The King let out a long sigh and slumped back onto his throne, rubbing his temples in frustration.
"I raised him wrong…" he muttered, shaking his head. "And now he's running around, sleeping with random women across the kingdom for his own pleasure. What a disgrace..."
Shahira and Amina exchanged knowing glances, stifling their laughter.
After a moment, the King turned his gaze to Ryo, curiosity replacing his disappointment. "Tell me, Detective… how were you able to notice all that about Jamil so quickly?"
Ryo smirked, crossing his arms confidently. "Well, I've dealt with plenty of infidelity cases before. And let me tell you—" he pointed a finger upward, as if delivering a great truth, "it always starts with untidy clothes when someone comes home from a very hot night out."
The King burst into laughter, his deep voice booming through the hall.
"HAHAHAHA! That's impressive, Mr. Detective!"
Still chuckling, the King's expression suddenly shifted into something more... mischievous. His eyes flickered toward Amina.
"Amina!" he called out.
Amina immediately stepped in and straightened up. "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Prepare me the finest sandals possible."
Amina's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly composed herself. "Understood, Your Majesty."
Ryo blinked. "...Sandals?"
Shahira giggled, covering her mouth. "Oh, looks like Father is about to discipline big brother Jamil."
Ryo tilted his head. "With... sandals?"
The King, still grinning, leaned forward slightly. "It is our tradition to discipline our children with sandals whenever they stray too far from the right path."
Shahira nodded solemnly. "Yup. It's quite the traumatic experience… even I had it when I was young for acting out."
Amina let out a small chuckle, whispering conspiratorially, "Looks like Prince Jamil's butt is about to get very sore tomorrow morning."
Ryo laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "I-I see… ha...ha...ha..."
But in his mind, he was already offering silent prayers for the fallen prince.
"Sorry, Prince... I hope your butt survives the torture..."
Ryo, still a bit puzzled, rubbed his chin. "But, Your Majesty, why did you suddenly entrust me with investigating the Celestial Compass? Just because of that?"
The King leaned back on his throne, a knowing smile forming on his lips. "It's because… you remind me of a certain old hero."*
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Hero?"
The King nodded, his gaze distant as if recalling a long-lost memory. "A man who displayed unwavering confidence in the face of adversity… He once saved something very precious. And you, Ryo—" he pointed at him with an approving nod, "you showed me that same confidence when you exposed my son's disgraceful actions. Even though Jamil belittled you, you didn't cower. You stood your ground and proved your worth. That is the mark of someone who does not falter in the face of doubt."
Ryo let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing his temple. "Oh, come on, Your Highness… Like I said, I didn't do much! Hahaha…"
Shahira, who had been watching him intently, smirked. She leaned in slightly, her eyes gleaming with amusement—and something else.
"But you looked soooo cool doing it..., you should be proud of yourself" she teased, her voice dripping with playful admiration.
Ryo blinked, suddenly flustered. "Oh uh... yeah, thanks…" He quickly looked away, scratching his cheek, trying (and failing) to ignore the smug expression on Shahira's face.
Ryo's expression turned serious as he leaned slightly forward.
"Your Majesty, can you tell me about the ancient Jinn who created the Celestial Compass?"
The moment he asked, the air in the room changed. The lively atmosphere vanished, replaced by an eerie silence. Even the servants and guards standing at the edges of the throne hall stiffened.
Ryo blinked, confused. "Uh… guys? What's wrong?"
The King sighed deeply before speaking. "The Jinn is a... sensitive topic. Many in my kingdom fear even speaking its name."
Ryo gulped. "Oh… I, uh… I'm sorry."
King Malik let out a soft chuckle. "Hahaha, it's fine. But since you're leading this investigation, I suppose you should know the truth. However, before I can explain the Jinn, I must first give you a history lesson… on how this kingdom came to be."
Ryo groaned internally. "Great… I'm about to get schooled."
Shahira giggled beside him, clearly enjoying his reaction.
The King straightened his posture and began.
"It all started in the 5th century, in a time when the desert was a ruthless, lawless place. Amidst the chaos, there was a man—Malakar Rami. He was a man of great knowledge and an even greater heart. He saw the suffering of the people—those who were starving, homeless, and left to die in the cruel sands. And so, he built a small oasis town, a haven for the lost and desperate. He shared his wisdom, taught them how to cultivate the land, and lifted them out of poverty. Through sheer will, his town thrived, and the people made him their leader."
"One day, Malakar found a man collapsed in the desert, dehydrated and near death. Without hesitation, he brought him to the oasis, fed him, and nursed him back to health. That man's name was Amir Murad. Overwhelmed by Malakar's kindness, Amir swore loyalty to him and became his right-hand man. He protected the town from raiders and invaders, and together, they built something even greater—a kingdom. They named it Al-Qamar—the Moonlit Kingdom. And Malakar, the man who had once been just a humble scholar, became its first King."
"For years, Malakar and Amir stood side by side, fighting to keep their home safe. But as their kingdom flourished, so too did Amir's envy. He watched as Malakar was praised, as people adored him, while he was always seen as the second-in-command. That jealousy festered into hatred. And eventually... he betrayed the very man he once swore to protect."
"Amir plotted in secret. He spread false rumors, whispered lies into the ears of nobles and officials. He framed Malakar for breaking a peace treaty with a neighboring country, igniting a war. And in front of the very people who once adored him, Malakar was branded a traitor. The people turned against him. His own kingdom spat upon his name. No matter how much he pleaded, no matter how much he tried to prove his innocence—Amir always had a way to twist the truth against him. In the end, Malakar was exiled—banished from the kingdom he built with his own hands."
"Malakar wandered the desert, consumed by rage and despair. The betrayal had shattered him. The friend he once trusted had stolen everything from him. He was no longer the kind-hearted scholar—no longer the wise ruler. His heart darkened. He wanted vengeance."
"And so, he gathered those who were like him—exiled criminals, deserters, mercenaries. People who had nothing to lose. He forged them into a clan known as Alghurab—The Ravens. Together, they swore one purpose: to reclaim Al-Qamar and burn it to the ground."
"One fateful night, cloaked in black, the Ravens infiltrated the kingdom. They struck like shadows in the dark, slaughtering guards, storming the palace. Amir, the so-called 'beloved king', was dragged into the streets. And there, in front of the entire kingdom, Malakar executed him—a warning to all that betrayal would be paid in blood."
"But Malakar did not stop there. He ruled through fear, enslaving his people, turning them into pawns for his twisted revenge. He studied dark magic, using illusions to deceive and manipulate, and curses to strike down his enemies. His rule lasted two decades. A reign of terror… until one man finally stood against him."
"That man was Zayd Al-Munir—my ancestor. He gathered rebels, those who still had hope, and led an uprising. For years, they fought against Malakar's forces, a war that seemed endless. But Malakar was no ordinary man anymore—he had become something more. Something inhuman."
"In his desperation, Malakar sought an even greater power. One night, he performed an ancient dark ritual and summoned a being beyond mortal comprehension—an ancient Jinn. Malakar begged it for the power to destroy Zayd and his rebellion, and even the kingdom itself. The Jinn, amused by his foolishness, gave him an artifact—a mysterious compass, known as the Celestial Compass. It was no ordinary compass, a strange navigating tool. The Jinn whispered to him… 'Follow where the needle leads, and you shall find the gate to an abyss filled with dark spirits. Open it, and you shall wield an unstoppable army.'
"Malakar followed the compass deep into the desert. He found the gate—but before he could open it, Zayd was there, he tracked Malakar's suspicious movement without his knowledge. They clashed in a final battle. In the end, Malakar fell, slain by Zayd's blade before he could unleash the darkness beyond that gate. With Malakar dead, the war was over."
"But Zayd, knowing the danger, feared that one day, another fool would try to finish what Malakar started. So he took the Celestial Compass and locked it away in a hidden vault, never to be found again. The gate's location was erased from history, and to this day, no one knows where it is."
"With Malakar's reign over, Zayd became the new ruler. To symbolize a new beginning, he renamed the kingdom to Al-Munira—The Kingdom of Light. Under his rule, Al-Munira flourished. And so did his descendants, ensuring the kingdom remained prosperous, powerful, and hidden from the world… until now."
Back to the Present
Ryo stood there, his eyes wide, his brain overloaded. His jaw nearly hit the floor.
"HOLY COW! THAT'S ONE HECK OF A FREAKIN DESERT FANTASY-LIKE BACKSTORY YOU'D SEE IN MOVIES!!"
The King burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! You sure do make funny faces, Mr. Detective!"
Shahira, grinning from ear to ear, leaned close to Ryo and teased, "Still think this is just a simple missing artifact case?"
Ryo, still in shock, wiped his forehead. "I think I need a drink..."
Ryo suddenly snapped his fingers, as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head.
"Wait a minute… I heard that the compass needs to be activated for the needle to point towards the gate. So how did Malakar get it to work in the first place?"
The King's expression darkened as he lowered his gaze.
"That... is an unsolved mystery."
Ryo blinked. "Huh?"
King Malik sighed. "There are no records of how Malakar activated it. No one knows the secret behind its power. And that's exactly what we fear… if the thief who stole the compass figures it out, they might have already activated the needle's movement."
Then, the King straightened up, looking directly at Ryo with a solemn expression. "This is why I'm counting on you, Mr. Detective. To solve this unanswered mystery, retrieve the compass, and prevent a catastrophe from ever happening."
Ryo's eye twitched. He deadpanned, staring blankly at the King before muttering sarcastically—
"Yeah... okay, that sounds like it's gonna be a lot of fun."
Shahira burst into laughter, covering her mouth as she giggled uncontrollably. Even Amina cracked a small smile.
Ryo let out a long, exaggerated sigh. "Man, I thought I was just gonna track down a stolen object, not save the entire kingdom from doom. No pressure at all, right?"
Still chuckling, Shahira patted his shoulder. "You'll be fine, Mr. Detective. I believe in you."
Ryo sighed again. "That makes one of us."
Trying to get back on track, he rubbed his temples and asked, "Alright, Your Highness. If I'm going to investigate, I need to know where the vault is."
The King gave him a calm but firm answer. "It's deep beneath my palace... in a dungeon that is unreachable to any living being."
Ryo's eyes widened. He slowly turned his head to the King, his expression one of pure dread.
"...Did you just say… dungeon?"
The King nodded.
Ryo's face paled, and sarcastically…. "I really hope I don't suddenly run into goblins down there!"
At that, Shahira completely lost it. She clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she nearly fell over. Amina turned away to stifle her laughter, and even the King chuckled.
Ryo, crossing his arms, sighed dramatically. "Detective Ryo Kuroda: solving crimes and fighting dungeon monsters since… today."
The king reassured him.
"Don't worry, Mr. Detective, we have a secret elevator specifically for our Royal family and guards to use to get to the vault room much quicker."
Ryo let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God I don't have to go dragon hunting just to reach the vault room…!"
Shahira chuckled. "Don't worry, Ryo, we don't have such monsters around here."
Ryo deadpanned as he glanced at Shahira. "Right… because an ancient evil jinn totally doesn't count."
Then, Amina stepped forward with a sudden urgency. "Your Majesty!"
"Yes, Amina?" the King inquired.
"It's about the finest sandals…"
The King perked up. "Oh? Have they been prepared?"
Amina nodded and glanced toward the far end of the throne hall. "They've been here the whole time."
Everyone turned their heads toward the edge of the hall, and there, sitting elegantly on a grand chair with a table before her, was a breathtakingly beautiful woman, sipping tea with the grace of royalty.
She had golden, bronze skin, large dark eyes, long flowing black hair adorned with gold clips shaped like stars and moons, rosy lips, and a delicate nose. Her majestic silk gown shimmered with regal elegance.
Ryo blinked. Then he turned to look at Shahira. Then back at the woman. Then back at Shahira. His eyes narrowed in curiosity.
"That beautiful lady… she looks like you, slightly older."
Shahira immediately flustered, her face turning red as she covered it with her hands in embarrassment.
Ryo tilted his head, still confused. "Uh… Sha? What's wrong?"
The elegant lady set down her tea and looked at Ryo with utmost poise.
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Ryo stepped forward. "Ma'am, apologies for asking, but… are you Shahira's older sister?"
The entire room fell into dead silence.
Everyone turned to Ryo, their eyes wide in disbelief. The King, however, looked utterly amazed and… proud?
The woman suddenly let out an amused, noble laugh. "Ohohohohohoho!"
Ryo, now slightly thrown off, muttered under his breath, "What's with that noblewoman laugh…?"
The lady smiled at him warmly. "My, my, young man, you certainly have good eyes. Thank you for the compliment."
Ryo blinked again. "Young man?"
Shahira, still covering her face, groaned in embarrassment before dropping the bombshell. "That beautiful lady… is actually… my mother. My father's wife. Zafira Al-Munir. The Sultana. The Queen of this Kingdom."
Ryo's entire world tilted. His jaw dropped, eyes bulging in disbelief. "HUHHHHHH!?!? THE QUEEN!?!? BUT SHE LOOKS SO YOUNG!!!"
He immediately dropped into a panicked bow. "I'M SO SORRY FOR MY RUDENESS, YOUR MAJESTY!"
The Queen simply giggled. "Ohohoho, there's nothing to apologize for. Being mistaken as my daughter's older sister is a wonderful compliment to an old woman like me."
Ryo's brain went into overdrive. "Old woman? OLD? Where?! HOW?!"
The Queen leaned in with an amused smile. "Tell me, how old did you think I was?"
Ryo, still in shock, blurted, "Not even over thirty, ma'am!!!"
The King suddenly walked down from his throne, approached Ryo, and clamped a hand onto his shoulder, grinning. "Just for complimenting my wife, I'll give you a 50% upfront payment of $50,000."
Ryo, still in stunned mode, stammered, "Wait… Your Majesty, that much is—"
The Queen pouted slightly. "Come now, dear, he should at least get $70,000 for seeing the young beauty in me."
The King nodded solemnly. "You're right, my love. Apologies for the small amount, Mr. Detective."
Ryo's brain malfunctioned. "S-Small amount…? That's not exactly small, is it? AND IT WENT HIGHER?!?"
Before he could protest, the King took out his golden smartphone and forcefully transferred the money into Ryo's bank account.
The King grinned. "THERE WE GO! HAHAHA! NO TAKE-BACKS! Consider it the fee for complimenting my beautiful wife!"
Ryo stared at his phone, his account now significantly fatter. "Holy… I can live off this for a while…"
Meanwhile, Amina gracefully approached the Queen. "May I, my Queen?"
The Queen lifted her right leg, and Amina, with elegance, removed the Queen's ridiculously beautiful sandals and walked over to the King, kneeling as she presented them like a sacred artifact. The King took them with the reverence of receiving a legendary weapon. The Queen, in turn, kicked up her left foot, her remaining sandal flipping into the air, spinning dramatically before she caught it with effortless grace.
Both the King and Queen smirked mischievously at each other.
Ryo's eyes darted back and forth. "Uh… what are they doing?"
He turned to Shahira, who was visibly trembling, breaking into a cold sweat. She looked like she was reliving a childhood nightmare.
Then the King and Queen smacked their sandals against their palms with the air of warriors preparing for battle.
The King grinned. "Now then, sweetheart, shall we go to Jamil's room?"
The Queen matched his grin. "Ah yes, darling, it's been a while, hasn't it?"
The King swung his sandal through the air. "Indeed, my love. Remember when we used to play tennis and whack-a-mole?"
The Queen playfully spun her sandal. "Oh, and our honeymoon at the beach, I threw my sandal like a boomerang towards the ocean and it actually came back to me! Ohohoho!"
Amina giggled knowing the chaos that's about to happen, while Shahira remained frozen in fear.
Then, with a slow and dramatic march, the King and Queen made their way toward the exit.
The King glanced back. "Oh, Mr. Detective, Amina and Shahira will guide you to the vault room. Good luck with your investigation!"
He then continues to march towards the exit laughing loudly. "HAHA! Jamil's gonna love this!"
The Queen added cheerfully, "Yes, darling! We'll have so much fun playing tennis, whack-a-mole, and boomerang with him!"
And with that, they exited, sandals of destruction in hand.
Ryo, staring at the door, whispered in horror, "Prince… may you rest in peace…"