No one knows the content of the secret talks, but afterward, Her Highness the Second Princess chose to temporarily set aside the mountain of military and political affairs and embarked on a journey to follow Shiayar's past footsteps.
The Empire was in turmoil, and the throne was changing hands. At such a critical mont, Isadella, as the primary candidate for the throne, made a whimsical decision. This naturally aroused the dissatisfaction of many of the Empire's powerful ministers and even the senior family mbers within the Royal Family.
However, in Parliant, Isadella rely used an understated remark to reject all objections:
"Shiayar Egutt.
"He is the Empire's future Crown Prince.
"He is also my beloved, my spouse.
"When I ascend to the throne, my Prince Consort will be him, and only him."
It was a stunningly bold and public declaration of a future spouse; one can only imagine the uproar it would cause throughout the Western Continent. It could even be said that this declaration directly determined the Empire's fortune for the coming decades.
As a forr mber of the White Tower and an Attendant who had followed both Her Royal Highness and the Gray-Silver Witch, Fioran knew more and was thus even more troubled.
If she wasn't wrong, her own family's White Tower Master also had a fondness for Shiayar Egutt—the kind where she was the one pursuing him. And Her Royal Highness's bold declaration was clearly a declaration of war between love rivals, aid at that Gray-Silver Witch. The Empire and White Tower had only just managed to connect and form an alliance; White Tower had even established a branch in the Empire Capital. Yet Her Royal Highness's actions were clearly pushing these two powers, currently in their honeymoon phase, into a fiery pit. If the White Tower and the Empire really did break up, she would be caught between her current employer and her own family. Just the thought of it made Fioran feel overwheld.
And then there's... Shiayar Egutt.
Fioran murmured the na in her heart again, a na she had repeated countless tis in the past six months. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novel·fıre·net
The Tower Master's interest was one thing... but how did Her Royal Highness get entangled with him? Just over three months ago, Fioran had seen it clearly: the relationship between Her Royal Highness Isadella and Shiayar was rely that of a trustworthy Swordsman and a relatively familiar friend. It was far from the point of mutual affection or budding romance. How, in the blink of an eye, had that seed of emotion, which had shown no signs of sprouting, already blossod into love—to the extent of her directly appointing her future Prince Consort? What could possibly make an Imperial Princess, a Legendary powerful pro, and the future Queen no less, utter such a resolute declaration? Just how profound and unforgettable must the love between them be?
...
On the other hand, Isadella paid no attention to Fioran's gossipy thoughts. Once the Imaginary Zone was corrected by the proper course of history, even Legendary beings could only notice slight unnatural discrepancies in the river of ti. Only those of Throne and Demigod Rank retained the complete mory of that vanished tiline.
Isadella knew well that her actions would be questioned and misunderstood by her ministers and even her family elders, but she didn't care. If that were not the case, she would not have initially betrayed the entire Round Table to create the Imaginary Zone. Moreover, with her current Rank, she already possessed the qualification to disregard all other opinions and do what she wanted.
Isadella gently reached out and pushed the wooden door before her. The door of the hunter's cabin creaked open.
Isadella did not let Fioran follow but entered the cabin alone, surveying everything in the room.
The space was neither too big nor too small. It was furnished with a single bed and a wooden table, upon which lay a cheap hourglass for keeping ti and a stub of solidified candle wax. All the furniture was covered in a thick layer of dust.
Against the wall stood a wooden bookshelf, filled with basic introductory books on the Arcane Arts, magictech technology, and beast taming. While ordinary in Knowledge City, such books were rare in a small backwater town like Ceylon, obtainable only from the private collections of noble families or from certain traveling rchants. Clearly, it had not been easy for Shiayar to gather these elentary books.
Isadella carefully examined the books on the shelf. Each volu was well-thumbed and worn from frequent use, so even tattered. The blank spaces on every page were densely filled with notes written in a firm hand.
In the books related to magictech technology, Isadella saw several rough drafts and concept sketches of constructs. The drafts were rudintary. However, Isadella could still make out the pitch-black cha Shiayar had used in the final battle in Escarnia. She also recognized the embryonic form of the alchemy bomb designed to erupt like a star.
Directly opposite the table was a window. Through it, one could see the spruce forest and, beyond the canopy, the towering Three Sages Snow Mountain, faintly visible as it reached into the clouds.
Isadella envisioned Shiayar as a child. A young boy, dressed in thick animal-skin clothing, excitedly bringing ho fish caught from the ice to cook fish soup with the old Hunter.
She imagined Shiayar living alone in Ceylon after the old Hunter's death. A half-grown boy, carrying a short bow, a petite snowy plains ferret trotting behind him. He would be trading his day's hunting spoils with a traveling rchant for a few simple, worn introductory books and writing materials.
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