Chapter 117: The Princess’s Jealousy
The castle corridors opened up before them again, tall and bright, as they made their way toward the library.
Chloe walked with her arms crossed, looking around with a slight frown.
"...there’s something weird about all this," she finally said.
Max glanced at her.
"Weird how?"
"Like... too nice."
Pause.
"No one knows me. I showed up out of nowhere in a world where, according to you, humans don’t even exist..."
She looked at a couple of servants passing by who gave her a small bow.
"...and even so, everyone treats me well."
Max shrugged.
"Yeah, I know it can seem strange."
Pause.
"But if you were summoned... it’s for a reason."
He pointed ahead.
"That already makes you welcome, even if they don’t know you."
Chloe didn’t seem fully convinced... but she gave a slight nod.
At that moment—
"DAD!"
A cheerful voice echoed through the hallway. Moonlight came running, waving her hand enthusiastically.
But behind her, Elanor came to an abrupt stop.
Her eyes locked onto Max. Then onto Chloe. Her expression changed. Now it showed concern.
Moon blinked. She looked at Elanor. Then at Max. Then at the woman beside him. And her eyes narrowed.
’...oh...’
Without saying anything else, she ran up to him. She grabbed Max’s arm and tugged him slightly away from Chloe.
Max blinked.
"—Moon?"
"Hi!" she said, but without letting go.
Max sighed, amused.
"Chloe, this is Moonlight."
He pointed at the little one.
"A little dragon... you could say she’s like my daughter, in this world."
Chloe widened her eyes. She noticed the tail, the wings, the scales, and the horns.
"Oh..."
Moon was staring at her, glaring. Very glaring.
"Stop talking like that," Moon said, frowning. "I can’t understand anything."
Max laughed.
"Chloe doesn’t speak our language."
He leaned slightly toward Moon.
"She’s the king’s new human pet. She can only speak the human language."
Moon crossed her arms.
"I don’t care."
Pause.
"Don’t talk like that."
Max shook his head with a smile.
"Come on, don’t be rude."
He gave her a light pat on the head.
"At least say hello."
Moon looked Chloe in the eyes... and stuck her tongue out at her. Still holding onto Max’s leg.
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"...I like her, she’s got attitude."
Soft footsteps approached.
Elanor.
"Moon," she said calmly. "Stop doing that."
Moon turned.
"I’m protecting Dad."
She pointed at Chloe.
"So he doesn’t go with another woman who isn’t Mom."
Pause.
"I can already tell you’re jealous."
Silence.
Elanor blushed.
And so did Max.
"...are you really jealous?" he asked.
Elanor lowered her gaze. Hands behind her back.
"...no."
Max let out a small laugh.
"Doesn’t look like it."
He stepped a little closer.
"Relax."
Then he pointed at Chloe.
"This is Chloe. We just summoned her with Dorian and your father."
Pause.
"She’s the king’s new human pet."
Elanor observed her.
"...don’t you feel like you could get along better with her?"
Max shook his head.
"No."
He shrugged.
"I barely know her."
Pause.
"But with you..."
He looked at her with a softer smile.
"...since I arrived in this world."
He placed a hand over his chest.
"I don’t think I could get along better with anyone than I do with you."
Moon tugged on his shirt.
Max looked down.
"...yeah?"
The little one was staring at him with a displeased expression.
Max laughed and patted her head.
"And I’m super comfortable with you too."
Pause.
"Don’t worry."
Moon hesitated.
Elanor did too.
And then both of them smiled.
"...sorry," Elanor said.
Moon nodded.
"Yeah... sorry, Dad."
Max nodded.
"It’s fine, don’t worry about it."
He turned to Chloe.
"Now then, proper introduction."
He pointed at Elanor.
"This is Elanor."
Pause.
"The princess of Eldoria."
And then, a bit shyly...
"...and my fiancée."
Chloe widened her eyes and smacked Max on the back.
"You’re going to marry a princess?!"
Max blushed.
"...maybe."
Chloe shook her head, laughing.
"You didn’t waste any time. You really made the most of your new life in a fantasy world."
Max laughed too.
Elanor and Moon looked at each other.
They didn’t understand anything.
But still...
They laughed as well.
Max cleared his throat softly, picking up the thread again.
"Well... actually," he said, looking at Elanor, "I was showing her the castle."
He pointed ahead.
"We were heading to the library. We need an Elvish language book so she can learn."
Elanor nodded with a small smile.
"Then Arwen will find you in seconds."
Pause.
"With her magic, she always knows where every book is."
Max made a face.
"I hope so..."
He scratched the back of his neck.
"Don went a while ago to look for it and still hasn’t come back."
He looked down the hallway.
"So we figured we’d go ourselves."
Elanor turned to Moon.
"Do you want to go with them?"
Moon lifted her head instantly.
"To the library?"
Her eyes sparkled.
"I want to read adventure stories!"
Max laughed.
"Perfect then."
He turned to Chloe.
"They’re joining our library search mission."
Chloe looked at both of them and shrugged.
"The more, the better."
The four of them resumed walking.
The corridor stretched long ahead, and in the distance, the large doors of the library were already visible.
As they walked, Moon couldn’t stop looking at Chloe. From head to toe. The way she walked. Her sneakers. Her tight clothes. The way her body was outlined. Her arms. She silently compared her to Elanor. With obvious curiosity.
Until... she jumped. She latched directly onto Chloe’s arm. Right at the bicep.
"Hmm..."
Chloe paused for a moment... but reacted quickly. She lifted her arm without any trouble, supporting the weight.
"...hello?"
Max brought a hand to his face.
"Moon."
Pause.
"Behave."
Moon, still hanging, looked at Max.
"I wanted to see what the muscles of a woman from your same race are like."
Max sighed. Then looked at Chloe.
"Sorry..."
Chloe let out a laugh.
"It’s fine."
She looked at the little one.
"You can tell she’s curious."
Pause.
"Tell her that if she wants, I can help her get muscles like these."
She flexed her arm slightly.
"By training together."
Max blinked. Then translated.
Moon’s eyes lit up.
"Really?!"
She let go.
She landed in front of Chloe.
"I want a body like that too!"
Elanor let out a soft laugh.
"Impressive..."
She looked at Max.
"That didn’t last long."
Moon nodded energetically.
"Now I like her!"
Max shook his head, laughing.
"That was a fast change..."
Finally, Moon climbed down completely from Chloe’s arm.
Just as they arrived.
The enormous library doors loomed before them.