Chapter 08: First prince, please decide.

"Pfft... cough... cough." The imperial prince stifled his laugh while Enzo had no such quirm. 

"Pfftahahaha." 

 Enzo laughed out loud amidst the dumbfounded gazes of the people around. 

"Sis... sister. He called him sister."

 He wheezed out as he doubled over in laughter. They had gotten up in panic after witnessing the state Ruwel was in.

The burly pirate, Marcel scratched his cheeks in embarrassment and started to apologize to Kai. 

"I'm sorry. I really didn't know."

 A burly rough looking pirate who looked violent on the outside while being soft inside. He looked like a hunting dog trained since he was a puppy. Of course this hunting dog was vicious to his hunting prey while he was soft when he wasn't hunting. 

Kai could even see a tail wagging behind him as he blabbered on about not knowing that Kai was a boy. But he was interrupted by his own captain's exasperated voice. From the way he interrupted, it seemed he was kind of used to it. 

"Enough, Marcel."

 At once, Marcel stopped speaking and Kaiser took hold of the situation in the cabin again. 

"As you can see, we have a guest. I hope you will make the right decision and co-operate with us."

 He gestured towards Ruwel as he stood up and steadily approached him. 

When he stood next to Ruwel, on the hand he raised towards Ruwel's face a faint flicker of flames appeared. Even though Ruwel struggled feebly, he wasn't able to escape. He glared at Kaiser with vengeance written all over his face. 

He must have suffered a lot for a swordmaster like him to be become this weak. The magical collar around his neck restrained his voice, so no one knew how he ended up like this. 

Michael was stunned because he knew how hard it was to defeat the grand duke considering he was his swordsmanship teacher. Enzo was suspicious of the pirates. 

'Is it possible they are hiding another awakened pirate that could harm even a swordmaster ?' 

He became wary and cast a cautious glance at the bright orange flame dancing on the palm of the pirate. 

'Or is it this pirate ? Did he hide his true power ?'

A torrent of thoughts poured into his mind as he exchanged a glance with the imperial prince. Since the situation has come to this, they can't be hasty. 

Kaiser spared a glance at their continuous silence and extended an olive branch after staring at Kai who was lingering near his table for a few minutes.

Kai acted as if he simply did not see the strange behavior. He recalled the flabbergasted expression that appeared on his face when they turned to Kai after he let out a gasp. He could also see a glimmer of concern in his eyes when he stared at me. 

Did Kai remind Kaiser of someone he used to know ? Or was it because Kai looked like a teenager ? It was mentioned in the novel that until at the age of nineteen, Kai would not undergo a growth spurt. So he still looked like a teenager with his short stature, though that wouldn't be for long. 

He was currently nineteen after all. Kim Su-bin especially remembered this because there was no much mention of Kai's past other than few facts, this being one of them. 

"Your highness, I will give you a day's worth time to decide. I hope you will make the right choice since we, ourselves don't want to hurt you unnecessarily."

 Kaiser gestured vaguely and said in a peculiar tone of voice. 

**********

The pirates brought Kai and Ruwel to a two bedroom after Kaiser issued an order to imprison them. He thought they would stuff him inside a dungeon in the ship. 

Surprisingly they brought him here and for some reason, they left Ruwel Hart with him. Was it because he kept looking at him and they mistook that he was worried about Ruwel ? 

Even though he was a prisoner, they treated him kindly because he looked weak and delicate. Of course he was hiding his lean and muscled frame under the white duffle coat. 

Ruwel took the bed in the right corner of the room. He lied down and closed his eyes without further ado. So Kai followed suit and lied down on the bed to get some rest. 

He was on the verge of succumbing to a deep slumber when a pained groan rang in the room. He sat up on the bed and turned towards the source of the noise.

Ruwel was groaning on the bed with a pained expression on his face. His fair skin was white to the point it looked translucent, beads of sweat rolled down from his temple. He looked on the edge of death's door.

'What's going on ? How did a swordmaster get this hurt ? The dungeon hasn't even appeared yet.'

Kai slowly slipped from his bed and towards the other bed silently step by step. Ruwel must have sensed him approaching, he opened his blurry eyes to glare fiercely at him as if he wanted to deter him from approaching him.

But it had no effect on someone like Kai. He wasn't going to just give up because someone glared at him to death. Although he wasn't one to poke his nose in other people's business. But he was close to death if no one treated his wounds. 

Also his death in the original story was one of the reason why the holy church persecuted original Kai. 

Ruwel Hart, the grand duke of the Hart House. The former commander of the holy knights. In the original story it was mentioned that he led a group of holy knights first to survey the massive wave of energy. The communication between the first group and the rest of the world was cut off. 

No one was able to find a trace of even the corpses of the first group. So everyone assumed the first group died under the influx of the monster wave. It aroused an intense heat of hatred when the holy church publicized that original Kai was the demon king and he had unleashed monsters upon their world. 

The people who lost loved ones to dungeons and monsters started hating and people who feared dungeons and the monsters started resenting him. When never before seen dungeons and monsters started appearing in this world, people grew panicked and afraid. 

When they figured out that they couldn't leave the dungeons be, some grew excited and flourished after conquering dungeons and killing monsters. Some despaired when they lost people, they were fond of to dungeons and monsters. Some adapted a bystander role to wait and see. 

But deep down they all felt terror and resentment. When you didn't have a target for your hatred and disdain, as soon as someone or something appeared related to them, you turn your fury and loathing towards them. In his opinion, it was the same thing that happened to original Kai.

One of the people who turned his anger and hatred towards me was Edgar Hart, current commander of the holy knights. He blamed original Kai for his father's death. He personally led the capture of the original Kai back then. So it meant if Kai helped him at this moment, they would look favorably upon him.

'Also I kind of want to save his life.'

Because there was a possibility that Ruwel was original Kai's father. He at least owed it to him for transmigrating into this body. 

Ruwel felt like someone was trampling on his body. He felt hot and sweated profusely while his entire being radiated deathly coldness. The contrasting sensations made his head spin and his vision was blurry. The shallow wounds on his body throbbed and the deep gash on his stomach ached terribly. 

Whenever he drew in a breath, the movement of his body aggravated his wound and made breathing difficult. He couldn't help but grimace in pain. Then he felt a weak presence approaching. It was to the point the approaching person didn't have any strength. 

Even so, he couldn't help but keep his guard up. He opened his eyes with difficulty and glared at the young boy that steadily approached him. When he saw him back at the cabin, his first impression was a weak and pampered noble child. So he didn't want to be bothered by such a person right now. 

So he glared at him to deter him thinking the sheltered noble would definitely be frightened. To his surprise, the blurry figure that he couldn't see clearly ignored it breezily as if he had never glared at him. 

A surge of annoyance and frustration swelled in his mind and his vision cleared as the frame of the youth grew closed to him. The harsh words that were on the tip of his tongue halted as soon he entered his field of vision. 

The resolute but gentle gaze of the youth shook his heart for some reason. He smiled softly at him. But instead of making him look weak, the smile added a touch of warmth as well as a touch of firmness like he wasn't someone to be defied. 

"Hello. I am Keith Adams."

Although Ruwel had softened his stance and aggression towards him, he didn't speak a word and stared silently at him. Kai didn't let that stop him and spoke again to stop the room from dropping into an awkward silence. 

"I think we should treat your wounds. Otherwise, your wounds might get infected and your condition could worsen."

As soon as he uttered those words, Ruwel glared at him fiercely. It seemed like his words hit a sore spot. As a nobleman as well as a well-known swordmaster, he probably never relied on others. Suddenly when a stranger and a person who looked like a teenager to boot, pointed out his wounds, something Ruwel would consider a weakness, it must have hurt his pride. 

But what was the point of holding onto pride ? Pride wouldn't feed you nor would it save your life. But saying something like that to a person like Ruwel, wouldn't make any difference. 

"When we are going to escape from here, all of us should at least be able to fend off some of the attacks. But Mr. Hart is not in a condition to do so. Wouldn't it be better for Mr. Hart, if your health is at least a little bit better."

That wasn't the only reason Kai wanted him to treat his wounds. While it would aid in their escape, Kai felt a strange pang of sadness mixed with pain, that Ruwel would continue to suffer agony from his wounds. When he opened his lips to persuade him more, a deep baritone but hoarse voice reached his ears. 

"Do you know how to treat wounds ?"

Ruwel who was hesitant at first couldn't refuse the stranger's request when faced with the firm resolve that crossed his face. 

"Yes. So please. Let me treat your wounds."

Kai showed a much wider and more genuine smile than before. When he smiled like that, his whole face seemed to light up. His eyes turned into half crescents exuding calmness and kindness. It felt as if a cool spring breeze had passed through the room. 

After his agreement, Kai happily started the arduous process of treating his wounds. He even started humming a tune quietly.