"Why... why do we have different lives when we look the same?!" Annie screamed internally, her body wracked with the searing pain of burns.

"I hate this! I hate my life! I hate Wu Zhao! I hate Peng Xian!" Annie's thoughts raged on.

Her limbs and parts of her body were scorched from crossing the [lightning barrier]. Even the mere touch of clothing or bandages exacerbated her agony.

"I had to steal food to survive when I was younger! Even after father adopted me, my life barely improved!"

"I endured rigorous training in Alkebulan, while that accursed Wu Zhao enjoyed her life as the pampered princess of Luo Yang!"

"I hate her! I hate her! I hate her!" Annie continued to curse Wu Zhao, enduring the relentless pain day and night.

As Annie recalled her training in Alkebulan, she remembered the day her master, Hassan-i Sabbah, gave her a mysterious pill.

Hassan-i Sabbah, the military leader of the Hashshashin—the feared order of assassins—and ruler of the Nizari state, was also known as the Old Man of the Mountain.

He wore a white robe reminiscent of ancient noble garments, a symbol of his authority and wisdom. This robe was long and flowing, reaching down to his ankles, and made from fine materials with intricate embroidery. Underneath, he wore a knee-length tunic with long sleeves, adding a layer of comfort and elegance. His loose-fitting trousers allowed for ease of movement, tucked neatly into his boots. A belt cinched at his waist, adding structure to his attire. His head was adorned with a soft, elaborate headdress, completing his dignified appearance.

"You have demonstrated tremendous growth during your training, Annie," Hassan said, taking a pill from his pouch and handing it to her.

"Master, what is this?" Annie asked, her curiosity piqued.

"This is a pill made from the crushed horn of Al-Miraj. It will boost your recovery from wounds but at the cost of your lifespan," he explained.

Annie gulped, apprehensive about the pill's side effect.

"I only hand this out to exceptional disciples. Consider it well-earned."

"Y-yes... thank you, Master," she stammered, accepting the pill.

The scene shifted back to Annie in her bedroom, writhing in pain.

"My pouch! Bring me my pouch!" she shouted.

Her attendant hurriedly handed her the pouch, which she snatched away instantly.

Annie quickly took the pill out of her pouch and swallowed it, ignoring the potential side effects. The current pain was too intense for her to worry about the future.

"Guk!" A while later, Annie coughed up a huge amount of blood, which also began seeping from her wounds.

"Eeeek!" The attendant screamed, then dashed out of the room to find their master, Gilles.

"M-master!" The servant burst into his study room in a panic.

"Lady Annie... s-she..."

"What happened?!" Gilles exclaimed, rushing out of his study room and heading straight to Annie's bedroom.

"Annie!" Gilles called out as he rushed inside.

Annie was sitting on her bed, surrounded by a vast pool of blood, assumed to be hers. The sheer amount of blood on the bed and floor seemed impossible to have come from her petite body. Her scorched limbs and body now looked normal, as if they had never been burned. The earlier bleeding seemed like a distant memory.

Gilles was shocked by the sudden change in her appearance. All her wounds had vanished, leaving him in stunned disbelief.

"Annie! Annie!" Gilles called out, shaking her shoulder. She looked dazed, as if her mind was elsewhere.

"What exactly happened here?!" Gilles screamed at the attendants, demanding answers.

"L-lady Annie told us to bring her pouch... then she took a pill from inside and swallowed it," one attendant stammered.

"What pill was that?!" Gilles demanded.

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"W-we don't know..." the attendant replied, fear evident in their voice.

As Gilles continued to shake Annie, he noticed strange cross-shaped marks on both of her wrists. The marks looked eerie and out of place.

Intrigued and concerned, Gilles examined the marks more closely. Upon inspection, he realized they were not brands or tattoos but scars that had healed into these peculiar shapes. The skin around the marks was smooth, suggesting recent recovery from deep wounds.

"Ah... Father, there you are..." Annie spoke calmly, as if awakening from a dream.

"Are you alright?!" Gilles asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine... In fact, I feel good, Father. I've never felt better," Annie replied, a surprising serenity in her tone.

"What did you do?!" Gilles demanded.

"I consumed a recovery pill that Master Hassan gave me, father." Annie explained.

Annie stood up from her bed and looked at her hands.

"Father, I feel like I'm floating."

Suddenly, blood began to seep from the cross-shaped wounds on her wrists.

"Bring me bandages!" Gilles commanded urgently. The attendants rushed to bandage her wrists, working quickly to stop the bleeding.

Despite their efforts, the bleeding did not stop. Annie knew she had to cover her wounds or risk dying from blood loss. Yet, she felt no pain and showed no fear, even as the new wounds refused to close.

Annie sensed something was amiss with her body, though she couldn't quite pinpoint it. Using [Shadow Strike], she conjured a shadow hand to grasp one of her daggers and cut her own hand. Blood flowed briefly, but she felt no pain, and the wound closed up almost immediately.

"What are you doing?!" Gilles exclaimed, thinking Annie had gone mad, and he quickly snatched the dagger from her hand. Surprisingly, Annie offered no resistance, as if she didn't mind him taking the dagger at all.

Annie stepped out of her room and attempted to conjure [Earth Spears]. She concentrated deeply, but nothing happened. Undeterred, she tried again, but still, nothing occurred.

"Huh, why couldn't I cast [Earth Spears]?" she wondered aloud.

"Oh well, it doesn't matter anymore," she concluded with a shrug.

Annie had lost her ability to cast earth magic, but she gained a new power: the ability to wield skills related to the darkness element.

When Harun and Yasmin came to check on Annie, they were astonished to see that she had made a full recovery. All her wounds had disappeared as if they had never existed.

"Annie, how is this possible?" Harun exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Yes, you were gravely injured," Yasmin added, equally surprised.

Annie smiled.

"It was the pill Master Hassan gave me. It healed me completely."

Harun's eyes narrowed slightly.

"The one given only to exceptional disciples?"

"That's the one," she confirmed.

"I didn't think it would work so quickly, but here I am."

Yasmin nodded, understanding.

"We're glad it worked, Annie. Truly."

Harun's initial jealousy faded as he smiled.

"Yes, we're just glad you're better." Harun and Yasmin exchanged glances, their relief evident.

“We need to continue our work,” Annie said, her voice resolute.

“This time, our target is the princess’s lapdog.”

“But you just recovered,” Yasmin protested, concern etched on her face.

“I feel fine. Perfect, even,” Annie replied firmly while smiling.

“Let’s do this!” Harun agreed, his determination matching Annie's.

“We’ll ignore the accursed Peng Xian for now,” Annie continued, her eyes narrowing.

“We’ll isolate the princess by eliminating her lapdog first, then we’ll kill the princess.”

----------------------------------------

Peng Xian walked down the grand hallway of the castle toward the princess's chamber, his footsteps echoing off the polished stone floors. Ornate wooden pillars, intricately carved with scenes of mythical creatures and historical battles, lined the passage.

The walls were adorned with exquisite tapestries depicting majestic landscapes and ancient legends. Overhead, red lanterns cast a warm, golden glow, illuminating the lacquered wood beams and ornate ceiling decorations.

His robes flowed behind him, the fine silk shimmering in the soft light, as he moved with a grace that commanded respect. The scent of incense lingered in the air, blending with the faint aroma of blooming flowers from the inner courtyard. As he approached the princess's study chamber, Jian Yi and an attendant stood at attention, their gazes following his every move.

“The Grand Court Wizard has arrived!” the attendant announced loudly.

“Good afternoon, Grand Court Wizard!” Jian Yi greeted Peng Xian warmly as he approached.

“Good afternoon, Jian Yi.” Peng Xian replied, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

“May I know what brings you here?” Jian Yi inquired politely.

“I am here to pay my respects to the princess, as I will be residing here until my tower is repaired. Hohoho.” Peng Xian replied, a twinkle in his eye as he stroked his beard.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from within the princess’s study chamber. Moments later, the door swung open, and the princess stepped out, greeting Peng Xian with a graceful curtsy.

“Good afternoon, Peng Xian.” Wu Zhao greeted him warmly, her voice carrying a note of respect.

“Good afternoon, Princess.” Peng Xian replied, bowing slightly.

“What brings you here, Peng Xian?” Wu Zhao inquired, her tone curious.

“Before we get to that, a lady shouldn’t be running around in her chamber,” Peng Xian chided gently, a knowing smile on his lips.

“What could you possibly be referring to?” Wu Zhao feigned ignorance, a playful glint in her eyes.

“Oh my oh my, what a lively princess you have to guard.” Peng Xian remarked, glancing at Jian Yi with a twinkle in his eye.

Jian Yi sighed inwardly, managing a polite smile.

As Peng Xian observed Wu Zhao closely, he noticed Illusion-type elementals swirling around her, a telltale sign that she was indeed the real princess, unlike the imposter he had encountered before, who had been surrounded by Earth-type elementals.

"Hmmm, she seems to be the real princess," he murmured to himself, feeling a sense of relief.

"That certainly puts my mind at ease."

“Do you need anything from me?” the princess inquired politely.

“Oh my, oh my,” Peng Xian responded warmly,

“I’ve come to pay my respects to my dear princess. I’ll be staying here for a while until my tower is repaired.”

"Certainly you jest; you must have other motives," the princess said, her tone teasing.

"Oh my, oh my, do you think this old man is such an antisocial fool?" Peng Xian replied playfully.

After casting a careful gaze around the surroundings, the princess exclaimed,

"Aiya! Where are mine manners? Please, come in and join me for afternoon tea!"

"Don't mind if I do!" Peng Xian replied cheerfully, stepping into the study chamber.

“You may be dismissed.” the princess said once the attendant had prepared tea

“Yes, Your Royal Highness.” the attendant responded promptly, exiting the room.

Once alone, the princess's demeanor turned serious.

“Now, what is the real reason for you being here, I wonder?” she asked Peng Xian.

“Is this about the assailants who invaded your tower and killed your disciples?”

Peng Xian's expression darkened.

“Oh my, straight to the point, aren’t you?”

After taking a deep breath, Peng Xian composed himself to speak the truth.

"One of the assailants resembled you. Her face, her hair color, her stature—everything about her bore a striking resemblance to you," he explained earnestly.

The princess’s eyes widened at the revelation.

“I assumed you knew she wasn’t me, since you survived the encounter,” she said, a mix of relief and concern in her voice.

“Yes, thanks to my [Elemental Eyes], I could see that she was embraced by Earth-type elementals, while you are embraced by Illusion-type elementals,” Peng Xian clarified.

"Only a handful of living beings receive the favor of a specific type of elementals, and their allegiance remains unchanged even after the beings have passed away, unless something drastic occurs," he added solemnly.

Upon realizing Peng Xian's implication, Wu Zhao discerned his true reason for checking up on her.

"So this is why you came to check up on me, hmm? To ascertain whether I'm still the real princess or the imposter," she remarked, her tone laced with a hint of skepticism and seriousness.

"Rest assured, I haven’t told this to anybody else," he assured her solemnly.

"Chaos will definitely ensue if this news is leaked."

“Could it be a monster who can shapeshift into mine form?” She asked, her voice tinged with concern.

“Doesn’t seem like it. Their true form would be revealed when they face the fear of death,” he replied thoughtfully.

“Besides, the late queen only gave birth to you, and I can vouch for her integrity as well.”

After a moment of silence, he took out a dagger and presented it.

“There is also the matter of this…” he began.

“What about this dagger?” she asked, her concern evident.

“This dagger is coated with a poison that prevents healing magic from working,” he explained calmly.

“Are you saying mine father is being poisoned?!” She exclaimed, her worry deepening.

“There might be a chance that these two cases are linked together,” Peng Xian said in a serious tone, his expression grave.