As Eleo and Lilith reached the front of the line, they were greeted by a bored-looking man behind a small desk. Leaning back in his chair and chewing on a toothpick, he barely glanced at them as he spoke.
"Alright, you wanna sign up to fight the strongest, huh?" he drawled.
"Yes, please!" Eleo exclaimed enthusiastically, bouncing on his heels like an excited child.
The man slid a thick piece of parchment toward Eleo along with a slightly battered pen. "Read this and sign your name at the bottom."
Eleo picked up the paper and squinted at it, tilting his head as if that would help decipher the words. After a few moments, he turned to Lilith with a sheepish grin. "Uh, Lilith?"
She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "What?"
"I can't read," he admitted, scratching the back of his head.
Lilith's mouth fell open in disbelief. "You can't read?" she exclaimed, loud enough to catch the attention of those behind them in line.
Eleo chuckled awkwardly. "Nope. No one ever taught me. Guess I was too busy running around and training to become the strongest."
Lilith sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You've got to be kidding me, Bunny Boy." She snatched the paper from his hands. "Fine. I'll read it to you."
She scanned the parchment, her eyes widening slightly as she read aloud. "Okay, listen up. This document states that by signing up, you'll officially become a participant in fighting the strongest."
"Awesome!" Eleo said, his eyes lighting up.
Lilith held up a hand, silencing him. "I'm not done. It also says you'll be hunted by the Supreme Council and their military force."
Eleo tilted his head. "Hunted? Like... a game of tag?"
Lilith gave him a flat look. "No, idiot. Like they'll actually try to kill you. You'll be a target."
Eleo's grin only widened. "That sounds amazing! A real challenge!"
Lilith stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "Are you insane?"
"Nope, just ready to prove I'm the strongest!" Eleo declared, puffing out his chest.
Lilith groaned but continued reading. "You're also allowed to add people to your party. Anyone who joins you will share the same risks. Meaning they'll be hunted too."
Eleo clapped his hands together. "Even better! I can make friends while I fight! This is perfect!"
Lilith shook her head, muttering under her breath. "This guy is completely hopeless."
The man at the desk finally looked up, raising an eyebrow at the pair. "So, you signing or not?"
"Yep!" Eleo said without hesitation.
Lilith glanced at him, her face torn between exasperation and reluctant admiration. "You're really serious about this, huh?"
"Of course!" Eleo said, grinning ear to ear. "Nothing's gonna stop me from becoming the strongest!"
Lilith sighed, handing him the pen. "Fine, but don't come crying to me when things go south."
Eleo took the pen and scribbled his name in large, barely legible letters. Turning to Lilith with a triumphant smile, he said, "Done!"
The man took the parchment back, giving it a quick glance before stamping it with a loud thud. "Alright, you're in. Good luck, kid. You're gonna need it."
Lilith muttered under her breath, "Yeah, he's gonna need a miracle."
Lilith glanced up at the sky, watching as the stars began to twinkle against the darkening canvas. She sighed. "Eleo, it's getting late. We need to find somewhere to sleep."
Eleo tapped his chin, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "Oh! I have an idea! Follow me!"
Lilith, still skeptical, trailed after him. As they walked through the dim forest, she frowned. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"
"Nope!" Eleo said cheerfully, marching forward like he had all the confidence in the world.
Lilith stopped in her tracks, staring at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
Eleo nodded without missing a beat. "Yup! But don't worry, I've got this!"
Lilith groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "This is my life now..."
Suddenly, Eleo pointed ahead, his face lighting up. "Look! Glowing mushrooms!"
Lilith's eyes widened as she saw the softly glowing fungi dotting the forest floor. "Oh, those are rare! They only pop up once every year, and they're said to—"
She froze mid-sentence as she noticed Eleo plucking one and promptly stuffing it into his mouth.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she screamed, slamming her fist into the top of his head.
"OWWW!" Eleo clutched his head, tears welling in his eyes. "What was that for?!"
"You absolute dumbass!" Lilith barked. "Did you not hear what I just said?! Those could be poisonous!"
"I was hungry!" Eleo protested, rubbing the bump on his head.
Lilith let out a long, frustrated groan. "Unbelievable. I'm stuck with the dumbest bunny on the planet."
Eleo blinked at her, confusion melting into his usual carefree demeanor. "Oh, well! At least they tasted good!"
Lilith pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath. "If he dies from mushroom poisoning, it'll be his fault..."
Suddenly, Eleo perked up again, hopping on the balls of his feet. "Okay! I've got an idea where we can sleep!"
Lilith raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Oh, this oughta be good."
He pointed to a massive tree towering over the others, its thick branches spreading wide. "We can sleep up there!"
Lilith recoiled, horrified. "The trees?! I'm a princess, not a savage!"
Eleo shrugged. "I've been sleeping in trees my whole life. It's not bad! Look how big that one is! It's perfect for two people."
Lilith stared at him, dumbfounded. "Two people?! Oh, you've got to be kidding me..."
Eleo was already climbing the tree, moving with the ease of someone who had done it countless times. "C'mon, Lilith! It's cozy up here!"
Lilith crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Cozy? Do you even hear yourself right now?"
Eleo stuck his head down from a branch, grinning. "Yep! Now hurry up! Or are you scared of heights?"
Lilith's face turned red, her pride bubbling to the surface. "I am not scared of heights!"
"Then prove it!" Eleo teased, sticking his tongue out.
Lilith groaned but reluctantly began climbing. As she reached the branch where Eleo perched, she muttered, "I can't believe I'm doing this. I better not get splinters."
"You'll love it!" Eleo said, stretching out and leaning against the trunk. "See? Plenty of space!"
Lilith settled hesitantly on the branch, keeping a tight grip on it. "If I fall, you're taking the blame."
"Deal!" Eleo said, already closing his eyes with a satisfied smile.
Lilith stared at him, shaking her head. "How does someone this stupid survive on their own?" she muttered, though her tone softened this time.
As the forest grew quieter and the stars shone brighter, Lilith found herself relaxing slightly, despite her annoyance. "I must really be losing it..." she thought, glancing at Eleo.
Unbeknownst to her, Eleo cracked one eye open and grinned to himself. "Told you it wasn't so bad," he mumbled before drifting off to sleep.
Lilith sat stiffly on the wide branch, her arms crossed, and her gaze fixed on the glowing mushrooms below. She huffed softly, glancing at Eleo, who was already snoring lightly, his carefree expression as relaxed as ever.
Her fingers tapped idly on the bark, and her thoughts began to wander. "He's... so strange," she mused, her sharp golden eyes watching his peaceful face. "Not like the others..."
Lilith's mind drifted back to the boys her parents had introduced her to over the years. Princes, warriors, sons of high-ranking officials—every single one of them treated her like she was made of glass. They bowed too deeply, spoke with rehearsed words, and carried themselves like statues carved from stone.
They called her "Your Grace" or "My Lady," and they dared not look her in the eye for too long. To them, she wasn't a person; she was a symbol, an untouchable deity. They postured, puffed out their chests, and put on shows of strength that blurred together into one monotonous memory.
"They all acted so... perfect," she thought bitterly, her fingers curling into fists. "So fake."
Her eyes shifted back to Eleo, sprawled across the branch like he didn't have a care in the world, his ears twitching slightly in his sleep. "But him..."
Lilith replayed the day in her mind: the way he fearlessly jumped out of a bush to confront armed men, his ridiculous antics, and how he seemed genuinely excited about every little thing, even dangerous situations.
"He doesn't treat me like a goddess," she realized, her lips pressing into a thin line. "He treats me like... a normal person."
A strange warmth rose in her chest at the thought, and she quickly shook her head. "What am I even thinking?!" she muttered under her breath.
Still, her gaze softened as she watched him. He was clumsy, loud, and entirely too reckless, but he wasn't boring. Not even a little.
Lilith leaned back against the trunk, her golden eyes growing heavy. "He's nothing like them...," she admitted to herself reluctantly, a small, almost invisible smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe that's not so bad."
As sleep began to take her, her last thought was a quiet whisper in her mind: "He's different... and I don't hate it."
The sounds of the forest filled the night air as Lilith finally allowed herself to relax, drifting into a deep, peaceful sleep beside the boy who had, unknowingly, already begun to change her world.
The next morning, Lilith yawned, stretching her arms before realizing she was lying on something warm and surprisingly comfortable. Her eyes fluttered open, and her heart skipped a beat as she found herself cuddling against Eleo, her arm draped over him.
"Wha—what the hell?!" she shrieked, her face flushing red as she instinctively pushed him away.
With a startled yell, Eleo tumbled off the branch, flailing before hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Lilith peeked over the edge of the tree, her expression a mix of guilt and embarrassment. "Oops... Eleo, are you okay?"
Eleo sat up, rubbing his head but flashing a thumbs up. "Yep! I'm fine! That was a great wake-up call!" he said with his usual carefree grin, dusting himself off.
Lilith sighed in relief but crossed her arms. "You're an idiot."
Eleo, ignoring her comment, looked up at her with sudden enthusiasm. "Hey, Lilith, you wouldn't happen to have a boat, would ya?"
Lilith blinked, confused by the abrupt question. "A boat? No... Why do you need one?"
"I need to head to the next place and start recruiting people for my team!" Eleo said with a determined smile, his eyes gleaming with ambition.
Lilith climbed down the tree with a huff. "Well, I don't have a boat, but... I think I can create one. I am a demon princess, after all."
"Really? That's awesome!" Eleo cheered. "Alright, let's head to the water!"
As they began walking, the ground suddenly trembled beneath their feet. A dark, swirling portal tore open in the sky, crackling with ominous energy. Lilith froze, her eyes wide with shock.
"What is that?" Eleo asked, tilting his head curiously.
Before Lilith could answer, a figure emerged from the portal. The knight who stepped through radiated a commanding and terrifying presence. His crimson eyes glowed menacingly from within a dragon-like helmet, and his jagged, black armor shimmered with an unnatural light. Each step he took echoed with power.
Lilith's voice was barely a whisper. "Iron…"
The knight's gaze locked onto her, and his voice boomed like thunder. "Princess Lilith, are you unharmed?"
Lilith stammered, stepping back. "I... I'm fine, Iron."
Iron's eyes shifted to Eleo, narrowing with suspicion. "You. Bunny kid. Did you kidnap the princess?"
Lilith waved her hands frantically. "W-what? No! He didn't kidnap me!"
But before she could explain further, Eleo puffed out his chest and grinned. "Yep! I kidnapped her!"
Lilith's jaw dropped, and she grabbed his arm, pulling him close to hiss in his ear. "What the hell are you doing, you fool?!"
Eleo whispered back, "I want to fight him! He looks strong!"
Iron unsheathed his massive demon sword, its crimson edge glowing with dark energy. "Then prepare yourself, you pathetic creature. You've sealed your fate."
Lilith slapped her forehead in frustration. "This is going to be a disaster..."
Iron charged forward, his sword blazing with power as he raised it high. Eleo grinned, hopping into a combat stance. "Alright, let's see how tough you really are!"