(BL) Reborn as Lycan's Emperor's abandoned Beta concubine?!

Chapter 59: 59. The Silver river empire princess!

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVER

I didn’t have time to think about the unknown buyer. I ran. The market was already packed by the time I reached it. Merchants shouted over one another, customers pushed through the narrow streets, and the air filled with the smell of fresh bread, spices, and roasted meat.

"Ding. Moonleaf Herbs remaining: 3 bundles."A system said.

"There!"My eyes widened.

I spotted the herb merchant at the far end of the market.

"Moonleaf Herbs!"I immediately rushed toward him.

"You want some?"The merchant looked up.

"Three bundles!"I gasped.

"You’re lucky. These are the last ones."He reached beneath the counter.

"How much?"I nearly cried with relief.

"Thirty coins."A mechant said.

I handed him the coins without hesitation.

"Ding! DAILY TASK COMPLETED."A system said.

I froze.

"REWARD: +75 MOON COINS."Then another notification appeared.

"Yes!"I grinned.

I immediately checked my balance.

"MOON COINS: 125."A system said.

"One hundred twenty-five!"I raised my fist.

"Progress toward Moon Goddess store’s cheapest item: 25%."The system appeared again.

"Don’t remind me."I stared at it.

At least I was finally making progress.

I carefully placed the Moonleaf Herbs into my basket, then I noticed something strange. The merchant was staring behind me, his expression had suddenly become nervous. I slowly turned. Song Hue and Lang Li were standing several steps away, surrounded by curious market goers. But neither prince was looking at me, they were staring at the same person. A hooded figure stood beside an empty herb stall, and in their hand was a single bundle of Moonleaf.

"That’s the unknown buyer..."I swallowed.

The figure slowly turned toward me.

"Ding. SPECIAL EVENT DETECTED."A system said.

"Of course."My smile disappeared.

The hooded figure slowly stepped forward, then she lowered her hood. I blinked. Long silver black hair fell over her shoulders, and her pale blue eyes calmly studied the basket in my hands.

"Your Highness."The merchant immediately bowed.

"Your Highness?"My eyes widened.

"I am Princess Jan Win of the Silver river empire."She gave a small smile.

I stared at the three bundles of Moonleaf Herbs in my basket, then at her.

"Wait..." She glanced toward the empty herb stall. "I was the one who came here to purchase the remaining Moonleaf."

"Oh."My stomach dropped.

"SPECIAL ROYAL ENCOUNTER DETECTED. SILVER RIVER EMPIRE: PRINCESS JAN WIN ORIGINAL PURCHASE TARGET: MOONLEAF HERBS."The system immediately appeared.

"You’re telling me this now?"I stared at the screen.

"You can see something I can not?"Jan Win’s eyebrow lifted.

"No!" I quickly closed the system.

Jan Win looked suspicious, then her gaze returned to my basket.

"Those herbs are rather difficult to obtain."She said.

"I know."I nodded.

"I was hoping to purchase them for the Silver River imperial gardens."She said.

"Oh."I hesitated.

Behind me, Song Hue quietly stepped closer. Lang Li did the same, as Jan Win noticed both princes. Her expression became amused.

"Interesting."She said.

"What?"I immediately became nervous.

"Nothing."She looked between Lang Li and Song Hue.

"Perhaps the morning has become more interesting than I expected."Then she looked back at me.

"DAILY TASK COMPLETED. +75 MOON COINS. CURRENT BALANCE: 125 MOON COINS."The system chimed.

I smiled faintly. At least I had completed the task, but now the mysterious Princess Jan Win was staring at my herbs, and somehow, I suspected my next problem wouldn’t be buying them. It would be deciding whether to give any away. Princess Jan Win continued looking at my basket, I tightened my grip on it instinctively.

"Um." She smiled. "Don’t worry. I am not going to demand them."

"Thank goodness."I relaxed.

"I was only wondering if you would be willing to sell me one bundle." She said.

I looked at the herbs, then at her.

"One?" I asked.

"One."She nodded.

I considered it and the system suddenly appeared.

"Moonleaf Herbs: Rare culinary ingredient. Estimated value: 80 Moon coins per bundle."A system said.

"Eighty?!"My eyes widened. "Wait how does she know about coins?"

"Yes. Is that too much?"Jan Win blinked. "It’s a royal secret."

"No!" I immediately shook my head. "I am just surprised."

"How about forty?"I carefully removed one bundle.

Jan Win stared at me as the merchant nearly choked.

"Prince Wei, you are selling yourself short."She said.

"I have two more."I shrugged.

"Then forty is fair."Jan Win smiled.

She handed me the coins.

"Ding. +40 MOON COINS. CURRENT BALANCE: 165 MOON COINS." A system said.

"Thank you."I grinned.

"No, thank you." She accepted the herbs. "They’re surprisingly fresh."

"I needed them for cooking."I said.

"You are the palace chef?"Jan Win’s eyes brightened.

"Yes."I said.

"I’ve heard about your food."She said.

"You have?"I blinked.

"Your meat buns became famous after the festival."She said.

"Oh."I scratched my cheek.

"He’s more than a chef."Lang Li spoke quietly behind me.

"Oh?"Jan Win glanced toward him.

"He’s my..."Lang Li’s expression remained composed.

He stopped, and I looked at him immediately.

"Your what?"I asked.

Song Hue’s eyes narrowed slightly. Jan Win looked between us with growing amusement.

"My imperial chef."Lang Li cleared his throat.

"That sounded suspiciously like you were about to say something else."I stared at him.

"I thought so too."The corners of Song Hue’s mouth lifted.

Lang Li gave him a warning look.

"I see."Jan Win laughed softly.

"Please don’t."I groaned.

"NEW RELATIONSHIP POSSIBILITY DETECTED. PRINCESS JAN WIN and XAVIER: 5%. REASON: INTEREST IN HOST’S CULINARY SKILLS."The system appeared again.

"Why does this thing keep doing that?!"I stared at the screen.

Jan Win looked confused, Song Hue looked curious, Lang Li looked increasingly annoyed and I suddenly realized that completing one simple herb gathering task had somehow introduced another royal into my already complicated life. I barely had time to process the System’s ridiculous notification before Princess Jan Win’s expression suddenly became serious.

"Prince Wei." Her voice changed.

"Yes?"I straightened.

"There is something you should know."She glanced toward the bundle of Moonleaf in her hands.

Song Hue and Lang Li both immediately stopped arguing.

"What?" I asked.

"Those herbs weren’t the only reason I came to this market."Jan Win lowered her voice.

"Then why?"My stomach tightened.

"I was looking for someone."She looked directly at me.

"Who?"I asked.

"An imperial physician."She hesitated.

The market suddenly felt much quieter.

"Why would the Silver River Empire need an imperial physician here?"Song Hue’s expression sharpened.

"Because someone has been secretly purchasing rare medicinal plants throughout the capital."Jan Win looked toward him.

"Someone inside my empire?"Lang Li’s eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps." My grip tightened around my basket.

"HIDDEN EVENT DETECTED. ROYAL HERB INVESTIGATION: INITIATED."The system flickered.

"Of course."I groaned.

"You can see it too?"Jan Win looked at me.

"No."Song Hue and Lang Li both turned toward me.

"You answered rather quickly."Jan Win raised an eyebrow.

"I have an innocent face."I said.

"No, you don’t."Ana’s voice suddenly came from behind us.

"Ana?!"I spun around.

She and Hin were standing there with expressions that suggested they had followed us specifically because they expected trouble.

"Why does every morning become a political incident?"Hin looked at the herbs.

"Don’t ask me."

Jan Win suddenly noticed the Lycan symbol in my hair.

"That hair stick..."Her eyes widened.

Lang Li went still. Song Hue looked between them.

"What about it?" I asked.

"That symbol is not normally given casually."Jan Win’s expression became unreadable.

"It was a gift."I swallowed.

"From Emperor Lang Li?"She asked.

"Yes."I said.

Song Hue’s gaze darkened. Jan Win looked at Song Hue’s hair stick next, then she looked at me.

"Interesting." I sighed.

"Please don’t say that." She smiled faintly.

"It seems I arrived at the palace at a very interesting time." Lang Li stepped closer to me.

"Princess Jan Win." His voice was polite.

But there was a warning underneath it. I could tell he did not like that the princess had arrived to his own empire unannounced. I could understand this, but I also did not want this to put us in danger.

"Yes, Emperor?"She asked.

"Why are you so interested in Wei?"He asked.

"Because he possesses something my empire needs."Jan Win calmly met his gaze.

"My cooking skills?"I blinked.

"That too."She smiled and then her expression turned serious. "The Moonleaf Herbs. They may be connected to something much more dangerous than dinner."She lifted the bundle.

My smile disappeared. It seems the princess knows more things than she is telling us. I noticed others staring nervously, and I smiled lightly. It seems all of them saw except the princess saw a notification about coins.

"WARNING: PLOT DANGER LEVEL INCREASED."The system immediately chimed.

"You’re kidding."I stared at it.

"Unfortunately not."A system said.

At that exact moment, I understood why the princess of a neighbouring kingdom appeared here in a first place. She not only came here for herbs, but she also came to see me.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!