Chapter 133 - Very Generous (2/2)

She returned to Blaise's side brushing away tears. He jumped to his feet immediately. ”What happened? What is wrong?”

With a shake of her head she pasted on a brave attempt at a smile. ”Nothing. The queen was very generous with her time and told me everything I wanted to know. She even offered me a horse and gave me a letter to give to my sister.”

A brief look of confusion crossed his face. ”Then why are you crying?”

”Because she had such a hard time here all alone!” Abby sobbed, finally losing it at the slightest show of sympathy.

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Blaise was taken aback at the sight of her tears. His sisters were all much older than him so he didn't have much experience comforting weepy women. He hesitantly reached out to pat her shoulder, at a loss.

This entire incident in the palace didn't make sense. How did her sister, who had married a member of the Kanta clan, know both the king and queen of Annalaias? They had both called her by the diminutive form of her name.

It hit him like a bolt of lightning. The young leader of the Kanta clan had been raised as the third prince of Annalaias. So the woman supposedly behind all of the innovation in the Kanta region was Abby's beloved sister?!

Well, she had said her sister was smart. Smart indeed. She had revolutionized a people known for being backward and stuck in their own history without causing any riots.

But wasn't the wife of the Kanta leader supposed to be a noblewoman from Annalaias? How could she possibly be related to this foreigner from a faraway kingdom?

Blaise didn't know what to think, especially when Abby's sobs became more forceful. He didn't want to overstep his bounds but the only thing he could think of that might comfort her was a hug. That was how his sisters calmed down their crying children.

He gathered her up in his arms and her sobs quieted into hiccups after a while. It seemed to be working.

”Please do not cry,” he said softly. ”You will see your sister soon.”

Abby frantically swiped at her cheeks and gave him a watery smile. ”About three or four more weeks on the road from what I heard. The mountains are on the other side of the country.”

A knot formed in the pit of his stomach when Blaise was reminded of how little time they had left together. She would stay with the Kanta and he would go back to Shibatsu. Then what? Traveling would not be nearly as interesting without her around.