Chapter 65. Lunatic, the Exiled Pink Princess

"I've soaked long enough," Lucilline stood up from the hot springs, the towel wrapped around his torso outlining every curvature and slender shape.

His long black hair had wandered down, swaying just barely below his hips. "Make sure not to soak too long, Noah." The black-haired nobleman spoke worriedly, as if the scrawny young man would drown again in the hot springs.

Noah merely waved goodbye, a meek expression on his shy face.

After Lucilline changed into a new casual attire, removing the towel around his waist, and etc., the black-haired nobleman finally stepped out into the hallway—

He was greeted by a guilty look from Farrah.

"...Lucilline... I..." The Demon Princess fiddled with her chestnut brown hair, the strands twisting in between her two fingertips. She seemed to be at a loss for words, her lips constantly stuck in a tangle, as if a zipper had zipped them shut... yet they continued to wriggle in order to speak.

Lucilline tilted his head: ???

He'd never seen the Demon Princess herself struggle to talk. She was the straightforward type—who didn't care how awkward her words may make the atmosphere.

"I—"

"So your name is Lucilline!" A delightful cry sounded by the back of the Demon Princess. Lucilline had no idea what was coming for him. A head of bright pink hair had assaulted his eyes, almost stinging and blinding his pupils.

The young woman did not bother to tie her hair, allowing it to slouch down her shoulders, reaching to her slender and thin waist.

"I am Layla!" The pink-haired woman cried out in happiness. "Oh, I have been a devout follower of yours since I saw you today in this inn!" Tears had almost spilled out from her pink eyes, "Your hair is more valuable than the richest silk in Miriam! Your eyes are brighter than the sun's harsh glare! Your face and body is sculpted to resemble a Goddess! Oh please accept my lo—!"

Farrah shook her head disapprovingly. She threw a hand over the rampant woman's mouth, interrupting the confession midway. Every single word she says is so exaggerated.

The Demon Princess turned to look at the black-haired nobleman's reaction.

Lucilline was dead inside, his face as pale as a ghost.

All he was missing was a funeral and a coffin to sleep in to prove his death.

"Ah... Lucilline..." Farrah reached out a hand to gently push the black-haired nobleman by the shoulder. He was light like a feather, almost pushed over at an instant.

Thankfully, Farrah managed to restrict her strength, otherwise Lucilline would've fallen over.

"...Nineteen, I'm scared." The black-haired nobleman's eyes were shaking, resembling the trembling ground of an earthquake. His pupils were unfocused, losing the light in them. To Lucilline, Layla was like a combination of his two elder siblings. Her feelings were high on the scale, and her exaggerated speech overthrew the limits that Lucilline could take.

Layla just smiled cheerfully.

"Don't be scared, oh great Lucilline! You have me here! Not even the great Royal Demons can beat me!" She laughed heartily, her chest heaving from the great energy.

Farrah: →_→  ...a Royal Demon is before you right now.

Lucilline only shrunk away. Who did I offend to have this happen to me?

"You know, Lucilline, you caught my attention from the moment I saw you. It is an honour for anyone to catch my eye—" Layla wore a blush across her face, her lips subconsciously twitching to the excitement bubbling in her heart.

All of a sudden, she froze.

At the same time, Lucilline sensed a dark presence looming above his head. His eyes thinned, turning serious, and the golden glare flashed like the flame of a candle illuminating the attic.

In an instant, the inn was ignited on fire!

Flames gathered in the entire building, and the smog of ashes flooded through every crevice. Lucilline quickly pulled out a handkerchief, blocking his nose and mouth with it. He coughed uncontrollably, feeling the heavy and thick smoke sneak into every corner of his lungs.

"Ahh, my baby Lucilline! Are you alright?" Layla coddled the black-haired nobleman.

She didn't even bother to cover her nose, and babbled on nonstop. "How could this building have set on fire? Once I find out who did this, I will make them pay...!"

Lucilline ignored her. Crazy. Lunatic.

He immediately rushed towards the room that he'd booked. Willow is still being treated! What if it is interrupted and something happens to her!? His heart filled with panic and unrest. It became rather difficult to breathe, a hammer pounding on his chest.

"...Lucilline?" Farrah was left behind as well.

She understood the black-haired nobleman's worries, but did not comment.

"Hey! We need to get out of the building first and foremost." Layla frowned, "The smoke does not smell so good."

Farrah: ...you say that, but you don't even bother covering your nose.

When Lucilline reached to the door of his room, the flames had already risen to reach the ceiling, scorching it into a sooty black colour.

"Willow!" He slammed open the door, only to find that— not a single person was inside?

Lucilline: ??? (・∀・) Huh?

Slowly, his back slouched and hunched over. He let out a breath of relief. It seems like everyone have escaped from the fire. The creases folded across his pale face had finally retracted and smoothened out, almost as if the flames have burned it away.

The tip of the fire flickered, flashing from a vivid red to amber yellow.

It turned out he was worrying for nothing.

All of a sudden, his wrist was grasped by a rough palm, calloused knuckles brushing past his own hands. Lucilline was tugged forwards, his feet scrambling across the carpet.

Almost the same moment as when he was tugged forwards, a wooden plank snapped and collapsed behind, falling onto the ground where he was just standing...!

"Lucilline," a pair of hazel brown eyes thinned in disapproval. Dimitri frowned, his lips pursed from the many chaotic emotions beneath. He was in turmoil, his white gloved hands soiled from black soot. The sound of crackles and pops had sounded behind them, with the wooden inn adding fuel to the fire.

The Crown Prince brushed a hand past his golden locks, his sharp chin and eyesight heightening like a eagle's. "We're getting out of here." Dimitri deadpanned.

Within an instant, the Crown Prince pulled Lucilline in his embrace.

The two figures leaped into the air— the back of the Crown Prince crashed into the window, the glass shattering into a thousand shards— multiple inserting and stabbing past the white uniform.

Dimitri was elegant, his hold on the black-haired nobleman was stable and comforting.

Lucilline found himself clutching on the Crown Prince's lapel, his fair fingers tracing across the smooth fabric... feeling the tense and taut muscles underneath. A soft gasp seemed to sound by the black-haired nobleman's earlobe. The sound faded away, accompanied by the heavy breathing of the Crown Prince.

Was it just an illusion? Lucilline frowned.

Gently, they both landed stably on the cobblestone ground.

A loud explosion ripped the inn building in halves. The abrupt sound had darted Lucilline to look back— the rooftop of the inn had been blown off.

The wooden planks collapsed faraway, crashing into nearby buildings.

"Is everyone safe?" Lucilline found his voice aching, but nevertheless still talked. Before he could react, the hard fabric of leather touched his neck. Dimitri's white gloves carefully traced across the adam apple, like the vigilance of a dove's pearly feathers.

It tickled the black-haired nobleman.

Dimitri gently touched the throat, the frown on his lips becoming more and more visible. "Try not to talk as much. I will see what Jacques can do about your voice."

The look in the Crown Prince's eyes had made Lucilline fall silent.

Everyone including the inn keeper had made out of the inn safely. Layla had a hand on her hip, an annoyed expression visible on her face. Noah still had his meek expression, but it appeared rather disharmonious amongst the panic and sobbing of ordinary people.

Willow was carried on the back of Azalea.

The maidservant's wounds were all healed, not a single one in sight. However, she was still unconscious, just briefly hanging on her younger brother's back.

Azalea was not bothered.

He was dressed in knightly uniform, his white stature resembling the unfathomable moon, unsullied like a knight in shining armour. Azalea drew his sword, the shining glare bouncing off to reflect the two amethyst gems in his pretty eyes.

"I'm letting you go." Dimitri softly spoke.

Lucilline blinked. The arms wrapped around his waist had silently retracted, the warmth dissipating amongst the harsh nightly winds.

The black-haired nobleman couldn't help but linger his thoughts.

"...you're injured!" He suddenly spoke.

The shards from the window were impaled in the back of the Crown Prince. A colour of aromatic wine red seeped into the pearly white uniform, the metallic scent oozing in the atmosphere, just as ominous as the displeasing smog.

Dimitri shook his head. "Didn't I tell you to not talk?"

Lucilline pursed his lips. He was irritated by the Crown Prince's attitude. Only my throat has been affected. You are bleeding from your back, idiot.

But he swallowed those thoughts, not daring to reveal them.

After all, Dimitri was a Crown Prince and must be respected.

"Why did the inn get set on fire?" Jacques pondered. He wore a frown that made his beautiful face appear serious. The mage took out his staff to defend himself with. Behind him, Farrah also pondered the possibilities.

All of a sudden, her face changed. "Demonic activities."

A shadow loomed over her pale face—

Farrah spun around, only to face a hungry-looking four-legged creature of darkness. Claws grew out of the darkness, then stabbed at her! The Demon Princess was sure that if she were to get impaled by those claws, it would take some time for recovery.

She dodged precisely, and Jacques quickly casted a spell.

Ice shards were thrown at the demon— freezing its legs to the cobblestone ground.

"It's my turn!" A haughty voice arose from the crowd. Layla leaped out into the air, her slender figure shining like a meteor amidst the frantic night. Her pink hair couldn't have been anymore attractive, forcing everyone's eyes to trail onto her figure.

In her hands was a thin sword, the blade as skinny as the bone of a finger.

Layla maneuvered seamlessly behind the Shadow Demon, the movements of her sword couldn't be traced by the naked eye.

It seemed like nothing happened.

Layla bowed, then sheathed her sword back in its scabbard. The instant her sword was withdrawn, the Shadow Demon crumbled into ashes.

"Strong," Farrah commented.

The pink-haired woman's swordsmanship was unfathomable. Nobody had seen how she moved, nor had seen how she easily defeated that Shadow Demon.

"Thanks for the assist, mage!" Layla waved a hand at Jacques.

The latter coldly hummed.

All of a sudden, the sound of claws scraping against the cobblestone had chimed in the cold wind. "The demons have reinforcements!" Dimitri commanded, "Protect the common folk, and begin moving at a safe distance away from the burning inn!" He suddenly felt a pang of pain tear through his back. Strength seemed to seep out of him at a fast rate.

Lucilline cleverly caught the Crown Prince, allowing the latter to lean in his embrace. A loud chorus of worries had sounded from the knights.

"I'm fine," Dimitri gritted his teeth, cold sweat sliding down his handsome but pale face. "Follow my instructions!"

The two ordinary knights had helped escort the common folk from the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Azalea fought off the demons, with Willow hanging on his back. His sword seemed to slash all obstacles in his way into oblivion.

Lucilline tried to help escort Dimitri into a safer area.

However, the demons would not let him.

A thirsty claw was hurled— the tip of the sharp blade looming right before his golden eyes.

Before he could blink, the sharp sound of a clang resounded past the streets. Layla sheathed her sword, not even facing the Shadow Demon, who had been split into halves and dissipated into ashes.

"Lucilline, my baby! Are you alright?" She hugged the black-haired nobleman to her chest, "Do not worry! Layla will save you from this mess!"

Lucilline blushed, his entire face burning from head to toe. He could hardly believe this shameless woman..! He had been stuffed in many bosoms before— in his mother as a young child, and in his sister's when the cold-hearted woman finally decided to warm up.

However, none of them were comparable to Layla.

Rather— Lucilline's face pained from the squeezing— Ah, her chest is kind of hard. Is this what sister meant when a woman's worst nightmare is to have a flat chest?

"Now now, just watch me exterminate all of these filthy demons!" Layla released the black-haired nobleman, her dashing figure darted out in the night. Only the moon's mourning glow accompanied her, reflecting her beautiful face off of the slender blade.

Before any of the knights could step in and help, Layla sheathed her blade back in the scabbard.

"Ta-da! It's all cleaned up!" She beamed a bright smile.

All the demons disintegrated, their ashes sent across the city through the flowing breeze. The common folk found themselves distracted. The problem had just begun, but it was solved immediately.

"Princess!" Noah dashed across the streets, his timid figure slouching amongst the crowd.

Alas, he arrived before Layla's side. "Princess, are you alright?"

Lucilline's eyes flashed a surprised look. Princess...? Does this mean that... this woman who I've been calling a lunatic all this time is...

"Yes," Layla sensed the black-haired nobleman's gaze. She wore a proud smile, "I am Layla Agerico, the Tenth Princess of Miriam Kingdom. Although I have been temporarily exiled, I still have many riches that no other people can obtain. Think about it, would you like to marry me?"