Chapter 23

Accustomed to the sturdy leather armor and thick cloaks worn by the warriors of the winter forest, this paper-thin piece of cloth made him feel as though he were practically naked. Sighing as he sat on the edge of the bed, Arkin suddenly thought of Nephitia.

Right, Nephitia.

She had been unhesitatingly baring her slender limbs from the very beginning. Everyone in the Kepet Kingdom was like that. It must have been a natural attire in the hot desert climate.

And Credo Island here was similarly hot. Sweat was already beading up on his back, so if he insisted on wearing thick clothes, he might actually collapse.

‘Let’s not make a fuss over nothing.’

It was time to adapt to the unfamiliar environment. He still had to spend six whole months here, so he couldn’t keep worrying about clothes and complaining forever.

He had never had the chance to wear clothes like this in Solinar’s cold environment, so getting used to these customs wasn’t a bad idea. At least it would show diplomatic flexibility. Adaptability was also a virtue of survival.

What about the other princes? Had they managed to put on these clothes safely and properly?

Arkin did one last check of his attire, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

It was just unfamiliar; since the form of the clothes was simple, he thought everyone would quickly and easily manage to put them on, but… the reality was entirely different.

“How the hell am I supposed to wear this kind of shoddy clothing! Do you know who I am? I’m the prince of Voltrion!”

There was no one in the hallway, but the moment Arkin opened the door, someone could be heard throwing a massive tantrum in the next room. This shrill voice mixed with a metallic clang belonged to Kaichen, the hot-tempered Lightning Prince.

At the very least, Arkin felt a strange sense of relief knowing he wasn’t the only one making a fuss. What should he do? Should he go check on him? While Arkin stood in the hallway hesitating, Titus reappeared, returning with his robes fluttering.

Just as he was about to ask how the prince of Iivika was doing, Titus, who had been gentle and calm, suddenly shifted his course and slammed hard against Kaichen’s door as if to smash it in.

“Kaichen, maintain your composure! There is no one here to assist with your personal life, so adapt on your own and figure it out somehow!”

Aaaack! Aaaaaack! A piercing, desperate shriek of a cry echoing as Kaichen couldn’t conquer his own temper rang out loudly. Stunned, Arkin failed to catch Titus, who merely gave him a polite, slight bow and walked past.

Arkin walked toward the center of the building. Someone had already arrived first, as if they had finished preparing. The prince leaning against the wall with his head bowed low was neither Kaichen nor Draconis of Igninov.

His silver hair, hazy like mist, hung long and completely covered his face, but when he turned his head in startled wariness at Arkin’s presence, his beautiful profile was faintly revealed.

…A woman?

At first, he thought it was someone who had come to the wrong room, but Arkin soon realized that he was Elio of Veilon. It fit the atmosphere well, considering the thin and soft high-pitched voice he had heard from behind earlier.

“Elio?”

The young man looked around Arkin’s age, or perhaps slightly younger. A complexion pale as lead and a withered body. At a glance, he had a sickly impression that looked far from healthy. But it was a rather pretty face. It was almost like a water lily blooming in the morning mist.

“Y-Yeah.”

Elio, who looked like he would vanish into the distance if someone let down their guard for even a moment, forced the words out with difficulty. Even introducing himself looked awkward and burdensome, and Arkin even briefly thought about just leaving this pitiful prince behind first. After all, he could clearly see Elio’s fingers trembling minutely.

“I-I came from the Fog Kingdom of Veilon.”

Whether hiding behind someone’s back or right now, his presence wasn’t all that different. Thinking about Veilon, Arkin recalled that they were a small kingdom barely maintaining its lifeline on the periphery of the World Alliance.

“Ah, Veilon, the Fog Kingdom?”

“That’s right.”

The passive Prince Elio dropped his head again. His hair covered his face so his expression couldn’t be seen, but judging by how he anxiously fidgeted with his hands, the air of tension was unmistakable.

“You’re Arkin Seilir, right?”

“You know me?”

“Of course.”

There was even a tone of reproach, as if asking how he could possibly not know.

“Your name is pretty famous among the allied nations, like when you defeated a pack of wolves alone at sixteen…”

“…I just got lucky.”

“They say you’re really good at archery, too.”

“You could do it too if you trained until you threw up as much as I did. Maybe even better than me.”

“Even that innate humility… it’s all the qualities of an heir.”

Elio, who had been nervously fumbling with his hands as if embarrassed, shyly raised his eyes to look up at Arkin. A faint admiration flickered in the grayish pupils glimpsed slightly between his long bangs.

“My father always said that Arkin of Solinar will be the leader who guides the World Alliance in the future.”

The ceremonial smile resting on Arkin’s lips stiffened slightly. He had no idea that his name was well-known among the princes of other countries, so he suddenly felt unsettled.

“Hey! Is anyone out there?”

Bang. At the sound of a door flying open, Elio and Arkin’s gazes drifted toward the hallway. The person who came dashing out, huffing and puffing, was predictably Kaichen, the Lightning Prince of Voltrion. He hadn’t even managed to put on his tunic properly, with one shoulder completely exposed, and he was completely barefoot without even putting on sandals.

“Where did that priest bastard go?”

Prince Kaichen, who discovered Arkin and Elio, gnashed his teeth and fumed. When no answer came back, he seemed even angrier, running a hand through his hair and flying into a rage once more.

“You crazy bastards! I know you’re watching from hiding! Bring me my attendants! How am I supposed to wear this scrap of cloth!”

Every time the prince jumped up and down, his pale platinum blonde hair poked up as if it had a mind of its own. It looked as if he had been struck by lightning.

“I’m going to have you punished right now! Insolent and audacious bastards! Completely useless…”

“Hey, Kaichen.”

Arkin stepped in front of the wildly raging prince. When Arkin, who was taller and had a much better physique compared to the scrawny Kaichen, blocked the way, Kaichen looked momentarily flustered.

“W-What, what do you want?”

“Stop it and show some manners too, Kaichen. They said everyone is equal here. Don’t expect special treatment.”

“What?”

Yellow sparks crackled and spat from the tips of the Lightning Prince’s hair.

“…And so all the rooms are of the same size, and accessories other than the designated attire cannot be worn. Also, every morning—”

The voice of the high priestess walking ahead sounded muffled and distant. Although she was following right behind her lead, Nephitia couldn’t pay attention to any of the details at all. All her nerves were focused on what Stella had said.

So according to Stella, does that really mean I’ll meet someone here…?

Nephitia turned her palms and the backs of her hands over and over again. The feeling when she grabbed Arkin’s cape had definitely been ‘that sensation.’

Just in case it was her own misunderstanding, wondering if she had misinterpreted the divine power of Credo Island this time too, Nephitia meticulously inspected even the gold accessories hanging from her wrists, one by one. It wasn’t as though she could figure out anything from doing that, but still, to persuade Arkin…

“…Entering the rooms of other participants is strictly forbidden, and interactions with the opposite sex during nighttime hours are also entirely—”

Nephitia curled and uncurled her fingers, struggling to gauge the ineffable sensation that had brushed past her and slipped away. That feeling that was warm yet cool, gentle yet intense. It felt as though living life itself was flowing through her fingertips.

Something strange happens when she gets close to Arkin. The closer she got, the more a strange vitality hovered in Nephitia’s body. Like a sweet rain falling on a parched desert, or something deeply asleep tinglingly awakening inside her chest. And according to Nephitia’s thoughts, that was definitely ‘Hetasept.’ It was a sensation that couldn’t be explained otherwise.

Wait a minute. If so…

Shouldn’t she make sure by confirming that she doesn’t get that feeling even if she touches someone else…?

“Nephitia.”

Nephitia raised her head at the sharp voice breaking through her ruminations. When she turned around, all her companions except her had stopped quite far ahead. Lost in thought and walking alone, she had fallen behind the group.

“It seems you lack concentration. You’ve stood out multiple times. Please pay attention.”

Tilly, who pointed it out firmly, abruptly spun around and continued with the explanation.

A stinging reprimand she was hearing for the very first time. Greatly flustered, Nephitia pressed her lips shut.

What would it have been like if the same thing had happened in Kepet? Even if she had been careless, everyone would have stepped up to become Nephitia’s eyes and feet. Since there had been no problem with losing her way briefly in life, she had just gone along with it, but here, even trivial matters became reasons for scolding.

The gazes of the other princesses glancing sideways at Nephitia dispersed before long. Even so, one person’s gaze lingered on Nephitia for a long time. It was Princess Serena of Lakelium.