BIG MISTAKE

Morning broke, and Haruto and Yui prepared to head towards the capital city, Arland. They were able to hitch a ride with an elderly man going in the same direction. The journey was long, taking them through endless plains, and the relative silences were filled only by the sound of the rhythmic creaking of the carriage wheels.

As they approached a checkpoint, a soldier held up his hand, ordering them to halt. He had a brief, whispered conversation with the old man before letting them pass. Yui, with her curiosity getting the better of her, leaned forward and asked, "Grandpa, why did the soldier stop us?"

The old man let out a deep sigh. "You two don't know? There was an incident last night."

Yui's eyes grew wide. "Incident? What do you mean?"

"According to what I've heard," the old man said, lowering his voice, "a slave auction took place in the city. Many rich nobles came to buy slaves, but after the auction ended… not a single person walked out. The soldiers who went in to investigate found the entire hall drenched in blood, every noble slaughtered, and the slaves. gone."

Yui gasped. "Doesn't that mean the slaves killed them?"

The old man shook his head. "No one knows for certain. But my friend's son is a knight, and he mentioned something odd. There were twenty-eight nobles at the auction… but there were only twenty-seven bodies found."

Haruto, who had been listening in silence, narrowed his eyes. "Then that means. someone survived?"

The old man shrugged. "God knows. But whoever committed this is now the most wanted individual in the kingdom. Murdering that many nobles will definitely make the Holy Knights act." 

Days of traveling, exchanging stories, and having each other's company finally came to an end as the old man dropped Haruto and Yui off at the capital gates before proceeding with his own journey.

Yui's eyes sparkled as she took in the breathtaking sight before her. "Wow! Look at these buildings! And the streets—so many shops!" Without waiting for Haruto's response, she rushed ahead, peering into every store, her excitement evident.

Haruto chuckled as he watched her. She truly had the energy of a child.

As they walked through the crowded streets, Yui came to a halt suddenly, her ears catching sounds of far-off cheers. She turned and saw a great procession advancing into the city.

"Haruto! There's a rally for the Queen! Can I go watch?"

Before Haruto could say no, Yui turned to him with big, pleading eyes, the kind a child makes when they desperately want something. He sighed, knowing he couldn't refuse her. "Fine. But be careful. Come back once it's over."

Yui grinned. "I have a friend in the city. I'll meet her and return by evening."

Haruto smiled. "Alright. Just be back before six."

Yui nodded and sprinted towards the rally, keen to get a closer glimpse. As she threaded through the crowds, she landed right on the front line. The Queen's carriage glided smoothly, painted in gold and silver, with an aura of power and dominance.

Abruptly, a ball came into the procession's path. A little boy, not more than five years old, chased after it, totally oblivious to the serious error he had just committed.

The procession came to a halt. In an instant, knights surrounded the child, spears pointed at him. One knight, clad in heavy armor, stepped forward, his voice dripping with contempt. "How dare you, commoner, set foot on this sacred path? You've dirtied it with your presence."

The boy trembled, tears forming in his eyes. He was too scared to move.

Yui looked around the group, anticipating someone to step in. But the adults surrounding her were petrified, staring with their eyes wide. She glanced at a man next to her. "Why isn't anyone stopping them? That's just a kid!"

The man stared at her like she was crazy. "Are you crazy? Why would we get ourselves killed over an orphan? He's useless."

Yui's face turned dark. Her eyes flashed cold, her tone filled with anger. "So you'll allow an innocent child to die?"

The man sneered. "If you're so concerned, why don't you rescue him yourself?"

Before she could think of her next step, a knight drew his sword. Yui could not stand to watch anymore. She rushed forward, using her own body to cover the boy.

"Are you crazy?!" she screamed. "You're going to kill a child who doesn't even know what he did wrong?!"

The knight sneered. "And who in the world are you?" He laughed cruelly. "It doesn't matter. I'll just kill you too."

As he brought his sword up, a deep voice boomed out. "STOP!"

The knight stood still. "Who dares to—" His words stopped as he turned and saw her.

The princess.

She advanced, a smile of amusement playing on her lips. "Who are these two?"

The knight bowed. "Your Highness, this boy interrupted your rally, and the girl insulted the King. I was simply disciplining them."

The princess cocked her head, looking at Yui. "You don't need to cut her down. Look at her—such a pretty little thing. She would make a good present for the King on his birthday."

Yui's body stiffened. "Shut up! What do you think human lives are?!"

The princess snickered. "Toys."

Yui had no time to respond before she received a sudden searing pain at the back of her head. Darkness enveloped her as she lost awareness.

Nightfall, and Haruto returned to their inn. He opened the door, a tiny smile on his lips. "Yui, look what I got for you—"

Silence.

Yui was not there.

A chill ran down his spine. His heart racing, he ran downstairs, desperately looking for her. Then he heard a conversation.

"Poor girl. She attempted to rescue that child, but now the princess has taken her as a gift for the King."

Haruto's blood froze. He glared at the men, his voice low and menacing. "A fifteen-year-old girl… pink hair, blue eyes… Was it her?"

The man hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah… do you know her?"

Haruto gritted his teeth, his eyes clouding over. "Where is she?"

The other man stuttered, "The princess took her to the palace. She's… she's going to be presented to the King as a slave."

Haruto was quiet. His face was impassive. But the atmosphere around him thickened—became heavy. A whirlpool of anger simmered in his eyes.

Meanwhile, at the palace, Yui woke up. A loud voice reverberated in the room.

"So, you're finally awake."

Her eyes adjusted, and on the opposite side of the room sat the King, with the Queen and princess beside him.

The King slouched forward, a chilling smile on his lips. "Today, you become my toy. I will toy with you."

Fear clutched Yui's heart. She pushed him away as he stretched out a hand to her face.

"Haruto…!" she wailed.