Ryuen woke up to the faint sound of hushed voices
His head throbbed from the resonance and the overwhelming ring of the system earlier.
He opened his eyes, blinking against the dim light, only to realize he was no longer in the stream.
Instead, he found himself in a large, ornate room.
The silver carvings on the ceiling and the black chandelier hanging above provided soft illumination.
The silk sheets beneath him confirmed he was in the palace, though not in his own room.
"You're awake."
Aika's voice came from a chair near the window.
She sat with perfect posture, her back straight, with a book resting on her lap.
Ryuen groaned, slowly sitting up, stretching his muscles with every movement.
"What happened?"
"You passed out," she replied matter-of-factly, her gaze never leaving the book.
"Father's guards brought you here after I called them."
Ryuen frowned, running a hand through his white hair.
He noticed the hair tie and pins that had held his hair were gone.
It was strange, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
"Did anyone check the body?" he asked.
Her eyes flickered toward him, fully crimson now.
"Yes. It was no one of importance—a low-level assassin from the city. The body is in the dungeons below."
He exhaled, relieved the threat had been handled, but the word "assassin" made him uneasy.
Why would they target the princess?
It could be because of her title, but something told him it was more than that.
His gaze lingered on the floor as he tried to make sense of the voices he had been hearing and their meaning.
"You're quite reckless for a human," Aika added, closing her book with a soft snap.
She turned to face him fully. "Swimming and diving like that is understandable," she paused and looked at him.
"But you spotted my sword, noticed movements I couldn't, and you threw it perfectly into the man's neck...."
"Did you think I couldn't handle myself?" she asked, her tone not mocking but curious and offended, puzzled by his actions.
"Instinct," Ryuen replied with a shrug. "If I sense danger, I neutralize it. That's how I survived... before."
"Before what?"
He raised his head and met her gaze but said nothing. His silence spoke volumes.
She tilted her head, lips curling into a smile. "You're an interesting one, Takeru—reckless and mysterious."
"And far too calm for someone who's was teacher and in a world like this."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" he asked dryly.
"Let me finish."
Ryuen frowned.
"I mean to say, for someone like that, you are far too incompetent and inexperienced to be my personal guard."
"Your father made me your guard, not you." He countered, earning a glare from her that he didn't shy away from.
"Such audacity!" she exclaimed, opening her mouth to speak again when Ryuen beat her to it.
"For a princess, you speak and behave well, except you lack respect...."
"…I'll have you know that I can cut your life short right now!" she retorted.
Ryuen's eyes narrowed. "And what makes you think that's possible?"
"How dare you speak to me like that?"
Before Ryuen could respond, the door to the room swung open, and King Arel strode in.
"Ah, good to see you're finally awake, Ryuen," he said the second his gaze fell on Ryuen. "How do you feel?"
"Awful," Ryuen replied immediately, still focused on Aika, who glared at him before turning back to her book.
"Your Majesty—"
"Spare me the formalities," Arel said with a dismissive wave.
"I came to tell you the attacker was not alone. The guards found traces of another group hiding in an inn in the city."
Ryuen's gaze darkened.
"Do you think they are after your daughter?" he asked, briefly glancing at Aika, who seemed unbothered by the news.
"Likely," Arel shrugged. "And that is why I'm assigning you to her full-time. You'll accompany her everywhere, whether she likes it or not."
"I don't need a guard," Aika spoke up, tossing the book carelessly on the bed.
"And I don't need this full-time job," Ryuen added.
Arel ignored them both, continuing as though he heard nothing.
"You will report directly to me. If anything happens to her, your students will pay."
Ryuen's gaze turned empty, and he clenched his jaw, regrets clouding his thoughts.
He should never have accepted to be the princess's guard in the first place.
"Understood," he answered with a reluctant nod.
Arel smiled, his attention now shifting to his fuming daughter.
"Aika, take him with you during your training. I want him familiar with the palace grounds and the city."
She sighed, rose from her seat, and crossed her arms.
"I will, but I want to go hunting first. I can't assure you I can keep an eye on him throughout."
Arel chuckled and patted Ryuen's shoulder. "I don't want to be disappointed. Take care."
Once the king left and silence took over, Aika glanced sideways at Ryuen.
Irritation flashed through her eyes the moment their gazes met, but she didn't look away.
To avoid appearing weak, she changed her posture, arms folded, hips tilted, and her gaze gleaming with mockery.
"I hope you can keep up," she said, observing his features carefully, watching for any slip-ups.
But Ryuen's expression remained unchanged. Instead, he scoffed and averted his gaze.
"I can handle myself perfectly well."
"If that's so, why did you collapse back at the springs?" Aika blurted out, as if she had been waiting for the chance to bring it up again
She timed it perfectly, and it baffled Ryuen.
Ryuen chuckled softly, exhaling. "What's your world about?"
"How dare you answer my question with a question?" she shot back, her tone sharp.
"I am your bodyguard, so I have every right to know where I am," he replied, then leaned back on the bed.
"Sit down. I want to ask you a few questions."
"I will not answer any of them," Aika muttered, tossing her head to the side with a low scoff.
"I know where you hide the poisons."
The statement caught her off guard. Her posture dropped as she slowly sank back into her seat.
'How did he find out?' she asked herself as she watched him open his mouth to speak.
"Good. Now tell me, do you hear mechanical voices in your head?"
Aika's brows curved curiously. "The system's?"
"Yes," he replied, though still unsure of what it actually was.
She leaned back into the chair, her gaze moving to the ceiling.
"Only chosen mortals without unique abilities are granted systems."
"Like cheats to a game, in order to survive," Ryuen quipped, earning a nod from her.
"Do you know anything about those associated with curses?"
Aika frowned. "Those are rare cases, almost impossible to happen, considering the laws."
"What laws?"
She exhaled, her voice became serious.
"There are laws created for mortals alone....Your pitiful kind, to be precise."
"Mortals are not allowed to live in a city or state that isn't controlled by a being with greater power levels."
"Like gods," Ryuen said, his eyes narrowing as he connected the dots.
"Yes," she answered.
"They have to serve higher-powered beings or stand by them, especially now."
Ryuen nodded in understanding. "But why the emphasis on now? Is something going on?"
"The Arbiter passed away the night you and your prisoners arrived."
"Arbiter?" Ryuen thought, the name the strange voice in his head had mentioned—the strange individual who cursed him.
"How is it possible he died?" Ryuen asked, his curiosity piqued.
Aika shrugged. "It's a circle. He will return in a few years, hopefully, after we have made peace with each other."
"There's a war going on?"
"Not particularly," she said with a soft laugh.
"An apocalypse caused by war. The whole thing is ridiculous and unnecessary."
She paused, rising to her feet while Ryuen watched, listening intently.
"As things turned out to be, deities, gods, and immortal beings because very boastful..." She trailed off, then continued.
"The moment the Arbiter began granting a select few systems to survive, they decided to wage war."
Ryuen's gaze softened. "A war that caused an apocalypse."
"Correct," she said. "Beasts and monsters emerged and began taking over the lands, one by one." Her voice carried a sudden sadness.
"And the Monarch is part beast, which isn't really a fair fight."
Ryuen nodded in agreement. "At least now I understand why I keep hearing voices."
Aika's brows rose. "When did you hear the system's voice?"
"Right after I killed the man," Ryuen replied, confusion still lingering in his tone. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head. "It's nothing."
"Lt's get going, I want to see the dead body before I set out."
With that, she disappeared through a door that led to the bathroom, leaving Ryuen to sit in quiet contemplation.
'I wonder what it meant by consume before cooldown?'