The Swap Position process was far from pleasant.
Especially when caught unprepared.
Sudiya felt as if she'd been forcibly stuffed into a rock, tumbling wildly through mud. The dizzying, disorienting sensation left her mind foggy and her senses scrambled.
Though it lasted only a moment, it felt like minutes. Sudiya propped her hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.
At that moment, she wished she'd passed out to avoid the agonizing experience.
"Are you alright, guest?" a concerned voice called from behind her.
Sudiya took a moment to recover before slowly turning to face the speaker.
At first glance, she saw a gentle-looking woman with flowing white hair, exuding an approachable air. But her pointed, elongated ears revealed she wasn't from this kingdom—she was an elf.
The elf was covering her mouth, barely concealing her shock. "You're… Your Highness, the Princess? You're the guest Miss Night Star spoke of?"
Sudiya froze, quickly pulling out a mirror to check her reflection. To her dismay, her disguise had failed, revealing her true face.
Composing herself, she decided to embrace it. "That's right. I am Sudiya Anjou, the last heir of the Kingdom of Fire and Steel, the sole bearer of the flame's bloodline. And you are…?"
"Aina Yassen, from the Kingdom of Jade and Forest," the elf introduced herself, her voice carrying a soothing, almost magical quality that calmed Sudiya. "Welcome to the Stargazers' Tower, Your Highness."
"This is the Stargazers' Tower?" Sudiya's eyes lit up, her exposed identity forgotten. "I've never been here before! How did I get in?"
"Miss Night Star used Swap Position to teleport you here," Aina explained.
"Miss Night Star… Wait, where's Lucille?" Sudiya glanced around, not seeing him, and her anxiety spiked. "Where is he now? Is he okay?"
She remembered Quick and Baya, the two enemies from before she left.
Could Lucille escape them?
"With Miss Night Star there, the person you're worried about will be fine," Aina said, her gentle tone reassuring. "You can trust her strength."
"Is Miss Night Star that strong?" Sudiya asked, pursing her lips.
"I can't gauge her power," Aina said, shaking her head. "But I know it exceeds my imagination. Even Grandma Luo Lin told us not to underestimate her."
A sudden sense of unease surged in Sudiya's heart. She bit her lip, staying silent.
Aina, mistaking her concern for worry over Lucille, continued to comfort her. "Don't worry, they'll be here soon."
She pulled out a card and showed it to Sudiya. "Look, they're here."
The card displayed a simple map with a moving green dot.
"That's Miss Night Star. She's carrying our tracking artifact," Aina said, pointing to a spot on the map not far from the green dot. "Once they reach this point, they can use the artifact to enter the tower."
Sudiya nodded, still visibly tense.
Seeing her expression, Aina chuckled softly and led her to a window. "Look down from here. You might spot them."
Sudiya stood at the window, gazing down for the first time from the tower's height. She was awestruck by the view. The capital's grandeur unfolded below, her majestic palace reduced to a tiny speck.
"So this is the tower…" Sudiya murmured. "It's really here."
"The tower has always been here," Aina replied gently.
"If you can see the palace so clearly from here, why couldn't I ever see the tower from the palace?" Sudiya asked, puzzled.
"Only those invited can see the tower, Your Highness," Aina explained. "In other words, it's the safest place in the capital. Neither the royalists nor the Shadow Cult can find you here."
Sudiya finally understood the "safe place" Lucille had been talking about. No wonder he was so confident—it was the Stargazers' Tower, a place everyone knew existed but could never locate.
But how did he find it?
Even she, the Little Princess, had never been here, yet Lucille brought her straight to it. What was his connection to the Stargazers' Guild?
"Is Lucille… part of the Stargazers' Guild?" Sudiya asked casually.
"No," Aina said, dispelling her theory. "I understand your confusion, but Night Star isn't one of us either—though she came close."
"Still, Grandma Luo Lin—the Guild Leader—granted her access to the tower and even allowed her to bring outsiders in."
"Night Star is the first to receive such treatment."
Hearing Night Star's name again, Sudiya's eyes dimmed. She took a deep breath and glanced at the card—the green dot had reached the designated point and vanished from the map.
Thud.
The sound of something heavy landing.
Sudiya's gloomy mood lifted instantly. She turned with delight to see two figures behind her—Lucille and Night Star.
"Lucille!" Sudiya rushed forward, throwing herself into his arms. "You're okay! I'm so glad!"
"I haven't saved the world yet. Of course I'm fine," Lucille said, comforting her as if it were the most obvious thing.
Sudiya buried her face in his chest, sneaking a glance at Night Star. Seeing that Night Star didn't seem to care about her actions and Lucille remained unfazed, a quiet thrill sparked in her heart.
Maybe Lucille and Night Star's relationship wasn't what she'd feared. Perhaps they were just trusted allies or partners with good chemistry. If so… she still had a chance.
Night Star finally noticed Sudiya's gaze. Unsure why Sudiya was clinging to Lucille while glancing at her avatar, she thought for a moment and said, "Thank you for the gift you gave Lucille. He likes it very much."
Sudiya's face darkened instantly.