"Hey, are you all right?"
Dongfang Minghui had choked on water, and her face was drenched. She pointed toward the figure that had already disappeared and asked weakly, "Did you see what they looked like?"
Toothless ran to her side and nuzzled her, then caught her finger between those little teeth and tugged her toward shore.
Once Xuanzhu recognized her, she exclaimed in surprise, "Why is it you?"
Dongfang Minghui gave her a grateful look and finally made it back to shore with her help.
Seeing how shaken she looked, Xuanzhu could not resist mocking her. "How can you be so useless? If I hadn't been here today, someone would have drowned you!"
Dongfang Minghui smiled bitterly. That was about right, though her attacker probably had not escaped unscathed either. The silver needles she had launched were surely still inside her attacker's body.
"Thank you."
Xuanzhu looked at her bedraggled state. "Fine. Since you're so pitiful, I'll escort you back myself."
"Hey, tell me. What's your relationship with the person who gave you that jade belt?" Xuanzhu asked nosily as they walked.
Love Entwined was a weapon crafted by Mr. Zhongshan. It had been given that name because there was another matching item. Mr. Zhongshan had said they were a pair of lovers' weapons, carrying his wish that all lovers might find happiness together. However, she had never managed to learn exactly what the other item was.
She was a Thief-Hand, and she could not use her Dark-Type Spirit Power. Apart from throwing her weight around the palace with her princess title, she was essentially useless. That was why she desperately wanted something to defend herself with.
She had never expected someone to swoop in at the auction and snatch away the item she had set her heart on. Worse