Wichita shoved the needles into her second most hated enemy yet, her desperation making her hasty. The bundle of strings simply lay there, unconcerned. Even if she was mostly joking, she could not help but feel a little anger at the thing. Shoving the distracting emotion from her mind, she activated the enchantments on her needles, levitating them.

Step one. Bind the string ends to the needles without slowing them down.

Step two. Fly the thirteen needles in a pattern to form a… Wichita’s brain halted as she saw the thirteenth needle fly off formation again. A tear formed at the edge of her eyes as her hopes were crushed into mincemeat. The design was ruined for the hundred and twelfth time today. The plan was a failure.

No, she could not let this be; she needed this skill. Leirot would crush her with it, let alone without. The duel might not end up with her dead, it would come bloody close. Just because the injuries were temporary didn't mean they didn't hurt.

Wichita shoved the needles back into formation, willing the last needle into place. A headache built behind her eyes, her mind struggling against the System’s restriction. Trying to control the needle had apparently come too close to using magic, and the System would not allow that.

Wichita ignored it. The threads flew into each other, too chaotic to form anything of use. Of little importance. If the design would not work, she would try making a mess. Even if the thirteenth needle went of course, which it already had, it would do limited damage.

The needles circled each other, one flying through a knot formed by two others and then repeating that over and over again. Wichita gave little thought to what she was making, simply making sure they did something, and fast. The speed was key here, the faster she did it the more likely she got the Skill she wanted. [Quick Needling] might not be the most impressive Skill, but it was the one she could actually get.

But first, she had to concentrate. The clock was ticking, and it was hard enough trying to control thirteen of these things.

A second passed, and then another. Wichita continued until an explosion rang against the school bell, shaking the entire building. And of course, inturrupting her concentration. The Enemy was at it again. Wichita had to admit she hated aerial bombardments, they were simply too distracting. Still, she has done it.

Twelve needles jutted out of the ball of yarn, the thirteenth was somehow stuck inside, still not following her orders.

Wichita’s left eye twitched as she willed it out of the ball, already turning to leave. That last attempt had been stupid, and something she did not have time for.

The try had failed; she would not be gaining the skill. Leirot would destroy her once more. A shudder ran through her body, and not just at the thought of what was in store for her.

A needle had just struck her body. The bloody thing had turned around and shot into her body. A human might have even been injured. Growling at the lost mana, she plucked the needle out of her arm.

Perhaps she could convince Veruna to -

Skill earned: [Bloodthirsty needling]

— destroy it. Wichita stared at the first notification she had received in her life. Then she remembered that she was late. And already failing the assignment. Rushing through the corridors, she tried to remember what she knew about the skill. Perhaps she still had hope.

The System usually gave it to those that, well, used needles in a bloodthirsty manner. That was why she hadn’t gone for it. Not a lot of blood to use in a city of mana lifeforms. But she would not refuse the — Wichita came to a halt as she ran into the Working Hall.

Leirot. Why was he here? The duel was not for another thirty — Wichita winced as she looked at the clock. Fifteen minutes. How was she so late? Slinking her way into the line, she tried to ignore the rot of her life. Even as her mana prickled in reaction to his.

“And what do we have here?” Wichita could feel the smirk in his voice. Of course, he had found her. Gathering her courage, she turned around ready to tell him the words she had prepared.

But she couldn’t.

The mana was too…close. Wichita’s eyes clouded, memories coming to the surface even as she tried to force them away, to do anything else. Rot mana entering her, clinging to her, eating her. A futile struggle, Leirot smiling as she felt the rot consume her arms her legs-

“Do try to maintain decorum, Lord Candidate Leirot. The line is for those that are here to submit their tasks. Do you have a task you wish to declare finished?” Veruna’s voice pierced through her haze, the girl’s mana calming hers.

Leirot scoffed. “I was simply ensuring that my opponent would not be making excuses, Ms. Veruna. Not all of us can gain experience without risking our lives.”

“Perhaps those someones should try growing a brain. The System may take pity and give them civilized skills.” Wichita retorted a bit too fast, glad he had something she had prepared retorts for. A facade was needed. If she gave into him here, he would take it as a victory. No, he would not have that satisfaction.

“Are you implying that combat skills are inferior, Enchantress?” Leirot,,,did not smirk. The expression on his face was a bit too calm for her liking.

Wichita suppressed her worries. This was going well. This was what she had prepared for.

“In the hands of a brute like you? Why yes. Speaking of enchanting, how are you doing? Still struggling with the resonance?” she said lightly, remembering the inflictions she had practiced. A foolish thing to spend time on, she knew. But she liked the way he grimaced at the mention of enchanting.

“I will have you know that I finally achieved it.” the boy answered, again without the smirk. Leirot should have been throwing a tantrum and threatening violence, not being so calm. Wichita’s mind blanked. That was unexpected. And she had no answer — wait.

“How wonderful. I suppose it is worth congratulating. I would prepare a gift, but I fear I do not remember what the reward for such a thing was.” Wichita felt a smirk spread across her face as she said her next words.

“What was it again?” she asked, turning towards Veruna.

“I don’t know sister, it was just so long ago. I think you just skipped it and went for Master class enchanting.” Veruna, of course, supported her. Wichita wasn’t sure why the girl had taken to going out of her way to help her, especially when they had not even spoken once before Leirot began targeting her.

But she was glad for it.

“Oh yes, it is true. I was simply in such a hurry back then. Enchanting is just too fun, wouldn’t you say?” she said, not suppressing her smirk anymore.

“I wouldn’t know.” Leirot interrupted, much to her displeasure. “But I suppose we all have different hobbies. The rigors of war are heavy after all. The city needs its mages to be able to battle. A hobby can help with that.”

Wichita’s smirk fell at his words. And it had been going so well. But he was right, there was a war going on, and her skills were…less needed. There were plenty of Arcana that could enchant, it was something their species was born with. Leirot skills with mana were far more precious.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Oh would you look at the time!” Leirot gasped, the gasp sounding fake and far too forced. “I must leave, I have duel after all.”

Wichita looked at the watch’s hand with trepidation, her earlier gleefulness fading. Leirot was going to crush her. The skill wouldn’t save her and neither would Veruna. The boy had too much power, too much talent. And she was the only one close to his age that could provide his skills worthwhile experience.

Veruna clutched her hand, looking into her eyes. “Don’t worry, it will be fine. Just a few more times and you’ll be done with it.”

Wichita calmed herself, giving Veruna a nervous smile as she walked towards one of the adjacent halls. Veruna held onto her hand until she was past the gate.

“Take heart, sister. This will pass soon.” she said as the gates closed. Professor Therun growled at the girl as she left. Wichita once again wondered why the Veruna supported her so. What did she gain? The girl talked off plans and ideas, but did she truly believe in them?

The odds of that were…unlikely. An Arcana did not think of others before themselves. The Heart of Ambition that beat in place of their hearts made sure of that. Wichita had the weakest Heart she knew of, and even hers protested every time she thought of Veruna as an ally. The girl in front of her was known to have one of the strongest hearts in the Lower City. But whatever cost Veruna asked of her, she would pay. For she would be lying if she did not need the support. Even if she regretted it later.

“Hurry it up.” Professor Therun ordered, probably angry that his prodigy’s training was being delayed by her ‘petty concerns’ as he called them.

“This is a duel for experience between Lord Candidate Leirot and Wichita so that they may progress their skills and aid in the Quest. I shall serve as referee" the Professor began before she could even take her position.

A duel for experience. Wichita wondered if the experience was worth her pain. To the administration, surely. The Arcana had hunted entire species to extinction for titles, these duels were minor matters. Veruna was the only one she had found that thought it was wrong. A heat spread across her chest as her Heart acted up, enhancing her reflexes and mana senses. A good thing really, one of the most valued abilities of the Arcana. Leirot just had a stronger one.

Wichita braced herself, her hand moving to her needle pack that hung against her belt. Leirot’s eyes followed her, but he did not make a move. Why not? What was he waiting for -

A storm of mana entered a room. A rush the likes of which she had not seen or felt before. For a second, she thought that Leirot had gained some new skill, that she would not even have a chance to resist. Then she thought about it.

The mana was not rot mana, it was fire. And it was far, far too much for someone at his stage to have. This was someone else, someone important. The door to the room opened as a woman walked in, leaving a trail of ice on the floor.

Not the source of the fire mana…probably. Two opposing elements were not common, but nor was this level of mana.

“The Fifth Princess is dead.” the woman announced as another woman entered the room. This one she recognized. The Queen.

The fucking War-Queen-Consort of Arcana. Wichita’s breath caught as she processed what was happening. The Fifth Princess was dead, and the Queen herself had come here. The law needed that there be six active heirs in a state of war.

Was she here for Leirot? Wichita went very, very still, looking at her surroundings. The first woman, likely an attendant, had not spoken since. Professor Therun was literally glowing in glee. But Leirot was not. Why not? The boy was the more likely of them to be a bastard, what with his talent in magic.

There were already rumors about it. After all, the King’s obsession with producing as many royal children as he could was not unknown. Then why did he look like he had swallowed poison?

“The Queen requires the presence of Wichita Iridor at once.” the attendant said. So it was that. Wichita wanted to be happy. The heat that spread throughout her body, told her that her Heart agreed. This was her lucky break. What she had been waiting for.

But even as her legs carried her to the Queen, her vision was filled with the expression on Leirot’s face.

This was not the expression of someone panicking. Nor of someone who was not concerned. That was the expression of someone who knew this was coming, and was prepared to deal with it.

Wichita’s steps stopped just before the Queen, her back bowing of its own accord. The [Bond of Arcana] was clearly still treating her like a commoner. And the Queen was allowing it.

“Please accept my greetings, your majesty, it is an honor to -“ Wichita found herself suddenly free of the bond’s force. Raising her head she found the Queen replaced by a trail of smoke.

“The city is under attack.” the attendant said beside her. “Follow me…your grace.”

The attendant’s word were polite, but not anywhere close to what she would expect of someone talking to a princess. If that was indeed what was happening here. Wichita was making a few presumptions, but they made sense. And she did not like where they were leading her.

Leirot. The boy would be in trouble if she became a princess. Professor Therun would bend over backwards to make his life worse, just to curry her favor. As if she would pay attention to the man. But such was his nature.

In fact, wasn’t the Professor here because of the royal family? The Crown Prince had placed him here so he could teach Leirot. On his fiancé’s request to aid her new adoptive brother. Would the Crown Prince help Leirot kill her? What would he gain from such an — Leirot could be next in line.

Or heck, he could be first. And she was pushed ahead so he could kill her and gain the experience and titles that came with such thing. That was something the boy would think of. The deed alone would ensure him a class of Fable rarity. Surviving such a thing might net her a Legend class one. Either way, the Arcana would benefit.

“Where are we going?” she asked, realizing that her legs had started moving. The fact that the Queen hadn’t raised her in view of the bond, something that would allow her to control Leirot, was a red flag. Wichita did not like her body moving without her permission, even if had long grown used to such things.

“A safe place. The royal bloodline shall be secured.” Wichita was not sure if she imagined it, but for a second there the attendant seemed to be smirking.

“I claim the right to a retainer. Veruna of the Management.” she said as soon as she thought of it. A princess had the right to a retainer. A right usually claimed before the King with much pomp…but she was desperate. And the law demanded she be satisfied if she were a princess.

The attendant turned to her, the woman’s expression made of stone. “I see. I shall satisfy your grace’s demands. Follow the Dancing Road to a tile three meters left of the light pole. I shall meet you there.”

Wichita’s eyes narrowed at the instructions, wondering what the attendant meant. But she had little time for it. The bond once more took control of her body, taking the attendant’s words as the orders they were. A mere attendant should not be able to command a princess. Even if she had the power to do so.

The law did not demand it, but the honor of the royal family did. And she doubted one would dare do say if the royal family did not sanction her actions.

Wichita was being sent to die.

There was little time to think. The school was on the Dancing Road too, and whatever awaited her had to be close to the entrance. Perhaps the Queen had moved it there. And she could already see the door. The grand gates were pushed open to reveal an empty road, save for a giant portal in the middle.

Moved there indeed. A small world? That made sense. The place could defend against most Tier 8 spells…from the outside. If one were already on the inside however, even a princess could die. And destroying it would make any evidence troublesome to withdraw, if anyone bothered to look.

Wichita walked out of the school and found her mind still, even if her body continued walking. Fire appeared where she had been a few seconds ago, her mind still struggling to form coherent thoughts.

What…was…happening. What… Wichita looked up. At the sky. At the black sky littered with dragons. Hundreds of them. A dragon raid. The city was under attack. Standing where she had been commanded to she tried to fight off the fear.

But [Dragon Fear] was not so easy to counter, not when it came from someone 8 tiers above her. Flame swirled above her as she saw a dragon take aim, something within her taking note of what would likely kill her.

Then it stopped. The barrage of dragon fire paused, turning purple as it exploded in the dragons’ collective faces. And she was able to think again. The dragon’s bodies burnt as she saw the Queen’s magic at work, the purple flames filling her with yearning. That was power.

And yet they did little. White light flickered across the dragon’s bodies, healing them faster than the Queen could damage them. Dragon Queen Arira, the only Tier 9 on the planet. That had to be who was healing them.

“The retainer has been collected.” the Queen’s voice said behind her. “Step into the portal, my daughter.”

The bond had her step in, her surroundings changing even as she was barraged by notifications.

Class granted: [Princess]

Title granted: [Royal Arcana]

The portal closed behind her as she looked ahead, into the dark green eyes of her hated enemy. A duel had been promised. A duel she would face. This one was just to death.