I felt my stomach twist in knots when my foot stumbled upon the ooze. My body felt sick to its core, afraid of what I just found. It felt like my body was showing its belly to the tracks of an Alpha, like a submissive pup.

No no no no, how the hell did it follow me all the way here?! I panicked, pacing around the room in deep thought, Or could it be another one? In the first place, how’d it even find me? There’s a barrier here!

Don’t tell me...if this creature is the same one from my world...then does that mean my siblings could worm their way into this world too? I screamed in my head and a migraine popped out; it felt like it was going to pull my veins apart, like an aneurysm.

After seeing the ooze on the ground, I powerlessly fell back on the bed, but my eyelids plowed open from paranoia. I couldn’t sleep after finding out I might be stalked by the creature I’ve spent so long trying to kill back in my previous world.

I can’t accept that! I silently screamed, I ventured into a whole new world, and I still have to deal with my old problems?! Are you screwing with me?!

I felt denial over what I found. My mind tried to rationalize what happened with excuses, but my heart knew the grim reality of the situation. I was not safe from my old world, not in the slightest.

After going through so many possibilities in my head, I noticed rays of light started to peek out of the curtains. Squinting, I pushed myself up and rubbed my eyes. I hadn’t slept very well, so I had some bags under my eyes. My body craved sleep and that put me in a sour mood.

Just forget about it! Nothing I can do about it right now. “Yeah...let’s just focus on Zinnia.” I remembered Zinnia had invited me for a tea party. After all the nonsense about Neyla and Majins, I completely forgot about the princess’s invitation.

How do I bring that up without being too...overbearing? I pondered, Creating an opportunity for a get-together without being too obvious is difficult. I wasn’t taught how to be social. I always hated dancing around with politicians. Really wished I took the time to learn from my siblings.

With a few knocks on my door, I turned around and pulled the door ajar. Peeking out, I noticed the amazoness maid hold a chest. “What’s inside?” I asked, stifling a yawn.

“Your suit. You’ve been invited by His Highness Narci’Hya for a formal luxurious breakfast. His daughters, the Duke House, and a few lesser house nobles will attend the gathering. They all want to meet you!” She said, subconsciously flexing those tanned muscles of hers.

I rolled my eyes as I pulled the door wide open. “Come in,” I said with a thin smile on my face.

Behind her, like shadows, were the group of maids from yesterday, including the possessed maid, Dana, aka Bodhi. She gave me a smile, but beyond the curvature of her lips, I saw a trail of mist behind her eyes.

I nearly chuckled.

The maids all started to rearrange my room. Bodhi fixed my bed while the other maids started to dust the room. The scaled maid was about to open the curtains. “Wait,” I said, “keep the curtains closed, my eyes are a bit sensitive right now.”

“As you wish, Lady Hero,” she bowed.

I didn’t want anyone to see the puddle of ooze on the balcony. I’d have to figure out how to clean that later. Geh...I’d have to touch that gross puddle.

Or maybe I could just use a scrubber or something.

I’ll figure it out later, I decided, Or maybe I’ll talk to Neyla. Yeah, let’s do that.

I might have to see her during breakfast, after all.

Claire woke me from my stupor as I felt hands removing my pajamas. As she tore it from my bare skin, she noticed something off about it. Holding it to her nose, she made a slight grimace. “It smells...like dust. Like you’ve been outside.”

“Does it? Must’ve left the curtains open.”

With her eyes gazing fiercely into mine, I stood my ground and kept my expression stoic and true. If I broke my expression, she’d see through it in an instant.

For what felt like ages, only seconds had passed. Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Claire let out a relieved sigh, “It’s time to get ready, Lady Hero. She and a couple of the other maids, excluding Dana, started to fiddle with the suit, placing the pants on me first, before the shirt and then the coat.

Considering my status as the ‘Hero’, I came to the conclusion that the King, Narci’Hya, wanted to portray me as a masculine person rather than as a girl. I wondered if women were naturally looked down upon in this world like my previous one during the Dark Ages.

After I went through the daily morning notions of clean-up and dress-up, I followed Claire (who acted as the head maid at the time) who led me to the same large room I last ate dinner in, with the other maids behind me, acting almost like shields.

I tried wearing a smile, but it didn’t quite reach my sleep-deprived eyes. Claire noticed my sad excuse of a grin and smiled grimly.

Taking a look at the people gathered around the dining table, I noticed the two princesses first, who sat to the right and left of the King. On the other side were a few male nobles, along with Captain Albert, a female knight, and a family of three: a male noble, his wife, their son and daughter who both looked no older than fifteen.

I instantly realized that group was the head of the Dukedom, at least, from what I’ve heard from Claire earlier this morning.

Zinnia beamed at me and waved. The next moment, she was admonished by her stuck-up sister for showing terrible table manners. I turned away without waving back and sat at the chair closest to the other exit. It was an old habit of mine, but that had me sit right next to the Duke’s daughter.

The girl looked over me curiously, especially at my wrist which had plenty of scars over it. As if a lightbulb lit her eyes, she whispered a little too loudly, “She must be the hero!”

Sigh, I scowled, I’ll just focus on the eatery for now. I really didn’t want to focus on the politics of this castle. Unfortunately, I was dragged along to a table full of nobles, royals, and knights. I wasn’t going anywhere.

Wait, where is Neyla?

I wanted to know, but asking would tip off the King that I had met the annoying brat of a Sage at some point in secret. I didn’t want him to be privy to such information. My eyes wandered to his, and we shared a gaze.

No, not of romance, but of calculative coldness.

He didn’t see me as a person but as a tool for his ambitions, while I saw him as an obstacle towards my freedom. We had no chance at bettering our acquaintanceship.

The servants arrived with tons of food. It was like an army of servants carrying an overabundance of food. Considering the King didn’t know my tastes, he must’ve made this breakfast more of a buffet since the food was splayed out in a manner where you could just grab a plate and some utensils.

“I’ve researched the culture of some otherworlders, and many of them seem to enjoy...this style of eatery,” searching for words, the King twirled his thumbs, “I believe they call it a buffet. I had the servants incorporate that into today’s breakfast.”

Gazing through the ornaments of food, one thing caught my attention: sandwiches. They had guacamole, lettuce, turkey breast, tomato, and mayo. I felt my mouth water slightly as my hand grabbed the plate with the four sandwiches. The servant behind me then handed me a glass of orange juice.

I haven’t had an appetizing meal like this in a long time. Due to my line of work, I’d always eat something fast and unfulfilling.

“A pleasure to be here, Your Majesty,” the duke slightly bowed in his seat towards Narci’Hya. I heard the Duke’s name somewhere...what was it?

As if answering my question, the King responded with a slight smile on his face, “It’s been too long, Duke Renold. I see your twins have been growing up quite well.”

Ah, they were twins? They don’t look too alike, I thought to myself, Well, that’s fraternal twins for you.

My hand stealthily snagged a sandwich during their exchange. Everyone seemed keen on talking rather than eating, but I was hungry. Amaryllis gave me a quick glare, but I shrugged.

I was hungry.

Completely ignoring their exchange, I ate the sandwiches on the plate. They glanced at me several times like they wanted me to pitch into the conversation, but I was much too busy eating.

My eyes wandered and took notice of each maid and servant throughout the room. There was one person missing from the group of escorts: Dana, aka Bodhi the Majin. Sneaky little rascal, I thought to myself, Even I didn’t notice you left. Neither the Majin nor the Sage were here. I thought it was likely they were scheming at some hidden part of the castle. Though I was sure Neyla wanted to keep her existence a secret from the Majin. Maybe I was wrong.

“So, it’s about time for your son to be engaged, no?” the King suddenly spoke up, breaking me from my thoughts, then addressed Duke Renold’s son, “Tell me, Connor, how would you like to be engaged with Allyson Parker, the hero over there?”

The King nodded towards me. Garnering the Duke’s son, Connor’s, attention, I rolled my eyes in exasperation. “Hell no.” Those words escaped my mouth so coldly that nearly everyone but the King flinched.

Hya’s eyes twisted into a demon’s glare, but I laughed it off. “Please, even puppies are scarier than you,” I mocked. Said puppies were bioweapons created to tear tanks apart, but he doesn’t need to know that.

I had thought he’d fly into a rage, but instead, he composed himself, but I could tell he was furious. “Tell me, Lady Hero, why are you so against marriage talks?”

Deciding to humor him, I replied with a thin smile on my lips, “First and foremost, I’m a soldier. Popping out babies would be seriously detrimental to my health.”

Zinnia nearly choked on her food from hearing my precise choice of words.

Closing his eyes, the King calmed down. “Very well. We’ll continue this conversation at a later date.”

So he still hasn’t given up, has he? How annoying.

“Sure, when the opportunity arises.”

One might say I was a little too aggressive against the King, but it’s not as though he could do much to me considering my position as the hero. At least, he can’t do anything at this given point in time. That, and I won’t be staying long here in the first place.

Whatever this king has planned for me will burn in flames. I’ll make sure of that.

I glanced at Zinnia who had a terribly pale complexion. She was sweating buckets and looked down on her lap. I bet she’s never seen her father this angry before.

Well, I probably screwed my chances with her.

Manipulating her, that is.

If the soft approach doesn’t work, torture’s always on the table.