Time Zone:
Midday -> Night

// Esla and the Captain. //

As Esla Places Estel in the bed alone in a room, with a cleaned room and scratched walls.
The knight captain was also within the room, sitting and drinking tea patiently.
She then asked a question.

"You're not the captain I know.
He is much stricter and doesn't expose himself like that so boldly."

"Hm? what exactly do you mean by that?"

"If you keep pretending like a fool.
Then I have no choice but to see you as a spy of the kingdom.
The knight captain is a master at arms, he never used his magic or dragon form even once.
He is also much calmer to the extent.
He doesn't explicitly threaten people all because he can."

He then grinned at her as he flickered his hand towards the door.
As it locks itself from the inside.
Esla then asked.

"Who exactly are you?"
 
Touching his large helmet, he pulls it out once again to reveal his face to her.
She then responded.
"You look just like him, but that scar completely threw you off."

He had an old man's face of a veteran, bearing a scar in his eye as though a claw had carved it.
His grey hair glistened as he smirks while he said.

"It's kind of sad that my own grand-daughter doesn't even recognize me.
Well, it's not that strange.
After all, the knight captain and I are twins."

Esla froze when she heard grand-daughter.

"Wai-wait did... you just said grand-daughter?
Then doesn't that mean... your..."

He nods.
"Yes... Your mother and I have spoken quite often.
She often worries about the growth between your siblings."

"Bu-but." as Esla tried to calm herself he then raises his hand telling her to let him explain.

"My brother who is the commander of the shadow knights is currently too busy hunting down the spy of the demon-kingdom. Your mother asked me for help, with my brother pretending he had left the city.

Right now, they must have believed the knight captain is gone.
They will no doubt show their fangs along with their necks."

Esla was at the disbelief of what she was looking at.

"Wha-why is the fo-former demon-king who retired and also known for being stubborn and selfish.
Helping us now?"

He chuckled at her panicked face.
"This is quite new...
To think he's confident and composed daughter would have a cute expression like this."

She blushed red at his words as he then said.
"The reason is simply due to your sister."

"My sister?"

He nods to her.

"My... wife is alive."

As he told her this, she then asked.

"You don't mean...
The white dragon queen?"

He nods once again.

"But how!?" she desperately asked.

As he then opened the palm of his hand as a black portal opened above his hand as a large pure white crystallized egg fell unto his hand.

"She is sleeping inside this egg.
Before she was slain, she had transferred her soul into the last of her egg.
It was last resort, in case we failed to protect her.
And now... after all these years of searching.

I finally found one."

"Couldn't you have a light mage wake her or something?"

He shook his head as he explained.
"Only the power of another white dragon can wake her.
Otherwise, she is simply, a sleeping corpse.

It made me grew bitter.
Eventually, I threw away the title of the demon-king and gave it to my son.
I was no longer fit to rule during those hours...

I traveled to search for one of their kind.
A long distant journey only to return in failure.
There is no longer a white dragon that existed in this world.
All of them are gone."

Esla then answered.

"Until... you've heard about my sister from my mother.
Then you made your choice to help us."

He nods once again as he tossed the egg up in the air as a black portal swallowed it.

"The white dragons may no longer be in this world.
But that doesn't mean, that their blood had fully disappeared from this world.
I had hope for one of my kin to awoke as one."

He then pulled out a gold coin as he tossed it up in the air.

"But never have I expected that my son human mistress would be the one to carry it."
He calmly said, but then turned into a rage with a bitter expression.
Esla shuddered at his presence while he continued to speak.

"None of them expected that the child.
They have pushed into a corner leading towards a pitiful state.
Would be the white dragon which they should be protecting and cherishing!"

"Do not worry, once she wakes my beloved wife once again.
I vow that I will protect her happiness even if it will lead to my death.
If somehow, my son made a foolish choice pushing her to harm and made her somehow unhappy.
I will make sure...

That he will never touch a single hair on her."

Esla gazed at the elder dragon who is actually the former demon-king.
She felt a threatening presence from him while his face showed a serious expression.
The fact he had made a vow in front of her, displayed his intent on keeping Estel safe even from her own father.

However, she also felt an ominous about it as it may turn bigger than she expects if her father decides to reject her wishes and his grand-father dueling him to death.

Later on, he left with a wide gentle smile as night slowly approached and time required them to rest. He then said.

"I will be expecting her assistance tomorrow, after that...
We will see...

Although... I am extremely thankful.
That you...
Her sister, loved her despite the cruelty shown by the people around her."

Esla retorted to his words.
"What kind of person am I, If I treated her the same way as they did?"

"Make sense." he gently closed the door.
But Esla was still shaken at what recently happened.
She could only gaze at Estel sleeping face with worry.

________________________________________________________________________________

Time Zone:
Night -> Midnight

//Meeting between the two sisters.//

As Estel slowly opened her eyes, she groaned in hunger.
"ugh..." she saw a familiar scene before her.

Her sister was sleeping beside her in a bed as she slept at her side.
Wearing a dark night-gown she snoozed comfortably at her side.
The first thing she thought was...

"What a nice dream..." She then snuggled at her bosoms giving her a warm embrace.
As she felt her warmth and noticed her glistening dark hair harassing her own face.
She then thought.

"Why does this feel too real..."
She then turned to gaze at her face, as she saw her ruby-red eyes gazing at her with a gentle smile.
As she happily said.

"Because this isn't a dream."

At first, Estel felt drowsy, as she then slowly woke up with her eyes growing wider only to swiftly roll away from her until she fell off the bed then crawled backward in swift movement until she struck a wall with a window up above her.

"Wha~ Wha~ What's going on...?" With a shocked expression, she was completely baffled.
Esla then crawled from their bed as she approached her to change her posture into a sitting position.

This was the moment where Estel had met her sister once again.
A strange reunion in the middle of the night.
For her, it was complete surprise and confusion and thoughts turned and twists inside her head.

 As she then said with a worried expression.

"It's nice to see my sister is still alive and well.
I was... extremely worried you know?"

With those words alone she now understood it was not a dream.

"Why?..." Estel asked.

"Why? because I was worried sick after you disappeared.
I didn't even know whether you were still alive or not. " Esla said with a bitter smile.

But Estel retorted.
"No!? that's not It!?"

"Why Is the demon-kin's, here!?
Didn't they hate me?
Didn't they wish I never existed?
Why would they send not only you...
But the rest of them here!?" She cried out.

Indeed, it was a confusing situation for Estel.
Even she didn't understand why the demon-kingdom would invest time in searching for a princess who they loathe in a faraway place just to find her. Not only that, it's strange that her sister is in front of her.

She was the last person she expected to see.
After all, her father would never allow it.

"Father would never allow this...
He would be furious if he discovered this!" she said with a pale expression.

She now expected that the demon-king would send his people to return Esla back to the castle.
But Esla then said.

"It's fine, mother had explained everything to him already.
and she was right...

Just after just showing myself.
Your friends swiftly told me where you were.

This was a plan both mother and I had planned.
There was no way, you would willingly show yourself to our kin.
In order to increase the odds of this search, I tagged along hoping to draw you out."

Estel had both a baffled and angry look as she cried out.
"You just came here to act as bait?
Sister, you traitor!" Estel then cried out.
Misunderstanding her explanation.

"I thought you wanted to help me escape that stupid place!?"

But Esla with an annoyed expression swiftly retorts as she shouted.
"Estel, Calm down!"
With a stomp of her barefoot, the stone floor had begun to shake crumble in front of her as Estel paled.

"I came here to assess whether you wished to come home or not.
Though, after speaking with your friends.
It's obviously clear you no longer wished to return home.

Which was why we sent the elite gate conjurer of the shadow knights to create form a connection and passage here."

"Eh? a gate? passage?
What's do you mean?" Estel asked with a puzzled look.
She had never used a gate, nor had the choice.
Hired teachers usually come to her room to teach her education and were never permitted to leave her own room the moment she was at the age of 10.

Esla then smacked her face with her hand as she understood her lack of knowledge.
"Father... this is a huge mess you turned my sister into." with a troubled look she said.

 She then explained to her its function.

"They... can do that!?" Her surprise expression was written in her face but expressed both joy and fear. Estel didn't know whether to be happy or displeased with it.
Knowing her father will undoubtedly visit her but will be glad to see her mother.

Esla could simply nod at her reaction.

"A passage from the demon-kingdom and here." As she thought about it she then paled.

"Hey... doesn't that mean.
Mother and Father can visit here at any time?"

Esla gave her a confused look.
"Isn't that obvious?"

She heard the crack of glass, as she heard her words.

"It should be finished tomorrow morning."

"Isn't that too fast!" Estel cried out.

 "The gate is often used in war and transportation,
Our elite shadow knights my father prepared can create them within a day.
Usually, with our regular soldiers,
These gates take several days or even weeks to finish, you know!"

In Estel's mind, she could only worry in her mind as she then thought.
[What is up with this development?
After getting attacked by bandits,
Then breaking a curse from the queen of this country, suddenly I get attacked by the undead.
With my sister suddenly showing up and telling me that my parents and my own kind can visit me at any time!?

Not to mention it only took Three days for all this bullshit to happen!]

Stress once again assaulted her mind.
As her worries continue to grow...
She then gazed at her sister's face with a troubled and pale expression on her face.

"Estel is there something wrong?" Esla tilted her head with a worried expression.
While Estel continued to ponder in her mind.

[Doesn't this mean,
my title as the princess of the demon-king will return?
This... is... bad.]

________________________________________________________________________________
// I'm tired of being a princess. //

Estel, later on, rested on the bed with Esla,
With the moonlight shining in their room with their eyes able to see in the dark.
She then asked.

 "Sis... is it possible.
That, I can live like a commoner in this place?" Estel asked with a worried look on her face.

Esla swiftly gave her a wry smile.
"What on earth do you mean by that?"

She fidgets a bit while standing, as she shyly explained.

"I want to..."

"..."

"..."

"You want to?" Esla gazed at her with curiosity and worry.

"Live like a commoner amongst the citizens."

Were her words.

Esla face swiftly froze as she heard it, she raised a finger as she tries to retort.
But pausing for a moment then turned trying to collect the things she wanted to say without hurting her while she covers her eyes a bit massaging them she then gazed at Estel who had a worried look on her face.

She then said with a wry smile.
"Estel, can I ask you a question then."

She nods.

"Who is your father?"

Swiftly she paled and looked down with a bitter expression.
It was clear that Esla's simple words gave struck a swift blow to her wish before it manifested.

"The demon-king..." As she replied with a sodden look.

Esla could only exhale at her expression as her thoughts circulated.

[It is clear Estel who had rarely spoken to my kind wanted to converse to those who bore no wings like her. But... what's with the ridiculous request of living with the commoners of this place?

If this will heal her, weakened mind.
I do not mind her being with those folks, but why commoners?]

Esla then decided to ask her.

"Why commoners exactly?"

She gazed at her with a calm expression with her glowing silver eyes shining in the night.
"Do you promise to not laugh?"

Esla shook her head in curiosity.

"Fine then."
As she then began to explain.

"In the books of tales my mother had brought to my room in order to amuse me.

From heroes, champions, monsters.
My mother brought me a large number of them.
But what struck me most were the commoners in these tales.

They were rarely mentioned in the story,
and some simply faced horrors of their fate.

They live comfortably, without any problems and simply disappear in the tale without anyone noticing.

They struggled to survive with all their strength.
Without being too worried about those around them.
Without being too conscious of who they are...
Seeking for a purpose in their life.
Seeking help from others.

Struggling to become famous, risking their lives for their dreams.
While others simply enjoyed theirs with the person whom they liked alongside them.
Be it a shepherd, farmer or even a weaver.
I want to be free.
With a simple life like that.
Peacefully living...
Only dealing with the problems that come their way."

As she continued to babble her voice turned meeker and meeker as her embarrassed expression were written on her face.

"Just...
like...
them."

As Estel explained her reason to Esla,
Her own cheeks turned red to glance at her confirming her reaction.
Worried that she will laugh, what she saw wasn't a laugh but a frozen face.

She then shuddered in terror, what she had in her face wasn't joy.
It was dread.
She then had to think fast.

[What do I say to stop her?
From pursuing this madness.
I can understand my sister wish, to live a peaceful life.
But my father would most likely want her to return and restore the white-winged clan.
...

...

...
But her mind it was completely blank.

The last of the white dragons...
A former demon-king who is willing to do anything for her.

If only... mother was here.
Ah... that's right mom,
she's the only one who knows him the most.]

As she then said.

"Estel... Please reconsider."

"Eh?"

"Please wait for mother's arrival,
She will be coming soon, we can talk about it when she arrives."

Estel had a puzzled look, but she nods regardless.
As she lightly held onto her shoulder,
she was shaking with a pale expression on her face.

"Sis... why are you shaking like that." Estel saw her pale expression she could not help but worry.

In Esla's mind, however...

[There will be a war between the former demon-king and demon-king in this place.
If you wish for something like that!

Not only will the treaty be broken,
But There would also be a large riot at home because of this.
Even now there are people loyal towards the former demon-king.
He had achieved more than my father has...

Argh,
Dear sister when...
When did my sister become such an important figure that a former demon-king would fight for you!] Were her greatest worry of them all.

Estel at this moment was unaware of her importance.
She could only tilt her head as she hugs her sister and asks her for a batch of fruits on the table provided for them. As she took a short nightly meal she then went to bed as usual.
Esla, on the other hand, was feeling worried and disturbed while worrying, what would happen next.

Once again the peaceful life she yearned for is still a large distance away.