CRACK!
Warm, red flames dispersed the darkness and the chill.
“Where is this place?”
After the blinding light faded, Winnidith discovered she had been transported to another space.
Fortunately, Isabella and the others were by her side, so she did not panic.
“How would I know? Father only told me that there was a teleportation magic spell on the second basement level of the Great Historical Archives that would send me to another location, but he never told me where it would lead.”
Leah scanned her surroundings.
The damp, decorative blue-flowered stone slabs and the mold visible everywhere did not look like a place for people to live at all.
However, the patterns on the walls proved that not only had people lived here before, but the owner’s status had been quite high.
Could it be some abandoned palace?
But she had already run through the entire City of Emerald Shadows and had no idea there was such a place here.
“This should be the third basement level of the history museum. I never expected the method of entry to be so unique. It’s no wonder they say only the Elven King can enter.”
Isabella took a few deep breaths and discovered the air was still plentiful; there was no feeling of suffocation.
This meant it was still connected to the outside, so they didn’t have to worry about being trapped.
“Ha… anywhere is fine. I need to treat my wounds now, wait for me a moment.”
Leah, who could finally relax for a moment, sat cross-legged on the ground.
As she prepared to pull her hand away from her wound, she realized in shock that her blood had glued her hand to the injury.
Helpless, she had to endure the pain of tearing the wound open again to move her hand.
It hurt immensely, but Leah was actually somewhat grateful for the pain right now.
At the very least, it allowed her to temporarily escape the memories that caused her such anguish.
“Your wounds… I am sorry.”
Winnidith looked at the mangled, bloody wound, and her heart still trembled violently with fear.
Leah had many injuries, but the most serious one was the strike she received from the red-haired elf after being distracted by Winnidith’s voice.
Although that had been the most logical choice given the situation, she still felt she bore half the responsibility for Leah being injured.
“Why are you apologizing? If it weren’t for you, there would be no way for us to be safely discussing these things now. Or do you think I am like those unreasonable villains in plays, blaming you for my misfortune?”
Leah said sharply.
“So keep your chin up, Winnidith. You saved me. From now on, you can strut around in front of me if you wish; this Princess permits it!”
“I am not the type of character who acts arrogant just because I helped someone.”
Winnidith broke into a cold sweat. What time was it, and Leah was still saying these things just to look cool?
“Hehe.”
Seeing that she was in the mood to joke around, Leah knew her words had at least had some effect; her tone and expression softened immediately.
“Besides, you don’t need to worry about me. The physical constitution of a Light Elf is stronger than you imagine. A small wound like this will heal after I rest for a while.”
Just as Leah said, after she endured the searing pain and tore the scab off, visible golden light particles immediately filled the wound.
The next moment, her muscles and organs began to heal miraculously.
“Alright, now you should explain to me why you are all appearing here, right?”
Leah looked at Isabella, who still wore a cold expression, her emerald eyes veiled in shadow.
“And you need to explain the situation with Uncle Itheriel. Why was he so obedient to you?”
“Uh, this…”
Winnidith hesitated, not knowing how to explain it to Leah.
Should she say that her best friend’s mother had tried to kill her as soon as she entered the city, and that after she investigated, she discovered the deity they worshipped—the Sacred Tree that had birthed her—was actually an evil god?
Could Leah accept that?
“This story is long, very long. And after you hear it, you will discover the true face of the world is completely different from what you imagine. Once you know the truth, your life and death will no longer be under your control. Your fate will become blurred and uncertain. Who knows? Perhaps the second after you find out, your body might uncontrollably swell, explode, and turn into rotten flesh.”
“Even so, do you still want to listen?”
Isabella took the initiative to take on the role of the narrator.
Her eloquence was better than Winnidith’s, and since most of the information had been deduced by her anyway, it was more appropriate for her to explain it to Leah from any perspective.
Moreover, throwing the riddles Alvain had once told her back at his daughter gave Isabella a sense of revenge.
“Yes!”
Leah nodded without hesitation.
Her life had undergone a massive upheaval today, but sadly, it wasn’t a choice she had made herself.
She was just being pushed forward by countless changes, yet she didn’t even know what the truth was.
Therefore, as long as there was a possibility to know the truth, she had to seize it!
“Ha.”
Isabella smiled with satisfaction.
From Leah, she saw the same obsession she possessed.
For this reason alone, she was willing to lay out everything she knew.
Besides, Leah was a very useful combatant to have for dealing with Elaril later.
“Then let’s start from when we first arrived in the City of Emerald Shadows.”
***
While Isabella was explaining the information they had gathered to Leah in the unnamed palace, back in the City of Emerald Shadows, the Nightglow Palace, where the Alendine Mission resided, welcomed a mysterious guest.
“Who goes there! State your business!”
The guard on duty saw the visitor cloaked in a white robe to hide her form and immediately gripped his weapon.
The City of Emerald Shadows had just experienced an earthquake, and everyone was busy analyzing the disaster.
Yet this person had come to the Nightglow Palace fully armed, which made them suspect she had ulterior motives.
“A guest of your Prince.”
The mysterious person stood quietly before the door.
Beneath the white robe, a sweet, clear female voice resonated.
A woman?
They exchanged glances and gripped their weapons tighter.
But who didn’t know that their Prince had not left his room since arriving in the City of Emerald Shadows?
How could he have invited someone to the Nightglow Palace?
This person was lying!
Take her down and interrogate her carefully!
“Stop! This person is indeed a guest of the Prince. Let her in.”
At the critical moment when the two soldiers were about to move, Gaius rushed out from the palace, shooed them away, and brought her to Olivier’s room according to his instructions.
Before departing, he looked at the “lone man and woman” in the room with a gratified expression.
The Second Prince had never been close to women while at the Eternal Fortress.
As one of the Seven Knights of Alendine, though he had no right to discuss royal matters, he had always been anxious about it.
Especially because Olivier’s beauty grew more bewitching by the day, the fear in Gaius’s heart had grown, and he had even considered advising the King several times.
Who would have thought that upon coming to the Natural Forest, the Prince would find a woman to his liking?
This trip had certainly been worthwhile.
Olivier did not care what Gaius was thinking as he left.
He simply looked at the white-robed girl sitting opposite him, the corner of his mouth curling into a seductive smile.
“Miss Vilda, since it is just the two of us now, there is no need for further disguise, is there?”
The white-robed girl was silent for a moment before removing her hood, her long, raven hair cascading down like a waterfall.
Her delicate, sweet face was indeed Leah’s best friend, but at this moment, it was clearly filled with dejection.
“The fact that you can appear here means Princess Leah has escaped, correct?”
Olivier said.
He knew a great deal; in fact, a significant portion of the current state of the City of Emerald Shadows was formed with his assistance.
Thus, he naturally knew that according to the original plan, Vilda should not be here right now.
“Hmm, Leah… she doesn’t want to be with me forever.”
Vilda’s tone was dejected and confused, like a small beast abandoned by its master.
But Olivier had no obligation or desire to comfort her.
He had only one objective.
“Did you come today for the final payment for our cooperation?”
Olivier asked, his words carrying an uncharacteristic impatience.
“Yes. Mother told me to come and help you complete the final step of the ritual.”
Vilda nodded, and wisps of ominous black smoke emerged from her jade-like hands, which were covered in white silk gloves.
“From today on, you will become a true woman. I hope you will not forget to complete the final part of our cooperation once you receive the final payment.”
“That goes without saying.”
Olivier laughed, laughing with such wild abandon that it added a sense of mad beauty to his bewitching features.
“As long as you turn me into a true, fertile woman, the Alendine Mission will launch an all-out assault on the Silver Moon Palace to help you capture the eldest daughter of the Trenton family.”
“It’s a deal.”
Upon hearing this, Vilda suddenly remembered the scene from that day on the carriage.
She, Leah, the daughter of Trenton, and the Princess of the Empire, setting aside their status and etiquette, were having the most pure and joyous moment, entirely from the bottom of their hearts.
Vilda shook her head vigorously, sweeping those scenes into the deepest parts of her memory like trash.
Everything was for the sake of being with Leah forever. For this, sacrificing anyone was worth it.
Including herself.