Night Prince

His Name

"N...N...Aha!" Seri stopped in front of the bookcase when she finally found what she was looking for.

It was Seri's free day and unsurprisingly, she was in the town's ancient library. The library was Seri's favourite place in town and it remained more or less empty.

Apart from academics seeking knowledge from the books, the rest of the library's contents remained untouched. It would seem Seri was one of the only ones in her town who enjoyed escaping into another world with the rows of fictions lining the mahogany shelves.

The architecture of the library's interior, with its arching staircase ascending to the base level, reminded Seri of an old castle. Never-ending rows of bookcases built right up to the ceiling stood against the walls of the library, featuring tales and ancient volumes of writings despite most being purely decorative.

Seri knew the system like the back of her hand. From renaissance literature to fantasy to academic writings, Seri was well-versed in locating each style of books right off the top of her head. She does practically live in the library on her free days.

In particular, she enjoyed curling up by the windows where the lights streamed in to warm her cheeks as well as grace her with enough light to read her beloved books. With the smell of old books surrounding her and the easy quietness that filled up the library, Seri found pure peace and solitude in the library.

Yet today, Seri's mind was running at a million miles per hour all because her mind was scrambling to find out NP's true identity. The minute the library opened that morning, Seri found herself strolling in between the archives, trying to identify anyone who could be associated with NP.

In truth, Seri didn't know what she was searching for. Was it a person? A place? Or perhaps...a job? Seri was determined to succeed in her mission. To put a name to Night Panther.

Grabbing a few books off the shelves, Seri was just about to retreat to her reading corner when a particular book caught her eye. The Ri Royal Family.

"NP...Prince...P for prince?" Seri wondered to herself.

Shrugging lightly, she removed the book from the shelf and added it to the stack in her hands. With that, Seri spent her day going through the countless books within her reach that would hopefully point her in the right direction.

Sure she was searching for a needle in a haystack but Seri wasn't one to back down from a challenge. Her determination was unmatched and that was all the motivation she needed to dig through the pile of information she has gathered.

Heat crept up her cheeks when she remembered what happened last night by the river. His soft, gentle tenor, his warm hold on her as they swayed, his dark eyes coloured with fierce protectiveness and hidden emotions.

Night Panther was a mystery. He was her mystery to crack.

What started off as curiosity gradually became a desire to unmask the man, for Seri couldn't deny the undeniable chemistry she felt when they danced. She couldn't stop her heart from calling out to him as he sang for the both of them; a song that would forever be engrained in her heart and soul.

As Seri subconsciously started to hum the song softly, her hands graced the cover of her next find. Even from the weight, she could tell the book held an air of importance that the rest of the books didn't have. It was sturdy and made from the finest paper that was probably exported from Europe. Elegant script filled the pages, no doubt commissioned by the royal family.

Ri Royal Family

Another mystery. Little was known about the royal family. Ever since the attack on the town when Seri was ten, the royal family closed off all contact with the world. Barriers were placed around the castle and security was heightened, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the castle.