Currently, I was sitting in a tea shop sipping on some very nice and expensive tea. To my left is Sophie, who looked like a small animal as she nibbled on a pastry. On my right was Adel, who showed up a day after receiving a letter from Sophie about today's date. She seems to have abandoned everything to come here to have tea with me. She is very sweet indeed. On Sophie's left was Thurul, who was sitting at the end of the long bench seat. While on Adel's right were Gesel and Fred.
Sitting at the opposite ends of the table were Sei and Runa and on the other side was, for some reason, King Gravos himself and also Sir Derek. Sitting in between these two men, who were both rather well built, was a certain catkin who was currently grinding his teeth and sweating bullets. "Ahem…. Miss Cyrilia, if I am not mistaken, I could have sworn I had asked if you wish to talk more."
Hearing these easily misunderstood words, I smiled brightly at the sly cat and answered: "But can't you still do just that? Talk with me? I mean, you did just speak to me. Is this not the definition of 'Talk more'?"
"This…." Seeing the little catkin stumped for words, I couldn't help but feel a strong sense of victory!
"It's good you were willing to meet up today because I just so happen to want to treat everyone as my way of saying thanks for all the help they have given me as of late. So please, everyone, order whatever you like." I really did wish to treat everyone to something. A day ago, the organizer of the tournament had come to personally apologize for what happened. He even gave me one hundred gold as a form of compensation. Not only to me, but every contestant who was not an assassin was paid one hundred gold.
This worked out well, and I was happy to gain so many funds. As Thurul was the one dealing with most of the things going on with building the factory, I handed him all of it but ten gold. I would be busy for the next few days as I prepared for the academy and would also be moving. I would not have time to head to the slums right now, so he would be managing it all for me. Between supplies and paying everyone who was working, a good sum of money was needed.
"Haha, Faith is so generous, don't you think so, Little Rythilin?" King Gravos looked at Prince Rythilin with a big smile causing the sly cat's frown to deepen even more. Maybe next time, he will try not to be so sneaky when he is dealing with me. I do not know what his final objective was by trying to ask me out on a date, but I will say that even if I did come here on my own without knowing any better as to what he truly meant, I would not be following him anywhere that is for sure.
"That she is. This tea and these pastries really hit the spot when you're as old as I am." Every time Sir Derek spoke, he would slap Prince Rythilin's shoulder, and it seemed like he was doing it pretty hard because Prince Rythilin kept flinching with each slap.
But now that I was thinking things through with the sly cat, I have come to realize something… First, he broke into the barriers and landed in front of me with his rabbitkin guard as if he was some hero saving a beauty. Then he was trying to be sly in how he asked me out on a date, using the traditional way beastkin in his kingdom ask people out. So I think this entire setup was just him trying to take advantage of the situation. So, in other words, he was a sly cat.
What I find funny is that King Gravos offered to come once he heard that I was going on a date. It seems he might not have given up on me marrying into his family just yet. I hate to disappoint him, but that will probably never happen in his lifetime or mine. But he is a good deterrent when it comes to dealing with sly cats. It is making for a good show, that is for sure.
And to my side, Adel, who is one hundred percent human, is growling and hissing at the catkin as if she was a catkin herself. But besides that, everyone else seems to be having fun. Gesel and Fred are happily chatting away with one another. Runa and Sei are stuffing their faces. I mean, they have a pile of cakes and pastries in front of them. It's like they will never get to have such things ever again after they leave this place.
And Thurul is sneaking some kind of alcohol in his tea every chance he gets. But he seems to be very content with snacking and watching the show with an amused smile. I have a lot to thank him for as he went out on a limb and decided to become partners with me, who was not even half his age. And thanks to Adel and also Grace Dollen pushing the pens onto the noble class, I already have a huge backlog of orders waiting to be filled once the factory is up and running.
Everyone here besides the sly cat has helped me in many ways, and I owe each and every one of them my utmost gratitude for the kindness they have given me. I hope to stay friends with each one of them except the sly cat and maybe one day repay the kindness they have shown me. While I know, they did not help me to gain things in return. I can not always be the one on the receiving end. I must also return their kindness as well.
Volume Five End!
--AN: The fifth volume is now over. I hope everyone has enjoyed the novel up to this point and hope you will continue to enjoy it for the many, many chapters that are still to come. I want to take a moment and thank everyone for supporting Faith on her journey. Academy arc coming next!--
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