Chapter 74
Chapter 74: Live To Sienna Pt.74
The sudden appearance of a stranger gave them a wary look, but the glint in his eyes did nothing to them. Some of their bodies that was pressed against the floor with the tops off still didn’t move an inch. Some had dark purple faces, and it seemed that they had been drinking since early hours. The smell of alcohol and the stale smell in the air mixed up, and Jamie couldn’t help but stop and rub his nose.
“What, who are you. Oh! The woman next to him…”
A man shut his mouth before he could speak. The look of surprise made it seem that he had recognized Sienna.
“What, why are you keeping your mouth shut? You’re so dirty.”
The man ignored his friend’s words and came out to Sienna to greet her.
“The Knight of the Phoenix Knights, Milton Taylor. I’d like to say hello to Your Highness the Crown Princess, Your Grace.”
It wasn’t until he said hello that the knights who knew who Sienna was fell to their knees one by one. They made ugly faces, clashing each others’ knees and hips while attempting to salute in such a narrow space. One of the men even fell over because they were still under the influence of alcohol.
“Let’s leave this at that. I don’t want to extend our greetings in this place where it’s so rotten that I don’t know if it’s a pigsty or a knight’s place. I’ll be out there waiting.”
As Sienna turned around and went out, Jamie observed them with eyes that seemed to be staring at the most pitiful trashe in the world and followed her out.
“Don’t tell me they’re the Phoenix Knights?” Jamie asked her in a voice full of doubts.
“I can’t say for sure because I’m not sure if I’m in the wrong place. Like I said, it’s my first time seeing the Phoenix Knights. Let’s ask them ourselves when they come out.”
Sienna waited for them in the middle of the training camp. Those who changed into training suits came out of the building, dressed over their clothes. Some of them were in a hurry, but as they came outside, they were also seen tying up their pants.
“That’s pathetic. You’re saying they’re experts? Isn’t the document wrong? At least the real knights must have not come to work yet.”
“Even if they’re suffering, they’ll get beaten up anyway because they’ve been notarized by the imperial family.”
All those who came out of the building lined up in front of Sienna. It was said to be a steal, but even standing in line was a mess. Jamie looked at Sienna whose disappointment was written all over her face. She furrowed her brows because she didn’t like the way they looked as knights.
“What is Your Royal Highness doing here?”
Milton, who was the first to recognize Sienna in the warehouse, asked. He was wearing the most decent clothes of all.
“It’s been more than two months since the Phoenix Knights joined me, but I didn’t see you once, so I came to see you. I was worried that everyone might have died of an epidemic.….”
Sienna looked at them one by one, carefully examining them and continued, “If you haven’t died, you must have been suffering from a major illness as a group.”
A man in the back sank to the floor before she was finished speaking. He drank so much that he couldn’t seem to hold himself back. Sienna continued to talk without even looking at him.
“I’m sure there are twenty-three Phoenix Knights, including the captain, but there are only seventeen people here. Where’s the knighthood? I can’t see them anywhere.”
This time, Milton made excuses on behalf of the members.
“The boss is away on business.”
Sienna snorted at his excuse.
“I understand that the Phoenix Knights’ job is to escort me.”
She looked around with an exaggerated gesture and said. “I thought Sir Simon’s specialty was using the long sword, but now that I see, his main feature must be hiding as he’s very good at it.”
When Jamie heard the words, he burst into a “Puhaha” laugh. The lined-up knights stood with disheartened faces, unable to laugh, looking at Sienna’s gaze.
“Everybody seems to be embarrassed by my surprise visit, so I’ll come back tomorrow. I’d like to meet the real Phoenix Knights then. Not some drunk-ass city junkies like this.”
Sienna quickly turned around. Jamie was with her. After crossing some distance between them and the Phoenix Knights, Jamie opened his mouth. “I thought you were still a child, but you seem a lot different today.”
Jamie was proud of Sienna who spoke all the things he wanted to say in anger to those articles.
“Why? Were you surprised by my bad language use?”
“Ha, ha, ha, only that much isn’t considered as a lot. You know it, too. What kind of curses get thrown out of mouths when battles in the north go on. When the swearing begins, it starts from monster ‘bitches’…”
When Jamie began to list all the unimaginable types and phrases of swearing, she could not bear him anymore and she hit him on the back.
“Brother, do you know how many ears are listening around here! How could you say those things!”
“Sorry, it becomes a habit, you see. You know, my lips are rough. It’s not a good idea to talk so chummy like the capital guys do.”
“I’m going to have to put you on some courtesy classes if I’m really going to get my brother married off.”
“I’m a warm-hearted man, even though I talk rough. I’m sure the aristocrats will fall for my charms when they meet me. This kind of face won’t lose so easily, and I have a good body, too. If I stand next to those sardines over there, they’ll all look at me.”
“I think brother has a real misconception. The aristocrats here don’t like tough guys because they grow up to be nice. They like guys who look gentle like those people that brother called sardines. If you act like a bandit, brother, no matter how handsome and fit you are, they won’t even look at you.”
“What do they like about a man who makes his mouth flutter without substance? Well, it’s to do with skills.”
“You’re a beginner at expert, brother.”
“I’m upset because I’m not getting better. But are you sure those stupid guys are at middle-class expert? Even if there weren’t any middle-class people there, they looked too weak. They looked as though they wouldn’t even be able to last half a day, as if they’ll end up going into the mouth of a white-haired monster.”
“Well, that’s right.”
Sienna and Jamie went into the palace.
“Let’s just have lunch together.”
At her suggestion, Jamie gave a brief thought and soon nodded.
“I’ll do that, you know. Thanks to you, I’ll get the opportunity to try some palace food for once.”
As Sienna and Jamie entered the palace, a maid looked for her urgently.
“Your Majesty the Crown Princess! Why are you here now?”
“What’s the matter?”
“The Second Prince is waiting inside now.”
“Valore?”
“If you say it’s Valore… I don’t think I can do lunch with you… I have to go…”
Before she could finish her speech, the door opened and Valore walked out. Sienna said hello to him, and Jamie followed suit after her. Valore examined Sienna’s arms with a cursing look at the greeting of the two. Her wrist was bandaged by Hain in the morning.
“Are you seriously hurt? When I heard that Sienna had been attacked by a mysterious man at the gates, I was worried and ran here. You’re wearing bandages, so it doesn’t seem to be a small wound, I see.”
Valore’s lips were completely dried out. He gnawed on his lips while he carefully examined the arm of the Sienna and the bandages.
‘Not a wound but rather a bruise….’
Looking at Sienna’s bandage made it seem the Second Prince was flustered and worried. Sienna waved her hand and said, “I’m very fine. My lady-in-waiting, who worried too much for me sincerely, did an over-exaggerated treatment and bandaging. Because Sir Panacio was there at the scene, he was able to handle and take over the situation quickly and precisely. The assassin was overpowered and apprehended swiftly.”
“Even if you say that it’s just a minor injury, what if a scar forms because of it. I ordered the imperial family doctor to come over here, anyway. He is old, but his skills are no doubt the best. His name is Topelius Simon…”
“No, that’s fine!”