Chapter 136 - 63: Arrival at Ovis

Chapter 136: Chapter 63: Arrival at Ovis

Currying favor with Lilia and finding ways to forge an alliance with her—Colin wasn’t the only one with this idea.

It was true that the King had entrusted the task of receiving Lilia to Colin, but that didn’t mean the other Princes had completely lost their chance.

They had their own channels of information. On the day Lilia officially arrived in Ovis, they all dressed to the nines and gathered at Adrian Port in the east.

Even Lucian had come!

Colin looked at the brothers around him. Outwardly, his expression remained impassive, but in reality, he was grinding his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.

These guys... they wouldn’t even try to hide it. Right in front of him, they made it explicitly clear that they were trying to poach his prize.

Naturally, Colin couldn’t let them have their way.

Taking advantage of the fact that it would still be a while before the *Conqueror* docked, Colin forced a fake smile and said, "Is everyone here to welcome the Princess of the Light Kingdom?"

"Yes," one of his brothers replied with a serene expression. "She is an honored guest from a neighboring country, after all. It is only right that we receive her with the highest etiquette."

"But Royal Father has already entrusted the task of receiving the Princess to me."

"That is true, but Princess Lilia is the Crown Prince of the Light Kingdom, after all. If you were the only one to welcome her, Second Brother, wouldn’t that be a little inappropriate?"

What did he mean, inappropriate? Colin seethed inwardly.

He was the future Crown Prince of Ovis. For him to receive the Crown Prince of the Light Kingdom was the most appropriate arrangement possible. Instead, it was these guys who were dragging down his prestige. They might even invoke the Princess’s displeasure.

At this thought, the look Colin directed at the others grew inexplicably hostile. And this hostility abruptly burned even brighter when he noticed Lucian.

He could overlook the others, who barely qualified as his competitors... but what was *he* doing here? Did he actually think Princess Lilia would take a liking to him?

He was nothing but a piece of trash who had cowered in the Lien Kingdom for over a decade just to avoid being killed. Did he really think that spending some time in Ovis would make a nation’s Crown Prince view him in a different light?

Even when Colin had hired assassins to kill him, it was only because he couldn’t stand seeing someone who was supposed to have died by his hands appear before him again; it wasn’t because he genuinely considered Lucian a threat. If that weren’t the case, Colin wouldn’t have blatantly approached Lucian to provoke him to his face.

...Wait.

Although Colin didn’t think Lucian had contributed much to Ovis during the previous war, it was an indisputable fact that he had led troops to their aid when Ovis was in peril.

Princess Lilia’s sudden, unannounced visit... could it really be for him?!

It was impossible. Absolutely impossible! Colin repeatedly denied the thought as he quietly moved toward Lucian.

The others noticed his movements and couldn’t help but pay closer attention. Evidently, they harbored similar suspicions.

"Lucian," Colin said, stopping beside him. "Speaking of which, when you led troops to support Light last year, you must have met Princess Lilia."

Pushing down the myriad of speculations swirling in his mind, Colin probed in the calmest tone he could muster, "What kind of person do you think she is?"

Lucian turned to look at him, his emerald eyes resembling translucent jade under the sunlight.

Only then did Colin notice that Lucian was exceptionally good-looking. Especially today, he had clearly dressed up for the occasion. He wore a pure white suit, and his short blond hair was as dazzling as the sun.

Even though they were brothers, Lucian’s facial features possessed a uniquely gentle and warm quality. Even Colin, standing right in front of him, had to admit that he had an incredibly captivating face.

Colin cursed inwardly and quietly bumped Lucian’s threat Level up a notch.

Lucian seemed oblivious to the wariness in his brother’s eyes. "I have indeed met her.

"As for what kind of person she is..."

He paused for a moment, as if lost in thought. The surrounding air fell silent for several seconds alongside him.

Colin and the others held their breath, waiting quietly for his answer.

Lucian chuckled softly. "I think it’s better to confirm such things with your own eyes."

A dead, absolute silence fell over them. Colin hadn’t expected him to give such an answer at all.

His first reaction was dissatisfaction, feeling that Lucian was brushing him off. But then he reconsidered... perhaps it was a good thing that Lucian couldn’t give a specific answer. After all, this indicated that Lucian and Princess Lilia weren’t actually close. The "meeting" he mentioned probably just meant they had fought together on the battlefield as comrades against the Demons.

At this thought, Colin’s mood finally lifted slightly.

He forced a couple of laughs to echo the sentiment. "You’re right. Letting an unfamiliar person judge might actually lead to misconceptions.

"If you truly want to understand someone, it’s naturally better to interact with them personally."

In the distance, a massive cruise ship gradually sailed into view.

Colin immediately ended the meaningless conversation. He subconsciously straightened his collar and took his place at the very front of the welcoming party.

As the vessel drew closer to the port, the crowd could finally make out the situation on the deck. Under the dazzling sunlight, a slender figure stood tall.

It was a very young woman, looking to be in her early twenties. She wore a pure white riding habit, and her long black hair was tied high in a ponytail.

The fully tied-back hairstyle didn’t diminish the exquisite perfection of her facial features in the slightest. Instead, it added a valiant and formidable aura to her, making her look like a heroic Knight, or perhaps a King seated high upon a throne.

Under the watchful eyes of Colin and the others, the *Conqueror* slowly docked. The young woman descended the gangway, her heavy military boots landing on the metal plating and producing a dull, rhythmic sound.

Unconsciously, Colin, who stood at the very front, swallowed hard. He suddenly realized that his preconceived notions about the Princess had been completely wrong all along.

Because she was so young and a woman, Colin had subconsciously used his younger sisters as a benchmark. He thought she would be the type of little girl who loved wearing pretty dresses, always wore a sweet and adorable smile, and would obediently listen to whatever he said.

But he had overlooked one thing... this Princess was also a Crown Prince.

She was a well-deserved future King who had genuinely led troops into battle and garnered the support of a multitude of Nobles through her iron-fisted politics.

Facing her, Colin actually felt a hint of pressure. It was a feeling he usually only experienced when facing his Royal Father.

However, instead of making Colin back down, this hint of pressure only made him more thrilled.

...This was exactly what he wanted! Reaching a mountain peak with ease held no challenge. Only by accomplishing what ordinary people could not could he truly demonstrate his capability and value.

Colin took a deep breath and stepped forward. "It is a great pleasure to meet you, Princess Lilia."

He placed a hand over his chest and bowed respectfully. "My name is Colin Reinhardt. Welcome to Ovis.

"Your accommodations have already been arranged. If you don’t mind, allow me to escort you there..."

Before he could even finish speaking, Colin suddenly realized that the young woman in front of him wasn’t looking at him at all.

He froze for a moment, then followed her gaze. At the end of her line of sight stood a pristine white figure—blond-haired, emerald-eyed, and standing tall.

...She was looking at Lucian.