The calm spread, and the chirping of the lively birds faded away. After that, the sunlight disappeared, and the moon rose, illuminating the palace garden completely. Inside the palace, the lamps lit up every corner. In a certain area on the third floor, inside Sabrina's room, Gaziel sat on one of the chairs, directly facing the witch in her usual seat.
"How was your journey?" Sabrina asked.
"Not like my adventures before retirement, but it was enjoyable," Gaziel replied.
"And what about the black dragon you killed?"
"It was a somewhat enjoyable battle. It reminded me of my epic fight with the Queen of Frost Dragons."
"The Queen of Frost Dragons—just hearing her name scares me. She was incredibly powerful, and the thought that she was killed by the man sitting before me frightens me even more," Sabrina remarked.
"Ha ha ha! That's funny," Gaziel responded, laughing loudly.
"By the way, did you come across any spies?" Sabrina asked while flipping through the pages of a book.
"I encountered two," Gaziel replied calmly.
"Really! How strong were they?" Sabrina asked after setting the book aside and staring at the swordsman seated before her.
"Strong enough to kill me," Gaziel answered.
"Their aura was terrifying, as if they weren't human. They were truly frightening. Fortunately, they didn't attack me. Oh, if only I were younger, I'd have crushed them!" Gaziel added, his features growing angry.
"God, that's terrifying. Where does Deryal get these spies, for heaven's sake?!" Sabrina exclaimed.
"Yes, they were wearing clothes that covered their features, so I couldn't get a good look at them. But I remember their aura vividly," Gaziel said.
"I just hope Deryal doesn't attack until we've solved our problems with the demons," the witch muttered.
"Don't worry, the treaty is still in effect, and they won't start any conflict for another two years," the butler replied.
"Don't trust Deryal, even if they signed the treaty. They could attack, but the issue is that their power is extremely mysterious," Sabrina said as she picked up a feather from the floor.
"Don't you think they might be hired spies from another kingdom?" Gaziel asked.
"Yes, there's a high chance they're from another kingdom. You should inform Tiana about this idea."
"I'll see... There are so many mysterious events happening," the butler murmured.
"Speaking of mysteries, during my journey, I heard that a large number of mushroom monsters escaped from the southern forests, so the guilds there raised the bounty on mushroom monsters... Strange things are happening in the kingdom. Oh my, this piques my curiosity," Gaziel added.
"The demon problem, Deryal's spies, and now mushroom monsters escaping from the forests... God, Yarum is in complete chaos," the witch muttered.
After this, a light silence spread, broken by Gaziel as he said:
"About that hero, he emits a very good aura. How does he not have a combat class?" the butler asked, rocking his chair.
"He said his class is 'NPC.' I've never heard of it before. It seems like it's from another language. Truly strange," Sabrina replied.
"NPC?? What?, I'd love to go to the Classes God and ask him about this strange class!" Gaziel responded with a smile.
"The aura is probably just a natural phenomenon from another world," the witch replied.
"..." Gaziel tilted his head in silence, as if pondering a difficult problem.
"Oh, I just remembered. Has the sword chosen anyone?" Gaziel asked.
"No, no one has entered the ruins yet, except for some amateur guards, and they didn't make it past the third floor. Besides, I believe the spirit is still dormant," Sabrina answered.
"I thought the heroes would come here, and I assumed the sword would choose one of them," Gaziel responded.
"One of the heroes has the 'Hero' class, so yes, if they come here, I'm sure the Spirit will choose them," the witch replied.
"I can't even be sure if the sword still exists, which makes me worried about it falling into the wrong hands," the butler muttered.
"If you're that concerned, you can send some guards to check on it," Sabrina suggested.
"Good idea," the swordsman replied as he glanced around the room.
"So, when will you submit your report on the servants?" Sabrina asked as she rose from her chair.
"Tomorrow."
Sabrina approached Gaziel, sat on his lap while he was seated on the chair, leaned close to his ear, and whispered seductively, "It's been a while since we've enjoyed ourselves."
◆ ◆ ◆
Inside a dark room, Laos lay sleeping like a corpse, silent amidst the darkness. His eyes began to flutter open slightly due to the noise outside the room. Just as he turned over to continue his sleep, someone shouted from behind the door:
"Laos! The princess is about to leave; hurry up and come!"
The princess is leaving? What is this? My shift isn't now… Oh, that nuisance is going to celebrate her birthday, and we have to bid her farewell. What a disgusting idea! But there's no other choice. I quickly got up and pulled the curtains open, letting the morning light flood the room. Ugh! A lovely morning, but miserable since I didn't get enough sleep.
I suddenly remembered the recurring dream. It's a strange one where I stand amidst the sea, hearing a girl's voice calling my name as the waves rise higher and higher, ending with me drowning. It's happened three times now, always the same way. What is going on in this world? Wait, is it a prophecy? ... Anyway, I have to hurry.
I left my beloved bed and got ready at lightning speed, as if I were heading to school. Fuck! This reminds me of my school days… Come on, man, it hasn't even been a month, and you're acting like you haven't seen school in years. I stepped out of the room where the quartet—Sabrina, Petal, Camellia, and Evol—were waiting for me. After quickly washing my face, I splashed some cold water and dried off with a towel, feeling a slight refreshment.
"Did you forget or what?" Camellia asked.
"Yeah, I got caught up in a long sleep," I replied as we descended the stairs with some other servants.
"This is your first time, so you should know that every time the princess leaves, we organize a send-off," Maris said.
"She doesn't deserve it," I retorted.
Petal quickly clasped his hands over my mouth and whispered, "Shhh! Do you want to be buried alive, you fool?"
I nodded and pressed my finger to my lips as if to say, "I won't speak at all this time!"
We finally reached the first floor, which was packed with servants of all ranks. Even Sabrina and the head servant were there, along with some guards in special armor and swords. The scene resembled a funeral more than a farewell. That's when a group of higher-ranked servants whispered a disdainful remark:
"Look, they're the second-floor servants... How miserable."
"Miserable? Really? Your mothers are the miserable ones, you animal-eared slaves. And for the record, I have sex whenever I want! Fuck! They're ruining my mood," I muttered to myself as everyone stood in straight lines, waiting for the princess to arrive.
"Everyone, line up straight! Each rank forms its own line!" Gaziel shouted.
We formed our own row, though it was unsettling how few of the servants were in the same low rank as me. Man, even Damiel is in a higher rank! This is so unfair… or maybe Damiel deserves it.
"As you all know, I am Princess Tiana's guard in the palace. Since she'll be leaving on her journey, her external guard, Sir Beltum, will take over. When he arrives, you must all greet him with the customary phrase, 'Welcome back, Great Mage Beltum.' Understood?" Gaziel announced firmly.
"Understood!" the servants responded in unison.
"Is Beltum a powerful mage?" I asked, imagining what this Beltum might look like.
"Yes, he's an extremely powerful fire mage. It's said he's fought Gaziel over a hundred times, and the current score is one to zero. Beltum won a single match out of a hundred. Beating Gaziel is nearly impossible, so you could say he's one of the strongest individuals in the kingdom," Maris explained while glancing at the servants around us.
"He's the second strongest mage in the kingdom, after the court mage," Camellia added.
Oh my God, I'm just a servant, and now I'm meeting prominent figures in the kingdom. This is amazing. Soon after, some servants started blowing trumpets, while others scattered petals on the red carpet. That's when Tiana appeared, dressed in a crimson gown with long blonde hair. My God! She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She was absolutely stunning as she walked down the carpet, smiling and gazing at the servants.
When her eyes turned to our row, I quickly averted my gaze. Fuck! I can't make eye contact with her after apologizing last time. After a while, she reached the palace exit and stood between Sabrina and Gaziel. She truly looked like a princess in every sense, but all she lacked was good manners—she was downright wicked. Does she have a mysterious past that turned her into a cruel girl who enjoys torturing her servants? That's quite possible.
"Now, let's all congratulate Tiana on her 20th birthday. The young princess Tiana has reached the age of twenty!" Sabrina announced.
Everyone shouted in unison, "Happy birthday, Crown Princess of the great kingdom of Yarum!"
They then began clapping, filling the scene with noise. How absurd. They treat her as if she wasn't the one who tormented them. What excellent actors they are. Poor souls—they have no choice but to act this way. Honestly, I think all the servants here are masochists, considering how genuinely happy they seem. After a while, we stood waiting while Tiana spoke with Sabrina and Gaziel.
Eventually, the mage arrived at the palace. The grand door opened, revealing a man draped in a dark black cloak adorned with red embroidery. He was somewhat older but looked younger than Gaziel—probably in his thirties—with a faint smile and large green eyes. His height was average. He indeed seemed like a powerful mage, but he resembled a sage more than a mage, especially since he didn't carry a staff. It was obvious he cast spells with his hands.
After some conversation between him and the others, they all left the palace. However, before stepping out, Tiana whispered something in Gaziel's ear. The strange act piqued my curiosity—what could she be whispering to him? Then, all the servants began to follow Tiana outside.
Oh my God, they're acting as if they genuinely adore her. Maybe this is why Tiana became sadistic—because all her servants are weak?
We moved forward, and for the first time in my life, I touched the grass of this world. Yes, it was my first time stepping out of this fucking palace. The place was entirely natural—a flat green field, flowers, and shrubs scattered everywhere. In the distance, endless mountains loomed, accompanied by ceaseless chirping birds. It was a truly stunning sight, not to mention the refreshing morning breeze that touched my face. Ah! How I love nature.
Tiana moved ahead with Beltum and several knights. Directly ahead of them was a luxurious crimson carriage adorned with gold, pulled by two massive horses—one white, the other black—with long, dangling dicks. They resembled the Arabian horses people often bet on. The driver in front wore an elegant suit and had a peculiar twisted mustache. My God, he looked insanely like Salvador Dali!
It was truly a lavish carriage. After a slow and time-consuming procession, Tiana finally reached the carriage. The Salvador lookalike opened the carriage door and bowed to the princess. She boarded, and Salvador climbed into the driver's seat, with Beltum sitting beside him. The carriage began to move, followed by several knights.
Suddenly, everyone raised their hands, waving handkerchiefs while shouting like zombies, "Goodbye Princess! Safe journey!"
While everyone waved their handkerchiefs, I took the opportunity to raise my middle finger at the carriage, hoping no one would notice. Yes, this is exactly what this wicked girl deserves. Fuck her, fuck her family, and fuck this whole kingdom. When will I finally gain enough power to rebel against them with Sabrina? Then I remembered that I'm just an NPC and lowered my hand, staring at the carriage as it faded into the horizon… but strangely, I felt uneasy knowing Tiana wouldn't be here anymore. Why? I don't know. That's just how messed up my emotions are. Or maybe I've fallen in love with Tiana.