CHARLOTTE: The Injured White Peacock
The Poor Prince

“I... where?” Slowly, Steven opened his eyes. Seemed faintly the crowd, sounding rowdy also around him, Steven swiftly widened his eyes so that he knew where he was. Surprised when he was in the middle of a tavern or stall for adventurers.

Everyone rejoices while enjoying the food served in this tavern. People sit in groups playing board games, just eating, or chatting.

However, there are things that make Steven feel sad. He was sitting on one of the chairs with a round table. Some of the people he had previously met were sitting and relaxing while playing dice games.

“This time it's my turn. Don't cry yes, if you lose!” Varl prepares to shuffle the dice in his hand. Both of his eyes were defiant to the friends who had been sitting in a circle.

“You will win if you get six points, Uncle,” said Yuya, then he sipped a glass of warm milk.

Steven shook his head to find the sight of many who ignored him. He couldn't believe it, didn't he just hear that he wasn't breathing?

“Hoi, why is it like this?!” Steven shouted to make his surroundings silent. The people who had been enjoying a break, now looked towards Steven who had taken the attention of many people. “Heh, wasn't I presumed dead by you?! So, why are you guys having fun?!”

Steven moping, like the word there is a devil horn that appears on his head. Spooky. Frighteningly. Steven's voice made the atmosphere quiet, only he spoke and protested amidst the crowd of adventurers who were enjoying a meal in the tavern before taking another mission provided by the guild.

“Ck,” decak Varl. “Who said you died?”

“You! You said I wasn't breathing!” Steven's pointer led to Varl still holding two dice. “I did hear it, but my eyes could not be opened and my mouth was locked!”

“We know, Prince,” Leonie said as she patted Steven's shoulder gently, which felt like she was carrying a heavy load.

“Then, why aren't any of you worried and caring about me?! You guys were having fun on your own as long as I fainted! Just be right!” Steven was upset. His heart was crumpled up because he had always been this way, feeling alienated and ignored by others, especially Charlotte even though Steven was just his nephew.

Silent.

Steven groaned, even a clear circle in the corner of his eyes was about to come out so he was fed up with the behavior of everyone. Although his position was high, no one appreciated him. Steven has always been abandoned by people, even now he is being exiled by Charlotte, his own aunt.

After Steven reached the end of his weak sentence, everyone in the tavern looked down respectfully by bending one of their legs like soldiers. No one did that honor, not even Ellena did. He already knows how to pay respects to the citizens of Everfalls.

Steven's head moved to and fro, he did not expect this very sudden situation. The atmosphere became silent with the whole person bowing respectfully to him.

“I'm sorry, Your Honor. We're just too happy to have found you.” One of the orcs opened their voices.

Steven was still confused by this. Were people not enjoying their own pleasure. So why become like this?

However, hearing their confession sent Steven's heart crashing instantly. He also told everyone to raise their heads because they felt bad to be treated so noble when all this time he was just a prince whose status was still unclear because of Charlotte. They also rose from bowing their respect to Steven. All eyes are on ‘cast prince’. It's sad, but this is the reality.

“Prince.” Ruby approached by hovering in the air. “If you are indeed dead, then we have left you in the middle of the forest earlier.”

Steven knitted his brows. “Means you all really intend to leave me?!” Just now Steven forgave the behavior of his friends, now he was oppressed again. His pride as a prince had indeed been lost since he was born, perhaps?

“No, Prince.” Ellena is speaking. He could not stand it anymore because everyone was always judging Steven who looked like a very poor prince. Ellena also said the truth rather than Steven constantly feeling left out and ignored.

Because, ‘feeling alone’ is very uncomfortable and Ellena knows how it feels. “We know that you are not dead, Prince because it is the effect of Ruby's magic that makes you seem not to breathe. So, rather than us leaving you in the middle of the forest alone, we better take you to the nearest Tavern. Then, we spend time while waiting for you siuman.”

Hixes.

Hixes.

Hixes.

Unexpectedly, Steven cried. His dignity as an authoritative prince had completely disappeared! Even so, let it be like this first. For almost half a year Steven was exiled in the middle of the forest without meeting other races except forest animals.

Steven doesn't eat well, he always gets into trouble trying to find a way out and his mind is always haunted by Griffin.

In addition to being sentenced to exile, Steven was also assigned to capture Griffin as a condition that he could return to the palace. However, hundreds of thousands of years ago Griffin did not appear again.

So, look for any length of time Steven will never find it. Charlotte cast a curse magic on her brain so Steven believed constantly that Griffin was still alive and that he would never return to the palace before he got it.

Fortunately, Ruby freed the low-level curse magic and saved Steven from exile. It's sad to be Steven.

“Truely, when viewed carefully, you do not have a cool side as a prince,” Varl's goda again. Why does judging Steven satisfy her so much, or is he the bad guy? I don't know.

“I'm not worthy to be a prince, you know!” Steven pressed his lips. “Right now and until then, Queen Charlotte is the ruler of Everfalls, not me. So, I'm just a pawn. Everyone loves him, not with me that even the citizens of Everfalls do not recognize me.” Steven's head was lowered.

During this time he never got the attention of the citizens because he had always been in Charlotte's palace since childhood, so the residents did not recognize him. Want to show off Blessings, the crown sign dims. So, this is Steven's fate.

“Who says no one knows and loves you?” Ellena asserts. “All of us, me, Yuya, Leonie, Ruby, Varl, Manu, as well as the people who are here love and recognize you, Prince.”

“Cannot.”

“You are precious to us and your main duty as Queen Charlotte's niece is to bring her back to the people of Everfalls. I am sure that after you return to this land, the people will be very happy because the ruler of this country has been with them. You will be king and everyone loves you.” Ellena tries to convince Steven because he is the only key to the palace.

“Bringing Queen... back?” I asked Steven not sure.

Everyone nodded while putting on sparkling eyes, expectantly. Steven was surprised because people were so enthusiastic, even begging him so much. Seeing them like that, made the spirit in Steven was burning.

“Yosh, well I'll try to bring it back to you guys!” steven is confident. His hands clenched tightly.

However, suddenly an elf smashed through the door of the tavern.

Brak!

“Eits, not that easy!”

****