Chapter 45: Little Chiling’s Rebellion.

In the opulent hall, glazed tiles shimmered like molten gold under the sunlight, the faint scent of sandalwood mingling with magnolia’s delicate fragrance from deep within the palace.

Amid this resplendent scene, a white-clad girl leaned against the windowsill, hands propping her cheeks, gazing listlessly at the scenery outside.

Though she’d long grown tired of this view, her crimson eyes betrayed an irrepressible longing.
Staring at the azure sky, she wondered what he was doing under the same heavens.

Her snow-white hair, pure as sanctity itself, draped lazily over her shoulders, stray strands framing her forehead, unable to quell her deep yearning.

A maid set a tray of fragrant pastries beside her.

“Your Highness, please enjoy your afternoon tea…”

“Got it, Karma. You may go.”

The maid, Karma, bowed respectfully and turned to leave, her gloved hand brushing the doorknob when a honey-sweet voice stopped her.

“Wait!”

“Does Your Highness have further instructions?”

“Does… she have any news?”

The maid’s face visibly stiffened.
The princess noticed, her expression dimming with disappointment as she lowered her head.

“I see…”

“Then, Your Highness, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. His Majesty…”

“Go ahead, do your duties…”

The sun shifted, but the princess remained at the window, the pastries untouched, neglected like concubines in a cold palace.

Suddenly, something caught her eye, snapping her idle gaze into focus on an “intruder.”

Intruder was a strong word.
If she wasn’t mistaken, it was a bird—a red-feathered magical beast, clutching an envelope in its beak.
As it drew closer, she was certain: it was an envelope.

She didn’t need to guess who sent it.

Only her mysterious, never-met fiancé would write to her at this time.
This letter was significant, determining her view of him.
Shared values would make them friends; opposing ones, enemies.
Of course, she’d also considered how to handle him—if he insisted on being difficult, she wouldn’t shy away from forceful measures.

As the bird approached, she noticed faint scars on its body.
She understood their origin.
To breach the palace alone proved this bird’s strength was not to be underestimated.

Moreover, the erudite princess recognized it as a Cloudbird—a rare creature, with fewer than ten on the entire continent.

The envelope gently landed in her hand.

As she unfolded the gilded letter, a faint whiff of blood hit her.
The Cloudbird’s tail feathers twitched uneasily on the sill, blood beads seeping from a neck wound, refracting eerie rainbows in the sunlight.

“I see…”
Her fingers grazed the letter’s gold-embossed crest—a frost wolf unique to the Northern Icefields.
The ink was still wet, carrying the cedar scent of the north.

“Your Highness, what’s this?”
A maid, Lucy, approached with a medical kit, watching the princess sprinkle powder on the bird’s wounds.
The pale blue powder met blood, emitting green smoke, and the gashes healed visibly.

“Secret silver powder,” the princess said, tossing the bloodied handkerchief into the incense burner.

She suddenly fixed Lucy with a stare, her crimson eyes flickering with blue flames.
“Lucy, which envoys has Father been meeting lately?”

A gust swept magnolia petals into the room, scattering over the letter.
Her fingertip hovered over the signature, marked with the Astraea family crest.

“Replying to Your Highness: twelve high elves from the Elven Forest, two silver dragons, five red dragons, five blue dragons from the Dragon Clan, thirty envoys from the human Farga Empire, thirty from the Papal State…”

“Alright, you may go.”
The princess rubbed her temples, murmuring, “Who could it be…”

Someone in the delegation was using dark magic…

Meanwhile, the bandaged red bird—yes, the self-proclaimed brilliant, heroic, and supremely clever Lord Blazewing!

…Or so she called herself.

What strength!
While common pigeons took days, Blazewing, the great Crimsfeather, delivered in less than one, storming the palace, mission accomplished!

A few scratches? No big deal!

So… this was Aphrosia’s fiancée?
Pretty, though Blazewing hated admitting Aphrosia’s beauty.
Even Aphrosia and Ifrora, stunning as they were, could only match this fox-eared princess.

But too bad—she was already taken and had no intention of honoring the engagement.
Aphrosia had no chance~

To Her Highness, Princess of the Fox Clan:

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Flo Astraea, your nominal fiancé. It is an honor to correspond with you.

Regarding your request to dissolve our engagement, I…

The princess paused, clutching her chest, then continued reading.

I understand your feelings and your situation, so I agree to your request and wish you and your beloved a long, happy union.

However, regarding proposing the dissolution to your father, the Nine-Tailed Fox Emperor, I’m currently unable to visit the Fox Clan due to pressing matters. Once they’re resolved, I will personally cooperate with your wishes.

I wrote this letter early to give you a prompt reply and apologize for the inconvenience.

Lastly, I express my apologies again and hope Your Highness will forgive me.

—Your fiancé, Flo Astraea

“So that’s how it is…” she murmured.

But doubts lingered.

First, she’d heard the Astraea family was under Church control, practically defunct.
Yet a fallen family using such luxurious stationery and ink?
Suspicious.
Was the Astraea family truly as ruined as rumored?

Second, sending a letter via Cloudbird?
Unheard-of extravagance.
With fewer than ten Cloudbirds on the continent, how did a supposedly destitute, magicless “failure” of a noble get one?

Did it steal his rice and get caught?
Impossible!

Though the Astraea family produced Saintesses of Time and Miracles, that didn’t mean miracles actually graced them, right?

Unable to figure it out, she gave up.

“Rumors can’t be trusted…”

“Do you regret it?” Blazewing couldn’t help asking.

Her voice startled the princess.

“You can talk?”

“Of course! Am I, a paragon bird, some common fowl?”

“Impressive. How did you meet Mr. Flo? He doesn’t seem like the rumors~”
The princess propped her chin, eyeing the proud Blazewing on the sill.

Blazewing’s bravado faltered, stammering.
She couldn’t admit she stole Flo’s rice, fought him, lost, and got bound by his time magic, could she?

No way! Too humiliating!

“Ahem, it was a dark, windy night…”

“Stop, if you don’t want to say, fine…”
The fox-eared princess pouted, seeing through Blazewing’s attempt to spin a tale.

“Is Mr. Flo really as the rumors say—magicless and penniless?”

Blazewing pondered, knowing what to reveal.

“That’s true. His house can barely afford food, and he can’t use magic—his half-elf mana veins clash, they say…”

“Really…”
The princess’s guilt grew, her fiancé truly suffering.

She rummaged through her desk, pulling fifty gold coins from a hidden drawer and handing them to Blazewing.

“My personal savings, as compensation for Mr. Flo.”
She quickly added, “Don’t think it’s too little! It’s all I have!”

Her muttering trailed off. “Was saving for the new manga…”

“Benefactor! I’ll take it for that ungrateful Flo. Thank you! Any future requests, I’ll fulfill!”

“By the way, can I break my contract with Flo and follow you?”

“Oh? Why?” the princess asked, amused.

“Isn’t it obvious? With Flo, I starve three days out of nine. With you, it’s a bright future!”

Reflecting, Blazewing realized her life with Flo was misery—hungry, overworked, a total tool!
She and her sister, so young, slaving away, taking shortcuts others couldn’t dream of!

And that absurd incident—Blazewing learned Flo’s fury that night was because he’d spent nine gold coins on clothes, bankrupting himself.
His torment of the sisters was just venting his regret.

Protest! She had to protest!

Job hop! She had to jump ship!

She, a Cloudbird, was no pushover!

Handsome! Blazewing, handsome!