The public carriage station in Roa City, the transportation hub of the Fitoia Territory, was always crowded and bustling with noise.
It was where adventure, trade, and everyday life converged.
Rough-looking drivers bellowed departure times and destinations at the top of their lungs;
Sturdy horses snorted impatiently and whinnied as their harnesses were fitted;
Travelers about to set off gathered in small groups, excitedly discussing their hopes for the future;
And shrewd peddlers pushed their carts nimbly through the crowds, tirelessly hawking food and sundries.
Together, they formed a vivid portrait of everyday life, brimming with vitality.
Yet none of that surrounding bustle and energy had anything to do with Roxy Migurdia at that moment.
Roxy stood alone in a relatively quiet corner of the station, holding a small white suitcase.
She was waiting for the public carriage bound for the remote Buena Village.
Roxy's head was bowed low.
Her signature wide blue Mage Hat concealed every trace of her expression.
It also shut her off completely from the lively world around her.
Roxy did not look at the people coming and going.
Instead, she stared blankly and motionlessly at the diamond ring on her left ring finger.
The diamond ring glittered brilliantly in the sunlight.
It was the farewell gift Cui Ciyou had all but forced on her before they parted, calling it a "gift in return."
As Roxy gazed at the ring, a dark tide of self-loathing and regret surged like a tsunami, swallowing her heart completely.
I knew it... I really should have... confessed to Ciyou back then...
The thought echoed over and over in Roxy's mind.
But... how could I possibly say something like that?
Ciyou... he's so exceptional, so... dazzling.
*Whether it's his unfathomable Sword King-level swordsmanship or his genius-like wisdom that sees through the