Guardians of the Prince - CH 0

Character introductions

Prince – Baby whom Koume met in the other world. Koume gave him the nickname Prince. Thank you for all the different experiences, but…

Kahzapka – Mysterious bird known as the mediator between gods and men.

Koume Hino – Eldest of three sisters, raised the younger two. Gets sucked into another world and decides to help raise the prince.

Morio – A big, mysterious animal that looks like a panda and brings Koume food and supplies.

Lemonina – Lahzt’s teacher, preeminent researcher in the field of Shin seals.

Kahzam – Guard attached to the king’s second queen. Calm and almost entirely unpretentious.

Fatido – The Second Queen’s younger brother, president of a trading firm. Playboy with an animated personality.

Fatido’s underlings – Favoritism and Heresy

Lahzt – Shinoce (Seal mage), also on the Second Queen’s medical team. A sharp mind with an often sarcastic attitude.

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Prologue – Before She Awakens

“”

The curtains had been shut all day, and the room was dark and gloomy.

“Try not to make a sound, if you can help it, please…” a faint voice said, and the door opened without a noise. The curtains must have been drawn in the rest of the building too, because two shadowy figures slipped into the room without a single ray of sunlight shining in from behind them.

One of the figures gasped the moment they saw what was inside.

A massive, transparent globe floated in the center of the room. Ripples and whirlpools swirled along its surface. The entire sphere was made up of faintly glowing water, and floated in midair.

And in the very center of the sphere floated a petite young woman.

The hem of the simple dress she wore billowed out around her knees in rhythm with the currents, winding loosely around the lines of her body.

The slender arms that stretched from the shoulders of her sleeveless dress were outstretched, like she was about to catch something. Black hair long enough to reach under her chin wavered and flickered, occasionally brushing her cheek, but her eyes remained closed.

One of the figures softly removed their hood and let it fall down their back.

Chestnut-colored hair pulled back up from her neck, blue eyes – she was a beautiful, sober-looking woman, but there was a faintly haggard tone to her expression. A hushed whisper slipped from her lips.

“She’s not dead, right? She’s okay?”

“She’s fine,” answered the other, taller, shadow, in a low tone. He lowered his head slightly, but didn’t take his hood down. “Crossing the hollow would have left her weakened at first by the sudden change, but she’s recovered now. Being in the water will let her adjust to the environment, and she’s taking in nutrients.”

“I see… It’s just like floating in your mother’s womb, perhaps… Like this kid.”

Lowering her blue eyes, the woman gently placed her hand on her belly. She was clearly swelling, and it was obvious at a glance that she was carrying a life.

The taller figure spoke quietly. “Perhaps, we could use this woman? What do you think?”

Her pale eyes wavered. She lifted her gaze once more, and drew in a breath.

The woman in the water had opened her eyes, only barely. Her black eyes wobbled in a slow circle like she was dreaming, and her gaze met the other woman’s blue eyes for a just moment… and then closed again.

Blue eyes stared at the woman in the water for a while, but she didn’t open her eyes again, and eventually the blue eyes flashed with determination.

“I’ll entrust the matter to her.”

The taller figure bowed deeply. “As you wish.”