“Ten years! Ten whole years! How could she just…”
Willis stopped mid-sentence.
Victoria, who was asked the question, chose to remain silent. After all, it seemed that Her Highness wasn’t very keen on hearing the answer.
After making arrangements with Annie Donald, Willis sadly caught up with her teacher for a brief chat before leaving that sorrowful room.
Annie Donald, on the other hand, had to temporarily say goodbye to her grandfather and pack her things.
They were to meet later at the entrance of the Grand Tower Library…
Meanwhile, Willis continued upward with Victoria following close behind.
From Victoria’s perspective, the princess in front of her possessed a beauty and figure that ordinary people could hardly reach.
If not for those infamous rumors that overshadowed her, such a stunning beauty would surely be one of the Empire’s most revered princesses.
Her steps were elegant as she ascended the wooden spiral staircase, the light taps of her feet sounding almost charming.
Her slender and delicate figure, coupled with her breathtaking appearance, made it hard to imagine that this girl, not yet eighteen, had come so far as a princess.
Setting everything else aside, her age was no different from that of any ordinary girl.
But what she had to endure was far more than most.
Likewise, as her Royal Knight, Victoria was naturally familiar with Willis’s harsher side.
Just that one night, when that pure elf was defiled—Victoria was there.
She had even been an accomplice.
She lowered her head silently, eyes drifting toward the sword hanging at her waist.
Royal Knight…
Did she truly deserve that title?
“What’s wrong?”
Sensing her distraction, Willis turned back and asked.
Victoria shook her head, indicating she was fine.
“Is that so? But… why do I feel like you’ve been staring under my skirt all this time?”
At that moment, Willis was walking ahead while Victoria followed behind.
The height difference caused by the stairs could certainly give that impression.
Especially for Willis, who had only recently undergone Soul Transmigration…
The princess’s lips curled into a mischievous smile as she gently lifted the edge of her pure white skirt with slender, immaculate fingers.
The secret realm, surpassing countless of the most beautiful sights in the world, was irresistible because it was forbidden and mysterious.
But Willis only teased lightly. Seeing Victoria’s face flush and her breathing quicken, she laughed and dashed up the stairs.
“Haha, Victoria, you’re so amusing.”
The playful voice of the girl slowly echoed from the distance down the corridor. Victoria remained rooted in place, lost in thought.
After a moment, she floated over quickly, regaining her usual expressionless demeanor as she stood beside Willis again.
“What’s wrong? Are you mad?”
“No.”
Victoria had already calmed down.
In that instant, a strange emotion surged through her body—one even she couldn’t quite explain.
But Victoria was certain of one thing: she had no improper thoughts whatsoever.
It was a completely bizarre, inexplicable bodily reaction.
Yet the next second, Willis’s words stirred her heart again.
“Sorry about that, I’ll make sure to show you next time.”
Victoria froze, staring at the red-haired figure casually searching for a book on the shelf…
For a moment, Victoria felt as if an invisible barrier had separated them.
Willis was far away, while she was trapped in a steaming pot.
After a while, Victoria finally asked, “Your Highness, did you tease me just now because Annie Donald chose not to accept you?”
“No way…” Willis hummed dreamily as she lowered her head to think, then looked back with a smile.
“It’s simply because I feel like my Royal Knight and I aren’t that close. I just wanted to get a little closer, is that not allowed?”
“Please don’t.” Victoria rejected firmly.
At this point, it was far too late for any remedy, Your Highness.
“Tch, what a pity.”
***
After Willis left, the once cheerful Annie Donald immediately fell silent.
Her head lowered, it was unclear what she was thinking.
In the end, Bri Donald was the first to speak.
“You young girls, I truly don’t understand… You say… you…”
He pointed at his granddaughter, then sighed again.
“Enough, enough. It’s all a confusing mess anyway. Do whatever you want.”
“Grandpa…” Annie’s voice was soft as she asked, “Do you think she’s angry?”
“How would I know?”
The old man rolled his eyes.
He had never approved of his granddaughter liking a woman—especially one as infamous as his student.
But aloud, he still asked with concern, “You’ve been thinking about her day and night. How come it turned out like this when you met?”
“Why don’t you listen to your grandpa and try the young talents of the Empire instead? Woman liking woman, what kind of nonsense is that?!”
Annie completely ignored the advice and muttered as if to herself.
“I… I don’t know why. When I saw her, all the words I had prepared vanished…”
“Even the courage I gathered to look into her eyes shattered instantly.”
Her face was full of loneliness and sorrow, her fists clenched tightly.
“But when I thought about doing nothing, just missing her again and not knowing when we’d meet next… I just couldn’t hold back…”
“But the moment the words came out, it ended up like this…”
With a choking voice, Annie Donald had never expected things to turn out this way.
Even though she had been the one to bring it all about.
“I just don’t understand…” Bri Donald’s face twisted in disgust.
“Why do you like her?”
“Even if you like women… Even if it’s true that my granddaughter Bri Donald likes Grand Princess Hill Yu, it’s still better than liking Willis, isn’t it?”
“But you…”
The old man stood up, filled with a bitter sense of helplessness.
“Why… why do you like her? Why? I never let you meet the Second Princess, so how did you come to like her?!”
“Grandpa… you don’t know…”
Annie fell silent for a moment, then told him about what had happened over a year ago.
After hearing it, the old man felt a chill and memories resurfaced.
“No wonder you were acting strange after you came back that day—so many reactions… Then you were distracted… Now I understand.”
He sat back down, then seemed to have realized something.
“But that’s still odd. According to what you said, the one who saved you was Grand Princess Hill Yu. Willis was just there by chance and even scared you…”
“So if anyone’s to be liked, it should be Hill Yu who actually drew her sword to save you!”
“But why do you like the Empire’s Second Princess instead!?”
His granddaughter looked just as bewildered, then gradually resolved.
“Grandpa… do you believe in… love at first sight? When I came back home and regained my senses… Her image just wouldn’t leave my mind.”
Bri Donald’s face twisted with disbelief and disgust.
After a moment, he muttered under his breath, “Damn love at first sight. Go to hell with your love at first sight. You’re just lusting after her!”
Few things made him lose his composure like this, but his granddaughter liking that infamous princess really made him speechless.
He even insulted his own daughter without realizing it.