Arrival of the Sword Saint

The next day.

A man in plain clothes and a woman obscuring her face with a conical bamboo hat finally arrived at the North Blossom Kingdom. Specifically, the castle courtyard. Yun had directly taken the [Rose Sword Saint] inside the courtyard via a secret tunnel that was used exclusively by members of the Dark Moon Guild. Casually seated on a bench in the courtyard was King Ren, dressed in royal blue robes of his own, as if he were relaxing. He seemed to have expected Astraea's arrival this day.

"You've done an excellent job, Nagahara." King Ren smiled as he commended his loyal spy a job well done.

The [Rose Sword Saint] finally removed her conical hat. Even though she was in her mid twenties, and despite her physically strong body, her face remained as youthful as ever, as if she were eternally seventeen. Yun couldn't help but bask in her beauty.

"Sir Yun has told me the details," Astraea said. Yun also had things he wanted to report, but he decided to save it for until the Sword Saint was done with the King. After all, she was a legendary figure. Before her, he considered himself an ant. "I am to be your daughter's swordplay tutor, am I right?"

"That's it."

"You must be very desperate if you've decided to cash in your one and only favour for this matter."

"Esteemed Sword Saint, the future of the <North Star Lily Sword Art> will be jeopardized if Hokuto does not manage to master this before her coming of age ceremony."

"I understand. Hokuto is the name of your daughter? What an auspicious name. You named your daughter after the Northern Star?"

"It is ironic. She is the apple of my eye, at least, if you don't include my wife, who you know quite well by now. Yet, she seems to fall short of my expectations. I beseech you, esteemed Sword Saint, to give her guidance."

Astraea responded to this with a smirk. "Don't worry, old friend. I will make sure little Hokuto will see the light," Only the [Rose Sword Saint] had the privilege of referring to King Ren as an 'old friend' without being seen as an idiot. "I'm not a stranger to the history of your lineage."

"Then it is settled. Would you like to stay as a guest here at the castle or would you rather stay in your residence at Sunrise Hamlet?" King Ren gave Astraea the freedom to decide where she would stay.

The Sunrise Hamlet, despite its name, was actually a large city that surrounded the castle. When Astraea first was given shelter by King Ren, he offered her a place at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, known as the most lavish residential area, but she surprisingly declined and wanted a simpler, quieter place. Thus, King Ren forcefully made a plot of land for her towards the outskirts of the city.

"You still keep my old plot of land maintained? I did not consider you to be this sentimental," Astraea was shocked. "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Please allow me to stay in my old residence."

"You got it." King Ren bowed respectfully towards the lady bearing the tachi. "I will get my people to prepare your place. Will you be staying over for a while or do you wish to take a stroll in the Hamlet?"

Astraea put her hat back on. "I'd like to explore the Hamlet and try to get some information on today's political climate. I have been in seclusion for five years. Thus, I am sure there's a lot I've missed. Inform your daughter that I will be waiting for her at your castle's dojo tomorrow morning." As soon as she said that, she leaped out of the courtyard and seemingly left the castle on its rooftops.

King Ren sighed. "What a show-woman. Anyway, Nagahara, is there something you would like to report?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yun bowed and approached King Ren in order to tell him about the man from the Abyss Temple which he saw with Astraea.

"Impossible! They should have been eradicated five hundred years ago! We must verify the authenticity of this news. Yun, I assign you to spearhead the reconnaissance operation. Get all Dark Moon Guild operatives to check for all rumours regarding the Abyss Temple or anything relating to them. I refuse to believe they've come back. Surely they must be fanatics of that group of lunatics."

At one of the arched doorways to the courtyard from inside the castle stood a short figure. It was Hokuto, who was hiding from behind a wall and had heard everything. Not only did she hear the conversation between King Ren and Astraea, but she also heard Yun's report.

Hokuto grit her teeth and immediately ran away.