A storm was brewing within Tsunami.
He was currently seated on a wooden bench within the palace gardens.
Before him was an expansive man-made lake, with all sorts of exquisite fish dancing here and there, some jumping to breathe the air.
In different bank locations, maids could be seen throwing fish feed, some engaging in hearty laughter, some enjoying the dazzling sunset.
Clouds parted the sky as the sun kept casting its final light before the night.
The horizon was like a canvas, some parts shades of blue, some parts shades of red, some parts shades of purple.
It was peaceful. It was beautiful.
Behind the bench that Tsunami sat, ten acres of land were filled with flowers from all around the world.
From pointy succulents to lilies and roses.
Palm tree species rose in beautiful formations, while tall pine trees stood proudly at the very edges of the garden.
No doubt it was the most exquisite garden in the kingdom.
Imperial guards could be seen at various checkpoints, armed with large assault rifles on their right side and a curved, pointy sword on their left side.
Their uniform design was similar to that of modern-day Earth soldiers—green and brown patterns crisscrossing on their attire.
Most were on foot, but some were riding horses elegantly, as if marching in a parade.
Clop! Clop!... Neigh!
The horses were a rare, modified breed; their mane had a golden luster, and they had strong physiques.
Despite the guards' undeniable presence, they all did their best to remain inconspicuous and not ruin the nobles' personal space when they were out in the gardens.
Let this not fool you, any part of the palace grounds had one of the tightest security measures in place found within the Kingdom.
Most of that was attributed to shadow guards, an elite force that was blessed with shadow-merging mystic powers.
So even in a place that seemed empty and unguarded, it wouldn't be surprising to see over twenty shadow guards emerging from the background whenever danger presented itself near the noble household.
But despite this security and sense of tranquility, Tsunami couldn't help but frown.
The old librarian, whom he later found to be called Pompei, gave him some hard truths that left him unsettled.
The way Pompei treated him brought memories of his own father; he wondered if the previous Tsunami was somehow attached to the old bones.
It was as if there were some hidden emotions deep down.
Pompei was disappointed that Tsunami did nothing to save Daria, the royal maid, who got dragged away after having her lower jaw broken.
He argued that even if he lost his supernatural powers, the Tsunami he knew, though ruthless and cold, was a kind-hearted kid who wouldn't let such unjust things unfold in his presence.
He might be weaker, but he still was the heir of the Ito family, the second most wealthy household in the kingdom.
People in the palace might look at him differently now, due to his downfall, but there's a limit to the level of disrespect they can show without giving the Ito household some face.
...
Although he was betrothed to Queen Amelia's household, part of one of the conditions agreed upon after the signing of the Yamamoto & Dickson coalition treaty.
He can't become such a spineless brat and cower in fear before Amelia and her heir's antics.
Where was the pride of Yamamoto's most astounding heir?
Where was the Tsunami that stood tall before the hypocrites?
Was he going to stand by and watch Daria die?
The rumblings went on and on...
...
Tsunami felt a sharp pain in his heart as he recalled the old man's scolding words.
He initially wanted to wait longer before exercising his new authority as prince, but he couldn't watch someone die because of him.
He didn't wish to make a move earlier; he just considered that after serving sometime in the dungeon, she would be let go. But after getting the unsettling truth from the old man, he couldn't hesitate any longer.
With resolve, he stood up and started heading in the direction of the palace dungeon.
***
Within Princess Ariana's bedchamber, a female figure emerged from the shadows and began detailing her report.
"The crown prince is heading for the dungeon to save Daria."
"Should we step forward if the dungeon guards make things difficult or?"
She bowed respectfully before this lady who might one day become princess supreme.
On the other side, Princess Ariana was seated at her working desk. It was placed near one of the enormous circular windows in her chamber.
Her room had hexagonal dimensions and was fashioned with Renaissance design elements. The only parts that stood out as modern were the lights and her massive, curved monitor.
She chose this spot on the east of her bedchamber to station her work desk, particularly because it gave her a nice view of the gardens.
Some believed the princess appreciated nature, while some claimed she was just Tsunami's stalker.
This is because, from that vantage point, it gave her the best view of Tsunami's garden walking routes.
Spicy rumors about her being a stalker once circulated among the maids' circle, but once Ariana got wind of it, every party involved got executed.
...
Ariana stopped going through her pile of documents and slowly raised her head, focused her gaze on the bowing shadow guard, before looking out the window.
'He claims to have lost his memories, but yet sat on the same table he used to sit in the library, sat on the same bench he loved in the garden, and even takes the same routes.'
'Tsunami... Tsunami...'
'I'm going to stop this facade of yours'
'It doesn't matter, though. This time, no matter how hard you try to struggle, I'll make you submit.'
She stared at Tsunami's figure as he slowly passed near her quarters. After he went out of view, she faced her shadow guard again.
"No need"
"In fact, advise them that they can learn a few things from the crown prince."
"After all, he was once the most promising gem our kingdom has ever seen."
The female shadow guard, bewildered, stared at Princess Ariana with shocked eyes.
'She is crazy...'
"Bu-But if the Yamamoto's household gets wind of this-"
When the shadow guard met Ariana's gaze, her heart skipped a beat from realizing that Princess Ariana was really serious.
"I understand."
She bowed, then disappeared into the shadows.