The Crown Prince In Hiding

Chapter 25

Tampa Bay

The young man picked up his wallet, wiped off the dirty blood, and slipped it back into his pocket.

He walked over to the water nearby and dipped the crowbar into it, washing away the blood and bits of brain matter.

But Rafinya… she was still in shock from what she had just seen.

“Mr.Fury… wh-what… did you just do…?”

“This is your first lesson.”

Throughout my life, I’ve come to realize one thing—humans are no different from Diablo. They can be divided into many grades.

Kindness is a kind of language—one that only works with those who understand it.

But with certain kinds of people, the only way to make them understand… is through violence like this.

Fury did not try to justify what he had done. Justification requires guilt, or shame for one’s actions… and this was neither. He felt no shame at all.

“Leave it at the pier, Rafinya. What you have… I truly respect it. It will make you a fine general one day. But what I want to refine in you is this—use it only on people and in places that are worthy of such virtue. Do not waste it carelessly.”

Some people submit to reason.

Some submit to rules.

But some… will only submit after paying a painfully expensive lesson.

“If I let them steal from us today, they’ll come back again tomorrow. But if I make this lesson absolute… no one will dare come near us again.”

In the future, no matter how many ranks you hold as a general, remember this well—misplaced kindness toward those who do not deserve it can instantly turn into a ticket to your downfall… the lives of your subordinates… and the lives of those you love.

“The people here are not worthy of your kindness.”

Morality invites debate.

But efficiency prevents repetition.

“And I value efficiency above all else.”

“But Mr.Fury… they were just children…”

“You see innocent children. I see the result of this city’s system. You cannot water seeds in poisoned soil and expect them to bloom.”

Rafinya’s eyes widened… her words caught in her throat.

“And I have no intention of interfering with this city’s system. I have my own matters to attend to. I merely respond in the language this city speaks.”

Dan gestured behind him.

Rafinya turned to look.

She saw the gang of scammer children hiding in a dark alley. From their eyes, it was impossible to tell whether they were filled with hatred… trembling in fear… or simply too shocked to cry.

But one thing was certain.

The result had already been set.

From now on, no one would dare approach Dan and Rafinya again.

“I won’t waste hours chasing them down just to let them go in the end. If it were Casca, maybe that would happen… but not with me.”

When I look at humans, I see only humans.

Child or adult—I make no distinction.

If they dare to steal from us, then they must accept the consequences.

“Mr.Fury… but is this really… the right thing to do?”

“We can debate that on the way back. But do you know what is wrong, for me?”

If something were to happen to you—if those children had pulled a hidden knife and stabbed you to steal your jewelry—if we had to wait for something bad to happen before taking action… that is what’s wrong.

This… is what you call “experience.”

Yes… she hadn’t thought that far ahead.

If she had allowed those children to get close without pushing them away, without raising her guard high enough… if they had truly drawn a knife and stabbed her like Fury said, Rafinya wouldn’t have been able to defend herself at all.

And it was further proven when Dan nudged something out of one of the children’s pockets with his foot—and what rolled out… was a sharp knife.

“But it hasn’t happened yet… Mr.Fury… how can you decide on your own? Maybe he carried it for self-defense… in a place like this…”

“I would rather be condemned for going too far than allow the worst outcome to happen and regret it later. Because the latter… no magic can ever bring back what is lost.”

Just like how Luminus has condemned me for the past ten years.

Dan flicked the water off his crowbar. Rafinya looked at the flock of seagulls swooping down to tear into the fresh pile of flesh.

Rafinya… for me, kindness is something extremely expensive. I will only give it to those who deserve it.

“So that means… you’re judging… based on your own perspective?”

“In daily life, we all judge from our own perspectives. Have you already forgotten the first day you judged me as unworthy of the knight’s grant?”

She froze.

“When you grow up, if you want to change this place, I’ll support you. Change takes time… but right now, we don’t have time.”

“Mr.Fury… then how will I know who deserves my kindness?”

“You’ll know. You’re smart.”

Rafinya nodded slowly… then followed Dan, glancing back one last time at the flock of seagulls feasting on the corpse. Along the way… not a single group of scammers dared to even look at them again.

At the heart of the largest source of money in Tampa—

Everyone knew it as The Raiders Casino.

A gathering place for pirates and black-market traders. Naturally, it was also a hub for information exchange and shady deals—whether it be drugs, illegal goods, or even prostitution, all of which could be found at the gambling tables scattered throughout. More uniquely, there were job boards for mercenary work, where bounty hunters constantly came to pick up quests.

This was no ordinary bar. Imagine something on the scale of a Las Vegas casino—without any laws to control it.

Rafinya understood immediately the moment she was exposed to the blinding lights that never went out, twenty-four hours a day. Not just anyone could enter—guards surrounded the entrance, scanning everyone who approached.

She saw it with her own eyes… a well-dressed man who had lost everything being dragged out and thrown aside like a dog. Even as he struggled and begged to be let back in, the massive iron doors slammed shut in his face without a shred of mercy.

He definitely wasn’t from Tampa.

“The previous leader of Tampa was killed two years ago… that’s what the intel says.”

“Is that so?”

“When you rule through gangs, getting stabbed in the back is normal. That’s life.”

Dan looked up at the towering structure beyond the massive walls—the stronghold of the gang that ruled this place.

“No idea what the new one’s done, but one thing’s certain—he upgraded it.”

“Made it bigger?”

“…Made it easier to pull money out of people’s pockets.”

“What was it like before, Mr.Fury?”

“Not this flashy.”

At the entrance, when it was their turn to be checked, Dan turned to Rafinya.

“Accessories.”

And Rafinya finally understood why Fury had told her to bring them.

She wasn’t someone who cared much for dressing up, but that didn’t mean she had nothing. As a noble heir, she still had fine jewelry tucked away in her wardrobe, gathering dust from only being used during ceremonies.

As she put them on—earrings, necklace, glittering gems—the guards noticed her from afar.

Without this, there was no way they would have been allowed inside.

From their expressions alone, Rafinya could tell what they were thinking. “Oh~ another one, huh?”

And no one said a word, because they all knew—outsiders arriving by ship usually tried to look as shabby as possible to avoid becoming targets for beggars, scammers, and criminals lurking around Tampa’s outskirts.

“Weapons. Outside.”

Their voices were cold and impatient.

Dan handed over his crowbar and spread his arms and legs for inspection. Rafinya hadn’t brought her sword.

Once cleared, he was let in first, followed by her.

The noise hit immediately—music, shouting sailors, chaos everywhere. In one corner, she saw a man who had lost everything being beaten, while people at the next table laughed as if violence was normal. Elsewhere, a blackjack dealer shuffled cards, while half-dressed women served golden bottles of liquor. The lights blazed endlessly.

This was a casino that never closed.

“Go to the restroom. Meet me in the center after.”

Rafinya nodded and followed his instructions precisely. She found the sign, pushed through the crowd and the overwhelming mix of brandy and heavy perfume… until she reached the restroom.

And when she stepped inside—

Her sword… and Dan’s medium-length dagger… were placed on the sink.

This was why she hadn’t brought her weapon. She had left it with Casca.

Casca was already here.

She picked them up, hid them beneath her cloak, and returned.

But when she got back, she froze—Dan was gone.

It didn’t take long to find him.

“Rafinya… over here.”

The sound of Dan clicking his tongue came from a gambling table some distance away.

But he wasn’t alone.

There were five others with him.

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