🐅 🐅 🐅
“THANKS for the meal!” Angelina’s group cheered in unison.
Afterward, they left the Blue Ocean Bar with full stomachs. While heading back to the palace, Angelina and Ryuho carried sacks of hujiao bing to distribute as souvenirs.
“There was so much more that I wanted to eat,” Angelina said.
“Same here,” Ryuho agreed. “I can’t wait to come back.”
“But once the magic-repellent lanterns are gone, we won’t be able to visit again.”
The children slumped their shoulders. There weren’t many festivals set up magic-repellent lanterns in the outer enclosure. The next one would probably be Kyril’s enthronement ceremony. Seeing the children so dejected caused both knights’ hearts to ache.
Suddenly, Ryuho turned to Angelina with a bright expression. “Wait, I just came up with a great idea! If I get strong enough, we can come here as often as we want!”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if I get strong enough to protect you even without the lanterns, we can go wherever we want!”
“Yeah!” Angelina replied, positively beaming. “I’ll do the same! If the two of us get strong enough, nothing will stand in our way!”
“Exactly! Let’s do it!”
“Right back atcha!”
As both children fist-pumped the air, the brown-haired knight muttered to himself, “They’re so cute that I could cry…”
The gray-haired knight couldn’t help but agree. “You’re right,” he spoke softly so the children wouldn’t overhear. “But no matter how strong they become, leaving the palace will remain tricky.”
“True enough,” the brown-haired knight answered with a chuckle. “Emperor Feilong’s so smitten with Angelina that he’s become an overprotective father. But with a daughter that cute, who could blame him? Still, I’ll keep training my hardest to make their dream come true.”
“Well said. We need to get strong enough that Emperor Feilong completely trusts us with the princess!”
The two knights met each other’s eyes and nodded.
✦ ✦ ✦
🐅 🐅 🐅
FINALLY, the group arrived before the palace gates.
“Come here, Princess,” the brown-haired knight said. “I’ll carry you from here on out.”
The gray-haired knight bent down and turned his back to Ryuho. “Hop on, Master Ryuho.”
During their departure, the group had traveled down the waterway by boat. However, they couldn’t use one for the return journey, as they would be traveling against the current. While the knights could have carried Angelina and Ryuho on a palanquin, they’d wanted the children to make the most of their time.
They were both exhausted and let the knights carry them without the slightest reservation. Before long, they were both nodding off. Feeling the warmth of another person while their stomachs were full was extraordinarily pleasant. Hearing the children’s whistling breaths as they slept, both knights’ chests swelled with happiness.
“She’s truly a tianshi,” the brown-haired knight said.
“Indeed she is,” the gray-haired knight replied.
“There’s no mistaking it.”
Both men shared a laugh, treasuring the small bodies warming their chest and back.
In the language of the deceased empress’s homeland, the name Angelina meant tianshi. Ironically, neither of the knights knew the meaning of her name.