“Lord!”
“Lord!”
“Lord!”
When Anke led his team back to Border City, it was literally a sea of people.
Hundreds upon hundreds of subjects raised their hands high, cheering for Anke.
It made Anke feel like he had become the sun.
“Mustafa, when did the subjects of Border City become so enthusiastic?” Anke asked Mustafa.
“Because they thought Your Highness would like it, I suppose. Didn’t Your Highness once mention that when the most popular leader appears, his people will raise their hands high, shouting the leader’s title, and some even shed tears? I briefly mentioned it to Kano earlier; perhaps Kano told these subjects? Is Your Highness dissatisfied?”
“Satisfied, but… it’s too embarrassing.” Anke said quietly to Mustafa.
“Embarrassing? Then the ceremony Your Highness mentioned earlier to display the results of the bandit suppression—should we still hold it?”
“You handle it, you handle it. I’m going back to the castle. Remember to say that I captured the leader of the bandits alive.”
“Okay. I understand, Your Highness.” Mustafa nodded.
“I’ll leave everything to you, Mustafa. I’m going back to the castle.” Having said that, Anke mounted his horse and dashed off with Vera and ten Imperial Guard knights.
“Wait, Your Highness, one more thing. The Fifth… the Fifth Princess has arrived.”
Mustafa looked at the fleeing Anke and suddenly remembered he hadn’t finished speaking, but only a distant back was left.
“Did Mustafa have something to tell me just now?” Anke asked Vera from horseback.
“It had something to do with ‘five’?” Vera only caught one word.
“Five? Probably something unimportant. I can ask him later.” Anke said after thinking.
When they returned to the castle and entered the hall, after only a few steps, Anke and Vera heard a young woman’s voice from the stairs.
“Oh~ look who’s back. If it isn’t Anke.”
Vera followed the sound and saw a willful blond-haired girl standing on the staircase to the second floor, one hand resting on the stair railing.
Beside her, slightly behind, stood a restrained silver-haired maid carrying a suitcase.
“Your Highness, who is she?” Vera asked Anke.
“A stinky little sister.” Anke quietly answered Vera, then led her slowly up the stairs.
‘Stinky little sister?’ Vera felt puzzled at Anke’s words. Although the distance was great, with her keen sense of smell, she didn’t detect any stench.
As they climbed the stairs, Vera could examine the girl more closely.
This girl who suddenly appeared in the castle had long, light golden hair styled in a fashionable courtly bun, shining gold in the candlelight.
Her face was small and endearing, her eyes as beautiful as sapphires, her lips pink and slightly curled upward, with two inconspicuous dimples on her cheeks.
The long dress she wore was the most popular style among nobles, adorned with Eastern gold-embroidered patterns that were obviously expensive.
The shawl over her shoulders was made of rare ivory-white lynx fur.
On her hand resting on the railing was a ring made of exactly the same material as the one on Anke’s hand.
Even the maid beside the girl, upon closer inspection, wore a maid’s long dress that used a large amount of silk from Eastern countries.
Clearly, this young lady was of extremely high status, and from the ring, she had a significant connection to Anke.
“Call me big brother. Don’t call me by name directly.” Anke walked up to the girl and reached out to touch the top of her head.
“What? You’re unhappy that I called you Anke? And don’t mess up my hair, An—ke—” The girl raised her hand to slap Anke’s hand away, stepped back up the stairs, and said disdainfully.
“I’m your fourth brother. Isn’t it only natural for my little sister to call me big brother? And you even hit my hand. When you were little, you used to cling to me. Truly, grown up, become distant.”
Anke covered his face, putting on a “sad” expression.
“You were only born a morning earlier than me. I’m not calling you big brother. And childhood was childhood, now is now, can’t compare.” The girl said with a pout.
“So you’re not my younger sister now? Little sister.”
“Your Highness, is she your… younger sister? The Fifth Princess?” Vera realized the girl’s identity after hearing their conversation.
“Oh, yes. Her name is Luona, my half-sister. Because my old man had a three-person date, we were born on the same day—I in the morning, she in the afternoon.”
Anke stood beside Luona, put his hand on her shoulder, and introduced his little sister to Vera.
“What kind of description is ‘three-person date’! Show some respect for Father, okay!”
Luona was like an angry orange cat, which made her and Anke seem like real siblings.
“Is the old man having a threesome that results in a baby something to respect?” Anke retorted to Luona.
“Greetings, Your Highness the Fifth Princess. I am Your Highness’s chief knight, Vera. First meeting, please forgive any discourtesy.”
After Anke’s introduction, Vera ignored the shocking descriptions and greeted Luona.
“It’s fine. Ignorance is not a crime.” Luona looked at Vera and then stopped.
“Wait! Sister, you said you’re Anke’s chief knight? You are Chief Knight Vera, the one who truly slayed the dragon!” Luona stepped forward and grabbed Vera’s hand.
“Is there… a problem?” Vera asked in confusion, her hand caught.
“Sister, were you coerced or deceived by this maggot-like pervert? Sister, you’re so beautiful and powerful, how could you fall for this dung beetle? If you have any grievances, tell me. I will definitely rescue you from this toad’s mouth!” Luona said, stepping between Vera and Anke.
“Maggot-like pervert, dung beetle, toad? Little sister, what words are you using? Am I those things in your eyes? And when did I ever coerce or deceive Vera?” Anke pointed at himself.
“Shut up, rat.” Luona gave Anke another title.
“…” The “rat” Anke fell silent.
“Sister, don’t worry and tell me. I will definitely help you!” Luona turned to Vera, her expression softening immediately.
“Actually, Your Highness the Fifth Princess, you misunderstand. I actively became Anke’s chief knight. Also, I think His Highness is not as bad as you say. He treats people quite well.” Vera explained to Luona with a smile.
“See, little sister, Vera says so…”
“It seems the situation is more serious than I imagined. Anke, you cockroach, you learned black magic!”
“I, cockroach, learned black magic?”
“Cockroach” Anke pointed at himself with his “arthropod” limbs.