Salvation of the Scum Fifth Prince

Deimos would not die, and Atlas would be saved.

Soon, his ties to the princes would be severed, and he could finally escape the life of the original. This is what Soren thought, as he left the clean, comfortable temple air and walked down the steps, not sparing a glance for Celine, who had been watching quietly from afar. No doubt, she was curious in the existence that Soren was — she always enjoyed interesting things, after all.

Or one could say, she had a sixth sense that seemed to know how strong a person was even before seeing their abilities. Celine knew Soren couldn't be messed with, but the faint, unknowing feeling about a mysterious power that surrounded him — she couldn't understand it.

Though she intended to, eventually.

Of course she did. 

But Soren had no way of knowing what she was thinking. 

"Do you intend to head straight back, master?" asked Damien as they turned onto a street far away from where the carriage was located.

Soren continued walking. "I don't."

He figured he had stayed inside for too long, and it would be best to get some fresh air and understand this world while he was in it. Knowledge and experience were two very different things, and Soren preferred the latter.

After some time, he said, "Tell me about the town."

Damien looked at him quietly in thought. The principal town that belonged to the Kingdom — was the Prince finally attempting to understand his people? 

'That's a curious thought.'

"What would you like to know specifically?"

"The people."

In every Kingdom, although the citizens varied in personality and appearance, they could still be grouped together in some form.

“The humans… people of this land are outspoken, although weary to strangers. Often, they become extremely cheerful once getting to know a person, and are well known for their free-spirited ways.” explained Damien in a knowing fashion, as if he were relating his own experiences rather than known information. “At night, it is common for fights to occur, but the citizens tend o do a good job at breaking it up. Most aim to become a knight and serve the Kingdom when they’re older, including many women.”

For women, it was most common to work simple jobs, but in this Kingdom, they were more open to trying new things. Of course, discrimination existed in any land for anybody who was not perfect, but there was more freedom here.

With a King who cared little for gender and appearances, and the First Prince, also the Leader of the knights, who respected strength alone, it was a satisfying land to live in.

“And about this town?" said Soren, after listening, waiting for an answer.

“It is the main town, and the most populated area. It's close to the Death Temple and also close to the Light temple, while not being far from the castle either. When we left the forest, the town we entered is connected to this area as well."

"It's large." remarked Soren.

"It is." agreed Damien, though he had seen far more extraordinary lands.

Neither really knew where to go with the conversation. Damien was an observer, who preferred to listen and then inquire, and Soren was an introvert who didn't do well with people. 

However, they were both blunt and lived without restraint. In that sense, it wasn't awkward, just quiet.

Thus, the silence mattered little.

They continued walking around for a while, with Soren doing the wandering, and Damien correcting his path when he strayed too far. Soren assumed that the teenager probably didn't want to do anything but follow silently, but was forced to speak out or risk getting lost in some unknown place.

"Let's head back." said Soren finally once he had tired of exploring.

He turned a corner to leave before the smell of perfume invaded his nose, and a slender, yet glamorous woman crashed into him. Her lips were painted a deep red, and her hair in voluminous golden curls that had not a single strand of hair out of place.

It seemed that crashing into people had become the new way of meeting others.

The woman stepped back, staring at the bags which now splayed against the dirty rock ground with a horrified look. “My goodness, how dare you!”

Well, the fault wasn't Soren's alone, but the woman who had rushed forward without checking. Thus, Soren didn't feel like following his manners to this rude person who had none. He simply glanced at her through his frosty eyes, then turned to leave.

"Wait a minute! How dare you leave without apologizing!"

Soren squinted. "Did you apologize?"

"Well—"

"Then you want me to apologize, even if you're not?"

It was a ridiculous thing to ask, even if this was a world where nobility and status were more important than anything. It was times like this that Soren almost missed the apocalypse — almost.

“Yes, what else?"

"Why?" asked Soren.

"…what? What do you mean, why? It is proper manners to do so, and don’t you realize who I am?"

Soren considered it, but couldn't remember, and shook his head.

The woman's expression warped even more. "I am Alicia Heringtale! The future bride of Prince Vincent Rosenbaum, and the queen of this kingdom!"

'...he had a fiance?'

Thinking about it, he could vaguely remember mentions of the fiance. But even the original hadn't seen this supposed fiance, much less remembered the details of her.

"I don’t care." stated Soren, honestly.

Alicia fumed, her turquoise eyes livid. "You. Don't. Care?"

"Yeah."

Since when did the business of his brother's finance have anything to do with him? It made little sense, even if he was the original. She could be as annoying as she pleased, and he could ignore her equally so.

The beautiful noble grew more and more angry by the second, her elegant features contorting.

"What's your name?" asked Alicia through gritted teeth, most likely to find a way to punish him. Not that a name would do her any good, considering his identity.

Soren had no reason to lie. "Soren Rosenbaum."

“Ah?"

For a second, she looked surprised and almost scared before she laughed mockingly. "Oh my, it's only you."

"Yeah, it's me."

"How ridiculous." scoffed Alicia, waving a slender, gloved hand. "Ah, my fiance is truly such a dear, it's a pity he has to put up with the likes of you. Although it won't really matter, will it, since we'll rid of you once he's King."

Soren stared at her, before smiling lightly — though his smile was ill-fitted for those cold eyes of his. "If he's the King, it has nothing to do with you?"

"Of course it does—"

"Only if you're Queen."

She swung her hand in the air with a sneer. "I'll be—!"

"Queen?" Soren looked at her expressionlessly. "You won't."

[Vincent Rosenbaum became a Queenless King after the opposition of many. He was a man who didn't have an ounce of love in his body for such affairs, and pursued the throne with his own power and connections, refusing the bonds made from marriage.]

That was a fact Soren knew.

Whether Alicia's identity as Vincent's fiance existed at the moment or not didn't matter.

Because Vincent would not marry such a woman.

Although Soren wasn’t sure if that cold-hearted, frightening person would marry anybody at all.

He could hardly tolerate his younger brother, after all. Why would he dig himself into a deeper pit? For the smart and powerful ally of Raphael, it was an unlikely, if not impossible decision.

"The likes of you dare to—"

"I dare." interrupted Soren again, his smile gone and gaze arrogant. "Do you?"

Slap—!

Alicia huffed, her pretty eyebrows twisting together as her eyes sharpened, and before anybody could blink, a resounding sound filled the air and a trickle of blood spilled down pale cheeks.

The prince didn't even blink, only narrowing his eyes slightly as a slender finger gingerly stretched out towards the cut. He moved his finger, wiping the blood before looking at his now stained hand, before glancing back up at the woman.

Soren…

Was an extremely petty character.

Slap—!

Slap—!

Two deep red flushes bloomed on Alicia's cheeks like a wildfire, painting an odd picture upon her elegant features. Soren had easily swung his hand back and forth twice, making sure to only use an adequate amount of strength — he only gave her what she gave him.

As she stared silently in bewilderment, he flexed his fingers and wiped the blood from earlier on his clothes.

"Prince Soren..." said Alicia after a moment with a trembling voice. "How dare you hit a woman of my stature! Have you no respect?"

"You're not bleeding."

"What?"

"I intended to give you 2 times what you gave me, but out of respect, I did not make you bleed." explained Soren simply, as if it were no big deal. It really wasn’t, not to him, anyway.

She seethed. "No wonder you're such trouble, daring to hit women."

"No wonder Vincent dislikes you, daring to hit royalty." replied Soren smoothly.

"You—!"

"Whether you are a woman or a man, I won’t back down for the sake of politeness. That's stupid, you hit me, I hit you, it's simple."

He stood with no hesitation in his expression, but rather a look of annoyance and sleepiness. With nightmares plaguing him at night, and sensitive instinct, he often appeared tired in front of others — but to Alicia, it was a sign of disrespect. 

Although she had little feelings for the scum fifth prince to begin with, now she truly despised him. 

She was the future Queen! And who was he? Only the disliked, foolish youngest brother of her fiance who she’d rid of once she rose to the top!

However, there was no rational argument to refute him, and certainly not when he said it in such a definite manner.

She gritted her teeth, clenching her hands tightly. It was true that she had been the one to hit him first, but for a man to hit a woman in retaliation... it was unheard of!

But Soren didn't have such an old-fashioned way of thinking.

Even if he had been born during such a time, he would likely have done the same thing.

Manners and politeness? 

It was all nonsense made up by society. To be called out for hitting somebody for no reason was fine, but to be called out for hitting somebody who hit him first because of their gender? He cared little for such matters. It wasn't as if he had no morals, but this was a bit much. 

One shouldn't kill, if they weren't prepared to be killed.

So if they intended violence, they should be prepared to receive it in return.

Life was cruel that way. There were no exceptions to that fact, that it was both unfair and fair at the same time.

"Soren!" called out an angry voice, right on cue. In a story, it would indeed be time for the hero to come and save the damsel in distress — although in this case, the damsel was the hero's brother, and so was the villain.

His blonde hair flowed around him wildly in a rugged look, while his amber eyes gleamed.

Soren turned and acknowledged, "Prince Erlen."

Like a sly fox, Alicia quickly ran behind Erlen's pack with a pitiful expression, tears springing in the corner of her eyes. Soren almost questioned whether the real fox was the quiet teenager behind him, or this very human woman in front of him.

"Your highness, Erlen..." whimpered the woman painfully, as Erlen’s fiery eyes narrowed.

However, contrary to Soren's expectations, he shrugged her off.

"Get off. I'm only showing you around 'cause Vince is busy with Deimos, okay?" scowled the Third Prince as he took a step back. Then he turned back to Soren. "Oi, you. Did you seriously just slap the fiance of your eldest brother?"

Soren tilted his head. "Yeah."

"Tsk. What trouble are you causing here? Didn't Vince warn you not to trouble us anymore?" scolded Erlen, with his brows knitted tightly together. 

Soren blinked. Then, just as he was about to point to his cheek, Damien stepped up.

"Your highness, Prince Erlen."

Erlen's scowl lessened, but he still frowned. "You're his butler, aren't you?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Then tell me what's going on."

Soren looked at him in surprise — although Erlen had jumped to conclusions, he was willing to listen to an explanation? Then he remembered that Erlen didn't like all nobles, but that didn't mean he was a complete idiot.

Well, mostly.

Erlen, who was most sensitive to the arrogance of nobility, would undoubtedly understand Alicia's true character.

Damien, in his typical aloofness, replied calmly. "We bumped into Miss Heringtale earlier, and there seems to be have been a misunderstanding. Perhaps the Miss mistook my Master as a thief and struck his cheek. Thus, is it not fitting for him to retaliate, knowing his temper?"

It was a wise way to word it.

To mistake Soren as a thief in his clothing was ridiculous, but it would mean that Damien did not insult Alicia while also confessing the truth. Not to mention, he even subtly hinted at Soren's temperament, providing a reasonable excuse.

Erlen, and the rest of the Kingdom, knew well of the Fifth Prince's temper.

And for something that could not be prevented, they could only tolerate it.

However, Soren looked at him and said, "As he said. Only, it's not my temper, but reasonable retaliation. If I'm going to be beat up, you cannot expect me to sit still."

"I won't cause you trouble," Excluding the many acts he would take part in the future, but at least, he would not be as foolish as the original had been, "But if I'm hit first, then I will respond."

The Third Prince stared at him with furrowed brows before sighing deeply, and scratching the back of his head. His eyes scanned the wound on Soren’s face, and he turned his head away. “Tsk. Dammit!" He turned to Alicia. "Miss Alicia, I’ll escort you back."

"What?" exclaimed Alicia in frustration. "Did you not see what he did to—"

"Then," started Erlen coldly. "Do you want to pick a fight him?"

"Well, that’s—"

"If you don’t, then let's return now, Miss Alicia. It's getting late."

The woman spun around to glare at Soren again before turning back to Erlen in frustration. For a woman with high pride and arrogance like Alicia, to be treated as such was appalling. However, she was also aware of her standing and did not act up again.

'When I marry the first prince, I'll kick those two out!'

Not that the 'when' would ever happen. But Alicia didn't know that.

Soren watched them leave quietly, thankful that he wouldn't have to deal with any more trouble. While there had been no apology from either, Soren didn't expect one. Erlen despised him greatly, and to receive an apology from him would be unspeakable. In fact, it would creep him out. 

It was never his intention to repair his relationships to that point, after all. 

"Let's go, Damien."

The teenager glanced at the pair walking away, then turned to Soren and nodded. "Are we heading back to the castle, master?"

"No, to the barracks."

"Why?"

"To surprise the First Prince."

"....?" Even Damien, who excelled at understanding emotions and life, felt that his master was a little strange. 

"Well? Let's go."