"Maybe I should've just stayed home." Kaari was starting to rethink her decision when she caught a glimpse of the massive crowd in front of her.
The princess was almost certain that this was one of the largest crowds she's ever seen, and just the mere thought of having to walk through it all alone was enough to send her heart racing nervously in her chest.
This year's festival was a monumental moment for Stygia as it was the first time since the war where the nation chose to open its door to curious visitors.
Roseabelles were known for their rebellious nature, yet they showed an unexpected obedience to Lex's commands.
So far, they had been largely dismissive of Kaari and the other humans that were brave enough to show up and celebrate alongside creatures that considered humans as nothing more than prey.
Or perhaps it was her simple outfit that she chose to adorn to such a grand event, that helped her blend effortlessly into the crowd without attracting any unwanted attention.
After a brief moment of hesitation in front of the great city hall gates, the princess finally felt brave enough to make her way into the dense crowd.
The past few days had not been kind to Kaari, thanks to the headmaster's unexpected visit to Exousia and the chaos that came with his arrival.
Ever since her grandfather's passing, the treatment she had been receiving from the royal court had been, puzzling.
Due to the allegiance between their nations, she had no choice but to take on the responsibilities of both Imnolyn and Exousia, as Varen was preoccupied with searching for the missing Empress Zeya.
For seven whole years, she had spent all of her spare time to be a worthy enough ruler, even if the sacred title was only given to her temporarily.
And for once, she thought she was doing a decent job, until the headmaster got word of what was actually happening behind closed doors.
Varen's absence as the emperor was only known by a few selected officials within the castle walls, as an attempt to keep rumors at bay.
To say that the elderly Fire Deity was enraged when he finally found out would be an understatement.
'It should be humans that take orders from beings like us, not the other way around! 'She recalled the headmaster's harsh words. 'What a disgrace to the immortals that sacrificed their lives for the sake of this great empire!'
She was swiftly removed from the role after his outburst, and while she felt a sense of relief to be free, an emptiness still lingered.
It felt like no matter how hard she tried to do what was best for both Imnolyn and Exousia, her efforts were meaningless as long as she remained a mere mortal.
However, despite it all, she didn't blame the immortals for despising her kind.
After all, it was her ancestors who sparked the conflict that divided the Kaxarenes and Roseabelles, creating problems for everyone around them.
And yet, she often wondered why she had to be the center of all the brutal comments and dirty glances.
All she wanted was live a quiet life away from the spotlight but now, as the only heir to Imnolyn's royal family, she had no choice but to take charge, even if she dreaded the responsibilities and rules that came with it.
Kaari felt like even the heavens were urging her to stay home after everything she'd been through, yet, for some reason, she still wished to attend the celebrations.
'I did promise Lex that I'll attend...' She thought, fully aware that the Kaxarene was not someone who tolerated empty promises.
The idea of meeting the Kaxarene after an eventful few days made her cheeks turn pink with anticipation.
For the first time that week, she finally had something to look forward to.
Her excitement, however, was short-lived as she was abruptly brought back to reality after accidentally bumping into someone.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" The man snarled at the petite human, taking her by surprise.
The deep, inkiness that surrounded his colored irises when Kaari looked up to apologize was unmistakable—she had bumped into a Roseabelle.
'B-But I could've sworn-' She scanned her surroundings and to her horror, she had been careless yet again.
"I-It seems like I made a wrong turn." She stammered nervously before she attempted to turn back to where she had come from. "I-If you would excuse me -"
"Hey, that ain't a Roseabelle." One of his friends accused, taking Kaari by surprise.
"Hah, today must be our lucky day." Another one chimed in, a cannibalistic smile plastered on his elated face. "Getting fresh meat has become a real challenge ever since that new emperor took over."
Before Kaari could attempt to run for her life, a large, shadowy figure suddenly materialized between her and the Roseabelles.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, gentlemen." Kaari felt a wave of relief wash over her nerves when she recognized the voice of her savior. "Especially on a day as lovely as this."
"Look who's here to spoil all the fun." One of the Roseabelles snarled at Lex, completely unaware that they were standing face to face with the emperor they had been bad-mouthing just moments earlier. "It's always your own kind that's wishing for your downfall."
"I'm simply a guard following the emperor's orders." Lex smiled faintly, even with the hood of his cloak obscuring most of his face. "I'm sure you're aware of the rules His Majesty has placed following the event."
"Can you really blame us? She's the one that waltzed into the section meant for us." Roseabelle made a valid point, a sly smirk playing across his face. "As far as I'm aware, we didn't do anything wrong."
"... That is true." Lex agreed, much to Kaari's horror.
Her grip on Lex's arm tightened instinctively, but to her surprise, Lex responded with a gentle squeeze, silently offering reassurance.
'Don't worry, you're safe with me.'
"Well, if that's how it is, I'm more than happy to carry out the orders for handling troublemakers like you."
He stated a bit too casually, catching the sudden transition from confidence to dread within the group.
"Surely, you haven't forgotten what fate awaited those younglings who dared to challenge His Majesty's authority."
The Roseabelles seemed hesitant when Lex brought up the infamous incident, then, without saying a word, the group promptly stepped back and walked away.
"I... I could've handled that on my own, you know?" She mumbled nervously, refusing to meet Lex's intense glare once they were finally in the clear.
"... Of course you would've." He agreed sarcastically, unaware that it was hurting Kaari's feelings. "Though I doubt a human as frail as you could've outrun a bunch of gluttonous Roseabelles."
"Follow me, quickly." His voice had a firm tone, yet it came across as more pleading than commanding. "Unless you want to be the reason why I'm late to my own event."
=================
Despite having a hundred thoughts running through her mind, Kaari remained quiet as she followed Lex back to the section reserved for the special guests.
She felt a pang of guilt being escorted by Lex, knowing how busy he was, all because she was naturally clumsy.
'I hope he doesn't think I did this on purpose.' Her mind raced alongside her heartbeat, unable to keep calm.
This was the first time since their initial interaction that Kaari appeared visibly afraid to face the emperor.
Years of being close to him had made her forget the cold, hard truth—that at the end of the day, Lex was still someone she shouldn't trust, simply because he was a Roseabelle, and she was a human.
"Do you have nothing to say to me, Princess?" He finally turned to face Kaari, his icy stare sending chills down her spine.
'Calm down, Lexian. It wasn't like she did this on purpose.' He told himself, knowing full well that none of this would've happened if it weren't for that good-for-nothing headmaster. 'She has no one to depend on, what exactly did you expect the girl to do?'
"... Why didn't you tell me that the headmaster was treating you so harshly?"
He swiftly changed his question, letting out a heavy sigh as he raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.
"You are a princess, Kaari, which means you hold higher authority than that limp piece of old meat, so why are you allowing yourself to be treated this way?"
"It's not what you think, Lex." She defended herself, and for once Lex didn't interrupt and let her finish. "I... I just didn't know where to go."
"Then you should've asked me for help!" His words came out sharper than he intended, and he silently cursed himself for letting his temper get the better of him again.
'... Wonderful job, Lexian.' He closed his eyes, choosing his next words wisely this time. 'Now you're giving her the same treatment as that old geezer.'
"You were heading straight into the Roseabelle's section. Who knows what would've happened if-" He caught himself mid-sentence, noticing the princess's eyes shimmering with unshed tears, ready to fall.
"Y-You did not have to raise your voice at me, Lexian." She sniffled angrily, trying her best to not let her emotions get the best of her in public. "I might seem pathetic to you, but I assure you, I can handle things on my own."
"That's... That's not what I meant to convey-"
His sentence was rudely interrupted when Amrit appeared out of nowhere apparently in a rush.
"Um, I hate to be the one interrupting your very first couple quarrel, but it's almost time for your speech, Your Majesty." He turned to Lex and quickly grabbed a hold of his arm, pulling him closer. "The headmaster is growing impatient, and I might actually lose it if I have to spend another second dealing with his relentless demands."
"You're not helping, Amrit." Lex warned through clenched teeth, but before he could explain himself, Kaari had already decided she was done with the conversation.
"You should probably get going." Kaari concluded, her voice strangely devoid of any emotion despite being close to tears just a moment ago. "Like you said, it would be unfortunate if the event was delayed because of someone as inferior as me."
Without another word, Kaari turned and walked away, leaving Lex to grapple with her parting words.