Chapter 63: Falling snow

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    "Are you truly alright, my dear daughter?" Emperor Leopold Luvenitia White Germonia Leven''s voice was filled with concern.

    "Yes, Your Majesty," Snow replied, her voice steady but soft.

    Inside a dimly lit room, Snow found herself bowing down in front of the man before her.

    With eyes and hair similar to hers, the two exuded the very essence of imperial blood.

    Their regal bearing and noble features marked them unmistakably as members of the Germonia royal family.

    She watched the man on the holographic screen, a projection created by two magic stones held by knights standing two meters apart.

    The magical glow from the stones cast an ethereal light around the room, highlighting the intricate patterns on the walls and the opulence of the imperial chamber.

    The man on the screen was Emperor Leopold Luvenitia White Germonia Leven, her beloved father.

    Known as the White Lion and the Sun of the Germonia Empire, he ruled over the most powerful country on the continent.

    His presence was commanding even through the hologram, and his eyes, though filled with authority, softened with concern as he looked at his daughter.

    Seated upon his grand throne, Emperor Leopold scrutinized Snow with a keen eye.

    The incident involving her had clearly unsettled him, and he was trying to gauge her well- being.

    The subtle signs of stress were evident to him, despite the live feed''s limitations. Her shoulders were slightly tense, and there was a weariness in her eyes that she could not fully conceal.

    As someone who had watched her grow up, he knew just how stubborn Snow could be.

    She had a tendency to keep everything to herself, bottling up her emotions until they burst forth in unexpected and often troubling ways. It was a trait that worried him, especially now.

    ''I should''ve called much earlier...''

    The thought weighed heavily on Emperor Leopold''s mind as he finally found the time to reach out to his daughter.

    It had been roughly a week since the incident, yet he had only now been able to make the call.

    Duty bound him more than freedom ever could, but the realization that he hadn''t prioritized his daughter''s well-being stung deeply.

    The fact that he couldn''t even carve out time for Snow, his own flesh and blood, highlighted the harsh reality of his responsibilities. Despite his title as emperor, he felt utterly powerless in moments like these.

    How many times must he break his promise to his beloved late wife regarding Snow before he would come to deeply regret it for the rest of his life?

    The weight of his failures as a father gnawed at him, making the grandeur of his imperial title seem meaningless in comparison.

    Shaking his head to dispel the troublesome thoughts, Leopold''s blue eyes lightened slightly as he focused on the present moment.

    At least Snow was alive and well in front of him now.

    Reading through the reports, he was acutely aware of how the incident had unfolded,

    especially its connection to the entrance ceremony of the academy.

    The fact that the traitor had struck when least expected left him feeling a pang of regret. He should have been more cautious, more vigilant.

    "Is the late General Auvin truly dead, Snow?" Leopold asked, his voice tinged with both curiosity and apprehension.

    He didn''t want to force Snow to relive such a painful memory, but he needed to confirm the legitimacy of the reports. There was no one he trusted more than Snow.

    "Yes... I saw it with my own two eyes," Snow replied quietly, her voice tinged with both hatred and a tinge of happiness, a complex mixture of emotions swirling within her.

    "I see... what about the academy? What actions have they made?" Emperor Leopold inquired, his tone betraying a sense of urgency.

    "Did the academy not send a report to you, Your Majesty?" Snow asked, her voice a mere whisper in the solemn atmosphere.

    She had heard that Riley had woken up a few days ago, and as her savior on that fateful day, she felt it was long overdue to express her gratitude.

    Thoughts of what happened back then drifted back to Snow''s mind, the memory of Riley''s

    soft whispering voice reassuring her despite the pain he was enduring tugged at her

    heartstrings.

    She had been delaying her visit for far too long now, and the weight of regret settled heavily

    upon her shoulders.

    She knew that dwelling on the past wouldn''t help Riley in any way, yet she couldn''t shake the

    feeling of unease that gripped her whenever she thought about facing him again.

    Thump...! Thump...!

    The constant rhythm of her heartbeat echoed in her ears, a tangible reminder of the anticipation and anxiety that accompanied the thought of visiting Riley.

    Each beat seemed to reverberate through her body, causing her cheeks to flush with a pinkish

    hue and her ears to burn with embarrassment.

    Her mind clouded with uncertainty, and she couldn''t help but feel sense of apprehension at

    the prospect of confronting her feelings head-on.

    Snow was no fool; she understood the implications of her emotions all too well. She wasn''t naive enough to ignore the fluttering sensation in her chest or the racing of her heart whenever Riley crossed her mind.

    But the relentless pounding in her chest was a constant reminder of the turmoil within her, a

    swirling mix of fear and longing that refused to subside.

    "Why did I-?" Snow''s thoughts trailed off, her voice barely a whisper as she grappled with her inner turmoil. It was a question that had plagued her ever since that fateful day. She had always imagined herself as the one in control, the one pulling Riley closer to her.

    Yet now, she found herself being drawn inexorably towards him, swept up in a whirlwind of emotions that she couldn''t fully comprehend.

    As she sat there, lost in her thoughts, Snow couldn''t help but feel a sense of frustration

    bubbling up within her.

    She had always prided herself on her independence and self-reliance, yet here she was,

    grappling with feelings that seemed to defy logic and reason.

    But try as she might, she couldn''t deny the pull that Riley exerted over her, nor the undeniable

    truth that she was powerless to resist it.

    Gripping tightly on her chest, Snow let out a steamy breath as tears welled up in her eyes, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

    "I hate this...." she whispered; the words heavy with resignation.

    Deny as she might, she knew deep down that there was no way out of the emotional whirlwind

    she found herself in.

    ''I don''t want this!''

    Despite her best efforts to rationalize and push aside her feelings, she couldn''t escape the

    truth staring her in the face: she was undeniably, in love.

    ''Why me...!''