The commotion gradually subsided, though the aftermath lingered heavily in the air. What had once been a radiant hall filled with music and polished laughter now showed the faint but undeniable traces of chaos. Fine cracks ran along sections of the marble flooring, subtle yet visible to anyone who cared to look closely. A chandelier hung slightly askew from the ceiling, its crystals still trembling from the residual tremor of unleashed mana.
Although the destruction was not catastrophic, it was enough to disrupt the illusion of untouchable grandeur the palace so carefully maintained.
Palace mages stepped forward almost immediately, their movements efficient but unhurried. There was no panic in their expressions, only the calm focus of individuals trained to restore order before disaster could take root. Soft incantations overlapped in steady rhythm, and threads of controlled mana began to weave through the damaged hall. The fractured marble sealed itself with faint lines of light, the chandelier straightened as though guided by invisible hands, and the burn marks along the draperies faded until the fabric appeared untouched. Within minutes, the hall looked pristine once more, as if the chaos had been nothing more than a brief lapse in decorum.
Yet despite the restoration, the atmosphere had changed.
Conversations resumed, but the laughter sounded strained. Nobles adjusted their sleeves and jewelry with composure, though many could not stop their eyes from drifting toward Zhangxuan and Alteraz. Their gazes were quick and subtle, but the curiosity and unease behind them was impossible to miss.
Alteraz felt the exhaustion hit her all at once. The adrenaline that had sustained her through the confrontation drained rapidly, leaving her limbs heavy and unresponsive. Her breathing became uneven, and a dull ache spread through her body as the strain she had ignored finally demanded recognition. The world tilted slightly, and before she could steady herself, her knees gave out beneath her.
However, she did not hit the ground.
A firm hand caught her mid-fall, steadying her. When she looked up, she found Zhangxuan's gaze fixed on her. His expression remained calm, almost detached, but there was a something in his eyes she couldn't ignore. He scanned her condition in silence, as though calculating the extent of her fatigue and any hidden injuries she might be concealing even from herself.
Without a word, he adjusted his hold to better support her weight.
Ansley approached quickly, his cloak shifting behind him.
"My lord, allow me," he said
Zhangxuan gave a small nod and transferred Alteraz into Ansley's arms and the two left the hall. Once she was secure, he stepped back, and something about him subtly shifted. The warmth that had briefly surfaced while catching her faded, replaced by his usual cold demeanor as his gaze swept across the hall.
At the far end of the room, the noblewoman responsible for the disruption stood surrounded by palace officials yet she did not appear reprimanded. Her posture remained elegant, her chin lifted slightly as if the situation were beneath her. Though she was escorted out, no chains bound her wrists, and no raised voices accompanied her departure. The officials maintained a respectful distance, and even the guards stepped aside with quiet deference.
Whispers spread quickly through the hall.
House Hevenforde.
The name carried weight that required no explanation. It was a lineage deeply intertwined with the kingdom's power structure, one that few dared to oppose openly. Even those who disapproved remained silent, unwilling to challenge the influence attached to that crest.
Zhangxuan's gaze briefly settled on the insignia displayed along the noblewoman's exposed back, the mark gleaming faintly under the chandelier's restored light. His expression did not change, but the faint narrowing of his eyes suggested that he had taken note of more than what was visible on the surface.
Before the murmurs could grow louder, a new presence entered the hall.
The air shifted almost imperceptibly at first, then grew noticeably heavier. Mana gathered in dense, controlled waves that pressed against the senses rather than erupting outward. Conversations faltered and then ceased entirely as high-ranking officials stepped inside. At their center walked a figure whose authority required no announcement.
Elshmir Rouden, the kingdom's Celestial Mage.
His robes shimmered faintly, embroidered sigils catching the light as though constellations had been woven into the fabric. The mana surrounding him was restrained but immense, contained within strict boundaries that spoke of mastery rather than excess. Each step he took felt heavy, and those nearest to him instinctively straightened their posture, as though responding to invisible pressure.
When his gaze settled on Zhangxuan, the tension in the room deepened.
"Head of House De Florencia," Elshmir said. "It has been some time since you have attended one of these gatherings."
Zhangxuan inclined his head slightly, his expression composed. "I didn't expect the Celestial Mage himself to come down for a minor incident". A subtle ripple moved through the crowd at his choice of words.
"Minor" Elshmir repeated, "You actually call this a minor incident? The breach of the royal grounds, the uncontrolled surge of mana, the chaos among the nobles… how can you call that minor, Zhangxuan? You really are unlike anyone I've ever met."
They spoke calmly enough, but the tension between them was obvious.
"I will take responsibility," Zhangxuan said evenly.
Even as he spoke with his usual calm, Zhangxuan knew exactly what Elshmir was plotting. The man bore a personal hatred toward him and would not hesitate to use those around him, including Alteraz. He knew that he would not overlook such an opportunity.
Elshmir regarded him with an unreadable expression. "Your disciple must still be held accountable," he replied. "A matter of this magnitude cannot be dismissed, especially when it risks diminishing the authority of the royal family."
The words were framed as duty, yet the undercurrent of personal intent was difficult to ignore.
"Then, this is where I drew the line Elshmir"
Mana began to gather subtly around Zhangxuan's hand, not flaring violently but condensing with quiet warning. The air between them grew taut, as if stretched thin by opposing forces.
Elshmir's face starts to show amusement and annoyance at his silent warning,"Zhangxuan… tell me, who gave you the courage to challenge a Celestial in his own hall? By every measure, you're far beneath me. And yet here you stand… daring to defy me. How… bold and how foolish."
Around them, palace mages immediately shifted into formation, and guards tightened their grip on their weapons as they pointed it towards Zhanxuan.
No one spoke, but everyone understood how fragile the balance had become.
One by one, nobles began slipping toward the exits, their movements quiet but hurried, as if each glance at Zhangxuan or Elshmir made them second-guess staying. A few remained, standing tensely, unable to tear their eyes away, curiosity and caution warring within them.
"A master bears responsibility for his disciple,"Zhangxun added, his voice steady despite the weight pressing down upon the hall. "And only I have the right to punish her."
--
Alteraz found herself to a room bathed in soft light, the faint scent of medicinal herbs lingering in the air around the bandages wrapped around her arms and torso. Her night garments had replaced the torn dress she wore earlier, but the weight of what had happened pressed against her chest.
He saved me...
The thought lingered, a small warmth stirring deep within Alteraz, fragile yet insistent.
The door opened quietly, and Atila stepped in, carrying bottles of potion. Alteraz's eyes widened, trying to process how she had appeared here. She had been left behind at their residence, yet now she stood in front of her.
"Why are you here? Where are we?" she asked, curiosity threading through her voice as she scanned the room.
"We remain in the Kanzakh Kingdom, inside an inn not far from the palace," Atila replied. "The Grandmaster prepared this chamber for you to rest and I was summoned magically to attend you."
"Summoned?" The word caught in Alteraz's mind, and she froze, trying to grasp something.
If she could be transported here instantly, what had been the point of the carriage earlier? The memory of the ride felt trivial against the weight of the present.
Atila's calm eyes met hers, reading the question before it could be spoken. "Teleportation is not something to take lightly," she said. "It requires skill and precision. A misstep can leave the soul behind in another place while the body moves, or worse, lost between worlds entirely.
Alteraz could only reply with an 'oh,' now realizing that the dizziness she felt upon entering the palace through teleportation finally made sense. Then, the topic have shifted as she remembered something important.
"Where is my master?" Her voice carried concern, though it remained steady.
Atila hesitated. "The Grandmaster… for what I know, he is being held by the palace authorities, specifically by the celestial mage himself."
Celestial mages..
Only a handful had ever reached that level, including Elshmir Rouden of the Kanzakh Kingdom, Testarossa Hamburghn of the North, and Lichita Montefeliass of House Montefeliass. Recognition struck Alteraz like a blow. How could she have almost forgotten him? Elshmir Rouden, whose hatred for Zhangxuan never wavered, was now involved. Being chosen to lead the prestigious Northern Expedition was a chance to rise from obscurity to fame, to gain wealth, and to obtain rare materials that could enhance a mage's power .When Zhangxuan was given that honor instead of him, Elshmir threw himself into magic with ruthless obsession, pushing beyond all limits until he reached heights few could attain. His ambition had grown cruel, and he had come close to killing Zhangxuan and the heroine, stopped only by someone the heroine had saved long ago, whose quiet intervention had shaped events ever since. Now, with opportunity at hand, Elshmir's cunning and malice made him more dangerous than ever, and Alteraz knew he would not hesitate to use it against Zhangxuan.
A cold weight pressed against her chest as the realization sank in. All because of a simple slip in heels, events had shifted in ways she could never have anticipated, and now Elshmir had the upper hand.
To her, Zhangxuan, who is still an Archmage at this time, would stand little chance against someone of Elshmir's power if anything went wrong.
According to the book, Zhangxuan was only an Archmage. At that tier, one could halt aging, dissect natural laws, and bend the elements with precision. It was a realm few ever reached, a height that placed him above kingdoms and beneath legends. However, against a Celestial Mage, even an Archmage stood at a disadvantage.
Without a second thought, she bolted at the door.
"My lady!" Atila exclaimed, but Alteraz did not stop. When the door opens, she collided with Ansley.
"My lady, why are you running?"
"You called me young miss, yet did nothing earlier," she said as she openly show her grudges from what happened earlier.
"I—am, uh—" Ansley stammered, he couldn't find the right words.
"Forget it," she interrupted. "Where is my master?"
Ansley's expression suddenly turned serious. "The Grandmaster… took the blame instead of you. He is still in the palace, handling things."
Seeing the doubt flicker across Alteraz's face, he continued, "My lady… you do not need to worry, go back and rest, the grandmaster will be fine, he is the Head of House De Florencia after all."
For a brief moment, his eyes darkened with unease. Zhangxuan had ordered him to look after Alteraz, and yet he felt helpless that he was not at Zhangxuan's side to help. He forced a small smile, hiding the weight in his chest.
Alteraz did not believe him. Her brow furrowed and her eyes searched his, refusing to be soothed by words alone.
Then, the ground shook violently as dust fell from the ceiling.
As if her deepest fear had begun to take shape, Alteraz seized Ansley's sleeve, his eyes blazing with a mix of worry and rage.
"Take me to him. Now!" she snapped, seizing Ansley's hand and pulling him into a sprint, every heartbeat pounding with fear and determination. The world around them trembled, and every step carried the weight of the unknown.
As they run through the halls, his name flashed in Alteraz's mind
Zhangxuan...
The name felt like a lifeline.
In her past life, he had been nothing more than ink on paper. A character she clung to when her own world felt unbearable.
Now he was real.
Not a distant figure bound to a story, but her master.
When she first transmigrated, her goal had been simple: take what the heroine had wasted, the influence, the opportunities, Zhangxuan at the center of it all. It had been strategy and nothing more.
But standing here now, watching him breathe, move, exist beyond the pages she once memorized, something had shifted.
Whether what stirred in her chest was attachment or ambition did not matter.
Zhangxuan was her strongest leverage. As long as he stood unbroken, her path remained open.
His survival was not sentiment, It was necessity.
She could not let him die.
Her fingers tightened slightly at her side.
"Master," she murmured under her breath, gaze steady, "you better be alive