Foreigner Of Time [JENLISA]

64

"This commoner, Lisa Manoban, greets Your Grace!"

I kneeled down with a spread of my robes, then bowed towards the person on the master seat and said loudly.

It turned out that the master of this guard was not the Royal Princess, but the Duke of Tryon.

He still looked the same as before; he wore a luxurious robe that was suitably quiet in color, and he gave off the air of superiority without restraint.

I could only see his gold threaded boots in my line of sight. 

I did not raise my head without his permission.

"You may rise." A long moment later, he said leisurely.

"Thanks to Your Grace."

I got up and met his eyes, but my heart jumped once I saw his seeming smile.

I averted my gaze in a hurry as I knew that I had accidentally 'violated a taboo'.

"Please forgive, your Highness, this commoner was once a beggar. May your Highness pay no heed to my ignorance of etiquette."

Back on earth, I was used to maintaining eye contact during conversations.

However, things were different in the kingdom.

Those with a lower status were not supposed to look at those of a higher status directly.

Looking at them carelessly would be a violation, and in the Duke's case, it would not be an exaggeration to call it an offense.

After yet another long silence, he chuckled, "You've finally learned some rules, looks like House Stark has decent family discipline."

I lowered my head slightly as I answered in a way that's neither humble or haughty, "This commoner wouldn't dare to take the Your Grace's mistaken praise."

"Hah, come and sit, don't be so reserved. I'm here to host you in my aunt's place today. She wanted to meet you in person at first, but you are an unrelated man after all, hence I am here instead."

"Thanks to Your Grace."

He suddenly turned serious and asked, "Hmm... Why do you seem to be unsurprised? Could it be that what happened yesterday was not a mere coincidence?"

My heart jumped, but I had fortunately learned a little composure from my time with Jennie.

He was naturally referring to how I had hosted the Precious princess yesterday.

I answered indifferently without a change in expression, "This commoner is new in the capital. In an unfamiliar place, this commoner truly had no idea how to arrange a young lady who entered my inn alone, hence this commoner went to look for cultivator Jisoo. It was the cultivator who told this commoner who the princess might be. This commoner has no idea why the princess would enter the Cloud Gathering inn for shelter in the snowy night."

A well calculated move; I did not meet his challenge, but I explained things crystal clearly.

He raised his cup for a sip, then he said, "This cousin of mine is uncle and aunt's heartache; my aunt has specially instructed me to thank you well. Tell me then... what reward would you like?"

My first thought was to get a 'token of exemption from death' for Jennie, but I dispelled that thought on further consideration.

Even if that item existed in this world, I had only helped a princess, not a Princess.

And besides, I hadn't actually done anything. 

Asking for that so boldly would be too greedy and it made my goal too obvious; it wouldn't be worth it.