CHAPTER 11: STIRIA MIRIMA

"Your Highness, would you like to go to the garden today? You have been locking yourself inside the library again yesterday." Kiara, her maidservant told her.

Her princess needs to breathe the fresh air instead of sucking the dust in the library. It was not good for her health to maintain this continuous activity.

Stiria smiled sheepishly. "Okay, okay, I will follow your arrangement."

It couldn't be helped. She loves books. Books were her happiness. Nothing was interesting to her. Not jewellery or a man. If she was given a choice, she would live in the library but that won't make her maidservants optimistic.

"Your Highness, you lost weight again. How can these continue? You need to eat more or your waist would easily snap if you aren't careful?" Paula complained.

Ah, that's because I forgot to eat when I was immersed in my book. Why do we need to eat? We should try to become immortal...

She thought silently.

After her maidservant finished putting her into a new cloth for the day, they walked her to the palace garden. Under a gazebo, another maidservant and a manservant have prepared her afternoon tea with various types of biscuits. They left after she was seated.

Wow, so much sweet... And cholesterol...

She was perplexed by the thick biscuits.

Are they making me fat or making me have diabetes? They know I have a sweet tooth but isn't this too much?

She silently comments before she bites one.

"Oh, this is delicious!" Her eyes show delight.

"It's a new type of biscuit, Your Highness. It is made with pineapple flavour." Kiara told her.

"It's so good! I love it! Please tell the boulangerie chef that I said thank you for making the new biscuits."

"Yes, Your Highness." Paula bowed before she left for the royal kitchen.

She was back a moment later. Stiria picks up a book that was prepared on the table. When she was reading it, she heard footsteps coming from the walking hall. She felt they were disturbing her peace but realised that it was her brother and probably his friends.

Who's that?

She saw a messy black hair man with her brother. His eyes were deep black like a void. While his skin was as pale as chalk with a pointed nose and pale lips. His body was only covered in a tight black shirt, showing off his strong six-pack lean body with the same colour pants. High black boots covered his feet.

She guessed he was wearing them to make him look a bit taller. But what stunned her was the slave collar around his neck. She was sure it had lost its function because there was no numbering or light around it. She gasped silently.

This was the rumoured demon prince!

She realised his identity. She was afraid at first but later calmed down. When she looked at him again multiple times, she remembered something that resembled him. She turns over her book in her hand and looks at the front cover. She chuckled because she finally found it and it tickled her heart.

Then she heard them talk.

"I wonder if you would like to be my friend."

What? Brother, don't you hate royal demons? What changes your mind?

She was confused.

"My liege, I'm so glad for you! You made your first friend!"

And who's this? He looks like a breeze from the sea.

"Huh? What's that? Is it food? I don't want it!"

The demon prince's words choked her before she laughed softly. She also couldn't help to answer him.

"Hehe... A friend is not food. Where did you learn that, dear demon prince?" She smiled at them.

Her eyes meet him accidentally. She saw a flash of surprise on him and a hot gaze which she found it amusing.

Sorry, dear prince. I am already taken...

She chuckled at her thought before she explained the terms 'friend' to him.

"A friend is a person who is not an enemy or a food. They were the close ally that would help you when you are in trouble or in a crisis. Meaning, they are people you have given your trust..."

And then she stood up. She walked slowly and when she was near, she picked up her dress and lowered her body. She can't show disrespect in front of her brother's new friend.

"Youngest Princess of Eskimos, Stiria Mirima met Your Highness, Prince Zeliker Asterostes from Flink. May the prince live well... Until all the darkness waned from your heart." She said playfully.

She was dazed when she saw the demon prince slowly smile at her with a gentle eyes.

So, he can smile. Now, he really looks like the charming black catman on my cover. If only he had ears and wagged his tail, he would look so cute!

Stiria found it amusing again but she didn't laugh. Instead, she looks at her brother.

"Royal brother, are you going to the technician division building?"

Xcerox went back to normal. He needs to get used to Zeliker smiling from now on.

"Yeah. Riseptos was injured by a new slave collar."

Stiria's eyes widened. "Is he alright?" She was now worried about his condition.

Xcerox shook his head. "That's the reason we're going there."

"I see... Then, I'm coming along, may I...?"

Xcerox contemplate. He doesn't know whether the collars on Riseptos were safe or not. Stiria might accidentally get hurt.

"Well, I'm still going, royal brother. Riseptos is my personal bodyguard but he left because of you. Now, you're saying he got into trouble? Why didn't no one inform me of this?" Stiria put a glare on her brother.

This was Xcerox's fault. If Riseptos didn't go with him, would Riseptos get injured?

What an excuse!

She knows Riseptos wants to go with the demon prince. After all, Riseptos already told her that Zeliker was his former prince and he wants to protect him now that he was here. He told her about it the night before he left with Xcerox. It saddened her but she hoped Riseptos could fulfil his wish too.

"Sorry, Stiria. It happened last night suddenly and I wasn't able to tell you." Xcerox apologises.

Zeliker and Silvert look at each other.

"Riseptos was her personal bodyguard? I never thought Riseptos willingly served someone. He used to be arrogant and everyone must be under him but not father though..." Zeliker telepathy Silvert.

"Me too, your highness. I am shocked!"

Zeliker rolled his eyes at his dramatic voice.

"Erm, okay then. But you must promise not to get close to him and stay with me. No tinkering with anything there either."

Xcerox allows his youngest sister to follow but he warns her of something she might do.

Stiria smiled and then followed them towards the technician division building. Her maidservants didn't follow because Xcerox was there to ensure his sister's safety. Moreover, Gizelis and Nish were there too so there was no need for them.

Zeliker watched the technician division building in front of him. It was huge but half the palace size. It was decorated with many gears to show it this was their place.

His eyes twitched at that. Demons would love to hit this place first since it builds various machines and technologies. These were human weapons.

Although demons were behind these skills, they weren't interested in them much. After all, they have abilities that were beyond human skills. But their arrogance made them fail most times to take over human kingdoms. Now, he was going to enter humans' fundamental technologies that overthrow the demons' soldiers in most wars.

"Hey, get over here right now!"

Someone yelled at a male demon who ran away at high speed from inside the building. But he fell hard to the ground in front of Zeliker and his group when a steel cord snatched his one leg from behind.

"Let go of me, you freak sister!"

The male demon turned his head back and shrieked at a lady in high heels. In her hand was the steel cord end.

"We haven't finished our experiment yet. What are you leaving for?" She scowled at him.

"No, no! I'm not going to wear that weird helmet!"

The male demons screamed when his body was dragged back by the cord slowly. His fingers sharpen into claws and grab the ground. Unfortunately, the lady force was stronger than him. He makes a line of claws on the ground.

"You damn brother!" I already explained that it won't hurt you!" She groaned while pulling the cord.

The male demon's expression was horrified. Then, he saw Zeliker and his group which made him silent immediately. The lady also saw them and let go of the cord instantly.

"Ahaha... Why are the two your highnesses here? Oh, are you coming to watch us remove the collar from Sir Riseptos? It's still in progress."

The lady smiled sheepishly while brushing her wild red hair to the back of her head. She has silver-eyed colours. The male demon resembles her a bit but he was taller than her.

"Dian Weger meets both prince and princess!" The male demon hurriedly changes his position to kneel in front of Xcerox and Stiria.

Then, he noticed Zeliker who was beside Xcerox. His eyes widened instantly and his expression turned pale.

"I have been rude to Your Highness, prince Flink! Please forgive me!"

He already heard the rumour that the demon prince who helped Riseptos and others. He figures he would meet him soon but not this soon. How shameful he was when he realised that Zeliker also saw his fiasco with his sister.

I wish someone would bury me now! This is too embarrassing!

He screamed internally.