"Please move this over there. As for that painting, I don't need it anymore. You can discard it. This table should be placed here. Thank you…" Elizabeth tirelessly directed the servants as they moved the furniture around.
This room was to be her newest office, since she became the Royal Ambassador for the Zino Kingdom. Though, it was less of a room, and more of a grand hall. It was even larger than her old home on New Havens! She smiled wryly. It was simply too large! How was she supposed to use all this space? However, that was unsurprising. The last Royal Ambassador was Princess Samanthie, now queen of the Alzar Kingdom. Her unique status as a princess meant that she had greater authority than the Conquestian, so it was only natural that her office reflected that status. Elizabeth felt a headache, just to organize the room to her liking.
"…You're laughing at me, aren't you?" She glared at Benedict, who stood behind her.
"Haha…" Benedict scratched his cheek awkwardly, having been caught.
He was currently wearing an illustrious set of plate armor, accompanied by a flowing golden red cape. This was the uniform for the Royal Guards, the highest form of knighthood in the Alzar Kingdom! His name would be written down for future generations to see. He was already standing at the pinnacle of the kingdom! Despite that, he was not arrogant. Instead, there was a somber humility in his eyes because he knew how hard he needed to train to reach this point. And even then… Benedict felt he was far from reaching the same heights as Sir Winstin, or even his own father, Sir Roland. He had a long way to go.
"By the way, where is Shirley? I don't see her." Elizabeth wondered. Shirley was also appointed as a Royal Guard and her Protector. Naturally, the girl should have been nearby.
"She's over there," Benedict pointed.
Elizabeth traced his finger to find Shirley, eagerly helping the servants redecorate the office. This girl with her own plate armor and golden cape stood out like a sore thumb in the sea of people. It was hard not to notice her. She lifted a dozen heavy boxes casually, while chatting with the surrounding servants. Her outgoing personality made it easy for her to befriend people. That was one of her strengths. Not to mention, she was a Half-Perception Realm wielding Martial Energy. Even the heaviest of boxes, requiring multiple strong men to carry, could be lifted with ease. Her physical strength defied her lean and feminine figure. It was a beautiful contrast. And yet… the servants were begging her to stop, fear blooming in their eyes. To force a Royal Guard into slaving away like a common labourer, it was beyond disrespectful! It was a crime worthy of death! Although she volunteered of her own freewill, if word ever got out, it would spell disaster.
Shirley thus returned to Elizabeth and Benedict, looking deflated. Nobody would give her any work. She felt wronged! Seeing this familiar scene, Elizabeth laughed. After all, she could fully understand. Growing up on a farm on New Havens, she was constantly tending to the fields, animals, and everything in between. She was always busy. This created a certain restlessness inside her where she had the compulsion to be productive, to do something, anything. It felt wrong otherwise. That changed when she became the heir apparent and a princess of the kingdom. It was suddenly beneath her to do anything. This had confused her deeply. Although she did not change, her status did. This one intangible concept somehow separated her from everyone else. It was incomprehensible to her, and probably for Shirley too. Only Benedict remained unfazed, since he was born as a Grand Lord from the Hawken Household. He was used to this treatment.
"I know how you feel, but you're a Royal Guard now. They'll feel better if you let them work," Elizabeth explained.
"I don't get it," Shirley sighed.
"You'll get used to it."
She looked out the window, where she was presented with a stunning view of Firecast, the capital city of the Zino Kingdom. Unlike Algard or Yongtein, Firecast had mostly short buildings, built from plain brick and stone. The tallest building, excluding the Celestial Court where Elizabeth's office was, was four stories tall. It was hardly impressive, compared to the Liutianhe Pagoda's thirteen floors in Yongtein, or Castle Reinhard's ten floors in Algard. Based on architecture alone, the Zino Kingdom did seem to lose out. However, that was not everything. Trees lined the streets, flowers sprouted in alleyways, and vines covered brick walls. The city seemed almost conquered by plants, and yet, the buildings curved and bent around them in an elegant harmony. Here, man and nature existed together in this unique paradise. Out of every place she visited, Elizabeth would have to say Firecast was certainly the most magical. No wonder it was regarded as the most beautiful city in the human world. Its reputation was well-deserved.
Closing her eyes, Elizabeth reflected. A month ago, she and her friends left Yongtein and the Xingyuu Empire. It then took them three weeks to cross the Desterina Ocean and arrive at the southern Zino Kingdom, meaning they had been in Firecast for less than a week and already… She sighed emotionally. How were the Imperial Empresses, Xiuying and Ming, doing? Were they faring well? Queen Samanthie, Prince Dannark, and Lady Vellena… They would not make it easy for the sisters. Not to mention, the Four Great Nobility Families were scheming too. The Second Great Kingdom War might have ended, but a new battle was emerging: the battle over the fractured empire! Separated by an entire ocean, Elizabeth could do nothing, except hope that everything would work itself out. The rest was in their hands. Absorbed in her own thoughts, she failed to hear the arrival of someone. It was someone very unexpected.
The servants and guards immediately halted and bowed respectfully. None of them spoke a word. Their attention was directed to the door, where a small group of people walked… No, that was not quite right, because the woman at the front, who everyone was looking at, was not 'walking'. Rather, the woman was seated in a wheelchair being guided by her maid. Behind her was a small group of maids and guards. Elizabeth focused on the guards first. Although these guards were not as famous as the Alzar Kingdom's Royal Guards or the Xingyuu Empire's Imperial Sentinels, they were special in their own way. And that was… they were proficient in both magic and martial arts! More specifically, the Zino Kingdom's Arcane Knights were typically Half-Condensed Drop Arcanists and Perception Realm Novices. They were not talented enough to qualify as Ten Dawns, nor strong enough to qualify as Royal Guards. Still, it was incredibly rare and challenging to be proficient in both. The Arcane Knights were probably unique in the whole world. She was curious how strong they were in battle. Shaking her head, she tossed the strange thought away and addressed the real problem… the woman in the wheelchair.
Elderly. That was the first word to describe her. Her hair had long since transformed into a greyish white, and though it was well hidden, patches were growing thin. Her eye sockets had sunken in, and her face was marred with wrinkles. Her figure was gaunt and weak. And despite that… her back was straight, her head high, and her eyes firm and especially sharp. They felt like they could cut through stone! Most importantly, there was her aura, a proud and regal aura, that demanded absolute obedience! Nobody could question it! She felt like the ruler of this space! This majestic woman was none other than Sage Alana Lanark, the Second Sage and matriarch of the Lanark Engelsheft Family! She, and her husband, the First Sage, oversaw the Celestial Council of Magic, and by extension, the entire Zino Kingdom. Only the Conquestian was above them. Therefore, Sage Alana Lanark was the third most powerful person in the kingdom!
Elizabeth felt a headache coming on. She was not excited to meet the sages. Of course, she did not let that show on her face. She donned a flawless smile and asked, "Sage Alana, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Sage Alana seemed to scrutinize her for a split-second then replied, "It's only natural that I greet you, Your Highness. You're a famous war hero, and our newest Royal Ambassador."
"You flatter me."
"Pardon me for asking, but are the two Royal Guards behind you, Sir Benedict and Lady Shirley?"
Elizabeth nodded and stepped aside. Benedict stepped forward and bowed. His conduct was perfect, like Elizabeth. As expected from a former Grand Lord. "Sir Benedict Hawken, Protector of Princess Elizabeth. It's an honor to meet you, Sage Alana."
Shirley grinned and introduced herself with far less grace. "Lady Shirley Adonina, also Protector of Princess Elizabeth. You can call me Shirley."