《Kyouhana: Transmigrated into the Worst Book and Became the Dark Lord’s Bride》 1. The Worst Book in the Bookstore ¡°It took my courage to grow and escape a life filled with suffering,¡± I sighed, thinking about the graduation set to happen soon. I looked up at the gray and gloomy sky as the raindrops fell like tears from the clouds. Groundwater scattered the empty streets, reflecting the dull light of the lampposts. In my heart, I yearned for a glimmer of warmth and optimism, a beacon of light to guide me through the darkness. Yet, as I gazed out, all I could perceive was the relentless deluge of rain, an endless torrent that mirrored my despair. I stood on the school¡¯s steps, watching the raindrops hit the ground. My bones chilled as if the cold water had seeped into my skin. Raindrops painted polka dots on my skirt and long-sleeved school uniform. The students with umbrellas greeted the school goodbye. I, together with the other forgetful and underprivileged students, had no other choice but to wait. ¡°I¡¯m going to be late to work again.¡± I opened my pocket and stared at the coins which I could count with my hands. ¡°It¡¯s the right choice that I bought the cheapest pan bread in the store.¡± A growl in my stomach followed. I covered it with my arms with haste as my face blushed. The intense pitter-patter of the raindrops supplied a welcome distraction from the gnawing sensation in my stomach. Unlike others, I lacked the means to buy filling and satisfying meals. But this might be the end of my suffering. I passed the last final examination in my college. After completing the final requirements, I could now work full-time with colossal pay. Achieving graduation was my ultimate goal, even if it meant sacrificing my relationships. Being perceived as an outcast is a price worth paying. I never considered having friends ever since. They would only hinder my goals, triggering my temptations. A classmate tapped my shoulder. They were in a group, carrying their umbrellas. ¡°Hey, Sachi, would you want to go to karaoke with us?¡± My classmate asked. I stared away from her leaning face and cleared my throat. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I c¡ªcan¡¯t,¡± I replied with a chilly voice, cold and nervous. She let out a deep sigh and slumped back her head. We lost eye contact with a frown appearing on her face. ¡°Sachi, this will be our last meeting. Wouldn¡¯t you like to spend time with your friends? We are graduating soon and may never see each other again.¡± Fun? I doubt that was possible, especially since Mom had an accident. While they may be my classmates, I wouldn¡¯t go as far as calling them my friends. No one even realized that I was currently hungry. ¡°I need to go to work. I¡¯m r¡ªreally sorry,¡± I stammered, fiddling my fingers. ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s what you want. If you¡¯d join, we wouldn¡¯t mind sharing an umbrella with you! Let¡¯s go, peeps.¡± They opened their umbrellas and left me standing. Because it would be the last day we would meet, they let me overhear their conversation as they set out. ¡°I don¡¯t really get that workaholic! What¡¯s her problem? We wouldn¡¯t even mind listening to her worries.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one can ever invite that antisocial.¡± ¡°I give up. It¡¯s impossible to hang out with that shut-in. We just wasted our time.¡± They wouldn¡¯t have bothered me if they saw time as precious as I do. Time was my only asset, my only possession, my only power. Time means freedom for the wealthy, but it brings hardship for impoverished people. I, Sachika Fujimoto, am one of those unfortunate people. I¡¯m only finishing college to bring my family out of poverty. I didn¡¯t study because I wanted to learn. But even with my studies, I work part-time. It¡¯s hard and a real struggle, but who can I depend on? I¡¯m the only one legally capable of doing this thing. My dad passed away before Mom gave birth to our youngest sibling. Mom was diagnosed with anemia, and I can¡¯t let her work. We don¡¯t have any relatives to help us. I have no choice but to survive this struggle. I limited what I ate and included my extra in my family finances. I kept as much money as I could. Even though I fell down deep into darkness, there was no way I could surrender myself. I turned into a vessel of a hardworking spirit that will do what I¡¯m focused on doing. But¡­ Graduation would soon free my soul, until I could breathe all the fresh air around me. I don¡¯t have anything that I need to worry about. I will aim for a job with high pay and reclaim the lost relationship I¡¯ve held for years. Minutes later, the rain stopped, but the sky remained gray and heavy. The sun broke through the clouds, but its rays weakened the mood. The air continued chilling my skin. The other students sheltering with me stepped out of the clear sky. I managed to walk out of the gates but never expected an event I didn¡¯t look upon. While staring at the ground, I saw a foot blocking my path. As I looked up, a man obstructed my path. He stood there, motionless, as the waters drenched his dark clothes. His hood covered his head, hiding his face from the curious eyes of the students and teachers. His mask concealed his mouth, muffling his breaths. He waited at the school gates, watching my every movement, gesture, and expression. He pulled out an untidy and torn envelope inside his coat and gave it to me. ¡°This¡­ This is for you,¡± he stuttered and ran away like a scared kid fleeting a haunted house. I had never seen that guy once for what I could remember. I interacted with only a few men my whole life, most of them from school or work. Could it be a prankster? The envelope didn¡¯t look like a love letter. It stung, partly wet, but I opened it with ease. When I opened the letter, I felt pain in my chest. I¡¯ll kill you. My hands turned clammy, and my chin and lips trembled. My body froze to death, with my shaking limbs that couldn¡¯t even move. My breath shuddered, leaving me too stunned to speak. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Why? Why does anyone want to kill me? What did I do wrong? Did I harm another person? What did I do to deserve this threat? I didn¡¯t know anyone who would work to such an extent of killing me. I already cut my relationships, so I couldn¡¯t hurt anyone or myself. But this¡­ This is impossible. Should I call the police? But there was no recipient or sender included. If I told this to Mom, who knows what would happen to them? I don¡¯t want to bother my family with more trouble. I¡¯m a soft girl. I would cry at any second if I didn¡¯t hold it, but I shouldn¡¯t attract public attention here. The longer it took me to realize, the longer it convinced me that it was a prank. Walking down the street, I couldn¡¯t help but be wary of my surroundings. With each step, my heart beats faster as I kept my eyes peeled for potential threats. I glanced over my shoulder several times, ensuring no one followed me. When I gazed through a group of men loitering on the corner, I hastened my pace, hoping to avoid any confrontation. Finally, I reached my destination ¡ª BookTales, a bookstore and a cafe. As I stepped into the cozy bookstore, the smell of old books and coffee greeted me. The shelves lined with colorful spines, inviting me to explore their stories, but I need to work. Before I reached the staff room, I met the bookstore owner, Futaba-san. She had a face that told a thousand stories, each one etched in the wrinkles and creases that adorned her skin. Her eyes were a faded blue, like the sky before a storm, and they sparkled with wisdom and kindness. Her hair was a silvery gray, pulled back in a neat bun, and her ears were adorned with small pearl earrings. She was a kind owner who accepted me to work for her three years ago. ¡°Oh, good afternoon, Sachi-chan¡­ Wait¡­ You look pale! What happened? Are you conscious about your final exams?¡± she asked with lowered eyebrows. ¡°N¡ªNothing, Futaba-san,¡± I stuttered, followed by my forced smile. ¡°I nailed my exams, so it¡¯s no problem.¡± I could not tell Futaba-san about the letter. She is retired already, and if I worry about her more, her high-blood pressure might attack her again. She narrowed her eyes to me and pinched her chin. ¡°You seem down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about what will happen to this bookstore after graduation.¡± ¡°Oh, right! Your contract ends the day before your graduation. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine doing things on my own, but¡­ it might make me feel lonely for a bit,¡± she said with her voice fading per second. ¡°Futaba-san¡­¡± I thought I worried about her, but she smiled at me instead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even as I age, my love for books won¡¯t perish. Even so, I¡¯ll miss you, Sachi-chan. Don¡¯t forget about me when you become successful.¡± ¡°Why are you saying goodbye already, Futaba-san? I still have three weeks to stay here. We should discuss how we part ways further in time.¡± ¡°Still, you can come back here anytime. I¡¯ll always expect you to visit me.¡± ¡°Of course, Futaba-san! To me, this feels like my second home. This was my favorite place to escape from the world. In here, I¡¯m free.¡± We talked about the end of my contract instead. Still, I wanted to hide the chaos in my mind after seeing the outrageous letter I received. I entered the staff room and changed into my work uniform. But while I do, I¡¯m drowned in thoughts, like my soul traveled on the other side of the world. Am I the recipient of that letter? Did I commit some crime? What will happen to my family if it¡¯s true? What will happen to me? Since there was no recipient written, that must be wrongly sent. I shouldn¡¯t become a victim of my negative thoughts. I¡¯m still in my workplace. I need to be optimistic. I¡¯m not worth having a stalker. I¡¯m not even famous or rich. I¡¯m not the ideal person one looks up to in my school. Stepping out of the staff room, I worked with a smile on my face while hiding the terror inside me. The more I worked, the more I forgot about the letter. While wandering around, a book caught my attention. It had an attractive cover targeting both boys and girls. I clicked my tongue and said, ¡°It¡¯s been three years, and it¡¯s still the best-selling piece?¡± It¡¯s a book entitled ¡®The Dark Lord¡¯s Bride.¡¯ Its story focused on the rivalry between a prince and a demon lord. I still had doubts on why it still sat in the bestselling section. The female lead, the only likable character, died because of the absurd quarrels between the two brothers. The main character, the prince, was a Gary Stu and only farms for girls in his harem. He didn¡¯t do anything to save the demon lord¡¯s bride. For every volume it had, it only led to the protagonist defeating but not killing the other brother, who was the demon lord. Illogicality owned every event in the book. How the heck did a fantasy world have an atomic bomb? And why the demon lord was still breathing after the 100m radius centering him had been wiped out? Other unreasonable resolutions to the plot conflict appeared out of nowhere. Still, it would only make me nauseous to count it all. To summarize all its bad points: The characters were flat. Grammatical errors scattered everywhere, like the editor didn¡¯t checked it. There was no emotional impact. Most scenes could be omitted because of unconnected subplots. I could summarize the whole series in one sentence or word: Garbage. I loathed this book. Why was it the top-selling novel of all time? This book never had the quality to begin with. I took the book from its shelf, and as I stared at it, I murmured, ¡°It¡¯s unfair for hardworking people if this cheat gets all luck. This piece of trash deserved into the trashcan more.¡± A gaze from afar pumped up my adrenaline. As I wandered around, I saw an eye from the hole on the other side of the shelf. His red glowing eyes injected fear into my blood. The trembling of my body petrified my walk as my eyes bulged. I could feel my pulse beating from my heart. Weakness ordered my knees to kneel. I lost my voice to ask for help as dizziness struck my vision. I still had the will, but I no longer had the strength. Fear completely invaded my body. Later before I realized that the shelf full of books leaned and would soon crush me. Am I going to die? Am I going to die like this!? I¡¯ll soon finish college, yet¡­ yet, I won¡¯t even experience how free I could be! How could I¡¯ve been so unlucky? My eyes closed, which I couldn''t seem to open. My ears deafened, and all I could perceive were mumblings with voices alien to me. I realized something strange ¡ª I didn''t feel any physical sensations. Even though I couldn''t open my eyes, I could visualize the endless stars surrounding the vast blue light clouds as I floated between them. I looked down and felt that I didn''t even have a body, just a glowing orb of light. Did I die!? Where am I? What happened to my body? Am I killed by someone I don''t know? This must be what it feels like to exist without a physical body. But despite the limitations of my current state, a sense of peace and tranquility surrounded me. It was so peaceful, free from stress and problems. I no longer have to worry about the pain and suffering in the physical world. But there seems to be something I¡¯m forgetting¡­ My family was my only worry. After all, I did work hard for them, but¡­ How would they survive without me? I didn¡¯t bring them out from poverty yet. Am I going to die like this? It felt like a day after I opened my eyes again. When I opened my eyes, the bright shades of light illuminated a room foreign to me. A chandelier hanged over my lying body. My head sat on feather-stuffed pillows with a gold-embroidered duvet. Rich tapestries covered the walls depicting scenes of glory and honor. A mahogany dresser, a marble vanity, a leather armchair, and various elegant furniture filled the room. Roses and lavender scented the air, uttering luxury and comfort. It''s too exquisite, not fitting for a commoner like me. I also felt like my limbs shrank. My physical body returned to me again, but everything changed from what I felt. A breathless maid came rushing in through the door, panting and screaming in panic. She had has long, chestnut brown hair that falls in loose waves down her back. Her bright blue eyes framed her long lashes, and her fair complexion complements a smattering of freckles across her nose. She was petite in stature and wore a simple yet elegant maid''s uniform with a white apron and a neat bun at the back of her head. "Miss Veniara!? Miss Veniara!" She hugged me like I''d escaped death. "Thank God you woke up! I thought you would soon die! This is a miracle!" Her hands pulled my head towards her jiggling chest, surrendering myself to my bouncy fate. Instead of resisting, the confused me squished my eyebrows instead. I don¡¯t even know her¡­ Wait¡ªWhat did she call me!? I pushed her away and rushed towards the royal mirror to see my face, but my body ended up a youngster, flooded with youth. A stunning young woman with fiery red hair cascading down her waist greeted me. Her crimson-red eyes widened while staring at her own reflection. This face looks like the female lead on the book cover of that book. This elegance and engaging aura were the same as the book cover''s mascot. The more I moved my body, the more she copied it. Don''t tell me¡­ "DID THE BOOK EAT ME!?" I squealed, flinching back while hyperventilating. I fell my butt on the ground, gripping the sides of my head and trying to pull my soul out. My face turned pallid and white as my shoulders tightened in fear. I stepped away and hid my face from it. My full-tremored body trembled. I really died in that bookstore, yet¡­ I¡¯m still alive, and transmigrated as the worst book¡¯s FEMALE LEAD! I don¡¯t want to be tortured for a decade and die another gruesome fate! I need to escape this world, this written fate. 3. The Worst Book and Red Cat One afternoon in my middle school, I stood on the highest platform of a ladder on the stage while holding a certificate. My glimmering smile resonated through the crowd¡¯s shout. The loudest crowd was mostly composed of students with the same school uniform as mine. My grin stretched from ear to ear, feeling the happiness within them. This opportunity made me think that I already met my calling. While the audience delivered their shouts, the principal of my school approached me and whispered, ¡°Sachika Fujimoto, you had a call.¡± My world suddenly paused with my lips turning flat. In the middle of the awarding, I followed her to her office. The telephone lay open over her desk, waiting for a recipient. When I put it to my ear, the voice of a boy shouted. ¡°Nee-san! We¡¯re in the hospital! Mom was¡­¡± After hearing what happened, I ran twenty minutes from school to the nearest public hospital in our home. I rushed to the counter and asked¡­ ¡°SARA FUJIMOTO! WHERE IS SARA FUJIMOTO!?¡± I shouted to the nurse at the counter while catching my breath. ¡°Excuse me, Miss? May we please calm down now? I believe the name you¡¯re looking for just arrived moments earlier.¡± ¡°WHERE¡¯S MY MOM!?¡± ¡°She¡¯s currently in the OR¡ª¡± I ran like I was slowly losing every second. When I got to the operating room, I saw two familiar faces sitting on a bench. The boy with spiky brown hair was Naoki. He was the second sibling of our family and I¡¯m five years older than him. He also brought Hisao with him, the youngest third sibling. They both had gaunt appearances with their eyes blinking infrequently. Naoki stared down to the ground with shuddering breaths. When I approached Naoki, I asked. ¡°Mom¡­. Where¡¯s Mom!?¡± ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still at school. I¡¯m sorry that I¡ª¡± ¡°What are you holding?¡± I stared at the certificate in my hand, which he grabbed in no time. He clicked his tongue and gritted his teeth. After reading, he tore it, not even caring what it was. I gasped as my hand flew on my tightened chest. My hand beats together with the thudding of my rushed heartbeat. Water surrounded my eyes, but I could never get angry. ¡°Mom was in that room¡­ suffering¡­ and where were you? Having fun? Does it look like we had a choice to have fun!?¡± Every time Naoki shouted, his words stabbed my heart. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Mom was crying¡­ Mom was in pain. When she suffered, you weren¡¯t even beside her! And now, you show us this paper? Can you eat this? Can this paper pay the bills in this hospital!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Naoki¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Tears crawled down my cheeks. ¡°Nee-san, can you please be realistic? Saying sorry wouldn¡¯t do anything. We¡¯re poor people. Having fun was always out of reach for us.¡± ¡°I know¡­ ¡°I won¡¯t ever have fun again.¡± While I thought that this was the reality that I traveled back from the past, darkness took over. The light illuminated my surroundings as I opened my eyes. The chandelier from the ceiling welcomed me. It was the only thing that reminded me that everything that was happening to me wasn¡¯t a dream. ¡°I had that dream again,¡± I muttered as I sat my head on the soft pillows. After realizing where I was, I straightened my back and checked my foot. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. There¡¯s not even a wound on it!¡± Healing and magic were pure mysteries I didn¡¯t even witness in this fantasy world. The royal family might have asked someone to heal my wound. But I didn¡¯t have anything with me yet to repay their kindness. This would have caused me to drown in greater debts. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. I stood from my bed, but the skirt part of my dress lodged at the bed frame. Since it was an expensive-looking dress, I should pull it carefully. I analyzed the part of my dress where it hooked and pulled it with care. I gasped after it split into two. ¡°Oh my God! What should I do!?¡± I exclaimed in my shrill voice. My face turned ashen when I burst breaths in and out of my hanging-open mouth. I gazed at the closet, for which it gave me an idea. I removed my clothes and searched for something that wouldn¡¯t look too expensive. ¡°There it is!¡± I pulled out a pair of casual clothes and shorts which weren¡¯t fashionable enough to be called expensive. I wore it and looked in the mirror. Never I had expected to see a female and noble protagonist wearing a commoner¡¯s clothes. I still couldn¡¯t accept the fact that I was reborn as Veniara Ravelgrace, but there might still be a chance to live out of royalty. Another idea came into my mind. ¡°I should repay them for what they had done to me.¡± *** It was past afternoon when the royal court maid, Elara, wandered throughout the castle. She came across a running maid who carried a basket full of laundry. That maid was years older than Elara. Elara noticed a piece of cloth fell onto the ground. The maid did pass through her, but Elara still took the cloth. Instead of chasing the maid, Elara compressed the cloth and threw it like a ball towards the basket. The cloth landed with perfect accuracy which made the maid stop. ¡°Don¡¯t rush your chores, Miss Jean,¡± Elara shouted. ¡°Be careful with the royalty¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Elara! I will make sure that nothing will be dropped again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Miss Jean, and you need not call me Senior. You¡¯re quite older than me.¡± ¡°But¡­ You¡¯re still higher than I am, Senior Elara. It would be appropriate to only call you that.¡± After that, the maid walked away faster. Elara pouted. ¡°Why are these maids so stubborn? They made me feel like I¡¯m their grandmother.¡± She stomped her feet towards Veniara¡¯s room. When she opened the doors, she exclaimed. ¡°Miss Veniara! Free warm hugs for¡­¡± Not witnessing Veniara, she wandered her eyes at every corner and entered the room. ¡°Miss Veniara? Miss Veniara?¡± Elara flinched back with her mouth falling open. She witnessed a piece of dress lying on the ground. When she took it, a torn part caught her attention, which hastened her heartbeat. On the brink of her focus, another maid appeared at the door and shouted. ¡°Senior Elara!¡± Elara squealed in shock at the same time. ¡°N¡ªNadia? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Miss Veniara is¡­¡± ¡°Miss Veniara is what!?¡± *** I stood in front of the sink in the kitchen and locked the doors. I made sure that no one could enter because if I did, everyone would stop me from doing this. Using only a water bucket and a sponge, I washed all the dishes from lunch. I did it even though gazes from the see-through door flooded my attention. From plates to glassware, I made sure that dirt didn¡¯t stay on it. I also ensured that they were placed in the right order so that they wouldn¡¯t break. I handled them with the utmost care possible¡­ but a drinking glass nearly slipped out of my hands when someone opened the door with her foot. ¡°Miss Veniara, what are you doing!?¡± The court maid, Elara, shouted. She had a tambourine of keys in her hand yet used her foot to break the door. Wasn¡¯t it obvious what I was doing? I¡¯m repaying the shame and trouble I caused for the rich. Washing these dishes was just a pinch in the globe. Elara approached me and took the glass from me. She threw it in the cupboard without care, but it landed exactly without a scratch. For some superhuman reason, I slacked my mouth and widened my eyes. She gripped my shoulders after, which turned my expressions back to normal. ¡°Miss Veniara, why are you wearing those clothes? Washing dishes was never your job. You can leave this to the maids. Why are you doing this?¡± I wanted to say that I should repay the royalty, but I couldn¡¯t. My mouth stammered and I couldn¡¯t open my jaw. There are so many things I wanted to say to them, but¡­ My lips and chin did nothing but tremble. My body froze with tightened shoulders that rooted me in place. My lack of trust from my previous life made me unsociable to the point that I never had practice talking to a stranger. ¡°Miss Veniara, I¡¯m afraid but please excuse me for my rudeness. You seem to have an uncomfortable time lately. If you would like to share what bugs your mind¡ª¡± ¡°I¡ª I¡ª¡± In the end, that¡¯s all I could say. I ran out of the room and cried with my tears leaving trails. The maids blocking the corridor gave way to me. I heard Elara calling out my name, but she didn¡¯t follow me. I ended up on the terrace of the castle, accompanied by the castle¡¯s garden view. From the distance, I saw a vibrant array of flowers of all colors and sizes. I leaned on the railing to continue crying. The sun shined bright, together with the crimson- and azure-filled sky, but I killed the mood. Crying in the middle of the sunset? It¡¯s too ironic, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I should have said those simple answers, but why do I still feel threatened speaking to others? Even though I¡¯m already reborn, why do I still live on my past life¡¯s principles? They aren¡¯t even people. They¡¯re just fictional characters for the story. They wouldn¡¯t feel threatened if I hurt them. If they were fakes, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered connecting with them. I wouldn¡¯t have bothered hurting them. But why? Why do they feel real? Why does every time I talk to them, I feel like I¡¯m doing something wrong? Am I becoming conserved of my feelings again? Arms gripped me from behind. That hug from someone made my tears stop. I couldn¡¯t look back, but I remember her voice. ¡°Miss Veniara, I¡¯m here for you. Even if you stay or change, I¡¯ll always be by your side. If you have something holding you back, you can let it out. I¡¯m always willing to listen to you.¡± My world paused in time. My eyes widened while my breathing calmed down. The warmth of her arms wrapped my confusion and gave me an answer to my questions. ¡°Elara¡­ are you real?¡± ¡°I¡¯m real, Miss Veniara.¡± ¡°Liar¡­ You¡¯re a liar¡­ You¡¯re just an extra¡­¡± ¡°What I said was real, Miss Veniara. And if you¡¯re still doubting, I¡¯m just happy that you¡¯re able to talk to me again.¡± If you said that, I¡ªI would feel important myself! I never considered myself an important person. I severed my relationships so I couldn¡¯t hurt anybody. But seeing you happy makes me¡­ I pressed my lips as my vision blurred. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I cried that it reached through the maids wandering in the castle garden. Elara hugged me tighter, continuing to give her warmth to me. ¡°You had nothing to sorry for, Miss Veniara.¡± No, I should be sorry for everything, but I couldn¡¯t say it to her. You¡¯re too kind, Elara¡­ even if you¡¯re hugging the wrong person. 3. The Worst Book and Red Cat One afternoon in my middle school, I stood on the highest platform of a ladder on the stage while holding a certificate. My glimmering smile resonated through the crowd¡¯s shout. The loudest crowd was mostly composed of students with the same school uniform as mine. My grin stretched from ear to ear, feeling the happiness within them. This opportunity made me think that I already met my calling. While the audience delivered their shouts, the principal of my school approached me and whispered, ¡°Sachika Fujimoto, you had a call.¡± My world suddenly paused with my lips turning flat. In the middle of the awarding, I followed her to her office. The telephone lay open over her desk, waiting for a recipient. When I put it to my ear, the voice of a boy shouted. ¡°Nee-san! We¡¯re in the hospital! Mom was¡­¡± After hearing what happened, I ran twenty minutes from school to the nearest public hospital in our home. I rushed to the counter and asked¡­ ¡°SARA FUJIMOTO! WHERE IS SARA FUJIMOTO!?¡± I shouted to the nurse at the counter while catching my breath. ¡°Excuse me, Miss? May we please calm down now? I believe the name you¡¯re looking for just arrived moments earlier.¡± ¡°WHERE¡¯S MY MOM!?¡± ¡°She¡¯s currently in the OR¡ª¡± I ran like I was slowly losing every second. When I got to the operating room, I saw two familiar faces sitting on a bench. The boy with spiky brown hair was Naoki. He was the second sibling of our family and I¡¯m five years older than him. He also brought Hisao with him, the youngest third sibling. They both had gaunt appearances with their eyes blinking infrequently. Naoki stared down to the ground with shuddering breaths. When I approached Naoki, I asked. ¡°Mom¡­. Where¡¯s Mom!?¡± ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still at school. I¡¯m sorry that I¡ª¡± ¡°What are you holding?¡± I stared at the certificate in my hand, which he grabbed in no time. He clicked his tongue and gritted his teeth. After reading, he tore it, not even caring what it was. I gasped as my hand flew on my tightened chest. My hand beats together with the thudding of my rushed heartbeat. Water surrounded my eyes, but I could never get angry. ¡°Mom was in that room¡­ suffering¡­ and where were you? Having fun? Does it look like we had a choice to have fun!?¡± Every time Naoki shouted, his words stabbed my heart. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Mom was crying¡­ Mom was in pain. When she suffered, you weren¡¯t even beside her! And now, you show us this paper? Can you eat this? Can this paper pay the bills in this hospital!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Naoki¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Tears crawled down my cheeks. ¡°Nee-san, can you please be realistic? Saying sorry wouldn¡¯t do anything. We¡¯re poor people. Having fun was always out of reach for us.¡± ¡°I know¡­ ¡°I won¡¯t ever have fun again.¡± While I thought that this was the reality that I traveled back from the past, darkness took over. The light illuminated my surroundings as I opened my eyes. The chandelier from the ceiling welcomed me. It was the only thing that reminded me that everything that was happening to me wasn¡¯t a dream. ¡°I had that dream again,¡± I muttered as I sat my head on the soft pillows. After realizing where I was, I straightened my back and checked my foot. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. There¡¯s not even a wound on it!¡± Healing and magic were pure mysteries I didn¡¯t even witness in this fantasy world. The royal family might have asked someone to heal my wound. But I didn¡¯t have anything with me yet to repay their kindness. This would have caused me to drown in greater debts. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. I stood from my bed, but the skirt part of my dress lodged at the bed frame. Since it was an expensive-looking dress, I should pull it carefully. I analyzed the part of my dress where it hooked and pulled it with care. I gasped after it split into two. ¡°Oh my God! What should I do!?¡± I exclaimed in my shrill voice. My face turned ashen when I burst breaths in and out of my hanging-open mouth. I gazed at the closet, for which it gave me an idea. I removed my clothes and searched for something that wouldn¡¯t look too expensive. ¡°There it is!¡± I pulled out a pair of casual clothes and shorts which weren¡¯t fashionable enough to be called expensive. I wore it and looked in the mirror. Never I had expected to see a female and noble protagonist wearing a commoner¡¯s clothes. I still couldn¡¯t accept the fact that I was reborn as Veniara Ravelgrace, but there might still be a chance to live out of royalty. Another idea came into my mind. ¡°I should repay them for what they had done to me.¡± *** It was past afternoon when the royal court maid, Elara, wandered throughout the castle. She came across a running maid who carried a basket full of laundry. That maid was years older than Elara. Elara noticed a piece of cloth fell onto the ground. The maid did pass through her, but Elara still took the cloth. Instead of chasing the maid, Elara compressed the cloth and threw it like a ball towards the basket. The cloth landed with perfect accuracy which made the maid stop. ¡°Don¡¯t rush your chores, Miss Jean,¡± Elara shouted. ¡°Be careful with the royalty¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Elara! I will make sure that nothing will be dropped again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Miss Jean, and you need not call me Senior. You¡¯re quite older than me.¡± ¡°But¡­ You¡¯re still higher than I am, Senior Elara. It would be appropriate to only call you that.¡± After that, the maid walked away faster. Elara pouted. ¡°Why are these maids so stubborn? They made me feel like I¡¯m their grandmother.¡± She stomped her feet towards Veniara¡¯s room. When she opened the doors, she exclaimed. ¡°Miss Veniara! Free warm hugs for¡­¡± Not witnessing Veniara, she wandered her eyes at every corner and entered the room. ¡°Miss Veniara? Miss Veniara?¡± Elara flinched back with her mouth falling open. She witnessed a piece of dress lying on the ground. When she took it, a torn part caught her attention, which hastened her heartbeat. On the brink of her focus, another maid appeared at the door and shouted. ¡°Senior Elara!¡± Elara squealed in shock at the same time. ¡°N¡ªNadia? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Miss Veniara is¡­¡± ¡°Miss Veniara is what!?¡± *** I stood in front of the sink in the kitchen and locked the doors. I made sure that no one could enter because if I did, everyone would stop me from doing this. Using only a water bucket and a sponge, I washed all the dishes from lunch. I did it even though gazes from the see-through door flooded my attention. From plates to glassware, I made sure that dirt didn¡¯t stay on it. I also ensured that they were placed in the right order so that they wouldn¡¯t break. I handled them with the utmost care possible¡­ but a drinking glass nearly slipped out of my hands when someone opened the door with her foot. ¡°Miss Veniara, what are you doing!?¡± The court maid, Elara, shouted. She had a tambourine of keys in her hand yet used her foot to break the door. Wasn¡¯t it obvious what I was doing? I¡¯m repaying the shame and trouble I caused for the rich. Washing these dishes was just a pinch in the globe. Elara approached me and took the glass from me. She threw it in the cupboard without care, but it landed exactly without a scratch. For some superhuman reason, I slacked my mouth and widened my eyes. She gripped my shoulders after, which turned my expressions back to normal. ¡°Miss Veniara, why are you wearing those clothes? Washing dishes was never your job. You can leave this to the maids. Why are you doing this?¡± I wanted to say that I should repay the royalty, but I couldn¡¯t. My mouth stammered and I couldn¡¯t open my jaw. There are so many things I wanted to say to them, but¡­ My lips and chin did nothing but tremble. My body froze with tightened shoulders that rooted me in place. My lack of trust from my previous life made me unsociable to the point that I never had practice talking to a stranger. ¡°Miss Veniara, I¡¯m afraid but please excuse me for my rudeness. You seem to have an uncomfortable time lately. If you would like to share what bugs your mind¡ª¡± ¡°I¡ª I¡ª¡± In the end, that¡¯s all I could say. I ran out of the room and cried with my tears leaving trails. The maids blocking the corridor gave way to me. I heard Elara calling out my name, but she didn¡¯t follow me. I ended up on the terrace of the castle, accompanied by the castle¡¯s garden view. From the distance, I saw a vibrant array of flowers of all colors and sizes. I leaned on the railing to continue crying. The sun shined bright, together with the crimson- and azure-filled sky, but I killed the mood. Crying in the middle of the sunset? It¡¯s too ironic, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I should have said those simple answers, but why do I still feel threatened speaking to others? Even though I¡¯m already reborn, why do I still live on my past life¡¯s principles? They aren¡¯t even people. They¡¯re just fictional characters for the story. They wouldn¡¯t feel threatened if I hurt them. If they were fakes, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered connecting with them. I wouldn¡¯t have bothered hurting them. But why? Why do they feel real? Why does every time I talk to them, I feel like I¡¯m doing something wrong? Am I becoming conserved of my feelings again? Arms gripped me from behind. That hug from someone made my tears stop. I couldn¡¯t look back, but I remember her voice. ¡°Miss Veniara, I¡¯m here for you. Even if you stay or change, I¡¯ll always be by your side. If you have something holding you back, you can let it out. I¡¯m always willing to listen to you.¡± My world paused in time. My eyes widened while my breathing calmed down. The warmth of her arms wrapped my confusion and gave me an answer to my questions. ¡°Elara¡­ are you real?¡± ¡°I¡¯m real, Miss Veniara.¡± ¡°Liar¡­ You¡¯re a liar¡­ You¡¯re just an extra¡­¡± ¡°What I said was real, Miss Veniara. And if you¡¯re still doubting, I¡¯m just happy that you¡¯re able to talk to me again.¡± If you said that, I¡ªI would feel important myself! I never considered myself an important person. I severed my relationships so I couldn¡¯t hurt anybody. But seeing you happy makes me¡­ I pressed my lips as my vision blurred. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I cried that it reached through the maids wandering in the castle garden. Elara hugged me tighter, continuing to give her warmth to me. ¡°You had nothing to sorry for, Miss Veniara.¡± No, I should be sorry for everything, but I couldn¡¯t say it to her. You¡¯re too kind, Elara¡­ even if you¡¯re hugging the wrong person. 4. The Worst Book and First Escape When I had a magic wand that would give me anything I wished, I would request money for my family to escape poverty¡­ But that was true not long ago. I did escape poverty, but it wouldn¡¯t make sense without my real family. They¡¯re the only reason I¡¯m motivated to work. I couldn¡¯t adapt myself to this new lifestyle that God gave me. In the end, I¡¯m conflicted between money and family. Another day came, I was already getting used to this comfortable bed, which I shouldn¡¯t have. I sat straight and stared at the windows. Elara wasn¡¯t here yet. Since she always comes on time, I might have woken up earlier. Since Elara prohibited me from doing chores, I¡¯ve got nothing to do. I walked and faced the mirror, touching parts of my face. I even stretched my cheeks to say that ¡°everything was real.¡± Since I had nothing to do, which was rare in my past life, I had an idea. I opened the closet, took out various clothes, and threw them on the bed. Don¡¯t fret! This wasn¡¯t what I wanted to wear. I just want to see how the likable character I adored looks in different types of clothing. Dressing up characters would only be possible in illustrations and fan art. There was never an opportunity for the characters to gain freedom unless the author made it so. Since the worst book had the worst author, he didn¡¯t add it. But now, I¡¯m experiencing it in real time. I can see how Veniara Ravelgrace looked in various clothing. I wore a miniskirt, a leather jacket, and a bonnet. This combination would make me look like a tourist from France. But seeing Veniara Ravelgrace in this clothing was a¡­ ¡°Fan service!¡± I shouted with a grin on my face which was visible to the mirror. When I noticed it, my lips flattened without emotions at all. ¡°Sachi, you¡¯re not having fun! You¡¯re just trying out things that didn¡¯t exist in the real world. You adore Veniara, right?¡± she said to her reflection. ¡°I promise that I will take care of your clothes and put them back properly. Next is¡­¡± Retro, Summer, Birthday, and even swimsuit, she tried clothes of various styles. Every piece of apparel fit her perfectly. Veniara tried to hide her adoration by clenching her fists while pressing her lips. Elara came in, witnessing me wearing a swimsuit in stripes of blue which had a skirt attached to its waist. When I saw her, I stepped back, waving my hands in denial. ¡°T¡ªThat¡¯s not what it looks like¡­ I¡ªI¡¯m not having fun¡­¡± I stuttered, but she didn¡¯t seem to pay attention judging from her glimmering eyes and drooling mouth. ¡°Miss Veniara, you¡¯re cute!!!¡± She exclaimed, grinning and rushing at me. I froze with my wide-open mouth. My face flushed as I hid my face by turning away from her. ¡°It¡¯s not w¡ªwhat it looks like, okay? I¡¯m just trying out these clothes.¡± ¡°You seem to like it, Miss Veniara. I never thought I would see you wear that one day. I picked those clothes for you, and Madame Genivie asked for them to be made.¡± ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t like it! But¡­ I don¡¯t dislike it either,¡± I muttered, fidgeting my fingers. If I told her my reasons, she wouldn¡¯t believe it. I was not Sachi; I¡¯m currently Veniara. But why am I talking like this to her? It felt like I lowered my defenses at her. ¡°I¡¯m going to put this off,¡± I said, but I couldn¡¯t reach the zipper in the back of my clothing. Elara took it out for me instead. ¡°Miss Veniara, seeing you happy makes me happy too.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Idiot! I¡¯m n¡ªnot happy,¡± I said with my reddened ears and pouted. ¡°You¡¯re bad at lying, you know?¡± ¡°S¡ªShut up!¡± I really became vulnerable to Elara. Why does it calm me every time I talk to her? I might have become attached to her. But I shouldn¡¯t be, after all¡­ I would only end up hurting her. From my first day in this world, I always declined my appearance at my family¡¯s dinner. If I ate like a commoner before them, it would only make it suspicious that I¡¯m not their daughter. I asked Elara to bring me the food to my room instead. Elara insisted on feeding me, but I rejected it. I only ate my food in solitude. After that, I had nothing more to do. Elara couldn¡¯t entertain me most of the time since she was the court maid. She supervised the maids¡¯ tasks and welfare. I decided to walk around and explore the manor instead. After a few minutes of walking through the repeated patterns of royal walls, I might have lost. If I asked someone for directions, it would make me suspicious. In a bent corner of the hallway, I hid after overhearing voices of two women talking. ¡°Zel¡¯s husband was no more. It¡¯s so sad.¡± ¡°Still, the royal family would support her until her death since her husband was a loyal knight to the kingdom. She might¡¯ve considered not working here and retiring.¡± ¡°Would she be? Zel had fun working here. Every maid became her friend already. I think she¡¯ll just volunteer as a maid forever until she turns old.¡± ¡°Who knows? By the way, what do you think would happen to dead souls? Which land in the seven islands would he land?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him personally, but I think it would be Pride. Zel had trouble with her husband about boasting.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it be Lust? Who knows what they¡¯d been doing every night.¡± ¡°Really? But they didn¡¯t have kids.¡± Their soul talk marked an etch in my memory. In this place, there¡¯s no heaven or hell. According to the novel, the church¡¯s teachings spread that there¡¯s no such thing as forgiveness. Every person was a sinner, and all that mattered was its weight. After death, seven islands beyond the clouds gathered the lost souls depending on the most weighted sin: Pride, Greed, Wrath, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth. Speaking of souls, where does the real Veniara¡¯s soul reside now? The conversation between the two maids continued. ¡°But how did he die?¡± ¡°Reports said that Zel¡¯s husband lost the pupil of his eyes. After three days, nothing was taken away from his body parts. The knights believed that he lost his soul on the mission while exploring the Harswell Forest.¡± ¡°That forest? Ferocious monsters live in it, right? How would his body remain complete? How would a body be complete after three days of staying in a place filled with carnivorous bears?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe the bears were looking for meat with a soul? Just kidding! Don¡¯t tell me you took it seriously!¡± ¡°Bears looking for meat with a soul¡­ That seems nice.¡± ¡°Hey, wake up! Either way, you¡¯ll still end up dead.¡± Was what they said true? Was it possible to remove my soul from my vessel? If I let my soul out of this body, would Veniara¡¯s soul come back? Countless ways of escape emerged in my mind, and only one gamble seized the possibility of both outcomes. I had no risk of dying since I¡¯m supposed to be dead right now. If I looked at the Harswell Forest, there might be something that would pull my soul out of my body. But some questions remained bothering me. If I pulled Veniara¡¯s soul back into her body, would my soul be brought back to my world too? To Sachika Fujimoto? I still couldn¡¯t believe that I died in that bookstore accident. But if I had nobody to come back to, where would I end up wandering? There¡¯s only one way to find out. The next day afternoon, I wore light clothes that didn¡¯t pull me back as gowns with decorative skirts do. I wore a short-sleeved dress with a trimmed skirt up to my knees. With this, I shouldn¡¯t look like a princess now. As I roamed the castle, everyone I encountered greeted me. I smiled at them in return, showing no traces of escape in my cheeks. I surveyed through the entrance of our mansion, but it was impossible to escape there without the guards noticing. I remembered that the author inserted an escape path in a scene where the Empire¡¯s knights cornered the male lead. It¡¯s illogical to place a plot device like that. I would curse the author up to his bone if that nonexistent escape path wasn¡¯t here. The storage room didn¡¯t have any ventilation of air. One should suffocate after staying here for three whole days. Curious, I searched every corner and saw a circular trap door on the edge. ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± I exclaimed with a wide grin that stretched from ear to ear. This moment was my point of no return. When I got down here, I couldn¡¯t go back again. Those who passed here were those committed to escape. This escape route leads to the edge of the town. This path utilizes the sewers for escape but can never be used for infiltration. With my tiny body, I could easily slip through. I climbed down from a ladder and slid through a ramp going down. Thank God that the ramp doesn¡¯t harbor any toxic liquids on it. The smell is something I could resist. Because the author overloaded details on this place, I followed out of the exit. I walked like a Homosapien out of the cave. As the bright sky dazed my eyes, a soaring wall of bricks darted down on me. That tall wall is part of the whole kingdom¡¯s defenses. Over it are soldiers watching out for threats. They would never look at where I am, except if I¡¯m a dragon. As new knowledge rose, I believed that the terrain followed what the book had told. It might have been poorly written, but I thank the author for this. I¡¯m still halfway through my plans¡­ There¡¯s still an obstacle I need to pass through. 5. The Worst Book and Wordless Goodbye The lively market town of Valenluire lay on the edge of a mystical forest and a massive field, surrounded by towering trees draped in vines and shimmering with magical energy. The streets are bustling with visitors from all corners of the realm ¨C elves with pointed ears and shimmering hair, dwarves with bushy beards and glittering gems, and humans with swords at their sides and determination in their eyes. The winding cobblestone streets are lined with bustling shops and colorful market stalls, each boasting a wealth of fantastical wares. The scent of roasting meats and aromatic herbs filled the air, and the sounds of lively music and laughter spilled out from every tavern and inn. At the heart of Valenluire lies the town square, a vibrant hub of activity and excitement. Kids, much younger than I, ran, laughing as they chased each other. Performers and street artists dazzled the crowds with their acrobatics, illusions, and fire shows. At the same time, merchants peddled their wares, and residents gathered to catch up on the latest news and gossip. It was my first time going out, and I never expected how vibrant my environment was. If I were reborn as a commoner like them, I wouldn¡¯t suffer my current distress. I asked the merchants for directions toward the adventurer¡¯s guild and ended ended up in a monumental building with a crest of a shield and a sword underneath. When I stepped inside, I rapidly blinked followed by an open stare. My lips parted without me noticing. The well-known trope, the adventurer¡¯s guild, was before me and I couldn¡¯t believe it! I saw a reception desk where a friendly and pretty receptionist would register new members and assign them ranks. The guild also had a tavern where adventurers could relax, drink, eat, and socialize. There was a bulletin board where quests were posted and updated. The quests ranged from simple errands to dangerous expeditions, and each had a difficulty level and a reward attached. I only had one objective in this place: to place a job request. There¡¯s no limit on who can post a request. Even a kid can do so as long as they have money. I need an adventurer who will lead me out of the city gates inspection. He should be weak so I could escape from his sight as I reach the forest. The moment I approached the receptionist in the Post section, she spoke. ¡°Good morning! How may I assist you today?¡± ¡°I¡ªI was tasked to gather 15 Appomine herbs¡ª as requested by Doctor Farhad!¡± ¡°Oh, weren¡¯t you an assistant of the famous doctor? You need not to be scared, my darling. I won¡¯t bite kids,¡± she joked. Doctor Farhad is the doctor who treated my wound before, and I heard it from Elara when I asked her about my wound. I placed a gold coin on the counter. Luckily, I brought my purse. It¡¯s my past life habit to pick up coins I found on the ground, even if it wasn¡¯t mine. Like how I entered the guild, she blinked followed by an open stare. ¡°Were you informed on what Appomine herbs are, little girl?¡± I let silence answer her. Seconds later, I shook my head. Appomine Flower was the only thing I remembered being used in the novel. I just picked that flower at random. I don¡¯t have anything to do with it. All that matters is that I escape the kingdom without anyone noticing. Won¡¯t she be suspicious of me? ¡°Appomine herbs were commonly used to make someone sleep, little girl. It seems like a gold coin is huge for that quest. Are you sure this is the right amount?¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t bother... The doctor¡ªsaid to keep the change,¡± I stuttered with visible sweating. Who knows that the only flower I knew was this common? ¡°But, little girl, aren¡¯t you informed about a policy that the adventurer¡¯s guild never accepts tips for accurate auditing? I suggest that you should try lowering the price threshold.¡± I nearly slipped my tongue in asking her suggestion. I thought the flower would be rare since it had a well-crafted name. I never walked out of the castle so I don¡¯t know the current state of the economy. I could only stare at my open pouch and pinch my chin acting like I was thinking. But everything that came to my mind were ideas I was unsure of. A female adventurer approached me from the back and placed seven silver coins on the counter. She took the coin and put it back in my purse. ¡°Miss Leila, it was never right to bully kids, you know?¡± The adventurer said. Her glossy blonde hair fell in loose waves to her shoulders. Her eyes were narrowed and I couldn¡¯t determine her eye color. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! She stood her average height with a lean and alluring body. She wore a light and sturdy leather armor adorned with intricate engravings. ¡°I¡¯m not bullying her, Ellyn. I¡¯m not like you who picks on kids.¡± ¡°Take my coin. I¡¯ll negotiate with her midway.¡± Miss Leila, the receptionist, took the coin and wrote something on an amber-colored paper with a quill. After a while, she gave me a copy of the print containing the job details. ¡°Thank you for posting a job request in our guild. Feel free to use our services again soon, ¡°she said. ¡°Now then, can you tell me why you, a kid from the nine-year-old army, were carrying a bunch of gold in public?¡± The adventurer Ellyn asked, squinting her forehead at me. My jaws trembled for which it created a sound every time it collided. I froze, not able to respond to her, but she instead jerked back and walked to the door. I sighed. Thankfully, no one noticed who I was. My shaking body followed her trail. I might pass out at any minute. As we went along the way, she repeated her question. ¡°Can you tell me why you, a kid from the nine-year-old army, were carrying a bunch of gold in public?¡± ¡°I¡ªI was¡ª¡± I stuttered, talking to her nervously for the first time. ¡°You won¡¯t get anywhere by stuttering. You seem juvenile. Did you have your parent¡¯s consent?¡± I nodded. ¡°Aren¡¯t you informed yet? Strange monsters lurk in the nearby forest. It¡¯s common for kids not to approach it.¡± I nodded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you saving word count by pretending to be deaf? Or are you a hardcore musician practicing headbangs? If you won¡¯t talk, I won¡¯t talk too.¡± ¡°W¡ªWhy?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why did you help me?¡± I wouldn¡¯t even consider her helping me. She only approached me after she saw the gold coin I was holding. Her voice, her mysteriousness, everything on her looked suspicious. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, my dear. I¡¯m the guardian of children. I helped kids who were in trouble. You, my fellow, were also in need of my help too, right?¡± Oh, really? She told me straightforwardly that she was a pedophile. I couldn¡¯t determine which of what she was saying was true. My trust in her fell after it reached halfway. She was more of a model than an adventurer. Her limbs were slim like what Elara had. But I wouldn¡¯t expect some rando to have the same skill as the court maid. She should probably be weak as I expected. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Ellyn. And your name?¡± ¡°Vena.¡± Even if I cut my name, no one would notice since the details about the royal family siblings were kept hidden. As we got to the city gates, Ellyn presented her guild card to the guards. They nearly agreed to let us pass, but one of them rubbernecked at me. I avoided his uncomfortable stare, but it didn¡¯t stop him. Does he know me? Did he notice my face? Will he stop me if he knew I¡¯m the princess? ¡°Castor, you¡¯re making my client uncomfortable,¡± Ellyn commented. Castor, the guard, leaned back and hitched. ¡°Hic! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hol¡¯up, buddy. Ish that shor client? Sheesh, she looksh young. Wait a minute, I knew ya crimshon hair from shomewhere... But, honeshtly, it¡¯s my first time sheeing her. Hic!¡± ¡°Stop drinking and touch some grass, old virgin. This mere angel is no subject to your dreadful terminus of procreation.¡± ¡°H-Hey, Ellyn, you¡¯re my besht friend, you know that? I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re sho mean to me. I¡¯m just trying to pay her a complim-m-ment. Sheesh.¡± ¡°Let us pass.¡± ¡°Hiccup! Shou can go, buddzy. But lemme warn ya, thoshe guards over there don¡¯t know what they¡¯re talkin¡¯ about. You should totally go deeper into the foresht and explore! Who cares about those so-called ¡°monsters¡±? They¡¯re probably just big ol¡¯ teddy bears!¡± Castor laughed. As the guards let us pass, we continued our journey. The gentle breeze collided with my face as we walked towards our destination. The sun was setting behind the horizon, painting the sky with orange, pink, and purple palettes. The air was filled with crickets and birds, creating a soothing melody. This cold breeze wasn¡¯t present inside the city walls. I stopped and closed my eyes, breathing in the fresh scent of the earth. I smiled and thanked the universe for this moment of beauty and grace. ¡°Do you enjoy the air, little girl?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡ª¡± I stuttered with my reddened face that turned away from her. ¡°Why are you so wary of me? Do you think I¡¯m a suspicious person? I wouldn¡¯t care less about your gold, but if someone saw it, they may take advantage of you.¡± ¡°R¡ªReally?¡± I looked back at her with my sparkling eyes. I thought she was mere suspicious but she was just a pedophile. ¡°I¡¯m the guardian of children, remember that. One time, Brenda asked me for a commission to find a lilac with her. The moment she got it, she seemed happy.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Brenda?¡± ¡°A kid in your age. I called them the nine-year-old army. Brenda was a sweet innocent girl who fell in love with one of her friends. Don¡¯t you know her?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t remember seeing you once within the city. Perhaps, did you migrate here in Valenluire with your family?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Dr. Farhad.¡± ¡°The quest told me. And what dark plans do you intend to use the Appomine Flower? Do you want to draw censored things in nobles¡¯ faces?¡± She was sharp. She intended to find loopholes within my plan. I just wish that she wouldn¡¯t notice me escaping before I do it. I stared away with my eyes half open. ¡°Who knows?¡± She covered her mouth and giggled. ¡°You had a good sense of humor within you, little girl. We might get along well.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything funny.¡± ¡°A joke doesn¡¯t come out only from words. Your face tells me that you¡¯re admitting it.¡± ¡°I¡ªI had a pride not to do anything shameful!¡± I squealed with my flushed face full of emotion. ¡°You¡¯re more open now.¡± When she noticed my face, she smiled. ¡°You should be honest in what you really feel. Holding it would only make you explode until you couldn¡¯t.¡± Why am I talking like this again? I thought I only opened myself to Elara. Why am I sensitive now to some suspicious-looking stranger? I¡¯ve been overconfident about my plan, not thinking what the tip of my tongue threw out. Except for my family, no one felt comfortable when I talk to them. What¡¯s happening to me? When we reached the forest, the trees swayed gently in the breeze, whispering secrets to each other. Even though the birds sang their melodies, strange noises echoed. The air thickened with a musty smell of decay and dampness, and a chill ran through the spine of anyone who ventured into the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t try to kid around, kid. Starting now, stay close to me,¡± Ellyn commanded with a severe stare. But my intention was far different from what she expected. This place is the perfect place to experiment with my theory. I will pull the real Veniara back into this world... And go back to my family. 6. The Worst Book Has Rampaging Bears The knights were on a mission to search for every underground hideout in town. Residents, merchants, and visitors are tasked to hide inside infrastructures as per royal command. Citizens heard rumors of a surprise inspection by the king, but it wasn''t true. The reason behind this sudden search is relatively straightforward. The knights explored every alley, cellar, and tunnel they could find, hoping to catch the target they were tasked to find. Bandits, slave traders, and underground criminals walked out from their hideouts with a blade in their necks. The guards at the gate thought of a reason why these events seemed unreasonable. ¡°Sir Castor, may I ask if the higher-ups passed down a notice about the town¡¯s investigation?¡± A guard asked. ¡°Heck zid I know!? I¡¯m alsho dying ta know wha actionsh occur inshide. It¡¯sh sho boring to shtand here day by day,¡± Castor replied. ¡°Maybe the reason is that the kingdom doesn¡¯t trust us? Maybe they think of the guards as low soldiers who aren¡¯t reliable? Perhaps they¡¯re casting us out?¡± ¡°Ya overthinking idiot! Dat manip¡¯lative shadness of yoursh¡¯sh why you can¡¯t get girlsh of ya age!¡± ¡°T¡ªThat¡¯s offending, sir!¡± ¡°But da knightsh are shirculating only the inshide, huh? Ish dzer a bomb plan¡¯ed shumwhere?¡± By chance, a girl in a maid suit breathlessly rushed towards the gate. When Castor approached her, she was bathing from sweat. ¡°Hey, what bushinessh do ya have w¡ª Elara!?¡± Castor exclaimed the moment he clarified her face. ¡°Yo, Castor,¡± Elara greeted with a voice different from what she had inside the mansion. ¡°What¡¯za court maid doing here? Why¡¯sh everyone in za panic?¡± ¡°I would like a personal audience with you, privately.¡± The two went out not far but where they could only hear each other. They first checked if someone was listening. ¡°Elara¡­ am I not thinking dat ya¡¯r dza one za knights¡¯r shearching for? Ya aren¡¯t a traitor, are ya? I shtill wanna live ma life in peashe.¡± ¡°Turn down your talking mannerisms. If I planned to kill you, I should have done it sooner, you disgusting freak.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Castor squealed with his pale face. ¡°W¡ªWhat¡¯s the occasion? Treasure hunting?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in charge of the gates, right? Perhaps you encounter some little girl with red hair going out of town?¡± ¡°There are too many red-haired girls who passed, from what I can remember. Half of them are lolis, and another half are tsundere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking! Can you treat this talk seriously? This is confidential, and if we don¡¯t hurry, it will cause a huge downfall of the kingdom.¡± ¡°Eh!? Is it that serious? At what age would you expect her to be?¡± ¡°She just turned nine last 15th of November. Also, her eyes are crimson red, so it¡¯s noticeable.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Castor pinches his chin to recall his memory. When a sure event jabs in his brain, his eyes widen. ¡°Certainly, I did meet some cute red-haired girl and I can¡¯t take my eyes off her. She¡¯s accompanied by an adventurer for her request to gather herbs.¡± ¡°Gathering herbs? Where did they go?¡± ¡°From what Ellyn has shown me, they¡¯ve gone into Harswell Forest.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous there currently!? Even the court knights can even clear that zone yet!¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°If you¡¯re taking this seriously, don¡¯t tell me¡ª Oh!¡± Castor realized something unique. ¡°That¡¯s why the little girl seems familiar to me.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t let the matter of the missing queen¡¯s daughter get out of word! Make an excuse or a fake story to tell your guards. Also, inform the knights to march towards the Harswell forest as per my command.¡± ¡°You¡¯re charging in there, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You know me, right? I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± At the same time, Ellyn reached ten medical herbs to gather. They must match the quota before sunset, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. "Vena, I already have ten herbs. How many did you¡ª Vena?¡± When she turned back, the red-haired little girl vanished in her sight, popping like a bubble out of nowhere. The longer the time passes, the more emotions enter the mixture. Ellyn gasped with wrinkling brows as her focus gradually lost. Her face turned ashen. Her pulse beats visibly beside her neck. Her narrow eyes bulge while her body experiences tremors. The client she should protect took away from her side. She isn¡¯t aware that Veniara planned her escape. Wandering in this dangerous forest can lead to her death. She spoke with a flat voice, ¡°I¡¯m doomed.¡± *** I¡¯m an idiot to run more profoundly in the woods like I¡¯m a brave warrior. I charged toward death, but my legs told me it was not my time yet. It was already evening when I stopped running. The eerie rustling of winds and whistling of birds gives me shivers. This forest, whose name I don¡¯t know, was a maze of shadows and secrets, where the only light came from the pale moon that filtered through the dense canopy. The air thickens with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves, and the silence amplifies every sound. The trees seemed to whisper and creak as if they were alive and watching. Fallen branches and thorns litter the ground, making walking hard without stumbling or getting scratched. On my way here, I can feel spikes gathering on my foot. Now that I can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going, my clammy hands stopped responding. My heartbeat races as if it had been detonated. My ears became sensitive to sound. Even a single rabbit step in a bush makes my head turn. I can never leave my back unwatched. My run turns into a walk¡ª a weak one. I¡¯m stepping, thinking that an earthquake is occurring inside me. I¡¯m one step lacking to cry. But I can¡¯t ask for help. If I do, I¡¯ll attract attention. But isn¡¯t this what I wanted? I wanted to die. I should¡¯ve been dead in the first place. But why is my body not listening to me? I came down this far. This is the final verdict that I chose. I¡¯m not even needed in this world. My breath bursts in and out. I kept denying my fear by repeating, ¡®I should be dead.¡¯ But the longer it goes, the more my voice cracks. Why am I afraid of dying? Isn¡¯t this what Veniara wanted? Doesn¡¯t this hijacker deserve punishment? The more the wind whistles, the more I return to my senses. Other than the sky, I can¡¯t see anything at all. I¡¯m lost. I have no means of turning back. All I can do is silently cry while covering my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± I¡¯m too scared to move. Darkness covers my skin and roots me down to the ground. I have the will to leave¡ª but not the strength. I¡¯m weak. Like what happened in the bookstore, I¡¯ll wait for something to crush me. It¡¯s all out of my control. Becoming more vital than the dark lord is a distant dream to reach. If I continue to inhabit Veniara¡¯s body, she¡¯ll suffer worse. The bush near me rustles. I can hear heavy footsteps coming my way. It¡¯s so powerful that it amplifies my heartbeat. The moon passed over me, lighting everything dark in front of me. I saw myself on the edge of the circular zone without trees. On the other side of the zone, a massive creature with red eyes stares at me straight. Its body is solid yet surrounded by fur. I can only see its silhouette. In no time, it started rushing towards me, passing through the spotlight given by the moon. The creature was a rampaging bear dying of hunger. All my muscles tensed. My heart will explode soon while exhibiting pain. I¡¯m already at my breaking point. I was on my point to surrender, but my body screamed from fear. For somehow, it doesn¡¯t obey me. The bear jumps toward me, preparing to slash me with its claw. The sight after is something I can¡¯t witness. I covered my eyes with my arms and wished that the next thing that¡¯ll happen wouldn¡¯t hurt me. It didn¡¯t hurt. I¡¯m still alive. As I slowly opened my eyes, I heard countless slashes of colliding metal before me. A golden-haired person came and protected me. ¡°E¡ªEllyn? Why are you here!?¡± ¡°Y¡ªYou¡¯re a tough one to follow, little princess. I¡¯m already thinking of ways how to punish you,¡± she muttered while pushing the bear¡¯s claws back with her daggers. Ellyn moved like she didn¡¯t deserve the F rank. Her swift moves avoided every claw attack. She even used the bear¡¯s attack patterns to divert its attention away from me. ¡°How many times do we have to tell you that the deeper forest will kill you? You had me worried suddenly.¡± ¡°H¡ªHow did you find me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate a scout¡¯s nose. You¡¯re too young to belittle an adventurer. I just let you go here to learn your lesson.¡± She might have the skill to navigate someone. From what I know, she needs an item related to someone she¡¯s searching for. Did she pluck my hair without me knowing? If she knew I was the princess, she would¡¯ve been jailed. But she just called me little princess¡­ Their battle diverted somewhere farther from me, but no one expected that we were not fighting only a single enemy. From the bushes, another rampaging bear jumps toward me. I left my mouth hanging open with bulging eyes. I¡¯m too comforted by cheering Ellyn, forgetting I must look out for myself. Because of the distraction, the bear Ellyn is fighting hits her, causing her to bleed. And I¡ªI have no means of escape¡­ Not until something bright blinded me, like a flashbang. After I recovered, the bear was already knocked down. I saw another familiar face. It was too unexpected that it amplified my tears from falling. ¡°Honestly, Miss Veniara. We¡¯re worried about you.¡± ¡°E¡ªElara!¡± 7. The Worst Book Has a Saint
¡°Elara!¡± I exclaimed while crying to a certain extent. ¡°Why do you have to leave the castle, princess!¡± Elara cried, rushing to hug me. ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t breath.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry Miss Veniara! I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you,¡± she said, releasing her hug. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I need to do yet.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re this powerful!¡± Elara barely appears time in the novel. If in this world, she has her strengths, then she has a backstory as well. ¡°Elara?¡± Ellyn asked while standing up from being knocked. Her abdomen bleeds, but she can still manage to move. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Senior Ellyn? Aren¡¯t you too young to stoop like a grandma? And why do you spill ketchup on your cloth?¡± Ellyn mocked in a different deep voice. ¡°Elara!¡± Ellyn growled. ¡°You think too high after being babysit by the queen. Maids are no different than slaves.¡± ¡°Wait¡ª You two know each other!?¡± I asked with a rising pitch. Ellyn retreated near me together with Elara. ¡°This is no time to talk. You know what our priority is, Elara.¡± ¡°Kids before your wound? Isn¡¯t that the punchline you give to every country you visit?¡± ¡°Thank you for irritating me. I suddenly had the motivation to shut my mouth. Murdering this family isn¡¯t enough to satisfy my rage.¡± With this extreme bloodthirst surrounding me, I felt like I was burning. These two ladies'' laughter has a hint of murderous intent¡ª but they mentioned ¡®family.¡¯ After that, nine ferocious bears attacked us. But, I didn¡¯t see the struggle on their faces even while protecting me. These two might make a deadly tag team. Both their weapons and moves are naturally the same. They¡¯re related in some way, except attitude. They hurled taunts at each other while they slashed their swords as if dancing in the spotlight. Fighting bears seems like a child¡¯s play to them. ¡°Senior Ellyn, I thought you were rushing forward again. If you¡¯re painting red in your outfit, you should¡¯ve stayed in the museum instead.¡± ¡°Other than being a maid, you¡¯re more compatible to be displayed in a zoo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be gratified to classify myself to be a creature other than a petrified and clothless statue.¡± ¡°Then, gorilla. It rhymes with Elara well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a gorilla!¡± Before they knew it, the nine bears had already been knocked down. It took them a deep breath to catch their energy back. ¡°Whew, no sweat,¡± Ellyn exclaimed as she wiped her forehead with her arm. ¡°Having trouble fighting in a maid outfit, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Coming from someone who wipes her forehead after saying ¡®no sweat.¡¯¡± ¡°Huh!? You have a problem with me!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line!¡± ¡°You two really get along well,¡± I inserted with a chuckle. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°We don¡¯t!¡± They shouted synchronously. As they looked at each other, they turned their heads away. Elara¡¯s voice remained deep, and it would be a nightmare to me if it turned back. ¡°By the way, senior Ellyn, can you explain to me why the princess of the kingdom wanders with you in this dark dangerous forest?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know that she¡¯s the princess. Can the court maid explain to me first why this little cutie escaped your supervision with hundreds of knights inside the castle?¡± ¡°Are you blaming this on me!?¡± ¡°And who else is her guardian!?¡± ¡°Your narrow eyes only lock on one person when you have someone to blame.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t judge my appearance! Grow some height first before you do.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t fight!¡± I shouted with a drawn face. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m fully aware of my sins in escaping the castle and running here.¡± The two calmed down. Elara tapped my head and smiled with warmth. Her voice came back into the sweet tone she showed me at the mansion. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Miss Veniara. You¡¯re safe now. There¡¯s no other important thing than your safety.¡± Safety¡­ More of the reason I¡¯m here isn¡¯t safety at all. I¡¯m too stubborn if I choose to go back with them right now. If I can¡¯t prove my word to myself, I can¡¯t be trusted. I¡¯m making them too worried about me, but they¡¯re worrying about the wrong person. I¡¯m a total stranger. The real Veniara deserves this treatment more than I do. They turn back, thinking that I¡¯m following them, but I stay sitting in the same place. When they turned back, their eyes widened. I feel like the air around me turned heavy. A shadow grows behind me as I look from the ground. Suddenly, Elara vanished beside Ellyn. The next thing I knew, a metal and a claw clashed behind me, and after that, the sound of a jab in the flesh ran through my ears. Blood scattered throughout the ground. When I slowly turned back, my eyes sighted a vulgar scene I could never erase from my memory. ¡°Elara¡ª¡± Blood trails follow Elara¡¯s dagger which is flying away from her hand. Red filled half of her pure-white outfit. The moment I saw her, she was already lying on the ground. ¡°Elara! ELARA!¡± I shouted, with my eyes filled with tears. The claw marked the wound deep in her body. Her eyes left no energy in her blank stare. She lost all her sensations in her body. Ellyn rushed to deflect the bears¡¯ attacks and buy time for me to escape, but I couldn¡¯t leave them there. I can¡¯t leave Elara here! ¡°S¡ª¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t speak, Elara! Help is on the way! Please hold on, Elara!¡± ¡°S¡ªSave A¡ªVeniara¡ª¡± Elara stuttered, and after that, the ground pulled her head like it lost a soul. There¡¯s no way. There has to be something that I can do at this point. I should be the one in that state! I should be the one suffering! I should be the one entering the gates of hell and bathing in the fire! I¡ªI should¡¯ve been dead. Nobody deserves to die more than I do. I involved everyone related to me. I¡¯m a curse that steals other¡¯s life from them. It should¡¯ve been that way, but¡­ Elara reminded me of what¡¯s my purpose here. Her last words left a mark on me. ¡®Save Veniara.¡¯ She¡¯s asking for help, not from Ellyn alone, but from those who control the fate of her princess. That¡¯s right, she¡¯s talking to Sachika. I¡¯m the only one who can save someone precious to her. I exaggerated thinking that I didn¡¯t consider Veniara¡¯s life. If I die right here, there¡¯s no guarantee that Veniara will come back. There¡¯s nobody for her to come back. I¡¯ve been narrow-minded into a gamble I didn¡¯t carefully thought of. I didn¡¯t consider alternatives from rushing and panicking for escape. I¡¯m not escaping. I¡¯m running away¡­ I¡¯m blindly running away in circles. I made the wrong decision in choosing a path. But now, I know what I should do. The only person who knows Veniara¡¯s past, present, and future is none other than me. I¡¯ve been too lucky that I¡¯ve been given too many second chances. But now, the path has been clear. I will save Veniara. I will live. Unconsciously, I hovered my hand over Elara¡¯s wound while thinking that she¡¯d recover. My eyes are closed as something I¡¯m unaware of comes out of my mouth. A blinding light strikes out of my hand like the sun. It lit most of the area, even those out-of-reach ones. The bears are also blinded. ¡°W¡ªWhat¡¯s happening, little princess!?¡± Ellyn asked while stalling the bears. She¡¯s unaffected because of her narrow eyes, but she can¡¯t focus on what I¡¯m doing since I¡¯m busy. Beyond what I expected, Elara¡¯s wounds recovered as if nothing happened. Her flesh grows, and her skin covers it after. I did it with haste. After the light vanished, I fell to the ground, paralyzed. My eyes are still conscious and open, but I lost total control of my body. I have the will, but not the strength. I depended on Ellyn too much, but she couldn¡¯t hold this for long. In my view, I can see knights riding horses going towards us. They have great numbers, and even from the gaps of trees, all I see are knights. They are being led by the royal knight captain who has familiar looks based on the book. From what I recall, his name is something like Brodveth¡­ But I can¡¯t see a clear picture of his face. My eyes are all blurry, and it¡¯s begging for me to rest. Since the knights are already here, All I wish for tomorrow is a day full of peace. 8. The Worst Book and My Verdict A once unfamiliar ceiling¡­ A chandelier swings over my head as I stare at the ceiling. The same painting of royalty surrounds every corner of the room. But one thing¡¯s different. The one sitting beside me and holding my hand is Mom. Frizz scatters her hair with the absence of her makeup on her face. But the royal aura doesn¡¯t fade. As I slowly opened my blurred eyes, her demise gradually made her eyes dilate. Her tears mark her infrequently blinking eyes red. Her downturned mouth starts sobbing after looking at me. ¡°M¡ªMom?¡± Like what Elara does, she pulled my head towards her heart and hugged me as tightly as she could. ¡°Veniara, can¡¯t you please¡ªdo something reckless again?¡± Mom cried. The loud pounding of her heart resonates in my mind, like a strong chaotic rhythm repeated over and over. Her tears crawl down my hair. ¡°Mom¡­ Don¡¯t cry¡ª¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I!? My daughter nearly died! What reaction should I give!?¡± She screamed, which resonated and echoed throughout the room. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, Mom! I made you all worried!¡± I ended up lamenting while recalling the vicious red bloodbath in my memory. ¡°As long as you¡¯re safe, red cat. Don¡¯t make Mommy worry again. As long as you¡¯re alive¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I¡¯m really really sorry. Please forgive me¡­¡± We clung to each other, sobbing uncontrollably. Our tears mingled as we buried our faces in each other''s necks, seeking comfort and solace. We felt the warmth of our bodies, the rhythm of our hearts, the softness of our hair. Mother and daughter, our howl created a melody of sadness. I did not care about anything else in the world, only the person in my arms. She knew I would never let go because I had been through so much. My bed absorbed massive amounts of tears. We trembled in thinking about the worst-case scenario. Our resolution lasted for minutes. Everyone sees Veniara as their precious treasure, and I failed to realize it earlier. If I followed my unplanned actions, I would be no different from a murderer. Elara and Ellyn made me realize it. If they didn¡¯t fight for me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to see Veniara¡¯s importance to them. Speaking of Elara¡­ ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly shouting, red cat?¡± ¡°I want to see Elara! Where is she!?¡± Instead of an answer, she looked away, facing down. Darkness compiles between her forehead and her bangs. She pressed her lips to hold her words. Why do I feel bad about what she did? Why did my chest suddenly hurt, like I got stabbed by a knife? Why isn¡¯t she saying anything? ¡°Hey, Mom, what happened to Elara? She¡¯s safe, right? I knew that she would be alright!¡± I smiled forcefully to end the negative aura she was giving, but she didn¡¯t change her expression. The pain in my heart amplified. My upright smile suddenly turned downward. My world slows down, synchronizing with my current pulse. ¡°Mom!¡± I shouted with water surrounding my eyes. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything!?¡± ¡°You should see her.¡± In haste, Mom brought me not to her bedroom, but to a huge room where the door carved a medical crest. It¡¯s a symbol that ambulances from Earth used. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! As we opened it, I saw countless huge beds, but only one occupied spot. The person who¡¯s lying on the bed is the one who asked me to save Veniara. ¡°Elara¡ª¡± Elara looked frail and pale, lying in the hospital bed with tubes and wires attached to her body. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. There¡¯s also the doctor who was once in charge of my fever. He greeted me like he already expected me. ¡°My deepest apologies, your majesty, and the princess. I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t grasp the cause of what keeps her from waking up, yet.¡± ¡°W¡ªWhat do you mean?¡± I stuttered, slowly taking my step to see Elara¡¯s face clearly. ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t grasp it? Aren¡¯t you the finest doctor in the kingdom?¡± ¡°Veniara, calm down,¡± my Mom advised as she tapped my shoulders. The longer I see Elara¡¯s pitiful face, the more I lose control of my feelings. I didn¡¯t realize that I¡¯m shouting in disdain. ¡°It recovered but why!? She should¡¯ve woken up already! She should¡¯ve been fine! She doesn¡¯t have any wounds left! What did you do to her!? It¡¯s not like her to end up like this¡ª¡± ¡°CALM DOWN!¡± The voice of authority resonated through my mind. With a different tone, Mom noticed how I was losing control of myself. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one worried, red cat. We are too. We¡¯re greatly indebted to what she did.¡± ¡°Mom¡­ Elara will wake up, right? She should wake up. She will wake up. She can¡¯t die on me.¡± ¡°Excuse me, your majesty, but¡ª¡± The doctor said, raising his hand. ¡°Can¡¯t you just shut up first, you insolent man!?¡± I shouted back, interrupting his words. ¡°I can¡¯t handle your bad news anymore¡ª¡± ¡°Veniara!¡± Mom shouted with her deep tone. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Mom.¡± ¡°Continue, Dr. Fharhad, but you must give us good news.¡± ¡°As commanded, your majesty. The royal maid¡¯s condition is complex. From what I can tell, she can wake up after six months,¡± the doctor said. ¡°Six months? You just told it in a hunch?¡± I asked, figuring out if he was a quack. ¡°That¡¯s what the apparatuses tell. It might be sooner or later depending on her will to live. But I can¡¯t assure you that she¡¯s destined to wake up.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There are also chances that she¡¯ll end up sleeping forever. I¡¯m not saying this to hurt your feelings, princess. I¡¯m a doctor, and I know my limitations well. I ain¡¯t like God¡ª¡± Because of what he said, I approached him. This sudden unannounced movement made his shoulders tighten. But he didn¡¯t expect what I said. ¡°Knowing that she¡¯ll soon wake up is already enough¡ª No, it¡¯s too much.¡± I kneeled in front of him, which made everyone flinch. ¡°I humbly ask for forgiveness for delivering my frustrations in such a rude manner. I¡¯m very sorry. I know that what I¡¯m doing isn¡¯t enough for an apology.¡± ¡°D¡ªDon¡¯t be like that, princess! Please, stand up. I should be at fault for inserting myself into your conversation. You don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± In the end, things went straight clear. Elara¡¯s will to live is strong like her fighting spirit, so I¡¯m confident about her awakening. But she recovered yesterday. She should''ve been fine even with some mysterious power that possessed my hand. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s all a dream. There¡¯s only one way to verify. As I stood up, I asked Mom. ¡°Where is Ellyn, Mom? She¡¯s probably in this castle because of saving me, right?¡± ¡°So, she really did save you.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Of course, she does. Wait¡ªdid you doubt her because of what happened to Elara?¡± ¡°She¡¯s imprisoned at the Sinned Chambers right now. Your dad is also currently there.¡± Sinned Chambers is the place where the prisoners awaiting death lie. Most high-profile prisoners captured there took the kingdom¡¯s interest. Slave traders wanted criminals, and illegal bandits to gather here. If they¡¯re a group, they compile themselves in a room or two like sardines in a can. When I visited the place today, from what I can remember in Veniara¡¯s memory their numbers multiplied. This dungeon was a dark and dismal place. Where the only sounds were the clanking of chains and the moans of the prisoners. The air was thick with the stench of rotting flesh and blood, and the walls covered with mold and slime. Prisoners scream at us with harsh vulgar words as we pass onto them. We ignored the unbreathable noise until we reached a room filled with arguments. Voices of two men and one woman bounced in my ears. I rushed towards the cell, but I never expected what I saw. It was gruesome how you¡¯re punished for doing something right. Chains captured Ellyn¡¯s hands which left her hanging in the air. She¡¯s in her underwear, and I can brightly see the fresh wound from being whipped. Her wound from yesterday¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t sealed yet. I can hear her continuous deep breaths from the distance. Seeing it makes me hiss in pain too. Other than her, my Dad and the captain of the knights are there too. He¡¯s the last person I saw before I lost consciousness. ¡°Ellyn!¡± I shouted, which raised her head, showing me how she held the pain she felt. Her eyes are still narrow as ever. ¡°Oh, my little princess. I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d visit sooner. I should¡¯ve cleaned my appearance first.¡± ¡°Dad, what are you doing!?¡± I shouted with rage. ¡°What are you doing!? Why are you punishing her!? She saved me!¡± ¡°Wait¡ª Did I perceive the scene wrong?¡± The tall knight in armor asked. He is a towering figure with a muscular build, standing at 6''4" tall. He has short, dark brown hair that is often hidden under his helmet. His piercing blue eyes filled with determination and intensity. Brodveth with a longsword by his side. Wearing his armor, adorned with the emblem of the cavalry knights. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m repeatedly saying, over and over, Captain Brodveth,¡± Ellyn said. ¡°So, this is all a huge misunderstanding!?¡± Dad asked as if he acted like he was really shocked. His pupils dilated, and he flinched back more than 45 degrees angle. Since I¡¯m the prime witness of everything, I clarified my verdict. ¡°Ellyn protected me together with Elara from the bears.¡± 9. The Worst Book Has a New Maid This afternoon, King Aldric advised an audience involved in his meeting room. That includes my Mom, Ellyn, Brodveth, and I. The meeting room differs from the room I¡¯ve encountered. It has books and golden trophies displayed on the side. In the center is a coffee table surrounded by a couch. We are all sitting on that couch, and I freed a space beside me for Ellyn. After clarifying the misunderstanding in the Sinner¡¯s Chamber, Dad freed Ellyn. After that, the other maids came to fetch her. They sent her first to the doctor to treat her wounds and cleanse her body with healing. After that, they helped her take a bath and get something to wear. While waiting for Ellyn, the only sound I could hear was the chirping of the birds outside. It was peaceful, not until¡­ "I have a chemistry joke, but I don''t think it will get a reaction,¡± Dad joked and smiled as he looked at each of our faces. We¡¯re too slow to react we expected something next. No one reacted. Is he expecting that we¡¯re going to laugh? How absurd, but it doesn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Ehem! While waiting for our guest, did you hear about the kidnapping at the academy? It''s okay, he woke up¡ª¡± ¡°Stop it, popcorn!¡± My Mom scolded with darting eyes toward my father. Like in the novel, Mom called him popcorn, but the reason was never stated. ¡°Yes!!¡± He squealed like a rat being stepped on. Mom¡¯s scolding is the funniest when Dad jokes. The silence came back, but it was weirdly and awfully quiet. I can feel the air climbing in my nose while breathing. ¡°Where do fruits go on¡ª¡± ¡°I SAID STOP!¡± Just seconds later, the double doors opened. Ellyn¡¯s entrance looks like a contestant in a pageant show. The elegant dress with glitters of purple from top to toe blinds me. Unlike before, her hair follows every strand straight down her waist. The dress fits her sexy body which eliminates the thought that she is an adventurer. It¡¯s very accurate that I told her that she¡¯s going to be popular as a receptionist. Except for Brodveth, everyone hung our mouths open. When Mom noticed Dad doing the same, she growled and hit the table with her fist. ¡°Eek!¡± Dad cringed. Like a princess from a noble family, Ellyn made her way and sat beside me. Elegance delivers even when she¡¯s idle. When I first saw her, I thought she was a quiet and warm female who didn¡¯t care about norms. She betrayed me. Dad coughed before he started speaking. ¡°On behalf of saving our daughter, Veniara, I would like to ask for forgiveness for rushing to a conclusion. It¡¯s our fault that you ended up in such an unsightly punishment that you didn¡¯t deserve.¡± ¡°I told you, popcorn¡± Mom inserted. ¡°It¡¯s possible that the former Grayrat saved her, but you didn¡¯t listen. Are you still angry about the past?¡± ¡°No, honey,¡± Dad answered. ¡°I just lost myself because I deeply cherish my daughter.¡± ¡°Your majesty, thank you for the consideration of my misunderstood case. I would also like to thank Princess Veniara for clarifying things and saving me,¡± Ellyn remarked with a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Miss Ellyn. It would have been convenient to ask my daughter first but I panicked,¡± Dad said. ¡°We¡¯ll give you compensation for everything we¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind it, your majesty. The graze vanished anyway, and it¡¯s just temporary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my full responsibility as well,¡± Brodveth added as he put his palm in his chest towards Ellyn. ¡°We came at the wrong time and jumped to a conclusion. I will accept any form of punishment.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we overlooking something?¡± Mom asked. ¡°How can we be so sure that you aren¡¯t manipulating our daughter¡¯s mind?¡± ¡°If I had that ability, to be frank, we would have been switched positions already. Also, I met her, not knowing she had such a high position.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I would like you to hear the exact thing that happened,¡± I said and stood up to tell the side of my story. I summarized it chronologically like plotting novel outlines. I made sure that everything that came out of my mouth was clear to be understood. ¡°So, that¡¯s what happened, huh?¡± Dad pinched his chin while staring at the report from the knights. ¡°But what¡¯s this? This says that you have an ulterior motive for killing Elara.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± I shouted. ¡°Both of them protected me, even though I¡¯m making things hard for them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like your daughter said, your majesty,¡± Ellyn replied. ¡°Elara and I grew up insulting and challenging each other, but killing ourselves is too far and intimate for that relationship.¡± ¡°But you¡­ Are you sure you didn¡¯t mean any harm to our daughter?¡± Dad asked. ¡°Why are you asking that!? You¡¯re pushing too much pressure on her! She didn¡¯t deserve it,¡± I argued. ¡°You might be seeing me as an angel, little princess. Perhaps, I¡¯m that beautiful,¡± Ellyn chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t know the Grayrats yet, Veniara,¡± Dad commented. ¡°They¡¯re a group of rebels that once aimed for the dethroning of our family.¡± ¡°How does it connect? Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± ¡°Red cat, these woman here and the royal maid assigned to watch over you were once a part of Grayrats,¡± Mom added. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who once tried to assassinate us.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± I still can¡¯t believe how the ones who protected me were the disgrace of the kingdom. ¡°Little princess, now that we¡¯re exposed, you should rethink your verdict again. I might someday hunt your head too,¡± Ellyn said with a smile, but it won¡¯t change my decision. ¡°M¡ªMy verdict will remain the same. Past is past. What matters now is that I¡¯m safe, and those who protected me deserve to be thanked,¡± I announced. ¡°True,¡± Mom nods and agrees. ¡°I can see your potential in becoming the Ravelgrace¡¯s successor. Jacques is plainly a bastard.¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯ve clarified things as is, we should go to the main agenda,¡± Dad said to change the topic to a serious one. It looks like he isn¡¯t joking. ¡°Start the debriefing, Brodveth.¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty. Princess Veniara and Adventurer Ellyn, I would like you to cooperate with me concerning what happened yesterday evening.¡± ¡°Of course, it is,¡± Ellyn replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t this script in your by-laws?¡± ¡°Well then, we should start. By the time the knights rushed into the forest in search of the princess, a strange light appeared from your location. Would you like to tell me what would that be?¡± That strange light he said? Couldn¡¯t it be the one that glowed from my hand while I was healing Elara? ¡°Before the light came, Elara was already deeply wounded trying to protect Ven. I can¡¯t see what exactly happened. I¡¯m too much focused on deflecting claws. The moment I turned back, Elara¡¯s wounds already healed.¡± ¡°Then that explains the scattered blood that came from Elara. We did see no wounds but only claw marks on her body and ripped clothing. What about you, Princess Veniara?¡± If I told the truth, they would suspect me of this unidentified magic that I own. Everything remains a mystery. I can¡¯t say something I¡¯m unsure of. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cavalry Captain, but I can¡¯t clearly remember what happened back then. I think I¡¯m already unconscious after seeing Elara in¡ª¡± Once again, that bloody memory triggers goosebumps in my skin. My face puffed in terror, but I bit my lip to hold it in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking you such a question that made you uncomfortable. Don¡¯t mind answering that question. We should move to the next one. ¡°This question is especially for you, Ellyn. Did you encounter something strange when fighting the bears?¡± Brodveth asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s somewhat a professional question, Cavalry Captain. Let¡¯s see, hmm¡­ The first wave was your typical bear family to be hunted, but the second¡ª¡± ¡°It became stronger?¡± ¡°You knew it right? Since you¡¯ve fought it with your men too.¡± ¡°What happened before the change of waves? Did someone enter the scene to revive the bears? I didn¡¯t see a dead bear¡¯s body when we came.¡± ¡°No. From what my navigation can tell, no one¡¯s nearby except us. Do you expect them to be drugged by stimulants?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only possible cause I can conclude. This sudden rampage and strength are abnormal. We once fought creatures like these but stronger ones. They¡¯re drugged by a certain person.¡± ¡°And that person what a Grayrat too? You should stop concluding just for the conclusion, Cavalry Captain.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expose much information than you do. Overall, what happened to the wild is abnormal. I will let my knights investigate other methods or plans in that regard. I would also like your cooperation for this.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I can decline, right?¡± ¡°Are you finished, Brodveth?¡± Dad asked. ¡°This matter can¡¯t be concluded. Further investigations are needed. Other than that, I have no buts to say,¡± Brodveth replied. ¡°Before we end this session, I have to tell you something important first. What do you call a factory that makes okay produc¡ª¡± Before Dad finished his statement, Mom threw her shoe into his face with force. ¡°That¡¯s satisfactory¡ª and somewhat satisfying. If you want something okay, I still have my other shoe,¡± Mom threatened. ¡°N¡ªNo please!¡± I stood up to raise a concern about what would happen to Brodveth and Ellyn, both have mistakes I can take advantage of. ¡°Mother, Father, I still have to decide what punishment will be thrown upon them.¡± Both Brodveth and Ellyn¡¯s eyes widen. Brodveth already expected his punishment. But, Ellyn digs into her memory trying to find what she did wrong. They nervously gulped. ¡°Go on,¡± Mom approved without a doubt. ¡°For the Cavalry Captain who punished an innocent civilian because of a false conclusion, I would like you to train me to be able to defend myself.¡± Everyone suddenly tilted their heads out of confusion. ¡°I humbly apologize, Princess Veniara, but I think you¡¯re mistaken for what a punishment means,¡± Brodveth clarified. ¡°You dare to defy a royal that she¡¯s in the wrong? What I¡¯ve said is absolute,¡± I declared with my authority. ¡°I¡¯m deeply sorry for doubting you, princess. I will do the punishment as you please.¡± ¡°As I please, you say? Then, don¡¯t go easy on me.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Brodveth agreed. ¡°As for the Adventurer Ellyn who let a royalty ¡®kid¡¯ wander inside the dangerous forest, you have a more special task.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a sneaky one blaming your fault on mine. What a cunning princess. I¡¯m all ears with the punishment you speak of,¡± Ellyn said. This request might only be filling holes in my heart, but it¡¯s the first selfish request that I¡¯ll order from someone. ¡°While Elara¡¯s still recovering, ¡°You¡¯ll be going to become the royal court maid.¡± 10. The Worst Books Normal I¡¯m back in my old body. The old me stands on the stage, holding the medal in my hands. The applause deafens my ears. Lights blind my eyes. My smile dazzles through the air. I did it! I won the writing contest, beating hundreds of other contestants in our middle school. I felt a surge of pride, joy, and gratitude. My smile extended from ear to ear. I looked at the judges, who nodded approvingly. I looked at the audience, who cheered enthusiastically. I looked at my friends, who hugged and congratulated me. But the most important people in my life are those absent, my family. That¡¯s when I got a call that pulled me toward the hospital. Lying in a bed, I saw my real Mom. I rushed to hold her pale blue arms. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t leave me! You¡¯re all I have!¡± I cried, stroking my chest from the unbearable pain in my heart. Weakness paralyzed her body, but she continued to hold my hand. That¡¯s when her chilling voice told me, ¡°D¡ªDon¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°The world doesn¡¯t¡ªforbid you¡ªto smile. T¡ªTake your time.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± I screamed, reaching her vanishing body away from me. In the blink of an eye, everything turned dark. Lately, I realized that I¡¯d been kneeling on a floor filled with dark muck. The moon is red. The trees are dead. There¡¯s nothing left but dread. The muck slowly eats my body, gulping me whole from my toes. For every millimeter, my body vanishes from my view. ¡°N¡ªNO!¡± I squealed, begging for help from someone unable to see me. Crawling for escape doesn¡¯t help. Everything slides through, and for every move, the sinking hastens. This darkness reminded me of how stale my life is. A sunray never strokes through my bangs. This is the place where I should be. I¡¯m all alone. No one will come to help me. Suddenly, a light strikes from heaven towards my eyes. I can only see a hand reaching out to help me. I can¡¯t see a face, nor where the hand connects. It¡¯s too foggy. But somehow, it gave me a clue on who it was. ¡°Miss Veniara, hold my hand!¡± I did, since the voice where it came from comes from the crispiness Elara gives me. My eyes gloomed in tears. My lips trembled not knowing how to react. My hair suddenly turned crimson red. A small portion of my body fattened. Veniara¡¯s body was given back to me again. I didn¡¯t hesitate to take her hand as she pulled me out. ¡°Honestly, Miss Veniara, you¡¯re making us worried. You should take your time.¡± The grip on my hand loosens. I fell down the vortex of darkness as I stared at Elara¡¯s hand whose also going away. I didn¡¯t want to let go. It was just out of reflex. There¡¯s still something holding me back from what I should do. ¡°Elara!¡± I screamed. Then I woke up. ¡°Elara!¡± I screamed. I unconsciously sat straight like I hit a spring on my back. I woke up in my room, but the person I saw wasn¡¯t the one I was expecting. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°That hurts, little princess. It¡¯s just my first day working, and you¡¯re already appealing for my dismissal?¡± The narrow-eyed Ellyn remarked. She wears her maid outfit, preparing tea from the tray she brought into the room. ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m sorry, Ellyn! It¡¯s not what I wanted to¡ª¡± ¡°I knew, little princess. You¡¯re somewhat cute when you¡¯re teased.¡± My face blushed, and I looked away from her. She continues her mature chuckle while covering her mouth. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this,¡± I remarked. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t go easy on kids who lie. You dumped me your fault when in fact I have no idea what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°S¡ªShut up!¡± Ellyn chuckled but with a louder volume. Still, the touch of elegance appraises her from my view. Even just laughing, she looks noble. While I, away from the norms, don¡¯t know what I should do in sudden situations. As a member of the royal family, that should be the first to adapt without suspicion. ¡°Ellyn, to be frank, I have other reasons why I¡¯ve put you in this job.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Aren¡¯t you filling this mansion¡¯s hole from Elara¡¯s absence?¡± ¡°So, there are also cases you can¡¯t completely read my mind?¡± I smirked. ¡°Expecting what someone has to say is a defensive measure, little princess. Anyway, I didn¡¯t study a nine-year-old¡¯s mindset well. I didn¡¯t know it was that complicated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just simple, Ellyn. I want you to secretly teach me how to act noble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª too normal.¡± After seconds of pausing, she laughed hard again. I can¡¯t contain my embarrassment by just covering my face. Still, she isn¡¯t suspicious of me. Someone should already doubt if a noble who lives with royalty from birth can¡¯t act formally. Well, I guess it¡¯s going well. That¡¯s only one thing to wrap up and prepare. I don¡¯t have much time to defend myself for my upcoming demise. After this year as I turn ten, I will face the villain of the story, the Dark Lord himself. He¡¯s still a human here yet. The world continues to follow the storyline. Hence, he¡¯ll turn the dark lord by the age of sixteen. Next year, he¡¯s twelve. I only have four years to enhance myself and become stronger than the disastrous villain. But four years isn¡¯t enough. It¡¯s nearly impossible. My free time will soon be stolen by the academy the moment I turn twelve. Also, I¡¯m not accustomed to this world yet. Because of the author¡¯s bad world-building, I¡¯m still gathering information. I need to push myself to the edge to save Veniara and to survive. I ate my breakfast in my room while Ellyn taught me the proper manners, from holding the spoon, up to swallowing. It¡¯s a hard norm that needs practice. I informed Mom that I might not go with them to the family dinner. It¡¯s not just the norm, but I also hated Dad¡¯s jokes. After eating, I asked Ellyn to accompany me to where the Cavalry Captain was. I wore my most comfortable and flexible outfit since a gallant dress would surely hinder me. Our kingdom is divided into classes, and I¡¯m currently residing in the highest-class area. The other areas are for the nobles, the middle classes, the marketplace, and the slums. Inside the walls of the highest-class zone, there are five distinct buildings. First is the castle which is the center of commerce and politics. Second, the mansion is where the king¡¯s family lives. Third is the event building which is surrounded by a huge garden. This is where parties and balls are organized. Fourth is the military barracks, where the soldiers of the kingdom are trained in every specialty. The fifth one is the arena, which is currently useless as of now. The military barracks are a few walks away from the mansion. Walls surround it, making it hard to see the soldiers practice from the outside. The barracks were divided into sections, each with its own banner and color scheme depending on the specialty. It bustles with activity, as soldiers trained, drilled, and prepared for battle. They wore armor and weapons of different styles and materials. Some were forged by skilled smiths. Some were enchanted by powerful mages. Some were looted from fallen enemies. The barracks were a place of order, discipline, camaraderie, and loyalty. The soldiers shared a common bond, a common cause, and a common enemy. The main practice zone was designed to test their skills in combat, stealth, and survival, as well as their teamwork and leadership. The zone was also enchanted with magic, creating realism with weather, noise, and damage. The recruits felt every hit, every wound, every drop of sweat and blood. The practice zone was not a game, but a harsh and demanding training that prepared them for the real war. I gulped seeing how hardworking the soldiers can be under pressure. I only saw a few female soldiers in the army. Can I do this? ¡°And now you¡¯re doubting? Aren¡¯t you only words?¡± Ellyn said. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you permission to read my mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care either way. You¡¯re just lucky that Elara isn¡¯t here with you,¡± she smirked and continued walking. ¡°Are you here to brag?¡± What does that mean? She didn¡¯t leave another word. I just followed her feet instead. In the cavalry zone of the military barracks, it has scattered hay rustles. The barn complements its neighboring flat plains. The plains consist of targets in which the cavalry knights train with their horses. Both they and their horses wear armor representing dignity and pride. Ellyn led me to a private room with feathers hanging on the metal door. She knocked thrice, which created a crater. But when the cavalry knight opened the door, nothingness resided in his eyes. He even accompanied it with a yawn. ¡°Yo!¡± He said, gesturing his fingers on his eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®yo¡¯ us, Cavalry Captain. Don¡¯t you see someone almighty beside me, waiting for you to wake up? We¡¯ve been waiting for you for ages.¡± But we just came in. Is she trying to tease him? He releases another yawn and speaks in a low-tone voice. ¡°I woke up early.¡± I didn¡¯t know they were this close. 11. The Worst Book, Ruby and Sapphire Ellyn, Brodveth, and I entered the weapon storeroom first. The storeroom was a treasure trove of fantastical weapons, each one more dazzling than the last. Some swords glowed with arcane power, axes that crackled with lightning, daggers that dripped with venom, and bows that shot arrows of pure light. The walls were lined with shelves of gleaming metal and polished wood, and the floor was covered with chests and crates of various shapes and sizes. The faint hum of magic and the smell of oil and leather fills the air. It was a place of wonder and awe, where any knight could find their perfect weapon. Brodveth went to check the weapons for usability. He¡¯s also surveying which weapon looks the best for me. ¡°Little princess, you should consider training with him at night. That man over there is a night owl. He never moves this time of day,¡± Ellyn said, pointing at Brodveth. ¡°Then whose that?¡± I asked, pointing in the same direction. ¡°He¡¯s a mimic.¡± Is she making fun of me? I¡¯m a kid of my physical age, but my mental age already graduated from college. But I¡¯m pretty forgetting that I need to act like a kid. ¡°You two seem close. Did you have a relationship?¡± ¡°We date once.¡± ¡°D¡ªDate!?¡± I squealed, flinching my head back. ¡°Y¡ªy¡ªyou d¡ªdate?¡± ¡°Why are you blushing, little princess? Are you having some dirty thoughts?¡± ¡°Like I do!¡± ¡°Still, it was the best date I ever had. The sun lights everything between us. I¡¯m laughing at him, and it¡¯s the sweetest thing I did. I felt love for Ronaldo as our blades clashed.¡± ¡°Your blade what!? And who is Ronaldo?¡± She pulled out a dagger hiding under her maid¡¯s dress. The dagger possesses sharpness that can hurt you just by looking. I felt the dark magic circling it. ¡°Say ¡®hi¡¯ to Ronaldo,¡± she said while spinning the blade confidently. ¡°Ronaldo, your owner is crazy.¡± I thought the date stuff is serious. Turns out that they¡¯re only fighting under the sun. She really got me there. Brodveth looks back at us and speaks. ¡°Princess Veniara, the weapons are now ready. Please choose the one with your liking.¡± I ain¡¯t materialistic. If I¡¯m going to have an item, I want it durable and usable. I don¡¯t care about the appearance. That¡¯s what being poor thought me. But all the weapons he showcased are visually appealing. The colors only differ per weapon type. There are swords, daggers, hammers, scythes, and greatswords in there. ¡°Cavalry Captain, what can you suggest for a small-limbed kid like me?¡± ¡°Pardon, Princess Veniara, but you can call me Brodveth instead. As for my recommendation, I suggest that you try to grip each weapon until you feel what¡¯s best for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being rude to the princess, Cavalry Captain,¡± Ellyn commented. ¡°She¡¯s just asking for recommendations, not letting you pick for her.¡± ¡°Tsk, isn¡¯t it the same,¡± Brodveth clacked towards Ellyn who was smiling with intent. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t fight! It¡¯s alright, Brodveth. I¡¯m going to choose the weapon of my choice.¡± I tried the first weapon, which is a dagger. It was light like a feather, but my atmosphere suddenly felt heavy. Dizziness attacks my mind. The sudden loss of air slowly suffocates me. My heart races until I let go of the weapon. ¡°ARCHIE!¡± Ellyn screamed as the weapon slowly falls. She rushed to catch it but failed. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Archie. I failed to protect you from your stained personality,¡± Ellyn sobbed as she caries and caress the weapon. ¡°You¡ª You¡¯re a maniac, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked with knitted eyes toward Ellyn. ¡°You¡¯re a heartless girl! You didn¡¯t care how precious one¡¯s life is!¡± Ellyn exclaimed it beside her face, like a mother comforting her kid. ¡°Even in front of the princess, your habits didn¡¯t change,¡± Brodveth sighed and said. ¡°Is she like this since then, Brodveth?¡± ¡°That part of her has never been cleansed. She names and talks to weapons like they¡¯re her mother. Bringing her here in the storeroom is a wrong move.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s rude! Say sorry to my Archie before he gets angry.¡± ¡°That weapon isn¡¯t even yours,¡± Brodveth muttered. If weapons are precious to Ellyn, then asking her might be the right decision. I don¡¯t want to feel the same terror again. ¡°Ellyn, can you check first if there¡¯s a weapon suitable for me?¡± She stood up. Her negativity vanished. She sermoned me about weapons like a pastor. ¡°You should have done that first. These weapons lined up here are all rare qualities, unlike those being used by normal knights. You can say there¡¯s an ongoing bias in this choice. ¡°Most weapons aren¡¯t suitable for you, since a kid¡¯s mana is still weak. You should consult an expert here other than a cavalry chicken who¡¯s a pro at feeding horses. ¡°First to consider is your physique. You should have a clear idea of what your body would look like in the future. If you¡¯ve spent years training for a weapon incompatible with you, it¡¯s the same as death. ¡°Daggers are for swift people. Other than being a main weapon, it¡¯s considered a backup. They¡¯re sharp and reliable depending on the speed of the delivery of your attack. ¡°Greatswords is physically incompatible for you. They¡¯re for dumbasses. That same concept goes with bows which are used by lazy archers. ¡°My most recommended suggestion would be this, Ebony and Ivory.¡± Ellyn stopped and carried a dual sword in touch of red and blue. The swords were imbued with elemental power and adorned with intricate runes. The red sword blazed like a fire whilst the blue sword shimmered like a glacier. The swords were opposites, yet they complemented each other perfectly. They were the twin blades of legend, sought by many but wielded by few. ¡°Do those swords create fire and ice?¡± I asked. ¡°For a kid¡¯s fantasy, that¡¯s absurd,¡± Ellyn laughed. ¡°Cavalry captain, can you explain what Ebony and Ivory¡¯s ability does?¡± ¡°Princess Veniara, those two weapons are one of a kind. The red one lets you control its weight depending on the magic you give it. The blue one changes its flexibility. You can give it a try.¡± I took both the weapons and try to feel it. The atmosphere never changed. It¡¯s perfectly compatible with me. ¡°The red one feels too light, much lighter than the dagger earlier. The blue one feels like it¡¯s going to be bent soon,¡± I remarked with a slack mouth and glimmering eyes. ¡°Is that final, little princess? Are you going to adopt Ebony and Ivory?¡± Ellyn asked. ¡°If I¡¯m going to be the owner, I¡¯m the one who should name it.¡± ¡°Congratulations on choosing your weapon, Princess Veniara,¡± Brodveth congratulated with a clap that has no energy. Ellyn also cheered me. ¡°No, I¡¯m not the one who chose these. They¡¯re the ones who chose me. Isn¡¯t that right, Ruby and Sapphire?¡± I chose my weapon. But for practice, I used a wooden sword to spar with Brodveth. It was pretty heavy but not I can¡¯t handle it. I also wore light armor. We¡¯re practicing in the open field, and the other knights don¡¯t notice that I¡¯m a princess. ¡°Now, little princess, you can do all out on me,¡± Brodveth said, preparing a stance against me. ¡°Are you bragging, Brodveth?¡± I growled. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me and come crying to your mama later.¡± I saw myself rushing in rage as I pull my sword from my body. Because of the sword¡¯s weight, I lost control of my balance, yet I still attacked. The moment I swing at him, he stepped half a step back. It repeats until I got tired after a minute. He didn¡¯t even swing his sword or attacked me. ¡°Hargh¡ªH¡ª Are you mocking me!?¡± I shouted. ¡°Little princess, for your first lesson, everything starts from the basics. If you don¡¯t know it, you¡¯ll end up like a fool. Worst, you¡¯re going to die first in battle.¡± ¡°Damn, I don¡¯t want that.¡± Suddenly, someone grabbed my sword. When I looked at her, Ellyn smirks with a malicious face. ¡°Cavalry Captain, it¡¯s been two years since our last spar. Would you want to do it with me?¡± ¡°For what reason you¡¯re asking for this unimportant request, royal maid substitute?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied with a smug face. ¡°I want Miss Little Princess here what a real battlefield looks like. As the ally of all kids, I want her to learn everything by experience.¡± ¡°Then you should prefer this,¡± Brodveth said as he throws two wooden daggers towards her. Ellyn caught it. ¡°It¡¯s too light. I can smell an unfair battle, but that¡¯s what¡¯s more exciting. Little princess, you should go from a distance and enjoy.¡± I sat on the bench far from them. Three seconds after that, the battle starts. The sound of wood clashing against wood fills the air, as the two swordsmen circled each other with fierce determination. They moved with grace and agility, parrying and striking with skill and precision. Their blades flashed in the sunlight, creating sparks and glints that dazzled the eyes. They danced a deadly dance, each trying to find an opening in the other''s defense. They were evenly matched, and neither would give up easily. They¡¯re bathing in sweat and determination compared to the other practicing knights. Everyone watched them too. It was such amazing, spectacular, and otherworldly moves that they traded. My skin tingles for every contact their swords do. ¡°I want to be strong¡ªlike them.¡± I muttered and hoped that the future heard me. I had my motivation. I will continue pursuing it. This is the only way I can come out alive for this written fate. ¡°Before I can show Elara myself, I need to be stronger than anybody else!¡± After that day and every day after that, I started my harsh training and never gave up, even though it nearly killed me. 12. The Worst Book Reports Three month¡¯s after the incident in the center of the kingdom¡¯s throne room, Brodveth kneels in front of the throne with respect to the King and Queen. ¡°Your majesty, I attended my scheduled presence to deliver my report about the mysterious abnormalities near the Harswell forest.¡± ¡°Before anything else, Cavalry Captain, I would like to ask you a question,¡± the King said. ¡°Feel free to raise any concerns, your majesty.¡± ¡°Why did a Cavalry Knight bring a quill and paper to the battlefield?¡± ¡°A¡ªAre you pertaining to me, your majesty? I¡¯m thinking that it¡¯s required for us to plan the action to lessen the casualties and¡ª¡± All of a sudden, the King stopped him by dominating his low-tone voice. ¡°Because you wanted to draw your own conclusion! WAHAHAHA!¡± The king laughed, which bounced across the throne room. The queen reacted negatively, winking her eyebrows while showing her gritting teeth. He was lucky that there were no other important people in the room besides them. ¡°Never mind this bastard. You can continue with the report,¡± the queen ordered. By then, Brodveth had started his status report. ¡°Yes, your majesty. I would like to recall what happened three months before. ¡°The incident of the rampaging bears left us hanging because of what happened to Elara and the princess. Because of that, some sections of the knights were redirected to the site to investigate. ¡°We didn¡¯t have any leads on how Elara healed her wound back. The claws of the bears may have poison on them. ¡°Ellyn was also wounded back then, but her wound is cleansed and she didn¡¯t experience the same regeneration as Elara did. About this case, we can¡¯t clarify it until Elara wakes up. ¡°Still, the investigation for the rampage continued until the second month. The abnormality of the wildlife suspects that there¡¯s a person behind it. ¡°But recently, there are cases that more animals are being possessed. Boars, snakes, and even rabbits became ferocious that it attacks any heat it sees. ¡°It took late before we realized that the investigation team sent to the area returned with more than half of the casualties. This led us to the retreat. ¡°The witnesses of the sudden attacks were too scared to talk. They are sent for rehabilitation and counseling. Also, job requests near that area are forbidden. ¡°Adventurers lower than D-rank can¡¯t hunt monsters in the vicinity of the forest. We already came up with the forbidden zone¡¯s radius together with the guild master. ¡°But because most medical herbs live in the Harswell forest, we¡¯ve been encountering a shortage after a month. Many adventurers resigned and became jobless. ¡°Even merchants who pass the forest encounter monsters. The kingdom¡¯s trading capabilities degrade because of this reason. ¡°If this remained unresolved, it will cause for the kingdom to decline economically. There¡¯s already a mark of shortage of food and high inflation rates. ¡°If the prices continue to go up, it might cause an uproar and possibly another rebellion, a reasonable one. There¡¯s no way that we can recover if we¡¯re still recovering from what happened two years before. ¡°The civilians are also wary when we caught massive amounts of illegal slave traders and bandits inside our territory. ¡°This might have been an achievement, but for some, it inflicts fear on them because what happened was too sudden. ¡°I, as the representative of the knights, continue to do the best that we can do to alleviate this matter. That concludes my report,¡± Brodveth said, finalizing with a bow. ¡°Don¡¯t bow like that. You¡¯re like you¡¯re attending a wedding,¡± the queen suggested. ¡°My apologies, your majesty.¡± ¡°We can still handle another rebellion,¡± the king said, ¡°but we can¡¯t handle the monster¡¯s invasion in our kingdom. From what I can tell, their numbers are massive.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°That¡¯s right, your majesty.¡± ¡°Instead of being controlled, the animals¡¯ minds are somewhat manipulated right, like drugged,¡± the queen asked. ¡°Yes, your majesty. May I humbly ask if you have an idea about the information I¡¯ve given?¡± ¡°Rather than an idea, it¡¯s just a hunch. Isn¡¯t it possible that the suspect in manipulating the bears¡¯ minds is connected to the previous attack two years ago?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve consulted the royal maid substitute about this. She doesn¡¯t know whether someone can drug a lifeform in the Grayrats.¡± ¡°So, it might also be possible that it isn¡¯t connected to slave collars?¡± The King inserted. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Grayrat¡¯s method of enslavement using collars?¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty, but according to our investigations, the only strange things we discovered in the bears¡¯ bodies are the chemicals for the drug and the poison in its claws.¡± ¡°Yet it isn¡¯t possible that someone can plant poison in their palms without them being aggressive, except¡ª¡± The queen said. ¡°Howdy hell. The more we dive deeper, the more it becomes complicated.¡± Suddenly, the double doors, which are the entrance to the king¡¯s throne room, opened. The doctor in charge of Elara rushed breathlessly toward the king. The alerted guards blocked his way. ¡°Stop there! State your business with the king!¡± The guard said. They used their spears to block his path through the carpet. ¡°Your m¡ªmajesty, I h¡ªhave an important n¡ªnews!¡± The doctor said, accompanied by an exhale each second. ¡°The r¡ªroyal maid¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, let him pass through,¡± the King commanded with a gesture to let him through. ¡°It¡¯s rare for someone dying to hear my jokes.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s someone like that, he¡¯s willing to accept death already,¡± the queen remarked. After the permission, the doctor runs in front of the king and kneels. Before the doctor explained, he catches his breath first. ¡°My king and queen, I¡¯m sorry about the sudden interruption, but the royal maid¡ª¡± ¡°Sorry, doctor, but right now, I¡¯ll only allow good news to enter my ears,¡± the queen said, looking down at him with tempered eyes. ¡°Then I shall deliver to you this bright news that happened earlier. The royal maid¡¯s hand moved unconsciously for a second.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°It is a hint that the royal maid will wake up sooner than we thought. I would like your permission to utilize her nutrition after she wakes up.¡± Both the queen¡¯s and the king¡¯s eyes widen in joy. They¡¯re happy, but they can¡¯t smile obviously. They wanted to leave this formal place to visit that dear person in bed. ¡°Oh my¡ªshe¡¯s alive,¡± the queen gasped while covering her mouth with her hands. ¡°Veniara was right about her,¡± the king muttered. ¡°She¡¯s a strong woman at will.¡± ¡°Cavalry Captain, as a proxy to us, can I request you to deliver a message to the substitute?¡± Brodveth bowed in seiza. ¡°As you wish, your majesty.¡± The afternoon came¡­ The former maid who became the princess in bed sets her eyes open slowly as the new world welcomes her. But for her, the nightmare that happened three months ago was her yesterday. ¡°Prin¡ªcess,¡± she first muttered with her weakened voice even if her vision isn¡¯t clear yet. As her view sharpens, eliminating all blurs, she saw a maid beside her. This maid, Ellyn, who wears Elara¡¯s previous outfit poured tea into her cup. ¡°Yo! Welcome, princess!¡± Ellyn exclaimed with a funny face. ¡°You look pathetic,¡± Elara muttered in her deep voice. Ellyn didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she showed her a small mirror, reflecting Elara¡¯s face towards her. ¡°What the hell is that,¡± Elara asked. ¡°A mirror. You look pathetic.¡± In a rush, Elara sits up straight and checks her abdomen under her cloth. The mark of the bear¡¯s claw still lingers in it. She clutches her hand while gritting her jaws. She tried to escape the bed, but her weakness made her lower limbs immobile. ¡°Senior Ellyn, where¡¯s the princess!? Is she safe!?¡± Elara exclaimed, hyperventilating while thinking of the outcome she don¡¯t want to happen. Ellyn pushed her back to her pillow and explained. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Elara. She¡¯s fine and doing much better than before.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry. What happened yesterday was¡ª¡± Tears came out of her eyes even without grasping the whole situation yet. ¡°You¡¯re wrong in two things. One: Neither was our fault. Two: You might not believe me, but you¡¯re already three month¡¯s coma.¡± ¡°I slept for three months?¡± Ellyn explained the whole situation that she gathered starting from the incident up to the results of Brodveth¡¯s investigation. But she didn¡¯t bring up what happened to the princess. Elara has no option but to believe everything she heard, even with the most unreliable person present. She knows when Ellyn talks seriously and not. ¡°Did you lie about this incident being involved with the Grayrats?¡± Elara asked. ¡°I can¡¯t let the king have this problem again. That name left a huge trauma in the kingdom¡¯s hierarchy.¡± ¡°Guessing his patterns, Elliot doesn¡¯t seem to grow bones. What is he even plotting? Is he planning to recreate another revolutionary group again?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a stupid antisocial madlad. If he¡¯s creating a group, it isn¡¯t a group of people.¡± ¡°Group of animals? Sounds befitting. Calling him a spider before felt so worth it.¡± ¡°If you know, Brodveth¡¯s waiting for your awakening to question you something about what happened. They don¡¯t seem to believe me and the princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to cooperate with my last breath, but first, I want to see the princess,¡± Elara asked, pulling Ellyn¡¯s sleeve towards her. ¡°Are you sure? Are you ready to get heartbroken?¡± ¡°Heartbroken?¡± Yet Elara insisted on going to see her. She needs to verify that the princess is safe and alive. What she¡¯ll see will define what she¡¯ll do next. Ellyn brought a fantasy duplicate of a wheelchair which is made of wood. Except for the metal wheels, everything is wooden. Ellyn assisted Elara¡¯s wheelchair as they go out of the mansion. Elara tilts her head the moment she realized where they¡¯re going. ¡°Why are we going in the barracks? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to fight me in this state.¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Ellyn smirked, leaving Elara confused. The two came into the cavalry zone and saw various rookies training under the sunset. The smell of hay mixed with the sweat from the knights¡¯ hard work. Elara searched for a red-haired girl until she saw one together with Cavalry Captain Brodveth. Her fists clench and shake as her loud breathing amplifies. Her lips flatten in the solitude of darkness as she drowns in frustration. The energy she gathered in her sleep exploded and leaked. ¡°Why? Why did you allow her!?¡± 13. The Worst Books Antagonists Elara searched for a red-haired girl until she saw one together with Cavalry Captain Brodveth. The red-haired girl was a rookie knight, but she had the scars and bruises of a veteran. No matter how many times the cavalry captain knocks her down, she stands up. She wanted to prove herself worthy of her sword to honor her family and her country. She was not afraid of pain or injury. She welcomed them as signs of his progress. She never gave up, never backed down, never surrendered. She was a worn-out rookie knight, but she had the spirit and determination of a hero. But that¡¯s not what Elara sees in her. What she saw was a future of pain and suffering that she¡¯ll soon regret. What she saw was a pointless effort. Her fists clench and shake as her loud breathing amplifies. Her lips flatten in the solitude of darkness as she drowns in frustration. The energy she gathered in her sleep exploded and leaked. ¡°Why? Why did you allow her!?¡± Elara shouted with her flaring nostrils. Though everyone around her caught their attention, the princess didn¡¯t. She¡¯s too focused that a mere distraction won¡¯t hinder her goals. But instead of replying, Ellyn smirked. She turned the wheelchair away from the princess as they go out of the barracks. ¡°Are you mocking me, senior? Why aren¡¯t you answering!?¡± Ellyn shakes her head before speaking with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just rare seeing you angry after these years. You really found a place you belong to.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have allowed her! She¡¯s only killing herself! There¡¯s no reason for a little girl and a noble like her to undergo this hell.¡± A flash of memory obstructed Elara¡¯s vision. There once appeared her little sister hyperventilating while being a subject of hazing. Knights being paddled to death and soldiers losing their breath before their battle is what Elara and her sister experienced in their childhood. Ellyn knows it all, even how Elara¡¯s sister died full of bruises. It¡¯s a taint in Elara¡¯s memory that made her protect what¡¯s precious to her. But Ellyn didn¡¯t care at all. She looked at the sky with a smile. ¡°Elara, you see, I¡¯m the ally of children and the guardian of the future. I present them with the wish they long for. Showing them their path is my responsibility.¡± ¡°The princess is my responsibility, not yours! Allowing her to suffer doesn¡¯t get close to your dream of building an orphanage, so jerk off!¡± ¡°T¡ªThe two are completely unrelated! What you¡¯ve seen earlier is what the princess wished for.¡± Elara pressed her lips, doubting what Ellyn had said. ¡°T¡ªThere¡¯s no way! You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°And what would I benefit from lying!?¡± Ellyn replied as she opens her narrowed eyes which is rare. She sighed afterward and continued. ¡°Fine, you can do what you want, but don¡¯t order your senior. You can face her directly, but don¡¯t appear like that in such a pathetic state. Fix your feet first. She¡¯ll pity you if you don¡¯t.¡± Looking down, Elara presses her lips. She paused for a second before muttering. ¡°I¡ªI won¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t accept any other words either. Let¡¯s go back to Brodveth. We have something we should work on.¡± *** A hundred swings¡­ Ever since I started my training, I always do a hundred swings with a wooden sword every day. It helped me feel that it was an extension of my body. It¡¯s been three months and a half now¡­ If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Every month, the quota increases by another hundred. My slim arms look weak in appearance but have bulk when touched. I showered with bruises, marks, and bandages across my body. The face isn¡¯t an exception. I tainted Veniara¡¯s face with a warrior¡¯s soul. No one dared to treat me like a special little girl inside the barracks. Because the royal family relationships of Ravelgrace are private, I didn¡¯t bother any special treatment. I¡¯m only focused on my goal: to strengthen myself and to show Elara and the other important people that I can protect them. I don¡¯t possess any cheats or lifehacks that will boost my progress. I only have my most important asset: Time. I¡¯m racing against time. A second to pass is sure death. Time management is necessary. Before I die, I need to establish routes for my escape. Every four in the morning until the afternoon, the wooden sword lives in my hand as we both suffer from fatal blows. If Brodveth is absent for some reporting, patrolling, or supervising, other knights spar with me. Even with the lowest-ranking knight, I can¡¯t lay a hit on him. As blood crawls down my head, various hurtful words stab my heart in despair. Even though it makes me cry, I should hold it. Because of my lack of stamina, I¡¯m occasionally experiencing dizziness and nausea. Partnered with a fatigued body, I¡¯m slowly losing the balance of my body every day. I don¡¯t feel like progressing at all. But I need to rush myself to recreate another fate that will save me. My mind is already set on going through this pain. Thankfully, healing wounds wasn¡¯t very complicated. Healers are stationed in the barracks, so I only need to visit them to patch myself up. But it only heals me physically. What I experience inside my body is a separate thing. I¡¯m already used to how my mind spins when I overwork, but there are random times that I throw up. Most cases were after eating, that¡¯s why I eat in my room alone. From the afternoon until midnight, I gather information from the books in the grand library of the castle. Except for Ellyn, no other maids accompany me. That information-gathering time taught me most things I need to learn to survive this world from its history, culture, and technology. But there are times that nothing enters my mind when I read. To solve that, I read the book again until I get a glimpse of the ideas. But what made me interested in this place is magic. Like healing, this makes living convenient. But every person has a mana aptitude. Even though I don¡¯t know what mine is yet, I continued to study books relating to magic. Because of that, I asked my father to request me a magic tutor after four months. I only need one month to wait so I can utilize my magical abilities. What I did to Elara is a hint that I¡¯m capable of doing it. Like every other day, I ended up sleeping in the library. Ellyn is tasked to wake me up at four. She¡¯s just following orders from me. Speaking of my capability, I tried searching for hundreds of books in search of that mysterious light that appeared at my hand. That abnormal regeneration I did for Elara doesn¡¯t count as healing. What I encountered the closest to it is the Saint Magic. There are currently seven elements of magic in this world, including light and dark. According to the books, Saint Magic possesses the highest affinity for the light element. Sainthood is the climax of one¡¯s power for light affinity. There¡¯s also another quote that the same applies to the dark affinity, but the one who reached it is called the Dark Lord. In the novel, Veniara reached sainthood before she died. That¡¯s a tragic fate for the protagonist¡¯s nirvana¡ª and a useless one. But having the mysterious ability in my hand gives it a possibility. On the other hand, the dark lord in the novel didn¡¯t reach nirvana. The first prince has a hole in his heart that made the loose soul of the previous dark lord enter it. Filling that hole in his heart might be possible, but I don¡¯t wanna. I¡¯ll throw up to death if I catch all of his corny pickup lines. ¡°I will never flirt with a stale person!¡± I declared as I read a report book about Elara and Ellyn¡¯s past group, the Grayrats. Honestly, I can¡¯t focus at all. There¡¯s a timeline of the reports with a detailed image of the outcome. Even my parents¡¯ reaction after the outrageous battle is painted here. But the most catchy information I got is why they created the group. I never knew its essential backstory. Dvarzoth is the name of the demon that possessed the first prince in the novel. Everyone he possesses achieves nirvana in an instant in exchange for their soul. Dvarzoth is the demon that the Grayrats wanted to revive. This is the demon that will kill me soon. He had already long lived in the past lives of the dark lord candidates, destroyed countless civilizations, and reigned the underworld. That explains why the dark magic users in the academy are treated as outcasts as per the novel. They¡¯re the depiction of an evil goon. But the Grayrats, Elara and Ellyn included, are once involved in this incident. It might be unlikely that the group didn¡¯t disband yet. There might be a possibility that Ellyn is spying inside the caste, but Elara¡­ I palpitated, nearly crying soon. My hands went numb and trembled. I can¡¯t catch my breath even if I breathe excessively. After overloading my thoughts which my brain can¡¯t handle, I fell to the floor from my chair. I slowly lose consciousness as the world says goodbye. A dream¡­ I dreamt of the same dream I had three months ago. I, Sachika Fujimoto, stand beside my original mother, crying from repenting my sins. But Mom patted my head with her frail hand, struggling in raising it. She said to me in her warm voice, ¡°Don¡¯t pressure yourself too much, Sachi. ¡°Take your time.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± I suddenly woke up breathless. I finally came back to my room after spending my nights in the library. But seeing the sun rays in my window on my right made me miss my practice. I¡¯m still feeling the same touch in my head just like in my dreams. When I looked at my left, my eyes suddenly watered. A girl in a maid¡¯s dress rubs my head. Her face is blank, but from her tingly lips, I can feel that she¡¯s holding her tears. ¡°Elara.¡± 14. The Worst Book Has No Backstory ¡°Elara.¡± After I woke up, she Elara my head. Her face is blank, but from her tingly lips, I can feel that she¡¯s holding her tears. She didn¡¯t do the usual hugging like she does to me. Her downturned face worries me. Her foot isn¡¯t fully recovered yet looking at her crutches. I never expected her to be here. I¡¯m not able to see her yet. I¡¯m still not proud of how strong I can be. I swore to myself that I can only see her if I¡¯m able to protect her. But before I speak to her, she dominated my voice with her deep tone. ¡°Princess, stop what you are doing right now,¡± she said, but around her, I can feel the air of disagreement. I¡¯m longing for her sweet voice, but she didn¡¯t show it to me. ¡°E¡ªElara? Y¡ªYou¡¯re awake. I thought I¡¯ll be waiting for six months to¡ª¡± ¡°Princess! Don¡¯t make yourself suffer! Nothing¡¯s your fault!¡± She growled like a threat of a wild wolf. ¡°Elara. What¡¯s happening? Why are you like that¡± Elara holds my hand with both her arms before she speaks. ¡°Nothing¡¯s your fault, Princess Veniara. I¡¯ll shoulder all the burden myself. I¡¯m the one who should protect you, but I end up becoming a hinder. ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you or anyone. I don¡¯t have anything against you. You shouldn¡¯t shoulder everything by yourself. ¡°I am here. Senior Ellyn is also here. You also have your family that worries about you. Despite this useless suffering, there¡¯s a bright future waiting for a princess like you. ¡°So please, don¡¯t pressure yourself too much.¡± She wrinkles her brow with a stooped posture. She presses her lips with a probing gaze. My hand vibrates from her pulse. I¡¯m starting to realize how concerned she was for me. But her worry is getting overboard. Still, I can¡¯t bear her mocking my efforts. It got to the point that I can¡¯t control my emotions at all. ¡°You called my suffering useless!?¡± I shouted. ¡°P¡ªPrincess¡­¡± The tears she was holding started to crawl down her cheeks. I took off my bed and stood up with bare teeth. I started arguing over a simple matter that I didn¡¯t let her speak up about her thoughts. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°You hold a place dear in my heart, Elara. But what you did is upright and disrespectful! I cherish those who are important to me, that is why I¡¯m doing this. ¡°I¡¯ve been sacrificing my breath and even my life so I can protect you and everyone dear to me. I am born in this world for this sole reason. ¡°If I fail here, I will regret it for the rest of my life. There¡¯s a fate written for me that only I can change. ¡°That is why you can¡¯t dictate to me how I¡¯ll do things! I do things in my own way, and I will save everyone with my own efforts. ¡°So please, Elara. Never show up to me again, not until I become the strongest that I could be proud of. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I ran away with tears dropping from every step. As I go out of my bedroom, Ellyn leans on the wall beside the door. From her drawn eyebrows, I can tell that she heard our conversation clearly. I didn¡¯t hesitate to talk to her and ran towards the library. The peace in this place calms me, but not right now. The skies turned blue. The heavy droplets collide with the thick glass, painting mosaics at the window. Soon, the fog sticks on the other side of the window panes. I sat on the floor, leaning on the shelf behind me, holding my knees as I sob while hiding my face. I¡¯ve said harsh words to Elara, not knowing if it¡¯s the right thing to do. I¡¯ve been reasoning that I¡¯m doing this for their sake, but it¡¯s all lies. I did see them as hinders, but not to the point that they¡¯re problematic. I¡¯m a selfish person for prioritizing my goals, no matter what others think. That¡¯s the same in my previous life. I only had one goal then: to get my family out of poverty. That simple goal took much of my time nothing is left for me. It resulted in me becoming an antisocial person in disguise. I might have someone to call friends, but they¡¯re not my real friends. They only called me if they needed me. That is why I shut down my connections with people. I don¡¯t speak to someone who isn¡¯t worth my time. This habit hardened my heart and it limited me to what I should do. I¡¯m doing this so fewer people would worry about me. But right now, I¡¯m the princess. Everyone, even those who didn¡¯t see me yet, worries about my state. Even though I¡¯m selfish, I note people who worry about me. It¡¯s an imaginary debt I need to pay. If everyone is worrying about me¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t compensate everyone for the time I had,¡± I sobbed while still hiding my face. ¡°And what compensation does in the picture?¡± A woman¡¯s voice asked. I stopped sobbing and looked up. I didn¡¯t even notice Ellyn entering the library from the doors. ¡°What are you doing here, Ellyn!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in no place to comment. But just so you know, Elara isn¡¯t as strong as you think. She thinks of you as her little sister, but she doesn¡¯t want to repeat the same tragedy again.¡± ¡°Tragedy?¡± ¡°I saw with my own eyes how her little sister died in front of her from forced endless padding. If you saw Elara¡¯s face, you¡¯ll end up regretting it.¡± ¡°T¡ªThat¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell her that I told you,¡± Ellyn said and walks near the door of the library. Before she left, I followed up with a question. ¡°Ellyn, you don¡¯t have any ulterior motives for entering here, do you?¡± ¡°I told you, right? I¡¯m the guardian of the children,¡± she said before leaving and closing the door. I didn¡¯t reply. Instead, my eyes were lost in the void. I didn¡¯t consider Elara¡¯s history. I thought of her as a background character. Being a part of Grayrats isn¡¯t convincing, but when I heard that she had a sister¡­ ¡°That¡¯s sad¡­¡± Tears continue to fall but my downturned mouth didn¡¯t move an inch. I squeezed my shoulder. I rubbed my painful chest which throbs slowly. This isn¡¯t tears for myself. It¡¯s tears of sympathy because, in the future, history will repeat itself. She¡¯s a fragile glass that needs the utmost care to handle. But I broke her. ¡°I made the wrong choice again.¡± After that day, and the subsequent days after that, I never saw Elara again. 15. Little Sisters Vlog I: My Life as Princess A month after¡­ ¡°Hello everyone! This is Mary, and I¡¯m not a princess. Wait¡­ Should I pretend that I¡¯m not a princess?¡± Marina Ravelgrace, the youngest daughter of the Ravelgrace royalty, wiggles in front of a strange device. The gadget made of toned metal has a huge lens that faces her. She placed it on the desk in her room, facing her bed alongside the sun rays. Unease approached her, not knowing how to start the content. After pinching her chin, a bulb lights over her head. The energy enhances her speech into an exclamation of joy. ¡°Ehem! Again, this is Mary! Thank you for your consideration, but I really don¡¯t know how to start this video¡­ but I don¡¯t care! ¡°By the way, I have a joke. Why did the tomato turn red?¡± Marina asked, extending her ear towards the lens and putting her palm around it. After some time, she straightened her back and cheered at herself. ¡°Because it saw the SALAD DRESSING! BWAHAHAHA!¡± The sound of die-hard laughter filled the air. It was a high-pitched, joyful, and contagious sound that made everyone around her cringe. She didn''t care about anything else in the world, except for having fun. But it would be embarrassing if someone saw her in that state. When she realized that her bedroom door is open, she flinched with a deep swallow. Her happiness faded into terror in an instant. A head of a maid slips inside, staring at her with squinted eyes and an open-hanging mouth. Marina blushed as she inhales more than her lungs could. After a moment of silence, Marina rushed to the door to close it with a bang. She blocked the door with her little body to stop it from opening, but no one does. ¡°Idiot! Why did you peek, Gloria?! You idiot! Idiot!¡± Marina cried. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, milady. Your Highness asked you to attend dinner.¡± ¡°Will Dad joke?¡± ¡°Your Highness will leave urgently for an important matter with the other country¡¯s ambassadors. He¡¯s expecting you to join¡ª¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t care! I¡¯m vlogging! V-L-O-G-G-I-N-G!¡± ¡°Your wishes, milady. I will inform Your Highness of this matter,¡± Gloria said, leaving the sounds of fading footsteps gone. Gloria is a tall, slender woman with dark, wavy hair that cascades down to her waist. Her piercing green eyes hold a sense of mystery and wisdom. She wears a traditional maid''s uniform, complete with a crisp white apron and a neatly tied headscarf. Like Elara is to Veniara, Gloria is the maid assigned to watch over Marina. She¡¯s a silent person who can resist the little princess¡¯s pranks. Sometimes, Marina¡¯s pranks end up returning to hers. It¡¯s a quality only Gloria can do, that¡¯s why she¡¯s hired as a maid. Marina stomped back in front of the lens with a stooped posture and a downturned face. Her lips extend while her eyebrows furrow. ¡°Boring. She¡¯s so boring,¡± she mocked. When she realized that she was in front of the gadget, she flinched back with widened eyes. She suddenly turns back to hide her embarrassed face. ¡°Oh! Y¡ªYou have to see that, huh? Never mind it! It¡¯s nothing! Really, it¡¯s nothing!¡± She turns to the gadget again, with a facade of joy. The glamouring aura she emits brightens her character. ¡°Oh, Hello again! Uhm¡­ What should I call you? Hmm¡­ Oh, right! I shall call you lambs! It sounds fantastic! Mary had a little lamb, little lamb¡­¡± After that, she sang the whole song. Well, those who watched her foolishness will not notice that she¡¯s thinking of her content. ¡°Oh, I know what to talk about now!¡± Marina left the lens¡¯s field of view. After some time, she came back holding the same gadget and shows it to the lens. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°This is called a Ciamera! With this, you can capture yourself, me, and your loved ones! I always bring this when we go outside. Of course, I have memories in myself, but I want to share them with others! ¡°This Ciamera is made by Cianon, a famous producer of amazing inventions. I really really loved visiting their place sometimes! ¡°The Ciamera I bought captures colors in it. And not only it captures a frozen shot, but it also mimics moving images from that memory. I remember it is called ¡®video.¡¯ ¡°And this is where I am now! I am recording a video of myself saying hello to the world. This is really amazing! Soon, I¡¯ll be able to share my memories with others, but for now, it¡¯s a secret. Shhh! ¡°Oh right! I will show you around the house! I will also introduce you to the people here. Just wait. GLORIA!¡± For the next venue, Marina and Gloria wandered around the house, scanning every piece of furniture and corner of the most preferable rooms in the mansion. Marina approached the royal court maid while Gloria holds the Ciamera, pointing towards them. ¡°Royal court maid Ellyn! May I ask you a question?¡± Marina asked. ¡°Little princess Marina? And Gloria too. What brings you two here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing a vlog!¡± Ellyn squints at the lens with her narrowed eyes. ¡°A vlog? Is that the trend nowadays?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s easy if you have a Ciamera!¡± ¡°I see, little princess. By the way, what questions are you going to ask me?¡± Ellyn asked with a smile. ¡°Is being a royal maid fun?¡± ¡°Well, it depends. If you like to boss around and order, this job is for you. But it¡¯s very tiring if you¡¯re too committed. Handling all of the maids is a pain. Sorry if you can hear this, Gloria.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Gloria shook her head and replied. ¡°Next question,¡± Marina followed up, ¡°Are you having fun with the family?¡± ¡°Rather than having fun, I somewhat feel enlightened. Having the privilege to stay beside Princess Veniara is a heartwarming blessing. I can see her sweat and hard work paying off.¡± ¡°Eh!? Can you buy things with sweat!? I didn¡¯t know!¡± Marina exclaimed like a forbidden knowledge entered her brain. ¡°That¡¯s not it, milady,¡± Gloria followed up. ¡°The royal maid meant Princess Veniara is being rewarded for her hard work.¡± Because of the sudden comedy, Ellyn chuckled. ¡°You two are great partners!¡± After the house tour, the two entered the castle without any notice. While the king holds a meeting with the other country¡¯s ambassadors at the throne room, the two open the gates. The guards didn¡¯t even obstruct Marina as she walked and sings through the red carpet with a wide grin. Gloria pans the Ciamera as Marina walks. Everyone caught their attention. Both the king and queen¡¯s pupils dilated. The ambassadors are asked to make way for the princess. As Marina reached the end of the carpet, she didn¡¯t bother talking to her parents first. Instead, she turns around and¡­ ¡°Hello, lambs! Right now, we are here at the castle! Oh! Papa and Mama and the others are having a meeting! Did we get to the right time?¡± She extended her ears to the lens again. After that, an awkward silence followed. As he realized it, the king laughed as hard as he could. Beside him, the queen hides her blushing face with her arms. ¡°Little lamb! Why are you here!? What are you doing!?¡± The queen squealed like a vampire bathing in sunlight. ¡°I¡¯m making a vlog! Don¡¯t worry, Mama. I won¡¯t share this with anyone yet,¡± Marina replied. ¡°Yet!? A vlog you say!? Don¡¯t point that thing to me! My benefactors will notice my face.¡± The king suddenly stopped laughing as he squints his eyes at the queen. ¡°Benefactors?¡± The queen suddenly grabbed the king¡¯s collar and threatened him with her gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t try to come up with a joke right now, or I¡¯ll kill you. I¡¯m in a very bad mood right now.¡± ¡°I¡ªI surrender,¡± the king stuttered. Marina turns around the Ciamera with a pose of achievement. ¡°Obstruct the royal meeting: Success!¡± Recognizing that it was all a prank, the queen shouted. Her anger resonated in every corner of the room. ¡°MARINA!!!¡± After being kicked out of the palace, the two don¡¯t seem to finish yet. Instead, they were redirected to the barracks. As they enter¡­ ¡°Milady, what we¡¯re doing right now might be inappropriate for Princess Veniara. She¡¯s doing training with the Cavalry Knights right now,¡± Gloria advised. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! My sister loves me! This prank won¡¯t even hurt her.¡± ¡°As you wish, milady.¡± Gloria doesn¡¯t have decision-making authority. She¡¯s only capable of advising. As they enter the cavalry zone of the barracks, they saw rookie knights training with their swords and horses. The fragrant hay mixes with the smell of hard work from their sweat. Marina scanned the field until she finds a red-haired trainee wielding a sword. After she does, she points toward her. ¡°Look, Gloria! It¡¯s my sister! She¡¯s doing amazing moves like the heroine in fairy tales! Point the Ciamera at her!¡± From the distance, Gloria points the Ciamera towards Veniara who¡¯s exchanging blows with another girl rookie. Because of their different smell and aura, the other resting rookies caught their attention. They did notice how elegant Marina¡¯s dress is and how clean Gloria was. ¡°Uhm¡­ Excuse me, but perhaps¡­ are you lost?¡± A rookie male asked. ¡°I¡¯m Marina, the vlogger! I¡¯m watching my sister train to be strong! She¡¯s really amazing! You should watch her too!¡± ¡°Marina? Wait¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡ª Princess Marina!?¡± Because of his squeal, even those practicing caught their attention. Their training got disturbed by the sudden checkup of a royal daughter. ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t notice¡ª Forgive me for my rudeness, milady!¡± The rookie kneeled and begged for forgiveness. Others froze to nervousness. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just visiting. By the way¡­¡± Marina waved towards Veniara who was also affected by the distraction. ¡°Sister! Do your best! You¡¯re amazing!¡± Everyone looked at the red-haired rookie whose mouth hangs open as her eyes dilate. Time stopped for seconds at the Cavalry section of the barracks. The knights murmured at each other. ¡°Hey, is she cheering for Vena?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s the only direction she¡¯s looking¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± Like a wave, the rookies in the whole area kneel at her. Even Veniara¡¯s partner shakes in fear as she kneels. Veniara grimaces and swallows as her ears redden. Her body freeze down in place as if she wanted to flee. But there¡¯s no escaping her situation. Her shoulders slowly rise. Her eyes protrude to where Marina and Gloria were. Veins appear on her forehead. She walks with a threat toward her little sister. Even from a distance, Marina can hear her sister¡¯s breathing. But that won¡¯t stop the vlog. Marina turned at the Ciamera and did the same pose again. ¡°Distract my sister: Success!¡± Veniara shouts with agony. ¡°MARINA!!!¡± 16. The Worst Book and the Bipolar Gossiper This afternoon, I¡¯m back at the library again. I¡¯m lost in the pages of the ancient tome, oblivious to the sounds and sights of the library around me. The book was full of secrets and mysteries, of spells and enchantments, of worlds beyond my imagination. I felt a thrill of wonder and curiosity as I turned each page, eager to learn more. I felt a connection to the book as if it had chosen her to reveal its secrets. For every word I read, my eyes sparkled. Even though I¡¯m carefully skimming the lines, my mind wanders away. I¡¯m excited not because of what happened earlier, but because of what will happen tomorrow. What happened earlier is unrelated. I¡¯m indeed disappointed with what Marina did. Mom scolded her. I was an audience. Mom banned her from using the Ciamera, a ripoff of the camera in this world. She also scolded Gloria to use her common sense. The moment I went back to train, my sparring partners¡¯ faces turned ashen. As I swing my sword, they only counter it. Marina turned the tides on how every rookie treated me. At first, they¡¯re throwing harsh words as I suffer showering in pain. Now, they wander away, letting me hit them on purpose. They shoulder everything I do to them even if I go full force. Is it because I¡¯m a princess? I entered here disregarding ranks and titles, and now¡­ They¡¯re treating me like an expensive fragile glass that shouldn¡¯t be touched. I don¡¯t like it. In the end, only the Cavalry Captain agreed to spar with me. He knew the grasp of the situation but still, he fought me with his full might. Having Brodveth as my sparring partner teaches me new things. From him, I can feel the same heat and nauseousness of hard work. Every hit in me gives me experience. But now, I have another priority to look up tomorrow. And that is¡­ Magic Training. Usually, I wouldn¡¯t have slept if my tingles are itchy out of excitement. But I accidentally slept early because my body aches. I had fallen asleep on the table, surrounded by books and papers. I am dreaming of a distant land, where I am free to explore and learn. I felt a gentle warmth on my face and opened my eyes. I saw the sun rays streaming through the window, painting the library in golden hues. I stretched my arms and legs and got up from the table. I looked around and saw the small hand of the clock pointing at seven. As Ellyn open the doors, I jumped with haste. I clenched my jaw, rushing towards her. ¡°Ellyn, it¡¯s seven! My practice¡­¡± I stammered. She shows me a scroll that stretches as she opens it. ¡°You are pardoned, little princess. You should take a bath and dress up for your visit to the church.¡± ¡°At the church?¡± I asked with a tilted head. By ten in the morning, I¡¯m already fixed. I am dressed in a majestic gown befitting of royalty. The gown is made of luxurious fabric with intricate embroidery and embellishments. The flowing silhouette is complemented by a fitted bodice and a long train that elegantly trails behind me. The color of the gown is a rich and regal shade that accentuates my features, making me feel like an actual princess. There isn¡¯t any touch of being a rookie at all, except my personality. I stepped down the stairs of the mansion towards my carriage. The carriage was a marvel of craftsmanship, adorned with intricate carvings of mythical beasts and golden ornaments. It moves swiftly and silently on its four wheels, pulled by a pair of majestic white horses. The most striking feature of the carriage, however, was its windows. They were made of tinted glass that shimmered in different colors depending on the angle of the light. The glass was also enchanted to prevent anyone from seeing inside the carriage, creating an aura of mystery and intrigue. Who was the passenger of this royal fantasy carriage? What secrets did they hide behind the tinted glass? No one will know, and no one will dare ask. For a big-shot person like me, it will be a haven. But it became a plot hole in the story. I encountered this carriage in the novel, and I asked myself, Isn¡¯t it obvious? Just looking at how it¡¯s made and how protected it was, it¡¯s very obvious. This is also the carriage rode by Veniara in her marriage. They used this to hide her identity, but it¡¯s very obvious since hundreds of knights are guarding it. I wonder where the people went there. But I¡¯m still young. I might try to test this plot hole if it will work. I entered the carriage while Ellyn assists me. Someone¡¯s already sitting inside. She extends her hand to me and pulled me up. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The only load of this carriage are us three: myself, Ellyn, and¡­ ¡°Good morning, Princess Veniara. I would like to formally introduce myself as Jessalyn Blackburn. I will be your magic tutor starting this day. You can call me Teacher or Master Jes if you want to,¡± she greeted. Jessalyn Blackburn has long, wavy chestnut hair that falls just below her shoulders. Her emerald green eyes sparkle with mischief and curiosity. She has fair skin with a smattering of freckles across her nose. Jessalyn is of average height and has a slim yet athletic build. She dresses in flowing, colorful robes adorned with intricate magical symbols. So that¡¯s what it looks like graduating from a prestigious royal academy, huh? She¡¯s very professional that I might submit myself soon to her as her student. I¡¯m looking up to the moment I can cast my magic! ¡°H¡ªHello, Teacher Jes! I¡¯m looking forward to our lessons soon!¡± Out of excitement, I clasped her hands. ¡°I¡¯m Veniara Ravelgrace, and here is¡­¡± Suddenly, her tongue clacked. ¡°I know her. The spy of the 74th cadet batch of Noxiams, and my rival in the rankings, Ellyn Ingram.¡± ¡°Woah! I didn¡¯t even disclose my family name since my appearance in Chapter 4. Thank you for re-introducing me,¡± Ellyn smirked, still eyes narrowed. ¡°Woah, Ellyn, you¡¯re quite popular!¡± I boasted. ¡°Instead of becoming a maid, why won¡¯t you become the Church Idol?¡± ¡°Sorry, Princess Veniara, but that pedophile will never be a part of the church. I bet she¡¯ll just scatter slogans of ¡®Guardian of Children¡¯ everywhere,¡± Jessalyn said with a straight face. ¡°Why would I be? My criminal soul begs for me not to stay in that disguised cult of hell, full of money laundering and fraud scams,¡± Ellyn smirked. ¡°You¡¯re quite argumentative, aren¡¯t you? Can you count how many more of your enemies will we encounter?¡± I asked with a squint toward Ellyn. I can¡¯t believe how many connections Ellyn had. I think she¡¯s close with everyone, not just the kids and Elara. ¡°By the way, Ellyn, what¡¯s the rankings in Noxiams Academy all about?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know why most babies fight over that illusion. The whole examination is a mock, literally easy as taking candy from a baby.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy indeed,¡± Jes followed. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to see you two agreeing on the same thing,¡± I rejoiced with my crossed arms and a smug face. ¡°Little princess, do you want to know how dangerous this scandalmonger is?¡± Ellyn asked. ¡°It¡¯s not quite believable coming from the one who once tried to assassinate the king,¡± Jes inserted. ¡°Then, perhaps you know that three archetypes of the Ravelgrace apocalypse are the pervert, the tomboy, and the dumb?¡± Suddenly, Jes¡¯s emerald eyes sparkled. She hangs her mouth open, nearly drooling, yet she¡¯s still calm at this moment. ¡°I¡ªis that reliable information?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who said that I¡¯m a spy.¡± Suddenly, Jes picks out a small notebook and wrote on it with a quill. She already put ink on it using magic. Her hand moves swiftly as leaves fly with the flow of the wind. ¡°Ellyn, I don¡¯t really get what¡¯s going on,¡± I murmured. ¡°You¡¯ll know tomorrow, little princess,¡± she replied. ¡°By the way, Ellyn, you know that information has a price, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite honest yet strict with transactions. I can only reciprocate the same weight of information traded with me.¡± ¡°Traded?¡± I asked with a tilted head. Ellyn suddenly leans and whispers in my ear, ¡°Do you want to see something exciting?¡± I didn¡¯t respond. But her wide grin tells me that she¡¯s planning something shady. Then, she continuously and loudly whispered at Jes, ¡°Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. Bitch¡­¡± At first, nothing happens. Jes looks still and calm. She¡¯s as hard as a rock, but even rocks can break from a shake through time. Moments later, her fingers vibrate, and after that, the next is her hand. From her limbs and arms, the trembling crawls until it reached her head. She reached her breakthrough. Her eyes hide in the darkness under her bangs. On her lap, she clenches her fists. The whole carriage shakes greater from her, as an earthquake happened. Suddenly, she screams which the outside can hear, ¡°I¡¯M NOT A BITCH!¡± Just from a word, her calmness vanished. As we reached our destination, I step down the carriage with my sparkling eyes filled with wonder. ¡°Look at that! A fantasy church!¡± I exclaimed with my slack mouth. The infrastructure named East Axial Church was a marvel of architecture and magic. It rose from the ground like a giant crystal, shimmering with rainbow colors. The walls were made of enchanted glass, reflecting the light of the sun and the moon. The roof was a dome of silver stars, twinkling even in the dark sky. Ellyn, Jes, and the other knights accompanied me to step up the stairs towards the door. Two statues of angels holding flaming swords guard the huge double-door entrance. Inside were paintings that moved and spoke, candles that never burned out, and fountains that sang. The altar was a giant diamond, radiating holy power. The fantasy church was a place of beauty and awe, where people came to worship and pray. But right now, the head priest and his assistant are the only ones inhabiting the place. They stood in the center, directly down the dome, as they greet us with a warm smile. ¡°Welcome to the sacred place of worship, Princess Veniara. The East Axial Church is such a pleasure to see the face of the king¡¯s daughter,¡± the priest greeted. ¡°R¡ªRight. Thank you very much,¡± I stuttered with a wink. ¡°Father, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but the princess has some matters to attend to. She requests for the ceremony to haste,¡± Jes followed up. ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯m sorry, I forgot. It¡¯s also said in the notice. Please follow me for the ceremony.¡± As he said, we followed him toward the leftmost part of the building which is the Magic Affinity Chamber. It is where people test their magic ability and affinity. Before I enter the room, the priest asked me to only bring one person with me. Even if Ellyn begged for me, I chose Jes. Her title isn¡¯t for naught. As I enter, the chamber was dimly lit by a single candle, casting eerie shadows on the walls full of rune paintings. In the center of the dark room, a pedestal stood, holding a crystal ball that shimmered with a faint glow. There¡¯s only one lamp accompanied in the circular room. The ball was the key to unlocking one''s magic potential, revealing the type and strength of their innate power. ¡°Please put your hand here before we begin the ceremony,¡± the head priest requested. I rested my palm over the crystal ball and waited for the results. Suddenly, the ball flared up with a blinding light, like a miniature sun. It lit the same as when Elara¡¯s wound recovered. Because it blinded me, I accidentally pulled my hand off. It took seconds for my vision to recover. But when I do, I didn¡¯t know they¡¯re shocked more than I do. Their mouth hangs open as their eyes beg for escape. Still frozen, they incredulously stared at me like a rusted machine. Seconds after, rune letters glowed with a soft blue light. They seemed to pulse with a mysterious power as if they were alive and waiting for someone to read them. ¡°F¡ªFather, don¡¯t say to anyone about this! I¡¯ll r¡ªreport it to the king directly,¡± Jes stuttered with cold sweats. ¡°Don¡¯t you want the church¡¯s reputation to go down, do you?¡± ¡°I¡ªI will comply! No word will be spread!¡± The priest exclaimed with trembling arms. With a tilted head, I have no idea what they¡¯re talking about! Are they confident to keep something confidential about me because I won¡¯t even understand it? Out of a sudden, I muttered something that made their ears red. ¡°Is this related to the saint magic?¡± They narrowed their eyes at me with their wrinkled brows. Their quickened breaths resonate in this enclosed room. Their bodies stiffened and it¡¯s noticeable. Then Jes muttered to me with a serious tone as she looks down at me. ¡°You are the saintess.¡± 17. The Worst Book Made Me Saint After the commotion, the church people analyzed my magical capabilities. It¡¯s pretty fishy since they¡¯re taking a long for the process. Jes once said that it would be as quick as an injection would. But what are they injecting in the first place? But it took only a short time to show me a slate of my affinity details in the text. ¡°Affinity: Light-impure. What does light impure even mean?¡± I asked. ¡°That means your major magic affinity is the light element, but you¡¯re also capable of the other basic elements. But your dark element affinity is zero,¡± Jes replied. ¡°Does that mean I can also do every magic spell accompanied by the elements except dark magic?¡± I expected a reply, but she bit her lip and looked away. Her jaw tightens as her fists clench. Her puffed cheeks redden her face up to her ears. ¡°I¡ªIt¡¯s not like I¡¯m jealous or anything! The West also has a record like yours, but he has a dark-impure affinity. You¡¯re not the only talented one here!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°He?¡± I asked with a tilted head. There¡¯s only one candidate I can think of, the dark lord himself. I encountered the backstory overload in the novel. I¡¯ve read a hundred pages that even included what they eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and how they use soap in baths. It¡¯s complete nonsense. To summarize, when the male lead and his older brother, the dark lord, went to the church, his brother received greater power than him. It¡¯s not mentioned, but I foreshadowed the moment that he¡¯ll become the antagonist. But the author made it to plant a million reasons to be jealous of his brother. That jealousy was never resolved, and it never will until the author finishes milking the kid¡¯s money from his trash. But thanks to that, I already know I will soon become a saintess! Princess Veniara¡¯s ceremony would¡¯ve commenced after her marriage. She never knew she was a saint until she died. But now¡­ I¡¯m the saintess, and some people know my identity now. It¡¯s the reason why they¡¯re shocked to death. ¡°Teacher Jes. If I told you I already know I¡¯m the soon saintess, would you still teach me magic? Even if I became the threat of the century?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. A student can never surpass her teacher,¡± she pouted. Is she still jealous of me? ¡°But how did you know about your affinity?¡± Should I tell her? She¡¯ll soon monitor my everyday practice, but I just knew her earlier. Is she someone worthy of my trust? ¡°J¡ªJust a hunch,¡± I joked, pulling my tongue out. In the end, I¡¯m still wary of her. After the ceremony full of prayers, I went back home. I didn¡¯t waste time rushing toward the library and reviewing the basic magic books. Since I¡¯m capable of all elements except dark, I should mimic elementary spells for every element. Magic might be the one I¡¯m focusing on now. I welcomed the morning sun from the window with only three hours of sleep. Eyebags shelter under my eyes, but general magic knowledge inhabits them. Ellyn entered the library with a newspaper in her hand. She puts it on the table I slept on. Her teeth grit with strength. The two headlines read: ¡°A Saintess Candidate Appears? The Royal Family Archetypes: Pervert, Tomboy, Dumb!? Who created this absurdity, Ellyn!?¡± I shouted, gasping and cringing my head back. I bared my teeth the same as Ellyn did. My flinty eyes faced her with a reddened face¡ªmy vein pulsed, crawling up to my forehead. Ellyn bows, but her expression doesn¡¯t change. ¡°I humbly beg for forgiveness, little princess. Even though I¡¯m not fully involved, I still went overboard.¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t trust you, Ellyn.¡± Ellyn flinched back with a flushed face and a slack mouth. ¡°That really isn¡¯t me! I even have secrets I could never showcase. My identity has been cleansed since months ago.¡± ¡°Then who does? The church didn¡¯t even know the archetype part. The only people in the carriage are¡­¡± I suddenly paused, having an idea who it was. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°A gossiper.¡± Jes arrived at the mansion¡¯s double door at ten in the morning. When it opened, two furrowed eyebrows welcomed her. Ellyn and I showed her the newspaper with the headline pointing to me. ¡°I wonder what will the next headline be? A tutor ends up dead after exposing scandals?¡± ¡°Jes, explain,¡± I demanded with my furrowed eyebrows burning towards her. ¡°Ehe!¡± She smirked with a cute gesture. She¡¯s pretty, but that¡¯s not the point. I won¡¯t let her escape. ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Ehe!¡¯ me. I can raise this news to my father. Don¡¯t you hold your precious ¡®High Mage¡¯ title with care? I can raise it to¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Jes squealed as she extended her palm to me. From her cute pose, she kneels, bowing her head and facing the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess Veniara! I committed my whole life as a slave to education to get that title. That¡¯s my only possession. You can do everything to me other than that.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± ¡°Little princess, do you know it¡¯s already her habit to expose vulgar stories? She even adds spice to exaggerate it,¡± Ellyn whispered to me. ¡°You already know. Why didn¡¯t you tell me yesterday? Don¡¯t you two know that any information from the royal family¡¯s personal lives is confidential? If you can¡¯t, I will put it inside your bones.¡± Ellyn kneels at me too. Both of them apologized synchronously. ¡°We¡¯re very sorry!¡± I coughed, ¡°Ehem! Stand up. Honestly, I should have kicked you out if I just knew how dishy you are.¡± I¡¯m lucky I didn¡¯t tell her how I knew that I¡¯m the soon saintess. Both of them stood up and agreed. Jes continues to explain herself. ¡°I¡¯m trying to hold it in my tongue, but it feels tingly. Words pull my vocal cords out, and I can¡¯t even control the consequences. It¡¯s just¡­ addicting.¡± ¡°Can I ask? Are you a masochist?¡± ¡°Why does a nine-year-old ask that question?¡± Jes asked with squinting eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to stop that addiction.¡± ¡°W¡ªWhat do you mean, little princess!?¡± ¡°Accompany me the whole day today.¡± Jes stumbled with a gasp and exclaimed, ¡°The whole day?!¡± Her eyeballs attempted an escape from her face. I burst, exhaling, and smirked. ¡°Twenty-four hours.¡± 10:37 AM, I pulled Jes to the kingdom¡¯s garden and dome, considered the event arena. The castle had a magnificent park in its backyard, where colorful blossoms swayed in the gentle breeze. The scent of roses, lilies, tulips, and daisies filled the air with a sweet fragrance. The field was a favorite spot for the royal family and their guests, who often strolled among the flowers or had picnics on the grass. At the center of the field was a splendid building with a dome roof, which was used for balls and ceremonies filled with joy and celebrations. The dome glittered in the sunlight, reflecting the beauty of the flower field. The building was spacious and elegant, with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and velvet curtains. Because no one¡¯s usually here, we can practice our magic all out, but it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re here to wreck everything with an arson. Jes picks out and opens a book made for light affinity magicians. I also encountered one in the library, but the complexity of the texts confused me. ¡°First, let¡¯s start with the basics.¡± ¡°I think I can handle complex magic,¡± I suggested since I got to heal Elara from her wounds accidentally. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the saying ¡®everything starts from the basics?¡¯¡± Is that this world¡¯s catchphrase? Even Brodveth mentioned it when he taught me side steps on our first month. Ellyn also said it when she taught me about formalities. But I¡¯m confident that she made the wrong choice. ¡°Then, from the basics, shall we?¡± I mocked with a grin of preparation. ¡°Well then. First, I¡¯ll demonstrate to you how light magic works.¡± She raised her hands and spoke a vulgar word: ¡°bitch.¡± A soft light enveloped her body. A surge of energy coursed through her veins. She casts enhanced magic, a spell that boosts her abilities and senses. The warmth of the sun, the vibrations of the earth, she sensed it all. I sucked a quick breath as I stiffened. My mouth hangs open in convex. I couldn''t believe my eyes as she waved her hand and conjured a ball of fire in the air. Like a scene from a fantasy movie, a surge of excitement and curiosity hits me, mixed with a hint of fear and awe. I¡¯m drawn to her as if by a magnetic force. ¡°Wow! Amazing!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Teach me that! I want to learn that!¡± ¡°Finally! I¡¯ve seen the nine-year-old act like one,¡± Jes smirked in fulfillment. ¡°You enjoying is somewhat satisfying to see.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m not enjoying!¡± I shouted with my blushing face. I¡¯m not doing this for fun! I do this to survive. I¡¯m not feeling happy at all! But why do I feel like my chest will float anytime soon? It¡¯s too light. My breathing stalls as adrenaline covers me like armor. I¡¯ve felt the same thing before when I¡­ This isn¡¯t fun! It¡¯s impossible that I¡¯m enjoying this! I looked down in disarray as I muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not having fun. It wasn¡¯t fun at all.¡± ¡°Princess? Are you alright?¡± Jes asked with wrinkled eyebrows as she approached me. ¡°Maybe we should let this pass for tomorrow. You looked pale.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± I touched my face, but my dry lips roughened the soft touch of my fingers. But when I realized¡­ ¡°You can¡¯t fool me. The 24-hour training will continue!¡± ¡°N¡ªNO!!¡± Time skipped: I¡¯ve learned to use enhanced magic to boost my strength, agility, and fencing blows. It isn¡¯t perfect yet, but I¡¯ll commit to this ability to overwhelm Brodveth. As per Jes, if I can master light-affiliated abilities, I can change my chant to some of my liking, like what she did earlier. It¡¯s also possible that there¡¯s no chant at all. The thought counts. If I imagine a symbol of that spell, I can use it without lifting a word. That might be the case in Elara¡¯s recovery. She didn¡¯t teach me to heal yet. Instead, we focused solely on different types of enhance and nested enhance. Ultimately, I learned and tested four enhanced spells while sparring with her. She¡¯s a flexible magic user. With another chant, blades appear in the extension of her hand and on the sky. She did harm me, but nothing was fatal. Tiredness visited her not because of her stamina drain but because of her mana drain. Her cheeks siphoned like a zombie. It only took us eight hours to knock down Jes. She fell to the ground with eyes open, pupils hidden. I chuckled, which soon turned into a devilish laugh. ¡°High-mage, you say!? No one can compete with me from overwork pays!¡± I laughed with only my abdomen could exert. I soon stopped after the air hit my head. Was the air too strong to push me? There¡¯s no air at all, only myself. My vision blurs; Jes duplicates. Suddenly, the ground pulled me. The world shakes around with my head still. My breathing prolongs. I couldn¡¯t move my body at all. Slowly, my vision turns darker and darker, drowning in the void. Open or close, my eyelids change nothing. The next is, I don¡¯t know. 18. The Worst Book and Victory Another three months¡­ It¡¯s been a seven-month streak. Only five months are left before I¡¯ll be introduced to the dark lord as his bride. I still can¡¯t land a hit against Brodveth for the past few days. But this time, I can easily breathe with relaxed muscles. This day might be my calling. Yesterday after practice, as he went to his room to rest, I blocked him with my chest out and chin high. My gleaming eyes stared at his dead eyes. ¡°Dear Brodveth, I humbly request the honor of engaging in a noble battle with you. May our swords clash in a display of courage and chivalry.¡± ¡°May I inquire about the nature of this special day, Your Highness? Your radiance and grace shine brighter than ever, and I can only assume that something truly noble is afoot.¡± ¡°Allow me to present the fruits of my labor, demonstrating just how far I have come. It is with great pride and a sense of nobility that I share with you my progress in the hopes that it may inspire and encourage you as well.¡± ¡°Very well, then. I accept your conditions. If I am hit once, the victory will be yours.¡± And now, we claim the center of the training zone as the rookies watch from afar. Ellyn volunteered to be the referee who¡¯ll start the match. The rumored battle of the Princess and the Cavalry Knight reached the palace. The queen sits with a clear view together with Marina, who shows off her Ciamera. In no time, Ellyn raised her hand and shouted affectionately. ¡°Are both parties ready? Ready¡­ Start!¡± Our feet launched our bodies toward each other. The wooden swords clashed with a loud thud, sending dust sparks into the air. We circled each other, eyes locked in a fierce stare as we moved with grace and agility, dodging and striking with skill and speed. Each blow was met with a counter, and each feint was anticipated. But as the man in this kingdom with the most experience, he takes the lead. He controls my maneuvers, planning where I¡¯ll step back and evade. I can dodge his attacks, but he isn¡¯t attacking my weak spots until¡­ He unexpectedly slashed directed at my neck, which I lately noticed. Vulnerability harbors my left channel. I spun my body, bringing my sword in my right hand to block it. I countered it with force. However, my foot slipped. My body bends in the direction I can¡¯t control my balance. But before I can think of my next move, his sword swings already from the top of his head. He¡¯s as quick as a cheetah! That hit, even if it¡¯s wood, would literally kill me. Damn, I have my trump cards, but I never expect to use them soon. ¡°Boo!¡± I whistled. Suddenly, I launched myself like Ironman. Air blows out from my feet, ejecting me into death¡¯s seat. I flew backward and regained my balance as I put my feet on the ground. The crowd cheered as I escaped the fatal blow. Their voices deafen each ear and fill the air with chants and songs. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, princess!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a deadly blow! I couldn¡¯t have escaped that!¡± ¡°I love you, Princess Veniara!¡± ¡°Go, sister! Go!¡± My sister even brought her fan club to wave with her. Slowly, Brodveth came back into his fighting stance and smirked. ¡°Not bad, milady. May I have permission to go all out?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°I told you, right? Never go easy on me,¡± I replied. He should have remembered our promise before I asked him to train. He points his sword at me, ready to strike at any moment. He shifted his weight slightly, adjusting his stance. The blood of the enemies he killed on the battlefield gathers around his aura. He tightened his grip on his sword, feeling its weight and balance. He breathed deeply, calming his nerves and clearing his mind. At the moment I didn¡¯t expect, he launched himself at me like a gun bullet. In just a second, he appeared before me. I did parry his strike, but it knocked me back. He isn¡¯t the same person as before. This is how he looks on the battlefield, glamouring with rage and filth. He breathes no air to focus on his opponent. Like the book told me, he¡¯s the legendary and undefeated knight who stopped the crisis two years ago. It isn¡¯t just words. He¡¯s the real deal. I might have the advantage of magic, but I only mastered a few spells. One of them is¡­ ¡°Lighter.¡± Before his sword strikes me, my hand emits a blinding light which retracts his head back. As I close my eyes, the light still passes through my eyelids. Even though he¡¯s vulnerable within a second, it¡¯s still not enough. He even predicted how to counter my blinding light. Our parries continued without me hitting him. I¡¯m showering pain when he sees a weak spot in my stance. It still hurts even if I cast defense and resistance. Even if my body glows from buffs, he¡¯s bypassing it. If he wields a real sword, I¡¯m dead on the spot. He slashed a powerful force to knock me down to the ground. I grunted, sitting on the grass. My blotchy skin heats up under my armor. I can only hiss to hold the pain. He might be ending this already. He steps in front of me with his sword over him. It¡¯s his final blow since I can¡¯t get away. But can¡¯t I? The moment he puts his weight on his arms, gravity pulls down and catches his ponderous sword. It didn¡¯t hit anything except the grass. Where am I? I¡¯m right behind him, poking my sword at his back repeatedly with no effort. While I do it, silence breaks through. The birds chirp across the bright sky. I looked at the audience, expecting to see their faces full of anticipation and curiosity. But instead, they hang their mouths open, showing me nothing but shock. The silence deafened me. Did I do wrong to cause them to panic? Yet my worry isn¡¯t related at all. The dead silence vanished. The crowd cheers, shouts, and jumps, filling grins and smiles. Their chaotic high spirits pulled out their happy tears. ¡°That¡¯s legendary! Our princess is a warrior!¡± ¡°A miracle happened this day! The undefeated was defeated! What a joke! Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Princess Veniara, I love you!¡± ¡°The future of the knights is secured! We have a descendant that will protect the kingdom from danger and harm!¡± My heart pounds, circling my head at each audience¡¯s smile. Tingles invade my body, starting from my foot. My hands trembled, releasing my sword unconsciously. I can¡¯t believe it. I did defeat him! I slowly grin, stretching my lips from ear to ear. My eyes sparkled with the accumulating water that escaped my eyelids. ¡°I won¡­¡± I kneeled, staring far away as I thought things through. I tucked my lips, shaking my head vigorously. At that moment, Ellyn approached me. ¡°Ellyn, I¡ªI hit Brodveth. I win!¡± I exclaimed, clenching my fist at the level of my chest. ¡°Congratulations, little princess. Your hard work paid off. You¡¯re now a strong little girl no one can take advantage of.¡± ¡°Did you see what happened? It¡¯s cool, right!? I forced Teacher Jes to teach me that cool trick!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Phase Shift, right? Only mischievous adults can do that trick. For a kid like you, that¡¯s a scary thought. Or are you planning to peek at your future husband while bathing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rub me with your pervertedness, Ellyn!¡± I utterly vanished from Brodveth¡¯s sight. Using Phase Shift, when he knocked me down, I pretended I didn¡¯t move my spot. I¡¯m invisible, and using enhanced magic ¡®Swift,¡¯ I can move without anyone noticing. Before Brodveth raised his sword, I was already behind him. He did slice me¡ª though not exactly me. It was my afterimage. It vanished the moment it made contact with the sword. I revealed myself after that. No sweat. After Ellyn accommodated me, Brodveth approached me and lent me a hand. I stood up as he raised my arm over our heads like a champion. The crowd fires up again. ¡°It was a dirty trick you did there, Princess Veniara,¡± he remarked. ¡°Stop with the flattery, Cavalry Captain. I have a handicap because of my abilities. I¡¯m a cheater, to be fair, a sleight of hand, crooked as a dog¡¯s hind leg.¡± ¡°In war, no restrictions will stop you. Limits aren¡¯t a thing. All¡¯s fair in love and war.¡± ¡°I really did develop since then,¡± I muttered, exhaling as large as I could. This victory might be a stepping stone to my first goal. I do not forget my promise. ¡°By the way, since I can now protect people, I¡¯m sure Elara will be happy about this. By the way, where is she?¡± I¡¯ve never seen her since then. I¡¯m still a weakling to consider. Now, I must accomplish my promise to her. I can never be a burden to her again. But I didn¡¯t get a response, an incredulous stare instead. They bit their lips and lowered their heads. I asked again. ¡°Where¡¯s Elara? And what¡¯s with that expression?¡± Ellyn gulped before she replied. ¡°Four months ago, after you confronted her, ¡°She resigned.¡± 19. The Worst Book and a Forceful Kid The tavern was lively, filled with laughter, music, and chatter. The smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, and ale filled the air, mingling with the scent of wood and smoke. The patrons were diverse, from farmers and merchants to adventurers and nobles. They sat at wooden tables, drinking from mugs and goblets, sharing stories and jokes. Some played cards or dice, others danced or sang with the bard. The tavern keeper and staff moved around, serving food and drinks, collecting coins, and keeping order. The atmosphere was warm and cozy, inviting anyone who entered to join the fun, not until¡­ Bang! The loud sound of cracked wood piqued customers¡¯ attention in a tavern. Every head directs at the door with a broken knob, with their mouths hanging open. Everyone sits still. Two people entered the scene. One is Ellyn, wearing her adventurer suit as she reeks of sweat after running from the castle to here. The other one is I, who also reeks of sweat, wearing my sturdy leather armor full of marks, dust, and craters. We catch up our losing breaths as we approach the counter. An older adult with fixed hair and thick glasses cleaned a wine glass with a fine cloth. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Ellyn? Don¡¯t break the door knob! That¡¯s unwomanly for a sexy lady like you,¡± the old man argued, burning his gaze at us. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Pops. As long as I have this body, I¡¯m still sexy,¡± Ellyn bragged, resting her head on her arm beneath the counter. Ellyn circled her eyes, wandering from every corner of the first floor. As she turned her gaze back at the older adult, she sighed. ¡°Is Elara resting upstairs?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been taking her shift out every day since last month. She doesn¡¯t mention where she¡¯s going, though. ¡®Just a stroll,¡¯ she said.¡± ¡°Just a stroll? Then she¡¯s doing something reckless again. You¡¯re not even paying attention, Pops,¡± Ellyn exclaimed. ¡° That girl has huge guts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any clue to where Elara goes?¡± I asked, entering their conversation. ¡°And¡­ who¡¯s this?¡± He asked. ¡°I almost forgot. This is Pr¡ª Vena, my disciple and soon-to-be adventurer like me. She¡¯s pretty close to Elara too. You know what I mean, Pops,¡± Ellyn introduced with her open palm at me. ¡°So that¡¯s the situation, huh? I see,¡± he nods. ¡°If you got paid in your job, pay all those doorknobs you broke. Your orphanage is after that.¡± I didn¡¯t know how, but I got the feeling that they already knew who I was, even without exposing my identity to the other customers. Suddenly, Pops pulls a customized envelope under his counter and gives it to Ellyn. The letter is addressed to Elara, and the sender is named Elma. ¡°Those two suddenly got close through letters. I don¡¯t know what happened, something important maybe? Do you know anything about this, Ellyn?¡± ¡°Eh? I never thought there would be a reunion for Class E soon,¡± Ellyn said as she opened the letter. I can¡¯t see the content of the letter. Ellyn intentionally hid it from me. I can only see her reaction to it. She hissed with her trembling arms, gripping the paper, nearly tearing. Her eyebrows are furrowed as she bit her lips. Her chilling voice growled these words, Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°She wasn¡¯t the outcast. It was I.¡± We didn¡¯t waste any more time departing at the tavern. I followed Ellyn, who barged out the door as we caught everyone¡¯s attention again. But she suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. She turned her head at me with a blade pointing millimeters away from my neck. It made me breathless how quickly I reacted to it. ¡°You¡¯re not following me,¡± she argued, not withdrawing her dagger as we caught the public¡¯s attention. ¡°From this point, nothing involves you anymore.¡± ¡°What do you mean nothing?¡± I argued with no fear but confidence in my words. ¡°As long as I look for Elara, I will search for her! It was I who asked for this request, and I will see this through the end¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat that incident ever again!¡± She shouted. After a moment, her face turned downhill. ¡°You know what I mean, Vena. This problem isn¡¯t your problem nor the kingdom¡¯s problem. ¡°Bringing you isn¡¯t worth the risk. It would be best if you understood that I¡¯ve been doing this for your safety. I will bring Elara back. You can wait for us to go back.¡± I know her concern. I have a nine-year-old body, and she, the Guardian of Children, thought of me as someone who needs to be protected. But where did my efforts go? What¡¯s the point of my seven months of training if I don¡¯t see how I grew? ¡°Can¡¯t I¡ª¡± I muttered with my bowing head that later raises. My voice amplified into a shout as tears crawled out my eyelids. ¡°Can¡¯t I protect everyone!?¡± I feel the weight of silence as the public looks at me. Their eyes are wide, their mouths are open, and their breaths are held. I scan their faces, looking for a sign of encouragement, a hint of sympathy, a glimmer of curiosity. But all I see is expectation, judgment, and pressure. ¡°Vena, you¡¯re not getting my¡ª¡± ¡°My dream is to protect everyone with what I¡¯ve got. I knew my starting and ending points, but now I¡¯m in the middle and getting lost. You¡¯re the only guide I have now, Ellyn¡­ ¡°Because I believe that you¡¯ll protect my dream.¡± The silence was deafening. She bit her lip and stared at me as she pulls back her dagger back into her pocket. Time ticked loudly, marking the seconds of our standoff. This desperation was a product of my carelessness and regret. I shouldn¡¯t have the right to face Elara after what I¡¯ve said, but the importance of my apology pulls me toward her. Ellyn sighed and smiled, leaving no marks of hostility. ¡°You never know when to give up, aren¡¯t you?¡± I followed her to the gate, where a familiar face blocked us. It was a guard who once stared at me with intent, Castor. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the princess?¡± Castor asked. ¡°I¡¯m not the princess! I¡¯m Vena, a rookie knight.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, Castor,¡± Ellyn demanded. ¡°Do you see Elara going out?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Since last month, she¡¯s been accompanied by knights every day she goes to the forest. Our guards don¡¯t know the confidentiality of their task.¡± Ellyn clacked her tongue. ¡°Damnit! Something¡¯s happening without me knowing.¡± ¡°And why did you bring her again? Won¡¯t you start another chaotic knight search inside the town, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°The queen has our permission, and she insisted on coming. That¡¯s all you need to know. We¡¯re going to borrow a ride in urgency.¡± We borrowed a horse to ride into the Harswell forest. The moment we reached the outskirts of the forest, Ellyn squinted her eyebrows. ¡°There are no monsters in the vicinity,¡± she muttered. ¡°How long are they diving in this void?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know this, Ellyn? Didn¡¯t Brodveth tell you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not even a pinch of trust that flat-face have for me.¡± We stopped at the nearest tree and leashed our horse to a branch. The piles of leaves in trunks reminded me of the day I nearly died. Like a rotten soul, the forest expresses beauty on the outside but harbors danger on the inside. My nose welcomed the smell of uncut wet grass, but that¡¯s not true for Ellyn. ¡°I smell something rotten. Don¡¯t you dare run like a bitch again? I¡¯ll let you die by yourself. Don¡¯t tell me I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± ¡°I¡ªIt¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to escape from you!¡± I squealed. Since Ellyn is the only person I can now consider my haven, losing her will welcome fear in my heart. As we entered the forest, I didn¡¯t see her cast a spell, but I could sense the depleting mana from her. She must be using magic to track where Elara and the others are. After fifteen minutes of straight walking, we reached where the past incident had happened. But something¡¯s strange. We didn¡¯t encounter a monster once. As I thought this place might already be safe, something rustled behind us behind the bushes. It was late before I turned back and felt enormous air pressure like a gunshot. Ellyn swiftly vanished in front of me as she ran through my back. From my view, I can only see her back as she blocks an attack with her dagger. ¡°Why are you here, Senior Ellyn!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my question to you, former underling.¡± When I peeked beside her, I saw a lady with long, chestnut brown hair, wearing a clean white cloth with golden shoulder plates. When I saw her bright blue eyes, I grinned with dilating pupils. ¡°Elara!¡± ¡°Princess Veniara!?¡± 20. The Worst Books Turtle Shell ¡°Why are you here?¡± Elara asked with clenched jaws. ¡°Elara?¡± I tilted my head out of confusion. ¡°I¡¯m here to find you. Look at how much I improved¡ª ¡± I boasted but she dominated my voice with her shout. ¡°You¡¯re really an idiot!¡± She shouted, resonating the vibration of air towards my head, clenching her fist and gritting her teeth. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone here! You never listen to me even once! Just how much are we gonna tell you that your life is important!?¡± ¡°Elara¡­¡± With a downturned face, I mocked. ¡°You can just listen to me once. It¡¯s a simple request. You¡¯re just a girl, Princess Veniara. I don¡¯t want you to experience some gruesome fate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid anymore, Elara,¡± I argued, bringing my spirits up. She somewhat offended me with what she¡¯d said. ¡°You are! Stop pretending to be adult!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not pretending to be adult! I just¡ª¡± I stuttered, holding my arms as I turn sidewards. ¡°I just want the power to protect anyone, to protect you. I wanted to be stronger than you to do that. Why are you like that, Elara? Be thankful I¡¯m doing this for you.¡± ¡°You made me, a royal maid, your basis of power? No one asked you to protect me, not even anyone from your family! Because that job is mine!¡± Suddenly, Ellyn entered in the middle of our argument. ¡°Shut up, you two! You won¡¯t reach anything at this point. We came back to our senses. Our souls calmed down after throwing badmouths to each other. If Ellyn isn¡¯t there, we wouldn¡¯t finish our argument. But I thought she tried to calm us down. ¡°Why don¡¯t you settle this in the Grayrat way?¡± Ellyn calmly asked. Elara sighed too. ¡°True. We won¡¯t get anything at this point,¡± she said, drawing her dagger and posing a stance. ¡°Wait¡ª What is the Grayrat way? And Elara, why are you drawing your sword?¡± I asked with a raising heartbeat, somewhat confused. ¡°As a former assassin, we aren¡¯t trained to speak. We are trained to act,¡± Elara muttered as she rushed while pointing her dagger towards me. ¡°Elara, wait!¡± I exclaimed, but there¡¯s no time to think of a reaction other than a counter. I drawn my sword, Ruby, coliding it with her dagger. Her blade is like feather when it hits my sword. It slipped like an ice, no friction involved. She randomly stabs her blade to where she sees my weakpoints, and having an enchantment on myself lets me see it. I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s really serious or she¡¯s just taken over by anger. But even if her blade slids through mine, I can feel the force she put to her blunt attacks. I clenched my jaws while bathing in cold sweat. On the other hand, she moves swiftly and calm. She isn¡¯t having a hard time at all, completely different from me. She¡¯s not only assassin in the name. While we exchange our blows, Elara remarked. ¡°If you¡¯re capable of protecting me, you should be stronger than me. ¡°After all, I don¡¯t need protection. I¡¯m an orphan adopted by the royal family as their helper. Those two generous people gave me a chance to repent my sins, giving me but only one task¡­ To watch over you, Princess. ¡°That means I¡¯ll be incharge of changing your clothes, cooking your food, making sure you¡¯re healthy. I made a promise to the queen that I¡¯ll be the one to protect you. ¡°While the queen is away, I should be the one looking out for you. I promised her that I¡¯ll always be by your side. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°If I¡¯m not suitable for that task, I have no other reasons to exist. Now that you can watch yourself¡ª and you¡¯re this strong, I¡¯m not needed at all.¡± As we continue clashing our blades, our argument heatens up to the mantle. The more she argued, the more I knew that I didn¡¯t care about her feelings at all. I¡¯m focused on my own selfishness. I involved them into my self-centered reason of surviving my destined fate. The only considered living person in this world is myself. I kept thinking that if I thought of them as an NPC, I wouldn¡¯t bother about their feelings. I only thought of them as the book¡¯s characters. I thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt. But I¡¯m wrong. Deep inside my pained chest lies my ideals, how I want my life to become. Now I finally have my past life¡¯s goals, money and connections, I shouldn¡¯t bring the past me back; else I would end up hurting people again. They¡¯re people, living people. They have flesh, blood, and a heart. They experience pain and suffering same as I do. We breathe the same air. We drop the same tears. We step on the same ground. If I didn¡¯t bring Ruby by now, I wouldn¡¯t have lasted long in this fight. The moment I gained control of the ground, I spoke my thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be strong to kick you out! I wanted to be strong because I treasure you. I don¡¯t want you to suffer longer because of what I do. ¡°I just¡ª I¡¯m just scared. What if I see that same thing happen again? I don¡¯t want to see someone precious to me lose her life. ¡°That is why I decided to be strong¡­ I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t notice you¡¯re worrying so much for me. I¡¯m a selfish princess, a spoiled brat, an unmannered bastard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I lied to you. Please go back to us.¡± After everything I¡¯ve said, her face didn¡¯t change. Her look at me is a set target to death. Her flaming red eye suddenly froze my body, chilling my spine. I have nothing else to say. I dropped my sword, telling her that I surrender myself. Her deadly stare just gets stronger, making my legs tremble. She gripped her dagger, showing her nerves across her arm. She leaned forward as she ran, maintaining full speed. ¡°You¡¯re open!¡± She shouted with confidence. But suddenly, the dagger she¡¯s pointing at me flew upwards. Elara didn¡¯t stop, rather, Ellyn stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t interupt, senior! This is between us,¡± Elara growled. ¡°You have a viscious opponent, more deadly than she seems,¡± Ellyn replied with a mocking tone. ¡°Are you throwing your assassin¡¯s pride by falling into a trap? You let yourself be lured.¡± Ellyn stared at where the light comes from as Elara follows her gaze. White diamond dimmed light stickered on almost all the trees around us. ¡°Vexous Infinity: it¡¯s a planted blade that shoots like a gun but will take time to setup. No one uses it since its light level is hard to manipulate. Only saint-level magic can configure its light intensity without draining mana. ¡°Considering the Princess¡¯s mana capacity, I can see thirty-two more blades pointed at you, waiting to be launched,¡± Ellyn explained. ¡°Are you still willing to step up?¡± After moments of silence, Elara sighed with a smile. ¡°The fight has been decided from the start.¡± ¡°When I was a kid, I¡¯m once like you, easily driven by emotions. Charging towards a battle without thinking, I¡¯m just too dumb. ¡°That¡¯s why as I grow up, I want to become the Guardian of the Children and the protector of the dumb. I have stopped you for that reason,¡± Ellyn explained, looking at the bright moon. ¡°I¡¯m no kid, Senior Ellyn!¡± Elara exclaimed and pouted. ¡°Oh, look? You¡¯re younger than me, meaning, you¡¯re still a kid.¡± Elara gritted her teeth and clenched her fists out of frustration. ¡°Damn you!¡± It seems like they¡¯re in good terms. I stood up and cleaned dust in my clothing before I called Elara. ¡°Elara¡­¡± ¡°P¡ªPrincess Veniara,¡± Elara mocked with her sweet maiden voice coming back again. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry!¡± I shouted, bowing to her waist level. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve said those harsh things to you! I¡¯m sorry I made you misunderstood my intentions.¡± Elara squealed and pulls me back standing straight. ¡°Princess, stand up! It¡¯s my fault for rushing out without notice. I¡¯m sorry too. I¡¯m the one at fault at misunderstanding!¡± ¡°No, I should be sorry!¡± I demanded, but Elara doesn¡¯t want to lose either. ¡°Princess, I¡¯m the one at fault. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Gosh, won¡¯t you stop?¡± Ellyn yelled with crossed arms, annoyed at us. ¡°Would you want to settle it again in a Grayrat way?¡± Elara and I both looked at Ellyn with a poker face. We let the caws of crows dominating the air of silence. We exhaled air like a pulse, then we bursted the tickle in our lungs as we excessively laugh. After she realized, Ellyn joined laughing too. I can¡¯t imagine having friends to share laughter at is this fun. This is the first time I never feared having fun. But suddenly, fear entered me from a different source. From a distance, we heard a shout from a voice deeper than human range. ¡°Huge mana! Feed me mana! Huge mana!¡± A breathless knight appeared in our place and ran towards Elara. ¡°Royal maid, a giant golem appeared out of nowhere! It¡¯s now destroying the knight¡¯s camp!¡± ¡°That Elliot, always excellent in ruining reunions. You can lead us the way.¡± Elliot? That¡¯s a familiar name I only encountered in this world. He was mentioned many times, but no one told me who he really was. From what I can tell, he¡¯s our enemy. Ellyn angrily clenched her jaws as she grips Elara¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll explain to me everything of your dark plot.¡± 21. The Worst Books Golem Attack Grayrats are an organization consisting of orphans who wanted to be strong as an act of activism. The kingdom tagged them as terrorists with a cause. Most members of the group don¡¯t have names, while others rejected their past lives. As per the books, the training is harsh. It resulted in their members being strong and reliable. Elliot, a necromancer, is once Elara and Ellyn¡¯s colleague. Wondering why their names start with ¡®El?¡¯ That¡¯s what their class names are. The Class E is also divided into groups with different types of functions. Rather than real names, its members used codenames starting with their class and group name. The group ¡®El¡¯ is trained for assassination, but Elliot is the only one different from them. He joined the group with no one knowing the reason. He ended up becoming dead weight for them. And now, he¡¯s causing problems again for the kingdom even if Grayrats are already disbanned. Elara explained this while we ran towards the camp site of the knights. ¡°And, why didn¡¯t you tell this to me, Elara?¡± Ellyn asked. ¡°I looked like a fool believing that we won¡¯t involve the kingdom in this dispute.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dumb thinking that we can handle this alone. Elliot¡¯s not who you remembered before. You can¡¯t knock his head easily like a door,¡± Elara replied. ¡°And why tell this to the knights while I babysit this red brat who doesn¡¯t understand ¡®safety?¡¯¡± ¡°The cavalry captain knows that you¡¯ll lie to him. Of course there are some things I can¡¯t discern like a mysterious light after the incident, because I don¡¯t know any of it.¡± ¡°So you encaged me in the castle while you¡¯re under action? You never fail to irritate me.¡± ¡°Senior Ellyn, if you have complaints, talk to the king. The economy is greatly declining. We can¡¯t cause panic. You shouldn¡¯t have accepted the offer of becoming the royal maid subsitute, you idiot.¡± ¡°And whose fault is it?¡± Both of them awkwardly shut their mouths as they look at me with disdain. Like I care what they think about me? ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have hired such a useless royal maid,¡± I commented. ¡°Oh, little miss princess! If it wasn¡¯t for me, your shaking hands would¡¯ve broken thousands of drinking glass already,¡± Ellyn mocked. ¡°You would also collapse everytime you wear royal gowns. And about bananas¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t start anything about bananas!¡± I exclaimed. Ever since the moment I got here in this world, I already claimed a trauma for bananas. ¡°What about your pay, Senior Ellyn?¡± Elara asked. ¡°I asked the king to donate it to the¡ª Stop!¡± Elara and Ellyn halted after hearing rustles in the nearby bush. Without turning their heads, they pulled their daggers in each of their pockets and threw it on their side. It¡¯s the wrong time to claim how awesome they were since they hit something with it accurately. And even without looking at it, they knew what they¡¯ve hit with their blades. ¡°A bunch of wild boars¡­¡± Ellyn muttered. ¡°Senior Ellyn, we won¡¯t have time to reach the camp.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than bringing them another pack of problems. Let¡¯s pray that they¡¯re safe until we came. Little princess, you¡¯ll be chopping pigs for steaks too.¡± Almost a hundred boars appeared near us as we continue running. The two assassins became our vanguard, while I and the other knight guarded their rear. ¡°Did you see how good my Mojacko is, Elara?¡± Ellyn smirked, flexing her dagger which has a frost aura even I can feel. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Antonio, Senior Ellyn? Did you find another name again?¡± Elara asked. ¡°Only Antonio has a dragon crest in its handle.¡± ¡°W¡ªWell, it¡¯s been months since I last held him, you know. You¡¯re still a monster in remembering specific details, Elara.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t forget names, senior. Even for a weapon, that¡¯s offending.¡± They enjoyed the dance that they made, circulating in this narrow space as they swung their blades. I only took out five, and the tag team massacred them all with no sweat. It made my jaw drop how useless I am. These assassins are the real deal. As we reached the camp, the knights¡¯ shouts of terror and bravery echoed thoughout the woods. The scent of burning wood and the crackling of flames fill the air, drowning out any other noise. The once lush trees, now charred and blackened, loom ominously over the campsite. The tents and sleeping bags that were once a haven for campers, now lay in ruins, destroyed by the unrelenting heat. Thick smoke rises to the sky, blocking the moonlight and creating an eerie orange glow that illuminates the wilderness around it. The huge entity of boulder gave life to the golem as dark-purple aura surrounds its body. It¡¯s three-storey tall, and the knights are ants to it. The golem had eye holes filled with crimson magic light in which the source is unknown. A round-glossy ball made of glass exists openly in its chest. Huge cannons and melee attacks of knights bounced away from the golem¡¯s body. Those who held the golem are gravely injured. A few of them are lying in the ground, surrounded by blood. ¡°Connor!¡± Elara shouted as she rushed towards the file of knights raising their shields. These knights protect the only tent available to recover the injured people. The man she called replied. ¡°Miss Court Maid, we¡¯re trying to hold off the entity as we prepare for escape. The problem is that there are horses who escaped their leash. We¡¯ll end up losing our way if we scattered.¡± ¡°And the casualties?¡± ¡°The battle¡¯s still ongoing. I can only confirm six deaths and thirteen injured, but the numbers might grow as seconds count. Wait¡ªWhat is a rookie doing in here!? This isn¡¯t a playground!¡± He shouted, staring at me. As Elara explained earlier, Brodveth assigned the man named Connor as the vice captain of this operation. He might have seen me in my training, but my status are still unknown to him. ¡°You¡¯re being rude to the princess, Vice Captain,¡± Ellyn argued. ¡°Princess? You¡¯re the rumored Princess Vena!?¡± He exclaimed with a flinch. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for formalities! Explain the situation,¡± Elara growled in a hurry. ¡°You can already see the situation from here,¡± Connor said, accompanying his back with a huge¡­ Bang! Faraway cannons hit its head with a heavily-lit cannonball, but it didn¡¯t flinch. The cannonball reflected like billiards, shooting towards our flank. The golem continued walking towards us while shouting the same phrase with a deep voice. ¡°Huge¡­ Mana¡­ Huge¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s an eight ball strike,¡± Ellyn commented with a smirk. ¡°No jokes, Senior Ellyn. We can¡¯t attack it with physical attacks. We have no other choice,¡± Elara replied, furrowing her eyebrows at the golem. ¡°Yeah, the battlefield is calling us again. My Antonio is tingling with my skin.¡± ¡°I somewhat felt bad for Mojacko,¡± Elara sighed. ¡°By the way, Saintess Veniara, you¡¯ll help us, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡ªIt¡¯s too early for me to be called that!¡± I exclaimed. Wait¡ªHow did she know? The tag team draw their blades and commanded the knights to withdraw as they rushed towards the golem with maximum speed. Their blades left trails of straight light following its edges. While they do, I released my sword and gestured my hand, dancing in the air. My body glowed with an unnoticeable white as I chant the words, ¡°I¡¯m not lazy, I¡¯m just conserving my strength.¡± Glowing white light inhabited their bodies like a tron wearing neon clothes. From ants, they evolved into flies as the golem finds a hard time hitting them. Their blades amplified its glow while I supply them with magic power. Little did the golem stopped. After casting enhancement to themselves, I focused on healing the injured knights. The two climbed the golem¡¯s body after getting the opportunity. Elara hit the golem in the chest where the glass ball was. The air emitted a shake like an explosion¡¯s afterquake happened. As she drops, Ellyn followed up her attack through the golem¡¯s head. She centered her magic in her blade, in which a chaotic aura in it wants to escape, and stabs it like Rasengan. She shouted, ¡°Risen Gun!¡± That¡¯s the same thing! Where did she get that reference!? After that, Elara and Ellyn continued to hit the golem with huge blows until it roots to its position. When it kneeled on the ground, the two retreated. ¡°Is it¡ª over?¡± Elara asked, catching her breath. ¡°Watch out, Elara. Effortless foes are the ghastly ones,¡± Ellyn replied. The golem¡¯s body shook, amplifying its aura¡¯s visibility. The moment it stood up, I felt a huge presence of magic invading my body, like death whispered me. It ran towards me in no time. It¡¯s speed is no joke. The two maids drawed their stances back, jumping towards its chest and thrusting its core with their blades, yet it did take no effect. ¡°Elara! Ellyn!¡± They ended up flying away after colliding with its body. Unconsciously, I charged towards them, escaping the line of defenses while Connor shouted at me. ¡°Princess! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± What am I doing!? Am I stupid? I can¡¯t control my body anymore. It¡¯s my heart that drives me to go to them. My mind went blank as my surroundings vanished, seeing only the two of them lying in the ground. As I call their names, my tears left traces in the air. The golem passed through them and rushed at me. It¡¯s late when I noticed that it¡¯s already before me. It¡¯s clenched fist awaits gravity to crush me. As it goes down, a person appeared in my view, holding her blade in a parry stance. It¡¯s the same view I had seven months ago, same hair, same person, same incident. ¡°Princess, please¡­ cherish your life more,¡± Elara said, smiling goodbye as tears flew away her eyes. Elara¡¯s throwing her life for me again like a disposable tool. What can I do in this situation? Can¡¯t I help her with what I have right now? Will she die? These are the questions I asked myself seven months ago. But now, I won¡¯t leave these unanswered. I¡¯ve trained myself up to this day where I can show her that I can protect her. I won¡¯t let the incident happen again. I won¡¯t let her die. 22. The Worst Books Ray Gun As I stood here lost in thought, my mind wanders back to a precious memory from my past. It''s like I''m transported back in time, reliving each moment as if it were yesterday. As I slowly opened my eyes, the bright fluorescent light overhead illuminates the hospital room. The white walls and the beeping of nearby machines remind my mother that she wasn''t in her usual comfort of home. I found myself sitting beside the bed, with my head resting at my arms. It¡¯s been a year since Mom¡¯s diagnosed with her disease, and she¡¯ll be soon be discharged after her bills are fully paid. As I sit up, I grasped her warm stare. ¡°Mom,¡± I muttered. She patted my head, rubbing the strands in my hair. The moment she does this, I can never resist. ¡°You¡¯re overworking again, Sachi?¡± She asked. ¡°N¡ªNo way,¡± I replied, looking away from her. ¡°My scholarship is fine, as well as my part-time. I can still watch over my little brothers after.¡± She chuckled even with the low energy she had left. ¡°You¡¯re obvious when you lie.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± she said, gripping my stick-thin wrist. There¡¯s still space in it even after she circled her hand on it. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re eating fine?¡± ¡°I am, and so as my brothers. Naoki helps me with cooking while I¡¯m away working.¡± She sighed out of relief. ¡°I see that you¡¯re just fine, but don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± ¡°I know, Mom. Leave my brothers to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a kind girl, Sachi. You¡¯re still young yet you¡¯re doing too much for us to handle. You even think of others first.¡± ¡°Of course, Mom, I all got this from your genes. Genetics is amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± As she continues to rub my head, her smile remained, but her head slowly falls downward. With a soft voice, she muttered, ¡°You can look upon others, but don¡¯t forget to look upon yourself. You might not realize, but there are people other than your family who¡¯ll end up aching to see you hurt. ¡°It might not be now, but someday, there¡¯ll be someone that will protect you with all their heart. Someday, a meteor will fall down the sky. ¡°There will be people who will stand before you. Make sure to protect those people too.¡± Because I¡¯m unwilling to make connections with people in my age, I¡¯ve never utilized that tip my Mom gave me. I can¡¯t see a candidate in my ¡®friends¡¯ who¡¯s willing to protect me. There¡¯s no one who saw me as their priority. The longer I lived in solitude, the more that tip became soluble. It remained at the deepest part of my head as I¡¯m unable to dig it back. It came to the point that I¡¯m amnesiac of it. But now, there is someone who is willing to catch that meteor. It took me even death just to find her. So this is the feeling of being loved by someone. Those people are willing to throw away anything, even their life, just to save another¡¯s breath. I¡¯m also like this, sacificing myself for the sake of my family. That¡¯s why I hated Elara for what she¡¯s doing right now. I see myself at her, suffering in loneliness and regret. Both of us exist for some person, and if they lost, our reasons will vanish. If I lost my life, Elara¡¯s existence will have no point. I don¡¯t want that to happen. Like me, she needs to be protected too. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. If there¡¯s no other person willing to do that, Then I should be. There¡¯s only a moment before the golem¡¯s fist crush us. The knights in defense broke their formation as they rush to get me. With my single misstep, everyone went chaotic. But this isn¡¯t a misstep. As I garner the mana in the air, I whispered while creating gesture in my fingers. ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± My mind is filled with thoughts of how much people me. My family, my secondary family, Elara, Ellyn, Brodveth, the knights, everyone who cared about the soul inside this body, I¡¯ll never forget them. Suddenly, the golem¡¯s fist everted, losing its balance, falling its back on the ground. Everyone witnessed the powerful glow of foreign light in Elara¡¯s blade. As she slowly pulled down her blade to scan it, her hanging open mouth sucked much air than it could handle. The glow gradualy fades as the breeze washed it free. ¡°Impossible¡­ Is this your magic, Princess Veniara?¡± She exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯ve become so strong.¡± ¡°I can now protect you, Elara. I can now protect everyone!¡± I cheered. ¡°Thank you, Elara. If not for you, I wouldn¡¯t have reached out my limits.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an obstacle in your course, a burden to thee,¡± she replied, looking back at the golem who continued shouting its phrase. ¡°Princess Veniara, can you help me deal the final blow?¡± ¡°The final blow?¡± ¡°Only you and your light-affinity magic can eradicate this monster. Once you defeated him, I¡¯m now convinced that you¡¯re more powerful than us.¡± I can never be as powerful than those two assassins, not after seeing how they fight. They had experienced a much bloody past and wars since their childhood. I¡¯m just lucky that the enemy is weak against my magic. I¡¯m still looking up to them until now. That title is something I don¡¯t deserve, but¡­ ¡°I might be not stronger than you are right now, but soon, I will seek for the power to defeat the dark lord. Are you willing to accompany and protect me to achieve that goal?¡± I asked. ¡°Nine-year-olds dream big nowadays. But if that¡¯s what you¡¯ve wanted, I¡¯ll always be beside you even after you become the saintess.¡± Suddenly, Elara carried me like a princess. The moment she jumped high up the golems chest, the hidden moon reappeared from the clouds. Her face shined under the moonlight while her body became its silhouette. For a moment, she became the prince of the night sky. If he¡¯s just a male, I would¡¯ve probably in loved with him already. The moment we landed near the golem¡¯s core, I stood up before it. Before Elara leaves, she waved her hand at me and smiled. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, Veniara¡­¡± The moment I heard it, I stiffened together with time. Memories had overtaken my mind again. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, Sachi.¡± The first time who told me that was my mother when I was three. I was tasked to teach my little brother buy an errand to the store. It¡¯s the only time I trusted this phrase. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, Fujimoto.¡± This is my classmates in middle school told me when I was in their group for a school project. They cheered me, but I ended up doing everything in it. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, Fujimoto,¡± My classmate in high school told me when he ask me to bring the mountain of documents to the faculty room in her stead. It scattered everywhere, and I came late, which made them scold me. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, Fujimoto.¡± In my first year college, I became the heroine of the play at the same day of the presentation. This was the phrase they said to me before the presentation. I¡¯m not given any scripts or lines to follow. I adlibed without knowing the story. I pretended to be a dumb woman destroying the play. In the end, it was only I who they could blame. After that, I realized that I was so kind to people that my mind can resist the blame placed on me. I never knew trust was too fragile. Other than my family, I never let anyone depend on me again. I never allowed them to set expectations of myself. That¡¯s the reason I shut myself to everyone else. I might became lonely, but I never felt it. Since I stood independently on my own feet, I never felt longing for things. I never felt love. No one risked their time to depend on me. But as I stand in front of this giant monster¡¯s magical core, I saw the cheer of everyone watching me. They¡¯re putting their trust in me, not just for themselves but also for everyone who¡¯ll be saved by my actions in the future. I stared at Elara with my hand on my chest. Tears fell down my eyes as I nod with my upright lips. It¡¯s been decades before I could state a reply in those promising words. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Elara dropped off the giant, leaving only me in that place. She knew that what I¡¯ll be doing would be dangerous in vicinity. Before the golem had the opportunity to stand up, I raised my palms facing the sky. As I pulled my hands apart, a glow begins to spread between them, like a miniature aurora borealis. With a flick of my wrist, I shouted, ¡°I will defeat the demon lord with my hands!¡± After a second of stale quietness, the ground shakes as light flows straight from the monster¡¯s core up to the sky. It¡¯s like a beacon or a ray gun planted underneath it. It¡¯s too sudden that even I, whose near it, am blinded by its garishing light brighter than the sun. I didn¡¯t see it, but a glass crack reverberated through my ear. Lately that I¡¯ve realized that I¡¯m the only one shaking. The golem¡¯s body cumbled into stones, losing its stickiness and forming a mountain of rocks instead. I fell down, but I lose all the strength to stand up. After the light vanished, the cheers of people echoed around me. My magic is all drained. My limbs turned numb as I lie on the ground. The only thing I could move was my breathing. My vision gradually fades as my eyes slowly closed. Since it¡¯s finished, I ended the day with a smile. All I wish for tomorrow is a day full of peace. 23. The Worst Books Farewell A once unfamiliar ceiling¡­ But now, it¡¯s the first that welcomes me every morning. I slowly opened my eyes, eluminating every furnitures existing in my room. It¡¯s been a while since I stopped sleeping at the library. As I shift my view out the chandelier over me, I saw Elara back in her maid dress, sitting beside me as she hold my hand. When she noticed that I woke up, she quickly grasped her arms around my head. After seven months, I can finally cling to her chest again. I¡¯ve been missing these ever since she vanished from my sight. ¡°Princess Veniara, you idiot!¡± Elara cried like a kid. Her sweet voice came back as her ego vanished. ¡°Why would you risk that much! Even though you¡¯re cool back there, I didn¡¯t know you would pass out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elara. I¡¯m fine now. I only ran out of mana,¡± I muttered through her clothes. ¡°I really missed you.¡± ¡°I missed you too, Princess-sama!¡± She exclaimed more than I do. Her sob circulated around every corner of the room. ¡°Using such high-spec magic have drawbacks for age.¡± She pulled her hug out to see my face and stopped sobbing. ¡°Who taught you that? Is that the blabber-mouthed rival of Senior Ellyn? You aren¡¯t fully capable yet. How dare she taught you that?¡± ¡°N¡ªNo, Elara. I¡¯m the one who requested it. It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Elara pulled her head back and pinched her chin. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left that to a nine-year-old. You ruined your moment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even looking for a montage!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°By the way, what happened after?¡± ¡°What you did might¡¯ve attracted monsters on the whole forest, but no other threats came. We have the time to dig up to the golem¡¯s remains to search for clues about Elliot.¡± ¡°D¡ªDid you find anything?¡± ¡°A crest¡­ Senior Ellyn found it stuck in its foot part. It¡¯s not just a simple crest. The royal family held a meeting with the knights for further investigation. I can¡¯t say anything further beyond that.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t involve myself further in that matter.¡± ¡°It was Queen Genivie who told me that. As your aide, I should be in charge of your well-being. As long as I¡¯m here, you¡¯re not going to tire yourself ever again.¡± I sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, but¡­ fine. I¡¯ll let you manage my time¡ªBut for a condition!¡± ¡°Eh? What condition is that?¡± Elara asked with a tilted head. ¡°I¡¯m still doing what I should do. You¡¯re just the one who¡¯ll schedule it. I will try to look upon myself more. I don¡¯t want to overworry you again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, Princess Veniara. Do you want a pinky promise?¡± ¡°So childish¡­ But I like you that way.¡± She extends her pinky finger at me. As I extend mine too, we crossed each others pinky finger, swaying our hands in the air as she sings a song. ¡°Wait¡ª Now that you¡¯re the royal court maid again, where¡¯s Ellyn?¡± I asked, breaking our little entertainment. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who agreed in terms with her? You can see her later after meal. Your majesty asked first to eat a meal with you.¡± ¡°C¡ªCan¡¯t I just¡ª skip that part?¡± I stuttered, hoping that I should stop hearing dad jokes again. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. She smirked. ¡°No can do.¡± After preparing myself, I went to the dining room as my family waited me there. Dad is sitting in his seat. Mom obstructed me in the entrance and hugged me. Marina wasn¡¯t here. ¡°Red Cat, how are you now? Are you doing fine? Are you eating properly? It¡¯s been months since you came abnormal,¡± Mom cried, gripping my head with strength. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re worrying too much. I¡¯m fine,¡± I chuckled while my head sat in her bouncy chests. ¡°But you went through a rough journey, and I couldn¡¯t be there. I¡¯m a failure to watch over you.¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t blame yourself. I longed to be strong in the first place. You see, I¡¯m now capable of protecting Elara and the people of the kingdom.¡± ¡°Well done, my daughter¡­ But now, you should take your time.¡± ¡°I will.¡± I¡¯ve been over-exerting myself these past few months, and I only have a few days to regain my sleep. I¡¯m still anxious about my future, and that made me think that time is my only resource¡­ but now, it wasn¡¯t. My family existed to protect me, including Elara, Ellyn, Brodveth¡­ This kingdom is my whole family. It might be impossible to face the dark lord alone, but with my family here, I have nothing to fear. These people are willing to catch a meteor falling towards me. I should be the one to reflect that meteor back. Ten in the morning, the whole Ravelgrace family, including the maids and buttles, stood across the stairs of the entrance of the mansion. Before us, Ellyn held her things with a smile. Marina¡¯s maid, Gloria, held the Ciamera beside us, recording every moment of Ellyn¡¯s farewell. ¡°Senior Ellyn, I hate to say this, but thank you very much for standing beside Princess Veniara,¡± Elara remarked, resting her hand over her heart. ¡°I wish you in good health before you trip yourself in the street.¡± ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it your hobby, Elara? I wish you wouldn¡¯t use your body as a shield again,¡± Ellyn chuckled. ¡°What!? Are you messing with me!?¡± Elara growled as she leaned towards Ellyn. Ellyn also leaned as their inch-away eyes sparkled in between. In the middle of Elara and Ellyn¡¯s heated moment, I stepped up. ¡°Hey, stop, you two! We¡¯re in the middle of a farewell here!¡± Ellyn stepped back and smiled at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me? For example, an explanation of how I was punished for something that ain¡¯t my fault?¡± What she said made my brow wink in guilt. I didn¡¯t know all this time that she had a lingering anger about what I did seven months ago, forcing her to suddenly become the royal maid. I bowed, bending my body to 45 degrees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just shy to request for your help, and it¡¯s the only way I could think of. I¡¯ll never do it again.¡± Ellyn suddenly rubbed my head. ¡°My, my! What a deceiving young girl you are. Since I¡¯m under you, I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to punish you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll meet again soon, right?¡± ¡°Are you looking forward to see me in the Central Capital? There¡¯s only one place that you could find me. If I¡¯m not there, who knows?¡± ¡°I will enter the academy and visit you always.¡± ¡°I will expect that,¡± Ellyn replied with a smile. I thought at first that Ellyn is a deceptive lady who¡¯s doing things behind the scenes. I¡¯m wrong about her. She¡¯s a lovely mother who thinks of kids having greater importance than her own life. She deserved the gift that she received from my family. Father¡¯s the one who gave it to him. I didn¡¯t enter their conversation, but that gift was the payment in the terms of protecting and watching over me. That gift was an orphanage. ¡°We have eagerly awaited your gracious decision to lend your support to the orphanage and provide for the children without parents. The fate of these young souls rests in the hands of one who possesses a kind heart and noble spirit. Will you answer the call to serve those in need?¡± Father stated like an oath. ¡°Your graciousness knows no bounds, oh great majesty. This most generous gift is a treasure that I shall forever hold in the highest esteem,¡± Elara replied with a smile. ¡°Fret not, my dear Ellyn. By the way, do you want to hear another children¡¯s joke¡ª¡± Bang! With a swift swing of her hand, Mother stopped Father from exposing his bad breath from his mouth. She repeatedly smacked Dad¡¯s head while smiling at Ellyn. ¡°My dearest, we mustn''t pay heed to his words. You are a valued member of our noble family, and we are pleased to have you amongst us. Your presence brings us joy and happiness, and we shall always stand by you, come what may,¡± Mom said. ¡°I humbly express my gratitude, my lady. The memory of having been a cherished member of a family of noble and virtuous souls shall forever hold a special place in my heart,¡± Ellyn replied with a bow. As she turned her head back straight, her narrow eyelids suddenly widened, showing her glittering emerald eyes. She curved her lips, revealing her teeth. That warm smile of hers revealed how true she was to us, the most lovely I¡¯ve ever seen. That ended my story with Ellyn. I hope I¡¯ll see her again soon. I¡¯m looking forward to glimpsing that warm smile of hers again. For some reason, I felt jealous of the children who were soon to be under her care. They¡¯ve found a charming and endearing mother capable of protecting their children. I hope things go well on her side¡­ and so as mine. There are still things I need to prepare. Time¡¯s falling apart, but now, I can ask Elara to help me deal with things. For the next three months, the scenes in the novel will start running. I will be facing an engagement with Xenos Rutherford, the first prince of the Western Empire¡­ And the dark lord I need to avoid. 24. The Worst Book and Reasonable Runaway As I walked into the castle¡¯s garden, a sweet fragrance filled my nostrils. I saw a vibrant array of flowers of all colors and sizes. The tall sunflowers with their bright yellow petals towered over the smaller roses that sprawled across the ground. Red, pink and white lilies stretched their delicate petals towards the sun, while the scarlet poppies swayed in the gentle breeze. The purple and lilac lavender gave off a calming scent, while the delicate daisies, with their buttery yellow centers and white petals, danced in the breeze. The garden was alive with the buzzing of bees and the fluttering of colorful butterflies as they hopped from flower to flower collecting nectar. I swirled my body, dancing under the bright sun. Every time I went to this heavenly garden gave me moments of peace, and I thought it would be until now. In an unexpected moment, I tripped my foot, coliding with one another. I kneeled on the floor with my bleeding knee. As a nine-year old, I ended up crying out of pain. Suddenly, a shadow of a boy surrounded my body. He extended his hand to help me stand up. I took it, however, it¡¯s just after when I realized what his face looked like. The boy had a raven-black hair that falls just above his shoulders, but I can¡¯t clearly see what his eyes looked like. His features were sharp and defined, giving him an air of regality. He is dressed in fine, elaborate robe which made him look like a prince. Like his suit told, he was the prince of the Western Continent. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°It¡ªIt hurts,¡± I replied, ended up crying after, but that crying stopped after he suddenly hugged me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± I nodded with a smile. When he released his grip, I asked. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Xenos, and I¡¯m going to be engaged to you.¡± ¡°Really!?¡± I blushed as I hastened to put my hands covering my widened mouth. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Glad.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I¡ªI love you¡­¡± Am I really glad that it turned out this way? No! Nothing here is real! It¡¯s been three months since Ellyn left. The ceiling welcomed my eyes that illuminated my morning as I slowly opened it. The dim vanished as I stared at the hanging chandelier that stayed still. ¡°Thank God, it¡¯s just a dream,¡± I muttered, pulling my body straight up the bed. Would I really fall in love with someone who just extended their hands to me? Even for a nine-year-old, it¡¯s unrealistic. It wouldn¡¯t be the case if he prevented me to fall down the ground. Xenos was written by the author as the antagonist lacking personality. He was average at everything, good at nothing other than blending with the background. The author hated him more than everybody else. The most common noticeable error in writing his character was the lack of dialogue tags. Whenever he spoke, he didsn¡¯t have tags. Though he had some but only with telling what he feels. In short, he lacked emotion. I didn¡¯t know why the scene was written by the author that way. It¡¯s one of the worst reasons to fall in love. There¡¯s no real reason why Veniara fell to him. Xenos stood there like an idiot. But it will happen soon, the next day in particular. I didn¡¯t know what the trigger of the event is, but I need to do my best to avoid that scene. There might be possibilities that something would possess me to do that scene. For now, I need to find a way out of that situation. Elara came in my room, straight towards my side while holding the same notebook she had for three months. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Miss Veniara, you should prepare for now. Your majesty is waiting for you at dinner by 800. Your training with the Cavalry Captain will start at 1000, while Teacher Jesselyn will arrive in the mansion by 1200. You can stop by the library after 1400. Would you like amendments to the schedule?¡± ¡°I would like to steal a moment of your time after 1400. Are you willing? I would like you to help me brainstorm about death,¡± I replied, standing up from my bed and removing my clothes. Elara assisted me in changing into my gown. Fresh as the zephyr, I walked out the room and greeted the people with a smile. My every step is the cr¨¨me de la cr¨¨me of refinement. Unlike before, I already eliminated stains of a commoner after learning from Ellyn. As I sat down my chair in the dining room, I followed the etiquette, the manners, the formalities that were required. I accepted the refined, elegant dishes that were presented in silver plates and crystal glasses. Together with my family, I ate what was appropriate, at the appropriate time, and in the appropriate way, observing every rule and every protocol. The only thing remained the same was my reaction to dad¡¯s jokes. After we ate our dinner with respect, I drank my water from the premium glass with my calm arm. Unlike before, I¡¯m already confident in doing things with elegant poise. Then father muttered an announcement. ¡°Veniara, my dear, are thou informed that tomorrow shall be the arrival of the Western prince thou will be engaged¡ª¡± Suddenly, I informally sprinkled water from my mouth to my side. I couldn¡¯t stop coughing after it. ¡°Of course, cough, father!¡± I replied with a blush. ¡°Cough. I¡¯m well, cough, informed what will happen, cough, tomorrow.¡± I wished he never brought up the topic at all. The nightmare earlier came back to me again. It would be convenient if he forgot about it, but it will never be. After all, it¡¯s a matter of political interests, and I couldn¡¯t pry at it. Matters as complicated as this weren¡¯t mentioned in the book, which is why there might be some scenarios that a problem will soon rise without me knowing. Everything happening right now was real. No matter how many times I pinched my cheeks, it would never change. By twelve noon, I approached Jes who was sitting at the bench and waiting for me at the garden. Her cheeks compressed from a smile after she saw me. ¡°My most profound student, I can still feel your passion from your exact time of arrival. Well then, shall we continue training from our last session?¡± Jes asked, standing up. ¡°Your lead, Teacher Jes.¡± I had learned more than the books, thanks to her. She informed me of the capabilities of magic and how logical every process can be. I became her most profound student after mastering customized chants like she can do. She bragged every time that I¡¯m the only student of hers who can do that. That news even came out of tabloids, but my name wasn¡¯t disclosed. But it took me severe perseverance for it to master. If I am not capable of it, I wouldn¡¯t possess the ability to save Elara and the others from the giant golem three months ago. If I continued expanding my mana bank and mastering her teachings, I could end up to her level who can use nonverbal spells. I might become a high-level mage if the public knew, but I had no plans for that. Heal, Enhance, Ether, Invisibility, Smite, and Holy Light are the spells which I mastered from her. I used the combination of Holy Light and Smite from the previous incident. Invisibility, on the other hand, only affects vision. I tried using it in the golem, yet it still detected me. With that, I concluded that there are also other ways to chase down someone. Ether was a deffensive barrier, Enhance was for buffing, and Heal was a regenerative spell. I can wounds, poison, and burns but not curses, viruses, or a pandemic if possible. I wouldn¡¯t reach that far if I only depended on books and not for my teacher. After I mastered the spells before, she only frequently visited me, once a week per se. I trained even if she isn¡¯t there. Ever since Elara took over my scheduling, I could only allocate two hours per day for my training. But since then, I can now sleep properly in peace. Two hours after practicing, we both sat at the same bench. As I catch my breath while hanging my arms on the board, Jes reached out a bottle of water from her hand. ¡°You¡¯re getting good at it. Good job!¡± Jes exclaimed while offering the bottle. I took it, drank, and exhaled after refreshing myself. ¡°Thank you again for checking me, teacher Jes,¡± I replied, but my tone fades as I gradually lowered my head. ¡°Oh, right! Aren¡¯t you going to Noxiams academy after age twelve? Well, you¡¯re lucky because I¡¯m currently teaching there! All other students will be jealous because of you. ¡®A student in-level of a professor.¡¯ That was a good outline¡ª Veniara, are you feeling down?¡± She asked after noticing my stale reaction from her bragging. The moment she called me, I suddenly came back to my senses. ¡°N¡ªNo!¡± I squealed and laughed, even though my tone spoke fake. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered hundred faces same of yours currently. I can tell if my student is lying, even just from her eyes. You can tell me what worries you.¡± ¡°How could I tell? Tomorrow or sooner, I¡¯ll be in the tabloid again. Even if no name was mentioned, I¡¯m still your subject. You can¡¯t fool me, Je¡ª Teacher Jes.¡± ¡°T¡ªThen, I¡¯ll make this an exception!¡± Jes stuttered, facing away. ¡°I won¡¯t put you in the subject just this once.¡± ¡°You just admitted that it was you scattering the Kingdom¡¯s personal affairs after all!¡± I shouted, and after a sudden pause, I sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you a reason. I just need a suggestion for something.¡± ¡°And what would that be?¡± She asked, turning at me again with sparkling eyes. ¡°There¡¯s this event tomorrow, and my parents are looking up for it. Then there¡¯s I who is forced to attend it. I never wanted to attend it, not in my life. How can I reasonably avoid it? Do you have any ideas?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a reason to roam around, why not accept my request?¡± ¡°Request?¡± I asked, tilting my head to the side. ¡°Or rather than a request, it¡¯s a commission. Are you willing to accept it?¡± 25. The Worst Books Kung Fu Master The next day¡­ I woke up in my bed at seven in the morning as Elara opened the curtains. She already wore the light casual clothes that she¡¯ll use to go out. She guarded me from my sleep while watching out anyone who planned on entering and leaving my room. As I pulled my body up from bed, I asked. ¡°Are you ready, Elara?¡± ¡°So far, so good, Miss Veniara. My only concern is the way out,¡± Elara said as she gives me lighter clothes for easier movement. The dress was made of soft cotton fabric with a floral pattern and a ruffled hem. I once tested it, and I could run, jump, dance, or spin without any restrictions. It might look easy to tear, but it¡¯s no problem after casting Ether in it. ¡°Even you didn¡¯t notice me when I left,¡± I replied, standing up my bed as I undress myself. ¡°Unless discovered, an escape route will always be an escape route.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t the guards be wary of it? Ever since then, every entrance was always guarded,¡± she asked while helping me put on my clothes. ¡°If you vanished for the second time, they¡¯d be on high alert.¡± ¡°I know, but this move is a matter of life and death.¡± After all, I should avoid and prevent any death flags as early as possible. ¡°The engagement, you mean? May I humbly ask the reason why?¡± I looked out the bright sky filled with colors of the blue clouds colliding with the red sunrise. ¡°The sky is colorful, isn¡¯t it? If I ended up in the same route, the clouds would soon lose color.¡± ¡°Same route?¡± Ellyn asked out of confusion. After a moment of pause, I coughed. ¡°Ehem! Anyway, we should set out for now. Don¡¯t forget to bring your purse with you.¡± As we went out of the room, the worst enemy appeared before us. Marina, together with Gloria, caught the moment I left the room with their Ciamera. Seconds after, sweat ran down my hair. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Sister Veniara! Good morning, Sister Veniara!¡± Marina exclaimed, looking at me and the Ciamera back and forth. ¡°Where are you going, sister? It looks like you¡¯re going somewhere fun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something f¡ªfun,¡± I stuttered with my vibrating jaws. ¡°W¡ªWe¡¯re just looking around and w¡ªwatch the flock of birds in t¡ªthe terrace. It¡¯s boring, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Eh? You¡¯re just looking at the birds? Why is Elara dressed up too?¡± Marina asked, squinting her eyes at Elara. Damn! This six-year-old was sharp. ¡°W¡ªWe¡¯re just creating a memory for ourselves. It¡¯s nothing major.¡± ¡°Memory? Then I should capture you two with my Ciamera! It¡¯s a super-duper-handy tool for creating prolonged memories!¡± Marina exclaimed, flexing her Ciamera at my face. This was the worst route I¡¯ve encountered ever since. It was hard to lie knowing that the recipient was a cute clumsy kid, not mentioning she was my little sister. I couldn¡¯t lie. But I could tell her the truth. ¡°Marina, do you know that I will be engaged soon to the prince of the West?¡± I asked with a malicious smile as I lean towards her. ¡°Woah! I just knew! I heard Father and Mother were talking something about the West. I see!¡± Marina reacted with a squint and open mouth while stabbing her clenched fist on her open palm. I leaned at her ear and whispered. ¡°He should be here by now. I would like you to take a picture of his face. Can you do it for the sake of your sister, please?¡± ¡°O¡ªOf course!¡± Marina shouted like a soldier in an army. ¡°If it¡¯s for love, leave it to me, Sister Veniara!¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°What a good little sister you are,¡± I smiled, patting her head. ¡°You can go now. Don¡¯t let him notice you.¡± Marina left quickly; Gloria gazed at me before leaving. She might had perceived what I did to Marina. ¡°She¡¯s observative as ever,¡± Elara commented. ¡°Aren¡¯t you like that, Elara? You still seem to remember our exact conversation a year ago.¡± ¡°I might be, but unlike her, I can¡¯t predict what you are thinking.¡± ¡°That seems scary,¡± I gulped as I hugged my shaking body. There might be some time that I should be careful of Gloria too. ¡°Miss Veniara, she might tell our plans to the king,¡± Elara said. ¡°Is it alright letting her go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s destined for them to know. I already left a letter for them not to storm the towns again with armies of knights.¡± It might be best not to cause another commotion again leading to the citizens¡¯ misunderstandings. I stated in the letter that I should go back before evening. As we set our way to our destined place, we innocently greeted every person we passed into. No one became suspicious of us as we went to the storage room. I searched the corner where the boxes piled up and removed them. After clearing up with Elara¡¯s help, the trapdoor appeared. As I opened the door, Elara pinched her nose with haste. ¡°It stinks!¡± She complained. ¡°It¡¯s been half a decade since I last smelled the sewers.¡± I smirked at her. ¡°Skill issue.¡± Same old way, I led Elara through the lingering smell of the sewers until we reached our way out. I never expect to see that ray of concave light again. The moment I stepped out, the blinding light of the sun flickered my eyes as the tall wall welcomed us. We exited the place with our clothes still clean. ¡°Miss Veniara, it was such a good escape route, but won¡¯t the smell of sewers remain contained in our clothing?¡± ¡°Once we reached the town, no one will notice.¡± We did reach the lively town of Valenluire which remained the same a year ago. Visitors and merchants scattered beside the streets as the carriages traveling back and forth took over the center. The same scent of roasting meats and aromatic herbs scented my ears. Comparing from before, performers and street artists increased alongside the development of new possible entertainment talents. I, who spoke amazed and nearly forgot my real agenda, widened my mouth in every turn. Luckily, Elara was here to remind me of it. ¡°Ehem, Miss Veniara, we should ask the guild about the inquiry,¡± Elara coughed. ¡°Right¡­ And Elara, don¡¯t forget to call me Vena outside.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Vena.¡± I came back to the same huge wooden building called guild. Even after a year, the crest wasn¡¯t even stained. As we enter, the same lively aura greeted us a warm welcome. ¡­Except for the half of men who stared at Elara¡¯s body. We didn¡¯t even bother as we walked directly towards the receptionist. I suddenly felt sorry for Elara. ¡°Welcome to the adventurer¡¯s guild! How may I help you?¡± The receptionist asked with a warm smile. Elara gave her Jes¡¯s job commission post and a card with etched diamond on its edge. ¡°We would like to accept this quest from a fellow friend. Can you assess the necessary documents?¡± ¡°D¡ªDiamond!?¡± The receptionist stuttered as she grabbed the card that shook in her hand. ¡°Y¡ªYou¡¯re the c¡ªcourt maid.. What are y¡ªyou doing here, ma¡¯am!?¡± ¡°I would like to deeply apologize for surprising with my sudden appearance, but I am in inherent attendance of an important matter I can¡¯t disclose to everyone else. Will I still be applicable to accept this job?¡± Elara asked. ¡°It¡¯s alright! I beg forgiveness for showing such rude manner out of instincts, ma¡¯am Elara. I would like to ask if you¡¯ve been willing to do a quest far lower from your rank, though it won¡¯t add additional points from the guild¡¯s system?¡± ¡°A royal maid could care less about ranks. And after all,¡± Elara spoke and looked at me, ¡°it¡¯s an important person¡¯s request in which I can¡¯t decline.¡± ¡°Elara¡­¡± I muttered with my sparkling eyes of adoration. From this moment, Elara became my hero again. Suddenly, three men showed behind us, with the leading man tapping Elara¡¯s shoulder. From their looks, all I could see was violence. ¡°Miss, we would like to talk to you about something. Do you have a spare of your time?¡± The man invited with a malicious tone. They¡¯re a group of adventurer who had something in common: huge scars. They have built bodies with an undeniably stone-like muscles, and every time I looked at it, I gulped. They must be the king of this place, bullying others in lower ranks. Their high chin spoke all of their characteristics. As from my knowledge in characters, thugs could only shut up after getting beaten. Suddenly, the receptionist shouted but with a shaking voice. ¡°Hey, stop it! Don¡¯t m¡ªmess with ma¡¯am here! He¡¯s a dia¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, you foolish clumsy receptionist! You have nothing to do with this!¡± The man shouted, then continued inviting Elara with gritting teeth. ¡°Now then, now that I¡¯ve shown you my strength, would you spare your time with us?¡± ¡°I have a kid with me,¡± Elara muttered with her head turned down, hiding her eyes from them while clenching her fists. ¡°Who cares about that kid? Do you want me to kick her? Is she a heavy burden to you? We can get rid of that brat easily! We aren¡¯t interested in both kids and jail.¡± ¡°Did you mean what you¡¯ve said?¡± Elara whispered in which they couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Huh? I can¡¯t hear you!¡± ¡°As I said¡­¡± Elara raised her right knee within her chest level as her foot faces the man. The sudden moment she extended her legs, the man flew straight out of the building, leaving a hole on the double doors. Adventurers, receptionists, commissioners¡­ everyone caught our attention. Dead silence scattered around the interior until Elara stepped her foot back on the ground. Elara then growled, ¡°Did you mean what you¡¯ve said!?¡± 26. The Worst Tabloids Fan Elara raised her right knee within her chest level as her foot faces the man. The sudden moment she extended her legs, the man flew straight out of the building, leaving a hole on the double doors. Adventurers, receptionists, commissioners¡­ everyone caught our attention. Dead silence scattered around the interior until Elara stepped her foot back on the ground. Elara growled, ¡°Did you mean what you¡¯ve said!?¡± The two other men left their mouths hanging open as they followed the trail of air that their leader left. They shouted synchronously, ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°You two? Would you like to end up like him?¡± ¡°Damn you!¡± Instead of turning back, the two men draw their weapons and launched at Elara. Elara evaded the first man¡¯s blade swing and hit his groin like a car hit his body. The first man ended up flying upward and suffered another injuring as he falls the ground. The second man thrusted his blade towards me without knowing my capabilities of my battle experience. As he continued his launched, I whispered another custom spell. ¡°Begone, demon in disguise.¡± In fact, it was Smite spell to throw away his weapon from his hand. Lately that he realized that he had no weapon while running at me, I stepped on his foot, causing for the wooden floor to break. He fell inside the hole he created. When his head reaches my shoulder level, I jabbed his skull with my elbows. He fell deeper until his head is the only visible part of his body. The three ended up getting knocked down on the first hit. As the fight ended, the loudest cheer of the crowd deafened us. Their shouts resonated outside the building. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, older sister! You knocked that bastard in one blow. Now, he can shut up forever!¡± ¡°Those moves are sick! If I¡¯m in there, I should have died already. You saved us another trouble. You also helped new adventurers¡¯ safety!¡± ¡°Now, there¡¯s nothing to worry about! That punk should rot in jail for the rest of his life!¡± ¡°You too, little girl, you¡¯re amazing! How old are you? Did you inherit your genes from your older sister? Your parents must have been the hero and the demon lord! HAHAHAHA!¡± Praise here and there, they never stopped¡­ not until the guild master went down the stairs from the second floor of the building. Shouts transformed into whispers. The guild master stood tall with a height few inches higher than Elara¡¯s. His freckles shown how aged he was, combined with visible nerves across his arms. He wore a formal thick silk polo cloth that represented his authority and position. The moment he got near us, he whispered something at Elara and climbed up the stairs. As per Elara¡¯s gesture, she told me that we should follow him. Above the guild is a room with a central desk, a coffee table surrounded with two couches, and various paintings and medals hanging on the walls. He asked us to sit in either of the couch as he retracted himself in his desk. After that, he fidgeted his fingers as he rested his arms on his desk and leaned towards us. I don¡¯t know his name yet. ¡°What is your highness, the princess of the kingdom, doing here?¡± He asked. A sudden pause filled the air, then I flinched after. ¡°H¡ªHow did you know!?¡± I exclaimed with dilated pupils. ¡°There¡¯s only one possible candidate willing to be in presence of the court maid, Veniara Ravelgrace, the first princess of the kingdom, second to the Ravelgrace bloodline.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°That¡¯s too much detail.¡± ¡°You¡¯re also the continent¡¯s Saintess candidate, the first rookie to hit the Cavalry Captain, and the one who defeated the giant golem in Harswell Woods. Should I include the part that you escaped your engagement today?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than too much of you should know!¡± I shouted with gritting teeth. ¡°How could someone whose name I don¡¯t know have too much knowledge about me? At which part of the castle are you stalking?¡± ¡°Forgive me for my late introduction. I¡¯m the guild master of the adventurer guild in the city of Valenluire Town, Urthus Darksorrow. If you¡¯re curious on why I knew most about you, this is the reason,¡± he said, showing us the job post we gave earlier. What Jes requested us to do was a commission to hunt eleven species of Entero Doflain. From what I had remembered in the books, this monster was literally a giant squid. Because I didn¡¯t tell her the reason why I need to escape the castle, she also hid why she called that commission. My only hint is ¡®from a friend.¡¯ As expected of one who had ears on the ground, she already knew my intention from the start. ¡°And how does hunting a kind of devilfish relate to Miss Veniara?¡± Elara asked. ¡°Entero Doflain is a type of octopus lurking in the lake a kilometer away from the city walls. Those who ask for its material are educators,¡± Urthus replied. ¡°Teacher Jes requested that material because she¡¯s an educator, isn¡¯t she?¡± I asked. ¡°What material does researchers commonly ask from the guild, and what does it contain?¡± He asked. ¡°A socket¡­ and ink?¡± ¡°Ink is the common material to print texts in books. This is mostly used by educators in printing reference materials for students. Aside from this use, for what reason do you think it¡¯s widely used?¡± His question made me pinch my chin. I squinted my eyes, staring down as I think of possible answers to his question. With his help, I¡¯m able to narrow down the choices in his quiz. Something printed and related to me, there¡¯s only one possible candidate. A tabloid. My name wasn¡¯t on it, but if some reader noticed the connections of the sequence of events, I would surely appear. The guild master was a fan of tabloids. I bit my fingernails as I growled, ¡°that damn blabbermouthed woman! I suddenly lost the motivation to do this quest.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you informed about the Lost Lantern Press? They¡¯re currently the ones responsible in posting news in daily basis. The unnamed child was the popular among the series. It was you all along.¡± ¡°That is biased journalism!¡± I argued. It looks like I got a building to burn. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m still expecting an answer to my question earlier, Little Miss Veniara,¡± Urthus said. ¡°What is the princess of the kingdom doing here?¡± ¡°Like the tabloid stated, I¡¯m just escaping some forced random engagement that will destroy my life. There¡¯s no other intent in me roaming around the city.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Urthus mumbled in doubt. ¡°Just to clarify, Princess Veniara, the guild will not going to receive a warning letter from the knights, telling us to cease our operations, are we?¡± Did they call us here for that? It¡¯s true that I caused the knights to swarm the city a year ago, but I never knew that the economy is greatly affected by it. It might be right to leave a letter at my bedroom, but I am not sure whether Father will storm the city again with knights. I stood up and bowed my head facing him, showing my deed of apology. ¡°I, as the representative of the royal family, am fully aware of my absence at the royal palace. I¡¯ve also considered countless possibilities that may arose throughout this journey. Pray tell, I¡¯ve already informed your majesty about my return, so the knights won¡¯t repeat the same crisis again.¡± ¡°Please raise your head, your majesty,¡± Urthus commanded. ¡°It¡¯s the sole reason I called you up here. Also, I shall give this to you.¡± He gave a card to me, having an etch of wood on its edge. As I scanned it, a different name was carved. ¡°Vena Ingram? Who is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your false persona by now. I¡¯ve taken the reference of your Family Name from Ellyn. You can¡¯t just barge into any adventurer¡¯s guild without considering your position,¡± he explained. ¡°That explains it. Thank you very much, grand master!¡± I exclaimed with a wide grin on my mouth. My eyes downturned from obvious joy. ¡°That¡¯s good, Miss Veniara! You got an adventurer¡¯s card without taking exams!¡± Elara cheered. Suddenly, I turned at her with my furrowed eyebrows, with all of my happiness converted into confusion. I squinted my eyes at her and asked. ¡°There¡¯s an exam!?¡± After a moment, the guild master allowed us to leave without any further inquiries. As we walk towards the door, the crowd cheered us again like we were celebrities. ¡°Elara, is this bad that we¡¯re famous?¡± I asked. ¡°We can¡¯t do anything about it, Miss Vena.¡± ¡°Drop the miss. Just Vena is fine. The adventurers already mistook us as sister.¡± ¡°Alright then, Vena.¡± ¡°WAIT!¡± Suddenly, a kid¡¯s voice halted us from walking out. As we turned back, we saw a boy who has short, messy brown hair and bright and curious brown eyes. He was smaller in stature compared to me, making him appear weaker. He wore a faded green tunic and patched-up trousers, showing signs of his financial struggles. ¡°Can we help you?¡± I asked. With wavy lips, the boy squirmed his arms before him. He took four stutters before he completed his statement. Instead of a request, he overwhelmed us with a shout. ¡°C¡ªCan I join your party!?¡± 27. The Worst Books Octopus Trap Valenluire wasn¡¯t just surrounded between a plain and a forest. In the south, a lake was named after the city. Since there¡¯s no huge towns on the other end, it was never considered to build a port. Actually, the area of the lake near the city became a huge fish farm of various types. As the distance goes farther from the city, the more toxic the creatures were, that includes the mob that we were hunting now. We walked along the side of a huge lake, feeling the breeze on her face and the sun on her skin. Mountains reflected on the water, and the green trees contrasted the blue sky. Elara led our group while the boy watched our flank. In their center, I gazed at an adventurer card with a rusty etch on its edge. I borrowed it from him just now. ¡°Dion, huh? You¡¯re an F-rank? I¡¯m jealous,¡± I pouted. The card contained his name and minor details about himself. ¡°¡­¡­.What? It¡¯s not that hard to become one,¡± Dion replied. ¡°But I¡¯m still G-ranked. My card might become a home of termites.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd,¡± he said, looking away at me. ¡°Dion, hmm¡­¡± I pinched my chin in deep thoughts. ¡°Did I hear your name somewhere before?¡± ¡°You did? But it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve met. I never saw you before, not even once.¡± Thou, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m pertaining to. He might have been mentioned in the book since I can recall his name in my memory fragments. It¡¯s the author¡¯s fault for not describing what he looked like, making him a forgettable character. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t know your name yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Vena. The older person here is Elara. She is my sister,¡± I replied, pointing at Elara. ¡°Vena, Elara, I will leave myself in your care.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the weakest one here. You should protect me since I¡¯m just G-rank.¡± ¡°What are you saying? I saw how you beat those thugs earlier. I even witnessed a light from every move you did! Can you do magic?¡± He asked with glimmering eyes. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, just enhancement magic to knock them down, nothing major.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still amazing!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time saving for my income in the guild. But those devils always took advantage of me and the others. It¡¯s like they were always waiting for me to complete my quest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a harsh reality for you.¡± ¡°But when I saw you fight, I think I got the courage to be strong! You¡¯ve saved not only me, but other starting adventurers as well!¡± ¡°If you have someone to thank to, thank Elara. Without her, the matter might have come into the worst.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± We tried to call Elara, but she was busy counting the coins in her purse. She picked out and put in gold and silver coins back and forth. ¡°What¡¯s financially troubling you, Elara?¡± I asked. ¡°Can we stay a night in an inn with how much we have right now?¡± ¡°What do you think of buying? We¡¯re going back home before evening. Also, a gold coin is more than a day worth of living. Honestly¡­¡± I sighed, pinching my forehead. As we exchange arguments, Dion laughed and mocked at us. Dion was a strong kid who have a a bright future soon enough. I could tell that his hard work would be paid off. How? He was like me in the past, a person victim of unfairness. Earlier at the gates, the drunk guard captain named Connor wasn¡¯t staring at me. He was gazing at Dion incredulously. After then, Connor whispered something in my ear. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡®Be caweful, princessh. Za slumsh haf gone wild lately.¡¯ Even with much of a blurred murmur, Connor hinted that Dion was from the slums. His clothing told us the same. The kid was struggling to find ways to earn money. I could also tell that he has a strong motivation to acquire quests in the guild. His state showed us that he¡¯s not looking after himself. That was just like me back then. He joined our party not because he wanted to help us, but to ask us for help. Earlier at the guild, the moment he asked to join us, he also showed the commission he was taking. The quests asked to hunt ten rabbit meat and hides in the nearby forest near the lake. Since we would pass in that area, I asked Elara to let him come along, but the condition was that we would only help him if he couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Elara said, stopping midway. We also halted as per her gesture. ¡°We¡¯re going to watch behind you. Can you handle this?¡± ¡°¡­I could!¡± He exclaimed with some hesitation. ¡°I didn¡¯t become an F-rank from nothing! Just watch how badass I am,¡± he smirked, blowing his own trumpet. How edgy. In my past life, I already encountered egoistic people from slums who see themselves as kings. There¡¯s no point in talking to them since their massive earwax blocked themselves from listening. I could only think of two ways to deal with them: With violence and with ignorance. Since I had no energy to spare with them, I always chose the latter. Dion might have adapted that attitude from his environment. It¡¯s just sad that even parallel or alternate universes have class divisions that determines one¡¯s fate at birth. And the only entropies are ¡®become smart,¡¯ ¡®hard work,¡¯ and ¡®luck.¡¯ In the sales world, those who don¡¯t judge the book cover are the first ones drowned in debt¡­¡­ ¡°Vena, are you still there?¡± Ellyn asked, waving his hand across my eyes. ¡°Aaah!¡± I silently squealed from shock as I go back to reality, realizing that it has been half an hour passed. We¡¯re both hiding behind the bush were we can see how Dion operates. ¡°How far did you dive in the future?¡± ¡°I already know my future, and it¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking,¡± As I looked at Dion chasing his first rabbit, I sighed. ¡°This is boring.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who let him join us.¡± I sighed. ¡°He won¡¯t be harmed if we left, right? Rabbits won¡¯t even harm him¡­¡­ Wait, something smells spoilled,¡± I commented as I pinched my nose. When I peeked at Elara¡¯s other side, a mountain of dead rabbit bodies flinched my head back. ¡°Why are there piles here!?¡± I squeaked. ¡°Let¡¯s see how badass he was after he apologized to us,¡± Elara grinned. What she seems to be doing wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Your sadism was reason why there¡¯s only one he could chase right now! You¡¯re the one that should apologize to him. Give him everything you¡¯ve hunted. We aren¡¯t here for rabbits.¡± ¡°But Miss Vena, this is my hunt¡ª¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Elara pressed her lips before calling Dion. The moment he came, she bowed down her head while kneeling. Dion¡¯s reaction was priceless. He hissed and squinted his eyes towards the pack of dead rabbits while showing his front teeth. ¡°What is this even!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too slow,¡± I said with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°We¡¯re now going to hunt Entero Doflain. We¡¯ll leave you if you took longer.¡± ¡°Anything but that!¡± He squeaked with a high tone. I once thought that he¡¯s independent, but he¡¯s still scared going this far. He was still a kid in body and soul. ¡°How old are you?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m ten.¡± He was the same age as me. We traveled deeper the road until we¡¯re kilometer away from the city. We don¡¯t have any means of knowing how far we are except the wooden sign beside the road. ¡°Do someone choose this route?¡± I asked. Ellyn shook her head. ¡°Only a few. This is a dangerous shortcut. If you looked upon the forest, you¡¯ll witness skeletons of travel horses.¡± ¡°So one need to detour from a longer route for a safety trade? Exchanging goods must be really tough.¡± After a few walks, we reached our destination, the lakeside. The dirt ate our feet as we stepped on it. Boulders scattered within the land and the water bodies. The water was divided into blue and gray a kilometer after. Most creatures beyond the dark water were intoxicated. I could even see a smooth black bald head that reflects sunlight. ¡°What is that?¡± I asked, pointing at the bald head that popped out of nowhere. ¡°Vena, don¡¯t move!¡± Elara exclaimed as they both froze in their places. I, on the other hand, happily turned around towards them with a chuckle. ¡°Look, Elara! It looks like an 8-ball. Do you have a billiard stick with you?¡± I continued walking back at them, even though Elara extended her palm, signaling to stop me. I, who was dense on sign language, tilted my head out of confusion. Suddenly, a tentacle appeared out of the muddy ground, twirling around and gripping my body. I gritted my teeth, moving around to free myself, but the more I do, the more it tightens the grip. ¡°Let me go, you disgusting pervert! You¡¯re ruining my clothes!¡± I shouted. ¡°Wait for me, Vena! I¡¯m going to free you,¡± Elara shouted, running towards me. She didn¡¯t notice that she dropped her purse from her pocket. The tentacle appeared completely from the ground, connecting itself to the hidden head from the lake. When I turned back, the body of a giant squid gave me goosebumps. ¡°Holy moly¡­ I¡¯m now in the soup,¡± I muttered with trembling lips. Suddenly, the grip loosen as the tentacle falls down the ground. Elara caught me before I kissed my but down the ground. ¡°Thank you, Elara. That narrow escape made me on the loose.¡± ¡°No problem, Vena, but we¡¯re not done yet. We still need to pour oil on troubled water.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Dion?¡± I didn¡¯t notice him leave since I¡¯m occupied by the monster. ¡°Peed himself and cocked away. He¡¯ll never see how badass we are.¡± I gazed at the monster, analyzing its features. The giant octopus has tentacles as long as a bus. It had eyes as large as windows, and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. ¡°So that¡¯s an Entero Doflain?¡± I asked. ¡°In the gall of bitterness, we need ten more.¡± 28. The Worst Books Laws of Necessity Dion ran for twenty minutes with a bag of dead rabbits and his shoulder bag full of coins, clinging sounds of metals at each other. Breathless, he didn¡¯t even made a stop until he reached the gates of the city. Normally, every entries need to be inspected by the guard. However, Dion was in a bad spot since the guard captain should be the one inspecting him. ¡°Oh, you war dze¡­¡± Connor said as he noticed Dion¡¯s familiar face. The smell of alcohol exited from his mouth. ¡°W¡ªWhat am I?¡± Dion stuttered as cold sweats harnessed around his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t ya with ja princessh? And with dze pretty royal maid?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m just alone. See this? This is the quest I took,¡± Dion argued, showing Connor the job commission for claiming rabbit hides. ¡°Izz¡¯at so? Then can you show me yar bag?¡± Trembling, Dion¡¯s shaky arms opened the rabbit hide and his shoulder bag. He tried to hide the coin purse, but the clinging metal sounds made it obvious. Connor explored his shoulder bag; his eyes widened after seeing sparkles of yellow and white. ¡°W¡ªWazzat!? Aren¡¯t ya ricsh!?¡± ¡°T¡ªThis is mine! I have no reason to hide this because I am t¡ªthe owner! It took me years to save this.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t shay dzat ishn¡¯t yours though! I¡¯m not even shaying that ya obvioushly hiding it from me.¡± ¡°I told you, I aint!¡± Dion shouted, gritting his teeth in frustration. ¡°Fine, fine, I believe ya. But lemme tell ya a tip.¡± Connor, along with his alcoholic smell, leaned at Dion¡¯s ears and whispered. ¡°Because if I were to steal it, I would¡¯ve hid it alongside the rabbits. It¡¯s a good idea, isn¡¯t it?¡± Dion froze, pausing his breathing while trying to hold the terror inside him. He felt like the guard captain was playing with him through words. His eyes dilated, unable to move a pixel. Connor jerked his head back and exclaimed. ¡°Ya can now passh, kid! Ya don¡¯t have anything shushpicioush.¡± Scared in the extreme, Dion ran inside the town with rapid breaths as if his nerves stopped responding from just a second. His desire to flee left his limbs trembling and unable to recover. The coin purse in Dion¡¯s shoulder bag was Elara¡¯s pouch containing the necessities for her and Vena¡¯s sudden vacation. The moment Elara dropped it earlier, he took it with no doubt. No one noticed him running away, but it doesn¡¯t mean that fate was in favor of him. The moment he did it, he was already tagged as a criminal. There¡¯s no way to regain the cleanliness of his name except surrendering. But he couldn¡¯t do it. Morals have laws, but necessity doesn¡¯t. He left no stone unturned to commit his crime, even if abandoning his humanity. The choice he made was his last leg. He continued to run directly towards the slum, straight to his home.His house is typically made up of scraps of tin sheets, tarpaulin materials, and other recycled materials. The house is overcrowded and small, typically consisting of only one or two rooms. The walls are thin and the roof is usually leaking during rainy seasons. There is often no proper ventilation, electricity, or plumbing system. As he entered inside the house, there is hardly any space to move around as it is often cluttered with a few essential furnishings, including a small furnace, a few chairs, and a table. His frail mom was lying in a thin, lumpy mattress with only a single pillow to support her head. Her body looked fragile and delicate, with thin arms and bony legs sticking out from under the thin quilt that barely covered her. Her skin was pale and translucent, revealing the network of blue veins that ran beneath the surface. Every breath she took seemed to require a great effort, and her chest rose and fell in shallow, erratic movements. Dion quickly ran beside her. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Mom! I can now cure you! I¡¯ve got the money to call the doctor! Look! With this, we can fill our tummies for another month too!¡± Dion exclaimed, pulling out the purse from his bag and showing his mother the shuffling of gold and silver. ¡°D¡ªDion¡­ Cough! W¡ªWhere did you get¡ªthat too much money?¡± His mom asked. Instead of being happy about it, she drawn her eyebrows at him. ¡°Don¡¯t ask about it, Mom. What¡¯s important is that you¡¯ll be cured soon. Wait for me. I¡¯m going to find the doctor¡ª¡± Dion said, standing up, but before he leaves, his mom gripped his hand, stopping him. Cough! ¡°Dion¡­ Don¡¯t do bad things for me¡­ Bring the money back¡­ I don¡¯t want its owner to be sad¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna!¡± He shouted, clenching his fists, and continued. ¡°Doing good things won¡¯t fill our stomach! I won¡¯t help us¡­ never. The more we do, the more miserable we¡¯d get. ¡°You¡¯re the kindest mother I¡¯ve ever met, yet¡­ yet no one helped us when we needed them the most. All they did was to watch us suffer. It¡¯s unfair that we¡¯re the only ones that¡¯s suffering. ¡°Your condition ended up worse because of them. If I¡¯m not weak¡­ If I could just become an adult already, I wouldn¡¯t need of doing regrettable decisions like this. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I¡¯m tired of continuously climbing and falling from a pit with no ladder. I¡¯ll soon be back, and we¡¯ll live happily again¡­ with no regrets. ¡°So, please, wait for me.¡± Dion released his mother¡¯s grip and walked out of the room. He held every feeling of pity and regret that bugged his mind. I will soon claim the life I wished. He thought. On the other hand, his mom remained still in bed with her weak-willed limbs. Because her head wasn¡¯t sitting on a pillow, her tears fell directly on the bed as she muttered, ¡°If not for me¡­ you wouldn¡¯t have suffered this much.¡± The purse Dion had thirty gold coins and fifty silver coins. A gold coin is equivalent to 8,500 yen, which can buy the cheapest original shoes in the market, while the silver coin is the twentieth of gold¡¯s value. A copper coin is tenth of the silver¡¯s value. Since the economic crisis a year ago, the prices of goods arose. A loaf of bread became four copper coins from one. Only basing from food and shelter, the average needed for daily necessities is ten gold coins a month. For an official light mages¡¯ checkup, it can range up to a minimum of fifty gold coins. They¡¯re officially marked by the church as those with high-affinity of light magic that can analyze and cure various diseases. For the poor people, it¡¯s anti-poor, but there¡¯s another alternative: underground doctors. These doctors weren¡¯t official and untrained professionally, but has broader knowledge in medical terms. They aren¡¯t magicians. They use various tools to diagnose a patient, even thought it wasn¡¯t recommended by the church. If one was caught doing these things, they¡¯re punished for lifetime imprisonment for modifying the natural state of the body. Luckily, Dion knew an underground doctor from a connection in the slums¡­ or is he really lucky? He remembered the location well: a house in the downslope of the slums where it had a dome-like roof made of bricks. He knocked at the door without a second thought. ¡°Hello? Is anybody in here?¡± ¡°Wait!¡± A voice behind the door shouted. A man with a long black hair welcomed Dion with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°What¡¯s your business with me?¡± ¡°Will you cure my mother?¡± ¡°You got the wrong person, kid. I¡¯m not a God or some greater stupid to be preached and bless you,¡± the man replied as he gazed at Dion¡¯s appearance. ¡°Blame life for your rebirth in poverty.¡± The man planned on closing the door, but Dion countered it by pulling on the opposite side. Dion¡¯s free hand opened his shoulder bag to show to the doctor his purse. ¡°I¡¯m willing to pay for it, so, please¡­¡± The man lose his grip and let Dion open the door. After wandering his eyes around outside, he pulled Dion inside his house and closed the door. He walked towards a room full of equipment and spoke. ¡°If you¡¯re not a kid, I would¡¯ve cut your head already. No one just barges into my door and screams ¡®Hey, doctor¡¯ in my face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Dion apologized as he followed the doctor. The doctor sat on his chair behind his desk containing log books and personal documents that aren¡¯t his. ¡°How¡¯s your mother?¡± ¡°She¡¯s always coughing¡­ and her voice was already cracking. She always feel tired easily, and she says to me that her head is always hurting her. If she took too much food, she vomits. What would be her situation be like, doctor?¡± ¡°Does your mother feel chest pain easily? What about difficulty in breathing?¡± ¡°Yes! She¡¯s also experiencing those.¡± The doctor leaned back and sighed. ¡°¡­ An orthomyxoviridae variant. With the current medical knowledge of the books, it may be hard finding a cure for those. You should consider checking up the church if possible.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t afford it. I don¡¯t have any money anymore.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never my fault.¡± ¡°My mom¡¯s condition is critical! She¡¯ll die soon!¡± The doctor stood up and held Dion¡¯s arms. Dion tried to escape, screaming ¡°Let me go,¡± and ¡°Please help me,¡± but the doctor was ignorant of it. The doctor opened the door and pushed Dion out of his house, lying on the floor. As he looked up, he soon realized that his house was surrounded by town guards. ¡°Hey, hey! What¡¯s the deal here!?¡± The doctor exclaimed. ¡°You got some dirty mouth dragging peeps here, kid.¡± ¡°N¡ªNo! I¡¯m not the one who called them!¡± Dion exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re already a pain in the ass, yet you brought some more. What a joke! You poor people shouldn¡¯t have been born!¡± The guards held the doctor captive as they raided the house full of equipments. They also took Dion because the whole intention of their existence was the investigation of him stealing the princess¡¯s coin purse. Both of them were put to jail. 29. The Worst Book and a Tailor ¡°Tailor makes a man.¡± A human was always judged by his or her clothes. What we like, where we came from, how we talk¡­ even our choices could be predicted by one¡¯s looks. This matter has no fashion nor function involved. It all comes through psychology. If a man is dressed neatly and has a face free from any kind of dirt, he¡¯s a man of elegance and charisma. If his clothes are tattered, his face is mud-covered, and his body stinks even a meter away, he¡¯s a poor, hopeless thief¡­ rather, he¡¯s Dion. He¡¯s still a kid, but if I decided to ignore the cliche book-cover quote for judgemental people, Elara wouldn¡¯t have lost her wallet. We achieved our quota from the quest. Having a dimensional storage came handy. The ink we gathered weighted almost 25 kilograms. Even Elara would have a hard time completing the quest if she did it alone. Two in the afternoon, we stopped by the adventurer¡¯s guild as mud and ink painted our clothes. We are asked to go to the back of the place, the storage room, so no one would notice my dimensional storage ability. ¡®A kid? Having a storage ability? That¡¯s news!¡¯ Words like that which I don¡¯t like should be erased from existence. We were rewarded ten gold coins in exchange. I couldn¡¯t help but feel glad that we still retrieved a third of gold from Elara¡¯s lost purse. The longer I lived the noble life, the more money lose importance to me. ¡°It¡¯s still early, Miss V¡ªVena. Why don¡¯t we take a look around the city?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea! Count me in.¡± After the sudden agreement, we took a stroll around the roads that screamed life. The first shop we encountered is a tailor shop. Beside the door, a signboard with huge text said, ¡®Swift Tailor.¡¯ It must be the name of the shop. ¡°Do you want to take a look inside? You might find a more comfortable gown, or a new comfortable casual outfit for escape¡­ or maybe a swimsuit!¡± ¡°In your dreams, Elara!¡± ¡°Ehh? But I want to see milady wearing a swimsuit,¡± she squirmed. ¡°It¡¯s a revolution for your growing up when you did.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you contented seeing me naked?¡± "Do you think of me as pervert!? I¡¯m never gonna be one!¡± Elara blushed. ¡°I won¡¯t be interested on looking something so plain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m somewhat offended, huh,¡± I replied, winking my eyebrow as I rubbed my palm on my flat chest. ¡°When you said ¡®growing up,¡¯ do you intent on adding a subliminal message?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Nothing.¡± She might not know what subliminal means. ¡°Anyways, we aren¡¯t here to window shop.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Vena. We only have minimal time left to spare.¡± Since my past life, it might be my first time shopping for something to wear. Back then, I only depended on donation clothes and giveaways. I mostly wear the same cloth consecutively for three days. I¡¯m unlike any other girls who have time for fashion. I¡¯m left out as the remaining homoerectus who sees clothes only as a body cover and a counter to cold. Aesthetics never came to my thoughts. I only wore what¡¯s available, and it¡¯s the same for the whole family. We have no money left to shop and leisure. I might remember this day in my whole life as my first. I never thought I just need to die to achieve what I lack. We got into the door, but a person collided with me on our way. She wore dark glasses and a long blanket surrounding both her body and her cape. Her glasses came of as we fell down the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m not looking at my way,¡± I apologized, fixing my knees from dirt. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m also beyond my mind¡¯s vision¡ªRed cat!?¡± She exclaimed the moment she saw my face. As I look up at her, I saw her fiery crimson hair identical to mine. When I heard her voice, I¡¯m rest assured. ¡°Mom!?¡± Looking both sides and behind us, Mom dragged us inside. The walls of the shop were lined with shelves of bolts of cloth, from the finest silk to the coarsest wool. The floor was covered with rugs and carpets of various designs, some of them enchanted to change with the seasons or the mood of the owner. The ceiling was hung with banners and flags, some of them bearing the crests of noble families or guilds, others displaying exotic symbols and motifs. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The air was filled with the scent of lavender and mint, and the sound of scissors and needles at work. In the center of the shop, a large wooden table served as a cutting board and a fitting area. Mom brought me not just inside the store, but inside the back door of the shop, leading to the shop owner¡¯s lounge. The first floor was the shop while the second floor was the owner¡¯s house. Even with my clothes full of mud, Mom and I sat on the couch, circling the coffee table. Mom burned her eyebrows toward me and started a new session of scolding. ¡°Where in the heaven or hell have you been, prickly red cat!? You can¡¯t just leave a letter in the middle of an engagement and pop off. The Juliets weren¡¯t the one looking for Romeo.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just¡ªhaving fun, aren¡¯t we, Elara!?¡± I thought Mom will scold me formally. I¡¯m quite amazed she can talk informally outside the castle. ¡°Fun? Look at yourselves! It looked like you just came from fun,¡± Mom argued. ¡°And you, Elara, my swift maid, you¡¯re supposed to watch over my daughter. What the heck? I mean¡ªWHAT THE HECK! ARGHH!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your majesty! I won¡¯t do it again,¡± Elara begged, bowing her head. ¡°Please don¡¯t fire me! I don¡¯t want to lose Miss Veniara¡¯s side again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that in the public. Call me Madame instead. No one knew yet who I was.¡± Since Mom was open to hear my concerns, maybe I can open about my thoughts on my engagement. ¡°Mom, I would like to request something only you can do. Please, Mom, it¡¯s for your daughter and the country¡¯s sake,¡± I said. ¡°I heed myself as more knowledgeable in foreign matters than you do, but I would like to listen to your mouth-muttering.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry the prince of the West.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Secret.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re marrying him.¡± ¡°Moooom, please! I don¡¯t want to end up getting engaged to a man with very little presence, because¡­ I¡¯ll soon be kidnapped by the dark lord and will die from a banana peel.¡± ¡°Do you have 8th grade syndrome? Stop blaming something unreasonable, including your trauma, to a person you didn¡¯t even meet yet.¡± ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t met him yet, but from what I can tell about him, he lacks emotion and dialogue tags. He¡¯s dark-haired and edgy. If not for his attendant, you wouldn¡¯t notice him.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, particularly the dialogue tags,¡± Mom said, pinching her chin. ¡°But this engagement is a matter of political interest. It would greatly benefit the country.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying, Mom. I don¡¯t even want to marry a person I don¡¯t have romantic relationships with. If that follows your logic, does that mean you don¡¯t love father too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Stop saying the obvious!¡± Mom squealed, looking away with her reddened face. What is she, a tsundere? She¡¯s too old to be one. ¡°Anyways, you get my point. I don¡¯t want to become some character development material for someone who doesn¡¯t acknowledge his existence. He¡¯s a sad boy.¡± ¡°So, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°When will those Western butterflies go back to their cocoon?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ they¡¯re waiting for you to appear to reconfirm the engagement. If it wasn¡¯t unanswered in two days, they¡¯ll go back to their continent.¡± ¡°Then, I should disappear in that two days. The problem was a slice of cake,¡± I smirked with confidence. ¡°And where will you stay?¡± ¡°Elara knows one place. She stayed there on her hiatus. Ellyn mentioned to me once that there are unutilized rooms in that place so I can stay there.¡± ¡°What do you say, Elara?¡± ¡°Pops had two rooms, and it will be surely occupied once I asked,¡± Elara replied. ¡°He¡¯s been a good owner and caretaker. You can leave Miss Veniara in his care.¡± ¡°Well then, pray tell, I approve your condemnment of your engagement, but I¡¯ll seek the matter with the king and the other party¡¯s ambassador first. The final decision won¡¯t come in me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fully aware, Mom,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°I would be waiting to hear your final decision.¡± Mom leaned her back and sighed. ¡°You should think your choices carefully, red cat. Life isn¡¯t a game, you know.¡± ¡°I always do.¡± After all, the route my life will take will decide the countless harsh futures waiting for me. And she¡¯s wrong about one thing: The moment I came here, the game is already on. Mom stood up her seat and extended her hand at me. ¡°That warmed my pancreas! Since we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t I pick a suitable clothing for you? I¡¯m a good character of aesthetics, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I would humbly accept the invitation,¡± I replied, reaching out her hand. I stood up after she pulled me up. ¡°By the way¡± ¡°The owner of this store is my personal tailor. She¡¯s one of my benefactors.¡± ¡°Benefactors?¡± I never knew that in a fantasy world, investing was also a thing¡­ and she had many!? From another room, a woman walked delicately towards the coffee table, holding the tray of tea with steady hands. She wore a crisp, white shirt and a black skirt that flowed gracefully with her movements. Her hair was tied in a neat bun, framing her angular face. She poured the tea into each cup with precision, not spilling a single drop. It was late, but with squinted eyes cycling back and forth between my mother and I, she asked. ¡°Why are you all standing? Are you two fighting? I don¡¯t mind if you warm my couch.¡± ¡°Late reaction?¡± I muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, Laurine. We¡¯re in very good terms and came up with the same resolution. Right, red cat?¡± Mom confirmed, and I nodded as we both sat down the couch. Laurine, the tailor and the owner of the shop, squinted her eyes at me, ¡°By the way, Jenny, I assume she¡¯s your daughter, with the fact you both have the same hair.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t we obvious? That pretty face and red hair only has one lineage, Laurine. Of course, it came down from me personally, though the aesthetics¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, did you bathe in mud earlier?¡± ¡°I humbly apologize for my unsightly appearance in front of my mother¡¯s friend,¡± I replied with a bow. ¡°To avoid affecting your furniture from our dirty clothing, I had used Ether to our whole body.¡± ¡°She can also use magic as well, Jenny!¡± Laurine exclaimed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let her work at my store? I can adjust her pay. We can deal with it through negotiations.¡± ¡°Nah, Laurine¡­ never gonna happen,¡± Mom said, shaking her head, and stood up to fetch me. ¡°Red cat, you¡¯re looking for something to wear, right? Wouldn¡¯t you mind letting me choose what¡¯s good for you?¡± ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± With my eyes breaking her eye contact, I fidgeted. ¡°I want to help too!¡± Elara exclaimed, raising her hand. I tried to stop her, but it¡¯s too late. ¡°Then, red cat, by this day, you¡¯ll be the very variant of every women,¡± Mom smirked, dragging me down the shop. I tried asking Elara for help, but from her cheering, Mom already win her over. For this whole day¡­ I became their personal doll. 30. The Worst Book and a Tavern Celebration I¡¯m so tired of dressing up¡­ The happy tavern is a lively and cheerful place, bustling with activity and laughter. The tavern is warm and welcoming, with a cozy atmosphere that immediately puts visitors at ease. Despite the noise and lively energy, the happy tavern never feels crowded or overwhelming. Pops ensures that every customer feels welcome and well taken care of, creating an environment that is both comfortable and exciting. That¡¯s the view that welcomed us the moment we entered the tavern. Pops still worked behind the counter as usual. Elara approached near the counter and sat in a bar stool. ¡°Hello, Pops!¡± ¡°Oh, Elara! It¡¯s nice to see you again¡­ Oh! Your highness, my apolog¡ª¡± Pops silently squealed, flinching back as he looked at Mom. He noticed her even with robes and glasses covering her head. ¡°Shhh! Keep quiet! I¡¯m not here for public attention,¡± Mom whispered, putting a finger before her mouth. ¡°I only accompanied them, so I could check where they¡¯re staying for three days.¡± ¡°Elara, I don¡¯t know a byte about this,¡± Pops whispered, squinting his eyes at Elara. Elara clasped her hands and begged. ¡°Well, Pops, we came here to ask you for this. Would you allow us, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s just for three days. Vena and I can work here while staying. You agree, right, Pops? Pleeeaaase¡­¡± From his face, he seems he¡¯s ready to reject Elara. But because Mom was here, he couldn¡¯t decline. He must also terrified by Mom¡¯s stingy aura of authority. ¡°Your highness, I may rudely ask, but did you permit this?¡± He asked. ¡°First of all, don¡¯t call me with formalities in my disguised outfit. Call me Jenny instead. If my identity leaked, I will surely punish you to death within my authority,¡± Mom replied, staring at him incredulously. Without her formal tone, Mom can be quite scary¡­ and tyrannical. ¡°My apologies, Miss Jenny.¡± ¡°Well, fine. To answer your question, I did permit my daughter for her three-days leave for a political reason I can¡¯t disclose. I can¡¯t just leave my daughter in an unsecured public inn. The slums have been abnormal lately, and my daughter might become a victim too.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the reason, I have no right to decline. The news about the slums also come here in the tavern. There¡¯s a number of cases of abused women lying dead in the dark alleys. Also, underground doctors are hunted lately, the latest is earlier together with his assistant kid.¡± To enter their conversation, I asked. ¡°Underground doctors? I didn¡¯t know that existed.¡± ¡°Underground doctors are those people who studied dead people¡¯s body to treat the living. They ain¡¯t magic users; they use man-made machines instead to dissect and treat people,¡± Pops explained. ¡°They also considered the use of illegal herbs for treating diseases.¡± Mom added an explanation after Pops. ¡°Underground doctors are banned by the church from the Constituent of Church and State relations. The punishment would lead to a lifetime imprisonment. Since it¡¯s the Church¡¯s declaration, the royal head of the continent can¡¯t do anything about it. If we do, our allies would turn our spears at us.¡± Was science banned in this country? I did encounter books about the illegal use of addictive drugs for medical uses and the artificial meddling of natural human bodies. I once wondered why they¡¯re prohibiting the development of science in this world, but since magic existed, I didn¡¯t pay attention to it much. I didn¡¯t know just know that this was a serious matter that could lead to lifetime imprisonment. All they do was to save lives. Why do they deserve to suffer a punishment worse than a murderer¡¯s? ¡°Ending the depressing topic, I think the matter for which I came to ended up with an agreement,¡± Mom said. ¡°I will ensure the safety of your daughter, Miss Jenny. I can still wield a knife well after a decade,¡± Pops replied. ¡°I thought that might be my only agenda here, but¡­¡± Mom looked around, seeing the cheerful and happy smiles of men in the tables. ¡°This place is lovely and lively. It¡¯s filled with ecstatic joy.¡± ¡°Pretty well, Miss Jenny. After coming back from countless life-or-death situations, they formed the habit of celebrating their breathing as long as they live.¡± ¡°It¡¯s appealing and endearing, comely and becoming. Their red lips of life forms unlimited possibilities of colorful rainbows. What do you say, Pops? Would you want me to become your benefactor?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Benefactor?¡± Pops asked with a tilted head, yet he didn¡¯t get a reply. Instead, Mom turned around the joyful people and raised her hand, then shouted with enthusiasm. ¡°Everyone, for the risked lives of our fellow adventurer friends, for our loved ones who looked up towards their free future, for giving birth to the peace and joy of this country, up to this day, I celebrate your rapport for loving our country. Let us cheers this enjoyable day of living!¡± The moment she stopped, the lively aura she¡¯s looking up to suddenly vanished. Everyone¡¯s eyes magnetized towards her attention. Is she crazy? What the hell is she saying? That¡¯s what everyone might be thinking by now. But I never knew my Mom was wilder than a lion, fiercer than a tiger. She removed her hood and her glasses, revealing her face at everyone. Most men left their mouths hanging open after seeing her sparkling makeup. I sucked a quick breath for what she did. She¡¯s the royal queen! What if everyone that knew her noticed her disguise? I tried to stop her, but she was two steps ahead of me. Mom took the jug of beer on the nearest table and chugged it straight down her esophagus. After just seconds, she sighed with no sweat and raised the empty growler. ¡°TODAY, YOUR DRINKS ARE ALL MY EXPENSES!¡± After Mom shouted her declaration, everyone went crazily chaotic. The grinning men raised their hands to Pops and ordered as much drinks as possible. It seems that no one noticed her. I sighed in relief, sitting down in the stool and leaning at the counter. ¡±I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest first, Vena?¡± Elara suggested. ¡°I¡¯m going to follow up after helping Pops here. Thing suddenly got busy. Our room should be the first in the left after taking the stairs.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elara.¡± If not for Mom, it wouldn¡¯t be this chaotic. At least, I saw how open she was to her residents. Seeing them happy was her joy. For some reason, that made me happy too. Just for thinking of that, I left a crescent lip on my face as I closed my eyelids. For the next three days, we developed a new hobby while staying at the tavern. Every morning, Elara served the guests while I cleaned the floor and the dishes. Pops¡¯s job made it easier for him with only auditing and entertaining customers. Since child labor isn¡¯t banned in this world, most children were employed to lighter jobs that doesn¡¯t need heavy work. I used my past experiences when I¡¯m still a part-timer. Pops couldn¡¯t believe it the moment he saw me work with effort. I even remembered that Pops asked me once¡­ ¡°Are you really a ten-year-old?¡± For which I replied¡­ ¡°I¡¯m always asked that a lot.¡± It seems that I can¡¯t even mimic a real nine-year-old¡¯s mental age, but the will to become a kid and experience childhood remained at me still. This was the only time I could experience a childhood memory free from suffering. I might be selfish, but that¡¯s what a kid is supposed to be. In the afternoon, Elara took me out to stroll around town. We visited various stalls and souvenir shops. A group of kids around my age asked me to play ball with them. I gladly accepted. I never once shown a warm smile to others not until now. The feeling of belonging to a group was too warm for me to handle. By these three days, I made new friends: Lucas, Jake, and Brenda. The three even gave me a blooming flower each, a velvet, a rose, and a lilac, each symbolizing their personalities. Even though they were just background characters in the novel, the thought of their gratitude being fake never crossed my mind. On the third day, it would have been our final day to serve Pops. As per the morning shift, Pops approached me as I washed the dishes. The few customers gave him less audits and a free time to roam. ¡°Little girl, do you know the story of a noble girl who escaped from an engagement? The engaged person might have been a big-shot.¡± I didn¡¯t reply¡­ rather, I couldn¡¯t. My body froze while my arms suddenly trembled. Consecutive gulps blocked the pathway of my voice while being accompanied by heavy breathing. Is he pinpointing me of what I did? ¡°Little girl, are you alright? You became suddenly pale.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m fine,¡± I stuttered with stiffened jaws, continuing my job slowly and carefully. ¡°W¡ªWhat about the noble girl?¡± ¡°She must have been really lucky.¡± ¡°Lucky, you say!?¡± Heck, one will only feel lucky if she wished for death. ¡°Why do you seem so shocked? The man was said to be a famous and a high-class prince from a fine country. He has his riches, intelligence, and looks. It¡¯s what the tabloid says.¡± ¡°Hearing where it came from gave me more goosebumps¡­ Anyway, why did you open this to me?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing, I just felt like giving a life tip for you. My tips are premium, you know? Even Ellyn and Elara grew up from my teachings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what a scammer would¡¯ve literally said.¡± ¡°I think if I¡¯m the father of the girl who¡¯s in the news, I wouldn¡¯t have let her go. I¡¯ll force her to marry him and have a good life. What matters is that she remained a woman until death.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your ideals, I would never want you to be my father. Did you even consider if I loved someone else? Or did you consider marriage as a lifetime commitment and dependency to someone and I don¡¯t want it?¡± He suddenly laughed. ¡°Are you considering love? That¡¯s an old traditional concept that led to the birth of slave traders, you know? Love will only give you pain, regret, and sorrow, until you got lost from yourself, lost to everything. Only a fool would believe that.¡± From his response, I think I wanted to smack him already. ¡°I won¡¯t touch your beliefs. But did you consider if your daughter will marry a sadistic evil who¡¯ll only torture her for decades until she dies?¡± ¡°What are you saying? That won¡¯t happen! The man has good looks after all! That means he¡¯s good¡ª¡± Our conversation got interrupted the moment that the murmurs of the customers reached the sink we¡¯re at. The two of us rushed at the counter and saw a weak woman crawling at the floor. The woman looked pale and haggard, with dark circles under her eyes and a deep cough that wracked her body. She stumbled down the floor, her movements uncoordinated and sluggish. Her hair was disheveled, and her clothing hung loosely on her frame, having lost weight during her illness. Her eyes were sunken and bloodshot, and her nose red and raw from constant wiping. Her voice was hoarse and strained, but her cries were barely audible over the muttering of the customers. ¡°My son¡ªdidn¡¯t come back¡ªmy son¡ªfind him¡ªplease¡ªmy son¡­¡± As she spoke, tears ran dry in her cheeks. For a moment, she fell down the ground unconscious. Her thin abdomen inflated back and forth, showing that she¡¯s having a difficulty breathing. I quickly rushed at her and touched her forehead. The head in her body made my hand flick away as if I touched the sun. Knowing her fever this high, I hastily called Elara and Pops. ¡°Elara, Pops, bring her to our room! I¡¯ll try to diagnose her.¡± 31. The Worst Books Selfish Majesty The small room in the tavern is cozy and comfortable, yet compact. The room is furnished with a twin-sized bed covered in crisp white linens and adorned with two fluffy pillows. A small wooden nightstand with a lamp is placed next to the bed, providing a warm and inviting glow in the evening hours. There is a single window, adorned with a heavy window covering, facing an old cobblestone street. A small closet is located next to the bed, providing ample space to hang clothes and store luggage. Right now in the same room, the ill woman lied in my bed as I¡¯m beside her. Her pulse weakened as slow beats resonated through my finger on her wrist. Even while sleeping, she was hyperventilating. After clearing up the matter to the customers, Elara and Pops came into my room. They saw my hand glowing in while as a magic circle appeared below it. ¡°How¡¯s she?¡± Elara asked with drawn eyebrows of worry. ¡°She had a flu, and it hadn¡¯t been cured for a very long time.¡± ¡°A flu? What is that?¡± I forgot that they don¡¯t have a flu here, instead¡­ ¡°It¡¯s orthomyxoviridae, a.k.a. influenza, and one can get it by breathing droplets from coughs or sneezes of an infected person.¡± I¡¯m familiar with the scientific term since I took an OJT for the medical field, managing the database of a hospital system. It was also the reason we got a thesis proposal about medical development of artificial intelligence. In this world, a mild fever was a punishment given by god, for which the mages from the church can only cure. This was one dark influence for them to earn money without everyone knowing that it was a scam. That is why they forbid the studies about the human anatomy and medical expertise and not because of magic. From the books I¡¯ve read, instead of the religious ones, the church were commonly the schemers in disguise. I couldn¡¯t help but became suspicious, but as Mom said, the church has a greater influence than the royalty heads¡­ and right now, we can¡¯t do anything about it. ¡°Are you a saint candidate?¡± Pops asked. ¡°That¡¯s what the church told me, and I hate being called that,¡± I replied with a click in my tongue. ¡°Many will die because of their love of concept of ¡®natural.¡¯ Doctors can save lives. Who cares about what¡¯s natural and not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong there, darling,¡± Pops argued. ¡°If you insert something foreign in your body intentionally, you weren¡¯t a human anymore. In the past, a criminal installed a metal arm that fired continuous magic rays and wiped out half of a country¡¯s forces.¡± ¡°Pops is right, Miss Veniara,¡± Elara followed up. ¡°Just thinking that your body is modified by metals is just¡­ weird¡­ and scary.¡± I¡¯m nearly getting angry on how arrogant Pops was, but after hearing Elara¡¯s opinion, I realized how wide the influence of the church was. I couldn¡¯t tell them that it was different in my past life. The thought of installing a weapon in one¡¯s body was terrorizing. I couldn¡¯t blame them if most people believed that. But using that reason as a cause of banning doctors was far more flawed. It just showed me that I can¡¯t change this ideal alone. Facts weren¡¯t enough to influence billions of people driven by emotion. A question stroke through my mind suddenly. Should I change the people¡¯s idea for development? Of course¡­ not! This is the novel¡¯s world, and I have only one goal¡­ ¡­To escape. Moments after, ¡°Pops, can I ask you a favor?¡± I asked. ¡°It has been a year since she got the disease in which left uncured. The antigens of my healing might take time before she can fully recover. She needs someone who can help her drink water.¡± ¡°How frequent do I do that?¡± Pops asked. ¡°The normal eight glasses. When she wakes up, tell her that she¡¯s already healed, and I won¡¯t charge her. If she woke up, tell her that we¡¯ve been looking for her child.¡± The magic circle suddenly disappeared from my hand. ¡°I¡¯m done. Send me a letter to the castle if she woke up. We¡¯ll check up on her,¡± I said, straightening my legs to stand up. ¡°You really don¡¯t sound like a ten-year-old, little princess,¡± Pops said. ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± After that sudden detour of time, I packed our things from the room and readied for departure. Just as I peeked at the window outside, a carriage was already waiting for us. Pops brought us out of the tavern. As we got, the carriage started without a hitch. We waved at Pops at goodbye as he slowly vanished from our sight. That three days was the first time I¡¯ve had real fun going outside. I wished that when I came back, the happiness will remain the same. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The carriage ran through the entrance of the castle walls and straight towards the main chamber. When I always pass through this wall, I felt like Death was greeting me. Like most other castles from the historical records of Earth, castles were built with defense in mind. The castle in our kingdom has no flaws and engineered with caution. Every cases of attack had been considered in building it. I faced the double doors leading to the throne room again. When the doors opened, Mom and Dad were both waiting at the end of the red carpet, both burning their eyes at me. It seems that Dad has no time for jokes now¡­ it¡¯s the last that I expect after I left home without their permission. Elara and I stopped walking after reaching the edge of the carpet and kneel before my parents. They were synchronously clicking their fingers on the handle of their thrones, and it was the first time I saw them in sync. ¡°The ambassador of the West already left back their town. Don¡¯t you know how much you¡¯ve embarrassed us with what you did, Veniara!?¡± Dad growled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not just that! While we¡¯re in a deep situation, you spent two days having fun outside. Elara, you¡¯re the one tasked to watch over her. What happened?¡± Elara didn¡¯t hesitate to bow her head in front of Dad. ¡°Please, forgive us, your majesty! I¡¯m the one at fault. I¡¯m the one who asked Veniara to go out. Please direct your anger at me.¡± ¡°No¡ªElara doesn¡¯t have to do anything with this!¡± I spoke up with a raised voice. ¡°I¡¯m the one who wanted to escape the engagement. I only dragged Elara. Please, don¡¯t punish her, because she¡¯s lying for my sake. I¡¯m ready to shoulder all the punishment.¡± ¡°Well then, other than my stupid daughter, everyone involved is free of charge. Veniara, you registered at the guild with a false name. Do you thought we wouldn¡¯t know? I¡¯m the king, you know! The king!¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡ªI¡¯m not even the one who registered myself! I¡¯m just given a card with a name in it! And so you know, we¡¯re not having fun! It¡¯s just the first day when we met Mo¡ª¡± Cough! Mom intentionally coughed loud to dominate what I¡¯ve been saying. ¡°Now, now, why don¡¯t thou calm down, popcorn? You need not to heated in this kind of things. And after all, it¡¯s rare to see Veniara having so much fun. Won¡¯t you let this slide?¡± Slowly, Dad¡¯s eyebrows gradually turned from a deep crater to a flat plain. He leaned back, sighed, and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re right. After being a shut-in for a year, she should feel the touch of grass again.¡± That was quick! Mom won him over easily just from her ¡®kind¡¯ words, even though she also doesn¡¯t want to get caught using her disguise. Also, there¡¯s that event in the tavern when she caused chaos. Doesn¡¯t dad know that she¡¯s slacking with her ¡®benefactors?¡¯ After Dad calmed down, I bowed my head until my face was inches away from the floor. ¡°I deeply apologize for the disappearance left unsaid. I was fully aware that I did something unforgivable within your jurisdiction. I will not tolerate any punishment that you give to me¡ª ¡± ¡°Punishment?¡± Dad dominated, like he had some sort of idea. ¡°Then as punishment¡­ Get engaged to the Rutherford prince.¡± What? Silence invaded the hall for seconds as my eyes widened of shock. I hastily rose my head and shouted with volume. ¡°This is no time for jokes, dad!¡± ¡°Does this face look like I¡¯m joking!?¡± He exclaimed in response. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted a punishment. I¡¯m just waiting for your consent.¡± ¡°Why are you even forcing me to someone I don¡¯t know? Why can¡¯t you give me a direct reason why!?¡± ¡°The future of the kingdom lies in this engagement! That would be your punishment. You already know that when you¡¯re the first daughter, it¡¯s your fate to be engaged for your family. It¡¯s a norm we don¡¯t have control of.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t right¡­¡± I whispered, and I repeated it until it became a shout. ¡°That isn¡¯t right¡­ That isn¡¯t right! The future of the kingdom? How about my future? Don¡¯t I have any other choice? ¡°Have I no freedom to choose who I wanted my life to end with? Am I unable to experience love without any political nor personal interest? Am I really a princess or a prisoner of time!?¡± I sobbed, with tears shedding down my eyelids. Mom reached out her hand out of worry and replied. ¡°We don¡¯t want you to¡­ We can¡¯t risk a much peaceful decision like this. The whole situation is beyond our¡ª¡± I couldn¡¯t even hold it anymore. My shout resonated to the blank corners of the throne room. ¡°Everything that you¡¯ve told me were out of your control. I can¡¯t believe that a kingdom was dull and irresponsible like yours! Or are you plotting something behind me? Are you supposed to say something that I should know? Too much for thinking about the kingdom¡­ you¡¯re a selfish king¡­ No, you¡¯re a selfish queen.¡± Both their pupils dilated the moment my gaze turned at Mom. her lips unavoidably shook in fear of I knowing that she was the mind of the kingdom all along. ¡°W¡ªWhat are you saying, red cat!?¡± Mom stuttered. ¡°Dad was just the speaker of your thoughts. You, Mom, you know the kingdom¡¯s affairs more than anyone else¡­ But you should try to understand your family¡¯s situation too.¡± ¡°How d¡ªdid you know!? I¡¯m deeply careful on not telling everyone about it.¡± Mom, Queen Genivie Ravelgrace, was a careful person according to the novel. Until the end, no one knew that every decision of the kingdom was hers until she admitted it in Veniara¡¯s grave. The Greyrat¡¯s assassination, Veniara¡¯s engagement, and even the soon-to-happen kidnapping, all were directed to the queen. These benefactors she had were investors to something confidential where they¡¯re the only ones who knew. She utilized her time in some matters that she could only know. That is why she left her maids to take care of us. She¡¯s such a deceitful mother! ¡°What¡¯s important is that you had the decision after all,¡± I replied. ¡°You even told me that you approved my decision, but you didn¡¯t plan to after all! That sweet talk was all for naught.¡± Suddenly, dark shadows appeared between Mom¡¯s bangs and eyes as she leaned back at the throne. She looked down at me, mocking me like I¡¯m a pitiful soul. ¡°So? What about the sweet talk?¡± Mom asked without her facade. ¡°I¡¯m a selfish queen for my kingdom, my people. And you? You¡¯re a spoiled brat thinking only for yourself,. I believe your the most selfish one here. ¡°Let¡¯s say you chose the finest prince of your dreams. Do you think you still have a home to go back to? Before you met that marvelous man, Valenluire, and even the whole kingdom of Ravelgrace, is no more. Our bloodline will vanish from existence. Was that what you wanted?¡± I¡ªI don¡¯t even want that¡­ I didn¡¯t know that the kingdom is in the deepest pit and I¡¯m the only one who could save it. I couldn¡¯t reply anymore when Mom stated a logical reason over my complaints. Only thinking of possibilities to avoid my death flag, I really am the selfish one. I could only bit my lip and ran away, turning my face full of tears away from theirs. They tried to call my name with worry, but I didn¡¯t bother. I ran through the garden as the sun sets down. It was the only place that could understand me¡­ also the place where I could scream all that I¡¯m holding in my heart. My eyes were filled with tears, blurring everything in my vision. Unexpectedly, I tripped my foot, making me kneel down the floor with my bleeding knee. Looking at the wound, I continue crying¡­ not because the wound hurts. Suddenly, I stopped crying when a shadow of a person surrounded my body. When I looked up at him, he extended his hand to help me stand up. The boy had a raven-black hair that falls just above his shoulders, but because of his silhouette, I can¡¯t clearly see what his eyes looked like. He is dressed in fine, elaborate robe which made him look like a prince. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± 32. The Worst Books Enemy or Ally? ¡±Are you hurt?¡± The boy had a raven-black hair extended his hand at me. His face was flat-plain that I can¡¯t feel his empathy when he spoke. This monotone voice that isn¡¯t biased by anything¡­ This dark hair that will soon extend up to his knees¡­ This boy who doesn¡¯t have dialogue tags whenever he speaks. There¡¯s only one candidate¡­ Xenos Rutherford. ¡°Xenos!? Why are you still here!?¡± I shouted, stepping back from him while sitting. At the same time, the memory of father speaking suddenly visited me. ¡®The ambassador of the West already left back their town.¡¯ Did the ambassador left him here!? I thought the ambassador was always beside the prince since he was a key personnel for the sake of the kingdom. It¡¯s a high risk high reward for the Western empire since whatever bad that will happen to Xenos means a declaration of war. Just what was the empire thinking? ¡°I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t met you, yet you already know me. Are you Princess Veniara Ravelgrace?¡± ¡°Y¡ªyou got the wrong person!¡± I squealed, looking away from him. I blurted out his name by mistake. Even with my scratched knee, I stood up myself and turned back away to escape. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°H¡ªHuh!?¡± I asked with squinted eyes and a tilted head. I couldn¡¯t read his face or his intent, but what he said halted my escape. ¡°I love you.¡± I shook my head to disagree and turn my head back to him. ¡°W¡ªWait¡­ Why are you t¡ªtelling a person you suddenly met that you l¡ªl¡ªlove her!?¡± I stuttered with a high-pitched tone, blushing not because he said me those words. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Y¡ªYou should tell that to the person you really love, you liar! Didn¡¯t your father taught you to stop playing with a woman¡¯s feelings?¡± I scolded with gestures, telling him that I¡¯m serious in this matter. ¡°If I¡¯m a liar, does that mean you¡¯re a liar too, Princess Veniara?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Fine! I admit I¡¯m the one that you¡¯re looking for. And I¡¯m sad to say that I can¡¯t return those feelings to you. We¡¯ve just met, and I think we don¡¯t have time to develop feelings for one another. You should quit and go back to your hometown.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded, turned his back from me, and sat at the nearby wooden bench. He stared up at the sunset surrounded by crimson and azure clouds. Just like that? After saying that he loved me, he quits after being rejected? Is he mocking romance upright? Is this how a playboy gets girls? For some offending reason, I clenched my fist enough to excrete a bright white aura filled with magic surrounding it. As I grit my teeth, I ran towards him and smacked his cheek. I breathed air in and out with a loud growl. He flew away with his head that hit the ground first. My hand still shook after the impact. ¡°Emotions aren¡¯t toys, you filth! If you¡¯re toying with one girl, you¡¯re the enemy of the entire women-verse!¡± I shouted, putting my hand over my rapidly beating heart. When he recovered, I never saw a mark of pain from his face. His scratches and wounds are nowhere to be found, like he¡¯s not affected by it at all. ¡°Why are you so angry?¡± ¡°I hate you! I hated you down to my bones, you imbecile!¡± I roared, burning my eyebrows toward him. ¡°Why are you telling a person you suddenly met that you hate him?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know!? With a straight face, you said those serious words at me, then you back out like nothing happened? You¡¯re brave in directly mocking my feelings!¡± Wait¡­ Why am I saying this? I¡¯m completely in favor of him backing out of this engagement. But why does it feel my heart comes to loose? Why does it feel like I lost? ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± ¡°That was never a compliment!¡± I exclaimed. Suddenly, this conversation made me calm down slowly. ¡°Then, what do you want me to do? No matter how hard I tried to pursue you agree, I don¡¯t even have a chance. I¡¯m just wasting time if I forced you.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°So, you really give up? Without even trying?¡± I asked with my arms bending at the sides of my waist. ¡°You¡¯re a sore loser.¡± ¡°I guess I am.¡± ¡°T¡ªThat¡¯s not what a real man does! Are you really unmotivated or you¡¯re just lazy? Honestly, if you grow old, you have no bright future ahead slacking around.¡± He¡¯s getting on my nerves! I really hated lazy spoiled people. ¡°Are you a man to tell me what I should do?¡± ¡°Man or woman, everyone aren¡¯t an exception when laziness attacks. It¡¯s always the key ingredient towards failure.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about failure and stuff. I¡¯m just here because my mother told me so. I have no interest in politics etcetera. What I¡¯ve said before, that¡¯s also from my mother¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even survive a day living beside you. Your inertia was contagious,¡± I complained, rubbing my gritting teeth. I could kill him now if I wanted to, since he¡¯ll soon bring the disaster that I should avoid. The mortal enemy was right before me, but that¡¯s not what my heart tells me to do. As I stare at him, all I can see was Xenos¡¯s blank eyes. What I¡¯m seeing right now wasn¡¯t a sadistic antagonist, but a lonely kid who enjoyed staring at the sunset. He¡¯s a man with no dreams¡­ A boy without direction. I couldn¡¯t harm some innocent kid unhanded. If I erased him from existence before he committed his mortal sin, then I¡¯m no different from him. I¡¯m already set in searching for a route with minimal harm. Also, killing him might be difficult, since he¡¯s already a candidate to be a dark lord. He¡¯s not the dark lord yet, but from my punch earlier, he already had the power to resist my attacks. Just as I thought, it was too early for me to end the story in a resolution where I would survive. I need to be stronger. ¡°So? What are you going to do now?¡± I asked. ¡°I can¡¯t go home right now. I need to wait for the elders to fetch me. He¡¯ll be back in a month after.¡± ¡°A month!?¡± I squealed, flinching my head back. ¡°I¡¯m already done with my family, and now you joined in a trouble? I might throw up anytime just by thinking about it.¡± ¡°Could you just not care? I don¡¯t plan to do anything to you. It¡¯s the kingdom¡¯s plan to let me stay here until my fetcher arrives.¡± ¡°I hope a stretcher arrives,¡± I whispered. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡­ But a month still, that¡¯s¡­¡± Before the month ends, a major interaction between me and Xenos will happen. The Ravelgrace Kingdom will organize a ball celebrating the successful engagement between the Rutherford Empire. That event will be held in the dome that was also a part of this garden. The Veniara in the novel was a go-with-the-flow innocent girl who¡¯s happily dancing with the man she thought would bring her happiness until death. But right now, it was I who knew that I¡¯ll be dancing to the man that will lead me towards death. ¡°Are you informed about the ball celebration held by my family?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s been set since our arrival, though there¡¯s no final verdict that¡¯s given about the engagement. Why are you asking?¡± ¡°I have a proposal.¡± ¡°Why would I listen to someone that hated me the most? Aren¡¯t you the cocky one?¡± ¡°Just hear me out! I need your cooperation into this.¡± I¡¯m pretty sure Xenos wasn¡¯t a bit concerned on what will happen to the ball. Since he¡¯s the prince, his decision might become a huge influence to change my parents¡¯ perspective. If he could decline the engagement through his mouth, my parents would reconsider doing alternative methods to solidify the alliance. I could also gather information from him about the empire and about Kaius, his little brother, as well. But the real problem lies ahead¡­ It was convincing him. Before Xenos became the dark lord, he was a background character with a little screen time and wasn¡¯t named until then. He lived his whole childhood becoming the plot device for his little brother. His shallowness in the novel was adopted in this world too. Because of lack of information about himself, his friends, his goals, his conflicts, and his background, he became the background character of the series. No one complained¡­ except I from what I witnessed. ¡°Xenos, what do you want to do?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing. I just want to lie around naked and feel the freedom of living.¡± His goals were a flop. ¡°What about the reason why you¡¯re striving to live?¡± ¡°Nothing. If I¡¯m not a royalty, I wished I could¡¯ve died sooner. I¡¯m a dead weight since birth.¡± ¡°If you wanted death, you should¡¯ve just asked me,¡± I whispered. ¡°Are you calling a demon or something?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you care!¡± So, his motivations were also a flop. ¡°What about your childhood? Do you have a memory of crying after falling downstairs? Do you have someone you fell in love with? How about the time when you were angry? What about the foods that you liked and disliked?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s edible, I like it. By the way, what¡¯s with this quicky interview?¡± He only answered the last question! ¡°I¡ªIt¡¯s just getting to know oneself! I ain¡¯t comfortable living with some stranger I don¡¯t know in the same building,¡± I exclaimed, looking away from him with reddened ears. This man was the very definition of background character! No goals, no motivations, not even conflicts, habits and ideals! It would be difficult than treasure hunting to convince this guy. He looked up at the sky where the azure clouds ate the crimson ones while the sun was only moments until it lost its peek. The light that illuminated the garden slowly dimmed as seconds pass by. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. We should go inside.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Spending the time in the dark with the dark lord? It¡¯s very ironic.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ You did mention something about a proposal?¡± ¡°N¡ªNever mind it!¡± I squealed. ¡°We can talk about that matter soon enough. I¡¯m not even rushing things.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s a marriage proposal?¡± ¡°It would never!¡± As the sun set, we came back to the mansion and spent dinner in the same table. I thought I might die of cringe, but everything he said was reasonable. Was that because I escaped a trigger from happening? If I reacted like what the novel had told, will I progress away from the harsh death awaiting me? I learned that the events in the novel could happen even if there¡¯s a difference in the setting. Our meet should¡¯ve happened days ago but was moved up to now. Even if I escaped fate, it still chased me. That¡¯s why I realized that I¡¯m not progressing away at all. I¡¯m in the same timeline. ¡­So I had to make a major dilemma. Before his fetchers were to get Xenos, I should have convinced him by then to cancel the engagement. That¡¯s one peaceful resolution of the conflict that will escape the trigger to my death flag throughout the story. I still have another ace in the sleeve, but I wish I wouldn¡¯t have to do it. If I do, it would mean I will sacrifice everything to live. But how would I convince a background character? 33. Little Sister Vlogs II: My Sworn Enemy ¡°Gloria, did you set up the Ciamera?¡± ¡°Oui, milady.¡± ¡°Good! Let the Operation: Take down the sworn enemy of pranks begin!¡± Marina exclaimed after she and Gloria set up the Ciamera before the door at the end of the hallway. They turned back and hid in the bent intersection where the door could be seen. Marina couldn¡¯t hold back her there-is-no-tomorrow giggle. ¡°Milady, if you laughed unladylike, someone might spot us,¡± Gloria whispered. ¡°I know Gloria¡­ B¡ªBut¡­ I just can¡¯t hold it!¡± ¡°Milady, are you sure I won¡¯t get fired from my job?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought of this plan for a year. We will sure take her down. The final laugh will be mine!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said that many times, milady. You¡¯re more confident back then. Also, you didn¡¯t answer my question yet.¡± ¡°S¡ªShut up, Gloria!¡± Marina exclaimed with a flushed face. She continued watching the door with a monologue in her mind. It¡¯s been so long until we settled our matter, my nemesis! I¡¯m the master jester of this place. No one dares to defy their fate being played by my hands. Even my sister hid under her heels when she saw a banana peel in her birthday cake¡­ for which I put it. Tehe! But you¡­ You¡¯re a tough opponent. You never even fell to my traps once. I, a genius, got my pride hurt being defeated by a brawn! I will sure to catch you getting pranked¡­ And if I do, I will sell your video to a hundred coins! Marina continued giggling. Not knowing the reason what Marina¡¯s malicious face means, Gloria ignored her. The door that they¡¯re watching from afar was a bomb impossible to detonate. A step away from that door, a mountain of upside-down drinking glass stood and blocked the pathway, leaving only two small holes beyond it. When a person opens the door, he or she is supposed to collide with the obstacle, breaking every glass. Marina called this unavoidable prank¡­ ¡°The Gates of Hell.¡± ¡°Did you said something, milady?¡± ¡°N¡ªNothing! Can you mind your own business, please?¡± ¡°But as you said, milady, that was a prank nearly impossible to avoid. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll fall to it, but why did you set another trap after it?¡± Even though Gloria knew the answer, she still asked. Gloria¡¯s prediction skills were top-notch that she could even predict two seconds from the future like an oracle do. Right after the mountain of glass, they set a wall of transparent tape blocking the whole hallway. No one, not even them, would notice where it was place. That wall of tape should block the person, sticking her face flat. The Ciamera beyond that tape will record the front view of the person¡¯s funny face. Marina called this¡­ ¡°The face of a hundred gold coins.¡± ¡°Excuse me, milady?¡± ¡°Never mind me, please! I¡¯m focusing. What time is it, Gloria?¡± ¡°Five seconds before 0700.¡± ¡°I¡¯m excited¡­ My hundred gold coins¡­¡± Marina slacked her mouth, drooling as she drown in her thoughts. Ring! Ring! Ring! The sound resonated from the room throughout the hallways, for which Marina and Gloria could hear. After five seconds, the sound of an explosion followed. ¡°Oh my God! OH MY GOD! I¡¯M LATE!¡± The voice repeated, accompanying random noises of scattered things flying throughout the room. Marina thought with a smirk, continuing her monologue. Just as I thought, she never wakes up on time. Even if her alarm rings her awake, one can¡¯t wake her. It will take a church bell for her to start walking from sleep. I¡¯m a genius! I foresaw this happening already. Luckily, Gloria told me that this target worships sleep up to its last moment. This is all working to my advantage! The moment she opens the door, she¡¯ll collide with the drinking glasses while running. Just look, Gloria! I can show you that I can foresee the future as well. As the noise continues, Marina smirked at Gloria. ¡°Milady, are you thinking ¡®you can prove that you can see the future as well?¡¯¡± Gloria asked. ¡°W¡ªWhat makes you think so!?¡± Marina exclaimed with a flushed face. A dangerous monster possessed this woman! Their attention diverted towards the click of the doorknob. The door banged open by a breathless maid in a hurry. She had a long, chestnut brown hair that falls in loose waves down her back. Her bright blue eyes were framed by long lashes. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She wore a simple yet untidy maid''s uniform, complete with a white apron and a neat bun at the back of her head. She ran out of the room, unaware of the obstacle she¡¯s going to collide in, while screaming, ¡°Miss Veniara, I¡¯m coming!!¡± The target, the sworn enemy of pranks, was the royal court maid¡­ Elara. From witnessing the mountain of glass inches away from her nose, Elara¡¯s joyful eyes widened in an instant, and that instant was milliseconds in estimate. Her mouth also opened, sucking quick breaths. After Elara got air, she pushed her right foot forward and below with maximum force. She jumped high while resisting her maximum velocity. Her breathing held when she¡¯s on air. She spun her body and leaned her back through the small hole above the obstacle. She continued spinning until her cloth contracted, for which not a part of it touched the grass. It wouldn¡¯t be possible if it wasn¡¯t Elara or someone flexible like her¡­ like Ellyn. Her whole body passed straight through the hole, leaving the obstacle untouched. But it¡¯s just the first part. Her head fell first before her body, in which she¡¯d seen the reflection of a transparent screen from the morning sun ray. She took one of her small blades from her thigh knife holster hidden under her skirt, threw it up, and caught it with her right foot. She forced bending her body until her left foot reached the floor, controlling her balance. When she felt the ground, she swiped her right foot down, slicing the tape open. She threw the blade on the floor, which bounced back to her thigh knife holster, and stood straight like nothing happened. The vibrations of giggling coming from the intersection stopped. When she saw the Ciamera, she turned it towards the direction of where the giggle was. ¡°For all the kids I¡¯ve met, you¡¯re the only one I can¡¯t call cute,¡± Elara growled, stomping her feet towards Marina. She already knew who would overdo this kind of prank. Behind the corner, Marina stuttered. ¡°T¡ªThat¡¯s¡ªThat¡¯s for vlog! R¡ªRight, Gloria¡ªWait, Gloria! Why are you running already! Wait me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not running away,¡± Elara shouted, pulling Marina¡¯s collar in front of the Ciamera. ¡°You could¡¯ve made an accident! Did you thought that there might be possible person other than me? If it wasn¡¯t me, the person who crossed here would¡¯ve bathed in blood already!¡± ¡°B¡ªBut¡­ I did it¡­¡± Marina muttered with pressed lips, fidgeting her fingers and looking down the ground. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a princess, I still have the right to scold you. What you¡¯re doing within the castle premise is danger¡ª¡± ¡°I DID IT BECAUSE IT WAS YOU!¡± Marina ran with trails of tears in her path. ¡°YOU REALLY ARE MY SWORN ENEMY! I HATE YOU!¡± ¡°Miss Marina¡­¡± Elara tried to reach her, but from what the Ciamera had caught, her body shrank until she completely vanished. Without Marina in her sight, Elara broke the Ciamera¡¯s lens. *** ¡°You¡¯re gloomy today, Elara. Was this week your monthlies?¡± I asked, sitting on my chair and facing the mirror. ¡°Not even close, Miss Veniara! But when you¡¯ve said it, it¡¯s too obvious, huh?¡± Elara said with hunched shoulders, pacing while brushing my hair. ¡°What¡¯s obvious? If you¡¯re worried about something, you can tell it to me.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For being late, milady¡­ In the battlefield, every second matters. For me to be late, it feels like I¡¯ve been contradicting my whole existence.¡± ¡°T¡ªThat¡¯s not even my concern! We¡¯re in my bedroom.¡± But I¡¯ll be lying if I¡¯m not concerned about it. Every time I wake up, she was one call away. It somewhat made me uncomfortable when I waited for her. Perhaps the royal blood was already spread out through my body? For some reason, I¡¯m afraid to go back to my real world now. ¡°Why are you late by the way?¡± I asked. ¡°An accident nearly happened in the hallway. As the court maid, I only scolded the person in charge to avoid incidents in the future but¡­ your sister ran away while crying.¡± So, it¡¯s about Marina, huh? ¡°I understand your situation. What you¡¯re doing is for everyone¡¯s safety as well.¡± ¡°But, Miss Veniara¡­ I might have overdid it. She screamed something like ¡®I HATE YOU¡¯ and ¡®YOU¡¯RE MY SWORN ENEMY¡¯¡­ like that.¡± Elara even imitated her voice and expressions. After covering my mouth with my palm, I chuckled with sincerety. ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Miss Veniara? It¡¯s a serious matter, you know? I¡¯m starting to worry for Miss Marina.¡± A knock in my door caught our attention. ¡°Excuse me, milady, senior, can I come inside?¡± ¡°You may,¡± I said. Gloria entered the room, carrying a Ciamera. She placed it on my desk and faced it at the door. I thought Marina asked her to force us about her pranks, but Gloria approached us instead. ¡°Speaking of the devil¡¯s attendant,¡± I muttered. ¡°Was there any matters that need my attendance, Gloria?¡± ¡°Pardon, milady, but I humbly need to speak with the court maid.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t bother me listening, right?¡± ¡°Actually, Senior Elara¡­¡± She bowed her head towards us and begged with a tone caught us unguarded, ¡°Please, get caught by milady¡¯s pranks just once!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± We both asked, tilting our heads and squinting our eyes at her. ¡°Are you really Gloria?¡± I asked. ¡°Gloria wouldn¡¯t ask absurd things like that. Or perhaps, aren¡¯t you possessed by Marina¡¯s spirit? Everything you might have done so far might be a prank.¡± ¡°Please hear me out, princess,¡± Gloria begged. ¡°Miss Marina spent a year in figuring out how she¡¯ll be able to prank the court maid. She had never done it successfully once. ¡°She kept thinking of ways of how she¡¯ll be able to prank you, and she even overdid it. If this matter turned longer, it might grow worse, and other people might have been involved too. ¡°Princess, Senior, this selfish request will benefit milady too. I, as the one who stood by her side every time, knew how invested she was in her goal. If she didn¡¯t accomplish it¡­ for some reason¡­ I feel bad.¡± Gloria couldn¡¯t admit that she cared for Marina. She might have seen Marina as her own daughter already. She wouldn¡¯t have gone here if this was all staged. Just thinking of that calms me. It¡¯s relieving how families are formed even without blood connections. Love was never restrictive anyway. ¡°Fine by me!¡± I exclaimed, smiling and leaning my back on my chair. ¡°If it¡¯s for my sister¡¯s welfare, I have no right to object. How about you, Elara?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t fall for her tricks.¡± ¡°Elara!¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Veniara!¡± Elara squealed. ¡°But¡­ her today¡¯s prank will end in a draw.¡± ¡°Are you still competing?¡± ¡°Her prank was place on the floor, beyond the door, Senior,¡± Gloria said, leading her to the door. So, that was why the Ciamera was pointing towards it. With chest in, shoulder out, Elara opened the door. Marina, carrying her Ciamera, and a banana peel welcomed her. Elara intentionally slid her foot onto the banana peel and sent it flying above. ¡°KYAAAAAAAA!!!!¡± I shouted, falling down my chair and crawling behind my bed. Banana peels are never my thing. Elara¡¯s fall was obviously staged, but since a kid was watching, it didn¡¯t matter. The banana peel fell over Elara¡¯s hair. When Marina saw it, her laugh deafened the whole hallway. ¡°BWAHAHA! You¡¯re too dumb! Falling down from a banana peel¡­ What an idiot! BWAHAHAHA!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you just this day,¡± Elara hissed with nerves appearing on her forehead. She raised her clenched fist and gritted her teeth. ¡°I win! Finally! I won from my sworn nemesis! I¡¯m the master jester of the entire universe! No one would dare avoid my invisible traps! My hundred gold coins are coming to me!¡± Marina jumped from Euphoria, claiming her victory. That scene made Gloria smile too. ¡°Hundred gold coins?¡± Elara asked. With slacked mouth of arrogance, Marina mocked. ¡°Look, Sister Elara, I¡¯m going to sell your reaction to the public, to the Lost Lantern Press to be exact! No one but the genius me could do this deadly mission. For this day, I finally won!¡± ¡°I never intended to let you win in the first place,¡± Elara smirked, pointing towards the lens of the Ciamera, signaling Marina to look at it. When Marina saw the cracked transparent sphere, her wide grin and joyful turned upside down. She breathe shortly but hastily, then she shouted, ¡°M¡ªMY HUNDRED GOLD!!!¡± 34. The Worst Books Burial After six days of being detained, a guard opened a jail cell in an underground dungeon. Dion, the one who was sleeping inside, opened his eyes after hearing the squeaking metal of the rusted door made with bars. With widened eyes, Dion sat up straight and asked. ¡°Am I going to be released?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re below the puberty age, your sentence has been deducted by a day, from a week to six days. Do you have any other words?¡± The guard replied. When Dion heard the news, he boosted his foot and rushed towards the door, but the guard caught his cloth and dragged him back to the ground. ¡°Do you want me to lengthen your sentence?¡± The guard asked. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited to leave. You¡¯ll end up guilty soon.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Dion muttered with wavy lips that shook. ¡°Mom needed me¡­ I need to go to her soon. If I were late, then she¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid. Your mom doesn¡¯t want you to prolong your sentence too. There are still some documents needed for you to be filled up. Before that, follow my command.¡± Dion followed the guard out of his cell. As they walked further, he saw the doctor sitting on the corner of a jail cell far from its door. The moment Dion noticed him, he stopped walking. ¡°D¡ªDoctor¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like you know me,¡± the doctor replied, raising his head as his dead-set eyes stared at Dion. ¡°Why I¡¯m here? You¡¯re everything at fault.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry,¡± Dion said with a stooped-down head and a tone that pitied him. ¡°I just wanted to cure my Mom. She¡¯s critical right now. I need someone to cure her. Do you know some underground doctors that will cure her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too brave to ask that in front of a guard. And how can you assure that she¡¯s still alive? Her disease was critical. In similar cases, the patient will die after four days left unsupervised. Your hopes were a little to none.¡± The doctor¡¯s words hit his heart, making Dion¡¯s jaws clenched as nerves popped out of his forehead. Moments after silence, Dion rushed to his cell. ¡°You¡¯re a quack! A liar!¡± Dion shouted, smashing the metal bars over his cell repeatedly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that my mother was already dead! If you¡¯ve just accepted my offer, we wouldn¡¯t have been through this! I could have paid the remaining balance after that!¡± The guard Dion was supposed to follow dragged his body away from the cell. ¡°I told you not to do something stupid.¡± Dion resisted but couldn¡¯t escape. Seeing Dion¡¯s nerves popping out of his head, the doctor smirked. ¡°Even if I accepted your offer, things will turn out the same. Don¡¯t you realize it? You¡¯re being chased by the guards. I couldn¡¯t care less about the criminal deeds you did. If you have the time to blame someone, blame yourself. Because of you, your mother is on the edge of the cliff to hell.¡± ¡°Damn you!¡± Dion growled. ¡°My mother is still alive! She doesn¡¯t deserve to be in hell! You aren¡¯t God to dictate how she¡¯ll live!¡± ¡°Kids do have beautiful dreams,¡± the doctor smirked, leaned his head back, and fidgeted his fingers. ¡°¡­ let us destroy your expectations, shall we?¡± After going out of the dungeon, Dion filled the documents in the records room while bathing in a cold sweat. He unconsciously shook one of his feet, showing his irritability to leave as early as possible. Dion only knew how to write his name by copying what was written on his guild card. His family name was something he never knew. Most of the terms in the document were alien to him. The guard even scolded him for writing his name in all of the fields. After his lip bled out from biting, the guard only checked the fields where Dion could sign, then he filled up the rest. The moment Dion finally stepped out of prison, instead of breathing the air of freedom, he rushed with rapid breaths. The direction? Towards the slums where his home was. But he never expected what he saw. A number of crowds gather around his home. Because of the volume of people, Dion couldn¡¯t see what was happening. He could only hear whispers and murmurs of the gossipers talking about the incident. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Poor woman, she became a victim of them too? Why does there¡¯s a victim every week?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the slums, you know? If you lived here, no one cared. If you die here, no one cares. We¡¯re all dead weights from the kingdom and they want us to vanish¡­ or to die.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still abnormal! Women dying every week, no one can identify if she¡¯s from the slums or not. Her face is too bruised to be identified.¡± ¡°No one would ever search for the culprit since the victims are poor people. But what the killer did was utterly brutal. After using the victim''s body, he lies it in the open, naked and dead.¡± Dion pushed the crowd for him to cross the narrow path towards his home. But after reaching the front of the population, his eyes widened with a suck of breath that was held for a long time. A woman¡¯s body lying on the ground, covered by a long cloth, caught his view in front of their house door. No way! That¡¯s not Mom! That shouldn¡¯t be Mom! He thought, vigorously shaking his head as he froze in his place. His mouth dried up sucking a quick breath. With his eyes widened and furrowed eyebrows, his stomach hardened, but he didn¡¯t throw up. There were men blocking the crowd to give space to the death scene, but Dion broke through. He ran towards his home, screaming ¡°Mom? Mom!¡± as his eyes wandered at every corner. But the sight he never wanted appeared before him. The mattress had no one lying in it. Splats of blood paint the walls throughout the entire room. The blanket garnered thick volumes of blood passing through it. Dion hyperventilated the time he witnessed the gruesome scene. Tears ran down his eyes as he gritted his teeth, holding his hiccups. His watery eyes blurred his vision and his thinking. Despair, regret, anger, and mixed emotions fought inside him, leading him to a single conclusion¡­ His mother was dead. He ran out and kneeled in front of the body, trying to reach out to remove the cover from the victim¡¯s head. Suddenly, he remembered the earlier conversation with the people. ¡®Her face is too bruised to be identified.¡¯ Dion suddenly pulled back his hand, trying to avoid opening the cover that would lead to countless days of nightmares. Shaking and afraid, he couldn¡¯t bear to see his mother in much a poorer state than she was before. He put his face inches away from the ground to hide his tears of rage as he smashed the ground with his fists. His mourning blended with a silent growl of regret. I shouldn¡¯t have done that. If this were to happen, I would have followed Mom¡¯s advice. I wouldn¡¯t have done bad to save her. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. None of these people wanted to help. None of these people cared. Ever since we are always alone. Dion brought the body inside their home, teary throughout the day, until night¡­ until another day. The people outside didn¡¯t last too long. As he predicted, no one from the crowd actually came¡­ actually cared. Dion¡¯s tears pool had gone dry after endless crying to a body he identified as his mother. His heart hollowed as his breathing shallowed. Redness painted his eyes as dark circles surrounded them. After deciding what to do, he weakly stood up, wrapping the body with a rope to hold its cover. Dion carried it on his back and walked out the gates. Connor, who was in charge of the gate then, didn¡¯t bother him after gazing from his face. After the kid left from their view, a guard asked Connor. ¡°Hey, is that the kid from before? He looked like kid Moses. What was he carrying now?¡± ¡°Don ashk me,¡­ I can¡¯tch guaranzee if he¡¯sh going shoo far.¡± Dion suddenly turned back and whispered. ¡°If some life was in line, we shouldn¡¯t have been involved.¡± Dion walked endlessly until he reached the southern Halsey Forest, which the kingdom had already occupied. He was never wary of what was around him, only losing his way forward until his legs tire out. He spent thirty minutes walking in the direction he couldn¡¯t determine where. His mind only came back to reality after he stepped on the darker part of the forest where the leaves blocked the rays of the sun. Dion stopped after spotting a vast space of wet dirt that could easily be excavated. He took a huge curved twig and dug a hole with it. He spent the afternoon digging a hole until a body could fit. After putting the wrapped body in, he stared below with clenched fists and gritted teeth. ¡°Those people who looked down on us¡­ those people who deserved this more than you¡­ I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯ll pay for it.¡± After muttering his words, Dion put the dug dirt back into the hole and buried the body. But halfway through his job, a dense purple smoke rose up slowly from a bush, covering the whole area in zero visibility. It carried a pungent stench that was both nauseating and poisonous. The acrid smell invaded Dion¡¯s senses and made it difficult to breathe, choking the airways and making tears stream uncontrollably from the eyes. The dense plume gave the numbness of his limbs, resulting in him falling down the ground. Only his eyes were left intact, but because of the unwanted fragrance, his dizziness started dimming his vision. Dion¡¯s only view was the leaves blocking the sky, but two small rock golems entered the scene. It didn¡¯t attack Dion, rather, they waited until another person came. He was a mad scientist, and he looked the part. His hair was wild and unkempt, sticking out in every direction. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, darting around nervously. His lab coat was stained with various chemicals and fluids, some of them dripping from his pockets. He wore a pair of thick glasses that magnified his eyes and a pair of gloves that were torn and frayed. He had a maniacal grin on his face, revealing his yellowed teeth. ¡°I wanted revenge, I wanted them to suffer¡­ those thoughts make me full! I love it! I love how you could emit a devilish aura in par with demons! ¡°So wonderful! Amazing! I¡¯m excited! I¡¯ve found my perfect subject! How exactly will you soon turn out? I can¡¯t tell¡­ but it¡¯s something big! ¡°A corrupted heart will sure lead to a corrupted soul¡­ And it¡¯s my job to accelerate that.¡± Dion captured the scientist¡¯s last words¡­ The next time his consciousness awakens¡­ He couldn¡¯t control his body anymore. 35. The Worst Books Random Static The next day after bumping with Xenos at the garden, I found my head sitting on Elara¡¯s chest while hugging me. It might be a good start in the morning if I¡¯m a male, but I¡¯m already getting used to it. As Elara continued to caress my hair, I asked. ¡°Why do you like suddenly hugging me, Elara?¡± ¡°M¡ªMiss Veniara!?¡± Elara squealed, pushing me and flinches back like nothing happened. ¡°G¡ªGood morning! I¡ªI didn¡¯t know you¡¯re awake already.¡± ¡°Do you do this every time I¡¯m sleeping?¡± ¡°N¡ªNo! Of course, not! Am I in need of a reason to find someone adorable?¡± I looked away, smirking. ¡°If you¡¯re in my world, you should have been in jail already,¡± I whispered. ¡°By the way, Miss Veniara, I apologize to trample on your training schedule, but the castle received a message directed to you. It might be Pops¡¯s letter that you¡¯ve asked him.¡± I turned back at her with a squint. ¡°You didn¡¯t need an apology. That letter probably wouldn¡¯t have something written in it. Let us look after the woman first.¡± ¡°Yes, madame!¡± Same old strat, I left a letter in my room, telling the authorities that I¡¯m away. After what happened yesterday, I don¡¯t want to see my suspicious parents about my plans. But our departure today wasn¡¯t an escape. We left the gates and informing the guard knights that I have matters with Elara at the town. They even helped me call a carriage for my departure. It didn¡¯t take long until we got to the tavern. As the carriage door opened, three familiar faces welcomed me. The energetic tall kid with medium-length black hair and amber eyes was Lucas. Brenda was the sweet girl with a brown pigtails and emerald eyes. On the other hand, the sleepy kid with gray frizzly hair and dark purple eyes was Jake. ¡°Vena! I know you were a noble!¡± Brenda exclaimed, rushing at and hugging me the moment I stepped down. The three¡¯s eyes sparkled towards my royal gown in which I forgot to change. I looked at Elara who¡¯s eyes are darting against Brenda. ¡°What, Elara? Aren¡¯t they unable to hug me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything. Hmph!¡± Elara mocked and looked away. ¡°So sister Elara was a maid after all? It¡¯s amazing!¡± Jake exclaimed. ¡°Woah! A maid! I want one,¡± Lucas said with his sleepy innocent voice as he gazed at Elara without even blinking. ¡°W¡ªWhy are you staring at me, Lucas? I¡¯m still your sister Elara when I¡¯m outside. I¡¯m no maid today,¡± Elara exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯re happy to see you again, Vena! Pops said that you¡¯re going back yesterday, but we waited the whole day and you didn¡¯t come,¡± Brenda complained after releasing her hug. Well, they should have asked Pops if they were going to wait. He was my only signal to go back here. That was entirely the kids¡¯ fault. ¡°By the way, Vena, yesterday, we did lots of things with the ball! We created a ring and hang it up high, and¡­¡± Jake explained with his mouth that stretches from ear to ear. After that, the other two followed up what they did previously. So this is how ten year old kids talk. They were surprisingly illogical, but that¡¯s what makes them fun. I never experienced this kind of talk in my past life. Suddenly, a loud static resonated to my ear and whispering a blurred message repeatedly. There¡¯s only a fragment of it that I could clarify: ¡®Mom¡­¡¯ I suddenly covered my ears from the deafness brought by the sound. My face compressed out of pain, and Elara noticed it. ¡°Vena, is there something wrong?¡± Elara asked, touching both my shoulders. The conversation between me and the kids stopped as they became wary of me. ¡°Vena? Is there something wrong? Aren¡¯t you interested in what we say?¡± Jake asked. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. As the saying tells, kids never lie, but somehow¡­ they were too blunt! ¡°T¡ªthat¡¯s not it,¡± I replied, recovering my stance and posture. ¡°Did someone of you call your mother suddenly?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Jake mocked. ¡°We¡¯re already matured! We aren¡¯t mama¡¯s boys.¡± ¡°I still ask help for my mother. She also asked my help,¡± Brenda said. ¡°You¡¯re not a ¡®boy,¡¯ Brenda,¡± Lucas added. These three somewhat makes a problematic trio. ¡°How about you, Elara? Did you hear something strange?¡± I asked, turning my head towards her. ¡°Nay, Vena. Perhaps did something greeted an entrance through your ear? Or was is telepathy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s some deafening static sound. Do you know some magic connected to that?¡± ¡°Static?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Nevermind,¡± I replied. I forgot that electric terms were still foreign to this world. I talked with the three a little bit, explaining my visit to Pops while escaping their invitation for fun. I had a matter much important than enjoying my time with them, so I passed. I entered the tavern, which is currently empty. Pops weren¡¯t even on the first floor. When we ascended to our temporary room, I saw him reading a book in a desk while the woman lies in bed, awake. ¡°You¡¯re awake¡­ You¡¯re awake!¡± I exclaimed, rushing and hugging to the woman like what Elara usually does. ¡°Thank God, I manage to do it in time!¡± ¡°W¡ªWho?¡± The woman stuttered with a tilted head. Her voice cracked, hinting us that she was still weak to speak. ¡°She¡¯s the saintess that cured you,¡± Pops replied. ¡°You should still rest since your state¡ª¡± Suddenly, the woman clasped my hand, forcing her shaking limbs to reach out to me. Elara became wary, but I told her that it¡¯s alright. She clasped my hands, holding it for longer than necessary. Tears fell down from her soft glowing eyes down to her smiling face. The sun ray lit her face, giving her a vibe of liveliness and hope. I could tell that this way her way of saying thanks to me. ¡°Y¡ªyou need not to pay me in return. What I did was purely my intention. I can¡¯t just leave someone suffering before me,¡± I replied. ¡°But¡ª¡± The woman said with hoarse voice. ¡°My s¡ªson.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find anyone who¡¯s free in finding his missing son,¡± Pops said, bringing water for the woman to drink, and gave it to me. ¡°Are you free today, Elara?¡± ¡°All we did here was to visit. We didn¡¯t expect any side quest,¡± Elara replied. ¡°¡­ But Elara, we¡¯re free today.¡± I assisted the woman to drink her water while talking to Elara. ¡°I wanted to help her find her child.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you wanted, Miss Vena, I¡¯m in¡­ but, I¡¯m just there to watch over you. Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± ¡°By the way, Pops, I¡¯d just noticed. Why is there no one in the tavern today? Are you closed? Or was it a national holiday?¡± I asked. ¡°Did you visit the adventurers guild today?¡± Pops replied. ¡°An emergency quest was filed in the commission board today, and it¡¯s from the kingdom. A B-level monster appeared in the western part of the Harsley Forest.¡± ¡°The kingdom asked that?¡± I had no information or whatsoever after I argued with Mom yesterday. ¡°I¡¯m not a bit informed with respect to that matter. Why didn¡¯t they send the knights instead?¡± ¡°The kingdom wouldn¡¯t even send their army to an undiscovered area. It¡¯s like throwing a lit match to a pile of leaves and will soon burn the whole town with it.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve sent adventurers instead? I don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re thinking anymore. If the southern area wasn¡¯t harmed, they should¡¯ve left it alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a B-rank monster, little girl. If you left it alone, the stronger it will become. Only a single A-rank adventurer or a party of B-ranks will defeat it. But right now, all A-ranks are absent, and there are only two B-ranks in there. The lower ranks are only there to stall.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re asking me to do it?¡± Elara asked, entering our conversation. ¡°Since I¡¯m the only available A-rank adventurer visible, the whole reward will be retracted to the kingdom if I joined.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better that way,¡± Pops replied. ¡°It would be worse if it remained and made its way here. It might become A-rank in that case.¡± ¡°What did the adventurer¡¯s guild told about stalling?¡± I asked. ¡±I bet no one would dare charge towards the monster with death in mind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a difficult decision the guild had made. They told the lower rank adventurers that the guild would ask help for A- and B-ranks in the nearby cities, but it would take days for the latter to respond. Those lower rank soldiers believed that help would come, when in fact¡­¡± ¡°That Urthus guy was a really deceptive old fart.¡± The moment I saw him, I thought that he already has a plan moving behind the eyes of the people. His info-gathering skills are top-notch that even a simple event in my life has been recorded. The guild card he gave me must have been another of his acts that disguises pure intention. He was surely seeking something from me, but I can¡¯t tell what his goal was, nor his motive. What was he even plotting? Suddenly, the static came back again to my ear, deafening me. The same pain touched my brain, causing a sudden headache. ¡°Vena, are you alright!?¡± Elara asked with drawn eyebrows, rushing towards me. ¡°M¡ªMy son¡­ He¡¯s calling¡­¡± The woman muttered. She might have heard the same waves like I did but in a different frequency. After recovering, I asked. ¡°Miss, do you hear the same thing as mine?¡± ¡°My son¡ªThat¡¯s¡ªmy son.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I swear to you that I will find him, right, Elara?¡± The moment I stared at Elara¡¯s face, she nodded with a smile. Facing back the woman, I continued asking. ¡°By the way, miss, can we humbly ask for your name? It would be helpful to us not to call you ¡®miss¡¯ all the time.¡± ¡°Mathilde¡­¡± ¡°And the name of your child?¡± ¡°¡­¡­D¡ªDion.¡± After she told me her child¡¯s name, silence broke out the room. With my dilated eyes blinking twice, I gasped with my fingers touching my parted lips. Elara had the same reaction as I do. We ended up shouting at the same time. ¡°EEEEHHH!? THAT DAMN THIEF!?¡± 36. The Worst Books Gaswing Miss Mathile¡¯s son was Dion, that sneaky brat of thief! I thought she was looking for a kid the same age as Marina. The one she was looking had self-consciousness all along. But I could agree with her hearing the same sound that¡¯s calling her. Was it really Dion? Ever since the time he stole Elara¡¯s purse from us. I¡¯m once poor, so I could tell what he was thinking. The moment my mom was in the same case as Miss Mathilde, in critical condition, I couldn¡¯t help but think of a hastier way that would resolve the financial problem from the hospital. But my Mom always reminded me that I should never resort in doing bad deeds. In the end, I used my hard-earned money to pay the hospital bills. With her around, I was always disciplined. For some reason, I saw my real Mom to Miss Mathilde. She also never forgot to remind her son not to do bad deeds. But since their environment was far more toxic, it would be hard for her to do it alone. We explained to Miss Mathilde on what happened seven days ago, the last time Dion ran away from us. She continued the story on how Dion searched for an underground doctor to cure her. The moment we grasped the whole situation, we quickly left the tavern and went to our first stop. It was a shop where the owner knew me well¡­ from gossips. ¡°Welcome!¡± Miss Laurine, the owner of the tailor shop, greeted as soon as we entered her shop. She stood in the counter, averted her eyes from watching her precious customers. ¡°Oh, my! Aren¡¯t you Miss Jenny¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ She wasn¡¯t my mother,¡± I replied, pouting my face away from her. ¡°In rebellious phase, aren¡¯t we? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell my benefactor that you¡¯re here. So, what are you here for?¡± ¡°Comfortable clothes.¡± I couldn¡¯t run freely while stepping at my gown for every second. I couldn¡¯t tell if Elara was also uncomfortable, but a pair of flexible clothes would fit her better. Who knows we might encounter bandits along the way. We walked into the store with a confident stride, scanning the racks for something that would suit our style and needs. I was looking for casual clothes that were flexible enough for fighting, in case we ran into trouble on our mission. For Elara, I picked out a pair of stretchable jeans, a black tank top that hugged her curves, and a leather jacket that added some edge to her look. She tried them on in the fitting room, admiring how they fit her perfectly. While on my case, I picked out a pair of the same jeans but smaller and a loose-fitting t-shirt that wouldn''t restrict my movements. For the start of our conquest, we asked the main gate guard, Connor. Even from the distance, his alcoholic smell invades our noses even as we pinched it. ¡°Wat¡¯r ya here?¡± He asked, and after noticing, he gazed at me. I¡¯ve became resistant after he knew that he was like this. ¡°Ooh, prinshesh! Wha¡¯comes for ya here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to milady like that, Connor,¡± Elara warned with lines compiling in her forehead. ¡°Do you want to get arrested for your disrespectful behavior?¡± ¡°Calm down, Elara,¡± I said. ¡°Sorry, guard captain. I¡¯m no royal princess. I¡¯m here to ask if you saw a boy from the slums who had the same height as mine?¡± ¡°Huh? I did shee many¡­ I can tell ya if thzey¡¯re chircumshized or nah.¡± ¡°Do you really want to lick metal bars, huh?¡± Elara argued with a hiss. ¡°Elara!¡± I shouted, pulling her back away from Connor. ¡°Guard captain, you should have noticed his face seven days ago. I¡¯m with him when we took the Entero Doflain commission.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Connor pinched his chin as he looked up, recalling his memory. The moment he smiled, we¡¯re overjoyed, but¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t recall him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re useless,¡± I muttered with lowered shoulders after our expectations were broken. Suddenly, another younger guard approached us. ¡°Are you looking for the slum kid who has a bunch of gold coins in his pocket?¡± He asked. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him! Do you know where he might be?¡± ¡°He came out yesterday, carrying a wrapped thing behind him. He¡¯s too depressed to be talked to. The thing behind him was the same size as an adult woman.¡± ¡°An underling is always useful than its superior,¡± I commented. ¡°The boy didn¡¯t come back?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see him come back until now.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯sh burying da bodee shomewhere,¡± Connor said, inserting himself from our conversation. ¡°Washn¡¯t it a bodee¡¯f a woman? F¡¯so, she¡¯sh important to him, ishn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Sheesh?¡± I asked ¡°He only had a single family with him, and she¡¯s¡ªAAAAAAAAAAAH!¡± A light bulb lit in my head after the dots automatically connected itself. I stood still with my mouth hanging open, freezing after shouting like I¡¯m electrically shocked. My breathing suddenly stopped as I gazed from imagination and reality back and forth. I realized that¡­ A simple misunderstanding became a whole lot of mess. *** A giant green insect dominated the forests. It had six sharp legs like a chainsaw and an oval body surrounded by dark lines, standing tall the same height as a three-story compound. It had a pure-black eyes the same size as an eight-ball and a sharp mouthparts that was used for piercing. That same mouth was used to cut trees in the forest the moment it swings its head. From the Western part of the Harsley Forest, it continuously walks towards the city. Like mosquitoes, the hired adventurers gathered before it with a plan to stall it. ¡°It¡¯s coming again! Back off!¡± The adventurers shouted, running away from the mouth swing the monster does. They rushed away so that their bodies won¡¯t end up getting sliced. ¡°How is there a Gaswing as big as the guild?¡± A female adventurer complained. ¡°We¡¯re not an ounce informed about any useful information about that monster!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t complain!¡± A male adventurer shouted. ¡°We can¡¯t let this run to the city! It¡¯s our job to stall it until help comes!¡± ¡°When will help come!? No A-ranked adventurers are present! We would be dead before they come! WE¡¯LL END UP AS SACRIFICES!¡± ¡°SHUT UP! Don¡¯t demoralize the people here! You can run away if you want to, but don¡¯t involve us! We have families to protect!¡± ¡°Fine! I will really run away and marry a handsome man while you guys die here!¡± After stomping her feet, the girl ran away the forest. Since she lost her cover, the Gaswing noticed her running away. Its head turned towards her direction, pointing its mouth at her body. It spitted a huge goo, covering the woman¡¯s body. ¡°KYAAAAAA!!!!¡± The woman screamed in pain that ended her life. Her skin and flesh evaporated in an accelerated speed, leaving only her bones intact. The monster¡¯s eye could only see green, leaves and trees. If it detected something different, red on the case of humans, it would be treated as prey. With fright in their faces, the adventurers muttered. ¡°Damn it! That¡¯s the eighth casualty. How are we supposed to stall this thing!?¡± ¡°D¡ªDon¡¯t worry, Bjorn the Shield is here! A B-rank monster is equivalent to a B-rank adventurer. We just need to believe in him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! With him, victory has a chance! He¡¯ll lead us in defeating the monster. I¡¯m sure of it!¡± After talking, they looked at Bjorn, the sturdy man who is in front the monster. He had broad shoulders and a muscular build. His brown hair was cropped short, and his face bore the scars of many battles. He wore a leather armor that was reinforced with metal plates, and a large shield strapped to his left arm. It was made of steel, with intricate patterns engraved on its surface. He faced the monster with high chin and shoulders out. He stood diligently as the adventurer¡¯s role model without fear¡­ But that wasn¡¯t what his mind speaks. Why am I the only B-rank adventurer available!? Not only that, I¡¯m facing a giant type of homonculus that was never recorded in books. How would I defeat it with a shield!? I never led people before. I¡¯m only a follower from my adventurer¡¯s party. The only thing I¡¯m good at was positioning. I¡¯m not even strong enough to counter fatal blows. I just joined in the party and ranked up with ease. But now, these low-ranked adventurers are looking up at me. They¡¯re expecting me to lead them. Even if I gave them a command, I couldn¡¯t guarantee their safety. What the hell am I supposed to do? After a moment of thinking, Bjorn the Shield coughed. ¡°Ehem! Whoever cares about plans!? Fight at your own will! EVEN MINIMAL, BRING HARM TO THAT MONSTER!¡± He shouted with a warrior¡¯s voice, far different from the voice in his head. The adventurers tilted their heads and looked at each other, decoding what Bjorn meant to say. But after they saw Bjorn recklessly rushing towards it, they drawn their swords and followed him. The adventurers surrounded the Gaswing as they hit its limbs with their swords, but no one marked a wound against it. Their sharp blades flung and swung away from its slippery limbs. Even though Bjorn taunted the monster with his shield, the monster didn¡¯t take long to wipe out the entire adventurer¡¯s group just by raising and stomping its foot. Bjorn withstood the shock wave, but cold sweats started flowing down his helmet. His shield he buried in the ground shook together with his clammy hands. Can I really do this? He thought, pressing his lips against each other while freezing in fear. He didn¡¯t notice that the Gaswing prepared its mouth to swing across his body. Looking at the state of the cut trees, his sturdy shield might not be able to handle the force. For worse, it might divide into two together with his body. But his fear kept him rooted in place. The monster left no time in attacking him, not doubting to swing its sharp blade towards Bjorn. Bjorn loosen the grip from his shield unconsciously, accepting the dark fate that awaits him. Suddenly, a crimson-haired girl with a loose shirt appeared before him. She unsheathed her light and bright crimson sword from her dimensional storage and swung it together with the monster¡¯s attack. The moment the two attacks collided, bending the trees from the aftershock of the impact. The monster flinched back, nearly losing its balance. The girl stood still and breathless. When Bjorn witnessed the miracle of someone younger but stronger than him, he hanged his mouth open. The girl exhaled and wiped her sweat. ¡°Whew¡­ I made it in time.¡± 37. The Worst Book Monsters Mother The sun slowly sinked below the horizon, painting the sky with fiery colors. Xenos, leaning his back on the wooden bench in the garden, felt a warm breeze caress his face, and stared at the sky with half-closed eyes. The peace connected his body to the ground like he was a part of the world. But suddenly, his lost focus reverted after a voice hijacked his head. ¡°Mom¡­ Mom¡­¡± I gazed off, pointing my head down the flowers where the voice came from. The voice cycled repeatedly up to the point where he stood up because he can¡¯t resist it. ¡°Tsk¡­ I¡¯m depressed.¡± He carried his slumped shoulders that wanted to rest. All he wanted was to left his mind blank and calm. Not being able to do anything, He dejectedly sighed. Xenos followed the voice towards the castle gates. Because of his low noticeable energy, everyone he passes didn¡¯t notice him, even the knights guarding at the gates. The same thing happened in town. As he continuously chased the voice, townsmen weren¡¯t wary of him. The only time he was noticed was when he bumped into someone. He reached the gates without problems¡­ even though the gate had one. It was blocked by a quarrel between a woman and the gate guards. The woman had long, frizzly brown hair and bright, curious brown eyes. She wore a cheap robe tainted in dirt, which was commonly seen in the slums. The guards blocked her path with their bodies as the woman tried to break free to it. ¡°My son! My son needed me! Let me go!¡± The woman cried, trying to break free of the obstacle, but she ended up being pushed against it. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you understand me!? My son was in danger! I need to save him!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, would you please calm down?¡± A guard replied. ¡°The roads are currently dangerous. A giant monster was inhabiting the Western part of the forest, which was nearest to the roads.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! I don¡¯t care what happens to me! I just need to save my son! Please, let me go to him! I beg you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ma¡¯am, but as per rules, in times of calamities, you need to be accompanied by an adventurer stronger than C-rank. If you had none, you¡¯re forbidden to set foot out of the city.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Then why¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why are you allowing him!¡± The woman shouted as he points her finger to Xenos who is already out of the gates. Because of his background character energy, no one sensed him slipping past the guards except the mother. The guards flinched back and gasped when they saw the chill Xenos walking away from them. ¡°Hey, you! Stop right there!¡± The guard shouted as their group chased after him. ¡°Go back here, or I¡¯ll report you to your parents! The forest is currently in dan¡ª¡± By just flicking his hand, Xenos poured a sleeping spell to the guards. Like a domino, the guards fell down simultaneously. Xenos turned back and left a card etched with gold over a guard¡¯s body. The crowd who was watching muttered behind Xenos¡¯s back. ¡°Did he just cast a spell without chanting?¡± ¡°I saw it too! Does that mean he¡¯s a high-ranking magician mage?¡± ¡°But he¡¯s young¡­ ten-year old for what I can tell.¡± ¡°Why are ten-year-olds abnormal these days? Was that a trend?¡± Just before he leaves, Xenos stared at the woman whose tears fell down from her kneeling body. ¡°You hear your son¡¯s voice too, right? Don¡¯t you want to see him?¡± ¡°Y¡ªYes!¡± The mother squeaked, standing up and quickly rushing towards him. ¡°Thank you!¡± *** As I and Elara rushed towards the Western part of the forest, the view of a man with a shield going to be hit by a huge sharp blade¡¯s swing. As I went in front of him, I drew Ruby, my red crimson sword, and deflected the monster¡¯s attack while muttering, ¡°Enchant, Ruby.¡± Ruby¡¯s lightness was like a feather the moment I swung it, and as heavy as the empire state the moment I delivered my mana into it. Clang! The sound of two metals colliding emitted a shock wave that bends even the trees in vicinity. My heavy sword knocked back together with my body, which was also the same case to the monster¡¯s blade. When I looked back, the man with the shield hanged his mouth open with his wide-open eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t just stay there to taste death!¡± I exclaimed, extending my hand to him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Y¡ªYou¡¯re¡­¡± He stuttered, ¡°You¡¯re abnormal!¡± ¡°E¡ªexcuse me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re abnormally strong! You¡¯re a ten-year-old, right? Why are ten-year-olds abnormal these days? Was that a trend?¡± ¡°H¡ªHow did you know!?¡± Just by seeing? It was the first time that we¡¯ve met¡­ ¡°Did we met before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡ªAAAHHH¡± The man screamed as he looked past my eyes. He stepped back while seating on the ground, trying to escape something with his numb legs. When I turned back, the huge body of a green bug made my heart numb. It had six legs and a sharp mouthpart. The confidence throughout my body leaked out my foot. I gasped, staring at the monster¡¯s dark-sphered eyes. ¡°A¡ªA¡ª¡±I stuttered with my trembling chin. When it stepped towards us, cold sweats dropped from my hair. With my uncontrollable racing heart, I could only gulp. I couldn¡¯t even believe that there¡¯s a giant creature like this! I¡¯m only seeing this creepy monsters in movies and fiction¡­ But I am in fiction! For its second step¡­ ¡°KYAAAAAAAAAA!!!! ELARA!! ELARAAA!!!¡± I rushed, hid at, and hugged tightly Elara¡¯s back with trembling arms. Using my back, I covered my face as I squalled. ¡°HELP ME, ELARA!!¡± ¡°Miss Veni¡ªVena? What¡¯s wrong!?¡± Elara exclaimed with eyebrows drawing together, but deep inside, she was enjoying this situation. ¡°It¡¯s an Aphid, Elara! An Aphid! A GIANT APHID! KYAAAAAA!¡± I squealed by the time the monster roared again. My closed eyes wished that what I¡¯ve been seeing was only a dream. ¡°What¡¯s an Aphid, milady? That monster was a Gaswing. Is it your first time seeing it?¡± ¡°Aphid, Gaswing, whatever they¡¯re called¡­ A bug is still a bug!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Elara smirked with a malicious face. ¡°Are you scared of bugs? Don¡¯t you know? I ate one of those since I was a kid.¡± ¡°KYAAAAAAA!!!¡± For the Gaswing¡¯s third step¡­ ¡°Elara¡­ Can¡¯t you fight it?¡± I begged with wide watery eyes and a drawn eyebrows. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll just enhance your blade and heal the others instead.¡± Elara removed my gripped and steadily stared at my eyes with a blank stare for seconds. Redness flushed throughout her chin. Suddenly, she sweetly smiled. ¡°You¡¯re actually a cutie,¡± Elara exclaimed and ran towards the monster as she sheathed her dagger. ¡°This is no time for flattery! Enchant: Dagger! Body Barrier!¡± I shouted, fidgeting gestures with my hand until Elara¡¯s dagger glowed. After it, I rushed with the shielded adventurer towards the group of adventurers behind the bushes. Some adventurers greeted me with a smile, while others surrounded their eyes with depression. The overjoyed adventurers complimented me Elara. ¡°You¡­ I remember you two! You¡¯re the two who crushed the thugs on the guild! I knew it! You¡¯re stronger than them!¡± ¡°Those thugs wet their pants when they heard the quest details. What a shame to masculinity! They¡¯re only talk and smug until they got their asses kicked.¡± As I wander my eyes to count heads, I didn¡¯t see those three here. Did they hide in their shells? Still, I have priorities on why I¡¯m here. ¡°We have no time for compliments! Gather the injured here! I¡¯ll heal them! Go!¡± I shouted, taking the lead. The adventurers didn¡¯t waste time searching for bodies that were still breathing. The shielded adventurer approached me from behind, tapping my shoulder. ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯m Bjorn the Shield, a B-rank adventurer, and I wanted to say sorry for standing still. Thank you for saving me. I wouldn¡¯t be here if not for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no big deal. Everyone, even the bravest adventurer, became nervous if death approached them.¡± From my response, he squinted his eyes while tilting his head. ¡°¡­¡­Are you really a ten-year-old?¡± ¡°For somewhat, you¡¯re offending me,¡± I replied with my eyes half-open. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry!¡± As I heal those lined-up injured adventurers, Bjorn watched Elara¡¯s movements as she dances with her blade, circling around the body of the Gaswing. His mouth slacked, stiffening his body. After that, he slowly shook his head, disbelieving what he saw. Instead of watching her fight, he turned my head to me. ¡°Do you think she can handle this alone?¡± He asked. ¡°Are you mocking Elara? She¡¯s an A-rank adventurer. I¡¯m with her so she can attack those with the same elemental affinity with her, dark magic. Just look.¡± I invited him to watch Elara again and determine her body¡¯s skills. Her flexibility, agility, and combined strength explained everything about herself. On the moment where the monster lost its balance, Elara used it as an opportunity to climb up towards its head. The monster couldn¡¯t even keep up with her speed. With her spinning body, she sliced one of the eyeballs in half. In the end, she landed and stood in the ground like she finished some kind of performance. ¡°Hmph! See that? She can damage the eye all by herself,¡± I bragged, looking back and healing my current patient. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we had an A-rank adventurer as strong as her! Why didn¡¯t the guild tell us that she¡¯s here?¡± ¡°She will never appear since¡­ she¡¯s a part of the royalty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­ What did you just say?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a royalty, and the reward placed on this quest will return back to the kingdom ever since she¡¯s involved. Should I repeat i¡ª¡± ¡°WHAT!?¡± Bjorn shouted with a quick gasp. Moments later, he bent his posture and stared down his feet. His heavy arms pulled his shoulders low. Is he regretting asking for help? In the blink of an eye, the Gaswing roared up to the decibel deafening to human. Its green color changed into glowing bloody red, making its inner body visible. An unclear view of a body resting inside it caught everyone¡¯s attention. After the roar, I covered my ears still. The adventurers looked at me with concern while the deafening sound invaded my hearing. Why am I the only one hearing this? What does this even mean? The monster shot its poison from its mouth all around its vicinity. A part of its attack fall towards the adventurer group, but I managed to defend it using Barrier with my other hand. My mana crawled from my head throughout my feet, escaping as my legs trembled, trying to support my standing body. There¡¯s too many sources that took my magic from me. The monster became wary of Elara¡¯s moves, predicting how she evades. After Elara landed consecutive and combination of attacks, she lost her mobility in the air. The monster used that opportunity to swipe its leg towards Elara, making her fly until she collided with a tree trunk. ¡°Elara!¡± I shouted, holding my pained chest as I kneel after. That attack not only caused damage to Elara, but it drained a huge amount of mana from me as well. Elara laid down the ground as bruises and wounds doodled her skin. Her tank top partially tore its upper-right part, exposing her skin. The barrier and the buff I casted to Elara and her blade gradually vanished with its evaporating glows. The monster raised its head, ready to swing its mouth across Elara¡¯s body. I tried to crawl, but my hands forfeited to follow my mind¡¯s orders. Tears puffed out my eyelids. I bit my lips, breathing huge volumes of air in and out of my paralyzed body. Am I still too weak? I can¡¯t pull up my legs. Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s going to happen again! Elara will still be alive! Elara¡­ Elara¡­ ¡°ELARAAAAA!!¡± Can¡¯t I do anything but scream? The monster swung its head, aiming for its target. But a foot away before Elara got sliced by the Gaswing¡¯s mouth, a familiar woman¡¯s voice resonated throughout the zone. ¡°STOP!¡± The monster suddenly turned its head towards the origin of the voice. The woman stepped out the shadows of the trees until her body was completely visible to our view. The moment I incredulously stared at her face, my skin tingled. I sucked a quick breath out of disbelief. Standing still with tears falling down her face, she declared, ¡°My son¡­ I¡¯m already here¡­¡± Miss Mathilde!? 38. The Worst Books First Kiss Miss Mathilde!? Paralysis glued my body down the ground. I ordered my limbs to move but they¡¯re resisting. I lost my voice to speak even. Elara shouted in my stead, ¡°Miss Mathilde!? Why are you here!?¡± Miss Mathilde walked towards the monster without a touch of fear in her. This is also the time I realized that her hoarse voice wasn¡¯t of her sickness, rather it¡¯s natural. ¡°Dion, I¡¯m already here. Please, go back home¡­¡± Dion? That giant creepy disgusting monster¡­ was that kid!? In reply to that, the static that wrapped my head became a clear crispy voice of a boy. ¡°Mom? Mom¡­ How are you alive?¡± It really was Dion! That¡¯s notably a thief¡¯s voice! But how¡­ how did a human became a monster? Was that even possible? I recalled every moment his name was mentioned in my memory. If this incident happened after Dion left the city, and the Harswell Forest was involved, there might be only one suspect involved¡­ Eliot. Did Elara realized it too? But will she believe that Dion was that monster? After all, only the two of us could hear his voice. Miss Mathilde slowly reached out for the Gaswing¡¯s mouth, trying to calm it down. She caressed the side of its blade like she¡¯s rubbing an infant after birth. As Mathilde saw his son¡¯s body lying inside the monster¡¯s body, her eyes widened with her drawn eyebrows. She gasped, freezing in place, hanging her mouth open as tears fell down her eyes. With shaky lips, she whined. ¡°D¡ªDion, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m fine. Everything¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to worry anymore. So please¡­ let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Mom? Is that really you!?¡± Dion replied with telepathy for which I could hear too. ¡°Dion, my son, you don¡¯t have to do bad things anymore. I will do my best to give you a good life¡­ a life with no suffering¡­ a breakfast that will fill our stomach¡­ I will stay healthy until you grow up¡­¡± She continued rubbing its mouth¡­ until the Gaswing moved its head upward, preparing another swing. Not only me, but everyone widened our eyes and gasped for something we didn¡¯t expect. ¡°You¡¯re not my mother! She¡¯s dead! She¡¯ll never come back anymore! You¡¯re all lying!¡± The voice screamed, which deafened my mind with a headache. What should I do? I couldn¡¯t even move from this fatigue. Is there something? There must be something¡­ There was only one way I could help. From the distance, I squirmed my hand with a gesture pointing at Elara. With my remaining muscular energy, I whispered, ¡°Save them.¡± Elara¡¯s blade enhanced, glowing whiter, while green aura surrounded and healed her body. Even though the healing took time, I should risk this last amount of mana I had for them. But my expectations were completely off. The Gaswing swiped its head to Miss Mathilde, and the only thing everyone could do was shout. From that attack, huge specks of dust filled the air, leaving no view visible. Before me, a gruesome fate happened when the son crushed his mother. With only smokes stalling my view, tears watered my eyes. If I continued training up my limits¡­ If I¡¯m just stronger¡­ This shouldn¡¯t have happened. I would have saved¡ªWhat!? After the smoke cleared up, we saw the monster¡¯s mouth hit a purple translucent barrier. Miss Mathilde and a boy were standing inside it. ¡°A barrier!? How did that happen?¡± Everyone, including Elara, asked in confusion. I¡¯m curious on how they see Xenos, or is that boy really a ghost? His entrance was somewhat cool¡­ but only I noticed him. He¡¯s literally the universal plot device. If not for him, Miss Mathilde might have been dead by now. Am I really in the right mind? Why am I praising him? My eyelids pulled itself down, closing my view. No matter how hard I tried resisting, I couldn¡¯t fight it. I couldn¡¯t feel my body anymore. I¡¯m so tired. *** ¡°Miss Vena! Miss Vena! Are you alright!?¡± Elara cried and shook Veniara¡¯s body, trying to wake her up. She left her glowing blade down the ground. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°She¡¯s unconscious, but her mana might have been continuously sucked by that blade by now.¡± Elara squinted at him for seconds before replying to the boy. ¡°¡­¡­Aren¡¯t you the Rutherford prince? Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already used to not being noticed¡ª¡± The Gaswing roared a burst of air that stretched the trunks, but like Veniara, Xenos can hear the voice inside the monster through telepathy. The conversation between Dion and his Mom continued. ¡°You¡¯re a fake! You¡¯re not my mother! Mom just died, not because of her sickness! She was killed! I still have to kill that murderer before I surrender myself to peace!¡± ¡°I¡¯m your only mother, Dion. I¡¯m completely alive¡ª¡± ¡°Lies! Lies! You¡¯re all liars! Not even a person were willing to help us¡­ Not even one. It¡¯s my fault Mom died¡­ It¡¯s those people¡¯s fault for not helping you, even right after they saw you suffer! Those people deserved to die!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Dion! If it¡¯s not for someone¡¯s help, I wouldn¡¯t be here. I was cured by¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even possible! We don¡¯t have anything! Anyone! There¡¯s no one willing to help us! They don¡¯t even understand our suffering that we never deserved! Why!? We did good things for others¡­ Why won¡¯t it turn back?¡± ¡°Dion¡­ I understand you, but¡ª Argh!¡± Suddenly, Xenos grabbed Mathilde as a hostage and pointed the glowing blade at her neck. A purple barrier surrounded them from the outside. Later, Elara realized that the blade in Xenos¡¯s possession was hers. She bared her teeth and flared her nostrils in breaking the shell with bare hands, but it won¡¯t budge. ¡°What are you doing, you kid!? Give my blade back! Do you want to become the enemy of the kingdom!?¡± She growled. Xenos didn¡¯t utter a word at Elara in response. Instead, he waited until the monster reacted to him. ¡°Who are you!?¡± Dion, the monster, shouted through telepathy while accompanied by a roar to a normal human ears. ¡°I¡¯m the killer of your real mom.¡± ¡°W¡ªWhat did you say!?¡± Xenos crossed the blade a centimeter away through Mathilde¡¯s neck. He smirked at the monster, provoking it. ¡°Do you see this blade here? This pure-glowed sharpness will soon travel through the flesh of your Mom. Do you want to see your mother die again¡­ and in front of you?¡± ¡°Damn you! Free my mother!¡± Dion smashed the barrier a couple of times, but it didn¡¯t leave a dent even. The Gaswing¡¯s glow dimmed bit by bit until the strength of its hit weakened. Since Xenos was declared the dark lord candidate of the Western empire, his dark magic affinity reached its peak like Veniara¡¯s case for the light affinity. This magnetic exploit resulted in him resisting the monster¡¯s attack completely. Dark magic resists the same kind of attacks, but it¡¯s the opposite for light magic. For fighting dark type monsters, it¡¯s recommended to have a light affinity for attacking and a dark affinity for defending. ¡°Why are you angry? She¡¯s a fake, right? What makes you so concerned? Your real mother was dead anyway.¡± ¡°Free my mother, you damn devil! Don¡¯t kill my mother again! Please, I beg you! I don¡¯t want to see my mother die again!¡± For its last smash, it¡¯s foot slid beside the barrier causing it to loose balance and fall down the ground. The impact created an aftershock. Its body lost its glow, not enough to light the area around it. Xenos threw the blade out the barrier, and Elara caught it. ¡°Its weakness is the remaining eye. Freeing him was your job.¡± Elara grimaced at him first, not sure of his actions until seconds after. Her face flushed up to her ears, chuckling fake after getting Xenos¡¯s intention. ¡°I admit. I was too dumb¡­ Thank you for your help,¡± Elara replied with a smile of agreement. She spun her dagger in her palm before posing her stance. With her heavy foot kissing the ground, she launched herself and climbed the weakened monster¡¯s head. The remaining eyeball lies exactly right below her. As she raised her dagger with both arms over her head, she muttered. ¡°I will never forgive you, Eliot.¡± As Elara dug the sphere with her blade, the monster¡¯s body glowed brighter than before, like a smaller sun inhabited it. The moment the ball cracked, Elara jumped of the enormously shaking monster¡¯s body. Xenos grabbed her inside his barrier and watched the outcome, blinding their own eyes. Bang! A loud explosion deafened everyone¡¯s ears as the gooey blood of the monster scattered from its center. Mathilde, concerned about her son, broke free from Xenos¡¯s grip, but the barrier didn¡¯t let her go out. ¡°Dion!¡± She shouted with drawn brows, thinking that her son¡¯s body exploded as well. Knocking the shell with force, she kneeled on the floor, crying. As the site cleared up, a blue, transparent metal ball containing Dion¡¯s unconscious body rested on the very center of the zone. When Mathilde noticed it, calmness overtook her emotions. The three approached it. Elara cut through its soft skin, releasing Dion together with a pool of dense liquid that lacked fragrance. Mathilde caught the unconscious Dion through her hands. With tears flooding her face, Mathilde rubbed her cheeks to her son¡¯s face, hugging him tight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ You shouldn¡¯t have suffered because of me¡­ I promise to give you a life worth living.¡± Xenos and Elara just witnessed another episode of Motherly Love, not until Bjorn waved at Elara with a shout. ¡°Miss Elara! The young girl here is unconscious! Please hurry! She seemed hurting!¡± ¡°Vena!¡± Elara gasped, breathlessly rushing towards the unconscious lying body of her owner. She raised her to the ground, calling her name repeatedly with her dry mouth. Unlike before, Veniara¡¯s teeth clenched as she winced. ¡°Her body reached the critical point for the lack of mana. From her expression, she must still be using her magic unconsciously. Worse comes to worst, if isn¡¯t resolved as quickly as possible, it will take away her lifespan.¡± ¡°This must be the reason,¡± Elara muttered, raising the glowing blade in her hand. ¡°How should we stop this, Prince? Milady¡¯s life was in danger!¡± ¡°You can call me Xenos. She should be supplied by a mana from a manabank equivalent to hers.¡± ¡°B¡ªBut Vena¡¯s pool was higher than the average! She was the saintess candidate. It would be late if we brought her back to the city to cure her! What should we do!? There¡¯s no one with the same manabank as hers right here!¡± ¡°Actually, we do.¡± Xenos approached Elara and stole Vena¡¯s body from her. He closely witness the tender lips and closed, peaceful eyelids of Vena lying in his arm. He leaned his head to collide his lips to her¡¯s, kissing her for a long time. Nobody expected what he was going to do. Everyone¡¯s mouth hanged open, for which a mosquito could enter anytime. Silence broke through until Xenos released his lips after ten seconds. The crowd goes ¡®Ooooh!¡¯ But Elara excreted her wrath by baring her teeth as she noisily breathed. Her head boiled red¡­ for which she couldn¡¯t forgive him. ¡°LAY OFF MILADY, YOU SNEAKY BRAT!¡± 39. The Worst Books Dooms Day My mind pulled my awareness lingering to an endless space surrounded by light from unknown sources. I stood, facing two people surrounded by malicious aura of darkness. One of them was the adult Xenos, holding a dark glowing dagger as he bared his teeth at me with his grown fangs. He held an adult female¡¯s arms behind her, holding her as a hostage. The woman sobbed, with tears falling from her eyes, but her face were completely emotionless with her flattened lips. I couldn¡¯t tell if she really wished to die or not. Still, my mind boggled me that she¡¯s important to me. Xenos spun his dagger before pointing it at the woman¡¯s neck, drawing a dot of blood on its side. He drew out his tongue and wiggled it around his lips. He heavily breathed from the thirst of blood and people¡¯s terror. ¡°She was my hostaged. I will killed her.¡± What a great bunch of stale dialogues! Look at that use of wrong grammar! Was the word ¡®hostaged¡¯ even exist? And he said it before me¡­ BEFORE ME WITH A STRAIGHT FACE! I would like to punch him as soon as I could. I wanted to free the woman, and say these words: ¡®Let her go!¡¯ I would like to charge to him and prevent the incident from happening, but my body wasn¡¯t following what my mind thinks. Instead, my fists clenched as I looked down while biting my lip. ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± I CAN¡¯T BELIEVE I SAID THAT! ¡°Okay.¡± Without hesitations, he drove the blade towards her skin. I wanted to reach her out, but the paralysis left only my mind conscious. As it pierced her skin, clouds of dark smoke leaked and filled my vision, until nothing was visible. Soon, the morning light from the windows in my room illuminated my view. I laid in my bed, surrounding my body with a thick blanket. Yes, it was a dream. For somewhat, the scenarios worsen, but I couldn¡¯t remember that happening in the novel. My head sat on a soft surface for which I dug and bounced my head repeatedly, creating comfort, but as I did it, I heard a moan accompanying it. Before I knew it, my clothes were already replaced with my pyjamas. ¡°Elara?¡± I asked, staring down at my stomach wrapped by someone else¡¯s arm. Only Elara would do this. Elara didn¡¯t let her arms go. Instead, she gripped my body tighter where I could hardly breath. She cried like a kid, ¡°Miss Veniara! Don¡¯t leave me!¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t the ten-year-old here.¡± ¡°But¡ªBUT, you¡¯ll soon leave me, don¡¯t you!?¡± ¡°Where do you think I¡¯ll go!?¡± I could only remember myself passing out from exhaustion yesterday. As I wander my eyes around the room, I realized that a day already passed. ¡°Hey, Elara, what happened yesterday¡ªHEY! I C¡ªCAN¡¯T BREATHE!¡± I groaned while repeatedly tapping her arm as she gripped me tighter. ¡°Damn that devil!¡± Elara roared, turning her voice back to her serious tone. ¡°He¡¯s a devious, insensitive, suspicious boy with hellish plans! He played with everyone¡¯s feelings and expectations. He even took Miss Mathilde as hostage.¡± That¡¯s what exactly I was saying about his traits! He was never a person for me, and never will be¡­ Did she just mentioned having a hostage? ¡°A HOSTAGE!? WHAT HAPPENED!? DID HE MENTION SOMETHING LIKE ¡®SHE WAS MY HOSTAGED!?¡¯¡± I shouted, flinching back with my open-wide eyes, escaping Elara¡¯s grip. ¡°What happened to you suddenly, milady? You looked like a thunder hit you¡­ D¡ªDon¡¯t tell me you planned this with him all along!?¡± ¡°Who do you think I am!? I don¡¯t know him, and I would never ever talk to that devious, insensitive, suspicious, deceiving, malicious, imprudent background character!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I think you know him well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Well, he did something mentioned like ¡®I¡¯m the killer of your real mom.¡¯ It was too edgy. If I knew it was all a performance, I would have laughed up to my bones,¡± Elara chuckled. ¡°A performance?¡± ¡°For some reason, he and Miss Mathilde heard something we couldn¡¯t, but they end up conversing with the kid inside the monster. With the prince¡¯s idea, the corruption from the monster lessened, until it lose its energy and self-destructed.¡± ¡°And what in the jargon world does this ¡®corruption¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the desire to do evil deeds inside one¡¯s heart. I think that¡¯s what Elliot was using to attach human souls in monsters. The authorities don¡¯t have a clear evidence yet, that¡¯s why it¡¯s still a theory.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°So, you knew it was Elliot¡¯s doing all along?¡± She looked away and hissed, biting her lip, holding her other arm. ¡°I will never forgive him. I will bury his head deep down the mantle.¡± ¡°Elara, what¡¯s important is that everybody¡¯s safe¡ª And by the way, what happened to the two?¡± I asked, widening my eyes and raising my tone midway my speech. ¡°They¡¯re fine, milady,¡± Elara replied, turning her sweet tone back. ¡°They we¡¯re currently invited as the king¡¯s audience today.¡± I heavily sighed, putting my hand on my chest. ¡°Thank goodness. It didn¡¯t come to worst.¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, no! Miss Veniara, the worst came after that,¡± Elara exclaimed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°As you can see¡­¡± Elara then explained the terror that happened in my body while I¡¯m asleep. The moment she mentioned about the kiss, smokes puffed out my ears as my skin turned red from toe to head. I shook violently, clenched my fists, and bit my lip as my teary eyes widened. My pulse pounded every corner of my ear canal. Clouds blurred my vision as nerves appeared on my skin. These mixed feelings harboring inside me excreted a deafening scream. ¡°NO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!¡± My first kiss¡­ was stolen¡­ Xenos¡­ Argh!! I really loathe that thief! I wished I could die right now. I stood and readied my stance filled with rage, like I¡¯m ready to fight anytime. Without changing my clothes, I casted enhance on my foot and stomped all the way towards the castle. Ever did the people that I came across caught my attention as I leave footprints in the concrete ground. The knights in the castle panicked, gathered around, thinking that it was a monster attack. Bang! I crushed open the double doors in the throne room. The carpet remained still, yet underneath it, small craters controlled the elevation. I reached the throne room; Mother wasn¡¯t there, only Dad sitting on his throne. Red covered my skin from head to toe. I faced my father with my furrowed eyebrows, noisy breathing, uptight shoulders, and missing pupils in my eyes. ¡°Dad! Execute that criminal boy, right here, right now! Make sure to bring his head to me! I can¡¯t let some despicable with a dirty mind breathe!¡± Father left his mouth hanging open, shocked after I¡¯ve said my verdict. For once, I never noticed what happened around me. Only when I looked right, Miss Mathilde and Dion stood, glaring at me with the same expression as my father. My rage vanished in an instant, as I copy their expression. Silence filled the air for a moment. When Dion had the opportunity, he kneeled on the floor, with his face facing the floor and body facing me. He shouted, ¡°I¡¯M VERY SORRY! I DON¡¯T WANT TO DIE YET! PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR STEALING YOUR FUNDS! I DIDN¡¯T KNOW THAT YOU¡¯RE THE KINGDOM¡¯S PRINCESS!¡± ¡°AH!¡± I gasped. I¡¯m rooting another misunderstanding again! Then approached him to clarify what I¡¯ve said. ¡°Uhh¡ªIt¡¯s not you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯M THE ONLY CRIMINAL WHO INTENDED A GRAVE SIN TO THE ROYAL FAMILY! I¡¯M WILLING TO DO ANYTHING, JUST LET ME LIVE¡ª¡± ¡°I told you¡­¡± I pulled his chin up and slapped his crying face. ¡°It¡¯s not you! Wake up to reality, you idiot!¡± The impact from Dion¡¯s face left him freezing for seconds. Touching his swelling cheek, he slowly turned his head towards me. ¡°T¡ªThen¡­ Who?¡± I stood straight facing my father, chin up, shoulders in, chest out. ¡°Dad! Please eradicate that prince from this land. I never wanted to see him again.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡ª¡± Dad stuttered with his lower lips trembling. ¡°What? Are you waiting for Mom to decide on this again? I won¡¯t let you.¡± ¡°You really have the same blood as your mother¡­ But still, I can¡¯t go against your mother¡¯s decision. You should wait for her¡ª¡± Dad deeply loved Mom, even if their marriage are forced. Because of that, Dad never denied a command from Mom. In short, he¡¯s a simp, but that¡¯s an advantage to me since he¡¯s easy to manipulate. ¡°By the way, Dad, do you know where she¡¯d been right now? It¡¯s a secret only the two of us knew. Would you like to know where? It¡¯s interesting, I promise.¡± For a moment, he paused, pressing his lips together. After fidgeting his fingers, he squinted his eyes at me and asked. ¡°¡­What are your terms?¡± ¡°As I said before, it¡¯s the cancellation of my marriage and Xenos Rutherford¡¯s dismissal in this kingdom.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Dad leaned his head to his side, resting it over his standing arm. Moments of thinking after, he groaned. ¡°Argh! As I thought, I couldn¡¯t go against your Mom.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± I clicked, turning my disappointed eyes away from him. My death flag should have been avoided already if he just said yes. Dad shifted the topic to something else, completely forgetting what we¡¯ve discussed. ¡°I dare tell to hold your matter for the latter priorities. There¡¯s currently an urgent matter in need of discussion for the kingdom¡¯s security. We should prioritize this information up to the maximum degree.¡± To not bother their discussion, I replied. ¡°I would like to participate in this meeting as a witness, your majesty. It¡¯s about the kingdom, right? And Elliot?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Fine.¡± This father doesn¡¯t have his own decisions. He¡¯s thinking a dilemma while pinching his chin? Of course, that¡¯s fake! ¡°You, kid, continue the report.¡± ¡°Y¡ªYour majesty, I humbly thank you for g¡ªgiving me a chance to speak on my experience. It was sad that I¡¯ve c¡ªcaused eight casualties without my awareness. I couldn¡¯t do anything e¡ªequating those lives lost,¡± Dion stuttered. ¡°Since you¡¯re already acquainted with my daughter, you need not to be formal. You¡¯ll just have a hard time explaining. Why don¡¯t you start your story from the last time you witnessed your mother?¡± ¡°I will consider it, your majesty. It was until then¡­¡± From the moment he was jailed up to his arrival at the forest, Dion explained all that he witnessed. When he described a mad scientist harboring the forest, Dad was alarmed. ¡°¡¯A corrupted heart will sure lead to a corrupted soul¡­ And it¡¯s my job to accelerate that.¡¯ After that, I couldn¡¯t feel my body anymore. ¡°But even if I¡¯m unconscious, he kept whispering in my mind¡­ something like a prophecy and a preparation to attack on the kingdom¡¯s most important day,¡± Dion said, ending his story. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not inventing anxiety?¡± Dad asked. ¡°I did commit an unforgivable crime, but I wouldn¡¯t benefit from lying to you, your majesty. I deeply respect you and the kingdom.¡± I haven¡¯t heard of the prophecy he mentioned. After countless flashbacks of Adam and Eve, not even a moral lesson could be extracted from the backstories. ¡°What is this prophecy?¡± I asked. Silence filled the dead air. When Dion turned towards me, he gulped and said, ¡°a young red-haired saintess will soon hinder their plans. They will try to find a way to exterminate her while she¡¯s still young.¡± ¡°What!?¡± I exclaimed, gasping and jerking my head back. Since Veniara was the center of the book but not the story, there were many cases that the protagonist was the central target of assassination. That¡¯s why I once wished to be reincarnated only as an extra. And the entry of a prophecy was too sudden! How did they had a glimpse of my future? The only one who should know about my secret and my dark fate was me. But that¡¯s not just it. The matter of the most important day¡¯s attack was the alarming one. Their target was me. But when it would be? There¡¯s no other notable important days I could remember. What if it wasn¡¯t my important day¡­ but the kingdom¡¯s? Don¡¯t tell me¡ª I muttered, ¡°The alarming day¡­ the grand ball.¡± 40. The Worst Books Junior ¡°The grand ball, you say?¡± Dad exclaimed, leaning his head forward while gripping the throne¡¯s hand rests. He looked like a NEET torturing his gaming chair after getting defeated from a multiplayer gamer. ¡°That¡¯s why you need to cancel my engagement, Dad! You should save the kingdom!¡± I argued back, thinking that there might be a chance that I would win his argument. ¡°I told you to keep your mouth shut, Veniara! You¡¯re being assassinated, and all that comes out your mouth was love, love, LOVE!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you understand, Dad!? I have reasons for suggesting things!¡± Of course, he wouldn¡¯t understand. I could say that my life will soon be at risk, but would he believe me? I would just end up getting called crazy. Suddenly, Brodveth entered the throne room and bowed before Dad while carrying a pile of paper in his hand. Was that a manuscript? ¡°Your majesty, I prepared the documents for the investigation of the murder in the slums¡ª¡± Dad stopped him, raising and facing his palm towards Brodveth. He faced the mother and son instead. ¡°We will now conclude that our session here will be continued tomorrow in my meeting room.¡± ¡°B¡ªBut, your majesty, you didn¡¯t gave me a verdict of what my punishment would be! I¡¯ve killed countless adventurer¡¯s lives. I¡¯m sure the families of those people wouldn¡¯t forgive me¡ª¡± Dion halted his speech after Miss Mathilde suddenly kneeled down and bowed her head, nearly kissing the floor. She then begged, ¡°I¡¯m deeply sorry, your majesty! Please spare my son! He¡¯s still young. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be punished. I¡¯m willing to take all punishment that you¡¯ll give him¡­ just¡­¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Dion and I, with our drawn eyebrows, rubbed Miss Mathilde¡¯s back. ¡°Hey, stop the drama. I can¡¯t joke this way,¡± Dad replied, pinching his forehead. ¡°It wasn¡¯t you who killed them, right? You¡¯re also the victim here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes,¡± Dion nodded and answered. We also helped Miss Mathilde to stand up. ¡°We just need to put the blame on that mad scientist. He¡¯s the root of our problems, and also, he¡¯s related to other cases.¡± ¡°But I¡ªI stole a royalty¡¯s possession¡­ the coins.¡± ¡°I told you, we don¡¯t mind it,¡± I followed with a smile on my face. ¡°Money was never my worry. It was Elara¡¯s fault that she brought too much.¡± ¡°Then¡­ What will happen to me?¡± Dion asked. ¡°You are two of my good citizens,¡± Dad said. ¡°Miss Mathilde lived her life in this city with respect to the proper way of living. Young blood, you only stole money for your mother¡¯s sake, right?¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty.¡± ¡°Then¡­ would you want to work in this castle? As a knight? Wasn¡¯t it the perfect revenge to the one who turned you into a monster?¡± ¡°What!?¡± Dion shouted, jerking his head back. He coughed after he was wary of his awkwardness. ¡°I¡¯m s¡ªsorry for my rudeness, your majesty, but am I r¡ªreally going to become a k¡ªknight? Wasn¡¯t it fair to others?¡± ¡°A sworn oath would only become unfair if you lied. Offering this to you, I¡¯m expecting you to stand before the kingdom in times of crisis. Just so happened that if you didn¡¯t accept this offer, you¡¯ll be executed¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯LL ACCEPT!¡± Dion shouted, bowing his head in his waist level, forming a 45 degree angle with his body. ¡±I SWORE THAT I WILL PROTECT THE KINGDOM! PLEASE DON¡¯T EXECUTE ME!¡± ¡°And for you, Miss Mathilde, I would like you to become a personal maid in my mansion? Since you and Elara were already acquaintances, I will place you under her supervision.¡± Miss Mathilde bowed the same level as Dion. As she faces the ground, tears painted the carpet, leaving wet dots. She put her hand over her racing heart. Like mother, like son¡­ ¡°This is too much¡­ Your majesty¡­ Even though we don¡¯t deserve any of this¡­ Thank you¡ªThank you very much¡­¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mom¡­¡± Dion muttered, rubbing his mother¡¯s back, calming her down. ¡°We don¡¯t have to suffer in the slums anymore.¡± ¡°Since everything was settled, I would like you to attend in my meeting room tomorrow. We will continue our discussion privately with my wife and assign you to your respective posts.¡± Tears watered Dion¡¯s eyelids. He looked up at Dad and said with enthusiasm, ¡°Thank you very much, your majesty!¡± ¡°Now, for the next matter¡­ Veniara!¡± He shouted like he¡¯s calling someone from far away. ¡°Yes, father!?¡± Is he going to lay out another dad joke? Please, don¡¯t! ¡°Until the whole monster thing was settled, you can¡¯t leave the castle grounds.¡± Wait¡ªIt¡¯s worse! ¡°Why!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t why me! Those assassins might have already known your identity, you careless brat! ¡± That might be a logical reason, and I couldn¡¯t counter it. But I don¡¯t want spending my time like a prisoner. The time is ticking. There¡¯s no way I could ask for Mom¡¯s help. If I rot here, I wouldn¡¯t learn by experience. If the same situation happened again, that incident from yesterday, I wished I could do something. What¡¯s worse? I¡¯m stuck in this place with that background character! He have more opportunity to do anything to my body without me knowing! That would be the worst. But if it was for security, I couldn¡¯t argue with them. The whole reason the monsters were gathering at the forest, ready to attack the kingdom, was because of me. If such a single monster, we¡¯re already having a hard time, how about a bunch of them? I had no choice but to agree. After the matters of the mother and son in the throne room, Dad dismissed us for Brodveth¡¯s private report. I accompanied the two until we reached the castle gates. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be the kingdom¡¯s princess, Vena. That explains why you had such amount of coins with you,¡± Dion said. ¡°Was that your notable trait for royalties?¡± I asked. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t have that, I can support myself alone.¡± ¡°By the way, we didn¡¯t have the chance earlier.¡± ¡°Chance of what?¡± The mother and son stopped walking and profusely bowed in gratitude before me. My mouth hanged open as my body froze in place. ¡°You saved my Mom¡­ You helped us too much that I couldn¡¯t thank you enough. I would do anything to pay you back!¡± Dion shouted. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you came to me, Princess Veniara. If not for you, I wouldn¡¯t have lasted¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have lived. Thank you for everything you did for us,¡± Miss Mathilde added. ¡°S¡ªStop crying, won¡¯t you?¡± I replied with my slack mouth as I waved my hands at them. ¡°E¡ªEverything¡¯s fine now. You can now live inside our residence, and you also had proper jobs as well. Isn¡¯t it a happy ending for you, guys?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Dion concluded as they straightened their backs. ¡°Vena¡ª No, Princess Veniara, I swore myself to protect you with my life, no matter what the cost!¡± A surge of heat arose to my cheeks, painting my face beet red. This sounded like a confession! How should I respond to this!? ¡°Y¡ªYour oath should be for tomorrow!¡± I squealed. ¡°Save your breath first. Release all your positive energy tomorrow. After that, you¡¯ll officially become the knight.¡± ¡°I will become a fine knight, the one that will always protect you wherever you go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, please. It¡¯s creepy,¡± I commented with palms extended in my arm, pulling my head away from him. There are still no laws about stalking here. ¡°I will become stronger, and stronger, and stronger¡­ until Brother Brod would notice me again.¡± ¡°Brother Brod?¡± Was it Brodveth? Miss Mathilde inserted, ¡°The cavalry captain, Brodveth, was our neighbor in the slums five years ago. Seeing him again, I¡¯m just happy that he¡¯s eating properly.¡± Ohh? Was this a new secret backstory unlocked? Brodveth just appeared on the book because of his title, but there¡¯s no history related to him. Now that I realized it, a sudden memory engraved Dion¡¯s name into clarity. When I read the book, he was also a main cast in it. Before I knew it, Dion was the kingdom¡¯s cavalry knight replacing Brodveth. Because of the lack of backstory, I only kept the nickname ¡®Cavalry Captain Junior¡¯ for me to remember him. He never had a bright appearance nor an impact in the book. It¡¯s the same for most characters, for which only focused on harem and irrelevant stuff. Who knew he was this slum kid? If those fake reviewers and marketers did enter this book instead of me, would they understand the reality of the story? I did had a glimpse of how my story connected with the book, but it was never my intention on doing so. So far, this question arose me: Was the book really running according to the set story? Even if I changed my route and without the need of a trigger, the same scene happens. Xenos proved it to me with the engagement that happened three days after escaping him. The engagement, Dion¡¯s reason to become a knight, even the involvement of the underground doctor¡­ These are cases I¡¯m unaware that put me back to the main timeline. It felt like I¡¯ve been put in this book to connect these dots. Now that comes to it, a question caught the attention of my mind. ¡°By the way, Dion, you mentioned that you came to see an underground doctor, right? Where is he now?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± He asked with a tilted head. ¡°He¡¯s still in prison, and his sentence would be for a lifetime imprisonment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s just fine.¡± ¡°What¡¯s fine? What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m making amendments.¡± Suddenly, I heard a shout from afar, for which it became louder gradually. From the mansion¡¯s direction, a maid waved her hand while running towards me. ¡°Miss Veniara!¡± ¡°Elara-san!¡± Miss Mathilde replied. ¡°Miss Mathilde and Dion too! Hello. Where are you three going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending them off. By the way¡­¡± I said and explained what happened to my father¡¯s meeting after that. From the case up to the ¡°It really is Elliot, huh?¡± Elara muttered, clenching her fists. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your ally, Elara. Let¡¯s gang up that hairy old man¡¯s face with our fists!¡± I exclaimed, cheering her, but her reaction was different. ¡°Old?¡± Elara asked with widened eyes and tilted head. ¡°That was the man that talked to Dion at the forest¡­ His hair was wild, and his eyes were wide and bloodshot, isn¡¯t that right, Dion?¡± I asked, and Dion nodded. Elara pinched her chin, staring from reality for a moment. She muttered, ¡°are you sure that was Elliot?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the only suspect, right!?¡± I asked. ¡°Ellyn proved it to the kingdom that he¡¯s the root cause of harboring monsters in the forest. Is there something wrong, Elara?¡± With a low-tone voice, Elara replied. ¡°I can¡¯t say he¡¯s old, but¡­ he¡¯s supposed to be a year younger than me.¡± 41. Good in Goodbyes - 1 ¡°Kindly sit down, my dear audience.¡± The King advised to his attendees standing in the meeting room. The Queen, Dion, Mathilde, Brodveth, and Elara sat on the free space available on the couch. Before the King planned on joking, the Queen dominated him and initiated the meeting. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for everything that is suddenly happening, my dear child. If you don¡¯t want to, you shouldn¡¯t push yourself in forcing things out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, your highness,¡± Dion said. ¡°In order to become a mighty knight, I will do what it takes for the monsters to be eradicated.¡± ¡°My apologies, Queen, but we already made a pact in cooperating with the kingdom. You can extract information from us. Your family already gave us a handful of help we can never repay within our lives,¡± Mathilde said. ¡°Yeah¡­ I heard you¡¯re Elara¡¯s underling now,¡± the Queen muttered, winking her brows toward the King. When the King received her eye contact, he scratched his head and giggled. ¡°My queen, am I at utmost importance to attend this conference?¡± Elara asked. ¡°Elara, my dear swift maid, you uphold a key information that might connect the dots to these mysteries.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know if my information was reliable, your highness. It¡¯s been years since I last saw his face.¡± ¡°Dion,¡± the queen said, which made Dion jump his chair. ¡°Y¡ªYes!¡± ¡°Oh, my sincere apologies to be rude. I might have raised my tone. Don¡¯t get scared at me dear. I¡¯m always careful when talking to someone. Calm down, okay?¡± Dion nodded his head while pressing his lips. The queen hid her lips behind her squirming fingers and asked. ¡°Continuing the conversation, did his eyes glow red?¡± Dion looked up, remembering the scientist¡¯s physical details before he answered. ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°It did connect the dots.¡± The queen leaned the couch and looked at Brodveth. ¡°Cavalry Captain, would you mind helping me a hand?¡± ¡°How may I offer my assistance, your highness?¡± The Queen continued, ¡°the pressing matter currently would be the investigation of missing women bodies within the slums. Can you expound this more?¡± ¡°So, my Queen, I thought the kingdom wasn¡¯t investigating this case according to the man at the tavern,¡± Mathilde said. ¡°The kingdom did, for was I who were the object of the undercover intel gathering,¡± Brodveth said. ¡°The moment the case had been happening, I¡¯m away from the castle to observe.¡± ¡°Oh, were you?¡± The king asked. ¡°I thought you locked yourself in your feather-filled room.¡± ¡°Can you bury your opinion to your butthole?¡± The queen roared towards the king with a noisy breathing. ¡°I humbly apologize for the interuption, Cavalry Captain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, my queen. I shall continue the report. I had been living in the slums for years before I became a knight, so I¡¯m the most suitable candidate for this operation. It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been an acquaintance of Miss Mathilde and Dion before.¡± After a pause, Mathilde muttered. ¡°Brod¡­ I thought you forgot us¡­¡± ¡°I would never forget those kind people who helped me. My apologies for not entertaining your attention before. I would like to, but I couldn¡¯t in front of a royal decree.¡± ¡°Brod¡­ You looked¡­ healthier than before¡­¡± Mathilde said. She stood, walked towards Brodveth, and touched his face. ¡°Are you eating well now? Looks like your hard work paid off. Everywhere I go, everyone knows your name. You¡¯re too successful now¡­ way beyond where we could never reach.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Miss Mathilde¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± ¡°What happened last year¡­ I should¡¯ve helped you¡­ but¡­¡± ¡°Last year?¡± A year ago¡­ Mathilde was supposed to come home by the afternoon from her work at a noble¡¯s place, which was a family of abusive dictators. She never realized that coughing became her habit. Its symptoms appeared a year after giving birth to Dion. Sickness lived with her all along, but she ignored it because of financial reasons. But that day became her toughest day. In the middle of the street, she vomited and fell down the ground, garnering public attention. She couldn¡¯t move her body, yet her conscious eyes circled to those people that surrounded her. No one helped her. Instead, voices swarmed, talking about how unfortunate Mathilde was in the lowest class. ¡°Poor her. Slum people are dead weights of the kingdom.¡± ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re just the class with the lowest priority, worse, become a factory of criminals. Those who are in the slums doesn¡¯t deserve to live.¡± A loud bell rang. The knights from the castle invaded the streets, announcing that the residents should shelter under their houses. The reason was unknown. The civilians left Mathilde lying on the ground, hyperventilating. Dion passed, squinting his eyes towards the lying woman until it was clear that it was her mother. Dion ran to her, shouting, ¡°Mom!¡± Rumbling of steps caught his attention. He tried carrying his mother out the chaos, but it was too late. It was a death march to him. The stampede caused his back to be stepped by heavy people. He gritted his teeth as his back burned in pain. To protect his mother, he held back his scream. He shielded her with his thin body, until he suffered broken ribs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Mom¡­¡± At the present¡­ When Dion recalled what happened, he quickly pulled his mom away from Brodveth. His wide-open arms obstructed the contact between the two. ¡°You¡­ How dare you, Brother Brod! How dare you step on us! I thought you cared for us¡­ But no. All you think of was your status, your mission, your selfishness!¡± ¡°Could you please shut up!?¡± The queen shouted, halting the two from throwing each other¡¯s arguments. ¡°I didn¡¯t went on the town theater to watch a drama. I needed reports.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, your highness, but I couldn¡¯t forgive this man who trampled on us,¡± Dion argued. ¡°The whole search wasn¡¯t his fault. If you¡¯re angry you got trampled on, blame my daughter. Now, Cavalry Captain, can you give us the report?¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty. I spotted a man in a hooded cloak, wearing a mask. His blinking and glowing red eyes were notable. Judging from his physique, he might be a thin person.¡± ¡°By thin, you mean young?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I suspect. His height didn¡¯t exceed six feet. He doesn¡¯t have wrinkles on his hands. I consulted the forensic mages and estimated that he might still be a teenager, preferably 17 or 18.¡± ¡°T¡ªThere¡¯s no denying it,¡± Elara uttered, standing up her seat. ¡°That¡¯s Elliot. Elliot was within the kingdom¡¯s grounds!¡± ¡°This was an alarming matter,¡± Queen added. ¡°The kidnappings, the experiment, the monsters in the forest¡­ He took a step before us. Elara, are you willing to investigate this matter? You¡¯re the only one who knew Elliot¡¯s face by now.¡± ¡°I humbly apologize, your majesty, but my time was completely occupied for watching over Veniara. Though I hated to say this, but I¡¯m not the only one who knows his face. Do you want me to invite her for this matter?¡± ¡°Ask her, Elara. Tell her this is an urgent matter.¡± *** The castle dungeon was located within the castle¡¯s underground. It gathered criminals, sorted by their offenses. I passed through the same dungeon once to clear a misunderstanding. Who knew that I would do this again? This time, I faced someone with a major offense. ¡°What do you want?¡± A dead-looking man sat on the corner of his cell. ¡°Oh, a royalty. Are you going to laugh at someone pretending to be higher than your status? Higher than God?¡± ¡°I am not here for your mumbling,¡± I said, standing before his cell. ¡°You should answer my questions, else¡­¡± He was the doctor that Dion visited in search for a cure for his mother. ¡°Else what? You¡¯ll kill me? I wouldn¡¯t care less. Either way, I¡¯ll end up dying. It¡¯s better if you do it quick¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t entertain your rants. Answer my questions, I beg you.¡± ¡°What a spoiled brat pretending to be an adult.¡± ¡°In what book did you learn the term ¡®orthomyxoviridae?¡¯¡± His eyes widened and his head stood straight. He gulped. ¡°Hey, hey! Kid, don¡¯t you want to get imprisoned too, don¡¯t you? Did that brat tell you that?¡± ¡°He did, but he never knew that it was a family of viruses which infected his mother. No one else knew other than me and you.¡± ¡°I could just shout here and call the guards to mark a cell your home. You took the wrong path to become an underground doctor. You¡¯ll end up like me.¡± I opened my palm to him. A ball of light appeared, dazzling his eyes. I took it off the moment I showed him. ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ a saintess candidate!?¡± ¡°I might look like a kid, but I might known far greater than you. Hypesviridae, Reoviridae, Togaviridae, and the lates Coronaviridae¡­ some of it might tick out of your brain. There are still things you don¡¯t know about the world.¡± ¡°Did you come here just to brag?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I have a proposal. Are you willing to negotiate?¡± ¡°I like how shady your mind is. I¡¯m willing to listen.¡± ¡°First, may I ask your name?¡± ¡°¡­Hugbert.¡± Hugbert¡­ Hugbert!? ¡°HUGBERT SEISTAD!?¡± ¡°I never disclosed my family name! Where did you get that, kid!?¡± My hand flew, covering my parting mouth. My eyebrows compressed as my pupils dilated. Sucking a quick breath, I froze in place. This man¡­ He was the engineer of the kingdom¡¯s defenses. Most notably¡­ He was Elara¡¯s future husband! 42. Good in Goodbyes - 2 ¡°Always judge the book not by its cover.¡± Was it really true? I guess it¡¯s true only when the book in question was already popular. That quote itself was the indication that the book was already well-known to the public. But it wasn¡¯t always the case. That quote was a bluff. There were some readers who were patient to see through the plot. Sad reality was¡­ the majority was the opposite. I¡¯m also a reader who did the same. I ditched works that didn¡¯t caught my interest from the first arc. Some had very long arcs that never end. Sometimes, it ended in a paragraph. For the readers¡¯ tastes, what wraps the skin fleshes up to the bones. If the cover nor even the first part didn¡¯t attract a reader, there¡¯s the chance that it would be dropped. For my case in my past life, I had a few fans reading my works. I mostly had interactive experience with them. They even corrected some of my mistakes or suggested a proper fix to a plot hole. Even if they¡¯re few, it satisfied me and motivated me to update my stories. Whenever I knew that someone was interested in my work, I swore to myself that I¡¯ll improve my writing more. Though the market and my competitors were harsh, I continued every story I did and saw through all its end. I never let anyone stop me from writing. Even though I never had fun in my previous life, I lied. For some reason, I regret denying the fun that knocked the door into my heart. That calming feeling I had before was too pleasant and addicting that I longed for it. And the fate gave me another chance to live my life to the fullest. I woke up in the morning, sitting straight at my bed, and greeted the sun that made everything around me lively. The first thing I did was shout. ¡°Elara!¡± Bang! A breathless maid opened the door and rushed at me. ¡°M¡ªMiss Veniara, what happened¡­ Wait, why are you grinning?¡± ¡°Elara, I¡¯d like to request something to you¡­¡± Since I couldn¡¯t get out of the castle, I could only ask her for help. She ran out my room, accepting my request. Ten in the morning, I asked Teacher Jes to met me at the library. I requested for my magic training to be postponed for a request. ¡°THIRTY ENTERO DOFLAIN INK SACS!? Are you building an organization to strangle me!? Perhaps, am I discovered!?¡± ¡°N¡ªNo! You¡¯re overreacting! And you¡¯re already discovered ever since you¡¯ve made your first issue about me.¡± ¡°You really are angry at me, Princess¡­ You¡¯re even planning to raise a cult to take me down. You¡¯re suspicious¡­¡± ¡°I told you that wasn¡¯t it! My reasons were pure personal. I don¡¯t care about your headlines as long as you don¡¯t conceal my identity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident about that,¡± Jes smirked. Confident, huh? A die-hard tabloid fan decoded my identity already. ¡°I¡¯m going to print a book.¡± Ever since I transported into this world, I think I should use this chance given to me to live my life to the fullest. My first step was to create a book. The demand for inks was too high. I¡¯m pinched between the massive numbers of press and institutions racing to get our prints ongoing. It was the reason why storybooks are less. Rather, storybooks here lack not only quality but also word count. Most of the published works were children¡¯s fairy tales, and the maximum I could count was twenty pages, all with huge fonts. ¡°So? Why did you call me? I¡¯m completely unrelated to that,¡± Jes asked. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Inks are scarce, right? How you print your tabloids without wasting ink? Was it man-made? Mechanical? Magical?¡± ¡°Confidential files, mi seniora.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to donate ten extra sacs.¡± ¡°If I taught you how, are you willing to donate extra five sacs?¡± ¡°A little price to pay.¡± Jes smirked and stood up. She took a random book from one of the shelves and a blank paper. She placed both over the table, opened a random book page, and hovered her hands over them. ¡°Print.¡± From gray to black, the ink carved itself into the paper. The page cloned itself as it is. ¡°That was easy!¡± I exclaimed with my glimmering eyes. I couldn¡¯t hold my grin from this amazement. ¡°That was only for printing. You need a reference material for it, though I guess you would give up after swelling your hand from writing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got it covered.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What you¡¯ll do seems interesting¡­¡± By noon, I stopped by the workshop and asked the snoring man who leaned on a rocking chair, covering his eyes with a cloth. ¡°Hugbert, wake up. You have a work to do.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hugbert groaned, removing the cover from his eyes and peeked. Hugbert became the kingdom¡¯s personal engineer based on my recommendation. Since the church knew that he was already detained, we could utilize him as a prisoner to the full extent. Judging on how he¡¯s concerned with me being jailed, I guess he wouldn¡¯t have plans to rebel. Mom undoubtedly accepted him and his knowledge in crafts. How he¡¯s amazing? He created all his equipment on his own. I gave him a small ink pouch. ¡°You have a project to work on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m have no knowledge in crafting poison.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I shouldn¡¯t have asked you. You will create a device that will print letters on a paper with a button press. Don¡¯t worry, I have confidence for engineer.¡± ¡°What a delusional kid. Was the thing a collection of stamps.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the vague idea, and we¡¯ll call it the typewriter.¡± I might¡¯ve accidentally started the technological revolution in this world. *** ¡°Why am I here?¡± Dion asked as he stood over the lake where he last ran off. He wore a light leather armor used for training knights. ¡°The princess might have forgiven you, but I don¡¯t. You still had a price to pay for my pouch,¡± Elara said. Elara brought Dion on the lakeside to hunt ink sacs. She only watched Dion in fighting the countless tentacles waving out of the ground. Dion danced with the slams of the two giant octopuses and evaded each hit. He didn¡¯t utilize his sword in his clammy hands. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a knight? A knight should offer their life for the royalty! Why the heck are you shaking?¡± Elara shouted. ¡°It¡¯s been only a week after I became a knight! And¡ªIt wasn¡¯t even my decision!¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t protecting anyone if you¡¯re just going to evade everything. You aren¡¯t employed in a circus! Does a thief only knows how to run?¡± ¡°I am not a thief!¡± He shouted. His trembling vanished as he gritted his teeth. ¡°I will show you how I¡¯ll raise myself to be the strongest! AAARGHH!!¡± He charged towards the monster with a war cry, but he didn¡¯t notice that he fell into the enemy¡¯s trap. His foot landed to a hole, for which the tentacle grabbed and raised it in air. Dion hung in the air, shouting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elara-san! I will respect you! Please save me!¡± Elara pinched her forehead and sighed by watching him. A dagger pierced through the tentacle holding Dion. He fell down after the tentacle lost its strength. Elara muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t only have one, but two troublemakers. If I¡¯m going to learn parenthood early, I should¡¯ve searched for my man.¡± *** A week later¡­ I stood on the workshop and stared at my sketch and the prototype simultaneously. It had buttons carved with letters and a spring supported each underneath. It also had a refillable and replaceable ink compartment. The placement of the letter could be adjusted, but in default, it runs from left to right. To test it, I placed a paper and typed my name. I repeated the same thing three times, but in the brink of excitement, I forgot my goal and started writing my story instead. The typewriter created a fast tempo like I was in full auto. ¡°You¡¯re too obvious,¡± Hugbert said. ¡°T¡ªThat¡¯s not it! I¡¯m just testing this device!¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Well done, Hugbert! As expected, you did this without flaws! I could flex this to my Dad, and he¡¯ll give you a praise.¡± ¡°I only put your idea into a device, milady. I don¡¯t deserve such praise.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re already working here. You should practice getting praises every time. Your embarrassment would only shame the family though I don¡¯t know why.¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve said, milady. By the way, may I ask? Where did you get such an outstanding idea? Even in your first try, it was perfectly engineered.¡± ¡°Secret.¡± Tac! Tac! I spent my whole afternoon in my room, flooding every corner with sounds of clicking. Elara entered my room with her squint. ¡°Princess Veniara, for once I thought mosquitoes swarmed your room.¡± ¡°Shut up, Elara. I¡¯m in creative mode.¡± Elara gazed over my manuscript worth of forty pages of text. I took a sudden break and gave her my ten pages which contained my first chapter. ¡°Elara, can you read this? And tell me what you think of it.¡± ¡°I think¡­ the text was small.¡± Since storybooks contained huge texts, my manuscript should be weird for her¡­ But we¡¯re in the starting age of technological revolution. ¡°Just read it. Wasting extra paper was never convenient.¡± I continued writing. Since Elara couldn¡¯t focus, she took out my manuscript with her. After gathering another thousand words, she came back. Elara pressed the paper hard that she left marks on it. She pressed her lips and fidgeted her feet like she¡¯s rushing into something. She leaned at me and asked. ¡°Milady, what will happen next!? I couldn¡¯t eager to wait!¡± That was how I got my first reader in this world.