The next afternoon.
Charlotte leaned against Annabell’s shoulder, full of energy, and asked softly, “Anna, what are your plans from here?”
Annabell looked ethereal as she yawned and said, “I need to go back to the Duke’s Estate first and inform my mother about us.”
“Then I have to return to Sky College. I need to confront Principal Sylvia about sending someone to break off my engagement without my consent.”
Hearing “Sylvia” and “College,” Charlotte’s eyes dimmed slightly.
Although she was worried Annabell would face pressure from those in power, she believed Annabell could handle everything.
“Knowing Anna has to leave and won’t be by my side every day… my heart aches so much…” Charlotte lowered her gaze dejectedly.
Annabell stroked her golden hair and chuckled softly, “Don’t make it sound like we’re parting forever. Besides, I have something great to show you.”
With that, Annabell raised her left hand, revealing the faintly glowing bond mark on her wrist.
Charlotte raised her hand in kind, as if reading her mind. The light particles from their marks linked in midair, forming a translucent red thread.
“I’ve been studying this thing lately, and I finally discovered its true secret.” Annabell raised an eyebrow proudly.
“Even if we’re a thousand miles apart, as long as we channel mana into it, we can hear each other’s voices. I gave it a name—’voice call.'”
“Close your eyes and try channeling your spiritual energy into the mark.”
Charlotte obediently did as told. When her spiritual energy touched the mark, she suddenly heard Annabell’s clear voice right by her ear.
“How is it? Can you hear me? By the way, I’m teleporting outside the door right now.”
Charlotte’s eyes shot open. Sure enough, Annabell was gone from in front of her.
But the voice in her mind remained crystal clear: “With this, it’s just like talking face to face. Genius, aren’t I?”
Charlotte beamed with joy, clutching her wrist and eagerly testing it again and again.
“Anna?”
“Can you hear me?”
“Hello, hello? Are you there?”
“I love you so much, Anna!”
After confirming it worked, Charlotte no longer felt so sad about their brief upcoming separation.
Because she could talk to Anna anytime, anywhere. Every morning she could say good morning, and every night she could say good night.
Charlotte ran outside and hugged Annabell tightly once more, her face full of happiness and sweetness.
***
Meanwhile, at the Sky Dome Academy Capital Temporary Office in the imperial capital.
Ai Weier, with hair as red as fire, sat upright on the sofa.
A Student Council officer was reporting the alarm to her: “President, according to reliable intel, Miss Annabell has been staying at the Weir Manor for the past few days!”
“From the looks of it, there’s no way Miss Annabell will break off the engagement.” The officer forced a smile.
“But rest assured, since she insists on defying the Dean for the sake of some useless trash, the position of next Heir of Sky College is yours for the taking! Congratulations, President!”
crash!
Before he even finished speaking, the crystal goblet in Ai Weier’s hand was crushed to pieces. Red wine mixed with blood dripped onto the wool carpet.
The officer’s legs went weak with fear, and he dropped to his knees.
The President’s delicate face was churning with barely concealed jealousy and fury.
“Annabell… you’d rather stay in that broke household’s home than come back to see me even once?!”
Ai Weier slowly rose to her feet, the sick, possessive obsession in her eyes nearly overflowing.
“Fine! Very well!”
“I’d like to see just what qualifies that trash named Charlotte to make you so devoted!”
“Prepare the carriage! We’re going to the Weir Manor!”
***
The morning of their departure.
Charlotte clung to Annabell like a koala, the two standing in the Weir Manor’s back garden.
“Anna, will you miss me?”
“No.”
“Anna, give me a kiss before you go!”
“No.”
“Anna, say you love me!”
“…Are you ever going to stop being annoying?”
Early in the morning, Charlotte had already launched into full clingy mode, nestled happily in Annabell’s arms, refusing to get up.
“No, no! You have to miss me!” Charlotte pouted, her fingers restlessly poking at the buttons on Annabell’s mage robe.
“Morning, noon, and night… when you’re meditating, when you’re fighting—oh wait, you need to focus when fighting, so you can skip that one…”
The closer the moment of parting came, the more reluctant Charlotte became, as if she could absorb enough “Anna energy” through their sticky, clinging contact.
“Ugh… I really don’t want to be apart. Not even for a second.” Charlotte let out a wistful sigh.
After last night’s intimate time together, their relationship had only grown stronger.
Annabell helplessly pressed her forehead, but her tone was gentle: “Stop fussing. Ten days or half a month is nothing for High-rank Mages like us—just a few sessions of meditation. We still have a long future ahead.”
“No, I don’t want to be apart even for an instant.”
Annabell smiled bitterly. “That old hag, ahem, Principal Sylvia has definitely already heard about me by now. If I don’t go back and report in, she might cook up some new scheme to target your family. I have to go settle this once and for all.”
Hearing that, Charlotte’s little face instantly turned serious, her eyes full of worry.
“Anna, will Principal Sylvia make things hard for you? After all, you disobeyed her orders… If it’s because of me that you lose the position of Chief Student…”
Annabell patted her head, cutting off her spiraling thoughts. “Stop worrying about nothing. It’s just a lousy Chief Student title. If she wants it that badly, she can have it. As long as I’m here, no one’s touching a single hair on your head.”
Charlotte’s eyes reddened slightly, deeply moved:
“Anna…”
“Alright, stop looking like you’re about to cry. It’s ugly.” Annabell gently pushed her back, straightened her collar, and said, “I need to go now.”
“Make sure to report your study progress to me regularly. If you dare slack off, I won’t let you off easily.”
The two walked together to the manor’s front gate, hugging goodbye with deep reluctance.
The two young girls stood in the sunlight, silver and golden hair intertwining—a picture so beautiful it seemed to freeze time.
However, at the street corner not far from the Weir family’s gate, a figure radiating bone-chilling coldness had been standing there for quite some time.
That sinister mana aura made passing civilians involuntarily shiver.
“President?”
The Student Council officer behind her carefully called out to Ai Weier, whose face was frost-covered.
“Hmph!”
Ai Weier let out a cold snort, her fiery red hair swaying as if moved by an unseen wind. She strode forward with her long legs, heading straight for the Weir family’s gate.
clap, clap, clap
The crisp, mocking applause interrupted the tender moment between Annabell and Charlotte.
“Well, well, impressive, junior. You’ve truly surprised me.”
Ai Weier approached with an expressionless face, jealousy burning like venomous fire in her beautiful eyes. “You’d actually defy Principal Sylvia’s direct order for this trash?”
Annabell’s face turned ice-cold in an instant. She subtly shifted to shield Charlotte behind her.
“Ai Weier, what are you doing here?” Annabell’s tone was frigid.