“…..I really…..can’t eat anymore….!”
“Such a pity. Then to help with digestion, let’s take a walk in Her Majesty’s Tree Garden. For honored guests not of elven descent, it’s a rare sight.”
“No, no need. I’ve seen it before. We can just walk around nearby…”
“You’ve visited here before?” the Head Maid asked, a bit puzzled. “Honored guests of non-elven descent who receive an invitation from Her Majesty and stay in the palace are extremely rare… and judging by your age, you’re only around twenty… If you had visited before, I should have some recollection.”
“…I saw it during the day when the Guard Knights were showing me around. Your Majesty had them give me a tour.”
Lian realized she had almost let something slip, so she quickly fabricated an excuse.
“I see. For the Guard Knights to escort you… you are highly valued by Her Majesty. Then we’ll just walk nearby. You must be quite tired after touring all afternoon.”
Fortunately, the Head Maid seemed to accept her explanation.
She clapped her hands, and the maids opened the doors of the bedchamber, then gathered around her to take a walk in the nearby corridor.
“Honored guest, if you need anything, just ring the bell by your side. The maids on night duty will arrive immediately.”
After the walk, lying in the huge soft bed with the blanket covering her body, Lian asked the Head Maid and the remaining six maids who were still surrounding her bed, “Thank you… By the way, how long will you stand by the bed?”
“You don’t need anyone to attend you for the night?”
“Absolutely not! Please leave quickly!”
“Then we won’t disturb your rest.” The Head Maid raised her hand to signal, and the maids chuckled as they left the room together.
“Dammit… those guys were obviously making fun of me…!”
The room finally quieted down. Lian lay in bed, looking up at the elegant patterns on the canopy of the bed.
She got up from the bed and ran to the stand where her clothes were placed to search for them.
She counted about five minutes in her mind, then slowly… The maids had folded her clothes very neatly… and it seemed that during her walk, someone had come to wash and iron them.
She looked at the stand where her personal items were placed and finally found what she was looking for—the Communication Pearl attached to a thin chain.
“Fortunately, they didn’t mess with my things…”
Lian shook off the image of those girls stripping her earlier from her mind, clutched the Communication Pearl in her hand, then returned to bed.
At this moment, her magic power was sealed by that cold iron ring, so she couldn’t initiate communication on her own.
But she could still receive calls—as long as the other party initiated first.
The people at the company’s office surely wouldn’t treat the Queen taking her as a trivial matter… that Director would definitely find a way to contact Meliya soon.
If she didn’t report her safety, Meliya would worry to death… and she herself was very worried about what was happening on that side… Did she succeed in stopping the war? Did they successfully meet up with Kui Yin?
From the current situation, they should still be safe… After all, if a war really broke out, news would spread like wildfire across the entire continent.
And if something changed over there, Meliya and Sephy would contact her immediately.
For the current situation, no news might be the best news. But until she heard her wife and partner’s voices with her own ears, Lian couldn’t truly relax.
So she held the Communication Pearl in her palm, hoping it would light up at some moment.
In the deep palace, the night flowed quietly in darkness… After a long time, the pearl did not react.
Lian let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes.
Since there was no contact, it meant the news probably hadn’t reached the Northern Border yet.
Nolan, the Northern Border of Elancia, and Fenglin City were thousands of miles apart… Even the fastest horse or the best carrier pigeon couldn’t deliver the message in such a short time.
“Maybe I’m too anxious? Right now I should be worrying about what’s happening here.”
She tied the Communication Pearl to her wrist like a bracelet, turned sideways, and hugged the bedding. In her mind, she sorted out tomorrow’s actions one by one: First, she had to confess to Senia, no more letting concealment and misunderstandings hurt the people she valued; second, after explaining everything to her, ask for her help to catch the two demons hiding in the Sea of Trees… She is the Elf Queen. With her help, they could surely catch those who wanted to destroy the peace faster.
Thinking of this, she finally relaxed her shoulders and neck, letting her mind gradually settle down.
“She also has to forgive Iyue… After all, back when Senia was being hunted, Iyue as a Guard Knight did not protect her… If I explain Iyue’s experiences, she will surely understand.”
After sorting her tangled thoughts into a clear path, she finally felt a bit of drowsiness.
The next morning, Lian finished washing and changed clothes before the maids came in.
“Miss Lian. Her Majesty invites you to breakfast.”
“I understand.”
The Head Maid and the maids behind her looked a bit disappointed… but Lian decided to pretend she didn’t see. The maids draped a beautiful cloak over her and led her outside.
Two Guard Knights were already waiting outside… They were not the ones from yesterday, but they had the same solemn aura. They led Lian through corridors and across bridges built between branches.
The dining room she was taken to was a balcony—a place similar to the balcony where the bath was in her bedchamber. Here too, she could see the World Tree Aetisira, which seemed to connect heaven and earth, and the wide lake with light mist at its foot.
The Guard Knights bowed and withdrew, replaced by a full team of maids with solemn expressions. The long table was set with exquisite dishes. Silver and porcelain reflected soft light, and a fragrant scent wafted over.
The Queen sat at the long table and gently waved her hand to Lian.
“Come, sit beside me.”
Lian was seated to her right. Senia did not wear a veil today, revealing her peerless beauty. Her hair shimmered in the morning light, like woven gold and silver threads, and her eyes were a pure golden color. She welcomed Lian with a hint of excitement.
“How was your rest?”
“I rested well.” Lian hesitated for a moment, then finally pushed aside the hesitation and cowardice in her heart, lifted her face, and looked directly into Senia’s eyes. “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty.”
Senia smiled happily, happy that Lian finally looked at her directly without flinching. Then she raised her hand to signal the surrounding maids to bring more exquisite dishes and drinks.
—This was not a good place to confess.
Seeing the maids constantly coming and going on the balcony, Lian realized this.
Senia first chatted with her about the food, then about what she had seen in the palace.
Lian felt this was Senia’s effort to ease her tension and pressure… but she always controlled the rhythm of the conversation, never giving Lian a good opportunity to speak.
It was only after Lian finished the food on her plate that Senia finally seemed to get to the point, speaking slowly:
“You probably don’t know yet, right? Iyue went to the Clausure Company’s office to find you last night.”
“Yesterday… It seems she’s fine.”
“Although I couldn’t talk with you yesterday, I have a general idea of your situation.”
Senia stared at Lian with her golden eyes. “You’re the girl who made a big move in the Northern Border incident not long ago and killed the Magus, right?”
Lian remained silent, not denying it. Senia showed a relieved expression. Then she took Lian’s hand and continued:
“You’ve been acting together with Iyue… with this great hero who has been missing for over a decade. And she seems to value you greatly. May I ask what your relationship is?”
“Family.”
The word almost burst out… but for Senia, its meaning would likely cause even greater misunderstanding. “I am her partner.”
“Partner? A female partner? She also had a very famous partner back then—” Senia’s words were cut off.
“Your Majesty.” To prevent the misunderstanding from deepening, Lian looked at Senia seriously. “I will confess to you. But what I’m about to tell you might be best not known by others.” Her voice was very soft, only Senia could hear.
“Oh, that’s true. If it’s related to that person… it’s indeed better for only me to know.”
Senia nodded in sudden understanding, then raised her hand to order the surrounding attendants: “Everyone, withdraw.”
The attendants and maids obeyed, and the Guard Knights guarding the entrance of the balcony retreated far away. Soon, only the two of them remained on the balcony.
Senia picked up her teacup and took a light sip. “Now can you tell me? I’m extremely curious about you and that person.”
At times like this, Lian always felt a bit nervous. But she had experience, so she quickly organized the necessary words in her mind and then spoke:
“Senia… I am not the Hero’s illegitimate daughter.”
The sudden change in address caused a change in Senia’s expression. But she didn’t interrupt, just watched Lian quietly.
“I am Lian En Klauscher. The Hero who disappeared sixteen years ago.”
As she said it, she felt some of the heavy burden on her heart lift. Then she looked directly into Senia’s eyes, commanding herself not to flinch.
She explained to Senia the whole story of her return and the demon disguise, then revealed the golden metal ring on her arm, telling her that her magic power was currently sealed.
“I came this time to find my daughter… and to pursue the two demons infiltrating the Sea of Trees. I need your help, Senia.”
While she spoke, Senia never put down her teacup. Her light golden eyelashes trembled… beneath them, her eyes flickered with emotional light.
Finally, she put down her teacup and smiled lightly. “What a bizarre story. And you tell it so seriously… it almost makes one believe it’s true.”
Lian had expected this. So she strengthened her resolve and continued to explain: “You can ask me. Ask things only we know. Ask about any details you want to confirm.”
Hearing this, Senia looked up at her.
“Alright,” she said. “Then tell me—how did we meet?”
“You and your father were being chased by the Demon Spirit Duke’s assassins.”
Senia’s body shook violently.
“To easily conquer the Sea of Trees, the Demon Spirit Duke decided to carry out a decapitation strike. He tracked down your father’s movements… At that time, he was carrying you and a squad of Guard Knights heading north to the Ancient Forest Domain.”
“On the forest road there, you were attacked by those demons… Your father was mortally wounded, and the escorting knights were almost all dead… I was too late. Your father… before he died, he placed your hand in mine and made me swear before him—”
Their voices spoke almost at the same time. “‘Please protect my daughter… protect Senia.'”
Then, only the sound of wind and rustling leaves remained on the balcony.
Senia bowed her head. Seeing her silent, Lian paused for a moment, then continued: “After that, I took you to flee through the forest… avoiding the Demon Spirit Duke’s pursuit. We met up with Vera very close to Fenglin City and sent you back to the palace.”
“…and then I told you that you were my one and only hero. I would fulfill any request, any wish of yours. And you told me that you needed an excellent scout to accompany you on the journey to defeat the Demon King.”
Senia slowly closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, only a deep longing for the past remained in her golden eyes. Lian’s heart warmed. Senia’s voice seemed to hold some surging emotion.
“It really is you. You’ve truly come back.”
“So you believe me?”
“I believe.” Senia’s voice was exceptionally soft. “My hero. My oath of loyalty, yet the Guard Knight who abandoned me.”
Lian was overjoyed. She couldn’t help leaning forward and sincerely said, “Thank you, Senia! I knew you would understand… But I still have to apologize to you… for not coming to explain the engagement matter in person back then…”
“Promise.”
“But on the condition that you keep your promise.”
Just as Lian was thinking of how to apologize and plead for Iyue, Senia suddenly interrupted her heavily.
“Promise? What promise?”
“Yes, a promise. You promised my father to protect me. You swore it in front of him.”
“Does that mean… you are in danger now?”
“Danger? No, there’s no danger.”
“Then why—”
“Protection… is a lifelong matter.”
Lian felt a pressure emanating from Senia.
“I… as long as you are in danger during my lifetime, I will surely rush to your side…”
“Not that kind of ‘protection’!”
Senia suddenly slapped the table and screamed.
“What you swore before my father… was a vow to spend a lifetime with me.”
“Senia… I am already married. I have a wife and a child. I will fulfill that vow with my whole life, but not in the form you imagine. You should understand.”
“Of course I understand. But times are different now… The Hero is already dead in the eyes of the world. You have no identity, no power, and even your appearance and gender have changed.”
“Then why not start over?”
Senia suddenly laughed. A nearly crazed hysteria appeared in her eyes.
“You can stay,” she said. “We can build a new relationship. A new family. You no longer have to chase those heavy fates, nor bear those pains and troubles that shouldn’t be yours.”
She paused, her voice light as if coaxing, tempting:
“I am willing to become your new family. Stay here… be with me, okay? I won’t care what you look like.”
Lian’s mind went blank.