In all the years she had known Dae, she had never seen him act reasonably. Maybe it was because he had always had the world in the palm of his hand—fame, money, looks, women! He had never lacked anything, not once.
Which was why his arrogance was deeply embedded within his very soul. But at least she had never thought he would be so cruel as to stand aside and watch people die! The most he had done was torment her.
Now, with a dragon on the loose and faced with an unyielding and self-conceited man, she had no idea what to do. The screams of the innocent men still trapped within the ruins of the Moonlite Pavilion echoed in the background as the princess and her favorite consort stared each other down.
"Stop this! People are going to get hurt!"
"Since when did you care about lowlives?" Dae snorted. "Don't pretend to be so pious, Princess. Stand aside and watch them die. After all, you brought them here."
"Dae… You… You can't do this!"
"You want to save them so badly?" Dae liked this—the look of panic in her eyes. Hadn't she always thought of herself as high and mighty? Always taking whatever caught her fancy, not caring about how it affected others. In this world, she was the most despicable person he had ever met.
Was she trying to hide it? Was that why she pretended to care about the people around her now? Maybe it had something to do with her impending marriage proposal—maybe she didn't want the people outside to know what a treacherous, unlikable person she was.
Dae's eyes grew cold. A gentle wind blew, carrying the scent of fire and ash. His pristine white robes swayed in the air, creating a majestic scene. "If you want to save them so badly, why don't you beg for their lives?" His voice carried a hint of mockery and ferocity. His disdain for her was obvious in that moment.
Even Kira, who had known Dae for years, couldn't help but be stunned by his contemptuous gaze. She had always known Dae didn't like her, but who knew this version of him would despise her even more? At that moment, she felt very unsafe in his presence.
Why... why would the princess ever want to keep someone like this around her? Sure, he was very good-looking, but so what? There were lots of other good-looking men out there! There was no need to put up with someone this hateful.
A decision was already made in her mind. Kira glanced back at the people watching the confrontation closely, anxiously awaiting her reaction. She rolled her eyes at them.
"Stop the dragon, and I'll let you go."
Everyone watching: "...WHAT?!"
Did they hear it wrong? The princess was actually willing to let her favorite plaything go? It seemed unbelievable.
"Really?" Dae scoffed, clearly doubting her sincerity.
'Wait, do you think you're so good-looking? What's not to believe?! She wouldn't cling to someone this hateful even if she were forced to. Actually, she should have gotten rid of this troublemaker a long time ago.'
He might have been her boss in the modern world, but right now, she was the leader here.
"Obviously. You have my word."
"And what is that worth?"
"You!... I already said you can go! You are free to leave today itself. Nobody will stop you!"
Maybe he finally realized that she was serious. The mocking smile fell from his face, and now he just looked confused. "Why?" he asked.
'Heh.'
Kira chuckled. "Got tired of it."
Everyone watching: "..."
This is really a good show.
Dae's expression went blank, and something dark flashed in his eyes, but she didn't have time to catch it. The dragon rider scoffed coldly and turned away.
His robes billowed in the wind as if they had a life of their own. His long, dark hair cascaded down his back like a midnight waterfall, shimmering faintly in the pale light. Each step he took was measured and serene, as if he were walking on clouds. Coupled with his cold aura, he appeared more like an immortal ascending from heaven than some arrogant man who had just been kicked out of the palace.
Dae's dragon was nowhere to be seen. It seemed as if it had never been there at all, leaving behind only the shambles of its destruction. How does a beast like that just disappear into thin air?
"Pocket dimension," Bloom said, as if reading Kira's thoughts.
Just then, the men who had been quivering in fear, cornered by the dragon, rushed forward. Their eyes reflected reverence as they surrounded the princess.
"Princess, you rescued us!"
"You are so amazing, so kind!"
"We love you... We love you a lot!"
Kira: "..."
No, she was actually doing this for herself! Dae had been a thorn in her side for a long time, and it was high time she chased him away.
"It's okay, it's okay. You guys rest first. I'll send someone to find you another place to live."
With that, she hurried away, feeling like she might melt under their intense gazes. Damn.
Later that day, she received word that Dae had left the palace, taking his ferocious monster with him. Kira couldn't hold back her tears…
"Don't cry for that guy! I'm sure you'll find someone better than him in the future," Evelyn comforted her in a warm voice.
Kira wanted to tell her that she was actually shedding tears of joy! She had finally gotten rid of that prick. But her friends already believed she was in love with Dae, and it would be suspicious if she said otherwise.
"Alright," she muttered as she wiped her tears away and sipped her tea.
That night, she slept like a baby. This was the joy of standing up to a childhood bully, even though the two versions of Dae were a bit different from each other.
She woke up to a hard body pressing against her. Kira was very uncomfortable, and she sleepily tried to wiggle her way out of the tight embrace, but she couldn't escape.
Slowly, she pried her eyes open. She found herself staring into a pair of dark eyes, their gaze fixed intently on her. Long lashes fluttered, softly brushing against the person's pale cheeks with each blink. When he smiled, a small dimple appeared on one cheek, adding a touch of charm to his expression.
"Princess, good morning," he whispered affectionately.
Kira was stunned for a moment, her mind racing to comprehend the scene. Moon? But why was he in her bed? And what was that pressing against her back?
The person behind her must have sensed her stirring. He leaned over her, pushing Moon's face away with his pale hand.
"Tch, why are you so close to her? Don't breathe your nasty morning breath on her," he muttered.
The voice was familiar, as was the golden hair that brushed against her face. Kira shot up into a sitting position, her eyes wide with shock and fear. The man with golden hair, identical to the king, raised a brow at her.
"What is it?" Star asked, his tone casual despite her obvious distress.
"You two… why… why are you in my bed?!!"