When entrusting this store, Roxiana showed Jiloa her power. This was because the person who introduced Jiloa as someone trustworthy was none other than Floyd.

Jiloa was grateful to Roxiana for honestly telling a mere maid about her power, which the temple might reject, and had been diligently playing the role of store owner without telling anyone about this fact.

“Jiloa, are the employees working well?”

Roxiana asked after finishing the blessing. Jiloa realized that what Roxiana was asking was not just about the tea house business.

“Of course. I’m carefully listening to and recording all the stories that visiting merchants, mercenaries, and noble ladies are chattering about. I’ll send them to Lily Palace later.”

The reason Roxiana ran the tea house was not just to attract many travelers to Torkan. People tend to relax and share various stories when eating delicious food.

What Roxiana wanted from the tea house was information.

The information obtained from the Karan trading company alone was not enough.

“I’m planning to expand the building soon and create a restaurant next door.”

“You’ll sell alcohol at the restaurant too, I suppose.”

People who drink alcohol let their guard down even more.

Roxiana and Jiloa exchanged glances and smiled secretly.

“I’ve decided to join this subjugation. Please send me the information by the time I return.”

“Yes, please take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, Jiloa.”

Jiloa really liked the princess who always treated her with respect. Even when high-status people try to be polite, they tend to look down on those below them, but such aspects couldn’t be found in Roxiana.

Robert, who had been waiting in the store drinking apple juice, saw Roxiana and gulped down his juice before standing up.

“You could have drunk it slowly.”

“The princess looked so busy.”

“How was the juice?”

“It’s amazing. Did you really make that with that power of yours, Princess?”

“I used to have to make it myself, but now I can produce that taste just by infusing power into the fruit. That’s why I’m planning to open a restaurant too.”

“Our princess, who once said swordsmanship was more fun and followed me around, when did you grow up so much to even run a store……”

“Hey, Robert. I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes.”

“Could you please stop talking about my past?”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“A little?”

“That’s good. You’ve grown into a woman who knows how to be embarrassed now.”

“Robert!”

As Roxiana glared at Robert, he laughed heartily. Roxiana also smiled a little looking at him.

Roxiana thought it was truly fortunate to have Robert. Because Robert knew her past and her family, Roxiana could breathe.

Without Robert, it might have been harder to escape the anxiety and impatience of not being able to find Lanian.

“By the way, Princess. Are you really going to join the subjugation?”

“Yes. I have to purify the monsters there anyway.”

“How about going when the cleanup is almost done, as the Grand Duke said?”

“No. We’ve already finished this conversation.”

Floyd and Robert were against her joining the subjugation. The knights commanders also seemed uneasy, worried it might be dangerous. But Hexten took Roxiana’s side.

-“As you’re staying in Torkan, I think it wouldn’t be bad for the Princess to actually see the fight against monsters. That way, you can find ways to deal with sudden dangers when a rift opens near the capital. And I will protect the Princess. Don’t worry, my lord.”

While other knight commanders were making a fuss saying, “I’ll protect her.”, “I’ll guard the Princess.”, Floyd, who had been silently staring at Roxiana, finally nodded and said to Robert.

-“Your princess is really stubborn. Was there ever anyone who could break that stubbornness?”

-“Occasionally, it would break if she got three spanks on her bottom from the Queen.”

At those words, all the knight commanders quieted down and looked at Roxiana. It wasn’t hard for Roxiana to know that they were imagining her getting spanked three times by her mother.

They say there’s no one scarier than someone who knows your immature childhood, and right now, Robert was the scariest person to Roxiana.

“Oh, who do we have here! Robert! Princess!”

Mixed with the clear laughter of women behind them, a cheerful voice was heard. Turning around, they saw Adrian walking with prettily dressed noble young ladies.

Adrian was decorated here and there with handkerchiefs that were clearly given to him by the young ladies. White cloths with colorful embroidery were hanging or tied to his hat, sword handle, and belt.

Roxiana couldn’t help but smile at that messy appearance.

“You look like you’re having fun.”

“It is fun. The party before going on a subjugation is always enjoyable. Ah, ladies, say hello. This is the princess of our Lily Palace.”

The young ladies, who had always been curious about the noble guest of Lily Palace, looked at Roxiana with curious eyes and then slightly bowed their heads in courtesy.

“Hello, Princess.”

“Princess, hello.”

Listening to the voices introducing themselves, Robert was inwardly surprised.

Roxiana was no longer a princess now. Although Floyd and his knights and retainers treated her as a princess, not everyone could feel the same way. However, in the expressions of the young ladies greeting Roxiana, he couldn’t find any jealousy, contempt, or irritation as if hearing an unreasonable request.

‘The monarch’s power in Torkan is quite strong.’

If the monarch says she’s a princess, the young ladies seemed to have the attitude that it didn’t matter whether that person was a princess of a now-fallen country or someone who had been branded as a slave.

“Nice to meet you all. I’m Roxiana Evelyn Franche.”

Finally, when Roxiana revealed her name, a young lady with pretty blonde hair giggled.

“Is there anyone among the nobles of Selchar City who doesn’t know that name?”

“That’s right. Those cookies you gave to our father, Princess, were truly delicious.”

“Please visit our mansion next time. I’ll brew delicious tea for you, Princess.”

Listening to the young ladies’ words, Robert realized that the young ladies’ fondness for Roxiana wasn’t just because of Floyd’s power.

‘Our princess has been building this little by little.’

Even in the Kingdom of Kanta, Roxiana was loved by everyone. It wasn’t just because she was a princess.

“There’s a music concert at the salon by the river, would you like to come with us?”

Roxiana shook her head at Adrian’s question.

“Maybe later.”

“That’s a shame. It seems it will go on until quite late, so if you change your mind later, please come and join us.”

Robert watched Adrian walk away and said,

“He’s a sociable man.”

“Yes, he’s a good person.”

Talking about how Adrian had peeled the meat for her when she ate lobster for the first time a few months ago, they walked towards the beach. On the quiet beach a little away from the port. There was someone who had arrived earlier at the shore below the cliff where the family graves were located.

It was Arsen.

He wasn’t alone.

“Woof woof!”

“Bark!”

Three slender companion dogs were jumping up and down on the sandy beach. Unlike the excited dogs running wild, he was elegantly standing, throwing the ball far away that the dogs had brought back.

As Roxiana and Robert approached, Arsen saw the two and slightly bowed his head.

“Princess. Sir Chenare.”

“Are these the children you’re raising, sir?”

“Yes, they’re very well-behaved fellows.”

The dogs rolling around in the sand and rubbing their backs were far from well-behaved, but Roxiana nodded.

“They seem so.”

“I’ll be away from the mansion for a while, so I was spending time with them before that. Do you have any tasks for me, by any chance?”

“No. I can’t take away these children’s happy time.”

There was a gentle smile on Arsen’s lips as he watched the dogs. It was a completely different atmosphere from his usual icy expressionless face.

“Ah, Sir Chenare. I have something to give you before we leave for the subjugation. I’ll visit Lily Palace later.”

Arsen was favorable towards Robert. Robert’s determination to punish the guilty until the end without betraying the fallen country and royal family was more than in line with Arsen’s chivalrous spirit.

Thus, what Arsen gifted to Robert when he visited Lily Palace that evening was a sharply honed sword. The handle of the sword was engraved in gold with the emblem of the Franche royal family, wheat and sun.

“I heard that when you fell to those bastards, they stole your sword.”

That day, when Robert fell unconscious with fatal wounds, they took everything he had. Someone had taken the famous sword bestowed by the king as well.

Although he barely saved his life, he couldn’t recover what was taken. The sword Robert was using now was an ordinary sword bought from a weapon merchant.

Robert grasped the sword with a deeply moved expression. The handle fit perfectly in his palm. The blade drawn from the scabbard looked sharp and solid, yet smooth.

It looked like it would have cost an enormous amount at a glance.

“Such a precious thing… Is it alright to give it away like this?”

“Give away? Aren’t you the Princess’s bodyguard? If you save the Princess’s life with that sword, it won’t be a waste at all.”

Robert’s eyes hardened.

“This sword will serve its purpose.”

“It should. We ultimately failed to break the Princess’s stubbornness.”

“…Indeed. It’s not an easy task.”

“Fighting monsters near a rift will be different from the wars you’ve experienced so far. The demonic energy will slow your movements and choke you, and monsters, unlike facing regular enemy troops, don’t die even if you kill them again and again. We won’t let the monsters target the Princess, but if such a situation arises, you must protect her.”

Through the calm explanation, deep concern for Roxiana was conveyed. Robert nodded and sheathed the sword.

“I will not spare my life.”

Arsen smiled faintly.

“Do spare your life. If you die, the Princess will be sad.”