Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Hmm... I don't know the specifics. Just like you humans have the talent for cultivation, there are individual differences among magical beasts. Especially these subspecies that are related to ancient dragons, if their bloodline manifests, it's probably only a hundred years or so at most?"

"What if we go quickly?"

"That would take decades, and it would also require a very strong ancestral bloodline."

“Decades…” Ryuga murmured, prompting Ruklati to retort:

"Hey, you're really planning to get one?"

“No.” Liu Xia’s initial excitement upon hearing about the Heavenly-Rank magical beast had vanished, replaced by her usual thoughtful demeanor. She spoke to Ruklati:

"You just said that if you were in your complete form, controlling such a magical beast would be a piece of cake, right?"

“Of course.” Ruklati looked quite proud. “The Heavenly Rank and Saint Rank are just classifications for you humans. Magical beasts are limited by their own intelligence and can at most become local mountain and river gods. I am a Holy Sword!”

It seems that in the era before the gods fell, the strength of rules was greater than the simple division of power. As a demonic sword, Ruklati wielded the rule of domination, a power second only to the fragments of order and witches! While both of these require growth, Ruklati's power was innate!

But Ruklati didn't hear Ryusha praising her; instead, she heard a terrible conjecture from him:

"If the power you received from Idunir is the source of life, can it also be used on magical beasts? And then, combined with your own ability to control them..."

Upon hearing this, Ruklati paused, immediately understanding what Ryusha was thinking!

Carmela and the others had analyzed those life-related spells! If they could really be used on magical beasts, and given that the sword itself was still in Carmela's hands, perhaps it would be possible to do what Ryūka said!

Rapidly accelerate the maturation of Heavenly Rank magical beasts and control their behavior to a certain extent!

Ruklati quickly shook her head. "Ryusha, don't jinx it!"

"However, this is just my guess. After all, the appearance of this earth dragon beast is really strange..."

Ryusha knew things couldn't be that coincidental. He looked at Tipalotura and Lady Sophie; their exchange of glances just now seemed a bit strange. Perhaps he should ask them about it privately.

Just then, the enormous carriage suddenly came to a slow stop. Lady Sophie smiled and looked up at the crowd:

"It seems we've arrived. By the way, Lord Ryūka, there's someone I'd like to see."

Before Ryūsha could react, Mrs. Sophie walked to the door and called out:

"Olivia, come in!"

Chapter 5: Reunion with the Stove Girl

Hearing this, Ryūka's expression stiffened. It was inevitable. Although Madam Sophie had seemed very friendly throughout, this incident couldn't be ignored. To Ryūka, Olivia was merely a defeated opponent he had once triumphed over. But back then in Sochi, he had nothing to lose and wasn't afraid of those wearing shoes.

But now...

Melanie's expression was also somewhat unnatural, after all, Olivia had captured her on behalf of the Third Prince. Ryūsha, at least, possessed Heavenly Rank strength on par with Lady Sophie, giving her some confidence. However, Melanie thought about it and realized that she had only fought with Olivia; the despicable acts were committed by Ryūsha and Anyaberg, which made her feel much better. Tipalotura, standing to the side, wore a playful expression, ready to watch the spectacle unfold.

However, after Mrs. Sophie called out, there was no response from the doorway for a long time. This made Mrs. Sophie slightly annoyed, and she summoned a soldier and immediately asked:

Where is your commander?

"General... Commander, she..."

The knight stammered, glanced at Ryūka, then stood at attention and replied:

"Commander, she's gone to the main gate to greet Her Highness the Princess and her entourage!"

"Nonsense!" Lady Sophie frowned. "His Highness is right here. I clearly told her to greet him inside the castle!"

Just then, Liu Xia suddenly remembered something and quickly said to Madam Sophie, "Marquis Orlando, let's hurry down. Otherwise... there might be some minor unpleasantness at the main gate..."

"Ok?"

Having said that, before Mrs. Sophie, the hostess, could speak, Liuxia immediately walked out.

Damn it! I forgot about Anyaberg! She was with me when we turned that furnace girl into the energy source for the magic workshop! Although Lady Sophie could guess what happened to her after I captured her, Olivia would never tell her!

Stepping out of Lady Sophie's enormous carriage, Liuxia was greeted by the vast inner courtyard of the castle. They drove directly into the courtyard, where everything was kept simple: passing troops, a spacious drill ground, and a network of roads connecting warehouses, stables, and armories. The four high walls were constructed of dark blue-green bricks imbued with magical amulets, clearly designed for war rather than comfortable living…

This is not yet Thunder Fortress, but merely a frontline fortress near the territory of Linze Fortress. Thunder Fortress refers both to the defensive fortress on the southern border of Otus and to the large territory centered around it. The entire territory is composed of these fortresses of varying sizes, with towns and fields in between fortresses.

From here to the actual Thunder Fortress, the entire area consists of walls and fortresses. Sophie Orlando commands a Thunder Fortress Legion independent of the Otus Empire Legion, and two-thirds of its finances and logistics are self-sufficient in this territory. However, this legion of ten thousand is not the entirety of her strength. The Thunder Fortress Legion requires at least a trainee level to join, and even then, they are the lowest-ranking ordinary soldiers, completely different from the inland imperial legions, which are a mix of ordinary soldiers, conscripts, and logistics personnel.

If any disturbance occurs in the south, Thunder Fortress can quickly conscript ordinary soldiers and hold out long enough for more Imperial Legion reinforcements to arrive, without needing support from nearby territories like Linze Fortress.

But Ryūsha had no time to marvel at this power. He immediately grabbed a soldier, asked for directions to the main gate, and then quickly rushed over. Melanie, maintaining a polite smile for Madam Sophie, followed awkwardly yet courteously. As the hostess of the place, Madam Sophie raised an eyebrow, seemingly unconcerned about what might happen between her daughter and Ryūsha. Instead, she gave a slight bow to Tipalotura and the others.

“Your Highness, and Miss Snowfield, please come with me to the fortress to rest for a while. It is getting late, and we will head to Thunder Keep tomorrow. Although this is the reception area in the fortress, it is not as grand as the palace His Majesty left in Thunder Keep, but I believe Ottus’s daughter will not mind.”

"Tomorrow?" Tipalotura certainly wouldn't mind a simpler accommodation on the first day, but she was a little curious: Lady Sophie had said that the Heavenly Rank magical beast would arrive in two days. If they went to Thunder Fortress tomorrow, they would only have one day, the day after tomorrow, and at most half a day tomorrow afternoon, to prepare. But she didn't seem to be in a hurry.

"Rest assured, Your Highness, I have made all the arrangements. With your and Lord Liu Xia's strength, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. On the contrary, it is a gift from heaven to Otus..."

Mrs. Sophie smiled mysteriously, and no one knew what she had planned.

However, since she said so, Tipalottura didn't press the matter further. As one of the ten Heavenly Ranks of the Empire, Lady Sophie knew she could command witches, and with the addition of the two newly promoted Heavenly Ranks, Ryūsha and Gerberi, Tipalottura tentatively believed in her competence.

only……

Melanie, who had also been invited by Lady Sophie, looked in the direction Ryūsha had headed and reminded Tipalotura:

"Your Highness, shouldn't we leave that side alone?"

“Ah~ over there~” Hearing Melanie’s concern, Mrs. Sophie answered first, revealing a mysterious smile, “Let the young people do their own thing. My presence would only make things awkward. Liu Xiaqing seems to be a sensible person; he knows how to be a proper ‘guest’…”

After saying that, Lady Sophie gestured "please" once more and walked in front of Tipalotura toward the castle.

Watching the departing figure of the elderly lady, who possessed the air of a true hostess, Tipalotura couldn't help but smile wryly.

"The Marquis of Orlando is as decisive and efficient as ever; time seems to have changed her little."

“She’s still a bit gentler,” Gerberi, who had been standing behind Tipalottura, said softly. Separated from her lord for so long, she hadn’t yet had a chance to spend time with Tipalottura privately. But just that one sentence stirred up shared childhood memories between the two, and they both smiled in unison.

Tipalotura smiled, but then shook her head with a hint of bitterness. Gerberi, knowing exactly what she was thinking, gently comforted her in a firm yet tender tone:

"Rest assured, Your Highness, time will not be an obstacle for you..."

"They are our obstacles."

Hearing Gerberi's words, Tipalotura recovered and smiled at Gerberi.

Of course, in the end, Gerberly couldn't hold back any longer. She turned her head and looked in the direction Ryukyu had left, and muttered a curse under her breath to the brat who had spanked her:

"You'd better do something wrong so that the Marquis of Orlando will twist your little head off!"

A soft laugh came from ahead of her: "Gerberly."

The female knight immediately composed herself and quickly followed Tipalotura, the two of them quietly keeping up with Lady Sophie's pace...

Meanwhile, at the other fortress gate, Thunder Fortress soldiers were bringing back the delegation's personnel and supplies. These royal guards from the capital looked at the majestic and solemn fortress before them, so different from the bustling capital, and realizing that this was merely a part of Thunder Fortress, they couldn't help but sigh and murmur amongst themselves.

Unlike them, who proceeded unimpeded, two vehicles traveling with them were stopped at the gate. Even the disciplined soldiers of Thunder Fortress couldn't help but glance at them, wondering what these two large, box-like objects were that could run on their own without being pulled by horses or giant lizards.

Of course, what intrigued them most was that their newly appointed commander, rumored to be the general's daughter, Olivia, personally stopped the two vehicles.

"It's been a long time, Anjaberg... Bachelor?"

Unlike her former Frost Iron Knight days, Olivia donned the armor of the Thunderhold Legion. This southern armor was lighter and more form-fitting, accentuating her even more alluring figure. Her appearance was no longer shaved; instead, she had soft red hair reaching her neck, finally showcasing her beautiful features as a woman. However, her voice and tone remained as menacing as ever, filled with cold rage.

In front of her, Anyaberg stood protectively at the hood of her car, appearing timid and extremely nervous. Compared to Olivia, who was over 180 centimeters tall, she looked like a trembling little rabbit. And her dark red hair, compared to Olivia's fiery red, seemed like a dying ember, her imposing presence almost crushed.

"Yes...yes, a Grand Secretary! What...what do you want?!"

While maintaining her dignity—a matter of utmost importance for a scholar!—Anjaberg's voice trembled with a sob, and behind her stood Adela, who had arrived in the car behind her. The woman with the gold coin, however, remained calm; after all, she wasn't the accomplice who had stripped Olivia of her alluring figure, inserted tubes, and suffocated her in the magical furnace for months…

On the contrary, she was full of interest and anticipation, and was not afraid of the woman in front of her who had special magic and strength comparable to the Heavenly Rank.

"The master will be here soon~"

These words sent a jolt through Olivia, and her pupils involuntarily contracted.

The perceptive Adela knew perfectly well that this tall, alluring woman had likely undergone training no less rigorous than her own during her captivity; the mere mention of "master" had stirred a deep-seated fear within her. Master? Who was the master? And who was the slave? To Adela, it was naturally Ryusha, but to Olivia, the words carried a different meaning.

Her breathing became heavy, her body trembled slightly, and her legs, which had been standing straight and even more masculine than a man's, began to slightly pull inward. This made Adela feel incredibly pleased and gloating. However, Olivia quickly regained her composure and glared fiercely at Adela in front of her.

She understood that this blonde woman had probably suffered at Ryuu's hands just like her! But unlike her, the blonde was a slave who had submitted both physically and mentally, while she was not!

This isn't Sochi anymore! Even though my relationship with my mother isn't great, at Thunder Fortress, I no longer need to fear Ryūsha! All of that is in the past! It was just a nightmare!

"Say it again?"

Olivia's tone grew increasingly somber, and the magic in the air began to vibrate, prompting even the soldiers behind her to speak up in warning:

“Commander Olivia, the general said…”

But sensing the increasingly scorching air around them, the knights quickly fell silent, looking at Anyaberg and Adela with pity. They didn't know the girls' origins or their positions within the mission, but soon they would be reduced to ashes…

But then, a clear, youthful voice suddenly came from behind:

"Olivia!"

Who dares to be so bold as to call out their commander's name like that on the ground of Thunder Fortress? Don't they know she's the general's daughter?

Before the knights could turn around, the commander's back suddenly trembled like a sieve! Her tall figure, almost as tall as a man, even instinctively hugged her arms! Her body curled up slightly! She stood there speechless! Like a little girl frightened by thunder and monsters!

written request for leave

I need to take a day off.

Chapter 6 looks much younger!

No one could have predicted Olivia's reaction. Although she was still gripped by fear and trauma of Ryusha when she first left Sochi, like a broken puppet, as she traveled south and got further and further away from Sochi, Olivia gradually convinced herself that she would never encounter that devilish boy again, and slowly hardened herself to regain her composure.

So when she arrived at Thundercastle, apart from her astute and intelligent mother, Lady Sophie, no one else noticed anything amiss with the female knight. More attention was focused on her identity than on the months she had been imprisoned in Sochi. Although rumors circulated that Olivia was the result of a 'youthful transgression' between Lady Sophie and General Traul, their rivals, no one dared to speak of it openly, lest they be cremated to ashes…

To Thunder Fortress on the border, Olivia was like a vibrant crimson. Compared to the intimidating Lady Sophie, this appointed commander was a young, fiery red flame; the female knight wielding crimson flame magic quickly won the hearts of her soldiers. Whether it was small-scale border battles, internal pacification, monster extermination, or daily training, the stunningly beautiful and aloof Olivia seized every opportunity to prove her worth!

She's not useless! She's not a female prisoner released only because of Lady Sophie's influence! Especially given her delicate relationship with her mother, she never seeks help from Lady Sophie, but silently solves the various tasks Lady Sophie assigns her through her own strength…

Therefore, she quickly became the goddess of fire in everyone's eyes, the candidate to succeed Lady Sophie as the next general to guard the south. However, her reaction upon seeing Ryūka now left everyone speechless, and the rumors of her long-suppressed 'prisoner life' resurfaced in their minds…

Lady Olivia... could it be...?

Even Olivia herself couldn't believe her own reaction. She should have been out of Ryūka's shadow long ago! Yet her trained body betrayed her perfectly! She began to tremble at the mere sound of Ryūka's voice! She even had an urge to turn around and kneel before Ryūka in public, begging for mercy!

"Gu..."

The female knight gritted her teeth, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, her wide, bloodshot eyes bulging. Even biting her tongue, Olivia felt a tingling sensation deep within her thighs… her knees were weakening, and her pink labia began to ooze nectar… every inch of her skin began to recall the feeling of being wantonly played with by Ryūka…

After all, she had been forcibly imprinted with memories of pain, stagnation, and destruction by Ryukatsu and Kania using their witch powers! This was ten times longer than her life so far!

Huff...huff...how could this be...my body hurts so much...like it's on fire...I'm so scared...so horrible! But...it's so itchy...I'm going to...I'm going to come? I'm going to ejaculate? Just hearing his voice? No! No! Absolutely not!

Ryūka hadn't expected that what started as a spur-of-the-moment 'insurance' to prevent Olivia from revealing her secret after she left would actually be so effective. Seeing Olivia huddled up, arms crossed, her plump thighs, encased in gleaming armor, tucked inwards as if she was about to pee, Ryūka felt incredibly embarrassed. This was Lady Sophie's territory; she'd better behave herself…

"Ahem! Commander Olivia, these two girls are my subordinates, I need your help..."

Just as Ryuu was about to smooth things over and take Anyaberg and Adela away, Olivia suddenly burst into flames like a cat that had been irritated and was hissing! She turned around in an instant, and Ryuu's eyes, which were filled with flames, came into view, as did the staff and longsword forged from the ice dragon bone that he had broken!

"Drink it!!!!"

With all her resentment and cowardice, Olivia unleashed her full magical power! The air instantly ignited! Ryuu's expression changed! A surge of magic swept out, pushing Olivia's subordinates far away! She herself rushed to Anyaberg and Adela's side! Instantly releasing a large amount of ice magic to protect the two! The two magical powers collided, causing a massive burst of mist in the air, like exploding white pollen and spores, obscuring everyone's vision! Whether knight or mage, their keen senses and perception of magic were rendered useless in this scorching, magically mixed mist!

"Lady Olivia!"

"Commander!"

"How is the Governor-General of Ryukyu? Quickly! Go and fetch the General!"

"Cough cough! It's so hot!! Cough cough cough!!"

At the heart of this fog, two fierce magical forces seemed to still be colliding! White vapor and heat waves continued to emanate! The white fog spread like waves, even obscuring the sky! Enveloping the entire side of the fortress!

In an instant, chaos erupted at the fortress's main gate! Whether it was the soldiers of Thunder Fortress or the royal guards who had accompanied Tipalotura, everyone was at a loss, watching the ever-expanding white mist before them. On one side was the princess's close advisor, a prodigy favored even by His Majesty, riding high on the empire's fortunes; on the other side were the bloodlines of two Heavenly Rank generals. No one knew how to intervene in their conflict! No, forget intervening; even opening their eyes in this mist was an incredibly difficult task…

Just as everyone scattered and the soldiers on the city wall were about to sound the alarm for an emergency, a gust of wind erupted from the center of the fog! It was pure battle qi that invigorated everyone! The white fog was dispelled, and the figures of Ryuka and Olivia returned to everyone's sight.

"Oh my~ Miss Olivia is still as enthusiastic as ever~ And her skills have improved so much! She's even more skilled than when she was a guest in Sochi! Truly admirable! Hahaha~~~"

Despite looking somewhat disheveled, his clothes and hair damp and steamy as if he'd just been pulled from a hot spring, Ryusha laughed heartily, praising Olivia's skills loudly. Behind him, Anyaberg was terrified, cowering and trembling beside the car wheel.

Adela, on the other hand, although her pupils contracted and she lay on the ground supporting herself, had a crazy smile on her lips and looked at her powerful master with shining eyes.

And what about Olivia?

She was also soaking wet, as if she had been pulled from the water. The knight's cloak clung to the curves of her armor, outlining her impressive figure. Her large breasts, bigger than her head, were tightly bound by her clothes, but they rose and fell with her heavy breathing, unable to conceal their softness. Her hair hung down over her face, obscuring her eyes, and although her expression was not visible, her wet appearance made her exude a powerful femininity!

"The Governor-General of Ryukyu and Ryukyu was also... Back then, we really did become friends after a fight..."

Olivia lowered her head and spoke breathlessly, but her trembling voice had a chilling quality that made one's bones melt, much to the astonishment of the Thunder Fortress soldiers present.

Is this still the commander they know?

However, some soldiers quickly adjusted their mindset. They had only known Olivia for a few months and couldn't claim to fully understand her. And while there were rumors that Olivia had been defeated and captured by Ryūka, leaving room for speculation about the details…

After all, she is the daughter of two Heavenly Rank individuals! Even if she were captured during the internal factional struggles of Autus, Ryukia, who aspires to become a member of the Imperial Noble Family, would likely not make things difficult for her! Out of respect for Lady Sophie and General Traul, it is more likely that she will be treated with courtesy for a few months before being released!