Prince Wasn't Here

Same as always.

Kuaishang snorted angrily and turned his head away, seemingly displeased with the boy's words.

"You still care." Tales's tone fluctuated slightly.

Kuaishang's brow twitched.

"What?"

"Your father, Dragoncloud City, Exeter, even your niece." From somewhere unseen, Tales took several deep breaths, his words filled with emotion and feeling.

"No matter how much you claim to have severed yourself from the past, how much you hate the chains binding you to it."

Kuaishang's steps slowed.

"But in some corner of your heart... you still care." Perched on Kuaishang's shoulder, Tales lowered his face into the darkness beyond the firelight, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Kuaishang first staggered, then let out a cold snort.

"Hmph. Go ahead and laugh."

"I'm just a coward who talks tough. In the end, I still can't escape my past."

He quickened his pace in displeasure, making Tales, who was leaning against his shoulder, stumble.

But the boy neither grew angry nor lost his composure. He merely smiled faintly.

"No, Kuaishang." A bitter taste lingered in Tales's smile.

"What I mean is..."

"This is good."

Kuaishang's body trembled slightly.

The boy lowered his eyes, gazing into the darkness beneath his feet.

"Compared to that Moral who abandoned everything for freedom..."

"This is the real Kuaishang."

Kuaishang did not answer.

He merely snorted again.

But in that moment, Tales suddenly felt the fatigue from before vanish completely.

"Leave her."

Tales came back to himself.

"Hm?"

Kuaishang, panting heavily, gritted his teeth and spoke.

"Leave her. Leave Alex."

Alex.

Tales's slightly lighter mood sank once more.

"Once we get out..."

"You filthy, disgusting bastard who likes taking advantage of girls."

Kuaishang spoke with disgust. Whether as a warning or a threat, he tapped Tales's chest with his left arm.

"I don't care what happened between