Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

"However, if Lord Lu Enqing changes his mind in the future, the Dragon Kingdom will welcome you at any time. As for fiefdoms and such... I... will be waiting for you."

The blush on her cheeks deepened, and her voice was softer, yet it carried an undeniable seriousness; clearly, her words were a solemn promise.

Rune avoided the Queen's gaze and nodded slightly.

"Your Majesty's kindness is appreciated."

He bowed and then turned and walked toward the door.

Rune could neither accept the fiefdom nor respond to Dradieron; he could only make the most rational choice.

Derodile sat alone on the raised chair, maintaining her mature and sophisticated demeanor, her gaze fixed on the closed door.

After a long while, she slowly exhaled and raised her hand to press her slightly flushed cheeks.

"...Really." She muttered under her breath, unsure whether she was referring to the idiot who even questioned the material of the clothes, or to the unfamiliar version of herself she had just witnessed.

Chapter 120 Return to the Kingdom

The following morning, the gates of the Dragon Kingdom's capital, Dellavale, slowly opened.

The sun peeked out from behind the horizon, first gilding the spire of the highest tower with a pale gold edge, then flowing down along the contours of the city wall and settling on the open ground in front of the city gate.

The cavalry of Aindora are ready to go.

Rune rode on his horse, his gaze sweeping across the road leading into the distance ahead of the procession.

Behind him, the soldiers were conducting a final check to ensure that all supplies and equipment were properly packed. The adjutant rode slowly along the ranks, checking the number of soldiers one by one.

Inside the city gate, a petite figure stood in the shadows of the portico.

Derodile wore a light pink dress, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, her bangs gently ruffled by the morning breeze.

Her expression was that usual innocent and carefree one, without a single flaw.

But her gaze was fixed on a certain direction, passing through the queue, the morning light and dust, and landing on the figure riding at the very front.

Chancellor Bergman stood half a step behind her, his gaze sweeping across Derodine's profile with a thoughtful expression.

The column began to move.

Rune rode at the very front, his profile standing out sharply in the morning light, with a high nose and a well-defined jawline.

As he passed through the city gate, his gaze shifted slightly to the side.

Derodile stood in the shadows of the porch, her large eyes fixed on him.

The light fell on her shoulders, giving her black hair a soft glow, but it couldn't penetrate the hazy look in her eyes.

Rune's gaze met hers for a moment, and he nodded slightly to the Queen to express his farewell.

Derodile remained in her original position, her gaze following the figure until it disappeared from her sight.

Chancellor Bergman took half a step forward.

"Your Majesty, it's time to go back."

“…Hmm.” Derodion responded softly, then turned and walked towards the royal city.

About half an hour after leaving the royal capital, Della Valle, the scenery on both sides of the road gradually changed from neat rows of fields to rolling hills.

The caravan was moving slowly, as Rune deliberately slowed down the horses.

The cavalrymen dispersed in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones as they walked, the atmosphere much more relaxed than when they arrived.

After all, the threat from the orc kingdom has been eliminated, and the journey home no longer requires the same level of vigilance as when venturing deep into enemy territory.

Si rode up from the middle of the group, her long golden hair swaying gently behind her as the horse rose and fell.

She rode alongside Rune, glancing at him sideways.

“Brother.” Her voice carried a hint of scrutiny.

"Ok?"

"Just now at the city gate, Her Majesty's eyes... seemed a little strange."

Rune's eyebrows twitched, but he didn't turn his head to look at her.

He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, speaking in a casual tone as if he were chatting.

"What's wrong?"

"It's... that look in his eyes, how should I put it... it's a bit like the feeling I had when I sent my older brother to his territory when we were kids."

Rune's lips twitched slightly as he forcibly suppressed his guilty conscience.

But he showed no sign of panic; instead, his tone was slightly sarcastic.

"You're overthinking it. Her Majesty is probably worried that the Orcs might come back. Although the Orcs have surrendered, it's understandable that they might regroup and invade again."

Si blinked. Her intuition told her something was wrong, but her mind also felt that what her brother said made sense.

She remained silent for a moment before hesitantly nodding.

"...That's true. The Orc Kingdom only recently surrendered, and I might be worried too if I were in their shoes."

“Right?” Rune nodded, his tone relaxed.

Si didn't press further, but her brows remained slightly furrowed, her expression clearly indicating that she was still thinking about something.

Rune breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Just then, Si turned her head again.

Rune's heart jumped again.

“And what about Mr. Sebastian?” She gestured toward Rune’s back. “He doesn’t seem quite right today either.”

Rune followed her gaze.

Sebastian's gaze was fixed on a spot in the void, his light gray eyes unfocused, as if something had drawn his attention away from what was in front of him.

His brows were slightly furrowed, and he blinked occasionally, much slower than usual.

Rune withdrew his gaze and replied naturally, "Sebas is probably homesick. After all, he has been away from the Bahars Empire for some time now. Although he came here to travel, it is only natural to feel homesick."

Si glanced at Sebastian, as if judging whether her brother's words were reasonable.

After a moment, she gave a soft "hmm" and did not ask any further questions.

A few days later, the walls of the capital city finally appeared on the horizon.

The troops had parted ways at the fork in the road half a day ago. The adjutant led the cavalry back along the main road leading to Aindora territory, carrying back the dust from their armor and the weariness of battle.

Meanwhile, Rune, Si, and Sebastian turned towards the capital and continued their journey on horseback.

At this moment, only the three of them remained in front of the capital city gate.

The guards at the city gate had new faces, and several caravans were lined up waiting to enter the city. The drivers were chatting by the roadside, and occasionally a few laughs could be heard.

Rune reined in his arms, his gaze sweeping across the scene before the city gate. A sense of lightness and relaxation filled the air, which was somewhat different from the capital city he remembered.

The pedestrians in front of the city gate had obvious joy on their faces, and several children chased each other through the city gate.

Si rode to his side, followed his gaze, and smiled.

"It seems the news of your triumphant return has already reached you, and the citizens are celebrating your victory over the orc kingdom."

As Rune looked at the scene, a subtle, strange feeling arose in his heart.

The Kingdom of Riestij is separated from the Orc Kingdom by the Dragon Kingdom and the Theocracy. No matter how fast the news spreads, it shouldn't have reached the ordinary citizens of the capital in just a few days, and made the atmosphere of the whole city so light and cheerful.

Unless, something else happens closer, closer to the lives of these citizens.

He rode his horse through the city gate, and the scene on both sides of the street was fully revealed.

Colorful ribbons hung along the main street, stretching across the windows of the houses on both sides and swaying gently in the wind.

Several vendors set up new stalls by the roadside, selling toast and candied fruit, and business seemed to be doing well.

Further away, cheers and laughter could be faintly heard coming from the direction of the market.

Silk followed beside him, clearly unaware that anything was amiss. "It seems the citizens are genuinely happy."

Chapter 121 The Heroic Feifei

Lu En reined in his horse and glanced at a fruit stall on the side of the street.

The vendor was a middle-aged woman with a round face, who was arranging the dried fruits on her stall with a smile on her lips.

Hearing the approaching hoofbeats, she raised her head, her gaze falling on Rune's finely crafted mithril armor, and then noticing the glossy warhorse. Her eyes immediately became respectful, with a hint of fear in them.

She quickly put down her work, bowed to Rune, and was clearly somewhat cautious.

Rune dismounted and walked to the stall, his gaze sweeping over the dried fruits as if he were genuinely selecting goods.

"Has anything happened in the capital recently?" He asked casually, as if it were just a casual question.

The woman paused for a moment, glancing at him hesitantly, but Rune's gentle attitude put her at ease.

"Doesn't my lord know yet? Lord Feifei defeated Demon King Sagara again yesterday!"

She gestured with her hands, "This is the third time this month! Every time Demon King Sagara comes, he is defeated and flees in disarray by Lady Feifei. The citizens all say that Demon King Sagara is nothing special, and with Lady Feifei here, there is nothing to be afraid of."

Many citizens noticed the commotion and gathered around, chiming in with their own opinions.

"Yes, yes, Lady Feifei is amazing!"

"I saw it with my own eyes! Lord Feifei cleaved that demon king away with a single sword strike!"

"Miss Nabe is amazing. She destroyed a demon the size of a house with just one spell."

"If it weren't for Lady Feifei, I really don't know what the capital would be like now."

"And I heard that Lady Feifei is avenging the deceased First Prince. How loyal she is."

Rune listened to the rising and falling voices, maintaining a gentle smile on his face as he responded to the citizens' enthusiasm.

But unlike the joyful and relaxed faces around him, Rune's heart was quite heavy.

Three times a month, that's way too frequent.

Given Ainz's consistently cautious nature, this high frequency of actions was clearly abnormal, and Nazarick was probably running out of patience.