Chapter 71: The Place She Thought She Had Lost

Narretar

Morning arrived quietly over the Holy Kingdom.

Golden sunlight touched the highest towers of the royal palace.

White stone walls reflected the first rays of dawn, making the palace appear almost luminous beneath the clear morning sky.

Royal banners moved gently in the breeze.

Inside...

The palace was already awake.

Servants moved through the long corridors.

Knights stood beside the enormous doors.

Scholars carried books toward the royal study.

From the kitchen came the warm scent of freshly baked bread.

And somewhere within the eastern wing...

A five-year-old prince was still asleep.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

No response.

The door opened quietly.

A young man stepped inside.

He wore a perfectly arranged black-and-white butler's uniform.

His movements were calm.

Precise.

Almost unnaturally quiet.

His appearance was difficult to read beneath the soft morning light.

No one in the palace spoke much about Elias's age.

No one seemed completely certain about where he had come from.

But everyone knew one thing.

He belonged beside the Prince.

Elias approached the bed.

"The morning has arrived, Your Highness."

A small figure moved beneath the blanket.

"...Already?"

"Yes."

The Prince pulled the blanket over his head.

"I don't like mornings."

Elias calmly walked toward the curtains.

He opened them.

Sunlight filled the room.

"You said the same thing yesterday."

"And I meant it yesterday."

"And the day before."

"I meant it then too."

Elias paused.

"An impressive consistency."

The blanket slowly lowered.

The Prince stared at him.

"Was that sarcasm?"

"I would never."

The Prince narrowed his eyes.

Elias remained completely expressionless.

A few seconds passed.

The Prince finally sighed.

"You're impossible."

"So I have been told."

A tiny smile appeared on Adrian's face.

He sat up.

"Good morning, Elias."

"Good morning, Your Highness."

The exchange was simple.

Familiar.

Almost ordinary.

But Elias had been beside Adrian for years.

He knew when the young Prince was tired.

He knew when Adrian was pretending not to be tired.

And somehow...

he always seemed to know when Adrian needed help.

Outside the room...

Two royal guards stood quietly.

One glanced toward the door.

"He's awake."

The other smiled.

"Elias managed it again."

Before either could say anything else...

Footsteps approached.

Both guards immediately straightened.

The King and Queen entered the corridor.

The guards bowed.

"Your Majesty."

Beside the King walked the Queen.

Her name was Shantira.

Queen Shantira carried a calmness that seemed to follow her wherever she went.

She rarely needed to raise her voice.

Her presence alone was enough to bring peace to a room.

The King looked toward Adrian's door.

"Is he awake?"

One guard nodded.

"Elias is with him."

The King smiled faintly.

"Then he will be here soon."

Queen Shantira glanced toward Elias's name being mentioned.

"You trust him greatly."

The King looked toward the closed door.

"I do."

There was no hesitation.

"Elias has served our family faithfully."

The Queen smiled.

"And you respect him."

"Very much."

The King paused.

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"He has earned that respect."

The Queen nodded.

She understood.

A few minutes later...

The door opened.

Adrian stepped outside.

His royal clothes were neatly arranged.

His hair, however...

was still slightly messy.

Elias followed behind him.

Adrian noticed his parents.

"Father."

"Mother."

The King smiled.

"Good morning, Adrian."

"Good morning."

Queen Shantira approached and gently fixed his collar.

"You look tired."

"I'm fine."

The Queen looked toward Elias.

Elias gave a small nod.

"He slept later than he should have."

Adrian immediately turned around.

"Elias!"

The Queen smiled.

"I see."

Adrian sighed.

"You two are working together against me."

"We are working for you," Elias replied.

"That sounds suspiciously similar."

Queen Shantira laughed softly.

The King smiled.

For a brief moment...

there was no throne.

No political discussion.

No royal responsibility.

Only a family beginning another morning together.

At the end of the corridor...

someone quietly watched them.

A little girl stood near the window.

She was five years old.

Adrian's twin sister.

Her name was Princess Serena.

Serena watched her brother walk beside their parents.

The servants greeted Adrian.

The guards bowed.

Scholars waited for him.

Everything around him seemed connected to his position as Prince.

Serena didn't hate it.

She didn't envy him.

She didn't want his crown.

She didn't even want the throne.

Adrian was her brother.

She loved him.

But sometimes...

she had wondered something.

Perhaps everyone simply has to pay more attention to Adrian.

He was the Prince.

He was the future King.

The kingdom expected things from him.

Serena had understood that from a very young age.

And because she understood it...

she sometimes quietly stepped aside.

Not because anyone asked her to.

But because she believed that was where she belonged.

A servant approached her.

"Princess Serena."

Serena looked up.

"Your breakfast is ready."

"Oh."

She nodded.

"Thank you."

The servant smiled.

"Her Majesty personally asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite fruit."

Serena blinked.

"My favorite?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The servant bowed and left.

Serena looked toward the corridor.

Her mother remembered.

A tiny smile appeared on her face.

Yet the thought remained.

Mother remembers me...

But perhaps Adrian simply needs more.

She didn't know...

how wrong that thought was.

The royal study was already prepared.

Books filled the shelves.

Maps covered the walls.

Morning sunlight fell across the large wooden table.

Adrian sat beside Serena.

Their tutor placed two books before them.

"Today's lesson concerns the history of the Holy Kingdom."

Both children opened their books.

The lesson began.

The tutor asked questions.

Adrian answered some.

Serena answered others.

Neither tried to defeat the other.

Neither tried to prove who was better.

They simply learned together.

Then came a difficult question.

Serena slowly raised her hand.

The tutor smiled.

"Princess Serena?"

She answered carefully.

The tutor nodded.

"Correct."

Adrian immediately smiled.

"Good one."

Serena looked at him.

"Thank you."

For a moment...

they were not Prince and Princess.

Not heir and twin.

Not two children carrying different expectations.

They were simply brother and sister.

Later...

the training courtyard echoed with wooden swords.

Adrian stood opposite Serena.

A royal instructor watched them.

"Begin."

Clack!

Their wooden swords collided.

Adrian stepped forward.

Serena blocked.

Another strike.

She moved aside.

Another.

She caught his wooden blade.

Neither gained an advantage.

The instructor watched carefully.

Both children had learned quickly.

Not because they were competing...

but because they enjoyed learning together.

Adrian suddenly stepped forward.

Serena moved backward.

Then—

Clack!

Both swords stopped against each other.

They looked at one another.

Serena smiled.

"You almost had me."

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

"Almost?"

"Yes."

"I think you were the one who almost lost."

Serena laughed.

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

The instructor sighed.

"Both of you are equally stubborn."

The twins laughed together.

At the edge of the courtyard...

Elias stood silently.

His eyes moved between the two children.

Not only Adrian.

Serena too.

Near the entrance of the courtyard...

another figure stood.

A young man.

He wore simple royal guard clothing.

A sword rested at his side.

He was Rajesh.

Adrian's personal bodyguard.

He remained silent.

He did not interrupt the training.

He did not give unnecessary instructions.

He simply watched.

His eyes followed Adrian's movements.

Whenever Adrian moved too close to the edge of the courtyard...

Rajesh's attention shifted.

Whenever another guard approached too quickly...

his gaze followed.

He didn't need words.

His duty was clear.

Protect the Prince.

And he took that duty seriously.

Adrian noticed him.

"Rajesh!"

Rajesh looked toward him.

Adrian raised his wooden sword.

"Did you see that?"

Rajesh gave a small nod.

Adrian smiled proudly.

Serena looked at Rajesh.

"Did you see who was better?"

Rajesh remained silent.

Adrian waited.

Serena waited.

The instructor waited.

Rajesh simply looked at both children.

Then calmly turned his gaze toward the courtyard.

Serena giggled.

"He doesn't want to choose."

Adrian nodded seriously.

"He's smart."

Rajesh's expression remained unchanged.

That afternoon...

the royal family gathered for lunch.

King Arclight sat at the head of the table.

Queen Shantira sat beside him.

Adrian and Serena sat together.

A smaller seat stood nearby for their younger sister.

She was still too young to understand the importance of royal ceremonies.

She simply cared about food.

The King smiled as she reached for a piece of bread.

"Slowly."

The little girl stopped.

Then looked at him.

The Queen laughed softly.

"She has inherited your appetite."

The King smiled.

"Then she has inherited something useful."

Adrian laughed.

Serena smiled.

The atmosphere was warm.

The King asked about their studies.

The Queen asked about their training.

"How was sword practice?"

Adrian immediately answered.

"Serena almost defeated me."

Serena looked at him.

"Almost?"

The King laughed.

"I see."

Queen Shantira looked toward Serena.

"And how did you perform?"

Serena blinked.

"Me?"

"Yes."

Serena hesitated.

Then smiled.

"I think I did well."

"I know you did."

The answer came immediately.

Serena looked at her mother.

The King smiled.

"You both did well."

Both.

Serena lowered her gaze.

Something inside her chest became warm.

She had spent so long assuming that Adrian was the one everyone noticed...

that she had forgotten something.

People noticed her too.

She simply hadn't been looking for it.

That evening...

Serena walked through the royal garden.

Moonlight rested over the flowers.

The fountain whispered softly.

She sat beside it.

Her thoughts returned to the day.

Her mother's words.

Her father's smile.

Adrian's laughter.

Even Rajesh's silent presence.

She slowly looked toward the palace.

Maybe...

she had misunderstood everything.

A quiet voice came from behind her.

"Princess Serena."

She turned.

Elias stood several steps away.

Serena smiled.

"You always walk so quietly."

"I have been told that."

She laughed.

Then her smile slowly faded.

"Elias..."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

She looked toward the palace.

"Do you think everyone cares about Adrian more than me?"

Elias didn't answer immediately.

Serena continued.

"He is the Prince."

"The future King."

"Everyone has expectations for him."

She looked down.

"I don't mind."

"I really don't."

"Sometimes..."

She paused.

"I just wonder if I'm less important."

Elias looked at her calmly.

"Do you truly believe that?"

Serena thought.

"I used to."

"And now?"

She looked toward the palace again.

"I don't know."

Elias stood quietly beside her.

Then he said,

"Perhaps you were measuring love by attention."

Serena looked up.

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes the person receiving the most attention is not the person being loved more."

Serena remained silent.

Elias continued.

"Sometimes they simply require something different."

She thought about Adrian.

He had tutors.

Training.

Royal responsibilities.

Expectations.

People constantly watched him.

She had always thought that meant he was more important.

But perhaps...

it also meant he carried something heavy.

Serena looked down.

"Then..."

"Maybe Adrian needs all that attention."

Elias nodded.

"Perhaps."

Serena smiled softly.

"And I don't need the throne."

"I know."

"I don't want to become Queen."

"I know."

She looked toward him.

"I just want to be his sister."

Elias smiled.

"Then remain his sister."

Serena's smile grew.

"I can do that."

A few moments later...

a small voice echoed from the palace entrance.

"Serena!"

Serena turned.

Adrian was standing there.

He had clearly been searching for her.

Behind him...

Rajesh stood silently.

Adrian ran toward her.

"You're here!"

Serena smiled.

"I was thinking."

"About what?"

She looked at him.

Then smiled.

"Nothing important."

Adrian frowned.

"That sounds suspicious."

Serena laughed.

"You worry too much."

"I do not."

"You do."

"I don't."

Rajesh stood behind Adrian.

Silent as always.

Serena looked at him.

"Did he come looking for me himself?"

Rajesh gave a small nod.

Adrian immediately crossed his arms.

"I was not worried."

Serena smiled.

"Of course not."

"I wasn't."

"Of course."

Adrian frowned.

Then grabbed her hand.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"I want to show you something."

"What?"

"You'll see."

Serena allowed herself to be pulled along.

Rajesh followed behind them.

Elias remained near the fountain.

He watched the twins disappear into the palace.

The garden became quiet again.

The fountain continued flowing.

The flowers moved gently in the night breeze.

And for the first time...

Serena no longer felt like she was standing in her brother's shadow.

She finally understood something simple.

She had never lost her place.

She had simply never realized...

that she already had one.

That night...

Adrian sat at his desk.

His books were open before him.

Elias stood nearby.

Adrian looked toward him.

"Elias."

"Yes?"

"Serena seemed happier today."

"She did."

Adrian smiled.

"I'm glad."

He looked at his books.

Then toward the window.

"She's my sister."

Elias nodded.

"I know."

Adrian smiled.

"Then tomorrow I'll train with her again."

"That sounds like a good idea."

"And I won't let her win."

Elias looked at him.

"Would you be capable of letting her win?"

Adrian thought seriously.

"...Maybe."

Elias raised an eyebrow.

Adrian laughed.

"Fine."

"I'll just train normally."

"That would probably be better."

Adrian returned to his book.

Outside...

the Holy Kingdom slept peacefully.

The royal palace stood beneath the moonlit sky.

A young Prince prepared for another day of responsibility.

His twin sister slept peacefully in the room beside him.

Their younger sister rested safely within the royal wing.

Their parents watched over their family.

Rajesh remained somewhere nearby...

silent...

watchful...

faithful to his duty.

And Elias...

stood quietly beside the Prince.

Not as a king.

Not as a knight.

Not as someone seeking recognition.

But simply as the person who had always been there.

The palace was peaceful.

The family was together.

And for tonight...

that was enough.