“Your Highness, and this adult, please have some water first.”
Perhaps because he was brought by the Saintess, Hubert also regarded the red-haired young man as a clergyman.
“Thank you.”
Luo Li nodded, but she didn’t blindly drink it. Instead, she turned to glance at Izzy beside her.
Izzy instantly understood, frowned, and tilted his head back, draining the water in the cup.
He savored the taste, then nodded slightly to indicate it was fine.
Only then did the girl drink the water with relief, looking up at Hubert, who was busy over there.
To be honest, she still hadn’t fully trusted Hubert.
His reason was strange, yet also very logical.
Thinking about it, she realized she had never truly embodied the role of a monarch.
Hubert, before her, was just one of the more than three hundred million people in the Kingdom of the Moon.
Among the vast populace, people like him weren't nonexistent, but they weren't abundant either.
To encounter such a patriot at a time like this, could it only be attributed to luck?
But if she had met someone with ill intentions, she would probably be surrounded by soldiers by now.
Then she would have no choice but to unleash her ultimate weapon and fight for her life.
Before long, Hubert returned with two towels and handed them to Luo Li and Izzy.
“Your Highness, and this adult, please wipe your faces. Did you fall into water? If you don’t mind, there’s a washroom over there where you can change clothes.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Izzy.
“This adult is about my size, so you can change into my clothes. As for…”
Before he finished, his gaze shifted to Luo Li.
Clearly, he had no women’s clothes here. Even if he did, he probably wouldn’t dare to offer them.
The person before him was the Saintess of the Kingdom of the Moon.
Compared to the Saintesses of other nations, the Saintess of the Moon's status was even more exalted in the hearts of the people. Embodying both royal and divine authority, she could no longer be regarded as a mere ordinary Saintess.
Using common clothes would likely only tarnish the Saintess's name.
Luo Li looked down at herself, then at Izzy.
Both of them had fallen into a puddle earlier. Although they were out now and had wrung out their clothes as best they could, they were still soaking wet.
It wasn’t a big deal for Izzy, a grown man, but her own heavy black velvet dress clung tightly to her wet body, highlighting her figure where it should be full and where it should be slender.
No wonder Hubert immediately averted his gaze whenever he looked at her.
“Hubert, please find a suitable set of clothes for him to change into first.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At this moment, Hubert seemed to have fully embraced the role of a ‘loyal subject’.
When receiving the Saintess's command, there was no awkwardness whatsoever; he obediently took out a set of clothes and handed them to Izzy.
“Adult, these are for you to change into first.”
“Thank you.”
Izzy wasn’t a fool; he quickly thanked him and then stole another glance back.
Luo Li didn’t speak, merely nodded slightly, gesturing for him to hurry.
Watching Izzy’s retreating back, Hubert settled onto a nearby chair, but upon seeing Luo Li, he stood up again.
“It’s alright, don’t be so formal. I’m in casual attire right now, so just… just treat me as your friend.”
“How could I dare? Your Highness is Your Highness.”
Luo Li smiled faintly.
“Sit.”
“Oh.”
Hubert sat down, but this time only half-perched on the chair, half-crouching. He still seemed a bit nervous.
Seeing his demeanor, the girl secretly sighed in relief.
It would be strange if an ordinary person, upon suddenly meeting someone of her high status, wasn’t nervous.
It seemed Hubert had collected his thoughts and understood the current situation.
“This… Your Highness.”
Hubert’s voice was slightly tense, even his throat felt tight, making Luo Li secretly chuckle and shake her head.
Just a moment ago, he had been so righteous, but now that he had calmed down, he suddenly became timid.
However, she couldn’t blame him.
If anyone were to suddenly encounter a president-level figure next to an ordinary citizen,
the ordinary citizen's reaction wouldn't be much better.
Thinking of this, Luo Li couldn’t help but sigh.
After being here for so long, and working so hard for herself for so long,
this was her first time truly experiencing the feeling of being in a superior position.
In the Temple, she always regarded everyone as equals.
She never felt that the Saintess's status was particularly noble.
But now, Hubert, an ordinary patriot before her,
made her truly feel it.
Life, sometimes, was truly this interesting.
Four months ago, if she had suddenly met someone of such status, her reaction probably wouldn’t have been much better than Hubert’s.
“You want to ask why I’m here?”
Hubert nodded frantically like a chicken pecking at grain.
Luo Li thought for a moment, then explained in terms he could understand.
“The demon island subjugation war, have you heard of it?”
“I have.”
“Then it’s simple. During the subjugation war, at the critical moment of evacuation, I was pursued by demons, unfortunately fell into the sea, drifted to the coast, got lost in the forest, came out of the forest into Luocheng, and then arrived here.”
Hubert blinked.
“It’s that simple?”
“It’s that simple.”
He nodded, half-understanding.
It seemed it wasn't easy for the Saintess to get here either.
Although these few sentences seemed simple, upon closer inspection, none of them were truly easy.
Earlier, with a sword at his throat, Hubert’s priority had truly been self-preservation.
He was afraid he would die and hadn't thought about anything else.
After calming down, he suddenly realized that the person sitting before him was the ruler of this nation!
Looking closely, even he, a man who rarely approached women, could tell that this Saintess was absolutely a top-tier beauty.
If she weren’t the Saintess, her reputation would have spread far and wide long ago.
Recalling the news he had heard over the past few months, he scrutinized the girl’s wrist.
Her skin was like congealed fat, tender and white as jade; it didn't look like a strong wrist at all.
Looking at her five fingers, though it was a rough glance, he could tell the girl’s hand didn’t show signs of long-term sword practice.
It was hard to imagine that this sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl could lead a five-thousand-strong knight regiment to defeat nearly a hundred thousand demon army soldiers.
Such an exaggerated achievement, Hubert was very skeptical at first.
But as more and more news, each more exaggerated than the last, poured in, it eventually became clear that the initial report was indeed true.
But even that was astonishing enough.
After all, the previous Saintess had been a mere pretty face who understood nothing.
Whether in politics or military affairs, the decline of the Kingdom of the Moon had been visibly apparent for decades.
“Your Highness… what do you plan to do next? Perhaps I can figure out a way to get you out?”
Hubert was, after all, an ordinary person, and he was still very afraid of death.
But he knew very well that if anything happened to the girl before him, the entire Kingdom of the Moon would plunge into chaos.
Hubert hadn't participated in those wars, but he had witnessed the scenes of people who had lost loved ones due to war, clutching relics and weeping bitterly.
The Snow Mountain War twenty years ago saw the Kingdom of Snow and the Beastmen Empire clash.
In that war, the Kingdom of the Moon suffered heavy losses, and many people never returned.
It was then that he understood the cruelty of war.
The border of the Kingdom of Snow quickly became desolate for thousands of miles.
He didn’t want to see his homeland become like that, nor did he want his parents to die because of it.
If it truly came to an unavoidable point, even if it cost him his life, he wouldn’t let such a thing happen.
Getting the girl out of Moonrise City currently seemed to be the safest option.
But he would also bear the corresponding risk.
However, after thinking it through, he no longer cared.
Since he had already taken her in, and already taken the risk, he would see it through.
This was the mindset of most people.
“No need. It’s already three in the morning. My dragon cavalry regiment will arrive in Moonrise City in about five hours. At that time, I can just use a skill.”
“Dragon cavalry regiment? You mean those skysoar dragons?”
As an ordinary mage, Hubert was very curious about dragons.
After all, on the continent, unless there was a dragon calamity, it was rare to encounter dragons.
Most dragons lived on isolated islands overseas.
The remaining few mostly went to uninhabited places.
After all, the cognitive gap between dragons and humans was too vast.
With little common language, naturally, there was little contact.
“Yes, haven’t you seen a dragon mount?”
“Heh… I really haven’t. I’m just an ordinary mage, only level twenty. I guess that’s as far as I’ll get in this life. How would I ever get a chance to see a dragon?”
“Well, when the dragon cavalry regiment arrives, I’ll lend you one to ride for a while.”
“Really?”
Hubert’s eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this, but as soon as he looked up and saw the smile in the girl’s eyes,
he quickly lowered his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“Uh, my apologies, that was rude.”
“It’s fine, I understand.”
As the two talked, several minutes passed without them noticing.
Izzy had also changed his clothes at some point.
The clothes he wore were not noble attire, nor a mage’s robe.
They were ordinary home clothes.
Slightly loose-fitting.
“Adult, do they fit?”
Hubert asked considerately.
Izzy nodded.
“Thank you, they fit quite well.”
“That’s good.”
The two men’s conversation was rather uninspired.
Since Izzy had finished changing, Luo Li no longer stood on ceremony.
She put down her cup and walked towards the washroom.
The two men watched the girl leave, then exchanged glances.
The room immediately fell into a dead silence.
Hubert found the atmosphere a bit awkward, so he spoke first:
“Adult, it must have been difficult protecting Her Highness all this way, wasn’t it?”
“Huh? Uh, don’t misunderstand, I only just learned her identity.”
“Hmm? Then you…”
“I’m a local.”
“Oh~”
“Mm.”
The room fell silent again. After a moment, both seemed a little unaccustomed to the atmosphere.
“You…”
“You…”
Hearing each other, both paused, then smiled knowingly.
“I’m Izzy, an unemployed wanderer. Please take care of me.”
“Hubert, a junior mage. Likewise, please take care of me.”
...
Luo Li didn’t know what was happening in the room, but with Izzy there, her safety was at least not an issue for now.
The reason she let Izzy change first was primarily because Luo Li was still slightly wary of Hubert.
She wanted to keep an eye on him for a bit longer.
Hubert wasn't very strong, claiming to be level twenty, but whatever his level, he was certainly much stronger than Izzy.
If Izzy had stayed there, if anything unexpected happened, he wouldn't have had a chance to resist.
So, it was better for her to change first.
She took off the black velvet dress she had been wearing for several days; she had grown a little fond of it.
She felt a bit reluctant to throw it away.
She’d keep it for now.
As for the pantyhose… to be honest, they were still a bit awkward, but once you've worn them, you get used to them.
Indeed, habit is a terrifying thing.
In her storage space, aside from some valuable items, there were no other clothes. Thinking about it, that was a bit embarrassing.
Fortunately, the Saintess's robe didn't require so many fussy accessories.
Since her identity was already exposed, she might as well change into it.
Previous Saintess's robes had always been put on with the help of junior nuns; this was her first time dressing herself.
It was a bit difficult.
She finally managed to put it on, changing into the Saintess's robe, but she wasn’t in a hurry to wear the headpiece.
Whether she wore it or not didn’t affect the function of the Saintess’s robe itself.
Its symbolic meaning far outweighed any other.
She tidied the hem of her robe. The Saintess’s robe itself had a self-cleaning function; it could remove minor dirt on its own.
Although she had worn it for a while after falling into the sea, it was now very clean.
With a gentle shake, all the stains on it fell to the ground.
Having changed into the Saintess's robe, Luo Li took a deep breath, tidied her golden hair behind her back, and stepped out of the washroom.
She didn’t know what the two men had been discussing, but the atmosphere seemed quite lively.
However, when she appeared before them in her Saintess's robe, both men were stunned.
They had spoken about it before, and both knew her identity, but they had never seen the Saintess dressed in her ceremonial robe.
And now, seeing the pure and holy girl,
both felt that 'this is how a Saintess should be'.
“What’s wrong with you two? Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something dirty on me?”
Luo Li’s scalp tingled from their stares.
There shouldn’t be anything strange about her, right?
Although this dress exposed more of her thighs, it wasn’t overly revealing.
“No, nothing, Your Highness is indeed Your Highness. This dress… is it the Saintess’s robe?”
Hubert finally reacted, quickly assenting.
Izzy also nodded repeatedly, giving a thumbs-up.
“As expected of Your Highness.”
Are these two… crazy?
Just changing clothes, is that really necessary?
Rolling her eyes at the two men who were still staring, Luo Li turned and sat down on a nearby chair.
She picked up her cup and took a small sip.
Her long hair, after being soaked in the water, had begun to fade.
Now, after being wiped with a towel, the color had faded even more.
Many silver strands were now visible among the golden ones.
As Luo Li put on her Saintess’s robe again, its self-cleaning function reactivated.
Unbeknownst to her, the golden outer layer began to peel away.
Her waist-length hair once again revealed its silvery radiance.
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