NOVEL NEXT Riddler
As an aristocrat, and especially as a prince, I have to attend the aristocratic gala parties in Gotham every six months and walk among the most corrupt people in the entire kingdom. This is something I really hate, but it is also the closest I have ever been to my old life as Bruce Wayne on Earth-1. Training with a wooden sword in the back of a knight's quarters is definitely not something the old Bruce would do.
Of course, as I walk through the ballroom, I see people approaching me to flatter me. Yes, I am only a seven-year-old child, but I am treated as if I were already a ruler. They think I don't understand that they want to take advantage of my youth to establish good relationships with me. The same thing happened in my previous life. This time, I know better than anyone else that they want to gain my sympathy, perhaps to secure a better position at court or to gain some future benefit.
However, I know that corruption is a poison that has already infiltrated all levels of society. I must be careful to protect my family.
As I look around this ball, I see several familiar faces in the crowd. Oswald Cobblepot, the infamous Penguin, is here, wearing his extravagant clothes and his sharp smile to seduce the nobles with his smooth talk. He wasn't born a noble of the kingdom, but he earned his place at balls like this through generous donations after becoming a successful market trader, and I don't need to say that most of his profits don't come from the sale of his legitimate goods, do I?
But not all of the guests in attendance are so open about their intentions. Edward Nygma, the Riddler, is also here. In this universe, he is just a very playful waiter who amuses the guests with his outlandish questions.
When he sees me walking alone in the middle of the party and looks at me for just a second, he flashes a mysterious smile and approaches me.
"Oh, Your Royal Highness, Prince of Arkham. How are you?" he asks.
"Very well, and you, Sir Nygma?" I ask out of politeness. I don't like him because he's caused me a lot of trouble in my past life, and it seems like this time will be no different.
"You remember my last name? Wow, you are as observant as they say. It must be boring for you to be at a party with no other kids, how about playing a game?"
"One of your riddles?"
"Yes, yes! Definitely."
"All right, go ahead."
"What's always in front of you, but you can't see it?" The Riddler asks excitedly.
With a bored expression, I reply: "The future."
My quick response seems to leave him surprised and uncomfortable, especially as the people around me laugh and applaud, praising me instead of the Riddler. But it is not enough to make him give up.
"Hmm... The more you take, the more you leave. What am I?"
"Footsteps."
"Urghhh! I'm light as a feather, yet the strongest man can't hold me for more than a minute. What am I?"
"A breath."
The people around me applaud my quick answers again, and the Riddler walks away, irritated and with a bruised ego. Then more nobles approach me, very impressed, but I don't understand why, since these were all very simple riddles to answer compared to his version of Earth-1.
Anyway, I continue walking through the party, identifying and introducing myself to ambitious businessmen, corrupt politicians and their mercenaries, who I know have no scruples, as my father asked me to do. All sorts of disgusting people are here, mixing with the nobility and trying to gain some advantage in the chaos that reigns in the suburbs of Gotham. But they are out of luck, I will not let this spread.
A year ago, I heard a familiar name in a parallel conversation during one of these noble balls. That name was Ra's al Ghul, the man who called himself the leader of the League of Assassins in my world. I also spent a lot of time training with him as a teenager in my past life, and I was curious to see what his version of this universe would be like.
Ra's al Ghul convinced me in the past that we had similar visions of the world and justice, when in fact we had opposing visions. So I left the League of Assassins and created the mantle of Batman, which is why Ra's al Ghul and his disciples caused me so much trouble in the years that followed, especially because of their fascination with Gotham.
In this medieval version of Earth, I have reason to believe that Ra's al Ghul must still be the owner of the League of Assassins, but this time I will be the one to convince him.
So when I finally meet him at this semester's party, I am a little surprised, but not completely. He has done the same thing in the past, visiting places to mark who his next victims will be, like a wolf visiting a cow pasture, only wearing a sheepskin.
Ra's al Ghul was not afraid to smile kindly, even to people he knew would be targeted by the League of Assassins.
As I approach, I see that his appearance has not changed from the man I knew. He is a man of Arabic appearance, with dark skin and fine features. His eyes are piercing and have an intense glow, often described as "eagle eyes". His beard is long and well-groomed, and he usually wears a long, flowing tunic, often in shades of red or green, that reaches to the ground. Overall, Ra's al Ghul is a tall, lean, muscular man with an intimidating and imposing appearance, even for an old man.
I approach him to introduce myself as he approaches the dining table.
"Good evening, sir. I am Bruce Wayne." I introduce myself, trying to appear friendly and cordial as he turns to me with a subtle smile on his face.
"The pleasure is mine, Bruce Wayne. My name is Ra's al Ghul." He replies in a soft and gentle tone, but his bright eyes tell me he knows much more than he is revealing. "I was hoping you would come."
...
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