Chapter 741 — Rebecca's Way of Receiving Guests

As the short film played, Ferm explained what exactly the "arcane shadow-play" he had created was, spoke of where his inspiration had come from, and of the great merchant Coad's help and appraisal of him.

Rebecca watched wide-eyed for several minutes, and when she finally grasped Ferm's idea, she opened her mouth: "…Wow."

"Your Highness, do you think…"

"There's nothing much to look at in this purely as arcane technology, but I'm certain the Zuyan will absolutely be interested in it!" Rebecca jerked her head up and said to Ferm with great excitement. "This idea of yours is fascinating!"

"The ancestors…" Ferm was startled by Rebecca's enthusiasm, so much so that it took him a moment to realize what she meant by the Zuyan. "You mean the Emperor—His Majesty?!"

"Pack up your things... ah, never mind that set of components, just bring this crystal, I'll give you a set of the newest arcane-net terminal," Rebecca, thoroughly ignited by the novelty of it all, was already bustling about making preparations before the three young people in front of her could even react, "and pair it with an amplification module... you didn't bring anything like a project proposal? Of course, that side hasn't been formalized yet... then just bring these along. Come on, come on, I'll take you to meet my ancestor—good heavens, this thing is wonderful!"

...

"They went to the Institute of Arcane Technology?"

After returning to Cecil Palace, Gaoyang soon received the latest word from agents of the Military Intelligence Bureau, learning of the two young people's newest movements.

They were, after all, the heirs of two dukes, of the North and the West, and he had always kept Amber's people watching their activities.

Amber nodded. "A young man named Ferm is traveling with them. This Ferm seems to have brought along something rather interesting—the chairman of the Caroll Commercial Association wrote him a personal letter of recommendation, and the three of them went straight to see Rebecca."

"So it turns out Rebecca 'received' them first," Gaoyang could not help but feel a little amused. "I wonder if that girl will stir up some trouble."

"I thought you'd be worried... how did you put it, that line of yours," Amber said, recalling the vulgarities Gaoyang had force-fed her in idle moments, "oh right—worried some outside pig will root up your family's cabbage. After all, they're all young people, aren't they?"

"...I'm more worried about our family's cabbage beating up someone else's pig," Gaoyang's mouth twitched. "That young man Ferm is fine enough, but I'm afraid Fendir and Eriwen will stand on noble etiquette and exchange pleasantries with Rebecca. You know as well as I do—anyone who wants to be friends with Rebecca has to be accomplished in both letters and arms, no? And she's still got a princess's title hanging over her head these days... I should have educated her on this beforehand."

Amber: "..."

As they spoke, a hurried burst of footsteps suddenly came from the corridor outside the door, abruptly cutting off Amber and Gaoyang's conversation.

The footsteps were a little disordered—evidently more than one person.

One of the presences was Rebecca.

At that moment Gaoyang had very nearly finished drafting letters of apology to Victoria and Baiyu...

The next instant, the study door was flung open by an excited Rebecca, and when Gaoyang looked up, what he saw was her beaming face: "Ancestor! There's something good to show you!"

"Something good?"

Gaoyang asked curiously, and then saw three figures appear behind Rebecca.

They were three young people: one silver-haired and tall, his facial contours bearing northern features; one with short brown hair and a rather short build; and one with short blond hair and a well-proportioned frame.

All three looked somewhat awkward, as though Rebecca had swept them along so briskly that they had no time to prepare themselves mentally, and the blond young man seemed especially nervous and constrained.

None of the three appeared to be injured.

Gaoyang breathed a sigh of relief, set aside the draft apology letters for the moment, and glanced at Rebecca. "At least remember to knock."

Rebecca gave a small "ah" of surprise, then under the three young people's bewildered gazes closed the door again and knocked from outside: "Ancestor, Ancestor, I'm knocking!"

"Come in." Gaoyang's tone was full of helplessness.

"Ancestor!" Rebecca pushed the door open and bustled in, coming up before Gaoyang, while her other hand still clutched the case in the blond young man's hands. "Let me show you something really interesting!"

(Everyone, the aberrant comic's bullet-comment feature has been open for three weeks now—go show your support. By the way, is it a bit late that I'm only remembering to mention this now...?)