Chapter 12 Of Course It’s Shopping
Miss Verafia’s delicate, jade-like fingertips pulled down her hood, and her smooth, radiant golden hair, like brilliant sunlight, cascaded down. Her flawless, fair face, untouched by makeup, opened her pair of scorching golden eyes from beneath slender eyelashes, their luxurious colors like flowing flames, magnificent and resplendent.
Even though she had seen countless beautiful noble ladies, and even elves known for their elegance and nobility, the maiden’s exquisite, doll-like, and peerless beauty, as if sculpted by the gods themselves into an artwork, still caused the guarding soldiers’ gazes to freeze.
However, as if unaccustomed to such gazes, Verafia soon frowned with displeasure.
“Guard sir, has it been recorded?”
Ig thought that Verafia might be offended by the other’s intrusive gaze and quickly reminded him.
If this Phoenix Young Lady were displeased and angry, even if she had to suppress it in a human city, it would definitely be Ig himself who would suffer in the end!
“Cough, cough, excuse me, Miss Verafia.”
The guard snapped back to attention, feeling flustered. He obviously realized his earlier offense. After waiting for a moment, the guard bowed and presented the printed temporary pass to Verafia with both hands.
“Miss Verafia, this is your temporary pass. If you wish to stay in the Kingdom for a longer period, you can also go to the Kingdom’s Government Affairs Hall in Vist City to apply for an identification credential. May your journey in Vist City be pleasant.”
Verafia took the pass, nodded, and then pulled the young man standing beside her forcefully. “Ig, let’s go!”
…
Vist City, as Ig had said before, was the capital of the Peka Kingdom’s western border, the Brandenburg Border Marquisate. Although the nearby land was slightly less fertile and rich than the plains and vast farmlands to the east, as the most important city at the border between the Peka Kingdom and the Empire, Vist City enjoyed considerable prosperity in its trade.
Merchants traveling back and forth through carriage trade brought exquisite silks, fabrics, glass, gems, and other products from the Empire into the heart of the Kingdom through Vist City, earning high profits.
The prosperity of Vist City also attracted a wide variety of people. On the streets, merchants sold their goods, adventurer parties equipped with sword and shield and staffs headed to accept quests, filling the guild hall with noise, and elegantly dressed noble youths traveled to academies by carriage… Even races different from humans, such as goblins, dwarves, and orc slaves, were found everywhere in this city.
Even after the “Great Isolation” incident more than ten years ago, quite a few exquisitely featured elves could still be seen in Vist City.
Verafia’s eyes, hidden beneath her cloak, silently gazed at this city that she had once personally constructed. Within her luxurious scorching gold, a faint dimness flowed. Beneath her mage robe, the maiden’s slender fingertips subtly touched.
“Young Lady, although Vist City is one of the top large cities in the Kingdom’s western region, it’s still inferior to Lorinc in Mies Territory, and far from the Royal Capital, Lichen, the ‘City of Fleur-de-lis’.”
Ig noticed the maiden suddenly zoning out. He merely thought that this Phoenix Young Lady, though appearing proud and arrogant, had only been born a few days ago and was simply amazed by the prosperity of a human city, so he chuckled.
“If you get to visit the Royal Capital one day, you’ll surely be astonished by that miraculous city—it’s a city that can rival the Empire’s Eternal City, the Holy Capital, and the elves’ former Sky City!”
Hearing the young man excitedly mention a name she was familiar with, Verafia slightly lowered her face beneath her hood, a trace of sorrow flashing in her eyes.
Lichen, of course I know… That’s my hometown, the place where I received my investiture and gained glory, and the city I swore to protect.
She recalled the unforgettable beautiful smile of the young princess when she placed a flower crown on the champion “him.”
“The Peka Royal Capital…”
Verafia murmured softly, feeling a pang of sadness in her heart. But then she raised her delicate face, which only showed an expression of curiosity.
The maiden’s long lashes blinked her golden eyes, and she said cheerfully.
“It sounds like a very interesting place! Ig, when we get to your hometown, you must remember to take this young lady there to play!”
Ig thought to himself, when he meets his father, will this silly Little Phoenix still bully him?
However, at least for now, for his own life and the inheritance from Lord Lothel, Ig still had to humble himself and nod obsequiously before this Young Lady who was still childlike in her disposition.
“Of course! But, Young Lady, what should we do first, find a beautiful accommodation?”
“Certainly not.”
Verafia refused the young man’s suggestion with a serious expression.
“When you arrive in a city, the first thing you do is go shopping!”
The maiden stared intently at the mage robe on her body and suddenly grit her teeth.
“I’ve long been impatient with this shabby cloak that insults this young lady’s noble image!”
In fact, even setting aside the appearance, Verafia was also annoyed by this ill-fitting robe.
This was originally Ig’s water mage guard’s robe. On the slender, delicate body of Verafia, it was not only very uncomfortable but also greatly affected her mood for combat.
“I also believe that such simple clothing is a complete insult to you.”
Ig also solemnly agreed and nodded righteously. After all, pleasing this Young Lady, who could casually decide his life, was the priority right now.
“But wasn’t your long evening gown quite fitting and beautiful? Why have you been wearing it under the cloak? Are you worried about being recognized by your identity because of it?”
As soon as Ig finished speaking, he felt the expression on the maiden’s delicate face freeze, and he once again realized he had made a serious mistake.
Under the maiden’s murderously killing gaze from beneath her hood, Ig tremblingly recalled the scenes he had forgotten due to her “physical memory clarification technique” when they first met, and the same look in her eyes then as now.
Oh god, how could I have forgotten this and suddenly brought it up in front of her!
Despite his immense fear, Ig tried his best to act as if he knew nothing, looking at the maiden with a puzzled expression.
—
The magnificent dress formed of flames that Verafia wore was not an unimaginable false creation.
For a powerful person whose human profession had cultivated to the extreme of the world, allowing them to touch a trace of the “Deity’s” authority, they could create tangible objects like weapons, armor, and magic arrays with a wave of their hand, transforming the world’s elements into substance.
As Verafia, such an ability was naturally innate.
But Ig’s astonished gaze back then… Verafia would never forget it!
Even though she had confirmed repeatedly in the past few days that this dress formed of flames was real, and that Ig could not have overlooked it, the shadow left in Verafia’s heart made her dare not open her mage robe and reveal the dress!
Therefore, this young man was the culprit who made her suffer from this ill-fitting outfit!
The maiden bit her white teeth lightly, and resentfully gazed at the innocent-looking young man.
Moreover, although she was ashamed and angry at the time, given the circumstances, Verafia had generously forgiven this young man. However…
This detestable kid actually said it in front of this young lady!
But it seemed that possibly because she was unsure if Ig truly remembered, or if he had just mentioned it inadvertently, or perhaps because it was inconvenient to take action in front of the humans on the entire street, a blush of shame and anger spread across Verafia’s delicate cheeks. She glared fiercely at the young man.
“It’s none of your business! You’re just a subordinate; just listen to what this young lady says!”
