Chapter 531: Intimacy
...
"Is this really alright?"
"What is?"
"Letting Iffi and Youyu go to Border Town with Lian and the others," Ashes embraced Tilly, who was sitting at the table, from behind. "Was it Hedy Morgan who made the request?"
Ever since learning about the existence of the «Sea Route», the Fifth Princess had been spending almost every day holed up in her room, with a pile of books on the table that she could never seem to finish reading – some given to her by Roland, and some dug up from the ruins. Seeing her figure submerged by the books, Ashes always felt a strange sense of heartache.
"Mm," Tilly put down her quill and leaned back casually. "She doesn't want me to monopolize the connection with the secular forces, and I have no reason to refuse her."
"But that person is your brother. What makes her think she can be like you?"
"Because she is also a member of the royal family," Tilly said with a smile, shaking her head. "The higher the status, the weaker the family ties – it's the same in any kingdom. Hedy is well aware of this, which is why she made this decision."
"She intends to compete with you for Prince Roland's support?" Ashes frowned.
"Of course, not that quickly. This time, I think she's just going to investigate the situation."
"Then you still agreed to her request!" Ashes released her arms, her voice low. "It seems I need to have a good talk with her."
It was precisely Princess Tilly's affability and tolerance that allowed the witches who had suffered from the Church's torment and oppression to develop trust and gather together. However, this did not mean that anyone could take tolerance as weakness or trust as a bottom line to be tested. If anyone wanted to break this, she would never let them get away with it.
Before Ashes could turn around, Tilly grabbed her arm. "Why shouldn't I agree? As I said before, I have no reason to refuse. Sleeping Island is our home, and all witches are free people here. As long as it doesn't endanger everyone's safety, I won't stop them. And..." She exhaled. "Letting them go to the Western Region is not a bad thing."
"Not... a bad thing?" Ashes asked, puzzled.
"Have you ever wondered why Bloodfang was initially no different from other witches, but is now slowly standing out?"
She thought for a moment. "Because... things have become more stable?"
"That's right," Tilly nodded. "Before, the Church was like a mountain pressing down on everyone's hearts. To survive, everyone had to stick together closely. But now the churches in the Fjords have been eradicated, and Sleeping Island has a more relaxed environment. People's hearts will naturally start to waver, which is a normal phenomenon. We are different from the Mutual Aid Society; we are a composite of many witch organizations, so simple suppression won't work. If we want everyone to continue to cooperate as they did in the beginning, we need a powerful enemy."
Ashes frowned. "Are you referring to... the devils?"
"The enemies deep in the Fertile Plains, the Federation's disastrous defeat, the upcoming Third Battle of Divine Will... it's more effective for them to understand these things personally than for me to tell them." Tilly smiled. "And in Border Town, they can see far more than just these—"
The Fifth Princess stood up, walked to the door connecting the room to the back garden, and pushed it open. "They will see that non-combat witches can also play an irreplaceable role, that ordinary people have abilities comparable to witches, and that amazing effects are produced when everyone unites. Just like this door... when opened, it will usher in a wider world."
"..." Ashes quietly watched the woman bathed in sunlight, unable to say a word. Her gray hair refracted a dazzling luster, fluttering in the sea breeze. Even her back was indescribably beautiful. Time seemed to freeze here, in this small room, leaving only her and herself.
After a long while, Tilly turned around with a sly smile. "And I have special reasons for choosing Iffi and Youyu. Roland should understand my intentions."
*******************
Anna nudged Roland beside her.
"It's time to get up."
"Just a little longer," Roland turned and embraced her, inhaling the fragrance from her hair.
After returning to Neverwinter City from the royal capital, he had spent the entire night clinging to Anna. The brief separation made the reunion particularly passionate, resulting in both of them being unable to get up the next morning... Anna had unprecedentedly missed her magic practice that day. It wasn't that she didn't want to go, but Roland wouldn't let her leave.
Of course, Anna did not refuse his demands.
From noon to evening, the air was filled with an intimate atmosphere. They rested by sitting on the edge of the bed, chatting about what had happened in both places over the past few days. Even lunch was brought into the room by a maid. Of course, at this time, Anna would shrink into the blanket, and looking down, one could see a pair of sapphire-like eyes shining on his chest.
Stroking her smooth back, Anna couldn't help but let out a cat-like moan. Although she was no longer the thin and weak girl in the prison after a year of growth, she could still fit perfectly in his arms when curled up. Kissing her earlobe from behind, seeing her cheeks slowly turn red and her eyelashes trembling slightly, was simply adorable.
After a while, she pushed Roland away again.
"Wendy and the others should be back soon. New witches are coming this time, and you still need to wash up," Anna turned around, facing him closely and said seriously.
"Mm," Roland responded softly. He knew he couldn't delay any longer. After kissing her lips, he rolled out of bed, helped Anna put on her clothes first, and then put on his coat.
The basin of water on the table had already cooled, but this was not difficult for Anna. A wisp of black fire jumped into the water, and in the blink of an eye, steam rose. After they washed up, Roland first sent her back to the bedroom and then returned to his office on the third floor – at least he could pretend to be working seriously before the witches he was picking up returned.
A quarter of an hour later, Lightning and Maggie burst into the room from the open French windows.
"Your Majesty, they have arrived."
...
"I didn't expect that in just one month, you would have already become the King of Graycastle," Hefeng was the first to enter the castle hall. Behind her were four witches, including the familiar Lian and Honey. The other two were seeing him for the first time. "If Wendy hadn't told me, I wouldn't have believed it... If Tilly knew, she would be very surprised."
Roland greeted them with a smile. "I didn't hold a coronation ceremony, so it's okay to call me by my old name."
"But you are already the well-deserved king," Hefeng bowed.
Lian and Honey also followed suit, giving an exaggerated bow, while the other two simply placed their hands on their chests. The expressions of the four were also completely different, one side filled with the joy of reunion, while the other side had a cautious look.
Roland couldn't help but be a little surprised.
However, he would not reveal his doubts at this time. He made a gesture to invite them in and smiled. "In any case, you've worked hard along the way. First, enjoy tonight's feast – don't be polite, this is also your home."