As soon as the news emerged, word that the Heaven Dou Princess would be enrolling in Skywater Academy under the Crown Prince's escort spread at astonishing speed. Before long, everyone knew about it.
At that moment, Qian Renxue and Xue Ke had already boarded a carriage bound for Element City. They had left the imperial capital's territory and were heading toward Element City under the protection of several hundred knights.
Aside from Qian Renxue, who still maintained the appearance of a young man, the carriage held Princess Xue Ke, with her short off-white hair and brown eyes.
Xue Ke leaned wearily against Qian Renxue's shoulder. While studying at Moonlight Pavilion the day before, she had received notice from her Big Brother that she was to attend Skywater Academy.
At first, she had not understood and had gone to ask her father. Yet her father and Big Brother had given her exactly the same answer. Though she had been deeply unwilling, seeing how serious her two closest relatives were, she could not throw a tantrum and refuse. She could only agree. Then, before she had even woken up the next day, she was sent onto the carriage to Element City.
Xue Ke could not say she disliked this hurried yet unusually serious decision. Still, an odd feeling rose within her—something like relief, yet also something like sorrow.
Qian Renxue brushed aside Xue Ke's loose strands of hair and said with a smile, "Father and Big Brother are doing this for your own good. Going to study at Skywater Academy is practically every girl of suitable age's dream. There, you won't have to study cumbersome etiquette every day. You can make friends freely, and there won't be so many shackles and restrictions. Big Brother will speak properly with Skywater Academy's higher-ups and