In the Kingdom of Asethelan, situated northwest of the Protos Empire, lay Gedaria, the royal capital of the northern lands.
Sunset filtered through the dense canopy, dancing with the wisps of hearth smoke drifting in the air, casting a gentle luster over the dusk of the Forest City. As stars gradually lit up the horizon, the city-state began to welcome the night.
At the close of February, another brief day was drawing to an end.
In the heart of this city, beside a clear lake encircled by woods, stood a grand temple.
Deep within the temple lay a great hall formed by an interplay of pure white jade and dark gray stone pillars.
The Ice Snow Witch sat elegantly on a sofa. She lifted a delicate porcelain cup, watching pale green tea leaves slowly unfurl in the clear hot water, releasing a pleasant fragrance.
Closing her eyes, she quietly savored this moment of tranquility.
Yet the tranquility did not last long.
In an unseen corner of the air, Hyperion, cloaked in invisibility, watched with resolute, frosty eyes—or rather, was poised to strike.
As long as she could touch the Ice Snow Witch, she would pass the witch's special training.
Even the sound of her breathing had long since been silenced. Like a phantom, she closed in on the Ice Snow Witch at blistering speed, completely undetected.
Yet the Ice Snow Witch remained calmly seated, motionless, as if completely unaware of Hyperion closing in.
Just as Hyperion's dagger was about to reach the witch's back, a sudden chill struck her feet.
An invisible frost surged up from the floor to her ankles, freezing her feet and locking her firmly in place.
Hyperion struggled desperately to break free, but the chilling power was insurmountable. It crept all the way up to her hands, freezing the dagger in midair, barely a hair's breadth from the Ice Snow Witch.
"You still haven't managed to erase your intent to attack."
The Ice Snow Witch finally opened her eyes and spoke faintly.
"I'm sorry, Teacher Almis."
Hyperion hung her head dejectedly, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.
Yet the witch's gaze held a deep, gentle warmth.
"It's all right. You are very close to grasping the knack of it. You possess a unique gift for erasing your presence, though it seems it only awakens in life-and-death moments."
She lightly raised a finger, and the frost instantly dispersed, releasing Hyperion's feet. Accompanied by healing magic, it left not a trace of frostbite on her.
"..."
Hyperion backed away carefully, her face slightly flushed, her heart filled with reverence.
She could indeed feel that in moments of extreme crisis, she could sometimes completely mask her magic, breath, and even her very presence.
However, she felt embarrassed to admit whether that was truly an innate gift, or something hammered into her by a certain someone after the fact.
"Hyperion, continue."
The Ice Snow Witch spoke softly as a wave of chill pushed Hyperion back to the corner of the hall.
And so, deep within the temple in the Ice Snow Witch's hall, calm and frost alternated time and time again.
Until the sunset's last rays no longer pierced the stained-glass windows, leaving only lamplight illuminating Hyperion's youthful, determined face. Her shadow stretched long across the grim stone floor, still falling just a fraction short of reaching the Ice Snow Witch.
"Let's stop here for today. Don't rush; you're already getting the feel for it."
The Ice Snow Witch healed Hyperion's minor frostbite.
Next month, she was to send Hyperion to the Protos Empire, and for now she was still honing Hyperion's stealth and survival skills.
In any case, survivability was paramount.
Although those three clergy members Hyperion was familiar with would be dispatched as liaisons to the Protos Empire's Northwestern Province, when it came to carrying out the mission in Herrom, the Imperial Capital, everything would rest on Hyperion.
"The Protos Royal Magic Academy you're going to next month is an environment extremely unfriendly to ordinary students. Coming from the Southern Continent, you will likely find it very difficult to adjust. Your first hurdle will be acquiring enough credits before the planned prison break so you can reach the threshold and successfully take on the prison internship mission."
The Ice Snow Witch gestured for Hyperion to sit beside her and explained,
"If you are capable enough, you could quickly break into the Ten Seats of the third-year students. Even being the tenth seat at the bottom would grant you considerable privileges... However, with only a month, that is practically impossible. And if a commoner student isn't among the Ten Seats, you'll easily face harsh, unfair treatment while trying to earn credits. You might have to endure some grievances."
"It's fine. I'm very good at enduring, Teacher Almis," Hyperion replied with a nod.
She had never been the overbearing type.
"..."
During a brief silence, the Ice Snow Witch couldn't help but feel bewildered.
After spending this past month together, she had found that Hyperion was a truly good child, and it was clearly not an act.
She was well-mannered, kept her promises, pure as fallen snow, gentle yet fearless.
Completely different from her mother, Efatia.
If anyone mistook Efatia for a meek little angel, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Though the sisters Talia and Efatia had vastly different temperaments, they shared one trait: whenever they sought vengeance, they became utterly mad and terrifying.
From the looks of it so far, Hyperion took after neither her mother nor her aunt in the slightest.
"By the way, Teacher Almis, is there any news from the Protos Empire lately?" Hyperion asked.
The Ice Snow Witch shook her head.
Recently, the lockdown along the northern border had intensified. Even communications from the Empire's northern provinces were severed from the others; apart from classified departments with special channels, not even Herrom, the Imperial Capital, could receive word about the northern provinces.
"Worrying about him again?" the Ice Snow Witch asked in return.
Of course she knew why Hyperion cared about the Protos Empire.
That young man named Lanqi Wilfort, after being separated from Hyperion, should have drifted into the territory of the Protos Empire by now.
"I just hope Boss Cat took my words to heart and keeps him under control."
Hyperion was indeed worried about Lanqi, but it was worry on multiple layers—something difficult to explain to the Ice Snow Witch in detail.
"No need to worry. I have great faith in Loren's character. A student taught by Loren is bound to be a principled, upright person who adheres strictly to order. You can set your mind at ease ten thousand times over with a young man like that."
The Ice Snow Witch took another sip of tea and evaluated with complete certainty.
"..."
Some things Hyperion found hard to put into words.
After all, she never spoke ill of Lanqi, which left her with nothing to say at all right now.
Still, perhaps she was overthinking things.
Lanqi had promised her that once he finished his project this time, he would take a leisurely tour around the Empire and then return.
Setting aside the things he had done in the Shadow World, in the real world he was still a very steady, reliable man.
Nothing should go wrong.
She had to keep working hard too.
Steady herself.
May they meet again in the Imperial Capital.
Chapter 294