Chapter 48: Chaotic mess

I mean, come on, White-haired. Were you always that silly? There was actually a reason for which he started up a fight with them again. That reason had to do with a blunder on my behalf. If, seconds ago, the elf had seemed so panic-stricken and afraid of me, his boyish princess, there was a cause to it. In fact, White-haired was so panicked and lost right now, that he was at a total loss regarding how to act around me or what to do.

I raised a brow at his behavior. What was wrong with the guy, I thought. He couldn't simply be that stupid, could he? Still, I frowned at him. Turning back in a jiffy, I was granted understanding of why he first acted like a traumatized elf, then went on picking a fight with others.

When I turned to Hideous... he saw me, jolted afraid, and quickly scrambled back inside the chariot. "Hey, you. What's the matter? Afraid of your princess, hm?" Oh, or did he think the carriage was still usable? I grinned at him for being so wishful. "Aaah, but that thing still requires horses to move around... don't you know, haha. Or maybe you think you can pull it forward all by yourself? Hehe," I rubbed my nose, "I know you're a strong guy and all, but come on... even you can't do that."

Walking back to the carriage, I stood outside but could see inside now. Man, that look on his face was just as panic-stricken as the other elf's. For once the man's face wasn't twisted in anger, but a surprising blend of shame and anxiety. His chin dropped to his chest as he muttered the phrase "What have I done...?" repeatedly.

"Jeez. What's with you? Hey? Do I have something on my face? Why do you keep staring like that...? I-I guess I should tell you not to be afraid but...? You step back? You're really afraid, aren't you? I'm confused here. Mind speaking some words to me at the very least?"

"I-I'm so... so... so, so sorry..." he hung his head back down in shame.

"You know you're acting weird, right? Stop freaking me out and speak, man. What's up?"

"You... I'm so sorry..."

"What's that? I'm not quite hearing you well?"

"You're not... the princess. Our princess—"

"H-Hwueh!? W-W-What gave it away!? I mean— What gave you the idea!?"

After the elf said that, I was the one backing away, an awkward smile on my sweaty face. I had messed up.

"Y-You... I'm so sorry! You definitely speak the human tongue!"

"Oh boy..." Did I make the same mistake again? Crap. I didn't do it on purpose, as I spoke both tongues fluently, I didn't even notice when I switched from one to the other. Quickly blinking, I tried to say something and explain why I could speak that language... but my cold sweat only doubled in quantity. I was too nervous to think up some new excuses or anything.

From what I could see anyway, Hideous was already fully convinced I was no elven princess. I was no Cetha daughter of the late King. I was nothing like that. Stuttering even more, the hideous elf kept saying he was sorry. So, so, so very sorry. He kept looking down too. Muttering words to himself like "What have I done...? Wasn't it all perfectly obvious...? She had changed so much in only the span of a single night...! Wasn't it all so obvious...! She got new skills we wouldn't have ever expected her to gain...! Granted, she was quite skilled at archery, but never had she wielded a blade in front of us...! It all makes so much sense now!"

And, on my own, I was also profusely sweating and fidgeting, nervously gesturing with jerky movements trying to explain to him I was still the elven princess he had to obey and guide through the forest I didn't know a thing about. "D-Don't just— I'm your princess, y'know! Th-That's— I will be offended, y'know!" It was quite comical to see me use the status of that elven princess so eagerly, now. I once was so reluctant to use it and hated the elves for confusing me for their royalty, but now, my quest probably depended on it.

"All of it makes sense, now!" yelled Hideous.

"No no no! Whatever idea you got is a misunderstanding!" I waved my arms around erratically. "Hideous! Get yourself together! Bad, bad servant! I'll punish you!" When I took a step forward, for once, he didn't step further back in the chariot. To my surprise, he even approached me. The elf wouldn't still meet my gaze, but his restlessness seemed to have gone out by the window. His fearful expression softened even though he was still very ashamed. Stiffly walking out of the chariot, he bowed his head low. That put me off, but thinking he bowed his head, I thought maybe he was back to his normal self.

But no. He wasn't. "I present to you my apologies."

I hesitated before I spoke. "It—"

"O Noble Spirit!" When I thought he was being normal again, Hideous actually went down, slammed his head on the ground, and yelled to the top of his lungs. "I'm so immensely sorry, O Noble Forest Spirit! I owe you a thousand apologies— No, tens of thousands of apologies!"

"No no no! Wh-What's with you now!?" I rapped out. Both wariness and unease swelled within me. My eyes turned to a slit as I leaned away from him. He truly freaked me out now. What could explain that crazy elf's behavior? I believed nothing could. And yet, he had said that it all made sense now.

I mean, I was still a princess, wasn't I? What's about a noble spirit? A dry chuckle escaped my mouth as the elf didn't answer me and only kept slamming his head to the ground, kowtowing to me. Damn. It wasn't the time to freak out. It sank in, now. I was exposed. I had been found out. I just hoped White-haired didn't catch any of that, at the moment, but of course he had. And funnily enough, he was the kind of person to pick fights with others when he exceeded that level of anxiety and nervousness. In my ignorance, I was hoping he was too preoccupied with the people who had insulted me to find out I wasn't who I said.

I left Hideous in the corner of my eyes and glanced at the other elf. With the orc leader, they were just like two quarreling kids still. I felt ashamed upon seeing him. "What'd you say again, huh?!" He stomped his foot fiercely on the earth. He looked just like a intimidating goat with an angry elf's face. To his words, his peer, the other pathetic orc I first thought would be a reliable and responsible person, heavily snorted. "You and your fellas ain't no fighters worthy of my time is all there's to it! Wanna run off the battlefield? You do that after the war's been wrapped up and the land's clean, you dumbasses!"

I didn't understand anything anymore. I actually believe I hadn't been that lost ever in my entire life. What was going on all around me? Why didn't that orc leader just sheathe out a sword and slash my attendant down already? Why was said attendant still arguing with him like a child throwing a temper tantrum, red with rage? Why were the other orcs not giving a damn about their leader being such a childish prick too, right in the middle of the battlefield, all forming a circle of their own and playing cards, having the best time together?

God, I must have been dreaming. That wasn't all. Why was the other elf kowtowing to me, fiercely slamming his face into the ground as he kept crying and yelling how much terrible a sin he had committed, and how he hoped the merciful Noble Forest Sacred Spirit would be so kind as to extend a hand of mercy to his poor soul... even after all the sins he had brought forward. As a matter of fact, even when I first opened my eyes, a week ago, I wasn't as lost. Presently, everything was a chaotic mess.

White-haired, before, had talked about 'complications'. Now, I understood. Those really were complications.

Maybe I could kill Hideous. He found out about my identity. I only required one elf to travel the land. Also, I should execute the orcs too, since they're obviously keeping White-haired here. After that, with the remaining elf, we just take off and bye-bye. That would solve everything in the quickest way possible. So let's just— No. It was even too late for that. What a chaotic mess we were in, truly. Yet another problem had fallen on me.

"ALL OF YOU!" I cried, to the very top of my lungs. My voice carried away across the whole area and froze everyone here. That was just to illustrate how loud my shout was. I needed everyone to get it together at once. I had to speak up. It was urgent. "All of you! Shut up! You, the orc-elf duo! Haven't you noticed?! Men! Concentrate! Rise up, be prepared!" My voice echoed through the whole area, and even went farther away. It was so loud and gripping that, from chaos, order came forth. The orcs dropped their cards and jumped up.

The orc-elf duo snapped out of it and scanned everywhere around. And Hideous, who had wrapped up his intense apologies, readied himself too. In the chaos of this place, while we were being preyed upon by masses of human soldiers, I naturally assumed the position of leader. My army was shabby, pathetic, and unreliable, but I still cheered them all to combat and victory.

"Princess!" White-haired let it slip. "Sh-Shit, no! Prinn Zeth! That's what I meant! You there, that's your name, isn't it?!" he called out to me. God, give me a break, you stupid, worthless elf. It was too late to worry about his blunder.

My men, orcs and elves, might have been all pathetic and unreliable, but they reacted in a timely manner when I called out to them.

"Men!" I shouted, one last time. "Fiiiiight!"

Right at the same time, a human jumped off a bush. He was cladded with a white, sparkly armor. Yelling as loud as I had, he unleashed his sword and also urged his men to fight and to victory. The commander on their side announced they would kill orcs and elves alike, making no distinctions. The tension rose up.

With thunderous roars, so many enemies rushed from behind their hiding spots to us. They were like starving beasts who had just found the meat they would feast on. There were dozens of them, if not more. My hair rose up, a slow grin climbed up my face. I was standing right next to White-haired. Two daggers were on his belt. Snatching one of the daggers away, I beamed with a smile and giggled.

"Since we have to... Let's fight~"