The following days returned to their usual calm once more. There was no substantial progress in the relationship between Dan Feng and Roxy, but their bond grew steadily deeper day by day.
The two were now practically inseparable. They spent their days studying together in the library, and on some days they would go out to stroll the streets and enjoy some sweets.
On this particular day, Dan Feng and Roxy were, as usual, reading books in the library—until they were interrupted by a very beautiful woman.
The newcomer had long white hair and was wearing the uniform of Ranoa Magic University. She was none other than Nephelira Ranoa, the student council president of Ranoa Magic University and also the princess of Ranoa Kingdom.
Nephelira lightly tapped on the two's desk, immediately drawing Dan Feng and Roxy's attention.
"You are?" Dan Feng looked at the newcomer in confusion. Not recognizing her, he asked.
"Dan Feng, that's the student council president," Roxy quietly reminded him in a soft voice.
Upon hearing the words "student council president," Dan Feng immediately recalled that the person before him was Princess Nephelira Ranoa, who had given a speech on stage during the opening ceremony.
"May we ask what brings Your Highness the Princess to see us?" Dan Feng inquired of the person in front of him.
"At school, just call me President. You two, come with me to the principal's office. I'm here regarding the Rosenberg incident." Nephelira stated directly, then turned and walked out of the library on her own.
"The Rosenberg matter—it looks like they're going to reward us!" Roxy's eyes instantly lit up. She closed the book in her hands, pulled Dan Feng up, and headed toward the door as well.
Not long after, inside the principal's office.
Nephelira Ranoa sat gracefully on a leather sofa, exuding an air of nobility.
The principal sat quietly beside her, maintaining a certain distance between them.
Dan Feng and Roxy slowly walked up to them and took seats opposite.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room felt somewhat heavy.
Nephelira smiled gently and said in a soft voice: "From the Duke of Basheran's report, I learned of your brave and fearless deeds. On behalf of Ranoa Kingdom and all the people of Rosenberg, I express our most sincere gratitude to you both." Her voice was very pleasant, carrying an inexplicable guiding quality—just like when she had spoken on stage that day.
After speaking, Nephelira slightly raised her hand, pointing to the treasure chest placed in front of her, and continued: "This is Ranoa Kingdom's reward to you both. Please do not refuse." Her tone was very gentle.
Immediately after, Nephelira used her fair hand to gently lift the lid of the treasure chest.
Dan Feng and Roxy's gazes were drawn to the gleam inside the chest.
Dan Feng showed a slightly surprised expression, while Roxy was completely stunned.
"So many gold coins?" Roxy couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment, her voice filled with shock.
After all, such an enormous quantity of gold coins was an astronomical figure to her.
She had never imagined she would personally witness so much wealth—and that it would belong to her and Dan Feng.
"Ahem, these are your rewards. If you wish for a peerage..." Nephelira hadn't finished speaking when Dan Feng interrupted her.
"No need for that. We're both used to our freedom. Being bound by a peerage would make us no longer free." Dan Feng stated decisively, immediately refusing the peerage.
"As expected—the principal was right. With your personalities, you wouldn't be willing to join the kingdom's forces." Nephelira shook her head, then pushed the treasure chest forward a little.
"Then this is the only reward. Once again, thank you for your contributions to Ranoa Kingdom."
Afterward, Dan Feng and Roxy took the treasure chest and left the principal's office.
"Princess, I told you so." The principal said with a beaming smile as he looked at Nephelira. He had previously made a bet with Nephelira on whether Dan Feng and Roxy would join the kingdom's forces—the wager being one magic tool.
"Whatever." Nephelira casually set down a magic tool and walked elegantly toward the door.
Such bets were quite common between the two of them. After all, the principal of Ranoa Magic University also held the title of duke, and Princess Nephelira Ranoa had grown up under his watch.
The principal shook his head at the sight, then casually placed the magic tool from the desk onto a shelf behind him.
Dan Feng and Roxy carried the wooden chest into an empty warehouse. They planned to divide the gold coins here.
Dan Feng set the chest on the ground, bent down to open the lid, and a dazzling spread of Ranoa gold coins instantly filled their view.
His fingertips deftly counted them—one by one, each gold coin paused briefly in his palm before being set down. Every fifty coins formed a neat little stack to the side.
The gold coins in the treasure chest were soon all removed.
A moment later, he straightened up and nodded to Roxy: "Exactly five hundred—not one more, not one less."
With that, Dan Feng divided the gold coins into two piles, each with two hundred and fifty.
He pushed one pile toward Roxy and calmly instructed: "Keep them safe—don't drop any."
"I'm not an idiot." Roxy grumbled. She instinctively reached to pull out the scroll, but her expression immediately fell. She looked up at Dan Feng, her tone carrying a hint of urgency: "Wait for me! I forgot to bring the storage scroll!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she turned and dashed out, her hurried footsteps kicking up a breeze.
Dan Feng watched her flustered retreating figure. He had already guessed what she was going to do, so he quietly watched as Roxy hurriedly disappeared through the warehouse door.
The wait wasn't long—after all, the girls' dormitory wasn't too far from here.
Before long, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the warehouse.
Roxy arrived panting heavily—she had clearly run the whole way back.
For a magician like her, who rarely exercised, walking was fine, but prolonged running was difficult—except in life-or-death situations.
By this time, Dan Feng had already placed his own two hundred and fifty gold coins back into the chest. The remaining shining pile of gold coins lay neatly on the ground in front of Roxy.
Seeing this, Roxy immediately unfurled the storage scroll and placed her hand on it.
With a flash of faint blue light, the gold coins on the ground steadily poured into the storage scroll. In mere moments, they vanished without a trace.
The instant she put the scroll away, the exhaustion on Roxy's face disappeared, replaced by barely concealable joy.
She had finally experienced the sense of security that money could bring.
"Now we really don't have to worry about money anymore!" Roxy said with delight on her face.
She thought of the magic circles they would learn next semester—just buying the materials would require a large sum.
She had been anxious about it before, but now with this gold, all her worries vanished into thin air.
Dan Feng listened to her cheerful voice and nodded in agreement: "Indeed. If we use these gold coins sparingly, they'll last us several stable years. Our future studies will be much more relaxed too."
"Dan Feng, with these gold coins added, you should have quite a lot saved up now, right?"
"I've saved up a fair amount—just in case we need it later and don't have any."