Liria was still basking in the afterglow of her evolution, feeling the surge of power humming through her veins, when the door to her room slamd open. Standing there, cheeks flushed and eyes blazing with fury, was Enara. She didn't say a word, just stord inside, slamd the door shut, and leveled a scowl that could lt stone directly at Liria.
"This is your fault!" Enara snapped, her voice a low, venomous hiss.
Liria cocked an eyebrow, leaning back against the wall with a half-smirk. "Oh? And what exactly is my fault this ti, Princess Problem?"
Enara's glare could have pierced steel. "Because of you, my mothers just spent half an hour lecturing about 'reckless behavior' and 'improper conduct.' I wouldn't have been out there fighting that monster if you hadn't dragged into it!"
"Dragged you into it?" Liria snorted, folding her arms across her chest. "Last I checked, nobody forced you to play royal hero. You charged in with all that 'demon princess pride' nonsense on your own. You were all but begging for a fight!"
Enara's face flushed deeper as her fists clenched at her sides. "You're insufferable! I can't wait to never see your smug face again."
"Oh, good news then!" Liria fired back, giving Enara a smug grin. "Soon enough, you'll be back in your fancy demon palace with your demon queens, and I'll be… well, anywhere but there. Sounds like a dream co true, doesn't it?"
"More than you could imagine," Enara bit out through clenched teeth, her voice dripping with disdain.
For a second, Liria almost thought Enara might conjure up a fireball and hurl it at her. But instead, the princess just narrowed her eyes and folded her arms, nostrils flaring as she glared.
[You know, they say true friendship often begins with an exchange of insults,] the System chid in, and Liria barely kept from laughing aloud.
"Not a chance," she thought back, her ntal voice soaked in sarcasm. "She'd probably stab in my sleep if she could."
[Acknowledged. Proceed with caution.]
Before either of them could continue their verbal war, Daena's voice echoed from the hallway. "Liria, Enara! Co down here, now!"
Both girls stilled, the mutual frustration now replaced with a shared glimr of suspicion. They hadn't heard Daena use that tone before authoritative, no-nonsense, and urgent.
"What now?" Liria muttered under her breath, pushing past Enara, who shot her a look of pure disdain as they walked out of the room.
They made their way into the main hall, where Daena stood with arms crossed, looking both serious and resigned. Enara's mothers, Verida and Nyssara, were seated nearby, their faces an unreadable mix of regal calm and sothing akin to suppressed irritation. Liria's heart sank; whatever this was, it didn't look good.
"Sit down, both of you," Daena said, her tone leaving no room for argunt.
Exchanging wary glances, Liria and Enara obeyed, each casting uncertain glances at the demon queens. Verida's golden eyes rested on Enara with a look that suggested she wasn't about to entertain any more antics, while Nyssara's lavender gaze was trained directly on Liria, studying her with an unnerving intensity.
"After… so discussion," Daena began, carefully weighing her words, "we've reached a decision that affects both of you. And it's not up for debate."
Liria stiffened. She definitely didn't like the sound of this.
"Given recent events," Verida continued, her voice like dark velvet, "it's clear that both of you have… unique challenges when it cos to exercising responsibility."
Liria opened her mouth, ready to argue, but Daena's raised hand silenced her imdiately.
"After much deliberation, I've decided to return to the Demon Realm with Verida and Nyssara," Daena stated, "and I've agreed to let you co with , Liria."
The words hit Liria like a slap, leaving her mind montarily blank. "Wait—what? I'm going to the Demon Realm?"
Nyssara nodded, her gaze unwavering. "Yes. But understand this, Liria: it won't be a simple visit. To ensure acceptance among our people, we've decided on a role for you."
Liria glanced nervously at Enara, who was staring wide-eyed at her mothers. "What… role?" Liria asked, feeling her stomach tighten with unease.
Verida's lips curved into a slight, almost smug smile. "You will be appointed as Enara's personal bodyguard."
For a mont, Liria could only stare, feeling as if the ground had just disappeared from under her. "Bodyguard? For… her?" She gestured at Enara, who looked just as horrified as Liria felt.
"Her," Nyssara confird, amusent flickering in her eyes. "You'll train, live, and work beside Enara, protecting her at all tis. It's an honor, really."
"Mother, you can't be serious!" Enara protested, her face flushing a darker shade of red. "I don't need—"
"Enara, this arrangent is final," Verida interrupted, a hint of steel in her voice. "Perhaps having a bodyguard will teach you the value of caution."
Liria gaped, unable to fully process what was happening. A bodyguard for the demon princess? She thought of all the insults they'd traded, the glares and snarky retorts. This had to be so kind of cruel cosmic joke.
[Quite the developnt,] the System chid in. [I'd recomnd embracing the opportunity.]
"You've got to be joking," Liria thought, barely suppressing her exasperation.
[On the contrary. As a bodyguard, you'll gain access to extensive training resources and elite missions. This could accelerate your leveling and progression.]
Liria blinked, a tiny spark of interest flickering through her disbelief. "So… you're saying this could make stronger?"
[Precisely.]
Slowly, Liria's dismay began to shift, replaced by the thrill of a new challenge. If this was the path to getting stronger, maybe it wasn't the worst thing in the world. She glanced over at Enara, who looked like she was trying to burn a hole in the floor with her glare. Deciding to embrace the chaos, Liria let a smirk spread across her face.
"Well, Princess, looks like you're stuck with . Try not to get too comfortable," she said, throwing Enara a challenging grin.
Enara's eyes narrowed to slits, and she lifted her chin, defiance radiating from every inch of her. "Just don't expect to make your job easy."
"Oh, believe ," Liria laughed, excitent buzzing under her skin, "I wouldn't dream of it."
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