Judging by the situation, this was only a small-scale rebellion.
During the time they waited, no more explosions or loud noises reached them.
The faintly intoxicating sunlight and the mountain breeze even made Livyat feel her mind was muddled.
After what had just happened, she finally realized that Tesvelan was skilled in combat.
This fighting style was completely different from what she had observed in humans—movements as swift and elegant as lightning, shooting down enemies, piercing them through, everything flowing seamlessly.
Julia, too, looked like she could handle a scimitar with practiced ease.
Perhaps, for noble families, even girls had to learn these things.
Livyat, feeling stifled, tried to close her eyes and stop thinking.
Suddenly, a commotion sounded from below.
Were those the maids from the consulate?
They had abandoned their usual maid attire, instead donning light trousers and shirts, a layer of chainmail over the top, carrying muskets and short swords as they confronted the guards head-on.
Thanks to her keen, long ears, she could hear the conversation below.
“Everyone, as I said, your Elf ladies are perfectly safe. They’re just up there resting. But you cannot go up, not even if you lay down your weapons. This is the Governor’s order.”
“Let us through. We must guard them closely to guarantee their absolute safety—there can be no mistakes. And making them sit out on the street—is this your way of humiliating us Elves?”
The exasperated captain had no choice but to turn and wave, calling out loudly.
“Steward, sir, how about you handle the negotiations?”
Julia, drowsy from exhaustion and just dozing off, was roused and tried to stand with the support of her chair.
But she was pressed back down—Livyat had already risen, ready to go negotiate directly.
Tesvelan picked up her blade and followed at her side.
Seeing them approach, the maids didn’t hesitate; they nimbly skirted around the guards and rushed over.
So agile were they that they didn’t even touch the guards, only leaving fluttering afterimages of their hair swirling through the air.
Then, they encircled the two Elves.
The lead maid asked quietly, “Your Majesty, Your Highness Tesvelan, are you unharmed?”
Tesvelan replied, “No injuries. We’re perfectly safe. Don’t you trust me?”
“I never thought something like this would happen in the Republic. They say it started with a patrol corvette docked for repairs—someone swam in from the seaward side and boarded, directly killing a few guards and maintenance crew, then took control of one of the turrets and fired several rounds. Another person, disguised as a low-level staff member, tried to shoot a councilor on Garden Avenue.”
“You were all in the area before, so we rushed over with guns at the ready, only to find the troublemakers already killed by the Republican Guard. Searching the area, we found the Raguanse family’s carriage overturned in front of the council hall.”
Tesvelan said, “So you guessed we’d be here?”
“With Your Highness’s style, yes. And, Your Highness, the two people you killed—we’ve already handed them over to the Republican Guard. They’ll take care of it.”
At this moment, the captain’s voice sounded from outside the circle.
“Since you’re here, you can escort the ladies back to the consulate. That way, we can rest easy as well.”
The head maid looked at Livyat, as if seeking her decision.
Livyat answered with a wry smile, “Since they can’t wait to hand over the responsibility, let’s head back to the consulate. With you all here, I’m sure the road will be safe.”
Saying this, she glanced back at Julia—who seemed to have dozed off again.
So Livyat walked over to the captain, putting on a very serious expression.
“You must protect Lady Julia. Nothing can be allowed to happen to her.”
The captain agreed at once, raising his sword before him, point skyward, blade close to his brow—the formal bodyguard’s salute.
The maids and the two ladies passed through, just like a warship slicing through the waves.
Only when the Elves disappeared around the winding bend of the mountain road did the soldiers end their salute.
The captain let out a long sigh, then jogged over to Julia.
“Why didn’t you let me bring them to the Governor’s residence?”
Julia hadn’t actually fallen asleep, nor was she dozing—her eyes half-open, gazing into the distance, as if ignoring the captain before her.
Yet the captain didn’t try to deflect; he answered directly.
“Lord Domenico gave strict orders—the Elves are absolutely not to get involved in this incident. He’s concerned about your friends.”
Julia snorted.
“Heh. After all these years, he’s still just as fearful, like the Governor. I know, what he fears isn’t the Northern Faction, nor is it Madam Bauer. What he fears is those…”
Julia looked out over the layers upon layers, the densely packed houses of Landingset.
Many of these homes had stood for centuries, their owners and tenants changing countless times.
Some come to settle in Landingset, others leave for all sorts of reasons.
This great harbor never lacks dreamers hoping to carve out a place for themselves.
“If necessary, the Republican Guard must immediately suppress anyone trying to disturb the order. You know, the Ten-Person Council will respond quickly to any threat—their orders must be carried out by the Guard.”
After speaking, Julia continued to gaze into the distance.
In her mind’s eye appeared the image of Liv.
Once, she herself had been an unregistered nobody in Landingset, with neither income nor legal status.
In fact, Julia knew that on several lists of idle persons marked for special attention—lists she herself had signed—there had been a familiar name: Loren Green.
All of this was connected to Antonroni.
That old headmaster, now the Deputy Minister of Finance, once wrote some essays that were never fit for publication—thank goodness he never actually published them, merely for his own amusement.
Among his students was Loren Green.
So, when she discovered that among the handful of clerks recruited each year there was a Loren Green, and after reading his exam essay, she singled him out for her own Civil Affairs Office.
It wasn’t out of protection, but out of curiosity.
She genuinely wanted to know how people like him thought.
Later, she discovered he was quite accomplished in official writing and diligent in his work.
So she made a point to groom Loren as her piece in the Civil Affairs Office.
If things went as she planned, once she was promoted to steward of another department, she would use Loren to keep control of Civil Affairs—this way, the Raguanse family would have two departments in its grasp with just her alone.
Even her father wouldn’t dare underestimate her.
Then, the most unlikely thing happened.
Loren, right under her nose, gradually became the Livyat of today.
There was no melodramatic tragic romance, no sudden emotional catalyst—only that steadfast, optimistic country child turning into a girl, and since Julia had always preferred girls, she gradually came to like her.
This feeling was like a water gate filled to the brim: once opened, it overflowed in an instant.
Heh, if Liv had been a girl from the start, maybe she would have fallen for her long ago.
What a charming soul.
Julia stood up and signaled for the captain to lead the way.
She was going to meet the Governor and her father alone.
Without a doubt, Prince Jagiellon was probably dead drunk by now—but if he had already left Landingset, so much the better.