"It's so delicious."
Holding the exquisite tea cup in his hand, Duan Qing sighed with great comfort, while another woman wearing luxurious royal clothes sitting across from him nodded with satisfaction, and turned to several imperial attendants who presented the tea. He retreated into the curtain behind him - as one of the organizers of the upcoming feast, Duan Qing was sitting in the palace where Reina, the chief representative of the imperial mission, was sitting as if he was enjoying his free time. , the former diplomatic consulate of the principality that became her temporary residence was also transformed into the style of an imperial royal palace during the long stay of Her Royal Highness, with dark red and gold interior rooms and red magic flames. It has been reflected and swaying in Duan Qing's field of vision: "Coupled with this warm and magnificent fire... Well, she deserves to be the most charming and noble princess in the empire, even the most stylish among us adventurers. When those few come here, I’m afraid they won’t be able to find any flaws.”
"Your Excellency, you are exaggerating." She put down the tea cup in her hand with a finger. Princess Rena, who had dismissed all the attendants, seemed to have become familiar with the atmosphere of two people talking alone in the past time, both in expression and tone. They all seemed much more relaxed and casual: "The treasures brought from the empire are limited, so I have to spend time exploring whether there are any local specialties that suit my taste and royal status. I have also tried the ones you recommended before, and they are very good. good."
"Really? That's good." Then Duan Qing grinned and gave his thumbs up: "The lowly materials may not necessarily be bitter materials. Even the most delicious food can be found in the bustling world, not to mention what I have The recommended delicacies are all popular products carefully selected by our adventurers for a long time, and many adventurers even make money by opening stores through this."
"I heard that Your Excellency Linyuan Duanshui's cooking skills are also very good. I still trust your taste in this aspect." Princess Reina covered her mouth and smiled: "If you intend to open a store, I will definitely support you with all your strength. You will do it yourself." I will definitely try the food you make.”
"Seeing Her Royal Highness the Princess is so relaxed makes me feel relieved."
Looking at the golden-red cup in front of him, Duan Qing was silent for a moment and decided to change the topic to the main topic: "Your Highness must be ready for the final trial tomorrow, right?"
"Although I have been here for several months, I have never forgotten the ultimate purpose of leading this envoy here." Princess Reina smiled and put down the teacup in her hand: "So - of course I It’s also ready.”
"I thought His Highness might still hesitate a little, but now it seems that I have been overthinking this without authorization." Duan Qing also smiled: "I also admire His Highness' ruthlessness and determination. .”
"If someone else said such a thing in front of me, I might ask Gloria to drag him out and chop him up." Princess Lena shook her head and raised her cheek with her white jade right fist, turning sideways. Half leaning on the side of the round table: "But it's you who said such words... Haha."
"Why, am I not qualified to say such a thing?" Duan Qing spread his hands innocently: "I just want to remind you in a slightly subtle way. After all... I don't want to easily destroy the long-lasting relationship between us. A good relationship."
"What you said is exactly the opposite. It is precisely because the relationship between us is so close that I would say such things." Reina's other finger kept shaking in front of her, and her eyes seemed to follow the movement of her fingertips. The track wandered to an unknown place: "Don't betray my trust in you easily, young man born in the province of Santerius."
"The secret agreement between us was earlier than anyone else, and I will always remember it in my heart." Pressing his chest with his hand, Duan Qing said solemnly: "Okay, next, I am Asking this as a close friend: Do you think this is okay?”
"The battle for the throne of the empire has always been full of bloodshed. As an outsider, you may not be able to feel the pressure I have felt for more than 20 years, and... the twisted threats conveyed by that pressure." With her eyes closed, Princess Lena fell into her own contemplation: "Love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, accusations from the front, assassinations from behind... all the things you can think of that are darker than the dark world. , it may happen among the small royal family, and eventually spread to the point where it affects almost the entire empire, but in the end it became one of the 'emotions' that I am very accustomed to."
"My aunt who is unwilling to commit herself to it, that is, your mentor, is one of the victims of this life and death struggle." After saying this, she opened her eyes and looked at Duan Qing with inexplicable eyesight. Poking fun: "As a result, he has now turned into the Violet Lord who shocked the continent... Oh, I wonder what my emperor father would think of this kind of trick of fate."
"As long as your father doesn't pass on the grudges of the older generation to the next generation." Duan Qing sighed deeply: "Otherwise, I can definitely imagine what he will be like after tomorrow's news comes out. A reaction.”
"Don't worry, the royal struggle in the Fleur Empire has always been about the winner being the king, and the loser has no excuses." Princess Rena raised her eyelids lazily, and the words she spoke seemed to have nothing to do with her. : "It's not so much that my emperor father was not mentally prepared at all, it's better to say that he made a decision in his heart when he asked me to be the leader of this mission."
"It seems that His Majesty Drenier still values Violet very much." Duan Qing couldn't help but gasped: "He would actually abandon his own son for this -"
"He broke a taboo, so he can only be punished like this."
Interrupting Duan Qing's words, Her Royal Highness Princess Reina sat up slightly and straightened her graceful body: "The crimes he committed in the Principality of Ernifia were just a trigger in the final analysis. As long as the city of Tanzania If the truth is revealed in that incident, it is impossible for this prince to be looked upon by His Majesty again."
"If this is the case, there is one thing I really don't understand." Duan Qing touched his nose and half-hidden his expression between his palms: "If his outcome is already determined, then why does His Highness still have to stay here for so long? It’s been a long time—no, why are there still envoys showing up?”
"I should have explained this problem: the empire's statement cannot be insulted." Princess Reina held up her tea cup, and the fragrance and heat of the tea in the cup floated through her emotionless eyes: "That is the empire The prince was supposed to be the next generation emperor of the empire. Even if he deserves it, his trial should be conducted within the empire."
"The current situation is partly due to the duchy's manipulation and your mediation." Her voice suddenly became relaxed, and there was something strange in her eyes when she looked at Duan Qing again: "On the other hand, On the one hand...it's naturally also out of my selfishness."
"Don't look at me with such eyes, I will misunderstand you." Duan Qing smiled bitterly and pushed his hands: "Okay, okay, I have never dared to forget His Highness's request. After all, Your Highness has helped us so much. We You should be rewarded, but——"
"What other difficulties are there? But it doesn't matter."
"It's not a difficulty at all. It can only be said to be a request."
Duan Qing also raised the tea cup in his hand and pretended to be toasting: "I have a friend... ahem, she is actually the head of our family. She is busy with something recently. As a Her Royal Highness, the eldest princess of the Fleur Empire, you may be able to provide her with some useful advice.”
"That Ms. Snow Spirit Huanbing, right? We have met several times." Princess Reina nodded her head: "Okay, no problem, as long as it is within my knowledge, I will tell you everything I know."
"Then I won't disturb Her Royal Highness the precious tea tasting time." He stroked his chest again and saluted, and the gray-robed magician slowly stood up: "Although I am reluctant to part with the warm fire in winter, I still want to There’s a lot to do and you have to get busy.”
"Oh? Looking at your leisurely look before, I thought you were going to stay with me all day." Princess Reina looked sideways at Duan Qing disdainfully: "Okay, then it's my turn to ask the last question. .”
"Will tomorrow go well?" She watched the gray robe pass in front of her and walked towards the door in the side corner of the room: "Will fate... change?"
"No one can guarantee that the plan will be 100% successful. We can only do our best." Reaching out to push open the door in front of him, Duan Qing replied calmly: "Of course, there are forces from so many countries and regions here to help us. Witness, I don’t think there will be any problems.”
"Don't worry, Your Highness the Princess."
The meeting came to an end with this result. The gray-robed magician walking in the corridor naturally received a lot of attention from all directions. Several old faces who were members of the imperial envoy were also present in this gray robe. The robed magician met him when he was leaving, and their different expressions and reactions also highlighted the various forms of Enyuan who once belonged to the Frey Empire - Randall, who was in charge of the palace guard, only glanced slightly. After taking one look and ignoring him, Field, the former finance minister who was passing by, stared at Duan Qing fiercely and left, while Gloria, the personal bodyguard of Her Royal Highness who was responsible for leading the visitor out of the palace, walked out of the door. Then he breathed a long sigh of relief: "——Ha, it's really funny to see how those few people have opinions about you but don't dare to say anything."
"Everything relies on the majesty of Her Royal Highness, the eldest princess." Duan Qing turned around and smiled: "I'll treat you to a drink when I get the chance. After this, we should have a lot of free time."
"That's not necessarily true, because Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess might leave and return." Gloria scratched her cheek and looked away to the bustling streets between Tania cities: "She... Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess has always I’m moody, and I might change my mind one day when I’m in a bad mood.”
"Don't worry, if she was such a person, we would not be able to get to where we are today safely." Duan Qing smiled and patted the other party on the shoulder: "Maybe she just showed such an attitude in front of you."
"……is that so?"
"You have to believe how I see people! I am your dear comrade-in-arms!"
"Of course, I still have fresh memories of us fighting side by side in Tanzania City - ah, by the way, say hello to the Lord of Violet for me."
"This is natural."
The two of them waved casually, and then it turned into a farewell to the gray-robed magician who left alone. Merging into the crowd, he kept moving forward along the noisy street, and finally after passing three or two street corners , came to one of the crossroads just south of Tar Street: "...It's such a familiar scene, although it seems like centuries have passed in my impression."
"President Freestone." Ignoring Ruoyouruowu's gaze on him, he found Tania's Adventurer Association branch according to the clues in his memory, and then found the slender figure as he wished. :"I am coming."
Without answering the other party's words, the tall and thin middle-aged man named Felicity just pointed to the depth of one side of the counter. A man in a windbreaker sitting in the corner in that direction also seemed to be aware of Duan Qing's arrival. General raised his head, and half of his face hidden by the raised collar showed a smile for a moment: "Humph, I thought you were going to miss the date again."
"How dare I? If I keep breaking the appointment, I will be sprayed to death by you." Duan Qing walked to the table where the other party was sitting, and sat on another seat opposite the round table without any scruples: " How have you been lately? Has Dawning Glory established a few more branches?"
"How can it be easy?" His enthusiasm was only exchanged for another vicious glare from Huanmeng: "Thanks to the 'new alliance' between you and that woman, there is no more chaotic market than the current moment. Waiting for you After the New Covenant is promulgated, this era is expected to enter another dark age."
"I promise, this time will be more interesting than the last time." Duan Qing shook his head needlessly: "It's time to change those crooked melons and cracked dates under your hands, why don't you take this opportunity to do something about it? Or do you want to continue to stay outside the threshold of a popular meeting for a while? "
"You mind me." After rolling his eyes, the man in the trench coat then pushed a piece of magic gemstone he took out from his arms into Duan Qing's hand: "It's what you want."
"——Found it?" Duan Qing glanced at the other party with a rather surprised expression. Duan Qing checked the slice of magic gem in his hand: "It's amazing, Yu Shang didn't even find it."
"That's because you are looking in the wrong direction. I know a few people outside." She lowered her head and was silent for a moment. Huanmeng then curled her lips and replied disdainfully: "And I have to use this method to transfer the information to you... Don’t you mind it?”
"There's nothing I can do. I don't know when I'll get better." He closed his eyes and digested the information he just sensed from the magic gem slices in his hands. After a long while, Duan Qing showed his smile again: "I think - —”
"It should be soon."
