Silence settled over the room as Adam stepped inside. A few won turned to look at him, their gazes ranging from surprise to mild curiosity.
Thankfully—or perhaps not—it wasn't exactly a changing room.
Seated before a large mirror was a strikingly beautiful young woman, likely in her late teens. Her auburn hair cascaded in soft waves, though it was still being styled, and her golden-amber eyes glead even under the soft light. A makeup artist worked ticulously, applying delicate touches to enhance her already captivating features.
This was none other than the Imperial Princess of Solaria, soon to be engaged. At the mont, however, she was far from ready to be seen by just anyone—her hair half-done, her face partially covered with a skincare mask.
Standing protectively beside her was another woman, slightly older, perhaps in her early twenties. Her beauty was no less striking, though entirely different. Her long, yellow-white hair was tied up in an elegant yet practical bun, and she had the sa golden-amber eyes. Unlike the princess, there was nothing soft or delicate about her. She wore a regal armor dress reaching her knees, and with her legs covered in high socks.
The mont she spotted the intruder, her arms crossed, and her gaze turned ice-cold. A dangerous glint flickered in her eyes as she fixed them on Adam.
"I hope you have a very good reason for being here," she said. "Otherwise, I'll cut you down where you stand."
There was no hesitation in her tone—no empty threat.
Adam swept his gaze across the room, taking in his surroundings.
Krainel wasn't anywhere in sight. Nothing seed particularly out of place. But why in the world was a high-level defensive spell guarding this room?
Setting the thought aside for now, he turned his attention back to the woman glaring at him.
"I'm a doctor," he said simply. "Sent to check on the bride."
The woman narrowed her eyes. "A doctor? No one ntioned anything about that."
"Now you do," Adam replied. "I'm just here to do my job."
The woman's suspicion didn't waver. "Then tell —how did you get in?"
"A guard let in," he answered without missing a beat. "As I said, I'm only here to ensure the princess is in good health."
His voice was calm, even, showing no hint of deceit.
"I've never heard of a doctor checking on a bride before a wedding. Have you, Lea?" The armored woman smirked, turning to the makeup artist for confirmation.
"Um… no, I haven't," Lea admitted, hesitating as she lowered the brushes in her hand. "At least, not until now…"
"Aunt Lyanna, don't be so rude to the doctor," Princess Alina Solaria sighed, casting a tired look at her suspicious aunt.
"I'm not being rude," Lyanna replied. "I just don't have a good feeling about him. Look at his clothes. His hair." Her amber eyes narrowed as she studied Adam's unique white hair.
"lanin," Adam suddenly spoke.
Lyanna blinked. "What?"
"lanin production—the process responsible for pigntation in skin, hair, and eyes—is influenced by genetics and environntal factors. In so cases, extre emotional or physical stress can trigger a condition called 'sudden canities', where pignt cells in the hair are prematurely destroyed. That's how my hair turned white." His explanation was clinical, precise, too precise even.
"Huh?" Lyanna stared at him blankly. She didn't understand a single word of what he had just said.
Alina giggled, covering her mouth. "Aunty, I think he really is a doctor."
Clearing her throat, Lyanna crossed once more her arms. "Fine. Do your health check if you must."
Adam nodded and approached Alina slowly. He gently took her wrist, closing his eyes as he felt her pulse.
Of course, he wasn't an ordinary doctor. His senses were enhanced far beyond human limits, allowing him to detect any illness or abnormality with a simple touch. But naturally, no one in the room would believe him if he said that.
To make his role more convincing, he pulled out a sleek, high-tech device resembling a stethoscope, connected to a small screen displaying fluctuating numbers. As he worked, both Lyanna and Lea leaned in with curious expressions, watching intently.
A slight wrinkle ford on Adam's nose as he glanced up at Lyanna. "While I understand the appeal of personal fragrance, excessive perfu use can have unintended health consequences."
"W–What?" Lyanna blurted out, clearly caught off guard.
"High concentrations of perfu can irritate the respiratory tract, leading to coughing, wheezing, and even difficulty breathing—especially in individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions," Adam explained. "So perfu ingredients, particularly phthalates, have been linked to potential hormonal disruptions, interfering with normal hormone function. Excessive use can also cause skin irritation, leading to rashes, eczema, and allergic reactions."
His words might as well have been in an ancient, forgotten language. The three won stared at him, utterly lost—Lyanna more than anyone.
"Wreck… Emma?" She repeated, latching onto the only thing that sounded familiar.
"Eczema…" Adam corrected, furrowing his brows.
Lea barely held back a laugh at Lyanna grimacing awkwardly.
Unlike her scholarly older brother—the Emperor of Solaria—Lyanna had never been one for books or academic discussions. Her talents lay elsewhere: on the battlefield, where swords spoke louder than words.
Adam, unfazed, turned his attention back to Alina while continuing to speak. "I'd recomnd using perfu in moderation. Hormonal balance is important, especially for won."
Lyanna groaned, rubbing her temple. "I don't understand a single thing you're saying…"
"Hormonal disruption," Adam clarified without missing a beat. "It can lead to infertility, irregular nstrual cycles, and an increased risk of certain cancers. While treatnts exist for cancer, infertility remains largely irreversible."
Lyanna scoffed. "I don't want children anyway."
"If you're infertile, you could always adopt," Adam said simply misunderstanding her words for a complain "Helping an orphan would be a aningful contribution to the world."
Lyanna's eye twitched. In a flash, she grabbed Adam by the scruff of his collar, yanking him backward as she shot him a glare.
"Do you have a death wish?" She growled, lips twitching in irritation.
"No," Adam replied. "If anything, I'd prefer to live as long as possible."
"You…What's your na?"
"Adam Crane."
"Where are you from?"
"Aurion," he answered.
"Aurion? From the Holy Continent?" Alina asked, eyes widening in surprise.
"Yes. Now hold still," Adam nodded, his voice taking on a more authoritative edge as he turned back to her.
"Y–Yes," Alina stuttered, suddenly obedient under his scrutinizing gaze.
Adam continued his examination, seemingly focused—but truthfully, he was just doing this to keep suspicions at bay.
As expected, though, he was taking his role far too seriously.
"Everything seems fine, except for so nutrient deficiencies," Adam said, fixing Alina with a stern stare.
"And that ans...?" Alina asked, shifting uncomfortably, as if she already knew the answer.
"It ans you're not eating properly. That can slow down your tabolism, drain your energy, and in the worst case, cause fainting spells. Shouldn't a royal princess be well-fed?" Adam's gaze drifted toward Lyanna—or rather, he was sizing her up. Unlike Alina, Lyanna seed exceptionally well-nourished. She was well-endowed in every parts.
"Where exactly are you looking?" Lyanna shot him a glare.
"Your body."
Her eyes twitched. "One ti, I swear I'm going to rip that tongue out."
"For what? I'm rely pointing out a rather striking contrast between two royal princesses. You seem... well-fed. Extrely well-fed, actually. Yet your niece isn't. Why is that?" He asked genuinely puzzled.
"How should I know?" Lyanna scoffed , crossing her arms over her chest and stomach, as if trying to hide it. "And I—I don't eat that much..." She grumbled under her breath.
"It's not her fault," Alina admitted, looking embarrassed. "I put myself on a diet."
"A diet? Why?"
"Alright, enough with the weird questions," Lyana interrupted, grabbing Adam by the back of his collar and yanking him away. "If you're finished, you can leave now."
Adam ignored her and gestured toward the adjoining changing room. "I'll be borrowing that room to change first."
It was a room reserved for the royal princesses, but Adam didn't seem to care in the slightest.
"You can," Alina said with a chuckle.
With a nod, Adam disappeared inside.
Lyanna let out an annoyed sigh. "Who invited that weird guy?"
Just then, Lea spoke up. "Lyanna... are you really infertile?"
Lyanna smiled in response but it didn't reach her eyes.
Lea flinched and averted her gaze.
A mont later, Adam stepped out of the room, now dressed in a classy white suit.
"Wow... isn't he, like, really handso?" Lea mumbled, clearly impressed as she took in his appearance.
There was no denying it—Adam was undeniably blessed with good looks.
"Hey, Lea," Alina called with a playful smile, "since you have to wait for my face mask to take effect, why not take a look at Adam? His hair is a ss."
"Oh yeah, I can!" Lea grinned, gesturing toward the chair next to Alina. "What do you say, Adam?"
"No thanks," Adam replied flatly, already feeling uncomfortable enough in these clothes. He subtly attempted to slip away.
But that brief flicker of discomfort—so rare in soone usually annoyingly composed—caught Lyanna's attention. Her sadistic side stirred.
Before he could escape, she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck once more.
"Sit down, ADAM."
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