「That sa morning, in the Holy Tree Palace.」
The radiance of the Holy Tree Illusion served as the sun. When its golden leaves began to reflect light onto the palace, it signaled the morning sun.
Deep within the Holy Tree Palace, the bedchambers ant to imprison a certain "stain" had been completely transford. The palace was refurbished, filled with luxurious furniture, and surrounded by dense flowerbeds that had been specially transplanted.
Reiya’s original living quarters were now unrecognizable. And she hadn’t even requested any of it—the renovations were completed the very night the Trial concluded.
Standing by the window on the second floor of her chambers, Reiya had only to twitch her nose to savor the full fragrance of the flowers. The view before her was a beautiful landscape that brought her peace of mind.
A garden of vibrant colors was neatly arranged and pruned before her chambers. To accomplish this so quietly, hundreds of Transcendents from the Holy Tree Series had worked together all night, completing a series of tasks including transplanting, magically accelerating growth, and pruning.
The entire layout was designed to bring her the utmost pleasure.
For the past decade and more, she had been utterly ignored. No one had cared about her. They wouldn’t even prepare a simple ramp to the garden. Yet now, after a single night, it was as if the entire court was kneeling at her feet, reduced to fawning servants.
The sheer contrast was almost laughable.
"Rebirth, freedom, power... heh."
The White-haired Dragon Lady shook her head, pulling her gaze back from the flowerbeds.
However much she scorned the court’s sudden fawning, Reiya had to admit she felt a rare sense of relaxation.
At Reiya’s personal request, her chambers remained without servants. The Silver-haired Princess was accustod to doing everything herself and couldn’t get used to a life of being constantly attended to.
Reiya finished dressing before a full-length mirror. Looking herself over from left to right, she felt quite satisfied.
Her long, molten-silver hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her dragon horns, like bolts of frozen lightning, were as smooth and warm as white jade. Her stunningly delicate face held the faint, unique majesty of the Dragon Race, exuding a beauty that transcended species and captivated all.
After the restrictions on her bloodline were lifted and she fully embraced her Dragon Blood, Reiya had experienced a transformation, both inside and out.
To put it simply... her figure was incredible. While Transcendents were all beings who made a mockery of human biology, a physique as perfect as Reiya’s was still exceptionally rare.
The ceremonial gown signifying her Royal Family status was outlined in brilliant gold and pure white, its tone both simple and magnificent. One cuff was wide while the other was tapered. This asymtrical design expressed humility in the face of perfection, further accentuating the nobility of the Imperial Family.
Golden embroidery crisscrossed the brilliant, rich fabric. If the wide hem and shawl were removed and pieced together, they would form the image of the Holy Tree.
In the past, Reiya would have had no right to wear such a specialized Royal Family gown, as she wasn’t even acknowledged as a mber of the family.
But now that the Radiant Holy Tree itself had acknowledged Reiya’s aptitude, her noble status was beyond any doubt or desecration.
After spending a long ti preening in front of the mirror to ensure she would make the best possible impression on Westheid, Reiya finally left her chambers, content.
However, just as she walked out of her chambers, a group of attendants in the garden hurried to greet her.
The Attendant Officer at the head of the group presented a docunt.
"Her Highness Reiya, this is a list of officers willing to pledge their service to you. Please look it over."
Reiya glanced at it and shook her head.
"I’ve been looking at these for days. Let’s set it aside for now... I want to have my free ti to myself today."
"Th-that... Yes, of course, Your Highness. It would just be best if within these few days... Ah, I don’t an to lecture, Your Highness... Your will is what matters."
The Attendant Officer was sweating profusely. Dealing with this Princess who exuded a faint Dragon Might was more nerve-wracking than serving the other mbers of the Royal Family.
He stamred, waved his hands, and backed away.
After dismissing the attendants who were swarming around her, Reiya strolled alone through the Holy Tree Palace.
’With power cos responsibility, it seems.’
The White-haired Dragon Lady sighed softly.
She had indeed won the new life she so desperately wanted and had even refused the Demigod’s glory bestowed by the Divine Ancestor. But that didn’t an she could now do as she pleased and spend her ti in complete freedom.
When the Radiant Holy Tree departed, its words—"You must repay"—weren’t about so unforgivable sin Reiya had committed. They were simply a reminder for the Silver-haired Dragon Lady to shoulder her responsibilities as one of the Holy Tree Descendants.
Because Extraordinary Bloodlines are so difficult to perpetuate, even the most powerful families have a very limited number of mbers in their Direct Lineage. Each individual of True Blood is a crucial asset—especially for the Royal Family.
Carrying the blood of the Divine Ancestor, the birth of every mber of the Royal Family is a grace. They are born with a silver spoon in their mouths, granted astonishing authority, and are also expected to shoulder the mission of ensuring the Empire’s prosperity.
In a way, the Royal Family were the Empire’s tools, and must devote their entire lives to serving it.
Reiya’s half-siblings all controlled vast resources and authority within the Empire. Now that she had been restored to her rightful status, she too was expected to build her own retinue.
Even if she didn’t beco the Demigod Emperor, she would have to govern a region and guard the frontiers.
’To hell with it. I’ll just get by.’
Reiya couldn’t care less about power. Even as overwhelming authority rushed toward her, the Silver-haired Dragon Lady just found it a nuisance. In fact, having all this power and all these attendants shoved on her for the past few days had left her with no ti to even look for Westheid.
But compared to her past life, this kind of trouble was nothing.
"Missing the dawn matters little, for the morning sun now flows through my palm, eternal and without end."
Reiya walked with a light step toward the exit of the Holy Tree Palace, but as she passed a courtyard, she suddenly stopped.
She had heard the words "Westheid" and "Duke Qinghui," to which she was extrely sensitive.
The source of the voices were noblewon resting in a courtyard pavilion, graceful, noble, and exquisitely beautiful.
The two noblewon were discussing Westheid in low voices. It wasn’t surprising—in the Imperial Capital recently, Duke Qinghui was an absolute celebrity.
The crucial part, however, was that the content of their discussion was not fit for public ears.
"Speaking of which, I’ve long known of Duke Qinghui’s prowess."
A noblewoman with a charmingly pretty face and voluminous, wavy black hair stroked her flushed cheeks and said:
"Before the Trial, I t Duke Qinghui at a salon. Ah, he’s such a heartbreakingly handso man. Those lancholic eyes of his nearly stole my soul away."
"Ah, I understand. It was the sa for ."
The noble lady with short golden hair imdiately joined in, a knowing smile on her face:
"And Duke Qinghui never refuses an invitation, does he? That was truly... an exquisite experience worth savoring."
"Even without this Trial, I knew Duke Qinghui was a man among n. Such vigor and pleasure... I nearly died."
"Yes, you haven’t truly lived until you’ve had a passionate night with Duke Qinghui. Otherwise, you’re just sleepwalking through life."
"So you too..."
"..."
The subsequent conversation went into more detail and beca too filthy to listen to.
Reiya listened to the entire thing in silence, then walked away expressionlessly, her nails digging into her palms.
’How is it that I run into soone who’s slept with West every ti I step outside?!’
This wasn’t the first or second ti. Over the past few days, as Reiya moved about the Holy Tree Palace, she kept hearing similar whispers. The noblewon of the Imperial Capital loved to share their private affairs in the corners of the palace.
And the powerful physique granted by her Dragon Blood was enough to make Reiya involuntarily "eavesdrop" on others’ conversations.
She had long known of Westheid’s legendary exploits, but this was still going too far.
Reiya didn’t know what she was feeling. She shook her head, casting aside everything she had just heard, and took a deep breath.
’No matter what happened in the past, at least I have West’s present.’
After leaving the Holy Tree Palace, the Silver-haired Princess went straight to the Qinghui Clan’s residence.
It was her first ti here. Just as she entered the estate’s main gate, she saw Yolanda.
"Her Highness Reiya!"
The platinum-blonde girl waved cheerfully. "Are you here to see my brother?"
Reiya nodded. "Yes. Is West here?"
"My brother is currently discussing matters with Yuanxi Palace. I’ll take you to him."
Yolanda, who had just co from the courtyard, turned around and led Reiya back the way she ca. In the platinum-blonde girl’s eyes, this was sure to be a pleasant surprise for her brother!
And then they saw them: the two Branches of Prosperity, pressed together in an incredibly intimate pose, looking as if they were about to do sothing unspeakable at any second.
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