Chapter 64: Falling Snow 2
With steady steps, Snow made her way toward the academy infirmary, her mind grappling with anxiety as she got closer to Riley’s room.
‘What should I say?’ she wondered, her thoughts swirling in a chaotic dance of uncertainty and anticipation.
Walking past some students and staff who greeted her, Snow made sure to practice her most impeccable smile.
She couldn’t afford to let anyone, especially Riley, think that she was in distress right now. She needed to maintain her composure, to present herself as the confident and unshakable princess she was known to be.
Gripping her thumb tightly, she tried to use the pressure and pain to distract herself from the boiling thoughts and emotions raging inside her.
Each step felt like a march towards an uncertain fate, her heart pounding louder with every stride.
Slap! The sound echoed like a thundering roar as she slapped both of her cheeks, jolting herself out of her stupor. The sharp sting brought her back to the present, forcing her to reassess her emotions and gather her resolve.
‘Remember who you are, Snow… you’re the princess of the empire! And the top magic department student of your year. The emotions you’re having right now are only temporary. There’s no way someone like you would f-fall for that guy’ she mused to herself, trying to inject conviction into her thoughts.
Despite her efforts to rationalize her feelings, the undeniable truth still lingered in the back of her mind. But she couldn’t afford to dwell on it now. She had to face Riley, to thank him for saving her life, and to maintain her dignity in the process.
‘You’re just here to thank him’
‘Nothing more….’
As she finally reached the door to Riley’s room, Snow took a deep breath, steeling herself for the encounter.
She straightened her posture, smoothed her hair, and adjusted her expression to one of calm and composed confidence.
With one final, fortifying breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, ready to confront the whirlwind of emotions that awaited her.
Slowly, her hands gripped tightly at the handle as she let out a warm breath. Opening the door wide, she put her usual business-like smile on her face to hide the embarrassment that threatened to surface.
“Good morning, Riley. I heard you…” she began, her voice trailing off as her eyes widened and her body froze solid, as if struck by her very own ice magic.
Her face turned a bright red, and the turmoil she had tried to hide inside came rushing forth once more.
“66, 67, 68….”
In front of her was Riley, doing extreme pushups using only one arm. Sweat trickled down his chiseled body as he continued his exercise, seemingly unaware of the person entering.
Clank!
The sudden drop of something metallic echoed in the peaceful room, snapping Riley’s attention to the bewildered Snow, who had dropped a dagger from her trembling hands.
“Oh…? Your Highness, you’re here,” Riley said with rough breaths, slowly standing up from his training. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause.
Snow’s heart raced as she took in the sight of Riley. His strong, muscular frame glistened with sweat, and his determined expression softened into one of mild surprise and curiosity.
“Riley, I…” she stammered, her composure slipping. She quickly tried to regain her poise, but the intensity of her emotions made it difficult. “I came to see how you were doing,” she finally managed to say, her voice shaky but sincere.
Riley wiped the sweat from his brow and offered her a small, reassuring smile. “I appreciate your concern, Princess. I’m doing well, as you can see,” he said, gesturing to his vigorous workout.
“I-I see…” Snow silently mumbled, unable to tear her gaze away from his abs.
The meticulous movement of his hard chest as he breathed and the way his huge biceps flexed whenever he contracted his fist captivated her attention.
Despite the bandages wrapped around him, Riley was still essentially shirtless in front of her, and the sight was proving to be more distracting than she had anticipated.
‘I-it’s only natural for me to see this, right?’ she rationalized, trying to suppress the unwelcome thoughts swirling in her mind.
Unpleasant thoughts gave way to a blooming imagination. Seeing a man half-naked shouldn’t have been new to Snow; the royal knights often trained in minimal attire back at the palace training halls.
She had also temporarily trained with her instructors, who were bulky muscle giants themselves. This shouldn’t have affected her. And yet, for some reason, she couldn’t keep her eyes off Riley.
Her face flushed a deeper shade of red as she struggled to maintain her composure.
Her mind raced with conflicting emotions—admiration, embarrassment, curiosity—all mixing into a confusing whirlwind that left her feeling unsteady.
‘I knew he had a bit of muscle, but not this much….’
“Your Highness?”
“Ah-huh? Yes?”
“What are you doing…?”
“Yes…?”
Her eyes widened as she realized she was already touching his stomach. The hard sensation she felt enticed the steamy wonders of her mind. Since when did she get so close to Riley? She couldn’t remember.
“T-this is just… I-I just wanted to check if—ah, that’s right, it seems your wounds haven’t fully healed yet, right? Seeing as how there are still a lot of bandages placed on you…”
“Huh….?”
Seeing Riley’s skeptical look, Snow’s mind raced, trying to come up with any excuse she could possibly find. It wasn’t long before her eyes landed upon the knife she had just dropped.
“T-that’s right, Riley, here…” she said as she forcefully placed the knife into Riley’s hands.
“This is?” Riley’s eyes marveled the moment he took a quick glance at the knife as he drew it out from its scabbard. The intricate details and the inner black linings all indicated one thing. “Dark steel?”
“Yes… it’s a knife my father gave to me when I was young, thinking I would become a knight one day. But since I’m a mage now, I’m giving it to you, Riley…”
Riley held the knife with a mix of awe and gratitude. “Princess, this is a remarkable gift. Dark steel is incredibly rare and valuable. Are you sure you want me to, have it?”
Snow nodded, trying to steady her racing heart. “Yes, Riley. You deserve it. and besides I need to reward you in some way, right?” Snow said with a smile as she finally managed to calm her boiling emotions…
“I see… thank you, Your Highness. I truly appreciate it,” Riley said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.
Snow nodded with a gentle smile, then approached one of the empty seats in the room and placed it near Riley’s bed.
Riley had begun putting on his shirt, and she pinched her thigh to remind herself of her purpose for coming here.
She held her breath before looking at Riley.
“Riley…”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“I’ve been meaning to say this ever since I heard you woke up, although it’s a bit late, but…” Snow locked eyes with him for a few seconds before fully bowing her head in front of him. “From the bottom of my heart… thank you for saving me.”
“Y-Your Highness?” Riley was shocked by her overly dramatic thank you and quickly waved his arms in the air, trying to make Snow stop. “Please stop that, Your Highness. You shouldn’t bow your head to anyone, especially not to a nobody like me.”
Snow smiled, hearing his panicked voice, and chuckled as she slowly rose, seeing him look so afraid.
“Fufu… if only you were a mere nobody, Riley, I might agree. But you are my savior, my hero. Something like this is only appropriate. And please, don’t worry, there are no royal guards near us, so no protocols were broken.”
Riley let out a relieved sigh, his shoulders relaxing. “Thank you, Princess. But really, I was just doing my duty. Anyone in my position would have done the same.”
Snow shook her head gently. “No, Riley, not everyone would have risked their life the way you did. You went above and beyond, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
Riley’s cheeks turned a faint shade of pink, clearly unused to such heartfelt praise. “I-I’m just glad I could help, Your Highness.”
Snow’s expression softened, and she reached out to touch his hand. “Riley, please call me Snow when we’re alone. After everything we’ve been through, I consider you more than just a random partner or a mere knight student. You’re my friend.”
“But your high—”
“Snow”
“If someo—”
“Snow”
Riley sighed seeing her stubborn look and chose to give up.
“Alright… Snow.”
“See that wasn’t so hard now, is it? fufu~”
A comfortable silence settled between them, filled with unspoken emotions and mutual respect.
Snow felt a sense of peace she hadn’t experienced in a long time. Riley’s presence was comforting, and she knew that their bond had deepened beyond the formalities of their respective roles.
Letting out a big sigh, Snow rose from her chair, finally letting go of the constant worry she had carried all this time.
She had been afraid that Riley would blame her or hate her after what happened, but she was truly glad to see that he did not.
He didn’t even try to mention the incident at all, indicating his respect for her sensitivity on the matter.
Snow smiled, filled with relief, as she managed to express her gratitude and even reward him as well.
“Are you going now, your high—I mean, Snow?” Riley corrected himself, his tone warm and respectful.
“Yes… I still have a very busy schedule today” Snow replied. “I have to help the academy sort everything out before the reports make their way to my father.”
Riley nodded in understanding and waved her a warm goodbye. “Well then, good luck, Snow.”
“Mm…” Snow nodded, her heart feeling lighter.
As Snow approached the door, her hand gripping the handle, she hesitated and turned around to face Riley.
Thump…! Thump…!
Her heart pounded wildly. She had come this far without complicating matters, so why was it now, just as she was about to leave, that her heart started acting up again?
‘I know I shouldn’t let my emotions win but….’
“Is something wrong, Snow?” Riley asked, concern evident in his voice.
“You know, Riley, I lied…” she confessed, her voice trembling slightly.
“Lied?”
With quickened steps, Snow hastily approached Riley, her cheeks flushing red and her ears turning bright pink.
“That dagger wasn’t a reward; it was just a mere congratulatory gift!”
“I-I see?”
“That’s why…”
SWOOSH!!!
Before Riley could react, her hands moved like lightning, grabbing hold of his collar and keeping him in place.
“…????”
In the blink of an eye, before Riley could process anything, trails of silvery white threads fluttered past his eyes.
Then, he felt something soft graze his lips.
It only lasted a moment, probably not even a second, yet as her soft hands finally let go of him, Riley was left in a state of stunned disbelief, his eyes widened.
“T-that’s your real reward, so b-be honored!” Snow stammered.
Without giving Riley any time to reply, Snow dashed out of the room, her heart beating loudly. She sprinted down the hallway, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. She could still feel the warmth of the kiss on her lips, and her mind replayed the brief, electrifying moment over and over.
As she reached a secluded corner, she leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Her heart continued to race, and she placed a hand over her chest, feeling the rapid thumping beneath her fingers.
‘What did I just do?!’ she thought, her face burning with embarrassment. The courage that had surged through her moments ago was now replaced by a mixture of fear and exhilaration.
…
Inside Riley’s room, he stood frozen, his mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened. The sensation of Snow’s lips lingered, a gentle yet powerful reminder of the unexpected kiss.
Slowly, a worried smile spread across Riley’s face. He touched his lips, still feeling the softness of her kiss.
“Snow…” he whispered, the name of the beautiful girl who had stunned him to his fullest.
Riley remained motionless, his thoughts a swirling maelstrom of emotions.
“I’m fucked…!!!”
