Arian Liberin's Return
"Let's go."
Whether he sensed her feelings or not, Seo Moon-jin silently took her hand and led her outside. They emerged from the hidden altar's passage and descended the mountain, soon encountering the search party.
"[Your Highness!]" "[Are you unharmed!]"
Among them were several familiar royal knights dispatched from the Liberin Kingdom. These three had served the royal guard since Arian Liberin's childhood.
"[Yes, I'm fine. Seo Moon-jin here rescued me.]"
Arian Liberin offered a calm, effortless smile. She bore no injuries, and her rescue had come swiftly after the kidnapping.
"[Thank goodness!]" "[We're so relieved you're safe, Your Highness.]"
The knights visibly relaxed. They soon turned to Seo Moon-jin and bowed.
"Thank you for saving our princess."
"[You all look familiar. Weren't you the knights escorting the King of Liberin when I visited three years ago?]"
Though the knights had spoken in Korean, Seo Moon-jin replied fluently in the Liberin Kingdom's language. He had already mastered it to a native level during his previous visit, so this came naturally. Three years ago he had worn a mask before these very knights, yet they knew the masked youth's true identity as the heir to the Yucheon Group. It was public knowledge, after all.
"Indeed. It is good to see you again. We are truly grateful for your kindness in rescuing Her Highness."
The knight who spoke let out a small chuckle, realizing he had answered in Korean while Seo Moon-jin used their native tongue. The knights had been chosen for this mission precisely because they were fluent in Korean, allowing direct communication without interpreters.
"[Please go to the large rock deep in the mountains where I gave you the coordinates. Move the rock as I showed you and you'll find a passage. Inside is Rotten Bendishion's body—handle it respectfully.]"
Arian Liberin gave the order as princess.
"[Rotten Bendishion?]"
The dispatched knights seemed unfamiliar with the name. All three were in their thirties, the eldest being thirty-nine, so none had been part of the royal guard during Rotten Bendishion's incident and knew nothing of the truth behind it.
"[Yes. Do not desecrate the body. Recover it properly. In the end he realized he had been deceived and used by the villains, and I executed him personally as princess.]"
"[Understood.]"
Two knights headed toward the mountain while the third remained to continue guarding her. With Seo Moon-jin present, his protection was hardly necessary, but Arian Liberin still needed to persuade the Liberin royal family—especially her father, King Royus—so having someone who could contact them immediately was useful. She permitted the knight's company more for communication than protection and watched as he raised his phone to report.
"[Princess Arian is safe and currently beside me. Student Seo Moon-jin rescued her.]"
[Thank the heavens!]
It was the vice-commander of the royal guard. He had apparently been dispatched directly to the academy to search for her.
"[I'm perfectly fine here.]"
She stepped closer to the knight so her face would clearly appear on the screen, letting the vice-commander confirm her safety with his own eyes.
[We're so relieved. Your Highness, please return to the academy as soon as possible.]
"[Yes. I'll head there right away.]"
After ending the call, Arian began moving toward the academy. Yet she found herself repeatedly glancing at Seo Moon-jin walking silently beside her.
The kiss… he really doesn't seem to care at all after doing that.
She felt foolish for being so conscious of him. Arian Liberin always wore a graceful smile, and thanks to her pure, delicate appearance and regal bearing, the public knew her as the innocent princess. In truth, however, she was ambitious and competitive, with a surprisingly combative streak. Seo Moon-jin's indifferent attitude now sparked the opposite reaction in her.
I want to make Seo Moon-jin pay more attention to me.
Even so, she understood what needed to be done first. Suppressing those feelings, she continued toward the academy.
"Arian!"
The first to reach her was Yee Eun-chae. Her purple hair flew wildly as she ran so fast her ample chest visibly bounced. When she pulled Arian into a tight hug, the princess felt a flicker of surprise.
"Arian! I was so worried! I'm so glad you're safe!"
Yet seeing Yee Eun-chae's genuine joy at her safety, Arian found herself smiling without realizing it. She gently returned the embrace.
"Thank you for worrying about me. It makes me really happy to see you care this much, Eun-chae."
"Of course I would. How could I not worry when my friend was in danger?"
Arian thought Yee Eun-chae seemed truly pure. While she herself had to maintain the facade of an innocent princess, she was no ordinary princess—she was the next in line for the throne and had to keep her true nature hidden. That's why I like it here, she thought. The week she had spent at the National Hero Academy had been pleasant precisely because of people like Yee Eun-chae, who treated her simply as a friend, and Yoo Eun-chae, kind and reserved at heart despite her own burdens. And, of course, Seo Moon-jin, who had always shown her kindness.
"I'm glad you're safe…"
Yoo Eun-chae arrived next, her long silver hair swaying as she approached with a visibly relieved expression. Genuine concern filled her face, the relief especially deep.
"Ah! Arian, I'm so glad you're safe!"
Then came the voice she least wanted to hear—Seo Moon-hyun. The blue-haired, blue-eyed young man with a gentle appearance walked toward her, relief written across his face. Despite his striking resemblance to Seo Moon-jin, Arian found it remarkable how unpleasant he could be in comparison.
"I was worried when I heard you'd been kidnapped. Thank goodness you made it back safely."
He reached out toward her, now free from Yee Eun-chae's hug. Arian stepped back and avoided his hand.
"That's quite rude. Please don't touch me so casually."
She was genuinely displeased. Normally she would have spoken more politely, but after witnessing the sincere concern from Yee Eun-chae and Yoo Eun-chae, Seo Moon-hyun's behavior felt especially jarring by comparison. Even setting aside her status as princess, his attempt to lay hands on her was highly improper.
Seo Moon-hyun looked genuinely confused, as though he couldn't understand what he had done wrong.
"Huh? Arian? What's wrong?"
His obliviousness only irritated her further. Already unsettled by her growing feelings for Seo Moon-jin, seeing this man who shared his face yet possessed none of his appeal made her temper flare.
"If you don't understand, then don't approach me. And stop pretending we're close."
"A-Arian? Did something happen? We were friends, weren't we?"
"We were never friends. You simply decided on your own to act familiar with me."
"Arian…"
When Seo Moon-hyun tried to speak again, Yee Eun-chae stepped in front of him.
"That's enough. Arian said she doesn't like it."
"No, but…"
The way his gaze lingered on Yee Eun-chae as though appraising a trophy made Arian even more disgusted. It wasn't just her—he looked at her kind, innocent friend the same way.
"Stop."
Seo Moon-jin's back appeared before them, blocking Seo Moon-hyun.
"Moon-jin…"
Yee Eun-chae murmured his name softly while looking at his back. Her voice carried a trace of pride, as if she had always believed her friend would stand up for them.
"Seo Moon-hyun, leave. Arian was just rescued and needs rest."
"…Understood."
Though clearly dissatisfied, Seo Moon-hyun obediently withdrew.
"Let's go, Arian."
"Yes."
At Seo Moon-jin's words, Arian found herself smiling without thinking. Now the remaining issue was persuading the Liberin Kingdom—especially her father, King Royus. With Seo Moon-jin's help, she felt the task would prove far easier than she had anticipated.