Sometimes, the things you n meticulously don''t unfold as expected. No matter how well-prepared you are, there''s always that one unforeseen variable that disrupts your carefullyid-out ns.


    The world operates on its own terms, and controlling every aspect is an impossibility. There are always variables to consider, and that''s the nature of reality.


    Sure, you can minimize the impact of these variables by sifting through them, discerning the crucial ones, and formting ns ordingly.


    Yet, even with this careful approach, there''s no guarantee of a hundred percent sess. Unexpected twists can still emerge, throwing your ns into disarray.


    And now, here I was, facing an anticipated yet unexpected variable.


    ''Siena Scaith''


    In the novel, she was the epitome of strength, a force to be reckoned with.


    But still she had a somewhat decent, yet kind nature in character, quite the opposite of what I was seeing right now.


    Her current actions of wreaking havoc without regard for the consequences.


    Was not something I expected.


    The city, the monsters, the buildings, and even the people caught in the vicinity were either sliced to death or crushed by debris.


    It seemed like Siena had thrown caution to the wind, indifferent to the coteral damage unfolding around her.


    I don''t know who she''s fighting but I can guess she''s having fun based on the faintughs that I can hear.


    "Tck-!"


    shing my sword downwards, the wind pressure lightened my descent, and I expertly bnced myself uponnding safely on the ground.


    "Adrian!" Aria''s voice called out as she descended slowly. In response, I jumped back up just in time, catching her before she reached the ground. Utilizing my aura, I cushioned her impact, ensuring she suffered no physical harm.


    Looking around, I prepared to catch Elena as well, but to my surprise, she used some kind of divine magic to slow her descent. Though unfamiliar with the specific spell, it resembled the white veil I possessed.


    A brief but intense re from Elena to Aria and a smirking response from thetter indicated an impending argument.


    However, the urgency of our situation prevailed, and they begrudgingly acknowledged that now was not the time for disputes.


    As the pdins and the bishop alsonded, we hurriedly made our way back to the square.


    The echoes of Siena''s fierce battle still lingered in the air.


    Just one idental sh from those two monsters would be the end of us.


    …..


    "Ah, dear goddess, please forgive our sins!"


    "What was that weird white light just now?"


    "The ground won''t stop trembling!"


    "Hey, is the teleportation spell not done yet?"


    The crowd spiraled into a growing panic with every passing second. Strange, explosive-like sounds echoed in the distance, and the shockwaves emanating from them not only made it difficult to breathe but also challenged the very act of standing upright.


    Amidst the chaos, Be and Principal Victoria, though somewhat distracted by the mayhem around them, understood the paramount importance of focusing on the teleportation spell.


    Creating a simple teleportation spell required minimal effort for magic geniuses like them.


    However, orchestrating the teleportation of a multitude of people over such a vast area demanded meticulous calctions. The coordinates had to be perfect, the amount and density of mana carefully calibrated.


    Casting such arge-scale celestial magic required extreme precision, as the slightest miscalction could result in teleporting individuals with missing limbs or even heads.


    The urgency of the situation spurred Be and Principal Victoria to channel their expertise and concentration into the intricate weaving of the teleportation spell.


    The chaotic backdrop of explosive noises and trembling ground only intensified their focus, as they knew that the sess of the spell held the key to the safety of everyone here.


    ''That white streak of light just now was probably Siena… now that I think about it why is she here? And when did she even get here to begin with?''


    Victoria wondered as she poured out what was left of her mana to the intricate magical orb in front of her, beads of sweat dropping on the corners of her forehead.


    Be who was helping her out was experiencing the same thing although they cut the work in half with Victoria providing the mana and Be with the calctions the amount of stress that the two were experiencing were intense if they fuck this up everyone here would die.


    Zing…!!


    Suddenly, a sh of bluish, star-like light materialized near them, revealing two beautifuldies. Princess Christine De Alger Lumenia, with pink hair reminiscent of beautiful plum blossoms and green eyes that echoed the hues of spring, gazed at them with a mix of worry and nervousness. Small wounds adorned the princess''s shoulder, evidence that she had been caught in the monstrous fight right outside the protective barrier. Next to her, Lilliana Vulter Tellus, the one responsible for teleporting them back, also bore visible injuries.


    Realization struck Christine as she assessed the situation. Her knights and some professors were likely casualties of the ongoing battle, leaving only the princess and Lilliana unscathed.


    "How long will it take to finish?" the princess inquired, her voice tinged with urgency.


    "Just a few more minutes…" Be replied.


    Although Christine couldn''t be entirely sure about the uracy of those calctions, she recognized that she had no other choice but to trust and leave the matter in the capable hands of Be and Principal Victoria.


    These two were the only individuals present with the expertise to handle such high-ranking celestial magic.


    Despite the desire to ask Lilliana for assistance, Christine noted that the injuries she sustained would only burden rather than aid the ongoing efforts.


    ''And that youthful-looking mage M, if I recall? is busy with the barrier protecting this ce''


    Everything was truly bing more chaotic by the second. The screeching roars of monsters and demons, attempting to pierce the barrier, grew stronger and more relentless.


    The blood rain, with properties constantly weakening the barrier, indicated that it wouldn''t be long before M would run out of mana, and their defenses would crumble.


    The knights present were mostly injured, and the rescue squad outside would likely have been wiped out by now after getting entangled in the monstrous battle unfolding right beyond the protective barrier.


    Once the blood wyvern finished healing and set its sights on the barrier, their situation would be dire.


    "Christy, give me some healing potions. I need to find—" Cough…! Cough…! Lilliana''s words were cut short as she coughed up blood. Already bleeding profusely from her wounds, she now faced this additionalplication. Pushing her body further at this rate might lead to sudden copse or, worst-case scenario, death.


    "Lily! I told you to rest right away, right!" reprimanded Christine.


    "No, I''ve got no time for that. I need to find my little brother; he needs my help—"


    "Okay, stop. You over there, take her to the emergency area,"manded the princess, signaling a stationed guard nearby.


    "No, I told you I need to find him!"


    "Let go of me!"


    Lilliana protested, but her constant blood loss, extreme pain, and headache rendered her protests feeble against the strength of the guard.


    "I''ll find your little brother myself, so go and rest for now, please."


    Haah…! A long sigh escaped Princess Christine as stress and urgency weighed heavily on her. She had no choice but to postpone her promise to Lilliana for the time being. Despite her deration to search for Lilliana''s brother, the chaotic events unfolding outside made it nearly impossible to fulfill thatmitment.


    ''I''m sorry, Lilliana, but I''ll just have to face your angerter. Everyone''s safety is the top priority right now…''


    Christine nced at the scar on her palm, a remnant of her contact with help through her royal blood and invocation of the dragon blood within her.


    The guardian dragon of the empire should have already sensed her distress call, yet there was still no sign of its imminent arrival.


    A tinge of worry crossed Christine''s face as she contemted whether she should resort to cutting herself again to intensify the call.


    However, she quickly dismissed the idea; there was a limit to how frequently the imperial family could utilize the dragon blood within them.


    This unique ability allowed them tomunicate with dragons, summon their guardians, or enhance their own abilities.


    Aware that the situation could take a turn for the worse at any given moment, Christine understood the necessity of using this special power judiciously.


    As It might be their only lifeline in the impending crisis.


    ….


    "We''re here, haha…" Alex chuckled nervously. He hadn''t expected to survive the chaos outside, but against the odds, they managed to make it back.


    With the unconscious Analise draped over his broad shoulder, he stepped inside the protective barrier. Healers and priests rushed to attend to Analise, taking her from him with utmost care before directing Alex to sit down.


    "Do you have your hand?" asked a concerned priest.


    "Unfortunately, no…."


    "Then I can only close it. Are you fine with that?"


    "Yes."


    Despite the advanced healing magic and potent potions capable of regrowing severed limbs, it appeared that the priest herecked the strength or resources for such high-grade procedures.


    During the battle, Alex was fortunate to lose only his left arm, but Analise, unfortunately, wasn''t as lucky.


    A piece of debris had struck her head, rendering her unconscious. The sight of blood trickling down her forehead fueled Alex''s anger, his fist clenching in frustration at his inability to protect her.


    "Ana?"


    Suddenly, a voice pulled Alex''s attention. Looking in front of him, he saw Lilliana Vulter Telllus, one of Analise''s many masters. "What happened?" inquired Lilliana. Despite being bloodied herself, the sheer power emanating from her made Alex shiver. The anger in Lilliana''s eyes was palpable as she scrutinized Alex.


    "We got caught up in that," Alex exined, pointing behind him. Streaks of ck and white light blurred in the distance, creating shockwaves whenever they intersected.


    Although Lilliana felt the initial surge of anger, she quickly suppressed it. She knew she didn''t have the right to be angry with Alex. Analise might be injured, but he was in a simr state. Lilliana didn''t have all the details, but it was evident that the young man in front of her had tried his best to protect Analise. The chaos outside had been beyond anyone''s control.


    "Senior… I mean, Council President, is there any news about Adrian yet?"


    Alex asked out of curiosity. Honestly, as much as he worried for Tristan, he was also concerned about Adrian, who seemed kind of lost for some time now.


    Though he had only seen a bit of what Adrian could do when they first met, Alex knew he wasn''t weak enough to be taken down by low-ranking monsters or demons.


    "No… nothing yet" replied Lilliana in a somber voice.


    Although she wanted to find him immediately, she understood the implications of pushing her body further. It might be dangerously risky for her now.


    All she could do was wait and hope that her little brother was alright.