Chapter 5: That Smile Was the Entire Midsummer

Simulated Reincarnation.

Several more months passed.

After confirming they were safe, Lu Mo stopped her travels with Elia after passing through several major domains.

During these months, Elia practiced very hard. Lu Mo also looked for many ways to help her, but the results were minimal.

Elia’s realm had only improved a tiny bit, and she remained stuck at the Initial Stage, Low Level.

“I’m sorry for disappointing you, Lady Lu Mo…” Elia spoke guiltily.

She couldn’t forget the day Lu Mo had said to her, “If you want to learn, I’ll teach you.”

Nor could she forget the days Lu Mo spent patiently instructing her.

She worked hard.

But there were many things that couldn’t be changed by hard work alone.

“It’s alright, we’ll find a way,” Lu Mo comforted her. “Also, you don’t need to call me Lady Lu Mo. Just call me Sister Lu Mo.”

Elia nodded, but afterward, she continued to call her “Lady.”

Lu Mo was her savior and had helped her so much; what she felt for Lu Mo was more akin to reverence.

At the moment, the two were walking down the street.

Lu Mo walked in front, while Elia followed at her side with her head lowered, carrying Lu Mo’s weapon in both hands.

Now that they were out in the world, Lu Mo’s identity was that of a noble young lady.

Elia was her attendant.

As a member of the Shadow Moon Hall Sequence, Lu Mo was proficient in various methods of disguise.

With just a little makeup and a change of clothes, both her and Elia’s appearances had changed significantly.

Even if members of the Frostspeak Royal Family saw them from a distance, they wouldn’t recognize their true identities.

Changing her temperament was an even simpler task for Lu Mo.

Walking down the street now, almost everyone assumed she was the scion of a noble family.

“We’re almost there.”

Lu Mo looked up, and from a distance, she could see a cluster of magnificent buildings standing tall.

That was the destination of their journey.

One of the four great academies of this domain, the Ice Orchid Institute.

The founder of this academy was a powerhouse of the Starry Sky Realm, possessing profound attainments in the lineage of frost.

If she could enter the Ice Orchid Institute, it might be of great help in awakening Elia’s bloodline.

Lu Mo thought to herself.

Most importantly, the top student of each year’s entrance exam was given an opportunity to make one request to the principal.

Secret arts, treasures, weapons, resources…

As long as the request wasn’t too excessive, the Ice Orchid Institute would fulfill it.

It was essentially impossible for Elia to enter the academy based on her own strength.

But what if she took first place and requested that Elia be admitted?

Lu Mo didn’t actually care about treasures or resources.

She couldn’t take them back to the real world anyway.

It was just a game; in the end, the data would surely be deleted.

Completing the task and receiving the settlement rewards was what mattered most to her.

‘Does Lady Lu Mo want to enroll?’

Following behind Lu Mo and looking at the distant academy, Elia wondered.

However, the Ice Orchid Institute was the pinnacle of frost in this domain.

Lu Mo was most skilled in the light attribute; shouldn’t she have chosen the Radiant Palace?

Elia shook her little head, unable to figure it out.

As they approached the academy’s registration area, the crowd grew thicker.

Commoners, nobles, and members of royalty formed a dense mass of people.

“It looks like this year’s entrance selection will be quite intense.”

“Yeah, I just saw Master Chris, the number one of the Griffin Family’s younger generation. He’s a powerful contender!”

“I’m still leaning toward Princess Megan. Speaking of which, Her Highness Megan seems even more beautiful than before…”

“…”

‘Why does each of these names sound more villainous than the last?’

Lu Mo thought to herself. She quickly registered and waited for the selection process to begin.

In the Shadow Moon Hall, her only code name was Xue Yue, so continuing to use the name Lu Mo was fine.

As for Elia, she had slightly modified her name.

Before long, the talent selection began.

Lu Mo only displayed the portion of her power that belonged to light, yet her top-tier light talent still illuminated the plaza, making it hard for the crowd to keep their eyes open.

“A special talent holder… and a special talent holder with top-tier light attribute!”

“Lu Mo? That’s a name I’ve never heard before.”

“She’s beautiful! No, I have to find a way to get her contact information!”

Ultimately, Lu Mo ranked second in the talent selection phase.

When it came to the practical combat phase, Lu Mo had even less to worry about.

“Woman, you’ll regret not surrendering at the very start!”

In the first round, the boy facing her spoke harsh words.

Then, in just a matter of minutes, he was beaten by Lu Mo until he knelt on the ground begging for mercy.

“Lu Mo, is it? To force me to use this move — you can be proud of yourself —”

In the second round, a royal girl flew backward, preparing to activate her family’s secret art.

But Lu Mo was faster. A single sword strike pierced through her secret art’s circuit, striking her chest and causing her to cough up blood and faint instantly.

“Lu Mo… Lu Mo… you’re the one who forced me… Argh —”

In the finals, she directly made a certain prince boil with rage.

However, the prince couldn’t even manage to unleash his forbidden technique. In the next second, he was blown away by Lu Mo’s sword, flying dozens of meters out of the combat zone and crashing headfirst into a wall.

‘There isn’t a single one who can actually fight.’

Standing in the combat zone, Lu Mo suddenly felt a sense of loneliness.

Having participated in so many trials in the Shadow Moon Hall, her combat experience already far exceeded her peers.

Even if she suppressed her realm, she could still crush them.

Lu Mo stood there alone like a young empress, causing everyone present to feel a chill. They couldn’t help but gasp.

Standing in the crowd, Elia quietly watched Lu Mo’s back, feeling that Lu Mo was even more dazzling at this moment.

So dazzling… that it made her feel ashamed and afraid to look directly at her.

Lu Mo was the undisputed winner of the practical combat selection.

After that, they just had to wait for the results.

During this time, people from the Radiant Palace visited Lu Mo and extended an invitation.

“Miss Lu Mo, our Radiant Palace is also one of the four great academies, and we are the most skilled in the light attribute. Won’t you really consider us? We can offer conditions even higher than the Ice Orchid Institute…”

The people from the Radiant Palace were very sincere.

the conditions they offered were incredibly tempting; there were treasures among them that even the Frostspeak Royal Family wouldn’t be willing to part with.

But in the end, Lu Mo still refused.

Elia was somewhat confused.

Why?

Soon, her question was answered.

A few days later, the selection results for the Ice Orchid Institute were announced —

Lu Mo’s name was at the very top.

That day, the principal personally presented the awards and said to Lu Mo with a smile, “Welcome to the Ice Orchid Institute, Miss Lu Mo. According to the tradition of the Ice Orchid Institute, the first-place winner of the freshman selection can make one request. No matter what it is, the academy will do its best to satisfy it. I wonder what Miss Lu Mo desires?”

Was it a secret art?

Was it a treasure?

Or was it wealth?

Perhaps it was none of the above.

Lu Mo returned the smile. “I hope to grant my attendant the qualification to enroll as well.”

“What?”

“Huh? Letting an attendant… enroll?”

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone present was stunned.

What kind of request was that?

Which of those secret arts or treasures wasn’t worth more than dozens of an attendant’s lives?

In their eyes, attendants were little more than slaves.

For Lu Mo to make such a request was no different from being a fool.

Elia was also frozen on the spot.

She looked up, staring blankly at the figure standing on the stage.

The principal also didn’t snap out of it for a while. In the past decades, or even a century, no one had ever made such a request.

This request was indeed within his power.

However, this wouldn’t help Lu Mo’s future in the slightest.

In his heart, he also felt that Lu Mo seemed a bit foolish at this moment.

He spoke, hinting for Lu Mo to reconsider. “Miss Lu Mo, are you sure you don’t want to think about it some more?”

But Lu Mo was willing to be that fool.

She shook her head gently and answered the principal seriously, “There’s no need. What I just said is my request.”

The principal was confused and bewildered, but in the end, he gave a bitter smile and responded, “I understand. I will move forward with this matter. When the time comes, Miss Lu Mo just needs to wait for the academy’s notification.”

“Thank you,” Lu Mo expressed her gratitude.

At that moment, the plaza erupted into a commotion.

“Miss Lu Mo is muddled…”

“I want to be Miss Lu Mo’s dog too!”

“This is equivalent to throwing away a reward for nothing.”

There was confusion.

There was envy.

There was mockery.

Many messy figures and noisy voices.

But Elia noticed none of it.

She just stared blankly at the girl on the stage.

She also felt that Lu Mo was a bit foolish.

Was it worth it?

Refusing the Radiant Palace and giving up better conditions… just for a useless person like her.

As if sensing something, Lu Mo turned her head at that moment and saw Elia standing not far away.

Then, facing her, she narrowed her eyes and smiled.

That smile was the entire midsummer.

That year, Lu Mo was 16, and she was 13.