“Goodbye, I’m going back to meditate. Take care of yourself.”
“Goodbye, Vice Commander. I’m going to start my rehabilitation training—got to give it my all for the upcoming battle.”
“Hehe, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
After their conversation, Xiadam left the study, but after just a few steps, she suddenly stopped.
Her expression changed instantly, gone was her previous cold sharpness. Her pupils trembled, and sweat poured down her face.
It’s over!
She’d overplayed her hand!
Just to look cool in front of her old comrade, she had accepted the challenge without a second thought.
But everyone knew, this girl’s body she now inhabited was a frail, sickly thing—one touch and she’d break, one gust and she’d fall.
Even though Third Company Commander Osiris definitely wasn’t in his prime either.
He was already a hundred-year-old man, his strength surely not what it once was.
But could a hundred-year-old man with one foot in the grave utterly crush a fourteen-year-old Mage Girl?
Absolutely! And easily at that!
Xiadam herself thought she wouldn’t stand a chance—it would be a one-sided massacre.
If she could even put up a fight, would she be sweating like this? She’d be grinning with delight already.
Actually, Osiris’s combat power had been apparent the very first time they met.
He had pulled back his blanket, sword hidden at his side, drawing it with lightning speed, coldly aiming straight for the throat.
If not for Sheffield’s two fingers pinching the blade, her own head would have flown off her shoulders.
Clearly, even at a hundred years old, Osiris, Third Company Commander of the Order of War Knights, was not to be underestimated.
And herself…
Look at herself…
After swinging a broadsword three times, she’d be gasping for breath.
How could she possibly beat the powerful Third Company Commander Osiris!?
On the way back to her room, Xiadam maintained her composure and elegance, exuding nobility in front of the maids and knights.
“Oh no, oh no! Sis, save me!”
But as soon as she stepped inside her room, she panicked, grabbing Sheffield by the shoulders and shaking her desperately.
Xiadam recounted everything that had just happened, begging the great Dragon King to help her.
“Too proud for your own good—why didn’t you just refuse?”
Sheffield squinted her eyes into a thin line, face full of doubt, not understanding why Xiadam had agreed to such a thing.
“I can’t let my old comrade down.” Xiadam collapsed onto the sofa like a deflated balloon, yet still tried to sound tough.
“He knows your identity, he knows you’ve been cursed into this form. He even made a statue for you. How could he be disappointed?”
“We men are just stubborn creatures. When faced with hardship, we can’t retreat—we can only press forward. I don’t want my old comrade to have any regrets on his hundredth birthday.”
“You haven’t even found the Enhance Strength spell yet. Challenging him now is just asking for death. Forcing yourself will only make his birthday banquet even more regrettable.”
“I…”
Xiadam was left speechless by Sheffield’s blunt words, sitting there on the sofa, lost and doubting her life choices.
The two of them just sat there for a long while.
“Sigh, there’s just no hope for a useless thing like you. Let me give you some advice.”
Sheffield couldn’t stand it anymore. Without her around, this one probably wouldn’t survive half a year.
“Advice? What advice?” At this, Xiadam instantly perked up.
“Go find that Priestess you met last time. You should get something useful out of it.”
“The Priestess? But she’s at the Forest Camp! How could I possibly make it back in time to find her?”
But just as they mentioned the Priestess—
Knock knock knock~
Someone gently knocked on the guest room door.
“Excuse me, is the Magician in?”
A slightly awkward, yet somehow familiar voice called from outside.
Xiadam instantly jolted alert, recognizing the owner of that voice, looking at Sheffield in disbelief.
“I am the all-knowing, almighty Dragon King.”
Sheffield just shrugged, face unconcerned, then made a “please go open the door, miss” gesture.
Xiadam got up and opened the door—standing outside was the very Priestess from the Pioneer Knights Squad.
“Lady Xiadam, hello. Do you remember me? I’m Priestess Anna.” Priestess Anna immediately took off her hat, her manner polite and a little shy.
“Miss Anna, I’m not that old yet, of course I remember you. Come in, have a cup of tea.” Xiadam smiled broadly, welcoming her in for a proper chat.
“…Thank you, Magician.” Priestess Anna seemed overwhelmed by the attention.
After all, in her impression, Xiadam had always been a stern and unsmiling, cold young girl.
Polite, yes, but always kept a distance from everyone—no one could guess what was going on in her heart.
“Greetings, Lady Sheffield.” Priestess Anna also greeted Sheffield, who was sitting on the sofa drinking tea, with a slight bow.
“You’re much too formal, just make yourself at home. Have a seat, I’ll make you some tea,” Xiadam said with a soft laugh.
“Ah~ oh… Maybe I should make the tea?” With the Magician being so friendly, Priestess Anna couldn’t help but feel out of place.
“How could I let a guest make tea? Miss Anna, what brings you here today?” Xiadam personally prepared the tea, subtly probing for information.
“I returned to the Border City with the Knights Squad to report on the situation in Xiadamu Village, and just stopped by to greet you, Magician.”
“The Pioneer Knights came back too?”
“They returned right after making their report, bringing a new batch of Pioneer Knights back to help out. But when the old lord’s birthday comes, everyone will be back in Border City.”
“They went back? What about you, Miss Anna?”
“As a Priestess, I’m not much use for construction at the Camp, so I stayed behind.”
“How could you not be useful? If anyone’s injured, don’t they still need you to heal them?”
“The knights all know basic healing. We Priestesses are really only essential in emergency combat. Since I’m the only Priestess in this area, I have to stay to help the townsfolk.”
“I see. It must be tough on you.”
The two chatted for a while about daily matters and the challenges of their professions.
“By the way, Miss Anna, do you know any spells that enhance strength?”
Once the conversation was wrapping up, Xiadam casually brought up her real purpose, her face composed.
“Spells that enhance strength?”
Priestess Anna thought for a few seconds, then replied, “There should be something like that in the Church’s collection. I remember when I was a child, I saw a support spell that enhanced knights’ strength. But the priest said it was useless, so I never learned it.”
“Yes! That’s exactly it!” Xiadam immediately became excited.
“Lady Xiadam?” Priestess Anna was startled by her reaction.
“Miss Anna, could you take me to the Church to have a look? I urgently need that Grimoire.”
“Of course! You’re our benefactor, Lady Xiadam. If you want a Grimoire, I’d give you a hundred if you asked. But that’s a support spell for Priestesses—would a Magician really need it?”
“Priestesses and Magicians are all Mana Manipulators. No one is nobler than anyone else. A true Mana Manipulator always seeks to improve. Only those who can’t progress any further care about such empty reputations.”
“You’re absolutely right, Lady Xiadam.” For the first time, Priestess Anna heard such words, her eyes sparkling with admiration.