On the day of the martial examinations, Lina Riley did something unprecedented—she got up at dawn. After Daisy Harper helped her freshen up, she took down the spear that had been leaning against the courtyard wall. When she inspected it, she saw that the wooden shaft had cracked from the cold.
Undeterred, Lina stepped outside and found Reginald Riley at the door.
"Father," she greeted.
Reginald gave her a dark look, clearly displeased. He suspected The Princess Royal was reprimanding him indirectly—perhaps Lina had offended Her Highness in the palace. His expression worsened at that thought. "Why didn't you listen to your elder sister?"
Only yesterday, Sophia Riley had tried to dissuade Lina from competing, urging her to concede. But Lina had her reasons and had refused. Although she felt no anger toward Reginald—she had weathered too many storms in her previous life for "family" to hold much weight—she had intended to keep her abilities hidden to live quietly. In that former life, Victoria Ashwood had shattered that dream, and in this one, Lucille Everard had backed her into a corner.
There was no longer any way to stay hidden, so Lina resolved to abandon her meek façade. Lifting her head, she fixed her father with a steady gaze, exuding a presence that overshadowed his. "I dare not disobey The Princess Royal's command. Please step aside, Father."
Her abrupt shift in attitude startled Reginald, triggering fresh rage. "How dare you speak to me like that—such insolence! You've no sense of respect!"
Lina's expression remained calm. "You're right, Father. I received no one's guidance."
"You—!"
Feeling his authority challenged, Reginald raised his hand, ready to strike Lina.
"Father, please stop!"
Sophia ran over, blocking her father's uplifted arm. "Father, don't!"
With Sophia present, Reginald's demeanor abruptly changed. Angrily shaking his sleeve, he stalked off in a fury, departing the part of the household he rarely visited.
Sophia breathed a sigh of relief and hesitantly tried to excuse him. "He was just upset…"
Does being upset justify raising a hand against someone? Lina herself had half a mind to teach him a lesson. Sophia's sudden appearance had actually saved Reginald from a beating. Realizing her justification might sound hollow, Sophia clasped Lina's hand, worried. "Must you really go?"
Her hand felt colder than Lina's. Judging by the clammy chill, her condition seemed to be worsening.
Withdrawing her hand, Lina nodded. "Yes. I must."
Tears welled up in Sophia's eyes. The emperor had spoken to her about this matter, and while she couldn't believe The Princess Royal would harm Lina—wasn't that woman so gentle?—the palace lacked the purity of the mountains, and she no longer knew whom to trust.
Seeing her elder sister's tears, Lina stood there awkwardly; crying always threw her off. She was perfectly at ease watching enemies weep, but when it came to loved ones, she had no idea what to do. Most of her life in the previous era had been spent on the battlefield, surrounded by soldiers; comforting people simply wasn't her forte. She suddenly recalled how to calm a skittish horse, though.
Light dawned in her eyes. Patting Sophia's shoulder with her left hand, Lina said, "Don't be afraid. Trust me."
Sophia dabbed her tears, feeling guilty for burdening Lina with her own worries. She forced a tremulous smile. "Alright. You'll be safe. I'm sure of it."
Sophia's earnest concern, though misplaced, warmed Lina's heart. Lina returned a smile of her own. "Wait for me at home, Sister."
As Sophia tried to smile back, she nearly wept again but held herself together. Her strained grin looked more pitiful than reassuring. "Go on, then."
At the gate, a horse and a crimson spear awaited, arranged by Reginald. A servant stood by, announcing, "Miss Lina, Master prepared this horse and weapon for you."
So much for sudden paternal affection. Lina understood he only cared about appearances. Still clutching her subpar spear, she approached the horse, soothed it, then leapt nimbly onto its back. She only took the horse, leaving the new spear behind. Riding it, she made her way to the examination grounds.
"Move, you idiot!"
Hoofbeats thundered behind her, accompanied by a brash female voice. Glancing back, Lina spotted a woman in vibrant azure clothes—none other than Willa Langley. A memory from the battlefield in her previous life, now galloping toward her. Lina instinctively raised her hand in greeting, but a glimpse of Willa's fierce expression reminded her to yank her horse aside just in time.
Shooting Lina a contemptuous smirk, Willa sped on, entering the archery pavilion. The scene was eerily familiar, stirring Lina's emotions. She didn't take offense, only shook her head with a rueful laugh. "Some things never change."
More hoofbeats sounded, and a second rider approached her—someone who seemed far more unassuming than Willa. Wearing white robes and carrying a sword, this newcomer wore a polite smile that suggested amiability, though Lina privately mused: Fox in sheep's clothing.
Pulling to a stop beside Lina, the stranger's voice was gentle as a breeze. "You must be Miss Lina Riley? I'm Winnie Wren—call me Winnie."
Though Lina felt a bit nostalgic, she was still glad to see an old acquaintance. After days of dealing with The Princess Royal's antics, she had almost forgotten she'd run into these two at the martial exams. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Winnie."
Winnie gave a courteous nod. "Then I'll see you inside."
Lina returned the nod, watching as Winnie's figure receded. She let out a sigh. "I'll never understand how those two ended up together in the past."
But the memory dampened her spirits. She recalled that in this particular exam, the dynasty sought to recruit capable new generals. Among the younger fighters, the three most valiant ended up being drawn from this event. Two of those future heroes stood right here. Yet war was unpredictable. Even the strongest soldier might fall. By the end, Lina had been the only survivor among them. Would it be different this time?
With that heavy thought, Lina guided her horse leisurely into the archery pavilion. It was the same place the royal family used to practice on horseback, also repurposed for the martial exam. As soon as Lina entered, she felt numerous eyes turn her way.
Raising her head, she saw The Princess Royal seated in the stands, flashing Lina a smile before silently mouthing: Ten thousand in silver.
Lina's hands tightened on the reins. Her horse sensed her tension and began to fidget anxiously. Lina forced herself to refocus. She glanced at two other pairs of eyes—Willa Langley glared, chin high, and from Lina's angle, she could practically see up her nostrils, while Winnie Wren offered a gentle smile. Two extremes—an untamed boar and a cunning fox.
Before long, the competition commenced, with Lucille Everard on the high platform. All her attention was fixed on Lina, so much so that she failed to notice whatever Emilia Everard was saying. Emilia, not wishing to disturb her sister, eyed Lina uneasily.
Lina chose a three-stone bow—the heaviest in the lot—and Emilia nearly spit out her tea upon seeing that. Although not unheard of, drawing such a bow required considerable strength. Indeed, Lucille was one of the few who could handle it easily. Could Lina have picked it by mistake?
A servant dabbed at the tea dribbling from the monarch's lips, and Emilia attempted another sip—only to watch Lina draw the heavy bow effortlessly, causing her to choke on her tea again. After wiping away a second spray, she decided it was safer not to drink anymore lest she drown herself before her sister had a chance to punish her.
Stealing a sidelong glance at Lucille, Emilia realized that, while Lucille's expression remained calm, there was an undeniable spark in her eyes—a thrill at discovering something extraordinary. Her delight was palpable. Emilia shuddered; her sister's penchant for terrifying brilliance once again rose to an insurmountable height.
The shock wasn't Emilia's alone; Lucille herself, though outwardly stoic, was inwardly overjoyed, feeling as though she'd stumbled on a hidden treasure. She suddenly found the world more appealing than before.
The martial exam started with two rounds of riding and archery under slightly varying rules. Lina, initially rusty, quickly recovered her previous life's muscle memory. Though she made some early mistakes and trailed behind Willa Langley, she managed to place second so far. Fear thrummed inside her—she dreaded Lucille, lacking both money and the luxury of losing. Thankfully, this exam included a final round of sparring on the stage.
Having taken first, Willa promptly rode up to Lina, haughtily lifting her chin. "You're not as tough as I thought. So you're from the Riley clan—losing to me is no disgrace. Go home and cry!"
Winnie stood nearby, unable to bear Willa's rudeness. "The contest isn't over yet, Miss Langley."
Willa despised the prim and polished ways of people like Winnie—reminding her of scheming civil officials at court. She snapped, "And who do you think you are?!"
Meanwhile, Lina had already calmed herself, though the atmosphere felt strange. In her previous life, when she met these two, they were already sweethearts. Willa treated Winnie far more gently then, nothing like this coarse hostility. The clash of past and present weighed on Lina's mind.
She heaved a sigh. Regardless, she still hoped to mend their broken relationship. She raised her eyes to Willa without anger, which seemed to provoke the latter even more, as if Willa's punch had found only cotton. Infuriated, Willa grabbed Lina's collar, snarling, "You dare look at me like that?"
In the stands, The Princess Royal shot to her feet, glaring at the scuffle below with a dark expression. Emilia bowed her head, holding her breath.
Lina pried Willa's hand from her collar, still wearing a calm smile. Something about that rattled Willa, who abruptly scoffed and rode off. The danger past, Winnie whispered, "She's… rather uncouth."
The rift between memory and the present again tugged at Lina. She recalled all the times in her previous life that Willa and Winnie had flaunted their affection in front of her. Winnie had once praised Willa in an absurdly saccharine voice, "My Willa is the sweetest person in the world." Lina pressed a hand to her forehead, letting out a long sigh. Glancing up, she locked eyes with Lucille Everard. The Princess Royal smiled and mouthed, Nicely done.