Let’s Go Home

Translator: Cinder Translations

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On the night before the Annual Celebration, a grand dinner was held at the lord's mansion in Alden Town. Paul had invited all the key figures from the military and political departments to come together and celebrate the arrival of the new year.

According to tradition, as the lord, he was supposed to give a speech at the beginning of the banquet. Everyone watched as the lord held a piece of paper, staring intently at it while reading aloud the contents.

The speech itself was quite good (those who worked closely with Paul easily recognized that it was written by Chief Secretary Baron Bernard Francis). In terms of writing, it praised everyone's hard work over the past year with elegant but not overly ostentatious language, passionately introducing the significant achievements in the territory, including agriculture, industry, and commerce. It particularly reviewed the major victories in the Usurper Wars. This victory not only destroyed the Kent family's long-standing threat to the territory but also brought the fertile land of Emden under the jurisdiction of the Administration Council. This meant more population, more income, more raw materials, and a larger market. More importantly, this war greatly improved the Grayman family's awkward position in the Northwest Bay, not only establishing their reputation but also forging relatively strong friendships with the Parker family, the Heller family, and even the newly appointed Duke Henry Fraule, forming a de facto community of interests.

Especially notable was the Northwest Industrial Company initiated by Alden, which, according to Paul, was a military supplies company. It continued to supply the kingdom's army with low-cost but high-quality weapons, making the once desolate Northwest Bay enter the view of the kingdom's high-ranking officials for the first time. It also earned gold coins that were shared among the Northwest lords, raising Alden's profile among the lords.

However, the grand development history, when recited by the lord, sounded as bland as plain water to the audience.

It was an ordeal for both sides, but after finally reading the last word, Paul declared the start of the banquet, and the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became lively.

"Excellent, Earl! Your speech was truly inspiring!"

After Paul returned to his seat, Hansel clapped with a grin.

Paul gave Hansel a sidelong glance, clearly annoyed by the apparent mockery.

"Earl, you really need to work on your public speaking skills," Eileen said helplessly. She had seen her father's authoritative voice in the court and her sister's passionate encouragement of her troops. Compared to them, Paul's speech was not up to par, lacking the proper emphasis and cadence.

"I think it was quite good," the Earl said, clearly satisfied with his own performance. "At least I didn't mispronounce a single word."

He remembered his experiences back on Earth, where even while reading from a script in front of leaders or large audiences, he would sometimes make mistakes or his mind would go blank, leaving him unaware of what he had just read.

Nearby were core members of the Administration Council and the military, who interacted frequently and were no longer formal. Everyone chatted about various topics while enjoying fine wine and food.

Among the attendees was Admiral Austin, who had come all the way from Frand Port. After a few drinks, he suddenly slapped his forehead, feeling somewhat regretful. "I almost forgot something in the midst of drinking."

He stood up and walked over to Eileen, who looked at him with curiosity in her eyes.

Austin carefully pulled out an envelope and handed it to Eileen. "Miss Betty, this letter was entrusted to our fleet while we were in the West Port, to be delivered to you. The sender claims to be from the capital city, Crystal Glare, and is a relative of yours."

Crystal Glare? Eileen's heart skipped a beat, and she exchanged a puzzled glance with her assistant, Lydia.

Since it was from Crystal Glare, it was likely from her parents or sister. Did they know she was in the Northwest Bay?

"Miss Betty? Miss Betty?"

Seeing Eileen in a daze, Austin called her out.

"Uh? Oh, yes, thank you."

Eileen snapped back to reality, hurriedly accepting the envelope from him. She nervously handed the letter to Lydia for safekeeping, casting a scrutinizing glance at Lydia at the end.

Lydia, who served both as assistant and guard, felt a pang of anxiety. Could it be that the Princess suspected her of leaking information to Crystal Glare?

Paul, interested, asked, "Betty, you have relatives in Crystal Glare too?" He then quickly realized, "Oh, oh, sorry, I'm being foolish, haha."

He suddenly remembered the surname "D'Arshi," and the current Queen was also from the D'Arshi family of the Gabella Empire. It made sense now.

"Haha, just like that…"

Eileen gave a somewhat awkward smile. She had only mentioned her maternal surname in a moment of desperation. It seemed that Earl Grayman now took her as a member of the Gabella D'Arshi family.

Oh well, let it be.

Eileen and Lydia spent the rest of the banquet with mixed feelings.

After the banquet, Eileen hurriedly returned to her residence with Lydia and immediately interrogated her loyal guard and assistant thoroughly. Of course, Eileen had no doubts about Lydia's loyalty, but even out of loyalty, Lydia might have reported to the capital, as most people wouldn't think it's a good thing for a princess to be wandering away from home for a long time.

After questioning, Eileen concluded that Lydia had not reported to the capital. So who could have found out about her current residence?

Eileen pondered over it but couldn't figure it out, so she turned her attention to the content of the letter, overwhelmed by a strong sense of homesickness.

During the banquet, she had excused herself briefly and sneaked away to a private place, where she read and reread the letter several times. Though she didn't recognize the handwriting, the style of the writing clearly indicated it was from her mother.

To avoid being seen, the entire letter used "you" and "I" without revealing any specific identity information.

The letter expressed deep longing for Eileen, reproached her for still being stubborn and not returning, and repeatedly emphasized that they would not force her into a marriage compromise. Finally, with a pleading tone, it urged Eileen to return for a reunion, preferably before the Day of Ascension.

The letter made Eileen tear up, and she took a long time to gather herself before rejoining the banquet.

"Miss, we have indeed been away from home for a long time. It's time for us to go back and visit."

After reading the letter, Lydia also persuaded Eileen.

Hearing this, Eileen felt a strong sense of guilt. Lydia had loyally accompanied her in unfamiliar territory for nearly two years, and yet, she too had her own family.

Finally, Eileen wiped away her tears and, with her longing for family overcoming everything, took Lydia's hand and said, "You're right, Lydia. It's time for us to go home and visit."

(End of the Chapter)

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