Chapter 124

“Ariel!”

She called out brightly, approaching with a familiar air. Her brown hair swayed gently with each light, buoyant step.

“Good day to you, You Illustrious Highness.”

Ariel bowed her head in greeting. However, before she could fully rise, Anastasia cupped her cheeks, gently guiding her to look up. Startled, she met her gaze, her violet eyes shimmered like polished amethysts.

“There’s no need to be so stiff. We’re dormmates, aren’t we? That makes us friends.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m not asking you to pretend we’re close. I only mean there’s no need to be so tense.”

“Ah… Yes, I understand.”

Ariel nodded, still somewhat dazed. Not only had Anastasia appeared without warning, but she was also acting unexpectedly familiar. It was jarring. During their first meeting, she could’ve sworn the girl had disliked her.

“More importantly, Ariel, are you free today?”

“I don’t have anything planned.”

“Wonderful! Then you can accompany me.”

Anastasia clasped both of her hands with a bright smile. There wasn’t the slightest hint that she expected a refusal, in fact, her entire demeanor made it clear this wasn’t a request so much as a decision already made.

Ariel masked her unease and spoke calmly.

“May I ask where you intend to go?”

“Just out for a bit of air.”

“Outside the academy?”

“Mm-hmm. I won’t go far. You’ll come with me, won’t you?”

She looked at her with soft, pleading eyes, shimmering with just a hint of sorrow.

Ariel couldn’t come up with a convincing excuse. And with Anastasia’s high status, refusing outright wasn’t exactly an option. Left with no graceful way out, she gave a reluctant nod.

Anastasia beamed.

By the time they reached the dormitory gates, a car was already waiting. And just like that, Ariel found herself whisked away, practically in tow. It was a white, classic-style wagon, distinguished by a silver grille and the emblem of a black mountain goat mounted on the front. The rear compartment was large, clearly designed to hold substantial luggage.

‘Is she planning to go shopping?’

Ariel glanced back at the spacious trunk, quietly speculating.

As the car began to move, she turned her gaze to the window. The car rolled past the emerald-green hedges that bordered the academy grounds, slipping out through a corridor of well-trimmed trees. Sunlight flickered brightly through the leaves, scattering golden patterns across the interior.

Sensing the light might be too harsh, the driver smoothly adjusted course, guiding the vehicle onto a shaded woodland path. Carefully spaced ornamental trees blurred past the window in neat rows.

Before long, they passed through the academy’s main gate and continued on without slowing, leaving the grounds entirely.

Ariel watched the changing scenery with quiet fascination. It had been nearly a month since she’d last set foot outside the academy. There had been a brief attempt to visit the imperial capital, prompted by Skylar’s insistence, but they’d turned back almost immediately.

“Ariel, what do you think of this? Have a look.”

Seated beside her, Anastasia opened a catalog and held it out. Ariel turned away from the window at her prompting. The pages were filled with photographs of women’s formalwear—tailored suits, gowns, and dresses. Her finger rested on a pale pink cocktail dress, its A-line skirt layered delicately with sheer white chiffon.

“It would suit you well, Your Illustrious Highness.”

“You think so? Hmm… It is my style, I suppose.”

Anastasia tilted her head slightly, a thoughtful look on her face, then returned her full attention to the catalog.

Ariel watched her in silence.

There was something oddly familiar about the girl’s profile, now devoid of its usual smile. She remembered it vividly, the sight of Anastasia sitting in the convertible, her expression almost disturbingly cold, only to flash a cheerful smile the very next moment.

That eerie shift still lingered in her memory.

As she looked at the side of Anastasia’s face, quietly focused on the pages, the two images overlapped and the chill from that day came rushing back.

A shiver ran down her spine. She quickly averted her gaze, her complexion turning pale.

Outside the window, shops lined the streets, their wide glass displays brimming with goods of every kind. They had arrived in the largest downtown district of the imperial capital.

The car came to a stop on a brick-paved street lined with upscale boutiques.

The attendant seated in the front passenger seat was the first to step out. He opened a parasol, then moved to the rear door and opened it. Anastasia descended gracefully with his assistance. Meanwhile, Ariel quietly let herself out on the other side.

“Ariel, let’s start with this one.”

Anastasia smiled brightly and led the way without hesitation.

Ariel followed in silence.

For some reason, the academy’s entrance ceremony came to mind, specifically, the overwhelming sense of distance she had felt back then, the undeniable gap between their worlds. Though Anastasia now acted far more amiable than she had back then, the distance she felt between them remained unchanged.

She masked her discomfort with a neutral expression and followed quietly.

Anastasia’s shopping was brisk and efficient. Whenever something caught her eye, she would sweep up selections in one go before moving on to the next boutique. Half of the garments she purchased were neatly packaged and loaded into the car trunk, while the rest were labeled for delivery to House Chappelle’s estate.

After visiting ten different boutiques, they finally arrived at the last one. There, Anastasia found the dress she had spotted in the catalog. She gently ran her hand along the pale pink hem, wrapped in delicate white chiffon, then turned to Ariel with a knowing smile.

“Would you like to try it on?”

Ariel blinked, surprised.

“Me? This dress?”

“Yes. Go ahead and try it on.”

Without waiting for her reply, Anastasia gave a small gesture to the attendant, who immediately moved to prepare the dress. Left with little choice, Ariel was all but ushered into the fitting room.

Inside the spacious changing area, she quickly shed her uniform with the help of a shop assistant and slipped into the cocktail dress. With her midnight-black hair, the soft apricot color of the fabric made her fair skin stand out all the more. Delicate pink lace ribbons were tied on either side of her curled hair, framing her face.

Their hue matched the dress so precisely, it was as if they had been designed as a set.

The shop attendants, breaking from their practiced smiles, offered genuine exclamations of admiration. When Ariel stepped out of the fitting room, even Anastasia reacted with the same kind of awe.

“Ariel, you look truly beautiful!”

Her eyes sparkled with unfiltered delight, the kind one has when gazing upon something lovely. And yet, in the way she looked at Ariel, there was something else. A subtle glint of desire, as if she were gazing not at a person, but a prized possession.

Softly, almost to herself, she murmured.

“At the Chappelle estate… there’s a room where only the prettiest things are kept. I think you’d fit in perfectly there.”