The Princess' Harem
Chapter 41: Joel’s Past

Chapter 41: Joel’s Past

After the two men left, she took out the letter and her eyes widened slightly as she read its contents.

The letter was from Arden Daelis, the son of House Daelis, who had spent the last few years studying at a prestigious academy in Valendale Empire. He had promised to become Princess Viana’s personal tutor upon his return.

She read the short letter and smiled, appreciating its brevity and clarity.

Your Highness,

I wish to inform you that my studies at Valendale Empire have been completed earlier than expected.

I will return to Elysia in one week.

I look forward to meeting you soon.

With respect,

Arden Daelis.

Sina, who noticed Viana’s expression, asked curiously, "What does the letter say, Your Highness?"

Viana glanced at her personal maid with a smile. "My new tutor is coming home soon."

Sina raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Tutor? But that letter bears the Daelis family seal."

Noticing how quick Sina was to pick up on details, Viana chuckled. "Yes, Arden Daelis will be my new tutor."

She then stood up, allowing Sina to help her change into her nightwear. But Sina, still intrigued, couldn’t stop herself from asking another question. "Lord Daelis? I thought he wouldn’t return until next year."

Viana shook her head slowly and replied, "I don’t know why, but his return is earlier than we expected."

Of course, Viana knew exactly why. Arden Daelis was a genius, and in her past life, he had also graduated early. That was why she had asked him to become her tutor during her birthday banquet a few months ago.

She gazed at the letter resting on her desk, her mind beginning to race. Arden’s arrival would bring many changes, especially in politics and power balance within the palace, since the Daelis family had always remained neutral.

***

After Sina left, Viana picked up Arden’s letter and placed it on her desk. His early return was a great opportunity for her to learn more about kingdom finances under his guidance.

However, for now, all she wanted was rest. She had been dealing with Lindsay and the temple ceremony for the past week, and she just wanted a day or two to relax.

She lay down on her bed, which felt much softer than the hard mattress from the temple. Closing her eyes, she sank into its comfort.

In her mind, she thought, "Finally, I can relax without any distractions."

Yet, part of her kept thinking about the translucent paper that had yet to reappear. She was too exhausted to summon it now, and before long, she drifted into sleep.

***

Even during her rest days, Viana wasn’t completely idle. She had already begun preparing for the Royal Hunting Event, scheduled for early autumn.

This event was not just an ordinary hunting competition but a major political occasion in Elysia Kingdom.

Nobles, members of the royal family, and influential figures would attend, not just to hunt, but to show off their skills, build connections, and engage in elegant competition.

As the event’s organizer, Viana had to oversee every aspect of its preparation carefully. Thankfully, she had experience from her past life.

The first task was choosing the hunting grounds. While the event always took place in the vast royal forest, she needed to survey the area to ensure safety. Trails and markers also had to be set up to prevent hunters from getting lost.

Next, Viana had to personally write formal invitations, a tedious but necessary task. These invitations were sent to noble families, knights, and high-ranking officials, as well as foreign dignitaries interested in participating.

Each invitation contained the event’s date and location, the hunting rules, a list of animals available for the hunt, and special prizes for the best hunters.

By the time she finished writing invitations, Viana rubbed her temples, feeling the weight of the work ahead. This event was going to be exhausting, even with people helping her.

She continued listing out preparations until late afternoon, then decided to take a walk in the palace gardens to clear her mind.

Since most people assumed she was still busy writing event plans, she left her chambers alone. The cool evening air refreshed her thoughts, providing a break from the overwhelming preparations.

She walked through the garden until she spotted Joel, standing near a small pond, watching tiny fish swim beneath the water’s surface. With a slight smile, she approached him.

"Joel," she called lightly.

The brown-haired man turned to her and smiled before offering a brief bow. "Your Highness. I didn’t expect you to be outside at this hour."

Viana sighed. "I just wanted a short break before returning to preparations for the hunting event. You seem to be enjoying the fish."

Joel nodded. "Yes. This place is much more peaceful than a battlefield," he replied with a distant tone.

Viana glanced at him, intrigued by his words. She knew Joel had a dark past as the Mercenary King, once the legendary leader of the largest mercenary force in the southern regions. Yet, she had never heard him talk about it directly.

"You used to be the Mercenary King, didn’t you?" Viana asked, letting her curiosity guide the conversation.

Joel gave a faint smile before looking up at the darkening sky. "Yes. I led the largest mercenary force in the south. We weren’t just ordinary sellswords, we had our own rules, a code of honor to follow."

He paused, carefully choosing his words. "Back then, war never stopped between kingdoms. Every faction wanted extra strength, and we were always caught in the middle. Sometimes we won battles for one kingdom, other times we were crushed by another. It was a hard life."

Viana listened closely. "What made you stop?" she asked, knowing that Joel now preferred a peaceful life as one of her personal guards.

Joel briefly met her gaze before looking back at the pond. "Eventually, I grew tired of seeing so much death. I lost many valuable people in my forces, and I started to realize that there was no true satisfaction in being a mercenary. If I kept fighting, I would only be trapped in an endless cycle."

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