Edward guessed that Princess Andrea, troubled by questions and worries, hadn't eaten dinner, so he cooked a pot of Italian Meat Sauce Noodles for her.
The rich aroma of melted Cheese Powder and Tomato Sauce wafted through the air, whetting the Knight Princess's appetite. She ate three plates in a row and still wanted more.
"I know knights have hearty appetites, especially since you're already a Great Knight. Please don't hold back—eat your fill."
Edward simply brought the pot over and served Princess Andrea himself. He even thoughtfully brought out a plate of Cold Cut Beef as a side dish.
Princess Andrea was hungry, but her excellent upbringing meant she still ate with graceful composure.
The Young Alchemist sat across from the princess, watching her tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear while holding her fork and eating the noodles one bite at a time. For some reason, it filled him with a quiet sense of satisfaction.
After the princess finished, Edward thoughtfully brought her a cup of hot tea. The Knight Princess cradled it in her hands and watched the Alchemist clear away the dishes, showing no sign of wanting to take her leave. While eating, she had sorted through her thoughts and come up with a few more questions.
"Were you looking for that child in the crowd today—the one sleeping on their mother's shoulder?"
"Your Highness, you really are perceptive. That child is a bridge between God and the mortal world."
"What do you mean?" the princess asked, blowing on her cup of tea.
"God dwells in the deepest recesses of everyone's subconscious, and generally can't reach the surface of the world to influence mortals. But children, especially infants, have the blurriest boundary between their conscious and subconscious minds, making them closest to God's nature. So when God delivers an Oracle, He often uses a child as a bridge to contact our mortal world. That child was asleep at the time. Once the child woke up, the connection between Him and the mortal world was severed."
"Was that child also 'baptized' like us?" Andrea intended to ask enough to find the child afterward. Someone with limitless potential was worth nurturing.
"According to the ancient texts, some Prophets made children who had served as bridges their sect's Holy Sons or Holy Maidens, but most of them never amounted to much. I suggest you don't disturb that child's childhood. Gold always shines eventually," Edward cautioned her.
"Oh, all right." Princess Andrea took a disappointed sip of tea and pursed her lips before continuing, "There's also that sword. If I use your method to look at things with it, what will I see? Will I be able to see God again?"
"Not at all. We were just lucky this time. Usually, you'll only see things in more vivid colors than they have in the real world. Once you get used to it, it'll be more useful for seeing in the dark or detecting the invisible."
"It really is a Divine Sword. Is there anything else about it you haven't told me?"
"Wouldn't it be better to leave a little mystery? Your Highness, some secrets are more interesting to discover for yourself than to have someone tell you." Edward's lips curled in a faint smile.
"That's true. I shouldn't be greedy. I've been lucky enough these past few days. I shouldn't expect too much." The Knight Princess gazed at the ripples in her teacup.
"Actually, if you think about it carefully, you weren't the luckiest one these past few days. Alice was." Edward took a sip of tea and continued:
"Alice was the one who found the sword, and she was the one who discovered Pastor Elvin. She even had an epiphany before finding the sword. That girl's luck—or rather, her talent—is astonishing. I think she'd have a good chance of becoming a Great Magister even without this 'baptism.'"
Princess Andrea was slightly surprised, then delighted. After a moment's thought, she lifted her eyes to the Young Alchemist.
"I have another question. I'm not sure if you're willing to answer it. If you'd rather not, you don't have to."
"Go ahead," Edward replied readily.
"How do you know so much about God? Could it be that you..."
"You guessed right. I've received an Oracle, too. It was the first time I used that sword to 'see' the world."
"Can you tell me what the Oracle said?" Andrea asked curiously.
"There's nothing I need to keep secret. That disaster is unfolding in Middle Earth, and it will probably continue for a long time."
"It's a war..." The Knight Princess immediately understood.
"That's why I said God doesn't like me. I didn't try to stop the disaster from happening. Instead, I fled back to the New Continent."
"Is there really no way to stop the war?" The princess's question sounded rather naive.
"There are things you might not have considered. Ever since I learned to use that sword to see the world, I've witnessed many 'Oracle' events. Their frequency overturned the conclusions I'd drawn from studying ancient texts. Some of those who received Oracles were unaware of what had happened; others went around proclaiming them. But those who spread the word all eventually disappeared without a trace."
"Why?" Princess Andrea sensed the unmistakable stench of conspiracy.
"As someone among the 'upper class,' you shouldn't have to ask that," Edward said. He felt that Princess Andrea's family had failed to give her enough political education. He paused, then saw that she truly didn't know, so he explained: "Because someone needs a war. No one wants to see natural disasters, but war, a man-made disaster, is different. War is politics' last resort. When accumulated social conflicts can't be resolved through political or economic means, war is the only option."
Edward had stated a truth every middle-schooler in his previous life knew. But to the Knight Princess, it sounded like some earth-shattering revelation. She thought it over and understood.
"You mean the leaders of the Ayrland Empire want to go to war? Aren't they afraid that..."
"Which side that starts a war doesn't begin by thinking only of victory? But events don't necessarily unfold as expected," Edward replied.
"Are you saying the Ayrland Empire will lose this war?" Andrea asked in disbelief. "But it's the most powerful country in Middle Earth!"
"I wouldn't say they'll lose, but the price they'll pay... may be more than any of the sides involved can bear." Edward had predicted the outcome based on the two world wars that had swept across the world in his previous life.
They talked a little longer. Suddenly, the Floor Clock in the living room struck four. Only then did Andrea remember that she and Edward had been alone together for half the night. Dawn would break in a little over two hours, and freight wagons were already passing along the road. If she didn't leave now, someone might see her. Rumors of the Grand Princess of the Duchy secretly meeting her lover at night would be most unwelcome. She stood and said, "It's getting late. I'm truly sorry to have troubled you for so long. I should be going."
"Then I'll ride you home. It's late, and the road isn't safe..." Edward offered, out of the courtesy he'd learned in his previous life, to escort a lady home.
"You needn't worry. With this sword..."
Before the princess could finish, Edward realized that the beautiful princess before him, who looked like a supermodel from his previous life, wasn't some delicate young lady. She was a bona fide Great Knight, and she had the Oath and Victory Sword he'd made. She could kill even a newly promoted Sky Knight in an instant.
"You're right. I was worrying for nothing. I'll see you to the door."
Edward rose to escort her. Remembering that he still had something to ask, he said, "Do you know why the ancient texts mention so many Prophets, but so few who became Great Sages?"
"Why?" Princess Andrea asked smoothly this time. She'd gotten used to asking those three words tonight.
"Because even if the road ahead is clear, you still have to be careful not to fall along the way. I advise you and Miss Alice to keep a low profile from now on and be cautious in everything. It's best to err on the side of caution."
Although the princess thought this 'reclusive expert' was rather eccentric and not at all low-key, she still nodded obediently.
Just before she left, Edward was suddenly struck by an idea, and he offered her a hint: "Remember the feeling of that 'Wave'? You can try it when you get home."
"The feeling of a wave... All right, I understand. Take care, and goodbye!"
"Goodbye."
By then, the moon had already sunk toward the west, and the streets throughout the city lay in darkness. The occasional crow of a rooster or bark of a dog broke the silence. Every so often, a few freight wagons, their lanterns lit, rolled slowly toward the docks.
The Knight Princess walked through the shadows along the road. Remembering the Alchemist's hint, she wore a smug smile. She reached back and gripped the Sword Hilt, drew her sword an inch, then gently closed her eyes.
Her steps began to undulate like the waves, and her figure flickered in and out of sight, finally disappearing into the night...
Take a guess: what's the name of the skill the princess just understood?
Before you continue