Page 10 of I Ran Away to Evil
Lilith coughed. “Beg your pardon, Princesss. These were Queen Vera’s roomsss. Motherto our current Dark Lord and Master.”
“Really? Is it alright for me to take Queen Vera’s rooms? Won’t I be intruding on a place filled with memories?”
I didn’t know how long this room had been left unchanged, but King Keith looked similar now to when I’d first met him at my tenth birthday party. He had that “dark and haggard with a billowing cape” kinda feel. Ageless. I wouldn’t assume to know his lineage, but there had definitely been a horn peeking through his dark hair. And some of the races lived hundreds of years.
“No, Princesss.” Lilith shook her head. “Our Dark Lord hasn’t any attachment to these roomsss. His mother died in childbirth twenty-four yearsss ago, and he grew up without ever knowing her.”
The feeling of miscommunication clicked, and I realized with some shock that Keith Monfort, Arcane Sage, Shadow Magician, Evil Overlord, DarkOverlord, His Royal Viciousness, and the ruler of the Dark Enchanted Forest of Nilheim … wasn’t even a decade older than I was. “Then his father?”
“Unknown. Her Eminence Feliwyn, our Dark Lord’s godmother, raised His Viciousnesss, then left when he came of age.”
“Is that also when my father started sending assassins?”
“Yes, Princesss.” Having finished taking off and storing my armor, we left the hidden wardrobe. Lilith closed it and showed me where my private washroom hid behind a catch door between the bed and the right-side vanity. It was sparkling clean, with a golden mermaid faucet and everything else made of marble. It was a marvel.
“Her Eminence is ssstill asleep at Lake Loria,” Lilith added.
“I see.” And I did see. There was only one “person” I’d found sleeping at the lake. Wow. “One last question, Lilith.”
“Yes, Princesss?”
“Where is the kitchen?”
CHAPTER 6
Let’s Not Blow Up and Almost Kill Me This Time, Alright?
Keith
Keith awoke to the dawn song, a beautiful cacophony of phoenix melody and robin chirp. Usually, he would never be awake at this ungodsly hour, but the sixteen hours of sleep—two whole rest periods—had left him full of mana and well rested in a way his nightly magic tinkering didn’t often allow.
Keith stretched and sat up. He hadn’t bothered changing last night, and he’d lost another button sleeping in his long work tunic. Rinrin would tsk, but honestly, there was nothing else to be done.
Until the arachne awoke from their diapause torpor in late spring, everyone had to make do with normal thread.
He activated his automata to let the castle staff on duty know that he was awake, and Tulith entered his rooms. She and Chikli had just gotten married, and Keith had to remember to post an ad for a new maid in the next year or so. He didn’t want baby lizardkin running around his experiments and getting hurt.
“Have Panlith whip up breakfast while I take a bath,” he instructed. “And find me something to wear that doesn’t show grease stains.” His creations always needed an unreasonable amount of grease to move.
“Your Viciousnesss.” Tulith curtsied low. “If you wish, I have hot breakfast ready for you. Would you like cinnamon glaze pancakesss with honey cream while you sssoak in your bubble bath? It would sssave you time for tinkering.”
Keith paused. “Since when does Panlith have my breakfast ready at dawn?”
“Oh no, my lord.” Tulith curtsied again. “The princesss made the pancakesss. She’s been in the kitchen on and off sssince yesterday, only ssstopping to rest for the wee hoursss.”
“What?” His mind hadn’t caught up with him yet. The princess. The daughter of his enemy who had come to kill him yesterday. That princess. In his kitchen.
“Yesss, Your Viciousnesss. She got up and made everyone pancakesss.” The maid continued. “We’ve had them tested, and they are not poisoned.”
Not that most poisons would do anything to him. Keith prided himself on his level nine [Survivor] skill.
It would almost be better if shehadtried to poison him, since it might level up his skill to ten and grant him a new perk. Even if itwassomething lethal, his apothecary was full of the world’s most dangerous poisons—and their antidotes.
Keith gave his approval, and Tulith returned with a stunning spread, including a side of hazelberry compote and two slices of salted sizzling pork cuts. Pork was usually separated into pies, steaks, or hock, but this was delicious.
Keith waved his hand and cast three spells in quick succession.
[You have attempted to use the Perk:Cantrips (Cleanse). You have succeeded.]
