Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

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

Chapter 176

Dr. Salman had prepared for this journey when Erica contacted him upon leaving Lababata, asking for his help.

At that time, Salman had just found his lover and sent him away, feeling aimless and lost. The message from the outside world gave him a sense of still being alive, so he agreed without much thought.

However, it wasn’t until he boarded the ship to White Bridge that Salman gradually learned about Priscilla’s special circumstances through letters from Erica and Charlie.

Priscilla had heard Erica talk about the miraculous doctor who could transform into a pigeon, so only Prima and Amber were astonished by his transformation.

With more hands, things became easier. They found a supervisor’s rest room with a bed, and Dwight carried Priscilla over.

“Where’s Erica?” Priscilla couldn’t help but worry, looking at her brother.

“Focus on deep breathing,” Dwight told her. “The knights at the house will look for Erica, and Shivers is also on his way.”

Priscilla turned her gaze to the rabbit-headed shopkeeper by the door.

The recent wave of pain had just passed, giving her a bit more strength.

“Can I talk to Charlie?” she asked Dwight, still looking at the door.

Dwight was silent for a moment.

He was already surprised that Priscilla hadn’t spoken up until now. Given her relationship with Louis dating back at least two years, she must have been suspicious when she first met Charlie in the Mokwen palace and realized he wasn’t Louis despite the resemblance.

But she never asked, even ignoring Charlie’s alternating rabbit and human forms. To some extent, both Priscilla and Louis were the type to hide their thoughts deeply. Dwight doubted even Louis knew Priscilla had met Charlie before.

“Wait until you feel better,” Dwight said softly. “You need to conserve your strength now.”

“This is important to me,” Priscilla said, gently squeezing Dwight’s hand. “Just a few minutes—let me talk to him alone.”

Charlie could guess what Priscilla wanted to discuss. Their connection was primarily through Dwight and Louis.

He knew Louis well enough to know it was hard for him to open up. Even for Charlie, it mostly took intuition and mutual understanding to guess Louis’s thoughts accurately.

So Priscilla’s unease was understandable. Charlie was feeling the same but was accustomed to not showing his anxiety to avoid affecting those around him.

“Can you tell me where Louis is?” Priscilla asked directly as soon as they were alone in the rest room, forgoing the noble habit of indirectness.

Charlie thought for a second. Louis had never revealed their connection to the Holy Grail to Priscilla, and she was a victim of Lestrop’s obsession with the Holy Grail. Not wanting to make decisions for Louis, Charlie carefully replied, “I’m not sure. But I guess he might have gone to find Khalif.”

Priscilla knew Louis disliked Khalif, but—

“Is he going to kill Khalif and take his place?” Priscilla asked, looking up at Charlie.

Alright, as expected. Charlie coughed. “He does want to kill Khalif, but not to take his place.”

Louis was probably the person who least cared about the Wolf name. As for the nobles who despised the Black Gold Families for centuries, their disdain never included the wealth accumulated by these giants.

“If you must call it something, it’s revenge,” Charlie said, pondering. “Louis has always been resolute. This has been his goal since childhood.”

“So it’s because of hatred.” Priscilla nodded, accepting this explanation. “Does he—or you—think this is a good time?”

“We don’t have much choice,” Charlie replied.

Dwight didn’t stay in the lounge to eavesdrop on their conversation. True to his word, Charlie and Priscilla talked for less than ten minutes before he came out. During that time, Salman had done some basic sanitization and was urgently training Prima on some midwifery basics. Amber was also listening, though his expression betrayed his fright.

Charlie walked over to Dwight. The two stood close, their heads bowed in a low conversation. Only the alert Emerald perked up its ears.

“I need to go,” Charlie whispered. “Louis can’t—we can’t be apart. He’s prepared for bloodshed tonight.”

With one twin shedding blood, the secret of which twin was the Holy Grail would no longer be a secret, revealing the answer to everyone interested.

Dwight glanced at Dr. Salman.

“You stay here,” Charlie continued. “Louis should have been here too. I can’t take you away from Priscilla’s side again.”

“He’s prepared for bloodshed, but what about you?” Dwight asked.

Charlie didn’t answer, and Dwight didn’t expect him to. He pushed Charlie away.

“Khalif isn’t worth it,” he said. “Not worth making any sacrifices for an old madman.”

Charlie’s wide, bright eyes fixed on him, but Dwight didn’t look back.

“I sent letters to the Empire. The documents have reached Erica’s contacts in Mokwen and Lababata. Do you know what that means?”

It meant Pennigra might intervene in White Bridge because of the Holy Grail’s existence. White Bridge didn’t belong to any kingdom on the Doran continent, so technically, this action wouldn’t violate the peace treaty between the continents.

“It might be too late,” he said.

Dwight said nothing more. He looked colder when angry, but Charlie’s words were true. He disagreed with Charlie provoking Khalif, who had countless protectors, and couldn’t leave Priscilla about to give birth. He was also angry at himself for being unable to handle both.

For the second time tonight, he felt inadequate, and he hated it.

Charlie’s next words finally stopped him.

“Remember Kurt’s prophecy? Don’t forget why you’re here.” Charlie tried to touch Dwight’s ear, but he turned his head away.

The childish gesture lightened Charlie’s mood. Ignoring Dwight’s expression, he turned to Dr. Salman. “Doctor, forgive me—but I need Miss Prima’s help.”

Prima, who had tied up her hair and donned an apron, widened her eyes.

“But I—” She looked around the room. She was the only woman there besides Priscilla. Though not a doctor, her presence provided significant comfort to Priscilla. Prima couldn’t think of anything more important than being here.

“I’m going to find your father,” Charlie said solemnly. “Did you know he left the auction early to go home? We saw it. The Monkeys might be planning to break their cooperation, and he might want to test the final results of those ‘doors’ immediately.”

“Of course, he can’t find you now, but if Khalif is determined, your absence won’t stop him.”

“Someone else will become the door instead of me.” Prima immediately understood Charlie’s point.

“No,” Charlie gently corrected her. “No one should become a door, including you. So no one will replace you. Doors shouldn’t exist.”

Charlie’s words magically lightened the heavy burden Prima had felt. Without hesitation, she began untying her apron, speaking to Amber as she did. “Remember what the doctor said…”

Amber stepped back.

“I know you remember.” Prima smiled sweetly at him. “So I’m counting on you. Dr. Salman will guide you.”

She handed the apron to Amber, glanced at the half-open lounge door, and hesitated for a second.

“Please explain to Priscilla that I have something urgent to do…but I’ll keep praying for her and the baby’s safety.”

Fearing she might change her mind, Prima took a deep breath and walked towards the hall, stopping at the corridor to wait for Charlie.

Only Dwight knew Charlie didn’t need Prima’s help. She had already told Louis (disguised as Charlie) everything she knew. Charlie just wanted to take Prima away because Khalif’s pursuers might soon close in due to the blood connection.

Running away wouldn’t solve the problem for Prima, but Charlie wouldn’t let her walk into a trap either. The excuse to separate Prima and Priscilla was to protect them both.

Dwight actually wanted to maintain his cold and ruthless persona and clearly express his disapproval and dissatisfaction with Charlie by keeping silent. But when the supposedly anxious Charlie looked back every few steps, he finally realized that this was more difficult than he had anticipated.

On the flip side, times like these, when a storm was brewing, were often the best moments to deepen relationships. Many overly sentimental love stories liked to have characters say a few heart-wrenching lines at such moments, leaving a deep impression on the audience. Regardless of whether the ending was happy or not, those few lines were destined to be remembered by the protagonists for a lifetime.

The Duke had read many lyrical poems by great writers, and his own literary grades had always been good. But when he found himself in this situation, he realized that his current feelings had nothing to do with moonlight, chirping insects, roses, nightingales, or sweet summer dreams. His overwhelming sense of loss and anxiety could be summed up in a short play composed of a few simple words.

“Just stay alive,” he said. “Stay alive for me.”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

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

Chapter 175

The Good Fortune Consulting Company had been struggling for quite some time.

At its peak, it had branch offices in three major districts of the inner city, with a wide range of services, from maid training to temporary security and shopping companionship. Customers could purchase almost any service, and their clientele included not only outside visitors but also many from the Wolf and Monkey Families who would entrust them to find suitable employees.

But those glorious days were in the past. The second-generation owner who took over from his father was too aggressive, trying to expand the family business across the continent’s various kingdoms. This overreach resulted in a broken financial chain, causing several branches in White Bridge to close, leaving only the original company on the outskirts, which was barely surviving. With business greatly reduced, during the auction period, the Good Fortune Consulting Company even gave employees an early holiday so they could “participate in the celebration”—as if their meager wages could buy anything at the auction.

As the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse*. Although the company had faced multiple bankruptcies, the main office still looked impressive from the outside. The entire five-story building was theirs. The doorman, who had finished dinner early, planned to go to the boiler room for some hot water before it got completely dark, but he was knocked out as soon as he stepped out the door.

*Idiom referring to a person or thing that is no longer at their peak is still superior to those who never reached their level of accomplishment.

“Will he be alright?” Prima couldn’t help but ask. The doorman seemed old, and Amber didn’t appear to have held back.

“Get inside,” Amber said briskly, knowing what he was doing. He dragged the doorman into his small room, quickly tying him up securely.

Priscilla held onto Prima’s hand tightly. Prima didn’t dare delay, helping Priscilla up the front steps. There was just enough twilight left outside to see their footing.

“We can’t turn on the lights here. Anyone passing by on the street might see. Priscilla, can you still manage the stairs?” Prima used all her strength to support Priscilla, feeling her tremble.

Priscilla shook her head silently. Both she and her brother were naturally slender, a family trait, but she wasn’t as healthy as her brother. She had almost died of illness on the long journey when she first married, leaving Pennigra, and would have if her husband hadn’t been part of the royal family with ample resources.

This time felt even worse to her. The physical pain was bearable, but the fear for her unborn child made her pale, terrified of any mishap.

Amber came running back in after quickly surveying the ground floor, breaking into a locked reception room, and helping Prima settle Priscilla on the carpet, covered with a sheet.

Once Priscilla lay down, Prima drew all the curtains tightly shut before lighting the candles. Kneeling on the carpet, she gently comforted Priscilla, trying to sound confident even though she was terrified because she had no idea how to help deliver a baby.

Amber was even more at a loss than she was. After abandoning the carriage to mislead their pursuers, they discovered another group was also tracking them. Erica had diverted them alone, managing only to say, “Emerald will lead reinforcements to find you.”

There hadn’t been time to think then, but now settled, Amber grew anxious. In his view, Emerald was still a lazy, gluttonous hatchling, unable to grasp the urgency of the situation. Though their pursuers were temporarily misled, they needed a doctor, not reinforcements.

Regardless, they couldn’t let their own panic affect Priscilla. Prima forced herself to stay calm, directing Amber to find the boiler room or a kitchenette to prepare hot water while she gathered all the s she could find to elevate Priscilla’s upper body to help her breathe more easily. She kept talking to her, urging her to eat something for strength, as she looked very weak.

“I think it will go smoothly,” Prima whispered. “I wonder if the baby will be a boy or a girl.”

Priscilla, though lacking the strength to chat, knew she must stay conscious. She had Prima unbutton her nightgown, placing a worried hand on her belly.

“I once hoped for a girl,” she said. “The child’s father seemed to think so too. In our previous home, he prepared pink baby linens. But if you asked him seriously, he’d say gender doesn’t matter.”

Talking about the child improved Priscilla’s spirits a bit. “But now I think it’s greedy. A healthy child is more important than anything.”

“Didn’t the doctor say things look good?” Prima monitored her breathing, wiping her sweat. “Don’t worry. I brought all your bedside medicines, and Erica has gone for help. She said someone would come soon to assist us.”

Prima was curious about why Priscilla had left her husband and home to come to White Bridge at such a time, ending up without any family nearby. But she didn’t ask.

Priscilla shook her head, worry etched on her face. She had no time to ponder why enemies had suddenly attacked her without warning—Dwight and Louis surely hadn’t expected it either. Everyone was caught off guard.

When they left, Erica had immediately contacted Shivers. Their communication magic had no time lag, and she didn’t doubt the Brandenburg Knights’ capabilities. But now, on the verge of giving birth, Shivers could protect her but might not be able to help with childbirth.

It was a relief to have Prima with her. If Erica had to leave and only Amber was left, she feared she might panic and cry.

“Amber, go outside,” Priscilla said to the red-eyed boy. “Walk along the street… but be careful. Look for places with a seashell emblem, which could be shops or homes, or find someone in black uniform with white gloves.”

She handed a brooch to the boy. “Show them this and say you’re looking for Louis.”

Prima’s eyes widened, recognizing the Elder brooch that belonged to Louis.

This token, like Khalif’s ring, could represent someone to some extent. Louis had given such an important item to Priscilla?

Amber said nothing, nodding and running off. He knew he couldn’t do more to help there.

In the reception room, only Priscilla and Prima were left. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Prima couldn’t ignore the brooch, and Priscilla knew it. But whenever she tried to explain, a contraction made it impossible to think. The intervals between her painful expressions grew shorter, making Prima anxious. She kept wiping Priscilla’s sweat, holding her hand tightly, glancing at the wall clock now and then, praying Erica would arrive soon.

If things got really bad, she hoped Erica could escape safely. Without help, she would have to assist Priscilla in giving birth.

As long as those terrible enemies didn’t find this hiding place.

Just as she was praying, there was a commotion outside, making Prima jump. The reception room faced the street. She tiptoed to the window and peeked through the curtains.

It was dark outside, and the streetlights were on. She feared seeing those tall, flat monsters from before but quickly realized it wasn’t them. A group of men with clubs and shovels ran down the street, shouting and cursing, followed by faint hoofbeats.

Prima noticed some men had blood on them, which startled her. She quickly closed the curtain, afraid the men might notice this unoccupied building as a hiding place.

“It’s the auction celebration,” she told Priscilla. “Besides the guests inside, there are many lively activities in the inner city. Look, there’s no one working late in this building. They must have taken a holiday to join the festivities.”

Priscilla didn’t question her description, focusing on regulating her breathing. Prima listened anxiously to the noises outside, praying the ill-intentioned people wouldn’t find their small hideout. After some time, there was a sudden noise at the door, making Prima jump.

She hurriedly wrapped Priscilla in a blanket, glanced around, picked up an iron hat stand as a weapon, and went to the door, determined to strike first if anyone came in.

“Prima!” Someone called from the hallway. “It’s me.”

Prima paused, quickly opening the door to see Amber running towards her, followed by…

A rabbit-headed man?!

She was so shocked she forgot to lower the hat stand. The rabbit-headed man, seeing her, said, “It’s okay, Prima. Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

The hat stand, shaped like a vine, had many sharp protrusions. It was a decent weapon but could easily injure the user if handled too forcefully or excitedly.

Prima reluctantly lowered the hat stand, looking disheveled and breathless, her clothes wrinkled from kneeling on the floor for so long. Being addressed as a lady in this situation made her realize she must look quite a mess.

“Priscilla!” The rabbit-headed man’s companion ran past them to the center of the reception room, kneeling beside Priscilla and touching her forehead. Priscilla couldn’t help but cry when she saw him.

“It hurts a lot,” Priscilla said.

Dwight held her but dared not touch her swollen belly. He hadn’t expected his sister to be in such a predicament. He had read many books, but none on how to deliver a baby—only brief mentions he couldn’t recall.

For the first time, the proud Duke of Brandenburg felt powerless. He instinctively looked back at Charlie.

But Charlie wasn’t looking at him.

Charlie scanned the room, asking Amber, “Where’s Emerald?”

Amber, wondering why the first question was about the bird (or not), instinctively answered, “Released.”

“Did Erica release it?”

“Erica told me to release it,” Amber said, unable to help asking, “Should we—” find a doctor?

“No.” Charlie interrupted, striding to the window and yanking the curtain open.

“No!” Prima blurted, but it was too late. The streetlights outside illuminated the room.

“We’ll be discovered,” Prima protested timidly.

“Yes, but how will they find us if we don’t open the window?” Charlie agreed, then lifted the window sash.

Even Amber was shocked. He glanced at Priscilla lying on the carpet, frowning as he moved to stop him, but Dwight spoke first.

“Amber,” he said sternly.

Amber stayed put, still angry and confused about the shopkeeper’s actions.

Dwight watched Charlie, who stood by the window, pulling a whistle from his seemingly bottomless coat pocket and blew it hard. From Amber’s angle, it was clear he used his abdominal muscles.

Yet no one heard the whistle.

Priscilla’s contractions started again, curling up in her brother’s arms. Charlie didn’t turn around, continuing to blow the whistle out the window, determined not to stop without a response.

But who was he calling? Without a sound, who would respond?

Amber, puzzled, joined him at the window. The night wind grew stronger, sounding like it was getting closer—

Something was approaching fast!

Charlie stopped blowing the whistle, quickly pocketing it and stepping aside. He dragged over a heavy single chair. Almost immediately, a fast-moving blur crashed into the chair, landing with a thud.

Everyone was speechless in shock. It was Emerald! And it wasn’t alone. It had something in its beak—

A pigeon.

“Let go of the doctor, Emerald,” Charlie coaxed. “He might not be used to such high-speed travel. Good bird. There…”

He gently took the pigeon from Emerald’s beak. The pigeon shook its wings and transformed into a slender man.

“Forgive me, I feel a bit nauseous,” the man said. “Where are my glasses? Ah, found them. Good thing I wasn’t wearing them…”

He put on a pair of crystal glasses. His face was calm (but extremely pale) as he looked at everyone.

“Where’s the patient?” he asked.

Behind him, Charlie closed the window with a bang.

The author has something to say:

Based on my observations of the rabbit-headed shopkeeper, Dwight expected him to bring back some novel, strange, and unexpected trinkets, but after a round, he only bought some whistles, small sprayers, and such, filling a bag with odds and ends. – Chapter 69

Does anyone remember Dr. Salman?

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

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

Chapter 174

“When we arrived at 53 Evergreen Street, they were already gone. The house and garden had residual magical fluctuations and signs of battle, but there was no blood.”

As the two dispatched teams reported to Khalif, the host on stage was passionately introducing the skeleton of the last volcanic winged bird. This creature was extinct, and using its bones to forge armor could resist high temperatures. The famous weapon master Silute from the Pennigra continent once used this material, combined with mermaid skin, to make a coat that could withstand both scorching caves and deep-sea pressure. However, it was so luxurious and precious that its owner only displayed it as a collectible, never giving it to any warrior.

Khalif stared silently at team leader Kate until sweat began to form on his vest, then only said, “Continue.”

The implication was that he didn’t accept a report ending in such incompetent failure.

Kate cautiously said, “But Miss Prima did stay in that house. Our tracking team has already taken action. The side that caused the battle traces is concerning. They almost erased all evidence, but perhaps due to our arrival, they left some things behind in a hurry.”

He handed over a sealed open-top glass jar containing a few pieces of light green wallpaper, which seemed corroded, turning most parts into an ugly scorched yellow. Khalif was almost sure that if he opened the jar, he would smell the strange odor from the wallpaper.

Khalif recognized this as invasive magic. The caster could silently pollute the entire house without physically entering it, making everyone inside inexplicably fall unconscious and lose the ability to resist, especially houses without blessing objects, which were like open doors to such magic.

Most guest houses in the inner city lacked blessing objects, as the Wolf Family didn’t have a tradition of studying magic. The convenience this loophole offered was self-evident.

The glass jar in Khalif’s hand shattered without warning. The wallpaper and fragments fell at his feet, immediately crushed into powder.

“Where is Xanye?” He squeezed out a few words from his lips.

The attendant beside him dared not speak—since Khalif had asked Xanye to arrange another search spell, she hadn’t returned.

He had also heard Kate’s report. Anyone with a brain could figure out who had targeted Miss Prima before them, but the report came too late. The woman had already left the private room.

Though two Wolf guards followed her, Xanye was a formidable mage. Usually, Khalif’s men shadowed her with half-hearted consent. If she truly decided to turn against them, two warriors might not be able to handle her tricks.

Khalif also realized this. He had completely lost interest in the auction at the center of the venue.

“Get Azman over here.” Khalif ordered, stepping over the small pile of debris at his feet without looking back. “The rest of you, follow me.”

Kate asked, “Should we search the venue for Xanye’s whereabouts?” Guards were stationed at all exits, and there were at least a few hundred guests in the building tonight. The woman might be hiding among them, given she was a master of disguise.

Khalif had just stepped out the door. Upon hearing this, he turned sharply, glaring at Kate with a nearly ferocious expression. “Your top priority is to find Prima. I want you to bring my daughter home safely. If she sheds even a drop of blood, everyone will die!”

Everyone present shuddered internally because Khalif’s eyes were deadly serious. The attendants quickly exchanged glances but then restrained themselves, silently following Khalif down the corridor.

They had served Khalif for a long time. Although Prima was indeed more pampered than his other children, Khalif had never lost his composure over her before, not even leaving such an important event early for her sake—pardon the blasphemous thought, but it was the truth.

The Wolf King should always prioritize the family’s interests, willing to sacrifice anything, including himself, for the collective.

Burning with anger, Khalif paid no attention to his subordinates’ thoughts. He walked so forcefully that his steps thudded on the thickly carpeted floor. Nearing the staircase, his heavy steps even kicked up a small puff of dust—something was off! Such a meticulously arranged and luxurious auction house shouldn’t have this much dust.

There was a flash of cold light, and the attendant two steps behind Khalif had already drawn his sword. The sword in his companion’s hand, who was one step ahead of him, wasn’t stained with blood. His speed was too fast.  A decapitated black snake still writhed futilely at his feet. As he bent to lift the snake’s body, Kate, at the rear, issued a warning. Another snake, hidden under the carpet, sprang out, leaping as high as a person and aimed directly at Khalif’s face.

Khalif was prepared, raising his arm to block. The black snake bit his arm, its fangs sinking into the bracer hidden under his coat. An attendant grabbed the snake’s head, pulling it from Khalif’s arm, but the glossy black body tightly coiled around it.

“Poisonous,” Kate noted, examining the snake’s fangs. This snake was also quickly severed in two.

Khalif was always accompanied by no fewer than four guards, making it difficult for such tricks to cause fatal harm, though they were quite effective in disrupting his mood, Kate thought.

They didn’t leave through the main entrance. The internal passage was chaotic, with people constantly running around delivering items. The hallway was cluttered with temporary stacks of things. Khalif kicked an empty crate out of the way, the flying lid hitting a man bending over to lift something, who cried out, his mouth quickly covered.

Khalif didn’t spare him a glance. A carriage was already waiting at the exit, but as he descended the steps, thunderous sounds suddenly erupted nearby, shaking the entire building. The air froze for two seconds, followed by three more loud booms, as if someone had ignited giant fireworks on the venue stage.

The walls trembled—not just from the noise but also the cacophony of voices resonating with them. Hundreds of people screaming, discussing, and inquiring created a maddening buzz, spreading panic.

“Every floor has guards!” Kate had to shout. “They’re at their posts!”

Khalif paused for a few seconds without turning back. As he descended the three steps, a deep voice echoed from the corridor behind him. “Don’t move.”

Most people froze because the voice was loud and ethereal, its source unclear but crystal clear in the air.

“Don’t move.” The voice repeated. Khalif and his group, now at the venue’s edge, still sensed the crowd’s noise gradually quieting.

“I am the Great King of Terror, summoned by your greed, desire, and jealousy—” After several seconds, the voice spoke in an unusually slow, otherworldly tone.

Khalif listened briefly, then sneered, stepping onto the carriage. His movement snapped the coachman out of his stupor, hastily opening the door for him.

His attendants and Kate didn’t share the coachman’s dumbfounded expression but were solemn, realizing this was no planned entertainment. The voice indicated someone was sabotaging the auction.

But Khalif remained unmoved. Kate stood still, watching Khalif and his attendants board the carriage and leave without hesitation, feeling conflicted. Only then could his team approach, surrounding him.

“Is something happening inside? Should we go in to assist?” a man asked. While they spoke, security team members stationed at all entrances hurriedly headed inside. Regardless of the voice’s origin, it could cause panic among the finely dressed but unarmed guests. If not promptly controlled, a stampede could easily occur—even with wide corridors and staircases, the women in skirts and high heels were prone to falling.

As if confirming their concerns, a few guests had already fled in disarray, suggesting the saboteur’s limited numbers, unable to control the exits, allowing unarmed individuals to escape easily.

“No, we’re leaving,” Kate said sternly. “Miss Prima is in trouble, and Lord Khalif requires us to find her.”

……

“Great King of Terror?” Dwight mouthed to Charlie as they ran across the street. Charlie, also running fast, had to hold onto his hat to prevent it from blowing away, shrugging in response.

“I knew you’d criticize that. I only provided the voice transmission device. Shiloh wrote the script,” Charlie glanced back, noting Hasting silently following, while further back, people in similar colors to the original guards were entering, appearing like security team members but actually not.

“Horses,” Hasting timely reminded. They sharply turned, with Hasting forcefully opening a bakery door to retrieve three horses.

The move was unusual, but with the Great King of Terror ahead, the Duke decided to keep quiet.

“Are you sure Louis will wait for Khalif at his mansion?” Dwight asked suspiciously. “Did he tell you in advance, or is it twin telepathy?”

“It’s based on mutual understanding and reasoning.” Charlie mounted his horse. They didn’t depart immediately but waited a moment to avoid being noticed by Khalif. As Charlie leaned forward to speak, a small gray bird crashed into his arms.

The bird, probably unable to brake in time, stunned itself. Charlie picked it up with two fingers, and it transformed back into a palm-sized letter.

“It’s from Shivers. He lost contact with Erica and can’t find them.” Charlie quickly read the letter, handed it to Dwight, then, with a conflicted furry face, pulled the reins, redirecting the horse’s head.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

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

Chapter 173

Prima was the youngest child of Khalif, known as the apple of his eye. After Khalif and her mother separated, she stayed with him because she was both obedient and gentle—a lovely girl.

Khalif had seriously considered fulfilling Prima’s wish by ordering Louis to marry her, giving Prima a beautiful house and servants, ensuring she lived as carefree as before. This plan changed only because Louis displayed untimely competence and ambition.

As a middle-aged Wolf King, Khalif was hostile toward any emerging young talent, and Louis wasn’t the first or only one. Only Prima believed her feelings were pure and innocent. When she looked at Louis with joy, rumors began to spread that Louis would ascend to the head of the Wolf Family through Prima.

The wolf pack didn’t follow a hereditary system. Each Wolf King rose to power through strength. Even if the predecessor intended to pass on the position, the successor needed to accumulate enough reputation or merit to convince everyone.

Khalif considered it an affront to be questioned before he had aged, so he deliberately ignored Prima’s youthful romantic notions until he faced a bottleneck in his cooperation with the Monkeys. Xanye suggested using his bloodline as a medium to partially compensate for the lack of magical talent, which further solidified his resolve.

Most of his children were grown and had left home. Khalif first experimented on a rebellious son who had left him at a young age and confirmed Xanye’s hypothesis. He then continued to “invest” in three more children, gaining significant returns. The near success increasingly overshadowed his paternal affection. He kept Prima, the most understanding, by his side as the final candidate for the last door.

Khalif believed Prima loved him and would be willing to sacrifice for him. She was nothing like those ungrateful Wolves who, despite living a noble life thanks to him, would break down, scream, and even dare to curse him.

“Do another divination,” he instructed Xanye. “Find Prima.”

“Searching magic requires cooling inspiration. You can only locate the same person once in a sunrise-to-sunset cycle,” Xanye replied.

“Then have your cousins try,” Khalif demanded. His eyelids drooped more than the day before, making him look even more somber. “You all excel at these sneaky tricks.”

Xanye bit her lip. The corset of her dress was too tight, making her feel as if her heart would burst. She suppressed the urge to vomit. “But they need something Prima carries with her. If we send them to fetch it…”

Khalif glanced at her, surprised by her suggestion.

“I let you into the house because you’re not only beautiful and sensible but also talented,” he said with a smirk. “You’re special. Your cousins aren’t needed. There are Prima’s jewelry pieces in the carriage. Would you like to pick one yourself?”

Expressionless, Xanye stood up and left the private room, followed by the Wolf servants. In their presence, she could feel offended by Khalif’s contempt for the Monkey but could not show any guilt or other emotions, as Khalif had never truly trusted her.

But she had not failed his suspicion either. Xanye sneered inwardly, deliberately quickening her pace. The delicate yet impractical heels were ill-suited to this speed, causing her to nearly fall onto a passing man as she wobbled past the corridor connecting the private rooms on the second floor.

“Sorry,” Xanye apologized, her head slightly raised. The ruby necklace on her white neck and her exquisite red lips made the man who had helped her up stare in a daze. It took him two seconds to recover and softly ask if she was hurt or if she wanted him to buy her new shoes.

Two attendants, who initially wanted to intervene, averted their eyes, hiding their disdain. An older attendant lightly coughed. Most guests were concentrated in the grand hall, and those on this floor were wealthy nobles who didn’t wish to create unnecessary trouble. They subtly reminded the pair that their behavior was inappropriate.

Regretfully, the man let her go, watching Xanye’s graceful figure until she disappeared. He then continued walking, not toward any private room but further down the corridor, leading to the more secluded smoking parlor and washrooms.

His polished shoes made no sound on the floor. It was almost eight, and the grand hall’s orchestra was already playing, ensuring no one would come here now.

He slipped into a spacious washroom that was so eerily quiet that there wasn’t even a dripping sound. The man quickly moved to the innermost sink against the wall, throwing his hat and cane onto the marble counter and removing his gloves to scrutinize the mirror.

A barely noticeable purple mark, resembling a snake, marred the originally white gloves.

This was Xanye’s warning signal.

His gaze shifted from the gloves to his reflection, the clear mirror suddenly rippling like water and distorting his face. The sound of bones cracking was accompanied by his well-fitting suit becoming loose. The tall, muscular man with a handsome mustache vanished, replaced by a small man standing by the sink. He was less than five feet, four inches, had sparse hair, a flat face, and no attractive features.

He stuffed the now ill-fitting coat into the sink and turned on the tap. Amidst the sound of running water, the coat melted, and several black snakes slithered over the overflowing edge and hurried outside.

“Go, my little darlings,” the man murmured. “Keep an eye on the Wolves for me.”

He followed the snakes out of the washroom.

The water still flowed. A few minutes later, a hand turned off the wolf-shaped faucet, stopping the water.

Hasting’s handsome face reflected in the mirror above the faucet. He glanced at the sink, then at the small broom closet across from it, the only one with an outward-facing window.

……

“The astrologer will make the final appearance, but if Khalif is determined to withdraw, why is he here?” Dwight vowed never to look at the bug stuck in the door crack again.

“The family head must show up, especially with Adan dead,” Charlie said. “The Lion Family acted ruthlessly.”

As part of the informed few, they knew Adan’s death wasn’t Vasilia’s doing. It seemed a younger girl did it, probably due to inexperience, not ensuring Adan was completely dead before leaving. Unlike Cameron and his unlucky entourage, who were nearly all cut in half, blood flowing down half the street. Not even the elven fruit could revive them.

“Neither Lion nor Fox have directly promised to jointly deal with the Wolf, knowing someone else is more desperate. They’re all cunning,” Charlie said, dissatisfied. “Khalif must be looking for Louis and Prima now. He won’t have the patience to watch a bunch of rich people bidding.”

“So?”

“So the presence of the ‘Wriggling Postman’ is necessary. It can monitor Khalif’s movements, and once he leaves—”

He hadn’t finished when the half-worm’s butt started wriggling madly again.

Charlie glanced at it and immediately got up, retrieving the paper-folded green caterpillar, which curled up into a tight ball in his palm.

It was clearly scared.

Charlie calmly opened the door a crack, just enough to peek outside. The corridor was empty.

“?” Charlie scanned from the ceiling to the carpet and noticed the black and gold patterned carpet had changed.

He thought he was seeing things until he spotted a smooth tail quickly disappearing over the carpet’s edge.

He quickly shut the door and backed away from it.

“The Monkey’s snakes,” the rabbit-headed store manager grumbled. “That’s why I dislike black magic. Sure, trading with evil forces is efficient, but their usual mediums—blood, bones, or these slimy, cold animals—are hard to accept.”

Dwight thought, ‘Your caterpillar isn’t much better.’

“They are indeed not on the same page. That snake must be spying on Khalif. If the Monkeys don’t genuinely want to support Khalif, they’ll find a chance to betray him. Khalif’s current concerns are the Holy Grail and the door in his basement. The Monkeys can’t interfere with the Holy Grail, but the door relies on their magic,” Charlie said, pocketing the green worm. “They don’t intend to let Khalif succeed in time reversal.”

“Then why help him with the magic experiment?” Dwight asked. “Why not refuse to cooperate from the start?”

“There are countless mages on the continent. If the Monkeys didn’t participate, Khalif could seek other collaborations, like with the Mokwen’s Holy Grail creation attempts,” Charlie said.

The Monkey had planted Xanye in one of Khalif’s deepest secrets. She could monitor progress and betray him at the critical moment.

Dwight suddenly looked up, meeting Charlie’s eyes.

“Prima,” they said in unison.

“If that girl is sane, she won’t stay in the house waiting to be turned into a door key.” Charlie frowned. “But she’s Khalif’s daughter, her bloodline making her easily locatable with magic.”

Hasting entered at this point, careful not to step on the missing green bug. Charlie quickly explained his Wriggling Postman’s dislike for snakes.

“If it’s snakes, I saw them,” Hasting said, describing his experience in the washroom.

“Their family has average looks. What you saw was likely a Monkey hiding his true appearance,” Charlie nodded. “It seems they haven’t found Prima. Otherwise, there’s no need to be so sneaky.”

“You said hiding true appearance.” Dwight frowned. “That woman by Khalif’s side—”

“Xanye?” The rabbit-headed shopkeeper caught on, twitching his ears mischievously. “Their family genes are like that. Xanye is no exception. They’ve studied various tricks to enhance their appearance over the years. That’s why White Bridge has so many female customers. But unfortunately, the Monkey’s starting point was lower than most. No matter how much they enhance, it’s just a temporary fix.”

Some of the undercurrent conflicts between the families were due to this: regardless of behavior, most Wolf Family members were above average in looks, while the Monkey’s efforts over generations yielded limited improvement.

“So Khalif’s magic success might be because the Monkeys had prior research in this area,” Dwight said astutely. “Khalif proposed cooperation, making him the unwitting financier and material supplier, but the Monkeys never intended to welcome a resurgent Khalif.”

“We can’t let either find Prima.” Charlie thought for a while before resuming his seat and clearing the cluttered table. As he did, the deep blue curtains outside the private room seemed to come alive, slowly drawing back. Through the large glass window, they could see the grand hall below, where all the lights focused on the central stage. A tall man in a tailcoat, with a red-haired girl on his arm, stood in the spotlight, smiling broadly. The orchestra’s final high note rang out.

Below the stage, nearly a hundred small round tables, each with velvet-cushioned armchairs, were filled with guests, all eyes on the couple in the spotlight.

The auction was about to begin.

The author has something to say:

Wolf: Healthy complexion (except for the chronically ill Fahim and the outdoor-averse Louis), slender waists, long legs, and abs from their combative nature.

Lion: High nose bridges, high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, tall, solid, and pale-skinned snow queens.

Fox: Both men and women are stunningly beautiful and naturally seductive, half the famous beauties on the continent are named Fox.

Monkey: Generally possess magical talent but are naturally small, with soft, sparse hair, and plain features.

……

Monkey: All you bastards, stay away from me!

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

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

Chapter 172

Run. Run fast.

Amber had only one thought in his mind. He didn’t know where to go or who the intruders were. His carriage-driving skills were only learned from mercenaries during breaks from his literacy lessons. He had never driven a carriage at full speed alone, and being unfamiliar with the terrain, he had a couple of near turn-overs when making sharp turns—but he managed to handle it, with his heart pounding wildly.

This wasn’t because he feared the assassins following them. Born in an underground arena, Amber was never afraid of death. What he worried about were the people in the carriage: Lady Priscilla’s belly was very large now, and even when she walked slowly in the garden, Amber feared that the bumps would hurt her.

But he couldn’t slow down. Probably because the auction was about to start, most people in the inner city were focused on the central auction hall. They had chosen their new house in a very secluded location to stay low-key. Although it wasn’t dark yet, the twilight was dim, the wind was getting colder, the streetlights hadn’t turned on, and there were few pedestrians, scattered in twos and threes—

Amber’s eyes widened suddenly. Not far ahead, a man in a bowler hat suddenly had his waist stretch up to the height of two stories, making his whole body thin and elongated like a tall, shriveled scarecrow. He awkwardly turned his head towards them, as if he were about to lean forward.

Was it an illusion or… Amber instinctively wanted to slow down. At that moment, someone grabbed his hand and pulled it skillfully. The carriage made a dangerous turn and darted into the neighboring street.

“Erica.” Amber loosened the reins and asked in a low voice, “What was that?”

“A type of puppet, but different from a witch’s.” Erica didn’t look back. The shops on both sides of the street they sped past were tightly shut. The same kind of creepy monsters emerged from the cracks in the sidewalk tiles, one after another, growing tall and large like disgustingly accelerated mushrooms.

Ordinary swords and knives couldn’t harm them, but at this moment, Erica was the only one with magic. Her usual cautious approach paid off now. The map of the inner city and basic defenses given to her by Louis were imprinted in her mind, requiring no extra thought. Erica decisively crossed one block after another, using a few unexpected turns and reversals to temporarily shake off the puppets.

When the carriage finally stopped at a deserted street corner, the sun had completely set, but for some reason, the streetlights were dim, with several flickering on and off, creating an ominous feeling.

Amber opened the carriage door, and Prima, startled, looked up. Seeing it was him, she breathed a sigh of relief. Emerald was wedged between two seats, looking very angry because no one helped it break free.

But Amber told them to stay put. He and Erica jumped off the carriage together and circled around to observe. Erica twisted open a lantern hanging on the carriage, approached the back of the carriage, and saw several mud-like stains illuminated by the light.

“Puppet marks,” Erica explained softly to Amber without touching them. “The carriage is contaminated. They’ll catch up eventually unless we cleanse these marks in time.”

Though Erica had talent, she had always treated magic as a supplementary skill and had never systematically studied it. Attacking was barely manageable for her, but cleansing wasn’t her forte.

If Mr. Charlie were here, he might be able to do it, but—

Erica glanced at the sky and reported the carriage’s situation to Priscilla.

“Then let’s get off,” Priscilla said softly. “If we’ll be tracked anyway, there’s no point in running endlessly.”

“I’ve sent a message to Shivers. He will try to meet us, but we need to find a safe place first.” Erica picked up Emerald and handed it to Amber, then turned to Prima. “Prima, please help. Yes, the Lady is not very mobile right now…”

Prima had been supporting Priscilla even inside the carriage to prevent her from getting jolted. She slung the large bundle over her shoulder and helped Priscilla out of the carriage. Amber wanted to help her with the bundle, but she firmly refused.

“I have the strength,” she said. “But I can’t fight, so at least I shouldn’t be a burden to you now.”

She pulled a thin blanket from the seats inside the carriage and used it as a cloak to wrap around Priscilla. “Where should we go? Priscilla can’t walk too far.”

Priscilla held Prima’s arm tightly under the cloak. Neither voiced their worry: Priscilla had been feeling unwell since earlier, but they knew they couldn’t stop here.

Erica and Amber led Priscilla across the street. Amber lingered for a moment, doing something unknown. Suddenly, the horse pulling the carriage neighed loudly and ran off with the empty carriage down another road.

……

Khalif didn’t use the guest entrance. Instead, he entered the venue through a gate that wasn’t open to the public, surrounded by a team of guards. The hall, usually decorated with silver and red, was adorned tonight with extremely expensive ultramarine drapes, gilded wall panels, and glittering chandeliers, with a huge rock sculpture of several majestic wolves in the center.

Dwight stood on the second-floor balcony, looking down at Khalif, who seemed mesmerized by the statue.

“There’s a similar sculpture in the city’s largest gambling house, the Platinum Palace—a life tree with a few monkeys climbing on it,” Shivers whispered. “The two families have similar histories.”

“Otherwise, they wouldn’t partner up to rob,” Dwight sneered, withdrawing his gaze as a lady, arm in arm with her male companion, walked by and curiously glanced at them.

Dwight wore a half-silver mask. His light golden hair was tied in a bundle behind him, and he had grown taller recently. His suit, bought off the rack, made him feel a bit constrained. The lower half of his exposed face was always tense, giving even passing strangers a sense of his low spirits.

Shivers wanted to say something but suddenly changed his expression, nodded slightly to the Duke, and quickly turned to leave. Hasting, who had been two steps away, stepped forward to fill the gap.

Dwight instinctively rubbed the gem at the top of his cane. Only one special circumstance would cause Shivers to leave him with his back turned: Erica contacting him urgently because of Priscilla. This was a direct order from Dwight himself.

Is there a problem with Priscilla? Then what’s Louis doing?!

Dwight no longer paid attention to Khalif in the hall and headed for their reserved private box.

They had secured a very good private box through an internal discount arranged by Louis before Adan’s incident. Originally, the Duke disliked doing such “petty” things, but the rabbit-headed shopkeeper excitedly went through the back door to get the VIP seat despite Dwight’s wishes, causing him to ask Shivers if Dwight had a habit of being overly generous.

Now, there was already someone sitting in the box—the well-connected, rabbit-headed shopkeeper. Because his head still maintained the appearance of a rabbit, he arrived early to avoid unnecessary attention.

He was sitting on a single sofa, studying the auction catalog and jotting notes in a notebook. On the table were his top hat and a half-drunk glass of iced mint tea, with crystal-clear condensation droplets on the glass.

He looked carefree.

The Duke, with a stern face, approached and flicked one of his slightly swaying, long ears. “Where’s your brother?”

Charlie, engrossed in writing, had to look up when interrupted. “What?”

“Erica contacted Shivers urgently. There must be an issue with Priscilla. Shouldn’t your brother be with her right now?” Dwight sat on another sofa, and Hasting moved the top hat from the table to the hat rack by the door.

Charlie put down his pen, eyes shifting. From his jacket pocket, he took out a flat paper bird. “Hasting, this place is full of surveillance magic—don’t look at me like that. Of course, I cleared this box. Find a window opening outside and release the messenger. It knows where Louis is.”

Hasting took the folded paper bird. In the blink of an eye, it quickly expanded into a fluffy ball in his hands, without any visible beak.

Charlie whistled. “You’re in good shape. This building usually rejects unregistered magic. I thought it would need the window open to transform.”

The young knight, unfamiliar with small animals, feared crushing the bird if he squeezed too hard, yet couldn’t just openly carry it to the window. Awkwardly, he cupped it gently and walked out.

“Louis wouldn’t stay too close to Priscilla,” Charlie said, watching Hasting leave, then responding to Dwight’s earlier question.

“Nonsense. He has a responsibility—”

“Of course, he takes responsibility. I mean, he doesn’t like being close to people he cares about,” Charlie explained patiently. “Louis hates the Holy Grail’s bloodline more than I do. He thinks the World Dragon is a symbol of terror and tragedy, and the Holy Grail awakening it’s no different from a curse. So he believes that he himself, as the Holy Grail, represents terror and tragedy, bringing misfortune to those around him. The first proof of this was our mother.”

Then there was Fahim, who exhausted himself for them, his original illness worsening from overthinking. Louis never voiced it, but Charlie knew deep down he had these thoughts.

His brother always had severe self-loathing tendencies, even extending to Charlie, who shared his bloodline. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have responded to Fahim’s question about what if Charlie were the Holy Grail and found by the Wolf Family with “Then I’d kill him myself.” This response also meant if Louis were the Holy Grail, he could end himself without burden.

However, Louis also deeply cared about his brother—perhaps the person he cared most about in the world was Charlie. These feelings weren’t contradictory for Louis.

“I’m very worried about him.” Charlie sighed, closing his notebook. “I thought becoming a father would make him care more about himself, but it hasn’t… That’s why I didn’t stay with Eugene and the others but followed Khalif. Now Louis is likely targeting him.”

“You mean to say your brother is a misanthropic pessimist,” Dwight said expressionlessly.

“Don’t talk about him like that,” Charlie rebuked. “He just has a little psychological issue. He…”

He stopped talking and looked at the box door closed by Hasting. A caterpillar was stuck in the door crack, half outside still paper, half inside a full, wriggling bug, which gave the Duke a disgusted look.

They all stopped talking. Down the hallway, Khalif led a group of people towards them, his face barely suppressing his rage.

“Useless fools! You had the coordinates but still missed them. Send more people—” He couldn’t wait to give orders until inside the box, gritting out his words. “Even if you have to turn White Bridge upside down, find Prima. If you can’t, just kill yourselves on the spot. Don’t come back!”

Xanye followed behind, looking indifferent but feeling turmoil inside.

Khalif not finding Prima was expected because she had tipped off the family’s assassins to capture Prima first to use as leverage against Khalif. But the first wave sent had failed.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

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

Chapter 171

The Wolves and Monkeys’ attention was also focused on these two places.

The continuous small-scale strikes had indeed disrupted many services, forcing the Wolves and Monkeys to temporarily recruit many lower-level family members to fill some particularly urgent gaps. However, the armed forces of White Bridge (which couldn’t be called an army without royal authorization) and the management of the two families didn’t involve any outsiders. Therefore, the security part didn’t face the same embarrassment as the service departments, but it wasn’t much better either.

As per routine, there were three teams taking turns guarding the perimeter of the central building to handle any emergencies. Additionally, there was a team that didn’t have to wear uniforms, blending in casually. Some were smoking under streetlights, some were flirting with waiters in cafes, and others, looking like vagrants, sat in groups of two or three against the wall, playing cards and whispering jokes.

“Sain and his team are really unlucky… Do you know what he complained to me about this morning? They made him wear tight pants! So tight he couldn’t even hide a sheepskin dagger!”

“No choice. They’re short-handed. But if the boss were here, no matter how shorthanded we were, they wouldn’t have involved us.”

“True. When have we ever done such menial work before? I’d rather go to battle than serve people.”

“So where did the boss go? Even Alexander is missing,” a man sitting against the wall said. The more he spoke, the more frustrated his tone became, and he threw his cards on the ground. “Then some outsider is giving orders with the authority ring, wanting us to guard around his bedroom to prevent someone from assassinating him while he’s with his mistress, hmph!”

“I think something’s wrong,” another man with a melancholic demeanor said. “The boss has disappeared without a word before, but Alexander has never done this.”

This time, even Alexander had disappeared. The subordinates all felt something was off—what’s even more unsettling was that the higher-ups had no reaction and just handed them over to Azman.

What a joke. They were the guardians of the Wolf family, not the private soldiers of any ruler. Even Louis had to live, eat, and train with the first batch of troops for several years to earn respect, despite his young age. Although they were superiors and subordinates, the bond of the first companions was ingrained in their spirits, something even the head of the family couldn’t change, let alone an old man who usually only cared about eating, drinking, and having fun.

“They should be fine,” the man who started the conversation said seriously. “Although some fools think…” Louis, Adan, and Cameron had been assassinated, though they scoffed at this idea.

“Think they were eaten by the Lions?” Another man snorted. “I think… huh?”

He maintained his casual posture against the wall and nudged his companion from under his trench coat. “Is that Alexander?!”

Though he asked with uncertainty, the young man entering their view was indeed Alexander, despite wearing vacation clothes completely different from his usual style and pulling his hat low to cover his face. From the lower half of his face and his walking posture, it was unmistakably Alexander.

Alexander didn’t realize his disguise couldn’t fool his acquaintances. He stood behind a lamppost, staring unblinkingly at the entrance of the venue—the entrance was already crowded with carriages, and elegantly dressed guests were entering one by one.

But he didn’t see Louis.

“Alexander?” A voice suddenly sounded behind him, startling Alexander. He turned his head so quickly that his neck made a creaking sound.

But he quickly recognized the person—a captain of the city defense team who occasionally reported directly to Louis, named…

“It’s you, Alvin,” Alexander muttered, rubbing his neck.

“What do you mean ‘it’s you’? What’s going on? Where’s the boss?” Alvin, the man who had been playing cards on the street, walked with him to a corner where they could still see the entrance, and asked urgently.

“I’m looking for him too,” Alexander said irritably. “Don’t pull on me. These clothes are new, and if I don’t find Mr. Louis, I’ll need them to get into the auction.”

Alvin didn’t let go. “What exactly happened? You all disappeared suddenly, and now Azman is ordering us around. Many brothers are being run ragged.”

“I know.” Alexander said helplessly, “Too many people are on strike. They had to find replacements.”

“So you’re skipping work to avoid being conscripted?” Alvin retorted. “You’ve always followed the boss. What happened before he disappeared? It can’t be for no reason—”

“I really don’t know,” Alexander said, frustrated.

Alvin stared at him suspiciously for a while, then suddenly let go. “Then why are you here?”

Alexander didn’t answer.

Louis didn’t tell him anything, but Alexander felt his disappearance was related to Khalif.

Without Louis, Alexander couldn’t meet Khalif alone, but tonight was the last session of the auction highly valued by both families, and the astrologer everyone was watching would be there. Khalif would definitely attend.

Alexander had a feeling Louis might show up too.

……

“Two more hours until the auction starts,” Prima said, looking at the fiery sunset outside the window.

Amber, holding Emerald, remained silent, fully focused on the wriggling, struggling creature. It had grown from the size of a bat to a small dog due to abundant food, albeit a fat little dog.

The Duke had even worried that its weight might affect its flying speed and seriously considered putting it on a diet.

But there was a benefit: a well-fed Emerald had much less desire for freedom and allowed the Duke and Amber, its food providers, to pet and hold it, though not for too long.

“What’s wrong with it?” Prima asked curiously. “Does it want to go out and play?”

“I don’t know.” Amber was afraid of squeezing Emerald too tightly and hurting it, but if he didn’t hold it firmly, it would break out of the window in agitation. It was the first time he had seen it like this.

At this moment, Erica came downstairs. Amber looked up for help. “Erica…”

“You two go upstairs.” Erica cut him off solemnly. “Now.”

Amber was stunned. He walked quickly to the window and looked out. The small garden was completely visible, and it was quiet, with no one in sight.

The boy pursed his lips, glanced at Prima, and led the way to the hallway, waiting for her.

Prima, a bit at a loss, instinctively got up to follow. She looked back and suddenly realized the house was unusually quiet.

It was as if someone had stolen the sound.

Seeing her following, Amber, holding Emerald, headed upstairs. The house had only two floors. He knew there must be uninvited guests—although they had moved in less than two hours ago, there were fixed guards in the garden and on the porch wherever Priscilla was, and none of them were in their places now.

They had just entered the hallway and hadn’t stepped on the stairs when they saw dark brown liquid seeping down from the wall at the end of the stairs, where it met the ceiling, emitting an ominous smell. Emerald began to struggle violently again.

A female mage ran out from the end, and seeing the changing wallpaper, she looked grim and placed a holly wreath at the stair entrance. A faint green light seeped from the wreath.

“Quickly, get the Lady out of this house,” she shouted to them. “Tell Erica the blessing spell wasn’t completed in time. The upstairs is contaminated!”

They had to go back the way they came. Finally, they saw some guards rushing past the living room, closing all the windows.

Erica was supporting Priscilla out of the bedroom. Priscilla had just fallen asleep and didn’t have time to change clothes, wearing only a robe, but her expression was calm.

“Upstairs—upstairs is contaminated,” Prima said, puzzled. “What’s going on?”

They had only moved here a few hours ago, and many belongings were still unpacked.

“Someone tried to break in.” Erica looked towards the door. “A mage.”

They had been careless. Most guest residences within White Bridge’s inner city didn’t have blessing spells. To keep a low profile, they had reduced their manpower, which turned into a flaw. But who had tracked them down so soon after they moved? For what purpose? Was the target Priscilla?

Whether or not, she couldn’t stay in danger.

Erica, supporting Priscilla, headed to the back door. A Brandenburg Knight left here by the Duke had quickly cleared the path for them, but this was only temporary. Since the opponent used magic, unless an anti-magic knight like Hasting was present, retreat was the safest option.

“You two get on the carriage too,” Erica said urgently to Amber and Prima.

Prima hesitated for a second, glancing from Erica’s stern face to Priscilla, then suddenly ran off without a word.

Erica: “??? Amber!”

What was wrong with this girl? Erica was both anxious and angry. “Bring her back. The opponent has many people, and we are short on mages.”

Though Priscilla was still the wife of the Duke of Mokwen, they didn’t dare keep too many of his people around her since Lestrop’s defeat and house arrest, fearing the remaining influence of Lestrop or the will of Tifa might harm Priscilla through these people. So, apart from the close maid from Lemena, Erica assigned by the Duke, a knight, and Amber, they only had two mages and a few guards arranged by Louis, without even mercenaries who were left at the previous house as a decoy.

Amber, still holding Emerald, chased after Prima. It wasn’t until Erica safely seated Priscilla in the carriage that they returned.

Erica didn’t use a coachman. She planned to drive herself, but Priscilla saw through her intentions and grabbed her arm.

“Wait for them,” she said.

Erica was anxious. “I’ll take you to a safe place first. Amber and Emerald will be fine. The knight will take care of Prima.”

Priscilla shook her head. Bad things always seemed to come in succession. She felt her stomach tightening in waves but didn’t mention it.

“We can’t leave them behind.” She tightened her grip on Erica’s arm and then quickly let go.

Erica was silent for a moment, then gently pulled her arm free.

“Sorry, Miss.” She still called Priscilla by her title from Brandenburg. “The Duke’s order is to prioritize your safety.”

Priscilla frowned and was about to speak when she saw Amber and Prima running from the back door through the half-open carriage door. The young lady might have never been so unladylike in her life, her face flushed with anxiety and exertion.

Before Erica could react, she shoved a somewhat messy bundle wrapped in bedsheets into the carriage.

“I-I packed some things,” she said, panting heavily as she climbed into the carriage. Amber silently followed.

“Scissors, painkillers, and cloth. Everything from the drawers is in there.” She sat on the bundle, seemingly exhausted. Amber placed Emerald inside, closed the carriage door with a bang, and sat in the front compartment pulling the reins, as if unaware of the noise of fighting in the house or the malicious whispers in the garden that had followed him and Prima.

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