The first rays of sunlight fell across my face, and I slowly opened my eyes. Morning had already arrived.
I pushed myself up and looked around, realizing at once where I was.
The library. I'd actually slept here the entire night.
"Aaah... my neck hurts."
I rubbed the back of my neck — and that's when I noticed something resting over my shoulders.
A shawl.
"Huh?" I looked down at it. "I don't remember bringing this with me. Where did this come from?"
My eyes drifted toward the librarian, already absorbed in his usual morning routine. He must have put it over me last night.
I raised a hand. "Umm — good morning, sir. And thanks for the shawl."
He glanced over and gave a small acknowledging wave, but said nothing. Maybe he hadn't heard me. I shrugged it off.
Well. Today was finally the day.
Tula Forest. Medicinal herbs, an unknown tribe, and — most importantly — the thing I'd been hoping to find ever since I first read about the forest in Aldren's journal.
I left the library, the morning air cool against my face after a night indoors. My room was quiet when I got back — the kind of quiet that felt different from yesterday's. Today wasn't just another day in the castle.
I washed up quickly, then started dressing for the road — layers meant for travel, not court. Halfway through lacing my boots, I paused for a second, turning the thought over one more time. Tula. I will be there soon enough.
I'd barely finished dressing when a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
Pristin stepped inside, already dressed and immaculate as ever.
Seriously — how does someone manage to look that put-together this early in the morning? If he'd been born in my old world, he'd probably have ended up an actor, surrounded by fans wherever he went.
"Sire?"
"Huh?" I snapped back to the present. "Yes, Pristin?"
"All preparations for departure are complete. Prime Minister Rowan is waiting for you."
"Good. I'll head there shortly."
He hesitated.
"There's something else?"
"Yes, Sire. Princess Elisa will also be accompanying us."
"Elisa?" I paused. Why would she want to come along on something like this? The question sat there for a second, unanswered, before I let it go. If she wanted to come, there was no real reason to stop her — I'd just have to ask her myself, eventually.
"Fine. Let her come. I have no problem with it."
Pristin still looked uneasy. "But Sire, Tula Forest is considered dangerous. The court already opposed your decision to go, and now the Princess is accompanying you as well."
"She's a princess. Let her see the kingdom she's meant to represent." I adjusted my coat. "What kind of ruler never sets foot in his own borders?" I glanced at him. "More importantly, if we can bring the tribe into peaceful cooperation with us, it could matter a great deal for kingdom's future. We need to understand our own kingdom better, not just rule it by sitting inside the castle."
Pristin nodded. "Understood, Sire."
"Where's Rowan?"
"In the administrative office, waiting."
"Then I'll meet him there. You stay with the carriages — Rowan and I will come straight to the departure point."
"Yes, Sire."
I found Rowan already in the office, sorting through a stack of documents.
"Rowan."
"Good morning, Sire." He looked up. "Everything's prepared, as you can see. Since this is expected to be a three-day trip, we've arranged accordingly — and since Princess Elisa is joining you, we've made additional provisions for her protection as well."
"Good." I nodded, then remembered something else. "There's another matter."
"Yes?"
"Everything decided at yesterday's council needs to move forward immediately. Inform everyone responsible. I want the reforms and orders implemented while I'm away."
"Yes, Sire." He paused. "That's also why I won't be accompanying you."
I frowned. "Why not? You could send instructions just as easily on the road."
"Sire, the Tula expedition may run longer than expected — we don't know when it will end." He gestured toward the papers on his desk. "Even if you return within five or six days, someone needs to remain here, making certain yesterday's decisions face no unnecessary delay."
I considered that for a moment. "...You're right." I let out a small sigh. "I hadn't thought of it that way." Then, faintly amused: "Honestly, I was starting to feel like my own selfish decision to chase after Tula was just pushing my responsibilities onto you."
Rowan shook his head. "Not at all, Sire. Your expedition matters just as much as my work here. We each carry our part."
"Glad to hear it."
I left the administrative office and made my way toward the main entrance. Even from the corridor I could hear it, the voices, the clatter of hooves, wheels being checked, the low organized noise of a departure in progress. When I stepped out into the courtyard, the morning light hit the cobblestones hard enough that I had to squint for a second before the scene came into focus.
Carriages lined up. Supplies loaded. Guards gathered in formation across the yard.
Then I actually looked at them, and stopped.
"...What?"
Pristin approached, cheerful as ever. "Welcome, Your Majesty. Everything's ready. The carriage awaits."
I ignored the pleasantry and pointed at the formation of soldiers filling the courtyard. "What is that?"
"Oh — those are the hundred Royal Guards assigned to protect you."
"...A hundred?"
"Yes, Sire."
I turned toward him slowly. "Pristin. I asked for guards. I did not ask for an army."
He blinked, genuinely confused. "But Sire, we're entering a dangerous forest — and with Princess Elisa accompanying you, I thought your protection should be our highest priority."
"I understand that." I gestured at the small sea of armor and spears. "But we're going there to establish peaceful relations, not start a war. If we show up with a hundred armed soldiers, what do you think that tribe is going to assume?"
Pristin fell silent.
"They'll assume we've come to fight them," I said. "And that could ruin everything before we've said a single word to them."
He lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Sire. I only wanted to ensure your safety."
"Well, Pristin —" A soft voice cut in from behind us. "I do appreciate that you're thinking of our safety."
Elisa had arrived, unhurried, taking in the courtyard with a faint frown of her own. "But I agree with Arin." Her eyes moved over the assembled guards. "Arriving with this many soldiers sends the wrong message entirely."
Pristin straightened immediately. "Princess. Welcome." He bowed. "And forgive me for speaking out of turn."
"No need." Elisa offered a small smile. "Just reduce the number."
"Yes, Princess."
"Exactly," I added.
Pristin considered. "Then... fifty?"
"No."
"Forty?"
"Still too many."
"Thirty?"
I shook my head. "Still no."
He looked, for the first time that morning, genuinely at a loss. "Then, Sire — how many would you consider enough?"
I glanced toward the waiting carriages. "Ten to fifteen."
He looked between me and the assembled guards, then nodded. "Understood. I'll see to it at once." He turned and hurried off toward the courtyard.
Elisa watched him go, then turned to me. "You didn't need to be quite that strict with him."
"He was only doing his duty."
"I know." I looked toward the carriages, toward the road that would eventually lead into the trees. "But this expedition matters. I don't want anything jeopardizing our chances with the tribe before we've even had the chance to speak with them."
Elisa considered that, then nodded. "Fair enough."
A few moments later, Pristin's voice carried across the courtyard. "Sire! Everything is ready!"
I looked toward him, then took one last glance back at the castle behind me — its towers catching the early light, still and familiar in a way that felt oddly reassuring before heading somewhere unknown.
Finally.
It was time to leave for Tula.
Elisa and I made our way toward the carriage. When we reached it, I glanced around out of habit — and realized there was no horse waiting for me.
"Pristin! Where's my horse?"
From the look on his face, he genuinely hadn't expected the question.
"Sire — but you'll be riding in the carriage, with the Princess. I didn't think to arrange a horse for you."
"...Did I say I'd be riding in the carriage?"
"No, Sire."
"Then where did that assumption come from? I intend to ride. On horseback."
Pristin tried, valiantly, to talk me out of it — the length of the journey, my safety, and so on, the usual list. In the end, though, he gave in and had a horse brought around.
While a soldier led it over, Elisa's voice came from behind me, curious. "Where did you learn to ride? I've never once seen you practice."
Honestly, I didn't have a good answer for that myself.
The truth was, I still didn't fully understand it. The first time I realized I could read and speak this world's language fluently was during that first war council meeting — I'd never studied it, never should have known it, and yet the words simply made sense the moment I needed them. Riding was the same.
The first time Rowan and I had gone to hower on horseback, my body had simply known what to do, like muscle memory from a life I'd never lived.
I had no idea how. It wasn't something I'd ever done in my old world. Strange didn't even begin to cover it — something had clearly happened to me, beyond just being pulled here. What, exactly, I still hadn't figured out.
"Honestly, I don't know myself," I said. "Things like this just... come to me. I don't understand it any more than you do. I'm still trying to work it out." I shrugged, swinging up into the saddle. "But if I can already do it, might as well make the most of it and enjoy it."
Elisa studied me for a moment, then laughed. "You are a strange one."
"Your horse is here, Sire," Pristin said, eyeing me. "...Are you sure you can actually ride it?"
"Don't worry about me, Pristin. Look — already mounted. And yes, I can ride."
"Well, if you say so." He exhaled. "Everyone, get ready — we're moving out!"
Elisa climbed into the carriage alongside Syyra, her personal maid. A moment later, Pristin's voice rang out ahead of us.
"MOVE!"
And with that, our journey began. We passed through the gates and into the city streets, where preparations for our departure had already cleared the way ahead of us.
⸻
The City Streets
The roads had been cleared for the royal procession — guards posted at intervals, civilians held back behind roped boundaries on either side. The crowd pressed close all the same, buzzing with excitement at the chance to see their new king and the princess pass by.
"Today, we finally get to see our king."
"I've been waiting for this for so long. I really hope I get a proper look at him today."
The talk rippled through the crowd, everyone straining for a glimpse. A group of young women whispered among themselves, giggling.
"What do you think he's like? What does he look like?"
"I heard he's young — around our age. I hope he notices me."
More laughter, more excitement rippling through them.
Somewhere in that same crowd, a small group of children was trying to squeeze through toward the front.
"Move aside, let us through!"
"Excuse us, mister!"
"Move!"
"Wait for me — don't leave me behind!" One small girl fell behind the others, struggling to keep up. That girl was Aanu.
"I want to see the king too. But how am I supposed to get to the front? There are too many people, and I can't see anything from back here."
Defeated, Aanu turned to head back. "...Well. If I can't see anything, there's no point staying."
She'd barely turned to leave when someone shouted, "Look, over there — the flag! The king must be coming!"
Aanu spun back around. Through the crowd she could just make out the line of soldiers marching past, their spears catching the light. Then, for just a moment, she caught a glimpse of someone on horseback — though the flag blocked most of his face.
But what little she saw was enough. She couldn't quite believe her own eyes.
"...Brother? Arin?"
She strained to see more, but by the time she pushed forward, the king and his carriage had already moved on.
"Brother Arin is the king. I have to tell Mom."
"Mom! Brother Arin is the king! Brother Arin is the king!"
She ran the whole way home. When Malta saw her daughter come sprinting up, breathless, she braced herself for some kind of trouble — but there was nothing but a wide grin on Aanu's face.
"What's wrong, Aanu? Why are you running like that?"
"Mom — Mom—"
"Slow down, sweetheart. Catch your breath first, then tell me."
"Mom, I saw Brother Arin."
"Oh? Where?"
"On a horse!"
"On a horse? What are you talking about, sweetheart? You're not making any sense. Tell me properly."
"Brother Arin is the king! I saw him — on a horse! His carriage was going by!"
Malta laughed. "Ha ha — sweetheart, now isn't the time for jokes. Arin certainly has the look for it, but he couldn't possibly be king. You must have seen someone who just resembled him."
"No, Mom, it really was Brother Arin. Please believe me."
"I believe you, I believe you. You're probably just hungry — that's why you're saying such things. Come on, let's go inside, I'll make you something nice to eat."
"But Mom... believe me or not — that really was Brother Arin."
⸻
The streets were packed, wall to wall with people. I kept catching myself wanting to raise a hand and wave, then talking myself out of it. Too many people. Honestly, all of it was making me nervous.
Even over the noise, I caught fragments of whispering — people talking about me, close enough to hear.
"Look at him — he's so handsome. And this is our king? I can't stop staring."
I heard that, ladies. Great. That's not making this any less embarrassing. Maybe Pristin had been right after all — maybe I should've just taken the carriage. Too late now.
Then it hit me. Elisa was in the carriage right behind me. Did she care what a few strangers were saying about me? I glanced back to check.
Her face was visible through the carriage window — she'd deliberately pulled the curtain aside just enough to see out.
Glare.
I turned back around fast, eyes forward. She was pissed. Definitely pissed. But — what exactly had I done wrong here? It wasn't like I'd asked people to like me.
⸻
Inside the Carriage
"My lady? Are you all right?"
"Yes, Syyra. I'm fine."
She very clearly was not. It showed plainly on her face — the crowd's comments about His Majesty had done nothing for Her Highness's mood.
"My lady, the citizens have been waiting to see the king — this is their first real chance. It's only natural they'd be a little... enthusiastic."
"I know that, Syyra. Which is exactly why I'm completely fine."
She said it like she believed it. I know better.
Just then, another voice rang out from the crowd.
"I love you, Your Majesty!"
Well. Here we go again.
"Princess — please, calm down."
"Princess—"
"Syyra, I am calm."
"So you do care for His Highness after all..."
"What — no. Absolutely not. Yes, we're engaged, but there is nothing going on between us. I swear it." Elisa's face had gone completely red.
She really was too easy to read.
"Hmm..."
"What is that look?"
⸻
I tried glancing back again — but the curtain was drawn now. She must have pulled it shut. I could only imagine what was happening behind it, and I was fairly sure "furious" covered most of it.
Not that it should matter to me either way. It wasn't like there was anything actually going on between us. She was probably just annoyed about something else entirely.
"Ha..." I scratched the back of my head, trying to shake off the thought.
"Sire, are you all right?"
"Hm? Nothing — it's nothing. Everything's fine. Let's keep moving."
"...If you say so."
And with that awkward silence trailing behind us, we carried on down the road.