Chapter 157: Princess Anna!
2014-12-29
Author: Floating Tower (诸生浮屠)
“Ha!”
Soren submerged his entire body in the hot spring and couldn’t help but let out a comfortable sigh; he couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed such an experience. After a journey fraught with hardships, he had barely washed himself, let alone soaked in a luxurious bath. The pristine marble hot spring was a full ten meters wide, featuring intricate carvings by top craftsmen to prevent slipping. Above him hung a dazzling crystal chandelier, a masterpiece of alchemy likely only found in the royal palace.
At the head of the bath stood a statue of a goddess, draped in sheer veils that elegantly displayed her form, her hands raised to let clear hot spring water flow forth. This seemed to signify the river and spring water goddess, probably placed here by the royal family of Arendelle. The hot spring had a special design, keeping the water flowing at a constant rate, nearly running all year round. Beside it lay a luxurious bed, where two beautiful maidens stood, each holding expensive silk robes.
The warm water washed away his fatigue, leaving Soren feeling languid.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t stay in too long, as he had to return to his original path. He didn’t want to become lost in indulgence. As he stood up from the bath, the two maidens approached, their cheeks lightly flushed, and each helped him into a smooth silk robe. One led him to the bed, while the other gently kneaded his back with her fingers. This was a specialized massage technique, highly professional, making Soren feel his bl**d flow invigoratingly; they must have been specially trained maidens.
This sensation was truly delightful.
The two maidens used their delicate hands to massage him, occasionally applying pressure to specific points akin to acupressure—a technique that initially originated from the temple and later spread among the nobility. Soren’s breathing gradually steadied, and his body relaxed as never before, knowing he was in a safe environment; the princess would never harm the person who saved her sister, even if her demeanor wasn’t particularly friendly. Relaxed, Soren soon fell asleep, while the maidens wiped the sweat from their hands and exchanged glances as one fetched a soft velvet blanket from another room to cover him.
This wasn’t a rest chamber, merely a place for massage and relaxation, but since he had already fallen asleep, there was no need to disturb him.
A night passed swiftly.
The princess emerged dressed in a pure white nightgown, her exquisite lace skirt trailing the ground, and her silky silver hair falling down, her appearance softened with a touch of gentleness, resembling a recently awakened goddess. The maid on night watch stood up, slightly squatting and bowing, “Your Majesty! Would you like to bathe and change?”
The princess gently shook her head and said slowly, “No need. Has that person awakened? Have the captain of the guards come to me.”
The maid quickly left at her command.
In a moment, the captain of the guards from yesterday came in, slightly bending as she asked, “Your Majesty? What are your orders?”
The princess glanced at her, slightly furrowing her brows, “Prepare a reward, and then send him on his way. Anna mentioned his name over a hundred times last night; I’m worried she might develop feelings for someone so young!… She is the princess of Arendelle and will be its queen in the future!… That adventurer’s identity is too peculiar!… He carries a disturbing aura of slaughter!… Anna cannot get too close to such a person!… ”
How could the future queen of Arendelle be close to an adventurer bearing doom, fear, and slaughter?
Such a person is practically dripping with bl**d wherever they go!
The princess firmly shook her head, “Make the reward generous, and then send him away.”
The captain of the guards took her orders and left.
The princess seemed to hesitate for a moment and then said, “Have them give him that weapon. I see he seems to prefer using curved blades; this can be considered a reward for saving Anna.”
Outside the room.
Soren awoke to the sound of footsteps outside; it seemed they had been there for a while but hadn’t left, quietly waiting. From her breathing, it was evident she was anxious, almost raising her hand to knock several times. He slowly sat up, feeling the soft comfortable silk robe on him, then a bitter smile crept onto his face, showing little anger. It was still early morning, yet someone was so eager to wake him, indicating what was to come.
The princess didn’t actually welcome him!
Soren took off the robe and put on his rough cloth armor. Looking around the exquisitely lavish room, he murmured, “Once I get through this crisis, I must prepare a room like this for Vivian.”
This was the life Vivian should have.
Not the hardship, wandering thousands of miles through storms and snow, worn out from cold and toil.
An eight-year-old little girl.
Yet she had never enjoyed a true life; she had always lived with great difficulty.
Though she never complained.
Soren soon changed his clothes and gently opened the door. Outside stood the graceful captain of the guards, her expression slightly astonished, even more so upon seeing Soren’s attire. It clearly indicated he had guessed the queen’s intentions; he was a formidable adventurer who had sensibly perceived the princess wished for him to leave soon. Behind her were two maidens carrying exquisite trays, one of which held a curved blade that was remarkably beautiful, while the other tray bore black silk gloves inscribed with strange runes, suggesting they were impressive items as well.
“The queen wishes to…”
The captain of the guards began to speak, but Soren interrupted her, feeling neither happy nor angry.
He directly took the curved blade, brushed his fingers over its sheath, and drew it with a clang. The silver blade glimmered softly, and when he lightly cut his finger, a few drops of bl**d quickly welled up, causing a flurry of frost to form on his palm; it was indeed a legendary-level curved blade, showing that the princess was not a harsh person.
However, it seemed she didn’t want him near Princess Anna.
“I understand.” Soren glanced at her, sheathing the curved blade and then picking up the gloves as well, expressionless, “I will leave shortly and will no longer disturb Princess Anna.”
The captain of the guards found herself at a loss for words.
His statement made it impossible for her to convey even the princess’s discreet instructions, leaving her feeling somewhat awkward, especially given that he had risked his life to save Princess Anna.
Soren glanced at the gloves and gently put them on.
The princess was indeed the queen of Arendelle, as she provided two pieces of legendary-level equipment, both exceptionally rare.
“Item Type: Icebane [+2]
Item Level: [Second Tier Legendary Item]
Item Description: This is a weapon with a legendary history, once owned by a previous master who entered the abyss with it; its blade bears the bl**d of demons and devils, with whispers of wandering souls still echoing. This curved blade is forged using the Northern Region’s Ice Casting technique, infused with mithril during forging, granting it notable durability and sharpness while being lighter than other weapons. This weapon possesses the power of ice, inflicting ice damage upon enemies when struck.
Equipment Requirements: Above 10 strength [Strength Demand -2].
Equipment Effects: Mithril Trait, Ice Casting Trait, +5 Sharpness, +5 Penetration, +3 Durability, +2 Armor Break, +3 Ice Damage.
Weapon Special Effect: [Icebane], this weapon has a certain chance to freeze the bl**d of weaker enemies upon hitting them, causing instant d*ath to those with a maximum health below 20.
Weapon Feature: [Sharpness], in combat, this weapon has a certain chance to cut through any non-extraordinary weapon; any weapon below legendary status has a slight possibility of being severed by it.”
………………
A very powerful legendary curved blade.
It was almost comparable to the two he forged in the Underdark. The princess’s sincerity in rewarding him was evident, though her attitude toward Soren remained unfriendly; she hadn’t spoken a word to him yet.
“Item Type: Battle Master Gloves [+1].
Item Level: [First Tier Legendary Item]
Item Description: A legendary item made with extraordinary spider silk, utilizing a special enchantment technique to activate a small pocket dimension. The silk itself has high durability, capable of withstanding most attacks without damage and can deflect some damage. They are incredibly lightweight, feeling like a thin layer of skin on the hands, completely unimpeding any combat actions.
Equipment Requirements: None.
Equipment Effects: Toughness +1, Deflection +1.
Item Special Effect: [Three-foot Storage Space].”
When Soren donned the gloves, the curved blade in his palm suddenly vanished, replaced by a throwing kn*fe that then disappeared again, followed by a curved blade appearing in his left hand, and then another curved blade in his right hand, which also turned into a throwing kn*fe.
This was the rarest storage equipment in the world.
Its value surpassed even that of storage rings, as only combat-savvy adventurers understood how much more useful storage gloves were than rings; such extraordinary items enabled them to switch weapons freely, making them unbeatable in combat! The true value of this equipment was even greater than that of the legendary curved blade, and together, their worth was nearly equivalent to a low-ranking noble title plus a generational land grant.
Soren quietly nodded.
He turned to look at the royal palace and then walked outside; this was ultimately not a place for him to stay.
The wind and snow enveloped his figure, and he still had a long road ahead.
………………
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Before leaving, he saw the princess on the balcony, still as beautiful and noble as ever, standing high above. Soren slightly bowed in respect and then left without looking back.
He felt uncomfortable but not angry, as he found the princess somewhat similar to himself.
Her careful protection of Princess Anna reminded Soren of his Vivian; if he were in the princess’s position, he wouldn’t want Vivian too close to those bloody adventurers either. Since she could enjoy a peaceful, comfortable life like that of a princess, why let her get close to adventurers who perpetually carried bl**d with them?
Perhaps someday, such a person would meet their end somewhere, as it was common for adventurers to fall in the wilderness.
Soren’s figure grew increasingly distant.
The swirling snow covered him, and the guards inside the palace looked up at the sky, then gazed toward the position of the princess. If the queen’s mood was also poor, then Arendelle might just see some snowfall. The princess was a very self-restrained person, and outsiders rarely had the chance to see her true emotions; she was always the gentle and gracious queen, capable of smiling and bending down to regard even the impoverished in her kingdom.
She was deeply loved in Arendelle!
The princess continued to watch Soren leave, and just as he was about to exit the palace gates, she let out a soft sigh.
“Sister?!”
Just as the princess was about to turn back, Anna’s voice suddenly rang out. She emerged wearing an adorable snow-white nightgown, rubbing her eyes with her small hands, her bare, pale feet pattering across the floor, still looking a bit dazed as she muttered, “I just dreamt that Soren suddenly left! … Where is he? … I want to see him! …”
The princess’s expression froze for a moment, and the snowflakes dancing in the sky seemed to pause momentarily.
She sighed deeply, “He has already gone.”
“What?!”
Anna’s eyes widened in surprise, and her beautiful gaze filled with glistening tears. She seemed to sob slightly as if feeling wronged, then dashed barefoot towards the palace exit, leaving behind the shocked princess and a young maid holding a delicate crystal shoe, shouting after her that she hadn’t put on her shoes yet.
The young girl glided down the spiral staircase like a gust of wind, then raised the hem of her nightgown as she ran barefoot. Bursting through the gates, she pushed aside the nearby guards and swiftly mounted a snow-white steed, galloping towards the palace’s main gate. Behind her were a still-stunned princess who hadn’t woken up from the sudden turn of events, and the young maid panting and standing breathlessly at the door with the crystal shoe.
Anna galloped her horse to the palace entrance, where guards were already blocking the gateway.
Feeling somewhat wronged and upset, she sniffled as if annoyed, pushing the guards aside angrily before running barefoot up the steps to the palace’s walls. In the distance, a figure could be vaguely seen fading away, but it was already somewhat obscured by the snow.
“Soren!”
Anna cupped her small hands to amplify her voice, tears streaming down her gorgeous eyes. She felt inexplicably wronged and upset in her heart; she believed that leaving her feelings unexpressed would only make it worse. She shouted at the receding figure in the snow, “Soren!… I like you!!! … Do you dare to marry me!!! …”
The palace fell into a deathly silence.
Only Anna’s voice echoed through the wind and snow.
The princess stared, mouth agape in shock, standing frozen in place, her expression almost as if she had been startled into silence.
In the snow.
The receding figure suddenly stiffened and then paused, and it was faintly visible that he turned around slightly and bowed slightly, placing his palm over his heart—a gesture of the old knight’s honor.
Tears continued to stream down Anna’s eyes as she stood on the palace wall, her petite figure trembling against the biting cold winds. Using all her strength, she shouted, “Soren!… I’ll be sixteen next year!… You must come to marry me when I come of age! …”
Waaah.
Anna finally cried out loud, shoving aside the stunned guards around her and rushing back towards the palace.
She was the princess of Arendelle.
And she would also be the queen of Arendelle in the future!
Though she didn’t truly comprehend what it meant to ‘like’, let alone love, she felt a rush within her heart; words left unspoken made her heart ache even more.
She was Princess Anna.
A princess unafraid to take action, her courage may not be understood by others, but she was genuinely brave.
She also possessed the pride of a princess, as she asked Soren, “Do you dare to marry me?”—a heavy responsibility; the two jewels of Arendelle, the future queen, she was not just any ordinary girl; marrying her required not only strength but also great courage!
She was also a traditional girl.
Because what she desired was not merely a romance; she adhered to the ancient customs of Arendelle.
She was pure.
Believing that to like someone was to step into the sacred hall of marriage, that’s why she called out to the person she loved, asking, “Do you dare to marry me?”
She was a courageous girl, yet she was also very scared.
She was Anna.
One of Arendelle’s two shining jewels, the most dazzling princess; she might not be the strongest, the most beautiful, or even the smartest.
But she was herself; she was the one and only Princess Anna!
………………
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(P.S.: This was originally going to be split into two chapters, but I was afraid you would go crazy and throw rocks at my windows, so I decided to merge them into one. After finishing, I felt a sense of exhaustion; I have no idea how it turned out, but I probably gave it my best effort.
Lastly. Please support! Please vote for me! Rolling on the ground begging for monthly tickets!!!
There will be two more updates today.)
