He seemed confused at the look I gave him. Of course he would be! I was staring at him like he was my own child. More than that, having taken him down with such ease like this was probably strange since we had the same age, height, and malnourished muscle mass.

I put a finger to my lips and the boy nodded, cowering in his seat a bit.

We traveled like this for an hour undisturbed. Neither of us said a word or needed to utter their thoughts aloud. I knew what this boy did not say–that we were traveling into hell's mouth. I carried but a knife, and this boy's life in my hands.

There was nothing to be nervous about. I know how the prologue finishes and neither of us would die here. I rewrote this chapter several times, never quite satisfied with how it turned out. If someone were to compare my previous prologue with the current version, they might think that not much has changed. This would be a correct assumption, except the author will always know the differences and pay attention to such detail.

We suddenly saw many men and women moving boxes to a giant ship floating along the shores. They were dressed in shabby clothes, and looked too stoned to think for themselves. These boxes they were carrying were packed with the poison, or I should say, a variant of the poison. I could clearly see the brainwashed individuals who were being influenced to handle manual labor with the sweet prize of bliss waiting for them at the end of the delusion. They were slaves to the very thing they were selling.

It was sickening. All of it.

It wasn’t uncommon for opium dens to exist and run rampant but the state of these people were almost savage. Some even broke out into fights among their own people.

If this was the drug’s true effect, then why haven’t I become like that? Will I someday become like this too if I keep taking it? Maybe I already have. No, I shouldn’t scare myself. Thinking about this any longer is rather pointless since I have never had the urge to lose all grasp of reality. I have to find a way to stop taking this substance, even if I have to run away from here and never return.

Despite how I tried to keep myself from overthinking about this topic, my blood ran cold at another thought to the point that I actually stopped breathing. Can this even be reversed?

The boy beside me shook my shoulder’s frantically and asked if I was okay, but I could barely hear him. So this was her plan all along, huh? If I become like these people then I’ll be dependent on this drug. She wouldn’t have to bother killing me, I would simply remain her slave for life while she spoon fed me more lies. Don’t they call this Stockholm syndrome in my world? Thinking I’d actually grow to care for my abuser made me so sick I had to look away from the scene around me. Focus, Cassian. Focus.

“What’s wrong with him?” a voice grumbled in displeasure.

“Seasick,” the boy explained with an even tone.

“Already?” The man chuckled. “We haven’t even taken off yet.”

I was still hunched over, grabbing my stomach from feeling queasy, but I squinted and saw the boy shrug. The sight of anything made my mind swim so I hid further underneath my hood.

A moment later, there was another laugh. “Maybe you should tell your mate to find a new job. The gallows are where we’ll end up if we don’t work here.” Apparently, he lost interest because he left us alone after saying his piece. When we were alone again, the carriage traveled further into the mass of people towards the docks.

It wasn’t until we were deep inside the mass that I finally realized my situation and sat up to leave.

The boy grabbed my sleeve in a haste, “Not yet.” His green eyes were calm like the ocean but filled with storms. “Things aren’t normal here. They will catch you.”

I suddenly felt embarrassed. Yes, how could I carelessly leave right now unnoticed? I still have to complete the scenario if I want to finish the prologue. I gave a slow nod and waited. My eyes began to drift, watching the people work tirelessly, nearly skin and bones.

To become a walking corpse and lose all sense of control was truly a fate worse than death. How can I tell my step-mother that she’s welcome to inherit the crown so that I can avoid this fate? She’d never believe me, but I didn’t want that kind of life. I never wanted the crown. I was just a starving child in search of a hand that could reach out to help and the moment I was given the chance to survive, I took it. Anyone would have done the same. Yes, certainly, when the alternative meant living on the streets another day, utterly cold and hungry.

The boy’s eyes never left the road ahead but spoke as if sensing my fears. “When we get on the ship, sneak down the back. There’s a small entrance for importing goods,” he continued to explain. “You might have to swim, so prepare your lungs,” he added with a grim expression. His cold hand reached back and grabbed my own. I was pulled along by the surprising strength this boy yielded.

My heartstrings pulled for some reason. Before this chapter ends, we're going to drown together. It won’t kill us, but knowing something awful was about to happen made me uneasy. What if we escape here without continuing the event of the original novel? No one said I must follow through with the story’s crazy plot like this.

Unbound eyes stared at us as we passed, but I found myself only focusing on this child who calmly guided us through the danger. No one bothered to stop us. I chose to breathe lightly in case. I realized his black hair was a mess and he wore shabby clothes like those around us.

The boy stopped abruptly as if noticing the light disturbance in my breath but continued. “Watch your step, we’re nearly there.”

“No.” I impulsively grabbed the boy's sleeve and we came to a halt on the deck of the ship. "Come with me," I pleaded. "I can help you."

Two round green eyes filled like a bottomless pit with deep sadness stared back at me. “I have gone too far. I can’t leave here.”

Ahhh! No, why did he take it that way? I meant from the ship so we both don’t fall from the edge and drown in the ocean. I’m trying to save you, don’t you see?

“What do you mean you can’t?” a voice challenged and swung over the deck to reach them, gripping tightly to a rope. It was the merchant from earlier. In the light given from the lanterns, he looked much more lively than when he was in the dark. “Both of you get on that boat that’s down there right now. I don’t want to hear any objections.”

I closed my eyes for a brief moment. I’m too late, the scenario continued.

An explosion erupted on the far end of the ship. People started shouting at the commotion, and angry voices began to stir.

“Quickly,” the merchant snapped, and ushered us towards the edge.

“Don’t leave my side,” I said to the boy. If we're going to do this, I need to be sure I don’t lose him in the depths.

Before he could answer, the ship rocked again with another explosion and we tumbled over the side of the ship.

We both fell into the ocean. Neither of us came back up having gone too far to reach the surface. I could only recall the sensation of falling and being submerged in a cold embrace.

A child’s voice spoke from somewhere within the depths of the sea. It called out to us as if answering a secret prayer, a small desperate wish that no one could hear. "Stranger of this world, you have been given another chance to live.” The presence began to stir, looming and colder than before. “Your life here has just begun. G-go and live it fully!"

What? Those words were never spoken in the original novel.

*Ping*

“An unknown deity has chosen to support you.”

Oh, now you show up, System? Late to the party, aren’t we? I already have the male lead in my arms and you treat him this insignificantly? I might just shorten your circuits if I find out where you are.

My final breath escaped my lips, my conscious fading. The last thing I remember was Aiden clinging tighter to me during our endless dive for freedom.

*Ping*

“System was corrupted due to unnatural circumstances. System deletion in progress. Estimated time: 67% remaining.”