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Elara peered around the stone corner—and saw the same waiter pushed against the wall by two other male servants. His tray had been knocked to the ground again. One of his sleeves was torn, and blood trickled from a cut on his forearm.
He didn't speak. He just stood there, jaw tight, silently enduring it.
Elara's eyes narrowed.
Nope.
She stepped forward without hesitation.
"I believe he's done serving tonight," she said, her voice cool and commanding.
The other two servants froze. When they saw her—a royal princess—they bowed awkwardly and scrambled away without another word.
The injured waiter turned, surprised. His eyes—a soft, stormy gray—met hers briefly before he looked away and bowed.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Elara crossed her arms. "Don't thank me yet. That was the most pitiful food rescue I've ever seen. You're lucky I skipped dinner."
He let out a soft, surprised laugh. "I'll try harder next time."
She stepped closer, her tone softening. "You're bleeding."
"It's nothing."
"Let me decide that."
She took a silk cloth from her sleeve—decorative and probably expensive—and gently wrapped it around the cut on his arm. As she did, she caught a strange mark near his wrist. A faded tattoo... or a seal?
Before she could ask, he pulled his sleeve down,She looked at him again. Closer this time.There was more to him.
"What's your name?"
He hesitated, then answered:
"Kian."Elara stared at Kian, then continue nursing the cloth wrapped around his arm. His soft brown hair, slightly tousled, framed his gentle face in a way that made her pause. His warm brown eyes met hers again—curious, calm… and undeniably cute. She could not control her self as she placed her hand on his head and pat his head and said :"CUTE".
He's too handsome to be scrubbing dishes, she thought.
Kian looks at the princess surprised with his puppy eyes.
And then, Mina not Elara, the girl inside her from another world, screamed inside her mind:
"OH. MY. STARS. He looks just like Seo Jun-Tae from Weak Hero Class 2! I am going to marry this guy and are NOT letting this one go!"
Before she could stop herself, Elara blurted out—
"How about… you become one of my husbands?"
Kian blinked. "Pardon?"
Even Elara froze. Did she just say that out loud?
She tried to recover. "I mean—technically, I'm allowed to pick more than one, right? So…"
Her voice trailed off as she watched Kian's stunned expression.
Then, slowly, he tilted his head with a small smirk. "You propose to every injured servant you find in stairwells who you don't even know his background , Your Highness?"
Elara cleared her throat. "No. Just the ones that look like cute."
Kian let out a quiet laugh, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.
"I'll think about it."
Think about it?,Mina started screaming again in her head.
"HE DIDN'T SAY NO. I REPEAT—HE DID NOT SAY NO."
Elara tried to keep her cool on the outside, nodding calmly like she hadn't just won the reverse harem jackpot.
"Great. No pressure. Just get back to me before the night comes over the kingdom."
Kian raised an eyebrow. "Noted."
They stood there for a moment longer, silence filled with unspoken thoughts and awkward butterflies.
And maybe—just maybe—a spark neither of them expected.
Elara had waited.
After the encounter in the stairwell, she had hoped—expected—Kian to show up again. Maybe to say goodbye… or maybe to say yes. She hope he said yes.
But he didn't come.
By morning, the ball had faded into memory, and the grand palace was buzzing with the new day's duties. The day Elara would move to the East.
Snowflakes drifted lazily as the carriage stood ready outside the gate. A pair of silver-furred horses pawed the ground impatiently, their breaths misting in the cold air. The Queen, as expected, was absent same goes with her step sisters. She doesn't even want to see them. What bothers her she is going to miss a cute face or she was thinking if she should find him . That would be impossible since Kael is here with her and has not yet tell him about Kian. But Prince Kael stood nearby, looking far too energetic for someone facing a days-long journey through snow-covered terrain.
"Your Highness," he said, standing beside the open carriage door, "if we wait any longer, the roads will be ice." Prince Kael draws Elara minds back to reality she is now.
Elara gave him a look. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Kael smirked, but she could tell he was anxious to leave.
She turned back one more time—just in case Kian would appear.
Still nothing.
Her heart dipped slightly, but she masked it with a sigh.
Just as she began to step into the carriage, she heard footsteps rushing.
"Elara!"She turned and saw her father approaching, dressed in soft royal robes layered for the cold. Beside him was Anya, her youngest stepsister—the healer and the only one who had supported her.
"Dad," she said, her voice softer.
He pulled her into a tight hug. "You'll be fine. Cold doesn't kill dragons… remember that."
Anya gave her a small pouch. "It's a charm. For healing and luck. Also... for warmth. Just in case Kael gets annoying."
"I heard that," Kael said from the carriage, smirking.
Elara smiled and hugged Anya back. "Thank you."
Lord Asen gently cupped her face. "I love you. Don't lose yourself out there."
She nodded. "I'll write… if ravens don't freeze midair."
He chuckled, kissed her forehead, then stepped back.
"Nyra's already at the eastern watchtower. She's preparing everything."
With one last glance behind her—still no Kian—Elara climbed into the carriage.
As the horses began to pull away, Elara leaned out slightly.
"Goodbye."
She didn't know if she said it to her family but she did.
The carriage rattled along the icy road, flanked by guards on horses and a few flying messenger birds above. Snow continued to fall gently as Elara leaned her cheek against the window, eyes glazed with thought "Now I am facing what I don't know, one thing I know for sure I Am Going To Be Sleeping In A Mountain".
Then—the sharp sound of hooves galloping fast from behind.
The guards muttered something, slowing the carriage.
Prince Kael immediately jumped off, sword drawn, eyes narrowing. He walked toward the source with practiced caution. Elara leaned forward, trying to see through the frosted glass.
What's going on?
There was muffled shouting. Then a scuffle.
Her heart pounded. "What was going on?"
She shoved open the carriage door, stepping out into the cold. One of the guards tried to stop her, but she brushed him off.
Kael spotted her and quickly blocked her path.
"Elara, go back inside. It's nothing serious—just a stupid interruption."
She frowned. "Kael, I heard shouting. Let me see."
Before he could stop her, a voice rang through the cold air—
"Princess Elara!"
She froze.
That voice…
NEXT.....