"I'll escort the lady out. I hope it's not a problem?" The guard Maria had seen with Lady Elma before deciding to make his way toward Maria's current location. Lady Elma had said to let him escort Maria out since it would be a far easier alternative than fighting their way out.

However, things were never that easy when Maria was involved and this situation was one of the most difficult ones. Her words had not gone unheard in the room and had attracted various interested eyes.

Especially a blond-haired noble who seemed to be thinking something. He even ignored the pawning hands on his clothes by other beautiful people surrounding him as he looked over to Lady Elma's escort. She did not fit in the court which meant that she was not one of their people. She was also odd.

"Let me come with you as well. I was looking to go and freshen myself up as well" Lucas walked over to the group with an air of importance and all Maria could think was 'fuck him.'

Lucas had spent a lot of time listening to his father complain about Lady Elma and her meddlesome ways. Since both his father and Lady Elma were well-liked by the masses, his father always had the chance of being replaced by her.

The only thing stopping Lady Elma from taking his father's elected seat were her connections to the previous royal family and her interest in them. She had refused to take a governing seat as long as they lived. And now the life of the last royal was also on the end of its thread.

It has taken ages to get the council to agree to the execution and even more so to get the masses to agree. But it had been an uphill battle they had won and soon there would be only democracy running this place. But the real people in power would be them.

As soon as Lady Elma's fraction went down, it would all be up to them to lead the masses. They had everything present as well and their agent had been ready to be Lady Elma's escort today to carry out their plan.

But things had gone wrong somewhere and this new problem had shown up. A pretty little thing but a problem nonetheless. It did not help that she looked somewhat familiar with those pink hair. But she was in hybrid form so she had to be from Inu. The other continents were not nearly as tolerant of such exposed demonic features.

Such a shame that their continent had so many of them but it'll be alright soon. These demons were a parasite anyway and would soon be eradicated from Imu.

That was why he was so curious about this new presence that had a chance to foil their plans. Lucas wanted to keep an eye on her and make sure their plans went off without any problem. He could smell trouble coming off of this chick from miles away.

"I-eh, I'm not sure I'm a high enough escort for both young of our esteemed guests. I should call over someone else to help and-" the guard started but Lucas stopped him. As if anyone needed to guard him.

"No need. I've personally seen today's security so I can act as an escort as well. In fact, we don't even need you around. Now young lady, let us go" Lucas offered his hand to the suspicious pink-haired woman. He could see the guard trying to refute him but it was all useless.

After all, Lucas was the chosen one. The one who had been given everything and the one who was destined for great things. As such, looking through this plot was a child's play. Even if the woman decided to attack him, he would just subdue her and that would give him solid grounds against Lady Elma.historical

And his smile widened as the lady had no excuse against him anymore. He could feel her reluctance to put her hand in his own but she did take his arm anyway. Lucas enjoyed the tense body of the beauty on his arm before finally leaving the room.

Various envious and worried eyed watched him leave, no doubt imagining themselves in the Lady's place in his arms but Lucas was not worried. He had the court eating out of the palm of his hand and this lady would be no different.

"So, may I know my lovely lady's name?" Lucas kept his voice pleasant and sweet. Ladies ate the 'polite prince' act he put up and even the toughest had let their guard down. He just had to be patient a little longer.

"My name? It's Maria. And I hear your name is Lucas?" Maria sounded like a familiar name. His mind could not help but be tickled as he heard that name. Where had he heard it before?

They crossed a familiar hallway that led to the prison cell. It was indistinguishable from any other but Lucas felt his eyes move toward it. It held the former princess Trisha McWell who he wasn't allowed to meet. His father had forbidden him and even passed the news to the guards about it.

However, Lucas could not help but feel like it should not be such a big deal. It was not like he would suddenly do something extreme even if the princess did turn out to be a beauty. He had his standards and someone about to die was not it.

"Is there something in that corridor?" Maria's voice called out to him as the female lightly squeezed his arm to gather his attention which he constantly shifted with a charming smile. Right, he had work to do and the fancy bathroom was right around the corner as well.

Lucas entered the bathroom after the lady, having a full intention of cornering her there and now. This would be the end of it all if he had something to say about it.

"So, what are you planning? Don't think I didn't notice your suspicious gaze and -" he never saw the attack coming and before he knew it, he had been knocked unconscious.

When he woke up again, the whole place was up in shouts about fire and he had a wolf-like entity in front of his face. It growled at him and Lucas felt the fear coursing through his body for the first time. What had happened? How had he been knocked unconscious so easily? And where was that lady - Maria - he had accompanied?

How had things gone so wrong for a chosen one like him? Was the world not his for taking? Surely it was all a misunderstanding or even a dream?