Chapter 3- The Curse Item
The prince was stunned as a mysterious creature emerged from the painting. I had no doubt that many other objects had also been cursed by the witch. During the ceremony, she had likely disguised herself as a random noble, sneaking into the palace and placing a curse on every object she touched.
Determined to uncover the rest, I reached into my bag and pulled out a sacred artifact—a holy light orb. With its power, I could detect cursed objects without the hassle of searching the entire palace room by room. "Work smarter, not harder," I mused, chuckling to myself.
As I wandered through the palace, the orb's glow led me to several cursed artifacts. One by one, I cleansed them with holy water, watching as the dark aura dissipated into nothingness. it was exhausting; I had been running around all day, scouring every hall and chamber. Just as I thought I was done, I realized—I hadn't checked the Imperial Garden.
Stepping into the vast garden filled with blooming peonies, I took a deep breath, allowing the cool night air to soothe my fatigue. Glancing up, I noticed the sky had darkened, but the brilliance of the stars caught my eye. They shimmered like scattered diamonds, their glow mesmerizing against the deep blue canvas of the night.
I resumed my search, but the darkness hindered my vision. The holy orb, while powerful, wasn't as bright as a candle. "I should've brought one of the candles," I muttered in frustration. Just as I was about to turn back, a sudden warmth spread across my skin, and an unexpected light flared to life before me, illuminating the garden with an ethereal glow.
A voice behind me "You shouldn't work when it's dark, let me help to light up the place for you" I was in shock and looked beside me just to see the prince sitting beside me helping me by lightening the place for me. "Thank you, Your Highness" with a soft tone as I blush.
"How cute, he looks just like a rabbit," the prince thought. I look at Owen working hard to help us just reminds me of someone when I was a kid, I met him when I was sitting on the field and he was holding a basket full of eggs.
We sat down and talked, sharing stories about our lives. I admitted to him that I didn't want to live in a place where I had to follow countless rules and act royal all the time. He was visibly shocked at the mention of royalty.
"Wait, you're a prince? I should have bowed to you just now!" he gasped.
I chuckled. "You don't have to worry about that. Just speak casually with me. How about this—let's be friends, okay?"
He smiled and accepted my request. "I can't believe I have a prince as a friend! Oh, I have something for you."
I watched as he pulled a flower from his basket and handed it to me. "Here, keep this. It's a peony—it symbolizes good luck and love. You can put it in a vase with water or plant it in a garden. It looks beautiful when it blooms."
The sky was beginning to darken. He told me he had to go back but promised to see me again tomorrow.
When I returned to the palace, my father scolded me for disobeying his rule by sneaking out. As punishment, I was forbidden from leaving the palace again. The next day, I waited for my friend in the same field from morning until night, but he never came. I continued this for days until I finally gave up. Yet, even now, he remains in my memories.
"Hey, Prince."
I was jolted from my thoughts by a sudden voice. "Yes? Is everything done now?"
He nodded, then asked if I was all right.
Noticing how exhausted he looked, I suggested, "Your Highness, why don't you rest? It's getting late."
"You're right. It's late—you should get some rest too. We have a lot to do tomorrow."
I went to the room the prince had given me for the night. As I lay in bed, my thoughts drifted. There was something about the prince that felt strangely familiar, like a distant memory from my childhood. The sight of the peonies in the garden only deepened the strange feeling in my chest.
I tried to push the thoughts away and let sleep take over, but no matter how much I tried, they wouldn't fade.