I know there are a lot of stories circulating about my father. Some say he was a galactic figure who abandoned my mother and then fled; others say my mother simply chose someone to bear me, or that I was born by chance from a one-night stand. In either case, many secretly claimed my mother had killed him. Some even said he was a hardened criminal and that my mother had locked him up in the prison beneath the city. They might have tried to hide it, but my cultivation was far too strong for that. I could hear them.
My mother prepared a celebration for my birthday. Not only did the leaders of the ancient clans come, but they also brought many other people with them. Many young people, because my mother had told me I could meet my peers. So you can imagine how much the clans wanted me to be friends with their children. Or rather, you remember.
I had a great time with many of my peers, and even more so with those older than me. Yet they were much weaker than me. You might not remember why that was a problem. Let me tell you. They're too weak. Children in their teens only exist in the Sage Realm. They couldn't possibly think they could have a meaningful conversation with me, could they?
Haha, actually, I thought so too, but this is the first time in my life I've met someone my age. It's perfectly natural for me to think I can get along with them.
To the strangers who read my diary and say these words are arrogant: I'm not just the crown prince. I'm at the pinnacle of the Origin Heart Realm. It bothers me that they can't have a meaningful conversation with me about nature and life. That's what distances me from them.
Still, there are some fun aspects. There's a boy named Zaturu, for example. He managed to secretly steal wine from the adults' bottles. I don't know how he did it, but it was truly incredible! I've never managed to steal anything before. I had already decided to ask him to teach me.
Unfortunately, secretly drinking it didn't go well for most of us. Everyone except Zaturu and me got drunk, and some even had stomach problems. They should have stopped when they thought they couldn't drink anymore, but pride... It turns out it was all a plan Zaturu made to hang out with me alone.
I have to admit it. He's very cunning.
I spent some time with him. Then I saw a woman standing alone in a corner. Actually, I'd seen her at the beginning of the celebration, but I didn't want to go and approach her right away. I know her. You know. This woman was quite old. I mean, she looked young, but at least she was a Transcendent, and I'm sure she was quite old.
She exuded a cold aura, keeping people at a distance. Even the heirs of the clans hesitated to approach her. With her long black hair and cold demeanor, she didn't seem like a woman who enjoyed smiling. She was dangerous and troublesome. That's why no one was with her. That's why I approached her.
The moment I reached her, she bowed slightly and greeted me. At least she wasn't a proud fool.
"Why are you alone?"
"I wasn't made for such events, Prince."
"Your Majesty. You should address me as Your Majesty."
"I apologize, 'Your Majesty'."
Although her words were respectful, I didn't feel the same respect from her that I felt from others. It was as if she was mocking me. It would be absurd to say that this didn't bother me. I continued talking to her until the end of the celebration. I can't say it didn't slightly irritate me, but this different feeling made me even more drawn to spending time with her.
This was my first encounter with Alviera Altheryn. The Princess of the Northern Kingdom. The bearer of the Frozen Paradise. The greatest genius in the history of her kingdom, and a rebel who has been a thorn in the side of her father by remaining unmarried for centuries.
A genius who never bowed her head. Beautiful, strong, and intelligent. Was the only reason she hadn't married until now that she didn't consider anyone worthy of her? Or did she simply not want to marry?
Even for a cultivator, it was time to marry.
"Do you think you are worthy of me, Prince?" she asked one day. She made me frown again. I had come all the way to the Northern Kingdom for her. Look at the question she asked.
"'Your Majesty.' Don't you think it's rather disrespectful to ask that question?"
She wore a green dress in the garden under the snow. She had a diamond necklace, and her black hair was beautifully tied back. Unlike her previous warrior appearance, she was now like a true princess. So... beautiful.
She bowed her head and laughed mockingly. Her green eyes complemented her dress.
"Otherwise, why would you come all the way here from the capital?"
The palace garden was quite simple. There was no one around. Because the weather was far too cold for ordinary cultivators. More than losing their limbs, it was the pain they suffered while losing them... what was the point of all this? Even if people could endure it, standing outside in such weather was pointless.
Nevertheless, Princess Alviera enjoyed going out in the cold. I followed her out in this cold weather. No matter what I said, my actions spoke louder than my words.
"I came for you. I wanted to see you."
My words were embarrassing, and although I could protect my face, I couldn't control my heart. Even writing this in my diary is too embarrassing! But honestly, I surprised her.
"Don't you think the shell you see from the outside is just a deception? What if I only want to be queen?"
"Deception is part of your game. Yet, if you thought that was enough to deceive me, you wouldn't have asked that question in the first place."
I was the son of a woman who had reached very high levels of cultivation, remembering everything from the moment I was born. My very existence was extraordinary, given that I could be the child of such a highly cultivated person. I hadn't failed to notice the change in the cold princess's demeanor the moment she saw me.
But the princess wasn't doing this because of my mother or to gain power. She's doing this because she genuinely thinks I deserve her and she doesn't want to lose me.
At first, I wasn't sure, but later it became obvious. I guess that's what love is like for people like us.
No one in this world can endure loneliness. Princess Alviera was truly an extraordinary genius, just as the rumors said. She was the greatest genius I'd ever seen since Uncle Wu.
I remember Alviera looking confused. She really wasn't born to seduce anyone. She only knows how to appreciate the beauty of nature. She doesn't understand submission and obedience. No one else in this world can make her happy except me. Because no one else can give her her freedom except me.
I slowly approached her. I wasn't tall enough yet, and I looked young. And I was. Nevertheless, I placed my hand on the head of this woman who had lived for centuries and gently stroked it. I remember her looking at me in surprise. She looked quite comical.
"I'll come back," I said.
When I left, she was more unhappy than I expected. Perhaps she only intended to use me. To use me and be free.
Haha, I won't let that happen. She won't want to be bound to me only for her purposes. She'll like me. She'll realize she likes me.
But for now, I'll see how resolute I can be in this childish game, and I have far more important tests ahead. Let the princess in the North grapple with her own feelings, while I dominate the Star Path Tournament!
End of Day. Year 13 of the Imperial Era. I think winter is coming.