After Crusch arrived at the entrance, the group entered the hall together and found seats around a long table.
It was worth mentioning that in front of the table was a dark iron griddle. More than a dozen maids stood along the walls of the hall, as if awaiting orders.
"Everyone is here. Begin serving the dishes!"
"Yes!"
Ana looked toward the head maid and waved her hand in command.
Upon receiving Ana's order, the maids placed plate after plate onto the long table. The selection ranged from seafood to vegetables, and even fresh slices of beef. It could be said that everything one could want was available.
As the host and a merchant, Ana had naturally made ample preparations, intending to properly entertain all the guests and lay the groundwork for future arrangements.
Once all the dishes were set out, Ana rolled up her sleeves and enthusiastically began explaining to everyone.
"Today we're having a traditional delicacy from Kararagi, called teppanyaki."
After speaking, Ana took the initiative to pick up a brush, coated the iron griddle with oil, and once the temperature rose, placed slices of meat onto it.
Before long, a rich aroma filled the air. Ana picked up a slice, dipped it into seasoning, and ate it with evident enjoyment.
"This is how you eat it. Please, don't be shy."
After personally demonstrating once, Ana said warmly.
In truth, this was Ana's first time trying teppanyaki. She had never experienced it before. She had practiced for quite some time to avoid turning the meat in front of her into charred lumps.
Compared to the Ana of the original timeline, she now disliked embarrassing herself.
"Alright, Sister Shendu, let's grill some too."
Seeing something new and exciting, Emilia appeared especially enthusiastic. Sitting beside Shendu, she brushed oil onto the griddle, then placed a shrimp and a slice of beef onto it, carefully grilling them.
Meanwhile, Beatrice, Rem, and Akane also began grilling their ingredients. However, ten minutes later, the food Emilia and Beatrice had cooked was completely blackened.
Only Rem and Akane managed to grill their meat reasonably well. As for the two girls beside Shendu, their results were far from satisfactory.
By comparison, Shendu grilled exceptionally well. The fresh meat she prepared was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, leaving Emilia and Beatrice astonished.
"Wow, Sister Shendu, how did you grill it like that?"
"Yes! Big Sister, Betty wants to learn too."
The two adorable girls looked at Shendu with hopeful expressions.
"Haha, it's not difficult. You just need to control the heat. For example, beef only needs a little over ten seconds. That way, it'll be crisp outside and tender inside. Other ingredients shouldn't exceed half a minute."
Shendu explained seriously, handing them the meat she had just grilled.
Crusch and Felt, having overheard her explanation, followed her method. Sure enough, their later attempts turned out quite well.
After a simple teppanyaki meal, the sun had fully risen. The temperature gradually climbed, bathing the entire hall in brilliant light.
"Citizens of Watergate City, good morning! What a splendid morning it is."
After breakfast, a voice suddenly came from outside the inn. Turning their heads, they saw something mounted on a nearby wall that resembled a large horn—something akin to a loudspeaker.
It looked remarkably similar to the loudspeakers from Shendu's original world, though magical power pulsed within it.
"Big Sister, look! The sound is coming from there."
Noticing the source of the voice, Beatrice walked over, took Shendu's hand, and looked out the window.
Emilia and Rem followed as well, equally surprised.
In the distance, the horn-like device continued broadcasting. The voice belonged to the minstrel they had met before—Liliana.
After greeting the city's residents, Liliana began singing a song titled "The Love Ballad of the Sword Demon."
Upon hearing the song, Wilhelm—whose expression had been calm—revealed a complex mix of emotions: remembrance, sorrow, and countless feelings intertwined across his face.
At that moment, Ana noticed their astonished looks. Smiling mischievously, she walked over and pointed at the horn-like device.
"Hehe, this is a magical device unique to Watergate City. It amplifies sound. There's a daily broadcast. Since this is a border city, it naturally makes use of Kararagi's technology."
After Ana's explanation, Shendu was not the least bit surprised. Most likely, it was the handiwork of another transmigrator—combining knowledge from another world with magic to create such tools.
"Oh? A magical device from your side? That's perfectly normal."
Shendu responded calmly.
Seeing her lack of surprise, Ana grew curious. This woman truly was mysterious. Faced with something so novel, she showed not the slightest astonishment.
It was very possible that Shendu came from some unknown, enigmatic place even Ana herself had never heard of.
Judging from various signs, Shendu likely harbored immense secrets that could not be revealed to anyone.
Strictly speaking, this world also possessed unique magical devices. By programming magic into tools, different forms of auxiliary magical instruments could be created—just like the one before them.
It was probably the budding stage of magical technology. If developed further, establishing a so-called magical industrial system might not be impossible.
As Shendu and Emilia closed their eyes and listened to Liliana's singing, Wilhelm—after yesterday's persuasion—had already taken a seat beside Reinhard.
Now aware of his past mistakes, Wilhelm sat before his grandson, looking slightly awkward. In the end, he chose to speak.
"Reinhard, I'm sorry. My attitude in the past was truly inappropriate. I hurt you, and for that I apologize."
The last time they had fought the White Whale together, they had only exchanged a few simple greetings. Reinhard had merely addressed him as grandfather.
Today was a rare opportunity. Wilhelm had to mend their relationship and restore the familial bond between them.
"No, Grandfather. Please don't say that. I've never blamed you."
Understanding Wilhelm's intention, Reinhard remained calm and accepted his goodwill with a gentle smile.
At that moment, the weight hanging over Wilhelm's heart finally lifted.
He had feared that Reinhard might harbor resentment over his past actions, but it seemed things were better than he had imagined.
After all, a grandson was still a grandson. Reinhard had never blamed him.
"You've worked hard all these years, bearing the heavy title of Sword Saint and protecting the kingdom.
"I've always watched your growth, yet I could never speak to you properly. The last time we met was during the subjugation of the White Whale."
Wilhelm spoke with emotion.
"Yes. I also have much I wish to say to you, Grandfather. Seeing you so spirited puts me at ease. After all, you're my only family."
Reinhard replied solemnly. As a descendant of the Sword Saint lineage, he valued family deeply. Therefore, he held no grievance over Wilhelm's initiative to reconcile.
"Father, do you think that saying this now makes up for your mistakes?"
Just as the atmosphere in the hall was improving, an ill-timed voice came from outside the door.
Moments later, the hall doors were violently pushed open. A middle-aged man wearing a white robe, with fiery red hair and a drunken demeanor, staggered in.
From a distance, he looked like nothing more than a repulsive drunkard.
At that exact moment, the music ended. Shendu slowly opened her eyes. Seeing the drunk stumble in, her voice turned icy.
"Where did this drunk come from? Get out."
With a casual swipe of her right hand through the air, the middle-aged man—who had just spoken—was sent flying backward.
Bang!
As expected, he slammed into the ground, leaving a human-shaped crater upon impact.
"Lady Shendu, what did you just do?"
After Shendu sent the middle-aged drunk flying in an instant, Felix stared at the silver-haired girl in shock, disbelief written all over his face.
"What? I merely dealt with a noisy drunk."
Shendu shot Felix a glance, her expression puzzled.
"Ah! That man isn't simple. His identity is connected to the current Sword Saint and to Old Man Wilhelm!"
Seeing how mercilessly she had sent the man flying, Felix was thoroughly stunned.
Shendu truly acted without restraint. Though her personality had always been bold, she had even dared to kill a member of the Council of Wise Men in the royal capital. Let alone an ordinary person.
"Hehe, Miss Shendu is as decisive as ever. How fascinating."
Even Ana revealed a charming smile, clearly admiring Shendu's decisiveness.
A few seconds later, after being blasted away, the drunken middle-aged man staggered back inside once more, his face filled with fury as he glared at Shendu.
"I am Heinkel, Vice Captain of the Royal Guard, and Reinhard's father! Why did you attack me, Silver-Haired Hero?!"
Heinkel was seething with rage. He had come from the royal capital to this place to carry out a certain secret mission.
At the same time, he had no intention of allowing his father and Reinhard to reconcile. In his eyes, Wilhelm was a sinner.
When the White Whale had been subjugated, Wilhelm had failed to protect his mother, leading to her death during his childhood.
Because of that, young Heinkel developed deep hatred toward his father. After having a son of his own—Reinhard—his relationship with Wilhelm only grew more distant.
Yet today, a turning point had appeared. That was precisely what Heinkel did not wish to see.
Thus, he had shown up at just the right moment, intending to interrupt the reconciliation between grandfather and grandson.
Unexpectedly, though his intentions had been clear, Shendu had directly interrupted his "spellcasting," sending him flying like a cannonball. Truly unfortunate.
"Oh? Vice Captain sounds impressive. Do you intend to fight me?"
Shendu stepped forward. The powerful aura emanating from her caused Reinhard's father to feel a flicker of fear.
"No. I only came to correct Reinhard's thinking. My mother's death was also largely Father's responsibility. The three of us cannot be forgiven."
Heinkel declared loudly, convinced their relationship should remain as it was, with no possibility of reconciliation.
"And what does their reconciliation have to do with you? Aren't you meddling a bit too much?"
Shendu's tone turned cold. She considered helping the grandfather and grandson reconcile a good deed. Having someone disrupt it naturally irritated her.
"Hehe, Miss Shendu, that man is nothing more than a mediocrity. There's no need to pay him any mind."
At that moment, a familiar voice drifted in from outside. It sounded remarkably like Priscilla.
"Long time no see, Miss Shendu. As your best friend, how have you been lately?"
A girl in a crimson gown appeared before them, her movements elegant, her demeanor arrogant as though she looked down upon all creation.
"Not bad. You seem in good spirits as well. Though I heard you had no interest in coming here."
Shendu looked at the girl with mild surprise.
"Hehe, I would never so easily accept an invitation from that fox. But visiting my best friend is another matter entirely."
Priscilla replied openly, radiating brilliance like the sun.
With a brief sense of perception, Shendu could tell that Priscilla possessed formidable magic—likely of the yang attribute. No wonder she was known in her territory as the Sun Princess.
After speaking, Priscilla walked straight to Shendu's side, hooking her arm around hers. Her crimson eyes met Shendu's silver gaze.
"Aside from my best friend, all of you small fry gathered here must have worked hard. Such elaborate preparations suit my performance well. For that alone, you deserve praise."
With her arm linked to Shendu's, Priscilla unfolded her fan and surveyed everyone present with blatant disdain.
As if declaring that aside from Shendu, everyone else here was trash.
"Princess, isn't that a bit too much? Those present are all distinguished figures. At the very least, our attitude should be a little better."
As Priscilla spoke so brazenly without concern for offending anyone, a mysterious man wearing an iron helmet—Al—walked in behind her and reminded the Sun Princess helplessly.
"You're late, Miss Priscilla. You finally arrived. You had me worried."
Having just been taught a lesson by Shendu, Heinkel behaved far more cautiously, speaking with a hopeful tone.
"Don't flatter yourself. You weren't the one who invited me. Remember, mediocrities cannot invite me. The only reason I came—aside from sightseeing—is for my best friend."
Priscilla showed Heinkel no courtesy whatsoever. Anyone her best friend disliked, she would dislike as well.
"You..."
Humiliated by Priscilla, Heinkel's face flushed with anger, yet he dared not say another word.
There were too many people here he could not afford to offend—especially Shendu and Priscilla. In terms of status and position, either of them could crush him as easily as stepping on an ant.
"So, Mr. Heinkel, instead of safeguarding the royal capital, why have you come all the way to Watergate City? What exactly is your purpose?"
Emilia stepped forward with imposing presence, her voice icy.
"None of your concern, silver-haired half-witch. You possess no merits whatsoever. Without relying on this woman's help, do you think you would hold your current position?"
"Or earn anyone's respect?"
Heinkel looked at Emilia with blatant contempt, not taking her seriously in the slightest.
"Everything Sister Shendu has done for me, I remember clearly. You, an outsider, have no right to interfere. Now answer me—why are you here?"
Emilia's expression turned solemn, leaving him no room to maneuver.
"Hmph. Noisy."
When Heinkel once again spoke rudely to Emilia, Shendu let out a cold snort and lightly pressed her right hand through the air.
Heinkel suffered another heavy blow, smashing straight into the wall and leaving yet another crater.
As Shendu disciplined Heinkel, neither grandfather nor grandson reacted in the slightest. They did not even attempt to stop her.
It seemed the three of them shared a complicated relationship—one that was far from harmonious.
"As expected of my best friend. Well done. Otherwise, I would have made a move myself."
Priscilla raised her hand, blazing yang magic gathering in her palm.
"Better not. I'm afraid you'd kill him outright."
Shendu said helplessly. Compared to her own restraint, Priscilla was someone who acted without any hesitation whatsoever.
As the host, Ana stepped forward once more, wearing a self-proclaimed gentle smile upon seeing the final candidate arrive.
"Long time no see, Priscilla. I don't recall inviting you. Appearing unannounced like this is rather improper, don't you think?"
Ana maintained her sweet, neighborly smile as she inquired.
"You sly fox. Even if you didn't inform me, I could still obtain such information. Besides, with my best friend here, I find myself rather interested in all this."
Priscilla rolled her eyes at Ana.
Clever though she was, Ana could be overly self-assured at times. The gap in strength between Royal Selection candidates was not insurmountable.
For someone of Priscilla's capability, acquiring intelligence of this sort was nothing difficult at all.