Chapter 5: Reminiscence

Few days had already passed since the gathering. Today was the day shadow had to report to the princess regarding the arrow. It was also the day that official preparations for the prince's birthday banquet had begun. Harold's coming of age had already passed last year, so he was going to be nineteen this year. His birthday was just a few days away. Queen Sofia was in-charge of the preparations as she took care of such events due to her position as the queen. In comparison, Princess Monica had barely ever performed her duties as a royal. Even now, she was holed up in her room or that's at least what everyone thought.

"A nice scenery, fresh air and being surrounded by nature. It really is the best"

Monica was sitting on a picnic blanket. A basket full of fresh fruits, cookies and sandwiches was lying next to her. She took out a box of cookies and munched on them. It would have been best to have some tea too but Alissa was busy taking care of the palace in her absence. Unlike the impression people had of her, Alissa could get things done very well.

Monica stretched out her arms and lied on the blanket. Cool autumn breeze was blowing. It was refreshing. This was the place she would often come to whenever she felt stuffy inside the palace. This was a place that her nanny sometimes brought her to in the past. It was not that far away from the palace, so by using a teleportation scroll, her nanny was able to bring her here with the little bit of magic she possessed. Unfortunately, she had passed away soon after princess' fifteenth birthday from an incurable illness.

Many past memories resurfaced. She would remember herself playing with her nanny. Once, she even met a young girl around her age. However, the next time she came, even next time, no matter how much she waited for her very first friend, she never appeared again. After seeing her depressed for few days, her nanny brought her nephew, Jason. Jason was the second son of Marquis, so he had opted for knighthood since a young age and received his training in the royal grounds. This made it easier for the two to meet each other in the palace.

"Nanny Julia…at times like this I can't help but miss you"

Monica got up and began strolling around the area.

Her nanny, Julia, used to tell her stories about her mother, Empress Cecilia. How her parents met and got married, how she had a brother before she was born who died young, her birth etc. Julia was more of a mother to her than Cecilia whom she had only seen in portraits. Julia had made Monica familiar with her birth mother more than just "a great and beautiful empress revered by all citizens of the empire".

Julia was Cecilia's best friend and Cecilia had asked her take care of her daughter when she died. Cecilia had known that she would pass away soon as her condition had been deteriorating ever since she gave birth to Monica. Cecilia had played her role as a mother as long as she was alive and even planned for the future of her beloved little princess. She was the one who had requested the Magic Association Head, Zion, Monica's current master and her friend, to teach her daughter magic.

Monica was truly grateful to both her nanny and her mother. She felt loved even when the two of them had already died. Even now, she had although few but enough people who were there for her despite her reputation.

After a few minutes of strolling around, Monica returned to her original spot. To her surprise, shadow was standing there, beside her picnic blanket. Shadow also noticed her presence.

"Did you follow me all the way here?"

Monica frowned. Her good mood was completely ruined.

"What are you doing here?", shadow asked in confusion.

He was confused by her presence here but then he remembered how she had gone outside the palace unnoticed before as well.

"I was searching for information you had ordered. I met the informant nearby and saw this here on my way back. This place is usually desolate."

She noticed that shadow wasn't using formal speech with her.

"How disrespectful. You don't have to act. Just tell me what you found out?"

Monica believed that he was just making excuses because he was found out, but it was also weird too see him out in open like this. Maybe he was too hungry?

"It is a southern noble, Count Myles. He has a connection with Earl Travis who has monopoly over production of weapons in the southern region and secretly bought some from him. He probably wanted to leave the Earl as a scapegoat"

Shadow just wanted to get it done with.

"Is that Travis guy stupid? Make it believable."

It was possible that he made up the story. She was going to compare his story with her source's.

"Count got him drunk and made him sign the document before he blacked out. Earl didn't remember signing such a document either because he was too drunk. He probably trusted the Count as both of them are childhood friends and the Earl is also his brother-in-law."

Shadow was about to leave.

"I won't ask how you got here but I believe you were very hungry to come out in the open like this. That blondie must be abusing his authority"

Monica sat down on the blanket and motioned him to sit down as well. He wanted to leave already but did as the princess told him to.

"What should I call you? Shadow, black cat…it's weird to call those as a name. You don't necessarily have to-"

"Nel. You can call me Nel"

He picked up a sandwich and ate it right away.

"You must really be starved. If you leave him and work for me, you can have as much delicious food as you want. She did say that food is a way to a man's heart"

"Cough, cough, cough", Nel was choking on his food.

"You should eat slowly. You must really be starved! I didn't really think blondie would be such a bad master"

Monica hurriedly handed him a glass of water.

"Are you seducing me? You should be faithful in a relationship even if it's tough"

Monica burst out in laughter. Her mood lifted up.

"So, you know how to joke. Let's say I am, will you join hands with me then?"

"No thank you", he rejected her without any hesitation.

"Hmm, so you are really faithful even if it is tough. This makes me want to have you even more"

After this conversation, he was even more sure. She really was a crazy person as the rumors said. He had heard from Alex before that she knocked out teeth with just a slap in the face of a duke's son who was also the prince's cousin. That incident had caused a huge uproar. However, he also knew that she only bared her fangs at those who provoked her.

"Isn't it dangerous to be out here alone? I don't see your personal knight anywhere"

A princess who is used to living in the palace, how was she supposed to survive outside without even her personal knight. Slapping a noble was one thing, it would be hard to escape if she came across mercenaries or bandits.

"It is fine. If anything happens, you can protect me"

She didn't expect him to do anything, rather he might be the one who would attempt to kill her.

"Aren't I just a spy as you said. Shouldn't you be more wary of me? I might kill you"

Monica smirked.

"The one dying won't be me. Anyway, you still won't work for me? I will give you more than he offered you"

Nel rejected the offer again. Utilizing this chance, he filled his belly with some more food.

"Today is my nanny's death anniversary. I felt a little melancholic in the palace. Keep this a secret, will you?"

This wasn't an order but a request. He remembered how the empress had died early on and her nanny had raised her.

He nodded as he agreed to helping her.

"Is it because of the food?"

"Maybe"

As she had thought, he must've been really hungry. She internally thanked Alissa for her sincere and helpful advice.

While in the princess' palace, Alissa had been busy with her work.

"Achoo!", she sneezed in her handkerchief.

"Don't get sick Alissa. The weather is getting colder and you know her highness relies on you the most", a maid said as she passed by.

"I know, I should drink warm tea later", she responded as she thought of the type of tea she had wanted to try for a while.