The Rose Of The South
Chapter 32: The Bloody Rose

Anna went to Schere with Constanza and the rest of the Red Queen that morning on horseback. Thanks to Louis leading their spies in Schere, which gave them access to the town of Schere without the knowledge of the northerners, their journey went smoothly. Throughout the nearly all-day journey, Anna had to put in a lot of effort to keep herself from running back to Anastasia Palace and staying beside Xavier, waiting for her to open her eyes.

I shouldn't have left him. I should have stayed there.

But there were many people standing guard in the Palace. Even if they hated the Crown Prince of Nordhalbinsel, Queen Isabella had already ordered the Queen's Army to protect Anastasia Palace and guard Xavier. Everyone will obey that command.

He'll be fine. We'll be fine. Anna reassured herself.

His mind was filled with Xavier. And the worst possibilities. His feeling is not good. So he had to ask Constanza to keep him talking about their plans along the way to keep him sane and focused.

Their plan was to make the Nordhalbinsel nobles hear rumors about Princess Schiereiland still alive and about to go to Schiereiland Palace. That's why Louis has been in Schere for the past few days. He spread false rumors, so they solidified the defense at Schiereiland Palace.

Anna had originally planned to go to the Palace, but changing her destination was because of the Red Queen. Instead of going to Schiereiland Palace, he and Constanza would go to the Schere Tower to free the children's slaves.

Anna had previously sent letters to Queen Eleanor via Xavier's eagle. After several letters to each other, Eleanor is willing to help Anna and will use teleportation magic to Schere. Eleanor will also leave one of her bodyguards to disguise herself while she leaves unbeknownst to anyone including Elias and Leon.

Yesterday Eleanor had told Anna to return Ruby's jewel ring to Xavier to speed up her recovery. "Maybe because of the ring. I put his heart core in the ring. He might be disappointed to know you gave him the ring back, but I think it should be done. It concerns his life. I hope you can understand." Eleanor said in one of her letters.

Afterwards, they discussed more about their plans to the Schere Tower.

Anna and Eleanor finally make a deal. Not a Grimoire agreement, just a secret deal between them. Eleanor will come and help Anna free the children's slaves from the Schere Tower at any cost, and in exchange, Eleanor is allowed to tell about Anna and Xavier's whereabouts to the Twin Dragons. Anna needs a powerful enough witch and someone powerful enough for their mission in the Schere Tower. Eleanor needs Anna and Xavier or one of the two to convince the Twin Dragons not to attack Nordhalbinsel.

The sun had already set by the time they reached a tavern called Bloody Rose in Schere. Anna learned of the place from Leon despite having never been there before. Whenever Leon was on vacation, or had some free time at night, he would go to Bloody Rose just to have a drink and meet some of his acquaintances.

"You got a boyfriend there? Don't you go there too often?" Anna protests one night as Leon bids her on the balcony of her room. At that time he was still sixteen years old so if he wanted to, and if he was desperate to go out of the Palace, he would not be allowed to go to the tavern because he had not reached adulthood.

"Have." Answer Leon directly.

"What's his name?"

"Sugar."

Anna was really struggling. Hope Leon continues his words, that it's just a joke. But it's really a girl's name. And that name is very common in Schiereiland. Anna was trying to remember which noble daughter had the name Carina. Or maybe not royalty. Anna knew Leon was not the type to discriminate between commoners and nobles so there was a possibility that Leon actually dated a girl from among the common people.

"Oh... Apparently so. She's beautiful?" tanyanya. Tried hard not to sound concerned, but he failed. In his heart he cursed himself. Stupid question. The girl could make a Leon glance at her, of course the girl must be beautiful!

Leon raised his eyebrows. "Your Majesty... You don't really think I have a boyfriend, do you?"

"Why not? You are popular. Many like you."

"You really think there's someone? With all my busyness? And my schedule's almost twenty-four hours a day with you?"

Anna was silent.

Then Leon laughed. And go. For the first time in her life, Anna wanted to yell at him.

When Leon returned a few minutes later, he brought something with him. A bottle filled with a deep red liquid that Anna believed was definitely wine. But Anna had not known liquor at the time. Leon puts the bottle in front of Anna.

"Your Highness Princess Anastasia.introduce, this is the love of my life, Carina." Said Leon. Anna's face immediately flushed red, as red as Carina, the red wine in the bottle. Carina is a brand of wine produced by the Bloody Rose store and has been sold to the outside of Schiereiland because of its unique taste. Anna knew that, but she forgot. "It's pretty, isn't it?" Leon held back a laugh. But then it failed.

Anna looked at him with pity, shaking her head. "You're pathetic." But then he laughed too. Laughter relieved to know she had just been jealous of a bottle of wine. Know that he was just being childish. Of course she knew Leon never had time to date. Time for himself alone was almost non-existent, so once he had time for himself Leon would go to Bloody Rose for a drink. Leon was almost always with him if he wasn't going to war or state affairs with King Edward, so he might have had time to meet a girl. "Go." Said Anna. "Meet someone. Anybody. You really need to socialize so you don't get married to a bottle of wine."

"Said a princess who never went out of the Palace and socialized." Reply Leon.

"I've been socializing."

"Dating with Lady Constanza Smirnoff cannot be called socializing, Your Majesty."

"I've been out of the palace." Anna Protest.

"France's residence is just as much a part of the Palace." Knowing that discussing the Francis— family that was predicted would be a mess with the royal family—can upset Anna, Leon hurriedly switched the topic. "You wanna come?"

Anna could not hide her surprise. "I'm not old enough!"

"You are the King's daughter, Your Majesty. You can change that rule if you want. No one will know anyway." He smiled in jail before adding, "Isn't the rules there to be broken?"

The offer was so tempting. Sneaking out of the Palace late at night and trying alcoholic beverages. Anna knows she'll be safe from going out with Leon. So there's nothing for him to worry about. But Anna refused it. Not because he didn't want to, but because he wanted Leon to have time for himself. "Happy do. Give my regards to Carina."

Leon smile. "I'll tell you, Your Majesty." Leon looked down respectfully at her, then jumped down from the balcony towards her rose garden. It was her usual practice, so Anna was no longer surprised.

Anna watched him from the balcony of her room. But before Leon actually left, he turned to face her. "If you change your mind, Bloody Rose is right at the end of the second turn of St. Road. Jose. There was a rose symbol dripping blood onto the wine glass above his door. The place looks small, but the inside is spacious and nice. You're gonna love that place. You just tell someone named Riz that you know me, you'll be allowed in no matter how old you are. The owner of the place was practically close to me."

Anna just proved it. Anna sends a letter to Louis to find Bloody Rose. Louis manages to meet the owner and deliver a secret message from Anna. Bloody Rose's owner, Riz, immediately replied to the letter and allowed him to use his tavern as their gathering place. After that, they send each other letters and Riz tells about himself and how he got to know Leon.

Riz is from Westeria. He came from a famous noble family, the youngest of seven brothers. His father and mother were quite famous in Westeria and he was sent to learn swordsmanship when he was 12 years old. That's when he met Leon. He had just entered while Leon was almost done studying the mysterious Westeria Sword Expert. Despite only meeting for less than a year, they were quite close. One day when Riz is about to graduate, Riz visits Schiereiland on vacation to see Leon. At that time he did not know that Leon was the adopted son of King Schiereiland and lived in the Palace because Leon introduced himself as an orphan. Riz was also constrained by language because he was not fluent in Schiereiland at that time. So she had a hard time meeting Leon and ended up meeting Diana who was working as an interpreter. Diana helps him, and since then Riz falls in love with her. Riz breaks away from his family, discards his noble title, moves to Schiereiland, builds a tavern and marries Diana.

Riz may be the same age as Leon, but Riz is married and has two cute and cute daughters. Two-year-old Camilla and eight-month-old Estelle. The wife, Diana, is a beautiful and gentle young woman who is the same age as Anna. He's the one who opened the door for Anna, Constanza and the rest of the Red Queen. As she looked at Diana with her friendly smile and her eyes that seemed to sparkle happily as she looked at her children, Anna inexplicably felt envious. She had always dreamed of a simple family life like that of Diana. But he knows he can't. Leon refused it. Anna wanted to respect her decision and stop pursuing her.

Red Queen members stand guard around the tavern and at the entrance while Anna and Constanza follow Diana towards the basement, a place Riz invites them to use as a gathering place.

Unlike the interior of Bloody Rose's tavern on the ground floor, when setting foot into the basement in question, Anna was reminded that Riz was somehow the son of a Westeria nobleman.

The basement was similar to the interior of a noble residence. The marble floor is lined by green velvet carpet, sturdy cement walls covered with paint and foliage patterned wallpaper. The gold-plated fountain stands firmly in the center of the room. In addition, there were luxurious crystal chandeliers, as well as various other luxurious furnishings that could only be found in the home of a Westerian nobleman. The entire underground interior was filled with Westeria's distinctive colors, green and gold. Even the room had a fragrance like a flower garden. Anyone who walked into that basement would definitely forget that they were underground.

"Oh, Princess Anastasia! And, uh... The famous Lady Constanza Smirnoff. Welcome!" Sapa Riz from her couch when she sees Anna and Constanza coming. He hurriedly stood up and lowered his head respectfully, but did not remove the wine glass from any of his hands. "It is an honor to welcome Your Majesty here. Come, please sit."

"Thank you." Said Anna. Constanza just sat quietly looking at Riz with a suspicious look.

Anna looked at the host. Riz does sound like a Schiereiland guy, but he definitely looks like a Westeria guy with dark skin and unusual eye color. His eyes were like Amethyst jewels. Eyes that Anna had also seen on her daughters—Camilla and Estelle.

"My dear, sit over here." Riz said to Diana when his wife was just going back upstairs. "Let Camilla and Estelle play on top with those female soldiers—members of the Red Queen, I mean."

Diana then sat down beside Riz and poured wine for all of them including for herself. "Your Majesty don't have to worry, we won't poison the wine." Diana said, referring to those words for Constanza who seemed to still suspect them. Anna trusted them, so without hesitation, she drank the wine she had poured for her. Anna understood why Leon liked Carina so much and why the packaged wine was so popular outside of Schiereiland.

"So, where's Leon?" Ask Riz.

Anna is not ready for the question, but Riz is Leon's friend. That question was natural to ask him. So Anna simply answered as she was, "He's in Nordhalbinsel."

"May I—I—wait, we can talk more casually right?"

"Rize!" Diana rebuked her husband. Staring at him.

Riz raised next to his eyebrows. "What?"

"It's okay. I'd rather we could talk more casually." Said Anna.

Riz seemed satisfied with the words. He smiled showing off at his wife, while Diana rolled her eyes. Riz turned back to Anna and asked, "So, why is Leon in enemy territory?"

Constanza beside Anna looked stiff. But he's still keeping a quiet eye. Let Anna talk to Riz.

Constanza knows, of course. Anna's telling. And he was furious when he found out Leon was in Nordhalbinsel to study magic on Eleanor Winterthur and to break Selena's magic on Queen Irene. Those words still ring in Anna's head, "Why did she even go there and leave you here in danger with that person!" Constanza still refers to Xavier as 'the man' as if reluctant to mention his name let alone his title. It was as if what his arrows had done to Xavier was still not enough. Of course Anna understood how hard it was for Constanza to accept the fact that Xavier really intended to help them.

Anna cleared her throat, "Leon's on business."

"And he left you, the most important person in his life, for that matter? It must be a war or an apocalypse."

Anna frowned confused. "What do you mean?"

Riz seemed to know something, as he then placed his wine glass and propped his chin with one hand on the table, looking at Anna up close. It was as if he was figuring out what was hidden from Anna's words. "You don't need to keep anything a secret, Your Majesty. Leon has told me a lot about you. I know quite a lot."

"really?" Anna could not hide her surprise. But he hurriedly regained his senses and kept his tone calm. "What did he tell you, sir..."

"Riz only. I've been throwing away my last name for a long time until I forget myself, until Camilla and Estelle use Diana's surname."

Anna glanced at Diana who seemed to have absolutely no objection to it.

"Well, Riz, what do you know?"

Riz then smiled. Not a friendly smile. It was the kind of opening smile for a secret story he was about to unravel. Anna realizes that Riz's nature is very different from Leon's. Leon only talks a lot when with people he has known for a long time, while Riz likes to talk to anyone even to people he just met. If not knowing from her letters that Riz was from Westeria, Anna would have thought Riz was really a Schiereiland because her Schiereiland language was so fluent. Anna finds it hard to believe that Riz initially met Diana due to Schiereiland's language difficulties while trying to find Leon several years ago.

Riz turned to his wife, his gaze full of love, "My dear, do you remember? When he comes here at night when our shop is closed. If it's not wrong it's the night before Princess Anastasia gets engaged to Duke Francis."

Anna remembered that night. He wanted Leon to be by his side at that time, to accompany him chatting all night because he couldn't sleep that night. But Leon wasn't anywhere in the Palace. Leon went to Bloody Rose.

"He drank a lot. It usually doesn't get that way." Diana said. "Usually he came here to drink enough, not to get drunk, and chatted with Riz until late. But that night he was really drunk."

"I told him to stop the engagement. But he said your fiancee was a good and perfect man. Oh, ex-fiancee now? I heard Duke Francis is married to another woman. I'm sorry if my words hurt your heart, Your Majesty, though I'm sure you're not hurt." Riz turned back to his wife. "My dear, do you remember what I said to her back then?"

"If you like it so much, you're a moron to come here! Better tell him before he's actually engaged to that Perfect Master. Why even come here! Quickly return to the Palace!" Diana imitated Riz perfectly. They are really made for each other.

Riz continued, "Then, half-circumcised, he said, 'He is my brother. I don't like it that way. Your Majesty and I are not like that. Anyway I can what? They are a perfect and perfect couple. A princess of the king with a Duke. They fit in perfectly.' Then he fell asleep in the chair. Or maybe fainting from drinking mostly." Riz shook his head remembering it. "Basic fool. He doesn't understand his own feelings. He knows nothing about love because he is never close to anyone. And if I may guess from your current expression, Your Majesty, that friend of mine must not have expressed his feelings for you."

"It." Answer Anna directly. "But he rejected me twice."

"alright. He's a fool." Comment Riz who then again downed his wine.

"But he's a smart student." It was the voice of a woman with a northern accent that Anna was very familiar with. The way he talks is similar to Xavier. They all turned to the source of the voice. A dark brown haired girl with gray eyes and a simple dress as her gray eyes color had just entered the room. They all didn't recognize her, especially with such commoner clothes, but Anna knew her even though she was undercover. She did look like a commoner girl, but that way of talking, that way of walking, even her way of breathing, actually looked flawlessly graceful, reflecting a noble with a high standing. The girl was too beautiful that even her disguise could not really hide her true facial beauty. The girl looked at everything in the room with a haughty look. Not because he was arrogant, but he always looked like that. Then he continued, "He is also quick to learn and strong-willed. For matters of his own feelings, if judged by the talk I just accidentally heard, I must agree with your opinion, Mr. Arizona Navarro."

Anna was the first to stand up to greet him. He looked down to pay his respects to the newly arrived girl. "Greet my respects to Queen Nordhalbinsel."

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