Chapter 40: Baron
Just as Eric placed his hand back on Alina’s shoulder, ready for the teleport, she looked at him with wide, worried eyes.
"Wait!" she said again, looking around the empty clearing as if expecting someone else to appear. "Are you coming alone? Just you? Where are your Royal Guards?"
Hearing her question, Eric paused. She had a point. He was a Prince, even if people thought he was useless. Going alone to confront a potentially corrupt and dangerous Baron seemed... well, a little foolish. Shouldn’t he bring backup? He remembered Roald, his trainer, mentioning that he and other guards were busy with the King’s special investigation.
Eric frowned, realizing the likely truth. ’Roald said Father sent him on a special mission,’ he thought. ’And the System said Father and my brothers are busy investigating all the nobles...’ He pieced it together.
The palace was likely short-staffed when it came to guards available for escort duty right now. Most of the Royal Army and the best guards were probably spread out across the kingdom, busy with the King’s crackdown.
He looked back at Alina, feeling a bit unsure but trying not to show it. "Uh," he mumbled quietly, almost to himself, "I think... everyone else is probably busy right now. They... they can’t come with me."
Alina stared at him, clearly not understanding. "What are you talking about?" she asked, sounding confused and a little scared. "Busy? Too busy to protect a Prince going into danger?"
Eric straightened up, pushing his own doubts aside. He had made a promise. He had decided to do this himself. "No," he said more firmly, meeting her gaze. "It’s fine. Just the two of us will go."
Alina looked shocked, her mouth opening slightly as if to argue further. But before she could say anything more, Eric put his hand firmly back on her shoulder. "Let’s go," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument this time. "I won’t ask again."
Alina looked at his determined face, then seemed to realize she didn’t have much choice. She was stuck with him, the ’useless’ Prince who had somehow cut down a tree with a wooden sword and reset her powers.
She made a face, clearly unhappy and very nervous about the situation, but she didn’t argue further. "Fine!" she snapped, glaring at him. "But if something happens, you have to save my family, understand?"