Patunasankus pretended to open her eyes, removing the blanket covering her, sitting up to look around. Not far away, at the edge of the oak table, Loranhir rubbed her drowsy eyes.
"You've been asleep for quite a while."
"Where are we now?"
Patunasankus looked at the calm, beautiful lake outside the window. Everything was quiet; the lake water rotated peacefully, fish chirping at the bottom.
In the distance, the mist softened the jagged silhouette of the city, making it look somewhat like a distorted, irregular castle.
"By Lake Berlin. Silver City is just ahead."
Loranhir noticed Patunasankus's beautiful golden hair had become a mess, like a porcupine, and shook her head slightly.
She forcibly pulled the confused Patunasankus closer and, without explanation, began combing her dandelion-colored long hair, as if only such an action could ease her own nervousness.
"After we enter the city, there will be many troublesome matters," Loranhir clearly recalled the countless flatteries and tedious banquets since she became a hero. "Soon the Duchess will certainly come to pay respects to you, Princess. It won't do to ignore her."
As she spoke, she deliberately examined Patunasankus with a professional, judge-scoring attitude.
Loranhir had seen noble ladies at aristocratic evening parties before, but among all the people she had seen, few could be described as 'flawless.' 'Flawless' isn't actually a good term—living things all have flaws. A truly perfect face would probably only appear under a sculptor's chisel.
But whenever she looked at the princess's face, she couldn't help feeling as if a sculpture had opened its eyes and come to life.
"No matter which country or city you go to, as long as you appear in public, Princess, countless talented young men would go crazy for you," Loranhir said softly.
The evil dragon developed claustrophobia just imagining dense crowds gathering in one place, and her throat itched, wanting to breathe fire.
So Patunasankus elbowed Loranhir, making a somewhat troubled whimper, "Mmm... I don't want that."
"If you don't want that, we'll need to disguise you a bit," Loranhir chuckled, fetching a hood and placing it on Patunasankus without asking. "This should solve the problem."
"Ladies, we have arrived," came the voice of the butler Craig from the front. After some negotiation with the personnel ahead, the gate guards cleared the way, allowing the large entourage to enter the city.
Patunasankus lifted the curtain to look outside.
Vendors selling vegetables, fruits, and cooked food shouted loudly, calling to hurried passersby. Occasionally someone would stop to haggle, but most people just hurried past. Several clergy stood on a platform making announcements, while in the distance, newsboys competed to shout the most out-of-context news headlines.
"Come, come, sweet and fragrant melons! Eh?! How dare you slice my melon?"
"Look here, look here! Breaking news: Duchess offers huge reward for daughter! Goblins surge forth! The Church of the Eternal Flame announces mobilization to hunt the ferocious beast!"
"Fresh vegetables just harvested from farms outside the city, clean and hygienic, my friends!"
"..."
Patunasankus curiously gazed around, smelling the alternating stench and fragrance in the air. This was the first time the evil dragon had entered a human settlement without burning, killing, and plundering.
She noticed a wandering accordion player on the street. His music was sometimes melodious, sometimes passionate. Around him gathered many shabbily dressed, skinny children. They moved with the rhythm, dancing freely, with the incomparable vitality of new life.
Nearby, a mustached man with an upturned nose passed by, dressed luxuriously with a ruddy complexion. He bypassed the raggedly clothed children, his expression disdainful. He only smiled obsequiously when he saw a clergyman, bowing and reaching into his pocket.
This atmosphere was completely different from the simplicity of the frontier village.
Before Patunasankus could see clearly what the man had taken out, Loranhir had already pulled the curtain closed for her.
"What's wrong?" Patunasankus asked.
"Nothing," Loranhir shook her head. "I just don't like the atmosphere here."
"?" The evil dragon tilted her head, her golden ahoge trembling slightly.
As the caravan slowly entered the city, several guards in purple robes hurried to the Duchess's mansion to report the situation.
In Duchess Pascal's mansion, white banners hung in the hall, printed with purple patterns of grapes and flowers, representing the Pascal family.
A richly dressed woman was sitting at a desk writing letters when there came a knock at the door.
"Enter."
"Lady Duchess, Craig and his party, who set out just yesterday, have returned."
"Wasn't he supposed to go to the royal capital to find reliable help? How did he return so quickly?"
The woman continued writing, not paying much attention. She and butler Craig were old acquaintances and naturally trusted each other. This return must mean he had encountered something that couldn't be resolved with gold coins.
"Tell him to replenish supplies and set out again quickly. We must act fast," the woman instructed. "We need to move ahead of those stubborn old fools."
"My lady, they seem to have brought back someone very important this time."
"Who?"
"The Hero."
"The Hero?" Duchess Pascal's pen slipped, creating an ink stain, and she stood up in surprise. "Which hero?"
"The legendary strongest hero, Loranhir," the attendant answered. "Princess Latifa is also accompanying the hero."
"The hero seems to have successfully rescued the princess from the cruel Black Death, Patunasankus."
"Has that hero slain the evil dragon? No adventurer or expedition team has managed to do that in so many years. How did she accomplish it... truly worthy of being the strongest hero, unrivaled in the world. Wait, Princess? Princess Latifa?"
Duchess Pascal paced around the room for a long time, then instructed her attendant.
"Tell the kitchen to prepare a grand banquet for tonight. Also, take more money from the treasury, and summon Advisor Elaphia. I'll need her help later. Especially, don't let those fanatics from the Eternal Flame disturb us."
"Yes, my lady."
The attendant left the room.
Duchess Pascal gazed out the window. The blue sky was incredibly clear, without even a trace of white clouds.
As if she could see the silhouette of that dandelion girl.
She said quietly.
"Counting the years, it's been three years... Princess Latifa, have you finally returned?"