Lumielle's gaze hardened as she took a confident step closer. "Yet, two months have passed, and only now do you decide to appear, showing no sense of urgency or remorse whatsoever. To be honest, your attitude doesn't sit well with me… it's quite troubling. Perhaps another month in the dungeon would be an appropriate remedy to restore your sense of duty."
Daisuke chuckled softly. "I dare you to try," he challenged in a deep, seemingly malicious monotone, leveling his head.
At his defiant words, Lyndoria's fury ignited, and she lunged forward with lightning speed. "How dare you!" she hissed, her voice laced with venom. "You will pay dearly for speaking to the princess in such an insolent manner!"
At her silent command, the moisture in the air accumulated to form several glistening droplets, then they immediately froze solid upon taking the shape of lethal daggers. With a subtle flick of her wrist, the projectiles tore through the air, their icy blades cutting a deadly path toward their loathsome target.
The Water Elementalist gasped in alarm when her target disappeared from sight.
"H-He's fast!"
In a heartbeat, Daisuke dropped low, effortlessly weaving beneath the icy daggers like a shadow in motion. Lyndoria's eyes flickered with sudden terror as he surged up before her, her body folding as his fist slammed into her stomach.
CHENGG!
Before the girl could stumble forward, golden chains shot out from thin air, wrapping around her limbs and keeping her suspended off the ground. A sharp cry escaped her as bolts of electricity crackled over her body, numbing her muscles and freezing her joints in place.
DING!
[The bounded target has been afflicted with the Paralysis and Silence debuffs and will be incapable of moving or using mana for 35 seconds.]
Lyndoria grunted in pain and frustration, but no matter how much she willed it, she couldn't move or break free. "P-Princess…"
Lumielle's lips parted.
Daisuke's golden pupils blazed.
He could keenly sense the mana stirring within her veins. Before she could purpose the power into anything significant, he clutched her neck and drove her up against the wall. Then he leaned in so close her breath caught in her throat. As opposed to her humble and pleading self at the Adventurers' Guild, the girl had gotten surprisingly assertive and controlling now that she was back within her own domain. But she had made a crucial mistake—
"You seem to be under the wrong impression here," Daisuke whispered slowly, a dangerous undercurrent lingering in his voice. "I couldn't care less about your identity or the power you wield—sure, we made a deal. But let's be clear: it all boils down to the fact that I'm doing you a favor.
I'm not here to become one of your loyal lapdogs or expendable pawns, and that will never change—not even over my dead body. What I was expecting is a mutually beneficial relationship. I help you, and in turn, you help me. Simple as that."
After saying his piece and making his stance clear, Daisuke released both girls simultaneously and took a step back.
"Haxks Starfrost!" Lyndoria snapped, the sting from his blow still fresh in her stomach. "You brute! H-How dare you strike a lady's abdomen! What if I were with child?"
Daisuke flinched. "Wait, are you?"
The girl blushed fiercely. "O-Of course not!"
"Oh, then I'm sure you'll be fine," came the dry response. "Please don't scare me like that."
Lyndoria's sneer deepened as she glared at his indifference. "I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you were a fool, but to think you would not only threaten, but lay your filthy hands on the princess! You wretch! I'll see you executed myself!"
"Lynn," Lumielle called, her hand raised in a commanding gesture.
"B-But, Princess!" the girl protested, her voice shaking with righteous indignation. "We cannot let this stand! He's just dishonored a royal member of the kingdom! We must see justice served immediately!"
"…I'll be the judge of that," she responded, the authority in her voice commanding silence.
Lumielle pressed her lips into a thin line as she struggled to find rational ground among the turmoil of her thoughts. As much as it irked her to be so callously manhandled by him, it would be too dangerous to challenge him now, and too wasteful to lock him away or dispense of him. The situation in Lunarel was far too precarious for that.
As insufferable as Haxks Starfrost had become in the last several minutes, he had also proven himself worthy of being an instrument for her endeavors. It was imperative that they found common ground; the future of Lunarel and its citizens depended on it.
"…I understand," Lumielle conceded.
Lyndoria snarled.
DING!
[The quest «Unprecedented Crisis in Lunarel» has been received.]
[Unprecedented Crisis in Lunarel]
[Quest Difficulty: Unknown
In a moment of vulnerability, the seeds of deception took root in the kingdom of Lunarel, growing unnoticed until the tendrils of corruption began to weave their way through the heart of the realm. As the roots deepened and spread, tainting all they touched, the royal capital now stands on the precipice, facing a threat unlike any it has ever known.
Clear Conditions: Powerful forces are orchestrating a sinister plot within the royal court, spreading deceit among the nobles. Support Lumielle and her allies in uncovering the truth and dismantling the schemes of the hidden masterminds.
Rewards:
▪︎ Unlock Dignity Stat
▪︎ Fame +5000
▪︎ EXP +450,000
▪︎ Spellbook
▪︎ 50,000 Gold
Quest Failure:
▪︎ The death of King Ainsworth
▪︎ Princess Lumielle forced into a political marriage
▪︎ The future of Lunarel and its citizens plunged into turmoil]
Seriously? Daisuke murmured inwardly, evidently annoyed. Could this quest be any vaguer? Damn.
With a sigh that did little to wash away the awkwardness that had dawned between them, Daisuke glanced from Lyndoria to Lumielle. "If I'd put off the business I mentioned before, my childhood friends would've been lost to slavery. And the journey here? That took well over a month."
"A month?" Lumielle remarked in surprise. "How so—didn't you take a carriage?"
Lyndoria rolled her eyes. "He probably couldn't afford it," she murmured under her breath.
"I was being trailed by spies and watched by familiars," Daisuke informed with a shrug, "likely sent by the Mhaledictus or other people desperate to get their grimy hands on me.
Sure, a horse or carriage would've been quicker, but I would've also stood out like a sore thumb. Traveling on foot allowed me to move discreetly to outmaneuver my pursuers and stay alert to my surroundings."
Lyndoria frowned, her gaze sharp enough to slice through steel. It was infuriating enough that Haxks Starfrost had the audacity to arrive late to their arrangement, but what vexed her even more was the irritating fact that his reasoning was, regrettably, sound. The princess may have been charmed by his silver tongue, but for both their sakes, she resolved not to let herself be ensnared in his insidious web.
Lumielle lowered her head in a sincere bow. "Forgive me for jumping to conclusions earlier," she apologized.
"Princess!" Lyndoria murmured in outrage, sinking her teeth into a handkerchief.
Daisuke flinched as she leered at him.
"Tensions within the royal court have grown increasingly unsettling," Lumielle said, her tone measured yet heavy with meaning. "You chose to brave the dangers of this journey when retreating into safety would have been far easier. Yet, you upheld your word, even amidst such peril. For that, you have my sincerest thanks."
The handkerchief began to tear under the strain as Lyndoria's outrage reached a boiling point. Daisuke raised his hands in surrender, an awkward smile tugging at his lips.
"Regrettably," Lumielle continued slowly, her voice calm but firm, "while I understand you're fatigued from your journey, there's a pressing matter that demands our attention tonight. It cannot be postponed."
Daisuke arched one brow in question.
"Lynn," Lumielle glanced at the girl sternly, already anticipating her reluctance. "You may return for now. I realize these past weeks have been arduous, but you were the only one I could rely on to make contact with Haxks. Thank you for always putting up with my unreasonable requests with such unwavering loyalty."
"Not at all," Lyndoria reassured firmly, freeing the crumpled and abused handkerchief from between her teeth. "I've sworn my utmost loyalty to you, Princess. There is no request too demanding, no task too arduous."
She sized up Daisuke angrily as she contemplated what unsavory word could be best used to describe him. "My only concern is leaving you in the care of this… stranger. We've only just met him. You are Lunarel's future queen, the beacon of our salvation in these troubled times. I cannot, in good conscience, trust him to protect you."
Lumielle pulled the hood back over her head and poised to leave. "It's not realistic to believe that we can resolve this crisis without taking on any measure of risks. Besides, you know as well as I that Sinister Granny is only willing to entertain two guests at the time, and she isn't particularly fond of strangers. So breaking the first rule will only make it that much more difficult for her to accept Haxks."
Daisuke looked on in disbelief. Wait, did she seriously just say "Sinister Granny" with a straight face?
"I-I know that," Lyndoria murmured back with a pout, then her voice rose several octaves when she found another reason to complain. "But what about monsters—can we really depend on him to keep you safe?"
Daisuke quirked one eyebrow, looking from Lumielle to Lyndoria in shock. Am I the only one who feels that we probably shouldn't be associating ourselves with someone who calls themselves Sinister Granny?
"Most of the monsters in the forest will likely be asleep," Lumielle explained. "And Repel Incense is particularly effective against nocturnal creatures that rely on their keen sense of smell to track prey in the dark."
"But—"
"Besides," the princess interjected with a knowing smile. "You seem to have forgotten that Haxks defeated us both in mere seconds. I'm sure he'll be more than capable of handling a monster or two, don't you think?"
"More importantly," Daisuke asserted. "I'm far more concerned about being involved with Sinister Granny."
"Haxks and I will go alone," Lumielle continued. "Go back to the palace and await our return."
Daisuke paled. Oi, don't ignore me.
Lyndoria lowered her head respectfully. "Very well," she conceded. "Please be safe."
Once Lumielle left the room, Lyndoria lifted her head, her glare piercing through Daisuke as she dragged her thumb across the length of her neck. He didn't need any psychic ability to decipher the message—it was clear and unmistakable: "If Princess Lumielle gets hurt, I'll kill you. Even if I have to venture to hell to do it."
Daisuke sighed nosily.