Willow turned around and jumped down from the step, colliding head-on with Chancellor Valery, who was hurrying over with a stack of diplomatic missives to ask for instructions.
"Willow, is Your Majesty awake?"
The old Chancellor looked solemn, his brows tightly knitted.
"We are almost at the border outpost of the Kingdom of Orr. Regarding the etiquette reception after entering the country, this old minister still has a few details I wish to ask Your Majesty to decide upon. Especially that King of Orr, he is an old fox; we must..."
As he spoke, Valery was about to lift his foot to step onto the carriage.
"Hey! Lord Chancellor, please stay your steps."
Willow was quick of eye and hand; she took a half-step forward and calmly blocked Valery's path.
She wore that most standard, harmless maid's smile on her face, yet it revealed an unquestionable intent to obstruct.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Valery stopped in his tracks, looking at the carriage suspiciously. "At this point in time, Your Majesty's usual afternoon nap should be over, right?"
"Your Majesty... is currently making an extremely key decision."
Willow lied without blushing or skipping a beat, her tone even carrying a few hints of profound significance. "Lord Delilah is inside cooperating with Your Majesty. At a time like this, I'm afraid not even the sound of a falling leaf can be allowed to disturb them."
Valery's old face stiffened, and then, as if he had thought of something, his eyes instantly became filled with solemn respect.
"Extremely key decision? Cooperating?"
A magnificent puzzle was instantly completed in Valery's mind.
I am truly an old fool!
With the border right ahead, Your Majesty must be utilizing this final moment of tranquility to perform a spiritual synchronization at a tactical level with her sharpest sword!
At this critical moment that determines the diplomatic trend of the Kingdom of Mason for the next ten years, they must be deducing how the musketeer squads should counterattack if the opponent sets an ambush, or how to carry out that dimensionality-reduction style of deterrence at the banquet!
The old Chancellor took a deep breath and even retreated two steps, fearing that the sound of his own breathing might disturb the secret talk deciding the fate of the nation inside the carriage.
"This old minister understands."
Valery lowered his voice, his tone filled with admiration for the Queen's foresight. "Such a collision at the strategic level is indeed not something we ordinary mortals can participate in. Willow, you did the right thing; we will guard the outside."
Willow covered her mouth, letting out a low laugh. "Yes, I also feel that at a time like this, it is better to let them stay together a while longer. I was just thinking of getting some more fresh air out here to wake up my mind."
Valery nodded repeatedly in deep agreement. "That's right, for such major events, one cannot rush. This old minister will stand guard for Your Majesty right here!"
Thus, in the cold wind of this wilderness, an extremely bizarre scene appeared...
A highly authoritative old Chancellor, like a loyal old doorman, straightened his back and stood guard beside the carriage.
And a spirited maid was looking at the swaying carriage curtains, her eyes full of the satisfaction of someone who had just eaten a top-tier dessert.
Meanwhile, behind those heavy curtains, Sophia was still struggling against a one-meter-long giant french fry in her dream.
The carriage slowly came to a halt. Ahead lay the border fortress of the Kingdom of Orr.
Falcon Pass.
The deep autumn twilight dyed the stone walls of the pass a dark red, and the cold wind shrieked between the cracks in the stones.
Dozens of soldiers wearing the standard light armor of the Kingdom of Orr leaned against their long spears, scrutinizing this strange convoy flying the Black Rose banner with a unique arrogance.
"Stop! Routine inspection!"
A border official with a face full of stubble rode a skinny horse forward. He swept a glance over those sixty elite soldiers who looked solemn and carried strange firelocks on their backs; a trace of apprehension flashed through his eyes, but it was immediately replaced by a certain disdain.
In his view, the Kingdom of Mason was just a small place that had just experienced internal turmoil and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Even if they had some new gadgets, it couldn't change its essence as a barren land.
But their Kingdom of Orr was different; they possessed the best land in this region, and their annual grain yield was much higher than other countries.
Therefore, even though he was a petty official, he still looked down on the Queen of the Kingdom of Mason.
"Everyone off the carriages! Open all boxes! Especially that middle carriage."
The border official pointed his horsewhip at Sophia's carriage, which remained steady as Mount Tai, and shouted loudly. "The noble person inside must also come down to register! This is the rule of the Kingdom of Orr!"
Inside the carriage, that sweet tranquility mixed with the scent of milk was instantly slashed open by the noise outside.
Sophia frowned slightly in her sleep.
Since her entire person was still being held in Delilah's arms, her faint breathing sprayed directly onto Delilah's collarbone, bringing about a wave of tingling numbness, and even more so, bringing about a monstrous rage sufficient to freeze the air.
Delilah's expression at this moment was extremely terrifying.
She looked down at Sophia, who had slept peacefully with great difficulty but was now startled to the point of waking, and that desire for protection within her heart instantly went on a rampage.
"These damned ants."
Deep in Delilah's eyes, a pale red glimmer looked as if blood-fire had been ignited.
In her logic, Sophia was not only resting at this moment but was also deducing the Kingdom of Mason's hundred-year grand plan in her dream. Any disturbance was a blasphemy against the entire country's future, and even more so, an offense against this treasure of hers.
She did not get up. Her right hand continued to steadily support the back of Sophia's head, adjusting Sophia into a comfortable position, then she tucked the blanket around Sophia properly.
Her left hand, however, hooked onto the hilt of the longsword at her side with extreme speed.
Outside the carriage, the border official saw that no one was paying attention to him and was about to step forward to forcibly lift the carriage curtain.
Click.
That was the sound of sixty Black Rose Musketeers drawing their weapons simultaneously.
Willow and Valery, who had been blowing in the wind outside, also instantly changed their expressions.
Chancellor Valery frowned as he looked at the border guards of the Kingdom of Orr. Even the border must surely know that their King had invited the monarchs of the surrounding kingdoms to come.
knowing that the person in the carriage was the Queen of Mason, yet still choosing such a powerless method to intercept them?
What exactly is the King of Orr planning? Could it be that, as General Delilah said, this is truly a "Hongmen Banquet"?
But looking at that motionless carriage, his heart felt somewhat at ease.
Look! Facing provocation, Your Majesty didn't even lift an eyelid! What utter contempt!
This is telling the Kingdom of Orr that their rules are worthless before the will of the Black Rose!
And at this moment, Delilah's voice, cold to the extreme, drifted out low from behind the heavy carriage curtain:
"Is this Orr's hospitality?
I give you three seconds. Scram.
Disturb Your Majesty's peaceful dream, and I will ensure that this land within a radius of ten miles never sees tomorrow's sun again."
The voice was not loud, yet it carried a heavy killing intent that seemed to have crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, like the absolute suppression of some high-tier species over low-tier life.
The hand that the border official had extended froze in mid-air.
This woman's tone was so big; she actually dared to threaten the people of their Kingdom of Orr like this. Was she not afraid that their King would get angry and bury them all here?
However, for some reason, the border soldier felt somewhat guilty.
Separated by the carriage window, he felt not as if he were facing a noble girl, but as if he were directly facing an abyssal beast that was in a dormant period but could open its eyes at any moment to swallow him alive.
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