Leon stood in front of the mirror, trying to smooth out his royal tunic. He was determined to appear dignified, the very image of Prince Lucien Valmont. Yet, each time he tried to adjust his outfit, he could only think one thing:
I look ridiculous.
The shimmering blue and gold fabric felt stiff, as if it were holding him hostage in his new identity. He ran his fingers over the intricate embroidery of the royal coat, sighing deeply. "Who wears this stuff on a daily basis?"
[Quest Complete!]
[Quest Reward: Acting Like a Prince (Level 2) Unlocked.]
[Skill Upgrade: You now have a slightly better chance of not making a fool of yourself in front of others. Use it wisely.]
[Bonus: +10 to composure when in the presence of others.]
Leon stared at the screen, raising an eyebrow. "Slightly better" is hardly reassuring, but I guess it's progress…?
With a reluctant grunt, he left his room, trying to hold his head up high. Elise had already prepared his afternoon walk in the royal gardens, and Leon had no choice but to follow along. After all, the last thing he wanted was to arouse more suspicion—especially after the close call with the physician.
As he walked down the ornate hallway, each step seemed to echo, making him feel like the entire castle was watching him. Maybe they're all waiting for me to trip and fall on my face, he thought darkly. It'd be very "me" to do that right now.
Finally, they reached the gardens. The sunlight streamed down through the canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows over the marble path. It was picturesque, almost too much so. But Leon wasn't here for the view. He was here to avoid looking like a complete lunatic.
"Your Highness, please enjoy the fresh air," Elise said, stepping aside with a small bow. "I'll be nearby if you require anything."
Leon nodded, trying his best to appear like someone who belonged in the sunlit garden of a royal palace. He cleared his throat dramatically, hoping his voice would sound less like a nervous wreck and more like a real prince.
"Ah, yes. The air is quite… refreshing," he said, trying not to sound like he was reading off a script. "A royal stroll is just what I needed!"
Elise nodded approvingly, but the moment she turned away, Leon's expression immediately dropped. He was walking—royally—but the tension was eating at him. There was still a lot of stress hanging in the air, not helped by the knowledge that at any moment, he could completely lose his composure.
The walk around the gardens was uneventful at first. Leon managed to put on his best "regal" face and give a nod or two at the guards and staff who passed by. His royal charisma had somehow improved—slightly—and he was managing not to make an absolute fool of himself. Maybe there was hope after all.
But then, the peaceful stroll took a turn when a small, overly energetic child—probably around five or six—ran up to him, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Prince Lucien! Prince Lucien!" the child shouted, nearly tripping over his own feet as he tried to reach Leon. "Will you play with me? Will you?"
Leon froze, caught off guard. His composure instantly shattered. Oh no. Not a kid!
The child stopped just short of Leon, his face full of innocent joy. Leon panicked. He wasn't prepared for this. A royal prince had no time to play with children. Or did they? Was that a thing that real princes did?
"Uh… I…" Leon floundered, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'm afraid I'm very busy at the moment, little one," he said, desperately trying to sound authoritative. God, I'm going to mess this up.
But the child didn't seem to care. "Please, Prince Lucien! I want to show you my new toy!" He pulled out a wooden sword, swinging it in the air like an aspiring knight.
Leon's eyes widened as the sword came dangerously close to his face. Instinctively, he sidestepped, stumbling awkwardly as he dodged the wild swings of the toy weapon.
The child was unfazed, continuing to swing the sword in all directions. "Don't worry, I'll protect you! I'll be your royal knight!"
Leon blinked. Was I supposed to be impressed by this?
Just as the child prepared to swing again, Leon's eyes caught a reflection in the nearby pond—a nearby statue of some noble figure, presumably someone with a lot more grace and charm than he had. That's it! He thought. I need to act like that.
With sudden inspiration, he threw out his hands and dramatically posed in front of the child, causing the little knight to stop mid-swing.
"I, Prince Lucien Valmont, the mighty, the strong, the…" He faltered, glancing around. "The amazing royal knight of Faeos—am not afraid of your wooden weapon!"
The child blinked at him, confused. "You're a prince! You don't have a sword?"
Leon paused. Shit. He had no sword. What kind of prince doesn't have a sword?
He took a deep breath, channeling his inner 'royal warrior.' He bent down, pretending to draw an invisible sword from his side. "Aha! I, too, possess the fabled sword of destiny! It is a sword of immense power!" He swung his hand wildly, smacking his arm into a nearby flower bush.
The child's face lit up. "Whoa! A magic sword!" He hopped up and down, clearly thrilled.
Leon gave a strained smile. Well, at least it's working…
The child suddenly darted around him, running to a nearby fountain. "Prince Lucien, look! I'm going to defeat the evil dragon!"
Leon glanced at Elise, who had been watching from a distance, and muttered, "Well, this is going swimmingly…"
But as the child began charging around the fountain with his wooden sword, Leon's relief was short-lived. The little knight came back to him, holding the sword up proudly. "You can help me defeat the dragon! You can be the Dragon Prince!"
Leon's eyes narrowed. "Dragon Prince? What is this nonsense…"
Elise came rushing over, clearly concerned. "Your Highness, the physician said no running or playing for the day…"
But before Leon could respond, the child shoved the wooden sword into his hands. "Fight with me, Dragon Prince! Together, we'll defeat the dragon!"
Leon stared at the toy weapon in his hands. This was how his royal walk was going to end? Playing with some child and his imaginary dragons?
He sighed dramatically. "Fine. I, Prince Lucien Valmont, will defeat this evil dragon. But know this, little knight, I only do this because I'm in a generous mood."
And so, they began. Leon had no choice but to follow along, swinging the sword as awkwardly as possible, trying to maintain his composure while being roped into an absurd game with a child.
---
To Be Continued…