"Come on, spill it!" Grace crouched beside him and nudged his arm.
"Aren't you curious who his fiancée is?"
"So, who is his fiancée?"
"Someone you could never compare to!"
"It's not like I ever said I wanted to compete with her."
"What? You want to be his concubine or something?"
Grace chuckled and said, "You think too much. I just want to use him, borrow his strength to win first place and get into the Celestial Library, that's all!"
Felix Xi turned to look at her, his eyes sharp. "Aren't you afraid I'll tell him what you just said?"
"Go ahead!"
Felix Xi's face darkened, but he said nothing.
Byron White is pretty full of himself. If you say it like that, it's basically denying his charm with women—you're just asking for trouble.
"Hey! I've got an idea." Grace nudged his arm again.
Felix Xi scooted farther away from her, looking like he was barely holding it together.
"Honestly, I've already started thinking of you as my best bro! Seriously!" Grace chased after him.
Felix Xi shot her a sideways glance. "What are you getting at?"
"How about we help each other out?" Grace suggested. "Whoever gets into the Celestial Library, helps the other accomplish their mission."
Felix Xi's eyes flickered.
"What I need to do is super simple. Fifteen minutes tops," Grace added.
"If that's the case, just let me in. Whatever you need, I'll help you out," Felix Xi said.
"Oh, come on... If you really win first place, I guess I'll have to beg you for help. But honestly, it's better to handle your own stuff, right? And mine is literally a life-or-death thing!"
Grace nodded seriously. "It's about saving my mother's life!"
Felix Xi looked at her, his gaze a little strange.
"I'm serious!"
"My reason is also about saving my mother's life!"
Grace rolled her eyes. "Is this some kind of running joke to you?"
Felix Xi stayed silent.
Grace: "Whatever, whatever! Talking to you is impossible. We'll discuss it when the time comes."
...
Time passed, and they ended up staying in the Eastern Alliance for more than a month.
By the second month, the whole city was buzzing about one thing: the Empress of the Eastern Luo Empire's birthday celebration.
Everyone who was anyone in the Eastern Alliance was busy preparing gifts.
Of course, none of this had anything to do with Grace.
She just heard Shannon say she and Li Yao had 'returned' to Sigil City.
"...You guys clearly didn't leave, but acted like you did. What are you scheming?" Grace asked via talisman call.
Shannon replied softly, "Frostbound Casket."
"Frostbound Casket? What's that supposed to be?"
"It's for your mother," Shannon explained.
"Huh? A casket? For my mom?"
"If we can't cure her in time, the casket can keep her in deep stasis until we find an antidote. Once we do, she'll wake up safe and sound." Shannon said.
Grace was stunned. "Wait, this world actually has stuff like that?"
"Yep."
"Where is the Frostbound Casket?"
"It's one of the White family's treasures," Shannon said. "But... I'm just a low-status girl, so I can't borrow it openly. I'll need to use a few tricks to get my hands on it."
"Shannon, thank you! I honestly don't know how to thank you enough..."
"Don't get all mushy on me," Shannon said. "By the way, Grace, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"General Evan Shaw is here," Shannon said. "He came with Emperor Henry of the Vermilion Kingdom to celebrate my mother's birthday."
Grace's eyes lit up. "He's here too?"
"Yep."
"Can you help me set up a meeting with him? I want to see him face-to-face."