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"Take him away!"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznZ5D8XUJz
"Lock him up and throw away the key!"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOqMchzWp1
"Seal the Cursed One forever!"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEtry15qx9
The mob cheered as the sealed carriage made its way through the streets, out of town, and ultimately, heading out of the Kingdom. Far, far away from the Kingdom.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNajSDOPvw
"Agh! Geez! What the heck--Oi! You idiots! Why are you throwing rocks at ME?! I'm just minding my own freaking business here and driving, okay?" the carriage driver hisses.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzU4UNSouW
The sole occupant of the sealed carriage presses his lips together.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1OEYtIB1x
Even though no one can get in and out of the sealed carriage, enchanted to only receive and let passengers alight according to the specified instructions of the caster, air can still freely pass through despite the windowless and doorless carriage. And if air can freely pass through, sounds and noises from outside can also be heard.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jLYOcbjyc
"And how dare you all throw something like that on a Royal carriage!" the driver of the carriage can be heard, continuously ranting from his perch. "You all are committing treason you know! No matter what the circumstances are the Pri--"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVF2ylCGFS
"That's quite alright, Marcus," the passenger of the sealed carriage mumbled under his breath.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyv4mu4VBC
"But, Your High--"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtLOe7wiPk
"Enough, Marcus," the passenger tells the carriage driver once again and curls into a ball on the carriage seat.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFxaRMdBy2
Even though the carriage is sealed, preventing others from getting in and out of it, only opening and closing once it reaches its destination and letting air for the occupant to breathe, it has the comforts and utilities of a top-tier carriage.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvp9sRyFsg
The seats are very soft, softer than any bed one can imagine. Even if it's just a seat, one might think it's actually a bed.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfpcLb7uH3
And with the sole occupant's current size, it can actually be a bed for him.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt0tzm3u7i
Despite it being sealed, the inside is bathed in a warm and comfortable light, as the gentle rays of the sun do with the fragile plants in a greenhouse. Not only that but there is also a magic compartment under the seats that stores all kinds of food and beverage that always stays fresh, hot, and cool--depending on the meal.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbuBPc1EwE
However, those kinds of luxuries give little to no interest to the passenger.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmkjOVNY8i
All he wanted was to leave the Kingdom and get things over with. He's miserable not only because of the hatred he has been receiving from the people around him ever since he can remember but also the fact that he's too much of a coward to end his own life.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83HUHdZL83
If the thought of him existing was a bane to everyone's existence, he could just go and disappear.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSlWHYkJK5
However, he can't do it no matter how much he tries and...if others get to do it themselves...453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPACzBF97ZQ
Well, those who attempted to get rid of him lost their lives instead.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUbVh9kSYx
As he lay there, curled in a ball, he blinked his misty turquoise eyes, as if doing so would stop the tears from falling even though his throat was hurting from the effort.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1MgXqRd5s
In the end, he lost the fight. The tears fell from his eyes, soaking his long, unmaintained silver-blond hair. He then closes his eyes, hoping that it will not only block the fact that he had cried despite not wanting to but also the sounds and shouts of the people who want him to leave.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5rS4K5QeA
And as he close his eyes, exhaustion seeps through his bones from not being able to sleep well last night. Not that he had ever slept well since he was old enough to feel that he was being neglected and avoided.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR591nSHIC5
But as he did, a dream came to him. Probably the first and only dream he could ever remember having. It was a dream that he would forget even when he woke up. One that shows a future where he's happy and content.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjKmMCnuhC
And it involves a smiling face of a girl, filled with love and affection...just for him.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFtzPFuJUq
Someone...whom he can't ever kill even when she's near him with his trait...453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnLkiYRq2i
His salvation.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbAPObEGYu
~*~*~*~453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGditX1Vnsb
Knock. Knock. Knock.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7vSIC15Ne
Disoriented and dazed from his sleep, he stumbles towards the door, momentarily forgetting that it's supposed to open and close only when he has arrived at his destination. Maybe it was because he just woke up from what seemed to be the longest sleep he'd had in a long, long while, he even forgot about Marcus.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5bACuis1k
As soon as he's near the door, it opens. Someone cheeps in surprise from the outside and the sound, along with the sudden opening of the door, made him come to his senses. However, since he was shuffling towards the door with a heavy head from sleep, with the intention of leaning on the door, all his weight was shifted to the front. And because the door opened, nothing can catch him anymore and he tips over.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23etKJuNBb
Still somewhat lethargic, he couldn't move fast enough to lean away and fall back inside the carriage. It seems he'll be hitting the ground face-first. Closing his eyes, he braces himself for the fall.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbeHp4lnrM
"Oh no!"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9rWyhpR3G
That cheeping voice he heard just now spoke up again and he felt hitting something warm and soft then a heavy thud. Whatever he's on right now, it's definitely not the ground.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcuTBSKBbu
"Ow..."453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHOUF1eL9n
His eyes snap open and lifts himself up from the ground with his arms. With wide eyes, he looks down at the person below him, rapidly blinking his eyes in disbelief. 453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXKWMIzz21
There...was a person...below him...and...453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IrvXe9i52
Are they alive? Are they writhing in pain from his curse? Are they dying?453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm218Zr3LxJ
His mind is swirling with questions that he's going dizzy. So he closed his eyes shut again as he froze in place. As much as he wanted to roll away, he knew that it was too late. Any second now, the person will be dead anyway--453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWMBh9Zuiu
"Uhm, excuse me, but...can you get off of me now?"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRe93mmNMXT
At that, his eyes blinked open wide once again, and he looked down. It wasn't just any person. It was a woman. And not only that, she's...she's still alive!453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZHRCeqfpa
But how? Why? Who is this woman? What is she even? How is she still alive after being exposed to him? Let alone be this close to him?453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpX6BNJctlc
"Excuse me? Please, get off. You're too heavy."453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jDAzllP1r
Her wheezing plea made him come back to his senses and he quickly muttered his apologies and got off from the woman. He was still in awe to see someone still alive, moving and breathing, even after they were exposed to his presence.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusYvy6qLtR
"Haaa, great. Now that's a load off my chest, haha! Get it? Cause you were on me and..." she falters, laughing weakly, she clears her throat awkwardly and rubs the back of her neck. "Yeah, sorry. I know it was a bad joke. Anyway! Hup!"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOfRdxjeT6
She hops from the ground and stands up, patting her clothes to get rid of the dirt and grime from her person and the satchel that hangs across her front. While she does, he watches her, still filled with disbelief to see that she's still up and about.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAz6Fs7vLWF
"My name's Rose," she introduces herself, silently offering her hand to him to help him up.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkVU9fs0Lt
Still speechless, his gaze ping-pongs between her hand and up at her face. For the first time in a long, long time--just stared at someone right on their face, without any coverings to protect them from him. All his life, he has to look at people who are talking to him from a safe distance or when they fully cover their faces.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTi1oY35wff
But now...453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiRBtx5uB3
With a trembling hand, he slowly and carefully places it on top of hers. He can feel his heart skip a beat when her fingers wrap around his, squeezing his hand gently before gently tugging him up from the ground.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzhtJJWn2f
She was a small woman and he knew she won't be able to fully help him up. Instead, with her help, he easily pushed himself from the ground. He wraps his fingers over hers as well, still staring into her face until a pink tinge starts to blossom across her cheek.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlKe6apwTs
"Uhm...and your name?"453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdGTliLXHc
He opens his mouth and answers, "I'm...Andrius."453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmFS75HNWc
She smiled at him and to him, it was blinding. No. It wasn't her smile that dazzled him so. It was Rose herself. Just being able to be with her like this without dying...to be able to converse like how other normal people do.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjjBxtu5h4
"Huh. Andrius, huh? Okay, then," she beams at him and tugs at his hand. "By the way, you look like you're lost. I actually saw a guy running back the way you came from, saying he dropped his mask or something and asked me to keep an eye on the carriage..." She starts to chatter but he doesn't mind. It was the first time someone was talking openly to him, without a hint of fear or anxiety.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9lFiI3Tws
She pulls on his hand, taking him somewhere, and without a shred of suspicion, he follows her like a little lamb following its shepherd.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGqR1dhlbW
"...oh, did I mention that your name sounds like the Crown Prince's name?" she asks belatedly. But before he can even respond, Rose is already chattering away, talking about something new and pointing at stuff to him.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LWCfzpvWi
He was amused and she was endearing. Maybe...now's not a good time to tell her that the reason why he had a name that sounds like the Crown Prince is because he was the Crown Prince. The dreaded Crown Prince who was cursed to exude tasteless and odorless poison that could kill anyone who went near him.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvy4XGVfqi0
No one knows how he came to be that way and it had made his life a living hell. 453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0AfBdvUWv
But...somehow, in some kind of way, there's actually someone capable of surviving after being with him. His salvation. Maybe he'll have to tell her the truth about himself one day. And hopefully, she'll remain by his side after that.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4BJ5gQZjL
If not...453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBYOPgp4D6
"Hmm? What is it, Andrius?" she asks, glancing down at their clasped hands that he was unknowingly squeezing a little, and then up his face.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBoGaCXjMu
He smiles. "Nothing, Rose. What's that thing over there?" He points at something randomly.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFMLXpFR23
"Oh! Oh, that!" She then began to ramble, explaining anything and everything she could see.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4zlDlxlLk
Well, if she won't remain by her side, then...he'll do whatever he can and everything in his power to make her stay.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ptg9dbfTy
