Chapter 3: “She Is Here?”

Vardünheim (Berlin, Germany)

…see a pair of glowing orbs circling him about ten feet above. The stench coming from the creature was unbearable.

Asidius identified it at first glance. It was a monster. All monsters and beasts reacted negatively to magic, but only if humans crossed their territories first, which were the borders.

Why would anyone cross without prior notice? Didn’t the Emperor reject all delegations’ entries for one week?

Well, if there was a time to think about things like this, now was not it.

Asidius raised the Holy Sword and pierced through the monster’s hide cleanly. The shimmering blood splattered across the empty field.

He would not have needed to use so much of his own powers if he had been given this sword when he was a small, weak child.

As much damage as it caused, it wouldn’t take a toll on his body the way his own abilities did, he thought.

Just then, the people came rushing back with water and supplies.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”
“Your Highness, should we have the corpse disposed of?”
“Your Highness—”
“Your—”

“Silence!” he shouted.

Everyone guiltily looked at the ground, anywhere but his face.

They acted as if they cared in front of him, but if there were ever a chance to finish him off, they would not hesitate to step back and save their skin.

Asidius could not stand it anymore. He hurriedly sheathed his sword and walked towards the palace.

CREEAAAKKK.

The boundary gate opened, and in walked his aide, Fabian. His dark blue hair slick with sweat, slightly choking for breath, he spoke.

“Your Highness, I-I do hope you will forgive me for my tardiness. I didn’t even know you were still out when all the knights ran away—I searched every n-n-nook and cranny of the front room when they told me you were h-here.”

“What did you want to say to me?” Asidius asked.

“Should we head to the office together, Your Highness?” Fabian replied, with a look that said not here.

★ ★ ★

“You were stressed about something these days and wouldn’t tell me, so I found out myself,” Fabian said in a triumphant tone, as if asking for a pat on the head.

“What is it?” Asidius snapped.

“The princess. She’s been found, hasn’t she?”

“So you know about it too.”

“Of course. And I also know her location.”

“Is that so? Where is she now then?”

“That’s obvious, isn’t it? The Imperial Palace.”

Asidius looked at Fabian as if he were a customer trying to buy something at a ridiculously low price.

“I’m serious. I wouldn’t dare risk getting my tongue cut off for lying to a prince,” he sneered. “She’s in your palace! You can go and meet her yourself if you want.”

Asidius stared in disbelief. He grabbed his coat and went straight to the butler.

“Where is the princess?” he demanded.

“Your Highness, how did you know? Just when I told everyone she’s in shock…”

Asidius faked reaching for his sword, and the butler quickly answered.

“Sh-she’s yet to be received by you, so she hasn’t announced her appearance. I thought we should treat her with hospitality to change the people’s view of you, Your Highness,” he stammered.

“You saw a daughter from the empire of traitors and thought it fit to treat her with hospitality?!”

Asidius’s aura grew darker and darker, but Fabian pushed him toward the palace doors and knocked.

The harassed-looking staff behind them looked as if they would gladly hand Fabian a week’s salary without hesitation.

“You may step in now. His Highness, the Imperial Prince, wishes to see Her Highness, Princess Tazuki,” he announced.

When Asidius was about to knock, Fabian stopped him with a mischievous wink.

“That one’s got a screw loose, I tell you. Look at her reaction when I called her a princess,” he whispered.

The palace doors slowly opened. Heads turned, murmuring spread among the servants.

The cause of it all was a beautiful girl with a black veil over her nose and mouth. She wore a flowy black gown with gold chains around her waist and neck. Her aura was naturally magnetic. Her eyes were similar to those of a vixen: green, with an ashy, shiny pigment around them that made them impossible to ignore.

“Announcing Her Highness, the First Imperial Princess of the Empire of Tenshujichi, Kazunami Tazae Tazuki!”

The girl immediately broke out of her ensnaring character and looked confused.

“Who are you calling a princess?” she asked, with the air of one casually asking about the weather.

Fabian turned to Asidius with the look of an animal tamer watching his animal perform.

“Your Highness, we were announcing your presence,” he calmly answered.

“Drop the honorifics, please,” she said in a casual voice. “The carriage ride was awful and—oh! Are you all roleplaying western medieval history? Do you want me to join in?”

The princess excitedly tossed away the black veil, revealing the rest of her features which were soft and unwanting of attention.

Her face was pleasant and approachable, unlike Asidius. He too had beautiful features, being of the Imperial family, but his were distinct in a way that made people uneasy.

For example, his glittering red eyes narrowed as they scanned people up and down, making them uncomfortable. He did not smile often, nor was his face approachable, but one thing was certain: his face was a national treasure, a savior for his future generation's face cards.

“I’m still waiting for an answer. And can I talk to this ‘Prince’ in private, please?” the princess requested.

The staff looked positively horrified at the words “this ‘Prince,’” but still obeyed when Asidius nodded.

They were guided to the sitting room.

“So, how do you deal with all this?” she asked.

“Sorry?”

“How do you not get tired when they keep claiming you’re someone you don’t know? I mean, what’s this about the Emperor’s illegitimate daughter? My mother hasn’t seen any man other than her ex-husband, you know.”

Asidius looked at her the way the staff had, until he realized why she was confused.

She had been raised with modern traditions. She did not believe in Emperorship or nobility. She would feel deceived if people kept treating her like this without explanation.

So, Asidius did something he had never done before, not even for his mother or sisters.

He sat her down and gently explained how the palace worked. At the end, she looked doubtful, but Asidius told her she could take her time to adjust to this life, even if she did not want it.

That was better for her, he thought. And she didn’t need to call him “Your Highness” either. He would wait for her to get adjusted. The Emperor wouldn't cause any trouble for her, right?

Chapter Glossary:-

[Emperorship: The authority and power vested in the Emperor. It refers not only to the position of ruling the empire but also to the system of control, politics, and influence that come with it.]

[Beast: A natural creature, bound to the land and its instincts. Beasts are not inherently evil; they act on primal urges and usually only attack when provoked or defending their territory.]

[Monster: An unnatural or corrupted creature. Unlike beasts, monsters inspire fear because of their abnormal form, violent nature, or origins tied to darker forces. They are considered true threats to humans and the balance of the world.]