Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 255: The Ancient Ruins (Part-27)

As Celia’s final words faded, her figure dissolved into wisps of blue smoke before Zora’s eyes. In the same instant, the apple blossom illusion shattered like fragile glass.

A crisp sound echoed in the air, sharp and fleeting, as if a mirror had broken.

The world that had accompanied Zora for three long years vanished completely.

She slowly opened her eyes.

The familiar grandeur of the main hall returned, and before her stood the lifelike statues once more, silent and unmoving. The illusory realm was no more, yet the emotions it left behind lingered clearly in her heart. A faint smile curved her lips, soft and sincere.

Celia would forever remain one of the most unforgettable people in her life.

Though they had not lived in the same era, fate had still allowed them to meet, to walk together for a time, and to part with understanding rather than regret.

After a moment of quiet reflection, Zora stepped forward and bowed once more toward the statues of Celia and Azrael with a right hand on her left chest. She knew that no amount of reluctance could change what had already passed. This bow was not to hold on, but to give thanks.

When she straightened, her gaze turned firm and resolute as she walked out of the ancient ruins.

The moment she stepped outside, warm sunlight poured down upon her, wrapping her figure in a soft golden glow.

The sudden contrast made her pause.

Breathing in the fresh air, she felt an indescribable sense of separation, as though she had crossed back into the present after a very long dream.

"Darling."

A deep, magnetic voice called out gently.

Zora looked up to see a tall figure approaching her. Prince Kael stood before her, dressed in his usual pale gold robes, his posture relaxed yet elegant. The usual composure in his eyes was still there, but now it was layered with warmth. He walked toward her with unhidden ease, a genuine smile spreading across his handsome face.

Seeing him, Zora’s smile widened naturally. "You all came out earlier than me."

"Only by a few days," Prince Kael replied lightly.

Before she could say more, a cheerful voice cut in.

"Zora, you finally came out!" Reesa rushed over, her face bright with excitement. "You have no idea how long we’ve been waiting!"

Elowen, Alaric Von Seraph, and Raphael followed close behind, each of them wearing expressions of clear relief and happiness. The tension and uncertainty that had surrounded the ruins were finally gone.

"Miss Zora," Elowen said calmly, her tone gentle, "you stayed inside the longest. The inheritance you received must be extraordinary."

Her words made Zora pause. A trace of confusion surfaced in her eyes. "Are the inheritances... different?"

She had assumed that since they entered the trials together, they would receive the same legacy.

Reesa shook her head with a small laugh. "That’s what I thought at first, too. But after talking with Elowen, I realized we all received different inheritances. I learned a sword technique, while Elowen learned a whip art. As for Prince Kael, Senior Alaric Von Seraph, and Senior Raphael, theirs are different as well."

Only then did Zora fully understand. They had all passed the trial, but the inheritance had been tailored individually, matching each person’s path and potential.

"So that’s how it is," she murmured softly.

Not far away, Guinvere stood silently.

From the moment Zora appeared, everyone’s attention had naturally shifted toward her.

The crowd gathered instinctively around her, laughter and conversation flowing without pause. Guinvere, who had once stood at the center of every gathering, now felt as though she had been pushed to the edge of the world.

What hurt most was not the indifference of others, but the smile on Prince Kael’s face.

In the past, he often smiled, polite and distant, a courtesy that never reached his heart. Now, as he looked at Zora, that smile was different. It was warm, relaxed, and unmistakably genuine.

This kind of expression... Guinvere had only ever seen once before.

When Prince Kael faced his master.

And now, that same tenderness belonged to someone else.

"Zora, what inheritance did you end up receiving?"

Reesa couldn’t hide the curiosity in her eyes. Ever since leaving the ruins, everything she had experienced there felt unreal, like fragments of a dream that still lingered in her mind. If she hadn’t gone through it herself, she would never have believed such inheritances could exist. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

At her question, everyone’s attention naturally shifted to Zora.

"I learned chess and calligraphy," Zora replied with a gentle smile.

For a brief moment, the air fell silent.

Then several people stared at her as if they had misheard.

"Chess and calligraphy?" Raphael blurted out, unable to conceal the disbelief on his face. "That’s... impossible, right? Our inheritances were all cultivation techniques or combat arts."

Reesa frowned, clearly conflicted. "Zora, you’re not joking with us, are you?"

Zora chuckled softly, her eyes curving with amusement. "I’m serious."

She didn’t elaborate further. After all, what she had learned was indeed chess and calligraphy, just not the kind people usually imagined. The sound of a Psaltery that could cut through souls, strokes of ink that carried killing intent... those were things better kept to herself for now.

While everyone was still digesting the answer, Prince Kael’s eyes glimmered faintly. Unlike the others, he seemed thoughtful rather than surprised, as though he already sensed that her inheritance was far from simple.

At that moment, Elowen stepped forward, her expression calm and composed. "Since everyone has safely come out, I’ll be taking my leave," she said with a soft smile. "My family is still waiting for me to return and report what happened."

Zora nodded.

TheHouse Crescent’s Spirit warriors had been waiting outside the ruins for quite some time. Now that Elowen had successfully accepted her inheritance, there was no reason to delay further.

"Take care," Zora said sincerely with a light bow, holding her gown.

Though they weren’t especially close, Zora had a good impression of Elowen. More importantly, Elowen had stayed behind earlier simply to ensure she wasn’t alone when she emerged from the ruins. That small gesture was not something Zora would forget.

"Take care," Elowen replied, returning the gesture. "I hope we’ll meet again someday."

With that, she turned and rejoined the House Crescent’s group, which soon departed.

"Zora," Alaric Von Seraph said after watching them leave, "since you’re out now, it’s probably time for us to head back to the academy."

She nodded lightly. "Yes. How long has it been since we entered the ruins?"

She had spent three full years inside the illusion, yet she had no sense of how much time had passed in the outside world.

"A month," Raphael answered with a relaxed grin. "One whole month."

Zora paused, momentarily stunned.

Only a month.

They had once assumed that such profound inheritances would take years, even decades. Yet in the outside world, only a short span of time had passed. In that single month, people had mastered techniques that could change their lives.

"So that’s how it is," she murmured.

The difference between the illusory realm and reality was exactly as she had expected. Three years of cultivation and learning, condensed into the passage of mere weeks.

In half a month of real time, she had learned the art of killing through sound.

A thought like that made even her heart stir slightly.

This trip to the ruins had truly been worth it.

"Let’s head back already," Reesa said as she stretched lazily, her arms arcing wide as if she wanted to scoop up the sky itself. Relief finally softened her bright face. "We’ve been stuck in that ruin for so many days. I miss the academy so much I could cry."

Her words broke the lingering tension, and smiles surfaced one after another.

After days of pressure, danger, and mental exhaustion, the thought of returning to familiar halls, warm meals, and peaceful routines felt like a reward in itself. Even the air outside the ruins seemed lighter.

Just as everyone was about to move, a slender figure stepped forward.

Guinvere walked straight up to Prince Kael, her posture elegant and composed. "Big Brother," she said, her voice gentle but resolute, "you should return to Heaven’s Gate with me."

The atmosphere stiffened almost imperceptibly.

The smiles on several faces faded, replaced by subtle frowns.