Chapter113

Walking a few steps behind them, Elina totally froze, staring at the Princess with an expression of sheer, unadulterated shock. She had never seen Her Highness act like a complaining child in front of anyone, let alone a boy dressed in dirty clothes. 
Juna, however, was not shocked at all. Her ears pinned flat against her head, and a low, highly irritated growl vibrated in the back of her throat. She absolutely hated the way Didi had just casually dragged him away from her. 
'Well, considering how easily that monster almost killed you, they weren't exactly wrong,' he thought, carefully prying his sleeve out of Didi's tight grip before Juna decided to bite someone.
"Right, so what did they decide instead?"
She crossed her arms, instantly snapping back into her perfectly composed, ice-cold persona like the last ten seconds never even happened. 
"Eventually, one of the ministers suggested outsourcing the problem," she said smoothly, completely ignoring Elina's highly confused staring.
"The Great Families possess enormous strength, and they are always starving for the glory and rewards that come from clearing a Gate right next to the capital. My father agreed and sent a formal summons to the Flint family to offer them the clearing rights."
'So that is why Kenny was heading out there,' he thought, making the final connection. 'My father probably accepted the summons today, secured the rights, and sent Kenny's detachment straight to the location.'
A sense of irony settled in his chest. The family that threw him out for being completely talentless was currently inside, being rewarded by the King, while he was walking in to be honored as a national savior. 
"Does your father know you are from the Flint family?" She asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied his reaction. 
Hajin gave her a very flat look, genuinely confused by the question. 
'Does the man who personally signed my exile papers know I am from his family?' he thought, blinking a few times. 'Only the actual head of a noble house has the legal authority to banish a blood relative into the slums. She should definitely know how noble laws work, so why would she even ask something so dumb?'
He didn't voice the insult out loud, instead letting out a slow, tired sigh.