“You truly are a princess.”

  Katheri rexed on the log, watg the se unfold with an amused smirk. Taking advantage of her calm presence, I used imperial steps I learned when I was young to position myself behind her. If this creep wants to reach me, he’ll have to deal with her first.

  After his dramatic decration, the lore keeper moved toward me as if under a slow spell, his every step deliberate but uling. The sluggishness gave me a small burst of fidence. I crossed my arms and said, “Yes, I am a princess. Princess Charlie. o meet you.”

  “Wat? Guys, the hell?” Katherine excimed, snapping out of her rexed stance. She crossed her arms and pnted herself firmly in front of me, her expression fierce. I couldn’t help but follow her lead, stepping just behi stand. How nice of her!

  Her sudden movement must have startled the lore keeper. His deep grin faltered, and he finally seemed to find his lost wits. Good.

  “Perhaps you are unaware of the power of names?” he said, his tone now measured. Katherine shrugged, and true to form, immediately retur. Standing really isn’t her thing.

  The old man straightened his posture with a grace that ed his earlier frantiergy and expined. “Child, when you know someone’s name and speak it aloud, you grant them power. No matter how insignifit that power may seem, it is still power.”

  Satisfied with his cryptic expnatiourned and walked back toward the children gathered around the fire.

  I, too, returo Katherine’s side. Beio her still feels surreal. The fire’s warmth enveloped me again, soothing my stiff hands and easing the lingering tension.

  “So wat?” Katherine cocked her head, her eyebrows raising as she gave my shoulder a light nudge. “Hey, Charlie, ya uand?”

  “Yeah! If millions talk about someone—say, a king or queen, good or bad—it gives them power. We talk about gods, so they have power.”

  Of course, I k wasn’t a fair parison. Gods and demons had power beyond mere belief, capable of crushing mortals even without worshippers. But was it important enough to fuse Katherih details? No. Not everyone had read thousands upon thousands of books like I had. The entire imperial library, barring the religious se, because no thanks.

  We were so close I could almost see her mind ing. Her captivating eyes darted left and right, her thoughts visible on her face as clear as day. First uanding, then fusion, and finally… chaos. She began wildly gestig with her hands.

  “Thanks. But!” she excimed, waving a finger. “Ya said kingdom, not person!”

  “Yes, my child,” the lore keeper interrupted, his tone calm but grave. “When they quered us, the enemy khe power of names. So they erased it from existery it—say what the princess said. Say ——.”

  His st words were bizarre; his lips moved, but no sound emerged.

  Katherine, never oo back down from a challenge, griilting her head back, she inhaled dramatically, puffing out her chest. Then she yelled, “——!”

  Nothing.

  Her eyebrows furrowed. She tried again. “——! Tff, garbage!”

  With a defeated huff, she plopped onto the log, her energy defting as the keeper’s ughter echoed around us. Her pitiful expression tugged at something inside me, an almost overwhelming urge to hug her. No, Charlie, focus. Instead, I calmly said, “Eeleim.”

  The word rolled off my tongue easily. If I had to bet, it was because of Irwen’s power—her tiara. She was already a myth, which meant its power could only grow over time.

  “Princess,” the lore keeper said, snappi of my thoughts. “Would you kindly tell us a story about our kingdom?”

  “Yes!” the children chimed in unison. “Please, Princess!”

  Their pleading voices hit a pitch so high it ractically an assault on my ears. Then, as if deg to gang up ohey began ting, “Story! Story! Story!”

  It was so loud; I nodded without thinking. Admins be damned, I’ll create my quest!

  Risily from my seat, I smiled at the eager faces before me. “Have you heard the story of Priawera and the great magi, Prince Rendo?”

  The children screeched their response: no; they hadn’t, but they wao.

  Okay, here we go. I adjusted my posture, trying to stand like a princess. Straight spine. slightly lifted. Shoulders back. One foot in front of the other. It was harder than I remembered. My knees bent slightly—probably wrong—but at least I tried. Good enough, right?

  Katheriurned on her camera, the i above her head giving her away.

  “Kit,” I said before she could even ask, “it’s fine. Record it, but please don’t stream.”

  Her expression said she’d already pnned on streaming, but she gave me a half-nod.

  Alright, Katherine. Let me show you the best story of your life.

  Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself. Will aice if I fill in the bnks? Nah. Okay, John—no, Charlie—you’ve been doing great tely. o paniow.

  “Once upon a time, there was a sacred kingdom called Eeleim. It stretched from the depths of the sea to the highest peaks at the ter of the ti. The heart of Eeleim was its capital city, Yarriw. Sihe dawn of time, the kings and queens ruled with benevolence, and the kingdom prospered uheir care.”

  As I spoke, I noticed the old man nodding along, his eyes glimmering with reflected firelight—and tears. They sparkled like two stars, amplifying the emotion of the moment.

  “But don’t be mistaken about the royal title,” I tinued, pag slowly around the fire. “Our kingdom wasn’t like the humans’, where they squabbled over iaer a ruler’s death.” Yeah, it was worse. But all stories lie.

  “In Eeleim, a ruler could grant the title of prince or prio anyone—yes, even you!” I poio a random child in the crowd, earning a delighted gasp. “It was the highest honor, bestowed only by the ruler themselves. And in our kingdom, princesses ied the in the order they were giveitle.”

  I gestured to my tiara, stepping proudly into the firelight so its jewels twinkled with every flicker of the fmes. “At the time of our story, Queen Tirel finally aowledged her daughter Tawera. After years of hard work, Tawera pleted a stunning painting that moved her mother deeply. For her efforts, Tirel reized her as a princess—a first princess, the queen! Tawera was humble, poets sang balds of her beauty, and she cared for the kingdom with all her heart.”

  As I told the story, I tried my best to mimic the graceful walk of an empress. Memories of long-fotteiquette csses stirred in my mind, but let’s face it—I hadn’t cared about it that much back then. Still, I paraded fidently around the fire with smooth steps, determio put on a show. No half-measures. Crafting a quest isn’t easy. Py your part.

  “One day, while visiting the bustling market of Yarriw, a young man caught Tawera’s attention. Rendo was charming and polite, and they spent the week walking the city together. They talked te into the nights beh the twin moons. Their eyes met, their hearts iwined, and they promised to be together forever. How little they knew of the treachery of humans!”

  Though let’s be real, it robably the other way around.

  “Rendo returned home to his kingdom to prepare for their wedding and the uniting of their realms. But when his father, the king, learned of the pns, he was furious! ‘Stop this nonsense immediately!’ he demanded.”

  To emphasize the king’s fury, I cast a small healing spell on myself. The soft glow illuminated my face, drawing awestruck gasps from the children. Their wide, sparkling eyes and hushed breaths filled me with an unfamiliar warmth. Pride? Maybe. Some even shouted, “The king stinks!” which earned a chuckle from Katherine.

  “Despite his father’s protests, nothing could extinguish the fire of love burning in Rendo’s heart.”

  “Because he was a great magi, he crafted a beautiful ring—a gift for his beloved, which he called the Eternal E Ring. Enting it with an aeleportation spell, he made it so that as long as she wore it, she could be with him, no matter the distance.”

  “No human could hold him. Rendo escaped from his kingdom with ease, but that wasn’t the case with our capital. uards didn’t know about the promise he made to our beloved princess, so they refused to let him ehe pace.”

  I climbed onto a log, pausing for effect as all eyes followed me. “After wandering for days, uo even catch a glimpse of his beloved, he sought help from an old friend.” I let the silence hang, sing the eager fay listeners before tinuing.

  “His friend was a former royal spy. Thanks to him, the prince mao sneak into the pace the very day. The spy even cleared a path to the princess’s room.”

  I lowered my tone, mixing my voice with sorrow. “But little did Rendo know, his friend was still w for his father. And when he finally reached Tawera’s room…” My voice dropped further, soft and heavy. “…it was already too te.”

  “Why te?” a child whispered, wide-eyed.

  “Because his father had ordered assassins to eliminate her.” The weight of my words hung in the air as I tinued. “Rendo opehe door, his heart filled with hope of beied, only to find her colpsed on the floor, her life slipping away.

  “He rushed tathering her in his arms, unbothered by the blood that stained her and him alike. Tawera, i moments, reized him. She gave him one final, fleeting smile before passing away, her st thoughts of him.”

  A hush fell over the group, the children barely breathing. Even Katherieasing grin had softened into something uncharacteristically solemn.

  “Her death alerted the pace guards, and shouting overtook the halls.”

  I paused for dramatic effect, letting the tension build before delivering the climax.

  “Rendo bitterly smiled at his beloved, gently pg the ring on her finger—he no longer . Then, he faced the guards. Our brave elven warriors, unaware of the truth, saw only a grieving man cradling the princess’s lifeless body. It didn’t take long before the queen herself barged in, fury bzing in her eyes.”

  For the grand finale, I decided to use Ice Dahe fshiest spell in my repertoire.

  “She didn’t hesitate. Fueled by grief and rage, she cast an a spell!”

  With precision, I drew the runes, my hands moving with deliberate grace. It wasn’t easy, but my preparation paid off—success on the first try! Frost erupted from the ground, spiraling outward like a wave. The icy chill enveloped the children, the lore keeper, and even the fire itself.

  The spectacle was impressive—a frozen bze, shimmering and crag as frost and fme coexisted in rebellion against nature.

  “Rendo turned into stone, forever frozen by the queen’s magid Eeleim began to mourn its lost princess.”

  My story ended with a wide grin on my face, and the childreed into a wave of cheers. Even the lore keeper joined in. Woah, am I like... a superb storyteller?

  “Wonderful story! The details differ from what I remember, but the gist is the same. ing from a princess, it was an honor,” the keeper said warmly. Then, to my utter surprise, they all bowed to me, dropping to one knee, just like that traitor Don.

  The face of the guild leader fshed in my mind. He knew I rincess and didn’t care—because I was also a noble. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I mumbled, “Stand up, I don’t deserve it…” Avoiding their gaze, I turned my eyes to Katherine.

  She had finished rec and was happily swaying to an unknown rhythm, her body moving with her usual carefree energy. Typical Katherine.

  “Nonsehe lore keeper replied, his voiwavering. “I only hope to visit ——… I mean, our former capital, at least on my life. That was the dream of the elves of old.” His eyes glimmered in the firelight, the suppressed tears making them sparkle unnaturally bright. “As, I’ll see my queen soon again.”

  Is everyone prepared to die?

  An arm suddenly ed around my ned shoulders, and the faint st of fresh air revealed Katherine before she even spoke. “Let’s go! ‘here is it?” she asked, her excitement bubbling over.

  Despite knowily where the ruin was, I stayed silent, watg the lore keeper with my heart rag. Don’t you dare fail me now.

  He nodded, finally revealing the location. “The wilderness has cimed our capital, but if you head north toward the gigantic mountains, you might find it.”

  Great. If I didn’t already know where it was, we’d be lost for days. Stupid old man! What was he thinking?

  “Thanks! See ya!” Katherine chirped, giving the keeper no ce to eborate. Without waiting for my input, she turned around and started dragging me away with surprising force.

  My hasty wave was all the group by the fire got from me as Katherine pulled me along. I wao stay, to ask the keeper more questions, but her grip—and her relentless energy—made arguing pointless.

  “Which way?” she asked, her voice full of eagerness.

  “Katherine! You…” I started, a jumble of emotions threatening to spill out. But her i expression told me she didn’t think she’d been hasty or insiderate. Typical Katherine.

  “Never mind,” I sighed. “What do you mean, though? Do you actually want to explore it?”

  Still pressing against me as we walked, her hot breath tickled my ear as her excited voiswered. “Yeah! Got a quest. Story was amazin’!” She squeezed me tighter, her excitement almost painful, though pining was out of the question.

  I hugged her back around her waist, though my riest-css strength and her armor made it mostly symbolic. “You got a quest? Amazing! That’s the ruin I’ve been talking about this whole time. But we’ll need Lisa. Are you sure it’s fio go? It’s a long way from here…”

  Katherine finally let me go, and I watched as her love-hate retionship with walking maed iime. She stiffened, clearly dreading the idea. “How long?”

  “At least six hours of walking,” I replied.

  My words hit her like a hammer. Her shoulders slouched, and she defted pletely.

  “e on,” I added quickly, trying to soften the blow. “That estimate includes fighting along the way.”

  Her fastantly brightened, her emotions surging as she jumped with joy. “Fights? I’ll get to level ten! Time limit, though.”

  “Wait a sed,” I said, stepping in front of her. My gaze locked onto hers. “What do you mean by time limit? Tell me more about the quest.”

  Katherine focused on her invisible quest window before speaking. “Aid Princess, reach within a day.”

  Damn. I couldn’t stop the nervous fidgeting.

  “We o go soon,” I breathed out, biting my lip. “Don’t worry. The loot’s going to be awesome. Maybe we’ll get that ring? I even heard about an a elven sword. It could be a marvel-level artifact.”

  Her ears perked up, and her eyes sparkled with hope. “Wat sword?”

  “The Fearbringer.”