Elliot heaved a deep sigh, his expression solemn as he spoke carefully, “I need your help.”

Flynn paused and kept his eyes glued at the small child. His brows slightly furrowing, but he didn’t seem to say anything, giving Elliot a chance to explain.

Elliot glanced at the stern man and felt a bit reassured. His eyes darkened as he turned to face Flynn, trying his best to seem as sincere as possible. Flynn was taken aback by this child’s momentum. He hadn’t seen Gabriel act so seriously, making him slightly straighten his back.

“I want to be king.” The words were heavy in Elliot’s chest. He was in Prince Mathew’s estate filled with people loyal to him; if anyone else heard him say these words, he was sure he'd be killed.

Elliot felt Flynn’s eyes study him. he couldn’t figure out what was going through the other’s mind until he saw the corners of the man’s mouth lift ever so slightly.

“You don’t believe me?” Elliot quickly snapped at the man. Flynn’s reaction wasn’t surprising, but it still frustrated the small prince.

Flynn lifted his chin, “you a king? You’ve got to be kidding. It’s obvious that you don’t know a single thing about ruling a country. You even go as far as to tell this and ask for a simple gardener for help.” There was a mirthful chuckle behind his words, entertained by the prince’s bold ambitions.

Elliot quickly sneered, “but you’re not just a gardener, right?”

The words made Flynn’s smile freeze. His eyes immediately turned dark, tilting his head in an intimidating way, but Elliot didn’t back down. “Did you think that my brother would higher you without a background check, General Flynn Wyles? I’ve heard about your accomplishments during the war, you were able to take out a whole fleet without a single loss of your men, but now you’re a gardener for your enemy. It mustn’t feel good; it makes me wonder what my brother’s real intentions are.”

Flynn didn’t show any change in his expression, but Elliot could feel a spine-chilling aura of murderous intent, making him waver. He quickly started his point. “I don’t want to make you my enemy. After all, I need your help. What I want is peace, but before all that…I need to become king.”

Flynn sneered with an icy tone, “Peace?”

Elliot nodded and continued to speak boldly, “My kingdom is poor, and our past kings have been…well inadequate with ruling a country. Ever since I was in the castle, I was blind to it all until now. I’ve realized just how much my people are suffering due to the wrongdoings of my ancestors, and I cannot let this happen any longer. I didn't want to rule, but judging how my brothers are treating this country as a battlefield instead of fixing the problems at hand, tells me that they themselves don’t care about my kingdom. They just want power. I cannot let this go any further. If any of my brothers become ruler, you are sure to see more wars and injustice…Just like the one between our kingdoms.”

Elliot tried his best to keep his speech sincere. He eyed Flynn, trying to decipher the man’s expression, and noticed he seemed intrigued.

“If you help me, I promise you that I will restore your kingdom. Not a single soldier will step foot on your lands again. And we will make a pact of alliance…neither of us will hurt the other. Our people have been through enough suffering, don't you think?”

Elliot held out his hand with a vehement glimmer in his eyes. Flynn couldn't see a spec of the small prince that would play pranks on all the servants.

Elliot stayed firm, but in truth, his heart was beating like a drum in his chest. He was afraid he was acting out of character, but he didn't hear a single beep from the system. He figured it was probably due to his character's recent change towards studying the kingdom's history.

He held his breath with his eyes glued on Flynn. The man didn't seem to budge from the tree's shadows, making him sweat uneasily.

“Why ask for my help? If you can’t tell, I’m practically powerless. Your brother has lowered his guard, but that doesn't mean I'm completely invisible.” Flynn then smirked, "especially now that you've brought his attention to me again."

Elliot furrowed his brows, "I ask for your help because you're the only one I can trust. Everyone else is my brother's men. Other than Ginny, you're the only one I know that won't blindly follow my brother's orders."

Flynn stared at the small prince; he felt that this prince was starting to grow up. He started to wonder how this prince will be like when he becomes king. He stroked his chin, "how do you know that I won't betray you?"

"Because you care about your country." Elliot didn't hesitate. Flynn smirked, amused. "You think too highly of me...alright, I'll go along with you, but if I find that you're not fit for the role, I might as well take over the whole kingdom myself. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about another war.

Elliot bit his lip and heavily nodded. “I will stay true to my word as long as you do the same.”

Thus, this unlikely pact was made with a single handshake. 

Elliot could feel his body after being numbed by the man's heavy aura. He stiffly rested on the large bed feeling his heart calm down. He didn't think he would have pulled it off, but for now, it seemed that the great general was on his side. Now he just needs to keep him on his side.

He let out a heavy sigh as he heard a familiar sequence of beeps, making his heart sink.

System: Temporary Alley acquired: Flynn Wyles. Goal completion chance 10%

Elliot stared at the percentage. Chance completion? Did this mean his chances of being able to succeed is only at 10%?

He bit his lip. Does that mean each person represents only 10% or 5%? If so, then there seemed to be a lot more than just getting on people's good side. Elliot couldn't help but frown.

A few knocks on his door quickly brought him back to reality as Ginny walked into the room. She carried a tray of medicine before gingerly placing it on the nightstand. "The doctor said you need to take a few of these before bed."

Elliot wriggled in the blankets. He wasn't looking forward to eating the bitter medicine, but he's noticed that his body has been getting weaker lately. With a frown, he sat up and picked up a few bottled to chug down quickly.

Ginny made sure he drank every drop before retrieving the tray, "I keep asking the royal doctor to check your condition, but it seems the kingdom is too chaotic for him to travel..." she let out a soft sigh before turning. "I'll ask the chef to make some nutritional soup tomorrow."

Elliot silently nodded and quickly spat out the medicine once he knew she was gone. A few gags made him dry heave, nearly vomiting everything he ate that day. Elliot had a hunch that he wasn't necessarily sick but being poisoned.

Gabriel's memories of his sickness seemed blurred, but after picking up on a few clues got Elliot suspicious of the royal doctor. He noticed that every time Gabriel was bedridden, the doctor would suggest changing his medicine, and each time Gabriel took his medicine, his condition would worsen.

This was just a hunch, but Elliot didn't want to take any chances. He stared at the medicine that he just spat out onto the ground and reluctantly put it in a small teacup. He covered the lid with a saucer plate and rolled onto the bed.

His mind buzzed, but he had a decision to make. He needed someone to check the medicine for poison. Not to mention a reliable doctor to check his body to see if he was truly sick or not.

[Comment Below! :3 *cough* this decision may be f̶a̶t̶a̶l̶ ̶ important]

> Have Ginny Investigate

> Have Flynn Investigate

> Sneak out alone to find a Doctor on the island