Chapter 325

Chapter 325: Princess Evelyn

By the lakeside fortress, in a chamber within a tall tower.

The noon sun had heated up one side of the rocky wall. Inside the plain exterior walls, this was a room decorated with elegance.

The snow-white ceiling bore golden ivy patterns, the floor was made of finely polished marble, and the walls were adorned with vivid oil paintings. The furnishings were also exquisitely crafted.

A young lady with emerald green hair sat at a desk, reading some letters, then wrote something on special paper, seemingly a reply to someone. She had a pair of golden eyes like topaz, giving off a peculiar feeling of being both gentle and resolute. Her clothes were mainly white, with golden leaf decorations at the collar and cuffs, making her look both luxurious and elegant.

Although her beauty did not match Florasia’s breathtaking allure, she possessed her own unique charm.

As the sun approached noon, a rhythmic knocking sound echoed at the door, not too loud, as if afraid of disturbing whoever was inside.

“Come in,” replied the young lady with emerald hair.

With a slight creak, a girl wearing a crimson dress entered. Seeing the white apron tied around her waist and chest might make someone mistake her for a maid. However, her golden locks and her exquisite and proud face clearly indicated that she was a young lady; assigning her as a maid would probably cause many to worry about losing their dignity.

“Her Highness, the lunch is ready,” the girl in the red dress said respectfully as she approached.

“Alright, I know,” replied Princess Evelyn without looking up. Only after writing several letters did she slowly put down the copper pen.

“Deliver these letters to those lords. In the future, do not send their letters to me. Instead, hand them directly to Viscount Atley, who is close to my father. He will naturally understand what I mean.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the girl in the red dress took the letters with both hands, holding them against her chest, and followed Princess Evelyn out of the large study and down to a separate dining hall for lunch.

The walnut table was already covered with a white tablecloth, and if observed closely, one could see that the edges were embroidered with rose patterns with gold threads. Roses often symbolized royalty.

Seeing the two enter the dining hall, the two maids waiting beside the table stepped forward and lifted the covers off the dishes, revealing steaming hot lunches. Clearly, this set of tableware had some kind of preservation function due to alchemy. After arranging all the utensils and drinks, the two formally dressed maids in black and white uniforms left the room and stood outside on standby.

After sitting down, Princess Evelyn first sipped a bit of blue juice before starting her meal.

“How did you feel about the girl you observed yesterday?”

Evelyn, standing beside her, heard the princess ask and began to recount the details of yesterday. She talked about the girl named Lolan, describing her appearance and strength, as well as mentioning the matter regarding Jielanen.

“I didn’t expect Jielanen to show interest so early. Among those in school, I seem to be the last to know.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, it’s my fault,” Elin lowered her head, feeling uneasy. As Princess Evelyn’s confidante and responsible for intelligence, she felt she hadn’t done enough.

“It’s nothing. From now on, pay more attention to what’s happening at school and don’t always focus on domestic affairs,” Princess Evelyn said. Then she asked about the specific situation at the time.

“Did Ronald really say all of that?”

Elin nodded. “Yes, he not only shared the results of his investigation into Miss Lolan but also mentioned that Prince Edren has someone else in mind and won’t pursue this young lady.”

Princess Evelyn ate her lunch slowly, listening to Elin’s account before making an evaluation.

“It seems my cousin is trying to curry favor with me, telling me his plans and ambitions to put me at ease and prevent me from suspecting his actions.”

“But, Your Highness, could this be a deliberate misdirection by Prince Edren to hide his true intentions?” Elin was skeptical of what Ronald had said.

“Perhaps, but I don’t think Edren would lie about such matters,” Princess Evelyn finished her lunch, put down her utensils, and took the half-wet towel Elin handed her, wiping her hands before standing up to leave.

“Even though Edren spoke through Ronald, it was just to win favor and try to draw you in.”

“As for Miss Lolan, if we pay attention, we’ll eventually learn about her. And even if everyone knows about his marriage plans, what can we do?”

“Father’s generation is getting old and has no desire for further conflict. They are quite nostalgic. If he really wants to marry into a high noble family, Father, considering the faces of several uncles, probably wouldn’t stop him. Loud opposition would only make us look bad.”

Princess Evelyn analyzed each point, sharing her views. As a princess who grew up freely in the royal family, she was well aware of the intrigues among nobles, unlike her twin sister, who remained oblivious. This also demonstrated her wisdom and power.

Elin’s father was a powerful earl, serving as the commander of the Black Thorn Legion guarding the imperial capital and being the emperor’s childhood friend. His two direct descendants, his eldest son following the second prince, and his younger daughter Elin, were by her side. This provided a double safeguard—whichever one survived the transition of power could ensure the continuation of the family.

This earl had carefully planned everything. The second prince was currently the most favored candidate for succession, and Princesses Evelyn and Tesselin had the best relationships among the younger generation of the royal family. Since they weren’t next in line for the throne, they got along well.

“Let’s leave it at that. Find a time to meet Miss Florasia. According to news from the imperial capital, Lord Landsworth seems to have softened his stance against the royal family’s proposal. Perhaps she might become the White Queen of the empire. Now that we’re all at Fortress Academy, it would be a waste not to take advantage of this opportunity.”

“Understood, Your Highness. What about Miss Lolan?” Elin cautiously asked as she followed behind.

“Miss Lolan… let’s wait for now. After hearing your report, I feel she isn’t someone easily won over. Even sages protect talents like her. If we truly want to show our goodwill, we might have to take matters into our own hands.”

“But my nature, I know, sometimes makes me think too much and consider too many things. It’s hard for me to open up to strangers. Wearing a mask might make people think I’m insincere and neglectful.”

“If only Tesselin were here. My sister may be naive at times, but she’s very likable. I can’t compare.”

Princess Evelyn gazed out the window at the forest mountains and the azure lake below, sighing deeply.

(The chapter ends)