Rosalyn looked at them through her lashes, taking a bite of her salad. Cale and Adara's eyes followed her every move. "I heard you two were trash," she said when she finished chewing. "But I guess that was a lie."

Hah, Adara thought, laughing on the inside though her expression remained unchanging. She's speaking informally now that she has no need to.

Even if they hadn't asked Choi Han to bring her here, they would have known it was her from her appearance alone. Most of the population of the Western Kingdom had no idea what the Royalty of other Kingdoms looked like, some didn't even know what their own Royalty looked like. But Nobles were held to a different standard. A much higher one.

While Families of Viscounts and Barons— the low-level Nobles— would have a hard time gathering information in general, especially about Royalty from foreign Kingdoms, at a Count's level it was basic knowledge. Adara needed to know how to distinguish which Royal belonged to which Kingdom based off of appearance alone. She even learned how to tell which bastard was the discarded offspring from which Royal Family, even with their muddled blood.

All her days and nights studying would have amounted to nothing if she wasn't able to identify Crown Princess Rosalyn with no context.

"It is true that we are famous for being trash," Cale said, taking a sip from his soup. "I even heard that some people call us the 'North-East Trash Duo'. Interesting name, is it not?"

Adara focused on Rosalyn, focused on her pretty features. She felt a smile come up to her lips. "Not as the Crown Princess of the Breck Kingdom, but as a mage, shouldn't you make your judgements based on what your five senses tell you, and not based on what you have heard from other people's lips?"

Rosalyn the Genius Mage smiled at Adara's words. Rosalyn felt it odd in a funny way that Adara needed to make the distinction. "You are right. Both of you, Young Master Cale and Young Mistress Adara. We only believe the things we experience ourselves."

Adara took a bite of her food, observing the redheaded mage in front of her. She speaks informally to us when she's the princess, but when she's the mage she refers to herself as part of the mage society while speaking formally. Being part of the society of mages is much more important to her than being the Crown Princess it seems.

"But Princess-nim—," Cale started, only for said princess to interrupt him.

"Roslayn."

Adara searched her face, watching how her eyebrows furrowed, how her mouth pulled into a slight grimace, how she pulled her head away from the further, as though to distance herself from the title. She really doesn't like to be treated like a princess, a Crown Princess no less. She watched how Rosalyn slowly got her expression under control. She isn't good at hiding her emotions either. I can read her emotions easily.

"Okay, then. Miss Rosalyn, are you done with your questions?" Cale asked, starting his inquires again.

She smiled. "Yes, I am finished." She watched the two in front of her for a moment. They knew of my identity, though they pretended they did not. They just told me to enjoy my stay for as long as I wanted. She didn't find it disrespectful, no not at all. If she wanted to be treated like a Crown Princess, she would have told them so. But she did not want to be treated that way. She was grateful that they faked ignorance, more grateful that they told her of Lock's condition and gave them the resources to deal with it correctly. "Young Master Cale, Young Mistress Adara, it seems like you two do not want to be involved with me."

Adara raised her eyebrows in fake surprise. "Does it seem like that? Well, we must apologise, Miss Rosalyn, we truly did not mean for you to feel uninvolved."

For a second, Rosalyn thought Adara was mocking her. But no, the surprise on her face looks genuine enough. She wouldn't be mocking the Crown Princess of the Breck Kingdom.

"We only treated you in that way, because we thought it was what you preferred" Adara continued. "Were we wrong?"

Rosalyn smiled at her. "Not at all." Liar. She looked at Cale. Liars. She did not feel regret for her harsh words. They were truly liars. Two humans who travel with a dragon. Known to all as Trash, but they aren't like that in reality. They could have told everyone of my identity if they really wanted to. But they don't want to. Because they do not want to be involved with me. Her words are just a good excuse.

"It seems like you have not informed the Roan Royalty. Thank you very much," she thanked them, they were both smiling as innocently as they could with faces like theirs. As if they knew nothing.

"No problem," Cale said, still smiling. "Something like that should be based on the involved individual's own wishes."

"In addition," Adara added, "if we really did report you to the Palace, the Crown Prince would have likely barged into this residence. I am sure nobody wants that."

Rosalyn offered a nervous smile. How casual she speaks of the Crown Prince. Maybe I was wrong to assume she wouldn't mock me simply because of my position. "Yes, that would cause a few problems that could easily be avoided. But, you are correct, Young Master Cale. I do not wish to reveal myself. If this lands both of you in trouble in the future, please let them know that I asked you not to do so. I will send a messenger to back up your story."

"Got it," Cale said with a small nod.

"How generous," Adara commented.

Though Rosayn detected no malic or mockery behind the words, she still found them informal. How odd. She could simply be thanking me, but I think she is mocking me. Adara Thornwin, you are odd. "Thank you for letting me stay here. I will take care of my business quietly and not cause you any trouble."

Adara smiled. "No need for any thanks. It is the Crown Princess we do not want to get involved with. Rosalyn the Mage, we have no problem with." She looked at the dragon still eating for a moment, before turning back to Rosalyn. "But thank you for assuring us you will not cause any trouble for us."

"Yes, thank you very much," Cale thanked her. It was what he wanted to hear the most, he knew Adara did too. They did not need any more problems than what would happen in the Plaza.

Rosalyn shrugged in an elegant manner. "No worries, it is how it should be," she brushed off their thanks and started eating.

No words were uttered, they were all silent as they ate. They did not have the need to talk, they had said all they needed to.

But Rosalyn kept peeking at the dragon so very often. She could not help it, as a mage her gaze couldn't go anywhere but to the dragon. The dragon was eating a sausage that was on Cale's plate, when he stopped and looked at Rosalyn. He had ignored it the first few times she had peeked at him, but now he was speaking up. "Eat your own food. This is mine."

The Black Dragon pulled the plate he had taken the sausage from closer to him. Adara, who was eating pork, casually took the half-eaten food and put it on the plate next to the sausages. She got the steak that she was planning on eating and put it on his plate too. She made sure to put some cherry tomatoes too.

The Black Dragon enjoyed the cooked food, more than he liked eating raw meat. He was eating more and more, his stomach a never-ending chasm. The food was so good too, like nothing he ever tasted before. When he saw the redheaded mage look repeatedly at him, he assumed she wanted his delicious food.

Rosalyn blinked at his words, turning to look at the two nobles across from her in question. Cale stealthily put up four fingers without the dragon noticing. Mouthing the words, 'Four years old', he made a motion to the dragon.

Rosalyn smiled, getting the meaning of his motions. She looked at the black dragon munching on his pork. "Yes, Dragon-nim. I would not dare eye your food." I was right. It is a young dragon.

The lunch carried on as planned, with the only words being spoken by the Black Dragon asking what the red balls on his plate was.

Adara looked to see what he was talking about. "Ah, the cherry tomatoes? They are sweet, taste them with some steak."

The Black Dragon poked the plump red tomatoes, watching it roll away slightly.

Rosalyn watched with interest at the scene unfolding before her eyes.

The Black Dragon picked up the cherry tomato, put one in his mouth alongside some steak. His eyes widened as he chewed. He started chewing faster. "Can I have more?" he asked excitedly. The cherry tomatoes were good, they tasted amazing with the steak.

Adara chuckled, picking all the halves of cherry tomatoes from her salad that she had chosen after she gave her pork to the dragon, and putting them in front of the dragon. She watched with bright eyes as he ate every half with a bite of steak. Damn child, stealing all my food, she thought with no harshness, as she got another plate full of food.

It took only a few minutes for the dragon— after he finished his teak and cherry tomatoes— to be interested in her plate again. She gave it to him without much complaint, of course. All her thoughts were without malice as well.

Rosalyn watched them for a while, laughing when she saw Cale's defeated stare at thinking he was saved from the dragon stealing his food. He was not.

After their enjoyable lunch, they had a while to rest before the North-Eastern Meeting.

Madelynne, Adara thought, looking through the logs Sadie sent. That was the name, of Sadie's friend. In truth, she was surprised Sadie had any friends.

She did know she played around with the Knights sometimes, but she was surprised she knew someone who wasn't a potential fuckbuddy. Or maybe this Madelynne is a fuckbuddy, Adara thought. She didn't quite care that much when it came to Sadie's personal life.

In any case, if you're fucking Sadie or not, Madelynne, you're getting a promotion, she thought, appreciatively. These logs are the most concise logs I've ever seen coming from the Finance Department. She might have to pull a few strings to get her to be promoted, seeing as her Father was in charge of the Finance Department, but she would make sure she would be promoted in the end.

Adara figured her good memory came from her being half Dark Elf. Dark Elves had long lives, and she would most likely have a longer-than-average life as well. It was because of that, she remembered every time she had been targeted by assassins, knew the dates and the times. And the dates matched up with Countess Louise's asks for money to go shopping with.

The first few assassination attempts were during the same month as when she asked for money, but as time went by, and as Adara still lived, the time span between got shorter and shorter. To the point the Countess asked for money, the same night Adara got an unpleasant visit. She must have implemented a deadline of sorts, in her desperation.

Adara stared at the logs, her mind working. Cale was lounging on the couch, reading a book she recommended. "What's on your mind?" Cale asked, closing the book.

"You are not going to read your book?" she asked, distantly.

She couldn't see, but he shook his head. "No, I'm in the middle of a particularly sad part of the book and I need to distract myself before I continue."

She had a small smile on her lips. "Ah, the part where she leaves him? Yeah, I guess it is a sad part."

"Do they meet again?" he asked quickly. "She doesn't want to leave him, but she can't tell him why she's leaving so she's heartbroken because she's only now realising that she loves him. But he thinks she doesn't love him, so he's also heartbroken because he's been in love with her for a while now. It is the perfect setting for them to meet again."

She shrugged slightly, eyes still on the logs. "You'll have to continue reading, though the sad scenes won't stop until a little later in the book. The next few chapters will be in both of their perspectives on how their life is without the other. I like her perspective more in those chapters because she realises just how much she loves him. And misses him."

Cale groaned. Their separation was already sad, he didn't need any more sad scenes. Though all the sad scenes would be a good build-up to their supposed reunion. "Distract me. Tell me what you've been thinking since you got those logs."

She shrugged. "Countess Louise seems to be the one who was trying to assassinate me. The dates all match up, the price for an assassination of a Count's child in that time's economy matches the amounts she asked for. It all matches up."

Cale frowned. "Why do you sound upset about that?"

She also frowned. "Because something isn't matching up. My brother. What does he have to do with all of this? What is his role? I assumed, again, that the reason he tried to murder me when we were 10 was to secure the Successor Position. But am I wrong about that too? I don't know enough. I thought I did, but this piece of information is making me realise just how much I took to be the truth is purely speculation."

"Did you ever put into perspective just how young you guys were? 10 years old. Do you think a 10-year-old is capable of murdering someone? To understand what they were doing if they did?" he asked.

She nodded, agreeing with what he said. "No. I didn't understand what death meant then, either. But, if he didn't understand that he was trying to kill me, what did he think he was doing?"

Cale shrugged. "I have no idea, I'm only putting stuff out there to be considered."

She hummed, still staring at the logs. "Your words are being considered," she said, distant again. "Continue reading your book, it gets better. Be wary of Chapter 32, though."

Cale checked which chapter he was on. "Oh shit, I'm on Chapter 26. What happens on 32?"

"I'm not saying any spoilers," she said with a small smile.

Having been near the end, and interested because of her ominous warning, Cale finished his book that day. He was in fact, very wary of Chapter 32, the main antagonist having come up to try and sway the protagonist from joining with her love interest the second the opportunity came. He was very satisfied with their reunion after all the sad chapters.

At the moment, Cale and Adara were on the carriage to meet the North-Eastern Nobles.

The North-Eastern Nobles consisted of 11 Noble Families of varying titles. Though, there were more if you counted the ones under the barons, the Pillars of the North-East was definitely these 11 Families. Of those 11 Families, they were meeting with the heads of three of them. Three Families that the Henituse's and Thornwin's were particularly close with.

The Thornwin was a very sociable Family. Especially with Adara going around visiting all the Heads and their parents to get them on her side. But also because of the poison deals they made. Because the deals where they exchanged poison were formed complete secrecy, it was a business that went unspoken. To the point, where none of the families knew which other had purchased poison. It was that fear that made them buy more poison from them.

The Thornwins were not biased on who would be able to buy their poison, they would sell to all of the Western Continent if the Western Continent came to them. But, if the Empire, for example, would come to them, the price would naturally be higher. Adara had used that to her advantage.

She made deals with most of the 11 Noble families. She started off saying a price that was higher than the actual poison was priced at, but then offered them a deal where she lowered the price. But in fact, she lowered it only slightly under the actual price so she did not have tremendous losses. They were tricked every time.

With Amiru Ubarr she particularly kicked it off.

They were outside of the Estate by now.

Adara looked at to her side, seeing Cale's face. She knew him well enough by now to see that he was worried, his face so different compared to her Cale's though they were the same.

She could guess what he was thinking about. "Don't worry," she said. "I have a feeling I know how this meeting will go."

He looked at her. Of course, she knows Amiru Ubarr and she's probably heard of Eric and Gilbert. She has more intel on what type of person they are. I just know Eric and Cale used to be close. 

Deputy Butler Hans had advised him before they left for the meeting. "Young Master," he had started, "it is great that you have a good relationship with Young Master Eric, but I bring this up to you to ask whether you think it would be smarter to not act so close to each other in front of the other nobles in the meeting."

That had been helpful to him, he now knew they were close. However confusing it was to him, because the report on Eric's personality described him as a good person who was a bit uptight.

To Adara, Hans had advised something similar. "I would say something similar to you too, Young Mistress, if there was a possibility you would even take my words into consideration." Well, maybe not so similar.

Adara had only smiled at his remark, making a casual threat at his loose tongue.

She was smiling now too.

"What do you think will happen, then?" he asked.

Her smile widened. "I think, having heard the rumours, they are worried we might cause trouble for them. They are going to do everything in their power to prevent that. They might offer something in return for us being well-behaved. They also will want us well-behaved to prevent anybody giving them a bad name through us."

Cale listened to her theories. "Well, it sounds like I don't have to do anything."

An old butler walked up to them, seeing that they had stopped talking. He bowed low to the two. "Welcome, Young Master Cale-nim, Young Mistress Adara-nim."

Adara observed him, observed the Estate behind him. It was not a big Estate, nor as extravagant as the Thornwin's and Henituse's. Count Wheelsman wasn't as strong or very wealthy compared to them. But he still managed to maintain a relationship with both. A relationship with the Thornwin's not based on poison was hard to build up. But Count Wheelsman managed it. It was beneficial to the Thornwin's and Henituse's too. It was good to know someone so close to the Capital as Count Wheelsman was.

That was why she had not visited their Estate. She liked them, liked what she heard about their Family. She did not need to go there and strike fear into their hearts, to be fearful of the other 9 Families, for they were already allies. She hadn't done that to Amiru's Family either, she was far too pretty to be treated like that.

The butler spoke up again. "Young Master Cale, Young Mistress Adara, may I escort you inside?"

"Sure," Cale responded.

They both followed the old butler into the Wheelsman Estate at a leisurely pace.

Adara was thinking about the only person she saw no use in befriending.

Gilbert Chetter.

She did not often judge people on their position, but she judged them on how much use they would have to her. Gilbert Chetter, being the eldest child of a Baron, did not have much influence nor usage to her. So she spared him from her visits.

When they entered, the butler bowed down and left the room. Adara took no time in walking to her Unnie with large strides. She put her hands on the chair, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. "Unnie, I am glad to see you," she said with an unusual smile on her lips.

Amiru looked to her side and smiled at her. "It is nice to see you too, Adara."

Adara took the chair next to her. She did not truly think of Amiru as her Unnie. No, the only person whom she truly thought of as her Unnie was Layla. And she was long gone. But she indulged the pretty woman and called her Unnie regardless of her own thoughts. "How is your mother?"

Gilbert, Eric, and Cale all blinked at this turn of the conversation. When they heard they were close, they didn't expect how close. It was particularly odd to Cale to see Adara acting in such a way. He could easily tell she did not mean any of the words she spoke, nor the smiles she smiled. It seemed Amiru was not as knowing, though.

Amiru's smile took another shape, her eyes like crescents. "She is very well. She awaits your visit soon, she has said she misses your company."

"And I miss hers," Adara assured her.

Cale was not impressed. Are they all blind? Her words are so empty. He observed Amiru for a few moments. She was totally taken away by this front Adara put on, believing so wholly in it. She accompanies her words with a pretty smile or two and suddenly everyone believes her. I swear, the things a pretty face can do. He thought again about her appearance when she did not look like a Southerner, her natural appearance. She looks prettier like that, he decided again.

Adara turned to the other people at the table as Cale took a seat next to her. On his right was Gilbert, but across from him and Adara was Eric. "It is a pleasure to meet you too, Gilbert Chetter, Eric Wheelsman," she said with less sickly sweetness than with Amiru.

Gilbert nodded, unsure how to respond.

But Eric, after a momentary fake cough, responded. "It is lovely to meet you, Adara. I have only the misfortune that we have not met sooner."

Adara did not answer, she only smiled.

Eric let out another cough. "Let's get back to the topic we came here to discuss."

Both Adara and Cale remained silent as they waited. It only made the three in the room slightly uncomfortable by their pressing gazes.

Gilbert looked away from them, instead focusing on the empty space in between their heads. "I heard you do not like formalities."

Amiru sweat-dropped at their stares. Adara is a bit crude in her words when she isn't with someone she knows. There will be a lot of people there who she doesn't know. It will be best for her to be quiet and talk only to the ones she knows. And avoid Young Master Venion. "It is fine to not like something, it is only natural," she spoke up.

Cale nodded. "Yes, formalities are quite annoying."

"They are," Adara added, speaking curtly.

"That is why you two don't need to say anything or do anything," Eric exclaimed, tapping on the table subconsciously. "Just be still. Be still and we take care of everything for you two. You hate annoying things like formalities after all."

Adara and Cale shared a look. Adara had a small smile in triumphant at her accurate theories. Cale gave her a small shrug, before turning back to the three Nobles surrounding them. "I am very good at staying still," he commented.

Eric blinked. "Huh? You are?" Before smiling. "Ah, yes. You are like that. You are very good at that."

Adara had heard a lot about Eric, heard he was uptight but a good person. But that he was a worrier. He worried before anything of big significance happened, thinking about all the things that could go wrong. Of course, both Adara and Cale were the biggest concern of his since he heard they were the ones to come to the Capital yesterday.

Eric looked at the two who were still staring at him. "Some of the other North-Eastern Nobles may try to annoy you. The ones who aligned themselves with Marquis Stan or some other duke will definitely try. But all you have to do is be still and we will take care of everything for you. What do you think?"

Adara disagreed with some of his speech. None of the North-Eastern Nobles would try to antagonise her in fear she might deny their requests for poison. Or worse, make the prices higher. But they definitely might try to antagonise Cale, though her position as his best friend might dissuade some of the weaker of heart to do so.

She understood their concerns. She did read the document about their plans of investment after all. She had even talked to Amiru about it.

Out of everything, Eric was most worried about the other North-Eastern Nobles. The North-East had no faction. All 11 Pillar Families aligned themselves elsewhere, except for these 5 Families. The other Nobles aligned themselves with Higher-Ranking Nobles outside the North-East.

If they wanted their plans of investment to work, they needed to be very cautious. This group of 5 families needed to be in the centre. That was how they would get their plans of investment to succeed, and maybe create a faction for the North-East. And in order to do all of that, the wealthy and strong families of Henituse and Thornwin could not cause an accident in the Capital.

Eric watched the two in front of him with anxious eyes, waiting for their responses.

"That would be great," Cale responded with a gentle smile.

"I see no problem with it," Adara agreed.

Eric felt a smile come to his lips at their words. "I plan on showing our respect to the Crown Prince together as well. I'm sure both of you find it very annoying and want to get drinking right away, but that will be difficult. As long as you do that initial greeting, we will take care of everything else."

Adara smiled. And just when I thought I would be able to avoid him. It seems all of the gods are pushing us to meet. I quite detest them sometimes. She picked up the wineglass in front of her, seeing that Cale had done the same. She also saw Gilbert flinch.

She took a sip of her wine. Ah, Henituse Wine, she recognised.

"It's great," Cale spoke up.

Ah, yes, I am sure he is enjoying their protection and offer of doing nothing, she thought with a smile. But I still need to do stuff. I need to think over what I need to say to the Crown Prince to make him trust me, or at least keep me around long enough that he doesn't figure out that I am Half-Dark Elf.

"Isn't it?" Eric said, a bright smile on his face. His glasses were reflecting the light from the chandelier, making him appear slightly angelic. "All you have to do is show up, sit there, and relax."

Adara spoke up this time. "It sounds like a perfect plan." She took the cutlery next to her plate and started eating, the 4 other Nobles took after her.

Adara and Cale were calmly eating their meals, but Eric, Gilbert and— less so— Amiru were still tense. They were not sure if it was going to work until the end of their dinner.

They needed to rely on Adara and Cale not making a scene heavily, seeing as they wanted to convince the Crown Prince to invest in the North-Eastern Coastline, where Gilbert and Amiru's Families were.

Adara took a sip of her wine. "Henituse wine is certainly very good."

"Thank you," Cale thanked her. "It's a shame the Thornwin's don't make any wine. Maybe you should bring it up as a new business plan."

Adara only smiled at him. The Crown Prince will not invest in the coastline, she knew. She knew it when Amiru first told her about it, she knew it when Cale described the war to come. They want to invest in tourism, the Crown Prince has no interest in tourism when a war will start soon in the south of the Western Continent. If only she got my hints about making it a navy, she thought with a glance at Cale.

For the rest of the dinner, the 5 Nobles occasionally talked. The 3 nobles getting more and more relaxed as time went on. There was not a single accident, even with both of them drinking wine.

At the end of the meal, everyone was able to say they were satisfied with their meeting.

~~~