A Fated Coin and a Spontaneous Adventure

After bidding farewell to the Guild Master and leaving the Alchemists’ Guild, Ziyao stood on the bustling street, lost in thought.

What should she do today? Visit Aiya? It seemed ill-advised to go directly without first informing the Empress. Elena was also at work today, and Ziyao didn’t wish to disturb her. Go back home? That would truly make her an idle person.

‘Never mind,’ she decided. Closing her eyes, Ziyao pulled a single Roland gold coin from her pocket. When one is unsure what to do, tossing a coin is always a reliable choice.

Clink—

She tossed the coin high into the air, watching the gold shimmer as it spun, and in its fleeting dance, Ziyao found clarity within her heart.

“I’ll go buy a cup of milk tea.”

She turned, heading in the direction her memory guided her. As for the coin, she considered it a gift for whoever was fated to find it.

‘What is this…’

The blue-haired girl crouched down, carefully picking up the gold coin from the ground. “Who could be so careless as to lose a gold coin?”

A single Roland gold coin was no small sum. For someone like her, a month of part-time work only yielded five such coins. Mi Yin’s family circumstances were, at best, ordinary. Her younger sister was of school age this year, and as the elder sister, Mi Yin naturally wished to bring her sister to study by her side. Her sister possessed a talent far greater than her own.

However, the tuition fees for the Royal Magic Academy were not cheap—fifty gold coins a year. This was an immense burden for her family. Mi Yin’s own talent was not exceptional; she was only considered upper-middle tier at the academy. Had her theoretical knowledge not been superior, the position of Student Council Vice-President would never have fallen to her.

Moreover, being a mage was an incredibly expensive profession. Staffs, casting materials, and components for magic circles were all costly items.

This area was right next to the Alchemists’ Guild. Could it be that an alchemist lost it?

“Excuse me, have you seen who lost this gold coin?” Entering the Alchemists’ Guild, Mi Yin placed the retrieved coin on the counter.

The receptionist offered a smile. She knew, of course. “This gold coin already belongs to you, Miss.”

“Eh?”

“That lady wouldn’t care for such a coin. Since she left it here, she must have deemed it useless. As you have picked it up, it is now your property.”

Huh?

Mi Yin stumbled out of the Alchemists’ Guild in a daze, looking up at the sun. Was she dreaming? It seemed that manna truly did fall from the sky.

Carrying a cup of milk tea, Ziyao wandered aimlessly through the Imperial Capital, following her whims. It was quite considerate that Flower of Roland allowed drinks to be taken away.

Sometimes, Ziyao would imagine she was still living in the age of technology. Things like milk tea and modern-style clothes felt so out of place in this world of magic. Bringing the straw to her lips, Ziyao’s delicate pink lips gripped it as she took a satisfied sip. It was, indeed, the most delicious and most expensive drink shop in the Imperial Capital.

“Who is that… which noble family does that young lady belong to?”
“So beautiful…”
“Why would a noble lady come to our district?”

All eyes converged on the white-haired girl. For the people living in this area, a noble lady was the absolute limit of their imagination. This was the commoner district of the Imperial Capital, occupying nearly half of its area yet housing almost ninety percent of its population. Nobles, after all, were a minority.

‘Still, some of those gazes are quite unsettling,’ Ziyao thought. She continued her light-hearted stroll, unbeknownst to anyone that she had just taught a lesson to a few scoundrels.

In a shadowy alley, several men, bruised and battered, knelt on the ground. Before them stood a colossal wolf formed entirely of flowing water.

“Mercy, Milady! We won’t dare again!” The three men repeatedly kowtowed. They had no idea whom they had offended, but they knew that if they didn’t act this way, they would surely face death. While the Imperial Capital’s public order was generally good, high-level professionals possessed certain privileges. If a few low-level commoners offended them and were killed, the upper echelons wouldn’t say much.

“Should there be a next time, I will gouge out your eyes…” The giant wolf’s voice rumbled deeply. After seeing the three men eagerly agree, it dissolved back into the shadows.

The three men, having narrowly escaped death, simultaneously let out sighs of relief. ‘That girl is definitely a high-ranking noble!’ They had merely entertained a fleeting thought, and this giant wolf had immediately pinned them to the ground. ‘That guard, at the very least, is a Quadrant-rank mage!’

A Quadrant-rank mage was a powerful figure. ‘Could that girl be a count’s daughter? Heavens, how terrifying.’ The three exchanged glances, a shiver running down their spines. Was this the true power of nobility?

Ziyao, whose identity had been mistaken, paid no mind to these minor incidents. She continued deeper into the commoner district, toward its poorest and most chaotic corners. Up until now, she had only seen the glittering, glamorous side of the Imperial Capital. The hidden shadows, however, remained largely unknown to her. Today, a whim had seized the girl, prompting her to embark on a spontaneous adventure.

A lavishly dressed young noble lady venturing deep into a chaotic slum—the thought alone was rather thrilling. Unfortunately, there was no possibility of her plans going awry. And as for any imagined ‘rescue scenarios,’ she certainly didn’t wish to be the protagonist.

‘Hmm? Someone is approaching?’

Ziyao reacted instantly, her right hand forming a blade as she struck directly at the approaching figure.

“Sword Qi: Water Shadow.”

As a mage, she could naturally enchant her own body. Her right hand had now transformed into an indestructible sharp blade. Any professional below the Seven-Star rank would be cut in two by this strike.

‘Wait… No malice… in fact, even goodwill…’

Snap! The newcomer caught Ziyao’s right hand. “Come with me!”

Then, before Ziyao could react, the person pulled her along and began to run.

‘No, what is happening?’

Ziyao, being dragged along, felt a little bewildered. She had hastily dispelled the magic on her hand, which allowed her to be caught. But why were they running?

“Ha… ha…” Clutching her chest, Ziyao panted heavily. Due to her forced breakthrough, her current physical condition was not ideal. For a full ten minutes, they ran at high speed. The person dragged Ziyao to an empty plot of land at the edge of the commoner district, mere tens of meters from the noble residences—a very safe location.

“Who… who exactly are you? My heart nearly gave out!” Having recovered a little strength, Ziyao looked up at the person who had pulled her there.

It was a blue-haired girl, also breathing heavily, but her face was filled with contempt. “I saved you, you spoiled noble lady!”

‘I spared your life, little girl,’ Mi Yin thought, though she did not voice it.