Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

“I’ve come to pick you up, Sister Gerberly.”

The two knights lay on the ground, their heads severed. The five- or six-year-old girl held a black scythe almost as tall as herself; blood stained her fluffy skirt, and her fair face was also stained with blood, though it had already congealed somewhat, and it did not come from the two men on the ground.

Clack, clack... She walked into the dungeon in her little leather shoes, backlit, and then raised the scythe in her hand towards Gerberi.

click-

Two crisp sounds overlapped as the iron chains binding Gerberi snapped. These two clean, decisive strikes, a feat even a skilled knight would struggle to achieve, came from a young girl, prompting Ryuga to exclaim in admiration. But after swinging the scythe, Felicity's face flushed crimson, she groaned, and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. Seeing the wounds on her dress, Ryuga understood that she had already been through several battles before arriving here.

"Your Highness, Sister You is waiting for you... Sister Gerberly, please. If it's you, you can definitely..."

Felicity, enduring the pain, handed the knight's longsword from the doorway to Gerberly. She swayed, the black scythe in her hand slowly dissipating, and she was about to collapse, but a happy smile graced her face.

Thump—the little girl's knees buckled, and she was greeted by Gerberly's soft embrace. The dirty young girl glanced at the little girl in her arms, then at the wounds on her body, and her breathing became heavy.

Felicity had come countless times before, always concealed by Nanalia's abilities, without alerting anyone. Why, then, did she come alone today, injured? Although she hadn't spent much time with them, the kindness of a meal had made Gerberi consider them her own sisters. Seeing this scene, she blurted out a furious question like a wild beast.

"What happened? Where is Nanalia?"

Felicity was somewhat surprised by Gerberi's fluent speech, and the strength and concern hidden within Gerberi's surging anger brought tears to her eyes, and she grasped Gerberi's arm with her small hand.

“Prince Tular, he... he knows... Sister Gerberi, save His Highness, save Nanalia…”

Was it a trap? Looking at the scene before him, Ryuga half-closed his eyes, already understanding. It seemed the master of this place had already noticed their attempt at rescue. He sighed softly. He had placed too much hope in Tipalotura; after all, she was just a child. Facing a mature and cunning adult member of the royal family, her actions were bound to have flaws.

"Ah."

With simple words and a firm nod, Gerberly didn't say much more. She carried Felicity on her back, tore off the belt from the corpse by the door, tied it around her waist, and rushed outside. But she found herself in a dark dungeon, and at the first fork in the road, she was at a loss.

This was a world she had never seen before, from the cold stone bricks and the flickering torches on the walls to the sprawling, dark, endless prison corridors. Having spent her entire life imprisoned in a dark, sunless cell, she had never witnessed anything like this. A sudden fear of the unknown gripped her, making her legs weak and leaving her unsure of where to go.

"Lucia..."

Instinctively, she wanted to ask Ryuka what to do. But she hadn't heard Ryuka's voice since last night, and now there was no response. A sense of fear rose within Gerberly—Ryuka had left.

Felicity's breathing grew weaker and weaker on her back, and Gerberi began to run desperately through the dungeon. She was on the lowest level; above her were many other cells, from which came cries for help. Gerberi ignored them; she only cared about Felicity on her back, one of the few people she knew, her sister. If Ryusha had disappeared, she couldn't accept that Felicity on her back had also vanished. Fortunately, there were other guards' corpses along the way; she could find her way by the scent of blood, running like a wild beast, the two iron chains still on her ankles clanging, as she raced through the dimly lit dungeon…

Ryuu was still there, but he didn't speak. This was Gerberi's memory, something that had already happened. So she must have found a way out and successfully escaped. This was her achievement, something she had worked hard to do on her path to freedom, so Ryuu wouldn't offer any help, not even encouragement. So he simply floated beside Gerberi, watching the world of memories behind her, shattering into pieces of darkness as she moved forward…

"Stop! Put down that girl and surrender!"

"Captain, does she really understand human speech?"

"Tsk! His Highness wants to capture them alive, and this one and the one on his back are examples. How will we know if we don't shout and try?"

Just as they saw the light outside, several fully armed knights appeared at the exit. Three carried shields and swords, and two carried spears, pointing their weapons at Gerberi.

Unlike the corpses of the guards inside, these were true elite knights, all at the peak of their respective ranks, just one step away from becoming Grand Masters. But their intimidation didn't slow Gerberly down in the slightest; instead, it quickened her pace even more!

She looked at the dark light behind the knight, the sound of dripping water accompanied by a rumbling vibration.

That was rain, that was thunder, those were things I had seen before, but had almost forgotten!

That's... freedom!!!

"Shield Cavalry! Combat Technique!"

The knight captain's gaze sharpened. He didn't order an attack, but instead commanded the two shield-bearing knights beside him to unleash their aura techniques. A faint glow of aura immediately emanated from the massive shields, completely blocking the narrow exit!

“Jerberly, sister…”

"It's okay, close your eyes."

The jolting woke Felicity, who was on her back. Seeing the scene before her, she grabbed Gerberi's hair and clung to her back. Gerberi simply comforted her with a few words, and then a beast-like roar erupted from her withered and thin body!

"Drink it all!!!!"

There was no luster of battle aura, no splendor of magic. Like a dirty lump of lint and clay, Ryusha watched as Gerberi crashed straight into the shield wall!

boom!!!!!

Blood danced and wood chips flew, the iron shields scraped sparks on the stone bricks, and the wild beasts in the mud smashed through the obstacles, savoring the earthy taste of freedom.

The murky rain washed over her hair, its color indistinguishable. Looking at the golden-brown glimpse peeking through the black mud, Liu Xia gently curled the corners of her lips into a smile:

"It really looks like a golden lion cub..."

Chapter 34 The Secrets of the Three Saints and the Royal Family

On a rainy day, Gerberly stood in a vast courtyard. The sky was so open; even without the azure blue of her childhood memories, the sheer size of the space was palpable. Gerberly stared blankly at the sky, letting the rain wash over her face, then gripped the longsword in her hand tightly.

boom!

An explosion came from afar, shaking the raindrops in the air into a hollow hemisphere. The next second, Gerberly rushed in that direction.

She didn't just focus on escaping. Although she could breathe the air of freedom, she wouldn't forget that Felicity and the little princess behind her had orchestrated everything. Even though Felicity had said it was a trap, she still rushed headlong into the center of the clashing swords and spears without hesitation.

Instead of rushing in blindly, she slithered like a rabbit past the knights and mages scurrying about to reinforce the area. Navigating the complex courtyards, she quietly made her way to the epicenter of the explosion, and then, using the heavy rain and the surrounding woods, discreetly observed the situation before her…

In the chaotic courtyard, the banquet hall was completely destroyed. Exquisite plates and tablecloths were scattered all over the floor, and priceless delicacies lay in the mud. Prince Tular, a tall, bulky man, sat in a magnificent tent, squinting at the girl standing in the rain before him.

“Your Highness Tipalotura, I only allowed you to visit my estate out of respect for His Majesty. I never expected you to be so impolite, actually trying to take away the ‘private property’ of your own people…”

Between the two was a standoff between countless knights and mages, with some panicked servants huddled at the edge, trembling slightly as they looked at the blood-stained corpses on the ground. However, Tipalotura's guards wore only light armor hidden beneath their clothes, while Tular's side was surrounded by fully armed elites.

"So, he planned to seize Prince Tular's estate at the banquet, coordinating with the internal strife... but the enemy saw through his plan beforehand and even had elite troops lying in ambush to support him. Strange, didn't Tipalotura have the Emperor's support for this? Was he acting unilaterally?"

Ryuga glanced around and saw that neither side possessed Heavenly Rank combat power, but Tular's side had several peak Grand Master Knights and Mages, while Tipalotura's guards were far inferior. Moreover, from their expressions, Ryuga could tell that these people seemed unwilling to fight for this young princess, and they appeared somewhat flustered and regretful in the face of being surrounded.

The strongest person in this battle... Ryuka looked up at the sky and saw a witch with dark gray hair floating in mid-air, accompanied by faint lightning and air currents. The dark clouds in the sky were also rotating around her, and the pressure she exuded was already faintly at the level of a celestial being!

"The witch of Tular... seems to be much stronger than the two witches under Prince Hypnos later on."

Despite the older witch's imposing presence, Tipalotura did not back down, even though her youthful dress was torn in many places, and the corpses on the ground were mostly her guards. Her face showed no panic, only regret and self-reproach, and... a cold, icy rage!

"Your estate?"

Tipalotura responded coldly.

"Father has already decreed that, in order to rebuild the empire's finances, strict limits have been placed on the property of each member of the royal family, and any excess will be subject to additional taxes. Tural Ona Otus, as Father's cousin, you outwardly appear respectful and obedient to Father's orders, but secretly you are inciting other members of the royal family and nobles to oppose Father's various policies. I am not here as a guest today, but on behalf of Father to reclaim your title, property, and all power!"

Her clear but childish voice was articulate and carried a subtle air of authority, completely unlike that of a six or seven-year-old girl. But Tular laughed dismissively, and when she looked at Tipalotura again, her eyes held a fierce rage!

"Haragoria sent his youngest daughter as an envoy to negotiate?! Oh, right! I forgot, his eldest son, my dear nephew Letras, was killed by your mother, that witch bitch!"

With a loud thud, he gritted his teeth and stood up from his ornate chair. Several maids immediately rushed forward and painstakingly pulled at his obese body, making him walk step by step forward, where he glared fiercely at the young princess…

"Not only that... he let you, a bastard, steal the power we inherited from our ancestors! He deprived the bloodline of our innate abilities! And left me in this wretched state!"

Looking at Tular, whose body could barely support him, Ryuka pondered silently. The power of order often has its own system. The power of order in Ottus is related to both the nation's fate and their bloodline. It seems the collateral branches of the Ottus clan are essentially their followers, forming a power system with the emperor who wields the power of order. As long as the power of order remains in the emperor's hands, they too can receive some kind of amplification…

However, Tipalotura's birth robbed the current emperor of his power, inevitably causing other members of the royal family to lose the blessings of the power of order and become ordinary people. If Tular possessed extraordinary strength, supporting his obese body would be a simple matter. But suddenly losing the amplification of the power of order, he was reduced to the point where he needed assistance even to walk!

It seems that the power struggle in Otus's court is not only about the conflict between the Cranar bloodline and the witch bloodline, but also about interests, politics, and personal grudges.

"Take back my power? You think you can? Bring that little beast up here!"

With a roar, Tular immediately brought out two young adult witches, leading a gagged little girl—Nanalia. Her face was filled with terror and tears, and she was bound by specially made holy magic chains. Her eyes were filled with pleading as she looked at Tipalotura.

"It's incredible that a witch who's never been deflowered can awaken her abilities. But aren't you overthinking things? Do you really think you can take me down with your little tricks?!"

In response to Tural's roar, Tipalotura merely glanced at the two witches behind him, then at the weather-manipulating witch in the sky, and laughed like an innocent little girl.

“I really didn’t expect that Dilatel would lend you his witch. After all, I heard from my father that you lost that ability many years ago, and the witches you had before have all passed away.”

So she wasn't his own witch after all? Ryuga looked her over in surprise, and was even more amused by Tipalotura's words. This princess wasn't always so cold and aloof; even at such a young age, she had such a sharp tongue!

Her meaning was clear: Tular had been impotent for many years. Seeing Tular struggling to even stand up, especially his greasy belly that reached his thighs, Ryuka gave a disgusted yet wicked smile, thinking, 'It makes sense that he can't function like this anymore…'

"You, you, you! Kill her! Kill this little bitch! Kill this little beast!"

Not only Ryūsha, but even the surrounding waiters couldn't help but reveal intriguing expressions. Humiliated in public like this, Tural's face was a mess of colors, shifting between bluish-black and purplish-red, as he shook his chubby cheeks and roared at Tipalotura.

But the witch beside him simply said coldly:

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Our orders are to bring Princess Tipalotura back as a condition for negotiations with His Majesty Haragoria. This is also the result of discussions between our master and other members of the royal family.”

"Take him back! Take him back! That Dilatel fellow! He wants to monopolize the power of the ancestors, doesn't he!"

Despite Tular's angry roar, the witch remained composed and said, "Whether that power can be regained is still unclear. Besides, this is also the intention of those three elders."

Three elders? Are they the three reclusive Saints of Autus? Ryuuxia pricked up her ears, not intending to miss any further information.

"Those three old geezers... they're just afraid this little bitch will make them weaker too! Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to live much longer either! Damn it! You're all like Haraguria! Traitors who betrayed the mission of our ancestors! Only me, only me... cough cough!!!"

The intense anger left Tural breathless. The young Tipalotura, however, glanced around and coldly said to Tural:

"Those three lords acted out of consideration for the Empire. If they were lost, the Empire would also lose its strongest backing in its confrontation with the Papacy. It's not as you say, that as descendants of King Kranar, they lack even this much wisdom and restraint!"

Hearing these words, Ryuga immediately understood why, despite the decline of the Otus Empire, there was still no news of the three Saint-level experts. Like the powerless Tular, their power was likely related to the power of order. But after all, they were Saint-level experts with three hundred years of lifespan; perhaps their power didn't entirely originate from the power of order, or perhaps Tipalotura couldn't bear to lose them from the Otus Empire. Thus, these three 'secluded elders' had reached a delicate balance with Tipalotura, her father, and the other royal descendants…

This relationship involves a complex power struggle among all parties. Tular is simply the most unfortunate, the most vulnerable, and the one most directly affected.

"It's good that you understand. In any case, the Empire cannot fall. Your Highness Tipalotura, we hope you can come with us. If you are proud of the Kranar blood in your veins, then please..."

Upon hearing Tipalottura's words, the witch stepped forward, her polite tone carrying an undeniable air of authority, and extended her hand to Tipalottura, who was standing in the rain. But before she could finish speaking, Tipalottura shook her head, interrupting her:

"I will not listen to you, and I will take Nanalia and the others with me."

"Your Highness..."

The witch's voice turned sinister, "Your power cannot control the three of us, and your guards are no match for us either."

Chapter 35 Tipalotura's Hidden Abilities

Facing them were not only three adult witches, but also many fully armed elite soldiers. Despite this overwhelming disadvantage, Tipalotura smiled:

"But have you forgotten that I, like you, possess the abilities of a witch?"

Having said that, she raised her hand and gently reached for the veil she was wearing...

The witch opposite immediately narrowed her eyes and shouted at Prince Tular:

"Not good! Lord Tular! Withdraw your soldiers immediately!"

"What a joke... He's just a little kid who hasn't even grown all his hair yet... Oh, oh oh oh!!!!"

Tural's words trailed off. He looked at the poised and elegant little girl opposite him. Rain soaked her long, dark blue hair, which was whipped across her face by the wind, making her look pitiful. Yet, her expression and eyes held a transcendent compassion and loneliness as she smiled faintly at the dense forest of spears and swords before her:

"Yes, gentlemen, don't you think your behavior is shameless in front of a child like me?"

"Gulp... Don't look! Don't listen to her voice!"

The witch holding Nanalia hostage screamed, but her voice sounded as distant as if it came from several mountains away. The soldiers in front of them were all stunned, and their hands gripping their weapons began to tremble uncontrollably.

"No, that's right. She's just a little girl. Even if it's an order, we have to do it..."

"Besides, she is His Majesty the Emperor's daughter, a princess of the empire."

"But we are His Highness the Prince's troops..."

Unbeknownst to them, an eerie atmosphere enveloped the entire room. Although Tipalotura had merely removed her veil, those opposite her were plunged into deep self-doubt, even beginning to back away. Even Prince Tular behind them stared blankly at Tipalotura, greedily gazing at her youthful, poignant face.

"Take her down..."

"what?"

"Seize her! Seize this bewitching devil's son!"

Faced with the witch's questioning, Tural became agitated and even pushed away the maid who was supporting him. His fat body collapsed to the ground with a thud, like a boneless lump of rotten flesh, but his fat fingers were still pointing at Tipalotura opposite him.

“That’s right, this thing, this ‘being’! Someone has to subdue it! We can’t hand it over to someone like Dilatel! She’s mine… No! I mean! We have to lock her up! Lock up this witch who has defiled the bloodline of Kranar!!!”

Ryūsha watched the fat pig lying on the ground, roaring and screaming. His face was contorted with madness, and his bloodshot eyes couldn't conceal his true motives. He couldn't help but glance at Tipalotura, who looked no different from the girl he remembered, only a year or two older, yet possessing a maturity beyond her years. Seeing Tural in this state, her eyes revealed a mixture of disgust and sorrow, and she muttered softly to herself:

"As expected, this ability is not what I wanted. It's completely uncontrollable and will turn people into something terrifying..."

Upon hearing this, Ryūka's heart stirred. As someone observing memories, he only saw a pretty little girl and couldn't sense the power emanating from Tipalotura at the time. But judging from the reactions on the other side, Tural had become hideously ugly, while the soldiers hadn't; instead, they showed more pity for a little girl.

Could it be that Tipalotura's allure is different from Kania's? Does it have different effects on people with different temperaments?

"Tsk! I can't stand hearing that!"

Just as Ryūsha was pondering this, a knight suddenly removed his helmet, turned around, and pointed his longsword at Prince Thural behind him:

"Your Highness! I am not your slave! I am a nobleman! The second son of the glorious Martell family! Although I disagree with His Majesty's decrees, I will not obey your orders to harm the princess of the Empire!"

“That’s right! You’re absolutely right! We’re not mercenaries who sell their souls for money! Your statement just now is simply unbearable for a human being!”

"Disgusting! To have such evil thoughts about a child like that, I can't believe I tolerated you before!"

More and more men turned their guns on their comrades and Prince Tular. Many of the remaining men, however, became even more agitated, shouting at them:

"Are you all insane?! This is a mutiny! Are you going to raise your swords against your comrades for that little bitch?!"

"She really is a witch! We can't let her taint the bloodline of the empire... That's right, we have to subdue her properly... Huff... Huff..."

Instantly, the arena was enveloped in a morbid nightmare, with everyone speaking their minds without restraint, swords drawn, and a bloody battle about to erupt! Before anyone knew it, the first exchange of fire occurred, followed by a chaotic melee. Maids screamed and howled, warriors fought with bloodshot eyes, and even the three witches were drawn in, forced to fight against their own side.