Chapter 34 The princess opened her small mouth gently...

Tolna is fast, but the sword is even faster!

Manju slashed at her right hand from above, while thorns cut at her left hand from another angle. In a single, swift motion, both arms were severed.

rustling sound—

A large amount of blood stained the princess's cheeks and long hair, dripping thickly and stickily onto her white skirt.

"Gulp..." Hudora was still holding onto Tolna's leg, and the dripping blood soaked her through.

Blood smells bad, but that stench isn't a real sense of smell; it's a feeling of fear, pain, and unease associated with being injured by someone of the same kind.

Hudora instinctively wanted to escape the stench, but at that moment the stench was overwhelming and everywhere.

The twin sisters tore the one-armed assassin away from either side, while she remained behind like a piece of trash, hoping no one would notice.

"Hudora".

"It's... Your Highness?!" Hudora slowly opened her clenched fists. It wasn't Scarface Doni calling her, but the young child.

Those people called out "Princess Eleanor" when she was in danger. How did such a noble person know me?

Anxiety, inferiority, fear, doubt... countless emotions grew in Hudora's heart.

She was so tense that she didn't notice the unusual sight of the princess walking towards her through blood. Her mind and eyes were only focused on those amber eyes, for they reflected her own image.

Oh, I accidentally revealed a flaw. Luckily, I know you very well.

Eleanor's expression remained unchanged. She tilted her head and smiled easily, "Because I've read your book. That book about insects—it's very meaningful."

The insect... is that book that never sold and was only given away to a few friends?

Hudora couldn't see her own eyes and didn't realize they were brimming with bright tears.

She loves observing all kinds of animals and tiny insects, and she also likes to spend a long time squatting on the edge of the field.

This frivolous hobby made her a somewhat well-known scholar and an even more famous playboy.

People praise her occasional poems and math problems she solves, but they have no interest in the insects and pastoral scenes she describes.

I didn't expect Your Highness to have seen it?

The overwhelming feeling of happiness instantly washed away all other emotions; even the stench was no longer noticeable.

Hudora impulsively grasped the princess's outstretched hand; amidst the blood, the two could only see each other's pure gazes.

Thorn walked over expressionlessly, forcefully pulling Hudora's robe backward. "Your Highness, this person still needs to be observed."

"Okay. Don't worry, we'll talk about it properly when we get back."

The princess watched tenderly as Hudora was dragged to the middle of the group, then turned around and gave Scarface a cryptic smile.

Donnie's shoulders trembled violently. The clever girl convulsed the moment she saw the princess covered in blood, and almost fainted.

It's all over, it's all over... We're definitely doomed now.

Seeing her unusually flustered state, Eleanor called out helplessly, "Doni... Your Excellency Doni."

"yes!"

Scarface initially thought it was a noble servant like Coral or Manju who was going to interrogate her, but she quickly realized it was the princess's voice.

How is this possible? Your Highness didn't faint from fright? Her voice was so steady, she didn't lose her voice?

Scarface knew all too well how many people would react when they first saw a dead body: screaming, vomiting, and fainting were not unpleasant reactions, but rather the natural human response.

The little princess in her eyes showed no unease... or perhaps she did; when she caught a glimpse of the assassin screaming in agony as he was held down, bandaged, and dragged away by the guards, she felt a pang of pity.

But it was only a tiny bit.

Scarface swallowed hard, and as if possessed, followed the princess's guidance all the way up, unable to even utter a phrase like, "Please change your clothes first."

She seemed to have lost all her flexibility in the face of the child's unusual calmness, and only regained some consciousness when she followed the princess to the ground and was stung by the sunlight.

"Your Highness..." she considered how to phrase herself amidst the assassins' repeated screams.

Scarface keenly sensed that neither the princess nor the guards believed she was the murderer, which gave her a sense of relief.

However, once he noticed the princess's ambiguous smile, that hope vanished.

Who cares who sent the assassin? Is it so hard to add a scarred eye to the list of suspects?

Doni gave a bitter smile, striking a lapdog-like pose as if begging for mercy, "Your Highness, please understand, that person really has nothing to do with me."

She stole a glance at the princess's mischievous grin, and could only grit her teeth and say, "Your Highness, perhaps you are interested in the legion..."

Princess Eleanor's fondness for her bodyguards is well-known. Scarface is prepared to pay to avoid trouble by sending the princess a so-called "Hyena Legion" composed of some handsome young men.

Anyway, His Highness probably won't be too concerned about combat strength.

Eleanor's eyes lit up at the mention of the Hyena Legion.

Just as she was about to offer a warning, Hudora rushed forward from behind, shouting even with Manzhu pressing a scabbard against her chest, "Those people are forcing me to rebel! They say the legions outside will attack the city guards together!!"

Scarface's vision blurred: "You just blurted that out in front of the princess?!"

There was nothing they could do; that cunning Hudora had latched onto the princess's coattails and wouldn't hold a shred of past affection.

Donnie can understand this by putting himself in others' shoes... Wait a minute!

She suddenly realized something, and her face turned completely pale: My slave alliance and the attack on the city guards? This was no longer just a matter of failing to protect the princess or a slave rebellion.

She immediately realized who the unluckiest person in the room was.

The king and his lords probably didn't want to believe that the slaves would suddenly rebel "on their own," and even if they did, the slaves couldn't offer compensation beyond physical harm.

So, the most suitable person to be the mastermind—someone who isn't particularly important but is very wealthy—is only one person left...

Glug.

Doni suddenly lost all his strength and ability, and knelt on the ground as if his spine had been ripped out.

Her teeth chattered, and she wanted to cling to the princess's leg, yet she knew that even the princess would find it difficult to suppress this matter.

Even if the princess were willing to speak up for her, the nature of the matter would change to a rebellion once the hyena legion began attacking the city gates.

Moreover, it wasn't a slave rebellion, but a rebellion against the king by her Scarred Eyes organization!

"Take it easy," Eleanor said, sounding quite pleased with herself.

She took stock of the returning guards and attendants. Apart from Andra and her group who were still guarding outside, everyone was unharmed.

Today's key plot point has been safely navigated.

If Doni can offer enough additional damage, she wouldn't mind using a sliver of health to try and save Doni again... but how exactly should she do it?

Eleanor approached Donnie and kindly had her servants help her up, walking alongside her like a friend.

Two people walked in the middle, with attendants leading the horses on either side.

"Let's talk about compensation, shall we?" the little princess chatted with Scarface as if she had no idea how serious the rebellion was.

Her calm tone calmed Scarface down as well.

Phew... yeah, even such a young girl can stay calm, why should I panic?

People can be persuaded and manipulated; it all comes down to the price.

To put it bluntly, if she had a way to solve "that," she could probably bribe even the king, right?

Thinking about the secret about the king that he had accidentally learned, Donnie felt more confident.

She looked at the princess beside her with some regret: If only Princess Eleanor were a princess, that secret would definitely fetch a good price.

Perhaps Her Highness the Princess would be willing to pay for her sister's affairs? Hmm, such a secret can't be given away for free, but if I hint at it now, she'll just swallow it whole.

Scarface has a special talent for trading; she can vaguely sense the other party's psychological state.

Her Highness is now very comfortable and at ease.

People in this state might easily agree to your conditions, but they might also readily accept the bait you throw at them, then innocently claim that it's not even enough to fill a tooth gap.

Scarface followed the princess to the main gate, still conflicted.

She noticed that the princess's expression had changed, from composed to...surprised?

Eleanor was naturally surprised. She stared wide-eyed, looking left and right: Where are they? Where is my Andra?! Did they run away with my people?

She rushed up the gentle slope and looked down, her eyes filled with disbelief.

If it were anyone else, Eleanor would at most think of going to the toilet together, or being lured away by some clever enemy, but Andra could do so much more.

If Andra uses his wits, both "kidnapping all his guards and running back to Hetuya" and "leading all his guards to storm the city gate" are reasonable scenarios.

"No...!" Eleanor covered her face in exasperation.

"Your Highness? Aren't we supposed to be heading to the city gate?" Scarface asked impatiently from below.

Her hyena army has rebelled, and her servants have all mingled with the princess's retinue. Without the princess leading the way, she, the "suspect," would be completely unable to move.

Now Scarface is hoping that Her Highness the Princess will allow her to lead her personal guard and auxiliary troops to help defend the city gate in exchange for a chance to survive.

“…No, there’s no need to go.” The little princess looked up into the distance again, then suddenly changed her mind, her voice dry.

No need? Scarface followed Eleanor's gaze and looked back, instantly freezing into a statue.

A young girl with golden-red hair rode a chestnut horse, piercing the midday sun. Behind her, a long procession appeared as blurry silhouettes, melting into the intense glow.

Those who had just emerged from the dark tunnel squinted, some even holding their breath, afraid of disturbing this breathtaking scene that resembled a mythical scroll.

Tap tap.

When the wind and leaves blow into the scene, the closing distance finally pierces the beautiful atmosphere, allowing the young man to return to the mortal world from the peak of clouds.

Ah, that wasn't the war god Onoa returning from the hunt with his attendants; he was "merely" just an exceptionally handsome young man.

She hasn't fully grown yet... She hasn't even fully grown yet.

Andra seemed oblivious to her own charm; she simply rushed briskly toward her princess, a hundred or two steps ahead of anyone else.

Tap, pat.

Andra easily dismounted and, the instant he opened his mouth, saw Eleanor's knowing smile.

She found out.

Andra pursed her lips with delight, like a proud peacock temporarily folding its tail feathers.

“Lord Donnie.” Eleanor once again wore that smiling expression.

Donny's heart skipped a beat; it was a sign that the deal was about to bleed him dry!

The princess opened her small mouth with a gentle smile—no, a gaping maw of blood!

"The birthday celebration rehearsal you showed me today was very interesting~ I really like these gifts."

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Author's Note: [Three-Cat Head] I'll soon be writing the final major plot point of the first petal! Yay, I'm so looking forward to Eleanor opening the second petal, and to everyone else seeing it! Hehehe