Maximus slowly opened his eyes with full consciousness, watching as the princess sat right next to him, holding his hand tightly. Her touch was warm and gentle, and though he felt weak, he didn't have the strength to pull away. Instead, he simply let her hold his hand for a while longer, allowing the comfort of her presence to settle over him.
After a moment, the princess jolted awake, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for something amiss. When her gaze finally landed on Maximus, she leaned forward and hugged him firmly, pressing her face against his shoulder for a brief second before pulling back slightly.
"Thank goodness you're still alive!"
Maximus gently pulled her away from him – careful not to cause any harm – and looked at her with a questioning expression on his face.
"What happened? Where am I now?"
The princess straightened up and settled back into her chair, composing herself before she began to speak, her voice steady and clear despite the worry still lingering in her eyes.
"When I heard loud noises coming from the library, I rushed over to find you lying on the second floor. Thank the dark elves you weren't killed, I don't think I could have handled seeing you like that, not after everything you did for us."
Maximus felt a wave of confusion wash over him. All he could remember was passing out after protecting the king with the Mighty Sword of Eia. He'd started to piece things together in his mind: it seemed he could only use the sword once per action whenever he drew it and delivered a physical blow to a target. Since he didn't possess a mana core, he figured that must have been why he'd fallen unconscious within seconds of using its power.
"I think I understand now, though not completely. The sword has limits to what I can do with it."
"That doesn't really connect to what I just told you... but regardless, is that really why you were knocked out cold like that? You looked as if you'd been through something terrible."
"I suppose so."
Even with his limited understanding of this new world, his theory felt like it might hold true once he learned more about how things worked here. For now, he was still just a rookie. Someone who could adapt quickly, think on his feet and push through hardship, but without any real superpowers to speak of.
"Come to think of it, can I have my sack back?"
Maximus's eyes drifted toward where his sack was placed, sitting inside a wooden cabinet against the far wall of the room.
"Of course."
The princess stood up and retrieved the sack for him, handing it over with a curious look. When Maximus opened it and began sorting through his things, his brow furrowed in surprise – the black weakness orb was nowhere to be found.
"Where's the black orb? It was right here before, I know it was."
The princess looked back at him with a blank expression, shaking her head slowly to show she had no idea what he was talking about. Maximus's mind immediately began to race, and he found himself thinking about the king he'd been with just before everything went dark.
"I think your father might have it."
As if on cue, the heavy wooden door to the room burst open and the king strode inside. He wasted no time in stepping over to Maximus's bedside, carefully examining every inch of his body as if checking for hidden injuries.
"You look... surprisingly well. There isn't a single scratch or bruise on you anywhere. It must have been the sword protecting you from serious harm, there's no other explanation for it."
Maximus looked down at his own body, running his hands over his arms and chest in disbelief before turning back to the king with a confused look.
"I thought the same thing. When I first went to the mansion and picked up the sword, the whole place started to collapse around us – but I was the only one who stayed on my feet. It seems like the sword deflects and nullifies any attacks thrown my way automatically, almost like I have endless immunity to danger when I'm near it."
"I see. That makes perfect sense now. The Mighty Sword of Eia is often described as holy and divine, but the ancient books in the library say it's actually the most powerful weapon out of all seven mythical swords in our world."
Maximus suddenly remembered something he'd said to the princess when they'd first met, and he glanced over at her with a small, knowing smile, his eyes giving away what he was thinking.
"Ferha. Earlier, when I said I'd trade my sword for knowledge? Well, the offer still stands. You can have it if you want it."
But the princess just shook her head firmly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks as she looked away for a moment before meeting his gaze again.
"No need. Keep it for your safety, whether you decide to leave the kingdom someday or stay here a while longer. Though... it is a bit embarrassing to hear my name said like that out of the blue."
She was so used to being addressed as the dark elven princess, or "majesty," or with other formal titles that came with her station. Only her father and mother had ever called her by her real name before now.
"Right. From now on, I'll call you Ferha if that's what you'd prefer. And I think I'll stay here for a while. I feel safe here, and there's no telling what dangers might be waiting for me outside the kingdom's walls."
The king nodded firmly, a look of approval crossing his face as he placed a hand on Maximus's shoulder in a gesture of friendship and respect.
"Then it's settled. Our maids and butlers will take care of you while you recover here. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like – this manor is your home now, for as long as you need it to be."