Chapter: 53. Trustworthy
Her appearance has changed, her hair color has changed, and her voice has subtly altered.
But this way of speaking, completely lacking respect for the elderly and affection for the young…!
It can’t be wrong; it’s definitely Princess Xue Feiya!
Jeffrey didn’t even care about his back; he supported himself on his magical staff and immediately knelt on one knee in the manner expected of a subject meeting royalty.
There was really no need for this; naturally, Xue Feiya wanted to dismiss such formalities!
“Stop…! Uncle Jeffrey, don’t break your fragile old back!”
“Hahaha… It really is Princess Xue Feiya, indeed it is you! Your speech is quite unpleasant! Wonderful… so you haven’t been captured! Why have you transformed into this appearance and concealed your magic aura?!”
Jeffrey, who had earlier been as still as a stagnant pond, now exhibited a completely different emotional response.
Hearing this, Xue Feiya flinched like a startled cat.
She slowly turned her head to the side and blew her tiny whistle, which she couldn’t make a sound from at all.
At the same time, her black hair, as if dipped in a galaxy, slowly transformed back to its original silver color, temporarily restoring the true appearance of the Demon Princess Xue Feiya.
“Ahem, before we discuss this, Uncle Jeffrey, let’s talk about a matter, shall we?”
“Please speak; it is my duty as a subject to alleviate the concerns of the royal family.”
“Then that makes it easy! You just need to treat me as if I have indeed been captured by the hero of the Aulus Kingdom—that I didn’t appear today, um! Unquestionably! Is that alright?!”
“……”
Ah hahaha… Now that I think about it, saying it so straightforwardly is surely not going to work.
Jeffrey continued to channel magic, maintaining this spatial domain.
At this moment, his thoughts were completely detached from whether to eliminate the two people standing motionless on that side.
Since Princess Xue Feiya had already indicated she wanted to spare their lives, he would comply.
Moreover, it no longer mattered.
Now, Jeffrey’s attention had fully shifted to the suddenly appearing Princess Xue Feiya.
Xue Feiya was contemplating how to express this in a more persuasive manner.
But Jeffrey’s words came faster.
The elderly man with silvery hair spread his hands covered in wrinkles, completely different from when he was negotiating with the human king from a position of superiority.
When speaking to Xue Feiya, he seemed more like a kind yet somewhat stern grandfather.
“Your Highness, if the reason you provide is convincing enough, I can certainly act according to your wishes.”
“Doesn’t that make your statement pointless… If I could say it directly, I would have said so already…” Xue Feiya murmured in displeasure.
“Your Highness?”
“Nothing, I didn’t say anything.”
At this time, Jeffrey slowly bowed his head, speaking earnestly.
It was clear that this old man also bore many concerns.
“Your Highness… My purpose in coming here was to confirm your situation, to see that you are safe and sound—that is more gratifying than any truth.”
“You are quite bold… I’m not really captured. If I were truly a hostage, wouldn’t you fear that if you came here so abruptly, they would just kill me on the spot?”
“They wouldn’t dare.” A unique clarity sparkled in Jeffrey’s murky eyes, “If Your Highness were indeed captured, that would be the human race’s trump card for survival; they wouldn’t dare to easily destroy it. I have contemplated many possibilities… However, the possibility of Your Highness pretending to defect was the lowest in my estimations, and yet it turned out to be true…”
Please don’t use such unflattering terms like “pretending to defect”!
Though I am indeed pretending to defect…
But how could matters concerning a journey toward a beautiful life involve “defection”!
Never mind…
Xue Feiya had to come to terms with reality.
When wanting to live a safe and sound life, there are some people whom you must reveal certain things to, or else they will only worry more and become unsettled.
Just like today’s Jeffrey, causing such a fuss upon arriving in the capital.
Before continuing the conversation, Xue Feiya walked around Jeffrey.
She jogged over to Xiya, who was temporarily trapped in the domain, and helped take down the Holy Sword she was holding, so that she could stand more comfortably.
“Xiya, just wait a moment…
I have to persuade him to go back; perhaps you can still catch the tail end of your birthday banquet!”
While Xiya couldn’t move, Xue Feiya cheerfully bounced and patted her head, then turned serious, half-looking back, and asked.
“…Uncle Jeffrey, I can tell you the actual situation, but can you promise not to spread it around after you hear it?”
“Your Highness, I don’t know if you remember, but whenever something embarrassing happens in my duke’s house, you’re always the first to rush over and laugh, and you tell your Majesty the Demon King and the Queen. And I, Jeffrey, never engage in such unscrupulous acts.”
“Insulting me?!”
“Not at all, I was merely answering your question.”
Though quite enraged, Xue Feiya already made her judgment at this point.
Uncle Jeffrey was not particularly adept at fishing.
However, in terms of character and keeping secrets, he was trustworthy!
In the not-so-long time that followed, Xue Feiya briefly explained why she had run away from home.
And just how delicious the donuts in the capital were.
Listening to these explanations, Jeffrey’s expressions changed dramatically.
At times touched, at times surprised, at times confused, at times enlightened.
In the end, it all transformed into a heavy sigh.
“Ah… Is that really the case? It seems the pressure from your Majesty was indeed too great for you…”
“Exactly! If I said I didn’t want to go out to fight, my mother would smack me across the face!”
“Your Highness, please don’t exaggerate.”
“Alright.”
After careful consideration.
A hint of a bitter smile unexpectedly appeared on the always gloomy old face of Jeffrey.
“Never mind… I originally thought that no matter what, I must persuade Your Highness to return; the Demon Race needs you. But if that’s the case, perhaps allowing Your Highness to relax for a while would be more appropriate… I can now understand the decisions of the Demon King and the Queen… They are parents as well and must reflect on things…”
“Is that true…”
“Indeed, Your Highness. Alright, I, Jeffrey, will keep my promise. For this matter, I can turn a blind eye and leave voluntarily shortly.”
“Yay!”
“But on the other hand, may I ask you one last question and get a proper answer?!”
“Uh?!”
Why are you suddenly in such a rush!
“Then I will ask.”
Jeffrey surveyed the domain magic he had constructed with nearly half of his magic power, known as “Zero.”
Then he looked at the freely bouncing Princess Xue Feiya in front of him, causing his brows to twitch uncontrollably.
He had wanted to ask this from the beginning.
As a Six-Winged Demon who had lived for three hundred years, Jeffrey’s worldview and values were experiencing extreme frustration!
“Your Highness, please do not think I am old and my eyes are dim… even the Demon King would likely need some time to adapt if he entered this domain, yet you can move about freely…”
“Hmm?!”
Upon hearing this.
Xue Feiya’s eyes flicked, thinking whether she should just stand still like a statue.
However, after having chatted for so long.
Remembering this point at this time was pointless.
Tsk tsk tsk, it seems I can’t escape this step after all.
Feeling somewhat irritated, Xue Feiya scratched her silver hair and backed away slightly.
“Okay, okay, okay… I will answer all your questions at once, Uncle, please make sure to explain clearly to my Father King and Mother Queen that I am doing very well right now!”
“Understood, then how would Your Highness like to… uh? Ah?”
—Huh?
Jeffrey, who had lived for hundreds of years, had rarely said “ah?”
Because Jeffrey—he had witnessed a miracle.
Eight black wings unfolded harmoniously in this pure white domain.
Endless white, rendered almost insignificant beneath these dark wings.
It was as if a deity had descended… striking Jeffrey’s consciousness, which had endured three hundred years of time, like a bolt from the blue!
“Your Highness… Your Highness, you have eight wings… eight… ugh!!”
“?!”
Oh no!
In my eagerness to tell him the truth, it seems I forgot to suppress my magic first…
