CH 103

The royal city of the Saint Airo Empire is on the east side of Bore Mountain. It’s not too close to the port of the Abutin River or other main traffic roads that enter the empire from the outside.

Generally, it takes some distance to enter the royal city from the Bullough main road.

The alchemist-doctor exchange meeting is a grand event held every five years. Every time, there are countless unexpected things on display, attracting competition from various countries.

It’s not just competing for stuff but also for talents.

Therefore, before the start of the exchange meeting, nobles and even kings from various small countries will continue to enter the royal city.

Afterward, Prince Cassius, His Majesty’s youngest son, is the one responsible for their accommodation in Sherry Hotel.

During this period, the royal city was bustling almost every day, and the cold winter could not stop the spontaneous gathering of people—every time a long motorcade entered the city, many bystanders would come to watch.

They like to discuss the conspicuous emblem on the carriages.

Until the convoy entered the range of the hotel.

—The commoners and slaves will stop, but the nobles would stand not far away and watch reservedly, observing those who got out of the carriage and enter the luxurious hotel.

Belanka, the holy flower that blooms all year-round, is decorated on the door of the establishment, representing respect.

…

Samielle has been out for a few days with the butler and the maid Mary.

She stood not far from the Sherry Hotel, watching the kings or nobles from outside the Saint Airo Empire constantly entering the hall.

Of course, she also saw Prince Cassius who was in charge of the reception.

His Majesty’s youngest son was just 14 years old and already an adult. Because of the queen’s request, the king sent him to take charge of such an important yet unimportant reception task.

The queen gave birth to three sons and a princess. Her status was consolidated, so some of her words were taken seriously by the king.

These are all things that Marquis Gary personally told to her, and she kept it in her heart.

Samielle has been very excited and happy these days.

She’s like a happy bird shuttling through the streets of the royal city and finally stopping near the Sherry Hotel.

She saw Prince Cassius, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a handsome appearance. It’s said that he looked very much like His Majesty the King and is also the queen’s favorite son. Even the princess couldn’t compare to him.

Prince Cassius would stand at the hotel door every day, receiving the distinguished guests with a decent smile on his proud face.

She also saw the people her father mentioned, Grand Duke Archiayoli and Archibald Cavendish—the irresistible charm of adults made her blush and her heart pounding when she looked at them from a distance.

And it’s not just me, she thought.

When the two came to the Sherry Hotel, the number of noble ladies wandering around grew silently.

However, neither Cavendish nor the Grand Duke came out of the hotel much later. Samielle could find a look of disappointment flashing on the faces of many women and girls.

Samielle patted her face, wondering if she did this.

On this day, she stood at the end of the Bullough main road, with the butler and the maid Mary behind her. The crowd was packed around her, and all kinds of noisy voices kept coming into her ears.

—Most people are talking about Lord Desinia.

Samielle inevitably became excited and waited in anticipation. The news came from the port a few days ago that today is the day when Lord Desinia will arrive in the royal city.

“I heard that lord Desinia has an entire legion of animals. The banners of the black and white cavalry use the two big tigers as the emblem, which can scare the enemy out of their wits!”

“More than that, this lord also has a very, very huge eagle, white and fast… Its pair of sharp claws can grab an adult. Do you remember the battle of the Gandamia Grand Canyon many years ago?”

Samielle couldn’t help but follow the voice and saw that it was two men dressed as nobles talking about the war that led to the destruction of Gaynor.

This is also one of the stories she heard from her father, Marquis Gary.

At that time, her father still praised Lord Desinia, but now…

The women on the other side gathered together and chatted about the new cosmetics and clothes in the Thorns Chamber of Commerce. Then soon, they talked about Desinia’s age and looks.

Samielle’s hands were tucked into her cloak, still holding a book of Stories of the Gods. At this time, she moved to that side involuntarily, her ears reddening.     

A mature woman covered her mouth with a feather fan and said, “Although Lord Desinia is youthful and attractive, he is too young.”     

“A man who’s about to come of age… Oh, I can’t even call him a man yet. He is still a teenager. Maybe he doesn’t understand the beauty of women.” 

The mature woman’s words made the surrounding women laugh. The curvature of their mouths seemed to hide a deep meaning, making people shy.      

The young girl’s face flushed. No one knows whether it’s because of the cold wind or what.     

A maiden whispered in an almost inaudible voice, “It is said that he is like a rose waiting to bloom, wanton among the thorns…”     

“Oh my God, don’t look at me like that. I’m not the one who said those words…”     

Before the girl finished speaking, she couldn’t bear other people’s gazes anymore and covered her hot cheeks.    

Her friend pushed and urged her, “Then who said it?”     

“Who compared Lord Desinia to a rose? Is he that fascinating?” 

The girl put down a little finger and continued with bright eyes, “It’s my uncle, Marquis Richard.”     

“Do you remember that he went to Desinian Territory a few years ago? He looked for the lord to treat his illness.”

When the girl said this, the others remembered.

After returning to the empire, Marquis Richard has always praised many things about Desinian Territory, especially Wissas, which is the administrative center city.

The marquis said that Wissas was the cleanest city he had ever seen.

At that time, many people disagreed.

Marquis Richard also mentioned to His Majesty that he wanted to improve the environment of the royal city, but there was no follow-up on this matter. Obviously, the king didn’t pay much attention to it.

The girl’s tone was full of great enthusiasm, “Uncle Richard said that Lord Desinia is the most incredible person.”

“No one but him deserves the glory of the rose family.” 

The previous mature woman used a fan to gently lift the girl’s chin and smiled, “So, do you want to pick this rose surrounded by thorns with your own hands?”

“Aren’t you afraid of pricking your hands?”

Perhaps the woman’s tone made the girl dissatisfied, so her face sank slightly.

She patted the woman’s delicate feather fan with her hand, “Avril, it’s none of your business even if my hands are stabbed!”

“You, an old woman, shouldn’t be delusional that Lord Desinia can take a fancy to you?!”

Avril took back her fan with an unchanged look and didn’t seem to care about the girl’s words.

She is a famous courtesan in the royal city. She’s gorgeous and beautiful and is sought after by many men. The girl’s uncle, Marquis Richard, has an ambiguous relationship with her.

Her red lips twitched, and she confided like a charming beautiful snake, “What’s impossible?”

“Maybe the lord likes a mature woman like me. Teenagers are always enthusiastic and impulsive. Will he still like the dry one when he has tasted the taste of women…”

Avril covered her face with a fan and smiled. A pair of deep eyebrows outlined with charcoal fell on the girl like a mockery. It was self-evident who she was referring to.

The girl was obviously very annoyed by Avril’s words. Her lips trembled and said ‘shameless’. Someone nearby took her arm and told her not to be impulsive.

With a blushing face, Samielle stepped forward and stood in the opposite direction.

At this moment, the crowd boiled and became lively.

—A long convoy pulled into the Bullough main road.

Lord Desinia has arrived.

“Ah!” Samielle exclaimed briefly, then covered her mouth with her hands.

Immediately, she’s guarded by the same screaming butler and maid Mary, supported her arms, and kept retreating. There were also many people around who did the same thing as them.

The crowd kept backing away.

After a while, Bullough Road, which was originally packed, became much clearer. A large space in the middle was left, without anyone wanting to go forward again.

Because it’s deadly.

—Although they had long heard that there are many large and ferocious beasts around Lord Desinia, it’s just one thing when they’re listening to it.

But it’s another story when they see it with their own eyes.

No one can endure the fear and the instinct to withdraw that is constantly pouring into their hearts after they personally see them.

Especially when these large beasts were not restrained and walked freely on the streets—their huge bodies, sharp claws, and breath-taking momentum…all made the audience terrified.

The onlookers are afraid that these beasts will rush into the crowd and bite uncontrollably… 

Merciful God of Creation! This is too scary.

Samielle’s pink eyes widened.

She was a little excited and involuntarily grasped the book in her hand. She stared at the fierce animals walking at the front of the team without blinking—tigers, a lion, a black panther… Oh, there was even a half-sized white wolf…

She looked at the white wolf, which was smaller compared to the other beasts.

It probably didn’t like the still merry and uproarious congregation despite backing down and staying away. The white wolf didn’t go far, it turned around, and jumped into the cavalry guards in front. Then its obvious figure shuttled past.

The imposing cavalry team did not become chaotic because of its existence.

They didn’t even change the pace of their walking, just remaining calm.

The black and the white cavalry lined up on both sides. Helmets covered their faces, armors protected their bodies, and a long spear in one hand. Their gait was so neat that even the ground of the streets was shaking.

Samielle heard a lot of people gasping because of it.

Her heart was also beating fast.

She saw the white wolf pass through two cavalry commanders on horseback.

Then it jumped into the luxurious carriage running in the very center—which is in a style she had never seen before, tall and beautiful, with small doors in front and on the side.

The coachman calmly lifted the curtain of the small door in front, and the white wolf lowered its body slightly and got in.

That must be the carriage of Lord Desinia!

Samielle couldn’t help covering her chest, which was about to jump out, with joy and disappointment—glad that she finally found the location of Lord Desinia, but disappointed that she didn’t see him for the first time.

But it doesn’t matter.

Samielle comforted herself.

She could follow the team all the way to the door of Sherry Hotel, and by then she would be able to see Lord Desinia when Prince Cassius received him.

Many people have the same idea as her.

Samielle followed the group and walked forward.

She was tightly wrapped in a cloak and her face was half-hidden. The butler and maid guarded her around, careful so she wouldn’t be pushed down by the horde.

Finally, Sherry Hotel appeared in front of her.

Prince Cassius stood by the door decorated with belanka flowers, with a mixture of politeness, smile, stiffness, fear, and horror on his face.

Facing the approaching beasts, he took two steps back, but his heel slammed on the steps and almost fell. Fortunately, he was helped by the knight behind him.

But then his face became even more difficult to look at.

Desinia’s cavalry stopped at this time.

The beasts at the forefront also stopped and yawned bored, showing sharp teeth and scarlet tongues from their wide-open mouths.

Samielle heard exclamations from the masses again.

And Prince Cassius’s face was pale and stiff—like a drawing board with dried-up paint, she thought.

The soldiers stood on both sides, and the driver also got off at this time, respectfully opened the side door, and raised the curtain…

Samielle involuntarily stood on tiptoe.

She first saw the white wolf who had entered the carriage earlier get off with a black-and-white cub in its mouth.

The cub wailed, and its childish voice was somewhat distinctive in the noisy street.

The white wolf then took the cub in the middle of a group of ferocious beasts. After the cub was put down, it wanted to run away but was immediately pressed gently by the golden lion, as if rubbing the cub’s fleshy little body.

After taking a few glances, Samielle unbearably cast her gaze on the carriage again.

The person she had always wanted to see finally appeared—a stiff white coat with a pair of buttons, a badge of thorns and roses pinned to his right chest, and the belt that hugs that thin waist.

Wrapped in black trousers and black boots are a pair of long, slender, and thin legs.

He has very soft black hair, with a few strands loosely scattered on his forehead, and also has a pair of sweet caramel-like eyes, with a golden round-rimmed single-sided monocle on his left eye.

The same golden chain hangs down on the shoulder and chest…

Samielle can’t utter the words to describe him.

Her legs were trembling slightly, with her heels having to be forcibly put down. Her heartbeat almost jumped into her throat, and her ears were buzzing. She couldn’t even hear what Mary, who’s closest to her, was saying.

At this moment, a white cub poked its head out of the black cloak that Lord Desinia wore, followed by its small body and a big plushy tail…

It turned out that it had been held by Lord Desinia in one arm all along. Now it tilted its small head and looked around curiously.

Samielle saw Lord Desinia stroking the cub’s little head with his long and fair fingers as he walked step by step to Prince Cassius who would greet him by the door.

She stared at his back in a daze, the tips of her ears hidden in her cloak were almost smoking.

She heard the whisper of the girl from before—”Uncle is right… He is really like a blooming rose, handsome and enchanting…”