The Invisible Prince

Chapter 5 - Birthday (Part 5)

Arien and Arjen's POV-

The moment Arien and Arjen entered the room, they heard a door slam several doors down. Arden's room.

Arien immediately panicked, thinking Arden would be hurt by Rurahel. She was debating whether or not they should charge into Arden's room and protect their youngest. When she was about to make her decision, Arjen grabbed her hands.

"Rurahel coddles Arden. He will not be hurt", he reminds her.

Arien took a breath, feeling slightly more at ease after remembering this. However, this sense of relief was short-lived. She heard a small cough, followed by rapid footsteps approaching their room.

Arjen urgently grabbed his sister's hand and they hid in the hidden compartment behind the painting. As they sat with their arms wrapped around their knees, they began to talk telepathically.

'Looks like we'll be able to eat lunch today.'

'You're right...'

There are a few abilities they gained when they were reborn, and one of them is telepathy.

As long as they are within each other's sight, they can communicate through their minds.

Thanks to this ability, they've been able to hide or run away...from her. Their biological mother.

The door slammed open, and a crazed voice screamed out.

"WHERE ARE YOU TWO?!"

The servants behind did nothing to protect the two children, and only complained about the scent of alcohol.

"Lady Rurahel, nobody is here. Now please, come this way!"

Their mother was guided away by their servants.

Once they were sure the woman would not return, Arien and Arjen jumped out of their hiding spot behind the painting.

"She's back early", Arjen said.

Arien nodded before flopping onto Arjen's blanket on the bed.

"Haaa~ I'm exhausted..."

Arjen let out a shocked gasp before exclaiming, "That's my blanket!!!"

Arien paid him no mind and remained on the bed while hugging Arjen's blanket. After a brief moment, Arien raised a plausible concern.

"But...When we grow older, we won't be able to fit in there."

Arjen jumped onto the bed.

"Won't we be able to stand up for ourselves once we get a little bit older?"

"...You think?"

"Probably..."

They didn't have time to talk more before they were interrupted by the sound of a door slamming open. It was dangerously close.

"I knew it. You were here all along."

The crazed woman at the door ran toward them with a strange smile.

"MY BABIES!!"

"Mommy has been looking for you~!"

The servants at the door only closed the door, ignoring the two children who were holding onto each other for comfort.

How on earth...can they turn their back on children getting abused despite having witnessed it?

Rurahel grabbed a vase and threw it next to Arien, causing the girl to collapse.

"That vase...was a horrible color. Mommy will replace it with a better one."

She grabbed Arjen's shoulder.

"My child, why won't you answer?"

"Why? Even you too...His majesty abandoned me...and now even you..."

Arien and Arjen attempted to flee at this moment, but the woman noticed.

"WHERE ARE YOU RUNNING OFF TO?!"

She slapped Arien's face.

'At least...her nails are shorter than usual...and she's not wearing a ring..."

With a huff, Rurahel turned around and walked out the door, leaving the two children inside.

'Ah. I'm bleeding...But still, I'm...glad she only slapped me once. Though I can't believe I'm glad about that on my birthday..."

Arjen kneeled down in front of her with a concerned expression.

"Are you alright? You're bleeding..."

The girl in question smiled sadly.

"Yeah...I'm okay. This is nothing...We can heal from this kind of thing right away."

Speedy recovery was one of the royal abilities they gained when they came to this world. Thanks to this ability, even if Rurahel hit them, it never left any serious wounds.

"See? The scrape on my leg has healed too."

Her brother was silent.

"...Arien, I'm asking if you're really okay."

Arien's eyes began to tear up.

"No, I'm not okay."

Her brother touched her head with his.

"Yeah...Me either."

[610 words]