Moreover, the Celestia of that time was truly raising Sunset Shimmer as her successor, although she hadn't made it public, only keeping it in mind privately.
Celestia had adopted the same methods that Star Swirl the Bearded had used to teach her to train Sunset Shimmer. And Sunset Shimmer had not let down Celestia's expectations of her; her schoolwork was always very good, and she had received affirmation from other teachers as well.
Just when Celestia thought everything would proceed as smoothly as she had anticipated, she discovered that Sunset Shimmer was becoming increasingly withdrawn.
Only then did she suddenly realize that Sunset Shimmer had, long ago, amidst the subtle rumors and the invisible pressure from Celestia, made becoming a princess her life's pursuit.
And this goal was not actually what she truly wanted, but rather something imposed upon her by various external factors; it was just that by then, she could no longer distinguish what she truly wanted in her heart.
"Sunset Shimmer's 'ambition' might, from beginning to end, have just been wanting to prove that she had value."
"I just... wanted to prove that I could not be pushed around by any pony, and to prove by my own ability that I was qualified to remain in Canterlot as Princess Celestia's student..."
Later, the addition of Aurora and Twilight Sparkle made Sunset Shimmer feel that she was going to "devalue," and thus anxiety arose.
Although Aurora's "friendship" brought Sunset Shimmer a different experience, letting her know that the purpose of learning could also be purely for enjoyment, the obsession with becoming a princess could not be let go of in a single day.
The pressure brought to her by Aurora and Twilight Sparkle did not dissipate because of friendship, and this finally found an outlet when the crystal mirror was opened.
However, before leaving for the other world to seek self-worth, Sunset Shimmer had left a farewell letter to her best friend, telling Aurora not to worry about her and promising that she would definitely come back to find her.
At that time, the three of them would go traveling to other cities together.
"But I, using 'prejudgment,' betrayed her trust in me..."
Aurora read the letter Sunset Shimmer had left for her carefully this time, and she only felt even more miserable inside.
She had judged that Sunset Shimmer was going to turn dark and run away based on just the beginning, but had ignored that when they became friends, some things had already quietly changed.
Even if going to the Human World was Sunset Shimmer's destiny, from the moment the butterfly flapped its wings, the ending of the story had actually long deviated from its original trajectory.
Only she was still sticking to that script that should have been cast aside long ago.
The advantage of a transmigrator shouldn't be defining a villain earlier than other ponies, but rather using extra information to think about more possibilities.
Such a simple truth, and she only realized it now.
"I am the one who let her down."
At this moment, Aurora was surprisingly calm, as if she had recognized some reality, which made Celestia feel an indescribable sense of strangeness.
"I don't know how to compensate her; I haven't even learned how to treat ponies correctly yet."
Before learning to treat ponies as independent individuals rather than "characters," Aurora felt she had no face to appear before Sunset Shimmer again.
"Flying Light... I hope you also do not ignore your own importance to Sunset Shimmer."
It was precisely because Sunset Shimmer also cared about Aurora that this falling out hadn't caused such great harm to both sides.
It was just that Sunset Shimmer had only thought to leave a farewell letter for Aurora and hadn't thought to leave one for her, which made Celestia feel a bit hurt.
However, discussing this now had no meaning for Aurora. As for whether she could reconcile with Sunset Shimmer, she didn't care much anymore; she just wanted to do her best to make up for the harm caused to Sunset Shimmer within her lifetime.
But before that, she still needed to learn many things.
And these things, she could not learn in Canterlot.
"Princess, I would like to ask a favor of you..."
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