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At dawn, sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, scattering softly across the ground.

While Liana was still asleep, Lilith went alone to the small stream not far away. The stream flowed gently and ran crystal clear, like a mirror that reflected Lilith as she was at that moment.

She was still breathtakingly beautiful, still as delicate as a porcelain doll. Her face had not changed in the slightest, yet the Lilith reflected in the water looked as though something had been lost forever, something she could no longer retrieve.

“You are no longer Her Highness the Princess, Lilith.” A faint smile curved Lilith’s lips, though even she did not know whom she was mocking. Was there anyone else here? Only herself. “From now on, you are alone.”

Lilith crouched down, scooped up a handful of icy water from the stream, and splashed it hard against her face. The water of late autumn was piercingly cold. Droplets slid down her still pale, smooth skin and slowly dripped away.

“You can’t afford to look this miserable, Lilith.” Lilith looked at her own reflection and spoke softly. “Otherwise, Mother would worry.”

Lilith stepped straight into the stream. The tattered black dress on her body dissolved into the water like the ashes of burned paper, gradually dispersing until it vanished without a trace.

She lifted a hand and beckoned lightly. “Come.”

At once, the current surged, washing away the grime left behind by long days of wind and sun. Before long, her body was clean once more, immaculate as if newly reborn.

Lilith stepped out of the stream. Dark liquid flowed over her, carrying away the excess water, and at the same time a brand-new black long dress appeared upon her body, tailored perfectly and fitting her as though made just for her.

“But it’s too luxurious.” Lilith gazed at the reflection of the dress in the water, the gold trim still gleaming, and frowned slightly. She could no longer go out dressed so extravagantly. She knew it would only invite trouble.

With that thought, the ornate dress transformed again. The golden edges and elaborate decorations faded away, leaving behind a plain and unadorned garment shaped deliberately by Lilith herself.

“And the hair.” Lilith rubbed a strand between her fingers, a trace of reluctance in her expression. She loved her radiant golden hair, but it was far too eye-catching.

Before, she had not noticed because in that world, golden hair was everywhere. But judging from Liana’s reaction, golden hair was exceedingly rare in this world.

“My identity is sensitive now. It’s better to be cautious.” She did not want to cause trouble yet. As that thought settled, her hair darkened as if dipped in ink, rich black spreading from the roots all the way to the tips.

“And finally…” Lilith wiped her hand across her face. In an instant, faint freckles appeared across her flawless, delicate features, disrupting their former harmony. “That should do it.”

Lilith studied herself through the reflection. The beautiful, captivating little princess was nowhere to be seen. In her place stood nothing more than an ordinary girl who had left home. No one could tell she had once been so noble.

……

“Mm… Mountain Ghost, good morning.”

When Lilith returned to the giant stone, Liana was just waking from her sleep. Rubbing her bleary eyes, Liana instinctively looked toward Lilith, who had just come back.

“You went to wash your fac… huh, huh?” Her drowsiness vanished in an instant. Still, as if she were dreaming, Liana rubbed her eyes frantically. Once was not enough, so she did it again.

“Mountain Ghost, why do you look like this now?” It was as though a princess who only existed in dreams had finally stepped out of a fairy tale, only for Liana to discover that even she could have smelly feet. At that moment, the naive girl’s fantasy shattered.

“You look so ordinary now,” she said with a pitiful expression.

“Is being ordinary a bad thing?” Lilith flicked her long black hair aside and smiled. “Being ordinary once in a while has its own kind of charm, doesn’t it?”

“Tch. I was planning to take you home and show you off properly,” Liana muttered unhappily.

“I heard that, you know. What exactly are you thinking?” Lilith sighed and lightly flicked Liana on the forehead. “Alright. Hurry up and get ready. We’re setting off.”

“Okay!” Liana nodded rapidly, then briskly headed to the stream Lilith pointed out and washed up carelessly.

She returned very quickly.

“Oh, right.”

Just as they were about to set off, Liana seemed to remember something. She rummaged through the cloth bag she always carried, which looked stuffed with all sorts of things, and pulled out a large flatbread.

“Mountain Ghost, aren’t you eating breakfast?”

“I…” Lilith had meant to refuse, but for some reason, when she looked at that clearly unappetizing piece of dry rations, she swallowed unconsciously. It seemed that after eating nothing but flowers for so long, even the most ordinary food was enough to stir her appetite. “Give me one.”

“One?” Liana hesitated. “Um… Mountain Ghost, can you really finish it? No, I don’t mean to be stingy. It’s just that this kind of dry bread is very filling. I only managed to eat half of one all day yesterday.”

As she spoke, as if afraid Lilith would not believe her, she pulled out another flatbread that had clearly been bitten halfway through.

“It’s just a flatbread.” Lilith waved her hand dismissively and smiled. “You have no idea how much I used to eat.”

“Really?” Liana blinked, a little curious. But since Mountain Ghost had already said so much, it would have been awkward to keep persuading her.

“As long as you don’t end up feeling sorry for your food portion later.” With that, Lilith took a big bite. The bread was dry and hard, but it seemed to have meat filling inside, and the taste was not bad at all.

As her first proper meal since stepping out into the world, it felt rather decent. It was just a bit too little.

……

A few minutes later…

“Um, Mountain Ghost…”

“What is it? Just say it. I’m busy.”

“Well… how about… we stop eating.” Seeing Lilith glaring red-eyed at the flatbread as if it were an enemy, Liana hesitated before speaking. “If you can’t eat anymore… you shouldn’t force it. You’ll make yourself sick.”

“Nonsense!” Lilith raised the flatbread in her hand indignantly. “I haven’t even eaten a third of it. How could I possibly be full?”

“But…”

“Enough already,” Lilith snapped impatiently. “I used to be able to eat an entire cow by myself. A mere flatbread like this, just watch me… urgh.” Halfway through her sentence, Lilith suddenly covered her mouth, suppressing the surge of nausea rising in her chest.

She was too full. Her stomach was protesting. She really could not eat another bite. But clearly, back then…

“Ah, that’s right.” Staring at the flatbread with only a small bite missing, Lilith suddenly realized. How could she have forgotten? She was no longer a dragon. Revival had restored her body to its initial state, to how it had been before she became the Dragon Princess.

She was now nothing more than an ordinary person who possessed black flames. Naturally, she only had the appetite of an ordinary girl. Even if she could use black liquid to mimic the physique she once had… What would be the point?

For Lilith now, “All of that was fake.” She murmured softly.