(Alphonse Chapter)
Kingdom of Valentino, Alchemy Era 130...
Seven years after Alphonse and Priscilla parted ways in the Sea of Trees.
The Kingdom of Valentino during this period was both prosperous and chaotic; at its peak and at its most desolate.
Since the tragedy of the capital, Princess Priscilla Valentino has remained in the palace, occasionally venturing out for a few outings, but never stepping outside the capital, Gransis.
Therefore, she had not seen the scenery outside Gransis for a long time.
That city that witnessed lifelessness and its descent into a living hell;
That snow-covered forest that she dreamed of returning to once more, hoping to carefully search for the boy's traces again;
That adventurous journey has become a fragment of my teenage memories, marked with sadness.
Seven years ago, this rebellious girl secretly went out to adventure alone, but now she has already gone through the kingdom's coming-of-age ceremony.
Retaining her youthful beauty and graceful figure, she is now a poised and elegant young woman.
Seven years ago—when she returned to the palace, she was still worried about the safety of the boy named Alphonse, and even lost her appetite.
Her behavior evoked pity in those around her. But he has never appeared since.
In her hazy memories of her teenage years, her impression of Alphonse remained unchanged—a rookie adventurer who was new to the adventure and acted recklessly.
A boy who is physically weak but kind-hearted and doesn't want to be a burden to others.
Until their separation, he remained a mystery to Priscilla to this day.
She had ordered her men to search for Alphonse's whereabouts;
They were also instructed to go to the Buriza Plain to explore the so-called "Ice Palace".
As expected, it was later discovered that such a miracle did not exist in the snowfield, and no trace of the Holy Dragon Desfield was found.
To prevent her from having too much sorrow and worry, Priscilla's father, her childhood sweetheart Fan, and others all advised her to forget about this companion as soon as possible.
However, she still occasionally recalls the days she went on adventures with him, and she has never completely forgotten his reckless figure.
-
A loud horn sounded from within the palace and echoed throughout Gransis.
Today is the 24th of the Fire Moon—according to the calendar, today is the day the Royal Knights return from their campaign in the frozen Snowval Mountains of the north.
The soldiers guarding the city pulled the levers in unison, opening the magnificent gates of Gransis.
The remaining soldiers stood at attention, lined up neatly on the city wall. They blew their horns, raised their victory banners, and shouted the name of the returning royal army to welcome them home.
The city gates allowed the soldiers, far from home, to see the long-missed scenery of the capital.
The city gates allowed ordinary people to glimpse the first rays of glory brought by the victorious conquerors through the cracks in the gates.
The grand procession of soldiers and horses paraded through the streets, crossed the main road, and arrived at the knightly arena inside the palace, allowing the residents of the capital to have the privilege of witnessing the majesty and heroism of the nation's elite.
In order to let the world witness and admire Valentino's national might, and at the same time to recruit warriors in the capital who are willing to join the Knights Order to realize their ideals of serving the country, the Royal Knights Order has decided to hold a grand exercise on this day of victorious return.
To gain entry into the Knights, warriors must undergo and pass the trials of the Royal Knights' elite in the arena, before the King.
Priscilla was eager to see the powerful figures gathered there, so she begged her father to let her follow him.
Knowing her admiration for the strong, Vantenino tried his best to persuade her—saying that he also wanted Priscilla to experience and witness the power of the Valentino warriors, and promising to try his best not to let her leave the arena at will—and the king reluctantly agreed.
In fact, as long as Van Rexor, the king's capable assistant, was by her side, Priscilla would not face insurmountable dangers no matter where she went.
Today, the king made an exception and allowed Van to serve as the princess's personal guard, attending to her every need. Priscilla readily agreed. And Van, of course, was happy to comply.
Having received her father's permission, Priscilla left him ahead of time and excitedly ran around the perimeter of the arena, hoping to meet the heroes who were preparing to undergo the trials.
However, they were told that the people were already armed and lined up in the field.
So she had no choice but to return to her father's side and sit obediently.
“Priscilla, you’re back just in time. Today, a brave warrior has defeated ten elite Royal Knights in a short period of time.”
Wang generously expressed his appreciation for the warrior who had won ten consecutive victories to his daughter.
“Father, can he beat the captain? Has he fought Van Rexor? If he can’t fight those two to a draw, then he’s not the ‘strong’ I acknowledge.” As she spoke, Priscilla secretly winked at Van Rexor.
Fan shrugged, indicating helplessly that there were probably many people whose skills surpassed his.
However, a warrior who can fight on par with the leader of a Royal Knight regiment is extremely rare on the continent.
He sighed inwardly, thinking that getting Priscilla to acknowledge him as a true "strong person" was an impossible task.
Fan believed that, in terms of magical skill, she could be considered among the "strongest." That's why she admired those stronger than herself even more.
Girls of the same age usually compare themselves to each other in terms of beauty and jewelry, but this special princess worships power just like men.
But—although she didn't care about these superficial appearances, she was still so beautiful, incomparably beautiful to ordinary people.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
