Grand Duchess Anastasia, of course, was only thirteen or fourteen years old. At such an innocent and pure age, she was left speechless by this turn of events.
The girl's face flushed a deep red, spreading like a fine, crystalline dye under Lu Kang's gaze. She was stunned, then stunned again. Her silver-white hair lifted gently in the warm breeze pouring in from the high windows. Finally, the princess snapped back to reality. Thinking she had hidden her identity so well, only to be exposed in an instant, she decided to throw caution to the wind.
"Th-That's right," she stammered. "I am Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova!"
What a long name, Lu Kang thought. It seemed this little princess had likely snuck out without her family's permission; otherwise, she wouldn't be so flustered upon her identity being discovered. However, he didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked at the scattered books on the floor and said with a smile, "So, Your Highness, do you need a hand?"
The girl rubbed the slightly swollen part of her ankle. She hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. Her ankle was sprained. She clearly couldn't stand up.
Just as Anastasia thought Lu Kang would extend a hand to help her up, he instead reached to the nearby bookshelf and, from the gap between two books, pulled out a crutch and handed it to her.
"Please."
"..."
Seriously, why would there be something like this in a library?
"Are you wondering why?" Lu Kang saw the girl take the crutch with a look of astonishment. He spread his hands. "Of course, it's because there are too many clumsy girls like Your Highness."
"Have other girls come here?" Anastasia couldn't help but feel curious. Then she realized—"Wait, who are you calling clumsy?"
Indeed, not only clumsy but also a bit dense! Lu Kang smiled without responding. As the palace's library, the Kremlin Library was, of course, not open to the public. The only ones who could come were members of the royal family. Should I tell you that your mother, the dear Tsarina of the empire, has also fallen like this before?
"Hmm... I feel like you're thinking something bad about me." A hint of confusion appeared in the youngest princess's clear, blue-green eyes, but she didn't dwell on it. Leaning on the crutch, she shakily supported herself and stood up. "Um... you're the librarian here, right?" she asked, a little hesitant. But after he nodded, she took a deep breath as if she had made up her mind.
"Then can you tell me... where His Eminence Lu Kang is?"
Lu Kang had already guessed it—he knew the three imperial princesses were quite curious about him. However, Nicholas II wouldn't let them rashly offend the 'sage' without his permission, so they hadn't met until now.
As she voiced her thoughts, Anastasia glanced around at the vast interior of the library, which was surrounded by towering bookshelves like giants. The sunlight illuminated the dust motes brightly, but aside from the mahogany shelves, there were only books, not a single other person in sight. This place was like a maze. If not for that, she wouldn't have tried to climb higher, thinking a better vantage point would help her see more clearly, and consequently fallen and injured herself! She clearly had not expected the handsome, slender youth before her to be the 'Eminence' she was looking for!
"So, you snuck out, hiding from the palace staff, just to meet this 'Lu Kang' you speak of?" Lu Kang found it amusing.
"Of course—Father greatly admires His Eminence Lu Kang. He often praises His Eminence's greatness, sanctity, and holiness in front of us. I think His Eminence must be a true sage, an apostle of God. I imagine he must be tall and majestic, with thirty-six pairs of wings, just like it's recorded in the Bible..."
Wouldn't that make me Cthulhu? Lu Kang found the girl's rambling more and more amusing. But perhaps it was because of this unrealistic image that she didn't realize the youth before her was the Lu Kang she spoke of.
"Wait." Then Anastasia realized she had misspoken again. "Who told you I snuck out?"
"You told me, of course," Lu Kang said, pointing to his eyes.
Anastasia subconsciously touched her own eyes.
"See? You just admitted it, didn't you?" he added.
The princess realized she had been 'tricked' again! "You meanie..." she mumbled, wisely choosing not to argue further. Perhaps it was her personality or habit, but even at this point, she showed none of the usual haughty, commanding air of a princess.
"Do you... or do you not know where His Eminence Lu Kang is?" she asked, changing the subject to feign composure. Free from her embarrassment for a moment, Anastasia puffed out her cheeks. Leaning on her crutch, the princess stood straight, the fluffy hem of her dress swaying. The snow-white angelic goose-down shimmered in the sunlight, her chest rose and fell, and her red lips parted, about to say more...
Lu Kang was about to say that of course, he knew—but before he could speak, a voice came from behind the princess.
"Your Eminence Lu Kang, I have sorted the books you requested." A man in a butler's uniform emerged from the other side of the bookshelves. He was the actual librarian, and he was being very respectful to Lu Kang.
Lu Kang, who in a way could also be considered a librarian, didn't feel like he had deceived Anastasia. After all, who made the rule that there could only be one? So he just nodded and said, "Thank you for your trouble."
Anastasia froze. She glanced at the man with her clear, blue-green eyes, then back at the youth before her. As if realizing something, her fair face, which had not yet fully recovered, was once again suffused with a deep blush.
"Y-You... you're Lu Kang?" she stammered again.
"What a shame," Lu Kang said teasingly. "I was hoping—that I could hide it a little longer, to hear more about what kind of strange creature I am in Your Highness's mind!"
It's over. The princess thought to herself. She carefully reviewed her actions just now. She had acted like a country girl, completely without the dignity a princess should have. This was a huge embarrassment!
...
[You watch as Anastasia's expression goes from stunned to blushing, and finally, she flees in embarrassment—completely forgetting her sprained ankle. You can't help but find it amusing. You think that this will surely leave a deep enough impression on the princess. Your goal of establishing friendly relations with every member of the court to lay the groundwork for future political interference is slowly being achieved.]
[At the same time, you lament that youth is wonderful, even though you yourself are not old.]
[This is your first meeting with the last princess of the empire, the first encounter between the 'nation-toppling demon' and the 'flawless princess'. You recall the historical records about this Princess Anastasia, remembering the young girl defined by many as 'innocent' among the executed family of Nicholas II.]
[You also feel it is a great pity.]
[That night, you hear from the servants that Anastasia was reprimanded by Nicholas II for trespassing in the library.]
[The next day, Nicholas II visits. You briefly tell the last Tsar not to blame Anastasia. For you, it was a trivial matter, and the girl's sudden intrusion did indeed add some amusement to your day.]
[Nicholas II strokes his beard and agrees, nodding. He looks at your face and, as if suddenly thinking of something, reveals a meaningful smile. He tells you some things about Anastasia, which surprises you somewhat.]
[During the chat, Nicholas II conveniently invites you to a palace ball two days later.]
[You do not refuse. You also feel it is time to go out and interact with more members of the royal family and nobles to further solidify your future plans.]
[And so, on the morning two days later, you don your priest's robes and, dressed for the occasion, head to the palace banquet.]
[Nicholas II, with his wife, Tsarina Alexandra, have been waiting for you at the palace gate for a long time.]
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