To distract herself, Ultear pick up her sword and started practicing again. She become so busy lately that she doesn't have time to swing her swords even for a moment. Now that all her classes are finished and she have a lot of time, she decided to train. Kurtis still hasn't reply to her letters and to relieve the stress building up inside her, she swing her swords rather strongly.
Her sparring partner, Julia, a palace knight guarding her was having a hard time blocking and dodging her every attack. Julia is having a hard time keeping up, but she doesn't have the heart to tell the Princess to take it easy. How dare a mere palace knight order the Princess?
In doesn't even sounds right in the first place, that the one being protected is way stronger than the one protecting. That's why Julia did her best not to lag behind, because it would be hilarious to lose to the one you're supposed to protect.
"My Lady..." Rita's word trail off when she saw Julia fly away after being kick in the stomach. She doesn't want to be kick that's why she keep her mouth shut.
"Julia, have you been neglecting your trainings?" Ultear ask in a serious tone with a hint of don't you dare lie.
Julia kneel with one knee and put her right hand to her chest. "This humble servant dare not neglect the trainings her highness personally made."
Ultear stared at her for a moment, trying to see if Julia is telling the truth or not. When she confirm that the female knight is not lying she turn her back and place the sword in her shoulder.
"Well, you're keeping up with me now than you did a year ago. Looks like you're working hard." It was true, a year ago, Julia couldn't even hold a candle to Ultear. Julia has been so proud of her swordsmanship skills, that's why when she graduated from the Knight's Academy, she immediately got a chance to be the Princess exclusive knight. Her Academy's record stated that she's an exceptional, talented knight that's why Ultear agreed immediately agreed to make Julia her knight.
Julia has been riding the waves of her undefeated record, gaining her a lot of fame and recognition. Aside from being one of the few female Knights, her skills were the real deal. That's why when Ultear ask her to crossed swords with her, Julia never thought that she would experienced a humiliating lose without even showing her full strength and capabilities.
She was mercilessly defeated by a monster in the form of a Princess.
"You're dismissed. See me after lunch, okay?" Ultear said. She take the towel Rita give her to wipe her sweat.
Julia knit her brow and ask. "May I ask why, Your Highness?"
"I'm not telling. Just see me after lunch."
Julia bow before leaving. Ultear and Rita watch her retreating figure until she's no longer in sight.
"How's your investigation?" Ultear ask, breaking the silence. She give the towel back to Rita. Ultear then return to practice, swinging her swords and doing some tricky, advance swords skills that she didn't even use while sparring with Julia.
"Negative. The institution's too hard to infiltrate." Rita answer.
"Is that so? What a shame."
"But..." Ultear stop for a moment and glance at Rita over her shoulder. "The letter you've been waiting for months have already arrived."
The news Rita drop made Ultear's face contorted in surprise. Her heart started beating erratically inside her chest. Her mind went blank with the only thought of the person she's been patiently waiting to reply.
"Where is it?" Ultear ask in a hurried voice. She clearly couldn't contain the excitement she's feeling, which made Rita sigh in defeat. Her Lady becomes someone else if it's about Kurtis. With just his mere existence, Rita saw different sides of her master she never once imagined she'd get to ever see.
"I leave it in your room, My Lady."
"Then we have to hurry..." when Ultear excitedly turn her back to go to her room, the King's face appear before her. The smile on her face twisted in a sour grin the moment she saw her father, King Seigrain Leon Betania. Rita and Ultear immediately bow to give respect. Even though Ultear is a Princess, she must still show respect to the King as he is above her in rank.
"Princess Ultear Merlione Betania greets His Majesty the King." the king raises his hand to stop Ultear.
"It's fine, you don't need to be too formal, my daughter." two royal guards stood two meters behind the king. "Anyway, what's with the rush? Do you need to get something in your room?"
"Ahh, it's nothing important father. What brought you here, by the way?" Ultear flash an innocent wide smile, trying to fool her twisted father. The king stared at her blankly.
The stare the King gives off, wasn't like he's looking for the lies in Ultear's words. But instead, it gives off a different feeling like, he knows everything about you, from the tiniest secret you have like sleeping in class, pranking your teacher, palace maids, cooks and knights up to your little adventure of sneaking out of the palace, and he's just there, standing and staring at you waiting for you to spill the beans. This know-it-all kind of stare really ticks me off. He's my father but I wanna kick him, right here, right now. Ultear thought while smiling innocently in front of her father.
"Is it weird for a father to visit his daughter once in a while?"
"No, father. Thank you for your care. Then, would you like to have some hibiscus tea with me?" don't you dare agree, my dear king father. Ultear cross her finger wishing for her father not to agree.
"Thanks for the offer, Tear, but I'll decline your invitation for now. I'll join you next time. Oh, before I forgot, you should be more careful. Some rats have been sighted sneaking in and out of the palace, recently." a telltale sign of warning lace his voice and his eyes glinted with suspicion.
Ultear bite the inside of her cheeks and continue her facade. "I will, father. Thank you for the advice. I hope you caught the rats soon, I'm quite scared of them."
Ultear and the King stared at each other for a moment, weighing and watching each other's words and actions.
"Yeah, it will soon be caught. I'm taking too much of your time, continue your training Tear."
Rita and Ultear once again bow before the king as he turn his back to leave. As soon as the king was out of sight, Ultear throw her sword furiously. Her innocent smile vanish like they were never there in the first. The king is suspicious about Ultear sneaking out of the palace but right now he still doesn't have any solid evidence that it's her.
"What should we do, My Lady?"
Ultear sigh and close her eyes. "I'll deal with the King later, first I gotta read Kurtis's letter. Lead me to my room."
"As you wish, My Lady."