Cornflower Witch

Chapter 283 Acknowledgments in the Twilight
Baiyacheng Royal Palace

In the city built against the mountain, the palace is on the top floor, where the air is slightly chilly, and you can overlook the entire city from the circular window railing.

White gauze curtains fluttered gently, casting shifting light and shadow on the polished floor. This was the palace's tower, quiet and spacious.

With a creaking sound, someone pushed open the door inside the tower, and Princess Musa, dressed in a black gown, led Hiltiya in. Perhaps she shouldn't be called Princess Musa now, but Queen Musa. Today, she wore a black dress with a wide petticoat, and the hem was decorated with layers of pleated flowers, with gold threads hanging down as embellishments, making her exceptionally beautiful.

“Tia, this is where I used to live.” She walked ahead and introduced the place to Xilutia.

"Many countries have this tradition of having unmarried princesses live in towers to minimize their contact with the outside world."

“It is easy to set up isolation arrays in tall towers, which can also prevent other people from disturbing or spying on them, compared to palaces with many people.”

“Living here doesn’t seem so bad?” Hilti was dressed in a wide-sleeved robe in star blue and pure white, in a style similar to that of a wise scholar. The collar was layered, revealing a white lining and a bit of her neck.

“Some princesses may not like that, like my sister Matissa, who prefers a more lively atmosphere where everyone is often together.”

“I don’t have many requirements, whether it’s the tower or the interior of the palace,” Musa said, drawing back the curtains so the two could stand by the window and look down.

“Tiya said she wanted to find a quiet place to stay, so I thought of this place.” She turned her head and looked at the girl behind her.

The two were about the same height. Hilti's appearance was slightly immature. If a stranger saw her for the first time, they would probably think she was about 17 years old. Musa, on the other hand, had a much more mature figure and demeanor, probably in her early 20s. Her black dress accentuated the young queen's figure, showing a subtle yet alluring mature charm.

The young Queen Musa, who is currently unmarried, is the object of admiration for many young men in Regas.

“The scenery here is beautiful.” Hilti walked to the window, looked up at the clear blue sky, and a refreshing breeze blew in slowly through the window.

"I'm glad Tiya likes it~" Musa covered her mouth and chuckled.

"After that, I'll have someone prepare a bed and the furniture you need. Don't worry, it will be set up in a day or two."

"From now on, this house will be reserved just for you. You can come back and stay here anytime."

"Won't this cause some trouble?" Hilti turned her head. Under the bright sky, her face had soft curves, and you could even see the few soft downy hairs on the side of her face.

"It's no trouble at all, Tiya, just relax and stay here." Musa gently shook her head, which was adorned with an exquisite crown, her golden hair flowing like tassels.

"Now I am the only member of the Legas royal family. Many places in the palace are empty and even too deserted."

"How about I accompany you for a walk around the palace today, so you can get familiar with the surroundings?" Musa offered.

"Then I'll trouble you." Hiltiya nodded in agreement. She was indeed somewhat interested in the palace of White Cliff City and wanted to know how the nobles and royalty of this era lived.

“Then come with me, Tia.” Princess Musa took Hilti’s hand, and the two slowly left the room and walked down the tower.

As she walked through the long, white palace corridors, Hiltiya listened as Musa explained the various buildings and their uses.

"This is the guard hall, usually where the royal guard commander resides. High-ranking knights can also live in the side rooms next door," Musa explained shortly after descending the tower.

“My father used to trust Uncle Moran a lot, and he was appointed as the commander of the royal guards. He was my father’s younger brother and also the swordsmanship teacher of my older brothers. He was very good to us.” Mu Sha reminisced about the past.

"Uncle Moran didn't leave White Cliff City in the end; instead, he stayed with Father until the very end." After that, Musa led Xilutiya onward.

“This is the ‘Snowball Flower’ garden. Aunt Brin used to take care of it. She’s an old lady in the palace and I heard that she even witnessed my grandfather’s coronation ceremony when she was young.”

"Snowball flowers are very cold-resistant and suitable for the climate of Baiya City. Every day she would pick a bunch and put it in her mother's room as decoration."

After passing through this small corner garden, the two arrived at the other side of the palace.

"This is the tailoring room. There used to be about six or seven tailors living here, who made clothes for the royal family and palace staff. When I was little, my sister Matissa especially liked to come here and discuss new clothes with the tailors."

Now the place is empty, with only rows of empty clothes racks remaining. The tailors who used to work here are nowhere to be found.

"Across the street is the shoe workshop. In the past, two shoemakers lived there. One was in charge of court dance shoes, and the other was in charge of boots for hunting and going out."

“I used to come here often when I was a child, because my shoes would become too small every now and then,” Musa recalled.

Hiltiya followed Musa forward to a spacious stone chamber with several ovens and large tables, where several chefs were busy at work.

"This is the oven room. The bread and staple foods eaten in the palace every day are baked here," she explained to Shiltiya.

"Then the real kitchen is in front, where they prepare the main courses and side dishes. There are a lot of people working there, so we can just look at it from the outside."

Afterwards, Musa took Siltiah to the Candle Hall, which the royal family used to entertain distinguished guests, the Golden Round Hall, which was used to host banquets, the Concert Hall, which was used to enjoy music, the large garden, which was used for picnics and walks, and the White Stone Pool with eaves and a roof covered with transparent crystals.

The architecture within the palace encompassed every aspect of life, allowing royalty and nobility to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle without ever leaving their homes. These spaces were the result of continuous improvement and renovation by successive generations of royalty.

"It is said that when the earliest ancestor, 'Knight King' Regard, built White Cliff, the palace here consisted of only a large stone hall and a stone house for sleeping."

"Back then, the whole of Regas was still in a rather wild state. It only gradually improved after the situation stabilized." Princess Musa stood in front of the mural, introducing her family's origins and the history of Regas to Hilti.

The two walked side by side to a viewing platform high up in a palace. Musa had a servant bring two chairs, and she and Hilti sat there, reminiscing about the past.

She recounts her childhood memories, her growth, and finally the fall of Baiya City, during which she and her younger brother escape.

Finally, as darkness fell and the setting sun gradually sank into the distance, its golden afterglow bathed the city and the white palace.

"Before I knew it, it was this time." Mu Sha stood up, her off-shoulder black dress bathed in the afterglow, her body also tinged with a faint gold.

"Although I've said it many times already." She slowly turned around, her pale golden eyes looking at the girl sitting in the chair.

"But I'll say it again." She leaned down, one hand lightly resting on the armrest, her fair collarbone and soft breasts close to the young girl.

"Thank you, Tia, for saving Regas and me from the turmoil."

Musa gently kissed Hilti's ear; the warmth of her body and breath made the girl blush slightly.

(End of this chapter)