White City, Golden Rose Palace.
Rudolf III's private chamber seemed unusually crowded today. This special room, which never received more than three guests at a time, was making an exception and accommodating a great many people—the king's three children sat beside him, while his two most trusted ministers, Grand Duke Rune and General Groen, sat on the other side. The "Ancient Guardian" sat opposite him.
Besides them, there were two other people in the room.
One was the kingdom's renowned scholar, Alfred, the history and natural sciences tutor to the prince and princesses. He was a slightly balding, portly old gentleman, his white beard hanging over his plain black scholar's robe. He looked extremely amiable as he sat smiling beside Hao Ren, gazing curiously at the famed "Ancient Guardian."
The other stood behind the king. She was a mysterious woman completely shrouded in black. Tall and thin, she did not utter a word, standing there like a piece of speechless wood. Even her face was hidden beneath shadows that seemed to be the result of magic. No matter what angle he viewed her from, Hao Ren could not make out her features. He could only judge her gender from the faint outline of her figure beneath the cloak and speculate about her identity. Her ability to conceal her presence was astonishing. Even when one looked directly toward her, it was easy to overlook her existence. And even after noticing her figure, one would quickly forget her the moment one turned away. This was not a magical effect, because even Hao Ren's magic immunity had no effect on her concealment.
She was probably a royal spy, or perhaps the king's secret knight, or some other similar figure. In any case, she was no ordinary person. Her appearance here alone was enough