A Goodbye

King Ducan had given the order that all princes were required to join the hunt for the Audoran Forest Guardians. So, like it or not, all the princes had to go and risk their lives to fulfill their father's requirements.

Kenneth knew that the others would go using horse-drawn carriages or teleportation magic. So, Kenneth tried to make up for the lost time by leaving earlier than the others. The prince only needed one night to prepare everything with Uri. Both of them sacrificed their sleep to prepare as quickly as possible. When the sun rose again, Kenneth was ready to leave with his supplies.

It was still early, so Emma still hadn't woken up from her sleep, while Kenneth was also reluctant to disturb his mother's sound sleep. In front of the deserted palace, only Uri could see Kenneth off. The servant had tear-filled eyes as his gaze fell on Kenneth, who looked ready for his mission. Since Kenneth would only go alone, no one knew whether the prince would return safely or not. This farewell could be their last, which Uri hoped would never happen.

"Your Highness, please take this with you."

After saying so, Uri handed over a bag filled with gold and silver. Kenneth was surprised when he received it. Kenneth already kept his money bag under his coat. That meant the money bag Uri had just handed over was his own.

"Uri, what are you doing right now?" asked Kenneth sternly. Although he was poor, that did not mean he could accept when his servant used his money to send him away. Kenneth was still a prince regardless of his circumstances. Accepting anything from Uri was tantamount to insulting his princely status.

"I know I have acted presumptuously by doing this. However, Your Highness, I have always known that you try to pay me the same as servants in other palaces, even though Ruby Palace always gets the least amount of money. Whereas with my status, you could have considered me a slave and only given me what you wanted. Yet, during my dozen years of service to you... you always gave me more than I deserved."

Lucano's law did have a strange arrangement for accepting workers. Those who came from the nobility, even if only the lower nobility, would get high salaries and live well while working in the palace. But for those who came from ordinary citizens, the people in the palace would usually only give them a salary that was enough for them to live modestly. Kenneth did not apply such rules during the time Uri worked with him. Although Uri pretended not to know, the servant knew that Kenneth always gave him a salary equal to a servant from the nobility.

Thanks to Kenneth, Uri was able to provide a good life for his parents until they died. Initially, Uri kept Kenneth's leftover money in case they had to leave the palace one day. But now that Kenneth had to leave, Uri felt that this was the right time to return the extra money Kenneth had given him all this time.

"Uri, I still can't accept it...."

"Your Highness, I beg you, please accept this money! From the beginning, this money was yours. I have always kept it, so I can help you in situations like this."

Uri held Kenneth's hand while pleading seriously. The servant knew Kenneth was also aware that the money would not be enough to cover the entire cost of the trip. Uri knew Kenneth was only pretending to be confident so he would not worry about the prince's situation.

"If... If you don't want to use it, you can at least take it as a loan, Your Highness. When the time comes, you can return this money to me."

Kenneth's gaze softened when he heard Uri's continued words. Kenneth knew Uri said that because the servant doubted that Kenneth would return after this. Those words were Uri's way of asking Kenneth to return safely. His way of saying things was not like a personal servant of a prince. Even so, Kenneth still preferred Uri to the people he had met in the palace.

"Then, I will accept it for a loan, Uri."

Uri showed an incredulous face when Kenneth no longer refused and took the bag of money from his hand. But his surprised expression was immediately replaced with a relieved one.

"Thank you very much, Your Highness!"

Kenneth laughed softly at Uri's words. "I should be the one thanking you. Don't worry. Even though I'm alone, I'm much more familiar with the streets than my other brothers."

Uri believed Kenneth's words because he was there whenever Kenneth secretly left the palace and disguised himself as an adult to work at some money-making job. The servant nodded with a small smile after that. Although the possibility was small, Uri wanted to believe that Kenneth could return as the winner among his brothers.

Uri smiled at Kenneth. His voice sounded soft and emotional as he bid farewell to Kenneth, who was about to leave.

"See you later, Your Highness. May you travel safely and get what you want from this journey."

Kenneth could only pretend not to see the tears welling up in Uri's eyes as the servant bowed deeply before him. The prince tried to give his best smile so Uri would no longer worry about him. Kenneth waved lightly, then went his own way after that.

"Wait for me to return, Uri," he told Uri.