Mage Manual

Chapter 1640 - 1203: Tower Princess

Diya climbed the spiral passage step by step, the long-burning lamp casting light on the rough brick wall. Her footsteps echoed in the hollow, deep tower, a structure that should be lifeless seemed to come alive, transforming into a fearsome monster, and she had been swallowed into its belly.

The spiral passage seemed endless, with no end in sight, and Diya couldn’t tell how long she had been walking. Strangely, she knew she had never been to such a place, yet every brick and stone felt intensely familiar, as if she had dreamed of this passage before?

Or perhaps, did this passage dream of her?

A slightly open door appeared ahead, and Diya heard a very familiar voice coming from inside. She approached and peered through the crack to see a middle-aged aunt holding a picture book, telling a worn-out story to the little princess in bed: "...And so, the brave Knight defeated the fire-breathing Evil Dragon, found the beautiful Princess in the dragon’s lair, and they returned to the capital together, celebrated by all. The King hosted their wedding, and the Knight and the Princess lived happily ever after, truly delightful, truly delightful."

At this moment, the room resonates with the 12 o’clock chime. A cute cuckoo jumps out to announce the time, and the aunt tucked the blankets around the little princess, "Princess, the 12 o’clock chime has sounded, you should go to sleep now."

The little princess blinked her beautiful light green eyes, dazzling like stars. Her skin was as pure white as snow, lips as red as blood, with long, glossy black hair cascading like a waterfall, spread like a fan on the pillow.

"Grandmother, has the Evil Dragon already captured Nina? If it comes to take me too, can I play with Nina?"

The aunt smiled and patted the little princess’s head: "The brave Knights are outside protecting the princess, the Evil Dragon can’t capture you, my dear Princess."

The little princess seemed very disappointed, blinking her eyes: "If the Evil Dragon doesn’t come for me, when will Nina come to play with me?"

"If there’s a chance, Princess Nina will definitely come to find Princess Lissdia."

Nina, Diya remembered, her biological sister. Before she moved into the tower, she and Nina lived carefree together, running wild in the garden, rolling in the snow, with countless new games awaiting them every day. During those times, Diya didn’t know what separation was, living with Nia felt as natural as the sun rising, having cake for afternoon tea, and wearing new dresses in the morning — truths her young mind never questioned.

That precious time became the source of her courage for the rest of her life.

Diya can’t quite recall the day they separated, it seemed like a day neither good nor bad, indistinguishable from any other. They were playing hide-and-seek in the garden, but that time Nina hid very well, so well that Diya couldn’t find her, and ended up covered in mud. Then some servants came to clean her up, saying Nina had gone home. She thought next time she’d definitely find Nina... but in the end, she was the one hidden in the tower.

Diya continued upward, encountering another room door, this time fully opened, with bright light shining from inside. She saw a princess dressed very beautifully, moving a chair next to the window, standing on tiptoe on it, leaning on the window sill, gazing at the scenery outside the tower.

Next door, the little princess was playing house with her toys, spreading her picture book, seriously telling the teddy baby a changed story: "The beautiful princess was captured by the Evil Dragon and found many princesses in the lair - Beastman Princess, Elf Princess, Meiwa Princess, Ogre Princess... No, Ogre Princess seems inappropriate, so let’s change it to Lalafel Princess, who can be emergency provisions. The brave Knights were all burned to death by the Evil Dragon, so the princesses lived happily together..."

Next door, freshly bathed, the little princess straightened her hair like a waterfall, pooling around her feet. She changed into an exquisitely beautiful blue-purple lace-edged princess dress, twirled in front of the mirror, looked around, raised her teddy, pretending to converse with the doll: "Princess, you are so beautiful, the Dragons will definitely fight over you." "Then which Dragon should I choose?" "Choose the Dragon that hides the most princesses!"

Next door, the little princess lay on her belly reading a book, her legs raised and swaying, head tilted, chewing on the pen cap: "No matter where, a Mage can connect to the Void Realm, adventuring over the boundless ocean?"

With each room she passed, the little princess grew a bit older. Her life remained unchanged, reading, dressing up, swinging— though confined in this small room, she always found various joys, talking with her doll all day.

Until Diya saw a tightly closed door.

No light slipped through the cracks nor did any sound escape. Yet for some reason, Diya’s heart leapt wildly as if ferocious monsters hid behind it, every cell in her body urging her to flee.

But Diya walked over, gently pressed her ear against the super alloy door, suddenly a piercing cry stabbed through her defenses:

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I, I just don’t understand why keep the princess confined like this, why..."

"I truly like the Princess, I just don’t want to... But now I completely understand, Your Majesty, your painstaking intentions, I completely understand. The Princess will surely be grateful for your nurturing, inheriting Yisu’s glory at the Weaving Festival, once again becoming an Armored Saint—"

Diya backed away in terror, her back against the wall of the passageway. She gasped for air, her whole body trembling, staring at the tightly closed door in front of her. Suddenly, she gritted her teeth and reached for the doorknob, but before she could turn the door, she clearly heard a steady footstep from behind the door—not the sound a little girl could make.

Run!

Diya fled frantically through the spiral passage like a frightened animal, as if a ferocious beast were chasing her. She didn’t know why she was afraid, or even what she was afraid of, but she was just scared, like she would hide under the covers on stormy nights when she was young. She may have grown out of fearing thunderstorms, but some things remain frightening no matter how old she gets.

After running for an unknown time, Diya was finally exhausted, her legs weak, panting heavily. She glanced back to find the path behind her enveloped in darkness, as if the darkness had finally caught up with her. It turned out that once she stepped onto this spiral passage, the only way was up, to the very top, with no path down... no option to leave existed.

Another ajar door appeared in front of Diya, with bright sunlight seeping through the crack. She hesitated for a moment and reached out to push open the door.

The room was clean and tidy, the toys neatly placed at the headboard instead of scattered everywhere; picture books arranged by size on the shelf instead of randomly stuffed in.

The little Princess wore a beautiful little dress, sitting properly at the desk reading, a teacup with a bear pattern holding warm red tea beside her, diligently taking notes. Hearing the door creak, she turned her head to look behind, meeting eyes with Diya.

Her eyes were lively and adorable, carrying a touch of appropriate curiosity, her expression gentle, her smile fitting, looking more like a princess than ever before. Yet Diya froze instantly, her heart seemingly clutched tightly, unable to breathe, daring not to meet the Princess’s gaze, nearly fleeing as she continued upwards.

Each subsequent door revealed a rapidly growing Princess in the room, always alone, her friends nothing more than toys, books, and her shadow, yet no hint of dissatisfaction on her face, no sign of weariness from continuous study, needing no entertainment. The bright sunshine added a painterly quality to her, a dreary rainy day only accentuated her brilliance, like a princess emerging from a story.

Unlike before, now each door the Princess behind noticed Diya’s presence, glancing as Diya passed by, as if spending those tedious, monotonous childhood and youth years with her.

Finally, finally.

The long spiral passage finally reached its end. Diya arrived at the top of the Tower, also reaching the final door.

She pushed open the ajar door, seeing the grown Princess sitting by the windowsill. The Princess wore a pure white cotton nightdress, her adorable and crystalline little feet gently swaying, facing the Bronze Dragon outside the tower. Moonlight cast her shadow upon the room’s floor, as if entrapped within this small room.

"Thank you, Evil Dragon."

The Princess smiled sweetly, opened her arms to the Bronze Dragon, and jumped from the tower that imprisoned her for over ten years, both she and her shadow disappearing completely from the room. Diya, having climbed the tower for so long, stepped into the room again for the first time. She quickly walked to the windowsill, seeing outside a flock of Whitedoves startled over Yalan Lake.

The Princess had left.

Diya would forever remember this night; she finally escaped the Yisu Imperial Palace with the Bronze Dragon’s help, embraced freedom fiercely, even if she were caught by the Four Pillars God Sect the next moment... But thinking she would soon meet Ash, who had just escaped from the Blood Moon, Diya couldn’t help but feel jealous of the Princess who just jumped.

What is life’s most beautiful experience? For Diya, not the Gospel of imperial authority, nor entering the Divine Domain, but that period just after escaping the tower, entangled with Ash under the guise of father and daughter, awkward yet sincere shared time. She carefully wondered whether to trust Ash, Ash cautiously wondered how to care for her... Two strangers who should never have met in a lifetime, fatefully become each other’s warmest family.

Memories blossomed like bubbles in her heart, a sweet taste filled her soul. Diya pursed her lips in a silly smile, turning to glance at the room she’d inhabited for over ten years.

She saw, in the Princess’s chamber presumably empty, a girl quietly sleeping on the bed.