Leaving the Healing Department, the Royal Academy outside was a lively, bustling scene.
Everywhere were students in uniforms, chatting and laughing as they passed by.
Velis, as an Imperial Princess, had lost nearly all her guards to death or injury, with only Xi’eryou by her side. It was a pitiful state indeed.
And since she had changed into Xi’eryou’s uniform, no one recognized her for the moment.
Walking along the flat stone path, the Royal Academy’s interior was a maze of crisscrossing roads and winding lanes.
The previous Velis had visited this place a few times, but she wasn’t familiar with the main thoroughfares.
So it was Xi’eryou who led the way ahead, while Velis quietly followed behind her.
Occasionally, her predatory gaze would drift toward the students around her. Somehow, Velis could always spot the most attractive female students in a crowd at a glance.
“Do you have confidence in this?” Xi’eryou asked in a low voice from ahead.
Now that even the Emperor of the Okam Empire had come, Velis couldn’t escape even if she wanted to.
Xi’eryou had originally planned to use Velis’s injury as an opportunity to propose postponing the plan, giving her sister some time to prepare. But now they weren’t even given a moment to rest.
“Bridge to the bow of the ship, Sister. Worrying about it now won’t do any good. I’ll adapt when the time comes.”
Velis said indifferently.
Even though the Healer had mended the wound on her shoulder, the Ice Arrow that Winnie Kanasha had fired still carried considerable destructive power.
The shoulder still ached faintly. That cold ice magic was eroding her body, clashing with the fire-attribute magic within Velis’s core.
‘You really left quite a mark inside my body, Winnie…’ Velis’s gaze turned icy cold as her thoughts churned.
“That’s true. It’d be best if you didn’t wade into this mess at the Academy, Velis.” With those words, Xi’eryou had already tacitly accepted that Velis would fail.
“Sister, do you truly believe I still have a way back now?” Velis asked in return.
“What do you mean?”
“No, nothing.”
Velis shook her head, signaling for the other to hurry along.
Now it wasn’t just the System forcing her to complete the task. After this assassination attempt, Velis had also come to understand one thing.
If she failed this inauguration, the moment she showed weakness, more dangers would creep in silently.
The Empire’s internal currents were surging like tidal waves. Standing at the eye of the storm as the infamous Bloody Princess, one misstep meant utter ruin.
Above, sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting dappled shadows. A cool, refreshing breeze blew from all directions.
Young women’s skirts swayed as scenes of laughter and joy played out everywhere.
Velis’s gaze occasionally drifted sideways. Well-trimmed gardens along the roadside bloomed with flowers of the season, their fragrance wafting through the air.
One after another, otherworldly-style buildings rose tall amidst the artificially planted groves, their silhouettes faint and hazy, like shy beauties.
Xi’eryou led her through left turns and right twists, and soon they arrived at their destination.
Compared to everything she’d encountered along the way, Velis’s heart was cold as an abyss.
“Oh! It’s Teacher Xi’eryou! Why are you here too? You’re here for the speech as well, right?”
Before they even entered the heavy doors, some students had already greeted Xi’eryou.
“Yes, are you all here for it too?” Xi’eryou asked with a smile in return.
One student then lowered himself mysteriously and whispered to Xi’eryou, “Teacher, the one coming is your sister, right? I heard she has a green face and fangs, kills without blinking, and likes to dip people in vinegar before eating them. Is that true?”
“You little rascal, what nonsense are you saying!?” Xi’eryou scolded with a laugh, raising her hand to swat him. The boy dodged out of the way.
And then he spotted Velis, who was hiding silently behind Xi’eryou.
Even the teacher’s uniform couldn’t hide her elegant figure—graceful, slender, and alluring. Her crimson hair shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight.
Because of the wounds from the recent battle, Velis carried an air of fatigue and frailty. Her delicate, stunningly beautiful face made every student who saw her heart race—she was a pitiful sight to behold.
“Th-this one… is she also a swordsmanship teacher?” The student stared dumbfounded at Velis, then turned to ask.
“Alright, stop asking. You all have this free time to come watch from the stands, so tomorrow I’ll be sure to thoroughly check whether you’ve done your training.”
The moment Xi’eryou’s words fell, several students immediately wore grimaces and scattered like birds.
Faintly, the sounds of their playful bickering could still be heard.
“Teacher Xi’eryou is going to check on us, what do we do? Should we go back now?”
“Are you kidding… The Vice Dean and the professors specifically told us to come watch today. Tomorrow we’ll just say that today’s Academy orders robbed us of the perfect chance to practice!”
“Good point. My sword technique was only half a day away from mastery…”
Velis hadn’t spoken a single word throughout. Now, gazing at the many Imperial soldiers guarding this towering, millstone-like Moon Hall, her heart tightened.
“Those brats…” Xi’eryou scolded with a chuckle, then turned to explain, “They’re all my students. A bit mischievous, but they have solid foundations.”
Hearing this, Velis instead praised, “Sister truly is a wonderful teacher here at the Academy.”
Xi’eryou’s cheeks flushed slightly. Having family witness her at work was a bit embarrassing.
“I never reveal my Imperial status to anyone. They’re all in the prime of their youth, and they don’t care about all those stuffy rules. Over time, we just got along.”
Xi’eryou’s explanation made Velis nod. Look at that. Now that’s what a righteous person looks like!?
The radiance emanating from her Imperial Sister nearly blinded Velis’s eyes! Her villain’s soul was trembling slightly!
But these were just minor interruptions. As the two stepped onto the jade stairs, the soldiers guarding the gate naturally recognized the Imperial Princess and let them pass without any action.
Xi’eryou led Velis inside. Before them stretched a wide hall, flanked by circular corridors on both sides.
The corridors were split into two on each side—one front, one back—making four passages in total.
Surrounding them were luxurious, finely decorated rooms, but all were locked and not open to the public.
“This way, little sister. Until you go on stage, I’ll be right by your side.”
Xi’eryou continued leading the way ahead. Unlike the cool, pleasant breeze outside, this place was much colder and more chilling.
A gust of wind blew in, making Velis feel a slight chill as goosebumps rose on her skin.
The two women walked through one of the corridors, and Xi’eryou brought her to the backstage of the Moon Hall.
From here, she could see the entire interior structure—simple in design, yet extravagant.
True Eye!
[Tables and chairs made of Duoang Wood. Timber from the far northern cold lands, sturdy and durable, emitting a faint fragrance that soothes the mind and steadies the spirit. However, the northern lands are far away, and a single piece of Duoang Wood commands a high price.]
[Curtains and drapes made of silk produced by superior magic sheep. To acquire this much, it would cost at least ten thousand gold dragons behind the scenes…]
Every single item within the Moon Hall was elegant and expensive.
Though the layout was simple—only the audience seats and the stage at the front—every detail revealed its complexity.
Above the audience area was another ring corridor, featuring eight protruding cloud platforms. Those were the VIP seats.
Now, many Royal Academy professors had already taken their places among them, and Emperor Lubath Egbert occupied the most honored position of all.
As the hall’s hanging clock ticked away and the hour hand struck three o’clock, the Vice Dean standing on the stage, Mark, broke into a smile.
“Time is up. Everyone, silence! Please take your seats in an orderly manner!”
Soon, the audience area that Velis had thought would hold at most ten people was now at least half full—over two thousand people!
Mark’s voice was projected through the Wind-type Amplification Magic on the stage, and as the crowd within the hall settled, it quickly grew quiet.
“Now! Let’s welcome the Second Imperial Princess’s inaugural speech with applause!”
No prelude, no opening remarks. So rushed—they weren’t giving Velis a single moment to catch her breath.
As deafening applause erupted, countless pairs of eyes locked onto the backstage area.
Seeing this, Velis let out a sigh. So her opponents came with ill intentions—they wanted to humiliate her in front of the entire Academy’s faculty and students!
Then, at the perfect moment, the Emperor would feign fury, denounce her lack of scholarly merit, declare she’d mislead future students, and issue a decree of dismissal. Everyone would clap and celebrate, and Velis’s inauguration would be a failure.
Then, tentacles would grow on her face… Congratulations all around.
“Is all of this your doing, my beloved… Father Emperor!?”
Velis gazed with indifferent eyes at the towering figure on the high platform, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.
“Velis! Good luck!”
From behind, Xi’eryou’s worried voice echoed out.