Chapter 12: Trouble As the carriage rolled past, her amber eyes scanned the crowd—and for the briefest moment, met Noah’s. A smile flashed across her face, followed by something like amusement. She raised one eyebrow fractionally, the ghost of a smile touching her lips. Then the unthinkable happened. The princess stood up, one delicate hand raising in a gesture that might as well have been a thunderclap. The carriage stopped. Guards snapped to attention like puppets yanked by invisible strings. The crowd gasped in collective shock. Noah’s stomach dropped faster than a cultivator with broken meridians. This can’t be good. Armored men descended upon the crowd, clearing a path with ruthless efficiency. One particularly zealous guard shoved Noah so hard he nearly toppled into a fruit stand. "Move!" Meanwhile, the princess descended from her carriage with the grace of a predator. Her robes barely touched the marble steps as her amber eyes remained on Noah with laser-like intensity. ’Yeah, I’m not going to wait for her to come to me. I’ll become a target for all the people who hate the crown.’ Noah pivoted, ducking between two merchants whose argument about proper fish pricing had survived even royal intervention. He slipped past a family, using their collective bulk as cover. Three more steps to freedom. Two. One— "Noah, stop!" Her voice cut through the crowd noise, sounding like they were best friends. The murmuring started immediately, rippling through the gathered masses like wind through summer wheat. "Noah? Who’s Noah?" Heads started turning in the crowds, trying to spot the mysterious person the princess was calling for. Noah’s shoulders slumped in defeat, his escape plan crumbling faster than cultivation foundation built on fake spirit stones. So much for avoiding cannon fodder status. He turned, plastering what he hoped was a respectful expression onto his face rather than abject terror. The princess stood mere feet away, having somehow crossed the distance. Noah sighed, his shoulders slumping, as the princess had already spotted him. ’I should’ve known that it was an unescapable cannon event...’ Her smile widened. "I thought that was you. What brings you to the capital’s busiest street on parade day?" "Just... taking a stroll, Your Highness." Noah managed, acutely aware that thirty-seven guards and several hundred civilians were hanging on every syllable. "What a coincidence!" Her eyes sparkled with mischief that spelt imminent disaster. "I was just thinking of doing the same. The carriage gets so stuffy." She tilted her head. "Perhaps I could join you?" ’Like I can say no...’ Noah’s gaze darted to the mountain-sized captain of her guard, whose hand rested not-so-subtly on his sword hilt. The man’s eyes promised swift dismemberment should Noah’s answer displease the princess. Behind him, three other guards appeared to be mentally measuring Noah for a coffin. "Of..." His voice cracked embarrassingly. "Of course, Your Highness. It would be my honor." "Wonderful!" She clapped her hands together, looking genuinely delighted. "Captain, please inform Lord Chamberlain that I’ll be delayed. I’m taking a stroll with my dear friend Noah." "Dear friend?!" Noah squeaked, then coughed to cover it. "I mean, yes. Friends. That’s... accurate." The captain’s face went through an impressive sequence of emotions—shock, suspicion, calculation, and finally resigned suffering. "Your Highness," he growled, "protocol requires at least four guards for any public—" "One will suffice, Captain." Her smile remained pleasant, but something in her tone made the massive man step back. "After all, my dear friend Noah will protect me, won’t you?" All eyes turned to Noah’s skinny frame and distinctly non-martial appearance. ’I’m going to die. I’m actually going to die.’ "I would throw myself before any danger," he replied with perfect honesty, knowing full well his only combat skill was falling over dramatically. "But, I still think the...gentleman is correct. The more guards, the merrier." Princess Elara’s eyes narrowed fractionally. The temperature around them seemed to drop several degrees. "Are you suggesting I cannot assess security needs properly?" she asked, her voice honeyed poison. Noah swallowed. Hard. "Not at all, Your Highness. Merely offering my... humble perspective." Humble perspective? What am I even saying? The crowd had grown utterly silent, collective breath held as they witnessed what might well become an execution. The guard captain’s face remained stoic, but his eyes gleamed with something that might have been respect—or pity. "Four guards," Elara announced suddenly, startling everyone. "Two ahead, two behind. At a distance of ten paces." Her smile returned, sharp as a dagger. "Better, Noah?" He nodded, not trusting his voice. "Splendid." She linked her arm through his, ignoring how he’d gone rigid as marble. "I do appreciate a man with opinions. They’re so rare at court." The captain issued rapid hand signals. The guards immediately took positions. As Elara guided Noah away from the procession route, whispers erupted behind them, spreading like wildfire. "Did you see that?" "He contradicted the princess!" "And the princess listened!" "Must be a powerful family..." "Or a powerful mage, after all, the princess said that he could protect her." The princess leaned closer, her breath warm against his ear. "You’ve made quite the impression. Half the crowd thinks you’re my secret lover, and the other half believes you’re a powerful mage in disguise." Noah stumbled over absolutely nothing. "I’m neither!" "Hmm..." She patted his arm. "That’s what makes it interesting." He shot a desperate glance at the guards, finding zero sympathy in their impassive faces. The closest one actually smirked. "So," Elara continued conversationally, "what do commoners typically do on their... strolls" Noah’s mind went blank. He’d gone from selling magical bread to arm-in-arm with royalty in less than twenty-four hours. His brain could not compute an appropriate response. "Um... look at... things?" he offered lamely. Elara laughed—a genuine sound of delight that made several passersby stop and stare. "Things! How fascinating. Show me these things, Noah." She steered him toward a market stall selling jewellery. The merchant, spotting the princess, nearly fainted. "Your Highness! What an honour! Please, anything you desire—" "My friend and I are just browsing," Elara interrupted smoothly. "Isn’t that right, Noah?" "Right," After she was done browsing, Elar bought two rings. "Can I have those? How much are you asking for?" "Nothing, your highness! Consider them yours." Elara did not argue but turned towards the guard, who nodded, before taking out a large pouch of gold coins and giving them to the merchant. The merchant’s eyes widened in shock before he kept thanking them, continuously. Noah, seeing this, felt somewhat envious of the man. ’He made at least 20 gold coins from that pouch. Whilst I’ve been struggling to make a few in my shop..’ As they walked, the princess asked him a question he wasn’t prepared to answer. "Why did you refuse my invitation to the Academy?" "Hu-Huh?" He let out an unexpected sound before he tried searching for an answer. "I—" "The truth, please." She cut him off. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖 The weight of her gaze was almost physical. Noah felt trapped between worlds—his familiar Earth life crumbling under debt, and this magical realm where he was completely out of his depth. "Because I don’t belong there," he finally said. "I’m not a mage. I’m just... trying to make a living." "Not a mage? Perhaps. But there’s magic in you, Noah. Wild, untrained, but there." She touched his arm lightly. "The Academy isn’t just for those born with power. It’s for anyone with potential." "Potential for what?" "For greatness." Her smile returned, secretive and knowing. "For changing worlds." Before Noah could respond, a commotion erupted behind them. The guard dropped to one knee, relaying the information. "Your Highness. Attack at the eastern wall. Demons. Hundreds of them."