Karnak, Monarch of Death

The long hallway of the Silver Collar Palace leading to Prince Lloyd’s chambers was in chaos. The soldiers surrounding Prince Alford shouted commands.

“Seize the traitor!”

Alford, encircled but unyielding, shouted back, “How dare you call me a traitor! I am the true king of this land!”

Weapons clashed with a cacophony of metallic screeches as the skirmish erupted.

Clang! Clang!

Alford yelled once more, directing his fury at the soldiers. “Stand down at once! All I want is that frail weakling, Lloyd!”

The captain of the guard, Sir Jeliard, frowned as he observed the scene. Despite the charged atmosphere, the fight itself was oddly restrained. Alford wasn’t aiming to cause lethal injuries but instead seemed to be holding back, maintaining just enough distance to avoid doing serious harm.

It doesn’t seem like he intends to harm the soldiers, Jeliard thought.

It was uncharacteristic of Alford, but then again, everything about this situation was unusual. A prince behaving like a madman wasn’t exactly standard fare. There was no point in questioning why a madman wasn’t acting like his usual self.

The problem was that this restraint on Alford’s part made it difficult for the guards to escalate their own response. As much as Alford was behaving like an enemy, he was still a prince. Using lethal force against him would lead to severe consequences later.

We’ll have to subdue him with minimal injury, Jeliard concluded.

Even as the captain of the guards, causing minor injuries to a prince would require a valid pretext. He needed Alford to act so violently that it would become unavoidable to subdue him without causing harm. And yet, Alford was strangely measured in his attacks.

“Stand down! I don’t want to spill blood! After all, you’ll all be my men soon enough!”

Jeliard found himself baffled by the statement. Since when had he cared about the well-being of soldiers? But as long as Alford continued this way, the guards would have to restrain him without causing harm.

“Prince Alford seems to be in a state of great confusion!” Jeliard shouted to his men. “Capture him carefully and bring him in unharmed!”

The guards closed in cautiously, but despite their numbers, progress was slow. To Jeliard’s surprise, Alford’s swordsmanship was exceptional. He deftly evaded attacks, moving with precision and agility that made it difficult for anyone to close the gap. Even Jeliard, a seasoned knight, found himself impressed.

Was Prince Alford always this skilled with a sword?

Jeliard wasn’t the only one astonished. So was Lloyd, who inhabited Alford’s body.

This body is incredible. It moves so well!

The thought of giving up such a powerful vessel to return to his frail, weak body filled him with dread. But he forced himself to focus.

No matter how good this body is, I can’t afford to die in less than half a year.

Lloyd continued to stall, glancing occasionally toward the far end of the hallway. The agreed-upon time was fast approaching.

Is it not time yet?

Just then, a burst of white light blazed through the corridor, splitting the space between the prince and the guards.

Boom!

It was a powerful magical flash. Jeliard flinched and turned toward the source of the light.

What is this? Could it be reinforcements for the prince?

It was reinforcements, but not for Alford.

“Sir Jeliard!”

Three figures—a burly knight, a striking red-haired woman, and a black-haired mage—rushed down the hallway.

“Who are you?” Jeliard demanded.

The black-haired mage stepped forward.

“We are the King’s Order, sent here on orders of Prince Lloyd. I am Karnak.”

Joining the circle of guards, Karnak handed Jeliard a piece of paper. It was a personal letter from Prince Lloyd, confirming the group’s identity. Jeliard, familiar with the prince’s handwriting, confirmed its authenticity at a glance.

“I see. So the prince had his own plans.”

“We will take charge of subduing Prince Alford.”

Jeliard stepped back immediately. His relief was palpable. He had been struggling to decide on a course of action, and now someone else was assuming responsibility.

“But remember,” Jeliard warned, “no blood is to be spilled.”

“Understood. Sir Serati,” Karnak said, turning to the red-haired woman.

“Yes.”

With a nod, the red-haired beauty stepped forward with her sword drawn. She flicked her wrist, and a crimson glow flowed along the blade, bursting into a dazzling red light.

The soldiers murmured in awe as they watched.

“Ohhh!”

“She’s an aura user!”

Serati moved gracefully, her figure a blur as her sword flashed. Within moments, Prince Alford let out a groan and fell to his knees.

“Urgh! Guhhh!”

Considering the commotion he had caused, it was almost anticlimactic how quickly it ended. Yet, no one found it strange. The outcome was inevitable. No matter how talented Prince Alford was in combat, he couldn’t possibly compete with an aura user.

Karnak pointed a finger at the fallen prince. “Let’s secure him. Hold Person.”

Chains of light wrapped around Alford’s entire body, binding him tightly.

“You dare restrain me?!” Alford struggled and roared, but it was futile.

Watching the restrained prince, Jeliard let out a deep sigh of relief. “Phew, that was close. But what on earth is going on?”

***

Once the chaos had been quelled, Lloyd returned to his chambers in the Silver Collar Palace. Or rather, Alford, in Lloyd’s body, returned to the chambers.

“So, let me get this straight...” he began. “Alford caused a disturbance, was subdued, and is now locked up in the royal palace dungeon?”

The head maid replied respectfully, “Yes, sir. Sir Karnak is keeping watch over him.”

Alford stiffened in alarm.

Karnak? Who is that?

Of course, he couldn’t ask directly.

From her tone, it was clear Lloyd would know, so feigning ignorance would only raise suspicion.

No, that’s not the issue right now.

Realizing something more urgent, Alford quickly asked, “What about the dinner appointment tonight?”

The maid answered as though the matter were obvious. “It’s been canceled, Your Highness. Your safety is the highest priority.”

Until they could fully grasp Prince Alford’s intentions, it was only natural to minimize any unnecessary risks. It was a logical and prudent decision, for Lloyd’s loyal retainers, at least. For Alford, trapped in Lloyd’s body, the news was infuriating.

What the hell is going on?

But there was nothing he could do in this frail, weak body. He was effectively confined to the chambers, left to sit idly on the bed. As time passed, a maid brought him dinner, explaining that a prince mustn’t go hungry. Looking at the meal, Alford ground his teeth.

Damn it! I thought I wouldn’t have to eat this tasteless garbage anymore!

The dishes were meticulously prepared with the healthiest ingredients. But flavor had clearly not been a priority. The food was so bland it made him wonder if even a noble’s dog would turn its nose up at it.

If things had gone as planned, I’d be dining with the king right now...

Grumbling internally, Alford suddenly froze, his expression shifting.

...Dinner?

Dinner was, of course, eaten in the evening. Which meant it was already evening now. And evening typically followed sunset.

Wait... If that’s the case—

Panicking, Alford rushed to the window. Throwing it open, he looked up at the night sky and saw the radiant full moon glowing brightly.

The light of the full moon...

At that moment, everything around him changed.

***

Alford blinked.

“...Huh?”

It was an odd sensation. His body felt wonderfully comfortable yet simultaneously unfamiliar and awkward. The reason became clear almost instantly.

He was lying face down on a cold stone floor, his limbs tightly bound. It was no wonder he felt uncomfortable and restrained. But the familiarity?

This is my body!

Alford scrambled to his feet, looking around the room. Surrounding him were gray stone walls and thick iron bars. He was in the royal palace dungeon.

Why am I here?

Then again, it made perfect sense. Hadn’t they detained Prince Alford for his rampage?

“Lloyd, you bastard!”

It didn’t take much effort to piece together what had happened. After all, this was his own plan being used against him.

I’ve been had!

From beyond the iron bars, Alford sensed a presence.

“Welcome, Prince Alford.”

Standing outside the cell was a black-haired young man draped in a mage’s robe, flanked by a male and female knight.

Glaring at the trio, Alford demanded, “Who are you?”

The young man responded with an unexpected question. “You don’t know me?”

Alford was momentarily dumbfounded.

Of course I don’t know you! Why would I ask if I did?

But despite the absurdity of the response, Alford couldn’t bring himself to sneer. A strange, foreboding chill crawled up his spine. The mage stepped closer, raising a finger as a sharp needle of light began to form at its tip. With a soft smile, his gaze shifted to Alford’s head.

“Well, you’ll never know who I am.”

***

Four days had passed since Alford’s inexplicable rampage. Karnak and his companions found themselves in the library of the Silver Collar Palace, meeting with a young man.

He had pale gray hair, skin almost ashen in tone, and golden-blue eyes that shimmered faintly. His delicate features made him look like a teenage girl at first glance, but he was, in fact, the 20-year-old first prince of the Eustil Kingdom: Lloyd.

Now that the chaos had subsided, Lloyd was able to meet with outsiders again. Varos, watching the prince in his rightful body, wore a sheepish expression.

“Should I say it’s nice to meet you now...?”

Lloyd chuckled lightly.

“This is quite the strange situation, isn’t it?”

For days, they had known each other. Lloyd had even entrusted them with his life, but this was their first meeting face-to-face.

“Allow me to formally greet you in this body.”

Standing from his seat, Prince Lloyd bowed deeply.

“I am deeply grateful. Without your efforts, I cannot imagine how much worse the situation could have become.”

Following etiquette, Karnak returned the gesture with humility.

“I simply did my duty as a noble.”

Lloyd sighed, his expression tinged with regret. “What pains me is that I cannot properly reward you for your efforts. You saved not only me and my father but also this kingdom itself.”

The fact that Lloyd and Alford had swapped bodies was not made public. The matter was too sensitive and carried far-reaching implications. Revealing the truth risked unpredictable political fallout, and discretion was deemed essential. As a result, Karnak’s group received little recognition for their actual role. While they had worked tirelessly to support Lloyd, their official contribution was limited to subduing Alford.

“Think nothing of it, Your Highness,” Karnak replied calmly, seemingly unfazed. “I’m more than satisfied to have dealt with the cultists.”

And he meant it. From the beginning, Karnak’s goal had been to capture high-ranking members of the cult. With Detzras and his associates now dealt with, his mission was complete. His sincerity was unmistakable, and Lloyd could sense it.

This man truly has no greed.

Lloyd knew that the Cult of the Black God would not give up so easily. They had already reached for the life of a royal prince. They would undoubtedly try again.

I can’t let someone like him slip away. I’ll have to consult with Commander Erantel about this later.

As the prince silently mulled over future plans, Varos spoke up. “What will happen to Prince Alford now?”

Lloyd hesitated briefly, then appeared to make a decision.

“This is confidential, but you deserve to know,” he said before continuing in a measured tone. “Alford is dead. He hanged himself. It happened last night.”

His face hardened as he added grimly, “Though it would be more accurate to say he was made to kill himself.”

A royal prince’s death in custody could not simply be brushed aside. Priests were immediately summoned to investigate, and their findings revealed unsettling truths. Hidden traces of forbidden necromancy—Shadow of Doom—had been uncovered.

“Sir Karnak, you were right,” Lloyd said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Necromancers truly are masters at driving people to suicide.”