Chapter 84: News from the Palace

Faced with the Imperial Princess’s pressure, even if Earl Harris had a hundred objections, he might still be forced to agree.

So Tia’s evasion had no effect in front of Mephia.

While she hesitated, Mephia took another step forward, closing the distance between them until Tia could smell her familiar, intoxicating scent and see her own reflection deep in Mephia’s eyes.

“And besides, you love me deeply, don’t you?”

She paused, a hint of curiosity creeping into her voice.

“Why are you refusing me the moment I bring up the engagement? Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

Tia’s breath caught in that instant.

The question made her wonder if Mephia already knew something, but then she quickly thought, if Mephia had known her secret, wouldn’t she have arrested her by now?

She was the Imperial Princess, but also an Inquisitor.

If she faced a Witch, she would surely capture her, wouldn’t she?

Unless… she didn’t capture her because she loved her?

What a joke.

Looking into Mephia’s eyes, Tia froze for a moment, then averted her gaze and whispered, “How… how could that be?”

Her expression betrayed some guilt, but Mephia acted as if she hadn’t noticed, smiling.

“In that case, since we’re getting engaged, you shouldn’t refuse, right?”

Tia’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

“I… I’m just worried about my father… But since you insist, then let’s be engaged.”

As the words fell, the room fell into a brief silence.

Tia’s agreement surprised Mephia slightly, the scrutiny in her gaze growing stronger.

Though Tia’s face flushed with embarrassment, her heart was indifferent.

In that short instant, she had already figured it out.

What did an engagement matter?

It wasn’t a real marriage.

She had plenty of ways to break it off.

The simplest was to disappear on the engagement day.

Thinking this, a happy smile appeared on Tia’s face, as if she were truly excited about her engagement.

Mephia turned to look at Isa, who stood to the side.

“Excellent. Isa, spread the news of our engagement. The wedding date will be announced later.”

Isa stood there, her pretty face filled with shock.

Especially after hearing Her Highness’s order, she opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.

“Your Highness, this, this…”

Mephia raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Hmm? Do you have an objection?”

Isa’s face turned pale.

She quickly lowered her head and bowed deeply.

“No, I wouldn’t dare.”

“Then why aren’t you going?”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Isa bowed again, turned, and hurried away.

Her footsteps echoed softly in the room, growing fainter until they disappeared into the corridor outside.

Only Mephia and Tia remained in the room.

Sunlight spilled quietly over them, coating everything in a warm golden glow.

Mephia leaned closer to Tia, and the proximity forced Tia to instinctively lie back on the sofa, trying to avoid contact.

But it was futile.

Her delicate chin was pinched.

Before Tia could say anything, Mephia narrowed her eyes and said with a hint of seduction, “This way, you’re mine, Tia.”

With those words, she lowered her head, gradually closing in on Tia’s thin lips.

—

When the sunlight outside the window turned a rosy hue, Tia was already standing outside the palace.

She didn’t know how she had gotten out of the palace.

She only remembered walking dazedly through the corridors, passing through the gardens, step by step as if treading on clouds.

Her legs felt weak, and the princess was also somewhat bold.

It wasn’t until she stepped out of the palace gates that she touched her lips and finally came to her senses.

Then she heard it.

Every corner of the street seemed to be discussing the same thing.

“Did you hear? The Great Princess is getting engaged!”

“What?! To whom?!”

“To Earl Harris’s daughter! The one from Hela City!”

“Oh my god?! Is that news true or false?!”

“It came from the palace—how could it be false?!”

Tia stood outside the palace gates, listening to the clamorous chatter, unmoving for a long time.

The sunlight fell upon her, stretching her shadow long and thin.

She suddenly felt that Isa’s efficiency was a little too fast.

So fast that she didn’t have time to react.

But on second thought, Mephia was after all the Empire’s Eldest Princess, the center of attention.

Any small move she made would spread across the entire Imperial Capital, let alone something as major as an engagement.

Back at her residence, Tia pushed open the door and saw Earl Harris sitting in the main hall’s chair, holding a letter in his hand.

He looked up at her, his expression complicated.

But unlike usual, that complexity now held a trace of helplessness and relief.

Sensing something, Tia stopped in front of him and took a deep breath.

“You agreed?”

Earl Harris forced a smile and nodded.

“Why wouldn’t I agree? To be engaged to the Empire’s Eldest Princess shows how outstanding my daughter is.”

He paused.

“Don’t worry about anything else.”

Anything else?

Tia frowned, feeling that there was more to his words, that something was strange.

And the smile on his face didn’t seem like the joy of a daughter marrying up, but rather a kind of inexplicable helplessness.

Earl Harris didn’t give her a chance to ask further.

He simply stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the heavy night outside.

The lights of the Imperial Capital flickered in the darkness, like a sleeping giant.

“Get some rest early. There’s much to do tomorrow.”

“Yes, Father.”

Tia stared at his back for a moment, bowed slightly, then left the main hall and returned to her bedroom.

That night, she slept restlessly, feeling as if something was about to happen.

Countless images flashed through her mind: Mephia’s face, the Inquisitor’s identity, the engagement news… and her father’s helpless attitude, along with the mysterious basement of the Harris Manor.

She tossed and turned in bed, only falling into a deep sleep in the early hours.

Then…

Boom—!

A violent explosion jolted her awake.

Tia sat up abruptly, her heart pounding.

Outside the window, flames shot into the sky, dyeing half the heavens a startling red.

Screams and cries came from all directions, merging into a suffocating clamor.

She jumped out of bed and ran to the window.

The streets of the Imperial Capital were in complete chaos.

People fled in all directions.

Shop windows were smashed, fire spread between buildings, and the air reeked of scorched flesh and blood.

Twisted figures could be seen darting through the flames.

What was happening?!

The Imperial Capital was under attack?!

Bang—!

The door was shoved open.

Earl Harris stood at the entrance, already wearing his long-dormant battle armor.

Margaret followed behind him, her face pale, hands clenched tightly.

“You two stay here. Don’t go out,” Earl Harris commanded.

“I’ll go see what’s happening.”

Margaret stepped forward and grabbed his arm.

“My lord, it’s dangerous!”

Her voice trembled with barely concealed fear.

Earl Harris turned, gently patted her hand, and then his gaze fell on Tia by the window.

“Don’t worry. Parker is with me.”

He withdrew his gaze, turned, and strode away.

Outside the door stood Parker, the East Commander, also in battle armor, with a drawn longsword in hand.

He nodded at Earl Harris, and the two disappeared side by side into the shadows at the end of the corridor.

Tia stared at their retreating backs, frowning deeply.

When had the East Commander Parker come to the Imperial Capital?

The flames outside grew brighter, the explosions closer.

Margaret walked over to Tia, took her hand, and held it tightly.

That hand was cold and trembling slightly.

“Young lady, it’ll be okay… it’ll be okay…”

She was trying to comfort Tia, but Tia only nodded, saying nothing.

She didn’t understand why the Imperial Capital was under attack, nor who was behind it.

But somehow, deep in her heart, a suspicion lingered.

She always felt that Earl Harris was not as simple as he seemed, that he had been hiding something from her.

And the empire wasn’t as stable as she had imagined.

The Magic Experiment Tower the empire had built before still stuck in her heart like a thorn.

If the Magic Experiment Tower succeeded, all humans exposed to that magical radiation would die.

She couldn’t understand why the empire would do such a thing.

Unless there was an evildoer within the empire who wanted to destroy humanity.

If that were true, then Mephia, the Empire’s Eldest Princess, would be in constant danger, wouldn’t she?

After all, from their time together, she could be sure Mephia was not the culprit behind wanting to destroy humanity.

Thinking this, Tia froze.

When had she started worrying about Mephia?

That woman was smart enough.

If anyone was in danger, it wouldn’t be Mephia. So why worry about her?

Tia snorted inwardly, forcing herself to think about something else.

But strangely, she kept involuntarily recalling Mephia’s face.

Then the Witch Council Communication Crystal delivered a message.

Hiding from Margaret, she secretly took out the Communication Crystal and glanced at it.

Her eyes widened, and something stirred within her.

The crystal displayed a special emergency mission from the Witch Council.

The reward alone started with ten Condensed Magic Crystals and countless potions.

The mission requirement was to rendezvous with a Councilor and transfer important items.

This kind of emergency mission was only visible to core members of the Witch Council.

Within two or three seconds, three core members had already accepted it.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a solo mission, so Tia was also eligible to take it.

After thinking for three seconds, she decided to accept the mission.

The reason was simple: no risk, no reward.

If she didn’t take the gamble, it would take who knows how long to improve her strength.

And if she wasn’t mistaken, today’s chaos in the Imperial Capital was likely related to the Witch Council.

As a core member, she naturally had to do her part!!

She was very loyal!

But before carrying out the mission, she needed to raise her strength to two-star Silver Grade.

That would give her more confidence!