Kaiden woke up to the sound of footsteps crunching over dry leaves. His eyes blinked open slowly, adjusting to the morning light that slipped between the trees. For a second he forgot where he was. Then it came back to him. He had fallen asleep under a tree after a long night of traveling. His horse was still tied nearby, munching lazily on some grass.
He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. The footsteps were close now. He looked up and froze.
Knights.
And not just ordinary ones. These men were shining like the morning sun itself, their golden armor glinting so bright it almost hurt his eyes. They were riding horses draped in red and gold, moving with that same silent authority only high-ranking knights carried.
Kaiden got to his feet immediately, brushing the dust off his robe. The sight of their crest made his heart jump.
Erevale Kingdom.
He instantly straightened himself, trying to look less like someone who had just rolled out of the dirt. "Greetings, honorable knights," he said respectfully, bowing his head a little.
The man in front, clearly the leader, gave him a short nod. "You must be from the royal family of Thane," the knight said. "We recognized you from your face. You were asleep under this tree, which… is not exactly fitting for a prince."
Kaiden blinked, surprised. They knew who he was? That made no sense. He wasn't wearing anything that showed his rank, and the badge his father gave him was buried inside his bag.
That could only mean one thing — this knight had memorized the faces of all known princes across kingdoms. He must've been someone of high rank to know that much.
Kaiden quickly coughed to regain his composure. "Yes," he said, trying to sound formal, "yes, I am heading to the academy."
The knight looked him over, his eyes narrowing slightly. "With no escort?"
Kaiden scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Ah, yes. That was… kind of my decision. I told my father I wanted to travel on my own this time."
The knight didn't say anything for a while. He just kept staring at Kaiden, like he was trying to see through him. Then, finally, he nodded. "You have courage, young prince," he said. "It is rare to see someone of royal blood travel without guards. I respect that."
Kaiden let out a quiet breath of relief. "Thank you, sir."
The knight's tone softened a little as he spoke again. "You are in luck then. The princess ordered that we escort you to the academy as well. It would be dishonorable to let you continue alone after crossing our path."
Kaiden froze. "Princess?" he asked carefully.
The knight nodded proudly. "Yes. Princess Arisa of Erevale. She too is heading to the academy. We are her personal guard."
Kaiden blinked, and then everything suddenly started to click in his head. Erevale knights didn't just wander around these parts for fun. And if the princess herself was traveling with them, that meant…
He turned his eyes toward the road behind them, his mind already racing.
The Erevale Kingdom was one of the most powerful empires on the continent, known for its strict military and gifted cultivators. Their princess was a genius in both swordsmanship and soul power. The kind of person even kings respected.
If she was heading to the academy, then her presence alone could attract attention from every major family across kingdoms. And now, somehow, Kaiden was going to be traveling along with her.
His stomach twisted a little. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself right now. He was still trying to keep a low profile, especially with what the goddess warned him about.
The knight must've noticed his hesitation because he smiled slightly. "Do not look so nervous, Prince Kaiden. You will be perfectly safe under our escort."
Kaiden forced a small smile. "Right… of course."
But deep down, he wasn't sure if being close to the princess of Erevale meant being safe — or getting dragged into even more trouble than before.
He gave a polite bow again. "Then I'll be honored to travel with you and the princess."
The knight nodded. "Gather your things. We will depart soon."
Kaiden turned to untie his horse, his thoughts spinning faster with each passing second. He didn't even know what she looked like, but if the stories were true, Princess Arisa was not just beautiful — she was terrifyingly talented.
Kaiden joined them not long after. The knights had already started forming their usual escort pattern around the princess's carriage. He rode quietly at the back, keeping some distance, his horse trotting lazily behind the group.
His eyes stayed fixed on the carriage ahead. It was ridiculous how beautiful it looked. The whole thing was made from a mix of gold and silver that gleamed so bright it was almost hard to stare at for too long. The sunlight bounced off it like fire, making it stand out even more against the dirt road. The wheels looked like they were carved from crystal, and every few seconds, he could hear the faint clinking of golden ornaments swaying with the motion.
Everywhere they passed, people stopped what they were doing. Some pointed. Some just stared in awe. Merchants froze mid-sale, travelers bowed as the carriage went by, and even cultivators on their way to the academy made way quietly, showing respect.
Kaiden kept his eyes down. The attention was uncomfortable. He could feel their stares like small needles pricking at his neck. Every whisper, every side glance, every person wondering who he was.
He could already imagine what they were thinking. Who's that kid riding behind the Erevale knights? Why's he not wearing royal clothes? Why's he traveling alone?
He sighed quietly and shook his head.
"You don't seem to be doing too well," a voice said beside him.
Kaiden turned slightly to see one of the knights slowing down his horse until he was riding side by side with him. The man was older, maybe mid-thirties, with short brown hair and a calm, serious look in his eyes.
Kaiden gave a tired nod. "Yeah… I just fucking hate the stares."
The knight tilted his head a little. "Fucking? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Huh?" Kaiden blinked in confusion, then remembered where he was. Right. This wasn't Earth. They didn't use that kind of language here. He chuckled awkwardly and waved it off. "Never mind. It's just… a word from where I came from."
The knight seemed confused but didn't push it. He just looked forward again.
After a short silence, Kaiden asked, "So, how do you deal with it? The stares, the attention. People always watching you like that."
The knight smiled faintly. "You're not used to it? You're a prince, aren't you? Don't people in your kingdom stop to watch when you pass?"
Kaiden gave a small laugh. "No, not really. Back home, they don't stare. Most of them just see me as a friend. So I was just like any other kid. Besides, our kingdom isn't really that big."
The knight glanced at him, a little surprised. "That's… unusual for a prince," he said softly.
Kaiden shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."
They rode quietly for a while. The air was warm and calm. Kaiden could hear the rhythmic sounds of hooves hitting the dirt, mixed with the creak of the carriage wheels. The faint smell of dust and morning grass hung in the air.
Then suddenly the knight looked at him again. "Wait," he said slowly, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Are you… Prince Kaiden?"
Kaiden froze. He stared at the man dumbly, not sure what to say. His heart skipped a beat. How the hell did this guy know his name?
The knight seemed amused by his silence. "You are, aren't you?" he continued. "I thought you were missing."
Kaiden's grip tightened slightly on the reins. His jaw clenched. Erevale was far from Thane's kingdom, way too far for news about him to have reached this fast. There was no way they should've known that.
The knight caught the look on his face and smiled knowingly. "You don't have to answer," he said. "I'll take that as a yes."
Kaiden didn't reply. He just stared ahead, feeling a strange unease settle in his chest.
The knight continued, his voice calm but firm. "There's nothing that happens in this continent that we don't know about, Prince Kaiden. Erevale's information network runs deeper than most kingdoms even realize."
Kaiden frowned slightly. It meant even outside his home, people already knew what happened. They knew he went missing.
"Relax," the knight said, noticing the look on his face. "You're safe here. Nobody would dare touch you when you're under the protection of the Erevale princess."
He leaned slightly to the side, his eyes tracing the glowing edges of the carriage ahead. The silver curtains were drawn shut, but he could see a faint shadow inside. A woman's figure. Graceful posture, long hair.
That had to be her.
The infamous Princess Arisa of Erevale.
He'd heard enough stories about her strength to know that she wasn't someone to mess with. She was said to have awakened her soul ability at just eleven, and by sixteen, she was already strong enough to command armies.
Now she was heading to the academy too.
Kaiden wondered what kind of person she really was. The kind people feared? Or the kind they worshiped? Maybe both.
He let out a small sigh as he leaned back in his saddle. "Guess this trip just got a lot more complicated," he muttered under his breath.
The knight beside him chuckled. "You'll get used to it, Prince Kaiden. Traveling with Erevale isn't something you forget easily."
Kaiden nodded faintly, still staring at the carriage ahead. He couldn't shake off the strange feeling that this wasn't just a random meeting.