Chapter 20 Discussion
Unlike Ainge, Anya had a different kind of reaction. It would be wrong to say that she was surprised like the other two, rather, her reaction was that she expected this to happen.
But there was something that bothered her and that was the absence of Zero. Back then he went after Ron but right now Ron had returned but he was nowhere to be seen.
This developed a feeling of discomfort inside Anya, even though she knew what she have to do now, Zero not being here was not part of the plan.
Still, it wasn't like she can do something about that so she decided to just play her part.
Ainge had also regained her composure by now as she welcomed Princess Rishia with a smile on her face.
Ron introduced her to Princess Rishia —which was a formality as Ainge already knew who she was —and both of them greeted each other.
Rishia's behavior was quite rare as it isn't every day you see a princess greeting a normal citizen.
But Rishia was generous enough to do this, it proved that she was not the kind of princess to judge people by their social standing.
This caused a feeling of surprise to dwell inside Ainge but she didn't let it show on her face.
After that Ron offered Rishia to take a seat and taking on his suggestion she sat on a single seated sofa while Ron and Ainge sat on the one made for two or more people. (Anya was also sitting on a single seated sofa in front of Rishia)
"If I may ask princess, what caused you to come here at this time? Is there something wrong?" asked Ron with a perplexed expression on his face.
"No, it's not like that, I have come here just to meet with Anya. Back in the tournament, she saved my life but I wasn't even able to thank her properly," Rishia replied.
"Please don't worry about that princess Rishia, it was not your fault. You fell unconscious that time," said Anya, barging into the conversation.
That time when Anya had come out from the pile of debris with the princess, a while later Rishia suddenly lost consciousness and was taken to the healers. Thus, she wasn't able to express her thanks to Anya and this left a feeling of guilt in her heart.
"Though it might be true still, what you did is not a thing everyone can do if put in that situation. And not only did you save me while putting your life at risk but you also threw away the chance to win the battle tournament, I'm really grateful for that," said Rishia.
It was true that what Anya did back then is not a thing everyone is capable of, after all, humans are creatures who place their own lives over others, this is a thing that's in their nature.
Anya didn't reply to that while she lowered her gaze and didn't look straight at Rishia. All that Rishia said just now, even if she was genuinely saying all that, it flustered Anya and she was at a loss of words.
Seeing this, Rishia continued, "This might just be my selfishness but please let me thank you with a reward, it's the least I can do for you."
"Huh? Wait, what reward? What do you mean by that exactly?" asked Anya, directing her gaze at Rishia.
"Unfortunately I don't know what will make you happy so you can ask me for anything," said Rishia, explaining what she meant by 'reward' to Anya.
"Anything," Anya muttered in a low voice as she pondered over that.
"Is there anything you want Anya? Miss Princess is rewarding you so I think you should accept it," said Ron, suggesting to not refuse from taking the reward.
While he wasn't exactly pleased to take a reward like this but since it was something the princess herself wanted to give, nonetheless she said it in person.
Refusing such a thing won't leave a good impression and it might possibly hurt the princess's feelings.
"Something I want?" Anya mumbled as she seemed to be lost in thought over what to ask as a reward while Ainge and Ron, as well as Rishia, fixated their gaze on Anya.
This was her chance to ask for anything just as the princess said, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her. Since the princess said anything, right now Anya was in a position to literally ask for *anything*.
She could ask for a lot of money or to increase the rank of her family in the hierarchy of noble families, she can ask for being declared the champion of the battle tournament or to live in a luxurious mansion.
But then it looked like she decided on something, her gaze was directed at the floor, and only for a moment, she had a gloomy expression on her face.
She had remembered something a certain someone has told her to do, no, she always remembered it from the start but it was like she was taking her time deciding whether to follow that person's command or move at her own will.
'I'm going to trust you so you better not mess this up,' Anya said inwardly.
Now she had made that choice. She had decided to trust this person and put her fate in their hands.
Anya looked at Rishia in her eyes before a smile covered her face and she said, "I don't need anything, Miss Princess. I don't intend to hurt your feeling by saying this but the fact that I was successful in saving you is enough of a reward for me, moreover, you also came to meet and thank me in person, which just made it more than enough."
Rishia was a little surprised to hear this, she expected her to ask for at least something. Her parents, Ainge and Ron also had the same reaction, they expected her to talk about her marriage but she didn't.
"Do you really not want anything?" asked Rishia, confirming it from her again. But there was another reason behind this, even though it was for a moment she had noticed the troubled expression on Anya's face.
"As I said, I don't need anything. The fact that you came to meet me is more than enough of a reward for me," said Anya, with a smile on her face.
That expression she made concerned Rishia but if Anya didn't want to talk about it then pressing on that matter forcefully was the right choice.