"This is truly delicious! It's the best thing I've ever eaten!" Nancy bit into the mutton, her eyes going wide. The texture and flavor were absolutely intoxicating.
"Slurp, slurp, slurp..." Obi had his head down, inhaling his noodles like a whirlwind. He finished a bowl in just a few breaths.
A few minutes later, the two of them had finished every drop, while Ayesha finished hers absentmindedly.
"Let's go. I'll take you to see the Master," Ayesha said as she paid the bill and led them outside.
"Nancy, it looks like Miss Ayesha actually wants to go see Lady Bella," Obi whispered as they walked.
"Don't push her. Keep your mouth shut and let Miss Ayesha choose for herself," Nancy replied, shaking her head as she jogged to catch up with the cow-girl.
"Sigh..." Obi let out a long breath. In the eyes of subordinates like them, Miss Ayesha was prime knight material. If Lady Bella had Ayesha's assistance, she could undoubtedly conquer vast stretches of land.
As Ayesha led Nancy and Obi into the castle, they were met by a maid who had been waiting to escort them to the drawing room.
"Come on, we'll wait for the Master in the drawing room," Ayesha said.
"Alright," Nancy nodded. She followed Ayesha along a path paved with smooth river stones through the courtyard.
"Wait... what is that?!" Obi froze, staring at the sight ahead. Giant monsters seemed to be looming over the path.
"Those are dinosaur fossils—dinosaur bones," Ayesha introduced casually. The path wound directly through a grove of dinosaur skeletons.
"Wha—?! dinosaur bones?!" Nancy's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "How is that possible?"
"Just move along. Later, you can go to the city's Dinosaur Museum; they have detailed displays there," Ayesha said. She wasn't in the mood to explain much, mostly because she couldn't remember all the scientific details anyway.
"O-okay," Nancy stammered.
"Unbelievable." Obi looked up at the massive skeletons. They were humongous. This castle was filled with wonders: he saw miniature hills that looked incredibly delicate with water flowing through them, and on the castle roof, workers were laying down strange blue panels. It was all so magical.
Shortly after the three of them sat down in the drawing room, footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Clack, clack, clack...
Lucas entered with Mina, followed by Annie and Freya, who had just returned.
"Welcome, both of you." Lucas smiled faintly as he took the seat of honor.
"Greetings, Lord Lucas. Thank you for taking care of our Miss Ayesha during this time," Nancy and Obi said, bowing hastily.
"No need for such formalities." Lucas waved his hand, his eyes narrowing slightly. He caught the subtext immediately—they were trying to claim Ayesha as one of their own, implying her stay here was merely temporary.
"Hmph!" Ayesha shot a sharp glare at Nancy and Obi. She was blunt, but she wasn't stupid. Their words made her feel uneasy, as if they were trying to drive a wedge between her and her friends in the castle.
"How interesting..." Annie's eyes flickered toward the pair. She smiled playfully. "So you're the lackeys sent by that woman Bella? It seems the saying is true: a stupid master breeds stupid subordinates."
"You...!" Obi's eyes widened with indignation as he glared at the fox-girl sitting nearby.
"Hmm?" Freya's eyes turned cold as she glanced his way. The bull-man immediately shrank back, his head ducking down as he sheepishly looked away. He knew better than to mess with the wolf-girl; she was the one who used to spar with Lady Bella and had once famously given Bella a black eye.
"Excuse me, miss... do you know Lady Bella?" Nancy asked cautiously. As a fellow fox-kin, she was much sharper than Obi. She could tell from the tone that this girl knew their leader well.
"Hmph. That woman tricked me out of several pearls back in the day. I haven't settled that debt with her yet," Annie said teasingly, a glint of amusement in her eyes. When they were younger, the fox-girl had been no match for the cunning Bella in a bet. Losing those pearls had kept her awake with frustration for days.
"Uh..." Nancy's mouth hung open. She looked at Annie, overwhelmed. This tone definitely suggested a history with Bella—and a hostile one at that. Oh no, what do we do? Nancy screamed internally. They were here to sell goods, and now they had run straight into an old rival.
"Wait... are you... Princess Annie?" Obi asked hesitantly. As one of Bella's confidants, he had heard the story of the pearls. He remembered Bella winning them in a bet with a certain princess.
"Oh? You actually know who I am? You must be one of the core members from when Bella was still at the Duke's manor," Annie said, surprised.
"Yes, I am Obi. It is an honor to meet you, Princess," Obi said, immediately performing a knight's salute.
Nancy was stunned. Feeling Freya's cold gaze on her, she shivered and bowed deeply as well.
"Stand up," Annie waved them off. Her job was done—she had successfully intimidated them into a more respectful stance.
"Yes, ma'am." The two sat up straight, their attitudes completely transformed.
"And the purpose of your visit? Was it truly just to see Ayesha?" A smile played at the corners of Lucas's eyes. He had instructed Annie beforehand to deflate their arrogance.
Nancy and Obi turned their gaze toward Ayesha. They figured it would be better for Ayesha, who had lived in Sedona City, to handle the negotiation. A familiar face would surely secure a better deal.
"If you have something to say, say it. Why are you all looking at me?" Ayesha rolled her eyes. The straightforward cow-girl wasn't interested in playing mind games, especially while she was still agonizing over her own choice.
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