CHAPTER 26: CH:26 DON’T CALL ME PRINCESS

The maid’s footsteps pounded against the stone floors of Exonory Castle, echoing wildly through the grand corridors.

Her breath came in sharp bursts as she darted beneath tall, arched windows glowing with golden morning light. She passed rows of silver-gilded candelabras, their flames flickering in her rush, and stone walls lined with portraits—not of elves, but of past human kings, heroes, and warriors that shaped Exonory’s proud legacy.

Among them hung one peculiar painting—an oil portrait of a young elf girl in silver-white robes, resting among human royalty. She didn’t belong to their bloodline... and yet her frame hung there, untouched, as if time had waited for her return.

As the maid ran past, it was as if that girl’s painted eyes followed her.

She skidded to a halt at the guard post, nearly crashing into a startled sentry.

"T-The girl—" she gasped. "The elf girl who was brought in... she’s awake!"

The Exonory guard, clad in burnished steel and red cloak, blinked once in disbelief. Then his eyes widened.

Without a word, he spun on his heel and sprinted.

The stillness of the morning cracked open.

Down the endless marble hallways, urgency flared. Guards exchanged glances. Maids stopped pushing carts. Whispers turned to rapid chatter.

"Did she say... the girl woke up?" a maid whispered, clutching a basket to her chest.

"The elf from Eldor? The one they found collapsed in the kingdom inside at village marketplace?" another asked, voice trembling.

"They said she was taken... by the Black Steel Berserker."

A hush fell.

"And now she’s here in this kingdom?"

Two staff near the hall’s columned arch leaned closer, lowering their voices.

"She was found in the wreckage of the Exonory market," one whispered. "The place was scorched—cracked stone, shattered stalls... magic seared through everything."

"And they found her there?" the other asked. "With the Hero Knight and that Priestess?"

The first nodded.

"All three of them unconscious. Barely breathing."

"But how did a Princess of Eldor end up there?"

"And why was she so gravely injured?"

A third maid paused near a window, voice cold with unease.

"I heard whispers from a scout. That it wasn’t just any attacker."

She glanced down the quiet corridor, then leaned in.

"They say it was a masked assassin. A shadow... powerful, fast. Inhuman."

Their voices faded beneath the rising tension that curled like fog through the castle halls.

No one understood the truth.

Dila hadn’t escaped the Berserker of Black Steel.

She had fought a masked elf with power unknown to this world.

And whatever happened in that ruined marketplace—

Still waited in silence behind the castle walls of Exonory.....

Meanwhile...

The grand doors of the Exonory throne hall creaked open.

A knight—cloaked in steel—entered the vast, sunlit chamber. Marble pillars towered at both sides, casting long shadows across the yellow carpet that ran like a river down the center.

At the far end, King Harvey sat slouched on his throne, his face resting heavily on one hand, fingers curled against his cheek. The golden crown atop his aging head gleamed faintly in the morning light, but his eyes were weary—marked by burdens and recent silence.

The knight approached, stopping just before the throne. He bowed low.

"My lord," he said, voice tight with urgency. "May I speak a word? It is... important."

Harvey didn’t lift his gaze.

"Speak."

The knight swallowed. "The Princess of the Eldor Kingdom... she has awakened from her slumber."

The king’s fingers shifted slightly, pressing more firmly against his cheek.

A pause.

Then he turned his head slightly, voice low and calm—too calm.

"Come again?"

The knight flinched but repeated it.

"The Princess of Eldor has awakened, Your Majesty. The elven girl who was brought in after the incident in the market... the one they feared might never rise again."

A wave of murmurs spread like wind through the throne hall. Lords, attendants, and nearby clerks exchanged looks, whispering under their breath.

"She survived...?"

"Is that truly the lost Princess?"

"I thought she was..."

Still, King Harvey said nothing.

He slowly rose from the throne, his movements quiet but deliberate.

A thick silence swallowed the room.

He stared straight ahead, the tired weight behind his eyes now replaced with something unreadable.

"Let me see her," he said at last.

The knight hesitated, uncertain. "But, sire—"

"No buts," the king cut sharply. His voice echoed like a blade across the chamber. "Move."

The knight quickly bowed again and stepped aside.

The king’s cloak swept gently behind him as he began walking. Heavy boots tapped across the polished stone, the yellow carpet stretched before him like a golden path.

His steps were calm.

King Harvey walked with measured steps, his long cloak brushing against the fine stone floor as he moved through the interior of the Exonory castle. A pair of royal knights flanked him from behind, armored boots clinking softly in rhythm.

They passed through an arched corridor that opened briefly into the royal garden—a quiet sanctuary of trimmed hedges and white-blooming trees. Sunlight filtered through vine-covered trellises, casting a gentle glow across the cobbled path. But the king didn’t pause to admire it.

His thoughts were too heavy.

Albedo... you old stubborn goat.

Harvey’s brows furrowed as he continued walking.

He was furious with me... thought I had something to do with his daughter’s disappearance. That damn misunderstanding nearly tore apart the bond between our kingdoms.

He exhaled slowly through his nose.

One wrong move, and that fragile thread of peace could’ve snapped. I can’t afford a war, not with our dwindling manpower... and certainly not with an army of elven warriors led by an old lunatic who thinks the Black Berserker is one of my dogs.

Harvey scowled at the memory.

Ridiculous. I’ve never even seen the Berserker bastard in my life.

The corridor turned, and the castle’s west wing loomed ahead—where the healers’ ward was hidden deep within the marble foundations while the sunlight can still pass through.

And yet, despite the gravity of it all, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

Maybe Albedo’s losing it in his age... A daughter missing, a war on his mind, and now she’s been found in my lands?

He clicked his tongue.

The irony.

But even the faint humor in his mind was shadowed by concern. This wasn’t just political. The Princess of Eldor had been found in his kingdom, broken and near death. If this wasn’t handled carefully...

...the next letter from Eldor might not be a message.

It might be a declaration.

Meanwhile, inside the softly lit chamber, Dila remained nestled under the silken blankets of the massive bed. Her body ached faintly, but the warmth of the sheets and the perfume of nearby roses made everything feel calm... almost too calm.

That was, until—

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Multiple footsteps echoed closer from the hallway—rushed, careful, but full of purpose.

The large wooden door creaked open, and a group of maids cautiously stepped inside.

Their eyes widened the moment they laid eyes on her.

One gasped, her hands clutched to her chest.

"P-Princess...!"

Dila blinked slowly.

Princess? she repeated in her mind, a slight twitch forming at the corner of her mouth.

Then a dry laugh echoed in her thoughts.

Hah... hahaha. What do you think I am, some lost royal? I’m just a player dropped into this crazy world—not some fancy crown girl. Call me anything, but ’Princess’ makes me itchy.

☆ Fufu~ You do look like one, Master! Just... a little more shy~ ☆

Nari giggled sweetly in her head.

Dila gave a tiny sigh, pulling the blanket a bit higher over her shoulder as the maids moved gracefully around her.

One approached with a bucket of steaming water and folded cloths, bowing gently.

"Princess, may I clean your body now?"

Dila’s eyes shot open.

"W-What!?" she sat up slightly, clutching the blanket with both arms like a lifeline.

"Sorry, but—no, no! You can’t do that!"

She quickly ducked her head under the covers, muffling her voice.

"P-Please, noooo..."

The maids froze in place.

A quiet second passed.

Then Nari burst into a soft giggle again.

☆ Eeeh~? Master, are you blushing again? You’re turning as pink as my hair~ ☆

From under the blanket, a muffled growl escaped.

"Shut up, Nari..."