Chapter 54. Two Suns

More than the injury on my shoulder, meeting Alistair caused me an irremediable heartache.

After everything that happened, both of us were no longer the same people we used to be, and we might have changed for the worse, unfortunately.

But that's life, isn't it?

You change. You grow. You learn.

It just happened that we did those, a bit too much, to the point that we lost our hearts in the process.

"Kallen?" Ashen ran an eye over my body.

The Solstice was already closed when I barged into the tavern. Ashen, who was in the middle of cleaning, was surprised to see me bleeding profusely. He worriedly marched towards me.

"What happened?" He panicked. "You're injured!"

"Let me stay for the night." I said, short of breath.

"Of course!" The ginger replied without an ounce of hesitation, heeding my entreaty. "Come here."

Ashen draped my arm over his back and helped me get upstairs. Drops of my own blood stained the wooden floors that he had just mopped. He brought me to one of the tavern's guest rooms.

"Sorry for the mess." I told him sincerely.

"You dimwit," Ashen gently laid me down on the bed and examined my injury. "Let me see it first."

He tore my bodysuit apart and took a closer look on my shoulder. It seems like the wound is deep.

"Tch. It's too deep." The tavern owner commented in dismay. "We gotta stitch it, but I ain't doing it."

"You better not." I remarked, distrustful. "I'm sure you'll end up doing more harm than good, idiot."

"Hey! Is that how you say thank you?" He rolled his eyes. "Wait here. I'll fetch a doctor for you."

While waiting for Ashen, I tried my best to stay awake. As a hitman, I was used to doing things alone, but I opted to go here since I'm injured.

In such a vulnerable state, I wouldn't be able to defend myself if anyone dares to attack me. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm actually reliant on Ashen, and he's the only person I can trust here.

Shortly, he returned with a middle-aged woman.

"That's our patient." The ginger said hurriedly.

"Alright. Miss, I'm gonna have you to strip first." The doctor said. "Your clothes are in the way."

"I feel numb." I winced in pain. "Please do so."

Ashen, being the whore that he is, tried to hold back his smile but failed. "Well, it would be my pleasure to undress such a beautiful woman."

I glared at him. "Turn around."

"Yes." He answered obediently like a puppy.

As soon as my upper body was exposed, the doctor did her work and tended on my wound. My ginger friend, on the other hand, started asking questions about what happened to me, with his back turned.

"Who did that to you? Was it that predator?"

He must be referring to Count Eleanor.

"Nah," I gritted my teeth to alleviate the pain. "I met an acquaintance after finishing my work."

He looked at me over his shoulder. "And this acquaintance of yours decided to attack you?"

"He was pissed about what I did." I explained discreetly, since there was someone with us.

"Why?" Ashen pried further, still staring at me.

"Seems he had some business with him." I replied calmly. "Look away before I rip your eyes out."

"Yes." He turned his back from me again, laughing.

After treating my injury, the doctor covered my wound with bandages. I thanked the woman and Ashen also gave her a bag of coins before she left.

"I owe you one, Ashen." I told him earnestly.

He raised his thumb. "You're welcome."

"Sorry, I might not be able to accept any requests for a while. Will you be okay?" I smirked at him.

"Hey! I'm not so poor that I'd starve without you!" He fumed, slightly offended. "I'm rich as fuck!"

"If you say so." I waved my hand and shooed him away. "Don't disturb me. I wanna get some rest."

"Yes, yes." He shook his head, smiling. "Call me if you need anything. I'll bring you a cup of tea, too."

When the tavern owner left the room, the serene silence provided me with solace. My shoulder was still aching, but it doesn't hurt as much as before.

I closed my eyes, slowly giving in to the fatigue.

But then it hasn't even been five minutes when Ashen came knocking. "Kallen, I'm going in."

I frowned. "I told you not to disturb me."

"Well, that's..." he hesitated.

To my surprise, the door swung open and Ashen was thrown across the room. After that, one, two, four... no, six men entered through the door, all of them clad in a faded cloak. Who the hell are they?

"As you can see, we have some guests." Ashen smiled sarcastically. "Rude guests, by the way, since they chose to barge in here at this hour."

That's not the key issue now, but he's right. Why are they causing a ruckus here when it's already past midnight? These guys have zero manners.

"My apologies," The tallest one among them and the last one to enter, spoke with a calm voice. His robust figure stood out. "I'm a busy man, you see."

When he removed the hood over his head, both Ashen and I flinched on our spot. There's no one in this empire who doesn't know about that face.

A hawkish nose and wine-red eyes, accompanied by a concrete jaw and manly lips. As he walked closer to us, he moved with a leopard-like grace.

In an instant, Ashen and I dropped on our knees.

"Greetings to His Highness, the crown prince." Ashen addressed him respectfully.

"So you already know who I am," Prince Dion said in satisfaction. "As expected from the brain behind Sanctum, a most infamous criminal organization."

"I am honored, Your Highness." Ashen replied.

"You may rise, Ashen Fellini." Prince Dion shifted his fiery eyes to me. "You as well, executioner."

Just a few words from him, ones which indicate that he knows everything about us, had my heart banging on my chest. Of course, he's the prince.

In a single snap, he knows what he wants to know.

Ashen and I traded meaningful looks. He shook his head lightly, as if telling me not to resist.

"It looks to me that you're injured, Miss Kallen." Prince Dion gestured towards my bed. "Have a seat. Your condition will worsen if you don't."

I bowed. "Thank you for your consideration."

I did as he ordered and took a seat on the edge of my bed. The black-haired prince settled himself on the wooden chair nearby, while Ashen remained standing, surrounded by the imperial knights.

In any case, it seems like Prince Dion doesn't remember my face. Well, I only met him during my execution in the first arc, and we never met during the second one. To him, it's been years.

Extras are meant to be forgotten, indeed.

"If I may ask, what brings you to this humble tavern, Your Highness?" Ashen stated boldly.

"I have heard great things about your businesses," Prince Dion smiled knowingly. "They say that the Solstice serves you delicious food of your choice, while the Sanctum serves you severed heads of your choice. Quality food and quality deaths."

My face scrunched up. Who the hell came up with that gory phrase? I admit that it's catchy, though.

Ashen grinned proudly. "And what exactly is it that you wish to order from us, Your Highness?"

The crown prince lifted his face arrogantly.

"The head of my sister, Louisiana Odette von Solaris, the one and only imperial princess."

Here comes the scene that I vicariously saw.

"My sister and I may seem amicable for now, but there can only be one sun in the empire." Prince Dion hinted with a rueful smile, shaking his head.

That's the exact same line, I noted to myself.

"She will elope with her lover soon, and they are to meet here in Muehler." His Highness showed a cold-blooded smile. "I want you to kill them both."

Silence ensued in the room.

"I came here personally since your notoriety has caught my attention. Can you do it, executioner?"

For a moment, I lost myself in my own thoughts.

In front of me was a man who wants to eliminate his blood and kin just so he could rise to power.

Should I still consider him as the male lead?

I may not remember the entire novel, but Ingrid was the protagonist and Prince Dion was her love interest, and both were supposed to be righteous.

But Lady Camellia, a transmigrator, messed up the whole story by killing the main protagonist, who was just an infant then. As a result, Ingrid became the devil's host and blended among human beings.

Doesn't that mean her role has already changed?

Which leads to the conclusion that somebody else has taken the role of the main character. Now, the main question is, who's the protagonist now?

Well, it's definitely not me. I keep dying like a bug and all my roles so far weren't that significant.

Wait.

A wild idea suddenly came into my mind.

Princess Odette was supposed to be the one here, and the crown prince was supposed to be the one on the run. Their roles switched, which means that the swapping of roles disregards gender.

Since Ingrid has shifted to the dark side, what if the protagonist is no longer a woman, but a man?

Prince Dion was supposed to elope with his lover in the original storyline. But now, that role was passed to Princess Odette and she's on the run.

What if Princess Odette turned into the female lead, and the new protagonist of the novel is a man? It sounds ridiculous, but it's plausible.

However, who on earth is the new protagonist?

"Alistair?" I said barely above a whisper. He's the only one I can think of right now. Could it be him?

"Kallen?" Ashen's voice called out to me.

I was startled when I saw all the men in the room looking at me. Oh, christ. I forgot that I'm in the presence of the prince! Why am I daydreaming?!

"Sorry," I cleared my throat. "Yes, I can do it."

My words brought a smile to Prince Dion's face.

"Since you know of my sobriquet, then I assume you've heard of my deeds as well, Your Highness." I stated confidently. "Killing people is my forte."

"What a pleasant answer," His crimson eyes were shining. "Very well. I expect good news from you."

Before leaving the Solstice, Prince Dion informed me where his sister was currently staying. Aside from that, he also warned me about the princess' lover, whom he described as a mysterious knight.

"I have never seen the face inside that helm, but he's an ironclad knight with exceptional skills." Prince Dion told me. "Be careful of that knight."

With that, the crown prince finally left.

As soon as he disappeared along with his knights, Ashen let out a sigh of relief and began rambling.

"That was nerve-wracking!" he exclaimed.

However, my mind was focused on one thing.

There can only be one sun in the empire.

It's time for the other one to lose its blazing shine.

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