It had been seventy years since the Monster Empire and the Human Kingdom established their peace treaty.
Seventy years ago, it was the several Floating Fortresses that had performed great service, withstanding the Demon Race’s offensive and forcing the powerful Monster Empire to cease fire and recuperate.
The first Magic Academy principal also fell in that war, and the floating magic array was lost to time.
Now, the Floating Fortress in Academy City was the very last one.
Consequently, the Demon Race feared this Floating Fortress and was even more concerned that someone might relearn the floating magic array through it.
Thus, the first strike of the Monster Empire’s sudden invasion was to send the flying Demon Race to destroy this final Floating Fortress of humanity.
***
At the same time, Academy City was still immersed in a sea of joy as the Fireworks Festival was about to begin.
In a dark alley, the cold moonlight outlined a girl’s graceful silhouette.
Su Nian had a resentful expression, mixed with unmistakable disgust, as she glared fiercely at the man beside her.
She silently cursed him as a perverted Horned Demon in her heart.
As for… the fireworks display.
She did want to see the fireworks of this world.
They would surely be just as beautiful as the ones in her previous world, right?
However, in her current state, if she were recognized by the crowds again, wouldn’t she be repeating her past mistakes?
She didn’t want to experience the misery of being chased across the city by fanatical fans ever again.
At least… at least she had to wait for the hype of the Magic Pet Glory Arena to die down, or change out of the outfit hidden beneath her coat.
“There are so many people, what if I’m recognized again…” Su Nian expressed her concerns in a small voice.
Chu Tian seemed to have anticipated she would say this, his lips curling into a mysterious arc.
“I know a place,” he said slowly, “It might not be as lively, but the view is excellent, and I guarantee you won’t be disturbed.”
In the next moment as if performing a magic trick, Chu Tian pulled a fluffy object from the inner lining of his oversized black trench coat.
It was the “Magic Bird” Little Green doll from the archery stall that had caught Su Nian’s eye earlier.
It turned out that during the chaos just now, he had been quick enough to snatch away this doll which served as a prize.
After all, he had hit all ten targets in the end; this doll was rightfully his trophy.
“Don’t you have a dragon?”
Chu Tian stuffed the adorable Little Green doll into Su Nian’s arms and pointed at the plushie.
“Watching the fireworks from the sky should provide a rather good view.” He paused, then added pointedly, “Besides, I recall that I, your Master, am the one currently covering that dragon’s food expenses.”
Chu Tian’s tone brooked no refusal.
Su Nian hugged the soft Little Green doll, feeling utterly speechless.
Little Green was a genuine Saint-level Wind Element Giant Dragon.
Usually, using it as a mount for travel or for bullying others in the Arena was one thing but now, it was being conscripted just to… watch fireworks?
This was simply a massive waste of talent.
However, before she could argue, a crisp, childish voice rang out directly in her mind.
‘Fireworks! Fireworks! Little Green wants to see fireworks too!’
It was Little Green’s voice.
This adolescent little Saint Dragon was full of intense interest in all the novel things in the world—to put it simply, it “hadn’t seen much of the world”—and naturally wouldn’t miss out on such excitement.
Su Nian sighed helplessly and nodded.
And so, at a quiet spot in the outskirts far from the noise of Academy City, a streak of green light shot into the sky.
The massive Wind Elemental Holy Dragon spread its sky-blotting green dragon wings, carrying Su Nian and Chu Tian as it soared through the cold night sky.
To avoid causing a panic, Su Nian gathered a faint light at her fingertips and cast a sophisticated Light Magic spell.
A thin veil of light enveloped the giant dragon’s massive body, distorting the surrounding light to form a perfect stealth effect.
Looking up from the ground, one would only see a normal night sky, with no inkling that a Giant Dragon was circling above.
The wind whistled past her ears.
Su Nian sat on Little Green’s broad back, feeling the solid texture of the dragon scales.
Behind her, the Horned Demon sat close against her.
His masculine body heat and scent enveloped her, leaving her nowhere to run.
Just as Su Nian turned her head.
“Swoosh—Boom!”
The first firework, trailing a long tail of flame, suddenly exploded in the distant night sky.
A massive golden bloom blossomed brilliantly against the dark canopy, lighting up the entire night sky as bright as day.
The Fireworks Festival had begun!
Immediately following were the second, the third…
Countless multicolored lights shimmered in Su Nian’s azure eyes.
As she watched the grand and beautiful fireworks, her turbulent thoughts gradually settled.
Red, purple, and silver waterfalls… paired with magical craftsmanship, the brilliant shifts of light and shadow were breathtakingly beautiful.
Watching fireworks while riding a Giant Dragon was indeed a novel experience.
It seemed the Horned Demon’s ideas weren’t all entirely deplorable.
It felt like… living like this wasn’t so bad after all.
The thought was like a ripple on the water’s surface, quietly spreading across the lake of her heart.
However, just as her mind drifted, an improper hand “couldn’t help itself” and reached out once more.
That hand, bearing light calluses, moved over her shoulder and landed on her pure white fur coat, then slowly slid downward.
Su Nian’s body tensed instantly.
The mood that had just relaxed due to the beautiful scenery vanished in an instant.
She silently rolled her eyes.
If only she didn’t have this Horned Demon Bastard bothering her from time to time, it would be even better.
“Don’t do that, Little Green is still here…” Su Nian firmly pushed Chu Tian’s hand away.
The fireworks were brief and brilliant, soon coming to a close.
The night sky returned to silence, leaving only the scattered stars and a solitary moon.
***
Meanwhile, inside the master bedroom of Shadowmoon Manor, Little Violet, who was curled up and sleeping soundly on a velvet cushion, suddenly snapped its eyes open.
An uneasy light flashed in its mysterious purple pupils as it stared warily toward the direction of the distant sea.
There, a cold and evil aura that made it extremely uneasy was quietly gathering.
***
The next day the Winter Festival officially began amidst much anticipation.
The entire Academy City was immersed in a sea of celebration.
At this moment, Su Nian stood inside the exclusive backstage dressing room for the Magic Feather Fantasy idol group, staring at her radiant self in the mirror.
She wore a complex and magnificent performance outfit tailored specifically for her, named “Star-Moon Embrace.”
Countless tiny star-crystals and moon-colored silver threads had been skillfully woven into the dark blue silk by the most skilled Elven craftsmen using a lost secret technique.
As she breathed and moved slightly, a miniature galaxy seemed to flow across the fabric, starlight shimmering.
Exquisite silver lines traced patterns of crescent moons and nebulae on the hem and cuffs, while layers of thin gauze created a dreamlike volume.
The wide, flowing sleeves resembled wings about to take flight, and with every lift of her arms, they trailed a wake of flowing colors.
This was an idol’s attire—dazzling, noble, and holy.
It stood in stark contrast to the shameful and degenerate bunny girl outfit she had hidden beneath her heavy fur coat the night before.
Around her slender, snow-white neck, the Lover’s Prison Collar had transformed into an exquisite neckpiece encrusted with dark blue gemstones that perfectly matched the “Star-Moon Embrace” outfit, resting quietly against her skin.
The cold touch of the necklace served as a constant reminder—a reminder that every night, she was under that man’s control… being conquered again and again, lingering in pleasure…
‘Hmph, perverted Horned Demon.’ Su Nian cursed him in the depths of her heart and took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her turbulent thoughts.
Together with the other members of Magic Feather Fantasy, she boarded the Floating Fortress that was about to set sail, all under the watchful gaze of the public.
This Floating Fortress was one of the highest crystallizations of the Human Kingdom’s magic and alchemy technology.
Its grandeur far exceeded Su Nian’s imagination.
The fortress was cast from an unknown silver-white metal, its surface engraved with complex and profound ancient magic runes.
As the sunlight hit it, it reflected a cold and holy brilliance.
The deck atop the fortress was as vast as a plaza, paved with white jade polished to a mirror-like shine.
It was currently crowded with various dignitaries and celebrities from the Red Maple Kingdom.
Richly dressed nobles held crystal glasses filled with fine wine, gathered in small groups and conversing in low voices.
The air was thick with the rich scent of high-end perfume mixed with cigars, and accompanied by the melodious sounds of string music, it was a scene of peace and prosperity.
However, a trace of unease lingered in Su Nian’s heart.
Little Violet’s warning in its dream last night—that distant yet clearly discernible cold and evil aura—was definitely not for nothing.
Beneath this prosperity, some sort of fatal crisis seemed to be lurking.
At this moment, the banquet had not yet officially started, and the Floating Fortress had not yet taken flight.
Once everyone arrived, the Third Prince would announce the departure ceremony.
The Floating Fortress would circle Academy City once.
Directly above the city, Magic Feather Fantasy’s performance would serve as the climax of the celebration, dedicated to all the citizens.
For any performance troupe, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become world-famous.
When Su Nian appeared on the Floating Fortress, the clamor of the scene seemed to pause for a brief moment.
Countless gazes—be they stunned, jealous, greedy, or appreciative—instantly focused on her alone.
She was like a brilliant star dropped into a calm lake, instantly attracting everyone’s attention.
Among them, one gaze was particularly scorching, filled with undisguised possessiveness that was almost tangible enough to pierce through her body.
Su Nian didn’t even need to look up to clearly feel the source of that gaze.
The Third Prince, Elvin Red Maple.
As the nominal host of this celebration, he stood high-spirited on the terrace at the very front of the fortress, surrounded by a group of fawning nobles like a moon surrounded by stars.
Regarding Su Nian’s clean and decisive “rejection” yesterday, he was still brooding over it.
Instead of discouraging him, it had further stimulated the desire for conquest in his bones.
There was never a woman Elvin Red Maple wanted that he couldn’t get.
In his view, the harder something was to obtain, the more precious it was.
This commoner-born magic girl was like a thorny ice rose—beautiful and proud—which only made the urge to pluck her even stronger.
Moreover, this was by no means a simple matter of romance.
If he could obtain the girl before him, it was equivalent to taking all the powerful magic strength and rising popularity behind her for himself.
As the youngest genius Great Mage of the Magic Academy, she could further secure the support of the academic factions for him.
The supreme power of the Red Maple Kingdom, and this peerless girl herself, were both things he intended to possess.