2 Another spy (Francis POV)

In a luxury room, owned by Rosaline Ashford, the empress, she whipped my legs with a rod. 'Hwip… hwip…' The whipping sound could be heard all around the room. She didn't care about the wound I got; even fresh blood had flowed. All she wanted was my answer for her question which I don't have any intention to answer.

"Are you not going to answer me, Francis?" She asked as she whipped my legs. Her blue eyes glaring at me coldly. "You're the first prince! How can you ditch your class? Tell me, where are you hiding?"

I didn't give her my answer at all. I kept my mouth shut, clenching my teeth to endure the pain I felt. 'Hold it… hold it as you used to… hold it, you can hold it.' I kept thinking those words in my head while hoping this would end in a short time.

"You sure are persistent. How many times should I whip you so you will answer me?!" She whipped me harder this time, and made me fall on my knees. I felt like I couldn't take it anymore.

Rosaline sighed and put the rod back. "A study partner will come to help you. Make sure you learn from her. Now, go back to your room!"

I stood up and bowed to her, then left her room slowly. I tried my best not to trip and fell, at least until I reached the door.

Outside the room, Noah, my knight, was waiting for me. I noticed that there was uneasiness in his face, as he was worrying me. That was not the first time he worried about me, especially when Rosaline called for me.

"Your highness, you're back?" He asked as approaching me. I was about to answer him, but my legs were too weak for me to stand any longer and fell.

"Your highness!!!" Noah hurriedly caught me before I completely fell. "Let me help you. Your legs will getting worse if you walk." He squatted, offering me a piggyback ride.

Normally, I won't take his offer and walk on my own, but that time I accepted it. I climbed to his back and he started to walk to my room. "Is it for the same reason?" He asked me.

"Yeah, because I ditched the class." I answered him flatly. "But there's another thing. She assigned someone as my study partner."

I could feel Noah's grip was tighter, he was angry. It's fortunate that he remembered that my legs were hurt and did not hold it too tight. "She can't get any information from those maids and now she's assigned a study partner to look after you."

"Well, a study partner for royals under eighteen years old will be their playmate too. So, that study partner can follow me as long as that's not a prohibited place."

I could understand why Noah was angry, since I felt the same. Rosaline was too afraid that I would ascend the throne in the future, so she did anything she could to stop me. All the maids assigned for me are her spies and my tutors were told not to teach me properly.

To get proper knowledge, I used to sneak out from the palace to my secret hideout. There, I met my friend and learned with her. She teached me a lot of things and helped me.

Rosaline, who had no idea where I was, would call and whip me with a rod. Sometimes she whipped me on my back and the othe times on my legs. She did it to make me tell her where I was. Of course I never told her that I sneak out of the palace and learn, so she kept whipping me from time to time.

As we had some conversation, Roosevelt - Rosaline's son- walked from the opposite direction. "Brother Francis," he greeted me. Nathan stopped walking and bowed slightly to greet Roosevelt.

"What happened to you? You get whipped again?" He asked me with a mocking intonation. "You should've not ditching your class brother. As the first prince, your education is the most important thing." He continued.

That was not the first time he said that to me. He just showed that he's the best among both of us. I agree with him, education is the most important thing for me as the first prince. Yet my tutor never taught me properly. "I will consider your words, Brother Roosevelt."

"Well then, see you later. I have class within five minutes." He left us.

…

After one hour walking, we arrived at my room in my palace. My palace was the secluded area among all of the palaces. That's why it took a long time just to walk from Rosaline's room to mine.

Noah put me down on my bed and applied medicine from my friend to my wounded legs. "Noah, tomorrow I will have a study partner, then it means I cannot meet her again right? She will be in danger if someone notices I met her."

"Yes. I suggest you stop meeting her in the meantime for both of your safety."

I was thinking of a way to talk to my friend before I couldn't meet her, but I didn't find any. It was too late and I couldn't even walk properly. Also, we agreed to meet the next day. '"Then, tomorrow will be my last time meeting her. At least I want to tell her the condition here."

"I will help you as usual."

…

The next day, I attended my class. I couldn't ditch it at the moment since there would be my study partner. So, I decided to just observing, who my study partner is. It would be good if I could spot that person's weakness.

My legs had gotten better, so I could walk on my own and Noah was escorting me. I only need to walk for a few minutes to arrive at my classroom. When I arrived, I found my tutor and a girl that looked familiar behind him.

"Greetings your highness," both of them bowed and greeted me. I just bowed my head to greet them back.

The girl who was behind my tutor then introduced herself. "Greetings your highness. My name is Olivia Whitley from Whitley family."