Chapter 7. A Man, She's Now a He

7

Rayshawn forcibly shook himself from his reverie, his mind still vividly replaying the sensation of that massive truck colliding with his body. The excruciating pain as every inch of Rayvenne's internal organs seemed to be compressed into a single, agonizing space. Everything is all because of that nasty woman, and she remind Rayshawn of Garett for him in this Esgalduin Empire.

Everything about him make Rayshawn feel churn in disgust, not because he's a male with male, but Garett just give him unpleasant atmosphere, just like the woman who make Rayvenne feel her desmise in the modern world.

The mere thought of the man filled Rayshawn with a visceral sense of disgust, but it had nothing to do with Garett's gender. No, it was something far more primal, a deep-seated aversion that radiated from Garett's very presence. He exuded an aura of unpleasantness, much like the woman who had so cruelly torn away Rayvenne's life in the modern world.

Rayshawn's jaw tightened, his fists clenching involuntarily as he contemplated the events that had led him to this juncture. The betrayal, the pain, the overwhelming sense of powerlessness – it all came rushing back, threatening to consume him once more.

The Emperor, seemingly delighted by the unfolding events, sat forward in his chair, his attention glued on his son and the young man who had always been a nuisance in his life and in the empire all this time. The Empress, on the other hand, maintained a more controlled demeanor, her eyes narrowing as she observed the conversation.

The other people in the room stayed mute, their nervousness noticeable as they saw the tense encounter between the Crown Prince and his lover, who was probably soon to be his former lover.

Garret was on the verge of being escorted away by two Imperial bodyguards when Rayshawn stated, "No, I don't want anywhere near you; leave my room." Rayshawn experienced a profound sense of relief in both his heart and mind as he observed the Imperial Guards quickly depart from his presence. A smile of contentment graced his face, reflecting his deep satisfaction.

"No! Ray! You love me so much! I was one of the best things that happened in your life!" Garret screams while trying to get out of the strong grip on his arms, "Tell them to let me go and let me be at your side! Rayshawn!"

However, no matter how much Garret is screaming and pleading, Rayshawn just stares at him while the imperial guard takes Garret away from his room. Seeing how the young man was in disbelief while staring at him, Rayshawn didn't do anything to correct the imperial guard's action.

"Your behavior is befitting of the position you hold as the Crown Prince of the Esgalduin Empire," the Emperor remarked, and he gave Rayshawn his approval.

For a while, he has been worried about his only child's behavior with the young baron. Rayshawn has been showing an abnormal infatuation with Garret and has been making quite a ruckus among the nobles of the empire because of his actions.

"I find myself experiencing a sense of discomfort when I'm in his company, especially when he's close." Rayshawn admitted that his gaze kept staring at the door, not longing but trying to make sure that Garret would not come back.

Rayshawn maintained an unbroken look until Garrett's voice faded into the distance. The young man was certainly charming, but when Garrett's enticing purple eyes fixed on him with those glistening dances inside his eyes, an unpleasant sensation filled the air. Whenever Garrett's stare became more intense, Rayshawn could see a tiny gleam in his eyes, indicating something rather bizarre had happened underneath those purple eyes.

The lovely old lady, whom Rayshawn recognized as the Empress mother, gently stroked his cheek and said, "You should go back to rest, Ray. Tell the servants what you need, and have the maid prepare for your meals." She then turned to the elder maid, positioned close to the priest, engaging her in a hushed conversation.

Rayshawn felt a sense of relief wash over him as the Empress's soothing presence calmed his troubled mind. Her gentle touch and kind words were a welcome respite from the tension that had permeated the room just moments ago.

As the room settled into a relative calm, Rayshawn found himself longing for the comfort of his bed, the fatigue of his ordeal weighing heavily upon him.

Rayshawn gave his mother a reassuring smile. Rayshawn assured his mother that he would recover from the horrific incident. He looked at his reflection in the mirror again, his thoughts wandering back to the manga Sarah forced Rayvenne to read, where Rayshawn had an outstanding fiancée, highly regarded as an embodiment of beauty throughout the Esgalduin Empire.

With Garrett's removal from the picture, the most appropriate course of action for guaranteeing his own security would be to rebuild his commitment and relationship with his rightful fiancée, and treat her with the utmost care and respect.

Rayshawn then looked at his father, the Emperor, and recognized the traces of his former perfection and youthful handsomeness. Despite his old age, the Emperor preserved an amazing physical condition. Furthermore, he shared Rayshawn's crimson-red eyes.

The Emperor's crimson eyes proved to be a distinctive characteristic of his lineage, stretching back to his legitimate predecessors. All of the Emperor's children, whether they were born from the Empress or from the Emperor's official concubines, shared this genetic trait.

He struggled to walk to his father, experiencing pain in his chest and back, until a young priest and a maid rushed to his aid. There's a huge scar on his back as a result of Cursetalon's attack while he was trying to protect Garret.

After finding his footing, Rayshawn assessed himself against the Emperor and realized that he was the same height as the latter. Rayshawn portrayed the very definition of perfection, showing a tall height of 191 centimeters and a flawlessly sculpted physique.

Rayshawn smiled warmly as he stood in front of the Emperor, his father. "I was lacking, but I'll try my best to fix whatever I was lacking before. Father."

The Emperor didn't say anything; he just pulled his son into his arms and gave him a warm, big hug while stroked his hair. Soon, the empress joined, and the three of them spent a short time of family bonding through one tight hug.

Now that everything had calmed down, he needed to focus on recovering his health as soon as possible and making reconciliation with his fiancée, Ivory Whitlocken, whom he had been neglecting for the past few years.

"Physician, make me healthy soon by any means necessary," Rayshawn commanded, standing by his parent's side, the ruler of the Esgalduin Empire. He resolved, "I must make my way to Lady Ivory's residence and extend my sincerest apologies to the Marquis."

Rayshawn observed that a smile graced the faces of nearly every person in the room, including the Emperor himself, who proceeded to give a heartfelt laugh while gently tapping the Crown Prince's shoulder.

The Emperor's booming laughter filled the room, his eyes shining with pride. "That's my son," he proclaimed.

"I'm not going to die stupid here," Rayshawn muttered under his breath, making sure that nobody heard his voice, his sole concern revolving around his determination to avoid a senseless demise. He was firmly resolved to embrace his existence as Rayshawn Elrod, leaving behind the former identity of Rayvenne Kaufman.