''Is this the current hot topic going around ? It's refreshing to finally put a face to the name,'' remarked a white-haired man as he studied me with keen interest. I subtly turned towards the princess, her distaste for the situation evident in her expression. I could already tell who I was dealing with - Lucke Narai, the younger brother of Evalie and third son of the king.And the one who will lead the civil war...
I gave a small bow, acknowledging his royal status while wondering if a dagger would be a better option . ''Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Grace,''
''You may rise,'' he said curtly, his gaze taking in my appearance. ''Apparently, my dear sister has taken a liking to you. She hasn't cursed you out yet, which is a rarity. It seems she would rather converse with you than entertain discussions with my friends.'' He nodded towards Evalie with a smirk.
''Do you need anything from me, Locke? I assume you have already delivered my invitation to your friend, though it seems you chose not to follow mine,'' said the princess sharply.
''My apologies, sir Favian . Even the finest wine cannot mask the bitterness in this room,'' commented Locke as he grabbed a cup from the table. His hand trembled slightly, revealing some deep-seated animosity between members of the royal family. ''Please, dear sister, try to comport yourself with more refinement. It's unbecoming of a member of our family to behave so crassly.''
I could hear audible teeth-grinding coming from my right, and sure enough, Evalie was on the brink of using her silverware to cut her brother's throat . However, Lucke seemed unfazed as he turned his attention back to me.
''Allow me to be your guide, Sir Favian. I know this court like the back of my hand and believe that you should at least be given the opportunity to get acquainted with it properly.''
The princess's gaze flicked from Locke to me, her eyes cold and calculating as she considered his words. I could feel the weight of her scrutiny, like a physical presence in the room. "There is no need for that," she finally said, her tone biting and dismissive. "If Favian requires someone to show him around, he can ask me." Her look at Locke was filled with disdain, as if she were watching a lowly worm squirming before her.
"Perhaps we could show him both," Locke persisted, his voice smooth and persuasive. It was clear he was trying to find an excuse to talk to me alone, away from the prying eyes of the princess. But I wasn't naive; I knew what he wanted, given the role he played in this novel.
"You never seem to get the message, do you?" Evalie asked crudely, her sisterly affection for Locke nonexistent. "Perhaps there are some other worms that need company."
"You are quite unrefined for a princess," Locke retorted dryly before turning to face me. "Please accept my apologies for this unpleasant exchange. If you would allow me the chance to speak with you later on, I would be most grateful."
"Of course, your grace," I replied politely, taking a sip from my cup of wine as I watched Prince Locke give me a nod before exiting
As we watched him leave, I half-expected Evalie to spit on the ground in disgust. Instead, she simply picked up her own cup of wine and drank it down as if it were water.
"So when you said 'other worms,' did you mean me or your brother?" I asked casually, popping a small piece of meat into my mouth from one of the servant's platters.
"I don't know," Evalie answered brusquely, clearly unhappy with our current conversation. It seemed there was someone who could easily get under her skin like this. "Do you consider yourself a worm?"
"No?" I replied, my answer more of a question than a statement.
"Well, there you have it," she huffed before taking another sip of wine.
Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I decided to press on with the important question that had been nagging at me since before. The weight of the impending conversation sat heavily on my shoulders as I cautiously navigated the delicate terrain of Princess Evalie's temperament.
"Your Highness, if I may," I began, carefully measuring my words and tone. "I have been approached by individuals who share my views on our current state of affairs with the demons. We believe it is time for a change in how we handle them."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity piqued. She set down her wine glass and leaned in closer, urging me to continue.
"We propose a campaign beyond our borders" I stated boldly, watching for any sign of approval or hesitation.
She scoffed and shook her head. "Such a venture would be nothing but folly and a fool's quest."
"Or perhaps a miracle and a feat if we succeed," I countered, trying to appeal to her sense of adventure and bravery.
"But what good would come from waging war on their land when we have the advantage defensively here?" she argued.
"Well, staying on the defensive has not served us well thus far," I pointed out. "Perhaps it is time to repay the demons in kind?"
"It would be utter folly, resulting in the needless deaths of thousands," she insisted.
"If we fail..." I paused, setting down my empty cup. "But imagine if we were successful."
She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "It is still a risk not worth taking."
I could see the hesitation in her eyes and knew that it would take more convincing before she agreed to such a bold plan. But I was determined to make her see the potential benefits that lay beyond our borders, even if it meant facing the possibility of failure.
''Actually, I've come to believe that we may be overestimating their forces. While they may possess greater sheer power, our armies are better equipped and trained. In an offensive military campaign, we would have the advantage.'' My words probably sounded like madness, yet I could see she was interested
''I want to hear your reasoning,what is it that make you speak such madn-'' she urged
But as she opened her mouth to speak, she suddenly froze in her tracks. Her face went blank and her eyes locked onto something behind me.
Confused, I turned around and was met with a shocking sight, as i too probably was sharing her same expression.
The reason?It seems that the king guests were not only limited to this country, else it would not explain the appearance of a demon in front of me.