I Became A Storyteller

Karan noticed the numerous royal guards walking behind the princess's cart, perched on the bars. When the cart came to a halt, all the guards dismounted, lowering their heads in respect. As the princess gracefully stepped out, a man followed behind her. His commanding presence and pristine white attire, complete with a sword at his waist, made it clear that he was no ordinary individual.

Whispering to himself, Karan speculated, "He seems like some knight."

A boy standing nearby overheard Karan and responded with a grin. "He's not just a knight. That's Lieutenant Kirinaga of the Third Squad. You must be new here, huh? First time visiting?"

Karan nodded, relieved. "Good thing I ended up standing next to you. Everyone else looks like they have no idea what's going on. But you, you seem to know a lot."

The boy chuckled. "That's because I live in Lost Gate City. I see them every day, so I've recognized all of them by now. Not that anyone knows me, though. Hahaha!"

Karan's eyes gleamed with determination. "That won't matter once we get our adventure licenses. We'll do something big enough that people will remember our names."

The boy nodded in agreement. "You're right about that."

Just then, a guard approached the duo, his expression stern. "The princess is standing here, and you two are busy chatting. Show some respect and stay quiet."

Karan and the boy fell silent as the princess took her place a short distance away. Lieutenant Kirinaga stepped to her side, his presence commanding. Guards quickly set up a table and chair in front of the princess, who gracefully took her seat. One by one, participants approached her to present their quests. A guard kept track of the data, cross-checking the completed quests. If the princess was satisfied, she marked it with a green tick. If not, the participant was dismissed.

Around fifty to sixty participants stood in the field, yet so far, only twelve had earned a green tick. It was now Karan's turn.

Stepping forward, he stood before the princess. Her youthful beauty struck him, but he quickly reminded himself that she was only ten years old. Having watched countless anime, Karan knew how to present himself before a princess. Or so he thought.

With a polite bow, Karan spoke nervously. "It's my pleasure to meet you, Princess." Then panic set in. "Wait... I don't even know her name. Should I ask? No, no, what if that’s rude? Ah, what should I do?" His thoughts raced uncontrollably.

The princess's voice interrupted his inner turmoil. "Tell me your name."

Startled, Karan stammered, "Oh! Yes, tell me my name... I mean, my name is..."

Before he could finish, a guard interjected with a smirk. "You don't even know your own name? Who are you?"

Karan's face flushed with embarrassment. "I-I'm really sorry. This is my first time seeing the princess up close. I got nervous. And then, standing next to Sir Lieutenant Kirinaga — it's been a dream of mine to meet him. It’s come true today. I tried to stay calm while waiting in line, but now that I'm here, my heart's racing. Sir Lieutenant, may I have your autograph, please?"

The guard, growing impatient, shook his head. "Enough with the dramatics. Just state your name. Others are still waiting."

Karan quickly straightened up. "Oh! Right, sorry! My name is Nara, and I'm 22 years old."

The princess's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Did you say you're 22 years old?"

Karan nodded. "Yes, yes."

"Impossible," the princess murmured.

The guard, verifying the data, confirmed, "The princess is right. According to his records, he is indeed 22 years old."

Karan shrugged playfully. "Well, if my age is impossible, I guess we’ll run out of words for the actual questions."

The princess's curiosity piqued. "What kind of question is that?" Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "But don't stop now, continue."

The guard opened the records. "Your quest was to find a leg of a toad and bring it back. That was the princess's first wish."

The princess's excitement grew. "Where is the Sage Toad?"

Karan hesitated, his expression turning serious. "That's the main problem."

The princess tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Karan began, "I didn’t have a license, no magical item, nothing. And as you know, beasts can use magic. The one I faced was a Sage Toad. When I finally found one and asked where I could find a Sage, the toad ignored me and simply walked on. I followed him. Then, after a while, he stopped. I asked again, but instead of answering, he turned to me and said, 'Get away from here.' I was shocked. A beast speaking human language? That was terrifying. When I asked why I should leave, he warned me that someone who hates humans was approaching."

The princess listened intently, eyes wide with curiosity. But Lieutenant Kirinaga's stoic expression remained unchanged. He could see through Karan’s tale, recognizing it as pure fabrication. Having ventured on numerous expeditions, the lieutenant knew how rare it was to encounter a Sage. The idea that Karan, a mere novice, had come across one seemed absurd. Still, he remained silent, respecting the princess's enjoyment of the story.

Karan's voice lowered as he continued, "Suddenly, my heart slowed. My body ached. I couldn’t breathe. My throat dried up. And then, I saw it. A beast stood at a distance. It resembled a barno, but it was shorter, with numerous horns on its head, glowing like the night sky. I tried to move, but—"

Lieutenant Kirinaga’s stern voice cut through Karan’s tale. "That's enough."

The princess turned to him, surprised. The guards also glanced at the lieutenant, awaiting his reasoning.

Lieutenant Kirinaga's eyes remained fixed on Karan. "This story is pointless. You were given a quest, which you failed to complete. That should be the end of it. Leave."

Karan opened his mouth to protest, but the princess interrupted. She approached the lieutenant, her small stature forcing her to tilt her head to meet his gaze.

"You were sent to protect me, not to interfere with my decisions," she said firmly. Then, looking back at Karan, she smiled. "How much more is left of your story?"

"Not much," Karan assured her. "Just a little more."

"Continue," the princess urged.

Karan’s tone grew animated once again. "The toad approached the beast, covered in wounds. But suddenly, those wounds healed on their own. In moments, the toad’s skin looked brand new. I don’t know what happened next because I collapsed. When I woke up, I was lying near Mutespire Town. I was too afraid to return to the forest. If I encountered that beast again, I might not survive."

The princess, though disappointed, nodded thoughtfully. "So, my conclusion is that you didn’t get the answer."

Karan lowered his head, accepting the verdict.

"But," the princess continued, her expression softening, "I knew no one would complete this quest anyway. I was about to cancel it, but by then, it was too late. Still, because of this quest, you had an exciting adventure. I think you should get more opportunities like this in the future."

A smile returned to Karan’s face.

The princess declared cheerfully, "Green tick."