"Red, I don't think dating that boy would be a good idea," June said.
"I'm sorry, what?" June figured it out….
"He is younger than you. Do you know that?"
"Younger? I don't even know my age!" According to her memories, she was not even three months old.
"Well, you're not expecting yourself to be nineteen?"
"Who cares? I'm just fooling around."
"That's how people get attached to the wrong person. You'll hang out, make love then fall in love."
"There's no time for romance in life like nomads."
"Red, you won't even see it coming. Human nature is to crave love and affection. You can't really choose whom you fall for."
The girl rolled her eyes. "So, you're telling me not to see him again?"
"Advising…."
"He gives me quite a good body massage."
"He is taking advantage of your naiveness."
Naiveness? Did she look naïve? That's an advantage when you want to deceive your enemy.
"And please, don't be heartbroken if you ever find out he is cheating on you."
Red scoffed. "I don't give a crap what he does with other chicks." She could say this only because she hadn't imagined or seen Fei Yu with someone else.
She had to focus on the tournament.
For a vague moment, she thought Serge was going to pop up as her final opponent. Serge in a Dynastian tournament? What a nonsense. The duel with Serge curved a wound in her mind.
To her relief, Xiang Tzu came out. But his attire had significantly changed, and his face wore an askew smile. He was holding a glaive.
"Like I told you, this is where we'll sort things out! I'm not inferior to you now. My new style is awesome!"
"It didn't take you long to become a Herald, did it?" June spoke out. "Was it an accelerated course of sorts?"
Red chuckled.
"I'm just a fast learner. At Kibo's, I'm now the best. She said I'm the only worthy opponent for you!"
Red's laughter morphed into a grimace. Him? Worthy opponent? That girl, Kibo has a nasty sense of humor.
She fought him angrily. Though he learned new moves, how proficient he was with that glaive was proved. He was dropping the glaive almost every half minute. When he managed to perform a long combo, he fell, Red fell and his glaive floated in the air then thudded on both of them. Luckily, they weren't injured by the sharp blades.
Red defeated him. There was no need for violence as it was a public duel. She couldn't help but laugh at his angry-child-about-to-cry face.
"This isn't the end yet! I'll study all the styles in the world to find one you can't win against!" he yelled painfully.
Red tried to suppress her giggle and thought next time she would let him win. Now, go, f*ck yourself! She couldn't say this out loud; she was the champion!
Red noticed the Legion's Ambassador was there in the crowd with a bunch of bodyguards. Itu was glowering at them and June wasn't near him.
"We have a champion," he said loudly, directing to the girl onstage. "But where is the Emperor? I thought he'd make his appearance at least by the tournament's finals."
Itu confronted him. "The Emperor had to leave on urgent business. You will be received by his heir to the throne."
"As far as I know, the Emperor doesn't have any sons…," the ambassador said grimly.
"But he has a daughter," Itu said boldly.
So, the princess would give her the trophy.
On the stage, a young lady wearing a gorgeous hanfu dress appeared. Her head was covered with gold jewelry and tiara. Brown hair peeped through the tiara. A white glittering mesh mask covered her face.
"Your Highness! We need to talk!" The Ambassador's voice provoked the guards behind the princess to point their guandaos at him.
"Are you ordering me in my own land, Mr. Ambassador?" she spoke with authority.
That voice…
She raised her hand to stop the guards from threatening the Ambassador. "I am expecting you in the royal palace."
Those brown eyes gleamed at Red. June! Red's eyes popped in surprise.
"Now, if you would excuse me, my friend is waiting for the trophy." The princess held the trophy towards her.
"June!" Red forced out.
"Princess June, madam," a guard corrected.
The girl took the trophy, unfocused as if her brain was malfunctioning. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
She couldn't look away from the beautiful face of the princess. Her beauty was enhanced a thousand times by her heavy makeup, royal attire, jewelry, and the aura of a princess.
"Why didn't you tell me that you are the princess of this bloody Dynasty?"
June's face turned sullen. "I forgot to mention," she replied with guilt. June was back to herself.
"Where have you been? You must have seen Xiang Tzu's face!" The girls whispered while the crowd cheered.
"Oh, didn't miss. I saw that fight from there…" June mildly pointed at a window covered with a lattice. "while they were doing my makeup."
Itu gave them an eye gesture from the crowd that 'enough drama girls, we have work to do'.
When Galen appeared before Red to congratulate her, she hurriedly passed the trophy to him. "Master, I guess, this deserves to rest in your dojo. See you."
Before Galen could say anything, Itu and she ran to check if June was done getting out of that princess costume.