Chapter 109 - 11

The banquet for the Piqmentia Grand Academy disciples has ended. Since it was not too late, Merlick allowed them to look around the Dwarven royal capital. They had to be back before midnight. The Dwarven Kingdom had provided accommodation for them in the castle. Their study tour schedule has also been prepared for tomorrow.

Prince Torin and Princess Melkia accompany the students to tour the Dwarven Royal Capital. Even though they were asked to accompany the students, the two of them were more focused on the Princesses and heroes.

Unlike in the human kingdom, the streets of the Dwarven Kingdom's capital were filled with people passing by. Not only dwarves but also other races such as humans, elves, beastmen, and demons. They were all free to enter the Dwarf Kingdom after going through certain procedures.

Because most of the group accompanied by Princess Melkia were Princesses. So they mostly go where the girls like. A clothing store, a magic tool shop in the form of jewelry, and a restaurant. Right now they were in a restaurant with a typical menu from the Dwarven Kingdom. They chatted happily in the restaurant. Princess Melkia who just got to know the Princesses and heroes already thinks of them as friends.

"Princess Rinne, I heard that Piqmentia Grand Academy has 5 amazing Princesses. Why did I only meet 4 people? Didn't the last Princess join this study tour?" Princess Melkia asked curiously. This was actually what she wanted to ask at the previous banquet. But she forgot because she was too happy to chat with her peers.

"She was hanging out with her other friends." Princess Freya answered it first before Princess Rinne. She didn't want Princess Rinne to say what happened during the survival test incident. This will hurt her even more. She already felt guilty about her attitude towards Princess Iris, so she was trying to help her this time.

"Is that so?" Princess Melkia doubted what Princess Freya said.

"You should just tell the truth. She was exiled by the other students for intending to kill them during the survival test in the Alba Mountain range. Even though she was in a state-controlled by someone else." Princess Reina answered honestly. There was anger in her words. She still doesn't accept what Princess Iris did at that time.

"Princess Reina!" Princess Freya tries to stop her.

"What? Isn't what I said the truth? Why do you suddenly want to protect her anyway? Aren't you avoiding her too?" Princess Reina quipped at her and made Princess Freya reminisce about her guilt.

"That..." Princess Freya tried to deny it but she didn't know what to say. Princess Aishia, who usually helps her at this time, is silent. She had been silent and had not spoken since the incident on the balcony earlier.

"Whatever!" Princess Freya finally gave up and did not discuss it further because she thought it would be of no use to her. Not long after, the door of the restaurant opened and 4 people entered.

"Look! There she is with her friends." Princess Reina pointed at Princess Iris and the other three people who had just entered the restaurant.

Princess Melkia looked at the girls who had just entered the restaurant, she raised her eyebrows at them. Not because of their beauty, but because of the floral brooches they wore on their clothes.

Apart from Princess Melkia who realized it, the other people were Princess Rinne and Princess Freya. But Princess Freya realized it for a different reason.

(Eh? Isn't the brooch the three of them wore similar to the one the elf wore before?)

Princess Freya had a chance to see the brooch with the Cattleya floral motif that Kalya was wearing when she was chatting with her on the balcony. She thought it was just an ordinary brooch. But after seeing the three of them wearing a floral brooch as well, she knew that it was given by the same person. She knew it from the perfect detail of the carving.

(The four of them got it while I didn't?)

Princess Freya gritted her teeth. She knew the relationship between Ziel, Kalya, and Clara, but the other two girls she hasn't had time to find out further. They both get the same brooch as Kalya and Clara which shows that Lilith and Princess Iris have a certain relationship with Ziel.

(I have to find some time to figure it out. For now, I have to get one from him!)

Princess Freya glanced at Princess Aishia beside her. She still kept silent because she was angry with the previous incident.

Apart from the three Princesses, the other person who saw Princess Iris was one of the heroes, Hikaru Tenshiro.

(I've seen her a few times before, but is she this pretty?)

Hikaru thought while stroking his chin.

"What are you thinking about?" Sintaro asked Hikaru who was silently staring at Princess Iris.

"Ah, nothing. I just thought she looked like a Japanese with black hair like that." Hikaru smiled trying to cover up what he was thinking.

"Ooh, Princess Iris. You come to this restaurant too?" Princess Freya smiled asking her.

"Yes, I want to taste the special food of the Dwarven Kingdom. I didn't see Prince Fritz, where is he?" Princess Iris smiled back. She saw the person she used to be with and Princess Aishia wasn't there. She asked it out of courtesy.

"Hee...are you looking for my brother? He went with Prince Torin and Prince Albert." Princess Freya smirked teasingly.

"I'm just asking and don't mean anything!" Princess Iris immediately sat down at a table not far from them. The other three people followed suit. After they sat down, Clara glanced at Princess Iris.

"Iris, do you like Prince Fritz?" Clara whispered to her and kept her voice from being heard by others.

"I said no! I was just asking her. I'd be mad if you asked that again!" Princess Iris frantically answered and glanced at Ziel.

"Okay, I won't ask again. But isn't this your reaction a bit too much?" Clara asks Lilith for her opinion.

"You're right, maybe she already has someone she likes. So she's like that." Lilith replied jokingly.

"You don't talk recklessly!" Princess Iris was angry for taking Lilith's words seriously.

"Princess Iris, I'm sure Lilith is only joking. Please calm down." Ziel finally spoke up to calm Princess Iris. At that rate, she would be carried away by her anger and raise her voice. They will attract the attention of the people in the restaurant.

"Ah, Uhm... I'm sorry. I got carried away." Princess Iris calmed down after hearing his voice and immediately apologized to Lilith.

"Iris, why are you being so submissive today?" Clara tilted her head, she was confused by Princess Iris' behavior.

"It's just your feeling. We'd better order our food." Princess Iris tried to change the topic of their conversation. When they were about to order food, someone came up to them.

"Princess Iris, right? We may not have met in person. I'm Hikaru Tenshiro, you can call me Hikaru. I'm glad to meet you." Hikaru offers a handshake to Princess Iris.

"I'm Iris Neigal. I'm also glad to meet you." Princess Iris didn't accept his handshake. She just nodded slightly at him. Hikaru smiled wryly at Princess Iris' response.

"Ahaha...Princess Iris, how about you join our table. Wouldn't it be more crowded would be more interesting?" Hikaru kept smiling and wasn't angry with her attitude.

Princess Iris didn't answer right away. She also couldn't directly refuse a hero's invitation. She glanced at Clara and the others asking for their opinion. Clara just nodded and didn't dare to make a sound. Ziel and Lilith also agreed.

"Very well. I will accept your offer, lord hero." Princess Iris and the others moved to the heroes' table. Ziel sat between Princess Iris and Clara. While Lilith sat between Princess Iris and Princess Freya. The other Princesses didn't mind it either. Princess Melkia also only talks to the Princesses and heroes she knows.

After everyone was seated, they immediately ordered their food. Because the longer it takes, the day will be getting late. It wasn't long before their food arrived. Even though they were sitting together, they still only chatted in their circle. Only Hikaru and Sintaro spoke to Princess Iris and Lilith.

"Princess Iris, did you intentionally use the same brooch as your other friend?" Princess Rinne asked her out of curiosity. She knew the brooch was an Artifact. But out of nowhere, such a large number of artifacts had suddenly appeared. Luckily she didn't see when Ziel made it.

"You're right, I bought it with them. Isn't that right, Clara?" Princess Iris glanced at Clara and winked.

"Ah, yes it's true Princess Rinne. We bought it together before." Clara nodded repeatedly.

"Hoo...you should take me next time when you come to that place again." Princess Rinne knew that they were lying. That's why she wanted to know where they got the brooches from. She never thought that the person who made the brooch was a human because he only saw them wearing the brooch after coming to the Dwarf Kingdom. She thought it was a Dwarf who made it.

"Yes, I'd be happy if I have time to take you." Princess Iris smiled and took her eyes off her. After that, there was no more talk about the brooch because Princess Iris always avoided the conversation.

When they finished their food, Princess Freya suddenly mumbled which startled some of the people at the table.

"Haa... Turns out the food here isn't as good as the nikujaga and teriyaki I've eaten before." Princess Freya subconsciously muttered and looked dissatisfied.

"You are right." Princess Iris and Lilith nodded in unison. Suddenly there was the sound of a spoon falling from their table.

Clank...

"What did you say before!?" Kyouka got up from her seat and looked at Princess Freya. Among them all sitting at the table, Kyouka was the only one besides Ziel who overheard their conversation.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Princess Freya didn't understand why she suddenly shouted at her.

"I mean what you mumbled earlier." Kyouka became impatient with Princess Freya's reply.

"Kyouka, what's wrong? Why are you suddenly like that?" Megumi who was sitting next to her was confused by Kyouka's sudden change in attitude.

"Yeah right. What's the matter with you Kyouka?" Sintaro is also worried about Kyouka.

"Didn't you hear? They say nikujaga and teriyaki. You know what this means, don't you?" Kyouka looked at the other heroes.

"Hmm... does that mean?" Hikaru was the first to understand what Kyouka had said.

"You're right. There should be other Japanese besides us in this world." Kyouka said her conclusion which took the other heroes by surprise.

"What!?" Megumi shouted cutely. She who from the beginning couldn't follow the direction of their conversation finally understood.

"So, Freya. How do you know those words?" Kyouka seriously asked Princess Freya. This made everyone at the table tense.

"That..." Princess Freya still didn't know what made the heroes act like that to her. She felt there was nothing wrong with what she said. But before she could ask further, the restaurant door was forcefully opened.

boom...

"Princess Melkia, sorry to interrupt your time but I must report to you immediately!" A soldier spoke apologetically while lowering his head. He looked panicked and in a hurry.

"What happened?" Princess Melkia sensed that something bad had happened.

"Prince Torin, Prince Fritz, and Prince Albert are attacked by unknown creatures. They are currently struggling with him!" The soldier explained what had happened to her.

"What!? Quickly take me there! Show me the way!" Princess Melkia was shocked and immediately stood up from her chair.

"Yes, Princess!" The soldier left the restaurant followed by everyone sitting at the table including Ziel and the others.

They were taken to a big road not far from the restaurant where they had eaten before. Princess Melkia and the others were astonished to see the soldiers and 3 Princes lying on the ground. They saw the figure of a person with red eyes standing in the dark.

"Amalgam...." Princess Melkia muttered in a trembling voice.