Seven years ago, Yukla was still the manager of the Black Market in the Royal Capital.
She had single-handedly established her own Underground Group, specializing in those shady businesses that ordinary people wouldn’t dare touch, even forging connections with The Church and the Royal Capital itself.
Back then, Yukla was brimming with confidence, relying on exceptional courage and a recklessness that risked her very life. She continually developed her own forces in the shadows, determined to one day become the true “King of the Underground.”
But just as she was only a step away from the throne she’d dreamed of, that youth appeared.
It was just an ordinary, peaceful afternoon.
A boy in the uniform of the Sacred Magic Academy strolled into the Black Market, holding an Alchemy Potion he had made himself, entering a pharmacy just like a regular customer.
All of this unfolded under Yukla’s watchful eyes.
But what she didn’t know was that in less than half a month, several new, cheap, and exponentially effective Alchemy Potions would appear on the Black Market.
With various distributors and potion makers colluding, these Alchemy Potions quickly took a share of the Black Market, gradually trending toward monopoly.
By the time Yukla noticed and tried to curb the spread of these potions, she realized she had completely lost the initiative.
More varieties of potions kept appearing, each one heavily impacting the products she managed and resold.
Yukla never even had the chance to wage a price war with this mastermind—she was utterly defeated, and was forced to cede the Black Market’s potion business.
If things had ended there, and Yukla had simply accepted her loss, she’d still be the highest authority in the Black Market—after all, the potion business was only a fifth of her total operations.
But the mistake was, Yukla simply couldn’t swallow this defeat!
If my products can’t compete with yours, then I’ll just come after you directly!
You rude out-of-towner—don’t blame the local gang if we’re ruthless!
And so, Yukla set up a Hongmen Banquet, planning to wipe out this hidden threat to her ascension in one go.
When she saw with her own eyes that the person attending was just a young student, she nearly laughed at herself for being so cautious.
With such grand ambitions, of course Yukla hadn’t neglected her own cultivation.
Thankfully, her magic talent was quite decent; though she’d never had the benefit of Academy training, a life of licking blood off knives and the abundant resources of the Black Market had allowed her to reach the sixth tier.
In this place where the Royal Family had no reach and The Church couldn’t be bothered to interfere, and she’s supposed to worry about a student who hasn’t even graduated yet? What a joke!
But as Yukla watched the youth effortlessly defeat her most trusted subordinates, and even casually block the magic she had painstakingly prepared, she felt as if fate itself was mocking her.
Afterwards, Yukla was branded with a Slave Mark, forced to become the other’s subordinate, made to do dirty work every day under orders.
Everything stayed that way until five years ago, when that youth, for some unknown reason, changed both gender and identity completely, joining The Church.
And the one responsible for forging the new identity was none other than Yukla herself.
She took this opportunity to trade for her own freedom, fleeing the Royal Capital in disgrace and heading for the farthest Border City to start anew.
But! Still!
Now you’re telling me Ailaira Green is still chasing after me!?
“Please, madam, it’s my attitude that was wrong just now, would you please just go!”
Yukla pleaded with the vigilant Andrea before her. If her subordinates weren’t watching from the side, she’d be down on her knees begging for mercy.
The sudden reversal made Andrea blink in confusion, a brilliant blue radiance swirling around her, suppressing the urge to return to her original form.
Just a moment ago, Andrea was prepared for a life-or-death struggle—ready to reveal part of her dragon form if she had to, and escape from this place.
If things went badly, she’d just hide out in the mountains and let no one find her.
But before she could act, the deep blue light bursting from that Black Gold Card extinguished the anger in her heart.
Protected by a barrier-like shield of light, she was completely unharmed by everyone else’s attacks.
The Red Dragon was unscathed, but Yukla was about to lose her mind.
Gone was all the elegance and intimidation from her entrance—now she looked more like a quail scared out of its wits, holding her face and shouting: “It’s him! No, it’s her!”
“She’s back! Why is she here!”
“No! I have to run!”
Frantically, Yukla began to weave Space Magic, opening a Space Gate, trying to hide in her own Illusion Space.
But just as her hand touched the imaginary door, searing heat rushed from the other side.
Immediately, the invisible gate constructed by Yukla’s magic was melted away by real flames.
From the cracks appeared a pair of cold, grayish-white eyes that pierced straight into Yukla’s trembling heart.
Like a death knell from a demon of hell, a chilling voice rang in Yukla’s ear: “Yukla, did you miss me?”
“The moment I saw the familiar concealment magic in the alley, I remembered you. I followed the Dark Door I left in your space back then, and sure enough, I found you.”
Yukla’s face, already deathly pale, now flushed faintly with terror as she shook her head and retreated desperately.
She tried to turn and flee, but Ailaira Green pinned her shoulder firmly.
In an instant, over a dozen magical rituals assembled, fused, and erupted behind Ailaira, transforming into chains that wrapped around Yukla’s slender waist and limbs, forcibly dragging her into the still-dissipating Space Gate.
Ailaira’s gentle, emotionless laughter echoed from within: “It’s been so long—let’s have a nice, long chat.”
Yukla struggled as terrified tears streamed down her face: “No! I didn’t say anything! I didn’t even know that girl was your person! Ailaira!!”
But all her resistance was futile—she could only be dragged into that door.
The illusory space she had built with magic, her very refuge, no longer belonged to her the moment Ailaira remembered it.
As the door was closing, Ailaira cast a sidelong glance at the stunned Andrea, saying lightly:
“You’re next.”
Then everything returned to calm.
It was as if nothing had happened just moments before.
After a while, someone from the Black Market finally came to their senses and began packing their things in a panic.
His actions seemed to signal everyone else, and soon the entire market was thrown into even greater chaos—brawling and shouting everywhere.
And yet Andrea, standing amidst the chaos, was completely unscathed. Everyone fighting for space unconsciously avoided her.
Andrea’s lips parted slightly as the Black Gold Card, still sweet with her scent, slipped from her mouth and into her palm.
She gently stroked the name on the card, whispering:
“She’s amazing.”