Chương 24: THE CHILD IN THE IMPERIAL GENIUS..

Despite the elaborate lesson about limits, it wasn't until three hours more till Princess Seflim finally got her release from martial training.

Her face and body soaked in sweat as she lies her back against the sandy floor of the now empty duelling arena.

Without the judging gazes of her masters around, she could let her guard down as she just catches her breath slowly as her eyelids flutters lazily from exhaustion.

"You will need a bath.. *True Imperial princess Seflim..", A calm and very familiar voice tickles the twelve year old princess's ears as the blurry image of a woman standing above her reflects in her dreamy blue eyes.

Squinting her face a little, she finally settles her gaze on the source of the voice,.. Her Royal Nanny – Balle Nora.

A childish and relaxed smile appears on the beautiful girl's face as she lazily stretches her arms out as if expecting to be carried by the mature Nanny who's currently in a slightly nagging posture.

"I'm Sorry 'True Imperial Princess' Seflim but apart from giving a hand sometimes, my priorities is to do my humble best that you stand on your own..", The Nanny says with her tone deepening at the mention of the Princess's title as if to remind her of the status she holds.

Seeing no response from Seflim who only opens and closes her palm childishly as if saying hurry up, Nanny Nora who's familiar with the princess's bearing shows nagging annoyance as she shifts her gaze away from the Princess's sweat drenched figure as if saying 'It's not working this time my dear'.

The stale mate continues for a while till the Nanny finally cracks. With a bit of annoyance more at herself than at the princess, the Nanny Nora finds herself carrying the princess up like a baby. She could swear that she heard the princess give a small chuckle as she clung onto her neck and her waist with her arms and legs respectively while locking up to her like a human octopus.

Knowing better than to try to pull off the exhausted princess whose currently playing her 'childish side' instead of her normal cold and over-mature side, Nanny Nora just lets it slide.

'Just this time..', The Nanny tells a blast lie to herself internally.

Although the princess is never truly 'alone', whatever actions she performs in this kind of atmosphere remains a secret that wouldn't at all stain her reputation to the always watching eyes of the court and the people.

"Young Lord Nimbus has come to pay you a visit but I doubt you're currently interested in seeing him.

"I'm interested in seeing my bed..", Princess Seflim sleepily murmurs into her Nanny's neck who just rolls her eyes at the Princess's lazy attitude in private.

Rubbing a ring on her finger, Nanny Nora casually opens up a door shaped portal leading to another room in the Palace as she steps through it with Seflim still on her neck.

After stepping through the portal, it immediately collapses into nothing as Nanny Nora puts Princess Seflim into a big creamy white ceramic tub.

Nanny Nora flicks her authority ring once more as a set of multi-coloured tones of light completely washes over Princess Seflim who still has her eyes lazily closed in the massive tub. In an instant, not only has the Princess been cleaned up but also, her clothes has been changed into comfortable silky wears.

The wave of rainbow light soon dims down into nothing and unsurprisingly, the princess puts her arms up childishly for a lift once more while opening and closing her fingers.

Nanny Nora puffs out of her nose what sound like a sigh before giving up on whatever dose of nagging her brain is cooking up as she carries the Princess into her arms once more while opening up another portal into the Princess's room.

Placing and tucking her into her massive bed come naturally for the nanny while the Princess just relaxes through the journey.

About to turn and leave the room, Nanny Nora hears the Princess's slightly sleepy voice..

"Thank you..", The princess says.

Nanny Nora gives out a small caring sigh that says 'you're welcome'. The princess really does know how to stir her up yet despite her duty to be uptight to the young girl, her emotions always wins over as she has seen the girl's harsh grooming for a suffocating role right from birth.

She's heard the girl train her mind, body, manners, arts and bloodline even as she sleep. With a gentle voice, Nanny Nora finds herself forced to say..

"You have three hours before your next program.. ".

Seflim lifts her hand up from her blanket and raises it for a small 'OK' with her fingers as Nanny Nora takes a portal for the exit.

***Outside The Imperial Grounds..

The Imperial Court, Palaces, stations, noble homes and strongholds made up the most parts of the Imperial Grounds. It is given this title because its a collection of all things In close relationship with the Imperial family as it comprises of over a thousand of various ground-breaking Palaces of different owners but only a select few of these Palaces are in direct relation and circumference of the True Imperial Palace.

The Imperial Grounds are surrounded and completely enclosed by a massively structured array fence built for resistance against the most devastating conditions of war, terrorism and anti-assassination. Although, this fence only reaches as high as One hundred meters into the sky, its durability cannot be expressed in words as over five thousand High ranked warriors mans this font twenty-four seven(24/7).

It is said that even ghosts and sound could not pass into the Imperial Grounds without strict permission!

The areas immediate to the Imperial fence circumference is neat and beautified and yet completely empty. Only after a couple hundred meters does houses, streets and a standard civilization bustling with activities begin.

Colourful Fancy and Eastern designed houses made of wood and bricks filled up the streets in a orderly fashion showing various levels of luxury and randomness. Unlike the powerful but bleak and overly orderly interiors of the Imperial Grounds, the Imperial City is ultimately bustling with activities and surprises at every turn.

Beautiful birds flew in the sky, Young Cultivators walked in different robes with their beauty fans in their hands while being escorted by friends or servants, Maidens of noble houses covered their faces while moving on the streets, Carriages pulled by Sliver horses travelled through the streets as interactions, greetings, races and culture flows freely over the neatly tiled streets and buildings.

Amongst the interactions going on the streets, one soon attracts extra attention as a voice suddenly yells out in a out-of-place excitement filled with anxiousness,.. "Y.. Young Master".