CHAPTER 69 **Sahara’s Unknown Popularity**

Appearing at the Academy, making a ‘pit stop’, Sahara stayed in the teleporting spot and sent out a few stars to the kitchen and stole some more food. Of course, this time, Sahara took more kinds of foods! She wasn’t a saint, she was an opportunist at this moment and really did take a few of the cultivation and sum token meals without feeling bad. Well, she thought she might have to somehow pay back the academy somehow, someday, but at this moment, she didn’t feel bad…

At this time of night, the Academy had quite a few guards, but random people were still able to study. Being the capital’s top Academy, it never closed for people willing to learn and pay their way in. The other Academy’s would be closed by now, having sent everyone home upon night-time as their closure time. Sahara was lucky to have found a place to stay earlier, as she didn’t know still, that there was no accommodation at the Academies…In fact, there was a saying that seemed simple but common, for the academies, almost like a motto. ‘We supply knowledge, freedom of choice and even lunch, but no beds!’

I’ll have to donate some money to this place…I mean sum, have to donate some sum. Donate sum. This is taking way too long to get used to…

Sighing, Sahara also remembers others that she needed to pay back still…

Just you wait! I’ll be rich and…I’ll be out of debt! Hahaha.

Steven, having watched and stood there, was quite amazed at what Sahara could do. He looked around, and found that they were quite safe and then wondered what it was like here…It was almost comical about how often he may have ran through, stole from, hid in and peeked into academies but yet never had actually formally been a real ‘student’ to one…And that included any Haven, not just Green Haven…

Naruto had tried to eat the chicken, so Steven took Naruto into his hands and arms, to make him more comfortable…As the chicken was twice Naruto’s size…

Chuckling at the little beast, Steven felt like he had found some kind of family…

“Okay, we’ll eat some beasts while we are out there, I should have enough food and water to last until we are back in the capital and get some cash.”

Putting her hand on Steven’s arm, they teleported to the furthest that she could go, within the Haven, taking most of her spiritual essence.

If she was only teleporting herself, Sahara probably would have gotten a lot further. But seeing as she was teleporting three, and they were at the edge of Green Haven, Sahara nodded in acceptance. Considering that she had used spiritual essence to heal and teleport food beforehand, she was happy to already see a slight difference in how much…Power…that she had.

Looking around, Sahara sees an inn and teleport to an ‘empty’ room, that she found with a star.

That night, Sahara had to meditate, Naruto was in Steven’s hands, as he stayed close by to protect both of them…

***

It was late into the night, that the Right Minister ran off to his son’s courtyard, having thought of something.

Now that he had become aware that the Thirteenth Young Miss was still alive, he hadn’t been able to think of much else! He had vaguely heard that a visitor had come today, yet Talon had stated that the ‘Thirteenth Young Miss’ hadn’t been here…

What he had just thought, was that if his daughter was indeed in contact with the ‘Divine Healer’, then…

“Son! Talon! Wake up!” The Right Minister said, before he even walked into Talon’s bed chambers. “My Son!”

Talon opened his eyes in a rush and looked up at his father, “…Father?”

“Yes, yes! Tell me! When everything happened here, with the Divine Healer, Sahara…” The Right Minister stopped, seeing Talon’s innocent change of expression.

Getting angry, the Right Minister glared at him, “Why didn’t you tell me!”

Talon put a hand to his forehead and sat up, “Uh! She…Sahara…”

“There’s no point in trying to lie! I heard from the emperor himself that he saw Sahara with the Second Prince!” The Right Minister yelled.

Talon widened his eyes. “Uh? Really?”

The Right Minister took the blankets off him and sat at the edge of his bed, while Talon rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up. “Sahara…With the Second Prince!?”

“Yes! Why didn’t she stay Talon?” The Right Minister truly was curious.

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Talon finally looked up again at his father, and frowned, “What would you do father? If you’d been away for over a year, deemed dead because of a poison, then…Killed many people…”

Widening his eyes, the Right Minister went silent.

Sahara…Was she the one that killed all of my eldest son’s men? She, herself, just her…That saved….

The Right Minister didn’t want to believe that if indeed it was true, that he was indebted to his own daughter!

No…I’ll pretend that I never heard that short sentence! It wouldn’t make any sense anyway!

“I want you to find her and bring her back, I don’t care what it takes!” The Right Minister said.

If the child isn’t from here when the marriage takes place…

Talon stood up and sighed, “Father, she wants to learn things on her own…”

“No! Think about it, son! Her marrying the Second Prince out of nowhere, or her marrying the Second Prince from here, which is better!”

Talon thought about it and honestly thought Sahara would probably be better with her coming from here, at least then people would know that they are a backer for her. If she came from nowhere, people might not accept her as the wife of the popular, Second Prince…It’s just…What was the reason the Empress…

Looking down in defeat, Talon tried to think further, but couldn’t find anything at the moment. He was simply just tired, but also stunned to the news…

“See my point then?” The Right Minister sighed. “Have her…Come home…”

Having some answers and more help in finding her, the Right Minister finally felt like he could sleep now!

***

The next morning, before Samuel was going to go to the Academy, Talon brought him aside and said, “Keep an eye out for your sister.”

Samuel was shocked, did Talon already knew that she went to the Academy?

“Your grandfather wants her to come back, but I’m still unsure on what the right thing to do is. If we can find her first and ask her…Or…”

“I saw her at the Academy, father.” Samuel said.

“Wh…What? The Academy?” Talon asked.

Samuel smiled, “Yes, I was going to tell father all about it last night, but we had dinner with the Right Minister and we were all talking about the Crowned Prince and his residence. Then I forgot!”

Talon nodded, he too remembered that his father had been lost in thoughts as well at dinner, “Yes, then tell me now, son. Tell me…How is she?”

Does she know the Empress is looking for her?

Samuel smiled, “She is well, she was learning ‘Dispersion’.”

“Dispersion?” Talon asked, a bit confused…

“Yes, and she stole a meal! Father, perhaps her innocence is gone?” Samuel said.

Talon thought the wrong kind of innocence, thinking automatically that the Second Prince must wait until after they are married!

“Father, she still has the beast and said she might have come to the ‘Force’ meditation courtyard one day.” Samuel said happily.

Talon sighed, “Right, right. Tell her that Father would like to speak with her, that…Her identity is becoming known, tell her that.”

“Identity?” Samuel asked.

“Yes, just tell her that, and we’ll all speak together, ok?” Talon said, patting his son on the shoulder.

“Yes, father, I will try and find her today!” Samuel said.

“Good son! Oh!” Talon stopped, taking out some large silver bars, “Give this to her, I…”

“Yes, Father.” Samuel patted his father on the shoulder in return, knowing how he felt.

Sahara was out there with nothing, he also wanted to help as much as he could too, remembering her ‘silver token’.

“Tell her, I can give her more if she needs it.” Talon said, then sighed, “Go now…Oh…Don’t tell anyone about her.”

“Yes, Father. I haven’t…I will leave now.” Samuel said, then walked away after receiving the silver.

***

The Right Minister was eager to talk to the Second Prince, but the whole-time during court, he had not looked at him once.

But Matthew hadn’t really looked at anybody, he spoke very little, and the Right Minister didn’t get angry. He just got more and more eager to talk to him…

When court finished, the Second Prince disappeared before the Right Minister could even say one word!

Sighing, the Right Minister could only wait…Sahara will come back, there was no other way!

Perhaps it was good that I didn’t speak to His Highness the Second Prince, anyway.

Doing His Majesty’s work, on trying to get more Minister’s to see the evidence against the Crowned Prince. The Right Minister nearly forgot all about her…Until Eunuch Han had come before him, demanding the whereabouts of his daughter.

The Right Minister unhappily stated that he hadn’t known of her even being alive till the day before, and that he was already looking for her.

Eunuch Han showed his frustration through his narrowed eyes, before he walked away to talk to the Empress.

What could they do? The Second Prince needed to stay away from her, yet they were wondering if they should ask him where she was…

Deciding that the Thirteenth Young Miss will have to eventually go back to the Rolland Estate, the Empress made two of the Crowned Prince’s men stay there and to report back when they see her there.

The emperor was too much into the laws and at this point in time, the Empress wished that he was someone different. If she could use this as an excuse to ruin the Young Miss’s reputation, she would!

Yet, she was sure, with the emperor the way he is, and her adoptive son Matthew able to even make the Crowned Prince’s men to change sides and become witnesses…She would be found out…

The Empress could only continue to pace her room and tried to think better of the situation that will have to come to pass.

The Empress knew that her time was running out…As it was, she had been lucky to live until now, with what she had to endure all this time.

What made her sad, was having the potential of the next Empress becoming ruined!

Before her death, she wanted to know that Green Haven will have a great Empress to the next Emperor!

She had to provide the best help possible for someone like Miss Haves, who matches Matthew so well…Which was yet another thing that the Empress was vexed about.

Having been able to find out about this Young Miss’s unlucky birth month and day, the Empress wanted to use this against her. Not only does she not match well with the Second Prince, but not even being at her estate, only brings out too many questions!

This cannot be! She is unfit to be an Empress! Not at home when called upon, not matching and unlucky! Her innocence has probably already been taken and who knows if she sells herself! At least a year away from home…It is best if we don’t even let her speak a word!

When they finally find this ‘Thirteenth Young Miss’, they will arrange everything then!

“Eunuch Han, invite Miss Haves for tea!” The Empress yells…And then smiles.

Sadly though, the Empress must change her plans before she even gets to meet this ‘Thirteenth Young Miss’.

***