V2: Chapter 110: Why the Beach?
“I understand, Your Majesty.” Miranda immediately became obedient, ceasing her questioning. She bowed, like a loyal dog. “I will do my job perfectly for you. You can rest assured and entrust everything to me.”
“Hmm.”
Doris nodded, but her eyes were filled with distrust of Miranda.
This woman was truly foolish. Entrusting everything to her was unsettling. But besides her, it seemed there was no other useless pawn I could discard.
So…
She could only try. Anyway, if Miranda died or suffered some serious injury, it wouldn't affect her much.
Looking at Miranda's side…
She arrived at the beach and, unsurprisingly, found soldiers there.
These soldiers appeared unkempt. Their uniforms were worn and faded, as if they had been carelessly rummaged through some dusty warehouse. Buttons were missing from their uniforms, pockets were torn, but they seemed oblivious, as if these garments were merely tools to cover their bodies, not symbols of military bearing. Their hair was unkempt, stubble grew wildly, and their faces were etched with laziness and indifference.
They casually brandished their weapons, sometimes even struggling to hold them properly. They would chat amongst themselves during drills, or simply find a shady spot to lie down and sleep, completely disregarding the stares of those around them.
These soldiers had virtually no discipline. They ignored military rules and regulations, acting as they pleased. They would drink and gamble in the barracks, even engaging in fights with other soldiers. Their behavior not only severely damaged the image of the army but also cast serious doubt on their combat effectiveness.
Worse still, these soldiers were completely unaware of their duties and mission. They seemed not to understand why they were fighting, why they were stationed on the coast, or what they were guarding. They didn't know either.
Upon seeing the newcomer, one of the soldiers glanced at Miranda casually, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
"Hey, Madam, please don't come any further. This is a restricted area."
As he spoke, several slovenly soldiers behind him observed Miranda with malicious intent, occasionally letting out disgusting laughs.
Miranda frowned, glaring at them fiercely, her anger rising. In the capital, no one had ever dared to be so disrespectful to her, especially these disgusting, ugly lowlifes.
So, Miranda adopted her usual haughty demeanor, puffing out her chest, raising her chin, and said sharply to the soldiers before her, "Is this how you treat me?"
The surrounding soldiers exchanged glances, then looked at Miranda. Then, someone suddenly burst out laughing. Once the first person laughed, a second joined in, and instantly, the beach erupted in uproarious laughter.
"Hahaha, Madam, did you come here to teach us a lesson?"
The soldiers were unimpressed. Nobles never came to the beach; usually, it was merchants with their sons who looked down on them. They were used to it.
"This woman used to dress quite elegantly, and her demeanor was superb. She must be some merchant's wife, right? She's clearly been spoiled by money; even her speech is so arrogant and domineering."
"You, you all!"
Miranda was speechless with anger.
Swish!
She pulled out her badge, representing the Langwendi family, and flung it in front of the soldiers, once again beaming with smugness, her earlier embarrassment gone.
"This is the symbol of our status. Have you all seen it? Everyone has seen our family crest, right?"
Miranda spoke with particular pride, making it sound like a triumphant statement.
The soldiers surrounding the insignia, dazzled by the gleaming gold, blinked briefly. Then, several soldiers crowded around, craning their necks to examine the design.
The leader exclaimed, "Yes! It's the Langwendi family!"
Of course! Who doesn't know the Langwendi family now?
All the soldiers' expressions turned fearful. The earlier banter vanished. Those who had crossed their legs, were lying on the ground, or under the trees all became obedient, sitting properly or standing up.
“Madam, may I ask why you've come to the seaside? Is it...?” a soldier leader asked the noblewoman nervously, not daring to look her in the eye for fear of displeasing her.
They were obsequious in the presence of nobles; the Langwendi family crest was a symbol of status, and killing them was as easy as crushing an ant.
Seeing the fearful expressions on everyone's faces, Miranda reacted instantly, smiling and nodding.
“Nothing,” Miranda said, repeating what Doris had instructed her to say, “I’ve just been bored lately and wanted to relax at the seaside.”
The soldiers lowered their heads even further.
The soldier's captain swallowed hard. "Madam, it's alright to stroll around outside the walls."
After saying this, he quickly added,
"But, but we can't let you in. That's our rule, no! That's the rule of the Soteland Empire!"
But Miranda really wanted to go inside the walls. Doris's instructions were to go inside, but not too far—just circle the edge a couple of times.
Frankly, it was impossible not to be afraid. After all, no one had ever been on the other side of the walls, no one had ever seen that azure sea, no one knew what the world outside was like, no one knew what dangers lurked there.
People are always wary of the unknown, and Miranda was no exception. But this was a task the Queen had given her; she had to complete it, even if it meant gritting her teeth and going in.
"Oh?"
Miranda waved the badge in her hand. "Even with this, you won't let me in? I just want to take a look. I've never seen the sea before, and I want to see what it looks like. I won't go deep; I'll just wander around the edge inside the city walls, that's enough."
In her mind, she had already softened her tone with these lower-class people. If they knew what was good for them, they would let her in quickly.
Although these soldiers were lazy, they still dared not disobey the rules established by the Empire and the King.
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