At the grand entrance of Princess Alice's palace-like residence, four young girls stood.
The group was clearly led by an Eastern girl with long, pale pink hair. She held the hand of a pink-haired child, while the other two girls flanked them like loyal knights.
"Your Highness, this is Princess Alice's residence," Erica said, pointing to the massive gates. "As you requested."
Erica didn't understand why Phoenix wanted to see Princess Alice, but she knew better than to question her sovereign's motives. If Phoenix wished to share her reasons, she would do so of her own accord.
Yet despite these thoughts, a nagging worry persisted.
What had once been mere speculation now stood as absolute certainty. The sovereign she served... certainly had no interest in men. Instead, she found herself drawn to beautiful women, lingering over their features with unmistakable interest.
More troubling still... Erica had noticed how Phoenix, as "the sovereign," frequently gazed at her own chest and Liliana's legs far more than any other part of their bodies.
This was no covetous glance, but rather the same kind of look she'd seen from men in the past.
The New King's interest wasn't as overtly passionate as before; instead, she found herself involuntarily glancing at certain individuals more frequently.
When encountering handsome men, however, the "king" showed no interest whatsoever, not even deigning to look their way.
All this proved that the king indeed favored women—her suspicions had been correct all along.
Now that the king had personally come to London to meet the White Princess Alice, could it be that she had come for Princess Alice herself?
Though Alice's age was no longer youthful, her beauty remained unchanged. And if the king happened to prefer women slightly older than herself, that could prove troublesome.
This Princess Alice was nothing like the naive Liliana—she'd be far more challenging to handle!
"This is the White Princess's residence... Truly... it's magnificent!" Phoenix couldn't help but exclaim, gazing at the palace before them. The sheer scale of the place...
"Princess Alice's father, Duke Goddodin, maintains close ties with the royal family. This palace was originally royal property, and as his only daughter, it naturally belongs to the White Princess now," Erica replied immediately, hearing Phoenix's remark.
"Shall we enter?"
Phoenix smiled at the response. Though slightly surprised, she didn't dwell on it. After all, even with such connections, they would still address her with proper respect.
"Yes..."
"What are you doing here? This is private property, not a public palace. Please leave immediately."
Just as Erica was about to move, a security team approached and blocked their path.
However, these security guards were ordinary people, not mages. Without needing Phoenix's command, Erica and Liliana exchanged glances. The two young girls simultaneously stepped forward and used their suggestion magic to make the guards let them pass.
Under the influence of the suggestion magic, the guards quickly cleared the way, allowing Phoenix and her companions to enter the palace unimpeded.
Their journey through the grounds was smooth. With two Great Knight mages leading the way, the group easily passed through the garden and entered the building.
But just as they approached the structure where the White Duke resided, Erica and Liliana's suggestion magic lost its effect.
Four mages blocked their path.
These four mages appeared to be guardians of the White Princess, each possessing extraordinary power. Yet none of them held the might of a Great Knight.
The title of Great Knight was reserved for those who had reached the pinnacle of mastery in both swordsmanship and magic. Even Salvatore Doni, before becoming a Campione, had been unable to attain this rank due to his lack of magical aptitude.
"Who are you? Why have you dared to intrude upon Princess Alice's residence?"
"...I am..."
"Knights, withdraw... They are my guests," Princess Alice interjected, stepping forward with a smile as she addressed the mages.
"Understood..."
Though the mages still harbored some doubts, they had no choice but to retreat upon hearing Princess Alice's explanation.
After the four mages withdrew, Princess Alice finally turned her attention to the four "guests" who had come knocking at her door.
First were two girls she knew well. As the former leader of Europe's largest intelligence network, Princess Alice understood these two better than anyone.
Erica possessed the characteristic warmth of an Italian, her golden hair and noble bearing complementing her exquisite features and striking figure. She carried herself with gem-like elegance, the kind of woman who would naturally draw attention wherever she went.
On Erica's other side stood a girl of completely different style yet equally captivating beauty. Liliana, of Eastern European descent, had skin as pale as a porcelain doll. Her stern expression carried a knightly dignity that added another layer of allure to her presence.
The remaining two presented a different picture. One appeared remarkably young and adorable, with a pair of fox ears adorning her head - whether decorative or genuine remained unclear.
Though she appeared small and delicate, intuition warned Alice that she was profoundly dangerous.
The final figure resembled a mythological immortal, a Valkyrie... exuding an ethereal grace that was both refined and luminous.
This unique aura and appearance made her instantly recognizable at first glance.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. What brings you to my humble abode on this day?" Princess Alice responded with refined courtesy, her exquisite face adorned with a deferential smile.
"You should know my purpose for coming better than anyone."
Phoenix observed the princess before her, confirming the rumors. The White Princess's bearing was that of a noblewoman, yet she possessed the rare combination of exceptional talent and striking beauty.
"If I have offended you in any way, please accept my most sincere apologies."
While Princess Alice's tone carried profound respect, a faint undercurrent of resentment lingered beneath her words.