New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 68: SISTERS

Chapter 68: SISTERS

Aristia turned in shock when she heard the sound of the brick falling, the bush rustling and finally, Alicia Eldridge emerging from behind the palace walls.

"Miss Alicia, what are you doing here?" Beatrix asked in shock, but Alicia could only respond with a confused blink.

But Aristia moved towards Alicia. Before she could come in contact with her, she sidestepped and stood behind her before crouching down.

"Come, help me quick," she waved." We have to push the brick back in place."

Serina and Beatrix went forward and helped to push the brick back in its former position.

"Let’s get going, before anyone notices we’re gone." Aristia said, quickly taking off her cloak. Then, she turned towards Alicia. "Put on this cloak."

"Is she coming with us?" Serina asked.

Aristia nodded. Now was not the time to ask Alicia to return. She could tattle on them, and there wasn’t much time. She could also be discovered on her way back.

She wasn’t about to allow her whole efforts planning to go to waste.

Alicia collected the cloak before awkwardly putting it on.

"Drink this. It’s so fortunate there’s still some left." Serina said while handing Alicia an almost empty vial.

"Is this...?" Alicia asked.

"A disguising potion? Yes. This one changes the hair and eyes. It will change your hair and eye color so that you won’t be discovered." Beatrix explained.

It was only then that Alicia noticed that the princesses now had brown hair and eyes. The princesses were also wearing commoner dresses.

She drank the rest of the potion and watched as her hair changed to brown beneath the cloak.

"Let’s go," Aristia said, moving as silently as she could.

Alicia’s steps faltered. Where were they going? Were the princesses sneaking out of the palace? She was sure she shouldn’t be going with them and neither should they be leaving the palace in the first place, but the princesses were already leaving. Before she could make a decision, her feet had already begun moving so that she would not be left behind.

She knew this was a bad idea, but she couldn’t go back now.

The decision had been made. Beatrix and Serina followed Aristia, and Alicia tagged along in confusion.

Aristia leaned against the wall and made her way to the entrance. They could only use the main entrance unless they didn’t mind getting their clothes wet by swimming in the moat, that is, if the girls could swim. The other option was to go through the forest behind the palace, which was impossible.

She scouted the area. Because of the banquet, the main main gate of the palace had been left open, but the iron bars that were the portcullis were left lowered.

Aristia watched the guards. They were a lot more languid and less attentive now, probably due to the festive air surrounding the kingdom.

When the guards looked away thanks to a momentary distraction, she moved forward quickly, using the surrounding darkness as an advantage and praying that her cousins and Alicia would not make a wrong move and cause them to be caught.

As they reached the bridge and crossed halfway, Aristia was about to breath a sigh of relief when she heard,

"Hey, you! Stop right there, you big ball of dough!"

She froze and slowly turned around, the girls following behind her, hearts beating loudly.

[Fuck, fuck, no.] Aristia was disappointed. They had been caught, and they hadn’t even fully snuck out. [And who’s a big ball of dough?] She was offended.

However, she heard the guard say.

"That was what she said. She said she wasn’t scared of me when it was clear I made her lose her balance. But truth be told, she wasn’t scared of me. Fiery woman, I tell you. Who’d have thought she’d agree to marry me. I was the happiest man the kingdom has ever seen. Still am. I can’t wait to go home and spend the rest of the festival with her. I’ll be sleeping on the streets if I don’t make it in time," the soldier’s voice was loud and a bit drawn out as he talked to his fellow guard, as if he’d had a sip or two, or maybe more, of beer, but the joy it contained was difficult to miss.

It was as clear as day the man loved his wife.

Aristia sighed in relief that they hadn’t been caught, however, she couldn’t not grumble.

[Does he have to be so loud?]

However, a small chuckle escaped her lips. [A big ball of dough? A fiery woman indeed. I like her already, and I haven’t even met her.]

She signalled to the girls following her, whose hearts had almost left their throats, and they moved forward, successfully crossing the bridge.

"That was close," Serina patted her chest. "I almost thought he caught us."

The guards hadn’t noticed the four children who had snuck out of the walls of the royal palace.

"Now, let’s go." Aristia said, and they started to walk.

They mixed with the crowd, four little girls in a seeming sea of people.

The girls followed Aristia. She was the one who seemed to know her way around, after all.

Not far away, some children ran past, laughing cheerily, and stall owners called out to passersby to come and buy whatever goods they sold. It was just like the first time she had been on the streets of Belonmusk, on the day she met Owen.

There were also people dancing on the street and merry music was heard from all directions.

The faces of her companions very clearly expressed their curiousity.

"What is that delicious smell?" Serina asked when they reached a certain street.

Aristia explained, "Those are meat skewers. Would you like to try them?"

"Yes," Serina nodded in reply, perking up. Then she deflated. "But I didn’t bring any money with me."

She turned to Alicia and Beatrix. "Did you bring any money?"

Beatrix shook her head in reply and Alicia did the same. Sh hadn’t planned on sneaking out so she hadn’t brought anything with her.

Serina sighed. Then she perked up again. "I know. We can buy the meat skewers and tell them that father will pay for them."

"No, we can’t, Rinnie." Beatrix said.

"Why not?" Alicia asked, expressing Serina’s unasked question.

"Because we are not here as nobles or members of the royal family, who would believe us? And we would be exposing ourselves by doing that." Aristia patiently explained and Serina deflated again.

However, Aristia continued.

"Not to worry, I brought coins. How can you leave your house without money?" Aristia patted the pouch she carried in her skin bag.

Aristia led them to the familiar stall.

"Hello, would you like to buy a meat skewer?" A young woman asked as she turned. "Oh, hello Aris." The meat skewer seller smiled warmly at Aristia.

"Hello, Fiona." Aristia waved with a smile, looking around. "Finn’s not here?" She asked curiously.

Fiona shook her head with a smile, "Finn’s enjoying the festival. I proposed we take turns. How about your brother, Owen? Are you here for the festival?" She asked.

Finn was Fiona’s younger twin brother. They were both good at making meat skewers. Aristia had become a regular. She would always come here during her undercover trips with Owen and had told them that her name was Aris. Well, she didn’t lie. She just told them a nickname.

Aristia nodded. "Yes, we’re here for the festival. Owen’s at home. I’ll have eight meat skewers."

Alicia was confused. Who was Owen?

At Aristia’s mention, Fiona noticed her three companions. She wondered why Owen didn’t come, but she didn’t intrude.

"Pity he couldn’t make it to the festival. Who’re these sweet little ladies with you?" Fiona asked as she wrapped up the meat skewers. "Here you go."

"My sisters," Aristia said smoothly, collecting the meat skewers from Fiona. "This is Trix, Rina and Alice." She introduced the three girls with her.

"Hello there, Trix, Rina and Alice. I’m Fiona." Fiona smiled.

"Hello," they replied.

Aristia counted out coins from her coin pouch and handed them to Fiona, then she returned the pouch to its position inside her little skin bag.

"No, no, no. I’m not taking anything." Fiona waved her hands and rejected the money.

"How about I pay half of the money?" Aristia suggested instead, knowing that Fiona would not back down. She couldn’t let the lady make total losses. This was her source of income.

"Alright." With a sigh, Fiona accepted the money. She also knew that Aristia would not back down.

"Enjoy the festival," she wished.

"You too. We’ll get going now." Aristia said.

"Goodbye Aris, Trix, Rina and Alice. My regards to Owen." Fiona waved goodbye.

As they walked through the streets, Alicia continued to stare at Aristia. It was because she had referred to her as ’sister’. She had no siblings as she was the only child. She was the cousin of the children of the Anton family through their mothers, and the Anton children were related to the Amberale Grand Ducal family. So technically, she wasn’t related to Aristia.

Her heart warmed unknowingly as her gaze on Aristia changed from viewing her as a princess, to seeing her as a sister.

Aristia who didn’t know that her generalized title had gained her a self acclaimed sister continued to lead them around to enjoy the festival.

She had called Alicia her sister because she didn’t know what to address her as. Maybe a friend? But it was just what entered her mind at the moment.

She handed two meat skewers each to Beatrix and Serina. She knew how much they could eat, but she was unsure about Alicia.

Would she be able to finish them both? She knew that most noble girls were told to controll the quantity of food they ate. Nevertheless, she handed the other two meat skewers to Alicia.

"Ah, thank you, princess." Alicia thanked.

Aristia nodded and took a bite of her meat skewer. "Wait a second..." She said when she noticed something else.

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