Max returned to the courtyard as if nothing had happened.

  Moon was sitting on top of the table, eating the st cookie with absolute concentration. Enor held her cup, but her gaze was lost in the fountain’s water.

  Both of them looked up when they saw him come back.

  “Everything okay?” Enor asked.

  “Yeah,” he replied naturally, taking his seat again.

  Moon stared at him for a few seconds, as if trying to detect something strange… but then she smiled.

  “Daddy’s back.”

  Enor carefully set her cup down on the saucer.

  “Max… I wanted to ask you something.”

  He looked at her.

  “I was thinking that maybe Moon could start coming to my magic csses.”

  Moon went completely still.

  “Csses…?” she whispered.

  “They’re basic,” Enor crified. “Mana control, perception, elemental fundamentals. But considering how fast she’s growing…”

  Moon turned to Max with shining eyes.

  Max smiled.

  “If you want to go… then of course you can.”

  Moon made a small jump.

  “Yes!”

  “I trust you,” he added, looking at Enor. “And I trust her.”

  Enor smiled warmly.

  “Then we’ll start today.”

  Moon raised her arms as if she had already won a battle.

  The atmosphere rexed a little.

  Max rested his elbows on the table.

  “Out of curiosity…” he said casually. “How exactly does a duel for a princess’s hand work?”

  Enor blinked.

  “Why do you ask?”

  Max sighed.

  “I ran into Taniel a moment ago.”

  Enor’s smile vanished.

  “And?”

  “He told me that the moment you choose someone, he’ll challenge him.”

  Enor fell silent for a few seconds.

  When she spoke again, her voice was more formal.

  “It’s a sacred challenge. It cannot be refused.”

  Moon stopped smiling.

  “Sacred?”

  “Three against three,” Enor continued. “Each side chooses two companions in addition to the suitor. Everything is allowed.”

  Max frowned.

  “Everything?”

  “Weapons, magic, summons. There are no limitations other than the designated field.”

  The fountain water seemed louder now.

  “It ends with surrender…” she added.

  A minimal pause.

  “Or with the total death of one side.”

  Max leaned back in his chair.

  “Great.”

  Moon looked at both of them, frowning.

  “I can help.”

  Max looked at her.

  “Moon…”

  “I’m strong,” she insisted. “And I’m going to learn magic. I can fight.”

  Enor nodded slowly.

  “If you decide to present yourself… we’ll give Moon a combat-focused foundation. Applied elemental control.”

  Max watched her for a moment.

  “And the third member?”

  Enor hesitated slightly.

  “I can assign you any royal guard. The best, if you wish.”

  Max slowly shook his head.

  “No. If Taniel came prepared for this… his escorts won’t be decorative.”

  Enor nodded.

  “It’s likely he brought elite fighters. If his intention from the beginning was to force a duel…”

  Max let out a long breath.

  “Then I need people who fight by choice, not by order.”

  He thought for a second.

  Then he gave a sideways smile.

  “I’ll talk to Gawain.”

  Enor raised her eyebrows slightly.

  “He’s taken a liking to you.”

  “We understood each other after the fire,” Max replied.

  Moon tilted her head.

  “The feather man?”

  “That’s the one.”

  Enor nodded softly.

  “He’s an excellent option. He hates Taniel. And if he agrees… Taniel won’t have it easy.”

  Max fixed his gaze on the fountain.

  This was no longer a hypothetical conversation. It was preparation.

  “Then first we confirm whether Gawain is on our side,” he said. “And after that, we start coming up with a pn.”

  Moon clenched her fists.

  “Team Daddy!”

  Max couldn’t help but smile.

  But his stomach churned with nerves at the thought of having to fight in a real combat.

  ***

  Max walked through the corridors of the castle’s east wing with determined steps. Or at least, he tried to.

  The closer he got to the massive double doors of dark wood—decorated with carvings of outstretched wings—the more he wondered if he shouldn’t have considered other options first.

  He stopped in front of the door.

  Took a deep breath and knocked.

  He only heard feminine ughter.

  Max blinked.

  And then he heard something else.

  A moan.

  He froze.

  “…no,” he muttered.

  He knocked again. This time a little louder.

  The ughter cut off for a second.

  The door opened slightly.

  A girl with abundant light-brown fur and elegant antlers curving back like a moose peeked her face out. A white sheet barely covered her body.

  “Yes?” she asked in a soft voice. “Who’s knocking?”

  Max stopped breathing. His brain took three seconds to start working again.

  “I-I…” he cleared his throat. “I’m looking for Gawain.”

  More ughter came from inside.

  The girl tilted her head.

  “He’s unavaible. He’s busy,” she replied with absolute calm.

  From inside the room, a deep voice called out:

  “Who the hell is it?”

  Max swallowed.

  “It’s Max!” he said, raising his voice a bit. “The royal pet!”

  There was a second of silence.

  Then a booming ugh.

  “HA! Let him in!”

  The girl opened the door fully.

  Max stepped inside.

  And immediately wished he hadn’t.

  The room was enormous. Open windows. Curtains billowing. A gigantic bed in the center.

  On it, reclining with complete comfort, was Gawain.

  Disheveled. Smiling.

  Around him, beneath the wide sheets, four distinct figures were clearly visible:

  A cat-woman with dark hair and upright ears.

  Another with an intense gaze and barely visible fangs—clearly a wolf.

  A gray-skinned dwarf with braided hair, resting against his chest.

  And the moose girl who had just closed the door.

  Max brought a hand to his face.

  He pinched his arm.

  ‘I’m not dreaming.’

  Gawain let out another ugh.

  “You should warn a man before you come barging in, boy.”

  The four women looked at him with curiosity… and then blew kisses and gave him pyful winks.

  Max felt like his soul was trying to leave his body.

  “I need to… talk to you,” he said stiffly, staring at anything that wasn’t the bed.

  Gawain raised an eyebrow.

  “That serious?”

  “In private.”

  The bird-man studied him for a second.

  Then sighed theatrically.

  “Fine, fine.”

  He shifted slightly and looked at his companions.

  “Wait here. I’ll be back tonight.”

  “Don’t be long~” purred the cat-woman.

  “We’ll be waiting,” added the wolf with a half-smile.

  The dwarf gave him a pat on the chest.

  The moose girl shot Max a mischievous grin.

  Max turned on his heel.

  “I’ll wait outside.”

  Gawain stood up without the slightest hint of shame and grabbed a light robe from a nearby chair.

  “Rex, boy,” he said as he put it on. “If you blush over this, the world’s going to devour you.”

  Max muttered something unintelligible.

  A minute ter, they both stepped out into the corridor.

  The door closed behind them.

  Gawain crossed his arms.

  “Well then. What does my new great friend need?”

  This time, Max looked him straight in the eyes.

  “I want to know if you’d be willing to fight at my side in a duel for the princess’s hand, against Taniel.”

  Gawain’s smile disappeared.