The sun shone with such a warm radiance one morning that even the King, who had taken to holing himself up in his room decided to bring his work to the palace garden and spend the morning in the gazebo.
"It's been pleasantly quiet these past few days," said the King, as he went through a document detailing the subjugation efforts in the monster-infested badlands, "did you send the Heroine off somewhere?"
Alphonso sat opposite him, wearing his usual dark robe. He replied, "Yes, my Lord. It seems she has found inspiration within the Adventurer's Guild to improve herself."
Hearing this made his brows knot together, almost in reflex. "The Adventurer's Guild? She isn't out carting produce, is she?"
"No, my Lord, it seems our dear Heroine had the wisdom to challenge herself. Our informant within the Guild reveals that she has taken a dungeon quest."
The King's eyelids shot up at the news. "A dungeon? Can she really handle a dungeon in that state?"
"I believe she can. At the very least, given the parameters of the quest: She brought her Master and two other experienced Adventurers along to a low-level dungeon in the province of Northmarch. Indeed, it should prove to be nothing more than an introductory lesson in adventuring."
"Northmarch, huh... the only low-level dungeon I'm aware of in that area is the one in Dellwick. Hmm, yes. It was about time someone finally cleared that dungeon." He nodded to himself. "And speaking of Dellwick, I really ought to transfer that fief to someone else. I just don't have the time on my hands to manage that on top of the Capitol, and the Kingdom at large...
"Count Christoff has clearly been pining for it for ages, but..."
A gentle, feminine voice interjected, "...the Honorable Count has been making moves in the shadows..."
Their attention turned to a woman approaching them.
Her each step resounded against the white marble path. A sparkling aura of grace wrapped around her as she whimsically twirled her parasol, casting a shade over her skin, so white that, one could imagine - should the sunlight touch it directly, that it would shine with blinding brilliance.
Behind her followed a handmaiden clad in plate armor, who lifted the trailing end of the woman's silk white dress.
"...hasn't he?" She smiled.
"Ah-" The King stood and met her. "-my dear Elizabeth. I did not know you were coming." He then laid his hands gently over her shoulders before giving her a hug.
She giggled. "Pardon me, Father. But I was just passing through, and I thought I would pay you a visit. It has been quite a while, hasn't it?"
"Has it? We met at Lady Farleigh's funeral, did we not?"
She giggled again. "Oh, Father. That was months ago."
"That's not too long, it it?"
She covered her mouth as she gave a sly smile. "Only if you do not mind showing your age."
With a snicker, he patted her shoulders and said, "I'm glad to see you."
"So am I, father." She then turned her attention to the man on the other side of the gazebo, stood, all this time, with his head bowed. "And good morning to you, Alphonso."
"Good Morning," Alphonso said as he raised his head, "Princess Elizabeth."
She thus joined the two in the gazebo, handing her parasol to her escort.
"What was it about Lord Christoff you were talking about, Father?" She asked.
"Ah..." He leaned back on his seat. "I was thinking about finally giving Dellwick over to someone else."
"Oh my," She covered her mouth with one hand. "Lady Farleigh's fief? It's still under you, Father?"
"Yes, yes. I know, you've told me to transfer it many times already." He sighed. "But things have been rather busy, as of late, especially with the arrival of the Heroine."
"Ah, that reminds me!" Elizabeth clapped her hands together. "I had wished to see what the Heroine looked like, that's why I came here!"
"Hm?" The King glanced at her, "Did you not come here to visit me?"
"Hihihi," she giggled, and gave the King a light slap on the shoulder, "don't be silly, Father, we just met a few months ago!"
He froze. Hearing a snort from the other side of the gazebo, his eyes then shot at Alphonso, who at that same moment, bit his lip and turned away.
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He barely had the time to twitch his eyelids when his daughter started pulling on his sleeves.
"Anyway, Father," she said, piningly, "may I see the Heroine right now? I've heard rumors among that nobles that she looked like a child, and I wished to play with her cheeks!"
He sighed.
"I'm sorry, dear Princess," Alphonso interjected, "but the Heroine is away."
"Huuuuh...?" Her shoulders fell. "Is that true, Father?"
"Yes," the King said, "it seems she is out adventuring in Dellwick."
"My!" Her eyes sparkled. "Adventuring? Like the stories you told me of your childhood?"
"I..." His eyes grew distant. "I suppose so..."
He turned his gaze out to the blue sky over the distance where the clouds met the faraway mountaintops at the far horizon.
But I hope not. Otherwise, she is quite likely not to come back at all.
Despite this, a tiny smile still found itself on his lips.
But if she does... she will have had a lot of fun.
"...ther?" An ethereal voice entered his ears as if his hearing had been blurred out.
"Father?" As his attention shifted slowly toward the voice, so did he drift back out of his own mind.
"Father!" Elizabeth yelled.
He snapped out of his trance. "Y-yes, my dear?"
She pouted. "There you go again."
He smiled. "I'm sorry, my dear. What did you say again?"
With a sigh and a shrug, she continued, "I said, what are you planning to do with Dellwick now?"
"Ah." He shifted in his seat. "What, indeed? I've held onto it for so long but I have not found someone suitable to bestow such an honor to, just yet."
"Hmm..." She crossed her arms. "Why not Duke Hemmingsworth? The new extension of the Academy of Brandonbury was completed recently thanks to his grace, is that not a worthy achievement?"
"I'm afraid not. And even if it were, appointing another fief under the Duke would not sit well with... some members of the peerage."
Her expression soured. With a click of her tongue, she then pulled away and sat quietly away from him.
"So you can see my predicament." He glanced at her. "I don't suppose you can manage the fief for me?"
"I'm afraid I would have to refuse, Father. Just my one is already proving to be a handful."
"I thought so."
She grumbled, "It's the monsters. They keep spilling out of the dungeons every so often, that I can't take my eye off of it for too long, and the Adventurer's Guild simply isn't doing anything about the request I posted!"
"You can't place your hopes on adventurers, my dear. They are only mercenaries, in essence."
Nowadays, at least.
He patted her lightly on the head. "Do you need my help?"
"No." She turned her head away. "I wish to accomplish it with my own power."
He smiled. How you've grown, my dear Elizabeth... it seems to only have been yesterday, that you were but a child, pining day and night for your mother's attention. Now...
"I see," he said.
They continued chatting as such for a while longer. The sun had risen to its apex by the time they were satisfied. Feeling the prickle of the mid-summer sun upon their skin, father and daughter finally decided to part ways.
"It was a pleasure to see you again, Father." She bowed her head and gave him a parting smile. "Please take care."
"You as well, my dear." He placed his hand on her cheek, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Do not get caught travelling at night."
"I understand, Father." She pulled the hair back in front of her ear and called for her escort. "Eileen."
"Yes, your Highness." The woman clad in full plate stepped beside Elizabeth, handing her back her parasol. Her locks of deep azure swayed across her face as she bent down to honor her leige.
Once more, the King and Alphonso were left alone in the gazebo. A cool wind swept in their face as the once blue sky was slowly dyed red.
He took a deep breath, filling his chest with a cold, rather prickly sensation. Satisfied, he finally stood up, and said, "Let's go, Alphonso. You can give me the report on Aster's mission in my room."