NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
**Chapter 3: The Crown Prince’s Shadow**
The world seemed to dim around him, as if he were the sole bearer of light in a realm of shadows. Even in the midst of this tense, suffocating atmosphere, his presence was enough to steal my breath away.
Amelita was no ordinary beauty, but as I gazed at him through the mirror, it felt surreal, like watching a fancam of a celebrity—distant, untouchable, and otherworldly. Yet, the man standing before me was vivid, his presence so tangible it was almost overwhelming. For a moment, I was utterly captivated by his striking features, but then reality crashed down on me like a wave. This wasn’t the time to be mesmerized.
I realized, a beat too late, that this man was no ordinary figure. He was a *character*—a pivotal one, at that.
The man who had been staring at me with a crooked smile at the entrance let out a snicker. It was a hearty laugh, the kind that might have been refreshing under different circumstances, but here, in this moment, it sent a chill down my spine. There was something unsettling about it, something that made my instincts scream in warning.
“I thought it was strange to see knights stationed in front of the temple,” he said, his voice smooth and confident. “But I’m glad to see a familiar face.”
His tone was informal, almost dismissive, which immediately signaled his high status. He spoke to me, the daughter of a duke, as though we were equals—or perhaps as though I were beneath him. My eyes flicked to his uniform, its intricate design and regal bearing confirming my suspicions. *Damn, what should I do?*
I didn’t know him, but he clearly knew me. That meant he might have already noticed something was off about me. My mind raced, but I couldn’t find the right words to say. My hesitation seemed to amuse him, and he took a step closer, his movements deliberate and unhurried.
“Was the last time we met at my engagement party?” he asked, his golden eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and something darker.
I instinctively took a step back, but he matched it with another step forward. His presence was overwhelming, his towering frame—easily over 190 centimeters—looming over me like a predator cornering its prey. Before I knew it, my back was against the wall, and his shadow enveloped me completely. I felt small, trapped, and utterly powerless.
He placed one hand on the wall beside my head, caging me in. His face was so close I could feel his breath on my skin. My eyes widened in panic, like a rat caught in a trap. *Who the hell is this guy? Why is he doing this to me?*
In novels, being cornered by a handsome man might be described as thrilling, even romantic. But in reality, it was terrifying. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest. This wasn’t excitement—it was pure, unadulterated fear.
“I’ve been desperately looking for you, Princess,” he said, his voice low and smooth, like velvet. “There were even rumors that you’d fallen ill after my engagement party and hadn’t moved since. But you seem… perfectly healthy.”
His gaze swept over me, assessing, calculating. Despite my fear, I couldn’t help but notice how his voice, deep and resonant, was almost hypnotic. But I quickly shook off the thought. This wasn’t the time for useless sentimentality.
*Amelita was sick at ‘my’ engagement party?* The pieces of the puzzle began to click together. His golden hair, his regal bearing, his status—it all pointed to one person. Crown Prince Helio Ludwig Labelusia, one of the male leads in the novel. The object of Amelita’s obsession, the man who had driven her to madness, and the one who had tried to kill Peridot.
*Helio? Seriously?!* My mind raced. *But Helio’s engagement? Was that even in the original story?*
I looked up at him, my confusion written all over my face. His intense gaze met mine, and I felt as though his eyes were piercing through me, stripping away every layer of pretense. I couldn’t look away, couldn’t even breathe.
“I… I see the small sun of my country,” I stammered, my voice trembling. I couldn’t bow or kneel—he was too close, his presence too overwhelming. *Why is Helio acting like he knows Amelita?*
In the original story, Amelita was nothing more than an annoying, obsessive woman. She would have avoided him, not stood there frozen like a deer in headlights. And this posture—this closeness—it was all wrong. There was nothing sweet or romantic about it. His aura was cold, menacing.
*Is he trying to intimidate me? To scare me off so I’ll never approach him again?* It was a plausible theory. The crown prince couldn’t afford to make a scene, but he could certainly make his displeasure known in private.
My body stiffened as I tried to think of a way out. *I need to apologize. Tell him I’ve given up, that I won’t bother him anymore.*
But before I could speak, Helio cut me off. “I’ll finally be able to hear the story you couldn’t finish on the day of the engagement ceremony,” he said, his voice dripping with mock curiosity. “I couldn’t sleep because I was so… intrigued.”
*What story? What is he talking about?* My mind raced, but I couldn’t recall anything from the original plot. I was trapped, caught between pretending to know and admitting my ignorance. Either option could spell disaster.
I forced a calm expression, though my heart was pounding like a drum. “What on earth are you talking about?” I said, my voice as steady as I could manage. “I have no idea, Your Majesty.”
I hoped my tone conveyed just the right mix of arrogance and indifference. In the original story, Helio was portrayed as the most rational of the male leads—gentle, affectionate, and level-headed. Surely, he wouldn’t react too harshly to a little provocation.
But I was wrong.
Helio burst into laughter, a deep, unsettling sound that echoed through the empty temple. “Hahaha! This is funny, really funny!”
His laughter sent a shiver down my spine. *Was Helio always like this?* I didn’t have time to dwell on it. His laughter stopped abruptly, and his expression darkened.
*Boom!*
I flinched as his fist slammed into the wall above my head, the sound reverberating through the room. Dust and debris rained down around us, and I barely suppressed a scream. His golden eyes burned with anger, like a beast ready to pounce.
*If that fist had hit me, I’d be dead. No question about it.*
“Let’s stop wasting time,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You have something to say to me, don’t you?”
I froze, my mind blank. *What is he talking about? What does he want from me?*
Helio leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, “You came all the way here to see me. I’m sure the princess isn’t really saying she has no idea.”
His breath was warm against my skin, but his words sent a chill through me. *He thinks I came here on purpose. That I’m playing some kind of game.*
“I… I don’t know what kind of place this is,” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. “But you’re misunderstanding—”
“Oh, could this also be a coincidence?” he interrupted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You just happened to set up camp at the temple you visit every year on the anniversary of your mother’s death?”
*What?* My mind reeled. *This temple is connected to Amelita’s mother? And today is her anniversary?* The coincidence was too absurd to believe. It felt like the universe was conspiring against me.
Helio’s cold laughter snapped me back to reality. “It seems the assassin’s skills are quite impressive. There was surveillance, but I didn’t notice a thing.”
His words sent a jolt of fear through me. *Assassin? Surveillance? What is he talking about?*
“Anyway,” he continued, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper, “if you wanted to attract my attention, you’ve succeeded, Princess. I was just starting to think about learning more about you.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken threats. I was trapped, not just by his physical presence, but by the web of misunderstandings and half-truths that surrounded us.
*What have I gotten myself into?*