THE PRINCE'S SERVANT

On the morning of that same day, Princess Kimiko of the Kingdom of Thunder wished she could be honing her skills like most young people her age, but as a princess, she was subjected to strict etiquette lessons instead of rigorous training with swords or armor.

"Father, I will be queen one day. Don't you think it's only fair that I at least learn how to defend myself?"

The young woman with white hair and brown skin asked, her gray eyes filling with resentment. Her father, Kazuki, subtly chuckled at the situation. He was proud of his daughter's potential but couldn't bear the thought of losing her, just as he had lost her mother so long ago. Kimiko's courage brought a rare smile to his face as they talked in one of the palace's corridors. Kazuki, however, seemed eager to end the conversation.

Kazuki was almost always serious, even cold, and few had ever seen him smile genuinely. But when he did, it was often because of his beloved daughter's demonstrations of bravery. Little did Kimiko know, her father was willing to do anything to protect her from the dark secrets lurking in Niray.

The king replied to his daughter:

"I'm sorry, but it's already been decided. You must not train—it's too dangerous for a delicate young lady like you."

Kazuki's heart ached as he denied something his daughter desired so much. His smile faded as he saw the disappointment in Kimiko's eyes. She tried to reason with him:

"Even without training, I'm already more skilled than some of your soldiers, Father. Please let me participate in training. It's all I want."

The girl pleaded once more. Tired of the discussion, her father replied:

"You are not a warrior, my daughter. Our kingdom needs a delicate princess who dedicates herself to the duties of a lady."

"But, Father—"

He interrupted her, turning his back and walking away. After about ten steps, he crossed paths with his advisor and nephew, Kilua, a clever young man who had clearly been listening to the entire conversation. Kilua made a suggestion to his uncle that gave the young princess a glimmer of hope:

"My king, I believe my cousin is right. She is the future of our kingdom. She should at least learn to unlock the second form of her power."

Deep down, Kazuki wanted to let Kimiko train, but he couldn't ignore the fact that she was his only heir. Kilua, while powerful and cunning, was the son of Kazuki's sister and a man from another kingdom, making him ineligible to inherit the throne. The king asked:

"What do you suggest, dear nephew?"

Kilua smiled kindly as he replied:

"I could train her myself, my lord. A basic speed training. She's already quite fast, but if she improves, she won't need to learn or practice other skills. After all, a swift person can simply evade enemies or flee."

Kazuki looked back at the princess and asked her:

"Is this what you want?"

Seeing no other alternative but basic training, the girl said:

"It's what I want, Father."

"Then so be it. You will train her, but make sure she doesn't get hurt,"

said the king, leaving while giving his nephew a stern look—a warning of the consequences should Kimiko be harmed. As Kazuki left, Kimiko celebrated loudly, unaware that her father could still hear her from another corridor in the royal castle. The man smiled, for all he wanted was to see his daughter happy.

"Thank you so much, Kilua! It's going to be so fun training with you,"

the princess said politely.

The two had always respected each other, but now Kimiko felt truly grateful to her cousin. They headed to the Thunder Kingdom's arena. Along the way, they passed many residents, most of whom shared the kingdom's signature traits of white hair and brown skin. Even Kilua, despite having a father from outside the kingdom, bore these common features—though his powers were unique.

The arena was large and open, nearly twice the size of the Solarian Arena. It was designed to allow soldiers to use their abilities—often related to electricity or weather—without restrictions. Upon arriving, Kilua said to his cousin:

"As you know, my power is to create and manipulate ice. It's a good ability for training someone like you. Your first challenge will be to land a strike on me before I can create an ice barrier between us."

Kimiko wished for more intense training without her cousin holding back his powers. She knew Kilua was likely the second strongest person in the Thunder Kingdom, surpassed only by her father. But she wanted to change that. The princess dreamed of becoming the most powerful person in the kingdom, perhaps even in the entire nation, to prove that a princess could also be a warrior.

Kimiko responded to the Thunder Advisor:

"I accept this challenge."

The girl's confidence made her cousin smile. Dressed in a tight outfit that covered her from neck to feet—perfect for training—she assumed an attacking stance with her hands forward and her feet firmly planted. Electricity sparked from her feet as she dashed toward Kilua.

In almost the blink of an eye, she was close to landing an open-palm strike. But just as she was about to reach him, an ice wall rose from the ground. Her electric-infused palm struck the wall, shattering the thin ice barrier Kilua had created to ensure she wouldn't get hurt.

Tiny sparks of electricity danced around Kimiko's hand, signaling that she had somehow learned to control her electrical powers on her own. Kilua remarked:

"You seem to have mastered the first stage of your power: speed and attack strength. I didn't expect that. Tell me, cousin, where did you learn to control your abilities?"

Kimiko laughed and avoided answering directly, instead asking:

"Are you ready for my next attempt?"

Kilua gestured for her to come at him again. This time, Kimiko moved in a circular pattern, running around him before leaping high and attempting a kick aimed at his head. The ice mage dodged by ducking, but to his surprise, Kimiko balanced herself with her hands mid-air and launched a follow-up attack with her legs, only to be stopped by another ice pillar Kilua quickly formed.

Kilua's reflexes were undeniably sharp. The princess retreated, slightly winded, and charged again. However, Kilua stopped her, saying:

"I'm sorry, but I have other matters to attend to. We'll continue another day."

His tone was unusually cold, frustrating Kimiko, who had been enjoying the challenge of training with someone as skilled as her cousin. Still, she understood that Kilua was a genius and had likely noticed something in the kingdom that required his attention.

After training, Kimiko bathed and spent the rest of the day in etiquette lessons. Her teachers had nothing new to teach her; she had been attending these lessons since childhood and felt confident enough to teach others.

Life in the castle for the princess revolved around etiquette classes and maintaining her appearance. Though she enjoyed being elegant, her true joy came at night. Cloaked in darkness, she would slip out of the castle unnoticed to do what she loved most: training with her friend.