The chat

Kael clicks his tongue in annoyance, his patience wearing thin as the princess casually drapes her arm around his shoulder. "Hey, kid, aren't you afraid of Lúthien's family~ Huh~" she teases, her voice a whisper, laden with mock secrecy, "They're royals, you know~"

Kael exhales heavily, his tolerance for the game dwindling, "Yes, I know who they are," he responds, the edge in his voice barely masked.

The princess, unfazed by his growing irritation, smirks playfully, "Hehehe, It's okay to be scared~ Don't worry, your big sis will publicly support you~" She slaps her chest with a feigned bravado that does little to amuse Kael.

Rubbing his temples in exasperation, Kael counters, "Big sis? Are you insane?" The jest falls flat, lost on her as she continues her charade, her smile veiled behind a hand, "Come on~ Just call me big sis as a form of respect~"

As they reach the main door, Kael's response is curt and dismissive, "In your dreams." His mind, however, wanders to the broader implications of their current situation, 'With the current orders, it's fair to say both the P.O.B. and the witches will get involved this time around. In the original story, they remained neutral, but since I've altered the timeline, their involvement is inevitable. The Elven war is bound to happen, no matter what route I take. Most countries took the war slowly, but that won't happen this time around. I dealt with the cult drastically lowering the casualties. That one group is watching after the cult failed, they're probably deciding if they'll add fuel to the fire. The victory in the midterms has pissed off that old man who can't stand a loss, and Haze's return from seclusion will alter the church's path...'

Lost in his strategic contemplation, Kael barely notices the princess waving her hand in front of his face, breaking his train of thought with a playful taunt, "Hello~ Anyone there? Hehehe, are you missing her already~"

Kael, brought back to the present, exhales a sigh of resignation, "We're here," he states, opening the door to Ayla's 'office'.

The princess grins triumphantly as she steps inside, turning back to Kael with a teasing farewell, "Ah ah ha~ I'm sorry, but Big sis has some important private adult business~ You're too young for that~ I'll look for you later~" With that, she closes the door on Kael.

The princess, unable to contain her excitement, exclaims with a mischievous laugh, "Hehehehe~ It's been so long~" as she navigates Ayla's quarters with the stealth of a cat, expertly masking her presence. She tip-toes around, exploring with curiosity until she discovers the bedroom. There, she can't help but leap onto the bed, embracing Ayla with overwhelming joy, "I missed you!" Her sudden intrusion startles Ayla, causing her to choke on the wine she's been leisurely sipping.

With a playful scold, the princess chides, "Hmmm~ You need to get rid of that bad habit," while tightening her grip around Ayla in an affectionate squeeze.

Ayla, caught off guard and slightly inebriated, groans in protest, "Ugh... why did you scare me like that? Can't you see I'm drunk?" She manages to push the princess away, yawning and stretching, her irritation palpable. "How did you even get past my security?" she inquires, rubbing her white hair from her eyes, a sign of her groggy state.

The princess, tilting her head in confusion, innocently responds, "Security? What do you mean? One of your students brought me here." Her words are light, unaware of the breach she's implying.

Ayla's reaction is immediate, a mix of surprise and annoyance, "One of my students... Ah! Fuck!" She spins around, her actions frantic as she shakes the princess, worried, "Dammit, please tell me you didn't piss him off." Her concern reflects the importance of the student in question.

The princess, still blissfully unaware of the gravity of her actions, responds with genuine confusion, "What are you talking about?" Her innocence in the matter only exacerbates Ayla's frustration.

Dragging her out of the bedroom, Ayla clarifies with a hint of exasperation, "He's the one that's going to help you, the one I told you about. Tsk, that's why you didn't notice my security measures; he deactivated them." The revelation hits the princess like a ton of bricks, her earlier confidence evaporating into thin air.

Standing there, the princess's demeanor shifts dramatically as the realization dawns on her, "S-so you're telling me, the boy who brought me here... T-the boy I've been teasing non-stop is the guy..." Her words trail off into a muffled horror, her hands covering her face as the full scope of her blunder becomes apparent.

She starts to cry, her vibrant electric blue eyes welling with tears of regret and embarrassment, "W-what have I done..." Her sobs fill the room, a stark contrast to her previous flamboyance.

Ayla, meanwhile, sighs heavily, her annoyance clear, 'I should've known.' Then, with a pragmatic tone, she commands, "Hurry up and open the door."

The princess, her eyes still brimming with tears, sobs softly, 'W-what?" She rubs her eyes and approaches the door. On the other side, Kael, stifling a yawn, silently counts down, '3... 2... 1...' Right on cue, the door swings open, revealing the princess trying to compose herself, "I-I'm sorry. P-please come in."

Kael can't help but raise an eyebrow at the sight, a hidden smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. 'Heh, look at her,' he muses internally, finding amusement in her sudden shift in demeanor.

Catching his reaction, the princess stammers, her voice tinged with desperation, "W-would you like to come in?" Kael plays along, feigning innocence, "Huh? Didn't you say it's adult business? Aren't I too young?" The irony of his words only deepens her embarrassment, her hands flying to cover her face, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

Kael steps inside, a trace of amusement still evident, 'Heh, she's a bit funny.' Inside, Ayla watches the exchange with a weary sigh, "Are you going to keep messing with her?"

Kael simply shrugs, his casual demeanor unchanging, "Who knows." He finds a spot on the couch across from Ayla, settling in comfortably while the princess remains rooted to her spot, unsure and visibly shaken.

Ayla, trying to break the awkward tension, pats the space next to her, coaxing, "Come here." The princess, her voice a mere whimper, declines, "N-no."

Kael, feeling a mix of amusement and pity, intervenes gently, "Sit down, Naiarië." The princess flinches at her name, hesitantly taking a seat beside Ayla.

Ayla's curiosity is piqued, her brow furrowed in confusion, "Naiarië?" She scratches her head, turning to Kael for an explanation, "That's her birth name," he reveals nonchalantly.

Before Ayla can delve deeper, the princess interrupts, her voice a mix of fear and disbelief, "N-no one is supposed to know that name..." Her vulnerability is palpable, her usual bravado replaced with genuine fear.

Kael, maintaining his composure, adds, "She doesn't like that name." The revelation seems to send the princess into a deeper state of shock, her voice barely above a whisper, "H-how do you know that?" The question seems directed more at herself than at him.

Meanwhile, Ayla, overwhelmed by the unfolding drama, reaches for the easiest escape; she grabs another bottle, her thoughts muddled, 'I don't know what's going on anymore. To think there was something I didn't know about her.' She chugs down her drink, the alcohol a temporary reprieve from the chaos surrounding her.

Ayla finishes her wine with a satisfied gasp, "Hmmm, so good." She reaches for another bottle, then turns to Kael with a serious query, "So V, can you help her with whatever her family is dealing with?" Kael, pausing for a moment, replies, "One second." He then begins to prepare a meal, taking out a cutting board along with some meat and vegetables, and starts slicing them meticulously. "Ayla, do you have any idea just how deep the trouble they're in goes?" he asks, not looking up from his task.

Ayla, leaning back with her new bottle, shrugs nonchalantly, "Nope, you told me to wait, and this little one," she tugs at Naiarië's ear, "didn't want to say much."

Naiarië winces under her grasp, "Ouch, ouch, ouch. I'm sorry, I didn't want to drag you into the mess we're in."

Kael, focused on his cooking, suggests without missing a beat, "Why don't you just tell her? There's no point in hiding it anymore. It's going to come out sooner or later anyway."

The princess, her expression somber, finally acquiesces, "You're right," and with a heavy sigh, she reveals, "Right now, father is being pressured to step down from the throne."

Ayla nearly chokes on her drink, her eyes widening in shock, "W-what? Are they out of their minds? Who has the balls to tell him that?"

The princess rubs her temples, the weight of the situation bearing down on her, "Hmm... it's complicated. About two decades ago, mother fell ill. To keep her alive, father has been transferring his blood essence to her, weakening himself in the process. It's supposed to be a secret, but someone found out. Now, multiple branches in the family are pushing him to abdicate. But-"

Kael, still slicing the meat, interjects, "Stepping down as king means he'd lose all his power."

Naiarië nods, her face etched with worry, "And if that happens, he won't be able to sustain mother much longer."

Ayla, now more sober than before, questions, "Why doesn't anyone else help her?"

The princess exhales deeply, a mixture of sadness and frustration in her voice, "No one else's blood essence is potent enough. As you know mother has always been the strongest; it's already a miracle father has been able to keep her alive this long."

Ayla exclaims with a mix of frustration and disbelief, "Oh fuck... this is not good." Kael, unable to help himself, lets out a laugh, "Pfff... I'm sorry, it's just. There's a lot more than just a sick mom."

As Ayla takes another swig from her bottle, she asserts, "I can take it all." The princess, however, adds another layer to their dire situation, "Brother is staying neutral; he refuses to get involved with anything."

Ayla rolls her eyes, her tone laced with sarcasm, "I figured, that lazy man could care less about the throne." The conversation deepens as the princess reveals, "And it got worse when father canceled the ceremony this year. He wouldn't tell me why; he just asked me to watch mom while he went out. He ended up spending thousands of platinum coins without advising the treasury department."

Kael, while marinating the meat, muses to himself, 'Obviously, he invested so much with me~ They'd pass out if they heard the amount.' Ayla, overwhelmed by the unfolding revelations, groans, "Ugh... You were right, V. I don't want to know any more of this," before chugging down her bottle.

Kael, ever the pragmatist, comments, "That's not as bad as it seems. A coup d'état would be a good ending." Ayla, appalled, counters, "How can you say that? What the hell could be worse than that? My little hazard here would be forced to marry whoever takes the throne," she says, her arm protectively wrapping around the princess's neck.

Naiarië, with a heavy sigh, admits, "He's not wrong," as she produces a sheet of paper marked with threats: [Death to the King!] [We will end you all!] [We will hang the head of the king and drag his body across the nation!]. Ayla, her eyebrow raised in alarm, manages, "This is..."

The princess fills in the blank, "The dark elves... They are likely going to war with us." Ayla, struggling to comprehend, questions, "How is that even possible?"

Kael, turning on the stove, provides the grim context, "Around four decades ago, the dark elves took complete control of District three. The Royals have been trying to keep it a secret, but at this point, they can't stop the dark elves from exiting the district."

Ayla, her confusion evident, questions further, "Why haven't the royal guards dealt with them?" Her thoughts betray her understanding of the situation, 'The royal guards are some of the strongest elves in the nation. They're literally meant for dealing with this crap.'