"Pardon...?" he asked, shocked.

"I still haven't finished my questioning," Zafira stated, gripping his wrist tighter. "We will finish our talk in my chambers."

"Are you trying to kidnap me—" Rael's words were cut off by her fierce glare.

"No objections," she added, then began dragging him up the stairs and into the massive palace.

He silently followed, but deep down, Rael had some concerns.

And those concerns only grew when they traveled through the palace's wide hallways until, eventually, they arrived in some sort of dining hall.

Two chairs were already set, and Zafira led him to one before taking the other seat which was conveniently right beside him.

"Now, prisoner Rael, are you willing to talk?"

"I already told you I'm not a spy. I don't know what you expect," he shot back, grabbing a fork.

The food on the long table looked too good to pass up; therefore, he dug into the first dish, practically devouring a piece of pork cutlet.

"I can see that, Rael," Zafira said, then dug into her own food as well.

After a few bites, she continued, "I'm interested in why you are so relaxed around me. Do you not know who I am?"

"You are the queen," Rael stated the obvious before saying, "If I might be so blunt… you need something from me, don't you?"

She nodded. "I want you to be my spy."

"What...?" Rael's eyes widened. "You do realize that if I get caught as an actual spy anywhere, I'll be killed in an instant, right?"

"You are blunt and, in a way, cautious," Zafira added before standing up, walking behind him, and placing a hand on his back. "I don't have many pawns in the palace, so what do you say to becoming one?"

"I politely decline," Rael replied instantly.

Quickly finishing his food, he stood up, glancing toward the queen.

"I want nothing more than to have freedom, Queen Zafira," he stated. "I'm open to deals, especially ones involving money. However, I draw the line at people trying to use me."

Instead of the frown he was expecting to see, Zafira merely smiled. "Good. You pass."

He tilted his head. "Pass what?"

"That was a test, and you passed with flying colors," Zafira said, chuckling. "I need someone who doesn't try to blow smoke up my ass with each word they speak, and I believe you might be that certain someone."

"An advisor?" Rael deduced. "I don't dabble in politics on the daily, Queen Zafira."

"Not exactly an advisor..." She fell into thought, placing a finger on her chin. "More like a friend?"

"...A friend?" His eyes widened. "You do realize you just threw me into a dungeon a few minutes ago, right?"

"It's because I thought you were a spy." Zafira shrugged before putting on a serious expression. "So what do you say? Do you want to be my friend?"

"No strings attached?" he asked.

And she affirmed, "None."

A hot queen my age who's also my friend? What a glorious combo... Rael chuckled inside his mind before flashing Zafira a wide smile.

"Very well then, Queen Zafira. I'll be the friend who doesn't blow smoke up your ass and tells you the truth as it is," Rael said with a comical bow.

"At ease." She giggled and added, "Let's not use formalities between friends, shall we? Call me Zafira."

Rael immediately changed his tune. "Alright, Zafira."

"Good!" Zafira replied with a joyful expression, sat back down in the chair, and began eating her food.

He did the same, as free food always tasted better anyway.

However, during their supper, she asked quite a lot of questions—almost like someone who never had any friends.

"Do you play any games? Like chess or checkers? I heard those are fun."

"Neither, I suck at both," Rael replied and stabbed the pork meat before lifting it up and pointing it toward Zafira. "You?"

Perhaps she misunderstood, because instead of answering, Zafira leaned in, took a bite out of the meat, then sat back as though nothing had happened.

But to Rael, it was like a new discovery.

The queen likes to be pampered...

"I don't play often... I suck at those games too," she said after a long pause. "But I'm pretty good with warfare strategies. If you combined all my properties, you could probably call it a whole country."

"Sounds fun," Rael added before bringing another piece of pork meat to her, which she gobbled up absentmindedly. "I didn't expect you to be so laid-back, with how hardworking you say you are."

"Hardworking? I work for three hours and sleep for twelve—that barely counts as work. But it's fun. The people like me despite the rash decisions I've made."

"Like killing the king?" Rael said, half-joking.

"Yep." She nodded. "The odds were stacked against me. If I hadn't killed him, he would've waged war on an entire nation—and wiped us out."

"He was a foolish king, honestly. He probably just wanted to have his name written down on a book somewhere." Rael said with a chuckle, and Zafira giggled.

It felt strange—he hadn't known her for long, but talking to her felt so simple and effortless.

Even despite the fact that she was a level 150 main boss and could snap him in two like he was some kind of twig.

"Hey Rael, could I get your opinion on something?" Zafira asked, and he nodded, all the while stuffing his face with food.

"There's a nearby country that wants to ally with our city. But... I believe their offer is too good to be true."

As her words fell, Rael froze.

Could it be...?

"Which country?"

"Yrgon," she replied before suddenly pulling out a document and showing it to Rael.

He was a bit surprised that she even showed it to him in the first place, but nonetheless, he read through it.

And his earlier suspicions were confirmed.

This is the deal that made Celestara a beginner-level city...