Chapter 100 - For Now, We Rest

Chapter 100: Chapter 100 - For Now, We Rest

Not long after he left, Vincent soon touched down softly upon the grounds of the mansion’s front courtyard.

The moment he opened the doors and stepped into the foyer, a blur of motion glided toward them.

"VINCENT!"

Ava, in human form with her oversized glasses resting on her nose, sprinted down the hallway. Without slowing down, she threw her arms around his neck, tackling him into a tight hug.

Vincent caught his balance as her soft weight pressed against him. "Ava! Jeez... Be careful, haha."

"You looked so, like, amazingly handsome in your suit! I’ve been patient, Vincent. Because the moment I saw you in the gardens, I wanted to hug you! But I had to stay focused on my task otherwise Maelle wouldn’t let me hear the end of it!"

"Yes, yes. Thank you, Ava, for your patience. You did great out there."

"Hehehe~"

Looking past her, Vincent spotted Roxa leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. He offered her a cheerful nod. "I heard about your choice from Maelle. Glad to see you’re here to stay, Roxa."

"Hm." Roxa gave him an approving nod, and smirked. "Your performance during the dance was... quite the spectacle."

"You were watching?"

"Naturally. But only for a little. Left soon after since the mission was complete."

Gwen came into the hall carrying a silver tray with a steaming teapot and cups. "Welcome back, Your Highness, Vincent. I have prepared hot tea to wash away the evening’s chill."

"Thanks, Gwen. Oh shit. I completely forgot about you, didn’t I? Sorry... How did you get back before us?"

"I figured once you and the princess came in without your disguises, that the mission was successful. Hence, there is no need for you to worry. I left as soon as your dance started as well."

Toby walked over from the kitchen, offering a polite bow. "Welcome back, Vincent."

"Hey, Toby."

Behind Toby, Leo and Zally came running out and focused all their attention on the tiny dragon perched on Vincent’s shoulder.

"Lord Eugene, you’re back!" Zally squealed, clapping her hands.

"Lord Eugene! Did you go on another secret dragon mission?!" Leo asked eagerly.

Hopping off Vincent’s shoulder, Eugene puffed his chest out to twice its normal size and crossed his stubby arms, basking in the children’s admiration.

"Gahaha! I sure did! This time, it was a stealth operation inside the enemy fortress. My target? The snack table! I secured five whole tables without the humans even detecting my presence!"

""Whoa!""

The group gathered around the long table in the central lounge.

Ava reached into her pocket, producing the heavy pouch of gold coins she received from the middleman in the garden, and set it down in the center of the table with a chiming CLINK.

"Easy peasy. The payment is secured, hehehe" Ava cackled while adjusting her glasses.

Maelle sat at the head of the table, holding her warm teacup in both hands.

"Good. Funds are running a bit low and I’d rather not ask for more back home."

Her violet eyes narrowed slightly as she addressed the group, laying out the crucial piece of intelligence she had gathered.

"Now, on to important matters. Our middleman was a man named Clyde Cross. He is an Ebonspirian Royal Knight... And the true client behind the assassination hit on my life is, as I thought, my younger sister and Fifth Princess of Ebonspire, Maeve Ebony."

"Dammit..." Vincent’s jaw tightened in anger. "Your younger sister? She tried to have you murdered?"

"Royal bloodlines... turning on their own kin like rabid dogs. Disgusting." Roxa shook her head.

Toby frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Why would she do that, Your Highness? What does she gain from your death?"

"Satisfaction."

"E-Excuse me?"

Gwen set down her teacup to offer an explanation.

"Her Highness, Maeve Ebony, is politically ruthless, deeply insecure, and intensely envious of her older sister. Seeing Maelle’s engagement to Prince Quinton, combined with her growing reputation and power within the Imperial Academy... Maeve must have panicked. She sought to eliminate Princess Maelle before she could secure a firm claim to the Ebonspirian throne."

Maelle raised a hand, signalling for Gwen to stop.

"Her motives don’t concern me, nor will I launch an immediate counterattack. And while it is true that I have a demigod Familiar that possesses god-like power and could easily obliterate her... force alone will not suffice."

She looked around the table at her trusted companions. "I cannot become a tyrant who rules purely through terror and destruction. When I return to Ebonspire to confront Maeve, I need to build a solid network of trusted allies who will stand firmly by my side under high law."

She closed her eyes and let out a long, quiet breath. "For now... I need time to deliberate our next move. It has been an exhausting day. I shall retire for the night."

As Maelle stood up and walked toward the staircase, Vincent pushed his chair back to follow her. Though, before he could move, Ava instantly perked up and reached out to grab his sleeve.

"Wait, Vincent! Stay down here with us!"

"Huh? Why?"

Roxa gently stepped in, placing a heavy hand on Ava’s shoulder and pulling her back.

"You may go to the princess, Vincent. Ignore Ava."

"Are you sure?"

"NO! ROXA, WHY ARE YOU– MMFFF MMMM–!?"

"Yes, she is sure."

"... Ok then. See you guys tomorrow morning."

As she watched him leave, Ava looked up at the elven warrior in confusion. "Mmm–phaa! Roxa?! Why would you do that?! But what about ’the plan’?"

"Not tonight, Ava. Another time. Let them be."

.......

Inside of Maelle’s dimly lit bedroom, a soft fire crackled in the stone fireplace, casting a warm amber glow over the plush rugs and curtains.

She had finished washing off the evening’s tension, now wearing a comfortable white nightgown.

Sitting at her vanity mirror, she looked at the reflection as Vincent stood right behind her, taking his time to gently unbind her hair from her braids. As he ran his fingers smoothly through the silk-like strands, Maelle smiled softly.

"You are surprisingly adept at this, Vincent. I admit I had my doubts when asked to do this. I’m glad my worries were unfounded."

"I occasionally do this for my ma– for my mother. She has long hair, too."

"Don’t you mean your ’mama’? Hehehe. No need to change the way you call her."

"Please... let’s change the topic."

Maelle’s expression softened as the contrast hung between them. "Your family sounds wonderfully warm, Vincent... A mother who adores you..."

"And yours? You ever gonna tell me about it?"

Maelle let out a quiet sigh, though her tone lacked any bitter self-pity. "Ebonspire is not a realm built on warmth. My family operates on power, prestige, and bloodline dominance. Familial love is considered a liability."

Vincent finished loosening the final braid, letting her hair cascade freely down her back. He rested his hands gently on her shoulders, looking into her eyes through the mirror.

"What about Clyde...? I mean, you sound like you know him. Was he... someone to you? If so, who?"

"My... Is that jealousy I hear?"

"Yes."

Maelle’s gaze softened in her reflection. She then began opening up about a past she rarely spoke of.

"Growing up as a... secluded and isolated child... I was always alone. Because of how different I am compared to my blood relatives, I had no friends or companions."

"Different how?"

"Look at me," Maelle gestured slightly to her reflection. "The Ebony royal family possesses jet-black hair, and their personalities lean heavily toward being boisterous, loud, snarky, and cruel. I was born with white hair and my personality was always the opposite of theirs...

"When I was seven years old, two young brothers came to the castle with their father, who is the captain of the royal knights – Clyde and Clive Cross.

"Taking advantage of my naivety, they acted polite, attentive, and brought me out of my quiet, lonely little shell. For weeks, I believed they were my friends... My only friends. I gave them my complete trust."

Maelle’s eyes narrowed.

"Until I overheard them laughing behind the courtyard stables with Maeve. Apparently, they were following her instructions the entire time... paid to act as my friends so Maeve could mock my foolishness.

"The things they said behind my back... I’ll never forget them. Some nights, it plagues my nightmares."

"Those bastard kids..."

Maelle reached up and gently rested her hand over his. "It was long ago, Vincent. Though, I did make sure to thank them for it. They taught me a valuable lesson about trust."

She turned around on her chair and looked up at him. "Thank you for unbinding my hair... Would you like me to dismiss you back to your home realm for the night?"

"I... I feel like I’d be making a huge mistake if I said yes to that."

Maelle raised an eyebrow as an amused smirk played on her lips. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Because... Because I still haven’t gotten a straight answer out of you. How do you really feel about me, Maelle?"

"An answer? Are my recent actions not enough of an answer for you? Or perhaps... you are being greedy, knowing you already have a lover waiting for you back home?"

Vincent blushed slightly. "... She and I talked about this. I’m not hiding anything from you."

Maelle let out a quiet chuckle. Her playful teasing quieted down, replaced by an honest vulnerability.

"To be truthful, Vincent... Due to my isolated upbringing, I possess almost nonexistent knowledge of romantic love... But I can tell you this: a strange, and sometimes overwhelming feeling ignites deep within my chest every time I look at you – especially when you use your divine power."

She stood up and leaned in to him. "Is this feeling love... or do I simply lust for my Familiar?"

"You do...?" Vincent felt his heart hammer against his ribs at her provocative question.

"Show me," Maelle requested, her violet eyes burning with fascination. "Transform right now."

Vincent calmly drew upon his power.

A soft, ethereal hum filled the quiet bedroom. His hair shifted into a glowing divine blue, his green eyes shone with celestial light, and his majestic wings softly unfurled behind his back, fanning out with graceful elegance.

Maelle’s breath caught in her throat. She gently lay her palm against his glowing chest to feel the warmth radiating off his aura.

"There it is..." Her cheeks blushed. "That exact feeling... I have felt it from the very first moment you transformed..."

She let go of him and walked towards her bed, slipping beneath the soft covers. She patted the space beside her, looking up at him with an inviting gaze.

"Come inside, Vincent."

".... What? Wait... say that again?"

Maelle rolled her eyes playfully. "I said come get inside with me. Don’t forget to take off your clothes."

Gulping nervously, Vincent took off formal jacket, stripping down to a comfortable white t-shirt and boxers. He carefully climbed onto the bed, slipping beneath the covers beside her.

The second he laid down, Maelle scooted close, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and resting her head snugly right over his heart.

"Tonight ...we sleep. And only sleep."

"S-Sleep!? Wait... what? Maelle–"

"Shh..." Maelle interrupted, snuggling closer into his chest. "Today was a long day. For now... let us just rest, ok?"

"You... Haaa..." Vincent let out a helpless chuckle.

"Fine. But you have to at least give me this." Reaching down, he gently lifted her chin with his fingers and pressed a sweet kiss onto her lips. "Goodnight, Maelle."

Her eyes flew open at his unexpected move.

Flustered, she quickly scooted up to press a kiss back onto his lips, and buried her burning face back into his chest. "Yes... goodnight, Vincent."

Vincent’s body went stiff as a board. His face burned bright red as he lay there staring at the ceiling, trying to navigate the wonderfully awkward tension of holding a gorgeous princess flush against him all night without doing anything further.

Thankfully, sleep eventually took him.

Outside, the moon shone brightly over the quiet mansion as the two slept wrapped tightly in each other’s arms.