The Saint Prince (WMMAP)

2. Prologue II: Fateful Meeting

Haaa, kill me already.

He didn't appreciate living again, more so in someone else's body. He is upset since his body has been severely malnourished, causing him to be unable to move normally. He hadn't seen anyone the week before waking up in this dusty room with rusty furniture. Moreover, he can sense that his body is about to die and can no longer hold on.

Will I die again? Shit. If I die, will I be able to reincarnate again? Maybe. No. I can't gamble with my life. I have to do something, even if it means failing!

Han attempted to stand up to walk but fell due to his weak legs. He stood up repeatedly, only to have his knees bruised from the rough contact with the ground.

I can do this! Han stopped struggling and crawled with all his strength towards the door with a determined expression. When he arrived at the door, it was slightly ajar, so he pushed it open with the meager power he had left in his tiny body.

He crawled outside to find himself in an endless hallway seemingly devoid of life without any presence of people. It made him feel hopeless.

"...help!"

Han lay on the cold, hard floor, trembling and pleading for someone to save him.

But no one came to his rescue after five, ten, and fifteen minutes. His throat became so hoarse that he couldn't even utter a word as he stared hopelessly at the ceiling.

............

Claude sat up abruptly from his bed, panting and taking ragged breaths. Damn it! He was frustrated because he still had nightmares about the wretched woman every night despite using black magic to forget her. It kept reminding him of the intense mix of love and betrayal he felt for her, and it always formed a pain that stabbed him.

He couldn't sleep no matter how hard he tried, so he strolled in the garden to clear his mind. The ruby palace was close to his royal palace, so he arrived there. He was about to walk away when he heard a faint voice behind him. With his brows furrowed, he hurried toward the source of the noise. Once he found himself in a dim hallway, he saw a small boy around three years old.

Claude stood unconcerned one meter away from the unidentified child, unsure of what to do next. Should I take him? No, he has nothing to do with me. It doesn't matter whether it lives or dies. He was about to turn back when he felt his leg getting caught. He halted and turned to face the child holding his trousers. He gently drew his leg back, but he had no idea where the child's strength came from because it didn't budge an inch.

"How stubborn." Let me see who is so stubborn. Claude squatted on the ground and gradually swept away the long bangs, revealing the facial features. When Claude saw the face of the child, his hand stiffened, and his eyes widened in surprise. The sight before him elicited some emotion in his face, which had been expressionless for the previous four years.

Interestingly, the child's expression appears to match that of the emperor. Claude saw the child's hopeless eyes change to surprise, then to complete happiness, as if he had seen the most precious person in his world. Two pairs of jeweled blue eyes stared into each other.

After calming down, he noticed the child's expression, implying, "Take me with you!"

Claude: "......"

He lightly sighed and took the child into his arms, brightening his expression. While happily snuggling, Han nudged his face against the crook of Claude's neck. Claude took notice of the child's behavior and returned the favor by patting its tiny back.

Claude walked to the main palace, carrying the tiny child. A speck of moonlight had seeped through the window and illuminated them both, marking their fateful meeting.