[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: WITH MY HEART ~ AHN EUN-JIN]

The Crown Prince raised his hand, pressing his fingers together, a smile on his face as he entered his carriage. He could remember the anxiousness in the girl’s eyes, akin to a cornered mouse when he held her chin.

"Still gullible," It turned out that he was the one who remembered her, but she didn’t remember him.

"Chicken brain," he trailed, as she was when she was still young. The girl grew up being careless, with her pursuit of freedom, and it was going to be the very end of her if she wasn’t careful. And seeing her face, he could tell that her life still wasn’t easy as it was in the past.

Adric sat inside the carriage with his leg crossed, one over the other. He tapped on the carriage window. "Make a stop in town; I have someone I need to meet." He said to the coachman, and when his carriage finally stopped, he walked into the deepest side of the town with his personal guard beside him.

"Your Highness," the guard started, "Leaving without getting married, will it not be a disadvantage to you? Especially for the throne."

Adric smiled, "Rowan, are your concerns about me dying single or directed towards how you wouldn’t be promoted to be the Head guard, in case I don’t become king?" he asked his guard.

"Both, Your Highness," The guard replied with a slight bow.

Adric chuckled, "Your raw honesty is the reason you’re still beside me. I tend to forget," he remarked. "Don’t worry about me; the throne won’t be given to anyone else but me. Also, I’m looking for someone who could be a tough challenge to my dearest mother, even when I’m not there."

"But the Princess of Orion had the potential, not the Crown Princess, the younger one," Rowan replied to his master.

Adric nodded; indeed, Oriana had the potential of the kind of woman he needed, but he wasn’t interested. The girl’s life was already looking messed up, he didn’t want to add to it. "Oriana?" He asked, and Rowan nodded. "She’s weak, someone who smiles in front of people when they’re hurting badly. She’s only waiting to explode, and that will be troublesome."

The personal guard cleared his throat, "Sounds like someone I know," he got a glare from Adric, which caused him to whistle while looking at the other side.

"The younger princess wouldn’t survive for long in Avon if she keeps up with that facade of a happy princess," Adric completed. He didn’t need someone who wouldn’t walk into their fears bravely but try to hide it with fake smiles. It was clear as day that the girl was unhappy, but she tried to be rebellious whilst hiding her pains.

Rowan shrugged his shoulders, "She still looks like a perfect bride to me." This caused Adric to pause in his steps.

"Should I go collect the marriage chest since she’s your ideal woman?" The Crown Prince asked, and his guard bowed, taking it as a warning not to say anything else.

The rest of the walk was quiet until they arrived at the inn they were going to.

"Hello, dear friend," Adric waved to another young man who was eating, sitting alone at the table. When the man turned, they both exchanged a smile.

"Adric," the man smiled then turned to his personal guard. "Rowan. I’m surprised you both are not bickering today."

Adric turned to glare at Rowan, "Look at that; even Cortez knows about you. I believe I’m the only Crown Prince in history who gets to argue with his personal guard." He sighed.

"You’re the only Crown Prince who decided to leave his duties and have fun," Cortez added, receiving a nod of agreement from the guard and a glare from Adric.

Rowan smiled, "Chief Cortez, nice to meet you too." He bowed, going to stand guard at the entrance of the inn, while the Crown Prince and his friend had their time.

Adric pulled out a cigarette box and offered one to his friend, who took a stick from it. They both lit it, smoking in silence.

"Congratulations; I heard your sister got married to the Crown Prince of Morado," Adric broke the silence.

Cortez nodded, "I was also surprised to hear of the marriage pact, a merchant family and the royal family," he shook his head.

Adric hummed, "I think it’ll give Morado a greater advantage, having access to trade is what develops a kingdom, if you ask me. But that’s on another note, did you see Princess Kitanna?"

"I’m starting to believe you’re just infatuated by the princess. Also, I wasn’t able to go; I had goods to clear up at the port." Cortez replied.

Adric shook his head, "It’s always business with you and nothing much. Do you even have time to meet women, like we did in the past? I can take you around the town; the women here are quite experienced," he teased, getting a small smile from his friend.

"You seem to have stayed in Orion for quite some time; I was at the house of Demi-monde yesterday," Cortez said, after puffing out a smoke.

Adric scratched his brows lightly, "What did Madame Rosalie tell you this time?" he knew very well that the woman wouldn’t hesitate to tell Cortez everything he needed to know since he was a famous merchant, and everyone wanted to be on his good side for cheaper and quality products even if meant selling other people’s stories.

The young merchant smiled, "Not much, just that you’re into princesses now." Cortez replied. "Ready to pick your bride from Orion?"

Adric shook his head, "I was looking to have fun, but the crown princess is an airhead, and the younger princess is a handful. I’ll just go get my girls who are easy to connect to."

Cortez threw his head back in laughter, "When I heard about you getting married, I knew you were just trying to spite your mother. Though I must say, Orion is lucky to not have you as a son-in-law, especially the unlucky princess whom you would have picked as a wife," he shook his head in pity.

Adric poured wine into the cup for his friend and another for himself. "No, I would be unlucky if I had married any one of them, especially the younger princess."

Cortez raised his drink, "Sounds like she’s an interesting one." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Yes, the one moth that likes to play with fire," Adric raised his own cup and clinked it with his friend’s. His thoughts briefly moved to the curious but mischievous eyes of the younger princess, and he smiled; that one was never going to stop walking around with her bags of trouble. He was glad that she was finally off his skin.

His friend smiled, "All women walk around with troubles; let’s just pray we don’t end up with the worst case." Adric nodded in agreement, taking a longer drag from his cigarette.