Chapter Fourteen

But then, suddenly someone hugged me. I was surprised when I noticed that it was Prince Noah the one hugging me. "Calm down. It is alright."

'Huh?' I thought surprised.

I took my hands off my face and looked at him. I couldn't believe that Prince Noah was trying to comfort me.

"Are you calm now?" Prince Noah asked me, patting my head.

"Y-Yes… I am." I said quickly wiping my tears, embarrassed.

"Geez. You are really a crybaby, aren't you? You've already cried twice just today." Prince Noah said crossing his arms, staring at me like he couldn't believe what he just saw.

"I'm sorry." I said ashamed.

Prince Noah sat on his chair again and sighed. "Well, there is nothing for you to be sorry about. If I was you I would cry all the time too."

I didn't know if he was trying to cheer me up or trying to make me feel more miserable, but all he did was making me feel mad.

I drank a few sips of tea, to calm myself.

But, then Prince Noah surprised me again when he asked me. "Why did you cry? Was that… because of something I said?" Even though he was trying to not show, I noticed that he was feeling guilty.

"No, Your Highness, it wasn't because of you that I cried." I quickly answered.

Prince Noah seemed relieved after hearing what I said, but then he looked at me and suddenly he seemed mad. "So, why were you crying?"

"That is… Nothing. As I said, I just had a bad day today, Your Highness." I said averting my eyes from his gaze. I knew that there was no reason for me to tell him the truth. He would never understand.

Prince Noah obviously didn't like my answer, but he surprisingly accepted it. "Huh, I see."

One of his maids approached us and said. "I'm sorry for disturbing your conversation, Prince Noah. But, I must remind you that soon is the time you promised your brother Prince Dylan earlier that you would meet him." She said looking at the clock.

Prince Noah looked at the clock surprised. He rose from his chair and then he looked at me. "You can stay here. Eat as much as you want. I have to go now."

"T-Thank you, Your Highness." I said quickly rising from the chair and giving him a respectful bow.

He was almost leaving from the room when he suddenly looked back at me and said. "From now on, if someone tries to make you have a "bad day" just say to them that you are my friend. And if they still dare to do something to you, just tell me later." After saying that he left the room with his maids following him.

"W-W-What?!" I asked confused, but there was no one to answer me.

'...What just happened?'

I left the room right after eating all the food on my plate. Though after all that happened I ended up losing my appetite, still I forced myself to eat.

"What did Prince Noah mean with that?" I asked myself, after remembering what Prince Noah said earlier. "Did he really mean that, or he just wanted to help me, saying that I was his friend?"

I sighed. 'There is no point thinking about it. Right now I have more important things to do.'

I was walking through the palace without knowing where to go. I needed a place to rest and to sleep. But it has to be a place where I will not be found, at least while I am sleeping.

One thing I know for sure is that I can't keep using my magic while I am asleep. So I won't be able to keep hiding my real appearance.

'Well, this palace is huge. So, it may not be hard to find somewhere I can hide.' I thought.

After walking through the many corridors of this palace, I decided to go to the west side, because staying in the main area may be a bit dangerous since there are many servants working there that could end up finding me.

The good thing is that I am pretty familiarized with the west side, so I easily found a room where I could pass the night.

It was an empty room, there was no furniture there. It was probably used as a guest room since there is an empty closet and a bathroom as well. But, the best part is that there is a lock on the door, so I can lock it from the inside.

'I can sleep without worries tonight.' I thought relieved after locking the door.

I lay on the floor in the middle of the room and I tried to sleep.

Looking at the ceiling I thought. 'After all I have done, I ended up in a dark room again tonight… Well, at least here I can leave whenever I want.'

I sighed, feeling depressed.

Trying to cheer me up, I decided to use my magic. I made a few small balls of light float around the room. Looking at them made me feel like I was camping and there were fireflies flying around me. That thought made me smile.

"Maybe one day, while in a mission as an adventurer, I can camp in a forest and see real fireflies… That would be cool."

Daydreaming about how I wanted my life as an adventurer to be was the last thought I had before finally falling asleep.

"What should I do today?" That was the first thing I thought about as soon I woke up.

Usually, in the morning, I used have breakfast in the northwest area. 'But, I am not in the northwest area today.'

Thinking about that made me feel so excited. I didn't feel like this since the time I left the northwest side for the first time.

Just like that day, I could feel the taste of freedom that I wanted so much. "Alright!"

I left the room excited. 'I want to go to the royal library again today, but first, I want to eat something.'

Knowing that it wouldn't be closed today, I decided to go to the kitchen in the main area. Though there will be many servants in there right now, still, invisible I can easily get in there and get something for me to eat.

'That will be easy.' I thought.

"Found you!"

Suddenly, on my way to the kitchen, a maid came running in my direction calling me. She was a young woman, around her early twenties probably, she had brown hair and blue eyes.

For a moment I was confused if she was really calling me, but then I noticed that she was the brunette maid, one of Prince Noah's maids that I met last night.

"Finally… I found you…" The maid said panting after getting close to me. "Prince Noah is looking for you. Come with me."

She didn't even wait for my answer, she grabbed my arm and made me follow her.

"W-Wait! Where are we going?" I asked confused

"To the main dining room, where the royal family has their meals." She said without looking at me.

"W-W-What?!"