“Lady Evelyn, though this might sound a bit forward, isn’t your outfit a little too extravagant? It doesn’t quite fit the idea of ‘sneaking around,’ does it?”
“Hm? This one? But this is the oldest robe I own.”
Evelyn looked down at her own sumptuous gown, the finest Magician’s Robe, and furrowed her slender brows ever so slightly.
Her attire was embroidered with the finest purple and gold threads on silken damask—a Magician’s Robe of the highest grade.
In this world, only the Royal Family could wear garments adorned with purple.
To be honest, the whole point of sneaking about was already lost just by wearing that.
So, in the palace, Erica had prepared a few brown linen maid outfits for going out.
Just drape one over yourself, and as long as you didn’t reveal your identity, it was unlikely anyone would recognize you.
Of course, it wasn’t absolute safety—who knew what strange things could happen and when, like running into a burly musclebound woman.
They had to stay vigilant at all times.
“Here, Erica, hold onto my waist.”
Standing beneath the towering three-meter-high palace wall, Evelyn spoke to the girl beside her. Following her instructions, Erica gently wrapped her arms around Evelyn’s waist.
Evelyn then placed her own hand atop Erica’s, gripping her tightly.
“You can hold me a little tighter, or else you might fall.”
“Then, please pardon me for being forward.”
Erica wrapped her arms fully around Evelyn’s slim waist.
Even to Erica’s delicate arms, Evelyn’s waist felt remarkably slender.
She hugged her tightly, hands clasped behind Evelyn’s back, and looked up at the flawless face so close before her.
“Pa-ta.”
With the soft sound of legs pushing off the ground, their view rose in an instant.
It was like riding a drop tower: the two girls soared into the air in a heartbeat, their black hair streaming beneath the moonlight like the fingers of night itself.
The sharp, confident brows and eyes radiated such heroism that Erica found herself briefly entranced.
But the weightless feeling struck at once.
To be precise, Evelyn had leaped up, easily clearing the three-meter-high wall, but her airborne body would soon suffer Newton’s inevitable revenge—mercilessly pulled toward the ground by gravity.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”
As their bodies dropped from above, wind pressure buffeted them from all sides.
Erica felt her chest tighten, almost crying out, but Evelyn’s hand covered her mouth just in time.
“Mmm! Mmph…”
“Thud!”
“We did it! We made it out. I used to sneak out of the palace like this all the time with my sister, Annis.”
Speaking of Sister Annis—she was one of Evelyn’s older sisters.
Among twelve brothers and five sisters, Annis was the fourth oldest, just above Evelyn, and was said to be an especially gentle and beautiful woman.
“I used to wander all over the place with her and saw all kinds of new things. I really miss those days.”
Erica looked into Evelyn’s black eyes.
The bright gleam in them showed how much she genuinely adored her elder sister, Annis.
But then, that same Annis had suddenly coughed up blood and died right in front of her—an impact enough to shatter any little girl’s heart.
All at once, Erica wondered: if Evelyn’s family hadn’t died, if those who loved her and whom she loved were still alive, what kind of girl would Evelyn have become?
Far from the crown, would she have lived like any ordinary Noble Lady—sipping tea, riding horses, admiring flowers, attending afternoon teas?
Would she have found a man she liked, married, and spent a quiet yet fulfilling life?
But all that was but a fleeting dream.
There was no meaning in such idle thoughts.
“Let’s get moving, Angelina. I know the way.”
“I know where it is too. I’ll go first.”
The shop Evelyn referred to was actually the same little tavern on the outskirts—Elven Stream—that Erica had visited earlier.
Its proprietress was a rare elf, which wasn’t exactly a secret among the locals.
Who’d have thought they’d end up there again today?
Surely no one would recognize her this time, right?
She had changed into a different robe, now wore a veil, and there weren’t any detailed identity checks when entering, so it should be fine.
Besides, who’d imagine Erica would visit that kind of place twice in one day?
Erica and Evelyn made their way smoothly across the central avenue, and before they knew it, were hand-in-hand, walking through the noisy, filthy streets of Monarch City’s western gate district.
The uneven ground was caked in grime; every step took effort—slap, slap.
Erica didn’t really mind.
Her skirt wasn’t long enough to drag on the ground, but she did worry about how the well-dressed Evelyn might feel about the dirty streets.
Would this Noble Lady be upset?
“Even at night, there are more people than I expected.”
But Evelyn didn’t seem to care at all. She looked around curiously, eyeing the bustling crowds.
Her black eyes, peeking out from beneath the robe, were full of curiosity and excitement, entirely ignoring the surrounding filth and stench.
“Mmm.”
Wherever she looked, there were pale, skinny beggars and paupers.
Erica wondered how Evelyn felt, seeing her own subjects in such conditions.
“It’s spring, but it’s still a bit chilly.”
She didn’t seem particularly bothered.
Erica had more or less expected as much—other than herself and a handful of close people, Evelyn didn’t care much about anything else.
“Big sister, big sister, buy a flower! Please, big sister!”
A group of children surged toward them from the street corner.
They carried baskets of flowers or pretty river stones for sale; their faces and hands were covered in soot—children from the slums, without a doubt.
The kids tugged on the hems of Evelyn’s and Erica’s robes, or grabbed at their sleeves, clumsily offering flowers in exchange for a bit of black bread that night.
Erica glanced aside in worry; if anyone who knew Evelyn’s real identity saw this, they’d be utterly shocked.
Under the robe, Evelyn’s lips curled into a gentle smile.
“What adorable little ones.”
She even tousled their dirty hair with her hand.
“Wow, this big sister smells really nice.”
“Where? Where? I wanna smell too!”
Even as the children crowded around, Evelyn didn’t scold or shoo them away.
Yes, anyone could tell at a glance—Evelyn really liked children.
Maybe it was because their innocence was free from pretense and slander; at least, Evelyn seemed to think so.
“Big sister, big sister, you’re a magician, right? You’re wearing a long robe. Buy a flower! It’s a Flower of Luck—just one coin!”
“One coin? Well, I do have a coin for such a flower.”
“Miss, allow me to pay for it.”
Fearing some mishap, Erica quickly pulled the reluctant Evelyn away from the children.
“The Mulan Flower bracelet is finished.”
“Please, this way.”
They walked briskly and soon arrived at the tavern.
It was a three-story building; perhaps because it was late, the interior buzzed with raucous voices at dusk.
“Whoa, baldy!”
“What did you say, brat? Say that again, you little punk!”
“Baldy monk!”
“B-baldy monk? All right, I’ll send you to the next world with one punch!”
Erica hesitated—was it really a good idea to bring Evelyn here?
“I’m looking forward to meeting that elf,” Evelyn said, pulling open the door and striding in first.
Erica hurried after her, glancing nervously over her shoulder.
“It’s too loud here. Please follow me; I’ll take you to a quieter spot.”
“Very well, lead the way.”
Although Erica was supposed to be the bodyguard, Evelyn walked as if she were on a catwalk—graceful, every step full of confidence—her radiance on display even in such chaos.
“Hey, look at those two. Absolute beauties.”
“They must be noble ladies, out for a secret night stroll.”
“Should we go talk to them? It’s not every day you see nobles out having fun—maybe they’ll say yes.”
“Unless you want to end up hanging from the city wall tomorrow, I’d keep quiet. I’ve seen enough of their kind.”
Just like gold never loses its value even when covered in dirt, Evelyn’s noble bearing couldn’t be concealed by a robe.
A few sharp-eyed fellows were already watching the two conspicuous women.
Did they realize?
The woman they stared at with curiosity and interest was the very pinnacle of this nation.
They sat down at a random table.
The server who approached wasn’t the freckled, nervous girl from before, but someone else.
Had she already finished her shift?
Considering what happened earlier, taking immediate leave would be understandable.
“Here’s our menu. Please let us know when you’re ready to order.”
“Thank you.”
While Evelyn eagerly looked around, Erica ordered a glass of the most ordinary honey wine and a cup of cheese milk.
Evelyn said offhandedly, “I heard we could see an elf here? Where’s the elf?”
“Oh, you mean the owner? The owner is probably—”
“Bring me that elf.”
“Eh, uh?”
Startled by Evelyn’s demand, the young server with twin brown braids seemed at a loss.
“I’m sorry, did you just—”
“Didn’t hear me? Bring me that elf.”
The fact that Evelyn actually repeated herself was shocking enough, but the situation didn’t look promising.
Erica quickly intervened.
“My lady wishes to sample the owner’s special menu, and of course, we’ll pay handsomely. Would you please ask the owner to spare a moment?”
She subtly hinted that the lady she served was of high standing.
If the server was smart, she’d do well to listen.
“Ah.”
The server, clearly seasoned by the rough environment, seemed to understand.
She scratched her head, then obediently nodded.
“All right, I’ll go and—”
She turned to leave, but Evelyn called her back with a snap of her fingers.
“Wait.”
A crisp clink sounded as a coin struck the table.
“This is a tip.”
Evelyn lounged against her chair, legs crossed.
“In a place like this, isn’t it customary to give a tip?”
“Ah, ah, wah!?”
The server squeaked in surprise.
Thanks to this, the previously boisterous tavern fell suddenly much quieter.
The tip Evelyn had given wasn’t some meager copper coin—it was the highest denomination of gold coin—handed over as a tip.