Royals. (Prince! Komaeda Nagito x Fem! Reader x Prince! Hajime Hinata)

24. Searching For The Lock.

Prince Hajime and I could only stare at each other in shock as we held the book in our hands.

Eventually, the brunette broke out silence. "It appears things have just gotten more interesting."

I couldn't help but crack a smile at his words, trying to remain lighthearted despite the fact our situation had just intensified. The key was small, but not small enough to unlock anything other than a door.

"What purpose do you think it serves?" I asked the prince, hoping to gain some insight from him about it.

"To my knowledge, lady (y/n), all of the keys used to unlock the palace doors are silver," the prince explained, pulling the key out from the book. "I do not believe it looks like a castle key, either."

I could not tear my eyes from the key, observing how the gold seemed to glow under the light of the lantern. I frowned, realizing the key could unlock virtually anything. How would we find it?

"Your majesty, I-is there anywhere on the palace grounds that does not use a silver key?" I questioned, turning my attention to the sparse pile of documents that sat on Prince Nagito's desk. I began to flip through them, but most of them appeared to be rather mundane accounts for some of the castle's expenses.

"I'm not completely sure," the brunette prince admitted. "I am aware that the underground level and the outdoor buildings utilize different lock systems than the rest of the castle..."

I sighed, turning my attention back to him. "Shall we check there first, then?"

"That still leaves us with a multitude of locations to start with," he explained. "There is the stable, the winery, the servant's quarters, the cellar, and..."

The prince hesitated for a moment, causing me to perk up in curiosity. I decided to prod him. "What else?"

"The... dungeon," the prince choked, his face flushing with embarrassment. "I-it's not what you think, I promise! To my knowledge, the palace has not had anyone occupy the dungeon in a number of years..."

"Should we check there first, then?" I offered.

"Are you sure?" The prince replied, a concerned frown on his face. "I would be happy to go and check it by myself, my lady. I do not want you to have to travel to such an uncomfortable location..."

I opened my mouth to contest him, aiming to tell him that a woman should be able to do how she pleases, however, after a moment I realized he was referring to when I was held hostage by Prince Ouma. I frowned as I thought about my time there, dreading the discomfort of being submerged in darkness once again.

"I can handle it," I replied gently, smiling up at him. "If we have that lantern with us, we should be alright. Plus, you will be with me too, so I'm sure it will be alright."

The prince's expression lit up, a tended smoke curling on his face. "I am happy to hear that. Shall we check some of the other locations before we resort that..?"

I stared at him in thought for a moment, mentally surveying our options. The stables and servant's quarters would most likely be fruitless, as I doubted that those buildings could house a location that required its key to be housed with such secrecy. The winery and cellar could potentially serve as locations for the lock, but the size of the key seemed too small to unlock any door we may find in those locations. On top of that, it seemed highly unlikely that there would be a need for secret rooms or doors in either of those locations. However, in the dungeon, on the other hand...

"It will be alright," I assured him. "We should check the dungeon first, and we can always explore the other areas, if needed. Would you mind leading me there?"