The plain next to the Transverse Mountains had already been turned into a large army camp. Both the Maho army and the Shansa army had made camp there. Everyone, even Baery, was surprised by the turn of events. If they could take advantage of it and attack the Shansa Empire, it was a sure victory. However, it was too much of a risk. The Shansa soldiers were exhausted and Douminge still had not made his stance clear. The Maho army did not have enough supplies for another battle. An attack on the Shansa Empire had to wait.
Anfey rubbed his temple. For days, his life consisted of nothing but meetings with different generals and soldiers. Anfey was more of a fighter and did not like these long meetings. Christian, on the other hand, was very eager to attend them.
"Are you uncomfortable?" Saul asked after noticing how tired Anfey looked during one of them.
"I'm fine, Master Saul," Anfey said. "I just… I don't think I am the right person to have an opinion on these matters. Master Douminge must have more thoughts on them."
"We've invited him," Baery said with a sigh. "Multiple times, in fact. Douminge kept finding excuses not to come. I don't blame him though. He needs time."
"How about Alice, then?" Anfey asked.
"Speaking of Alice," Steger said. "Anfey, you should have told us who she really is."
"It's a…pleasant surprise," Baery said with a laugh.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Saul asked curiously. He had spent more time with Anfey than the others, but he did not press Anfey about it because he trusted Anfey to make the right decision. But, since Steger had already asked, Saul saw no point in keeping his silence. He was Anfey's teacher and he should have been the one to ask the question.
"I gave her the name Alice," Anfey said. "She said she wanted to forget everything. I promised her that I would keep her secret."
"It's not that easy to forget," Miorich said.
"Of course," Anfey said with a nod. "But this is her wish and I respect her."
"But you still could have reported this," Dalmatian said with a frown. "She won't know even if you do report this to His Majesty."
"Of course I are lie to her," Anfey said. "But that is not how I want to treat her. If she is to be my friend, she deserves my respect and she deserves her privacy."
Dalmatian frowned but did not say anything.
"When we first found her, she had been sold into slavery. Her best friend was tortured and raped. She was in a state of despair. She asked me to protect her. I agreed. I gave her my word and I am a man of my word."
Dalmatian sighed and nodded.
"I am at fault too," Christian suddenly said. "If Father is angry, he should punish me as well."
"You know that she is a Shansa princess?"
"Anfey told me."
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
"Alice isn't just Anfey's friend," Christian said. "She is my friend as well." Christian knew how much Alice disliked the upper class. There was no way she would have worked with any nobles.
Baery shook his head. "I understand where you two are coming from, but you still should have said something."
"Alice will think that we've betrayed her."
Saul sighed and shook his head. "It's too late to say anything now," he said. "Let's not focus on the past." He turned to his two students and asked, "I've noticed something about her. She was actively trying to help us earlier, but now that we know who she is, she's become secluded and distant. I do not understand. Is it because she cannot trust His Majesty? If that is the case, I want you two to tell her that His Majesty has never let any loyal man or woman down."
Anfey shook his head. "It's not that she doesn't trust His Majesty," he said. "She doesn't trust you."
"What about us?"
"Everything about you."
"Does she trust you?"
Anfey and Christian glanced at each other. "She does," Anfey said.
Baery frowned. Anfey could tell that Baery wasn't happy about this and said hurriedly, "It's not anything personal. It's that she was let down before by royalties and nobles. She has no reason to trust you guys."
"Why does she trust you, then?"
"Because she had no choice but to trust us," Anfey said.
"When we first met her, we were just kids," Christian said. "I think she trusts us because we were so different back then from what she knew."
"What are some things she likes?" Saul asked suddenly.
Anfey frowned. "I'm not sure," he said. "She never really talks about herself."
"Is there anyone she is particularly close to?"
"Feller and Hui Wei," Anfey said. "They are her assistants."
"If she is to marry, who do you think she will choose?"
Anfey and Christian's eyes widened.
"She has… very high standards," Christian said with a smile. "To be frank, I don't think she will ever marry either one of them."
"Is there anyone else she's close to?" Saul asked.
"Master Saul, why are you so interested in her personal life?"
"His Majesty wanted her to have a relatively normal life," Saul said. "He wanted her to pick someone she can be happy with. She can marry whoever she wants."
"I know who she always talks to," Christian said. Before he could say anything else, Anfey kicked him in the shin and glared at him.
"It's Kumaraghosha," Anfey said before Christian could say anything else. He didn't want anyone to know that he was close with Alice because it would have been bad for all parties involved.
"Kumaraghosha and Alice?" Saul frowned. "Christian, who were you going to say?"
"Ozzic."
"No way," Anfey said, shaking his head. He glanced at Saul, who had no idea that two of his best students were tricking him, and smiled.