The Crown Prince In Hiding

The strategy Dan recommended worked perfectly. Combined with Nora’s calmness and flawless delivery, the inquiry unfolded exactly as planned.

By the time the tribunal had run out of questions, the hearing—over six hours long—was finally drawing to a close.

The high officials exited the chamber one by one, until no one remained except Her Imperial Majesty and her aides, speaking quietly among themselves.

Then, beneath the deep orange light of a setting sun pouring in through the tall windows...

Nora Ophilis stepped forward and stopped before her mother.

”...Mother. I’ve fulfilled our agreement.”

”...I know.”

There was a subtle shift in the Empress’s demeanor. Though the beast had been at its weakest, there was—undeniably—a new respect in how she looked at her daughter. After all, history would remember Nora as the one who felled the great Iskaryx.

As for Nora... something in her had changed too. Her fear of her mother had lessened—like a bird that had finally realized it could fly free from its cage.

”From now on, there will be no engagement. I’ll live as I see fit. Serve Snowhaven on my terms. You no longer have the right to command me.”

”...Don’t get ahead of yourself. I still have to verify everything.”

”Check all you want, Mother. I’ve got nothing to hide. The truth is—I killed it.”

For the first time ever, her mother had no rebuttal.

She was struck speechless—and in that moment, Nora tasted something for the first time in her life:

Satisfaction.

”...And since we’re being honest, Mother—”

Nora inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and clenched her hands together.

Mr. Fury… what should I do? How do I make her feel just a fraction of the pressure she’s put on me all these years?

Don’t overthink it, Nora. Just say it—clearly and directly.

But will she even listen, Mr. Fury?

That might be your advantage. You’ve never complained before, right?

...No. Never.

Exactly. When someone finally speaks after being silent so long… that’s when it hits the hardest. Don’t yell. Don’t rant. Say one sharp thing. And walk away. That’ll haunt her more than any outburst. That’s how you deal with someone like your mother.

”...About my siblings. They’re still young, but I think you should at least consider Mr. Dan’s brother’s story...”

Her words struck the Empress like a whip.

”It’s already too late for me. But not for them. Your way of raising us... nearly broke me too, more than once—if not for Mr. Dan.”

She said no more.

And turned her back on her mother.

Leaving the Empress frozen in place—speechless and alone.

”Hey, Your Majesty. That lizard… was it strong?”

”Can you not call it a lizard? That’s kind of insulting—he’s technically a dragon-type.”

”Was it huge?”

Zeedee, hugging her fat penguin pillow, asked Dan, who lay sprawled on the floor of Princess Nora’s royal chamber.

”I thought it’d be bigger, honestly. Judging by the way everyone—humans and Nora—described it, I was expecting a beast. But it wasn’t that big.”

”How big was it?”

”Smaller than Valencia, I’d say. Shoulder height.”

”...You mean one of Mr. Fury’s subordinates is bigger than Iskaryx?”

Princess Nora herself entered the room at that moment. Dan and Zeedee looked up toward their host.

”Yo~ Nora. Ugh, I’m sore all over.”

”Same, Mr. Fury.”

”What’d you say to your mother?”

”Exactly what you told me to, Mr. Fury.”

”Well done.”

Dan gave her a thumbs-up.

”You’ve impressed me in more ways than one, Your Highness. Not many would charge a beast like that without fear. And jumping into its mouth without even telling me?”

”Because I knew, with Mr. Fury by my side… I’d survive.”

Nora sat gracefully above Dan’s head. Her scent hit his nose, and he closed his eyes with a soft smile.

”Don’t sell yourself short. That dragon could’ve ripped me apart. I’m not invincible.”

”Right… your armor cracked. Are you okay?”

”Wait, what?! Your Majesty, you’re injured?!”

Zeedee bolted upright in alarm.

”Relax, Zeedee.”

Dan raised a hand.

”Took a few hits. Nothing serious. I bled a bit. But don’t worry—we Diablos regenerate quickly.”

”Does your armor regenerate too, Mr. Fury?”

”It grows back when damaged. Think of it this way: if it cracks, it regrows and fuses. If it tears again, more armor grows underneath to patch it.”

”Like… layering cement over and over?”

”That’s one way to put it.”

”And what if your arm gets cut off?”

”It’ll grow back. Takes longer, though. I once lost an arm fighting Casca on the Salawan plains—you know, the one you guys wrote about in the newspaper.”

”...oh”

”Took about a month to regenerate. I stayed off the grid the whole time.”

”Do you shed, Mr. Fury?”

”...Shed?”

”Like… lizards?”

”Hahahaha!! Hahaha!! HAAAAAAA!!!”

Zeedee exploded with laughter.

”She said you’re a lizard! AHHHHH!!!”

”I didn’t mean it like that!”

Too late. Zeedee was already rolling around crying with laughter. Dan looked at Nora, deadpan.

”...You think I’m a lizard?”

”No, Mr. Fury!”

”It’s time to attack Snowhaven.”

”Mr. Fury!!”

”Kidding. I did shed once. About twenty years ago. Not anymore.”

”Twenty years? So, when you were young?”

”Your age, actually.”

”Did you grow bigger afterward? Like crabs or lobsters?”

”You’re asking a lot, Princess.”

”I want to know.”

”His Majesty was tiny when he hatched. Then he gradually grew bigger until he shed—and came out like this.”

”You weren’t even born yet. How the hell do you know about me Freya?”

”I made it up.”

Nora: ”Who can I trust around here?”

”I remember Zeedee. She used to be the size of a pebble. Then grew and grew after luckily popping out a polyps until she became... that.”

”Ay ay your highness, what do you mean by luckily huh?”

”The way you made it out the ocean maybe?”

”Hey I survived that okay? I watched my siblings got snatched away by sea turtles while you shed your skin under a comfy rock!”

”Really?”

”Ocean is a tuff place maybe softies land walkers like you wouldn’t understand, your highness”

” Rightttttttt ”

”I’m dead serious here, your highness!”

Nora scribbled in her journal:

”...All Diablos growth depends on their animal-type base, doesn’t it, Mr. Fury?”

”Probably?”

Dan shrugged.

”You really want to study us that much? Humans sure are curious creatures.”

KNOCK KNOCK

‘?’

Someone knocked on Nora’s door. Moments later, Mr. Glassner entered—wearing an expression of deep unease.

”Glassner?”

”Your Highness...”

The butler bowed low. Dan and Zeedee straightened up. The air shifted—something was off.

”Lord Raven requests an audience.”

”!!”

Nora’s eyes went wide. So did Dan’s and Zeedee’s.

”Tell him—”

”Too late, Your Highness. I’m already here.”

Behind the butler… emerged a tall, slim figure draped in black and violet feathers. His glowing violet eyes lit the room with a chilling presence—far beyond imagination.

The Raven

...had returned.

”Your Highness...”

A single bead of sweat rolled down Dan’s cheek.

”...What exactly are you doing?”