Chapter 5

Any movement she made would mean her head flying off her body, her heart nearly stopped out of sheer distress.

'Help!?' She screamed in her head.

[How?]

'Why the fuck is everyone trying to kill me!?'

She wanted to cry. How unhelpful was this system going to be!? The absolute worst-case scenario would be her virtual space, but if people knew she was not the real elf princess, she could kiss her mission goodbye as well as her life.

She tried to calm down, but the second she felt herself being moved, she knew she needed to do something.

[We have a problem]

'What now!?'

[There is a system user here.]

Should she be afraid or elated? Considering her last meeting with a system user, she did not know if she would be immediately attacked. But at this point, it was her best chance. She took a deep breath and screamed.

"I WAS MADE FOR LOVING YOU, BABY!"

The assassins paused in confusion. Was she singing right now?

"Hey! Shut up!" The one behind her threatened, pressing the knife further into her skin. He looked up at his team in annoyance, but he saw their bodies on the floor, blood spilling from a small hole in their heads. He suddenly felt fear, but before he could move, he felt a sudden pain. Something had pierced through his head. His body lost all strength, and he fell into the pond. Unfortunately, he dragged the princess down with him, much to her dismay.

Odeliah struggled to free herself, but the assassin's hands held on tightly. She flailed in the water, her lungs burning as she fought to break free. Just as she thought she might lose consciousness; she saw a figure dive into the water. A brunette, dressed in dark clothes, cut through the water with powerful strokes.

He reached her quickly, prying the assassin's grip from her with ease. The assassin's lifeless body drifted away as the man pulled Odeliah to the surface. She gasped for air; her vision blurred by the sudden exposure to the light.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" he asked.

Odeliah looked at the man who saved her; brown, tousled hair framed a face marked by mild, handsome features. He was dressed in a dark military uniform that did not belong to Leone. A belt cinched his waist, and a sword hung at his side, the hilt gleaming in the soft light. Was he a soldier or a Nobel?

He helped her out of the water, guiding her to the edge of the pond. She collapsed onto the corridor, her body trembling from the adrenaline and cold. The man stood over her, covering her with a large cloak he must have dropped before jumping in to save her.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He extended his hand to help her stand. "Aeron, your highness."

They stared at each other for a moment, uncertainty lingering in the air. "So..." Aeron began, "I guess you were the one singing?"

Odeliah coughed violently, her face heating up immediately. She had just blurted out the first modern song she could think of, and in hindsight, it was incredibly embarrassing.

She coughed again, trying to regain her composure. "Ah, yes... Then you must also be like me."

Aeron nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "What system do you have?"

"The Queen Maker," she lied smoothly.

"The Returner," he replied.

She cocked her head in confusion. "The Returner?"

He did not elaborate, and she found it rude to pry further.

"You must be cold," Aeron said, glancing at her blood-stained dress. "I will get an attendant to help you." He began to turn away, but she quickly grabbed his arm. She hated to admit it, but she felt a bit afraid right now.

"Please don't go yet," she said quietly.

He stopped and looked at her wretched state. Blood mixed with her once-pretty dress, and she looked quite pitiful.

"Alright," he said gently, sitting by the corridor and leaning against the wall facing the lake. She stood awkwardly by him, pulling the large cloak to completely cover herself. "Come, at least let me heal you."

"You can use magic?" she asked, surprised. According to her knowledge, mages were not common, especially among humans.

He nodded. "Come here." She listened, sitting by him and opening the cloak a little to expose her neck and collar.

Aeron extended his hand, a soft, warm light emanating from his palm. His fingers lightly traced the edge of the wound on her neck, and she felt a soothing warmth spread through her skin. The pain began to ebb away, replaced by a gentle tingling sensation.

"You're quite good at this," Odeliah remarked, her eyes closing slightly as the healing magic worked through her.

Aeron smiled faintly. "I've had a lot of practice." His voice held a hint of something she couldn't quite place, maybe melancholy?

As the wound closed, she found herself staring at him. His features were striking in the soft light, his eyes deep pools of history. "Are you a prince then?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Who said I was a prince? I could be anyone; I might just be a guard." His lips curled into a small, almost bitter smile as if he was mocking himself.

"Your sword is too pretty to belong to a common soldier," she observed, noticing the gold detailing on the hilt that seemed out of place for someone of low rank. The fact that he had a sword was a bit strange, he must not be involved with the banquet because swords aren't allowed there. So, what was he doing here? The guest wing is quite far away.

"Oh? I guess it is." He looked at his sword, but then looked back up at her. "Then who do you think I am?" His tone was light, but his eyes told a different story.

"A prince," she stated, watching him closely for a reaction.

"A prince?" he echoed, amused at her insistence to make him a prince.

"Yes, you're not from Eden. Their royal family is full of psychos, so you're probably from Aderith."

"Oh?" he replied, his voice hollow.

"And you're not a prince I've seen before, so are you the eighth prince? Since you have a system, you must have been doomed for a miserable fate." She ventured, piecing together the fragments of his past she could see in his expression.

As her words left her mouth, she noticed a deep sadness in his eyes. She continued, her voice softer, "Your system is the 'Returner'. Then you must have lived this life before in some capacity. You either came back to this world after leaving, or your system is only for you to relive this life."

His smile turned bitter. "You're quite smart, aren't you, princess?" His voice held resignation.

Sensing his discomfort, she backed off. "Well, I might just be talking nonsense, so don't listen to me." She pulled the cloak closer around herself as a cold breeze picked up, feeling the weight of his past settle heavily between them.

"Is there anyone I can call? You look cold," he offered, his concern evident his words.

"I'm afraid there is no one. For some reason, people keep trying to kill me. I can't trust anyone for now." She wouldn't be surprised if another assassin was awaiting her in her room. She felt like she had walked into a sticky web blind. She was already planning something with the Marquis Lionheart, but she didn't even know what that was. She was just tired of all of this.

"Not even your Koa?" he asked gently.

"... No, I can trust him. I just don't want him to die." She admitted, her voice barely a whisper, he was too weak to protect her all the time.

"He looks quite powerful. Why would he die?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Powerful? Are we looking at the same man?" she replied, a hint of incredulity in her voice.

"You need to have a bit more confidence in him." Aeron's voice was confident, as if he knew Ahqi personally and knew his skill.

"You know something I don't, don't you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to read him.

He only laughed, a soft sound that seemed to lighten the mood. "Let me accompany you to your room then, since there is no one else who can."

As they walked back, Aeron kept a respectful distance, his presence a comforting shadow by her side. The moonlight cast long shadows on the stone path, and the night air was filled with the gentle rustle of leaves. Odeliah felt a strange sense of peace with Aeron, despite knowing so little about him.

They reached her chambers, and he paused at the door, his eyes meeting hers.

"Thank you, Aeron." Her gratitude was genuine.

"Anytime, princess."

Odeliah watched as Aeron disappeared into the shadows before entering her room. She quickly changed out of her bloodstained dress, opting for a simpler gown. The soft fabric was soothing against her skin, a small comfort after the night's harrowing events. She tied her hair up since it was still damp, securing it with a gold hairpin.

Determined to return to the party, Odeliah steeled herself, making sure she was never left alone. Her movements were more cautious, her eyes darting around constantly, always scanning for potential threats. When she re-entered the grand ballroom, the atmosphere was still lively, filled with laughter and music. She found her Koa and stood by him all night; she opted not to tell Ahqi about what had transpired. He was her protector, but she didn't want to worry him unnecessarily. The incident, however, made her realize the importance of having her own loyal servants. She could no longer rely on her brother's attendants.

After enough time had elapsed, she decided she had stayed long enough as to not disrespect her sister. Odeliah signalled to her attendants. "I think I'll retire early," she said, they nodded, understanding her need for rest. The night was still young, and the festivities had just started yet she couldn't help but feel like they were celebrating the upcoming deaths of the warriors who would be fighting for glory.

Tomorrow, blood will be shed in the colosseum.