We were waiting. Again.
Apparently, the king was busy with important matters, so Lana and I were told to wait in a very fancy hallway. Stone pillars, golden trim, enough red carpet to make me nervous about dirty shoes.
Lana stood near the window, staring out like she was posing for a painting.
"Do you always make guests wait this long?" I asked.
Her gaze didn't move. "Only the ones who appeared out of nowhere and saved a princess."
"…Right. Fair."
I sat on a bench. The kind that looked expensive and felt like a wooden plank. My legs were killing me. Royal hospitality, huh.
"I should warn you," she said after a moment. "The people you'll meet today won't be friendly."
"I guessed that much."
"They'll ask questions. Hard ones. Accusations, maybe." Her eyes flicked to mine. "Not everyone thinks saving a princess is enough to earn trust."
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Funny. Where I'm from, that usually gets you a medal. Maybe a sandwich."
Lana smiled. It was brief, but real.
"You're handling this well."
"I'm handling it because I have no idea what's going on," I said. "Ignorance is very calming."
Another smile. A little wider this time.
For a princess, she was surprisingly easy to talk to. Maybe because she hadn't hit me with the whole 'how dare you stand before me, peasant' thing.
"Why are you being nice to me?" I asked. "Political reasons? Or do I just look that pitiful?"
"Both," she said, without missing a beat.
At least she was honest.
A servant appeared at the far end of the hall, giving a polite bow.
"His Majesty is ready to see you now."
Lana straightened. Mask on. Perfect posture. The proper princess.
I got up, dusted off my plain tunic, and followed.
"Brace yourself," she said under her breath. "Father can be… intense."
"Great. I love intense."
We walked toward the throne room. One step closer to whatever mess was waiting for me next.
We stopped at a big door at the end of the hallway.
The throne room was exactly what you'd expect from a place called the throne room. High ceilings, stained glass, gold everywhere. The kind of place that screams, "You do not belong here."
Which was fair. I really didn't.
Lana walked ahead, graceful and calm. I followed like a stray dog someone accidentally let inside.
The king sat on his throne—older than I expected, but with that quiet, heavy presence that made you feel small without saying a word. His crown was simple, but his eyes weren't. Sharp. Measuring.
His golden hair and beard reminds me of a lion.
Around him stood a collection of nobles, knights, and people who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. Their whispers started the moment I stepped in.
"That's him? Looks like a commoner."
"Are we sure he's not a spy?"
"Or a demon in disguise."
Charming.
Lana stopped before the throne and bowed. I did my best to copy her. Probably looked like I was tying my shoe.
"Father," she said, voice smooth. "This is the man who saved me."
The king's gaze settled on me. I resisted the urge to scratch my neck.
"You are Ark." Not a question.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Silence stretched. One of the nobles stepped forward—tall, sharp-featured, the type who never missed a day of looking down on people.
"Your Majesty, with respect, are we truly giving audience to an unknown vagrant? His origins are dubious at best."
Vagrant. Nice.
The king didn't react. His eyes stayed on me. Watching. Waiting.
Another voice chimed in, softer but no less cutting. "The royal mages found no trace of mana on him. Not a single spark. That is… unusual, given his claims."
I didn't claim anything, but sure.
Lana's hands clenched slightly. She was holding back.
I wasn't.
"For the record," I said, "I never claimed to be a mage, a knight, or anything fancy. I'm just the guy who hit a snake."
The nobles muttered again. Probably not impressed.
"I see." The king's voice cut through the noise. "Then perhaps you can tell us—where do you hail from, Ark?"
Ah. The question.
I met his gaze. No point lying.
"I don't know, Your Majesty."
A ripple of whispers. Disbelief. Suspicion. Of course.
"I woke up in a place I can't even describe. If you're expecting a grand tale, you'll be disappointed. I survived. That's all."
Lana glanced at me. Not disappointed. Just… curious.
Another noble sneered. "A convenient story. Perhaps crafted to evade scrutiny."
"Or maybe," I said, "it's the only answer I have."
The king leaned forward, just slightly. "We shall see."
His words weren't a threat. Not exactly. But they carried weight.
Still, there was no immediate order to throw me in the dungeon. Small victories.
"Until then," the king said, "you are to remain within the palace grounds. Under watch."
Reasonable. Considering.
He nodded once. "Dismissed."
Lana gave a graceful bow. I nodded awkwardly and turned to leave. The nobles' eyes followed, heavy and cold.
As we stepped out of the throne room, I exhaled.
"Well," I said, "that could've gone worse."
Lana smiled faintly. "You're still breathing. That counts."
The palace halls were quieter now. Less whispering, less staring. Just the faint echo of footsteps—Lana's light and measured, mine… less so.
"So," I said, stuffing my hands into my belt sash, "do they always talk like that? Or was today a special performance?"
Lana's lips curved slightly. "You mean the nobles? That was them being polite."
"Polite. Right. I could practically feel them sharpening knives with their eyes."
"They're wary of outsiders." She glanced at me. "Especially ones with… unconventional backgrounds."
"I'd say my background is very conventional. Wake up. Survive. Hit things with sticks."
Her smile twitched wider. "A refreshing résumé."
We passed a pair of maids who bowed quickly before scurrying off. I caught a fragment of their hushed voices.
"He's the one, right?"
"He doesn't look dangerous…"
At least they weren't calling me a demon.
"So," I said, "what happens now? Do I get thrown into a dungeon next? Or is that a tomorrow problem?"
"No dungeons," Lana replied, tone even. "Father wouldn't allow it."
"Because I saved you?"
"That, and because he's curious." She looked ahead, thoughtful. "But others will try to undermine you. Be careful."
"I'll add that to my growing list of problems."
"You're handling it well," she said. "Better than most would."
I gave her a sideways look. "You don't even know me."
"I know enough," she answered, without missing a step.
For a moment, we walked in silence. The palace was too clean. Too perfect. I felt like a smudge on polished glass.
"You're not like them," I said.
Lana tilted her head. "Them?"
"The ones whispering. You actually talk like a human being."
A soft laugh escaped her lips. "That's because I am one."
"Could've fooled me with the whole 'Your Majesty' and 'commendably well' act."
"It's exhausting," she admitted. "But it's expected."
We stopped at a balcony. Sunlight spilled over the marble. From here, the city spread out below—rooftops, markets, people who didn't care about nobles or stray vagrants like me.
For a moment, it was quiet.
"I'm not supposed to get involved," Lana said, more to herself. "But you did save me. And that matters."
I leaned against the stone rail. "I'm not expecting royal favors."
"Good." She smiled again, soft but real this time. "Because you won't get any."
I snorted. Fair enough.
But in her eyes, I saw it—a flicker of something. Curiosity. Not the cold kind the nobles had. Something warmer. Genuine.
Maybe I didn't belong here. Maybe they'd kick me out tomorrow.
But for now, this wasn't the worst place to be.