Princess: ?
The laughter came to an abrupt halt, as if choked by something, sounding extremely unpleasant.
In truth, the princess was feeling quite uncomfortable right now.
Though completely deranged, she vaguely remembered that today wasn't when the attendants were supposed to tell her stories.
From her perspective, a strangely dressed person had inexplicably entered through the door, completely ignored her, and started fiddling with items in her room.
Utterly lacking manners! Acting as if he owned the place!
She initially found it baffling, then amusing, and coupled with her already unstable mental state, couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Then this person actually told her to shut up?
!?
In this most luxurious room of the entire palace, Lu Ce sensed something amiss.
Though he'd never stayed in any noble residences in this world...
Since when did normal people's bedrooms contain giant boulders?
Moreover, this human-sized rock occupied the very center of the room, while the bed where the princess lay was pushed to the periphery.
The stone bore a strange sword-like hilt protruding from it, its shape peculiar, concealing something within.
Sword in the Stone?
Is this how wealthy people normally decorate their homes?...
"Who... are you?......"
Finally, the princess couldn't resist speaking.
Any attendant witnessing this would have been shocked speechless - had the princess regained her senses so quickly?
She's already speaking coherently?!
Normally, getting a sane sentence from her was harder than reaching the heavens!
Apparently, even mentally deranged lunatics can't stand being ignored.
Lu Ce still paid her no mind, placing both hands on the giant stone and exerting force!
With his current strength, lifting something of this shape shouldn't be problematic if it were just ordinary rock.
Yet despite his efforts, the object didn't budge an inch!
Now genuinely intrigued, Lu Ce mustered his full strength to shift it, but still failed.
"What... are you doing?"
The princess was utterly bewildered.
What kind of lunatic had wandered in here? How had the guards let this person through!
She nearly called for help.
Lu Ce dusted off his hands and finally turned a contemptuous gaze toward the princess.
"You're the other princess here?"
The princess's eyes filled with confusion. Normally she'd appear completely deranged before outsiders, but the absurdity of his question left her no time to act crazy.
The question itself seemed crazy enough.
"What do you mean... other?......"
"What, does only one side get a king piece on the chessboard?" Lu Ce took several steps forward, looking down at the "princess" on the bed. "Though you seem considerably inferior."
What nonsense was he spouting!
The princess nearly lost it completely, especially when hearing the word "princess" - instant splitting headache, her entire being screaming to unleash madness!
With tremendous force, she tore a huge gash in the curtain before her.
Sitting on the bed was a disheveled woman.
Yet no matter how bedraggled her appearance, nothing could obscure her striking beauty - lips painted blood-red with smudged lipstick.
But Lu Ce had no intention of commenting on her appearance, simply staring down imperiously.
All creation exists for my taking! No exquisite person or object deserves to match me.
Unconcerned with his thoughts, the princess began frantically clawing at her hair, emitting pained wails.
"I! I'm no princess! I'm not the princess here aaaaaah!"
Her voice reached piercing levels, practically becoming sonic attacks.
Lu Ce's golden mask wrinkled slightly as he scratched his ear.
"Good that you understand." Then he shot her a warning glance. "But next time, just speak properly. No need to shout."
The screaming stopped abruptly again, the princess's manic eyes returning to confusion.
She looked up at Lu Ce dumbfounded, as if to say: How could you just accept that?
"I... I'm not the princess... then who am I?" As the frenzy faded, she immediately switched to another disorder, muttering to herself like someone with hysteria.
"What?" Lu Ce looked down at her. "Begging me to give you an identity?"
The princess froze again, her eyes gradually filling with madness as she began clawing at the bed.
"Identity... identity! I need no one to give me identity!"
"Princess! I'm not princess, not princess! Then who is princess?! Aaaaaah!"
She started shrieking again, but this time Lu Ce was prepared, merely commenting drily:
"There is no princess here. Only a king."
"Who's king!?"
"I am king."
The princess fell silent for a full minute, her gaze gradually calming. After Lu Ce's series of maneuvers, she became docile, sitting quietly on the bed.
As if her madness had been cured, her eyes slowly changed, like awakening from a long dream.
Then she heaved a long sigh, sat up properly on the bed, adjusted her appearance, and said softly:
"Sorry......"
"But... who are you? Why did you come in?"
"Weren't you listening? I'm the king." He frowned while surveying the room. "You're mentally ill. Why do you get this better room?"
The princess gave a bitter laugh at this absurd person's words, marveling at what new lunatic she'd encountered today.
But perhaps it was for the best - normal people saw her as crazy, but at least this one might actually converse with her.
"Is this room... really better?"
Enormous sorrow suddenly overflowed from the princess's eyes as she looked around her surroundings, saying mournfully:
"Hah, what's the point? This is just the princess's room. It doesn't care about you as a person - only as the princess."
"I... have long since had enough of living here!"
But Lu Ce remained his usual self, completely indifferent to her sorrowful tone and the obviously loaded statements that would give normal people pause.
He simply nodded and said:
"Good that you're being sensible."
"Had enough, you say? Since you put it that way, pack your things and leave. I'm taking this room."
Princess: ?