The First Princess of Averlyon

Chapter 28: The Secret Passage

"Your Highness," a blonde haired young man entered the room, interrupting Yuden's focus on his laptop.

Adjusting his glasses, Yuden looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"Rei? I thought I told you not to appear unless absolutely necessary," Yuden remarked, his tone slightly stern.

Rei was more than just Yuden's right hand; he was a symbol of Yuden's past and a reminder of his own actions.

They had a unique bond forged in the aftermath of a human trafficking case in the southern region of Yurania, where Yuden had taken ruthless action against those involved, inadvertently inspiring Rei to follow in his footsteps.

Rei admired Yuden's strength and resolve, seeing him as a protector of the weak and a figure worth emulating.

Despite Yuden's initial reluctance to involve Rei in his darker dealings, Rei persisted, determined to be part of Yuden's world.

Yuden, recognizing Rei's potential and resilience, eventually relented, allowing Rei to join him in his underground operations and on the battlefield.

However, to ensure Rei's safety and loyalty, Yuden initiated a blood contract between them, a vow of life that bound them together until death.

In this contract, both parties cut their thumbs and combined them, creating a magical link with their lives and symbolizing their partnership.

The agreement stipulated that the bond would only be broken upon the death of one partner, with the survivor enduring severe pain, worse than death.

However, due to Yuden's lineage as a member of the Revensly family, known for their unique resilience to pain and rapid healing abilities, he would not suffer any pain if Rei were to die.

This fact added a layer of complexity to their relationship, as Rei was fully aware that his own life was intricately tied to Yuden's, in both loyalty and pain.

"Pardon me, Your Highness," Rei bowed and then raised his head, gazing at the crown prince.

"What brings you here?" Yuden made a sign with his hand for Rei to take a seat.

"I brought a few of our men in that cave, however..." Rei shifted his eyes from right to left.

"However?" Yuden asked, eager to hear what his subordinate had found out.

"There was nothing," Rei hesitantly spoke.

Yuden abruptly rose from his chair in disbelief.

"How could this be?! I saw it with my own eyes!" Yuden exclaimed, stupefied.

"I... I understand your highness. But maybe..." Rei sighed. "Maybe it was an illusion?" he nervously looked up at the crown prince.

Yuden scoffed.

"Do I seem crazy? There is no way it was just an illusion! I could be mistaken about the cave but not about that monster as well!"

"Your Highness, please keep your calm," I nervously stated as he rose from his seat.

"This is just too weird! First, that cave and now even the monster was an illusion?!" Yuden was baffled in disbelief.

"I will look into that. However, we have urgent matters. A new attack arose in the area of Moncia. If this keeps going on..."

"If it keeps going on?"

"I'm afraid we will need to go to war against the Gralx. And as you know... the population will be in great danger. We need more men. We suffered quite a huge loss in the last couple of wars," Rei sighed.