“Liyakade!?”
Field stared in panic at Liyakade being blasted away before turning to look at the attacker—and it was none other than Irina Zi, who should have been at the banquet. She was still wearing her elegant evening dress, exuding nobility and grace.
“It’s you! What are you doing here?”
Field glared fiercely at Irina Zi at the far end of the corridor, crimson flames flickering in her hands, ready to strike at any moment.
“Just barging into someone’s home, and you’re asking why I’m here? Princess Field, how rude. Did those two little foxes mess up the noble etiquette you learned?”
Irina Zi smiled sweetly at the two of them. “Someone broke into my room, so I came back early. It’s that simple.”
“Tsk…”
“Cough… cough cough.” Liyakade slid down from the dent in the wall, her mask shattered from the overwhelming impact, revealing her pale face. She struggled into a half-kneeling position, blood trickling down from her head.
She felt as if her lungs were filled with water, coughing incessantly. “As expected… it wouldn’t be this easy. Is it that seal?”
Under normal circumstances, Liyakade could easily withstand this level of attack. But Irina Zi’s words had instantly nullified Liyakade’s defensive magic.
Being a pure mage, Liyakade’s physical strength was far inferior to Field’s, who was a Magic Swordswoman—only slightly above that of an average person. This blow caused considerable damage to Liyakade.
“That’s right.” Irina Zi snapped her fingers. “You little bitch are pretty smart. As long as someone breaks the seal, the message is sent directly to me. So I immediately ordered all the guards to block every exit of the mansion and dealt with you myself. After all, if the guards saw Princess Field, they probably wouldn’t dare to make a move.”
“Why don’t you take off your mask too, Princess Field? No need to hide it.”
“Tch.” Field removed her mask and without a word threw the burning mask at Irina Zi.
“Heh, do you think a trick like that will work on me? Too naive, Fi—”
“Now!”
Before Irina Zi could finish, Field fully concentrated her Fire Element. Liyakade, half-kneeling, extended one hand and released Wind Element toward Field.
The flames in Field’s hand instantly twisted into a massive Fire Dragon Vortex, which Field directed to sweep toward Irina Zi.
“What!?”
A look of terror flashed across Irina Zi’s face—this was totally unexpected. She was immediately engulfed in the enormous fire vortex.
Irina Zi’s arrogance had cost her dearly. She believed her attribute countered Field’s and that her level was higher. Liyakade, who was higher level than her, couldn’t directly attack her and would obey her commands at a word.
So Irina Zi hadn’t taken the fight seriously and was merely toying with them.
However, they had actually prepared for a direct encounter with Irina Zi. Their plan was for Field to take the main offensive and Liyakade to support. Though Liyakade couldn’t attack Irina Zi directly, she was amplifying Field’s flames. After that, how Field used the amplified power was entirely her own business.
Throwing off the mask was just a distraction to draw Irina Zi’s attention, the real aim being a sudden surprise attack while Irina Zi was distracted. As it turned out, the combined attack of the two was indeed effective.
Without hesitation, Field charged into the Fire Dragon Vortex. Irina Zi, thrown into disarray by the sudden turn, hastily formed a Water Bubble to encase herself. But Field burst through the bubble with a dagger the next moment.
“You!”
Irina Zi glared at Field with a ferocious scowl. Her confidence was gone. The burning sensation returned, and she had to coat herself with a layer of Water Element to prevent being completely scorched.
Field’s face hardened as she stabbed toward Irina Zi with her dagger. Within the vortex, Irina Zi had to expend most of her energy just to keep from being burned. There was barely any Water Element left for her to use other spells.
“You! Are you trying to kill me?”
Irina Zi dodged desperately and accused Field, “All this for those two bitches!?”
“They’re neither your bitches nor your toys. In my eyes, they’re far more beautiful than you.”
Field stabbed again. Unable to dodge in time, Irina Zi was hit in the arm—not a fatal strike but enough to draw blood.
“Killing you wouldn’t be impossible. Just like you, killing them wouldn’t bring much punishment. If I kill you, at most I lose a competitor for the throne. I’d still live well.”
“Ah—That hurts!”
The stabbing pain made Irina Zi cry out. She regretted having sent all the guards outside. Even if they dared not attack Field, at least they wouldn’t stand by and watch her get attacked like this.
“Feeling pain now? Why didn’t you care if others felt pain when you did those things?”
“You mean Alice?”
Irina Zi clutched her wounded arm and laughed madly. “Hahaha, others? Aren’t those commoners just like pigs? Why should I care if they hurt?”
“Hopeless.” Field shook her head and punched Irina Zi squarely in the face.
By now, Irina Zi’s evening dress was tattered from the combined assault of dagger and flames. She slumped against the wall, surrounded by fire, with Field standing right before her. Yet no trace of remorse showed in Irina Zi’s eyes.
Perhaps she only thought she had been careless and unprepared.
Field didn’t actually want to kill Irina Zi—it would only bring her trouble. She intended to knock Irina Zi unconscious.
She used the dagger partly because she feared she couldn’t defeat Irina Zi outright and partly to warn her of death. But Irina Zi’s power was greatly diminished inside the Fire Dragon Vortex, leaving her with almost no means of resistance—and still no sign of repentance.
Field sighed quietly to herself, preparing to knock Irina Zi out and then bind and imprison her while she controlled Liyakade. She would knock Liyakade out until the Slave Contract was lifted, then release Irina Zi.
“Liyakade! Protect me!”
At that moment, Irina Zi found one last breath and activated a Spell Command.