"Arthur, may I come into your room?" The voice of the very soft-spoken girl, whom Arthur recognized as Lucia, reached his ears.
"Lucia?" Arthur was taken aback for a moment, then he approached the door and opened it.
Instantly, a charming and stunning girl stood before him.
Upon closer inspection, Arthur noticed Lucia's exceptional beauty, which he had glimpsed before but now fully appreciated.
Her face exhibited a mature grace with finely sculpted features.
The blond hair styled in a side bun added to her alluring aura.
Furthermore, her figure had indeed developed in all the right places, exuding a captivating allure.
Lucia noticed Arthur's admiring gaze and felt a sense of gratification.
"Oh! Lucia, it's great to see you again." Arthur smiled warmly and greeted her affectionately.
Early on, formalities in the throne room had kept them from expressing their feelings openly, but now, with just the two of them, Arthur no longer held back.
On the other hand, Lucia, upon hearing Arthur's voice and seeing his friendly expression, couldn't contain her excitement.
She rushed into his arms with sheer joy.
"Arthur!" She exclaimed, hugging him tightly and nuzzling her head against his chest, savoring his scent.
Arthur was taken aback initially but soon returned her embrace, holding Lucia affectionately.
"We meet again," he said warmly, and they embraced each other tightly, savoring the moment.
Reluctantly, they finally pulled away and gazed into each other's eyes.
Lucia admired Arthur's finely matured face, with his captivating purple eyes still as beautiful as ever and his facial features resembling a masterpiece.
Unable to resist, she reached out her hand and gently stroked his cheek.
"I didn't expect you to grow even more handsome, Arthur," Lucia murmured, her eyes fixed on his face in a daze.
Upon hearing this, Arthur was taken aback, noting Lucia's boldness in touching his face.
He remembered the Lucia he knew as a shy girl who would easily blush with embarrassment.
He often found her easy to tease, and just being around her brought out a playful side in him, making him crack light jokes to see her smile.
Though taken aback by her words, he quickly regained his composure and chuckled.
"You are also very beautiful, Lucia." Arthur complimented her, curious to see if she would react as shyly as before.
To his surprise, Lucia responded with boldness, pressing her face against his chest while playfully murmuring flirtatiously, "Of course I'm beautiful! It's just that you're a fool for being slow to figure this out." She traced a circle on his chest with her index finger.
Arthur couldn't help but feel a hint of regret as the image of the bashful, shy girl he had once known was quickly replaced by the more daring and flirtatious side of Lucia.
"That's true; you've always been beautiful," Arthur said, gently stroking her head and speaking softly.
Lucia then raised her head, looking at Arthur with a puzzled expression.
"By the way, I thought I heard you talking to someone inside," she said, tilting her head in confusion, her curiosity piqued.
Upon hearing Lucia's question, Arthur raised an eyebrow and shook his head lightly.
"Maybe you misunderstood; there's no one inside," he pretended, shrugging his shoulders and subtly blocking the open door with his body to prevent any discovery of Arthasia inside.
However, a sigh of relief escaped him as he remembered that only he could see Arthasia.
Lucia glanced at Arthur, sensing his evasiveness, and her intention to enter his room was halted.
"Are you hiding something inside?" Her radiant smile and gentle expression vanished, replaced by a gloomy and intense gaze fixed on Arthur.
Seeing Lucia's sudden change in demeanor, Arthur was taken aback and surprised.
He couldn't help but frown a little, feeling both perplexed and concerned.
"Why does she look so angry and have such an expression?" Arthur's heart raced, as seeing Lucia like this felt like encountering someone entirely different.
However, he was skilled at hiding his emotions, and his face returned to indifference.
"Of course, if you don't believe me, you can check inside," Arthur replied casually, stepping aside.
Lucia, still doubtful, hesitated but eventually ventured a little inside, carefully observing the quiet room with no one around. After a moment, she pulled herself back.
"I see; I believe you," she said with a sigh, and her bright and gentle smile returned.
A sudden coldness washed over Arthur, and he became wary.
Observing Lucia's peculiar reactions and changes, he grew increasingly worried, sensing that something was amiss with her.
Unable to contain his concern, he finally asked quietly.
"Is there a reason you suspect me so much?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, observing Lucia intently.
Lucia's behavior had been odd from the start, making him feel increasingly uncomfortable and somewhat guilty.
Hearing his question, Lucia smiled in confusion.
"Isn't it normal for there to be no secrets between fiancés?" She replied casually and continued
"Before my mother passed away, she used to talk to me about love, and one of the things she always emphasized was that between people who love each other and are bound by a relationship, there should be no lies."
Lucia explained with excitement, a fond but somewhat naive smile gracing her face.
Arthur was left speechless, unsure of how to respond.
"This is not normal at all," he muttered quietly, sensing that there was something happening with Lucia that he didn't understand.
After all, ten years had passed, and it was only natural for her to undergo changes in her nature.
However, something about this transformation seemed peculiar and left him feeling slightly unnerved.
Noticing the change in Arthur's expression, Lucia slowly approached him and hugged his arm tightly, hoping to bring him back to the present moment and feel her warmth.
"Is something bothering you, Arthur?" Lucia asked, her beautiful face etched with concern.
Arthur simply shook his head lightly. "It's nothing; don't worry about it. Maybe I'm just tired from the long journey," he replied casually.
Lucia briefly glanced at him, attempting to gauge if he was telling the truth or not.
She had the uncanny ability to detect lies, but Arthur, skilled at disguising his emotions, remained unreadable to her.
"Well, since you're feeling tired, you should rest well. Tomorrow, I'd like you to accompany me to the center of Arkham for shopping!" She released her embrace on his arm and excitedly declared her destination.
Arthur smiled gently and nodded in agreement.
"Alright, if that's your wish, I'll definitely grant it," he replied casually, eliciting a giggle from Lucia.
"Cup~" Lucia suddenly kissed his cheek and whispered seductively in his ear.
"This is a present for our meeting, hehehe." Then she took off running, leaving Arthur silently watching her beautiful figure recede with his purple eyes.
As he rubbed his cheek, Arthur couldn't help but murmur, "Something is not right."
...
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit tavern, a hooded man listened attentively, his face showing a hint of interest, as he overheard several people talking excitedly.
"Do you know that in a few days is the engagement day of the noble princess Lucia?" A middle-aged man with a portly figure exclaimed to the two others sitting in front of him, then took a deep swig from his glass of beer.
Upon hearing this, the other two men nodded and agreed with the excited man's words.
"That's right! I didn't expect such great news to surface!" one of the men remarked with a sigh and a smile, finishing his own beer in one gulp.
Meanwhile, the hooded man frowned slightly upon hearing this information and then revealed his face.
Immediately, a sharp and strong-looking middle-aged face appeared—none other than Rian!
"The imperial princess Balka is really engaged? Then, who is she engaged to?" Rian pondered to himself, keenly interested in hearing this news.
Indeed, news like this would be a major topic throughout the empire, and Rian was naturally curious.
After all, being the daughter of Emperor Alex would undoubtedly make Princess Lucia the center of attention for everyone in the empire.
Rian pricked up his ears and took a seat a few tables away from them.
"However, do you know who Princess Lucia's fiancé is?" The fat man smiled mysteriously and playfully glanced at the two men.
Upon hearing this, the two men looked at each other and shook their heads.
After all, the news had just been released and was still fresh.
Only a few people with a little high status in society knew this, aside from the Luvic nobles present in the throne room.
"Hehehe! Since I'm feeling generous, I'll tell you!" The fat man exclaimed casually, and the two men nodded eagerly.
"Tell us, tell us!" They urged, their expressions a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
Observing the two men's overwhelming excitement, the fat man felt a sense of satisfaction welling up within him.
"Alright, alright!" He waved his hand to calm them down.
Then, taking a deep breath, he began to explain.
"This is the news I received from my brother, who became a soldier in the empire!" The fat man glanced around cautiously, as if afraid of being overheard.
The two men nodded eagerly, leaning in to catch every word.
"The one who is the princess's fiancé is..." The fat man paused, teasing them with curiosity at its peak.
Meanwhile, only Rian was intently focusing, even using mana to enhance his hearing to catch every detail.
"That is the young master of the Asvold family! Young Master Arthur Asvold!" The answer immediately stunned the two men.
"What?!" They stood up in shock, but their astonishment was quickly overshadowed as other patrons around them also stood up, equally surprised.
"What?!" Rian stood utterly bewildered and speechless.
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