"I feel like neither the Prince nor Shion did anything wrong. The one at fault is Jiang Si for cheating."

Keke looked at Peony who was seriously criticizing her big brother, and couldn't help but laugh twice. "Big brother, he had no choice..."

"I get it, I get it. Cheating, it's always 'had no choice'. Your brother is the person in Beihai with the least choice." Peony cheerfully patted Keke's shoulder. "After all, both Shion and the Prince of the Mirror World are not to be trifled with. He was forced into love."

Magical Girl captain Li Yi pulled Keke aside. "Ignore her."

As the Mirror Queen's wedding, it was naturally grand and magnificent.

The moment Keke took her first step into the Mirror Kingdom, she instantly felt a sense of release.

Actually, she had been doing mental preparation this whole time.

All this while, Teacher Shion's care for her, and her own feelings for Teacher Shion.

In her heart, she had somewhat taken it for granted that her big brother would definitely marry Teacher Shion one day.

Although she always verbally supported Li Yi, deep down, she never thought Li Yi had a chance...

This wasn't looking down on her friend, or having any issue with Yiyi.

It was just that compared to Teacher Shion, any other girl seemed inadequate.

So when she heard Teacher Shion and her big brother had broken up, she had always harbored a faint disbelief in her heart.

Just as Yiyi said, maybe it was just a temporary fight? Maybe they'd make up after a while?

Of course, it was later proven the two had indeed severed ties, but Li Yi still had no chance.

Because immediately after, her big brother got involved with the Queen of this Mirror Kingdom...

Her big brother, this fickle, faithless, two-timing, wandering-eyed, shifting-hearted, lustful... (she hadn't thought of more words yet) big radish!

No wonder Teacher Shion broke up with him. Any girl would find it hard to tolerate her lover fooling around like this, right? Especially a proud and excellent girl like Teacher Shion, she definitely couldn't tolerate it.

He was still dating Teacher Shion, and as soon as they broke up, he was preparing to marry the Mirror Queen?

This was absolutely not some seamless transition; it was definitely parallel circuits—he was cheating while in a relationship!

Originally, she thought the Prince was some homewrecker, a vixen or something.

But when she appeared during the fight between herself and her big brother, defended her big brother, gave her the invitation, looked after her, and showed the affection and obvious adoration for her big brother in her gaze...

It left Keke unable to say anything for a moment.

For Keke, if someone truly loved her big brother and could genuinely make him happy, she really couldn't bring herself to obstruct or criticize...

She felt a little sorry for Teacher Shion in her heart, but as she ate the lavish gifts and admired the decorations at the wedding, she couldn't help but sigh. The Mirror Queen had really invested a fortune for her big brother's wedding.

If her big brother really liked her, then things with Teacher Shion were truly over...

"Miss Keke? Please come this way. You can go to the VIP seats."

Just as they passed through the large circular floral arch, an Alice approached, speaking warmly and intimately. "Please come with us. You are our customer, a future member of the Mirror Kingdom's royal family."

"Yiyi, you're going to be a princess..."

"What are you thinking!" Li Yi knocked on her friend's head, pulling the silly Keke aside. Looking at the Alice, she just said firmly, "We'll walk around on our own, no need for your arrangements."

"The Mirror Kingdom won't do anything to you..."

"Don't worry about it, or Keke and I will leave."

The Alice hesitated, reported something, then nodded. "As you wish then, little sugar figurine."

After saying that, she turned and left. Li Yi didn't even react immediately.

Until Keke whispered beside her, "She called you a little sugar figurine."

"Who's she calling a little sugar figurine!"

Seeing her friend about to charge forward and pummel the Alice, Keke quickly grabbed her. "Maybe it's a different custom. 'Little sugar figurine' in the Mirror Kingdom might mean 'sweet girl'..."

Li Yi turned and pinched Keke's cheeks. "You really think I'm an idiot?"

"Ah, anyway, just ignore her!" Keke pulled her towards a nearby dessert table. "Let's eat some delicious food first, I'm hungry!"

Li Yi saw that Keke wasn't insisting on going to the palace and breathed a sigh of relief.

But when they reached the dessert table, Keke froze. Following her gaze, Li Yi saw many familiar-looking desserts on the table:

Marmite toast, Devour the Starry Sky pie, blue cheese soda cake, glutinous natto bread, wasabi mung bean juice, herring houttuynia milk...

The two girls looked at each other. Keke was dumbfounded: "Can these really be eaten...?"

"Pretty bad," Li Yi whispered. "I think that 90%-off cake shop in Beihai sells them..."

"...The Mirror Kingdom can't be that poor, right?"

"Maybe people from the old world are into this..."

Li Yi glanced around. There were quite a few people around, mostly members of the old world, eating quite happily.

"Hmm, so it's just a preference issue. The mighty Mirror Kingdom probably isn't completely broke for them."

Then they ran to another table. This time, the desserts looked much more normal, but they seemed to be mass-produced goods from South China...

She also saw Yueji. This senior who was always at the police station was now sitting at a nearby table, talking to an Alice from the Mirror Kingdom, which struck her as odd.

Quite a few people from the Disaster Control Bureau came this time, but Yueji shouldn't be among them.

Where did she get her invitation?

"Hello there, you two little ones."

Just as Keke and Li Yi, holding snacks, were about to go chat with Yueji, they turned and saw a girl dressed in splendid attire. "My name is Jialan, Vice President of the Witch Association. Nice to meet you."

Keke and Li Yi frantically put down their snacks and immediately pulled out their Miracle Seeds. Li Yi even pulled out sunflower seeds by mistake, taking a while to find her Miracle Seed.

Both wore serious expressions as they looked at this girl who would probably count as a high-ranking executive if this were an anime.

"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous." Shan Lan immediately raised her hands. "I'm also just invited to attend the wedding."

The two Magical Girls exchanged a glance. Then Keke glared at the other. "Nonsense. The Mirror Kingdom has nothing to do with the Witch Association."

Previously, the Prince patiently explained to them that the Mirror Kingdom and the Witch Association were also enemies. As the leader within the old world, they wanted to make up for the mistakes they made in the new world and coexist peacefully with it.

Marrying Jiang Si was the first step in their friendly relations with the new world.

"This time, the Mirror Kingdom invited many people to the wedding, of course including our Witch Association." Jialan sized up Keke for a moment, seeming to want to flatter but also maintain some restraint. Finally, she took out a Miracle Seed and handed it to Keke.

"Jiang Si and I are old colleagues, good friends. First meeting, a small token..."

"Not accepting." Keke immediately refused. "I won't accept anything from the Witch Association."

Li Yi: "Wait, weren't you corrupted?"

Keke shot her friend a fierce glare: "Temporarily redeemed!"

Jialan could only shrug, somewhat regretful that she couldn't use Keke to better improve relations with Simo Tu.

If Simo Tu really turned hostile in the end, the Witch Association would be in trouble...

"Don't be so reactive. Actually, in the end, the Mirror Kingdom won't be much different from the Witch Association. Do you think South China will forget the blood feud with the Mirror Kingdom? Eventually, the Mirror Kingdom will still cooperate with the Witch Association, just like they invited me today."

Jialan originally wanted to say a few more words to get Keke to join her team, but immediately, several Alices surrounded them. Over a dozen Alices looked fierce. "Found her! Witch Association member who illegally infiltrated the Mirror Kingdom! Catch her!"

So Jialan immediately waved her hand and fled towards the outside. "Won't disturb you anymore, taking my leave."

"So you weren't invited at all!"

Keke and Li Yi were speechless, watching the fleeing Lan. Turning back, they found Yueji was gone. So Li Yi tugged Keke. "Let's go, ignore her."

The scene became slightly chaotic with the Alices chasing Jialan, but it soon calmed down.

"Actually, I was thinking, Yiyi." Keke, following her friend to a safer spot, suddenly spoke.

Li Yi, while glancing at the palace, casually asked, "What?"

"If Teacher Shion and big brother really break up," Keke responded to greetings from people around while holding a dessert, sighing somewhat melancholically, "then how can I continue to maintain a closer relationship with Teacher?"

"Huh? Isn't the teacher-student relationship already very good?"

Keke scratched her head and sat down on the nearby stairs. On both sides of them were large gift tables filled with desserts and snacks, slowly rotating. Guests on both sides were talking and laughing, but their gazes were actually always focused on the palace.

Everyone was watching the palace, waiting for the final moment.

"The teacher-student relationship is good, but if one day, I mean if one day Teacher Shion thinks my strength is sufficient and lets me graduate, then that relationship can't be maintained anymore."

Li Yi curled her lip. "Thought you were going to say something else. Then just join the Azure Cloud Sect. Anyway, the Disaster Control Bureau is now just a name, already a lackey under the Azure Cloud Sect. Joining the Azure Cloud Sect now is as simple as transferring departments..."

"Can't do that." Keke said with a worried expression. "If I join the Azure Cloud Sect, won't I... won't I become just like those other disciples? To Teacher Shion, I wouldn't be special anymore."

"What nonsense are you talking? What's this about special or not..."

Li Yi was originally still paying attention to Yueji across the way, wondering what she was here for. Although there were Disaster Control Bureau members here to cause trouble, like Susan and them, they had all entered the palace. Yueji's identity was truly suspicious.

But after hearing Keke's words, as if thinking of something, she suddenly turned to look at her friend. "Wait, why do you need to be special?"

"Ah?" Keke scratched her head, seeming a bit puzzled too. "From the beginning, I wanted to be Teacher Shion's most special friend. Didn't I tell you that?"

After a long silence, Li Yi wiped the sweet juice from her hands, seriously and earnestly grabbing Keke's shoulders.

That expression startled Keke for a moment. "Wh-what's wrong?"

"Absolutely must not fall in love with Shion!"

"What are you talking about..."

"Absolutely must not fall in love with Shion! Teacher-student is teacher-student. Teacher and student cannot become lovers!"

"I know, I know." Keke pushed her friend away, amused and exasperated. "What are you saying? I just... want to be Teacher's best friend, just like with Yiyi... Wait, Yiyi, you're not getting so worked up because you think your only friend is going to be taken away by Teacher Shion, are you?... You like me so much, your possessiveness is so strong, that's gross..."

"You're the gross one! And I have plenty of friends!"

Pinching each other's cheeks, Li Yi also breathed a sigh of relief. "Anyway, Keke only needs me as a friend. Shion or whatever, you're not allowed to like her, and she can't be your best friend either."

"So domineering."

"That's what friends are like." Li Yi said righteously. "You just maintain a teacher-student relationship with Shion."

"Alright, alright, got it."

Dismissing her friend, Keke cupped her own cheeks, but seemed somewhat absent-minded.

But, if she and her brother aren't lovers, then in the future, it might not be so easy to see her, and it would be impossible to have Teacher Shion come over to play at home. There would be no chance to sleep in the same bed with Teacher Shion, no chance to touch her dragon horns and tail...

Thinking of this, Keke felt a bit lost and unwilling.

"Anyway, I still want to get with Teacher Shion..."

Just as the wedding was about to begin, the Mirror Kingdom suddenly darkened.

Everyone exclaimed in surprise. Then Li Yi and Keke saw the palace actually moving further and further away from them!

Li Yi immediately turned to observe her surroundings and saw Yueji in the distance, her gaze now also falling on her.

No, Li Yi was startled.

She was staring at Keke!

Suddenly, everything went dark before her eyes, all light vanished. Li Yi heard Yueji's whisper:

"Sorry about this, Captain."

.......

"Is that what you said? Miss Shion?"

Jiang Si took the eyebrow pencil and lightly drew on the Prince's eyebrows a couple of times.

Although he had called out her true identity, the Prince didn't get angry or push him away.

Rather, the eyebrow pencil was handed to him by the Prince, so she naturally quietly let Jiang Si draw her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?"

The eyebrow pencil color wasn't strong, just faint. Even after a couple of strokes, there wasn't a huge difference. "I don't understand."

The Prince's beautiful brows lifted slightly, a hint of a smile seeming to spill from the corners of her downturned mouth. "This is the first time you've been willing to actively touch me."

Urgent ringing sounded outside, and an Alice's voice also came through. "The guests have all arrived."

The eyebrow pencil stopped. However, the Prince didn't urge him, just reached out and took back her own eyebrow pencil.

"Just a joke. Did it scare you?"

Jiang Si shook his head, just looking at her other eyebrow which seemed a bit faint.

The Prince didn't mind. "It's fine. The other one can wait for the eyebrow-touching ceremony later."

After saying that, she extended her right hand wearing a lace-edged glove. Her blood-colored eyes were like amber that could drip water. "Let's go. The engagement ceremony is about to begin."

Taking the Prince's hand, Jiang Si didn't overthink it.

The two came out of the dressing room and walked onto the long red carpet. On both sides were one-way transparent glass, allowing them to see the guests behind the glass, but the guests couldn't see them.

It was as if the world consisted only of the two of them.

"What did Twins say to you?"

In the quiet sound of footsteps, that steady, icy young voice carried a hint of sharpness.

Feeling the temperature from that cold, firm hand, the Prince's beautiful eyes narrowed into slits.

"She didn't say much, just told me some things about you."

The voice held no fluctuation, carrying a touch of indifference. "But Twins is ultimately from the Witch Association. I don't really believe what she says."

They walked to the side of the pure white curtain. They could hear the noisy sounds outside. Both stopped.

The groom-to-be, with a ceremonial flower pinned on by an Alice, said: "Twins is my subordinate."

The bride, also wearing a ceremonial flower, nodded. "I know. Of course I wouldn't kill her. But saying you are Miss Shion is just too outrageous. She even asked me for a reward, so I just made her suffer a little."

The white curtain was pulled open. Outside was the bustling hall, tables filled with all sorts of distinguished guests, almost all familiar faces.

Solemn-faced Susan and An Shiyu, the Demon Squad from the Saint Hall...

When the two walked arm in arm onto the main stage, many cheers rose from below.

The Prince smiled with confidence and pride, waving to the guests, but her lips moved slightly, using the system to privately speak with Jiang Si. "Speaking of the Saint Hall's Demon Squad, they have a system called the Main God. Do you know about it?"

Jiang Si's originally icy expression shifted slightly. "I've heard of it." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"But the Main God system actually uses our Mirror Kingdom's technology. Although it's common for the new world to steal and use Mirror Kingdom technology, even the famous Saint Hall uses our technology. It's truly quite an honor."

Waving cheerfully and greeting a few old world members, the Prince tilted her head, examining every detail on her lover's face. "But they don't use the system very well either. The security system is practically nonexistent. After we reconnected it to the main system, the Saint Hall's secrets are like nothing to us."

"Probably no one would have thought, the Saint Hall is actually just a scam. It really surprised me."

Listening quietly to the Prince's account, Jiang Si stopped walking. Standing on the stage, he just waited for her to finish.

But the Prince just pulled him, continuing forward, determined to walk the entire red carpet.

Jiang Si also went along with her, continuing forward.

"When did you find out?"

"Just these past couple of days. After all, Twins said so many shocking things, I had to verify them. Didn't expect to discover the Saint Hall's problem."

As they walked, Alices on both sides began scattering flowers.

Dreamlike hydrangeas, still fresh, with large, thin, very light petals. White petals drifted down slowly, carrying a natural fragrance.

The engaged couple walked through the rain of petals, beautiful and romantic.

"From the moment I unsealed the Mirror Kingdom and started acting, I've actually been watched by many people."

The Prince said calmly, not waiting for the other's reply anymore, as if talking to herself. "Because of the Mirror Kingdom's past strength, everyone wants the Mirror Kingdom's technology. The Witch Association, the Disaster Control Bureau, the Incubators—every one of them naturally sees me as a puppet from whom they can obtain Mirror Kingdom technology."

"Have you experienced being completely isolated? Have you? Every person you contact is scheming, targeting, deceiving. Even Mother is calculating how to take my body."

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, after reaching the stage, the Prince let go of Jiang Si's hand.

She reached out and caught a drifting hydrangea, looking at the beautiful petals with pity, then gently closed her hand.

Crushing it.

"I have never trusted anyone, nor do I need to trust anyone. Everyone is merely a tool. For me, only absolute power is everything. My authority, my technology, are powers that belong solely to me. They even constitute a part of me, Itaen. I will not share them with anyone."

"You are the only exception."

Holding the eyebrow pencil amidst the petal rain and the cheers below, she gently and slowly drew a stroke on the young man's opposite eyebrow. "You are the only person I am willing to share all of this with. I am willing to place half of my life in your hands. My future, my dreams and passions, I am willing to change them for you."

"So, don't lie to me."

A lonely expression, yet the tone was close to pleading.

"Simo Tu."

A melodious, sacred, serene processional piece played—carefully selected classic Baroque music. In the seats, hushed whispers dotted the accompaniment.

Even though the palace was packed, bustling and lively, the girl putting down her eyebrow pencil stood as lonely as if in a rainy night with no one around.

The Alice serving as the officiant stood beside the main stage, quietly awaiting her master's command.

The young man looked at the lonely figure amidst the petals and nodded.

"Alright."

The melody of the music reached its climax, the emotions growing heavier, deeper. The gradually descending pitch seemed to be slowly falling into an abyss.

Until that purple Miracle Seed appeared.

The music stopped in an instant, like the calm before an avalanche.

All the whispers vanished at the same moment. Numerous gazes were drawn to that Miracle Seed. Many people stood up.

The petal rain finally came to an end. The last hydrangea petal swayed and fell into the girl's white hair.

"Heaven and Earth are not humane."

A high-pitched melody pierced the dead silence, resounding throughout the palace, filling everyone's pupils with shock.

"Treating all things as straw dogs."