Chapter 91: I’ll Eat You for a Lifetime!

“Bang!”

With a heavy thud, the Berwick Countess was tossed onto the stone path of the courtyard by Astreia, like a ragged sack.

The “Northern Lioness” of the Valoran Kingdom no longer showed a trace of her usual composure and calm.

Those star-like eyes, always as clear as a green lake, now burned with unprecedented anxiety and rage, nearly bursting out.

“Trap… coercing Little Shanna…”

The countess’s tearful confession echoed in her ears.

From beginning to end, the so-called negotiation was a meticulously crafted scheme, aimed at threatening Laxana and controlling the Klein Family behind her.

But when she remembered Wendy being “respectfully” dragged away by the Housekeeper, a cold fear seized her heart without warning.

No way…

The Housekeeper took Wendy…

Could it be… to serve the drugged Little Shanna?!

The moment the thought surfaced, Astreia’s breath caught.

In an instant, the Princess recalled the “Little Imperial Uncle” secretly hidden under her bed, and all those vividly depicted, shameful scenes that made her blush with embarrassment.

The images became piercingly clear and merciless.

A friend, utterly lost to drugs, would do what to the defenseless Prince Wendy?

Those unimaginable positions described in books, those unspeakable acts…

How could Wendy’s slender body possibly endure them?!

He would be broken!

He would definitely be broken!

Just thinking that beautiful face, always carrying a hint of melancholy that tugged at her heart, might be stained with tears of despair from humiliation, made Astreia’s chest ache so much she couldn’t breathe.

A wave of destructive rage mixed with jealousy instantly shattered her reason.

“Wendy! Where are you?!”

Astreia could no longer remain calm.

She kicked open the nearest guest room door.

“Bang!”

Splinters flew, the door shattered.

Empty.

“Bang!”

Another door.

Still empty.

At that moment, the Princess was like an enraged lioness rampaging through the corridor on the second floor, violently tearing open each guest room with brute force.

Yet behind every door was only emptiness and deathly silence.

Where were they?

Where had Wendy and Little Shanna been taken?

Astreia’s heart sank further and further.

Could it be… they were taken to some basement or secret room?

A hidden place meant for filthy deeds, existing only in stories?

She spun around, dashed back into the courtyard, and seized the Berwick Countess by the collar, lifting her off the ground.

“Speak! Where are they?!!”

“I-I don’t know, Princess Royal… Matters like this are entirely handled by the Housekeeper…”

The countess was terrified, her feet wet and trembling.

“You won’t talk?”

Astreia’s eyes glinted with danger.

She raised her hand, ready to slap down hard.

At that moment–

“Boom—!”

A deafening explosion erupted from somewhere on the fifth floor!

A blinding white pillar of light tore through the wall, ripping the night apart as it soared skyward with destructive force!

Violent magical aftershocks shook the entire courtyard.

Astreia’s raised hand froze in midair.

She looked up, eyes wide, staring at the fading light.

This magical surge, this color of light…

“Is it… Little Shanna’s… Ultimate Flash?!”

The thought split through her confusion like lightning.

Ignoring the limp countess, Astreia turned and sprinted toward the stairs.

The stone path beneath her feet cracked with every step, and her body became a blue blur as she shot up to the fifth floor.

As soon as she reached the staircase, the smell of burning hit her.

At the corridor’s end, a guest room wall had been blown apart, its edges charred and smoking.

Near the blasted doorway, three mangled corpses lay twisted on the ground.

Astreia’s gaze swept past the wreckage and locked onto two figures emerging from the hole.

It was Wendy.

Though his hair was messy and his face pale as paper, at least… his clothes were intact.

He was supporting Laxana.

The mage young lady looked terrible.

Her whole body was limp, almost entirely leaning on Wendy.

Her dazzling golden hair hung damp against her cheek and neck, and her beautiful violet eyes were unfocused, lost.

“Wendy! Little Shanna!”

Astreia rushed forward in a single leap, her voice filled with uncontrollable worry and fear.

“Are you alright?!”

“Astreia!”

When Wendy saw the Princess running over, relief and gratitude washed over his face.

“You’re just in time! The Berwick Countess… really set up an ambush!”

The Prince gasped for breath, struggling to support Laxana while hurriedly explaining the story he’d already prepared.

“I was tricked here by the Housekeeper. As soon as I entered, I saw these three trying to force some strange potion down Little Shanna’s throat!”

“I drew my Short Sword to stop them, but I wasn’t their match…”

Wendy put on a look of dejection, as if blaming his own weakness.

“At the most dangerous moment, Laxana suddenly woke from her drunken stupor. Seeing them move against me, she gathered all her magic and released the spell.”

He glanced at the hole in the wall, shivering.

“Although the enemies were defeated, Laxana herself suffered severe magical backlash. Now she can barely stand.”

The explanation made perfect sense, and the scene itself was the best proof.

Hearing this, Astreia’s last doubts vanished.

She carefully took Laxana from Wendy’s arms and hugged her tightly.

“It’s alright now, Little Shanna. It’s all over…”

Astreia rubbed her friend’s cold forehead with her own, speaking gently.

“That damned countess has already been captured by me. She can’t hurt you anymore. Don’t worry.”

After comforting Laxana, the Princess reached out with her other hand and pulled Wendy into her embrace as well—her movement forceful but incomparably gentle.

“You did well, too, Wendy.”

“Were you scared? Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, I’ll never let you face this danger again.”

The Princess Royal held her two most precious people close, feeling their warmth, her heart filled with relief and contentment at their safety.

But she didn’t see.

Right behind her, the supposedly weak Laxana, held tightly in her arms, slowly opened her eyes.

“Rival in Love” looked past Astreia’s shoulder, meeting the gaze of the Prince Royal who was also in the embrace.

Then, she silently raised a hand, opening her palm.

A sparkling Crystal lay in her hand.

In an instant, Wendy’s heartbeat stopped.

That was… a Recording Crystal?!

A chill shot from his toes to his crown!

At the same time, Laxana’s lips curled slightly.

Without a sound, she mouthed a few words to the Prince Royal.

I. Will. Eat. You. For. Life.