Moonlight Demon Hunters’ chambers are?”

“Ha! Can’t you tell that I am worried about you? Huhu you have changed… Let me accompany you to the Moonlight Guild. My nephew does not care about me anymore.” Said Luke, feeling so down. Clove just sighed about Luke's behavior.

As they entered the Moonlight Guild, demon hunters who saw Prince Clove stared at him

coldly or strangely and started talking badly about him.

“What is he doing here?”

“Don’t tell me he’s planning to join the Moonlight Guild?”

“You must be kidding. Him? How can a weakling join the Moonlight Guild?”

“Yeah, right.”

“Hey! Do you all think that we are deaf? How dare you speak---“ Luke wasn’t able to finish his sentence when Prince Clove cut him off. “Don’t pay any attention to them,” Clove said coldly. Luke noticed that Clove’s face was emotionless. Whenever he heard people talking about him, he usually lowered his head, paying heed to every word he heard. At that moment, however, Luke could see that Clove had changed. Though Luke did not mind it and thought that Clove was merely becoming mature.

The hunters that kept talking about the prince suddenly felt afraid of Clove when he suddenly glared at them as if he could kill any of them anytime. Tsk. Their stares are really annoying. Clove thought as he threw them a death glare.

When the hunters noticed that Clove and Luke were already far from them, they started talking about the prince again.

“W-why do I feel that Prince Clove is acting strange?”

“He never glares at us like that…”

“I got shivers…”

“Does he usually act like that? He’s being cold towards us...”

“Ha! What are you all spouting about? You are already scared just because he glared at you? Remember, he’s only an incompetent prince; he’s weak! He isn’t fit to be the next king!” A man grew angry at them. He despised the prince, and the other hunters felt the same. “You are right.” But there are still hunters in Moonlight Guild that don't agree with them.

“Oh! Great to see you again, Prince Clove!” Denver greeted Prince Clove excitedly as he and Luke arrived at the chambers of Moonlight Demon Hunters. Clove merely nodded at him in response.

“Let me introduce you to the three hunters that will accompany us on our expedition. This is Gregord, Lucas, and Cara.”

“Greetings, Prince Clove.” Gregord had a massive physique. He was wielding a silver shield.

“Hello, Your Highness. I am Cara.” She said while holding her staff.

“I’m Lucas, Your Highness,” Lucas said as he put his sword back in its sheath.

“I will be trusting you all to look after Clove, okay? You already know that he cannot control his powers well.” Luke ordered them.

“Yes. You can count on me, Sir Luke! We should find that demon before anyone else does, so I could claim the rewards! Wahaha!” Denver laughs all of a sudden.

Luke and the three hunters merely sighed while shaking their heads in disbelief. They knew how crazy Denver was when it came to money.

Luke sighed. “Clove, do not get them in trouble, am I clear?”

“Alright,” Clove replied. I'm not a troublemaker.

Prince Clove, Denver, and the other demon hunters left the kingdom and headed to the forbidden forest. Before they could reach their destination, they needed to pass first the public market of the Haria Kingdom.

The people greeted the Captain of the Moonlight as they saw him. Denver only smiled at them in return. Though upon noticing Prince Clove, they all grew curious about who he was. Clove never left the castle, because he was afraid of the people and what they might say to him.

“Who is that young man with Captain Denver?”

“Yeah. I have only seen him just now.”

“Is he a new member of Moonlight?”

“A new member? Are you all blind? How could a mere prince be able to join the Moonlight?” A man in his mid-thirties said as he recognized Clove. The people who heard him got all shocked.

“What? He’s the prince?!”

“The weak and incompetent prince! Is he going on an expedition? Will he be able to do it? Of course not! How will he do it? He’s weak; he can’t even---” The hunter in his mid-thirties was not able to finish his sentence, because Lucas suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at his neck. “Try to speak ill of Prince Clove again, and I will cut your precious neck,” Lucas threatened.

“Put down your sword. Let him say what he wants to say. I couldn’t care less.” Clove said coldly.

Hm? The way he looks right now, it’s like he isn’t affected at all. You can’t see a hint of a bothered expression on his face. Did he change? I know the reason he always stays in his chambers, he’s afraid of the people saying mean things about him. That is why he trained himself to be strong so that they would not criticize his ability. But right now he is not bothered anymore. Is it because he’s confident that he became strong? Denver thought, giving Clove an eccentric look. Clove noticed this and spoke. “Is there a problem?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing. Do not mind what the people say. We should continue now. Lucas, let’s go.” Denver said, and they resumed walking.

...

As they reached the entrance of the forbidden forest, they headed inside without hesitation. After a long walk, they had not encountered demons, so they retreated further into the forest.

The forbidden forest was a very large forest where the three kingdoms hunted their prey. There are a lot of ordinary animals there and different kinds of fruits as well. But if they saw a different race, they will hunt them. They hunt each other. And that was why the people of Haria Kingdom hunt here because some demons and beasts usually hunt for their food in the forbidden forest.

However, some demons tried to invade the Land of Haria and started to take the souls of humans. So Luke ordered every captain of the Guild to command their members to take turns patrolling the land, but even though they were monitoring every place in the city, there were still demons that escaped from their watch and successfully entered the public market, which was the nearest to the forbidden forest out of all parts of the Haria Kingdom. Since then, they had increased the number of demon hunters to monitor the land.

As the group continued walking, they heard noises coming from the bushes.

“Get ready,” Denver warned.

Clove gulped as he got ready because it would be his first time seeing a demon. I need to control this power so that I can be of help to Zerha, especially now that hunters from the kingdom are looking for her. He thought.

A second later, five low-level demons appeared in front of them and were about to attack, but Gregord stood in the front and created a barrier to protect the others. The demons were puzzled about why they merely bounced off. They started unleashing their dark magic onto Gregord’s barrier, but it didn’t break. Lucas drew his sword while exiting the barrier. He slashed the three demons that were near the barrier in an instant. The other two demons flew above so that Lucas couldn’t reach them, and they suddenly unleashed dark magic on him. Lucas was surprised by this action and barely dodged the attacks. “Argh!" he groaned.

“Cara, I’ll cover you. Go and heal Lucas.” Gregord said. Cara nodded at him and immediately ran to Lucas while Gregord was covering her from the demons that kept launching beams of dark magic at them.

Huh? Gregord is over there helping the two, but what about us?! Clove thought nervously.

“Prince Clove, do you want to try to use your power on them?” Clove was startled when Denver suddenly spoke. I shouldn’t feel scared right now. To help Zerha, I’ll get stronger. Zale closed his eyes and tried to remember how the prince unleashed his power.

Zale tried and on the first attempt, he successfully created a small fireball. It’s too small. He thought and he tried to make it big, and the fireball grew larger. This should be enough, he thought. And threw the fireball at the two demons.

Zale thought that the fireball he cast was not big enough, though everyone’s eyes widened when they saw the huge fireball that was flying in the direction of the demons who were still mid-air. They tried to fly higher, though the fireball caught up to them, and they turned into ashes in the blink of an eye.

“W-what was that huge fireball?” Lucas asked in shock.

“Is it from the prince?” Cara asked.

“I-I thought his power was weak, and that he couldn’t even control it…” Gregord remarked.

Hm? They are right. I also thought that he couldn’t control his powers, but not even once did I think of him as a weak person. So he really can control his powers now? This is good. Denver thought.

“Wow! Prince Clove, you are awesome!” Denver looked at Clove in awe.

“No. It is still not enough. I’m still weak.” Clove replied seriously. That Lucas. He’s strong; he took down three demons in an instant. And from the prince’s memories, I can see that there are a lot of hunters that are stronger than I am. This kind of ability can’t protect Zerha. No, I shouldn’t feel disappointed. This is my first time. I just need to practice. Zale thought.

....