Sophia Manor is located on the high ground by the sea in the northern part of Coldwater Port City. Although it is called a manor, it is actually a royal Summer resort.
To the west of the manor is the sea, to the south is Coldwater Port City, and to the east and north are the coastal forests used by local nobles for recreation. Hunting and fishing are possible there, and it also serves as an important source of local wood for Coldwater Port City in Winter.
Xia De had visited Miss Jialinna's manor in Tobesk, but he didn't have the chance to look around the manor. He had also visited Lakeview Manor when attending a banquet, but that place could not compare to the royal manor at all.
After the group returned to Sophia Manor, the two scholars were temporarily placed under guard. Leia would handle their matters separately.
The Princess was completely soaked, so she went to take a bath as soon as she returned. The manor had a large specialized bathing area for the royal family.
Xia De was naturally not allowed to use such a bathing area, but Leia specifically arranged a room for him, and the washroom in the room was sufficient for him to clean himself up.
However, when Xia De, who was soaked, received clean clothes and was about to wash up, the two young maids who brought the clothes did not leave:
"Do you still need something?"
The Outsider asked in surprise, with the towel he had just used to dry his hair still draped over his shoulders.
"Your Highness asked us to help you."
"No need, leave."
Xia De then realized that an Outsider was not used to such things.
"You don't have to misunderstand; we are Your Highness's personal maids, not from Sophia Manor."
"Leave."
Xia De waved his hand. He would not easily change his principles. Although the Outsider hoped to adapt to this era, he preferred to stick to his own principles in some matters:
"Leave."
So the maids could only apologize and leave, and Xia De was able to take a hot bath in peace.
When Xia De changed his clothes, he initially thought he could see Leia immediately, but unexpectedly, two barbers, led by a manor maid, trimmed Xia De's hair. However, after looking in the mirror, he couldn't see any difference from before.
After that, Xia De still couldn't leave. Servants pushed a clothes rack with wheels, letting him choose outerwear, pants, shoes, and a hat. Xia De, who didn't care much about his attire, casually chose a black set, but at the request of the middle-aged maid with a very oppressive gaze, he had to try more combinations.
After choosing the clothes, he still couldn't leave. The middle-aged maid, who seemed to hold the position of head maid, actually took a deck of rhode cards from the pocket of her skirt and wanted to gamble rhode cards with Xia De:
"This is too exaggerated. What exactly am I being kept here for?"
Seeing him ask this, the middle-aged maid, who introduced herself as Lia Hels, answered with embarrassment:
"Your Highness has not finished her grooming, so she asked us to find something for you to do for now. If the weather clears up, we can take you for a walk in the garden, but it's still raining, and other parts of the manor are not convenient for you to visit."
Xia De then understood:
"Then I'll wait a bit. Speaking of which, don't you doubt my identity? Don't you want to know who I am?"
When he and Leia returned, they had entered openly through the main gate of the manor.
Ms. Hels showed a faint smile:
"You are Hamilton of Thunder Jeed, and you saved Your Highness's mother, Queen Diana. You don't have to worry about the King knowing about Your Highness's friends. This is not Tobesk, and since Your Highness can be arranged for important diplomatic activities like visiting Carson Rick, do you really think she doesn't have enough trustworthy people around her?"
It seemed Xia De's impression of a "Princess" was still too much limited by stories from his homeland.
When they arrived at the dining room led by Ms. Hels, it was already twelve o'clock that day.
It was still raining outside, and through the dining room's French windows, one could see the small trees in the manor garden swaying slightly in the wind.
Having changed out of the clothes that concealed her identity when she went out, Leticia Cavendish wore a fluffy blue and white Princess gown and sat at the head of the dining table, waiting for Xia De. The dining room was not dim; golden candelabras on the long dining table burned with flames, and gas lamps with the royal family crest on the walls also emitted light.
On the wall behind Leia hung a giant oil painting. Red curtains on either side of the painting hung from the ceiling, with golden tassels at the bottom almost touching the floor. The oil painting depicted an old man in knight's armor riding a horse. Even an Outsider recognized him as Leia's great-great-grandfather, the great-grandfather of the current King Larus III, Miss Jialinna's grandfather, and the one known as the "Red Lion," Myre Cavendish.
He had personally led soldiers into Carson Rick's territory and swung his sword to kill the governor of Carson Rick's southern county. He was the last well-known knight-emperor before the rise of firearms, and stories about him have been widely circulated in Delarion, making him a true legendary figure.
Xia De paused briefly in front of the two large doors of the dining room before truly walking in.
Leia sat at the far end of the long table, resting her face in her hand, looking at the rain outside the window. Her red hair, meticulously styled, hung down her back. On her right ear was the ruby earring, a sage-level relic, and on her left ear was the small ruby earring in the shape of a Mermaid that Xia De had given her last time.
A silver tiara rested on her head, gleaming in the light of the gas lamps. The girl, wearing light makeup, had a tempting rosy-white complexion, and the lipstick, whose shade Xia De couldn't identify, made her lips look very vibrant.
Even though he had seen many made-up noble ladies at previous banquets, he had to admit that no one was as dazzling as the Princess sitting at the end of the dining table at that moment.
Servants pushing dining carts were setting out dishes. Just what Xia De saw was probably enough for him to eat three meals. He certainly wouldn't say anything about wasting food; he just regretted not bringing Mia along.
"Good afternoon, Xia De."
Seeing Xia De approach, Leia extended her hand, indicating that he could sit to her right.
"Good afternoon."
Xia De responded, then, following the principle of "if you don't know what to say when talking to ladies, compliment their clothes," he quietly praised:
"This outfit is really nice."
The Princess showed a shy smile:
"Xia De, please sit down quickly. On Monday, I said I would treat you to a meal, but you left too quickly then. Now, finally, there's a chance."
Ultimately, only the two of them sat at the dining table, but there were eight dishes and two soups on the table. Xia De thought this was a lot, but Leia told Xia De that she hadn't expected them to return at noon, so this was a hastily prepared lunch.
The custom of this era was that dinner was the most important main meal of the day, and the grand meal the Princess prepared for Xia De would actually appear at dinner.