Chapter 44: Persuasion (I).

Chapter 44: Persuasion (I).

Elizabeth's POV

After our whole stunt mission, Victoria wounded her shoulder meaning she won't be allowed to do or carry anything heavy.

"I'll go get that for you." She lifts up one of my heavy dresses and I quickly scold her telling her she wasn't allowed to carry anything heavy.

"Victoria don't it's still hasn't even been a few days since your wound has healed-"

Hearing my scolding she tilts her head and looks at the dress, "But this… isn't heavy." she tells me with a smile, but her arms were twitching.

"..."

She needed to rest, away with her servant duties.

Thankfully I found the right excuse.

To visit Sir Lincoln Auronia's estate for a game of chess.

I quickly found and grabbed a piece of paper, my quill- melting a bit of wax before placing my written letter that's addressed to Sir Lincoln's estate.

I wrote a formal letter that I'll be visiting in three day's time. In this world it's considered rude if you showed up unannounced, so a formal letter that you'll visit is required.

It took only a few hours traveling by carriage because his house is relatively close to the castle.

We were welcomed by his other servants, I was accompanied by my one maid and at least a dozen guards in tow.

"The lord has been expecting you, your highness. Please follow me into the gardens, we've prepared you a few sweets and tea." The servant lowered his head, before leading me to where the garden was.

In the middle of the garden was a gazebo. The old man was already by himself, placing moves of both pieces and he only realized our presence.

"Ah your highness, the crown princess. Please come in- I've been expecting your visit." He gave us a faint smile and even motioned for Victoria to sit down with me.

"I uh- sir- I'm just a maid now."

"Nonsense, you're more than a maid. Sit before I make you, that's a lot more embarrassing to do right, former general?" With the mention of Victoria's former title she had no choice but to sit down with me and that made me happy, knowing that she won't stand stiffly for hours with an injury.

It could be seen on my face that I'm in a pretty good mood as I played chess with a smile, thanks to that I've managed to control my emotions and not slip any of my ice magic causing anyone danger.

"Sir Lincoln, checkmate."

"Oh? Is that so-!" His eyes widened looking over the chess board. His king being vulnerable at E8 having no other pieces to defend it- his knight being positioned at F7 and his rook at H7.

I grinned in Victory taking a sip of my warm earl gray tea, my white knight positioned at F6, a rook in A7 and D5 leaving nowhere for his king to move.

I could see an impressed expression on the old man as he clapped giving commandments at my tactics. "I never even noticed maybe I'm getting old. Hohoho, the youngsters these days will certainly be a joy to watch."

"I heard Victoria has been teaching you the art of war and weaponry to the crown princess. You're quite lucky to be taught by such a person." (Sir Lincoln) was saying nothing but praises and compliments towards my seatmate. "You know when I first met the former general, I had the most horrid look on my face thinking how can a woman keep up with men- my mind was certainly not right back then."

"Soon with her achievements and promises being met my respect only grew, she can be scary as any other soldier in the field."

"Sir…" (Victoria) holds her head looking like she got a bad headache from just reminiscing about the past.

"How scary was she?! Tell me in full detail!" I asked, wondering how bad it could be-? I've heard some tales and I'm sure they were just over exaggerating the story. Whenever I ask for Victoria to tell me she just uses her usual excuse- that she'll tell me another time.

That time never came.

"Oh many other soldiers would piss their pants if she became their instructor. Hoho! Your former general here doesn't fear blood, that's for sure."

"Is there any reason why?" My curiosity piqued, I wondered if she lived her life in the military academy.

"Ah… I'll tell you this part- I'm afraid if sir tells it he wouldn't hold back on telling the princess such a gruesome story." She sighs, proceeding to awkwardly scratch the back of her head.

"I was called into war- the emperor wanted me to gain knowledge and experience to be prepared in battle so before that I attended at least three years of schooling at the military academy by the border."

I listened to everything as she explained.

"I wanted nothing more to just be a normal soldier- I didn't want to climb up the ranks- I realized that doing so would only place a bigger target on my back."

"A surprise attack happened, and all of the third year students were needed to keep the demons at bay. By some miracle, I killed a demon general. I was rewarded a rank up and gained my own troops to lead." She smiles, perhaps the troops she led were good people if it's making her smile this widely.

"The people at the military academy begun fearing me and admiring me-"

"I was one of her teachers, she wasn't kidding on the admiring part. Many men and women truly admired your Victoria Crumwell." (Sir Lincoln) whispers over to me and my eyes twinkled in hearing her love life.

Many men and women?!

"How many?! Is it a lot?!" I asked Sir Lincoln who laughed heartily like an old Santa Claus.

"Numbers enough to fit at least three classrooms, she's a local celebrity in the academy!"

"Wahhh!"

I kind of understand what my grandfather said back on earth now, seeing someone's love life is like your own personal soap opera!

"Ahem… sir."

"Ah sorry sorry, you can continue."

"In any case, the part where soldiers pissed their pants- I only remember such a vague memory because of the usual public execution test to boost the morale of the students." (Victoria) mentions a public execution test, could it mean that they'll be executing a monster in front of the many?

"Was it fun?" I asked innocently and she shakes her head.

"I attended as an honored alumni who had to publicly execute a demon with criminal charges in place, as you can imagine many saw blood and pissed their pants seeing a head roll off the stage- I suppose it wasn't." (Victoria)

"The glory days." (Sir Lincoln) sighs, shaking his head. "They stopped public execution after losing the great demon-human war."

He looks over to me then over to Victoria. "Apologies if this may come out as rude, but if you had your old life back in the military we could've had a huge advantage and possibly even win the war."

Ah that.

"But I know- all that glory couldn't compare to raising the next empress to be." He continues, giving me a plate of desserts. "Hopefully you'll help the country- and your people to stop suffering at the hands of war."

I took the plate of desserts and gave Sir Lincoln my thanks, feeling a bit heavy with the reminder of the burden I'll be carrying.

"Thank you."

"Pah! I hope her highness also finds a good husband!"

"I er- I'm not sure-"

"Oh? Are you also like my daughter-in-law here?" He smiles softly, looking over to Victoria who blushes in a faint red color.

"Sir- please don't joke- Your daughter and I are taking a break."

"How many years… have you two been apart?"

"About eight to nine years sir."

Eight to nine years of break?! Right Victoria came when I was about four or five- that time when I was scolding the chef for giving me horrible inedible foods.

Also you call that a break?! I wouldn't even blame Victoria's lover if she found someone else waiting that long!

"You never once thought of visiting my daughter in those years?" (Sir Lincoln) asked, furrowing his gray brows.

In all those years she could've- just even one day- not not even once she left my side.

"Every day I do but the princess' safety is important-" I knew what she was going to say next.

"The crown princess-" I corrected her looking solemn hearing these two talk to one another. "-is old enough to stand on her own- if you want to visit your lover don't hold back on my account. That's the last thing I would want."

I tell her and she casts her eyes down, being unable to look me in the eye. "Your highness, I don't trust anyone else caring for you. I fear that even our friends could be our enemy."

"How about you Sir- Have you heard anything from your daughter? Ever since I left- she wouldn't even reply to any of my letters."

"I'm too ashamed looking back at how horrible I was. I regretted clinging to my old ways- and respected her wishes to leave her alone." He looks down on his tea cup holding it, staring at his reflection. He laughed softly. "I'm old… my sons have all started a family of their own and my only daughter left me- all because I was too harsh on her."

"You miss her… don't you sir?"

"Everyday I miss her, she took after her mother. Her fiery spirit- sharp tongue and wits."

"Her kind heart is what I miss the most, sir."

"She got that from her mother too. Always so kind to children, spoiled and caring."

They all look at each other with deep understanding.

I never met Victoria's lover and Sir Lincoln's daughter, seeing how much they care about her made me happy and now I wanted to meet her too.

"Don't do what I did, Victoria. Stubborn head- putting duties on all those useless things first. When family should've been always first-"

"Go visit once in a while. I lost that privilege a long time ago."

The history these two had, I wanted to know more.

"I know… sir but I can't leave my post-"

I immediately stopped Victoria there and decided we'll be visiting her lover on such delayed notice.

I gave a wide grin taking over the conversation, "Oh we will visit your daughter! Sure! Would you like to add any personal message to relay to her?"

"Princess what are you-"

"That's right, if the princess will be visiting your province home then you won't have any excuses." (Sir Lincoln) happily read my plan giving me a thumbs up and took out an old letter giving it to me and a bag of coins. "I never got to give this to her, she always pushed me away when I tried giving them but if it's you two-"

"Then she won't refuse it."

…

The sun was nearly coming down, and it was our time to leave. I went inside the carriage with Victoria and I could see her looking outside the window in a trance.

"Are you mad at me- for deciding on my own?" I ask her worried that she'll dislike what I did.

"No… no. I'm just- are you serious about wanting to visit my province home?" (Victoria)

"Yes, I am."

"But my home is in the orphanage- there's no proper light source at night. There's bugs occasionally visiting- and I'm afraid that-" she listed all the things that I wouldn't like, how everything in her village wouldn't be enough for a princess.

I smiled softly, thanking her for being considerate of me. However, I'll be fine.

"I'll be alright, I would love to see your home no matter its state."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

I just want to make my mom happy. If this is what it takes, I'll have to give up the privileges I've been given to make her happy.