Morning arrived far too quickly.
Kyle had barely slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the flash of the assassin's dagger again.
The quiet sound of footsteps in the night.
The moment when death had nearly reached him.
Now he sat at the breakfast table, staring blankly at his food.
Joshua looked worried.
"Your Highness… you haven't eaten anything."
Kyle sighed.
"I lost my appetite."
Luis stood near the door with his arms crossed.
Unlike usual, he had not left Kyle's residence.
He had remained on guard the entire night.
Joshua placed a cup of tea in front of Kyle.
"You should still eat something."
Kyle looked at the bread.
Then he slowly took a bite.
"Fine."
Luis spoke calmly.
"I have already reported the incident to the palace guards."
Kyle chewed slowly.
"And?"
Luis's expression remained cold.
"They found nothing."
Kyle nodded.
"That sounds about right."
Professional assassins rarely left traces.
Joshua asked nervously.
"Does that mean the attacker escaped?"
Luis answered quietly.
"Yes."
Kyle leaned back in his chair.
"Wonderful."
Joshua looked uneasy.
"Your Highness…"
Kyle waved his hand.
"I'm not surprised."
He tapped the table.
"Someone decided the lazy prince suddenly becoming active was a problem."
Luis nodded.
"That is the most likely reason."
Joshua looked confused.
"But why kill you now?"
Kyle smiled bitterly.
"Because I'm starting to become inconvenient."
Luis spoke again.
"The timing is interesting."
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"How?"
Luis's violet eyes sharpened slightly.
"The assassination happened immediately after your visit to the Lumina Cathedral."
Kyle blinked.
"…You think that's connected?"
Luis did not answer immediately.
But Joshua gasped softly.
"The church…"
Kyle quickly shook his head.
"No."
Joshua looked surprised.
"You don't think the church did it?"
Kyle leaned forward.
"Tony Carter could probably kill me in a hundred easier ways."
Luis nodded slowly.
"That is true."
Joshua relaxed slightly.
Kyle finished his tea.
"But it does mean someone is watching me closely."
Luis added calmly.
"Very closely."
Kyle stood up.
"Well."
He stretched his sore arms.
"That just means I was right."
Joshua blinked.
"About what?"
Kyle grinned.
"Training."
Luis nodded approvingly.
"A wise decision."
Joshua sighed softly.
"I suppose that means another exhausting day."
Kyle pointed at him.
"You're not the one holding the sword."
Joshua smiled innocently.
"I'm moral support."
---
The training grounds felt different today.
Word of the assassination attempt had already spread among the knights.
Several soldiers glanced at Kyle with new expressions.
Not mocking.
Not dismissive.
But cautious.
Luis handed Kyle a wooden training sword again.
"You will practice defense today."
Kyle groaned.
"My arms still hurt."
Luis remained unmoved.
"Good."
Kyle sighed.
Joshua sat under the pavilion again, holding a small notebook.
Kyle pointed at him.
"…Why do you have a notebook?"
Joshua smiled brightly.
"I'm recording your progress."
Kyle stared at him.
"That feels like blackmail material."
Joshua laughed.
Luis stepped forward.
"Focus."
Kyle raised his sword again.
Luis attacked immediately.
Kyle barely blocked.
CLACK.
The wooden swords collided.
Luis moved quickly.
Kyle struggled to keep up.
After several minutes—
Kyle stumbled backward again.
"I'm dying."
Luis corrected him.
"You are improving."
Kyle wiped sweat from his forehead.
"That's the nicest insult I've ever received."
Joshua clapped politely from the pavilion.
"Very impressive!"
Kyle pointed again.
"You're enjoying this too much."
Joshua nodded cheerfully.
"Yes."
Luis attacked again.
Kyle blocked.
Then again.
And again.
His arms trembled from the effort.
But this time…
He didn't collapse immediately.
Luis noticed.
"Better."
Kyle grinned through the exhaustion.
"Right?"
Luis nodded once.
Joshua wrote something in his notebook.
Kyle squinted at him.
"…What are you writing?"
Joshua answered honestly.
"Prince Kyle successfully blocked five attacks."
Kyle puffed his chest proudly.
"Record that in history."
Suddenly—
A loud voice echoed across the training grounds.
"Well, this is surprising."
Kyle groaned.
"Not again."
Prince Edward approached once more.
But this time…
He wasn't alone.
Behind him walked another man.
Tall.
Elegant.
With long dark hair tied behind his back.
His expression was calm and calculating.
Kyle froze.
He recognized that face.
Prince Jonathan Gray.
The second prince.
Joshua stood up nervously.
Luis's eyes narrowed slightly.
Edward smiled faintly.
"I heard about the assassination attempt."
Kyle lowered his sword.
"That rumor spreads fast."
Edward gestured toward Jonathan.
"My brother was concerned."
Jonathan stepped forward.
His eyes studied Kyle carefully.
"You survived."
Kyle shrugged.
"Barely."
Jonathan's gaze shifted toward Luis.
"Commander Stark was present."
Luis bowed slightly.
"Yes."
Jonathan nodded.
"A fortunate coincidence."
Kyle scratched his head.
"It was actually perfect timing."
Jonathan looked back at Kyle.
"You seem different."
Kyle laughed.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Jonathan tilted his head slightly.
"The lazy prince is suddenly training."
Kyle shrugged.
"Self-improvement."
Edward chuckled quietly.
Jonathan continued studying Kyle.
Then he spoke slowly.
"Be careful."
Kyle blinked.
"…That's the second time someone told me that today."
Jonathan's eyes darkened slightly.
"Because the palace is not safe anymore."
Joshua shivered slightly.
Kyle crossed his arms.
"Who sent the assassin?"
Jonathan answered calmly.
"If we knew that…"
His gaze turned toward the palace towers.
"…they would already be dead."
Kyle nodded.
"Fair."
Edward clapped his hands once.
"Well."
He smiled toward Kyle.
"Continue your training."
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"You're not going to mock me?"
Edward looked amused.
"Oh, I still might."
Jonathan turned away.
"Come, brother."
Edward followed him.
But before leaving—
Jonathan glanced back once more.
His calm eyes lingered on Kyle.
Then he disappeared into the palace corridors.
Joshua exhaled nervously.
"That was intense."
Kyle nodded.
"My family is terrifying."
Luis spoke quietly.
"The second prince is the most dangerous of the three."
Kyle looked surprised.
"More dangerous than Edward?"
Luis nodded.
"He hides it better."
Kyle sighed.
"That's comforting."
Joshua asked softly.
"Do you think one of them sent the assassin?"
Kyle thought for a moment.
Then he shook his head.
"No."
Luis raised an eyebrow.
"You sound certain."
Kyle shrugged.
"If they wanted me dead…"
He gestured toward the palace.
"…they wouldn't send one assassin."
Luis considered that.
Then nodded slowly.
"Correct."
Joshua looked thoughtful.
"Then someone else is behind this."
Kyle grinned slightly.
"Which means we're dealing with a mysterious enemy."
Joshua looked worried.
Kyle lifted the training sword again.
"Well."
He looked at Luis.
"Good thing I'm getting stronger."
Luis nodded.
"Yes."
Joshua smiled softly.
But deep within the palace—
Hidden beneath layers of stone and secrecy—
A group of cloaked figures gathered around a dark altar.
A man wearing a black mask spoke quietly.
"The assassination failed."
Another figure replied coldly.
"Then send another."
The masked man shook his head.
"No."
He looked toward the distant palace towers.
"The prince has begun to change."
A third voice whispered.
"Then we eliminate him before he grows stronger."
The masked man's eyes gleamed beneath the hood.
"Yes."
Far above them—
Prince Kyle Gray continued training under the bright sun.
Completely unaware…
Those powerful enemies had already decided his fate.
And the next attempt on his life…
Would be far more dangerous.