½ Prince Volume 5 Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Conflict – translated by Erihppas

“It seems that there are plenty of people in the Central Continent who refuse to recognize Prince as a superior.” Nan Gong Zui frowned thoughtfully after listening to White Bird’s description of that day’s events.

“I think that this is due to several factors: First, Prince’s level isn’t high enough; second, during the final battle of the Adventurer’s Tournant, Prince did not survive; and third, being a spokesperson not only garnered the admiration of many, but also the jealousy of many others,” Wicked explained in detail.

Nan Gong Zui’s frown deepened. He looked at worriedly, “Prince, the only thing you can do right now is train hard and raise your level.”

I shrugged. “That isn’t a problem. Compared to administrative work and military stuff, I’d rather train.”

“What’s even more important than leveling is building up your reputation!” White Bird declared decisively.

“Reputation?” Everyone was staring at White Bird, and apart from , everyone appeared to agree with her. Really? Was I really not being respected enough?

“Wait a minute—how can I be lacking in reputation? Haven’t I always used the Blood Elf image in public?” I quickly argued. What kind of joke is this? I don’t want to be more esteed! I would not be able to stand it if everyone worshipped the way the five man band did.

White Bird looked at with uncertainty and then hesitatingly explained, “My lord, your lack of reputation may be due to your appearance.”

“Appearance?” I was startled for the mont. What could be wrong with my appearance? Am I too handso to be respected?

Yu Lian-dàsăo interjected suddenly, “You an that Prince looks too young?”

White Bird hesitantly nodded her head. “If I may boldly ask, my lord, how old are you this year?”

At White’s Bird question, everyone shifted their gazes towards , as though as they were asuring up. Feeling uncomfortable under their scrutiny, I quickly answered, “I’m twenty.”

“Twenty? That’s older than I thought, but it’s still very young. Among the four other lords, it is said that the youngest is twenty-four. Not to ntion that, my lord, you look like you are only seventeen or eighteen.” White Bird sighed with a disheartened expression.

Gui did not seem to agree. “His appearance is fine. More importantly, Prince rarely involves himself in the city’s day-to-day affairs. A lot of people have seen the other departnt leaders in the flesh, but they have only seen Prince as a photo on Second Life’s official website.”

I could not help but roll my eyes at Gui’s words. “It’s not my fault. Everyone pushed into doing the concert tour before, and now I have to train hard. Where would I get the ti to involve myself in the city’s day-to-day affairs?”

Everyone sighed at my words, and each of their faces held an expression of helplessness.

“This cannot go on. Our lord’s reputation must be established,” White Bird said, unusually determined. “And I will definitely think of sothing!”

For so unknown reason, I suddenly shuddered.

When I saw everyone kneeling before , including the mbers of Odd Squad, Dark Emperor, Rose Team and others, I was totally at a loss on what to do. It didn’t make any difference that White Bird had already inford of this event, this so called Oath of Allegiance ceremony.

As a preparation for the upcoming update, as well as the invasion of Sun City, Moon City, and Star City, it had been decided that we would hold a ceremony for everyone to swear fealty to , as the Lord of Infinite City. Firstly, the ceremony would announce to the general public Infinite City’s intention to conquer the official cities, and secondly, it would establish that reputation thing that I never really understood.

“I, Ugly Wolf, swear to serve the Lord of Infinite City, Prince, with undivided loyalty.” Wolf-dàgē was looking at with a solemn expression. Of course, he was also kneeling, and yet when I heard his declaration, I felt a bit...unhappy? Why must Wolf-dàgē kneel before ?

“I, Yu Lian...”

“I, Guiliastes...”

“Doll...”

”Lolidragon...”

“Wicked...”

“Nan Gong Zui...”

“Rose...”

One by one, my close friends swore fealty to . Shouldn’t I be feeling happy? Why does my heart only feel as empty, as though I have just lost sothing important?

After everyone finished swearing fealty, I followed with the words that White Bird had told . Replying in a solemn tone that I had never used before, I said, “I, Lord of Infinite City, Prince, accept your oaths. From now on, all of you are my loyal subordinates. I swear to lead you all to fa and glory throughout Second Life.”

Everyone exclaid in unison, “All hail Infinite City!”

“All hail...Infinite City,” I repeated, with a mild sense of emptiness, both in my words and in my heart.

After the ceremony, everyone’s expressions were of happiness and pre-battle excitent. I had a forced smile on my face, but the bottom of my heart felt a bit heavy.

“My lord, how goes your training today?” Wolf-dàgē patted my back with a smile.

I smiled dryly when I heard his words. “Wolf-dàgē, why are you calling ‘my lord’ as well?”

Wolf-dàgē scratched his head, shrugged and explained, “It’s because White Bird has ordered us to address you as such from now on in order to build your reputation as the Lord of Infinite City. That was the point of today’s Oath of Allegiance ceremony too.”

“I’m not used to this,” I said dejectedly. “Why does even Odd Squad have to kneel before ? I’d rather you guys bully like before instead of kneeling before .”

“Prince...” Wolf-dàgē called out hesitantly.

“It’s ‘my lord’!” Lolidragon reminded Wolf-dàgē as she ruthlessly whacked on the head. “Wolf-gē, don’t forget White Bird’s order.”

She then turned and shot a fierce glare. “Don’t think that I wanted to kneel before you. If it weren’t necessary to establish your reputation, I wouldn’t have kneeled before a brat like you.”

“Lolidragon! Don’t speak to our lord like that,” White Bird lightly reproached her, obviously dissatisfied with Lolidragon’s tone.

“Why must I establish my reputation?” I could not help but be angered as the suppressed resentnt from these few days flared out all of a sudden. “Wouldn’t it be better if we were all friends? Why worship as if I’m so kind of god?”

“My lord,” Wolf-dàgē and Lolidragon were looking at with a shocked expression, as if they were startled by my sudden burst of anger. The noisy laughter from the crowd around us had quieted down as well and the people slowly started looking in our direction one after another.

“My lord...,” White Bird panicked, sweeping her eyes at the crowd who turned their attentive gazes towards us while frowning at .

After seeing the mbers of Odd Squad together, Rose Team, Wicked and everyone’s expressions filled with concern. Seeing their expressions along with Nan Gong Zui’s and White Bird’s frowns, my heart suddenly felt like a deflated balloon, as though as all energy had been taken away from . I tiredly waved my hand, “Sorry, I’m just too tired. I’ll go get so rest.”

I turned and left, without looking at anyone’s expressions anymore. I reached the main hall before realizing suddenly that I didn’t know where to go. Yun Fei and Jing—I’ll go look for them then, they would definitely understand my feelings.

I walked towards Lü Jing and Yun’s cottage in low spirits and kicked the door open with force. As expected, Yun Fei’s screaming followed.

“Prince, I have told you ten thousand tis before, doors can be broken! And you’re paying for it if it breaks!” My mood suddenly brightened at the way Yun Fei spoke to . He was the sa as before, and he didn’t call ‘my lord’.

“Is the Oath of Allegiance ceremony over?” Mom’s voice suddenly trailed into my ear.

“Dad, mom, you’re all here.” I turned, surprised. Not only were Jing and Yun there, but both of my parents were in the room as well.

“Of course, everyone was going to kneel down and swear fealty to you, but you can’t expect your parents to kneel before you too, can you?” Jing asked helplessly.

“Speaking of that ceremony, I’m starting to feel mad. Why must everyone kneel and pledge their loyalty!?” I could not suppress my feelings any longer and started shouting, wanting to vent out all my frustration. “They are my friends, why must they call ‘my lord’, and why must they honor !?”

Everyone was shocked by my outburst. It was only after a mont of silence that Jing spoke. “But it’s necessary.”

“Rubbish, we didn’t do that before, and we were okay, weren’t we?” I quickly argued. There was no need for to establish any reputation. “Xiao Lan, it is necessary.” Dad looked at with a serious expression. “Infinite City is growing stronger, and more and more people are joining Infinite City. What they need is a king they can follow, not a friend.”

King... Why do I keep hearing this word? Why am I always being crowned with such a heavy word?

“Xiao Lan, you’ve already embarked on this path, and unless you want to abandon everything, you can only continue to walk onward,” Mom said to in all earnestness.

“I... I’m willing to walk onwards. I just don’t like how my friends have transford into subordinates. Is even this too much to ask for?” I could not help but choke out.

“Xiao Lan!” Yun grabbed hold of my shoulders. “What the heck are you doing? You’re not acting like yourself. You’re supposed to be soone who boldly moves forward and doesn’t withdraw regardless of the difficulties! You’re the heart of this group; tears and confusion aren’t things you should be expressing.”

“But I do shed tears! I do get confused!” I closed my eyes and cried, “I’m not god, I’m not that great!”

“Xiao Lan...” Everyone stood up in surprise, all wanting to co over to comfort .

I desperately freed myself from Yun’s grip, wiped my tears away, and walked out of the house without looking back.

The four shouted in surprise, “Xiao Lan, wait up!”

I did not even turn my head as I shouted back, “Don’t follow , I don’t want to listen to anything now!”

Using the fastest speed that I could muster, I fled like a wind away from the place I originally thought I could find so comfort. I hadn’t anticipate that even Jing and Yun, as well as my mom and dad, would be unable to understand my feelings. Who else would be able to understand? I smiled humorlessly, looked up, and realized that I was standing in front of Infinite Restaurant.

Naturally, I stepped into the restaurant. Just as I decided to find a corner for a silent drink, I saw Kenshin and Cold Fox sitting by the balcony, quietly drinking with so side dishes on the table. I arrogantly strode forward, sat down, and imdiately grabbed Cold Fox’s flagon, downing it in one gulp.

Cold Fox watched silently as I snatched over the flagon. After I downed it all at once, he mildly said, “That’s a vodka and whiskey cocktail.”

As Kenshin raised his eyes to et Cold Fox’s, the latter then added, “Very strong. A normal human being would be drunk after a few cups.”

Kenshin and Cold Fox stared at together. As I t their stares, I started to get mad again. “What are you looking at!? Don’t you know I’m the Lord of Infinite City? Start ordering more wine for .”

Kenshin withdrew his gaze and calmly said a single sentence: “He’s drunk.”

“Mm.” Cold Fox also responded calmly.

Godamnit, they’re not ordering wine for ! I couldn’t suppress my rage and slamd my fist on the table. “Waiter, bring more wine and all the side dishes you have to this table imdiately!”

“Have you decided to throw your life away? To waste money like that, you’d better be careful of Yu Lian-dàsăo’s wrath,” Lolidragon’s lithe voice ca from behind.

I did not turn my head, nor did I wish to reply.

Lolidragon released a sigh and sat on the seat beside , “What’s wrong? Why are you so angry? It’s only an Oath of Allegiance ceremony; you don’t have to take it to heart.”

I was so furious that I loudly retorted, “What do you an by only an Oath of Allegiance ceremony? All of you are my friends; you weren’t supposed to kneel before in the first place!”

“It’s true that we’re your friends, but we’re also your subordinates. What’s wrong with subordinates kneeling before you to pledge their loyalty?” Lolidragon gazed at with furrowed brows.

“What do you an subordinates... All of you are my friends! Friends!” After roaring until my voice was hoarse, I grabbed the wine flagon the waiter had just delivered and drank madly, as if only this action could wash away the unhappiness in my heart.

I seed to have frightened her, as Lolidragon was speechless for a while. She wordlessly watched as I madly gulped down the wine.

Finally, she spoke in an earnest, solemn manner. “Prince, you’re no longer a carefree prince, but a king who shoulders heavy responsibilities.”

I stopped my drinking. Why do these words feel so heavy? King? ? I said in all bitterness, “Lolidragon, I don’t like the current situation, I don’t like how everyone’s treating , and those, those lordly titles.”

Lolidragon slowly stood up, took a deep breath and said, “Prince, you wanted to create a legend. Are you relishing the monts of happiness of the legend, but refusing to shoulder the responsibilities and pain?”

I was rendered speechless, and I could only watch as Lolidragon left the restaurant without looking back. I lowered my head and looked at the flagon blankly. The bottom of my heart felt so twisted up that even I did not know what I felt at the mont.

“Prince... Are you okay?” a female voice asked from behind . My heart tightened, Did Lolidragon co back? Before my eyes Phoenix’s worried expression appeared. My once hopeful feelings died within , and my heart beca even emptier. I waved an impatient hand at Phoenix and adopted an extrely harsh tone. “Stop bothering !”

After that, I turned my head and continued drinking and eating...but then I noticed Kenshin and Cold Fox staring over my shoulder, frowning. I quickly turned my head to have a look. Phoenix was silently shedding tears.

I was stunned, totally at a loss on how to react. But Phoenix was already speaking, and despite the two streams of tears trailing down her face, her tone was abnormally calm. “Prince, you have never actually cared for , have you?”

“I...” What could I say? If Phoenix had not loved , perhaps we could have been good friends, but since she just had to fall in love with , she was destined to get hurt... Was it the right choice to have let her fall in love with in the beginning? I suddenly realized in horror that I had never given any thought to the aftermath.

I found myself unable say anything and Phoenix did not seem to be expecting an answer. She closed her eyes, still silently crying, and turned and began walking away. “My passionate feelings of love burn like the flas of the phoenix, and yet the ones I et always smother with the chill of an iceberg!”

“Phoenix...” I could only numbly watch Phoenix’s extrely sorrowful retreating figure. Even after I could no longer see her, I still could not turn my gaze away.

“Prince...” Two voices called out to at the sa ti, and at the door appeared the two silhouettes I knew best—Wicked and Gui.

Both of them ca up to at the sa ti, and I looked at them in a daze.

“Prince, you don’t have to bear those responsibilities. If you think it hurts, then don’t do it,” Wicked stroked my head comfortingly.

“Can I really?” I smiled wistfully. To leave just like that? To lose all my friends? To abandon the promise of creating a legend with everyone from Odd Squad? “Xiao— ...Prince.” Wicked sighed softly and said nothing after.

“Your Highness, if you want to shed tears, then please do so on Gui’s shoulders!” Gui compassionately pulled into an embrace. I was startled for the mont, but then I raised my head and looked at him. He was taking advantage of as usual, but suddenly, I felt as if I understood sothing.

“Are you doing it on purpose?” I asked him.

“What?” Gui’s expression changed for a split second, and quickly returned to his normal, overly dramatic expression. “Oh, I just can’t control myself when I’m around you, Your Highness!” Gui said.

“You are always taking advantage of —are you purposefully creating a reason for to hit you?” I stared Gui in the eye, not allowing him to act dumb. “You are allowing to hit you, so that I can vent my frustrations, right?” I cried out hoarsely, “Why do you need to sacrifice yourself like that? Why do you endure such pain and even humiliation?”

I grabbed hold of his collar and glared at him, not giving him an opportunity to escape. “To go to that far of an extent for , is it really worth it? You don’t even know my real na!”

Gui’s expression suddenly beca gentle. He lightly caressed my cheeks, and his eyes bore such pain and happiness that I felt confused after looking at them. “If my tears can be used to exchange for your smile, then it’s more than worthwhile.”

Suddenly, Gui was fiercely dragged backwards onto the ground. Although Wicked was trying desperately to glare at Gui, he could not conceal the hurt in his eyes and expression. Gui fearlessly returned Wicked’s gaze, his eyes conveying a regretless determination.

“Why do I keep hurting people?” I mumbled. My eyes were as empty as a black hole. “Will there be people who get hurt no matter what I do?”

“Prince?” Wicked and Gui gazed at in shock. Their eyes were heavy with concern.

In a daze, I stood up and walked towards the door. Gui and Wicked followed behind, and I suddenly stopped, turned, and spoke to them, “Don’t follow , I want so ti alone to think. Please don’t follow .”

Gui and Wicked both stopped, and even though they were both so different, their eyes revealed the sa worry and compassion towards at the exact sa ti.

Those two who love so deeply, which one should I hurt? Which one could I heartlessly hurt? Zhuo-gēgē, who waited for for eight years? Or Gui, who sacrificed even his dignity for ? The answer was difficult, so difficult!

Stepping out of the restaurant and walking on the streets of my own city, I was suddenly reminded of a conversation I had with my brother in the online ga The World that we used to play.

“Aiyo, why do others have money, land and fa but we don’t have any no matter how hard we train?” After grinding an endless amount of incoming monsters, I could not help but complain.

Shielding from the front, my bratty little brother rolled his eyes. “You call that training hard? You don’t know just how much effort people might have to put in before they manage to pull it off!”

“Are you sure? They might have just bought all of it with money,” I answered in disdain.

“Right, stop envying others already. Owning a city is not necessarily a good thing. Why don’t you think of the responsibilities they have to shoulder?” Wu Qing actually replied in a happy-go-lucky way.

“What responsibilities? You an the responsibility of lying down and collecting rent?” I could not help but retort.

Wu Qing looked as though he was teaching a hopeless child. “Sis, you just don’t understand. My friend has a city. Every day, he worries about losing the city, about loss and debts, about tension among his companions, and about the people who don’t accept him and want to usurp his throne. Also, once you own a castle, you must have a second, and a third... Finally, you won’t be happy until you dominate the whole ga, and that is a very heavy responsibility.”

I replied thoughtlessly. “I don’t want a second castle, I just want one. Why is it a must to dominate the whole ga?”

As he was almost sliced apart by the monsters, Wu Qing dared not continue the debate. He only mumbled one last thing in return—words that I did not to take to heart at that ti but which were now clear as day to . “There are so situations that leave you with no choice. Only the people who have not walked the sa path can speak so lightly.”

“Indeed only the people who have not walked the sa path can speak so lightly!” I closed my eyes, allowing the tears to trickle from the corner of my eyes.

“Prince-gēgē...” Doll’s hesitant voice reached my ears.

Not wanting to let the young Doll see like this, I did not turn to face her. “I’m alright. I just want to be alone for a mont. You don’t have to worry about , Doll.”

“Prince-gēgē, can Doll take a walk with you?”

“I want to be alone for the mont...” I relentlessly rejected.

Instead, Doll stepped forward and grasped my hand, and using a quiet tone which I had never thought would co from her, she said, “Don’t dwell on it alone, you will only be going on a wild goose chase. At least let accompany you. I think I can understand your pain: the pain of a ruler.”

I first stared, followed with an unbelieving, bitter smile. “How could you understand?”

“How could a real life princess not understand?” Hearing that remark, I turned to Doll in shock, and was t with her regal expression, which exuded elegance. She smiled lightly as she said, “Let take a walk with you now, you will feel better about being a ruler.”

I will feel better about being a ruler? A princess is telling that I will feel better about having the identity of a king? Before today, I would definitely have said that this would never happen, but now... I could only smile bitterly. “There’s no way I could feel better as a ruler; I have... entered a quagmire. I cannot advance, nor can I turn back!”

”That’s because you’re focusing only on the pain of advancing or the pain of withdrawing, and forgetting the joy that can be had in both choices,” Doll replied. She spoke in a resolute manner, and yet her words felt vague to . “Nevertheless, let’s just take a walk. There will always be a way, as long as you don’t stay in a corner and simply brood over things.” Doll strongly pushed from the back, and in the blink of an eye, we had reached the city gates.

“Where are we going?” I asked in astonishnt.

“The sky is endless, the world is vast; we can go anywhere we want!”

anwhile, in Infinite Restaurant...

Cold Fox asked coolly, “What happened?”

“Sothing that does not concern us.” Kenshin drank his tea with indifference. Human emotions were far too complex; it was not sothing he would understand.

“It’s not entirely unrelated to us,” Cold Fox sighed.

“Even though he is our Liege Lord, we have no need to care for his private matters,” Kenshin ruthlessly replied.

“No, it does concern us.” Cold Fox frowned as he looked at the table full of food and wine. “We have to pay for his bill.”

“...”

Footnotes

Taking advantage of : In Chinese this phrase was this phrase was 吃豆腐 (chī dòu fǔ), lit. “eat tofu”. This phrase is said to co from this: In olden tis, Tofu shops are usually opened by married couples. The husband would make the tofu at night and the wife would sell them during the day. As they frequently eat tofu, their skins are naturally soft and smooth. This attracts lots of custors (mainly males, considering that the wife is doing business during the day), and the males would use the term ‘eat tofu’ as an euphemism for going to the tofu shop and flirting with the Tofu Shop wife. Hence, jealous wives usually reprimand their husbands with “Did you eat tofu today again?” Now, it’s used to describe perverted males or, well, males who want to take advantage of females.