Amon blinked in surprise at Selena’s sudden words.
"Wait... what?" he said, half laughing. "No, no, no, Senior. I’m not going anywhere with you again."
Selena turned her crimson eyes toward him, her expression unreadable as always. "And why is that?" she asked calmly.
Amon leaned back on the bench, crossing his arms with a dramatic sigh. "Because the last time I followed you somewhere, I almost died!" He threw his hands in the air. "You remember that, right? Twisted monster, collapsing town, my poor ribs! Not again. Nope. This time I choose life."
His tone was comical, but the memory of that mission still made his chest ache a little.
Selena remained quiet for a moment, her gaze still fixed ahead. Then, slowly, she said, "This isn’t like last time. It’s not a mission, Amon."
"Huh?"
’Not a mission... then what?’
She turned her head slightly, her long silver hair brushing against her shoulder. "I want you to come with me to the Imperial City. To the Imperial Palace of Valmoria."
Amon’s jaw dropped. "...The Imperial Palace? Wait! What? That’s your home, right?"
Selena nodded faintly. "Yes. I have some business to take care of there. And I want you to accompany me."
Amon stared at her blankly. "Accompany you? Like, to the actual palace? The one with guards, nobles, fancy people, and the Empress?"
"Yes," Selena said simply, her tone as calm as ever.
He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Uh... Senior, I’m just a poor student. I don’t think I fit in a place where people probably use gold spoons to breathe."
Selena’s lips twitched slightly, not quite a smile, but something close. "You’ll manage," she said. "Besides, there’s another reason I want you to come."
Amon looked at her warily. "Another reason? Don’t tell me it’s some kind of monster hunting."
"No," she said firmly. "I have something I wish to give you. Something that will be very useful for you."
That caught Amon’s attention. "Useful? Like... how useful are we talking here?"
Selena met his eyes directly. "Something that will help you grow stronger. You’ll understand when you see it."
Her calm, confident tone made it hard to refuse outright still, Amon wasn’t convinced.
"Wait, wait. Let me get this straight," he said, pointing a finger at her. "You want me to travel with you to the Imperial Palace, meet your royal family, and get something that’ll ’help me grow stronger-" He paused, blinking. "And I might even meet your mother, the Empress?"
Selena gave a small nod. "That’s right. You may meet her. She’s aware of my return."
Amon froze. Then slowly leaned back with a blank face. "Yeah, okay... I’m definitely going to die this time."
Selena tilted her head slightly. "You’re overreacting."
"No, Senior," Amon said with mock seriousness, pointing at her again. "Meeting your mother, the Empress of the kingdom, is the same as walking into a lion’s den wearing meat perfume. I’ll pass."
But even as he joked, curiosity flickered in his eyes. A visit to the Imperial City... the heart of Valmoria. And something that could help him grow stronger? Selena also had said it before her mother wanted to meet him.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "But still, why do you want me to come? I mean, whatever you want to give me, you can just bring it to the academy and then give it to me." Amon gave her the most commoner reason.
Selena simply replied, "Well... it’s boring there. Also, Mother is very busy. She won’t have much time to give us. The only people staying at the palace are my mother, servants, guards, and some important ministers. Like advisors, you know."
She remained silent for a while and then continued.
"Also... every time I used to go back to the palace... I always took Vixra with me... but I can’t do that anymore."
Silence. After those words, there was silence between the two of them. Neither of them spoke.
Amon stared at her quiet face silently, then exhaled deeply. "Alright... fine. But if I end up in a royal dungeon or get executed for eating with the wrong fork, I’m haunting you, Senior. I don’t have any etiquettes."
A faint smile appeared on Selena’s lips. Small, subtle, but unmistakable.
"Don’t worry about that. My mother hardly cares about those things anyway. Also, she is not an idiot to expect formal etiquettes of nobles from a commoner," she said softly.
Amon slumped his shoulders in relief. "That sounds good."
The cool wind rustled through the leaves above them, carrying the faint sound of laughter hers soft and rare, his exasperated and resigned.
It seemed Amon was going to the Imperial Palace after all.
"So... you want me there so you can feel entertained, huh?" Amon said with a dry laugh.
Selena shook her head. "No... after Vixra and Jareth... you are the only person who talks comfortably with me. Not like someone talking to a princess... though I don’t usually like someone talking informally to me. But I don’t mind when you do. Just like them." Her voice was melancholy.
"Okay! Okay! Princess. This man will follow no matter where you want," Amon said with a smile.
His eyes fixed on the beauty beside him.
’Damn! Why is she so beautiful?’ Hiding his thoughts, Amon observed her.
She was enjoying the calm atmosphere. Her expression still cold and unreadable, but she felt closer now.
’Never in my dreams had I thought I’d get close to a princess.’
"By the way, Imperial City... you mean... Mordheim? I always wanted to go there." Amon expressed his wish. He stared forward and locked his hands behind his head.
"Hm... it’s not much different from Elarith. Maybe just bigger and a little more developed. Hah... though there are many different kinds of food stalls that you will like." Hearing what Selena said, Amon couldn’t help but smile.
’This girl really liked to eat tasty dishes. She was also quite picky about them.’
Selena caught Amon’s smile toward her. But it didn’t feel like a good one.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You... you were thinking something bad and rude about me just now, weren’t you?" she asked. She hit the right spot.
Amon’s smile faltered.
"What are you talking about, Senior? All I think about are good things," he said with an honest smile. His face looked like that of the most honest man in the world.