Chapitre 216: Rewarding the saviors
Inside, Shirley was sat at attention. Inari was standing by her side, facing the two visitors: Princess Samanthie and Sir Lest. Everyone else was outside. Inari might be unaffected, but Shirley was shaking uncontrollably. The intimidation of facing the two was incredible! This was a real princess, one of the rulers of the world, alongside one of the strongest knights! Although Elizabeth now held the same status, it was a very different situation. In her eyes, Elizabeth was the same approachable girl as before. Becoming the heir apparent changed nothing. On the other hand, Princess Samanthie was a well-known famous character in the Zino Kingdom. The sheer pressure she subconsciously emanated was enough to freeze Shirley stiff!
"Y-Your Highness," Shirley stuttered. "For what do I… have the honor of meeting you?"
"On behalf of the crown, I wanted to properly thank you for helping in protecting the heir apparent, Princess Elizabeth. The Royal Family has been meaning to reward you all, but to our deepest regrets, it had been delayed till now."
"O-Oh…" the girl said. Shirley was a little lost.
"Speak your mind. Whatever you want, if your request is within my authority, I can grant."
Such a frightening explosive sentence was said. A single request from the Royal Family! How daunting was that? With a single wish, one could desire anything they wanted. Fame, fortune, and power were merely the tip of the iceberg. Although they might not become kings, they could easily secure their foothold and establish a long-standing legacy! The title of the heir apparent's savior was not for show! The Royal Family needed to do this because if they did not properly reward their saviors, then what incentive would there be for others to help? People were humans after all and not everyone was selfless like Shirley. From the Royal Family's standpoint, losing some short-term benefits was worth the long-term gains.
Princess Samanthie expected Shirley to hesitate. After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Anyone could change their life forever! No one could treat it without heavy consideration.
Despite that, Shirley immediately announced her desires. "I want someone to help my mother wake up again." Hearing this, the princess was dazed, which Shirley took as a denial. "Was that asking for too much? If its possible, I can ask for something else…"
Inari shook his head wryly and even Sir Lest changed his appraisal of the girl. Princess Samanthie took a second to recompose herself and seemed to see Shirley in a kinder light. The princess said, "No, that should be well within our capabilities. I can assign the best physicians to assess your mother's situation and cure her, if possible. However, are you sure you want this reward? I can give you more time to consider."
Again, the girl shook her head. "No, I'm sure. I don't want anything else."
To use such a rare opportunity to heal her mother, everyone felt washed with a fresh breeze. It felt like Shirley was really too innocent and pure-hearted for this world. Who could say they could do the same? People might preach with words, but actions spoke louder. In the face of temptation, everyone would falter. That was human nature! And this opportunity was the greatest catalyst for it to emerge. Whether it was money, status, fame, or titles, it was at Shirley's fingertips. One word was enough! Yet, this girl decided to selflessly sacrifice it, not once, but twice! That was who this girl, Shirley Adonina, was!
Princess Samanthie revaluated her impression of the girl and nodded. Trying to change her opinion again would be rude, and furthermore, it was not her responsibility. Whatever Shirley wished for, as long as it did not go overboard, she had the authority to grant it. This little wish was easily within the princess's power. Upon seeing that, Shirley breathed a deep sigh of relief. It was like a heavy burden was lifted from her heart. Her mother's delicate state always weighed on her mind, and their precarious financial difficulties were making it worse. Princess Samanthie's generous offer was something that Shirley desperately needed now.
"While I have agreed to your request, it would seem rude of the Royal Family for our magnanimity to be so…"
Small was the word the princess wanted to use, but it seemed insensitive. After all, calling a few physicians over was hardly any effort. Just the princess's name was enough to sway them into action. So, it did not seem sufficient as a reward for the saviors of the heir apparent! Remember, the Alzar Kingdom was previously on the path of self-destruction. With the loss of Lord Korogin and no monarch to replace him, the instability of the kingdom would spiral out of control. Add the Xingyuu Empire into the mix, and the Second Great Kingdom War would spell the end! This sole reason that the situation could be stabilized thus far was due to both Queen Bethnal and Princess Elizabeth! And the ones who created this scenario was none other than Benedict, Shirley, and Freon!
The princess thought for a moment and continued, "In light of your contributions, the Royal Family shall also bestow upon you the title of High Lady, a mansion with servants and maids, as well as substantial financial backing. This will not conflict with your earlier wish. Consider this as an additional present on behalf of the Royal Family." Shirley was about to decline when Inari grabbed her shoulder and subtly told her not to. He understood that Princess Samanthie was not going to accept a refusal. Princess Samanthie nodded then said, "You can notify the Zino Kingdom where you would like your mansion to be built. They will handle the proceeding matters for you."
Shirley was too stunned to say anything other than "Thank you, Your Highness."
"Now…" the tone of the woman shifted to a more serious one. "I would like to reward Lord Freon Adnire as well; however, his location is unknown currently. Do you know where he might be, Lady Shirley?"
"Huh?" Shirley cocked her head. "I thought he was safe…" Her eyes turned to Inari inquisitively, while the princess followed her gaze.
With a quick realization, the princess said, "Then I must ask your companion if he knows where Lord Freon is?"
Inari's mind moved fast as thunder while maintaining a strict poker face. He began connecting the dots. Princess Samanthie's goal was not to reward Shirley. There was plenty of time for that in the last few months, yet she did not do so. Were there other factors that prevented her? He did not know. However, it became apparent that her true goal was to seek out Freon and then Protector Avin! If he could realize that the Protector Avin was responsible for everything, how could the Alzar Kingdom not? Since this was someone who exceeded the limits of Perception Realm or Condensed Drop, they were a dangerous threat to the Alzar Kingdom's hegemony! Just their mere display over the capital alone showed their power. The Zino Kingdom, and by proxy, the Alzar Kingdom, could not allow such a person to roam around freely!
Despite his stoic expressions, it was not enough to fool Princess Samanthie. This was someone who was bathed in political warfare from the day she was born. Inari could never match the shrewdness of royalty. She gave him a meaningful gaze before turning back to Shirley. "Since his whereabouts are unknown, I hope we can continue our conversation at a later time, Lady Shirley. If you require any assistance, you can send word to the Royal Embassy. I shall take my leave here."
Before Shirley could react, she was already reaching for the door. However, she soon stopped. With her face pointed away, the woman spoke, "My apologies, I forgot to mention something to your companion." A strange sense of unease filled Inari. "Normally, your actions towards the Vensire Family would be unpardonable, but due to your involvement in the Third Shadow's death, we shall call it even for now. Do not underestimate the Alzar Kingdom, grim reaper of Firecast."
That final statement was said with such ferocity and power that Inari was stunned. This was not the intimidation of a powerful foe. No… This was the force of an entire civilization, a monolithic existence that spanned a continent and millions of citizens! Inari was only a masterful assassin, nothing more and nothing less. With a single wave, Princess Samanthie could bring down destruction on him. Her words were a clear threat! The hegemony of the Alzar Kingdom could not be threatened, whether it be Protector Avin, Inari, or anyone else! It took a long time before he regained his senses. By then, the princess was already gone. He felt his back drenched in cold sweat. Princess Samanthie was a truly dangerous existence!
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone