[Nightmare]

"Do you mind if I join you?" A bright female voice rang out.

"You don't have to ask every day, you know?" Helix chuckled.

"I know, but I always feel like I'm interrupting you." She replied.

"I enjoy our conversations. You're half the reason I never miss a day at the library, Eliza." Helix replied with a warm smile.

"Is that so…?" She replied.

Eliza had blonde, shoulder-length hair.

The hair had masterful curls that looked professionally done.

She wore a royal blue dress with frilly white sleeves that accented her light teal eyes.

"It's the truth. I read the book that you recommended, by the way.

I felt the plot was cliche, but I secretly loved that.

It was as though I was praying for some elements to be cliche and was excited when the author fulfilled them." Helix laughed.

"I'm a sucker for shameless cliches too." Eliza giggled.

The two chat for a half-hour.

"Have you learned anything interesting recently, Helix?

I'd love for you to share." She asked after their discussion.

"This is a new world to me.

So I'm excited about the most mundane things.

If I told you, I'm sure you'd be bored to tears hearing about common things." Helix chuckled.

Eliza shook her head.

"That does happen often. However, the way that you view the things in this world is always strange and exciting to me." She replied with a gentle smile.

"For example, I know about Kull Birds because they're the bane of the villager's existence.

However, I never realized how important they were for protecting crops from insects." Eliza explained with a genuine smile.

"Your civilization is much more economically advanced than ours is.

Since people on earth have successfully studied birds with similar habits, they have insights we don't.

So even the small comments hold immense value and wondrous insights."

Helix gave the young woman a gentle smile.

"I wish more people found value in practical knowledge like you do." He said.

"If they did, I'd sigh less and enjoy my days more."

Eliza giggled.

"If you wish to hear my interests, I won't refuse.

First, I've learned that the days are nearly the same length here.

However, you have six day weeks even though they don't align with your sun's rotation.

Moreover, there are many of the same animals and insects on Earth, but monsters limit their population size.

They don't have the same names, but the similarities are eerie."

Helix spent an hour speaking about the magic he was studying, spirit particles, and beasts.

Eliza listened intently and interjected to add information now in then.

They shared some smiles and comfortable silence as well.

Helix sighed after their conversation about a specific flower.

Eliza looked at him with an anxious expression.

"Oh my! You've spent most of your time here talking with me.

I apologize!" She exclaimed with wide eyes.

Helix chuckled and shook his head.

"Like I said, half of the reason I come here is because I enjoy our conversations." He reiterated.

"I'm sighing because I don't know how long I'll be able to keep showing up."

Eliza looked at Helix in surprise and panic.

He was the only person she could have a real conversation with, and she didn't want to lose that.

"Why not?" She asked hurriedly.

"I'll tell you, but I'd rather not have you act on it." Helix prefaced ominously.

"... Act upon it?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

Helix sighed.

"I know you're the princess and have known that since the fourth time I've met you." He said with a gentle smile.

"W-What!?" She asked in a panicked state.

Helix gave her a hopeless smile.

"But fifteen conversations later, I treat you the same, right?"

Eliza took a deep breath and sighed with a defeated expression.

"I'm not surprised that you know who I am.

I enjoy our conversations because you're intelligent, after all.

To think that my vanity magic is so weak." She replied with a wry smile.

He chuckled after seeing her cave in and dropping her charade.

Helix shook his head with a slight smile.

"It's more than enough to convince everyone else that you're not the princess.

That's what's important, right?" He chuckled.

Eliza looked away with annoyance written over her face.

It wasn't directed at him, however.

"It's so annoying. I don't mind being a princess, but I wish I could visit the library without getting heckled to death." She growled.

Helix smiled.

"Wait… you're not avoiding the topic, are you?

Why can't you show up here anymore?" Eliza asked anxiously.

Helix sighed.

"No, I'm not avoiding the conversation." Helix said with a sigh.

"I'll reiterate. I'd appreciate it if you don't act on what I'm about to tell you."

"I can't promise you anything." She replied with a serious expression.

"Good enough." Helix sighed.

"There's a movement to exile me from Alzeria." Helix said with a bitter smile.

"Wait, what!?" She cried out.

Helix put his fingers to his lips.

"There's no one else in this Library." Eliza huffed in annoyance.

"Except the librarian. She just woke up from her nap." Helix chuckled.

Eliza wanted to laugh at the glaring insight, but her racing heart wouldn't let her.

"As I said, there's a movement to have me exiled.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind leaving these walls.

I plan to negotiate to leave peacefully without being exiled." Helix said with a long sigh.

"Why! That's absurd! Do you know how many people have benefited from you being here?

Even if you hate me, I won't let you get exiled." Eliza exclaimed.

He locked eyes with Eliza with a serious gaze.

"You don't understand. It's not about me deserving to be exiled.

The issue is that if I don't leave, things will get…."

Helix stopped talking. After a moment of silence, he started up again.

"Look, many people feel the way you do right now." He said with a sigh.

"There's an equal amount of people that unjustly disdain me for petty reasons.

However, those that dislike me are a special type of people." Helix chuckled bitterly.

"If I don't go, the opposing groups will go to war, and the Knights will suffer irreparable collapse."

Eliza looked at Helix suspiciously.

"That… sounds dramatic." She replied with an honest expression.

"It's not that I'm doubting you. It's that… I'm doubting you."

Helix flashed her a bright white smile.

It wasn't something she saw often, and she felt it was pleasant.

"I like that discerning and skeptical nature of yours.

It's wonderfully pragmatic, and I appreciate it." He chuckled.

"But… three people have already tried to kill me in the last 28 days.

A servant was kidnapped by a group of ten plotting my death.

They forced me into a blood oath to release the hostage, and I was forced to fight in a deathmatch yesterday." He sighed.

"You don't know this because there are individuals in your intelligence network that an anti-Helix faction has won over.

You can confirm this knowledge with Macron.

However, I ask that you do not act upon this.

It's a lot more complicated than you think."

Eliza stared at Helix with trembling eyes.

"T-Then why are you telling me about this?

You don't have to play the victim.

If you ask for my support, then I will—"

Helix chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm telling you this to explain why I might not be able to show up soon." He said with a slight smile.

"If you want to support me, please help me find a peaceful, good deal to leave this place without trouble.

Alzeria has no idea what type of people you've locked up inside your walls."

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

"You're a bunch of ex-students from a peaceful country.

Do you underestimate our people's ability to deal with violence?" She asked with a mocking tone.

Helix scoffed lightly and turned his head away.

"Eliza. I don't underestimate your competence or your people.

However, I'm telling you that you shouldn't underestimate mine." He said with a self-deprecating smile.

"And by my people, I'm not talking about people from Earth."

—

[A/N: Yes. Princess cliche. Remember this book isn't about avoiding cliches but exploring them in a realistic context.

Historical reality: princess loves commoner = political scandal time bomb, and usually executions.

Forget spoilers. Chatting about books with a real princess is seriously fucking dangerous in general XD

Start thinking about what type of destruction this dynamic can have. Whatever happens, it'll be juicy. ;)]

Disclaimer: Grammatical mistakes and minor inconsistencies = more content.