Anton was happy.
After delivering the traitor, he got his payment, and because the prince was in a good mood, he was promised additional rewards by the prince. He was over the moon after hearing about more rewards—he went home with a big smile plastered over his face.
He was really grateful for the prince's praises, but more so because he was going to get a greater reward.
But on the way to his house, he was stuck at a crossroads. The path he took was divided into two, one leading to his home while the other led to a bar. The bar was quite famous in Liora.
It had a wide variety of wine, whiskey, beer, cocktails, and a range of beverages. But it was not famous for the drinks that it offered; of course, the drinks were first class with a very rich flavour. It was to the point that people would die for its taste.
But what truly set it apart was that it had a casino. A very big one at that― people with high status, to the people with tattered rags, would go there to gamble. Making the poor sometimes rich or the rich go bankrupt.
Standing in the middle of the road, Anton's mind was torn into two parts. One was urging him to go to the hospitable confines of his home. Take a bath with warm water, relax, and lose himself in the warmth of it, then go watch some drama on his communicator before basking in his soft bed and sleeping in tranquillity.
A perfect plan for a special night like this.
Yet…
There was another part of him that wanted to go to the casino. Use the prizes he got from his recent mission to gamble and drink. Maybe it might even be his lucky day—considering he got the promise of additional rewards and the mission assigned to him went unhinged.
'Maybe I really should go to the bar.'
Thinking about how he was quite lucky tonight, he finally decided to listen to his heart's desire. Anton chose the road to his left and went towards the casino.
Nearing the casino, he started to see different kinds of people. Some were fat with gold adorning them, their clothes flashy and flamboyant—an arm wrapped around beautiful women. They went inside the casino with a puffed-up chest while a cigar nestled in between their lips.
They walked with an air of arrogance.
While some were grovelling and kneeling on the road, their clothes were tattered and filthy, their hair dishevelled―begging to let them inside and play one more game while promising to pay their debt.
"P-Please, sir, let me in. I am sure I—I will win this time."
Their efforts were in vain as bulky Black men blocked them. Instead of having two arms, they had four, and their heads were bald.
"tsk"
'Pathetic'
Anton gave them just a glance with the periphery of his vision before walking past them and stopping in front of the gate. Hanging above it was a signboard with 'Centurion' written on it with LED lights.
A guard in a black suit checked Anton's identification and searched for any weapon; upon finding nothing, he stepped aside and let Anton go.
'Alright, let's get rollin'!'
Anton's eye sparkled as he looked at the casino and went to the nearest table with a lot of confidence.
*
An hour later.
'Whyyyyyyyyy?!'
A man with green skin and blue hair was kneeling in front of the casino with a devastated look, as if he had lost his manhood. Or to be more precise, he lost everything but his underwear in the gambling.
'Dammit!'
Anton banged his fist on the solid street in an attempt to cool his anger…
"Ahhhh!"
Instead, his fists got swollen as the ground was just too hard. The passerby gave him an odd look and whispered among themselves.
'Hey, do you think he lost his mind?'
'I really pity him.'
How did it even happen?
With a broken heart, Anton curled up to warm himself, but sadly.
Bang!
He was kicked away by one of the guards.
"Get your ass somewhere else! You are blocking the way."
Hopeless and broken, he gradually stood up.
"I will fucking kill you!"
Of course, he did curse the damn guard. How could he not? Where is the mutant, right? Does he not have a heart?
Giving a glare to the guard, he started walking home.
Bang!
Unfortunately, he tripped over a small stone, and he fell onto the hard surface of the street, hitting his face.
'Why?'
Just what kind of sin have I committed to be so damn unlucky?
Fortunately, the rest of his journey to his house went without much incident.
Or so he thought.
Tring~ Tring~
As he just lay on his bed to get rest and cool his mind from the events where he suffered because of his bad luck, his communicator rang.
'…Just what the hell is going on?'
Poor Anton had no other choice but to answer the call, as it was from his superior.
"Yes, this is Anton speaking."
"Whaaaat!!!?"
It seemed his bad luck continued, as he was exasperated and shocked by the news he heard.
'M-my extra rewards.'
Anton's face paled the moment he realised that he had no money and the reward he was promised by the prince no longer existed.
Because…
The prince was dead.
***
Yawn~
Liam let out a big yawn as he woke and looked around himself.
"Where are… wahhh… Julie and Samantha?"
He was still in a half-sleep and half-awake state when he asked that question, and his mind was a bit sluggish to come to the present. He was still in a daze when he suddenly heard a lot of noise come from the window.
His mind caught up to the present, and memories from the last night resurfaced in his mind.
"Right, they must be at that big tree. But what is all the noise about…?"
Standing up, he approached the window. Folding the curtains, he peeked his head out.
"…wow! Are those knights? And who is that in the front?"
Liam looked at a particular figure. The man had worn a red armour, sword sheath in its scabbard hanging by his waist. He had green skin and blue hair—but what truly set him apart was his sharp green eyes.
Focusing more, Liam tried to listen to what was being said.
'Did you hear? The prince is dead. And he was the real traitor.'
'Yeah, I also heard that he framed the Princess, and she was actually innocent.'
"Hmm… I didn't know the news spread so fast. Anyways, they must be patrolling for the sake of reassuring people."
'Did you hear? apparently, the princess has two children?'
Shrugging his shoulder, Liam went inside the bathroom and washed his face, not hearing the last comment.
Splash!
"Haaa… I still can't seem to have become familiar with this purple skin."
Liam said while touching his face. He was actually wearing a disguise at the moment and was quite still, unfamiliar with his new look.
Tok, tok~
Snapping him out of reverie. He heard a knock on the door and went to open it.
But after opening the door…
'Is it perhaps the―'
"We welcome the prince."
What the fuck!?
… The narrow corridor was filled with knights kneeling towards Liam.