Chapter 138: Is This How the Royal Family Punishes Princesses?

By the time they were about to get out of the carriage, Crowley had more or less sobered up.

He mentioned tomorrow’s celebration to Louis.

It would be held at the Storg Sports Arena near the coast. From Crowley’s description, the event was rather like the Olympic Games, with people from every nation coming to take part.

“During the day, there will be the celebration; at night, a banquet. Political leaders from every country will come to offer the king their birthday congratulations.” Crowley spoke with some significance. “There may also be a few wizard principalities attending. Miss Sakura Bell should be familiar with them.”

Louis nodded without saying anything more.

The Storg Sports Arena was probably the Storg Dragon Colosseum. Yet these nobles, Crowley included, seemed to know nothing about such matters as the Two-Headed Goron. All they knew was that there would be some simple military demonstrations that day. The fleet, the airships, the Children of Lant, and the like would all make an appearance.

“Besides that, there may be some magical creatures,” Crowley added with a smile.

Louis and Sakura Bell exchanged a glance, both wearing somewhat peculiar expressions.

It seemed the nobles still knew nothing about the wager. Tomorrow, however, they would discover just how magical that magical creature truly was.

And it was likely that the Witch Queen intended to have Prince Nefa make his appearance tomorrow.

But that was not for her to decide.

After agreeing on the time for the following day, Louis and Sakura Bell returned to the hotel.

They seemed to have arrived just in time for the film festival. People were constantly coming and going across the hotel’s red carpet, and reporters were everywhere. The lobby was packed as well.

Louis and Sakura Bell watched with curiosity for a while before heading back. In doing so, they narrowly missed the great director Triff, who was currently preparing to film Silent Harbor.

The two of them rested in Louis’s room all afternoon. After dinner, Louis tutored Sakura Bell there—properly tutored her, that was.

The mages also came to ask him questions. When Sakura Bell saw the enormous rolls of magical scrolls they had brought out, she blinked.

What were all these things?

Louis blinked as well.

He knew that, thanks to the relationship between Igel and Sakura Bell, the Mages’ Association now had secret channels through which it could purchase all kinds of magical materials.

But the materials used for these magical scrolls were worth a fortune!

After looking them over, Louis found that everyone had done fairly well and nodded in satisfaction. “Try your necromantic summoning spell, Mr. Caddy.”

Caddy rummaged through seven or eight scrolls of various kinds and pulled out one of them. After reciting a series of incantations, the scroll burst into flame without any wind touching it. A magic circle appeared in midair, and a tiny skeleton was summoned forth.

The little skeleton looked rather frail, but it seemed to have a pair of bony wings behind it.

As everyone gathered around in curiosity, the tiny skeleton suddenly collapsed onto the floor and spat out several blue sparks.

Sakura Bell’s mouth fell open.

A bone dragon?!

This was a bone dragon, wasn’t it?!

It was very small, certainly, but it was a bone dragon, wasn’t it?!

This was an ancient summoning art! There were only a handful of people throughout the Holy Oak who could perform it!

“I’m ashamed to say it,” the mage Caddy admitted. “I made mistakes on five or six scrolls before getting this one right.”

Sakura Bell could not help blinking.

A twenty-percent success rate for summoning?

That had to be a joke!

Two percent would have been more believable!

“Next time, don’t rush into producing finished scrolls. Lay a proper foundation first.” Louis gave his student a meaningful look. Caddy had burned through at least eight hundred gold galleons today.

Sakura Bell woodenly raised her head and looked at Louis.

A success rate that terrifying, and he still said the man had not laid a proper foundation?

If this fellow opened a shop in Knockturn Alley, he would make a fortune for certain!

Several mages took turns demonstrating their masterpieces. As Sakura Bell watched one magical circle after another flare into existence, she stood there dumbfounded. When she looked at the mages again, her eyes had gone somewhat dull.

The headmasters of ordinary wizarding academies in many of the wizard principalities might not even possess such ability!

Sakura Bell turned once more to their teacher, Louis. Tiny stars seemed to sparkle in her eyes.

As expected, her master was the greatest.

After watching the demonstrations, Louis explained a few things to Sakura Bell and the others. Before long, the mages who had gone hunting that day returned as well.

Everyone began discussing the day’s events noisily. It seemed that things had gone very well. The princess had not only made a splendid impression, but the entire royal family had also appeared harmonious and close-knit. The studious queen had even taken the opportunity to ask Bach and the others several questions about spatial geometry.

From the sound of it, the queen had been laughing very happily that day, all the while looking at Osikris with a peculiar expression. Perhaps she had never expected Ron and the others to end up alongside Osikris.

These so-called mages certainly possessed extensive knowledge of those useless miscellaneous subjects.

But surely Osikris did not believe that they truly possessed magical ability and intend to rely on them?

What use was a mage who could not cast spells?

It was simply a case of fools gathering with fools.

The thought nearly made her laugh herself to death.

Clearly, this Witch Queen, who was forever asking the mages questions, had no respect for teachers whatsoever. She had always treated those mages who freely shared everything they knew with her as nothing more than clowns.

She had even allowed them to go to Crowley Manor, intending to sit back and watch them make fools of themselves.

“Why hasn’t Osikris come back?” Sakura Bell asked, puzzled.

“Oh, His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen joined the hunting banquet today. It was truly a magnificent sight.” Bach patted his riding crop. “In the evening, Her Highness the Princess and the others returned to the palace with His Majesty. Miss Kate and the others were invited along as well.”

Sakura Bell blinked, not quite understanding.

Why had no one informed her through the crystal ball?

Louis burst out laughing as soon as he heard.

Serves her right for insisting on showing off.

Sorendo had only one princess with direct royal blood. After returning these past two days, Osikris had not gone back to the royal family first; instead, she had been busy currying favor with nobles everywhere. Her behavior practically screamed that the royal family was divided against itself.

She had openly brought shame upon the royal family! She had openly handed the reporters material and scandal to exploit!

Her mother was probably both aggrieved and furious, and with her young stepmother fanning the flames, there was no way Osikris would escape punishment tonight.

Judging from the mages’ account, Osikris was still feeling smug. After seeing her “father” arrive to support her today, she had been overjoyed—and had even deliberately needled her young stepmother several times.

Louis was already laughing uncontrollably. After estimating the time, he guessed that Osikris had probably been tricked into returning home by her mother and stepmother. Seeing that the mages were still discussing hunting and magic with Sakura Bell, he went to the study, picked up a mirror, and summoned the Magic Mirror.

After thinking it over, Louis decided that this might be unwise. If he happened to burst out laughing and his mother-in-law sensed it, things would be rather awkward.

He reached into his sleeve and took out several small pouches. From them, he selected several kinds of magical powder, crushed a small piece of magical crystal, and began reciting an incantation.

At once, the various magical materials rose into the air of their own accord and formed a magic circle behind the mirror.

The mirror then melted into the void, which rippled like the surface of water.

Louis recited another incantation, along with Osikris’s name. The air before him opened like a window, and on the other side lay a hall somewhere in the royal palace.

Judging from the scene, nearly all of Osikris’s aunts and female relatives were there. Apart from the king, there were no men present.

A family gathering?

Osikris seemed to have started arguing with her “real mother.” She flew into a rage and smashed a pile of objects, leaving Francesco trembling with fury. Delphinia summoned a group of heavily built dragonkin matrons. With those enormous horns, they looked like female demons!

Judging by the situation, there was going to be quite a show tonight!

“Holy shit, what kind of punishment do royals usually give a princess? What’s that matron coming over for? Why are they pinning her down and lifting her skirt? Are they really going to take off her stockings? And why is the young stepmother picking up a paddle? Is she going to spank her? Seriously?”

Louis was suddenly wide awake.

…

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