Chapter 34: The Familiar Knight Captain

“Oh, by the way, Lili, what kind of person is the Knight Captain?”

Bai Yu hid behind Lili.

While it might seem improper for a princess to shelter behind her maid, everyone around them had grown accustomed to this sight.

Bai Yu’s suspicion mounted regarding her surroundings; she couldn’t shake the feeling that everyone knew her far too well.

“The Knight Captain? She’s such a gentle soul, strong yet beautiful.

Didn’t you often seek her out to play, my Lady?

How could you forget her?

The Knight Captain would be terribly upset.”

Lili turned, her gaze filled with worry as she looked at Bai Yu.

“Is that so?

Hehe, but I truly can’t recall anything.”

Bai Yu furrowed her brows.

While Lili expressed concern over her amnesia, Bai Yu wondered if it could truly be brushed aside so easily, given that she knew absolutely nothing.

Moreover, if she was a princess, who was the current emperor?

Surely, they hadn’t resurrected her father as well.

The situation instantly struck Bai Yu as increasingly absurd.

“This is it, my Lady.

The Knight Captain is waiting for you inside.”

Lili stood before a grand door, emblazoned with an intricate crest of a sword and shield.

This was the Imperial Palace’s exclusive training ground, reserved solely for the royal family.

However, Lili had informed Bai Yu that, apart from the Emperor, Bai Yu was the only remaining royal child, effectively making this her private training ground.

As Bai Yu approached, the grand doors swung open of their own accord.

“So advanced?”

Watching the doors open automatically, Bai Yu mused, ‘Is this what magic truly is?’

‘If so, would her Arcane Arts also manifest in a different form here?’

Pondering this, Bai Yu stepped into the training ground.

“My Lady, I’ll return to fetch you once your training concludes.

I’ll go back to my cleaning for now.”

Lili’s sweet voice reached Bai Yu, filling her heart with warmth.

“Mm, I understand.”

After bidding Lili farewell, Bai Yu began to survey the layout of the training ground.

It wasn’t as vast as she had imagined, yet it exuded a sense of luxurious elegance.

It felt more designed for artistic display than for actual combat.

In the center of the training ground, a striking figure stood with her back to Bai Yu, clad in light knight’s armor, a finely crafted knight’s sword at her waist denoting her status.

“Why does she seem so familiar?”

That long, pink hair—Bai Yu had only ever seen it on one other person.

That individual also shared a close connection with knights and even had a nominal duel arranged with Bai Yu herself.

‘No way.’

As this thought surfaced, an utterly preposterous idea began to form in Bai Yu’s mind.

Bai Yu slowly advanced, and the elegant figure turned, revealing a face Bai Yu knew all too well.

It was indeed Cecilia, the aloof, unreachable beauty, the stunning campus belle who never allowed anyone close, now standing here.

‘No, this is clearly wrong.’

‘What kind of place is this?

How are all these familiar faces appearing?

Though, they aren’t exactly ‘familiar’.’

Up until now, her relationship with Cecilia had been nothing more than that of ordinary classmates.

Despite the engagement she knew nothing about—she couldn’t even fathom how she’d accumulated so many betrothals.

“Your Highness, you are late.”

Cecilia stated with a hint of resignation, her pink hair shimmering with exceptional beauty under the sunlight.

Bai Yu was so captivated she stared blankly for a long moment before finally reacting.

“Hehe, I overslept a little today.”

Bai Yu scratched her head, unable to shake her habit of getting flustered whenever she saw a beautiful girl.

‘No, that’s not what I should be focusing on right now.’

Bai Yu quickly rushed to Cecilia’s side, grabbing her hand and asking urgently.

“Cecilia, where are we?

How did you get here?”

“Hm?

Your Highness, what’s wrong?

This is the training ground.”

Cecilia’s expression clouded with confusion; she clearly had no idea what Bai Yu was talking about.

“I mean, how did you come to this…

this other world?

This is clearly not right, isn’t it?

Weren’t we in Xian City before?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Your Highness.

Are you feeling unwell?”

Upon hearing this reply, Bai Yu understood.

It seemed that even familiar faces had lost their previous memories here; she alone remained ‘normal.’

‘Where exactly is this place?

Has she fallen under some illusion?’

Yet, she couldn’t for the life of her recall how she had arrived here, nor who might be responsible.

“Cecilia, do you truly not remember?

You even promised to duel me.”

At this, Cecilia’s expression turned serious.

“Your Highness, as your knight, it is my duty to protect you.

How could I possibly duel you?”

‘Just as I thought.’

Bai Yu gave up.

The Cecilia before her now seemed like an entirely different person.

“Your Highness, if you have no further questions, let us commence today’s training.

Even as a princess, one must never be a mere ‘flower vase’.”

Cecilia handed Bai Yu a training knight’s sword.

Bai Yu sighed inwardly.

Given her utter lack of knowledge, it was best not to act rashly.

She took the sword from Cecilia’s hand; it felt remarkably light, almost like plastic.

“Why is it so light?”

Bai Yu picked up the sword and casually swung it twice.

Although she had never received professional training, she possessed some basic combat experience; after all, a fruit knife was also a bladed weapon.

Witnessing Bai Yu wield the knight’s sword with such effortless ease, Cecilia stared at her as if she were a monster.

“Your Highness, how did your strength suddenly become so immense?”

“Eh?

Is my strength really that great?

I simply thought the sword was too light.”

Bai Yu looked at Cecilia with confusion.

She had no idea what her current power level was in this place, but she was, after all, merely an ordinary Second-tier Arcanist.

Cecilia furrowed her brows.

“Given this, we will need to alter our training methods.

Basic strength exercises can now be skipped.”

“Is that so?

Then what will we learn?”

“I need to assess Your Highness’s current abilities.

I request that Your Highness spar with me.”

Bai Yu did not refuse; she was equally eager to ascertain whether her strength had diminished in this unfamiliar realm.

She knew that Cecilia’s power had already reached the Fourth-tier, crossing the threshold into High-tier Arcanistry.

Without Moweila’s assistance, even utilizing her [Kin of the Night] ability, Bai Yu would find it incredibly difficult to defeat her.

Even if her abilities were ‘cheats,’ the absolute gap in tiers remained nearly impossible to bridge.

‘If only Moweila’s 50x amplification could be permanent, then she would be invincible.’

‘Alas, it cannot.’

Bai Yu raised the sword in her hand.

Unsure of Cecilia’s strength here, she resolved to approach this seriously.

“I’m ready.”

Bai Yu murmured, holding the sword with one hand in an utterly casual manner.

Her grip and stance were far from standard, resembling that of a small child.

‘Indeed, how could Your Highness suddenly have grown so strong?

I must have been overthinking things.’

Cecilia shook her head with a hint of resignation, intent on swiftly ending the spar.

She held back some of her strength and instantly lunged towards Bai Yu.

Her opening move was a standard knight’s sword technique, executed with unparalleled efficiency.

Her original intention was to end the fight with a single strike, to curb Bai Yu’s excessive confidence.

However, a bizarre turn of events unfolded: with a mere side-step, Bai Yu’s single-handedly held sword blocked Cecilia’s attack.

‘How could this be?’

Cecilia’s typically aloof expression finally showed a flicker of emotion.