Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

In her eyes, she was perhaps just a more useful pawn. However, this pawn possessed power on par with her own, which made this self-proclaimed princess and witch, who considered herself to have a special destiny, look at her with newfound respect.

After all, she was a witch, even closer to that forbidden power than ordinary witches. The profound magic emanating from the witch's remains sealed behind her made even a male like Ryuka feel as if he were in a breeding ground for desire. Tipalotura, who had been burdened with this power since birth, had been constantly being devoured, but her will still stood on the side of gold.

There's one more thing: no one can meet her standards. Since she considers herself the successor to King Kranar, she is on par with the cruel witch.

The evidence was that unintentional remark she made earlier...

'Liu Xiaqing~ Have you ever considered that the Primordial Witch might actually have men in her bed?'

Tipalotura is a person who possesses both the power of Kranar and the power of a cruel witch. With her pride, she doesn't think any man can climb into her bed! All the flirtatious teasing is just an attempt to 'tame' her.

As Ryūka recalled those words, a slight smile appeared on her lips, but her eyes held a look that made Tipalotura somewhat uncomfortable. Even though she was the one scrutinizing Ryūka, she was now being scrutinized by him.

"Fine, since you've said all this in order to get along with me peacefully..."

With a smile, Ryusha propped his leg up under the table, making a gesture of inviting the princess into a trap. Just as his leg was about to touch Tipalotura's skirt, the princess subconsciously pulled her leg back, revealing her true intentions.

"Come, Your Highness Tipalotura, I am indeed curious, what methods will the dignified Princess Otus use to make someone as battle-hardened as me 'more useful'?"

Now it was Tipalotura's turn to fall silent.

A pair of round, almond-shaped eyes stared at Liu Xia, her crescent-shaped eyelashes trembling twice, her deep blue pupils contracting, followed by a melodious laugh:

"I told you, we have plenty of time to get to know each other properly..."

"There's no time like the present, Your Highness, have you heard the saying?" Ryuka swung her legs as she looked at Tipalotura. "Or perhaps, I'd also like to see just how many beautiful and alluring witches you have under your command~"

Ryusha smiled retaliatoryly at Tipalotura for threatening him with her witch subordinates earlier.

A threat? After learning about Tipalotura's needs, Ryusha was even more certain that the princess wouldn't dare to do anything to him. Unless she controlled him, no one could unleash such powerful productivity and military strength from a mere province as he could.

Without itself, Sochi will soon revert to what an imperial border region should be: a desolate, ignorant countryside, a decaying city, and nobles wielding power and wreaking havoc. The people will see no hope for the future, and the achievements of the past few months will quickly crumble into nothingness…

So, how will this self-important princess achieve her ambitions? If a celestial-rank female knight and a group of witch subordinates hiding somewhere can do what she wants for her, why would she send Hetia and the others to Linhu Town? Even if her precognitive abilities foresaw that she herself was waiting for them there…

“Liu Xiaqing, I only said ‘maybe’. Your attitude is not something a lady would like.”

Although she tried to keep her tone light, Tipalotura's expression already betrayed a hint of impatience and anger.

"You were the one who provoked me first, Your Highness. Let me tell you something else: the one who starts it is despicable. If you can't keep your word, your credibility with me will be very low."

Ryuu was incredibly arrogant. He stood up with a cold laugh, his golden scepter trembling as he looked at the halo behind Tipalotura and the witch's remains. In his mind, he asked Yu:

"They're all fragments of order, I can't possibly lose to her, right?"

“That’s how it is in theory. Although Kranal’s power is at the ‘star’ level, which is higher than yours, she can’t unleash it at her full potential, and she needs to use a portion of her power to suppress the witch, and this is your territory…”

Yu thought it over carefully and gave Ryuka a safe answer.

"However, if we push her too far, things could get complicated. Besides, she has a Celestial Knight with her; we don't know if the witches she speaks of truly exist..."

If it were just the accompanying royal knights and mages, Ryūka's thousand-strong force could easily handle them. But witches are beyond the realm of normal combat power; it's uncertain whether Hetia and the others can manage them.

Moreover, isn't it a bit too early for them to turn their swords against the princess of Ottus now?

But Ryūka asked using her consciousness:

"What if we add Chloe's power to that?"

"Clowell?" Yu was taken aback. As the steward of Ryusha's Consciousness Palace, she didn't want to see any more heretical forces pouring in. She had even been possessed by the Witch Bell when the witch's power invaded before, which made her somewhat resistant and hesitant.

Before Yu could reply, Ryukatsu had already used the divine covenant she had formed with Chloe, using her spiritual power to link with Chloe through the Hall of Consciousness:

"Hey, Chloe, are you looking this way?"

Sure enough, Kuroe's voice soon echoed in his mind:

"We're on our way to you. Enough with the small talk, I can tell you, don't worry. She won't cause any trouble. You can threaten her as you like, just be careful not to overdo it. We'll cover for you."

"Coming this way?" Ryuga was taken aback. The excitement in Chloe's voice surprised him as well.

But Ruka understood the implication: she could boldly confront this princess. And Chloe, as a deity, seemed to understand Tipanotura, or the power behind her, better than Ruka herself. Furthermore, she seemed to have something she cared about…

Do you still accept the conditions just mentioned in Chapter 27?

Ryūsha's aggressive attitude clearly displeased Tipalotura. She also stood up and said coldly:

"Liu Xiaqing, your joke is not funny."

Ryuka giggled, "Why don't you remove this barrier and let us see if I'm joking..."

"Why? I've already made myself perfectly clear. Do you still believe the words of that witch Kania beside you? You'd rather let the army fight against my men and against Ottus than let them do the right thing, is that it?"

With a string of gibberish, Ryūka held up a finger at Tipalotura:

"First, Kania is my woman, you are not."

"Secondly, for an ordinary person, which do you think is worse: dying here right now or lying dead on another continent far from their homeland?"

"Third, you just want others to be your pawns and horses, but if you want your horses to run, you have to feed them first, right?"

"Fourth, you have a witch, but I have plenty of friends too..."

"Fifth, instead of arguing here, I suggest we have a 'friendly' sparring match and use our fists to re-demonstrate each other's... bargaining chips!"

With that, Ryūka charged toward Tipalotura, a smile on her face, and raised her scepter high like a heavy hammer! It fell with the force of a landslide!

Boom!!! Golden branches spread from the halo behind Tipalotura, instantly growing in front of her and forming a vine shield to block the attack. This was only a third of Ryūka's strength, yet it already made Tipalotura's expression change!

The level of a ruler's authority is determined by the number and quality of those he governs, and the submission and recognition of all his territories.

The recognition of 'fragments of order' is determined by the type of order the host establishes! And this, in turn, determines how much power this force, which comes from the very origin of the world's shattering, will exert on the host.

Tipalottura firmly believed that her chosen noble goal was the path to saving the world, the ultimate order that would restore it to its original state. Neither the self-deceiving order of the Holy See nor any other potential fragment holders could possibly enjoy a higher level of recognition than herself!

But now...

How can this be?

She watched as Ryūka effortlessly wielded the scepter in his hand, each swing unleashing a surge of spiritual energy! This was his territory, where all spirits obeyed his commands, transforming into a portion of his power. This already put Tipalotura at a disadvantage; she had initially thought that Ryūka would never gain a higher level of recognition from a 'Fragment of Order' than herself.

Without any frills, Ke Liuxia struck the shield in front of her with her scepter, one strike after another. The impact made her soul ache, and the golden branches that formed the shield began to fade and dissolve.

Meanwhile, in Ryuka's mind, Yu was watching this scene and explaining the reasons behind it to Ryuka.

"Ah~ Your Highness, so you're all show and no substance~"

Tipalottura differed from other royal heirs; her unique identity and self-awareness kept her on the fringes of power. After all, she could do anything with her father's tacit approval and support, unlike Clovis or Elias who cultivated relationships with courtiers and nobles. As for the quality of her followers, she had a loyal bodyguard like Gerberi, exceptionally talented and who reached the Heavenly Rank before the age of thirty. From childhood, she had received the care of all the witches of Otus from her father, from those older than herself to newborn infants.

The emperor no longer kept witches; instead, this princess raised them as sisters and subordinates, unlocking their powers to her own advantage. These witches, in both quantity and quality, surpassed any of the confidants of any powerful noble or noble official.

The Witch Slayer's mission is to eliminate witches and ultimately bring order to the world. Therefore, she doesn't believe she's inferior to anyone in her recognition of the 'Fragments of Order'!

The strength that Ryūka was displaying at this moment made her uneasy. Why? Why was he stronger than her?

"Lucha!"

Tipalotura gave a soft shout, and as her fingers danced, golden veins spread once more. This time, however, it wasn't a passive defense, but an active attack.

Golden light transformed into sharp spikes, attacking Ryuuka from all directions! It was like chains, attempting to bind the boy who was running rampant in its domain. But Ryuuka merely smiled coldly! Trying to bind him? He wasn't that bound and crippled witch's remains!

Summer is the time when all things in nature are most restless, and when the spiritual energy of nature is at its peak and overflowing!

The earth, mountains and rivers, plants and animals—every single thing that exists, if given even a tiny bit of spiritual power, would be enough to make him invincible!

Boom! With a swing of the scepter, the golden light shattered, producing a crisp sound like glass breaking! With only a fraction of its power, it destroyed Tipalotura's angry warning.

Liu Xia, not forgetting to sarcasticly retort, said, "Your Highness, by the way, I'm not just a pretty face; why don't you give me a try?"

Try what? Try which one? Although Tipalotura understood that this was not a real life-or-death duel, Ryusha's cheeky appearance made her decide that she had to teach him a lesson!

"Seal broken, Level 1..."

At Tipalotura's command, the golden halo binding the witch's remains began to change. A crack appeared in the golden light binding the witch's remains...

That was one of the several vines that had pierced the witch's heart.

Pfft!Pfft!

The heartbeats, like war drums, began to echo in this space where time seemed to stand still, each beat carrying an ancient and weathered air, filled with the will of chaos and destruction!

On the cruel witch's huge, twisted body, a flawless white jade hand burst through the gap revealed by the golden light on her chest!

"Sisters, thank you for your help."

With Tipalotura's icy voice, a naked, alluring young woman tore open the cruel witch's chest and crawled out from her heart. Her long hair covered her face, making her look like a female ghost. Her two round, melon-shaped breasts swayed, and with a push from her hands against the cruel witch's chest, she attacked Ryuuka!

The black energy she brought from the witch's remains quickly condensed into a strange suit of armor on her body! A huge scythe aimed straight for Ryukatsu's neck!

And she wasn't the only one.

One witch after another emerged from the body of the cruel witch, and soon a diverse army of witches surrounded Ryusha! They were not like magicians, but more like knights, with black masks covering their eyes, silent and taciturn, faithfully carrying out Tipalotura's orders.

"So that's why I didn't see any trace of the witch. She was hiding here."

Despite being surrounded by blades, Ryuga remained unfazed. He truly couldn't imagine that Tipalotura's witches were hiding within the remains of witches, residing in a space different from reality.

Each witch exuded immense power; although none were of the Heavenly Rank, these witches were clearly combat-oriented. Each one possessed a powerful and dangerous aura…

"They... are very dangerous. They still possess the power of the Primordial Witch. If they leave this barrier, not only Sochi Province, but the entire continent will likely be plunged into darkness..."

In her mind, Yu said this. Witches cannot be judged by their combat abilities; they are like viruses, capable of destroying the spirit of living beings in every way.

"Can I win?"

"Yes, you have a strong resistance to the witch's power, and now you've even shattered the cross that the Church used to counter witches. But..."

Yu paused for a moment, then said, "There's also the Celestial Knight Gerberi outside the barrier. And your battle with Tipalotura could very well tear this barrier apart. If the aura of these witches leaks out, your subordinates won't be able to withstand it..."

"Is that so?"

Ryūka clicked her tongue, while Tipalotura, standing opposite her like a lone blue light amidst the pitch-black witches, looked up at Ryūka and said:

"Liu Xiaqing, how are things now? Are our bargaining chips evenly matched?"

Ryusaku shrugged, acknowledging the fact. It wasn't that he couldn't win, but rather that he didn't want to pay such a high price to compete with Tipalotura. It was enough for this princess, who intended to control and suppress him, to realize that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Tipalotura breathed a sigh of relief; she didn't really want the witches to fight Ryūsha. Although these witches were currently silent and aloof like soldiers, each one was 'family' who had accompanied her through her childhood. In the imperial palace, she was the only one who had grown up in complete isolation. After her mother's death, these witch sisters were her closest companions.

She, too, couldn't bear the cost of exposing these witches to reality. Unlike Kania, a witch who awakened after breaking free of her seal, these witches possessed their own powers from a young age, making them more like witches than humans. The mere sight of them would stir up the desires and darkness within ordinary humans.

Sochi holds a crucial position in her strategy, and she cannot afford to undermine its foundation.

Although it is the foundation of Ryukyu...

But just then, like a drop of pure white milk falling into thick black coffee, a crisp laugh suddenly broke the tranquility.

"Looks like we've arrived just in time!"

A tear appeared in the black and white, static background surrounding Ryusha and Tipalotura, and a petite figure stepped in, startling both of them.

"Sasha? No, Chloe?"

Looking at the girl Sasha in front of him, Ryuga understood what Chloe meant when she heard her say, "She's coming this way."

She actually borrowed Sasha's body, who was a divine messenger, and came to the real world from her own temple.

This made Ryuga frown, while Chloe rolled her eyes at him, as if she knew what he was thinking, and said:

"Don't worry, even if we have a contract with a divine messenger, we can't borrow your body. I've already said that you have god-level power within you."

What surprised Ryukyu was the way Chloe made her appearance; whatever her reason for doing so, she must have been bound by the limitations of being a god. But for Tipalotura, the surprise was even greater.

"Divine messenger, divine status... Is that so? You are Chloe, an ancient deity awakened by Ryūka."

Tipalotura's tone held no reverence, but rather contempt.

"Those humiliated fellows who failed a thousand years ago are still alive."

Crowell wasn't angry. Instead, she laughed and said, "The demise of a god is not a good thing, young witch. As for you, you seem to have unwavering faith in your ancestor, Kranar... Did he defeat the Cruel Witch all by himself with just a fragment of order?"

It seemed they each had different accounts of what happened a thousand years ago. But Ryuga didn't want to get involved in this messy affair right now; he needed to uncover and judge the truth himself. He looked at Chloe, who was residing in Sasha's body, and asked:

What brings you here?

"To help you..."

"Your strength has almost recovered? You're repaying your kindness so quickly?"

"It's not just about helping you."

Crowell sighed, glancing at Tipalotura, who was surrounded by witches, then shifting her gaze to the sealed remains of the witch behind her. She asked softly:

"You know it's dangerous to use her power, right? You think you're using Kranar's power to control the witch, but have you ever considered that it's the witch's power that's tempting you?"

Tipalotura scoffed at Crowell's warning: "Is this what a god would say? No wonder you were all expelled by that one from the Holy See."

Kurowell shook his head: "What I mean is, as long as this power exists within the seal of the fragments of order, you will definitely want to use it. Isn't that proof that you have been tempted?"