Chapter: 47. Something Happened
In almost an instant, as Nona Light’s next step landed on the floor, a smooth sheet of ice crystal suddenly formed.
Nona’s right foot was already lifted, stepping forward, an unavoidable fact.
Following closely…
Was the inevitable sight of Nona’s face turning pale as her body suddenly lost balance!
“Huh?! What’s…! Hey?!”
“Nona?!”
Her exclamation attracted the attention of those around her. As she realized her vision was about to collide with the ground, Nona’s eyes sharpened, and she forcibly spun in mid-air, turning several times like a windmill before landing steadily, quickly twisting her neck to look for the source of the magic.
Oh dear, a genius is indeed a genius. With her Eighth-tier strength, she’d definitely stand on the podium in the capital city’s ice-skating competition!
But…
If I were to do it again now, how would you cope?
【Improved Ice Binding】
“Eh…?”
Starting with a surprised inward gasp.
This time, there wasn’t even a chance to flip and leap.
Nona struggled a couple of times but realized balance could no longer be maintained, feeling as if she had stepped on empty space!
“Nona! What’s wrong?!”
“!”
Carl Light tried to grab her arm.
But the speed of her fall was too fast.
This rebellious genius girl could only fall clumsily, staggering forward and crashing a few meters before the guests hurriedly dodged out of the way!
Hehe… A little 【Ice Binding】 indeed can’t do anything to you, but my 【Improved Ice Binding】 uses fine manipulation of magic to enhance the slipperiness of the changing ice crystals to an astonishing thousand times!
Back in the day, Xue Fei let a big fish leap to the lake’s surface and then used this method to freeze the entire lake outside the Demon King’s Castle, watching the big fish slide crazily by the lakeside, laughing with complete confidence befitting the 【Calamity Witch】!
Hahahahaha! Have you seen the power of improved magic now?!
And the ice crystals that made Nona fall went unnoticed by anyone; Xue Fei cleverly controlled them to stay where Nona could step, perfectly masking their existence and making them disappear immediately after they had served their purpose.
So to outsiders, Nona, the noble genius of the Light family, simply appeared to have slipped like a child.
— And it was even the first time she steadied herself, only to fall the second time!
Nona, holding her dazed head, got up. Coming to her senses, she noticed the guests looking at her with sympathetic eyes; her little face… was almost visibly flushed with humiliation and anger! Tears were already welling in her eyes!
She angrily kicked the nearby table, fuming with shame.
“Who used trickery in secret?! Who?!”
Carl quickly walked over to calm her down.
He could see that Nona’s fall was clearly abnormal, but he had no proof.
— Because he didn’t feel any traces of magic fluctuations.
So… sister, just stop shouting.
“Nona, don’t act like this… just stand still next time, don’t get angry.”
“But Carl…! Just now clearly…!”
“That’s why I said you should be careful with your words and actions… Who knows whose toes you stepped on again? Sigh… The kingdom has plenty of talent.”
What a farce!
Nona had lost face and was almost in a Powerless Rage; she just wanted to find the mastermind behind this and settle the score!
But this place wouldn’t allow her to mess around like that.
“What’s going on?! His Majesty the King is here; who’s causing trouble?!”
It was Carl Light’s father, Ecklight, who came out to check the situation.
His Majesty the King was resting in the Main Hall.
Hearing the commotion, he rushed over to see what was happening, only to find it looked like his niece had fallen?
Nona, unable to argue her case, stomped her feet in frustration! But she just couldn’t figure out who was so despicable!
Meanwhile, the culprit, Miss Shaya…
Was quietly chuckling behind her hand, facing the wall!
Those who didn’t know would think she was reflecting on her mistakes~
Xiya didn’t know how to express her feelings about the commotion over there, but the once so serious Hero was now lightly covering her mouth, chuckling at Xue Fei’s childish yet pure behavior.
“Pfft… don’t… don’t laugh, Xue Fei, we’ll get in trouble if we’re found out. Was that really you…?”
“Hahaha, weren’t you also laughing! Who else but me would do something so mischievous!”
“I think that’s not really a compliment for yourself…? Things over there are a bit chaotic…”
“Don’t worry, it’s just that the genius young lady ‘lost her balance and fell’! It’ll calm down soon~ All we have to do is show her some sympathy, she’s so young, how could she not be agile?”
Xiya lightly tapped Xue Fei’s forehead with her fingers, turning her back as they left the Main Hall, heading towards the side hall.
It was a bit late, but now they had an alibi!
Xue Fei could be a bit naughty sometimes~ but Xiya knew she had her reasons when she acted mischievously.
As they distanced themselves from the “scene of the incident,” they began to whisper.
“I say, Xue Fei… did you hear something that upset you earlier?”
“They were saying bad things about you; how could I not be angry?”
“Is… is that so?”
“They even said I was foolish.”
“Then they really deserved to be hit!”
Hmm?
I mention they said bad things about you and you’re not worried.
Yet when they called me foolish, you answered with absolute certainty?
Their mutual concern and indulgence in one another were probably unnoticed by the two foolish girls.
Actually, without Xue Fei’s explanation, Xiya Light already knew what those “bad words” meant.
Xiya stopped in front of a row of neat wine cabinets.
She picked up a wine glass, poured some wine into it, and elegantly took a small sip.
Miss Shaya tiptoed and raised her hands high, indicating she wanted to drink too, but Xiya went to the other side to bring her a glass of orange juice.
Although she knew Xue Fei was two years older than her, she strangely felt she should have this instead.
Xue Fei bore the humiliation, sipping the orange juice a few times, her eyes sparkling, no longer interested in the wine.
Xiya twirled the wine glass in her hand; in front of Xue Fei, she had to maintain a somewhat sisterly demeanor.
The wine reflected her exquisite beauty, and the perpetual sadness within her became increasingly clear in the flickering light and shadow of the wine.
“These cousins and cousins don’t really treat me well… it’s to be expected.”
“I heard it was because you stole their limelight?”
“Not just limelight… The people of the Light family take pride in being a generation’s Hero, but there can only be one Hero, and those who don’t become Heroes will never have another chance. A few years ago, there was a Holy Sword sensing ceremony in the family; they all thought Cousin Carl would definitely be the chosen one, but it turned out to be me. So since then… it has slowly turned into this.”
“There’s no need to pay them any mind.”
“Xue Fei…?”
Xue Fei tilted her head back and downed the orange juice in one go.
Even though she was drinking orange juice, she slammed the cup down on the table like it was wine.
With a graceful toss of her long black hair, she pointed to herself with a thumb and gave Xiya a confident smile.
“It’s no big deal! It’s no surprise that Xiya became the Hero. I’ll just ask you this: if at that time the person who became the Hero was not you, but Carl, would you feel jealous?”
“I wouldn’t… it doesn’t matter to me who becomes the Hero; I just hope our place can be peaceful and safe. As for honor… you know me, Xue Fei. I really don’t care.”
“Then that’s settled!”
Xue Fei placed her hands on her hips and shook her fingers as if drawing this conclusion.
“They, more or less, are not pure enough, but Xiya is so much better than them! Strength is not just power, but also the spirit! Look at me, my sister argues with me every day, saying I’m not serious and giving me a cold face. Do you see me paying her any mind? I still live quite freely, don’t I?”
Xiya looked at the little figure in front of her… her azure blue eyes slightly widening.
There was a sense of indescribable reassurance.
Hmm… Whether in the past life or now, Xue Fei has always been working to build my mental defenses…
She says strength is not just power, but also spirit.
But what she doesn’t know is that the source of her sister’s strong spirit…
— All comes from you.
Xiya slowly tilted her head back and finished the little wine left in her glass.
With no wine in the glass, her sorrow naturally could not be reflected.
Or perhaps, the wine could be refilled, while the sorrow was gone.
Seeing that her statement had an effect, Xue Fei proudly let out a hum and grabbed Xiya’s arm, leading her forward again.
“Alright, alright…! I already said that the Holy Sword choosing you is a matter of course. If you don’t believe me, go home and ask Xial! Now let’s not talk about this; it’s time to eat cake. I’m almost starving!”
“Okay, if Xue Fei wants cake, then let’s go ahead and get it. Follow me.”
“Yay! We can eat… um…? Xiya, wait, something’s up.”
“Xue Fei?”
Clearly, she was excitedly heading for the cake.
But Xiya was astonished by Xue Fei’s sudden stop behind her.
Turning back, she found Xue Fei staring at the ceiling with an expression that was completely different from before, indifferent as if she were waiting for something.
Suddenly.
— All the lights in the banquet hall abruptly went out.
