The Cursed Prince

"What's on your mind, princess?" Julian asked.

Harlow slowed down from eating and was only twirling her fork idly. "Ah… it's nothing."

"Is the food not good?"

"No, it's delicious!" Harlow reassured him with a smile as she started to eat again. The princess knew that she wouldn't be able to get as great an opportunity to survive in the demon realm if it weren't for Julian.

"I'm glad." Julian beamed at her. "It would have been quite a problem if you didn't like the food. The cook would have stomped all the way here and thrown us out."

"What?"

"He's a minotaur," Julian explained. "And he loves cooking. He takes great pride in the food he cooks. He is also a proud individual. He would not like it to hear that you hate his cooking."

Harlow found herself almost spouting her food when she heard Julian make the comment about the angry minotaur cook. Now, she couldn't unsee the image from her mind. She wiped her lips and drank water. 

Harlow suddenly felt a lot better thanks to the adventurer.

She thought that she was capable and strong. Someone who could handle herself without the help of other people, but now, she realized perhaps that was a little arrogant of her to think. 

Harlow knew that no man was an island…

She was still the Crown Princess of Draec, though! The great archer princess with her beloved ice dragon that soared through the skies. She was going to meet the Ice Prince Raphael and teach him a lesson about tricking her mother!

Harlow put down her cup of water and felt a bit humbled by the chance of meeting Julian. If Raphael was to say the same words as Julian that Harlow's mother being tricked was simply because of her lack of experience or naivety, then Harlow would have raged.

Emmelyn decided to put her faith in the Ice Prince because she wanted to save her mother-in-law. 

Who could blame her?

In fact, everything seemed to point out that Raphael deceived her and took advantage of Emmelyn's desperation. That was the evil in the situation!

Harlow would stick an arrow into any person's eye if they tried to speak ill about her mother and pin the blame of the situation to her and not the stupid Ice Prince.

However, now that a complete stranger who didn't even know about the betrothal of Harlow to the Ice Prince thought that one needed to be more on guard with people who were dangerous and powerful… She reluctantly admitted that Julian was right.

Perhaps there could have been some precautions, and the situation might have been different if Emmelyn hadn't been in a difficult place but now things were already over. 

A pact had already been made between Emmelyn and Raphael. Now Harlow's grandmother lives and the Ice Prince considered Harlow as the equivalent exchange to it which infuriated her so much.

She wasn't going to marry him though. 

Harlow would do everything in her capacity to not marry him and she wanted to let him know that. Before the princess could eat again though, she suddenly realized that Julian was looking at her and the man tossed her a small coin purse.

"Let's split up," he said.

"Huh…? Wait.. what?" Harlow caught the coin purse reflexively. She looked at the purse in her hands and then looked up to Julian, asking him with her eyes, why he tossed some of the money to her. "Are you leaving me? You are giving me money… for what?"

"Don't you want money?" Julian raised an eyebrow. "I can always take it back if you aren't keen on using it."

Harlow quickly tightened her grip on the money purse. She shook her head. "You cannot take back gifts."

Until she could figure out ways to make money herself and navigate this demons realm properly, she wouldn't be ashamed to latch on Julian since the man was the one who suggested they 'work together'. Shouldn't partners help each other out?

He was right. Food and accommodation cost money. She would be dumb to return his money. "I was just wondering if you would go and leave me alone. If so, let me know so I would know how to make plans." 

"Ahh... that's right. Well... I do need to go out for a bit. I want to see some people who owe me favors. I can't take you with me because those people are quite dangerous and I don't want to involve you," Julian explained.

"Oh.." Harlow remembered Julian did say he wanted to collect some favors in the demons realm. She was wondering what they were.

The more she thought about it, the more she found Julian interesting. The man was just an ordinary human who happened to get lucky or rather unlucky and got thrown into realms that were not his. Other people might have already been dead by now, but not this guy.

Not only did he survive, but he was also able to secure some connections and exchange favors with some people here.

"Okay... so you will go alone?" Harlow bit her lip. "In that case, I will find a hotel nearby. See you tomorrow morning."

"Okay. You can just ask the waiters here about a nice inn for you to say. They will point you in the right direction," Julian said before he rose from his seat and got ready to leave. "Take care, princess!" 

Julian disappeared from sight. He had paid for the food and talked a little bit with one of the waiters to help Harlow.

Once he was out of sight, the female waiter came to Harlow and confirmed with her that she was looking for an inn to stay in for the night.

Harlow was honest and showed her the money she had in her purse. The princess didn't know if this was a lot for the demons' standard.

"Well... we have a place for you, Miss," said the waiter with a beaming smile. "I can take you there after you were done eating."

"Thank you. I am done eating. It's time to find a place to stay," Harlow said. She rose from her chair and stood in her place while waiting for the waiter to come with her.

"This way, Miss...." The waiter motioned Harlow to follow her.