Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 184: Reneal Theon Octavian Ainsworth

On the first floor of the Crownspire Tower, the main lobby exuded a warm, hospitable atmosphere, but Daisuke paid it no mind. His focus was entirely on Reneal Theon Octavian Ainsworth, Lumielle's older brother, all while deliberately ignoring the piercing glare of Captain Hynes Primrose. The man's gaze suggested he saw the princess's honored guest as nothing more than a dangerous pest about to bring calamity upon them all.

Daisuke sighed inwardly. Oh great, not this guy again. He stifled his annoyance and refocused on the boy in front of him. Jesus, take the wheel.

Prince Reneal's posture was unremarkable at best—his shoulders slouched in a way that undermined his position as the first born, the one with the most obvious claim to the throne. He could barely meet Daisuke's gaze, his lack of confidence painfully apparent.

"I-It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Everwinter," he greeted softly, his hand instinctively moving to the back of his neck as he lowered his head in a timid bow.

"Reneal, you only bow your head to the king, remember?" Lumielle whispered chidingly.

"R-Right," the boy responded sheepishly.

"And just Sophia is fine, Your Highness," Daisuke added.

"I-In that case, please feel free to call me Reneal," he offered, his smile a little strained. "The city may not be at its finest right now, but I truly hope you'll still find some enjoyment during your stay."

Daisuke gracefully cupped his dress and performed a curtsy. "Thank you."

The princess leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I assume you're aware that honorifics are only to be disregarded in private settings?" she murmured.

"Unless, of course, you fancy a trip to the gallows," Lyndoria added with a chilling tone.

Daisuke cringed.

Stynx leaned against a distant column, hands casually tucked into his pockets, his expression as unreadable as stone. While Reneal's slumped posture and lack of confidence were unbecoming of a prince, he still carried a faint aura of nobility. But his brother, Stynx—well, his presence was different. He exuded the hardened air of someone forged in the streets, a man who had survived the harshest trials and emerged more dangerous for it.

His eyes skimmed over Daisuke and the others, his gaze barely registering them. But when he looked at Lumielle, there was a flicker of something darker, something predatory.

Without a word, he flicked his cape over his shoulder and turned, his stride filled with quiet confidence as he made his way toward the building's main entrance.

"Again, it was a pleasure meeting you, Sophia," Reneal said, his tone dismissive as he turned toward the front doors, a familiar feline slinking quietly into his shadow. "Th-Thank you for being a loyal friend of my sister. I'm sure our paths will cross again."

With a polite bow, his attendant followed suit, their footsteps fading as they exited the room.

Captain Hynes marched forward, his movements sharp and tense, like a predator closing in on its prey. "Princess Lumielle!" he barked, his voice seething with indignation. "I cannot, in good conscience, support this!"

With a low, almost feral snarl, his attention snapped to Sophia Everwinter—a childhood friend who Princess Lumielle supposedly had been keeping in touch with via letters for the past several years. It was bad enough that Lyndoria, favored by fortune, was always by the goddess's side. But now, this illiterate, uncultured country woman had arrived uninvited, eager to claim the small measure of attention he had managed to capture. No, this was an affront he could not allow to go unchallenged.