‘Can’t even hold a cup steady?’
But Annabell did not think much of it. After all, no one is a sage, and who can avoid mistakes? The little maid was probably just too tired from practicing magic.
“Stop picking them up. You might cut your hand. Leave it for the cleaning puppet to sweep.” Annabell casually comforted her, then closed her eyes again and continued reading the intelligence.
The intelligence said that the geographical location of this “Gram” Town was extremely special.
It happened to be stuck in a blind spot of the Empire’s army patrols, and more than 100 households had all died overnight after having their souls drained dry, in bizarre death states.
The reason this matter alarmed the upper ranks of Sky College was that the Royal Family’s astrologer predicted that some terrifying evil thing capable of overturning the border was likely being bred there.
Whether it was a Dark Mage’s blood sacrifice or an Abyss monster causing trouble, Sky College, as the model of justice on the Continent, absolutely could not allow such evil power to take root and sprout at the border.
Therefore, Sylvia sent out Annabell, who currently had the greatest momentum and the most monstrous combat power in the college.
There was not much useful intelligence in the crystal. The only thing that could be confirmed was that she had to personally go to the scene to investigate.
“What a troublesome task. There is not a single clue, and the difficulty is probably not small.”
Annabell helplessly held her forehead and tossed the crystal onto the table.
“Master, I have rebrewed your tea.”
Emily had already cleaned up the fragments and came over again carrying a cup of steaming hot black tea.
“The instructor gave me a task to go to the border to eliminate demons. But rest assured, with my strength, this departure will not take long. While I am away, you stay in the dormitory and properly practice the magic I gave you.”
It was just that her complexion was still unnaturally pale.
Hearing these words, Emily’s eyelids suddenly lowered, and extremely complex and violent emotional waves flashed through those eyes.
“Yes… Emily obeys.”
She answered softly and bit down hard on her lower lip.
Annabell rubbed her temples, feeling that ever since she transmigrated here, she had been as busy as a spinning top.
She had originally wanted to use the broken engagement to spend a few more days flirting with her Little Sweet Wife Charlotte through the communication mark at the college.
Unexpectedly, right after returning, before she had even warmed the bed, she was being chased off to the border to subdue demons.
Even the destiny protagonist had to be a model worker! One twist after another. These days, being a Villain Boss was more tiring than being the protagonist.
However, thinking that this time there were fifteen good students as free labor, Annabell decided that once she arrived, she would be a hands-off boss.
She just did not know whether these few senior students were reliable.
Could they be a bunch of rookies who only knew how to talk about war on paper?
Annabell could not help but recall the scene of bringing new students into the Demon Beast Forest before… those young ladies who would scream continuously even when facing the lowest-level Slime.
She hoped these fifteen were not trash.
Annabell silently prayed in her heart.
Although the senior students of Sky College were all carefully selected from the outside, in the eyes of a cheater like Annabell, they were indeed still somewhat lacking.
Under Emily’s extremely meticulous and considerate service, Annabell slept comfortably.
Early the next morning, she organized her equipment and left the dormitory, while Emily stood quietly by the dormitory window, watching Annabell’s figure disappear into the morning mist.
In the girl’s purple eyes lingered faint sorrow, but more than that, there was a trace of heart-stopping killing intent.
At Sky College, in front of the teleportation array on the outer plaza.
Those fifteen selected elite inner court disciples were already lined up there, fully equipped and waiting.
The Holy Empire had the prodigy ranking, and Sky College naturally also had an extremely brutally competitive “wind and cloud list.” There were countless monthly exams every month. The higher the rank, the more massive the magic resources obtained.
And these fifteen people standing here were all ruthless characters in the top fifty of the wind and cloud list.
As for Annabell, this parachuted Chief Student senior rumored to have unfathomable strength yet be extremely arrogant, they naturally paid special attention.
Among them, several proud mages even gripped the staffs at their waists, eager to initiate a “friendly spar” with this icy Miss before departure.
Because in their view, as long as they could take a few moves from the Chief Student, they would definitely become famous in the college.
However, when Annabell truly stepped into the plaza, all provocations and whispers instantly stuck in everyone’s throats.
They saw the stunning, ethereal Annabell coldly sweep the entire field with those red and blue heterochromatic eyes.
Her stunning silver hair fluttered in the wind.
She did not release any mana pressure.
Just one glance made these so-called fifteen geniuses feel their souls tremble, their whole bodies turn cold, as if falling into an ice cave.
But those eyes seemed to see through the Abyss of life and death. With just one glance, these so-called fifteen geniuses collectively swallowed their saliva and gave up any thought of courting death.
Through mana perception comparison, they sorrowfully discovered that the gap between them and this Chief Student was roughly the difference between a magic apprentice and a giant dragon.
Not someone to provoke, not someone to provoke.
As for Annabell, she looked at them expressionlessly.
What she was thinking in her heart was:
Let me see, among these fifteen people, exactly how many are burdens who will drag me down…
“Reward?”
Hearing these two words, Emily suddenly raised her head, and those beautiful eyes were full of disbelief.
As long as she perfectly completed Master’s instructions, she could get a reward?
In her past slave life full of abuse and darkness, this was something she would not even dare to dream of.
“E-Emily does not want any reward…”
The girl’s voice trembled a little. She carefully lowered her head and said in a humble and sickly manner, “Emily only wants to stay by Master’s side forever and be an obedient dog. As long as you do not drive me away, that is enough… that is all.”
Annabell looked at the girl who was humble to the bone before her and sighed helplessly in her heart.
She reached out and gently pinched Emily’s chin, forcing her to raise her head, and said softly, “That is natural. You have been branded with my exclusive mark all over your body. If you do not stay by my side, where else can you go?”
Emily nodded frantically like a chicken pecking rice: “I won’t go, I won’t go! Emily will not go anywhere!”
Annabell took the opportunity to hold her small hands, which were somewhat rough from long years of hard labor. Their touch was slightly cool, yet trembling faintly.
“Emily, listen well.”
Annabell looked directly into her eyes: “From today on, you will hold tightly to my hand.”
“Yes…”
“Because I think holding your hand is much more comfortable than holding that cold dog leash.”
Annabell said in that lofty yet somewhat gentle tone.
Emily’s brain instantly crashed. She looked blankly at their clasped hands.
Master’s command, she must obey.
But holding Master’s hand? This was something only nobles or even life partners of equal standing could do! How could she, a lowly remnant of the Shadow Family, be worthy…
“Cough, cough.”
Annabell looked at her expression as if she were about to faint from happiness, covered her mouth and coughed, then restored the Villainess Young Lady’s coldness: “This is an order! You must slowly get used to it for me, understand?”
“Yes! Emily will definitely work hard to do well!”
Emily’s eyes were red, tears swirling in her eyes, but the smile on her face was brighter than sunlight.
“Good. Go prepare hot water for me. I want to bathe and change clothes. Later, I still need to go see Instructor Sylvia.”
Now that Emily was safe and sound, she could continue implementing her “slow” conciliatory policy, hoping to gradually heal this yandere maid’s twisted inner heart.
“Your command! Master!”
Emily moved extremely quickly. Before long, the luxurious white jade bath in the dormitory was filled with warm clear water, and the surface was also sprinkled with precious rose petals.
Annabell removed her clothes and completely immersed herself in the warm water.
Emily knelt by the bath with extreme skill, using those small hands coated with specially made essential oil to gently and precisely press the acupoints on Annabell’s back and shoulders.
It had to be said that this Shadow Family technique was simply superb for massage! That perfectly appropriate force made every cell in Annabell’s body seem to let out comfortable moans.
Accidentally, this Villainess Young Lady who had been rushing about for days actually leaned against the bath and fell asleep comfortably.
Emily, blushing, gazed obsessively at Master’s sleeping face and continued tirelessly serving, adding water, massaging…
After a long while, Emily’s gentle and careful voice sounded by her ear:
“Master… Master.”
Waking Annabell from deep sleep.
“Master, just now the college academic affairs office sent a message. Dean Sylvia wants to see you immediately.”
“Understood.”
Annabell stretched and stood up from the water with a splash.
Under Emily’s careful service, Annabell changed into the college uniform symbolizing the identity of Chief of Sky Academy.
Under Emily’s almost transcendent combing technique, Annabell’s brilliant silver hair was tied up with a hairband inlaid with sapphires, and a few strands hung casually by her fair neck.
The girl in the mirror had a stunning face like mutton-fat white jade, a pair of red and blue heterochromatic dual pupils like a deep starry sky, and a noble aura.
It was just that between her brows, there was always a touch of coldness that kept strangers away.
Emily stood to the side, and for a moment she was actually staring blankly.
She felt that after not seeing her for a long time, Master seemed to have become even more dazzling. As she watched, she blushed.
Annabell did not feel anything in particular. She merely nodded with satisfaction at the mirror.
After preparations were complete, Annabell pushed open the door and walked straight toward the highest-level building of Sky College–the Sage Tower.
Walking on the college’s tree-lined avenue, Annabell immediately became the focus of the entire scene.
Whether it was pure junior girls of the water element or senior male students of the fire element, when they saw her, they could not help but stop and turn back, their eyes full of fanaticism and admiration.
“Look! Miss Annabell is back!”
“Shh, keep your voice down! She is a Duke’s Daughter and has a huge temper!”
“But… she is really so beautiful. That aura, I really want to be stepped on by her, and then discuss the mysteries of magic with her…”
“Pfft, you damn M! What you want to discuss with Senior Annabell is probably dual cultivation magic, right?”
“Heh, so what if I do? Among everyone here, who dares say they are not craving the Miss’s body?”
Listening to those rustling looks-obsessed remarks and the bold eye hints from senior and junior girls, Annabell felt no ripple in her heart, and even wanted to roll her eyes.
She could not even be bothered to open the System’s [Favorability Vision].
A bunch of passerby A’s who did not even count as D-rank characters. The blind boxes they opened were all low-level mana potions and junk. She was a rich woman now and had long since looked down on such trash.
Ignore them all!
Soon, she arrived at the top-floor office area of the Sage Tower.
No matter what the weather outside was like, this place always maintained a sea of flowers like spring all year round. This was naturally the masterpiece of Sylvia, a Grand Archmage.
Annabell calmly walked to the door of the Dean’s office. Before she could knock, the door automatically opened to both sides.
“After not seeing you for some days, my dear good student, your mana fluctuations have become even more unfathomable.”
A lazy female voice with a clearly displeased tone drifted out from behind the office desk.
Sylvia wore a low-cut purple magic robe that extremely displayed her figure, and her golden wavy hair was casually spread out. She held a cup of black tea in her hand, her gaze fixed tightly on Annabell, her eyes full of some suppressed emotion.
“That is right. After going to the Elven King Ruins, your strength grew, your wings hardened, and you can fly on your own now.”
Annabell stood in place, her heart thumped, and she had no idea how to respond.
This old woman’s affection level was [Soulmate]! What was with this abandoned wife tone she had now? Was she jealous?
At this moment, it seemed that whatever she answered would be wrong. Annabell could only bow respectfully: “Instructor’s lesson is correct.”
Sylvia snorted coldly, put down the teacup, and locked her gaze tightly on Annabell: “You caused such a huge disturbance in the Elven King Ruins. The Royal Family has quite a few complaints. You… were not injured, were you?”
Annabell replied: “Thank you for your concern, Instructor. Just a few minor injuries, now no longer serious.”
Sky College’s intelligence network spread throughout the Empire. Sylvia naturally knew everything that happened in the ruins.
Annabell’s eyes shifted, and she decided to strike first: “Instructor, regarding the broken engagement, it is really…”
“It was your mother, the Grand Duke of Trandil, who ordered you to have no annulment, right?”
Sylvia suddenly spoke, interrupting her words.
Annabell instantly panicked. How did this old woman know everything? It was as if she had seen through her from head to toe!
She hurriedly followed the slope down: “Instructor is right! Mother said that although the Weir Family has declined, Charlotte has now obtained the Elven King’s ultimate legacy and recovered her mana, so her future prospects are limitless. Therefore, the Trandy Family’s engagement absolutely cannot be broken!”
“This is truly Mother’s death order. This student does not dare disobey.”
This black pot was most suitable to be thrown to that perverted Grand Duke mother!
Sylvia looked at Annabell faintly, and that gaze made Annabell’s whole body crawl. After a long while, she sighed: “Forget it. Your teacher will believe you this once. Who let you be my best student?”
The heavy stone in Annabell’s heart finally landed, and she secretly let out a sigh of relief.
It was just that Sylvia’s resentful tone, no matter how she heard it, felt wrong…
To advance by retreating, Annabell continued: “Since this student is bound by an engagement and carries a ‘stain,’ then for the position of Chief of Sky Academy, in order not to disgrace the college, this student voluntarily gives up competing.”
Sylvia suddenly stood up and walked in front of Annabell: “Rules are dead, but people are alive.”
She said extremely domineeringly: “As the Dean, I say it is yours, so this position is yours!”
Annabell suddenly raised her head, her red and blue heterochromatic eyes full of blankness.
What?!
If changing it was so easy, then why did you force me to be the villain and break off the engagement back then?!
This old woman’s possessiveness was too terrifying!
Annabell still felt this was a hot potato: “Instructor, I believe that Senior Ai Weier from the Student Council is more suitable for this position than I am.”
“It is not a question of whether it suits you, nor a question of whether you are willing. Rather… if I want you to do it, then you must do it! Understand?”
Sylvia reached out a finger painted with red nail polish and gently lifted Annabell’s chin, dangerous light flickering in her eyes.
Annabell’s eyelid twitched: “…”
Fine, your level is high, you are domineering, you have the final say!
Sylvia withdrew her hand, sat back behind the office desk, and her tone became casual: “I heard that you crossed hands with Ai Weier at the entrance of the Weir Family?”
Annabell admitted generously: “Senior’s strength is formidable. This student only sparred with her a little.”
Sylvia smiled slightly: “How did it feel?”
Annabell originally wanted to say, “Fifty-fifty. If we really fought, I could use ice and fire to burn her into a bald chicken.”
But then she thought it was better to keep a low profile in front of Sylvia. After all, this old woman’s gaze at her was increasingly like she was looking at prey.
“Senior Ai Weier is very strong. If she truly went all out with killing intent, this student probably could not withstand it.”
Annabell said modestly.
Sylvia thoughtfully tapped the table: “Ever since she returned after suffering a setback from you, Ai Weier applied to enter the ‘Room of Spirit and Time’ for secluded hard training.”
“She has always been so competitive. It is just that as her teacher, I worry she might go astray because of this.”
“Sigh, this child, why is she so stubbornly targeting you…”
Sylvia sighed.
Annabell remained silent, but inside she was furiously complaining:
Targeting me? That is clearly yandere jealousy born from love turning to hate, all right!
Annabell did not have much feeling toward Ai Weier. But Sylvia insisted on forcing her into this position and leaving the ambitious Ai Weier on the cold bench.
It could be said that there was almost no possibility of easing the relationship between her and Ai Weier.
Add to that the three-year pact between Ai Weier and Charlotte, and they were confirmed deadly rivals!
She truly was willing to give up the Chief Student position and enjoy some leisure.
After sighing for a while over Ai Weier’s obsession, Sylvia put away her chatty expression.
“All right, private matters are finished. This urgent summon back to the college is also because of an extremely important official matter.”
Annabell bowed slightly: “Please instruct me, Instructor.”
Sylvia’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and she took out a parchment scroll: “Recently, the Holy Empire’s border guard army submitted an urgent request for reinforcements to our Sky College.”
“In a no-man’s-land at the border between the Empire and Dark Mage territory, there is a remote small town called ‘Gram.’ Overnight, it was completely massacred.”
“The entire town, several hundred people, not a single survivor. The strangest thing is that no traces of magic fluctuations were left at the scene. The villagers’ deaths were extremely miserable, as if their souls had been drained dry.”
Sylvia pushed the scroll in front of Annabell: “This should have been a matter for the Empire’s security office and Church interrogators. But those Royal Family trash are helpless against this unknown evil power, and they insist on pestering our college, requesting a High-rank Mage to investigate.”
“I did not want to bother with these crappy Royal Family matters, but Ai Weier is currently in seclusion, and the other senior elites are all interning at the front lines. Therefore, this matter can only be handed to you.”
“Go find that inhuman evil thing or Dark Mage and kill it on the spot! Shut those Royal Family trash up and tell them not to bother me again!”
Holy Empire border? Town massacre?
Annabell’s brow slightly raised.
Whether it was the intricate family grudges in the original work or the Royal Family’s lofty attitude, she had not the slightest bit of good feeling toward this so-called “Holy Empire.”
However, she had just made Sylvia compromise on the broken engagement and Chief Student matters. If she refused again this time, this [Soulmate] would probably directly darken and go berserk.
Annabell took the scroll and performed a perfect mage salute: “This student understands. I will handle it properly.”
Sylvia nodded with satisfaction, gave a delicate yawn, and waved her hand: “You may withdraw. Once ready, set off immediately.”
“Yes.”
Annabell turned and left the office.
Walking down the corridor, she pondered the town massacre Sylvia had mentioned.
Based on the countless web novel tropes she had read in her previous life, something capable of silently massacring an entire town generally had only two possibilities:
Either a perverted Dark Mage using living souls as Blood Sacrifice to cultivate forbidden knowledge dark magic;
Or some kind of evil existence that had just been born after an eclipse ritual loosened.
Only these filthy things that could not see the light would specifically target remote villages and towns.
Annabell felt that this should be a very ordinary side quest to fight monsters. As long as she arrived, opened her truth magic eye to scan the whole map, found the evil thing, and blasted it to slag with one ice magic strike, it would be done.
Simple and crude!
She first made a detour to the college’s “Task Management Hall,” preparing to collect detailed intelligence and a pass regarding the “Gram Town massacre.”
This was the place where college students accepted college internship tasks and exchanged magic resources. It was bustling with voices all year round.
As soon as Annabell appeared, the hall instantly became much quieter.
As a Duke’s Daughter worth hundreds of millions, she naturally disdained coming here to do those errand tasks for cheap magic herbs, so her appearance in the task hall was extremely rare.
The receptionist was a senior steward. When he saw Annabell, his eyes went straight.
“According to Dean Sylvia’s instructions, I am here to accept the Gram Town massacre. Please give me the detailed file. I am in a hurry, so do not delay my schedule.”
Annabell was expressionless.
“The Gram Town massacre, correct? Please wait a moment…”
The female steward quickly took out a recording magic crystal, and at the same time explained somewhat guiltily: “Miss Annabell, this S-rank investigation mission, due to its wide implications, the college has also assigned fifteen senior inner court students to accept it together.”
“They will serve as your followers and accompany you to the border for the investigation.”
Annabell’s movement of taking the crystal suddenly paused, and her brows tightly knitted together.
“What? Fifteen people?”
She had thought this was just an easy single-person publicly funded trip and monster hunt. How did more than a dozen dragging burdens suddenly appear?!
After coldly asking, Annabell helplessly learned that this was an old rule of Sky College–when the Chief Student led an S-rank mission, they had to bring elite inner court students for actual combat observation and training.
“…Fine, I understand.”
Annabell forcibly endured the urge to curse, nodded, turned, and strode away.
Returning to her single luxurious dormitory, Annabell walked in tiredly.
Emily had already emerged from meditation training and, like an obedient little wife, waited wholeheartedly at the entrance.
She also sat down on the velvet sofa, and Emily immediately lightly walked behind her, using those soft little hands to gently knead her shoulders.
The pressure was moderate, extremely comfortable.
Annabell relaxed her body and placed the task crystal on the tabletop. The crystal began to play the relevant content, task details, and information.
“Master, do you want tea?” Emily asked softly.
“Yes, brew a cup of black tea.”
Emily immediately withdrew and, at the tea table not far away, focused intently on handling the exquisite tea set.
Meanwhile, Annabell silently read the intelligence in her heart:
“Located at the border between the Holy Empire and a neighboring country’s territory, this was originally a rich spiritual land full of mana. There was a large village of several hundred people here. Most villagers made a living by gathering herbs, and almost everyone in the town shared the same surname…”
“They all had the surname… Grey…”
“Clang!”
“Crash!”
An extremely harsh sound of porcelain shattering suddenly rang out in the quiet dormitory.
Annabell was startled and quickly opened her eyes to look.
“Emily, what happened?”
Beside the tea table, Emily, who always handled things with extreme steadiness and perfection, was now squatting on the ground with a pale face.
She hurriedly picked up the fragments of those precious teacups. The sharp porcelain cut her finger, and blood dripped onto the carpet, yet she did not notice at all.
“I am sorry… I am sorry, Master! Emily is too stupid… I am sorry…”
Emily’s voice trembled violently, as if she had received some great fright.
Emily was from the Shadow Family. How could she not even hold a teacup steady?
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