Chapter 585: Princess Celeste’s Chatter

Marcus was still lost in thought as he watched the two beauties approach when Princess Celeste suddenly gasped. "Ah!"

His heart skipped a beat. Had she finally noticed him? Was she surprised to see a stranger standing in her sister’s private garden? That seemed unlikely. He was probably flattering himself.

Sure enough, Princess Celeste immediately turned toward her sister and exclaimed, "Sister, look! The Phoenixwood Tree is glowing again!"

"Wonderful!" Princess Celeste’s smile blossomed instantly, bright and radiant enough to make Marcus’s heart leap. For a moment, he felt a little deflated. She had been staring at the faintly glowing Phoenixwood Tree the entire time and apparently hadn’t even noticed that there was a man standing beneath it. So much for his moment.

It turned out that Princess Celeste had already heard about the Natural Growth Array and its effect on the Phoenixwood Tree, and she had come specifically to see the changes for herself. She had simply brought Princess Phoenix along with her. Otherwise, Marcus probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet either of them.

"Sister, is this the woman you mentioned? The one with the Hundred-Flower Body, Alana?"

At last, Princess Celeste’s attention shifted away from the Phoenixwood Tree, although Marcus still didn’t get so much as a glance. Instead, she stared openly at Alana, who was gracefully waving her Asclepius’ Herbal Staff as waves of green light flowed through the garden.

Watching Alana work, Princess Celeste couldn’t help sighing in admiration. "Alana is so beautiful. She looks just like an Angel..."

She turned toward Princess Phoenix, her eyes still fixed on Alana. "Sister, apart from you, there isn’t anyone in the palace as beautiful as Alana."

Marcus couldn’t help smiling. Alana really was breathtaking. Her beauty wasn’t merely a matter of appearance. She was gentle, warm, and considerate, and there was a natural grace to her that made people feel comfortable around her. As far as Marcus was concerned, her temperament and character made her even more captivating than her already extraordinary appearance.

Hearing Princess Celeste praise Alana so sincerely made him like this lively princess even more.

Of course, she was mistaken about one thing. Apart from Princess Phoenix, there was also Princess Celeste herself, and if Marcus had to be completely honest, he thought Celeste was just a little more beautiful than Alana.

Still, the two princesses were dressed in exquisite palace gowns that enhanced their natural beauty, while Alana was wearing simple, understated clothes. If Alana were dressed in the same kind of royal finery, Marcus was confident that she would have no trouble standing alongside either princess.

After all, the Hundred-Flower Body carried the fragrance and grace of a hundred blossoms. Like a fine wine, its charm only became more intoxicating with time.

Princess Phoenix smiled at her lively younger sister. The expression softened her normally noble and elegant features, like a warm spring breeze passing over a frozen lake. Although the smile wasn’t directed at him, Marcus still found himself staring for a moment. That woman was dangerously alluring.

Then Princess Phoenix’s gaze turned toward him. Her voice was clear and musical, almost like the song of a phoenix. "And who might this gentleman be?"

She had noticed him the moment she entered the garden. His equipment was completely different from that of the palace guards, soldiers, and officials of the Dragon Dynasty, making him stand out almost immediately.

Following the etiquette Dr. Harrison had explained to him beforehand, Marcus clasped his hands in a respectful salute. "I’m Stonehaven, a Knight."

There were no elaborate kneeling rituals in the game, but the Dreamland Continent was still a world ruled by kings and emperors, so Marcus had been told that a simple clasped-hand salute was the safest choice.

"Stonehaven? Are you a Dark Knight?" Finally, Princess Celeste noticed him. She stared at him with wide, curious eyes before immediately firing off a string of questions.

"You’re not a palace guard? How did you get into the palace? And why are you in my sister’s garden? I thought you were one of the guards. I was actually wondering why I hadn’t seen any Dark Knights among the palace guards..."

She continued talking without giving him much opportunity to respond, and Marcus quickly realized that she had, in fact, noticed him earlier. She had simply mistaken him for one of the palace guards. Had she realized from the beginning that he was an outsider, her curiosity would probably have gotten the better of her much sooner.

Then her eyes traveled over his equipment again, and her expression brightened. "Stonehaven, your dark armor looks so cool! It’s so imposing! I’ve never seen a Dark Knight who looks this fierce before."

Marcus was left slightly speechless by the sheer speed of her questions. He decided that the simplest answer was the best one.

"I’m not a Dark Knight. Dr. Harrison brought me here because I have some business with the Emperor." Marcus couldn’t deny that he looked exactly like one.

His Corpse Demon set, Wraith Cloak, and newly equipped black Divine Artifact, the Blackflame Ice Flower Sword, combined with his golden Adamant Shield, created an intimidating appearance that practically screamed Dark Knight. Nearly everything he wore was dark in color, and the ghostly aura surrounding his equipment only made the impression stronger.

His actual class, however, was the Temple Knight, a respectable and honorable profession with absolutely nothing to do with the Demon Clan.

He had even removed his Fluffy Rabbit’s Mask before entering the palace out of respect for the Emperor, revealing his face for the first time since arriving. Naturally, there were no other players in the palace who could see him, so there was no reason for him to keep his appearance hidden here.

"Meet Father?" Both princesses immediately became interested.

Before Marcus could explain further, the quick-thinking Dr. Harrison stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Your Highnesses."

He then gestured toward Marcus and introduced him. "Princesses, this is Knight Stonehaven. He is Alana’s master, and he has obtained the Blood-Fiend Fruit. According to the Emperor’s decree issued last year, he has come to present it to Princess Celeste."

"The Blood-Fiend Fruit!" Both princesses were stunned. Their gazes snapped toward Marcus, and for the first time, they looked at him with genuine disbelief.

The Blood-Fiend Fruit was an extraordinary treasure, and obtaining it was practically impossible under normal circumstances. Even Level 90 players would have struggled to reach the depths of the Demon Realm, much less steal the fruit from Seraphina the Flawless, one of the Four Demon Sovereigns.

Yet this Knight standing before them was barely past Level 50, and he somehow possessed the very treasure countless powerful experts had failed to obtain.

Princess Phoenix understood better than most just how difficult that feat was. When her father had issued the decree a year ago, she had personally ventured into the Demon Realm with her Immortal Phoenix in search of the Blood-Fiend Fruit. She had even clashed with Seraphina several times, but despite all her efforts, she had returned empty-handed.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Marcus. ’Could someone at his level really have obtained the Blood-Fiend Fruit by himself?’

Meanwhile, Princess Celeste’s innocent expression had already turned suspicious. She looked Marcus up and down, particularly at his all-black armor and the ominous aura surrounding him. "Could this young Knight be a spy sent by the Demon Clan?"

From her perspective, the suspicion wasn’t entirely unreasonable. After all, he looked far too much like a Dark Knight.