Chapter 24: We Are Indeed Blood Relatives
Enesyin remained noncommittal, merely pursing her lips.
“Let’s talk,” Aseran said with a light laugh, slinging an arm around her sister and leading her away from the courtyard.
The aftermath of the duel was naturally handled by the designated personnel, and Princess Aseran’s public promise would not be broken. Everyone had witnessed Enesyin’s promotion to the Honor Guard. Although the Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden’s raw strength was still far from the standards of the Honor Guard, after this battle, the Royal Guard had a newfound respect for Enesyin. At the very least, she was not a weakling who disgraced her lineage.
Upon arriving at her private chambers, Aseran dismissed her attendants, leaving only herself and Enesyin.
“The void and hollowness within you finally shows signs of being filled. Your eyes no longer resemble those of a doll but genuinely crave something. This change doesn’t feel natural.” The Dragon Princess, radiant as the sun, tilted her chin slightly. “I’m curious, who is this perfect warrior you speak of?”
Facing her sister’s inquiry, Enesyin instinctively opened her mouth to answer, but the words caught in her throat. For some reason, she didn’t want anyone else to know of Yonglan’s existence, as if protecting a treasure she wished to keep solely for herself. However, she couldn’t defy her sister’s wishes. So, the Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden vaguely murmured, “It was… someone I met in the Echo Trial, a warrior of unknown identity.” By not mentioning the unique nature of that Echo Realm, she reasoned that a historical projection would be the most logical assumption, a small cleverness on the Dragonborn maiden’s part.
Aseran, unaware of her sister’s innocent little trick, was surprised by something else entirely. “The Echo Trial? You’ve managed to explore the Sea of the Abyss?” The Dragon Princess was genuinely taken aback. Theoretically, anyone who could elevate their spirituality to touch the Sea of the Abyss could enter the Echo Realm, regardless of their Tier. But theory was one thing; low-Tier Artificers had no qualification to be drawn there. Even if they were lucky enough for their spirituality to ascend to the Sea of the Abyss, they couldn’t enter the Echo Realm.
Aseran tilted her head, her dazzling golden hair cascading over her shoulders, revealing a pair of purple eyes gleaming with keen interest. She raised an eyebrow. “No wonder you’ve improved so much. What kind of Echo was it, and from which era?”
“It was likely before the Xuntian Dynasty. I don’t know its background either. And the format was a complete free-for-all battle, facing mostly Zombies…” Enesyin carefully chose her words, observing her sister cautiously. She noticed Aseran’s expression growing increasingly peculiar. Suddenly, Aseran asked, “Did you encounter Fiends in the Echo? Did you follow a great being to conquer Fiends?”
Enesyin’s eyes widened. “Sister, how… how did you know?”
Aseran gently curved her lips into a smile, filled with immense relief. “As expected, Ain, we are blood relatives with the same Destiny. You’ve finally realized why we came to this Kingdom. It’s solely because of the call of our mission.”
Enesyin was filled with questions, wishing to ask more, but Aseran refused to say anything further. The Dragon Princess merely smiled, using her slender, delicate fingers to stroke her sister’s hair, letting the platinum strands fall through her fingers. Aseran played with it with delight.
“Sister…” Unable to get an answer, Enesyin pondered for a moment before making a request. “I want to become stronger. Please, teach me and train me.”
The Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden had complex feelings toward her sister. Their childhood intimacy, once pure, had been tinged with a bit of fear and distance after a certain snowy night years ago. But no matter what, one thing was undeniable: Aseran was an exceptionally rare genius in the history of Dragon Species, the youngest Hero. In this modern era where True Kings were exceedingly rare, the Hero Tier was already the peak attainable by ordinary people. Furthermore, Aseran had entered the Heroic Hall as easily as eating and drinking. Her current strength was unfathomable; perhaps exceeding the True King realm was only a matter of time. If she sought guidance, no one was more suitable than her sister.
Aseran gently caressed her sister’s delicate face, so similar to her own. “Although I am happy for your progress and don’t mind offering some guidance to my dear sister, you must understand that you are not in a position to make demands right now. As my possession, your first priority is to buy back your own life.” She added, “Whatever you want, you must take it with your own hands. You understand this principle, right?”
“I know…” Enesyin took a deep breath and said, “So, I will fulfill my duties as an Honor Guard, accumulate Achievements, and earn Honor.”
“Ha, my sister, who has always been avoiding things, is finally going to pull herself together?” The Dragon Princess brought her sister’s hair to her nose, inhaling its fragrance. “Since that’s the case, I agree to your request… Just like when we were little, let’s pinky swear.” Aseran’s dragon tail tapped Enesyin’s tail. When there was no reaction, she tapped it again.
“Mm…” Enesyin finally responded. Their dragon tails intertwined, pressing closely together. “Good, good, that’s it. Follow my lead in everything, and we will walk towards glory together. This is… our manifest Destiny.” Aseran stroked Enesyin’s hair, embracing her stiff sister. The Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden rested her head on Aseran’s shoulder, silent.
She was a sister, blood kin, but also a toy, a doll. As a member of a Knight Family, Enesyin could not help but yearn for Honor and recognition. The Royal Knights were descendants of Heroes, forged by ideals. However, the Honor Aseran promised was far from what she desired. In comparison, the Honor shared by Yonglan was what truly captivated her heart. Or rather, what she longed for was that indescribable flutter of excitement.
…
Changxia Fortress Academy, Grand Library.
The first thing Yonglan did after logging out of the game was head straight to the academy’s Grand Library. Tier after tier of floating bookshelves were arranged within the tower. Golden light streamed in from the opening at the top of the tower, forming paths of light that bathed the entire Grand Library in a hazy golden glow.
Changxia Fortress Academy was not the foremost Holy Church academy, but being a Holy Church academy meant its facilities surpassed most educational institutions. As a Race that inherited the most legacies from the Xuntian Dynasty, the Holy Descendants possessed a terrifying wealth of knowledge. This vast sea of information, excluding a small portion of sensitive and classified material, could all be accessed in the Grand Library. The library archives of all Holy Church academies were interconnected.
Having been a transfer student at Changxia Fortress Academy for some time, the Grand Library was where Yonglan spent the most time. Whenever he had free time, he was practically always immersed in the library. This was a crucial way for Yonglan to increase his Destiny attribute. He didn’t enjoy studying, but if studying could provide feedback in the game, then it was another matter entirely. If there were a progress bar while studying, anyone would have the potential to become a top student! However, this time, Yonglan wasn’t here with the intention of gaining knowledge.
