Chapter 55: Friend

  A large, luxurious carriage, staffed by eight red-maned horses, glided silently through the city crowd, blending in with the many other carriages in the area. While the grand carriage was eye-catching, once it entered the main streets of Ratana City, which were filled with even more high-end vehicles, this carriage carrying members of the royal family easily faded into obscurity.

  The main reason was that the carriage lacked any royal crest or symbols signifying nobility. It only has an opulent appearance and expensive decorations. This was a subtle disguise to deceive the crowd and spies of other factions, making it appear as if it belonged only to some wealthy family.

  “We’re heading to the FlameFrost Village in the north. Our main objective is to deal with a powerful First word Engraver Devil beast that has attacked the village multiple times.”

  "For some reasons, all the guards can’t do anything." Princess Pailin explained while wearing glasses and holding documents like a student.

  "Therefore, we must investigate this Devil beast, track it down, and eliminate it. Only then will the mission be considered complete. Does anyone have any questions?”

  "Yes, Princess Pailin. I have a question," Napha raised his hand.

  "What is it?"

  "Is this all the manpower we have? Just us? Isn't that a bit risky?" Napha asked.

  "Of course there are more. Once we leave the city, a small unit from the army will join us. This is to avoid attracting too much attention. However, for the same reason, the number of soldiers coming won't be very large."

  "Only one unit? Since this is a royal mission with Princess herself involved, won't the security be too lax?" Leader Mei frowned.

  “I have a whole unit 3 by myself. “What’s there to be lacking?” Princess Pailin smiled sweetly.

  "Also, we can't rely too much on soldiers. The higher-ups of the royal army support my brothers. Therefore, those who are here are mostly Newborns and rather lack the enthusiasm to be here," Princess Pailin laughed.

  "That's not funny at all! If anything happens, we might not be able to protect you!" Napha protested.

  "I trust you all. Besides, I’m also pretty capable," Princess Pailin flexed her slender arms confidently.

  "Stop nagging like an old man, Napha. We would never let anything happen to Princess," Kasa laughed.

  "Of course we are! But this is Princess Pailin! Even bringing the entire City Guard to protect her wouldn't be too much!" Napha exclaimed.

  "Truly Princess Pailin's number one supporter," Gion laughs loudly.

  "Of course! My niece also loves Princess Pailin very much. Since Princess Pailin saved my niece back then, I swear to support her with my life!" Napha's face turned serious.

  "I'm glad Nong Kwang is healthy." Princess Pailin smiled.

  The lively conversation continued in the carriage throughout the journey. Only Nitaan sat silently among them. Although he admired Princess Pailin, traveling out of the city with her like this was like inviting malicious plotting. He couldn't find peace of mind.

  What is Colonel Lalanta thinking? Nitaan grumbled.

  Soon, the carriage moved out of the city. After passing the city gates, two more ordinary carriages came into view. These two carriages didn't approach closely enough to arouse suspicion, only following at a distance.

  "Princess, those two carriages have 20 soldiers inside. Are they the soldiers who will be accompanying us?" Nitaan asked. He was the first to notice.

  "Nitaan, can you verify that they are all Newborns? If so, yup, they should be the one," Princess Pailin said.

  The other members of Unit 3 had serious expressions. Only Tawan and Leader Mei raised their eyebrows slightly in suspicion. If they heard correctly, Princess Pailin seemed to be speaking more familiarly to Nitaan than usual.

  "They are all Newborns. None of them emit significant spiritual energy, unless they are carrying treasures that conceal their power," Nitaan replied. His eyebrow twitched slightly because he felt the same way.

  He sensed this was a small form of retaliation for him still calling her "Princess Pailin" instead of "Pailin."

  "Then there's no problem. Maintaining this distance is what we discussed from the beginning." Princess Pailin said, easing the tension among them.

  "Nitaan, keep an eye out for us, will ya? It will be much more dangerous once we leave the city. Don’t nod off." Princess Pailin added, a slight smile playing on her lips as she looked at Nitaan with amusement.

  This woman… Nitaan's eyebrow twitched.

  —————————————————————————————————————————————————

  They travel for a whole day. The sky began to change color, and the sun began to set. Yet, they still hadn't reached their destination. The warm light gradually faded, and a chilling cold from the moonlight began to envelop them.

  The group decided to stop and camp in a secluded area in the middle of the forest. They found a safe place to park their three carriages, forming a makeshift camp to protect Princess Pailin's central area.

  Once the carriages were parked, soldiers approached Princess Pailin to salute. They were far from the city now. There was no longer any reason to conceal their status.

  "Royal Guard Unit 65 at your service. We respectfully accept your orders, Princess Pailin." An elderly soldier led the group of soldiers to kneel. Besides the old man, the others were all young men and women, no older than thirty. All were Newborns.

  Just by seeing them, Unit 3 immediately realized that none of these soldiers were enthusiastic about being here or guarding Princess.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Nitaan looked at the elderly soldier and wondered. It was rare to find a Newborn over 40 years old. After all, Engraving Ceremony cost nothing. Anyone could do it.

  He secretly used ‘Domain’ to target the old soldier. It was safer to be thorough. He found that the soldier emitted very little spiritual energy, even less than other Newborns. This condition was likely caused by Spiritual Root’s Great River dried up.

  It was a condition that happened when Engraving Ceremony was interrupted midway or consciousness space was attacked during childhood. Restoring it would require immense resources. This was probably why the old soldier was still just a Newborn.

  “Thank you very much. I will trouble everyone to take turns guarding tonight. Arrangements can be made according to your training.” Princess ordered.

  “Since we are not so far from the village now. I think we should be able to reach FlameFrost Village by noon tomorrow.”

  At Princess's words, many soldiers acknowledged the order and dispersed to their posts. Even though they are on their duty, they clearly lack motivation. Many leaned against their weapons or sat under trees and yawned.

  “How dare they call themselves soldiers?” Napha saw this and couldn't help but feel annoyed.

  “It’s alright. They were probably forced to come. Besides, the military training my brother forced them to undergo must be very rigorous,” Princess Pailin said.

  She took out a large number of snacks from her bag and began distributing them to the soldiers. They looked puzzled when they received the sweets from Princess Pailin. While many remained indifferent, accepting them listlessly, several seemed to brighten and smile. Seeing this, Kiita followed closely behind her, happily eating the sweets as well.

  “She is Princess Pailin after all,” Kasa remarked, watching Princess hand out sweets with Kiita still by her side. Even though many weirdly look at her, she still hands out snacks with a smile.

  “Hmm, Nitaan, Kasa, and Gion, you three will take turns on guard duty tonight. Then change with me, Napha, and Tawan around dawn. Although I’m pretty sure there are no traitors or spies from other factions among the soldiers, it's better to be safe than sorry,” Leader Mei said, her expression unusually serious.

  “Yes, Leader.”

  Once Princess finished distributing sweets, Unit 3 had already built a campfire and prepared food. They sat around the campfire and ate together.

  Most soldiers stood on the perimeter to keep watch. Kiita also silently spread his ‘Domain. During a royal mission like this, Nitaan couldn’t afford to train his use of ‘Domain’.

  Nitaan didn't need to showcase his cooking skills as he had before with Prai's group. They were out on a mission. Well-prepared food and supplies were readily available.

  During the meal, they engaged in lighthearted conversation. Princess Pailin's friendly demeanor relaxed those around her. Even several seemingly lazy soldiers occasionally joined the conversation when Princess Pailin invited them.

  Nitaan occasionally added his own stories or anecdotes about life in the forest around the campfire to enhance the cheerful atmosphere. Mostly he just listens and smiles while keeping a slight distance from everyone.

  Princess Pailin noticed this but said nothing. She continued to chat casually with everyone, creating a positive atmosphere and trying to get soldiers to open up.

  When night fell, Nitaan lay down in his hammock tied to a tree as usual. Although he appeared asleep, his colleagues in Unit 3 knew he was only feigning slumber.

  When it was Nitaan's turn to stand guard, Gion gave Nitaan a signal before returning to his tent. Nitaan opened his eyes. Kiita, who had been resting on his chest, also opened his eyes at the same time. Both rose simultaneously and walked to the campfire to replace Gion’s position.

  Nitaan sat gazing at the sky by the campfire with Kiita on his lap. He smiled slightly, took out Kiita’s favorite comb, and carefully brushed Kiita's fur. The peaceful atmosphere passed slowly. After a while, he sensed a figure climbing out of a luxurious carriage behind him.

  "Your Highness, do you need anything?" Nitaan's eyes met with sparkling pink eyes. Kiita immediately stood up and walked over to be petted by Princess Pailin.

  "Just ‘Pailin’. We're not that far apart in age," Princess Pailin frowned.

  "I apologized, Princess Pailin. But I can’t be impolite with royalty."

  "Enough! 'Princess' this, 'Princess' that. Can't we just be friends? I came to say thanks about the banquet. " Princess Pailin sat down by the campfire, facing Nitaan.

  "But I didn't do anything," Nitaan said with a straight face.

  "Yeah yeah. What kind of person do you think I am? I grew up with people like Brother Jantrakant, sly old foxes like Banphot and Salika, and many others who are way worse. Do you really think I wouldn't know?" Princess Pailin laughed.

  "Besides, when that person spoke ill of Kiita. You're making a face like you want to devour him. Like this!" Princess Pailin pulled up the corners of her eyes with two fingers, furrowed her brows, stuck out her tongue, and tried to make the most terrifying face she could think of.

  Nitaan couldn't help but laugh at the sight. The noble Princess Pailin was making such an unsightly face.

  "I wasn't making a face like that at all! And how could I possibly make a face like that?" Nitaan laughed.

  "Oh really? But in my eyes, it looked like that!" Princess Pailin smiled at Nitaan's laughter.

  "Kiita, did you know that your papa is very scary? Don't be naughty, or he might not give you any more treats." Princess Pailin scratched Kiita's belly, laughing.

  "Woof!"

  Treats! Treats!

  "I'll get some for you. Don't bother, Princess," Nitaan said.

  "Huh? You understand Kiita that well? And Kiita wants treats? Here, have some. I brought plenty." Princess Pailin looked up at Nitaan. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a large quantity of sweets.

  She carried that many sweets around everywhere? Nitaan wondered.

  "Nope. I usually carry sweets with me, but not this much. I bring extra just for this trip.”

  “I like sweets. It’s really good for mood and mind. Also, when people are upset, something sweet can cheer them right up." Princess Pailin suddenly answered what Nitaan wondered in his mind.

  Nitaan's eyes widened. He suddenly thought that Princess Pailin could read his mind.

  "Your face says it all. I told you, I'm good at reading people," Princess Pailin winked.

  "Your Highness really is good at reading facial expressions. And the answer is ‘yes’. I'm like most Beast tamers. I can communicate with my companion." Nitaan sighed. If she can outright read his face like that, he still needs to practice his facial expressions more.

  "Of course. There are so many two-faced sly old foxes in the palace. Reading your expression is nothing," she smiled victoriously.

  Nitaan suddenly has nothing to say. He always thought he was quite good with faking his mood, yet this woman read him so easily.

  "I heard you're planning to participate in the Malakai Empire's Tournament next year? " Princess Pailin asked.

  "Yes," Nitaan replied. He wasn't surprised that Princess Pailin knew. After all, even Colonel Lalanta knew so easily.

  "This Tournament has a lot of strange and strong geniuses. Are you planning to win?"

  "I'll probably try my best," he replied.

  "And how are you going to get there? What about transportation, news, and information about your competitors? And what about equipment? Even though treasures are forbidden, high-quality equipment is allowed." Princess Pailin quickly bombarded him with questions.

  Nitaan was speechless. He couldn't keep up with her at all. Princess Pailin was incredibly talkative.

  "I'll probably figure it out gradually. Right now, I'm saving money," Nitaan stammered.

  "No need! Just ask me, and I will prepare it all." Princess Pailin said confidently, clenching her fist and patting her chest.

  "I can't accept that," Nitaan said, his face darkening. "Even though I'm part of Your Highness's factions, that's too much." The previously cheerful atmosphere vanished.

  Nitaan had seen many people offer seemingly good deals only to exploit him. Since childhood, many adults had wanted to adopt him, all trying to sweet-talk him, hoping he would one day repay them with his talents.

  “You’re in my faction, so accept it. Consider it a thank you gift.” Princess Pailin continued, seemingly oblivious to Nitaan’s now emotionless expression.

  “But if you think that’s too much, we have one request.”

  Nitaan’s face grew even colder. He knew this would happen eventually. He was slightly disappointed in himself for having judged her as a good person. No, she still was, but her flaws were what he disliked most.

  It seemed that no matter how much time passed, there would always be those who wanted to take advantage of him. And he is still really bad at trusting people.

  “Pailin, From now on you have to call me Pailin.” Pailin smiled widely as she extended her hand. “And also let’s be friends.”

  Nitaan’s eyes widened. He was confused, wondering if he had heard correctly. But the smiling face of Princess Pailin before him, along with the outstretched hand, was solid evidence reinforcing what she said.

  “It’s worth it! You gained a supporter, and you also became friends with Princess.” Pailin shakes her hand a little, urging Nitaan to take the deal.

  Nitaan looked at the hand in front of him, hesitation appearing in his deep blue eyes. He then looks at Princess Pailin’s pink eyes. Those eyes were so different from his own. Those beautiful pink eyes were devoid of hesitation, malice, or hidden motives. There was only sincerity, brightness, and a radiant pink light reflecting off the fire. Her smile told Nitaan that that was all she wanted.

  He himself had friends. He could talk to people. He was close to other colleagues in Unit 3 as well. He considered them friends and was always willing to help if needed.

  But in his heart, he still maintained a distance. Perhaps it was just his nature to keep his distance, to build a wall and push others to the other side. On this side of the wall, there was only him and Kiita.

  But this was the first time someone had easily broken down that wall. She smiled at him genuinely and asked to be friends.

  This is the first time that it was so clear to him. Just looking at her eyes cleared all his doubts. The person this woman in front of him wants to be friends with isn’t Masked Nitaan or a future Nitaan who might become Enlightened. It is him, the current Nitaan who still weak and fragile.

  Nitaan then looked at Kiita. Those deep black eyes still gently look at him as always. Even though they can communicate telepathically, at this moment, he didn't need it. Those eyes affirm him of what he didn’t dare to.

  She can be trusted.

  Nitaan chuckled softly, his deep blue eyes brightening up. He understood even better why people loved her so much.

  “Aren’t those two requests?”

  “Consider it a bonus then.”

  "Fine. Nice to meet you, Pailin."

  "Woof!"

  Friend!