"Pathetic!"

I stumbled, nearly losing my balance. Maybe it was the countless bruises and blisters on my feet. Or maybe it was the pounding headache that had taken up permanent residence in my skull. The ten kilos of books I was carrying probably didn't help either. And my ears... they wouldn't stop ringing.

Oh, right. I was in my etiquette class.

"Can we take a break? I think I'm about to go into cardiac arrest," I pleaded with my instructor, my voice strained.

"Break?" she snapped, glaring at me with eyes that could pierce steel. "We've only been rehearsing for two hours! My granddaughter is barely twelve, and she's already more sophisticated than you, Your Highness. She's never missed a rehearsal!"

There are fates worse than death. And this woman was proof.

"But... I have amnesia," I countered weakly. "There are things I find difficult to relearn."

"Don't make excuses! Isn't Alphonse supposed to be treating you for that?"

I looked away. "Progress is... very slow."

She sighed deeply, as if I were the bane of her existence. "What am I going to do with you? And when are you going to take that ridiculous brooch off your head?!"

I instinctively reached up, shielding it with my hands. "It's mine! You're not taking it away!" I hissed.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "I see you have plenty of energy to argue. Start over!"

And so, the torture continued for several more hours before she finally, mercifully, let me go. By the time I was dismissed, I had to crawl back to my room—literally crawl. If I still had my old body, I was certain I'd have died long ago.

Daira's body must truly be indestructible.

I leaned against the door to my room, trying to catch my breath. The thought of my sweet, soft bed eased the pain that seemed to radiate from my very soul. I was terrified of the Duke, sure. But my instructor?

There were no words in any language to describe that woman.

When my hands finally stopped shaking, I pushed myself off the floor and reached for the door, eager to collapse onto something more comfortable. However, I hadn't anticipated what I'd find waiting for me on the other side.

My heart jumped.

"Hey, Princess."

I froze, staring at the unexpected figure standing in my room. Carefully, I closed the door. For five full seconds, I stood there, wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me. Slowly, I opened the door again.

He was still there.

I closed it once more and smiled, though it was more out of disbelief than joy.

And then, at the top of my lungs, I screamed, "Betia!!!"

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. Moments later, my personal maid came running toward me, so fast that her legs seemed ready to give out. I later learned she had been in the kitchen on the first floor—my scream had reached all the way down there.

"Wha-What's wrong?!" she asked, panting heavily.

"Would you be so kind as to open the door and check my room for me?"

"W-What...?"

"Please?"

Betia hesitated but eventually obeyed. Nervously, she approached the door and cracked it open.

"How ya doin', kiddo?" a man's voice greeted her casually.

She shut the door just as slowly as she'd opened it, turned back to me, and smiled as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

"Don't worry, Princess. I'm going to ask the army to blow this place up right now."

I let out a small chuckle. "Oh, I expected nothing less from you."

She laughed softly in return. "You know you can always count on me."

"Ca... Can we have a quiet conversation without blowing anything up?"

Oh, how curious. The door swung open again, and the man stepped out, addressing us directly. His face was unmistakable. It took me a moment to place him, but then it all clicked.

Of course.

It was the bastard who had kidnapped me.

∞∞∞

"What brings you here, Mister Edan?"

Tea time. Edan and I sat at my tea table, chatting and enjoying some perfectly baked cookies. The fine, sweet aroma of my drink finally managed to soothe my sore muscles, still recovering from my earlier ordeal.

"I just wanted to say hello. I heard that the Princess has been collaborating with Madame Agnes on a new dish to be sold at the pastry shop," Edan commented, taking a sip from his cup.

"Oh, dear. Rumors seem to fly faster than birds around here. But it's true—I've been working with her for a while now," I replied, mimicking his sip.

"How wonderful. Should I have high expectations, then?"

I let out a small chuckle. "As high as the clouds. I guarantee it will be a sensation. My dessert will be talked about for centuries after my death."

Edan smiled, setting his cup down delicately. "Then I'll make sure to be the first in line when it's available."

"Better yet," I said, leaning forward slightly, "you could help us. I need to create an artifact to make the dessert-making process more efficient. Remind me, is your technology capable of replicating basic spells?"

"Certainly," he replied smoothly. "If it's not too complex, we could even develop a prototype today."

"How wonderful! I'm so glad you've decided to keep your word and teach me how to create your technology, Professor Edan. Even though I haven't heard from you in over a month..."

Edan laughed lightly. "Have you missed me?"

"Not at all. The day you stop being useful to me, I'll stab you in the back," I said with a sweet smile.

"I see you're learning my ways quickly, my dear apprentice. I'd expect nothing less from the Princess."

"So, will you help us?" I asked.

"Of course. Did I mention I'm a great fan of Madame Agnes's desserts? Even in the capital, she's unmatched. Though..." He hesitated briefly, his expression turning sly. "I do have one request."

"Anything within my reach."

"Well... could you kindly ask your maid to stop threatening me with the broom?"

Oh, right. I'd completely forgotten to mention that Betia was standing behind him, broom in hand, ready to strike. She'd been under strict instructions to attack if Edan made any suspicious movements. One can never be too cautious.

"It's your fault for trespassing in my room," I said, letting out an exaggerated sigh as I dropped the act.

"In my defense, it was the only way to see you without Prince Damian intruding," Edan replied smoothly.

I arched an eyebrow. "What kind of relationship do you have with him?"

Edan's smile widened as he took another sip of tea. "I'm not at liberty to discuss it. You'll have to ask him directly... though I assure you, it's not as much fun as what I have with you, Princess."

I sighed again, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Seriously, has no one ever told you that you're insufferable?"

"All the time," he said, grinning.

I finished my tea, setting the cup down with a soft clink.

"I guess it's part of your... charm," I said, suppressing a sigh. "I'll have to get used to it if you're really going to be my professor."

Then, with deliberate elegance, I made a small bow. Both Betia and Edan stared at me, clearly taken aback.

"Please teach me everything you know," I said earnestly.

Edan blinked, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face. "I will do my best," he replied.

He stood, finished the last sip of his tea, and walked over to the window. Turning back to me, he said, "I'll wait for you at the far end of the garden."

"Why can't you teach me here?" I asked, puzzled.

"All my equipment is in my laboratory," he explained. "It'll be better if we go there. I can teleport us to save time, but it has to be outside the mansion. The Duke's Aura will block any artifact or spell cast nearby."

Ah. So that's how he got here. He teleported to the garden and snuck into my room undetected. But that raised another question: how did he know this was my room?

"Are you sure about this, Princess?" Betia asked, her voice filled with suspicion. "This guy is extremely shady."

I understood Betia's concern all too well. When we returned to the mansion that day, I had told her everything that happened after my sudden disappearance from the pastry shop. Even though I came back unharmed, she was furious with Edan.

Still, the opportunity to learn something new was too tempting to pass up. My magic lessons had been postponed indefinitely, and the only other thing occupying my time was working with the pastry shop owner. Building that fridge would be incredibly helpful—for her and for me. Besides...

When Edan mentioned the word laboratory, my heart skipped a beat.

"Don't worry, Betia. I promise I'll be fine," I reassured her with a smile. "Though, if I take longer than expected, have Prince Damian alert the Royal Guard."

"Understood, Princess!"

"Do you trust me that little?" Edan sighed dramatically. "Well, no matter. I'll go ahead. Thamel warriors have sharp senses, so it's best to slip away while they're distracted with training. Take your time and put on some more comfortable shoes."

"I plan to change my entire outfit," I said, stretching my legs. "Etiquette classes have made me hate tight cuts. Betia, bring me something looser."

"Yes...! Should I fetch you a chastity belt as well?" she quipped.

I turned to Edan, raising an eyebrow. "Just in case."

"I'm starting to feel seriously insulted..."

After changing into something more comfortable, I made my way to the meeting spot Edan had indicated. I made sure to wear the earrings Prince Damian had given me—not because I truly thought Edan would try anything, but because, for some reason, the words Edan and danger seemed inseparable in my mind.

I was alone now, with no one but myself to rely on. The only things protecting me were my arrogance—the belief that I could solve any problem that came my way—and perhaps the little prayer Betia had whispered for me before I left. I didn't even know they worshipped gods in this world.

And Alain? Well, I decided not to bother him. He'd been busy with training lately, and I'd already taken him to the city far more than I probably should have. He needed time for his own work. Before leaving, I told Betia not to say anything to him if he came looking for me.

I didn't want him to worry.

"You look lovely," Edan said, flashing one of his signature smiles as he sat on a fallen log. "Those magic earrings pair beautifully with that commoner brooch of yours."

"Don't they?" I replied with a small smile.

Edan had been waiting for me. I'd had to walk a surprisingly long way to reach this spot. I hadn't realized how tight the mansion's security was until now. No wonder I rarely saw soldiers patrolling the corridors. I still didn't fully understand what the 'Aura' Edan had mentioned was, but if it belonged to the Duke, I had no doubt it was dangerous.

"Do I really have to walk this far every time we meet?" I asked, exasperated.

"We could always meet in Molina," Edan replied easily. "I have one of my labs there. We wouldn't even need to teleport."

"Fantastic!" I said, sighing in relief. "Then this will be the last time. We should start acting like normal people."

Edan chuckled. "Oh... but neither you nor I will ever be normal, Princess."

Before I could retort, Edan moved toward me so quickly that I barely had time to react. He grabbed my right hand, raising it to his head. At the same time, his other arm slid around my back, pulling me slightly closer.

And before I knew it, our noses were touching.

My heart stopped. For a moment, everything else blurred into the background. All I could see was him. Maybe it was because our first meeting had been so chaotic, but I'd never noticed just how... hypnotic his eyes were.

Actually, everything about him was. His face, his killer smile, the way his long hair was tied back in a perfect ponytail. Even his impeccably elegant outfit. His attitude irritated me to no end, but for some reason, I couldn't help but anticipate whatever unpredictable thing he'd do next.

Everything about Edan screamed trouble.

And yet, I guess I was willing to take the risk.

"Never forget that," he said softly.

He let go of my hand just enough to snap his fingers, and in an instant, everything changed. The cool breeze and warm sunlight vanished, replaced by still air and shadows.

We were in a dark, cramped space filled with strange objects and papers scattered across every available surface. The floor was spotless, but the tables were cluttered to the point of chaos. It was almost overwhelming—there wasn't enough room for even a pea.

Most people would feel claustrophobic in a place like this.

But for some reason, it felt like coming home.

The laboratory.

Thank you so much for reading this chapter! 🌟 Writing the dynamic between Daira and Edan is always a blast—it's filled with sarcasm, tension, and just a hint of trouble. With the introduction of Edan's laboratory, things are about to take a very interesting turn, and I can't wait for you to see where this journey takes them.

What do you think of Edan? Is he trustworthy, or do you feel like he's hiding something? And what about Daira—do you think she's taking too many risks, or is her curiosity leading her to the right place? Let me know your thoughts and theories in the comments! 💬

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As always, thank you for being part of this story. Until next time! ❤️✨