“You truly are a princess.”


    Katherine sat relaxed on the log, watching the scene unfold with an amused smirk. Taking advantage of her calm presence, I used imperial steps I learned when I was young to position myself behind her. If this creep wants to reach me, he’ll have to deal with her first.


    After his dramatic declaration, the lore keeper moved toward me as if under a slow spell, his every step deliberate but unsettling. The sluggishness gave me a small burst of confidence. I crossed my arms and said, “Yes, I am a princess. Princess Charlie. Nice to meet you.”


    “Wat? Guys, the hell?” Katherine exclaimed, snapping out of her relaxed stance. She crossed her arms and planted herself firmly in front of me, her expression fierce. I couldn’t help but follow her lead, stepping just behind her last stand. How nice of her!


    Her sudden movement must have startled the lore keeper. His deep grin faltered, and he finally seemed to find his lost wits. Good.


    “Perhaps you are unaware of the power of names?” he said, his tone now measured. Katherine shrugged, and true to form, immediately returned to her log. Standing really isn’t her thing.


    The old man straightened his posture with a grace that negated his earlier frantic energy and explained. “Child, when you know someone’s name and speak it aloud, you grant them power. No matter how insignificant that power may seem, it is still power.”


    Satisfied with his cryptic explanation, he turned and walked back toward the children gathered around the fire.


    I, too, returned to Katherine’s side. Being next to her still feels surreal. The fire’s warmth enveloped me again, soothing my stiff hands and easing the lingering tension.


    “So wat?” Katherine cocked her head, her eyebrows raising as she gave my shoulder a light nudge. “Hey, Charlie, ya understand?”


    “Yeah! If millions talk about someone—say, a king or queen, good or bad—it gives them power. We talk about gods, so they have power.”


    Of course, I knew it wasn’t a fair comparison. Gods and demons had power beyond mere belief, capable of crushing mortals even without worshippers. But was it important enough to confuse Katherine with details? No. Not everyone had read thousands upon thousands of books like I had. The entire imperial library, barring the religious section, because no thanks.


    We were so close I could almost see her mind churning. Her captivating eyes darted left and right, her thoughts visible on her face as clear as day. First understanding, then confusion, and finally… chaos. She began wildly gesticulating with her hands.


    “Thanks. But!” she exclaimed, waving a finger. “Ya said kingdom, not person!”


    “Yes, my child,” the lore keeper interrupted, his tone calm but grave. “When they conquered us, the enemy knew the power of names. So they erased it from existence. Try it—say what the princess said. Say ——.”


    His last words were bizarre; his lips moved, but no sound emerged.


    Katherine, never one to back down from a challenge, grinned. Tilting her head back, she inhaled dramatically, puffing out her chest. Then she yelled, “——!”


    Nothing.


    Her eyebrows furrowed. She tried again. “——! Tff, garbage!”


    With a defeated huff, she plopped onto the log, her energy deflating as the keeper’s laughter echoed around us. Her pitiful expression tugged at something inside me, an almost overwhelming urge to hug her. No, Charlie, focus. Instead, I calmly said, “Eeleim.”


    The word rolled off my tongue easily. If I had to bet, it was because of Irwen’s power—her tiara. She was already a myth, which meant its power could only grow over time.


    “Princess,” the lore keeper said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Would you kindly tell us a story about our kingdom?”


    “Yes!” the children chimed in unison. “Please, Princess!”


    Their pleading voices hit a pitch so high it was practically an assault on my ears. Then, as if deciding to gang up on me, they began chanting, “Story! Story! Story!”


    It was so loud; I nodded without thinking. Admins be damned, I’ll create my quest!


    Rising gently from my seat, I smiled at the eager faces before me. “Have you heard the story of Princess Tawera and the great magician, Prince Relando?”


    The children screeched their response: no; they hadn’t, but they wanted to.


    Okay, here we go. I adjusted my posture, trying to stand like a princess. Straight spine. Chin slightly lifted. Shoulders back. One foot in front of the other. It was harder than I remembered. My knees bent slightly—probably wrong—but at least I tried. Good enough, right?


    Katherine turned on her camera, the icon above her head giving her away.


    “Kit,” I said before she could even ask, “it’s fine. Record it, but please don’t stream.”


    Her expression said she’d already planned on streaming, but she gave me a half-nod.


    Alright, Katherine. Let me show you the best story of your life.


    Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself. Will anyone notice if I fill in the blanks? Nah. Okay, John—no, Charlie—you’ve been doing great lately. No need to panic now.


    “Once upon a time, there was a sacred kingdom called Eeleim. It stretched from the depths of the sea to the highest peaks at the center of the continent. The heart of Eeleim was its capital city, Yarriw. Since the dawn of time, the kings and queens ruled with benevolence, and the kingdom prospered under their care.”


    As I spoke, I noticed the old man nodding along, his eyes glimmering with reflected firelight—and tears. They sparkled like two stars, amplifying the emotion of the moment.


    “But don’t be mistaken about the royal title,” I continued, pacing slowly around the fire. “Our kingdom wasn’t like the humans’, where they squabbled over inheritance after a ruler’s death.” Yeah, it was worse. But all stories lie.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    “In Eeleim, a ruler could grant the title of prince or princess to anyone—yes, even you!” I pointed to a random child in the crowd, earning a delighted gasp. “It was the highest honor, bestowed only by the ruler themselves. And in our kingdom, princesses inherited the crown in the order they were given their title.”


    I gestured to my tiara, stepping proudly into the firelight so its jewels twinkled with every flicker of the flames. “At the time of our story, Queen Tirel finally acknowledged her daughter Tawera. After years of hard work, Tawera completed a stunning painting that moved her mother deeply. For her efforts, Tirel recognized her as a princess—a first princess, the next queen! Tawera was humble, poets sang ballads of her beauty, and she cared for the kingdom with all her heart.”


    As I told the story, I tried my best to mimic the graceful walk of an empress. Memories of long-forgotten etiquette classes stirred in my mind, but let’s face it—I hadn’t cared about it that much back then. Still, I paraded confidently around the fire with smooth steps, determined to put on a show. No half-measures. Crafting a quest isn’t easy. Play your part.


    “One day, while visiting the bustling market of Yarriw, a young man caught Tawera’s attention. Relando was charming and polite, and they spent the next week walking the city together. They talked late into the nights beneath the twin moons. Their eyes met, their hearts intertwined, and they promised to be together forever. How little they knew of the treachery of humans!”


    Though let’s be real, it was probably the other way around.


    “Relando returned home to his kingdom to prepare for their wedding and the uniting of their realms. But when his father, the king, learned of the plans, he was furious! ‘Stop this nonsense immediately!’ he demanded.”


    To emphasize the king’s fury, I cast a small healing spell on myself. The soft glow illuminated my face, drawing awestruck gasps from the children. Their wide, sparkling eyes and hushed breaths filled me with an unfamiliar warmth. Pride? Maybe. Some even shouted, “The king stinks!” which earned a chuckle from Katherine.


    “Despite his father’s protests, nothing could extinguish the fire of love burning in Relando’s heart.”


    “Because he was a great magician, he crafted a beautiful ring—a gift for his beloved, which he called the Eternal Engagement Ring. Enchanting it with an ancient teleportation spell, he made it so that as long as she wore it, she could be with him, no matter the distance.”


    “No human could hold him. Relando escaped from his kingdom with ease, but that wasn’t the case with our capital. Our guards didn’t know about the promise he made to our beloved princess, so they refused to let him enter the palace.”


    I climbed onto a log, pausing for effect as all eyes followed me. “After wandering for days, unable to even catch a glimpse of his beloved, he sought help from an old friend.” I let the silence hang, scanning the eager faces of my listeners before continuing.


    “His friend was a former royal spy. Thanks to him, the prince managed to sneak into the palace the very next day. The spy even cleared a path to the princess’s room.”


    I lowered my tone, mixing my voice with sorrow. “But little did Relando know, his friend was still working for his father. And when he finally reached Tawera’s room…” My voice dropped further, soft and heavy. “…it was already too late.”


    “Why late?” a child whispered, wide-eyed.


    “Because his father had ordered assassins to eliminate her.” The weight of my words hung in the air as I continued. “Relando opened the door, his heart filled with hope of being reunited, only to find her collapsed on the floor, her life slipping away.


    “He rushed to her, gathering her in his arms, unbothered by the blood that stained her and him alike. Tawera, in her last moments, recognized him. She gave him one final, fleeting smile before passing away, her last thoughts of him.”


    A hush fell over the group, the children barely breathing. Even Katherine’s teasing grin had softened into something uncharacteristically solemn.


    “Her death alerted the palace guards, and shouting overtook the halls.”


    I paused for dramatic effect, letting the tension build before delivering the climax.


    “Relando bitterly smiled at his beloved, gently placing the ring on her finger—he no longer needed it. Then, he faced the guards. Our brave elven warriors, unaware of the truth, saw only a grieving man cradling the princess’s lifeless body. It didn’t take long before the queen herself barged in, fury blazing in her eyes.”


    For the grand finale, I decided to use Ice Dance, the flashiest spell in my repertoire.


    “She didn’t hesitate. Fueled by grief and rage, she cast an ancient spell!”


    With precision, I drew the runes, my hands moving with deliberate grace. It wasn’t easy, but my preparation paid off—success on the first try! Frost erupted from the ground, spiraling outward like a wave. The icy chill enveloped the children, the lore keeper, and even the fire itself.


    The spectacle was impressive—a frozen blaze, shimmering and crackling as frost and flame coexisted in rebellion against nature.


    “Relando turned into stone, forever frozen by the queen’s magic. And Eeleim began to mourn its lost princess.”


    My story ended with a wide grin on my face, and the children erupted into a wave of cheers. Even the lore keeper joined in. Woah, am I like... a superb storyteller?


    “Wonderful story! The details differ from what I remember, but the gist is the same. Coming from a princess, it was an honor,” the keeper said warmly. Then, to my utter surprise, they all bowed to me, dropping to one knee, just like that traitor Don.


    The face of the guild leader flashed in my mind. He knew I was a princess and didn’t care—because I was also a noble. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I mumbled, “Stand up, I don’t deserve it…” Avoiding their gaze, I turned my eyes to Katherine.


    She had finished recording and was happily swaying to an unknown rhythm, her body moving with her usual carefree energy. Typical Katherine.


    “Nonsense!” the lore keeper replied, his voice unwavering. “I only hope to visit ——… I mean, our former capital, at least once in my life. That was the dream of the elves of old.” His eyes glimmered in the firelight, the suppressed tears making them sparkle unnaturally bright. “Alas, I’ll see my queen soon again.”


    Is everyone prepared to die?


    An arm suddenly wrapped around my neck and shoulders, and the faint scent of fresh air revealed Katherine before she even spoke. “Let’s go! ‘here is it?” she asked, her excitement bubbling over.


    Despite knowing exactly where the ruin was, I stayed silent, watching the lore keeper with my heart racing. Don’t you dare fail me now.


    He nodded, finally revealing the location. “The wilderness has claimed our capital, but if you head north toward the gigantic mountains, you might find it.”


    Great. If I didn’t already know where it was, we’d be lost for days. Stupid old man! What was he thinking?


    “Thanks! See ya!” Katherine chirped, giving the keeper no chance to elaborate. Without waiting for my input, she turned around and started dragging me away with surprising force.


    My hasty wave was all the group by the fire got from me as Katherine pulled me along. I wanted to stay, to ask the keeper more questions, but her grip—and her relentless energy—made arguing pointless.


    “Which way?” she asked, her voice full of eagerness.


    “Katherine! You…” I started, a jumble of emotions threatening to spill out. But her innocent expression told me she didn’t think she’d been hasty or inconsiderate. Typical Katherine.


    “Never mind,” I sighed. “What do you mean, though? Do you actually want to explore it?”


    Still pressing against me as we walked, her hot breath tickled my ear as her excited voice answered. “Yeah! Got a quest. Story was amazin’!” She squeezed me tighter, her excitement almost painful, though complaining was out of the question.


    I hugged her back around her waist, though my weak priest-class strength and her armor made it mostly symbolic. “You got a quest? Amazing! That’s the ruin I’ve been talking about this whole time. But we’ll need Lisa. Are you sure it’s fine to go? It’s a long way from here…”


    Katherine finally let me go, and I watched as her love-hate relationship with walking manifested in real-time. She stiffened, clearly dreading the idea. “How long?”


    “At least six hours of walking,” I replied.


    My words hit her like a hammer. Her shoulders slouched, and she deflated completely.


    “Come on,” I added quickly, trying to soften the blow. “That estimate includes fighting along the way.”


    Her face instantly brightened, her emotions surging as she jumped with joy. “Fights? I’ll get to level ten! Time limit, though.”


    “Wait a second,” I said, stepping in front of her. My gaze locked onto hers. “What do you mean by time limit? Tell me more about the quest.”


    Katherine focused on her invisible quest window before speaking. “Aid Princess, reach within a day.”


    Damn. I couldn’t stop the nervous fidgeting.


    “We need to go soon,” I breathed out, biting my lip. “Don’t worry. The loot’s going to be awesome. Maybe we’ll get that ring? I even heard about an ancient elven sword. It could be a marvel-level artifact.”


    Her ears perked up, and her eyes sparkled with hope. “Wat sword?”


    “The Fearbringer.”