Chapter 37 - Questioning

I slowly opened my eyes, wincing as a wave of pain washed over me.

My body felt like it had been put through a wringer, every muscle aching and sore.

As I looked around, I found myself in an unfamiliar room, surrounded by the sterile smell of antiseptic and the soft beeping of medical equipment.

The room was a medic bay, with sleek, silver machines lining the walls and a single bed, where I lay, in the center of the room.

The walls were a pale, creamy color, and the floor was made of polished, white tile. A large, rectangular mirror hung on one wall, reflecting the room's sterile interior.

Just as I was taking in my surroundings, the door clicked open, and a woman entered the room.

She was dressed in a crisp, white coat, and her hair was a striking shade of blue, with white tips that gave it a mesmerizing, ombre effect.

She looked to be in her early thirties, with a kind face and a polite smile.

As she approached me, she bowed slightly, her eyes cast downward in respect. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness," she said, her tone polite and respectful.

I was taken aback by her words, wondering how she knew who I was. But as I looked at the mirror, I understood. Staring back at me was my original look - silver-colored hair, except my contacts were still in, so my eyes appeared brown.

I realized that my true identity had been revealed, and that's why the woman had addressed me as "your highness."

Only members of the royal family had silver hair, and now that my disguise had been stripped away, my true heritage was clear.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance and frustration, the sound echoing through the sterile medic bay.

My eyes narrowed, and I turned my gaze towards the woman, my voice taking on a near-authoritative tone. "Who are you? Where am I? And who else knows?" I demanded, my words crisp and commanding.

The woman flinched slightly at my tone, her eyes darting downward before she bowed once more, her movements precise and respectful.

"My name is Flahm Nanya," she began, her voice measured and calm. "I'm the healer, or rather, the doctor in charge of you."

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And this is the Explorer Association's medical bay. You were brought in by Thomas about a day ago and have been unconscious ever since."

Her words were laced with a hint of professionalism, but I detected a faint undertone of wariness.

I murmured a soft "I see," my mind racing with the implications. My eyes locked onto Flahm's, and I asked aloud, "And I assume Thomas knows, huh?"

The question hung in the air, and Flahm nodded her head, a small, hesitant motion.

A low curse escaped my lips, the sound barely audible. "Ok. Huuu. Shit." I muttered, my frustration and anxiety spiking.

I had come to this place to avoid the queen's prying eyes, to keep my presence hidden for now. But now, the Explorer Association knew that a royal was in their midst.

If the Explorer Association knew my true identity, it was only a matter of time before the queen found out.

And when she did, I could expect her assassins to come knocking on my door, their blades sharpened and ready to strike.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, and I knew I couldn't stay here any longer.

Aarrgh! I grabbed my head in frustration, my mind racing with anger and desperation.

I wanted to scream, to lash out at the world for its cruel twists and turns.

That damn monster had ruined everything for me, forcing me to leave the city earlier than planned.

I had been so careful, so meticulous in my planning, and yet that creature had thrown everything into chaos.

My thoughts flashed back to the black, fluid-like monster that had slaughtered those explorers and nearly killed me.

What was that thing? I thought inwardly, my mind reeling with the implications.

There had been no mention of it in the game, no even a hint of its existence.

It was as if it had come out of nowhere, a nightmare made flesh.

As I thought back to that desperate fight, I clenched my fist hard, my knuckles whitening with frustration.

I had given it my all, pouring every ounce of strength and skill into the battle, and yet...none of my attacks had worked on it.

The memory of that failure burned within me, fueling my anger and frustration.

Gritting my teeth, I was a cauldron of emotions, my mind seething with a toxic mix of anger, fear, and desperation.

Huuu. I took a deep breath, calming myself down as I reminded myself that now was not the time for self-recrimination.

I needed to focus on the present and work towards becoming stronger. With a newfound sense of determination, I turned to face Flahm, the doctor, and asked, "So, the monster, did the association dispatch a team to take care of it?"

Flahm's expression changed, her eyes widening in slight shock as she spoke, "Respectfully speaking, your highness, didn't you defeat that monster?" Her words hung in the air, and I felt my face contort in confusion.

Huh? I looked at her, my expression a mask of incredulity. What the hell is she talking about? I thought to myself.

I then responded in a sarcastic tone, "Yeah, a Level 2 like me beat a Level 3 monster. Yeah, totally believable." My words dripped with sarcasm, and Flahm's expression showed even more signs of confusion.

"But according to the team who found you," she began, her voice hesitant, "they said that at the time they saw you, the monster was an ice statue, and the boss had been killed."

Her words dropped like a bombshell, and I felt my mind reeling as I tried to process the information.

What? I thought, my memories flashing back to the moment when the monster was about to deliver the final blow.

Right as it was about to kill me, Ella had flashed a message before my eyes, asking for permission to do something.

At the time, I hadn't known what she was asking, but it had seemed like my best option, so I had taken it.

But...I thought, my mind racing with questions. 'Hey El,' I said inwardly, trying to reach out to Ella, but there was no response.

Huh? That's new. She's always been a handful and hard to predict, but she's never outright ignored me before.

A sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach as I wondered what was going on with Ella.

Click.

The door swung open, and Thomas, the man who had guided me to the portal, stepped into the room.

His bulky frame filled the doorway, his broad shoulders and chest making him appear almost imposing.

He greeted Flahm with a nod, his eyes flicking towards her before settling on me.

As he looked at me, his expression was neutral, but his eyes seemed to hold a hint of something else - a spark of resentment, perhaps, or a glimmer of annoyance.

He bowed slightly, his movements precise and formal, before speaking in a deep, rumbling voice. "Your highness, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The words were polite, but the tone was anything but. There was a hint of bitterness, a undertone of resentment that seemed to simmer just below the surface.

I sensed that his words were laced with a subtle sarcasm.

A pleasure, huh, I thought, my eyes narrowing slightly as I studied Thomas's expression.

It was clear that he didn't mean it, that the words were merely a formality, a necessary courtesy.

And I couldn't blame him, really. As a former slave, Thomas had likely seen his fair share of nobility, so I doubt he has much love for the aristocracy.

Thomas's eyes locked onto Flahm, his expression inquiring as he asked, "Is his highness well enough now?"

Flahm nodded, her eyes flicking towards me before returning to Thomas. "Although he's not fully healed, he's fine enough to answer a few questions."

Thomas's gaze shifted back to me, his eyes narrowing slightly as he asked, "Your highness, that monster you fought in the portal, what was it and how did you beat it?"

His voice was firm, but there was a hint of curiosity underlying his words.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts as I began to recount the events that had transpired in the portal.

"I entered the portal, killed a few monsters, and was heading back when I heard a cry for help," I started, my words flowing slowly as I relived the memories.

"I followed the cry all the way to a small cave," I continued, my eyes glazing over as I recalled the gruesome scene that had awaited me.

"And that's when I saw the monster's victims." My voice dropped to a whisper, my words painting a vivid picture of the carnage I had witnessed.

"The ones with torn limbs, the ones with crushed necks, the ones who were burnt to ash..." I trailed off, my mind reeling with the memories.

"Even the explorer who had warned me about the beast." My eyes locked onto Thomas's, my gaze intense as I conveyed the horror of that moment.

"As I was heading out, I ran into the monster, and a battle began," I continued, my voice growing stronger as I recounted the fight.

"I had tried to buy myself space and time to escape it, but it just wouldn't give me the time or space." My fists clenched, my body tense as I relived the desperation of that moment.

"Until finally, I blacked out and lost consciousness," I concluded, my voice barely above a whisper.

The room fell silent, the only sound the soft beeping of the medical equipment as Thomas's eyes locked onto mine, his expression unreadable.

"I see," Thomas said, his expression thoughtful for a moment before returning to normal. "I'll relay this to the higher-ups. They'll know what to do."

He gave me a slight bow, the sound of his knees creaking softly as he straightened up. "Excuse me, your highness."

But before he could take a step, I spoke up, my voice firm and authoritative. "Wait." The sound of my voice stopped Thomas in his tracks, and he turned to face me once more.

"Make sure not to tell them about me," I continued. "About a prince being the one who fought that thing." Thomas's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression skeptical.

"And why should I do that?" he asked, his voice low and even. The sound of the medical equipment beeped softly in the background, a steady heartbeat that underscored the tension in the room.

"Because that's an order," I replied, my tone firm and commanding. The words hung in the air, a challenge to Thomas's authority.

Thomas's expression began to crumble, his eyes flashing with anger. "Order?" he spat, his voice rising. "You're not my superior." The sound of his voice was like a crack of thunder, shaking the air in the room.

"I am," I said, my tone unwavering. "I'm your prince. And I command you not to reveal my identity. Do you disobey a royal command?" The words were like a gauntlet, thrown down at Thomas's feet.

Thomas's face twisted in anger, his fingers clenched into fists. The sound of his breathing was heavy, a low growl that seemed to vibrate through the air.

Flahm looked lost, her eyes darting back and forth between Thomas and me, unsure of what to do.

Sorry, Thomas, I thought inwardly. But I couldn't let him reveal my identity, not yet.

I needed to leave the city first, to get as far away from the queen as possible.

Thomas's anger seemed to simmer just below the surface, but he knew better than to disobey a royal command.

Placing a hand on his chest, he bowed, the sound of his knees creaking softly. "As you command, your highness," he said, his voice tight with anger.

He turned and walked out of the room, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

The sound seemed to echo through the room, a reminder of the tension that had just passed between us.