“Not the Elf Princess?” Anastasia’s voice suddenly rose a pitch, and her body, kneeling on one knee, wavered.
She quickly lifted her head, her lively blue eyes filled with fear.
“What do you mean?”
“Just what it sounds like.” Fia spread her hands.
What she was about to say next was cruel, but there was no other choice.
If possible, she would have liked to agree like a real Elf Princess, to experience the family and friendship she never had.
But she didn’t have the memories of the Elf Princess.
Her appearance could be disguised, but her habits, favorite colors, tastes, unconscious gestures, and even her attitude towards others would reveal her true identity.
Rather than pretending to be the Elf Princess and getting exposed within a day, it was better to explain the situation from the start.
That way, she might gain some goodwill and have a proper conversation.
As for the possibility of being seen as an enemy, she had absolute power and didn’t need to worry about her safety.
It was truly sad.
Fia felt a surge of irritation.
She could easily destroy a city now, casually unleash the most powerful ninth-tier magic in this world.
Even if Anastasia turned against her after hearing the truth, she didn’t need to worry about Anastasia causing trouble.
“The Elf Princess you knew is already dead.
The person standing here now is just an empty shell of the Elf Princess.”
“Haha, Your Highness, what are you saying? Aren’t you still you?” Anastasia forced a laugh, but her face, which usually gave a reliable impression, betrayed her.
Her heart was wavering.
Fia’s gaze moved from Anastasia to the floor.
Anastasia’s reaction made Fia feel sad.
She felt like a doctor with excellent skills but unable to heal Anastasia, only able to look down from above at the pleading Anastasia.
Feeling a pang of compassion, Fia reorganized her words.
“Um—when the Elf Princess was injured on the battlefield, you were there, right? I mean the moment the Elf Princess was pierced by that purple spear.”
“Yes, I was by your side then.
I didn’t react in time to block the human ‘Unsinkable Moon’s’ sneak attack for you.
It’s the shame of the captain of the guard… I won’t make excuses for my failure.
If I had realized earlier that it was the sacred artifact ‘Unsinkable Moon’ used by the Holy Nation to protect the Pope of the Holy Capital, the outcome of the battle wouldn’t have been so disgraceful.”
At this point, Anastasia lowered her head deeply again.
“That’s not what I meant.” Fia shook her head.
“I mean, Anastasia, do you think a normal person could survive with their entire chest pierced?”
“As long as there’s healing magic—!”
“That’s right,” Fia raised her palm towards the eager Anastasia, signaling her to let her finish.
“Healing magic can heal such wounds.
High-level healing magic can even regenerate severed limbs.
But once a person is confirmed dead, no matter how advanced the healing magic, it can’t restore their consciousness.
Less than half a minute after being hit by human magic, the Elf Princess was already dead.
You should understand, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have transported the Elf Princess’s body by carriage.”
Gulp.
Anastasia’s throat visibly moved.
This indicated that Anastasia knew everything Fia said was correct.
However, Anastasia still held onto a glimmer of hope.
She shifted from kneeling on one knee to both knees, inching closer to Fia on the floor.
“But, but you’re right here in front of me, a living person! Dofilia, you’re not dead, you’re not,” her voice trembled at the end, and Anastasia clutched the corner of Fia’s cloak, crying into her hands.
“This isn’t a dream…”
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Anastasia looked up sharply.
Her lively blue eyes were filled with pleading and hope, reminding Fia of a terminally ill patient yearning for life.
“It must be because I didn’t protect you well, so you’re blaming me, right? It must be like that, right? Dofilia, I can’t live without you! You can scold me, blame me, take out your anger on me, ah, I’m willing to bear all your wrath, but I can’t live without you.
I’ve sworn to fight for you with every breath in my body, you can always… trust me…”
Her voice choked with emotion, Anastasia lowered her head deeply, lost in endless self-blame and regret.
She had promised to always protect Dofilia’s safety, but in the end, she survived while Dofilia died.
Now that Dofilia reappeared before her, she dared to shamelessly repeat that vow, which was utterly ridiculous.
That’s why, when repeating the vow, Anastasia found it hard to speak.
In the face of reality, vows were so fragile.
“No…” Fia replied softly.
She didn’t know what to say at this moment.
Anastasia hoped for the Elf Princess’s forgiveness, but she couldn’t give Anastasia what she wanted.
As she said from the beginning, the Elf Princess she protected was already dead.
As if not hearing Fia’s voice, Anastasia continued to kneel on the ground, sobbing quietly.
Apart from further explaining the reasons, there was nothing else she could do.
Pretending to be the Elf Princess to make Anastasia stand up was something she couldn’t do.
Damn it.
This wasn’t how things should be.
If the circumstances allowed, Fia would have cursed under her breath.
She took a deep breath and, in the gentlest tone possible, slowly laid out the truth.
“This isn’t a dream.
I should have possessed the Elf Princess’s body long after her death, reviving as the Elf Princess.
To be honest, apart from the little memory left by the Elf Princess before her death, I know almost nothing about you, Anastasia.
I only know my name is Dofilia Alexia Yusil.
I don’t know your past, nor can I recall what Dofilia’s father and mother looked like or what their names were.”
“…Eh? Did you lose your memory?” Anastasia’s mature and determined face showed a moment of confusion, then a strong sense of hope spread throughout her body, even her eyes no longer as dim as before.
She stood up suddenly, as if finding a lifeline, gripping Fia’s wrist tightly, with such force that it even caused Fia pain.
“Please let me confirm the ‘Magic Surge’!”
“Magic Surge?”
“Have you forgotten what Magic Surge is…” Anastasia’s face showed a fleeting moment of self-blame again.
“It’s the diamond-shaped crystal on your right arm, the source of magic for us elves.”
“I can, but…”
Under Anastasia’s intense gaze, Fia slowly lifted the cloak covering her arm, revealing a diamond-shaped red crystal in front of them.
Flawless, with restrained brilliance.
If it were a jewel, it would be the most expensive type.
“No cracks, and the color is exactly the same as before,” Anastasia examined it closely, her eyes growing brighter.
“As expected, Your Highness, you’ve only lost your memory.
Ah, that’s great…”
Like a family member outside a hospital room learning of a successful surgery, Anastasia’s tense expression quickly relaxed, and she let out a long breath.
“Wait, Anastasia, I’m really not the Elf Princess.”
“No, you must have just lost your memory.
The ‘Magic Surge’ is the source of magic for us elves and also a part of our body.
If the Magic Surge leaves an elf’s body or its owner dies, it will turn to ash and disappear like burnt charcoal.”
“This process won’t reverse even if the elf becomes undead.
If Your Highness truly experienced death, even if the Magic Surge didn’t disappear, it would certainly have cracks and defects.
But the Magic Surge on your arm is flawless, with the beautiful red color only the royal family possesses.
You are still you.”
At this point, Anastasia bit her lip, appearing hesitant.
“Maybe you used some magic to protect yourself before being hit by the ‘Unsinkable Moon,’ or perhaps some miracle occurred.
If, as you said, you’re not the original you and your soul has changed, then the Magic Surge wouldn’t be in such perfect condition.
As for the memory, it must have been forgotten due to being in a state of suspended animation for too long.”
Is this also an explanation? Fia fell silent.
She had already made up her mind.
“I—”
“Captain.”
A very faint sound of footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a female voice.
It seemed to be other members of the elf faction.
Seeing the confusion in Fia’s eyes, Anastasia quickly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and tidied her clothes.
“That’s a member of the guard, like me.
The guard is a unit directly under the royal family, and I’m the captain of the second team of the guard, also your personal attendant.
I was supposed to personally escort the carriage carrying Your Highness, but we were intercepted by the Holy Nation’s Yuna Knights on the way, and I had to lead my men away from the carriage to draw the Yuna Knights’ attention.”
It seemed there was no opportunity to finish the conversation.
Fia couldn’t help but sigh quietly in her heart.
She wasn’t foolish enough to continue the topic in front of everyone.
Fia prepared herself mentally and said helplessly, “Let them in.”
“Yes.”
Anastasia placed her right hand, clenched into a fist, over her chest and gave Fia a formal bow.
She then walked to the door and opened the simple wooden door.
Five elves entered in single file.
There were both females and males, dressed in various attires.
Some wore what appeared to be expensive clothing, while others were barely covered in rags that could hardly be called clothes, with iron chains around their necks and messy hair, looking like slaves.
However, their initial reactions upon entering the room were identical.
First, they were shocked, and then they were overcome with indescribable joy, with some elves even shedding tears.
“Princess!”
“You’re alive!”
“By the Elven God, I’ve seen you again.”
“Finally, I can be at ease.”
Their words were almost identical to what they said when meeting Anastasia, but precisely because of this, it showed that their words were heartfelt.
They all regarded Fia as their sovereign.
Without needing a command from Anastasia, the five differently dressed elves lined up, bowed their heads, and knelt on one knee before Fia.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
Should I say “rise” now? Fia hesitated.
She wasn’t ready to face them yet.
Fortunately, Anastasia stepped in to save the situation.
Unlike her gentle tone with Fia, Anastasia’s expression was now particularly serious.
“Rise.
An incident has occurred with Her Highness, and your actions might trouble her.”
“Incident?” A male elf, around thirty years old, raised his head.
“Her Highness fell into a state of suspended animation after being attacked by the ‘Unsinkable Moon’ and has lost most of her memories.
By my authority, I am changing the primary mission from searching for Her Highness to safely escorting her back to the kingdom.”
Anastasia turned around.
It was only now that Fia saw the commanding presence in Anastasia, firm, decisive, and full of spirit.
“Your Highness, we need to discuss how to escort you back to the kingdom.
Would you like to rest first, or join us—”
“Rest first… No, prepare a set of clothes for me, preferably with something to cover my hair color.
It’s still early, and I need to go out.” Seeing Anastasia about to speak, Fia stopped her with a blank expression, “You want to say ‘it’s too dangerous,’ right? But I have my reasons.
Since you and the others can move freely in the city as elves, then as long as I disguise myself as the elven princess, I can too.”
