Seducing the Conqueror

013: The Most Gorgeous Thing

WEARING baggy pants and grease-stained white shirt topped with a maroon vest, LJ prepared for his disguise at the front of his walk-in closet’s mirror.

"Are you sure about this, LJ? You are a prince. It’s not safe for you to be there," Zack Krugger pointed out.

LJ glanced at his nagging friend and right-hand man. From childhood, the two have been inseparable. They’ve been through thick and thin, and Zack also serves as LJ’s personal bodyguard who protects him from the evil intentions of his relatives.

"Relax. No one will ever recognize me," LJ reassured as he walks out of his closet.

"That is the problem! You are going to the lions' den without any protection! Without knowing that you are the second in line to the throne, they won’t hesitate to attack you. Why don’t you take me with you?"

LJ laughed and went over the window. He looked back at him with a sly smile on his face.

"No thanks. You are too well known to do the scouting. I can do this alone --- besides, you've got something wrong."

LJ jumped to the nearest thick vine. Its sturdy green stem crawls on the eastern wall of the palace.

"I am not a sheep going into the lion's den,” LJ continued. “But a wolf in a sheep's clothing, waiting to kill his prey."

The side of his lips curled up as his eyes burn with fire. He started to climb down the vines --- leaving Zack speechless and with a headache.

This hard-headed prince will be the death of me, Zack said to himself as he worriedly watches his prince go to his venture --- alone.

Avoiding the guards and using the secret passages only the royal family knows, LJ managed to leave the palace without anyone noticing his absence. He does not worry that the palace will look for him --- well, not for a couple of hours at least. He knows Zack will buy him some time as he always did in the past.

He headed straight to Twenty B Street and looked for a restobar named Raftel [1], the place where his spy reported to be a secret meeting place for the Black Heart Rebels.

In reality, checking his opponent's lair is not the only reason why he sneaked out of his safe and well-guarded chambers. He also wants to take a break from all the war going on within the royal family. He wants to see something unfamiliar to him yet a part of him; to see the city where he was born --- but never lived.

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THE CITY of Belmoure is as loud as ever --- full of people from different places, and full of merchants from all over the world. The sun is almost setting and yet, the people are as festive as they were in the morning.

"Where is that restobar?"

LJ has been walking for an hour and yet, he couldn't find Raftel [1]. Belmoure is not that big but it is the only place he has yet memorized. Not that he needs to. The reason behind it is simple --- he has no reason to do so. Besides, the Black Conqueror doesn't need to invade this city anyway, right?

At the end of an alley, LJ saw an old man coming from the back of an old building.

He approached the man and called him out. "Excuse me, Sir."

The old man turned to him and flashed his business smile.

"Good evening, young Sir! Are you looking for a place to have a good time? Our restobar is the right place for you! We serve unique blends of liquor and we also have beautiful girls to accompany you. I can also give you a huge discount if you want. How about it, Sir?" he said without catching a breath.

LJ waved his hand, indicating his refusal.

"Sorry, maybe some other time," he said. "I was actually looking for a restobar called Raftel."

The man's expression turned sour. His eyebrows furrowed and his hands went to his waist. His eyes scanned LJ from head to toe.

Scrutinizing his physique, he suddenly grabbed LJ’s legs and got a feel of his muscles --- then, quickly moved to LJ’s arms.

"Hey!" LJ tried to protest but the old man kept on checking his body.

"Too skinny but you'll do." The old man grabbed LJ’s arm and pulled him towards an old establishment.

"W-wait, mister! I-I need to go to Raftel-…"

"This is Raftel, lad," the old man said without glancing at him while dragging him inside the old building with faded signage at the top of its entrance.

LJ squints his eyes to read the sign: Laugh Tale [1].

The two went inside a shabby restobar full of customers. The floor is made of wood that in some parts make creaking noises as someone walks on it. The walls are made of red bricks and stones that have indescribable stains in different locations. It also has a second floor that is said to be the lounge for very important customers. The nine windows at the restobar didn’t help much in illuminating the establishment. Some of them are broken; some are yellowed by time; and some are shut with plywood, probably to prevent strong winds from coming in. The building looked rundown and unruly but that doesn't bother the customers at all. They were all merry and jolly --- drinking liquor to their heart's content. Drunkards, crazy rich bastards and prostitutes filled the whole establishment.

“Hey, handsome!”

A woman in a skimpy magenta dress suddenly stopped LJ on his tracks. Her black wavy hair flows down on one of her shoulders and her long slim leg peeks from the slit of her dress. Her sapphire eyes are highlighted by her long eyelashes and her thick eye makeup, which complimented her thin red lips and white skin.

She circled her playful fingers on LJ’s chest before picking a card between her cleavages.

“Look for me if you wanted to have some fun,” she whispered and put the card on his pant’s back pocket.

LJ got startled and irritated when she touched his butt as she moved away. The pretty lady even gave him a wink despite of his display of displeasure.

LJ looked at her coldly as she went inside a room. Did she think she could woo me that way? Ridiculous!

“Don’t pay attention to Zamani. You can’t afford her. So stop dawdling and walk faster!” the old man said irritably.

LJ didn’t say a word and just followed him behind.

"Boss, I found our missing employee!" the old man announced.

A huge barbaric-looking man with a scar on his left eye popped out of the counter. He scanned LJ from head to toe before his face turned to a great dismay. He got out of the counter glaring at him while carrying two wooden boxes.

"You were nothing like what I agreed to. You are too skinny for labor. You are too pale. And on top of that --- you are late!" He pushed the two boxes to him.

LJ’s arms almost gave off and drop the boxes when the man suddenly let go of them.

"Take those to Rosè's cafe in Twelve Street B and exchange them for two boxes of champagne," he said.

"I think you are mistaken. I am not here for-…"

The old man who dragged him there suddenly pushed him back to the door.

"You should just obey what the master said," he said. "You might be some lost lad from the countryside --- promised to have a high-paying job --- but this is reality, boy. You should be on the master's good side first to climb up the ladder."

"I’m telling you, I'm not here for-…"

"Shut up and go! That is just a simple task! Don't be such a wuss," a drunkard near the entrance said.

"He's right! Don't be a wimp!" the other customers seconded as they follow it with laughter.

"That's what they said!" The old man gave LJ one last strong push and he is out of the building.

"Get going and don't break any bottles!" he added as he slammed the door right at LJ’s face.

LJ was left dumbfounded. He didn't expect he would be treated this way.

I didn’t come here to be their errand boy!

He let out an exasperated sigh and read the note card at the top of the oranges: Oranges for the kids' water.

Maybe this is a code and Rosè knows something about the Black Hearts.

He held tight on the boxes. “I don't have anything better to do, so I might just do what they say.”

He started walking at the busy streets of Belmoure. Colorful fabrics hang from one store to another. All in good quality but definitely not all have fair prices. Other stores have trinkets of all sorts, weapons and brass wares. Left and right, back and front, there is always someone who is either fighting or haggling over certain merchandise.

LJ was ignoring the hustle and bustle of the city when a loud commotion sent the flow of people towards the border of Area 74 B.

"Excuse me! Sir, Madame, please let me through!" he said as he struggle his way out of the crazy river of citylanders.

Several soldiers on their proud steeds are passing through the streets. Everybody is too eager to have a look at what the commotion is all about.

"Excuse me. Please don't push!" LJ said but everybody is too determined to get to the front --- and he doesn't have any idea as to where exactly this human current will take him into.

This damn large boxes are getting in the way!

"Move!" LJ was suddenly pushed out of the crowd and ended up at the middle of the street. He heaved a sigh of relief as he finally feels the empty space.

"At last, I'm out. Now, where is the Twelve Street-…"

"Look out!"

Before he could even turn, someone tackled him to the ground.

Ripe oranges rolled across the streets. Several spectators dispersed --- shrieking --- as a huge neighing steed appeared just above LJ.

"Candice!"

Someone immediately pulled him by his chest and they both rolled out of the steed's way.

"Watch where you're going! Hiyah!" someone shouted.

LJ coughed the dust caught on his nose and mouth as the steed galloped away.

"Candice!"

LJ opened his eyes and the unusual color of emerald caught him off guard. An emerald-haired girl was on top of him. Her dazzling hazel eyes met his as she looked at him --- making his world turn a lot slower. Her soft body was as light as a feather and her bright skin glimmers as the sunlight touches her face.

She's the most gorgeous thing I ever saw, LJ thought.

"Candice, are you okay?" A guy in a khaki denim jacket pulled the girl away from him.

"I'm fine," the girl said as she dusted off her clothes.

LJ was too mesmerized to move that he didn't realize he was still lying on the dusty ground.

Before he knew it, the girl is already in front of him.

"Are you alright?" she said as she offers her hand to help him stand.

"Y-yeah."

LJ was about to take her hand when her companion took his instead. He pulled him up using his one arm.

"T-thanks," LJ said but the guy glared at him instead.

The girl picked up an orange and gently dusted it off. Her slender hand held LJ’s hand and place it on top of her palm facing upward.

LJ can't hear anything but his own heart beating and her soft breathing. Her hazel eyes glimmers as he gaze into them. His mouth gone dry at the short period of time he was breathing the same air as her.

"Here! Good luck on your first day," she said as she put the orange and Laugh Tale's note on his palm. Her shiny emerald hair fluttered as she turned away.

"W-wait-…"

The guy with the khaki jacket stood in front of him and shoved an orange onto his chest.

"You should hurry picking up those before they are all gone."

LJ turned to the pile of oranges scattered all around the street. Some children in tattered clothes started picking the fallen oranges.

"Hey, wait! I need those!" he shouted and the kids run away.

"You should salvage as much oranges as you could get!" the guy shouted as he walks side by side with the hazel-eyed girl.

LJ wanted to go after them and ask for her name. But the kids from Area 74 B kept on picking Rosè's oranges.

He hurriedly race against the numbers as he regretfully turns his back on the first girl he got interested to.

Who is she?

[1] Raftel and Laugh Tale is a term I got from One Piece Stampede movie. I first wrote this after the movie and since I really loved the movie, I used the term for the name of the restobar.