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The King released his grip and rose from his ornate chair, his back turned toward me as he contemplated something unseen. I could sense the weight of the moment hanging in the air between us.
"What's the first topic on our agenda?" he began, tilting his head slightly, as if considering the best approach. "Let's start with the obvious… You're not from this world, are you?"
"Yeah, I think that's accurate," I responded, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
"Think? Your uncertainty is palpable," he replied, casting a sidelong glance over his shoulder.
"It's just that since I woke up, I've only seen the place where I regained consciousness and this room. I can't be entirely sure I'm not still on Earth," I explained, my mind racing with confusion.
"Earth? A peculiar name for a realm," he remarked, curiosity evident in his tone.
"It's not a realm; it's the name of a planet. The place I hail from is called Thailand," I clarified, hoping to provide some context.
"A planet? Fascinating! So, this 'Thailand'… I know nothing of it. I'm eager to learn about your world, but first, let's address where you are now."
I nodded slowly, absorbing the implications of his words. If he had never heard of Thailand, then perhaps I truly had crossed into an entirely different reality. A kingdom steeped in medieval traditions surely wouldn't go unnoticed in modern media.
"Well, prepare yourself, because this world is vastly different from yours," he continued, his tone shifting to a more serious note.
"I'm beginning to see that," I replied, glancing around the opulent chamber.
"The first thing you must understand is that our kingdom—this realm—is in a perilous state," he stated, his voice dropping to a grave whisper.
"Perilous? How so?" I asked, feeling the tension in the air.
"Quite simply put, in the past decade alone, two neighboring kingdoms have been annihilated without a single battle," he explained, the gravity of his words weighing heavily on me.
"Annihilated? That's… alarming," I said, trying to grasp the full scope of what he was saying.
"Yes. The last kingdom to fall without conflict perished approximately 150 years ago," he added, his voice tinged with concern.
The realization struck me like a lightning bolt. Something that hadn't occurred in over a century had now happened twice within the last ten years. It was chilling.
"The cause of this destruction? Dragons. Are you familiar with these beasts?" he inquired, turning slightly to gauge my reaction.
"Dragons? You mean large, scaled creatures with wings that breathe fire?" I answered, recalling the myths.
"Exactly! It seems dragons exist in every realm," he replied, a hint of awe in his voice.
"No way! They're just fantasy creatures—imaginary final bosses," I corrected him, disbelief creeping in.
"Suddenly, these dragons have multiplied and begun attacking our kingdoms," he explained, his tone growing darker.
"I understand," I said, feeling a sense of dread settle in.
"Our kingdom has faced its share of assaults as well. However, we are fortunate to possess some of the finest infantry in the continent, allowing us to defend our territory thus far," he stated, standing a bit taller.
"I can see how that would be advantageous," I nodded.
"Yet, no matter how fortified our defenses are, we lack the means to slay a dragon. Even if we repel them, we cannot defeat them, and that has been a significant dilemma for our kingdom."
His words resonated with a logical consistency that struck me as both unsettling and realistic.
"To tackle this issue, a coalition of ministers and generals devised a plan," he said, his expression serious.
"A plan? Is it some sort of treachery?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"I am a king loved by my people! Treason would never occur under my watch!" he declared, a hint of indignation in his tone.
If this man truly was a good king, perhaps being his son wouldn't be so burdensome after all.
"Only a few times in my reign has there been miscalculation," he continued, his demeanor softening slightly. "I was quite the rogue in my youth."
"Is that what led to a civil war? Flirting?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.
"My philosophy has always been to put my all into everything—be it raising children, governance, or diplomacy!" he proclaimed, a playful smirk crossing his face.
"Is it wise to mention procreation in such a serious discussion?" I quipped, unable to hold back a laugh.
"Well, if stability has been achieved, perhaps it's not so inappropriate?" he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Returning to the matter at hand, some of the officials took it upon themselves to gather orphans and train them to fight the dragons. The outcome was… complicated," he said, his tone darkening.
"Complicated? How so?" I pressed, intrigued.
The King shook his head solemnly. "Reports indicated that some of those children couldn't withstand the grueling training and lost their lives. As their ruler, I cannot tolerate such actions. All involved faced severe punishment, and a memorial was established at the training grounds."
I remained silent, contemplating the weight of his words. He seemed a cad at times, yet there was a compassionate ruler within him.
"They say you can never predict how a child will develop—especially a daughter—until she matures. Those who fail to appreciate the joy of watching them grow are truly foolish," he lamented, his gaze distant as if lost in thought.
"Can you explain the vague feelings I had earlier?" I asked, searching for clarity.
"What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
"No, it's nothing. I'm fine now," I quickly reassured him, feeling embarrassed.
The King continued, "And so, one girl survived… I couldn't abandon her, so I sent her into battle. Remarkably, she excelled."
"Is this survivor a girl?" I asked, intrigued by the sudden shift.
"Yes. Her name is Scarlett—a striking young woman with flowing silvery-white hair and alabaster skin. Personally, I lean toward women with more ample figures, but there's something undeniably enchanting about her form," he confessed, an appreciative gleam in his eyes.
Your Majesty, your true colors are showing, I thought, stifling a smile.
"Yet, it's frightening nonetheless. Watching her eliminate dragons with chilling detachment struck fear into everyone's hearts, including mine. Her prowess was unlike anything I had ever witnessed," he said, his expression growing serious.
"It seems you were too intimidated to take action," I observed, noting the tension.
The King, sensing my scrutiny, turned to face me fully. "She is unique in our kingdom—a Dragon Slayer. I cannot allow another realm to claim her as their own."
"They had hoped to elevate her to royalty, but… political obstacles made that impossible," he explained, shaking his head in frustration.
"Why was that?" I asked, bewildered.
"Because it's terrifying! Just imagine a woman capable of tearing apart a dragon without flinching! Isn't that terrifying?" he exclaimed, a hint of fear in his eyes.
The image of a towering, muscular woman tearing a dragon to shreds sprang to mind—yes, that was indeed a frightening prospect.
"Ultimately, we had no other options left. As a last resort, the Prime Minister decreed that the marriage take place with the youngest son—the third prince."
"That would mean me, wouldn't it?" I asked, my heart racing.
"Indeed," the King affirmed, turning his back to me once again.
Was he miscalculating? Had he underestimated how quickly he turned away? It seemed like a playful quirk of his personality.
"Many events transpired… In the end, he took his own life by drinking poison," he revealed, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
Was my destined bride as fearsome as rumored?
....