During his childhood, Hersis went on a pilgrimage more than once during the seasonal rites. Of course, it was due to his uncle’s persuasion… no, coercion. Traveling on a pilgrimage without any escorts was extremely perilous. There were moments when he got involved in a big fight, was chased by a band of thieves, or felt the chill of a stray arrow narrowly missing him. At such times, he often felt as if he couldn’t complete his name due to nerves rather than anything else.

However, as time passed, Hersis gradually discovered pleasure even in those situations. It was especially true when people spoke ill of the royal family while unaware that the Crown Prince was present.

“Noble family? Just elegantly dressed revelers dancing at a ball?”

It was both unpleasant and amusing to imagine how he would later turn the tables on these people. In the end, it remained a mere thought.

And another source of enjoyment was…

“What can I get you, young sir?”

“A pint of beer, please.”

One of the pleasures during the pilgrimage was that things prohibited in the royal palace were allowed. Because he had a frame close to that of an adult, and his youthful face was concealed by the robe.

That day was one of those joyous days.

Feeling content, Hersis downed his drink and ascended to the traveler’s lodging on the upper floor. As soon as he entered the room, he casually threw his belongings around, and then lay on the narrow and hard mattress with his fatigued body. Not to sleep but because there was nowhere else to look forward to.

There was no place in the world where he could let his guard down for even a moment.

Hersis leaned back, looking at the ceiling illuminated by a dim light.

He had a sudden thought that it would be nice if a shadow play were performed there. Perhaps because it was winter, the night felt endlessly long.

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, a thumping sound echoed from the ceiling. It was the sound of the bed shaking and the floor vibrating…

Well, it wasn’t such an unfamiliar sound.

He had seen a couple of young couples in the lobby a while ago. It was undoubtedly the sound coming from one of those couples.

Although young, Hersis knew that if he booked a room below a couple’s, he had to endure such discomfort.

He tried to take that sound as background music to dispel his boredom.

However, something unexpected happened.

The rhythmic sound hitting the ceiling, combined with the effects of alcohol, made his consciousness blurry.

For the past few years, Hersis hadn’t slept due to drowsiness. He only occasionally indulged in sleep when he thought his brain might melt without it. But now, for the first time in years, he felt drowsy.

The intervals between closing and opening his eyes gradually extended, and reality seemed distant.

A huge whirlpool seemed to be sucking him into the world of sleep. He couldn’t resist it any longer.
The unexpected arrival of Suma after a long time was truly delightful. It blunted Hersis’s sharp nerves like a cotton swab.

After a pleasant rest, he opened his eyes. However, the end of the rest was dismal.

“Did you sleep well, young sir?”

In the dim light, Hersis looked down to see a menacing-looking man addressing him. And he felt the convex edge of a stiletto pressing against his neck.

There were two more stilettos like this in the room. Each held by a different person.

So, there were a total of three people.

“If you need money, I’ll give it.”

Hersis thought they were targeting him for money because he had seen them in the first-floor restaurant and vaguely heard them referred to as mercenaries seeking work.

Mercenaries who couldn’t become noble family soldiers were economically distressed. And young Hersis carelessly paid for his meals with gold coins, making him a target for hungry individuals.

“How much?”

A mercenary with a knife against Hersis’s throat asked.

Hersis counted the money he had.

“One hundred gold.”

It was a considerable amount, but the mercenaries burst into laughter.

“Not needed.”

The mercenary with the sword pointed at him mockingly.

“When you’re dead, we’ll get more than a hundred times that.”

Hersis realized that they knew his identity.

“Who ordered my death? Which kingdom’s king?”

His uncle always taught him that the young prince’s life was a blatant symbol of Lucentia’s dominance that other kingdoms didn’t like.

Hersis believed those words wholeheartedly.

“A king?”

He tilted his head as if he didn’t know well.

“Did someone say the one who hired us is a king?”

He turned his gaze to his comrades.

Perhaps there was someone among the comrades who knew the one who hired them. If so, Hersis might have learned the truth a bit earlier.

However, even if that were the case, he wouldn’t have regretted it at all.

Knowing the truth would be useless if he died.

For now, he had to survive.

Taking advantage of the mercenaries’ distraction, Hersis reached under the pillow. Suddenly, he thrust a dagger into the left side of the mercenary who had missed him.

“Cough!”