A Safer Place?

Ran and Rin stepped out of the carriage, their eyes widening in awe as they took in the grand entrance of the imperial palace. It was just like the ones they had seen in movies and storybooks—majestic, imposing, and breathtakingly beautiful.

A distinguished man in formal attire, the head butler of the imperial palace, greeted them with a deep bow before gesturing for them to follow. He led them through the vast halls toward the room where the emperor awaited.

"Are we going to be alright?" Rin whispered, glancing around warily. Knights stood at attention in every corner, their gazes sharp and unyielding.

"Let's hope so," Ran murmured, clenching his fists. If their deception was uncovered, they had no choice but to run. Fortunately, they were both excellent runners.

They came to a halt in front of an enormous, intricately carved door. The imperial head butler knocked firmly.

"Your Majesty, the late Duke of the North's sons have arrived."

A cold voice from within responded, "Let them in."

Rin swallowed hard. As the doors swung open, they stepped inside. The emperor sat behind a massive desk, his focus on a document in his hand.

"Greetings to the sun of the empire," the Duke's head butler said with a bow, signaling for Ran and Rin to do the same. They quickly followed suit.

"Greetings to the sun of the empire," they echoed.

The emperor set the document aside and fixed them with a piercing gaze before motioning for them to stand.

"Your Majesty, I have brought the illegitimate sons of Duke Claudius Rembrandt," the head butler announced.

Matias studied the two young men carefully. The resemblance was undeniable—they looked just like his uncle. But how could that be?

"How can you be certain these two are truly the Duke's sons?" Matias asked, his tone sharp. "The Duke left on an expedition long ago and never returned. It was Arthur Morem who reported their deaths. He never mentioned the Duke having any illegitimate children."

The head butler swallowed hard. "As you can see, Your Majesty, they bear an uncanny resemblance to the late Duke. There's little doubt that they are his sons. Perhaps Master Arthur failed to mention them, or perhaps he was unaware of their existence."

Matias's expression darkened, making the head butler tremble.

"So, you're saying the late Duke had an affair and betrayed my mother, the late Empress?" Matias's voice was laced with ice.

"N-No, Your Majesty! I would never dare make such an accusation! Please, forgive me!" The head butler dropped to his knees, his body shaking with fear.

Rin and Ran exchanged confused glances. The Empress had been involved with the Duke? The current emperor was the brother of the missing Prince Hendrik, meaning the late Empress had another lover besides the late Emperor—and that lover was the Duke? Did this world permit polyandry?

Come to think of it, their own mother had multiple husbands. Ran and Rin shared the same father, but their other brothers all had different fathers.

"We must confirm their lineage before making any decisions," Matias declared. "Hikari."

From the shadows, a figure emerged. A man dressed in black knelt before the emperor. "You called, Your Majesty?"

"Find Arthur Morem and bring him here. I need answers." Matias ordered.

"As you command." Without hesitation, Hikari vanished through the window in a single swift movement.

Rin gawked at the window where the assassin had disappeared. Wow.

Matias turned back to them. "Until I receive confirmation, I will not recognize you as the Duke's sons, nor will I grant you any title or authority over the Rembrandt household. Prince Hendrik will retain his position as Duke."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," the head butler said with a bow.

"Now leave."

They bowed once more before stepping out of the room. As soon as they were outside, Rin and Ran exhaled in relief. The emperor may not have acknowledged them, but at least they had not been harmed. Still, they needed to escape before that Hikari guy found Arthur Morem and unraveled their lie.

As they descended the grand staircase, Ran's eyes caught sight of a female servant walking in the hallway. His breath hitched. How did she end up here?

She didn't notice them and continued forward, soon joining another servant. Ran glanced at Rin, but his brother hadn't seen her. He had to confirm if she was truly the person he thought she was.

Quietly, he slowed his steps and veered away from the group, trailing after the servant.

Meanwhile, Rin reached the carriage alongside the head butler and only then realized Ran was missing.

"Where the fuck did he go?" Rin muttered, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

His gaze swept over the massive palace. How the hell am I supposed to find him in this place?

.

.

"I'll go fetch the laundry outside. See you later," Nene said.

"All right, I'll go and get His Majesty's meal," Jinny replied, waving at Nene. They parted ways, and Jinny quickly made her way to the kitchen.

"Jinny, I ran out of cabbage. Can you grab some? It's in the box outside," Thomas called.

"I'll get it," Jinny answered, stepping out of the kitchen. She spotted the newly delivered boxes of vegetables. Everything looked fresh. Humming to herself, she began placing some cabbages into her basket.

But suddenly, she was startled when a hand covered her mouth.

"Hmmmmm!!!" Jinny struggled to break free. The man behind her was strong, pulling her into an embrace. Her basket fell to the ground as he dragged her into a corner where no one would see them.

Tears welled up in Jinny's eyes. Who was this man? Was he going to kill her? In a panic, she bit down on his hand.

"Damn it! Ouch!" the man hissed, releasing her.

Jinny's eyes widened as she realized who he was. "R-Ran?" she said, stunned.

"Fuck! Why did you bite me?" Ran growled, clearly irritated.

"I-I'm sorry! I thought you were an enemy because you suddenly grabbed me," Jinny explained, glancing at his hand where the bite mark was now visible.

Ran smirked. "So you really are Jinny. How'd you end up here?"

"I don't know. I just woke up and found myself here. The last thing I remember was you guys staring at the painting inside the mansion, and then there was a blinding light. I don't know what happened after that."

Ran crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Hmm… So, you were taken here by those lights too." He chuckled. "Damn."

"I'm glad you're here. I wanted to look for you guys, but I can't leave the palace. Are you with the others? Have you seen them?" Jinny asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm with Rin. I have no idea where the others are," Ran replied.

Jinny sighed in relief. "Thank God. I'm glad you two are safe." She smiled softly.

Ran raised an eyebrow. "You're worried about me?"

"O-Of course…" Jinny averted her gaze, her cheeks reddening. "You were my…"

"Brother?" Ran scoffed. "Have you forgotten who you really are?" He leaned in close, his voice a low whisper. "We're not blood-related… Don't forget that." Then, he playfully nipped at her ear.

Jinny's face turned bright red. She had forgotten just how much of a womanizer Ran was. Back in their original world, she had caught him staring at her body countless times—especially when she wore shorts and a fitted tank top.

Ran noticed her flushed face and smirked. She's turning him on in broad daylight.

He grabbed her waist and inhaled deeply, his face dangerously close to her neck as he sniffed it. "Even as a servant, you still smell nice."

Jinny panicked and pushed him away. "W-What do you think you're doing?"

"Why? We're not blood-related," Ran said calmly.

"Mom will get mad if she hears you," Jinny warned, hoping to regain some control of the situation.

Ran chuckled darkly. "Haha, we're in a different world now. Besides, Mom will side with her biological son."

The word biological struck Jinny like a sharp blow. She clutched her skirt tightly, feeling a wave of unease wash over her.

"Stop it, Ran," she said, her voice shaky as she looked down.

Ran rolled his eyes, recognizing the signs that she was on the verge of tears. "Anyway, come with us," he said, changing the subject.

Jinny looked up, her face still flushed. "Rin and I are planning to leave this place. This is a war zone. We need to find a safer place and track down the rest of my brothers."

"A safer place?" Jinny hesitated. She wanted to join them, but…

Ran noticed the hesitation in her expression. "Why? Don't tell me you want to stay here. Seriously?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No… I want to join you, but…" She bit her lower lip, unsure.

The emperor had made a promise to protect her, and she had promised to stay by his side.

Ran's face darkened, his patience thinning. "If you want to stay here, fine. We don't need a burden anyway," he muttered, beginning to walk away.

"I… I'll come!" Jinny called out, making up her mind. Yes, they were her brothers after all.

Ran smirked, his mood lightening. "Good to hear that. You must never betray your brother. Remember that." With that, he turned and walked away.

Jinny watched him walk off, a sigh escaping her lips.