Chapter 383: Main Story Extra · Elizabeth · The Beginning of the Rift
“Good morning, Your Highness Elizabeth.”
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
“Hello, Your Highness.”
In the quiet library, soft greetings and bowing sounds passed through the book-filled space with rotating shelves, but the lady being greeted did not speak. She merely nodded with a greeting smile and raised a finger to exemplify that this was a library, and one should always maintain silence.
It turned out to be an extremely young and beautiful lady, wearing a milky-white swan gown. Her long legs were hidden beneath the skirt that resembled pure white feathers, with her small feet simply encased in exquisitely crafted princess boots.
Looking at her face, one could not help but feel it was impeccably exquisite.
A pair of gentle and spirited light golden eyes sparkled with intelligent brilliance, and her golden hair was styled into the relaxed everyday style favored by the young lady of Saint Nali.
Such nobility seemed not to alienate, and such softness did not lack dignity. Such a woman had rarely appeared throughout the kingdom, and when one did, people would surely compare her to Princess Elizabeth first.
In fact, not only the students of the Royal Academy adored and respected this Eldest Princess, but the people of Nali did as well. Even the Shivali, who were on tense terms with Nali, knew of this “Pearl of Nali.”
At this moment, her steps were light and slow, heading toward a familiar direction, as if she had walked this path for many, many years. She passed through several bookshelves and, in a small room near the window, Elizabeth’s gaze first fell upon a tall stack of piled books.
At first glance, they turned out to be profound and mysterious academic tomes that looked as if they were written in a heavenly script.
“An In-Depth Discussion of the Dual Theory of Magic,” “Loopholes in Magic,” “Advanced Magical Techniques.”
As she got closer, she discovered that aside from this stack, there was another equally hefty pile on the other side, all dedicated to philosophical discussions. Elizabeth even saw a tattered manuscript resting atop that stack.
Just as Elizabeth was about to reach for the book, a calm male voice suddenly came from behind her.
“Don’t move.”
Elizabeth’s movement abruptly halted, a look of helplessness at someone’s lack of subtlety appearing on her face. But when she turned back, the helpless expression had transformed into a gentle smile.
“This is the ‘Amorhaide Ethics Manuscript’ placed in the deepest part of the collection room, right? The oldest surviving philosophical manuscript in Nali, isn’t it?”
At that moment, standing before Elizabeth was a handsome yet somewhat stern-looking young man, wearing only a white shirt, as Elizabeth knew that this classmate Fisher had only two sets of casual wear available in the dormitory.
Students from the Magic Academy said that he borrowed the suit he wore to the final awards ceremony from his roommate.
As for why Elizabeth knew about Fisher and Trandal’s wardrobe situation?
Of course, that was a lady’s secret, not easily shared with outsiders.
“You’ve read this book?”
Sure enough, if he was talking about anything other than knowledge, Fisher’s expression wouldn’t change so noticeably; only when she expressed her understanding of knowledge could his desire for learning be ignited.
Fisher raised his brow slightly, looking at Elizabeth and asking.
Complex emotions surfaced in Elizabeth’s lively eyes, reflecting “I could easily deal with you, you know,” but on her face, she merely tilted her head and said to Fisher rather blandly,
“Of course, Principal Damien was a military minister during my father’s youth; I have a very good relationship with him. Not only have I read the Amorhaide Manuscript, but I’ve also read the original magical texts that came out of the Cardu Cathedral.”
“I see. He told me that the magical manuscript is stored in a magical protective sphere and that it would be damaged if taken out, so I couldn’t borrow it; I didn’t expect it was simply because my status wasn’t high enough to borrow it.”
Fisher shook his head in disappointment, sitting among the pile of books, while Elizabeth quietly smiled and took a seat across from him. She then took out a book titled “Modern Military Theory” from her backpack, which was the textbook for her current semester’s course.
Although this book was already among the most challenging of the various colleges, compared to those scholarly writings on Fisher’s desk, it did not even come close.
Only Fisher Benavides, the genius of the Royal Academy, could handle studying three degrees simultaneously with ease. Senior professors from the Philosophy Department often dined with him, and Heilson had even taken him on as his first personal student. Who else in all of Saint Nali could attain such an honor?
Although Fisher’s personality appeared somewhat eccentric in the eyes of ordinary people; otherwise, he wouldn’t be constantly critiquing Heilson, the grand magician, for flaws in his courses.
But the more eccentric he was, the better; Fisher’s appearance was already outstanding, and if his temper were a little better, wouldn’t every lady be competing with him?
At this point, Elizabeth’s gaze quietly lifted, looking at the handsome youth close at hand, who was engrossed in the ethical texts, effortlessly absorbing the points made by the author and continuously contemplating until he formed rebuttals or agreements.
Yes, Elizabeth had a secret; she had fallen for this uniquely eccentric classmate, Fisher Benavides.
Was it due to appearance?
But Elizabeth was the Eldest Princess of Nali. What kind of handsome youths had she not seen? Those who were ugly weren’t even allowed into the Golden Palace to tarnish her eyes, let alone she was also a world-class beauty.
Was it because of talent?
Perhaps only Elizabeth, who spent day and night with Fisher, truly knew how real it was. Maybe there were indeed smarter individuals in Nali than Fisher, but none of them were as diligent as him and certainly did not share his love for knowledge and truth.
If one must say, what truly attracted Elizabeth was the eager and kind heart hidden beneath Fisher’s cold facade.
Elizabeth cradled her face, grinning as she gazed at Fisher’s features, as if seeing his beating heart through his expression.
His life was modest yet not lowly, not pursuing worldly wealth nor fearing worldly power, quietly and relentlessly pursuing his defined goal while still maintaining respect for the subhumans and animals in the texts.
As Elizabeth deepened her understanding of Fisher, it felt like a grueling ascent up a massive snow-covered mountain, ultimately discovering a beautiful snow lotus at the peak—truly exhilarating and exciting.
“What are you looking at?”
Thinking of this, perhaps it was utterly irresistible, Elizabeth’s intense gaze made Fisher uneasy. He sighed and set down his book, looking back at Elizabeth.
Realizing she had been caught staring, Elizabeth was not embarrassed. Instead, she casually shifted her gaze, pointing to the cup nearby.
“I forgot to ask when I came in, do you want coffee?”
“Actually, isn’t it you who wants it?”
“Got me there. Will you help me brew it?”
Fisher glanced at Elizabeth, then slowly stood up and walked to the shelf nearby. There were coffee beans there, and he prepared a funnel and filter to brew coffee. Elizabeth didn’t pull out the expensive equipment from her home and let Fisher do as he pleased.
Elizabeth rested her chin in her hands, swinging her legs gently as she watched Fisher’s back, her golden eyes reflecting the slight light from outside, as though Fisher’s figure had illuminated her entire gaze.
“Alright, enjoy.”
“Thank you, Fisher. The coffee you make truly is the best in the world—no exceptions! I always think of your brew every time I come to the library after class.”
“Your coffee master from the Golden Palace is probably crying over job security.”
Fisher lowered his head and blew on the steam rising from his coffee cup. It was too hot, and the best first taste was right after the cool air had passed over it.
“But even the highest-paid masters with the best coffee-making skills won’t produce this flavor. Because in their eyes, I am the Eldest Princess, the first daughter of the King, yet not in Fisher’s eyes as Elizabeth, right? Only the coffee made through Fisher’s eyes and hands is truly worthy of Elizabeth and meets my preferences.”
Fisher’s act of wanting to taste the coffee paused slightly, and for the first time, a clear ripple appeared in his gaze as if influenced by her words, he looked up at Elizabeth only to find her simultaneously gazing at him.
The heat rose, and just then, Fisher had missed the best tasting time for the coffee he had just devoted effort to blow cool. He gently set the coffee down, not knowing what to say, he awkwardly replied,
“… I’m glad you like my coffee.”
Elizabeth was not surprised at Fisher’s answer. Instead, Fisher being able to say something like that already made her very satisfied.
Her smile was warm, and her lively gaze was all about Fisher. She took a shallow sip of the coffee and suddenly, with interest, asked Fisher,
“By the way, next weekend is the quadrennial ‘Griffin Tournament.’ Will you participate?”
“Griffin Tournament?”
Fisher knew about it but was very unwilling to expose himself unnecessarily. Participating in the Griffin Tournament required some preparation. During the tournament, there would also be debates with other classmates, engraving magical thoughts, and battles, etc.
With this time, it would be better to have Principal Damien lend him the Cardu magic manuscripts to study; perhaps he could achieve even more results.
“Yeah, the Griffin Tournament, a competition held every four years. But if it were you, Fisher, I believe you could easily win the championship.”
“No, I don’t want to waste time on it.”
Elizabeth adorably pouted. Although she liked Fisher, she still found his personality somewhat headache-inducing, particularly his excessive modesty and desire to conceal his talents.
Come on, I’m a princess! How can I explain to my father and others the circumstances between us with you being so low-profile?
Sighing, Elizabeth’s eyes brightened slightly, and then she tilted her head and lamented,
“What a pity. If I said you won first place, I would grant you any one request.”
“Any one request?”
Fisher opened his mouth, inquiring.
“Yes, no matter what you request, as long as it’s not too excessive, I will grant it. ‘Elizabeth’s Universal Request,’ hmm, isn’t that a better phrase?”
Fisher’s heart stirred slightly, looking at the shimmering, golden-like lovely princess before him. At this point, he was already keen to participate in this Griffin Tournament. But at the end of the sentence, he still asked a question,
“So, if I don’t participate, if anyone else wins first place, must you grant that universal request?”
Elizabeth silently extended a finger, overly crossing the middle line of the table, lightly touching Fisher’s forehead. In his somewhat gloomy gaze, before he could grab her hand, she had already mischievously retracted it.
“What are you thinking? This universal request only applies to you. Otherwise, how could I possibly say it just to you? That said, a qualified gentleman from Nali should not just hide his talents; since you are an outstanding person, you should inform the world with dignity, shouldn’t you?”
Actually, Elizabeth’s meaning could not be more explicit.
If one were an ordinary person with no background and no wealth or status, they had to prove themselves to stand equally beside Elizabeth to be deemed a good match.
Fisher remained silent for a moment, suddenly making a decision that went against his normally reserved and modest nature; he would participate in the Griffin Tournament, obtain first place, and ensure that all of the Royal Academy, and all those who may gain status in the future, would know the name of Fisher Benavides.
“Alright, I will sign up for the Griffin Tournament.”
Elizabeth’s smile grew even brighter; she even unconsciously hummed a tune with excitement over Fisher agreeing to her request.
“Since that’s the case, this weekend—”
But before she could finish, the door of the library reading room suddenly opened, revealing a girl with glasses who appeared quite charming.
She was carrying a book and immediately noticed Fisher and Elizabeth inside, then respectfully bowed to Elizabeth.
“Good afternoon, Your Highness.”
Although it was a greeting directed at Elizabeth first, Elizabeth’s expression gradually turned somewhat cold. She clearly saw that the girl’s gaze first landed on Fisher and lingered there for a second.
The glimmer of affection and focus in that gaze was something Elizabeth, as a lady, could not fail to perceive!
“What’s wrong? Classmate Kase?”
“Ah, Senior Fisher, this is the book I borrowed last week; I specifically came to return it to you.”
“No need to come all the way here, don’t we have the same class next week?”
“Oh, but that would be too late. It’s better to come now.”
Better? Better?
Same class?
Elizabeth’s expression remained gentle, but the fist tucked beneath the table had unknowingly tightened.
Clearly, she had just told Fisher to stand confidently before the public, yet Elizabeth had overlooked a fatal flaw about herself.
She had never expected to feel a surge of possessiveness.
While she could freely share anything else, she had always been praised by her father and elders as the most generous and charismatic princess.
But why, upon seeing Fisher conversing somewhat ambiguously with another woman or observing other ladies casting glances at Fisher, did a blazing flame seem to pierce through her soul and ignite her fury?
Elizabeth’s golden eyes reflected Kase’s silhouette, and within her heart, thoughts that were once gentle and calm transformed into an extraordinary agitation.
Indeed, previously, Fisher had maintained a low profile, so no one noticed his merits. What if others discovered Fisher’s goodness and wanted to compete with her?
Even if she was a princess, and even if they did not stand a chance at succeeding, simply knowing they held feelings for Fisher, watching him, made Elizabeth particularly irritable.
Elizabeth’s expression remained composed, and the hand that was still clenched beneath the table was now so pale it resembled a ghost’s.
Why did the other women know of Fisher’s and her relationship, only for such a foolish girl to suddenly appear?
Was she declaring war against her? Was she intentionally demonstrating such intimacy with Fisher in her presence?
How dare she?
Such a simple thought easily flickered through Elizabeth’s mind.
“Mm, I see. Goodbye.”
When Fisher’s conversation with that girl ended, Elizabeth had not noticed. When Fisher sat back down in front of her, she remained with her somewhat stiff smile, identical to before that classmate entered.
“Elizabeth? What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?”
“Oh, no. I just thought of some unpleasant things.”
Interrupted by Fisher’s words, Elizabeth waved her hand, signaling that she was fine.
But Fisher still did not relax. He leaned in closer to Elizabeth, concerned, and asked,
“The unpleasant things, can you tell me? Don’t keep everything inside; it might feel better to talk about it.”
Watching the handsome Fisher so earnestly approach her, the agitation and fear in her heart and that terrifying possessiveness gradually faded away, and she slowly became calm, her heart rate increasing a little.
Looking at Fisher before her, warmth and a sense of security gradually arose within her because his gaze was telling her that he belonged to her.
Although he was exceptional, although he was wonderful, he truly loved her.
Was she being overly sensitive? Should she not have thought that just now?
Elizabeth suddenly felt ashamed of that terrifying thought she had just entertained. She felt too embarrassed to share that thought with him, so she could only warmly shake her head and say,
“It’s nothing, Fisher. I was just thinking about what we should have for dinner tonight.”
Fisher, however, keenly sensed Elizabeth’s insincerity. He shook his head and looked in the direction the classmate Kase had left, asking,
“Is it because of that classmate? Rest assured, Elizabeth, I understand what you are worried about, but I have sworn to be loyal to our relationship and will not indulge in unnecessary matters. Look at me, trust me, okay, Elizabeth?”
“Mm.”
Elizabeth warmly gazed at her uniquely belonging Fisher, and she indeed believed in his feelings for her; they had consistently shared an unspoken understanding of each other.
However, she did not trust that suddenly appearing Kase.
Women understand women better, and Elizabeth was well aware that Kase was challenging her.
Perhaps she should have a word with that classmate; she wanted to make her realize to step away from her man. She did not want anyone intruding on the relationship between them.
Mother, as her witness, Elizabeth truly only meant to chat openly and peacefully without any ulterior motives.
But nobody knew that by deciding to handle this matter on her own, she would lay the foundation for a massive hidden danger.
A deadly threat that could sever this moment of beautiful feelings.
(The End of This Chapter)
