“Lady Cassandra… but wasn’t she in the Demon Realm? How did she return so quickly?”
Trenton was also confused.
According to Cassandra’s schedule, she should have only just arrived at the Demon King’s castle to discuss the magic power leakage with the Demon King.
“Mr. Trenton, it really is Lady Cassandra. I’m not lying to you!”
Cassandra was one of the highest-ranking people in the entire Principality after Duke Navora himself. Even if he had ten times the courage, the gardener wouldn’t dare to give a false report…
Trenton nodded. “Then let Lady Cassandra’s carriage in. I’ll greet her personally. Also…”
He turned his head and glanced at Eileen and Atia.
Why was Miss Eileen sweating so much?
It wasn’t even hot.
“Miss Eileen, Miss Atia, would it be possible for you to greet Lady Cassandra? Of course, if you don’t wish to, that’s perfectly fine. Lady Cassandra won’t mind.”
Normally, whenever a lady of her status arrived, everyone was expected to stop what they were doing and kneel in welcome.
But Cassandra was an exception.
She hated such formalities. If the greeting was too elaborate, it would only annoy her.
“Then we should still go greet her…”
“Mr. Trenton, we’re still not used to the teleportation array. Our heads are still spinning badly. It would be far too rude to meet Lady Cassandra in this state, so we’ll excuse ourselves first.”
Before Atia could finish speaking, Eileen quickly cut her off.
Greet Cassandra?
That was no different from walking straight into death…
“I understand.”
Trenton nodded and gestured to the maid standing at the very end of the line. “Sally, take Miss Eileen and Miss Atia to the guest rooms. Lady Kate mentioned through the communication array that Miss Eileen likes orange juice. Go check if the kitchen has prepared any.”
“Yes.”
The maid named Sally stepped out from the line and led the two of them upstairs.
Eileen let out a long breath of relief.
Thank goodness her brain worked fast. Otherwise, she really would have been finished.
“Miss Eileen, won’t this be too rude of us?”
Atia’s face carried a trace of worry. “That’s Lady Cassandra we’re talking about. If we just leave like this, won’t she get angry?”
“I told you, you’re way too sensitive all the time.”
Eileen reached out and ruffled Atia’s hair, messing it up into a bird’s nest. “She doesn’t even know we’re here. Why would she get angry? Let’s just rest properly today. We can deal with everything else tomorrow.”
Atia didn’t know if she was tired, but Eileen was exhausted enough that she could fall asleep the moment her head touched the bed.
“…Alright.”
Atia didn’t say anything more and simply nodded quietly.
Ever since she could remember, she had always been busy. She had never truly rested before. Taking one day off didn’t seem like such a bad thing.
……
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
The luxurious carriage came to a stop in front of the villa gates. Once the carriage stabilized, the coachman quickly jumped down and opened the door.
Trenton had already led the maids and gardeners to kneel on one knee in front of the gates, welcoming Lady Cassandra’s arrival.
A hand wearing a lace glove extended from the carriage and rested on the coachman’s arm.
Champagne-colored silk cascaded out first, layer upon layer, followed by Cassandra herself. Strands of golden hair slipped out from beneath her wide-brimmed hat, and her emerald eyes swept lightly over the people half-kneeling before her.
She lifted her skirt and stepped onto the ground, the breeze catching the blue ribbon on her hat.
“You may rise.”
At Cassandra’s command, everyone stood up. Her gaze then fell on Trenton. “Mr. Trenton, haven’t I told you before that there’s no need to greet me so formally every time I come?”
“This is basic etiquette, Lady Cassandra.”
Trenton replied, “We represent Lady Kate’s image. We absolutely cannot bring shame upon her.”
“Your butler’s head really is as stubborn as ever.”
Cassandra let out a soft sigh.
“Lady Cassandra, weren’t you in the Demon Realm negotiating with the Demon King? Why have you returned so soon?”
Trenton asked.
Cassandra had returned half a month earlier than scheduled. It was hard not to be suspicious.
There was a race in the Demon Realm capable of perfectly imitating human appearances and voices. Although the Demon King had repeatedly ordered that demons were not to harm humans, there were still those who viewed humans as an inferior race and constantly thought about attacking them.
As the saying went: one must not harbor harmful intentions toward others, but one must always guard against them.
If a demon were to disguise themselves as an important figure from the Principality, it could easily trigger a major incident.
“The reason is somewhat complicated. You only need to know that the Demon King made an exception and opened the Demon Realm Gate to send us directly back to the capital. As for the other details, they will be announced after I report the situation to my father.”
The Demon King had opened the Demon Realm Gate for a human nation’s delegation and even personally sent them back to the capital?
In just a single sentence, Trenton’s worldview nearly collapsed.
If the border between the Demon Realm and the human world could be called the gateway to the Demon Realm, then the Demon Realm Gate was a direct express route between the two realms.
Once opened, both sides could travel back and forth using teleportation magic. In wartime, that would be a double-edged sword capable of deciding victory or defeat.
Even in peacetime, it wasn’t something that could be opened on a whim. This showed just how extraordinary Cassandra and the others’ experience had been.
“Mr. Trenton, I came to retrieve a document I left in Lady Kate’s room last time. May I go up first?”
“Of course, Lady Cassandra. Please come in.”
Trenton quickly made way for her.
Cassandra walked familiarly toward Kate’s room, but halfway there, she suddenly stopped.
“Lady Cassandra, is something the matter?”
Trenton, who was following behind her, asked.
But Cassandra didn’t answer. Instead, she carefully sniffed the air.
It was a very familiar scent…
Or rather, it was her scent…
Could it be that she had returned?
Excitement flickered in Cassandra’s eyes, but she didn’t show it due to her status. She simply turned to look at Trenton and asked, “Mr. Trenton, did Lady Kate have guests today?”
“Yes, Lady Cassandra. Would you like me to call them out?”
Trenton truly couldn’t understand. He hadn’t even told Cassandra that there were guests, so how had she known?
“There’s no need.”
Cassandra waved her hand.
Over the past five years, she had experienced this kind of situation countless times while searching for that person. But every single time, the small spark of hope had ended in disappointment.
After experiencing it so many times, she had naturally grown used to disappointment.
So she didn’t hold out much hope.
Until she confirmed the other party’s identity, it was better not to disturb Lady Kate’s guests.
“Lady Kate’s guests… are they perhaps an A-rank female mage?”
“This… They are young women, but judging from their attire, they don’t appear to be A-rank adventurers. They also weren’t carrying any weapons, so I’m not certain of their profession.”
Trenton answered honestly.
Kate had only informed him of Eileen and Atia’s basic information through the communication array. He didn’t know anything else.
“As I thought…”
Cassandra let out a sigh.
She really had been too sensitive again…