After finishing her business with Victor, Lory returned to Heriond but then she felt bored so she disguised herself using Luo Ri Yi’s appearance and left Cestine Palace of course, she told everyone where she was going and everyone understood that Lory had not left the Palace since she returned so Fredhardt let her drive around the King’s city.
Lory chose the most inconspicuous car to blend in with the others without any problems. As usual, she exited the palace through a secret entrance that led to the garden, and from there, she drove through the main road.
Lory watched how much Herriond had changed she no longer recognized most most the buildings and streets to the point that she had to use a Digital map to find out where she was going. When the traffic light turned red Lory automatically stopped her car and as she waited she saw a group of children in cute uniforms being led by three teachers crossing the street, they might be having an excursion sowhere.
Subconsciously a slow smile brimd on her face as she watched the cute children holding hands as they crossed the street following their teachers just like little chick.
The children appeared to be only five or six years old, aning they were the first generation to not have recollection of what happened during the Dark Ages War, but Lory did not see that as a bad thing; instead, she was hopeful. She hoped that the horror and tragedy of that ti would soon be completely forgotten by many people.
’Honk - honk’
Lory was startled by the loud horn behind her, she glanced at the traffic light that had turned green. She imdiately stepped on the gas pedal and her car sped up. As she drove she saw students wearing Cavern Hall uniforms half running to catch the bus, it seed like she was late.
Lory stared at the bus that drove away after kindly picking up the late students. Then Lory turned to look at the tower clock that towered over the surrounding buildings. She rembered that she often looked at the clock every morning when driving to their school, soon after the mories from the past ca uninvitedly.
’Luc, did you bring your howork?’
’What howork?’
’What, don’t tell ..—’
’The one I made you do, Your Highness’
’Sigh. thank you, Clift, Luc, how could you forget? You’re lucky you have Clift!’
’Thank you, Clift’
’Hey, can I copy your howork, I forgot about it’
’JAY, this is the third ti!’
’Lory don’t shout in my ear!’
’No, you can’t copy Luc’s howork’
’Aw, Coe oon, Fred!’
’Hey you all be quiet, I’m driving here!’
’Fargy you took the wrong turn!’
’Lory don’t scream in my ear!’
A small laugh passed her lips as she rembered the chaotic morning that happened nurous tis because Lucas woke up late again. A lot has changed but thank goodness they rebuilt the old clock tower again.
Lory drove on a road that was sowhat familiar to her to jog her mory but then she hit the brake when she saw a small Taiyaki stall in front of a bookstore. Lory blinked her eyes a few tis to make sure she didn’t see it wrong.
She rembered that small stall but the building behind it used to not be a bookstore but an Arcade, could it be the sa stall?
Unable to contain her curiosity, Lory parked her car on the edge of the sidewalk and then got out of the car. She excitedly walked towards the small shop with eyes full of curiosity, a mont later, she saw the back of an old man who looked very familiar.
The man turned around then smiled broadly "Welco!" The man was probably in his seventies but he looked energetic and in high spirits.
"Would you like so, young lady? I have chocolate, red bean, black bean, and strawberry fillings!"
Lory paused for a mont, she recognized the old man. She had known him a long ti ago but at that ti he still had glorious thick black hair.
Lory was overwheld by joy and relief to know the man survived the horrible war, he even opened the sa stall again and it was in the sa place.
"Mr. Ryuzo" Lory tries to contain the excitent in her voice.
Mr. Ryuzo was now a bald man with a thick gray beard, but he still wore the sa white shirt with a large Taiyaki on the back so that the children would easily recognize him.
"Oh, do I know you?" he didn’t feel like he recognized Lory.
Lory was in disguise, but even if he didn’t recognize him, he didn’t feel like Mr. Ryuzo would recognize him either.
Lory waved her hand and pretended to laugh "Oh no - no, I only ca here once but it was so delicious that I rembered your stall na ’Ryozo’s best Taiyaki’ I just assud Ryuzo is your na"
Mr. Ryuzo burst out laughing. "it is, so you co here for my delicious Taiyaki again?"
Lory nodded. "Yes, I want the strawberry filling,"
"Okay, do you want to take it ho or eat it here?" Mr. Ryuzo asked with the familiar boisterous voice that Lory knew so well.
"I’ll eat here" Lory then takes a seat on a small chair next to the stall.
"Okay, the tea is over there, please help yourself" Mr. Ryuzo grinned widely then he went back to the stove to cook Lory’s order.
Lory looked at the two giant thermoses on the table and her gaze imdiately softened. Lory read the words sweet lemon tea and the other was green tea without sugar.
Mr. Ryuzo actually didn’t serve sweet lemon tea at first but he kindly added it when little little Lory told Mr. Ryuzo that her favorite drink was sweet lemon tea.
Lory never understood why Ryuzo took the words of a little kid like her seriously. Maybe he just being kind.
She poured hot lemon tea into a paper cup, then returned to her seat and watched Mr. Ryuzo grill the Taiyaki with the sa motion on the sa pan, even though it couldn’t possibly be the sa pan.
Lory took a sip and instantly the warmth of the tea made her cheeks flush. Not long after, Mr. Ryuzo ca with freshly baked Taiyaki on a small plate.
’It slls the sa’ Suddenly a feeling of nostalgia hit her like a tide as soon as he took a first bite.
’Lory hit there - there - over there!’
’Shut up Luc, help if you want to help!’
’Fine, Clift, I need more coins!’
’Fargy has our coins, where is he?’
’Over there, using our coins to get a girl, Fred do sothing!’
’No, I rather have green tea at Ryuzo’
The six of them usually hung out at this stall after playing at the arcade, sadly they visited the place less and less as they got older and had more responsibilities, but the fond mories remained.
"Do you like it?" Mr. Ryuzo put his hands on his waist and asked in a loud voice.
Lory nodded with a bright smile after swallowing the first bite, She asked, "Do many people like strawberry filling?" As far as she could rember, not many people liked the fruity flavor of this type of cake.
Mr. Ryuzo raised his eyebrows, after that he looked left and right then leaned forward and whispered, "It’s a secret but... this is Princess Lorient’s favorite."
Lory almost choked, she always hid her identity while walking around the city, so how did Mr. Ryuzo know? "How did you know... I an, who told you that?" Lory took a big gulp to ease her coughs.
Mr. Ryuzo raised his head and laughed out loud, "So you believe it huh?"
Lory pursed her lips in disappointnt. "So you lied, Mr. Ryuzo."
Ryuzo grinned mischievously, "Of course not~!"
Lory tilted her head in confusion. Ryuzo then said, "My father used to work as a gardener at Cestine Palace so I had the honor of being able to visit Cestine Palace several tis, even if it was only as far as the garden."
Lory was surprised because she didn’t expect Ryuzo to visit Cestine Palace for so long. Lory’s surprised face made a proud smile appear on the old man’s face. "Well... and I was also given a great opportunity to interact with the previous King and the late King Marcus when he was a child, A gentle and kindhearted child. Even to commoners like and my father, he treated us with nothing but respect and generosity, and when my father was sick, he personally provided us with free treatnt and paid my school fees untill university, they also gave us a a big pension so we could live quite well even when my father could not work anymore..." his eyes sparkled as he recalled the past.
"Well, it’s a good thing it all ended well for you, sir" Lory was happy to hear the story about his father.
"Yes, I was fortunate to have interacted closely with the Lucient family, you know they are unlike anyone else in the world, you may not believe it but I once held a prestigious position in a big company, therefore, I had the chance to et a lot of influential man and woman in the world but did you know, there is no one I t carry so much wisdom and dignity like the Lucient family. The more I spend my ti with those kinds of people the more disgusted I beco, I can’t take it anymore so I quit my job and choose to open a small stall instead..."
"That...extre" Lory never thought Ryuzo had that kind of history.
Ryuzo rubbed his bald head and chuckled, "Maybe, but I don’t care, I feel more alive than ever then my decision turned out to be the best decision I made because I t the people I missed so much"
Lory looked at him with anticipation and the grin on Ryuzo’s face grew wider, "Princess Lorient and Prince Lucas visit my stall, I guessed the boys following them were supposed to be the Archknight"
"How did you know?" Lory frowned.
Ryuzo pointed to his lips "The smile and those eyes, also the aura surrounding them, that’s not sothing that can be hidden even with the most advanced spell or high-grade potion, I knew right away"
Lory thought he might be soone like Lilly that sensitive to aura, that’s why he could recognize them. Ryuzo looked at Lory and then smiled warmly "I recognize them the mont they enter my stall...that being said, that’s how I knew who you are..." he looked at Lory aningfully.
Lory’s movents stopped "You knew?"
Mr. Ryuzo shook his head. "I don’t know who you are, but the aura you emit is the sa as the aura of the Lucient family, either you are a long-lost descendant of Lucient or... you are soone that we have been missing for so long."
"Could you be mistaken, sir?" Lory teased.
Ryuzo lowered his gaze for a mont and then looked back up at Lory. "Even if I beco senile, I would never mistake the Lucient family." He then placed a fresh strawberry Taiyaki in front of Lory.
"This one is on , welco ho" his smile deepened.
The rim of her eyes turn slightly red then a deep comprehending smile spreads across Lory’s face, "Thank you, it’s good to be ho"
Reviews
All reviews (0)