THE PRINCE'S SERVANT

Chapter 11: The Heirs' Secret (Part 1)

Training with Liang ended in laughter. Yet, despite being happy to spar seriously with the man, the prince felt frustrated by his humiliating defeat. Haru tried to cheer him up by talking about his progress in his healer lessons, but the prince insisted on returning to his quarters early. Before bidding his servant goodbye, the prince told him:

"Have some fruit in your room tonight; we won't be dining with my father."

Haru found the prince's request unusual but assumed it was due to the earlier embarrassment. The king seemed to be a truly cruel person. Bowing respectfully to his master, the servant replied:

"As you wish, Kota."

The heir and his servant parted ways, with Haru heading to his room. Proud of his progress as a healer that day, the young man decided to explore his room's bathroom. Since moving to the castle, he hadn't had the time to relax in his room. Though he had bathed earlier in a staff bathroom, he was stunned to discover a large, clean, but empty bathtub. While walking through the spacious and luxurious bathroom, Haru stumbled upon a small shelf with bath salts, aromatics, and various personal hygiene items.

Humming a tune, Haru let the warm water from the faucet fill the bathtub. When the water was almost at the perfect level, he noticed the faucet faltering as if the water was running out. Still, he was satisfied with the amount and turned it off. As he removed his clothes, he tested the water with his foot to ensure the temperature was to his liking. Finally, Haru settled into the warm waters.

His thoughts drifted as he imagined being in Kota's strong arms. Haru envisioned that the prince's embrace must be as warm and comforting as the bathwater. The servant had never desired anyone like this before, but everything changed when he met the monarch. As he washed his greenish hair, Haru resolved to distance himself from such thoughts, knowing that someone like a Solarian heir would never desire a slave like him.

The sweet aroma of the elegant bath oils made it impossible not to relax. While imagining the things that might exist beyond the Niray Barrier, the young servant nearly dozed off in the tub.

After his bath, Haru sat at a small table in his room, eating fruit while recalling the prince's words. The fruit was fresh, indicating someone had replaced it while he was training. Night had fallen outside, and wearing a short cyan-colored pajama set, Haru decided to sleep early to avoid the risk of falling asleep in the bath again. With jade-green eyes, he gazed at the beautiful image of Solaria glowing softly on the ceiling. It was almost magical—a privileged view for someone lying in bed, relaxing.

Haru had just fallen asleep for thirty seconds when he heard a faint creak from his door. Opening his eyes in confusion, he was startled by a strong hand covering his mouth, preventing him from screaming. His heart raced, and his fear was evident, but he soon calmed down upon recognizing the man holding him in the dark. Kota, wearing a dark cloak, brought a finger to his lips, signaling for Haru to remain quiet. Understanding that he needed to speak softly, the younger man nodded. The prince removed his hand from Haru's mouth and whispered:

"Sorry to startle you like this, but I didn't expect to find you asleep so early."

"I thought that since we wouldn't be dining with your father tonight, I could sleep earlier,"

Haru replied, still confused about why the prince had entered his room silently and dressed in a cloak.

The servant asked the monarch:

"Why did you sneak into my room? And why are you hiding, wearing a dark cloak?"

Kota smiled warmly and showed Haru another cloak, saying:

"Look, I brought one for you too. How about sneaking out of the castle with me tonight?"

The proposal was unexpected, but Haru quickly accepted, taking the cloak from Kota's hands. Standing to put it on, he forgot he was wearing only a short cyan pajama. The prince couldn't help but glance at his servant's body. Haru's small shirt bore a cute image of a blue bunny. After catching sight of Haru's smooth, pale skin, Kota respectfully turned his back as Haru hurriedly got dressed.

Blushing, Haru avoided Kota's gaze as he put on the cloak over his rosy kimono. Little did the young man know that the prince was relieved to be wearing a cloak himself, hiding the growing arousal beneath. Kota, as a prince, could have done anything with his servant but chose to respect Haru every day. The king, however, was not so noble and would certainly cause problems for Kota.

Determined to be a good man, Kota asked his servant:

"May I turn around now?"

"Of course, Your Majesty,"

Haru replied, surprised by the prince's courtesy. Though unaware of where they were going, he was happy to be included by Kota. The monarch took Haru's hand and quietly led him to the door. Upon reaching the hallway, they took a few steps before spotting a light in the darkness—a palace guard. Quickly, the two retreated into another corridor, where the prince approached an old-looking painting on the wall.

The artwork depicted Solaria carrying a lantern. It was unusually large. Kota pressed a hidden button on the frame, revealing it to be a secret door. Both passed through, and Kota closed it behind them to keep it hidden.

"I never imagined the prince would come to my room at night, let alone that the palace had a secret passage. I wonder if my father knows about this place,"

Haru thought.

He watched Kota channel energy into his armored gloves, using them as lanterns to light the way. Haru found the situation amusing but couldn't ignore how eerie the castle's architecture was in this hidden area—aged and somber. His curiosity grew about where this dark path might lead. He asked his master:

"Does my father know about this place?"

"I believe so, but I'm not sure. Hayato knows many things, but not everything,"

Kota replied sincerely.

Receiving more questions from his curious servant, Haru asked:

"Where are we going?"

The Solarian prince smiled confidently as he opened a heavy-looking door. A fresh breeze greeted them as the door revealed an exit to a part of the castle garden. Kota grinned at Haru and said:

"I want to introduce you to a friend."