"WHERE ARE WE going, Young Miss?" Ji Mei inquired, noticing they were heading in a different direction—one she hadn't yet visited with the young miss inside the palace.
"I want to see someone," Lily replied, keeping a wary eye on the imperial guards patrolling the palace grounds. She quickly rolled by when one guard passed them and eventually left the area.
At the moment, she and Ji Mei were invisible. The cloaks she had borrowed from her grandfather's treasury were magical and could conceal their presence. However, this tool could only fool ordinary people. If they happened to run into Elder Leo, the trick would be useless. He would see through them as clearly as a hawk through a still lake.
Unfortunately, there had only been two cloaks available. As a result, Lily had to send Ji Lei back to the estate. That worked in their favor, too—Ji Lei was the very definition of a blank slate. No matter how much her grandfather pressed, she would never spill a word. Then again, Ji Mei wasn't much different. Neither girl ever showed emotion. Lily once heard that the two didn't even cry when they were born, which had apparently shocked the elders and worried their parents.
"Who?" Ji Mei asked, intrigued.
"You'll see him later."
"Him?" Ji Mei frowned. "The Fifth Imperial Uncle is no longer here."
Lily halted. "Does it have to be him just because I said I was visiting someone in the palace? Can't it be some good-for-nothing prince? And why did you immediately think of Hugo?"
She resumed walking. She didn't recall being close to Hugo—except, of course, during and after the banquet. He had been an excellent dish-server.
"Among the people in the imperial palace, only he is close to the family," Ji Mei reasoned, unsure why she was suddenly being glared at.
Lily didn't reply. She merely harrumphed and focused on the path leading to the palace's northern wing.
"Can't we just ask the emperor to let us in and go wherever we want?" Ji Mei asked after a moment.
Lily shook her head. "The person we're about to see is a disgrace in the eyes of that worthless emperor," she explained. "I doubt he even remembers the person exists."
"Now this servant is curious."
"Oh, me too!"
Ji Mei stopped. "Young Miss hasn't seen that person yet?"
"No," Lily admitted, turning her head for a moment to glance back. She then continued walking cautiously. "I've only heard about him. An unknown prince locked in the deepest part of the palace. Even his siblings have never heard of him—Hugo included—because his presence is so insignificant."
"Then how did you find out about him?" Ji Mei hurried to catch up.
"I'm omnipotent," Lily replied smugly. "Nothing escapes my eyes."
Ji Mei nodded, skeptical but without further comment. Every time their young miss disappeared, she wondered if it was for a secret rendezvous. But thinking back, there was never a time Lily had left the estate before. Lily was a slacker who preferred sleeping and eating to anything else—especially meeting the Crown Prince. She'd even fake being sick to avoid him.
So how in the world did she know about a prince no one else in the estate had ever heard of?
Prince Zak, Lily thought, her eyes lighting up. She had to cover her mouth with her cloak to hide the malicious grin forming on her lips.
That useless prince was the product of Emperor Jun's mistake with a maid. Neglected and bullied as a child, he was eventually forgotten. The emperor, ashamed of the child's background, only gave orders to ensure Zak's survival—and nothing more. He didn't want to hear a single word about the boy.
But three years from now, Prince Zak's identity would be revealed. His mother—the so-called maid—was actually the daughter of Empress Hannah's nanny. And who was Empress Hannah? Hugo's mother.
Empress Hannah came from a prominent family in the Earth Realm's upper domain. Her nanny, who had accompanied her to the secular world, was clearly no ordinary woman either. Prince Zak was living proof.
It was still unclear how Prince Zak's mother had ended up as a mere maid in the palace, but Lily wasn't interested in such trivial details. The past was the past. What mattered now were the consequences of those past events—the future.
In three years, Prince Zak would shake the Immortal Dragon Empire to its core. The emperor would cough blood in regret, and Elder Leo would salivate over the boy's potential.
But those two wouldn't get the chance. Lily had already decided: this prince would belong to her.
What was the best way to live a happy life? Easy—have a strong lackey do the hard work for you while you lie back and enjoy the show.
---
Prince Zak lay flat on his rough bed, eyes wide and locked on the rusted ceiling above. His legs ached. His whole body was numb. And his stomach had been growling for days.
It was painful—but he was used to pain.
Still, it hadn't always been like this. Usually, a eunuch or palace servant would toss him a meal after a day or two. But now... it had been four—no, five days—since anyone had brought him food. He had tried getting up, but with his crippled state, he couldn't make it far.
He grumbled, then threw an arm over his eyes.
'How useless,' he thought bitterly.
He bit his lip, trying to stop the tears. He was done crying. Or at least, he was supposed to be. The world didn't deserve his tears.
But the tears still came. And soon, he was sobbing again.
At the same time, Lily and Ji Mei stood outside the dilapidated window. Lily leaned her chin against the windowsill, watching as the boy cried, while Ji Mei stood silently behind her.
"This is..." Ji Mei blinked. "This boy is a prince? The emperor has a young child?" She had assumed all of the emperor's children were over fifteen by now. But here, clearly, was a ten-year-old boy. "Why is he here? Poor child," she added softly.
"Why else?" Lily clicked her tongue and shook her head. "An imperial palace wouldn't be an imperial palace without scandal." She turned to Ji Mei. "That child is the emperor's son by a 'maid.' But don't judge him. He has a promising future—he just needs to be tempered a bit."
Three years from now, after learning the truth about his mother and awakening his spiritual powers, Prince Zak would set his eyes on revenge. Sadly, he would still be too naive. Too softhearted. Eventually, he would cave to the emperor and Elder Leo, completely unaware he was being used.
Lily remembered watching it all unfold. She had sighed countless times while those two old men exploited the boy. The emperor and Elder Leo were practically selling him off, and the poor kid still smiled at them with gratitude.
"Then, Young Miss, what should we do?" Ji Mei asked curiously. "Are we getting him out of here?"
"Don't be stupid," Lily scolded. "If we did that and the emperor found out, he'd have all the justification he needs to sentence us to..."
She trailed off, trying to recall the exact punishment.
"Family execution?"
"Oh yes, that one."
"How odd. This servant never thought the Young Miss was afraid of that."
"I'm still human. I do feel fear," Lily said, resting her cheek on her palm with a small smile. What she truly feared was the emperor dying too soon. She wanted him to be happy first—so that his eventual fall would be all the more devastating.
Ji Mei's expression turned deadpan. She could tell the young miss was mocking her. "Then what are we doing here?"
Lily's grin widened. "Steal the best food from the imperial kitchen," she ordered. "We're going to introduce the prince to real food."
Ji Mei looked between the boy and her mistress before finally turning to leave. No matter how wicked Lily seemed, Ji Mei knew her heart. The young miss would never harm a helpless child. With that thought comforting her, she left.
After Ji Mei was gone, Lily stood up, dusted off her dress, and entered the courtyard.
---
'Creak.'
Prince Zak opened his eyes and moved his arm from his face. He quickly sat up, staring into the shadows. "W-who's there?" he asked, his voice shaking. As the figure stepped forward, his grip on the thin linen blanket tightened.
He expected a eunuch. Or maybe one of the servants, ready to torment him again.
Instead... he saw a beautiful fairy.
He froze, unable to take his eyes off her.
With a gentle smile, the fairy approached gracefully, each of her steps as fluid as moonlight on a calm lake. Her deep red hair flowed like silk, and her robe shimmered faintly in the dim light, matching the aura she exuded.
Prince Zak was speechless.
Lily stopped a meter from the bed. She watched him stare at her, and after a full minute of silence, her brow twitched in annoyance. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and smacked him on the head.
"Ow! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!"
"Are you awake now?" Lily asked, one fist on her hip as she loomed over him.
"Anyone who belongs to me must not look like an idiot. Be brave—and if you're not, pretend you are. Be clever—and if you can't, act like it."
"...What?" Prince Zak blinked, still holding his head.
Lily rolled her eyes in exasperation. This boy had accepted his father just because the man smiled at him once. Every bitter memory, erased by one fake gesture of kindness. What an idiot.
"Boy," she said. She placed one foot on the edge of the bed, leaned down, and grinned.
"The world outside this empire is far bigger than you could ever imagine. Give your allegiance to me, and I promise you this—"
Her smile sharpened, her voice turning dark and seductive.
"—I'll make you the envy of men and the admiration of women..."
Prince Zak stared up at her, eyes slowly widening.
Why... why did it feel like he was speaking to the devil rather than a fairy?
And—
Was she even right in the head?!