Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"How dare this demonic sword call itself a holy sword?" Liu Xia retorted irritably.

"I possess fragments of order; with enough faith, I will eventually become a god."

"That's true, but the fragments of order have a mission to fight against chaos, and it will inevitably lead you to do so. But becoming a god of freedom doesn't require that; you can simply stand by and watch. In the past, many gods have hidden themselves away, letting other gods lead the charge, rather than throwing themselves into the fight against chaos."

"If those kinds of guys were still alive, I'd really like to use them as my sacrifices. Especially since these 'Chosen Ones' are very likely their doing!"

Ryuu snorted coldly. He did not deny that war was a theme in human history, but he did not want a chaotic war situation where others controlled the situation and he himself could not understand the truth.

"When it comes to fighting a war, you have to be prepared, have a plan, and have a strategy. Otherwise, you'll suffer a lot!"

It turns out that Ryūka's intention was that being passively drawn into the war was unacceptable. A war that he had planned out himself was acceptable.

“You…” Understanding Ryukura’s thoughts, Ruklati was both amused and exasperated. “No wonder Matt Harvey was so disappointed when he heard you were indifferent to the outbreak of war. You really are…”

"Oh~ the Demon Sword has started to empathize with a perverted madman?"

After making a sarcastic remark, Ryuga quickly gathered up the usable books in the study, then looked at Joe Harvey, who was still standing there. He couldn't hear Ryuga's conversation with Ruklati, nor did he know what Ryuga had seen in his father's study. He simply stood beside the frozen Matt Harvey, looking completely lost about the future.

Now, this is the place where I can use it.

"Young Master Harvey, from today onwards, you are the new Earl Harvey!"

Ryuka's flippant tone snapped him out of his reverie. He looked at Ryuka's mischievous grin and pointed to himself:

"What? Me?"

He instantly understood Liu Xia's meaning: the young man before him wanted to support him as a puppet to rise to power and replace his father!

"But...but...my brother, and my mother and sister..."

"I don't care about that," Liu Xia interrupted rudely. "I don't care what you do, you have to legally inherit this territory while they're away. As for what happened to your father, you can come up with an excuse yourself. You've been with Elias for so long, you can't be that clueless, can you?"

"Of course, you know perfectly well who you should obey from now on, right?" Liu Xia smiled and patted the ice block beside her. She knew so many of the Harvey family's secrets. If these things got out, it would cause a huge uproar. Not only might the Harvey family lose their titles and territories, but even the fourth prince who had introduced them would quickly sever ties and abandon them. So she wasn't afraid that Joe Harvey would disobey her.

To give Joe Harvey another push, Ryuka whispered something devilish again:

"The forbidden power your father acquired allowed him to sacrifice his own blood relatives to greatly increase his strength. If I release him, the safety of you and your family cannot be guaranteed. Either do as I say, or..."

"I understand……"

Joe Harvey finally lowered his head. If fighting his brother for the inheritance was to protect them, then he had no other choice. And now, very few knights remained in Ravenhill loyal to their father and brother, and he wasn't incapable of doing the same.

“Well then, I look forward to your performance, Earl Harvey…”

Ryuu chuckled softly. Anjaberg's magical listening device must be finished by now. What she needed to do now was get to the Bauhinia Kingdom as quickly as possible. The events of the past few months would finally come to a conclusion there, as for Greg and Monica, those pawns and soldiers following them…

"The best tactic is to maneuver your enemy..."

Volume Fourteen

Chapter 1 The Conspiracy of Linze Fortress

In eastern Ottos, the Sochi River is undoubtedly the most important waterway, not only irrigating the Sochi Plain, but also serving as a vital waterway for transportation between the Sochi Plain and Raven Ridge.

However, after passing through Raven Lake in Raven Ridge, the Sochi River will join a new main channel. This turbulent waterway, known as the River Ri, gathers almost all the major and minor waterways from southeastern Ottus, flowing southwest through the vast Shadowless Forest, eventually reaching a huge lake—the South Sea of ​​Ottus.

Although called the South Sea, it is actually just a vast lake. It's so large that it's known as the South Sea of ​​Ottus. Like the legendary Eastern Heavenly Lake, said to be inhabited by deities, many ancient legends surround this place. Locals firmly believe it was once the abode of a water spirit—all of this predates the arrival of the Papacy.

For the past two to three hundred years, the outskirts of the Ottus Empire had been occupied by other countries or uncivilized territories. These uncivilized territories were places that had not been accepted by the mainstream human kingdoms for the past thousand years.

Like Sochi, before the establishment of Ottus, the continent had experienced nearly a century of chaotic and fragmented wars. At that time, Sochi was a small country where humans and mixed-race dark elves lived together. Kania's paternal ancestors were once local minor nobles, but they eventually submitted to Ottus more than a hundred years after its establishment. The various local beliefs gradually dissipated, and it was only when the Duke family ruled that the monotheistic faith of the Papacy gradually took root.

The area now known as the South Sea of ​​Otto, which is part of the southern border of Otto, was not part of Otto's territory two hundred years ago. This also means that it was subject to royal rule for a shorter period and had greater autonomy for local powers.

For example, the nearby Linze Fort...

Earl Gavin Reed possesses a vast territory on the western side of the South Sea of ​​Ottus. A hundred years ago, his ancestors were pillars of the Kingdom of Linze, but now they have long since submitted to Ottus.

But now, sitting at his reception table are Ottos's enemies.

"Lord Reed, as we agreed, you are to help us delay the Thirteenth Princess's fleet when it arrives at Linze Castle."

Monica and Greg, after a long and arduous journey through the treacherous Shadowless Forest, finally arrived at Linze Castle. Their fighting spirit and magical power were completely exhausted, and they had few remaining subordinates. After resting for a day and making themselves look somewhat presentable, they immediately went to find the master of Linze Castle, hoping to ask for his help as agreed upon previously.

But the man in front of him, with hair like a lion's mane and a beard like goat horns, was rubbing the ring on his hand, looking troubled.

“Ah… I don’t know, Miss Monica. If it were anything else, I would be happy to help. But the Thirteenth Princess, she has a witch by her side.”

He shrugged, looking quite helpless, and tried to find an excuse for Monica and Greg:

"You must understand, the real reason why the Kingdom of Linze was destroyed by Otus more than a hundred years ago wasn't because of Otus's powerful army knights. You must understand that this place is close to the Caspian Sea. If we had simply hidden on the islands and in the marshes, with our powerful navy and water-based mages, Otus wouldn't have been able to conquer us..."

However, the appearance of the witch changed everything.

Those heretical women with strange abilities easily tore through the front-line defenses, while infiltrating the Linze Kingdom to corrupt and assassinate, turning the instinctively resisting Linze Kingdom into one of the regions of Otus.

Gavin Reed's ancestor had witnessed the dangers of witches, but fortunately, he was quite resourceful—he simply switched allegiance to a different master. Thus, he immediately betrayed the Kingdom of Linze and joined the Otus Empire, which is how Gavin Reed achieved his current status.

Monica gritted her teeth at Gavin's words. She had finally escaped Ravenhill and traversed that place known as the Death Forest and the Deadly River, only to be met with this attitude! Just as she was about to explode, Greg suddenly spoke up:

"Lord Reed, do you no longer want the secret technique we promised?"

"Of course I want it~ It's a powerful secret technique that can improve a person's cultivation aptitude, but..."

Gavin stroked his beard, squinted his eyes, and said:

"That secret technique can only be used on teenagers, right? It's for the sake of the next generation, but I have to consider whether I can survive this generation first..."

What a greedy fellow! Back home, they'd used the magic of 'potential burst' as bait to finally make Gavin's stance waver. But clearly, that wasn't enough for him; he wanted power that would take effect immediately and be usable right now.

"I've heard that your country is not only researching teleportation magic, but also making astonishing breakthroughs in magical weapons. What's it called again? Magical Amplification Armor? If you could give me that thing, I'm sure I could put up a fight even at the Heavenly Rank. After all, I'm not just worried about the witch beside Princess Otus, but also that lady in the west..."

He was naturally referring to Thunder Fortress in the west, and Lady Sophie, the Crimson Sage, one of the Ten Celestials of Otus. Although this nearly one-hundred-year-old lady looked frail, the staff in her hand was no ordinary weapon. As a Celestial General guarding the southern border, and also a powerful marquis of the Otus Empire, suppressing these still-young Otus subjects was one of her duties.

Not to mention, she recently gained a capable lieutenant under her command, a peak Grandmaster with a formidable presence in group battles comparable to a Celestial-rank expert. Rumors circulate that this taciturn woman is the biological daughter of the Crimson Flame Sage, and that her father is the Dragon-Slaying General guarding northern Otus. This has shifted Gavin's stance back towards Otus…

It's impossible for him to serve the Bauhinia Kingdom. Gavin's biggest goal is to gain greater benefits through this. After all, he himself is a great water mage, only one step away from reaching the Heavenly Rank. But his talent has firmly limited him to that final step. If he had the rumored magical weapon that amplifies abilities, Gavin is confident he could exchange blows with either the Crimson Flame Sage or her daughter.

However, what he desired most was the legendary secret technique possessed by the Bauhinia Flower, which could make even a middle-aged man like him stronger. But compared to the previous one, this was ultimately just a rumor, and even Monica and the others spoke ambiguously when he tentatively inquired about it.

It doesn't matter if he can't obtain that secret technique. Fortunately, many people in his territory still have old feelings for the Kingdom of Linze, and most of these nobles are water-based knights and mages. If he can also unify and arm them with magical weapons, Gavin is confident that he can protect himself until the next generation of people who have used 'Potential Burst' grows up.

Hearing this, even Monica knew what Gavin was up to. She slammed her hand on the table angrily and suddenly stood up:

"Those things are beyond our capabilities..."

“We will consult with our own country,” Greg suddenly interrupted her. “But this will take time, and the Otus delegation is about to arrive. I urge Lord Gavin to help us overcome this difficulty. Even better terms are not out of the question; otherwise, you will never have another chance to advance further. Don’t you really want to glimpse the secrets of the Celestial Ranks in your lifetime?”

Upon hearing this, Gavin's eyes burned with intensity, and he stared intently at Greg, asking:

"So, the rumors are true! You really do have a secret technique that can help people whose strength has already solidified break through to a higher level?"

This time, Greg didn't deny it, but instead used a different approach:

"The cost will be high. And this is something that's not even something I, in my position, can access, but I will do my best to convey your wishes to my country. Of course, it also depends on your sincerity in cooperating..."

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

"This is truly magnificent! It's the first time I've ever seen the ocean!"

On the deck, Anjaberg stood excitedly at the ship's side, looking at the endless expanse of water with boundless joy!

Tipalotura was also beside her, looking at this part of the Ottus territory, and said with a smile to Anyaberg:

"You know this isn't the real sea, right? If you want to see the real ocean, you either have to cross the insurmountable World Barrier, or go to the Broken Islands at the southernmost tip of the continent, or..."

That is, to pass through the gate of the heretical ruins and go to see the coastline of another continent.

"Of course I know that, Your Highness, you're such a spoilsport."

Anjaberg pursed his lips, cupped his hands into a megaphone shape, and shouted at the endless expanse of water:

"Oh, the sea!!!"

Seeing this childish behavior, Tipalotura smiled. It was hard to believe that this was the most talented magical engineer of the younger generation in Otus.

"Where are Ryukatsu and the others?"

"What else could they be doing?" Anyaberg's face, which had just been full of excitement, instantly turned aggrieved and jealous. "After watching for a while, they dragged Melanie and Adela away, saying they were seasick and needed to find a small island to rest. They'll catch up with us in a bit, ha!"

Heavenly Realm and Great Magician get seasick? You might as well believe you've forgotten how to do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division! Anjaberg clearly saw that when the ship passed a water oasis, Liuxia and Melanie's eyes lit up at the golden, fine sand and the green, rippling shore.

'It must be incredibly liberating to do whatever you want in this vast, deserted place!'

Especially since we're closer to the south, even in autumn, the temperature remains warm and humid.

Anjaberg could clearly hear Ryusha whispering to Melanie.

She began to regret saying she would wait for Atina to return. She could only watch helplessly as the two of them jumped off the boat, freezing into an ice boat on the water and disappearing quickly under the propulsion of magic.

Of course, she brought Adela, who was supposed to be her attendant, along, leaving herself alone here. They said that because she had done a good job creating the magical listening device, her previous act of spying on them indulging in self-pleasure was forgiven, but this time it wouldn't do.

However, Anjaberg's mood changed quickly; a flock of waterbirds flying over the fleet could lift her spirits. She smiled, waved, and called out to the white birds; the whole scene was incredibly new and exciting to her. But then one waterbird broke away from the flock and flew straight towards her! At the same time, Tipalotura mischievously said to her:

"The sailors say that many of the seabirds in the Caspian Sea are monster-level creatures that love to peck at people's eyes and eat them!"

Anyaberg's expression immediately changed. She watched the waterbird swooping down and frantically pulled a magic pistol from her waist. But before she could aim, the waterbird suddenly changed direction and gently landed on Tipalotura's raised arm.

"Hehe~ Sorry~ Anya~"

Looking into the princess's crescent-shaped eyes, Anyaberg knew she had been tricked. But she didn't understand why the water bird was so close to the princess. She simply watched as the princess carried the bird away, without intending to explain.

"Okay, everyone has their own secrets, except me. Sigh... I guess I'll go do some research and development..."

Anjaberg sighed, which made Tipalotura, who hadn't gone far, laugh even harder. She wasn't really going to do any research; the real reason was that she was secretly generating her own electricity back in the carriage.

After moving a short distance away, in a secluded corner, Tipalotura looked at the waterbird on her arm and asked with a doting gaze:

"Beverly, how is it?"

Chapter 2 An Unexpected Twist: The Rumors of Celestial-Rank Magical Beasts

The shadows of the waterbirds stretched long in the sunlight, revealing the petite witch—the very same witch who had delivered the message to Ryukyu in Sochi. Beverly's abilities weren't particularly strong; as a messenger, she couldn't match the speed of magical communication, but safety was paramount.

Hidden among the myriad possible creatures of this vast world, Beverly brought Tipalotura the message she desired:

"Sister You, everything has been arranged as you said. Sister Gerberly has arrived at Thunder Fortress and handed over your orders to Ms. Sophie. She will personally come to Linze Fortress to meet you."

"In person...that's interesting."

Tipalotura murmured. In recent years, with the southern kingdoms and the power of the Holy See growing increasingly unsettled, this elderly Crimson Sage, as the Heavenly General guarding the south, had not left his fortress for many years.

Beverly nodded, repeating Ms. Sophie's exact words: "She said that there was someone she wanted to visit in person..."

"Now I know who it is."

Tipalotura rubbed her temples. The only one who could make the Crimson Flame Sage say such a thing was none other than that bastard Ryūka, who was currently indulging in pleasure. Ryūka had held her daughter Olivia captive for months, and it was only after the Fourth Prince intervened that Ryūka released her. Although there were no official rumors, anyone with a brain could tell what Olivia had suffered in Ryūka's hands.

Tipalotura couldn't help but sigh: "He came up with the idea, but I'm the one who has to go and ask that old lady for help. I'm afraid Ryusha himself knows that. I just hope there won't be any unforeseen complications..."

"An unexpected complication?"

Seeing Beverly's puzzled look, Tipalotura couldn't help but pat her head:

“You’re too young to know these things. Go back and let Gerberly prepare.”

"Well……"

Upon hearing this, Beverly hesitated immediately, looking pitifully at Tipalotura with her big, bright eyes, while her gaze kept drifting towards the surface of the Caspian Sea.

It was also the first time she had ever seen such a vast expanse of water, with its azure sea and sky. After traveling for so long, she couldn't help but want to rest. Especially since there were many small islands here, the scenery was completely different from the inland areas of Ottos.

But Tipalotura gave a stern command:

"Listen to me, if you get tired, rest on the boat for a while, but you absolutely cannot wander around."

"Why? No one will find me."

"I'm worried you'll see something dirty."

Tipalotura said with a straight face and a serious expression. After all, there was a shameless person doing some shady things around here...

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

On the golden sand, waves of snow-white flesh rolled. Sweat glistened on her delicate skin in the sunlight, making her skin look like white porcelain. But beneath this porcelain-like skin, her tender pink lips were tightly sucking on the boy's treasure, her hands gripping the palm tree, her nails digging into the bark.

"Ugh~ Ryuka, almost, almost there!"

Melanie's clothes lay scattered on the beach, her underwear strewn haphazardly on the archmage's robes, a semi-transparent stocking draped over the top of her boots. Her graceful figure trembled from the impact, her long legs, spread wide to match the boy's height, leaving two deep gashes in the sand. Wave after wave of pleasure caused her beautiful feet to involuntarily point their toes and rise up, her rosy, rounded heels covered in golden sand.

Feeling Melanie's mouth suddenly tighten, Ryuka grabbed the short-haired beauty's palm-sized breasts and teased her:

"You're done already~ So you really like showing off, huh? You perverted ice queen~"

"Hiss~"

Hearing Ryūka's insults, Melanie, who had been sticking out her buttocks, suddenly twisted her body, drawing an arc in the air with one long leg, turning her body around in connection with Ryūka. One leg supported her body, while the other was bent and hung on Ryūka's shoulder, giving Ryūka a defiant glare.