The Vagrant's Mind

1. "Is this how to use your time? Trying to find a wife when you already have nine?" Prince Cepheus asked Prince Ross as he watched him receive the flowers that were given to him by women. The women who had heard him certainly did not care about Ross' nine wives. They were so focused on their goal: catch the eyes of their Prince. Ross came closer to him, cradling flowers on his arms. "I'm not trying to find another wife, not now. I'm just receiving flowers." The women let out a disappointed sound. As they continued walking, the crowd parted to give them a way. Nobody dared to come closer to them due to the sight of bulky mens behind the two. Well, except for those woman who were insisting to give their flowers to their beloved prince. "What do your wives even tell you when you brings another woman and declared that she is to be your another wife?" Cepheus asked, rather curiously. Polygamy wasn't normal in his empire, in fact, it was illegal. "They will rant, of course, but they'll eventually accept my decision and start befriending with my new woman," Prince Ross shrugged his shoulders. "It's just like giving your wife a friend." Cepheus squinted his eyes. "It is not like that." "It is. How about you? When will you get married? I bet princess Elizabeth is already pressuring you about it." "Indeed she is." "Just get married. It's not that hard. When you are married, you can easily let out steam after an excruciating day, you know?" Cepheus' forehead knotted again. Their beliefs were really different. "A wife is different from a bed warmer." "They are the same." "They are not." "You're so old fashioned. No wonder you still don't have a wife." Silence engulfed them for some seconds before Cepheus fired back. "You are the old fashioned one between us. Getting ten wives and impregnate them just the make sure your bloodline will continue? Your clan had been doing that for twelve generations. Your bloodline is already certainly won't vanish instantly." "Says the man who came from a family who are still hoping that they will meet their soulmate when it doesn't exist anymore." The guards behind them had practically shut their ears to not be able to hear their very diplomatic debate. "What is so old fashioned about waiting for the love of your life?" Ross cringed. "You're so f*****g cheesy." "Are you going to imprison your wife when she's pregnant?" "You're exaggerating. We don't imprison our pregnant wives. We— Masdres only make sure that our pregnant wives are always home and safe. I'll do it too." "Technically imprisoning them. So old fashioned," Cepheus grumbled. "Back to the topic I had opened four hours ago, what do you think is the reason why this criminal is assassinating elites?" Cepheus didn't came to this empire just to chitchat with Ross. He discussed something with the king of Demiati and now trying to share it to Ross. He was a prince too after all. Ross glanced at him before sighing deeply. "I already told you, I don't want to get involved in that issue. I'm not the crown prince." Cepheus frowned at this. "You need to cooperate. Just what if this criminal go after one of your wives?" "Then I'm gonna make my wives stay at home all the time." "You're not really going to help, aren't you?" Cepheus asked, squinting his eyes. They stopped walking and faced each other. They were really different. One has an olive skin, the other one have a tanned skin. One was holding nothing, the other one was holding flowers. "If I get involved in that issue, my wives too," Ross unconsciously touched the rings on his fingers. Not wanting Cepheus to see his antics, Ross continued walking again. "I want to help you but my wives are my top priority." Yes. Ross couldn't say that in front of othes and Cepheus knew that. They might not be blood related and lived in different empires but they were each others best of friends. Cepheus knew him well. He might be a philandering prick but he still valued his wives. "Good to hear that you care about your nine wives." "You'll feel the same when you got yourself a wife. Anyway, I know someone who can help you. He's practically the Sellenovi's rat. Though, he'll need some beating before he agrees to help you." --- It was past midnight when Cepheus decided to continue his business here in Demiati. Striding towards his carriage, he ignored the coachman who was yawning and about to doze off. Opening the carriage's door for his employer, Julius asked. "Are we heading home now, your highness?" "Not yet. I need to buy something in Fevia City," Cepheus who had just slumped on the carriage seat and close his eyes in hoping to get to relax for some minutes, answered. Cepheus failed to hear the coachman's cuss. The coachman whipped the horses and the carriage started moving. It had been a long rough day. He had just came from a neighbouring empire. The prince of Demiati was more stressful to deal with than the issue they were facing. Cepheus almost thought that Ren Prince of Demiati didn't care about what he had discussed with him. Cepheus reached his temple and started massaging it. He was starting to get headache by just remembering the issue all the four kingdoms were facing. Well, maybe just three. Empire of Utshani seemed not to have any problems with their dukedom and noblemen. Who knows. Their empire is very private. 9 noblemen and 1 duke had been killed in the past 4 months. 4 noblemen from Lamwazi, 3 from Demiati and 2 noblemen and 1 duke from Spencia. It was really alarming. They all had the same cause of death and same evidence that the criminal left in the crime scene. "You're about to become the king, you should find yourself an intelligent queen now!" Ahh... That too. His mother was having her greatest time pressuring him to get married. His mother wanted him to marry an elegant woman that came from a nice home who can give her beautiful grand children. Cepheus on the other side, wanted a spouse who had a brain that was rationally working, someone who he can lean on, solve the empire's problem and not someone who only knew to stay indoor as an obedient and dependent spouse. Women and some men around the Sollenovi— the world, were ready to bow down to him and worship the land he walked on just to be his spouse not just because he was a crown prince, but also because of his looks. He was an art. --- "Go away, you thieve!" A familiar merchant sneered at Ghai when she walked past his store. Ghai glanced at him and gave him a funny look. She knew this man too well. For 24 years of sleeping and wandering in the streets, Ghai already memorized the faces and names of merchants who sells their products here and also the people who enter and exit the brothel meters away from where he was currently standing. "Oh shut up, you disgusting cheater. Go home and speak your sins to your wife," Ghai sneered back. Ghai saw him exiting the brothel with a w***e in his arm. How dare him pay a underage lady just to satisfy his perverted side when he already have a wife and a daughter? The merchant's eyes widened in anger, it only took seconds before he crouched down and picked a pebble then threw it on Ghai. "Go away! You'll bring bad luck again!" Ghai grimaced before walking away but she gave the man one last disgusted look and spitted on the cobblestoned street. She stole an apple from a stall and walked away swiftly like nothing had happened. She easily blend in with crowd. Despite of being homeless, she was wearing clothes that average people wears. Where did she got them? Of course, she stole them. The city of Fevia was beautiful, trees were everywhere, the buildings and houses are colorful and the climate was great but its people? They were all ugly and stupid. It was normal to marry more than one spouse that was why people of Demiati tend to cheat on their spouse and marry their secret lover. That was also the reason why Demiati had the largest population in Sellenovi. Ghai kept saying 'Excuse me' as he walked through the crowd and pick pocketed the men who were stupid to place their wallet in their pant's pocket instead of their coat's. When he finally got through that crowd, his eye sight was greeted by a marvelous view. So this is the reason why those people flock together in the middle of a busy market? Ghai's lips parted in shock. It seemed like all of her brain cells overheated when she saw the man standing in front of a*****e with his chin held high, a sophisticated black carriage behind him and dark aura sipping out of him. Crown Prince Cepheus Nathaniel Valentino Amery of Lamwazi. Son of Prince Dalton and Princess Elizabeth. Heir of his uncle King Nero. The queen happened to be infertile and to Cepheus' luck, he was the royal couple oldest niece and was also the most hard working in their eyes that was why they decided to pass the crown to him when King Nero retires. However Ghai didn't care about anything because in hee eyes, Crown Prince Cepheus was a heaven sent angel. Every time she will see the man's face on newspaper, she couldn't help but to wish that the prince will come and visit this place again and looked like the gods granted his wish. The lord's electrifying blue eyes made him look like a wolf on a hunt who was pretending to be good and waiting for his prey to lower its guard before he attacks it. Crown Prince Cepheus was handsome, yes. He's tall, yes. However, those were not that reason why Ghai wanted to meet him. It was because of the sparkling purple diamond pendant of the lord's necklace that seemed to be winking at her teasingly. Sure Ghai will gladly have s*x with him but that was not her main focus for now. Ever since she first saw a picture of Crown Prince Cepheus on a newspaper wearing that necklace, Ghai couldn't get it out of his mind. Ghai's mouth watered, making her gulped her own saliva as she stared at the magnificent thing on the prince's chest. 'He's already so wealthy. Maybe a missing necklace wouldn't bother you, right, your highness?' Ghai thought. She took a one last bite on her apple before dropping it on the floor. Ghai sprinted towards the man, pretending that she was running away from someone. Her small figure pushed the people out of her way that earned a few gasps from the ladies she had disrespected. She was used to it and she didn't care. She didn't dared to look at her target, she kept on looking at her back so no one will suspect that she will snatch the prince's necklace. She was sure that they were probably thinking that she was running away from another victim. From her peripheral vision, she saw that the only ones that she needed to push away to reach her target were Cepheus's guards. They were tall and really big but thanks for lack of nutrients that made Ghai so slender and small, she easily got through them. They even took a step back for him confusedly. 'Idiots.' "You!" One of the guards that realized his mistake sooner yelled, making everybody glanced at Ghai– even the crown prince, however, before he can even see Ghai's face, Ghai already bumped on to him. In a split second, Ghai snatched the necklace and stuffed it on her dress before muttering a 'sorry' and ran away. The force of bump made the crown pronce unaware that his necklace was snatch away, add the confusion on how a girl got through his men. She was a vagrant.