The next day.
The sun at ten o’clock was scorching hot.
Without the filtering of the Undying Moon, the blazing sunlight shone directly on Fia, making her feel tired.
The sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the cobblestones and the deafening cries of the street vendors all became an irritating background noise, making Fia’s sleep-deprived head buzz.
If it weren’t for official business, and with Claire and the others by her side, Fia would have already turned back to get some sleep.
Right now, they were on their way to the Aurora City temple to speak with the rescued Cardinal and the Chief Inquisitor.
Rather than staying in Aurora City, Fia wanted to return to the Elven Kingdom as soon as possible, stabilize her position as crown princess, and then put all her effort into investigating the curse.
There were many gods on the World Tree Continent.
If even the Elven God couldn’t help, she and Claire could look for other gods, or even seek answers from the strongest of the Darkborn, who could rival the gods.
But before leaving the Elven Kingdom with Claire again, she had to fulfill the promise she made to herself—to be recognized by her parents, whom she’d never met, and by everyone around her, to become someone even more dazzling than the Elven Princess.
This was the first promise she made after coming to the World Tree Continent, and it was the foundation of “Fia” as a person and as a way of thinking.
It wouldn’t take long, but she couldn’t just disappear without showing her face.
Claire probably had this in mind when she suggested Fia return to the Elven Kingdom first.
Hmph, that clever and devious woman.
Thinking back to last night, Fia couldn’t help but blush.
She’d started out in control, but quickly lost the upper hand due to her lack of experience (like not knowing enough flexible magic).
Even though it was a wonderful night, it still made her want to win next time.
When she got back, she’d have to ask Anastasia for some lessons—no, Anastasia wasn’t a good choice, maybe she should just read some books herself.
The only thing to be thankful for was that both she and Claire were in great shape.
Even after such a wild night, aside from being a little tired, they didn’t show any signs of it the next day.
Thinking this, Fia rolled her eyes, subconsciously placing her right hand in front of her dress’s waist, and lowered her head in thought.
“Your Highness, you don’t look well.
Didn’t sleep well last night?” Anastasia’s voice sounded in Fia’s ear, making her shoulders jump.
She quickly adjusted her expression and looked up with a cute smile.
“No, it’s nothing.
Anastasia, you didn’t hear any strange noises last night, did you?” This time, it was Anastasia’s turn to look awkward.
She hadn’t heard anything from Fia’s room next door, but she had her own secrets she couldn’t share.
“No, it was very quiet last night.”
“That’s good.”
Fia let out a sigh of relief.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t tell others about her relationship with Claire, she just wasn’t used to it yet.
First of all, she and Claire were both women, and after doing that kind of thing last night, talking about it the next day would make people imagine what happened, or even ask for details, which would be embarrassing.
Also, even though she was seventy or eighty years old by human standards, for elves, she wasn’t even an adult yet.
If she told Anastasia that she and Claire had done that, who knew what Anastasia, as half a guardian, would think.
If Anastasia and Claire ended up fighting, that would be a disaster.
They were both the people she cared about most, and she absolutely had to avoid any conflict.
She’d have to break it to Anastasia slowly, step by step.
Realizing this, Fia couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
She and Claire were really lovers now.
It felt like a dream, hard to believe.
If they weren’t on the street but in a private room, she’d probably want to seek some reassurance from Claire again—like feeding each other, or sitting on Claire’s lap and asking for something.
Normally she’d be embarrassed, but if it was Claire, Fia surprisingly didn’t mind, and even if she went a little overboard, she didn’t feel shy at all.
It all felt so natural, like it was meant to be.
She really adapted fast.
Before she knew it, Fia’s hand was already touching the back of Claire’s hand.
Claire was stunned for a moment, then smiled helplessly and held Fia’s hand in return.
That warm, reassuring feeling, like being wrapped up completely, made her want to give her whole self to Claire.
Fia couldn’t help but squeeze her hand a little tighter.
Their eyes met, and they shared a small smile.
“Guh.”
Liti made a strange noise.
For safety reasons, and because of Claire’s curse, Liti had to stand on the other side of Anastasia, separated from Fia.
Liti’s voice snapped Fia out of her Claire-induced daze, and she looked at Liti in surprise.
“Liti, are you still not used to Claire?” Liti was afraid of Claire, which was why she didn’t stand between Fia and Claire.
Liti quickly dropped her pout and put on a troubled smile.
“It’s much better than before… I just didn’t sleep well last night and caught a bit of a cold, you don’t have to worry about me, sis.”
“If you have a cold, the clinic has medicine for that.
Once we’re done with the church business, I can take a look at you, Liti.”
“No, no, I’ll get better soon, there’s no need to trouble Miss Claire.”
As if afraid of being examined by Claire, Liti waved her hands frantically.
Anastasia, standing between them, frowned slightly.
“But come to think of it, why did you fall asleep in the hallway last night, Liti, holding a pillow—” “An-Anastasia!” Liti’s voice suddenly rose, and she pressed herself against Anastasia, whispering so the other two couldn’t hear, “Didn’t we agree to keep it a secret?” “I don’t understand why this needs to be a secret.”
“That’s, that’s because, um…” Liti trailed off.
She couldn’t say that she’d planned to “sneak attack” her sister with a pillow, but before she could knock on the door looking all pitiful, she heard some suspicious noises from inside, got distracted, and ended up falling asleep in the hallway.
A princess sleeping in the hallway—thank goodness Anastasia hadn’t figured it out, or her image would be ruined.
Better to change the subject.
Liti casually played with her purple hair, putting on the innocent look of a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl.
“Anyway, Miss Claire, you’ve decided to go to the southern Dragonfall, right? You’re not coming back to the Elven Kingdom with us?”
“Yeah, I need to get back what’s mine, then I’ll go to the Elven Kingdom.
By then, even if I don’t need Fia’s help, I’ll be able to clear up any rumors on my own and help Fia become the Elven Queen.
As for timing, I’ll leave Aurora City when you guys decide to set out.
At my speed, I’ll probably reach the Elven Kingdom before you do.
Anastasia, you’ve decided to let Fia learn more magic before going back, right?”
“Yes.
Even though I think Her Highness is strong enough to rival a Moon Dragon and could go back now, she’s lost too many basic spells.
If she goes back like this, I’ll get in trouble… If His Majesty and the Sacred Tree order me to leave Her Highness forever, I… I…”
“That’s enough, Anastasia, let’s drop it.
I won’t let that happen.”
Fia cut Anastasia off.
The Elven Princess lost her memory because Anastasia failed to protect her.
If she went back like this, even if a single “Elven Fire” could shut everyone up, it wouldn’t change the fact that Anastasia would be under huge pressure in the future.
A guard’s duty is to protect their master, and Fia getting hurt was an undeniable fact with serious consequences.
But if Fia could master most of the elven princess’s magic and create the illusion that the princess had only lost her memories of “people” and not of magic, then it would lessen the severity of Anastasia’s failure as a guard in the eyes of others, and reduce the criticism from the court ministers—especially Fia’s father, the current Elf King—toward Anastasia.
Fia could use force to shut the nobles up, but she could never turn her weapons on her own family.
The moment she decided to become the elven princess, she shed her identity as an AI and became someone with flesh, feelings, and worldly ties.
Not to mention, Anastasia’s real wish was “to always stay by Fia’s side.” Anastasia’s timid plea made it impossible for Fia to refuse.
To Fia, even if she couldn’t say Anastasia was like a child begging her parents for a toy, it wasn’t far off.
And if she could pick up some stronger magic along the way, that wouldn’t be a bad thing either.
Last night, facing the Moon Dragon, if she’d had higher-level magic at her disposal, things wouldn’t have been so tough.
Learning magic was always necessary—who knew what else the future had in store?
Of course, saying she’d learn some magic before returning home didn’t actually mean much of a delay.
Anastasia was just changing their route from “returning home by crossing the northern front” to “circling back to the Elf Kingdom along the eastern border of the Holy Nation,” which would only add a month.
By then, Claire would have just set out from her hometown, so it wouldn’t delay their reunion.
Understanding all this, Liti’s expression grew complicated too, her cute little fang biting her lip.
“Yeah… If Father finds out Anastasia didn’t protect Sis, it’ll be a mess… Father never liked Anna to begin with.
He even got mad at Sis for taking Anna in, and the two of them didn’t speak for five or six years.
He only barely accepted it for Sis’s sake.
If we go back like this, they’ll definitely fight again.”
Fia and Anastasia had the same mother but different fathers, and Anastasia was older than Fia.
The reason the Elf King didn’t like Anastasia was obvious with just a little thought.
Liti’s words made Anastasia lower her head, her expression tightening involuntarily.
To comfort her, Liti took Anastasia’s hand at just the right moment, widened her eyes, and looked up at her.
“This time, I’ll be on your side too, Anna.
Don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Princess Liti.”
Anastasia’s smile was painfully pale.
“Well, there’s no need to worry so much.
Even if I have to relearn my old magic along the way, as long as I show them my strongest spell, they’ll shut up on their own.”
She said it lightly, but Fia didn’t feel as relaxed as she sounded.
She knew there was an unstable factor in all this.
And that was the Elf King.
For the nobles, as long as the elven princess had strength and leadership, that was enough.
A single tenth-tier spell, and amnesia wouldn’t matter.
But for a parent by blood, their daughter losing all memory of them—even if she was stronger than before—there was no way to say for sure the Elf King would see that as a good thing.
Just like money can’t buy everything, even world-destroying power can’t make people compromise on matters of principle.
Fia quietly took Anastasia’s cold hand and encouraged her softly.
“I’ll be counting on you to teach me magic along the way, Anastasia.
Cheer up—no matter what happens, I’ll always be on your side.”
“Mm…”
“Little Fia’s choice is my choice.
If the Elf King really won’t listen, I actually have the power to change people’s memories, you know? Though it’s risky to use.”
“Change memories… Claire, you’re not some demon from another world, are you?”
“Who knows?” Claire shrugged.
“Looks like I’d better hurry and get back to the Elf Kingdom within a month.
Maybe I can help out.”
With that, Claire leaned forward, tilted her head, and glanced at Anastasia.
Seeing Anastasia still looking pale, she thought for a moment, then said in a joking tone,
“By then, I’ll be Little Fia’s first queen, and Anastasia will be her second queen.
We’ll all be together again.”
“…Eh?” Anastasia’s eyes went wide, and she instantly let go of Fia’s hand, her cheeks turning from white to red.
It was practically a medical miracle.
Fia couldn’t help but snark inwardly.
“C-Claire, what nonsense are you talking about! I’m a branded criminal and a servant—how could I be on equal footing with Her Highness? Besides, we’re both girls, that kind of thing is impossible!”
“Oh? Did you ask Fia’s opinion?” Claire winked at Fia and squeezed her hand tighter.
Claire wanted her to play along.
She was selling her out to Anastasia this easily, huh.
Even so, Fia didn’t refuse.
Everyone knew this was just a joke to cheer Anastasia up… probably.
Fia skillfully acted embarrassed, lowering her head and twining her index fingers together, her cheeks flushing pink—a blush that wasn’t easy to pull off.
She had to recall Claire hugging her last night to finally get her face to redden.
“Um… I… I need some time to think about it… It’s just too embarrassing…”
“Your Highness?!”
Anastasia’s eyes were pure shock, and Fia could even see her golden hair trembling.
That wasn’t from being moved, but from excitement.
Maybe they’d gone a bit too far.
But really, shouldn’t Anastasia be more concerned about Claire putting herself in the “first queen” spot without asking?
“Then I’ll be the third queen! I want to marry Sis too!”
Hey, hey, even you’re joining in, Liti?
It was sweet that she wanted to comfort Anastasia, but saying that made Fia feel like a criminal.
You’re still too young for this.
Fia couldn’t help but look at Liti, but Liti just took the chance while Anastasia wasn’t looking to pull down her eyelid and stick out her pink tongue at Fia.
So cute.
“Anyway, we’re all on Anastasia’s side.
No matter what happens, you have to remember we’re your support, and you can always rely on us—though, I hope you won’t forget me in a month or two.”
At Claire’s wry smile, Anastasia realized it was just a joke to lighten the mood.
The blush faded from her face, replaced by a serious, determined look.
“I’ll do my best to fight the curse and not forget you, Miss Claire.
Thank—”
“Shh, just remembering me is thanks enough.”
Claire put a finger to her lips and winked.
Compared to yesterday, she was even more beautiful and mature today.
With her waterfall of silver hair and snow-white dress, her dazzling smile was so stunning that even Anastasia couldn’t help but stare, as if her gaze was being drawn in.
That made Fia, standing between them, straighten her back and break the eye contact.
“I’ll remind Anastasia too, so she won’t forget Claire.
A-anyway, the temple’s just ahead, so we should get ready.”
Saying that, Fia pointed forward, where the half-ruined temple appeared at the end of the street.
