The Princess' Harem
Chapter 148: Viana Kidnapped

Chapter 148: Viana Kidnapped

The Elysian Festival lasted a week, turning all cities into a sea of colors, music, food, and laughter. The streets were filled with joyful people, dancing under bright, glowing lanterns at night.

Various roasted foods and sweets were served, music and magicians during the day, and fireworks every night, adding to the festival’s excitement.

On the third day of the festival, Viana felt a strong desire to experience it as an ordinary person. "I want to explore the festival in disguise," she said excitedly to Joel and Reyes in her study, her tasks almost complete. "Just the three of us."

Joel, a natural adventurer, immediately agreed. "That’s a great idea, Princess. But you’ll need a full disguise; your golden hair shines like a beacon in the night!" he joked, making Viana chuckle.

Reyes seemed hesitant. He spoke softly, but the worry in his eyes was clear. "This is risky, Your Highness. If someone recognizes you, or if something happens..."

Viana placed a hand on Reyes’s shoulder, smiling reassuringly. "You two will be with me, and I trust you both. I just want to see everyone happy up close, not just from the palace balcony."

After a brief discussion, Reyes finally agreed, on the condition that they remained cautious. Viana donned a simple, dark brown cloak, covering her braided golden hair with the hood.

She rubbed a bit of ash on her face to disguise her porcelain-white skin, making her look like an ordinary village girl. Joel and Reyes merely swapped their coats for more worn ones, now appearing like typical travelers.

They slipped out through the palace’s back door, blending into the crowd on the city streets. The warm night air, the aroma of grilled satay and cotton candy, and the lanterns strung along the roads created an atmosphere vastly different from a few months prior.

Viana smiled broadly, feeling a sense of freedom for the first time in a long while.

"Where to first?" Joel asked, his eyes scanning the rows of food stalls.

"That one!" Viana pointed to a skewer stall, where smoke billowed and the aroma was enticing. The three of them approached the old vendor, who was busy grilling skewers of meat, tomatoes, and onions, glistening with oil.

"How much for three skewers?" Viana asked, trying to imitate a commoner’s accent. The vendor smiled kindly, not suspecting a thing.

"One copper coin for three, Miss!" he replied, handing over three warm skewers. Viana bought six skewers, paying with coins Joel had given her. Then they moved to the side of the street, enjoying their skewers while standing.

The first bite made Viana close her eyes, savoring the tender meat and spicy, absorbed seasoning. "This is so delicious!" she murmured, making Joel laugh.

"You’re too pampered by palace food, Princess. Street food has its own unique taste!" Joel said, devouring his second skewer.

Reyes nodded in agreement, chewing slowly. His eyes remained fixed on the crowd, staying vigilant even as he enjoyed the festival atmosphere.

After finishing the skewers, they stopped at a stall selling thinly sliced grilled meat served with spicy sauce. Viana, who usually dined with impeccable table manners, now didn’t care when sauce dripped from her chin.

She laughed as Joel teased her, and for that night, they were simply three friends enjoying the beauty of the festival.

As the night grew later, the crowd became denser. Music from a nearby stage played loudly, inviting people to dance.

"Come on, let’s dance!" Viana exclaimed, unable to resist, and she pulled Joel and Reyes into the middle of the crowd to join in the dancing.

Joel danced without hesitation, but Reyes only stood at the edge. He shook his head slowly, smiling. "I’ll stay here, Princess," he said.

Viana and Joel danced further into the crowd, laughing at each other’s movements, which differed from typical folk dances.

Suddenly, chaos erupted. A thin man in ragged clothes ran through the crowd, clutching a small leather coin purse.

"Pickpocket! Catch him!" someone yelled from behind Joel and Viana. A group of three or four burly men pushed through the crowd, chasing the man with loud shouts.

Viana had no time to react as the crowd surged. People around her pushed and shoved, and she was unintentionally swept away by the current of the mass moving to chase the ’pickpocket.’

Someone bumped her hard, making her lose her balance, and before she could regain it, two hooded men gripped her arms, pulling her to the side of the road.

"Hey, let go!" Viana cried, but her voice was drowned out by the roar of the crowd. She struggled, trying to free herself, but their grip was too strong for her.

Instantly, Viana sensed something was wrong; it wasn’t a coincidence.

Joel, who had lost sight of Viana, frantically searched for her among the crowd. "Princess?! Viana!!" he shouted.

Reyes, who had witnessed the incident, was already pushing through people, chasing in the direction Viana had disappeared. Soon, Joel was at his side.

"Where did she go?" Reyes asked, his voice strained. He looked at Joel, whose face was pale.

"They were too fast, the crowd..." Joel ran a hand through his hair in panic. "Maybe she got swept away by the crowd earlier!"

Reyes wasted no time. "You go up on the stage, look from a higher vantage point. I’ll check the surrounding alleys. Don’t call her name loudly; we shouldn’t draw attention."

After speaking, he immediately ran into a narrow alley at the side of the road, his hand ready on his sword hilt. Joel nodded, and with a pounding heart, pushed through the crowd towards the stage.

"Viana, where are you..." he murmured, his eyes sweeping every face in the surrounding crowd.

Meanwhile, Viana continued to be dragged by the two men into an increasingly dark alley. She tried to find rats or any other creatures that could help her, but they seemed to be hiding far away due to the festival’s commotion.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she asked, her voice firm despite a slight tremor.

One of the men, his face half-covered by a hood, chuckled softly with a cold tone. "Relax, Princess. We just... want to talk."

Viana immediately realized they weren’t just ordinary people. She quickly understood that the pickpocket and his pursuers were part of a charade to separate her from her two Royal Guards.

But before she could think further, she was pulled into a horse-drawn carriage and disappeared into the darkness of the night, leaving the bustling festival behind.

Joel and Reyes continued their search, splitting up in the crowded city. Joel checked every stall, asking vendors and onlookers, but no one had seen a girl in a brown hood.

Reyes, now standing at the end of an empty alley, clenched his fists, angry at himself for being careless. "Princess... where are you?" he whispered, his voice filled with regret.

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