The Axis of Evil
A cool breeze and the damp scent of autumn drifted through the afternoon air. I still hadn't escaped the body of the Seventh Prince.
Nothing much had happened since then. I did spend an entire day in bed once, hoping that if I went back to sleep and woke up again, I might return to my original world, but that hardly qualified as an event. Aside from that, I was adapting to this world with surprising ease.
Having read the Dark Header series over a hundred times, the progression of this world was as clear to me as the palm of my hand. I felt no rush. Besides, there was still a year left before the original plot was set to begin. If my body didn't return to normal by then... well, there wasn't much I could do about it anyway.
I continued to spend my days playing the part of the Seventh Prince, and no one bothered to interfere. Occasionally, that girl Anna would shoot me suspicious glances, but she trembled like an aspen leaf and cast her eyes down the moment I so much as looked at her, so no strange rumors had spread. Still, it would be troublesome if she went around telling others that I was acting strange, like she did before.
Knock, knock. A cautious rap at the door dragged me back to reality from where I sat idly tapping the desk.
"What is it?"
"Your Highness, your meal is ready."
I set down the book I had been reading to gather information and replied, "Come in."
Three maids entered, pushing a silver trolley. Anna was among them, clinging to the cart like caramelized sugar stuck to the bottom of a pot as she rolled it forward.
She's the problem. The only kid who had muttered about me being strange at the washhouse and paid any attention to my sudden change.
I crossed my legs and watched the maids set the table. Unable to even lift their heads, they broke out in cold sweats as they carefully portioned the food onto my plates. When one of them set down the porcelain teapot filled with hot tea, it rattled slightly, prompting her to frantically gauge my reaction.
The servants' terrified reactions were a major reason why my possession of the Seventh Prince's body hadn't been discovered. Everyone was utterly petrified of his beastly temper.
In the novel, Ran was the most despised member of the Imperial Family. Consequently, he took out his deep-seated inferiority complex on those of lower status who couldn't fight back. "Taking it out" usually meant violence, occasionally murder, or at the very least, fits of hysterical rage. In short, he was absolute trash.
Perhaps because he had thrown so many psychotic tantrums in the past, the servants bowed their heads and begged for forgiveness if I so much as stared at them in silence. While intimidating innocent people didn't feel great, it did keep them from noticing any changes in me. It also helped that I was doing my best to play the part of the novel's Seventh Prince.
For now, my primary goal was to keep a low profile and return to my original body before the novel's main plot kicked off. I had to be careful to preserve the flow of the original story.
But that little girl had caught on. I recalled her saying it was strange that I hadn't thrown any dishes at anyone lately. Had I made a mistake by merely smashing a few teacups on the floor instead of hurling them directly at people?
Could I just leave her be? If she kept insisting to the other servants that I was acting strange, it could eventually cause trouble.
Knock, knock, knock. As I was pondering what to do with Anna, a loud, aggressive knock echoed. Before I could even grant permission, the door burst open and someone walked in.
"Your Highness, it is Sein. Forgive my intrusion."
A tall, lanky, thin man apologized with an expression that showed he didn't feel the least bit sorry. He bowed deeply, but when he raised his head, his face was laced with undisguised contempt. It was the man who had chased me out when I was a crow on my first day here.
Sein. The Seventh Prince's secretary. Finding it fascinating to see a character from the novel in the flesh, I studied him closely. He had neatly slicked-back light brown hair, hollow cheeks, small spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose, and a lanky frame that looked to be at least 190 centimeters tall. Despite his scholarly appearance, his administrative skills were utterly abysmal.
He was a distant relative of the Empress and utterly despised the original Seventh Prince, who lived in constant terror of her. In truth, the mere fact that Sein was stationed here meant the Empress didn't care about him in the slightest. However, the foolish Ran of the novel never realized this and took Sein's empty threats involving the Empress at face value.
"With Your Highness acting so foolishly, I simply do not know what to report to Her Imperial Majesty."
Whenever Sein said this, the Seventh Prince would usually shut his mouth. After being humiliated by Sein, the prince would vent his hysteria even more violently on his subordinates. Sein particularly relished watching the prince make such a classless, pathetic spectacle of himself. He knew the prince would never dare touch him. That was undoubtedly why he stood there now, looking so smug and relaxed.
I spoke slowly. "What is it?"
"I heard that Your Highness has been indisposed for the past week. I was deeply concerned, as I have never heard of a noble member of the Imperial Family falling ill. However, I have come because there are urgent matters that require your attention. You may find them difficult to comprehend given your youth, but they are of the utmost priority."
He pointedly dropped a stack of papers onto the table right next to my meal and continued, "Please sign them immediately."
Finishing his long-winded speech, he gave his spectacles a slight twitch. It was, of course, a load of absolute nonsense. To begin with, the Seventh Prince was far too stupid and incompetent to ever be entrusted with anything urgent. These were merely administrative documents sent to save face—useless matters like deciding what kind of feed to buy for the stables.
The only truth in that man's words was his remark about never seeing a member of the Imperial Family fall ill. By default, the Imperial Family possessed near-perfect health; they rarely got sick. That was their established setting in the novel. Although the Seventh Prince was sturdier than an average human, he was practically a commoner compared to his monstrous siblings. For the insecure Seventh Prince, this was a sore spot he never wanted touched—and Sein knew that all too well.
The real Seventh Prince would either have been too stupid to catch the insult, or if he did, he would have done nothing but tremble with rage. But since I wasn't him, I merely looked at Sein with a cold, businesslike detachment. When I stared back without saying a word, a sneer crept onto his gaunt face, likely assuming I was desperately holding back my anger.
"Do you have something to say to me?" he asked, making no effort to hide his mockery. "Or perhaps... to the others?" He glanced sideways at the maids, who had retreated to the corner and were shivering in fear. His look practically dared me to try. *Perfect.* It seemed a golden opportunity had just presented itself to clear up any suspicions the doubtful Anna might have.
That stupid prince. Sein gritted his teeth as he walked, cursing the Seventh Prince who had locked himself in his room for the past week. The prince's behavior had been bizarre lately. The bastard wasn't listening. He was supposed to be an idiot who signed whatever was put in front of him, whining all the while, and meekly obeying despite his humiliation.
It was absurd that someone who didn't even look like royalty held such a position in the first place. The Imperial Family was a race of gods. The entire world revolved around them, as if existence itself had been created solely for their pleasure. Their radiant blonde hair, a trait exclusive to the Imperial bloodline, was the ultimate object of envy.
Sein, too, had grown up hearing tales of the Imperial Family and had been thoroughly indoctrinated to revere them. Moreover, he was a distant relative of the Empress—though the connection was so incredibly faint that calling them relatives was a stretch. Still, the pride of being associated with the Imperial Family, coupled with the bitter regret of not being born directly into their ranks, had fueled his dream of working in the Imperial Palace.
Lacking any exceptional talent in either academics or martial arts, he had only managed to secure his current position through heavy bribery. The Imperial Family he finally beheld was indeed the incarnation of divinity, the very symbol of nobility. Their life in the palace was so luxurious and beautiful that it seemed modeled after the realm of the gods. And all of it felt entirely justified—except for the Seventh Prince he was forced to serve.
Sein would never forget the day he first laid eyes on this ill-tempered, black-haired prince. He was stupid, unsightly, and vulgar. When Sein had entered to deliver a report, the prince had hurled a stack of documents at him, scratching his cheek. That thing is a member of the Imperial Family?
The Seventh Prince, who seemed even stupider than Sein himself, still enjoyed every luxury simply by virtue of his birth. Even if he was treated like dirt among his siblings, the nobility dared not cross him because of his royal title, turning a blind eye to his atrocities. He might not live as lavishly as the other princes, but he lived a life entirely free from financial worry. It was a stark contrast to Sein, the third son of a destitute count, who had spent his life begging for funds. What right did a half-baked fool like him have to look down on others?
Sein could not contain his seething rage and jealousy. Serving the Imperial Family was supposed to be a glorious honor, not this. He had poured an astronomical sum into bribes, only to end up as a glorified babysitter for an abandoned prince. But having already stretched his finances to the limit to pay those bribes, he couldn't afford to quit. He had no choice but to endure working under the prince.
"Are you... really a relative of Her Imperial Majesty?"
Until the stupid prince asked him that question. In that moment, Sein read the fear, the slight curiosity, and the desperate hope in the boy's eyes. Ah, so this idiot might actually be useful.
From then on, everything was smooth sailing. The foolish prince signed whatever he was told to sign and wrote whatever he was told to write. He remained completely oblivious even when Sein embezzled the palace budget. Whenever the prince's patience seemed to wear thin, Sein would drop the Empress's name, and the boy would instantly fall silent. Then, the prince would vent his built-up frustration on the maids and servants.
Sein loved watching that ugly spectacle. It gave him a sense of superiority to know that a member of the Imperial Family—even a half-baked one—couldn't dare touch him. More than anything, the prince's vile behavior justified Sein's own actions. A piece of trash like him deserves to be treated this way, Sein would tell himself, easing his conscience. Every day was a triumph. Until now.
A week ago, the prince had suddenly ordered that no one be allowed into his room. No matter how many times Sein demanded they announce his arrival, the servants only repeated the same excuse. In truth, if the prince gave such an order, there was nothing Sein could do. No matter how incompetent, the prince was still royalty. Unless Sein was actually a beloved relative of the Empress, he was legally obligated to obey.
Being reminded of this unpleasant reality caused Sein's buried inferiority complex to flare up once more. This was unacceptable. The prince had to remain a pathetic, stupid fool. Moreover, Sein had already borrowed heavily against the embezzled palace funds, and he desperately needed the prince's signature on a new set of forged documents.
"Is His Highness still locked in his room?!" Unable to contain his frustration any longer, he barked at a passing maid.
"H-He is currently having his meal inside," the maid stammered, terrified by his bloodshot eyes, before scurrying away after giving the bare minimum of information.
A meal... having a meal, is he? If he was eating in his room, there would be maids nearby. This was actually perfect. He would humiliate the prince right in front of the servants today. The stupid prince would tremble with uncontrollable rage, yet he wouldn't dare utter a single word of protest to Sein. Perhaps he would even beat one of the maids to death on the spot out of sheer frustration. What could be more pathetic and unsightly than that?
Oblivious to the sinister sneer on his own face, Sein knocked and immediately burst into the room. The prince was sitting in his chair in an arrogant posture.
"Your Highness, it is Sein. Forgive my intrusion."
Giddy with the anticipation of humiliating the prince in front of his servants, Sein failed to notice that the prince, who was tilting his head as he watched him, wasn't frowning or cowering. Instead, he was staring back with an expression of absolute, chilling indifference.