The Seventh Prince Wants to Bail — Chapter 3

MANIS IS A SPECIAL POWER IN THIS WORLD.

IT USUALLY MANIFESTS IN THE ROYAL FAMILY AND THEIR BLOODLINE,

BUT THE ABILITIES DIFFER FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST PRINCE USES WATER MANIS,

AND THE SECOND PRINCE USES FIRE MANIS.

THE RESULT OF THE FIRST PRINCE'S MANIS MEASUREMENT TODAY IS ALREADY SET IN STONE.

HE PROBABLY ONLY HAS ENOUGH TO COVER A LITTLE OVER HALF THE TABLE.

IT MAKES SENSE, CONSIDERING THERE ARE STILL SIX MONTHS LEFT UNTIL THAT INCIDENT...

B-BROTHER?!

H-HEY! IS ANYONE THERE?!

HURRY AND CALL DOCTOR!

ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL PLOT, THE FIRST PRINCE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO COUGH UP BLOOD FOR ANOTHER HALF A YEAR.

THE PROTAGONIST'S APPEARANCE COMES AFTER THAT...

WHY CAN THE SEVENTH PRINCE TRANSFORM INTO A CROW IN THE FIRST PLACE?

HE WAS ORIGINALLY A CHARACTER WHO COULDN'T USE MANIS AT ALL.

AN ABILITY THAT NEVER APPEARED IN THE NOVEL REVEALING ITSELF RIGHT AFTER MY POSSESSION...

IS THIS REALLY JUST A COINCIDENCE?

THE 1ST PRINCE, RASIA ABIRAN'S CASTLE.

...THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU, YOUR HIGHNESS.

THE BODY OF A ROYAL IS A BLESSING FROM THE GODS ITSELF.

IT REMAINS UNAFFECTED BY ANY INJURY OR DISEASE.

BUT FOR YOU TO SUDDENLY VOMIT BLOOD, I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT... GUGH... KUGH...!!

DO YOU THINK I CALLED YOU HERE TO LISTEN TO THAT MEANINGLESS BABBLE?

YOU BUG-LIKE BASTARD,

GET LOST!!

DAMN IT!! GOD DAMN IT!!!

EVERYTHING WAS FINE JUST THIS MORNING.

AND YESTERDAY WAS NO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER DAY.

BUT... BUT...!!!

?!

URRRGH!!!

EVERY TIME I TRY TO USE MANIS, MY WHOLE BODY FEELS LIKE IT'S ON FIRE!

DON'T TELL ME...

DON'T TELL ME I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO USE MANIS AGAIN... ?!!

TH-THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! I AM THE FIRST PRINCE OF THE ABIRAN EMPIRE.

THE NEXT EMPEROR OF THE EMPIRE!!!

I AM DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OTHER BUGS.

OF COURSE I AM.

IT'S PROBABLY NOTHING SERIOUS. IF I JUST REST A BIT, MY MANIS WILL ALSO...

IF YOU WANT TO LIVE, YOU'D BETTER LAY OFF THAT HOOKAH FIRST.

WH-WHO'S THERE?!

HE'S AN ABSOLUTE MONSTER WHEN IT COMES TO BRUTE STRENGTH.

HAH! AND HERE I THOUGHT SOMEONE SENT AN ASSASSIN.

YOU'RE JUST A CRIPPLE WHO CAN'T EVEN USE MANIS, AREN'T YOU?

JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, SHOWING UP HERE...

IF I WERE AN ASSASSIN, YOU'D ALREADY BE DEAD.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE ME UNTIL I SPOKE, DID YOU?

SOMEONE LIKE ME MANAGED TO SNEAK INTO THE BEDCHAMBER OF THE NEXT EMPEROR,

THE SECOND MOST HEAVILY GUARDED PLACE IN THE EMPIRE, WITHOUT A TRACE.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY ROOM?

WHAT TRICK DID YOU USE?!

WELL... I CLIMBED UP THE WALL FROM THE OUTSIDE.

YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT?!

WELL, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME.

THAT'S NOT WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE.

HOW IS YOUR BODY FEELING?

OF COURSE, YOUR ROYAL PHYSICIAN PROBABLY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU,

BUT YOU MUST KNOW YOUR OWN BODY'S CONDITION BETTER THAN ANYONE.

PFFT.

MWAHAHAHA!!!

RIGHT... NOW I GET IT.

YOU USED YOUR BRAIN A LITTLE MORE THAN YOU LOOK.

YOU SLIPPED ME POISON AND PLANNED TO USE IT AS A BARGAINING CHIP, DIDN'T YOU?

JUST SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR LIFE EVEN AFTER I BECOME EMPEROR?!

IF THAT WAS YOUR PLAN, YOU MESSED UP!

YOU FOOLISH LITTLE BROTHER!!!

IN A WEEK, YOU'LL BE THE ONE WISHING YOU WERE DEAD.

WITH BLOOD SPEWING FROM YOUR EYES AND EARS.

...WHAT?

LET ME MAKE ONE THING CLEAR.

I HAVEN'T USED ANY TRICKS OR PLOTTED ANY SCHEMES.

BUT YOUR BODY WILL RAPIDLY DETERIORATE,

AND EVENTUALLY, YOU'LL DIE POURING BLOOD FROM YOUR ENTIRE BODY.

EVEN I DON'T KNOW WHO'S DOING THIS YET...

BUT I WILL STATE THIS CLEARLY.

LISTENING CAREFULLY TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY RIGHT NOW...

IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

THANKFULLY, HE IS JUST AS SIMPLE-MINDED AND COWARDLY AS HE WAS IN THE NOVEL.

HE DIDN'T EVEN PUT A SINGLE TAIL ON ME WHEN I LEFT THE FIRST PRINCE'S PALACE.

I'LL BE ABLE TO USE HIM HOWEVER I WANT FOR THE TIME BEING.

BY THE WAY, THIS ABILITY IS QUITE CONVENIENT, ISN'T IT?

IT LETS ME TRAVEL TO FAR MORE PLACES THAN I THOUGHT.

WAIT, IF THAT'S THE CASE, SINCE I'M ALREADY OUT...

...WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT THIS?

THE PRINCE HASN'T EATEN ANYTHING FOR TWO DAYS,

AND THERE ISN'T A SINGLE SIGN OF MOVEMENT FROM HIS ROOM...

WHAT IF SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS HAPPENED TO THE PRINCE...?

THE SINNER SHALL FACE THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR THE MURDER OF A ROYAL!

EEK...!!!

P-PRINCE?!

YOUR HIGHNESS!

ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!!

EXCUSE ME, BUT I'M COMING IN...!

WHAT'S WITH ALL THIS NOISE...

I-I-I HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME WORTHY OF DEATH!!!

I-I JUST THOUGHT YOUR HIGHNESS MIGHT BE FEELING UNWELL...!!!

S-S-S-SO, SO I JUST... WELL...!!!

AS IF CAUSING A SUDDEN DISTURBANCE WASN'T ENOUGH.

YOU SOIL THE FLOOR AND MY SHOES?

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS?

I-I TRULY DESERVE TO DIE!

I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY OWN LIFE, BUT PLEASE, SPARE MY FAMILY...!!!

...NO, FORGET IT.

CLEAN IT UP SPOTLESSLY WITHIN FIVE MINUTES AND GET LOST.

Y-YES, SIR...?

AND FROM NOW ON, UNLESS I CALL FOR YOU PERSONALLY,

YOU ARE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN FROM APPROACHING MY PRIVATE QUARTERS.

WHAT'S ALL THIS NONSENSE ABOUT OFFERING HER LIFE? SO GRUESOME...

NOW THAT I'VE LAID DOWN THE RULES, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANY MORE ANNOYANCES.

ONE MONTH SINCE THE FIRST PRINCE SUFFERED A NOSEBLEED DURING THE RITUAL,

A CERTAIN RUMOR QUIETLY SPREAD WITHIN THE IMPERIAL PALACE.

“THE FIRST PRINCE, THE NEXT EMPEROR, HAS LOST HIS ABILITIES.”

TO THE OTHER PRINCES AND PRINCESSES,

THE RUMOR SIGNALED THAT A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY HAD ARISEN.

IN THE NOVEL, IN ORDER TO QUELL THESE RUMORS,

THE FIRST PRINCE IMPLORES THE EMPEROR TO PUSH FORWARD THE HUNTING COMPETITION.

SETTING ASIDE THE MINOR DETAIL THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN SIX MONTHS FROM NOW...

FORTUNATELY, THINGS ARE MORE OR LESS FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL PLOT SO FAR.

THE PROBLEM IS WHETHER THIS IS ONLY HAPPENING WITHIN THE IMPERIAL CITY,

OR IF IT'S ALSO AFFECTING THE PROTAGONIST OUTSIDE.

TODAY IS THE DAY OF THE ROYAL HUNTING COMPETITION.

IF I'M LUCKY, I'LL MEET HIM AT TODAY'S EVENT,

AND I CAN HAND THAT OVER.

AFTER THAT, I WILL BIDE MY TIME FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT.

HEY! YOU BUG OVER THERE!

THAT PITCH-BLACK HORSE PERFECTLY SUITS YOUR GLOOMY SELF!

ONE THING THAT MAKES ME ANXIOUS IS THAT, PERHAPS BECAUSE THIS IS ONE YEAR BEFORE THE ORIGINAL STORY BEGINS,

THAT GUY IS FAR MORE HOT-HEADED AND IMPULSIVE THAN HE WAS IN THE NOVEL...

I'LL JUST IGNORE HIM. THERE'S AN IMPORTANT EVENT WAITING FOR ME TODAY.

Y-YOU LITTLE PUNK, ARE YOU IGNORING ME RIGHT NOW?!

A BLACK HORSE MEANT TO MOCK ME.

PERSONALLY, I LIKE IT BETTER THAN A GOLDEN HORSE.

IT SEEMS THE SEVENTH PRINCE AT LEAST HAS A WAY OF WINNING OVER ANIMALS.

WE'VE FINALLY ARRIVED.

SO THIS IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE IMPERIAL FOREST.

TOWER OF THE BEGINNING.

THE OPENING RITUAL TAKES PLACE HERE EVERY YEAR.

ONCE THE FIRST PRINCE COMPLETES THE RITUAL,

THE HUNTING COMPETITION WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY.

IN REALITY, IT'S LESS OF A COMPETITION AND MORE OF A CUTTHROAT POLITICAL SHOW.

FIRST PRINCE, YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING OPENING RITUAL.

UNDERSTOOD, YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTY.

I'M GLAD YOU LOOK TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH, BROTHER.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR WISH?

WHAT WISH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, DITO?

THE WISH THE WINNER OF THE HUNTING COMPETITION GETS TO ASK OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE TODAY'S WINNER ANYWAY, AREN'T YOU?

HMPH, OBVIOUSLY.

THE RITUAL IS A WAY TO SHOWCASE THE NEXT EMPEROR'S MANIS.

A DEMONSTRATION OF THE ROYAL FAMILY'S POWER IN FRONT OF THE NOBLES.

OOH, IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO FINALLY WITNESS THE FIRST PRINCE'S MANIS IN PERSON.

BUT I HEARD A RUMOR THAT THERE WAS AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT RECENTLY...

SHH! WHAT IF SOMEONE HEARS YOU?!

TO THINK I ACTUALLY LISTENED TO WHAT THAT DAMN BUG SAID.

YOU'D BETTER HOPE YOU WEREN'T BLUFFING.

IF YOU TRICKED ME,

I'LL KILL YOU IN THE MOST AGONIZING WAY POSSIBLE!

LOOK AT HIM, ALL STIFF.

DON'T BE TOO NERVOUS, RASIA.

AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOWED MY INSTRUCTIONS PROPERLY,

SOMETHING INTERESTING WILL HAPPEN.