Chapter 60: The Male Lead [Part-3]

By the time we finished eating, the last traces of daylight had faded entirely, leaving the small village bathed in quiet darkness, save for the faint glow of scattered lanterns hanging outside a few nearby homes.

Elaine sat across from me, her empty bowl pushed slightly aside, her earlier fear having mostly settled into a kind of exhausted calm. She kept glancing around my small home, taking in the cracked wooden beams overhead, the single worn chair by the fireplace, the modest shelf lined with a handful of old books I’d collected over the years.

"You should get some rest, It’s been a long day for you." I said, standing and clearing away the dishes.

She looked up, blinking. "Where will I sleep?"

I gestured toward the small room in the back, separated only by a thin curtain rather than an actual door. "That’s my bed. You can use it tonight."

Her eyes widened slightly. "And you?"

"I’ll manage out here." I picked up a spare blanket from the shelf and gave it a casual shrug. "The floor isn’t that bad. Besides, I’ve slept in worse places."

"I couldn’t possibly take your bed, You’ve already done more than enough for me today."

"Princess Elaine, you’re a guest in my home, and more importantly, you’re exhausted. I’m not about to let a princess sleep on a cold floor while I take the bed. Just go get some rest, alright?"

Her eyes widen as he recognised her identity as a princess, while remaining so calm. She hesitated for a moment longer before finally relenting, offering a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Kael. Truly."

"It’s nothing," I said, waving her off toward the back room.

[Ding!]

[Affection Point Gained: +8]

[Reason: Selfless act of kindness.]

[Current Affection: 33/100]

I settled down onto the hard floor a short while later, folding my arms behind my head as I stared up at the cracked wooden ceiling, my mind still spinning from everything that had happened over the course of a single day. A hundred mercenaries. A system. A literal princess sleeping in my bed.

’This is officially the strangest day of my entire life.’

Sleep eventually found me, though it felt like only minutes had passed before a loud, insistent pounding at my front door jolted me awake.

I sat up groggily, rubbing my eyes as morning light filtered weakly through the thin curtains. The pounding continued, growing more urgent with each passing second.

"Open this door immediately! By order of the Royal Guard!"

I scrambled upright, quickly moving to open it before whoever was outside decided to break it down entirely.

The moment I pulled the door open, I found myself staring down the armor men of at least a dozen royal knights, their expressions tight with barely restrained urgency.

"Where is Princess Elaine?" the lead knight demanded, his hand resting firmly against the hilt of his sword.

Before I could answer, Elaine’s voice called out from behind the curtain separating my small bedroom from the main room.

"I’m here! I’m alright!"

She emerged quickly, still slightly disheveled from sleep, though clearly relieved at the sight of the familiar royal insignia emblazoned across their armor.

The lead knight’s shoulders sagged visibly with relief. "Your Highness, thank to the heavens. We feared the worst when we found the wreckage along the forest road."

"I’m fine, thanks entirely to this young man here."

The knight’s sharp eyes turned toward me, studying me carefully from head to toe, clearly trying to assess exactly what kind of threat, or lack thereof, I posed.

"You defeated the mercenaries who attacked the princess’s carriage?" he asked, disbelief evident in his tone.

"I mean, it wasn’t exactly planned, but yeah. That’s basically what happened." I said, scratching the back of my head awkwardly

The knight exchanged a quick glance with his companions before turning back toward Elaine. "Your Highness, we should return you to the palace immediately. Your mother has been worried sick."

Elaine nodded, though she hesitated, glancing back toward me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

"Kael, thank you again. For everything. I won’t forget this."

"It’s really nothing, I am just glad you’re safe."

She stepped closer, surprising me by reaching out and gently squeezing my hand. "I mean it. I’ll make sure this is properly rewarded."

Before I could respond, the knights moved to escort her toward a waiting carriage, considerably more heavily guarded than the one from yesterday. Elaine glanced back one final time as she climbed inside, offering a small, genuine smile before the door closed behind her.

[Ding!]

[Affection Point Gained: +17]

[Reason: Genuine emotional farewell.]

[Current Affection: 50/100]

[Milestone Reached: 50% Affection]

[Reward Unlocked: "Battle Instinct Enhancement" — Passive skill improving reflexes and combat awareness in high-stress situations.]

I stood in my doorway, watching the carriage disappear down the village road, kicking up small clouds of dust in its wake, my mind still struggling to process everything that had unfolded over the past twenty-four hours.

A hundred mercenaries defeated. A hidden system awakened. A literal princess sleeping under my roof, and now, apparently, some kind of mysterious reward system tracking my every interaction with her.

I glanced down at my own hands, flexing my fingers slowly, feeling the lingering echo of strength that hadn’t existed within me just yesterday.

’Whatever this system actually is,’ I thought, closing the door behind me and leaning back against it with a long, exhausted sigh, ’I have a feeling my life is never going back to normal again.’

A few days after that incident, a letter arrived bearing the seal of the Royal Family. It had been personally delivered by one of the Royal Knights.

I carefully broke the seal and unfolded the letter, my eyes scanning the words written inside. The letter was written in neat, elegant handwriting.

---

[Dear Kael,

I hope this letter finds you well. It has been a few days since our unexpected meeting on the forest road, though I confess I have thought of it, and of you, more often than I probably should admit.

My mother, upon hearing the full account of what happened, was equally horrified and grateful. She has spoken at length about wanting to properly reward the young man who saved her daughter’s life, though I suspect no reward could truly match what you did for me that day.

With that in mind, I would like to formally invite you to attend a royal ball being held at the palace in two weeks’ time. I understand this may seem like an unusual invitation for someone outside noble circles, but I have already spoken with my mother, and arrangements will be made to ensure you are properly received and accommodated for the evening.

I know a grand ball filled with nobility and formal traditions might feel far removed from village life, but I would very much like the chance to properly thank you in person, away from the chaos of that day. Perhaps, if you are willing, we could also simply talk. I found our conversation over dinner rather enjoyable, more than I’ve had in quite some time within palace walls.

A carriage will be sent to your village on the morning of the event to bring you to the capital, so please don’t concern yourself with such details.

I do hope you’ll consider attending. I would be genuinely disappointed if you didn’t.

Warmly,

Princess Elaine Velkrath]

---

I stared at the letter for a long moment, re-reading it twice before finally letting my hand drop to my side, the parchment still clutched loosely between my fingers.

I let out a slow breath, glancing back down at the elegant royal seal still visible on the torn envelope.

"A royal ball... Me? At the actual palace?"

Just a week ago, my biggest concern had been whether I’d manage to catch enough herbs in the forest to properly cover this month’s expenses. Now, apparently, I was being personally invited by a princess to attend one of the most exclusive noble gatherings in the entire empire.

I glanced toward the small, cracked mirror hanging near my kitchen shelf, taking in my own reflection, the same worn, patched clothes, the same messy black hair I never bothered properly styling.

A slow, disbelieving laugh escaped me.

"Well, guess I’m going to a royal ball."

...

[NEW TARGET:

>50 GT: 3+ Extra Chapter!

>Magic castle(or above): 3+ Extra Chapter+(your Favourite Character’s POV)]