Free Web NovelChapter 546: Welcome Home, Your Majesties
The journey back to Noctvaris was much smoother than their trip to Illvaris. Without a snowstorm blocking the roads, they were able to reach Noctvaris in less than three days.
Even so, Primrose couldn’t help feeling a little conflicted as they traveled home. Part of her was happy to be returning to Noctvaris. But another part of her was reluctant to leave Illvaris behind.
More importantly, she had a feeling that this entire incident would create yet another political dispute between the Vellmoria Empire and the Kingdom of Noctvaris.
"We probably won’t be able to see my father or Hazelle for a while," Primrose said with a soft sigh.
She gazed out the carriage window as the familiar landscape of Noctvaris came into view. A moment later, she let out a small breath of relief.
At least the snow wasn’t as heavy as it had been when she left.
"It’s only temporary," Edmund reassured her. "Once we settle everything, I’ll accompany you to Illvaris again. But next time, it will be purely for a vacation. I promise."
He gave her hand a light squeeze.
"But next time, it will be for a proper vacation. No political meetings. No emergencies. Just the two of us enjoying ourselves. I promise."
Primrose turned toward him and smiled. "It’s alright." Her smile softened. "I’m already happy that you came to Illvaris with me this time. Whether it was for political matters or a vacation doesn’t really matter to me."
Actually, as long as she could return to Illvaris, she didn’t really care about anything else.
"Still..." Edmund said in a low voice, "it’s hard to enjoy a vacation when your mind is under constant stress."
Primrose laughed softly. "Well, what can I say? My father always used to tell me that if a leader is stressed, it means they’re actually doing their job."
She leaned back against her seat. "So I think we’re probably heading in the right direction."
Those words finally earned a smile from Edmund. He reached over and gently took her hand in his. "We probably are, my wife."
Primrose smiled back as their fingers intertwined. At last, the weight on her heart felt a little lighter.
===
"Welcome home, Your Majesties," Sevrin said with a small smile.
His gaze moved between Edmund and Primrose before he continued, "I’ve already prepared rooms for the beastwomen, and I’ve also organized the documents we’ll need for the cases."
Primrose was left speechless for a moment. Even after knowing Sevrin for several months, she was still amazed by how efficient he was. Sometimes, she honestly wondered if he ever slept.
"Has Sir Leofric arrived?" Edmund asked while helping Primrose down from the carriage.
Sevrin nodded immediately. "Yes, Your Majesty. Sir Leofric returned last night. For the time being, he’s using the warehouse building behind the palace."
Primrose raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why isn’t he using one of the empty rooms inside the palace?"
"Sir Leofric said it would be safer," Sevrin explained. "Whatever he plans to experiment on is something unusual, so he would rather work somewhere separate from the main living area."
Ah, that made sense.
After all, they still didn’t know much about the skull. To be honest, Primrose had wanted to tell Lady Nina about it. For some reason, she felt that Nina might know something useful.
However, Edmund had advised her to keep the matter secret until they returned to Noctvaris. If the skull truly was connected to something dangerous, it was better to be cautious first and ask questions later.
Since Primrose knew her husband had a point, she decided to put the matter aside for now. Unfortunately, Lady Nina had returned to her family home after arriving in Noctvaris, so they would not be able to meet until tomorrow.
"Your Majesty," Sevrin suddenly said, turning toward Primrose. "Lady Lorelle has been waiting for you in the parlor." A small smile appeared on his face. "She would like to have some tea with you."
The moment Primrose heard Lorelle’s name, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling and a warm feeling spread through her chest.
The truth was, she had been looking forward to seeing Lorelle again ever since they left Illvaris. During the entire journey home, she had found herself wondering how Lorelle was doing and whether she was adjusting well to life in Noctvaris.
Now that she was finally back, she couldn’t wait to see her friend.
Primrose turned toward Edmund, ready to ask if it would be alright for her to go, but her husband spoke before she had the chance.
"Go ahead," he said gently. "You deserve some tea."
He smiled as he gently brushed the top of her head.
A small smile appeared on his lips as he brushed a hand over the top of her head. "I’ll be reviewing documents with Sir Dorne today, so I’ll probably return to our room late tonight."
Primrose knew exactly why he was saying that. Before returning to Noctvaris, they had already reached an agreement that for one full day, she was not allowed to involve herself in any kingdom affairs.
It was because Edmund wanted both his wife and their unborn child to rest properly before they inevitably had to deal with another mountain of problems, and Primrose had agreed to it without arguing.
"Alright then," she said with a smile. "But make sure you come back to bed, no matter how late it gets."
She stood on her tiptoes and placed a light kiss on his neck. Before she could pull away, Edmund bent down slightly and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. It only lasted a few seconds, just enough to make Primrose’s cheeks grow warm.
When they finally separated, the corner of Edmund’s lips lifted into a faint smile. "I’m starting to think you’re more worried about my sleeping schedule than your own."
"Of course I am," Primrose replied without hesitation.
Her words only made his smile widen. "Don’t worry, I will be back as soon as I can."
After that, they finally went their separate ways. Primrose headed toward the parlor, while Edmund made his way to his office.
The moment she pushed open the door, her eyes landed on a familiar figure sitting in one of the chairs. For a second, Primrose paused because Lorelle looked a little different than before.
Whenever the sunlight touched her skin, it seemed to glow faintly, almost as if a soft light was shining from within her.
But despite that change, she still looked like Lorelle. She had the same face, the same gentle presence, and the same friend Primrose had been worried about for a while.
"Lorelle!" The name left Primrose’s mouth before she could stop herself.
A bright smile immediately spread across her face and without a second thought, she hurried across the room with her arms already open.
"Thank God you’re alive!" she shouted out loud.
There was no trace of royal dignity left in her actions. At that moment, she wasn’t the Queen of Noctvaris. She was simply a woman who was incredibly happy to see her friend safe and alive.
