The 14th Prince's Sage

Chapter 19

Doctor Happy looked at him with compassion and silently signaled that she would keep it safe for him until later.

He acknowledged her kindness with a grateful nod.

At first, he believed the One Exit Room would be used for teleportation due to its high mana levels, however, Newcastle led him to what appeared to be a large closet. This space was located on the second floor, in a room that Cielo had never been in before.

“Why are we here?”

He asked, taking in the huge collection of clothes.

Newcastle didn’t reply and wandered off to a corner for a bit, leaving Cielo to explore the garments.

‘I thought men’s fashion was just shirts and pants.’

He was surprised by the stylish male clothing he discovered in the room. The past era is truly remarkable.

“I have only ever worn white clothing…”

Cielo murmured as he observed the beautifully sewn pattern on the sleeves of a blue flowery shirt.

In his previous life, he spent most of his time in the hospital, so he only had white blouses and pants or white gowns, all supplied by the hospital.

After waking up in this world, Alistair provided him with a simple button-up shirt, black trousers, and black shoes. This was the first time he encountered different styles of clothing.

As he reached for a nearby coat, Newcastle came in with clothes that looked like rags. He handed them over, and Cielo quickly understood he needed to wear these to match his role.

“Take it.”

Cielo slowly reached for the clothes and awkwardly held them in his arms.

“…I guess I have to wear this?”

Newcastle nodded in confirmation.

It’s not too bad and has no smell, but it looks quite dirty and doesn’t cover his whole body well. Is it safe to wear?

“It’s made to look like rags. Don’t worry, the stain is intentional, not real dirt.”

“That’s not the issue…”

‘There were clothes I couldn’t wear before.’

Because of his skin condition, he cannot wear revealing clothing when exposed to sunlight. His skin suffers considerable discomfort, ranging from mild itching to intense burning, which requires him to remain fully covered at all times.

He hasn’t tried sunbathing yet to see if his condition has genuinely improved, and to be honest, he would prefer to avoid it. Even though Dr. Happy has assured him of his complete recovery, Cielo still feels uncertain.

‘I have lived in fear for a long time.’

He can’t simply shake off his anxiety just because he feels better now.

Newcastle tilts his head slightly.

“You seem hesitant to wear just that, so I’ll get you a cloak.”

“Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.”

The old cloak was large enough to cover both his head and body. His silver-white hair was tied back in a ponytail underneath, and he wore a thick brown shawl in case the cloak blew away.

Newcastle reaches out his hand, offering something.

“Does this match your expectations? Does it fulfill your ideal vision?”

“Hm?”

Cielo looks down. Resting on Newcastle’s palm are the sunglasses he asked for, so dark that they completely obscured Newcastle’s hand.

“Yes. They look great.”

He puts them on, a bit worried about his visibility, but thankfully, he can see perfectly well.

They may not be able to see his eyes, but he can still see everything.

“It’s just right.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Alistair made me do it, you know? He threatened to throw me out of the palace again if I didn’t get it right in a month.”

“You created this?”

Cielo asked, surprised.

He thought they had someone else do their work. It turns out, Newcastle had to do it himself.

“I did. Your request was very detailed. We never had tinted glasses before, so I struggled to find the right dye and the right inscriptions to ensure you could still see clearly.”

“You’re quite clever to solve that so quickly.”

He tried to lift his spirits with some compliments, but the man responded with a sharp glare.

“Flattery doesn’t work on me.”

He let out a sigh and gestured for him to take off his clothes.

Cielo looked around and noticed there was no changing room. From Newcastle’s expression, it was evident he wanted him to hurry.

“Right here…”

That feels a bit awkward.

“Both of us are men. In this era, it’s quite normal for servants to assist their masters with changing clothes, even during baths.”

“I’m aware…”

This is a common practice in every historical or fantasy book he had remembered in his previous life. Alistair had personally helped him with dressing and bathing during times when he was unable to do so on his own, attending to his physical needs to ensure he could access the bathroom.

During their conversations, there are also times when the butler must briefly step away to wake, bathe, and dress the 14th prince.

However, Cielo has only changed his clothes in Alistair’s presence. In fact, he had never seen anyone undressed, except for newborns in incubators.

“Yeah, okay…”

He began to awkwardly take off his clothes.

Newcastle appeared to pick up on his discomfort and directed his attention to the empty book he always carried. Cielo was grateful for this.

After changing, he stood in front of a tall mirror that extended to the ceiling. It was quite expansive.

“Do I look like I’m homeless?”

His face and hands were too clean, making it difficult for him to perceive himself as homeless, despite the worn-out clothes.

‘And I smell good too.’

The soap in this world is long-lasting and pleasant to the nose. Cielo is sure it’s expensive and only nobles and wealthy merchants use them.

Newcastle’s lips curled up at his question.

“I’ll just splash some mud water on you later or something and you are good to go.”

Cielo crunches his nose in disgust.

“That’s…”

“Do you have a choice?”

“I don’t think so?”

“End of conversation.”

Cielo clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn’t try to argue anymore. He will never win against these people so why bother?

Newcastle only rolled his eyes at his dramatic reaction before offering his hand.

“Come now.”

Cielo couldn’t help but gulp as he took his hand. He is finally getting out of this place after living in isolation. It’s been so long…

Teleportation fell short of his expectations. It was instantaneous, and he felt nothing throughout the experience. He only realized they had arrived when Newcastle softly encouraged him to open his eyes.

“Welcome! You are now on the outskirts of Guhya City.”

Newcastle declared as he opened his eyes.

“Wow.”

They stood in the middle of a vast field, surrounded by lush greenery. Cielo’s eyes lit up as he took in the view and breathed in the fresh air, a feeling he hadn’t had since he was a child.

“It’s absolutely breathtaking…”

The colors are so vibrant and the place looks lively. It’s a different kind of colorful than the prince’s palace and the word “lively” should never be used in that damn place.

Cielo rubs his eyes.

‘So this is the real world…’

He could see a couple of people around, there were also children playing near the field, but since none of them paid them any attention, Newcastle probably made them invisible.

There are not many houses. It is expected because this is the outskirts of the town. However, from what he observed, the houses here are well-made. Not only that, the people here don’t look poor or hungry.

‘It seems their government is doing a good job.’

Next to the field is a vast forest that he remembers Alistair calling Duncan Forest, with mountains rising in the background. Despite its serene appearance, Cielo can’t shake the thought of potential monsters hiding within.

The overall landscape is breathtaking, just as he had seen online.

“What do you think? Although this is just the outskirts of Guhya City, it is still part of our Empire.”

The librarian asks after giving him a moment to take in the view.

“It’s so… green.”

He replies, feeling overwhelmed and at a loss for words, and that’s all he can manage to say.

Newcastle looks at him in disbelief. He was probably expecting grand compliments about the Empire he is so proud of.

“All of this amazing view only for you to pay attention to the grass? Have you never seen grass before? What kind of world have you lived in?”

Cielo scratches his head.

His surprise is justifiable considering his confinement in both lives, however, why does Newcastle make it sound like he was some game-addicted kid who never touched grass because of playing too many video games?

“That’s not true. We do have grass. It’s just that my illness has prevented me from fully experiencing it throughout my life.”

He clarified.

Although the hospital had a small garden he could visit, once he moved to the rehabilitation center, he was never allowed outside and remained confined within the facility.

If given the chance, Cielo would have chosen to be a farmer, relishing a peaceful life on the outskirts of his hometown. The chaos of city living is not for him.

Newcastle silently observes the Traveler before looking away.

In reality, he chose this spot for their arrival so that Cielo could catch a glimpse of the Empire. Their true destination was deep within the forest, outside the city’s limits, but he hadn’t expected that the poor man had never seen such a vast stretch of grass before.

‘It appears he has never experienced freedom.’

This is likely why that creepy bastard instructed him to keep a close eye on the Traveler. The man might try to escape if given the chance, even though he knows the consequences of breaking the contract. Still, that sense of desperation will ultimately lead to his undoing.

‘I wonder what kind of life he had before this.’

Newcastle never bothered to ask because Cielo never seemed to want to talk about it. If anything, he seems to be trying hard not to think about his old world. It seems as though he wishes to temporarily erase it from his mind.

In any case, Cielo mentioned that he often felt unwell in his. Is there a specific illness or condition involved? Regardless, it’s the same affliction that caused his death in his previous life.

“Hey? Hey!”

The Traveler’s voice snapped him back to reality. The person looked endearing, tilting his head with those large, emerald eyes, seemingly confused by his sudden silence, which was unusual for him.

Newcastle casually slipped his hands into his pockets.

“Are you done?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’d like to explore a bit, but we’re here with a purpose.”

He shrugged.

Cielo did consider slipping away when he noticed Newcastle was distracted but understood it’s futile to run away from an overpowered bastard. He might not be the brightest in the head but he isn’t a complete idiot.

Newcastle stayed silent and looked away.

The silence between them was rather unusual. Just as he was about to speak, Newcastle interrupted the quiet.

“How about I’ll tour you around the Haunted Palace after this?”

“You will?”

Watching his former mentor, he could see that the invitation was genuine.

‘Does he feel remorse that I haven’t had the opportunity to explore the outdoors?’

Although it wasn’t the sympathy he was looking for, it would be foolish to turn down a chance to ease his boredom and satisfy his curiosity.

“Thanks, but could you refresh my memory on what the Haunted Palace is?”

The place doesn’t seem like a good spot for a tour. It’s not that he was scared of ghosts, but they’re not exactly pleasant to encounter. Additionally, a haunted place typically resembles either an old and run-down two-story house or a luxurious but old mansion.

“You don’t know?”

“Should I?”

Newcastle had an odd smile on his face as he answered.

“No spoilers. It’s a surprise.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

The only response he could muster was a groan. Newcastle was the type of person who only spoke when absolutely necessary.

“Let’s get back to work.”

Newcastle reached out his hand again.

Cielo glanced at the dense, towering forest ahead before looking back at his former mentor.

“You will guarantee my safety, right?”

He wasn’t prepared to defend himself. What if they were attacked by monsters while waiting for the prince and his entourage? He would surely be the first to fall.

The librarian looked at him with a puzzled expression, observing the fear clearly visible on his face.

“The forest is completely safe, but sure.”

“If I die, I hope you suffer the same fate.”

We go down with this together.

“Hey now, don’t curse me! That’s not nice."

Ignoring his protests, Cielo took Newcastle’s hand, and they teleported to a different location. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in front of a rundown hut.

“This is where we will wait.”

Newcastle lets go of his hand as he stretches out his arms.

The story begins with the prince sending Newcastle on a preliminary reconnaissance mission. A homeless man, noticing Newcastle’s uniform peeking out from under his cloak, informed him about people involved in selling counterfeit magic books. He revealed two locations where these transactions usually took place and mentioned having spotted a new structure somewhere in the forest.

Newcastle planned to investigate and confirm the area before waiting for the prince, along with the homeless man, at their hidden spot, ensuring that neither would be captured before the prince arrived.

Cielo perched atop the crumbling hut, which creaked under his weight. He took a deep breath, resting his hands on his thighs.

‘I should’ve brought the deserts with me.’

It’s always better to munch something while waiting.

He is both nervous and bored, a dangerous combination if you ask him. If he can’t contain his nerves now, he might follow his instinct and run away from Newcastle.

Not that he has somewhere to run. A little bit of a taste of freedom isn’t so bad before getting trapped in the Imperial Grounds again.

Cielo looked up after hearing a chuckle from above, which came from his former instructor.

“You may not be in action, but you certainly look the part.”

The man was remarking on Cielo’s relaxed stance, which resembled that of an elderly person in a cozy cottage, implying that he might indeed embody the character.

Cielo sighed at the librarian’s teasing comment and took in his surroundings.

Even though it was a fantasy world, the forest seemed surprisingly ordinary. He spotted a few rabbits and birds, but there were no signs of monsters or unusual plants.

‘It feels quite chilly out here.’

This chill was different, stemming from the mana. At that moment, he realized that the forest was surrounded by some kind of barrier, likely the reason no monsters roamed this area.

Newcastle made an unexpected advance, surprising Cielo with his sudden movement.

“They’re getting closer.”

In an instant, a dark cloak completely shrouded Newcastle. He couldn’t help but whistle in amazement.

‘That was really something.’

The charm of magic is undeniably captivating. If only he had such powers too… His fleeting feeling of disillusionment vanished when Newcastle turned to look at him.

“Ah, I missed the last detail.”

Cielo was confused by the man’s words, and before he knew it, he was splashed with muddy water. Almost instantly, a strong gust of wind dried him off.