"Brother!"
Ard, Eva, and the others turned around when they heard a girl's voice calling out from behind them in the lower city square. It was Adeline. She was still in her sword-training gear, accompanied by two royal guards who looked exhausted—they clearly would have rather been anywhere else than chasing after the princess.
"Adeline? What are you doing in the city? Shouldn't you be at your lessons?" Ard asked.
"Lessons are over. Why did you come to town without me?" Adeline pouted.
"I thought you were still with your instructor," Ard said, smiling as he patted his sister's head.
Adeline's eyes drifted toward the group, scanning Eva, Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, Rosalind, Pyria, Mirea, Claudia, Geoffrey, Ainsley, and Irwin one by one. Then, she suddenly bolted toward Alicia and jumped into her arms for a hug.
"Hi, Alicia! How have you been?" Adeline asked.
"Hello, Princess Adeline. I'm doing well. Look at you—you've grown so much," Alicia replied.
