Chapter 23 - Meeting the Queen and Princess

[There it is!] (Iris)

After a couple of days, the trio finally reached the Capital City of the Escalandria Kingdom.

[This is so good! We didn't even need to spend or use anything during our trip! Those bandits were always so generous to us!] (Ace)

[You shouldn't really talk about the guys who were constantly trying to pillage us like they're our benefactors, Ace...] (Zero)

Reaching the gates...

[Adventurers? Guild Cards please.] (Guard)

[Here.] (Zero)

The guards weren't rude, but they weren't too friendly either.

They were acting seriously and vigilantly regardless of who they were dealing with.

But it's good thing that what they had were fake identities.

Otherwise, the guards' stern expression would crumple in an instant.

Upon entering, Ace and Iris' mouths gaped open.

Zero had seen the entire city many times, but it was his first time seeing it in real life.

Of course, he was pleasantly surprised as well.

[Amazing. I know this city like the palm of my hands, but I still can't help getting excited seeing it personally for the first time.] (Zero)

[Let's hurry and meet the queen and princess!] (Iris)

Iris was really excited to meet them for some reason, but thinking about it, it was only natural.

They 'are' the queen and princess of Zephyrine, after all.

[Okay. As usual, we'll immediately go there after I do some trading.] (Zero)

One trading session later, or rather; one scamming session later, they headed towards the rural areas of the city.

The Escalandria Capital City was divided into four regions.

The outer region was the busiest and most crowded region having most markets and residential buildings.

The middle region had some industrial establishments meant for richer people with rural residences all over the place.

The environment was clean too.

The inner region was the place for nobles and aristocrats.

It's small size is completely overshadowed with how grand the mansions and villas are.

Lastly, the core region, which houses the Escalandria Kingdom's Royal Palace, and other properties of the Royal Family.

The three are currently in the middle region.

[Queen Hildegard and Princess Saffrina... I can't believe I'm meeting them today...] (Iris)

Iris was pretty intoxicated with idea of meeting two royalties at once.

[I'm excited too. I hope they're doing fine. They must be lonely too, being away from the king and their homeland.] (Ace)

[Don't worry. Their doing really well.] (Zero)

[Oh right, you should already know...] (Ace)

Not long after that, they arrived in front of a pretty normal house near the north-eastern part of the middle region.

*Knock Knock*

Zero knocked on the door with Iris hiding sheepishly behind him.

Ace, on the other hand, was tending to the horse.

The door slightly opened, and a girl around Karmen's age emerged.

Her hair was blonde and wavy.

She was wearing casual garments but the aura inevitably let out an elegant feeling.

Her face was very beautiful, befitting that of a royal princess that has been cared and nurtured to the fullest.

With her beauty alone, she could pretty much make even kings kneel before her.

[Good day... What can I do to help you, humble... Adventurers...?] (Saffrina)

Zero looked at Iris, then she nodded with a serious expression.

Having the strongest Sensory abilities, she scanned the whole area for any suspicious individuals and fortunately found no one.

Receiving her confirmation, Zero walked up slightly.

Princess Saffrina jerked lightly but her expression was unchanging.

She was surprised by Zero's sudden action, but felt no hostility thus removing any feeling of fear.

[We were sent by His Majesty, Tyreon-sama, to check on Her Highness and Her Majesty, the queen.] (Zero)

Princess Saffrina's expression changed as her eyes trembled greatly.

[Please, come in.] (Saffrina)

[Thank you for your hospitality.] (Zero)

After asking for permission, Ace took the carriage and horse to the stables.

Inside the house, everything was ordinary.

In the living room, a very beautiful woman was drinking tea in a very dignified manner.

She was the Queen Hildegard Mayne Zephyrine, King Tyreon's first and only wife.

The queen and the princess looked very much alike.

[My husband have troubled such youths. As his wife, I am ashamed.] (Hildegard)

She bowed slightly upon greeting them.

[Please, Your Majesty. It is our duty as Zephyrine's Heroes to heed King Tyreon's orders. I won't dally any more. I'm sure the both of you are really worried about his Majesty, so I will narrate everything that has happened in the kingdom thus far.] (Zero)

When Zero proceeded to tell them everything, their expressions changed many times.

Fear, terror... relief and happiness.

[Such a thing... actually happened...] (Hildegard)

[I'm so glad... I'm so glad that father is fine... Thank you... Thank you, all three of you...] (Saffrina)

[It's alright, Saffrina-hime. This is our duty, after all.] (Zero)

[I am the leader of the Party, but we're moving according to Zero's judgement. He is, after all, an other-worlder who has seen the future. Your Majesty, Your Highness, us telling you means that we, especially Zero, are giving you absolute trust. The fewer who knows, the better.] (Ace)

[Yes. We won't tell anyone, even Elton.] (Hildegard)

[Then, we will be heading towards the Costolfa continent now.] (Zero)

[Eh? Why don't you three stay for a night?] (Hildegard)

[But-] (Zero)

[Really?!] (Iris)

Iris, who was silently admiring the two women finally exclaimed.

[That's a good idea. I, for one, want to get to know the greatest benefactors of our kingdom.] (Saffrina)

Iris' eyes lit up.

She was clearly happy to be this close in contact with the queen and princess.

[This is fine, isn't it? Staying for one night won't hurt. We'll be able to safeguard the place even more.] (Ace)

[I'll leave you three youngsters for now. I'll prepare your rooms and lunch. Saffy, accompany them.] (Hildegard)

[Yes, mother.] (Saffrina)

The three immediately went stiff.

The Royal Queen was actually preparing their food and bedding?!

If any citizen were to hear this, they would flip out in shock and envy!

After the queen left, only the four of them were sitting comfortably in the living room.

[There's no need to be formal. I want to be friends with the three of you, especially you, Kinsley-san. I feel like we'll be really good friends.] (Saffrina)

[T-T-That's impossible, Saffrina-hime! S-Such a thing...] (Iris)

Iris' immediately blushed hearing what the princess said.

[Am I not worthy to be your friend?] (Saffrina)

Saffrina asked with a meaningful smile.

[Ah-! That's not what I meant! I'm the one who's not w-w-worthy! N-Not in a million years!] (Iris)

[Iris, just accept Her Highness' kindness. I, for one, am okay with being her friend.] (Ace)

[Uuu~] (Iris)

Iris lowered her head in embarrassment.

[Then, I'll be calling Her Highness; "Saffy-hime". You guys call her that, too. In return, Saffy-hime can address us using our first names.] (Zero)

[Zero-?!] (Ace/Iris)

The two were so shocked that they looked at Zero with their mouths making the "O" shape.

[Please do. That way, I can feel a little closer to you guys. Thank you for voicing your thoughts Zero. That is what I wished for, but I was too shy to suggest it.] (Saffrina)

The princess' response shocked them even more!

[While we are indeed the Heroes that rescued the kingdom, aren't you trusting us too much...?] (Iris)

[Hahaha... Well, believe it or not, I have very few friends. I care not for status, but the other party is. They'd be afraid with being in contact with me just because I'm the princess. But the three of you are Adamantium-Ranked Heroes so we can become friends without our status becoming hindrances to our familiarity.] (Saffrina)

[Oh...] (Ace/Iris)

[And besides, in Zero's case... He might know me even better than my own parents...] (Saffrina)

[...] (Zero)

Princess Saffrina smiled gently.

She was right.

Zero knows most, if not all, of her secrets.

He was nigh-omniscient, after all.

[Eherm... Her highness, you must know who Chujo Thonor and Genji Armand are right?] (Zero)

Zero suddenly changed the topic.

She glanced at Zero whilst replying.

[Yes. Genji is an Escalandrian royalty and the Escalandria Kingdom's crown prince. As for Chujo, he's a son of the Thonor Noble family in the kingdom. I'm guessing that you know them too?] (Saffrina)

[Well, we met them once in Ilram.] (Zero)

[Do you wanna hear a story about the two of them?] (Saffrina)

[Sure. We'd love to. Zero and I still admire the two of them even if we're already in the same rank as them.] (Ace)

[Well, years ago, we were all studying in the same academy here in Escalandria. The rivalry of the two go way back and at that time, Chujo was really envious of Genji's name. His father, King Fharanor, once met the emperor of the Unified Eastern Empire when he was just a knight-in-training. The emperor said that if his firstborn is a male, he must name him Genji to solidify the kingdom's foundation in the future.] (Saffrina)

[Such a thing actually happened...] (Iris)

[That's really cool... The emperor of the Eastern Empire...] (Ace)

[And so King Fharanor did. Everyone admired his name because he was more promising than what even his royal father expected him to be. At that time, the Thonor family's will was to serve the Royal family with utmost loyalty. Of course, Chujo inherited this will thus declaring that he shall be called Chujo from then on.] (Saffrina)

(AN: Genji = Foundation; Chujo = Loyalty)

[He doesn't like to lose, does he?] (Zero)

[You're not one to talk, dummy.] (Iris)

[It's one thing that he's a son of a Noble family, but his achievements from then on was comparable to that of Genji, that's why his wish was fulfilled in being known more as Chujo Thonor rather than Gerald Thonor.] (Saffrina)

[That's really amazing...] (Iris)

[Now that I recall, they were both looking for you, Saffy-hime.] (Ace)

[Were they now?] (Saffrina)

[So they were love rivals as well...] (Iris)

[Sigh... I am extremely flattered by their feelings since long ago, but I can only love one man... and I think my feelings for him will never change or waver...] (Saffrina)

[I... I think... I think I can understand what Saffy-hime is saying...] (Iris)

[See? I knew Iris and I will get along.] (Saffrina)

[Is it inappropriate to ask who the lucky guy is?] (Zero)

At this point, Zero was confused.

A romantic subplot regarding Princess Saffrina was never explored in the original series.

[It's pretty melancholic, for me at least.] (Saffrina)

Her eyes became misty as she recalled the events of the past.

[Amidst the two's rivalry, there was another boy that was friends with them. He was quite indifferent with whatever they were busy with and I can tell that he wasn't a hundred percent serious with school too. But at that time, his talents outshone Genji's and Chujo's that it even put the old records of talented geniuses to shame.] (Saffrina)

Princess Saffrina's voice was filled with pride and yearning.

[Is he famous now?] (Ace)

[Not really... His overwhelming talent... He hid it... Only me, and my other friend knew of it.] (Saffrina)

[There were many royalties from different kingdoms that attended the same academy as us. A lot of them admired Genji, Chujo or the other princes due to their appearance, talent and character.] (Saffrina)

[While my friend knew how ridiculously talented he was, she did her own thing regardless. But I admired him. I admired him so much. We only knew of his incredible talent because he saved us from mortal danger... I was really grateful so I tried get closer to him, but he said that it wouldn't happen because I was a princess while he was just a normal person who got lucky enough to enter the most prestigious academy in the continent.] (Saffrina)

[I didn't give up. I tried to meet him in secret since then. We did, indeed, get closer, but while my admiration became stronger, transforming into love... he only saw me as a precious friend...] (Saffrina)

[But Saffy-hime, how can you be so sure? You're smart, beautiful and elegant! The two most popular boys from Escalandria were head over heels for you! Even some of the aristocrats from other kingdoms may have seen you as their goal, you know!] (Iris)

[I thought so too... But the way he looks at me... was way different from the way he looked at my friend...] (Saffrina)

[So the one he's in love with was your other friend?! How did it turn into that?] (Ace)

[To be honest I don't really know. But if I were to make a guess, he felt a lot more comfortable and open around her than with me. I never felt so distant from him since he treated me like a normal girl... up until that point.] (Saffrina)

[So... did you confess? Did he confess? Is your friend still your friend?] (Iris)

Princess Saffrina chuckled.

[My friend and I are still very close even until today. She also knew of my feelings for him. I tried my best to keep it and succeeded evading the eyes of everyone else... except her. She supported me since she thought we would be a great couple. She treated him like how she treated me, a very precious friend... But I don't know what would happen if she gets to know of his feelings for her.] (Saffrina)

[If you're curious about the rest, I'll wrap it up simply. We all graduated as friends. I don't know where he went after graduating, but I'm sure he's still alive. I didn't have enough courage to confess to him, but he didn't have enough courage to confess to my friend either. I really hope... that I can meet him again though... Although he wasn't serious in the academy, his goal in pursuing strength was real. I'm not exaggerating if I say that he might as well be stronger than Zornelius Macedonia himself.] (Saffrina)

After those words left Princess Saffrina's mouth, the three were so shocked that their jaws almost fell off their faces.

Even Zero.

[Just... Just who is this guy?!] (Ace)

[I believe Saffy-hime's judgement... that's why this is really really surprising... Such a guy didn't exist even in my vision.] (Zero)

[Really? That's quite mysterious... Did he perhaps stop pursuing strength... or...?] (Saffrina)

At that moment, the princess said something that blew their minds into bits.

[Well, you should know my friend. She's Karmen Dixey, uncle Varys' daughter. While the name of the man I'm in love with is Yanzo Eldeev. Do you really not know him, Zero?] (Saffrina)

[NAAANIIIIIIIIII?!?!?!] (Ace/Zero/Iris)

When Zero narrated the past events to Queen Hildegard and Princess Saffrina, he never once mentioned Karmen or Yanzo.

As for the current three of them...

[Yanzo-san?! Yanzo-san, the substitute Guild receptionist?!] (Iris)

[Yanzo-san was actually that powerful and talented?!] (Ace)

[That creepy voyeur with stalking tendencies?! That unreliable and forgetful jerk who knows nothing but make fun of me?!] (Zero)

[Your... unusually surprised reactions tell me that you know... him...] (Saffrina)

[We don't only know him, he has also received our triple-combo-attack!] (Zero)

[Triple... combo attack...?] (Saffrina)

[That's not important! S-Saffy-hime, is Yanzo-san actually stronger than the strongest Hero?!] (Ace)

[Y-Y-Yanzo-san is actually the greatest love rival of Chujo-san and Genji-san...] (Iris)

They were in utter disarray.