I am Melek, son of Martha, a Royal maid. This year, I am now 8 years old. I live in the Capital so that I can always be near my mother.

One day, Aunt Teresa informed me that my mother is in danger. I hurriedly want to save her but aunt Teresa stopped me.

Why would aunt Teresa stop me? Does she not care for her best friend's life? Thoughts ran wild in my mind.

Aunt Teresa explained to me what happened in detail. My mother is in danger, that's why we need to flee this Kingdom.

She already prepared the necessary equipment and the carriage. All I need to do is to wait for my mother in the exit of the underground escape route with our belongings ready.

Sometime later, I saw mother holding a child wrapped in a cloth. It seems that the child is the Prince of this Kingdom.

Without further ado, we boarded the carriage and went away. Just as we were crossing the border to the Rosewood Kingdom, the Royal knights came pursuing us in the dead of the night.

"Mother! It's the Royal knights! Wh-what should we do?!"

Gnawing her lips in anxiety, mother frantically think of a solution. Then an extremely dangerous idea dawned upon her when she saw a dense forest.

"Make sure to hold the Prince tight! We're going to the forest!"

"The forest?! But that's where the Demon beast is swarming!"

Shocked, my body went stiff for a moment. Martha held the reins and steered on the direction of the forest.

We encountered a Demon beast while paving our way. They rammed our carriage damaging it with lots of holes in it.

The knights that were following us were surrounded by Demon beasts. They then stopped to engage in combat.

A sigh of relief leak out of my mouth when I saw that the knights stopped following us but then I remembered that we are still in the Forest of Death, I started to get nervous again.

The carriage sustained a lot of damage and later on gave in in the middle of the Forest. Luckily, before it crashed, we jumped out of the carriage.

'Nneeeeiiiggghhhhh!'

"Whoa, whoa! Easy boy, easy… Good boy…."

Only wreckage was left while the horse tried to run but mother pacified it. Nevertheless, we are still in the middle of the Forest of Death so it is still dangerous.

"Melek! Is his highness fine?!"

My brows knitted in displeasure. Why is mother so worried about this child when I am her real son?

The feeling of jealousy started to sprout in Melek's heart without him knowing until someday he will be filled with regret because of this jealousy.

"Yes, sure. He is fine."

Martha cast a worried glance on Melek without knowing that a negative feeling started to bud in her son's heart.

"How about you? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Why do I feel like I'm an extra here?... I'm fine, it's just a scratch."

Melek pouted while murmuring to himself.

"Mm, It is dangerous here so we need to get out quickly. Let's go!"

Martha carried Melek who is holding the child in his arms on the horse's back. She then rode it and made it run at full speed.

It was dawn when we left the Forest and made it in a city of the Rosewood Kingdom. Halfway there, our horse got tired. As we don't have time for the horse to get rested enough, we set on foot.

"Stop right there! Name yourself!"

The city guards stopped us at the entrance while pointing the sharp end of their polearm.

"Help us, guard-san! My name is Martha and are my children. We were on a merchant caravan when a group of bandits came attacking us. Fortunately, we escaped."

"Show us the documents proving your identity!"

The city guards were still cautious of us still not lowering their weapons. Although it is normal for people to enter the city, it was in the morning. They must be thinking that we are spies from another country. Well, it's true that we're from another country though.

"I'm very sorry, mister guard. But our documents were left at the caravan. I don't want to endanger my children again just to get my documents."

Martha flashed a look of exhaustion to the guard earning a pity from him. The guards looked at each other and they lowered their weapons.

"Alright, you can process new documents later because the office is still not open. For now, wait here at the station."

"It must be a rough journey, missus! We're glad that you are safe."

Looking at the exhausted and haggard face of the woman, the guards took pity on her as they politely lead the way.

"Thank you very much, Mister guard."

Martha flashed a grateful smile. Holding Melek's hand as they went into the city. Then one of the guards look back smiling and said,

"Welcome to the city of Runevard."