Hey!

Strong (Boy): This fanfic could be a harem, single romance or no romance at all. It really depends on how we write it since we always wing it while writing.

Kind (Girl): I was hoping for only Jade but cousin won't listen to me. Anyway, enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Dragon Quest XI.

Chapter – 2

"No, no, no! Take the streamers to the right side not the left!"

"Mom, mom! There's music and dancing over there!"

"A celebratory day like this needs more beer and joy, right boys?!"

"Aye!"

"Can't believe I let that husband of my sneak off here of all days, *sigh*"

"Deary, you're not the only *sigh*"

"If the princess is anything like the Queen, she'll be a beauty I recon hahaha!"

"Did you hear? The Colloquy of the newborn princess has more than meets the eye. I heard a friend of mine said a special announcement besides the princess's birth."

Like a festival, the Kingdom of Dundrasil was buzzing with celebration as the people and their visitors could only think about the newborn princess and the rumor special announcement their King and Queen were going to announce.

The Kingdom of Dundrasil indeed was a buzzing kingdom especially on a day like today as it was one of the four great kingdoms of Erdria especially with competent, honest and virtue generation of rulers. Due to such reason, the people were eager to get a glimpse of their new princess.

*thud*

A bowl of hot soup and a cup of water was placed on a table within the popular tavern of Dundrasil.

"It's on the house laddie. So chin up, on a great day like this a frown isn't suited for anyone."

A few customers watch from their table since it was the first time they ever saw the owner place orders himself to a customer.

"Thank you." The customer, the tavern owner was seeing to was a young man with blue eyes and dirty blond (almost brown) chin-length hair wearing a long, sleeveless brown and purple leather tunic over a long sleeve black shirt.

Some of the young ladies behind him were giggling amongst themselves as they whisper with blushes while staring at the young man. Despite his above-average good looks, it was the hero, the luminary, Eleven… the one who fought and brought down Mordagon.

And right now, he wasn't a 100 % thrill to be here. It wasn't the fact that he was in the past, no it was something else and he wasn't prepared for it.

"This is what that Dragon was talking about…"

What the young hero was talking about the fact that time traveling back this far into the past where he was just a toddler changed something very sensitive. The dragon (Yggradon) told him as he travels the passage of time.

The thing that bothered him was something very crucial for the Kingdom of Drundrasil to so hype up and many were speaking about it too.

"Wonder whom the princess will take after? The strong and dependable King or the ever so kind and calm Queen."

"Good question but all in due time, if she anything like either then that's a good thing to me."

Yes, the consequences of traveling this far in the past with his current body and soul resulted in his existence being replaced by another.

His presence in the past subjected his existence as the prince and son of the monarchs of Dundrasil to be altered. The two people he always wanted to talk to, to spend time with and share stories, they were now strangers to him.

"No matter..." Eleven shook his head and brush off his longings.

"Father… Mother… this time." Yes, it bothers his heart but it wasn't as important when he has the chance to change history and saved lives that could be saved.

Finishing the free meal he received from the kind owner of the Tavern, Eleven got up while gripping on a royal ornament his mother left him before her demise.

"This time, Dundrasil will not fall."

The luminary reminded himself again why he was here and what he needed to do. Calming his confused beating heart was made slightly easier as he set his mind straight.

~Will to stay true to the end – Achieved!~

~System Guidance – Activated!~

Before his face, our hero stares as words came out of existence. He kept staring at the words and only later would he realize only he could see them and how helping the words were going to be in his journey.

"Wow…"

A little girl with long black hair wearing what most girls in the regal family did felt right to come to sightsee the town during this festival, though it was still far from her position seeing that she was looking from the high balcony of the palace courtyard.

"hm…" Though coming alone might've trouble her father and the others but her excuse was the fact that she did technically told the Queen, Lady Eleanor.

But first, she needs to sneak passed the town guards lest they'll escort me back. "Honestly, can they not be on duty near the town's entrance especially on a festival like today. *huff*"

"I know!" Remembering the Queen lending her a traveler's hood if she'd ever wanted to venture something outside the palace.

"…"

"….."

Easily enough, she passed through the thick-headed town guards. She really wanted to see the town celebrating her new 'little sister's' celebratory day.

She was alone but only because she felt like going alone. She wants to avoid the mistake of taking her bodyguards since they were just overbearing to her and the last time she went out with them, she couldn't enjoy her time outside the palace.

Finally arriving inside the town, the little girl pulls down the traveler's hood and stood to stare around as she mesmerized by how many people were smiling, laughing, celebrating unlike any noble would do and she really likes how happy they were.

*!* The girl quickly slaps both cheeks with her palms.

"Focus Jade, you're not here to loiter!"

The girl reminds herself that she had a goal in mind and it was the main reason she was even outside Dundrasil castle alone.

No matter what, I must not be distracted. I came here for one thing and one thing only. Mm!

Despite the thought that was claiming her mind had made, the girl was not strong enough to resist the festival's many enjoyments.

"Here you go little lassie, one candy apple."

"Thank you!"

Some time has passed since I had a bite, so this should be okay.

"Since you're such a pretty young lady, I'll give these stickers for free."

"Really madam? Wow, their so cute."

I was only staring and the madam who was minding the stall gave me for free. I couldn't refuse such an offer, could I?

"A kitty face paint was it Miss? Wanna choose a color?"

"Pink please!"

I'm not distracted. No, I'm only… just… trying this peculiar face paint. Yes! That's right. In no way am I distracted.

Despite the continuous claims inside her head, the young girl just couldn't help herself from turning away her childish cries to seek anything remotely interesting.

"Hey, little girl."

"huh?" The young girl who was in denial at the moment heard someone calling her as she turned from side to side.

"Over here…"

Finally, she spots a lanky man dress like most of the people around were standing near an alley between two buildings. The man was currently gesturing his hand to come near him.

"Yes, can I help you?" She asked while carrying a small sack containing things she bought as if she was having the time of her life.

"Wanna see something amazing?" The lanky man while coolly leaning on the side of the building gestures his finger behind.

Any normal kid would've been fooled by the way the man gesture and talked since it was a festival where a lot of excitement was going on. And with the number of guards around town, most would've felt safe and think that there wasn't anything to worry about.

"*sigh*"

"What's wrong?"

"Honestly…" She sighs and placed her palm on her cheek while closing her eyes for a few second, "How dumb do you think I am?"

"I-I don't know what you are talking about."

"Please, let this farce end."

"I-I r-really don-!"

"Your eyes are dilating, you're honestly desperate for some reason by how jittery you are," The girl cuts into his words and points various suspicious her eyes had spotted. "And upon seeing the red stain on your right leg anyone even a child would've realized to turn away and ignore you, which is exactly what I am doing."

Her words felt like daggers as the man clenched his teeth in anger after being told off by a kid.

She only gave him an earful after being disgusted at someone like such was actually walking amongst the people of the kingdom her mother figure was trying to maintain.

Her father was a very strict man and that made her aware of things especially since she was the only heir to his throne.

"Why you-!"

*slap!*

As the man reaches out his hand, the girl quickly turned and reacted by slapping away the approaching hand.

"I gave you a chance to leave freely but yo-!"

"Hehe! Just go to sleep, Snooze!"

She could not finish her sentence as the moment her eyes met his, her body felt sluggish and her eyes blur giving her an unbearable weight a young girl like her couldn't endure.

The man had used a technique he learned from a crazy bunch he once hangs out with and felt glad he learned it.

"…" The man caught her before any suspicious eyes could see them and thanked fate as they were near a tree that hid his action from the buzzing people around.

Seeing that the coast was clear, the man began rummaging on the girl's belonging and finds quite the amount aside for the small sack which wasn't particularly valuable looking to him.

"At first I was only gonna rob you but after what you said…" The man eyes glint in rage as he began to thought the idea of selling her to people who would take slaves.

*tap*

*tap*

"Huh?"

*!*

*thud!*

The man might've successfully kidnapped the little girl but he did not account for someone to spot him despite his careful approach to the kidnapping. Said person had eyes like a hawk and quietly approached the lanky man inside the alley and knock him out cold before untying the little girl that was about take away.

….

Lady Eleanor! Is she here yet!?

Not yet Jade, she still here.

You mean she's still in you?

Hehe… You've been asking the same question every time you come over. Might I ask why?

Muu…. Lady Eleanor, I already told you. I want to be the first person to see her since I am going to be the older sister. *huff*

I know, I just like seeing you eager to see my little one.

And you know what; I promise to myself that I'll be to sneaking out to get her a present alone like a big sister would do.

Oh my, really?

Yes, but shsshh! Please keep this a secret. Father or anyone mustn't know about this.

Hehe… Don't worry; it'll be a secret between us.

Pinky swear?

Pinky swear.

"I promised!" Jade squeaks and woke up suddenly with a cold sweat falling off her forehead.

"…" She breathes out in panic as she turns left and then to the right where she finds a person tying up the lanky man creep that tried to kidnap her.

"…" Right now, she could understand what was what and thus her hand reach out to a broken hard stick.

She knew how there were still bad people amongst the masses even at a day like this; she wasn't ignorant of that fact.

But she remembered how the lanky man had done to her and she was scared the person that was tying up the lanky man might do the same to her.

"…"

"….." Quietly she moves closer to the person who was about to finish tying up the lanky man of a creep.

"…" Jade then raises the broken stick high to hit the person before she makes her escape.

*!*

"!?"

But unfortunately, before her swing hits the person, said person grabs it and turns to her face to face.

"…" Jade was literally scared since the dark alley hides the man's eyes and she could only see below his nose. She was just a little girl that knew the danger but hasn't much idea how to deal when it happens.

"Calm down, I'm not here to hurt you." The person pulls down his hood showing he wasn't a bad guy and this made the little girl's tense demure flew away.

*!* She drops the stick and fell to her knees feeling relief.

"Wait… something's not right." For some reason, she immediately trusts his words without a second thought and didn't doubt him for a second.

She wondered why she was so calm right now when she should still be alert.

"I called the town guards to come here, so you should head back to your family."

The person stood up and a little light showed more of his facial feature.

This person… why does he look so similar to Lady Eleanor?

The idea suddenly pops inside her head as she stares at the person face more.

"Wait, the town guards?"

"Yes, before coming here. I informed one of th-!?"

"Now is not the time to talk!"

Jade grabs the person's hand and picks up her small sack along the way before heading out of the alley and into the crowd before the town guards arrived.

She could not be caught before she even bought the present she came to buy in the first place.

…

Imagine how it would feel when the person that expresses strength and maturity to you was suddenly shrunken with a hint of helplessness like any ordinary child would be in, and because of such emotion, our hero had spotted the girl that promise to him that she will protect him like a very strong and gentle big sister figure to be put in a helpless situation. Like the kind of guy, he was our hero quickly acted and saved the day.

Unfortunately, our hero was quickly dragged away by the little Jade upon him mentioning the town guards coming to check on the creep that almost kidnapped her. He really wanted to avoid wasting more time since he needed to find the right place to be at the right time when the monster would come.

"*huff* *huff* I don't think they'll spot us now."

"…" Eleven, the Luminary of light was surprised when the little Jade just up and took his hand ergo dragging him to the busy market part of the festival where merchants and alike were selling their wares.

"hm? Why are you looking at me like that?" Jade asked when our hero was looking at her a second too long.

Eleven indeed was looking at her since the Jade before him was so much shorter and younger than the Jade he knew.

"O-Oh, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to drag you when I ran off earlier." She realized her blunder and her cheeks flustered in embarrassment for dragging a stranger for her faults.

"…" Eleven shook his head and didn't say much about it since it wasn't a bothered to him.

"Oh, I see..." Little Jade was a little relief but on the side surprise since the person before had to save her and put up with her suspicion as well the blunder act she did.

"…" After finding her fine and safe, Eleven decided to get on his business and turned to walk away to start his reason for traveling to the past.

"Wait!"

Unfortunately for our hero, the little Jade still had something to say and this was going to take a while before things could be resolve.

"Yes?"

"I still haven't shown my thanks for saving my life."

Yes, the girl was the kind that did not like debts which she was influenced by the virtues knights like the king of Dundrasil and his father's knights.

"…"

"….."

"…."

At first, Jade decided to reward Eleven with the gold coins she had on but that idea crumbles as she could not found the small purse that contains such coins inside her pocket.

*sniff* *sniff*

*drip* *drip*

"No, no, no…" Yes, she lost the money she had on, at most she would've been embarrassed and would try to compromise and that wouldn't be enough to draw tears from her eyes. It was something else she lost, something irreplaceable.

"What's wrong?" Eleven eyes widen a bit at the girl's tear-filled face and knelt down to asked why she was about to cry a river.

"It's… It's just… *drip*" The lost really got her as she finds it hard to say her reason. "It's just that, not only did I lost my money, I also lost something else… something really important *sniff* and I don't know what to do."

"…" He wondered if it was the items inside the lanky man's pouch from earlier.

"And if I don't get it back…" The girl paused and started trying to rub off her tears that just won't stop falling, "*sniff* I don't want Lady Eleanor to hate me!"

"…"

The people around saw the scene but mostly look over it since it wasn't uncommon to see a child crying. It was also okay as long as the child was near a family member which they assume our hero to be.

"Why don't we head back and look for it?" Our hero suggested.

"No! I can't *sniff* I won't be able to do what I came here for!" Despite the excuse, she was most afraid of going back without whatever she had lost when the lanky man almost kidnapped her. If the town guards find her, they'll recognize her and send her back immediately without question and she was afraid of that.

"…" Eleven nods and understand or at least trust her word for it since she was one of his most important people he ever knew.

*pat*

"huh?"

"Stay here. I'll get it for you."

"huh? *sniff*"

Before she could even reply properly or tell him what she had lost our hero left the girl and headed to the alley where his encounter with the younger Jade and the man that tried to kidnapped her.

….

~System Guidance~

Quest Activate – Help the little girl retrieve back an important item.

Upon ensuring to the little Jade, our hero shortly arrives where he last saw the girl's belonging being put away inside the creep's pouch.

"The guards must have already taken him. Did they take the pouch too?"

Eleven clearly remembered the pouch dropped inside a small crack on the ground when he knocked out the creepy lanky man. This reason was enough for him to come here again and not directly to the town guards since it was clearly hidden out of view.

"…" He sighs since it was going to be difficult if the town guards took the pouch.

~System Guidance~

Tracking ability Lvl -1 (Activate)

Our hero was ever so finding words coming out of nowhere before his face but had already come to accept it since traveling back in time like he did was more surprising than this.

"Hold on…" Upon seeing the words of the System guidance, our hero spotted things he would never think from the marks left inside the alleyway.

He faced the sides of the two buildings and finds footprints as if someone jumped to each side, zigzagging upward to the roof.

"Someone came here after we left. I wonder…"

Eleven didn't ponder long and jumps to each side before arriving on the top of the building.

"…" Reaching an elevated height wasn't much impressive but today of all days brought a view of a busy celebrated festival where the kingdom was awaiting their ruler's newborn child.

Eleven gazes at the festival and not long did he spot something or someone upon another rooftop like he was.

~System Guidance~

~Item bag (Activate)~

~An invisible spatial pocket dimension where the titleholder of System Guidance can retrieve or store his items.~

"How does it even work?"

"!?" Our hero wondered as he reaches out his hand only to find it sinking into thin air and he felt something from the other end.

~Nebula Sword~

~An unbelievable sword that can most certainly dull the defenses of most beings.~

"No, I'm not here to slay… at least not yet." Eleven thought the idea of using the powerful sword on a common thief was overboard and puts it back into the invisible space.

~Dragon whip~

~Made from the extremely rare and harden scales of a great dragon~

"I see… that's how it works." He finally figured it out on his second try. The trick was that he only needed to the thought about the item he had while his journey to be taken out from the invisible space.

He was able to take out the Dragon whip since he forged it for Sylvando uses until it was replaced by a better sword where smiling knight strength lies.

"Let's go."

He was the hero who saved the world and even though none knew him in this period. The strength he has was still immense for any normal human being to have.

Eleven dashes and hops between buildings before quietly sneaking behind the person he saw hiding behind some large banner on top of another building.

….

*!*

*!*

"What the!?"

He was just a local thief with a dimwitted partner. Yes, he might've adequate skills and enough to strength to fool the number of town guards within a single town.

*!*

"Who are you!?" But never did he imagine finding someone strong and yet so agile to sneak on him as he was flung into a wall when a sudden whip attack came from behind.

"That pouch."

The person was just a young man and fairly way younger than he was but despite such an age gap, the man was still weaker if anyone were to determine their overall strengths.

"huh?" The much-alerted thief glanced at the small pouch his partner had stolen and which he had to retrieve since the creep had gotten himself captured.

"You want it?" The thief guessed the strong young man stuff must be inside as he held up toward our hero.

The thief clearly knew he was out of his league but he has the experience and it always seems to get him out of difficult predicaments like now.

"Then go get it!" The thief instead of just giving it back threw it far mid-air and above the crowd of people before making a dash for escape with his nimble legs.

"!" Eleven quickly flings the tip of the whip carefully as quickly wraps itself on the end of the pouch and focus his attention away from the running thief.

"…" Our hero felt relief since he was able to reach out to it in time and glad that he learned some trick of using the whip good uses from his friends.

"huh?"

*boom!*

But the moment he opens to see what was inside that made even the little Jade desperate, something else was in it and it blew him off with a silent but powerful bang.

"…" He was able to maintain his stance and fell down only on one knee but his face was currently covered with some white power like substance and it was giving him a burning sensation.

~Item bag (Activate)~

Our hero quickly reached out his arm and pulls out a luscious-looking green leaf (super medicine) as well as an antidote and quickly crushed them together on his palm before slapping it on to his face.

"*huff* *huff*" Whatever was it made Eleven extremely tense as if his life was about to end in seconds but his quick reflexes, fortunately, saved him.

"!?" His senses were very hype right now as he quickly dove and dodge a slash that was aimed for his neck while he was still recovering from the white poisonous substance.

"Can't believe you actually survived a poison strong enough to kill a dragon."

The thief was clearly impressed but cursed at himself for missing this chance to swiftly kill the young man even after the poison did.

~Status~

Mild poison

Mild cursed

"…" Eleven finds it hard to stand as if his whole body was numb for some reason. He could only stare at the man on his knelt down position, wondering if the antidote didn't work properly.

His situation was dire as he was somewhat temporarily numb on the corner of the rooftop where there was hardly enough to evade the next strike from the thief.

"But at least some of the side effects are working and this next strike will be your end!"

The thief dashes with a dagger in hand (Cobra strike) that started to glowed a little purple on its tip while being aim at Eleven.

*CRASH!*

Fortunately, our hero's great will was enough for him to move and avoid the strike but in doing so both crashed down to the ground below which was a three-story drop.

"…."

A crowd gathered around the sudden fall and to his luck, our hero was able to land on a cart filled with hay, unlike the thief who managed to fall on some wooden crates where he would only come out with a few broken bones.

"What is the ruckus about!? Clear the way!" A town guard came when he saw a small crowd gathering in one part of the town.

"Here… he's a thief."

Before he could reply, the town guard was handed a sack as well as the Dragon whip that was tying up a groaning thief on broken crates.

"Aren't you…" The town guard remembers the young man as it was the same young man who informed him about a kidnapper where he indeed found a wanted man in the alley.

"Sir, should we?"

"No, he's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, he's just a law-abiding young man."

The town guard than ordered his juniors to take the tied up thief and luckily for them it was a man they had been chasing after for a while. The sack he was handed also contained a lot of things that were stolen and this made him wondered about the young man who just saved them the trouble.

Unfortunately, they lack enough manpower to even question the case right now since it was a very important day especially after the arrival of the royalty from three different kingdoms.

….

~Quest – Complete~

~Reward – Pep pip x 4~

"Here, it's the pouch you lost right?"

"You're hurt."

"Don't worry about it. Here, you better take it before someone else tries to steal it."

"Don't ignore me, your hurt."

"Here."

*grip*

Eleven finally got the pouch stolen from the little Jade and came back to see Jade sitting on the corner of a stall looking all gloom. Upon seeing his returned with the pouch Jade indeed express happiness but that soon died down upon seeing the pain expression he was trying to hide.

And right now, she gripped the edge of his tunic and prevented him from walking away. He might've handed her back the things stolen from her but she was not satisfied with his confusion.

"Hey, where are you taking me?"

Eleven was confused as he was sure she would've gone to her own business when he retrieved her stolen pouch.

But to his surprised, the little Jade was dragging him from the hem of his sleeves and this confused him. They should only be strangers and yet she was acting in a way no girl should be doing to strangers.

"Oh, how can I help you two?"

The little girl had dragged him to the local church where the bustling of the festival didn't reach. There a Sister was tending to some flowers before turning her attention to our hero and Jade.

"Can you heal him?"

"…" The nun turns to see the pale and pain expression on Eleven and understands, "Certainly, come inside."

Upon entering the church, the nun told the priest the situation and quickly came before our hero to perform a purification and cleanse him of the poison within him. "I understand, I will perform the purification right away."

Eleven was now shirtless where the priest started using the gift of Yggrasil to cleanse what was contamination his body.

"You didn't really have to do this, you know?"

"You saved me, retrieve something precious but end up badly hurt…" The little Jade eyes clearly show guilt as she could not properly face him, "I should be the one asking why go so far for a stranger like me?"

She was at first grateful but thinking back and remembering her status, she wondered if he was after something by helping her and yet accusing him of such felt so wrong. Right now, she was confused by a stranger who was a couple years older than her.

"I'm not sure… hehe…" Eleven closes his eyes and lied. He pictures Jade, the one he remembered as a person important just like the others and even though he was in the past, he would still do everything he can if they needed help.

"You're… not sure?" His words confuse her even more as she tilts her head and looks at him.

"…" For a short, while both stare at each other and not the kind where it's romantic but more of the reason where one or the other tries to understand more by staring face to face.

"You're weird, ufufufu…!" Jade couldn't help herself as she covers her mouth while giggling at how strange our hero was.

"…" Eleven on smiled a little on seeing such a happy expression on the little girl and felt it right not to tell her that he actually knew her, in an unbelievable way.

….

"I hope she likes it. What do you think?"

Without wasting any time both exited the church and went back to the market where Jade started searching for a present until something caught her.

"I'm not sure. I don't know her like you do."

"True." Jade then quickly stands in front of him with a smile, "But I trust you now. So, what you said would count for something."

"…" He was a bit surprised at how easily she trusts him but he shook his head since the person before him a younger Jade who hadn't seen how terrible the world can be.

"Still… you should pick one yourself."

"I know~!"

The girl already picked and with a giddy smile moves onward while Eleven follows.

Our hero also watches around the area and he did so from the beginning to find out when and how did the monster was going to appear since it would be unusual to see the monster just appear without a signal or sign especially a full-scale attack on a kingdom like Dundrasil.

"Anyway, I need to head back and for helping me… I want to give you a reward."

The girl pulls out the pouch that was stolen from her earlier and pulls out something but her expression change right away as her eyes fell on the thing she pulled out.

"It's broken…" It was a beautiful ornament or at least should've been one as it was broken.

She at first thought she had lost it earlier and that made her cry but now that she found that it was broken, she just fell into silence.

"…" Eleven clearly saw it and quickly knew what it was. It was a princess pledge but it was falling apart and in a bad condition.

"It must've been at that time…" He remembered that the pouch fell with Thief earlier and must have been damage from it.

"Hey…"

"No." The girl shook her head when our hero tried to say something to her, "I've bothered you enough, if… this *drip*"

The girl shook her head again and dries her tears, "It'll be okay, and besides I haven't given you your reward."

She was clearly hiding her anguish and pain for the broken Princess pledge.

"Please, you can take i-!?"

*grab* Eleven cuts into her word and place a similar ornament on her palm and from her perspective it was exactly identical to the one that was broken.

The princess pledge ornament he owns, it was really important to him but right now; he could part with it since he was going to save them all after all.

"H-How…" But the question was how a commoner like him owned such an important item. The girl kept wondering since only royalties own such things and understand how important they are especially between a queen and her daughter.

Yes, the princess pledge was an ornament only those of a princess of a kingdom owns. None, except the royalties, would understand its importance since most would just assume it as a pretty item.

"Princess Jade!" A young man with a tall stature while wearing a squire's outfit rush towards them.

"Please, don't lose this one."

"Wait, where did you get this?!"

"And for my troubles, I'll take this one." Ignoring the question, Eleven quickly picks out the dry candy on a stick the girl had bought earlier as his reward and left quickly since another person he knew from his timeline was coming.

"…" Before Jade could chase him for an answer, the knight in training name Hendrik came and escort her back to Dundrasil's castle immediately.

Dundrasil's Castle –Royal chamber

"Lady Eleanor…"

"Jade?"

The sun was almost at its highest as the festival goes on and many were still busy celebrating. Though a little princess from another kingdom was finally escorted back into Dundrasil's Castle and after an earful from her father, the princess went off to find the person she really admired and come to see as her mother figure.

"Come here, I want to hear all about your little adventure."

"…."

"Well?"

"Lady Eleanor, I-I have something to tell you." Jade upon taking a seat near the Queen of Dundrasil hesitantly pulls out a broken ornament 'the princess pledge'.

"Oh, Jade…" Just as the little princess thought, the Queen was shocked by seeing the item that belonged to her shattered.

"What happens?" Gently taking the broken item on her palms, the Queen asked the girl.

"You see…" Jade then explains how after sneak off into town started with her almost being kidnapped, her pouch where she kept the ornament stolen, and talks about a young man who saved her in a very detailed explanation.

"I-I'm really sorry, I should've never taken the princess pledge b-but I did…" Jade was scared to look at her face as she imagines a very furious expression, "Please… Please… don't hate m-!?"

*hug* Jade stopped and pulled into a warm embrace.

"Silly child, why would I be angry about such a little thing?"

"But… But… you said your mother gave it to you *sniff*" Jade really cried as she fell more into the warm embrace.

"Yes, that's true but…" Breaking the hug, the Queen then uses her handkerchief to dry the girl's tears, "I'm honestly more relief you came back safe and sound… seems to me like you had a rough day."

"But… But the princess pledge."

"It's okay; it's only an ornament now. I know my mother lives within my heart and that's enough for me to remember her always."

"R-Really?" The little princess was started to feel the relief of now being hated by the Queen she came to see as an irreplaceable person.

"Yes, it's only a traditional thing. I'm making one right now for my newborn daughter, wanna help?"

The woman was ever so kind and consider even despite the important ornament her mother made for her. She had a big heart and that was what Jade loved the most.

"Mm!" Wiping off her tears, the little princess quickly moves closer to help with great attention.

"Father once told me, the princess pledge was a sort of guardian who will watch you over when you are in need. I-I'm really sorry…"

"True, but stop apologizing. Besides, I won't need it anymore because I've got so many people who care for me. Like you, right?"

"Oh… hehe…" Jade cheeks redden and smile happily after being mention so happily by the beautiful Queen.

"Speaking of guardian, I am wondering about this young man of a stranger that suddenly became your hero today. What was his name? You skipped on that detail."

"His name…" Jade quickly remember never asking or even telling her own but that was because of the fact that she was had to hide her identity lest someone might recognize her and escort her back before she could finish her goal.

"Don't tell me... You didn't even ask the name of the heroic gentleman who took your first unofficial kiss?"

The Queen made a fake shock expression and gently covers her mouth at the girl.

"I was having so much fun, the thought of asking his name slip… my…" The girl stops and her cheeks turned redder than earlier as she did not understand why something embarrassing was mentioned and look at the Queen.

"K-K-Kiss!? W-What are you talking about, Lady Eleanor?!"

"Oh, Sylphy~ you're big sister Jade has finally found a man, such a joyous day." The Queen smiles and happily told her baby daughter that was sound sleep on her arms.

Queen Eleanor from time to time teases the little princess and enjoys seeing her in panic sometimes.

"No! I don't remember any of that sort!" She was still a pure maiden in heart and thought of kissing the person who saved her was too much for her pure mind to handle.

"Really? Didn't you mention him taking a candy on a stick from your pouch?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Jade was trying her best to calm young innocent mind.

"The one you already took a taste with those very lips of yours? That's what we called indirect kiss Jade, don't you know? Hehe…"

Queen Eleanor got her and this was very much true.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. Hmph!" She remembered everything and what the Queen said all fall into place but will not submit to such trivial things.

While the two were having a time of their life, the day might not end like what most thought it would. Though, one person knows what was coming ahead in only a few more minutes or so as his reason for being in Dundrasil was to stop it.

And done!