The Next Prince, Chapter 32 pg2
The Next Prince, Chapter 32 pg2
The middle-aged woman's face was filled with worry and anxiety. She probably wouldn't have known about this if Jirat hadn't noticed that Young Prince and Khun Charan had gone out for an unusual walk.
With a status akin to the ruler, she couldn't help but feel uneasy and quite anxious about all the recent unfortunate events in this vicinity.
“It's alright, no one wants such incidents to happen. I understand.” Khanin responded with empathy, although still keeping in mind the recent encounter that he had experienced. His beautiful eyes briefly glanced at the person next to him. Charan remained as silent as an hour ago, when Jirat woke up and ran to greet them at home.
“In this neighborhood, there are many thieves, Your Highness, due to the worsening economy, people have lost their jobs... incidents like this happen every day, but I never thought it would happen to the royal family.” Jirat's father briefly narrated the situation in this area, taking a deep breath, as if blaming himself for letting a royal-descendant man go wherever he pleased.
Even though he knew how important the other party was.
“It's alright. It's not your fault. We also came without prior notice. When incidents like this happen, your side suffers too, so you didn't receive any other customers.” The gentle voice spoke.
“Don't worry, Your-Highness. In fact, some customers have already requested to cancel their reservations because today's weather forecast predicts a storm approaching. They are concerned about the difficulty of leaving the city. As for the customers in this area, we have arranged for someone to deliver their meals directly to their homes, Your-Highness.”
Jirat's words conveyed a message that no one should be troubled by the incident, which reassured Khanin to some extent. The young man's eyes shifted from his parents sitting across him to the dish in front of the person next to him.
Charan's beef noodle soup lacked a little flavor, his handsome face contrasting with the furrowed brows that revealed deep thoughts about today's events.
Discomfort grew greater than before. Part of it was due to blaming oneself for impulsively suggesting going out, not being cautious enough, resulting in a chaotic situation that caused worry not only for the other party but also for others in a wider circle.
“Everyone, don't worry too much about today. The food was delicious. Next time, I'll have Jirat deliver it to the palace. As for the expenses, I'll have my butler contact you. If anything, we should probably retreat for now. We've inconvenienced you enough...” because Charan's expression was seen by Khanin. Therefore, Khanin thought he shouldn't stay here any longer.
The young prince concluded the conversation before reaching out to lightly pat the back of the person sitting next to him under the table, urging Charan to turn around with a small, subtle gesture. He stood up and thanked him politely while others gradually followed suit.
Thank you for the meal. Until next time...”
Phew!
Charan's sentence was interrupted abruptly due to an unforeseen circumstance. Jirat's father suddenly stood up, perhaps not paying attention, causing his thick fingers to accidentally brush against the ceramic glass, knocking it off the table and causing it to shatter on the floor. It seemed that he was deeply thinking about something today.
“Are you okay, Father? Step back, and I'll clean it up.” Retrieving a dustpan and brush, Charan's narrowed gaze showed a hint of worry, while his father got up from the floor. At the same moment, a lightning flash outside the window followed by a thunderclap echoed across the sky.
“It's nothing, I'll clean it up myself. Rest assured and go back. The storm is about to arrive.”
Amidst everyone's shock, Jirat's father crouched down to clean up the broken glass with ease. However, due to the wrinkled forehead, his fingertips accidentally touched the sharp edge, causing a small trickle of blood to seep.
“Father! Does it hurt? Step back, let me handle it.” The owner of the drowsy eyes quickly grabbed the dustpan and brush, but his movement was stopped by a tall, old man's warning gesture.
“It's okay, I'll take care of it myself. You all should go back now. The storm is coming.”
Flash!
It seemed that there was no time left. Khanin sneakily looked out the window, which was now pitch black. Suddenly, it turned into a bloody red that was no different from fresh blood flowing from Jirat's father's finger.
Some droplets of blood fell onto the floor, and it seemed to affect certain individuals, making them feel disoriented...
I'll excuse myself to the restroom, Your-Highness. If you don't mind, please stay here for a moment until the rain stops.” Jirat's voice interrupted the ongoing conversation. Khanin paused but did not provide a clear response yet.
He intended to ask for opinions from those who came together first.
“Thank you.”
The dishes on the dining table were washed, and the broken ceramic shards and blood stains on the floor were cleaned. The sound of the wind merged with the sound of rain outside, resounding clearly in the distance.
Khanin sat gazing at the rain through the window, alternating his gaze with glances at his wristwatch. After a while, he suddenly stood up, disturbed by a brief intrusion of unsettling memories in his thoughts.
“Which way is the restroom, please?”
“The restroom... That way, Your Highness. It's located behind the guest counter. Shall I accompany you?”
“No, it's fine. I'll go myself. You take care of your father's wound.” The reluctant benefactor declined assistance. He paused to express his gratitude before striding away, his long strides echoing through the corridor.
The sound of raindrops pounding against the roof grew intense, creating a silent atmosphere in the hallway that added to the growing unease. He couldn't help but call out the name of the person he was seeking.
“You... Charan.” His furrowed brows reflected concern as their fingertips made contact, sensing an abnormality. He walked briskly down the corridor, while his spirit urged him to quicken his pace.
Time passed.
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