Deep Crimson Dragonbone Mountains.
In a vast expanse of primal forests filled with scorching magma and brutality, several dazzling magical lights clashed fiercely.
Several high-rank wandering mages were joining forces to besiege a petite blonde girl.
“Stinking little girl, hand over that strange fire quickly! Otherwise, you won’t leave these myriad mountains alive today! I’m talking to you!!”
Charlotte held a knight’s sword condensed from mana, its blade wrapped in azure soulfire, and fiercely slashed out a scorching wave of flame.
With a boom, she forced the several mages back.
“You lot are truly reasonable. You’ve guarded this volcanic crater for so many years, yet your magic hasn’t improved. After failing to subdue it, you instead want to snatch it for yourselves.”
Charlotte sneered: “Truly shameless bandit behavior.”
The several wandering mages’ eyes turned cold. They exchanged a glance, and a ruthless killing intent flashed through them.
“Stop wasting words on her. Use dark magic spells to finish her! Not only will we get that legendary strange fire, but the azure flame on her is also a rare and excellent casting material!”
“Right, let’s all attack together. Even if she’s strong, she can’t be a match for our combined casting!”
One of the beast tamers threw out a monster egg: “Go, it’s decided, you’re the one—Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger!!”
These people’s mana levels were all above Charlotte’s, and they coordinated a tactical siege.
Charlotte had no advantage, and was immediately plunged into the danger of a sky-full magical bombardment.
She gritted her teeth and had to use her trump card: “Lord World Ender, please, lend me your power! You small fries, go die for this lady!”
Behind Charlotte, a gigantic phantom of the Elven King, godlike in stature, abruptly appeared.
Wearing the Crown of Life, holding the Scepter of Nature!
A terrifying pressure of mana surpassing god-rank descended. The several High-rank Mages instantly felt as if plunged into an ice cave. Even their lips chanting spells froze, and they could not move at all.
The phantom of the World Ender swung the scepter.
Immense natural mana transformed into a beam of sunlight, blasting a huge deep crater into the scorched earth before Charlotte.
The several wandering mages did not even have time to deploy defensive barriers before they were torn apart by the raging mana, turning into sparks flying across the sky.
Charlotte, however, had overdrawn her mana. She collapsed to the ground, exhausted, gasping for breath.
After countless life-and-death battles, she could finally release the ultimate mystery of the World Ender legacy in actual combat with ease.
This trump card had saved her many times in desperate situations, and had now become her ultimate life-saving skill kept in reserve.
But every time this power receded, she missed that silver-haired girl who shared life and death with her beyond measure.
***
In the spiritual world.
Lao Nainai teased: “Girl, the way you spoke just now is getting more and more like that little tyrant Annabell.”
Recalling the arrogant line “small fries” she had just said to those people, she felt her face flush.
It was precisely because she missed Annabell too much.
Under that longing, even the mana she poured into the “twin contract” mark on her wrist increased.
Charlotte was greatly startled.
She perceived before her the awkward message Annabell had left earlier: “If you’re not dead, then cheer up. Don’t embarrass this lady.”
Charlotte’s heart sweetened, and she hurriedly replied through mana transmission: “Anna, I miss you so much.”
Three seconds.
At that moment, aboard the airship, Annabell, preparing to carry out a border-state task, instantly “received” it.
Through the soul contract, both simultaneously sensed each other’s heartbeat and that reassuring closeness.
Annabell said: “Mm, as long as you’re fine. Don’t push yourself.”
Charlotte: “Anna, I love you! Super, super love you!”
Annabell: “…”
Charlotte: “Cackle cackle, kill, kill, kill!”
Annabell: “Yes, yes, yes…”
The two sent their longing across countless mountains and rivers for a while.
Charlotte asked somewhat nervously: “Anna, have you… have you mentioned me to the Grand Duke mother? Does the Grand Duke’s impression of me…”
Charlotte was extremely nervous, even afraid.
Grand Duke Kasha of Tranti was, in legends across the entire Continent, a cold-blooded and ruthless tyrant, an absolute superior. She must have extremely strict requirements for her daughter’s engagement partner, right?
On the other side, Annabell replied: “Mother values you greatly. Mm, she very much looks forward to your future development.”
Charlotte was surprised: “Eh! Really? For real for real?”
Annabell: “Really.”
Of course it was true. The Grand Duke had taken a fancy to Charlotte’s Elven King aptitude that could step onto the holy long stairs.
She would naturally not refuse someone of such strategic value.
Charlotte felt sweetness in her heart, then carefully probed: “Then did Mother… say anything about our marriage?”
“Mother thinks it’s still too early now. We have to wait until the family’s grand plan is completed, but this matter definitely won’t be delayed too long.” Annabell paused, then spoke nonsense with a serious face.
Charlotte blushed: “Mm, what Anna says makes so much sense.”
Charlotte said: “By the way, I successfully absorbed another flame legacy, cackle cackle.”
Annabell nodded: “Mm, not bad.”
Charlotte was dissatisfied: “Anna, praise me, hurry up and praise me.”
Annabell said helplessly: “Very impressive.”
Annabell: “Re-really impressive… Actually, it’s just so-so. Mm, I lied to you. My Charlotte is the best.”
Charlotte covered her face: “I love hearing you praise me. Continue, continue.”
She had just been fighting for life and death, yet now she was happy like a little fool head over heels in love!
Under Lao Nainai’s shocked gaze, Charlotte smiled like a lovesick fool on the scorched earth.
After saying goodnight and farewell to Annabell, Charlotte kept smiling sweetly.
Even if there were more battles, more hardships.
As long as Anna was there, she would always have the motivation to keep fighting.
After two years, when she defeated Yivier of Sky College, she would definitely prove to the whole world that she was the one most perfectly matched with Annabell!
Even if both of them were girls, so what?
Anyway, there is magic in this world for two women to have a child!
Thinking of this, her cheeks reddened again.
At the same time, on the other side.
Under the shroud of night.
Annabell had just cut off communication with Charlotte.
The magic airship she led had already arrived at its destination—
A small border town located at the junction of the Holy Empire and a neighboring country.
“Miss Annabell, later we will coordinate with the team sent by the Imperial Royal Family to investigate.”
An elite inferior mage from the inner court respectfully reported.
A female mage beside him could not help muttering quietly: “Although the Kram Village case is an extremely vile massacre, it shouldn’t require such a fuss, to the point of making Miss Annabell personally take action, right?”
As she spoke, she looked at Annabell with awe.
They all felt that the college sending Annabell was truly overkill.
Annabell said nothing.
In this matter, Mentor Sylvia had said she did not want too much entanglement with the royal family, so she sent her out to settle it quickly.
The mentor had not revealed much information, but Annabell felt this matter was strange in every aspect.
Could it be that the killer who massacred an entire village was extremely powerful? That was why the Imperial Royal Family and Sky College needed to act together!
The inferior mage said mysteriously again: “I heard that the one representing the royal family to investigate with us this time is the absolute genius on the Empire’s rising star list—the Empire’s Fifth Princess, Princess Victoria!”
Annabell staggered inwardly.
Good heavens, she had just indirectly killed a Fourth Prince Ers in Xunli, and now here came an Empire’s Fifth Princess!
In the future, would she inevitably achieve the “family portrait” achievement of wiping out the Imperial Royal Family…
“Why investigate together!” Annabell asked coldly.
Even if the task description had this clause, for her, the heir of the Tranti Duke, to mix with a princess of the Imperial Royal Family to investigate a case was too inappropriate, wasn’t it?
The students looked at each other, feeling that this big shot did not understand the inside story of this task thoroughly enough.
“The royal mage corps began investigating earlier than us. They have already collected some magical evidence left at the scene and possess more intelligence about that mysterious killer. They seem to already know who the killer is.”
The inferior mage added quietly: “I heard that Kram Village is not an ordinary local village. It hides a ‘big prize’ affirmed by fate from ancient times—namely high-grade magic tools, ruins treasures, and things like that.”
“We just arrived this time to represent the college, join the Imperial Royal Family in subjugating evil demons, and get a share of the spoils.”
This was intelligence Annabell had not known.
So this person was here to farm college credits and training experience!
However, this matter was indeed easier.
She did not need to search the whole countryside for the killer.
What she was least good at was this kind of detective-style puzzle-solving little drama. Pushing straight through was the romance of a villain.
Annabell looked calmly at these college students: “Your intelligence is truly well-informed.”
The students glanced at each other and said with apologetic smiles: “Not at all, aren’t we just trying to make the task go more smoothly?”
“Moreover, Miss Annabell, this task may yield ancient relics! My source is absolutely reliable!”
“Hey, with Miss Annabell leading the team, the dungeon treasures will surely belong to us. When the time comes, we just need to follow behind Chairwoman and get a sip of soup!”
A very clever college mage. With just a few words, he flattered her and also tacitly accepted that the right to distribute spoils belonged entirely to Annabell.
“Lead the way. We’ll go meet the Imperial Royal Family’s people first.”
Seeing Annabell agree, the students were naturally excited.
With this invincible big shot leading the team, this dungeon run was no longer a matter of eating a feast with eyes closed, but a thrilling, spicy experience of exhilarating slaughter!
The small border town welcomed a distinguished guest.
Adventurers and wandering mages from a hundred miles around gathered here.
“Did you hear? That princess ranked near the top of the rising star list has arrived in person!”
“Wow! They say Fifth Princess Victoria’s magical talent is the greatest in the royal family!”
“She’s devastatingly beautiful, her mana is unfathomable. She’s simply a goddess descended to earth!”
“Bah, are you even worthy of looking at a goddess?”
Everyone knew the royal bloodline was noble, neither too poor nor too mediocre.
First there was the powerful but tyrannical Fourth Prince Ers, and later the exceptionally gifted Fifth Princess Victoria.
Her arrival excited these mercenaries and adventurers endlessly.
“We’ve finally waited for her. Fifth Princess is here to exterminate that terrifying demon!”
“Haha, we finally don’t have to live in fear.”
That village massacre that occurred in tranquility came suddenly and eerily. The dark magic aura permeating the air frightened the residents of surrounding towns badly.
Inside the luxurious room where the Fifth Princess was staying.
A maid in gorgeous attire said proudly: “Just now I saw those mud-legged adventurers. Because of Princess’s arrival, their eyeballs were about to pop out.”
“If Sky College and the Imperial Royal Family hadn’t just sent people, everyone would have moved away out of fear, and this whole area would become an uninhabited deadly land.”
In a luxurious post station in the small town, the Imperial Royal Knights of the Imperial Royal Family were resting.
“Look how delighted they are.” Another maid chuckled coquettishly: “In this remote and barren place, they’re all just vulgar people who don’t understand magic. What’s there to be happy about!”
Inside the room.
A breathtakingly beautiful woman wearing a semi-transparent veil sat quietly, holding a thick magical parchment scroll and reading.
Her figure was graceful, her demeanor quietly radiant and cold, as if untouched by mortal dust.
Elegant blonde hair cascaded down to her chest.
<Imperial Intelligence Dossier>
This was the Empire’s Fifth Princess—Victoria.
Victoria did not care about the words of her two personal maids.
She looked at the intelligence in her hand, but her mind was on another matter.
“What a pity about that Cloud-Touching Holy Father Shalinde. She has already been imprisoned in the Tower of Despair within the Abyssal Frost. I’m afraid she will never be able to come out in this life…”
Victoria had stood at the top of the rising star list for a long time, and often felt the loneliness of high places.
Shalinde was one of the few opponents who could make her feel pressure.
She quite liked opponents of equal strength who could spur her to keep improving. Now that she had lost a good opponent, she could not help but sigh.
The maid said pointedly: “It’s said that among the Sky College mages coming for the joint subjugation this time, the leader happens to be Annabell of the Tranti Duke’s family.”
“This person was born in the Duke’s Estate, but her ferocity and cruelty have long been notorious outside. She is an out-and-out butcher.”
Another maid said with some worry: “His Highness the Crown Prince’s death is rumored to be inseparable from her. What if she schemes against Princess during this operation?”
“Hmph, if she really dares, Princess will definitely punish her severely!”
“Enough.”
Victoria stood up and interrupted the maids’ quarrel. Mentioning Annabell… Victoria frowned slightly.
Although there was no conclusive magical evidence, the death of Fourth Prince Ers was absolutely inseparable from this lawless madwoman.
“Your Highness, the people from Sky College have arrived.”
Outside the door, a royal knight knocked and announced.
Victoria stood up and walked outside.
At this moment, in the hall of the post station, the knights of the Imperial Royal Family and the students of Sky College were locked in a tense confrontation.
The moment Annabell stepped into the hall, the royal knights immediately drew the enchanted longswords at their waists and took defensive stances, treating Annabell as a flood of beasts, extremely wary.
The college’s elite mages naturally refused to be outdone. They raised their staffs one after another, the tips flickering with dangerous elemental light, forming a standoff.
Annabell did not find it strange.
If the Imperial Royal Family had no reaction to her, the suspected “number one suspect in the murder of the Fourth Prince,” that would be strange.
The inferior mage questioned loudly: “Is this the Imperial Royal Family’s way of receiving guests?”
“Drawing swords against our Sky College Chairwoman!”
“Could it be that before the evil demons are eliminated, we must first have a duel!”
Suddenly a contemptuous yet extremely authoritative voice rebuked: “Put away your weapons and withdraw!”
Victoria was seen descending the spiral staircase, her expression displeased.
“…Understood.”
Under the princess’s order, the knights could only grit their teeth, sheathe their swords, and withdraw.
“Princess, please be careful. That is the rumored ‘truth magic eye’ Annabell.” The captain of the guards reminded softly.
Following the gaze, Victoria saw Annabell.
Indeed, just as in the legends, she possessed peerless beauty and that pair of unsettling red-and-blue heterochromia eyes.
With just mana detection, it was impossible to see the other’s depth at all. Only that vague, icy sense of threat lingered and would not disperse.
At the same time, Annabell was also sizing up Victoria.
On the system panel, the affection level flickering above this Empire’s Fifth Princess’s head was the glaring [Hostile].
After all, the two were from great noble families whose fortunes rose and fell against each other, whether now or in the future.
So this negative affection level was not strange.
The inferior mage stepped forward and performed a mage’s salute: “Greetings, Princess.”
Victoria nodded slightly: “Everyone, please come in and talk.”
Her attitude was neither servile nor overbearing, her noble etiquette impeccable.
Annabell did not think much of it either. In any case, the two would not have much interaction, as long as it did not hinder her from fighting monsters and farming affection.
After briefly explaining her purpose, Victoria directly shared intelligence with Sky College.
“Kram is not an ordinary village, but a hidden wizard clan that is strange in every aspect.”
The maid presented a magic crystal ball and continued: “This is an item obtained from the ruins in the village. After confirmation by royal court mages, it is an extremely evil dark magic tool, seemingly used as the Array Eye core for some kind of sacrificial ritual.”
“The order our Princess received is to investigate the origins of the Kram clan, find out the true reason they were massacred, and purify that fallen killer.”
“May I ask, what task have the people of Sky College been assigned?”
The students all looked toward Annabell, who had remained silent.
Annabell’s face was cold as she lightly uttered a few words: “Purify evil, subjugate heresy.”
Silver hair, red-and-blue heterochromia eyes, plus that aloof and slightly tyrannical aura…
The maid complained wildly in her heart: You look like the heresy demon boss! Maybe your family is a remnant of the demon race!
Victoria nodded: “Our goals are actually aligned. I know a time magic called ‘years’ all-water,’ which can trace past image scenes within a specific range. This magic requires us to go to the central altar of Kram Village to activate it.”
The inferior mage said: “In other words, we can act right now!”
Victoria said righteously: “Demons and monsters are causing chaos. This Princess has the Empire’s subjects in her heart.”
“This matter should be done sooner rather than later. If you are ready, we set out immediately. What do you all think?”
Annabell nodded, too lazy for nonsense.
That inferior mage immediately understood and nodded: “Eliminating these Dark Mages, as well as demons and monsters, is naturally also our college’s duty!”