Chapter 39 – This Shit's Getting Out of Hand
The guard—whose name, by the way, was Rome—couldn't help but be stunned by Kaden's question.
It was only when the words finally registered, only when he realized where he was and what just happened, that his eyes widened in shock.
"You… you've trespassed on the territory of the Celestial Empire," Rome said, bewildered. His gaze instinctively dropped to his body, searching for something. But he found nothing—just his near-naked form. Whatever uniform or talisman he once had? Gone.
"Do I look stupid to you?" Kaden scoffed, catching that panicked glance. "I might be new here, but I know the basics."
He was clearly referring to that little runic talisman most guards wore—something that was now missing.
"And what do you mean by trespassing?" Kaden added coldly as he stepped forward, stopping just an inch from Rome's face.
"Do you think I'm here because I want to be?" His voice dropped, low and bitter.
