Previously…

Journey to Wiz Empire has been nothing but a blessing for both Chaewon and Minjoo. They had found several hints for their upcoming trial as well as confirming their honest feelings towards each other…

***

Call her overdramatic but Chaewon couldn’t hide the fact that she noticed about Minjoo avoiding her since their confession last night. She tried striking a conversation with the girl but only being offered cold shoulders from Minjoo. Is this what people said that people only showed effort before getting someone as their partner? Eh, no way. Minjoo isn’t that kind of person, Chaewon knows it.

However, there are huge differences between knowing and acknowledging.

Don’t get her wrong. Chaewon is exuberant that Minjoo is growing closer to both Nako and Hitomi like she expects them to be. The smile on Minjoo's face as well as her hearty laugh is enough to confirm that the girl is comfortable being around both of her best friends. Even Nako who always acts aloof seems warm around Minjoo and Chaewon is surprised upon seeing deep dimples on both Nako cheeks; a feature that she has never seen before. The Nako that she knows always scoffs or just shrugs her words off. Who is this precious small bean that seems like she can never even hurt a fly?

Laughing internally to herself, Chaewon intentionally slowed her pace while watching Minjoo back that seemed brighter. The princess is so into her world and laughing along with her new friends to the point Minjoo is neglecting Chaewon. Yes, she is sulking right now while kicking pebbles on the ground. Wow, she never acknowledges this ugly side of her that is raging with jealousy. Now she understands characters in book that pull tons of stupid things just to gain attention from the person that they like. Maybe Chaewon can use that tactic so that Minjoo paid her attention just for her?

Talk about being greedy.

Heaving a deep sigh, Chaewon just silently striding behind the trio that seems to have a lot of fun while giggling. She just rooted her stares on the ground while mumbling, “Must be great, having fun with friends.”

“But I'd rather have fun with my girlfriend,” a soft voice suddenly replied, making Chaewon flinch. She didn’t get to respond when a peck landed on her right cheek as a giggle escaped from a girl with a sly smile. is hanging wide as she is frozen on her spot while watching the giggling girl join both Nako and Hitomi and resume her talk as if nothing happened.

Suddenly, the area feels hotter for some reason and Chaewon has to bite on her knuckles just to hide her squeal from shocking every creature inside this forest. Never once did Chaewon ever imagine that Minjoo could pull such a bold action. It’s as if the girl has been waiting to show this naughty side of hers to Chaewon and to be honest, she likes it. Well, Minjoo might act like a sly fox but didn’t the princess just act like this in front of Chaewon? If anything, she is falling deeper for Kim Minjoo.

It is crazy that with just a peck, Chaewon has a hunch that they will be able to clear the next trial with ease. Is this what people call a motivational boost? While she is trying her best to hide her disgusting grin from creeping up on her face, Chaewon hears a familiar sound that she usually gets while going on a mission with both Nako and Hitomi.

Both Nako and Hitomi lifted their hands in the air with eyes tightly shut. Their expression seems bewildered while turning towards Chaewon, staring at her for a solid second before excusing themselves. Knowing that she and Minjoo will take a while to finish their trial and try completing the Sakura task, Chaewon asked for Nako and Hitomi help to send a letter to Eunbi. She heard that Eunbi has finally become a full-fledged mage and is aware about Sakura's plan to propose to the fine woman. She just hopes that she will make the cut and greet Eunbi personally after completing the trial while helping with the war.

After confirming her feelings, Chaewon knows that she will need a lot of achievement so that she will be seen as deem to court the Crown Princess. Only love isn’t enough for her to convince both the King and Queen of Estelle Kingdom to marry Minjoo. Thus, when she asks for Sakura's opinion, the heiress comes up with a brilliant plan in securing Chaewon position through the war acting as one of Sakura's secret knights. If they emerge victorious, Chaewon will be able to gain her own nobility title before climbing up the rank through completing several more missions in the near future. For now, that is her target; to rake in as much achievement as she can to stand equally by Minjoo's side.

“Are you feeling lonely now that both Nako and Hii aren’t here with us?”

Minjoo asked while clasping her fingers around Chaewon's hand. Shaking her head, Chaewon replied that she is feeling nervous now that they are the only one left. She emphasizes that she will never make a move on Minjoo without permission. “I like this side of you but will appreciate it too if you are more aggressive, Chaewon,” Minjoo winked while leading the way towards a nearby village that can only be seen with their jewel eyes. Chaewon whispered to herself that sooner or later, Minjoo will regret teasing her as she is barely able to hold herself all this time.

Despite being distracted with some unnecessary thoughts, Chaewon was able to detect killing intents directed towards them and instantly pulled Minjoo into her arms before activating her spells. Within a split second, a barrage of arrows as well as flying spells are attacking them, destroying the area around them scorched.

“That is intense. You alright there, Minjoo?”

She didn’t get to heave a sigh of relief as the person in her arms actually is a dummy and Minjoo is nowhere to be found. Blood is leaving her brain as Chaewon screams on top of her lungs while trying to find Minjoo. How can this be possible? She is sure that she has Minjoo in her grasp before the attack comes. When does Minjoo get switched with a dummy? What kind of trial does Chaewon need to clear? Why does the trial pull Minjoo away from her?

Using the upgraded version of her jewel eyes, Chaewon finds that Minjoo is inside of the small village surrounded with lots of mana. Punching and firing her way through, it took Chaewon a few moments to find the princess that is cloaked inside a humongous spherical blue mana in the middle of the village accompanied by an old woman wielding a wand.

“Minjoo! Kim Minjoo, answer me!”

Blasting away remnants of arrows, Chaewon heartbeat quadruples as she can sense Minjoo's presence becoming fainter with each second passing by. Gathering her mana in the dagger equipped in her right palm, Chaewon swiftly ran towards the old woman and intended to slash her neck.

“You fool. Use your head!”

To her surprise, the old woman is able to deflect her attack with just a flick of her wand while sending Chaewon to fly across the village. She swears that she heard a loud crack upon smashing the brick wall of an abandoned house, sending dust to fill the area. Coughing blood, she can feel that her whole body is screaming in anguish as every vein inside Chaewon feels like burning with hell fire.

Not yet, this meaningless pain should not stop her from saving Minjoo with whoever decided to attack them. Closing her eyes, Chaewon activated her reserve mana that she has been stashing away for emergency uses. Thanks to the first trial with One, Chaewon is now able to summon doubles of her body that are able to use the same spell as her. Cloaking the dagger with mana, she instructed them to attack the old woman in every possible direction in order to save Minjoo.

Her plan is running smoothly as the old woman seems to be in a daze as her doubles are doing their work as an excellent distraction. She is able to penetrate into the huge spherical blue mana and is about to scoop Minjoo before retreating.

“Just what do you think that you are doing, you fool?”

Impossible. The old woman was supposed to be lying lifeless on the ground with the degree of attack devised by Chaewon. She makes sure that there will be no blind spot in her last attack. How can this old woman survive and grab her collar instead? Nothing is making sense for her.

Grunting while trying to get away from the old woman, Chaewon tried using her jewel eyes to put her enemy into a deep hallucination but getting poke on the forehead by her hand fan instead. Plopping on the ground, she is bewildered while seeing the woman flipped open her hand fan while commenting, “You are too reckless. Your emerald eyes potential is wasted with your hasty action.”

“Shut up, hag. Give my Minjoo back!”

“To call me hag, are all emerald eyes users destined to be this reckless and rude?”

Her mind couldn’t process anything at the moment. Chaewon can only think about Minjoo. She is getting mad at herself for being lax and letting Minjoo be taken away from her. The girl with emerald eyes is cursing at herself for breaking a promise that she made. Part of herself told Chaewon that she should retreat and rethink her plan to come back and save Minjoo. However, her other part is urging Chaewon to find Minjoo as soon as she can.

“Focus! You are on the battlefield, bearer of True Blood!”

Clicking her tongue, Chaewon pulled out her dagger and deflected an incoming attack aiming for her neck. Momentarily, she almost forgot about the trial that she ought to