Chapter 131: The Golden Retriever Prince
The second the glass vial caught his attention, the prince’s cold, mysterious demeanor vanished.
He shot up from his chair like an overexcited golden retriever spotting a tennis ball, running across the room with enthusiasm.
His cloaked retainers and advisors in the room let out a deeply exhausted sigh in unison, rubbing their temples at the crown prince’s lack of royal dignity.
"Ooh, let me see, let me see!" Theo cheered, snatching the vial from the swordmaster’s hand like a hyperactive child receiving a birthday present.
He held up the vial in the sunlight streaming through the window, the silver-haired prince tilted his head, watching the strange liquid swirl inside.
"Wait a second... is this really it, Cinon?" Theo pouted, turning back to the knight with a disappointed frown. "You only managed to get a single vial?"
Cinon crossed his arms, his brow twitching with suppressed irritation.
"Your Highness, your terrifying older sister would have personally skinned me alive and fed my remains to her dogs if she noticed even one missing. I barely managed to handle this single sample while her back was turned."
"Ugh, why does Sera always have to be so terrifying?" Theo whined, walking back toward his desk.
Instead of sitting in his comfortable chair like a proper gentleman, Theo casually hopped up and parked his butt on top of the story desk, setting the vial beside him.
"Her temper is constantly sitting on the tip of her nose," Theo muttered, shaking his head with tragic, dramatic sadness.
"I keep telling her that a pretty girl should smile more often, but every time I do, she beats my ass so hard I can’t sit down for three business days."
Reaching into his jacket, the silver-haired prince pulled out a gold-embossed cigarette case. He flicked it open, pulled out one, and lit the tip with an elegant lighter. He took an overly ambitious drag, immediately choked on the smoke, and coughed into his sleeve.
"Kaha! Ugh... I’m genuinely never going to get used to smoking these damn things," Theo wheezed.
Theo looked back at the swordmaster. "Alright, give me the actual information, Cinon. What precisely went down during the secret operation?"
Cinon’s expression hardened back into professionalism. "Her Highness mobilized her private team without any notice. We raided a modest shop in the central shopping district. At first, it appeared entirely normal, but we uncovered a concealed trapdoor leading into an expansive subterranean distribution hub. It was an off-the-books smuggling syndicate operating completely outside the Black Market’s regulatory network."
Cinon pointed toward the vial on the desk. "Most of the seized inventory consisted of standard, low-tier contraband... with the sole exception of that compound."
Theo took another, much more cautious puff of his cigarette. "A rogue smuggling ring operating independently right under the nose of the royal intelligence? Interesting... but did you find anything genuinely abnormal at the scene?"
Cinon hesitated for a brief second, his jaw clenching as a memory flashed across his mind.
"Yes, Your Highness," the swordmaster admitted. "When we breached the lowest level... the reinforced iron emergency vault door had already been forced open from the inside."
One of the cloaked retainers standing near the table scoffed lightly. "What is so remarkable about an unlocked security door? One of the guards must have simply used a master bypass key during the chaos."
"No key was used. The solid iron was repeatedly hammered and warped outward from the inside... as if a rampaging, mythical beast had punched its way throughout with its bare fists."
Silence.
Even the retainers stopped breathing, their faces turning slightly pale as they imagined the absurd physical monster capable of shattering steel with raw brute force.
"A monster that punches through solid iron doors, huh?" Theo chuckled, his eyes glinting with curiosity. "Man... where in the world does my dear sister keep finding these absolute weirdos?"
"What about Reinhardt’s movements today?" Theo asked, his voice dropping its goofy tone for a moment. "Any difference in his movements?"
The retainer bowed slightly. "Reinhardt Angulus departed the academy abruptly a few hours ago and returned straight to the Angulus ducal estate. It is highly irregular for him to leave campus unannounced."
Theo narrowed his eyes and waved his hand. "Keep a surveillance detail on the Angulus manor for the next few days. Something smells bad."
****
Meanwhile, across the capital in the grand central plaza, the sky was already orange.
The sun was already dipping halfway below the horizon, while the city’s birds were already retreating to their nests, four specific lovebirds had zero intention of wrapping up their outing just yet.
They sat together on a wide stone bench surrounding the grand central fountain, enjoying the cool evening breeze alongside the distant music of a street band.
Emma sighed, resting her cheek against her palm. "The theater drama was too good... but did we really have to sit through that specific tragic romance?" Her voice was low with a vulnerable pout.
Mira leaned over with an amused giggle, nudging the tanned knight’s bare shoulder. "Aww! Who knew our terrifying Captain Emma had such a soft, sentimental spot for tragic love stories?"
"I agree with Emma, the climax was really an emotional distress," Norelia added, staring up at the clouds in the orange sky.
"Though I must admit... the male protagonist was an impossibly romantic man. Standing before the entire royal court, completely unafraid of the consequences, boldly declaring his devotion to his beloved..."
Emma shot a teasing, side-eye glare straight at Eren, who was sitting comfortably between them. "Must be nice to have a man who proudly shows you off. Meanwhile, our so-called boyfriend is sitting here using perception magic just to avoid being seen holding our hands in public."
"Hey! That is not the issue!" Eren immediately protested, clutching his chest mockingly. "I am wearing this artifact purely to prevent drama! Do you have any idea what would happen if anyone found out the notorious Eren Volsver had courted the three top beauties while engaged to Reeding’s daughter?!"
[Ding!]
[It Seems Host Experiencing Existential Crisis In The Romance Department.]
[Want Some Help?]
’And what exactly is an AI going to do about three emotionally demanding drama romances?’
[Have You Already Forgotten The Special Gift From This Morning, you ungrateful host?]
’Wait, you actually expect me to use that right here in the middle of the central plaza?’
__________
[Hello guys.]
[No, it’s not an announcement about dropping the book] [◉‿◉]
[I’m very very very grateful to you guys for the support. You guys helped me to relieve my suffocation]
[I just wanna share my happiness with you guys.]
[I will keep writing, and give you the best ending and the progression will be quick after the date arc.]
[Second and final smut book would be about a medic guy and many different species like dragon girl, beastkins, and etc...]
[Love you so much guy ❤️🩹.]