After an hour, the door to the magic cssroom opened.

  Enor stepped out first, her cheeks still faintly flushed, a rebellious lock of hair falling across her face. Behind her, Sophie adjusted a few floating books before closing the door.

  Max was sitting against the hallway wall, knees drawn up, arms resting on them, staring absently at the stone floor.

  The moment he saw her, he stood up.

  “E…” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “Sorry about earlier.”

  Enor stopped short.

  “I-it’s fine,” she replied quickly, looking away. “You just… caught me off guard.”

  Max noticed the blush. He also noticed the gre Sophie shot him before walking away without a word.

  The silence between them was brief, but uncomfortable.

  “We need to talk,” Max finally said. “About our walk the other day.”

  Enor pressed her lips together.

  “I figured,” she murmured. “And… thank you. Really. But Max, it’s not that simple.”

  He took a step closer, careful not to invade her space.

  “You don’t deserve to be locked in here all the time. Not you. Not anyone.”

  She looked up at him, surprised by the firmness in his voice.

  “That’s exactly why…” she sighed. “I was thinking of telling my father the truth. Sooner or ter he’ll find out. He always does.”

  Max frowned.

  “The truth?”

  “That I want to go out. Even if it’s only sometimes. To see something other than these walls,” she said softly. “But he won’t take it well. And if you try anything strange…” she swallowed, “…he’ll probably order your head cut off.”

  Max blinked.

  “That’s extreme.”

  “It’s not an exaggeration,” she replied, meeting his gaze. “That’s how he is.”

  Max let out a small, nervous ugh.

  “Rex. I’m not going to do anything strange.”

  Enor raised an eyebrow.

  “That doesn’t reassure me.”

  “Because I’m going to do something worse,” he continued. “I’m going to bet with your father.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “Bet?”

  “Yes. He likes bets.”

  She looked at him, confused.

  “How… how do you know that?”

  Max shrugged with a crooked smile.

  “You can see it on his face. He’s a born gambler.”

  She studied him for a few seconds, as if searching for a logical expnation… and finding none.

  Max, meanwhile, thought silently about the game’s side quests. Absurd challenges. Optional rewards. And a king who always smiled when something was at stake.

  Yeah… he definitely likes bets.

  “Max,” Enor said at st. “My father doesn’t bet small things.”

  “Perfect,” he replied. “Neither do I.”

  She wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved… or even more worried.

  “Is he free to talk now?” Max asked.

  “I think he’s in his chambers, about to take his nap,” she answered.

  “Perfect. Let’s go before he falls asleep.”

  ***

  Max and Enor headed down the corridor that led to the royal chambers.

  Two royal guards stood watch before the rge door carved with symbols of the crown. When they saw Enor approaching, both straightened immediately.

  “Your Highness,” one of them said. “The king is resting. His royal nap is about to begin.”

  Max noted the emphasis on royal. As if it weren’t just a nap, but an invioble w of the kingdom.

  Enor stepped forward, serious.

  “I need to see him,” she said. “It’s important.”

  The guards gnced at each other, uneasy.

  “Princess…” the other began. “The king left clear orders—”

  “Call him,” she interrupted, her tone firm and unquestionable. “Please.”

  There was a brief silence. Finally, one of the guards sighed and opened the door just enough to slip inside.

  Max leaned slightly toward Enor.

  “We still have time to run,” he murmured.

  She shot him a warning look, though the corner of her lips trembled slightly.

  “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Just a joke,” he replied.

  Minutes passed. Long minutes. Too long.

  Max began to wonder if the guard had been silently executed for interrupting the royal rest.

  Then the door opened again.

  The guard stepped out first… followed by the king.

  The man wore a loose robe, his hair slightly disheveled, eyes half-closed. He yawned openly before fixing his gaze on them.

  “What is it now…?” he grumbled. “Is the castle colpsing, or did someone set the stables on fire?”

  “No, Father,” Enor replied, csping her hands in front of her. “It’s just… something I need to tell you.”

  The king blinked a couple of times, as if his brain were still starting up.

  “I hope it’s worth it,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes. “I was having an excellent dream.”

  Enor swallowed.

  “Before I say anything… I want you to promise you won’t take it badly.”

  The king looked at her in silence for a few seconds. Then he shifted his gaze to Max, scanning him from head to toe with a tired expression.

  “That depends greatly on what you’re about to confess,” he said at st. “And on why that boy is standing there looking like he’s about to lose his life.”

  Max smiled, tense.

  “Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”

  The king sighed.

  “I definitely should’ve slept five more minutes.”

  “I want you to be less strict with me,” Enor finally said. “With my duties as a princess. I want to… go out. To see the world outside the pace.”

  “You know how things are,” her father replied wearily. “It’s not a whim. It’s your role.”

  “I know!” she shot back, raising her voice slightly. “But I don’t want to spend my whole life locked between these walls.”

  She took a determined step forward.

  “Besides… I already went out.”

  Max felt even the guards hold their breath.

  The king opened his eyes slowly. He didn’t look surprised. Not even angry.

  “I know,” he said.

  Enor froze.

  “What…?”

  “I’ve known since the first day,” he continued. “And I was waiting for you to tell me yourself. Because, honestly, I didn’t want to believe it until I heard it from your mouth.”

  She clenched her fists.

  “And nothing happened,” she insisted. “No one got hurt. There were no problems. I just… walked. I saw the city. I felt free, even if only for a little while.”

  The king watched her for a long moment. Then he sighed.

  “Even so, you disobeyed,” he decred. “And that has consequences. You’ll be punished.”

  “Father, I just—”

  “This conversation ends here.”

  Enor opened her mouth, her eyes shining, clearly about to say more.

  “Then you’re a bad father,” Max said, cutting in.

  The king snapped his head toward Max.

  “What did you say?”

  Max stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest, but he didn’t lower his gaze.

  “That beyond being a princess… she’s your daughter.”

  The king narrowed his eyes.

  “And who do you think you are to speak to me like that?” he growled. “You’re nothing more than a pet. Something I had summoned to entertain her. To please her. That alone makes me a good father.”

  Enor turned toward Max, armed.

  “Max—”

  “Then let’s bet.”

  The king blinked.

  “…What?”

  “Let’s bet her freedom.”

  For a second, no one spoke.

  Then something changed in the king’s expression.

  His eyes lit up.

  “Bet…?” he repeated.

  Max swallowed, but didn’t back down.

  “If I win, Enor can leave the castle from time to time. With rules. With conditions. But without being locked in.”

  The king smiled slowly.

  “And if you lose…?”

  “I’ll accept any punishment you deem just,” Max said. “For me alone.”

  The silence grew thick.

  The king stroked his beard, thoughtful. Then he let out a short ugh.

  “It’s been a long time since anyone proposed something interesting before my nap.”

  He fixed his gaze on Max.

  “Very well, boy. I like your audacity.”

  A dangerous smile spread across his face.

  “Tell me… what do you have in mind?”