A Welcome Gift and Evening Reflections

“Miss Administrator, could you please process the borrowing for this book?”

After sitting and reading for a while longer, Ziyao decided it was time to leave. She first returned the unneeded books to their shelves, then headed back to the front desk with the book Sophia had given her.

The administrator took the thick volume but then handed it back to Ziyao. “This book isn’t part of the Royal Library’s collection, you see.”

“Huh? But Miss Sophia said…” A sudden realization struck her. Sophia hadn’t actually said it was from the Royal Library at all.

No wonder she had called it a welcome gift.

“Sophia… are you referring to the young girl with green hair?” The administrator tapped her chin, clearly recalling the girl with the unusual hair color.

Ziyao nodded. “Yes, the one dressed entirely in green.”

“If it’s her, then you should keep the book. She’s a very kind person,” the administrator explained. “She often spends entire days here at the library, which is why she left such a strong impression on me.”

Taking Sophia’s ‘gift,’ Ziyao nodded in understanding. “Then I must thank her properly next time. This book must be very valuable.”

While books weren’t prohibitively expensive in this world, their cost was still beyond what an average person could easily afford. Large, substantial volumes like this one would naturally command an even higher price.

“Well then, farewell, Miss Administrator.”

After bidding the administrator goodbye, Ziyao departed from the Royal Library.

****

The blood-red sunset cast an orange glow across the wide streets—one of only two times in the day when the great orb could be gazed upon directly.

People hurried along the streets. It was around five-thirty in the afternoon, and those who had worked all day were eager to return to their warm homes. A hot dinner, a wife’s greeting, a child’s smile—these were perhaps the most precious treasures for these passersby.

No one truly wished for war. If given the choice, everyone hoped for lasting peace.

I wonder if the Imperial Princess, who will unite the continent, can finally put an end to this endless conflict?

Ziyao walked slowly, savoring the atmosphere. Watching the stream of people come and go, her heart seemed to quicken slightly. It was an emotion called joy.

It wasn’t until the sun vanished beneath the horizon and the moon revealed its smiling face that Ziyao returned to Aiya’s annex.

“Ah, it seems you had a very pleasant day, Miss Ziyao,” Ailin said with a smile, standing by the main gate.

“Indeed, I met a wonderful person.” Ziyao showed Ailin the book in her hand. “A welcome gift, she called it.”

“She must be a truly generous individual then.” Ailin harbored no concerns about Ziyao being deceived. As a Seven-Star expert, Ziyao was far from naive.

“Is Elena here?” Walking along the path through the flowerbeds, Ziyao suddenly remembered something. However, Elena was not present today.

“As for Her Highness Elena, she’s likely exhausted today,” Miss Ailin chuckled, covering her mouth. “One-on-one training with a Holy Knight is no easy feat to endure.”

No wonder she had left the library in such a hurry; she had other commitments. Yet, even with such a busy schedule, she had still made time to bring Ziyao a library card and had even accompanied her to the library.

“Ailin, what does Elena like to eat?”

“Oh? Why the sudden interest in Her Highness Elena’s preferences, Miss Ziyao?” Ailin tilted her head, puzzled. “It’s no secret, though. Her Highness Elena loves peaches—the sweet kind.”

“It’s to show my gratitude. She was so busy today, yet she still took the time to accompany me to the library. I can’t simply not reciprocate.”

Peaches, she thought. Perhaps she could make her a peach-flavored stamina recovery potion.

“Oh, speaking of which, what’s the progress on the potion workshop? When will it be ready for use?” The mention of potions reminded Ziyao of the workshop, which had only officially begun construction yesterday.

While Elena was a good person, she was also quite careless. For the Second Princess of the Roland Empire, such behavior was rather unbecoming.

“Approximately one-fifth has been completed. If everything proceeds smoothly, it should be operational in four days.”

The construction of the potion workshop was incredibly complex. This progress was only achieved because the Royal Family had deployed several Earth mages, who had worked tirelessly day and night to rush the construction. If Elena had informed the Imperial Capital sooner, Ziyao wouldn’t have been so idle as to spend an entire day reading in the library. Ten days would have been more than enough time for the Royal Family to construct a fully equipped potion workshop.

“It’s fine if the progress is a little slow, but safety must be prioritized. High-grade potions are not as harmless as they appear.”

“We are well aware of that,” Ailin affirmed with a nod.

The small wooden cabin now appeared in their sight, its yellow light shining through the windows onto the surrounding flowerbeds, adding a touch of warmth to the fairytale-like dwelling.

“Oh, it seems you had a good day today,” Raphael’s voice drifted from the side. She was lying in a rocking chair, gazing up at the sky. The Saintess looked particularly relaxed today.

“What are you doing…?”

“Resting. The gentle breeze of early autumn is not to be missed.” It was clear Raphael was thoroughly enjoying herself.

“Suit yourself.” Ziyao bypassed the reclining Raphael and entered the small wooden cabin.

Miss Ailin had already gone ahead to the dining room. By the time Ziyao arrived, a sumptuous dinner was already laid out on the table.

“It looks absolutely appetizing.” Picking up her knife and fork, Ziyao eagerly cut a piece of steak and put it into her mouth.

Well-done. It perfectly suited Ziyao’s palate; she disliked the sticky, bloody taste. It seemed Miss Ailin felt the same. The steak was drizzled with a special mushroom sauce, enhancing its deliciousness considerably. Soon, one steak had already found its way into Ziyao’s stomach.

“Miss Ailin, is there more? I didn’t have lunch today.” Ziyao, having finished one steak, still seemed to crave more.

“Of course there is, but you can only have one more,” Ailin said, emerging from the kitchen with a fresh steak. “Remember to save some room for dessert.”

“Don’t worry, the stomach for sweets and the stomach for main courses are entirely different.”

“That’s quite similar to what Miss Raphael often says.”

The best maid in the Imperial Capital—Ailin truly lived up to that title. Strong, an exceptional cook, and remarkably capable, it was almost unbelievable that such a perfect maid existed in this world.

After eating her fill, Ziyao rubbed her slightly bulging stomach. She pondered whether she should make a few digestive potions once the workshop was operational. This was the first time she had eaten so much, as she had been immersed in potion crafting for the past few years, often neglecting her three meals a day. These past few days were probably the most relaxed she had been in years.