“Hmm... I know. Father, Mother, you don’t need to worry about it.”
Shiki nodded, looking at her parents with a gaze filled with affection.
These two figures were feared and respected by the world, yet in her presence, they were nothing more than loving parents showering her with affection. For a moment, Shiki felt a pang of sorrow, realizing that in three years, she would no longer be able to see them—or Andrea. Only those aged 10 to 20 would be teleported to the Procession Tower.
Throughout her life there, Shiki had never heard any news of a way to return to Atta World or to this realm. However, that feeling of sadness quickly faded. In her opinion, living in this safe world was far better than life in the Procession Tower, filled with unending danger. Moreover, when the Bride’s War began, even the power of the Ganko Family wouldn’t be enough to guarantee their safety.
This was the main reason Shiki chose Vespera High School. She was no longer just a spoiled girl who believed herself to be the center of the universe. Shiki understood the importance of having a faction to support her in the Procession Tower. Even with her immense strength, the vastness of the Tower made centralized control impossible. The struggle for resources and territory, which often escalated into faction wars, was commonplace there. Furthermore, when the Bride’s War began, having trusted allies would be critical for survival.
The current rulers of the Procession Tower were all still in high school. As one of the strongest, Shiki had met most of them in person or at least seen their photos. To Shiki, only those who were previously on her level or slightly below would be of any use when the Bride’s War began. At present, 80% of those individuals attended or were about to attend Vespera High School. A staggering 98% of them did not come from noble families but were ordinary citizens living lives of anonymity. Nearly none of the graduates from Shiki’s previous school in her past life managed to survive ten years in the Procession Tower.
It didn’t take a genius to understand why. The primary reason Vespera was regarded as the best high school in Ignisira lay in the quality of its students and alumni. Getting accepted there was exceptionally difficult. It required not only intelligence to solve problems that would stump university students but also a personality test that evaluated the character of potential students. Coupled with strong government support, even children of noble families had to pass rigorous exams to gain admission to Vespera.
It was no surprise that Vespera High School’s graduates were the best of the best—and apparently, that excellence extended to the Procession Tower as well. Students accustomed to thriving in a high-pressure environment adapted more quickly to the harsh realities of the Tower. Meanwhile, pampered noble children were swiftly eliminated once deprived of the wealth and influence of their families.
If Shiki managed to get into Vespera, the Ganko Family’s power would make it easier for her to create situations where the brilliant students there owed her a debt of gratitude. This way, she could influence them to become loyal followers devoted only to her. Shiki was confident in her charm, capable of captivating both men and women, and her decades of experience in the Procession Tower would make it effortless for her to read and manipulate the hearts of these teenagers.
With this, even before the teleportation began, Shiki could already wield significant control over the dragonewts in the Procession Tower.
“Well then, I’ll head back to my room. It was nice talking with you, Father, Mother,” she said.
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“Hm...” Shinsei nodded.
“Ah, Shiki? Your father and I apologize for not being able to have dinner with you tonight,” said Emberlyn, her expression filled with regret.
“It’s alright. Andrea will keep me company for dinner. See you tomorrow morning, Father, Mother.” Without waiting for a response, Shiki turned and walked toward her room.
As her footsteps echoed through the halls, Shiki refined her plans even further. With the formidable support of a family like the Gankos behind her, executing her strategies would be far easier.
She still had three years to prepare everything perfectly. Additionally, she considered finding a martial arts trainer and starting physical training for her pampered body. Although martial arts from Atta World weren’t particularly useful in the Procession Tower, it was better than wasting her time.
“Young Lady, do you plan to leave the house today?” Andrea asked as they arrived in Shiki’s room.
“No, I plan to meet someone. Ah, it might be better if you help me invite them for lunch, Andrea.”
“Oh? Who is it? I’m sure they would be delighted to have lunch with you, Young Lady,” Andrea replied as she began brushing Shiki’s reddish-black hair while the girl sat before her vanity.
“Please call Mr. Thompson for me, Andrea.”
Andrea’s hand paused momentarily, a flicker of discomfort crossing her face before she quickly regained her composure and resumed brushing Shiki’s hair.
“Mr. Thompson? What business do you have with someone like him?”
Shiki understood the hesitation and caution in Andrea’s voice. Mr. Thompson wasn’t someone a young woman like her would typically interact with. Among the thousands of employees and servants under the Ganko Family, Mr. Thompson was well-known in the family’s inner circle. This was because Mr. Thompson handled various “gray” matters for the Ganko Family.
As the family’s treasured jewel, Shiki was usually kept far away from individuals like Thompson. However, at this point, Shiki didn’t care about the opinions of others. After all, her life in this world would end in three years, so preserving her reputation was not a priority. Besides, she had an important matter to discuss with Mr. Thompson.
“Don’t worry, Andrea. I have a specific request for Mr. Thompson, and it’s very important.”
“…Alright then,” Andrea finally relented with a nod.
The mirror in front of her reflected Shiki’s stunning beauty, flawless like a fairy. Her broad forehead, petite straight nose, and lips as red as blooming flowers formed a perfect visage. Her long, wavy, reddish-black hair cascaded down her back, framing her smooth white neck. This perfection made her look like a living doll, leaving no normal man capable of ignoring her.
Shiki was certain that the purple-eyed man had only ignored her because she had been filthy and covered in trash at the time. If they had met under normal circumstances, she couldn’t believe he would remain indifferent.
However, searching for him within the Procession Tower would be a daunting task due to its vast expanse. On the other hand, tracking him in Atta World was much easier. His silver-white hair and purple eyes were distinctive traits that could set him apart from others. Combined with the age range restriction, Shiki could leverage the Ganko family’s resources to locate the man.
Even so, the Procession Tower wasn’t exclusively populated by dragonewts from Atta World. Other worlds were also connected to this place, along with various other species. It was possible that the purple-eyed man wasn’t a dragonewt at all—he could be human, elf, beastkin, or something else entirely.
If only she remembered his face in detail, modern technology would make the search significantly easier. Unfortunately, even with her “dragon eyes” ability, Shiki couldn’t recall the fine details of his face. All she remembered was his silver hair, purple eyes, and a mischievous smile.
Shiki wasn’t surprised by this. She was convinced that the purple-eyed man wasn’t ordinary. He must be extraordinarily powerful and possibly possessed the ability to obscure detection, allowing him to move freely in the Procession Tower as if he were a tourist in a bustling attraction.
Although the chances were slim, Shiki didn’t want to miss even the smallest opportunity. That’s why she needed Mr. Thompson’s assistance to conduct a global search. If the purple-eyed man indeed originated from Atta World, with Mr. Thompson’s expertise, he would surely find him. And if that happened...
Hehehehe.