She stirred awake some time later, her senses sharpening as she swiftly exited the meditation room, a slight urgency guiding her steps toward her own room.
As she moved through the corridors of the mansion, she greeted everyone she encountered with a practiced, warm smile, consciously masking the anxious turmoil brewing beneath her composed exterior. After all, she thought, her pleasant mood would surely reassure the old butler who loved fretting over her well-being. She was confident that word of her apparent tranquility would spread through the expansive halls of the estate.
The moment she reached her room, a wave of relief washed over her as she leapt onto her bed, releasing a sigh that echoed her fatigue. Her bed, with its plush comfort, was undeniably her sanctuary.
Flipping onto her back, she took a moment to relish the soft embrace of the sheets. After a fleeting moment of stillness, she activated the room's inbuilt anti-surveillance system using a voice command, the subtle hum a familiar and comforting sound.
To further fortify her privacy, she conjured her own protective barrier, a careful act that provided her with an extra sense of security.
As she flung her hand over her face, a darker mood enveloped her. The weight of her emotions spilled forth uncontrollably; she felt an overwhelming restlessness this evening, a feeling that felt both foreign and distressing. It was impossible to ignore the excitement building within her, especially knowing that something she had long yearned for was tantalizingly close.
She desperately needed access to the AI—specifically, she craved the invaluable spell-casting and skill-training information contained within its databases. Securing this knowledge would significantly ease her journey, allowing her to achieve her goal with less stress. While attending The Bellfore Academy would still be a requirement, having the AI's resources available to her would save her the trouble of scavenging through the school's archives for inaccessible spell books.
With a frown etched on her face, she stretched out her wrist to check the time, but her expression soured as she discovered that the clock appeared frozen in its place, stubbornly refusing to move a step. "Why won't this stupid clock move? It's difficult enough to wait, but now it feels like the time is crawling at snail's pace," she muttered to herself in frustration.
Her excitement made it impossible for her to drift back into a peaceful slumber, while her thoughts buzzed incessantly with contemplation of the spell casting knowledge just within reach. Annoyance bubbled beneath her skin like a simmering pot as she struggled to focus on anything other than the anticipation gnawing at her. Finally, she closed her eyes, hoping to hypnotize herself into sleep. After all, if she continued to wait impatiently, time would only feel like it was dragging on longer.
She remained in that state for what felt like an eternity, teetering between wakefulness and dreams before she finally slipped into a restless sleep. The hours dragged on, punctuated by moments of abrupt wakefulness as she checked the time, her heart sinking each time she realized how little progress had been made.
Eventually, just when she thought that the night would stretch endlessly before her, she was jolted awake by a long-awaited beep, indicating the arrival of midnight. The sudden sound sent her heart racing, nearly causing her to suffer a whiplash as she sprang upright.
In a flurry of movement, she reached for her phone on the bedside table, ignoring the dull ache in her temples that had been growing steadily. For a fleeting moment, she shook her head from side to side, trying to clear the remaining cobwebs of sleep that clung stubbornly to her mind.
"Call Ace," she croaked, the roughness in her voice startling her—she sounded almost sick. She quickly took a drink to moisten her dry throat.
"Calling Ace!" the mechanical voice of her phone chimed back at her, and within moments, the call was connected.
"You are really impatient, aren't you?" Ace's languid voice came through the line, teasingly laced with amusement. "Well, I guess I understand why now that I've finally cracked the code. You really do know how to play!"
"Cut the crap! Have you done it?" she snapped, the force of her words almost causing her to reveal more than intended, but she managed to tactfully rein in her tone, despite the discomfort pulsing through her head.
"Tch! So feisty! Be careful, or no one will want to marry you in the future," he said, his voice smooth and unhurried, clearly aiming for another round of bantering.
"Why are you even talking about marriage! And besides, do I look like someone who lacks suitors?" Her reply was sharp, her annoyance palpable. "Stop stalling! You know how much I hate meaningless chatter. Get straight to the point." Each word dripped with cold intensity, and the temperature in her room seemed to plummet in response to her mood.
Ace shivered at the other end of the line, feeling a sudden chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. Damn, she was downright intimidating! He couldn't help but feel a wave of pity for the unfortunate soul destined to become her mate in the future. That poor guy was truly in for it! Internalizing these thoughts was the only safe option; speaking them aloud would almost certainly lead to him losing his head—literally. He touched his throat nervously, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "My sincerest apologies, your highness," he exclaimed, adopting a theatrical tone. "I went too far with my jokes. Please do not reduce yourself to the same level as I!"
She snorted in disgust at his dramatic display but still remained silent, waiting for him to continue with his words.
Ace cleared his throat, shaking off the sudden frightening atmosphere. "The corrupted files have been fully restored, and I have successfully decrypted the system data," he said, shifting to a more serious tone. "In layman's terms, everything is functioning flawlessly—better even than before. I've taken the liberty of enhancing the system's data, improving it even beyond its previously pre-scrambled state." A hint of arrogance seeped into his voice, as he subtly urged her to praise him.
At that moment, her lips curled into a radiant smile, and her eyes sparkled with unrestrained joy. "You did well. Have you activated it?" she inquired, her tone warmer now.
"Yes, of course!" Ace replied, his confidence surging. "I must say, I'm genuinely impressed. Whoever designed this AI system is a true genius. It's a remarkably versatile and useful tool overflowing with untapped potential. I have to admit, I feel a twinge of jealousy that I wasn't the one behind its creation. Nevertheless, I'll take comfort in the knowledge that I was able to improve it. Rest assured, this current AI outperforms the previous version, and it would take the original creators years to reach its current capabilities." He spoke with unrestrained pride, reveling in his accomplishments.
Engjell's brows arched in pleasant surprise, a smile still dancing on her lips as she absorbed the news of his success. "I must say I'm quite impressed; thank you," she responded, her delight evident in her voice.
Ace felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him, grateful to know that his hard work hadn't gone unnoticed. "Between us, there's really no need for all that formality," he added casually. "I'm sending the application to you now. Just a heads-up—this is a highly valuable piece of technology. Keep it under wraps; you wouldn't want anyone to know you're in possession of it. Also, to maximize its effectiveness, you should bind it to your watch. However, I recommend waiting for me to create a complimentary uni-watch that will be fully compatible with this specific system. That way, you can utilize its capabilities without running into any performance issues." He spoke in one enthusiastic breath, eager to share every detail.
"Okay, you do that," she replied, her voice steady and composed. It made sense to wait for a more refined AI system. A small frown creased her forehead as she pondered, I guess I'll have to be patient just a little longer.
"Noted! You should really get some rest; you sound utterly exhausted," Ace suggested, a hint of concern creeping into his tone. Suddenly, a mischievous thought struck him. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention—I have a surprise for you! But you'll have to wait for the new watch to arrive to discover what it is," he teased, his words laced with playful ambiguity.
With that, he abruptly ended the call, leaving Engjell simmering with impatience and an edge of irritation. That incorrigible nerd certainly knew how to whet her curiosity, leaving her in a state of agitation. "Hmph!" she snorted in frustration, allowing the anger to bubble up inside her as she flopped down onto her bed, pulling the covers around her with a huff.
Before settling in fully, she sprayed her surroundings with a lavender-infused sleep-inducing mist, a trick she didn't use earlier due to her earlier anxiety. Now, however, comfort began to envelop her as she prepared to dream of the surprises that she might uncover soon.