Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win

The early morning sun shone its light inside the bedroom of the royal queen.

The voices of the birds chirping echoed from the outside.

Akamir was awakened by the heavy weight that was pressing on his body.

He groggily opened his eyes as he found Inara clenching him like a teddy bear.

'Yeah, we couldn't sleep last night.'

Akamir thought as he removed the blanket and slowly moved away from her.

But his movement was enough to jolt her awake as she looked at him.

"…Good morning~."

Inara mumbled, placing her head back on his bare chest.

"Can you let go of me?" Akamir asked with a sigh. "I have things to do."

Inara grumpily mumbled. "Five more minutes."

Akamir let out a quiet sigh, his hand falling against her silver hair.

She was warm, soft, and stubborn….three things that made it harder to push her away.

"You say that every time," he muttered, though his tone lacked real bite.

Inara buried her face deeper against him, her voice muffled.

"Then stop waking up so early. Normal people sleep when the sun is still barely out."

"I'm not normal people," Akamir replied flatly, his gaze drifting toward the golden light spilling across the curtains. "And I can't afford to waste time."

Her arms tightened around his torso in protest. "You're mine for at least five more minutes. After that, you can go play general, spy, or whatever else it is you do."

He tilted his head toward her, his lips quirking faintly. "You sound like a spoiled child."

Inara finally lifted her face, her crimson eyes narrowed as she pouted. "And you sound like someone who forgets his queen is also a woman who wants attention."

That caught him off guard for a second.

He studied her expression…half playful, half serious. She wasn't entirely joking.

Akamir waited for a while but he couldn't stay still forever.

He carefully pried her hands from his waist, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Inara propped herself on her elbow, watching him with a lazy smile. "Where are you going first?"

"Checking the Aure routes," Akamir answered, his tone already shifting into business.

"If Sylari's papers are true, we'll have our opening. If they're false…" His eyes narrowed. "…then I'll know how deep her lies go."

Inara hummed, resting her chin on her palm.

"Be careful. You're not the only one watching her anymore. If Aure suspects she's betrayed them, they'll move against her quickly."

Akamir stood as he began to dress up. "If they do, then she wasn't worth the risk anyway."

He adjusted his mask, slipping it back over his face, his voice steady and cold again. "I will make sure she regret—."

"Nice ass." Inara said, cutting him off.

"What?"

"What?"

Akamir let out a sigh as she stood up from the bed still naked.

She walked forward and kissed him on his mask. "Stay safe." She said like she was giving an order. "Run if things get difficult."

Akamir nodded as he turned around and walked out of the place.

---

---

Akamir had made a route for faster travel like never before.

He has been using the full extent of his crown.

By placing mimickers in long distance between kingdoms.

He can jump from one place to another without any problem.

To make sure he doesn't have to face much penalty he even made sure to keep the distance bearable.

Because of this, Akamir was within the kingdom of Aure by afternoon.

Right now, he was staying in one of the hotels that was owned by the Imoyan company.

Merchants have an exclusive right to travel between kingdoms so there wasn't much they could do about it.

Akamir let out a sigh as he leaned back on the chair he was sitting.

His gaze shifted towards Nayomi who was silently floating there.

"Are you going to say something or not?" Akamir said, looking at her. "You have been like this since you saw that woman."

Nayomi's legs crossed lazily in the air, but her expression wasn't playful this time.

She glanced at him as her face remained grim.

"That woman…." She mumbled softly, her voice unusually serious. "I have seen her before."

Akamir's interest piqued as he looked at her seriously. "What do you mean?"

"But it doesn't make sense." She mumbled, rubbing her temples.

"What doesn't?" Akamir asked, frowning in confusion.

"That woman." She replied. "She was supposed to be dead."

Akamir tilted his head. "Uh, what?" He grunted. "Wait, who the hell is she anyway?"

"An angel." She replied making him quiet. "To be more precise, she is a part of Goddess Alista."

Akamir froze mid-lean, his hand still resting on the armrest of the chair.

For a moment he thought he had misheard her.

"…You're joking," he said flatly, though his tone lacked conviction.

Nayomi's eyes were steady, sharper than he had ever seen. "Do I look like I'm joking, mortal?"

He tapped his fingers against the table, his brows furrowing beneath the mask.

"Then what does that mean?" He mumbled. "When she said, goddess Alista send her regards?"

"I don't know." She replied, shaking her head. "She has always been aloof to talk about anything."

Akamir remained silent as he kept on staring at the empty seat in front of him.

"So, what now?" He asked, glancing at her. "Should I pretend I never saw her?"

Nayomi nodded her head. "That would be for the best." She replied. "Nothing good will come from being with her."

Akamir was about to reply when the door of the empty hotel opened up.

A tall man with a scarred face in military uniform walked inside before he stood in front of Akamir.

Akamir tilted his head. "Do I need to remind you manners?"

The man bowed his head deeply. "I sincerely welcome you." He said. "My lord."

Akamir nodded as he stood up from his seat.

Like all other places in the continent, Akamir has placed a few mimickers within the army of Aure Kingdom.

The man who was a two-star general was one of those mimickers.

"I won't waste too much time." Akamir said, giving him a paper. "Take me to this place."

The general took the folded paper with both hands, his scarred face stiff but respectful.

He opened it just enough to glance at the markings inside before closing it again and tucking it beneath his arm.

"This is a zone where only a few are allowed."

"Don't tell me the obvious." Akamir replied. "Take me there."

"As you command, my lord," he said firmly.

Akamir adjusted his cloak and mask, his sharp gaze lingering on the man a second longer.

Mimickers were loyal, yes, but Aure's capital was crawling with watchful eyes.

Even a slip could be fatal if anyone suspected.

Nayomi floated behind him, her voice low but amused. "Parading around Aure with a general in uniform. Subtle, as always."

"He'll know the fastest routes," Akamir replied flatly. "And the safest ones."

The general turned on his heel, motioning for Akamir to follow.

They slipped out of the side door of the hotel and into the narrow streets, the air smelled of spice, iron, and faint rot from overfilled canals.

Merchants shouted over one another at the markets, children darted between carts, and soldiers in Aure's silver-blue armor patrolled with rigid steps.

But nobody looked twice at the pair…just another officer and a masked traveler in a city full of them.

They moved quickly, weaving through alleys until the noise of the main streets dulled behind them.

The general stopped beside a waiting carriage, modest in appearance but sturdy.

"Get in, my lord," he said, pulling the door open. "It will take us past the outer watchposts. After that, we walk."

Akamir stepped inside, sinking into the cushioned seat.

Nayomi perched herself opposite, crossing her legs and watching the general climb in after them.

The carriage jolted into motion.

For a time, silence filled the cabin….only the steady clatter of wheels and the faint murmur of voices from outside.

Finally, Akamir spoke. "How much has changed at the border since Aure began its expansion?"

The general's scarred lips tightened.

"They've diverted most of their elite to the western lines. The east has been left with fewer defenses. The nobles believe the west is where the 'real enemies' lie."

"And the east?"

"Farmers. Villagers. Merchants. Easy prey," the general admitted grimly.

"They've been pulling young men from every village to keep the army fed with bodies. Many don't return."

Nayomi's eyes glinted faintly in the dim light. "Selling slaves, thinning borders, sacrificing peasants. Aure's greed will eat itself soon enough."

"Not soon enough," Akamir muttered, his fingers drumming against his knee.

The carriage slowed as they reached a checkpoint.

The general leaned out, barking orders at the guards.

They saluted him without hesitation, letting them pass through without a second glance.

Minutes later, the carriage stopped at the edge of the city, where cobblestone gave way to dirt roads stretching toward low hills.

The general disembarked first. "From here, my lord, it will be faster on foot."

Akamir stepped out, the faint wind tugging at his cloak. His eyes scanned the horizon, sharp and calculating.

"This is where we see if the Aure princess is telling the truth," he murmured.

Nayomi smirked faintly, floating beside him. "And if she isn't?"

Akamir's gaze hardened. "…Then I'll make sure she regrets ever breathing."