Several minutes had passed since Zonna left the forge area. Hanes looked curiously at his young friend cleaning the building. Finally, he couldn't stand it and spoke up:
"Tell me what are you doing here? Chase her down and apologize!" He shouted at the very end, irritated by the inaction of the capable swordsman, who, listening to the previous negotiations, had forgotten what he wanted to do.
By this time, Zonna and her group had managed to get some distance away. They stopped at a small restaurant, where they decided to have lunch. They sat down at an outdoor table and ordered food. Zonna didn't mind that she was eating with her bodyguards and servant. She would have acted the same way if it hadn't been Marzee, Sebastios and Ramza, whom she had known for a long time and had a deeper relationship with than the mistress and servants.
During the meal, at one point a young, handsome Aisen, who had the crest of his family on his clothes, began to head to their table. This meant that he belonged to the nobility. With a confident step, he walked towards them together with his entourage. He smiled and started a conversation.
"Hello wonderful lady, perhaps you would like to keep me company during dinner. I am Marquis Segga Opinuer of the kingdom of Aemoria." He announced himself proudly with what drew the crowd's attention.
Moments earlier, Sirius had also arrived here and decided to take a look at the situation for the time being. More than once he had seen such young nobles trying their luck. Some wanted to use their position to tempt young women with the opportunity to please someone of high position. There were also those who tried intimidation, but they had to do it discreetly, as it was severely punished. He was curious to see how a man would behave facing Zonna. However, what interested him most was how the princess would behave.
Zonna looked at the marquis then said with a smile:
"I'm sorry dear Marquis, but I'm having lunch with my subordinates right now and I can't join you."
Segga, still confident, looked over the group to peer at the princess' company. He saw a servant dressed in simple attire and two bodyguards wearing light armor. Their clothes looked far worse than his entourage. In addition, he now looked at the coat of arms Zonna was wearing. It did not look like any belonging to the families he knew.
"I don't want to insult your servants, but it seems to me that a meal with me might have more meaning. Perhaps as we get to know each other better our families will start doing business with each other. My family is known for organizing expeditions to Lake Mocomacodu located east of Aemoria." The young marquis boasted.
The lake was famous for providing some of the tastiest freshwater fish in Altea. The Opinuer family was one of the main suppliers of these delicacies by virtue of the fact that they owned a large fleet of fishing boats on this lake.
Zonna also remembered this, and began to wonder whether, if she had gotten to know the young marquis better, she might have been able to open a fish stand with these specialties in Raalo, or perhaps even start importing them to her country's market. In Balmaszeglodia, the nobility bought fish from the lake for their own use, importing them at high prices. If the royal family became an intermediary in this trade directly with the Opinuer family, it would bring a large injection of cash into the treasury.
However, everything depended on how the young marquis would behave, but she decided to give him a chance.
"Admittedly, I'm already eating lunch today, but I don't see a problem meeting you tomorrow Marquis." She offered, watching the nobleman. The man smiled and answered her.
"I can agree to this proposal. I suggest tomorrow at the same time at this restaurant. It's seemingly small by the standards of this city, but it has delicious food. I don't want to disturb you any longer with your meal, just tell me your name."
"Of course, I am Zonna Sochi, the heir to the throne in Balmaszeglodia." She said with a smile.
Segga squirmed then with a sad grimace resembling a smile spoke back to the princess.
"I thought I would impress a beautiful noblewoman with my well-known lineage, and she turned out to be a future queen." He sighed deeply after which his face lit up again. "However, it's always a good opportunity to meet a member of the royal family. I'm looking forward to our meeting tomorrow. See you tomorrow beautiful princess." He said goodbye then left the restaurant.
Sirius then wanted to approach the table, but was forestalled by Zonna's words.
"How long are you going to stand there swordsman?"
"When did you notice me?"
"Just as soon as you appeared, and I was wondering if you were going to approach me when Marquis Segga started talking to me."
"I wanted to see how you would handle the situation, I didn't think a reasonable nobleman would come across. His initial behavior looked like typical representatives of your class wanting to use their position to impress a beautiful woman." Sirius summarized his observations.
Zonna, watching her interlocutor approach everything with a calm and cool head, decided to tease him a bit.
"So you're saying I'm beautiful?"
This question made the hitherto calm Sirius blush and start explaining unsuccessfully.
"I didn't mean that," he said.
"Are you saying I'm ugly?"
"No, I didn't mean that, I, I.... Yes, I was speaking from the perspective of this nobleman."
"And from yours?"
Sirius' face reddened even more. Seeing the young swordsman's embarrassment, Zonna's table burst into laughter after which she spoke up.
"Forgive me, but I couldn't help myself. It was originally meant to be a small joke, but your reaction was too funny to be interrupted." She calmed down and continued. "Did you want to test me?"
Sirius gratefully returned to the main topic and answered her, still with a slightly red face. "Yes, I wanted to see how you would behave when courted by others. It was only when he told you about his business that you became interested in talking to him further. As I believe it is in order to start a business just as you did with Hanes."
Zonna was increasingly impressed with the young man. Not only was he a skilled swordsman with a strong sense of honor and remembering those who helped him, he was also intelligent and able to analyze the situation.
"You're right, besides, I have to conclude that none of the nobles stand a chance, because I already have a sweetheart, and even in trying to get something I won't stoop to an artificial show of interest." She said, smiling wider at the thought of Enzo. "Tell me why you chased me, because you probably had some reason."
Sirius bowed in half, with which he puzzled Zonna and began to apologize to her.
"I am very sorry for the way I treated you after you warned me about the attack on me. Instead of thanking you, I joined in the insulting behavior of the idiot there. I would like to ask for your forgiveness and I will do my best to make it up to you." He said with complete sincerity, waiting for a response.
"Raise your head, I accept your apology. As for what you will do for me..." She began to wonder while watching Sirius waiting for her. Then his sword appeared in her eyes. Zonna smiled and stated.
"As you know I will be attending the Academy. This year I plan to take up sword training. I want you to help me train outside of class, what do you think?"
Sirius began to think seriously. He could do it, but that would give him less time for his own training. However, he promised to do everything, and if she didn't help him then he could be seriously injured before the judge could stop Desmon. After thinking things over, he replied.
"I can help you for your first year at the Academy twice a week. However, I'm not promising anything, because how good you become depends on you, your talent and commitment."
"I understand that, would you like to have a meal with us?" She asked when the matter was concluded.
"No, thank you. I have to go back to Hanes and help him at the forge. I'll see you at the academy when we choose our items. We'll set up our training sessions then, too. See you later." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and went.
"Congratulations, princess you had a very successful day today." Said one of the magis accompanying her, Sebastios, with a smile.
"Not only did you come to an agreement with the blacksmith there, but you are also assured of training talented swordsman." His brother Ramza added.
"Don't forget about tomorrow's meeting with Marquis Opinuer. It may benefit more than just the princess." Added Marzee, happy that her mistress and her friend managed to carry out her plans before school and even more.
"Thank you for these words. This is a good day and we should celebrate it." Said Zonna after which she ordered champagne to toast with them. The nobles had no restrictions on drinking alcohol and no one made any trouble about it.
The Maji in the restaurant looked strangely at the noblewoman toasting with a servant and two bodyguards. It was an unusual situation. They could not have known that two friends and two magis were sitting at the table.