Beautiful Scar

Chapter 15

She played with her time, picking up edible berries, even eating some as she did. "Em!" that made her slightly squeal as the sweetness of the berry exploded in her mouth.

"Captain Scarlet..." Zuber spoke first.

Scarlet halted her berry picking. She straightened her back and turned to him. "Yes, Zuber. What is the matter?" She knew sooner or later he or she would confront him. Ever since she mentioned the expedition to the Rise Continent. The expedition to the continent where Zuber's land hailed from. Seemed like he made the first move.

"This expedition to the Rise Continent, may I know what the intention is to journey so far from this place?" Scarlet didn't answer but her eyes were still steadily on him, wanting him to continue, "I...have a request to ask". That raised Scarlet's brow.

"Could it be you are seeking the same thing as I am?" Scarlet said first. Zuber's eyes widened when she answered that way. "Well, that seems to make my job a lot easier. And so, it seems capturing the Princess's heart is not enough for you to secure the seat of the empire".

"While I do hope we can still be trade partners, I am not that ambitious to bind your Princess to me".

"Oh no, but you are ambitious, future Emperor", she said so slowly and dangerously. She took a step towards him, almost prowling. "And ambitious people are sometimes blinded to see the signs of danger". When she reached him, she had pulled out her dagger.

Zuber gulped but at the same time he braced himself.

She is not terrifying as she made out to be. You are not trying to fight her.

Then, he felt cold liquid dripping on his neck. And then, he saw Scarlet was licking some of those red stained berry juices off her finger.

When Scarlet noticed he immediately closed his eyes as she pulled out the dagger, she played with him instead. Now that his eyes were opened, she almost snorted.

Brave and quite reckless. She knew he could've defended himself. But he seemed to want to assure her that he would not raise his blades at her.

Ah another interesting one.

Oh, the memories learning martial arts at his homeland was something. And the parting and unnecessary instructions given to her before she left, to keep an eye out on the youngest Prince, since his siblings' supporters wanted him dead. How pitiful and sad. And yet how earnest this young Prince was.

And then, she did something more risqué. She pulled his shirt up to reveal a burnt scar on his abdomen.

This caught Zuber off guard that he flustered, he pulled down and swatted her hand off. "Was that necessary?!"

"I knew it", said Scarlet. And the memories of Fina telling her stories of her visits to Zuber's kingdom when she was a child. "You may not remember, but the Princess used to play with you, or a boy like you when she was visiting the Empire. Because she asked you when she saw the scar on your body". She didn't need to elaborate further. Just like Scarlet, Zuber contracted the burnt scar when he was a child. When a fire suddenly set ablaze and engulfed his palace and his Mother. Someone in his siblings' household wanted him dead. With the Emperor and many wives and mistresses, any child born was raised to fight against one another instead of getting along with one another, the purpose only to obtain the throne, it was suffocating. Even in his own palace, he could not trust anyone except for a very few selected people.

And then, he remembered when a small child like him from a far Kingdom came to visit them and they paired him up with her as playmates, as she and him were close in age. Those were good days long forgotten. Now, he felt that whoever supported him or wanted to topple him set this up. Support him in the hopes he can marry the Princess from a richer kingdom or topple him by inflicting damage on the Princess and accuse him as the perpetrator.

Either way, he was still used.

But no matter. He was not giving up in fighting for the Emperorship. Because if he could be Emperor all he wanted was peace by the end of the day. For he knew, not all his siblings were keen on the seat. Just like him, they were used and been coaxed with stories of how one hated the other.

But he could not succeed this on his own. He knew there was a way. Obtain a precious item and win the current Emperor's favour or marry Princess Fina and unite the Empire with her Kingdom. Both were powerful influences, but both were difficult to execute. As it seemed the latter was not bearing any promising results with the way Scarlet was berating them, maybe after knowing she was going to his continent, maybe he could seek help from her after all.

And if he could place his gamble on Martha, if what she claimed this young lady in front of him was actually kind, masked by the exterior of a brutal warrior, then maybe just maybe he had a chance to end the siblings feud in his empire.

"I only ask of this, Lady Captain Scarlet", he suddenly became serious, "I would like your help to obtain this rare item to be presented to my ailing Emperor, in exchange if we can cultivate this, I will arrange for you and your men to be rewarded handsomely as well. And I won't touch your Princess".

"Oh, come now, I may dislike you men courting the Princess, but you are still bound by the battle royale events, and who knows if you both genuinely fall for each other, even the world cannot stop you", said Scarlet but her tone was not terrifying, but it was more calculative. Her unit could really use additional golds. Especially with the damage committed by Ronald on her training wall, "But I'll see what I can, Prince Zuber".

And hearing that, Zuber's eyes lit up. Scarlet then took steps to return to the base. Zuber caught up to her and repeatedly said "Thank you", which slightly annoyed her. Hence, why she took off as quickly as possible, but he seemed to discard all point of calmness and showed his genuine and earnest personalities.

"Now tell me, Prince Zuber, have you always been this animated?"

That shut him up in embarrassment. And then he realized for the first time in a while, he had met someone who was willing to help him, without return. The last time he was cheerful and talkative, was with his martial art teacher. He was more of a father figure than his own father or Emperor.

And when they both returned, the suitors were really surprised to see Zuber smiling as he conversed with Scarlet, only for Scarlet to still reply him in a cold manner.

But though Scarlet was aware of his characters, she was still being careful. While she did this out of a favour and some form of debt repayment, she must not lose sight of her ultimate goal. To see through the battle royale till the end and hoped Fina finds a suitor that would bring her happiness.