PS: Just to rant for a moment, when G, W did the chess piece replica, I was super excited and ordered three pieces from the official shop, spending over a thousand. They were Lionheart King Lorne, Lake Fairy Mogiana, and Marshal Rick Heilberg. After six weeks of crossing the ocean, I received these three little plastic figures. Then I found a craftsman buddy I've known for years to do the painting. He gave me a discount out of friendship, but because it was cold, the paint was drying slowly, taking a lot more time. From buying the pieces in early October to receiving them in November to sending them to the guy, now the new year is almost here, and it's still not done. It's a pain. If I mess with these hammer plastic figures again, I'm just a fool.

Old World, Brittania, at the border between Montfort Duchy and Bastogne Duchy.

A finely crafted carriage was moving slowly through the wilderness.

Inside the carriage, a heater was burning, and thick blankets and quilts covered the interior. The carriage body slightly swayed with the motion, and the outside was dim, looking like another snowy day.

Teresa Trovik, a female sorcerer of the Jialan Council, woke from her slumber: "Mmm~"

Upon waking, Teresa realized she was lying in the soft bedding. As she subconsciously tried to struggle a bit, the pain in her shoulder and right arm made her let out a small groan.

Immediately, the sorceress recalled a series of events she had gone through before. Her face turned bright red, and she hurriedly covered herself with the quilt. Her cool, elegant face was full of embarrassment and joy, seemingly savoring something.

However, there was someone else in the carriage.

"You're awake?" Veronica, leaning on the other side of the carriage, was wearing a Jialan flame strapless dress and a white fox fur coat over it. Her black-brown long hair draped over her shoulders, also covered with a quilt. The Jialan witch seemed a bit pale but still put down the book she was holding, sneering, "Dreams really do come true, our little Princess Jialan! Come on, tell me, how does it feel?"

Teresa thought to herself, how unlucky that this person was here too.

She decided not to say a word, covering her head with the quilt. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"What, still not willing to talk?" Veronica continued with her mocking: "Still savoring the moments? It's been several days now!"

"What else could it feel like?" Teresa finally decided to speak up. She first wanted to lift the quilt for a comeback, but then the sorceress realized her shoulder was still in bad condition. Sighing, she resigned herself to lying down: "I've imagined many scenarios, but I never thought my first time with Laine would be like this."

"And what about the process? Don't change the subject; I'm asking how it felt, not about that." Veronica's sweet face revealed a hint of jealousy: "Wasn't it delightful?"

"It was... ok." The sorceress replied softly: "It was just that I'm injured... He was considerate, so he was gentle..."

"I see. Well, in that case, get Laine to give you a few more rounds when you have the chance later." Veronica nonchalantly said: "He's back at his estate now, so he should have some free time, especially since you're injured and have certain privileges."

"Then... how about you? How was your first time with Laine?" Teresa used the opportunity to change the topic, choosing to lie flat and asked back.

"That was many years ago. What can I say? A poor witch couldn't find a gift to congratulate her partner on becoming a Kingdom Knight, so she took a ribbon, tied it into a bow on herself, and gifted herself to him." Veronica ran a hand through her black-brown shoulder-length hair, revealing a pink bow on it.

Only then did Teresa remember that Veronica always liked to tie a bow in her hair. So, there was this story behind it.

The sorceress's silver eyes sparkled with light. Now, she really envied Veronica for maintaining the longest and most enduring relationship with Laine.

After spending more time with Laine, the sorceress knew that he seemed humorous and considerate on the surface, looking like a good man.

But to truly enter his heart proved very difficult. Veronica was his first woman, and in their daily interactions, she could sense Laine treated Veronica differently from her.

"I know what you're thinking. Like I said, we're both patients in the same hospital bed now. I'm not interested in competing with you over who comes first or second. What I want to say is, we are both female courtiers. Two of us are enough, don't you think?" Veronica tucked her long hair behind her ear, revealing her pearl earrings.

Teresa nodded silently. That's what she wanted too. Two caster female courtiers were enough; no one else should or ought to join.

It seemed they reached an understanding.

"And him?" Teresa continued to ask.

"He's outside, with Lady Surya, Marquis Julius, and Sir Jerald," Veronica replied, picking up her book again: "Upon hearing about the incident at Hemgart, the Duke swiftly dispatched ten knights and several dozen knight squires to be led by His Excellency Julius and Sir Jerald for reinforcement. It's said that His Grace Duke Francois is also waiting at the border?"

Surya's family background and talents... the sorceress could only sigh inwardly.

"I remember Julius is Lady Surya's brother, and Sir Jerald is..."

"Francois Duke's cousin, which makes him Lady Surya's uncle." Veronica was reading an ancient high elf tome, her tone containing a slight mocking: "Don't think too much, Trovik. The Antre family's genealogy can be traced back to King Arthur, the Founding Knight King himself. It's a millennium-old grand family. Just because your mother is a Female Elder in the Jialan Council doesn't mean you can compare to Lady Surya."