Chapter 26: An Unexpected Reunion with Lily

This was a decision made by the Lothes family’s ancestors eons ago, stipulating that a fox spirit would serve beside the Queen, aiding both her and the Princess.

Since fox spirits possess endless natural lifespans, the responsibility of generations of education and devoted service fell to her.

Centuries passed, transforming her into the individual who understood the Lothes family most intimately.

This person was none other than Sister Lily, the stunning beauty now standing before me, her nine fluffy tails proudly displayed.

Given her esteemed position, it was impossible for me not to recognize her.

Indeed, besides my mother and Queen Katina, Lily had been the elder who cared for me the most.

Not only me, but in terms of seniority, everyone present would probably have to address her as ‘Grandma’.

However, when faced with such soft, delicate beauty, ‘Sister’ felt far more appropriate.

Her orange-furred fox ears twitched subtly, and her lips parted slightly.

A hint of shyness graced her expression, yet an underlying allure shimmered within it, likely accentuated by her form-fitting attire and graceful movements that perfectly outlined her curves.

To call such a beautiful woman ‘Grandma’ would, to me, feel utterly disrespectful.

I never imagined I would inadvertently rescue Sister Lily just now.

No, that couldn’t be right. She was a nine-tailed fox spirit who had lived for hundreds of years; in terms of cultivation, she was more than capable of dispatching those three hooligans herself. Why would she need my intervention?

Perhaps she hadn’t revealed her true strength at the time because she simply wished to conceal her identity.

After all, within the royal city of Brandes, there was only one such enchanting fox spirit, and she served the Lothes royal family. Being seen would undoubtedly cause a commotion.

However, not many commoners knew of Sister Lily’s existence.

She had expressed long ago that she preferred her identity not be widely known, and though it wasn’t an official decree, everyone generally complied, with only a select few in the city aware of her.

‘Well, all of that aside, why is she here?’ I wondered.

Even though I possessed the ‘Prism’ and could use a sliver of its magic to disguise myself, she knew the truth: ‘Zero has no magic.’

With her centuries of cultivation and nine tails, she might very well detect something amiss.

Moreover, her senses were incredibly acute in all aspects. Even if I used a different body, there might still be subtle details I hadn’t masked, like my scent.

If she noticed that, wouldn’t my identity be completely exposed!

“…”

“…”

We stared at each other, unable to utter a single word.

At least, seeing her again had truly shaken me, for she was not merely my mother’s attendant; she was also my…

“Ah—ouch, ouch, ouch!”

“…Huh?”

A sudden sharp pain shot through my waist. Nina, for some reason, had pinched the skin on my side and twisted it ninety degrees.

Yet, she merely lifted her head in a daze, as if her action had been entirely unintentional.

“Ah, sorry, Papa…”

Realizing what she had done, Nina released her fingers.

“Nina, what was that… what’s wrong?”

“Well… Papa kept staring at Miss Lily, so Nina just… accidentally?”

Nina tilted her head, seemingly as confused by her actions as I was. I just stared at Lily in surprise, didn’t I? Though it had been for quite some time.

“You are…”

Sister Lily finally reacted, speaking suddenly. Hearing her mature, gentle voice, I stiffened in alarm.

‘As expected, using the ‘Prism’s’ magic to conceal my body is utterly useless in front of her, isn’t it?’

‘What should I do? If she recognizes me, it’ll lead to a mountain of trouble. I’ll be dragged back to the palace and face my family’s reprimands.’

‘Given that short man’s personality, the ‘Prism’ incident might have already been exposed. Mother might confiscate it and trap me in the palace.’

‘What’s worse, Sister Lily might follow the clues on me and discover Nina’s true identity! No, she might sense Nina’s magic and see through everything directly! Then Nina’s life would be in grave danger!’

‘What to do… what to do!’

“Gulp…”

Overwhelmed by tension, I swallowed hard.

“Papa, what’s wrong? Your face is so pale.”

“Ah… nothing, just a little tired from rushing back.”

“Do you two know each other?” Emma asked Lily.

“Yes, this is the gentleman I encountered earlier. So, you’re Nina’s father.”

‘This gentleman? She didn’t call me Zero? Which means… she hasn’t recognized me? Is it true she hasn’t? That’s wonderful!’

“Phew…” A wave of relief washed over me, and I let out a breath. To mask my nervousness, I quickly added, “…Ah! Right, we meet again, Lil… ly… Miss, is that how I should address you?”

“Yes.”

It truly was a false alarm. I had been ready to scoop up Nina and flee.

But if she knew I was a stranger, why had she shown her tails?

“Oh~ So you’re the one Lily met earlier. Quite the gentleman, aren’t you, Brother Ken? First helping me, now Lily.”

“That… it was just a coincidence, really.”

I wasn’t even sure if it counted as helping, since it was Lily. She probably didn’t need my assistance; those nine fox tails were a symbol of immense power.

“Excuse me… Mr. Ken, is that how I should address you?”

“Yes, I’m Ken. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lily.”

“A pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Ken. However… could you perhaps not stare at my tails so intently? I feel a little…”

“Ah! My apologies!”

I immediately averted my gaze. However, I had been deliberately staring. If it was someone’s first time seeing a nine-tailed fox spirit, most people would look at the tails, so I had to feign it.

“It seems this is your first time seeing a fox spirit, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is, so… I truly apologize again.” I bowed my head once more in apology.

“Please don’t worry about it. Everyone reacts that way; I’m quite used to it.”

“Hehe~ Lily is Her Majesty the Queen’s personal attendant, you know. We’re old friends.”

For some reason, Emma looked incredibly smug, perhaps proud to know such an important figure and wanting to show off to me.

She was just a little devil who constantly caused me trouble, yet deep down, she was still just a child, barely ten years old, talking about ‘old friends.’ Besides, hadn’t Sister Lily said she preferred her identity not be spread around? Why would she blurt it out!

Still, I had to be respectful. After all, I was currently just a humble pharmacy owner from the countryside.

“So you’re an attendant at the royal palace. I was truly rude just now.”

“No, it is I who should be thanking you. Thank you truly for your help.”

“You’re too kind.”

“Ugh—” We exchanged pleasantries, ignoring Emma, who seemed to grow impatient. She walked over and took Nina’s hand. “Come on, Nina, let’s go have lunch. Let them talk.”

“Then Papa…”

“He’ll be over in a bit.”

“Ah, Young Miss.”

Seeing her young miss lead Nina away, Clara looked back and forth between us and the children, unsure what to do.

“Go with the children.” Seeing her dilemma, Sister Lily prompted her to follow.

“Yes. I’m truly sorry, I can’t attend to you properly.”

“It’s quite alright. Go on.”

“Yes.”

Clara curtsied and then quickly followed the two children.

Though they served different masters, Sister Lily could be considered Clara’s senior. Judging by Clara’s demeanor, she seemed to hold Sister Lily in high regard.

“Children will be children,” I sighed.

“Indeed, Mr. Ken.”

“Just Ken is fine. Well… I’m just an ordinary father, and using honorifics constantly feels a bit unnatural to me, so…”

“Ah, alright.”

This was merely an excuse. In truth, Sister Lily addressing me with honorifics made me feel incredibly distant. Back in the palace, our relationship had been very close. At least, removing the honorifics might make it feel a little more intimate.

I understood that returning to how things once were was impossible now. I had to devote myself entirely to Nina. Since Sister Lily hadn’t discovered my identity, I needed to maintain my current facade carefully.

However, the tension within me was impossible to dispel. After all, she was a fox spirit who had gained nine tails after centuries of cultivation. The slightest mistake could expose my identity.

Though she had always been incredibly gentle with me in the past, Mother had mentioned that Lily always had her own subtle intentions. It was best to remain cautious.

“Phew—” I let out a long sigh, trying to calm my nerves slightly.

“What’s wrong… Ken?”

“Ah! Nothing, just a bit tired… Shall we go over there too!”

“Okay.”

Still… I couldn’t quite lift my spirits.

What had I said a few days ago? That wealthy families living in the royal city of Brandes had a high probability of being connected to the royal family. Now, it seemed I had guessed correctly.