Chapter 1032: Chapter 575: Imperial Princess Sofia (Part 2)
At this moment, Grendel also spoke the latter half of the sentence.
"He doesn’t care and said something interesting, roughly meaning who doesn’t have secrets? As long as you don’t harm Hamlet, it’s fine to stay."
Hearing this, Sofia’s expression was somewhat moved, yet she remained silent.
"I don’t know what has happened to you, but would you like to hear my story?"
Grendel showed great patience, calmly narrating the story that happened to her.
"Perhaps you might not believe it; I arrived in Hamlet just less than half a year before you..."
She didn’t get into too many details, only mentioning that her tribe was massacred by enemies, and then she escaped with her kindred’s cover, being chased all the way from the Mountains to within the Empire’s borders.
When she was in danger, it was the Lord who saved her, and that arrogant enemy perished at the hands of the Lord as well.
"In the eyes of you Imperial People, I am regarded as part of the Barbarian Tribes, yet when I faced hardship, he helped me without hesitation.
Because in his eyes, no matter your identity, you are human, and as long as you follow the rules here, you will be protected by order."
After speaking, Grendel reached out and held her hand, saying, "Speak out; no one here will harm you."
As empathic feelings go, similar experiences made Sofia unable to hold back anymore.
No one knows how stressful it is to live disguised under a mask, always fearing what would happen if someone recognized her.
Now that she’s been recognized, there’s instead a sense of relief.
"That’s right, I am Sofia."
After getting the response, Grendel gently patted the back of her hand, then retracted it.
However, Sofia might not have felt the unique fragrance emanating from Grendel’s outstretched hand gradually dispersing.
"Tell me what’s happened to you, perhaps we could help you."
Once certain things begin, they become much simpler. Sofia, throughout the journey, had accumulated an unknown amount of pressure with nowhere to vent, now she poured it out like unloading garbage.
"He’s gone mad!"
She started with an inexplicable remark, and Sofia’s face quickly filled with fear and unease, revealing a more intense terror than her previously stiff expression.
With her narration, Grendel soon understood who this "he" referred to.
What frightened Sofia so much was the Empire Emperor, for the reforms the Emperor pushed disrupted the cake of many Nobilities, and as the war began, those Nobilities clamored for a change in the throne.
So the Emperor harbored a vague hostility towards any royal family members with inheritance rights, originally just wary of them.
This situation worsened with the failure and stalemate in the war, as those who initially supported the Emperor also began to waver.
The Rebels found it difficult to replace the Emperor, but it would be much easier if people from the Empire abandoned the Emperor and replaced him.
This crisis led the Emperor to madness, relentlessly persecuting royal family members with inheritance rights.
Countless have died, and even if they survived, they were mostly controlled and imprisoned by the Emperor.
Sofia survived partly due to her gentle nature, but the Emperor was still uneasy, turning her into a tool for marriage alliances, to woo those wavering Nobilities.
This was a significant test, thus attracting so much attention, with the Emperor dispatching troops and a powerful Empire Champion Knight to protect her.
Now, many forces did not want this marriage alliance to succeed, and even Hamlet could be counted among them, so it’s unclear who attacked them.
"The army was scattered by the enemy, and the Guard told me to put on Maid clothes and escape with me; to protect me, they diverted the enemy.
And I fled into the woods, not knowing which way to go, not knowing how long I walked, until I encountered a merchant caravan..."
Then she encountered a passing caravan, but dared not reveal her identity, only claiming to be a refugee.
When she escaped, she changed into Maid clothes, coupled with the ordeal of surviving in the forest, she appeared quite disheveled, unrecognizable as a Princess.
Yet Grendel, upon hearing this, knew trouble was afoot—indeed, an inexperienced Princess caused such problems.
If she had claimed to be a lost Nobility due to hunting, no one in the caravan would dare touch her, and she’d be carefully attended to.
But saying she’s a refugee separated from her family aroused the caravan’s ambition.
The caravan leader was troubled about handling gifts, and now a gift presented itself, consoling her all the way to Bastia, then capturing her to dress up for a gift.
Naturally, Sofia struggled to escape, and at this point, she alerted people from the Eagle Flock, who then promptly took her away.
What followed was a thrilling scene where, during a struggle, Laura’s push caused her to hit the table corner and faint, and when she awoke, she’d been saved by Laura.
How she escaped the city remains unknown; mixed among refugees, supporting each other with Margaret, they made their way with Laura’s care, or else it’s uncertain if the two could manage to reach their destination.
Only upon entering Hamlet with Laura did they escape such a dire situation.
It can be said that the period in Hamlet has been the most stable for her.
No Emperor’s persecution, no constant threat of attack, no greedy, wicked stares, no hunger.
Even the recent chaos didn’t make her feel much turmoil in the town—the patrolling people in the streets brought a sense of security.
She thought it would continue like this until now...
"Alright, I’ve nearly understood the situation, just stay in Hamlet without worry, and speak up if anything arises."
Lance didn’t mind, but Grendel needed to ensure whether the threat you carry would endanger Hamlet’s safety.
"But! But...what am I to do..." Sofia’s experience made her unable to help but seek help from the person before her, her voice trembling with a sobbing intonation.
Sofia’s true fear didn’t lie with others but with the Emperor; if it’s learned she didn’t perish, she’d surely be captured back.
Then, it might be more unbearable than death.
Grendel, understanding her feelings, offered consolation: "No outsiders know your true identity, and Hamlet isn’t under the Emperor’s control, we haven’t kicked you out, relax."
This vague reassurance couldn’t bring Sofia comfort; Grendel shouldn’t have shattered her fragile disguise, exposing her already fragile heart.
Now, it leaves her in growing anxiety; this mounting pressure might destroy her reason.
Sofia’s will is undergoing a test...
"Ah! I have an idea."
This sentence interrupted Sofia’s consciousness, she looked at Grendel like grasping the final straw for survival.
"Remember those two church Monks who incited the unrest?"
"But what’s that got to do with me?"
"The Church people caused trouble and got beaten just the same; those two guys are still in the security station’s jail. Not even the Lord fears them, so why fear that Emperor?"
Grendel enticed: "If you could gain the Lord’s Sanctuary, I can say no one in this world would dare touch you, not even that Empire Emperor, because in Hamlet, there’s only one Emperor."
"But I..." Sofia instinctively wanted to retort, but it seems like this understanding holds, thus she fell into contemplation.
"You’re safe in Hamlet for now; no one will recognize Sofia if you don’t want exposure, keep a low profile and wear more, nobody will bother you.
But if you want to solve the problem thoroughly, seek out the Lord; he will give you the answer."
"What should I do?"
"The Lord still needs a close Maid, are you interested?" Grendel softly coaxed, "Staying by his side, surely no one would dare harm you."
Yet hearing this, Sofia couldn’t help casting a peculiar look at Grendel, suddenly finding her green hair particularly striking.
