The Lowliest Princess and the Hated Hero
The evening was steeped in moonlight. In the hero’s chamber, where a tranquil hush lingered, Hwian rested his chin on his hand and quietly studied Serena.
Her silver-white hair cascaded down her back. The faint red tint at the corners of her eyes and the soft golden gaze holding a gentle smile caught his attention.
She was utterly defenseless.
Never mind the question of man or woman… did she truly feel no fear standing before the person who had demolished the royal guard with his bare fists? Instead of wearing armor, she had come in a nightgown.
He stared for a moment at the delicate white fabric fluttering around her. Then Serena, having finished preparing the meal, offered him a plate.
“Here. I hope it suits your taste.”
“…”
He accepted the steaming soup without a word.
It was a pale golden broth with no solid ingredients. The aroma reminded him of corn. The soft, sweet scent that tickled his nose slowly stirred his appetite.
He carefully lifted a spoonful to his lips.
…It tasted comforting.
“I did my best to make it resemble the food from your original world. I’m not sure how well I succeeded, but…”
“Did you make this yourself?”
Hwian asked, a hint of surprise in his voice at Serena’s words.
In a noble household it might have been one thing, but this was the royal palace. A member of the royal family cooking personally? If the story spread elsewhere, no one would even take it as a joke.
“Yes. My skills are still terribly immature, though.”
Yet she nodded. The way she lowered her head, looking slightly embarrassed, was so absurd he almost laughed.
Just who was this woman? Born into royalty, yet possessing neither power nor greed. There wasn’t a trace of the arrogance common among those who held authority—she simply offered kindness, consistently and without fail.
“…”
Once again, that faint tickling sensation rose in Hwian’s chest.
He let out a small sigh and spoke.
“I met Serion. He was worried about you.”
“…! Brother Serion? He’s already returned?”
For a brief moment, Serena’s eyes sparkled with surprise and joy. Hwian took another sip of soup before continuing.
“It seems he shortened his schedule because the uproar bothered him. Specifically, because of me.”
“Ah, ahaha…”
“While I had the chance, I asked him about a few things. About the summoning, and about you.”
He lifted his gaze to her. Serena, who had been chewing her soup, raised her head as well and met his eyes.
“There are a few things I want to ask you.”
He hated royalty. He hated nobles. Those with power only ever irritated him.
Yet now he felt curiosity toward the girl before him.
Despite her noble blood and refined grace, her strangely fragile nature had sparked his interest.
“When was the first time you saw me?”
At his question, Serena smiled carefully and answered.
“It was… about three months ago. Last winter.”
As expected. While he silently turned her words over in his mind, she continued.
“Are you familiar with the preliminary preparations for summoning magic? The meditation period the caster spends on the magic circle before the spell is fully activated.”
“I am. Once every five days, from the moment the sun sets for one hour. It was written in the books.”
The caster of a grand spell typically required one month to half a year of preparation. It was a process commonly known as the “preheating” of great magic.
It wasn’t mere mental readiness. By acclimating the body to the magic circle in advance, the caster sought to lessen even slightly the burden that would strike them upon activation.
It was an act of gradually exchanging the circle’s immense energy with the caster’s own mana. Though it appeared to be simple meditation, in truth it was quite grueling. He had heard that many mages even experienced hallucinations during the process, yet…
“During that time, I saw you,” Serena said.
She wore an awkward smile, like a child confessing a long-held mistake.
“I’ve never heard that such a thing was possible.”
“It probably isn’t, for most people. It’s something only the caster would know. I can only guess it might be a unique characteristic of magic that crosses between worlds…”
She continued, tightening her clasped hands until her knuckles paled.
“Even so, I didn’t see everything clearly. Only for the briefest moment would a hazy image appear in my mind.”
“…”
“The way you walked, how you treated the people around you, the way you cooked, how you showed consideration…”
Listening to her, Hwian lightly rested his chin on his hand once more.
His life from the original world. To be honest, so much time had passed that the memories had grown faint.
Back then he had simply been a student. An innocent high school boy who dreamed of becoming a chef.
On weekdays he spent time with friends at school, on weekends he played with his family at home. He was the kind neighbor who occasionally gave candy to the children he met in the park.
“I’ve heard that the caster doesn’t choose who to summon. That’s why some possess the aptitude and others don’t.”
“…Yes.”
“You saw me beyond the circle, and that’s why you called for me. But when I think about it, that’s strange too. Even after successfully performing the summoning, why do you still hold no authority? The hero is supposed to be an important figure. Anyone with the proper aptitude should be treated as precious.”
In his memory lingered the sight of Serena helplessly lowering her head before the nobles’ protests. The royal guard captain’s face—annoyed rather than proud of the princess who had accomplished a great feat—remained vivid.
He was curious. Why was she so frail?
“Because half of me is a commoner.”
At her answer, Hwian’s hand twitched.
Serena Silvarin. A child born between a king and a commoner.
“Even among noble children, not everyone receives equal treatment. The same is true for royalty.”
“But you’re still the king’s daughter.”
“And at the same time, a commoner’s child. The lowliest, basest, most wretched merchant’s daughter.”
Hwian’s brow furrowed. It was partly due to her self-deprecating tone, but also because it reminded him of the insulting nickname he had heard before his regression.
The most lowly princess.
The faint sound of maids giggling in secret still echoed somewhere in his memory.
“…I’m sorry.”
She spoke in a voice that sounded on the verge of tears—the same tone he had heard once before.
“It was I who called you, Hero. I brought you to this world.”
“…”
“Magic cannot activate without a caster. …The one who did not refuse was me. So… so…”
That was why he had been summoned here—to this prison called another world, where he could not return without slaying the Demon King.
“I’m sorry…”
Drop. Drop. Transparent tears fell from her deeply bowed head.
Serena wept in silence. Hwian watched her for a long moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
Looking at her like this…
The nightgown was so thin that the outline of her skin showed faintly beneath it. Only after listening to her story and seeing her in different clothes did he finally notice.
Dark bruises bloomed near her calves. Beneath the sleeves, relatively fresh marks from being struck marred her wrists.
“……”
There was no one in this palace who would look after her. Only now did Serion’s words truly sink in.
In the end, she had simply wanted someone to rely on.
She had seen him beyond the magic circle during her painful life and longed for a friend in this palace where she had no allies.
But after witnessing his rage firsthand, her thoughts must have changed. The guilt that now drove her to tears left only suffering visible on her face.
“…I will kill the Demon King. No matter how long it takes or what I must do.”
After a long silence, Hwian finally spoke. He had no talent for offering roundabout comfort.
“To be honest, I can’t think kindly of you. After all, without the summoning I would never have come here. However…”
If she had refused the nobles’ pressure to summon a hero, she would likely be suffering even worse treatment by now. When he considered that, he found he couldn’t purely condemn her.
“Straighten your shoulders.”
“…?”
“There’s no need for apologies. Instead, help me a little. If we succeed in subjugating the Demon King, part of that achievement will belong to you as well.”
If that happened, she would no longer be ignored as she was now. Even if she wasn’t suddenly revered, at least no one would dare strike her.
“In return, I’ll help you.”
“!”
“From the start, I thought the nobles of this country needed to be dealt with at least once. There are more than a few rotten ones. It would be impossible to handle them all in a short time, but…”
Before his regression, he had spent an entire year in the palace before setting out on his journey. He had trained and tempered himself during that time.
How long would he stay here this time? It probably wouldn’t be as long as before, but while he remained, he intended to knock a few nobles down a peg.
“Not a bad deal, is it?”
He looked at the sniffling Serena. She opened and closed her mouth as if wanting to say something, then offered a faint smile.
“…I will gladly follow you. For your sake.”
“Deal sealed. I look forward to working with you.”
He took another spoonful of soup.
“Mm… It really is delicious.”
At his quiet murmur, a small smile bloomed across Serena’s face.