Maybe I should drop by the princesses' place? Nothing else to do anyway.

  Pop.

  And just like that, I was in the capital.

  More accurately... Right in the inner courtyard of the royal castle.

  I looked around.

  "...Oops."

  The royal guard was already staring at me.

  "HEY!" someone roared. "HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?!"

  "With my feet," I answered honestly. "Mostly."

  "ALARM!"

  Great, I thought. Here we go.

  The first guard lunged at me way too aggressively. I reflexively stepped to the side—he flew right past me and crashed into the dirt.

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  "CAREFUL!" the second one yelled. "HE'S FAST!"

  A third swung his spear. I caught the shaft and gave him a firm shove in the shoulder.

  He sat down. Not heroically. He just plopped onto his rear and said, "Ow."

  Two more came running... and stopped dead.

  "Hold on..." one muttered. "Is that..." the second guard squinted. "That's..."

  "No way..." "The guy?"

  I stood there thinking: 'The guy'? I haven't even had time to introduce myself.

  "That's the kid," a voice said from the back, "who beat Princess Lianel in the arena."

  "Ah..." another drawled. "Right." "The one the princesses personally escorted out."

  Someone lowered their spear.

  "Listen..." the first guard said, his confidence entirely gone. "Why are you even here?"

  "Just visiting," I said. "I didn't realize you guys were still so jumpy."

  "People don't just visit LIKE THIS!"

  "How then? Through the front gate?" I asked. "There's a line."

  A heavy pause hung in the air.

  The captain of the guard scratched the back of his head.

  "You're here... for the princesses?" "Yep." "Again?" "Yeah, I didn't expect it either."

  He sighed deeply.

  "Alright..." he said. "Just no funny business." "I'm totally peaceful today," I replied.

  The guards parted to make a path.

  "Hey," someone called after me. "So you're really..." "Yeah," I said without turning around. "That guy. It's awkward for me too."

  I walked toward the palace doors.