In fact, it was already past lunchtime, and Hobert had only been sitting in the lounge for a few minutes when he was invited by the servant to Alice's restaurant.

The Princess's dining room is about the same size as the one used in Earl Hobert's Court, but it is much more elaborate.

The oil paintings hanging on the walls were much more upscale than the oil paintings that Hobert hung in the hall of the Earl's Court, and one of them was familiar to Hobert, and when he looked closely, he remembered that it was a work from the exhibition he had seen with Audrey before.

At that time, neither he nor Audrey bought the works of that exhibition, because Audrey already had a lot of collections, and she had superb painting skills, and there were no works that she liked too much in the whole exhibition, so she did not buy them.

And Hobert is simply because he doesn't want to spend that unjust money.

Immediately after taking his seat, the servant served the food and poured Hobert an aperitif.

"Please help me change it to coffee or juice." Hobert smiled, "I'm still working. ”

The servant was slightly stunned, but after nodding his head, he changed it to juice for Hobert.

"I heard you're usually more frugal?" Alice, who was sitting on the main seat next to her, suddenly asked, "The process of dining is very simple. ”

Hobart suspected that the whole aristocratic circle might already know about eating by himself, but Alice said it politely, not saying that she was slamming the door, only saying that "the process is relatively simple"

He said, "Yes, Your Highness the Princess. ”

Then he joked, "Perhaps I am not yet accustomed to the extravagant life of an earl." ”

"If you're like the other counts, it's not interesting." Alice suddenly asked with a cold and arrogant face, "Is my leg ring good-looking?" ”

The word "good-looking" came to Hobert's lips, and he almost "braked the car": "The situation was urgent, and I didn't pay attention. ”

Truth be told, it's not just good-looking, it's sexy.

And if it is leg control, it is estimated that it has fallen, and Alice's two legs are indeed impeccable.

Hobert sighed in his heart: No wonder the leg ring later had some other meanings, really because it has some special meaning in the jewelry.

Then he realized that it was very wrong for the princess to ask such a question, and that he had to be careful with it.

Alice suddenly laughed: "Lied." ”

Hobert pretended not to have heard, and whatever he answered at this time would bring endless trouble in the future.

He was also a little helpless: I was just a bodyguard for a day, and I didn't want to be labeled as a "princess male pet" in the aristocratic circle in the future.

Alice, who is a princess after all, did not continue the topic, but talked about her own assassination: "In the evening, I am going to a ball, I think you should also be invited, do you think there will be an assassination against me at that time?" ”

"It's hard to say." Hobert didn't say anything like he would protect the princess at all, but smiled, "The point is that I don't know anything about assassins. ”

"Anyway, thank you for the rescue today." Alice smiled and said, "I have prepared some gifts for you, and I will send them to your Earl's Court in a moment." ”

Hobart did not refuse: "Thanks to the princess." ”

Then Alice began to ask about the abilities of the Witch Hobert, and Hobert did not hide this, after all, he also regarded the Witch Church as an enemy, and in this regard, he was willing to provide some help to Alice.

After dinner, Alice went back to rest for a while, invited Hobart to the garden for tea, and then walked with Hobart in the garden, not allowing any servants to follow her.

"You're dancing very well." Alice suddenly said, "We can do another dance in the evening." ”

Hobart smiled, "That's my pleasure." ”

"You may not imagine how sad it is to be the princess of Rune." Alice changed the subject: "I can't do anything about watching my dearest brother die." ”

Hobart didn't say anything, and he didn't want to say anything about it.

And he had roughly guessed that Alice was talking to him alone to get him to investigate Edsak's case.

I can't even promise to kill you!

Who knew that Alice changed the subject again: "You and Audrey seem to be friends?" ”

"Yes." Hobart wondered what Alice was trying to say: "We knew each other when I 'left' Beckland. ”

"Don't you wonder why I speak so far and don't speak later?" Then Alice asked herself: "Because my conversations have been overheard, even the words I write can be 'eavesdropped'."

"But from the credible information I've gotten, there's a downside to the seals that eavesdrop on our conversation from a distance.

"As long as the topic is constantly changing, it can effectively circumvent this ability to eavesdrop, and the person holding this seal is difficult to detect because of the distance from us, and will only think that we are not talking at this time."

Hobert was slightly stunned: Are you sure that the other party didn't know about the news that you got the news? If the other party is deliberately letting you get the news, or there is already a new response, then our topic changes back and forth, just for ourselves.

If that's really the case, the other party is similar to a "peep screen", and he should be snickering at this time, right?

But thinking of Alice's usual performance, she should have repeatedly confirmed this kind of life-threatening matter.

Then Hobert smiled helplessly: "Then let's talk about some coherent topics." ”

He felt that a big word "danger" was floating over his head, and the next conversation must be very dangerous.

It's not that it's dangerous to be overheard, it's that as long as he knows about it, it's dangerous.

"You are a very special nobleman." Alice changed the subject again: "Before you, no nobleman dared to look at me when he danced with me, and they didn't even dare to keep their eyes on my face. ”

There were a few times when Alice thought it was strange, but she was sure that Hobert had become special in her eyes since then.

Hobert sighed, "It's okay. ”

After all, you don't look that ugly, why don't you look at your face?

"Actually, I know why I was assassinated," Alice said, "and my investigation has made a breakthrough, for the past few years, the Witch Church has been secretly transporting a large number of slaves to Beckland, most of them from the Rorsted Islands, and many from your fiefdom of Longtail Island.

"But when they got to Beckland, they didn't know where they went."

Hobart didn't say anything: I don't know if you believe it or not? Actually, I know better.

"I heard you were married once in Fenerport?" Alice asked, "Why haven't you brought your lady to the ball?" ”

"My wife doesn't like this very much." Hobart replied.

"Another thing I'm sure of is that Edsak's death has a lot to do with the Witch Church." Alice continued to tell her findings: "As far as I know, Trissy, whom Edsaks loves dearly, seems to be alive, and she should know a lot of the inside story.

"Also, I've heard that she's special to the Witch Church, and that it seems to be related to the original witch."

Hobert was slightly stunned, but he didn't expect Alice to indeed investigate a lot of key information, maybe it was because she knew the relevant information about Triss that the Witch Church was determined to assassinate her.

Alice then changed to another subject: "So, your lady is very happy, and if you don't like it, you can't go to such an occasion." ”

Hobert smiled, "I can still give her such freedom." ”

Alice, who was walking in front, stopped, glanced back at Hobert, that look was a little complicated, and took a deep breath before saying, "The next investigation may be difficult to continue."

"I found out that the royal family is cooperating with the Witch Church and the Aurora Society, although I don't know what the purpose of the cooperation is, but the cooperation project has the support of the entire royal family."

Hobert was a little helpless and still didn't say anything on the topic.

"In this world, no matter how high your status is, you always have to do something that you can't help yourself." Alice said: "Sometimes I even hate myself as a princess, or the whole conservative atmosphere of Rune, which makes me unable to express some thoughts at all, not even in my look or eyes. ”

Hobert scratched his chin, always feeling that Alice's words meant something.

Alice sighed: "I'm not interested in the royal family's conspiracy, I just want to know, who killed Edsak, I just want to kill that person and take his head to Edsak's grave to pay respects." ”

Hobert saw a hint of tiredness in the princess's eyes, but he still didn't say anything.

"That's why I say, your lady is happy." Alice returned to Madame's topic: "She doesn't want to go to the ball and she can't go, and in my opinion, that's a kind of happiness." ”

Hobert smiled: "Sometimes, the world is actually not that complicated, don't do what you don't want to do, who can't be willful." ”

He then waited for Alice to entrust him with investigating Edsak's case, and he was ready to say no and leave Alice with no illusions.

However, this time Hobert miscalculated, Alice did not entrust him to investigate, but smiled: "The investigation into the cause of Edsak's death has already killed many people, don't worry, I won't entrust it to you."

"I'm telling you this today, just hoping that someone will know about my findings."

She touched her neck, which still had red scars: "Wandering on the edge of death twice today made me suddenly have a violent fear of death.

"The first thing that came to my mind after I got out of danger was to let others know about my investigation, and if I did die, someone would know the real cause of my death.

"I don't want you to avenge me, I just don't want me to be used like Edsax when I die, even if one person knows why I died."

This made Hobert slightly stunned, Alice gave him the impression that he was similar to Ethel, they were all kind of "political monsters", but Ethel was stronger, even so strong that he was ready to compete for the throne.

In addition to the nobility she shows, Alice is much calmer, but some of the unscrupulous behaviors of the two people to achieve their goals are quite similar.

It wasn't until Ethel's anger when he left Jeffrey Town after attending Hobert's wedding that Hobart felt that he was a man of flesh and blood.

And just now, when Alice said that he was afraid, he also felt that this was a living person, not a high-level puppet cultivated by the royal family.

Emotion is emotion, of course, Hobert will not be hot-headed and participate in this matter.

He just said: "Your Royal Highness, your purpose is too clear, at least your opponent fully knows your purpose."

"It's better for you to do nothing in the recent period, one is to paralyze the other party, and the other is to look for better opportunities.

"Then your position will change, you know their purpose, and your purpose is temporarily hidden, maybe you can take some initiative."

Alice was slightly stunned, pondered for a moment before saying, "If you weren't an earl now, I would have recruited you to be my staff!" ”

She suddenly smiled, "As you said before, some things are so simple!

"I now finally understand what Russell the Great said: people in a chess game are always easily confused by their opponents, and it is the onlookers around the table who know what the two players think."

Hobert was slightly stunned: The authorities are confused, and the bystanders are clear?

Alice then asked, "What do you think of the tea you just drunk?" ”

Hober nodded: "It tastes good." ”

"I'll give you some later."

The two of them chatted casually for a while, Alice had some business to attend to, and Hobert was finally able to go to the break room to rest.

Looking at the figure of Hobart leaving, Alice suddenly remembered some of the things she had seen during her pastime.

At the time, she thought some of the descriptions were ridiculous, but since she danced the dance in the banquet hall of the palace on April 1, she knew that some people were really special.

This feeling had never been felt before by Alice, and it was a new experience for her, but she soon found out sadly that she could do nothing but watch Hobart and Audrey laugh and laugh.

In the evening, Hobert and Alice arrived at Count Vincent's mansion in a carriage for a ball, and when he got out of the princess's carriage first, Vincent, who was standing at the door to greet him, was stunned, and for a moment did not know whether he should go up to meet him.

As soon as Hobart saw Vincent's expression, he knew it was going to be bad: "We're just going by the way, don't think about it, don't gossip!"

Then he smiled and shook his head, I wonder what other nobles would think when they heard that they were in a carriage with Princess Alice to attend the ball? Will everyone follow their example and eat every meal very simply?

Hobert wanted to laugh as he picked Alice out of the car very gentlemanly, and he was not afraid that everyone would have any misunderstanding, because they knew after a little inquiry that he had the task of protecting the royal family today.

Waiting for Alice to get out of the car, Vincent reacted: "Your Royal Highness, your arrival has made this banquet a little more solemn. ”

Alice maintained her usual noble demeanor: "No, it's just that you prepared with your heart. ”

Vincent smiled slightly: "Please come in, I have specially prepared a strawberry cream pudding for you." ”

"It's really exciting." As Alice walked inside, she said to Hobert on the side, "Count Vincent is a gourmet, especially the strawberries grown on his estate, which are red and sweet. ”

Vincent watched the two of them go in, and always felt that something was wrong, until he greeted the two more guests, and he suddenly thought: Princess Alice's tone tonight is very kind! There is no such thing as a rejection of being thousands of miles away. Uh, or when he spoke to Hobert, the tone was kind.

And Hobert on the other side didn't take it seriously, strawberries, what's the big deal?

He remembered that in the strawberry picking festival in some places before, he could eat as much as he wanted, and he gave two catties when he left.

After chatting with Alice about this topic for a few more words, Hobart realized that strawberries had not been completely domesticated in this era, for the simple reason that strawberries were difficult to grow on a large scale without mulch.

If you want to grow strawberries, you have to build a glass conservatory!

So at this time, the price of strawberries was very high, and only the nobles could eat them.

This gave Hobart another reason to develop the plastics industry as soon as possible.

After seeing the variety of food in the banquet hall, Hobert finally understood why Alice said Vincent was a gourmet.

He had the impression that there was only such an abundance of food at the court ball on April 1st, and the key was that each one was delicious.

For example, Hobert's lamb chops, which he didn't like before, didn't expect to be made so delicious.

In addition, Hobert ate pigeon meat for the first time in Beckland, as well as roast suckling pig charred on the outside and tender on the inside, delicious wild venison, and swan meat, which were more precious to the nobles, such as foie gras and steak, which were second-class foods at this banquet.

And Count Vincent knows how to match food very well, shrimp, crab, fish and other seafood are interspersed with it, as well as fresh vegetable salad, especially the fruit at the banquet, even Alice praised it again and again.

For example, the pineapple, which is not very valuable in Hobert's impression, is shipped from the Rorsted Islands, and it is still delicious and juicy when stored in cold storage until early summer.

To Hobert's surprise, the red and juicy watermelon was also regarded as a very good fruit by the nobles, and Hobert remembered that he used to show off half a watermelon in one morning.

After chatting for a few words, I realized that most of the watermelons at this time were not too sweet, and most of them only had a few melon pulps.

It was then that Hobert realized the importance of agricultural research, and that fruits, which were commonplace in his time, were scarce here.

At the same time, Hobert realized that his understanding of the world was still not detailed enough, and these common senses were only known today.

Or in my previous life, I didn't have access to so many fruits at all, so I didn't notice it.

After the ball begins, Hobert, who has already eaten, asks Alice to do a dance, which makes many people look sideways, because they realize that it seems that it has been a long time since they have seen the princess dance before this social season.

And this social season, this seems to be Alice's second time dancing, and the key is that both times it is with the same person.

At this time, some of the noble ladies began to talk about the fact that they had seen Hobart and the princess at the ball to-day, and it was said that they were still talking happily at the table.

Some of the lords felt that this might be a sign that they had almost lost hope of their marriage to Hobert.

At about eight o'clock in the evening, Hobert handed over the buttons and charms to Cremont in a corner where no one was looking, and his mission for the day was finally completed.

Hobert stepped forward and said to Alice, "Your Highness Princess, Mr. Crémont is here. ”

Alice bowed slightly, she knew that there were some noble ladies around her, and she would not stay by her side after Hobert's task was completed: "We'll talk when we have time." ”

Hobert smiled and nodded, and after nodding to the other ladies, he left the other party where the ladies had gathered.

In the distance, he saw Georgina, who had also come to the ball, so he walked straight over: "Chief Director." ”

Georgina was usually alone at the ball, and she seemed to know what Hobart was trying to say: "According to the rules, there is no official business in public." ”

"Earl ......," said Hobert, beckoning to the sommelier, and the moment he got the wine glass on the tray, it seemed that his hand slipped slightly, and the wine glass fell, and the bright red wine poured out.

Just as the wine was on the ground, Hobert suddenly "distorted" the direction of the wine spill, and the spilled wine actually drew an "L" shape, and part of it splashed on Georgina's evening dress.

Hobert's "performance" was so natural that Georgina was completely unprepared for it, and when she discovered Hobert's intentions, she couldn't completely dodge it.

Only then did Georgina sigh: how could a demigod touch a wine glass because of a slippery hand? But there was really no trace of Hobert's performance, and I didn't even react for a while.

Hobert couldn't help grinning back, and quickly apologized: "Sorry Director, my hand slipped." ”

He said to the waiter, "Please prepare a separate room. ”

This is not uncommon at balls, where waiters bow slightly and invite them to the small reception rooms around the ballroom.

Georgina smiled and shook her head: it is really not a good idea to propose "regulations" to the extraordinary person of the "lawyer" pathway.

Coming to the small reception room, Hobert took the handkerchief handed by the waiter, then closed the door and said, "In the middle of the mission, I realized that the queen had seconded me on her own initiative.

"Why didn't the chief tell me about this?"

Georgina opened Hobert's hand, snatched the towel and bent down to wipe the wine stains on her skirt: "Do you think you work at a newspaper?" Can't you tell everyone you know?

"The nature of our work is secrecy, and I don't allow anyone to violate that!"

Of course, Hobart knew the nature of MI9's work, but in fact, the reason why he questioned Georgina was more to express his attitude.

Sometimes it can put yourself in an extremely dangerous situation just because the other person says a word.

In order to avoid such a thing from happening, of course, it is necessary to warn the other party.

So Hobert spread his hands: "Of course I will keep it secret, but there are some information you should tell me in advance, otherwise I will think it is a betrayal!" ”

"If I had said it, would you have taken that task so happily?" Georgina threw the towel on the chair next to her: "If one day I tell you all the information that should be said and not said, then if nothing else, I should already be in a very bad state."

"Let's have a colleague, if you have a chance, save me."

This is to mean that unless she is out of control, she must do what she does, but after all, we are colleagues, and I will give you some hints.

But because Georgina was the boss, and Hobert had a coercive meaning just now, her tone was very bad, and after she finished speaking, Georgina left the reception room without looking back.

Hobart also went out, he didn't pay much attention to Georgina's words at him, on the contrary, their conversation was very effective, Hobart expressed his attitude, and Georgina explained her attitude.

After coming to Audrey and Glerint, Audrey asked curiously, "Hobert, someone said that you and Princess Alice came in a carriage?" ”

"Yes."

"Why?"

Hobert suddenly discovered a very fucked thing, according to MI9 regulations, the content of his work today was to be kept secret.

So: Why did you come to the ball in a carriage with Princess Alice? Still staying by her side?

Hobert could only answer: confidentiality, or you guess.

This answer is a bit of a "5,000 words omitted here"!

Now he was a little worried, will tonight's events ferment?

(End of chapter)