The Rise of the Black Plain

After a few more weeks, Sarah finally returned to the store of that sculptor and painter to pick up her picture.

Arriving at that place, she ignored the artwork in the commercial part of the store and was soon in that man's studio.

Gray sheets covered several paintings there, while some unfinished sculptures were also lying around the outskirts of that working area.

Right next to one of these sculptures was the level 86 Spiritual Sage molding it.

Sarah watched him doing that and stopped at the entrance of that studio, not saying anything to not disturb this expert's work.

But her painting was already ready and waiting for her, uncovered in a corner of the room.

She saw it and smiled, noticing how realistic the painting looked, showing facial contours almost 100% similar to what she could see in a mirror.

'Impressive! He really can do a magnificent job. Even the dress is perfect as if it wasn't a painting but a reflection on a mirrored surface.' She looked at it, realizing the quality of a level 86 professional.

Then the voice of that expert reached Sarah's ears. "Your Highness, did you like my work?"

"Senior Noah, this is just perfect. I don't know how to thank you..." She looked at him gratefully.

"Don't say anything. Just take it away and put it somewhere where others can see it. It would be a shame if a beautiful painting like that would end hidden in a bedroom." He commented as he looked at this redhead, smiling.

Sarah didn't know if that was a compliment to her beauty or to the artwork in that painting. Either way, she smiled and replied. "Yes, I intend to put it in the living room of my house. When I leave in the future, my siblings and parents will still be able to see me daily."

"Oh? That sounds like a good place to leave that painting. Do you intend to leave Dry City, Your Highness?" He looked at her with interest, noting she was no different from many members of sovereign families around the continent.

Princes and princesses naturally had great advantages, but they also had many limitations about them.

They had almost no freedom from childhood, and those who approached them could always have shady interests. Therefore, many of them had the same dream of one day being strong enough to leave the wings of their parents and explore this world without limitations.

Sarah stated. "Yes. One day I will have my family, husband, and children if everything works out, haha. But before that, I want to know our continent and the rest of the Spiritual World.

The war to the south will not last forever, and eventually, there will be peace for people like me to travel safely through these lands."

'Noah' heard that and smiled, seeing that this young woman just wanted to have fun doing a bit of tourism, maybe meeting people who wouldn't put her on a pedestal like those who knew her did.

"I hope you succeed in your plans. But will His Majesty allow that?" He commented, not knowing how Minos was about his children but aware that many sovereigns were strict in disciplining their offspring.

"I don't know if, in the short term, I will be able to win my freedom to go ahead with these plans. But after the Continental Tournament, everything can change. So I am confident that he will not stop me." She said with confidence.

"Continental Tournament, huh?" He narrowed his eyes. "Will you observe the competition, Your Highness? Will His Majesty be competing?"

Sarah said nothing very specific to 'Noah,' smiling at him. "If you go to the tournament, you will be surprised, haha."

With that said, Sarah left after 'Noah' refused her payment, while this man continued to watch the place she left, interested in this woman's words.

He smiled, closing his eyes and wondering what the princess' words meant.

'So she's confident, huh?' He thought. 'Where will you be by the time of the Continental Tournament, Sarah? Will you compete if you're not a Sage yet?'

...

While Sarah enjoyed her free time, Kendrick used his temporary freedom to do things quite different from his sister.

This young man was the heir to the Black Plain, and at the 6th stage, his freedoms were far inferior to Sarah's. So when he wasn't training or sorting out his heir responsibilities, Kendrick spent almost all of his remaining time with his girl-friends and girlfriend.

He had only one girlfriend, who belonged to the main family in the Vogel area. But he had several girl-friends with whom he occasionally had fun...

Among them was one of his teachers, Naomi Banks, a beautiful level 76 woman who had surrendered to the charms of a man under 18.

On this afternoon, after finishing one of her lessons with her special student, Naomi could not resist Kendrick's insistence and did something she was not proud of but had been doing for the last few months.

As she finished having fun with this young man, she got off him, not the least tired given the level difference between her and him.

However, she had a satisfied look on her face, for despite being weaker than her, Kendrick knew how to please a woman!

Kendrick, on the other hand, although very pleased, was exhausted, breathing heavily, while his whole body was sweaty.

"Professor Banks, I love classes with you, haha..." He said amidst his agitated breathing.

"Your Highness, you shouldn't say that. If your mother finds out what we are doing, she will kill me." She said close to this young man's ear, making him laugh.

"Impossible! My mother is in seclusion at the moment. There's no way she'll even notice anything."

"Still, your mother is very defensive of your father, and I believe she would be too if she found out about what you do, Your Highness. So be careful not only about me..."

"I will keep that in mind. But for now, don't worry about it. My father always had fun with his girl-friends. I doubt my mother will pick on me for that." He turned on his side and massaged Naomi's slender waist.

She smiled at his manner and asked. "What will you do now? Your father will be leaving in no time."

"Hmm, I'll go into seclusion when he leaves for the Flaming Empire. Then I intend to continue my studies and training here in the Dry City until he leaves.

He has some ambitious plans for me after that, so I'll have to focus more on strengthening myself in the future."

"Is that so? Will you be able to achieve his goals? No offense, Your Highness, but what His Majesty has decided for you is rather difficult to achieve."

"I will do my best. In any case, I believe my father's plans may change regarding the Continental Tournament."