༺ S1. The Prince, The Flower, And The Resistance – 1 ༻
You opened your eyes in some secluded forest.
“……Did I succeed in Dimensional Travel?”
It was not certain. This place was just a forest and you couldn’t spot any meaningful differences from the world you lived in. Perhaps due to a failure of magic, it just resulted in a long-distance teleportation.
But whether the magic succeeded or not, the fact that you were standing in the middle of a forest remained unchanged.
You seemed to realize something. Was there anything special around you?
“This type of tree only grows near the Imperial Capital. It was obtained to commemorate the Fifth Emperor’s birthday by ordering the alchemists.”
Indeed, that was right. According to the knowledge you knew, this forest wasn’t far from the Imperial Capital.
It was a consolation among misfortune. After all, if you had landed in a remote jungle, your immediate survival would have been a concern.
However, even a small forest was big enough to wander confusingly. No landmarks or man-made paths were visible and only the occasional chirping of birds could be heard.Then, a sound you had never heard before echoed around.
Vrooooooooooom──!
“⋯⋯.”
You crouched low and observed the direction of the sound.
The sky. The noise, vibrating in the air, was resonating from the sky. It was caused by an oddly shaped ‘something’ flying across the heavens.
That ‘something’ resembled a structure more than a living creature. It clicked like clockwork and emitted steam vigorously. Carrying many people, it flew towards the setting sun.
“……Are people on board?”
A structure that flew in the sky.
Ancient civilizations were rumored to have such relics, but this design seemed far too sophisticated to be considered from an ancient era. It even used balustrade-shaped designs popular in the Empire nowadays.
Later, you would learn that it was the quintessence of magical engineering, known as the Airship.
“It’s better to follow that……flying golem than to wander aimlessly in the forest. It’ll also increase my chances of encountering people.”
You followed the Airship through the forest. Its speed wasn’t too fast and the loud noise allowed you to chase after it, no matter the circumstance.
Did you perhaps move for about an hour? Soaring castle walls made its appearance.
It was the castle walls of Crownhall, the Imperial Capital. However, it looked different from what you remembered.
Parts of it were cracked and one side had collapsed. Traces of repair were visibly noticeable. Damage to the once impregnable walls of Crownhall was surprising enough, but…
There was something even more shocking. The flag.
The flag hanging on the castle, high up in the center, was not the Imperial Crest. It was an emblem you had never seen before. As you knew, the Imperial Crest had never changed since the founding of the Empire.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
You sensed that something was very wrong.
A long line to enter the city was formed at the castle gate and the guards were busily inspecting people. The armor style of the guards also felt unfamiliar. Something was different from the Empire you knew.
But that didn’t mean you could just turn back to the forest and live in the wild like some savage.
You were the type to face challenges head on and you did the same this time as well. You cautiously joined the queue to remain inconspicuous. However, when you did so, numerous gazes fell upon you.
And they were especially drawn to your hair.
The proud golden hair, symbolizing Imperial Blood, attracted scorn, ridicule, and anger. It was as if they were seconds away from insulting you.
People refrained from acting rashly, likely due to the aura of importance you exuded.
The disdainful looks that you had never received before made your blood boil. Facing contempt even though you were born into noble blood and respected all your life? This was unacceptable.
You observed your surroundings to understand the cause.
People with murky golden hair were being used as slaves. It was extremely strange. Light or dark golden hair was a sign of imperial lineage──most golden-haired individuals were nobles of the Empire.
Why were such noble-blooded people being used as slaves?
The answer to this mystery came during your interaction with a guard.
“Halt. State your identity. Where is your master?”
“I am no slave.”
The guard scoffed audibly.
“If you’re not a slave, then what? Are you some plaything? To think that there’s still a jerk who would walk around with his head held up high when he has such disgusting golden hair.”
“Show respect. My patience has limits…….”
“This slave jerk dares…… Are you mistaking your master’s authority as yours? No matter how high of a status they might be, you are just a lucky little slave. Understand?”
Thrust. Thrust.
As he poked at your forehead with a gauntleted hand, you, unable to bear it, shouted.
“Show respect, guard! I am the Second Prince of the Empire, Irid Crown-!”
Silence.
A chilling silence enveloped the area.
You…….You mistook it as being overawed by your identity, but that wasn’t the case. It was just the calm before the storm and a prelude to an unimaginable insult.
Crack-!
Stars spun in your vision. You had collapsed after being slapped in the cheek. After stiffening in shock at the horrible insult, you were just about to gather your mana to decapitate this damned guard when…….
You heard something unfathomable.
“Out of all the people you could have imitated, to think that you imitated that fool. Have you lost your mind?”
“What……?”
“Some people live in delusions, I guess. Listen well, you enslaved jerk. The reason the Empire you were so proud of was ruined and imperial citizens live like groveling slaves is because of the Wither Emperor Irid!”
‘Imperial citizens’, ‘slaves’, ‘ruined’, and the ‘Wither Emperor’. Sparks flew in your mind.
The reason why those mixed with Imperial Blood and golden hair were enslaved.
The crumbled and hastily repaired castle walls of the Empire and the missing flag of the Imperial Family.
And the result of a technology you had never seen before, the Airship.
This was the future.
Where you, having ascended to the throne, had brought the Empire to ruin.
You…….became dazed, like a person who had lost their soul. Even as the guards rushed over and beat you with clubs, your mind echoed not with pain, but with countless numbers of ‘Why?’.
Why was the once-mighty Empire destroyed?
Why was I the cause of the Empire’s downfall?
Why was I named a title that I would rather die than have? Why was this disgraceful title ‘Wither Emperor’ attached to my name?
Why, why, why……
You entered Crownhall, once the Imperial Capital, in a tattered state. As you staggered, you gazed at the Crownhall of the future, filled with gears and steam.
The citizens walked the streets with smiles, but the slaves with murky golden hair were in a pitiful state. Since civilization had advanced, the roads were clean and bright street lamps were installed, but……..
What happened in the shadows was utterly dark.
The only solace for you, shocked and devastated, was the faintly glowing purple, watch-shaped tattoo on your wrist. After all, as the wizard had foretold…….when the time came, you would return to your original world.
===============================================================
The past three days were the most horrifying for Second Prince Irid, born of noble blood.
In the Crownhall of the future, his status was at rock bottom. Everyone saw him not as a noble but as a slave and he was subject to harassment.
As such, he had to wrap his golden hair with miscellaneous trash when walking the streets. Unable to afford even a simple wrapping cloth, he picked up and wore foul-smelling rags that had been thrown away on the ground.
He couldn’t even find a job. Despite appealing his high-level skill of reading and writing, merchants only offered miserable amounts of pay.
But these three days were not meaningless. Irid gathered various pieces of information by eavesdropping.
The Empire had been defeated and occupied by the ‘Kingdom Alliance’, formed by the unification of three kingdoms. Captured members of the Imperial Family and nobles were all enslaved and so were their children.
The ‘present’ was 100 years after the era Irid lived in.
The Kingdom Alliance, due to its tyranny, had poor public support. Among the lower classes, many yearned for the old Empire and remnants of the Empire were conducting Resistance activities.
And……
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Irid rolled up his sleeves to his forearm. The purple watch-shaped tattoo emitted a faint light. The watch had marks dividing from 0 to 3 and was gradually decreasing.
Irid recalled the wizard’s words. Though it was only three days ago, it felt like a distant past.
‘After three hours in real-time, I shall call for Prince again. I shall leave a mark on your wrist so you can recognize the time to return. And to reiterate, it is all fict……..’
After three hours in real-time, he said.
Time flowed differently between the future and the present. The scale on the watch tattoo had just reached 2. If converted, that meant……6 days. If he could survive 6 days in this dreadful future, he could return.
“…….Fucking damn it all.”
Irid leaned against the wall of the alleyway, covering his face with both hands and crouched on the ground. Hunger and physical pain were nothing compared to the agony in his heart.
The fact that he had destroyed the Empire and the people who served and followed it were living as slaves was unbearably painful.
If he aspired to aim for the throne, he needed to gather valuable information from this future Crownhall. From the nation’s future trends to even climate changes. And if he could somehow obtain the Airship blueprints, it would be the icing on the cake.
If he returned with technology from 100 years in the future, no matter how much his Elder Sister and Little Brother struggled, the throne would be his. But what meaning did that have?
After all, if he became the Emperor, the Empire would fall into ruin.
He was going to live quietly, as if he was no different from dead. Once back, he would not cover the throne and live peacefully. So…….
Splashhhh!
“──Pfff!”
The top of Irid’s head was doused with water. As he looked up, he saw a girl leaning out of a third-floor window and her blue eyes wide with surprise.
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t know someone was there…..”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Just a moment!”
Irid pressed the rag down to cover his face and stood up. He was no longer even angry about being drenched with water. His intention was to leave the alleyway immediately and avoid any more troublesome situations.
But then…
“Heup!”
Swoooooosh-!
The girl grabbed a pipe on the wall with one hand and slid down! Her skirt and black hair fluttered against the air resistance.
“⋯⋯?!”
The girl quickly descended into the alley and landed. Then, she dusted off her flipped skirt before looking Irid over. Her overall movements were lively and springy.
“Uwah, you’re completely soaked. Let’s dry your clothes for a bit. I’ll even serve you a bowl of stew!”
“No, I’m fin……”
“It’s freezing out, so you’ll catch a cold if you stay wet! Come on!”
The girl took Irid’s hand and dragged him away.
He could definitely have resisted. However, the reason why he couldn’t pull his hand away was perhaps because he was stunned by the first act of ‘kindness’ he had received in three days.
***
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