The Burden of Royalty and a Sage’s Choice

The moment the door opened, Raphael’s snide voice drifted from the dining room.

“Well, how does it feel to slack off?”

“It’s rather wonderful, actually. I hope you get to experience it too,” Ziyao retorted, not mincing her words.

Raphael… that was just the kind of person she was.

“Whoa, what in the world happened here?”

Stepping into the dining room, Ziyao was immediately startled by the sight of the girls within. Elena had turned an alarming shade of gray; she lay slumped on the table, her gaze vacant, lost in unknown thoughts. Raphael, too, looked utterly exhausted, with prominent dark circles beneath her eyes that instantly betrayed her recent nights of restless toil.

“You, the idle one, have no right to speak!” Elena snapped, slapping the table. “I’ve been preparing for the opening ceremony of the Blossom Song Festival all day!”

“With the Blossom Festival approaching, the Church’s affairs have also piled up,” Raphael added, sighing.

“Elena, are you going up to sing?” Ziyao asked, ignoring Raphael entirely.

This silly girl doesn’t seem like the singing type.

Compared to Elena, Ziyao was far more eager to hear Aiya’s soft, sweet voice. It was something Ziyao simply couldn’t resist.

“How could I?” Elena shook her head. “It’s the opening address.”

To signify the Royal Family’s reverence for the Blossom Festival, the Emperor and Empress would deliver speeches in the plaza before the palace at its commencement. Only then would the festival officially begin. As night descended, the highly anticipated Blossom Song Festival would unfurl its grand curtain. Ten singers, meticulously chosen through rigorous selections, would compete with their voices under the watchful eyes of the entire Imperial Capital.

Such a magnificent event naturally demanded royal patronage. Therefore, each opening ceremony of the Blossom Song Festival featured a Royal Family member delivering an address, symbolizing the crown’s anticipation and blessings for the grand musical gathering.

“In previous years, my Imperial Brother gave the speech, but this year he said he wouldn’t be returning,” Elena lamented, drumming her fist on the table. “I truly don’t understand.”

The First Prince isn’t returning? It seems His Majesty is truly preparing to make a move.

Ziyao’s gaze lowered. There was no doubt that the First Prince, Edward, was the Emperor and Empress’s favored successor. His absence now could only mean one thing: he was going to accrue military merits. Conquering a nation—there could be no grander gift than that.

“So, how are your preparations coming along?”

“Still writing the speech.” Elena buried her face in her arms.

How embarrassing.

“Uh, you spent ‘all day preparing,’ and that meant writing a speech?”

“Yes.”

“Heavens, Ailin, did you not assist Her Highness?” Ziyao turned to look at the maid, who was covering her mouth.

“Um, Elder Sister said she didn’t want our help,” Aiya replied timidly, raising her hand.

Speaking of Aiya, she also had a small role to play in the Blossom Festival.

“By the way, Miss Ziyao, Her Highness Aiya’s gown is ready. Would you like to see it?” Ailin, who had been “playing dead,” finally spoke.

Indeed, Aiya’s task this time was to sit on the stage, allowing the people of the Imperial Capital to admire the adorable little Princess. In short, she was to be a beautiful ornament. And she was, undeniably, a very beautiful ornament.

“Speaking of which, Ziyao, what will you be wearing?” Elena looked up, her eyes shining with anticipation.

Ziyao was an adorable girl on par with Aiya. If Ziyao also wore a gown like Aiya, oh, it would simply be the most wonderful sight in the world. However, Ziyao mercilessly shattered Elena’s expectations.

“Me? A Sage’s Robe, of course.”

In the past few days, the Mage Association had already delivered Ziyao’s Sage’s Robe. While her combat prowess might not yet rival that of veteran Sages, her title as a Sage had already been officially recognized. Thus, Ziyao intended to attend the Blossom Festival in her new robe.

“Understated luxury with profound meaning—isn’t it splendid?” Ziyao felt like an absolute genius. Could any gown possibly represent her status better than her Sage’s Robe?

“Indeed, Esteemed Sage of Tranquil Waters,” Raphael interjected. “Though I feel your title should rather be ‘Sage of Slacking Off.'”

For the past few days, they had been working tirelessly, while the most powerful person among them had been idly causing trouble outside every single day. Today, she had even visited the Adventurers’ Guild, all to request their help in gathering materials.

Please, you’re a Sage! And the Royal Family wouldn’t shortchange you. Couldn’t you just tell Ailin what materials you need? Was it truly necessary to go in person?

“Miss Ziyao, the Royal Family can provide the materials you require.” Ailin shared the same thought.

After several days of close companionship, no further unforeseen incidents occurred between Ziyao and Aiya, unlike before. This meant the time originally allocated for Aiya to adjust was now free. This was precisely why Ziyao had been so idle these past few days.

“These are for my own needs; there’s no need for the Royal Family’s assistance.” Ziyao shook her head, a person who understood boundaries well.

For minor matters, she could certainly accept the Royal Family’s help. However, the materials needed for formulating potions were not trivial. She was already immensely grateful for the Forbidden Spell. If she were to accept more of the Royal Family’s goodwill, she wouldn’t know how to repay them.

The Forbidden Spell—it was a truly priceless treasure. Even seasoned Sages likely possessed only four or five Forbidden Spells in their entire collection.

“Flowing Illusionary Form. This gift is truly too precious.”

Only after studying it did Ziyao truly comprehend the gift’s immense value. These magical constructs, formed from aggregated magic, would be a nightmare for warriors. As long as Ziyao continued to supply magic, these Flowing Phantoms would regenerate endlessly. Moreover, their combat power was formidable, each strike equivalent to a Seven-Star water magic spell.

Their sole drawback was their massive magical consumption. Currently, Ziyao could barely summon five phantoms, and their duration was a mere ten minutes. It was worth noting that after becoming a Sage, Ziyao’s magical recovery rate was on an entirely different level than before. Yet, even with that, this spell would still drain her magic dry in a short period.

Furthermore, the Forbidden Spell’s learning scroll was a one-time use item. This meant the scroll that recorded the Forbidden Spell was now nothing more than a piece of scrap paper.

“This scroll was apparently unearthed from a ruin. We’ve never found anyone suitable for it until now. However, it seems to have found a good owner,” the Empress had said after witnessing Ziyao cast the Forbidden Spell.

It was then that Ziyao realized just how precious a gift the Royal Family had bestowed upon her.

“Perhaps I should create a few learning scrolls?” After mastering the Forbidden Spell, Ziyao could indeed produce learning scrolls for it. It wasn’t complicated, just incredibly taxing on her energy. After all, it involved a Sage’s understanding and application of the essence of magic; the difficulty of recording that onto a tiny scroll was self-evident.

Thus, most Sages were reluctant to undertake such a thankless and arduous task.

“There’s no need, my dear. As long as you can take good care of Aiya, that will suffice. She is the true priceless treasure,” the Empress had replied.