Two-Faced Princess

He remained quiet for a moment before slowly opening his mouth. The two of them locked eyes once again. Petra nodded. She knew well. If they failed, not only would the positions of the Emperor and Paris be shaken, but her relationship with the Emperor could also irreversibly crumble. “We will not fail. Not this time.” Such a thing would never happen. Caelion Ephenhardt would breathe his last breath before reaching the age of twenty-one.

“Where are we going?” Apollonia asked. Her voice, as always, sounded low and soothing. Maybe it was because her eyes were smiling, or perhaps it was because they were finally going out together alone after a long time. They were taking a walk, a little farther away from the palace. Other than preparing two horses, Uriel hadn’t provided any explanations, and Apollonia willingly mounted the horse.

“Avienne’s restaurant?”

“No.” Uriel listened attentively and kindly responded to everything she said, but he didn’t disclose the destination. He simply answered briefly, slightly squinted his eyes, and smiled.

“The market?”

“You can’t go to such a dangerous place without disguising yourself.” The words carried quite a distance. It seemed they were leaving the capital, to the extent that it seemed.

“Not downtown.Could the forest be more dangerous?” Uriel raised his head again. Apollonia smirked. She had said that, but she didn’t feel much danger. When Uriel was with her, she didn’t feel threatened. The only exception might be Kaltz Mountain.

“Are you tired? Should we go slowly?” Uriel glanced at Apollonia with a flicker of his eyes. She lowered her head. “Your equestrian skills are always impressive. Even though you’ve never learned formally.” Apollonia’s posture was flawless. Her grip on the reins was relaxed, and her communication with the horse was natural.

“My grandfather had planned to teach me since I was around ten years old. I suppose he thought he would start by teaching me when and how to use a sword most effectively. I learned a little about wielding a sword, recognizing a good sword, and managing weapons.”

Uriel recalled Apollonia handling the whip in Lishan. She must have learned more than just the theory of swordplay. While he didn’t know swordsmanship, in a way, Apollonia seemed to know how to handle weapons. After all, weapons had functions beyond direct subjugation and killing. They also served as a means of intimidation.

“After my father ascended the Emperor’s throne, Sid offered to teach me, but I declined. It’s easy to be restrained once you become skilled in martial arts. However, it wasn’t strange to enjoy horseback riding as a hobby.” Apollonia spoke precisely, matching Uriel’s pace.

“Wasn’t Sid disappointed when you said you wouldn’t learn the sword?”

“Well, maybe a little. I thought it would be natural to foster a relationship with him as comrades by training with the sword together, regardless of whether I could use it or not. Everyone did it that way. Of course, there were various ways to build relationships, but in the end, we became like a family.”Apollonia paused for a moment and added, “I’m sorry for Knox.”

“Tell me about the Albreit Garden.” As Uriel quietly spoke while driving the horse, Aphelonia nodded.

“We used to feel immediately better after going there every time we are feeling down. I already liked Sid, but it felt like we grew even closer after visiting that place.” Her voice sounded a bit bittersweet. Albreit Garden had temporarily closed after Knox’s kidnapping incident. Although the exact details were not disclosed, issues regarding the garden’s security were raised when private guards and staff were found unconscious due to some unknown drug. The memories of Apollonia’s childhood were embedded in Albreit Garden, but it was no longer there. Even if it were to reopen, it would be different from the past.

“We’ve arrived,” Uriel spoke to Apollonia, who had been lost in her memories for a moment.

This is my first time here.”

They were in a forest that was distant from the palace but still within the capital. The trees were lush and beautiful, but it was a small forest. Apollonia had never heard of it before.

“It doesn’t have an official name. However, there’s a lake that reflects the color of the red sky vividly at sunset. The previous owner called it the ‘Forest of the Red Lake,’ I heard.”

“The previous owner?”

Apollonia asked, looking around. The forest seemed to be well-maintained private land.

“Yes, I am the current owner now. I bought it from a merchant not long ago.”

Apollonia turned her head in surprise at the unexpected answer, but Uriel only smiled faintly.

“With the generosity of the Idena family, I bought this with my meager possessions.”

Apollonia widened her eyes in curiosity.

“Why would you buy land that can’t be used for hunting or farming, and it’s also far from the territory?”

“Because it serves a much more important purpose.”

He led Apollonia deeper into the forest, descending from his words. The trees were dense, but sunlight touched various places, and there was no sense of darkness.