"You must be the Nobel ;Asher whom everyone talks about this days. Am princess lilly and this is my step mom queen Flora"
"You're the infamous warrior Asher, aren't you?"
He turned to find himself face-to-face with the princess—a striking young woman with keen eyes, draped in elegant royal attire. She tilted her head, studying him with curiosity.
"I've heard the stories," she continued. "The man who fought Lord Asura in the front lines, the one who stood against the one-handed king and lived."
Asher gave a small, polite smile, keeping his true emotions hidden. "I was just following my duty," he said simply.
The princess narrowed her eyes. "Is that all?"
There was a flicker of amusement in her tone, but also doubt. Before he could answer, her gaze shifted past him—toward Queen Flora.
The Queen, standing beside her, seemed composed, yet something about her posture suggested unease.
The princess smirked. "Is there something going on between you two.?"
A tense silence settled around them.
Asher's expression didn't waver, but he could feel Selina stiffen beside him. She knew this was dangerous scene.
Selina quickly tried to steer the conversation away. "It's nothing important—"
But the princess said. "Oh, I know what it is!" she interrupted, her voice filled with interested curiosity.
She looked between Asher and the Queen, the gears turning in her mind.
"You two had a disagreement over the duel with Lord Asura, I totally forgot that?" she said, a knowing smirk forming on her lips.
Queen Flora, ever composed, let out a small chuckle. "My dear, Asher and I have no such complications. His business is his own."
Yet Asher noticed the way she tightened her grip on her goblet. A subtle sign of unease.
The princess seemed to enjoy making them uncomfortable, but Asher saw an opportunity. She was talkative—and that meant she might reveal something useful.
"If you truly want to know more about me," he said smoothly, "we could take a walk and talk."
The princess was excited and agreed, allowing him to lead her away .
Selina and Queen Flora were left alone. For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, the Queen exhaled sharply and turned away. Selina, avoiding eye contact, quickly left the hall, leaving behind a strange, silent tension.
--
Asher and the princess walked along the palace corridors, away from the loud banquet. The moonlight streamed through tall windows, casting silver patterns on the marble floors.
The princess glanced at him, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "You really are interesting," she mused. "You're more than just a warrior, aren't you?"
Asher smirked. "Depends on what you mean by that."
She folded her arms. "You fought Lord Asura and lasted longer than expected. Not many can say that. But something tells me you're hiding something."
Asher shrugged, keeping his voice casual. "I just happen to let my guard down during the duel besides the pressure of the nobles gaze was tense."
The princess laughed lightly. "I don't believe it so you are saying if their were no audience you would win."
He could tell she was trying to get to know him more. But he had no intention of giving her anything for free.
So, he turned the conversation around. "And what about you? A royal princess, attending political ceremonies. You must know a lot about the inner workings of the kingdom."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to pry information from me?"
"Just making conversation," he said smoothly.
She smirked but didn't seem to mind. "Fine. If you're curious, my brother—the king—has been struggling to keep control. There's been... tension within the royal court. Especially between his wives."
Asher's interest piqued. "His wives?"
The princess sighed dramatically. "Yes, just after my mother died while gaving birth to my twin brother and me, my dear father married multiple noblewomen to secure alliances. But now they all fight for influence.
"That sounds exhausting," Asher said.
"It is," she admitted. "But I stay out of it. Unlike my first step mom"
Queen Flora.
The mention of her name didn't go unnoticed. So, the Queen was more involved in royal politics than she let on.
"And what about your step mother's influence?" Asher asked, feigning casual curiosity.
The princess hesitated for a brief moment. "She… has her own ambitions. But I don't think she trusts my brother entirely."
Interesting. So there were fractures within the royal family. Power struggles. Betrayal.
Asher nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "I see."
The princess studied him again, as if trying to read his thoughts. "You're good at this."
He raised an eyebrow. "At what?"
"At hiding what you're really thinking."
Asher smirked. "You could say it's a survival skill."
She chuckled. "I like you, Asher. You're different from the other warriors I've met."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said.
The two of them continued walking, Asher carefully piecing together the information he had gathered. The royal family was fractured. The Queen had her own ambitions. And somewhere within all of this—was an opportunity.