Niatina von Lunaris stepped out of the carriage, her movements deliberate and graceful. Celestina, always the caring mother, took Niatina’s hand and asked, “Did you enjoy your time at grandpa's house, Nino?” Niatina’s nod and smile conveyed her contentment.

Maximus joined them, Mono cradled in his arms. He, too, inquired about Niatina’s trip. But Niatina’s attention shifted. She noticed the gaze coming from Ray—the little prince who had been watching her since she emerged from the carriage. As Ray too noticed that Niatina was looking over him, panic gripped Ray; he could only stare back, his heart racing.

Sakura, ever the observant, caught the unspoken tension and smiled underneath. She exchanged glances with Niatina, then smiled knowingly. “Mono, Nino,” Sakura beckoned, “come here. There’s someone you should meet.” Celestina and Maximus guided the princesses toward Ray.

Hiro and Sakura greeted the little royals, and they returned the polite gestures. Sakura gestured toward Ray, introducing him. “Let me introduce you. He is Ray—say hi to him.” As Ray heard this, more panic fell over him. He started to wonder, how he should introduce himself.

Mono, ever the exuberant one, looked Ray up and down. “Hi, Ray!” she chirped, her excitement contagious. Niatina followed suit, her eyes lingering on Ray. “Hello,” she said, her voice soft and measured.

To this, Ray too stepped forward to introduce himself. As he stammered through his introduction, Ray’s nerves got the best of him. He accidentally bit his tongue, wincing in pain.

To this, everyone approached Ray, concern etching their faces.

Celestina, her eyes sharp, asked, “Ray, are you alright?” Maximus, protective of his subjects, leaned in. “What happened?” Everyone exchanged curious glances, awaiting Ray’s response.

Ray’s tongue still smarting from the accidental bite, he stammered, “I—I apologize. It’s just… I... She’s—” he tried to speak up, but in the end, he couldn't say anything.

Back in the present:

Ray shifted his gaze, telling how embarrassed he was when he bites his tongue back then. As Ray looked over the other side, he noticed Kai’s lips twitched. His smile held a hint of him suppressing his laughter, and Ray knew he was the butt of the joke. It was a silent camaraderie—the kind that said: We’ve all been there, my friend.

“Don’t…,” Ray commented, as Kai nodded. Kai shook his head off, getting back to his posture. He again looked over Ray, his eyes flickering with curiosity. "So, you fell for her at first sight, huh?" his words formed in his projection. Ray nodded; his gaze distant. "Yes," he replied. “At first, I was very nervous to approach her. We only had small conversations, like greeted each other when we run into each other. But slowly we started get along. And since she was sickly, I spent most of my free time after my training with her, talking to her, telling her how my day went by.”

As Ray continued to tell his side of story, Kai looked at the display Eva played to him. It was showing a young Ray and Niatina talking in her room. As he watched the scene in the display, he wonders to himself. “The memory-display function I installed always comes in handy. The person just has to recall what happened, and it shall show me each and every scene from that time.” He smiles underneath, looking over Ray who was happily telling about his childhood days with her.

"Everything was peaceful, but I didn’t know it back then that things would get like this now.” His voice gets lowers, as he continued. “And all this began when I started going to the academy..."

Ten years ago, within the halls of the academy:

Ray’s footsteps echoed through the corridor; each click against the polished marble a reminder of his isolation. Noble children, their eyes like shards of ice, scrutinized him as he passed. Their gazes bore into his very soul, dissecting him—searching for flaws, for reasons to mock.

He felt the weight of their scrutiny, a thousand unspoken questions hanging in the air. Why was he here? What right did he have to walk these halls? His voice remained trapped within, unable to challenge their assumptions.

The commoners, too, averted their eyes. They knew their place—their silence was a survival tactic. For six months, Ray endured this silent torment. He carried the burden alone, shielding his vulnerability behind a mask of stoicism. But on the cusp of summer vacation, hope blossomed within him. Not for the respite from judgment, but for the chance to see Niatina again.

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As he crossed the sun-drenched courtyard, laughter erupted like a tempest. An older boy pointed at Ray, his voice dripping with venom. “Look! It’s the fake prince!”

The courtyard fell silent, and Ray’s face drained of color. “I’m not fake!” he protested, but his voice drowned in their mockery. Another boy stepped forward, taunting him about his lack of royal blood. The laughter intensified, a storm of cruelty that threatened to engulf him.

Desperation fueled Ray’s flight. He sprinted through the first-year building, tears blurring his vision. His scraped knee stung, but the pain was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. The approaching children’s voices sliced through him like shards of glass.

“Hey, Fake Prince,” they jeered. “Having trouble walking? Or is that just another thing you can’t do?”

Ray clenched his fists, his breath ragged. Memories of every disdainful gaze, every whispered insult, flooded his mind. Why was he singled out? Why did they mock him?

His legs carried him beyond the academy’s walls, through the bustling city. He stumbled, but determination fueled his steps. Tears blurred his vision, and he ran until the palace loomed before him.

The guards, unaccustomed to seeing their prince in such disarray, hesitated. Ray slipped past them, his clothes dirt-streaked. He slammed his room door shut, collapsing against it. The cold wood pressed into his back as he slid to the floor.

Maximus and Celestina arrived, concern etching their faces after they heard of the commotion. “Ray? What happened?” they called, but he remained silent. They continued to call for him, but no response came. Having no other choice, he called out to Hiro and Sakura, who came just as they heard about the commotion and joined them.

As there was no response, Hiro gently pushed the door open. But as they did, their eyes widened. There sat their young prince, body wracked with silent sobs. His blue eyes, usually bright, were now dull and red-rimmed.

Sakura and Celestina immediately enveloped him in their arms. Maximus and Hiro quickly understood the situation, as anger surged through Hiro. "Those little!" he quickly turned back, about to go out, but Maximus's hand stopped him. Maximus held Hiro's arm, as he shook his head. "Let's look out for Ray first…”

Ray's sobs had finally subsided, leaving him exhausted. He fell into a fitful sleep, his dreams haunted by shadows and half-remembered whispers. Meanwhile, Maximus and Hiro emerged from the room, leaving Sakura and Celestina to keep watch over their troubled prince.

As they stepped out into the palace hallway, Maximus's voice was a low murmur. "I had a feeling this might happen," he confessed, his brow furrowed. "But to see Ray like this…"

Hiro ran a hand through his hair, frustration etching his features. "We should have prepared beforehand for this."

Maximus nodded in agreement. "Let's go." To this, Hiro nodded. Together, they walked down the marble corridor, shadows dancing along the walls.

Back in Ray's room, Sakura and Celestina sat by his bedside. His tear-streaked face was peaceful in sleep, but the pain lingered. Their worry and care of him evident in their eyes.

The day passed quietly. Ray slept, his body seeking solace from the storm within. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow through the window.

The next morning, Ray stirred. His eyes fluttered open, swollen and red-rimmed. The maid, assisted to him, sat up as she saw him wake up. She exited the room, calling for Celestina and Sakura, who later entered, concern etched on their faces.

"Ray," Sakura called softly. "How are you feeling now?"

He managed a small smile. "Much better, Aunt," he replied. "I apologize the sight I showed yesterday."

Celestina's hand rested on his. "Ray, it's alright," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "You're not alone in this." Ray could only manage a smile, feeling he had care and support from them.

Later, as Ray prepared to leave his room, he encouraged himself to forget the past and make the best out of the break he had.

As Ray walked down the palace hallway, the maids bowed respectfully, and he returned their morning greetings. But something shifted within him. The polished veneer of royalty cracked, revealing his vulnerability. Hallucinations crept in—whispers that weren’t there, mocking him. "You’re no prince, just a dirty rat from the commoners." Ray looked back, but no was there. Yet the voice didn't stop. He put both his hands on his ears, covering them, trying to block out the phantom voices, but they persisted.

His ears rang until a hand settled on his shoulder. Startled, Ray turned to find Maximus standing there, concern etching his features. “Ray? What’s wrong?” Maximus asked. “I’ve been calling you, but you didn’t respond.”

Ray stammered an apology, claiming he was lost in thought. Maximus studied him for a moment, then decided to change the course of the day. “Come,” he said, gesturing toward the palace gardens. “Let’s take a walk. It’s been six months since you last saw Mono and Niatina. Perhaps catching up with them will lift your spirits.”

As he said so, Ray imagined Niatina's happy face. And so, Ray agreed and followed Maximus, leaving the echoing whispers behind. But on the way, Maximus was called by a guard, as a noble had come to meet him, as he had to leave midway. Ray alone went to the garden.

As Ray stepped into the garden, his heart racing as he scanned the flower beds. There she was—Niatina, crouched down, her fingers brushing delicate petals. His face lit up, and he called out to her, closing the distance between them.

But as he drew near, something shifted. Niatina’s eyes, once warm and familiar, now bore into him with an icy intensity. Ray’s steps faltered, worry and confusion etching lines on his face. “Nino...,” he whispered, using the affectionate nickname they shared. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Niatina remained silent, her gaze unyielding. Ray’s pulse quickened. He waited, desperate for an explanation, until finally, she spoke. Her words hung in the air, leaving him stunned, vulnerable, and utterly unprepared for what came next.

-To be continued