“I like you, Alpheus.”

“...

” “It’s a royal decree. You can’t refuse.”

“...”

“You know I was joking just now, right?”

Under a serene night sky where the stars of homecoming twinkled, the princess of the kingdom winked playfully as she delivered what could only be described as a sincere joke. At the same moment, the faint crackling of the burning campfire grazed my nose, and, without realizing it, a tear slid down my cheek.

It was, in essence, a coincidence—merely a physiological response. However, the princess mistook it for genuine emotion and burst into a shy laugh.

“What? Was that so moving? Are you really about to cry?”

“It’s nothing, Your Highness.”

“I know. There’s no way a hero like you would cry over something like that. Still, if you were really touched, that would make me a little happy too.”

“Your Highness.”

“Don’t say I shouldn’t be doing this. One nagging sage is already more than enough.”

“Your Highness, I—”

“Ah, I’m so tired.”

Without warning, the princess placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned her body gently against mine. Her intentions were obvious, but I couldn’t simply push away the royal body without reason.

All I could do was wait for her to leave on her own. Yet, ever since we crossed the border, none of my wishes had come true, not even once.

“Shall I escort you to bed?”

“Your arms are much more comfortable than that cheap pillow. Though I do appreciate the effort you went through to get it.”

“Enough with the jokes, Your Highness. Please, get some rest.”

“I’ll sleep right here. Nowhere in the world feels safer than by the hero’s side.”

“If you sleep here, you’ll catch a cold.”

“Then perhaps I should make myself warmer with your body.”

She slowly lifted her hand from my shoulder and placed it on my chest. Then, she moved it to my neck, then to my cheek. Her hand crept upward, finally stopping at my now-flushed earlobe.

“Your Highness.”

“Shh.”

The princess, unhesitating, extended her hand further and even covered my lips. Her breath, like a whisper, blurred my vision once more, dampening my sight.

Her face, blurred and hazy, resembled that of Mirian, the one I had seen in my dreams so many times. In that instant, my body froze completely, stiff and unyielding, as if my will had no power over it.

“See? You’re warm now, aren’t you?”

“...”

“Right?”

Certain of her victory, the princess rested her head on my chest and whispered softly, her voice meant only for me.

“When we return to the kingdom, tell my father you want to marry me.”

“Your Highness...”

“You will, won’t you?”

Her voice, lowered and firm, reminded me so much of her that it was almost uncanny.

But a replica could only ever be a replica. I quickly dispelled the fog of illusion clouding my mind.

“I cannot do that.”

“How stubborn.”

With that, the princess fell asleep. The future she had so whimsically decided upon lingered in her unconscious mind, soon morphing into a fervent dream.

And I should have realized sooner—before it became an obsession.

“That’s it! That’s the answer, Alpheus!”

“...”

As scenes of the past drifted through my mind like a daydream, Seha’s sudden voice pierced my ears, snapping me back to reality. She gripped my shoulders urgently, her exaggerated tone filled with theatrical enthusiasm.

“Good job! Well done!”

“Huh?”

“Straighten your back! You nailed it, you genius!”

Though a heavy silence still hung in the air, Seha paid no heed to the atmosphere and raised her voice even further. For someone who usually hated shouting, her actions didn’t need much speculation.

“A princess? What princess? We saved the kingdom’s future! She should hand over the crown! The throne! The entire kingdom! Right, Alpheus?”

“...”

“Take it all! That shiny crown? It’s mine now. Bring everything here!”

“Seha...”

“Demand it! Now!”

After her bold proclamation, she locked eyes with me, silently begging me to join in her antics. But, even understanding her intent, I found myself unable to comply.

That’s when Jorfe intervened. Marching over with a visibly furious expression, he shouted in frustration.

“Seha! Don’t tell me you put him up to this!”

“Of course, I did! Otherwise, this idiot would’ve just acted all noble and said he needed nothing! We’ve gone through hell to get here. We deserve a proper reward.”

“We call that humility and kingdom etiquette! Even if Alpheus had said nothing, do you think His Majesty would have sent us back empty-handed? Use your head for once!”

“Oh, is that so? Then forget what I said earlier. But I am keeping the crown—ahhhh!”

Jorfe yanked Seha’s cheek mercilessly, cutting off her mischief. Despite her acting, the pain seemed real enough for her cries to ring out convincingly.

“Ow, ow, ow! Stop it! I was wrong!”

“This isn’t something a scolding will fix! Go kneel before His Majesty and apologize immediately!”

“Okay, okay, just stop! It really hurts!”

“I won’t stop until you swear to apologize!”

“Arghhh! You crazy jerk! Let go of me before I kill you!”

Their antics reached a fever pitch when the king’s hearty laughter echoed through the hall. Clapping his hands in amusement, he raised them as though to stop Jorfe.

“Enough, sage. Surely the noble elf  wouldn’t have resorted to such mischief if she trusted humans more.”

“Your Majesty...”

“Come now. Thanks to her, we were all entertained. Where else could one witness an elf being scolded and pinched by a mortal?”

The king chuckled, giving my shoulder a light tap. Jorfe let out a barely audible sigh of relief, meant only for my ears. Around us, the atmosphere eased, and quiet laughter began to ripple through the crowd.

Yet the princess remained visibly upset, muttering under her breath.

“So it was her doing again... That woman always finds ways to get under my skin.”

“...”

“Typical elves...”

“Enough.”

The king’s voice turned stern as he reprimanded the princess, cutting her off. Then, with an enigmatic smile, he extended his hand toward me and spoke in a softened tone.

“Well, now that the commotion has settled, it’s time to enjoy the feast. Tonight, we drink to excess. Isn’t that right, hero?”

“...”

“Your companions are forgiven, so don’t let it weigh on your mind.”

“...”

“Hero?”

“...”

I couldn’t bring myself to speak. The words I had uttered earlier had already been spoken with the resolve of a man prepared to lose his head.

But if I kept insisting, I’d only burden my comrades who had worked so hard for me. With that thought, I finally steadied my resolve, and my lips, frozen in place, began to move.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. It seems that, having not touched alcohol in some time, I’ve gotten tipsy rather quickly. If it isn’t too much trouble, may I take a brief rest?”

“Oh! My goodness, I didn’t even consider that. Of course, that’s fine. The party will go on all day anyway, so take a short break and come back when you’re ready.”

“I’m deeply sorry to trouble you with my weakness.”

“No, no. Every warrior needs rest. If anyone understands, I do. Consider it a royal decree—take some time to rest.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“Just don’t stay away too long.”

The king gave me a playful wink and gestured to the attendants. As though they had been prepared all along, they skillfully guided us to a room.

The only downside was that no carriage had been arranged. My legs, shaky from kneeling for so long, struggled to carry me, and by the midpoint, Seha had to step in to support me.

Or maybe, deep down, I simply didn’t want to let go of her again.

That thought brought back the memory of locking eyes with her earlier, filling my mind with her image. Just as the daydream began to engulf me, Seha’s thunderous voice yanked me back to reality.

“Ugh! Walk on your own, you idiot!”

“...Ugh.”

Seha shoved me into the unfamiliar room, and I collapsed onto the floor with a groan. She spat her annoyance onto the floor and glared down at me.

“What the hell were you thinking? The mood turned so tense I was shaking!”

“...”

“I might not understand all human customs, but even I know that was a stupid move. If I hadn’t stepped in, we’d all be screwed. Isn’t that right?”

“I’m sorry, Seha.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it. And that idiot Jorfe  just stood there watching. For someone who calls himself a sage, he’s useless when we need him most!”

Seha’s tirade met no resistance as I hung my head in silence. Jorfe, after a moment of contemplation, spoke in a heavy tone.

“You’re right, Seha. If the king hadn’t overlooked it, things could have gone very wrong. I thought I’d gained deep insight after years of study, but I can’t even read the heart of someone I’ve shared life and death with.”

“...”

“Especially when it’s one of my closest comrades. Alpheus, how long have you been hiding this?”

“From the very beginning.”

“What?”

“It’s been that way since the start.”

The time it took to confess the secret was nothing compared to how long I had concealed it. Jorfe sank into a deep silence, and Seha stared, slack-jawed and stunned.

“What... what... what? So you’re saying it wasn’t the princess but the queen—”

“That’s right, Seha.”

“Are you serious? I knew you didn’t like the princess, but still...”

“I love her. Truly.”

“And since the beginning? Does that mean since our first audience with her?”

“From the moment we met, there was no one else in my life but her.”

“...This is insane.”

Seha could only mutter curses, unable to process the revelation. I didn’t explain further; no matter how many times I tried, she wouldn’t understand.

Then Jorfe looked up, his face more solemn than I’d ever seen.

“Is this true, Alpheus?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me? Did you not trust me?”

“Even if I had told you, could you have helped?”

“That...”

Even he trailed off. No matter how wise, there was no way for a sage to devise a plan to pursue the king’s wife.

Silence descended once again. The ticking of a distant clock grated on my ears until Jorfe spoke up, his voice hesitant.

“Alpheus...”

“Excuse us.”

A knock interrupted him. The attendants entered without waiting for a reply, bowing so deeply they nearly touched the ground.

“Apologies for the interruption, but His Majesty has requested your presence.”

“I see.”

“It seems we’ve been away too long.”

“Damn. Looks like we have to go. Fine, lead the way. Announce that the great hero’s party is on their way.”

Even as the mood remained subdued, Seha maintained her trademark cheerfulness, stepping forward dramatically. But the attendants stopped her, bowing once again.

“Apologies, but the two of you will head to the hall first. Sir Alpheus, you will come with us separately. His Majesty wishes to speak with you privately before the main event begins.”

“What? That’s ridiculous! If anyone wants to talk to my sidekick, they need my permission first! I don’t care if it’s the king—”

“That’s impossible. It is a direct order from His Majesty.”

“Do you even know who I am—”

Before she could finish, Jorfe stepped in to calm her down.

“Stop, Seha. If we resist, the attendants will face the consequences.”

“Fine! I’ll talk to the king myself. Who does he think he is, pulling this crap on my crew?”

“We don’t even know what he wants to discuss yet. And it’s only for a moment—nothing will happen.”

“Are you sure?”

“The princess was just rescued from abduction. He won’t risk creating more trouble now.”

He was right. Not even the king would harm me, a hero hailed as a savior. He likely wanted to smooth things over with a private conversation and restore the mood.

As long as I stayed calm, everything would proceed smoothly. Jorfe, aware of this, gave me a firm reminder.

“But only if you behave, Alpheus. You understand, right?”

“I understand.”

“Do you really?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me ask one thing.”

He paused, his breath held, before finally speaking in a grave tone.

“Do you truly love that witch?”

“...”

It was my turn to hold my breath. But my silence didn’t last long.

“You already know my answer.”

I turned away, thinking that was enough. Jorfe didn’t press further, falling silent.

But it wasn’t enough, as I realized when I could no longer answer his questions.