Chapter 505: She's so sweet
After meeting the fox cub, Milena was lost in thought as she was carried on a cot into an amazing and cozy, as it seemed to her, two-story wooden house.
At first, she tried to figure out where she was, and then, after the appearance of a strange fox cub and viewing the photos, she was overwhelmed by guesses about when and who managed to take these pictures.
The photo was of herself, and judging by her clothes and surroundings, Milena determined that it was taken when she was in the city of Rumbus, on the northern border.
She was especially struck by the clothes she was wearing back then. She wore it only once, on the day when Arslan Morgan, her family's chosen fiance, invited her on a date.
Milena remembered that day very well and was sure that she had not seen anyone who could take these pictures.
Arabel took Milena to an empty guest room on the ground floor of her house.
After arranging her, she left her alone and, taking Coco with her, went out so that the little scoundrel would not interfere with Milena's rest.
"Go play with Octo," Arabel said, summoning a second dark fox cub with three tails from her third Star. "But don't you dare bother anyone this time."
Both little foxes nodded in agreement after hearing her warning, and then ran out of the house in a joyful mood.
Arabel stood in the living room and watched them leave.
With a light sigh, she transformed her uniform back into a bracelet, and she was wearing her usual loose casual clothes.
Taking off her Ghost Mask, she settled comfortably on the soft sofa in the living room and, relaxing, waited for Idan and the guests to return.
Arabel, being in a state of relaxation, did not notice how time flew by until she saw Idan with two guests.
"How's the Hero?" asked Idan, exiting the portal and heading towards the house.
"He's still not in a very good state of mind." — Lucinda replied, then added: "But there are some positive developments."
"Have you decided on your second contract yet?" asked Idan, glancing briefly at the Princess, who was quietly following them, dragging her long hair across the green lawn and curiously examining the artificial sky created from a mixture of the elements of Darkness and Light.
"Not yet," — Lucinda replied. "I would not like to enter into contracts with the first creature I see. The doppelgangers set the bar too high, and now it's hard to find anything even slightly similar in uniqueness to them."
"Sierra was incredibly lucky in this regard," she thought, looking at the Princess with a slight envy. Lucinda wasn't sure if there were beings close to the element of Light in Limbo.
She reviewed the information about all eight remaining Restricted Areas again, but there was not the slightest hint of such creatures in any of them.
This disappointed her somewhat.
However, some creatures from these Forbidden Zones caught her attention. She was still wondering which beast she should pay attention to.
"Why does the Queen have an affinity for the elements of Darkness rather than Light?" she mused, looking at the Princess.
Idan, noticing how enviously Lucinda was looking at the Princess, and remembering Sierra's words, thought of a slightly crazy idea.
However, he quickly dismissed the thought.
"You're here," Arabel greeted them at the entrance, smiling.
"Big Sister, I'm sorry to bother you," she apologized to Lucinda.
"When I need your help too, I hope that you will remember this and help me in the future," Lucinda replied with a smile.
"Of course, if we can do what you ask," Arabel said, and Idan agreed with her.
"And who is it?" — Arabel asked, looking at the Princess. The latter, noticing Arabel, hid behind Idan and cautiously peeked out from behind him at her.
"Where is the Queen?" asked Arabel, not finding the tall figure she recognized next to Idan.
Idan and Lucinda looked at each other with smiles. Then Idan, turning, wanted to bring the Princess forward to introduce her to Arabel, but she, frightened, shrank back.
"What did Geminia do to her that she became so fearful?" — Idan thought.
Turning and stepping aside a little, he said, pointing at the Princess:
"Belle, let me introduce you to the Princess."
"The Princess?" — Arabel repeated, glancing at the little girl.
"She's so sweet," she whispered, charmed by the girl's sweetness. "And who is she?"
"Don't you recognize her?" Idan asked with a smile.
Puzzled by this question, Arabel looked at the girl once more.
Instead of a dark crown, the girl wore a small tiara on her head, and her long black hair trailed along the ground. She had four small hands, and Arabel found some of her facial features remarkably similar to the Queen, a tall and formidable member of the Womskinner race.
"Is she the Queen's daughter?" asked Arabel, misinterpreting what she saw. "When did she have time to give birth and from whom?"
"Ah-ha-ha-ha!" — Lucinda couldn't help but laugh when she saw Arabel's reaction, which scared the Princess.
"What?" — Arabel asked, not understanding what was going on. "What's wrong with my question?"
"Belle", — Idan, although he wasn't laughing, couldn't help but smile at Arabel's bewilderment. "This little girl is the Queen."
"Huh? What?" Arabel shuddered sharply, opening her eyes wide and staring at the girl.
"This... this little girl… The Queen?" she asked incredulously, pointing at the Princess.
"Yes, that's her," Lucinda confirmed, still laughing.
"Belle, it just so happens that..." Idan began, recounting everything he had recently learned.
"Did Big Sister make a contract with the Queen?" asked Arabel incredulously, not sure if she understood correctly.
"Yes," Lucinda nodded, and then, openly and jokingly, complained: "You helped her so much in this. Why didn't you bring a being of Light with you as well?"
Arabel was surprised by Lucinda's words, but then, suddenly remembering something, she smiled.
"Big sister," — Arabel called. Looking at her, Idan immediately understood what Arabel wanted to say and shook his head. He himself had recently thought about it, but decided not to voice this idea.
However, Idan didn't stop Arabel when she started talking.
"How would you like to form a contract with a Being of Light, but not as strong as the Queen? But from the same world as the Queen?" she asked.