The sky was turning into a breathtaking display of reds and golds as the crown prince swung his sword just inches above my face. I contorted my body to dodge his attack, but I lost balance in doing so. Stepping forward to regain stability, I plunged my sword into the ground for support.

Like an elderly man relying on his staff, I straightened myself up and turned to face him.

His face shifted from an amused expression to a cold glare in an instant as he charged towards me, his sword poised to strike me down.

“Pathetic. If you think you can survive by merely defending yourself, you’re gravely mistaken,” he insulted, our faces mere inches apart, separated only by our swords.

“I’m not finished yet, so watch closely,” I retorted, using the last of my energy to push him away and knock the sword out of his hand. The sound of the sword clattering to the ground signaled the end of our sparring session for the day.

Relieved, I let out a sigh and closed my eyes. “Evrart, were you trying to kill me? The way you charged earlier, it seemed like you were ready to end me for real,” I admitted, feeling a sense of terror. I wanted to say more, but decided to keep my lips sealed.

 “I wanted to see how you would react if I offended you during our sparring session, and if you expected me to take it easy on you. Clearly, you didn’t anticipate that. The surprise was evident on your face,” Evrart explained, his words stinging my pride.

“Oh,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment. It would have been better if I had practiced concealing my emotions, so that no one could read me so easily.

“But don’t worry. I can see that you’re improving. I was impressed by how you dodged my sword earlier. If you hadn’t moved, you would have been cut on the face, which would have been unfortunate for such a lovely lady like yourself. You still have a lot to learn, but you’re doing quite well,” Evrart’s expression softened as he encouraged me with a smile, and I couldn’t help but return the gesture.

“You’re making great progress in sword fighting, but remember, you also have powers within you to defend yourself,” Evrart’s facial expression fell, his eyes filled with worry. “Don’t stress yourself too much about mastering the sword. In fact, I would advise you not to join the battle if another nation tries to invade us again. I don’t want you to get into trouble. You make me anxious,” he said, averting his gaze away from me as he recalled the last time we faced a foreign army that attempted to invade our kingdom 12 days ago.

 "If only you could see yourself from a distance. You became consumed by madness and lost control when our father was slain. It was as if you summoned a storm of lightning, relentlessly striking the ground where the enemy stood. More than half of their army perished, forcing them to retreat. It was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. I had never seen you so ... enraged."

I closed my eyes as he described the scene, visualizing the intense event in my mind. After unleashing a continuous barrage of lightning bolts, my legs weakened, and I vomited copious amounts of blood, rendering me unconscious for four consecutive days. It was the first time I had exerted such immense power, and it was nothing short of a miracle that I survived.

But nothing compares to the pain of witnessing the king’s death. He was a man of bravery and great leadership. He was kind, heartful, and warm – a king of one nation, and a great father to us.

The memory of him being struck down by a flaming sword on the battlefield still haunts me, adding to the pain of losing my mother just three months prior – a tragedy I also witnessed.

Considering the absence of any nearby sources of fire, I can only draw one conclusion: the fire originated from the man wielding the sword. The fire came from himself.

"I can't help but feel this way. You know how close I was to our father, so accepting his loss is incredibly difficult. However, we have no choice but to face the harsh reality of life. Such undeniable facts cannot be ignored. But, of course, I would be deceiving myself if I claimed to be fine."

I lifted my gaze to meet Evrart's sorrow-filled eyes, as we shared the burden of the painful memory of losing our father. "We must remain strong, especially you. The mourning period is drawing to a close, and you are essentially the king now."

“Not with a ceremony, I suppose. The next step would be for them to suggest that I find a queen regnant, now that my mother has become the dowager queen. But marriage is not something I'm considering at the moment. It feels like I'm too young for such a commitment. Besides, I have no interest in the nobles I've encountered so far. I can sense the nobles desperately trying to climb the social ladder."

"Technically, the marquess’ daughter from House Vassezac is raised to be your wife. Lady Zenobia is the perfect candidate for queen, as she has been trained for the role. However, I must admit that both of you are indeed young for such a position. But there is no one else who can fill it. Try to find the silver lining in that."

Evrart is 21 years old, while Zenobia is 19. If they were to be seen as the new king and queen by the nation, it wouldn't be surprising if they faced some belittlement. That being said, Evrart will need to prove himself and earn the respect of other nobles. Knowing Evrart, he has a knack for adapting quickly. His charisma and leadership skills will serve as a solid starting point.

 Everything will fall into place. I'm sure of it. After all, he was born to be a king.

──•~❉᯽❉~•──

The soothing warmth of the lavender-infused bath enveloped me, providing relief from the exhaustion that lingered after our intense sparring session at dusk, just a few hours ago. As I sank deeper into the water, I closed my eyes, seeking a moment of tranquility. However, a sense of being watched disrupted my attempt to relax.

"Who's there?" I inquired, scanning the visible area from my position in the bathtub.

"Your Highness, please forgive me for intruding on your moment of relaxation. I forgot to knock. I have brought your bathrobe, towel, and nightgown," the servant apologized, bowing while holding the items. Yet, despite her seemingly innocent words, it was evident that she was not being truthful. I hadn't heard the door open in the first place.

"You may leave. I wish to be alone during this time, without any interruptions," I asserted, fixing her with a firm gaze. "I do not require anyone's assistance. Is that clear?"

“Understood,” she responded, her final words fading as she left the bathroom in silence. It was clear that she was not the servant responsible for preparing my bath, because she’s not one of my people.

She must’ve thought that I’m a dense person who will buy all excuses.

 If I were Queen Corianne, I would have ordered punishment for such behavior. There wasn’t a single servant who served her for more than three months, given her personality.

I let out a sigh as I entered my bedroom, intending to retire for the night. However, instead of heading towards the bed, I approached my favorite painting hanging on the wall.

I carefully removed it from the wall, revealing a small compartment with a key hidden inside it. I took the key and hung the painting back to its place and headed to the bedside table to unlock the hidden compartment under the drawer, which can only be accessed by opening it from the bottom of the second drawer. It revealed the classified documents and letters from Marquess Jarvis Vassezac, the only person who’s worthy of my trust.

One of those is an unread letter I received this morning, and I heated the paper with a flame from the fireplace, revealing a hidden message – a text written with invisible ink.

In recent times, Her Highness has become a frequent topic of discussion among the townsfolk and nobility. Ever since the passing of the king, there has been much talk about her remarkable feat of vanquishing the army of Marrossi. Some individuals have even gone so far as to spread rumors suggesting that the king had adopted a monstrous being and falsely claimed it as his own child, as they find it difficult to believe that a mere human could possess such extraordinary power.

Consequently, fear has gripped the hearts of the people, and doubts have begun to emerge among the nobles. While the king had always stood by her side throughout the years, the absence of his presence is likely to bring about significant changes. Now that the truth of her capabilities has been revealed, I expected that people would be astonished and she’ll gain admiration. However, the opposite has occurred, because people see her as a monster than a savior. As a loyal servant, I am prepared to do whatever it takes to serve Her Highness and protect her, regardless of the cost.

The letter concluded with the expected signature, as per my instructions. Although we are unable to meet in person, we have found a secure method of exchanging letters using lemon juice as invisible ink. In the event that the letter falls into the wrong hands, it is highly unlikely that the message will be deciphered, as heating the paper is not a typical action for an ordinary individual.

Furthermore, the informal structure of the letter, which omits the names of both the sender and recipient, minimizes the risk of anyone suspecting our correspondence.

 The thought of navigating through life without his unwavering support is difficult to fathom. A person as dependable as him truly deserves far more recognition and appreciation.