Read Novel Full Vol 3 Chapter 1 Part 1
Vol 3 Chapter 1 Part 1
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Chapter 1 – Lianxi Empire
Part 1
Lexia and the others were escorted by soldiers through the corridors of the imperial palace.
“So this is Eastern architecture! There are so many decorations I’ve never seen before!”
“Wow, the contrast between the red and gold is so beautiful and ornate!”
“Is the snake-like monster carved into the pillar a dragon from Eastern legends? What a magnificent sculpture.”
The soldiers looked at the three curious people in confusion.
“Why do they look so happy when they are about to be imprisoned?”
“This is the first time I’ve seen rebels like this; they’re acting out…”
At that moment, a graceful but panicked voice came from the corner of the corridor.
“Wait for me!”
“! Yuri-sama!”
The soldiers all bowed their heads in unison to the figure that appeared.
“? Who is it?”
The one who stopped the group was a woman with an elegant appearance.
She had shiny vermillion hair and a doll-like face. Her manners were full of elegance, and the clothes and ornaments she wore were magnificent, revealing her high status at a glance.
However, she was out of breath and seemed to be in a great hurry.
The woman named Yuri widened her eyes when she saw Lexia and the others being escorted by soldiers.
“Oh, my…!”
“Yuri-sama, these are dangerous people who were planning to cause an explosion in the imperial capital; please step back!”
Yuri turned resolutely to the panicked soldiers.
“These ladies are my guests.”
“Huh? Yu-Yuri-sama’s guests…?”
“Yes. I had made arrangements to notify the gatekeeper, but it seemed I was a little late. When I heard that three girls were captured, I didn’t think it was possible, but… you should release them immediately.”
“Y-yes! I did not know; I am terribly sorry…!”
The soldiers were pale, but Lexia smiled cheerfully at them.
“It’s okay. Thank you for bringing us here!”
“I don’t think we were led here…”
The soldiers released the three in a great hurry and left, apologizing repeatedly.
Waiting for their footsteps to fade, the woman bowed deeply.
“I am sorry for my rudeness. You are the new tutors of my daughter Xiaolin, aren’t you?”
“! If you are Xiaolin-sama’s mother… then you are…?”
The woman smiled softly.
“Yes. It is my pleasure to meet you for the first time. My name is Yuri, the third Empress of the Lianxi Empire. I was born in the Romel Empire, the sister of Emperor Schleimann.”
“I didn’t know that! Thank you for saving us! I am Lexia!”
“My name is Luna. Nice to meet you.”
“N-nice to meet you, my name is Tito!”
Yuri, the third Empress, put her hand to her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
“I had just received a letter from my brother and was rushing to make arrangements to pick you up, but your arrival was faster than I expected, and I was unable to prepare the arrangements in time.”
“The sleigh was so fast that it almost overtook the letter.”
“Well, it would normally take twice as long to get here.”
“Noel-san’s sleigh is amazing! …It exploded, though.”
“E-exploded? The soldier said something like that earlier…”
Luna nodded to Yuri, who rolled her eyes.
“Yes. The sleigh we were riding in exploded in front of the imperial capital, and we were suspected of being rebels.”
So that’s what happened… I’m sorry again for the inconvenience.”
“It’s all right. I lost my pass; that’s what started the whole thing.”
“Exactly. The gatekeeper was just doing his duty. That proves they do their job properly.”
“But thanks to them, we were able to enter the imperial palace without a hitch!”
“W-what a generous and positive…”
Yuri looked admiringly at Lexia and the others, who showed no sign of being disturbed.
“Um, I’m still keeping this from Xiaolin, but… I heard that Lexia-sama is the daughter of the King of Arcelia…?”
“Yes!”
“Well, it is really Her Highness, the Princess…”
“And Luna and Tito are very strong and reliable friends who together saved the Kingdom of Sahar and the Romel Empire from danger!”
“Oh, it was written in my brother’s letter, but I didn’t think that such amazing people… would really be Xiaolin’s tutors…!”
“But I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone who we are because it would cause a lot of trouble!”
Yuri was half stunned, but when she saw the extraordinary aura the three of them had, she nodded her head in agreement.
“You girls might be able to get Xiaolin to do what you say this time… I will tell you more when I show you to your rooms.”
Following Yuri, they walked along the corridor that led to the garden.
“Wow, what a beautiful garden!”
“Besides the trees, the rocks and mosses are beautifully arranged and charming.”
“There are some very colorful fish swimming in the pond!”
Lexia suddenly spotted a girl at the far end of the garden.
“Ara, that girl…?”
The girl was staring at a rock with a serious look on her face.
“What is she doing?”
“She seems to be doing something…”
Then, with a shout, the girl put her hand on the rock.
“…Eii!”
But when she saw that nothing happened, she slumped her shoulders.
“Is that some kind of training?”
Tito tilted her head.
Then Yuri noticed the girl and exclaimed in surprise.
“Well, Xiaolin! I told you to wait for your new tutor in your room today, didn’t I?”
“!”
The girl named Xiaolin turned around.
Although she retained a childish appearance, her eyes were well-developed, and she had a determined look in her eyes. Her gorgeous clothes were decorated with beautiful embroidery, and her hair was tied up in a beautiful knot with an elegant hairpin.
The color of her hair was particularly striking, a bright orange with a single streak of crimson.
Lexia’s smile widened as she realized that this girl was Princess Xiaolin.
“So you are Princess Xiaolin! I’m Lexia, nice to meet you!”
“…..”
But Xiaolin turned away and walked away with a flick of her hem.
“Well, that girl is… sorry, she’s been like that for a long time. She’s rejected all the new tutors she’s gotten, and lately, she doesn’t even listen to me anymore… At this rate, I’m worried about the trial ceremony that starts in ten days.”
“Trial ceremony?”
“You mean the battle for the succession to the throne, as the gatekeeper of the imperial capital said?”
“Yes. Let’s talk about it in detail in your room.”
Yuri led the group into the room.
The attendant offered them some tea, and then the explanation continued.
“The heirs to the throne of this country will be gathered in one place when the time comes, and they will be put through three trials. The one who survives the trials and wins will become emperor… That is the Trial Ceremony.
“Such a big ceremony to decide who will be the next emperor!”
“Schleimann-sama was worried about Xiaolin-sama and said that the struggle for the successor to the throne of the Lianxi Empire is hard, but this is what he was talking about, huh…”
Yuri nodded and looked down.
“The current emperor of the Lianxi Empire has four children. After Prince Lu Wong, the first heir to the throne, Princess Yue, the second heir to the throne, and her brother Prince Mao, the third heir to the throne, Xiaolin is the fourth heir to the throne. The imperial family of this country has inherited a special power called “Dragon Power” from generation to generation, and it is valued as proof of an emperor, but Xiaolin does not manifest Dragon Power… Moreover, since she is the last in line to the imperial throne and has foreign blood, she is looked upon with harsh eyes…”
Luna crossed her arms with a difficult look on her face.
“The trial is only ten days away.”
“Yes. The Trial Ceremony is a rigorous ritual where you have to go through and pass three trials over a period of days while fending off interference from the other heirs to the throne. Even though she is allowed to have up to three supporters with her, it will be difficult for Xiaolin, who has no dragon power, to get through… Xiaolin is my precious daughter. I don’t want her to become emperor or anything, but I do want her to return safely… and I want you all to teach Xiaolin how to defend herself.”
Yuri begged Lexia and the others with a thoughtful expression.
But Lexia just said.
“Ara, you never know if Xiaolin-sama won’t become emperor until she tries.”
“Huh? T-that girl is still too young to use her dragon power, you know. I don’t think she can win the trial and become emperor…”
Tito discreetly interrupted Yuri, who was confused.
“Um, wasn’t Xiaolin-sama perhaps training for dragon power in the garden earlier…?”
“I agree. At least she doesn’t seem to have given up.”
“That’s right. Before we decide that it’s impossible, let’s get to know each other first and ask Xiaolin-sama about her true feelings!”
“T-That girl’s true feelings, you say…?”
As if to dispel Yuri’s confusion, Lexia slightly closed one of her eyes.
“Yes! Anyway, leave it to us!”
＊＊＊
Lexia and the others were given a luxurious room as guests of the third empress.
As soon as they entered the room, Tito’s eyes lit up.
“Wow, that’s a big bed! And is that incense? It smells so good!”
“The furniture is beautiful. The bold colors and delicate designs are unique to the East… That vase alone must be worth a wagonload.”
“Oh, these are the clothes for the court ladies!”
Lexia happily unfolds the clothes on the bed.
At Lexia’s request, Yuri had provided them with court ladies’ uniforms.
“Do I have to go to the trouble of changing into a court lady’s uniform?”
“Of course. You’d stand out in your regular clothes, wouldn’t you? You must follow the local customs!”
“I see. I’m impressed that you thought of that, Lexia-san!”
“Besides, the clothes the court lady was wearing just now were so cute!”
“Lexia-san, maybe you just want to wear…?”
“Tito is starting to get it. Well, you are right when you say that it is better to be inconspicuous. I’ll be obedient.”
After dropping off their luggage, they quickly changed into their court ladies’ uniforms.
“This dress is so soft and fluffy! It flutters and looks like a celestial maiden!”
“Hmm, it’s so thin yet strong. The silk must be of very high quality.”
“I-it’s a little difficult to wear, but it’s a good practice…”
The three of them were dressed as Eastern court ladies, wearing beautiful robes decorated with flower and bird embroidery and fastened with decorative sashes.
“I love it; it has a great atmosphere!”
Lexia turned around with a satisfied look on her face and pointed to the sky.
“Now that we’re in the mood, let’s get to know Xiaolin-sama and find out her true feelings!”
＊＊＊
As the three of them, dressed in their court ladies’ uniforms, walked down the corridor, the passing attendants looked at them in surprise.
“Ara? Was there ever such a pretty court lady?”
“They are the new tutors of Xiaolin-sama. Still, they are so beautiful.”
Lexia, unaware of the admiration and longing in her eyes, fidgeted and looked around.
“Where is Xiaolin-sama?”
“According to Yuri-sama, she is in the library at this time…”
While asking the attendants where the library was, Lexia and the others went to the library.
Then Xiaolin came out with some books in her arms.
“Oh, Xiaolin-sama!”
“!”
Lexia ran up to her with a smile on her face.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Xiaolin-sama! I am Lexia, your new tutor. If you have any questions, just ask!”
“…..!”
But Xiaolin’s face was still tense, and she ran off, clutching the book to her chest.
“Ara? She ran away.”
“It’s probably because of the loud voice. No wonder she was surprised by it.”
“Ara, greetings are the basis of socializing. We’re tutors; we’re supposed to teach her the important things.”
Tito’s cat ears drooped next to Lexia’s, who was completely excited.
“But she seems very wary of us… Why is that?”
“She doesn’t seem to dislike studying. I caught a glimpse of the title of her book, but it seems to be about Imperialism.”
“Huh? Even though she is very young, she is amazing! I used to want to get out of every single class!”
“You should be more aware of your royal status.”
However, Lexia had acquired the necessary qualities for royalty through hard work, in addition to her natural talents. Luna also understood that, despite her overly naive and unpredictable personality, she was a great tutor.
Lexia looked at the corridor where Xiaolin had gone and thought with a serious face.
“From the looks of her, there must be a reason.”
＊＊＊
For the rest of the day, Lexia kept calling out to Xiaolin.
“Xiaolin-sama, may I join you for dinner?”
“Xiaolin-sama, let’s play together!”
“Xiaolin-sama, it’s a beautiful day! Let’s have a chat in the garden!”
However, Xiaolin ran away at every opportunity and eventually began to hide at the mere hint of the three of them.
“She’s still running away from us…”
“It’s worrying, then we’ll never get along.”
Luna crosses her arms next to Lexia, who lets out a sigh.
“But to train so diligently without anyone telling you to, that’s something to see.”
“Yes. Besides, the study is also very hard.”
As Luna and Tito said, every time they saw Xiaolin, she was doing something like training for Dragon Power or looking through a thick book and eagerly writing in her notebook.
“She was working so hard, and as a tutor, I wanted to support her even more!”
In the end, however, they could not talk to Xiaolin until late in the evening.