Lena knew that far more people at Rune Academy recognized her than Vidona. However, not all of them would greet her with kindness.
As high-ranking Heroes, they understood the Demon King’s strength, and the impossibility of escaping the Demon King’s City.
Thus, her appearance would not bring them joy; it would only sow confusion.
‘How did she, captured by the Demon King, manage to escape the Demon King’s City?’
‘Had she made a pact with the Demon King? Had she betrayed humanity?’
‘Was she still the Silverbloom Sword Princess they once knew?’
These questions would undoubtedly plague them. If they were to press her for answers…
She held the answers in her heart, yet she could not voice them.
She was no longer the Silverbloom of old. The fervent heart of a Hero had gradually cooled, and even upon discovering Orl was a demon, she remained unmoved, even proactively helping him conceal his identity.
Had it been her past self, she likely would have impaled Orl with her sword the moment he wielded demonic power, ending his life. Subsequently, she would have uprooted the Fiona family, severing the demonic forces embedded within humanity.
If her friends were to learn of this, they would likely deem her a traitor to humanity.
Yet, she truly could not bring herself to harm the demons. She was their queen consort, and her daughter, Celia, possessed half-demonic blood.
There was no turning back to the past.
She had known this from the moment she departed the Demon King’s City.
If Celia and the others were to travel to Rune Academy in the future, she shouldn’t openly accompany them as Silverbloom. Doing so would only invite endless trouble.
As she was lost in thought, a soft call reached her from behind.
“Silverbloom?”
“Hmm?”
She responded instinctively, then turned to see Sharlene, clad in black stockings and beaming with a wide smile.
Suddenly recalling her current identity as Lena, the flower shop owner, a wave of panic washed over her. Guiltily, she twirled a strand of silver hair at her chest with her finger.
“Didn’t Silverbloom not come to the banquet?”
“Is that so?”
Sharlene remained silent, simply staring intently into Lena’s eyes, her arms crossed over her chest.
Even with the gold-rimmed spectacles obscuring her gaze, Lena felt Sharlene’s stare was exceptionally sharp, forcing her own eyes to dart away.
After a long moment, she sighed, relinquishing her struggle.
“…When did you find out?”
“When you saved me.”
Upon receiving her affirmative answer, Sharlene’s smile grew even brighter.
In her eyes, the Silverbloom Sword Princess was an esteemed senior, and even as Celia’s squad instructor, there was an unbridgeable distance between them.
Every time she encountered Silverbloom in the guild, she would feel a surge of nervousness, fearing she might inadvertently leave a poor impression on the senior.
Now, however, she knew the truth: the Silverbloom Sword Princess was her best friend of ten years. The vast sense of distance vanished instantly, replaced by the exhilarating thrill of a fan meeting their idol.
Shopping, dining, soaking in hot springs… The mere thought that she had spent all these years alongside her senior, Silverbloom, made the world feel surreal.
Yet, casting all that aside, her heart ached increasingly for Silverbloom.
“Why did you keep this from everyone?” she asked.
Lena averted her gaze, remaining silent. Sharlene, however, refused to let the matter drop, stepping forward to meet her eyes directly, forcing Lena to brace her hands against the edge of the sink.
“Is it because of what happened in the Demon King’s City?”
Sharlene’s words made Lena freeze, and then the memories of those five years surged forth like a tide.
In that instant, she felt as though she were once again within the desolate royal palace, gazing out at the rainy night, quietly awaiting Sophia’s return.
Yet, strangely, only fragmented snippets of her time with Sophia flickered through her mind, stirring feelings of love and longing. Beyond that, she recalled nothing at all.
She only knew that she loved Sophia deeply and had borne her child. Anything further remained beyond her grasp.
It wasn’t even a matter of being vague; those memories seemed to have vanished from her mind as if into thin air.
Whether she had never truly held them in her heart, or if they had simply faded over the years, she no longer wished to delve deeper. All she desired now was to live her life under a new identity.
“Lena?”
Sharlene’s call brought her back to reality. She reached out, pushed Sharlene away, and walked towards the restroom door.
“This is my affair, and it has nothing to do with you.”
“Can’t you move past it?”
Her footsteps faltered. Lena replied, “…Just give me a little more time.”
She was deceiving Sharlene; she knew she could never truly move on.
She had believed time would allow her to forget the past, yet over a decade had passed, and she hadn’t forgotten Sophia at all. In fact, her longing had only intensified.
She admitted that the hatred in her heart had been worn away by the passage of time, yet her love alone remained, growing ever stronger with each passing year.
After Celia came into her life, Lena would often find herself inadvertently recalling Sophia’s face, remembering the way Sophia would hold her close late at night, whispering her worries. The night sky might have been brilliant, but it could never outshine Sophia’s eyes.
The Demon King, who was so arrogant before others, would always shed her defenses in Lena’s presence, causing Lena to lose herself in Sophia’s tender embrace, becoming utterly willing and reluctant to leave.
Had it not been for the resurgence of her Heroic memories, even if Sophia had kept her confined in the royal palace for several more years, Lena would not have openly resisted her.
Even now, she couldn’t bring herself to forget such a Sophia, nor could she bring herself to forget her own daughter.
From those five years, she could never truly escape. Her so-called new identity was merely a self-deception.
Leaning against the wall, Lena felt a profound weariness settle in her heart.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, Lena. No matter what you become, there will always be someone supporting you from behind.”
Although Sharlene didn’t fully comprehend what Silverbloom had endured over the years, her choice to live under an assumed name after leaving the Demon King’s City, refusing to meet old friends, was proof enough of how terrifying that experience must have been.
Silverbloom, who had always spread gentleness and kindness, had suffered such a cruel ordeal. Now, to have silently borne over a decade of pain alone, it was difficult for Sharlene not to feel a deep ache in her heart for her.
Stepping behind Lena, Sharlene opened her arms, intending to offer comfort and a hug, but Lena subtly moved aside, evading her embrace.
“I hope so.”
Lena mumbled to herself, then gripped the restroom doorknob.
Just as she was about to open the door, she turned her head and said, “Don’t tell Celia and the others about this, alright?”
Sharlene felt a pang of disappointment when Lena evaded her embrace, but she quickly regained her composure and chuckled.
“Since it’s Lena’s request, of course I’ll agree. But, would you consider this our little secret?”
“…As you wish.”
****