A writer's journey

the welcome party

The Green Monster King was… sitting on his throne. Or rather, lying on it in the strangest way possible. His back was against the seat, his arms casually draped over the raised armrests, and his legs? Sticking straight up into the air like some deranged gymnast. A glittering golden crown inlaid with diamonds sat on his upside-down head like nothing was wrong.

Yes. He was sitting upside down.

And everyone acted like it was normal.

‘It is not polite to remain standing while others are bowing to the king,’ Princess Diana whispered beside me.

I quickly snapped out of my daze and bowed like the others, doing my best impression of someone who wasn’t two seconds from laughing his lungs out.

“Hahaha!! I can finally rest easy now! My beautiful daughter has found a brave man who dared lift her veil after two hundred years of waiting!” The Green King laughed heartily, his voice booming through the hall.

He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

Good. Because I was also laughing—hard.

They say opportunity only comes once, so I seized the moment to let out the laughter I’d been holding in like a loaded fart in a royal banquet.

“It was my great luck that brought me here! Fate led me to lift the veil and made me the son-in-law of such a powerful king! Hahaha! I thank heaven for my fortune.” I quickly spun my laughter into praise, hoping to keep my head firmly attached to my body.

The king chuckled and nodded in approval.

“What is your name, young human?”

“My name is John, Your Majesty.”

“What are you all waiting for? Escort the prince consort to the palace!” the king commanded.

Just as I was about to sigh in relief and thank the green heavens, a blue figure stepped out from the crowd.

Oh no. Not him again.

“Your Majesty,” the blue abomination said with a respectful bow, “this human issued a challenge to all unmarried monsters present. I’m afraid he cannot leave until he explains how, when, and where the challenge will take place.”

He stepped right between me and the guards.

The king turned to me with a raised brow.

I nodded solemnly and replied:

“Your Majesty, it’s true. I challenged them all—not out of arrogance, but to prove that I am worthy of your daughter and to show that humans are not weak.”

“If you would permit it, I propose we host a tournament. A ranked battle. Let them fight among themselves until only one remains. That winner… will then face me for the Princess’s hand.”

The king stroked his chin thoughtfully, then nodded his approval.

And just like that, I was whisked away to the palace—a gleaming marvel of monster architecture.

There, I was offered food, drinks, and entertained by a group of beautiful monsters with delicate, almost fair skin. Their dancing was graceful… and weirdly hypnotic.

Meanwhile, Diana—my “wife”—had been taken to a private room, where she was receiving treatment from a witch doctor. She hadn’t woken up yet.

I sat side-by-side with the upside-down king, sipping what was hands down the best wine I’ve ever tasted. The food was exotic—strange but flavorful. The meat was… different. Not bad, just uncomfortably unfamiliar.

The palace itself was stunning. When I first approached the main hall, I almost refused to step in. The floor looked like it was filled with flowing water—clear, deep, and shimmering. I could see my reflection clearly.

But when I stepped inside… the floor was solid. I was walking on a gem called Sea Cold Alc, which gave the illusion of water. Fancy stuff.

Monsters of every kind filled the banquet hall—tree monsters, water monsters, even the ever-judging blue monster sat across from me.

Diana, the “bride,” sat beside me, smiling sweetly and sneaking glances like I was the main course.

She barely had a sip of wine before she started spilling secrets like a broken faucet.

“I don’t know who cursed us or why,” she said, “but it happened millions of years ago. Our ancestors offended a powerful human. As punishment, he cursed our bloodline. From that day, every child born into the Green Clan was deformed… monsters among monsters.”

She kept drinking.

She kept talking.

And at some point—I don't know when or how—her hands had wrapped around my waist.

Just like that, every ounce of curiosity inside me got crushed under the train of panic.

This beautiful monster is seriously thinking of taking advantage of a poor, innocent, virgin human like me?!

Oh God! Please protect my a**hole from destruction!

I chanted it like a sacred hymn in my mind.

I turned to her and saw that hungry gaze—the kind of gaze predators give right before dinner.

I needed to escape. Now.

Thankfully, before she could pounce, a palace guard burst into the hall.

“Your Majesty! Pardon my intrusion, but I bring a message for the prince consort!”

He bowed, then turned to me.

“Green Consort, your wife has awoken from her coma. She’s been calling for you—insistently. We tried to calm her, but she refuses to rest unless she sees her husband.”

I nearly cried tears of gratitude.

Finally! A way out!