The Abandoned Princess

2: House of Gold

The original owner of the dagger was likely a person who enjoyed murdering children after having physical contact with them whether it was a boy or a girl. Unsatisfied with his crime, he sought an act of immortality, locking himself inside the item using forbidden magic or with the help of a lesser demon.

"Let's take that away from you, your majesty," Lucas interjected with a nonchalant smile as he took the dagger away earning a puzzled glance from both me and the king. Lucas's action didn't make sense. "Ah, princess, it's fine."

I then saw the princess's eyes shake in fear. Her face was even paler. I was struck with a pang of shame for assuming that Princess Elaine wasn't traumatized. She was clearly afraid, and everyone could tell.

How could we let her see the very weapon that inflicted her pain?

"I– uh, it's a cursed item," Princess Elaine finally answered, relief visible on her face now that the weapon was out of her sight.

Lucas's intervention proved to be a commendable move, visibly easing the princess's distress. Pleased at how Lucas acted, I considered the idea of introducing Lucas to some of my wife's friends.

I gave Lucas a knowing smile but he stared at me weirdly and ignored me in response.

"That's right! A person who was stabbed by this and died will become a puppet," Lucas said cheerfully. The contrast to his demeanor on the day of the church incident, Lucas was rather looking scary, frightening the servants and his fellow knights. That was the first time I witnessed him in that state. "Unlike the mindless undead, those dead bodies have their soul still intact and only their grudge and fear remain of their memories."

Even if they were killed, they would never find peace since they were already bound to be the property of the demon who gave the curse the moment the weapon touched the heart of the victim, as part of the contract. Unless they were to be cleansed by a high priestess or a saintess, who are very rare to find.

"That's why that man only stabs those children in one location," said the princess.

I gave an imaginary nod, acknowledging her quick understanding at such a young age.

"Correct," the king affirmed, his eyes focused directly on his daughter. "Now tell me, how did you survive? Even though he missed your heart by an inch the curse will spread and attack your heart."

The princess's complexion quickly drained. It looked like she was thinking of something dreadful that might hurt her.

"It's b-b-because of my magic," she stammered an answer then turned towards Lucas, both staring at each other as if they were having a silent conversation of their own.

Observing their exchange, I couldn't help but feel a sense of suspicion.

I then cleared my throat. "You mean you already have your awakening?"

She nodded and approached Lucas asking for the cursed dagger with a promise that she wouldn't do something stupid when Lucas hesitated.

"Curse items won't affect me. This dagger is just an ordinary dagger for me." As if to prove her point, the princess cut her palm. Crimson blood began to ooze from her hand. "Aaagh!"

We all rushed towards the princess, alarmed at her sudden action and yelp.

"Just kidding—Eh?" The princess who decided to pull out a joke on them was looking dumbfounded at her father who was right in front of her.

His majesty examined her hand closely and said, "Huh... Your wound is healing."

The princess blinked, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Seeing her like this I feared that the princess had become broken.

His majesty was right. The cut on her small hand was slowly closing.

"A healing ability?" I uttered, staring at the wound as I continued to observe it closely.

This was the first time I ever encountered something like this. A person who could heal herself without casting magic. It was as if the healing magic was a passive skill.

"Princess, you're blessed with light magic," Lucas said looking relieved. "That's great news, right my king?"

"That— I don't think it's light magic. It's more like a self-healing magic. Large wounds probably won't save me with the magic I have."

Sensing the discomfort of the princess with three of us surrounding her, I decided to pull back.

"Quite useless magic you have," the king said irritatedly.

In return with the sudden dark mood of his majesty, the princess looked like a ghost. She might as well pass out right now.

His majesty then carried his daughter saying, "You still haven't recovered properly, you look sick. Are you even taking care of your body?"

I, the king's adviser, watched as the princess was carried away by her father out of the office. She was staring straight at Lucas with a pleading gaze as if asking to save her before the door closed in front of her.

"Ah..."

Finally, I discovered something today. The ever-calm princess I once knew seemed to vanish when faced with this particular individual, her very own father.

"Hey, the princess is afraid of her father," I spoke to the person who was left with me.

"You just realized that now, Kel? No wonder you and your wife fight all the time."

"...I don't want to hear that from someone who's still single," I grumbled at the laughing Lucas.

"It's because I'm not ready for married life." We both know it was a lie. "Anyway, I wonder if the princess will return to the Garnet Palace without passing out."

"Does his majesty know?" I cast a worried look at the door where the father and daughter disappeared. "That Princess Elaine fears him?"

"He does alright. I guess he just... forgot."