Mummy Evolution

In the Kemet Tomb at the present.

After the painful events of the day, the royal guards led a shaken Egrith back to his palace. The city, once alive with voices, now whispered in quiet concern, but time did not stop for a broken man, not even for a prince.

The river of time moved forward, steady and uncaring, pulling everything along with it.

Night fell deeper, wrapping the world in darkness. Moonlight washed over stone and sand, casting long shadows as stars flickered in the sky. For a moment, the city lay still, caught in the hush of midnight.

Zainah and Zarah got comfortable in their inn room, laying under the bedsheets and sleeping. Zarah had to stay away from Zainah due to her lack of control over her full strength, but that didn't stop them from being close.

Then, the hush of night began to break. The first hints of dawn stretched pale fingers across the sky, nudging aside the stars. A gust of wind swept through the city, rustling fabric signs, stirring the scent of warm dust and morning bread.

Zarah stirred first.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes, her breath hitching when she glanced at her sister. The faint shimmer of dried tears clung to Zainah's lashes, and that made the little girl pause. But then smile.

Moments later, the sisters both stood outside the inn, the desert stretching before them in waves of gold and shadow.

The coolness of night still clung to the air, but the heat of day lurked beneath the horizon.

Zarah shifted on her feet, restless. She cast glances at the road leading out of the city, her brows drawn together.

"It's been a whole day, and big brother Sett is still not back…" she muttered, her pacing sending small puffs of dust into the air. "He shouldn't have gone with that Gold guy. I told him that guy's bad."

Zainah gazed into the vast desert, lost in thought.

Suddenly, someone stepped out from the crowd gathered near the wall town and approached the sisters. They both turned to him, surprised.

It was none other than…

Roman Ron—the former cosmetologist from Burrhen.

Just as the sisters were about to greet him, Roman casually dropped onto the ground beneath the shade of a passing cloud, shut his eyes, and muttered, "Don't talk to me, don't disturb my sleep, and just let me know if I'm in the way."

"Eh?" Zarah scoffed. "You walked up to us just to say that?"

"Sorry," Roman sighed. "I saw someone familiar and came over, but halfway here, I ran out of social energy. Now, I need some isolation."

And with that, the bastard promptly fell asleep.

Zarah rose onto her toes, smirking. "You're hilarious. But maybe pick a better spot to sleep?" When he remained silent, she grew more annoyed. "Why are you sleeping on the wall? The sun's gonna come back the moment that cloud moves."

That, at last, made the cosmetologist realize his mistake.

He had unwittingly entered the domain of a chatterbox—a true social hazard.

Time to escape.

"I can't afford an inn, and I didn't wake up in a great place," he said, getting to his feet. "Forgive me for being so poor. I'll leave and find somewhere else to not bother you."

So please don't bother me.

He turned to walk away.

Zarah and Zainah, with nothing better to do, followed.

"So, where did you wake up?" Zarah asked.

Roman's expression stiffened. "...The queen's bedroom."

The sisters gasped. "AND?"

"The bed was soft, so I climbed in and slept. But the woman was snoring. I hated it, so I kicked her out."

"..."

"And?"

"The guards stormed in, but I escaped. I used my new ability—it lets me change my skin, hair, and overall appearance. So I just blended in and walked out."

"...Damn."

Zarah was full of shock while Zainah was just speechless.

Just as they were about to move away further, they noticed a commotion.

"It's the third prince!"

"He is coming. Did he understand what happened to Second Prince?'

"Oh you are a sheep, man. Use your brain and think about everything that happened. The Second Prince died. He left our illusion of a world and became an illusion himself."

"What nonsense are you speaking about, you drunk?"

"Beat him up!"

"Beat him up!"

Zarah's expression changed. "It's that prince, don't tell me he is here for you."

Roman Ron's expression also sank. His face and body began to change visibly, soon gaining a unique, beggar-like appearance. And then, he scooted away from them.

These women had something to do with the royal family?

Oh no. My sleep.

He hid away and watched. He was a sleepy man, but he was also a curious one.

Soon, the Third Prince stood infront of Zainah.

He loomed.

"Have you decided?" he asked coldly.

There was something different about Egrith. Something cold. Something callous. And both of the sisters noticed it at once. It was a change visible in his face itself. Until yesterday, he looked like a young man. But at this moment, he looked mature.

Zainah and Zarah remained still for a moment, overwhelmed by the aura of power radiating from Egrith.

"I asked, have you decided?" he asked again, royal eyes glinting blue.

Zainah asked, "What do you want?"

"My desire should be obvious. Or do you think I am inferior to that other man?" He cocked his head. "What was his name, Sett? Hett? Whatever."

"My sister doesn't want anything to do with you!" Zarah shouted.

"Your turn hasn't come yet," Egrith shut her up with a cold glare. "So do not speak on my behest without permission."

"Are you not ashamed of yourself, dude?" Roman muttered from the side. "Forcing women is not good, they can be scary."

A glare from the prince also shut him up, making him distance himself even more.

"I do not like coercion either." Egrith shook his head, calm. "Well, don't worry, tell me what you want."

Zainah remained silent.

"She wants nothing!" Zarah muttered. "She is already engaged, you cannot buy a person's heart with money!"

"It does not matter that she is engaged," Egrith said. "And your opinion does not matter, either. More than that, I doubt if I really cannot buy love with money."

Zarah snarled.

Zainah remained silent.

"Tell me, Zainah. What do you want, what will be enough to make you leave that man and come to me?"

Zainah remained silent.

"A noble status?"

She remained silent, her hands clenching.

"Enough money to live your whole life in luxury?"

Her hands clenched tighter.

"Or is a Tier 3 Tomb Heart enough, give me the nod and I can help your little sister become a Tier 3 Tomb Raider today."

That made Zarah completely freeze. Sett, who was covered in dust, appeared in her eyes, standing amidst the crowd and watching.

Egrith moved forward, closer to Zainah.

"All I need is a word that you are mine. I will make you a queen."

He spread his arms apart.

"What can he do better than me? Choose wisely, Zainah, now."

Zainah sighed.

"All sorts of things happen in the world," she said. Then she looked at the prince. "You are very annoying, have someone told you that?"

The prince's face darkened.

"Are you saying that I am inferior to that weak man? Just because he is real?"

"You should wait till he comes to ask him that himself." Zainah shook her head. She knew she needed to delay time for now as much as possible. And somehow alert Sett about the situation at hand.

"Where is he?" The Prince asked coldly.

"He should be on his way."

She replied and left, pulling Zarah with her, heart quaking.

The Prince didn't stop them.

What he wanted was to prove his superiority, not just claim Zainah's flesh.

Zarah took a deep breath, speaking once they were out of sight.

"You were cool, sis, I thought you might fold." She huffed. "I would have never eaten that Tomb Heart even if someone pushed it into my mouth."

Zainah scowled, showing a humiliated expression. "Did you think that I would leave Sett if someone better came? Am I such a vain woman in your eyes?"

That was such a joke. She was a thief but not a corpse. Zarah's words were such an affront to her heart.

Did her own little sister didn't know her?

Zarah blinked, her little face becoming curious.

"You wouldn't leave big brother?"

"Obviously not." Zainah took a deep breath, a red flush creeped up her paling face. "You don't stay with the person you chose because they're the only one—nor because they are the best at everything."

She looked back at the fuming Egrith.

After you fall in love, someone stronger or richer than your lover might appear and ask for your hand. There were always mountains above mountains after all. And receiving better suitors than the one they chose first was normal if one were a somewhat beautiful woman, and Zainah knew she had some charm herself.

So she was sure to get suitors.

And some of them might be better than Sett at some things.

"Sett's at least not perfect, he is—ugh—if anything a bit annoying with all his secrets. And he might not always be the best among all my suitors and what not. But you stay with the person you chose first because they're the one you chose, and no storm or stranger, no matter how much stronger or richer, can rewrite that."

Once you choose to be with someone, you decide to ignore all the others who might be more beautiful, stronger, or richer for that person. If you can't decide that for yourself when you first kissed him and fell into his arms, you are neither mature enough nor worthy of love.

Most people don't even understand such a basic thing about love anymore!

But Zainah, for how reserved she seemed, was a woman with a lot of fantasies.

And Sett had long claimed his place as her male lead.

No matter what may come, you must be willing to do that much for the person you chose.

Zainah took a deep breath, fear thrumming through her nerves.

She had just boldly declined a prince.

But the heat on her face was even more prominent.

She still felt nervous.

Luckily, Sett didn't see all of this.

So embarrassing.

From the side, the sleepy Roman sighed.

"Sett is a lucky man."