Volume 6, Chapter 3 – A Lively Reunion

Different from its usual tranquility, the clean and magnificent Blossom Royal Castle was exceptionally lively today. A large number of servants and elf knights could be seen moving red carpets, laying them all the way from the back gate of the castle to the main gate. In addition, magic casters were setting up railings on both sides of the carpet, using magic to connect them firmly to the ground—the [Silent City] had been temporarily deactivated.

This was not to welcome the return of the Eldest Princess, Dofilia, but to prepare for the upcoming Saint Alexia Festival.

Branches of the Holy Tree required specialists to fly to its peak, collect the finest twigs that would least affect the Holy Tree, and distribute them to the lovers paying homage beneath it. Therefore, every time the Saint Alexia Festival arrived, the Royal Castle would welcome a large number of common people.

This sounded detrimental to the dignity of the royal family, yet it was a tradition passed down for ten thousand years. Since the original Elf Royal Castle was not as grand as it is today, the elf populace ten thousand years ago could come and worship under the Holy Tree at any time, waiting for the specialist appointed by the royal family to pluck a branch from the Holy Tree and give it to them. Although the Royal Castle gradually expanded in the following years, this rule was preserved.

According to the elf nobles, allowing commoners to gaze upon the magnificent and splendid Royal Castle up close could strengthen their sense of identity and loyalty to the King.

Moreover, due to the Silvar Kingdom’s enormous population, not every same-sex couple had the right to enter the Royal Castle. Only couples who had received a letter of recommendation from a local noble, acknowledging their status as partners, could enter the Royal Castle with a certificate. Otherwise, they could only wait until the fifth day of the Saint Alexia Festival, come to the side gate of the Royal Castle themselves, and wait for a special knight to review and distribute the Holy Tree branches for on-site use, without the right to enter the Royal Castle.

This practice was not due to status discrimination but was a necessary measure. The Saint Alexia Festival was an annual event, and those couples who missed it would, out of desperation, try to find ways to obtain a Holy Tree branch. Where there is demand, there will be a market. To prevent ill-intentioned people from pretending to be couples to receive and then resell the Holy Tree branches, the Royal Castle had to resort to this strategy.

“It is still two days until the Saint Alexia Festival, and the Royal Castle cannot be entered or exited at will. This young lady, please state your name.”

Just as she arrived at the plaza in front of the Royal Castle’s main gate, Fia was stopped by two Royal Guards in silver armor. At this time, Fia had not yet changed her hair color back to black, and she was followed by two strangely dressed people. The Watcher, dressed as a priest, goes without saying; the Knowledge-Seeking Demon General, because his head was a book, had been made to wear a black bamboo hat that covered his face so he wouldn’t scare passersby. It would be strange if the Royal Guards did let Fia pass.

I forgot about the hair color.

A blue brilliance, symbolizing [Cleanse], floated in Fia’s hand. As her right hand undid the hair tie holding her side ponytail, Fia’s beautiful black hair instantly fanned out, the ends cascading from her smooth neck down to her slightly perky bottom.

Although at first glance she looked as if she had just woken up and hadn’t combed her hair, it could not hide her nation-toppling beauty. Her appearance in an evening dress, with black hair and red eyes, instantly eclipsed her surroundings. The two Royal Guards who had previously blocked Fia were so astonished their jaws almost hit the ground. They knelt on one knee in trepidation.

“We respectfully welcome Your Highness, the Eldest Princess!”

“We are deeply sorry for not recognizing your identity!”

“You must be new. This is my fault; you don’t need to worry about it.”

Fia had already heard from Erin Slate, the Captain-General of the Royal Guard, that the guard needed fresh blood. This was because the previous guard had members from Prince Schain’s faction, planted by him. Now that Prince Schain was eliminated, these people naturally had to be purged. It was understandable that the new recruits wouldn’t recognize her with a different hair color and suspicious people in tow.

Waving her hand to signal the two guards to rise, Fia, having restored her black hair, led the two Demon Generals straight into the Royal Castle. No one else blocked Fia’s path along the way; they only stopped and bowed to her in respect.

It seemed that Claire’s group had already arrived first. On the way, Fia saw many anxious-looking maids rushing towards the Twilight Palace carrying ingredients of all sizes. She also ran into several of her queen mothers, who had changed into formal attire.

Interestingly, because of Fia’s engagement to Claire, the Watcher—who was beautiful, voluptuous, and looked like she could give birth to a dozen children—naturally became the object of the queens’ attention. However, the Watcher righteously declared that she was not Fia’s lover, and what she advocated was ‘to be admired from a distance, not to be defiled.’ This left the queens completely baffled and feeling it was a great pity.

“So, you’re saying this beastman girl named Tilulu is the future queen of Cold Night, and Dofi snatched her away?”

“Exactly! Big Sister is always snatching girls away without realizing it. You have to control her.”

“Oh my, if Fia likes Tilulu, that means she must also like old women like me who look petite…”

Rеаⅾ οn КαtRеαdіոɡСafe

“Th-This is my problem, and Lady Fia also rejected me. Please don’t blame Lady Fia…”

“No, I have no intention of reprimanding Dofi. Although Tilulu’s age is indeed a bit young, beastmen grow much faster than us elves. By the time Tilulu grows up, she should be… K… K…”

“It’s Claire, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, yes, Claire. I’m getting old, my memory is bad. Please forgive me.”

“It’s my curse; you can’t blame Mother Yulisha.”

“Hehehe, in any case, when Tilulu grows up, she will definitely become a fine girl, no less so than Claire. And Dofi isn’t of age yet either, so it’s good for them to be together. She managed to snatch away the Queen of Cold Night without using a single soldier. As expected of my daughter. With the status of a queen, even if she’s a beastman, I don’t think anyone will object. It’s just that Tilulu looks even smaller than Liti. Dofi’s taste is really broad…”

Even though Fia was a considerable distance from the living room, she could hear the unfiltered conversation from within. Even the maids who were supposed to be serving tea had all gathered by the door, eavesdropping on the conversation while covering their mouths to giggle.

Fia’s expression couldn’t help but gradually stiffen. Given the room full of girls’ laughter, she was certain that Mother Yulisha already saw Tilulu as a future queen consort. If she were to appear before them now, the scene would become extremely awkward.

For a moment, Fia felt as if she had been skewered and was being roasted over a fire. It was awkward to go in, and awkward not to. She could only slow her pace as much as possible, hoping Mother Yulisha would change the subject before she reached the living room. Unfortunately, the other queen mothers following her could also hear the remarks. The title “Queen of Cold Night” instantly captured their attention. They pressed their soft bodies against Fia, chattering incessantly as if they had discovered a new continent.

What made Fia even more embarrassed was that, due to the height difference, the queens’ heavy bosoms were resting completely on her head, and sometimes they would press against the side of her face during the jostling, making her so nervous she didn’t dare shake her head. Coupled with the faint scent of perfume filling her nose and the warmth of their skin, her cheeks soon flushed an uncontrollable crimson. This was a bit too stimulating for her.

Although the queens were nominally Fia’s mothers, they were not blood-related. Moreover, elves aged extremely slowly, so they looked like human women in their late twenties. This made Fia feel exceptionally bashful.

“Ho ho, Dofi has been out for less than a month and she’s already brought back the Queen of Cold Night. Quick, tell me, what kind of woman is she? Are her breasts and butt big?”

“Have you rolled in the sheets together? How’s her technique? Want me to teach you?”

“Beastmen have always had great stamina. Even a beastman who looks weak might be energetic enough to go all night in a real battle. Dofi, you need to train more. If you can’t handle her, let Mother teach you some techniques to quickly overwhelm her.”

“Err…”

Under the barrage of questions, Fia could only try her best to maintain a blank expression. She began to regret why she had ever ruined the “ice-cold beauty” persona of the Eldest Princess. If she hadn’t shown her outgoing and lively side after losing her memory, her queen mothers probably wouldn’t be leaning on her so affectionately, asking endless questions.

The women of the court are truly all gossips.

If this scene were witnessed by an outsider who didn’t know the situation, it would probably lead to some serious misunderstandings.

“Dofi.”

Just as Fia’s expression was about to crumble, a commanding male voice, full of pressure and dignity, appeared beside her. Almost instantly, the queens who had been sticking to Fia, poking here and there and sniffing her hair, scattered. They stood by the side of the corridor, looking like serving maids awaiting orders. Not only them, but the eavesdropping maids in the distance also quickly stood up straight, their faces full of fear.

Fia didn’t even need to guess who it was. She turned around and nodded slightly in greeting.

Reаⅾ oո КαtRеaⅾіոɡСаfе

“Father.”

The newcomer was, of course, King Yelido Alexia Florenst.

Just as when Fia had left, the imposing Yelido’s eyes were filled with dignity, and his entire being exuded a pressure that made people afraid to speak loudly.

However, maybe it was Fia’s imagination, but she felt that Yelido looked much younger. The sorrow that used to be hidden in those crimson eyes was completely gone. He was like a middle-aged man who suddenly had an affair, radiating the confidence and vitality of his youth.

“Why didn’t you tell me in advance that you were coming back?”

As Yelido spoke, the pressure surrounding him quickly dissipated. He smiled like a benevolent father and reached his hand towards Fia’s head, but halfway there, he retracted it again. He coughed awkwardly twice and took the lead to walk forward.

“I heard from the servants that you brought back a human and a beastman girl. Are they friends you made in Cold Night?”

“Is that really His Majesty?”

“He actually smiled…”

The queens following Fia and Yelido whispered, their faces full of disbelief. Fia pretended not to hear, her eyebrows raised slightly.

“Is the human Father referring to Claire?”

“Claire? Hss—a familiar name.”

Yelido took a deep breath, his expression turning grave as he tried to recall. Fia continued to explain.

“She is my fiancée. Have you forgotten?”

“Your fiancée is human? When did I ever agree to that? You are royalty; how can you be entangled with a human woman… No… Claire… Claire…? I seem to have some impression… uses dual swords as weapons… Ah… Ahh! I remember now! Look at my memory! Dofi, I swear I didn’t forget her on purpose. There must be a reason for this. How could I possibly forget your fiancée!”

“I know it’s not your fault. It’s good that you remember.”

Faced with Yelido, who was slapping his head and looking ashamed, Fia could only sigh helplessly. As the elf god died, the Divinity on Claire was gradually disappearing, and the curse was returning. Fortunately, she had only been away from Cold Night for less than a month. If it had been any longer, and her father had completely forgotten about Claire, they might have had to reenact the one-on-one duel from before.

I have to speed up the search for a god.

Come to think of it, even weapons used by gods become God-Given Weapons imbued with Divinity, so the fragments of a god’s corpse should possess even more Divinity. The elf god left behind many shard-like remains in that dark space. If I could collect them and process them into accessories for Claire, maybe I could make a temporary Divine-attribute item.

“Remains” sounds terrifying, but the fragments left by the elf god were gray stones, not chunks of flesh. There shouldn’t be any physiological discomfort. Considering the elf god’s enormous size, there might even be extra parts left over that I could use to help other pitiful people like Claire, who are bound by the world’s rules. Wait, since Divinity can grant exemption from the world’s curses, if I apply it to the magic-powered boiler that Laplace created, would it be able to bypass the suppression by the world’s rules that Laplace mentioned for purely mechanical creations?

It’s definitely worth a try.

While Fia was thinking, Yelido let out a sigh of relief, a wry smile on his face.

Rеαԁ оn KαtRеаdіngСαfе

“It’s good that you don’t blame me. Remember to tell me about your experiences in Cold Night later.”

“Didn’t I write everything in a letter and have Nagg bring it back?”

“How can a letter compare to hearing it from you in person!”

Yelido’s eyes widened as he emphasized his point.

You just want to talk more with me, your daughter.

Fia replied in her heart, but on the surface, she put on a “can’t-be-helped” expression.

“Yes, yes. I’ll explain the details at the dinner table. More importantly, how is the situation with the Wasteland?”

“The Wasteland…”

Yelido’s smile froze for an instant, but quickly returned.

“The problem isn’t big, but it isn’t small either. It hasn’t affected our side yet. We’ll talk about the specifics after dinner. Also, I have something important to tell you first. The Saint Alexia Festival is in two days. While you were away, Yulisha and I discussed it, and we feel that you and your fiancée should take this opportunity to announce your relationship to everyone.”

“It’s a good thing for the heir to the throne to have a confirmed consort; it can stabilize the people’s hearts. Solidifying the relationship sooner will also make those restless nobles give up their scheming. In the past, you didn’t like to talk, so those nobles didn’t dare to approach you. Now they hear you’ve lost your memory and become more talkative, so they’re pestering their grandfathers to come and ask me all sorts of questions, and it’s not easy for me to just dismiss those old ministers.”

“…Announce it to everyone? Didn’t you say I’m not of age yet, that it’s just an engagement?”

As for why Yelido and Yulisha could discuss this matter despite not remembering Claire, it was probably because they knew “Fia has a fiancée” in their minds, but they just couldn’t connect that fiancée to Claire.

“I haven’t finished speaking. What Yulisha and I mean is, you just need to distribute the Holy Tree branches to the populace together with that girl named Claire. That way, without a grand ceremony, people will understand your relationship…”

At this point, Yelido seemed to remember something. His brows suddenly furrowed tightly, and he looked down at Fia.

“Dofi, although you are not of age, Claire should be—even if she’s not, she’s definitely at a child-bearing age for humans. Take the opportunity of distributing the branches. As long as you use [Mana Surge] and the Holy Tree branches correctly, you can make Claire conceive the royal bloodline, and I can have a grandson or granddaughter to hold sooner… Wait. Dofi, since you lost your memory, that means you’ve forgotten how to use [Mana Surge] for insemination. I actually forgot about that! I will instruct Yulisha in a bit. Remember to find her after dinner tonight and have her teach you how to use [Mana Surge].”

Huh?

How did the topic jump to this?

Claire and I haven’t even had a formal wedding ceremony; how can we start reproducing—Fia originally wanted to say this, but looking at Yelido’s extremely serious eyes, she felt he wasn’t joking. If she said they should get married first before considering other things, her father would definitely blurt out “get married immediately.” She did want to be with Claire, but it was too early to get married now. Besides, Claire’s curse wasn’t lifted, and Claire had said this was a psychological burden for her.

That said, Fia couldn’t help but imagine the scene of getting Claire pregnant. In an instant, her heart and brain felt like a bomb had gone off, and her mind went blank. A hot current flowed through her limbs, making her steps unsteady. Her heart was pounding.

Of course, she was just thinking.

She put aside her fanciful thoughts and chose to change the subject with a sly expression.

Rеad оո ΚаtRеαⅾiոɡCαfе

“Father, you’ve been saying ‘Yulisha’ this and ‘Yulisha’ that. Could it be that the reason you look so much younger recently is because you’ve gotten together with Mother Yulisha…”

“This…”

“Hmph. What ‘gotten together’? He just cast aside the old for a new favorite.”

Following Yelido’s action of averting his gaze, Yulisha’s exasperated complaint sounded from the living room. Unbeknownst to them, Fia and the others had already arrived at the living room entrance.

Yulisha’s tone and expression were more like flirtatious banter. If the two didn’t have a good relationship, Mother Yulisha would never have said such thorny words to Yelido.

It seems my matchmaking efforts have had some effect.

Yulisha, wearing a dark blue formal dress that exuded both noble elegance and motherly pressure, walked to the door. She wrapped an arm around the petite Fia and led her into the living room, seating Fia next to herself. Then, she pointed at Tilulu, who was sitting obediently on the opposite side, her head lowered shyly.

“Dofi, I heard your story from Liti. Tell me honestly, do you or do you not have feelings for this beastman child?”

The moment the question was asked, Fia felt all eyes in the room—and even the maids outside the room, including Colita—fixated on her.

Starting with such a hell-level question…

Answering honestly that she had no feelings would hurt Tilulu, but answering that she did would make things incredibly complicated. Fia subconsciously shot a look at Claire and Anastasia, pleading for help. However, Claire just smiled gently, not intending to intervene, while Anastasia pretended not to see and looked away.

This is what a desperate situation feels like…

“Of course there are feelings! A cold and a shy, weak girl cuddling—what could be more heart-pounding! I, in the name of the God of Benevolence, grant legitimacy to this marriage.”

The Watcher, in a posture of prayer with her head bowed, suddenly broke the silence. Although her every move was filled with holiness, Fia felt as if she could see the Watcher’s drooling, silly grin hidden beneath the veil.

For this moment only, I am grateful to you, Watcher.

With the Watcher’s interruption, Fia straightened her back and said with righteous integrity.

“I see Tilulu as my younger sister.”

“…And this priestess lady is?”

Fia feigned distress and sighed deeply.

“Hah, that’s a long story. It all starts from when I first arrived in Count Yureidon’s territory…”

Just like that, Fia successfully shifted the topic to Tilulu. Interestingly, when Yulisha heard of Nola’s existence and learned what had happened between Nola, Fia, and Claire, and that Nola was also in the Silvar Kingdom, she raised her eyebrows with great interest. She glanced back at Yelido, but unfortunately, Fia, who was sitting next to her, missed this small movement due to her line of sight.