Once the carriage came to a complete stop, the door slowly opened from the outside.
Sirius's face appeared at the entrance, her expression still bright with lingering excitement.
She gave a flawless maid's salute before speaking with respectful composure.
"Master, Head Maid, we have arrived at the Royal Dormitory."
Belfast stood first, lifting her skirt gracefully as she stepped down from the carriage with refined elegance.
Turning back, she extended a hand toward Jun Hao.
"Master, please."
Jun Hao smiled faintly and took her hand, allowing her to guide him down from the carriage.
The moment he stepped onto the finely polished stone tiles of the Royal Dormitory grounds, he stopped.
Before him, a long red carpet stretched from the dormitory entrance all the way to his feet.
On both sides stood rows of Shipgirls dressed in maid uniforms.
They stood perfectly straight, hands folded neatly before them. Though they tried to maintain discipline, excitement still flickered across their faces as every pair of eyes locked onto a single figure.
The gathering wasn't limited to the Maid Corps. In the distance, numerous Royal Navy members who'd caught wind of his arrival had assembled as well.
Warspite, Hood, Illustrious, Formidable. Those familiar and beautiful figures now stood quietly among the crowd, greeting their Commander in their own silent way. [1]
The entire scene carried a sense of grandeur and solemn dignity, reflecting the elegance unique to the Royal Navy.
Jun Hao slowly scanned the familiar faces filled with excitement until his gaze finally stopped at the petite figure standing at the very front.
Queen Elizabeth.
-QUEEN ELIZABETH-[1]
Today, she wasn't dressed in the magnificent attire that symbolized the majesty of the Royal family.
Instead, she wore a blue and white maid uniform. Unlike the more figure-accentuating uniforms worn by Belfast and the others, this one featured a skirt decorated with layers of lace and delicate bows.
On Elizabeth's petite frame, the outfit looked surprisingly fitting, highlighting her small stature and delicate charm.
Her face remained tense as she tried to maintain her regal composure. Yet the faint redness on her cheeks and the way her small hand gripped her scepter gave away the nervous anticipation hidden within her heart.
A smile born purely from being struck by cuteness spread across Jun Hao's face.
He opened his mouth, ready to offer the most heartfelt compliments about the Queen's devastatingly adorable outfit. But Elizabeth beat him to it.
"Hmph!" She turned her face slightly away, adopting what she clearly believed was an authoritative tone, though to Jun Hao's ears it rang with nothing but endearing stubbornness. "I... I didn't dress like this for a servant like you! Don't go getting any weird ideas!"
Those perfectly classic tsundere words only made Jun Hao's smile grow wider.
Watching the Queen's adorable attempt to hide her happiness, an overwhelming urge rose within him.
He wanted nothing more than to step forward and pull this tiny tsundere Queen into a tight embrace. His hands even lifted halfway on instinct before stopping in midair.
But Elizabeth was the Queen of the Royal Navy.
If she acted spoiled like this in front of everyone, would it damage her reputation?
While Jun Hao hesitated, Elizabeth, who had just turned her head away, had already turned back at some point.
Her beautiful blue eyes stared straight at him without blinking. Then, under Jun Hao's surprised gaze, Elizabeth slowly and somewhat stiffly stretched her arms toward him.
It was clearly an invitation for a hug.
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"Only... only this once, okay?"
Jun Hao had to admit that at this moment, his heart fluttered slightly. After all, when a tsundere finally revealed her "dere" side, the contrast could be incredibly powerful.
Especially someone like Elizabeth, whose softer side was far more obvious than her prideful one, could display that charm perfectly.
Understanding Elizabeth's gesture of goodwill, Jun Hao did not immediately step forward to hug her.
Instead, he raised an eyebrow slightly and deliberately put on a face of complete confusion.
"Hmm? Only this once for what? Your Majesty, forgive my ignorance, but I don't quite understand what you just said."
As he spoke, Jun Hao took a deliberate step closer and leaned down slightly in front of Elizabeth, continuing in the same serious tone.
"This humble servant requires a clearer and more explicit instruction from Your Majesty~"
"You!!!"
Elizabeth suddenly looked up, glaring at Jun Hao's infuriating face that was pretending to know nothing at all. A wave of irritation instantly surged in her chest.
'Stupid servant! You're definitely doing this on purpose! You clearly heard it! You obviously understood it!'
Elizabeth was cursing so hard in her head that it actually came out of her mouth.
"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!!" Her little face puffed up like an angry dumpling.
She lifted her foot in its tiny leather shoe and stomped hard on the ground several times, producing a series of crisp thud thud sounds.
"Why do you have to provoke me on purpose!" Her scolding carried a faint sob, making the surrounding maids unable to hide their knowing smiles.
Belfast, standing to the side, lightly covered her mouth with her hand, her purple eyes filled with amusement.
She stepped to Elizabeth's side, gently patting the Queen's back as she spoke in a soft, comforting voice.
"Your Majesty, you should try to be a little more honest. I believe Master simply wishes to hear you say it yourself."
Belfast's tone carried gentle encouragement.
"Didn't you promise me before? That you would bravely express your feelings."
"I... I did not!" Elizabeth immediately retorted stubbornly.
"Is that so?"
The smile on Belfast's face grew even more meaningful.
Unhurriedly, she took a personal communicator from the pocket of her maid's dress. After lighting up the screen, she held it in front of Elizabeth.
Displayed on it was the exact chat history between her and Elizabeth on JuUs.
Elizabeth only needed one glance before her cheeks flushed an even deeper red.
Seeing those embarrassing words she had sent in a moment of impulse, such as "The servant must be the first to hug me," made her wish she could disappear into the ground.
She puffed out her cheeks and shot Belfast a resentful glare.
'This Belfast... I was the one who made her Head Maid! But whether before or now, the moment the servant shows up, she completely ignores my orders! Her heart and eyes are all on him!'
Elizabeth sighed inwardly, though she knew she couldn't truly blame Belfast.
After all, wasn't she acting the same way right now?
Anyway, her gaze quietly fell on the man who was looking at her with a gentle smile.
Once she made her decision, she realized that since he was her husband, it made no real difference.
She took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress all her shyness and hesitation. Then she lifted her head again. Her blue eyes were slightly misty with embarrassment as she stared straight at Jun Hao.
This time, although her voice was still soft, it carried an unprecedented clarity and determination.
"Servant," she said slowly, each word clear and deliberate. "I... will allow you to hug me."
Under the breathless gazes of all the Shipgirls around them, the Queen, her face flushed red, spoke the words that seemed to make the entire world pause.
"Only you can do this."
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Novels Available:
-> Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street. (Translation)
-> Azur Lane: Don't Fight! You're All My Wives! (Translation)
-> Zenless Zone Zero: Death in White. (Original)
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