Chapter 50 - Side Story: Seven Years Later

[ Seven years after Marquess Rommel disappeared from the social circle of the Aurora Kingdom's nobility and ruled his territory from behind the scenes. ]In the middle of winter with snow piled thickly in the forest bordering Marquess Rommel territory, a girl stared at the Marquess Rommel's residence which seemed quiet without any signs of life.

The small crown on her head showed her social status that was not an ordinary girl.

Under the slowly falling snow, the girl was greeted by a military noble who gave her a knight's salute by kneeling in front of her.

"Welcome to the Marquess Rommel's territory, Princess Anastasia."

The knight who knelt in respect before her was a noble who had sworn allegiance to become the sword and shield of the Marquess Rommel family.

"Forget this useless respect, is there no sign of Marquess Rommel returning to his territory?" Pursing her lips to withstand the cold air in the silent winter, Princess Anastasia let out lonely and sad eyes as she looked at the empty Marquess Rommel's residence.

"Please forgive me for being so bland, Princess Anastasia. But I am only tasked with guarding the forest bordering Marquess Rommel's territory. If Princess Anastasia wants to find out about Marquess Rommel's whereabouts by interrogating me, there might only be a disappointing answer that comes out of my mouth," with polite conversation and filled with a knightly attitude that maintains a secret, Earl Timoti has determined to keep his mouth shut until death.

"I am not trying to interrogate you, Earl Timoti. As a Royal Princess who witnessed Lily's curse that befell all of your bloodline descendants, I know that the curse given by Lily will remain attached as long as Earl Timoti's family still sets foot in this world," Princess Anastasia's wisdom was reflected in her intelligence that knew the effects of Lily's curse that could not be broken with basic logic.

Princess Anastasia noticed the butterfly wing mark carved on Earl Timoti's face, a sign of the curse cast by Lily still clearly attached to Earl Timoti's bloodline descendants.

Several years earlier, Princess Anastasia tried to find traces of Marquess Rommel's whereabouts that led to the Bizan Empire. But it was just a decoy that Marquess Rommel had prepared.

Princess Anastasia tried a more relaxed approach to find traces left by Marquess Rommel, but it still couldn't help her track down Marquess Rommel who disappeared like a ghost.

For several years, Princess Anastasia was consumed by severe stress because she couldn't meet one of the girls who would be her main goal to change the Aurora Kingdom to be better than before. The curse given by Lily created a stage for the noble faction that was able to become neutral and independently.

The pioneers of the neutral faction who were not tied to the shift in power from the heir to the throne made the Aurora Kingdom's tax revenue stable and the economy did not experience changes in currency values ​​that had caused a commotion problem after the person in charge of the kingdom's finances admitted all the proceeds of his corruption money that had been carried out while his family's descendants served as the person in charge of the royal family's finances.

The absolute curse given by Lily made that person unable to lie anymore. Taking advantage of her honest attitude that could no longer commit corruption, Princess Anastasia took advantage of Lily's curse to improve the finances of the Aurora Kingdom which were always marked by inflation every year.

"Thank you for your understanding, Princess Anastasia," while kneeling and bowing respectfully, Earl Timoti waited for further orders given by Princess Anastasia as the holder of power who represented the orders of the King and Queen of the Aurora Kingdom.

"This makes me curious, Earl Timoti. If Marquess Rommel is not in his residence to rule his family's territory and business, why is this city still standing tall without any chaos because the noble who rules his territory is not in place?" asked Princess Anastasia while observing her surroundings.

She saw a Marquess Rommel's territory which borders a forest filled with monsters. It should have been overwhelmed by the natural threat like an uncontrolled monster population because Marquess Rommel was absent from managing his territory like a proper noble.

"I can only say that Marquess Rommel manages his territory cleverly and carefully," replied Earl Timoti while trying to cover his mouth so that secret information from Marquess Rommel would not slip out of his mouth.

"I can see that. A great noble who can command his territory from a distance and take care of the nobles who are his subordinates. That is an extraordinary ingenuity while I search for his traces that are never found," Princess Anastasia admitted the ingenuity of Marquess Rommel who always outwitted her in searching for his traces.

Wuuusshhh...

When the cold air and snow suddenly blew toward her, Princess Anastasia closed her eyes so that her eyes would not be dazzled by the snow that hit her face.

"I didn't expect the cold air to blow hard that it made some snow fall on my face," grumbled Princess Anastasia who began to move her hands to clean her face that was hit by the snow.

"Earl Timoti, what are you doing kneeling like that on the snow?"

The question was heard in Princess Anastasia's ears, her ears twitched violently when she heard the nostalgic voice. By speeding up the movement of her hands to clean the snow that covered her face, Princess Anastasia wanted to immediately see the source of the nostalgic voice.

Plaaappp...

Paaaappp...

When the snow that hit her face had fallen and Princess Anastasia opened her eyes wide, she saw a beautiful girl with light brown skin wearing a thin nightgown that showed off her enchanting body shape.

"Aaa..." Without being able to say a word, Princess Anastasia fell silent after seeing the beauty of a girl she had been looking for a long time.

"Aaaahhh..." words filled with longing missing words were difficult for Princess Anastasia to say, that was because she was so stunned to see the beauty of a girl's body that had grown perfectly. Long hair that looked soft, light brown skin that was so charming, and red eyes that looked like they could give a cold command that would be obeyed by everyone.

In addition, the thin nightgown that showed her sweaty breasts made Princess Anastasia fall silent and have difficulty saying words.

"Lily-sama, have you come to visit us to deliver messages to the nobles under the rule of Marquess Rommel at this late night?" asked Earl Timoti who still maintained his respectful kneeling position.

"Yes, I want to bring the message that Marquess Rommel wants to give. This time, I will say it verbally," Lily said while staring coldly at Earl Timoti who seemed reluctant to look her in the eye.

"We will return," Lily said briefly, clearly, and concisely before the cold air blew again, blurring all vision to her with flying snow surrounding her body.

Wuuusshhh...

Plaaappp...

The snow blown by the strong wind covered Princess Anastasia's face again.

With a quick hand movement, she cleared the snowflakes that hit her face. Sёarᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I-Is that girl Lily Schwartz De Rommel?" Princess Anastasia asked with her heavy, passionate breath.

Like a girl who had just seen her old love who had disappeared and was found again, Princess Anastasia showed a gentle smile after several years of suffering in loneliness after her savior who gave her the Elixir potion disappeared.

"Yes, she is Lily Schwartz De Rommel."

The answer that made Princess Anastasia's heart bloom marked her spring that had returned after her heart was filled with endless winter after all her efforts to track down Marquess Rommel were in vain.

"Marquess Rommel will return?" Princess Anastasia asked further while holding back her overflowing feelings of joy.

"Lily-sama has said they will return. Maybe it will happen soon," answered Earl Timoti who was still kneeling and bowing respectfully.

A thin smile began to appear on Princess Anastasia's face after several years of despair because she was abandoned by the special girl in her life. To enjoy this teenage time filled with love, Princess Anastasia had put in place several policies that supported her long plan to make the Aurora Kingdom reach a golden times in human history.

"I can't wait for her return," Princess Anastasia smiled when the girl who had disappeared from her life had returned to her life.

"Can I stay in your tent for a few days while waiting for my private tent to arrive?" In the darkness of that late night, Princess Anastasia asked Earl Timoti a question that was difficult for him to refuse.

"Do I have any other reason to refuse a Princess who wants to wait for someone to return?" replied Earl Timoti who did not dare to refuse Princess Anastasia's request after seeing her longing for the figure of a girl who was her soon to be lover.

"Thank you, Earl Timoti. I will make sure that your kindness will be repaid in the future timeline. As a Princess who does not forget the person who has fulfilled my sudden personal request."

"Princess Anastasia, rather than repaying my actions for that one. Can I exchange it with something else?" replied Earl Timoti.

"Exchange it with something else? For right now? You know that the help I will give in the future timeline will be much more beneficial to you than the present timeline."

"I need it for now, Princess Anastasia."

"It seems urgent, do you want to exchange it as soon as possible?"

"Yes, Princess Anastasia."

"Can I know what you want as to be soon as possible?"

"I only ask for your permission to allow my daughter to become Lily-sama's sword and shield with the enthronement of the knighthood through your hand, Princess Anastasia."

"Huh? What?"

The cold wind of winter blew again. Princess Anastasia stood frozen as she felt a love rival that she could not refuse.