Chapter Text
Boboiboy Fanfiction
© Boboiboy | Animonsta Studio
A/N: The entire story is purely fictional, and the author does not profit from writing this story. If there are any similarities in ideas, character names, or locations, they are purely coincidental.
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My body ached so much, it felt as if I had been trampled by a horse. Although, I had never been trampled by a horse before. The throbbing pain in my head didn’t help at all. I tried to open my eyes, but the blinding light forced me to shut them again. Maybe it was better to go back to sleep. Maripos would surely understand why I woke up late.
Right!
Maripos!
The memories of the last events flowed into my mind. I opened my eyes, ignoring the painful light that seemed intent on blinding me. I sat up despite my body screaming in pain. I scanned my surroundings anxiously. This was a room I didn’t recognize at all, and Maripos was nowhere to be seen. Panic and fear took over me. Had the bandits returned and captured me? Had they sold me somewhere and killed Maripos? If so, I had to escape. The room’s window was open, but they might have placed some kind of barrier to prevent me from fleeing through it. That left the door as the only option. If the door opened, I would attack whoever came in and make my escape.
I needed a weapon to defend myself. Scanning the room, I didn’t see anything that could be used as one. But I could make one.
There was a vase on the bedside table. I shattered it, grabbing a piece that was large and sharp enough, clutching it tightly in my hand, not caring if it hurt me.
The sound of the breaking vase surely attracted attention. I hid, waiting for the right moment to dash out. A young woman dressed as a maid stepped into the room. She looked confused at the broken vase pieces near the bed. That was my chance—I bolted out as fast as I could. I didn’t care about anything as I ran. This place was completely unfamiliar to me. This wasn’t the Sunset Palace, nor the Main Palace, nor the Wind Goddess Temple. Where am I?
I kept running, avoiding those chasing me or anyone who got in my way. Where was the exit?! Where was it?!
Then I hit a dead end. The door before me was locked and wouldn’t budge no matter how hard I pushed. The people chasing me had found me. They looked threatening, ordering me to return to the room. I refused. I wouldn’t go back!
One of them even drew a sword. I stepped back, stopped by the locked door behind me. I glanced left and right in panic. If I broke the window to my left and jumped, could I escape them? I didn’t know what floor I was on, but it must have been high enough since all I could see was the sky.
Then a small door to my right opened, and two young girls stepped out. They looked very young and didn’t seem as strong as the people in front of me. Without thinking, I grabbed one of them and held her hostage. The shard of the vase was still in my hand, and I pressed it against the girl’s neck, forcing the people chasing me to back off. The girl screamed, maybe she was crying, but I didn’t care. I wanted out of this place. I had to get out of here!
The people chasing me stopped approaching, now looking cautious. If I had to use this girl as a hostage to escape, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it. When one of them tried to get closer, I pressed the shard deeper against her neck.
“Don’t come any closer! I’ll kill her! Don’t anyone come near me!”
They froze again. This time, they raised their hands in the air, as if to show they weren’t dangerous. I didn’t trust them. If they had bought people from those bandits, they were just as dangerous as the bandits!
“Your Highness!”
That voice…
“Maripos?”
How could I hear Maripos’s voice? What was happening? Were they trying to mess with my mind with some illusion?
“Your Highness.” From among the crowd, a young man stepped forward. His hair was silver and tied back in a ponytail, his skin pale, and his eyes lavender. There was a faint bruise on his face, just below his left eye. His right hand was bandaged and hung across his chest.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“Maripos?”
“Yes, Your Highness. It’s me.”
Was the person before me truly Maripos, or were they trying to confuse me with an illusion? The young man approached, undeterred by my glares and shouts for him to stay back. He only stopped when I pressed the shard harder against the girl’s neck.
“Your Highness, you are safe now. I’m here for you,” he said softly, cautiously, just like Maripos always did when I had a panic attack. Was it really Maripos? Did that mean Maripos had survived?
“Maripos…”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Maripos!” I let go of the girl I had been holding. She ran off as soon as I released her, and I didn’t care where she went. Maripos came closer, wrapping me in his one arm. I hugged him tightly in return and cried. It had been so terrifying. I was scared out of my mind, thinking I was alone. I felt like a small animal desperately struggling before its predator. I thought they had killed Maripos, and I had failed to protect him.
I didn’t know what happened next, but Maripos must have guided me back to the room I had left. He helped me lie down on the bed and promised to stay by my side until I woke up. I remember nodding to him and holding his hand to make sure he wouldn’t leave.
The next time I woke up, I was in the same room as before. But unlike earlier, I didn’t feel panicked or scared. Maripos was still there beside me, still holding my hand.
...
"I am glad to see you are doing much better, Your Highness."
I could only smile shyly at the man before me. His tall, broad frame, coupled with a thick beard that covered his face, gave him an imposing appearance. Yet his eyes sparkled, and I knew he would be handsome if he ever shaved. He was the owner of the residence I was staying in—or rather, the lord of the region I had come to. Count Balakung. His name sounded odd to me, just like the man himself. But he was kind.
I remembered seeing him before I passed out.
Maripos had explained everything to me. I fainted after confirming my identity to the gate guards. They immediately brought me into the city, where I was cared for at Count Balakung's residence. Not long after that, Commander Kaika and the others arrived in the city to look for us. I was unconscious for two whole days, while Maripos regained consciousness a day before me. I was glad they all survived. Truly, I was relieved. Some of our belongings were damaged or lost, but what object could possibly be more important than someone’s life?
Some of the soldiers were severely injured during the attack, but they all survived. They were still alive. Even the two servants I brought along survived, though their bodies were now marked with scars.
And Maripos. Maripos was still alive. He was still breathing.
"I... deeply apologize for the commotion I caused yesterday," I said, embarrassed.
I genuinely regretted causing such a scene at Count Balakung's residence, even taking a girl hostage and hurting her. If Maripos hadn’t arrived in time, I might have done something far worse. Just thinking about it made me feel sick to my stomach.
"You have just been through a traumatic event, Your Highness. Waking up in such a strange place, all alone, must have been terrifying. At least I am glad you chose to leave through the door and not jump out the window," Count Balakung said. He laughed as he glanced at the open window in the room.
"Uh… yeah… because I thought there was a barrier that would stop me from jumping out."
Count Balakung continued laughing, his voice booming in the room. It reminded me a little of Kaldar, but Count Balakung’s laughter was warm and comforting. I liked hearing it.
"You really are something, Your Highness."
I didn’t understand what he meant, so I simply smiled.
"Prince Halilintar has been informed of your arrival here. I estimate he will arrive today, as it takes at least three days of non-stop horseback travel from the capital."
How did they inform him? Did they send a letter using an owl like in the movies? Or did they have some kind of device for quick communication?
I nodded again. "Thank you. Truly, thank you."
"It is no trouble, Your Highness. I am glad I could help."
After that, we talked about a few light topics. He told me about his greenhouse and invited me to visit it once I was well enough. He was a nobleman from a neutral faction, supporting no one in particular. He didn’t treat me any differently from the other princes. He was genuinely kind. Also, he and some of his followers were blessed by Gevix, the Goddess of Plants. That explained why his residence was filled with greenery—when I looked outside earlier, I thought I was seeing a forest. Thanks to their blessings, our wounds healed quickly. My body still ached, but it wasn’t as bad as before. I could say the pain was something I’d grown accustomed to since inhabiting Taufan’s body. Maripos’s injuries had also been treated, though his arm still had to be bandaged for a few more days because they said his bones were too fragile to move recklessly.
Count Balakung didn’t ask me anything about the bandits. Perhaps he had already received explanations from Commander Kaika and Maripos.
By midday, Halilintar and his horse arrived at Count Balakung’s residence. The horse hadn’t even fully stopped when he jumped down from it. He stumbled and almost fell but didn’t seem to care. I watched everything from my bedroom window, chuckling softly. Halilintar’s expression was so amusing. I could faintly hear the commotion downstairs. Ah, it wouldn’t be Halilintar if he didn’t cause a ruckus, right?
Not long after, my bedroom door opened. A disheveled and breathless Halilintar stood in the doorway. I waved at him as a greeting. Before I could say anything, Halilintar rushed toward me and enveloped me in a tight embrace. One of his hands rested behind my head, gently stroking my hair, while the other was on my back. I returned his hug, my eyes welling up as I heard him say I was safe now.
Ugh. I missed him so much. I missed Halilintar. I thought I would die when the bandits captured me. I thought I’d never see Halilintar again as they dragged me away.
I must have been crying in his arms because the next thing I remembered was Halilintar trying to comfort me.
"I’m sorry, Taufan. I’m so sorry. I should have protected you."
This wasn’t anyone’s fault but the bandits’. I wanted to tell him that, but my mouth stayed shut, and my tears kept flowing. I clung tightly to Halilintar’s clothes, wrinkling them and staining them with tears and snot.
I cried for a long time until my eyes hurt and swelled. By then, Halilintar and I had moved to the bed. We sat on it with Halilintar’s arm around me. I leaned against his shoulder, still sobbing but feeling much better than before.
"You must have been so scared."
I wasn’t just scared. I was so terrified it felt like I was going to die. Before they appeared, when they shot their arrows, when they surrounded us, when they chased me and Maripos, when they beat Maripos and I couldn’t do anything, when they grabbed me and said they would cut off my legs, when they were about to kill Maripos, when I had to carry Maripos on my back to find help, even when I was already in a safe place. I was scared the entire time, but I tried to be brave because I knew I had to fight alone. Especially when Maripos collapsed, leaving only me. As I carried Maripos out of the forest, I tried to stay strong, convincing myself that I could do it, even though every step I took was so difficult.
"Yeah. That’s really terrifying," I said honestly. Even so, I smiled at him, knowing I was safe now and there was nothing to fear anymore. Halilintar also smiled at me.
Unfortunately, that moment of peace vanished when Halilintar brought up the time I got lost in the forest recently and started scolding me. Ugh, couldn’t he wait until we got back? Didn’t he just comfort me earlier? Typical Halilintar.
The next day, after I had fully recovered, I apologized to the maid I had taken hostage. She was a kind girl, and although I could tell she was scared to meet me, she still mustered the courage to see me and accept my apology. I truly regretted hurting her. I wished I could give her something as a sign of my remorse, but I didn’t have a single coin—my money was held by Maripos, and I couldn’t just take it. Luckily for me, Halilintar promised to provide suitable compensation to the girl. I also apologized to the servants and guards at Count Balakung’s residence for all the trouble I caused. Most of them looked at me hesitantly, and some seemed like they were about to faint. I must have caused a lot of problems, huh?
"You know, you don’t have to apologize to them one by one. You could have just asked Maripos to convey your apologies," Halilintar said. When I nearly tripped over a rock, Halilintar grabbed my shoulder to steady me so I wouldn’t fall. After that, he didn’t let go of my shoulder, and his other hand even held mine as if guiding someone very weak.
"It feels much more sincere if I meet them directly, Your Highness. An apology should come from the person who made the mistake, not just be passed on to someone else."
Halilintar didn’t reply immediately. He just stayed silent, looking at me with furrowed brows. Had I said something wrong? Maybe Halilintar wasn’t used to this because he was a prince. Since when do nobles apologize to their servants? Had I done something wrong? Perhaps the original Taufan never apologized to his servants, no matter how kind and friendly he was to them. Taufan was a prince by birth, raised as royalty. Unlike me, just an ordinary person. I shouldn’t have done this if I didn’t want to raise suspicion. But my heart couldn’t be at peace if I let it go.
"You..."
What’s this? Had Halilintar noticed something was off about me? Did he realize I wasn’t his beloved little brother?
"Turns out, you haven’t changed at all."
Huh? What does he mean by that?
I clearly didn’t understand what Halilintar meant. Did he mean Taufan had also done what I did or said what I said? But I chose to ignore it because Halilintar was now looking at me warmly. His gaze was soft and full of affection, just as he always showed me.
"Your Highness, do I look scary?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"Didn’t Your Highness see their expressions when I came to meet them? They looked like they had seen a ghost. Even more so when I said I was sorry and apologized for causing them trouble. They looked like I was sentencing them to death. Am I really that scary?"
"Hmm... I wonder why. Maybe it’s because your face is scary."
I glared at him in protest, giving him a pinch on the waist, but it seemed to have no effect on Halilintar because he just laughed when I pinched him. Was I too weak, or was Halilintar’s skin too thick?
Halilintar let go of me, stepping away while teasing me, saying my face looked ridiculous right now. I chased after him, and he ran away from me. Just you wait, Halilintar. If I catch you, I’ll pinch you as hard as I can until you feel the pain!
...
We spent another two days at Count Balakung's residence before resuming our journey to the Capital. Halilintar stayed with us, though he didn’t ride in the carriage like Maripos and me. Instead, he rode his horse—a reddish-brown steed much larger than the other horses, and it looked terrifying. I might get crushed like an ant if I stood next to it. How could Halilintar ride such a massive horse? I guess it’s because of his protagonist’s halo.
“Maripos, what happened to those bandits?”
“Commander Kaika managed to capture some of them. Unfortunately, Kaldar escaped. However, from what I heard, Commander Kaika managed to inflict a fairly serious wound on him.”
I see. I thought Commander Kaika had defeated him. It seems Kaldar is not to be underestimated. He and his group have committed various crimes indiscriminately, and even the kingdom's elite forces couldn’t subdue him. He also killed Commander Kaika’s younger brother. He is a dangerous man. It was sheer bad luck to encounter him. I hope I never cross paths with him again.
“Ah... I hope this journey goes smoothly.”
“I wish for the same, Your Highness.”
I glanced out the carriage window. Captain Fang was walking beside the carriage, just like at the start of our journey. When he turned to look at me, I smiled and waved at him. Captain Fang, though he always appeared stiff and emotionless, returned my smile and wave. Of course, Captain Fang’s smile was faint, almost imperceptible, and his wave was slow compared to mine. But that didn’t matter—I felt closer to Captain Fang because of this!
“Do you need anything, Your Highness?” Captain Fang asked, moving his horse closer to the carriage so we could talk.
“Not really, I just wanted to look around for a bit.”
Captain Fang nodded but maintained his horse’s pace alongside the carriage. Like at the start of our journey, I talked a lot with Captain Fang. Just trivial things, like how the lemon cake at Count Balakung’s residence was delicious or how I found some wildflowers identical to the ones Captain Fang had given me in Count Balakung’s greenhouse. Captain Fang, as always, listened attentively. A few times, I caught him smiling at my silly stories, and he even laughed when Maripos scolded me for recounting my clumsiness. I cherished them both—they were my friends in this world.
Perhaps I talked too much and lost track of time. By the time the carriage stopped, the sun was beginning to set. We had arrived in a small town called Karina. I peeked out the window and saw Commander Kaika saying something to Halilintar. Perhaps they felt my gaze because they turned to look at me. Halilintar waved and smiled, in contrast to Commander Kaika’s increasingly sour expression. Ouch, it seemed Commander Kaika disliked me even more. I had caused too much trouble during this journey, so it was understandable if Commander Kaika wasn’t fond of me. But it still hurt.
We rented a modest inn. Halilintar said it was better to avoid crowds, and I agreed. However, I underestimated Halilintar’s fame. The innkeeper, realizing Halilintar would be staying there, became overly excited and prepared a feast as if hosting a king—not entirely wrong, as Halilintar would ascend the throne in the future. The townspeople, upon hearing the news, flocked to see him. The landlord even sent messengers inviting us to rest at their residence. Halilintar was like a celebrity.
While Halilintar was busy with the many people eager to meet and talk to him, I snuck away to the bathroom with Maripos. I wanted to bathe and sleep; sitting in the carriage all day was exhausting.
“Thankfully, they have hot water. Otherwise, your bath would have to wait until I finished heating the water,” Maripos said as he poured the last bucket of hot water into the wooden tub. It felt like stepping into a traditional Japanese bath, like in the movies.
“Honestly, I don’t mind cold water, but you always make a fuss about it.”
Maripos shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. “Your Highness, how many times must I tell you that your comfort is my top priority after your safety?”
I just laughed. Seeing Maripos in a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his hair tied messily with some strands sticking to his sweaty face, and standing with his hands on his hips reminded me of my mother. She often scolded me for taking late-night baths with cold water.
“Alright, alright, thank you so much, Maripos.”
After washing myself with soap, I finally sank into the wooden tub filled with water Maripos had prepared. The water was no longer hot but warm—just how I liked it.
Ah... soaking in a wooden tub of warm water relaxed my body. Of course, I always enjoyed hot baths at Count Balakung’s residence, but this felt different. It must have been because I had been sitting in the carriage all day and could finally unwind. Maripos was still bustling around the bathroom, even though I told him to bathe with me or rest until I finished. Maripos always overburdened himself.
Oh well, I’d better enjoy this warm water. It was so comfortable.
I nearly fell asleep in the tub if not for Maripos waking me.
“Your Highness, you might catch a cold if you soak for too long.”
“Ehh... but I still want to soak.”
“No, Your Highness. You must get out now.”
Pouting, I still obeyed Maripos. At least the soreness in my body had lessened. I would surely sleep soundly tonight.
“Ah?!”
I turned to Maripos. He was holding the edge of the wooden tub I had just soaked in, likely about to drain the water. However, his gaze was fixed on me, looking utterly shocked and somewhat bewildered.
“Your Highness, please turn around. Let me examine your back.”
“Huh? Why? What’s wrong?”
I tried to look at my back. What was wrong? Was something stuck there that I hadn’t noticed? Or was there an unnoticed wound?
Maripos approached, holding my shoulders and turning me to face away from him. I felt his fingers hovering over my bare skin. Then he touched the middle of my back, his fingers moving up and down as if inspecting something.
“Your Highness...” Maripos! Please don’t leave your words hanging like that! I was getting nervous about something I didn’t even know!
“What? What is it?”
“How did you get this mark?”
“What mark? Maripos, what are you talking about?”
“This.” His fingers were still on the middle of my back. It seemed he was pointing at something there. But I couldn’t see it! I didn’t know what mark was on my back! If Maripos had just noticed it, that meant it had appeared during this journey. When and how it got there, I had no idea, as I had never checked my back or bathed with anyone before this.
"The mark of a pair of blue wings. How did you get it?"
"Maripos, I don’t know what you’re talking about. But can we discuss this after I’m no longer naked? I’m starting to feel cold." I was really getting cold. While I was still in the warm water, it felt so comfortable that I almost fell asleep, but now I was shivering, and Maripos was bringing up a mark I’d never seen before.
Maripos sighed and grabbed a thick cloth hanging nearby, wrapping it around my body.
"Maripos, you really are fit to be a mother." I nudged him with difficulty.
"Who are you calling a mother, Your Highness?"
"Obviously, you."
I burst out laughing at the sour expression on Maripos's face. He always got annoyed whenever I called him a mother, but he never scolded me or told me to stop. He would just tickle me or pinch my cheeks. Maripos, you really are a caring mother. Thumbs up to you.
When we reached the room, Maripos held up a mirror before I got dressed. He told me to check my back and confirm the mark he mentioned. Honestly, I didn’t think it was that important, but I did it anyway because I knew Maripos wouldn’t stop talking if I didn’t.
Just as Maripos said, there was a mark on my back now. Right in the middle of my back, a mark shaped like a pair of blue wings. Like bird wings. It wasn’t too big, but not too small either. People would immediately notice it when they saw my back, just like Maripos did earlier in the bathroom.
"Huh? This..."
There was another mark on my body besides the pair of wings. On the left side of my pelvis, slightly toward the center, there was another mark. It looked like a whirlwind, similar to the symbol of the Wind Goddess at the temple. Its color was a pale blue, almost gray, and it appeared faint, as if it might disappear. I touched it without realizing it.
"That’s the symbol of the Wind Goddess's blessing. Its color is slowly returning, probably because you’ve started using your powers again."
Huh? This pale color is actually coming back? Does that mean the mark had disappeared from my body before? But wait, I’ve never heard about this. I’ve read every book about gods and goddesses I could find. I’ve also read as much as I could about Vint. None of those books ever mentioned marks appearing on the bodies of those blessed. Judging by Maripos's calm demeanor, it means this mark has been on my body for a long time. No. This mark has been on Taufan’s body for a long time, long before I entered it. A mark symbolizing the blessing of a goddess, huh? Does that mean the other six princes have them too?
If I think back, Duri had something similar on his palms. That kid always wore gloves and rarely showed his hands. But when eating cake with me, he would take off his gloves, allowing me to see them. On both his palms were marks shaped like sharp leaves. Their color was bright green, unlike the whirlwind mark on my body. That must be the symbol of Gevix’s blessing for Duri.
Now I’m curious about the marks the other princes have. What might Halilintar's and Gempa's look like? Oh, maybe I can ask Halilintar about it later.
"Your Highness, where did you get this mark?"
Maripos pressed the wing-shaped mark on my back again. Right, he’s been wanting to talk about this since earlier.
"I don’t know either. I wouldn’t even know it was on my back if you hadn’t mentioned it."
Maripos's expression turned complicated. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. He didn’t even respond to my words as he helped me get dressed. What exactly is Maripos thinking? And why is this wing-shaped mark so important to him?
"Your Highness... do you remember Oak?" Maripos asked after a long silence.
"Huh? Of course. Gempa’s golden bear."
"You know Oak is a spirit animal, don’t you?"
I just nodded. Why is Maripos asking about Oak? What does Oak have to do with the wing-shaped mark on my back?
"Prince Gempa has claw marks on both his upper arms. That’s the sign of his bond with a spirit animal."
Bear claws? Is Maripos suspecting that the wing-shaped mark on my back is a sign from a spirit animal? But I’ve never even made contact with any spirit animal other than Oak! And besides, aren’t they supposed to be picky? Even then, they give tests to their chosen humans. I don’t remember taking any test or anything like that!
"Maripos, don’t be ridiculous. Are you suggesting this mark belongs to a spirit animal?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Where else would you have gotten it if not from that? Unless you randomly had someone tattoo your back while staying at Count Balakung’s residence and then forgot about it."
That’s not funny, Maripos. I’m a decent man who takes good care of my body. There’s no way I’d stain it with a tattoo—though, well... the marks on Taufan’s body do look like tattoos.
"Besides, what spirit animal would want to bond with me? I’m just a discarded prince who can’t even use my powers properly."
"Your Highness!"
Maripos looked upset, his brow furrowed, and his eyes glared sharply at me. Why is he so angry when I’m just stating facts? The truth is, Taufan’s status really is that of a discarded prince, isn’t it? Also, I really can’t use the powers in this body properly, even after a long time of training. I’ve nearly died multiple times trying to use them. What spirit animal would choose me?
"Ah, we’d better drop this conversation. I want to sleep." I waved my hand dismissively. Maripos looked like he wanted to say something, but he closed his mouth and just sighed in resignation.
"Do you want to read a book before bed, Your Highness?"
Of course! I quickly sat on the bed, waiting for Maripos to return with a book. Some of the books I brought on the journey to the Wind Goddess’s Temple were damaged during the bandit attack. Only a few survived that attack, which is such a shame. They were good books I hadn’t read yet. Luckily, Count Balakung kindly gave me some books from his library to accompany me on the journey. Halilintar also promised to buy me new books when we arrived in Tarín City. Apparently, the city has quite a few bookstores with diverse collections. I can’t wait!