The Cursed Princess

A thousand years ago, the highest mountain peak was shrouded in an eternal, pitch-black shroud. At its center lay a volatile “Magic Core” that relentlessly unleashed destructive energy upon the lands below. Every year, the Kingdom suffered immensely from this localized calamity. According to legend, the root of all this misery was a terrifying figure who had once destroyed countless villages when her power went berserk — the people called her “The Cursed Princess.”

A thousand years later, in the modern era. Deep within an isolated ruin, amidst the crumbling walls and fallen pillars, the princess who had slept for a millennium slowly opened her eyes.

“…Nnn, structural yawn…”

She blinked, looking around blankly. The unfamiliar yet somehow nostalgic, ancient world piqued her curiosity. Having slept for far too long, a heavy drowsiness still clung to her. She suppressed a small yawn and mindlessly stretched both arms straight up into the air.

However, the moment she raised her right hand, a highly complex, geometric magic circle instantly manifested in the air.

“BOOM — — !”

An ear-splitting explosion tore through the silence! A terrifying beam of raw magical energy blasted violently upward, completely vaporizing the ceiling of the ruins and leaving a massive gap through which sunlight poured. A rain of dust and debris cascaded all around her.

This sudden blast startled the princess, completely jolting her awake. She dusted the ash off her clothes, took a moment to observe the ruins, and began searching for an exit.

About ten minutes later, a faint shout echoed through the otherwise silent ruins.

Following the sound, the princess walked through a crumbling archway. In the far distance, she spotted a young man holding a torch, waving his hands frantically toward her.

The young man strained his voice and yelled, “Hey — — ! Are you okay — — ?!”

Because the distance was far too great, the princess knitted her brows and yelled back with equal force, “What — — ?! I can’t hear you — — !”

Standing a vast distance apart, the two of them just kept trading confused shouts back and forth, completely unable to communicate.

Losing her patience with this highly inefficient aerial shouting match, the princess frowned. With a swift flick of her right hand, a powerful gravity spell instantly locked onto the young man.

“Waaaaahhhhh — — !”

The young man’s body lifted off the ground, flying through the air at incredible speed until he was literally yanked right in front of her face.

He hit the ground hard, tumbling onto his backside as his torch flew from his hand and snuffed out. Trembling violently with fear, he pointed a shaking finger at her and stammered, “M-Magic… That’s impossible! You… you are the legendary Magic Princess!”

The princess tilted her head, pointing a finger at her own face in utter confusion. “Legendary? Who even are you?”

Swallowing hard to stop his shaking, the young man replied, “Actually… my family has protected these ruins for generations. But you were supposed to be sealed away… I never actually thought you’d wake up…”

“Then why was I sealed away in the first place?” the princess questioned.

The young man took a deep breath and shouted in panic, “Because according to the legends, your power is dangerous enough to easily wipe out the entire Kingdom!”

Hearing that she was a terrifying entity capable of destroying a nation, the princess merely raised an eyebrow. With complete nonchalance, she simply replied, “Hmm. Is that so?”

The young man stood frozen. He clearly hadn’t expected the legendary harbinger of destruction to react so peacefully. He silently climbed to his feet and brushed the dirt off his clothes. An awkward silence settled between them in the dim light.

Scratching his head, the young man said awkwardly, “Uh… well. To be honest, I never really thought about what to do if you actually woke up. Anyway, if you have nowhere else to go, do you want to come to my village for now? But first, I need to figure out a way out of here…”

Without answering, the princess took a few steps past him and snapped her fingers.

Instantly, the dark, ominous path ahead was flooded with a soft, brilliant magical light that stretched far into the distance. The young man stood utterly mouth-agape.

Turning her head, the princess asked, “What is a village?”

“A place where a bunch of people live together,” the young man answered honestly. “It’s also where I grew up.”

The princess nodded, though her eyes still held a trace of bewilderment. “Wouldn’t living alone be much more free and peaceful? You can do whatever you want without anyone bothering you.”

The young man smiled warmly. “Well, that’s true, but when times get tough, having neighbors means everyone can help each other out!”

The princess blinked. “What a strange place.”

A short while later, the two finally emerged from the gloomy depths of the ancient ruins.

The outside sunlight was a bit blinding, revealing a vibrant green valley stretching out before them. In the distance, thin wisps of smoke rose from a cluster of houses. That was his village.

“That’s my village over there,” the young man said. “By the way, what should I call you?”

“A name?”

“Yeah, a name! You must have one, right?” He scratched his head.

The princess pondered for a moment. “A name… Did my legend not even record what I was called?”

The young man racked his brain. “No, it didn’t.”

Looking around, his eyes fell upon a beautiful sunflower blooming by the path. He suggested, “How about ‘Aoi’?”

The princess didn’t look pleased at all; instead, she scowled in deep disapproval. “I absolutely refuse such a lazy naming method.”

“Fair point…” the young man said awkwardly. “I’m Ren. Nice to meet you, I guess.”

With that, he extended his right hand, offering a handshake as a polite greeting.

The princess stared at his hand as if a dozen question marks had just popped up over her head. Ren quickly explained, “This is a handshake. It’s a way for two people to clasp hands to show they are friendly.”

“I see…” Believing him, the princess reached out and grasped Ren’s hand.

However, the moment their hands met, Ren was hit by a mythic-level, bone-crushing grip.

“GYAAAAAHHHHHH — — ?!”

Ren’s scream pierced the heavens, startling a flock of birds in the nearby forest into taking flight.

“Pfft, hahaha! My apologies!” The princess laughed playfully as she released his hand, immediately casting a burst of healing magic. A warm energy flowed through him, restoring Ren’s hand to normal in an instant.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Ren nursed his hand. “Ah… well, it’s fine. But yeah, you really are the princess from the legends…”

Walking past him, the princess murmured, “You keep calling me a legendary figure, yet now that I am awake, I have no idea what I am supposed to do or where I am supposed to go.” She paused and looked back at him. “Do you have a place you want to go, or something you want to do?”

Ren shrugged, laughing a bit helplessly. “Well, my family has always been the protectors of the ruins. But now that you’re awake… who knows? Maybe I’ll go fishing. I’m actually pretty interested in fishing.”

The princess looked puzzled. “If I was sealed away all this time, what exactly were you guys protecting?”

Ren froze. A look of sudden, suspenseful realization washed over his face. “…You know what? I have literally never thought about that contradiction until just now.”

As they talked, Ren and the princess finally reached the entrance of the village. Suddenly, a young girl came running out from the gates with a bright smile!

“Ren!” she called out happily. “Welcome back! Was everything okay?”

Ren’s face instantly flushed bright red. He stammered nervously, “O-Oh… yeah! No problems!”

By then, other villagers had gathered around out of concern. “Ren, we saw smoke coming from the ruins earlier. Are you alright?”

The girl then noticed the princess standing beside him. “Oh? Is she a traveler?”

The moment the princess opened her mouth to speak, Ren interrupted her in a panic. “Ah! Yes! A traveler! Just a passing traveler!”

Leaning close to her ear, Ren whispered urgently, “If they find out you’re the princess, things are going to get incredibly ugly!”

The princess whispered back, confused, “Why?”

“We rarely get travelers from the outside world, so whenever someone new arrives, everyone welcomes them with open arms,” the girl said warmly, stepping forward to take the princess’s hand with a smile. “I’m Yuina. What’s your name?”

Caught completely off guard by this unshielded, pure kindness, the ultimate magic princess visibly panicked. Her eyes darted around as she scrambled for an answer, finally muttering without an ounce of confidence, “I am… Aoi?”

Standing behind her, Ren internally screamed, (Didn’t you literally just say you hated that lazy name?!)

“Aoi? What a lovely name!” Yuina beamed.

Suddenly, the princess awkwardly extended her hand toward Yuina, attempting a handshake. Yuina looked at her hand with a slight tilt of her head, then happily grabbed it and pulled her toward the village square. “Come on, let me show you around!”

Seeing that everything seemed fine for the moment, Ren bolted back to his own house.

“Grandpa!” Ren panted, bursting through the door.

His grandfather jumped. “What’s wrong with you, rushing in like that?”

“Grandpa, the princess from the ruins… she’s awake! What do we do?!”

The old man stared at him, doubting his own ears. “Have you suffered a heatstroke? That’s completely impossible.”

Ren grabbed his grandfather’s arm and dragged him over to the window. Outside, they could see Yuina and the princess.

The princess was holding a water hose while Yuina explained how to water the flowers. The moment the princess turned the valve, the hose happened to be pointed directly at her face. The sudden blast of water soaked her from head to toe, leaving her utterly shocked.

Yuina was doubled over laughing. “What are you doing?! Point the water at the flowers!”

Seeing this, Grandpa scratched his head and looked at Ren. “…There is no way that’s her.”

Ren replied with equal disbelief, “It really is her, Grandpa. I saw her use magic with my own eyes. What should we do…?”

Grandpa asked, “Did she say what she wants to do? Destroy a city or something?”

“No, nothing. She hasn’t found anything she wants to do yet.”

Grandpa looked out the window at the princess with a heavy, worried expression. “As long as nothing bad happens…”

Just then, Yuina noticed the two of them watching from the window and waved, gesturing for Ren to come over.

Meanwhile, back inside the ancient ruins.

A mysterious figure shrouded in a deep black cloak dismounted from a horse and stepped into the ancient tomb. Seeing that the seal was broken and the chamber empty, the cloaked man muttered in a low, gravelly voice:

“Finally, the time has come…”

Exiting the ruins, he tracked the footprints left by Ren and the princess, turning his gaze toward the village.

Ren walked outside to join them.

The princess said excitedly, “Look, Ren! This tube magically produces water! Is this magic?!”

Ren sighed at her enthusiasm. “Of course not. The back of that tube is just connected to the pond.”

Yuina laughed merrily. “Haha, she really is a peculiar person.”

Ren stared at Yuina’s smile. He tried to hide his own grin out of embarrassment, but watching her laugh made it impossible to keep a straight face.

Just then, another villager called out to Yuina, asking for her help with the evening festival. Yuina waved goodbye, shouting, “I’ll go help them out first! Ren, don’t you dare slack off! This is a once-a-year festival!”

Ren, still blushing, could barely stammer out a coherent response.

Once Yuina was completely out of sight, the princess snapped her fingers. A fierce gust of wind swirled around her, instantly drying her soaked clothes.

She tapped Ren’s shoulder inquisitively. “What is wrong with you? Why do you act so strange whenever you speak to Yuina?”

Ren sighed heavily. “…I’m just not good at talking to her.”

“Why?”

Ren’s face flushed again as he avoided her gaze. “Argh, it’s hard to explain! Come on, let’s go help out!”

Though unsatisfied with the answer, the princess didn’t press further.

On their way to the square, the princess asked, “What kind of festival is this?”

Ren explained, “It’s an annual festival dedicated to wishing for new ‘hope.’ Everyone gathers to eat delicious food and visit the stalls. It’s a time to make a wish that you’ll grow as a person or that your life will change for the better in the coming year.”

The princess offered a cynical, cold glance. “Does such a thing actually possess any utility?”

Ren smiled. “I think hope is about believing in something you can’t see. A future where you might succeed, or a future where you might fail. Only you can choose which one you want to believe in.”

The princess listened intently, though she didn’t seem to fully grasp it. Ren added, “Come on, hurry up! We’re almost at the square.”

When they arrived, many villagers were busy carrying heavy logs of firewood. Ren called out to them, “We’re here to help!”

The villagers cheered. “Great! Help us carry these logs over here!”

Ren immediately got to work. The princess picked up a log, a confident smirk playing on her lips.

Ten minutes later, after making several trips, Ren was starting to tire. He turned around only to see the princess watching him with a mocking expression.

The villagers laughed in amazement. “Wow, young lady, you’re incredible! Ren, don’t lose to a girl!”

Spurred by pride, Ren began carrying logs furiously. The two of them practically turned it into a competition to see who could move more wood.

Eventually, after a few more laps, Ren threw in the towel. “I give up…” Wiping his brow, he muttered, “I didn’t expect you to be this strong,” as he casually reached out to take a log from her hands. The moment he lifted it, he gasped. “…It’s weightless?!”

Ren leaned in and whispered accusingly, “Hey! This is cheating!”

The princess smirked. “I never said I was competing with you.” With a silent snap of her fingers, the wood instantly regained its true weight.

The log in Ren’s hands suddenly turned incredibly heavy, nearly crushing his toes and sending him tumbling clumsily to the ground. The villagers, oblivious, praised her. “Wow, Miss Aoi is so hardworking!” before turning back to their duties.

The princess whispered to Ren, “Since using magic is infinitely more efficient, why not just tell them?”

Ren pulled her into a secluded corner. “In this era, magic has long been completely lost to time, except for you, the legendary princess. If people find out…”

“Why — “

Ren cut her off instantly. “Before you ask your next ‘why’ — I don’t know either.”

As night fell, the bonfire in the center of the square was ready to be lit. The stalls lit up one by one, and the mouth-watering scent of roasted meat filled the air.

Ren took the princess around to various stalls. Tasting “meat” for the first time in a thousand years, the princess’s eyes lit up brilliantly. She slammed her hand down on Ren’s shoulder and laughed heartily. “…Perhaps the true reason my seal was broken was so that I could consume this!”

Next, Ren brought her to a shooting gallery game. She shot once, twice, three times, but the prizes didn’t even budge.

Noticing her expression turning dangerously dark, Ren asked cautiously, “Uh… are you okay…?”

A small vortex of wind began swirling around her. Ren quickly patted her shoulder. “Hey, calm down!”

The princess smiled faintly. “I am perfectly fine,” she murmured, and pulled the trigger.

BOOM!

With a deafening blast, the massive surge of magical power didn’t just knock over the prize — it blasted a clean hole straight through the prize and the wooden wall behind the stall.

The princess laughed in satisfaction. “Hahaha! What a remarkably simple game!” With that, she strolled away.

Left behind were the petrified shopkeeper and a completely pale Ren.

Ren ran after her, whispering frantically, “Hey… that was insanely dangerous! If someone sees your magic — “

The princess cut him off. “How annoying. You worry far too much.”

“…Maybe so,” Ren muttered.

However, neither of them noticed the cloaked figure standing in the shadows, silently watching their every move.

As they walked and laughed, the princess eating her snacks, Yuina’s voice suddenly drifted into Ren’s ears. In that moment, the world seemed to slow down for him.

Peering through the crowd, he saw Yuina smiling and laughing, seemingly on a date with a young man he didn’t recognize.

The princess noticed too and turned to Ren. “Oh! It’s Yuina! Let’s go say hello!”

Ren grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Read the room! It’s better if we don’t disturb them right now.”

The princess paused for a second. “I do not hear the room speaking,” she declared, and immediately ran toward Yuina.

Ren covered his face. “…That is not what I meant.”

“Yuina — — !” the princess called out, waving her hand.

Seeing the princess approaching, the young man beside Yuina said, “I’ll go grab us some food,” waved, and walked away.

Yuina smiled, waved back, and turned to the princess. “Aoi! How are you enjoying the festival?”

The princess beamed. “It is my first festival, and it is highly intriguing! Yuina, your attire is exceptionally beautiful!”

Ren finally caught up. Seeing Yuina dressed in a traditional yukata, his face turned bright red, completely lost for words. Yet, a heavy sense of sorrow and longing settled deep within his chest.

Yuina grabbed the princess’s hand. “It’s almost time for the dance!” She pulled the princess toward the center of the square.

The villagers formed pairs around the roaring bonfire. Yuina began teaching the princess the steps to the partner dance. The princess was a fast learner and mastered the movements almost instantly.

Glancing toward the edge of the square, the princess noticed Ren sitting completely alone on a bench, looking thoroughly depressed. Leaving Yuina’s side, she walked over to him.

Following his gaze, she saw Yuina dancing happily with the unfamiliar young man.

Sitting down next to him, she teased, “What is the matter? Have you lost your soul from staring at Yuina?”

Watching them dance, Ren let out a long, heavy sigh. “…I just wish the person standing next to her was me.”

The princess tilted her head. “Then go to her right now.”

Ren smiled bitterly. “It doesn’t work that way. We’ve been childhood friends forever… I’ve loved Yuina for as long as I can remember. But she’s perfect, and I know she doesn’t see me that way. Because I was too much of a coward, I never did anything.”

The princess stared at him. “Hypothetically, if you had taken action in the past, do you think the outcome would be different?”

Ren froze for a moment. Looking at the distant bonfire, he laughed self-deprecatingly. “No… Even back then, I knew I’d regret doing nothing, but I was just too terrified. So even if I could turn back time and do it all over again… I’d probably make the exact same choice. But it’s fine. Being able to silently support her from the shadows like this is enough for me.”

The princess fell silent for a moment.

“…I see.”

She stood up and struck a pose as if pulling back a bowstring. As she released her hand into the empty air, a streak of light shot into the sky. A second later, a brilliant array of colorful fireworks exploded across the night sky. The entire festival looked up in awe, and a massive cheer erupted.

The princess said, “I wish to support her as well. Does this mean I love Yuina too?”

Ren burst into laughter. “Hahaha! The legendary princess who can destroy the world is talking about romance? How bizarre.”

The princess forcefully yanked Ren to his feet. “Since Yuina is dancing with someone else, and I currently lack a partner to practice with, you shall accompany me!”

Ren surrendered with a sigh. “Alright, alright. How could I possibly refuse Her Highness’s command?”

The two began to dance. Just then, the cloaked man, watching from the crowd, subtly kicked the base of the massive bonfire. The burning logs groaned, suddenly collapsing directly toward a group of villagers.

Spinning during the dance, the princess caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. Her joyful expression instantly hardened into that of a cold warrior. She extended her hand and snapped her fingers.

“Halt.”

The falling, blazing timber froze perfectly in mid-air. The princess clenched her extended hand into a tight fist, and the suspended log instantly shattered into dust, completely vanishing into the wind.

The villagers stared at her in absolute shock. But there were no cheers. Instead, a tense, terrified murmur rippled through the crowd. “Hey… was that magic? No way… is she the Princess of Destruction?!”

A villager shouted angrily, “Ren! Get out here and explain this! What is she?!”

Ren waved his hands frantically. “No, everyone, listen — !”

Yuina pushed through the crowd, desperately defending her. “Aoi isn’t a bad person! She isn’t what you think!”

Ren yelled, “Exactly! She isn’t the harbinger of ruin from the legends!”

But all the princess saw were the terrified faces of the villagers, none of whom dared to step forward. The people who had just helped her carry wood. The people who had eaten with her. The people who had praised her for being hardworking… they were all backing away, trembling with fear.

Some murmured uncertainly, “Wasn’t that the girl who helped us today?” while others shouted, “That magic is the princess’s curse itself!”

Without another word, the villagers began to disperse into the night. Before leaving, one spat at Ren, “Ren, take that Cursed Princess and leave this place!”

Yuina was forced away by the retreating crowd. Ren ran after them, attempting to explain, leaving the princess standing completely alone in the empty square.

She couldn’t understand. Why were these people so kind just moments ago, only to turn into entirely different beings in the blink of an eye? Why couldn’t humans treat others with equality?

“…They do not deserve your presence, great Princess of Destruction.”

From the shadows, the cloaked man appeared, addressing her. The princess turned her sharp, glaring eyes upon him. “…Who are you?”

The man slowly lowered his hood, revealing a rugged, middle-aged warrior whose face was covered in battle scars. He smiled wickedly. “Why do you limit yourself, Princess? Your true purpose is to destroy this world. Look at how they treat you. You saved them, yet they view you as a monster.”

The princess lowered her head. In response to her shifting emotions, the very air around them began to vibrate violently.

Meanwhile, Ren was trying to reason with the villagers, but they refused to listen. Suddenly, a massive tremor shook the ground, and a colossal hurricane began to spiral from the center of the square. Ren’s face paled. “Aoi?!”

Yuina pushed Ren’s back. “Leave the villagers to me! Ren, hurry up and go to her!”

Watching the chaos, the man — John — backed away into the shadows, a smile of pure malice on his face. “Yes, just like that. Release the fury within your heart.”

Ren dashed into the howling winds, screaming, “Aoi! What are you doing?!”

Amidst the raging storm, the princess demanded, “You said that people help each other when they are in need! Then why, when I offer nothing but goodwill, am I treated like a monster?!”

Fighting against the gale, Ren forced himself forward, step by step, toward her. He yelled at the top of his lungs, “Listen to me! It’s true that not everyone in this world is a good person! But just because they treat us like garbage doesn’t mean we have to become garbage ourselves!”

John shouted from behind, fueling the flames, “Wrong! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! It is only natural to return terror with terror! Why endure suffering for such worthless peasants?! Fulfill your destiny!”

Ren screamed back, “Aoi, don’t listen to him!”

The princess closed her eyes and let out a long, deep breath. The next instant, the violent storm vanished into thin air.

She stood perfectly still, then slowly turned her gaze toward John. John stared at her in utter disbelief. “…Are you truly the Cursed Princess of legend?”

With a slight hook of her finger, John’s defenses were shattered, and his body was instantly dragged right in front of her. The princess spoke with chilling authority: “Tell me everything you know. Who you are, and the true reason I was sealed away.”

John sneered. “Why should I tell you anything?”

The princess smiled coldly. “Hmph, is that so?” She snapped her fingers, activating an absolute Spell of Truth.

John’s eyes widened in horror as his mouth began moving completely against his own free will. “Ugh… I am John. I have searched for your resting place for a very long time. Your seal has been weakening year by year, but I never expected this brat to find you first…”

The princess stated coldly, “Naturally. His family is the protector of the ruins.”

John lowered his head, letting out a dark, twisted laugh. “Hehehe… Hahaha! Protectors? How utterly hilarious that you know absolutely nothing of the truth. Has the boy told you nothing? Protectors? To think you actually believed such a lie.”

Ren was bewildered. “…What are you talking about?”

John stood up slowly, a malicious grin plastered across his face. “The two of you together… what a beautifully tragic irony.”

Before they could react, John slammed several smoke bombs onto the ground. A thick fog erupted, and by the time it cleared, he had completely vanished.

The princess turned her cold eyes on Ren. “Are you hiding something from me?”

Ren shook his head frantically. “I’m not hiding anything! But… we need to go ask my grandpa right now.”

The princess followed Ren back to his house. The moment Grandpa saw them, he let out a heavy sigh. “…So, the magic was finally discovered, after all.”

Ren pressed forward, demanding answers. “Grandpa, is our family really just ‘protectors of the ruins’?”

Grandpa nodded solemnly and led them down into a hidden basement beneath the house. Dusting off an ancient chest, he pulled out an old, weathered scroll. “Look here. It records: ‘Protect… ruins… seal… princess…’ See?”

Ren exhaled a sigh of relief. “See? I told you that guy was just trying to drive a wedge between us.”

But Grandpa cut him off. “…Do not leap to conclusions so quickly, Ren.”

Sensing something amiss, the princess snatched the scroll from Ren’s hands. The moment she touched it, the scroll erupted in a brilliant light, causing the faded, unreadable text further down to vividly manifest.

“…Protect the world. Keep the world safe from the Magic Princess sealed within the ruins by our ancestors. Once, magic flowed freely across the lands, but its overwhelming power brought endless conflict. The princess ascended the highest mountain and gathered all the magic in the world into her own body in an instant. Some called her greedy; others called her a peacemaker.

However, the sudden influx of immense energy was far too unstable for her physical form to control. Unable to govern her power, she merely opened her hands and accidentally annihilated several cities and towns. It was then that our family risked our lives to ascend the mountain and seal the Magic Princess away deep within the tomb. Should she ever awaken, our lineage must seal her once again.”

Ren, Grandpa, and the princess stood frozen, staring at the harsh reality written before them.

Breaking the suffocating silence, Ren spoke heavily, “…Tomorrow, let’s head back to the ruins. There might be other clues left behind.”

Late that night, Ren awoke in his bunk bed and noticed the bottom bunk was empty. He quietly slipped out of the room, searching the house until he found the princess sitting alone on the roof.

Ren went down to the kitchen, brewed two mugs of hot cocoa, climbed up onto the roof, and sat beside her. “Can’t sleep?” he asked, handing her a mug.

The princess muttered a soft, disheartened “Yeah…” and took a sip. Immediately, her eyes widened. “…What is this? It is remarkably delicious!”

The gloom vanished from her face, replaced by a sudden burst of vitality. Staring into the mug, she said softly, “I now understand why I was sealed. But still… everything around me is so unfamiliar. It terrifies me.”

Ren looked at her and offered a playful smirk. “Heh… so even the omnipotent Magic Princess has things that trouble her.”

The princess puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

Ren tapped her shoulder and smiled warmly. “Everything is going to be fine. Save today’s energy for today. Leave tomorrow’s troubles to tomorrow’s energy.”

With that, he bade her goodnight and headed back inside.

The next morning, as they opened the large front gate to depart, a sharp cry echoed from the distance. “Wait — — !”

Yuina came running toward them, completely out of breath. “I’m so sorry, Aoi!” she gasped apologetically. “I couldn’t convince the villagers… but I’ll keep talking to them, I promise!”

The princess asked quietly, “Yuina… are you not afraid of me?”

Recalling the wonderful time they had spent together the day before, Yuina smiled mischievously and shook her head. “Not at all! I don’t care about old legends. I choose to believe in the person I actually spent time with.”

The princess blinked, and then, slowly and of her own volition, she extended her right hand. Yuina stared at it, unsure of what to do.

Standing behind her, Ren wore a proud, fatherly smile, frantically making a “handshake” gesture from Yuina’s blind spot.

Yuina burst into laughter, stepped forward, and gripped the princess’s hand tightly.

Turning to Ren, she asked, “Where are you two going?”

Ren smiled, patting his packed backpack. “We’re going back to the ruins to look for clues, and then… we’re going to take care of that annoying Magic Core on top of the mountain.”

Yuina noticed that the Ren standing before her seemed different — more mature, more dependable. She smiled warmly. “It sounds dangerous. Make sure you come back alive!”

Ren’s cheeks flushed a light pink. He scratched his head awkwardly. “Uh… yeah! We’re off, then.”

The two turned and marched toward the rising sun, heading back to the ruins where their destinies had intertwined.

Upon reaching the ruins, they searched the area thoroughly. As the princess approached the pedestal where she had been sealed, she found an ancient bracelet resting on the stone. The moment she touched it, glowing text materialized in the air:

“The remaining magic must be sealed within this bracelet.”

Ren observed, “I see. It must be some kind of insurance or safety device left behind when you were sealed.”

The princess stared at the bracelet, but she had absolutely no memory of it. Though deeply perplexed, she shook off the doubt and said, “Let’s go. This is a destiny brought about by my actions; I must be the one to end it.”

The two finally arrived at the foot of the mountain. The path before them snaked violently upward. The higher they climbed, the more the surrounding vegetation appeared charred and withered. The pitch-black shroud in the sky surged with ominous lightning, and the suffocating pressure of raw magical energy made the air incredibly thin.

The princess suddenly stopped, staring at the ancient bracelet on her wrist. The tremor of fear she had kept buried deep within her heart finally spilled out. “…Hey, Ren. When this is all over, what if… what if everyone is still afraid of me? What if they keep hating me?”

Ren stopped and turned to look into her anxious, trembling eyes. He didn’t offer any cheap, hollow comforts. Instead, he just smirked and asked:

“What if they don’t?”

The princess blinked in surprise.

Ren took a few steps forward, looking up at the swirling black clouds at the summit, his voice gentle yet filled with unshakeable resolve. “Besides, you care way too much about what other people think. This world is full of all kinds of people. You shouldn’t let anxieties over things you can’t control live inside your head. Just believe in the ‘Aoi’ who lived and laughed with us. That’s more than enough!”

The princess stared at Ren’s back, feeling the tension drain from her shoulders. She let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle and turned her face away playfully. “Hmph…”

Ren took large strides forward. “Let’s go! Fulfill your responsibility, and then… go live the life you actually want to live!”

Following close behind him, a warm smile bloomed on her face — a smile she had never once worn in a thousand years of solitude.

As they neared the summit, the magical anomalies reached a fever pitch. The massive Magic Core loomed before them. The princess slowly brought the bracelet close to the core and unleashed her magic, forcing the volatile energy to be rapidly siphoned into the artifact.

The moment the last drop of magic was absorbed, the world was plunged into darkness, and a violent thunderstorm erupted. The bracelet vibrated violently, suddenly tearing itself away from the princess’s wrist and flying backward into the darkness.

Ren spun around in horror, only to see John standing there, catching the bracelet with a maniacal laugh. ──From the very beginning, the bracelet was never a relic of the princess; it was a trap set by John.

John laughed hysterically. “My utmost thanks, Princess!”

The princess glared at Ren. “See?! Didn’t your grandpa explicitly say not to leap to conclusions so quickly?!”

Sweat pouring down his face, Ren waved his hands frantically. “Aaaah! Can we please leave the lecturing for later?!”

The princess yelled at John, “Why are you doing this?!”

John hoisted the bracelet high, shouting in rage, “Before you arrived, magic made our lives prosperous, and we had the power to resist the Kingdom! But when you unilaterally stripped the world of magic, my nation lost its strength and was completely annihilated! My lineage has spent generations waiting for you to awaken so that this bracelet could be refilled with magic! Now, the power is mine once more. I shall make the Kingdom burn in the fires of my vengeance!”

John swung his hand down, and colossal bolts of lightning began raining down upon the Kingdom. A stray bolt struck the princess directly. It was a staggering blow — the first time in her life she had ever experienced true physical pain. She immediately tried to counter with her own magic, but because John controlled the surrounding mana through the bracelet, her spells had no effect.

For the first time, genuine terror flashed in her eyes. John mocked her, “This is how magic was truly meant to be used!”

Unleashing a massive wave of energy, John blasted Ren and the princess straight off the edge of the mountain cliff. Just before hitting the ground, the princess snapped her fingers, desperately slowing their descent.

Landing heavily, she panted heavily, her face twisted in frustration. “Damn it… how… how can we possibly defeat him?”

Just then, John descended like a streak of lightning, landing gracefully before them. “Cursed Princess, you should have joined forces with me. Those villagers are not worth saving.”

The princess didn’t answer.

A fierce clash of magical wills erupted between the two. Watching the battle, Ren suddenly noticed a group of Kingdom soldiers pinned beneath a pile of collapsed boulders. Without a second thought, he ran toward them, risking his life to pull the wounded to safety.

John’s attacks were relentless, leaving the princess with absolutely no room to counter. He hurled onslaught after onslaught, taunting, “What’s the matter, mythical princess? Is this the extent of your power?!”

The princess took a direct hit from John’s shockwave, sent flying violently across the ground. Ren rushed to her side. “Aoi! Are you okay?!”

The princess lowered her head, biting her lip in sheer frustration. “…I am sorry, Ren. I cannot find a way to overcome him. That bracelet siphons every ounce of mana from the air…”

Ren’s mind raced furiously. The text of the scroll flashed through his mind. Why had the princess failed to absorb the magic a thousand years ago, causing her power to go berserk? ──Because the sheer volume of energy was forced into one place all at once, and her body couldn’t withstand the threshold.

“…I’ve got it!” Ren grabbed her shoulders tightly. “Aoi, I know why your power went berserk a thousand years ago! That immense magic only explodes when you try to contain it. If you pump an overwhelming, mythic-level amount of magic into that bracelet all at once, his body won’t be able to handle the sudden surge!”

The princess stared at him. “But what if I lose control again…?” Seeing the absolute, unwavering trust in Ren’s eyes, she swallowed her doubts and nodded firmly. “…Very well. Let us do it.”

The princess stood up once more, confronting John. John sneered, “I shall devour the rest of your magic as well!” and unleashed a full-powered shockwave. The princess took the hit, her knees buckling.

John looked down at her, raising the bracelet triumphantly. “Now, fulfill your destiny!” The bracelet began to slowly drain her remaining power.

──In that exact moment, the agonizing expression on the princess’s face vanished, replaced by a confident, sharp smirk.

“…My destiny is fulfilled right here, right now!”

With an explosive burst of speed, she lunged inside John’s guard, locking her hands onto the arm wearing the bracelet with a death grip! Condensing every single drop of her mythic-level magic into a single point, she violently forced the energy to flow backward, surging entirely into John’s bracelet all at once!

“What?! W-Wait, stop! STOP IT!” John’s face drained of all color in absolute horror.

Receiving the raw, concentrated output of the Magic Princess, the bracelet instantly exceeded its maximum threshold. Countless golden fractures tore across its surface, emitting a blinding, volatile light.

“BOOOOOOOOOOM — — !”

An apocalyptic explosion shattered the heavens! The monumental shockwave completely vaporized the eternal pitch-black shroud and thunderstorm that had plagued the world for a millennium, washing the sky into a pristine, brilliant blue.

Across the land, the villagers and the entire population of the Kingdom witnessed the destruction of the core and the clearing of the skies. People poured out of their homes, weeping and cheering in absolute joy. “We did it… it’s gone! The core is destroyed! We are saved!”

A few days passed, and no one knew where John or the princess had gone.

However, the terrifying legend of the “Cursed Princess” that had been passed down for a thousand years was slowly rewritten in the grateful hearts of the people. ──Now, she was known simply as “The Legendary Princess.”

Well, looking on the bright side, as a member of the protector clan, I no longer had to stay holed up in that gloomy ruin playing watchman. While the rest of the Kingdom was busy with reconstruction, I had earned the legal right to slack off from hard labor, thanks to a very honorable “minor injury” I sustained during the final battle.

By the shore of a glittering pond right next to the ancient ruins.

Ren sat comfortably on a large rock, holding a bamboo fishing rod, lazily watching the peaceful surface of the water. As he fished, the various bickering conversations he had shared with that arrogant princess kept drifting through his mind.

“Sigh… I wonder where that idiot is and what she’s doing right now…”

“Slacking off again, I see, Ren.”

A familiar, slightly teasing, and dignified female voice suddenly echoed from right behind him.

Ren jumped so hard his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. Balancing precariously on the rock to avoid falling into the pond, he spun around. Standing there, completely alive and well, was the princess!!

“Y-You… Princess?! Why are you here?! You disappeared in that massive explosion; I literally thought you were dead!”

The princess let out a heavy sigh of utter disbelief, crossing her arms and pouting in annoyance. “How rude. Before I delivered the final blow to John, I obviously opened a Teleportation Portal beneath my feet. However, because it had been a millennium since I last used magic, my coordinates were slightly off… I was thrown into some nameless, distant land, and it took me several days just to walk back here!”

Ren’s eyes went wide, his mouth agape as he stared at her. “Then… what about John?”

The princess merely offered a casual shrug.

Looking at the somewhat comical yet undeniably vibrant girl before him, Ren couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the sheer absurdity of it all. He stepped off the rock and firmly extended his right hand.

“…Welcome back, Aoi.”

The princess stared at his hand, and then, she flashed the most beautiful, radiant, and genuine smile of her thousand-year life. Grasping his hand firmly in return, she said with a bright, bouncing voice:

“Now, are you going to teach me how to fish, or what?”