Rimelion: The Exploiter

Irwen's power literally shoved me out of her throne room before I could catch the details of her arrangement with that thing. The prospect of a long trek ahead forced me to address my injured leg. As I lifted my hand to create runes, I noticed it was trembling.

I tried to steady it, but the shaking wouldn't stop. Huh. My mind and body aren't in sync. Or rather, my body was betraying an emotion that had tugged at me through the entire conversation with Irwen: fear. Betrayal. Everything's fine. I inhaled the stale dungeon air and tried again. This time, I created a healing rune—after only three tries! Progress.

As I trudged back through the long, silent hall, I finally inspected my new tiara. At any point in my past life, I'd worn whatever gear had the best stats, swapping pieces in and out without a second thought. No point getting attached to anything—every piece would be wiped when a new version hit the test server.

But this? This was different.

During my countless quests in service to the empire, spanning hundreds of instances, I'd crossed paths with dozens of princesses and even an empress or two. Despite that, I'd never seen anything as breathtaking as this tiara. Maybe that's because it's mine?

Irwen had clearly crafted it for her chosen servants, weaving glimmering silver filigree into intricate, snake-like patterns. Over twenty small, rose-cut stones gleamed at its edges, each seamlessly fitted to create a unified and regal design. Four navy-blue gems added a bold contrast, framing the tiara's centerpiece: a massive, four-inch ruby-like stone that caught the dim light with an almost hypnotic glow.

"What..." I muttered, stopping mid-step. "No way!"

Not only was it one of the most beautiful tiaras I'd ever seen, but its stats? They outshone anything I could find on my own—even legendary items.

[Princess Crown Tiara]
Quality: 6-marvel
Def: 2
Effect: +10 INT, class-specific skill.
Durability: Infinite
Restriction: Player Princess
* Princess Crown Tiara of the Elven kingdom. It gives the wearer inherent skill [Princess Grace] and a titular title "Princess".
* Queen Irwen note: Use this well daughter.

[Princess' Grace]
Type: 6-marvel | Lv. Novice 1 | Mana: 30% INT
Effect: Target all allies you can see, add 20% of your INT to the highest target's attribute, or 25% of your INT to heath; does not stack, only one applies
Duration: 30 minutes
Cooldown: 15 minutes
* as you increase the proficiency, the effect's increased, cooldown decreased.

Of course, I knew about the system in the Elven kingdoms. Princesses and princes weren't the actual children of the king or queen—not in the way the system recognized the titles. Sure, they were often called that, but the roles themselves were appointments. A king could designate up to three of each gender, usually his children, but they didn't have to be.

And now, I was one of them!

The only thing standing between me and an inherent princess bloodline was... Wait. She called me "daughter." Am I a princess now? Should I embrace it officially? That wasn't something I could undo.

And for that, the Empire would hate me. Nope, never.

While admiring my new marvel of a tiara, I wandered out of the dungeon toward the beach. There, I stumbled upon Briggit, resting in the sand without Don in sight. Kicking the barge in frustration, I cursed under my breath. I'd be the one paddling now. Stupid traitor.

I smashed the barge again, and the wooden frame of the Briggit creaked under my abuse. It was tied securely to a conveniently placed rock—thanks to Don's irritating competence—so it stayed put. "Don't look at me like that," I muttered to the barge. "I know it's not your fault Don deceived me."