47 ~ She Was Searching for Someone

It was at the moment that flash of silver appeared when the atmosphere in the arena exploded.

Almost without thinking, Teresa covered her ears—and sure enough, the very next second, a wave of sound burst out. Cheers swept through the circular arena.

Just like the rest of the audience, Teresa’s gaze turned toward the silver-haired elf who had appeared at the entrance of the player passageway.

Today, Astrid was as breathtaking as ever—like a moonlit gem set in a crown, eclipsing all others. It was as if, so long as she was present, no other beauty could hold a candle to her radiance.

Guards from the Academy's internal security force were stationed on either side of the passageway, ready to prevent any overly fanatical admirers from doing something rash.

The scene gave Teresa a strong sense of déjà vu.

It wasn’t a fair comparison, but it really felt like a celebrity making an entrance in her past life—the kind that made unhinged fans scream and even faint from excitement.

No, scratch that. It wasn’t like that—it was exactly that.

Of course, the context was different. The biggest difference was that Astrid wasn’t some talentless, empty-headed idol. To earn such unreserved adoration from these proud young Divine Princesses, strength was an absolute prerequisite.

Coleman Academy was a haven of hidden talents. It gathered the heirs of nearly every prestigious Divine Princess family. Each year saw a few exceptional stars rise to fame, and clearly, Astrid had long secured her place among this year's standouts.

If nothing else, simply being the princess of the Land of the Elves made it impossible for Astrid to remain low-key at the Academy.

As she stepped into the arena from the corridor—elegant, unhurried—she seemed unaffected by the roaring cheers around her.

To the eyes of these frenzied fans, Astrid was a flawless deity. But little did they know that by thinking of her that way, they had already begun reducing her to a symbol.

Teresa knew that the Astrid bathing in this sea of praise didn’t feel happy—instead, such adulation brought her tremendous pressure. Astrid was never one for noise.

She rarely spoke, and usually remained quiet. But even she had moments when she wanted to express herself.

There was one time when Teresa and Astrid were walking through town, and Dylin spotted a little trinket that would suit Astrid well. She offered to buy it, but Astrid hesitated and politely declined. Dylin didn’t think much of it, turning to leave—only to feel a gentle tug on her sleeve.

She turned around and saw Astrid pinching her sleeve lightly, her pretty face tinged with red, eyes downcast, saying nothing.

That had been before Astrid’s Divine Awakening. Dylin wasn’t from a wealthy family, and the trinket had merely been a cheap handkerchief embroidered with a little raccoon.

Astrid had often used that handkerchief. After they were forced apart, Teresa had once found it discarded in a trash bin...

It was during that time that Teresa picked up the bad habit of smoking.

But now, all of that was in the past.

Teresa had moved on. All she hoped for now was that the two of them wouldn’t become strangers—at the very least, if they met in public, they could genuinely smile and nod in acknowledgment.

Though judging by what happened in the library... that hope seemed slim.

Astrid raised her head inadvertently and looked around the audience. The cheers intensified instantly.

“She looked at me! She deliberately looked up at me! She has me in her heart!”

Well, at least she has us, right?

What they didn’t realize was that Astrid’s glance wasn’t a response to the crowd—it was a subconscious search. Her eyes swept the seats, didn’t find what they were looking for, and withdrew. A flicker of subtle disappointment flashed across her gaze.

Just as Astrid was about to step into the arena, Teresa caught sight of another familiar figure—Princess Felicia of Whiteglass, who had competed that morning.

The amber-haired princess was no longer dressed as casually as before. She wore a formal suit of feminine armor and approached Astrid, saying something before dropping to one knee in a knight’s salute.

Like a knight publicly confessing her love, seeking the favor of her chosen lady, proving her unwavering loyalty.

Astrid’s lips curled slightly into a soft smile. She gave a small nod—seemingly in acknowledgment.

And with that, the crowd went absolutely wild.

“Woah! Did Princess Whiteglass just confess publicly?!”

“So bold!”

“Look! Her Highness Astrid smiled and nodded! Did she accept?!”

Some in the audience were heartbroken, decrying what a waste it was to give such a catch to Whiteglass, while others had already begun chanting, “Together! Together!”

Teresa was just as stunned.

Strictly speaking, she had once had feelings for Astrid too. She’d had the proximity advantage, but all of it had ended in nothing.

Now, she finally understood what she’d lost out on.

This Academy really was overflowing with sapphic flowers...

She hadn’t done anything wrong—except for one thing: her gender.

Then again, maybe Felicia had only offered words of encouragement. Astrid wasn’t the type to take things lightly, and Felicia was a princess—she wouldn’t act so thoughtlessly either. The reaction from the crowd was probably just exaggerated by people eager to stir up drama, some hopeless romantics reading too deeply into things.

Before Teresa could think too much, Astrid stepped around Felicia and entered the arena.

It was finally about to begin.

Standing at one end of the arena, the Silver Moon of Oleniman released her domain.

She wore a shimmering veil of silver, matching the moonlit sheen of her hair. It felt as if she had stepped out of a moonlit dream.

Her sleeveless silk top, open at the back, struggled to contain the burst of snow-white curves within. The flowing silver gauze trailed behind her, swaying with each graceful movement. Upon her head rested a silver crown bathed in moonlight, and her lower half wore a skirt short enough to reveal flesh-toned black stockings and silver open-toe high heels.

Silver hair paired with black stockings.

Teresa couldn’t be more familiar with Astrid’s Divine Authority Domain. She had even heard Astrid describe its functions before.

She activated Divine Appraisal on Astrid.

In short, royal blood from the Moon Elf line possessed an unparalleled, unique advantage: they were “Divine Princess Killers.”

It was widely known that Divine Authority resistance was the lowest among the four major resistances. When it came to Divine Authority, resistance could never be too high—as if it were a rule set by the Creator.

This was precisely why the Divine Princess class was so sought after.

But Moon Elves were the exception. Their Divine Authority resistance was the highest among all Divine Princess bloodlines, giving them a massive edge in combat between Divine Princesses.

Teresa opened Divine Appraisal to examine Astrid’s domain:

[Silvermoon’s Blessing] (LV19):

Physical Resistance: ★★★★✩✩ (6.5 stars)

Magical Resistance: ★★★★✩ (6 stars)

Alchemy Resistance: ★★★✩ (5 stars)

Divine Authority Resistance: ★★★★✩ (6 stars)

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