"Oh..." Celine nodded, still savoring the chocolate, before Lyzia tugged her arm excitedly.
"Co! There’s so much more I want to show you! Elven specialty foods, handcrafted accessories, and other wonderful things!"
Celine’s eyes lit up again, and the two of them dashed off, hand in hand, their laughter echoing through the market stalls.
From a distance, High Councillor Nyvorlas and Warden Faelar watched them, their soldiers positioned discreetly around the area.
Nyvorlas kept his gaze fixed on the two princesses. "Faelar, have you ensured all the guards are in position around the area?"
Faelar nodded, his voice low and steady. "Yes, High Councillor. All units and guards are in their designated positions. The periter is secure." He paused, lowering his voice further. "Even the special counter-assassin units from the Royal Palace are nearby."
Nyvorlas’s eyes widened slightly. "R... really?"
"Yes. I believe the Commander arranged it personally. Not to ntion, the Armand special unit is already nearby, coordinating with the Elven Royal counter-assassin units. They contacted the command center before we arrived. I believe they’re already in position."
Nyvorlas scanned the area, his brow furrowing. "The Armand special unit is sothing else... I can feel their presence, but I cannot see them or pinpoint their exact location. They must be deliberately letting us sense them, to signal that they are not our enemies."
Faelar nodded. "Indeed. They are our strongest allies. Their cooperation ensures that no harm will co to either princess today."
Nyvorlas rubbed his chin, walking slowly to maintain a safe distance from the princesses while keeping them in sight. He glanced at Faelar, his brow furrowed.
"Faelar... sothing’s been bothering ."
"Hmm? Yes, High Councillor?"
"Do you know who the delegation from Armand will be? The one assigned to escort Princess Celine?"
Faelar kept his gaze forward as they walked. "I tried contacting the command center about it earlier. They simply told to focus on the princess’s safety and that I didn’t need to know who was coming." He paused, his tone thoughtful. "But given that the Armand special unit is already here, coordinating with ours, I’m certain it’s soone of high rank."
"Hmm... I suppose that’s true. But I still wonder who it could be."
Before they could speculate further, a loud, distant squawk echoed across the open area. Both of them turned to see four pekko resting in the distance. Among them, a massive orange pekko sat proudly, towering over the other three.
Nyvorlas exhaled slowly. "Ah... no wonder the Armand special unit is here. It’s their prince coming personally."
Faelar shook his head, his voice low. "It’s Prince Javier again. If his pekko is here, I’m sure he’s sowhere nearby."
Nyvorlas scanned the bustling market, frowning slightly. "Yeah... but I can’t detect his mana signature at all. Not even a trace."
Faelar smirked faintly. "That’s typical of him. Every ti he visits, he’s always in so disguise or another, blending in perfectly. You never know where he is until he wants to be seen."
"Well... if the youngest prince of Armand is nearby, we just need to focus on our duty and ensure the princesses’ safety."
"Yeah." Faelar nodded in agreent.
Nyvorlas tilted his head toward the two female escorts walking a short distance behind the princesses, Ashara and Jiowana, both visibly on high alert, their eyes scanning every corner of the market.
Nyvorlas let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Look at those two. They’re supposed to be escorting discreetly, but they’re so tense they might as well be wearing bells."
Faelar chuckled as well. "Yeah. They look like they want everyone to know they’re guarding soone important. Their eyes are too focused on their princess. They’re not blending in at all."
Nyvorlas chuckled again. "Their training is different from ours, I suppose. On their continent, guards probably need to be visibly intimidating to deter threats."
anwhile.
Celine had already stuffed her mouth with a variety of foods, elven sweets, doughnuts, and other treats, her cheeks puffed out as she talked excitedly with her mouth full.
"Thish ish sho good! I haven’t felt this free in sho long!" she said, her words muffled by the food.
Lyzia giggled, holding her own paper bag full of goodies. "Slow down, or you’ll choke!"
Celine swallowed, letting out a happy sigh. "It’s been so long since I could just walk around openly like this, eating and enjoying myself without worrying about assassins or political sches. Back in my country, a princess walking freely in a market is almost unheard of."
Lyzia smiled softly, her eyes warm. "I know what you an. I feel the sa way sotis. Being a princess cos with many privileges but just as many restrictions. But that’s why I treasure monts like this."
Lyzia paused, glancing around at the lively market scene. Elven children ran and played between the stalls, their laughter filling the air. rchants called out their wares, and the scent of fresh bread and sweets wafted through the breeze. A soft smile spread across her lips.
"Peace like this... it’s sothing worth protecting."
"True," Celine mumbled, reaching for another snack and stuffing it into her mouth with a blissful expression. "My country wants peace too, but so jerks think they can push everyone around, act like they own the place, strutting around like they’re above everyone else."
Lyzia glanced at Celine, who was puffing her cheeks full of food, about to say sothing when Celine suddenly pointed in childish excitent toward the distance.
"W-What is that!?"
"Hmm? Where?" Lyzia turned, following her gaze, and spotted four pekko resting in an open area, with elven children running and playing around them. "Ah... those are..."
Before she could finish, Celine grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, running in excitent.
"Kyaaa!! They’re so cute!!! Lyzia! Lyzia!"
"Chill, chill, Celine! H-Hey!"
Lyzia let out amused sigh, letting herself be dragged along until they stopped in front of the pekko. Celine’s eyes glead as she gazed up at the massive, majestic birds, her mouth slightly open in awe.
Lyzia narrowed her eyes as she noticed the large orange pekko sitting among the three wild ones, her gaze sharpening with recognition.
Hmm? Isn’t this pekko belong to brother-in-law?
Does that an he’s around?
But where?
She glanced around discreetly, scanning the crowd while Celine remained oblivious, her eyes sparkling with excitent as she gazed up at the giant bird.
Buddy let out a low squawk, tilting his head down at the two girls in front of him before focusing on Lyzia.
"Cuquawked. Cuquawked~" (Look what we have here~)
The three wild pekko let out a series of smug squawks, one of them chiming in, "Cuquawked!" (Yeah!)
Another pekko joined in, squawking playfully.
"Cuquawked~ Cuquawked~" (Doesn’t this one look like the elf at Armand?)
"Cuquawked!?" (Where!?)
"Cuquawked~ Cuquawked~" (That one, with silver hair and erald eyes.)
Celine’s eyes lit up, and she tugged on Lyzia’s sleeve excitedly. "Lyzia! Lyzia! Do you understand what these huge birds are saying!?"
Lyzia narrowed her eyes at Buddy, a faint, knowing smile curling on her lips. "Who knows~"
Buddy glanced down at Lyzia, a smug smirk forming on his beak before squawking again.
"Cuquawked. Cuquawked!" (Nope... this one isn’t that elf witch from Armand who seduced my master.)
Lyzia bit her lower lip in frustration before glaring up at Buddy. "My sister is not a witch!"
Buddy tilted his head, a smug glint in his eye as he let out a mocking series of squawks. "Cuquawked~? Cuquawked, Cuquawked?" (Oho!? So this one can understand what we’re saying, huh?)
( End Of Chapter )
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