Tracking

While Selina handled registration alone, Cuibis, as her maid, efficiently managed the luggage and secured a room at an inn.

After registering, Selina spotted her poised maid standing gracefully at the entrance.

Even with most elven traits concealed, Cuibis’s mere presence drew eyes.

Her elegance and refined aura were unmistakably elven, as if etched into her very being.

Selina hadn’t escaped attention either. Despite efforts to downplay her appearance, her divine-bloodline beauty still attracted stares.

Sometimes, being too striking was a burden, and she felt that keenly now.

Meeting at the entrance, Selina waved cheerfully, holding up her registration token.

Cuibis returned a gentle smile, offering a bottle of water. “Miss, you must be thirsty after registering. Drink this. Come, we’ll choose your dinner menu.”

“Alright, let’s go,” Selina replied.

Their exchange drew envious glances from other students, who endured the scorching heat to register.

Most had traveled far, with no lodging secured. Tianqi City’s inns were fully booked during this peak period, and many students could barely afford tuition, let alone exorbitant inn fees.

Without the academy’s temporary dorms, most would be sleeping on the streets.

Having a maid escort her, water provided, a private room booked, and the freedom to choose dinner—Selina’s treatment was the envy of ninety percent of the students.

But she had no time for their envy.

After maintaining a ladylike facade under constant scrutiny, she was exhausted.

Back at the inn, she wanted nothing more than to collapse onto a clean bed and roll around.

And so she did. Sprawling on the white sheets, she let out a cute, contented hum, though her brows furrowed slightly.

The bed was comfortable but lacked the softness of her princess bed at home. A few days away, and she already missed the comforts of the Elven Forest.

Cuibis entered, closing the door. Seeing Selina’s childish rolling, she sighed helplessly, then smiled fondly.

No matter her disguise, Her Highness always sparked joy. But…

Recalling recent discoveries, Cuibis’s expression turned serious. Standing by the bed, she coughed deliberately.

“What’s wrong, Cuibis? Something to say?” Selina, familiar with her maid’s cues after five years, sat up.

“Your Highness, I have something important to report,” Cuibis said gravely.

Selina’s relaxed demeanor vanished. She snapped her fingers, casting a silent soundproof barrier around the room. “Speak.”

“Since yesterday in Kendall Town, someone has been deliberately tracking us,” Cuibis revealed.

“What?” Selina’s brows furrowed in shock. Between reuniting with Leisen and registering at Tianqi, her excitement had dulled her awareness. She hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

With Cuibis’s high-tier mage senses, her claim of a pursuer was likely true. “Why tell me now?”

“I noticed it yesterday but didn’t act, as you were drunk and I didn’t want to alert them. I waited until now to avoid disrupting your registration,” Cuibis explained.

Clearly, she prioritized Selina’s mood. The pursuer’s strength was within her control, so she’d held off to preserve Selina’s rare happiness.

“Can you identify their intent or identity?” Selina asked. Knowing who and why would help her prepare.

“Not yet, but I’m certain they bear no malice for now,” Cuibis replied.

“I see…” Selina murmured, her newfound freedom tainted. Being followed, malicious or not, meant she’d need to be extra vigilant during registration.

Tianqi Academy, Girls’ Dormitory

Despite the blazing daylight outside, one dorm room was sealed tight, its windows shut, plunging the interior into a night-like gloom. The air was chillingly colder than the outside world. At the vanity, the vampire girl, Eviea, sat as usual, gazing into her mirror.

A sudden ripple stirred the shadows. A vague figure emerged, its face obscured. Sensing a familiar presence, Eviea glanced at the figure through the mirror. “Found anything?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the shadow replied.

“Tell me everything, word for word.”

The sultry female voice recounted Selina’s registration details exactly as submitted.

“Do you trust this information?” Eviea asked with a light chuckle.

“It needs verification, which will take time,” the shadow replied. “Her maid noticed me during tracking. She didn’t confront me, but her mental energy was actively searching for my position later on.”

“You were noticed? No matter. As long as she’s at Tianqi, she can’t escape,” Eviea said, her blood-red eyes gleaming with confident control.

“…Your Highness, do you truly believe she carries the Ancestor’s Blood? I was close to her, but I sensed no trace of our kin,” the shadow added after a pause.

“Can you smell human on her?” Eviea countered, chuckling.

“Not really. If there is, it’s faint—likely masked by some artifact.”

“Exactly. Countless artifacts can conceal aura and identity. We can’t judge her kinship at a glance. If the diviner’s compass points to her, she must hold clues to the Ancestor’s Blood,” Eviea said, her mind drifting to fleeting images of the previous night at the tavern.