Why it never ends

Chapter 970 Meeting

"What is he doing?" Hesta frowned. "How could my beating be so exaggerated?"

"...Ah, Jane, where are you going——"

Without waiting for Eucalyptus to stop him, Hesta had already walked towards Kovicik. He was facing Idrien at the moment and didn't notice that Hesta was approaching from behind.

"It just looks serious, but actually this injury is nothing."

"But how did you get this?" Idrien looked a little doubtful. "I heard that you lost a sword fight last week. Was this the injury you got from that time?"

"You must be joking. How could that possibly hurt me?" Kovicik said nonchalantly, "I went horseback riding the next day and accidentally fell off the horse—"

"You're injured like that, and you're still riding a horse?"

A familiar voice came from above his head, and Kovicik's heart sank. Although he couldn't turn his head, he still recognized the voice.

"Oh," Idrien extended his hand towards Hesta, "We meet again."

The two men shook hands briefly and then looked at Kovicik at the same time.

Kovicik felt his face getting hot, but then he remembered that no one could see his embarrassment at the moment, so he boldly raised his head and looked directly into Hesta's eyes.

"…That's nothing," Kovicik muttered, as if he had a piece of iron in his mouth, "Just a little personal habit."

Hesta had originally been somewhat suspicious of his injury, but seeing how he was being stubborn, she suddenly realized that no matter whether the injury was real or fake, it was a means for him to cover up the injury from the last fight. Hesta was very shocked, so she looked at Kovicik with some amusement - this man's method of maintaining his self-esteem was too bizarre and difficult to understand.

Kovicik was almost irritated by Hesta's gaze, but before he could react, Hesta had already turned to Idrien: "Do you know each other?"

"Sir Idrian used to wrestle with my father," Kveshik replied coldly, "and he is also an old friend of mine."

"It sounds like you were there when Cody wrestled last week?" Idrien asked.

"exist."

"You have just arrived in District 12, but you have a wide network of contacts," Idrien said softly. "I heard that your opponent is a woman, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Cody is best at swordsmanship, how could he lose to an ordinary woman?" Idrien said, "I heard that she is the illegitimate daughter of a high-ranking official, and she is also a mercury needle. Do you know her?"

"Who did you listen to?"

Idrien's eyes fell back on Hesta, "Coty?"

Kovicik opened his mouth slightly. He almost felt Hesta's gaze, but he couldn't utter a word. He had to pretend to be distracted and act as if he heard nothing.

"I don't know anything else," Hesta replied, "but it is a mercury needle."

Kovicik was slightly startled and looked up at Hesta.

At this moment, Mrs. Fatima waved to Hesta in the distance. Seeing this, Hesta took a step back and said, "See you later."

Idrien nodded in farewell.

  In a wheelchair, Kovicik managed to say goodbye with difficulty. His eyes followed Hesta's back and he suddenly felt that his shame and struggle over the past few days were meaningless - was this guy really a mercury needle?

...That morning, Hesta almost fell asleep during the audience.

The emperor was going to meet more than one guest today. In a magnificent palace with a ceiling covered with painted gods and crystal chandeliers, Hesta entered with a dozen other people. She didn't recognize these people, and they ignored each other.

Everyone stood on both sides of the throne, with a red carpet-paved path in the middle, leading to the emperor's gauze curtain at the end.

Each person who came forward to talk to the emperor had a long ritual dialogue. These set words had been written in advance in a booklet the size of two palms. Each guest would receive a booklet before the audience. During the audience, an identical booklet would be spread out on the music stand beside the guest.

When the emperor greeted the audience with complicated greetings, the audience could easily respond with equally complicated and ornate words.

Hesta stood in the audience and read her lines. At first, she read two sentences carefully, but then she started to turn the pages. When it was her turn, a court attendant stood beside her and turned the pages to the part where the emperor was about to speak.

However, the figure behind the gauze curtain twisted and turned, and never spoke formally. Hesta heard a low child's voice talking to someone behind the curtain, begging for water and to stretch his legs. An adult answered something, but the voice was too hoarse and vague for Hesta to hear clearly.

Everyone in the hall who was originally drowsy raised their heads. The throne, which had been silent for a long time, attracted people's attention. Eucalyptus clenched his fingers nervously, fearing that something unexpected would happen next.

Hesta folded her arms and waited for a while. Seeing the shadow behind the gauze curtain getting more and more noisy, she coughed lightly and whispered, "If you are thirsty, let people drink some water first."

The two people behind the gauze curtain froze for a moment, and then everything became quiet.

After a few minutes, the figure behind the gauze curtain cleared his throat and asked in a lazy and long sentence whether he was the new inspector of AHgAs.

"It's me," Hesta answered.

The palace maid at the side opened her eyes wide, glared at Hesta, and tapped the paper of the etiquette manual lightly with her knuckles.

Hesta looked at the gauze curtain and said, "I haven't seen you for a few days. Is your Majesty okay?"

The boy behind the curtain was silent for a while, then suddenly took a breath and said, "Oh, I remember you. You're the one who beat the crap out of Kovicik a few days ago."

"Yeah," Hesta smiled, "that's me too."

"But I remember your name is Eucalyptus."

"That's my friend," Hesta replied. "We occasionally exchange names to avoid the risk of being bound by identity."

The emperor was stunned for a moment: "...Ah, so smart."

The palace attendant standing next to Hesta coughed harshly a few times, her knuckles still drumming hard on the paper, indicating Hesta to look in her direction.

"Where did you learn swordsmanship?" the emperor asked again, "Who was your teacher?"

"I have many teachers—"

"Madam!" The waiter at the side finally couldn't stand it anymore. She knocked heavily on the music stand and said, "Please talk to His Majesty according to the instructions in the manual!"

"I'm afraid today is not a good time to talk." Hesta said, "I'm looking for a manor to stay in, and I may find it soon. When I decide on a place to stay, I will invite you to sit in the garden?"

"Okay, okay!" The figure behind the gauze curtain stood up, but was immediately pulled back by the person next to him. The emperor murmured a few words and chuckled, "Very good, you can go down. I hope you can find a place to stay as soon as possible."