Okam Empire, Imperial Capital – Monsell.
Inside a certain luxurious room.
“You don’t look depressed at all, do you?”
The noble person asked.
“Depressed?”
The addressed adult shook their head.
“This kind of thing, just hide it and watch for yourself… That Willis managed to break through my setup and kill move—she’s just lucky.”
“So, did you find out? Was someone guiding her?”
“Maybe. For now, there are no signs of that. But from this moment on, she’s already our opponent.”
“Ushi City was supposed to be her grave… Mike Millen, City Defense Army, Mine Guard, noble families, wealthy merchants, Nightfall…”
“I even planned to call in the rebels from Storm Valley at the end, uniting the dissatisfied populace inside Ushi City against her…”
“Any one of those forces could overturn Ushi City.”
“United, they could destroy that region in an instant.”
“What a pity, I still didn’t manage to kill her…”
The two fell silent for a long while.
Then, the noble person broke the stillness.
“Then, once she returns to Monsell, the third round of the life-and-death struggle will begin!”
“But, over in Ushi City, she mustn’t have it easy either!”
***
Ushi City
After Ofilia left, Willis felt like something was missing.
Nidnia and Borden were busy building new streets and homes for the populace.
So they only returned at night, practically collapsing into sleep.
There weren’t many chances to talk with Willis.
Anne was also busy protecting the newly discovered Forbidden Magic Ore Vein outside Ushi City.
She was responsible for maintaining order in the registration and distribution of relief grain and compensation funds, and occasionally helped Borden patrol Ushi City.
She also had to check in on the construction of the Graveyard of Miners outside the city.
As for Youmen Hall, that intelligence organization, she was constantly finding ways to expand and recruit more people.
You could say she was even busier.
Hill You had to lead people, spending all day running a census on Ushi City’s population for Willis.
There wasn’t much time to return each day.
Victoria, on the other hand, stayed by her side all along.
But this silver-haired girl, who always wore a stoic expression, would run away in a panic whenever Willis brought up Absolute Territory.
It really diminished a lot of the fun of teasing her.
Winnie’s condition was improving, and she could communicate normally.
Her spirit had mostly recovered.
But towards Willis, she still acted cold and indifferent.
Becky had debuted as a Songstress, now going out every day to sing, building up her fanbase and popularity.
She also promoted Willis, boosting her reputation.
Now, after finishing her own affairs, Willis realized she didn’t have a single beautiful girl left to bully around her.
“Your Highness, someone from the Laiensi Family requests an audience outside.”
A soldier reported.
“Rasser Lyons and Alexander Lai’angsi?”
Willis leaned back in her chair, speaking lazily.
“Let them in.”
These two coming to find Willis was nothing more than an attempt to flatter her and try to secure a small mine at a favorable price.
“I see Your Highness is shorthanded, so why not entrust it to the Laiensi Family? We have people available for such tasks…”
“Your Highness can rest assured, we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty!”
Rasser Lyons belatedly realized her daughter might have been sold a little too cheaply.
After all, Willis had so many mines and veins here, and they’d only gotten one.
So now they wanted a bit more.
Willis didn’t mind, just knocked the two around a bit with words, then agreed.
The two left happily, not mentioning anything about seeing Ofilia.
In their eyes, their daughter had become Her Highness’s forbidden plaything, surely dressed in all kinds of shameful clothing by now.
Or perhaps locked away being ‘trained’.
It was best not to meet, to avoid awkwardness.
***
At the same time, leading the hundred-man squad Willis gave her, Ofilia sneezed atop a hill.
This was Willis’s first task for her, and the blonde girl felt a bit excited.
But at the same time… if she failed…
Just thinking about the consequences made Ofilia shiver.
“Is there anything edible in these wilds?”
She asked the young officer behind her.
“Miss, all the wild chickens and rabbits nearby have been driven off by our people. Other than fishing in the river, they won’t find anything to eat today!”
The young officer grinned.
“Even the edible wild grass and fruit along the roads have been picked clean by us.”
Hearing this, Ofilia nodded in satisfaction.
“Good.”
In her distant view, Dimuoluo and Fei’er, who had been expelled, walked on with difficulty.
Since leaving Ushi City, aside from drinking some water, they hadn’t seen even a single bird.
Ever since Amar and his group caused trouble yesterday, they hadn’t eaten or drunk.
Now, they were both exhausted and starving.
“Master… How about we rest a bit?”
Fei’er could barely walk.
Dimuoluo licked his lips and nodded, the whip marks and wounds on his body throbbing faintly.
“Damn it… Even my canteen was confiscated by that dog Willis…”
“Master!”
Fei’er called out with a wry smile.
“Her Highness showed mercy by sparing us, that alone is a blessing. This is our own fault…”
Dimuoluo cursed with a twisted expression.
“Go to hell! What was that dog’s name again? Amar? Don’t let me run into him again, or I’ll smash him into a meat patty!”
After a rest, the two continued onward.
Before long, Dimuoluo’s angry rant echoed again.
“Which bastard with no morals and no asshole did this? You must’ve been starving to eat even the wild grass! Go to hell!”
“I curse you with diarrhea every night, may you become a spraying warrior forever! Damn it!”
***
Darkness fell.
But even after a long time, the two couldn’t find anything to eat.
In the end, they could only jump into the river to try fishing, resulting in Dimuoluo nearly brawling with a fish.
Their clothes soaked, no fish caught, only exhaustion remaining.
Before long, Dimuoluo’s angry shouts still echoed in the mountains.
But with less strength.
At night, the two were woken and frozen by hunger over a dozen times.
The next morning, dragging their weary bodies, they finally found two villages.
But before the exhausted pair could beg for some food, they were driven out as thieves.
Not only did they not get a meal, they took a beating from sticks.
Dimuoluo cursed in pain.
By afternoon, the two could only fill themselves with water.
Fei’er felt dizzy, sitting on a roadside stone, unable to walk any further.
He was one of the many apprentices Dimuoluo had driven away in the past.
Fei’er had lasted the longest because he lacked outstanding forging talent.
He was also an orphan.
Being able to stay by Dimuoluo’s side to learn forging was the honor of his life.
So Fei’er could endure for so long.
At this moment, seeing the exhaustion and weakness of his umpteenth apprentice, Dimuoluo finally softened a little.
“You wait here. I refuse to believe I’ll starve to death!”
Two hours later, he returned clutching a steamed bun like a thief.
His body was covered in new wounds and bruises.
Dimuoluo cursed as he tore the bun in half and handed part to Fei’er.
“Master… Please, you eat. I… I can endure.”
“Screw that! Endure my ass! You’re almost dead, and I don’t want to waste energy burying you! Eat!”
***
In the distance, Ofilia and her group watched, a young officer behind her asking,
“Miss, should we continue?”
“Of course. The Lord… Her Highness said this is called tempering their will and wearing down their sharp edges.”
“As long as they don’t die, it’s fine… Also, begging is allowed, we won’t stop them.”
“Let’s hope they know to appreciate kindness!”
But for Dimuoluo, it hadn’t reached that point yet.
Given their crimes and the people they’d offended, if not for their previous contributions, it would be normal to kill them.
Among nobles, someone like Dimuoluo—who hadn’t made any remarkable achievements yet dared to act so arrogantly—usually met a tragic end.
Hmph!
If the Master hadn’t said that guy would be useful in the future, I wouldn’t bother caring whether they lived or died!
Exiled or not, we even have to watch over them.
Letting them live is already merciful!
The blonde girl chewed on a blade of grass, watching every move of the two.
Even though she didn’t understand completely, Ofilia still faithfully carried out Willis’s orders.
Of course, Willis also told her not to be too rigid.
If Dimuoluo really couldn’t change, then just let him be; Willis wouldn’t insist on holding onto him.
Being able to become a Legendary Blacksmith meant he must have forged legendary weapons.
Every legendary item to emerge has caused a bloodbath across the continent.
From ancient times to the present, owning a legendary item was the highest honor.
Even more so for its forger.
No wonder Dimuoluo had such a personality.
But the forging of legendary weapons likely happened long before he came to Ushi City.
Hill You and Anne hadn’t found any records about it.
Maybe searching in the Namdo Kingdom would yield some clues.
Such talent is rare across the entire continent.
Willis wanting to ‘train’ him and keep him close was only natural.
But only half a day had passed, and Ofilia was already starting to want to go back.
“Master…”
***
On the other side, with Ofilia absent, Willis could only pull the just-returned Becky to her side.
“Y-Your Highness… I’m dirty, I haven’t bathed…”
“Besides, someone like me… how could I possibly…”
The purple-haired girl still wore the Jade Fox mask, the symbol of the Songstress now wildly popular in Ushi City.
With her growing number of fans, she and Willis had become the two most beloved people in Ushi City.
The good food and drink at the Lord’s manor these days had gradually restored the girl’s once-skinny frame.
Looking at her now well-endowed chest, Willis smiled with satisfaction.
“It’s fine…”
The imperial princess said with a smile.
“I’ll be sweating soon anyway. Let’s bathe together.”
She said, and directly picked up Becky—who tried to struggle but could only blush and remain silent—carrying her into the room where she used to sleep with Ofilia.