Spring had arrived, and Emilia was working hard in the library. Eloe noticed the girl's dedication and, in a way, took advantage of it, passing his own tasks onto her. Not that it was a problem, as it only made it easier for the girl to access confidential materials.
"Has the prince been working here for long, Elo?" she asked one day, during Arthur's absence, as he was training with the royal army. Arthur spent all his time focusing on both physical and mental training (in the library).
"If I remember correctly, a few months," the fairy said, thoughtfully. "But why are you so interested?"
Emilia blushed. She couldn't raise any suspicions, and everyone around had already noticed her sudden interest in the prince.
"It seems like you like him," Oliver once remarked grumpily when they went fishing, and Emilia bombarded him with questions about how the prince behaved in the army. "Don't forget you're human. Elves hate humans like us."
"But you have powers..." Emilia said, smiling at Oliver, whose face softened, and he gave a slight smile.
"Yes... I do... but it makes me wonder who my parents are," he said reflectively. Emilia couldn't say anything, as her brother didn't know she had powers too, and she didn't want her plan to be discovered.
"It's because I like him," Emilia replied to Eloe, who raised an eyebrow in doubt.
"You seem too focused on your books to like anyone."
"It's true, I like him! That's why I need to know everything about him."
"I'll pretend I believe you. Anyway, the prince works here not by his own will, but because of his mother, Queen Jupiter."
The girl paused for a moment. This was new information. She had never imagined that the queen wasn't the prince's mother, let alone that he was not there of his own free will.
"But why, Eloe?"
"Queen Jupiter loves books and always talks to Arthur about them," the librarian explained. "But after losing her sight, she couldn't read any more books. Arthur's mission is to read all the books and tell her what's happening in the kingdom. But, i don't know, it sound more like an joke, isn't it?"
"Interesting..." the girl replied, her mind filling with a flood of ideas.
Maybe Arthur wasn't acting alone but had accomplices. And the queen seemed to be one of them.
"Ah, as a mere human, I will never be able to express my love for Arthur, much less meet such a graceful queen," Emilia muttered dramatically, making Eloe laugh and point behind her.
Arthur stood behind them, a wooden sword slung across his back, sweat dripping from his face, and panting.
"What's this joke?"
"I-I didn't know you were there!" Emilia stammered, jumping back. Arthur shook his head and grabbed her by the arms.
"Follow me."
"But I have to finish organizing the books and..."
"Just follow me."
The two reached a large tree in the center of the library, away from Eloe. Emilia looked at the prince, who seemed to carry a heavy burden in his gaze.
"Look, I'm sorry, but I can't return your feelings. I ask that you stop working here if that was your intention."
"No, of course not," Emilia quickly explained. "Actually, I lied. I don't like you. I just wanted to learn more about you."
Which was true. Emilia needed to know more about her enemy, but she couldn't reveal why.
"Why?" Arthur asked, pressing her.
"Because... well, the reason is..." Emilia started, but stopped when shouts could be heard from outside.
"Fire! Enemy attack! Evacuate!" a royal soldier yelled as he fell dead to the ground.
"Come with me! NOW!"