Lake Island. The royal palace.
Shien and Vivian entered quite easily.
It was because Vivian handed a letter to the knights guarding the gate, asking them to pass it along to the princess. Then, things happened just as Vivian had said, and they were told that they can meet right away.
Only, the only ones to enter the palace were Shien and Vivian. Diere, Lumia and Melika weren't allowed in.
The reason was that there were too many of them.
For a private meeting, taking so many people to see the princess together was indeed not very appropriate.
Thus, Lumia and Melika hurriedly stated that they were fine just waiting outside.
"I-I'm a bit scared to see the princess for real…"
"Yeah! It's too sudden!"
Lumia and Melika proclaimed as such with teary eyes. It was obvious that they were somewhat intimidated to meet the princess. Rather, they were completely lacking in mental preparations for such a thing.
After all, it's not like it was previously. Lumia and Melika already gained a true understanding of the princess's fame. For those two girls, seeing the princess right this moment wasn't all that good for their hearts.
"In that case, I'll stay and keep them company."
Diere so declared. Thus, she too didn't enter the palace.
Thus, Diere, Lumia, and Melika waited for Vivian and Shien to return in a waiting room outside the palace that the knights prepared. Shien and Vivian followed the knight leading the way as they entered the palace and headed toward the princess's room.
During their journey, the knight leading them acted very respectfully to Vivian. Vivian also moved like she was very familiar with the place, to the point where one would suspect whether she actually needed someone to lead the way in the first place.
Shien watched this from the side and, after a bit, quietly asked Vivian a question.
"You seem like you've come to the palace pretty often before?"
That was Shien's only conclusion after seeing how familiar Vivian seemed with the surrounded.
Vivian didn't deny it either.
"I can't say I've come that often, but back when I was still in the Capital, I should have come at least several times every month perhaps?" Vivian replied back to Shien with a similarly lowered voice, "I did say it just a moment ago that I have some relations with the princess. Well, that was thanks to Leili though."
With that, Shien more or less understood.
Leili was the only child of a high noble of the Capital, so she definitely has quite a few dealings with the palace.
In that case, as Lieli's childhood friend, it's pretty normal for Vivian to also have some connections with the people in the palace.
If not for that fact, then there's no way that the knights would have so easily accepted her request to pass a letter to the princess, right?
There's no way that just anyone could hand the princess a letter.
"Of course, I've only met the princess a couple of times. We have a relationship, but I can't really say that we're that familiar. Rather, it's Leili who has a far closer relationship with the princess. She's far closer to her." Vivian so stated, "If it's Leili here, she likely wouldn't have even needed to pass a letter in asking for permission. No, she probably could have just taken you with her in entering the palace directly."
… Entering the palace huh?
That wording feels a bit weird.
As Shien grumbled in his head, he instead spoke something else, "Then, that princess only agreed to see us immediately due to guildmaster Leili, right?"
To that question, Vivian gave the following answer.
"I can only say that it was a factor." It was unknown just what Vivian was thinking, but she showed a weak smile, "The real reason she agreed to see us immediately is more likely because the current time is rather special. Otherwise, even if it was Leili, it'd be hard to get a meeting without first making an appointment."
"Oh." Shien nodded, and spoke casually, "It looks like that princess is quite busy."
"Of course." Vivian spoke meaningfully, "Putting aside all the various things required of royalty, just the matter of showing herself at noon is something that the princess has to do each and every day. Such an activity also requires the deployment of knights to maintain order. It also requires dealing with the aftermath and dispersing the crowds. All that stuff is done by the princess. Add to the fact that she's someone respected by the gods, pretty much all work relating to diplomacy between the royalty and gods have also basically all been handed to her. Even a lot of important temple events will invite her to participate. Thus, her schedule each and every day has been jam packed. It's basically only around this time that she's relatively free, but even then, she's still being pestered."
"Pestered?" Shien was confused, "What does that mean?"
"You'll know very soon." Vivian showed a bitter smile, "It's because I know about this that I brought up visiting her at this time. I believed that, compared to dealing with those people, she should be much more willing to meet us instead. I ended up kind of manipulating her, so I feel rather guilty about that."
As she said that, Shien and Vivian had finally reached the princess's quarters.
However, the moment they arrived, Shien was stunned.
It was because countless people were gathered at the receiving room of the princess's quarters.
Those people had two points of similarity.
One: All of them were dressed extremely richly. It was easy to tell from a glance that they were nobility.
Two: All of them were men.
"This is…?"
Shien was rather befuddled.
Rather, it was Vivian who muttered "as expected" under her breath.
At this moment, Shien and Vivian's arrival had also come to those young noblemen's attention.
Those young noblemen first looked at Shien, gave him a once over as if trying to estimate Shien's background with eyes filled with calculation and a strange sense of hostility. Only when they realized that Shien was wearing normal clothing did they finally disdainfully shift their gaze away.
It was like they were saying that "this person is of no threat".
However, immediately after, those young noblemen's eyes lit up at the sight of Vivian.
Of them, there were even several who hurriedly ran over.
"Isn't this Miss Vivian?"
"Long time no see, Miss Vivian."
"I heard you left the capital to train at some other town. How are you here now?"
"Where's Lady Leili? Did she not come back with you?"
"You're here to see Princess Lucilosti, right?"
"If you don't mind, can you allow me to accompany you?"
"No, you should allow me to accompany you instead."
"No, it should be me instead."
"I'm from a count's family!"
"I'm from a marquis family!"
"You should let me come with you!"
"No! Me!"
A crowd of young noblemen thus gathered around Vivian and started arguing.
Shien watched all of this, stunned.
Only after did Shien find out that those young men of noble families have all gathered here in order to try to meet the pincess.
Their goals were very simple too. That was to gain the princess's affection so that they may ask for her hand in marriage.
However, due to the fact that there were just way too many of them, the number of them who could actually see said princess were very few indeed. Sometimes, no one could see her at all.
Thus, those people would lay wait here ever single day without getting tired at all. Since a lot of them knew that Vivian had certain personal relations with the princess, they guessed that she might be here to see the princess. Thus, those people would of course shamelessly come on over to beg Vivian to take them along.
It was precisely because Vivian knew all this that she showed such a bitter smile.
Shien understood as well.
True enough. Compared to those buffoons, that princess would definitely rather see Vivian instead.
Only…
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