Elias returned to his duties as Prince Aedric's attendant as soon as his health allowed, though his body still felt sluggish and weak. His first day back was an odd one. Prince Aedric greeted him with a loud, "Finally! Took you long enough!" but then promptly frowned when Elias wobbled while bowing.
"You're still useless, aren't you?" the prince muttered, crossing his arms.
"Apologies, Your Highness," Elias said, steadying himself.
Prince Aedric huffed, but his tone softened ever so slightly. "Just… don't faint again. I don't have time for that."
Elias was touched by the unspoken concern behind the prince's words, even if it was buried under layers of attitude. He noticed that Prince Aedric, despite his temper, now seemed more mindful of Elias's limitations. The prince gave him fewer physically demanding tasks and, on occasion, even dismissed him early to rest—a gesture Elias found both touching and burdensome.
The relief Elias felt from the prince's slight change in behavior, however, didn't last long. The older servants in the palace, who had always been cold toward Elias, grew increasingly hostile now that he was back on duty.
"Take this tray to the east wing banquet hall," one maid barked at him one morning, handing him a platter of heavy dishes without warning.
"The east wing? There's no banquet scheduled today—" Elias began, but the maid glared at him.
"Are you questioning me, boy?" she snapped.
Elias bit his tongue and took the tray. After wandering the east wing for half an hour and finding no banquet hall in use, he realized he'd been sent on a fool's errand. By the time he returned to the prince, he was late and earned a sharp scolding from Prince Aedric for being "unreliable."
On another occasion, Elias was tasked with delivering a message to a tutor in the study, only to arrive and be told the tutor had already left—because no one had informed Elias of the change in schedule.
The pattern became clear: the older servants were deliberately giving him misleading information or impossible tasks to make him look incompetent.
Elias sat in the servant's quarters that evening, his legs aching from hours of running back and forth, only to accomplish next to nothing. He wanted to scream, but he held it in. Showing anger would only make things worse.
"Host, your productivity is at 64% below the acceptable threshold," the system chimed in, its tone as clinical as ever.
Elias groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I know, I know. Thanks for the reminder."
"Recommendation: improve relations with other servants or find alternative ways to fulfill tasks efficiently."
Elias snorted. "Oh sure, I'll just make friends with the people who clearly hate me. That'll fix everything."
The system was silent, as always, when Elias resorted to sarcasm.
The next day, Elias decided to confront Sasha. If anyone could help, it would be her. He caught her in the hallway after breakfast.
"Head Maid Sasha," he said, bowing slightly.
Sasha stopped, her expression unreadable. "What is it, Elias?"
"I… I've noticed some difficulties with my assignments," he began carefully, choosing his words with precision. "I'm often given tasks without proper instructions, or the information I'm given turns out to be… incorrect."
Sasha raised an eyebrow. "And you're coming to me because…?"
"Because you oversee the servants, and I thought you'd want to ensure the palace runs smoothly," Elias said, keeping his tone polite.
Sasha's lips twitched, almost like she was suppressing a smile. "I see. And what do you want me to do about it?"
Elias hesitated. "I just want to do my job properly, but I can't if I'm being set up to fail."
Sasha studied him for a long moment, her sharp eyes scanning him like a hawk. "You're clever, Elias. Too clever for your own good sometimes. But I'll give you a piece of advice: survive."
"Survive?"
"Yes. The palace isn't a place for complaints or weakness. If you want to last here, you'll need to figure out how to navigate these… difficulties on your own."
With that, Sasha turned and walked away, leaving Elias more frustrated than ever.
The harassment continued, and Elias knew he had to find a way to work around it. He began double-checking every task he was given, verifying instructions with multiple sources before starting anything. It slowed him down, but at least it prevented him from falling into the traps set by the older servants.
Still, the stress was taking its toll. Elias found himself more exhausted each day, his body barely keeping up with the demands placed on him. And though Prince Aedric had started treating him more kindly, the prince's occasional tantrums didn't help matters.
Elias was beginning to wonder how much longer he could keep this up—and what it would take to finally earn a semblance of peace in the royal palace.
______
The days were blurring together for Elias. Between the endless tasks assigned by the older servants, the constant vigilance required to avoid their tricks, and his duties to Prince Aedric, he barely had a moment to breathe.
Worse, the limited time he spent with the crown prince was making Aedric irritable, his temper shorter than usual. Elias knew the prince wasn't handling the perceived neglect well, but he simply didn't have the luxury of prioritizing Aedric.
That morning, as Elias was preparing to deliver a message to the eastern wing, he was intercepted by one of the younger servants. "The prince wants to see you," she said, looking relieved to pass the responsibility to someone else.
Elias sighed and set down the letter. "When doesn't he?"
When Elias arrived in Prince Aedric's chambers, he was met with the sight of the young prince pacing furiously, his arms crossed and a frown etched deeply onto his face.
"You're late," Aedric snapped, though Elias was sure he hadn't been summoned at an exact time.
"My apologies, Your Highness," Elias said, bowing. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm bored," Aedric said, stopping in his tracks to glare at Elias. "You're supposed to entertain me, aren't you?"
Elias blinked. "Entertain?"
"Yes, entertain! All these stupid lessons and nobles are driving me crazy. I need a break!" Aedric declared, stamping his foot.
Elias hesitated. "I… I don't know if I'm the best at entertainment, Your Highness."
Aedric waved his hand dismissively. "I don't care. We're going on a picnic. Now."
Before Elias could reply, the door creaked open, and Head Maid Sasha stepped in. Her face, usually neutral and composed, now carried a hint of tension.
"Your Highness," she began carefully, "a picnic is an excellent idea. But if you're planning to go, Lady Selene, your fiancée, should accompany you. It would be a good opportunity for you to bond."
Aedric froze, his expression shifting from irritation to outright fury. "Lady Selene? Why would I want her there?"
"She is your fiancée, Your Highness," Sasha said, her tone cautious. "It's important to establish a good relationship with her. The emperor himself has—"
"I don't care what the emperor says!" Aedric shouted, his voice echoing through the room. He grabbed a nearby vase and hurled it across the chamber, narrowly missing Sasha. "I don't want her there! I don't want her at all!"
Sasha took a step back, her composure slipping as the prince's tantrum escalated. Another vase flew through the air, this time striking Elias on the shoulder. The impact made him stumble, and he felt a sharp sting as shards grazed his skin.
"Your Highness!" Sasha gasped, her eyes darting to Elias, who was clutching his bleeding shoulder. The wound wasn't deep, but the sight of blood seemed to jar Aedric out of his rage.
The prince stared at Elias, his eyes wide. "Elias… I didn't mean—"
Elias forced a smile, even as pain shot through his arm. "It's nothing, Your Highness. Just a scratch."
Sasha, ever perceptive, seized the moment. "Your Highness, look at what's happened. This is why it's important to remain calm and composed. If you allow Lady Selene to join you, it will show everyone that you're mature and capable. It's what Elias would want, isn't it?"
Elias froze at the implication but kept his face neutral. Aedric glanced between Elias and Sasha, his expression torn between guilt and frustration.
"Fine!" Aedric snapped at last. "But only because Elias got hurt. She'd better not ruin it!"
Sasha bowed. "Thank you, Your Highness. I'll make the arrangements."
As Sasha left, Elias could feel the weight of her manipulative words settle heavily on his shoulders. He felt cheap, used as a pawn to sway the prince. But he couldn't bring himself to complain.
"Elias…" Aedric said quietly, his earlier bluster gone. "Does it hurt?"
Elias shook his head. "Not at all, Your Highness. It's just a scratch."
The prince frowned, clearly unconvinced. "Good. Because you're coming too. If I have to deal with Selene, I'm not doing it without you."
Elias smiled faintly. "Of course, Your Highness."
Even as Aedric turned away, Elias could feel the tension in the room, the unspoken apology hanging in the air. It wasn't enough to erase the sting of manipulation or the pain in his shoulder, but it was a reminder that, in his own childish way, Aedric did care.
Now, all Elias could do was prepare for the disaster he was certain this picnic would become.