Amesaya

"Always remember, no matter how much a fae may seem like they experience emotions, no matter how human like a fae may behave...a fae can never be a human."

The Keybearer. A young maiden from another world foretold by ancient prophesy, destined to collect the seven keys and save the world. 

Surely that's the kind of story that finds some plucky high schooler dreaming of adventure and whisks them off to find their true love, right? Overworked salary women like Emily have long passed the point where such fantasies can come true, and even if they did, it's not like she'd know the first thing about what to do.

...So of course, nobody even bothered to ask her before dropping her into an entirely new world full of magic and danger. Like the three hungry orcs eyeing her as soon as she wakes up.

"What do you mean I can sense the keys if I use magic?!  What magic?!"

If Emily could, she'd have immediately issued a rejection letter, but unfortunately, the only way back is to finish her quest somehow.

But it's not all danger and confusion. The knight who rushed into battle to save her is charming and kind and gorgeous, and the beautiful and lonely prince has a soft and kind smile only for her. If everyone she meets along the way is like them...

Well. It can't be that bad, right?

"...--I'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY A PAINTING?!"

My Knight Rescuer is a Jerk! So Why should I ignore the Prince?

As it happened, the carriage did indeed pull off to the side of the road for Merwyn's request.

Though, to be fair, it did take Adrien giving the go-ahead.

But Merwyn didn't seem to mind that technicality.

Whatever drove him to insist they stop had him entirely focused on that.

She got out of the carriage with Kieran, Mia, Adrien and the fae in question, wondering just why they had stopped.

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

In fact, he walked out to the center of a nearby clearing and sat down without explanation.

He simply sat down, closed his eyes, and smiled, seemingly completely unaware of anyone else around him.

The others simply looked at him, uncertain of what to say or do.

One Hundred and Sixty-Eighth