Kael's expression did not change.

  "I am assigned to your protection."

  "Yes," Dae said, "outside my room. Not inside it."

  "That is not ideal."

  "It is very ideal," Dae replied. "For me."

  A small silence settled between them.

  Kael crossed his arms slowly. "Assassins prefer private spaces."

  "And exhausted princes prefer privacy," Dae replied back.

  Kael watched him for a moment, clearly weighing the argument. His gaze flicked briefly around the room, assessing exits, windows, sightlines.

  "You will not lock the door," he said finally.

  "I will not lock the door."

  "And if anything feels wrong, you call immediately."

  Dae raised an eyebrow. "Do I get a signal horn or do I just scream dramatically?"

  Kael ignored that.

  "I will stand outside."

  Dae grimaced. "Outside outside? Or awkwardly breathing right next to the door?"

  "Outside," Kael said calmly. "At a reasonable distance."

  Dae considered that, then nodded once.

  "…Okay. Acceptable."

  Kael stepped back into the hallway. Before the door closed, he added quietly, "Two hours. Then we ride again."

  "Yeah, yeah."

  The door shut.

  Silence fell instantly.

  Dae stood there for a few seconds without moving.

  Then his shoulders dropped.

  "…Finally."

  He walked deeper into the room, boots sinking slightly into the thick rug. The quiet felt strange after hours of hooves and voices and constant motion. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the ache he had ignored while riding.

  Every muscle complained at once.

  He let out a long breath and ran a hand through his silver hair.

  Teleportation gates. Noble bloodlines. Demon riders. Secret code words for… juice.

  "…What kind of world did I get dropped into," he muttered.

  He dragged himself over to the bed and collapsed onto the heavy dark covers, not even bothering to take off his boots.

  "System," he whispered, his voice jiggeling slightly. "Status. Menu. Anything."

  A faint chime rang in his ears, and the translucent screen shimmered into existence before his eyes. It was sleek, glowing with a cold silver light that matched his hair.

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  [ Demon System Status ]

  Host: Dae Silver

  Title: Prince of the Silver Kingdom

  Trait: The Foolish Royal (Active)

  Condition: Exhausted / Mental Strain

  Body Memory Sync: 78%

  Dae stared at the screen, his eyes narrowing. "Prince of the Silver Kingdom... and The Foolish Royal? Are you mocking me?"

  The screen stayed static. No voice spoke in his head. No helpful AI popped up to explain the tutorial.

  "Hey. Answer me. What is the 'Eliminate' objective? How do I use magic? Is there a shop?"

  Nothing. The text just hung there in the air, indifferent to his frustration.

  "Useless piece of..." He swiped his hand through the air, his fingers passing through the light as the screen dissolved into shimmering pixels. "Of course. Why would I get one of those chatty systems that explains everything? That would be too easy."

  He groaned and rolled onto his back, staring up at the dark wooden beams of the ceiling. The physical exhaustion was finally catching up to him, but his mind was still racing. Every time he closed his eyes, fragments of memories—the original Dae's memories—pushed to the surface.

  Then, one specific image flickered into his mind, clearer than the rest.

  Valeraine.

  He saw her standing in the courtyard again—the way the pale light caught the curve of her dark horns, the calm in her red eyes, and the way that fitted white uniform didn't exactly hide the fact that she was... well, striking.

  The memory of her leaning close to whisper her warning came back with vivid detail. He could almost smell the faint scent of something floral.

  His sister. And his future wife.

  Dae felt a sudden, sharp heat climb up his neck. His face turned a deep shade of red, and he quickly threw an arm over his eyes to block out the mental image.

  "Damn it," he hissed into the quiet room. "This is a disaster. I'm in the body of a prince everyone hates, I'm heading toward a dimensional tear I can't fight, and my fiancée is my sister who looks like that."

  He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force his brain to focus on survival instead of the "purity of the bloodline" traditions. But the more he tried to push the thought away, the more he realized that in this world, those two things were probably connected.

  Time passed faster than he expected.

  Not real sleep. More like drifting in and out while exhaustion dragged at his body. At some point he shifted position without fully waking, one arm falling off the side of the bed.

  A knock sounded.

  Dae opened one eye.

  "Your Highness," Kael's voice came through the door. "It is time."

  Dae groaned quietly and pushed himself upright. Every muscle protested immediately, stiffness settling deep into his back and shoulders.

  "Yeah," he muttered, rubbing his face. "I'm moving."

  He swung his legs off the bed and stood, adjusting his cloak and brushing imaginary dust from his sleeves. A quick glance around confirmed nothing had changed — same quiet room, same faint smell of clean linens.

  He opened the door.

  Kael stood exactly where expected, posture unchanged, eyes sharp.

  "Mounts are prepared," he said.

  Dae nodded.

  They walked downstairs together. The inn had grown busier since earlier. Evening light spilled through the entrance, turning dust motes gold in the air. Conversations paused briefly as he passed, then resumed once he moved on.

  Outside, the courtyard buzzed with activity.

  Demon Riders were already mounted or preparing to ride. Armor checked. Straps tightened. Efficient, silent movements that came from long practice.

  Dae stepped forward, scanning for his horse—

  And nearly walked straight into someone.

  He stopped just short.

  A woman stood before him, cloaked in dark travel robes. The hood shadowed most of her face, but he caught a glimpse of pale skin and calm, steady eyes.

  Behind her stood a knight in polished armor, posture rigid, one hand resting lightly near the hilt of his sword. Protective stance. Not aggressive — but ready.

  Dae stepped slightly to the side, intending to pass without interaction.

  As he did, the hood shifted subtly.

  For just a moment, he saw her ears.

  Pointed.

  Not dramatically — subtle enough that most people would miss them.

  But he didn't.

  Hidden carefully beneath the fabric.

  His gaze lingered for half a heartbeat before he forced himself forward.

  Elf?

  She turned her head slightly as he passed.

  Their eyes met briefly.

  No bow.

  No greeting.

  Just a quiet, measuring glance.

  Not disrespectful.

  Not submissive either.

  As if she were observing rather than acknowledging rank.

  Then the moment broke.

  Dae continued walking without slowing, refusing to turn back.

  Behind him he felt — more than saw — her watching him for a second longer before she turned away as well.

  He reached his horse and mounted smoothly, letting muscle memory guide him.

  Kael approached from the side.

  "Problem?" the general asked quietly.

  "No," Dae said. "Just traffic."

  Kael studied him for a moment, then nodded once.

  Orders were given.

  Formation reassembled.

  The massive gates of the inn courtyard opened, and the Demon Riders began to move again, hooves striking stone as they returned to the Capital's Road.

  As the inn faded behind them, Dae allowed himself one brief glance back.

  The cloaked woman stood near the entrance, the armored knight beside her. Even at a distance, her posture remained calm, composed — like someone who belonged exactly where she stood.