Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 48: Conflict.

"How have you been?"

Lucien, the second prince of Krivos Kingdom, asked, tilting his head.

"Asher."

Akamir looked at the three sturdy boys standing behind Lucien.

They looked like they would bark if Lucien told them to.

"Who do you want, prince?" Akamir asked, tilting his head.

Lucien turned around. "Follow me quietly."

Akamir stood still for a while before he eventually followed behind him.

"He can kill you," Nayomi said, floating beside him. "Why bother with him anyway?"

"He knows I framed Morris," Akamir whispered. "He may be annoying, but he still is one of the anomalies that I have to look out for."

She quietly nodded without any other word.

Lucien led Akamir through a series of quiet hallways.

The guards behind them moved in perfect sync like dogs on a leash, trained to intimidate.

They eventually reached a private lounge carved into the side of the academy building.

Though still in the first-year building, they were still far away from the class.

No one was present as Lucien walked inside along with his guards.

He sat on a lounge and ordered, "Close the door."

One of the guards did as told.

Akamir stood in front of him, rubbing his neck. "So?"

"I will give you one chance," Lucien said, glaring at him. "Break your engagement with Inara at once."

Akamir blinked, then gave a short, breathy laugh.

"So that’s what this is about?" he said, lowering his hand from his neck.

Lucien didn’t respond.

His jaw was locked, his knuckles pale where they rested on his knee.

"Inara isn’t some pawn you can bargain over," Lucien said coldly. "She doesn’t belong to you."

Akamir tilted his head. "And who does she belong to?"

"Her engagement was fixed with Aure Kingdom’s prince," Lucien barked, glaring at him. "Do you know what your little stunt has done to us?"

"I don’t, prince," Akamir shook his head. "Enlighten me."

"We are on the verge of war."

Lucien’s voice cracked with fury. "This isn’t just a game. The Aure Kingdom sees this as an insult. A spit in their crown. And you—"

He jabbed a finger toward Akamir. "You’ve become the face of that insult."

Akamir’s gaze didn’t flinch.

If anything, he looked mildly amused by his behaviour.

’I can say for certain he had some kind of deal with Aure Kingdom.’

Help in claiming the throne?

Akamir was pretty sure that was the reason.

"I didn’t know the second prince of Krivos cared so deeply about foreign diplomacy,"

he said, holding back his smile. "Or is this about Inara after all?"

Lucien stepped closer.

"You think you’re clever, Akamir. You’re not. You’re just a spoiled noble with too much time and too little restraint."

"I could say the same," Akamir murmured. "But at least I don’t throw tantrums in hidden lounges with lapdogs flanking me."

One of the guards tensed, but Lucien raised a hand to silence him.

"Think of all the lives you are going to ruin because of your stubbornness, Asher."

Lucien said calmly, taking a step closer.

"You know, break this engagement and I will forget everything that happened with Morris."

"Why forget?" Akamir tilted his head. "I want you to always remember it."

He smiled, taking a step closer. "After all, it was us who did it. Together."

Lucien smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "You don’t have any proof, but Asher... I do."

Asher just smiled back.

"I am not going to break the engagement," he said, looking down at him. "Not after kissing those lips of your sister."

Lucien drew in a deep breath before he sighed.

Turning around, he gestured to one of his guards. "Break his arm."

One of the sturdy guys grinned as he walked towards Akamir.

Akamir sighed.

’Here we go again.’

The moment the guard reached for Akamir, he raised his hand, catching the man’s wrist mid-swing.

Without hesitation, he extended the guard’s hand and snapped it down at the elbow joint.

Crack!

"Aahhh!!"

The joint cracked, and the guard cried in pain.

Akamir didn’t stop.

He grabbed the guard’s collar and slammed him down on the table, splintering the wood beneath the weight of his skull.

The impact echoed like a gunshot in the room.

The other two guards took a step forward—but Akamir was faster.

With a kick, he sent the first guard’s limp body skidding across the floor and into the lounge door.

It snapped off its hinges, crashing outward.

Akamir drew in a deep breath as he turned towards Lucien.

"I’m tired of this," he said, cracking his neck. "Wouldn’t it be nice if you were an obedient prince for once?"

Lucien’s expression turned colder as he glared at him.

"What are you planning to do?" Nayomi asked, looking at him.

"Use one of the seven Mimickers to take his place," Akamir muttered. "To end this trouble once and for all."

"That’s stupid," Nayomi said firmly. "You only have six left."

"It’s worth it," he replied, raising his hand into a fighting stance.

Lucien pointed at him. "I gave you a chance. Now die."

Both the guards stepped closer.

"...What’s going on?"

A startled voice stopped all of them in their tracks.

Akamir looked back at the entrance only to find Zaina walking inside the room.

She took in the shattered door, the splintered table, and the moaning guard on the floor.

Her brows furrowed as she looked between Lucien and Akamir.

"What the hell is going on here?" she asked again, her voice sharper now.

’What is she doing here?’

Akamir wondered, tilting his head.

’Wouldn’t Lucien be pissed—.’

His thoughts halted as he looked back at Lucien.

But Lucien wasn’t glaring.

He was staring.

He looked at her... like he fell for her.

"It already started," Nayomi whispered softly. "His obsession with Zaina."

’Ah, right.’

It was supposed to happen at the engagement event, but Lucien never had the chance to meet her.

’So, it was bound to happen, huh?’

Lucien’s lips parted, but no sound came out.

His hands, once clenched with fury, trembled slightly at his sides.

Akamir was greatly annoyed by how he was behaving right now.

"What happened, Asher?" Zaina asked, looking at him with her ember eyes. "Why is the prince—."

"Don’t concern yourself with this," Akamir said, walking towards her. "Let’s go."

"Wait for me." She looked at him, then at Lucien before she quickly followed him.

"Miss—wait!" Lucien’s panicked voice called. "Uh... what’s your name?"

Zaina paused mid-step, her hand already reaching for the broken doorframe.

"...It’s Zaina, Prince Lucien," she replied with a slight bow.

She acted like how any noble would do in front of the prince.

"Are you free?" Lucien asked, taking a step closer. "Would you like to—."

Akamir rolled his eyes and grabbed her wrist. "She is my fiancée."

Zaina allowed herself to be pulled away, but her eyes lingered on Lucien for a second longer.

Lucien opened his mouth, but no words formed.

The burning anger from earlier had shifted—now it was something else.

Something far worse.

Obsession.

And a hatred for Akamir deeper than ever before.

They both quietly walked on the hallway without a word.

"What were you doing there?" Akamir asked, glancing at her.

"Uh, I was trying to find the library," Zaina replied, her voice soft. "But I got... lost."

Nayomi’s gaze lingered on the girl for a long while.

But...

In the end, she kept her words to herself.

Akamir tilted his head. "Do you want to go with the prince?"

"Are you an idiot?" she scoffed. "Nothing good ever comes from getting involved with royals."

"Your father seems to think otherwise," Akamir said with a shrug. "Otherwise, we wouldn’t be engaged."

"Ugh, shut up." She groaned, walking faster to get rid of him.

Akamir didn’t bother following her as he looked around.

There was a gnawing feeling in his mind that was going on for a while.

Like someone was trying to contact him.

Finding himself alone in a corner, Akamir summoned his Crown.

The voices in his head began to become even clearer.

Until he heard it clearly.

"My lord?"

It was the Judge of Apathy’s voice.

’We can even talk with this thing?’

Akamir wondered, finding another feature of the crown.

"What happened and how did you even contact me?"

He asked calmly.

"The company."

She replied grimly, Akamir’s expression harden.

"Someone tried to attack them."