Departure

After Edward left, the two women fell into a brief silence, the atmosphere growing somewhat awkward. Monica suddenly spoke with a smile:

"Princess, it seems I'll have to call you 'Master' now. Before we train, allow me to change into something more suitable."

With that, she walked over to the two large iron chests holding water and food, and began openly changing out of her house clothes into form-fitting training attire.

Princess Andrea watched Monica change, then gestured to compare her own chest, feeling an inexplicable twinge of inferiority. She said:

"Aren't you afraid that guy might use some surveillance array to peek?"

Monica smiled and replied:

"That fool? Even if I gave him the chance before, he wouldn't dare..."

Just then, the door suddenly opened, and Edward's head poked in. Monica yelped in surprise and ducked behind the chest. Edward quickly pulled his head back behind the door and called out from the other side:

"Sorry, I didn't see anything... I forgot to mention earlier—there's a door on the wall to your right; that's the bathroom. When you go out this afternoon, there's a switch on the wall by the entrance. If you need me, press the red button on the wall, and I'll come running. I'm off now."

Only after the door clicked shut and Edward's footsteps faded did Monica emerge from behind the chest, clutching her chest, which made Princess Andrea burst into laughter.

Monica changed into her training clothes and picked up her twin swords. She held the left sword vertically, tapped the horizontal right sword against it in an ancient swordsman's salute, and said:

"Princess, let's begin!"

Andrea slowly drew her longsword, returning the same salute with both the scabbard and the blade, and said meaningfully:

"I truly dare not be called 'Your Highness' by you! After all, in the eyes of your family, people like mine are only fit to be called 'Nouveau Riche.'"

Monica's eyes sharpened, and she asked coldly, "How did you figure it out?"

Andrea's gaze shifted to the ring on Monica's left hand, answering for her.

"Are you so sure? What if I'm a treasure hunter? Maybe I picked this ring up in some ruin?" Monica asked.

"I wasn't certain before, but a Spatial Ring usable by a non-caster is usually a family heirloom. Bloodline recognition is the most basic condition. I only confirmed it when you took out your training clothes from the ring just now," Andrea said expressionlessly.

"You really are as sharp as Edward said! You saw through me after just one meeting. I've been with that fool for so long, and he never had a clue—he just thought I was some troublemaking Female Thief..." Monica said with a hint of emotion.

"That guy's taste is oddly consistent! He managed to attract two 'princesses.' So how should I address you? Is it—"

"Don't speak that surname! Until I find my enemies and take revenge, I'm not worthy of bearing that name anymore!" Monica cut Andrea off. "Enough talk. Let me see what you've got—let's find out what that fool has taught you."

At that moment, the blonde and brunette 'Knight Princesses' squared off, ready to begin their pre-training spar. Andrea's mind stirred, and to Monica's astonishment, she closed her eyes. As she began to move, her figure suddenly vanished from Monica's line of sight.

Monica's pupils contracted. In her perception, Andrea's aura had completely disappeared. When she saw her again, those emerald eyes were open, staring at her from inches away, the longsword already resting against her neck. Their eyes met, and a bead of cold sweat dripped from Monica's temple.

Andrea curled her lips into a smug smile.

"Want to learn?"

"Yes."

Time flew by in an instant. It was now the afternoon of the second day. Andrea and Monica knelt on one knee in the Training Ground, using their weapons to support themselves. Both were panting heavily, sweat dripping steadily. Andrea gritted her teeth and rose, sheathing her sword. Monica also stood and put away her twin swords.

In truth, Monica had learned the fluctuation Edward spoke of on the very first day, since she too was a "Baptizer." Without experiencing it firsthand, one might never learn it in a lifetime, but for those who had, mastering it could take just an instant.

On the first afternoon, Andrea returned to the Duke's Mansion once, sending Edward's letter and handing Edward's talisman to Alice and Elwin. During training, Monica had selectively revealed some of the situation to the princess, which left Andrea looking grave. After returning, she repeatedly urged Alice never to be willful and take it off.

On the second morning, Andrea came back full of energy, and the two spent the entire day sparring. Lacking opponents, they explored the techniques of the 'fluctuation' while battling freely. The whole day was a thrilling, unrestrained fight, until their Battle Qi was completely spent. Not only Monica, but even Andrea felt she had gained a great deal. Many previous technical rough spots had smoothed out, and she had even learned some of Monica's 'family' Battle Qi techniques.

"I should head back. I'll see you off at the dock tomorrow," Andrea said with a smile.

"See you tomorrow, then," Monica replied with the same smile, as if they were old friends.

Just as Andrea was about to leave the Training Ground, she suddenly turned back and asked out of the blue:

"Why didn't you agree to stay with him? I feel like you care about him a lot."

Monica shook her head with a bitter smile, saying nothing.

"Then don't blame me later..." Andrea continued her cryptic words.

"Take care of him. If... if I can come back, I'll take him back..."

"Then..." The blonde Knight Princess hesitated, finally breaking into a radiant smile: "Then you have to come back!"

When the two women emerged from the Training Ground, they happened to run into Edward waiting at the entrance, a lollipop dangling incongruously from his mouth. After a day and a half apart, they both sensed something different about him. His weary expression remained, but his aura had changed. Standing there, he seemed to exert a strange pull, drawing in everything around him.

If the Magic Girl had been there, she would have clearly sensed that Edward now resembled a magic black hole, frantically absorbing the magical elements from the surrounding space. This was the state a Great Mage entered during Deep Meditation, and it usually didn't last long. Sure enough, just as the two women felt a flicker of surprise, that black hole sensation vanished.

Edward took the orange-red lollipop out of his mouth and asked:

"How did it go for the Two of you?"

"Great!" both women answered simultaneously.

"Want to grab a meal together?" Edward asked.

"I'll pass. If I'm not at the dinner table at home, my father will ask questions," Andrea declined.

"Then I'm really sorry for the trouble. Thank you so much for your help these past two days!" Edward bowed sincerely.

The princess sidestepped half a step, avoiding his bow, and said:

"I've gained a lot too. Monica and I were just learning from each other. But... just now, I felt like you were a bit—"

"Oh, that was me testing my newly improved 'Spiritual Root.' I've been burning through too much energy these past two days, so I gave myself an upgrade. The results aren't bad," Edward said, using jargon the princess only half understood.

"Oh, right. You two must have expended a lot of energy during training—want a taste?" Edward pulled a handful of lollipops wrapped in colorful wax paper from his pocket. He looked just like a Pervert Uncle trying to lure little girls.

"What are these?"

"Recovery potions for stamina that I made. When I went out this morning to buy materials, I ran into Mr. Gonzalez. He somehow managed to get his hands on Goji Berries. I boiled a pot of syrup and used these two ingredients to make these lollipops. Sucking on them slowly restores energy," Edward said.

After seeing off Andrea, who left happily sucking on a lollipop, Edward and Monica returned to the living room in the Backyard. The shop out front was already closed, and Harry had gone home long ago. Out of habit, Edward tied on an apron and walked over to the Open Kitchen on one side of the living room to start cooking.

The two ate in tacit silence, savoring the dishes Monica usually liked. This continued until dinner was over.

Seeing that the beauty had finished eating, Edward took off the Spatial Ring from his finger, placed it on the dining table, and slid it in front of Monica.

"Take it. Everything I prepared for you is inside. I made a few small tweaks so you can use it with your Mental Power."

Monica was slightly stunned. She looked up at Edward.

"Isn't this your only ring? If I take it, what will you do?"

"It'll just be a bit inconvenient for me, but you'll find it even more inconvenient out there without something like this." Edward gave a dry laugh. In truth, his heart was bleeding—this ring, along with everything inside it, was all his valuable possessions. But if you're going to be a good person, see it through to the end. In this world, Monica was the first girl who had ever stirred his heart. The reason they couldn't be together wasn't that she didn't like him back. So, he would do everything he could for her, to avoid any regrets in the future.

As the saying goes, a man in his twenties loves with his heart, while a man in his forties loves with his loins. Edward, this 'old man' in his forties from his Previous Life, never expected that after transmigrating, he would end up following his heart once again.

In the end, Monica didn't take Edward's Spatial Ring. Instead, she confessed to him that she already had one of her own. And when she told him the size of her ring's interior space, Edward's jaw nearly dropped. Recovering his composure, Edward excitedly led Monica to his underground warehouse. Not only did he let her take everything from his Spatial Ring, but he also packed her a whole bunch of other 'odds and ends.' Some things even surprised Monica, like the several cubic meters of something Edward called "TNT," which he claimed could blow the entire Duke's Mansion sky-high.

On the morning of the third day, Monica left. Those three mercenaries had indeed turned into weaklings, yawning as they boarded the fast ship heading to the Rainforest Country. Monica looked radiant as she boarded, smiling and waving goodbye to Edward and Andrea, who had come to see her off. Finally, she blew Edward an enthusiastic Flying Kiss.

At the dock, the sky was a clear blue, and Sand Gulls gathered in flocks. Patches of clouds floated between the water and the sky. Edward and Andrea stood side by side, silently watching the sailboat disappear over the horizon.

"Why didn't you force her to stay? You have the strength for it, and she probably wouldn't have put up much resistance." Andrea voiced her doubt. In this world where the Strong person reigned supreme, that would have been the choice befitting a 'Strong person.'

Edward didn't know where to start. Suddenly, he recalled a line from his favorite movie in his Previous Life:

"Loving someone doesn't mean you have to keep them by your side forever.

The flower I fancy doesn't have to be picked."

With that, ignoring the bewildered Knight Princess, he turned and walked away, thinking himself quite dashing.

Guess which movie that line is from?