Stone (Part 1)

July 3rd, 4:00 p.m., clear. Gold and Silver Island.

After waiting nearly half an hour, Viscount Teta Xiao Romon arrived at Princess Qian Niya's residence, accompanied by a personal attendant.

In the hall, Princess Qian Niya sat while her maid Nina stood beside her, waiting for his arrival. When she saw him enter, Princess Qian Niya smiled faintly. "Viscount Teta Xiao, you're here."

"Princess, did you summon me for something?" It was an especially busy time, and Romon had only managed to squeeze out time from his packed schedule after receiving the princess's invitation. The moment he entered, he went straight to the point, with no time for idle chatter.

"Oh, it's like this. My brother is sending a ship to pick me up tomorrow morning. I've imposed on you for so long here that I feel somewhat uneasy about it. Before I leave, I want to give Viscount Teta Xiao a small gift. It may not be especially precious, but perhaps you'll find it useful in the future." As she spoke, she gave Nina beside her a meaningful glance.

Nina walked to the doorway and clapped her hands lightly. The crisp sound carried quite a distance.

A pretty maid entered from outside, carrying a small silver tray in both hands. On it rested a small golden plaque, roughly the size of an infant's palm. Several intricate patterns covered its surface. It was impossible to tell what they depicted, but judging from its material and exquisite craftsmanship, the plaque had to be quite valuable.

Nina stepped forward, took the silver tray, dismissed the maid, and returned to Princess Qian Niya's side.

Princess Qian Niya reached out, picked up the plaque from the tray, and personally held it out to Romon. Smiling, she said, "Viscount Teta Xiao, this is a special