When Victoria reached the door, the sounds from inside made her pause.
But Willis didn’t come out for quite some time. Watching the sky outside grow closer to noon, Victoria had no choice but to reach out and knock.
“Your Highness, the Rawal family’s attendants just came by to ask again—will Your Highness attend the banquet today?”
“Oh, just a moment.”
Willis’s voice came from inside.
After a while, the noise inside resumed, this time more playful.
“Come here, help this Princess get dressed and styled.”
“Why should I?”
A strange woman’s voice sounded in Victoria’s ears.
Willis replied with determination, “You want to back out now?”
“Willis!”
Teeth gritted, the room fell silent once more.
Ten minutes later, Willis emerged with an exquisitely beautiful blonde girl.
Both their faces were flushed with color, shining brightly, yet exuding nobility.
Victoria glanced at Ophelia, feeling she looked familiar but couldn’t place her at the moment.
“Is everything settled?”
Willis asked.
Victoria came back to her senses and nodded.
“Yes, I’ve already informed the family. Once the Princess’s Gold Dragon arrives, those people at the Academy will pay the price.”
“As for the guards escorting Your Highness to Ushi City, their routes, and the movements of various factions recently—I’ve already investigated and arranged everything.”
“Thank you for your efforts.”
Willis nodded and then looked at Ophelia.
“Stay home and wait for me to return. Victoria, come with me.”
The blonde girl understood and stopped, her gaze following Willis and Victoria as they left.
Soon after, a maid approached cautiously, unsure how to address Ophelia.
After some thought, she settled on one.
“Miss, do you need us to tidy up the room?”, the maid asked.
Ophelia showed no expression but shook her head.
“Is there hot water? I want to bathe.”
“Yes, yes, there is!”
The maids had long prepared everything, and Ophelia quickly finished bathing before returning to Willis’s room.
Quiet. Peaceful.
Inside this Imperial Princess’s chamber, there were few precious items, and the furnishings were quite simple.
But here, no one would come disturb Willis or force her into anything she didn’t want to do.
Lying amidst the messy, unwashed sheets and blankets, Ophelia slowly slid under the covers and quietly closed her eyes.
Within was the strong scent of Willis, and also her own.
Yet at the corner of Ophelia’s mouth, an imperceptible smile appeared…
Just like that. It was done.
So tired… she just wanted to rest.
The girl drifted off into sweet sleep.
***
Meanwhile, Willis’s carriage had already left the palace, rolling down the street.
Today’s carriage bore no royal decorations and looked very ordinary, so the commoners around had no fear.
They simply assumed the several dozen soldiers guarding it belonged to some Empire minister or his family.
Willis gazed out through the curtains at the bustling street, lined with a dazzling array of shops and ceaseless pedestrians.
Occasionally, she spotted foreigners who didn’t belong to the Okam Empire—or even dwarves.
Monselne had originally hosted many Elves, but due to the last attack and the Church of Judicature’s secret investigations, Elves in the capital had either hidden or relocated.
It was a pity. Thinking of that Elf named Winnie Kanasha, a pang stirred within Willis’s heart.
“Fresh pancakes! Crispy and fragrant pancakes here!”
“Just slaughtered Magic Sheep, tender meat and delicious broth! Don’t miss out—only 5 Copper Dragons a bowl!”
“Spices on discount! Freshly transported from the Amis Strait!”
“Come see this knife I forged—cuts through gold and hair, incredibly sharp, even bones won’t dull it!”
The aroma of food and the variety of goods called out to Willis as she watched people shouting and selling, a lively market scene.
There were even shops selling basic spells and swordsman equipment—quite a few of them, with steady foot traffic.
Of course, according to Victoria, even the cheapest of these were priced in Silver Dragons or Gold Dragons.
“Gold Dragons, huh…”
Having been in this world for only a short time but experienced so much, Willis still hadn’t properly explored or understood the world’s landscape.
Gold Dragons were the standard currency of the Vistoria Continent.
One Gold Dragon equaled a thousand Silver Dragons, and one Silver Dragon equaled a thousand Copper Dragons.
Ordinary families working a whole year would earn only a few Silver Dragons at best.
Most of the wealth remained concentrated in the Empire and the Nobles.
Willis’s own funds came mostly from the Imperial Princess’s stipend granted by the Empire and revenue from Ushi City.
Yet she had never even visited Ushi City since arriving in this world and becoming Willis.
“Victoria, help me buy that.”
Willis pointed to a street vendor’s stall where a woman in coarse cloth was selling small bowls of food with a rich aroma.
“Your Highness, the streets are chaotic and crowded. That kind of food isn’t clean,” Victoria advised.
“If you get sick from it, then…”
Of course, it would cause stomach trouble and bring shame upon an Imperial Princess.
Worse yet, what if it was poisoned…
Before Victoria could finish, Willis interrupted her.
Willis was naturally aware of all this but insisted on eating.
“It’s fine. Just get me a bowl. Everyone used to avoid me when I went out. Now that I finally have the chance, I want to taste it.”
Seeing this, Victoria sighed but did not refuse, going down to buy two bowls for Willis.
When Victoria carried the bowls back into the carriage, the aroma instantly filled the air.
Real Eye!
[ Made with a big bone broth simmered with twelve spices, cooked repeatedly over two days. Then smoked with a unique spice from this world, mixed with Magic Pig meat that’s been fried, steamed, mashed, and cooked with the broth. The process is complex and painstaking, creating this delicious bowl.
Eating it restores 10 magic points. ]
Who would have thought it was such a delicacy?
Willis took it and took a beautiful sip.
The rich broth poured in, the Magic Pig meat made through complex procedures was tender and fragrant.
Eating it, a warm current flowed through her limbs, a faint fragrance rising from her belly back into her mouth and through her nose, piercing into her brain.
Absolutely delicious!
Willis ate it in just a few bites without a care for her image, then glanced at the simple bowl Victoria had barely touched and snatched it to eat as well.
“So good. How much is this per bowl?”
“Fifty Copper Dragons. Not something ordinary people can afford,” Victoria said.
Even though she wasn’t short of money herself—a Noble and the Empire Princess’s Royal Knight—Victoria’s face now carried a trace of pity for the world.
Usually, Victoria didn’t show much expression beyond her usual cold frost when acting, but right now, Willis noticed something different.
When Willis’s previous self had interacted with her, Victoria always kept an emotional distance, reluctant to reveal much about herself.
It was hard to imagine how such a person willingly became Willis’s Royal Knight.
Willis recalled that the situation back then was…
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”
As the carriage stopped, the coachman spoke softly. Willis looked out the window.
A church-like castle building came into view.
But strangely, though the architecture resembled the European churches Willis had known before crossing over, the interior was a Chinese-style wooden hall with various decorations.
“Mirror Flower Elegant Garden?”
Looking at the wooden plaque over the door, Willis was surprised.
This striking blend of styles was unique, yet didn’t quite match Willis’s expectations for the name.