The scene outside the mansion was peculiar, and as I stood there in elegant attire, flanked by my parents, the butler, and the unexpected presence of Eldorion, my history teacher,I still wonder why the hell he was here....
Especially considering what today meant, as soon we would have to welcome the arrival of the royal army, and I found myself tasked with the dubious honor of "greeting" our distinguished guests. Which Among them were, as the most important guest to be the first princess of the kingdom, Evalie Narai, and the esteemed head of the Royal Knights, Victor Pravzin.
Nonetheless they still had not arrived, and I was literally choking in my condition as the collar of this damn dress was too tight, making it difficult to breathe. In my struggle to loosen it a bit, my mother caught sight of my fidgeting and swiftly slapped my hand away.
"Don't you dare touch the dress," she scolded.
"Mother, I can't breathe. Father, please help me," I pleaded, turning to my father, who was also seemingly grappling with the restrictive attire.
"Listen to your mother, Favian. She knows best," he advised, his words failing to offer any relief from the discomfort of the constricting clothing.
The resounding sound of trumpets echoed through the air, and the rhythmic beat of hooves hitting the ground signaled the arrival of the royal army. As the procession of nearly five hundred men came into view,
"Well, apparently, the guests have arrived." Father commented
Raising an eyebrow, I observed the rather modest number of men parading in. "Is this the full extent of the manpower the royals brought?" I inquired a hint of skepticism in my tone.
Father shook his head, "No, these are just the bodyguards of various nobles. The royals actually brought a total of 8,000 men alongside three mana cannons. However, they've set up lodgings near the city. Tonight, we're extending our hospitality to our guests, inviting them to stay at our mansion. This will not only welcome their arrival but also serve as an opportunity to plan the clearing of the dungeon. Discussions might reach a point where your presence will be necessary.''
It made sense honestly as I was literally the only one who explored the dungeon , obviously it was a lie but they did not need to know that.
Carriages approached us, the first bearing the distinguished insignia of a sword and shield entwined with a flying griffin—the emblem of the royal family. A knight opened the carriage door, and distinguished guests began to exit one by one. My father nudged me, a subtle gesture indicating that it was time to show respect. As he commenced with a bow, I followed suit, acknowledging the guests with the appropriate courtesy.
A female figure emerged from the carriage, white hair cascading down, and striking red blood eyes locking onto mine. "Evalie Narai," I whispered to myself, recognizing the first princess of the kingdom. Little did everyone, except me , know that her destiny held a dark omen—a fate that would lead to her death and trigger a civil war that will devastate the entire kingdom. Something that I was keen on preventing , as I needed a united and strong kingdom to fight the demon king .
And since her death would be greatly detrimental to my plans ,I needed to prevent her from dying which was more easier said than done, as the little shit was searching to be fucking killed at every occasion.
With my ever-expanding list of people marked for elimination, the idea of having to save someone stood out as quite unusual. The number of individuals destined for demise was comparable to the amount of alcohol I consumed daily. Therefore, finding a name on that list that required safeguarding rather than termination was a strange and unexpected turn of events.
Father performed a graceful bow, extending heartfelt greetings as he eloquently stated, "Allow the humble servants of the king to express their most sincere greetings to Her Royal Highness." The air seemed to crackle with an air of authority as she briskly ordered us to rise, her tone cutting through the atmosphere
"Please, rise, Count Lawrence. The honor is mine, as you've been a loyal servant to my father, the king. The mere thought of what could have unfolded had you not uncovered the dungeon sends shivers down my spine."
"Your royal highness, you praise me too much. It was, in fact, my son who stumbled upon the dungeon, ultimately rescuing us all from impending doom."
"Ah, truly?" she inquired with a subtle smile, her gaze shifting towards me.
I responded with a deeper bow, my eyes keenly fixed on the man standing beside the princess.
With his lengthy blonde locks cascading around his shoulders, he bore the marks of a seasoned warrior—a striking testament to the battles he had faced. His left eye, a void that spoke of battles past, was replaced by a depth of experience that transcended mere words. A scar, a warrior's badge, artfully cut through his left cheek, revealing the inner part of his mouth. In that moment, as the sunlight played upon his battle-hardened features, it was none other than Victor Pravzin.
It is refreshing to see that the king took the matter seriously sending us him, he was literally the best tactician and commander we could asked for , and with him leading the expedition it was reassuring to see him here.
Father nudged me discreetly, and then, with a call, he drew attention to me. "Favian, the princess is talking to you."
I offered an apologetic nod to my father before making my way toward the princess. "I apologize for my mishap. What my father said is true; I was the one who discovered the dungeon."
The princess dismissed the need for an apology.
"There is no need to apologize. You have rendered a great service to the kingdom and its people. I noticed you observed Sir Victor a bit too much. Do his scars scare you?" she inquired with a small smile.
This bitch...she is as annoying as I remembered her to be "On the contrary, your highness, they fascinate me."
"That certainly is a first," Victor commented with a sober tone. "When people observe my scars and ask if they scare them, they always pull the same bullshit—that they are proof of my allegiance to the kingdom or badges of glory..... In reality, I think they adorn me pretty well. Am I right?" he asked with a smile, the white of his teeth showing on his opened cheek.
"They really make your eyes shine better, Sir," I replied, locking gaze with him.
"Favian!" Father shouted in a worried voice. "This is Sir Victor of House Pravzin; show some respect."
"I apologize, Sir Victor. You asked me a question, and I responded truthfully."
The princess chuckled, finding amusement in the banter. "We should continue this conversation inside. Count Lawrence, if you don't mind?"
Father muttered a reluctant agreement as he extended an invitation for them to enter.
Before they did there was still one more person that was to talk to the princess , and it was none other that old bone of my teacher , who walked up with a smile to the princess and hugged her?
"It's been so long, Evalie. How has life treated you?" he inquired, genuine warmth emanating from his voice.
Evalie reciprocated the embrace, her expression lighting up with a smile. "I've been as bored as always, to be honest. Clearing out this dungeon has stirred some excitement in me. The kingdom has enjoyed peace for too long, and I sense something brewing in the air. Changing the topic, how did the count treat you?"
The old man chuckled, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "As good as I could ever ask. I must say, the biggest pleasure was Favian himself. He possesses a mind even sharper than yours, Princess."
Evalie, seemingly surprised, cupped the cheek of the old man affectionately. Their interaction hinted at a closeness that I was never aware she could have . Who would have thought that my teacher was the royal tutor of the princess herself?
As the conversation ended , I observed the party making their way inside with my mother and father,hell even Eldorion was coming , leaving me instead outside to deal with the little pampered shits that were arriving .....