The steam from the tea was still drifting calmly when a shadow crossed the courtyard.

  Max was the first to notice it.

  Don was approaching along the stone path, walking at an easy pace, a bundle of papers tucked under his arm—the city’s daily reports. When he reached the fountain, he dipped his head respectfully… then gave them an exaggerated wink.

  As if to say: everything’s under control.

  Enor let out a small sigh once Don walked away.

  “Max…” she said softly. “Do you think I should tell my father?”

  He looked at her, surprised.

  “About yesterday?”

  She nodded slowly.

  “I’m scared. If he finds out from someone else…” she swallowed. “He might have you executed without a second thought. And me… put some spell on me so I can’t even step out into the courtyard.”

  A chill ran down Max’s spine.

  “That sounds… extreme.”

  “He’s the king,” she replied with a sad smile. “And he’s very protective.”

  They were about to continue when a slightly distant voice interrupted them.

  “Princess Enor,” Sophie said as she approached. “Magic csses are about to begin.”

  Enor closed her eyes for a second, resigned.

  “I have to go.”

  She stood up and looked at him gently.

  “We’ll keep talking ter, okay?”

  “Of course,” Max replied. “Go on. Don’t worry.”

  She said goodbye with one st smile before leaving with Sophie.

  Max stayed behind, staring at the fountain, lost in thought.

  ‘Great… New quest: don’t let the king have me beheaded,’ he thought ironically.

  He sighed.

  ‘Yeah. I’m definitely going to need a pn.’

  ***

  Max waited a few more seconds, making sure no one was watching him.

  Then, with a thought, he opened the system menu.

  The notification was still there, blinking insistently.

  [ Reward avaible ] [ Cim ]

  “Well…” he muttered. “Let’s see if all this drama was worth it.”

  He selected the option.

  The screen lit up.

  [ Main Quest Completed ] [ Reward obtained: Secret Egg ] [ +350 XP ]

  A pulse ran through his body.

  He felt a brief, intense pressure, like something inside him was being recalibrated.

  [ Current Level: +3 ] [ Max HP increased ]

  He immediately opened his status.

  [ HP: 22 ]

  “Only twenty-two?!” he protested under his breath.

  His eyes scanned down the list.

  Strength, Agility, Defense, Intelligence… All exactly the same as before.

  “Of course…” he said irritably. “Thanks to my wonderful skill.”

  Before he could keep compining, something appeared in his hands.

  A rge, heavy egg. Silver, with golden markings that glimmered softly in the courtyard light.

  Instinctively, he adjusted his grip.

  It was heavy… but he could hold it.

  “Wow…”

  He opened its information.

  [ Egg of ??? ] [ Estimated hatching time: 24 hours ]

  Max frowned.

  “‘Egg of ???’…?”

  He had never seen anything like it in the game. Not even remotely close.

  An object completely unknown, even to someone who had ptinumed Eldoria’s Entry 3.

  “This is weird.”

  He gnced around one more time… and without wasting any time, headed straight for his room.

  ***

  The hallway leading to his room was silent… except for the soft sound of a rag sliding across the floor.

  Max stopped dead.

  Abby was there, crouched down, cleaning calmly. She looked up just as he arrived.

  Her eyes immediately dropped… to the silver egg in his arms.

  She blinked once.

  Then she smiled.

  “Well, well…” she said in an amused tone. “Where did you steal such a jewel, little thieving pet?”

  Max tensed.

  “I didn’t steal it!” he protested in a low voice. “It just… appeared.”

  Abby raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the situation.

  “Uh-huh. Of course it did.”

  She slowly stood up and crossed her arms, never taking her eyes off the egg.

  “So, what do you pn to do with that?”

  “Hide it,” Max replied quickly. “In my room. And you can’t tell anyone.”

  Abby watched him for a few seconds longer, then let out a soft ugh.

  “Alright.” She shrugged. “But that makes two you owe me now.”

  “Two?” Max compined.

  “The guards… and now this.”

  She winked at him and went back to cleaning.

  Max didn’t waste any more time. He entered his room, closed the door, and went to the rge chest beside the bed. He opened it, carefully pced the egg inside… and closed it.

  He sighed.

  “Well…” he muttered. “Now what?”

  Then he remembered.

  The side quest. Getting to know the castle. Getting to know its inhabitants.

  ‘I guess I can make use of the day…’

  He stretched, feeling determined.

  “Time to explore.”

  Before wandering the castle without any idea where to go, Max cracked the door open and peeked into the hallway.

  Abby was still cleaning, humming softly to herself.

  “Uh… Abby,” he called out.

  She looked up, amused.

  “Yes, little pet with secrets?”

  Max ignored the comment.

  “Do you know anyone who could give me a tour of the castle? There are still a lot of pces I haven’t seen.”

  Abby rested the rag on the bucket and thought for a moment.

  “Try Frida.”

  “Frida?”

  “A dwarf. She’s in charge of the training yard and the stables. She knows this castle better than anyone… and she never shuts up.”

  Max smiled.

  “And where can I find her?”

  Abby pointed toward the far end of the hallway.

  “She’s probably in the south yard right now. Go down the grand stairs, turn left after the columns, and keep going until you hear hammering or compints. Works every time.”

  “Perfect. Thanks a lot.”

  Abby watched him walk away and ughed.

  “You’re welcome. And that makes three.”

  Max raised a hand without looking back, resigned.

  “Yeah, yeah… three.”

  As he moved through the castle corridors, taking in hallways he hadn’t yet explored and doors he had never opened, he couldn’t help but think:

  ‘There are still a ton of NPCs left to meet…’

  And he smiled.

  ‘And this map is way bigger than it looked.’