Ending Conditions of the Princess and the Knight

“Is the Princess of Izarith really here!”

“Oh, by the gods! It is Sonetti!”

“Show your face, Sonetti!”

Pushing aside the curtains to peek outside, Taeri ducked back in surprise as she saw a stone flying precisely toward the window. A chill ran down his spine from the cool walls.

‘Wasn’t that a dream or something?’

Her eyes rolled in confusion.

She is currently standing in a large room that connects the bedroom and the parlor.

It’s covered in old-fashioned wallpaper, filled with furniture and fixtures you’d expect to find in a castle, and a chandelier lit by mana stones sways overhead.

The most foreign thing in the room is herself, wearing a pajama dress with a giant teddy bear print on it.

It had a torn thread that she said she’d cut out every time she saw it, but left in place, and a coffee stain she spilled in front of her computer.

When I spotted the silver teapot on the tea table with the clear logo of Hotel Izarith stamped on its surface, my head snapped up.

‘What, does this mean I’m actually in the game?’

I wanted to tell myself that I was sleep-deprived and seeing things, but the protesters’ chants for the princess were still echoing through the streets outside.

And if I recall correctly, the people who had traveled so far to get here were also crying and calling me princess.

Princess, princess. My princess, calling out.

‘It was just a click.’

Last night, I was planning to play a notorious RPG game called ⟨The Black Forest of Izarith,⟩ which had gained a reputation among players for being extremely challenging.

It was meant to be a way to pass the time and perhaps alleviate some of my frustrations.

The anniversary of my mother’s passing always brought a wave of sadness, but that day, I felt particularly unsettled and angry deep inside.

Doing nothing and being still made me cry, so I habitually turned on the computer and moved my hands numbly, thinking that if I tried hard enough, I would see the ending overnight.

Maybe it was because of this futility that I felt strangely unwilling to give up, even though I had seen ‘YOU DIED’ dozens of times before, leaving the final boss, the dragon, undefeated.

I kept resurrecting my character after they died. If you die in the middle of a fight, you respawn on the spot again. Resurrecting, resurrecting, resurrecting, until I got tired of it…….

A strange status window popped up on my monitor.

[Do you want to change your hero’s class from knight to wizard?]

I don’t think there was a setting to change the character’s class.

The main character was fixed as Claude the Knight.

[Press YES if you wish].

[Press YES].

[Press YES].

[Press YES].

I assumed it was just bad code or an error, but at the moment, a strange hope arose in my heart at that moment, almost mockingly asking, ‘Can I really change things?’

[Press YES].

[Press YES].

[Press YES……]

Click.

‘It was just that one click.’

With the click still ringing in his ears, Taeri sank to the floor and looked down at her hand.

She could feel the mysterious energy coursing through her body like blood, peeking through her skin.

Driven by impulse, I strongly embraced the thought of reaching out towards the hand mirror on the table and pulling it.

The mirror rattled for a moment, hesitated, and then obediently flew towards me, fitting snugly into my hand.

“……No way.”

The sound of the mirror falling to the floor was as loud as the ‘click’ from last night.

In the mirror was a woman who looked completely different. Ashy blonde hair, and eyes of a rare orange hue that were far from ordinary. Even her facial features and contours had completely changed.

It was only then that I began to realize the meaning of the selection box in the middle of the monitor.

[Do you want to change your hero’s class from knight to wizard?]

YES.

The answer I chose was YES.

Apparently, I had indeed become a wizard. No, I definitely became a wizard.

* * *

“The princess is back?”

“Yes, on the way, there was a bout in the woods. Five swamp ants, three jackals, four goblins, and one cave giant. The ogre even massacred an entire group. It was incredibly brutal… The location was determined to be from the entrance of the ruined castle to within the ruins.”

It was, of course, the day Claude took a day off from patrol. Was it good luck or bad luck.

“That’s a lot of sheep. Are you sure you did it alone?”

As they walked towards the hotel, he inquired further, and after a brief delay, the answer came back.

“I found a bloodstained palm print at the scene. It’s a bit large, for a woman.”

“But the princess came in alone, unaccompanied.”

So much for the outline of the case. Claude furrowed his brow as he stumbled through the ant-like crowd.

They were so close to their destination, but the hotel was packed.

“Princess, come out!”

“Shame on you, Sonetti!”

The humans had gotten wind of the princess’s return and were camped out early. A stone flying from the protesters narrowly missed one of the curtained second-floor windows of the hotel.

How industrious and futile.

Claude pushed his way through them, stopping in front of a warrior who raised his voice. He was shouting at the top of his lungs, glaive raised, demanding the princess be taken away.

“”Who said it was okay to do this here?”

“Oh, Viceroy…”

“I specifically warned not to disrupt the public order.”

“Did you? Ah, I must have forgotten…”

“There are often people who say things like that. ‘I don’t remember,’ ‘I didn’t know,’ ‘I forgot.’ That’s why I came to a conclusion. If you don’t remember, you’re guilty.”

“What?!”

“You’re guilty. Hang him by the well. Make sure to hang the rest of them too.”

At Claude’s command, the knights stepped forward and bound the man in an instant, and soon the disturbers were dragged away, one by one.

“Master of the Holy Sword, have mercy……!”

Some clung to Claude’s post, begging for forgiveness, but the paladin, in his dazzling white uniform and flapping blue cloak, neatly ignored the pleas of the conscienceless.

It was only when he saw that the main entrance to the hotel was cleared that he ascended the stairs in a leisurely fashion.

* * *

“Welcome, my lord.”

The manager of the hotel stepped out to greet him before Claude could even open the door.

A middle-aged woman whose exact age is difficult to determine. She appears kind and polite, but the poised hands she keeps to herself give the impression that she could unleash venomous strikes at any moment, like a snake hiding its venom during a sleeve dance.

“I’m the steward, Ansie.”

“I know who you are, at least to some extent. An enchanter.”

The steward maintained a composed expression, unfazed by the humorous remark that tickled the stomach, and replied unfazed.

“Where would you like me to take you?”

“The dining room.”

“I’ll show you in, this way.”

Crossing the marble floor of the luxurious lobby, Claude casually observed the interior.

Buildings this luxurious in the Old City were few and far between.

It’s well-equipped, well-maintained, and doesn’t seem to have any flaws.

Except for one thing. The staff are all wizards.

Seated in the midst of the restaurant, where only flies seemed to be buzzing around, Claude stuck out his hand and requested the menu.

“Are you sure you want to eat?”

Claude looked away as the steward asked again to confirm.

His eyes locked with the janitor, who was waving a duster near the wall clock, and the chef, who was running late and carrying plates. They quickly averted their gaze.

‘Look at this.’

He knows that the redundant questions and fleeting glances all come from a place of wariness.

He realized that he was not welcome in this place at all. He had suspected it, but still, the feeling of being unwelcome weighed heavily on him.

‘Well, at least I’m in the right place.’

He says, handing back the unopened menu.

“The food reputation of this hotel doesn’t even deserve half a star. Just give me a recommendation anyway. Anything that won’t kill me when I eat it.”

“It seems you have a discerning palate. It’s difficult to find such things at our hotel, sir.”

She said it with a gentle smile and a kind voice. Claude did not hide the bitter smile that rose to his lips.

“You don’t have to be so obvious that you want me dead. Still, I should order something to justify my presence.”

“In that case, how about a wyvern’s wing bone—”

“But, make it two plates.”

Why? For the first time, a momentary hesitation was captured in the steward’s demeanor. Claude seized the opportunity without hesitation.

“One for me and one for my guest.”

We’ll see if they can actually recommend and serve such a thing on the menu for the food that goes into that guest’s mouth.

“Have you invited anyone?”

“I am requesting the presence of the person who is staying here.”

“What do you mean.”

Cold, predatory eyes gleamed mischievously from beneath the black hair that covered his brow.

“Go and deliver the message. The Viceroy wishes to meet the Princess. If she refuses, I will come again tomorrow, but it would be preferable to meet today.”

“…….”

“Bring her to me. Or I will.”

As I gave the command, I could sense a flicker of rebellion and discontent in the steward’s demeanor.

“Not going? I’m starting to get hungry.”

Under the lingering and oppressive pressure, it was the steward who raised the white flag first.

“I will deliver the message as it is.”

“A wise decision.”

“I will also place the order immediately.”

“Very well.”

“Viceroy.”

“What is it?”

“Even if the guest refuses the invitation, you should still pay for the two plates. Don’t forget.”

It would be a losing battle to argue over nothing. With a gesture of glee, Claude made a small down payment.

“Anything to see the princess.”

* * *

“Here, juice.”

When I asked for something edible, a cocktail glass adorned with lemon and an umbrella was delivered.

I thought it was some kind of joke, but the subsequent action was even bolder.

The woman who brought the two drinks sat down on the opposite side of Claude.

Claude was taken aback by the unexpected presence of the woman, dressed in a peculiar patterned dress that revealed her ankles. Sensing the strangeness of her attire, she hastily wrapped a long shawl around her upper body to conceal it.

“They don’t have anything that fits me, but they said they’d have it soon.”

It was only then that Claude realized he’d been sTaering at her outfit too much, at the woman’s upper body.

“Oh, my bad.”

He was expecting a pretty stern reprimand, but to his surprise, the woman brushed it off.

She let out a small yawn and rubbed her eyes, allowing Claude to catch a glimpse of her orange-coloured eyes, resembling constellations.