Facing Anderson’s invitation, Eleanor appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly, she couldn’t help but smirk.
“Since the Judge has said so, how could a mere nun like me refuse?”
Eleanor naturally wouldn’t refuse Anderson’s invitation. Getting closer to Anderson would be a great help for her future plans.
After all, the key to unlocking the barrier was likely in Anderson’s hands. She might be able to pry some information from him.
Seeing Eleanor agree, Anderson spoke.
“It’s almost noon now. No time like the present, so let’s head over right away.”
“Alright.”
Eleanor nodded. Her stomach had been growling for a while; she just hadn’t felt comfortable mentioning it.
Having only eaten a steamed bun and a cup of soy milk in the morning, then doing so much physical labor, was really pushing it.
Following the main road, the two soon arrived at Wording City’s most famous restaurant, “Clover.”
Business here was booming. Every noon, it was almost always packed.
However, Anderson had anticipated this. He had reserved a table a day in advance.
And since this was, after all, their first meeting, Anderson hadn’t booked a private room but a table in a relatively secluded corner of the main hall.
“It’s really crowded today.”
Anderson remarked with feeling, then looked at Eleanor and said.
“What would you like to eat?”
“Me?”
Eleanor took the menu Anderson handed over and casually pointed to a few relatively cheap dishes.
“Just these.”
Of course, she wanted to order a huge, expensive meal to get back at Anderson for his actions.
But who made her play the role of a pure and kind nun?
It was better to hold back a little.
“Is that all?”
Seeing that the dishes Eleanor ordered were all very cheap, and basically the most inexpensive options, Anderson said, “I’ll add a few more.”
“Whatever.”
Eleanor didn’t pay it much mind. She just looked at Anderson and said.
“Who were those people last night?”
Hearing Eleanor’s question, Anderson thought for a moment, then said.
“For your safety, I can’t say.”
In Anderson’s view, Eleanor was just an ordinary person. It was best she not get involved in these dangerous matters.
As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss, so it was better not to tell her.
“What I’m more curious about, Miss Eleanor, is how you escaped that Assassin’s pursuit?”
Facing Anderson’s inquiry, Eleanor was prepared. She immediately transformed into her best actress persona, pretending to be still shaken as she said.
“I was checking and repairing the Magic Lamps in the corridor when I noticed all the lamps in the corridor ahead had gone dark. I got spooked, so I just turned and ran.”
“Because I’m familiar with the layout, that Assassin chased me for a long time but couldn’t catch up. He shot two arrows at me during the chase, but his aim seemed a bit off; he didn’t hit me.”
Eleanor’s lie had a few holes, but Anderson had checked the surveillance. The situation at the time was exactly as Eleanor described.
However, due to the influence of the Anti-Magic Field, the surveillance footage wasn’t very clear. But combined with Eleanor’s account, it basically ruled out her suspicion.
Many people died last night, and many also escaped. Naturally, among them were lucky ones like Eleanor.
So Anderson naturally didn’t dwell on it too much. After thinking, he changed the subject.
“Miss Eleanor, when we first met, I heard you sing a rather nice song. Do you remember that?”
“Of course I remember.”
Eleanor nodded, though inwardly she raised an alarm. She was a bit worried Anderson might use this to investigate her identity, so she needed to be cautious now.
“You even tried to hit on me back then. How could I possibly forget that?”
At this, Anderson gave an awkward laugh.
Back then, Anderson certainly wasn’t trying to hit on Eleanor; he just wanted to ask if she knew Ainola.
But asking now wasn’t too late either.
“I wasn’t trying to hit on you back then,” Anderson explained.
“Miss Eleanor, do you know of the Ross Kingdom?”
“You don’t need to add ‘Miss’ to my name. Just call me Eleanor.”
Adding ‘Miss’ to her name always made Eleanor think of her past life for some reason.
In her past life, those two words had a somewhat unpleasant connotation, often associated with strange professions.
As for Anderson’s question, Eleanor shook her head and said.
“Of course I know of the Ross Kingdom. However, I’m a refugee who fled here from the Northwest Desert.”
How could she possibly connect herself to the Ross Kingdom? That would be asking for trouble.
After hearing Eleanor’s answer, a flicker of disappointment appeared in Anderson’s eyes, but he quickly composed himself. Seeing this, Eleanor asked.
“Why ask me that?”
“I had a friend before who was also very good at singing that song. She was a princess of the Ross Kingdom, so I thought you might be from there too.”
“A princess of the Ross Kingdom?”
Eleanor feigned surprise.
“Didn’t the Ross Kingdom fall ten years ago? The royal family should have all been killed, right?”
As a commoner now, Eleanor couldn’t possibly act like she knew these things; it would arouse Anderson’s suspicion.
“She didn’t die…”
Anderson sighed with a bitter laugh, then said.
“Before I knew her identity, I also always thought the princess of the Ross Kingdom was dead.”
Eleanor naturally sensed Anderson’s lingering feelings, but of course she couldn’t dwell on this topic too much. Instead, she said leisurely.
“Well, discussing another girl while having a meal with a lady, Judge Anderson, that’s quite inappropriate of you.”
“Sorry.”
Anderson nodded and said.
“But she’s really important to me. Ever since she disappeared, I’ve been looking for her.”
“Oh?”
Eleanor’s interest was immediately piqued. She sat up straight and asked knowingly, “What do you need to find her for?”
Seeing Eleanor like this, Anderson didn’t think too much of it.
Girls were naturally gossipy. She probably thought he had some love-hate story with Ainola or something…
Oh wait, there actually was a bit of a grudge.
Thinking about his miserable, celibate state for the past five months, Anderson’s anger flared up.
“Need? Of course I need to.”
Anderson’s dark, gloomy expression made Eleanor shiver. She then continued asking.
“Um… is she your enemy?”
Logically, Anderson should hate her guts, right? The kind of Poison she gave him was no less serious than the murder of a father, wasn’t it?
“Not exactly an enemy. I might even like her a bit…”
Anderson said with a dark face.
“But if I can catch her, I’ll definitely hang her on a five-speed fan and give her a good spanking.”