The entire street fell silent as everyone stared at the transparent shield of swirling water that had suddenly appeared in front of Hana.
For a brief moment, nobody moved.
The young man stood frozen with his hand still raised while Hana remained standing behind the water barrier, her tear-stained face filled with confusion and fear. Around us, the gathered crowd watched the unexpected scene in stunned silence, clearly trying to understand where the shield had come from.
Then a calm female voice sounded from the side.
"I think that's enough."
The voice was not loud nor was it threatening. Yet the moment those words were spoken, they seemed to cut through the silence of the street with surprising authority, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
The young man who had been about to strike Hana immediately turned toward the source of the voice.
And the moment he saw who it was, the color drained from his face. The arrogance and anger that had filled his expression only moments earlier vanished almost instantly, replaced by shock and unease. Even his three friends, who had been laughing and enjoying the spectacle until now, visibly stiffened as their eyes landed on the newcomer.
I turned my head as well. The moment I saw who had spoken, surprise flashed through my mind. Standing beneath the colorful festival lights was none other than the beautiful princess from the Valenor family.
She stood calmly at the edge of the crowd, her presence alone drawing attention despite making no effort to do so. The elegant red dress she wore swayed gently in the night breeze, its intricate green patterns catching the glow of the countless lanterns hanging above the festival streets. The expensive jewelry adorning her body reflected the colorful lights around her, creating a subtle shimmer that only enhanced her noble appearance.
Yet more than her clothes or jewelry, it was the natural grace she carried that made her stand out.
Even surrounded by hundreds of people, she seemed impossible to overlook. The noisy crowd, the music, and the lively atmosphere of the festival all felt strangely distant for a moment as people's attention unconsciously shifted toward her. It was as though she naturally belonged at the center of every gathering she entered.
The princess calmly looked at the young man and his companions.
There was no anger visible on her face, nor did she raise her voice. Yet the moment her gaze settled on them, the arrogance that had dominated the group only moments earlier seemed to disappear completely.
"You are spoiling the mood of the night festival."
Her voice remained calm and composed, almost gentle. Yet not a single person present doubted the authority behind those words.
The young man and his three companions immediately fell silent. None of them dared to argue or offer an excuse.
At the same time, the transparent shield of swirling water protecting Hana slowly dissolved into countless droplets before vanishing into the air as though it had never existed.
Only after the barrier disappeared did the young man finally react. He immediately forced an awkward smile onto his face and straightened his posture.
"Lady Valenor," he said respectfully while bowing his head slightly, his attitude completely different from before. "My apologies for spoiling your mood. I was merely teaching these peasants a lesson."
The contrast was almost laughable. Moments ago, he had been acting like an untouchable tyrant in front of ordinary people. Now, standing before someone of higher status, he looked almost eager to earn her approval.
The princess looked at him quietly. For the first time since arriving, a trace of emotion appeared on her otherwise calm face. It was disgust. The way she looked at him was not the way one noble looked at another, but rather the look someone gave when confronted with something unpleasant.
The young man's forced smile immediately stiffened, clearly not expecting such a reaction from her after trying so hard to justify his actions.
"Just leave."
Her voice remained calm and composed. There was no anger in her tone, nor any threat or raised voice.
The young man's expression visibly tightened, and although it looked as though he wanted to say something in his defense, he ultimately swallowed the words before they could leave his mouth. Under her unwavering gaze, he simply did not have the courage to argue.
"Yes, Lady Valenor."
Lowering his head once more, he quickly stepped back. His three friends immediately followed behind him without a word.
The arrogance and confidence they had displayed while bullying Miguel and me had vanished completely. Moments ago, they had laughed while treating ordinary people as if they were beneath them. Now, standing before someone of higher status, they looked almost eager to leave before attracting any more of the princess's displeasure.
Within moments, the four of them disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind only a tense silence and the lingering memory of what had just happened. The surrounding spectators slowly began relaxing again, though many continued glancing toward the princess with curiosity and admiration.
After the four young men disappeared into the crowd, the princess's gaze slowly shifted toward me.
I was still lying on the ground, my clothes covered in dust from being thrown onto the pavement earlier. For a brief moment, our eyes met across the street.
Neither of us spoke.
I simply looked at her while she quietly observed me. There was no mockery or pity in her expression, only a calm composure that made it difficult to discern what she was thinking. The silent exchange lasted only a moment before she casually looked away and continued walking forward.
Passing beside both Miguel and me, she made her way directly toward Hana. The little girl was still standing there with tears streaming down her cheeks, her small body trembling slightly from everything that had happened.
When the princess reached her, she slowly bent down until she was at eye level with the frightened child.
"Little angel," she said softly while gently rubbing Hana's head, "you can stop crying now." Her voice was noticeably gentler than before.
Hana blinked several times through her tears before looking up at her.
"Th-thank you, Sister." The little girl's voice trembled slightly, but her fear seemed to ease almost immediately.
A faint smile appeared on the princess's face as she looked at Hana. For a brief moment, the cold authority she had displayed earlier disappeared completely, replaced by the kindness of a young woman comforting a frightened child.
Only after making sure Hana had calmed down did the princess slowly straighten herself and stand up once again.
Without saying anything else, the princess simply turned around and began walking away. She did not wait for gratitude. She did not ask whether anyone was injured. She simply left as quietly as she had arrived.
The crowd naturally parted before her as she walked through the festival street, her elegant red dress swaying gently beneath the colorful lantern lights.
She never looked back. Yet, for some reason, my eyes unconsciously followed her retreating figure. I watched as she moved farther and farther away through the crowd until she gradually became hidden among the countless festival-goers.
A faint smile slowly formed on my face.
Perhaps it was because she had intervened at exactly the right moment. Or perhaps it was because, despite her noble status, she had shown kindness to us. Whatever the reason, I found myself watching her until she completely disappeared from sight.
Meanwhile, Hana suddenly ran toward Miguel and threw herself into his arms.
"Br-brother..." she sobbed. "A-are you a-alright?"
The little girl clung tightly to him as though afraid he might disappear if she let go.
Miguel immediately laughed despite the obvious bruises covering his face.
"Haha, what kind of question is that?" he replied while gently rubbing her head. "Do you think your big brother is weak? I'm completely fine."
His voice carried its usual playful confidence, but the bright red marks on his cheeks made the claim somewhat difficult to believe. Even so, Hana seemed reassured by his response, and the fear that had been lingering in her eyes slowly began to fade.
After reassuring Hana, Miguel's gaze shifted toward me.
By then, I had already pushed myself up from the ground and was brushing the dust from my clothes. My body still ached from the beating, but compared to what could have happened, those injuries were insignificant.
Around us, the festival street had gradually returned to normal. The excitement surrounding the confrontation was already fading as people lost interest and moved on.
Suddenly, Hana broke away from Miguel and hurried toward me. Before I could react, she wrapped her small arms tightly around my waist.
"Brother Arthur..." she cried. "A-are you alright?"
The concern in her voice made me smile despite the lingering pain.
Raising a hand, I casually wiped away the small amount of blood seeping from the corner of my mouth before looking down at her.
"Obviously," I replied. "I'm stronger than your brother."
"Hey!" Miguel immediately protested from the side. "What is that supposed to mean?"
A laugh escaped me, and even Hana giggled through her remaining tears. The little girl looked up at me with watery eyes while I gently patted her head and returned the hug.