Chapter 324
Chapter 324: What's Wrong With a Fiancé and Fiancée Bathing Together?
From the far end of a distant street, several magnificent Carriages slowly drove toward the center.
The sound of their wheels wove into a complex melody through the air, their pace gradually slowing as the distance closed.
The noble convoy came to a neat halt in a single line before an enormous iron gate.
Beyond the enormous iron gate lay a sprawling Manor. A stone-brick fountain stood at the very center of the courtyard, its lion-shaped spout ceaselessly spraying crystalline droplets of water.
Red-brick paths wound outward from both sides of the fountain, extending to every corner of the Manor.
On either side of the paths were lush, verdant plants in full bloom, with wild clusters of flowers dotting the green in vivid splashes of purple and red.
The great marble castle stood silently at the far end of the courtyard, its massive walls blocking out nearly half the sky.
Several sturdy stone pillars supporting a rounded dome gave it an air of even greater authority.
The Servants had long been waiting before the gate. Seeing the noble Carriages arrive, they immediately rushed forward and opened the door of each one.
The nobles stepped out one by one, descending the steps onto the clean cobblestone path.
But after only a few strides, their steps grew somewhat unsteady, and their faces betrayed an undisguisable fear.
As though they had just lived through the edge of life and death.
A moment later, the Demi-humans with beast ears likewise crawled out from the cabins of those noble Carriages.
They were fully armed, their expressions grave.
And the source of these Kingdom nobles' fear was precisely these well-equipped Demi-humans.
In the human world, Demi-humans were regarded as beasts.
And this time, they had shared the same cabin with these beasts.
This had made their hearts race, as though they were in mortal danger at any moment.
These nobles had naturally seen Demi-humans before, but the Demi-humans before them now were nothing like those they had previously encountered.
The aura these Demi-humans radiated made the nobles feel a deep, instinctive reverence.
These small yet agile figures each wore armor that radiated killing intent, and the light flickering in their eyes resembled that of seasoned hunters far more than mere wild beasts.
The foreign affairs ministers had likewise disembarked from the convoy. They stepped onto the cobblestone path with steady strides.
Breathing in the air of a foreign land, they smiled at the trembling nobles and said:
"Calm yourselves, everyone."
"See? You're simply not used to it yet—haven't seen them before, have you?"
"These are the Demi-human guard unit of our Count Viktor Clavena."
The foreign affairs ministers proceeded to rattle off to the Kant Kingdom nobles the glorious accomplishments these Demi-humans had once achieved.
These Demi-humans had once accompanied the Princess of the Carencia Empire to the Adventurers' Capital on the southern frontier to gain real-world experience, slaying countless Magical Creatures and earning great battle merits.
The Kingdom nobles watching the Empire's foreign affairs officials speak so proudly of these Demi-humans couldn't help but feel a measure of admiration for these ministers.
Faced with such dangerous Demi-humans, they could still remain so composed.
Could it be that… the Empire had already developed the technology to train Demi-humans?
Demi-humans were by no means scarce in the Kant Kingdom.
After all, the Kant Kingdom was not like the Carencia Empire, which would deliberately use policy to restrict the numbers of Demi-humans.
The Kant Kingdom's interior placed great emphasis on something called species diversity.
Within the Kingdom, Demi-human slaves were visible almost everywhere.
Even in some forests, Demi-humans might appear.
The Kant Kingdom had never banned Demi-humans from entering its borders, nor had it ever enacted any legal provisions specifically targeting them.
Even in the streets and alleyways here, one could frequently see Demi-human traders openly selling Demi-human slaves.
Though as beasts, Demi-humans were barely different from animals—with little intelligence or independent thought, they were simply the most convenient tools to be put to labor.
The people of the Kant Kingdom, especially the nobles, looked down on Demi-humans practically to their bones.
Because they were nothing but untamed wild beasts who had never been domesticated.
Contempt aside, though, no one wanted to run into a stray dog on the road and get bitten.
After all, there had indeed been incidents where a Lord had been savagely mauled to death by Demi-human slaves after abusing them.
Though Demi-humans remained perpetually inferior, their strength and ferocity were still not to be underestimated.
This was precisely why, when they laid eyes on Viktor's Demi-human guards—extraordinarily obedient and superbly trained—they couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
And when they learned that these Demi-humans would not randomly bite people.
Their fear of these Demi-humans diminished considerably.
After all, these nobles instinctively assumed.
That these Demi-human guards were nothing more than the Clavena Family's Demi-human slaves.
The master of these Demi-humans was naturally Viktor.
Some bolder nobles even proactively approached the Demi-human guards, eyeing the bone-plate armor on their bodies with curious gazes, circling around them and clicking their tongues in admiration.
"The Clavena Family truly has deep foundations."
"Indeed—even the equipment on these Demi-humans is crafted so finely."
At this moment, the luxury Carriage at the very front of the convoy also came gradually to a stop.
Count Laurien was first to step down, standing to one side of the Carriage, giving a slight bow toward the cabin to indicate his respect.
Immediately after, a figure clad in a pitch-black Coat stepped down from the Carriage.
Viktor stood to one side, one hand placed over his chest. As he gave a slight bow, his other hand extended toward the cabin.
From within the Carriage's curtain, a pale, fair hand reached out.
Auréliane's palm settled steadily against Viktor's broad, warm hand, and she descended the steps from the Carriage.
Count Laurien bowed to her with elegance, saying respectfully:
"My apologies, Your Highness the Princess, for asking you to stay the night at my Manor first."
"I have already prepared your room."
"And furthermore…"
Count Laurien gave a slight nod to several Maidservants standing behind him. Those Maidservants stepped forward and gave a bow toward Auréliane.
"The Servants have also been prepared for you."
Auréliane smiled warmly and gave Count Laurien a gentle nod:
"Thank you for the Count's kind intentions, but the Servants will not be necessary."
The moment those words fell, the Demi-human guards, who had long since formed up in orderly ranks, collectively stepped forward.
With heavy, synchronized footsteps, their bone-plate armor clattered against each other, producing a muffled resonance.
The entire unit radiated a sharp, fierce presence.
Before the eyes of all present, they walked to stand before Auréliane, placed their arms across their chests, and bowed deeply to her.
"Your Highness the Princess."
In the bewildered gaze of the crowd, a white-furred Cat-girl Maidservant wearing a Maidservant's uniform stepped forward from the Demi-human ranks.
She moved with light, dainty steps, swaying her slender waist as she walked to stand before Auréliane with graceful poise.
Her white ears twitched and bobbed, as though somewhat nervous, yet her dignified etiquette was in no way inferior to that of Maidservants who had been trained far longer.
Count Laurien's expression stiffened somewhat. His body involuntarily leaned back slightly.
His expression carried unmistakable disbelief.
A Demi-human, wearing a Maidservant's uniform!? And performing etiquette that was nearly indistinguishable from that of a human?
Given a Demi-human's level of intelligence—how could this be possible?
Had the Empire's domestication techniques advanced to the point where Demi-humans could perform Maidservant work?
Auréliane paid not the slightest attention to Count Laurien's surprise and confusion. She simply said with a light smile:
"This is the Maidservant I brought with me this time. Her name is Xiangyilan, and she is responsible for attending to my daily needs."
She seemed to deliberately enunciate every word with great emphasis.
"I am only accustomed to having her attend to me."
This single sentence left Count Laurien even more bewildered.
The Princess of the Carencia Empire allowed a Demi-human to attend to her daily needs?
From every perspective, he found it somewhat absurd.
Yet from the Princess's words he still caught the implication that she was not accustomed to other Servants, so he bowed his head respectfully and said:
"Understood, Your Highness."
Since the Princess had someone to attend to her, he naturally would not put the other party in a difficult position.
After all, this Princess who had come from the Carencia Empire was more than simply a Princess from a neighboring nation.
She was his superior—a living legend within the entire Kant Kingdom.
The granddaughter of the one and only person within the Kingdom who could be called a Grand Duke.
So he turned his head once more, shifting his gaze to Viktor, and said with great respect:
"Councilman Clavena, your room has also been prepared for you."
This one was an even heavier presence.
Though Viktor was visiting the Kingdom in the capacity of an Imperial Count and the Princess's private magic instructor.
His status as a Council Member, as well as his own personal strength, was something absolutely impossible to ignore.
Beyond the Empire, virtually every other nation on the outside had settled on a single standard.
The moment Viktor Clavena appeared within their own nation, one must offer him the utmost courtesy—and keep a watchful eye on this Council Member at every moment.
No one wanted this 【Arbiter Who Strips Away All Phenomena】 to casually fling a War Magic spell into some corner of their country.
There were precious few nations that could withstand that.
When it came to places to sleep, Viktor was naturally not particular.
He had just given a nod—but suddenly, a figure as cold as frost walked past him.
Gwen, exuding an expressionless chill, looked toward Count Laurien and spoke in a voice carrying little emotion:
"Is there hot water prepared in our rooms?"
The moment those words fell, Auréliane's expression beside her stiffened ever so slightly.
Laurien's gaze shifted to Gwen, and his mind began to race at full speed.
In truth, from the start, he had intended to give Gwen—likewise an Imperial Count—the respect she was due.
So he had long since prepared a room for this Knight Countess.
But it was only now that he suddenly realized.
This Count Gwen and this Councilman Clavena.
Were a fiancée and fiancé.
Count Laurien glanced at Gwen, then glanced at Viktor.
He then made an immediate decision and said:
"But of course, Count Gwen."
"The room I have prepared for you and the Councilman has everything you might need already set out."
Having said that, he added with a half-joking air, as though in passing:
"Though looking at things now, I shall have to prepare a rather larger bathtub for the 2 of you."