XXI ※ The Princess, The Prodigal Regret, and A Royal Bloodbath

Nsomi's behavior was as if she were already walking in the shadow of death, as though she had lived a life full of regrets, missed chances, and wasted potential. Her every action, every gesture, felt like a reflection of someone who had come to terms with the fact that they had squandered their time, making choices that led them to this point. The way she held herself, the heaviness in her gaze, the way she avoided looking anyone in the eye—it was as if she had already given up on herself, mourning a life she never truly lived. There was a sadness about her, one that seemed to say she was prepared for the worst, but she hadn't lived the way she wanted to. She had been stuck in a cage of her own making, and now, it was as though she had resigned herself to the inevitable, her fate already sealed.

And what happened afterward only deepened my suspicions, making me more certain of what I had been sensing for a while now. It was something I hadn't expected, but in hindsight, it made perfect sense. For Nsomi to ask the King and Queen to strip her of her title as a Princess and remove her from the royal status she had once held so dearly was beyond anything I could have imagined. I had always thought she was someone who cherished her status, someone who reveled in the power and the prestige that came with it. But to see her willing to give it all up, to willingly cast aside the very thing that had defined her—this was something entirely different.

It felt as though she was trying to escape from something, and it wasn't just the pressures of her royal life. No, there was something more sinister behind her decision. She wasn't just seeking freedom; she was seeking protection, trying to shield herself from some inevitable fate. A fate that was closing in on her with every passing moment. I could feel it in the air, a sense of doom that clung to her every word and action. She wasn't going to die a peaceful death. It was clear now—her death wasn't going to be the result of natural causes, nor would it be the kind of death that would come with the passage of time. No, she was going to be killed. And that thought alone sent chills down my spine.

What terrified me even more was the possibility that this death might come from someone close to her, someone within the walls of this very palace. Could it be someone from her own family? The royals had never hidden their disdain for her, not even for a moment. The King and Queen, her own parents, had all but abandoned her emotionally. Their coldness toward her was palpable, their indifference almost suffocating. But if anyone could do it, if anyone would be capable of ending her life, it would be them. But then, there was the Crown Prince. He was standing in front of me now, his gaze colder than usual, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place. There was something about the way he looked at her, something almost dangerous in his expression. Could he be the one? Could he be the one to end her life?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the pieces seemed to fit. It made sense. He might be the one behind it all. But even as I thought it, a part of me resisted. I didn't want to believe it. The Crown Prince? Could he really be capable of something like that? Yet, deep down, a voice in my head told me that it wasn't as far-fetched as I wanted to believe.

"...Rai?" Aeneas's voice broke through my thoughts, and I snapped my head to the side to meet his concerned gaze.

"What?" I asked, my voice tight, my mind still reeling from the realization I was coming to.

"Are you okay, Rai? You don't look okay. Is there something wrong?" Aeneas's voice was soft, filled with a worry that I wasn't sure I deserved. I took a deep breath, trying to pull myself together.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it," I lied. It was obvious I wasn't fine. The strain in my voice, the unease in my eyes—it was all too clear. But I couldn't let him see that. Not now. "Where are we going now?" I asked, hoping to change the subject, to distract myself from the whirlwind of thoughts in my head.

The Crown Prince, still standing in front of me, gave me a sharp, unreadable look before responding.

"Avy's castle. We're going to show Elodie to her chambers," he said, turning and starting to walk. I nodded, though I didn't need the direction. I knew the castle like the back of my hand. We had all been here countless times, and yet, for some reason, it felt different now. The air was thick with tension, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, something was about to happen.

"You've been acting strange for a while now, Rai," Elodie's voice came from beside me, soft and filled with concern. She had been my friend for years, and she knew me better than anyone. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked again, her voice laced with worry.

"I'll be fine," I replied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "I should be worried about you, though," I said, trying to shift the focus. "Why are you even participating in these trials when you don't even like boys?"

Elodie's face turned red almost instantly, and I couldn't help but laugh quietly. It was exactly the kind of reaction I had been hoping for.

"Maybe I'll find my future wife here," I teased, knowing exactly who she had in mind.

"We don't even know if the Princess likes girls," I continued, raising an eyebrow playfully. Elodie had been in love with Daisuke's youngest sister, Princess Phaedra, for as long as I could remember. That was the real reason she was here, under the guise of courting her brother. She was trying to win the heart of Princess Phaedra, though she didn't know yet whether her feelings would be reciprocated.

"Well, I'll find out by the end of the year," Elodie said, determination in her voice. "I hope she likes girls. I don't want my heart to be broken." I couldn't help but ruffle her hair affectionately, a teasing smile on my lips.

"I'll pray to the Gods that she likes you back, don't worry," I said with a grin, and Elodie giggled, clearly cheered by my words. We followed the Crown Prince down the hall, but the strange feeling in my chest didn't dissipate. It only grew stronger.

※※※

We had barely settled into the day when we were jolted out of our thoughts by the sound of a scream—a scream unlike any I had ever heard before. It wasn't just any scream—it was filled with terror, pain, and despair. The kind of scream that made your blood run cold. And when I saw Daisuke's face change instantly, his features hardening in shock and fear, I knew that something was terribly wrong.

"That's my mom!" Daisuke shouted, his voice filled with panic. "I know my mom's voice. She's screaming! I don't know what happened, but whoever did this is dead!" Without another word, Daisuke took off running in the direction of the scream, and we all followed him without hesitation. The castle's corridors were cleared as we moved, the people parting like a wave as we raced toward the source of the chaos.

The closer we got, the more the sense of dread grew. I recognized the hallways, the rooms, the layout. I had walked these halls countless times before, always with Nsomi when she had to return to her chambers. But this time, everything felt wrong. Everything felt heavier, like the weight of the entire palace was pressing down on me. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my mind kept screaming at me that this couldn't be happening.

When we finally arrived at the hallway outside Avyanna's room, the door was wide open. The faint sound of crying echoed out, and I could see Daisuke's form tense as he stopped just short of the doorway. The sight inside was nothing short of horrifying.

There, on the floor, kneeling in a pool of blood, was the Queen. Her dress was soaked in it, the fabric dark and heavy, stained with the crimson life that had been spilled. There was vomit scattered around, the room in utter chaos. But it was what I saw next that made my world come crashing down.

Nsomi, unconscious, her head bloody and her body limp, was lying in the Queen's lap. Blood poured from her head in torrents, staining the Queen's lap and the floor beneath her. It was too much to process. Too much to bear.

And just like that, everything around me went black. My mind couldn't handle it. My body couldn't take it. I felt myself falter, the ground beneath me giving way. My head spun, my vision blurred, and before I knew it, everything went dark as I fainted.