Julia had to admit that perhaps her princess and Mr. Williams truly were a perfect match. Although the man's social status was a bit low (she hadn't been present when Alexia called him a Saint), it was impossible to find a more outstanding man in any other respect.
It wasn't the time to act on the princess's feelings, but Julia was already preparing a plan of her own.
The lights in the tent finally went out at eleven-thirty, and Dolores fell into a deep sleep, her head tilted to one side. Jenkins's book lay beside her, open to a page where another princess stretched out her hands, joyfully playing with magic.
It was a bit embarrassing to admit, but Dolores had always believed that the little princess in the book was based on her.
She was, of course, aware through various channels that Mr. Williams had two other close "female friends" in Nolan City, and she even knew they were the inspiration for the book.
But what did that matter? Young women loved to dream, and they never admitted defeat. Sixteen was an age of pure, innocent romance—something a clueless old pumpkin like Jenkins would never understand.
The night deepened. Aside from the guards on watch, everyone in the camp had fallen into a deep slumber. Clouds drifted across the sky, quietly obscuring the full moon. A cold wind howled, and the campfire's glow slowly faded.
No one noticed a dark figure materialize in the distant shadows. It was clearly not human, not even an extraordinary one. It flitted through the shadows of the moonlit night, making discontinuous leaps through space. It deliberately avoided Alexia's tent, approaching the one in the very center of the camp from the opposite side. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novelꜰire.net
Everything went perfectly. The guards and attendants on watch failed to notice the uninvited guest. It successfully slipped into Miss Stuart's tent and laid eyes on its target.
Warning charms were scattered throughout the tent, and a counter-spell rune crafted by Alexia hung beside the sleeping bag. The monster hesitated at the entrance. Its intelligence was clearly insufficient to solve such a complex problem, so it decided to ignore the problem altogether.
It took a single step forward, and the warning charms instantly flared to life. Startled awake, Julia shot bolt upright and immediately shouted a warning to the still-groggy Dolores.
The attacking monster, however, completely ignored the damage from the various triggered charms. It even withstood a direct blast from Alexia's rune as its pair of sharp claws lunged toward the girl.
A sheet of ice materialized in the air, halting the claws' advance for a split second. Realizing what was happening, Dolores scrambled out of her sleeping bag, instinctively clutching the book in her hands. The monster was now severely wounded, but it used its last ounce of strength to reach for the girl in her pajamas.
As luck would have it, the claws touched the book in Dolores's hands—or more precisely, the spot where Jenkins had signed his name.
In that instant, a magnificent golden light erupted from the princess's hands. Like a miniature sun, it flooded the tent with light as bright as day. Even the people outside, startled by the commotion, could see the dazzling radiance. When the light faded, silence returned to the tent.
Dolores remained frozen, holding the book out to shield her chest. She cracked open one eye to survey the scene. The monster was gone. She could only see Julia in the distance, the look of terror on her face slowly melting away.
"What just happened? Are we safe?"
Dolores asked cautiously.
"You're safe now. That 'Shadowstitch Monster' has been eliminated."
A woman's hand pulled back the tent flap, and Alexia stepped inside as she answered. She scanned the tent vigilantly, her eyes finally coming to rest on the book.
"Was that... you who saved me just now?"
the princess asked again, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"No. In fact, I'm not entirely sure what just happened either."
Alexia's eyes lingered on Jenkins's signature. The man's handwriting, while not as atrocious as when he had first arrived in this world, could hardly be called elegant.
Alexia muttered quietly. She then offered a few words of comfort to the frightened Dolores and told them to get some rest.
Julia couldn't help but begin.
"It seems someone wants to play the fool again. Judging by this clumsy assassination attempt, it's the same group as before. Get some rest. I doubt there will be a second attempt tonight."
As she spoke, she glanced one last time at the signature on the page, then exited the tent.
Julia looked uneasily at Dolores, but the princess simply shook her head.
"Our teacher is right. Once is enough for tonight. Let's get some rest. We have plans for tomorrow morning."
"Could this be... again..."
"Of course it is. We both know full well who has been trying to take my life time and time again."
The princess stroked her smooth, fair neck. It was difficult to quantify just how alluring the gesture was, but unfortunately, no lucky man was present to witness it.
"They have angered me, Julia. Fate is always fair. What one receives is always equal to what one gives. And if someone tries to play tricks, then I shall deliver a thunderous blow on fate's behalf!"
(Chocolate is sleeping...)
Early Thursday morning, while Jenkins was still in the washroom, he heard the bell on his outer fence ringing. At first, he assumed someone had bumped into it by accident—after all, no one would visit so early—but the bell continued to ring incessantly.
He threw a coat over his pajamas and opened the door, only to find Hathaway standing in the snow. The girl was dressed in simple winter clothes and gave him a constant, beaming smile.
He invited Hathaway inside, and upon learning she hadn't eaten, he asked her to join him for breakfast. Hathaway was quite surprised that Jenkins cooked for himself; she had assumed he would hire a cook or a maid.
"I do have a maid, but she only handles dinner, cleaning the rooms, and tending to the lawn."
Jenkins shrugged, placing warm milk, fried eggs, and bread on the dining table. Chocolate immediately darted from its spot by the fireplace and leaped onto the table, eyeing Jenkins with a wary gaze.
"We have a guest, but that doesn't mean you'll be getting any less."
Satisfied this time, the cat lay down at the edge of the table, waiting for Jenkins to place its breakfast before it.