chapter 4

The castle was in a state of utter turmoil. The king's voice echoed through the halls, his rasping commands filling the air. "Where's my son? Find my son!"

The queen paced anxiously, her brow creased with worry. "We should have looked for him sooner," she murmured, her voice tinged with fear. "What if, what if..." her words trailed off, the unspoken worry hanging heavy in the room.

**The queen's handmaid approached, her expression reassuring. "He will be fine, my queen," she said, placing a gentle hand on the queen's arm. "Try to remain calm."**

The queen let out a shaky breath, nodding as she allowed herself to be guided to a seat. "I hope so," she whispered, the weight of her concern evident in her tone.

Just then, a messenger guard rushed into the throne room, bowing low before the king. "My king, the prince has violated the rules of the dimension and is now stranded on Earth," the servant reported, his voice trembling.

"No, no," the queen breathed, her hands clutching the arms of her chair in frustration.

**"How dare he," the king murmured, his eyes narrowing. Turning to the guard, he said, "Gather your men. We are paying him a visit."**

The queen looked up, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "My king, may I accompany you?" she asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

**The king's expression hardened. "No," he replied firmly, his tone brooking no argument.**

The queen sighed, settling back into her seat as the king strode from the room, his servants hurrying to keep pace.

**EARTH**

Eun Seo panted, her forehead glistening with sweat. "You're too fast, slow down!" she complained, throwing half-hearted punches at Segye.

**"Try again," he said, his voice calm and unwavering as he effortlessly caught her fists in his hands.**

"Hmm," Eun Seo hummed, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Let's switch places," she said, determination flashing in her eyes.

**"Are you sure about that?" Segye asked, a hint of concern in his voice.**

"Yes," Eun Seo replied simply, squaring her shoulders.

**With a single punch, Segye sent Eun Seo flying, her body on a collision course with the wall. In a blink, he appeared in front of her, catching her in his arms just before she hit the unyielding surface.**

Eun Seo's nails dug into Segye's skin as she clung to him, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. She shivered, fear palpable in her trembling form.

**"Calm down," Segye murmured, brushing her hair back from her face in a gentle, soothing gesture.**

**Minutes later, Segye sat in his room, a worried expression etched on his face as he stared at the severed finger that had been cut off by the portal. Suddenly, he felt a familiar presence in the room, and his gaze snapped up to meet the furious eyes of his father, the king, who stood majestically in his royal attire, flanked by a retinue of servants.**

"Father," Segye said, a forced smile spreading across his lips as he rose to his feet.

**"You useless son of mine!" the king half-yelled, his voice laced with anger. "Do you think you can act however you wish? Do you believe that violating the rules would not bring punishment?" The king's words were a torrent, his displeasure evident in every syllable.**

"Father, you're overreacting. All I did was save a life," Segye said, his brow furrowed.

**"You saved a human – two crimes in one go," the king retorted, his lips twisted in a scowl.**

"Dad, all this isn't necessary. Just take me back, and everything will be good again," Segye pleaded, his expression desperate.

**"No," the king said firmly. "You will serve your punishment."**

Segye's eyes widened in disbelief. "You would punish me, Father?" he asked, his voice tinged with hurt.

**"The force against the rules has already served you your adequate portion," the king said, gesturing to Segye's severed finger. "And that finger of yours isn't going to grow back if you stay here for long. When you get home, you'll have only yourself to blame."**

**Suddenly, the sound of a struggle echoed through the room. Eun Seo, who had been hidden from the king's view, was being dragged into the chamber by the servants.**

"Let go of me! Who are you people?" Eun Seo cried, her voice laced with fear as she fought against the guards' grip.

**"Kill her," the king ordered, his voice cold and unforgiving.**

"No, no!" Eun Seo screamed, her eyes wide with terror as the guard drew his sword.

**"Stop!" Segye roared, his voice booming like thunder. "Let her go," he commanded, and the guard immediately released Eun Seo.**

Eun Seo scrambled to Segye's side, cowering behind him, her heart pounding in her chest.

**"I won't let this slide away," the king said, his gaze narrowing. "You will receive your punishment for this." He fixed Segye with a stern look. "Nothing must transpire between the two of you."**

A smirk played on Segye's lips, a glint of defiance in his eyes.

**A portal opened, and the king and his servants disappeared, leaving Eun Seo and Segye alone. Eun Seo let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her as she realized the immediate danger had passed.**

"Thank you so much," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she sank to the floor, the adrenaline leaving her body.

**Segye watched her, a mix of concern and uncertainty etched on his face. The confrontation with his father had left him shaken, but the presence of this human girl – the one he had saved – had ignited a spark within him, a glimmer of rebellion against the rigid rules that had governed his life.**

As the dust settled, Segye knew that the battle had only just begun. The weight of his father's punishment and the consequences of his actions weighed heavily on his mind, but deep down, he couldn't help but feel a sense of purpose – a desire to forge his own path, even if it meant defying the very kingdom he was destined to rule.

**The future was uncertain, but in that moment, Segye found himself drawn to the resilient young woman who had been caught in the crossfire of his family's struggle for power. Whatever lay ahead, he knew that he could no longer ignore the pull of the human world – or the pull of Eun Seo's unwavering spirit.**