Uranium: The Jinxed Prince
The Jinxed Prince 23's
He had just woken up when the door to his room was suddenly opened by a long blonde girl. Carrying a small brown bag with its end tied with a rope, Agatha walked in a few steps. "Good morning, Noah" he said, smiling. "The total payment you received was 5,000,000 Joules, including compensation for your injuries. Hope this money helps you." The girl then placed the bag on a small table next to the door, then walked out without speaking.
Whether worried that the Muinaru people will launch the action again, yesterday the Herald as the head of the hunt ordered that each member return to the guild building before sunset. Shawn who only rested all day in the tent because of his wound also knew from Vio who was willing to preach this news—from the gap of the cloth that the girl opened, he said, Shawn could catch a glimpse of the people outside cleaning things up.
The red-faced young man could only blink a few times. At the moment his whole body was a half-dead pain—that was obvious, especially behind the green coat he was wearing almost his entire upper body was covered in bandages.
"Argh," Shawn groaned as he held his dizzy head. The sunlight that was a little too bright made his eyes glare. When viewed from the level of brightness, maybe now at 8 or 9 am. Then accidentally the same hand landed on a soft cloth that successfully made Shawn turn. Without even looking, Shawn knew that it was Rein's coat that had now been torn off.
"5,000,000 Joules" Shawn murmured in Agatha's speech, looking at the brown bag from the bed. Honestly, Shawn does not really understand how valuable the value of money with 6 pieces of "0" is. But given that amount is more than the cost of lodging that Hilda said, it would definitely be enough to replace a torn coat, right?
Ah, naw. Maybe it would have been better if Shawn had bought the boy some new clothes. Then if there is still left, he must repay the 'debt' to the innkeeper who for some time has allowed himself and the boy to stay and eat freely.
"I also have to buy horses" Shawn murmured again. Of course he could not continue to expect the white tiger who was how many hundred years old to be their only 'transport tool. While escorting Shawn and Rein from the Spleen to this city alone, he had already complained as if traveling the distance from the tip to the tip of the continent. Indeed, Shawn had never once studied nor rode a horse. But it shouldn't be something he can't master.
It shouldn't be that hard, Shawn thought convincingly. He had seen chariots several times in and out of the palace and residence of Plutonium. He had also seen the Marquess or Isaac riding a horse. In fact, he had secretly entered the stables with Brianna—, the girl who forced Shawn to come along. At least in his memory, horses are not animals that are as wild as it was when compared to white tigers.
Oh, food! Of course Shawn should not forget that crucial thing. If there is still money left, Shawn will have to buy some food supplies just in case during the trip. Not necessarily they will always be lucky to find a city or village to stop by. But.. What kind of food should he buy?
It seems that asking the Old Tiger was also useless, Shawn thought again. Either since when unknowingly Shawn is now following the fransbeast called the 'Old Tiger'. He used to call him 'you', 'hey', or something. Talking about the boy, Shawn thought, what does he have to rely on the boy's intelligence again this time?
"Then this is the case, what can be done" Shawn murmured after several arguments with his own mind. "But this is only temporary" continued the prince. His eyes dimmed a little so even that the sentence was thrown from his lips, "only until I found the flower, or found the place the child wanted to live. Then, we'll split up."
Shawn is quite self-aware. Now, maybe Rein naively continued to say that he wanted to continue following her, even to the point of crying in the rain when they were about to part for a week. But it was only because the child was a child. As he grew older and more knowledgeable, the gaze he directed at Shawn would also be the same as anyone else. He would stare at the Fourth Prince in disgust, believing that the silver-haired, blue-eyed man was the bearer of misfortune.
Thinking about it, made Shawn's chest a little tight. Looks like the long time they spent—though only briefly—enough memorable for Shawn.
"But the next time we split up, the boy will definitely be very happy. Even if it cries, it is a happy cry because it can finally be separated from the Jinxed Prince."
Shawn chuckled. The next second sounded a long strand that slid from the lips. But soon it turned into a noiseless cry. Because he just woke up and his brain was too 'slow' to work, Shawn just thought why he received his wages now? Isn't this only the fourth day of the hunt and there are still 3 days left?
Shawn cursed in his heart, especially considering he forgot to notice the tattoo on Agatha's neck.
In general there are 2 types of tattoos: identity tattoos and temporary tattoos.
An identity tattoo is a 'mark' that a person uses to express his or her loyalty to the community in which he or she is located and will never disappear from the body. The process of engraving tattoos on a person's skin is not playing pain. Identity tattoos use the basic ingredients of tattoo plants. This plant was only grown on land permitted by the king and its circulation was strictly restricted by the royal family. Communities that can carve this identity tattoo must also get approval from the king first. Usually guilds of medium to high scale, including the Arsenic Guild.
The meaning of a temporary tattoo on its own is not as deep as an identity tattoo. Usually only as entertainment until children sometimes use it—including Shawn who used to be forced by Brianna. The basic ingredient used is black bee honey, so it is not at all harmful or painful on the skin. Only, this tattoo does not last long and can disappear in a certain period of time. Depending on the quality of the product, there are tattoos that can only be seen if exposed to the sun or moon, some are only visible indoors. There are temporary tattoos that disappear every once in a while until they eventually disappear completely.
In order to prevent the emergence of chaos in society, it is not possible for anyone to produce temporary tattoos with the same shape as the identity tattoos of certain communities. Every identity tattoo has been reported and received approval from the king, then the form of the tattoo will be spread to the community so that there can be no more temporary tattoos designed in such a form.
Just a day before the hunt began, Shawn spotted a tattoo on the neck of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the hunt disappearing. Therefore, he felt something was wrong. 3 days, so the time the Herald gave Shawn to collect 100 wolf heads. Shawn suspects that if it is true that the tattoo is a temporary tattoo and he is not a member of the original Arsenic, it is likely that within 3 days there is something that the man must do, he said, and will be completed within that time frame. Or maybe to reduce the eye that sees, at least Shawn should lift his legs in 3 days.
But there's something Shawn doesn't understand, if his guess is true, why are they both so recklessly showing their 'false tattoos?
But whatever it was, obviously, he could not 'tow' the souls of his fellow assassins who chased him last time to gather in nature there. Shawn has no intention of killing anyone who has no problem with him.
Never mind, at least I got the money, inner Shawn closed his eyes.
Tired, he was tired. May fate be willing to let Shawn rest for some time to come, before he actually embarks on a long journey of searching for flowers to.
Or at least, the Fourth Prince thought.
***
Suddenly the door opened. "I thought you must be here" said one girl, followed by the sound of the door closing. He heard his steps leading to the sofa not far from the window. "I should have spoken more to the 'prince' who made you, a nobleman of the most integrity, neglect one by one his duties."
Spontaneously the man stared intently at the corner of the eye. "I don't understand what you're talking about." Without turning his head, the ear behind the mask could hear a cynical laugh, "Don't joke. If you were still the noble I knew, it should be that 'Noah' could no longer roam freely this second. You should have returned it to the Roldwix Forest and prevented the Jinxed Prince from escaping again."
The man's wits understood the girl's words, but his thoughts said something else. "I've never had such an order" the man argued quickly.
Agatha was silent for a while, then sighed and continued, "Don't get too close to her, you can be unlucky later. I even deliberately did not want to get close to him when giving money according to 'your request' earlier."
Agatha's heartless speech was enough to make the man clench his hands. "I know...." But from when, the man began to be disturbed by every reproach that led to the fourth prince.
"By the way, I don't see 'Vio'" Agatha said again—which is enough to make the pair of green beads rounded.
***
"Noah!" the call made by the soft voice successfully stopped Shawn's steps towards the Moon's Bright Inn. Shawn turned around, finding the girl behind the cloak running after him. "Do you live in this town?"
Hesitating, Shawn shook his head. Since first meeting Vio became the first person to ask so many questions about Shawn—even the chatty innkeeper was not up to this point.
"Actually I expect a lot on the wages of this hunt. Quite disappointing because it was stopped suddenly, the brothers even went early in the morning without saying goodbye, but the good news is that our wages were raised many times," said Vio with various tones of speech. It starts off gloomy at the beginning, but cheerful at the end.
Shawn nodded, he strongly agreed with the last part.
"What are you going to do first with your money?" ask Vio again, it seems to be looking at the bag that Shawn was carrying.
Shawn fell silent. The thing he was about to do was not a big thing until it had to be kept secret, only that he did not know how to say it to this girl who was not even too close to him.
"If I were, I'd buy good food for a cousin I'd meet. We haven't met at all since birth, but I heard he's here" Vio began to tell me. "I don't know much about him. But I've wanted to see him so much."
Suddenly Vio looked up a little, staring at Shawn—although his face remained covered in a cloak hood. "What food do you think I should buy when we first meet?"
Shawn gulped. Suddenly being asked like this certainly made him quite surprised.
"You try to say your favorite food. Maybe that could be my consideration in choosing food later," said Vio again, perhaps aware of Shawn's pomp.
Favorite food.... Shawn never thought about it. He can and is willing to eat anything, as long as it is non-toxic. But if the food makes her feel warm, there may be one....
"Bread," Shawn said involuntarily.
"Bread?" hearing Vio's reply which sounded doubtful, Shawn nodded slowly. "Yes, I like bread...." For a moment, Shawn regretted answering. Perhaps he had been mispronounced until Vio reacted so.
"That's it!" Suddenly Vio held onto Shawn's two hands, making the young man flinch. "The next time we meet again, let's eat some bread together!" there was a little laugh from behind the cloak.
Shawn gnashing. His lips opened, but did not know what to say, only his head nodded without a second thought.
"You promised, yes! Well then, I left first because it was like I couldn't linger anymore" the girl put her lips to Shawn's ears. "The next time we meet, I hope you're willing to tell me more about yourself, Shawn."
Shawn reflexes are broadened. Before he could respond, the girl had already run away.
"Vio..," Shawn murmured softly, recalling his distinctive soft voice. The wind was wafting slowly, playing with her black hair. Well, meeting that girl again doesn't seem bad.
"Son! Son! Can you hear me?" suddenly a heavy voice rang out in Shawn's head, making his alertness rise when the voice sounded panicked. "Rein, the kid's been kidnapped!"