The prisoners were still adjusting to King Arel's unexpectedly gentle demeanor.
And now, seeing him behave like an overprotective father, their shock increased.
The figure who entered the room drew everyone's attention.
Dark blue hair framed a strikingly beautiful face, her red eyes slowly shifting to a soft blue when they fell on her father.
She wore a light blue dress that hugged her figure, perfectly accentuating her pear-shaped figure.
With a slight tilt of her head, a frown creased her forehead as her gaze moved to the prisoners.
"Father," she called softly.
Her vouce carried a melodic yet firm tune, that reminded Ryuen of one of his victims from the past.
"I told you to stop this nonsense with the prisoners. They're not your creations or pets. Let them go."
Arel chuckled softly, walking toward her.
His hand landed gently on her head, ruffling her hair with a playful smile.
"I already did," he replied, his tone playful. "Your mother can confirm it."
Her frown deepened as she crossed her arms and stepped to the side, to take a good look at the prisoners.
"Did you finish your training?"
"No, I didn't. I went hunting with the guards instead."
She replied, winked at him, before her gaze landed on Haruka.
Her playful expression immediately faded, her lips pressing into a thin line.
"Father," she said slowly, her voice quieter but laced with curiosity.
"If they're not your prisoners, then what are they?"
Arel shrugged, his casual response doing little to soothe her irritation.
Without further explanation, he strode back towards Ryuen, who instinctively stepped back, increasing the distance between himself and the...
"Weird ruler."
"What's your name?" Arel asked, his eyes boring deep into Ryuen, to pick a lie, if there was any.
"Ryuen Takeru," came the flat reply.
The king's lips curved into a mischievous smile.
"You will serve as my daughter's personal guard."
His statement earned him a sharp glare from the princess, who looked ready to protest, but instead, she stormed out of the hall.
Ryuen's scowl deepened. "I'm not interested in—"
His protest was cut off by Haruka's sudden, excited outburst.
"Can we stay in your palace?!"
Every eye in the room turned to her, especially Ryuen's, but Haruka continued without a care in the world.
"We won't cause you any trouble," she added.
Arel arched a brow, his gaze sweeping over the remaining passengers.
One of the blonde boys stepped forward, nervously scratching the back of his head.
"If you could, um... let us go, with a way to survive in this monster world, that would be awesome," he said nervously.
The king turned to Ryuen, silently waiting for his decision and With a heavy sigh....
"Fine."
---
The next day, after everyone had been assigned rooms jn the palace, Ryuen found himself once again summoned to the throne room.
He now wore black trousers and a white button-up shirt, custom-made as he requested.
The queen, after noticing, hurried out of the palace to know more about the strange fashion of his home.
Arel sat lazily on his throne, fumbling with Ryuen's smartphone, his fingers scrolling and typing randomly.
He eventually tossed it aside into a basin filled with other gadgets confiscated from the passengers.
"What did you call this?" Arel asked, holding the phone up again and tilted it as though studying an artifact.
"A seer's tab?"
Ryuen frowned.
"That's a smartphone," he explained, "And no, it doesn't predict the future or the past."
Arel waved off the explanation with a dismissive hand.
"Anyway," he said, standing and stretching his tall frame.
The fitted silk trousers and red casual shirt he wore emphasized his tall figure.
His crown rested in one hand as he descended from the throne, his crimson gaze locking onto Ryuen.
"She's in the garden behind the palace," Arel said casually, placing the crown on his head.
"I'll be heading out to inspect the barriers. If you need anything, tell her."
Without waiting for a response, the king vanished in a flash of white mist.
Ryuen let out a tired sigh, muttering to himself. "Weird ruler."
He turned and exited the hall, walking at a leisurely pace down the expansive corridors.
The halls stretched endlessly, its hallways cutting and expanding into countless directions.
After few minutes of walking, Ryuen stepped into a large garden, its beauty shocking him, since it was his first time seeing such.
A wide expanse of grass stretched before him, dotted with vibrant flowers and towering trees.
He squinted, his sharp eyes picked a figure under the shade of a massive tree in the distance.
The princess.
"From an assassin to a lecturer and now a bodyguard," he mumbled, exhaustion laced in his voice.
Though he had done little since he woke up that morning—except a few push-ups, stretches, and a wonderful breakfast.
The weight of this new life pressed down on him.
His hands were tucked into his pockets, he strolled into the garden.
Eyes closed as he took in the sounds around him.
The soft hum of a melody drifted on the breeze, accompanied by the gentle rustling of leaves and the rhythmic drip of water from an unknown source.
Although strange, Ryuen's dormant senses had been on high alert ever since he found himself in this dangerous, unfamiliar land.
What surprised him the most was that his reflexes were still as sharp as ever.
Despite the boring life he had led as a teacher.
The long hours spent seated, grading papers, reading, and relaxing.
He hated nearly every aspect of teaching, but he had taken some pride in guiding his students and putting them on the right path.
Now, fate brought him back into a life that demanded vigilance, protection, and—if necessary—bloodshed.
As his steps slowed, his gaze fell on the princess, who stood in the center of a shallow stream.
For the first time, Ryuen saw her face clearly, that had been hidden by the dim lighting of the throne room.
She was young—perhaps a year or three younger than him.
Her sharp, ocean-blue eyes glimmered with an otherworldly allure, reminding him of the sirens he had once read about online.
Unlike those internet arr, hers seemed real, almost enchanting.
Her cobalt-blue hair, tied back in a loose braid, cascaded down her back.
The ends floating weightlessly on the surface of the water.
As her gaze shifted from the path he had taken to his face, she scoffed.
"Are you the guard my father assigned?"
"I am," Ryuen replied, his voice calm but distracted as he caught something move from the corner of his eyes.
"And what is your name?"
"Ryuen Takeru, Your Highness," he said with a respectful bow.
The princess raised a brow, a faint, amused smile tugging at her lips before vanishing just as quickly.
"Aika Shirokami," she said, introducing herself.
'White fox,' Ryuen thought, piecing together the meaning of her surname.
His mind wandered to King Arel's unusual appearance—particularly his fox-like ears.
Aika tilted her head, her brows knitting together. "What is that expression for?"
"Nothing," he replied quickly, "Just realized your last name means 'white fox.'"
She sighed, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Of course it does. My father is a kitsune."
She suddenly frowned after studying him, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"You don't have the scent of a beast or an immortal," she said, "What are you?"
"A... human," Ryuen answered flatly, yet his attention was celsewhere.
Aika's eyes narrowed further, her curiosity increasing by his distraction.
She scanned their surroundings but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
But she could tell he had noticed something she couldn't.
Without hesitation, Ryuen suddenly moved.
His sharp eyes locked onto something metallic on a boulder ahead.
Before she could react, he dove into the stream and swam past her with startling speed, the water parting around him effortlessly.
Her eyes widened in shock, her mind racing with questions.
How could he move so fast?
What did he see?
How could a mere human have sharper senses than hers?
WHOOOSH.
A sudden, faint blur of silver darted past her, moving too quickly for her to identify.
Her breath hitched as a low, guttural groan echoed from the direction Ryuen had swum.
"Takeru," she called softly, her voice carrying a note of concern as she waded through the stream toward the source of the sound.
On the boulder, Ryuen crouched, his dark gaze fixed on the lifeless body of a would-be attacker sprawled on the ground below.
He was relieved that the threat had been neutralized, but confusion took over.
He wondered how a stranger made their way into the palace and dared try to attack the princess.
He then noticed her movements towards the body.
He yelled, "Your Highness, stay—"
DING!!
The loud, jarring sound of a bell echoed in his head, cutting him off mid-way.
Ryuen flinched, his senses temporarily shut down as the familiar, mechanical voice he dreaded echoed in his mind, seconds before he passed out
[Skill Detected. Consume before cooldown.]