The cold edge of the sword carried a biting chill, ice magic swirling faintly in the air.
By the time Annie snapped back to reality, someone had already pulled her to her feet.
“Luckily, you’re alright.”
The newcomer checked her over a few times and, finding only her arm reddened from being yanked, no other injuries, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“That was just in time, Willis.”
Hill Yu leaned the still-shaken Annie against the wall, then moved to clear away the nearby corpse.
Meanwhile, Willis—the Empire’s Second Princess—was summoned by Hill Yu.
Her fiery red hair, like the sun itself, illuminated the dark alley.
The other woman frowned, wrinkled her nose, and covered it.
“Ugh, what a stench. If no one had reported this, and you hadn’t insisted on playing the hero, I wouldn’t have bothered coming here…”
“Yes, yes, I’m the one who dragged you here, alright?”
Hill Yu shot her a sideways glance.
But when Willis looked toward Annie, her eyes suddenly brightened.
“Hm~ Though, I suppose it’s not without gain… Little beauty, you weren’t scared, were you? Tell me, what’s your name?”
Willis’s expression shifted instantly.
Seeing Annie’s beauty had clearly struck a nerve.
Yet at that moment, the still-frightened Annie’s mind blurred, and the face of the peerless beauty before her overlapped with that of the mining boss who had just tried to humiliate her…
The mental shock triggered a hallucination, and Annie suddenly screamed, startling Willis.
She shoved Willis aside forcefully, causing the imperial princess to stumble and fall to the ground.
Annie gasped for breath, shot Willis a glance, then dashed out of the alley, disappearing without a trace.
Willis stared back in disbelief, only to be met with Hill Yu’s mischievous laughter.
“Tell the others to come and clean this mess up.”
Hill Yu clapped her hands, sheathed her sword, and said to Willis,
“You can just gloat all you want… So, who was that person just now? Do you know her?”
Willis was still resentful.
“How could I know? Aren’t you the lord of Ushi City? Forget it, she ran off—no point in chasing.”
Turning, Willis looked at Hill Yu.
“She ran off—your Highness, won’t you make a little sacrifice?”
“Huh? Hey, what are you doing? Don’t hug me, it stinks! There’s poop on your clothes, you idiot!”
***
Since that incident a year ago, Annie Donald couldn’t shake the memory.
Almost falling into the Deep Abyss left her too frightened to go outside for a long time.
Later, when the Second Princess left Ushi City to return to Moncer Royal City, Annie moved in with her grandfather inside the Grand Tower Library.
After the lessons for the imperial princess ended, her grandfather no longer had contact with the Empire’s Second Princess.
Within the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of the Grand Tower Library, Annie slowly began to recover.
Under her grandfather’s guidance, she gradually became an apprentice mage.
Time flew by…
A year ago, she had gone out to purchase magic crystals and an iron sword, laying the groundwork for becoming a mage.
Now, a year later, she had spent so much time battling her psychological shadow, but thanks to her natural talent, she had completed the basics of magical energy channeling and storage well.
She was now considered a mage, though not yet an apprentice.
The clouds had lifted, but a certain unforgettable face only grew clearer in her heart day by day.
***
Okam Empire, Royal City, Grand Tower Library.
Ten minutes earlier…
“You’re distracted again, Annie.”
Sitting in his rocking chair, her grandfather managed the books on these floors.
Even with his eyes closed, leisurely enjoying the rocking, he seemed fully aware of Annie Donald’s current state.
“Grandpa, the imperial princess hasn’t come to see you in quite some time, has she?”
Annie asked softly.
“Yes, it’s been a long while. But cultivation is like this—the master leads you to the door, but progress depends on the individual.”
Annie’s grandfather, Bri Donald, was also the Empire’s Second Princess’s first magic instructor.
He began delivering the familiar lecture.
“Magic is a path where, beyond the basics, even advanced spells can be created by oneself. Of course, this requires considerable talent.”
“But if you’re like this—distracted during study—it will be hard for you to learn even the advanced magic I already know.”
“That’s impossible!”
Annie protested, but then turned and asked, “Is the imperial princess gifted?”
Bri Donald pondered for a moment.
“When I taught her, I thought she was average… She’s like you, not fond of delving deep into magic, but she is a princess, so it’s normal for her mind to be on politics.”
“I’ve heard recently she’s been shining at the Royal Academy—not only improving several spells I taught her but even advocating for free sharing of magic…”
“It’s been a while; I’m curious to see what kind of person this student has become.”
At his words, Annie’s interest was piqued.
“I heard she was attacked. I wonder if she’s alright.”
“Annie, you seem a little too concerned about this imperial princess,” Bri Donald opened his eyes and looked at his granddaughter strangely.
Her face flushed red, a wave of youthful longing shimmering across it.
“Huh?”
Annie quickly waved her hands, covering her face.
“No way, Grandpa, you’re misunderstanding—this is just normal curiosity, right?”
“Is that so?”
Bri Donald said noncommittally, then urged her to continue studying.
“I—I’m going to the bathroom!”
Unable to calm her mind, Annie made an excuse and left, causing the old man behind her to shake his head repeatedly.
“So restless, wasting your youth, Annie!”
But thinking back on his own youth, Bri Donald relaxed.
Some things were better left to take their natural course; rushing was futile.
Soon enough, Annie came running back, excitedly pointing outside the door.
“Grandpa, Grandpa, outside… outside!”
“What’s outside?”
Bri remained comfortably seated in his rocking chair.
“It looks like the Second Princess. No doubt about it—that fiery red hair!”
Just like that day, outside the alley, so dazzling that even at night it still shone brightly.
Her image had been etched deeply into the girl’s heart.
“If she’s here, she’s here. Why are you so worked up?”
Bri Donald seemed to sense something, speaking with disbelief.
“Annie, although she’s my student, she… you know the rumors about her, right? I, as your grandfather, can’t say it outright, but you need to think carefully. No matter what, I’m opposed to it…”
A steam puffed from Annie’s head, her tongue tied.
“Gra… Grandpa, what are you thinking! How could I like her? I… I… I just felt that day the First Princess, Hill Yu, saved me… I wanted the Second Princess to pass on my thanks… A whole year, and I never got the chance…”
“If only that were true,” Bri sighed, this foolish girl had practically confessed already.
For a moment, his old heart was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
Annie turned away and went to her small room, standing before the little dressing table mirror, beginning to hurriedly get ready.
“Faster, faster… even faster!”
Never before had her makeup been applied so swiftly yet precisely.
When Willis appeared outside the door, Annie rushed to the stairway entrance.
Adjusting her breath, regaining her composure, then…
Gracefully and beautifully, she descended, presenting herself in the most perfect form to enter Willis’s view.
Creak…
The heavy door opened, revealing the cool yet stunning face beyond.
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