~ The Next Day ~
Another day of being the invisible centerpiece of the Palace.
I spent the morning being treated like a porcelain doll again—maids dressing me, Elin practically feeding me breakfast—while everyone else in the palace ran around doing actual work. I walked through the halls, receiving bows from people who didn't even look me in the eye.
Well, I thought, adjusting my sleeves. At least being useless gives me plenty of time to read.
Around mid-morning, the heavy oak door creaked open.
Grandpa Eldric entered. He looked exhausted, wiping sweat from his brow. This was unusual; he was usually punctual to the second.
"Grandpa, you are late," I noted, setting down my tea cup.
"My deepest apologies, Young Lady," he sighed, bowing slightly. "I was detained by matters regarding the Grand Convergence."
My ears perked up. "Oh? What were you doing?" I asked, leaning forward with excitement.
"Since the High Sovereign of the Elvanyr Dominion and the delegation will be arriving in the Imperial Capital soon, security is being tightened significantly," he explained, removing his spectacles to rub his eyes.
"Oh, right, right!" I nodded, realizing who I was talking to. "You are the Grand Commander of the Imperial Knights. So you are in charge of the entire operation, right?"
"That is correct, Young Lady," he said gravely. "I was issuing deployment orders and finalizing the defensive perimeter. "However... I cannot be everywhere at once. So, I have placed the remaining tactical responsibility on Kaelen."
"Ah," I said. "So Kael will be busy with it."
Eldric frowned, a shadow passing over his face.
"To be honest, Young Lady... I am genuinely worried about my pupil."
"Worried? Why?"
"He is talented, yes. The strongest. But he is also... very arrogant," Eldric admitted, shaking his head. "The Elven delegation brings their own elite guard—the Bladewardens. They are proud, traditional warriors who despise humans."
He looked at me with serious eyes.
"I just hope Kaelen does not start a diplomatic incident by provoking them."
Ah, right. I nodded internally. Grandpa is absolutely correct.
Kael is a really arrogant brat.
I remembered our first meeting—my wedding night. He didn't just choke me; he even called me 'Elf Princess' on the very first night of marriage—while choking me.
Yup. Not only was choking me a crime, but calling me 'Princess' was one too. I only got away with it by claiming I was still trying to adapt to human customs.
At the time, I was cluless. But after reading the Elven history books, I realized that was a slur.
Unlike Humans, Elves don't form Kingdoms or Empires. We are a single Dominion, ruled by a High Sovereign. We don't use human titles like "King," "Queen," or "Princess." To an Elf, those are words of submission—titles for people who rule over dirt and stone, not nature and magic.
Calling me "Princess" was his way of saying, "You are just a human trophy now."
And the Elven Royal Guards? The Bladewardens. They are traditionalists. Fanatics.
Wow, I thought, picturing the scene. I can vividly imagine Kaelen messing with the Bladewardens. It would be a bloodbath in five minutes.
"Why not then you go, Grandpa?" I suggested, leaning forward. "I'm safe in the Palace, right?"
Eldric hesitated, his brow furrowed. "You are, Young Lady. But now that the Imperial Capital is opening its gates to the Elves, the risk of assassination attempts increases tenfold. I cannot in good conscience leave you alone."
"Then send Kaelen here and you go," I countered.
"I cannot, Young Lady. You know that. Her Majesty's order..."
"Sigh. Yeah?" I rolled my eyes theatrically. "Then at least leave me with the other knights and you go work there. It's important, right? If Kael starts a war before the Grand Convergence even happens, we're all doomed."
He bit his lip, clearly torn. "I do have... some pressing matters I need to oversee personally, but—"
"No buts, Grandpa," I interrupted firmly, standing up.
"I'll be in the Royal Library anyways. And no one except Royal Blood and high-ranking Nobles can enter that wing, right? It is literally the safest place in the entire Palace."
I smiled reassuringly.
"Just leave some other knights at the door with me. I'll be fine. Go save the diplomatic relations."
Eldric looked at me for a long moment, then finally sighed, defeated.
"Very well. But do not leave the Library until I return."
Just like that, Grandpa Eldric left for the command center, leaving me with seven of his most trustworthy and skilled knights.
I walked down the corridor, feeling like a mother duck with a very heavily armored brood following me. Clank, clank, clank. It was loud, but weirdly reassuring.
First, I stopped by Elena's room.
"Her Highness is in a meeting with the Dukes," the maid said, bowing low.
Wow. I blinked. Even Elena is busy doing actual work? The plot really is moving forward without me.
"Fine," I shrugged, turning on my heel. "To the Library it is."
I ignored the nagging feeling in the back of my mind—the System's red warning text flashing in my memory.
I want to see what is really going to happen. If the System is right, then something should happen immediately. If not, I win.
I pushed open the massive double doors of the Royal Library.
"You may enter," I told the knights.
They filed in, taking up positions by the door and along the perimeter, their hands resting on their sword hilts. I walked to my usual table, expecting to see the familiar brooding figure of the Prince in the corner.
But the chair was empty.
Huh.
I scanned the room. No Lucian. No clones. No floating magical tomes.
Did he finally complete his research? I wondered, running a hand over the back of my chair. He could have left a clone for formal work if he was just busy... but if there's no one here, he must be done.
A grin spread across my face as I sat down.
Good. Finally. I have the library to myself.
I started reading a book on World Geography.
Time passed unnoticed. The library was bathed in the warm, lazy silence of noon. Dust motes danced in the golden beams of sunlight streaming through the tall arched window.
Suddenly, the light vanished.
A large, hovering shadow blocked the window, plunging my table into shade.
I looked up, squinting against the backlight.
There stood a man.
He was tall—imposing—with broad shoulders that blocked out the sun. He looked down at me with a twisted, mischievous grin that didn't reach his eyes.
"So," his voice drawled, rich and dangerous. "Is that you? The delicious elf brought to the Empire?"
Huh?
My heart hammered against my ribs. How did he enter here?! We are on the second floor! Did he just climb through the window?
I whipped my head around to my seven "trustworthy" knights.
"Guards! Seize him—"
My voice died in my throat.
The knights weren't drawing their swords. They weren't rushing to protect me.
They were bowing.
Every single one of them had dropped to one knee, their heads lowered in deep, trembling respect.
What... what is happening?
Why are they bowing to an intruder who just called me 'delicious'?