Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Save You Again

Ahcehera’s hands trembled as she tightened the straps on her travel gear.

The glowing screen in front of her continued to display the mission report, Richard’s name standing out in bold letters.

He had actually accepted the mission. She had feared he would, but seeing it confirmed made her chest tighten with unease. Why was he doing this? Just to graduate?

The last time she saw Richard, something about him had changed. He had been distant, his usual sharp wit dulled by an unseen weight pressing upon him.

She had tried to reach him, tried to break through the silence he had wrapped around himself, but he had given her nothing but carefully measured words.

And now, he had gone to The Forgotten Ravine, alone.

She exhaled sharply, pushing away the memories. This was not the time to hesitate. She had already made her decision.

The Academy wouldn’t approve. They would never allow her to leave, not after what had happened to her during the Night Owls Squad’s mission.

She was supposed to stay within the safety of the academy walls, a “precious survivor” still under their watchful eyes.

But she refused to be a caged bird. Not when he was out there, walking straight into the darkness she had barely escaped from.

Ahcehera moved swiftly, gathering her essentials. Her sword, stealth gear, and a concealment talisman, were everything she needed to avoid detection.

She wasn’t naive. She knew the academy had eyes everywhere, and if they caught her sneaking out, they would drag her back before she even made it past the city limits.

Drag me? I am the princess! A sharp knock on her door made her freeze.

“Princess Ahcehera,” a voice called. One of the academy’s guards. “It’s time for your scheduled meeting with the headmaster.”

Ahcehera glanced at the clock. If she didn’t leave now, they would realize something was wrong.

“I’ll be there in a moment,” she called back, keeping her voice even.

She moved quickly, slipping out through the hidden passage behind her room, a route she had memorized for situations just like this.

Within minutes, she was outside the academy walls, blending into the shadows of the towering structures that stretched toward the sky.

The journey to The Forgotten Ravine wasn’t easy.

Ahcehera moved through the dense forests, crossed the barren wastelands, and evaded the rogue sentinels patrolling the outer territories. Then board a starship.

It took her two days of non-stop travel before she finally arrived.

The moment she stepped foot onto Quintreinxy, an unnatural chill crept down her spine. The air was thick with something she couldn’t quite name, a presence that didn’t belong.

She pulled her cloak tighter around herself, concealing her aura, and moved cautiously toward the coordinates she had stolen from the academy’s mission logs.

Richard had been here. She could feel it.

The deeper she went, the more unnatural the terrain became. The trees were twisted, their branches stretching toward the sky like skeletal fingers.

The ground beneath her boots felt unstable, as though something beneath the surface was shifting.

And then she saw it.

The ruins of an ancient structure stood near the lake’s edge, half-submerged in the dark waters.

The place where the Night Owls Squad had last stayed. The place where Riezekiel had died.

Her breath hitched. I never knew the full story. I was just a transmigrator. Some of the memories I gained way back were fake. I know.

Investigations did not work either. Even dreams were manipulated by an unknown factor.

The last time the princess had been here, she had barely been conscious. She had lost everything.

Memories threatened to resurface, but she shoved them aside. Now was not the time.

A sudden movement caught her eye.

A shadow, swift and precise, darting through the ruins.

Richard.

Relief flooded her chest, but it was short-lived. Something was wrong.

He was fighting.

Ahcehera barely had time to process what she was seeing before a monstrous screech tore through the air.

A blur of movement lunged at Richard, and he barely managed to dodge, his soul-bound sword, Eliath, slicing through the darkness.

Her body moved before she could think.

Richard wasn’t alone.

The monster he was facing was something she had seen before, a creature of the abyss, twisted and unnatural.

It was the same kind of entity that had attacked the Night Owls Squad during their mission. But it wasn’t just any monster. It was intelligent.

But I don’t think there’s only a few of them here. Some should still be hiding somewhere.

It knew Richard’s movements, mirroring them with eerie precision. It anticipated his attacks, forcing him to move defensively rather than strike.

Ahcehera didn’t hesitate.

She moved, drawing her sword and charging forward. Her presence was like a sudden storm, unexpected, fierce.

The creature barely had time to react before she struck, her blade cutting through its side, dark energy spilling from the wound.

Richard’s gaze snapped toward her, shock flashing across his face. “Ahcehera?! What the hell are you doing here?”

“No time for that,” she shot back, blocking the creature’s retaliatory strike. “We need to end this now.”

Richard cursed under his breath but didn’t argue. Together, they moved in perfect sync, their swords weaving through the air in a deadly dance.

Ahcehera had trained with Richard before, she knew his movements, his strengths, and his weaknesses. And he knew hers.

The monster screeched in frustration. It had been copying Richard’s style, learning his techniques, but it couldn’t copy them both.

Ahcehera saw the opening first.

“Now!” she shouted.

Richard didn’t hesitate. He surged forward, Eliath’s blade glowing with golden energy, and struck the monster’s core.

A deafening howl filled the air as the creature convulsed, its form breaking apart into nothingness. The dark energy dissipated, leaving behind only silence.

Ahcehera exhaled heavily, gripping her sword tightly. Her body trembled from the exertion, but she forced herself to remain standing.

Richard was staring at her. His expression was unreadable.

“What are you doing here?” he asked again, his voice quieter this time.

Ahcehera met his gaze. “I came to save you.”

A flicker of something passed through his eyes, something unspoken, something fragile.

He looked away, exhaling sharply. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“And you shouldn’t have come here alone.”

Silence stretched between them.

Ahcehera took a step closer. “Richard… why are you really here?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the ruins, toward the lake that had witnessed so much bloodshed. His jaw clenched.

“There are things I need to uncover,” he admitted. “Things that don’t add up.”

Ahcehera’s heart ached. She could see it now, the weight he carried, the ghosts that haunted him.

She reached out, fingers brushing against his sleeve. “Then let me help you.”

For a moment, she thought he would refuse. But then, slowly, hesitantly, he nodded.

The Forgotten Ravine still held its secrets. And now, they would uncover them together.

“How many have you killed?”

“A lot. There was even one wearing your face earlier.”