The king gazed pensively at Ethan Caelan, his face deeply etched with lines of worry and unspoken pain. He sighed, struggling to find words to comfort his son, but each word weighed heavily.

"My hope is that you can understand my heart, Ethan. It’s not that I take you lightly but because I trust you. For the peace of the Kingdom of Aria, for the safety of our people, only you can shoulder this responsibility."

Hearing this, Ethan collapsed to his knees. The image of the cruel tyrant from his nightmare suddenly appeared in Julian's mind—could it be that Ethan would meet him on this journey? Could the nightmare indeed be Ethan's future, which now Julian must bear?

Ethan felt as if the world was collapsing around him. He couldn't believe the words his father had just spoken. His heart raced wildly, filled with fear and panic. His eyes gradually shifted from surprise to horror and anger. His voice, though choked with emotion, was firm.

"Father, please revoke this order! Do you know how cruel the king of Helios is? How can you entrust my life to our enemy?"

Ethan struggled to remain calm, but his voice trembled more and more. He couldn't accept the terrifying prospect awaiting him. His eyes filled with tears, brimming with pain and pleading.

"The journey is long and perilous—can I even survive to reach there? There are countless traps in a foreign land; I could be falsely accused, harmed, tortured to death. My whole life, I would only be a slave to the royal family of Helios. This journey offers me only two paths: humiliation or death."

He choked on his words, almost suffocating in the intensity of his emotions. Ethan knew he was not just begging for his life but also for the compassion of the father he revered. His heart surged with a sense of helplessness and despair.

"Father, I am also a prince, your son. How can you let me live in disgrace, trampled by the royal family of Helios? How can you abandon me like this?"

Ethan's words pierced the king's heart like daggers, each sentence laden with fear and indignation. He hoped, even a little, that his father would change his decision, that there would be another way that wouldn't push him into danger.

The king, seeing Ethan still overwhelmed with emotion, tried to gently advise, his voice warm but full of authority:

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"Ethan, you must understand that as members of the royal family, we must always place the nation's interests first. In my heart, there is no pain greater than sending you to the enemy, but to preserve our kingdom and ensure peace for our people, I have no other choice. This is the price our royal family must pay, the sacrifice you must make. Please understand my heart."

The king looked sternly at Ethan and continued with suspicion:

"Was the accident last time not a coincidence? Did you stage it to avoid your duty to the Kingdom of Helios?" His voice grew cold and angry.

Ethan looked up at his father in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief and pain.

"Father, do you doubt me?" His voice trembled, filled with both outrage and sorrow.

"Father, how can you think I would do something so despicable?"

He looked directly at the king, his voice resolute:

"I swear on my life to prove my innocence! It was entirely an accident!"

The king’s eyes were full of doubt.

"To prevent any mishap, from now on, you will stay within the palace, and I will assign two more squads of guards to ensure your safety."

The queen took Ethan's hand, her voice gentle but firm:

"Be strong. We are always with you, always love you."

Although she felt sympathy for Ethan, a talented prince, the safety of her own child remained her top priority. The queen silently breathed a sigh of relief that her son would not be a hostage in a foreign land.

With a stern expression, the king decisively issued his order:

"My decision is made. In a month, when the Helios military arrives, they will escort you on your journey. Prepare yourself now."

Not giving Ethan a chance to react, the king waved his hand and left, his mood far from cheerful.

After the king and queen left, Julian Pierce, now in the body of Ethan Caelan, felt the fate of the fourth prince was so tragic. The space was silent, with only the sound of sighs and conflicting thoughts in his mind.

"Four sons, and Ethan Caelan was the one chosen to be a hostage? He seems less loved than his brothers," Julian thought, filled with doubt and confusion.

"Yet even while imprisoned, he still protected them... How pitiful! Ethan Caelan was too kind."

Julian sighed, his mind tangled with conflicting thoughts. He pondered his own plans.

"I'm not Ethan Caelan; there's no reason for me to endure this imprisoned fate. But if I escape, Ethan will be seen as a coward, guilty of treason. Can I survive with that reputation?"