Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 887: Meeting of Rose General and Ice Empress II

CH887 Meeting of Rose General and Ice Empress II

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“Auntie!”

Megan called out towards the kitchen as she entered the restaurant.

“Megan?”

A slightly old woman, with scattered patches of grey hair, walked out of the kitchen at the back of the order counter.

“You girl are finally here,” she said fondly.

“I am sorry, Auntie. I have been busy. I came as soon as I was done with what I had to do at the castle,” Megan greeted her with a smile and explained.

She moved to hug the old woman.

The grease stains on the woman’s apron didn’t bother her as she hugged the woman nonetheless.

“How’s your mother these days?” the woman asked.

“She’s fine. But she’s been bored. She misses her best friend,” Megan said.

“Her best friend misses her too.” The woman laughed gently. She winked at Megan. “If she’s free, she can always come help me at the restaurant. I would be able to draw up a lot of customers if she just works here for a week.”

Megan chuckled wryly.

Her mother had a busty body and a mature charm that would certainly pull in a crowd for the restaurant.

“I will let her know about your offer when I return,” Megan replied.

“Actually, I will just call her myself,” the old woman said, causing Megan to want to roll her eyes.

The old woman finally noticed the two guests Megan had with her.

A quick glance at Megan told her all she needed to know.

“You are lucky. Your favourite box is free. Go upstairs and I will have someone bring you your meals,” the woman said, nudging Megan towards the stairs.

Then she turned around, folded her sleeves and rolled up her arms as she headed back into the kitchen, clearly intending to prepare a nice meal for Megan and her guests.

Megan led Udara and Zora up the stairs.

Zora found the interaction between Megan and the restaurant owner quite interesting, as it gave her insights into Megan’s nature.

‘She presents separate personas for her private and public life,’ Zora evaluated. She smiled thinly to herself. ‘I guess that’s something we have in common.’

From what she had seen of how Megan had interacted with two people who were arguably close to her, Zora deduced the IronRose was but a shell Megan wore when interacting with people who were not close to her, or people she could not show weakness or her true nature in front of.

In reality, her true nature was that of a simple, down-to-earth lady.

In this vein, it was similar to herself. Zora was an Ice Queen to outsiders, but everyone who knew her true self knew she had a playful personality that liked to tease those around her.

In fact, the more she liked someone, the greater her tendency to tease the person.

Like this, both Zora and Megan shared a commonality in the stark difference between how they treated those close to them and how they interacted with outsiders.

When they got to the private box/room at the far end of the restaurant’s upper floor, Udara didn’t enter the room.

“I will sweep the area and ensure you can speak freely,” she said.

“Don’t worry, this restaurant is secure. I—”

“I insist,” Udara said seriously, cutting Megan off.

Before she knew it, Megan found herself nodding in acceptance.

Udara had left before she recovered from the pleasant surprise of Udara’s boldness and confidence.

“She has really grown.” Megan smiled.

“Indeed she has.” Zora also smiled.

Both women entered the room and sat opposite one another.

Megan had reverted back to her IronRose demeanour, radiating a stoic, commanding presence, while Zora had become the Ice Queen again, putting on a similar but different cold, commanding presence.

One was like a General amongst sheep, while the other was an Empress amongst peasants—both clearly far from ordinary women.

“Thank you for accepting my request for this meeting, Countess Megan,” Zora said.

“Would I be correct to assume the reason you have sought me out is because of Alex?” Megan said straightforwardly.

“You would be correct, Countess.” Zora smiled. “I would like to discuss with you the possibility of marriage between my husband and you, Countess.”

Megan frowned. She gazed at Zora closely, trying to guess what the woman’s intentions were.

“Did Alex send you?” she asked.

“No,” Zora shook her head. “In fact, he has no idea Udara and I are here.”

Megan’s eyebrows furrowed deeper.

“You expect me to believe you are here to discuss a marriage for your husband—a marriage discussion he has no idea about?” she asked.

“Yes,” Zora nodded simply.

“I hope you can understand my confusion and scepticism, Lady Zora. I have never heard of a woman finding another wife for her husband. In fact, I would believe it more if you said you were here to tell me to stay away from your husband,” Megan said.

“If I were an ordinary woman, but more importantly, if my husband were an ordinary man, I might have done that,” Zora admitted with a nod. “But neither he nor I are ordinary. We are nobles.

“As a consequence of our noble birth and/or status, we have been granted many privileges, but at the same time, many responsibilities as well. One of which is the continuation of our bloodline.

“As a member of the Fury Clan, you are well aware that as a scion of the Clan, Alex is bound to take a wife from the Clan—this is inevitable regardless of my feelings. In that case, I would rather he marry someone befitting of his status… someone at my level,” Zora said with a smile.

One could take her smile as an ordinary one, but simultaneously, it could also be a prodding one.

Megan stared at the woman, unable to determine which it was.

Zora continued, “Though you possess a humble background, you’ve become a Saint before thirty, while simultaneously gaining and developing your territory to the level of a County. In addition, you’ve also grown the famous ThornRose Legion.

“With records like these, it wouldn’t be wrong to call you the most eligible spinster in the Fury Clan. Even within the Empire, you will rank high, held back only by your humble birth, which is of no fault of yours.

“You are the quality of woman Alex would be lucky to have, and quite frankly, needs.”

Megan was secretly taken aback.

When Zora admitted to being here due to her circumstances, she felt the woman might be acting begrudgingly. However, from her words and her tone, she sounded quite sincere and genuine in her intention to ‘recruit’ her for Alex.

‘Somehow, I feel both relieved… and defeated,’ Megan thought to herself.

Since she was not sure what to make of the woman before her, she decided to double down on what she had always done.

“You have mentioned my qualities and seem to possess an understanding of my worth. In that case, how can you convince me to give up what I already possess to marry a man who has just come of age and has no qualities to point to?” Megan said.

“You mentioned I am the kind of woman you believe Alex needs, but you have yet to convince me Alex is the kind of man I want, much less need.

“And I should mention that the fact that you are here instead of him has already reduced my impression of him, and my chances of agreeing to this union,” Megan added.

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