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"Um... where is the auction venue?"
Entering the castle, Mengdie still had no sense of direction. Unable to read, she wandered in the castle's entrance hall for a long time. The hall was spacious, adorned with classical European frescoes and decorations, giving it an ancient and elegant charm. Directly opposite the main entrance was a luxurious Y-shaped staircase leading to the second floor. There were exits and entrances everywhere, each bustling with people.
The crowd was dense, filled with many socialites greeting each other. They spoke in strange phrases that Mengdie couldn't understand, making it difficult to eavesdrop and find out where the auction was being held.
No, I can't keep wandering here. There were soldiers in the hall, and lingering too long might lead to being questioned as a suspect.
Mengdie glanced around the corridors again, noticing that the one on the right had the most traffic and also had a sign at the entrance. She tried hard to decipher it for a long time but, unfortunately, still couldn't understand.
"Cough... My language learning is too slow... After I get my necklace back, I should stay in Aiyania for a year or so, learn the language of this world, and then go out and explore."
While Mengdie was pondering, a few nobles behind her urged her not to block the notice board. She quickly lowered her head, pressed down her hat, and followed the crowd into the corridor.
It was a long hallway with more elaborate decorations as she progressed. Perhaps because the corridor was built along the edge of the castle, the right side had large floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the magnificent mountains outside. Such palaces built on precipices always amazed Mengdie, no matter how many she saw.
No, no, this isn't the time to admire the scenery.
Mengdie pressed down her hat and continued along the corridor. But as she walked, she felt increasingly embarrassed. The further she went, the fewer men there were. Instead, there were more girls in various maid uniforms and many beautiful young ladies in lavish attire.
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"Oh no, where have I ended up?!"
Mengdie panicked internally. Trying to avoid attention was hard, as a man among a group of women would inevitably draw stares. Passing by them, the women would open their fans, cover their mouths, and whisper to each other. Mengdie, with her diminished hearing, couldn't make out their words. But at that moment, she wished she hadn't heard them at all and hurried past.
"Look, why is that girl wearing men's clothes here?"
"Could it be she wants to surprise the prince with her unique style?"
Walking further with an embarrassed mindset, Mengdie reached a crossroads. "This castle is so big; wandering around aimlessly might mean I never find the auction venue... No, I need to ask someone."
Just as Mengdie looked up to find a maid to ask, suddenly, she felt a small figure hug her from behind. Turning around, she saw Nia's tearful face, breaking into a smile of extreme joy and tears.
"Nia?! What are you doing here?!" Mengdie quickly asked, "Why aren't you with your sister? Where's Aya?"
Nia, crying, pulled Mengdie by the sleeve, desperately dragging her into a room nearby while clamoring, "Sister Mengdie! Sob sob... you... you finally came! Hurry, hurry! Sister... Sister is being caught by that old man who ruined our house last time! Sob sob! He... he is scolding her! I'm afraid he might harm her! Quick, quick!"
Mengdie was shocked and hurriedly followed Nia to the indicated room. But just before stepping through the door, she suddenly stopped, pulling Nia behind the door with her.
"Sister Mengdie! What... what are you still looking at?!" The little girl was almost in tears.
Mengdie awkwardly pressed down her hat, feeling a bit guilty towards Nia. If possible, she really didn't want to meet with the governor. That would only lead her into endless explanations and trouble. She decided to observe secretly first and intervene if things really went south.
Observing, she saw around twenty girls in the room, sitting or standing, all their gazes focused on Aya in the corner. Aya, dressed in a luxurious gown after meticulous preparation, was breathtakingly beautiful. Her healthy aura, unique to a civilian girl, was something the surrounding noble girls couldn't match. Standing among them, she radiated an unmatched elegance and beauty.
This explained why the girls whispered to each other and looked at Aya with such hostile eyes.
"You... how dare you deceive——!!!"
The governor was really furious, scolding Aya non-stop. Poor Aya could only bite her lip, stand obediently to the side, her head bowed. She looked like a child being reprimanded by her father, silent, with tears in the corners of her eyes.
(Sorry, Aya! It's my fault! Once I regain my power and return to my male form, I will definitely repay you well!)
The governor's scolding was fierce but quick. In less than five minutes, he finished, then suddenly his eyes lit up, and he put on an extremely happy face, apologizing profusely to Aya. This left Aya, the dozens of women present, and Mengdie and Nia outside the door, all puzzled.
"Tashi, Emma, take good care of Miss Aya. Today, Miss Aya is my honored guest, and you must make sure she enjoys her time here!" After instructing the two maids behind him, the governor again faced Aya with a cheerful demeanor and bowed in a gentlemanly manner, "Please allow me to apologize again for my rudeness, Miss Aya. I hope you enjoy your day. Now, please excuse me."
With that, the governor left, leaving a stunned Aya behind. Mengdie and Nia quickly hid, watching the old man whistle cheerfully as he walked away.
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