The next day…

I woke up in my bed at seven in the morning as Elara opened the curtains. She already wore the light casual clothes that she’ll use to go out.

She guarded me from my sleep while watching out anyone who planned on entering and leaving my room.

As I pulled my body up from bed, I asked. “Are you ready, Elara?”

“So far, so good, Miss Veniara. My only concern is the way out,” Elara said as she gives me lighter clothes for easier movement.

The dress was made of soft cotton fabric with a floral pattern and a ruffled hem. I once tested it, and I could run, jump, dance, or spin without any restrictions. It might look easy to tear, but it’s no problem after casting Ether in it.

“Even you didn’t notice me when I left,” I replied, standing up my bed as I undress myself. “Unless discovered, an escape route will always be an escape route.”

“Won’t the guards be wary of it? Ever since then, every entrance was always guarded,” she asked while helping me put on my clothes. “If you vanished for the second time, they’d be on high alert.”

“I know, but this move is a matter of life and death.” After all, I should avoid and prevent any death flags as early as possible.

“The engagement, you mean? May I humbly ask the reason why?”

I looked out the bright sky filled with colors of the blue clouds colliding with the red sunrise. “The sky is colorful, isn’t it? If I ended up in the same route, the clouds would soon lose color.”

“Same route?” Ellyn asked out of confusion.

After a moment of pause, I coughed. “Ehem! Anyway, we should set out for now. Don’t forget to bring your purse with you.”

As we went out of the room, the worst enemy appeared before us. Marina, together with Gloria, caught the moment I left the room with their Ciamera. Seconds after, sweat ran down my hair.

“Oh, it’s Sister Veniara! Good morning, Sister Veniara!” Marina exclaimed, looking at me and the Ciamera back and forth. “Where are you going, sister? It looks like you’re going somewhere fun.”

“It’s not something f—fun,” I stuttered with my vibrating jaws. “W—We’re just looking around and w—watch the flock of birds in t—the terrace. It’s boring, don’t you think?”

“Eh? You’re just looking at the birds? Why is Elara dressed up too?” Marina asked, squinting her eyes at Elara.

Damn! This six-year-old was sharp. “W—We’re just creating a memory for ourselves. It’s nothing major.”

“Memory? Then I should capture you two with my Ciamera! It’s a super-duper-handy tool for creating prolonged memories!” Marina exclaimed, flexing her Ciamera at my face.

This was the worst route I’ve encountered ever since. It was hard to lie knowing that the recipient was a cute clumsy kid, not mentioning she was my little sister.

I couldn’t lie.

But I could tell her the truth.

“Marina, do you know that I will be engaged soon to the prince of the West?” I asked with a malicious smile as I lean towards her.

“Woah! I just knew! I heard Father and Mother were talking something about the West. I see!” Marina reacted with a squint and open mouth while stabbing her clenched fist on her open palm.

I leaned at her ear and whispered. “He should be here by now. I would like you to take a picture of his face. Can you do it for the sake of your sister, please?”

“O—Of course!” Marina shouted like a soldier in an army. “If it’s for love, leave it to me, Sister Veniara!”

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“What a good little sister you are,” I smiled, patting her head. “You can go now. Don’t let him notice you.”

Marina left quickly; Gloria gazed at me before leaving. She might had perceived what I did to Marina.

“She’s observative as ever,” Elara commented.

“Aren’t you like that, Elara? You still seem to remember our exact conversation a year ago.”

“I might be, but unlike her, I can’t predict what you are thinking.”

“That seems scary,” I gulped as I hugged my shaking body. There might be some time that I should be careful of Gloria too.

“Miss Veniara, she might tell our plans to the king,” Elara said. “Is it alright letting her go?”

“It’s destined for them to know. I already left a letter for them not to storm the towns again with armies of knights.”

It might be best not to cause another commotion again leading to the citizens’ misunderstandings. I stated in the letter that I should go back before evening.

As we set our way to our destined place, we innocently greeted every person we passed into. No one became suspicious of us as we went to the storage room.

I searched the corner where the boxes piled up and removed them. After clearing up with Elara’s help, the trapdoor appeared. As I opened the door, Elara pinched her nose with haste.

“It stinks!” She complained. “It’s been half a decade since I last smelled the sewers.”

I smirked at her. “Skill issue.”

Same old way, I led Elara through the lingering smell of the sewers until we reached our way out. I never expect to see that ray of concave light again.

The moment I stepped out, the blinding light of the sun flickered my eyes as the tall wall welcomed us. We exited the place with our clothes still clean.

“Miss Veniara, it was such a good escape route, but won’t the smell of sewers remain contained in our clothing?”

“Once we reached the town, no one will notice.”

We did reach the lively town of Valenluire which remained the same a year ago. Visitors and merchants scattered beside the streets as the carriages traveling back and forth took over the center.

The same scent of roasting meats and aromatic herbs scented my ears. Comparing from before, performers and street artists increased alongside the development of new possible entertainment talents.

I, who spoke amazed and nearly forgot my real agenda, widened my mouth in every turn. Luckily, Elara was here to remind me of it.

“Ehem, Miss Veniara, we should ask the guild about the inquiry,” Elara coughed.

“Right… And Elara, don’t forget to call me Vena outside.”

“Yes, Miss Vena.”

I came back to the same huge wooden building called guild. Even after a year, the crest wasn’t even stained. As we enter, the same lively aura greeted us a warm welcome.

…Except for the half of men who stared at Elara’s body. We didn’t even bother as we walked directly towards the receptionist. I suddenly felt sorry for Elara.

“Welcome to the adventurer’s guild! How may I help you?” The receptionist asked with a warm smile.

Elara gave her Jes’s job commission post and a card with etched diamond on its edge. “We would like to accept this quest from a fellow friend. Can you assess the necessary documents?”

“D—Diamond!?” The receptionist stuttered as she grabbed the card that shook in her hand. “Y—You’re the c—court maid.. What are y—you doing here, ma’am!?”

“I would like to deeply apologize for surprising with my sudden appearance, but I am in inherent attendance of an important matter I can’t disclose to everyone else. Will I still be applicable to accept this job?” Elara asked.

“It’s alright! I beg forgiveness for showing such rude manner out of instincts, ma’am Elara. I would like to ask if you’ve been willing to do a quest far lower from your rank, though it won’t add additional points from the guild’s system?”

“A royal maid could care less about ranks. And after all,” Elara spoke and looked at me, “it’s an important person’s request in which I can’t decline.”

“Elara…” I muttered with my sparkling eyes of adoration. From this moment, Elara became my hero again.

Suddenly, three men showed behind us, with the leading man tapping Elara’s shoulder. From their looks, all I could see was violence.

“Miss, we would like to talk to you about something. Do you have a spare of your time?” The man invited with a malicious tone.

They’re a group of adventurer who had something in common: huge scars. They have built bodies with an undeniably stone-like muscles, and every time I looked at it, I gulped.

They must be the king of this place, bullying others in lower ranks. Their high chin spoke all of their characteristics. As from my knowledge in characters, thugs could only shut up after getting beaten.

Suddenly, the receptionist shouted but with a shaking voice. “Hey, stop it! Don’t m—mess with ma’am here! He’s a dia—”

“Shut up, you foolish clumsy receptionist! You have nothing to do with this!” The man shouted, then continued inviting Elara with gritting teeth. “Now then, now that I’ve shown you my strength, would you spare your time with us?”

“I have a kid with me,” Elara muttered with her head turned down, hiding her eyes from them while clenching her fists.

“Who cares about that kid? Do you want me to kick her? Is she a heavy burden to you? We can get rid of that brat easily! We aren’t interested in both kids and jail.”

“Did you mean what you’ve said?” Elara whispered in which they couldn’t hear.

“Huh? I can’t hear you!”

“As I said…”

Elara raised her right knee within her chest level as her foot faces the man. The sudden moment she extended her legs, the man flew straight out of the building, leaving a hole on the double doors.

Adventurers, receptionists, commissioners… everyone caught our attention. Dead silence scattered around the interior until Elara stepped her foot back on the ground.

Elara then growled,

“Did you mean what you’ve said!?”