After my father announced the engagement, accompanied by the applause of the nobles and their congratulations to the duke—whose daughter might become the future queen—he surprised us with another declaration.
"And now..."
Three young knights stepped forward, perhaps fifteen or sixteen years old. Despite their age, their presence radiated strength and resolve. Behind them followed Skylar, carrying three finely decorated swords, which he handed to us—the royal triplets.
Until that moment, I hadn't paid much attention to my siblings seated beside me, still shaken by the earlier announcement.
The three knights knelt before us, each before one of us, and spoke in unison
"By the power of my soul and the pulse of life, I swear by my name, proclaimed to fate, To be your shield and your sword, your shadow and your light, I live to protect you, and will perish if need be to keep you.
From this moment forth, my fate is bound to yours, my soul to yours, What harms you, harms me; what threatens you, calls forth my wrath. This oath shall not be broken except by death, or by your will alone.
Let magic bear witness, and the universe bear record, that I am your knight, forevermore."
I looked at my father. He nodded with a calm smile.
I knew exactly what this meant. It was the knight's oath to their sovereign—and I had to accept it.
I placed the sword on the shoulder of the knight before me and said,
"I accept your oath."
My siblings did the same, and I took a moment to study the one who would be my shadow from now on.
He was slightly shorter than the others, about my height, but his solid build beneath the uniform spoke of strength. His dark red hair and pale green eyes held a sharp, intelligent glint.
"Will you keep your guards kneeling for long? They won't move until you command them," my father said with a smile.
His words stirred something heavy in my chest. I never liked responsibility.
"You may rise," I said quickly.
My siblings echoed the command. The banquet continued quietly, but the knight remained at my side the entire time.
Soon, I began to feel uncomfortable. I asked my father for permission to leave, claiming I wasn't feeling well—which wasn't a lie. The noise of the unruly children had been grating on my nerves, especially after everything that had just happened.
One boy cried because his mother scolded him for spilling cake on his clothes. Another wailed after a fight over a toy. Their cries and screams only intensified my headache and fueled my desire to leave the hall.
I noticed the knight following silently. I glanced at him and asked,
"What's your name?"
"Jain, Your Highness," he replied respectfully.
How formal.
"Do you know my name?"
"Your Highness is Prince Leonhart Alpha."
"How old are you?"
"Fourteen, Your Highness."
"You're older than me, then. No need to be so formal."
"I can't, Your Highness."
What an infuriating boy.
We reached my room, but he entered with me.
"I'm going to sleep, as you can see."
"I know, Your Highness."
"Then... aren't you leaving? You can go get some rest."
"I can't, Your Highness. Someone might attack you while I sleep, so I will remain here."
I let out a long sigh.
"As you want."
I sat on my bed, leaving him standing by the door.
The engagement, the burden, and now this silent bodyguard—everything weighed on my mind. I eventually fell asleep, as usual, waking before dawn from a restless night.
I looked toward the knight—and found him asleep, standing upright. I stood up to get a glass of water from the nearby table, when suddenly...
"Are you awake, Your Highness?"
His voice startled me so badly my heart jumped.
"Yes. Weren't you asleep?" I asked, trying to keep calm.
"My apologies, Your Highness. It won't happen again," he said in his usual calm tone.
"What? If you don't sleep now, when will you?"
"I was planning to rest during meal times."
I stared at him, baffled. "Then when will you eat?"
"I can eat anytime you permit. Even if you don't, I can go a month without food."
I sighed deeply. This knight was practically a human machine.
After drinking water, I returned to bed, lost in thought.
I haven't left this palace in ten years... I doubt my father would let me outside without ten guards. Still, I'll try tomorrow.....
"Approved."
My father agreed—but he raised a finger and said firmly,
"On one condition."
******
Here I was, outside the palace with my guard, Jain. We wore cloaks that covered our heads and bodies, making us look rather suspicious.
We headed toward the bustling marketplace, filled with activity and various goods. There, I found some roasted chicken and meat on a thin wooden skewer. I bought one for myself and another for Jain, despite his refusal.
As I ate, scanning the shops around me, Jain suddenly pulled me back.
The skewer slipped from my hand and fell to the ground, and I almost shouted at him for wasting my food, but the scene before me froze me in place.
I saw a little guy with prominent ears running toward me. He looked like a werewolf, and he almost collided with me, had it not been for Jain's quick intervention.
Behind him, a group of men ran, holding stones in their hands.
"Step back, my lord. This is dangerous," Jain said firmly, gripping the hilt of his sword under his cloak.
I raised the royal family crest and shouted,
"Stop, in the name of Prince Leonhart Alpha!"
The men froze in place, then hurried off without a word. The werewolf, however, was about to flee, but Jain grabbed his shoulder tightly and said in a stern voice,
"His Highness hasn't allowed you to leave yet."
For a moment, I felt proud, as though I truly was someone of importance.
"What do you want from me?! I did nothing! They started chasing me just because I'm a werewolf!" the werewolf said nervously, trying to wriggle free.
I raised my hand in reassurance and spoke calmly "Calm down, we won't harm you."
I ordered Jain to let him go, but strangely, he stayed in place. Perhaps he didn't run because he was foolish... or maybe because he was curious.
I stepped toward the werewolf and asked the first thing that came to my mind.
"Are you really a werewolf?"
"Yes. But don't think of capturing me like those men did, because my speed exceeds that of normal humans," he replied confidently.
He spoke with clear pride, perhaps trying to intimidate us, but it didn't affect me.
I smiled and said "So, you're faster than me and my guard?"
"Of course." His nose seemed to rise from arrogance.
"Good. Then come with me."
And so, the three of us walked through the crowded streets.
"So, my lord... we've been walking for a while now, and you're eating and buying things. I... what's my purpose here? What do you want from me?" the werewolf said with some frustration in his voice.
I looked at him with a slight smile, and before I could speak, Jain cut in curtly,
"Just walk and be silent."
"I wasn't talking to you!"
The two exchanged sharp glances, so I pushed both of them apart and walked between them.
He didn't seem pleased, but he followed us, and he'd soon understand his purpose.
We entered an elegant clothing store, and I began picking out some gifts.
I bought a stylish dress for my sister and mother, a cute hat for my brother, knowing he wouldn't like it, and some fancy cufflinks for my father. After leaving the store, the werewolf followed us silently.
I turned to him and smiled "Now... it's your turn, Mr. Werewolf."
He stopped in his tracks, a clear look of confusion in his eyes.
"My turn?"
"Hold these bags and take them to the palace." I handed him the bags while he was still processing the situation, and we left.
Suddenly, I heard him running behind us.
"Hey, hey, what do you mean by 'take the bags'? What palace are you talking about? As if I know where it is!"
I pointed with my finger toward the large palace visible between the houses. "There, go that way."
We kept walking, but he came back to us again.
"Don't you fear that I'll take these things and run off with them?"
"As you know, I'm the prince, and I can find you no matter how far you go," I answered calmly.
"What should I do in this predicament? A prince? Where did this prince come from out of nowhere?" I heard him muttering under his breath.
"Speak with respect to the prince!" Jain said through gritted teeth, lowering his voice as much as he could.
Well done, Jain. As my father always said, the common folk shouldn't know I'm the prince, as it could cause unnecessary commotion and possibly reveal assassins sent by rival kingdoms to kill me.
"Let's say I took the bags, what would I do after that?" the werewolf said.
"You'd wait there politely and say you're my friend," I replied confidently, then waved my hand. "Go now."
I felt the eyes of both Jayne and the werewolf on me, as though they were thinking, What does this prince intend to do?
But I had only good intentions. I have a kind heart.
Once the werewolf was out of sight, I paused and looked at the streets, deciding I should get some dessert.
When we reached the palace, we found a crowd gathered in front of the gates. I approached to see what was happening, and I found the werewolf facing a group of strong knights, with my brother and sister standing by, watching. I went to them.
"What's going on here?"