[Vol. 7] Chapter 179: An Extraordinary Ordinary Person
Although the Light Elemental Spirit was forced to retreat, the pressure that stopped it from flying was still far from reaching the Priestess’s true limit. However, considering the potential risks of getting too close to the "sun," Violet chose to stop rather than force her way upward.
This wasn't just a random guess. If Violet was right, this underground labyrinth was built by a powerful force or figure for a special purpose.
For some reason, it had now become an open exploration site, but if she were the original creator, she would have definitely put in protective measures to prevent outsiders from damaging the labyrinth’s foundation.
And those safety measures... probably still exist today.
To put it simply, this seemingly ownerless underground labyrinth may have actually had a guardian all along.
That super Source Crystal floating steadily in midair above the forest was clearly not a natural phenomenon. And it wasn’t just that, many of the things Violet had encountered so far showed subtle signs of external interference and control.
For example, why did the [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm] stay strictly on the ninth and tenth floors, never stepping even one level higher into the Jungle Zone?
And why, despite the sheer number and terrifying strength of the monsters in [Morst Underground Labyrinth], had none of them ever broken through to the surface?
There was no doubt that some unseen rule or force was keeping the countless creatures in this underground labyrinth under control.
Otherwise, just the hundreds of [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm] from the ninth floor alone would have already caused a catastrophic disaster in the outside world.
Of course, at this point, most of this was still just speculation.
What exactly was this underground labyrinth?
A prison built to contain deadly monsters?
A sanctuary where an ancient civilization studied and raised magical beasts?
Or something else entirely?
For some reason, Violet had a strange feeling. Whatever the truth was… it was going to shock her.
As time slowly passed, the first day of the expedition finally came to an end.
As one of the most important events of the exchange tournament, the [Morst Underground Labyrinth] competition lasted a full seven days.
Each team had to prepare enough supplies in advance and survive for an entire week in this dangerous and unpredictable environment.
Unless they gave up, they would receive almost no outside support during this time.
This was one of the main reasons why many academies protested, and even withdrew, from the competition in the first place.
After all, not just anyone could afford to attend a magic academy.
Those pampered noble sons and daughters, who grew up in luxury, only knowing how to study theories or practice magic combat techniques, had never experienced true self-sufficient survival in the wild.
They might do fine in an arena, but once thrown into a harsh environment, they would immediately panic or even put themselves in danger.
Situations like this existed everywhere.
At the end of the day, noble-ruled kingdoms like the Human United Kingdom were still the most common in this world, while special systems like those of the Austre Empire or the Holy Empire were rare exceptions.
But what amused Violet was that, despite being a princess, Carinvega Frederick seemed very different from what she had imagined.
To be honest, the fact that Carinvega had personally joined the competition was already shocking to many people.
After all, the [Empire’s Two-Colored Lotus] was famous not for combat skills, but for her brilliant mind, foresight, and outstanding character.
No matter how much praise was given to her, the truth was undeniable. Carinvega was just an ordinary person, with almost no ability to use magic or combat techniques.
It was unusual for someone like her to appear in the Frederick family, but it was the reality.
In the harsh environment of [Morst Underground Labyrinth], Carinvega would only hold her team back.
So the most logical role for her should have been staying outside and giving strategic commands instead.
At first, the Priestess had been curious about Carinvega’s reason for doing this, suspecting that the mysterious princess had some hidden agenda.
But now, it seemed like the truth might be much simpler than she had expected.
Sitting in the temporary campsite, built with wooden fences and sprinkled with powdered repellents to ward off venomous insects and snakes, Violet silently watched the red-haired girl move around busily, personally leading her teammates in setting things up.
Her silver-blue eyes took on a slightly puzzled look.
That’s right, this pampered royal, who was revered and admired across the Austre Empire and even the entire world, with a wealth beyond calculation, was actually helping with manual labor alongside the others?
And judging by the cheerful smile on her face… she seemed to be enjoying it?
Camping in the wild was far from glamorous.
Digging in the dirt, stacking stones to build a campfire. Before long, dust and grime inevitably ended up on Carinvega’s snow-white wrists and delicate face, like Cinderella before she got her fancy dress.
That messy and unbothered appearance was a stark contrast to the elegant princess Violet had first met, the one who had worn a graceful gown, exuding noble dignity like a lotus in full bloom.
This unexpected shift completely challenged Violet's understanding of Princess Carinvega in every way.
"Ha..."
The black-haired girl let out a soft sound, too quiet for anyone to hear, somewhere between resignation and frustration.
A person’s true nature could often be glimpsed through small, everyday actions.
The fact was, as an imperial princess, no matter how approachable Carinvega tried to be, no matter how closely she bonded with those around her, this kind of behavior was still highly unusual.
It wasn’t that a princess couldn’t do such things. It was that she didn’t need to. She shouldn’t have to.
A leader had many ways to show kindness and connect with others. And a person’s energy was limited.
That was the purpose of delegation, trivial tasks were left to subordinates so that a leader could focus on more critical decisions.
It was like using the [Judgment Holy Sword] to chop vegetables. It wasn’t that it couldn’t be done, but rather that it was a complete waste of power.
Moreover, if a leader took on too much personally, it might even make their followers feel like their skills or trustworthiness were being doubted.
From any perspective, this was inefficient and counterproductive.
For example, Lilya, who once led battles against the Beastman Kingdom as a royal princess, would personally fight on the front lines, clashing blade to blade against ferocious enemies.
But even during military campaigns, she never wasted her energy on small, unnecessary tasks, she fully relied on her attendants for daily affairs.
If Carinvega was doing this just to gain favor, without even considering these factors, then she was either foolish or completely unaware of what it meant to be a leader.
Such a person might make a great friend, perhaps even a trustworthy companion, but she was not fit to lead a group.
At least, that was how Violet saw it.
However… it seemed that the students from the Imperial Royal Academy were already used to their princess' casual and unconventional behavior.
And what was even stranger, the invisible "force field" surrounding Carinvega seemed to be growing stronger with her close interactions.
Instead of being bothered by her reckless actions, the students actually became more energized, their morale surging, and their efficiency soaring.
Watching this unfold, Violet felt an even stronger sense of unease.
Strange. Too strange.
Logically speaking, everything that had happened so far could be reasonably explained.
But the fact that "no matter what Carinvega did, it always had a positive effect".
That was the real anomaly.
What exactly was her ability?