A long time ago, a kingdom bordering the east sea thrived. A righteous king and a caring queen ruled side by side, bringing smiles to each and every one of their subjects with their steadfast devotion and wisdom. The kingdom was known for its joy; for the light and love that was shared between each and every living being that lived within. Each day, the people would rise and give thanks for their smiles; for the boon of happiness.

However, suddenly, their beloved queen fell ill. The kingdom lost its smile as news spread of her sickness, and while the queen may have recovered, it was said that she would never be able to have children. A great sadness washed over the land, the commoners and nobles alike losing their smile and forced to don frowns and tears. Even the palace had lost its light, the king and queen grieving the truth that she would never be able to give birth.

But one day, a mysterious stranger came to the palace. They offered a panacea to the queen, promising that, by taking it, she would be able to give birth to a healthy baby. When the queen took the potion, she felt her body lighten and her energy return. As the entire kingdom waited to see the result of the stranger's kindness, they treated them with great respect, giving them a grand room, feasts every night, and countless gifts.

Before long, news spread throughout the kingdom that the queen was pregnant. Festivals and parades were held, citizens praising the stranger and coming to the palace to wish the baby health. In their great joy, the king and queen turned to the stranger and asked what they wanted in return for their miracle.

"I only wish to feel your joy," is what the stranger replied before disappearing without taking a single gift.

A beautiful princess was born to the king and queen, and the kingdom's smiles returned. So, they named her Aine after their happiness. The citizens danced in the streets and sang to each other cheerfully, bestowing the same kindness onto one another as the stranger had selflessly done for them. There wasn't a moment of sadness in the kingdom for many, many years.

As Princess Aine grew up, surrounded with the smiles of everyone around her, the princess grew up to be a sweet, precious, pure princess whose smile was even brighter than everyone else's. Even as a baby, she offered up her most precious treasures to those around her and worked hard to help everyone else. The more she grew, the more beautiful and kind she became, stories of her passing around the kingdom to each and every individual.

And when Princess Aine came of age, there wasn't a man in the kingdom that didn't dream of marrying her. Suitors lined up for miles outside the castle to present her with flowers, jewelry, and rare trinkets from across the world. Even so, the princess was determined to wed someone as kind hearted as her and snuck out of the castle in hopes of finding someone. Thus, carefree as she was, she danced in the river and stumbled upon a boy named Rian.

The two began to talk, filling the forest with their laughter. And though the boy was only a simple commoner, he loved the princess dearly. His heart fluttered with her smile, and she, in turn, felt her heart skip a beat at his. Every day, they met one another by the river, and, everyday, she would jump around and play in the water as she so loved to do. And, one day, the princess confessed her love to Rian, the two sharing a sweet kiss beneath the moonlight, the river under their feet glowing softly.

Rian, overcome with love and devotion to the Princess Aine, decided to gather up his meager savings to buy a ring and propose to the girl of his dreams. However, when he went to meet the princess, she was gone. News spread rapidly about the princess being swept away by an evil creature that preyed on young men and women. And though the king and queen offered up countless treasures to the hero that would bring their precious daughter back, Rian was, at heart, a coward. So, the boy stared holed up in his house, his heart broken.

As he wept for the princess to return safely, someone special happened to overhear him, and, thus, knocked at his door. The boy was surprised to find a mysterious stranger at his door, the entity draped in a dark cloak to hide their face. They explained that they would help the boy rescue the princess and would make him a great hero worthy of her hand in marriage. Rian listened, inviting the stranger into his house to hear more.

"I come from a land far from here to tell you where the princess was taken," the mysterious stranger murmured, staring at the cup of water the boy presented her, "A land where humans don't set foot and where spirits thrive. That is where she is and where you must go to free her."

"I am only a commoner," the boy sobbed, thinking of the poor, innocent princess, "I have no strength, no sword, and no spirit to save my beloved princess with. Even though I love her so, I cannot save her."

"Then, as I helped the king and queen receive a princess, so, too, will I help you, but you must trust me and follow my instructions well. Only then will you rescue the princess and live together in happiness."

The boy thought and thought. He feared facing monsters and otherworldly creatures. In fact, he shivered at even a lowly goblin. But the boy was fueled by his love. The stranger could feel that love, and, so, chose to guide him to face three trials. The stranger promised that the trial would bring him the attributes of a hero, and so, with a shaking body, the boy agreed, facing his fears and following the stranger to the land where spirits ran rampant. The first trial was right as they set foot on a desert plain with nothing around but large rocks.

"You are a weak boy with no strength to call your own," the stranger warned, handing a branch to the boy, "Heros, in all things, are strong, so you, too, must find strength. Your first trial is this: take this branch and fight a creature of my own making. When you succeed in learning technique, only then can I provide you with strength."

"But I can't possibly fight a monster without strength," cried Rian, clutching the branch tightly in fear.

"There is no need to worry, little one. This creature is but an illusion. You will be unharmed from its attacks; only receive a small bit of confusion when it touches you. But to defeat it is to learn from it, so learn you must."

The boy shivered as the stranger summoned the creature. It was large and terrifying to the small peasant, towering over him and shaking the boulders around them when it walked. Trying to move forward, the boy put one foot in front of the other. However, as the beast approached him - illusion or not - his fear got the best of him, and, in terror, he responded by dropping his branch and fainting. And so the stranger waited for the boy to wake up, speaking in a reassuring tone to him as he wept.

"I cannot do this!" Rian sobbed, ashamed and humiliated, "Without a sword or spirit, I cannot fight a monster!"

"It's alright. There has not yet existed a man who can brave a monster on their first encounter. To fight, a man needs motivation. What is your motivation?"

"I...want to rescue Princess Aine."

"I see. Then, what emotion drives you?"

"Love."

The stranger nodded, pleased with his answer. With a flick of their wrist, the illusion changed to be the evil creature that had stolen away the princess; a new stranger. The stranger assured the boy it was just in the creature's likeness; that it wasn't the real one. However, the stranger watched as a new emotion spread through him like wildfire. Rage filled his lungs and fueled his body to once again grab the branch. And the strangers were pleased.

"With renewed motivation, you must fight this creature. Learn its patterns, its fears, its weaknesses and you will earn your strength."

Rian nodded and stepped forward, far more prepared than he was before. The boy began to fight the illusion, launching himself to swing the branch at the creature. The first time, the recoil from the hit sent him falling back. The second and third times were no different. The creature was seemingly invulnerable. However, as the boy glanced back at the stranger, they gave him a reassuring nod, motioning for him to continue.

No matter how many times he swung at the creature, it did nothing. On the contrary, it only made the illusion angrier, rushing forward to deliver a hard bash to his head. Rian closed his eyes in preparation to be hit, only for a wave of nausea to circulate through his body. His head felt heavy and discombobulated, a desire to vomit welling up in his stomach. From that point on, the male dodged as best as he could, wishing not to experience the same feeling again.

From his failure, Rian learned, analyzing the illusion and stepping just out of reach when it attacked. However, even if the boy knew how to dodge, he had to learn how to attack. He began to step quickly to the monster. First, the boy hit at its legs. It did nothing. Then, the boy swung at its arms. It did nothing. Again, the boy swung at its head. It did nothing. The creature remained unharmed, forcing the boy to retreat and think up a plan.

He didn't know the monster, so he did not know its weakness. Its legs, arms, and head were invulnerable. At least, they were unable to be harmed where he hit them. So, the boy devised he needed to experiment to find a weak point, rushing back in to try more and more. He swung at its abdomen, its back, its neck, its ankles, its feet, and many more areas. It was only when Rian swung near its heart did the monster become agitated.

Suddenly, the boy was forced to be quicker on his feet, dodging the enraged swings the illusion made. But now the boy knew where to swing. He placed hit after hit around its heart, hoping to get close enough. Even still, he could not simply attack, focused on avoiding being hit all the while ducking under punches and kicks, the boy holding his breath as he got closer and closer. And then, with one final swing, the male shoved his branch straight into the monster's heart, a piercing cry echoing out before it fell and lay motionless.

"I've done it," Rian gawked, amazed at what he had learned, "I defeated the creature!"

"That you have," the stranger applauded, handing the boy a blood red potion, "And, in learning skill and technique, you have earned strength. Drink this vial and your body shall become stronger than any man so that you may be able to defeat the other trials."

The boy nodded and accepted the potion, drinking it swiftly. He felt his body become stronger and more energetic, allowing him to swing his branch so skillfully that it split a boulder in two. So too was the boy able to run faster, pushing his legs to sprint from one boulder to another, covering large distances in a short amount of time. Rian's heart swelled with pride in his victory, and, thus, so did the strangers'.

As the mysterious stranger and the boy set off to their second trial, Rian defeated all monsters in his way despite his fear. With his new strength, it was no difficult feat, allowing them to progress swiftly through the plains. But with no sword, the boy could not live up to his full potential. And, thus, it was then that the stranger pointed to a cave.

"You are a poor boy with no sword to call your own," the stranger warned, handing a map to the boy, "Heros have swords to protect the weak, so you, too, must find a sword. Your second trial is this: follow this map to find a legendary sword. When you attain your sword, you will be able to slay any monster no matter how large or scary."

The boy and the stranger made their way to the cave, the dark and damp area making Rian shiver. Even with his strength, he shuddered to think at all the terrifying monsters within, only comforted by the company of the stranger. But, instead of monsters, the cave was fraught with traps of all kinds. As the boy set his foot down, the sound of clicking forced him to jump back in fear, the ground falling. If the boy hadn't jumped back, he would have fallen to his death. Rian wanted to run away.

"Surely, with my new strength, I don't need a sword!" the boy cried, "I could face the creature with just my branch!"

"Silly boy," the stranger sighed, "The creature is much stronger than you think. No matter one's strength, if you have no sword with which to slay, your strength will be unable to cut through its armor."

"Then I cannot rescue the princess! I ought to retreat to - "

Rian shivered as he heard a voice crying out for help nearby. As the boy glanced down into the chasm in which he had almost fallen in, a small girl waved for help. Begging the boy to help her, she cried. The stranger watched as the boy was touched by her fear. He rushed to look around for any way to help her, grabbing a nearby rope and throwing it down. As she gripped tightly onto it, he pulled her up, and the girl hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, kind hero," she wept, "I was so scared down there alone. I heard of this cave and all the treasure inside and came to get some for my village terrorized by mercenaries. And though I am usually very good at avoiding traps, I accidentally tripped and fell. To repay you, please allow me to help you through the cave."

Graciously, the boy accepted her help, following her into the trapped cave, the stranger right behind them. Though Rian felt like running away, trembling in the dark, narrow pathways of the rocks, with support from his allies, he continued through. The girl checked for traps, helping the boy survive anything and everything. Even though arrows would shoot from the walls, spikes would form on the ground, rocks would cave in behind them, and too much more to count, they continued.

Besides the strength he had received, Rian had to use his head, too, figuring out puzzles and the like with his new companion. After avoiding trap after trap, they arrived in front of a great ledge. In front of them was a massive chasm, a single sign in front of them telling a clue to progress. It read "To progress, you must discern my lie. I am something you see, yet I am not really there. You believe in my presence, but I vanish in thin air".

Rian stared at the sign before him, wondering what it could have meant. In front of them was a fall that would surely kill them. To his left was only a torch and to his right was nothing at all. Behind him, too, were merely rocks; the result of the last trap they brushed past. The only way out was forward. And so he glanced down into the pit, wondering if something lay down there that could help.

"Is there magic at work here?" he asked, turning back to the stranger whom he assumed was familiar with sorcery.

"It is certain," was all the stranger said.

Fearful of failing the trial, the boy paused, trying to figure out the riddle. He believed wholeheartedly something around him would help. Perhaps there was some kind of tool just in reach for him to use and pass over safely. As he reached his hand down to feel the cliff he stood on, the boy bumped his head. Confused, he reached out in front of him, only to feel a wall. As he moved his hand from side to side, the wall remained. It was when he brushed his hand to the left did he feel something different - something he could grab onto.

Rian held tightly onto the cylinder-shaped object, pulling down on it. It was then that the chasm before him disappeared, replaced with a rock wall. A door had been opened with the lever the boy had pulled, allowing them to progress. And though the boy didn't know the answer to the riddle still, he had figured out the puzzle either way. So he continued, the girl leading the way to warn of traps and the boy and stranger following behind.

Before long, they reached a room full of treasure and jewels. But Rian only laid his eyes on the exquisite sword resting against the mound of gold. As he reached forward to take it, another pride washed over him, the boy receiving his second gift. In his happiness, he turned to smile at the strangers, and, in turn, they smiled at him. His happiness was their happiness.

"Will you join us to defeat the evil creature that snatched away the princess?" Rian asked the girl, "You will surely be helpful to the cause and the king and queen will reward you very lavishly."

"I have no need for any reward from the king and queen," the girl smiled, motioning around them, "With all of this gold, I can afford more than enough medicine for my brother! But I wish you luck on your journey, hero. I look forward to seeing you again."

And so, the hero exited the cave, legendary sword in hand. As he and the stranger made their way towards the princess once again, Rian felt himself grow even stronger. The monsters that attacked them were dealt with in a single strike, cut in half easily. With his strength and his sword, he felt much more assured that he could defeat the evil creature. However, the stranger was not so sure.

Thus, when they entered the dark forest that was populated with horrifying monsters, the stranger disappeared. Rian glanced around and called out for the stranger, begging them to return to his side. The stranger did not. On the verge of tears, the boy began running out of the forest, only to find himself trapped in a never-ending cycle of tree after tree. That was when the stranger spoke.

"You are a fearful, timid boy," the stranger's voice echoed around him, "No hero lacks the spirit of bravery, so the third trial is this: you must venture through the woods alone. No matter how scary the monsters are, you must continue. You must not tremble and cry but face them and hold your ground."

"But I cannot!" the boy panicked, darting his eyes around for the mysterious stranger, "Even if I am strong and have a sword, my heart is weak. Against such terrifying and grotesque creatures, I will surely fail!"

This time, the stranger did not assure the boy that he would be alright. Instead, their voice vanished, the boy forced to try and make his way through the forest. He placed foot after shaky foot in front of him, his teeth chattering out of fear and his body trembling in terror. When rustles came from the bushes and trees around him, he could do nothing but run and cry, forgetting the strength and sword he possessed.

He ran into individual shadowy monsters with too terrifying appearances to describe, all of which wanted nothing more than to kill him and feast on his bones. As soon as Rian saw them, he trembled and ran away, shutting his eyes tightly as if it would make them all disappear. But the monsters did no such thing. One at a time, they chased after the boy, making slimy sounds and slamming their feet against the ground in their pursuit. So, he hid in the trees, begging to some higher being to save him from dying.

For too much time, Rian tried to hide, hoping that somehow someone else would come along to save him. That was when he remembered. He was supposed to be the savior. After coming that far to save his beloved princess, he could not quit. The boy had already faced many, many terrifying things. He had fought a seemingly invulnerable creature, dodged trap after trap, and used his wit to brave any trial. That time should have been no different.

And, so the boy dropped down from the tree and held his sword tightly. As the first monster appeared, popping up from the bushes and roaring at him, Rian closed his eyes and swung his sword as fast as he could. Silence followed, allowing him to peek open and gaze at the fallen monster in front of him. Rian felt himself relax. With his strength and sword, as long as he faced his enemies directly, he could defeat them as easily as all the others.

The boy continued into the forest, slaying every monster - one after one - that crossed his path. No matter how terrifying they were or how grotesque they sounded, he sliced them all down. Finally, as he slew the last monster, the forest in front of him disappeared, waving away like a mirage. It was then that he saw the stranger waiting for him on the other side, the boy smiling wide and rushing to meet him.

"You have succeeded in facing your fears and have come out a new man. You may finally call yourself a hero. And you may now face the evil creature to save your beloved princess."

Rian's smile widened as he heard that, his heart swelling with pride yet again. He had finally succeeded in his trials and was ready to take on his final obstacle. Even though he was a simple commoner with nothing to his name, starting his journey with no strength, no sword, and no spirit, he possessed all of them now. As the boy contemplated this, he could not stop his joy from radiating, infecting the touched strangers.

The boy stormed into the castle the princess was imprisoned in, making his way past puzzles and traps. Before long, he arrived in front of the evil creature, holding tightly onto his sword. The monster attacked with no hesitation, screeching a horrible screech. Still, Rian remembered what he had learned. He steeled his spirit to face the monster head on, staring it straight in its black eyes. He readied his sword to strike at the monster's heart. And, finally, with all of his strength, he put immeasurable force into his swing. In one hit, the monster fell to the ground, unmoving.

Hearing the pleading sounds of the princess yelling for help, Rian swiftly burst through the door of the prison. There, a beautiful girl waited for his rescue, her eyes shimmering more than he remembered. Who else could it have been but Princess Aine? The boy destroyed the bars of the prison and swooped in to hug his princess, murmuring his love for her and receiving her murmurs as well. As he carried her in his arms, he left the palace, looking all around for the mysterious stranger. But since the boy's quest was completed, they were nowhere to be found.

Rian returned the princess to the kingdom, receiving great praises from the king and queen and everyone else. He was showered with treasure and bestowed a parade, marching through the town for him - the hero - to greet the people. Even so, he had not forgotten his goal, and, as the moon started to rise in the sky, the boy took his princess to the river - the place Princess Aine loved more than anywhere else. She stood on the edge of the dirt carefully as he kneeled into the water, pulling out a ring.

"Since the day I first met you, I have loved you with my entire heart. To save you, I have faced my greatest weaknesses and turned them into my strength. I hope you will allow me to use that strength to make you happy."

She knew he would make her happy, and, thus, she accepted, pulling the boy into her arms on the shore and holding him tightly under the moonlight. Because they were to be wed, the entire kingdom celebrated once more, showering the couple with praise. But the king and queen wept, mourning the loss of the daughter they struggled so much to have. After all, she would never be with them again. But Rian knelt before them, introducing a friend - the girl he had found in the caves.

"Your majesties, though you may lament that I am taking away your daughter, I beg you not to be sad. Our kingdom is one of joy and happiness. I hope that you allow me to marry your precious daughter but I don't wish to take her away from you."

"Then how will you put a smile back on our grieving faces?" the king and queen sobbed.

"I hope to introduce you to my friend. She helped me on my quest to rescue your daughter, but because her house crumbled in a massive fire, she has nowhere and no one to return to. If you would take her as your daughter and raise her as your own, I believe everyone would be happy."

And so, the king and queen did as the boy said. They had a new daughter to dote on and shower with love and affection, and Rian's princess was able to run away with him to live happily ever after. The kingdom was filled with happiness once again, thriving and being bathed in the light of smiles and laughter. And the princess, too, rejoiced in being able to feel their joy, completely sated.

. . .

(Y/n) hummed at the end of the story, gazing down to see Takuya completely knocked out, snuggled into her. She then directed her attention to the book, wondering what had happened to the last page. It looked like it had been ripped out, little bits and pieces of paper sticking up as an indication. She kept it in the back of her mind to ask the male about. After all, with how much he cherished the book, she wondered how it could have been damaged.

When the male woke up, he claimed he slept the whole way through the night, perhaps indicating he had come to terms with the new house. And while, in the morning, he still glanced around the mansion in uneasiness, he relaxed a bit more as the staff arrived. He was very happy to find that Nakao came to tend the gardens. Apparently, he had been around since Takuya was little, so the white-haired male was working with him to redo the place.

(Y/n) sat in the shade to watch him, reading the news on her phone while occasionally glancing up. Though he had never been remotely interested in the garden back home, he was very actively interested now. The male scampered around with Nakoa, pointing out where he wanted certain flowers to be, or where he wanted fruit trees. The elderly man just nodded along with his young master's excited rambling, Takuya's smile infecting him, too. The younger girl hid her own smile behind her phone shyly as the white-haired male turned to check on her.

The more staff in the house, the happier the male became. Maybe he just liked being in charge of his own place for once. It could also have been that he felt more useful that way. He had the furniture rearranged, too, largely in part because he didn't want the rooms to feel so empty. Either way, before long, he was far more comfortable, even on his own. Independence really did him some good. So, the (h/c) haired girl felt confident being able to leave him for work on Monday. Though, at random points over the next few days, she couldn't help but think back to the story. Something about it was familiar.