The next day, I awoke from a bed a full five meters wide. Lying beside me was a pure-type little hand warmer.
I didn't wake her. She probably slept late because of my restless hands last night.
After breakfast, I received a letter from the palace.
My first thought was that it was a commendation from the King, since I had genuinely protected Princess Ariel.
However, upon reading the letter, I found it was from Ariel herself. She wanted me to meet her at the Silver Tear Palace.
This bodes ill.
Although I'm not afraid of her, it's best to prepare an escape route.
I took meteor and the mage's cloak I had repaired overnight. Inside the cloak, I wore a sturdy chainmail I found in the family warehouse, capable of blocking a single strike from an advanced Sword God Style technique.
I changed into a pair of shoes from my grandfather's collection—a magical artifact that increased the wearer's speed (the artifact itself was a pair of shoes).
I attached sturdy breastplates to the front and back over my heart.
Then, into the inner pockets of my cloak, I slipped two magic scrolls inscribed with Saint-rank Healing Magic and one with Saint-rank Detoxification Magic.
From the outside, this ensemble only looked like I was wearing a mage's robe. But in reality, the total weight of all the equipment was about forty pounds.
Now fully prepared, I just needed to focus on protecting my head. If I got injured anywhere else, I could treat it immediately and then escape using Invisible Wings.
I remained vigilant all the way to the main hall of the Silver Tear Palace.
This was my first time in the main hall of the Silver Tear Palace. Last time, I only glanced at it from outside before heading down the corridor to the neighboring garden.
Ariel did not receive me in the outer reception room. A maid led me into her main bedroom.
The bedroom was enormous. In the center was a massive bed, ten meters long and wide. The four-poster bed frame was carved with seahorses and coral patterns, and the canopy was made of gradient blue silk embroidered with hidden lily patterns. Getting out of this bed probably required walking a few steps.
There was also a fireplace by the wall, decorated with Gothic flame-patterned tiles. The mantel was inlaid with the Asura royal crest, and above it hung a portrait of Ariel.
Of course, the main bedroom also had an adjoining bathroom and washroom, which I was not permitted to see.
Perhaps because I was her Guardian Knight, the maids were not particularly surprised to see me in Ariel's main bedroom.
I arrived at the Silver Palace around ten in the morning. Ariel was still at her dressing table by the window. I approached and bowed.
Seeing me arrive, she dismissed all her attendants.
In the vast room, only Ariel and I remained. The air was thick with an intangible pressure, as if even the candlelight flickered slightly.
As usual, I didn't give her a pleasant expression. After scanning the room to confirm we were alone, I walked directly to an ornately carved chair, sat down, and said coldly, "What exactly do you want from me today? My time is precious. I have no patience for games."
Ariel sat poised opposite me, her golden hair glowing softly in the lamplight, but her eyes held an unwavering firmness. "Daolin, I want you to investigate the origins of yesterday's assassins. Also, I require you to continue fulfilling your duties as my Guardian Knight."
I let out a cold laugh, leaning forward slightly, my gaze sharp as a blade. "Ariel, do you take me for a fool? Why I became your Guardian Knight—we both know the reason. I'm merely a nominal knight, a talisman your father uses to restrain my grandfather from sending assassins after you. I have no interest in being your lackey, nor do I want to chase down assassins for you. That's the job of the city guard knights. I made it clear yesterday: as long as you stay quietly in the palace, your life is secure."
I paused, my tone growing even colder. "Let me be perfectly clear. Even if you die, I won't be joining you in death. At worst, I'll leave the Asura Kingdom and wander the world. This position only implicates me personally; it won't harm my entire family. After a decade or so, when your father passes and your brother ascends the throne, I can return. By then, no one will hold me accountable."
Upon hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Ariel's eyes, but the corner of her mouth lifted slightly, as if she had grasped some leverage. "Daolin, I will never abandon that position. For it, I have already sacrificed the lives of five companions. How could I shrink back now because the road ahead is rough?
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