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"No whining! Do you realize that every extra minute we spend here increases our risk? What if someone comes…"
"Oh, come on, no one will come. Princess Sasha is currently under house arrest, everyone's afraid of her. Why would anyone come?"
Mengdie's attempt to scold Nia is unexpectedly interrupted by Coco's sudden revelation.
The pavilion falls into an icy silence. Nia stops her whining, Lena’s smile fades, and Sasha, who was previously enjoying the noise, now looks like a puppet plunged into an abyss, expressionless.
…
…
…
A long silence ensues, even the occasional breeze feels chilling. The tension and profound sadness permeate the pavilion, echoing through the endless sea of flowers.
Realizing her mistake, Coco, the steel magic apprentice, clutches her book tightly and retreats to the edge of the pavilion. She looks apologetically at her sister and fearfully at Sasha, head bowed, silent, with tears streaming down her face.
Lena rushes to her sister, scolding her in a low voice. Mengdie realizes it's no longer an appropriate time to leave. She sits back, gently sipping her tea.
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"I'm sorry, Princess! My sister spoke out of turn, please forgive her!"
After scolding Coco, Lena brings her to Sasha, pushing their heads down as if to kneel. Sasha quickly puts down her cup and helps them up, a flash of resignation in her silver eyes, "Never mind. It’s not a big deal. I've been confined for over a decade now, I'm used to it."
Lena and Coco apologize profusely, and Sasha finally calms them down, returning to her seat and smiling at Mengdie. The two exchange smiles, then quietly sip their tea. The only sound in the pavilion is Nia munching on her sweet biscuits…
After a while…
"My mother... was an elf."
Sasha finally speaks, her pointed ears drooping slightly.
Mengdie nods, listening quietly.
"I can't clearly remember what my mother looked like," Sasha says, stirring her tea, "But I vividly remember that 13 years ago in Luweil City, my mother did something very... bad."
Sasha speaks carefully about her mother, but what does "bad things" mean in reality? Mengdie can only imagine.
"In my memory, she was very gentle. My father seemed to love her dearly. I often recall walking through this flower sea with them holding my hands. But... that gentle mother suddenly changed 13 years ago, when I was just four, and started... killing people."
Mengdie gasps, and even Nia stops eating. Lena and Coco lower their heads in silence.
"I don't know what happened exactly. I remember she was going back to her homeland, but after returning, she argued with my father and suddenly attacked the central throne of the castle. Her elf magic was so powerful it was terrifying. Every soldier who tried to stop her was blown to pieces. I later learned she killed over 500 people, not just soldiers, but also royal family members and ministers."
Sasha’s situation becomes clearer in Mengdie's mind, explaining Coco's earlier comment about her confinement.
Sasha stirs her tea and sighs, "Finally, my transformed mother was captured and killed by my father's knights. Since then... I've become what I am now."
Lena takes over, describing Sasha's life over the past 13 years. She was confined to her room from 8 AM to 3 PM, then brought to the garden until midnight. The only time she saw many people was during the greeting ceremony earlier. Besides that, only Lena and Coco, who grew up with her, stayed by her side as maids.
"Cough... I thought once the princess married into Silvermoon, she could escape this puppet-like life. But the selection dance failed, right? If I find out who ruined that event, I'll kill them!"
Lena waves her sheathed sword, causing Mengdie to feel awkward, being partly responsible for the dance's failure.
To lighten the mood, Mengdie picks a piece of cake and asks with a smile, "By the way, Princess, your magic is impressive. Who taught you?"
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