“Once the array eye she’s in collapses due to lack of mana, the sealing sword will instantly backfire!”
“Then, the raging Ancient God’s embers will explode, the balance will be shattered, and all of us will be buried with her!”
These words caused the already slightly eased atmosphere in the main hall to plunge back to freezing point.
That common noble instantly changed expression, looking at Charlotte with obvious hostility.
“He’s right!”
“How can she maintain the magic array without mana?!”
“We can’t let her do it!”
“It’s too dangerous!”
“Why should we entrust our lives to a good-for-nothing?!”
Charles stood at the array eye, narrowing his eyes slightly, a sinister smile flashing in his gaze.
He had long disliked Charlotte and Annabell, and this was the perfect opportunity.
“Annabell, what he says makes sense.”
Charles put on a look of helplessness and anguish, sighed, and said, “It’s not that I, the Imperial Prince, am being unreasonable.”
“But these Ancient God’s embers are far too terrifying.”
“They concern the life and death of everyone present.”
“This is definitely not something a person without mana can contend with.”
Trace!
He turned to Charlotte, his voice suddenly rising, dropping his pretense, and spoke with an unquestionable command tone, looking down on her:
“Charlotte, one should know their place.”
“If you truly care about Annabell’s well-being and the safety of everyone, then now, crush the gem in your hand immediately and voluntarily withdraw from the ruins.”
“Don’t let your own incompetence and greed kill everyone here!”
Moral blackmail!
This was outright moral blackmail!
Charles and his Adviser stood on the moral high ground, carrying out the cruelest coercion.
If Charlotte withdrew from the ruins, she would completely lose the chance to obtain the second layer trial reward and would be directly stripped of the eligibility to acquire the Elven King’s legacy later!
Charlotte stood alone at the edge of the array eye, her petite body trembling violently.
The surrounding gazes full of hostility, disgust, and even coercion were like countless invisible knives, stabbing fiercely into her heart.
She bit her lower lip hard until she tasted a faint hint of blood.
Unwilling… So unwilling!
The hope was right in front of her, the chance to recover mana was within reach!
If she withdrew here, she would completely lose the possibility of regaining her power.
She would forever be a useless person who could only hide behind others.
Charlotte slowly raised her head and looked at Annabell, who was not far away, already standing on the array eye.
Annabell’s silver hair danced in the red heat wave.
Her beautiful side profile remained aloof, but the frost shield she had secretly cast to protect Charlotte was real.
‘If I don’t leave… and the magic array actually collapses… Annabell will die.’
“How could I implicate her? She’s already helped me so much…”
Extreme despair and self-blame instantly engulfed Charlotte.
On one side was her only hope for a new life, on the other was the absolute safety of a person she could not drag down.
Charlotte’s eyes reddened, and her fingers clenched tightly around the green spirit jade pendant on her chest.
Just as Charlotte was about to make her decision—
“Foolishness. Mana balance? Aren’t all of you weaklings too?”
Annabell’s cold and arrogant voice instantly pierced the suffocating moral blackmail atmosphere in the hall.
She slowly stepped down from the array eye, her silver hair wildly flying in the rolling heat waves.
Her truth double pupils, one red and one blue, were filled with lofty contempt and mockery.
She didn’t even glance at the flustered Adviser.
Instead, she walked straight to Charlotte’s side and grabbed the girl’s trembling wrist, which was shaking from restraint.
“An… Annabell Miss?” Charlotte looked up in shock, her beautiful big eyes still misty, staring blankly at the stunning girl who had placed herself in front of her to protect her.
“Shut up. Don’t look at me with those pitiful eyes.” Annabell turned her head away in feigned disgust, speaking coldly, but the grip on Charlotte’s wrist unconsciously softened.
Then, she turned around, facing Charles and the others in the magic array who were full of shock, and curled her lips into a perfect villainous sneer.
“Suppress with a formation? Cooperation and mutual benefit? Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter.”
Annabell mercilessly launched into mockery mode.
“Charles, have you been pampered too long in the palace that your brain has degenerated?”
“You bunch of trash who can’t even block my basic magic—you dare to mention the word ‘cooperation’ to me?”
“Annabell! What do you mean?!” Charles’s face turned ashen, trembling with rage.
“Are you trying to fight these Ancient God’s embers alone?!”
“You’re seeking death, and you want to drag all of us down with you!”
“No, no, no, you got one thing wrong.” Annabell raised a slender finger and gently shook it, her gaze extremely arrogant.
“It’s not that I’m seeking death, but that you trash standing here are an eyesore.”
“Listen up, I never accept any form of alliance, and I certainly don’t need to borrow your pitiful mana to suppress any embers.”
“These Ancient God’s embers, I, Annabell, am taking them all on alone!”
These words immediately caused an uproar in the hall.
“She’s crazy! This woman has completely lost her mind!” Common Noble C screamed in collapse.
“Annabell, you are too arrogant! Even if you are the Chief Student of Sky College, you are powerless against this Ancient God’s power!”
Rosalind also frowned deeply, unable to comprehend such a near-suicidal crazy act.
Hearing the furious curses and accusations around her, Annabell maintained the facade of a “I’m the greatest in the world” villainess on the outside, but inside, she was already overjoyed.
[Ding! Charles’s rage value continues to skyrocket! Current hatred: Irreconcilable!]
[Ding! Rosalind’s affection level fluctuates strangely…]
[Ding! Common Noble C’s hatred value reaches: Mortal Enemy! Congratulations on obtaining a silver treasure chest!]
Farming wool, farming wool! This wave of mass taunting was perfectly executed.
The sound of treasure chests dropping was music to her ears.
When she got back later, she would open all the chests!
However, Charlotte, who was hiding behind Annabell, felt a storm raging in her heart.
She stared blankly at Annabell’s slender yet resolute back, her eyes reddening again.
‘Annabell Miss… is doing this for me!’
Charlotte’s mind began to race with wild thoughts.
‘She knows that if she forcefully set up the magic array, I would definitely be forced to death by them.’
‘So she deliberately puts on this arrogant and unreasonable act, using the most extreme way to refuse cooperation, drawing all the hatred and anger onto herself!’
‘She could have easily agreed to them and obtained the opportunity.’
‘But to protect me, a worthless burden, she has no qualms about making enemies of everyone present, and even facing the terrifying Ancient God’s embers alone!’
Charlotte’s heart pounded violently.
A warm current mixed with extreme gratitude instantly broke through all her rationality.
Annabell had gone this far for her. How could she comfortably hide behind and be a burden?!
“Annabell Miss!