Ball of Nothing

A month passed quickly in the blink of an eye. Ever since Zero started increasing the intensity of his training with the princess, not even King Darius had seen his daughter. Nobody knew what to expect after a month.

Now that the other envoy was returning with Dorgon, King Darius sent the chancellor to prepare for a grand welcome and pass his order that the princess must attend the welcoming back of Magnus Hilda's envoy after his errand. Naturally, Motley didn't refuse. He was also curious to find out if the healer was able to keep her word to transform Princess Dorothy into a great beauty.

The moment of truth was near and anticipation was high in the air. There was nobody more anxious to know the results of Zero's training other than King Darius. Some said that Fae King Vivian sent someone to spy on Princess Dorothy's first reveal to the public after her training because he heard the rumours but nobody paid attention to the Fae King. The dwarves were too excited to see the kind of miracles healer Zero could produce.

Truen entered the capital gates with Dorgon in tow on a donkey's back because the master after simply couldn't keep up with walking for hours every day and was slowing down the entourage. Hence, Truen bought a stubborn donkey who could carry the dwarf so that they could get as quickly as they could.

Before even Truen reached the capital, he already knew that Zero had succeeded in his task. If the doctor hadn't reported so, Truen wouldn't have bought that donkey. The animal was more trouble than he was worth seeing as it had a bad temper and tried to bite people feeding it. The animal also wouldn't eat anything else apart from apples or carrots. Truen had half the mind to turn it into donkey roast but he held back. Getting back to Rocket Mountain's castle was more important.

The more Truen heard about Dorgon's ambition to build the statue, the more worried he became. Dorgon's mental image of Freya differed too greatly from the actual Goddess that Truen knew. He described Freya to be a Goddess with red hair and green eyes with fair skin. Freya was known as the goddess of beauty and war but Dorgon's sketches of her kept looking more dwarf-like or giant-like than a normal maiden. His sense of beauty was selective and Truen couldn't convince the dwarf otherwise without an actual picture that Zero would have.

King Darius and Motley were waiting for them at the entrance of the castle with a huge welcome group. Dorgon glared at his friends but still placed a hand across his heart to bow in respect to the King.

"Dorgon Flintstock back in service, your majesty."

King Darius smiled and told Dorgon to dismiss the formalities. "It's good to have you back, old friend. I was wrong, please forgive me. Thankfully, Truen and Zero opened my eyes before it was too late."

Before Dorgon could say anything else, the royal butler announced that the princess and her teacher were coming. Truen's eyes only searched for Zero to see if his friend had been doing well in his absence while everyone else gasped at the princess' transformation.

The smile that Zero gave him assured him that everything was well. The doctor didn't look tired or sick so Truen let the worries melt away. Now that he was convinced Zero was doing well, he looked over to Princess Dorothy who had become the centre of attention. King Darius was touched to tears at his daughter's transformation. Princess Dorothy resembled his late wife with her dignified poise and reliable aura. Even Motley and Dorgon were stunned to silence watching how Princess Dorothy carried herself with mature grace.

It wasn't just her personality that changed. Truen noticed that the princess no longer resembled a skeleton with skin stuck onto her bones. She filled out nicely into a healthy dwarf but unlike other dwarves who tend to appear more stocky and rounded with their short limbs, Princess Dorothy looked nothing like the ordinary dwarves.

She had a natural squarish jawline but it was well-defined from Zero's tweak in her diet and regular work-out sessions. In addition, the change in hairstyle from the princess' curly brown locks were now pulled into a neat up-do bun that highlighted her neckline and angular collarbone. Her waist was cinched to give her a better silhouette, something that soon became a fad in the country once the ladies learned about the corset trick. The princess wore a long gown and Truen could tell from the way she walked that Truen made her wear heels. It mustn't have been easy learning how to walk in them but the princess walked in a dignified manner with ease, indicating that Zero did a great job as her teacher.

It was difficult to tell that the princess was a dwarf with her new transformation. Zero worked hard to make her look mature despite her youth and short stature. Her mannerisms were polished and even though Zero hasn't taught her everything he wanted to teach her, he taught her enough for the princess to find the rest of her path alone without him in the future.

The effects of cultivation could be seen more clearly now as Princess Dorothy's skin became as smooth and clear as quartz. Her eyes sparkled and her hair was luscious. Before this, the princess was bubbly and youthful. She looked adorable and people couldn't help but love her. Now, the princess was more regal and astute with how she presented herself to her people. It was like how a cotton candy was transformed into a molten sugar knife. She reminded them of their beloved Queen Demora and they couldn't help but give her their hearts.

Zero watched as the princess greeted her subjects and father. The month that she spent under Zero's tutelage wasn't in vain. Even though Zero was harsh and demanding, the princess never once complained. Instead, she only worked harder. Seeing her resolve, Zero gave the girl a little boost in her progress and gave her a crash course in noble etiquette that he learned from the Great Goddesses.

Princess Dorothy might not notice how much she had transformed over the last few weeks but for Zero who watched her progress and wrote a teacher's diary, he knew just how far she had come. Her cultivation base was now stable, her physical strength and stamina were doing much better than before. The princess also regained her confidence and her mentality matured a lot ever since she understood her purpose as a member of the royal family.

The definition of a great beauty evolved from "looking good" to "a wholesome package of perfection built upon hard work". Zero couldn't be prouder of his student and watched as she handled her father with ease. Truen gave Zero a discreet thumbs-up and Zero blushed. After finding Dorgon and satisfying the foolish king, they could finally make their next move.