Chapter 141: Beneath a Thousand Eyes
Dila’s trembling right foot hovered high above the scarlet carpet, her heart hammering as though the entire world waited for this single step. The silence outside was unbearable.... hundreds of students, teachers, and armored knights still bowed low, their breaths caught in reverence.
Her toes twitched nervously, her silver hair brushing against her flushed cheeks. Just as she was about to set her foot down, the nearest knight suddenly leaned forward, armor clinking softly as he dropped to one knee.
Dila’s blue eyes widened in shock, her pupils trembling as her whole body jolted. "U... uwaaa... waa... waaa...!" the flustered sounds slipped out, her voice cracking like a child caught in the spotlight. Her face burned crimson, steam almost rising from her ears as she flailed slightly in panic.
The knight kept his head bowed low, voice calm but firm, echoing into the thick silence. "Princess... please. Step upon my back. You may use it as a stairway."
The quiet courtyard seemed to hold its breath, every noble student, every teacher, even the birds overhead freezing in reverence.
Inside the carriage, Fran clamped her hand over her mouth, her cat ears twitching as she failed to contain her laughter. Her shoulders shook with small giggles, her tail swishing side to side. "Ehehehe... sister, you look like you’re about to explode," she whispered, amused yet fond.
Dila’s hands fumbled at her dress, clutching the hem so tightly it wrinkled. Her breath came in sharp, shallow bursts, and her knees wobbled. Still, she forced herself to move, her right foot hovering again. Don’t fall... don’t fall...
Finally, with an awkward wobble, she placed her dainty foot onto the knight’s armored back. The metal was cold under her sandal, and for a terrifying moment her balance faltered. Her arms flailed a little as her body tilted forward. "Kyaah...!"
Gasps rippled faintly through the crowd at the possibility of the Princess stumbling.
Suddenly....
Dila’s balance gave way at last. Her silver-white hair whipped forward as she pitched toward the red carpet, arms flapping desperately like a startled bird. "Heeeyyaaaa...!"
The sharp scrape of armor cut through the silence. The knight beneath her moved with inhuman reflex, his body surging forward before anyone could blink. He launched himself outward, arms extending in a swift, practiced motion.
Gasps erupted as the scene unfolded.
In the blink of an eye, the knight caught her, his armored arms wrapping firmly but gently around the trembling Princess. His cape flared as he twisted his body, rolling to absorb the fall. The red carpet rippled beneath them as his back struck it with a dull thud, carrying Dila safely into his chest.
"Princess... I have you," his voice was low, steady, reverent.
The courtyard fell into shocked silence. Hundreds of students and teachers drew sharp breaths, their murmurs rising like a wave of unease. Eyes widened, some even glittering with disbelief—how could the Princess, daughter of Eldor’s King, stumble so openly before them?
"Oh no... she fell..."
"Unbelievable...!"
"Did the knight just... hug her?"
The whispers rippled through the crowd, soft but relentless, spreading like wildfire among the young nobles.
The knight still held Dila, his armored gauntlet steadying her shoulder as if she were something fragile beyond measure. His back pressed against the carpet, denting its perfect presentation, but he didn’t move an inch until he was certain she was safe.
Immediately, three other knights dashed forward in perfect formation, their armor clinking as they spread a thick, velvet cloth between them. They held it stretched tight from edge to edge, creating a makeshift cushion in case the Princess had been hurt or collapsed further.
At the same time, a pair of teachers broke free from the crowd, robes swaying as they hurried closer. Their expressions carried a mix of alarm and awe, their eyes darting between the fallen Princess and the knight who had caught her.
Meanwhile, the students craned their necks from afar, some rising on tiptoes, others clinging to their companions’ sleeves just to catch a glimpse of what had happened.
Fran, peeking from inside the carriage, bit her lip to hold back laughter and worry at once, her blue eyes wide with both panic and amusement. "Sister..." she whispered softly, her tail flicking restlessly.
And there Dila lay... cheeks blazing red, body stiff as a board, her trembling hands trapped against the knight’s chest as the entire Twilight Academy held its breath.
The murmurs from the crowd swelled like a rising tide, sharp and unrelenting.
"Huh... her father may be powerful, but look at her. Weak."
"What a disappointment."
"So that’s the Princess of Eldor? Falling at the very first step? Not suitable for a high caliber King’s daughter "
"Tch... what a letdown."
Their voices dug into Dila like needles. Her flushed cheeks burned hotter, her ears twitched uncontrollably, and her chest tightened until she could barely breathe. The world seemed to tilt under her feet, not because of the fall, but because of the shame pressing down on her from every side.
Her thoughts hissed in her mind, sharp and angry beneath her embarrassment. Just you wait... if I can restore Nari... if I bring back my system... all of you will see. You’ll regret calling me weak. You’ll see the strength of a true support mage.
Before she could steady herself, the sound of light feet hit the carpet.
" Sister!"
Fran had leapt from the carriage, clutching Dila’s Archane staff in both hands. Its orbiting shards were still dull, void of magical glow, yet Fran held it tightly as if it was her lifeline. Her long navy-blue hair streamed behind her as her tail flicked in agitation.
She dashed forward, nearly tripping on the folds of the carpet in her haste, then skidded to Dila’s side, crouching down. Her blue eyes were wide, trembling with worry.
"Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? Tell me, Sister!" she cried, her voice quivering.
Dila tried to rise, her legs shaking, but the effort betrayed her. She winced, her knees buckling, and she fell to the carpet once again with a soft thud. Her pale fingers pressed against the ground for support, her lips parting as she whispered faintly, "Ahh... it’s nothing... just a little..."
Gasps echoed through the academy courtyard.
The knight who had caught her earlier snapped forward in alarm, dropping to one knee before her. His armor clinked as he bowed his head deeply, almost slamming his helm into the carpet. His voice rang with guilt and desperation.
"Forgive me, Princess! My recklessness has cost your well-being. I failed to keep you safe. If you so wish... you may claim my head."
The weight of his words sent a ripple of dread through the onlookers. Teachers stiffened, unsure whether to intervene, their hands hovering near their robes as cold sweat formed at their temples. Students froze in place, the air thick with tension. Even the other knights guarding the gate lowered their gazes, beads of sweat trickling down their faces. None dared to speak. None dared to move.
And at the center of it all stood Dila... her body trembling, her silver hair clinging to her flushed face, her eyes wide not with anger, but with worry and confusion. She stared at the knight who bowed so deeply before her, not as a Princess above him, but as a girl who could not understand why someone would cast aside their own worth for her single stumble.
The murmurs quieted into an eerie hush, as every soul in the academy waited to see how the Princess would respond.
The tension still hung heavy in the air when Dila, still flushed and rattled from her fall, suddenly straightened her back with effort. Her silver-white hair slid across her shoulders, catching the sunlight as if to remind the world she was more than the clumsy image they had just witnessed.
Her voice trembled at first but steadied as she forced out, "No... I won’t claim any lives." Her gaze swept across the faces around her, the teachers, the armored knights, the students whispering and staring. Then, with a small scuff of her sandal against the rumpled red carpet, she added with a wavering grin, "Look at me... I’m only pretending to be weak. I’m strong."
Awkwardly, she raised her slender arms and flexed, trying to imitate the way warriors boasted of their strength. Her elbows shook, and of course there were no muscles to show, only her soft, delicate arms. Embarrassment burned on her cheeks, but she held the pose, forcing herself not to drop it.
Several students blinked in surprise. A few bit down on their lips, stifling the urge to laugh aloud. One or two even chuckled under their breath, though they quickly stopped when they realized it wasn’t mockery but something strangely endearing.
Murmurs rippled. "Looks like we were wrong... the Princess is strong after all."
Another whispered, "Imagine that fall... it should’ve hurt like hell, but she didn’t even flinch much. Incredible."
Dila kept her faint smile, but inside her thoughts were sharp and raw. Of course it hurts... it hurts like hell. My body is very delicate especially i have no more passive skill magical [Cascade barrier] like a second skin... every inch is aching. But I can’t show that here. I mustn’t.
Around her, the teachers exhaled quietly, shoulders loosening, while the knights who stood tense moments ago relaxed their grips on their swords. The fear that an execution would be demanded because of a mistake... it was fading. Relief rolled over them like a silent tide.
And then the knight who had caught her—his armor scraped from the impact, the red carpet beneath them still wrinkled from the fall—dropped onto his knees. His gauntleted fists pressed to the fabric as he bowed until his forehead touched it.
"Thank you... thank you, Princess," his voice broke, trembling as he wept openly. "I can still see my family to this day... you spared me."
His shoulders shook as tears struck the carpet. He didn’t care who saw. The other knights shifted uneasily, their eyes wet, their jaws clenched, but none dared speak.
Dila froze, startled by the rawness of his gratitude. Slowly, her heart softened, the earlier sting of humiliation ebbing. Her blue eyes shimmered faintly as she looked at him, not with the coldness she often carried, but with something gentler.
He values his family this much... he feared I would take him from them... and yet he saved me without hesitation.
Her chest fluttered, warmth replacing the ache of embarrassment. For once, she felt the weight of kindness not as a burden, but as strength.
She whispered, almost to herself, yet it carried in the silence, "I’m glad... you’ll still see them."
The knight’s sobs deepened, and for a fleeting moment, even the murmuring students fell quiet, unsure if they were witnessing a weakness... or a different kind of strength.
The knights who had rushed forward earlier finally stepped again into the tense quiet. They still left the what looked like a portable thick velvet cloth, its surface lined with fine silks and soft padding, handles on each side then they it gripped firmly in their gauntlets. Moving in unison, they placed it carefully upon the rumpled red carpet again but closer to her. One of them, voice steady but respectful, bowed his head slightly and said,
"Princess... please, you must lay here. We need to make sure you are unharmed."
Dila’s heart fluttered all over again. Her face burned red, heat climbing up her neck to the tips of her ears. To be asked to lie down in front of all these people—students, teachers, knights—was far more embarrassing than the fall itself. She fidgeted with the hem of her uniform, her silver hair falling across her face as if to shield her from their eyes.
Still, with a hesitant nod, she obeyed. She lowered herself gently onto the silken bedding, her movements stiff and shy. The softness of the fabric welcomed her body, but it only made her blush harder. She quickly averted her gaze to the side, unable to meet the staring eyes around her. Her hands curled against her chest, and she bit her lip, whispering under her breath, "So embarrassing..."
The murmurs of the crowd shifted. Where there had been whispers of ridicule moments ago, there was now silence... and even something that sounded like admiration. Students who had mocked her earlier were now watching with wide eyes, seeing not weakness, but a Princess enduring humiliation with grace.
"...She’s not frail at all."
"...Even after that fall and embarrassment, she can still smile..."
"...She’s stronger than she looks."
The words rippled quietly, filling the air with a new respect. Dila, hearing fragments of it, felt her chest tighten. She kept her face turned away, unwilling to let them see how much she wanted to cry from both relief and embarrassment.
Beside her, Fran had finally stand up, her sandals tapping lightly against the stone. She clutched Dila’s Archane staff tightly in both hands, as if it were a treasure that could never be dropped again. Her long navy hair swayed with her steps, her cat ears twitching nervously. She stayed right at Dila’s side, her blue eyes locked on her sister with both worry and determination.
"Sister..." Fran whispered softly, leaning close enough that only Dila could hear. "Don’t worry. I’ll stay with you."
Dila glanced at her, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out. She only gave the faintest nod, her blush deepening.
The knights carefully lifted the bed, one on each side, their armor clinking softly with every step. Teachers walked ahead, parting the crowd of students who tried to peek over shoulders, their whispers following. The group moved forward, carrying Dila with careful reverence.
The red carpet stretched ahead, leading straight toward the massive wooden double door of the academy’s main building. The structure towered above everything else, its white stone walls gleaming beneath the sunlight, tall stained-glass windows reflecting colored light across the courtyard. The air itself seemed to shift as they drew closer, filled with a weight of history and prestige.
The students pressed aside, forming a path, their once-jeering eyes now following her in silence. Some of them still peeked with curiosity, others with newfound respect. The sound of banners fluttering in the breeze and the faint toll of a distant bell echoed across the academy grounds.
And there, at the heart of it all, Dila lay blushing and uneasy on her silk fabric, Fran walking proudly beside her with the staff held tight. Step by step, they were carried past whispers and gazes, deeper into the towering halls of Twilight Academy.
Among the sea of heads and murmuring voices, there was one figure that didn’t move with the same awe as the rest. Hidden deep in the crowd, it wore a long robe, its hood drawn low enough that no glimpse of its face could be seen. Where the sunlight touched others, shadows clung stubbornly to this one, as if swallowing its features into darkness.
While students whispered about the Princess, trading respect or envy, this figure stood still, arms crossed beneath the robe’s sleeves. No bow. No gasp. No sign of reverence. It were unmoved, almost detached, as if the spectacle before them was no more than a play staged for fools.
Dila, though overwhelmed by her embarrassment, felt a strange shiver pass through her. Her ears twitched faintly as if catching something different in the atmosphere. She glanced toward the crowd but saw only faces filled with wide-eyed admiration. The robed figure was obscured, tucked behind taller students.
Then it happened.
As another student shifted forward, briefly breaking the view, the figure simply... vanished. Gone. No sound of footsteps. No rustle of fabric. Just as though it had melted into the shadows themselves.
Fran, walking at Dila’s side, blinked and flicked her cat ears, sensing something odd. She turned her head slightly toward the crowd, her blue eyes narrowing with suspicion. But when she scanned the gathered students, there was nothing unusual. Only respectful gazes and hushed voices.
A chill lingered in the air for just a heartbeat before it faded, swallowed by the sound of banners snapping in the breeze and the knights’ steady footsteps.
Unseen, unnoticed, a presence had already slipped away.