I didn’t get to see Princess Jilu before she entered the chateau. Guards were stationed at the doors, making sure all guests stayed inside the outbuilding. As a result, all I could see was a procession of coaches going to the stables after letting their passengers out. They were the same coaches Duke Irmel had sent for us earlier, with their distinctive emblem.

  I love the purple chevron. Purple! I know nothing about heraldic conventions, but I don’t think any family from my native world has a similar coat of arms.

  While I waited, I chatted with servants bringing fresh fruit and removing used water from the guest rooms. They didn’t have much time to spare and some of them even ran away when I talked to them, but those who did speak were excited about the upcoming festivities. First, the traditional betrothal games, that would last for two days, and then the engagement ceremony itself, followed by a ball.

  “We need a celebration after what happened last year,” sighed a maid.

  Last year? What about the war I narrowly prevented two months ago? I exposed a Senior Magus’s treachery, no less!

  But it wasn’t about me. It was about a bereaved family embracing life again. So I smiled, I listened, and I waited for the guards to allow us guests out of the building again.

  It was longer than I expected. We were kept inside the building until sunset, and at this point, it seemed all the guests hosted in the outbuilding were waiting in the hall, chatting and complaining. But no matter how outraged they were, no employee batted an eye.

  A butler came from the chateau, told the guards they could let us out, and said we were to follow him closely. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

  Pair up with a buddy and walk in rows of two! Am I back in my life as a kindergarten teacher? He’s talking to us like we’re four-year-olds!

  The smell of food and the sound of flutes filled the main building, where the large circular room was now furnished with long tables. Inside the room, Duke Irmel welcomed us with a smile, next to an elegant woman I’d never seen before. She was wearing a floral gown with ivory trimmings and lace, and dark purple locks fell over her left shoulder from a high bun, contrasting nicely with her amber skin.

  That must be his wife, Duchess Nithys.

  I curtsied clumsily.

  “Good evening, Duke, Duchess.”

  Duke Irmel only nodded, but his wife smiled, and her brown eyes sparkled.

  “Are you the Great Hero Al?”

  “I am. Serving Brealia.”

  Which doesn’t necessarily mean serving the royal family, but we can discuss it later, or not at all.

  The duchess politely welcomed the other guests, then she held out a hand.

  “Come with me, Great Hero Al.”

  “Just Al, please.”

  She froze for half a second, then she smiled again.

  “Of course. Coming from another world, you must be accustomed to other rules. I understand.”

  She put her hand on my wrist and guided me across the wide room, under the incredible chandelier. A balcony ran above us, all around the walls. It was probably accessible from the mezzanine I’d seen in the hall. And half the sky was still fiery from the sunset. All in all, the light was amazing, but the duchess didn’t look up in awe like I did.

  “Great Hero Al, this is my eldest son, Gurvan of Sottarn. Gurvan, please call her Al.”

  I realized I’d been looking at the ceiling and paying no attention whatsoever to the colorful noble crowd around us. I accidentally looked Gurvan in the eye, before bowing in respect.

  “It’s an honor to meet you before your engagement, young lord.”

  “The pleasure is mine, Al. I hope you enjoy the festivities.”

  Gurvan was sixteen, and taller than average, like his father and uncle. He wore a vest adorned with pearls, an off-white shirt with embroidered buttons at the cuffs, and wide navy-blue trousers over velvet shoes. His wavy auburn hair was tied in a low ponytail with a blue ribbon, and his oval face looked a lot like his mother’s. His blue eyes, though, were quite similar to his cousin Nigella’s.

  I didn’t know what else to say, but it didn’t matter, as someone else came to talk to him, and he engaged in a conversation I couldn’t follow.

  Duchess Nithys watched him go with a proud smile on her face.

  “They grow up so fast. It feels to me like he was in his crib the day before yesterday, and look at him now!”

  I understand, every parent seems to feel the same way, but why did you want to tell this to me, out of all the guests you can entertain? I don’t have any children, nor do I plan to have any in the future.

  The duchess looked at my confused smile, and hid her amusement behind a hand that sparkled with jeweled rings.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Will you forgive me for bringing you away from my husband? I wanted to thank you for saving his life, back in Carastra. You might not be the hero King Esthar wanted, but I think the Almighty’s hand didn’t falter when He sent you. You are the hero Brealia needed on that day. Possibly the hero Brealia still needs. But never tell Irmel I… Oh! Here she is!”

  I didn’t have time to ask Duchess Nithys who she was talking about. The name was announced behind me.

  “Her Royal Highness, Princess Jilu of Folesh!”

  I turned around. The first thing I saw was a handful of men and women in slightly looser costumes than the Brealian guests. But as they entered the place, they left no doubt as to who the princess was.

  Jilu walked into the circular room, or rather, glided into it. She wore a gold-colored gown, rather simple and fit for the summer weather, but there was a golden glow to her skin as well. If Catalin was here, and she told me this woman isn’t human, I’d believe her. But I had no fiancée near me, only a duchess lost in the contemplation of her future daughter-in-law.

  Bobbed fuchsia hair framed a delicate face with arched eyebrows and a turned-up nose. Cinnamon-colored eyes scanned the room while the princess smiled and tilted her head with grace. She had diamond-shaped markings on her cheekbones, three under each eye. Were they makeup or face tattoos? In any case, the assembly went silent. It was as if a minor goddess had set foot inside the Citadel.

  This minor goddess held a little white dog in her arms. A Maltese, or the local equivalent of the race.

  How can she look so dignified, walking around with a dog that looks just like old Mrs Salvi’s?

  Mrs Salvi had been my neighbor, in my old life. She was a widow, always dressed in old-fashioned dresses and ill-fitting cardigans, and she carried plastic bags everywhere, to pick up her precious Bella’s feces if needed. And of course, Bella was a spoiled brat who barked at everything.

  But this dog hardly moved at all, only looking around as Princess Jilu walked to Duke Irmel, followed by her suite. To the sound of flutes that made her entry even more magical, undisturbed by any human voice, she bowed her head slightly.

  “Thank you for having me in your house, Your Highness. Living in Sottarn is an honor and a pleasure. Please accept these gifts I brought from Folesh.”

  She spoke with an accent, but her Brealian was excellent, and her melodious voice matched her appearance. Everyone else looks and sounds dull in comparison, and there’s a king in here. A servant came forward with a gilded box that he opened before presenting it to the duke. I couldn’t see what was inside from where I stood, but Duke Irmel shook his head.

  “I cannot accept this, Your Royal Highness.”

  He’s so formal! Nigella is the heir apparent and everyone just calls her Princess.

  Jilu’s eyes narrowed, and her dog let out a muffled bark.

  “Your Highness, I must insist. This box and its content were crafted by our finest goldsmiths. Please accept it as a token of our alliance.”

  “No, this is impossible.”

  What’s going on? Jilu’s about to marry his son. Isn’t it rude to refuse a gift from her?

  I gave a sideways look at Duchess Nithys, who smiled in return.

  “Is anything wrong, Al?”

  “I’m just wondering why Duke Irmel won’t accept Princess Jilu’s gift.”

  The duchess giggled. “You really are from another world! It would be inappropriate for my husband to accept it at once. A gift from an ally must be refused at first, for the ally to reaffirm the alliance through insistence.”

  I nodded.

  If you say so. But I’m not sure everyone from this world knows this custom. I’ve seen Catalin and her family exchange gifts, and they don’t play these little games. It must be a noble thing.

  Duke Irmel finally took the gilded box from the servant’s hands, and Princess Jilu resumed her tour of the room. She paid respects to King Esthar and his daughters, then she greeted every guest with a nod, including me, and Duchess Nithys refused a necklace before accepting it, just like her husband before her.

  Seen up close, Jilu was just as perfect as she’d been from a distance. She even smelled of monoi. I squinted at the diamond marks on her cheekbones.

  All right. These are tattoos.

  Gurvan was nowhere to be seen. I supposed some weird rule banned him from interacting with his future wife before the betrothal.

  But he wasn’t the only one missing. There was no dragon in the room.

  I tried to edge my way to Princess Nigella and ask her about Kossi, but she was completely cornered, so I sighed and resorted to asking my guardian angel instead.

  I only had one wish a day. Using it for such a mundane question felt like a waste, but the day was ending and I’d lose it anyway, so this use was as good as any. I closed my eyes and focused.

  “Hello, Cherub, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again!”

  The answer came straight to the back of my mind.

  “Are you teasing me, Al?”

  “I’m just feeling playful. I have a question for you: the Gold Dragon Kossi is invited to Lord Gurvan and Princess Jilu’s betrothal, so why isn’t he attending this dinner?”

  “King Esthar and Duke Irmel thought his presence would inconvenience the other guests, so he’s staying in his room tonight, under guard.”

  As usual, Cherub didn’t wait for me to say goodbye. Their presence vanished right after they answered my question.

  Come on, mate, why don’t you stay and chat, just this once? I know you like me. You tweaked the rules of my daily wish more than once. I owe you my life, and Catalin’s, too.

  But my thoughts only echoed in my own head.

  King Esthar invited us all to sit down, and servants helped us find our places around the long tables. A variety of dishes were served in small portions, one after the other, like in a gastronomic restaurant. We had music all along and the lesser nobles next to me were glad to chat, so, all in all, I had a pleasant evening. Yet, I couldn’t help musing over Kossi’s eviction. Why agree to bring him along, if he spent all his time locked in a room?

  Kossi turned himself in as soon as he could. He’s been perfectly cooperative ever since. He works hard to rebuild what he destroyed, and he remains in custody despite being able to break any chains we could bind him with. What more can he do? Does he get a second chance or not?

  I’d given Kossi a few baking lessons, with help from the kitchen staff in Carastra. It’d been a disaster, as far as desserts were concerned, but rolling out dough eased the distress in his beautiful golden eyes.

  I trust this dragon with my life. He should be here with us.

  Some guests stood up and left. Others kept talking. As I was absent-mindedly munching fruit, someone walked to the side of the table opposite me. It was a small silhouette in a pale green dress, with her light blond hair down, as was traditional for children, and her big green eyes trying to get my attention. I smiled.

  “May I do something for you, Princess Zinnia?”

  The ten-year-old put both hands on the white tablecloth.

  “You already did, Great… I mean, Al.”

  Good. Her sister Nigella must have told her I dislike my official title. I tilted my head.

  “Did I?”

  “You saved my father, and my uncle, and my people.” She looked down at her hands, her cheeks flushing. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome. I only did my best, as I suppose you do every day.”

  “I do, but I read and I calculate and I sing and I paint. I do not think I will ever save a life.”

  “Neither did I, two months ago. Who knows what you will do in the future?”

  Princess Zinnia nodded.

  “You must be right. I will trust your wisdom, Al. Thank you for sharing these words with me.”

  She bowed her head one last time and walked away. What a cute kid. Why do I get a feeling that she wanted to talk longer?

  Princess Jilu was still seated between King Esthar and Duke Irmel, with her little dog on her lap. She glanced at me for half a second, then she resumed her conversation.