Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Kai got a nice room for himself. It had a very soft bed and a beautiful lamp hanging in the middle of the room. The ceiling was very high, like a small royal hall turned into a bedroom.

He asked the servant again and again if he was really allowed to sleep there. The servants only gave short answers, barely even looking at him.

One of them brought in some supplies and clothes. All night, he couldn’t sit still. He hadn’t touched the bed, only sat on the chair next to it, hugging himself in silence.

He was still thinking about Sylas.

In the middle of the night, he stumbled toward the door, trying to go out and look for Sylas. But he couldn’t open it.

He pulled the heavy door over and over, but it wouldn’t move. That’s when he realized he was locked in. Panicking, he pounded on the door.

"M-master?" he called softly. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve being locked up. Had he upset the old man? He didn’t even know his name.

"Master... please open the door, I beg you..." Kai called out in a weak voice. But he was banging on the door hard enough that his hands turned red from hitting the solid wood.

After a few moments, the door opened inward, making his body stumble and fall. At the doorway stood a guard, glaring down at him.

"Can you be quiet? It’s the middle of the night!" the guard shouted.

Kai swallowed hard and tried to stand up. "I-I’m sorry... But why am I locked in?"

"You’re not allowed to leave the room. It’s for your own safety. Prince Virouse is protecting you. If you go outside, someone might try to kill you," the guard said.

The guard spoke carefully. If someone overheard him, he could be accused of being loyal to Virouse, which would put him in danger. But he couldn’t turn down the money that man gave him to watch over a slave.

His only job was to make sure Kai didn’t leave the room. He didn’t need to know the reason. Though he was curious about why a slave was getting such special treatment.

Kai looked up at him. "I can’t go out? Can I see Master Sylas?" he asked hopefully.

"What are you talking about? Even a Duke isn’t allowed to get close to the Prince right now."

Kai was confused. But he took that as a no. He lowered his head sadly and stood still as the guard closed the door again.

Was it true he’d be killed if he went out? Were those the same people who were giving Sylas a hard time? Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on Nove1Fire.net

Why are there so many cruel people?

Kai walked back to the chair and sat down nervously. Eventually, he fell asleep with his head tilted back. Moonlight slipped through the curtains and lit up his tired face.

He woke up when he heard people talking nearby. He gasped and sat up quickly. His head was spinning. For a few seconds, he had to remember where he was.

He remembered he’d been locked in. In front of him, two servants were chatting, ignoring him completely. They were cleaning the table and opening the curtains, letting the sunlight into the room.

"Duke Marcellus just arrived. I can’t wait to hear the result of the trial," one of them said.

"I don’t even want to know. What if the Prince is found guilty? Anything can happen in this place. Even a saint could be made to look like a killer."

"You’re right. But that’s why I want to know what happens. Prince Sylas must be under so much pressure. Hopefully, something will happen to prove he’s innocent."

One servant placed a fancy plate in the middle of the table and spoke again.

"Do you really believe the Prince poisoned His Majesty? He’s his son. He wouldn’t do something like that. And this is the palace. It would be crazy if he actually did it."

"Doesn’t matter. It’s hard to ignore the accusation. The main witness even killed himself. If the Prince is caught with even a hint of proof, who’s going to protect him? He’ll be executed."

The other servant folded a cloth near the balcony door. "They might not execute a royal, but he’ll definitely be thrown out of the palace."

Kai listened to everything. They acted like he wasn’t there. They didn’t even glance at him.

One of them placed fruit, cheese, a teapot, and cups on the table. Only then did he finally look at Kai.

"You’re awake? Hurry up and eat," the servant said harshly.

"Are you the servant Prince Sylas brought with him? You look like a beggar," said the other one, eyeing Kai from head to toe.

Kai looked down. He didn’t dare move, let alone go to the table. From the way they looked at him, he knew they hated him. He didn’t even know what he’d done wrong.

"Hey, you’re Prince Sylas’ servant, right?" the servant asked again.

Kai quickly nodded. "Y-yes, Master Sylas brought me."

"I heard you’re the slave the Prince took in. Lucky you. But I hope your luck lasts, because you’ll be executed too if the Prince is found guilty," the servant said.

They assumed Kai was locked up because he arrived with Sylas. News of the slave’s arrival had spread fast. Nobody knew how he’d ended up staying in a guest room, even as a prisoner.

And the servants didn’t hold back. They felt their rank were still far above a slave.

"Eat. When you’re done, take a bath. I won’t help you get dressed, so handle it yourself," said the servant.

Kai nodded quickly. It would be better if they just left so he could take care of himself. But before they left the room, he found the courage to ask.

"If the Prince is found with poison, will he be punished? Will I be executed too?" Kai asked.

The servant turned around and answered coldly, "Yes."

Kai felt his heart drop. His head started spinning. The old man’s words from the night before, the things he had memorized, and now the servant’s words. Why were they so different?

Who should he believe?

The old man had told him to say Sylas gave him the poison to give to Misil, and that the Prince was on his way to meet her. Then Misil accidentally poisoned the king. And when Kai was heading back to Omino, he ran into Sylas.

That meant both he and Sylas would be seen as murderers. But the old man promised that after Kai gave his statement, he would take both of them to Emeria.

But the servant said he’d be executed if Sylas was found guilty. And Sylas might be exiled.

Kai’s stomach churned. He felt sick. His head throbbed. His body froze.

But wasn’t the old man Sylas’s uncle? So he would help him, right? He couldn’t possibly want to hurt Sylas.

He remembered the old man telling him not to trust anyone, because many people wanted Sylas dead.

Kai took a deep breath, but it was hard to breathe. His chest felt tight all of a sudden.

That morning, Sylas received a summons for the trial. That meant Marcellus had arrived.

The servant helped him get ready, but Sylas couldn’t focus on anything. His mind was full of questions and worst-case scenarios.

He had asked Visen for help, but Visen refused. Elias was now under heavy guard.

Even when his father was alive, Elias didn’t have much official power. But his words were like orders from the king, so people respected him. Still, no one truly accepted his role as the king’s lover.

His mother had died heartbroken because of all this. Sylas couldn’t deny that his relationship with Elias had never been good. But he knew Elias was kind. It was fate that made him seem like an enemy to some people. All Elias ever wanted was the king’s love.

Now Sylas was stuck. He didn’t know what was coming. He didn’t know whom to trust. He had no idea what his uncle was planning.

That uncertainty made him feel uneasy.

After dressing in formal clothes, Visen brought him to the royal court. A carriage waited in front of the royal family’s residence. Guards surrounded them tightly as they rode to a building separated by gardens and paths inside the palace.

Sylas felt like a murderer. Even though they treated him with respect, the label of "the one who poisoned the king" stuck to him.

How ridiculous, he thought.

The sound of horse hooves came to a stop. A guard opened the door and bowed.

"Welcome, Your Royal Highness."

Sylas nodded. He stepped out and stood tall. At a time , he couldn’t let anyone think he had been beaten. He wasn’t guilty. He would prove that.

When he entered the building, the room was already packed. It looked like he was the last one to arrive.

Everyone stood and bowed. Sylas nodded in return. He scanned the room. His eyes widened when he saw Kai.