Ahcehera paused mid-stride the moment she spotted the man waiting outside her office.
The corridor around them was quiet, illuminated by the soft white glow of Agartha Base's overhead lighting.
Officers and personnel occasionally passed through the distant intersections, but none dared approach the tense atmosphere that seemed to form naturally around the man standing before her.
Richmond Mors.
Even without the memories of the original princess, she would have recognized him immediately.
The hero of the novel stood with perfect posture, his military uniform immaculate and his silver insignia gleaming beneath the artificial lights. His broad shoulders and commanding presence drew attention effortlessly, while his sharp features gave him the appearance of someone carved from stone rather than flesh.
He looked exactly as she remembered from the novel's descriptions. Perhaps even more handsome. Unfortunately, his expression was terrible.
Cold, accusing, and strangely hurt.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Richmond broke the silence.
"Welcome back." His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge hidden beneath the words.
Ahcehera tilted her head slightly. "Thank you."
Richmond's eyes narrowed. "It seems you've been lying to me all this time, Your Highness."
The accusation hung between them.
Ahcehera remained perfectly still. Outwardly, she appeared calm. Internally, she was utterly confused.
Lying? About what?
She had never spoken to him before. At least... not personally. Not as far as she remembered.
"Do I know you?" she asked. "Are we familiar with one another?"
For a second, genuine surprise flashed across Richmond's face. Then it disappeared. A mocking smile curved his lips.
"By revealing your identity now, do you think I'll suddenly fall for you?"
Ahcehera blinked.
Then she stared at him.
What kind of ridiculous misunderstanding was this?
The more she looked at him, the more annoyed she became.
"When did you ever hear me say I wanted you to like me?" Her voice became noticeably colder. "And when did I say I liked you?"
Richmond's smile vanished.
The surrounding temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
"Strange," Ahcehera continued. "I don't recall having that conversation with you, Major General Mors."
His jaw tightened. Clearly, he wasn't accustomed to being spoken to like that. The hero took a step forward. His tall frame cast a shadow over her smaller figure.
Most women would probably feel intimidated. Ahcehera merely frowned. The smell of his cologne reached her. It was expensive, strong, and entirely too much for her liking.
"Move back."
Richmond stopped. "What?"
She raised a hand toward her face. "I hate the smell of your perfume."
The Major General stared at her.
"It's suffocating."
Several nearby officers nearly choked. One immediately turned around and pretended to examine a wall.
Richmond's expression darkened. For the first time, he appeared genuinely irritated.
"Stop playing games with me, Princess."
Ahcehera sighed. She was already exhausted from nearly dying in space. The last thing she wanted was whatever drama this man had brought with him.
"I could say the same thing to you, Major General." She stepped around him. "If you'll excuse me."
Richmond reacted immediately. As she passed, his hand moved toward her wrist. Perhaps he intended to stop her. Perhaps he wanted answers. Perhaps he simply acted on instinct.
Whatever the reason, Ahcehera saw the movement coming. Her combat instincts activated automatically. She slipped forward with practiced ease. The office door slid open. A second later, it slammed shut behind her. The security lock activated instantly.
Richmond stood alone in the hallway. Staring at the closed door. His expression became increasingly complicated.
Inside the office, Ahcehera collapsed into her chair. The moment she was alone, her composure cracked. "What was that?"
She stared at the ceiling. The encounter replayed repeatedly inside her mind. Richmond's accusation, his frustration, and the sadness hidden behind his eyes. None of it made sense.
Why was the hero waiting for me?
The question refused to leave her thoughts.
According to the novel, Richmond Mors and the villainess princess were never particularly close. In fact, most of their interactions occurred much later in the story.
So why had he been waiting outside her office?
Why did he look personally offended?
And perhaps most importantly...
Why did he seem hurt?
Ahcehera leaned forward. Her elbows rested on the desk. Her fingers intertwined beneath her chin. The more she thought about it, the stranger everything became.
Why wasn't this mentioned in the novel?
She had read every available chapter several times. Yet she couldn't remember anything remotely similar. Her gaze wandered around the office.
Then, suddenly froze.
Something caught her attention. A decorative crystal frame sat atop one of the display shelves. It wasn't unusual.
What was unusual was the photograph inside.
Ahcehera slowly stood. A strange feeling settled in her stomach. Her footsteps echoed softly across the room. The closer she approached, the stronger the feeling became. Then she saw it clearly.
Her breath caught.
Impossible.
With trembling fingers, she picked up the frame. Two photographs rested inside. The first showed a group of seven young people standing together.
Military uniforms. Smiling faces. Bright expressions.
And among them stood two familiar figures.
Herself and Richmond Mors.
Ahcehera's heartbeat accelerated. Slowly, she looked at the second photograph. This one contained only two people.
The two of them again.
Standing side by side, smiling naturally and comfortably. As though they had known each other for years and genuinely enjoyed each other's company.
The frame nearly slipped from her fingers.
"What..." Her voice barely emerged above a whisper.
The image contradicted everything she thought she knew.
Why are we together?
The photograph offered no answers. Only more questions. Ahcehera carefully placed the frame onto her desk. Then, activated both optical brains. Countless screens appeared around her.
Data, records, archives, military files, personal documents, and everything she could access. If answers existed, she would find them.
Hours passed. One search led to another. Hidden files connected to forgotten reports, old academy records, and archived military documents. Most contained nothing useful.
Then she found it.
A news article buried deep within Starnet's archives.
The headline immediately caught her attention.
[Tragic Accident: Students Ambushed During Mission, Lives Lost.]
Ahcehera opened the article. The report described an incident that occurred ten years earlier. A group of military academy students had participated in a field operation beyond secured territory. During the mission, they encountered an unidentified beast.
Three students died, and several others suffered severe injuries.
The article ended abruptly.
[Military Confidentiality Restrictions Applied.]
Ahcehera frowned.
Why hide something like this?
The deeper she searched, the stranger things became.
Eventually, she discovered an encrypted folder. Unlike ordinary records, this one required higher clearance. Fortunately, she possessed it.
The file opened.
Her eyes widened.
The original Ahcehera had been there.
She was one of the survivors.
A name appeared repeatedly throughout the reports.
[Night Owls Squad.]
An elite student team from Xizonrie First Military Academy. Apparently, the original princess had been one of its members.
Ahcehera continued reading. Her heartbeat grew faster. Then she found another document.
A casualty report.
Two names immediately stood out.
[Riezekiel Mors.]
[Mia Zandar.]
The report stated that Riezekiel died protecting both Mia and Ahcehera during the incident.
The room became silent.
Mors.
The surname struck her instantly.
Her eyes widened.
No.
Surely not.
Without hesitation, she opened additional files.
Several family records appeared.
Then photographs.
One image immediately caught her attention. Three children smiled brightly at the camera. A young Richmond. A girl she recognized as herself. And another boy, one whose features strongly resembled Richmond's.
Riezekiel Mors.
Ahcehera stared at the image.
Slowly, the pieces began connecting.
Richmond's anger, his sadness, and accusation. The old photographs. The hidden records. The forgotten friendship. Everything pointed toward one conclusion.
Ten years ago, the original Ahcehera had been involved in an incident that changed Richmond's life forever.
And somehow...
The story she remembered had never mentioned any of it.
A chill traveled down her spine.
Because if something this important had been hidden from the readers...
How many other secrets was the original story hiding?
And what else did she not know?
Ahcehera felt genuinely uneasy. Perhaps she hadn't entered the story she thought she knew, and she had only seen part of it.
The deeper she dug into the villainess princess's forgotten past...
The more dangerous the truth became.