No out a ugh, though his hands trembled slightly as he finished dressing, adjusting the upper part of his clothes.

  Despite his words, it was clear that the treatment had left him more exhausted than he wao admit.

  Emily watched in silence as the healer gathered her things, when suddenly, the door to the room burst open.

  The princess appeared in the doorway, breathing heavily, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.

  Non, Emily, and the healer immediately greeted her with slight bows of respect.

  “Please, no need for that,” the princess said, waving her hand, “I came to help…”

  But before she could say more, the healer stepped forward with a calm smile.

  “Princess, thank you for your iion, but I’ve already finished Non’s treatment for today.”

  The princess swallowed hard, her face tightening at the healer’s words.

  She g Non for a moment, and her hands ched into fists, frustrated that she had arrived te.

  “I see…” she murmured, her voice taining a mix of disappoi and anger.

  But her frustration only grew as she noticed Emily standing beside Non once again, following her young knight.

  Jealousy fshed in her eyes, but she maintained her posture.

  While Non thahe healer with a slight gesture, Emily noticed the princess signaling discreetly, indig that she should e closer.

  Emily, surprised that the princess wao speak to her, cautiously walked toward the royal figure, feeling the pressure of the moment.

  The princess looked at her with an iy that made her feel even smaller.

  “How do you know Non?” the princess asked, her tone low but firm, as if trying to tain a stronger emotion.

  Before Emily could process an appropriate response, Non’s voice rang out from across the room.

  “Emily, it’s time for us to go.”

  Emily felt a knot iomach.

  If she didn’t respond to the princess, it could be sidered a grave act of disrespect, and the sequences could be severe.

  But at the same time, she couldn’t ignore Non’s call.

  Caught between two fires, she decided to act quickly.

  “I met him oreet, Yhness,” she answered hastily, bowing slightly in respect before retreating back to Non.

  ‘That doesn’t tell me anything…’ Iris thought, annoyed.

  When Emily reached Non, she exhaled a sigh of relief.

  Non, sensiension, chuckled softly as they left the room together.

  “o be so tense,” he said with a calm smile, as if the whole situation was insignifit to him.

  The princess, from her spot, watched them leave.

  She frowned, saying nothing more, but her gaze was filled with frustration and tained anger.

  As they exited the church, the cool breeze outside greeted them.

  Emily still felt the tension in the air, but she was soon interrupted when a group of children approached them with quick steps and bright eyes.

  Two of them, barely reag Emily’s shoulder, stepped forward with a mix of resped nervousness in their eyes.

  “Excuse me, sir, are you Non Rook?” one of the children asked in a barely audible voice, but full of reverence.

  Non frowned for a moment, surprised by the question, but nodded gently.

  “Yes, that’s me.”

  The children looked at each other, surprised aed by the firmation.

  “Did you really go to war?” asked the other child, his eyes full of wonder. “And lead a great army?”

  Non couldn’t help but ugh at the direct question. He was surprised that someone so young would ask him that with such seriousness.

  “Yes, I did,” he replied, trying not to sound too serious.

  The children began jumping with excitement, uo tain their joy.

  “Mom! Look, it’s Non Rook! The one who went to war with Dad!” one of the children shouted, pointing to his mother, who was hurrying over.

  The woman, hearing her children’s words, stopped iracks, a mix of surprise and disbelief on her face.

  “Is that true?” she asked, her voice hesitant, looking at Non with eyes full of curiosity.

  “Yes, it’s true,” Non responded, now feeling a bit unfortable with the attention.

  But before he could say more, a group of young nobles, who had been watg from a distance, quickly approached, taking advantage of the fact that they were no longer ihe church.

  They all surrounded Non, b him with questions.

  “Is it true that you’re Non Rook?” one asked.

  “How did you always know what the enemy was going to do?” another insisted.

  “Show us yic!” others demanded impatiently.

  Non, taken aback by the sudden barrage of questions, barely had time to respond, repeating over and ain that yes, it was him, but the situation quickly spiraled out of trol.

  The nobles kept insisting, some begging him to teach them magic, while others seemed more ied in how he had achieved his battlefield feats.

  Suddenly, the church doors burst open, and the church staff came out to try to calm the chaos.

  “Silence! You’re causing a disturbahe clerics shouted, but the nobles seemed unwilling to obey.

  “We’re not ihe churymore, we ask him whatever we want!” one of the young meed defiantly, provoking a wave of support from the others.

  Emily watched the chaos, increasingly surprised.

  Everything had happened so quickly that she could barely process it.

  But then, a powerful voice resonated above the crowd.

  “Silence!”

  The princess, standing tall and serious-faced, had e out to impose order.

  Some nobles whnized her immediately bowed in reverence, but others, who didn’t know her, murmured among themselves, w who she was to give them orders.

  However, several churights lined up behind the princess, and soohers began to imitate those who had already bowed.

  Eveher with her children bowed, leaving only Non and Emily standing.

  Emily, nervous, was about to kneel as well, but then she realized something.

  Non was holding her hand!

  The ge firm pressure of his ha her standing, something she hadn’t noticed in the midst of all the chaos.

  Her cheeks flushed as she realized this small detail, but she didn’t pull her hand away.

  The princess, with an authoritative voice, decred:

  “I expected more respect for the try’s hero. From now on, anyone who bothers Non Rook will be severely punished.”

  The urmured restlessly, and with a gesture from the princess, people parted, creating a path for Non and Emily to walk towards her without further hindrance.

  “It seems the rumor of your presence has spread faster than I expected…” the princess whispered, addressing Non with a strained smile. “It’s best if you follow me if you want to get back without further trouble.”

  Non nodded, aware that the situation was getting out of trol.

  Emily, still dazed by everything that had happened, simply followed his lead.

  As they moved away, everyone’s eyes remained ohe murmurs persisting among the crowd of nobles who, until that moment, couldn’t believe they had been so close to a living legend.