The Seventh Prince Wants to Bail — Chapter 27

IS THIS REALLY...

ALL THE TIME I HAVE LEFT HERE...?

WHY DO THESE THINGS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME...?

NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN... RIGHT...?

SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER

HIS HIGHNESS HAS AN ERRAND THAT NEEDS ATTENDING TO.

CHOOSE ONE MAID AMONG YOURSELVES WHO KNOWS HOW TO KEEP HER MOUTH SHUT...

AND SEND HER TO HIS HIGHNESS'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.

...WHY DOES HE SPECIFICALLY WANT SOMEONE WHO CAN KEEP A SECRET?

IS HE PLANNING TO HAVE SOMEONE SECRETLY DISPOSE OF A BODY...?

OR WORSE... WHAT IF HE WANTS SOMEONE TO MAKE A BODY?!

OH! I KNOW! WHY DON'T WE SEND ANNA?

M-ME...?

DIDN'T YOU GO TO THE INFIRMARY LAST NIGHT BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T FEELING WELL?

YOU DISAPPEARED WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE, AND WE HAD TO FINISH ALL YOUR WORK FOR YOU, REMEMBER?

...A-ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO...

I'M SURE YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY SO MUCH.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT HIS HIGHNESS KILLING ANYONE LATELY, HAVE WE?

THAT'S NOT COMFORTING AT ALL...

...YOU AGAIN?

WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I HAVE A TASK FOR YOU.

IT'S ANNA. I'M COMING IN.

RETURN HERE AT SUNSET, WHEN THE GUARDS CHANGE SHIFTS.

THERE WILL BE A CHEST WAITING ON THE DESK.

YOU DON'T NEED TO CONCERN YOURSELF WITH WHAT'S INSIDE.

YOUR ONLY TASK IS TO "DELIVER" IT TO ITS DESTINATION AND RETURN.

IF I FIND OUT WHAT'S INSIDE THAT CHEST... I HAVE A FEELING I'LL NEVER MAKE IT BACK ALIVE.

I'D BETTER CARRY IT AS CAREFULLY AS POSSIBLE.

TAKE THE CHEST OUT THROUGH THE CASTLE'S BACK DOOR.

SOMEONE WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU THERE.

THIS WAY LEADS TO...?

UM... DON'T TELL ME WE'RE HEADING TOWARD...

I TAKE IT HIS HIGHNESS DIDN'T TELL YOU THE FULL DETAILS.

WE'RE GOING TO THE PALACE WHERE THE EIGHTH PRINCE RESIDES.

THE E-EIGHTH PRINCE...?!

HE SCARED ME SO BADLY LAST NIGHT THAT I FAINTED TWICE...

AND WE'RE GOING TO THAT EIGHTH PRINCE'S PALACE...?!

I SWORE I'D NEVER RUN INTO HIM AGAIN!

AND IT'S ONLY BEEN ONE DAY SINCE I MADE THAT VOW...!

D-DON'T TELL ME THE EIGHTH PRINCE IS FURIOUS ABOUT YESTERDAY...

AND WANTS TO PUNISH ME...?!

C-CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN...! HE SAID I ONLY HAD TO DELIVER THIS AND LEAVE.

IT'S NOT LIKE I WAS SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN IN THE FIRST PLACE, RIGHT?

...BUT WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ME?

I'M GOING TO BE OKAY... AREN'T I...?!

HERE WE ARE.

YOU MUST GO UPSTAIRS ALONE FROM HERE.

DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING ALONG THE WAY.

GO UP THE STAIRS, THEN KNOCK THREE TIMES ON THE DOOR AT THE END OF THE CORRIDOR TO YOUR LEFT.

WHEW...

WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!

EEEEK!!

HUH? WHO ARE YOU...?

EEK...! I WAS TOLD TO DELIVER THIS TO YOU...

THE BASTARD WHO MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL LAST NIGHT...

THAT GODDAMN LITTLE BRAT?!

HUH?

HEY, YOU LITTLE...!

TRYING TO SIT QUIETLY INSIDE THAT CHEST IN THE FORM OF A SQUIRREL WAS DRIVING ME INSANE!

WHO SAID YOU COULD COME INTO MY ROOM WITHOUT PERMISSION?!

WHY WAS THE SEVENTH PRINCE'S PET SQUIRREL IN THE CHEST...?!

GASP! COME TO THINK OF IT, LAST NIGHT...

I SPOTTED THAT SQUIRREL WANDERING AROUND OUTSIDE THE SEVENTH PRINCE'S ROOM...

AND JUST AS I WAS WONDERING WHETHER I SHOULD KNOCK... THE SEVENTH PRINCE APPEARED.

THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE SQUIRREL...

HEY!!! STOP RIGHT THERE!

I'VE SNUCK INTO THIS PLACE A FEW TIMES BEFORE IN MY CROW FORM...

BUT SEEING IT UP CLOSE, THE EIGHTH PRINCE REALLY DOES HAVE NICER QUARTERS THAN THE SEVENTH PRINCE.

DAMN IT!

AND YOU! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!

IS THE EIGHTH PRINCE GOING TO TAKE REVENGE ON THE SQUIRREL...?!

OH, SQUIRREL!

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, BITING AN IMPERIAL PRINCE'S FINGER?!

...IT'S GETTING LATE.

ANNA SHOULD HAVE MADE IT BACK WITHOUT INCIDENT.

DAMN IT, YOU LITTLE SQUIRREL. YOU'RE SO FUCKING FAST.

YOU'RE JUST LIKE THAT IRRITATING MASTER OF YOURS! NEITHER OF YOU EVER LISTENS TO A DAMN THING!

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO PROTECT ME!

THAT ATTITUDE MAKES ME LOSE ANY DESIRE TO HELP.

NOT THAT I HAD ANY INTENTION OF HELPING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

EEEEK!!

HEY, HEY! IT'S A GHOST!

HURRY UP AND DO SOMETHING! HURRY!

OH! LOOKS LIKE BRINGING YOU HERE WAS WORTH THE EFFORT!

GOOD THING I PUT THE KEY IN MY MOUTH BEFORE SETTING OUT.

IT'LL BE EASIER TO PUT SELOS TO SLEEP FOR NOW.

...HUUUH?!

W-W-WAIT! WHERE DID THAT KEY COME FROM?!

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT?!

WHAT DO YOU THINK...?

IF I DON'T OPEN THE DOOR,

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH THE GHOST?

?!?!

EXCEPT... THAT'S NO GHOST. IT'S IGO CRYSA.

AND TONIGHT... I'M GOING TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE.

AND WHAT THE PERSON PULLING YOUR STRINGS IS REALLY AFTER...

FIRST PRINCESS.