The Princess' Harem-Chapter 22: A New Name on The List

Viana sat at the edge of her bed in a small villa which loaned by a noble to assist in her investigation.

Her mind replayed what had happened earlier that day, the moment she entered the warehouse and found the captives.

Their condition was much worse than hers had been when she was kidnapped. If she hadn't been rescued in time, she might have ended up just like them.

As she recalled their pale faces and terrified cries, a transparent screen suddenly appeared before her, making her flinch.

[Revisement on the current task.]

[Earn the love of the following men:]

1. Kaley — Love Percentage: 23%

2. Arden Daelis — Love Percentage: 5%

3. Reyes — Love Percentage: 15%

4. Prince Rayne Elwick — Love Percentage: 10%

5. Joel — Love Percentage: 0%

[The time needed to raise all love percentages to 100% is two years.]

[If successful, there will be a reward for your achievement.]

"Huh? One more name?" she thought while staring at the screen as it slowly disappeared.

"Who is Joel?"

As far as she could remember, that name had never existed in her past life.

She lay down, trying to recall anything about Joel. But she couldn't remember at all.

Exhaustion soon overtook her, and she fell asleep, forgetting about the captives' sorrowful faces that had haunted her earlier.

***

By late morning, all committee members, including the Princess herself, were ready to leave the site.

Viana sat inside the royal carriage with two older committee members.

During the journey, they barely spoke. Viana had other things on her mind, including what Reyes had said before they left.

He had approached her carriage window and whispered, "Be careful, Your Highness. One of the guards saw movement in the forest last night."

Viana held his gaze for a moment before nodding. "I understand, Reyes. Stay alert."

She was well aware that her bold decision to expose the slave trade would put her in danger.

The King and Queen had forbidden her from traveling with the committee to the investigation site, but she had ignored their warnings.

So far, their journey back to the palace had been peaceful. They now traveled along a narrow path through the forest.

The sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, creating dim patches of light on the ground.

The air was quiet, only the sound of carriage wheels and horses' hooves echoed through the trees.

Earlier, the two committee members in her carriage, a middle-aged woman and an elderly man with a monocle, had been talking to her.

Now, both were asleep.

Viana herself felt drowsy. Seeing the two of them asleep only made her eyes heavier.

Viana couldn't sleep, even though she had closed her eyes. Her mind kept returning to Reyes' warning before their departure.

Just as exhaustion started taking over, loud shouts suddenly rang out around them.

"Stop!"

All the carriages came to a sudden halt, jolting Viana awake. The cries outside made it clear, they were being ambushed.

From the trees, masked attackers armed with weapons rushed forward, immediately targeting the knights on horseback, the kingdom's trained soldiers.

Reyes, who was always by Viana's side, drew his sword and cut down anyone who got near her carriage.

The committee members were terrified, especially those inside Viana's carriage.

"Stay down," she ordered, keeping her voice steady despite her pounding heart.

The attackers had the advantage in numbers, quickly overwhelming the knights.

For a while, Reyes managed to keep them at bay, focusing on defending Viana's carriage. But as the assault continued, it became clear he was struggling.

Viana had been confident they would fight off the ambush, but as the situation worsened, she clenched her fists, unease creeping in.

Then, just as things looked dire, a rider galloped toward them at incredible speed.

The stranger jumped off his horse with practiced ease, drew his sword, and joined the fight.

His blade moved swiftly and precisely, cutting down attackers alongside Reyes and the knights.

Within moments, the tide of battle shifted. The ambushers panicked, retreating into the forest and leaving behind their injured comrades.

The knights, including Reyes, turned to face the mysterious man. He was dressed in simple brown clothes, with a green cloak draped over his shoulders.

His brown eyes, matching the color of his hair, sparkled mischievously as he calmly sheathed his sword.

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He suddenly leaned toward Viana's carriage window and asked, "Are you hurt, Your Highness?"

Viana, startled by his boldness, replied hesitantly, "I-I'm fine. Thank you..."

Reyes grabbed the stranger's shoulder, his grip firm. "How dare you act so casually toward the Princess!"

But his hand felt like it was pulling on solid iron, he couldn't budge the man.

Thankfully, the stranger complied and stepped back on his own.

Viana sighed before stepping out of the carriage, assisted by Reyes.

She smiled as she looked at the stranger. "May I ask who you are? You fought bravely to help us."

The man bowed respectfully. "My name is Joel, Your Highness. I was just passing through and noticed you were in trouble."

Viana froze upon hearing the stranger's name.

Before she could react, Reyes stepped in front of her protectively and spoke in a sharp tone.

"Passing through?" He repeated Joel's words, clearly skeptical. "You just happened to be here?"

Joel met Reyes' gaze without blinking, his expression slightly challenging. He replied, "Believe whatever you want. I've already said what needs to be said."

Reyes kept his hand on the hilt of his sword but chose not to say anything else. He knew better than to pick a fight with someone who had just saved their lives.

"You have my thanks," he finally said and releasing his grip on his sword.

Joel grinned at Reyes and offered, "If you are heading to the palace, I will ride with you. There is a chance they might attack again."

Viana hesitated, looking at Joel. He was the man mentioned by the system last night, but could she trust him?

Before she could respond, Reyes suddenly cut in. "We do not need your help."