CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: EASY PRINCESS...

Chapter 41 – Easy Princess...

Kaden approached the golden castle slowly and with extreme caution. The guards were supposed to be on their break, but clearly, not all of them took it seriously—because three of them were still there.

And as Kaden observed them from afar, something about them felt... familiar.

Then it hit him.

They were the same guys who had almost found him the first time he stepped into this cursed forest. And if he remembered correctly—

’One of them had really sharp perception,’ Kaden thought, eyes narrowing.

Which meant...

He needed to be even more careful this time.

With a soft, steady exhale, Kaden began moving.

The golden castle had only one large main door—massive and always sealed. The guards stood right in front of it, unmoving, like sentinels made of flesh and bone.

But Rome had told him about another path.

A hidden gate, located just behind the castle. A place nobody really paid attention to because... there was nothing there. Nothing to see. Nothing worth watching.

Most people wouldn’t even go behind the castle—not just because it was restricted Celestial Empire territory, but because to get there, you’d have to pass through the front.

Where the guards always were.

Except now.

Now only three remained.

Still dangerous.

But far more manageable.

So Kaden activated Slothful Steps.

His body slouched, movements lazy. His back hunched, legs dragging softly against the dirt as if they weighed a thousand tons. His muscles looked loose, barely holding together—empty of power, completely drained.

And yet...

The more sluggish he looked, the faster he became. The more unpredictable his next step was. The harder it became to track him.

A phantom.

An illusion.

His presence blurred, flickering like a mirage as he weaved through the thick golden leaves of the surrounding trees.

But eventually... the trees ended.

No more shadows. No more cover. Just open ground and risk.

Kaden didn’t panic.

He waited.

All he needed was a single opportunity.

And then—it came.

One of the guards slapped the back of the other’s neck. The third, who seemed to be the leader, instantly turned and began reprimanding them.

That was all Kaden needed.

With one lazy step that exploded into a blur, Kaden lunged forward and shot past the side of the castle—running full speed toward the back, vanishing into the blind spot.

All of it happened in mere seconds.

It looked easy.

But it wasn’t.

The level of concentration, the kind of self-control and composure required to pull this off—no average Awakened could’ve done it.

But Kaden was different.

His will was steel. His instincts, sharp. For someone of his age and his rank, his mental fortitude was... terrifying.

That’s what made all of this possible.

But this was just the beginning.

Now, he had to enter the castle.

And more importantly—find the princess.

He already knew how to get in and had a rough idea of where her room was.

All thanks to Rome.

’Turns out, when your blood can melt someone from the inside, and you threaten to do worse to their brother, people get real cooperative.’ Kaden thought inwardly.

Honestly, Rome should consider himself lucky Kaden was still weak, still learning the ropes of his Trait. If he’d been stronger—

Well, Let’s not even go there.

Because right now, Kaden was in front of the hidden door.

’Huff... okay. Just gotta get in without anyone noticing.’

He stepped up to the door and stared at the runes carved into it.

It wasn’t that complicated.

The door was a runic seal. And to open it, all you needed was the correct sequence.

In front of him were glowing sigils—faint, hovering, waiting to be arranged.

Kaden took a breath and focused, recalling what Rome told him.

His hands moved quickly, silently.

And then—

Click—

The door made a soft sound. Barely audible.

But to Kaden, it was thunder.

His heart jumped violently in his chest as he turned around, half-expecting someone to come rushing at him.

But... nothing.

No footsteps. No shouting. No warning bells.

Just silence.

He exhaled in frustration. ’Fuck. This is going to be the death of me.’

Then he slipped inside the golden castle.

And oh—

What a castle it was.

Everything glowed.

White and gold covered everything—the floors, the walls, the ceilings. And though it sounded bland, it wasn’t. The blend was subtle, elegant, intentional.

The floor beneath his feet was a long golden carpet, embroidered with star patterns. The ceiling above had a white sun and a golden moon, drawn in harmony. Every corner was decorated with ornaments—delicate, regal, noble.

It was majestic.

Divine.

Kaden would’ve admired it longer... but he didn’t have that kind of luxury.

The moment he entered, he closed the door and began walking—soft, careful steps, heading toward the princess’s room.

He knew where to go.

There were rooms on the ground floor. More on the upper levels.

But on the highest floor, there was only one room.

The Princess’s room and inside we also have the teleportation portal.

The two things he needed were in the same place.

Convenient, right?

Kaden climbed the stairs slowly, each step deliberate. He clenched the ring on his finger as if gripping it tighter would somehow cloak his presence more. All of that tension—because this was the moment of truth.

He reached the top soon after.

He approached the door and pressed his ear against it.

And thanks to his high perception stat—he heard something.

A voice.

Feminine.

She was... singing?

Kaden blinked. For a second, he was thrown off.

Of all the things he expected, this wasn’t one of them.

But then, a slow smile spread across his lips.

’A princess of the empire...singing?’

It was a great find but also...

If she was singing, that meant she wasn’t expecting danger and so wasn’t on guard.

Especially not here, in her golden sanctuary.

Just perfect.

Kaden reached for the handle.

The door wasn’t locked.

He opened it and stepped inside.

His speed exploded.

A blur.

In an instant, he located her—standing in the middle of the room, lips parted as if about to sing another verse. She froze, mid-breath, her eyes locking onto his.

Shock. Disbelief.

And before she could even move—

Kaden was already in front of her.

He clamped his hand over her mouth, leaned in close, and whispered into her ear.

"Easy, princess..."

"...don’t shout too loud. People might misunderstand."

—End of Chapter 41—