Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

With the thrill of "bullying" Gerberi in her heart, Ryuka walked briskly and rushed to the battlefield where she had fought the Earth Dragon Beast. Her brows were full of undisguised joy, and she was humming a tuneless little tune. In no time, the plain that had been ravaged by war came into view.

The battlefield, once a fiery inferno, has long since fallen silent. A one-kilometer-circumference ring has cooled down, with large patches of icicles remaining on the ground, clearly indicating that someone cast a large-scale freezing spell to completely seal away the former heat and chaos.

On the rugged, ravaged ground, pieces of obsidian, formed from solidified lava, gleamed with a cold luster. The massive, mountain-like flesh of the earth dragon beast had long since been removed by the busy knights, leaving only a colossal skeleton standing alone, not yet fully processed. That milky-white skeleton, like a cold, weathered spectacle, still bore remnants of dark red flesh on its astonishingly thick bones, emanating a faint, frozen, pungent odor. Not far away, several elite knights from Thunder Fortress remained, methodically carrying out the final stages of dissecting the skeleton.

"Be careful! These bones are much harder to handle than flesh and blood, but they are top-quality materials for alchemy and forging. Don't break them."

Leading the group was Adjutant Tallin, who seemed to have been stationed here since the war, overseeing the cleanup and disposal work. Upon seeing Ryūka's figure hurtling through the air with spiritual energy, he immediately stopped giving orders, quickly stepped forward, and respectfully gave a standard military salute.

"Governor-General of Ryukyu, what brings you here?"

Despite Ryūka's considerable age, Tallin's expression was entirely serious, devoid of any disrespect or condescension. He first solemnly thanked Ryūka for her immense contribution in the battle against the Earth Dragon Beast, and then also expressed his gratitude to Melanie. Without Melanie's large-scale freezing magic, completely freezing the massive, mountain-like Earth Dragon Beast's corpse and then dissecting it without allowing it to decompose would have been no easy task.

Moreover, after the Earth Dragon Beast was corrupted by the witch, even its flesh and blood were tainted with a strange magic that could affect people's minds. Only by freezing it and then decomposing it could the corruption and influence of this magic on the knights be minimized.

As Tallin methodically recounted the follow-up matters, Ryuka slowly nodded. Her gaze swept over the knights who were climbing on the giant skeleton, struggling to condense their battle aura into spinning blades and cut through the bones bit by bit. The image of her brief communication with the earth dragon beast Otras in the ancient dragon language involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

The once mighty earth dragon, with its long lifespan and dominance over this plain, is now nothing but a skeleton, climbed and cut by countless tiny humans, reduced to material for forging and alchemy. This sight stirred a strange sense of melancholy in Liu Xia. He couldn't help but think to himself: if things were truly as he had predicted, such heartbreaking scenes would likely only become more frequent in the future.

The secrets of the gods and the spirit world that Kurowell had once told them, the unpredictable nature of the Chosen Ones organization, and the hidden, restless ambitions of the Otus Empire... These knights, who were now excitedly working on the skeleton, probably never imagined that a brutal war that would break out soon, a war beyond their comprehension, concerning the convergence of new and ancient powers, might erupt.

"Thank you for your hard work." Ryusha nodded slightly to Tallin, her tone calm. "I'm here to take care of other things. You don't need to worry about me, just keep going."

This mature and composed adjutant seemed to have a favorable impression of him from the beginning, and his words subtly hinted at a desire for him to stay in Thunder Fortress and become their commander. However, Ryusha knew in his heart that he was ultimately a lord of Sochi City and could not stay there for long. Tallin clearly understood this as well, but made no attempt to hide his appreciation and admiration for Ryusha's fighting style. Afterwards, the two politely parted ways and went about their respective business.

Standing at the heart of the battle against the Earth Dragon Beast, Ryūka closed his eyes, silently recalling the direction from which the black mist from the Bell Witch had originated. Although the black mist had moved with lightning speed, vanishing in an instant, he had still managed to pinpoint its approximate location thanks to his keen senses. When he opened his eyes again, he looked up and saw a majestic mountain standing in that direction. From the summit, one could see the entire battlefield in the distance. Seeing this, Ryūka knew his answer.

"Is it there...?"

Liu Xia's eyes narrowed slightly, and with a swift movement, he sped towards the mountain like an arrow released from a bow. In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, he landed steadily on a naturally formed stone platform at the summit.

The evening glow painted the sky with a warm orange hue, bathing the stone platform in its pure orange hue. At first glance, the platform appeared spotless, seemingly untouched by human presence. But Liu Xia remained vigilant, slowly releasing his spiritual energy. His incredibly keen senses unfolded, allowing him to perceive the movement of every speck of dust and the slightest scratch on the ground. With this astonishing observational ability, he immediately gleaned the clues he sought from the seemingly random distribution of dust and the shifting of tiny pebbles, obscured by ordinary observers.

“Footprints...there are seven people in total.”

Liu Xia crouched down, her fingertips lightly brushing the ground, her gaze sharp.

"One of them is rather small in stature, could it be a woman? Strangely, there are only traces of her stopping, no footprints of her coming, as if she appeared out of thin air... Did she fly here, or did she use some other means? Found it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a faint trace of magical energy came into Ryuga's view—although most of the trace had been deliberately erased and was blurry, he recognized it at a glance as the residual aura of the teleportation magic circle. Unfortunately, the teleportation circle had been completely destroyed, and it was no longer possible to analyze the magical energy markers from it or trace the destination of the teleportation.

But this didn't mean he'd gained nothing. Near a crevice in the rocks, some tiny, dust-like crystal fragments quietly caught his eye. These fragments clearly emanated the eerie aura unique to cruel witches. Liu Xia immediately took out a container and carefully collected the crystal fragments. He then gently scraped off the remaining trace of the teleportation magic circle mark with his spiritual power and carefully stored it away. As the last rays of sunset faded and night fell, with the stars faintly twinkling, he moved with a thought, and instantly stepped into the spirit world.

Stepping once more into the void of the Spirit Realm, the shimmering Star Spirits, still filled with curiosity about this second appearance of a mortal being, surrounded him, emanating a gentle yet intriguing aura. However, when Liu Xia retrieved the crystal shards tainted with the aura of the cruel witch, most of the Star Spirits instantly felt fear and disgust, as if they had encountered some deadly poison. They retreated, wishing they could immediately distance themselves from Liu Xia and avoid any contact whatsoever.

However, some Protoss showed great curiosity about this, as if they were attracted by the churning desires, destruction and madness in the witch's aura. The light around them became restless, revealing a hint of eagerness.

Just as I expected. A knowing smile played on Liu Xia's lips as she felt reassured. Celestial spirits were inextricably linked to the wills and powers of the mortal realm; even things related to witches would surely have a corresponding celestial spirit capable of sensing them in the spirit world. Otherwise, how could Tipalotura possibly glimpse the future and foresee good and bad fortune through stargazing?

These celestial spirits should be the ones who can sense the presence of the witches of the mortal realm. In other words, no matter where those chosen ones who appeared on the mountaintop went, these celestial spirits from the spirit world can sense a trace of their remaining presence and even track their approximate whereabouts. Next, what I need to do is persuade these curious celestial spirits and extract the clues I want from them.

But the guidance of the witch's aura alone was not enough, so Ryuka took out the remaining powder from the teleportation magic circle and showed it to the Star Spirits as well.

Some of the Protoss who had not retreated lost interest, but a few, after a brief hesitation, moved closer to Ryūka as if to confirm further.

Watching the Star Spirits hovering around her like curious children, radiating restless light and seemingly chattering amongst themselves, Liu Xia smiled kindly and said gently:

"Have you ever sensed these two different forces appearing simultaneously? Can you tell me what you 'saw' at that time?"

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

At the same moment, in Tipalotura's room, the bathroom was filled with a bone-chilling cold. Gerberi was soaking in a bathtub full of icy water, half her face submerged in the cold surface, only her blank eyes visible. Tiny water droplets clung to her long eyelashes as she stood motionless, lost in thought, or perhaps her mind had been completely emptied, even her breathing becoming extremely light and slow.

Not long after waking from her coma, she was tormented by the surging agitation within her! The once docile and controlled witch power was now chaotic and violent, rampaging through her meridians. She couldn't even muster a fraction of her former strength, let alone mobilize it normally. Her whole body felt like it was being scorched by fire, burning hot, every inch of her skin was burning. If it weren't for a gentle, orderly power, completely different from Princess Tipalotura's, steadily enveloping her and maintaining her body on the verge of losing control, she would probably have already been devoured by the witch power within her and gone completely berserk.

She knew where this power came from...

Tipalotura was already sitting by her bedside, explaining the whole story in a calm, almost indifferent tone. Then, she offered the "suggestion" that made Gerberi tremble, filled with resentment, yet powerless to refute—a choice that concerned her life, yet forced her to completely abandon her dignity…

"He's actually going to be with that brat... tsk... don't be ridiculous... who would..."

A low, dismissive sound escaped from the water, filled with endless resentment. Gerberly clenched her hands tightly, her fingertips digging into her arms, trying to stop her body from trembling uncontrollably from the cold, humiliation, and anger.

On her once indestructible, fair and radiant skin, several clear red marks were left, even faintly tinged with blood. It should be noted that she was already extremely weak at this moment, and the strength in her fingertips was less than one-tenth of what it used to be. The fact that she could leave marks so easily showed how deteriorated her body had become.

But the thought of His Highness's suggestion made Gerberly clench her teeth so tightly they almost shattered. Her beautiful, heroic eyes churned with intense emotions: a deep disgust for Ryuka's usual arrogance, a stubborn refusal to submit and be manipulated, and a hidden, unspeakable sense of grievance and humiliation. She absolutely refused to believe that claim—that having relations with Ryuka would stabilize the turbulent witch power within her and even prolong her life… Damn it! That wretched brat must have been using sweet talk to deceive His Highness!

But when Tipalotura recounted this story, the undisguised helplessness on her face, along with that undeniable calm, made it impossible for Gerberi to deceive herself...

She knew His Highness too well! His Highness would never lie to her, much less be deceived by that brat. But the more she knew this, the more desperate she felt, as if she had fallen into a bottomless ice cellar. Two lines of tears finally slid down her cheeks and into the icy water, creating a tiny but cold ripple. She abruptly closed her eyes, desperately trying not to think about the thing that had robbed her of her dignity.

Because, the mere thought that flashed through her mind caused the heat within her body to surge even more fiercely, as if it were about to break free of the icy water's restraints and burn her to ashes. Uncontrollably, a slippery fluid was expelled from between her legs, the hot, viscous liquid flowing into the icy water, filling Gerberly with a humiliating feeling that made her want to commit suicide!

Even though she gritted her teeth and endured the icy water, the mere thought of that arrogant little brat, Liu Xia, swaggering over her and mocking her, made her feel itchy and burning deep inside. Even the water that had frozen her skin blue couldn't stop her body from having those lewd reactions! The heat and shame intertwined, like countless fine needles pricking her heart, pushing her to the brink of collapse.

Just as this torment was about to consume her, Tipalotura's voice came from outside the bathroom door, carrying the weariness of having just finished discussing important matters with Mrs. Sophie, yet also an undisguised concern:

"I'm back. Where's Gerberly?"

“Sister Gerberly… is… in the bathroom…”

Nanalia's voice was tinged with timidity and panic as she hurriedly told Tipalottura her location. Her face was filled with unease and worry, her eyes darting away, avoiding Tipalottura's gaze. This subtle change instantly made Tipalottura's heart tighten. A sense of foreboding washed over her, and she panicked, her steps faltering. She abruptly pushed open the bathroom door and yanked open the shower curtain that was obscuring Gerberi's view!

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

The sudden turn of events caused Gerberi to stiffen. Instinctively, she curled up in the bathtub, clutching her arms tightly to her chest, frantically trying to cover herself. Her cheeks flushed crimson, a mixture of shame at being caught and unspeakable embarrassment. Only when Tipalotura saw the scene in the bathtub—that Gerberi was merely soaking in ice water and hadn't done anything drastic—did her tense nerves relax abruptly, and she let out a long sigh of relief.

She then turned around and spoke to Nanalia, who had followed behind her, her tone tinged with annoyance and lingering fear:

"Nanalia, what did you mean by that look just now! I thought Gerberi... never mind... you can go out now."

"I'm so sorry!"

Nunnalia, feeling as if granted a reprieve, lowered her head and practically fled the bathroom, gently closing the door behind her. Silence returned to the bathroom, broken only by the soft, gentle clattering of ice cubes in the water. Tipalotura sighed softly, slowly lifting her skirt and sitting on the low stool beside the bathtub. She extended a slender finger and gently probed the icy water. The biting cold instantly spread from her fingertip to her entire body, causing her to silently withdraw her finger and look at Gerberi with a concerned yet helpless gaze.

Such icy water would have had no effect on the former Gerberi. But given her current physical condition, being immersed in ice water for such a long time would be unbearable, especially since she had only just woken from her coma a day ago… No wonder Nanalia looked so guilty and flustered…

Tipalotura understood. Given Gerberi's current weakness, she couldn't possibly have produced so much ice and water. Gerberi must have forced Nanalia to do it for her while she was away. And Nanalia, knowing it was harmful to her health, dared not disobey. Her evasive gaze earlier had led Tipalotura to mistakenly believe…

Thinking of this, Tipalotura felt as if all her strength had been drained away. A helpless yet heartbroken smile appeared on her face as she turned her cheek and softly said to Gerberi:

"I was so scared... I thought you were going to commit suicide..."

Gerberly remained huddled in the corner of the bathtub, her body shivering slightly from the ice water. Her once fair skin had turned a pale bluish-purple, yet she showed no sign of coming out. Her eyes were vacant, her face ashen, and her voice devoid of any emotion, carrying a numb, resigned acceptance.

"Is it really necessary...?"

Anyway, there are only three months left...

These words remained firmly in Gerberi's heart, unspoken. But Tipalottura, having been with her for over a decade, understood her perfectly well. How could Tipalottura not know what she was thinking? Seeing her utterly dejected state, nearly driven to collapse by the icy water, Tipalottura sighed softly, her tone gentle yet filled with undeniable concern:

"Get out first. If you stay in the water any longer, you'll get sick from the cold."

But those words instantly triggered Gerberly. She shook her head violently, like a rattle-drum, hugging herself even tighter. Her lithe and alluring body curled up like a wounded wild animal, the despair in her eyes growing stronger, even her shoulders trembling uncontrollably. Her helplessness and collapse were almost overflowing...

"No! I! I..."

Gerberly couldn't hide her helplessness, her voice trembling with a desperate sob. She gripped the strong, muscular legs tightly underwater, as if enduring something. This action, observed by Tipalotura, elicited a helpless sigh…

She knew perfectly well that Gerberly felt utterly disgusted and ashamed of her current body! If she felt this way while soaking in ice water, imagine what she would feel if she came out in front of her…

Chapter 11 The Princess and the Knight

Tipalotura remained silent for a long time, unsure how to offer any words of comfort. The air in the bathroom seemed to freeze completely, so stagnant and oppressive that it was suffocating, even more so than when she cast her time-stopping spell.

After a long silence, Tipalotura, her expression calm and serene, slowly uttered a sentence that sent a shiver down Gerberi's spine like a thunderclap:

"I've already spoken to Ryukatsu, and it's set for tonight..."

Suddenly!

Gerberly's pupils suddenly contracted, and her body trembled slightly uncontrollably. Her heart ached with bitterness and sorrow, and she couldn't understand why His Highness would choose to stab her in the heart again when she was at her most vulnerable and suffering.

Before she could even utter a word in her panic, Tipalotura's next sentence completely overturned her understanding, leaving her feeling as if she had been struck by lightning!

"And I'll stay with you tonight."

"!!!"

Gerberly abruptly raised her head, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief as she stared blankly at the person before her—a monarch, a sister, and the benefactor who had rescued her from the abyss of fate. Her mind was a chaotic blank; she dared not even begin to ponder the true meaning of those words, "I will be with you."

As her pupils trembled violently, Tipalotura, watching her panicked and disoriented state, smiled gently, as if comforting a frightened child, her tone tender yet playful:

"Jerberly, are you imagining some terrible scenarios?"

Gerberly froze again, her cheeks instantly burning.

That sentence did indeed stir up countless inappropriate fantasies in her mind—that her most respected and admired prince was embracing her, falling into Ryuka's arms together...

Will His Highness's aloof and noble countenance also become like Adela and Olivia's, losing its composure and becoming lost in a daze, revealing that humiliated yet poignant expression...?

No! No way! Absolutely not!

Gerberly felt a mix of shame and anger, desolation and panic, her heart clenching with pain, almost suffocating and collapsing.

Tipalotura, who had already seen through all her thoughts, chuckled softly and teased:

"What nonsense are you thinking? Such a ridiculous thing is of course impossible. But..."

The princess slowly raised her hand and gently stroked Gerberi's cold cheek. Her tone was languid and flirtatious, but her words made Gerberi blush and feel dizzy, almost fainting:

"If we're only talking about the 'prelude,' I can go with you. But if you really can't handle it alone, can you manage with me by your side?"

'Prelude'...?

These two words were like a spark, instantly stirring up Gerberi's emotions. She bit her tongue hard, using the stinging pain to barely steady herself, and her frozen hands suddenly shot out of the water, grabbing Tipalotura's warm, soft palms.

The warmth from that palm spread throughout her body from her fingertips, but it only made her more panicked and helpless. She retorted urgently, her voice trembling with tears:

"No! No! Your Highness, how could you...!!"

How could you have such an absurd idea!

The noble thirteenth princess of the Otus Empire, possessing the dual bloodlines of a witch and a clairnal, wielding the power of order, personally rescued herself and countless sisters from their tragic fate. Having weathered many storms since childhood, how could Princess Tipalotura, who is high and mighty, allow that damned little bastard Ryusha to get even a hair's breadth away from her?

Just imagining that scene made Gerberly feel like her heart was about to explode; she simply couldn't accept it.

"Your Highness, are you deliberately forcing me?... Or are you willing to lower yourself and compromise your dignity so that I won't dwell on this too much? If so, I..."

Gerberly clenched her teeth, her emotions churning.

If, because of her own weakness, cowardice, and indecisiveness, she forced the prince she had sworn to serve to the death to utter such absurd and self-humiliating words, what face would she have left to live in this world?

Even if she had to be defiled and humiliated by that brat Liuxia whom she despised from the bottom of her heart, she would never allow His Highness to suffer humiliation along with her just to accommodate her!

From feeling depressed and hopeless, to having her emotions completely ignited by Tipalothura's words, just as Gerberi's emotions reached their peak, Tipalothura seemed to have anticipated this moment, casually revealing a truth that shattered her understanding:

"What 'defilement'? That's an exaggeration. Something similar happened before, on the very day we arrived in Sochi."

"W-what...?"

Gerberly froze on the spot, her mind going blank for a moment.

Seeing her dazed and confused expression, Tipalotura looked up and murmured to herself, feigning reminiscence:

"Although it was only similar, I only used my feet back then... But, in a way, that should be considered a 'prelude,' right?"

"Your Highness... what are you saying...?"

Her voice trembled, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Tipalotura appeared calm and undisguised, explaining in a simple tone:

"What else could it be? It was the day we first met Ryukatsu, in the central command tent, when I set up a time barrier. At that time, 'her' power almost went berserk and out of control. In desperation, I had to rely on that guy's power of order to stabilize the situation, so I had no choice but to do it."

Her tone was calm and composed, as if she were simply reminiscing about an ordinary afternoon tea party, without the slightest hint of awkwardness or evasion.

But to Gerberly, these words felt like the sky had fallen.

On the first day I met Ryūka, inside the sealed tent, within the barrier that stood still in time, even right beside me, when I was frozen like a puppet, completely unaware...

Her Highness... with such noble and holy bearing, she set aside all reserve and, with her flawless white jade feet, yielded to that brat...

I was completely unaware of this from beginning to end, and only today have I learned of this secret.

Gerberly felt something inside her crumble, not a loss of loyalty to His Highness, but a certain bottom line she had always held dear. Now, she found Tipalotura increasingly unfathomable and possessing extraordinary magnanimity. In contrast, she herself was tormented and agonizing over this very fate. As His Highness's personal knight, she should have been ready to give her life at any moment, without hesitation; she had been far too sentimental.

"Hehe~ Speaking of which, Liu Xiaqing's reaction back then was quite amusing. He held back from surrendering earlier for the sake of his pride as a boy~ I still remember the expression on his face very clearly~"

Tipalotura wore a faint smile, her tone tinged with a hint of flippancy and arrogance, along with a touch of girlish playfulness and pride. At this moment, she had shed the majesty of a princess, and instead resembled a bold and unrestrained young woman, secretly boasting about amusing incidents to her close friend.

"It was that time that I truly understood just how attractive my witch-like body was to men... And to be honest, Liu Xiaqing's appearance and demeanor are quite to my liking~"

She paused, her gaze falling on the dazed Gerberly, her tone gradually becoming serious:

"That's why I said, if you can't get over that hurdle in your heart no matter what, I really don't mind going with you. I just used up a lot of power removing the demon core's corruption, so it's time for Liu Xiaqing to make it up to me."

Seeing that Tipalotura's expression was becoming increasingly serious, and that he wasn't just joking, Gerberi panicked and quickly spoke up to stop him: