Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 185

Magic wasn’t impossible to merge. Charlie had once used his power to rebuild the entire spatial magic of Mistress Daisy’s castle, long imprisoning Witch Elena within it. However, this was on the premise that he had completely dismantled the original magical structure and rebuilt the magic based on its framework.

The magic designed by Xanye, or Sven, for Khalif was undoubtedly complex, and Charlie certainly didn’t intend to have a friendly exchange with their work. As he explained to Prima, the more intricate something was, the easier it was to destroy. His key was akin to a foreign stone deliberately jammed into the gears. If operated correctly, it could incapacitate the entire machine—that was his goal.

Prima was almost forced by Khalif to stand in front of the door. It was unknown if the door was specifically created for Prima, but its appearance could be described as lovely and exquisite: smooth oak panels with beautiful wood grain, a door frame with flowing lines, and a small archway that looked like a hunter’s hut in the forest. If a small bouquet of yellow wildflowers were placed on the door, no one would doubt that a beautiful farm girl lived inside, sitting by the sunny window, singing while spinning wool.

But at this moment, the door appeared somewhat dim against the magical array on its surface, and Prima’s eyelashes fluttered.

“Open the door, Prima,” Khalif urged again. “For me.”

Vasilia couldn’t help but step forward. Urch immediately stepped between her and Prima and Khalif. This loyal servant always remembered his mission and stood his ground.

Sven leaned forward involuntarily, staring unblinkingly at Prima. Although Xanye had no external injuries, her spirit was sluggish—a far cry from her usual arrogant demeanor.

For some reason, Prima’s mood gradually calmed down. She moved a little closer and felt someone speaking behind the door for the second time—this time, the voice wasn’t as vague as the door on the stairs. Although the voice was still as light as a feather floating on the water, this time Prima could hear it clearly.

“My daughter, my little moon, my Prima.”

“Let me see you. Your hair color is just like mine. I saved the best ribbons for you…”

Prima’s nose suddenly tingled because it was clearly her mother’s voice.

Her mother was also a gentle woman, and Prima had never seen her scold anyone loudly. She seemed incapable of anger—the rare times she insisted were when she decided to leave White Bridge and persuaded Prima to go with her.

But why didn’t she go with her? Prima felt genuine regret. No matter how hard she thought about it, she could never have predicted that in her biological father’s eyes, she was no different from a bag of fertilizer. He saw no one but himself, and he despised all life outside of himself.

“Mother.” Prima’s lips moved. Khalif didn’t hear what she said, but he saw Prima’s expression relax, as if she had given up resistance, her shoulders and neck slumping.

Then her body jolted, and she looked up as if waking from a dream.

The small brass key she had been holding was heating up intensely, almost burning her, but it was this scorching sensation that woke her from the drowsiness she had just felt. Her mother was on an island hundreds of miles away from White Bridge, and it was impossible for her to be calling from behind the door.

She would never lure her daughter into danger!

Prima stepped back, raised her hand, and forcefully inserted the key into the lock. The magical array began to flicker with her action. Khalif was completely unprepared for Prima’s move. He didn’t even know where she had gotten such a magical item and instinctively reached out to stop her, but someone was faster than him. A yellow-brown shadow darted like lightning between several people, straight towards Prima.

Prima cried out in pain and instinctively let go—a small monkey had bitten her hand holding the key. Now it was dangling in mid-air due to her movement, but she showed no fear of humans. Blood dripped from its teeth onto the floor.

Xanye and Sven followed. The delicate woman swiftly lunged at Urch, throwing a handful of powder at him. Urch blocked with one hand but reflexively swung a punch at Sven, who had also rushed forward, accurately despite his closed eyes. The hunched old man dodged with surprising agility, moving at a speed that belied his age.

Vasilia, however, moved in the opposite direction. The moment the small monkey leapt out, she also acted but aimed at Charlie, who had been on guard against her. With most of his attention on Prima, Charlie saw Vasilia coming and knew she must have been suspicious of his motives for a long time.

Charlie knew that while he could handle ordinary people, against opponents like Vasilia or Urch who didn’t use magic, surrendering or fleeing was wiser than facing them head-on.

Even attacking magic needed activation and reaction time, which was why mages never appeared on the front lines of a battlefield. Moreover, although he had grown up, the relentless intimidation from Fahim during his childhood was ingrained in his bones, making it impossible for him not to fear the Lions. He could put on a brave front in front of someone like Sasha, who was clearly still a child, but faced with a truly intimidating killing machine like Vasilia, his instinct was to avoid her.

…If it were Louis, he might confront her head-on. That guy had a penchant for challenging himself, as evidenced by his dealings with both large and small groups of Lions. Louis would step on a landmine to overcome his fear.

Charlie sighed inwardly amid the chaos, quickly pulling out a long pipe from his pocket and taking a puff. Vasilia, in just two blinks, was almost upon him, reaching out her hand.

It was a grab, not a killing move.

But Charlie didn’t care what she intended. With a “whoosh,” he blew a cloud of smoke at her. It was strange. Although he had no time to light it, he blew out a whole cloud of smoke—not only enveloping Vasilia but also spreading to Khalif’s side.

Vasilia’s will was exceptionally strong. The instant the environment changed, her vision was blocked, but it didn’t deter her. She changed her target, her momentum undiminished. Fortunately, although Charlie lacked strength, he was agile enough to barely dodge her first move.

However, the underground space was limited, making it difficult to maneuver. With her intuition, Vasilia could predict Charlie’s dodging direction and was convinced that this strange rabbit-headed man must have a trick up his sleeve. Otherwise, how could he dodge so quickly without any surprise?

As Charlie sidestepped, he exhaled another large mouthful of smoke, avoiding Vasilia and running towards Prima. This smoke could temporarily blind a person’s hearing and vision, but it didn’t affect him. He had just heard Prima let out a short scream.

At that moment, a hand reached through the smoke towards him. Charlie only had time to glance back before that hand forcefully shoved him forward a couple of steps, followed closely by Vasilia’s dagger.

Vasilia, having just engaged the uninvited guest, recognized him from his moves. “McMullan!”

McMullan didn’t speak. Two others rushed past him, following Charlie’s silhouette into the white mist.

Prima’s right hand was bleeding profusely, but what made her scream wasn’t the wound but Sven, who had followed the monkey and rushed at her.

In her panic, she fumbled to grasp the key still inserted in the lock, twisting it haphazardly to try to insert it deeper—Mr. Charlie said that this key would stop the magic array due to magical repulsion, and the door’s temptation and restraint on her would disappear. At that moment, anyone could push open the door, but inside, it wouldn’t be what Khalif expected: no light, potion, or other strange magical effect to rejuvenate him. This scene would drive Khalif mad. If he insisted on going in despite reality, anything but rejuvenation could happen to him.

But at that moment, Khalif grabbed her hand with such force that Prima’s wrist went limp almost immediately, immense pain flooding her, but she didn’t cry out this time.

An untraceable white mist silently enveloped the entire space, growing thicker. Prima felt another person grab her. The sharp screech of a monkey sounded, and Prima was forcefully shoved, slamming into the door.

In close combat, Sven was no match for Khalif, but those who touched him would find that every inch of the old man’s skin was as hard and taut as iron. Khalif, empty-handed, could do nothing against him for the moment.

“Sven!” Khalif roared, trying to twist his neck, but one hand was still gripping Prima. Sven pressed Prima against the door, his face full of greed, looking very much like Khalif.

Prima struggled desperately. The wound on her hand continued to bleed, and a few drops smeared onto the magic array as she moved. Sven laughed heartily as the previously dimmed array began to glow again.

The light could penetrate the white mist, visible to all who should see it—Prima suddenly felt her limbs go cold, and a buzzing sound filled her ears.

“You’re still young, Khalif,” Sven, like a human-shaped rock, was unmoved by Khalif’s punches and kicks. He said sweetly, “Opportunities should belong to those with more desperate desires.”

The sound-blocking white mist kept Khalif from hearing this, but by now, if he didn’t understand Sven’s intent, his life was in vain. He had sent Xanye to Khalif’s side and helped him build this magic with the purpose of taking it for himself when it was complete. The head of the Monkey family was too old—so old that the other three families secretly called him the Immortal Old Tortoise.

But Sven was human, and humans always age and die.

Charlie could see Prima’s life force beginning to drain as Sven moved like a bug caught in a flytrap. Sven was forcefully restarting the magic with her blood.

Prima’s head grew dizzy, and she leaned against the door, feeling the world spin, barely able to stand. She immediately realized her mind was clouding and, holding her breath, began to fumble with her free hand. Above the keyhole, where the oak had been smooth, her hand touched a hard metal object.

“Prima, don’t touch it!” Charlie instinctively shouted, rushing over in three steps. Behind him were Louis and Nieman, who had been hiding on the stairs, waiting.

But Prima didn’t hear. Her blood loss made her trembling hand grip the door handle that appeared out of nowhere, pressing it down.

Khalif and Sven had to turn to avoid Louis and Nieman’s swords piercing their backs. Neither heard the click of the handle. Khalif let go of Prima’s hand, gripping his short sword with both hands. Sven, unwilling to lose control of Prima, huddled his shoulders and neck to make himself harder, but Nieman’s strength was absurd, pushing him back several steps.

Prima was the only one who couldn’t sense the killing intent or fight back. She barely had the strength to push the door. If not for embedding the goal of “opening the door” firmly in her mind, she would have collapsed long ago.

Charlie bent over, dodging Khalif and Sven as they dealt with Louis and Niemann, reaching to support Prima. Though she hadn’t pushed the door, the inertia of turning the handle made the door creak open slowly.

“Get out of the way!” Khalif’s eyes indeed turned red. Without hesitation, he turned and slashed with his sword, not caring about exposing his back to Louis. Although Sven caught a glimpse of the scene inside the door, the fearless Nieman, undeterred by his poison and thorn magic, held him tightly. Swen couldn’t move, and somehow, summoning great strength, he dragged Nieman straight toward the door.

“That’s mine—” Sven shouted, his voice losing its usual richness, filled with greed and rage.

“Charlie!” Louis shouted a warning about Khalif’s sword. Charlie heard the alert but found Prima collapsing, unconscious. If he let go, the girl leaning against the door would fall inside.

His only option was to twist his body, avoiding Khalif’s sword aimed at his neck, but holding Prima made it impossible to dodge entirely. The short sword mercilessly pierced his left shoulder, blood gushing from the wound.

Seeing that blurred red in the white mist, Louis’s eyes widened, a look of terror appearing on his face for the first time.

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