Reincarnated as the Villainess's Unlucky Bodyguard

Chapter 128 The Morning After the Inferno

When I woke up, it felt like my entire body had been trampled by a herd of rampaging Hellbeasts. My limbs refused to cooperate, and my head throbbed with the intensity of someone having turned my skull into a drum set.

[Good morning, Host,] the system chirped far too cheerfully for my liking.

"Shut up," I mumbled, attempting to bury my face into the soft surface beneath me. Wait... soft surface? This wasn't the hard stone floor of Seraphis's training ring. Where the hell was I?

"Finally awake, are we?"

The voice was unmistakable smooth, authoritative, and laced with an almost parental disapproval. I groaned and peeked open an eye, only to find Daena looming over me, her glowing violet eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"Uh, hi, Grandma," I croaked, my voice raspy. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Oh, I wouldn't have to be here if you didn't keep finding new and creative ways to nearly get yourself killed," she replied, her tail flicking behind her in agitation.

"And good morning to you too," I muttered, trying to sit up. Bad idea. Pain shot through my back, and I flopped back onto the ridiculously plush bed. Wait... bed? I glanced around, taking in the ornate canopy above me, the golden trim of the room's furnishings, and the velvet curtains.

I wasn't just in any room I was in the room. Enara's room.

"What the—"

Before I could piece together how I ended up in the demon princess's royal bedchamber, a sharp laugh echoed through the room.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to join the land of the living," Enara said, smirking from her spot on a chaise lounge. Unlike me, she looked annoyingly composed, despite the faint bruises visible on her arms.

"How are you alive and smirking?" I asked, glaring at her. "You were just as dead as I was yesterday."

"Clearly, I'm superior," she replied, flipping her hair.

"Oh, don't get too cocky, Enara," came a deep, commanding voice. Queen Verida entered the room, her crimson skin glowing faintly in the morning light. "Seraphis told us everything. You both nearly collapsed from exhaustion."

Following close behind was Queen Nyssara, who gave me a small, knowing smile. "We're glad you're awake, Liria. Though I must admit, your antics with Enara have become a frequent topic of discussion."

"Antics?" I repeated, offended. "I'm just trying to survive!"

Daena crossed her arms. "You call nearly setting the academy on fire and collapsing in a heap 'surviving'? Seraphis painted a very vivid picture, Liria."

"Of course she did," I muttered under my breath.

"And let's not forget this one," Daena added, gesturing toward Enara. "You're supposed to be the responsible princess, not engaging in reckless sparring matches!" Discover hidden tales at empire

Enara rolled her eyes. "It was training. I can't help it if Liria's weak."

"Excuse me?" I shot back, suddenly finding the energy to sit up despite the protest of my muscles. "Who saved you from those enchanted dummies, huh? I could've left you to get clobbered, you know!"

"Please," Enara said, waving me off. "You wouldn't last two seconds without me."

Before I could unleash my rebuttal, Ananara chose that moment to make his presence known.

"Both of you are equally insufferable," the pineapple said, perched smugly on a nearby table. "Frankly, it's a miracle either of you survived. Though I suppose credit must go to Liria for her consistency in mediocrity."

Nyssara smiled softly, her lilac eyes glimmering with something unreadable. "There's nothing to dodge, dear. We're focused on your safety, and uncovering the identity of those kidnappers is our top priority."

Enara leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand. "And? What have you found?"

Verida exchanged another glance with Daena before answering. "Not as much as we'd like, but enough to start piecing things together. The group wasn't local. They came prepared—extremely prepared—and their equipment suggests they had substantial backing."

"They weren't amateurs," Daena added, her tone grim. "The magic wards, the traps, the sheer coordination it points to a group with resources and experience. Likely mercenaries, though we haven't ruled out political factions."

"Political factions?" Enara repeated, arching an eyebrow. "You think someone from the court would dare to target me?"

Nyssara's expression turned cold, her voice steady but sharp. "We cannot ignore the possibility. There are those who would benefit from destabilizing our rule especially if it involves eliminating a direct heir to the throne."

"Lovely," I muttered, slumping back into my chair. "So not only do I have mysterious flames and weird stares to deal with, but now I'm tangled up in royal drama. Great."

"It's not drama," Verida said, her voice tight. "It's survival."

Ananara, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "Survival? Oh, please. If you lot were serious about survival, you wouldn't let her"—he jabbed a leafy appendage in my direction—"go off half-trained and reckless."

"Ananara, I swear—"

"You are reckless, Liria," Enara cut in with a smirk. "You ran straight into that fight without a plan."

"I had a plan!" I protested.

"Did you?" Nyssara asked, her tone skeptical but faintly amused.

"Okay, maybe not a great plan, but still—"

"We're getting off-topic," Daena interrupted, her gaze snapping back to me. "What's important is that we're doing everything we can to track these attackers down. But, Liria, you and Enara need to stay vigilant. If they strike again, we may not have the luxury of arriving in time."

"That's reassuring," I said dryly.

Nyssara reached out, her hand briefly resting on mine. "We're not taking this lightly, Liria. We'll protect you both. But you must be cautious and trust us to handle this."

The sincerity in her tone softened the edge of my frustration, but it didn't entirely erase the lingering unease in my chest. They were clearly holding back something, and the way they were carefully avoiding my earlier question only made me more suspicious.

But for now, I nodded. "Fine. Just... keep me in the loop, okay? I don't like being left in the dark."

"Of course," Verida said, her golden eyes unwavering. "You have our word."

Something about the way she said it made me think their word might not cover as much as I hoped, but I let it drop for now.

"Great," I muttered. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm starving. Do royal castles come with snacks?"

Enara laughed, the sound breaking the tension in the room. "Come on, Liria. I'll show you the kitchens. Maybe you can even learn how not to burn toast."

"Insult noted," I replied, following her out.

Behind us, I could feel the queens and Daena watching, their earlier intensity replaced by whispers I wasn't meant to hear.