"Go meet the Emperor, quickly! It's urgent—about the bandits we handled!"
Richard felt that life as the emperor's firstborn son wasn't something he ever wanted. During the first week after arriving in this game world, he spent most of his time inside his room. The days he usually spent playing video games were now spent lying in bed all day.
No computers, let alone a phone that had always been like a partner to him. He couldn't even imagine how many YouTube subscribers he had lost by the time he returned to his world.
No phone meant no quick access to information like he used to have. Any important news usually reached Richard days late. Especially since he spent his time on the foothills of Mount Yanna, in the Oron Mountains.
"The Emperor has been waiting for you, Your Highness." Richard entered the grand three-meter-tall door that opened solely for him. He stepped forward toward his father, who sat on his throne behind a long desk. Like most days, Richard always found the Emperor busy working in his chambers.
"How was your journey from Oron to Narima Beach? Was camping out there enjoyable?" asked Emperor Alric, who knew very well about Harry's habit of camping in the Oron Mountains.
Not Richard's habit, but Harry's—the one passed down from Emperor Alric himself, who also loved to camp there. Richard didn't know how long he could keep pretending to be this cruel and merciless son named Harry.
"Enjoyable. There were lots of deer to hunt every day." He replied in a deep baritone voice, clearing his throat before speaking again. "What kind of trouble seems so urgent, Your Majesty?"
"A group of bandits entered Narima Beach. Some people who reported to the palace claimed they came from the Oron Mountains and passed through Mount Yanna. Did you happen to run into them while you were there?"
"No, Your Majesty." Richard lied. He didn't want to lie. But this man named Harry had made a mess by working with the bandits just to gain power, especially by turning against his brother.
Richard couldn't kill Darren. In their real world, they were close friends. Richard would never be able to kill his friend, not even in the game world.
"I want you to handle these bandits. They'll interfere with our kingdom's economy if they remain in Narima Beach," Emperor Alric ordered his eldest son.
Richard doubted himself. He felt like this was too big a mission for him to handle.
****
"We have to cancel our plan to kill Emperor Alric," said Richard outside his tent. Today, he returned to the place where he usually camped by the river.
On Mount Yanna, Richard had one spot he often visited. A river lay nestled between two high cliffs. The riverbanks were lined with small river stones, and the gently flowing water brought a coolness that came from Mount Yanna.
No one had named this river yet. No one knew the name of the river he always visited. Even so, the scenery here could make anyone fall in love in an instant.
Richard couldn't underestimate the game developers. They had even managed to create a live-action world that felt this real. At first, Richard did regret entering this game. But after several months of going through it, Richard felt he didn't regret it at all.
Every day, he used to be busy with his job as a gamer, which kept him glued to his computer. He never went traveling. All of his money went into bitcoin investments; he was frugal, and his lifestyle could be considered quite minimal.
"Your Highness, I can't cancel our plan. From the beginning, we agreed to make you emperor. After that, I'll return to Mierre-Park and report everything to King Finn," said one of the bandit leaders whom Richard knew as Jack.
"If the goal was always to make me emperor, then you shouldn't have caused so much trouble in Narima Beach. Now the whole region's in chaos because of the bandits. Reports to the Empire are increasing. Everyone's saying the bandits are wreaking havoc, Jack." Richard didn't want to lose the argument to Jack, one of Finn's trusted men.
Time and time again, Richard had heard Finn's name come up in his conversations with the bandits. Harry had caused him a mess by involving a king from Mierre-Park, a land far from Narima Beach.
"You must remember, only Mierre-Park supported the plan to assassinate Emperor Alric. We even sent our best talents to join the assassination team, Your Highness. Aren't you overthinking things by calling off our agreement? This is about our hard work. Surely you don't appreciate everything we've done," said Jack.
"It's not that I don't appreciate your efforts as the team helping me reach the throne!" Richard snapped, unwilling to let Jack's baseless statement slide. The four bandits sitting beside Jack looked like they agreed with him. "Killing now will throw us into a pit of problems, Jack. There are other priorities I think are more important than assassinating Emperor Alric."
"Fine. What makes you think killing the emperor isn't our top priority anymore? Is it because of Prince Darren? Alright, if that's what's holding you back, we'll just kill Prince Darren first before we kill the Emperor."
Richard nearly pulled out his hair, hearing every word coming out of Jack's mouth. That cursed king Finn had taken advantage of everything using those bandits. The road from Mierre-Park to Narima Beach was supposed to be used by everyone. Because of those bandits, merchants now chose routes along the coastline, filled with small kingdoms still under Brisstol's rule.
It was clear now that the only one benefiting from fast information flow was Finn, not everyone on Georgia Island.
"You've grown too soft ever since you lost your memory, Your Highness." Richard felt insulted hearing Jack's mocking tone. Word about his memory loss had reached Jack. That meant Jack likely had people—spies—inside the palace. "We're all connected well, Your Highness. Much stronger than you think. And maybe, you'll be the next target if you don't follow King Finn's orders."
Max, Richard's aide, immediately stood and drew his sword to threaten Jack, who only laughed in response. Threatening the emperor's son was a crime, and Jack had crossed the line after what he'd just done.
"Oh, are you offended? But what I said is true, isn't it? In a few days, we'll begin the operation to kill Prince Darren at his campsite. So, I'll be waiting for you at that camp, Your Highness."
****
"I was the first one who didn't believe what they said, Your Highness. They might indeed help you gain your position as emperor. But I doubt they'll truly help all of us. After Prince Darren and Emperor Alric are killed, you might be their next target." Max spoke with firm conviction after they had parted ways with Jack.
The two of them spoke while on horseback, accompanied by three royal guards who had come with Richard to Mount Yanna.
Some of the bandits chose to head toward Mierre-Park, not to meet King Finn, but to carry out their next operation: assassinating Darren. Richard didn't say much in front of the bandits. He only watched them. Until he finally saw his opportunity.
"Maybe we should kill them all. The bandits," said Richard before he tugged his reins and rode through the forest, searching for a new campsite.