Elena pursed her lips, released her boots, and dangled her feet on the warm waters below. "Are you thinking about your girlfriend?"
"You can tell?"
Elena chuckled. "I have been in love too, you know."
That got Ren interested. Who could possibly win the Princess's warrior heart? He must have been one hell of a man or NPC.
"With who, if I may be bold as to ask?"
Elena hesitated. She flicked her attention at the stars, and when she spoke again, there was a hint of sadness in her voice. "Prince Zeroth."
". . ." At first, Ren didn't know the name. It was like his brain was processing the name 'Prince Zeroth' because he refused to believe that it was the same Prince Zeroth he was thinking. It must be someone else.
But when he looked at the Princess's eyes, there was only truth in them, and Ren's mouth fell.
"Prince Zeroth of the dark elves?"
"You don't have to be so surprised." The Princess laughed a little. "When we were younger, I had saved him once. It was . . . love at first sight."
". . ." Ren waited for the Princess to continue, but when she didn't, his brows furrowed.
"That's it?"
Elena avoided his scrutinizing gaze and looked beyond the waters but never really seeing anything. "There really isn't much of a story. Princes Zeroth thought that it was Elaine who rescued him since you know . . . we do resemble a lot."
"And you never corrected it?"
Elena shook her head. "No. I thought that it was just a fleeting love. I love Elaine more, you see . . . and she seemed to like Prince Zeroth too. She often talked about him to me, thinking that I didn't know. I know . . . oh, I know . . .
"I was there . . . behind them, hiding while they were playing and got to know each other. Day by day . . . I thought that I would get used to it, but when I got to know Zeroth more through Elaine's stories and through my observation . . . I got to love him.
"Maybe that's also the reason why jealousy got the best of me in the past, and I pushed my sister away."
". . ."
There was desolation in the Princess's voice when she spoke and sadness on her face when she recalled her past.
Ren didn't know what to say next. He regretted that he even asked. The hell would he know about this, if he did, he wouldn't have ask in the first place.
"Anyway." Elena cleared her throat and put up a smile. "It was a long time ago."
"If you have told your sister about it . . ."
"I'm sure Elaine would set things right and even push Zeroth to me," finished Elena. "That's the kind of Elf my sister is. She's kind to the bones and would surely do anything in her power to correct things."
"Then . . . Why didn't you?"
Elena laughed that seemed like a sob. "I didn't want her pity, and I didn't want to be that bad guy who got in the way of their love. It was obvious . . . Zeroth loves her now. They love each other. Even if I told him, I'm afraid it's too late."
". . ."
There was a silence that lingered between them, bittersweet and sad.
"I think that kind of man who couldn't even recognize the difference between you two isn't worth it."
[Your Relationship Level with the Princess has increased!]
Elena flashed Ren a small smile. Her whole face brightened a little. "If you put it that way, then I guess I'm a little relieved that we didn't end up. I don't want to be confused with someone else when we're together," she quipped.
"There is a lot of bigger fish out there, Princess," Ren said seriously, eyes on the sea. "No need to dwell on one man. But if you wanted, I can help you claim him."
With a good quest, Ren could do it. He was a player, and he could dictate the outcome of a quest if he wanted to. Maybe he would do the quest [Rescue the Dark Elf Prince Zeroth] after all with the Princess's help? Then he might be able to do it.
Elena found herself oddly touched, but she shook her head. "No. It's fine. My sister Elaine will be heartbroken. I can't bear to see her suffer and be happy with the man he loves. In fact, I think I wouldn't be happy if that happens."
"But what about you?"
"It's fine." She took a breath and stretched her hands. "It's enough that I'm the only one suffering than the three of us."
She then gave Ren a toothy grin. "Besides, as you said, there are plenty of fishes in the sea."
The way she said that while looking at him, Ren shuddered. Why did he feel like that the Princess had other meanings to her words?
Ren shifted on the rafter and changed the topic. "You go and sleep if you're tired. I'll just wait here."
To that, Elena tip back and laughed. "You just didn't want to share the bed under one roof."
Was he that obvious? Ren thought. "We're not going to share one bed. And I'm not really sleepy," he denied, keeping his voice calm.
Elena opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Ren was forced to log out of the game.
It felt like forever since Ren had last seen the real world. He opened his pod and took a breather on his bed. His body was heating once again.
It was always been happening ever since he got out of the hospital. Every time that he was out of the pod, his body seemingly undergoing a transformation. His muscles rippled and bulged, growing stronger and more defined with each passing moment. His bones, once rigid and inflexible, now appeared to be supple and pliant, as if they were becoming more adaptable to the demands of what was about to come.
As Ren lay there, his eyes closed in concentration, his breathing deep and steady, it was as if he was shedding his old skin and emerging anew, reborn as a stronger and more capable version of himself. He felt a sense of power coursing through his veins, a raw energy that he had never experienced before.
