Chapter 57: The Princess’s Resolve

The Queen remained silent after hearing this, understanding that even with her royal authority, she could not casually interfere in the private affairs of other noble families.

Upon seeing Bai Yu’s distressed expression, she offered a gentle smile, hoping to soothe Bai Yu’s worries.

Bai Yu, seeing the Queen’s demeanor, felt a slight sense of relief; after all, despite her mother’s occasional strictness, it was unlikely she would be banished from the royal family.

However, Bai Yu quickly snapped back to reality, realizing she absolutely had to help Cecilia.

This wasn’t merely because she had inadvertently caused the situation, but also because Cecilia’s gentle nature had charmed Bai Yu from their very first encounter.

‘I must save this girl,’ she thought with conviction.

Bai Yu firmly resolved within herself that she needed to find Cecilia immediately.

Seizing an opportune moment, she slipped away from the unnoticed crowd and swiftly darted out of the grand hall.

“Bai Yu…”

The Queen watched Bai Yu flee the hall with a look of astonishment, her eyes widening, but ultimately, she could only lower her hand in a gesture of helplessness.

She vaguely understood Bai Yu’s intentions; girls of that age often harbored such idealistic notions.

She had no desire to interfere with Bai Yu’s convictions, especially since Cecilia’s unfortunate predicament was not something she wished to witness either.

Though direct intervention was impossible for her, she mused that if it were Bai Yu, perhaps the issue could indeed be resolved.

After all, in her estimation, while Bai Yu might be lacking in many areas, her inherent kindness was a quality the Queen deeply admired.

“Don’t mind her. Let the banquet continue.”

The Queen spoke calmly, and not a single soul dared to contradict her, for who would wish to be the one to dampen the Queen’s spirits?

Moreover, the matter held no particular relevance to them; it was merely a private affair of the royal family.

“Morning Glory, it seems my daughter is a little displeased with your actions, hmph hmph.”

The Queen smiled faintly, teasingly addressing Morning Glory Duke.

“Is that so? I wonder what I did to displease Her Royal Highness.”

Morning Glory Duke offered an awkward laugh, yet still feigned a casual tone as she spoke.

“Who knows? Perhaps she’s quite interested in your child.”

The Queen raised a glass of red wine to her lips, taking a small sip. She wasn’t averse to such beverages, but typically indulged only during banquets or special occasions.

“Are you referring to Cecilia? Hmph, how could that be? She doesn’t possess such exceptional talent like Her Royal Highness. I hear Her Royal Highness, at such a young age, has already achieved unparalleled mastery in magic.”

Morning Glory Duke spoke with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, sensing the Queen was using this very topic to subtly mock her, for the disparity between their two daughters was indeed immense.

From the moment of her birth, Bai Yu had been nothing short of absolute perfection in every conceivable aspect; aside from a touch of naiveté in her character, she was virtually without flaw.

Her own daughter, however, was her complete antithesis. As a descendant of the Morning Glory Family, not only did she lack magic power, but her personality was also so meek, and she couldn’t even wield a sword proficiently. How could such a child ever bring her satisfaction?

It was a well-known fact that the personal knight of every generation’s Queen hailed from their family, and this current Queen’s personal knight was none other than her own sister.

“Morning Glory, you are far too fixated on talent. Sometimes, these things are not so important.”

The Queen gazed into Morning Glory Duke’s eyes, speaking with earnestness.

Upon hearing this, Morning Glory Duke’s heart seethed with anger. In her estimation, the Queen’s words were nothing but a thinly veiled, condescending boast, deliberately meant to mock her.

Yet, the Queen harbored no such intentions at all. Communication often proved difficult between individuals with differing perspectives, which explained why the relationship between the current royal family and the Morning Glory Family was not particularly amicable.

Had it not been for the tradition of the personal knight, this underlying tension might have escalated into outright conflict.

“Enough, Your Highness, let us speak no more of this. My mind is made up; the Morning Glory Family has no need for such a waste.”

****

Meanwhile, having fled the grand hall, Bai Yu gazed upon the ducal estate, now cloaked in the embrace of night, uncertain where she might find Cecilia.

Even pedestrians were scarce; apart from the nobles still reveling in the banquet hall, the common folk had long since retreated to their homes for the night.

The shops lining the streets were now plunged into complete darkness, with only the bell tower beside the church emitting a faint, solitary glow.

Bai Yu snapped her fingers, and instantly, myriad pinpricks of light shimmered into existence around her.

This was but the most elementary light magic, yet she had mastered it to perfection, capable of casting it without even a single incantation.

This was the sole occasion she felt grateful to her mother for having the Court Mages instruct her in magic daily.

Bai Yu began to jog, searching in the direction Cecilia might have taken.

Logically, a girl of that age wouldn’t possess much stamina, so she couldn’t have run very far.

Due to the darkness of the night, Cecilia’s distinctive golden hair was no longer conspicuous.

Bai Yu walked along the streets, her gaze sweeping through the main thoroughfares and narrow alleys in search of the girl’s form.

‘Where could she have gone? She shouldn’t have run far.’

Bai Yu manipulated the light particles, illuminating her surroundings, yet she could find no trace of the girl.

‘If I were her, where would I run?’

Bai Yu paused to ponder. Cecilia’s mood must be utterly bleak at this moment, having just been repudiated by her own mother.

Moreover, judging by her earlier tendency to hide in corners, Cecilia appeared to be a rather timid and introverted child.

‘In that case, where would she go?’

At this moment, Bai Yu calmed her thoughts. Although she typically seemed rather unreliable, she did possess a certain degree of deductive reasoning.

Bai Yu’s gaze landed upon the faint light emanating from the bell tower, which cast a subtle glow upon that section of the night.

‘There…’

Bai Yu mused for a moment. She had never visited the ducal estate before and had no idea if the bell tower was accessible.

‘I might as well go check it out. I’ve already searched everywhere else.’

Bai Yu quickened her pace towards the base of the tower, where her light particles illuminated an open doorway.

‘It seems the ducal estate’s security is quite good. The door was left open, yet no one came to steal anything.’

As Bai Yu ascended the winding staircase, she faintly discerned the sound of a girl weeping.

‘Just as I thought…’

Bai Yu sighed. She detested seeing girls cry, and it was all the more unbearable knowing that this particular distress was, in part, her doing.

Bai Yu continued onward, emerging from a doorway to behold the vast expanse of the night sky.

The ambient light illuminated the surrounding railings. The space itself was not particularly wide, yet it offered a panoramic view of the entire ducal estate.

After all, this was the tallest structure in the entire ducal estate.

Bai Yu turned her head, spotting a small, huddled figure curled up and hiding, from whom continuous sobs emanated.

She walked over, gently stroking the girl’s head.

The girl seemed to sense Bai Yu’s arrival; she wasn’t startled, yet her weeping did not cease.

“It’s my fault. Please, don’t cry, okay?”

Bai Yu’s tone had softened considerably from before; having learned of the girl’s plight, she felt this child was in desperate need of solace.

Cecilia lifted her head, her reddened eyes meeting Bai Yu’s gaze.

Moonlight bathed Bai Yu, glinting off her silvery-white hair, making her appear even more resplendent in that moment.