Chapter 26: Maybe Next Time

Hearing Anderson’s words, Eleanor immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Her gaze involuntarily drifted elsewhere as she couldn’t help but think to herself.

‘And you don’t consider that an enemy?’

Seeing the sweat beading on Eleanor’s forehead, Anderson asked.

“You’re sweating a lot. Is it hot?”

“The restaurant is crowded, of course it’s hot. Ahaha…”

Eleanor explained awkwardly, then quickly changed the subject.

“So why hasn’t our food arrived yet, Judge? Perhaps you could go and ask?”

Right now, Eleanor really wanted to slip away, but she couldn’t. She could only use this method to get Anderson to leave first, so she could wipe the sweat from her forehead and adjust her mindset.

“It does seem a bit slow. I’ll go ask.”

Anderson got up and left.

Only then did Eleanor let out a sigh of relief. She took out a tissue and wiped the sweat from her brow.

Spark appeared at that moment and said.

“Wow~ Ainola, you better pray Anderson doesn’t catch you now. Otherwise, I feel like your only fate would be being locked in a basement.”

“Of course I know that. But the key to dispelling the magic formation is on him. What else can I do?”

Eleanor certainly didn’t want to continue dealing with Anderson. From what she knew of him, when he spoke earlier, he was absolutely serious.

After all, putting herself in his shoes, if she couldn’t cast spells for five months, she really would go crazy.

Thinking of this, Eleanor said with a sigh.

“Suddenly, I feel a bit sorry for Anderson.”

“You feel sorry? You’re the one who poisoned him! What’s the difference between that and a cat crying over a mouse?”

Spark looked at Eleanor with disdain, but the latter, with her thick skin, wasn’t bothered by Spark’s gaze at all.

“Ehehe~”

Eleanor innocently stuck out her tongue.

Her sympathy was genuine. Not giving him the antidote was also genuine.

“There’s a saying, isn’t there? Habit is a terrifying thing. What if Anderson gets used to it?”

“I don’t think so.”

Spark retorted and urged.

“Don’t worry about all that right now. You need to quickly figure out a way to find out where Anderson keeps the key. The longer you delay, the worse it is for you. You should also know what will happen if your identity is exposed?”

“Of course I know.”

Eleanor spread her hands helplessly.

In just these five months, her bounty in the Glory Empire had reached one million. A large part of that credit went to Anderson.

So, if she were exposed, forget whether Anderson would catch her or not, Eleanor estimated that the entire assassin world and all bounty hunters would rush to Wording City to tie her up and throw her at Anderson’s feet.

“A one million bounty… Tsk, damn rich bastard.”

“If you want, you could just tie yourself up and deliver yourself to Anderson. Maybe you could claim the one million.”

Spark said teasingly, but Eleanor spat and said.

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t get the one million, but a ‘project’ worth several hundred million might come knocking instead.”

“True. If Anderson caught you, memory reading, magic brainwashing… he could easily turn you into a cream puff.”

After the human and the spirit chatted for a while, Anderson returned to his seat and said.

“It’s quite busy, but our table is next.”

Like Ainola, very few people actually knew Prince Anderson’s identity. Most only knew his outermost identity.

That is, the Judgment Executor of the Temple Knights.

“Grr~”

Before Anderson even finished speaking, a cute sound came from across the table.

He shifted his gaze and found Eleanor blushing, insisting stubbornly.

“That wasn’t me…”

“Grr~”

Unfortunately, her stomach didn’t listen to its owner’s thoughts and protested again.

This time, Eleanor’s face really couldn’t hold up. Her innocent face was flushed crimson. She turned her head away and said in a faint voice.

“I only had a bun for breakfast… what can I do?”

Hearing this, the corner of Anderson’s mouth lifted slightly as he said nostalgically.

“Ainola’s breakfasts were even more meager than yours. At her worst, she survived a whole day on just three packs of compressed biscuits.”

This was indeed true. Back then, she had just arrived in Hail City with not a single coin to her name. Renting a place was a luxury, so she could only sleep in a makeshift shack she built herself to get by.

Also because she had no money, she bought a whole case of compressed biscuits and ate them for an entire month.

It was only after meeting Anderson that life became a little easier.

So why did she spare Anderson’s life?

She really wasn’t heartless to the point of being that cold-blooded.

But right now, she was Eleanor, so she could only pretend to know nothing and said.

“Wasn’t she a princess of a nation? She lived that poorly?”

“This is because…”

Hearing Eleanor’s question, a trace of bitterness appeared on Anderson’s face.

“Her country, her family… they were all gone. Drifting alone, how could she not be miserable?”

Whenever he remembered Ainola’s identity, Anderson couldn’t help but feel a bit of guilt.

But matters between nations aren’t something that can be explained in a few sentences.

And back then, why did the Glory Empire launch an attack on the Ross Kingdom? He was only ten years old at the time and had no idea of the reasons.

So, to this day, Anderson had been investigating this matter.

“Ah, this…”

Eleanor naturally sensed Anderson’s guilt, but she didn’t dwell on it. Some things can’t be forgiven just because someone regrets them.

“Forget it, let’s not talk about this. The food is here. Eleanor, if you’re hungry, please eat.”

“Mhm.”

This meal, Eleanor ate very slowly, and it tasted rather bland to her.

The two didn’t talk much at the table.

After they finished eating, Anderson finally spoke.

“How was the taste?”

“Not bad,”

Eleanor elegantly wiped her mouth.

“Considering this meal, I won’t hold your earlier offense against me.”

“As long as it suited your taste.”

For some reason, while watching Eleanor eat just now, Anderson kept having the feeling he was watching Ainola. Even though these two looked completely different, Anderson had this vague sense.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

Eleanor stood up, bid farewell to Anderson, and left the Four Leaf Clover Restaurant.

Anderson watched her retreating figure and muttered.

“Probably just an illusion.”

Meanwhile, Eleanor, who had fled the restaurant as if escaping for her life, had Spark appear beside her again, saying.

“Ainola, did you forget something?”

Only thinking of escape, Eleanor replied, confused.

“What thing?”

“Sigh… you were supposed to ask Anderson about the Sanctuary’s inner barrier!”

Spark said, exasperated.

But Eleanor immediately covered her ears and responded.

“Next time for sure! Next time!”