The Princess and The Queen Want me as their personal Slave?
Chapter 42: Lucy determination? {Moonlight Village}

Chapter 42: Lucy determination? {Moonlight Village}

Lucy had just returned from the First Queen’s Competition, her heart still pounding from the intensity of it all. Thankfully, she had won. The final match had ended in a draw with her older sister, but it was her victory in the first round—thanks to Akashi’s support—that had secured her Win

Weary and emotionally drained, Lucy wanted nothing more than to rest beside Akashi. She quietly opened the door to his room, expecting to see him there. But the room was empty.

He wasn’t there.

A chill ran through her as she noticed something on the desk. A single letter, folded neatly, resting in the quietness.

Her brows furrowed.

She picked it up with trembling fingers, a sinking feeling forming in her chest before she had even read a word. Slowly, she unfolded the paper and began reading.

Time seemed to stand still.

Each word hit her like a stone, heavy and sharp. But it was the last line that shattered her heart completely:

"Please become stronger... so that soon, you’ll be the one protecting me."

Her hands shook.

Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall—and then, without warning, the letter burned.

Right there in her hands, the paper ignited into a ghostly blue flame, turning to ash before she could hold onto it. The ashes crumbled between her fingers and scattered into the wind, as if it had never existed.

He was gone.

He had left again—not mysteriously this time, not vanishing without a trace—but with a letter. A goodbye. A sacrifice.

But why?

The letter didn’t explain why he had to leave, nor whether he was even still alive. It left more questions than answers, and it filled her with anguish.

A week ago, she had told him not to leave again. She had pleaded with him. Promised him that they’d face things together. And yet... he left.

This time, her heart didn’t shatter—it burned.

She stood there, calm on the outside, unmoving. But inside, a storm raged.

And then she remembered his face. The last time she saw him... there was something in his expression. A kind of weariness, so subtle that she had only noticed it now in hindsight. His eyes had held a deep fatigue, like someone carrying a burden too heavy for one person.

A burden he never shared.

"Why didn’t he tell me?" she whispered to herself.

But deep down, she already knew the answer. Even if he had told her... would she have been able to help? Would she have been able to carry that weight for him?

No.

That helplessness—her helplessness—burned inside her chest like wildfire. It made her angry. Angry at herself, angry at her weakness. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

She had to become stronger. Not for the throne, not for appearances, not even for herself.

But for him

To claim him back

She wanted to rest—her heart ached with despair—but she wouldn’t allow herself to fall apart. Not now. Not when he needed her to be strong.

She didn’t even know what Akashi had truly gone to do, or what kind of danger he was facing. But the uncertainty only fueled her determination.

A few days later, she shared the news with the others—Sophia, Elizabeth, Evelyn, and especially, Alisa.

Each reaction was different.

Sophia, ever composed, only bit her lip. It was strange. She and Akashi had never been close, barely even exchanged words. Yet the weight of his absence affected her more than Lucy expected.

Elizabeth’s reaction was even more surprising. Her older sister clenched her fist until blood began to drip between her fingers. She had never known of Akashi’s close relationship—not truly. Elizabeth had always trained alone, separate, distant. This was the first time she realized just how deep their bond ran.

Evelyn, their mother, simply sighed. She showed no outward concern—only a knowing, almost intrigued gaze. She understood.

Evelyn had Trained him far Enough too atleast protect himself and be strong but she didn’t expect for him too leave when he hasn’t Bloomed yet

it was a Pity and something in her heart stirred Sadness She barely felt this emotion but when this happened it was someone important too her

She didn’t know how much important and amusing having Akashi as she trained him and just now realized how important he was

And then there was Alisa.

Alisa cried. Day and night.

The moment she heard the news, her entire world seemed to crumble. She and Akashi had once made a childhood promise—to always meet again, no matter what. Even when they had gone months or even years apart, they had never missed more than a week without finding their way back to each other.

That promise had been everything to her.

And now... he was gone.

She wept endlessly, her small hands curled into fists against her chest. All she could think of now was to grow stronger. Strong enough that the next time they met, she could hold on to him and never let him go again.

Her mother, Lorraine, looked at her with deep pity, wrapping her arms around Alisa to comfort her. She knew how deeply the bond between the two ran. Akashi wasn’t just a Normal friend to her daughter

She had her been first friend and looking at it if she is much older her daughter might actually fall for him

She Sighed Akashi was really Talented in her perspective too survive into a brink of 7 Star Spider is extraordinary feat

Meanwhile...

I looked down at the pile of money in front of me. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. The room I rented was paid for—at least for another month. That meant I didn’t have to worry about rent for a while.

The key to the room had a timer on it, glowing faintly with a countdown display. I knew exactly how much time I had left, and with that, I also knew what I needed to do.

Get stronger.

That was my only plan right now. To grow. To survive.

I headed downstairs, exiting the modest inn and making my way to the Guild Hall. My steps were light, but my mind was focused. I walked through the stone streets until I reached the guild—a massive building buzzing with adventurers and warriors of all kinds.

Inside, I made my way to the quest board.

The Deep Fish race dominated this part of the city. They looked nearly human at first glance, but a closer look revealed their differences—the glinting scales on their cheeks and arms, the smooth, powerful tails that replaced legs. A graceful, aquatic elegance surrounded them.

They stared at me, of course. A human among Deep Fish was rare—almost unheard of.

But none dared approach.

Above my head floated the glowing figure of a starfish spirit—a sign i was blessed by there God’s but it disgusted me It hovered silently, but its presence alone was enough to make even seasoned warriors think twice before messing with me.

I let out a silent breath of relief.

I summoned the White Staff, half-hoping it would speak, as it sometimes did. But this time, it remained silent.

I turned my attention to the quest board, scanning each available mission carefully. Most of them were either too hard for my current rank or far too easy, offering only scraps of money in return.

Frustrated, I kept looking—until one quest caught my eye.

A mission posted over a month ago. Still unanswered.

"Help Solve the Mystery of the Moonlight Village"

[Difficulty: ★★★★★]

Reward: 150 Gold Coins

This was it.

A high-reward quest that could give me enough funds to buy a spell book or Equipment maybe both. It would set me up for a while.

I took the paper from the board, and almost immediately, all eyes in the room turned to me again. Murmurs spread like wildfire.

Some stared in disbelief. Others looked worried. One of them—a Deep Fish with grayish-blue scales and sharp eyes—spoke up.

"Human... are you sure?" His voice was low, almost concerned. "That quest’s been there for over a month. No one’s been able to complete it."

I offered him a small, polite smile.

"I’ll be fine," I said calmly.

He looked like he wanted to say more but eventually backed off. The others did the same, returning to their business.

Most of them had probably never seen a human before. But there is some few Humans had been able too get here I’m sure.

And they weren’t going to interfere with me or mess with me. Not with the starfish spirit silently hovering above me. It waved ever so slightly in response to their stares—a subtle warning.

Don’t mess with this one.

With the quest in hand, I made my way out of the guild.

The Moonlight Village wasn’t far. I had seen it in the Map. An old, quiet place nestled between Seaweeds. They said strange lights appeared at night. That people had gone missing. That eerie Sounds filled the air under moonlight.