The Crown Prince In Hiding

“Lady Casca… are we really the only ones who know everything?”

Casca studied her for a moment,

“That’s right.”

In truth, Casca’s mother knew, and so did The Raven. But because Rafinya was a direct descendant of the Saint Pauli family—and because Casca did not yet trust the girl fully—she told her only what was necessary… only what could afford to leak.

“How do you feel, Rafinya?”

“...I… don’t know…”

The girl still couldn’t bring herself to believe what had happened. She bowed her head, covering her face with both hands.

“I’ve never cared about politics, or anything like that, but… Lady Casca… is this really okay?”

“Change always begins from small points. And it always requires courage.”

The heroine sat beside the young girl with a long future ahead of her.

“They [Diablo] want peace just like we do. I lived there for ten years. I know.”

“But I…”

Rafinya didn’t even want to remember. The thought alone terrified her.

She had cursed and condemned the people of Diablo to his face more times than she could count. And when she first saw his real form, she had even spat at him.

And that didn’t include all the trouble she’d caused him over the years.

There was absolutely no reason Prince Fury should care about her. If anything, he could have ordered her execution without lifting a finger. No—he could have done it himself if he wished.

“Even if I died, other Saint families would rise to take my place anyway… He spared me because of you, didn’t he? Lady Casca?”

“That’s right.”

“!”

“But Fury’s not unreasonable.”

Casca continued,

“You’re still young. Being reckless like this isn’t strange—he understands that. When he was your age, he was even worse, and he had to be… because that was the only way he could earn real recognition.”

Unlike Rafinya, who sought recognition out of ego—

Fury needed recognition for survival.

How else could he have unified an entire island?

“Our environment isn’t even a fourth as harsh as theirs. On the days you’re most devastated, someone is there to comfort you. But them? They have no one. Only life and death.”

Even for someone as talented as Rafinya, she couldn’t imagine such a life.

But she now believed Fury must have gone through much more than she had ever realized.

“This all started because of my stubbornness too… I never thought a game of chase would escalate this far…”

Casca sighed again.

“I’ll have to take responsibility too. Fury was right… Rafinya, dear, what can I offer you in exchange to ensure this secret stays between us?”

!?

Rafinya’s eyes flew wide.

No way.

Casca Saint Maximin was granting her leverage? Her, of all people?

The girl swallowed.

Even though she technically held the upper hand, Casca’s expression remained perfectly calm. She was steady—steady like the former general who had faced situations far more intense than this.

Compared to all that, today’s dilemma was probably just a “minor issue” to her. And Rafinya knew she had no right to demand anything excessive or shameless.

Then she thought of Nora.

Nora… I understand now.

I understand why you like being around Dan.

So this is what it feels like.

Nora must have seen enough—experienced enough—to recognize what truly “matters” in life.

“Being her mentor, hm? What a nonsense.”

Sitting by the riverbank, the fishing rod jerked.

Dan stood up and lifted a medium-sized tilapia from the water—his third catch of the day.

“Huh… How do you guys even end up on shore?”

rustle

“?”

Dan looked up.

Across the river, behind tall grass—

A young woman stepped out, wearing a black double-layered tracksuit.

Princess Nora Ophilis.

“Mr.Fury.”

“Hey, Nora.”

He kept fishing with a bored expression. Nora hopped across the river stones to his side—she must’ve rushed out early.

Seeing Dan’s displeased face, she said nothing. After yesterday’s events, she didn’t dare speak carelessly.

“Mr.Fury… I’m sorry.”

Her voice trembled, heavy with guilt.

“No need to apologize. I haven’t even figured out where we messed up.”

“I failed to stop Rafinya.”

Dan saw in the water’s reflection that Nora had clenched her fists. He rolled his eyes toward his fishing rod and said,

“I never expected anyone on this island to be able to stop her.”

He sighed.

“I was planning to tear out Roma’s guts for howling, but thinking back… if I had returned to my original form, none of this would’ve happened.”

Besides, the incident didn’t happen at Dan’s hut.

It was at the stargazing spot far away—an unregulated place, unplanned for.

“…Mr.Fury…”

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s over. Nothing we can do now.”

Dan gestured for her to squat beside him, handing her the fish bucket.

“At least we were lucky Casca returned in time.”

The fourth fish was pulled up and dropped into the bucket.

“I let her handle it. Someone as hard-headed as Rafinya would listen more.”

“Mr.Fury… what if Rafinya doesn’t change her mind?”

“Do you know how to dig a grave, princess?”

That finally coaxed a smile out of her—his little deadpan joke clearing the gloom.

Dan handed the bucket to her.

“Look on the bright side. At least I don’t have to hide from Rafinya anymore.”

They walked back to the hut.

And there, they found Rafinya sitting by the fire, head down. Casca was still nearby, watching over her.

Dan narrowed his eyes. Nora exchanged a neutral, unreadable look with Rafinya.

Rafinya stared at the fish bucket Nora carried… swallowing hard, uncertain whether she should move.

Nora crouched down to count the fish.

“One… two… three… four.”

She looked at the young man.

“Mr.Fury, you must be starving to eat two all by yourself.”

“I’m not that gluttonous.”

“Oh? Saving them for Lady Freya?”

“No.”

“Mr.Roma is coming back?”

“No.”

“…Mr.Fury… did you bring them for Rafinya?”

“Figured she’d be hungry. Grilling one more fish isn’t that hard.”

Rafinya: “!”

Dan motioned for Nora to set the bucket down. She did, while he went inside to fetch a knife.

Leaving Nora and Rafinya alone for the moment.

Silence stretched on. While Nora speared a fish with a sharpened twig, Rafinya finally asked:

“How did you find them?”

Nora paused, then answered calmly:

“I followed the leaf Mr.Fury dropped in his book.”

“That’s it?”

“At least it’s evidence before I act.”

A sidelong glance.

“Not instinct.”

How did Nora feel?

Many things.

But one thing for certain—she was furious Rafinya had been able to tail them. Furious at herself for letting it happen without noticing.

Rafinya clasped her hands together, fingers tight.

“He killed Iskaryx for you, didn’t he?”

“I was the one who ended it. That’s all that matters.”

“Then who made Iskaryx unable to resist…?”

“I call it teamwork, Rafinya.”

The twig pierced through the fish’s eye—thick red blood dripping onto the firewood.

“I owe Mr.Fury. I’ll repay him however I can. And that includes keeping his secret.”

!

Rafinya froze.

“What are you going to do, Rafinya? Tell anyone?”

“What kind of answer are you hoping for?”

“I don’t need your answer. Just know this—Mr.Fury is my friend. And if anyone tries to harm my friend, Snowhaven has its ways of responding.”

“You think you can do anything to a Saint Pauli?”

“Want to test it?”

“Hey, hey—that’s enough!”

Casca Saint Maximin swooped in, clapping her hands twice.

“Stop. Both of you.”

She separated the two cubs and sighed.

“Oh heavens…” she rubbed her temples.

Dan returned with the knife.

And soon, he began grilling the fish.

The four of them sat around the fire, the tension between Nora and Rafinya lingering like smoke.

Dan looked up from the fish tail he was chewing—catching sight of Rafinya hesitating… but ultimately eating the fish he cooked.

“So? What now?”

“Go back to class like nothing happened.”

Dan answered plainly.

“How can I do that!?”

“Nora does it just fine.”

“What?!”

“From now on, I won’t transform within Artheris.”

Dan declared firmly.

“You’ll never see it.”

Another bite.

Rafinya let out a croaking noise.

“Mr.Fury… you don’t have to go that far…”

“People knowing is becoming a problem.”

Dan pointed at Nora.

“The more who know, the easier the secret spills, and the harder it is to trace. You don’t need to prove anything, but…”

He clicked his tongue and gave a look toward the girl across the fire. Rafinya stiffened.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said.”

His stare pressed down on her with crushing weight.

“I don’t think I could guide someone like you. It’d just waste my time.”

!

Blunt. Rude. Something Rafinya had never experienced before.

In her entire life… no one had ever criticized her so directly. No one dared. No one tried.

Except him. The demon who had no reason to fear her.

Every word—

A slap.

Every sentence—

A punch to the gut.

“I know deep down you still haven’t accepted your defeat. And unlike my wife, I don’t have sympathy. I don’t tolerate brats like you. I’m far more comfortable with someone like Nora. Therefore—”

He looked at Casca, who already knew what was coming. Disappointment shadowed her face.

“I’m sorry, Casca, but I won’t mentor this one.”

Rafinya’s eyes flew open. Nora smirked.

“Fury…”

“I don’t think we should even welcome someone toxic like her. Ever heard the saying? A single drop of mud spoils the whole jar.”

“That’s right, Mr.Fury. I’ve heard that one.”

He kept eating.

Casca Saint Maximin felt the situation slipping into dangerous territory.

Nora stood firmly on Fury’s side. Casca noticed. She turned to Rafinya—whose fists were clenched, palms sweating.

This wouldn’t do.

“Alright, alright!”

Casca stood abruptly and pulled Rafinya up.

“I’ll take you back to the city.”

She steadied the girl’s shoulders.

“Go back to the dorm. Everyone there must be worried sick.”

Rafinya was dazed as she walked past the fire. Casca shot Fury a sharp look—he pretended not to see, yawning.

Casca returned Rafinya safely to the girls’ dormitory.

And she spoke to her gently—likely because they were both from Luminus.

But for Crown Prince Fury—

He lingered in Rafinya’s mind.

“My lady? Where did you go? And your arm—what happened?!”

“Move… I’m not in the mood to talk…”

“!”

Rafinya walked straight toward her room. Her roommate, reading a book, jumped at the sight of her bandaged arm.

“Rafinya?! W-What happened to you?”

No response.

Rafinya shut herself inside her room and locked the door instantly.

She leaned back against the door… her Red Velvet eyes glowing as she recalled the demon’s words, sliding down until she was sitting with her knees drawn in.

I know deep down you still haven’t accepted your defeat. And I don’t have sympathy like my wife. I don’t tolerate brats like you. I’m far more comfortable with someone like Nora.

I used to be just like you… I hated demons with every fiber of my being because of scripture. I hunted them with a pure devotion to the Holy One… only to discover later that the scripture I trusted my whole life was embellished.

Mr.Fury isn’t even a demon.

Your arrogance… I’ve killed many like you. On the battlefield, they’re always the first to die.

“…Someone like me, huh…”

Her hand slowly clenched, twisting the pristine white bedsheet into a wrinkled knot.

She grit her teeth.

The rose-shaped sword hilt—the only surviving piece of her destroyed blade—had rolled into a corner of the room.

And then the scene cut outward—to Totti watching her through binoculars.

The young man lowered the lenses, nodded once,

Then leapt from the tree and vanished.