Chapter 10: Prophecy Means Nothing to Me

Time continued to pass.

Today, the footsteps of maids echoed through the palace corridors. Banners and ribbons were fastened to every pillar. Everyone was busy decorating and cleaning every corner, as if preparing to welcome someone special.

Yes. Today, the destined Hero would arrive. He came to claim his final companion, foretold in the prophecy to defeat the Demon King who would soon rise.

Everyone rejoiced at his coming. Everyone except one—the very person destined to be his companion, Elysia.

In her quiet private chamber, Elysia simply sat with her back to the window, staring at the mirror with no expression. There was no joy. No delight. Only a cold look mingled with a faint, lonely shadow.

Her white dress flowed elegantly onto the floor, her snow-colored hair draping loosely, still slightly tousled from the long night. A small necklace hung from her chest—the only ornament she wore.

Knock. Knock.

A soft knock was heard.

“Ely... may I come in?”

Elysia didn’t respond, only let out a sigh. But the door opened anyway, revealing the summer rabbit with her striking blonde hair, Irine.

“I brought you some food, Ely.” Irine placed a bowl of warm soup on Elysia’s table.

“You shouldn’t trouble yourself, Irine.”

Irine scratched her head and gave a soft laugh. “It’s fine. Anything for you, my little Ely.”

“We were born only hours apart. Don’t treat me like a child.”

“Tehee\~” Her voice rang sweetly, complete with a motion of scratching the back of her head where it didn’t itch.

Since then, Elysia’s relationship with the rest of her family had grown distant. The maids dared not approach her room after seeing soldiers and nobles frozen by her so easily.

Irine became the only one brave enough to enter her room. She brought Elysia everything she needed. She spoiled her twin sister completely. There was no reason for her to fear or hesitate to be near her.

Irine moved gently, placing her hand softly on Elysia’s shoulder. “You look beautiful, Ely.”

Elysia’s ears twitched slightly, catching a faint sound from outside the room. “It’s noisy. What’s going on?”

Irine fell silent for a moment before smiling faintly, lowering her head slightly to hide her face. “Father... he’s preparing the welcome for the Hero’s arrival.”

“Oh.”

Irine furrowed her brow. “Are you... alright, Ely?”

“Am I supposed to be happy?” Elysia’s tone was almost like ice, cold and indifferent.

Irine sighed, shaking her head slightly. “No. It’s just... your reaction isn’t what I expected. Honestly, I thought you’d be furious, but you’re so calm.”

“Is that so? Maybe I’m calmer now.” Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.

“Oh, really? Did something happen?”

Elysia was silent for a moment, a faint smile appearing on her face. “Yes. But it’s nothing important.”

Seeing a smile that rarely appeared like that, Irine knew Elysia had grown much calmer. She smiled as well, even if she didn’t know what had happened. “Alright. I won’t pry if you don’t want to talk.”

Silence. For a moment, both of them were lost in their own thoughts. Not a single word escaped their lips. Only the faint sounds of the maids preparing everything outside could be heard.

“Hey, Ely,” she called softly. “The Hero... he’s coming for you. Will you...”

“Yes.” Elysia cut her off quickly. “I’ll meet him. I want to know a bit about his character before deciding whether or not to go with him.”

Once again, Irine furrowed her brow. “Strange... back then, you were furious. What really happened to you after that ritual?”

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Elysia took a breath. “Yes. I was furious. Even now I feel such anger when I remember the prophecy about marrying the Hero. But...” Elysia paused for a moment, gazing at the blue sky stretching beyond the window. “Someone told me... my purpose, it will become clear if I follow the Hero.”

A gentle breeze blew, rustling Elysia’s white hair.

Irine looked into her sister’s violet eyes. Those eyes... after so long, seemed to hold a flicker of hope within them. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to believe in her sister.

Elysia stood. “I’ve seen it through the crystal orb. The Hero will arrive shortly. If he asks for me, tell him to go to the garden.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Elysia’s brow twitched at her twin sister’s mockingly formal salute. She was slightly annoyed, though in the end she only sighed and walked away.

Though her words were cold and sharp, Elysia couldn’t deny that Irine was someone truly precious to her. The only one who might understand her, even without a single word spoken.

******

The sun had passed its peak, leaving behind a gentle golden light that flooded the Edelweiss and white roses in the southern garden of the palace.

The southern garden was quiet. It was Elysia’s private garden, a place even the king rarely visited. Neat lavender trees bloomed, white-flowered bushes grew in order, and a white tea table stood at the center, with only one chair occupied by the princess.

Elysia sat gracefully, sipping her tea without a sound. Her fingers held the delicate cup as if it might shatter, but her eyes were sharp like a blade wrapped in silk.

Footsteps echoed along the garden path, made of neatly arranged stone.

She didn’t turn around. It didn’t matter, even if her ears clearly picked up the sound.

“Ah! So you really are as beautiful as they said!”

The cheerful and slightly clumsy voice slipped into the air that had been so serene. A man with golden-brown hair, wearing a white cloak and a sacred emblem on his chest, stepped forward with confident strides.

Elysia only glanced at him briefly, then returned her gaze to her teacup.

“Princess Elysia, allow me to introduce myself. My name is—”

“You came without permission. You spoke without being asked. And you stepped on my grass without realizing it. Are you aware this is a private space?”

The Hero paused for a moment, then let out a light laugh. “Haha, sorry, I thought it’d be fine. I just wanted to talk, to get to know you better. We’ll be companions, right? Wouldn’t saving the world be easier if we understood each other?”

Elysia set her cup down with a soft click. Her eyes looked straight into the Hero’s face.

“What world are you trying to save? No—whose world are you trying to save?”

The Hero blinked, slightly taken aback, then tried to smile. “I don’t quite understand what you mean. But as a Hero, I must fight for what’s right. The demon race brings destruction—that’s a fact. And if we don’t fight back, the world will fall.”

“Why are you so certain, when their appearance has only been recorded a few times in the past century? Have you even seen a demon with your own eyes?”

The Hero furrowed his brows. “Why are you asking that?”

“Can you imagine pointing your sword at a child who knows nothing? Can you separate children from their parents?” Elysia poured tea into her cup again, then took a sip.

“You haven’t even seen the full world, yet you already force your ideology onto others.”

The aroma of Elysia’s tea drifted gently with the breeze. Its scent would have tempted anyone. Except the Hero, who stood in front of her with a serious gaze.

“What do you actually mean?” His voice trembled, confused yet curious. He asked again with a sharper tone. “Are you trying to defend the demon race, Miss? The demons are clearly a wicked race that brings destruction. Just like they did hundreds of years ago.”

“So that’s your answer, then...?”

Elysia glanced at him briefly. She was beginning to understand the way he thought.

“Well, I don’t care, actually. Your world isn’t mine. I don’t care who wins. I don’t care about the fate of this world or the people in it. Not in the slightest.” Elysia looked down, staring into her cup with an empty gaze. “If it weren’t for ‘him’, I wouldn’t follow this foolish prophecy.”

The Hero flinched for a moment. He couldn’t respond to her words. “What... do you mean?”

“Huh, do I have to say it twice for your tiny brain to understand?”

Clik.

Elysia placed her cup down a little roughly.

“Let me say it clearly so a commoner like you can understand.” She took a breath, staring at him intensely. “I don’t care at all, even if this world and everything in it is destroyed. I’m only joining you for personal reasons—something I need to find the answer to, nothing more.”

Silence fell between them. Neither said a word.

“Is that the only reason?” he asked softly, with a hint of disappointment. “Do you really not care about the people who’ve been slaughtered mercilessly by those savage demons? Does your icy heart not melt seeing them suffer and devoured?”

Elysia remained silent. Her eyes narrowed sharply.

“Can’t answer? Yeah. I know. You’re a princess raised in luxury and pampering. You must’ve been so happy, you can’t even understand the pain of loss.”

Clang!

The teacup flew and struck his temple. The sound of cracking was heard. Blood mixed with tea trickled faintly down the side of the Hero’s face.

“What do you know about me? Get out of this garden.”

The Hero held his wound, wiping the mess dripping down his temple. “You... attacked me?”

“Not yet. That was only a warning.”

Elysia’s voice was like icy water flowing gently over a sword’s edge.

“You may be praised as a savior, but to me, you’re just a man who doesn’t yet know that the world can’t be saved with ignorance and arrogance. Besides, your one-sided justice is not absolute truth. To me, you’re not even worth following.”

She stood slowly. Her dress fluttered with the wind. Her eyes stared directly into his, piercing all the way to the foundation of his beliefs.

“If you want to ‘know me’, start by kneeling and apologizing for disturbing my tea time.”

A long silence.

The Hero stared at her for a while—his face caught between offense, confusion, and... intrigue. “Hahaha.” His laughter echoed into the empty air, breaking the tension between them. “Alright then. Looks like I still have a lot to learn.”

He bowed respectfully, smiling broadly with a mysterious look before turning away. “See you again, Miss.”

Elysia simply watched his back as he walked away, then sat back down.

She lifted a replacement teacup and whispered softly, “Fool. The world is far too full of men like you.”