Chapter 177: The Event[1]
The next day...
Loud chatter filled the streets of the Royal capital; everyone wore excited expressions on their faces as they discussed animatedly among themselves.
"I heard the prince will fight over 100 opponents."
"True, I wonder how he'll beat all of them... but who knows what miracle he'll pull off."
"Yeah, no one has ever seen him in action, but I heard he's pretty powerful."
Events weren't rare in the Royal capital, but this was the first time in the history of the Kingdom that a young prince was about to battle 100-plus Awakened. Some thought the prince was too full of himself, biting off more than he could chew. These people, who had this thought, were mostly netizens who disliked the Royal family.
"Ah, I can't wait to watch that pompous brat make a fool out of himself," one man commented, rubbing his palms together with a smirk curled up on his face.
His friend's fingers twitched anxiously as his gaze scanned around for any patrol guard before he reprimanded his friend. "Hey, don't let anyone hear you."
"What? We have freedom of speech!" The man shouted, annoyance evident in his tone.
"Yes, it's true, but..." The man paused, whispering in a quieter voice, "Those scummy Royals could frame you and throw you into prison. You know how terrible that place is, don't you?"
A slight shiver passed through the man as he trembled slightly.
His friend only fanned the fire, seeing the man's reaction as he added, "Whenever you're about to badmouth the Royal family, always remember these words: never drop the soap. I heard the people there are like wild, untamed beasts."
"Ah, why didn't you tell me this sooner?" The man chuckled as he playfully smacked his friend's shoulder quite hard. "Come, come, let's grab some seats in the front row... let's go watch our great prince dominate those hundred-plus Awakened."
"Tsk, this idiot." His friend shook his head in disappointment at how swiftly the man, who loathed the prince with passion, suddenly started flattering him.
"So shameless."
Then there were a few who thought the prince had some hidden trump card up his sleeve to face the hundred Awakened, and they were excited to watch what miracles the last prince of the king could perform.
"The first, second, and third princes are very talented. Without a doubt, I know the fourth will be equally talented."
"Yeah, those Awakened are in for a rude awakening."
Meanwhile, a few nobles and high-ranking officials in the capital only sneered at the king's tactic. They had known him for a long time and could tell that this was one of his ways of showing dominance. He had done similar things in the past.
Despite this, even the nobles were still preparing to attend the event... not showing up could be considered disrespect to the king.
---
Vermilion Royal Castle, inside Prince Ainsworth's chambers...
Countless maids dressed in matching uniforms were helping the prince into golden armor.
Despite the armor's regal appearance that screamed royalty, the prince's face was twisted into a dangerous frown. His green eyes, narrowed into slits, trembled from time to time as he recalled Nyx's disrespectful words.
...
"This place was quiet before, but because of you... it suddenly reeks."
...
Sensing the tension in the air, the maids who were diligently working on the prince, making sure he appeared noble, were tense, and all their gestures were filled with nervousness. At this moment, the prince seemed no different from a volcano about to erupt and eliminate everything from existence.
After he was dressed, the maids rushed out of the lavishly decorated chambers with golden details on the walls and a pristine marble floor. They were thankful the prince hadn't channeled his anger toward them.
Left alone, the prince began to walk towards the arched window where sunlight streamed in. His footsteps echoed softly as he arrived. Under the radiance of the sun, the prince's entire body began to glow intensely with a sunny aura. He stretched his hand out, and a condensed yellow ball, the size of a ping pong ball, materialized in his palm. The ball was spinning at a terrifying speed.
The next moment!
BOOOOM!
A deafening sound reverberated in the air as Prince Ainsworth hurled the spinning yellow ball, which looked like a mini sun, into the sky. It exploded, attracting the attention of almost everyone in the Royal Castle and the Vermilion Kingdom.
---
Knock-knock -
Nyx was lying in her room when someone knocked on the door. Opening it, she saw a maid standing outside with a luxurious dress neatly folded in her hand. The maid displayed a friendly smile upon seeing Nyx.
"Young miss, this is your dress for the event," she said kindly. "It was selected by His Highness himself."
Nyx's face remained expressionless when she heard this, though her mind was filled with questions. Shouldn't he be upset?
She remembered speaking to him very rudely. A part of her had expected to be punished, not to receive a gift in return. Dismissing the thought, her black eyes briefly scanned the clothing.
It was a milky-colored gown with intricate golden details. Though she hadn't touched it, she could tell it was very luxurious.
However...
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to reject this," Nyx responded flatly. "I already have something to wear. Thank the prince on my behalf."
"B-but—"
BANG!
The door was shut closed.
"Sigh, how do I tell the prince she refused to wear the dress?" The maid sweated bullets as she started pacing. "No one has ever rejected a gift from the prince. He won't take it lightly... What should I do? The prince won't be happy."
After a moment of contemplation, the maid left. As soon as she did, Nathan's bony figure staggered into the hallway. He had just concluded a meeting with the guild leader of the Silent Whispers and had come to meet his daughter to prepare for the event at the coliseum.
Before he could twist the handle, the door opened, revealing Nyx, now dressed in casual attire—a stark contrast to the luxurious gown offered earlier. She wore slim-fitting trousers tucked into dark boots, a loose dark tunic with silver thread lining, and a leather jacket thrown over her shoulders.
Nathan raised an eyebrow at her attire and sighed heavily. "Sigh, Nyx, could you please put on something ladylike?"
Nyx shrugged, her eyes scanning him from top to bottom. "No... I figured it would be best to stay comfortable. It's not like I'm here to play dress-up." She adjusted her jacket and looked out into the hallway, her usual sharp gaze assessing everyone, especially the guards. "Besides, if something does go down, I'd rather be dressed for action than suffocated by that gown."
As she said this, Nyx recalled the expression of Prince Ainsworth.
Yup, this event won't go smoothly.