I'm Scared.

Helena didn't waste time when the crown prince already gave his permission for her leave. Since she activated the orbs, she will need to step out from the palace first before using spatial magic.

Before going out, she took two robes from the crown prince's room, quickly tossing it to William then wearing it herself.

As they walk, William was quick to notice something.

"Lady Helena? should i beat that guy up?"

"You can, but if you die by his hands, i'll kill you also." She shot back.

He sighs. "I'm just trying to cheer you up Lady, you didn't even reply to his highness, you just walked out from his room." He laughs.

'of course, My lady can do whatever she likes, even the emperor can't stop her.' William nodding to himself.

"William." She stops. "What do you think about the crown prince?"

William's eyes widened, not expecting such a question from her. "His highness? well he's an odd guy. I can't see a pint of emotion coming from him. and i don't like how he uses his tone towards you my lady."

Helena felt down, realizing that it was because the crown prince still sees her as a fugitive.

'Why did i even ask William' She sighs in thought.

When she turned a heel to continue her walk to the outside of the palace, she was stopped when she sensed familiar mana, her fists started to balled as her eyes glared at the direction of the mana.

"Ophelia." She spouts with venom.

The anger Helena currently felt as she saw Ophelia walking in the opposite direction to her, was overwhelming that she had to stop and lower her head to avoid looking like a serial killer. Her robe covering half of her face,

William also stops at his tracks when he felt bloodlust coming from Helena as she spat a person's name. Looking ahead, he realized that the girl walking with a servant ahead was the girl she was talking about.

As Ophelia passes by them, she was stopped as she felt bloodlust and familiar mana coming from her behind. She looks back and saw William glaring at their direction.

'what is this feeling?' Ophelia thought.

When she was about to confront the two, Lancelot stops her. "We are already late, we shall hurry Master." He said, uneasy.

"Should i slay them?" William whispers to Helena's ear. "Just say the word-"

Helena, regaining her composure, yanks William's ear and walks away. Giving Ophelia no chance to meet the identity of the robe that she wore. They both go the opposite ways, Ophelia with an interested smirk plastered on her face and Helena emitting enough bloodlust towards her.

Helena was definitely reckless, almost revealing her identity to her enemy. But who can blame her? Just seeing Ophelia made her hair all stood up, the nightmares of the past haunting her again.

Once they stepped out from the palace, she quickly uses spatial magic and went back to the gates of the Enilde residence, but not before being spotted by a mysterious mage lurking in the forest just a kilometer away from their spot.

"There was an additional mage? two- no. A knight and a woman." He smirks.

~+~

After arriving to the gates of the Enilde residence, they were immediately confronted by Sir Galahad upon their return. "Lady Helena? why did you transport through spatial magic? The letter said that the prince's knights were supposed to escort you."

"Well there's been a slight disturbance so i had to come back sooner without his highness' help." she said, removing the cover in her head.

"Sir William." Sir Galahad angrily spats against William. "You dare leave your post without permission, not only that. The residence has also received a report against you in the palace."

Helena facepalmed herself. 'The crown prince really holds grudges.' She thought.

"Leave my post? My post is anywhere beside Lady He- Ow!" He stops his sentence when Helena slaps his head once again.

"Sir Galahad, punish this knight according to rules." She said before pushing William towards Galahad.

"With pleasure." Sir Galahad says before bowing in respect.

Helena was left alone after Sir Galahad angrily yanks William away from the scene, making Helena chuckle at the sight.

She goes towards her room and sat by the chair.

She immediately remembers the scene in the palace and grunts in annoyance, her hand covering her face. "Just why did i lose myself back there."

She sat back once again, when a she hears a knock on her door. "Come in."

A maid comes in, a tray with her. She places the tea in front Helena. "Shall i pour you a glass my lady?"

she shook her head "I would like to be alone."

The maid nodded in reply before leaving the room.

As it was far to tell when Ophelia betrayed her back then, she could only remember that it started on the academy. Her reputation went down during the Winter competition when she lost to Ophelia. But it was different for the academy, Ophelia created a lot of scandals that tarnished Helena's name further.

'I had a lot of enemies back then because of her. Now that i think about it, having no connections in the past is also one of the reasons why i was wrongly accused.' she thought, drinking her tea. "and died." she barely whispers in disbelief.

"Living is really hard. Even with this amount of mana, someone will kill me as written in my destiny. And if no one succeeds in killing me, my own mana is gonna kill me." she laughs bitterly.

She felt empty.

She felt that her emotions were enough for her to grieve about her current situation. Yes she felt relieved that she was given another chance to correct her mistakes in the past, but the thought of experiencing those events again scared her more.

She stood up and headed towards the big mirror, she undresses.

Looking at the scar pulsating, the holy sword mana still imbedded in her system since that day, she realized that the holy mana was helping her suppress some of her own. Thanks to that, her breakdowns were fewer than before.

Still she felt uneasy.

Now that she didn't walk the path of entering the tower, she knew that obtaining the obsidian ruby won't be easy as it did before.

She dressed up once again.

She needed the obsidian ruby to suppress her mana, without it her very being might scatter from the overwhelming mana that she has. Leaking mana wasn't a good thing, a good amount of mana is good for the regenerative ability of a mage, but too much mana like she has, was like a ticking bomb.

'What should i do?' She desperately thought.

Her hand shook at the sudden realization

'Will i die before i take my revenge?' As she thought of it, her limbs felt weak all of a sudden.

She fells helplessly on the ground.

Her body on fours, her tears starts to fall as she felt fear.

"No.. i can't die. I-I have to find the obsidian ruby." Her right-hand grabs the cloth above her clothes, gripping it in anger. "Calm down Helena, breathe."

She stands up.

As she regains her composure, the only words that she kept reminding herself seemed hopeless but nevertheless, she used it as a medium to step forward from the darkness she felt.

She looks straight ahead towards her reflection.

'LIVE HELENA! YOU MUST SURVIVE IN THIS CRUEL WORLD' She repeatedly tells herself, her eyes closed.