Chapter 133: A Question

As she spoke, Flora stopped.

“What’s wrong? Tired?” Eileen asked.

Flora shook her head.

“I just remembered… you should rest.”

Eileen was stunned for a moment, then smiled slightly.

“I still want to hear more.”

“Tomorrow I’ll tell you more.”

Flora stood up.

“Get plenty of rest and recover. When you’re feeling better, I’ll continue.”

Eileen looked at her and said nothing.

Flora gathered the fruit pits on the table and put them into a cloth bag.

When she reached the door, she stopped.

“Eileen.”

“Hm?”

Flora faced away from her, not turning around.

“I want to ask you something,” she said.

“What is it?”

Flora’s eyes half-closed, and she unconsciously pressed her lips together.

“If… there’s someone you used to know well. Then he suddenly becomes completely different in appearance and identity. Later, he comes back to you. What would you think?”

Her voice was very soft.

Eileen was stunned.

She stared at Flora’s back for several seconds.

“Why… are you asking this?” she asked.

Flora didn’t turn around.

The room was silent for a few seconds.

“I just… might encounter something like this.” She paused. “So I wanted to ask what someone else thinks.”

Eileen sat on the bed, watching that back.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on Flora, outlining her figure with a bright edge.

Eileen suddenly felt that the back looked oppressive.

“I don’t know.” She finally spoke, her voice soft.

“It’s too hard to imagine. I’ve never thought about something like this.”

Flora didn’t speak.

“But…” Eileen continued, “if it’s really someone you know well, no matter how he changes, you should… still be able to sense it, right?”

Flora’s shoulder twitched slightly.

A very slight movement, unnoticeable if you weren’t paying attention.

“Is that so…” she said.

“Thank you. I’ll be going now.”

Then she pushed open the door and walked out.

The sound of the door closing was very soft.

Eileen sat on the bed, staring at the door, stunned for a long while.

The next few days passed quickly.

Every day, Flora would visit Eileen, bringing some fruit and snacks, chatting with her, telling her those demon race stories she had “heard.”

Eileen improved day by day.

Her complexion was less pale, she walked steadily, and her voice had strength.

Sometimes when Flora arrived, Eileen was already sitting in the yard, basking in the sun, staring at the purple flame flower.

Flora would bring a stool and sit beside her, continuing to tell those stories.

When not telling stories, she would walk around the town alone.

She walked by the river—it was still flowing slowly.

She passed the flower shop; the flowers on display had changed, all blooming well.

Sometimes she stood in those familiar places, spacing out for a while.

Thinking about the past.

Thinking about Father, about Eileen as a child, about those days that could never return.

And of course, thinking about the future.

After returning to the castle, she would visit Teacher Xiali and discuss things thoroughly with Ilya.

She also needed to figure out what to do and how to do it when she returned.

In these few days, she had made up her mind.

She wanted to visit Teacher Xiali again, as a student, to see if she was still as kind to her students, and if the knowledge she taught was still good.

Three days passed quickly.

On the last day, Flora went to see Eileen.

Eileen could already walk to the door on her own.

She stood there, watching Flora approach.

“I have to go,” Flora said, standing in front of her.

Eileen nodded.

“I know,” she said. “Brother Kaan said you wouldn’t stay long.”

Flora looked at her.

“Take good care of your wound,” she said. “Don’t rush to work, don’t overexert yourself. If anything comes up, go to Kaan and the others.”

Eileen nodded.

“Will you… come again?” she asked.

Flora was taken aback.

She looked into Eileen’s eyes.

Exactly as she remembered.

Beautiful, bright, giving a feeling of purity, tinged with a bit of anticipation.

“Probably,” she said.

Eileen smiled slightly.

“That’s good.”

Flora looked at her.

She walked a few steps, then looked back.

She wanted to say something, but swallowed it back.

The carriage was already waiting there.

It wasn’t the one Ilya came in; it was a different carriage, but the general structure was similar.

Eileen was still standing at the door, watching her.

Flora didn’t look back again.

As she approached, the carriage curtain was lifted.

A face poked out.

“Your Highness!”

Lena jumped down from the carriage and ran over, nearly stumbling.

She stood before Flora, looking her up and down.

“Your Highness, are you okay? Lady said something happened here, I was so scared! Are you injured?”

“Hey hey, don’t shout so loudly. Do you want everyone to know I’m the demon princess?”

Flora couldn’t help but laugh at her string of questions, reaching out to pat her head.

“It’s fine, it’s all over.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” Lena sighed in relief, patting her chest.

Then suddenly she added:

“Your Highness, why are you patting my head!”

Flora laughed out loud, then rubbed Lena’s hair even more wildly, messing it up.

“Because Mother pats my head every day. I have to get back at you.”

After hearing that, Lena also laughed.

But that smile carried a hint of resignation and teasing.

After a moment, Lena said:

“Hurry and get on the carriage. It’s getting late, we need to leave quickly, or we won’t make it before dark.”

Lena firmly took Flora’s hand, and they boarded the carriage together.

“Your Highness’s hands are still so soft. It’s so comfortable to hold them.”

Flora gave a faint smile, saying nothing.

The carriage started moving, wheels rumbling.

Lena sat across from her, pulling out a small bundle from her bag. Opening it revealed a few pastries.

“Your Highness, are you hungry? Have something first. The road is still long.”

Flora took one and bit into it.

It was sweet and soft.

“How have these few days been?” Lena asked. “I heard from Lady that you stayed here alone for three days?”

“Mm.”

Flora nodded.

“What did you do?”

“Not much,” Flora said. “Visited some acquaintances, walked around town.”

Lena blinked.

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“I was hoping for something interesting…”

Lena looked at her, trailing off.

It seemed she wanted to ask more, but didn’t.

The carriage continued forward, fields receding outside the window.

Flora leaned against the window, looking outside.

“Lena.”

She suddenly spoke.

“Hm?”

“How is… the castle?”

Flora smiled slightly.

“It’s fine,” Lena said. “Nothing major. It’s just that with Lady away, everyone is extra cautious, afraid of doing something wrong.”

Lena then chattered about some things at the castle.

Who did what, and what kind of jokes others had pulled.

As she spoke, she gestured wildly with her hands, her expression lively, keeping Flora’s lips curved in a smile.

As they talked, the sky darkened.

Flora leaned on the window, watching the darkening sky outside.

Lights appeared in the distance, one by one, growing in number.

It was the castle.

The carriage stopped.

“Your Highness, let’s go inside,” Lena said.

Flora got off the carriage.

Lena stood beside her.

The two stood at the castle gate.

“Your Highness, let’s go inside,” she repeated.

Flora nodded.

She stepped forward, walking into that familiar light.