### Chapter 408: I'm Done Pretending, Let's Get Real
Inif was indeed the beloved heir to the throne, with a vision and understanding that could easily put ordinary folks to shame.
Now, finding herself in a perilous situation, where enemies lurked in the shadows while she was out in the open, relying solely on her own power to reach the academy was going to be as challenging as finding Waldo in a crowd.
As for turning back? Forget it. The longer she delayed, the worse things would get for her.
In such a tight spot, she quickly gauged through brief interactions that the girl in front of her could potentially lend a helping hand. What she deduced from the girl’s ability to interrupt the teleportation of her pendant was that she was no ordinary gal. At least no one in the palace had been rumored to possess such a skill.
So, Inif decided it was time to change her title for this girl.
It was a gamble, but it turned out to be a jackpot.
Luck was on her side, and the Saint Felis Academy had quite the allure for Yuliya.
With Yuliya around, the threats to her life were practically nonexistent.
But, oh boy, did she miscalculate! Sometimes, the real danger didn’t come from others at all.
A distance of tens of thousands of illies is normally considered a long trek. Following Inif's estimation, with her Gold-level prowess, it would take at least twenty days of non-stop traveling to make it.
But Yuliya had different plans. “Nah, that’s pretty close. Won’t take more than a few days,” she said, flashing a grin.
Why? Because they could fly!
After clarifying the direction, Yuliya wasted no time and set off.
“Let’s go!”
Before Inif could even process what was happening, Yuliya had whisked her into the sky. Zoom!
Moments later, ecstatic singing echoed in the air.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
Now that was a reaction!
This was the kind of normal girl reaction that was just too precious.
Yuliya soared through the clouds, amused as she watched Inif scream her lungs out. This wasn’t the first time—Little Moon had done something similar before. Now, watching a princess act the same way made her wonder—does that make Little Moon a princess too?
Not a bad line of logic!
After a while, Yuliya chuckled, “Most people never get to experience this! You’re the second lucky one!”
Realizing she could hear Yuliya’s voice, Inif blinked back to reality.
She glanced down, then immediately looked up, side to side, and finally locked eyes on Yuliya again.
How high were they? This was terrifying!
Clouds surrounded them, and looking down was like peering into a creepy white abyss.
After a few seconds, she managed to collect herself a bit.
The person next to her was acting like this was a casual stroll, while she herself felt essentially the same as she would standing on solid ground—just a little more ‘whoa!’
“A little warning would’ve been nice,” she huffed.
“But where’s the fun in that?” Yuliya giggled, covering her mouth.
“You have a bit of a twisted sense of fun…”
“Hehehe, just a smidge,” Yuliya said, making a finger gesture like ‘just a little bit’ and casually added, “I’m Riya, so just call me that. No need for formality.”
“Sure. So, um… according to you, Riya, how long until we reach Saint Felis Academy?”
“About two or three days. We’ll stop for breaks along the way.”
“That fast?!” Inif gaped.
So, that’s why she said it wasn’t far! But still, that was lightning speed.
“Uh, is there any chance we could delay by a few days? Like maybe seven?”
“Why?”
“Well, if it’s five days, I could spin it as if I teleported using a family heirloom. That’s about its maximum range.”
“Oh? So you want to fake that your last resort's already been used? Not a bad idea! We can switch to regular travel after we’ve covered some distance.”
“Thanks! I genuinely appreciate this, and if you need anything, I’ll do my best to help!”
“We’ll see.”
And with that, the two raced off toward Saint Felis Academy.
As for Inif’s three previous accompanying attendants? They weren’t relevant—the academy wasn’t meant for them anyway, and they might even be the reason her plans got leaked.
On the road, Yuliya took the time to inquire about the academy.
It was established by the Elves, focusing on helping Gold-level students break through to Emerald level. Once they reached that milestone and met a few other criteria, they could graduate.
With nearly two thousand years of history, many famous strong figures had passed through there. They graduated, broke through to the Legendary level, and set forth on their own journeys.
This is why the reputation of Saint Felis Academy and the Elves was sky-high, capable of swaying the fate of an entire world.
Inif, 17 years old, had spent over two years at the academy and was on the cusp of breaking through. Who knew when she might graduate!
This was precisely why certain individuals in the Lysetti Kingdom were practically losing their minds.
Yuliya, curious about the academy’s history lessons, asked Inif about it. Unfortunately, Inif had only skimmed the surface of what was required.
Looks like Yuliya would have to find a way to sneak into the academy herself.
Two days later, as they changed to land travel, they ventured for another four days and finally arrived at Saint Felis City.
This city lay at the heart of the Great Star Realm, a public no-man’s land overseen entirely by Saint Felis City.
The city was built around the academy, which occupied half its area while the rest catered to the academy's needs.
Inif led Yuliya into the city but didn’t rush into the academy right away; instead, she opted to find a cozy inn first.
“Riya seemed really interested in the academy. Are you hoping to get in?” Inif asked.
“Of course! It seems super... no, I mean, there's quite a bit I’d like to learn there,” Yuliya said, with an excited smile.
Inif had gleaned some insight into this mysterious powerhouse’s character.
Super lively!
In plain terms, it was—playful!
Bah, she didn’t have that serious aura you’d expect from a strong person. If she hadn’t seen her powers, it would be hard to believe she was a Legendary-level figure.
“But the academy has rules against accepting anyone above Gold level.”
“Don’t worry! I’ll suppress my strength and only show Gold level. No one will spot the difference!” Yuliya confidently boasted.
“Uh…”
Could she really do that?
“But the rules also state they don’t accept applicants who are… too mature.”
“Hmm? Oh, did you realize I'm very mature?” Yuliya thumbed herself with a proud smile. “A princess really has an eye for this!”
“…”
You’re already a Legendary-level powerhouse! Do we really need to inspect the details?
As for how mature or not, Inif didn’t dare to venture an opinion there.
However, Yuliya shrugged her shoulders helplessly, “What a shame. Though I look mature, that's just on the surface. My actual age is... well, let’s cut the suspense. I’m only 11 years old.”
Well, there you go—she finally dropped the charade.
She couldn’t keep pretending like this when they were actually headed to the academy.
No more disguises; it was time to lay the cards on the table.
Inif, however, was left stunned for several seconds before managing a bewildered, “Huh? 11 years old?!”
