Mei felt eyes on her as she followed Myong Yeo-Jung; it was an eerie feeling, but she ignored it, choosing to focus on the amazing scope of the arena. She had seen a lot since she was in the capital these last six years and today she couldn't help, but be in awe of the magnitude of the arena. It was a beacon of civilization in the world, something that the empire truly excelled at.

"Master Myong, how long have you known my master?" Mei said, choosing to ignore the eerie feeling she looked up at her master’s friend.

Myong Yeo-Jung looked at Mei as they walked to their seats. "Well your master was actually a new disciple of the academy my final year as a student. I am about five years older than her."

"So you were friends?" Mei said curiously.

"Friends? I wouldn't say that, but we did get along well enough. Your master was always too busy trying to improve on her skills to bother with a social life. She had no interest in men or anything outside of the realm of cultivation and training... Maybe that was why she became the youngest master in academy history." She said her thoughts out loud.

“I don’t know. Cui has always been a study and training first. Play a second kind of woman.”

Mei nodded it was a perfect description of her master's attitude.

The other disciples talked among themselves, not bothering to interact with her. Mei knew she ought to try and talk with them like her master said she would need to learn how to interact with politicians in the future so maybe starting with people her age could ease her into it, but she decided against it. It wasn't like tomorrow she would need to learn to talk to some powerful nobility or politician. Mei snickered to herself as she imagined herself talking to nobles.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

As they waited for the games to start Mei kept getting a feeling that she was being stared at like before, but as she looked around she saw no one looking at her and shrugged it off choosing to watch the combatants practice in the arena.

...

Ryohei rested his chin gently on his hand as he stared intensely at the young girl. The same girl that haunted him all these years. Behind him stood Kuronuma silently waiting for him to give him orders. Kuronuma was possibly besides a select few who knew about him one of the best hidden powerhouses of Kuro even Ryohei wasn’t sure he could beat him one on one if he wasn’t prepared. As Ryohei watched from afar he couldn't understand he knew that girl had died yet she seemed to be here in the flesh. He would never forget those blue eyes staring stone faced as the rope tightened around her neck.

At the time he was a foolish arrogant prince, but since he had children of his own his heart grew much softer and he no longer felt the need to punish his own citizenry so harshly. It took him well over twenty years before he felt the guilt of his actions and around fourteen years ago he had consistent dreams of that fateful day. Why so many years after did he start dreaming of that night and more specifically that little girl he didn’t know, but at first he just ignored it, but over the years it felt like it was the heavens punishing him for his ignorance.

"Kuronuma" he said coolly.

"Yes my lord" the man said, his face covered by a hood pulled up over his head.

"Find out everything there is to know about that girl. I want to know everything...report back to me when you are certain you have nothing else to report."

Kuronuma bowed leaving without speaking a word.

Ryohei went back to watching the girl closely even as the games began he was no longer interested in recruiting talent; all that mattered was the young women before him. He had to know who this girl was.

The memories of his arrogant pride filled youth still haunted him at times.