Chapter 151

"You're kidding me..." Sheffy stopped using her Eyes of True Sight, then let out a speechless sigh. "Forget it, I’ll hold onto this. But seriously, why didn’t you give me one made of gold... at least I could’ve exchanged it for some gold coins."

"Uuu, don’t say something so vulgar!"

"Ahem, I mean, this one’s nice too! Really quite good!"

"Mhm! I heard that rings made from white feathers and vines symbolize a proposal!"

"Ohhh, so that’s a thing... pfft...! Livra?!"

"But this is a bracelet, not a ring!"

"If you take another dramatic breath while talking, I swear I’ll smack you upside the head!"

"You already did! Hehe... I didn’t mean to..."

"Seriously... what’s with you? How do you get this dumb in bursts like this?"

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61. Divine Technique! (4K)

Fiddling with the delicate yet sturdy bracelet on her wrist, Sheffy hopped down from the rock, placed one hand on her waist, and turned back to glance at Livra, who was seated neatly atop a large stone.

"I’ll accept the bracelet."

"Mhm!"

"You did a pretty decent job. Also, your gratitude—I’ve received it all."

"Mmm...! Thank you, Miss Shaya!"

"But still, I suggest you come to see me less often."

"Mhm...! Ah...? Mmm... o-okay... I understand... I’ll try to come less often from now on..."

No, no, no, clearly you don’t understand!

Hearing Sheffy’s sudden words, Livra’s previously excited mood was doused like a bucket of cold water. She looked as fragile and sorrowful as a kitten caught in the rain with nowhere to hide, as if she were just a second away from bursting into tears and sprinting along the lakeside.

Sheffy sighed speechlessly. Honestly, Livra could be pretty sharp sometimes—so why did her brain short-circuit like this every now and then?

"That’s not what I meant. I’m telling you to come less because of your identity. You’re a princess of the Kingdom of Aurus, for heaven’s sake. If people find out you’re frequently sneaking into these remote forests to meet with the Demon Clan Princess, don’t assume public opinion will be easy to manage. They might slap you with a charge of treason. Let’s see how stunned you’ll be then."

"Oh, so that’s what you meant...? But doesn’t Lady Xiarette spend every day walking around with you too?"

"Xia’s different. Ahem... Xia’s not the same."

The first time she said it, Sheffy accidentally pictured Xia last night—breathing heavily, drenched in sweat, pressing down on her.

And the first thing Sheffy thought of when she said Xia was “different” was... that.

She was so annoyed she wanted to slap herself!

Because her tone was too soft and weak the first time, Sheffy repeated herself.

Different... did not mean different in that kind of way!

"Xia being with me is normal. Don’t forget my current identity—I’m the 'Peace Envoy' from the Demon Domain. And Xia, as the Hero, is the kingdom’s appointed monitor for this 'Peace Envoy'. On top of that, when I’m out with Xia, I always appear in Shaya’s form. You think your position is comparable to hers?"

“Mm… yes… there’s no way I can compare to Lady Xiarette right now…”

Livra fell into deep thought upon hearing that.

Sheffy figured she’d made herself perfectly clear—surely Livra would understand.

However…

What Livra said next completely blindsided her!

“I understand now… so if I can avoid being accused of treason, that means I can get close to… ahem, approach Miss Shaya, right?”

“You really have to come all the way here to find me, don’t you?!”

To Sheffy’s disbelief, Livra nodded with determination.

That sheer willpower—it was like she absolutely wouldn’t back down no matter what.

No, it wasn’t just not backing down.

She even stepped closer—her determined forehead nearly bumped right into Sheffy’s!

“Ah—okay okay, fine! I get it, alright?! If you’ve really got the skills to avoid the fallout, then do whatever you want. But I’m telling you now, if any scandal breaks out, don’t come begging me for help—I’m not that free.”

“Y-yes! I’ll treasure this opportunity!”

“Opportunity…? Tch… where does all your energy come from…”

Sheffy couldn’t understand from the start—ever since earlier, why did Livra’s eyes sparkle like pearls when she looked at her? Just like a girl in the throes of puppy love, thrilled at the return of her long-lost sweetheart.

But that couldn’t possibly be it, right~?

After all, strictly speaking, she and Livra had only met once before. They were barely even friends, and only just recently managed to get along without tension. There was no way Livra could be thinking anything that absurd~

Uh… wait a second, what’s she doing now?

Livra, who had been giggling and full of energy just moments ago, suddenly grew solemn and stepped back a few paces.

Then, slowly, she placed her left hand over her modest chest, drew her right foot back slightly, and lowered her head toward Sheffy.

—This was the highest etiquette of the Kingdom of Aurus.

Among commoners, this gesture symbolized submission and heartfelt respect.

But among the royal family of Aurus, this motion was used only to express reverence toward an elder or a mentor.

And now, the Kingdom’s Third Princess was offering such a gesture to the Demon Clan Princess…

That’s it. This princess… might actually be committing treason.

“Miss Shaya.”

“What now?”

Livra didn’t lift her head. Instead, she lowered it even more.

Her voice carried a deeper, more respectful humility than before.

“Before I leave… I wish to ask you for something. It may come off as wildly presumptuous… even insatiable. But—but! It was Miss Shaya who taught me to grow stronger, to face my own heart. So I feel like… even if I’m being greedy, it’s not wrong!”

“Whoa whoa whoa—just tell me what it is already. You can praise me all you want, but I’m still not giving you even half a doughnut.”

"Mhm! Then I’ll say it..."

Livra took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

She held her breath, focused her mind, and suddenly bowed deeply—her clear, melodic voice bursting out with conviction!

"Miss Shaya, would you… would you take me as your disciple?! Teach me magic!"

"Hah... this is bad. Clearly, I’m still half-asleep. I'm out, I’m out."

Sheffy was definitely not just trying to avoid trouble, okay?

She truly believed she hadn’t fully woken up and couldn’t quite make out what Livra was saying, alright?

I hear nothing, I hear nothing~

Just as Sheffy was about to turn around and sneak away quietly, Livra, quick as a flash, lunged forward, aiming to grab her by the waist.

Unfortunately, the lakeside path was rough and uneven, and Livra’s rush made her trip over a stone and fall hard to the ground.

"Ah—waa!!"

"You alright...? Uh… why are you getting even more fired up?!"

"Please take me as—ow ow ow—I want to become Miss Shaya’s apprentice and learn magic!"

Can’t we talk about this normally?! Why are you clinging to my leg like some stubborn rascal even after falling over?!

Thank the stars there was no one else around. Otherwise, if anyone had seen the Kingdom’s Third Princess throwing a tantrum, rolling around on the ground, and crying while clinging to someone’s leg, she might never live it down.

Sheffy tried to shake her short little legs free of the clingy grip, but it was no use—Livra was holding on far too tightly.

But in the next instant, what Livra clung to tightly—

—was air.

Sheffy had used some form of teleportation magic. With a flicker of her figure, she now stood behind Livra.

Livra blinked at her now-empty hands, and when she turned around, Sheffy’s silhouette reflected in her wide eyes, filling them with even greater admiration.

Miss Shaya… is always so powerful!

Seizing the brief moment while Livra stood up and patted the dust off her clothes—without lunging for another hug—Sheffy closed her left eye, held out her left hand, and asked flatly:

"What do you want to learn magic from me for...? Do you even need it? The Wright Family protects the Aurus royal bloodline. It’s not just you who’s weak. There aren’t many strong fighters in your whole royal family. Isn’t that pretty normal?"

"Miss Shaya is testing me..."

I’m not!!

I’m honestly trying to talk you into just giving up and taking it easy, alright?! At least stop clinging to my leg like a brat!

But Livra clenched her fists in front of her.

She stared at her powerless hands, yet in her eyes burned a resolve that could no longer be shaken.

"I’ve always remembered what you said—that I should become stronger... Strong enough to protect the people important to me. And after what happened this time...

I understand that even more clearly now. Back on that high platform—if it weren’t for your help, Miss Shaya—my parents, my siblings, and I... we all would’ve been killed, right? I know I’m powerless... weak... but I still feel like I can do better. At the very least, I want to be stronger than I am today—not just someone always hoping for the protection of Miss Shaya or Lady Xiarette. If I stay like that... I’ll be no different from who I used to be."

"You mean even with your status—you could easily live carefree as a worry-free princess—and still you think this way?"

"Mhm, this has nothing to do with my status."

Sunlight slanted across emerald waters, the jade-like ripples glimmering over dark reflections.

Livra tilted her head and gave a thoughtful, innocent smile.

In that moment, Sheffy saw in her a glimpse of herself—back in that slightly chilly midsummer—when she had desperately wanted to save Xia, yet was powerless to do so.

"Just like you, Miss Shaya. Even though you're a Demon Clan Princess, you always stand at the very front for everyone, silently shouldering everything. That version of you… is what I admire. Compared to me, you are the real princess."

"I… is that so… th-thanks?"

"Mhm!"

Sheffy turned her gaze aside, a rare blush creeping across her face.

Livra’s words… had made her just a little embarrassed.

Very few people had ever acknowledged Sheffy.

No matter how hard she worked, she rarely received even the most basic of praise.

Because she was born gifted... and because she was the Demon Clan Princess. Everyone thought her excellence was only natural, and any shortcoming—even the slightest—was met with endless criticism.

But just now, Livra’s evaluation of her—Sheffy quietly took it to heart with gratitude.

A real princess, huh...

Thanks, really. But I'm still far from worthy of that title.

As for Livra’s earlier request—

Sheffy finally reached a decision in her heart.

"Well… alright, I guess. Not like I needed that extra sleep anyway."

"Eh...? Miss Shaya, do you mean...!"

"Teaching you a bit of magic’s not a problem. But listen—don’t start doing all those formal salutes or calling me teacher like earlier. I can’t stand that stuff. Just thinking about it exhausts me."

"Understood! Teacher Shaya!"

"Ugh, you really don’t learn your lesson, do you."

Well, it depends who's saying it.

Sheffy thought she’d hate being called “teacher.” But somehow, when someone as cheerful and sincere as Livra called her “Teacher Shaya,” it… didn’t sound so bad after all.

By this time, Xia was probably close to waking up.

Since teaching Livra magic wasn’t something that could be done in a day, Sheffy decided to just ask a few questions for now to get a sense of where things stood.

"Hey Livra, have you really never received proper magical training before? Aren’t you already at Third-Rank strength?"

"Well... hehe... it’s a little embarrassing to admit. I’ve honestly never slacked off in studying magic ever since I was little. But… but I never stood out. The teachers who tried to teach me magic always said my talent was decent, but when it came to actual practice, I was always pretty mediocre. Even this Third-Rank rating I have now is mostly from my achievements in close combat… When it comes to spellcasting, I might not even manage the lowest-level spells properly."

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