[Vol. 9] Chapter 2: Meeting an Old Friend Again
“You…”
It was as if those words had touched a sensitive nerve of the maid, or perhaps she was shocked that with all her skill, she still couldn’t dodge that seemingly slow pat. Her face changed sharply, and like facing a great enemy, she almost instantly reached under her skirt to draw out the sharp dagger hidden there!
But just then, a young girl’s voice suddenly rang out, still a little immature, yet already carrying a faint air of authority.
“Enough, stop here.”
“!”
As soon as the words fell, the two maids who had been tense and ready to fight, along with the other staff in the tavern who were also about to act, all froze slightly. Then, as if they had agreed beforehand, they turned their eyes in the same direction and respectfully lowered their heads.
“Yes, Your Highness the Princess.”
What—the Princess?!
Hearing this title, many people, including Kairos and his team, were startled. They quickly followed suit, standing up and bowing to the figure who had just spoken.
“Greetings, Your Highness!”
In the Human United Kingdom, there was only ever one Princess, the current Queen’s younger sister, Princess Menna Melchior, who had just reached adulthood and was cherished like a shining jewel.
It was said that back when the princes fought for succession, Princess Menna had only been twelve years old. She happened to avoid the fiercest turmoil and survived without harm. On top of that, because of her gentle personality and kind nature, she won the Queen’s deep trust. To this day, she was almost the only royal, aside from the Queen herself, who could stand in the true center of power.
It was not an exaggeration to call her “second only to the Queen, above all others.”
What shocked Kairos the most, however, was that this noble Princess was none other than the blue-haired girl sitting at the table next to them, beside the legendary adventurer Farnell Stephens!
At this moment, she had removed the veil she wore while resting with closed eyes. Her face was flawless, combining noble grace and pure beauty, and in an instant she became the center and focus of the entire tavern.
“Please rise. There’s no need for such formalities. Today I am only here to preside over the meeting. Her Majesty is too busy with state affairs, so I have been asked to meet you in her place. I hope you will not mind.”
“Ah… we wouldn’t dare, not at all…”
Everyone quickly shook their heads. As for “too busy with state affairs,” if it were any other ruler, it might just sound like an excuse, but their Queen really was busy.
People of their level naturally had access to some special information. They had heard rumors from within the palace, for example, that Queen Lilya cared little for beauty or romance and devoted herself completely to governing, often working until late at night before resting. Whether true or not, what was certain was that in her five years on the throne, she had never taken a royal consort or lover, and she was indeed diligent and kind—a rare and admirable ruler.
As for why the Queen had not yet chosen a husband, some older ministers were very anxious, arguing that a nation must have heirs and constantly urging her. But most others felt that since the Queen was only in her early twenties, she was still young, and there was no need to hurry. There were even strange rumors saying that Her Majesty did not like men at all, but preferred young and beautiful women instead. Such gossip left people half-amused, half-speechless.
In any case, since this gathering had been called by the royal family, everyone had already expected that the Queen herself would not appear. The fact that the Princess Menna had come in her place already showed how important this meeting was. How could anyone dare to complain?
Although Kairos had once been lucky enough to meet the Queen herself, the Princess had always been a mysterious figure to him, someone who only existed in stories. Now, suddenly seeing her in person left him deeply moved.
There was no doubt that Princess Menna was a great beauty, but what truly stunned people were her eyes, clear and bright like stars, shining with a brilliance that even the rarest jewels in the world could not compare to. Just one cautious glance from the corner of his eye was enough for Kairos to understand why she usually wore a veil and avoided much interaction with others.
The Princess of the kingdom was indeed extraordinary, in no way inferior to her elder sister. There were even rumors that all of the kingdom's success was due to her, not the queen.
“Your Highness, they…”
The two maids at the door were quick to read the situation. The moment the blue-haired girl stood up and spoke, they immediately stopped reaching for their weapons. Their faces showed some shock, and then a bit of fear as if they had suddenly realized something. But the Princess simply shook her head and said calmly.
“It is not your fault. The news about these two was kept absolutely secret. What you just did was not wrong. Step back.”
“Yes…”
Relieved as if pardoned, the two quickly withdrew. Just as everyone was wondering what would happen next, an unbelievable scene unfolded.
For the Princess herself to reveal her identity just to protect these two girls on its own, that was already an honor enough for someone to brag about for a lifetime. Yet, unexpectedly, that was only the beginning!
After stopping her subordinates, Menna didn’t sit back down. Instead, she left her seat and, under the gaze of over a hundred pairs of eyes, walked quickly to the two newly arrived girls. And then… she bowed respectfully to the black-haired girl who was clearly their leader, in the manner of a disciple paying respect to a master!?
In an instant, the tavern erupted in shock. But the black-haired young lady acted as if she didn’t notice the stir. She simply lifted her head calmly, smiled, and spoke softly:
“It’s been a long time since we parted in the north. How have you been?”
Hearing the countless gasps around them, the black-haired girl looked a little helpless, as if she was running out of air. She shook her head, then, out of habit, reached out and patted the Princess gently on the head.
“So this is the surprise you all prepared? More like a scare… I’m doing so-so, but time really flies. That little girl from back then has already grown into such a graceful young lady~”
“You and Miss Xiao Guang haven’t changed one bit. But standing here like this isn’t proper. Please, sit down.”
The seats Menna led the two girls to were, of course, at her own table. Thunderlight Farnell Stephens and the red-haired bowwoman there also seemed to know them. Though they didn’t show the same deep respect as Menna, they still stood up at once to greet them.
“Hoho, long time no see, Miss Violet! You two are as beautiful as ever, and still inseparable like before. Seeing you again feels like going back to those glorious days of the past, it really makes me nostalgic~”
“Why does that sound like something an old man would say? It’s only been a few years, hasn’t it?”
The flashy young man in fine clothes laughed loudly, then pretended to wipe the corner of his eye in fake sorrow.
“Not at all, not at all. These past years I’ve often heard tales of your legendary deeds. Waiting to meet you again has felt like a lifetime~”
“Enough already, even a cheesy love line would sound more sincere than that…”