Day 27th of the Sun season.

The next morning two carriages drop by our house very early in the morning.

The coachmen park side by side one of them in front of our door around 5 meters away engraved with a symbol of a blue sword with the tip upwards the royal family crest and also the lumen kingdom flag.

On the other side 6 meters away, is a wagon with a symbol of a white rose from the white rose noble family.

"Peter?" One of the coachmen voices out noticing a familiar face.

"Jeffy? What are you doing in this remote place old friend?" The coachman of the royal family asked.

"I've come to deliver a message of sorts from the master, how about you?"

"I've come to get a friend of the crown prince for one of those audiences."

They both leave their seats and handshake each other smiling.

Not much further away a door opens and a Luke leaves it with three blonde women behind him.

"What? Why is the white rose family here?" Father questions as he approached the carriages, " good morning Jeffy, it's good to see you."

"Good morning Luke, I hope you've been well since the last trip."

"Yes, everything's good, thank you for asking," as Luke was about to continue the conversation the other coachman opened the wagon and a man in a black outfit came out from inside.

"The famous rank S adventurer Robert?" Jeffy said surprised to see someone like that here.

'For them to have brought this man here means they're serious about something,' Rosaline thought uneased.

Right behind Robert, Raven came out with crossed swords on her back dressed fully in black clothing, moving without making noise with her feet.

"Good morning everyone," Robert said in a calm tone while staring at the new faces who look surprised seeing him.

"I know you," I approached him smiling as he's someone who felt kind back in the day I met Alicia.

Upon seeing me he smiled gently, "I hope you've been doing well little lady, thank you for that occasion before, I was truly impressed."

"Anything for my friend Alicia," I bow lightly and happily out of respect.

"Lady Alicia you mean," a cold tone from the side of Robert was heard.

"Yes, my friend lady Alicia," I reply calmly ignoring the new face.

She stares at me pissed off.

"Raven," he said in a calm yet serious tone while glaring at Raven as if inviting her to shut up.

She then bows her head slightly and remains silent taking a step back.

"I've come to deliver an invitation to the Iris family, the mistress wishes to have a word, and it's not refusable," he stares seriously at us emitting some kind of pressure that doesn't quite feel like mana or an element.

'Refusing an invitation from a noble family can be considered a big offense after all,' Rosaline thought slightly shaking while looking at Luke.

"Pardon Robert, but I and Aurora have an audience with the crown prince," father replied calmly as he stands above.

"That's fine, it happened to be bad timing, however, I can't return home empty-handed," he released the aura making the air easy to breathe again.

"I'd like to go even if alone, I'd like to meet Alicia," I grab mother's hand receiving her attention along with a smile of approval.

My mother places her other hand on my hair and then says, "the two of us will keep you company, Robert."

"Then it's decided, I'll see you at another time Peter keep the ladies in good care will ya?"

"Of course, send my regards to your father back at the capital."

"Aye!"

"We'll be back shortly Robert."

"Take your time madame."

"Come Iris."

After a while, they return in more expensive clothing.

Rosaline in a light blue dress and Iris in a light pink one.

'For peasants, they have good-looking clothing, and connections, to think I'd see one of the coaches from the royal family this far from the capital along with our own,' Peter thought enthusiastically smiling at the rarity of such an occasion.

"This way ladies," he lent a hand for us to hop inside the carriage, then he closed the door behind me as I was the last to enter.

Moments after the trip began with a whip and the sounds of horses.

"What was the adventurer thing all about Robert?" I ask him who is sitting in front of me curiously hoping he won't take it badly.

"Ah, young miss it's from my old days when I became a rank S adventurer when I was 40."

"That's amazing! My mother an ex-adventurer, and I along with my sister decided to try it, we should be rank E after delivering the last quest we did."

"Didn't the two of you became adventurers on the day you met Alicia?" His eyebrow raised startled at the pace we were going.

"Yes, we did!" I shout energetically as he seems happy to hear me out.

"That's very good progress, truly great job," I blush slightly from all the compliments and his kind words.

'Seems like they're both capable and of very young age, they're also one year younger than lady Alicia.''

"Thank you," I smile kindly at him.

'Not sure what Raven felt about Aurora but she felt pretty normal to me, was she truly a wolf wearing the skin of a sheep?'

"Mind if I treat you by your given name, Iris?"

"Please do, I like you a lot!" I reply cheerfully making his eyes widen for a swift moment.

"I'm very honored to hear such words from lady Alicia's friend, I'm truly blessed and full of gratitude," Robert replied while doing a mature kind smile.

Raven clicks her tongue and looks at the window bored and annoyed by our conversation filled with flattery and nonsense.

'Iris has grown since the last time I saw her, her eyes look more strong-willed, it feels like she went through a share of some battles, possibly close to death ones.'

"Say, Iris, between you and your sister, which of you is stronger?"

"I am by a large margin."

'I figured as her presence is a lot more outstanding than her sister's, still, I couldn't get a good perception on Aurora, she felt... Unnatural.'

"Even though it has to do with her first years being very sickly she almost died a few times, in the last 3 years she has superated her disease and so she's catching up."

"Sorry to hear that," he bows lightly with a worried and sad expression.

"It's okay she's better now, that's what matters."

"I'm truly glad to hear that Iris."

"I learned swordsmanship from my mother and magic from my father for a full year, my sister dislikes using weapons, however, she loves using magic and is interested in going to the magic institute one day."

"That place is very expensive," he looks at me with some sadness in his eyes knowing that we most likely wouldn't have enough money.

"That's why we became adventurers so that one day she can go study there, I'll give her my share of the money if necessary."

"Truly honorable to go to such lengths to help your sister, so if we disregard your swordsmanship skills which of the two have the better magical skills?"

"That'd still be me, I was blessed with the rare ice element," I turn my palm upwards and I make a cold aura on it.

"My mother was born with the water element, and my father with the unique light element, but sadly neither of us sisters received it."

'Meaning that her sister got the water element, and Iris was blessed with a mutated ice element, it seems like Aurora is pretty normal still I must ask her something.'

"May I know why your sister was called by the royal family?"

I look at mother, and as she notices my gaze Rosaline nods while smiling at me reassuring me that it's fine to tell him.

"To be honest, she went there to play chess with the crown prince, it is their favorite game it seems, father is the one who works for him, he's a healer."

"Unique light element, meaning that he must be an exceptional healer, I understand, I apologize for all the questions."

"No need, I'm just having fun meeting someone who has taken good care of a dear friend of mine," I reply with a bright smile making Raven roll her eyes.

"In that case, if the opportunity would come for you to learn the swordsmanship of our master Alfred, would you be willing?"

"In exchange for becoming the knight of Alicia in the future?" I tilt my head unsure since I had already denied the proposition to her when we met.

"That is so," he replied with a serious tone expecting me to say yes for my own good, as I'd become stronger that way easier.

"I'm grateful but I wish to become truly powerful, and I don't know if lord Alfred's swordsmanship would suffice my needs, as I'm also interested in magic."

Raven punched the carriage wall while glaring at me.

Robert raised his hand which retracted Raven's glaring.

'You're behaving so good, I'm so proud of you my baby daughter.'

"Once we get there and have tea with the mistress, you'll be able to understand afterwards the strongest sword art of the entire kingdom, and then you may decide if you wish to or not."

"Thank you for the heads up Robert," I smile kindly at him while thinking to myself.

'In terms of swordsmanship I'd truly like to learn with my mother's teacher, she made him sound very interesting.'

Time flies and then we eventually arrive.

We leave the carriage with the help of the coachman and I look in front of me.

A mansion with a white stone paved from the entrance to the metal gate connected to a grey stone wall covering the mansion surroundings, and a garden on the sides of such a path.

As we walk through the gate and the path, we see swordsmen on both sides looking at us.

Robert opens the doors and we head inside.

The first thing I notice is a red carpet that extends all the way to the other side about 10 meters long.

Then I see many women in black with white aprons going to places and doing things.

"They're our maids, workers whose focus is the cleaning and maintenance of the Mansion and what's around," Robert tells me quietly as I must've looked very surprised to him.

I nod quietly observing everything around.

"This way please," we follow Robert, Raven and the coach stayed behind near the wagon.

At a large dining hall, three people with black hair and black eyes are seated talking to one another.

"Master Alfred the guests have arrived."