Chapter 41: First Trial (1)
“Poison!” E-It's poison! What do we do? What do we do!?
Edwin trembled and was on the verge of tears, not knowing what to do.
"Be quiet."
Leo cupped Edwin's mouth with his good hand.
“That's not what matters now. Look over there.”
At Leo's words, Edwin turned his head and followed his gaze.
Standing in front of the two boys was an enormous wolf, panting and drooling from its mouth—they did not know when it had appeared.
No, it wasn't quite a wolf, but a monster.
Instead of fur, it was covered in smooth black scales, and it had four eyes.
Just looking at him made Edwin's knees weak, and he swallowed hard.
“It's a mutated monster,” Leo said, his voice thickening. “As you can see, he is nothing like ordinary people.”
“Damn...I didn't expect that thing to show up again.”
«Again? Appeared before?
“I saw him a few months ago. “Not the same, but he’s the same species.”
This was normal; The one who appeared months ago was burned to death when Saj united with the villagers.
“But this is a quarantine area!” Humans themselves do not enter it easily, so how could a monster sneak in?
“He must have crossed the wall connected to the mountain range. Damn... it's as high as a three-story building, so how did it get out?
A monster that can breach a wall that high? Is there really such a thing?
"So what do we do?" Edwin whispered in a trembling voice.
Leo didn't answer.
But the little prince instinctively realized that even Leo had no real solution.
What do we do? What should I do?
His claws had snatched a piece of Leo's sleeve.
Edwin looked again at Leo's wound—the arm that had saved him had been slit by the monster's claw and flesh had been torn from it.
A chill ran up his spine.
If Leo didn't protect me...
Maybe my head or back was between those claws.
Is it possible that I will die here?
As waste, as food for a monster in a cave?
Edwin bit his lower lip.
no. This is not the time for those thoughts. What do I do?
What should I do, Rachel?
Oddly enough, the first person who came to mind at that moment was Rachel—
Who brought him here, and who always extended her hand to him when he needed help.
But unfortunately, that—Rachel—wasn't here now.
“Ah…”
Leo's breath was getting heavier and heavier, and the hand holding his arm was getting colder.
And Edwin's thoughts cooled with him.
It's always like this with me...
Whenever he falls into danger, someone else saves him himself, and he has no choice but to stand by and watch helplessly.
He closed his eyes tightly and thought.
...I have to do something.
Think...think. The only one who can save me now is me. Find a way to escape from this damned monster, Edwin.
Right, the book...what did it say about monsters?
He remembered that one day he read something about monsters:
“Beings cursed because they rebelled against God.”
This is how the monsters were described in the book he found by chance.
And what else...
He searched his memory for what would benefit them now.
The little prince furrowed his brow in deep confusion, then his eyes suddenly widened.
Yes—it was said that monsters love magic stones, and that they abound where those stones are found.
Edwin stared at the monster.
He was standing at the back of the cave, baring his fangs at them, ready to leap out and tear them apart at any moment.
This is a mine of magical stones... Perhaps this thing considers the place to be its protector?
If so, his behavior is understandable: this cave is his treasure that he guards, and Edwin and Leo are intruders.
The prince clenched his hands as if he was determined.
“…Edwin? What do you intend to do?
Leo stared at him in confusion as Edwin suddenly jumped to his feet.
“I'll catch his eye,” Edwin said in a serious tone. And you run away. Your legs are still fine, aren't they?'
"What? What are you raving about?
“If we stay like this, we will die together. "I turn it on and you go to the village and call Rachel."
Rachel—that suspicious woman?
Leo stared at Edwin blankly, then grabbed the hem of his pants.
"you go! I will be the bait...!”
"no. You have been poisoned. If you fall while running away, we will have no choice.”
“What is the difference between collapsing on the way and collapsing now? The first is for the poisoned beast to drag itself...
“No.” He turned his back to him and said faintly: “You are someone this village needs.” "You have to live."
"What? What are you saying!? Leo shouted, frowning, “You idiot!” I don't know what you're thinking, but stop! Don't go!
“Don’t worry,” Edwin muttered bitterly, “I’m good at running away.”
The prince picked up a large magic stone and waved it in front of the monster.
«Heh! You monster! I'll take this! Understood!?"
As soon as the monster saw the magic stone in the prince's hand, he became angry and angry.
As killing intent emanated from him, Edwin took off running.
“Edwin—!”
Liu's scream pierced the sky at that moment.
A bitter taste rose to his throat.
Sweat ran down his forehead and stung his eyes.
Edwin gasped, his heart drumming.
"Hahahaha…!"
He clenched his teeth, but his shaky breath came out against his will.
He glanced behind him out of the corner of his eye.
The monster was chasing him, silent as a shadow.
There was no intelligence in the sparkle in his eyes—just pure anger.
As if he was upset that he was still falling short of catching up with Edwin.
“Eek—!”
The deeper he sank into the forest, the more the branches and leaves scratched his entire body.
The wounds stung, but the prince could not stop.
If he didn't come back, someone would inevitably perish—him, Liu, or the villagers.
He closed his eyes tightly, and old memories flashed on his eyelids.
«Save us! “Emma...Emma is very sick!”
“Excuse me, Your Highness, the doctor has gone to the Second Prince’s palace.”
He was out of breath that day too.
When Emma collapsed after drinking tea, he ran to the treatment center but could not find the doctor.
And at one word from the curator he ran again.
He did not know that the road from the house to the Second Prince's palace was so long.
Even though he ran all that distance, the doors of the Second Prince's Palace were not opened for him.
“Her Highness the Second Lady also fell. We apologize.”
The little prince was forced to lose someone dear to him helplessly.
This time will be different.
Tears blurred his vision, but he forcefully ignored them.
He wiped it and pushed his legs further.
This time will be different!
At least this time he won't lose anyone.
On this hope, the prince kept running.
Whenever he felt a shiver, he lowered his head and the monster's claws snatched the air above him.
He felt like he might collapse at any second, but he couldn't stand up.
However, something Edwin forgot:
The body of a monster is incomparably stronger than the body of a child prince.
“Craaa—!”
The monster roared angrily and jumped on top of the prince's head.
He advanced in the blink of an eye, then slowly turned around.
Edwin tried to stop suddenly, but lost his balance and fell on his back.
“Huff!”
The magic stone he was holding shattered as it touched the ground.
His palm was split, but he did not feel the pain;
Because death was opening its mouth before him.
He shuddered as he stared at the monster's sharp fangs.
Am I going to die?
Is this how he will really die?
In a place that no one knows, without anyone knowing about it, and without leaving a trace—
Just like those who died here before.
“Then stand firm, O prince of the little ones. Prove that you are not ‘just anyone’.”
Perhaps that old sheikh knew the answer from the beginning.
I'm not any 'prince'… I'm just—
I can't protect anyone: not my mother, not Emma, not Emilia, not myself, not Leo.
Edwin clenched his trembling fists.
He didn't want to cry so miserably, but the tears fell.
“Your Highness, remember this.”
Rachel's voice suddenly rang in his ears:
“As long as you are weak, unless you learn cowardice, you will not be able to protect yourself, nor others, nor anything at all.”
He slid back into his seat, dodging the slowly approaching monster.
Rachel was right.
The weak must be a coward to survive.
If you try to be brave without knowing your destiny, you will die—like now.
The monster gargled contentedly as it stared at its trembling prey.
And while he was about to apply it to the child in front of him—
“Rachel—!”
Edwin closed his eyes and shouted his nanny's name.
He didn't even know why.
He just felt that if he called her, she would appear—until now.
Perhaps that's why he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Rachel flying in front of him like a bird.