After quite a long time of walking around the Dark Elven village alongside the princess, they eventually came upon a grand manor. Maximus paused for a moment to look back at the village they had just made their way through, then turned his gaze to settle on the imposing structure standing before him.
"Well... this is not quite so surprising when you think about it, since you're a royal right?"
The princess gave a firm nod in response.
"Indeed, I am a royal. When my father took the throne, I became the princess by birthright. But I never wanted a royal heritage at all – it all happened so suddenly, with no warning or chance for me to prepare for what was to come."
Maximus let out a quiet breath and shrugged as he sorted through his thoughts.
'Ah yes... the casual princess with her whole backstory rooted in another world. It's so classical a trope, and honestly feels irrelevant to everything happening right now.'
"Well then, would you mind introducing me to your allies and your family? I assure you, I have quite a lot of experience with negotiations and diplomatic talks. You have no reason to worry about how things will go."
The princess nodded her head once more. Together they stood before the fence barrier that surrounded the grounds; it was sealed tight and clearly protected by powerful means. The princess reached into her pocket and pulled out a glowing crystal, then carefully fitted it into a slot in the gate that was shaped exactly like the stone she held. Slowly, the heavy fence gates began to swing open, and the shimmering barriers and magical seals that had guarded the manor faded away temporarily.
"Using this crystal lets me enter the manor whenever I need to. But access is restricted for anyone who is not royal, or who hasn't been given explicit permission to go inside."
Maximus's face lit up with a look of pure amazement – it seemed like every moment brought something new to surprise him.
'I wonder if there are far more wonders and secrets hidden in this world than what I've seen so far...'
The princess glanced over at him, then spoke in a clear and straightforward voice.
"Oh right, I almost didn't say anything earlier. Why are you wearing a piece of your clothing like that over your mouth?"
She pointed to the makeshift face covering he had put together by tearing a strip from his jacket and securing it with small but seemingly unbreakable ropes. He immediately felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"Okay now... you have to understand, everything back there was trying to kill me! Even the air molecules themselves and the very ground beneath my feet could have literally ended me if I'd breathed the air for more than ten seconds straight!"
The princess let out a soft, playful chuckle – slowly but surely, she was growing accustomed to his shifting moods and the way his attitude could flip from serious to frantic in an instant.
"Right, I completely forgot about that. We dark elves are naturally immune to all manner of diseases and harmful substances. That's one of the main reasons we chose the Dark Forest as our homeland in the first place."
Maximus's eyes widened slightly as he turned to question her.
"The dark forest? So that's what this place is called? I have to admit, I was hoping for something a bit cooler sounding."
"Well... we call it that because it has been our home for generations now. But some outsiders have given it other names – they call it the corrupted forest, or sometimes even the forest of the dead! You have to give them credit though, they're really quite creative when it comes to naming places like this."
Maximus let out a laugh and smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well now, they really sure are creative at naming stuff! Wait a second... does that mean there are more forests like this one scattered across the land?"
The princess paused for a brief moment, looking as if she was not quite sure how to answer. After a small hesitation, she gave him a warm smile and gestured toward the open gate.
"Well... what if we hold off on chatting endlessly about forests and names for now? We should go inside the royal manor first – I can promise you it's truly magnificent in there, with grand halls and all sorts of fine things you won't have seen before!"
Maximus had been watching the princess closely the entire time they had been talking, noting how easily she switched between being serious and calm to lighthearted and playful. He was starting to grow used to her way of being, though he kept his demeanor steady and focused. There was no hint of romance or personal feelings in his expression – only careful observation and a growing sense of trust between them.
"Alright then."
As soon as they stepped inside the manor, Maximus was immediately and beautifully stunned by what he saw all around him. The halls were rich and vibrant with colour, adorned everywhere with gleaming gold accents and intricate metalwork that caught the light at every turn. Every piece of furniture had been placed carefully and accordingly throughout the space, arranged in ways that felt both elegant and perfectly functional. From high above on the ceiling hung a massive chandelier, casting warm brazen light across every corner of the room and keeping the entire manor bright and safe. All around him, members of the royal household moved about, speaking to one another with deep respect and formal courtesy – their voices carrying in gentle waves through the spacious hall.
But their composed and respectful demeanor soon shifted completely the moment their eyes fell on him. Whispers began to ripple through the crowd as they took in the sight of a human they did not recognise, and before long some of them were openly calling him vile names, muttering words like disgusting and unwelcome under their breath or speaking them loud enough for him to hear clearly.
'Well... it looks like things just got a lot more... interesting than I was expecting them to be, I suppose.'