"You know Rebecca."
Elizabeth's head snapped up. She spun around so fast her glasses almost flew off. And there he was—a kid, floating in the middle of her room like it was nothing, wearing a relaxed grin that absolutely did not match the situation.
She blinked. Once. Twice.
"How did you get here," she said slowly, "and how did you not alert the guards?"
"I just walked in." Adam shrugged. "You people ask too many questions. Now answer mine. Does your Rebecca look like my Rebecca?"
Elizabeth frowned. "You can't just walk into the Center. Or the palace. Or my room. And—how am I supposed to know what your Rebecca looks like?"
Adam clicked his tongue and scratched his head. "Well, I literally just walked in. And this is her face."
He flipped his hand and conjured a picture. Rebecca—his Rebecca—appeared in midair.
Elizabeth stared… then her eyes widened just a little. The face was familiar. Very familiar. The clothes, though—
"What is she wearing?" Elizabeth asked, confused. "That doesn't look like anything in the empire."
Adam sighed like he was speaking to a slow child. He looked at her and waited.
Elizabeth held his stare… and then it clicked.
"Oh," she said. "She is the Rebecca I know."
Adam smiled. "Good. Means she reincarnated too. And honestly, how would you know every clothing style in the empire when you're basically trapped in here?"
Elizabeth's eyebrow twitched. She did not like that.
Adam didn't care. "Where is Rebecca now?"
Elizabeth's jaw tightened. "I'm not telling you where she is."
Adam's smile faded into an amused exhale. "You sound like you think you can stop me."
"Try me," she muttered.
Before he could speak again, a firm knock landed on her door.
"Your Highness," a guard called from outside, "the nobles are assembled. The capital is waiting. It's time."
Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly. "I'll be out soon."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Soft footsteps retreated.
She turned back toward Adam… but he was gone.
No sound. No trace. Just empty air.
Her hand fell to her side.
"…Rebecca," she whispered, unsure if she was relieved or terrified.
Meanwhile, Adam appeared in the middle of the crowd like he had just been standing there the whole time. Nobody noticed anything. People were talking, laughing, pointing at the floating projection above the capital. He just folded his hands and watched with them.
A murmur ran through the civilians as the image shifted. The king stepped out first, his presence alone shutting everyone up. He was tall, broad-shouldered, the kind of man whose silence weighed more than most men's shouting. His hair was dark, tied back, his eyes sharp and steady. Every step he took screamed authority.
The whole capital went quiet.
He stood in front of the massive platform and looked at his people. When he finally spoke, his voice carried without effort.
"Today is a special day for our Empire."
People cheered lightly, then quieted again.
"It has been years since we last held a coming-of-age ceremony of this scale," he continued. "Our Empire has seen peace, conflict, fear, growth… and through it all, we survived because of the strength of our citizens."
Some clapped. Others listened with their heads bowed.
The king's expression softened a little.
"And today, we welcome a new future. My daughter, Elizabeth. She has awakened a Legendary-rank talent. A gift that appears once in many centuries. A gift that belongs not only to the royal family, but to the Empire as a whole."
People cheered louder this time. The ground vibrated with excitement.
Adam just watched, quiet, eyes half-lidded.
"She will carry great responsibility," the king said. "She will train, learn, and grow—just like any child blessed with talent. And as tradition demands, she will attend the Academy for the next few years."
That part made the crowd go crazy. Everyone shouted, jumped, clapped. Even the nobles in the background looked pleased.
Adam sighed quietly. "Academy again… everywhere I go."
The king raised a hand, signaling them to calm down.
"And now—my daughter."
The crowd erupted as Elizabeth stepped forward, her curls bouncing, her glasses catching the light, her presence bright and calm at the same time. She smiled and waved, looking every bit like the Empire's shining future.
Adam slipped his hands into his pockets.
"Alright then," he muttered. "Let's see what this girl is planning."
The screen above flickered for a moment—
just enough for Adam to notice.
And then the entire crowd went silent again as Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak…
Elizabeth stepped up beside her father, her hands clasped neatly in front of her. She looked calm, composed, trained. But Adam had already met her minutes ago—he knew she was anything but calm right now.
She looked out at the sea of people projected before her.
"Good afternoon," she said softly.
Somehow, her quiet voice carried through the projection, reaching every corner of the capital. People leaned forward to hear her better.
"I… thank you all for coming. I know today is important to everyone, but honestly—"
She paused.
A few nobles stiffened.
The king glanced at her from the side.
"I don't really know what to say," she admitted with a shy smile. "I've been told to stand here and act impressive, but… I'm just me."
The crowd murmured with amusement.
She pushed her glasses up and continued, "I'm grateful for my awakening. I'll do my best at the Academy. I'll try not to embarrass the Empire. And… I hope I can make everyone proud."
The capital applauded warmly.
Adam tilted his head slightly.
She was pretending.
But she was good at it.
A thunderous voice boomed behind her.
"Introducing the princess of Imperion—Elizabeth!"
The cheering returned even louder. People waved flags, children jumped, some even kneeled. The nobles nodded approvingly like they were evaluating a product.
Adam scratched his cheek and muttered, "Humans love noise."
Elizabeth bowed politely.
The Imperium Academy
"I heard the princess is coming here."
"Yeah… and I hope she makes that Rebecca monster calm down a bit."
Another student scoffed under his breath.
"Calm down? That girl? Please. She beats seniors like they owe her debt."
A third leaned in.
"Just pray she doesn't hear you say her name."
They all fell quiet instantly.
No one wanted to end up in the infirmary for a month again.