❁ Four ❁

Taking the disgusting excess of horse shit from my hair, I clenched my jaw is disgust with myself and with my current state. "Why did we do that? Were we infatuated with each other? Was is… love?"

To my dismay, Josef tried to fight back a chuckle but it was of no use. "I'm sorry, my Prince. And no, no, no, it was not love. To be honest, that caught everyone by surprise, as you two loathed each other's guts for some reason. Maybe because your respective Kingdoms were allied to the Empire, but they were never in friendly terms with one another, which kind of changed after your marriage, of course. But no, no one really knows what happened that night."

"…" Hate? We hated each other or do we still do? And why does this sound so amusing to me? Does that mean we haven't been… breeding? That will be good, right? But how does this marriage even works? "And did we fall in… love after that?"

Josef bit his bottom lip to hold his laughter again, and I felt both my cheeks starting to burn of embarrassment. "If you did, you both have a weird way of showing it, my Prince," so, that's a no. "Me and my wife have been doing our best to take care of you two, but you and the Fifth Princess bicker every time you are together. Well, except when there's anyone else but us around, then you keep an image."

At least we managed that much. "Your wife?" I arched an eyebrow.

"It's been a year since I've married Petra Pierer, the 5th Princess's aide. Which is good, as we can fully take care of you and stay together. She is an amazing match for me. And as crazy as it sounds, both you and the 5th Princess helped us out on your own way, but separately," I did?

Seems like I was really the kind type. Key word: was. Past sentence. "Good for you!" He didn't notice my sarcasm though. "How is my… wife like? Does anyone mess with her like they mess with me?"

"She's like you, my Prince. Too kind to others," apparently not to me. "Many mistreat her and use her for it, but like you, she only tries to help and is never given credit for." He avoided my eyes again, "Just as the 3rd and the Crowned Prince don't like you, the 2nd Princess doesn't like her as she was infatuated with you and wanted you for her."

Seems like we are both too physically weak, pushovers, who have a terrible habit of uselessly caring for those who want to use us. I don't like it. We may not enjoy each other, or whatever, but she's my wife. I cannot allow my wife or myself to go through shit like this anymore. "Hah, what a nightmare. Tell me the name of these three again, Josef."

"The 1st Prince, 2nd Princess, and the 3rd Prince?" A nod. "Imperial Crowned Prince Dmitry Emilian Nekrasova, Second Princess Cleo Aurora Nekrasova, and Third Royal Prince Emmett Augustin Nekrasova." Wait.

If my first name is now my middle name, and all immortals come to the mortal realm as Royalty and Imperials, could… could they be the bastards I'm thinking about? They were all around my age after all. But what's the chance? "Blonde straight hair and light blue eyes, full of freckles. Crimson red straight hair around the shoulders, with lilac eyes. Crimson red straight short hair with light blue eyes. Does this look familiar?"

Josef blinked, "Is your memories coming back, my Prince?" Ugh, this can't be good. "You've just described the Crowned Prince, the 2nd Princess, and the 3rd Prince, respectively."

Shit. To think I would be in the mortal realm at the same time and in the same place as these three pests. Aurora Comănescu, the obsessive girl that has been pestering me for centuries; Augustin Comănescu, her twin older brother who's also been a pain in the ass; and Emilian Morina, the heavenly immortal who's been obsessed with Mia for as long as Aurora has been with me, and who's been trie to make her mother engage her to him for just as long. He also hated me, but the hate was always mutual.

Seem like some things don't change. But if they are all here, it also means that Mia might be too. Maybe in a neighboring Kingdom, also as a Princess from some territory. I need to find her to plan how I'm going to kill her.

As Josef helped me getting out of the damn stables once and for all, we encountered the very person I was thinking of minutes ago. Augustin Comănescu, now Emmett Augustin Nekrasova, but the same bastard I've been having to put up with since I was a kid. "Why did you get out of the stables, pig?"

Did this cursed bastard just called me a pig? "Pig?" I scoffed. If Josef called him a Royal Prince instead of an Imperial one, it means that he's the son of the Emperor with a Concubine, doesn't it? "Did you get our roles switched, bastard? Because to all I know, a pig is rather a bastard son of a mistress, and not a legitimate child such as myself."

When he turned red with my offense, I knew I had hit right where it hurts. Hah, amusing. "What did you just say?" Before he could land any attack on me, I stopped him.

Grinning, I gave him a head to toe glare, "Your sweet legitimate brother threw shit all over me, but it's not like pigs like you don't roll on it, right? Feel free to touch me and covered yourself just as I was. If you are not satisfied and want it more, beside the amount of shit you already spill through your mouth, you can lay and roll on the stables!"

His light blue eyes widened, "I am a Royal Prince!"

"So am I!" I grinned widely. "The difference is that I'm a Royal Prince in Royalty and you are a Royal Prince in Imperialism. You will be the son of a concubine forever, whereas I'm the son of a Queen!"

"What the hell is wrong with you and Angelina today?" He scoffed.

Who's Angelina? "How does that concern the likes of a bastard such as yourself?" I tilted my head to the right. "Don't you have a life to live or will you keep meddling in others affairs like this?" I licked my lips, "Isn't it funny how we are the same age but I'm already married and being responsible for the peace of my Kingdom with the Empire and a Kingdom that was once an enemy, while you are a single ruffian who can only covet a married woman? Are you unable to find an available one that would be willingly to marry someone such as yourself?"

"I'm going to kill you!" He yelled red with anger. "Nico Hochmair-Gredler, I swear in my name that I'll kill you." Kill me?

Who? …Him?

"…" I burst out laughing like a psychopath. Is this jerk joking? He was never able to land an attack on me in all the thousands of years we've lived. After we turn 25, we'll go back to the Immortal Land of Garnet and I'll make him pay for all of this ten fold. "Ah, Augustin, seems like you are getting funnier by day."

"You've all gone insane. Insane. Both you and Angelina. At least she's an attractive psycho, while you are just… crazy!" Then he stormed out of our way, covering his nose from the smell of shit coming from me.

Clenching my jaw, I closed my eyes, clenching my fists hard to hold the anger that was trying burst and take control of me. "Aren't you going to tell me something like, 'Ah, my Prince, what have you done? You offended the 3rd Royal Prince. You will get into trouble,' now?"

"Me? Absolutely not. You were a savage, and right so. That asshole should be put on his place, my Prince. Being kind will never be helpful when dealing with these people. I'm just glad that you're finally realizing that, even if you needed to hit your head and be drowned on shit to open your eyes," he gave me a encouraging nod. "Though you'll get in trouble!"

"I'm used to trouble," having spent thousands of years having Mia as my rival, trouble was exactly what I got every time we met. And I've always been akin to trouble either way. But let's get to the point I need to know the most, as my memories still haven't fully comeback. "Josef," he turned to me again, "do you know any Princess that has Jasmin on their name? …Preferably on the middle name?"

His grin told me he knew something, and I dared to be hopeful even for a second. "Of course, I do, my Prince. I'm surprise you don't remember this as you seemed to recall the Emperor's children appearance," what? "You know her even better than I do."

"I do?" I frowned confused. What's the possibility of us being close as mortals? "Who is it?"

"Angelina Jasmin Swatosch," isn't that the girl that bastard had just mentioned? "The Fifth Princess of the Teyer Kingdom."

"…" I froze. "She's my… my WIFE?"

And the idiot seemed amused as he nodded, "Yes."

"Black wavy hair that has a dark green gleam to it under the light and goes down to her hips, pale skin, snub nose, full pouty lips, big peridot green eyes, and an hourglass figure?" I questioned him exasperatedly.

Again, he nodded. "That's your wife. Did you remember her?"

Shit. Is this a curse or a blessing. "I deflowered… Jasmin?"

He blushed, "Yes, my Prince. That's how you got married."

"BUT... JASMIN?" I gasped. "Shit. I'm married to her? To fucking Jasmin? Now it makes sense that you said we hate each other. Shit. Shit."

"Yes, my Prince, you're covered in it!" When I glared at him, he choked on a laugh. "Sorry. But yes, you and Fifth Princess Angelina Jasmin Swatosch are married since two years ago."

Is this why my parents insisted that I loved her? Because before I lived as an immortal, I was married to her? Gods be damned.

Ugh. Shit. I feel like my head is about to explode. "Don't tell any soul that I hit my head and my memories got messed up, Josef. Not even your wife," or she might tell Jasmin.

"I won't!"

"If I'm married to…" I gulped, "Jasmin… does it mean that the one Aurora mistreats, and Emilian and Augustin are obsessed with is her?" Just like in our long immortal life? And did Augustin just went and pestered her before he came to me?

"Yes, Prince Nico," sigh. "Unfortunately, yes."

Not anymore. "Shit," suddenly I was stroked by a terrible pain in all sides of my skull and given how weak this body is, I fell on my knees with a cry of pain. "Take me… somewhere I can… rest!" It was the last thing I told him before losing my consciousness.