After the outing I had with the Giant Princess, the days continued at a peaceful pace. The lands were prospering, the residents seemed satisfied, and the problems that arose were small enough to be resolved without major concerns.
I still spent much of my mornings reviewing reports and speaking with the local administrators, but I no longer felt lost like I had during the first few days. Little by little, I began to understand better how everything worked.
That particular morning, however, I decided to leave part of the work for later.
The sky was clear.
The weather was pleasant.
And for the first time in several days, I truly had no urgent obligations.
While I was finishing organizing a few documents, I heard someone knock lightly on the door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
The princess appeared.
She wore a gentle smile.
"Are you busy?"
I looked at the papers spread across the desk.
"Not as much as it looks."
She seemed pleased with the answer.
"Then may I steal a little of your time?"
I smiled.
"I think so."
She stepped into the room.
For some reason, she seemed a little more cheerful than usual.
After a few minutes of conversation, I discovered why.
She wanted to show me a particular area of the giants' lands.
A place she had visited since childhood.
I thought it was an interesting idea.
Since I still had free time that day, I accepted the invitation.
Shortly afterward, we left the residence.
This time, it was just the two of us.
The rest of the group was busy with their own activities.
Scarlett and Rai'kanna were training as always.
Elara was reading.
Lyannis was reviewing some administrative records.
Liriel and her assistant were spending part of their time observing the changes brought about by the purification of the region.
The walk began peacefully.
We followed a road surrounded by abundant vegetation.
The trees in that part of the kingdom were enormous.
Even by the standards of that world.
Some looked as ancient as small fortresses.
As we walked, the princess began telling stories about the place.
Stories she had heard as a child.
Legends of the giants.
Ancient tales.
Accounts of kings who had ruled long before her father.
I listened carefully.
It was interesting to learn that side of their culture.
At one point, she pointed toward a mountain in the distance.
"That mountain was once considered sacred."
"Why?"
"According to the stories, it was where the first King of the Giants received the blessing of the spirits of the earth."
I looked at the mountain.
It was truly impressive.
Even from a distance, it looked gigantic.
"Do you believe it?"
She thought for a few seconds.
"I don't know."
She smiled.
"But I like the story."
I kept looking at the mountain.
"It's a good story."
The conversation continued naturally.
We talked about many things along the way.
Not just about the kingdom.
But also about ourselves.
About experiences.
About goals.
About worries.
At one point, she asked me something that made me reflect.
"Do you miss your old life?"
The question came unexpectedly.
I thought for a few seconds before answering.
"Sometimes."
She watched me in silence.
I continued.
"There are people I miss. Some memories too."
"But?"
I smiled faintly.
"But this world has also become important to me."
She seemed to understand immediately.
Perhaps because she already knew the answer.
After everything that had happened, it was impossible not to form bonds.
There were people I wanted to protect.
People who had become part of my life.
People I didn't want to lose.
We continued walking for a while longer.
After about an hour, we finally reached the place she wanted to show me.
It was an elevated area near the top of a hill.
The view was spectacular.
From there, it was possible to see fields, forests, mountains, and even a few distant villages.
The wind blew gently.
The sky seemed even wider.
I immediately understood why she liked that place.
We sat near the edge of the hill.
For a few minutes, we simply admired the scenery.
Without saying anything.
The silence was pleasant.
There was no need to fill every moment with words.
Eventually, she spoke again.
"When I was little, I used to come here whenever I wanted to think."
I looked at her.
"Did it help?"
She laughed.
"Not always."
I laughed as well.
"Then why did you keep coming?"
"Because I liked this place."
The answer was simple.
But sincere.
We continued talking.
The afternoon passed slowly.
The sun gradually changed its position in the sky.
Its golden light illuminated the landscape beautifully.
Then the conversation took a more personal turn.
We talked about the future.
About responsibilities.
About what we wanted to do after the war ended.
When the conversation reached the Demon King, her expression became more serious.
"Do you really believe you'll be able to defeat him?"
I looked toward the horizon.
It was a difficult question.
Not because I didn't want to win.
But because no one knew exactly how powerful the Demon King truly was.
Even so, I answered honestly.
"I'll do everything within my power."
She continued looking at me.
"That wasn't exactly an answer."
I smiled.
"Maybe not."
She smiled too.
Then she turned her gaze back toward the scenery.
"I hope you come back."
Those words carried more meaning than they seemed to.
I realized that immediately.
For a few seconds, I remained silent.
Then I answered.
"I'll come back."
She didn't say anything.
But her smile became a little softer.
The conversation continued.
However, something was different now.
A greater closeness.
A feeling that was difficult to explain.
Perhaps because we both already knew what was happening.
Perhaps because that closeness had been growing for quite some time.
When the sun began approaching the horizon, we decided to return.
But neither of us seemed to be in a hurry.
The walk back was slower.
More peaceful.
We talked about simple things.
Funny moments.
Memories.
Small stories.
By the time we approached the main residence, the sky had already taken on shades of orange.
The evening light made everything even more beautiful.
Then she stopped.
I stopped as well.
For a few seconds, we simply looked at each other.
Neither of us said anything.
But at that moment, words seemed unnecessary.
The princess took a small step forward.
Her gaze remained fixed on mine.
My heart sped up slightly.
Perhaps because I already knew what was happening.
Perhaps because she knew it too.
The silence continued for a few moments.
Then she spoke softly.
"I'm happy I met you."
I smiled.
"I'm happy I met you too."
She seemed to move even closer.
A faint blush spread across her face.
Something rare to see.
Before I could say anything else, she closed the small distance between us.
Our lips met.
It was a simple kiss.
Gentle.
Unhurried.
Without exaggeration.
But filled with sincere feelings.
When we pulled apart, she remained close.
Her face was visibly flushed.
Even so, she didn't look away.
On the contrary.
She seemed determined.
As if she had finally found the courage to express what she felt.
I didn't know exactly when our relationship had begun to change.
Perhaps during our conversations.
Perhaps during the days we spent together.
Perhaps even before that.
But at that moment, there was no longer any doubt.
She truly liked me.
And she had no intention of hiding it.
I couldn't help but smile.
She smiled too.
For a few seconds, we simply stood there.
Enjoying that moment.
Then she finally spoke.
"I've wanted to do that for quite some time."
I couldn't hold back a laugh.
"I figured."
She seemed a little embarrassed.
But not regretful.
Not at all.
When we finally resumed walking, the atmosphere between us had completely changed.
There was no longer any doubt about our feelings.
And although I knew many things would still happen in the future, I also knew that moment would remain in my memory for a very long time.
When we arrived at the main residence, we said goodbye for the night.
She headed toward the rooms reserved for the royal family.
I entered the house.
As I walked through the corridors, I was still thinking about what had happened.
The kiss.
The conversation.
The feelings we had shared.
Everything felt very natural.
Very sincere.
And for the first time since I arrived in the Kingdom of the Giants, I realized that my bond with the princess had become something far greater than a simple friendship.
Something that would certainly continue to grow in the days yet to come.