Unlike last night, the Capital City was bustling in the morning. People began activities while forgetting about the danger that transpired yesterday, thanks to the announcement made by the knights when dawn arrived.
I walked down the crowded street filled with a festive mood while looking at my radar.
'It seems Duke Blacktomb and Naya have moved from the Royal Castle. Well, it's not in the condition to receive important guests right now, I guess…'
Based on my <Presence Detection>, they had moved into a mansion close to the Royal Castle. As for Cleric and Mafula, they weren't in the Capital City anymore. My girls also returned to the Academy City from Tris' [Love Letter] she sent me last night when I had sex with Sana.
'It's probably best not to stay in this city.'
The situation was still abnormal. There might be some cultists hiding between those civilians and ready to launch an attack or plan something.
Still… It was good that there was no panic or anything. The civilians seemed to be used to this kind of situation. What made them get used to danger, I wonder…
Well, setting that aside, I arrived in the Noble district surrounding the Royal Castle. The atmosphere here was different from the normal district. The mansions were closed, and guards patrolled everywhere.
Unlike commoners, the Nobles were afraid of attack. They had witnessed what happened in the Royal Castle directly and felt the terror exuded by Cerberus.
'If Tris and Cleric weren't in the party hall at that time, there would be some victims.' I mused in my mind as I walked down a beautiful street.
Before long, I was already near the mansion where Duke Blacktomb moved. In front of the gate, two servants stood and whispered to each other as they saw me.
With hurried steps, they entered inside at a speed that was similar to those of knights.
'Was it okay to leave the gate unattended when someone was walking close by?' I thought that, but it seemed like I didn't need to worry.
They returned shortly after with a girl in a black dress leading them. She smiled softly at me and curtsied as I stopped before her.
"Welcome, Your Holiness. I apologize for stopping you on the street like this." She raised her body and observed me with those bloody red eyes, "My father has been waiting for your arrival inside. He told me that you have an arrangement with him?"
I smiled back at her.
Well, it seemed like he noticed that I wanted to talk to him.
Actually, we made a secret arrangement when he greeted me for the second time in the party hall. Beatrice also slipped a note in his pocket, explaining my intention to meet secretly after the coronation party.
It was a surprise that he was already waiting, though, as I didn't tell him when I would arrive.
'He probably felt me approaching with <Mana Sense> and sent Naya to greet me.' I guessed.
"I apologize for showing up unannounced, Miss Naya. But I would be grateful if you guided me through the mansion to meet your father."
"That's my duty here. Please follow me. I shall show you the way."
Turning around, Naya entered the gate. She walked gracefully with her hands in front of her, holding her skirt so it wouldn't touch the ground.
I followed her closely and looked around. The mansion Queen Eve provided to her guests was massive; it was even bigger than my mansion. The garden spread beautifully on my sides, but no flowers were blooming beautifully because it was already summer. They began to wither.
However, that didn't make this garden less beautiful.
The statue of a beautiful woman dressed in a beautiful dress standing in a mansion while holding a jug caught my attention. Her face was somehow familiar. No, it was like I knew her face and her smile.
'Isn't that Princess Carissa?' I mused in my mind as I passed it by. 'Is this actually Carissa's mansion? Why am I not surprised that they repurposed it to be a guest house?'
We entered the mansion, and Naya guided me to a drawing room. The room was the usual luxurious one with two couches and two sofas around a marble table.
A middle-aged person sat on one of the sofas, standing up once I entered the room. He spread his arms wide and greeted me.
"Welcome, Your Holiness! It's an honor for me that you visited this humble one. My apologies for not being able to visit you in the Castitas Church, as I am a believer of the Goddess Tera, and we are unable to visit each other's territory without permission."
"Don't mind it, Duke Blacktomb. I was the one who wanted to meet and talk." I answered and shook hands with him.
"No no no, I also wanted to talk to you, so it's me who should be visiting you." Duke Blacktomb smiled amiably as he pulled his hand back. "Please sit down, Your Holiness. My daughter will bring the tea shortly."
"Miss Naya?" I sat down and asked. At that moment, I noticed that she had left the room and the door was already closed.
"Miss Naya, eh?" He grinned amusedly, "Did you call my daughter that?"
"It's what she requested of me. My apologies if I somehow offend you or your house."
"No. It's just surprising." Duke Blacktomb relaxed his position and chuckled, "Back in the Sin Kingdom, my daughter didn't like someone other than her friends to call her directly by name. Of course, the friends in question are all girls, so…" He looked at me with a sly smile.
I understood what he was trying to hint at. It seemed like Naya had taken a fancy to me and allowed me to be the first boy who could directly call her by name.
Of course, it could also be due to my position being higher than her. Back in the Sin Kingdom, a Duke was basically the highest rank, other than the Queen and the Pope of Luxuria Church.
Even if Naya was eccentric, she also knew about her position and acted accordingly. Her friends might be special as they were… friends. So…
'I don't want to jump to a conclusion. She's just interested in me right now, nothing more than that.'
"Me and Miss Naya might also become friends, Duke," I answered while evading to give him the answer he wanted. Then, I put on a serious face as I straightened my sitting position. "Setting that aside, for now, I actually have a little request."
