(Loid Stormvale POV)
"Tch. I don't feel the sincerity, though," the pretty young boy said, scrunching his nose like he'd smelled something bad. He looked annoyed, but honestly, I wasn't the least bit scared of him. Sure, he's strong, I could tell, but that's not what freaked me out.
It was the little kid.
Bright red hair. Gray eyes. Cute face. If you just looked at him, you'd probably say, "What a sweet child!" But his gaze… The way he stared at me, was he really a kid?
The bloodlust I felt was no joke. It was the same crushing pressure I used to feel when I was training under that man. My hand moved before I could stop it, unsheathing my sword. I hate to admit it, but yeah... I was scared.
"I mean it. I'm really sorry," I said, voice a little too stiff. Better to stay out of trouble.
"Young Master, let's go."
My job is simple: protect Prince Julian Solstice, third prince of Crownland Kingdom. No matter what. And I didn't like that red-haired kid being near him, not even for a second.
"Ah! Before that, Mr. Loid, please pay for the cookie. And buy some more too," Prince Julian said, pointing eagerly at the cookie cart nearby.
"Yes, understood." I bowed slightly, already moving to obey. The quicker we left, the better.
"Then excuse me, lady and boy," I said politely to the woman and that terrifying child. The woman was clearly annoyed too… probably at me. Judging by her tone and how she spoke about this territory, I could guess who she was.
Lady Eleanor. Baroness of Ashford.
But that title's just a surface. What matters more is who she really is, the daughter of Grand Duke Lucien Morgrave. He's the most powerful noble after the royal family. Meaning... I really didn't want to mess up in front of her.
"You alright, Kaiser?" she asked gently, crouching to check on the red-haired kid. So his name was Kaiser, huh?
While I paid for the cookies, something tugged at my conscience.
"Why did you do that, Mr. Loid?"
I flinched and turned around slowly.
"Ah... Your- Young Master…"
Prince Julian was looking up at me, his big, glowing blue eyes full of calm curiosity. He isn't angry, is he? My heart clenched.
"I-I'm sorry, Young Master. I'm deeply ashamed of myself."
And I meant it. The Crown Prince Caius had trusted me with his younger brother's safety… and I panicked in front of a little kid. I wanted to bury my face in the cookie bag and scream.
"Well, it's okay. Because no one was hurt," Prince Julian said softly, still holding on to my trouser leg like a baby duck sticking to its mama. He must've been scared too. Getting lost in a place you don't know… it's not easy for a kid.
"Here, your cookies," the cart girl said, handing me the bag like I'd stolen her last hope. She was glaring. Hard.
What did I do now? Did I forget to say thank you? Or maybe I looked at the cart the wrong way?
"Oi."
I froze. That pretty guard boy from earlier stepped right in front of me again.
He glanced sideways to make sure Lady Eleanor wasn't watching, she was still focused on Kaiser. Then he leaned in real close.
"I want you to leave. And never set foot in Ashford territory again," he said, voice low and sharp like a knife hidden under silk.
His eyes shimmered with pure hostility.
"I won't forgive anything that threatens the Ashford family," he said, his face way too close for comfort. I stepped back instinctively. Jeez, this guy's like a demon in disguise! So pretty... and yet so scary.
"The next time I see you in this territory, I'll wipe you out for good."
He straightened up, turned around dramatically like some villain from a romance novel, and threw one last glare over his shoulder.
"I don't give a damn if you're a noble or the king himself. That's it."
...Huh?! What kind of territory is this?! Everyone's terrifying. Even the kids are monsters!
I sighed, defeated, and looked down at Prince Julian, who was now giggling into his sleeves.
"Your Highness… What's so funny?"
He just shook his head and smiled like he knew some great secret.
I… don't understand you, Your Highness.
But I'll protect you anyway.
Still… It's good to see him smile. Back in the castle, he barely ever laughs, barely even talks. That's not how a five-year-old should behave, prince or not. But honestly, I can't blame him.
Everyone in the palace avoids him. They whisper behind his back. Say he's cursed. That he's a monster. That he killed our previous crown prince, Xavier Solstice.
How absurd can people be?
Prince Julian was only three days old when Crown Prince Xavier died. And yet they say his birth caused Prince Xavier's death? Ridiculous. Cruel.
If Crown Prince Xavier were still alive, I'm sure he'd have kicked out those fools, those so-called nobles who can't treat a child like a child. Maybe then, Julian could've grown up smiling more… without fear.
But well, whatever. Right now, we've got a task.
We've to enter the Viscounty of Rowley to search for the Holy Artifact, something they believe can lift Prince Julian's so-called curse.
They all know deep down this isn't his fault. But if finding that artifact gives him a chance at a normal life, if it eases their guilt or silences their superstitions, then so be it.
I, Loid Stormvale, will snatch that Holy Artifact from the ends of the earth if I must.
For his sake.
For that smile.
___________________________________
After getting a full earful from Mom in the evening, Adrien is now sulking like an angry little puppy. He's pouting over everything. Every move I make gets a dramatic sigh or a frown. Honestly, he's exhausting.
We're deep inside the forest, in a hidden cave, Arlan's old hideout. He used to share it with me when he was young, playing and hiding from boring noble stuff. But now? It's my personal secret workspace. (Definitely not for treason. Nope. Absolutely not. Heh.)
Inside, there's a wooden table, two mismatched chairs, and stone walls covered in old artifact sketches, newspaper clippings, and anything useful I could find. The cave's a bit deep, so it's lit with glowing mana candles stuck in the corners, giving it that cozy but slightly creepy glow.
I'm standing on the chair (because if I sit, I barely reach the table, and that's just embarrassing) and grinding a powder in a little stone bowl.
Adrien is still pouting, but I can see the curiosity creeping in as he watches me work like I'm doing witchcraft.
"What now, young master?" he mutters, brows furrowed.
"I told you," I say, keeping my eyes on the mixture, "I'm creating a royal seal. Pay attention."
"How do you even know how to do that?" Adrien squints at me like I just said I could summon dragons. What if I told him that I used to summon a solar Lion? Will he believe me?
I hold up the carved stamp stone. "Look."
He leans in, eyes narrowing. "…But young master, I heard to make a real royal seal, you need to have royal blood. Like, actual, fancy, dangerous blood. So how's this gonna do the thing?"
He's not wrong.
To make the real Royal Seal, you gotta do three intense rituals in front of the Holy Nexus Stone hidden in the castle's secret chamber. Only the Royals can survive it.
Non-royals? Boom! Instant death. And once it's created, the seal binds permanently to the user. You can't fake it. And no one besides the user can use it.
But guess what?
I didn't need the real one. I just needed something that looked real on paper.
See, when a real seal is pressed onto parchment with special ink, it leaves more than just a pretty stamp. It glows faintly, just enough for mana-sensing tools to detect. That's the trust part.
So I used a rare crystal called Starmelt Ore. It soaks in sunlight and gives off an old mana echo, just enough to leave that faint glow temporarily.
But the ore wasn't enough. Nope. I needed the full trick.
So I made my own alchemy mix. I mean, I'm a genius, duh. Heh.
Powdered sunroot petals for a natural glow.
Crushed mana ink to fake the magical signal.
And a drop of wyrm oil, super rare, deep-sea mana creature oil that binds everything together and makes the glow ripple like actual mana.
After letting the ore bathe in sunlight for two hours, I carved it by hand. I still remember the royal glyphs from when I was Crown Prince. Every curve. Every elegant little line. Burned into my brain like trauma. Or math class.
For the ink, I made something I call Bloodwax Ink. It's melted mana beast bone powder mixed with iron pigment. Glows just faintly, and feels warm to the touch, exactly like the real deal.
And finally, to hold everything together, I added a layer of Two-Day Binding Dust. It keeps the magic stable… for, well, two days. After that? Poof. Bye-bye glow.
"You're doubting me, aren't you?" I raised an eyebrow at Adrien. "Get me a piece of paper."
Still suspicious but clearly curious, Adrien grabs a parchment and hands it over.
I dip the seal into the mixture and press it onto the paper.
With a satisfying thump, a deep red seal blooms on the page, carved with Lion-shaped glyphs and all the royal flair you could ask for.
Adrien's eyes are sparkling like a kid in a candy shop.
But I'm not done.
"Use the mana sensor," I said, handing him the tool.
He hesitantly hovers the sensor over the stamp. A moment passes… then the seal glows, faint silver, just like the real thing.
"Woah…"
His mouth drops open.
I brush my index finger under my nose and smirk. "What did I tell you? I am a genius."
Adrien's still staring at the paper, completely amazed. "Young master… this… this really is…"
Here it comes. Praise me. Go ahead.
"…Treason."
…
…
WHAT?! WHAAAT?! That's the only thing you have to say?!