"Aren, I need your help," said the prince, his voice a mix of urgency and desperation.
Aren looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I think you're still unwell, Your Highness... You should be resting in bed right now. You know, while we're dealing with the usual nuisances, I assumed you might be remembering something important."
The young prince shot him an annoyed glance, clearly irked. "What do you mean, 'unwell'? Aren, what are you even talking about?"
Aren fell silent at the prince's words, realizing he had just said something wrong.
Meanwhile, Min Khant Thu Ya, the prince, turned toward the servant and spoke. "Forget it... I can't keep calling you 'servant,' it's uncomfortable. What's your name?"
"My name is Anna, sir," the servant replied politely.
"Right. Anna, can you fetch me any books or magical manuscripts related to warding off curses and other related methods?" Min Khant Thu Ya requested.
"Of course. I'll fetch them for you, sir," Anna said before leaving.
As soon as she was gone, Min Khant Thu Ya turned back to Aren, his face serious. "Aren... my memory might be a bit fuzzy, but it's not all gone. I'm not asking you to fetch me food and wine, I need something else."
Aren looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, Your Highness... My duty is to protect you, not to serve you like a personal waiter."
(Seriously, this guy is more stubborn than even my crush. We don't even have a good relationship in this world. What should I do...) Min Khant Thu Ya thought for a moment, then a plan formed in his mind.
"Fine then... If you help me, I'll return the favor and assist you with your personal problems," he said, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
Aren looked confused. "How do you know about my... personal problems?" He raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "You've been without memory for a while now."
Min Khant Thu Ya smiled. "I've been slowly remembering things over the past week. I've been keeping an eye on you from my door... I saw the signs on your hand. It was a good clue."
Aren was taken aback, then just accepted it, though with a hint of reluctance. (I swear, this guy's pulling tricks on me... I've read enough novels to know how this works. And yet, I can't help but get involved...)
"Alright, fine. But let me warn you, this could be dangerous."
The prince grinned. "I'm not afraid of danger. I'll be the one to handle it. I'm sure you'll be fine as long as you follow my lead."
Aren stared at him in disbelief. "Where exactly are we going?"
"We're heading to the Dark Mountains," Min Khant Thu Ya said nonchalantly.
Aren's eyes widened. "Wait, what? The Dark Mountains, full of orcs? Are you insane? Do you realize how dangerous that place is?"
Min Khant Thu Ya chuckled. "Oh, don't worry about it. You're the brave hero, right? Or are you afraid of a few orcs?"
"I'm not afraid of anything, but if we go there, we're going to need a proper army," Aren protested.
Min Khant Thu Ya rolled his eyes. "Well, if you want to stay behind and be a coward, go ahead. But I'll go regardless."
Aren sighed, realizing that the prince was serious. "Fine. You go ahead then. But you're on your own if things get bad."
The two of them mounted their horses and set off. As they approached the Dark Mountains, Aren couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. He'd read about this place—legendary for its terrifying orcs and treacherous terrain.
As they rode closer, Min Khant Thu Ya casually remarked, "We've arrived. What do you think, Aren? Looks like the place, doesn't it?"
Aren looked around, taking in the sight of the jagged cliffs and towering trees, the air thick with danger. "Yeah, this definitely looks like a place where orcs would hang out. This is insane."
Min Khant Thu Ya grinned. "Don't worry, we'll be fine. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
The two of them dismounted their horses and cautiously approached the entrance to a cave. They could already hear the sound of orcs murmuring inside.
"We'll go in, talk to their leader, and settle things," Min Khant Thu Ya said with an air of confidence.
Aren didn't share his enthusiasm. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Orcs aren't exactly known for their hospitality."
"Oh, relax. If I can't talk my way out of this, I'll just have to fight my way through," Min Khant Thu Ya replied, his grin widening.
As they stepped into the cave, the massive form of an orc appeared before them. "What do you two humans want in our domain?" the orc growled.
Min Khant Thu Ya smiled. "We're here to meet your leader."
The orc gave them a scrutinizing look before nodding. "Follow me."
They were led deeper into the cave, and soon enough, they found themselves standing before the orc leader, a massive creature covered in scars.
The orc leader eyed them both warily. "Why should I meet with you? What do you offer?"
Min Khant Thu Ya smiled slyly. "We're here to solve your village's water problem."
The orc leader's eyes widened. "How do you know about that?"
"We have our ways," Min Khant Thu Ya replied, his tone still casual. "So, what's the deal? We help you, and you help us."
The orc leader looked between the two humans, clearly intrigued but still skeptical. "If you can really solve our problem, I'll consider it. But if not, I'll have your heads."
"We'll take that chance," Min Khant Thu Ya said confidently.
As the orcs led them further into their domain, Aren couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. "You better know what you're doing, prince."
"I always do," Min Khant Thu Ya replied with a grin, his confidence unwavering.
To be continued...
Chapter 4 Preview:
"Are we really going to trade with orcs? It's almost like a bad joke," Aren muttered as they were led deeper into the orc cave.
"Just wait and see," Min Khant Thu Ya said, his voice filled with mischief.
End of Part 3