269: Chapter 266 Mora: A Familiar Feeling

At dawn.

Mora climbed out of bed, followed her Princess's orders, changed into her maid uniform, and headed out.

Her destination was a Guesthouse built by the royal family, a hotel located in the northern district of the Royal Capital.

Most of the City Lords who came to the Royal Capital to report on their duties stayed there.

Among them was that City Lord Eji.

Walking down the sparsely populated street, Mora kept her head down, watching the road, each step landing precisely on the seams of the stone slabs.

In her mind, she was pondering the busy tasks for the day.

First, investigate City Lord Eji's background, then search for clues in the woods outside the city.

Hmm... I'll come back later to double-check on the City Lord.

Having sorted out the order of tasks, she finally had a moment of leisure to think about her escape route after the battle for the throne ended.

Yes, she was directly considering an escape route.

In her view, her Princess basically had no hope of winning.

Especially after learning from the Second Prince that the Church would soon lift the ban on combat within the city, and that Bishop Jarvis had joined His Highness Andre's camp.

Mora felt that as the Princess's head maid, she had a responsibility to protect her master's safety.

Of course, she couldn't state this thought openly.

Staying by Avril's side every day, Mora was the one who understood her intentions and determination most clearly.

Either defeat Andre to become the King of Lake, enter the heritage Magic Tower to promote to a Saint-level Professional, and then take revenge for Mr. Zhang Mu.

Or lose everything, including her life.

At this thought, Mora couldn't help but tug at her ponytail in distress.

To take revenge for Mr. Zhang Mu, she should live well; why be so resolute about death?

Fortunately, Mr. Potter had long anticipated this day.

Her right hand reached into her bosom from the side of her maid outfit, her palm touching the crystal Potter had given her, feeling the icy cold spread from her fingertips throughout her body.

Despite the bone-chilling cold, Mora felt at peace.

With it, the Princess's symptoms could be briefly suppressed.

“One month, only one month, remember that.”

Recalling Potter's solemn instructions on the night they left Kas Town, she gritted her teeth.

It should be enough for the Princess to reach the Northern Border.

What I need to do is ensure the Princess safely escapes the Royal Capital.

Mora had once struggled with whether to reveal to Avril that there was a treasure left by royal ancestors for their descendants in the Northern Border of Lake.

But Potter had emphasized that the place was extremely dangerous and should not be attempted until the very end.

So she finally decided, following Mr. Potter's instructions, to only inform Avril once the situation in the Royal Capital reached an irrecoverable point.

She pulled her hand from her bosom and tugged at her ponytail again.

She continued to refine the plan to escort Avril out of the city in her mind.

Surrounded by enemies, it was clearly going to be extremely difficult.

Mora had been pondering this for half a year, but after half a year, progress had stalled.

Naturally, the short time she spent walking now wasn't enough to prepare all the details properly.

An hour later, the morning sun rose.

She arrived near the hotel, and looking over the roofs of the low houses, she could see the upper part of the hotel bathed in sunlight.

After thinking for a moment about how to test City Lord Eji, she walked toward the main entrance.

Upon reaching the door, she was expectedly stopped by a Guard raising his hand.

With a stern face, she produced a token and was smoothly allowed through.

After asking for the room number at the front desk, she walked up the stairs to the room door.

Knock knock—

“Who is it?”

The one who opened the door was a very gentle lady.

Looking at the woman's soft facial features, Mora wondered if she was City Lord Eji's wife.

“Hello, miss, I am Palina. Are you looking for the City Lord?”

The gentle tone snapped Mora out of her drifting thoughts, and she put on a Professional smile: “Yes, is City Lord Eji in?”

“Sister Palina, the City Lord is still sleeping.”

Mora peeked through the half-open door and saw a Cat Girl in pajamas and slippers.

A demi-human?

A Professional of Lake would actually keep a demi-human by their side?

Hmm... and what a lazy fellow, it's so late and he's still not up...

“I'm up.”

As the voice came from the room, a middle-aged-looking man wearing a robe walked toward the entrance.

“And you are, miss?”

“I am Princess Avril's personal maid. I am visiting you on the Princess's orders.”

While speaking, she sized up the robe the City Lord was wearing.

He just woke up, right? Does he not take off his clothes to sleep?

“I see...” Eji smiled, “How should I address you?”

“Mora.”

“Miss Mora, please wait in the parlor for a moment. I'll be there shortly.”

Each floor of the hotel had a spacious room for receiving guests at the end of the corridor.

“Alright.”

After replying, Mora turned and went to the parlor, sitting down on the sofa.

She didn't wait long; about two minutes later, Eji pushed the door open and sat on the sofa opposite her.

With many things to do later, Mora didn't want to waste time and got straight to the point: “City Lord Eji, the Second Prince went to the Princess's palace late last night.”

Eji nodded, signaling her to continue.

“The purpose of my visit is simple. May I ask, City Lord Eji, what is the basis for your claim that you can handle Jarvis?”

“I'm sorry, that is my secret.”

Before coming upstairs, Mora had decided that instead of beating around the bush and being brushed off with vague answers, it was better to ask directly.

No matter what kind of reason he fabricated, he had to give some sort of explanation.

Perhaps the reason would seem weak, but Mora felt it wouldn't be so absurd that it couldn't even fool a child.

Despite being fully prepared, she was still dumbfounded after Eji spoke.

“A secret?” Mora said with a serious face. “City Lord Eji, the Princess cannot accept this explanation. Do you expect the two Highnesses to cooperate fully based on such a forced reason?”

Under her gaze, the corners of Eji's mouth slowly curled up: “I say, Miss Mora, you seem to have a bit of a misunderstanding.”

She froze, and before she could recover, Eji continued: “My contact with the Second Prince is based on the alignment of our mutual interests.

Where on earth did you get the delusion that I must seek your trust?”

Standing up, he looked down at Mora: “I contacted the Second Prince to reveal my plan to tell him that if he wants to live, he can cooperate with me and avoid being accidentally injured by me.

It wasn't because I need your support to survive.”

After saying that, Eji walked out of the room.

In the quiet room, Mora stood up with a frown, her expression somewhat puzzled.

She wasn't angry at being rebutted with unfriendly words.

After all, what he said was true.

And most importantly... Mora always felt that City Lord Eji's words and actions had a particularly familiar scent.

It was very faint, like a floral fragrance smelled from ten miles away—vague and blurry.

The goal of this trip had been achieved. Although she wasn't very satisfied, Eji had already stated his attitude, and there was no need for Mora to linger. She left the hotel and walked toward the north city gate.

Walking slowly on the stone road, she was still immersed in the atmosphere from just now.

She seemed to have seen it somewhere... that forceful but not crude tone, the abruptness of gentleness turning into indifference in an instant.

Where was it...

Mora's eyebrows were almost knitted together.

Finally, after passing through the city gate, her eyes lit up.

Mr. Zhang Mu!

Mr. Zhang Mu was just like that!

Recalling her not-so-long time with Zhang Mu, Mora was very certain; that demeanor was exactly the same.

There were actually two people so alike in the world.

Mora didn't think in the direction of them being the same person.

Setting aside the difference in their identities—one a lone mage and the other a city lord appointed by the kingdom—there was no possibility of their paths crossing.

Not to mention that Mr. Zhang Mu had already been confirmed...

The light in Mora's eyes dimmed.

The Princess...

Loneliness spread in her heart. She took a deep breath to compose herself and hurried to the woods. Centered around the grave, she meticulously searched the surroundings for any clues that might exist.

Unfortunately, until the sun set, she was as empty-handed as usual.

Returning to the palace with a slumped head, Mora found Avril taking a nap on the long sofa in her bedroom.

“Princess, I'm back.”

Avril was lying on her side and slowly opened her eyes. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped: “You're back? Is there any progress in the investigation?”

“The same as usual.”

“What about City Lord Eji's side?”

“He said his method for dealing with Bishop Jarvis is his secret.”

“So there's no proof?”

“But his tone... seemed very confident.”

Avril sat up and shook her head, ending the topic.

Usually at this time, Mora would return to her post.

But today, she remained standing there, her eyes full of hesitation.

Avril noticed this keenly and gave an elegant smile: “What's wrong with my little Mora?”

“Princess... I, um...” she tugged at her ponytail, speaking intermittently.

Examining her scrunched-up features, Avril's expression became strange: “This doesn't seem like you... Oh! Could it be that you have a crush?!”

“Your Highness.” Mora let go of her hand, sparing the ponytail she had been tormenting. “I talked with City Lord Eji for a while.”

“Of course, otherwise how would you have brought back news,” Avril said, puzzled.

“City Lord Eji... he is very similar to Mr. Zhang Mu.”

In her pupils, the ice-blue deepened. Avril's voice turned low: “Mora, don't use my Junior...”

“I mean...” Mora uncharacteristically and somewhat offensively interrupted her, “He might be trustworthy.”

“Trustworthy?”

“Yes, just like Mr. Zhang Mu. He might seem unreliable on the surface, but in reality, he always handles things well, with nothing left out.”

Mora was no longer the Mora of half a year ago; at least, she could no longer act as recklessly as a child.

After a few seconds of pondering, Avril looked up: “I understand. I will meet him personally. If he has the ability to fulfill his promise, even if the probability is very small, my brother and I will support him with all our might.”

That would be for the best.

Having voiced her conflict, Mora felt a wave of relief.

If City Lord Eji really could defeat Bishop Jarvis, even if it just bought some time, the Princess's hope for victory would be greater.

Bowing, Mora turned to return to her post.

Halfway there, she suddenly turned her head: “By the way, Princess, that City Lord Eji seems to have some strange hobbies. You might want to take note; perhaps it can be used in later conversations.”

“What kind of hobbies?”

“He seems to favor demi-humans quite a bit.”

As if an electric current had passed through her body, Avril suddenly gripped the sofa cushion: “What... what kind of demi-human?”

“Um... there was a cat-tribe demi... Princess?”

Mora looked blankly at the sofa. Avril, who had been sitting there upright just a moment ago, had already vanished.

...

Royal Palace, Conference Hall.

Zhang Mu sat by the table with his legs crossed, bored out of his mind listening to the other city lords report on their urban governance.

His closed eyes opened slightly into a slit. Andre, behind the single desk, was leisurely sipping black tea.

Pfft...

Zhang Mu felt that this person was vain to the extreme.

In his words, he hoped to show his broad-minded and upright side, but in his actions, he always revealed a hint of narrow-mindedness and meanness.

Not to mention how he previously claimed to ignore Zhang Mu while secretly sending people to tail him.

Just now, the fact that he put all the city lords on his side first and left the others aside already showed his petty nature.

Glancing around, there were at least a hundred people between the reporting city lord and himself.

“It won't be my turn for another ten days,” Zhang Mu muttered, standing up and leading Soren out.

“City Lord Eji, the debriefing meeting is in progress. Where are you going?”

The gazes of all the city lords converged on him.

“I have some private business to attend to.” He didn't stop for a second.

Andre crushed the crystal cup in his hand: “Do you know what you are doing?”

“I don't know what I'm doing? Do you know?”

Bang— With a slap that shattered the wooden table in front of him, Andre's anger could no longer be contained.

Stopping his pace, Zhang Mu looked back at the wooden fragments all over the floor: “Quite a bit of strength. Tomorrow I'll get you a fine iron table to ensure it won't break when you slap it.”

Having said that, he continued toward the main door.

“Mr. Eji, do you think you've lived too long?”

Ignoring him, Zhang Mu stepped straight out the door.

Just as Andre was weighing in his mind whether to go all out and sacrifice a Master-level to take him out, a voice drifted leisurely into the room from outside.

“I'm really in a hurry, otherwise I wouldn't mind giving you some face.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the church.”

To the church? Him? To do what?

Before an answer could be deduced, the voice came in again: “To the church to challenge Jarvis to a duel.”

The city lords and Andre were dumbfounded. Did he know what he was saying?

Challenge Jarvis to a duel? Him, a Magister?

The expressions of the city lords who knew beforehand weren't much better.

Even though Zhang Mu had informed them last night, seeing his carefree appearance now, as if he were just going out for dinner, they still couldn't help but gape.

In their imagination, for such a major event, shouldn't he have chosen a suitable time and made a declaration with a serious attitude?

What's with this casual tone?

After a while, everyone came to their senses and looked at each other.

They were a bit skeptical. Was it for real? Were they hallucinating?

Was someone really in such a hurry to seek death?

Soon, a Guard who ran in quickly helped them confirm that they hadn't misheard.

“City Lord Eji has invited Bishop Jarvis to a duel outside the city at the end of the month.”

The air froze. The city lords looked at each other for a moment, and then an uproar broke out.

...

Royal Capital North District, Hotel.

Avril, worried about causing a commotion, wrapped herself up tightly and came to the hotel under the cover of night.

Using her token to enter the building, she headed up the stairs.

Her steps were slow, but the journey wasn't long, and she eventually stood before a room door.

She took a few nervous deep breaths, feeling her excitement calm down a bit, and raised her hand.

Knock knock—

“Sorry, please wait... Lia, help me open the door.”

The familiar name seemed to turn into a hand, gripping Avril's heart and making it skip a beat.