Princess Isabelle

The newcomer did not seem to be planning to cause any trouble and expressionlessly held out the package in his hands.

"For you, from your father." was all that he said before briskly turning around and leaving.

"Huh?" Leo looked confused at the receding man.

Austin grinned at him before answering, "He told me that he was a messenger sent by your dad to give you a present. Looks like your old man still cares a lot about you."

Leo hurriedly unwrapped the present and saw a small-sized box. Opening it, he looked inside and found a piece of parchment with a seal on it.

"This is..." Leo cautiously spoke.

Standing next to him, Austin craned his neck to get a better look and was surprised by what he saw.

It was a letter marked with a special seal. It's appearance looked very similar to the one Jeffrey gave them.

After carefully taking it out, Leo found a note of instructions at the bottom of the box and quickly read it through.

Sure enough, it was exactly like the one Jeffrey gave him.

There was no other information on it besides telling him how to use it. Nevertheless, the meaning behind this present was clear.

Now Leo has two letters which he could use in case of any trouble.

"You should probably get going," Austin said, looking towards the city entrance, "Remember to not get too arrogant and think you don't need to rely on us."

"Don't worry," Leo smiled, "I won't."

And with a final farewell, Leo and Austin both passed by each other and waved their hands.

Once he reached the entrance, Leo waited for a few minutes before hailing a carriage.

He took a few silver coins from a small pouch in his pocket and paid the driver to send him to Victoria City.

On the trail road, Leo got one last good look out the carriage window at his home city before pulling his head back inside to rest.

----------

In Bavalon's capital city, there stood a large castle that belonged to the Felgrand family.

Gazing longingly out from one of the castle's windows, a lonely girl stood in her room while wearing a simple white dress. She looked young and elegant, a person still in her youth stage.

But soon enough, this person will no longer be considered a girl anymore by the rest of the world. Tomorrow was going to be her 17th birthday, marking the end of her adolescence and the beginning of her adulthood.

She is the princess of the royal family, Isabelle Felgrand.

Standing at a medium height, she had long blond hair that reached the end of her waist and a beautiful appearance that can rival any lady among the noble families.

The inside of her room contained luxurious furniture, a few paintings, and some jewelry. There was also a pile of books that were neatly placed on a desk with its own storage cabinet. They contained information on history, magic, and fiction.

Despite her seemingly comfortable lifestyle, Isabelle was anything but happy. There was a melancholic mood in the air around her room.

"Time's running out." Isabelle sighed as she turned away from the window.

Outside her room, she could hear bustling and laughter coming from the citizens of the city. How she longed to be out there. Having had enough of observing them, she removed her gaze and focused on her impending future.

As the first princess of the Felgrands, Isabelle had the responsibility of being engaged to another noble male to forge relationships with that noble's family.

The princess had originally lived her life believing she'd be allowed the freedom of choosing the spouse she wanted. After all, it was a right all men and women possessed in Bavalon thanks to the laws established by Queen Victoria before her passing.

However, in times of danger, marriage alliances must be forged so as to continue the survival of the kingdom.

At court, there have been talks of a potential war being declared by either the Fermes or Spanyx nations again.

In order to get enough support for their country, it has been decided that the Felgrands must send one of their daughters for marriage in order to secure an alliance. The only issue is deciding which group they would need to gather support from.

Isabelle resisted the urge to groan and bite her lips. She was still a lady, no matter how much she hated having an arranged marriage.

There was a knock on the door. The sound seemed to have come from a person wearing plate armor.

Noticing that familiar sound, Isabelle excitedly turned her attention towards it.

"Who is it?" she cautiously asked.

"It is Sir Evan, my princess," came the voice of a gruff man, causing Isabelle to become disappointed, "I have come to call you for dinner. Your parents have prepared a meeting that requires your participation."

Her mood souring once again, Isabelle took several deep breaths before speaking.

"Tell them I'll be coming after I change my clothes."

----------

Isabelle walked gracefully in a newly fashioned dress that was neither too fancy nor too plain.

Although it would have been more appropriate to wear one of her most finest clothing to the important meeting, Isabelle felt like expressing a little bit of rebelliousness today.

She calmly walked into her family's dining room, betraying no emotion on her face. The room was incredibly spacious, with a long, rectangular table placed in the middle that could seat dozens of guests. On its surface, there was a mix of foreign delicacies that Isabelle was not too familiar with.

Seated near the head of the table were Isabelle's mother and father, along with a few ministers and advisors who were either sitting next to them or standing around them.

Her elder brother, Prince Brandon Felgrand, the heir to Bavalon, was also among those in attendance. He appeared to be the only other sibling here, though. Most likely the others were eating somewhere else.

Glancing around, Isabelle quickly spotted a thinly tall figure dressed in a clean robe and was disgusted to recognize him as Minister Phelp. He had been one of the main advocates for her marriage arrangement.

Minister Phelp is a mysterious man known for having strange tendencies and closely guarded secrets. His body was unusual, for a human being, as his skin was pale gray and he had pupils that were the color purple. It was claimed that he possessed a strange condition as a result of a failed magic experiment in the past, though some, such as Isabelle, did not believe it. The only thing that many liked about him was his voice which flowed smoothly and silkily into one's ears.

Nevertheless, Isabelle had always distrusted him, even before her marriage arrangement, and expressed many times to her parents to move him out of court. But the King and Queen have always valued his intelligence and stated that they feared to have his talents be used by other organizations should they cast him out. That didn't mean that they were oblivious to the rumors about him, though, for they have always made sure to secretly place a few spies around the strange minister as a precaution.

"It's good to finally see you here, daughter," her father, King Simon Felgrand, spoke as soon as he noticed her presence, "We were just talking about your potential marriage matches."

Simon Felgrand was a medium sized man with a booming voice and curly brown hair. His face had a wonderful trait of possessing both soft and stern features. At first, one might not feel too awed or threatened by his initial appearance, but Isabelle knew that her father was a skilled practitioner of magic and had a shrewdness for strategy. He had a competent mind that wasn't afraid to be ruthless for the greater good.

"Darling, now that she has arrived, we should probably begin eating," suggested her mother, Queen Laura Felgrand, kindly, "The discussion can wait for now. It's best not to waste the food."

Isabelle's mother had similar features to her daughter and may sometimes even seem like an older version of her. However, Laura Felgrand preferred to keep her blonde hair in an intricately styled knot instead of hanging them loosely down, and chose to wear dresses that were less fancy and more practical.

The Queen was once a famous warrior known for her strength of character and gentleness to her allies. She had previously come from the Belmont family before eventually catching her husband's eye one day at a special ball. It was said, however, that it had not been easy to convince her to become the future king's wife until after much persuasion and several dates.

If only Isabelle could have had her mother's knack for freedom and strength in the past, then she would have been able to break free from her family's expectations for her future.

The King stared at his wife who was gazing back at him after she presented her suggestion. A silent communication quickly crossed between them. Initially, it seemed like he wanted to refuse. But the next moment he relented and allowed everyone to go to their seats and finish their dinner.

Isabelle was quite glad that she did not have to discuss her marriage right away and quickly sat down with the rest of the guests. She also made sure to stay on the opposite side of the table where Minister Phelp was sitting.

As they were eating and conversing, the princess remained silent and carefully checked around the room.

There were guards in magic armor that all stood still with diligence, each radiating a strong aura. One man in particular gave off the most vibrant aura as he stood out with a youthful expression.

Isabelle's eyes immediately lit up once she saw him.