A Prince's Sudden Chaos

In Arkin’s dizzying vision, what had appeared was a chaotic scene. Toppled chairs, shattered jar fragments, and the sounds of weeping, cursing, and wild laughter mingled beyond the sagging screens. “Capture them!” The pale-faced apprentice priests brushed past, touching shoulders as if the screams earlier had unsettled them. The cause was Draconis. The red-haired prince, consumed by madness, had climbed onto someone’s back and was pounding them mercilessly with his fists. The moment he raised his bloodied knuckles high, the apprentices rushed in to drag him away. “Oh, my! Your Highness, are you all right?” The apprentice who had grabbed Arkin’s arm in a daze was the flustered Titus priest. Before Arkin could answer, another question flew at him. “Are you dizzy or nauseous? Hallucinations? Illusions? Emotional impulses?” “I… I’m fine.” Arkin replied and looked around. At the entrance, apprentice priests were wrestling the limbs of the thunder prince Kaichen. The prince clung to the door, so two burly workers had to jump in and forcibly pry him loose. …The Atera dosage must have been wrong. That was the only explanation for the sudden uproar. But how could this happen all at once? Arkin grabbed the turning Titus. “Explain it to me. What’s going on?” “When we were making the potion… something went wrong. Maybe I overdid the Atera by accident…” Titus’s hesitant voice grew quieter. ‘Mistake.’ Arkin stared fixedly at the bowed Titus. These ten trainees were no ordinary people. If someone had schemed to harm them, who would it be? “Can this be resolved? How do we treat it?” “Thankfully, it’s not a potion that causes serious harm. We’re giving out antidote potions as we walk around. Rest will fix it…” “Seneca!” Valdemar’s thunderous shout cut the conversation short. Titus, terrified, gulped and glanced sideways at the High Priest in the center of the hall. “Are you all right? How could you make such a mistake! You went out of your way to put up screens for each seat…” Furious Valdemar lunged at Seneca. He shook the muscular priest’s broad shoulders roughly and roared. “What will you do when this reaches every kingdom?!” “I don’t know. When I checked, there was definitely no problem.” Seneca answered in a flat tone, spine straight as he glared at Valdemar. “What? No problem?” The enraged High Priest roughly shoved Seneca’s shoulder and pointed toward the far corridor, shouting again. “Will you take responsibility?!” Surrounded by priests, Stella and Zafiri slipped out of the hall. The two shook their heads like madmen, stomped their feet, and laughed hysterically. Uha ha! Haha hahot! The sound of their cackling laughter faded into the distance. “Um, Your Highness…” Titus fidgeted, staring at Arkin. Two apprentices tried to intervene with the High Priest and Seneca but couldn’t muster the courage and just stood there awkwardly. “All right, go.” Arkin let Titus go and turned. Behind him, the High Priest’s voice echoed thunderously. Where is Nefetia? Arkin’s heart raced as he scanned the hall. Yet nowhere in the disorderly room could he find her. Had the priests taken her first? Just as he started to turn toward the corridor, “Here! Help!” The priestess in charge of the women’s quarters, Tilly, cried urgently from behind a fallen screen. Someone lay collapsed between the fabric. Without hesitation, Arkin rushed over and whipped the cloth aside. She was there. “Nefetia!” Unlike the others, Nefetia lay perfectly still, as if lost in deep sleep. “Your Highness Arkin.” Tilly hurried up from behind him, rummaging in her pocket for a pill. “I could use some help holding her. The manpower is short, so no one else is coming.” Arkin carefully lifted Nefetia’s upper body and cradled her in his arms. Strands of her long hair spilled over his arm, her delicate, beautiful face tilted toward his chest with a soft slide. Arkin watched as Tilly gently pinched Nefetia’s chin, parted her lips, and carefully pressed the pill between her even white teeth. “Is it all right to make her swallow it like this?” Reading his worry, Tilly murmured with a sigh. “It’s a pill that won’t get stuck in the throat. It will dissolve in her mouth soon.” Arkin nodded, staring anxiously at the sleeping Nefetia. She looked peaceful, but he couldn’t relax. Was she truly all right? Had she witnessed something shocking like he had, or suffered some torment? “Um, Tilly. She feels warm. Her body is too hot…” Arkin hesitated, so Tilly nodded. “It’s a mild symptom. The fever will drop soon. Now, let’s take her to the bed. She should be fine in an hour or two. Come this way…” Tilly reached out and took Nefetia into her arms. In just a few seconds, the empty space felt hollow. Arkin bit back his disappointment and tried to help Tilly. When they had lifted and propped up Nefetia, a groan came from nearby. “I’m dizzy… my head hurts so much…” The flower princess Amalfi retched, tears streaming down her face. Her clothes were already a mess, and the surroundings were in chaos. Just looking at her, the situation on that side looked far worse. Tilly, desperate, suddenly grabbed Arkin’s arm. “Your Highness, could you take Princess Nefetia? There’s a treatment room at the end of the right corridor—the third room on the left is empty. Lay her on the bed and keep watch for a moment. I’ll go check right away. This shouldn’t have happened, but things were too rushed and I trusted you, Your Highness!” Tilly gushed out the words, handed Nefetia to Arkin, and dashed straight to Amalfi. “…All right.” Arkin supported Nefetia with both arms. She was as light as a feather, her impossibly small body fitting perfectly in his embrace. It was like reclaiming a lost treasure; his heart suddenly pounded wildly. Between them lay only a thin sheet of fabric, yet her scorching body heat transferred completely. The corridor was empty. Arkin carried Nefetia to the room Tilly had mentioned and gently laid her on the bed, closing the door with care. A single bed and one chair sat in the narrow, small room. Now only Arkin and Nefetia remained. Arkin pulled over the empty chair and sat right beside the bed. Nefetia lay exactly as he had placed her, unmoving. Her breathing was deep and steady; she looked like she was sleeping soundly. Still, worry gnawed at him. Arkin hesitated, then carefully extended his fingertips to rest them on Nefetia’s forehead. He did it on impulse, without knowing why. Maybe, just as I went to help you in my nightmare… perhaps I can help you too. The moment his hand touched her forehead, vivid visions of the past flashed before his eyes—the landscape from the day of the oracle, his father’s despair and rage, his mother’s tears, and the prophecy that spilled from the priest’s lips. “You will be a bird that flies across the sky, leaving the forest far behind. The throne will be your shackle, and you will finally find freedom in the distance.” You will be a bird that flies across the sky. Arkin repeated the prophecy over and over in his mind. Leave the forest, fly far away, and finally find freedom… His gaze drifted to Nefetia. For some reason, simply looking at her made his heart feel steadier. Now that the shackle is broken, shall we fly freely? Maybe I can ride the wind and live as it flows. Foolish confidence surged in him. I still know nothing about what future lies ahead for us… “…Mmm.” Nefetia’s lips parted slightly, and a faint groan escaped. Arkin watched her breathlessly. “Nefetia.” The moment he called her name, the corner of her mouth lifted. Even in sleep, she smiled bashfully. Beautifully. Lovably. “Ah…” Arkin’s eyes widened. His face flushed bright red, the complete opposite of her smile. What is this. Why am I like this. His heart, which had been tossing about, now raced as if it might leap from his throat. This feels wrong. Just one smile and my whole body turns hot and melts… But there was nothing he could do. The emotions he had been suppressing erupted on their own, growing at an uncontrollable speed. So… maybe I and you could be fated partners? We? Arkin stared blankly at Nefetia. All guilt and denial fell away, and for the first time he could gaze freely at her beautiful face. He admired every long, dense lash. Soon golden, jewel-like eyes would open, and when they met his, the whole world would fall silent and time would stop, just like their first meeting… He swallowed the urge to kiss her cute nose. Naturally, his gaze dropped to her lips, and without realizing, he licked them. What would kissing feel like? So juicy and soft like a dripping fruit, one would melt just from holding it in the mouth. Arkin pulled his lingering gaze from her lips and gently threaded his fingers through the thick mass of her hair. The silky strands sliding between his fingers gleamed like black silk. “Your Highness, I trust you!” Suddenly remembering Tilly’s words, Arkin let out a quiet chuckle. What trust? Right now, the most dangerous man in this room was himself. “…Hah.” Arkin, who had been stroking Nefetia’s hair with one hand, let out a dry sigh from his lips. The prince leaned his chin on his hand and gazed at her face once more. It seemed true that the sun god had poured every blessing into her. Ah, she is so beautiful, so delicate… and truly adorable.