The flight to Imperial City was a pleasant experience for the prince.
Even though he was traveling under the alias "Diego Vasquez," the good thing was that Diego Vasquez wasn't exactly a nobody. He was registered as a well-off businessman—comfortable enough to afford first class on a luxury airline. While it still didn't match the grandeur of the private royal jets he was used to, Theo found himself enjoying the experience.
For once, he was alone. No overbearing father breathing down his neck. No etiquette-obsessed butlers making sure his tie was perfectly straight. No guards lurking at every corner. Just Francis—his quiet, observant right-hand man—who only spoke when necessary.
Francis had arranged everything, from the passport and visa under the Diego Vasquez alias to the final booking. He made it look effortless. Then again, this wasn't his first covert mission for the prince. Years ago, when Theo had secretly enrolled in military school under a different name, it had been Francis who paved the way. Despite all the school's top-tier surveillance and strict identification protocols, not a single soul had suspected that one of their students was actually the crown prince of Cranhurst.
It was all thanks to Francis's precision.
And the royal family preferred to keep it that way—Theo's identity was to remain a closely guarded secret.
But for Theo, this wasn't about secrecy. It was about freedom. For the first time in a long while, he could breathe. No suffocating schedules. No artificial smiles at court. No parade of noble daughters shoved his way in the name of "forming alliances." Just him, a fake identity, and the open world.
Well… not entirely open. He was still on a mission. His father's mission.
Theo sighed. Even his current freedom came with invisible chains. A marriage mission disguised as a diplomatic one. A forced introduction to a stranger named Zara Blake—someone his father had picked out from thousands of eligible women as "suitable."
Theo hated how his life had been dictated from birth. His titles, his duties, his future—even his love life—were all under someone else's control.
At first, he'd balked at the idea of posing as a random man to evaluate a potential bride. It was beneath him. But the more he thought about it, the more he smiled at the idea. It was everything he had wanted: the opportunity to experience life as an ordinary person, even if temporarily.
He had no intention of rushing to meet Zara Blake. In fact, if he didn't like her, he already had a plan—tell his father she was a gold digger. A petty, shallow socialite. That alone would be enough for the king to pull the plug and summon him back.
But before that happened, Theo planned to enjoy himself.
Explore the city. Embrace the nightlife. See how the common people lived. Maybe even fall in love—though he laughed at the thought.
Love. That elusive thing he had always longed for but had never been allowed to explore.
Since his teen years, he'd imagined it. Fantasized about it. But his father had made sure it remained just that—a fantasy. Between classes in calligraphy, knighthood, philosophy, diplomacy, and a dozen other things royals were supposed to master, there had been no time for romance. And if Theo so much as spoke to a nobleman's daughter, a royal guard would appear from nowhere to separate them like a disapproving chaperone.
Theo had been caged his whole life.
And now, here he was—on a mission, yes, but with the rare opportunity to stretch his wings.
Maybe he'd fall in love. Maybe not. But he was going to live for once. Really live.
Of course, Francis wouldn't let him wander around aimlessly, so Theo had a plan—to stall. Drag things out. Slow the search for Zara Blake to a crawl.
"Francis," he said, shifting slightly in his plush seat, "hand me the tablet. I want to see information on the girl."
"As you wish."
Francis passed him the diamond-encrusted iPad. Theo's eyes settled on the screen, scanning the image of a stunning young woman and the details listed beneath it.
"Zara Blake. Top asset in her father's banking empire. Projected heir to both his fortune and her late mother's thriving businesses."
Theo frowned slightly, guilt creeping into his chest.
She had been on the path to something great—until his damn marriage certificate showed up. Theo could almost picture the scene: one of his father's elite spies slipping the document into a place where it would be found, perhaps planted in her family home… and then discovered, probably by a jealous relative.
And just like that, her world fell apart.
All because his father decided to pick her as a candidate for royal marriage.
Theo shook his head. If he showed up now, it would only make things worse. Like rubbing salt into an open wound.
He scrolled further. There was no scandal—just his bossy father meddling where he didn't belong.
Still, orders were orders. He needed to find her.
"Mobilize the S18 faction to track her whereabouts."
Francis glanced at him, blinking in surprise. "S18, sire? Why not M21? They're the best. Fast, discreet, and thorough."
Theo didn't even look up. "Exactly. M21 would have her tracked in hours. I don't want fast—I want slow and quiet. S18 will take their time, and that's what I need. I want to be thorough."
Francis hesitated. He knew what this was: a royal stall tactic. But it wasn't his place to question. Eventually, he gave a stiff nod.
"Understood, sire. I'll contact them immediately."
Theo handed him back the tablet and leaned back in his seat, stretching his legs. The comfort of first class melted into his bones. He was just beginning to relax again when the captain's voice crackled over the intercom.
"Dear passengers, this is your captain speaking. We will be entering the vicinity of Imperial City Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts as we begin the landing sequence."
Theo groaned and sat upright. In the swirl of his thoughts, he hadn't even realized how little he'd rested.
"No rest for the wicked, I guess," he muttered.
He clicked in his seatbelt and stared out the window at the city lights approaching in the distance.
His mission was about to begin.
But for Prince Theo… it was the first taste of freedom.