Inside one of Tiana's palace's spacious rooms, where brass statues stood firmly and bookshelves brimmed with books, a man wrapped in bandages lay reclining on a large bed. Near him sat a group of people around a round oak table.
"How did they take you down so easily, Beltum? Hahaha!" Gaziel mocked with a sarcastic laugh, staring at the bandaged man.
"Damn Deryal and her spies!" Tiana shouted, slamming her hands on the table.
"Gaziel, you said you encountered two spies on your last journey. Were they the same ones?" Sabrina asked.
"I didn't see their faces or anything, but one was short, and the other taller. Yes, it must have been them," Gaziel replied with a serious expression.
"Then we stand no chance of defeating them, especially since they're blocking us from reaching Pascal Fiefdom..." Sabrina added, glancing at the helpless Beltum.
"Is Deryal supporting the dwarves to take control of Pascal Fiefdom?!! No way!" Tiana exclaimed with wide-open eyes.
"Is that why Deryal wants to prevent any intervention from the royal family?!" Sabrina added.
"We can't even declare war on Deryal..." Gaziel muttered.
"Damn those cowardly bastards! They attack us at our weakest!" Beltum roared in anger.
"Man, if I were there, they wouldn't have touched you," Gaziel said, throwing a playful look at Beltum.
"You fool, this isn't the time for boasting... Besides, they defeated Beltum. How do you plan on beating them, you old man?!" Tiana snapped.
"Hey, hey, calm down. I mean, we could have worked together and defeated them," Gaziel replied.
"Calm down?! My birthday trip was ruined by another kingdom!!!" Tiana retorted, her eyes darkened with sadness and anger clearly visible in them.
"Oh! Excuse me... I almost forgot to show something important," Jalen said, stepping from the doorway to the table. He carefully placed a long crimson sword with a sharp edge.
"This is the sword of one of the spies," Jalen explained before retreating to the door.
"My god! Its blade looks terrifying!" Gaziel exclaimed.
"There's no way this is human-made or even dwarven. By the Moon Goddess, who on earth crafted this sword?!" Gaziel added, staring at the crimson blade in astonishment.
"Could it be that Deryal and the demons have allied?!" Beltum muttered.
"...Impossible! If that were true, Deryal would have attacked us directly instead of sending annoying spies," Sabrina replied.
"You're right..." Tiana whispered.
After this, Sabrina picked up the sword and began examining it before saying,
"I'll take this sword for analysis... if that's alright, Princess."
"...Oh, yes, go ahead, examine it thoroughly, Sabrina," Tiana answered, snapping out of her daze.
Sabrina then left the room, and after a while, Tiana also departed. Each of them carried different emotions—fear, anger, tension, sadness, anxiety, shock, and excitement. This wide room held all these psychologies at once, making them clash under the banner of dialogue, a dialogue hosted by a room where birds chirped outside and sunlight poured in.
"Man... how did this happen?" Gaziel asked in a cold, stern tone, his demeanor suddenly changed.
"They're strong..." Beltum replied.
"Even so... you can't return to the palace in this state. You're... you're... pathetic. I never thought The Flame Caster would end up like this," the butler said, his gaze dark.
It was clear that anger had taken over Gaziel in that moment. Seeing his dearest rival in such a state was deeply troubling, something Gaziel couldn't hide. He clenched his fist and said,
"I'll kill them... even if it's my last battle. And if I do, I'll be far stronger than you."
"Hah, hearing that from the man who killed The Queen of Frost Dragons makes me feel like the weakest person in the world," Beltum said, slumped on the bed.
"You already are the weakest person in the world right now," Gaziel added.
◆ ◆ ◆
On the second floor of the palace, Laos stood in his work uniform, holding his handkerchief. In front of him stood Damiel with his small ears and rosy cheeks. They both stood straight because, some time ago, Bonnie had ordered all the second-floor servants to remain in position since Tiana would be coming up. This was exactly what Laos had been waiting for, though he was a bundle of nerves.
What do I do?! Should I talk to Tiana about not getting promoted? I'm so nervous, I'm even trembling. But I have to do it. I have to confront that bitch who stole my happiness! Yes, I'll do it. I can't just give up on my happiness so easily... Happiness. Happiness is the most important thing. As Socrates or Aristotle or someone once said... happiness is the goal of man.
Since ancient times, my goal has always been happiness. Ever since my childhood, I've been striving to be happy. Whatever I did, the most important thing was to feel joy. I used to mimic people who seemed to have found happiness, and that turned out to be my biggest mistake. So, I embarked on a long journey to discover what happiness truly meant to me, and I decided to dedicate my life to it. That's why I have to muster the courage to speak to Tiana, the one standing between me and my goal.
But even now, I can't do it. Despite all this resolve, fear still holds me back. It's not just about being afraid—it's knowing that my silence is pushing me further from my dream. I've told myself countless times that happiness is my ultimate and most important goal. So why can't I just find the courage to say what I need to? Come on, mind, give me some strength! Let me face this challenge. God, why am I so afraid of how people look at me?
As I wrestled with my thoughts, the sound of footsteps grew louder, approaching us steadily. We stood in place, bracing ourselves. And then… Tiana appeared. My God, she's gorgeous. Her golden hair shimmered as she gracefully climbed the stairs, holding up her red gown. Beside her was Sabrina, clad in her black robe and signature witch's hat.
Damiel stepped forward first, offering his handkerchief to Tiana. I followed, presenting mine to Sabrina, and said:
"Welcome back, your highnesses."
Tiana didn't take the handkerchief, ignoring Damiel as if he didn't even exist. Sabrina followed suit, refusing to take the handkerchief from me as well. My God, Tiana looks furious. Did some assassin cross her path or something? …God, I can't do this. No, no, I have to! I have to stand up for myself. It's the simplest of rights—just a promotion. And if I don't speak to her now, they might never promote me again.
Come on, Laos! You are greater and higher than this filthy princess. You are the divine hero. Do it!!! My heart started pounding furiously, and anxiety overtook every fiber of my being. My God, I've never felt this nervous in my life. It's as if I'm in the final floor of a dungeon, face-to-face with the final boss—a massive hydra standing between me and my goal. I gripped my weapon, trembling as I imagined my party members equally tense. But now, I'm alone… and I have to face this fucking princess. Yes, I have to do it. What's the worst that could happen? Just say something!
Should I do it or not? No, no, I won't… This is terrifying! Man, she's walking away! Hurry up and speak—open your mouth! Are you going to stay stuck as the guy who's always afraid of everyone around him?! Ugh!! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...…..!!!!!!!
"Princess Tiana!"
Upon hearing the voice, the blonde-haired princess turned to see who had called her. The first thing her eyes landed on was Laos, his face filled with fear, his presence barely noticeable, like a rabbit surrounded by wolves. She stared at him with a mocking expression before responding sternly:
"What?"
"…"
"Can we talk?" I finally managed to say.
"How dare you?" Sabrina snapped, her tone fierce, her eyes piercing.
"It's fine," Tiana interrupted.
"I'm busy right now. When I'm done, I'll take you to the first floor to talk."
I froze, unable to say another word. I lowered my gaze and returned to my post, exchanging a glance with Damiel, who was just as shocked as I was.
◆ ◆ ◆
Tiana's POV
It's time to see the results of my actions. Although I was angry and frustrated earlier, I can't deny how excited I am to see how Laos has changed after hearing my decision. This is fascinating. I'm going to dig deep into his mind and figure out everything about him this time.
I made my way to the third floor and entered Sabrina's room. After that she placed the crimson sword on her desk and said, "I'll start the examination now."
"Good. When you're done, hand it over to Gaziel," I replied.
"As you wish, Princess."
"By the way, how did Laos react after we denied him the promotion?" I asked.
"He didn't do anything. He hasn't even tried to speak to me," Sabrina replied, her fingers brushing along the sword's blade.
"That's strange," I murmured before leaving the room.
As I walked down the corridor, I felt a pang of pain in my chest. It was anger and sorrow, a lingering frustration from the ruined birthday celebration. I wanted to crush everyone responsible! Damn it! But I can't let that stop me now.
It feels odd to take Laos to my room to talk after all this, but I've always believed in following my desires, not the expectations of others. That's something I learned in my teenage years.
While walking and trying to calm my thoughts, I saw Laos standing near that slave pig, Damiel. I called him over and asked him to follow me downstairs. I could feel his presence behind me as we descended the stairs, his footsteps timid but steady.
When we reached the first floor, the other slaves stared at us in shock. How many times do I have to remind them that Laos isn't like the rest of them? He's not some disgusting slave; he has the right to enter my room. I only wish these fools would understand that. And if they do, I hope they'll teach him a lesson—beat him, crush his pride and punch his face. Maybe then he'll come to me, broken and desperate. Goddess, how I love breaking people!
"Close the door," I ordered as we entered my room, heading straight for my bed. Sitting down, I looked at him and said, "Alright, what do you want?"
"Ah… A while ago, I worked overtime to secure a decent promotion, but on the day of the promotions, everyone got promoted except me. Why?" he muttered, avoiding eye contact, looking at everything but my eyes. Truly an introverted boy—or maybe just shy. Well, let's see.
"Come, sit with me," I said.
He hesitated for a moment but eventually sat down on my bed. Ah, he's so close. I love this. Yes, my method always works: torment people indirectly until they're weakened and turn to you for mercy. That's how I win over the people I want. And now, my prey is Laos.
"Sorry about what happened, but it seems it was the butler's decision," I said, staring into his clouded, sorrowful eyes… What a captivating sight.
"Wasn't it your decision?" he asked in a tense voice.
"What do you mean?! Why would I do something like that?" I replied, raising my voice.
"Ah… ah… I thought you hated me," he murmured.
No, Laos, I'm the one who loves you the most here. But this is how I claim you—by crushing you again and again until you come to me, like you are now, sitting by my side. I know this isn't humane at all, but humanity is just another barrier that stops one from reaching their goals. And I had to break through that barrier to gain the power and authority I need as the crown princess of Yarum.
"No, you're just like any other servant here. I don't hate you. I just love to joke around, though it seems everyone hates my sense of humor," I said with a soft laugh.
"Well, please, talk to Gaziel about this. I really need a promotion," he said with a firmer tone. Did he finally muster some courage?
"By the way, are you still thinking of resigning?" I asked.
"Oh, that reminds me… Since I can't get promoted, can I resign?" Oh, yes. It seems courage has completely taken over him. I love this!
"You can't resign in your current situation, don't you understand?"
"Alright…" he replied as he rose from the bed.
Goddess! Is he leaving the room without even asking for permission?? How much do I love this? Yes, yes, Laos is exactly my type in every sense of the word. I'll have you one day, and you'll willingly stay by my side. Until then, I'll keep breaking you in every way possible until you're nothing more than a fragile mouse seeking refuge with the dominating cat. When I see you reduced to nothing but a shattered puppet, I'll hold you in my arms… I'll destroy you completely.
As Laos walked away from Tiana and left her room, the princess watched him with her own private thoughts. She watched him leaving her, while in her mind, she imagined him moving closer to her. With every step he took, Tiana's hopes of claiming Laos only grew. But her method? Breaking the people she wanted until they came to her willingly, That was her mindset. However, the real question is: how will she handle her journey and Laos? Will she truly get him, or will he…
"I'll escape!"
Quest: Be kind to Maris completed
Quest: Rank up | failed
Next Quest: Escape the Palace.