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"I'm....." I maintained a straight and serious face to make it more believable. I guess I also have to fabricate my words a little since it wouldn't make sense if I straight up tell her that I'm reincarnated.

Eldest raised a brow, patiently waiting for what I have to say. "You're?"

".....I'm fated to die." I huffed out a sigh the moment I was able to say it, averting my eyes somewhere else. "The reason I know so much from this age is because I've experienced it. The fate given to me, that is."

When I heard no answer, I felt the wind around us dying down as the windows slowly opened again, the light filling the once darkened room. I decided to glance at her, only to see her jaw almost drop down the floor.

I blinked my eyes in confusion. This style isn't Eldest-like, and I'm sure something is wrong. "Um, Eldest?"

"Oh," was her only response before calmly sitting down the chair. "So you're saying....that you came from the future and managed to time travel?"

"Ah, yeah. That's right." I replied, a bit confused from how she believed it easily, as I decided to just let her believe it as that. If I said no, she might ask me more about it. "I'm still Clydeur Aurum Xi Vermillion, all grown up inside but still a child in appearance, I guess."

Now that was weird. I don't know how she'll react to the fact that I'm an adult in a child's body and yet, still acting like a kid and a mama's boy. Pure embarassment.

"That's surprising. I never had an idea." Eldest commented with a surprised look in her face, eyes narrowed at me. "But I'm still suspicious of you. The Empress needs to know about this."

That made me shot my eyes wide in fear. "Wait, don't!" I ended up grabbing and clinging into her arm to stop her from leaving. "No! Don't tell her!"

She gave me a blank stare, looking down at my begging figure. "Sorry Cly. You need to wake up from reality." With a grin, she dissapeared in my sight and everything went black. I blinked my eyes and tried to yell out to her, but there was nothing. Not until—

"Clydeur? Hey?"

I jolted from my seat as I frantically turned my head around, my eyes roamed inside my bedroom. There behind me is Jamie whose folding the blankets neatly before glancing at me. "Yes, your highness? Is there something wrong?"

Shaking my head, I sat down, avoiding glancing up to Eldest who have this confused look in her face. "Hey Jamie, just how much sleep deprived the crown prince is?"

"I do not know, my lady." Jamie answered, worry evident in her face. "We always make sure his highness gets to sleep plenty enough."

"I'm fine. I slept well." I reassured their worry and confusion as I rubbed my eyes. "Maybe I dozed off for a while."

But that was intense, is that really just my imagination? Or did I fall unconscious earlier and had a bad dream? To think that even Eldest from that dream apologized and told me to wake up. It also even felt like I was pushed in an abyss!

Argh, I don't know anymore! Am I hallucinating? Am I still normal? Is this reality now?

"Hey Eldest." I spoke up, in which she attentively responded.

"Yes?"

"Where were we?"

She blinked her golden eyes, before a grimace appeared in her face. Now that's more like it! This is the real Eldest, so this is reality and not another dream. "You weren't listening this whole time? I don't even know how to react to that when I thought you had a panic attack from the news."

"Sorry, I guess I was really sleep deprived." I reasoned, scratching the back of my head. Jamie still have this worried look in her face, so I forced myself to smile. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

Eldest scoffed, her cheeks rested on her palm as her elbow is rested on the table. "Clydeur, you are in big trouble."

I nodded my head, still in a daze as I recalled that sentence in whatever dream or hallucination I had earlier. What did I do or respond to that again? Ah, I remember.

Looking back to Jamie with a worried look in her face, I nodded at her as a signal for her to leave us for a moment. She understood and finished folding the blankets before leaving the room. I turned back to Eldest.

"How bad was it?"

She then raised her hand and went for a familiar gesture, the same thing she did from what I recalled. "Around this big? I'll fill you on with the details if I wanted to, but it's too long so I'll make it short."

Her response just solidified the fact that maybe all these happened already, like deja vu or something. But what if, what I saw earlier was a premonition? That's not impossible.

What kind of premonition then? About the fact that she'll end up questioning my identity? Does this mean I have to change something?

Eldest continued on with her words when I gave no response. "You're losing support from the other nobles." I know that, since that was originally part of my plan.

Now I thought that maybe if I change my response, would I also be able to redirect my situation differently from the premonition I had?

"Is that so?" I lowered my gaze with a sigh. "Are they influential enough or not at all?"

She shrugged. "Not at all. You still have some back-up as the rightful heir." Now that was a different response—

"Because of the rumor that you brushed your brother away every time he wanted your time, other nobles pitied him and immediately judged you as a future tyrant. They're stupid."

I blinked my eyes, seeing her scowl in frustration, just as how she did in my premonition. No matter how I change my response, her statements are still the same. Will I be able to hide my identity then?

A light-bulb suddenly strucked my head. Not totally a wise decision, but more of having a common sense. I leaned back on my chair as I remained my calm composure. "Rumors are just rumors. However, if it stains my reputation with fake assumptions, then we have to take action."

"Indeed, since the only ones to benefit here is whitey."

Hearing her call my brother as whitey became normal to me, so I didn't bother scolding her about it. She won't listen anyways.

I glanced at her and she seems busy thinking of how to expose whoever dared to spread that false rumors. Did we ever shared our thoughts about who could have been the one to spread it? All I remember is I went on to brag about my plan carelessly—

Wait...

....that's it!

The reason why I got caught! I shouldn't have shared her my plans! From her comment saying it was insane, obviously it would be for someone like me who is willing to start a drama. Would that be reasonable enough for a mere 10 year old?

Maybe. Or not at all.

"I guess I know who spread the rumors." I spoke as I closed my eyes, trying to remember that one moment where Klydeur and I talked in the library. "She was there with him when I was at the library."

"?" Eldest narrowed her eyes, probably the idea has already sink in her mind. "Ha, that girl never learns. The audacity of another country's princess."

Yep. We had the same idea, it was Ashley Florida, an Imperial Princess from the Florida Empire. I can clearly recall that she went to look for books to read while Klydeur and I had a not-so-good of a starting chat.

It was already suspicious since she didn't return after our conversation. But it's a surprise that I forgot about her presence inside the library and only remember it now.

"But it won't be a good image for whitey." Eldest stated, breaking the momentary silence. "If we expose the princess who assists him, other nobles will think that he's behind the order of spreading false rumors about you."

"Not like I believe it would be him who did it." I mentioned, crossing my fingers. "Why would my brother do that in the first place? It doesn't matter if he's of Imperial blood, but once he slaunders another member of the Imperial family, he has to face severe consequences."

She frowned, rolling her eyes. "I know that. Whitey seems suspicious, but he's not dumb."

From what I can remember, we even talked about Klydeur being sly as a fox. Even our guardians got included and there I may have seem too suspicious for her to question my identity. A slip of my tongue when I also mentioned those quotes about wolves and foxes.

The only thing I can do is to avoid getting anymore suspicious. Eldest told me in my premonition that the Empress is wary of us, so she sent us a wolf and a fox as a guardian when it isn't commonly a guardian for the Imperial family. That means I am already suspicious, and that also includes my brother.

Not like she knows, but she predicted.

Like what Eldest said in my premonition, if the Empress was able to predict it with conviction enough to send an uncommon guardian, that means I have no one to trust in here. Not even Eldest, who must be working under the Empress.

Should I even continue on with my drama plan? I doubt it, if anything, like she also commented in my premonition, it could backfire. Now that I see it, I've got too many loopholes in that conversation. My plan is also risky. I'm glad I had the chance to know about the result before I even did it.

Uncover the truth about the rumors and gain more authority through your chosen nobles in your support and faction.

Right, I remember I still have my back-up, as it should. But I don't think I have to voice it out today.

Even if the nobles will be divided from their faction, it won't change the fact that the other side purely supports me, the firstborn child of the Imperial Family.

"I'm not gonna lie, but your brother gives me the chills." Eldest commented, breaking the moment of silence inside the room, making me blink my eyes. That's the same statement she said in my premonition. Don't tell me she's gonna say he's sly and then I'll get caught again?!

Oh please no!

"Er, you think so? Ah, by the way—" I tried to divert the conversation to another topic, but Eldest stood up and leaned closer to me, making me lean backwards. "W-What is it?"

"You're weird today." She pointed a finger at my face. "Are you in need of more sleep? I can visit later and continue the conversation some other time."

I scratched the back of my head. Yep, maybe it is best that I keep important details to myself first. I forgot that it's not Klydeur that I need to have on my side first, it should be either the Empress or Eldest.

If I start with the Empress, the difficulty will exceed my expectations. But if I am lucky enough, then I might even gain her trust and my neck will be safe.

But if I start with Eldest, I can also have her gain her trust to me. I can also tell her some of my plans, a way to share either the same excitement or burden instead of bottling it up all alone.

Before I can even respond to her question, a light tap in my head made me snap back to reality. "Fine. You'll be busy by the next few days due to the hunting event. Don't let the news stress you out, I'll handle it."

In the end, she persuaded me to sleep again, teasing me that I'm such a baby in which I frowned at before she took her leave. Jamie was also outside my room, guarding the door in case another noble comes in without prior audience.

"Is it possible to change fate?" I questioned myself while I laid down my bed, staring blankly up at the fine white silver ceiling. Not because this is a palace means everything is gold. "Well, I did just now. But still..."

Instead of getting sleep, I ended up questioning my existence and sanity. But still, I was able to organize my thoughts despite the confusing situation.

I was able to know Klydeur's true nature. Sly as fox. Even Ashley chose him, so maybe they are both wise and cunning. If the false rumors get exposed, I doubt Klydeur will go down with a bad reputation.

He's sly enough to be able to twist the result and end up unscathed. As for me, I'm aware I have my own hidden intentions for my good actions. A wolf in a sheep's clothing.

Feeling a bit ashamed, I ducked my head into the pillow. I was sure that Klydeur and I are not the same, but right now, I don't see any difference between us. We are both fake. But I'm fake for a reason!

I wonder what is his reason? Originally, the Empress liked him and he even had everything he wanted, unlike me who was discarded and was fated to die. If that was the case, was he also sly from the very start before I was even reincarnated here to change fate?

Or has he become sly and more cunning because he's the same as me?

Are we both, perhaps, reincarnated?

Assuming that's true, then it makes sense. Whenever things go right in my way, he'd look uneasy and somewhat displeased, but he's fast enough to switch moods and cover it with his mask. Is it possible that he was already reincarnated ever since we met as babies?

.....now that's troublesome, if ever that is true.

Sighing, I mentally counted the things I have to do to avoid getting clouded and lost to my goal. Be calm with composure. Gain authority and trust. Do not blindly trust others whose loyalty may falter. Survival is a must before anything. Diligently do my work as a prince.

Now that doesn't seem hard. But I'll have a hard time since doing it is harder than saying it. And I wonder,

What could have happened if the situation in my premonition happened today?

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