Chapter 102: The Fateful Encounter
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Princess Qamari leaped over the cascading towers of the mound, finding the place troublesome and restricting to dash across. As a princess of the Jinn Kingdom in the East of the continent, the change in landscapes did not bother her.
Besides the vast and hot desert, the residents of the desert Jinn Kingdom were known for their great resilience. And as a member of the royal family, Princess Qamari's education on the rest of the continent, if not compact, was at least passable in overcoming small trials traveling mound regions.
The small hills were more rocky and sharp than she imagined. But as a student of the academy, she needed to make a contribution in order to graduate and her ventures outside the dome were always full of twists and turns.
Today was no exception.
Her gaze darted over the land as dark figure after figure chased after her.
"Stop right now!"
"Stop! Or you will regret it!"
The hollers behind her grew stronger as the men grew closer. She swept her sleeves and changed directions, heading towards a village area.
"It seems I will have to blend with the villagers because clashing with them will only attract more trouble."
Picking up her speed, she dashed into a mud hut and continued towards its window. The small opening was just enough for her to jump out.
The chase continued until night arrived and the sky was blanked with stars. Soon, the dark night sky and slight breeze were the only companions to guide her silent steps.
*
Crown Prince Lail stealthily moved between the huts as he attempted to trace the purple-red robe he saw in the shadow of the dark.
He wasn't mistaken and couldn't be mistaken, because that purple-red robe was something that he had personally commissioned for his Princess Consort. It was his wedding gift to her on their wedding day.
"Since the apprentices from the other six academies are here, it is possible that she came with them. But why didn't I see her in the City Lord's mansion?"
This was what he was worried about. If she was truly his wife and she came with the apprentices of her academy, then why wasn't she with them in the Main Hall of the City Lord? The man clearly said that he had invited every apprentice in the Laining City and that they were all present inside the hall.
As an apprentice of one of those academies, she should have been present as well. The fact that he wasn't able to spot those robes in the Main Hall troubled him.
"Forget it. For now, I should only focus on locating her again. When I meet her, I will naturally find out the truth of the matter."
Sighing in frustration, Crown Prince Lail cleared his head and continued his silent search for the figure he deemed to be his wife.
Whether it was her or not, he would find out soon enough.
*
"Those people were chasing me like they saw a ghost. Do they know me? That could not be possible. I only entered the Northwest recently. And more importantly, I have not met or contacted anyone from the seven academies before leaving."
She was perplexed, confused by the strange occurrence of suddenly getting targeted and relentlessly chased without a valid reason.
"This will not do. I am a target without even knowing why I am a target. I need to do something to not only escape from the eyes of my pursuers but also find the reason behind their interest in me. But this is only possible if I directly enter their den!"
Princess Qamari was a decisive individual. The moment she realized she was being chased, she had instantly decided to change her appearance. Anyway, changing her appearance was not a big deal and in fact, was already a task she had made preparations for.
Now, she only needed to find a safe location to implement the change.
In the distance, the howls and roars of wild beasts reverberated intermittently, adding an eerie note to the already ominous atmosphere. Swiftly moving through the small buildings, she found an empty and dusty house.
Waving her hand, a thin stream of pure luminous light poured out, brightening the gloomy room. Princess Qamari immediately cast a spell on the bundle on her waist. The bag flew out and unfurled, the white clothes inside fluttering silently in the air as they floated.
With another wave of her hand, the clothes swirled and flew directly towards her. The moment they touched her body, her purple-red robes were immediately obscured, being replaced by white. Her purple-red veil was cloaked by white and her long, knee-length obsidian black hair was completely covered with white.
"I also need to change my eye color. It will stand out too much in this place."
Another wave and light flashed in her eyes. The bright light glimmered like jewels of the sun, its' radiance illuminating the place with warmth and peace.
The next moment, the light was gone and the darkroom went back to being as dark as the night sky. Princess Qamari, now garbed in all white from head to toe, pulled out a glass mirror and looked at her appearance.
Her violet-silver eyes were now the color of honey, golden and shiny as the rays of the bright sun. Her original midnight black hair became silver with a touch of violet, making her seem like a maiden of the bright moon.
Coupled with her white robes, she was a creature from the folk stories of old. The stories of the white-robed maidens that served the greatest emperors in predicting events and disasters targeted at the empire's well-being and prosperity.
"Not bad. The magic spell Snow taught me is too good!"
Satisfied with her appearance, she leisurely stepped out of the room and bumped into a broad chest.
Bang!
The force of the collision was unexpected and so great that she was dazedly pushed backward and hit the wall. Using the wall as support, she struggled back to her feet.
"Ouch."
The pain was sudden and sharp, eliciting a painful groan from her lips without her consent. Fiercely shaking her head, she winced in pain as she straightened her posture.
"I am sorry, madam."
The voice was cold and indifferent, belonging to that of a young man. The man hesitantly remained at the door, unmoving, as he unconcernedly stood at the door. Raising her head, Princess Qamari saw the black robes before her sight fell on the black mask.
Grotesque and hideous, the black mask displayed fangs and bones with traces of blood leaking on the side of his lip and flesh hanging limply where his face should be.
If it was any other young lady, they would have immediately fainted upon landing eyes on such a hideous face. However, Princess Qamari was unlike an ordinary lady. Not only was she not frightened by the hideous face, but she also found it quite interesting.
'Maybe, I should have used something similar to that. Then, attracting trouble would be as difficult as ascending the sky. After all, who would want to be close to an ugly beauty.'
She wistfully thought.
"Madam, are you alright?" The voice sounded again.
Pulled out of her daze, Princess Qamari apprehensively looked at the man.
"I am fine, thank you! But who are you and what are you doing at my place?"
Her voice sounded even colder than the young man, as she felt no desire to politely exchange words with the stranger. Of course, she also ignored the fact that the place wasn't hers to begin with.
"I am new here and accidentally entered your home. I am willing to pay for any pain that I have caused you."
The young man replied in the same polite tone, his red eyes not once moving from her face. The close scrutiny and intense look immediately raised her guard. If there was one thing that she hated more than anything else, it was being stared at like an art piece.
"No need! I would be more than happy if you would just peacefully leave." Her voice was even icier than earlier, not a trace of warmth to be found anywhere.
The young man's eyes fleshed, raising in surprise, as he stared even more intently at her. From his stance, it was evident that he had no desire to move.
'Is he part of the group that is chasing me? That's not right. If he was, why would he only stand at the door like a statue?'
She frowned in displeasure as the thought seemed plausible but didn't fit the actions of the man before her. After all, even if she had evaded their eyes to find this deserted hut, it didn't mean that not one of them was able to spot her.
As such, Princess Qamari kept up her guard and looked at the suspicious man with more alarm, her hands waving a spell in preparation for any sudden attack.
Red and gold eyes locked as the two stared at each other in silence, waiting for the other to make the first move.
"Well, are you going to leave or not?"
Patience drawing thin, Princess Qamari finally asked with a hint of irritation in her chilly voice. She had no time to waste and needed to reach the black shield before dawn broke. She needed to get started on the task she sneaked out for.
"What if I say, no?"
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Princess Qamari leaped over the cascading towers of the mound, finding the place troublesome and restricting to dash across. As a princess of the Jinn Kingdom in the East of the continent, the change in landscapes did not bother her.
Besides the vast and hot desert, the residents of the desert Jinn Kingdom were known for their great resilience. And as a member of the royal family, Princess Qamari's education on the rest of the continent, if not compact, was at least passable in overcoming small trials traveling mound regions.
The small hills were more rocky and sharp than she imagined. But as a student of the academy, she needed to make a contribution in order to graduate and her ventures outside the dome were always full of twists and turns.
Today was no exception.
Her gaze darted over the land as dark figure after figure chased after her.
"Stop right now!"
"Stop! Or you will regret it!"
The hollers behind her grew stronger as the men grew closer. She swept her sleeves and changed directions, heading towards a village area.
"It seems I will have to blend with the villagers because clashing with them will only attract more trouble."
Picking up her speed, she dashed into a mud hut and continued towards its window. The small opening was just enough for her to jump out.
The chase continued until night arrived and the sky was blanked with stars. Soon, the dark night sky and slight breeze were the only companions to guide her silent steps.
*
Crown Prince Lail stealthily moved between the huts as he attempted to trace the purple-red robe he saw in the shadow of the dark.
He wasn't mistaken and couldn't be mistaken, because that purple-red robe was something that he had personally commissioned for his Princess Consort. It was his wedding gift to her on their wedding day.
"Since the apprentices from the other six academies are here, it is possible that she came with them. But why didn't I see her in the City Lord's mansion?"
This was what he was worried about. If she was truly his wife and she came with the apprentices of her academy, then why wasn't she with them in the Main Hall of the City Lord? The man clearly said that he had invited every apprentice in the Laining City and that they were all present inside the hall.
As an apprentice of one of those academies, she should have been present as well. The fact that he wasn't able to spot those robes in the Main Hall troubled him.
"Forget it. For now, I should only focus on locating her again. When I meet her, I will naturally find out the truth of the matter."
Sighing in frustration, Crown Prince Lail cleared his head and continued his silent search for the figure he deemed to be his wife.
Whether it was her or not, he would find out soon enough.
*
"Those people were chasing me like they saw a ghost. Do they know me? That could not be possible. I only entered the Northwest recently. And more importantly, I have not met or contacted anyone from the seven academies before leaving."
She was perplexed, confused by the strange occurrence of suddenly getting targeted and relentlessly chased without a valid reason.
"This will not do. I am a target without even knowing why I am a target. I need to do something to not only escape from the eyes of my pursuers but also find the reason behind their interest in me. But this is only possible if I directly enter their den!"
Princess Qamari was a decisive individual. The moment she realized she was being chased, she had instantly decided to change her appearance. Anyway, changing her appearance was not a big deal and in fact, was already a task she had made preparations for.
Now, she only needed to find a safe location to implement the change.
In the distance, the howls and roars of wild beasts reverberated intermittently, adding an eerie note to the already ominous atmosphere. Swiftly moving through the small buildings, she found an empty and dusty house.
Waving her hand, a thin stream of pure luminous light poured out, brightening the gloomy room. Princess Qamari immediately cast a spell on the bundle on her waist. The bag flew out and unfurled, the white clothes inside fluttering silently in the air as they floated.
With another wave of her hand, the clothes swirled and flew directly towards her. The moment they touched her body, her purple-red robes were immediately obscured, being replaced by white. Her purple-red veil was cloaked by white and her long, knee-length obsidian black hair was completely covered with white.
"I also need to change my eye color. It will stand out too much in this place."
Another wave and light flashed in her eyes. The bright light glimmered like jewels of the sun, its' radiance illuminating the place with warmth and peace.
The next moment, the light was gone and the darkroom went back to being as dark as the night sky. Princess Qamari, now garbed in all white from head to toe, pulled out a glass mirror and looked at her appearance.
Her violet-silver eyes were now the color of honey, golden and shiny as the rays of the bright sun. Her original midnight black hair became silver with a touch of violet, making her seem like a maiden of the bright moon.
Coupled with her white robes, she was a creature from the folk stories of old. The stories of the white-robed maidens that served the greatest emperors in predicting events and disasters targeted at the empire's well-being and prosperity.
"Not bad. The magic spell Snow taught me is too good!"
Satisfied with her appearance, she leisurely stepped out of the room and bumped into a broad chest.
Bang!
The force of the collision was unexpected and so great that she was dazedly pushed backward and hit the wall. Using the wall as support, she struggled back to her feet.
"Ouch."
The pain was sudden and sharp, eliciting a painful groan from her lips without her consent. Fiercely shaking her head, she winced in pain as she straightened her posture.
"I am sorry, madam."
The voice was cold and indifferent, belonging to that of a young man. The man hesitantly remained at the door, unmoving, as he unconcernedly stood at the door. Raising her head, Princess Qamari saw the black robes before her sight fell on the black mask.
Grotesque and hideous, the black mask displayed fangs and bones with traces of blood leaking on the side of his lip and flesh hanging limply where his face should be.
If it was any other young lady, they would have immediately fainted upon landing eyes on such a hideous face. However, Princess Qamari was unlike an ordinary lady. Not only was she not frightened by the hideous face, but she also found it quite interesting.
'Maybe, I should have used something similar to that. Then, attracting trouble would be as difficult as ascending the sky. After all, who would want to be close to an ugly beauty.'
She wistfully thought.
"Madam, are you alright?" The voice sounded again.
Pulled out of her daze, Princess Qamari apprehensively looked at the man.
"I am fine, thank you! But who are you and what are you doing at my place?"
Her voice sounded even colder than the young man, as she felt no desire to politely exchange words with the stranger. Of course, she also ignored the fact that the place wasn't hers to begin with.
"I am new here and accidentally entered your home. I am willing to pay for any pain that I have caused you."
The young man replied in the same polite tone, his red eyes not once moving from her face. The close scrutiny and intense look immediately raised her guard. If there was one thing that she hated more than anything else, it was being stared at like an art piece.
"No need! I would be more than happy if you would just peacefully leave." Her voice was even icier than earlier, not a trace of warmth to be found anywhere.
The young man's eyes fleshed, raising in surprise, as he stared even more intently at her. From his stance, it was evident that he had no desire to move.
'Is he part of the group that is chasing me? That's not right. If he was, why would he only stand at the door like a statue?'
She frowned in displeasure as the thought seemed plausible but didn't fit the actions of the man before her. After all, even if she had evaded their eyes to find this deserted hut, it didn't mean that not one of them was able to spot her.
As such, Princess Qamari kept up her guard and looked at the suspicious man with more alarm, her hands waving a spell in preparation for any sudden attack.
Red and gold eyes locked as the two stared at each other in silence, waiting for the other to make the first move.
"Well, are you going to leave or not?"
Patience drawing thin, Princess Qamari finally asked with a hint of irritation in her chilly voice. She had no time to waste and needed to reach the black shield before dawn broke. She needed to get started on the task she sneaked out for.
"What if I say, no?"
Princess Qamari leaped over the cascading towers of the mound, finding the place troublesome and restricting to dash across. As a princess of the Jinn Kingdom in the East of the continent, the change in landscapes did not bother her.Besides the vast and hot desert, the residents of the desert Jinn Kingdom were known for their great resilience. And as a member of the royal family, Princess Qamari's education on the rest of the continent, if not compact, was at least passable in overcoming small trials traveling mound regions.The small hills were more rocky and sharp than she imagined. But as a student of the academy, she needed to make a contribution in order to graduate and her ventures outside the dome were always full of twists and turns.Today was no exception.Her gaze darted over the land as dark figure after figure chased after her."Stop right now!""Stop! Or you will regret it!"The hollers behind her grew stronger as the men grew closer. She swept her sleeves and changed directions, heading towards a village area."It seems I will have to blend with the villagers because clashing with them will only attract more trouble."Picking up her speed, she dashed into a mud hut and continued towards its window. The small opening was just enough for her to jump out.The chase continued until night arrived and the sky was blanked with stars. Soon, the dark night sky and slight breeze were the only companions to guide her silent steps.*Crown Prince Lail stealthily moved between the huts as he attempted to trace the purple-red robe he saw in the shadow of the dark.He wasn't mistaken and couldn't be mistaken, because that purple-red robe was something that he had personally commissioned for his Princess Consort. It was his wedding gift to her on their wedding day."Since the apprentices from the other six academies are here, it is possible that she came with them. But why didn't I see her in the City Lord's mansion?"This was what he was worried about. If she was truly his wife and she came with the apprentices of her academy, then why wasn't she with them in the Main Hall of the City Lord? The man clearly said that he had invited every apprentice in the Laining City and that they were all present inside the hall.As an apprentice of one of those academies, she should have been present as well. The fact that he wasn't able to spot those robes in the Main Hall troubled him."Forget it. For now, I should only focus on locating her again. When I meet her, I will naturally find out the truth of the matter."Sighing in frustration, Crown Prince Lail cleared his head and continued his silent search for the figure he deemed to be his wife.Whether it was her or not, he would find out soon enough.*"Those people were chasing me like they saw a ghost. Do they know me? That could not be possible. I only entered the Northwest recently. And more importantly, I have not met or contacted anyone from the seven academies before leaving."She was perplexed, confused by the strange occurrence of suddenly getting targeted and relentlessly chased without a valid reason."This will not do. I am a target without even knowing why I am a target. I need to do something to not only escape from the eyes of my pursuers but also find the reason behind their interest in me. But this is only possible if I directly enter their den!"Princess Qamari was a decisive individual. The moment she realized she was being chased, she had instantly decided to change her appearance. Anyway, changing her appearance was not a big deal and in fact, was already a task she had made preparations for.Now, she only needed to find a safe location to implement the change.In the distance, the howls and roars of wild beasts reverberated intermittently, adding an eerie note to the already ominous atmosphere. Swiftly moving through the small buildings, she found an empty and dusty house.Waving her hand, a thin stream of pure luminous light poured out, brightening the gloomy room. Princess Qamari immediately cast a spell on the bundle on her waist. The bag flew out and unfurled, the white clothes inside fluttering silently in the air as they floated.With another wave of her hand, the clothes swirled and flew directly towards her. The moment they touched her body, her purple-red robes were immediately obscured, being replaced by white. Her purple-red veil was cloaked by white and her long, knee-length obsidian black hair was completely covered with white."I also need to change my eye color. It will stand out too much in this place."Another wave and light flashed in her eyes. The bright light glimmered like jewels of the sun, its' radiance illuminating the place with warmth and peace.The next moment, the light was gone and the darkroom went back to being as dark as the night sky. Princess Qamari, now garbed in all white from head to toe, pulled out a glass mirror and looked at her appearance.Her violet-silver eyes were now the color of honey, golden and shiny as the rays of the bright sun. Her original midnight black hair became silver with a touch of violet, making her seem like a maiden of the bright moon.Coupled with her white robes, she was a creature from the folk stories of old. The stories of the white-robed maidens that served the greatest emperors in predicting events and disasters targeted at the empire's well-being and prosperity."Not bad. The magic spell Snow taught me is too good!"Satisfied with her appearance, she leisurely stepped out of the room and bumped into a broad chest.Bang!The force of the collision was unexpected and so great that she was dazedly pushed backward and hit the wall. Using the wall as support, she struggled back to her feet."Ouch."The pain was sudden and sharp, eliciting a painful groan from her lips without her consent. Fiercely shaking her head, she winced in pain as she straightened her posture."I am sorry, madam."The voice was cold and indifferent, belonging to that of a young man. The man hesitantly remained at the door, unmoving, as he unconcernedly stood at the door. Raising her head, Princess Qamari saw the black robes before her sight fell on the black mask.Grotesque and hideous, the black mask displayed fangs and bones with traces of blood leaking on the side of his lip and flesh hanging limply where his face should be.If it was any other young lady, they would have immediately fainted upon landing eyes on such a hideous face. However, Princess Qamari was unlike an ordinary lady. Not only was she not frightened by the hideous face, but she also found it quite interesting.'Maybe, I should have used something similar to that. Then, attracting trouble would be as difficult as ascending the sky. After all, who would want to be close to an ugly beauty.'She wistfully thought."Madam, are you alright?" The voice sounded again.Pulled out of her daze, Princess Qamari apprehensively looked at the man."I am fine, thank you! But who are you and what are you doing at my place?"Her voice sounded even colder than the young man, as she felt no desire to politely exchange words with the stranger. Of course, she also ignored the fact that the place wasn't hers to begin with."I am new here and accidentally entered your home. I am willing to pay for any pain that I have caused you."The young man replied in the same polite tone, his red eyes not once moving from her face. The close scrutiny and intense look immediately raised her guard. If there was one thing that she hated more than anything else, it was being stared at like an art piece."No need! I would be more than happy if you would just peacefully leave." Her voice was even icier than earlier, not a trace of warmth to be found anywhere.The young man's eyes fleshed, raising in surprise, as he stared even more intently at her. From his stance, it was evident that he had no desire to move.'Is he part of the group that is chasing me? That's not right. If he was, why would he only stand at the door like a statue?'She frowned in displeasure as the thought seemed plausible but didn't fit the actions of the man before her. After all, even if she had evaded their eyes to find this deserted hut, it didn't mean that not one of them was able to spot her.As such, Princess Qamari kept up her guard and looked at the suspicious man with more alarm, her hands waving a spell in preparation for any sudden attack.Red and gold eyes locked as the two stared at each other in silence, waiting for the other to make the first move."Well, are you going to leave or not?"Patience drawing thin, Princess Qamari finally asked with a hint of irritation in her chilly voice. She had no time to waste and needed to reach the black shield before dawn broke. She needed to get started on the task she sneaked out for."What if I say, no?"
