Chapter 256

Chapter Forty-Three Attending the Dinner?

I felt extremely puzzled.

Looking up at the magnificent carriage that stood out like a crane among chickens, drawing everyone’s attention, my head instinctively tilted to one side, and my delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.

What is Victoria trying to do…

Of course, I immediately recognized this unicorn-drawn carriage, which was often parked in front of Number 2 Londale Street. I was just a bit puzzled as to why it would appear at the entrance of the Royal College at this time.

Why park in front of me?

Too eye-catching…

“Peylo.”

Sophia called my name beside me, and I rarely heard such a hesitant tone from her voice.

“What’s going on?”

“Hey Peylo, is this carriage here to pick you up…”

Even Sarah seemed somewhat hesitant, cautiously nudging me with her elbow, and whispering in my ear. I turned my head and saw her slightly uneasy expression, her face no longer showing the usual carefree demeanor. When she noticed me looking at her, she awkwardly avoided my gaze.

This reaction made me hesitate for a moment.

“I don’t know…”

The unicorn-drawn carriage gradually came to a stop ahead.

“Peylo, do you, do you know the owner of this carriage?”

Sophia’s mouth was slightly open, and her beautiful pupils trembled slightly.

She probably already realized who might be sitting inside the carriage. Her face was filled with disbelief, and her voice was trembling.

I did not respond to her. I just watched as the driver, dressed appropriately and with his hair combed to a shine, came down from the front of the carriage and bowed deeply to me, still lost in thought.

“Miss, the master invites you to enter the carriage.”

“Mmm—”

It really is here to pick me up…

“For what?”

Upon hearing this, the driver bent even lower.

“Please step inside the carriage, the master is waiting inside.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a large hand lifted a corner of the exquisite silk curtain that covered the interior of the carriage.

“Hi~”

A familiar, green head popped out. His eyes lit up when he saw me, baring his teeth in a smile: “He… cough, hurry up!”

“…What are you doing, Reckert.”

“Don’t worry about that, it must be something good, come on, come on~”

Reckert kept waving at me, his mouth wide open with a bright smile. His exaggerated manner was reminiscent of those clumsy guys who try to flirt with little girls on the street.

I rolled my eyes, about to speak, but then Sarah nudged my side again.

“Is it the Sword of Canel… Peylo, he is the Sword of Canel, right?”

She lowered her voice, clearly trying to suppress her excitement. But Reckert was very perceptive; he heard every word Sarah said.

“Hello there, cute little sister~” He greeted Sarah naturally.

Sarah obviously did not expect her words to be overheard, and suddenly became shy, lowering her head with a blush.

“Y-you too…”

“Are you friends?”

“Yes, yes, I am a first-level student at Ceylon Lake, living in the same dormitory as Peylo, Room 1504—”

Bang.

I gave her an exasperated tap on the head.

“Be careful, he might sneak attack you!”

Reckert was unpredictable and could move silently. What if he went to spy on Sarah while she was bathing?

“Uh, Sir Canel, he wouldn’t—”

Sarah scratched her face, smiling rather naively.

“Haha, you little sister understand well. I’m the kind of—”

“Reckert.”

Suddenly, a clear and cold voice like a mountain stream came from inside the carriage.

Reckert’s smile froze.

“Yes.”

He immediately signaled me with his eyes, urging me to get in quickly.

“Peylo, go in quickly.”

Sarah seemed a bit confused for a moment, but Sophia clearly understood. As soon as that voice sounded, her expression changed drastically. She looked anxious, and urged me with great urgency.

“Don’t keep… him waiting…”

I glanced at her and nodded.

“Well, I’ll go first.”

“Um…”

There were many people coming and going at the college entrance. Students from all grades were focusing their gazes here, making the crowd denser and denser.

The sound gradually grew more and more irritating by my ear.

I didn’t want to be treated like a monkey under observation…

I quickly stepped into the carriage and sat down steadily. The oryx cart started moving slowly.

I lifted a corner of the curtain and watched Sarah and Sophia standing in the rain. We looked at each other for a moment before I waved at them with a smile.

After the oryx cart moved forward for a short distance, the view was blocked by the silver-armored guards who were riding oryx beasts and were fully armed.

The guards lined up neatly, ready to protect the carriage from the crowd. From their armor, it was clear that these were all people from the royal city guard.

… Huh?

Had these people always been guarding Victoria before?

Tilting my head and thinking for a while, I realized that I had never gone out with Victoria. Almost every time we met was at either house number 2 or 3, so naturally, I wouldn’t have noticed these details.

“Miss Silvija, how is life at the academy?”

Hearing Ricket’s question, I put down the curtain and turned my head.

“It’s okay.”

Her lively eyes blinked, and her gaze shifted to the cold-faced blonde woman sitting opposite her with her arms crossed in front of her chest, who was dozing off.

“Is there anything fun happening? Like some boy persistently chasing after you?”

“No.”

“Why not… then what do you usually do? Attend classes?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

Asking questions non-stop, it’s so annoying!

Just now, he even wanted to chat up my roommate, what an annoying man…

I no longer wanted to talk to Ricket. Frowning deeply, I stared at Victoria without blinking.

She still had that flawless, delicate face that seemed almost unreal. Her curled eyelashes fluttered on her eyelids, gently trembling with each breath like butterfly wings. Her trailing green leaf dress looked like a quietly blooming firework, yet it couldn’t conceal her charm that could make anyone fall into a deep infatuation.

Creak… creak…

The oryx cart was moving at a decent speed, and the sound of iron hooves echoed outside the carriage.

I kept staring at her for a while, and my eyes began to feel sore. But Victoria remained in her closed-eyed pose, breathing evenly with only a slight rise and fall of her chest. Someone might think she was asleep.

…Coming over so ostentatiously and not saying a word when picking me up?

I wrinkled my nose slightly.

“Your Majesty!”

A clear and pleasant voice with a hint of dissatisfaction came out.

The entire carriage fell into a brief silence.

After a moment, Victoria’s eyelids fluttered a few times, and her golden pupils finally opened slowly.

“You…”

Her delicate eyebrows furrowed lightly as she opened her lips, seemingly casually glancing at me.

“What did you call me?”

Whoosh—

A chilling sensation suddenly shot from my spine to my brain.

My heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and my hair stood on end as if about to explode. I couldn’t help but shiver.

“Vi-Victoria!”

I involuntarily called out her name, but my mind was still in a daze.

What…

What? What happened!?

Just now, why did I suddenly feel something… like the “aura” described in novels…

I knew that this imposing aura was coming from the blonde woman in front of me. Then I noticed that my hands were resting on my knees, my upper body straightened, and I suddenly adopted a very obedient posture.

For a moment, I felt extremely disappointed in myself.

I sneaked a glance at Victoria’s face and saw that she had closed her eyes again, ignoring me.

…What’s going on!

That sudden feeling of fear instantly dissipated, and I became very angry inside.

“Victoria, say something…!”

“What should I say?”

She responded indifferently without opening her eyes.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To a banquet.”

I widened my eyes: “What?”

“The evening banquet venue.”

Evening banquet venue?

What evening banquet venue? Is it the one Sophia mentioned?

…Why go to such a boring place!

I shook my head immediately: “No.”

“I’ll introduce you to some people.”

“I don’t want to meet them.”

I really don’t want to deal with the nobles of the royal city, they’re sure to be troublesome…

“It’s very important.”

“No.”

The atmosphere fell silent again.

Victoria impatiently opened her eyes. The high-and-mighty golden-haired goddess suddenly had a look as if she needed to urinate.

“There will be desserts at the banquet.”