Ch. 171..175: The Vampire Prince's Blindfolded Bride Chapter 171-175

Chapter 171: His Alora

Rhea looked at all of her three kids, feeling happier that finally, she could see them going to the ball together. The best part was Magnus would be accompanying them, so she didn’t have to be worried.

She watched them leave in the carriages and walked inside the house.

Soon, the two carriages arrived outside the grand ball house in the capital. The people were puzzled to see Prince Magnus and Princess Alora, but they remained quiet.

"I think they find it strange why we both are here," Alora whispered close to Magnus’s ear.

"Who dared to think this?" Magnus frowned and looked around.

"Don’t be angry at anyone. We are in a ball, which wasn’t even for us," Alora scolded him while keeping her voice low. She then went to Venus without listening to Magnus.

Elliot came to Magnus’s side and the two walked behind the two sisters.

"Isn’t Alora supposed to be my side? Why did you not take Venus inside first?" Magnus queried and glanced at Elliot, who was startled for a moment. His tone was tinged with a slight annoyance.

Elliot smiled a little. "Your Highness, the two sisters have never been together like this before. Let them be each other’s company tonight," he asserted.

"Understand the annoyance of a man, Kid," Magnus stated.

Suddenly an usher appeared before them, greeting the prince first followed by Elliot. "These are the masks for today’s ball, Your Highness and Sir," the usher humbly said before providing them with the masks.

"The theme is a masquerade ball this time," Elliot replied.

Magnus looked at the mask in his hand. It was black in color with golden embellishment around it.

"Shall I help His Highness?" Elliot inquired.

"No, it’s fine. I’ll do it," Magnus politely refused and tucked the mask on his eyes.

"Your Highness, you here?" Griffin’s voice landed in his ears and he tilted his head left. Griffin gazed at Elliot and exchanged a greeting with him.

"I understand. Alora must be here. I am so happy to see you here," Griffin stated.

"Will you call her as Princess Alora?" Magnus arched his eyebrow at him.

"Pardon me. I’ll keep in mind," Griffin said. "How do I look, Prince Magnus? I specially made this outfit for today’s ball. Wish me luck that I find someone suitable for me," he affirmed. "Elliot, what do you think?"

"Well, it’s exquisite... Perfect for such an occasion, Sir," Elliot responded with respect.

"He is right. You look good, Griffin," Magnus replied. His eyes searched for Alora, who was not around him anymore.

"Thank you. And Elliot you need not call me ’Sir’. Just call me Griffin. I won’t mind," Griffin stated. "We should try some drinks too," he offered and glanced at Magnus.

"I need to look for Alora first," Magnus said.

"Let Princess Alora have fun along with her sister," Griffin opined and he stopped a server, who had a silver tray with drinks above it.

Magnus decided to let Alora enjoy herself for a while before joining her, as it was her first time attending the masquerade ball. His attention was suddenly drawn to a surprising presence.

"What are my siblings doing here?" he murmured, catching the notice of Griffin and Elliot.

"Izaak?" Magnus called out, as his brother approached, flanked by Alaric.

"Alora sent us an invitation," Izaak explained, coming to a stop beside Magnus.

"But where is she?" Alaric added, looking around curiously.

"Wow! Princess Alora invited everyone in the ball from the royal family. That’s surprising!" Griffin was astonished to see the sight before him.

Elliot greeted all of them and felt he was stuck between all the vampires.

"I was reluctant to attend, but I thought I might discover what makes this ball so special. Who knows, I might even meet a suitable gentleman," Lillian remarked with a smile.

"By all means, proceed," Izaak responded.

"I shall see you all later," Lillian said, as she moved forward, leaving the men behind.

"Brother Alaric never liked such events. Did he come here because of Alora?" Magnus asked.

"Yes. I couldn’t refuse Sister Alora’s request," Alaric affirmed.

"It seems she didn’t inform you," Izaak noted.

"Indeed, she didn’t. But I’m pleased that the three of you have ventured out of the palace to mingle with the general public," Magnus remarked.

"So, where shall I start? I’m considering taking a human..." Izaak paused as Magnus’s sharp gaze fell on him.

"Just for blood, my brother. You don’t need to scare me with your eyes," Izaak clarified.

"It’s not a blood-sucking ceremony, Izaak!" Magnus said sternly.

Alaric and Griffin smiled at their bickering; it felt as if Magnus were Izaak’s elder brother.

"Whatever! I’ll see you later," Izaak waved dismissively and walked ahead.

Magnus knew all too well about Izaak’s penchant for taking women from such events back to the palace for his fun. He understood the reasons behind Izaak’s behavior, but he still wished his elder brother would conduct himself with the decorum of a gentleman.

"Don’t worry about Brother Izaak. He has improved over the past few months," Alaric said softly. "Let’s enjoy the ball. You should find your wife before someone else sets their eyes on her, especially since it’s a masquerade ball," he suggested.

Magnus had nearly forgotten about that. Men’s gazes could be unsettling. He would gouge out any eyes that looked at his Alora with evil intentions.

"Then, please excuse me," Magnus said, moving ahead of the three.

"Prince Magnus respects and loves my sister a lot. I get surprised every time Prince Magnus thinks about her," Elliot remarked.

"We think the same, Elliot. Alora has become his life," Alaric asserted while smiling a little.

On the other hand, using his heightened sense of smell, he traced Alora’s location and found her surrounded by a group of young human ladies.

Magnus paused as he overheard their conversation and even sensed his wife’s thoughts. She seemed delighted, receiving compliments for being a fighter, and for never giving up. Those things Alora always missed in her life for a long time and it put him at ease that Alora finally got to hear all the nice things about herself.

"Aren’t the two ladies over there so pretty? I think we shall approach them," Magnus heard some random thoughts of the humans and spotted those men. He got annoyed and decided to put some senses into them for eyeing his Alora.

 

Chapter 172: Your eyes, your smile–

"Alora, I thought they would hate us... I mean, hate me. It’s surprising they didn’t say anything," Venus said, looking at Alora.

"They must be kind-hearted," Alora whispered back.

Just then, two unfamiliar gentlemen approached them. "I believe this is the first time we’ve seen you both. Have you recently moved here, or is this your first time at the masquerade ball?" the first man asked.

"It’s our first time here," Alora replied with a smile on her lips.

"Then, shall we dance together which will start in a while?" the same man asked Alora. "But before that, I think we should have a general introduction," he opined.

Before Alora could answer him, Magnus appeared like a flash of light.

"There’s no need to introduce yourself to my dear wife," Magnus said while scowling at them. His eyes shone red in anger, which made them tremble in fear.

"Wife?" Both men asked at the same time. They quickly apologized to Magnus, explaining that they hadn’t realized one of the ladies was married to him. Unable to recognize Magnus because of his mask, they hastily retreated from sight.

Alora sighed; this wasn’t what she had expected.

Magnus turned to her, his expression stern. "Why did you talk to them?" he asked, then glanced at Venus. "You should have spoken up and told those bastards the truth about my wife," he said, his tone laced with possessiveness and irritation.

"I was going to speak, but then His Highness appeared," Venus replied, apologizing to him.

"You think I’m naive, don’t you? I could have handled it better without scaring them," Alora said, feeling upset that Magnus seemed to underestimate her understanding of the situation.

"I didn’t say that," Magnus replied. "You look so beautiful that every man who doesn’t know you feels attracted to you. What can a jealous husband do except shoo them away?" he muttered, adjusting the mask on Alora’s face.

Venus smiled at their sweet bickering and quietly slipped away, thinking the two should have some time together at the ball.

"Only His Highness thinks that. No one even looks at me that way," Alora said.

"They do. I can see and read their thoughts. Alora, since the day you removed the blindfold, I’m telling you, you have become more beautiful. Your eyes, your smile– they are enough to drive me crazy," Magnus confessed.

Alora stopped blinking to hear him. A tint of red appeared on her cheeks. "Magnus, shouldn’t you say that only your heart gets swayed by me?" Her sparkling eyes were glued to him.

"Then, sway my heart only. I feel like killing others if they eye on you," Magnus said as he held her hands and drew her nearer. She forgot to breathe as their noses touched each other’s. At the same time, they forgot their surroundings.

*Cough! Cough!*

Izaak interrupted their moment, a wine cup in his hand.

Alora quickly moved away from Magnus, remembering they were at the ball.

"My dear brother and sister-in-law, you both need to remember that this is a public ball. You two cannot start here," Izaak remarked.

Alora felt embarrassed to hear his statement and she hid behind Magnus, not wanting to face him.

"We aren’t like you," Magnus said firmly.

Alora wandered her eyes around and saw that Venus wasn’t around her. "Where’s Venus gone?" she panicked.

"She must be within the hall. Don’t fret," Magnus said.

"But she needs a person by her side," Alora insisted.

"She is strong enough to tackle things. Trust me," Magnus stated while being confident. Keeping her hand on her shoulder he continued, "Let her fight this time."

"Alora, come have a drink. The wine is quite good here," Izaak suggested.

"Forgive me, Brother Izaak, but I don’t wish to drink tonight," Alora declined politely. "Perhaps Magnus would like to join you," she suggested, glancing at her husband.

"I thought you were on the hunt for a woman here," Magnus remarked, gesturing for a server to approach. He then picked up a wine cup and clanked it with Izaak’s.

"Well, that was my initial plan. Then, I saw you two getting intimate here, so I decided to make you both stop," Izaak teased them again with a smirk.

"Will you stop it? You are making Alora uncomfortable with your words," Magnus said and sipped the wine.

His throat burned as he spit it.

"What happened?" Alora and Izaak asked simultaneously, both were full of concern.

"It burned my throat," Magnus replied, feeling the uncomfortable sensation lingering within his throat.

Izaak took it from him and inhaled its scent. Alora held Magnus’s arm, feeling worried. "I will ask for water," she said.

"No. Don’t," Magnus held her hand, stopping her from leaving.

The others looked in their direction, sensing something was wrong with them.

"Alora, stay with Magnus," Izaak instructed before heading in the opposite direction to find out more about the server.

Someone had intentionally fed Magnus a poisonous drink, infused with the fine liquid mixture of silver and ash tree leaves.

Alora gently caressed Magnus’s chest, her eyes welling up with tears. Griffin and Alaric approached, along with other nobles, all concerned for Magnus’s well-being.

"What happened, Magnus? We heard that you felt sick," Alaric said, his expression filled with concern. Griffin arranged a chair for Magnus and urged him to sit down.

"I-I don’t know. He drank some wine, and it burned his throat," Alora said, feeling uneasy seeing her husband in discomfort.

Alaric checked Magnus and asked him to open his mouth. Fortunately, there was no burn sign.

Elliot and Venus also arrived there. They found Alora crying while Magnus wasn’t in a good state.

"We shall return to the palace," Alaric stated.

"No. I am fine. It’s an important event," Magnus stood up from the chair and looked at Alora.

"No, we shall return. You need to get checked with a doctor," Alora insisted and told Griffin to prepare the carriage. "Venus, Elliot, go home safely after attending the ball," she murmured and left with Magnus for the palace.

Chapter 173: Sharper than he thought

Alora looked at the physician, patiently waiting for his response.

"It doesn’t burn anymore. I’m fine," Magnus said, grabbing Alora’s and everyone’s attention.

"His Highness does seem well," the royal physician agreed. "However, as a precaution, I will provide this pill to Prince Magnus. If there is any toxin present in his blood, it will neutralize its effects."

"Sure." King Esmond responded and glanced at Izaak. "Did that man get caught?" He questioned.

"Yes, Father. Investigation is being going on," Izaak replied. "I will inform Father immediately if I get the truth from the man," he assured Esmond.

"Hmm." King Esmond frowned his brows together. Recently, the attacks on his family had grown. But what might be the reason behind it? He gazed at Alora, wondering if she was the cause of it or if was it Damien Von Grimm, who Magnus claimed he was still not dead.

"You all shall leave. I’ve taken the pill," Magnus said, not wanting anyone to worry further. He glanced at Alora, sensing she was more scared than the others.

After everyone left, Magnus asked Alora to sit, and she settled before him. Checking his temperature by placing her hand on his forehead, she startled Magnus with her unexpected touch.

"One gets a fever if something poisonous enters the body," Alora said as she lowered her hand.

"Vampires are immune to that. And I didn’t drink it all," Magnus replied, grasping her hand and drawing her closer. "I didn’t wish the ball to end this way. We were having fun," he murmured.

"The masquerade ball isn’t more important than your life," Alora remarked. She lowered her eyes and caressed his hand. "Why is this all happening? First that attack and now, this," she asserted.

"Hmm. It is suspicious. But I’m sure we will get an answer soon," Magnus replied. "And," he used his arm to bring her on his lap, securely placing it on her lower back, "Darling, you are not supposed to worry about all these things. Just focus on taking care of me." He brought his hand to his cheek and stroked it gently.

Alora smiled a little to see his puppy gaze. "His Highness shall take a small nap then," she asserted.

"Then I’ll stay awake the entire night. Also, we need to go to your home. We were supposed to stay a few days there," Magnus reminded her.

"Yes, but—"

Her remaining words were silenced as Magnus placed his index finger gently on her lips. "Shhh. I’m not going to listen to anything now. Nothing bad has happened," he added.

Alora lowered her gaze and licked her dried lips. She hummed in understanding and asked him to let her go. As he pulled away his hand from her back, Alora stood up and told Magnus that she would once inform the Queen about their departure.

"Tobias will do it," Magnus replied and wore his long boots. Standing up, he placed his hand on Alora’s shoulder and walked out of the bedchamber.

"Your Highness, where are you two heading?" Tobias looked slightly worried.

"To my in-laws house. Inform Father and Mother that we have left," Magnus instructed him.

Tobias nodded at him and asked politely, "May I have a word with His Highness?"

"Selvina, escort the Princess to the carriage," Magnus ordered the attendant.

After Alora left, Magnus turned to Tobias. "Is it about Rubin?"

"Yes, My Lord," Tobias replied. "I kept an eye on Rubin through a spy. He met someone yesterday in the market, and according to our spy, the person was a vampire."

Magnus frowned, perplexed as to why he hadn’t detected this in Rubin’s thoughts. Why had Rubin managed to deceive both princes by claiming he was a hunter?

"Who was the vampire?" Magnus asked.

"Thy spy said he did chase, but lost the track soon," Tobias asserted.

"Hmm. Tell, George not to go too close. And tell him not to go alone if he finds anything more suspicious about Rubin. He has to report to me immediately or if I’m unavailable he shall either go to Brother Izaak or Brother Alaric," he elucidated to Tobias.

"I understand," Tobias replied.

Magnus left the chamber while thinking what Rubin had been taking which prevented his thoughts from being read. That human was indeed sharper than he thought.

~~~~~

After Alora and Magnus arrived home, her parents immediately inquired about the prince’s well-being.

"Elliot and Venus told us that someone fed a poisonous drink to the prince," Norman said, concerned.

"Yes, but I’m fine now. There’s nothing to worry about," Magnus reassured them. He looked at Alora, gesturing subtly for her to confirm that nothing terrible had happened.

"Magnus is right. It was alarming at first, but everything is under control now," Alora added, trying to ease their concerns.

"That’s a relief," Rhea said. She then informed them that dinner was ready and they should head to the dining room. "I made the food of Prince Magnus’s choice," she added with a smile.

"Sure," Magnus agreed, not wanting to refuse. Despite not being in the mood to eat, he knew declining would upset Alora more than her parents.

"Elliot, did you find any suitable match for yourself at the ball?" Magnus asked.

"I couldn’t, Your Highness. I was with Griffin, and before the dance could start, the news of you being harmed by a server reached everyone’s ears. The ball had to be suspended because of it," Elliot explained.

"I see."

They reached the dining room, and Magnus was asked to sit first. "Since I’m at my wife’s home, I should show some respect to all of you. Please, Norman, you should sit first as an elder of this family," he offered.

Norman felt overwhelmed but still looked hesitant. However, when Alora told him he should sit, Norman took his seat first, followed by the others.

Rhea served the food to Magnus, encouraging him to eat until his stomach was full. "I’ve made a lot of dishes for my son-in-law," she said joyfully.

"Thank you," Magnus replied gratefully, picking up the fork and knife to start eating. He glanced at Alora, who looked happy to share a meal with her family.

Chapter 174: Don’t regret your decision

Izaak laid nonchalantly on the recliner while thinking about his earlier interrogation with the man, who served drink to Magnus.

"He wasn’t lying. He was in someone’s control, but who? Also, Magnus didn’t even know he would be attending the masquerade ball with Alora, then how could the enemy know about it?" Izaak’s thoughts raced, seeking answers in the shadowy puzzle before him.

Frustrated by the lack of answers, Izaak decided to step outside for some fresh air. As he emerged from the palace, he noticed that the rain had stopped not long ago.

Looking up at the sky, he saw it still shrouded in dark clouds, hinting at the possibility of more rain to come.

"Would His Highness like to go somewhere?" inquired Zerah, his close assistant and attendant.

"Why are you still awake?" Izaak asked, narrowly gazing at him while studying him closely.

"How could I possibly sleep when my master is awake?" Zerah replied. "I believe His Highness should retire to bed," he suggested.

"Bring me the cloak. I want to investigate something," Izaak instructed, disregarding Zerah’s advice. Without a word, the attendant bowed and left to fetch the cloak.

Five minutes later, Zerah returned with the cloak and assisted Izaak in putting it on. A carriage awaited them nearby, and Izaak wasted no time in entering it, driven by his determination to uncover the truth.

"Let me accompany His Highness," Zerah said.

"Very well, you may accompany me," Izaak conceded, acknowledging his concern, especially given the recent incidents of unprovoked attacks on them.

The carriage halted in front of the building, where the ball was organized earlier in the evening. He exited it, telling Zerah to stay there. The guardians had left the site after investigating it earlier, so practically, there was hardly anyone present there, except for the workers, who were supposed to clean the hall floors.

Izaak checked the changing room, which the man told him was where he last went before he entered the hall to serve the drinks. But he could find nothing suspicious in that room.

As he retreated back and exited the room, he saw a human mopping the corridor.

"Who has come in here with dirty shoes?" A young female grumbled, frustrated by the stubborn stains on the white marble tiles. Getting on her knees, she diligently scrubbed away at a muddy shoe print until it finally vanished from the tile.

She was relieved thinking she could finally rush to her home and take the rest as her cleaning work was finished. It was a part-time work, which would pay her some cents to have a one time meal.

Izaak stood in front of her when she almost yelled at him.

"Don’t you know I am cleaning..." Her words trailed off, she stopped blinking and her throat dried to see Izaak in front of her.

"Melody!" Izaak cocked his eyebrow in amusement.

She quickly stood up, hiding the dirty mop behind her and began apologizing to him.

"I didn’t intend to raise my voice at the Prince. Please forgive me," Melody said while keeping her head low. She cursed herself internally for having such a sharp tongue.

"What are you doing here at such an hour?" Izaak questioned.

"I had to mop the floors, Your Highness," Melody replied. "I am done with my work," she added, while fidgeting with her fingers.

"The curfew for the humans start at sharp ten. Don’t you think you should have done this job tomorrow in the morning?" Izaak inquired. "And why aren’t you at your home? I suppose I had made sure to send every human safely back that night to their respective homes," he asserted.

"I needed money. The floor was dirty after the today’s ball, Your Highness. So, I decided to take the work," Melody answered.

"I see." Izaak was still in a daze by the woman, who would be related to him somehow. "Follow me," he said after some time.

"Pardon me?" Melody finally looked at him.

"I said follow me," Izaak stated.

The owner of the building came running in their direction and apologized to the prince. "Did this lady create a trouble for His Highness?" He asked without knowing the truth and scolded Melody for offending the Prince.

"She didn’t do anything. Don’t raise your voice at her," Izaak’s intimidating voice made the owner’s mouth shut and he apologized for the misunderstanding.

"Give him the mop," Izaak told Melody.

She was too stunned to hear that and her grip on the mop tightened.

"Take it," Izaak now instructed the man. He was quick to comply with the order.

"Follow me," Izaak again repeated his words for Melody and turned to go ahead. She wiped her hands on her dress and ran after Izaak.

Zerah was shocked to see a human coming after Izaak. She looked dirty to him and he wondered since when the prince started showing interest in such women.

Izaak finally halted and Melody stopped too. He turned around to face her and asked, "Where’s your home?"

Melody was bewildered by his question, but she replied because a prince wanted the answer.

"Get into the carriage," Izaak said.

"P-pardon me?" Melody’s eyes widened. Did she hear right or her ears were impaired.

"It’s late. Who knows a pretty hungry vampire or werewolf takes you as his meal?" Izaak remarked, bringing a fear on her face. She clutched the edges of her dirty dress, wondering how she could enter a royal carriage.

"I guess, it’s the first time someone made me wait for than a minute," Izaak said.

"Ahh, I apologize. But how can a... a person like me enter such a beautiful carriage? I can talk a local cart to reach home. I am sure I will find one, Your Highness," Melody gave a thoughtful answer.

"I hope you don’t regret your decision later. I cannot keep an eye on every crime at night," Izaak stated and turned to leave.

"I will go," Melody said and she quickly came by his side before entering the coach.

Chapter 175: Sense of restlessness

Izaak couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Melody. She sat ramrod straight, hands clasped tightly in her lap as if she had been scolded into perfect posture.

Just then, the rain began to pour down, and she lifted her eyes for a brief moment.

Izaak noticed how her nails were torn, the skin of her hands looked pale, her face was smeared with dirt, and the outfit she had put on had holes in various places. To cover them, she had stitched the cuttings of from an old cloth above those holes.

For the first time in life, Izaak felt how poverty could hit a person and how easy it was to take someone’s advantage because of it.

"How did you end up in the slave market?" Izaak asked out of curiosity.

Melody met his gaze and replied, "A man lied to me saying that he would provide me a good work there. Luckily, before someone could purchase me, His Highness took the necessary action." She heaved a sigh because being someone’s slave was what panicked her the most.

"Do you think the capital is safe for humans, especially females?" Izaak inquired her.

"Now, yes. The order of Prince Izaak truly helped us," Melody truthfully responded.

"Hmm." Izaak nodded as he felt happy about it.

"Your Highness, doesn’t I stink?" Melody suddenly asked him a question that he didn’t expect.

"What?" Izaak chuckled.

"I have been working since the morning. Earlier, I was mopping the floor, so I must be stinking badly. I apologize for it," Melody said, her voice tinged with shame as she looked down at her dirt-streaked clothes.

Izaak shook his head with a kind smile. "You work hard, and I respect that. There’s no need to feel embarrassed. Your dedication speaks volumes about your character, and that’s what truly matters," he asserted.

Melody was astonished to discover how kind-hearted Izaak was despite being a royal prince. "Your Highness, thank you for being so kind," she remarked with a smile.

"Kind?" Izaak laughed at her remark. He was everything but kind, at least in his own eyes.

"Wh-why did His Highness laugh?" Melody asked with a confused gaze.

"I’m everything but not kind, Melody," Izaak replied with a wry smile. "You are a poor judge of character," he added. He gently pushed the curtain aside and looked out. "Your house is quite far. You should thank my chauffeur, who knows even such places," he affirmed and again looked at her.

"Perhaps. However, the person before me now is kind," Melody replied, her voice tinged with sincerity as she met Izaak’s gaze.

She then glanced at the curtain, a silent request in her eyes. "May I push the curtain aside?" she asked softly.

"Of course!" Izaak replied, a gentle smile gracing his features.

Melody shifted toward the window, her heart quickening with anticipation. With a delicate touch, she pulled the curtain back, revealing the familiar sights of her neighborhood. As she peered outside, she realized with a start that they were close to her house.

As Melody withdrew her hand, she cast a cautious glance outside, silently urging the carriage to halt. With the route deteriorating into the mud, she anticipated the risk of the wheels getting stuck.

The coachman, his form enveloped in a weather-beaten raincoat, swung the door open and respectfully informed the prince of the unsuitable conditions for continuing the journey.

"I will walk from here," Melody declared firmly as she prepared to exit the carriage.

"Take the umbrella," Izaak offered kindly, nodding to the coachman to fetch one for her.

The coachman opened the umbrella for Melody and handed it to her with a respectful nod. Melody looked at Izaak with gratitude shining in her eyes.

"Brother, you too, thank you for dropping me here," Melody expressed her appreciation to the coachman, acknowledging his role in ensuring her safe arrival.

As Melody prepared to leave, a thought crossed her mind. "Your Highness, I will return this umbrella soon. Have a safe journey to the palace," she said with a respectful bow.

Izaak hummed in acknowledgment, his gaze momentarily drifting away from her. Meanwhile, the coachman closed the door from the outside and settled into the driver’s seat, ready to continue their journey to the palace.

But then, Izaak had a change of heart. He felt compelled to ensure Melody’s safety by escorting her to the door of her house. Stepping out of the carriage, he joined her under the same umbrella, much to her bewilderment.

"Wait for me here. I’ll return shortly," Izaak said, reassuring Melody before instructing her to walk ahead.

As they started walking towards her house, Melody couldn’t help but express her confusion. "Why did His Highness get off the carriage? I could have walked by myself," she remarked, her tone tinged with both surprise and a hint of discomfort.

At the same time, she subtly took a step away from him, instinctively desiring to maintain a distance between them, even if it meant exposing one side of herself to the rain.

Izaak noticed that and moved to her, bringing the umbrella to her. They finally reached her house, which was made of mud bricks. For the first time, he felt he saw a person struggling to live in such a state too. He could sense that the house must have rainwater coming inside from the roof, which was covered with some grass about which he had no idea.

"Thank you for walking me here," Melody said and she quickly ran toward her house. "The Prince shall leave for the palace," she murmured, covering her head with her hands.

Izaak hummed and disappeared from her sight. He felt a sudden sense of restlessness. Why did Melody always carry a smile on her lips despite her living conditions being worse? How could she look so satisfied even in such a small house?

His mind had gone haywire. Izaak, who was never bothered by anyone, especially humans, suddenly felt pity toward Melody. He felt he should do something for Melody as the voice came from his heart.