Chapter 1593: Chapter 1593
"Greetings to you, Guardian of Fidektri."
The two monarchs approached each other at nearly the same pace, sizing one another up as they walked. When they were still about ten feet apart, King Salsi II spoke first in the Hamparvo tongue, his words immediately whispered into the Queen's ear by her translator.
King Salsi II was younger than Queen Isabella of Fidektri, and as the junior monarch, it was proper for him to offer the first greeting.
"It is a pleasure to see you, Lion of the North. You look so much like your grandfather."
The silver-haired woman's round face was wreathed in smiles. As she spoke, she began to remove her glove, and King Salsi II did the same. A few seconds later, their hands clasped, and they both turned to face the dense wall of cameras set up along the side of the red carpet.
A storm of flashbulbs erupted, bleaching the entire hall white in an instant. It was a moment that would likely be remembered for centuries.
After the greeting came a brief exchange of pleasantries, but they did not leave immediately. Right there in the reception hall, King Salsi II and Queen Isabella sat together. Before the eyes of the public, the press, and the nobles and officials of both nations, they held a brief conference. Each offered their perspective on the current state of the continent, reaffirmed their respective claims to their shared borders, and fondly recalled the history of amicable relations between their two kingdoms...
In short, it was all exceedingly dull, official business. Jenkins lost interest halfway through. He lifted his gaze to look at the princes and princesses standing behind King Salsi II and happened to catch sight of an excited Dolores, who was standing on her tiptoes to see over the crowd.
The princess immediately caught Jenkins's eye and gave him a playful wink before her older sister nudged her, reminding her to mind her etiquette. Jenkins nodded with a smile in response, already looking forward to reuniting with Dolores and Alexia.
There was only one reason for her to come in person: to project an image of close ties between her kingdom and the north before the delegation from Cheslan arrived. At the same time, it was a display of goodwill and anticipation for the northern king.
No matter how one looked at it, the stance of the Hamparvo Kingdom was crucial in the impending conflict between the kingdoms of Fidektri and Cheslan.
After the brief but exceptionally grand welcoming ceremony, a motorcade carried the entire party back into the city to the sound of the royal orchestra's fanfare. King Salsi II and Queen Isabella shared a carriage, while the members of the two royal families rode separately. Jenkins found himself seated with Miss Windsor and Miss Capet, the carriage shaking and bumping along the road back to the city.
Considering the northern delegation was weary from their long journey, the formal banquet was scheduled for the following evening. So, upon their return to the city, they were simply shown to the hotel where the delegation would be staying, and the day's official affairs came to a temporary close.
Jenkins bid farewell to a tired Miss Windsor and to Miss Capet, who looked as if she had something she wanted to say. Then, brimming with excitement, he rushed off with his cat toward the residence arranged for the northern royalty.
It was a grand royal manor near Coldspring Palace, which had been meticulously cleaned and prepared a week before the delegation's arrival—a fact that proved Her Majesty had been well aware of the scale of the visit.
There were guards at the manor gate, but Jenkins paid them no mind; a small lie was all it took to gain entry. The grounds were patrolled by more guards and escorts, and hurried visitors were already arriving to pay their respects, but Jenkins ignored them as well. The flowerbeds, shrubs, and hedges in the courtyard provided the perfect cover.
As for the people moving about inside the manor, they couldn't see him either, because Jenkins simply scaled the rear wall to the third floor and knocked on the glass of Dolores's window. He could see her aura directly, which made pinpointing the princess's location a simple matter.
Julia helped open the window, and Jenkins leaped deftly into the room. He spread his arms and swept Alexia, who was sitting at her desk, into a tight hug.
"What's all the excitement about? We just saw each other two days ago, you know."
The petite woman's face was lit with a joyful smile. She wore a brown waistcoat with decorative buttons over a white blouse with ruffled sleeves, which gave her an exceptionally sharp and energetic look. She showed no signs of fatigue from her long journey.
"This is different. How long has it been since I last hugged you on Fidektri soil?"
He asked, smiling as he studied his beloved's face.
"You've never hugged my actual body on this soil before," the petite woman replied cheekily. The hugs here had always been projections.
Behind them, Julia had just closed the window and drawn the curtains. When she turned around, she saw her princess and Jenkins's cat sitting on the bed, the expressions on their faces practically identical.
Jenkins was so thrilled and excited by Alexia's and Dolores's arrival that he completely forgot they would surely want to see Hathaway and Briny.
After releasing Alexia from his embrace, he began to excitedly lay out his plans for the next few days. Jenkins intended to give the ladies a proper tour of Bel Diran. Though he wasn't a local himself, he had diligently prepared for the northern ladies' arrival. This was probably the most delightful thing to happen recently.
"We can talk about sightseeing later. There's something more important right now. The steam airship landed a few times on the way here, and we read in the papers that your queen has officially acknowledged your family's connection to the royal line?"
Alexia was as rational as ever.
He then filled them in on the swift changes that had swept through Bel Diran in just a few short days, openly sharing his plans and preparations. Alexia was delighted that Jenkins had made a firm decision, and Dolores and Julia also agreed it was the right choice. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel-fire.net
As for the treasure outside Bel Diran, Dolores offered to dispatch enough people to help with the excavation and agreed that collaborating with a local noble like Miss Windsor was an excellent idea.
"We're not from here, after all. We'd face a great deal of opposition trying to support your efforts directly. But is that Miss Windsor truly trustworthy?" Dolores asked.
"Absolutely," Jenkins declared. "No one can lie to my face."
"Then what is your relationship with her?" Alexia asked next.
Jenkins could swear on Chocolate's name that it was the absolute truth.