Chapter 617

617 Serving the guests

“Vincent, what happened to you yesterday? Why do you look unhappy all of a sudden?” Lucas asked.

“I..”

“What do you mean, Vincent?” Anna interrupted before questioning, “How do you want to see me move by myself? I can’t understand.”

Vincent took a seat. He looked at Princess Anna first and responded, “My wife has made a prototype wheelchair in her spare time. Currently, a mermaid is using it to move around.”

“You have a wheelchair too? And it is being used as well?” Anna questioned urgently.

“Yes. Does Anna not have a royal wheelchair yet?” Vincent asked with a puzzled expression. He couldn’t determine if Anna had her own wheelchair or not based on her reaction.

“Hahaha.” Lucas started laughing while Anna frowned unhappily in front of Vincent for the first time. Bilka also appeared she didn’t like Lucas laughing.

*Cough* “Sorry, your highness, but to have a chair on wheels being constantly tested is hilarious.”

“The woodworkers have a hard time creating perfectly identical wheels. To test the durability of the chair with the wheels attached. Not to mention the appearance to be fitting for a princess and cushions for comfort while having a royal approved style or whatever they said they were working on.”

.....

Vincent couldn’t believe what Lucas had explained. He felt the woodworkers were creating some kind of weapon on wheels instead of a chair that moves on wheels.

Vincent looked at Anna and reassured her, “Today will be the first day the princess of Lusterfall Kingdom can move without help.”

Anna pleasantly smiled. She was delighted to hear the positive news.

The king, Anna’s father, imposed many rules on the woodworkers. They were forbidden to allow Anna to test one of the wheelchairs they were making.

Vincent’s offer felt like a dream to Anna. She became excited to move without being carried, or the wheelchair pushed.

“Haha.” Lucas laughed while pointing his finger at Anna.

“How rude of you!” Bilka complained.

“Sorry, sorry.” Lucas wiped a tear from his eye and continued, “Her highness acting so enthusiastic made me content.”

“Now, her highness will not remain sad for not being allowed to use a chair on wheels.” Lucas explained to Vincent.

Kazumi appeared above the mansion. She saw Vincent and the three guests chatting inside the wooden gazebo. After informing Jun Ye Rim where Vincent was and who the guests were, she returned to Vincent.

[So it was my first guess. Our guests in the royal carriage ended up being familiar people.]

[My second guess was to be visited by a royal attendant. He would visit to bring us details of the judgment by combat.]

-Nice to see you. Are the others preparing to offer the princess hospitality?-

[Yeah, they will be here soon. Ohh, and I forgot to tell you about Maria.]

[Eliara and Fliara were sleeping after doing the night shift before the loud running footsteps woke them up. They met up with us thinking it was an emergency, but after we heard a woman’s voice angrily shout at us to keep it quiet, the sisters explained it was the voice of Maria.]

[Maria arrived yesterday late at night. She was sleeping when the loud footsteps woke her up.]

[Eliara and Fliara also explained how they told Maria what happened yesterday. The more they told Maria the news, the more she frowned as if she wanted to scold us or take part in what happened.]

-Darwin told us he would send Maria to protect us. I had almost forgotten she was going to stay with us after not meeting her in the usual place and leaving with us.-

“Why are you spacing out after hearing how much her highness is suffering?” Bilka grumpily said, interrupting Vincent and Kazumi’s conversation.

“Ahem.” Vincent cleared his throat after realizing he was the host and no one was attending to the guests.

Vincent chatted with Kazumi for longer than necessary, and it was rude in front of two esteemed guests and a grumpy guest.

“I thought it should be time for the guests to be welcomed. I think they should arrive soon.” Vincent explained.

“Great. I can see some nice women, haha.” Lucas joked.

After an awkward silence because of Lucas’s joke, the door opened, and the first person to appear was Maid Xu.

Behind Maid Xu appeared Yula. She pushed a serving trolley with a teapot and cups.

Behind Yula appeared Tula pushing a serving trolley with biscuits.

Behind Tula appeared Sofy pushing a serving trolley with a small variety of single-person portion cut cakes.

“Hahaha. Vincent, you do not disappoint. This old man is in heaven. So many beautiful girls approaching us is making me feel young again.” Lucas joked while laughing.

“Humph! Pervert old man.” Bilka mocked.

“Why don’t you act like them for a change, little girl? Haha.” Lucas teased.

While Lucas and Bilka were doing their usual thing, Anna pleasantly smiled at how peaceful it was.

The two accompanying Anna didn’t need to be on alert nor make sure the host didn’t try to take advantage of the Princess of Lusterfall. To act the way they were acting meant Anna was in a place she could believe was safe.

Maid Xu arrived first. She eloquently made a curtsy and said, “Your royal highness, Royal Guard Duke Lucas Hawkins, and her highness attendant, I am pleased to serve such esteemed guests.”

Maid Xu personally placed the cups in front of each guest and the host. She respectfully asked what they wanted to drink and poured the requested warm beverage.

Maid Xu placed a three-layered tray with biscuits on it. Each layer had a different variety of biscuits. Additionally, each layer had chocolate and non-chocolate variety.

Maid Xu placed another three-layered tray with a small variety of cakes cut into one person portions.

“I, head maid Xu Xao Long and my colleague maid Sofy will be on standby for any additional services required of us.” Maid Xu said before making a curtsy and walking down the wooden gazebo in reverse. She didn’t want to be disrespectful and show her back to the Princess of Lusterfall.

Shortly, Maid Xu and Sofy stood near the stairs of the wooden gazebo. On the other hand, Yula and Tula left, each pushing a serving trolley. The serving trolley with warm beverages was left to be used for a few more minutes before it became unsuitable for making warm beverages.

“I hope the service is to your liking. ” Vincent said

Anna nodded while trying a few biscuits. Bilka frowned while watching Anna eat food untested for poison.

On the other hand, Lucas said, “It is good.” while sipping his warm beverage and looking at Maid Xu and Sofy. He noticed Maid Xu was paying attention to them while Sofy was mostly paying attention to Vincent. He smirked and knew with it probably meant.

After Yula and Tula entered the mansion, Ester, Lupa, Iris, Lilith, Plow, and Sakura, carrying Shana, appeared.

They walked the path Vincent made and appeared nervous while approaching. Even if Anna and Lucas didn’t show signs of hostility, they still couldn’t make a mistake and turn the Lusterfall Kingdom into their enemies.

“What a pretty sight, haha.” Lucas complemented while laughing with a wide smile. “Now I am starting to feel a little envious, haha.”

“You jest, Duke Lucas Hawkins. ” Lilith said before doing a curtsy and greeting the guests respectfully.

Ester, Lupa, Iris, and Sakura greeted the guests next.

The eyes of Anna, Bilka, and Lucas soon landed on the baby Shana, cutely suckling on her thumb while being wrapped with warm fabric.

“I didn’t expect you would bring a baby here. Is she the child of a Lizardman slave?” Asked Lucas.

“She is Shana Lionheart. I am going to adopt her after her mother drank my blood to help with childbirth.” Vincent explained.

“Shana is cute.” Anna complemented with a pleasant smile.

“Adopting the child of a slave. Humph.” Bilka bashfully said, yet her voice wasn’t loud, as if she didn’t want to make the baby cry.

Furthermore, Bilka’s frown disappeared after hearing the child of a slave was going to be adopted by a person Anna and Lucas accepted. As a slave herself, Bilka was content with the situation baby Shana was in.

“When did this happen? The baby looks about one week old, and she already has a surname. That means you have already filled in the adoption documents to make her your daughter.” Lucas questioned.

“Yesterday. I bought and tried to save two lizardman slaves. The mother, unfortunately, died from childbirth, and the father died before the mother.” Vincent showed a saddened expression

Vincent slightly shook his head, and his saddened expression faded.

“Shana was born with my surname as if I am the maternal father. It might be because her mother drank a lot of my blood before giving birth.” He explained.

Anna, Lucas, and Bilka stared at Vincent. They acted as if this was the first time this had happened.

“That is strange. I have never heard of a lizardman being born with a surname before.” Lucas rubbed his chin. “You truly are interesting, hehe.”

“Congratulation on becoming a father. ” Anna said with a pleasant smile.

Anna looked at Ester, Lupa, Iris, Lilith, and Sakura.

“Congratulation on becoming mothers. I can see the cute baby is being showered with a lot of love. ” Anna said with a pleasantly radiant smile. She hoped Shana could grow up showered by parental love.

“Your highness...” Bilka had a vague idea of what Anna was thinking right now. She hoped Anna would not visit her mother’s painting and shed a tear.