After Defeat, the Empress’s Negotiating Chip Turns Out to Be Me

Chapter 116

116~ A Close Call~

Very quickly, after meticulous "dressing up," the group arrived at Scarlet City's East Gate.

Here stood a long queue, extending from the city gate entrance almost to the street intersection. All were people waiting to leave the city. Most of these people were merchants, nobles, and travelers. Among them were also mixed a small number of commoners. Refugees weren't seen, indicating at least the Empress governed the nation quite well.

If it were normally, there fundamentally wouldn't be such a long queue. Almost all would simply be inspected briefly then released.

"Next."

After waiting who knows how long, the little Princess was called by the soldier ahead before reacting. Nina pulled the horse toward the inspection point.

"What are you going out to do? Where are you going?"

The soldier asked sternly.

"Our miss is going outside to do some business, going to Glaze Nation to do business."

"Glaze Nation?"

Upon hearing they were going to Glaze Nation, the inspecting soldier immediately called over other soldiers to assist with the inspection.

"Hey you, everyone on the carriage get down and accept inspection!"

The little Princess and Ainomi had no choice but to obediently comply, getting down from the carriage to accept the soldiers' inspection.

"Captain, Captain, what's wrong?"

"This merchant convoy is heading to Glaze Nation. Take them below for a thorough inspection. Best to call a mage with stronger abilities to properly inspect this group."

His intuition from many years told him this group definitely had problems. Claiming to go to Glaze Nation to do business, yet not pulling even a bit of cargo. If saying they were going to stock up on goods, they also didn't see any gold coins being pulled.

"Understood, I'll arrange it immediately."

Before long, the group was brought before a small room. The mage inside was inspecting the previous batch of people who hadn't finished yet.

However, the problem wasn't big. As long as it wasn't a super perverted Great Archmage like the Empress, they fundamentally couldn't see any clues. Even Archmages, she was fearless!

In any case, Xuan guaranteed to her that below Great Archmage level, they absolutely couldn't detect her manipulation techniques. This kind of magic power manipulation technique was unique to her, or rather unique to her lineage...

Of course, this didn't refer to bloodline. Specifically which lineage it referred to was unknown.

After waiting a while, the people inside came out. It was their turn.

"You all wait a moment. The mage needs to change shifts."

"Change shifts?"

The little Princess was somewhat puzzled. However, it also seemed fine. Mages weren't machines. Anyone would get tired. Changing shifts was also normal.

The little Princess asked Nina for a bottle of water and drank a mouthful to calm herself. However, she very quickly couldn't calm down...

"Pfft!"

The water in her mouth sprayed all over the ground. The little Princess already couldn't help but want to curse. But the memory of being a princess for over a dozen years told her she absolutely couldn't curse in front of others!

"Hmm? Is there a problem? Do you have any objections to our inspection?"

"No, no..."

The little Princess said with forced composure, but her complexion already appeared somewhat pale.

"Alright, if there's no problem, then enter one by one."

The captain pulled over a chair from the side and sat on it, crossing his legs.

"Miss, what's wrong?"

Taking advantage of the gap while the adventurer team went in first to be inspected and the three of them were last, Nina hurriedly stepped forward to ask.

She felt the current little Princess seemed like she'd lost her soul, as if encountering some natural enemy.

"Just now that mage..."

"That mage?"

"...Is the Head Maid of the Scarlet Maid Corps exclusively serving the Empress—Red Leaf!!!"

"The Head Maid of the Scarlet Maid Corps!?"

Nina was extremely shocked. If it weren't for the fact that the little Princess and their whereabouts these past few days had completely not been exposed, she'd suspect the Empress specifically dispatched people to capture the little Princess and bring her back...

The little Princess's heart was uneasy. Fortunately, although they entered the room individually for inspection, they could still see the situation inside from the window outside.

Red Leaf was seen carefully and thoroughly inspecting each person, activating her own magic power to try scattering the disguise on the inspected person's face. After discovering there was no disguise, she'd use magic power to probe slightly then directly move to the next person.

"Next!"

Very quickly it was the last person in the adventurer team's turn. Just at this time, a problem was detected during the inspection.

"Oh? May I ask what this gentleman's intention is in using magic to conceal his own appearance?"

Red Leaf asked with interest.

With great difficulty it was finally her turn to inspect. Of course she had to inspect thoroughly.

"To be honest, my face was burned and disfigured. I don't want others to see my original face."

The one detected using magic to conceal their original appearance was a Great Mage in the team. However, because what was said was entirely true, they were directly released.

Next was the three's turn...

Nina and Ainomi were smoothly released. Only the little Princess remained.

"Hurry and come over."

Red Leaf beckoned to the little Princess.

With an uneasy heart, under everyone's gazes, the little Princess stood before Red Leaf to accept inspection.

"Mm... this child is a bit special~"

A bit special...? What does that mean? Could it be she noticed?

The little Princess didn't dare imagine her life after being captured and brought back...

She was stimulated by Ye Zixin, wanting to pursue freedom, which was why she escaped. If captured and brought back, then her own wings would be broken, right? At that time, the caged bird would forever be unable to fly.

Red Leaf used a bit of force to rub the little Princess's little cheeks.

"Very soft and very cute~"

"Haha..."

By the looks of it, there should be no problem?

She'd already tried her utmost to prevent the magic power on her face from being scattered, and forcibly restricted the magic power's activity, making the mage's perception of the magic power here more difficult.

"There's no problem either. However, you're so cute. Do you mind if I pinch you a bit?"

Red Leaf asked with a beaming smile.

Is this normal? If one hadn't seen Red Leaf, they'd definitely think it was very normal. But she knew Red Leaf absolutely couldn't be this drawn out, even wanting to pinch her. Red Leaf under normal circumstances was all business, absolutely wouldn't let a small matter affect her work!

"Princess Mo is truly not careful~"

Red Leaf leaned close to her ear, saying softly in a voice only the two could hear.

As expected, she'd already been seen through? The thing she worried about most ultimately still came...

"So what exactly is Princess Mo thinking? Coming out carrying Her Majesty the Empress's ring."

If it weren't for the little Princess's body still carrying the Magic Space Ring the Empress bestowed, she truly wouldn't be able to tell this little loli before her eyes was her dear Princess Mo.

"This..."

"Alright, Princess Mo need not say much. Red Leaf won't detain Princess Mo here. Red Leaf just needs to properly confirm your condition."

No helping it. Princess Mo was sometimes truly somewhat adorably dumb. Actually wearing the ring Her Majesty the Empress bestowed to pass inspection. If the Empress were here, she'd probably find a place on the spot to handle her!

What happened afterward, the little Princess also couldn't remember. She only knew after coming out, she'd already been rubbed until she couldn't distinguish whether it was natural blushing or rosiness rubbed out.

A close call... She didn't expect she'd actually just be released like this? This was simply like being in a dream!