《Taming the Abandoned Prince》 CH 1 ¡°Don¡¯t die, Daphne. You were my only salvation.¡± A soft voice murmured in my ear as I awoke, surrounded by a scene of inferno¨Cwalls ablaze, ceilings collapsing, obscured by acrid smoke. The scorching atmosphere made every breath a challenge, and tears welled within my eyes. I found myself lying amidst the rubble, unable to move. Was I condemned to wait for my death? I longed to see my parents from a past life. With a blurring vision, I eventually surrendered to the darkness by shutting my eyes. Suddenly, Asheradren appeared and lifted me up. The abandoned prince. ¡°Don¡¯t give up. I will save you. I will make sure you survive.¡± ¡°Prince, please go alone. Don¡¯t stay here with me to die.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. My life is not important anyway. You¡¯re the only one who has treated me as a human. If I don¡¯t save you, my life will have no meaning.¡± Tears streamed down the prince¡¯s cheeks as well. His pale cheek stained with dirt, his eyes bloodshot. He held me in his arms, who was unable to walk with both legs broken. And then, leaving behind the burning city, he placed me on a hill. Under the backdrop of a night sky filled with sparkling white stars, the prince smiled sadly. Whether it stemmed from our escape from the clutches of death or his profound affection for me remained a mystery. I couldn¡¯t understand. I merely gazed at the prince, whose once flawless form bore the scars of his attempt to rescue me. ¡°We need to treat your injuries. It could be a big problem if we don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Somewhere along the way, the prince was struggling to breathe. I could instinctively sense it. His life force was fading away. Born a half-demon, cursed to transform into a beast, the prince had long surpassed the age of adulthood. According to the prophecy, the prince was destined to die before reaching the age of twenty. ¡°Just the fact that I¡¯ve lived until now is thanks to you. Only you didn¡¯t treat me like a repulsive vulture. Only you didn¡¯t look at me as something dreadful.¡± ¡°Please, Prince, wait here for a moment. I will call a doctor¡­¡± ¡°How many doctors do you think are left in the castle? I want to spend my last moments by your side.¡± We hid behind a giant Adrim tree, avoiding enemy soldiers. The prince rested his head on my shoulder. His warm gaze looking up at me was so full of sadness that I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears any longer. The abandoned prince, Asheradren, who had been imprisoned all his life, took his last breath by my side. I held him tightly, not letting go, quietly waiting for the moment when even my remaining life would be taken by the gods. ¡­I had a dream like that. When I woke up again, it was early morning, with sparrows chirping outside. ? ¡ï ? ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m tired.¡± I stretched and got up, tidying my disheveled hair. Whenever I woke up from a dream, it felt like I hadn¡¯t slept well, which was frustrating. I don¡¯t know if it has been several days already, but I keep having the same dream. I could probably recite the exact length of the prince¡¯s eyelashes or the number of fallen leaves under the Adrim tree that sheltered us. I didn¡¯t need such vivid memories to know. It was not a dream but a reality, something that had actually happened to me, something I had experienced. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already seven o¡¯clock?¡± I took out my watch from the pocket of my black dress and checked the time. Mornings in the place the abandoned prince was confined was fast-paced. When the prince woke up, he had to eat breakfast, and it was my duty to bring him his meals, including every other meals. The rest of the time was mine. Quiet days flowed endlessly here. Considering the intensity of my work, my compensation was quite substantial. But since no one else volunteered for the position, it was given to me, an orphan who had been reincarnated. From my perspective, it was simply overwhelming gratitude, but it seemed that others did not feel the same way. Most people turned their heads even when presented with a pile of gold coins. Well, I was the lucky one. I quickly tied my shoulder-length brown hair into a ponytail and added a black ribbon on top. As the sole maid employed at the ¡®Nameless Castle¡¯ I wore a black dress with frills and a white apron every day. With black stockings and black shoes, I was ready to go. Waiting outside the castle was Sir Janiche, with his black hair. After opening the rusty door, I turned my head and smiled at him, who was waiting for me. As a former nobleman from a fallen aristocratic family, he was the only gatekeeper employed at the ¡®Nameless Castle.¡¯ ¡°Good morning, Sir Janiche. Did you have a good dream last night?¡± ¡°I usually don¡¯t dream much. But the weather is definitely nice this morning.¡± Sir Janiche, with his blunt personality, acknowledged my greeting with a nod. In front of him, baskets filled with a day¡¯s worth of food prepared by the bustling chefs were placed. I could already smell something delicious. I picked up the basket and immediately headed inside the castle towards the dining hall on the first floor. The food in the basket was meant for me, Sir Janiche, and the prince. Distributing the food in the basket was another one of my tasks. I carefully transferred freshly baked white bread, bacon, egg dishes, and salad to a clean plate. From now on, I was scheduled to meet the abandoned prince, even though I wasn¡¯t sure if I would actually be able to meet him today. Knock, knock. ¡°Good morning, Your Highness.¡± Asheradren, the prince, lived alone on the top floor of the ¡®Nameless Castle¡¯ However, he had never shown himself in front of me before. The first and only time I saw him was in a dream. When the Verberat Kingdom was conquered by the Sethna Empire, the millennium-old kingdom was destroyed in an instant. Or more precisely, about a year from now. Knock, knock. ¡°Are you in there, Your Highness? Breakfast is ready.¡± ¡°¡­Just leave it outside. I¡¯ll eat it on my own.¡± I recognized his voice. I had heard it several times before. I had always been curious about the prince¡¯s face, and sometimes I couldn¡¯t resist talking to him at the door. Every time, he would reply like that. But today was different. There was no way. I walked down the stairs, making deliberate footsteps, and hid behind the stair railing. Then, after a while, with a grating sound, the thick wooden door opened. ¡°¡­Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Swiftly, I slipped my foot into the closing gap of the door. With surprise in his eyes, the prince looked up at me, who had managed to wedge myself in. He was the same person I saw in my dreams every day, now sitting before me in reality. Even in the darkness, his silver hair emitted a faint light, his gracefully styled silver hair and his nose straight. The prince, with his fair and delicate complexion that rarely saw the sun, had a slightly flushed hue, and his plump lips were slightly parted in surprise at my sudden appearance. A small teardrop mark beneath the corner of his left eye and the vivid purple iris above it. The prince¡¯s delicate features still retained a hint of youthfulness, but his large frame, as if forcefully squeezed into his small shirt, already resembled that of an adult man. Instead of looking down at the prince, I slowly bent my knees and sat in front of him. It felt incredibly heartwarming to meet the prince face-to-face for the first time, as if returning to the past. However, without a doubt, he did not share the memories with me. The prince hastily got up from his seat and closed the door. Clank. ¡°¡­Your Highness? I-I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m Daphne, the newly appointed maid. I thought it was basic courtesy to greet you face-to-face, although I understand it might be impolite. I¡¯ve been waiting for you to come out, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But it seems like I made a mistake, no, I was wrong. I apologize. Anyway, I¡¯ll just leave now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I bowed my head again towards the prince behind the door. But I couldn¡¯t hear any sound from inside, and I became a strange woman talking to the empty space. Damn, another failure today. Fortunately, Sir Janiche didn¡¯t witness this. For some reason, I felt my face burning with embarrassment. I got up from my seat and went down the stairs to the lower floor. Then, I ate my share of breakfast prepared in the dining hall. Even after returning, the food sent to the ¡®Nameless Castle¡¯ still tasted delicious. Although it was prepared as an offering to the cursed prince in the palace, I didn¡¯t mind such things. ¡°But what should I do from now on¡­?¡± Since I had a lot of free time alone, I kept muttering to myself like a crazy person. I drank a sip of orange juice and rested my chin on my hand, staring at the ceiling. A long time ago, when I was living in South Korea in the 21st century, I died at a young age and was reincarnated into a romance fantasy novel titled ¡°The Princess Doesn¡¯t Yield.¡± The princess, Lethis, who appeared in the title and was the female lead, was loved by everyone as the sister of Prince Asheradren, unlike the prince himself. However, happiness was short-lived when the neighboring Sethna Empire invaded the kingdom. She was forcefully taken as a hostage and met the male lead. Thus began their love story, transcending dimensions, a dark and intense romance¡­ But in reality, whether it was the female lead or the male lead, the content of the novel didn¡¯t matter much to me. I wasn¡¯t born as someone important, and Prince Asheradren himself was hardly mentioned in the novel. We died together when the kingdom fell. I knew that for sure because I experienced it firsthand. The prince, Asheradren, who shouted when he saw me and hastily saved me from being crushed by a collapsing pillar, left this world. I regained consciousness and found myself back in the past. Since then, I have been repeatedly dreaming the same dream. Perhaps as a reminder that the prince had saved me, or perhaps it meant that now I had to save him. I considered it as a sort of divine calling. That¡¯s why, even after returning to the past, I once again got a job at the ¡®Nameless Castle¡¯. However¡­ ¡°¡­Ah!¡± How exactly was I supposed to save the prince when he screamed at the sight of me? And why did the prince say I was his only salvation, even though I hadn¡¯t done anything before my regression? CH 2.1 I am befuddled. Despite pondering deeply, I couldn¡¯t understand. The prince and I spent a year together, yet it hardly felt like we truly shared that time. In the past, I had been devoted solely to my duties. I would place a tray before the prince¡¯s room and vanish when needed. Occasionally, I left reading material and distractions for him in his room, fearing that he might become bored, but that was the extent of my involvement. I remained profoundly indifferent to the rumors surrounding the cursed prince. Even my interactions with Sir Janiche was sparse. The ¡®Nameless Castle¡¯ was a barren expanse. Nonetheless, given my profound addiction to romance novels, both in my past life and current one, there was scarcely a moment for boredom. ¡°Pardon the intrusion.¡± ¡°Ah, Sir Janice.¡± Still, since I had regressed, shouldn¡¯t I change something? With such thoughts in mind, I conversed with Sir Janice, asking about his well-being. Prior to my regression, such interactions were non-existent. Sir Janiche would be stationed outside the castle and have his meals punctually. And upon his return, I would have no duties, thus retreating to my room to read or take a nap. Thus, we were the sole inhabitants of the ¡®Nameless Castle¡¯, we coexisted in ignorance of one another. ¡°Here, I have set aside a portion of you. Should I prepare a cup of tea? Or perhaps a glass of juice?¡± ¡°Tea would be most appreciated. I am grateful.¡± I, an orphan, willingly worked here. On the other hand, Sir Janiche was forced into exile, having left behind the knighthood under the gaze of a higher echelon. Initially, he attempted to decline my hospitality, asserting that the dry bread and jerky sufficed. Perhaps he harbored an aversion to mingling with commoners such as myself. However, since my regression, he had become more accustomed to my presence, often casting sidelong glances when I prepared his favorite milk tea, fragrant with milk and sugar. Even a knight from the battlefield understands what¡¯s appetizing and what¡¯s not. Sir Janiche in the present savored the tea I brewed with enthusiasm. ¡°For today¡¯s lunch, we have meat pies. As for the evening, roasted duck with a squash soup. Are you excited already?¡± ¡°I am indeed looking forward to it. Since your arrival, having warm meals has been enjoyable.¡± ¡°You usually eat cold meals?¡± ¡°Yes, given the scarcity of maids willing to work at Nameless Castle and the tendency to leave after only three days, I was left with no choice.¡± Sir Janiche, seated across from me, nimbly slice the bacon on his plate. He, too, had served the prince for half a year already. The notion of intruders to the Nameless Castle could be deemed nonexistent. Hence, the role of a gatekeeper was practically useless. Nonetheless, formalities needed to be maintained. Hence, the royal family required the presence of gatekeepers to deter the likes of errant knights or nobles who might have crossed certain lines. Most of the maids were orphans like myself, with nowhere else to go. Nevertheless, the prospect of encountering rumors about the prince led to many fleeing in terror. They reported having seen sinister ghosts or eerie wailing. Had I not know the contents of the novels, and had I not undergone regression, I might have left my job for reasons akin to theirs. In this kingdom, the prince of Asheradren remained a mystery. Among the people of the Verberat Kingdom, there was almost no one who had laid eyes upon him other than the King and Queen. Nevertheless, the commoners, including the children in the streets, were familiar with the rumors surrounding him. ¡®Prince of Asheradren transforms into a sinister beast after dusk, ensnaring innocent children in his clutches.¡¯ This was a song the kingdom¡¯s parents would sing when scolding their children. However, having met the prince in person, I knew that the song was far from the truth. In the novel ¡®The Princess Doesn¡¯t Yield¡¯ the chapters involving the Asheradren were briefly summarized. It touched upon the Queen who bore the prince before Lethis, the female lead, and the King who waited outside to glimpse the first heir. ¡°It is a prince! The queen has given birth to the prince!¡± Approximately nineteen years ago from the present, the midwife could not contain her excitement as she exclaimed. Upon hearing her exclamation, the King, whose eyes were as bright as amethyst, burst into laughter at the sight of the newborn with those very eyes. However, the happiness was short-lived. It happened when the sweat-soaked queen, with a faint smile, attempted to embrace her child. It was at that moment the king and the midwife witnessed it with their own eyes. The transformation of Asheradren, nestled in his mother¡¯s arms, from human infant to a beastly creature happened in the blink of an eye. ¡°Ahh! No! This can¡¯t be! I didn¡¯t give birth to this!¡± Before their eyes, the infant turned into a creature. Asheradren, who had been nothing more than a newborn, became a bizarre being with white, shaggy fur. He had a pitch-black snout, and most conspicuously, a tail that no human possessed. The Queen promptly fainted on the spot. With his sword drawn from his waist, the King swiftly silenced the midwife with a fatal slash. And so, apart from the prince¡¯s parents, there was no other soul in this world who had glimpsed his form. From that day forth, the Asheradren was confined within the Nameless Castle, where disgraced royals were permitted to live. The King then selected a nursemaid to raise the prince. Given that a nursemaid would inevitably be chosen, why did he resort to slaying the midwife? Was it due to an inability to accept his offspring? That part remained one of the incomprehensible aspects to me even now. Regardless, after that day, the king never visited the prince again. CH 2.2 Asheradren had become a harrowing memory to the royal couple, a reminder of their cruel past, and a grievous burden they could not bring themselves to extinguish. However, the following year, after the King and Queen welcomed the birth of Princess Lethis, the prince gradually faded from their memories. The couple, relieved that Lethis was born whole and sound, with ten fingers and ten toes, found solace. It was a relief. They were not the problem. The King and Queen gathered all the affection meant for Asheradren and poured it onto Lethis. Lethis, a naive and joyful princess, blossomed in an environment untouched by hardship. But Asheradren? The novel contained no further accounts regarding the prince. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be heading to the upper floor for a moment. By now, the prince has likely finished his meal.¡± ¡°I also need to continue my duties.¡± ¡°Shall we depart together, then?¡± Exiting the dining hall, Sir Janiche and I parted ways and ascended the staircase. Ascending this towering flight of stairs multiple times a day demanded considerable physical stamina. Was there no way to have the prince reside on the lower level this time? Although exercise is unquestionably beneficial, honestly, it proves quite taxing. Huffing and puffing, I reached the top floor. And there it was. The meal I had left behind in the morning remained untouched, as though my visage had provoked such shock to the point of forgoing the meal. Sigh. ¡°Your Highness, Prince Asheradren.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Indeed, once again, no response reached my ears. Yet, a strange sense of determination surged within me, prompting me to persistently knock on the prince¡¯s door. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock¡­ ¡°Stop!¡± After a considerable while, a reaction finally emerged from within the room. I should have done this sooner. I had many questions for the prince. Why did you save me? How did you recognize me immediately when we had never crossed paths in my past life? If you had left me behind and fled, you might have had a bit more time to live¡­ Hmm, perhaps not. Long ago, the King and Queen, afflicted by sorrow, had sought a temple to inquire about the prince¡¯s fate. ¡°He is a half-demon born with the blood of the Founding King running rich in his veins. If, as the Founding King decreed, he does not encounter his fated partner, he will not reach adulthood and die.¡± However, even after attaining adulthood, the prince lived on for more than half a year. Aside from Princess Lethis, he would have been the longest-lived among the remaining royals. When Asheradren continued living past the age of twenty, the King and Queen lost faith in the prophecy that predicted the kingdom¡¯s downfall if the prince didn¡¯t find his partner. Consequently, they no longer believed that the kingdom would eventually vanish. Yet in the end, Verberat turned into an inferno sea and vanished. The prince, too, met his end without finding his fated partner. It was a lamentable turn of events. Hence, in this lifetime, I desired to find the prince¡¯s partner. It would undoubtedly be an arduous task. The secluded prince had not ventured beyond the castle, let alone its grounds. Even if I were unable to find the prince¡¯s partner, I felt a sense of obligation, as he had saved my life. Besides, there was a minuscule, almost infinitesimal chance that I could be the prince¡¯s partner¡­ ¡°Please, leave me be! Why are you suddenly doing this?¡± Well, surely that wouldn¡¯t happen. If it did, it would feel like something out of a novel. I stifled a laugh as I imagined the prince¡¯s outburst, as the bombardment of knocks echoed in his ears. ¡°You haven¡¯t had your meal, Your Highness. My duty is to ensure you¡¯re well-fed.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Could you step out for a moment and bring the tray inside? I promise I won¡¯t startle you like before.¡± ¡°¡­Lies. How can I believe those words?¡± Confessionally, before my regression, I had never conversed with the prince for such an extended period. Although I didn¡¯t talk with the expectation that the prince would hear me, I still chatted away. But now, I knew. The prince, depicted as a white-furred beast in the book, was, in reality, was an incredibly handsome young man. With that astounding revelation, I couldn¡¯t simply leave the prince as he was. Frankly, I did this also out of my own desires. If I could just see the prince¡¯s face one more time¡­ ¡°I am not lying. How could I dare to deceive you, Your Highness? But if I fail in my duty, I will be dismissed.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Would you rather see me sprawled on the streets, beggar-like, right outside the castle, Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­No, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± The prince¡¯s subsequent response held a trace of hesitation. As expected, he wasn¡¯t the malevolent being that transforms into a monstrous creature, preying on children at night. The prince is a good person. He even rescued someone like me, whom he had never laid eyes upon, and venture beyond the confines of the Nameless Castle to do so. ¡°Let¡¯s see. It¡¯s precisely 9:30 in the morning now, so I¡¯ll return exactly one hour from now. Please have your meal and leave the empty dishes outside as before. I beg you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Please, I beg of you!¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Having said that, I bounded down the staircase with a sense of urgency, or at least pretended to do so. Nonetheless, the naive prince appeared to believe my words implicitly. After a certain amount of time had passed, the door on the upper floor swung open. I was certain that this time, upon seeing me, the prince would abruptly shut the door. Standing in the corridor, I firmly wedged open the gap in the door with a dusty mop, then yelled. ¡°Hello, Your Highness! I greet you once again. I am Daphne, who began working in the Nameless Castle a week ago¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Bark! Bark!¡± In response, what I saw was a snow-white puppy energetically barking in my direction. ¡­What?