Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: White Realm
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“You literally demolished the western part of the Northern Capital... You sure know how to make a grand outing of it, my dear.”
In the Imperial Princess's office, Zhu Yeonhwa, buried in a pile of documents while wearing her spectacle-shaped magical artifact, let out a sigh of disbelief.
“Come on, we had to save the students' lives. Breaking a few buildings is par for the course.”
“I'm not blaming you. It was the right thing to do. It's just... I've been a bit worn out lately.”
Rubbing her eyelids after removing her glasses, Zhu Yeonhwa clearly looked exhausted.
Though not a martial artist, she was a high-level sorceress on par with a doctoral level by the Academy's standards, her potent dragon bloodline enhancing her further.
She had never even caught a minor cold, and pulling all-nighters for three days straight posed no issue to her naturally robust constitution.
“Something must have come up.”
Even she was voicing fatigue, meaning the past few days had been intensely busy.
“My big brother is finally thinking of stepping down from the Crown Prince position, so tasks are pouring in like never before.”
The current Emperor's ascension was only about five years away. It was time to solidify the next successor.
Thus, the declaration: He would confirm the one to inherit the Crown Prince title within the year.
A major imperial event occurring once every millennium, and an unprecedented shift even for the de facto successor.
Securing support from the turbulent bureaucracy and key families was basic, as was touring the Northern Capital and the Central Plains to gauge the nation's fortune.
A deluge of favorable and unfavorable events piled up, requiring coordination of the wildly fluctuating financial sector on top of it all—tasks formed mountains.
Even her pet project in the railway industry had been sabotaged by sleazy cultists, demanding considerable attention to clean up.
Minor issues that could be handled separately overlapped all at once, forcing her to push through the fatigue.
“What can you do? It's all work I chose to take on.”
It was just a bit taxing—she wasn't seriously complaining.
Her subordinates were competent, each handling their duties without mishaps.
Sometimes periods just oddly converge, piling up the workload.
So-hyang gazed worriedly at her friend's subtly hollowed face.
“Oh dear, your face looks half-gone. Are you eating properly? Let me make you something—”
Zhu Yeonhwa felt her heart warm at her friend's genuine concern...
“...I'm eating well. These days, even meals extend into work, so I'm not skipping breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks.”
...but a chill ran through her, leading her to deftly decline the well-meaning offer.
“Mm-hmm, no matter how busy, you have to eat on time.”
So-hyang nodded in satisfaction, pondering what she could do for her diligent friend.
“Ah, let me at least massage your shoulders.”
She naturally positioned herself behind Zhu Yeonhwa, kneading from the shoulder blades up to the chest muscles, loosening them thoroughly.
“Wait, my dear—ahh!?”
“My, your shoulders are more knotted than I thought. Even with dragon blood, you should do some stretches now and then—”
“Ahh! Hnngh!?”
Sitting at her desk for long hours handling work—and regularly carrying considerable weight, though not as much as So-hyang—naturally built up fatigue unbeknownst.
So-hyang released it in an instant.
“How's that? Feel refreshed?”
“Hah... Hnngh... Refreshed, yes...!”
She had experienced it at the hot springs three years ago, but So-hyang's massages were too stimulating.
Not unpleasant, but too pleasurable for comfort.
“Hey, it's all for Your Highness's benefit. I'll teach you some stretches too—do them whenever you have a moment to take care of yourself.”
“...Fine, fine.”
-----
In the end, she had nothing immediate to do.
She had toured the capital adequately, the research entrusted to the Academy needed time, and spars with the martial instructor or dean would wait a bit longer.
“What's to fret? Just waiting it out...”
No need to rush. With plenty gained, she could leisurely sort and await.
First things first.
“A power to manipulate space—fascinating.”
A pure white void hovered above So-hyang's palm, in empty air.
The spatial ability once wielded by Mujojin.
Not the full might of the Demonic Realm that dominated space like its master, but that was expected.
Originally an irreproducible anomaly unique to demonic beasts, powered by demonic qi.
Instead of the well's characteristic gloom inside the void, pristine white filled it—no moisture or stuffiness, just odorless emptiness.
Even amid the Eternal Wheel's shredding rotation, its core remained—an oddity. The ability persisted intact, demonic taint cleanly washed away.
“Can't erode real space to expand territory, but can handle a separate space...”
Like the bottomless well, she now possessed an ever-ready unfull warehouse.
A private domain, not earthly land—perhaps best called a private realm.
Vital energy neatly supplanted the old demonic qi role, making it wholly hers.
“White Realm... that suits it.”
No deep meaning in the name; what mattered to So-hyang was its uses.
Degraded from the Demonic Realm's power, yet undeniably extraordinary.
Wield spatial rifts as blades, envelop in space for protective gang qi, teleport flesh in blinks to cross voids, store and accumulate energy within...
Innumerable applications sprang to mind instantly.
To turn ideas real, first test limits and scope.
So-hyang probed the White Realm's interior with her divine sense, gauging size.
As a vital energy-driven ability, size had limits—but practically limitless vastness.
“Ho, impressive...”
Surface area rivaled a large estate, expandable further with more vital energy.
Most astonishing: She could control the internal environment.
Adjust distributed vital energy to raise or lower humidity and temperature at will.
Even manipulate time within.
While sealed from reality, she could accelerate, decelerate, or halt internal time flow per her will.
Reversing time remained impossible—somewhat sensible, at least.
“Ha, unbelievable.”
So-hyang let out a hollow laugh.
This life's world mocking physics was familiar now, but this defied rules outright.
Compared to the Alliance Lord or dean's presence, perhaps not that extreme.
One issue nagged So-hyang.
“I don't grasp the principle...?”
Think 'stop' and time stops, 'slow' and it slows, 'speed' and it speeds—but how?
More enigmatic than the Blade Realm's mysteries, gauged by feel through sword strikes.
The former she vaguely knew paths to; this, not even that.
Her own ability now, yet its mechanism eluded her. Likely because it wasn't originally hers.
Unsatisfying.
Past aside, now her tool and power.
Not mastering its logic and handling irked her.
So-hyang felt the need to dissect this new ability thoroughly.
“Time, time...?”
Space and time weren't independent—interwoven continuum.
Interfere with space, logic dictated time too; yet So-hyang never considered it.
Time seemed absolute, beyond human meddling—a fixed notion.
By past life's standards, fact not notion—but here, mortals wielded concepts and laws firsthand.
Obvious in hindsight.
A swordsman transcending laws via blade must slash not just space, but time's flow too, no?
“Man, feels like my horizons just widened!”
So-hyang laughed heartily, slapping her knee at her still-narrow mindset.
No mastery yet, but broadened thinking was progress.
-----
Separate from lacking principles' satisfaction, the functions pleased her.
Now, no lugging goods—she could store everything away.
Time flow control offered boundless utility.
Especially in cooking and brewing.
Fermentation needing ages done in moments; indefinite storage after.
Brew new liquor, make proper kimchi beyond simple salads, age ingredients absurdly easily.
Entertain others anytime, anywhere with peak dishes unbound by time or place.
Skipping the joy of devoted process was a minor regret, outweighed by convenience.
“Hmm, what to make...”
Brewing tempted, as did true kimchi—not side-dish sorts.
Myriad options, but first: the dean's prior request.
“...Sweets with honey and sugar. She said she likes them, right?”
Women's universal sweet tooth and dessert frenzy, etched in genes.
Many ways to indulge; So-hyang picked one.
In short: Pastry and baking time.