The 'royal privilege' is the foremost unwritten rule of this world. It can be summed as 'don't mess with royals unless you are one, trying to become one or don't value your life'. No royal will forgive or grant quarters to a commoner or a noble that offended another royal. Even wars will be suspended to make sure the royal privilege stands. To be a royal is to be at the top of this world, and one can be damn sure we will do our best to stay there.
Excerpt from Crown Princess Pearl of Gohar's journal.
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"Ash Suppression."
"Incinerate."
The end result of Aidan's latest experiment into his new condition was the complete destruction of the bedding and some blushing cheeks. It was inevitable and compensation was already paid to the innkeeper. They lost the blankets too but now with the burden on Aidan's mana gone his male body was recovering mana slowly. He could keep the party warm even outdoors at night if needed.
Keeping Lumina and Aidan close helped a lot. Aidan hoped he would be able to use mana sight in Lumina's body. Not that he knew how to hop back and forth between them. Actually, that was his next challenge. With the time to depart for Pearl's expedition nearing, he had to be able to keep both bodies conscious.
They packed up and called up the porters. Two strong boys recommended by the innkeeper to carry Princess Lumina's luggage and Aidan's sleeping body into a carriage. Now that they weren't incognito there was a need to move Lumina to a better lodging. The mayor had even offered his guest house, but Aidan declined. Even Pearl was staying at an inn. At the most expensive in town and she had a whole floor for herself and the heroes, of course.
Aidan could understand why his father insisted on keeping only a baronet title when King Helios could make him a marquess. He had a faint hope his family situation could help him keep his head on his neck, but it would be god knows how long until his parents returned. They hadn't returned during the year he remained hospitalized.
"Maybe they trust me that much." He mumbled, completely oblivious to the afternoon traffic around town.
"What?" Sora heard every word, but she lacked the context of what was going on inside the head of the girl sitting across her. Or the boy inside that head.
"My parents." 'They didn't send any notice during my hospitalization' was what he was implying. But Sora knew enough to get that.
"They sent a letter before they descended into a new dungeon they discovered. It was dated before the accident. Until they surface any notice we send them will be docked at the base camp of the guild." She informed.
Aidan's parents spent every day with Aidan when they were home. But the demand for their services was high. Drive away a dragon here, save a country there, get this legendary artifact or material over there. Sora was sure Aidan's parents would find them in a few days after they get notice. It was one of her hopes for rescue from the situation they found themselves. And it would not be because of a lack of letters. She hadn't sent any ever since they escaped though.
He looked at Sora and made an anxious sigh. The princess' eyes drifted to the floor of the carriage.
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"They trust you more than you'd believe. And so do I." She reached out and held the tiny trembling hands.
The carriage stopped. "Your Highness, we are here." Said the coachman through the small window.
Aidan looked through the window and saw the inn Pearl was staying at. Kazuya was at the door, smiling.
"How was your date with the hero, miss Sora? He looks very happy."
"Terrible. I couldn't understand a word of what he said, he was trying to touch my waist all the time and worst yet he made me leave you alone."
'Leaving me alone with myself was worse than having a foreigner touch your waist all the time', pondered Aidan with a frown. He moved his hands to his lap.
"Yes, it was. I'm getting you a locking iron belt if you don't behave yourself." Sora replied to the frown.
"Telepath!" Aidan taunted.
"Necromancer," Sora replied.
They burst into laughter at the same time and the coachman opened the door. Kazuya was with a puzzled look but they stopped laughing when they saw him by the door.
Aidan stood between Kazuya and Sora while they made their way inside. He even slipped a hand on the beastkin's waist and leered at the hero.
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"Of course you are staying here with me, Lumina. This inn has too many rooms I am not using right now. If I had brought my entire staff maybe it would be cramped, but I cannot let my best princess friend in some dirty goblin hovel." Pearl rebutted Aidan's protest with a bit of snide.
"We are departing the day after tomorrow, right? I will need more time, Pearl."
Aidan needed to design two spells, modifications of already existing ones, but a daunting task none the less.
"Why should I wait? I am comfortable taking only Lady Sora and the dragon as agreed upon."
"Pearl, please. Are you going to rush things and leave the two most skilled students of Yutis Royal Magic Academy behind? A week, please.
"Yes, Lumina. I can wait a week for your sake and the boys'." And get a favor owed, all present understood the meaning.
"Thank you. I will begin researching right now. If I may go."
"Yes, of course. I will have your meals and anything you need to be delivered to your anteroom. Nobody will disturb you even if the world ends." She deadpans. "And it won't. end. The world." And giggles.
Aidan giggled with her, the fake reaction came so easily he was impressed. "Of course not. With two heroes and us here, this inn is the safest place in miles."
"Not to mention the scion of the godslayer, if you can get the boy to wake up."
"I'm going to work on it. I was not the best in my spellcraft class for nothing." Aidan bragged imitating Lumina.
It had an effect he did not expect. Pearl's eyes watered and she frowned. With a quick whip of a handkerchief, she composed herself.
"That is low even for you, Lumina."
Aidan was so shocked he forgot to close his mouth.
"Pearl. Pearl, I mean you no harm. I don't... I don't remember much, and I don't know why it hurt you, but I am sorry."
He tried to get the other girl's hand but she took a step back and hid her hands.
"Pearl. The old bitch Lumina is gone. Her head caved in with a rhinorse kick. I am what is left of her, true. And I have to bear her sins. But I want you as a friend."
Aidan found a knot in his throat he didn't know he had. But as he opened his heart and faced the truth of his own words, the tears came naturally. Tears of grief. Of not knowing if he would ever be whole again. He felt a hand on his head. Looking up, Pearl was there, with a smile.
"You lost a lot too."
Aidan felt like asking Pearl to drop the princess act when they were alone. He really wanted to be friends with Pearl. But he knew that behavior was too ingrained into these girls. Even within himself, it surfaced every now and then.
"Not as much as you." Aidan fished.
"So you remember." The warmth in Pearl's voice from before was quickly going away.
"No. But you look like someone that lost something very important." Aidan cursed inside. What if the thing she lost was something Lumina took from her? This whole conversation would backfire!
Pearl froze and took a deep breath. When she finished, her mask was impeccable.
"I took too much of your time, Lumina, my dear. I will leave you to look after the boy. A maid will be in the anteroom, use her as you will."
And like that she left.