Lying and Conquering

“Are you here to kill me?”

They both asked at the exact same time.

While both froze, they were able to mutter loud enough for the other to hear a “n-no…”

It was safe to say that, the silence made them both embarrassed enough to not be scared, and also forget that they were scared in the first place.

“I’m just passing through!” Said both.

Their logic twisted to that of kids trying to avoid being caught spying or sneaking away, which at least Zayobi knew was accurate in her case.

Presumably out of confusion, when they tried to hurry away to the side each came from, they stepped forward.

Freezing again yet way closer, the duo of red and blue didn’t move anything but their eyes.

That’s a…

Zayobi noticed…

The wolf-eared boy held a basket filled to the brim with strawberries.

“Are you the reason they were all gone!?” The princess roared.

To which in response the boy instantly dropped his basket.

While she didn’t move herself, the boy weakened from being still as a statue to shivering as if the fear dropped him on a snowy mountain. Maybe his fluffy ears weren’t enough.

Holding her tone to not scare him any more, Zayobi opened her mouth to add: “That was a lie.”

She crouched and picked up his basket, luckily all the strawberries stayed put even with how full it was.

“They grow in so many places that you still haven’t been to around here.” She gave him back the basket, which for a moment allowed him to move.

“W-where...?” He stuttered.

Still standing close to him, Zayobi replied: “I answered before you even asked, I said in places you haven’t been to.”

“I barely know this place... I don’t even know if I have the time to go deeper to explore…” He looked down as he spoke.

“They would actually be all gone if I were to take you with me, seeing how much you’re holding onto right now... You’ll have to promise that you’ll ask me for permission from this day forth if I were to take you!”

Zayobi lied the first time to intimidate him and learn his nature. She noticed he was as confused as she was, and that gave her a chance to find weaknesses. Her statement wasn’t out of ill intent; that was her, while not purposely, showing him her own nature.

“I suppose the shock of believing your gluttony had gotten the better of you and caused another person to be unable to harvest their desired fruits awakened a virtue in you. Awakened, or maybe even a glimpse of more compassion waiting to be plucked.”

She continued.

“So, to paraphrase and make my offer clear: Forfeit your right of harvesting strawberries without my permission, and I promise to show you to the locations of every bush I ever laid eyes upon.”

That attitude was natural for Zayobi even in her negligent desire to take the crown, but it probably wasn’t enough for this boy to figure out she was an heir to the throne.

Realizing it’s his role to speak, he took as big of a step as was possible without walking into Zayobi.

“Of course I’ll have that virtue! My mother taught me every moral needed to rule over Mizrakah, and so obviously I agree to lend my rights of harvesting the forest’s fruits to the one who knows it best!”

He instantly approached me after regaining his confidence, and he’s so cute up close! If only he was a Flame Soul I would investigate every little detail about him and announce to mom, nay, the kingdom, that I found my prince… Wait, rule over what?

“And I’ll be glad to pay this fine with my unlawful harvest as well, even if you won’t make this legislation retrospective!”

“Hey, different topic for a moment…” She raised her palm. “I’m confident in your heart and body, however, could you please state your full status and rankings in Mizrakah?”

A plethora of people would irk at being told “your personality and appearance are to my liking, but I need to know your social status too.” Though this princess wasn’t referring to it exactly in the same approach.

If this boy from an opposing kingdom located beyond the Hallowed Forest really was as romantic as he was meek, chances are her method would work.

“My name is Agmon, prince of Mizrakah. I do not seek specific blood in my comrades or future partner, but I myself am a pure wolf. I’m a lone son, so I practiced and studied excessively to allow a window of opportunity for me to slip unnoticed into this neutral territory.”

Maybe his family doesn’t get assassination attempts on their birthdays regularly, and so security isn’t as tight as ours. And I must say, at least from this conversation, his speech isn’t excessive at all.

She thought of his personality before the very status she had asked for.

He could’ve said something like “I am the number-something heir to the throne of Mizrakah” but he just said prince.

She concluded:

Yup. He’s Cute.