Episode 116 - Cracked Dreams 2 ‘I want to hide in a hole’

Last Chapter: Eugene woke up and realized Euria was missing! In anxiety, she rushes up to Duke Marleigh's room but to her annoyance he was nonchalant!

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The note...

“Young Miss woke up at daybreak and snuck out alone. She is currently hiding in a bush watching the chicken coop. According to Young Miss’s whispers of motivation, I speculate that she is waiting for a chance to sneak out eggs to feed Eldest Miss.” - B.

P.S- Update: Young Miss is whispering these words. ‘Royal Eggs must taste so good! I can’t wait to eat it! Oh wait- These are for my sister… But! I will have some too!

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Duke Marleigh rubbed his forehead slowly, “This note was sent by Euria’s hidden guard who followed her out.”

Eugene’s hands trembled as she inhaled and exhaled loudly.

Duke Marleigh watched Eugene silently and took her reaction as her not being too content over Euria’s safety and reassured her,

“Euria’s hidden guard is very strong. He was personally trained by your father.” He hesitated a little and continued, “Not to worry. She will be able to safely steal those eggs for you to eat.”

Eugene’s face cracked hearing Duke Marleigh’s latter sentence. What reassurance?!

‘That darn twit! Sneak out eggs? Stealing eggs?! Royal eggs!! Does she want us to be executed?! And what is with that awkward suspicious pause, ‘Oh wait- These are for my sister?’ HUH?? AND WHY EGGS?!’

Veins protruded from Eugene’s forehead. Her head, especially her nostrils, emitted an aura that took the form of smoke, indicating that she was enraged.

‘Ah.. She’s fuming.’ Duke Marleigh and Aedelak thought in unison.

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Eugene's face kept twitching even when she was long gone from Duke Marleigh’s room. The only thing she could and can think of was Euria. Euria! EURIA!

‘Did she hit her head too hard? Didn’t she say that she didn’t like it here? How come she feels enlightened enough to go out and about looking for adventures and eggs to steal? Does she have that much free time? Is her head really alright? What’s wrong with her?! How can she think to ‘sneak out eggs’ so suddenly? And sneak? More like stealing!’

Eugene stopped walking to take a moment to recover her breath. Behind her, Aedelak paused as well.

After inhaling enough oxygen, Eugene began striding furiously once more,

‘That’s not even the most important thing! How can she just go off alone? Does she think she’s invincible? How can she just up and disappear to play!! We are not in Xenperia, we’re in Zene! It’s another country for-’

“Goodness sake!”

She shouted as her palms slammed to a random innocent pillar. She breathed in and out furiously as she attempted to calm herself.

‘And here I am! Looking for you!’ she shook her head in resignation and raised her head to look at the clouds freely roaming around in the sky.

“Haaaa…..”

Unbeknownst to Eugene, two people saw everything from the sideline. The two couldn't help but feel sorry for the 3-year-old girl, who seems to be dealing with several issues at such a young age.

The Crown Prince of Zene, who saw a three-year-old child walking towards him from a distance with a furious look and then abruptly pounding her small hands on his country's innocent pillar, and then staring depressingly at the sky. “.....”

The Nameless Musician was kneeling before the Crown Prince. “.....”

Aedelak, who couldn’t stop Eugene in time and could only stand awkwardly behind Eugene. “.....”

Unaware of her surroundings, Eugene rubbed her forehead dramatically as sunlight shone upon her face.

“.....” (The Crown Prince, Nameless Musician, Aedelak)

Unable to take the prolonged silence anymore, The Nameless Musician happily exclaimed,

“Miss! Esteemed Miss! Thank you so much for helping me yesterday! Without you, I would have been buried under the soil already!” He shouted happily and bowed at Eugene who stood 3 meters away.

Eugene was deep in her emotions when she heard someone interrupting her. Her eyes brows furrowed as she slowly turned her head towards the direction of the voice. In hallucination, she saw a figure smiling innocently and mistakenly took the standing figure as Euria. The figure’s lips twitched as if wanting to laugh at her, made Eugene lose it!

Just like that, with her voice raised, she snapped, “YOU TWIT!!!”

All her anger, concern, and annoyance was released in a loud two-word shout. The shout meant for Euria but was directed to the innocent Crown Prince instead.

The Nameless Musician jumped back in surprise. So did the Crown Prince and Aedelak.

“......”

Eugene huffed.

Her loud shout woke her up from her ‘hallucination’, and she rubbed her eyes. She blinked twice before looking in front of her again.

When her eyes met the Crown Prince’s eyes, that was when she realized.

‘Ah.’

At that moment, Eugene could feel her 28-year-old soul crying hysterically as a bubble of redness started creeping up her small 3-year-old cheeks. She had hallucinated from stress and directed her anger towards the Crown Prince!

The Nameless musician’s eyes widened in shock as he nervously looked around, trying to figure out why his savior was suddenly mad at him! ‘Wha- What did I do wrong?’

Aedelak’s whole body broke out in a cold sweat as she nervously glanced between Eugene and the Crown Prince.

Eugene secretly wondered, ‘Can I please just hide in a hole...' with red-pink cheeks. She never knew she'd come to understand the term "dying of shame" in her entire life!

‘AHHHHHHH!’ Her 28-year-old spirit screamed in shame.

The Crown Prince’s lips pursed as he looked around. Unable to find what he was looking for, his eyes then found their way back to Eugene and he stared at her.

His lips trembled and uncontrollably,

Laughed.

“HAHAHA HAHAHA!!!!”

His unrestrained laughter was pure and childish as if watching a slapstick comedy.

Hearing his laughter, Eugene couldn’t help her eyes closing from shame, ‘I want to hide in a hole!’ She shouted in her mind.

‘This feels so painful!’ she cried in her mind as she clutched her aching heart. ‘He’s laughing at my pain. He’s rubbing salt to my freshly opened wound! Ahh!’

Eugene waited until his laughter died down before she re-opening her eyes. However, as soon as she opened her eyes, she caught sight of the Crown Prince bending over and clutching his stomach. His face was indescribable.

Another hit to her open wound...

“.....Ha.” She deeply sighed. With her hand still clutching her heart, she chose to give up and bow to greet the Crown Prince.

“Greetings, Your Highness, Crown Prince.” she greeted plainly. Her head was full of thoughts to run away as soon as he greeted her back.

Hearing Eugene, Aedelak bowed and greeted the Crown Prince as well.

With one hand holding his stomach, the Crown Prince attempted to straighten up as well as rubbed his tears hanging out from his eyes. In a trembling voice, he managed to greet back,

“Good afternoon ladies,” he said as he waved his hands for them to drop their formality.

Eugene raised her head and as taught, did not directly look into the Crown Prince’s eyes but his shoulders. Just as she was going to excuse herself, her eyes caught sight of a pair of eyes.

“How.. How come you’re here?” She asked, speechless and flabbergasted.

‘Was he caught in the end?!’ she glanced between the Crown Prince and the Nameless Musician.

The Nameless Musician shook his head fiercely and nervously pleaded, “No miss! I’m sorry Miss! Please don’t be mad!”

“.....” Eugene’s eyes widened even more.

“What are you talking about?” She asked, speechlessly.

‘Why would I be mad? Didn’t I help you yesterday? Why would you look so scared of me? Shouldn’t you be scared of the Crown Prince who caught you?’ she tilted her head, unable to comprehend his logic.

Aedelak bit her lips nervously. Seeing Eugene confused, she stepped forward and reminded her, “Miss! You shouted at him just now! That’s why he’s afraid!” As for what conspired yesterday, Eugene and Euria told her afterward.

Eugene’s mouth gaped into an ‘O’.

‘And here I thought I shouted at the Crown Prince.’ she wiped her sweat and sighed in relief.

Stepping forward, she apologized, “My apologies, I didn’t mean to shout at you. I was thinking of something else.”

The Nameless Musician’s eyes widened in realization. Remembering that she looked to be dealing with a lot of issues, he shook his head to indicate that he understood.

As soon as the Crown Prince heard Eugene’s words, he almost couldn’t control his mouth from laughing again. Gulping back, he teased,

“So you were daydreaming?” His eyes sparkled as if he was watching a comedian entertainer.

Eugene bit her lips, wanting to refute but found herself unable to. Her lips tugged up in a stiff polite smile, not denying or confirming his words.

“You must’ve just woken up.” His lips trembled even more.

That too, she couldn’t refute.

Aedelak standing behind Eugene, bushed for Eugene. ‘Everything is true.’

The Crown Prince shook his head in resignation, “It’s been a while since I’ve laughed so wholeheartedly” He confessed as he looked at the comedienne duo warmly.

His entire face, however, became stern in an instant.

“You looked as if you had nothing to do with this man yesterday. What’s this now?” he asked in an authoritative voice and pointed at the Nameless Musician who was kneeling.

Eugene’s thumb dug into her index finger, unable to say anything.

The Crown Prince maintained a silent gaze on Eugene's face. He waited for her anxiety to slip, but the longer he waited, the more her face became blander.

‘Aren’t you a good actress?’ his eyebrows raised. Yesterday, the two sisters barged out of their room, looking incredibly innocent and surprised.

“That was all an act?” he scoffed speechlessly as his eyes turned into one of disbelief.

Eugene’s eyes traveled from the Crown Prince’s shoulders and met his eyes. Her lips drew together in a stiff polite smile, and she stayed silent.

The Crown Prince hesitated. But just as he was about to ask another question, he heard a loud commotion followed by an army of footsteps stomping their way towards them.

Everyone was taken aback when they saw an army of knights approaching them. The Nameless Musician jumped in fright and was about to run away when an arrow was pointed towards him.

Eugene frowned as she looked around,“.....”

The situation looked incredibly bad for both the Nameless musician and her. Not only did the Crown Prince know about what happened yesterday, but the knights have also now caught her together with the Nameless Musician. Not to mention, she recognized a few knights from the previous day.

'This is bad. Really bad...'

“Miss.” Aedelak stepped forward and half-shielded Eugene.

“Lowly prisoner Hal!” One knight pointed and shouted, “Do you want to be buried alive here, right now, or do you want to willingly go back with us?”

The knight with the bow tightened his string in a provocative motion.

Eugene’s hands twitched in alarm. However, she remained silent, carefully analyzing the situation.

The knights glared at the Nameless Musician, completely ignorant of the Crown Prince’s presence.

Only when the Crown Prince stepped forward to shield the Nameless Musician did the knights notice the Crown Prince.

“Halt it.” The Crown Prince raised his hand to stop the archer.

The leader of the knight’s frowned before belatedly acknowledging and giving the Crown Prince his greetings,

“Blessings to Zene, Your Highness, Crown Prince!” He bowed slightly and stood firm.

“Please step aside from this dangerous criminal, Your highness, Crown Prince.”