Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Aren't you afraid I'll forcibly take it for myself? Even if only her bloodline can activate it, I can easily take her and the gem together and completely erase all traces of her visit to Sochi.

unless……

She harbors a secret far greater than the Tears of the Bauhinia! This priceless gem is merely a smokescreen!

So what could it be? The secret that would drive the Vatican to personally intervene and overthrow a nation…

Ryūka raised his head and looked into Kania's eyes; her purple pupils looked exceptionally beautiful beneath the wisps of hair framing her forehead. A thought flashed through his mind, prompting him to immediately ask Kania:

"Kanya, can you identify the other witches?"

"Other witches?"

Kania blinked, seemingly guessing what Ryukyu was thinking. She pulled up a chair next to Ryukyu, rested her chin on her hand, and shook her head.

“Unless they have already awakened, it's impossible to tell them apart. You think Linor is… but if that's the case, then could Esther be too?”

"Their mothers both died within a few years of giving birth to them, at the age of twenty-five or twenty-six. And both the Miller family and the Bauhinia royal family have had outstanding magical talents for generations, but the two of them are unable to use magic."

Ryusha's tone was somewhat heavy. If it were just Esther, he wouldn't have thought of it this way. But if Linor really was her cousin, and their mothers shared the same fate, then it was too much of a coincidence!

If my guess is correct, then the Papacy's overthrow of the Bauhinia Kingdom was indeed literally a case of 'the king having tainted heretical powers'... This was not a simple campaign, but rather... a 'witch hunt'!

If they have solid evidence, he won't be able to keep the Papacy's influence out of Sochi as he had before. And Linor is like a spark that could easily ignite him again.

After all, whether she is a witch or not, there really is a witch by my side!

Even the Otus royal family, which keeps witches, would probably not allow anyone else to have such power!

"There's probably only one way to figure out your theory."

Ryūka saw Kania grinning mischievously and immediately understood what she was about to say...

"Sleep with her!"

Tsk! Seeing Kania's gleeful expression, Ryuka felt a headache coming on. In matters like this, she couldn't let the little head dictate the big head. Annoyed, Ryuka shoved her hand under Kania's skirt, immediately causing the mischievous little witch to beg for mercy.

"Having you is already a headache enough! To fulfill my promise to you, I have the royal family of the largest empire on the continent to overthrow! You bitch witch may not care, but this kind of thing will kill tens of thousands of people! Although Otus looks like it's on its last legs, if it comes back to life, I'll be the sinner of the world and actively start a war!"

Ryuka shoved his fingers, smeared with Kania's honey, into the little witch's mouth with the brutality of treating livestock. But Kania, with seductive eyes and a smile, began to lick his fingers, her breathtaking laughter only fueling Ryuka's irritation.

"Then just leave me alone~ Play as many times as you can before I die~ Besides~ wasn't it you who presented the plan to bring the Emperor of Otus back from the dead~ my little Ryusha~~~"

Damn it! Beauty is a curse! Su Daji! Bao Si! Cleopatra! Looking at Kania's alluring and submissive demeanor, Liu Xia thought witches were truly terrifying creatures. Their unparalleled beauty, seductive yet submissive nature, coupled with their special abilities, made them increasingly desirable to ambitious men, who sought to conquer witches and use their powers to conquer the world.

But he had no desire to be King Zhou or Anthony.

He will expand at his own pace, and one day Otus will no longer be able to tolerate him. At that time, no matter what war or anything else, Ryukyu will be able to face it with a clear conscience.

Moreover, now that he has obtained the regional authority of the Leader's Certificate, he has eased the tension between Kania and the Bell Witch, which will buy the little witch more time.

"Don't worry, I won't let you die so young."

Ryuka withdrew her hand, wiped it on Kania's skirt a few times, put on an extremely cold expression, but said words that made Kania feel very reassured.

"After all, as far as I know, very few rulers' attempts to prolong the life of a country are successful. On the contrary, sometimes they even hasten its demise. After all, it's not just the system that decays with the passage of time, but also the hearts and minds of an era... Besides, I'll only play around with you guys at most; I won't exploit the lower classes too much. Such practices will inevitably lead to conflict between Sochi and other places sooner or later."

"That's really not being honest."

Seeing Ryūka's somber expression, Kania hugged him tightly, stroking his black hair with her hand, and teased him with a smile, "You always speak so righteously, as if you're just going with the flow and have no choice but to accept it~ But why do I just feel that you would never abandon me~"

Perhaps… Ryusha didn’t speak. Regardless of how Otus might change, he understood that his approach in Sochi would inevitably clash with them. While he was pondering, Kania hugged him and mumbled something.

"Hey, Ryuka~ Have you... grown taller again?"

-----------------

"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Excellency. This is truly the most delicious dinner I have ever had."

At the long banquet table, Linor lightly wiped her lips with a napkin, revealing a polite smile. But the boy across the table simply finished eating the sweet and sour pork ribs on his plate, then used magic to conjure a water sphere to wash his hands and mouth, appearing very casual and completely lacking any aristocratic demeanor.

As a maid, Ela stared wide-eyed at the delicious food on the table—dishes that surpassed even the culinary skills of the royal chefs. Although the portions were small, just enough to finish, the vibrant colors and enticing aromas made up for it.

“It’s a pleasure to satisfy your taste, Your Highness Linor.”

Liu Xia wiped her mouth and introduced with a smile: "These spices were introduced from further south. After we took over the trade routes of the Chamber of Commerce, the price of spices dropped. And with the participation of mages in agricultural production, we can simulate the climate of other places, allowing them to be cultivated locally in Sochi. Although they haven't been widely promoted yet, the production should be enough to satisfy every meal you have in Sochi."

Of course, the most crucial thing was Ryūka's culinary knowledge, which he hadn't mentioned. Linor listened with great interest, then turned her gaze to Ryūka's left, where Kania had also finished her meal with elegant grace.

The little witch retracted her witch form, her hair changing from dazzling purple starlight back to light flaxen long hair. Ryuga hadn't seen her like this in a long time. At the banquet, he had only introduced Kania as his secretary, so that Kania could observe Linor up close and see if she could discern anything.

Unfortunately, Linor seemed to be feigning ignorance, putting on a tearful expression whenever her mother was mentioned, thus preventing Ryūka from obtaining any further information to deduce the truth. Meanwhile, Kania kicked off her shoes under the table, rubbing her small, stockinged feet against Ryūka's calf, her eyes conveying only one meaning in a provocative gaze:

I've got Linor!

Ryuka's counterattack was equally simple and brutal. Magically controlled water mixed with ice crystals, forming tentacles that snaked around Kania's legs under the table, slipping into her skirt, instantly silencing the little witch who bit her lower lip...

"The Sochi Province has truly opened my eyes, Your Excellency Governor..."

Linor smiled and struck up a conversation, causing Ryusha to stop his prank on Kania. As a princess of a kingdom that revered magic, Linor had topics of greater interest than food and clothing:

"I've heard that the army in Sochi province is equipped with many magical weapons, giving ordinary soldiers superhuman combat abilities. I have indeed seen many everyday magical items sold in shops in Sochi, and workshops also use magical instruments and mages to produce them. But I haven't seen any magical weapons on the city's defense forces. I wonder why that is..."

Regarding this, Ryuka didn't hesitate to explain: "Your Highness, magical weapons aren't needed for maintaining order in the town. They're the kind of weapons that would give ordinary people the power to take a life with the flick of a finger, so they need to be strictly managed. The city defense force is equipped with magical weapons, but they're all locked up in the city defense team's storage room and can only be used with approval."

“Is that so…” A hint of admiration appeared in Linor’s eyes, and she asked curiously again, “I heard that you have an army of five thousand men, is that true?”

"Four thousand men, the extra thousand are city defense troops. Most of them are ordinary soldiers, so the pressure on their pay is not as great as rumored. Of course, they have the same fighting spirit as knights and mages, I assure you of that."

"That's amazing..."

Upon hearing about Sochi's military strength, Linor's eyes lit up, and she visibly relaxed, her tense nerves easing.

The banquet drew to a close amidst casual conversation. Besides Linor showing curiosity about Sochi, Ryusha also inquired about etiquette among the upper nobility in preparation for the princess's arrival.

As night deepened, the magical lamps in the castle corridors were gradually extinguished under the supervision of the maids, and the number of windows letting light through the cold stone walls slowly decreased. Only the lanterns carried by the patrolling soldiers in the gardens surrounding the castle emitted a faint glow in the summer night…

Shh, shh… A squad of soldiers patrolled in the dead of night. Although the governor in the castle held unparalleled power in their eyes, it was their duty to guard his peaceful sleep while he slept soundly. One soldier's duty ensured his entire family's livelihood, not to mention Ryūka's compassion for his soldiers, which made them willing to die for him.

Then, just die...

A longsword pierced his chest from behind, a dagger sliced ​​open his neck, and soft magic silenced the corpse before it fell. In an instant, several figures, deeper than the night itself, dismantled the patrol.

"Sochi is nothing special. I really don't know how Cohen and his team failed..."

In the shadows, a figure wiped the blood from his longsword and looked at the castle stone wall engraved with magical protective runes.

Their prey is inside, but they still need to pinpoint its exact location.

Just then, a wheat-skinned maid, seemingly having just finished her shift, emerged from the side gate of the castle. Although the young girl appeared no different from anyone else, a gaze still fell upon a slightly protruding, rounded horn on her ear.

Ah, a heretical half-blood. Looks like we have someone to guide us.

Silent footsteps trod towards the maid, completely unaware that they had stepped into a dead end with no way out. And then…

Whoosh—the blinding magical light instantly shone! The maid in front of them vanished in an instant!

Instead, a soft laugh came from behind.

"Getting lost in someone's house is not a good habit~"

*Whoosh!* The longsword rang out! A white sword light pierced through the figure behind in an instant!

But why did I see an arm flying up, and it looked so much like my own?

In an instant, screams and groans echoed through the castle gardens. When the infiltrators regained their sight, they were met with a horrific scene that surprised them.

There were no dead soldiers, only their own men lying on the ground groaning.

The young man holding the long sword in front of them had a smile on his face, but what terrified them even more was the purple phantom beside him.

"Devil, witch!!"

Chapter 16 Are you a witch?

Everything that just happened was an illusion. Whether it was slitting the guard's throat or infiltrating this poorly defended castle, the source of this illusion was the girl whose hair emitted an ominous purple starlight…

"You guys really never learn your lesson, especially when it comes to entering someone's home without asking permission."

The air grew cold, frost condensed on the petals, and the boy beside the witch began to emanate a chilling aura. The entire group of Judgment Knights who had infiltrated the castle paled at the sight!

"Heavenly, Heavenly Rank! A dual Heavenly Rank for knights and magicians!"

The Papacy's previous failure in Sochi taught them a lesson. When they learned that their target, Linor, had escaped to the Sochi province, they immediately changed their lineup, selecting only Inquisitors skilled in stealth and assassination. This would allow them to avoid the senses of fellow Grand Masters, since they were only trying to capture a helpless princess in distress.

But if this group of assassins, skilled in stealth, were exposed to the sight of a Heavenly Rank expert, that would be a different story altogether.

Ryūka's sword was swift.

Before they even realized it, the boy's sword had already swept past them all. Their limbs began to go numb, then a slight burning sensation, and finally…

"Ughhhhh!!!"

Screams echoed through the night sky...

Without needing flashy moves, or even unleashed magic or battle aura, Ryuga experienced firsthand what the Heavenly Rank truly meant in actual combat. To him, the movements of these Judgment Knights were as slow as insects. When both speed and the destructive power of their blades reached their peak, all he needed to do was take a step forward and then strike.

This extreme speed even gave his enemies the illusion that they had already been hit before the boy could draw his sword...

"I thought you needed my help."

Kania stood to the side, hands on her hips in dissatisfaction. Before she could even manipulate the senses of these Judgment Knights, Ryusha had already severed their limbs.

“You’ve already helped them a lot, making them think they’ve easily infiltrated the castle. In reality, I was standing right next to them and they didn’t even notice.”

The little witch's abilities had reached the point where she could control a Grand Master, a convenient ability that surprised even Ryuka. Unlike combat-oriented Grand Masters like Hetia, the witch's abilities made her virtually invincible among those of the same level.

The captain of the Judgment Knights, lying on the ground, still tried to struggle and resist. He seemed to be trying to take something out, enduring the excruciating pain of his severed tendons, but Ryuka appeared next to him the next second and stepped on his arm.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is for dealing with witches, right?"

Ryūka picked up the strange cross, covered in holy incantations. The lead Judgment Knight spat at him, but the spit fell back onto his own face, though this did not diminish his fury:

"Heretical lackey! Do you know what you're doing?! Witches are absolutely not allowed to exist in this world!"

Ryuka curled her lip and kicked him unconscious: "Take that to the royal family of Otus."

Not allowed to exist in this world? To be conservative, they have existed for a thousand years.

"They're in your hands now."

At Ryūsha's signal, Nemi appeared with her Shadow Guards and took the defenseless Judgment Knights away. Kania would be in charge of interrogating them; faced with her abilities, even the most resolute Judgment Knights would only have a chance to reveal their secrets in the first place.

Ryuka played with the exquisite cross for a while, then looked up and cast her gaze toward the window where Linor was resting...

If his previous guess was correct, and Linor really was a witch, then the Vatican's pursuers couldn't possibly have been unprepared. Unfortunately, they encountered more than just a witch this time; otherwise, Ryuka would have known how to use the cross.

Fine, let's just let Kania slowly coax them out of their words.

After carefully examining the cross, Ryuga put it back in her bosom and then walked towards the castle...

-----------------

"He defeated the Vatican's pursuers!"

Inside the room, Linor abruptly pulled the curtains shut! Ela, standing beside her, cheered in surprise, completely oblivious to the panic on her mistress's face.

“Yes, this boy is more cautious than we imagined…” Linor murmured, her head bowed.

When did he become wary? After the banquet? Or even earlier? Linor noticed the commotion outside the window when she heard screams. When she nervously pulled back the curtains to check, she only saw Ryūka stepping on the captain of the Judgment Knights' arm and pulling out the cross.

And of course, there was Kania, whose hair shimmered like starlight. For some reason, Kania gave Linor a sense of familiarity.

Knock knock knock! A knock on the door brought Linor back to her senses. When she came to her senses, she realized that her hand, which was tightly clutching the Bauhinia Tear, was starting to bleed.

"Go open the door, Ela."

In an instant, Linor regained her composure, took a deep breath, and prepared herself to meet the master of this place.

The door creaked open, and Ryuka strode in, his expression calm, as if the battle that had just taken place merely after a leisurely rest. He looked at Linor, who was sitting upright on the edge of the bed, and asked bluntly:

"You're a witch, aren't you?"

Although her heart skipped a beat, Linor remained remarkably calm. After all, the Vatican's pursuers were already in Ryūka's hands, so it was only a matter of time before he got the results of his interrogation. Linor didn't believe that the devout will and oaths of those Judgment Knights would leave Ryūka helpless against a young man with such a level of intelligence and ability.

“Yes.” Linor’s lips trembled slightly. “Are you going to hand me over to the Holy See?”

Ryūka was quite surprised by the second half of her sentence. He couldn't help but smile, then chuckled softly at Linor:

"Are you stupid? I just killed their men."

Linor breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but then frowned, trying to mask her inner tension with a calm tone: "So you're planning to take me?"

Ryuka blinked: "I don't refuse such things, but I don't like to use force except against my enemies."

Then, he tilted his head slightly towards Linor and asked with a smile:

"You haven't seen any other witches, have you? I mean, any other than your mother."