Standing in the middle of the arena located in the training hall where the knights duel and spar, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. My father had given me clothes that resembled gym wear from grade school—shoes, shorts, and a plain shirt with the family crest on the sleeve. They felt comfortable.

“At attention, little one!” my father’s booming voice echoed across the hall.

“Yes, SIR!” I snapped to attention, bracing myself.

After yesterday’s accident, mowing down what look like a half of miles of tress, I sense today's training might be punishment.

“The person in charge of your training today is the head butler, Ezekia. He’s also my right hand,” my father explained, his tone more serious now.

I felt a light tap on my shoulder. that startled me, I jumped and fell back, landing awkwardly on my backside. Great start…Luna, I said to myself

"Good morning, Princess," a voice greeted me as a hand extended to help me up from the floor.

I looked up at the man standing above me. He was quite handsome—gray ears that matched his long hair and tail, round glasses perched on his nose, and a smile that was both charming and unsettling.

“He uses a technique that hides his presence,” my father added, watching me with amusement.

“Ohhh... an assassin,” I muttered under my breath,

“He’ll be your sensei until you’ve passed all of his training. Do you understand?” My father asked.

“Yes, SIR!” I responded, standing taller now, determined not to embarrass myself any further.

"Alright, Princess," Sensei said, kneeling down and touching my shoulder with a mischievous smile. "I’m going to count to one-hundred."

I blinked, my confusion growing as he maintained his slight smile.

"Princess, we’re playing hide and seek. Try your best to hide," he said, his grin widening, revealing sharp teeth.

Wait, what? My mind raced, unsure if this was some kind of trick, I bolted, searching for a place to hide. The first thing I did was run to my room and crawl under the bed. Surely he won’t check here, right?

Good luck finding me here, I thought, trying to steady my breathing.

"Hi, Princess. You’ll have to try a little harder," Sensei’s voice said suddenly, making me scream in surprise. I bumped my head against the bed frame as I was gently lifted out from under the bed.

"one...two...three..."

"You’ve got to be kidding me!" I muttered, scrambling to my feet and running toward the kitchen. I weaved through maids and chefs, my heart pounding. I’ll hide here. I opened a cabinet and squeezed myself inside, trying to slow my frantic breathing.

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"Alright, I think I’m safe now. At least this time, he’ll have to open the cabinet, so he won’t scare me."

Unless he’s already here... The thought struck me suddenly, and I slowly turned my head.

"Hello, Princess," Sensei’s voice whispered again from right beside me. I nearly screamed but bit my lip.

"Before you run off again, let me give you a hint: I hear you have excellent mana control. When you’re running, try to feel the mana around you. Everything and everyone has a unique mana signature. What you want to do is feel it and try to match yours. Okay, Princess?"

I nodded, my heart still racing. "Yes, Sensei."

"one...two...three..."

He really doesn’t give me a head start, does he?

This went on for half the day. I would hide, and no matter where I went, Sensei found me within moments. It was exhausting—more mentally than physically. I was running out of places to hide, and each time, I’d become more frustrated. The tension grew with each attempt.

Am I really that easy to find?

As I rushed toward what I thought might be a good hiding spot, I saw Sensei standing ahead of me, already waiting.

"Princess, you did really well today. How about we rest up and we try again tomorrow?"

"No, Sensei, I can do it!" I protested, frustration welling up. I had to prove myself. I can’t fail.

He smiled warmly and patted my head. "Okay, one more time."

"1…2…3..."

I was about to take off running when something clicked in my mind. Wait, don’t run. Focus on the mana around you.

"10...11...12…" I closed my eyes, trying to block out the noise.

"15...16…" Come on, focus!

I started to feel a familiar cool breeze surround me, flowing through the air like a gentle current. As I concentrated, I noticed something different—there was a distinct flow, mana itself never stood still it was free.

My mana, usually concentrated at my core, made me an easy target to find. In contrast, the mana around me flowed naturally.

Maybe I should just let it go—yes, let go of everything. I nodded to myself. As I stopped concentrating, I felt my mana begin to move freely within me.

My breathing steadied, each inhale soothing the tension in my sore muscles as they become relaxed, my mind entering into a state of calmness.

Let it all go, I repeated to myself.

"97...98...99…100…"

My eyes snapped open, remember I was suppose to hid, as I watched Sensei began walking forward, looking left and right.

I'm sure he could sense that I was right behind him, Is he pretending? I wondered.

As he continued, I moved silently behind him, matching my steps with his. I cautiously reached out and grabbed his shirt.

He stopped, turning his head slowly with a smile. "Congratulations, Princess. You passed."

"Yes!" I shouted, falling backward in exhaustion and relief.

"Be careful, Princess," he said, catching me before I hit the floor. "You did excellent today. Usually, it takes two to three weeks of constant training to pull off what you just accomplished."

As he scooped me up, I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling a mix of pride and exhaustion. I did it.

"I had an excellent teacher," I said, noticing his tail wagging a bit faster. I giggled quietly.

As we made our way back to the arena, my father stood watching the knights spar. His eyes shifted to me as we approached.

"How did she do on her first day?" my father asked.

"She was excellent, Your Majesty. She’s already mastered it; she caught me instead," Ezekia said, his face glowing with excitement.

"I did it, Papa! Are you proud of me?" I exclaimed, raising my fist in triumph, a wide grin revealing my sharp teeth.

"Absolutely, little one," he said, reaching over to pick me up from Ezekia’s arms and giving me a warm hug. "To hide your presence from him is beyond impressive—even better than my own ability."

"What do you mean?" I asked, curiosity sparking.

"In my tribe, I’m known as Bloodhound. Not only are my mana detection skills highly sensitive, but my sense of smell and hearing are finely tuned as well. To erase your presence in front of me—only an expert can manage that."

I blinked, my admiration for Sensei growing. "Tomorrow we work on weaponry, so be well rested," my father added.

My eyes lit up with excitement, and I was about to cheer when my stomach let out a loud growl.

"I think you might be hungry," my father said, chuckling.

The knights around us laughed too.

"Maybe just a little," I admitted, rubbing my tummy.

"Let’s get you ready for dinner," he said, gently pinching my cheek.