Open the envelope.

Using the blade given to you by Yin, you slit the front of the envelope open to reveal a letter inside. You then unfold the paper and begin to read. As you thought, it's not only from the royal family of Tivera, but Queen Catherine II herself. The cursive is unsurprisingly beautiful. You can imagine the touch of her fingers from pen to page, with elegant movement and words you could hear directly from her lips. It says the following:

To King Warren of Castle Phoenix,

You are hereby invited to a meeting between royalty upon my coming to Avana. Soon I will be making an appearance there, which in itself is not unusual, though I would love nothing more than to have your presence at my side. This will not only solidify our alliance and your identity as a sovereign nation, but also aid in the recovery of your reputation between what Thadius implanted into the people's minds and the truth they are beginning to understand. The event itself will be in the late evening, so be sure to dress for the weather. Even though our land tends to remain relatively temperate, autumn can be rather cool.

I hope to see you there, Kyle Warren. It is regular affair to make such appearances, but it will be more enjoyable to share it with you.

Queen Catherine II
XOXO

K'iina, Aak'aba, Feli, and Lepo have mostly wandered off, albeit still in the vicinity, to go about their own business. Lady Nyllia, however, watches with interest but also with patience as you read the letter in your head.

You also notice that at the very bottom, by her signature, is a pair of rosy red lips.

Not to blush, you fold the letter back up and ponder her words. The last time you were in Avana, it wasn't exactly for a day on the town. Now that you think about it, you'd love to return. There was a long stretch of time where you were technically a wanted man within the borders of Tivera. If you can now walk freely wherever you'd like, it could be a leisurely blast from the past.

"It's an invitation from the queen, to meet with her in Avana," you finally say.

"Ah. On good terms, I assume," Nyllia responds.

"Yeah. I'll definitely go. That's sounds great. I also wanna see how Avana is doing. You know, after everything."

"From what I have seen, it is doing very well all things considered. When is this meeting taking place?"

"Three days from today."

"You best get some rest then, if you are to show your face publicly to the people of Avana. I assume there are some who still only know your identity from the wanted posters you used to have. But the people of Tivera have been through much. You have a certain way with people, Kyle, so I think you will be fine."

You look her over, quietly for a time. Thinking about Avana has you feeling a little bit nostalgic, and the first time you met Lady Tesgella was so early in your journey. She was the adventurer you wished you could travel with, or perhaps the one you wanted to someday become. Now you're here, and it's hardly been a couple seasons since it all began. At first, she was this beacon of light--a righteous paladin, known and respected by all. Though there's more to everybody. It's still surreal to see her standing beside you, especially with that spark in her eyes as she stares right back at you.

Then you offer out a hand.

"What is this?" she asks.

"I hereby invite you as my plus-one, Lady Nyllia Tesgella."

"Did the invitation offer you one?"

"No, but I don't think that'll be a problem."

She chuckles, and then lays her gauntlet upon palm. "I accept this date, Kyle Warren.

"Oh. It's a date, is it?"

"Yes. So you are to be on your best behaviour."

"They call me Hero King now, but they called me Demon King hardly any time ago. I can't promise I'll be good."

"Fine. Then I will not either." She slides her hand from yours. "When shall we depart?"

"I'd say tomorrow. Then we'll get to Avana a day before the event."

"That sounds lovely. I will make preparations. Maybe you should speak with Luna. I would be surprised if she was not already working on other outfits you could wear, so perhaps she will have something to fit the occasion."

"You don't like my normal attire?"

"I was simply suggesting. But if you care that much, I can decide your wardrobe for you."

"All right. What will I be wearing as I stand beside the Queen of Tivera?"

"Nothing, of course."

"I knew you were going to say that."