ã€ŠTangled By Fateã€‹


 Chapter 1 - A MISTAKE

    <h4>Chapter 1 - A MISTAKE</h4>

    ''No! No! No! This can''t be happening!!'' she internally screamed.

    Everything was her fault. She gave in to temptation and had to suffer for it.

    ¨C A few hours ago ¨C

    The sun shone bright in the sky, and spring had finally arrived. Last night''s drizzling had caused all the dust ¨C which had been brought with the spring breeze ¨C to be washed away. Even the leaves that grew in the trees had an appearance of renewal. While the temperature was cooler than usual, nature was still full of vitality and vibrant colors.

    Veronica had been meaning to sneak out for a while. After seeing her few brothers and sisters sneaking out on the weekend, of course a me ignited within her, luring her to do the same.

    Every Monday night, she would hear the stories of their adventures:

    "Ver, you have no idea how bustling the square is at night! Street musicians y music and couples dance. It''s so wonderful."

    "Ver, I wish you could eat the street snacks they sell. It''s cheap and delicious. You have to eat it when it''s hot. I''ll save some money and buy it for you next time."

    Each story she heard urged her to go outside. Each story she heard urged her to have an adventure. Each story she heard urged her to be free.

    Since it was Veronica''s eighteenth birthday, she thought that even if she snuck out and got caught, she would be forgiven; after all, it was her special day. Her heart''s beating syncopated as she grew more eager to visit the town for the first time in her life.

    Veronica wore a white full-sleeved cotton top with a brown corset, and a grey skirt. She covered her head with a white scarf. She felt her blood boiling with excitement, even though she was wearing second-hand worn-out clothes. Regardless of what she decided to wear, ying dress-up was more fun than she had imagined it to be.

    As the birds weed the new day with their melodious chirps, Veronica stealthily sauntered along the corridor. Her footsteps were lighter than feathers ¨C inaudible, as she was barefooted. Her shoes were gripped in her hand; it was the strategy she hade up with so that she wouldn''t wake others when she walked. Yet her heart thumped ¨C thumped unhinged. Thumping as she thought someone could catch her at any moment.

    Without being noticed by others, Veronica crept to the storeroom beside the kitchen. She carefully closed the door after looking around for a while. When she was confident that no one was watching her, she let out a sigh of relief.

    ''It looks like Goddess Juvena is on my side today. Haha ¨C thank you Goddess Juvena!'' Veronica thanked the Goddess happily. After that, she opened the back door of the storeroom and fled using that door.

    Soon, Veronica found herself in the back alley. Silence had consumed sound, and the only faint noise she could hear was her own breathing. It was a sign that no one had woken up yet.

    ''Did Ie out too early¡­?'' Veronica pondered with a thoughtful face. Fortunately, she wasn''t hungry yet and was fueled with energy to move on. While the town was still asleep, only the mellow songs of the birds apanied her. The whole town was swathed by serenity.

    Veronica took out a small piece of paper which was folded into a square. On it was a map of the town and surrounding areas drawn by an amateur. Veronica brought the map close to her and squinted her eyes, trying to figure out what the drawings depicted. ''Hmm¡­ it says "north"¡­ then north is¡­'' Thinking deeply, she looked up to the sun which was rising in the east. ''If that is east, then north is on my right. I''ll go in the opposite direction¡­ towards the south!''

    Veronica folded the paper and hastily put it back inside her pocket. As she wandered through the street, she was curiously ncing at her surroundings. She had seen this scenery from inside her building many times, but never had the chance to actually be there. Her biggest dreams had manifested with every footstep she took.

    As her venture continued, Veronica was soon standing in the town square, realizing that it was the town''s biggest market. Even still, the early morning''s emptiness amplified the market''s size, and the usual crowd Veronica usually could see wasn''t there. The istion made her heart a bit blue.

    Yet, keen Veronica tried to keep her spirits high. She hummed a song she heard a long time ago. As her hums traveled through the gentle breeze, Veronica felt like the queen of this dormant town. With no eyes nor ears spying on her, this humming queen believed that she could do anything without asking for permission.

    Feeling captivated by this freedom, Veronica strolled the quiet town and found herself striding towards the direction of ake. She had heard that this particrke would look breathtaking in the early morning. With the morning still rathe, Veronica knew this may be her only opportunity to see this view with her own eyes.

    She decided that she would return to the town when it was to be wide awake. That way, Veronica could take in the hustle-bustle of the town as she pleased.

    ''It''s good that I have the whole day free. I''ll just return after I have breakfast in the town,'' she decided gleefully.

    Veronica had to pass through a narrow alley between four abandoned houses to reach the muddy road of the woods. Although the road was muddy because of the drizzling rainst night, the tall trees which were towered the woods kept the woond path dry.

    It was said that it would take a person fifteen minutes to reach theke when using this route.

    Veronica felt a wave of excitement rush through her. She walked briskly while inhaling the smell of wet mud. Before she realized, she reached her destination in only ten minutes.

    ''Oh, my goodness!'' she eximed in amazement. Veronica''s eyes sparkled and were glued onto theke whichy before her. Theke view was truly breathtaking, and it felt as though time had stopped her breathing''s usual rhythms. No verbal narrative could equal the visible beauty of this etherealke.

    Theke water was dyed a light blue, capturing the clear blue sky in the heavens above. Surrounding theke were the clustered trees of the wood, whose reflection was as fine as a mirror.

    Since it was early morning, a light fog hovered above theke, and the temperature was certainly more chilly than the warmth of the town. Veronica felt a shiver run through her bones as the cold breeze blew across her. Trying to keep in her body heat, Veronica hugged herself and rubbed her arms with both hands.

    The ground surrounding her was covered in green grass which was soft to her touch as she sat down on it. As she sumbed to the grass beneath her, Veronica was again enthralled by the waters in front of her. The smell of dirt, the green grass, the songs of birds, the spring breeze ¨C they were a natural sedative. Indeed, Veronica was convinced that she was living in her own fairytale.

    Veronica wondered if she should stay here for hours, without a care about when she had to return to her room. It was her one wish to stay here forever.

    But reality had suddenly dragged her out of her trance. Her tranquil istion had ceased. A man hade out of theke. Completely naked.

    ______________________________

    A/N: Kids, as you can see, this isn''t for you. But from my experience, I can tell that you won''t listen to me. And who am I kidding? I''m myself forever 17! Ahahahahaha!

    XD

 Chapter 2 - THE NAKED MAN

    <h4>Chapter 2 - THE NAKED MAN</h4>

    Veronica wasn''t ready to see this. Her heart wasn''t prepared to behold such a scene.

    In the middle of theke, the naked man with slightly tanned skin stood up as water sshed everywhere. A few locks of his ck hair were stuck to his face. Water dripped from his wet hair that almost covered his eyes. His sharp golden pupils shimmered dangerously. Droplets of water rolled down on his toned chest. In the morning light, the water drops sparkled like gems.

    Holding her breath, Veronica stared at the man in front of her. Her eyes trailed down without thinking anything in particr. It was her first time seeing a man''s naked body. The lower her eyes went, the faster her heart thumped. Toward the end, her gaze trailed past his abdomen and before she could control herself, her innocent eyes fell on THAT.

    Veronica''s emerald orbs almost popped out of her sockets at the sight. She couldn''t breathe. She opened her mouth, sucked in a long breath of oxygen, and then screamed.

    "Aaahh!"

    Just like that, the peace of the beautiful morning shattered and it woke up all the birds and animals in the woods.

    --------------------

    Veronica couldn''t remember how she came back after that unprecedented encounter. Forget about exploring the town, she couldn''t even remember that her birthday passed by while she was busy praying in the temple.

    She came back, changed her clothes, and went to the temple to pray. She needed to ask for forgiveness as she broke the rules and went out. She was disobedient and that''s why she was punished. Goddess Juvena must be angry. Or else why would she have to see such a sinful scene? She would rather lose her eyes.

    As she kept praying, the vision of that unknown naked man continued shing in her head. And then, she recalled THAT.

    ''No! No! No! This can''t be happening!!'' she internally screamed. She couldn''t understand how she could be shameless enough to think about it.

    ''I have to concentrate on atoning my sins. I shouldn''t choose the devil''s path.'' After forcefully reconstructing her determination, she shut her eyes and sped her hands close to her chest.

    The moment she started reciting the mantra to cleanse her soul, she envisioned that stark naked man once again.

    "Ahhh!!" she shouted.

    Two young priests were walking outside the prayer room. Upon hearing a maiden''s scream, they were startled.

    When they realized that the scream came from the prayer room, they ran in that direction.

    Bang!

    With a loud noise, they opened the heavy doors and rushed in.

    Seeing the very familiar maiden, they asked in anxiety, "Sister, are you all right?"

    "Ah..." Only then did she realize that she actually shouted loud enough to let others hear her. She was embarrassed. It was awkward as they kept staring at her with worried and innocent faces.

    "I-I''m fine. Don''t worry," she tried to ease their worry. Their eyes felt like arrows, piercing her guilty, sinful heart. She couldn''t bear to look at them. She tried toe up with excuses, "I tried to get up but I stood on my cloth that I nearly fell. That''s why I shouted. I was scared. Sorry to bother you."

    ''And sorry for lying,'' she apologized in her heart.

    One of them inquired, "You are not hurt, are you?"

    "Nope, I''mpletely okay. If I fell, I would have cried." The more she lied, the more she mentally stabbed her heart.

    "As long as sister is fine. We won''t bother you anymore. Please pray," the other priest said in a gentle voice. Afterward, they turned around and left the prayer room. They didn''t forget to close the door behind them.

    As soon as they left, Veronica sighed in relief. ''That was a close call,'' she told herself. She turned around and looked at the huge statue of Goddess Juvena. She knelt and asked for forgiveness. "Goddess Juvena, Mother of Kindness, please forgive this unfaithful child¡­"

    The world is huge. In this huge world, there is a small country difficult to point out in the globe, named Utahill. Utahill is situated under the Alss. The Alss are the most extensive mountain range that lies in the north of Utahill. At the base of the mountain, there is a hugeke called Blue Moon. It is surrounded by deep woods.

    There is a town close to the woods- Palmer. This town has been built in thergest area. There are three viges around the Palmer town.

    Utahill is known as the Holy Kingdom or the Kingdom of Goddess Juvena. People all over the globe prayed to the kind, loving Goddess Juvena.

    Peoplee here to find peace. Peoplee here to pray to their loving goddess.

    In the town, Palmer, there is situated thergest temple in the world. It is ancient. Some people believe that it was built by Goddess Juvena herself so that her children could find their way to her, their home.

    Many people rted to the temple live there. Not everyone is allowed to enter or live in the temple. Only the luckiest are chosen to live there, to serve the goddess and her people. Veronica is one of those ''fortunate'' people.

    After repenting for hours, she went back to her room. Since she fasted over her sins and repented for her crime, she was feeling weak. She remembered that she hadn''t touched a single piece of bread sincest night. While rubbing her stomach, she sat down on the bed.

    "Ah, I''m so hungry¡­" she spoke to herself in a low tone, "but there is nothing that can be done."

    It was past lunchtime. No one would save food for her. Moreover, everyone here was disciplined. If someone anyhow skipped or missed lunch, they couldn''t eat lunchter. They had to wait to have dinner directly.

    If she wanted to eat, she had to wait until dinner time. Waiting for it to approach, she cleaned her room. Only then did she see the dress that she wore in the morning. It was lying in the corner of the room. She hurriedly threw it in the corner after she came back.

    Seeing the unlucky dress, she remembered that she had to give it back to its original owner. ''I should wash it before dinner,'' thinking that she took it in her hand and heard something falling.

    Thud!

    "Huh?"

 Chapter 3 - WASNT HERS

    <h4>Chapter 3 - WASN''T HERS</h4>

    On the stone floor, something heavy fell and made a ''thud'' sound.

    ''Huh? What''s this?'' Feeling curious, Veronica lowered her body and picked up the small thing.

    She draped the dress over her left arm before bringing the heavy object closer to one of the candles to have a clear look. Only then did she see that it was a blue gem, attached to a simple yet intricately weaved chain.

    ''Hmm? Is that a locket?'' She wondered while looking at it. It was a sparkling blue gem that flickered beautifully under the candlelight. The chain was made of gold.

    Everyone in the temple had a locket but their lockets were made of brass. Moreover, all of their pendants followed a simple design. A wheel design. As far as she could remember, none of them had anything that was remotely rted to something fancy, not to mention a locket chain that screamed richness.

    "I''ve never seen my brothers and sisters wearing something like this," she murmured while feeling the texture of the gem in her right hand. "It was with the dress I wore in the morning. Then, could this be¡­" she steadily turned her eyes toward the dress in her other arm.

    She concluded ¨C since this locket fell from the dress and she didn''t see it in the morning, then it could only mean one thing. And that was, the locket got stuck to her dress when she sat on the grass beside theke. Since it wasn''t hers or the owner of the dress, it could only belong to that man.

    She let out a low chuckle. "You are really an unlucky dress," she cursed the dress in her arm.

    She sat on her bed and pondered over the issue at hand. She never took someone else''s belongings and she had no reason to keep this locket either. No matter how luxurious it was, it was of no use to her.

    Besides, stealing wasn''t a good thing to do. And as far as she could remember, she had never stolen something in her entire life. Now that she identally took someone else''s locket, she felt even worse for leaving the temple in the morning.

    ''I need to find that man and give it back to him as soon as possible. I also have to say ''sorry'' for peeping at him.'' As she was thinking, she came to a sudden realization.

    ''It means, I have to leave again!'' She choked. She had to find an opportunity to sneak out tomorrow. This n made her ufortable.

    However, she knew she couldn''t get any peace of mind if she kept this with her either. His locket could pull back all those images of her sinful encounter with the naked man.

    Nevertheless, thinking of her schedule for the following day, she gasped in horror.

    Because, from tomorrow, her cleaning duty will start. At dawn, she has to go to the prayer room to lit up all the candles. And then, she needs to go to the inner temple and inform the High Priest about taking over the aforementioned duty before she can start working. She has no time to leave tomorrow. And her duty will continue till next month.

    ''What to do? What to do?'' She marched from one side to the other in her room. She couldn''t keep this locket with her, neither could she go and give it back to its owner.

    Veronica looked outside the window. From there, she could see the busy town roads which were still brightly lit up. At that moment, she made a decision.

    ----------

    Even though it was time to sleep, the city was still bustling. People were walking,ughing, and even gossiping.

    Veronica was now strolling in the market area. It''s more crowded than other ces. She felt like that man could be here. The truth was, she was afraid of dark ces and that''s why she avoided quiet ces like dark alleys.

    Her heart was thumping in nervousness and she was joyful at the same time. She wanted to see this city and her dream came true.

    She was looking for a ce where many men gathered to eat and drink. She had asked a shopkeeper about where she could gather information and the woman told her to look for a bar.

    She once heard that people go to bars to drink booze. She had no idea what booze was. She asked around and found a bar. She went inside.

    Inside the bar was a little dark, even darker than the night roads of a busy town. The lights were dim. There was an odd smell that she couldn''t recognize. She heardughter and loud voices that belonged to men.

    Veronica stood there dumbfounded. She had no clue where to go next, whom to ask questions. She didn''t move until someone from her back spoke aloud, "Heyss, move."

    She was startled. She jumped and moved to the side. And when she finally turned around, she saw a giant man. Nervously, she stepped back a little, giving the living mountain enough room to walk inside the bar.

    The bulky man didn''t care about her. He just strode past her and went to the bar counter. "Max, give me the usual," he ordered.

    The bartender, Max, seemed to be in his early twenties. He had fair skin and dark brown hair. His brown eyes were peaceful. He was a fine, young gentleman. He was wearing an off-white shirt and paired it with dark green pants. Max gleefully replied, "Coming up."

    "How is it going?" The bulky man questioned the bartender.

    Max answered, "Everything is going well. The harvest was great. The crops will be delivered to the town tomorrow. I heard that the royal family has decided to distribute the best crops to the orphans."

    But his recipient didn''t seem that moved. He stated, "The royal family''s contribution is praiseworthy. Anything unusual?"

    Max lowered his voice and reported, "I heard a man hade to the town. He was looking for a job."

    Meanwhile, Veronica, who had been eavesdropping, unintentionally or intentionally, stepped closer. She cleared her throat loud enough to get their attention. "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt your conversation. I have a favor to ask you."

    Max gave her a friendly smile. "Hello, miss, what can I do for you?"

    "I''m looking for a man. Can you help me find him?" She questioned.

 Chapter 4 - AT THE BAR

    <h4>Chapter 4 - AT THE BAR</h4>

    Veronica asked politely, "I''m looking for a man. Can you help me to find him?"

    Max served the hulk a ss of beer before looking at his new customer properly. The girl was at least 5''6" tall with a slender body. She was wearing a worn-out dress and her back and head were covered in a cape with an oversized hood. Even so, her fair skin, pink lips, and green pupils made it hard to not notice her.

    Max had keen eyes. He couldn''t miss the details. Heplimented her na?ve, pretty look inwardly and then inquired, "A man? How does he look?"

    The bulky man also turned to face her. He was curious to know what she had to say.

    "Um¡­ he is this tall," Veronica raised her hand while standing on her tiptoes to show how long that man was. "He has ck hair and yellow eyes. He is b-b-b¡­" she turned red and stammered. She couldn''tplete thest word.

    Max waited for her to finish her description but gave up when he concluded that she couldn''t utter another word. In the end, he said, "Yellow eyes, that''s unusual. I have heard of a man who has golden eyes but I don''t know where he is now, Miss. Sorry I couldn''t help you."

    "Ah, is that so¡­" Veronica''s heart dropped. She looked down. She was upset.

    Seeing her pitiful expression, Max suggested, "Would you like to drink? I can guarantee that my drinks are of better quality than those that are found in the other bars around. If nothing else, you should consider passing your time here as he mighte here to drink."

    "Oh, really?" Veronica''s emerald eyes were filled with hope instantly. "Then, can I sit inside your bar while waiting?" She couldn''t give up yet. She wished to stay inside and wait for him toe.

    "Of course, you can sit in that corner," Max pointed to a small table in a corner. "This is the first time that a prettydy like you hade to my ce and asked for something. Unfortunately, I couldn''t help you. So, whatever you want to eat, it''s on the house tonight."

    Veronica blushed at the words ''prettydy''. She obediently sat in the corner. When a ss was ced on her table, she thanked Max.

    "Please enjoy the drink. In the meantime, I will find someone to help you go searching for the man you are looking for," Max left after saying that.

    ''Juice¡­'' She curiously looked inside the ss. The wooden ss was filled up to two-thirds with a colorful drink. It smelled sweet. She sipped a little and her eyes sparkled instantly.

    She could recognize the taste. It''s cherry juice. She never tasted sweet drinks. Like a child, she wondered how they made the cherry drinks with those beautiful round fruits.

    While she was enjoying her juice, someone approached her. The person stood in front of her and asked, "Miss, are you looking for a man with golden eyes?"

    "Yes," Veronica answered while nodding. She stared at the man with expectations.

    The person was middle aged, with tanned skin and a round figure. He was wearing a brown waistcoat over a simple white shirt and a pair of brown pants. Holding a smoking pipe in his hand, he leaned forward and said, "I know a man of your description. I know where he is now."

    Veronica''s eyes shone with hope. "Do you really know where he is? This is great! Can you please tell me?"

    He lowered his voice and answered, "It''s Morina''s Pce."

    "Morina''s Pce?" Veronica blinked. This was the first time she heard such a name. She became worried instantly. How would she know where that ce was when it was only her first time hearing its name ever?

    Realizing that she couldn''t recognize the ce, the man snickered. He said, "Since Max told me to help you, I can show you the way if you want."

    ------------

    Veronica walked behind the man on the street. Later, they entered through the gate, and then it felt like they were in a different dimension. The streets were decorated. Men and women were standing close to each other without caring about others'' gaze. They were chatting andughing.

    Veronica''s eyes widened in surprise when she saw some men and women were being too intimate in public. ''What kind of ce is this?'' She wondered in horror. ''Is it okay to go further? But then, I can''t meet that man and give him back his ne.''

    She was in a dilemma. She was scared of these strange people around her. Her grip on her skirt tightened. ''No, I can''t go back. I finally came all this way just to meet him. After I''m done with my business, I will go back to the temple.'' Deciding on what she needed to do, she walked forward in determined steps.

    Just then, her escort went inside the most luxurious building upfront. She followed after him. "Where are we?" She questioned him.

    The man narrated shortly, "Ah, we are in Morina''s Pce. This is the ce I was talking about earlier. There is a restaurant on the first floor. You can get all the types of food here. Most of the men and women in towne here to seek eternal pleasure. You will find him somehow. Just stay in the restaurant and you will see all sorts of people going in and out. You will meet him here for sure."

    "Oh, I see. Thank you very much, Sir. I don''t know how to repay you," Veronica was overwhelmed with gratitude.

    The man politely stated, "It''s all right. You are Max''s precious guest. This is the least I can do for you. Anyway, as for my payment, please give me two silver coins."

    "Eh?" Veronica blinked. She couldn''t understand what he was talking about. She didn''t buy anything from him. Why would she have to give him money? Moreover, one silver coin meant one hundred bronze coins. No one could afford that much money unless they were filthy rich.

    The man understood that this woman was absolutely clueless. He let out a sigh and exined, "Miss, I guided you all the way here. You have to pay me for my service."

 Chapter 5 - THE MORINAS PALACE

    <h4>Chapter 5 - THE MORINA''S PALACE</h4>

    "Miss, I took you all the way here. You have to pay for my service," he exined. He never met such a weird and na?vedy before. For a person not to know that they had to pay for services, that was unthinkable in this town.

    ''Is she some kind of nobledy in disguise? Or could it be that she is a princess?'' he wondered.

    "B-but, I only have three bronze coins," Veronica stuttered in a panicked voice. She didn''t imagine that she would need money to find a guy. She brought some money from her savings so that she could eat some street food. She heard that the street foods were tastier than restaurant food.

    "What?!" the man yelled in anger. "Why did you think I''ve worked so hard to bring you here?"

    He shouted loud enough to attract some attention. Veronica flinched. She was frightened. It was the first time someone spoke to her raising their voice.

    The man let out a growl. "If you can''t pay money, why don''t you pay with your body?" He abruptly grabbed her slender arm and pulled her.

    "W-wait¡­" Veronica stammered. She was so scared that her words got caught in her throat. She couldn''t speak in fear. The onlookers pitied her but they didn''te to help her. She looked at them hoping they would help her but her hope was crushed as they looked away. ''No way¡­'' she thought in horror. ''Why aren''t they helping me? Shouldn''t they save me? The people of Utahill were supposed to the kindest people on earth. Why is this happening then?''

    The man took her by force to the fifth floor. Seeing that she wasn''t panting after climbing so many stairs, he smirked. "You''ve got lots of stamina. Good then."

    "Thomas, did you bring a lostmb again?" a sultry voice asked.

    The man named Thomas turned to face the owner of the voice. Veronica turned her head as well. Her eyes shimmered seeing a tall, slender figure of a female. She was wearing a revealing red dress that showed her ample cleavage and a generous amount of her legs. Her curves could be noted from her tight dress. Her eyes were like cats. Her lips were red enough that it seemed like blood was dripping from them. What striked Veronica the most however, was the absoluteck of shyness that the busty woman possessed.

    Thomas stated, "Yes, she needs to pay me two silver coins. Give her the job that will help her pay for my service."

    The woman smirked. "Oh, but she doesn''t look like she will be of great help."

    Thomas looked at Veronica and said, "Since you are healthy, you can work right? Working in the Morina''s Pce will earn you five silver in a single night. You can pay me back after you have earned the money."

    Veronica hurriedly told the woman in front of her, "¡­I-I can cook, wash clothes, wipe floors¡­" She knew that being in debt wasn''t a good thing. Moreover, she wanted to get away from this shady man as soon as possible. That''s why she wanted to take this opportunity.

    The woman chuckled. "You are one amusing little girl, my dear. Unfortunately, we don''t need someone to wash clothes and wipe floors at night. We already have the best cook in town. Why don''t you serve food to the customers instead? Although it won''t earn you five silver coins. Remember that. If you work hard, I can pay you three silver coins. Does that sound fair?"

    "Y-yes!" Veronica easily agreed. As long as she could pay, she had no reason to fight.

    "That''s great." The woman pped her hands and two women came to meet her. They were also wearing slightly revealing clothes but they weren''t as beautiful as the woman in red clothes. She instructed her workers, "Take her to the dressing room and dress her up. She will serve the customers."

    "Yes, madam Morina," the women replied in a monotonous voice before they escorted Veronica inside the room.

    Madam Morina stepped closer to Thomas and asked, "Why don''t you sell this littlemb to me? She looks exquisite. She will do a good job in our field."

    Thomas snickered and it somehow made his face look uglier.

    -----------

    "Wait, wait, wait, I can get ready on my own," Veronica did her best to cover her bosom as those two women tried to take off her clothes.

    One of those women said, "Madam Morina''s orders. We must help you to dress up."

    "B-but¡­" seeing that they wouldn''t budge, Veronica sighed. "All right, but let me take off my own clothes."

    After changing clothes and putting on some makeup, she looked at herself in the mirror. She gaped at her own reflection. Her hair was loosely braided to one side and the silver essories shone in the light. Her eyes were highlighted with golden glitter and her lips were colored red.

    She was wearing a deep blue dress. It was short-sleeved and the skirt''s hem touched her ankle. The dress sparkled since some glitters were added on the dress. The only problem with the dress was ¨C on the left side of the skirt, it was ripped off and her beautiful slender leg was showing. There was certainly enough skin on disy to lure any hot blooded man to her beauty.

    She covered her leg ufortably. "Umm, is there any way to cover my leg?"

    "¡­" Those two women got tired of dressing her up and doing makeup. Veronica stopped them from touching her and there and almost fought with them as they kept putting colors on her face. When it was finished, they felt like they had won a war.

    Veronica realized she shouldn''t say anything anymore. She took their silence as a ''no'' and asked innocently, "What do I have to do now?"

 Chapter 6 - HER NEW JOB

    <h4>Chapter 6 - HER NEW JOB</h4>

    "Here''s the wine you ordered, gentlemen," a girl was seen gently trudging toward a table full of men while serving the customers white wine. She was holding a serving tray filled with several sses of white wine.

    One of the drunk customers nced at the new girl. "Oh, a new face. Babe, what do they call you?"

    "Everyone calls me Ver¡­" the girl halted before she uttered her full name. ''I shouldn''t tell my name to strangers. What if it causes a problemter?'' She thought about it and said no more.

    The man eximed, "Ver? What an unusual name! So, Ver, where do you live?"

    "Ah, I live around. Please excuse me. I have to serve other customers," saying that, Veronica quickly left that room.

    Aftering out of the room, she leaned against the cold wall and let out a deep breath. ''That was close,'' she thought. ''I have to be more careful next time.'' She reminded herself to be careful and turned around to leave. However, she bumped into someone.

    Veronica''s heart nearly flew out of her chest. Her legs almost gave out in nervousness. She panicked and quickly bowed to apologize, "I''m very sorry. It won''t happen again. Please forgive me."

    The man in front of her said nothing. He looked at her in silence for a while before letting out a low growl. "Hmm."

    Only after that man walked past her, did she raise her head again. She didn''t dare to look behind. She served a few more customers before excusing herself to take a short break.

    However, she faced trouble even before she could fully enjoy this short break of hers.

    She was serving drinks in the casino when a customer called out for her, "Pretty girl, are you new here?"

    Veronica was started and nced in the direction of the sound. She saw a customer was sitting there alone. His dress-up made her think that he was rich. She carefully stepped forward and answered his question nervously, "Y-yes."

    The man was drinking and ying cards alone. No one bothered him either. As if he liked to have a quiet time on his own. His eyes shone as he heard her reply, "Goodness, no wonder I''ve never seen you here before. I like your eyes. Gorgeous! What''s your name?"

    Observing his jolly attitude, she rxed her shoulders. She didn''t notice that she was holding her breath. "My name is Ver."

    The manmented, "Your name is unusual too! Well, no one actually uses a real name here. I like your name. It''s unique."

    ''Eeh? No one uses a real name here? But why? Name is one''s identity. They should proudly announce their names.'' Veronica pondered and but then had a second thought, ''Who am I kidding? I''m also using my nickname here. I guess, it''s better to have another name in a ce like this.''

    "Don''t just stand there, sit," the man suddenly told her.

    Veronica quickly replied, "Ah, I''m sorry. I''m not allowed to join with the customers at the table." The maidens who dressed her up, told her all the things that they were allowed to do. She had to maintain them so long as she was working here.

    The man objected to her im, "That''s not true! If a customer asks for somepany, Morina''s maids apany us all the time. You can ask others if you want."

    Veronica looked at other maids and they slightly nodded to confirm his im. Only after that, she said, "Then, I''ll apany our customer but I cannot sit during work. I''m sorry."

    The man didn''t seem displeased at all. "Stubborn girl but I like it. Since you won''t sit, drink with me."

    "Drink? What drink?" Veronica asked.

    "This is red wine. It''s one of the expensive ones. Since you joined today, let''s have your wee party by drinking. Come on, drink up!" The man shoved a ss full of red wine toward her.

    She looked at the red colored drink and inquired, "¡­Am I allowed?" In her heart, she was excited to try this new juice. The juice she drank before was so tasty. She wouldn''t mind tasting another drink.

    "Of course, I already paid for it. Drink up!" The man encouraged her.

    With great interest, she chugged the red wine. She finished the whole ss in one gulp. The sweetness washed over her mouth and gave her a jolting surprise.

    The customer spoke in a concerned tone, "Hey, Ver, are you okay? You shouldn''t have drunk so much. If you don''t have tolerance, you will be drunk¡­"

    Right after he said that, her head swirled as if the world was spinning around her. "Huh?" She abruptly stood up and nced at her hand. She was seeing everything double.

    The man was really worried, "Ver, are you okay? Maybe you need some rest."

    However, Veronica didn''t hear him. In her drunken state, she walked away. Sometimes, she collided with someone but she didn''t bother with them. She found the balcony not too far away and headed in that direction. She took some deep breaths and inhaled oxygen. Fresh oxygen helped her to slightly clear her head.

    While she was standing on the balcony to get some fresh air, someone grabbed her waist from behind. She yelped in surprise at the sudden assault.

    In her panic, she lost her footing and her back shed against another body. She looked behind only to find a drunk man standing too close for herfort if she could say.

    The man''s face was flushed and he smelt like the drink she drunk a few moments ago. She looked closely and noticed that it was the same man who offered her a drink.

    "Umm¡­." She was confused and didn''t know what was happening.

    The man spoke in a slurred tone, "You pretty girl¡­ you should know what it means when a man offers you drink and you drink it."

    "Huh? What does that mean? I don''t kn¡­" She couldn''t finish her words before she was practically dragged by him. She frantically looked around but could not find anyone who could help her.

 Chapter 7 - THE DRUNKARD

    <h4>Chapter 7 - THE DRUNKARD</h4>

    Veronica regretted her actions. When she was told that the outside world was terrifying and she was only safe inside the walls, she should have believed it.

    She shouldn''t have gone out and roamed around on her own. She shouldn''t have listened to others and followed them without actually knowing them. She should have left as soon as she was left by that Thomas. This way she didn''t have to worry about paying someone back or even being assaulted right now.

    Nheless, her regrets came toote. She was being assaulted and touched quite inappropriately by a stranger. Nothing could ever undo what was happening to her right now.

    She was ruined. Forever.

    A feeling of disgust was brewing inside of her. She was in pain. Her tears fell from her eyes uncontrobly. She felt as if death was better than this.

    Bang!

    At that moment, someone barged into the room and knocked the drunk guy above her. It didn''t even take a full minute for that man''s heavy body to slump weakly on her body.

    "Ahh!"

    Veronica screamed in fear.

    Afterward, someone dragged the man off of her body. She shuddered in fear.

    "If you could shout, why didn''t you do it earlier? It would have been easier to locate a helplessdy," a manly voice spoke in the dark.

    Veronica''s lips were trembling. She couldn''t dare to speak after hearing another man''s voice. His voice was deep and unrecognizable. She was wary of the man who came close to her.

    "Not going to speak? I didn''t think you were so ungrateful," the man walked away from the bed while dragging the unconscious drunk man and then threw him out of the room into the corridor.

    He lit the candles in the room and then turned to face her. As the light flooded the small space, the interior of the room became visible.

    It''s a small room with a bed in the corner and a table and a chair beside the bed. Apparently, it''s for the guests who wanted to rest and also have fun with the prostitutes they chose.

    Veronica blinked several times to adjust her eyes to the light. She carefully looked at the man in front of her. The man seemed darker under the candlelight. His ck hair looked slightly red. His chest was exposed as he wore only a purple robe with a golden border. His golden eyes glittered in the candlelight.

    Her emerald pupils widened as she recognized him. Her small lips opened slightly.

    -----------------

    A few minutes ago, a man was drinking in silence. He was the same man with whom Veronica collided earlier while walking along the corridor.

    Around him, three girls were saying nothing but sweet words, trying to please him. Their dreamy eyes and voices only annoyed him, but he didn''t express his emotion.

    At that time, Madam Morina entered the room. She spoke in a sultry voice, "My, my, I have never seen my beloved master in such a bad mood. What could have happened to make you have this expression at my ce? Your gloomy face is breaking my heart." She sounded as if she was really heartbroken.

    "I''ve lost something precious this morning. I''m hoping to get it back somehow," he quietly answered. He was in a bad mood.

    Madam Morina signaled the other girls to leave. The girls became sad as they were told to leave so soon. They wished to stay with him a bit longer.

    After they left, Madam Morina strode closer and sat beside him. She poured him the highest quality of red wine and held the ss in front of his mouth. "I would like to carry your burden, my beloved master. What can I do for you?"

    The man took the ss from her hand and sipped slowly. After that, he licked his lips.

    "Ah, poor her. She just joined today and she is going to get devoured."

    "This customer always causes trouble."

    All of a sudden, he heard some girls talking about a girl being dragged away by a drunk customer outside the room. He listened to their conversation without a word.

    "That girl seemed rich. Why would shee to work here?"

    "Rich? How so?"

    "She was wearing a blue locket with a golden chain. Not just anyone could own such a huge gem and wear it at night, showing off proudly. She must be some richdy¡­ ah!"

    The girl, who was talking, screamed as a customer suddenly opened the door right in front of them.

    It was the man who was spending time with Madam Morina. His golden orbs were deep as he gazed at those women. "The girl you are talking about, where is she?" he asked.

    ------------------

    The situation now ¨C

    "I didn''t know I would find you here of all ces," the man stated as he nced at her. "Have you been tailing me, miss stalker?"

    She spoke in a low tone, "Y-you are the naked man¡­"

    His golden orbs narrowed slightly. Those pupils flickered in amusement. "Did you like what you saw?"

    Veronica''s face flushed instantly. "D-don''t be an idiot! Who would like things like t-that?" she stuttered. Her head was dizzy but now she could see his figure properly. His tall figure was emitting a mysterious aura.

    "Is that so?" The guy let out a low chuckle. His eyes roamed around her body as if scanning her and then paused on her naked chest. In the dim light, he admired her supple breasts for a moment longer than necessary before gazing at her hazy eyes. "I believe you took something from me. How long are you going to carry it?"

    "Eh?" Veronica''s brain was fuzzy. She could barely think with her head.

    The man pointed at the valley between her breasts. "If my memory serves me correctly, that thing belongs to me."

    Veronica looked down at her chest and gasped. She quickly covered her breasts. After that, she red at him resentfully. "T-these aren''t yours!"

    The man unhurriedly corrected her thoughts. "I meant the locket you are wearing now."

    "Ah¡­" Veronica looked at the locket she was wearing. For some reason, the blue gem was emitting dim light. It could be because of the element of the gem. She had seen some elements like this one that would absorb light and emit a bit of light in the dark.

 Chapter 8 - NOT YOURS TO COVET

    <h4>Chapter 8 - NOT YOURS TO COVET</h4>

    Veronica finally remembered why she was wearing it and why she came to the town. She took it off with her shaky hands. "I''m sorry, I took it mistakenly."

    "I know," he replied.

    In the morning, when he saw her running away, he called her from behind as he noticed that his locket got stuck to her skirt. However, she didn''t heed his words. Moreover, upon hearing his voice, she ran even faster. He couldn''t chase after her because he was naked.

    He walked forward and tried to pick up the locket from her hand; but couldn''t. She was gripping the locket tightly. He raised his left eyebrow in surprise noticing her tight grip on the locket.

    Noticing that she had no desire to let it go, he opened his mouth, "Even if you fancy this, I cannot let you have it. It''s not something that a kid like you should be coveting."

    "Umm¡­" she sounded as if she agreed but she still didn''t let go for some reason.

    Realizing that she wouldn''t hand it over, he forcefully yanked his locket only to have her body crash into his chest. When her soft body mmed into his, he was momentarily stunned. He was surprised to find out that her body temperature was rising.

    "You are sick?" he asked as he ced the back of his hand on her forehead. He asked in confusion, "Miss stalker, you don''t have a fever but why is your temperature so high?"

    Veronica clutched his velvet robe and pleaded with him in a low voice, "Please, help me¡­"

    "Help you? How?" he inquired without emotion. She was fine minutes ago. Her sudden change of attitude made him wonder if it was her plot not to give him back his ne. He had faced so many frauds like that in his life that he lost count.

    Veronica quivered. She was feeling quite strange. She raised her head to look at him pitifully.

    The man narrowed his eyes. He could see in the candlelight that her face waspletely red. Her eyes were moist. Tears dampened her big eyes and curvy eyshes. Her emerald pupils shone in the lights. Her deep pink lips were slightly open.

    From his experience, she had no idea how to handle a man. If she was an expert, she wouldn''t have freaked out once she saw him naked. He warned her, "Woman, you shouldn''t y with fire."

    "I¡­ I feel¡­ weird¡­" Veronica confessed. Her voice was shaking. She couldn''t look at him properly as her vision was getting blurred. "My body¡­ feels¡­ hot¡­ very hot¡­"

    The man thought for a second before looking down at the floor. Seeing the ssying upon the floor, he picked it up and smelled it. "Hmm¡­ that''s an aphrodisiac mixed with red wine. You should be grateful that I kicked out the man who made you drink this. But, what are we going to do about you now? This aphrodisiac can only wear off after you release yourself."

    "¡­Release.. what?" Veronica could barely hear his words. Her brain wasn''t functioning properly. From up close, she could smell his unique odor. It was making her feel even more lightheaded.

    She didn''t want to pull away from him. She felt like clinging onto him and devouring himpletely.

    She was ashamed of her own thoughts but it hardly mattered. All she wished for right now was to stay by his side and smell his scent.

    She gazed at his exposed chest and her throat became dry. She boldly touched his muscled chest and roamed her hand freely.

    "Do you know what you are doing?" the man asked. His voice was dangerously low and deep. At night, in the brothel, a woman in his arms, touching and craving for him ¨C a virile man in his prime couldn''t possibly resist this kind of temptation easily.

    Veronica moved closer and ced her lips on his skin. She muttered, "I like it¡­ Give it to me¡­"

    The man stared at her for a while with conflicting emotions clearly ying on his manly face, debating what to do with her. After pondering for a good while, he pushed her away. "Enough, you don''t have to do this. You will regret itter."

    But who would listen to him? The person he was talking to wasn''t in her right mind.

    Veronica wrapped her arms around him despite his warning and rubbed her body against him. The more she rubbed, the more her blood boiled. The burning sensation inside her body was spreading like wildfire.

    When rubbing wasn''t enough, her lips trailed over his chest. She couldn''t think rationally any longer. It was as if she had been possessed by some kind of sexually deviant entity.

    The man who was being assaulted closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. Even though he wasn''t in the mood, his primitive instinct was getting stronger by the second. He had to admit that this inexperienced woman had her own charm powerful enough to take him down.

    He knew if he pushed her away and walked out of the room, she couldn''t do as she pleased. He would be free. After that, they might never meet again.

    However, she wouldn''t calm down until her hunger subsided. If she couldn''t have him, she would look for someone else and be their prey.

    Thinking of that, he slightly frowned. He didn''t like the idea of a woman being ruined when she wasn''t in the right state of her mind. He could make a guess that she would regret it for the rest of her life if she were to give her virginity to a total stranger.

    Moreover, he had a feeling that she ended up here because she wanted to give his valued possession back to her. Or else, she wouldn''t be here. When he met her for the first time, she didn''t seem like the bad people he met during his journey usually. It would make him feel bad if she got raped only because she was looking for him.

    He stated, "It looks like you are not going to listen to me. Since you want me that much, I can give in this time. After all, you gave me back my locket. This is the least I can do. Consider my debt to you paid."

 Chapter 9 - COMFORTABLE BED

    <h4>Chapter 9 - COMFORTABLE BED</h4>

    Kuu¡­uu¡­ ku¡­uu¡­

    The birds were chirping to wee another new day. The sun was toozy to get up from the bed maybe. A yellow hue could be seen in the eastern sky.

    "Mm¡­" Veronica moaned softly. She rubbed her face against the pillow. Feeling the touch of silk and squishy pillow, she sighed in content. Anyone could see the smile on her lips.

    ''Is this morning already?'' she wondered. So soft,'' thinking that she shifted to the left side. ''I never slept in a soft bed before.''

    While she was being joyful about her luxurious life, a sudden thought hit her hard. She never had a soft bed. If this bed wasn''t hers, then who did it belong to?

    Her eyes flew open. The room was dark. A slight light wasing out of the open window. From there, she could see the quiet city.

    For as long as she could remember, every day she woke up and saw the sky since she lived in the tower. However, judging by the current view of the city, it certainly didn''t seem like she was in her room.

    With a jolt, she sat up. Her head throbbed in tremendous pain. She flinched. While holding her head, she adjusted her eyes to the dark and her heart dropped.

    She finally confirmed with her own eyes that this wasn''t the room where she always woke up. ''Where am I? Why do I have a headache?'' she pondered as she tried to get up from the bed gingerly.

    Her head spun when she stood up. "Oh!" she let out a yelp as she began to fall down.

    At that moment, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and protected her from falling.

    Veronica let out a gasp. "T-thank you!" she said without thinking.

    "Why did you move so quickly right after you woke up?" a deep, hoarse voice spoke.

    She jumped out of fright. Seeing a man hugging her close to him made her face turn pale. ''Why is this man in my room? And on the same bed? Wait, did I spend the whole night with him?'' The horror of realization made her lose the strength of her legs.

    However, the man''s grip on her waist only tightened. "Are you okay?" he asked.

    "You¡­" she looked at him warily. "Who are you?"

    The man slightly raised his eyebrows. "Who am I? Don''t you remember?"

    ''Remember what?'' She tried to think frantically. Just then, she noticed the blue gem locket hanging from his neck. Feeling surprised, she looked at him once again and recognized that person instantly. "N-naked man?"

    The man let out a deep sigh and stated, "Princess, I have a name. It''s Arthur. Stop calling me ''naked man''. I''m not the only one who gets naked during bathing."

    Veronica nervously remarked, "I-I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to offend you."

    He inquired, "Can you stand on your own feet now?"

    "Yes?" She tilted her head not realizing why he asked this question.

    He tly spoke, "Then, let go of my robe. Your action makes me think that you are trying to take my clothes off for some ulterior motive."

    She looked at his chest and saw that her hands were clenching his robe in such a way that his robe was about to fall off. She quickly let go of him. "I didn''t mean it. I''m sorry." She paused before asking, "Where am I?" She looked around curiously. "And why am I with you?"

    Without answering her question, he questioned her in return, "Don''t you remember what happenedst night?"

    "What happenedst night¡­" Veronica''s voice trailed off as she took a trip down her memoryne. She recalled being a maid serving drinks. After that, a customer forcefully tried to **** her and then¡­

    And then¡­

    Slowly but surely, Veronica''s face turnedpletely red like a ripe tomato. "I¡­ we¡­" she stuttered. She never thought she would be sexually frustrated enough to ask an unknown man to give her pleasure.

    ''No! This can''t be!'' she screamed internally and covered her ears to control her vivid memory that shed in her head. There was another shock that awaited her. When she thought about that, her face became ghastly pale.

    She slowly turned his way and asked him, "Did we¡­"

    Arthur must have understood what she wanted to say. He answered, "Rx. I have no intention of taking advantage of a woman who doesn''t want to sleep with me. Whatever I didst night was to relieve you from the drug effect."

    "Is that so¡­" she gave him a doubtful look. She had the right to not believe a total stranger.

    Arthur wasn''t surprised by her action though. He felt even more satisfied that he didn''t lose controlst night. When he saw her nude body, he nearly banged her right then and there. He used hisst drop of will not to eat her alive.

    Even right now remembering her alluring sight made him hard.

    Veronica must have caught on to his words. "Did you sayst night? That means¡­" she gasped and looked out of the window. Although it couldn''t be seen through the faraway forest, she could visualize the sun was about to get up from its bed.

    She remembered that from today onwards, she had to go to the innermost temple and give her attendance to the Head Priest. Her brain told her, ''I have to leave.''

    Just as she thought that she turned around and ran toward the exit. At first, she opened the bathroom door. Realizing that she made a mistake, she strode in the direction of the other door.

    Arthur was momentarily astounded by her action. However, he calmed himself first and not wanting to scare her, he unhurriedlymented, "Are you going to go wearing just that?"

    "Eh?" Veronica paused and looked at him.

    Arthur shrugged and mentioned, "I mean, it looks good on you but it''s not appropriate."

    Only then she gazed at herself and saw that the silver colored silk robe she was wearing was half open. Her left nipple and navel peeked out of the robe.

 Chapter 10 - DRAMA UNFOLDING

    <h4>Chapter 10 - DRAMA UNFOLDING</h4>

    "Ahh!!" She let out a scream and covered her upper body with her hands. Her face became beet red.

    Arthur enjoyed her reaction but didn''t show it on his face. He spoke, "There are your clothes and the wages you earned from workingst night. The women were rather worried about you."

    As he pointed out, Veronica saw a set of clothes carefully folded and ced on the table. Those were the clothes she worest night. She quickly took her clothes and rushed to the bathroom.

    After changing clothes and covering herself properly, she briefly thanked him and left hurriedly. From the window, he stared at her until she disappeared into the downtown alley.

    "What a strange princess!" Arthurmented. "Ah, I forgot to ask her name. They called her Ver, right? Unique girl, unique name. Hard to forget someone like her¡­" He recalledst night''s event.

    shback ¨C

    "¡­Consider my debt to you paid," he said.

    Before Veronica could say anything, her vision spun. Her body turned upside down as he threw her on his shoulder and went out of the room.

    Many guests and prostitutes were peeping inside the room curiously. They were excitedly watching the drama unfolding. It was the very reason he got out of the room.

    He carried Veronica directly into his room. Surprisingly, Madam Morina was still waiting for him. Seeing him carrying a subordinate of her own, she was startled. "Master, this girl¡­"

    "Get out of the room," hemanded without changing his expression.

    Recognizing the girl in his arms, her face became slightly pale. "But, she isn''t for this¡­ I mean, she hasn''t been trained yet. Master always sought out experienced women. Should I select the best women for you instead?"

    The man replied without looking at her, "I know all of your best women, Morina. If this girl isn''t ready yet, you shouldn''t have let another customer have his way with her. Now get out. Don''t spoil my mood more than it already has been."

    Madam Morina nced at Veronica onest time before leaving the room. She closed the door from behind. The door locked from the inside automatically. No one coulde inside until Veronica and the guy opened the door for them.

    The room was rather luxurious. It was a first-ss room for the rich customers ¨C so not everyone could afford to rent this room. The room was spacious. The floor was covered with a cream-colored carpet with an exclusive design. There was a king size bed in the middle of the room. The silk bed sheet was maroon colored. The gorgeous chandelier was right above the bed. There was also a cream colored couch and a golden colored tea table. The finest wine was ced on the table for the customer to enjoy through the night. However, no one had the time to appreciate the interior design.

    The man threw her on the bed and did it much more gently than thest person. The bed was soft andfortable. After her body bounced twice, she opened her mouth in astonishment. She never slept in such a cozy bed before.

    Veronica rolled on the bed but couldn''t move further because the person hovered over her. She looked at him with round eyes.

    Hemented in amusement, "I thought you wanted me, but now you seem more interested in this bed¡­ I''m jealous."

    Veronica remembered that thing she was craving for much more than somefortable mattress right now. The thing that made her thirsty. The man in front of her seemed more delicious than any dinner she had ever had. She just couldn''t help but liken the man before him to food.

    She reached out her hand and hugged him. She drew him closer and wrapped her legs around his back.

    "Hah! Is this your way of seducing me?" a man asked. He let out augh seeing her embracing him like a ko. "What are you? A pet?"

    She tightly embraced him with her hands and legs and stayed like that for a long time. Nheless, it wasn''t enough. His scent and rough skin were driving her crazy. The more tightly she hugged him, the more she wanted him. She ufortably moved her body while tightly holding him close.

    Sensing her difort, he knew he had to do something. He looked down at her and asked, "Do you want some water, princess?"

    "Wa¡­ter¡­" Veronica gazed at him as if she couldn''t understand him. Her eyes were fixed on his lips before she crushed her mouth on it.

    "!!!" His eyes grew wide at the sudden attack. He didn''t think she would be this bold but ''ouch!'' he winced. He would be pleased if she were to kiss him lovingly. However, to an inexperienced girl like her kissing meant biting one''s lips.

    ''I can''t let her eat my lips any longer,'' just as he decided, he pulled away.

    Veronica frowned. She seemed very displeased by his action. She had yet to satisfy her hunger and he took away her meal.

    His golden orbs flicked in amusement. For some reason, after meeting her, he was having a lot more fun than he expected. "You shouldn''t bite people like that," he taught her. "Now, open your mouth. Let me teach you how to kiss someone."

    She absolutely needed to have his lips. For that, she was ready to do anything. She obediently opened her lips and was waiting to bite him again.

    He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in surprise. She never thought kissing could have such a soft feeling. Not only did itfort her, but it also made her crave for more.

    At that time, he confused her by sucking her lower lip gently. She gasped. She closed her eyes and shuddered from the unique sensation. She let him kiss her until she held him firmly and tried to copy his action by sucking his upper lip that was in between her lips.

 Chapter 11 - WANT SOME MORE

    <h4>Chapter 11 - WANT SOME MORE</h4>

    Her petit body was pressed under him. Some wet smooching sounds could be heard in the room along with the hard breathing of a rough man and the panting of a weak being.

    Veronica sensed his hot breath on her face and her body was getting warmer. She felt as if her heart was about to explode. She opened her mouth to inhale some oxygen. However, before she could do that, his tongue entered her mouth, leaving her dumbfounded.

    She subconsciously tried to bite his tongue inside her mouth and he pulled out in reflex. He stared at her flushed face and eyes teared up. Beneath him, she looked like an exquisite helpless feminine beauty. It made his blood boil. He rubbed her hot cheeks with his strong hands and spoke in a hoarse voice, "If you want to feel good, open your mouth and stick out your tongue."

    Veronica didn''t seem to like this idea. She pursed her lips and red at him. Some time passed but none of them moved. Seeing that he wouldn''te forward unless she listened to him, she unwillingly opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue tentatively.

    The man smirked and patted her left cheek. "Good girl," heplimented her for being obedient. His face drew closer until she could feel his breath upon her lips. Afterward, he poked the tip of her tongue with his.

    She flinched and her tongue retreated to her mouth like a tortoise. He patiently waited for her, realizing that she wasn''t used to it. She stuck out her tongue again.

    He rubbed his tongue against hers while gauging her reaction. She felt a jolting pleasure when his tongue met hers. He seemed tough for a moment.

    His tongue smoothly ravaged the inside of her mouth. He slowly made his way around her teeth and the sides of her cheeks. She quivered from the overdose of feelings.

    He changed his position and locked lips with her once more. Since she drank red wine just a few moments ago, her mouth tasted like wine. It wasn''t the highest quality, but, the aphrodisiac in it seemed to affect him a bit as well. He became slightly impatient.

    "Uhm¡­" a sigh escaped her mouth. She followed his action and explored his mouth as well. Their tongues wrestled while their saliva mixed. He was focused on exploring the inside of her mouth through kissing. His tongue twisted and sucked her tongue before letting hers go.

    His golden orbs flickered with a dangerous light. His lips traveled down her jaw, only to nibble on her throat.

    "Mm¡­" a moan escaped from deep within her throat. Whenever his lips brushed against her skin, Veronica felt strange. The more he touched her, the more she felt hot. She was nervous and at the same time, she wanted more.

    While his lips were busy tasting her skin, his palms were already groping her breasts at will. They were big and soft. Theypletely filled his palms. He slowly massaged them, earning another moan from her.

    He didn''t have to take off her clothes as her chest was already bare. His lips trailed down and sucked here and there, making her even more restless.

    After that, his lips pecked on the peak of her right nipple, causing her to arch her back. It was as if she was shoving her breast in his mouth. Just as she wished, he took her breast in his mouth and sucked it hard.

    "Ah!" Veronica moaned. When he continued to suck her sensitive spot, she subconsciously ended up firmly grasping the bedsheet.

    His tongue twirled around her nipple, making it as hard as a stone. He pinched the other one and yed with it in between his fingers. He kept making Veronica breathless with the constant assault on her breasts until she reached her limits.

    Veronica''s head was spinning like a wheel. These foreign sensations within her were so strong that she was unable to think about anything else. She kept moaning and sighing. "Ah! Oh! I¡­ I can''t¡­"

    He breathed heavily. Her soft, sweet moans were igniting a fire inside him. The supple breast in his mouth seemed like a ripened fruit. He couldn''t get enough of it. Moreover, she had a unique, fresh smell. It was the smell of a pure, virgin maiden. Her scent alone was enough to drive him hard.

    He held many women in his arms but she was the first woman who actually seeded in instigating these feelings in him which exceeded his wildest desires. He swirled his tongue around her breast and licked her nipple meticulously. After sucking the right nipple hard, he sought the other one.

    "Hnng¡­ hah¡­ hmm¡­" Veronica lightly gasped for breath. Her right breast became wet with his saliva and her nipple turned deep red due to his onught. Despite that, she yearned for more. She got breathless as he licked around the are before sucking on the flower bud once more.

    While nibbling her left nipple, he couldn''t help but praise her in his mind. Veronica had an amazing petite body. And yet, her body was curvy. Her size felt just right against his body. Her breasts were huge enough to fill his big palms. Her nipples had a pink hue over them, like a cherry bud. Her buttocks were big and round.

    As he yed with her nipples, his hands wandered down and rolled up the hem of her skirt. After that, he spread her slender legs and positioned himself in the middle. His left hand found her private area that was slightly moist.

    His throat became dry. He had this sudden urge to get drunk of her. He explored her lower region by lightly touching it. He pressed against the sweet spot. The fabric that was covering her private area became wet.

    "Oh!" Veronica jolted. A huge amount of electricity ran through every corner of her being. The hunger she was feeling deep inside, doubled all of a sudden. Her emerald eyes were filled with something hot and sensual.

 Chapter 12 - INTENSE PLEASURE

    <h4>Chapter 12 - INTENSE PLEASURE</h4>

    He was observing her reaction as his fingers slid inside the fabric and touched her secret garden. He noticed her trembling like a fallen leaf. He found her small flower as hard as her nipples. He gently pinched it.

    "Hng!" A tingling sensation surged up from deep inside her. She sensed something burning down there. As if her dry throat finally found the oasis she was looking for. She realized this was the thing that she needed to be fed with or her hunger would stay unsated forever. "More¡­" she mumbled like a siren. "Give me more please¡­"

    "As you wish, princess," he obliged and slid his middle finger inside her tight hole. Watching her craving for his touches, he felt his own body burning with desire.

    "Ah!" Veronica jolted as his long, firm finger slowly entered her. As if she was just waiting for this moment. Her muscles clung to his finger desperately as if her life was depending on it.

    Despite her tightness, he slowly slid out. She let out an unsatisfied groan. In the next second, he inserted his finger deeper, immediately earning a sigh of content.

    He felt her fingers crawling above his robe before grasping it tightly. He wasn''t worried about the robe that was especially gifted by Madam Morina. His main focus was on giving her the greatest pleasure she ever felt.

    Being poked, nibbled and slid into and out of repeatedly, Veronica was losing her mind. All her sensitive spots were being teased by him. From the tip of her hair to the toe, everything was shaking from the tremendous pleasure. She sensed something building inside her.

    "S-strange¡­ I feel strange¡­" she mumbled while panting. Her breasts bounced up and down due to her harsh breathing.

    He paused licking her and raised his head. He corrected her, "You mean you feel good."

    "I don''t know¡­" she seemed confused. Her whole body quivered whenever his finger made a move inside. Her grip on his velvet rope tightened.

    "You don''t know? Then, how about this," he added another finger and inserted deep inside her before exploring her walls.

    "Ah!'' Something deep within her twitched, and a zing of pleasure traveled up her spine. Soon, something hot dripped out of her and soaked his hand. For a moment, her vision went nk and everything turned white before her eyes. "Hah¡­ hah¡­ hah¡­" She breathed in and out.

    He slowly pulled out his fingers and licked them. He didn''t usually do this but he had a sudden curiosity to taste her. She tasted better than he expected.

    "You just came. Did it feel good?" His right hand brushed over her head gently. When he did, his robe''s goldence was stuck with her hair. He didn''t notice and moved his hand away. As a result, the ck hair wig came off and her silver hair was exposed.

    "!!!" He was momentarily stunned by this new discovery. In the morning, her head was covered with a scarf and was wearing a robe that covered her back. He didn''t see her hair, or he didn''t have the time to notice her unusual sparkly hair at that time.

    The shining silver locks spread all over the maroon colored bed sheet. Her emerald pupils were shimmering with tears. Her pale face was flushed. Her red lips were slightly open. Her exposed breasts were covered with his saliva and nipples looked like red strawberries. There were red hickeys here and there. She looked like an innocent siren from the fairy tales.

    He could feel his bulge was throbbing for a while and the pain intensified upon seeing her ravaged form. His fingers traced over her lips. "I didn''t know you had such an unusual beauty, my princess."

    Veronica stared at him with a hunger in her pure eyes. Her expression was so naked that he shuddered. He inserted his thumb inside her mouth and inquired, "Was it not enough?"

    "¡­Not enough¡­ give me¡­ more¡­" she dered in a quivering voice. She seemed like she wanted to say more but her lips got covered with his before she could.

    Unlike those gentle kisses before, it was a passionate kiss, full of desire. His forehead was wet due to sweats. While kissing he sat on the bed and strongly pulled her body against his. He forcefully tore away her remaining clothes like a savage beast. His stiff cock pushed up against her wet mound.

    As his hard penis poked her deep garden, a moan escaped her lips. "Oh!" She subconsciously rubbed her lower part against him.

    He roughly nibbled her lower lip and then sucked her sweet tongue until it became numb. After devouring her lips, he panted while saying, "You know how to make a man fall for you, princess."

    His robe already slipped from his upper body. His firm back was scratched by her nails. He usually didn''t like the women who tried to leave their marks on his body. However, he didn''t mind this time. He liked it when her skin touched his. He overlooked the scratch marks.

    Her mind went nk when he greedily covered her small mouth. His right hand held her waist to keep her moving away from him and his left hand slipped inside her and yed with her clitoris.

    "Ahh¡­" Veronica''s body trembled at the stimtion and began to react. Then he began to rub her again. In the end, her juices drenched both of their thighs and made his finger slippery.

    When he added three fingers inside her tight hole, Veronica pushed her body forward. His right hand slipped from her waist and groped her buttocks.

    Her body was raised up and her breasts came into view. Seeing the bouncing peaches right in front of his face, his golden orbs darkened. He couldn''t control himself and took one of them in his mouth.

    "Hnng!" a soft moan slipped out of her mouth. Her inner walls clenched to him 0tightly. She couldn''t stop the wave of pleasure. She never felt like this before.

 Chapter 13 - DUTY CALLS

    <h4>Chapter 13 - DUTY CALLS</h4>

    The heat of those two couldn''t be controlled. The cool night breeze wasn''t enough to cool them off.

    Even though she was on the verge of fainting from the pleasure, he didn''t stop ying with her hole. He persistently used his three fingers to slip them in and out.

    "Hnng! Aaah!" Veronica couldn''t help but scream. As the blood continued to pulse through her core, her wet entrance twitched and began to contract. Veronica''s toned thighs began to tremble. She reached her peak without any warning.

    Veronica threw her head on the back and her silver locks danced. A tingling sensation spread all over her body and it caused her to spasm. The blissful moment passed away slowly and her senses dulled. She had no strength left.

    Realizing that her drug went off, he carefullyid her down. He saw her emerald eyes stared at the ceiling without expression. He looked down on her nude body with appreciation in his eyes before he wiped his wet lips with his hand and licked it.

    After that, he got off the bed and went straight to the bathroom. The hot water was already cooled. He soaked himself in the cool water and sighed. He ced his hand on his hard member and moved his hand continuously. He recalled her naked body, alluring expression, seductive moans, sensual feelings, sweet and unique scent. His hand''s pace quickened and soon he reached the climax.

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­" he panted heavily and thought, ''It was a long night.''

    shback ends ¨C

    Arthur felt his throat dry. In the morning, his body was growing hot.

    --------------

    "Huff! Huff!" Veronica panted as she reached the secret door to the kitchen. She ran so fast that she felt like her lungs were about to explode. She took a deep breath before going to the top of the tower where she lived and changed her clothes.

    She was already ten minuteste. She didn''t have enough time to bathe. Therefore, she only changed her clothes and stuffed the rest of the clothes under the bed.

    She nervously went to the inner temple to report her presence. She stood up in front of the Head Priest''s office and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

    "Come in." She could hear a stern voiceing from inside. She gulped and went inside. She spoke in a timid voice, "Please excuse me."

    She saw a woman, around fifty years old, reading the holy book of Goddess Juvena sitting beside the East windows. The wrinkles on her face were prominent,plimenting her serious countenance rather urately. And, a few of her hair strands turned grey. She was wearing a simple white garment and a golden colored belt just like Veronica.

    Without lifting her head, she said, "A human''s great virtue is punctuality. Have I forgotten to teach you this?"

    Veronica lowered her head in shame. "No, Sister Josephine. I''m sorry. It won''t happen again." It was the first time she had done something like this.

    Sister Josephine adjusted her brown colored round spectacles and stated, "Don''t promise something you cannot keep. You are fifteen minuteste. Hurry up and finish all the work you have to. If you managed to stay obedient for the following three months, you will be appointed as an apprentice priest."

    Veronica gasped in surprise. Her lips quivered. It was her dream, being a priest who could bring peace to the world. She gleefully said, "Thank you so much, Sister Josephine."

    Sister Josephine nonchntly dismissed her, "Hmm, you can go now."

    Veronica nodded, "Yes, I will! But, what about the Head Priest?"

    Sister Josephine replied, "He went to the prayer room. If you have anything to tell him, do it after you are done with work."

    "Okay, thank you, Sister Josephine." Thanking her once again, Veronica set off to start her duties.

    The whole day, she was busy wiping and cleaning. She didn''t have any time to think about yesterday''s events. She only took a little break during lunch, that too for lunch and went to the kitchen.

    Since she waste, most of the brothers and sisters were already done eating. Even the kitchen staff had left to take some rest. The only person she could see was the cook. He would stay in the kitchen until everyone finished eating. Meaning, he was especially waiting for her.

    The cook saw her entering the kitchen and eximed in concern, "My dear Ver, why do you look so worn out? Are you having a hard time in the inner temple?"

    Veronica sat on the bench and ced her head on the wooden table. "Why were there no people to help me?" She was so tired that she couldn''t even move her arms, legs, and waist properly. It had been a long time since she worked this much.

    The cook was a round shaped middle aged man. He had a curvy mustache. He always showed it off to everyone with pride. He had been taking care of Veronica since she was a child.

    The cook served her meal andmented, "That''s odd. Why would you be doing the chores all alone? The inner temple isrger than the inner pce!"

    "I have been thinking the same thing. Uncle Felix, do I have to work alone for the next three months?" Veronica gave him a pitiful look.

    Cook Felix stroked her head while replying, "Ver dear, you have to ask this to Sister Josephine directly. She manages everything."

    "Sister Josephine," she mumbled the nun''s name before taking a sharp breath. ''Could it be because I was fifteen minuteste? That''s too much!'' She cried without shedding tears.

    Crying wouldn''t solve anything. She thanked Goddess Juvena for the meal and prayed for the food provider''s health and then, she began to eat.

    Cook Felix sat across the bench. "Ver, there was something I had to say to you."

    Veronica responded while eating, "Mm? What is it?"

    "It was your birthday and I could only give you this," Cook Felix ced a small brown colored parchment bag and gently shoved it toward her.

    Veronica opened the pouch and found her favorite cookies inside. She beamed with happiness. "Uncle Felix, thank you for the gift! No one gave me any presents on my birthday and you arete too." She pouted whileining.

    "I went to meet youst night to give you the cookies you liked. Unfortunately, you weren''t home," he used her as he crossed his arms.

    "Ah!" The smile vanished from Veronica''s face instantly. Her face paled.

    She was out all night. How could he give it to her?

    Everyone was supposed to retire to their rooms around ten in the evening. Since he couldn''t get to meet her, that meant she was in the town at that time.

    She nervously raised her head and noticed his curious look. It was very clear. He wanted to know where she had been around that period of time.

    How could she tell him that she broke the temple rules? She was about to be an apprentice priest. She couldn''t ruin such an opportunity just because of this.

    She began to stammer, "Umm¡­ the thing is¡­"

 Chapter 14 - HER CONCERN

    <h4>Chapter 14 - HER CONCERN</h4>

    Veronica began to sweat. She was debating whether she should tell him the truth or not. However, she wasn''t good at lying because she never lied. She had no reason to lie.

    But, there was a high chance for her to be demoted if she told others that she actually broke one of the rules. She could forget about being an apprentice priest in such a case.

    She began to stammer, "Umm¡­ the thing is¡­ I was¡­"

    "Did you go out for a stroll?" Cook Felix asked.

    "Huh?" Veronica nced at him. Her emerald pupils were staring at him nervously and confusedly.

    Cook Felixughed and assured her, saying, "Ver, it''s fine. You are not the only one who usually goes to the garden in the evening and watches stars. I''ve seen many of our brothers and sisters doing the same thing. This is nothing to be ashamed of, trust me. I think it''s good to gaze upon the stars and think about the future."

    Veronica inquired, "The future? Why do we have to think about the future?" She secretly sighed in relief. She couldn''t figure out a convincing way to lie to him. He actually saved her by assuming something else entirely.

    Cook Felix lectured, "Everyone should think about the future and be prepared for anything. You know, the future doesn''t always work the way we expect it to be. That''s why we have to be careful. This way, when a stormes, you won''t be swept aside by the strong wind."

    "Is that so¡­" Veronica mumbled while eating. She thought aboutst night''s incident. ''If I had been careful enough, maybe I wouldn''t have to work at that ce and I wouldn''t be assaulted. And also, I wouldn''t be¡­'' her thoughts trailed off. Thinking about her shameless behaviorst night, her face instantly flushed. She lowered her head and thought, ''I need holy water.''

    Even now, she couldn''t understand why she did such a thing. It was as if she had turned into a different personpletely.

    It was unimaginable that she would crave for a man. And she let an unknown man touch her most private area that even she never touched. She shivered concluding that ''the booze'' people liked was a cursed liquid. in water was much better.

    After she was done with her lunch, she went back to the inner temple and wiped the floor of the prayer rooms. When she went back to her room, it was almost midnight. She could barely stand straight. She didn''t bother to wipe her hair and went to bed. All of a sudden, she heard a scream. The shrieking noise pierced through her ears.

    She jumped out of the bed and opened the door. She wasn''t the only one who heard the sound. Others did too. Most of them already went to bed. They opened the doors and came out of their rooms wearing nightclothes. They were puzzled and terrified to hear a horrifying scream in the middle of the night.

    Veronica''s heart was beating fast. She asked the girl close to her, "Sister, what happened?"

    The beautiful girl politely answered, "I don''t know. I was in the bed. No one here knows what is going on."

    "Shouldn''t we check?" Veronica suggested.

    Another girl stated, "How can we? It''s past curfew."

    They couldn''t because there was a rule that no one could walk out of the building after midnight except for an emergency. However, no one ever broke this rule and the girls in the tower didn''t want to do anything that even pushed those rules to the limit. They were afraid of breaking rules and the consequences that followed.

    Veronica questioned them, "Aren''t you all worried about who screamed?"

    "I believe there is an exnation for that," one of them said. She was a red haired beauty. Her name was Reba. She was in charge of the girls of this tower. "We should get some sleep. Everyone has work to do tomorrow. Someone will surely exin whatever happened tonight in the morning."

    Everyone agreed with her decision and went back to their rooms. Veronica did the same. But, her heart was very bothered.

    Sheid on the bed and thought about the scream. It was a screech of a woman. It was so terrifying that her sleepiness flew out of the window as soon as it reached her ears earlier. She shut her eyes and tried to sleep.

    However, her unsettled heart couldn''t calm down. She opened her eyes and decided to check whatever happened with her own eyes.

    It was the first time she had ever heard of a person''s horrifying scream. In this peaceful temple, there shouldn''t be any incident that could make a person yell like that. She needed to find out the reason.

    She changed her clothes and went outside. It was already past midnight and the fires of the torches were long extinguished. She adjusted her eyes and then slowly walked in the absolute darkness.

    Growing up in this ce, she knew every nook and cranny of this ce. Visualizing the ce in the dark, she headed to the stairs.

    Fortunately, she did not meet anyone in the stairway or she would be grounded for a week. There was a vegetable garden in between the two towers. One tower was for girls. That''s where she lived. And the other one was for boys.

    Veronica paused in a dark corner and pondered from where the sound came earlier. At that time, she heard some footsteps. Her heart thumped and she quickly hid behind arge pir.

    The owners of the footsteps were in a hurry. They swiftly walked in the direction of the other side of the boys'' tower.

    ''Should I follow them? They could go to the ce from where the scream came.'' She decided to follow them. While walking, she gazed upon the sky.

    It was the new moon but there wasn''t a sign of the moon on the horizon. The sky was clouded. The stars were covered with ck clouds. The gloomy sky was giving off a sad feeling.

    She quickened her steps and followed them from behind. She couldn''t see who they were. But, they headed toward the senior priests'' chambers.

 Chapter 15 - FOLLOW THEM

    <h4>Chapter 15 - FOLLOW THEM</h4>

    There was a huge oval shaped wall around the temple. There were four towers at each corner. The southeast tower was for the adult females who were all above sixteen. The southwest tower was for the adult males who were above sixteen. The northeast tower was for young females and the northwest tower was for young males.

    Most of the adult males and females were either Apprentice Priest or helpers who took care of the daily chores like Veronica. The children in the temple were few in numbers and they would mostly study and y. They took turns in helping elders.

    There was a royal temple for the royal families, aristocrats and the senior priests in the west wing. There was amoner temple for themoners, junior priests, apprentice priests and others who lived there. Both temples were spacious and luxurious. The royal family, aristocrats and themoners didn''t waste any effort to build the temples. The temples were surrounded by flower gardens.

    The south wing had Junior Priests'' quarters and their office. The Senior Priests'' quarters and office were in the north wing. In the middle were the oval shaped inner temple and Head Priest''s quarter and office. After that, there was a Holy Tree in the middle, surrounded by the flower garden and the inner temple.

    Since the Senior Priests lived in the north wing, the people in front of Veronica strode to the north. She did her best not to make a sound but she tripped. She nearly fell on the ground but bnced herself.

    Her heart was racing in nervousness. She looked at the front and sighed in relief. No one noticed her. This time, she became even more careful while walking.

    Soon, they reached the Senior Priests'' quarter and saw amotion. On the first floor, some of the lights in the Senior Priests'' rooms were turned on. Those who were present, were talking in a hushed tone although they couldn''t cover their anxiousness.

    ''It seems like something grave happened. What could have happened?'' Veronica wondered. She hid behind a flower bush and peeked out carefully.

    Five fully dressed males and three fully dressed females gathered in front of one room. Sister Josephine was present. They were standing near a distraught woman. The woman was sitting on the cold floor and was crying her heart''s out.

    One of the girls patted her back and said, "Sister Mary, please don''t cry anymore. You will wake everyone up."

    "B-but¡­ she is dead¡­ she is¡­ she is dead¡­" Sister May wailed.

    Sister Josephine sighed and looked at others and asked them, "Did you see anyone being curious or asking questions?"

    "We haven''t seen anyone," one of those five males replied.

    One girl stated, "Those who were concerned, we told them that there was nothing to worry about. We would notify them tomorrow about today''s incident."

    One of the boys questioned, "Are we really going to inform others?"

    "We better hide the truth." Sister Josephine sighed. "I don''t know what she was thinking."

    ''Who was thinking what?'' Veronica pondered. She wanted to know badly why Sister Mary was crying. What could be the reason she was so heartbroken.

    At that time, another male voice spoke with a sigh, "I can''t believe Sister Ruth is gone."

    "It''s truly tragic," another fellowmented. They were genuinely upset. It could be understood from the tone of their voices.

    "She was fine even at dinner. We had been chatting andughing so much," Sister Mary sobbed as she recalled tonight''s dinner time.

    Veronica froze on the spot. She knew Sister Ruth. She was one of the Senior Priests. She was in charge of the young girls in the North-East tower.

    Veronica remembered how Sister Ruth would give choctes to the children who were obedient. She would tell them stories once a week. She always smiled brightly. She never said ''no'' to anyone who asked for a favor. She had the kindest soul.

    Veronica''s heart shook. She never dreamed of such a person''s death. Sister Ruth was only five years older than her. That made her think, ''She was so young. How could she just die like that? It''s not like she had any injuries. She wasn''t sick either. Then how can a strong, healthy person die?''

    No matter how many times she thought about that, she couldn''t find any reason for her sudden death. Her heart was filled with grief.

    Sister Josephine stated, "We mustn''t talk about her death so casually. The darkness is feeling our hearts. If it wasn''t, she wouldn''t have ended her life like that." After a pause, she instructed, "Let''s take her body to the inner pce. We must preserve her body for tonight. Her body will be buried tomorrow. We have to notify the Head Priest. I can''t imagine how sad he will be after hearing this."

    Two males carried Sister Ruth''s body to the inner temple. From the bushes, Veronica saw her unmoved pale hand hanging on the side. Her heart shuddered. ''End her life? How could someone end their own life?'' her brain wasn''t working.

    Ever since she set foot on the town, she had been thinking about how much shecked knowledge. Tonight, she got to learn that someone could kill themselves. She wished she never learned this horrifying truth.

    She saw two boys wereforting Sister Mary. They were also Senior Priests like her. Others followed the dead body and left this ce.

    Sister Mary shed tears and said, "Sister Ruth was telling me about the children. She was saying how she was going to teach them about the life of a nt. She looked so excited. To think she would hang herself right after going back to her room¡­ I¡­ if I didn''te to talk to her about tomorrow''s lessons, I wouldn''t have found out about her. No one would have. We would have left her like that the whole night."

    Upon hearing her cry, Veronica''s eyes teared up. She covered her mouth and stayed there until everyone left.

    After a long time, she wiped her tears and was about to get up.

    That''s when she heard footsteps.

 Chapter 16 - THE BACK ALLEY ADVENTURE

    <h4>Chapter 16 - THE BACK ALLEY ADVENTURE</h4>

    Veronica was standing behind the bush. Just then, she heard footsteps. It seemed like the owner of the footsteps headed in her direction. She hurriedly sat down. ''Am I busted?'' She thought nervously.

    She didn''t dare to look up to check who it was. Her heart was thumping so loud that she was afraid that the person who was walking closer would hear her heartbeat.

    The sound of the footsteps gradually intensified. She held her breath and braced herself. She prepared herself for the worst.

    To her surprise, the person walked past the bush she was hiding behind.

    Veronica waited until the person walked further away. Only when the footsteps almost turned faint did she open her eyes. As she couldn''t curb her curiosity, she peeked to see where that person was going.

    She noticed a dark figure. She couldn''t recognize the figure. It slowly but steadily walked in the direction of the room where Sister Ruth just died. Then the figure disappeared inside the room.

    ''Who is that person going to Sister Ruth''s room and for what reason?'' She pondered. ''No one wears dark clothes in our temple. Is this an outsider?'' She gasped as she came up with a conclusion. ''It couldn''t be a thief trying to steal from Sister Ruth, right?''

    The person came out of her room not long after and was now heading to the East.

    To find out what''s the motive of that person, Veronica chased after that figure. She followed the figure carefully, trying not to make a sound or trip once again.

    That person walked a long while before stopping in front of a huge wall. Veronica also paused. She knew it was the wall of the outer perimeter of the temple. Behind the wall was the town.

    ''There is no way he can climb this high wall¡­'' she wasn''t finished talking to herself before that person started climbing the wall as if it was provided with an invisible yet zig-zaggeddder. She gaped at the figure in disbelief. It didn''t seem like it was a human.

    If he climbed the wall like this, how could she follow him?

    A sudden idea shed in her mind. The kitchen was just a few meters away from the ce where she was standing now. She hastily ran in that direction.

    Using the secret door, she got out of the temple area and reached the dark alley. She was wondering how that person would get out of that ce.

    When she saw that figure, swiftly jumping from the wall, she felt like her heart was leaping out of her chest. If it was her, she would have definitely died by now. The wall wasn''t just any normal wall. It was a fifty two feet tall wall.

    To her surprise, the figure gracefullynded on the ground without even making a sound. Afterward, the person blended into the darkness.

    ''Where did he go? That person was right here!'' Veronica rubbed her eyes. ''I shouldn''t let him go. Maybe, just maybe that person knew the reason behind Sister Ruth''s death. For a kind person like her¡­ to take her own life¡­ I believe it has to have a logical exnation.'' She marched into the darkness of the back alley to find out who that person was.

    Although the lights of the town were still lit, people were hardly walking on the streets. It was past midnight. Only a few shops and restaurants were open, along with some motels. Only small groups gathered here and there, to y cards or gossip.

    Whenever she walked past a group, the men would stare at her. Veronica didn''t have enough time to notice their weird gazes. Her eyes were darting around to find the person who she was sticking to. She didn''t have the time to mind where she was actually heading.

    She entered another smallne and finally found that person. Her eyes lit up. Not to lose that figure again, she strode forward and was ready to catch that person red handed. She stretched her hand to pull the ck robe.

    At that moment, her hand was grasped abruptly by something dark and she was pulled into another passage in the next second.

    Veronica opened her mouth to yell but her small mouth was covered. Something strong was wrapped around her waist. She couldn''t move. Her soul was about to leave her body in fear. Her body stiffened due to nervousness.

    That''s when she heard a voice, "And what business brought ady like yourself to this alley? Aren''t you worried that you would be attacked likest time?"

    The voice was oddly familiar. If her memory served her correctly, she heard this voice today at dawn.

    Veronica rxed her body. Observing that she wasn''t struggling anymore, Arthur loosened his grip on her mouth and let her go. She quickly left the passage and tried to locate the person she was looking for but that ck figure was long gone.

    She turned around and faced Arthur. She vented her anger on him, "Why did you stop me? Because of you, I lost that man."

    Arthur narrowed his eyes and saw her face that turned red in anger. "Are you saying that you deliberately wore a night garment and walked on the streets to seduce someone? I guess I thought too highly of you." His tone showed a bit of annoyance. He himself didn''t know for what reason he was feeling annoyed.

    "Night garment?" Veronica looked down and noticed her attire.

    Earlier, she was going to sleep but upon hearing a shout, she only wrapped a thin shawl around her shoulders and went out. When she decided to find out what was happening, she quickly wore her worn out boots.

    She froze on the spot. It was definitely an inappropriate dress to go out. She thanked the goddess for not facing any trouble yet.

    "Umm¡­" she hesitated before continuing, "Do you have any spare robe?" She wished to cover herselfpletely before going after that person.

    "Are you still hoping to find him? Forget about him. He is long gone," Arthur dismissed her intentions immediately. He was waiting for someone here. He didn''t envision that he would find her here of all ces.

    Veronica panicked. "Then what should I do now? I need to find that person at any cost!"

 Chapter 17 - NEED TO FIND THAT PERSON

    <h4>Chapter 17 - NEED TO FIND THAT PERSON</h4>

    When her expression became timid, Arthur''s temper was gone. He softened his tone as he said, "Are you still hoping to find him? Forget about him. He is long gone."

    Veronica panicked. "Then what should I do now? I need to find that person at any cost!"

    "Toote," saying that he turned around and began to walk away.

    Veronica was in a dilemma. She needed to go after that person and at the same time, she couldn''t do anything since she wasn''t wearing anything appropriate. When she thought of walking in the street dressed like this, her head hung in shame.

    She looked around and realized that she was in an unknown ce. Her palms began to sweat. She saw Arthur going further away and quickly followed after him. She inquired, "You said it was a man. How did you know it was a man and not a woman?"

    Arthur raised an eyebrow and asked her in return, "When did I say he was a man?"

    Veronica noticed his teasing tone. She couldn''t let him tease her like that. It was a serious matter. She pointed it out, "You said, ''are you still hoping to find him?'' You mentioned ''him''."

    "You are smarter than I expected," Arthur acknowledged.

    They walked in the street and turned to the left. Thene got narrower. There was hardly any light to see anything. Arthur lit a torch so that they could see the path in front.

    However, Veronica had no time to notice anything. She felt proud when heplimented her. She was hardly praised in the temple no matter how good she was at study or work. She boasted about herself, "Excuse me? I''m the top student in my ss."

    "Heh," Arthur chuckled. "For someone who doesn''t know the way of the world can''t be too knowledgeable."

    In his eyes, she was a young miss from the aristocrat faction. She has manners and is docile. She spoke well. It meant that she had a good education in manners. Only aristocrats had enough money to spend on that kind of thing.

    Veronica couldn''t be prouder. She stated, "I know the history of the origin of our world and all the countries that are included in the map. I also know of the Great War of First Age."

    Arthur ceased walking and turned to look at her, "You know about the Great War of First Age?"

    The Great War of the First Age was the cruelest part of history. Academies don''t usually teach students the whole part of history. Not just anyone can handle this kind of cruel truth. Many students became insane after reading the history of the Great War. That''s why, books were modified for the students so that they could handle it. In case something went wrong, the academies didn''t want to take risks andpletely banned history books regarding the Great War.

    If Veronica read the history of the Great War, she must have studied in a well known academy where books covering the topic existed ¨C that''s what he concluded.

    Veronica was feeling smug. She reminded him, "Yes, I told you I''m the top of my ss."

    They reached the end of the alley. She saw the three storied building. There was a red colored wooden door and a torch above the door. Arthur opened the door and told her, "Pleasee in."

    Veronica entered the house and said, "Sorry to intrude." She saw a dining room and an attached kitchen. Everything was neat and clean. It was the first time she was in someone else''s house. She curiously looked around.

    The room wasn''t too spacious nor small. The wall was dyed in burgundy color. The floor was mosaiced with white stone. White curtains were covering the windows. The windows were tightly shut. There was a wooden dining table with ten chairs. There was a wooden water gallon in the corner. The walls were decorated with paintings. ''So pretty,'' sheplimented the decoration in her mind.

    Arthur walked toward the kitchen and said, "Make yourself at home. Would you like some tea?"

    "Tea?" Veronica asked in confusion. "What''s a tea?"

    "What? You don''t know what tea is?" Arthur was surprised. The thought of her being an aristocratpletely wiped off from his mind.

    Veronica shook her head. "I don''t. So, what is it?" She wondered what it was.

    Arthur exined, "It''s a warm drink that makes people feel refreshed."

    Veronica seemed like she had mastered another knowledge. "So, this isn''t like booze that makes people feel weird."

    "Booze?" Arthur gave her a weird look. "You mean beer and wine?"

    Veronica quickly nodded, "Yes, that makes people turn crazy and make them act weird."

    "I won''t use the word crazy but drunk people do act crazy." Arthur pulled a wooden chair and told her to sit.

    "Yes, it''s horrible. Even I¡­" Veronica couldn''t finish her words. Her pale cheeks blushed. She quickly sat on the chair.

    "You meanst night?" Arthur snickered. "That''s an entirely different thing. Something else was mixed with the red wine you had drunkst night. That was aphrodisiac."

    "Aphrodisiac?" She was puzzled. Right after meeting him, she got to learn many new words from him. Since she was eager to learn more, she liked talking to him.

    Arthur narrated in detail, "Yes, it also has another name. Love juice. If someone drank this, they would react like you didst night. So, whatever you did under that drug''s influence wasn''t your fault. You have no personality problem."

    "So, that''s how it is¡­" Veronica''s racing heart stopped pounding hard. She didn''t look like she was embarrassed anymore.

    ''I quite liked her shy expression. Too bad,'' Arthur thought. He ignited the stove and warmed up the water to make some tea.

    The two of them became quiet. While Arthur was making tea, Veronica watched him. Many thoughts swirled in her mind. Finally, the silence was broken by her.

    "I had a question." Without giving him any opportunity, she asked him, "How did you know that person was a man? Do you know him?"

 Chapter 18 - BACKSTORY

    <h4>Chapter 18 - BACKSTORY</h4>

    "I don''t have a full name. I haven''t been baptized yet. My name is Veronica. I live in the temple," Veronica introduced herself in a polite fashion. "What about you?" She was bing more curious about him.

    Arthur told her, "I haven''t been baptized either. So, I also have one name."

    Veronica tilted her head. "How can that be? You should at least have a family name."

    Arthur shook his head as he replied, "I don''t. What about you? Why don''t you have a family name?"

    "I''m an orphan," Veronica stated.

    Arthur looked at her in the eyes. Her emerald eyes were firmly staring at him. There was no touch of sadness. He said, "There are two types of orphans in the temple. One, after they were born, they had no parents to take care of them, and two, their parents threw them in the temple and never return. Which one are you?"

    Veronica answered truthfully, "I don''t remember anything. All I have heard that after my parents died, I was brought to the temple."

    When she saw children going to the temple to pray along with their parents, she asked Sister Josephine about the whereabouts of her parents. Sister Josephine told her what she knew. No one saw her rtives since they put her in the corner of the main gate of the temple on a dark night.

    Arthur suddenly wished to know more about her. He kept asking, "Who sent you to the temple?"

    Veronica shrugged. "I don''t know. They said it was my rtives."

    He raised an eyebrow andmented, "Don''t rtives usually adopt the orphans?"

    Veronica sipped in the cup and drank the warm tea. It had a sweet and sour vor of honey and lemon. It gave her a warm feeling as the warmth spread all over her chest. She felt refreshed. Afterplimenting the taste of the sweet tea, she told him, "They do unless they are poor."

    Arthur finally understood her situation. He concluded, "So, your rtives are poor."

    Veronica slightly nodded. "I think so. Moreover, they left the country too. Therefore, we were never in touch."

    Arthur put down the empty cup and inquired, "Do you me them for leaving you in the temple? You must have a hard life there."

    Normal people would hate their rtives and would curse them for leaving them in the temple. The life of a temple was harsher than living a simple life.

    Not onlymoners, but aristocrats send their children to the temple as well. Since everyone is treated as the children of Goddess Juvena, everyone is equal there. No one can use their family influence to bully others and work less.

    No one likes harsh treatment. Because of that, bothmoners and aristocratsined about this. However, it didn''t work in the slightest. On the contrary, those whoined got harshbor for the next few months. They were worn out after that and eventually shut their mouths.

    Arthur thought Veronica would be like that and yet, her answer waspletely different from what he had imagined.

    She said nonchntly, "Not really. How can I me them? I have a roof on my head. I can eat and sleep without worrying about the future. I can have free education. I have a disciplined life, but it''s not bad. My rtives must have done this thinking that it will be the best for me. I''m forever grateful. If I ever see them, I''ll thank them from the bottom of my heart."

    She paused and added, "I was taught something important when I was little and I don''t intend to forget that."

    "What is it?" he asked out of reflex.

    She stated in a matter-of-fact voice, "Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness and bad days give you experience"

    ''Pure, kind and na?ve¡­ she will have a hard time if she keeps wandering out of the temple frequently,'' Arthur thought. He let out a chuckle. ''I guess humanity isn''t wasted yet. I had lost hope a long time ago. And, look at her, she always found the positive side of everything throughout all the challenges.''

    He yed with the cup that had already cooled down. As he wasn''t speaking, she didn''t speak further. Two of them stayed silent for a long time.

    Arthur broke the silence first. He asked her, "Shouldn''t you go back to the temple? It''s past curfew time I think."

    When he heard no sound from her, he raised his head and as he expected, she dozed off. She was worn out from the harshbor. She wasn''t able to keep her eyes open any longer.

    The honey lemon tea made her rxed. The feeling of warmth, a serene environment, and the cozy ce was enough to send her to the dreand. She was sleeping so soundly that even a strong buzzing sound wouldn''t wake her up.

    He let out a sigh. ''Honestly, she has no sense of danger. How did she manage to survive till now? She is seriously going to have a bad experience again like before.''

    Arthur stood up and walked over to her side. There was a trace of tea on her lips. He took out his handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped it off. After that, he carefully carried her to the second floor and moved her to the empty bedroom.

    He ced her on the bed and covered her with a thin nket. In the dark, he could see her silver hair glowing. He looked at her for a long time before saying, "Good night, na?ve princess."

    And, when he was about to get up, his neck was caught with something. With his excellent eyesight, he noticed that his ne was stuck to her. When he was covering her with the nket, the ne somehow got caught up in her dress.

    If he needed to take it out, he had to insert his hand under the nket and somewhere around her chest.

    What to do?

 Chapter 19 - LOCKET AND HER

    <h4>Chapter 19 - LOCKET AND HER</h4>

    Arthur was in a dilemma. He gave her a thoughtful look before reaching out his hand. He tentatively pulled down the nket and tried to take his locket back. However, his hand touched something cold. It wasn''t the squishy chest he hoped he would touch. It felt boney.

    He furrowed his eyebrow and lowered his head. His hand brushed over her slender fingers. She was clutching the ne with her both hands close to her chest.

    ''Honestly,'' Arthur let out a helpless groan. He took off the chain and let her have it. He didn''t want to spend a night with her doing nothing.

    Sob¡­ sob¡­

    He was startled upon hearing crying noises. He reached out toward her eyes and found them wet. ''Is she crying for the nun who just died? So, she finally came out of the shock and understood that the nun is long gone. Her reaction is far toote. Or is it that she tried to hide her emotions from me? I thought a girl like her would be a cry baby. Well, that makes a woman annoying. It''s good that she at least tried to hold herself back.''

    Arthur didn''t stay there any longer and left the room. He closed the door before leaving. He didn''t like women crying unless they were crying from pleasure. He would rather have a woman who would wipe her tears and fight for herself.

    He went downstairs and washed the cups. After that, he hung them on the wall, took a tobo pipe, and added some tobo. Then, he circted a soft me around the top of the tobo, while using a firm, steady puff. The tobo rose up during this initial lighting. And then, he tamped the tobo and relighted. The pipe stayed lit with minimal effort.

    Later, he went to the living room and sat on the cozy couch. The living room had the same design as the dining room. The only difference was that the floor was covered with a burgundy colored carpet. He rxed his body and released some smoke in the air.

    Afterward, he opened his mouth and uttered in an unhurried tone, "You arete."

    "I''m sorry," a voice spoke in an apologetic tone.

    Arthur inhaled softly and then released another good amount of smoke. "And, you let someone tail you. An amateur at that."

    The person spoke truthfully, "I wasn''t in the right frame of mind."

    Arthur firmly spoke, "I don''t want to hear any excuses."

    "I''m sorry," the man apologized again in a polite tone. He was standing beside the window,pletely covered in ck clothes. Only his eyes could be seen. Those sapphire eyes were flickering in the dark.

    "Stop apologizing," Arthur demanded. He paused before continuing, "So, she died."

    The man hung his head and replied, "¡­Yes¡­"

    Arthur let out a sigh in frustration. "Are all the people inside the temple fools?" When Veronica said that someone close to her died and she lived in the temple, he had already guessed what happened there. Though he was prepared for this, he didn''t wish for this oue. Rather than being sad, he was annoyed.

    "It was her choice," the man in ckmented.

    Arthur let out a low growl. In his eyes, women were the most foolish creatures in the world. For the sake of others, they only knew to sacrifice themselves. They never cared what would happen after they were gone. They would act helpless and pitiful as if they couldn''t stand on their own two feet. Even if they had a chance, they wouldn''t take it.

    It reminded him of his childhood. He frowned in annoyance. "Why didn''t you bring her dead body?"

    The man in ck answered, "I was toote. Her body was taken inside the inner temple."

    Arthur raised an eyebrow and finally looked at him. "And? Which inner temple could ever block you from going in? You could have easily brought her body."

    However, the man in ck stayed silent.

    Arthur sighed. There was no point in talking to someone who just failed toplete his mission. "Fine, go get some rest. You had an exhausting day."

    "Then, please excuse me." The man in ck bowed and left swiftly.

    Arthur stared at the smoke swirling in the room. All of a sudden, the tobo tasted bitter. He couldn''t smoke anymore. He extinguished the fire and ced it on the small table beside him. The night seemed gloomy for no reason.

    ------------

    Veronica dreamed of Sister Ruth. She was smiling kindly at her and telling her to find happiness. She also told her not to give up. She (Veronica) wanted to follow her. She had so many things to ask. However, Sister Ruth vanished amidst the heavy fog. She was unable to find her after that.

    She gasped and opened her eyes. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, dampening the pillow. She wiped her tears and sat up in the bed. Her heart broke thinking about Sister Ruth. Only she knew how much she would miss that kind and gentle senior of hers.

    Veronica took some deep breaths to ease her heart. Crying now would only make Sister Ruth''s soul restless. She had to give her a proper farewell today. She let out a deep sigh and then stretched her arms.

    After that, she got up from the bed and her legs searched for her slippers. ''Hmm? Where are my slippers?'' Rather than getting a feeling of a cold floor, her feet touched something warm and soft.

    She quickly pulled her legs back onto the bed and looked at the ground with wide eyes. Her heart shuddered as she saw the snowy white carpet. She had no recollection of this ce.

    ''Where am I? What is going on?'' Her heart was shaking. The room was bright. She could see a simple bedroom with a bed, a bedside table, a water jar, and a wardrobe. The room was bigger than her bedroom and the temperature of the room was warm.

    She looked dumbfounded. Her heart was beating faster due to nervousness. She was about to scream when the door of the room silently opened wide.

    Arthur looked at her and smiled. "I see you are awake. Breakfast is on the table. Freshen up first and then join me for breakfast."

    Veronica finally recalledst night''s incident and realized that she had stayed outside the whole night again. ''This is bing a bad habit. I need to change this,'' she rubbed her head while pondering. "What time is it?" She asked him.

    Arthur casually replied, "It is half-past ten."

    "What?!" Veronica''s heart dropped.

    She let out an internal scream, ''I''mte again! No!!!''

 Chapter 20 - WHAT WILL YOU DO?

    <h4>Chapter 20 - WHAT WILL YOU DO?</h4>

    "You will choke if you eat any faster than this," Arthurmented. He was cutting a slice of cheese to eat with the bread.

    "But I don''t have time." Veronica ced the poached egg in between the pieces of bread and took a huge bite. While chewing, she took a ss of water and chugged it hard. She always had a hard time waking up in the morning. Thus, she learned how to eat her meals fast to cover up for her waking upte.

    Today, she woke up at half-past ten when she was supposed to wake up at five. It couldn''t be helped that she woke upte since she worked her butt off yesterday. Moreover, she had a little adventure at night. On top of that, her heart was in turmoil. She was tired both physically and mentally.

    Forget about waking up early, she didn''t manage to give her attendance in time. If they looked for her and found out that she was missing, what could happen after that was beyond her imagination.

    Arthur stared at her and calmly stated, "You will bete even if you eat faster or slower."

    Veronica gulped down the food quickly and said, "You should think about how to get me inside the temple without anyone noticing rather than how I eat."

    Arthur shrugged. "How is this my problem? You are the one who stayed at my ce uninvited." His eyes flickered with amusement.

    "Ex¡­excuse me?" Veronica nearly choked. Her face tinted with a red hue.

    Arthur slowly exined, "I did invite you for a cup of tea but I didn''t invite you to a sleepover. I even let you sleep in my bedroom. Where is your gratitude?"

    Veronica looked pitiful as she questioned him, "Are you really doing this to me?"

    Arthur asked her back, "Are we friends?"

    "We are!" Veronica raised her voice while answering as if her life was depending on this answer. She thought that he would kick her out if they weren''t friends.

    "How?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. He was enjoying chatting with her. It was like he was talking to a child in a grown woman''s body.

    Veronica defended, "You saved me twice!"

    Arthur shrugged. "So what? Ah, I am your savior and you didn''t do anything in return. Is this what you have been taught by your priests?"

    Veronica''s face turned beet red due to embarrassment she felt, or so he thought. "How dare you put me on them? They are the people who brought peace by spreading the love of Goddess Juneva."

    He was wrong. She was angry, not embarrassed.

    Arthur nodded. "Yeah, right. I can see that. You are showing your love by using me again and again."

    "Wha-! When did I use you?" Veronica protested. This time, her face was flushed due to embarrassment. "If I may add, it''s you who used me that night. Y-you were touching me all over. I can still feel the sensation¡­"

    "Oh?" Arthur smirked. "Did the sensation feel good? Do you want more?"

    "D-don''t be stupid." She red at him. She quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, there must be a way to go back to the temple. I have to go there without anyone noticing."

    Arthur didn''t probe her any further. Therefore, he went along with her, "And, when will the coast be cleared?"

    "What?" She couldn''t understand what he meant.

    Arthur realized that he wasn''t talking to hisrade. So, he exined, "You don''t think they won''t be around the temple, right? You live there, you know it well."

    "Ah," Veronica pondered deeply. "There is no way the coast will be cleared then. Everyone has different duties everywhere."

    Arthur smiled. "You are a quick learner. Then, what about the secret ce you use every night to go in and out?"

    Veronica anxiously added, "But, the kitchen will be filled with people till dinner. Since today is the funeral of Sister Ruth, they will fast in the morning. Tonight, they will stay awake till two in the morning to pray for her soul. That means..."

    Arthur finished her sentence, "That means you cannot go back to your temple before two in the morning. If you go now, you will be caught. I''m sure they are looking for you now."

    Veronica groaned. "Oh, don''t talk about it anymore. My stomach is cramping just thinking about that."

    Arthur inquired, "So, when do you want to leave? You decide yourself. You can go now and join the funeral prayer. This way, they catch you and you tell them everything. In the end, you might never get out of that temple ever again.

    "Or, you can wait till night and then go back to the temple. The next day when they ask your whereabouts, juste up with a lie. Since you stayed there for so long, you must know some hiding ce."

    "As long as I give up my hiding ce to have another chance toe out," Veronica stated with determination.

    "Do you want toe outside that badly?" Arthur couldn''t understand why she would leave herfort zone and visit this ce. She would be safe inside the temple. For a na?ve and pure girl like her, it would be the best choice.

    Veronica''s eyes shone with interest. "Why wouldn''t I? I was dreaming to see the world I''ve read about since childhood."

    Arthur threw a remark at her, "You didn''t seem like you went out often."

    "I couldn''t go out before because I read that before you turn eighteen, you shouldn''t go out alone," Veronica spoke so righteously that Arthur burst intoughter. It made her confused as she couldn''t find what was making himugh so much. She couldn''t help but ask, "What''s so funny?"

    "You follow the silliest rules. I mean you maintained not to go out before you turned eighteen and you went out and slept outside, breaking the rest of the rules." Arthur stoppedughing and asked, "If you are going back at midnight, what do you want to do in the time being?"

 Chapter 21 - TODAYS PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 21 - TODAY''S PLAN</h4>

    "If you are going back at midnight, what do you want to do for the time being?" Arthur asked her.

    Veronica pondered for a while. Truthfully, her heart was pounding hard out of pure nervousness. This time, she really screwed up. She couldn''t imagine what would happen if the temple found out about her breaking the rules.

    Since worrying over it wouldn''t change anything, she decided not to think about it altogether. At least, for now.

    To do so, she needed to keep herself busy until nightfall.

    She answered, "Since you said that I have to repay you for your kindness, let me help you with the chores. I''m good at cleaning, washing clothes, and gardening."

    Arthur narrowed his eyes. He was only teasing her. When he helped her, he didn''t think of meeting her again. Since she came up with the idea of passing her time, he didn''t mind as long as she helped him in the process. He questioned her, "What about cooking?"

    Veronica gave him an honest reply, "If you want me to peel vegetables and chop them for you, I can do that. But, I have never cooked."

    "Fine, finish tidying every inch of my house before noon and then help me cook," after instructing her, Arthur returned his attention to finishing his meal.

    "Okay!" Veronica was excited as she was assigned to a new task.

    But, her excitement flew out of the window just as she started cleaning the house. Last night, she didn''t notice that this house was huge. She only thought, it simply had a living room, dining room, kitchen, washroom, and a bedroom. She was totally unaware of the huge library that was attached to this building. It was a public library. All the schrs came to this library to study and borrow books.

    Forget about cleaning, she was gaping at the tall bookshelves filled with various books of multiplenguages. Although she had heard of othernguages, she had never seen books written in so manynguages being gathered in one ce.

    In the temple, there is a library for everyone''s use. It only had religious books, history books,w books, and philosophy books. Here, they have books on history, geography, philosophy, politics, economics, romance, fantasy, and so on.

    Veronica was wearing an olive green colored dress and a brown colored apron over it. Her hair was tied into a bun and covered with a scarf. Since it was frequented by readers at every hour of the day, Arthur made her cover her head entirely so that no one would notice her unusual hair.

    "I thought you were going to help me cook," Arthur came behind her andmented.

    Veronica was standing on adder and brushing off the dust. Her face was covered with a mask since she was sneezing because of the dust. She looked down and saw Arthur staring at her. She replied, "If I knew I had to clean a library, I wouldn''t have promised to help you in the kitchen. What time is it? Can I help you after I''m done with this bookshelf?"

    Arthur stated, "I''m afraid not. It''s one o''clock. Lunch is ready. Wash up and join me."

    Veronica quickly came down. She didn''t hesitate in the slightest as if she was used to climbing up and down adder. "I''m sorry, I broke my promise. I will definitely make it up to you."

    Arthur patted her shoulder. "I''m looking forward to it, Nica."

    "Nica?" Veronica was confused.

    Arthur turned around and walked toward the corridor that led to his house. While walking, he narrated in detail, "Isn''t your name ''Veronica''? If your pet name is Ver, it means others already call you that. I decided to call you something else. So, I will call you Nica."

    Veronica followed him from behind. "We aren''t close enough to call each other by nicknames, don''t you think so?" She was spiteful whileining.

    "Didn''t you say I''m your friend?" Arthur reminded her of their breakfast conversation.

    "It''s because I needed your help," she mumbled grudgingly. She had no intention of being close to a man who saw her maiden body when he wasn''t even married to her. She wished she could avoid him forever. But, she was in debt.

    Arthur turned around and asked her, "Did you say something?"

    Veronica vigorously shook her head. "Not at all!"

    Arthur turned around and threw a remark at her, "For a woman to sleep in a man''s bed for a whole night, their rtionship must be closer than normal friends."

    Veronica''s face burned in embarrassment. "I didn''t mean to sleep in your bed. Moreover, wasn''t it you who carried me to the bed?"

    "Oh, I gave you a gentlemanly service. Did you like it?" He inquired.

    Veronica red at his back without giving him a reply.

    Somehow this whole conversation and the situation seemed ridiculous to her.

    After lunch, Veronica finished the remaining task. Later, she took a short nap in the living room and went out with Arthur in the evening for sightseeing.

    When Arthur covered her head with the cape hood, sheined, "Why do I have to cover my hair now? I don''t like to cover my hair."

    Arthur lectured her, "Princess, you have no idea how the world works. If you don''t want to get in any trouble and want me to save you, you should cover your hair." He would always call her ''princess'' in a mockery tone whenever she showed how na?ve she was.

    "Fine, I will cover my hair, but why a cape? Why can''t I stroll around like those girls over there?" Veronica looked at those girls in the street, walking along with their partners or family members.

    "Your eyes are enough to catch others'' attention. Men like pretty women. If a guy falls for your beauty and kidnaps you afterward to make you his wife, what will you do? You can''t even win against a drunk man."

    This time, Veronica couldn''tin anymore. Her lips were sealed.

    Suddenly, she thought of something and said, "So, you think I''m pretty." She peeked on his expression and asked, "Does this mean you like me?"

 Chapter 22 - DONT PROVOKE MEN

    <h4>Chapter 22 - DON''T PROVOKE MEN</h4>

    "So, you think I''m pretty." Veronica peeked at his expression and asked, "Does this mean you like me?"

    She was wearing a deep blue dress, her boots and an olive green cape. The cape belonged to Arthur. As for her dress, he found it in a servant''s room who was long gone. Since Veronica wasn''t picky about wearing second-hand goods, he didn''t buy new clothes for her.

    Arthur was wearing a brown shirt and ck pants. His ck hair was slicked to one side. He paused upon hearing her question and turned to face her. His golden orbs were sharply staring at her, trying to find out her intention. When he couldn''t, he asked her back, "Where are you trying to go with this conversation?"

    Veronica shrugged and went along with his question, "Should this conversation need any destination?"

    Arthur muttered, "Even a road has its ending." Observing her confused gaze, he sighed and stated, "Princess, you shouldn''t provoke a man."

    Veronica tilted her head. "When did I provoke you?" She was confused. She just asked if he liked her not. ''Can''t a human like others? How is it provoking to just ask?'' she wondered.

    Arthur mentioned, "Just now you did."

    Veronica resigned to hisint, "All right, I did. So what?"

    Arthur fully turned toward her. "Do you want to know what happens if you provoke a man?"

    Noticing that he abruptly became serious, she became slightly nervous. "¡­I''m not sure about that."

    "This kind of thing¡­" saying that he slowly approached her.

    She stepped backward. She became tense. "Y-you¡­ you are scaring me."

    "Am I?" Arthur asked as he raised an eyebrow. He slowly walked closer, one step at a time. It seems his aurapletely changed.

    Veronica stepped backward until her back touched a cold wall. She was startled. Only then she realized that they were in an alley where no one was around them.

    The surrounding air feltpletely different. She was so nervous that she stopped breathing.

    Within a few seconds, he came closer and ced his left hand beside the right side of her head. Then, he pressed his right knee in between her legs.

    Veronica jumped when she sensed something touching around her private area. She tried to move but her legs were jammed because of his knee.

    Arthur left no chance for her to escape. He leaned his head. His hair tickled her face. She flinched.

    His right hand softly touched her cheek and ran his thumb over her soft skin. His warmth traveled all over her body. Her body heated up in the process. Her heart was thumping aloud.

    A sweet perfume entered her nostrils as his face inched closer. Together with the perfume, a soft feeling touched her precious lips. It was a light peck but Veronica trembled as an electrifying sensation ran through her.

    Arthur attentively held her face and let go of her lips before giving her a deep kiss. He could sense her breaths quivering against his cheek.

    Because she was being bold with a man she barely knew, he intended to incite a little bit of wariness from her. It wasn''t that he was as worried that other men would take advantage of her. He wanted to teach her some lessons. If she was so eager to roam around the world, she needed to learn what kind of ce this world was.

    Veronica squeezed her eyes shut. Her heartbeat escted. She couldn''t have assumed that her savior would be the predator.

    Arthur took out his tongue and licked her lips. He heard her gasp in surprise. It was her first time experiencing this, in a sane condition of mind.

    He took advantage of her open mouth and inserted his tongue in her mouth. Her hot breaths tickled his face. He pulled her closer, leaving no gap between them.

    Veronica shuddered when his tongue explored her mouth. She tried to move her face to the other side but he held her face firmly. She pushed his chest but he didn''t budge.

    This foreign object invaded her territory without her permission. His wet, warm soft tongue roamed around without hesitation. She found the sensation very weird. Her face heated up. Her body was growing hot.

    Veronica moved her tongue away, not letting him touch her possession but he persistently found her and wrapped his tongue around her. Her fingers subconsciously clutched his shirt and let out a low moan in his persistent stimtion, "Ung¡­"

    The corner of his lips lifted. He sucked her tongue and then lovingly teased her. He sensed her hands losing strength.

    Veronica lost her bnce. Her legs gave out and she copsed. Her head was buzzing and her heart was thumping. She felt like she went on a long journey. She gasped for air.

    Arthur caught her when she slumped forward. His long fingers brushed over her cheek and tugged a few strands of her hair behind. He embraced her until she could stand on her own feet.

    Veronica panted softly and looked at him with tearful eyes. Her emerald eyes were ming him for being mean to her. "Why did you do it?"

    Arthur''s gaze deepened as he asked, "Are you upset?"

    "Upset?!" she eximed.

    He just kissed her without her permission and he asked her if she was upset or not.

    "Did you know how I felt since I saw Sister Ruth''s dead body? And, now you do this to me? Who do you think I am?" She sobbed and vented out everything that she locked up in her chest.

    She wasn''t sad. She didn''t feel pitiful. She was mad at herself because she made a huge mistake. She was angry at Sister Ruth for taking her own life. She wished to find out why Sister Ruth killed herself. She wanted to do something so that she could make up for her mistake.

    However, this guy took advantage of her when she believed in him and made fun of her. It was humiliating.

    Arthur put his finger under her chin and raised her face. "Who are you ming? You are the one who provoked me. And now you are ming me?"

 Chapter 23 - THE ARGUMENT

    <h4>Chapter 23 - THE ARGUMENT</h4>

    Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Who are you ming? You are the one who provoked me. And now you are ming me? Don''t you think you needed to be taught a lesson so that you never do it again?"

    Veronica stated, "I believed in you!"

    "Did I tell you to trust me?" Arthur questioned her. "You did everything on your own. You have no right to me others when you suffer because of your actions."

    Veronica remarked, "You are the worst person I''ve ever met!" Tears were streaming from her eyes. Her eyes were ming him for everything.

    Arthur didn''t show any reaction. He lectured her, "Princess, all humans are like this. They will take advantage of the weak people. Didn''t you meet a guy who almost raped you? Compared to that, this kiss is nothing. You should be happy that that drunk man only tried to **** you. Humans can do worse than that."

    "You are insane. What can be worse than ****?" Veronica argued back.

    Arthur calmly told her, "Go, walk on your own. Do whatever you want. You will find out what is scarier than getting raped."

    "You are so cruel!" Veronica burst into tears and ran away.

    "Tsk!" Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance. He didn''t mean to be so harsh on her. But, her tears drove him mad. He covered his eyes and took a deep breath. When he uncovered his eyes, she was long gone. ''Since she wanted to have an adventure, she can do whatever she wants."

    Veronica ran for a long time. She only stopped when her legs hurt. She was running blindly without noticing where she was. She looked around and found herself in the woods.

    She wiped her tears and inhaled sharply. The greenery and the choir of birds and gnats calmed her down. When she cooled her head, she began to think about their conversation.

    "You are the one who provoked me. And now you are ming me?"

    "You did everything on your own. You have no right to me others when you suffer because of your action."

    "They will take advantage of the weak people¡­ Humans can do worse than that."

    ''¡­Maybe I was too harsh on him,'' she pondered. ''He had helped me so much and I told him I hated him. I''m the worst.'' She covered her face and sat on the root of a huge tree.

    ''But he said there are worse things than ****. What I experienced at that ce, how can there be anything worse than this?'' Just thinking of that night with the drunk man made her shiver.

    Only those who have experienced things like that, can understand the true horror.

    ''What am I going to do now? The sun is setting. I don''t know which way to go to the temple...'' she put her chin in between her palms as she wondered in a gloomy mood.

    ''And, he even k-kissed me¡­'' her face reddened from thinking about that. She touched her lips and reminisced about the unique, passionate sensation she had felt. ''It felt good,'' she couldn''t help but praise his kissing skill.

    Instantly she came back to her senses. ''What am I thinking? I shouldn''t think about things like that. A girl should be reserved and proper,'' she reprimanded herself. Her random thoughts were cut short by a screech by an unknown bird from somewhere in the woods.

    The sky was getting darker. She decided to walk in the direction she came from. As she was walking, she heard some rustling and groan.

    ''Hmm?'' she looked around and saw no one. For some reason, the wind seemed to stop blowing. The leaves weren''t moving. There shouldn''t be any rustling sound of the leaves.

    ''Did I hear wrong?'' Veronica wondered. Once again, she heard rustling sounds. It came from a different direction this time. She turned around to look for it. Darkness was spread over the woods. Even the birds and animals stopped making sounds as if they were waiting for something sinister. She had goosebumps.

    ''There shouldn''t be any g-ghost around here, right?'' she pondered.

    At that moment, she heard a low groan.

    ''That''s a human voice. Someone must be in danger.'' Veronica quickly headed toward the source of the sound.

    "Aahh!"

    A painful shriek pierced the forest.

    Veronica''s heart shuddered in fear. After walking a few steps, she halted. Her eyes widened in shock.

    Right before her eyes, she saw a group of people wearing ck clothes standing next to a helpless man. Those people were wearing the same clothes like the man who she had followedst night.

    They gathered in a circle and the helpless man was lying on the ground. His brown clothes were drenched in blood.

    Veronica heard one of those men saying, "There is still time. Are you going to spill everything or die?"

    The lying man gasped and replied with hatred, "I''d rather die than speak."

    The group of men chuckled upon hearing his answer. Their leader said, "We can arrange that." Saying that he used his sword to pierce through that man''s heart.

    Veronica covered her mouth. Her emerald pupils were shaking. Last night, she saw a dead body and this night, she saw people killing a pitiful man.

    How can be humans so cruel? ¨C that thought came to her mind but there was no answer.

    That''s when she remembered what Arthur told her, "They will take advantage of the weak people¡­ Humans can do worse than that."

    ''He was right. People are bad. They do worse than raping women. They kill people.'' While thinking, she moved backward and stepped on a dry branch.

    Crack!

    The sound of the broken branch made a loud noise in the quiet ce.

    The group of men immediately looked toward the origin of the sound. Their eyes met her.

    The men began to talk,

    "Is that a¡­ girl?"

    "What? You never saw a woman before?"

    "What''s a girl doing in the forest at this time?"

    Their leader said, "No matter what she is doing, it''s none of our business. She saw us. We have to finish her off so that she cannot speak of today''s event to anyone."

    Chills ran down Veronica''s spine. From their conversation, she realized that since she saw them killing a man, she wouldn''t be spared.

    She abruptly turned around and began to run. If she stayed there, she would never be able to see the light of day again.

    There was no reason to stand there and get herself killed.

 Chapter 24 - A GROUP OF KILLERS

    <h4>Chapter 24 - A GROUP OF KILLERS</h4>

    One of them said, "She is running away!"

    Their leadermanded them, "What are you waiting for? Catch her!"

    "You girl! Stop right there!" The men chased after her.

    Why would she stop? When they told her to stop, Veronica increased her pace. And, when she heard the sound of sharp metal, she ran even faster. The sound of the metal reminded her of the sword.

    She wasn''t an athlete. She had no idea from where so much energy wasing from. All she knew that if she stopped, she would die.

    And, she had no interest in going to thend of no return so soon.

    Soon, she saw the lights of the town lit up not so far from the woods. Veronica finally found some hope. ''As long as I''m in a crowded ce, they won''t dare to hurt me,'' she thought of that and kept running.

    Maybe luck wasn''t on her side. She tripped on a branch on the ground and couldn''t keep her bnce. Her body copsed forward. Her body jerked and the pain rushed through her body, making her feel numb.

    But, she couldn''t back down now. She had to keep going. She clenched her teeth to endure the pain. She wobbled while standing up and continued running.

    She turned her head around and saw those men almost caught up to her. Her heart shuddered. They could get her at any moment.

    At that time, her hair was held by someone and pulled her back.

    "Ah!" Veronica let out a yelp. Her hands went behind her head. She frowned as her hair was gripped tightly.

    The one who sped her hair said, "How long are you nning to run, missy? Do you think you can outrun us with your tiny body?"

    Veronica shouted, "Let me go!"

    "Let you go?" Others reached them soon andughed out loud.

    The leader came forth and said, "Just because you said we have to let you go, do you think we will let you go? What an ignorant brat!"

    Veronica retorted, "But I caused you no harm? For what reason do you want to harm me?"

    The leader answered, "For the reason that you saw something you shouldn''t have."

    He didn''t give her another chance to speak and told his men, "We have wasted enough time here. Kill her before we have another witness nearby. This ce isn''t safe."

    One of them questioned, "What if her familyes to look for her?"

    "Will they even find her? At night, animals wille and eat her dead meat. I don''t think anything will be left for them to recognize." The leader grinned like a sadist.

    Veronica shuddered in fear. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she held them back. There was no point in showing her weakness to these immoral people ¨C that''s what she was thinking.

    At that time, Arthur''s face came to her mind. He was trying to warn herst night but she didn''t heed him.

    She realized how stupid she was. That man was trying to help her by giving her true knowledge. And she, who never stepped outside, acted all high and mighty.

    She was truly a frog in the well.

    She admitted that she was an idiot. She acknowledged that she was wrong. She wished to apologize to Arthur and say that he was right all along.

    However, she was going to die and her body would be devoured by animals. She tried not to give up.

    Veronica tried to snatch her hand away from their tight grip but they held her hands tighter. Even the man who was gripping her hair, pulled harshly. Another man drew his sword and aimed at her chest.

    Veronica squeezed her eyes shut. Thest thing that came to her mind, ''I''m sorry, Arthur!''

    "You call yourself men after ganging up to kill a youngdy?" azy voice spoke.

    That person''s presence was so abrupt that everyone was startled. They looked at the source of the sound.

    Veronica''s heart shook. She recognized the voice even without looking. She shouted, "Arthur, I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to say that."

    Arthur chuckled. "Calm down, princess. I''ll hear youter. At first, let me handle these men. It would be better if you close your eyes."

    "Okay!" Veronica shut her eyes obediently. She had learned her lessons. She didn''t dare to disobey him.

    "Princess? Does that mean she is from the royal family?"

    "This could be her royal guard."

    The men seemed nervous.

    Their leader reprimanded them, "Don''t be ridiculous! The royal family doesn''t have any princesses."

    "Then, she must be from a rich family.

    "We have got ourselves a big problem. Finish him first. Then, we will deal with this princess," the leadermanded.

    "Yes!"

    Six men ran toward Arthur. Veronica wanted to open her eyes when she heard the screaming of those men. Her body trembled. She was worried about Arthur who came to rescue her.

    Later, the guy who was gripping her hair, cursed under his breath and threw her aside. Veronica stumbled and then fell to the ground. Even then, she didn''t open her eyes.

    After all themotion died down, she heard footstepsing closer. "A-Arthur?" Her voice quivered when she called his name. She was so scared that she had no strength in her legs.

    Someone stood before her and put a hand on her head, "You have done a great job closing your eyes. But, don''t open them yet. Are you hurt?"

    A wave of relief washed over Veronica. "N-no¡­" She shook her head.

    Arthur let out a sigh of relief. He was truly worried about her. "Good then. Now, get up. We have to leave before it gets any darker. I have no intention of bing food for animals tonight."

    Veronica did as he asked. Arthur took her hands and helped her to stand up. Her legs were shaking as she got up.

    Arthur noticed how she was trembling. "Should I carry you?" he asked.

 Chapter 25 - OPEN YOUR EYES

    <h4>Chapter 25 - OPEN YOUR EYES</h4>

    "No, I can walk on my own." Veronica didn''t want to burden him any further. She didn''t want to show him her spoiled side either.

    "Then, let''s head to the town." Arthur held her hand and walked out of that ce.

    When they left that ce behind, Arthur said, "All right, you can open your eyes."

    Veronica finally opened her eyes and found herself in the town. It was a quiet area but the lights inside the houses were turned on. Arthur was standing beside her. He looked a bit sweaty. His shirt was drenched in sweats. "What happened to those people?" asked Veronica.

    Arthur seemed upset. "Is this the only thing you can ask? You could have asked how I''m doing?"

    Veronica hurriedly said, "No, no, I didn''t mean to sound uncaring. I know you are okay since you are standing right in front of me. But, I didn''t hear anything from them." She was embarrassed that she didn''t ask about him. She was being ungrateful. However, she badly wanted to know what happened to those murderers.

    "I killed them," Arthur''s reply was bluntly straightforward.

    Veronica''s eyes widened in shock. "This can''t be¡­"

    Arthur exined unhurriedly so that she wouldn''t misunderstand, "If I didn''t, they would have hunted us down and killed us both. They would have chased us till the end."

    Veronica couldn''t calm her heart. Ever sincest night, the only thing she was seeing was dead bodies. She couldn''t understand why they were dying and why they were being killed.

    Feeling frustrated, she asked, "Why would they?"

    Arthur asked her back, "Why did they try to kill you?"

    Veronica hesitated before answering, "¡­I saw them killing someone."

    Arthur exined, "So, you were a witness. Most certainly you would talk about it when you went back to the town, right?"

    Veronica dered, "Of course, I would! What they had done was wrong!"

    Arthur concluded, "That''s why they tried to kill you. Since they saw me, they had to kill me too. And that''s the very reason I had to kill them."

    Veronica lowered her body. She mumbled, "So, it was my fault. If I didn''t get mad at you and ran away like an idiot, it wouldn''t have happened. You had tomit such sin because of me!"

    Seeing her miserable state, Arthur lowered his body as well. He needed to wake her up from her delusion. "Wait, wait, wait, did you run away because you knew this was going to happen?"

    Veronica vigorously shook her head. "No, I wouldn''t have done that if I knew this would happen."

    Arthur stroke her back and assured her, "Then, it is not your fault. Whatever happened was an ident."

    "But¡­" Veronica paused and decided not to argue with him. Since he stayed outside more than her, his knowledge was far greater than her. She acknowledged it.

    She spoke with determination, "Fine, I will carry the burden of your sin. This way, after death, you don''t have to bear the burden of killing a group of men."

    "Carry my sin? Ahahaha!" Arthur burst intoughter. He had never heard such a funny thing. "Sometimes, you say the most amusing thing, princess. I''m starving. Let''s go home and eat something."

    As he stood up, Veronica wiped her tears and looked at him from the ground. She was amazed at how his words calmed her down.

    Only then, she saw red color in his waist. It took her a few seconds to realize that his clothes were drenched in blood. She screamed, "Ahh! You are injured!"

    Arthur replied, "It''s nothing."

    Veronica argued back, "What do you mean it''s nothing?! You are bleeding!" This was the first time she had seen so much blood. Her mouth widened in horror.

    Artur didn''t seem to be too affected by his injury. He stated, "Let''s go home and take care of it."

    Veronica''s worry didn''t lessen by his words. She voiced her concern, "But if you lose too much blood¡­"

    Arthur snickered and assured her, "I''m not a flower that I''ll die so easily."

    It suddenly felt good seeing someone worrying about him. It had been a long time since someone was truly worried about him. As he saw her being worried, he thought it wasn''t bad getting injured once in a while.

    "But, humans die so quickly," Veronica lowered her head and muttered softly.

    How many deaths she had seen in two days?

    A normal woman would have had a trauma seeing dead bodies here and there. That''s why Arthur made sure she wasn''t looking at the bloody bodies.

    Arthur patted her shoulder and assisted her to get up. "Nothing will happen to me¡­"

    Veronica interrupted his words. "Wait, let me take care of it."

    "Hmm?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "You? Do you know how to dress a wound?"

    "No, but I can do this," Veronica seemed determined as she dered. She gathered her hands in front of his waist that was injured and ced her palms above the injury.

    Arthur saw a sliver glowing out of her palms. The light gradually turned brighter. His eyes grew wide and his golden orbs quivered in shock. He mumbled, "¡­You¡­ are a¡­"

    .........

    There was a special room. The floor was adorned with white and ck marble stones. The ceiling was too high to be noticed in the dark. At the front of the room was a huge statue.

    In front of the statue, there was a woman who knelt on the floor praying silently. The woman was wearing a cream colored dress and a white robe. Her shiny blonde hair was hidden under the robe. There were thirteen candles around her.

    While she was praying, one of the candle lights moved violently for a second and then became still.

    The woman immediately opened her eyes. Her blue orbs fixed on the candle where the fire was unnaturally unmoved. Her small, pink lips parted for a moment before she came back to her senses.

    She abruptly stood up and strode toward the door. She forcefully opened the door and headed out. There was no one in the huge building except for her. Her bare feet didn''t make any sound as she walked.

 Chapter 26 - THE TIME HAS COME

    <h4>Chapter 26 - THE TIME HAS COME</h4>

    Her slender body moved swiftly and the soft breeze kept brushed through her long hair that almost touched the cold floor. Her feet urgently moved in the direction of the inner temple.

    The Head Priest was meditating. Whenever someone died under his care, he would meditate the whole night without eating, drinking, or sleeping. He would do that until his heart would stop hurting from the loss of someone precious.

    He was in the private room where no one would dare to disturb him when he was inside. They knew that he would pray there alone.

    Just then, the door of this prayer room burst open.

    The Head Priest kept his eyes closed and stayed unmoved. The fire in the candles danced when the wind blew in the room after the door was opened abruptly.

    "How many times do I have to tell you to knock?" the Head Priest calmly questioned the intruder.

    The intruder lightly stepped forward. She didn''t bother to answer his question. She said, "Something happened."

    He calmly responded, "What did?"

    The woman announced, "One of the holy lights¡­ extinguished."

    The Head Priest finally opened his eyes. He stood up and slowly turned around. Afterward, he spoke mysteriously, "Then it''s time."

    -----------------

    After the light was out from Veronica''s palms, Arthur checked his waist. His injuries were gone without a trace. He didn''t even feel pain. It looked like, it was never there in the first ce.

    "You are a healer¡­" he muttered softly.

    Veronica stepped back andmented, "Ah¡­ about that, I''m not officially appointed yet."

    Arthur was astonished. "Are you serious? Have you not used your healing power before?"

    There are only a few who have healing power. They are called healers. They are assigned mostly in the royal pce. They get hired by different countries. They have to go to the war with the army so that they can heal the soldiers. Since the number of healers is very few in number, they are highly demanded.

    Veronica slightly nodded. "I did. Whenever I saw injured birds or animals, I healed them."

    Arthur frowned. He didn''t know there was a zoo inside the temple. "What kind of animals?"

    Veronica answered, "Cats, squirrels, rabbits, and dogs."

    "And, did no one see you healing them?" Arthur inquired. It amazed him how others in the temple had no clue that she had some kind of healing power.

    Veronica shook her head. "No one. I don''t show off my skills."

    "If you did, you would have a better life," he shared his opinion.

    The fact was, healers had a simple lifestyle like the priests but at least their lives weren''t restricted. They could go to other countries although there were chances that they would die during the war. They could eat varieties of food, get presents from other royal families and live some other ces with their spouses. In other words,pared to a priest''s life, a healer''s lie was heavenly.

    Veronica stated, "My life isn''t half bad now."

    Arthur became more curious about her. He walked side by side with her and asked, "When did you first learn that you are a healer?"

    Veronica tried to recall when she first healed something. Her memory was good. She didn''t have to try too hard to remember. "At the age of eight, I healed a bird."

    Arthur didn''t expect this number. He was stunned. "That''s too young! How did you do that?"

    Veronica moved away from him and gave him a suspicious gaze. "I don''t know. And, why are you being so serious? You are scaring me."

    Arthur let out a deep breath. He exined, "Nica, not everyone can heal people like you, especially not when they are eight. I really like to know why you didn''t let your seniors know. At least you know the healers have extra privileges."

    "It''s not that I didn''t want to. This power¡­" she paused before continuing, "it doesn''t work all the time. I did try to tell my senior. When she wanted to see my power, I couldn''t show her. That''s when I realized that this power isn''t for showing off. It''s only for healing."

    She added with a matter-of-fact tone, "So, my seniors didn''t believe me and warned me not to lie anymore. But, I still tried to show them often. Gradually, they began to avoid me thinking I''m just a troublemaker."

    Only then Arthur understood her reasons. "So, that''s why you couldn''t tell anyone. It doesn''t mean you don''t want to show off. You couldn''t show off."

    From what he saw, she liked to boast when she knew something or learned something new. Thus, for her not to tell others that she could heal injuries, wouldn''t have been believable at all.

    Veronica nudged him with her elbow frowning. "Hey, what do you mean by that?"

    Arthur caught her hand and squeezed it warmly. "Nothing, let''s go to a restaurant. You have never tried restaurant meals, have you? I will treat you for healing my wounds."

    Veronica''s eyes sparkled with eagerness. She didn''t forget to tell her preference, "I''d like something sweet."

    Arthur snickered before agreeing to her request, "All right."

    They walked past a few shops before stopping at Morina''s Pce. Veronica hesitated when she saw that familiar ce. She didn''t have a good memory of this ce after all.

    Arthur seemed to understand her concern. He tried to ease her worry, "Don''t be bothered, princess. Tonight, you are a guest. Moreover, they won''t recognize you. You were in disguisest time, were you not?"

    That didn''t ease Veronica''s worry though. She replied, "That may be the case but three women still knew how I looked. They were the ones who dressed me up."

    Arthur understood. "So, they knew that you had silver hair and covered it with false hair." False hair wasn''t easy to obtain and there was no way she could get her hands on it.

    Veronica recalled that time and spoke in a gloomy tone, "They said it was ugly. That''s why I had to change it."

 Chapter 27 - RANDEZVOUS

    <h4>Chapter 27 - RANDEZVOUS</h4>

    "They said it was ugly. That''s why I had to change it." Veronica was upset. She was always proud of her silver hair.

    ''I think it''s far different from being ugly.'' Arthur smirked. He still couldn''t forget about her alluring beauty that night.

    If she were to dress up with her silver hair, her demand would rise significantly. Since she wasn''t a regr employee, they couldn''t let others notice her. That''s why they came up with this solution. They simply hid her hair.

    Arthur tugged her hood well so that her hair was covered properly. "Tonight is no good either. Hide your hair."

    "What? Do you think my hair is ugly?" Veronica seemed hurt.

    "No, it''s so pretty that I don''t want others to see it and admire you." Arthur yfully winked at her.

    Veronica''s face reddened. "W-what''s with you all of a sudden?!"

    Arthur onlyughed and marched forward without replying. He noticed that whenever he was with her, his days were enjoyable.

    Just as he said, no one recognized her. She was wearing decent clothes and most of her head apart from her face was covered under the hood.

    The female employees gawked at them when they first entered Morina''s Pce. It was the first time they saw Arthur with another woman. More importantly, they didn''t know who that woman was.

    Arthur always sought pretty women whenever he came to Morina''s Pce. That''s why all women, who had already spent their nights with him and had feelings for him, thought that he was single. Now that he came with a woman, they couldn''t dare to ask nor could they handle their broken hearts.

    As usual, Arthur chose a private room for them to eat. Veronica had been in this ce before. So, she didn''t react much. However, she could feel some res on her back. It gave her chills.

    "Am I being hated?" she couldn''t help but ask.

    "Ah, I apologize about that." Arthur closed the door and came back to his seat. "As you can see, I''m very popr."

    Veronica threw a remark as she red at him, "Yeah, judging from the way girls were drooling over you, you are what they call adies'' man."

    Arthur raised an eyebrow, "Hmm? Where did you hear that phrase from? I don''t think the books you read in the temple have this kind of phrase."

    Veronica hurriedly looked away. "Umm¡­ not there but in your library."

    Arthur caught up quickly. "Hah¡­ so you were spending your time reading romance books rather than working. No wonder you took such a long time cleaning my library."

    "Hey, it was a big library all right!" Veronica retorted.

    After the meals were served, the two of them were left alone. Arthur taught her how to eat seafood and then asked her, "So, how many books did you read while cleaning my library."

    Veronica was busy eating. She had never eaten anything so delicious before. "Not that much. Only two romance books."

    Arthurplimented her reading skills. "You are a fast reader. Do you read a lot?"

    Veronica nodded in reply. "Yes, this is the only way I can learn about this beautiful world."

    Arthur paused eating and looked at her. "Do you still think the world is beautiful after experiencing bloodshed and assault first hand?"

    She frowned. "Come on! Just because there are bad things, doesn''t mean there is nothing good in there. If there wasn''t, I wouldn''t be alive right now.

    Veronica added, "As long as something has a tiny bit of goodness, it''s worth appreciating ¨C that''s what I have been taught."

    Arthur was surprised to hear that. He couldn''t agree more. "Whoever taught you that was a wise person."

    Veronica looked down. "It was Sister Ruth. She taught me that."

    Arthur didn''t mean to upset her. If he knew it would make her sad, he wouldn''t have asked her this question. He stayed silent. He knew no matter what he would say, that wouldn''t make her feel better.

    Veronica was the one who broke the silence. "I still don''t understand why she had to end her life like that. I will go back and try to find out the reason behind her death."

    Arthur gave her a quiet nce. He drank a mouthful of water and asked, "Do you mean to ask others about her death?"

    Veronica answered, "This is the only way. How am I supposed to learn about her if I don''t ask the people around her?"

    Arthur questioned her in return, "Didn''t you say that the senior priests had no clue why she died? How can they answer your questions when they themselves didn''t know?"

    He shared his point of view, "Moreover, if you ask them, you will expose that you broke the curfew. Another crime will be added to your list. Can you handle all that?"

    Veronica looked devastated. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

    Arthur asked her, "Do you want to know what I would do if I were you?"

    "Yes!" Veronica vigorously nodded her head.

    He had an expression of satisfaction all over his face. He narrated shortly, "Go to her room when no one is watching. Check her belongings and see if you can find any diary where she used to write down her ideas."

    Veronica frowned deeply and looked at him suspiciously. "Why does it sound like you have lots of experiences in that field."

    "I''m using my brain right now," Arthur dered. While drinking soup, he mumbled, "Sometimes, she is too sharp."

    Veronica couldn''t understand hisst sentence. So, she asked, "Did you say something?"

    He replied unhurriedly, "Nothing, nothing at all."

    "¡­" For some reason, Veronica had a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    After they were done having dinner, they went to the market square. There was a fountain in the square and street musicians would often show their performances. This way, they could show their talents and make the onlookers enjoy their music.

    Couples and children would gather here in the evening. They would y and dance along with the music. At that time, some people would sell street foods, toys and jewelry.

    Veronica was overwhelmed. "I didn''t know such a ce even existed." She had to admit that she had never had so much fun before.

    "I''m d as long as you like it." Arthur smiled as she enjoyed the performances of the musicians. While he was looking at her, something unusual caught his eyes.

 Chapter 28 - SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE

    <h4>Chapter 28 - SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE</h4>

    It wasn''t usual for people to wear capes and hoods. The reason it made him interested was that under the capes, they were wearing pure white clothes.

    Arthur narrowed his sharp eyes. Only people connected to the temple would wear pure white clothes.

    Keeping a close eye on Veronica, he carefully stepped closer to those suspicious people. He wanted to know what they were asking other people.

    As he drew closer, he heard one of them saying, "Have you seen a girl about this tall, green eyes and silver hair?" They were using their hands to show how tall the girl was.

    Arthur''s golden orbs flickered. He had a feeling that something like this was going to happen. ''But, aren''t they toote? Or maybe they had something else to take care of first?'' Thinking of Veronica''s depressed expression, it reminded him about her senior Sister Ruth.

    He strode toward Veronica and pulled her closer. He heard her gasping in shock. Before she could say anything, he mumbled, "Some people from the temple are looking for you."

    Veronica looked at him. Herplexion didn''t look good. "Huh? Why?"

    Arthur raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean ''why''? You have been missing for a whole day."

    Veronica shook her head. She exined, "I don''t mean that. The temple is a huge ce you know. Even if they don''t see me anywhere, they should have looked for me in the temple or mountain area first. Why are they looking for me in the town when they know it''s not easy for us to go to the town?"

    Arthur inquired, "Can you frequently go to the mountain zone?"

    Veronica nodded vigorously. Her answer was positive. "We certainly can. Some of us got lost there multiple times. When the guards came the next day, they rescued us."

    "If your information is correct, then they should have gone to the mountain, they shouldn''t be in here." Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you want to do? Do you want to talk to them or go to the temple on your own?"

    Veronica looked down and pondered about it deeply before raising her head. "I want to go to the temple on my own. There is still a chance that they don''t know where I am. Maybe they are searching for me in both the mountain range and the town."

    Arthur gave her a suspicious look. "Why does it seem like you are experienced in this field?" For a person who hardly went outside, she shouldn''t be able to think so clearly when people were looking for her.

    Veronica avoided his gaze and replied lightly, "You are imagining things."

    ''Now she is making me more curious,'' Arthur thought. He decided to drag her elsewhere and grabbed her hand. "Let''s get out of here before they catch us."

    "Okay," Veronica had no reason not to agree.

    They went back to his house and then sat down on the sofa. Arthur sighed. "Wherever you go, you bring trouble, don''t you princess?"

    Veronica took a ss of water and drank it half before protesting against his im, "Why would I bring trouble? It''s you who jinxed it."

    "Oh, did I?" Arthur raised the corner of his lips. "Why does this scenario seem like we are two love birds eloping from your rich parents?"

    Veronica''s face flushed under his tease. "Who are love birds? Don''t talk nonsense." She sat on the couch next to him and mumbled, "What am I going to do for the next four hours? I''m bored."

    Arthur suggested, "You can read books. There are plenty of romance books in the library."

    "Can I?" Veronica''s eyes giggled in joy.

    Arthur agreed quite easily, "Sure, go right ahead. No one will bother you. If you are hungry, go to the kitchen. You can find snacks there."

    "You are the best!" saying that she ran off to the library.

    ''She is so fickle-minded. Just at noon, she said that she hated me. Now, I suddenly became the best person.'' Arthur let out augh and went to his study room.

    A man was waiting for him. The person was covered in ck clothes. He was standing next to the table.

    Arthur wasn''t surprised to see someone waiting for him in his study room. He knew someone was here and that''s why he let Veronica go to the library.

    However, he was surprised to see the man who was there. "Sebastian, why is it you? Where is Felix?"

    Sebastian knelt on the floor and bowed. "I''m sorry, master. I''ve failed you."

    Arthur crossed the room, sat down, and then leaned against the chair. "Where is Felix?" his tone was colder.

    Sebastian gulped. His heart shuddered in fear. "Master, he died. Some mercenaries killed him. We found his dead body in the forest. Those mercenaries were ughtered too. We don''t know who killed them. But there was a trace of a woman."

    "I was the one who killed a bunch of trash in the woods," Arthur coldly refuted. ''It looks like the people she saw killing a man was Felix. That''s why they were after her. If I only knew¡­'' he shut his eyes as regret filled his eyes.

    He opened his mouth and questioned Sebastian, "Why did they kill Felix?"

    Sebastian didn''t dare to raise his head. He answered, "I haven''t found that out yet. I''m still investigating it."

    "You came to inform me without knowing anything?!" Arthur mmed the table.

    Sebastian''s throat was dry. "I thought I needed to inform you about Felix''s death."

    Arthur''s voice was chillingly cold when he spoke, "Howe he let himself die like that? He was supposed to be the best man."

    Sebastian hesitated before saying, "¡­It looks like he was drowning in sorrow and didn''t have the reason to fight. I forgot to mention, the mercenaries sliced his face. I couldn''t recognize him if it weren''t for his clothes and the amulet you gave him.

    "Is that so?" Arthur tapped the table without a word.

    Time passed slowly. Sebastian was sweating even though the temperature of the room dropped significantly.

    Arthur instructed him, "Give me the amulet and destroy the trace of the woman that was found in the forest." After a pause, he added, "Also, there is another thing you have to do."

 Chapter 29 - TIME TO LEAVE

    <h4>Chapter 29 - TIME TO LEAVE</h4>

    Growl~

    "Ahh¡­ I''m hungry." Veronica looked down at her stomach. Is it just me or my stomach became a glutton in a day?'' she wondered inwardly.

    She closed the book after bookmarking it. Then, she stood up and went inside the house. She remembered Arthur mentioning snacks. ''I want to taste those snacks.''

    She went to the kitchen and looked for a jar where he could put some snacks. In the end, she found a bowl that was covered with a lid. When she opened it, she found breads wrapped around meat and vegetables.

    "Hmm? What''s that?" Veronica took it and had arge bite. After chewing for a while, her face became radiant. "It''s so yummy!"

    "I''m d you like it. This is called a sandwich," Arthur replied from the dining room.

    Veronica was startled by his sudden arrival. The food caught on her throat and she began to cough.

    "Easy there," Arthur gave her a ss of water and patted her back.

    When Veronica calmed down, she red at him. "Why can''t you make sound when you walk?" she used him.

    Arthur apologized, "My bad. I didn''t think you would choke." He took out a golden pocket watch and checked the time. "It''s time already. We will leave after you are done eating."

    Veronica felt her stomach tightening. "Now I''m nervous," she confessed.

    "Even if you are nervous, you have to go back or else you won''t find the reason for your senior''s death." Arthur''s smile was rueful.

    Veronica noticed his unusual expression and asked, "Did something happen? You don''t look well."

    Arthur controlled his expression and quietly answered, "Nothing happened. I''m all right. It''s just I''m going to miss a non-paid assistant." He skillfully diverted her attention.

    "Who is your non-paid assistant?" Veronica grumbled with a flushed face.

    "You were so docile evenst night. But today, you havepletely changed. Did you forget that I''m your savior?" Arthur teased her.

    "If I knew you that you would keep reminding me about you being my savior, I wouldn''t have wanted to be saved by you. How can you be so shameless?" sheined.

    Arthur seemed hurt by her usation. "How can you be so ungrateful? I saved you and you call me ''shameless''. Shouldn''t you call me your ''hero''?"

    Veronica snickered. "Pfft! Don''t make meugh. You are anything but a hero, you yboy."

    "Should I teach you how a yboy acts?" Arthur stepped closer.

    Veronica already had a lesson today. She didn''t need another one. She quickly finished the remaining sandwich and wiped her mouth. "I''m done. Let''s get out."

    "Looks like my teaching paid off." Feeling satisfied, Arthur followed her in tow.

    When they reached a familiar alley, Veronica paused. "All right, this is where we are parting." She took off the cape and gave it back to him.

    Arthur asked her, "Are you sure you are okay wearing this nightgown of yours? You might face danger. I can follow you to the entrance."

    "Don''t worry about me. I won''t face any danger," Veronica assured him. If she took another turn, she could find the backdoor of the kitchen. That''s why she felt safe.

    "As long as you are safe. If you go out again,e and meet me." Arthur was slightly reluctant to part with her. He hesitantly added, "Another thing, if you need help with investigation,e to me anytime."

    "I will do that." Veronica suddenly smiled. "I couldn''t have enjoyed today without you. Thank you for everything you have done for me."

    "Wait, rather than hearing you say ''thank you'', I would like to have this." Arthur instantly leaned forward and stole her lips.

    "!!!" Veronica was stunned. She wasn''t prepared for it. She ced her hands on his chest and pushed him hard.

    However, her strength was nothingpared to his. Arthur didn''t budge even a tiny bit, Rather, he pulled her by her waist and deepened the kiss. He sucked her lower lip and then licked with his tongue.

    Veronica gasped in surprise. Her lips slightly parted and that''s when she sensed something soft entering her mouth. Her body trembled.

    Arthur''s tongue explored inside her mouth and ravaged her saliva. She had a sweet scent that made his intoxicated.

    The foreign object moved around and made her heart shudder. Her instinctively moved her tongue but he soon found her. He wrapped her tongue with his and sucked it.

    "Ung!" she softly moaned. Before she knew it, her tongue was poking him and fighting against him. Without her knowing, she made the kiss more intense.

    ''Is she trying to kiss me or fight against me?'' Arthur let out a groan. He opened his eyes and his golden pupils gazed at her passionately. He saw her thick, long eyeshes. They were trembling. Her cheeks were tinted with several shades of red.

    He sensed her soft breasts were pressed against his firm chest. He could see her cleavage. It reminded him of the heated night when she was drunk.

    He narrowed his eyes. His golden orbs flickered with desire. All of a sudden, he pressed her against the wall and held her firmly. Afterward, he changed the angle and nibbled her upper lips.

    He felt her arms around his back, clutching his clothes. Noticing that she was refusing his kiss, the corners of his lips raised slightly. Whenever he heard her soft moans, he deepened the kiss. He wanted to devour her lips.

    "The world is dying; evil power is growing¡­"

    Someone sang loudly in the dark. In the quiet back alley, the sound was too loud. It was the voice of a drunk man.

    It made both of them rmed. Arthur was harshly breathing. He nced at Veronica whom he pinned down. He saw her disheveled state and pulled away from her. Without bnce, Veronica began to fall.

    Arthur quickly caught her and embraced her slender body. Veronica was panting hard. She didn''t have any strength left in her legs. Her head was fuzzy. Her head had yet to start working.

 Chapter 30 - TO THE TEMPLE

    <h4>Chapter 30 - TO THE TEMPLE</h4>

    Veronica closed the door and her body slumped against the wooden door. She recalled his fierce kiss. After that, his long fingers gently brushed over her silver locks.

    When she regained her strength, he pecked on her cheek and whispered in her ear, "I''ll be waiting."

    Thinking about his deep voice, Veronica''s heart skipped a beat. Her ears turned red. She covered her face and cursed him inwardly, ''yboy!''

    She calmed her heart and stood up. ''I better get going.'' Seeing no one around, she strode to the tower and climbed the stairs as silently as possible. It was two in the morning and everyone was asleep. That''s why she didn''t see anyone.

    When she reached the door to her room, her heart became light. She sighed in relief and opened the door. ''I need to sleep. It was a long day,'' she thought. She didn''t dare to light the candles thinking someone might notice her. She had be extra careful after seeing too many dead bodies recently.

    As she was about to sit on the bed, someone grabbed her arm. "Ah!" Veronica yelled in fear. It felt like her heart had left the ribcage. She was forcefullyid on the bed and something hovered over her.

    "Ver! How could you do this to us?!" a voice hissed in fury.

    Veronica rxed her body upon hearing a familiar voice. "Catherine! You freaked me out!"

    A dirty blonde hair girl pressed Veronica against the bed. "I freaked you out? What do you think you did? You were just gone for a whole day and we couldn''t find you anywhere? Just because I showed you a way to go out, doesn''t mean you can disappear for a whole day! And, you didn''t even finish your work!"

    Judging from her voice, Veronica could understand how furious her childhood friend was. They grew up together. How could she not know her friend?

    Veronica''s eyes trembled as her eyes were tickled by the edge of her friend''s hair who had two its. Veronica adjusted her eyesight in the dark and was able to see her friend properly.

    Catherine was also wearing a nightgown. She must havee here after everyone went to sleep. She must have been worried sick.

    Veronica exined in a calm tone, "I didn''t mean to stay out for a whole night. I fell asleep and couldn''t wake up because I was too tired."

    Catherine moved away from her friend and retaliated, "You were tired! What an excuse! Why didn''t you meet me yesterday? I thought you would leave early and thene back."

    Veronica slowly sat up and replied, "I was working all day. I barely had anything for dinner!"

    "And you still went out?!" Catherine could barely believe her friend''s stupidity.

    "¡­I¡­ I had something to take care of." Veronica hid the fact that she had met a man who almostid her and ate her mouth multiple times.

    Catherine covered her head and said, "How could you do this? Do you know how mad Sister Josephine was?"

    "I can imagine." Veronica''s body slumped.

    "You have no idea. Sister Ruth died suddenly." Catherine''s voice sounded like something caught in her throat.

    Veronica flinched at the mention of Sister Ruth. Her friend continued, "They said she had some kind of illness and never told others in case others would worry. As a result, she died so early."

    "Did she have an illness?!" Veronica was astonished. She took a trip down memoryne and thought ofst night''s event. Sister Mary was crying and saying how Sister Ruth took her own life.

    ''Taking one''s own life can be a sickness? Isn''t that absurd? But, why would they say that? They can''t be¡­ lying right?'' Veronicaughed inwardly and brushed off the thought.

    From her point of view, there was no reason for the priests to lie. They taught her to always speak the truth. There was no reason for them to lie about the death of a Sister of the temple.

    No matter how many times she thought about it, she couldn''t find any reason for the senior priests to lie to them.

    Catherine didn''t like the silence in the room. "She told us that she was going to appoint you as an Assistant Priest. How could you blow your chance like that?"

    Veronica''s train of thought broke and she came back to her senses. "Did they search for me in the mountain?"

    Catherine replied, "Of course they did. How many times did you ditch your duties and stroll around the mountains? Sister Josephine waited till noon thinking you would stop being childish ande back. Since you didn''t return, she sent two groups to the mountain range after lunch."

    Veronica tried to rify, "Are you sure? I saw some people looking for me in the town."

    Catherine''s eyes grew bigger. "Did you see our guards?"

    "They were in disguise. I''m not sure." Besides, she wasn''t able to see properly who was searching for her. Before she could, Arthur grabbed her and dragged her away.

    Whenever she thought of Arthur, his wild touch on her lips came to her mind. Veronica lowered her head and tried to forget that sinful act.

    Catherine asked, "What are you going to tell Sister Josephine when she asks you about your whereabouts for yesterday?"

    Veronica cooled her heart and answered, "I''ll tell her that I was in the mountains."

    Catherine sighed. "And here I was rejoicing that you would finally be an Assistant Priest. You really know how to ruin your future."

    Veronicaid on the bed and said, "Future¡­ why are people so obsessed with this word? The present is always the best."

    Catherine stated, "You think like that because you have no ambition."

    Veronica rolled on the bed and defended herself, "Who said I don''t? I want to see the world."

    "Do you? What did you do to make that wishe true? Let me answer ¨C nothing. You did nothing. That means the wish you were talking about is nothing but a daydream," Catherine mercilessly pointed that out.

    Veronica was going to say something when the bedroom door was opened and someone stepped in.

    "Did you have enough fun, V-E-R-O-N-I-C-A?"

 Chapter 31 - THE PUNISHEMENT

    <h4>Chapter 31 - THE PUNISHEMENT</h4>

    "Did you have enough fun, V-E-R-O-N-I-C-A?"

    A chilling stern voice came from the doorway making Veronica and Catherine flinch.

    "S-sister Josephine!" Veronica stuttered. She hoped Sister Josephine didn''t hear their conversation.

    Catherine shoved her out of the bed and she got up as well. They stood side by side and lowered their heads. They didn''t dare to make another sound.

    Sister Josephine seemed furious. She strode inside the room and stood in front of Veronica and Catherine. She red at Veronica and rebuked, "I had a high expectation of you. I thought you would be serious after getting the chance of bing Assistant Priest. It was your dream, wasn''t it? Veronica!"

    Veronica shuddered and replied in a quivering voice, "Y-yes."

    "Come to the disciplinary room tomorrow morning. You will be interrogated and then will be punished. You can forget about being an Assistant Priest. You might stay like this for the rest of your life." After reprimanding her, Sister Josephine looked at the girl next to Veronica.

    She sharply scolded her, "Catherine, I thought you were smarter. How could you break the rules and get out of your room after the curfew?"

    Catherine lowered her head even more. "I''m sorry, Sister Josephine. I was worried about Ver and I couldn''t sleep."

    "You areing to the disciplinary room with Veronica as well. Right after breakfast." Sister Josephine red at them for a few more seconds before leaving.

    After The door was tightly shut, Veronica copsed on the floor. "I don''t want to be punished," she whined.

    Catherine sat on the floor and stated, "It''s better than finding out where you were. I hope you are prepared."

    Veronica hugged her friend and apologized, "I''m sorry I dragged you with me, Cathy."

    Catherine patted her back andmented, "It was me who came to your room. Don''t worry about me. I would rather worry about you." Truthfully, she was worried about Veronica''s circumstances more than her problem.

    ---------

    The next day, Veronica and Catherine went to the disciplinary room after breakfast. They met Sister Josephine, Sister Mary, and a red-haired beauty. The red-haired beauty was none other than the head of the southeast tower.

    Sister Josephine sternly gazed at Veronica. If looks could kill, Veronica would be murdered by now. "Veronica, where did you go yesterday?"

    Veronica gulped and answered, "I was in the mountain range."

    "You knew you had to work three months to be appointed as an Assistant Priest. Why did you still do that?"

    Veronica hesitated before replying, "I¡­ I was depressed that I had to clean the temple all by myself just to get the position. I was wondering why would someone need to clean the temple to be a priest? Shouldn''t a person have to be kind, loving and forgiving to be the child of Goddess Juvena?"

    Catherine kept her head low and praised her friend in her mind, ''Great! Ver, you can do this!''

    "Is this what you think? How naive!" Sister Josephine sharply snorted. "To be a child of Goddess Juvena one needs a strong sense of responsibility, hardworking and patience. And, you have none of those qualities. That''s why I gave you that task. I wanted to see how hardworking, and patient you would be. You have failed me. I''m utterly shocked and disappointed."

    "¡­" Veronica cursed herself in her heart. If she knew that it was a test, she wouldn''t do something like this. Her head wasn''t capable of thinking of somethingplicated. Furthermore, she needed to find the real cause of Sister Ruth''s death. She had to go after that guy in ck clothes. It was unavoidable.

    Sister Josephine added, "As you can see, these two unfortunate beings had broken the rules. Catherine was in Veronica''s room in the middle of the night. Sister Mary, she is under you, isn''t she? How did you let this happen?"

    Sister Mary''s eyes were puffy after crying for two nights. She seemed tired. "I didn''t feel like taking a round in the dorm, Sister Josephine. It''s my mistake. I''m sorry."

    Sister Josephine nced at the red-haired beauty and remarked, "And Abigail, how did you let Veronica go to the mountain range and skip her work? You do realize that she was supposed to be an Assistant priest. If she keeps being like that, she will never get promoted."

    Abigail lowered her head and calmly apologized, "I''m sorry, Sister Josephine. She always goes off on her own. Suddenly, she became so obedient and I let my guard down."

    "What kind of excuse is this?!" Sister Josephine mmed the table making Sister Mary, Veronica and Catherine flinch. She looked at Catherine andmanded, "Catherine, you will work in the vegetable garden for the next few months. I don''t want to hear any excuses."

    "Yes, Sister Josephine," Catherine didn''t dare to object. Although she had to work under the sunlight from dawn to dusk, she was d that she wasn''t demoted. She worked hard for this promotion.

    Sister Josephine stared at Veronica and dered, "Veronica, due to your disobedience, you will be cast out of the tower. You will live with the children of northeast tower. You will take care of them from morning to night. Cleaning their clothes, feeding them and teaching them. Since Sister Ruth is gone, someone has to take that ce. Within ten years, if you can do your duty diligently, you will be appointed as the Assistant Priest. This is your punishment."

    "C-children?" Veronica''s heart dropped on the floor. She didn''t like children. More than that, she could never get along with them. She would always fight with them if they came across something. How would they listen to her? They were going to destroy her within a day.

    Catherine gulped and looked at her friend pitifully. She knew very well how Veronica was on bad terms with the children of the northeast.

    Sister Josephine was satisfied by her reaction. She said, "If I hear a single problem from the children, extra ten years will be added to your term."

    "No way!" Veronica cried out.

    "Hold it right there, Sister Josephine."

 Chapter 32 - SISTER JOSEPHINES WORRY

    <h4>Chapter 32 - SISTER JOSEPHINE''S WORRY</h4>

    "If I hear a single problem from the children, extra ten years will be added to your term." At that time, Sister Josephine looked like a cruel stepmother.

    "No way!" Veronica cried out.

    "Hold it right there, Sister Josephine."

    Someone opened the door and entered the disciplinary room. The room brightened up instantly. Everyone''s eyes turned toward the uninvited guest.

    "Head Priest!" Veronica gasped. She never saw him up close. She only saw him from far away during new year''s eve. To be able to be in the same room as him, she felt all of her impurity washing away.

    The Head Priest stepped forward. This sixty-year-old man had a polite smile on his face. His short hair turned grey. His eyes were gentle. A pure aura was spreading from his body. He opened his mouth and said, "I heard there was some trouble." His voice was serene, making everyone''s heart calm down.

    Sister Josephine, Sister Mary, and Abigail knelt the moment they saw him. Sister Josephine lowered her head and said, "Head Priest, may the Goddess bless the light upon you." After that, she raised her head and replied, "This isn''t something you have to waste your precious time on." Her voice was unusually gentle.

    The Head Priest stated, "I think I have the right to know. And please stand up all of you. I''m not worthy of this much respect."

    "How can you say this, Head Priest?" Sister Josephine retorted. "You are our light. You show us the way to Goddess Juvena. You are Her most precious."

    Five of them stood up. They stood in front of the Head Priest.

    The Head Priest shook his head. "I''m not the light. The lightes from Goddess Juvena. And, I''m not the only one. We are all her precious." He turned his head toward Veronica. "And you must be¡­"

    Veronica hurriedly bowed. Her heart trembled in nervousness. She did her best to stay calm and said, "May the Goddess bless the light upon you, Head Priest. I''m Veronica. I''m still an apprentice."

    The Head Priest nodded. "You look too old to be an apprentice. How old are you?"

    Veronica politely answered, "I''m eighteen."

    "You are definitely too old for that position. Why haven''t you be a Junior Priest?" Head Priest seemed curious.

    "It''s because I''m not worthy yet." Veronica took all the mes on her shoulders.

    Sister Josephine was satisfied with this answer and included, "Head Priest, she doesn''t do the work properly and often skips her duty. She even stayed all day in the mountain range and only came back after curfew. That''s why I haven''t been able to give her a proper position that she is not worthy of."

    The Head Priest calmly heard everything that Sister Josephine had to say and then shared his wisdom, "A person''s worthes from their heart. One''s sincerity makes them how worthy one can be. If a person is not worthy of something, they must be worthy of something else."

    He stepped toward Veronica and ced a hand on her head. Veronica slightly quivered. She felt something spreading all over her body. With an open mouth, she gaped at him. She heard him saying, "Veronica, a precious child of Goddess Juvena, I hereby dere you one of the healers of our kingdom, Utahill. May the Goddess shine you with Her pure light."

    "Eh?" Veronica blinked. She thought maybe her head finally began to crack and she heard something wrong. There was no way she would be appointed as a healer without letting others know that she could heal others. They have to have some proof for her to be dered as a healer.

    Others were also confused. They were astounded by Head Priest''s sudden deration.

    Sister Josephine came forth and said, "Head Priest, there must have been some mistake. Veronica doesn''t have the power of the healers. She is an ordinary girl."

    "Is she?" The Head Priest didn''t seem surprised. He chuckled and then stated, "Sister Josephine has been too busy to see one''s inner ability. You need to rest your eyes often. Only then you can see through a person''s heart."

    Sister Josephine gently retorted, "Head Priest, even if you say that, she is a disobedient child." Her face showed some restlessness.

    The Head Priest didn''t seem offended. He remarked, "For some reason, it seems like you don''t want her to be a healer. Don''t worry about her safety. Veronica is a precious child. Goddess Juvena will protect her all the way to the end."

    Sister Josephine''s face slightly bloomed with color. She was embarrassed that her true thoughts were exposed in front of others. She had seen Veronica grow up in her own eyes. She knew what Veronica was capable of. Being a healer was a heavy responsibility. They would have to go to battlefields when they were hired. Some of them even lost their lives. For a happy-go-lucky girl like Veronica, it would be hard for her to get used to this kind of thing.

    However, she couldn''t let others know what she was thinking. She cleared her throat and stated, "I''m not worried about her safety. I''m worried that she will bring disasters with her carelessness and shame our temple."

    Veronica pursed her lips. What could be more humiliating than Sister Josephine''s words? Even if she never became a healer, she just lost her face in front of the Head Priest.

    The Head Priest nodded as though he was agreeing with Sister Josephine. And yet, he said, "Yes, yes, you can worry about it if you want to but I have information Veronica used her healing powerst night. That is why I came to take her with me."

    Veronica''s jaw dropped. No one knew that she used her power except for Arthur. Moreover, she lied that she was in the mountain range. If the Head Priest knew that she had used her power, he must have known where she was yesterday.

    "H-how did you know?" The words escaped her mouth before she would realize what she was saying.

 Chapter 33 - THE HEAD PRIESTS ANSWER

    <h4>Chapter 33 - THE HEAD PRIEST''S ANSWER</h4>

    "H-how did you know?" The words escaped her mouth before she would realize what she was saying.

    "Impudent! Show some manners in front of the Head Priest!" Sister Josephine reprimanded her. She couldn''t even dream about talking to the Head Priest so casually. And, here there was a girl who didn''t know her ce talked to the Head Priest as if they were acquaintances.

    The Head Priest let out a pleasantugh. This was the first time someone from the temple talked to him so casually. He didn''t reply to Veronica''s question.

    Rather, he added more mystery saying, "Someone had found out that you have used your power and informed me. That''s why I came to fetch you. From now on you will live in a secluded ce. You will be taught how to use your power and can have control over it."

    Veronica tilted her head, not understanding the meaning of his words. "But I already know how to use my power. I have proper control over it."

    "Not quite," the Head Priest wasn''t mad at her ignorance. He proposed, "Let''s talk somewhere private."

    The other four women craved to find out what the Head Priest and Veronica were going to talk about. However, they didn''t get the chance. The Head Priest took a walk in the direction of the Inner Temple along with Veronica.

    The Head Priest didn''t want to disclose more information regarding her in front of others. That''s why he took her away from them.

    Veronica followed him from behind with timid steps. She was anxious to know what else he knew about her. If he knew, then there would be a logical exnation for the people who were looking for in the town. She prayed in her heart. She didn''t want him to know that she was in the town.

    At that time, a gust of wind rushed in from the outside, as it spun near her before departing. She had to keep her eyes close and could only feel the wind. The wind carried a sweet smell. Her silver hair danced in the wind and disheveled her hair.

    She woke upte and didn''t have the time to tie them up. She quickly raised her hands and tied them like a bun before the Head Priest noticed her mess.

    The Head Priest walked to the flower garden and stopped in front of the white rose bed. As the soft breeze blew, the nts moved in unison like professional dancers.

    The Head priest finally opened his mouth and said, "You see these flowers. They are maintained by some specific people. If they aren''t maintained, they will grow up as they want to and it will look like a jungle. It won''t look decorative and beautiful. After all, they are wild beings."

    After a pause, he continued, "Same goes for your power. It''s useful and powerful. To keep it disciplined and beautiful like these flowers, you have to maintain it. You have to have control over it. You are its master. If you can''t do it, it will be wild and it may harm you and the people around you."

    He added, "You may think that you have control over our power but how many times did you actually use it?"

    Veronica shook her head and answered, "Not that much." She didn''t need to count how many times she used her power. Most of the time she used her power on the animals and only once she used it on a human.

    The Head Priest asked, "How was your emotion at that time?"

    "It was okay." She was always calm when she was healing an animal or Arthur.

    The Head Priest nodded in understanding. "So, your emotions were stable. What if your emotions be unstable and you need to use your healing power. You have no idea who to control your emotion. Can you even control your power at that time?"

    Veronica seemed troubled. She couldn''t help but ask, "Will my power really harm anyone?"

    The Head Priest replied, "There is no certainty. We must always prepare for the worst. This way, we won''t lose anything precious."

    Veronica fidgeted before saying, "Did it ever happen? The outburst of power I mean."

    The Head Priest stated, "Did you not know? Goddess Juvena lost her power control because she was emotionally unbnced and she died trying to save many people she cared for."

    "There was such a thing?!" Veronica''s eyes widened. She didn''t know there was history like this.

    The Head Priest chuckled. "There are so many things you don''t know about our beloved Goddess. There are so many books that are not disyed outside the temple. If you be a sessful healer, I will give you ess to the library''s forbidden section."

    "Will you really?" Veronica''s eyes sparkled like a child got candy.

    The Head Priest was amused by her reaction. "I promise."

    "Also¡­" Veronica gulped before asking, "How did you know I used my power?"

    The Head Priest mysteriously answered, "This is something I cannot answer you. however, I can tell you one thing, whenever a healer uses their power for the first time, we find out."

    He answered in a roundabout way. Veronica became dumbfounded. She stated, "It wasn''t the first time I used my power though. I used my power for the first time when I was eight years old."

    The Head Priest finally turned to see her face. He seemed astonished by her im. "Is that so? Whom did you heal at that time?"

    Veronica hesitantly answered, "That was¡­ a squirrel."

    The Head Priest seemed more confused. "And, whom did you heal yesterday?"

    "That was¡­" Veronica''s palms became sweaty. "¡­a human." She regretted asking him that question. Now they were going to find out what she was in the town even if they didn''t know before. There was no way she would meet a human being in the lone mountains.

    "A human in the mountain range?!" The Head Priest was puzzled. "How did you meet that human? Was that a traveler?"

 Chapter 34 - THE OFFER

    <h4>Chapter 34 - THE OFFER</h4>

    "A human in the mountain range?!" The Head Priest was puzzled. "How did you meet that human? Was that a traveler?"

    The series of questions made Veronica bbergasted. She realized that she shot a bullet on her own foot. She wished to bury herself because of her stupidity.

    ''Calm down, Ver! This isn''t the time to worry about unnecessary things. Just starve a day for lying to the Head Priest,'' Veronica told herself.

    "I haven''t seen the face of the person. I was resting in the mountain cave when I saw him lying in the corner. He was severely injured. I thought he was a mountain climber. He must have identally fallen and injured himself. That''s why I saved him," she lied in a swift motion without holding back. In her mind, she was stabbing her heart. Her guilty conscience was killing her. She didn''t show her inner struggle in her expression.

    The Head Priest seemed to believe her. Or rather, he didn''t imagine her being so brave that she would lie in front of his face. He inquired, "What was he wearing?"

    Veronica answered without hesitation, "It was so dark to see properly. He was wearing a cape, warm clothes, and boots."

    "I see." The Head Priest smiled at her and said, "You are really kind for saving a stranger. We need people who love people to spread the stories of Goddess Juvena and give people hope and peace."

    Veronica bashfully stated, "It''s because I have been taught by kind people like Sister Josephine and Sister Mary."

    The Head Priest gave her a gentle look. The more he talked to her, the more he liked it. "Pack your bag. Take everything that belongs to you and leave everything that doesn''t belong to you. From now on, you will stay in the Rosemary Temple."

    "R-Rosemary Temple?" Veronica stuttered. Her blood began to boil.

    While the Great Temple was situated right under the mountain range, the Alss, Rosemary Temple was situated inside the mountain. It was the oldest temple in history. This temple was a legend.

    It was said that Saint Ava lived there. Saint Ava was the top healer in Utahill. No one had the power to surpass her. Just like the priests were under the head priest, all the healers in this is country followed Saint Ava.

    Most of the healers were trained by the top healers who lived in the pce. However, Veronica was appointed under Saint Ava. It meant she was going to be trained with the Saint''s guidance.

    However, more than being thrilled, Veronica was confused. "Why me?" she asked. "Unlike others, why do I have to be trained by Saint Ava? Is my power dangerous? Am I in trouble?"

    "No, no. Where did you get this idea?" The Head Priest denied her im and assured her, "You are chosen to be her apprentice until you can prove your worth. We haven''t seen you using power. How can we decide whether your power is dangerous or not? The reason who will be taught by the Saint because she has chosen you herself. When you used your power, she had got a signal. That''s why she came to me and requested me so that I coulde here for you."

    "Saint Ava wanted me!" Veronica gasped. Her heart rate elerated.

    How could an insignificant person like her get the chance to be taught by Saint Ava herself? It sounded unbelievable!

    She couldn''t help but pinch her arm. When she felt a stinging pain, she realized that she wasn''t daydreaming. The Head Priest was indeed standing in front of her and offered her to be Saint Ava''s apprentice.

    Veronica still had a doubt. She questioned, "Why did she find outst night? Why didn''t she find out when I first used my power?" If the Saint found out when she was eight years old, she didn''t have to suffer from working too much. Just thinking about cleaning the temple alone made her shiver.

    The Head Priest thought for a while and answered, "It''s because you used your power to heal a human. You needed to spend extra power to heal a severely injured human. I think that''s why she found out about you."

    Her innocent emerald eyes looked at him. She requested, "Can I stay here for the night? Since I''m not sure how long I have to stay in the Rosemary Temple, I want to spend some time with my friends before leaving."

    The Head Priest easily agreed to her demand, "I don''t mind. But, you have to reach the inner temple tomorrow at dawn. I will take you to the Rosemary temple."

    "All right," Veronica vigorously nodded her head. She couldn''t wait to be the apprentice of Saint Ava. She couldn''t express how ted she was upon hearing the news.

    When she went back to the disciplinary room, Catherine grabbed her arms. "Ver, did I just hear right? Are you really a healer?" Her voice was quivering in excitement. Just like her friend, Catherine was also exhrated.

    "Calm down, Catherine. Let Veronica talk." Sister Josephine was sitting on a chair and calmly stated. Her eyesnded on Veronica and asked her, "What did the head Priest tell you?"

    Veronica softly smiled and narrated shortly, "The Head Priest told me to pack my bag and wait for him in the inner temple tomorrow at dawn. He wants me to be the apprentice of Saint Ava."

    Catherine gasped. She covered her mouth. She couldn''t believe her ears. The same thing happened to Abigail and Sister Mary. Yes, their expressions were as animated as Catherine''s.

    Sister Josephine blinked. Although she had prepared her heart, she didn''t expect to hear that. She readjusted her sses and said, "All right, pack your bag. Since today is yourst day in the temple, you don''t have to work today. I''ll appoint someone else in your position. May the Goddess bless the light upon you."

    "Thank you, Sister Josephine." Veronica bowed and took the blessing.

    After she came out of the disciplinary room, Catherine hugged her from behind. "Oh my goodness! Ver, I can''t believe you are a healer now!" She couldn''t control her excitement.

    "I still think I''m dreaming," Veronica spoke truthfully.

    "Oh, don''t worry too much. Why don''t we spend some time together?" Catherine suggested. She couldn''t possibly concentrate on work right now.

    "Oh, about that, I have some unfinished business to take care of."

 Chapter 35 - TWO FRIENDS NIGHT ADVENTURE

    <h4>Chapter 35 - TWO FRIENDS'' NIGHT ADVENTURE</h4>

    In the middle of the night, Veronica secretly left the room once again. She went to the east border where she told Catherine to wait. She was wearing her boots and nightclothes. And draped the worn-out cape over her shoulders.

    Just as she expected, Catherine was waiting for her. Her body was covered with white clothes under her brown cape. As soon as Catherine saw her friend, she raised her hand and waved at her.

    Veronica quickly went over her side and sped her hands. She lowered her voice and asked, "How long have you been waiting?"

    Catherine answered, "Not too long. Hey Ver, is it okay to walk around like that in thepound? What if someone sees us?"

    Veronica assured her, "Don''t worry. No one walks around thepound in the middle of the night for no good reason."

    Catherine rxed a bit. She looked around cautiously and inquired, "Anyway, why are we venturing inside thepound? I thought we were going to the mountain range."

    Veronica shook her head saying, "No, we are going to Sister Ruth''s room."

    "Huh? Why Sister Ruth''s room?" Catherine was confused. She didn''t expect that answer.

    Veronica took a deep breath and whispered, "I''m going to tell you something. Don''t freak out."

    Catherine was curious. Whenever her friend came up with an idea or a n, it was always full of excitement. It provided them with the much needed thrill in their boring yet disciplined life. That''s why she never said ''no'' to her friend ¨C just like now. "Okay, go on."

    "Actually, the thing is, Sister Ruth¡­ she¡­" Veronica disclosed the incident the other night.

    Catherine gasped in surprise. "What are you saying? Did she kill herself? You mean she attempted suicide!"

    Veronica put her index finger on her friend''s lips, hushing her friend, and said, "Lower your voice. I''ve heard with my own ears and seen with my own eyes. That''s why I know for sure."

    "Then why did they lie?" Catherine pondered deeply.

    Unfortunately, Veronica had no idea about that either. "I don''t know. Whatever they did, there should be a proper exnation. That''s why I need to know why she killed herself."

    "All right, I will go with you." There was no way Catherine could walk away from something exciting like this.

    Those two headed to the Senior Priest''s building. They moved cautiously so that even if someone was walking in the middle of the night, they wouldn''t get caught.

    It didn''t take that much time before they reached the building. They surveyed their surroundings for a moment and only after confirming that no one was around, did they proceeded to enter the building. They just had to walk along the corridor on the first floor and they would reach the first room in the left corner that belonged to Sister Ruth.

    Thinking of her bright smile, Veronica and Catherine''s eyes teared up. They silently marched closer and stopped in front of the door.

    Veronica checked the doorknob and stated, "It''s unlocked."

    It was only natural for it to be unlocked since there wasn''t any thief here. If it was locked, it would mean someone was trying to hide something.

    They opened the door and quietly entered the room. Since the doors and windows were locked for a while, the air inside carried a damp scent. The temperature of the room was cold as though the room had died along with its previous upant. It was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

    Veronica adjusted her eyes in the dark and went toward the window. She closed the curtains and told her friend, "You can light the candle now."

    "Okay, but if we get caught, the me is on you," saying that Catherine lighted the candle that was on the wooden table.

    "Yes," Veronica agreed without hesitation.

    The candlelight illuminated the room. It was a small room. The room was decorated rather simply. There wasn''t much furniture. Only a single bed in front of the window, a wooden table and a chair ced beside the door, and a small wardrobe across the room.

    Catherine stacked the matchbox back in the drawer and then put her arms around her waist before looking around. "So, what are we looking for?"

    Veronica began to look around too. It was her first time stepping into this room. She was unfamiliar with this ce. She replied, "Something like a diary, where Sister Ruth wrote about her daily activities, her thoughts, and whatnot."

    "Fine," Catherine strode toward the table and began to check the books and diaries, neatly stacked in one corner.

    Most of the books were religious books and children''s storybooks. The books were old. Most of them were worn out. She carefully moved them so that they would not tear apart.

    "Nothing is here," Catherine dered. She looked through all the notebooks and diaries but found nothing suspicious, much less anything useful. "Most of the notes were about duties and her students'' lessons."

    "There is nothing here either," Veronicamented. She was skimming through the wardrobe.

    Catherine tapped her chin andmented, "What if she doesn''t have a habit of writing a diary at all?"

    "We won''t know unless we look for it properly." Veronica strode toward the bed and moved the white bed cover. Catherine gave her a hand.

    Veronica moved the pillow and finally found a brown-colored animal skinned diary, ced right under it.

    "This looks expensive," shemented. She took the diary and walked closer to the candle.

    "Is that her diary?" Catherine peeked.

    Veronica read a few lines and flipped over some pages and skimmed through the lines. Her eyes lit up. "Right, that''s it."

    She wasn''t able to express her excitement before they heard some voices. The way the volume increased gradually indicated that some people wereing in their direction. Or it could be said that they were actuallying to this room.

    The girls exchanged nces. Catherine blew the candle off and hurriedly followed her friend to hide under the bed.

    The footsteps came closer.

    Holding their breaths, the girls waited for what was going to happen next. They wished no one coulde inside.

    The voices outside the door hushed down.

    And, the door was opened.

 Chapter 36 - SOMEONE IS COMING

    <h4>Chapter 36 - SOMEONE IS COMING</h4>

    Veronica and Catherine held their breaths. Their heartbeats escted. As they stayed under the bed, their limpid eyes focused on the door.

    The footsteps came closer and stopped in front of the door. The words behind the door suddenly quieted down. Soon, the door was opened. Several footsteps entered the room.

    "The door was open. Someone came here," a low voice could be heard. It was a man''s voice. The voice was colder than usual.

    Someone else looked around and questioned him, "Why would someonee into Ruth''s room?"

    There was another person. He said, "Maybe he or she was missing Sister Ruth. Sigh, she was a good person."

    ''Three men in Sister Ruth''s room in the middle of the night¡­ What on earth are they here for?'' Veronica wondered.

    "Is that so? Then why is the bed disheveled?" The first person pointed his finger at the bed.

    The second person was surprised to see the bed like that. "Huh? Could it be that someone slept here?" He hurriedly marched forward and took care of the bed.

    Veronica pinched Catherine''s arm. If she made the bed properly, they wouldn''t have noticed it. Catherine flinched but dared not to make a sound.

    The first person wasn''t that easy to be fooled. He stated with a frown, "For what reason would a person do that? We all have beds. It''s not that her bed isfier. All beds including the Head Priest''s bed are as hard as rocks."

    The third person came up with a clue. "Then it means only one thing. The intruder was missing Sister Ruth."

    The first person didn''t like that theory. He remarked, "Then at least she or he should make the bed. What kind of discipline have we taught them? Can''t even close the door?" he scoffed.

    The second one suggested, "Maybe it''s the children. They must be missing her and came to her room."

    The first person didn''t agree with his logic. "And howe the children know where her room is? They don''t evene to this area. They are forbidden."

    The second person added, "Only Junior priests cane here. Could it be, one of them came here?"

    The first person took a round of the room. All of a sudden, he paused. "Wait, if it''s someone junior or senior, they wouldn''t leave the room like that. It could be the person is still in the room."

    Veronica and Catherine froze on the spot. They were worried that something like that could happen. They gulped and waited silently.

    The second man was quick to understand what his fellow meant. He eximed, "You mean that person is here right now!? Who will break the curfew? No one is insane."

    "We can''t know for sure. He or she must havee here and when they heard our voices, they hid. Let''s see if someone is in the wardrobe, hiding from us." The first person strode to the wardrobe and opened it.

    "See? No one is there. You are thinking too much," the third personmented.

    "What about under the bed? We haven''t searched there," saying that the first person went in the direction on the bed.

    Veronica and Catherine began to sweat. They thought, ''I''m doomed. There is no turning back.''

    They saw the pair of feet stopped in front of the bed. The person bent down and his fingers grabbed the hem of the bedcover.

    The girls tightly shut their eyes.

    Suddenly a stern voice was heard, "Lord Alexander, what pleasure do I owe you in the middle of the night in Sister Ruth''s room?"

    The owner of the hand paused and raised his head. The right corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly. "Sister Josephine, it''s a pleasure to see you here. Did you just break the rules?"

    Sister Josephine strictly stated, "That''s not your ce to point it out. What are you and your men doing in the inner part of the temple? This isn''t a ce for you to step on."

    The man called Lord Alexander didn''t seem to be bothered by her attitude. He smirked andmented, "How can I note to the room of my dead cousin. I was always curious why she left her house and came to live here."

    He looked around the room and said, "I can''t believe she left her luxurious life and chose a shabby ce to stay."

    Sister Josephine snapped at him, "She chose to follow her own path and found peace living here. That''s all she cared about. A person such as yourself has no right to mock others."

    "Hey, woman! Watch your mouth!" the second person warned her for being rude to his master.

    "Ah, don''t scold her like that. She is your senior," Lord Alexander gently rebuked his subordinate. He didn''t seem angry but rather amused.

    Sister Josephine didn''t even flinch under the threat. She kept her stoic face and said, "Since you have seen Sister Ruth''s house, please leave at once!"

    "You!" the second man red at her.

    He turned toward Sister Josephine and told her, "See Sister Josephine, your scary face is scaring my people. Please try to be gentler. It will be better for you." He stepped closer to her and whispered, "Human''s life is so short. You wouldn''t want something terrible to happen to your precious juniors, right?"

    Sister Josephine red at him without saying a word. Her eyes showed how much she loathed the person in front of her.

    After Lord Alexander and his subordinates left, Sister Josephine mumbled, "If it wasn''t for you, she would have lived a long life." She let out a deep sigh and shut the door.

    Veronica and Catherine waited for her footsteps to go further away before breathing out loud. They were holding breaths right before when Lord Alexander was trying to peek under the bed. They forgot to breathe after that.

    The two girls came out of the bed and stood up. They breathed heavily as though they ran a marathon.

    "That was so intense." Catherine was panting. She wiped the sweats from her forehead. "Why did she mean by - she would live a long time without him?"

    "She meant that without her cousin, Sister Ruth would live a long life. Her death has something to do with her cousin and the temple hid it for some reason." Veronica looked at the diary and added, "Now that we have her diary, we can find out what caused her death."

 Chapter 37 - THEY MEET AGAIN

    <h4>Chapter 37 - THEY MEET AGAIN</h4>

    That very night, Veronica went outside the temple with the diary.

    Catherine tried to stop her but it was to no avail. When she wanted to tag along being worried about her friend, Veronica forbade her. In the end, Catherine only grumbledining that her friend wouldn''t tell her anything.

    Veronica promised that after she came back, she would tell her everything. After that, she used the backdoor of the kitchen and slipped away into the dark alley. This time, she had changed her clothes before leaving. She would never be foolish enough to get out in her nightclothes again.

    She wanted to go to Arthur''s but she forgot the way to his house''s back door. So, she decided to go to the library. Since it was close to the market square, it was easy to find it. As usual, the night market was open and people gathered in a group here and there. Shepletely avoided them and pulled her hood to cover her head and face.

    "Isn''t it the prettydy? Isn''t it toote to go out?"

    She was passing the famous bar she went to once and heard a familiar voice. She raised her head and saw the boy who served her juice once. Her face beamed. She eximed, "It''s you!"

    The bartender was smoking. He moved the cigarette from his mouth and rubbed the flickering fire against the wall as he spoke, "I can''t believe I''m seeing my prettydy once again. It''s just how lucky I am. How are you?"

    Veronica answered, "I''m fine. Thank you for asking. How about you?"

    The bartender let out a sigh. "The business is going too well. I''m having a hard time keeping up with all the customers."

    Seeing his miserable expression, Veronica covered her mouth and smiled. She thought his expression was funny. She suggested, "Why don''t you hire some people?"

    The bartender''s face lit up with the idea. "That''s a good idea. Do you want to help me? I''m sure all those rowdy customers who were rebuking me would quiet down seeing your pretty face."

    "Uh¡­ but I¡­" Veronica hesitated. She had to meet Arthur ande up with the reason behind Sister Ruth''s death.

    The guy sped his palms together while pleading, "Pretty please? You have to work two hours."

    ''Well, I did drink here for free. I should pay it off with my hard work. I hope Arthur won''t fall asleep by the time I finish working here.'' Veronica decided to take the job and looked at him. "Fine, but it''s just for two hours."

    "You are the best!" The bartender was relieved. "Since we are going to work together, let''s introduce ourselves. The name is Maximilian. Please call me Max."

    "Hello, Max. I''m Ver. It''s a pleasure to meet you." As usual, she hid her real name.

    "I already like your name, Ver. It''s a pleasure to meet you too. Pleasee in. I will give you a briefing on how to take orders and serve the customers." Max showed her the way in.

    ---------

    Arthur was bored sitting all day and night, waiting for the news. His henchman, Sebastian went to gather some information and he had yet toe and report to him. ''What''s taking him so long?'' He took a deep breath and stood up. He marched to the window and looked at the city that had yet to sleep.

    ''Forget it. He cane and just wait for me.'' As he thought that, he wrapped a shawl over his body and went out of the house. After walking aimlessly for a while, his throat was feeling itchy. Realizing it was time to drink something, he went to the nearest bar. He loudly ordered his drink and waited for it.

    When the beer was served, he sipped a mouthful and only then he noticed the person who served the drink. And, it made him choke.

    Cough! Cough! Cough!

    Arthur coughed vigorously until a handkerchief was passed toward him. "Are you okay?" Veronica asked anxiously.

    Arthur wiped his mouth and then nced at her. "What are you doing here? Don''t tell me you came here to work because you wanted another new experience."

    Veronica was wearing a navy blue dress. The skirt swayed every time she moved. Her head was covered with the same colored scarf. Her hair had a neat bun. She looked different than before.

    She exined it to him, "Someone I know was in trouble. So, I thought of helping him."

    "Him?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. He didn''t think she would be acquainted with another man other than him. He inquired, "Who asked for your help?"

    Veronica replied, "Max did. Since he offered me a drink once, I thought it was fair to help him."

    Arthur''s sharp orbs skimmed through the bar. Just as he expected, the customers were all eyeing her. A girl with a pretty face with a na?ve expression in front of so many men ¨C it was like themb wanted to be ughtered.

    Arthur finished his drink in a few gulps and ced the ss on the table. He took out some coins and left them there. After that, he stood up and grabbed her hand. He stated, "You have worked enough. Let''s get out of here."

    Veronica was confused at first but hurriedly said, "Huh? But I can''t. I promised to work another fifteen minutes."

    Arthur assured her, "Don''t worry about the promise. I will talk to the Max you told me about. Let''s go." He pulled her with him.

    Veronica pulled her hand away from him. "I need to change my clothes. These aren''t my clothes."

    "Okay, go," he approved. He decided, ''In the meantime, I will take care of that Max.''

    He strode to the counter. He knew Max. it wasn''t the first time he came here. Max was busy working. He didn''t have the time to notice his regr customer.

    "You seem busy," Arthurmented.

    Max''s tired face gleamed. "Oh, isn''t that my favorite customer?! Should I give you the regr?"

    "I''ve already had it¡­" Arthur grabbed him by the cor and yanked at him. Then continued his words, "¡­but the next time you hire her to work for you, I will make sure your bar will be demolished."

 Chapter 38 - TONIGHTS TRYST

    <h4>Chapter 38 - TONIGHT''S TRYST</h4>

    Arthur grabbed him by the cor and yanked him. Then continued his words, "¡­but the next time you hire her to work for you, I will make sure your bar will be demolished." His voice was colder than the north pole. It only expressed how angry he was at Max.

    Since customers were busy drinking and gossiping, they didn''t notice themotion. Moreover, things like that always happened in the bar. So, no one heeded it.

    Max gave him a nervous smile. "Calm down. It''s not that I forced her to do it or anything. I asked her help and she agreed."

    The veins popped on Arthur''s forehead. He stated, "I don''t give a damn about your excuses. You are not allowed to get close to her let alone make her work for you. And mostly, you are not allowed to give her a free meal."

    "Hold it right there. Why are you speaking as if she is your woman? There is no way, right? If you hook up with someone, even if it''s temporary, you know the girls in the town will suffer greatly." Max was a bit confused by his customer''s unusual behavior. Being curious and gathering information was his ability.

    Arthur frowned. He didn''t like when others showed interest in him. "Watch your mouth. I''m notmitted to someone nor will I ever be."

    Max squinted his eyes. It was the first time he saw Arthur losing his temper like this. That was unexpected. He couldn''t help but ask, "Is that so? Then why are you being so overly possessive over that woman? It''s not that anyone harmed her. She is trying to help her friend in need."

    "Whatever it is, it''s none of your business. If you don''t heed my words, just prepare for the consequences." Arthur''s golden orbs glowed with fire as if he was going to explode in any minute.

    Max realized that this wasn''t time to provoke Arthur any further. He raised his hand and coolly surrendered, "All right, all right, you win. Now please let go of me. I need to serve my customers."

    Arthur gave him onest re before releasing him. He moved his long legs to the backside of the bar.

    "Geez, that was intense," Maxmented while brushing off his shirt.

    After changing her clothes, Veronica came out and saw Arthur waiting for her. She walked closer and said, "Arthur, I''m ready. Let''s go."

    Arthur nodded and both of them walked toward the library. After quite some time, he opened his mouth and demanded, "You should stay away from him. That guy is bad news."

    Veronica looked at him in confusion. "Who? Max? No, he is a good guy. He offered me help when I wanted to find you. He even gave me free booze."

    "Booze?" The corner of his eyes twitched. His mood got worse seeing how she defended that unworthy guy. He did his best to cool his head and stated, "There is no such thing as a free meal. He already made you work for him even though you were his customer at first."

    Veronica couldn''t understand why he said that. She told him, "Did you forget that I mentioned that he helped me to find you?"

    Arthur reminded her, "You were almost sold and vited by a drunkard. Max must have got a huge amount of money for making you work there, even if it''s for one night."

    Upon hearing his words, Veronica was shocked. "H-how can that be? He always smiles and is so friendly. A person like that can''t be that bad!"

    Arthur let out a deep sigh. "A person who is very friendly for no reason has some kind of ulterior motive."

    "Is it?" She tilted her head. "But in the temple, everyone who is soft heartened smiles a lot and they are super friendly. I wish I could introduce you to them."

    "Really?" Arthur smirked. "I''m looking forward to it then."

    Veronica couldn''t say that she wouldn''t be able to live there anymore. She hung her head and walked quietly.

    Arthur didn''t like this silence. So, he broke it again, "Seeing you without any injury means you weren''t punished by the priests. I didn''t know they let go of people so easily for breaking the rules."

    Veronica answered, "Not at all. The rules in the temple are strict. I was going to be punished horribly. However, my savior came and saved me from the hellish sufferings."

    "Your savior?" it quipped his interest. "Who is it?"

    Veronica mentioned, "The Head Priest. He doesn''t like punishment. Thank goodness that I was saved or else, I would be teaching and babysitting children starting from tomorrow." She shivered just thinking about it.

    "Ahahaha! So that was your punishment? Teaching children? How amusing!" Arthur couldn''t control hisughter since the punishment was super interesting.

    Veronica sulked. "Oh, don''tugh! I''m not good with children and they just hate me. Nothing could be a worse punishment than this."

    "I see, that''s a painful punishment then," Arthur remarked. The punishment was quite justified in his eyes. Tonight, he just learned something new about the temple.

    The temple''s work was an absolute secret. And, the lifestyle of the priests was something that no one ever talked about. Although everyone was curious, they couldn''t find an absolute answer. That''s why most of the stories about the priests'' lifestyle were nothing but rumors.

    "Since you weren''t punished, is that why you decided to sneak out again?" he asked.

    "No, I came to meet you. I''ve got Sister Ruth''s diary." Veronica showed him the diary that was hidden inside her skirt pocket.

    Arthur was stunned. He didn''t expect her to look for the diary and she even managed to get a hold of it. And here he thought that she could never achieve it since she was just too na?ve. His eyes held some new found respect for her.

    As he raised his hand to take the diary, Veronica hurriedly stepped backward. "You are not getting it. How can I let a man read a woman''s diary?"

 Chapter 39 - THE CONTENT OF THE DIARY

    <h4>Chapter 39 - THE CONTENT OF THE DIARY</h4>

    As he raised his hand to take the diary from her, Veronica hurriedly stepped backward. "You are not getting it. How can I let a man read a woman''s diary? First, I will read it. Then, I will tell you shortly what''s written in here." Veronica knocked the diary in front of his face.

    "Come on! I gave you the idea of how to get it." The reason Arthur helped her was so that he could finally get a hold of the diary that held the secrets he was looking for. If he couldn''t get to read it, what was the point in helping her?

    Veronica put her arms around her waist and argued back, "So what you helped me? And even if you helped me, I can''t believe you want to read it! It must be your hidden intention just like you mentioned, isn''t it? That''s why I was wondering why you were being so friendly to me. You have an unspeakable purpose, don''t you Arthur?"

    "¡­" Arthur didn''t expect her to turn the tables and put the me on him instead. He advised her to be wary of other people, not be wary of him! It made him regret giving her that lecture.

    He finally sighed and said, "I''m just curious why a nun would want to kill herself. The priests aren''t forced to live a certain kind of life there, right? If she wanted to move out, she could do it anytime. No one would have stopped her either. Why would she choose a sinful path? If you don''t want to let me read it, it''s fine with me. I don''t mind. Just tell me the reason why she chose that ending."

    Veronica narrowed her eyes, trying to copy him. She wanted to read his mind as he could hers. However, she couldn''t. After checking him out for a couple of seconds, she resigned. "Fine, I believe you. By the way, do you have any food left in your house? I''m starving."

    She wasn''t able to eat her dinner properly, out of her excitement. Working in the bar for two hours in a row and serving snacks and drinks already made her stomach cry several times. She already endured it for two hours, but couldn''t anymore.

    Arthur said, "I will make you some sandwiches. Let''s go."

    Veronica''s face beamed. She liked the sandwich he made for her yesterday. She couldn''t wait to eat more.

    After they reached his home, she went to the dining room. There, she could eat and read peacefully.

    Meanwhile, Arthur busied himself with fixing what Veronica would call the most delectable sandwiches she ever got to eat on the kitchen counter, not so far from the dining table.

    While she was reading, Arthur served her the promised sandwiches. As he served her, he tried to peek at what was written in the diary. However, Veronica saw his shadow looming over her. She quickly blocked his view with her hands and then gave him a cold stare.

    "I''m not peeking," Arthur defended himself.

    "I didn''t ask you anything." Veronica dubiously gazed at him and took a bite of the sandwich. "You people take advantage of every situation, don''t you?" By ''you people'', she meantmon people who lived outside the temple.

    Arthur knew he was busted. He let out a dry cough and lectured her, "¡­Well, people you live with have a simple life. They live in afort zone. They don''t have malice in them because they never faced anything harsh. As for these people, they had to face reality every day, they saw how cruel the world could be. That''s why they became selfish and cunning, to survive in the real world. Is it enough to feed your curiosity, princess?"

    Veronica spoke, "It''s not rted to the action why you were peeking at the diary."

    ''Acting all high and mighty,'' Arthur thought in his mind. "I''m sorry for peeking," he apologized. "I''ll be in my study room upstairs. If you need anything, let me know."

    "All right, now leave." Veronica shooed him away.

    ''Just whose house is this?'' Arthur wondered. He went to the study room and found Sebastian standing close to the table, wearing the usual ck clothes. "How long have you been waiting for?" He asked.

    Sebastian answered, "Fifteen minutes, Master."

    Arthur med him, "You arete."

    Sebastian bowed and apologized, "I''m sorry, Master. I was being chased."

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "By whom?" He inquired.

    Sebastian replied, "A group of people who were after what you wanted."

    Arthur hummed. "I see. Did you get it?"

    "Yes, it''s safe and sound. Here," saying that Sebastian took out a red velvet box, with a rectangr size. The edges of the box were designed in pure gold.

    Arthur opened the box and saw what''s inside. He checked it and found out that it was the real one. He was satisfied and said, "Good job. Be sure to notify that person that I got what I needed. Also, I need two portions of the purple bottle. Just tell that person and he will give it to you. You have two days to bring it back to me."

    Sebastian said, "Yes, master. He told me to send this letter to you." He took out an envelope that was sealed with a lion''s face.

    Arthur took the envelope and checked the content before humming, "Hmm¡­ I have no interest in replying to such a letter. Don''t bring a letter that doesn''t have any important content."

    "¡­Yes, Master." Sebastian wanted to say that he couldn''t read the letter. How would he know if it''s an important letter or not?

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    Someone politely knocked on the door interrupting their conversation.

    With Arthur''s signal, Sebastian slipped out of the window. After he left, Arthur calmly yet swiftly kept the box away in the inconspicuous drawer of his table before locking it safely. He then stood up and walked to the door. He unlocked the door and opened it.

    Veronica was standing in the doorway with a pale face.

    "What''s wrong?" Arthur asked her. He had a feeling that something wasn''t right.

    Veronica answered, "The diary¡­ some pages are torn. There is no way to tell why shemitted suicide."

 Chapter 40 - TORN PAGES

    <h4>Chapter 40 - TORN PAGES</h4>

    "The diary¡­ some pages are torn. There is no way to tell why shemitted suicide," Veronica''s voice quivered as she spoke.

    Arthur frowned. He reached out his hand and said, "Let me see for a second." Veronica handed him the diary and he flipped over the pages. His eyes skillfully scanned the contents as he checked. He had the ability to understand a person''s personality from his or her handwriting.

    Sister Ruth had a gentle handwriting style. There was no spelling mistake. That means she was calm, collected, and caring as a person.

    She was a daughter of an aristocrat. It wasn''t mentioned in the diary what rank her father was. She left home after she had some sort of disagreement with her father. She wanted to find peace. She went to the temple and began to live there. Her life was peaceful ever since.

    Sometimes, she would contact her parents through letters. They wanted her to leave the temple and live the way they wanted. But, she refused and didn''t heed their words any longer.

    One day, she saw some children leaving the temple using a secret hole hidden under the bush. Since it was forbidden to get out without permission, she knew they would be punished for breaking the rules. So, she followed them and tried to locate them.

    She got herself a helper who helped her to find them.

    ''A helper¡­'' Arthur squinted his eyes. ''Who could it be¡­'' he pondered.

    After that, Sister Ruth and that person met frequently.

    As for how they met, it wasn''t written clearly. From her choice of words, it seemed she fancied that person. Whether it was a male or female, there was no way to find it out. Even though it was her secret diary, she hid many details well.

    ''Did she think someone could read her diary one day?'' Arthur doubted. ''It shouldn''t happen in the temple.'' He nced at the girl next to him and asked, "Do you have privacy in the temple?"

    "What kind of privacy?"

    "Like someone barging into your room when you are out and search your room without your permission to check if you have something valuable."

    "It never happened. Furthermore, we don''t have anything valuable. Whatever we have been given, those have been given all from the temple. It would be weird if they tried to search our rooms when we don''t usually go out."

    "So, whatever they will find is just the stuff they have given you. Therefore, there is no reason for them to search." Arthur nodded as though he understood. "That makes sense."

    ''If no one was going to read her diary, why did she write it so mysteriously?'' he wondered.

    He flipped over more pages. It seemed she did something she shouldn''t have and she was surprised that she didn''t feel guilty about it. Since she didn''t feel guilty even though she knew she was wrong, it drove her mad. She lost her peace of mind and she became restless.

    Arthur could sense her madness increasing slowly but surely as he turned the pages and came across some incoherent sentences.

    And after that, there was nothing else. The pages were torn. It made him wonder, ''Just what could make a person dive into the depth of madness enough to convince that person ofmitting suicide? Her attitude changed drastically and it was like she was not herself anymore. She kept pondering about something and wrote ¨C I shouldn''t have done that but I have no regrets. Did she fall in love or something? But priests can get married though. Maybe she fell in love with a spy¡­''

    "Tsk!" Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance as he couldn''t find a reason. There was no need for a kingdom to worry about this holynd. Sending a spy here would be thest thing a king would do.

    Veronica''s shoulders slumped. "Everything I did was for nothing. I can''t believe the pages are torn." She sounded very dejected.

    "There is nothing you can do about it now. Maybe she tore the pages and burnt them before death. She didn''t want to leave any clue behind."

    Veronicamented, "After reading thest few pages of the diary, it makes me feel that she wasn''t in the right mind to think things through."

    "You are right." Arthur shut the diary and looked at her thoughtfully. "So, tell me. Why do you look like this isn''t the first time you are doing things like this?"

    "Doing what things?" Veronica gave him a confused gaze.

    Arthur remarked, "It''s like you are a mystery solver."

    "Me? A mystery solver? It''s not what you think it is." Veronica shook her head and denied his im. She exined, "It''s not that I want to solve a mystery. It''s just that I want to get to the bottom of things. I can''t catch a wink of sleep if I can''t find what I want to know."

    Arthur said, "It''s almost the same thing. How many times did you do it to think like a pro?"

    Veronica cocked her head. "Like a pro?"

    Arthur exined, "There are people who like to solve mysteries like you, and they even get paid for it. They are called detectives."

    "De¡­tec¡­tives?" Veronica mumbled slowly. It was the first time she heard this word. Well, Arthur could understand. In religious, philosophical, and geographical books, no one would find the word ''detective''.

    Arthur narrated shortly, "Yes, they are not in this city since people hardly did any crime here. But, you will find them in other countries. They find the truth behind a crime and catch the criminals."

    "That''s so cool." Veronica''s eyes sparkled. "Does that mean I''m a detective too?"

    Arthur found her expression amusing. "You are but not the official kind. Everyone listens to an official detective and lets him investigate whatever they want to. Of course, there are enemies but the detectives can fight off the bad guys."

    "I can''t wait to be an official detective. How to be an official detective then?" Veronica urged him. "This way, I can find out the reason behind Sister Ruth''s death."

 Chapter 41 - HER ENTHUSIASM

    <h4>Chapter 41 - HER ENTHUSIASM</h4>

    "I can''t wait to be an official detective. How to be an official detective then?" Veronica urged him. "This way, I can find out the reason behind Sister Ruth''s death."

    She seemed very confident about her skills as a detective.

    Arthur was amused by her words. He answered, "All you have to learn is basic fighting skills and catch some criminals to get the king''s approval. If you can do this, you will be the first detective in Utahil and the first female detective in the world."

    Veronica stuttered, "The k-king''s approval? Can I even meet him?"

    The king of this country wasn''t that easy to meet with. Moreover, themoners hardly had a chance to see their kind. Even living in the temple, she had no idea how the king looked like. Forget about approval, how could she meet the most distinguished person in the kingdom?

    Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Is this what you are worried about? I thought you would be more worried about learning how to fight."

    "Oh, I should be worried about that." Except for fighting with children, she had never fought anyone. It was something to worry about indeed.

    "You should forget about bing a detective. After all, you trust people too easily. In your eyes, everyone is a good person. And a detective''s first task is to be suspicious of every single person who was rted to the crime, victim, and the criminal. This kind of job is not for you. if the criminal put on a smiling face, your heart will melt easily."

    Veronica put her arms on her waist and objected, "Hey, I''m not that dumb!"

    Arthur crossed his arms and stated, "After seeing you with Max, I think that''s exactly how you will act."

    [A/N: Truthfully, I doubt the same thing.]

    "I will not. I will doubt everyone including you if you are connected to any crime. Hmph!" Veronica looked away in anger.

    Arthur''s expression changed. He looked dejected. He said, "Will you really do that? Ah, I''m hurt. I can''t believe I was feeding milk to a snake."

    Veronica became nervous. "Ah, I didn''t mean it that way. I was just saying it. It was a joke. I would never distrust you."

    Upon hearing her words, Arthur smirked. "I knew it. See? You trust people too easily."

    "Y-you were joking with me?!" Veronica couldn''t believe he was acting just now. It was so real. Her facial expression was hrious. She looked dumbfounded and angry at the same time.

    "Don''t get mad. I had to let you know what kind of person you are. It''s not that it''s bad. I think it''s admirable that you think positively about everything. However, it''s better if you don''t blindly follow anything." Arthur changed the subject before her temper got any worse, "Anyway, what are you going to do with this diary?" He swung the diary in front of her face.

    "What do you think I will do?" Veronica snatched the diary from his hand and said, "I will take it with me. When I find the truth, you have to change the view of me."

    Arthur''s face was full of smiles. "Hey now, I''m not saying you are bad. In my eyes, you are a gentle, brave, and stunning woman. I''m telling the truth."

    "I don''t believe you." Veronica seemed a bit strict. She looked at the clock and stated, "I think I should leave now. I have to wake up at dawn."

    As she turned to leave, Arthur captured her hand and pulled her toward him. Veronica''s back touched his warm chest. Her heart skipped a bit as she felt a familiar warmth and a unique odor. She felt his breaths touching her slender neck and she trembled.

    It seemed her brain was sleeping. Without getting any signal from her brain, she couldn''t move. It was like her legs were rooted on the spot. As if the time had stopped. Her heart was beating faster. She didn''t know why she was feeling like this. Her heart was in a mess.

    Arthur ced his chin on her shoulder and spoke in a deep voice, "Why don''t you stay here tonight?"

    "Huh?" from her open mouth, a quivering sound escaped. Veronica didn''t dare to face him. Her body froze.

    Arthur mentioned, "I will wake you up tomorrow at dawn without a mistake. You don''t have much time anyway. Don''t you want to sleep in afortable bed?" As if he was coaxing her to agree with his suggestion, he added, "I will cook you something delicious with meat."

    "Meat?" Veronica''s tongue watered.

    Arthur further added, "You can borrow some books too."

    She could eat meat stew once a month. To be able to eat something she liked, she couldn''t miss the chance. Moreover, she could read some romantic books. Could she miss this chance?

    Veronica had to agree to this tempting invitation. "All right, I will stay. Just remember to wake me up at five."

    "Splendid! Let me show you your room." Arthur moved away from her and walked toward the door.

    "Haah¡­" Only then Veronica realized that she was holding her breath. Her heart was still thumping quickly. She followed him as though she was hypnotized.

    Arthur let her stay in the same room she stayed in before. That was his own bedroom. He said, "There is only one bedroom here. Make yourselffortable."

    Veronica hesitated before asking, "Umm¡­ where will you sleep?"

    "I have lots of work to finish in the library. Don''t worry. I''ve taken a nap in the afternoon." Arthur paused before adding, "I will sleep if you invite me to join you."

    In a second, Veronica''s face turned red. "yboy!" She mmed the door shut. ''I can''t believe his guts,'' she thought. She sat on the bed and ced her hands on her chest. She felt her heartbeat. She told herself, ''Calm down, heart. Why am I feeling like this? So weird.''

    She couldn''t calm down for a long time.

    When she did, she fell asleep. After that, someone quietly opened the door and walked into the room without making a noise.

 Chapter 42 - WAKE UP!

    <h4>Chapter 42 - WAKE UP!</h4>

    The dark shadow moved closer to the sleeping Veronica. She was soundly asleep. That''s why she heard nothing. The shadow moved away realizing she wouldn''t wake up anytime soon.

    Something went under her pillow and fumbled for a while until it touched something hard. After getting what it wanted, the dark shadow left the room.

    Arthur went back to his study and opened the diary of Sister Ruth. In front of Veronica, he couldn''t check some things. He wanted to test something. He didn''t want to do it in front of Veronica.

    He sat on the chair and lit up the candle. Then, he put an open page of the diary in front of the light.

    Slowly, a dark mark started to be visible.

    The corner of his lips rose. ''I knew it,'' he thought.

    Some parts of the diary were written in invisible ink. That''s why he had to use light and high temperature to make it visible. Fire could give both light and the temperature he wanted.

    Now, he could read everything in detail.

    The person she was seeing was a man. She fell in love with him. They had mutual feelings. Later, that man proposed to her. She was delighted.

    She wrote in detail about him. How they spent their time. How they dreamed about the future.

    After that, the pages were torn. Thest line before the pages was torn was ¨C "I wish I knew at that time and warned him beforehand."

    ''What does she mean by that?'' Arthur furrowed his eyebrow. ''What could have happened? Why did she want to warn him? For what reason?'' His long fingers tapped on the desk in rhythm.

    The torn pages were impossible to read. Thest remaining pages were mostly empty. He didn''t put more hopes in but still decided to check page by page.

    On thest page, there was one passage he got to read ¨C I can''t hide anymore. I can''t put the temple in danger. They areing. They are¡­

    ''Why didn''t she finish writing? Could it be that she was killed right after that so that''s why she couldn''t finish writing? Those who killed her must have torn the pages.'' Arthur was in deep thought. ''But it doesn''t seem right. They could have taken the diary orpletely destroyed it. Why would they tear apart a few pages only?''

    As he was pondering hard, he heard birds chirping gleefully as though they were trying to wee a new day. Arthur looked outside the window and saw the sun was peeking out from the distance. He looked at the clock and realized it''s almost time to wake her up.

    He didn''t notice how the time flew since he was attentively reading the diary. He stood up and went to his bedroom where Veronica was sleeping.

    Veronica was covering herself with the thin nket and was in a deep sleep. Arthur didn''t have to be careful. Even so, he made no sound when he marched forward and ced the diary where it was before. After that, he stroked her head gently and said in a low voice, "Nica, wake up. It''s dawn."

    Veronica didn''t move. She was dreaming about her stilling on a cloud. The cloud was gently floating in the sky. She saw birds werepeting against her. She ordered the cloud to move faster. Later, she touched some clouds and they turned cotton candy. She liked sweets. She couldn''t help it. With a jovial expression, she began to eat them.

    From far away, she heard something calling her name ¨C "Nica¡­ It''s time to get up. Wake up."

    Veronica didn''t want to listen to that voice. It was so disturbing. She ignored the voice and ate all the sweet clouds.

    However, suddenly, she couldn''t breathe anymore. The beautiful dream turned into a nightmare. She felt like someone was trying to choke her to death.

    At that time, she heard loud noises and turned back. She saw a group of assassins was chasing after her. Terrified Veronica wanted to catch something but she fell from the cloud. She tried to scream aloud but she couldn''t.

    She was so scared that she couldn''t do anything. In fear, she shut her eyes tightly.

    Once again, she heard, "Nica, wake up!" This time, the voice was clear.

    Veronica''s eyes flew open. In a thin light, she could see someone looking at her up close. She blinked a few times and her vision gradually cleared.

    "Arthur?" she muttered. Her voice sounded weird.

    Arthur took off his fingers which were pinching her nose. It momentarily made her stop breathing and she woke up. "What were you dreaming? You looked scared."

    "I was¡­ being chased¡­ I couldn''t breathe¡­ wait, this is all your fault. You are the one who was pinching my nose." Veronica rubbed her pitiful nose and med him. Her pale nose turned red under his assault.

    "I was trying to wake you up but you didn''t listen. What if you me me for not waking you up?" Arthur sat beside her on the bed. "Do you want to take a bath? You look sweaty."

    "What time is it?" Veronica yawned and stretched her arms.

    Arthur stared at her beautiful form as he replied, "It''s almost five."

    "Great, I can take a bath. You better prepare the breakfast you promised me," Veronica warned him.

    Arthur''s lips were holding backughter. "As you wish."

    After taking a bath, Veronica went to the kitchen. A delicious smell entered her nostrils. Her mouth watered up in a second. Her stomach cried out noisily.

    "Hungry already?" Arthur chuckled. He took off the apron and served her the dishes. "This is a beef curry. Eat it with bread."

    Veronica didn''t have time to rebuke him. Her eyes were on the food. "It smells so good."

    "Have your fill."

    ----------

    "Ahh¡­ it''s so spicy. My tongue¡­" Veronica stuck out her tongue and tried to cool off her tongue in the cold breeze. It felt like someone lit a fire on her tongue. She was going to the temple. The curry was so spicy that her tongue was still burning.

    Arthurmented from behind, "This isn''t spicy. I added a pinch of chili powder. I would never make any food spicy for breakfast."

    Veronica could barely reply, "We eat in food without adding any spices. Sometimes, our chef adds herbals and that''s it. Never had anything so hot. Phew!"

    "That makes sense," Arthur remarked. Afterward, he silently observed her.

    When they almost reached the destination, he abruptly held her arm.

    Veronica was surprised by his sudden action and turned around. "What''s wrong?" she asked.

    "When will we meet again?" he questioned her.

 Chapter 43 - TO THE ROSEMARY TEMPLE

    <h4>Chapter 43 - TO THE ROSEMARY TEMPLE</h4>

    "When will we meet again?" he questioned her.

    Thinking that she would think he was being too forward, he added in a gentle voice, "It''s not that I''m worried about the books you borrowed. I have plenty of copies left. I was wondering since you seldom go out. Come to me when you go out. I''m worried about you."

    The warmth of his body shifted to her body. Her cool body gradually became warm. Even her face felt hot. His maic voice sent shivers in her heart. Just like when he pulled her closer and her heartbeat increased, she was feeling the same way right now.

    However, thinking of the training, she didn''t know how long she would be training in that secluded ce. The prospect of not being able to go out for an indefinite period cooled down her heart.

    Veronica gave him a forced smile and answered his question, "After I finish reading these books, I wille to give them back. You have to prepare something delicious again."

    "I promise," he swore. His hand let her arm go.

    Veronica could still sense his warmth and touch. Her heart squeezed tightly, making her unable to breathe properly. She turned around quickly so that he wouldn''t see her expression and hurried to the temple.

    Arthur gazed at her back which was vanishing behind the buildings. He lowered his head and gazed at his hand that was holding her arm a few seconds ago. He sensed her body trembling when he touched her.

    The lingering feelings slowly disappeared. He was only left with some memories.

    ----------

    "Head Priest, may the Goddess bless the light upon you." Veronica bowed respectfully.

    "Good, you are on time." The Head Priest smiled at her and closed the book he was reading. He stood up and covered himself with a worn-out shawl. He grabbed a wooden staff and dered, "Let''s go to our destination."

    "Yes," Veronica followed him as he began to walk.

    The temple and their small kingdom were saved from the cold harsh winter by the mountain range, Alss. It took them thirty minutes to reach the mountains which were covered with snow.

    Veronica shuddered and clutched onto her thick coat. Nheless, a cold wind blew through her clothes.

    The Head Priest walked on the trails. He was walking at a brisk pace. Suddenly he halted and turned around to see where she was. He found her far behind him. Her face was red and her pace was slowing down.

    "You have to walk quickly to keep your body warm, child," he shouted aloud.

    "Y-yes¡­" Veronica trembled and quickened her pace.

    Soon, they reached an empty ce. There was a huge wall in front of them. They paused.

    "Head Priest, are we lost?" Veronica asked in fear. She would be damned if they were lost. She wasn''t sure if she could hold her anxiousness any longer.

    Without answering her, the Head Priest stepped close to the wall and touched the wall. His fingers were turning white. He mumbled some ancient words that she never heard.

    Veronica was impatient. She walked in a circle in the narrow ce to keep herself warm. She also jumped and swung her legs.

    All of a sudden, she heard a heavy sound. As if stones were breaking. She immediately turned around. Her eyes became so big that they could pop out at any moment.

    She saw the mountain wall was cracking where the Head Priest touched. The cracking spread swiftly. The dust and snow mixed together and swirled in front of them.

    Veronica closed her eyes. She heard noises and her heart shuddered. When everything had quieted down, she opened her eyes. The wind cleared up and the scenery before her was too magical to be true.

    She saw the entrance. The huge stone door had appeared on the mountain wall. It was closed, blocking them to go further.

    The Head Priest recited something again in an ancientnguage and then raised his wooden staff and pulled it down with great force. The tip of the staff touched the ground and a strong gust of wind pushed the lock of the door.

    Even Veronica was pushed back by the strong gust of wind. ''Wh-what was that?'' she wondered with a shaky heart. She had never faced such a strong force of the wind.

    She didn''t have the time to think about that. She saw the door slowly opening. She became excited the moment her eyesnded on what was behind that door.

    "Let''s head inside," the Head Priest stated.

    "Sure," Veronica finally moved her legs and went inside.

    The moment they set foot inside, they began to feel warm. Inside the mountain was warm and cozy. Their cool bodies gradually became warm. After they came inside, the door behind them closed, cutting them off from the outside world.

    The fire was lit up here and there. It helped them in a dark ce. They walked in the breeze.

    "Wee to the Rosemary Temple," the Head Priest said. He was amused by the wandering eyes of Veronica. He stated, "This is the oldest temple in the world. The most ancient temple. From now on, this ce will be your new home."

    Veronica''s eyes looked back and forth. Aside from the breeze and ancient fire torches, there was nothing else. The tall pirs starting from up above went down to who knows where. She looked down at the breeze and couldn''t see the bottom. It seemed endless.

    ''Thank goodness there were handrails for support or I would have fallen to Goddess knows where,'' she thought. She moved away from the stone handrail and said, "The designs are soplicated. How did people manage to do it?"

    The Head Priest replied, "The legend says more than ten thousand men worked together to build this temple. You can feel their love and devotion for the Goddess Juvena through their hard work."

    He was right. Even Veronica could feel it. She marched forward and admired the marksmanship.

    The breeze had ended and they entered into a room. The room was spacious and empty. They had passed several rooms and all were the same.

    After passing the tenth room, there was a closed door. The Head Priest pushed the stone door and a strong light hit them.

 Chapter 44 - AND THEY MET

    <h4>Chapter 44 - AND THEY MET</h4>

    Veronica closed her eyes the moment the strong white light hit her eyes. She had never seen such a pure light before. She felt as if her body was being purified by the light. She began to feel lighter. She could even see the light through her eyelids.

    When she finally noticed the light starting to fade away, she opened her eyes. And then she was awestruck by the enormous beauty standing in the middle of the room. She was entirely covered in a cream colored dress. Her long curly blonde hair was shining. Her blue eyes were unmoved. Her pink lips were sealed. Thirteen candles were ced in a circle around her. She seemed to be glowing, just like Goddess Juvena.

    Her pink lips opened shortly and a honey dripped voice floated to her ears, "Wee to Rosemary Temple, Veronica."

    "¡­" Veronica was in a daze. That woman''s voice was ringing in her ears.

    "Ahem!" The Head Priest loudly cleared his voice. This expression of hers wasn''t new to him. Everyone would be dumbstruck in the presence of the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.

    The high pitched sound was so unnatural in this ce. It broke her trance. Veronica dumbfoundedly looked at the Head Priest before realizing who she was standing in front of.

    She quickly bowed and said in a quivering voice, "Saint Ava, may the Goddess bless the light upon you. I cannot thank you enough for taking me as your disciple. I''m honored to have you as my mentor." She was so excited that her legs were shaking. She never felt this kind of strong presence before.

    "Mentor?" Saint Ava confusedly nced at Veronica before shifting her gaze to the Head Priest. She questioned him, "Didn''t you tell her?"

    The Head Priest scratched his head. "I didn''t have that much time to exin."

    Veronica looked up and asked, "Exin what?"

    "I''m not your mentor. The pce isn''t ready for another healer. Also, the presence of your power is too weak to let senior healers take you under their wings. Therefore, we decided to let you live for the time being. You can practice using your power whenever it''s needed."

    "My¡­ my power isn''t strong enough¡­" Veronica turned into a statue. She couldn''t believe it. When the Head Priest was talking to her yesterday, she thought she had some great power and it made her feel like she was the king of this world.

    "Your power is so weak that I could barely sense it. I couldn''t track where the power came from. All I could find out was that the healer was you¡­"

    ''No way¡­" the Statue of Veronica started to disappear. Just as she thought, she was expecting too much and got hurt. It was a huge blow from the person she admired. It hurt like hell. Her pride was torn into millions of pieces.

    "You don''t have to be hard on her," the Head Priest defended the newbie seeing her poor state. He felt a bit sorry for her.

    "No, it''s fine. I can take this harsh truth. It''s good to know my ability or else I would get hurtter." Her pride was tarnished, and yet Veronica was able to speak up for the righteous path. After that, she mumbled, "So, this is what they call cruel fate. This is absolutely a tragedy."

    "¡­" The Head Priest and Saint Ava were speechless. They wondered from where she learned such unique words.

    Unlike her, they weren''t fortunate enough to meet anyone who could lend them romantic fiction. Even if someone did lend them those books, they wouldn''t probably read them.

    Veronica clenched her fists and looked at Saint Ava with determination. "I promise I will work hard under your care and be the healer you want me to be."

    "''I want you to be?''" Saint Ava repeated her words and smiled faintly. "Your name is Veronica, right?"

    As Veronica nodded, Saint Ava continued, "You shouldn''t promise so randomly when you can''t keep it. The way I see it, it will take at least a hundred years for you to be able to be the healer I want."

    "What?" Veronica''s heart dropped.

    She couldn''t think of anything before she heard Saint Ava adding, "Well, it might take fifty years or so if you keep practicing without eating, sleeping and bathing."

    Veronica cupped her head and shouted, "No way!"

    "Cough! Cough!" The Head Priest butted in. "I don''t think she is that bad. She first used her power when she was eight and she frequently healed animals."

    Being supported by him, Veronica nced at Saint Ava with expectation.

    "Animals inside the temple?" Saint Ava questioned him. "Those animals couldn''t possibly get injured by an arrow or experience anything close to a severe injury."

    Veronica''s shoulders slumped. Saint Ava was right. Those birds and animals weren''t severely injured. ''What was I expecting? There is no way I could be better. I only used my healing power on a man for the first time.''

    The Head Priest ced his hand over her head upon seeing her downcast face. "Don''t lose hope. There were many healers worse than you. You see her," he signaled her with his eyes at Saint Ava, "she started to have healing power at the age of 30. She was the oldest healer in her ss and everyone mocked her for it. Even if she was ate bloomer, she surpassed all the tests and became the Saint we all respect."

    Saint Ava calmly spoke, "It only happened because I hated to lose to those who mocked me. It''s not that I''m special."

    "That''s not true!" Veronica objected. "When I first saw you, I felt pure light going through my veins. I felt lighter. Yes, you might have worked hard. It''s admirable. However, if you didn''t have a pure heart to begin with, you would never be a Saint. You could never shower us with your pure light."

    The Head Priest smiled kindly at her words. He then stole a nce at Saint Ava.

    Saint Ava''s eyes met his and she averted her gaze. "It''s almost time. Since you walked here from the temple, you must be hungry. Let''s have some breakfast."

    Growl~

 Chapter 45 - GARDEN OF THE MOUNTAIN

    <h4>Chapter 45 - GARDEN OF THE MOUNTAIN</h4>

    Growl~

    As if Veronica''s stomach could understand, it cried out in pure joy upon hearing the word ''food''.

    Veronica ducked her head shyly and apologized, "Sorry, I''m a bit hungry."

    The Head Priest controlled hisughter and urged thedies, "Let''s go then."

    ''Finally, something to eat,'' Veronica thought.

    But soon, once again, her expectations dropped to zero seeing only somemon fruits like apples, oranges, peaches, tangerines, mandarins, and nectarines. They were gathered on the round stone table in the middle of the room. There were thirteen stone stools around the table.

    The Head Priest pped his hands. "Oh! This is a feast! I knew you would be happy to have a disciple."

    Saint Ava turned toward him. She still had her poker face on. "What are you talking about?"

    "You have prepared so many fresh fruits at dawn. You must be ted to have someone to apany you after all these years."

    Saint Ava bluntly denied, "You have got it wrong. I thought you would be hungry aftering all the way here."

    "Which old man has good appetite? Only youngsters like you and Veronica can finish them all." The Head Priest nced at Veronica who was standing in the doorway, "Veronica,e child. Have some breakfast."

    Veronica had a hard time believing them. She thought they were joking. So, she couldn''t help but ask, "Is this breakfast?"

    The Head Priest readily agreed, "Yes! You will never find these fruits anywhere. These fruits were picked up from the ancient trees."

    For some reason, Veronica felt like the Head Priest had be a lot lively aftering here. It was almost like he came to his own home after a very long time.

    She sat down on an empty chair across them and showed her curiosity in what he just said, "Ancient trees?"

    The Head Priest then told her a story, "There is a garden filled with fruit trees. Beside the garden was a tall stone and it was written on it that the seeds of those trees were given as a present by Goddess Juvena to the humans so that they can grow fruits and eat them during winter.

    "Back in the days, the winter was too strong. People were dying. That''s why Goddess Juvena helped the humans to create a garden here so that they could eat as much as they wanted."

    Veronica was amazed by the magnificent story. "Garden inside a mountain? I would love to see that."

    Garden inside a mountain range ¨C would anyone believe in this kind of thing? It seemed too good to be true.

    Saint Ava responded, "I will give you a tour after breakfast."

    "Thank you so much!" Veronica''s eyes sparkled. "I guess we can get lots of vegetables and fruits here."

    The Head Priest answered, "Fruits, yes, plenty. Enough to feed this town. But vegetables, I''m afraid you can''t find them here."

    She couldn''t understand his words. "What do you mean?"

    Saint Ava elegantly stated, "It means exactly what he said. As long as you live here, you have to eat fruits."

    "Huh?" Veronica thought her ears betrayed her. They seemed to hear wrong which gave her a feeling of being misled.

    The Head Priest must have caught her odd behavior. He said, "Well, sometimes, when I drop off, I will bring vegetables and chicken."

    Veronica asked, "When will it be?" She sounded so desperate.

    "Once a month of course!" The Head priest gave her a hearty smile.

    ''I want to leave this ce!!!'' Veronica cried out inwardly.

    All these years, she had eaten vegetables and fruits. Once a month, she would get the chance to eat meat provided by the pce.

    Aftering here, she would have to eat fruits daily and once a month, she would be able to eat vegetables and meat. That reminded her of Arthur''s homemade sandwich and beef curry.

    As if her stomach could understand her pain, it cried out loudly.

    Growl~

    "You must be hungry. Eat, eat, here some more." The Head Priest added some fruits to her bronze bowl.

    Veronica cried without tears. ''I think I have lost my appetite!''

    -----------

    After breakfast, they went to the garden. Veronica held her breath as she took in the spectacr view of the fruit gardens.

    From up there, they looked down and saw hundreds of trees. All trees, regardless of their height and number of branches, were filled with countless fruits. And, every fruit looked plump with juicy flesh, emitting a faint but delicious aroma.

    The sunlight lightened up the entire garden. The sunlight came from the up above, the high peaks of the mountains. The birds were chirping to wee the guests. Butterflies of different shades were flying from one flower to another flower, busy gathering honey. The scenery was breathtaking.

    "Let''s go down," Saint Ava said.

    They climbed down the stairs and reached the ground. Veronica saw a woodendder and basket ced in the corner. She realized it was for the Saint to pick her meal every day.

    Looking at the ground filled with grass, shemented, "It''s hard to believe that fertile soil would be inside the mountain."

    The Head Priest remarked, "Even I wouldn''t believe it if I didn''t see this with my own eyes. You can feed an entire army with these."

    Veronica came up with an idea and suggested, "It will be wonderful to send these fruits to the hospitals and the army as you were talking about."

    Saint Ava monotonously spoke, "And this way, greedy men''s eyes wouldnd on this holy ce. As a protector and the guardian of this ce, I cannot let that happen. Goddess Juvena told us to use these blessed fruits only when it''s necessary."

    Veronica was downhearted by her attitude. She mumbled, "But it''s such a waste to throw them away."

    The Head Priest said, "These fruits won''t get spoiled until you pick them. They will stay fresh and juicy as long as they aren''t plucked. Isn''t this wonderful?"

    Veronica covered her mouth in surprise. "That''s amazing!"

    She couldn''t help but admire Goddess Juvena''s creation. She is known for Her kind heart and wisdom. She lived up to everyone''s expectations.

    She shared her opinion, "It still would be great to share these fruits with others."

    "It''s not that other Saints and Head Priests didn''t think of that. Actually, our ancestors did share the fruits. But then, some tragic things happened...

 Chapter 46 - VERONICAS TRAINING

    <h4>Chapter 46 - VERONICA''S TRAINING</h4>

    Veronica shared her opinion, "It still would be great to share these fruits with others."

    The Head Priest told her, "It''s not that other Saints and Head Priests didn''t think of that. Actually, our ancestors did share the fruits. But then, something tragic had happened. The king back then became greedy. He wanted to take control over the Rosemary Temple. Since the beginning of this kingdom, the king ruled the country and the priests protected the temple. Two powers shouldn''t sh.

    Saint Ava added, "The priests tried to stop the king from snatching the temple but they had to pay the price with their blood. There was no one to stop him. What could some monks and nuns do against a weapon and the power? They could only pray. Until one day, our savior arrived. He defeated the king, ended the lives of his families and supporters, and then became the new ruler of this kingdom. He is the ancestor of the new royal family."

    Veronica understood. "That''s the reason why everyone loves and supports the royal family. They are our savior, Henry." She was a bit shocked to find out about this country''s dark history from them. When she was reading books, she didn''t find anything against the royal families. That''s why she didn''t know how to react.

    Saint Ava responded, "For generations, they had done nothing but being kind to us, the citizens. There is no reason for people not to love them."

    "Is it because of the war the priests stopped ushering the fruits? Nowadays, not even normal priests can enter this temple," Veronica mentioned.

    Saint Ava monotonously replied, "That is true. King Henry and the remaining priests nned together and burned all the records of this ce. Only some of them are left and they are in the forbidden area of the royal pce. Not even the current king can have the right to go inside that area. The keys of the forbidden area belong to me and Head Priest."

    "Head Priest promised to let me enter the forbidden area of the library. I can''t wait to find out more!" Veronica was excited about that.

    "!!!" Saint Ava gazed at the Head Priest. Her expression was saying that she couldn''t believe that it was true.

    The Head Priest awkwardly scratched his head and said, "I will let you read the books there only if you be a perfect healer. And, you cannot tell anyone about it."

    "Why not?" Veronica asked curiously.

    "That''s because there are plenty of bad people out there, trying to get their hands on the books of the forbidden area. They might try to harm you to get what they want."

    "Oh¡­ I see." Veronica''s face paled. The word ''harm'', reminded her of those people in ck clothes chasing after her. She didn''t want to save the same danger ever again.

    "Don''t get too happy just yet," Saint Ava warned her. "If you don''t manage to learn properly, you will be kicked out of this ce. I don''t want azy bone around me."

    "Yes, of course," Veronica nodded.

    How could she not agree? She wanted to master her skill as quickly as possible and then leave this ce for good. She had made up her mind.

    Starting from today, she was going to give her best!

    --------------

    "Veronica, my arm hurts. Heal me," Saint Ava suddenly said. After the Head Priest bid them farewell, they became alone. To find out the youngster''s ability, she decided to test her.

    "Oh, okay." Veronica ced her hands a bit further from Saint Ava''s right arm and shut her eyes. She poured thest of her energy to concentrate on healing her. However, no matter how much she tried, no light nor power came out of her palms.

    She began to wonder, ''That''s weird! Why isn''t my power working? Is it because she is trying to test me and not injured? What am I thinking? She is the Saint for Goddess''s sake. It looks like I''ve be more doubtful after meeting Arthur. I better concentrate.''

    After trying for several times, she gave up. She carefully nced at the stoic Saint and ten hurriedly looked down. "I''m sorry. I can''t use my power for some reason," she apologized.

    "I''m well aware of that." Saint Ava didn''t seem to be offended. She went back to her room and Veronica followed her. She saw Saint Ava took a sharp de and sliced her arm. A trail of deep red colored blood flowed from her wound.

    Veronica gasped and covered her mouth. Her emerald pupils were quivering in horror.

    "You know," she heard Saint Ava speaking calmly, "when you don''t have the ability to do anything, you shouldn''t me it on others. Rather, you must confess that you are incapable of doing it. It''s a virtue to admit one''s incapability."

    Veronica shivered. She responded with a shaky voice, "I¡­ I understand¡­ but I healed someone back then and you sensed it right? You know I can heal people."

    Saint Ava refuted, "But that''s not enough. The power is controlling you. Ites and goes as it pleases. What will happen if someone you love is dying and you cannot heal them? Is this what you want?"

    Thinking of Catherine and Arthur getting hurt she couldn''t do anything to help them made her feel suffocated. She shouted, "No! I don''t want it."

    "Then you must learn how to be the master of your power, not its ve. Heal me," Saint Ava ordered her.

    Veronica once again tried and this time, a pure light came from her palms. When the light was gone, she saw Saint Ava''s bleeding had stopped. She smiled. But then she noticed the mark that was left on her palm remained.

    Saint Ava furrowed her eyebrows. "The weaker your light is, the weaker is your power. A good healer can remove the scars as well."

    "I''m sorry. Can you please heal yourself?" Veronica lowered her head.

    Saint Ava raised an eyebrow. "Do you know that¡­

 Chapter 47 - HER CONFUSION

    <h4>Chapter 47 - HER CONFUSION</h4>

    Saint Ava raised an eyebrow. "Do you know that a healer can heal anyone but their own body?"

    "I knew. I''m sorry." Veronica wanted to dig a hole and hide herself there. Saint Ava bled because of her and she couldn''t do anything.

    Saint Ava let out a smile. She couldn''t foresee this young girl''s future. She instructed Veronica, "From now on you will do all the chores inside the temple. You will clean every corner of this temple. I don''t want to see any dust and you must learn how to take care of the garden from me. After you are done with your chores, you will try healing the scar in my arm."

    Veronica''s jaw dropped. The entire Rosemary Temple would take at least a week to clean for one person.

    Did it mean she couldn''t be able to eat or sleep for a whole week?

    The thought of not being able to sleep turned her face pale.

    ''C-can I go back to the temple? I don''t want to stay here any longer.'' She cried out inwardly.

    Just the day she arrived, she had to start working. At first, she cleaned the prayer hall and arge dining room. When she became exhausted, Saint Ava told her to get the lunch ready.

    She picked up some fruits from the garden and had lunch with the Saint with bitterness.

    All of a sudden, a thought came to her. She looked at Saint Ava and hesitated before asking, "Umm¡­ I don''t see any furniture here except for this table and the chairs. Could they be stolen during the war Head Priest was talking about?"

    "What will a king do with stone made furniture?" Saint Ava took about peach and continued, "There was no furniture except for this table and the stools. The priests who lived here didn''t need afortable life as they dedicated everything to Goddess Juvena."

    "T-then¡­ what about sleeping? Don''t they need the bed?" Veronica gulped. She was having a bad feeling about this.

    "They slept on the floor. We all slept on the floor," Saint Ava calmly answered, ignoring her weak voice.

    Veronica shuddered. "¡­No way¡­" She began to miss her hard, wooden bed. She bitterly thought, ''Why did they keep this furniture for?''

    Saint Ava exined, "We don''t let our bodies have thefort they seek. If we do that, we bezy and our conviction toward Goddess Juvena weakens. That''s why we decided never to have anything that would make us seekfort for our bodies."

    She abruptly asked, "Do you love people, Veronica?"

    Veronica was stunned by her question but soon answered, "Y-yes¡­ yes!"

    "I see." Saint Ava nced at her. "Veronica," she continued, "if you truly want to be a healer that can save thousands of husbands, brothers, fathers, and sons during the war, you have to learn how to heal them. Those soldiers who fight for their countries and loved ones, you have to protect them. Think about those young maidens, children, and old parents. They will lose their precious family because you don''t have the ability to heal them."

    She added, "To gain something, you must lose something. You cannot seekfort and achieve your goal at the same time. Life isn''t a bed of roses. If you think you can do better with afortable lie, why couldn''t you be a healer already? You couldn''t do it because you were alwayszing around, goofing off, having fun with friends. Evening here, you are looking for a good bed and delicious food, right after you promised me you will try your best."

    She asked her, "Veronica, I ask you again. What is your best? What can you do to get what you want? What do you actually want?"

    ".." Veronica stayed silent. Her head lowered automatically. She had no answer. Even her heart had no answer for any of Saint Ava''s questions.

    Saint Ava hit the head of the nail directly. Veronica didn''t know what she wanted. She was confused. She did want to heal people but she didn''t work hard for it.

    Didn''t that mean being a healer wasn''t the thing she wanted in her life?

    If that''s true, what did she want?

    Saint Ava finished eating and stood up after wiping her mouth. "If you can''te up with the answer by tomorrow, please leave. This isn''t a ce for you. you can go back to the temple and resume your daily life. You must miss your friends."

    ''Leave?'' Veronica looked at her. Questions filling her eyes.

    However, Saint Ava said no more and left.

    Staring at her back, she thought how Saint Ava could stay here alone, praying, cleaning, and wiping everything by herself. She was a girl. Wasn''t she scared of darkness and ghosts? Veronica was curious but couldn''t utter a word.

    She finished her meal and strode in the garden. Her mind was swirling with questions. She walked into the deepest part of the garden without realizing it.

    At that time, she heard some birds chirping. She came out of the trance and was startled. She didn''t know this ce. She realized she walked too deep. However, she didn''t have the time to think about it.

    That''s because the view in front of her was magnificent.

    There was a giant tree in front of her. She couldn''t see the peak of this tree. There was no fruit in that tree. The branches spread far away and the roots of the tree were big enough to sit there. It was standing in the ground with its head holding high and ever so gloriously.

    If the tree wasn''t a splendid sight, the flower bed under the tree was the most spectacr sight she had ever seen. There were multi colored flowers and butterflies were all over the ce. The faint scents of the flowers mixed and it created a mesmerizing smell.

    Veronica inhaled sharply and she felt refreshed.

    She suddenly understood something.

    There was no reason for Saint Ava to be scared of darkness and ghosts. There was no way she would get tired or bored living here.

    This was the home of Goddess Juvena. The Goddess Herself was protecting her children who lived here.

    Goddess Juvena gave them life, peace, love, and a wonderful world to live in. It was only natural for the priests to be devoted to her and do their best to make her wish toe true.

    At that moment, Veronica understood what it truly meant by love and devotion.

    And, she had made up her mind.

 Chapter 48 - VERONICAS ANSWER

    <h4>Chapter 48 - VERONICA''S ANSWER</h4>

    "That was quick. Have youe up with a decision?" Saint Ava inquired.

    It was evening. The sun had already set. The seemingly golden rays of evening light had started disappearing on the horizon. Even the fire of the torches had begun to extinguish. The Rosemary Temple gradually became darker and darker.

    So, she ignited thergest fire torch that was situated in the middle of an empty hall. The fire gradually spread and made other fire torches lit up since they were all connected. At that time, her new disciple came in front of her.

    Veronica''s eyes were calm. They didn''t look as excited and restless as before. Her emerald orbs shone in the golden light. She opened her mouth and said, "I''m not leaving. I will stay."

    Saint Ava said nothing. She put down the torch and walked toward the prayer room. Without turning back, she asked, "What made you change your mind?"

    "¡­" Veronica was ashamed of her thoughts and actions. The Head Priest saved her from Sister Josephine''s punishment, brought her to the Rosemary Temple and showed her a new path.

    Saint Ava didn''t have to take her in but she did and wanted her to be a healer worthy of her trust. She even shed blood in order to teach her.

    And, all she had been thinking about was having a leisure life. She didn''t think about their efforts at all. ''I''m the worst'', that''s what she told herself.

    "I wasn''t prepared to live a life as a healer. I let you down. I''m sorry," Veronica bowed respectfully.

    Saint Ava responded, "I didn''t want to hear your apology. I want an answer."

    Veronica raised her head and gazed at her. "Yes, I won''t dy my training any longer. I will not step a foot out of this ce until I be a healer you expect me to be. I will diligently work and eat whatever food you give me without anyints. I want to help people as much as possible, whether it''s a friend, stranger or enemy."

    Saint Ava carefully observed her as she spoke. After she was done talking, she smiled faintly. "Fine, do as you wish."

    "!!!" Veronica had never seen such a radiant smile before. Her heart almost dropped to the floor.

    [A/N: I''m not sure but it can be the beginning of yuri XD]

    For the next few months, Veronicapletely devoted herself to the training. She cleaned the whole temple during the day and at night, she trained herself until she fell asleep.

    At first, she did have a hard time with carrying out the chores in the temple. After all, she was the only one doing all the works. Sometimes, she couldn''t even finish her day time chores in time. And, this always brought hindrance to her training time at night.

    However, two monthster, her body improved significantly. She learned to conserve her energy over time and began to feel less tired. The fruits in the mountains helped her to gain more energy and she could feel it.

    The best part was that she was able to change herself the way she wanted to. She began to love this ce.

    She had noints about the juicy fruits. She wasn''t scared walking alone in this temple as she began to get familiar with it and its surroundings. Slowly, she began to get used to this ce.

    Sometimes, she missed Catherine and everyone in the temple. Nheless, she hardened her heart.

    While training, she pushed herself to her limits as it reminded her of the outside world.

    Despite loving this ce, she didn''t forget that she wanted to roam around the world one day and see the beauty of this breathtaking world.

    The problem lied with her power. She wasn''t improving as much as she thought she would. It could be because she was tired after all the chores and so she couldn''t concentrate.

    Since the beginning, that''s what she thought.

    When Saint Ava realized what her problem was, she mentioned her weakness, "You are ming your strength when you should me your mind before training it to concentrate hard."

    "I''m sorry," Veronica apologized.

    Another night, Saint Ava lectured her, "Focus on your heart. You have to make your heart believe that you truly want to heal someone and use your inner strength to pour your pure energy in healing."

    "Yes, yes¡­" Veronica kept nodding.

    Another weekter, Saint Veronica remarked, "Your hands are shaking."

    "I''m sorry. I''m nervous." Veronica nearly cried. How long had it been since she was practicing? She still couldn''t heal the scar on Saint Ava''s arm.

    Saint Ava told her, "Calm your heart."

    Another month of training passed. And in a certain morning, Saint Ava suddenly asked her in an offended tone, "Where do you think you are looking at?"

    "I''m sorry!" Veronica hurriedly moved her eyes to the injured arm.

    The cut was too deep to be healed so easily and she wasn''t powerful enough to heal itpletely. Moreover, Saint Ava always cut the same ce where she got wounded before. It almost made Veronica feel all hopeless as though she was ordered to carry out the most impossible task avable.

    Even so, Veronica didn''t give up. She kept trying harder.

    Once, Saint Ava asked, "Why are your eyes closed? You have to keep your eyes open."

    "I''m sorry, mam!" Veronica opened her eyes and looked at the injury. What could she do? She felt so guilty looking at the bloody arm every day.

    Just like that, six months had passed. And, Veronica continued her training.

    One day, an eagle came through the small opening in the mountain. It had a small paper tied to its leg after being folded to the smallest size possible.

    The eagle directly flew to the prayer room and found Saint Ava like a trained intelligent bird.

    Saint Ava unbound the paper and unfolded it. After reading the small note, her expression turned grave.

    Veronica was wiping the floor. She saw the note and questioned her, "A letter from the temple?"

    Saint Ava shortly answered, "From Head Priest."

    "What did he say?" Veronica inquired.

    Saint Ava responded, "Something terrible happened. He wants your aid."

 Chapter 49 - A MESSAGE RFOM THE HEAD PRIEST

    <h4>Chapter 49 - A MESSAGE RFOM THE HEAD PRIEST</h4>

    Saint Ava shortly answered, "From Head Priest."

    "What did he say?" Veronica inquired.

    Saint Ava responded, "Something terrible happened. He wants your aid."

    Veronica was confused. "My aid? As in my healing power?"

    She was still under training and there was no official report sent to anyone that she was ready to be a healer.

    Then why so suddenly?

    Saint Ava slightly frowned. Her beautiful brows pinched together in obvious displeasure. She seemed offended by Veronica''s question. "What else are you good at? Do you think he will call for you because you are good at wiping dirty floors? They already have plenty of people to do that."

    "You don''t have to say that to me like that." Veronica sulked. While she was being trained by Saint Ava, they had be quite close.

    "You said you would be good at healing and learn everything needed diligently, but the way I see it, you have just be a good maid in these past six months." Saint Ava nced at her arm. "Well, at least the scar ispletely gone."

    "Didn''t I do well?" Veronica felt proud whenever she thought about it.

    Saint Ava didn''t give her much space to joy over this little aplishment of hers. "It''s only because I didn''t cut my arm today. I feel weak after losing so much blood already."

    ''Always hurting my weak point,'' Veronica thought. She scratched her head. "I did tell you to teach me another way."

    Saint Ava pointed out another weakness. "And you cannot use your power without seeing an injury. Even now."

    "I''m sorry!" Veronica apologized and bowed deeply. She didn''t want to get another deathblow from her.

    Saint Ava moved her hand as if to shoo her away. "Enough. Pack a pouch of fruits and leave immediately."

    ''Am I being kicked out?'' Veronica pondered, feeling confused and heartbroken.

    -----------------

    No matter what Veronica thought, the situation seemed utterly serious. She could sense it. She set out on her journey to the temple after saying her farewell to Saint Ava.

    At first, she had a hard time adjusting herself to the sunlight. The weak sunlight was too much to bear after spending six months inside the temple. Thus, she covered her head with the hood. The cold breeze and snow in the mountain path weren''t helping her either. She lost her way twice before reaching the temple.

    The temple seemed quieter than usual. Everyone in the temple was busy working, but their faces were unexceptionally gloomy. In that atmosphere, it was hard to even breathe. This always happened when someone died.

    "¡­" Veronica had a bad feeling about this.

    The other priests and priestesses saw her but they didn''t bother talking to her. They only gave her a slight nod and she did the same in return.

    Veronica directly went in the direction of the inner temple. She found the Head Priest praying in the prayer room. She sat on a chair close to the door and waited for him to finish praying.

    When he was done, he turned around and saw her. He stared at her and then signaled her to go out with him.

    She silently followed him to an empty room. After they entered the room, he closed the door.

    Veronica looked around and realized that it was the Head Priest''s office. There were lots of books in the bookshelves, neatly perched along the four walls of the chamber. And, sitting in the middle of the room was a big wooden table. It was surrounded by so many chairs.

    In spite of being curious of the letter he sent her, she greeted him first, "Head Priest, may the Goddess bless the light upon you."

    "Likewise. Child, how is your training going?" The Head Priest went to the business straightly.

    Veronica hesitated before answering, "It''s not the way I expected it to be."

    "Hmm¡­" The Head Priest sat on the chair and allowed her to sit as well.

    Veronica fidgeted with her fingers and then asked him, "Did something happen? You sent an urgent message and everyone looks upset."

    The Head Priest confessed, "Something terrible indeed happened. That''s why everyone is upset."

    Veronica gulped. She had never seen someone donning this kind of sorrowful expression. "What happened? Did someone¡­" she couldn''t utter the word ''die'' to finish her spection.

    The Head Priest looked at her and let out a deep sigh. "We just heard a piece of news. Half of the healers just disappeared a week ago."

    "I beg your pardon?" Veronica couldn''t understand his words, yet her heart was thumping loudly.

    The Head Priest narrated shortly, "As you know, the healers are always hired by other kingdoms at the time of war. Right now, a war is going on between Riverhill and Sia."

    "Riverhill and Sia¡­" Veronica mumbled. She took a trip down to memoryne and tried to remember where she heard those names. And, she did. "Wait, aren''t they neighbors? Why are they fighting?"

    She remembered that Riverhill and Sia were the north countries.

    There is a mountain range, the Alss, between Utahill and Sia. Sia is a bigger country than Utahill. Situated on the right side of Sia is the country Riverhill, the kingdom of rivers. These threerge countries depend on Riverhill for water supply. It''s arge country with a strong army. It''s a powerful nation.

    The Head Priest responded, "It''s because they both set their eyes on the barrennd between the two kingdoms. It belongs to no one. It''s a desert. A desert tribe lives there."

    Veronica asked him, "What does it have to do with our healers? Did they hire our healers?"

    The Head Priest gave a nod. "That''s right. Both Sia and Riverhill hired huge numbers of healers. They both took the best healers by paying a huge sum of money. It just shows how serious they are. The royal pce is almost empty. Only a few senior healers and newbies are living there."

    He added, "The fight was bloody. It had been going on for more than two months. Everything was normal but then suddenly something terrible happened. At night, in the camp of Sia, a light came from who knew where and swallowed almost all the healers that Sia hired from us. They are missing for a week."

 Chapter 50 - THEIR CONVERSATION

    <h4>Chapter 50 - THEIR CONVERSATION</h4>

    "¡­a light came out of nowhere and swallowed almost all the healers that Sia hired from us. They are missing for a week."

    Two sentences kept ringing a bell in Veronica''s ears. She did her best to understand what the Head Priest told her but she couldn''t figure out the logic behind his words.

    In the end, she couldn''t stand it anymore and asked him, "How can a strange light make people disappear?"

    The Head Priest shook his head, feeling helpless. "We don''t know. This matter is being investigated by the investigators of Sia. In the midst of the war, losing healers means defeat. No matter how strong an army is, it cannot withstand without the help of the healers. Moreover, the casualties will increase. So many people will lose their lives."

    He added, "If it was the worse part, people would sigh in relief. But Sia sent another envoy with a huge sum of gold coins. They want more healers. I''m not ready to lose another soul."

    Veronica''s heart was shaking. Her voice quivered as she spoke, "What do you mean you have lost, Head Priest? They haven''t died, right?"

    The Head Priestmented with a grave expression, "I have to think about the worst possibilities."

    "That''s horrible!" Veronica couldn''t ept it.

    There were at least fifty people who went missing and they had friends and families. How would they feel about missing their loved ones like that?

    A sudden thought came to her mind and she inquired, "What about the tribal people? They have the right to live in the ce they were born. If the war is happening in the desert, aren''t they injured as well."

    The Head Priest moved his right hand above his left hand and ced his chin on his right hand. He spoke in a solemn voice, "They are but who will help those unfortunate souls. Moreover, I have bigger things to care about. We cannot rely on Sia forever. I have to find a way to get them back."

    ''Is this why he asked for me?'' Veronica pondered. After gathering some courage, she questioned him, "How can I help you?"

    The Head Priest finally disclosed the reason behind his summon, "You are going to Sia camp as a healer and going to investigate how the light took all of our healers."

    Helping people as a healer didn''t surprise her but doing investigation did make her bbergasted. "Me? How can I-"

    "That''s a suicide!" A sharp voice came from the opened door.

    "Saint Ava!" Veronica stood up in surprise. She wasn''t expecting her toe here.

    Her eyesnded on Saint Ava''s feet. Looking at her empty feet, her eyes widened. ''Wait, she is barefooted. Don''t tell me she walked on the snowy path barefooted. Ouch!'' Thinking how painful it would be walking in the stone, she flinched.

    "I was sure to close the door," the Head Priestmented. He didn''t want others to hear their conversation and interrupt them. He was so focused on talking to Veronica that he didn''t notice when Saint Ava started eavesdropping on their conversation.

    "You can lock the door but you cannot hide from me." Saint Ava entered the room and protested, "I''m against her going anywhere near war. She can''t properly heal anyonepletely with her limited power. She will be a hindrance."

    The Head Priest helplessly dered, "We have to send our remaining healers to aid Sia."

    Saint Ava argued, "Without one won''t make any difference."

    "That''s the king''s order," the Head Priest announced. "This is out of my hand."

    "What?" Saint Ava could hardly believe that.

    The Head Priest stated, "He ordered to send her there to investigate."

    Veronica, who was quietly listening to their argument, finally opened her mouth, "Why me though?"

    The Head Priest answered, "You are the only one who lived in the Rosemary Temple. The king trusts your honesty and bravery."

    Veronica was confused. "How does living there make me honest and brave?"

    Saint Ava responded, "Did you think a person with devil''s heart could live there that much longer?" She let out a deep sigh. "If he just knew how much hindrance she would cause."

    Veronica sulked. "I''m not that bad. Even if I can''tpletely heal a scar, I can at least help a person recover. Or, you have been dead by now."

    She was right at that part. Saint Ava would have died in blood loss if she couldn''t heal her injuries. No healer could heal their own wounds.

    The Head Priest pped his hands. "Excellent. My child, I think you are ready for this task."

    Veronica answered, "Count me in."

    Saint Ava was angry. "Fine, do whatever you want. Don''te to me crying if you screw this."

    "Cough!" The Head Priest cleared his throat. "Language," he warned her since Veronica was with them.

    "¡­" Saint Ava red at those two and then turned around and left.

    ''Will I be screwed?'' Veronica pondered while looking at the open door.

    "Don''t mind her," the Head Priest assured her.

    ''I''m not worried about her anger. I''m worried about me.'' But, she didn''t say that out loud.

    The Head Priest said, "I think you have brought whatever you needed, didn''t you? Just don''t forget to take a food pouch."

    "What should I pack?" She had no idea what he was talking about.

    The Head Priest questioned her, "Didn''t you bring your clothes from the temple?"

    "I only had a temple uniform and this gown." She looked down at the dress she was wearing.

    "I¡­ see¡­" the Head Priest didn''t expect her to be this poor. He surmised that Saint Ava would give her some clothes she made in her boredom.

    Since it wasn''t the case, he gave her a pouch of money and instructed her, "Take this and buy somethingfortable. Since you are not an official healer, we cannot allow you to wear a healer uniform. You are not part of the temple and so you cannot wear our uniform either. Some regr clothes will do. Take your friend with you. You should walk alone in the town."

    ''I can go to the town!''

 Chapter 51 - VERONICA IN THE TOWN

    <h4>Chapter 51 - VERONICA IN THE TOWN</h4>

    After listening to the Head Priest, Veronica''s eyes sparkled. The only thing that came to her mind was, ''I can go to the town.''

    Arthur''s image shed in her head. Her face heated up and she lowered her head. ''Why am I thinking about him?''

    It''s true that she wasn''t able to meet him for six months. She wished she could meet him before leaving. Deciding that, she took a detour so as not to meet Catherine on the way and headed to the town. She was blocked at the temple gate but after showing a token given by the Head Priest, the guards allowed her to leave.

    The city was bustling just like before. The news of the healers disappearing hadn''t arrived there yet. People were chatting joyfully and children were ying without a worry. The scenario wasn''t as festive as the night time but it was refreshing.

    The first thing she did was to go to the library. The library had a signboard. It said ''Open''. Her heart filled with anticipation as she entered the library.

    She went straight to the librarian''s table where Arthur was supposed to sit and do his work. However, she didn''t find him there. That ce was empty. The library was busy with students and schrs. They didn''t pay attention to a girl.

    She went to the corner to approach the attached door that linked Arthur''s house with the library. Surprisingly, the door was locked from the other side.

    ''What''s going on?'' she wondered.

    At that moment, someone was passing by and whispered, "What are you looking for, miss?"

    Veronica was startled by this sudden appearance of a person out of nowhere. She turned around and saw an eighty year old man with a dust cleaning brush.

    The man observed her and told her, "I''m sorry if I scared you but this ce is off-limits to outsiders."

    ''This grandpa thinks I''m a thief,'' she thought. She stated, "I''m not an outsider. Arthur knows me. You seem to be a new person here. Where is he?"

    The old man responded, "If you are looking for Master Arthur then I''m sorry to say that he isn''t avable. He leftst night and told me strictly not to let any woman go near his house." He looked like he was ready to kick her out.

    Veronica pondered, ''Was he talking about me? But I haven''t met him for six months. He wouldn''t be wary of me.'' She opened her mouth and inquired, "Did anyone elsee to find him before I did?"

    The old man answered, "Yes. You are the seventh woman who came to find him after he left."

    ''Seventh! And he just leftst night. That damn yboy,'' she gritted her teeth while cursing him. ''But at least I''m number lucky seven. I''ve still got hope.''

    She was surprised at her own thoughts. ''What am I thinking about? What hope am I hoping for? Seriously!''

    She took out two books from her bag and handed them to him. "Please give them back to him when he returns. And tell him that I''m sorry I waste to give him these books. If I''m alive, I wille to meet him again." After giving him a sweet, polite smile, she turned around and withdrew herself from there.

    ''At least this woman was a good one,'' the old man thought and looked at the books. ''She is the first woman to be able to borrow something from Master Arthur. Master Arthur never allows any woman near his precious house. If they asked him for something, he would give stuff away as if he was doing charity. How could a merciless man like him let her borrow anything? Maybe because she is a polite woman.''

    While the old man was doing his spection, Veronica gazed at the library onest time and sighed. She wasn''t sure if she coulde back here in one piece.

    She was never in a war and Arthur once mentioned that during war people kill each other. It''s a bloody mess. Even many healers disappeared with a sh of light. Thinking about all that made her scared. However, she couldn''t show it to anyone in the temple in case they were worried.

    She came to meet Arthur to give him back his books and to seek some advice andfort. Unfortunately, she didn''t find him.

    With a heavy heart, she departed from the library. She walked past an antique shop.

    Just when she mixed in the crowd, the door to the antique shop opened and Arthur came out. He dragged his feet toward the library.

    -------------

    "Are you sure you will be okay?" Catherine hugged Veronica. She was scared to death after finding out that her friend was going to the war.

    "What are you concerned about? Don''t you know I''m a tough girl? I will conquer everything! Just wait and see." Veronica acted bravely. Noticing that Catherine''splexion still didn''t improve, she joked, "Maybe I will find a husband for me and search one for you too." She winked at her friend.

    Catherine''s face flushed. "Enough! Don''t joke around." Although she said that, she was feeling shy.

    "Neigh!" The horses called out. A wooden carriage was waiting for her. There were other healers inside the carriage.

    Veronica knew it was time. She squeezed her friend''s hands. "I''m off then. Keep me in your prayers."

    "Don''t you worry about that. I''ll pray day and night," Catherine promised her. It was night time, and the path was lit up by torches on both sides. She stood in front of the gate, till Veronica''s wooden carriage disappeared in the dark.

    -----------

    Meanwhile, Saint Ava was looking at the carriage from the tower along with the Head Priest. "It wasn''t right to send her. She wasn''t ready for it."

    The Head Priest responded, "The matter is out of my hand. I can do nothing but to obey the king''s order."

    Saint Ava furrowed her eyebrows. Her cold voice was cooler than the weather of the Alss. "That''s why I should have met him and prevented her from going."

    The Head Priest remarked, "And I had to stop you before you did something you shouldn''t have. This matter is out of our hands."

    "If something bad happens, you have to answer to me," after warning him, Saint Ava left the tower.

    The Head Priest murmured, "I''ll pray for everyone who had left the town today. May the Goddess be with you all the way. Pleasee back safely."

 Chapter 52 - JOURNEY TO THE DESERT

    <h4>Chapter 52 - JOURNEY TO THE DESERT</h4>

    The carriage was unsteady and jerked a lot in the muddy road. At first, Veronica was loving it as the carriage moved in the bumpy road. However, she began to feel ufortable after a while and soon ceased enjoying the night scenery.

    A ck-haired girl saw Veronica''s condition and asked her, "Hey, new girl, are you feeling all right?"

    All the ten remaining healers turned their heads toward Veronica.

    The red-haired girl with braidsmented, "She doesn''t look good. Maybe it''s the first time for her to be in a carriage. She is having motion sickness."

    The ck-haired girl questioned Veronica again, "Girl, do you feel like puking?"

    Veronica had a hard time replying, "Yes."

    "Just as I said," the red-haired confirmed. Afterward, she suggested, "You can eat lemon if you want. It should make you feel better."

    Veronica shook her head, refusing to touch any food. They needed to reach the Govin Desert in fifteen days. They wouldn''t be able to stop unless the horses needed rest. They took three carriages for carrying healers and the other three carriages to carry necessary items such as food, herbs, books, notebooks, and essential things for camping.

    If she ate fruit for the sake of her illness, one person would have to starve for a day. She didn''t want to do that. It was against her nature to do so.

    "Let her be. It''s not like she will die just because she didn''t eat lemon," someone else spoke curtly.

    Veronica didn''t even have the energy to look at the rude person. She slowly closed her eyes and everything soon cked out.

    When she opened her eyes again, the carriage wasn''t moving anymore. The sunlight hit her face with all its might and she frowned. She looked around and found out that she was lying down.

    ''Why am I lying down? Wasn''t I sitting with the other healers?'' wondering about that, she sat up. Her body didn''t have enough strength. She couldn''t move her fingers.

    "You are up," a voice spoke. "You almost made us all worried. I thought you would be sleeping for another two days." The person entered the carriage and handed her a pouch of water with orange. "How do you feel now?" she asked.

    Veronica nced at her. She was the red-headed girl who was talking about her motion sickness. She was wearing a white garment with a sky blue-colored belt. It was a healer''s uniform.

    "Thank you," Veronica showed her gratitude and took the water pouch and drank a mouthful. Her throat waspletely dry. She coughed while drinking and resumed drinking after she was done coughing.

    Later, she took the orange and began to peel with his quivering fingers. "How long was I sleeping?"

    "Two days!" the girl answered. "This is the first time I saw someone sleeping while sitting in a crowded ce non-stop without moving. I guess you must have been feeling really sick."

    "I was," Veronica didn''t lie.

    The girl suggested, "Come out. Fresh air will help you to get better. Nothing is better than mother nature."

    Veronica did as she said. They walked to the nearby tree and sat down under it.

    "By the way, my name is Leticia. I''m a healer who lives in the pce," the redhead with braids finally introduced herself.

    "I''m Veronica. I live in the temple. It''s a pleasure to meet you," Veronica introduced herself as well. But, she hid the fact that she was living in the Rosemary Temple just as Saint Ava had warned her before she left.

    Saint Ava told her, "If you don''t want to be aughing stock, dare not say that you are a healer and are living with me in the Rosemary Temple. You will ruin both of our reputations in one go. So, be careful what you say."

    How could Veronica not obey her after this? She had her pride too.

    Most of the healers were wearing white uniforms with sky blue colored belts around them. They all gathered around Veronica seeing that she felt better.

    "Girl, how are you doing?" a ck-haired girl asked. She was the girl who noticed her odd behavior at that time.

    Veronica answered, "I''m feeling much better. Thank you for caring for me and I apologize for any inconvenience I have caused you."

    The girl answered, "You haven''t caused any convenience. To be honest, you didn''t bother us at all, you were so peaceful for two days that we almost forgot about your existence."

    "Ahahaha¡­" Veronica drylyughed. "As long as I''m not a bother."

    Someone else questioned her, "Where is your uniform?"

    Veronica replied, "I don''t have one."

    "How can that be?"

    Others were surprised to hear her answer. Veronica suddenly felt embarrassed for the first time not being able to have a position in the temple. Only people with positions in the temple had uniforms, not a girl who was never in a position.

    "So, you have lived in the temple since when?" someone else inquired. They wanted to know why a person with no position was with the healers. They were curious about her.

    "Since I was a child. I don''t remember," Veronica responded. She couldn''t help but think, ''Why is everyone giving me so much attention all of a sudden?''

    "You lived in the temple for so long and yet you never had a position. That''s very unique," another healermented. This time, it was a guy. "Just how many times did you break the rules and get punished?"

    "Um... that''s¡­" Veronica couldn''t finish speaking. She was truly feeling guilty this time.

    At that time, as if to save her, a senior healer dered, "Everyone, go back to the carriage post-haste. We are leaving shortly."

    The red-haired girl stated, "The horses were fed. Let''s prepare to leave everyone."

    Veronica took this chance and quickly headed toward the carriage.

    On the sixth day, they crossed the border of Utahil that was in the Alss. There was a huge gate beneath the mountains. They had to pause several times because of the bad weather.

    On the fifteenth day, they finally reached their destination, the Govin Desert.

 Chapter 53 - THE GOVIN DESERT

    <h4>Chapter 53 - THE GOVIN DESERT</h4>

    "Ahh¡­ my back hurts." Veronica rubbed her buttocks. They were sore after sitting on a wooden sit for too long. She let out a deep breath and then inhaled sharply.

    They reached the desert and got out of the carriage. The carriage couldn''t move on the sandynd.

    The Govin Desert was a vastnd from what she had imagined. The whole ce was covered in sand. Sometimes rocks could be seen here and there. The sun was practically ring at them. It was so hot that everyone had to cover their bodies head to toe. It was apletely different world from what she was used to.

    The air around the desert was dry and different from the fresh air she would get from their town. She could smell the dry dustiness undeid by a subtle herbal scent. She also detected the odor of camels as camels were waiting for them by the order of the king of Sia. One camel carried two people and they started their journey to the Sian camp.

    The sunlight reflected on the sands and the sands easily heat up. Veronica looked behind and found some healers were already feeling sick. They lived under the snow covered mountains. They were not used to this kind of heat.

    Veronica closed her eyes and tried to calm her heart. ''I shouldn''t sway my heart. The weather doesn''t make me sweaty. It''s not half bad. I can get used to this weather.'' Afterward, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

    The relentless sun desated much, the wind blew the sand around them and this blowing sand ground the dry remains to dust.

    She observed the golden ground carefully. She saw that the surface was often covered with a stabilizingyer of pebble armor that prevents the wind from picking up any more of the sand. "I kind of like this ce," she spoke aloud without even realizing.;

    "The smell of this camel is so unpleasant," the person with Veronicamented. It was the blonde girl with a mole under her left eye. She was sitting in front of Veronica.

    "Oh, it must be hard for you then," Veronica sympathized. "I''m Veronica. IT''s a pleasure to meet you."

    "I''m violet," the girl introduced herself. "And I can''t find anything pleasant right now. I feel like puking."

    Veronica suggested, "We can change our sitting position if you want."

    "You are kind, Veronica." Violet then agreed to change their position.

    [A/N: Veronica is too kind. I would never do that if I were her. I would purposely choose the backseat. My nose''s life was at stake.]

    Violet started to feel better after changing their positions. "How long will it take? I can''t take this sunlight anymore."

    Veronica replied, "I''m not sure. I couldn''t understand what they were talking about. It has been a long time since I heard someone speaking in anothernguage. I can understand Siannguage but I couldn''t hear their conversation. They were standing too far away."

    "Hey, did you hear that our fellow healers disappeared?" Violet brought up the subject abruptly. She wanted to know how much Veronica knew about this matter.

    "I did. It made me upset. And I wanted to help in any way I could. And so, I volunteered." Veronica lied since she was told by Saint Ava not to speak about the conversation with the Head Priest.

    ------------

    Saint Ava instructed her, "Forget everything about what conversation you had with Head Priest. No one can find out that you were being sent to investigate this matter in the guise of working as a healer."

    "What should I tell them?" Veronica asked her.

    Saint Ava responded, "Tell them that you volunteered. This way, others won''t find you annoying. You can do some healing there for them to think that you can at least have some usefulness."

    "Okay, I will do as you said," Veronica agreed.

    --------------

    "You volunteered? That''s unexpected!" Violet exined. She was surprised.

    Mostly, people were scared of going to the war. Furthermore, Veronica wasn''t a healer and she wasn''t bought to go to the war, unlike other healers. For her to join them in free will was absolutely unexpected.

    "Truthfully, I don''t like war. People suffer greatly during the war. I want to help the helpless people as much as I can." The words came from the bottom of her heart. "That''s why I decided to assist you all in the time of crisis."

    Violet stated, "That''s very noble of you. But, can you handle the task? I''ve been in a war once and it''s quite horrible."

    Veronica shook her head. "I don''t know. I''m not sure if I can handle it. All I know is, I have to do something."

    When Arthur told her what war truly was, she began to hate war. Knowing the risk of this journey, she epted this order. She was scared to death but she had no one she could rely on on this matter. She couldn''t see her future. All she could do was to prepare herself for some bloody scene.

    It took almost five hours to reach their destination, the Sian Camp in the Gove desert. There were hundreds of tents ced in order. They could see people gathered there. All of them were soldiers. The smell of blood, sweat, and dirty bodies filled the ce.

    Violet was sensitive toward the smell. She covered her mouth. "This is worse than the smell of the camel."

    Veronica snickered. She knew it was rude of her tough at someone else''s misery but she found it funny.

    A man in armor came forward and greeted them, "It looks like everyone has arrived. Wee to our camp. What happened a month ago was an unfortunate asion. We know you came here knowing the risk and we appreciate it." He was a tall guy with a muscled body. His blonde hair was tied as a ponytail. His sharp eyes were observing every healer, trying to find a spy from the enemy side.

    He added, "I''m Major General Orion. My secretary, Emily, will take you to your tent. Please rest for the day. In the evening, we will instruct you about your mission."

    "Thank you, Major General," the healers shared their gratitude.

 Chapter 54 - THE SITUATION OF SYNETIAN SOLDIRES

    <h4>Chapter 54 - THE SITUATION OF SYNETIAN SOLDIRES</h4>

    The man introduced himself, "I''m Major General Orion. My secretary, Emily, will take you to your tent. Please rest for the day. In the evening, we will instruct you about your mission."

    "Thank you, Major General," the healers shared their gratitude.

    "And, I would like to have a little chat with the leader from your side. There should be one elder." Major General Orion''s sharp eyes skimmed through the guests.

    "That''s me." The ck-haired girl stepped forward. Noticing the confused gaze from the militaries, she stated, "I may not be the elder you were imagining but I''m the one who led them here. My name is Ivona. It''s an honor to meet you."

    The Major General came back to his senses. He took her hand and pressed his lips on the back of her palm. "The honor is all mine, Miss Ivona. I''ve something urgent to talk about. Can we head over to the temporary office?"

    "Sure," Ivona agreed.

    As she went to a tent, other healers went in the opposite direction. In one tent, four healers had to stay. Veronica, Violet, Leticia, and another girl got one tent. They changed clothes andid down on the bed that was prepared for them.

    "I want to take a bath," Violetmented. She wished to get rid of the stinky smell from her body.

    "Water is very essential in the desert," Leticia remarked. "Didn''t you see that even the soldiers didn''t take baths? I thought I was going to puke."

    "There is nothing we can do. We have to get adjusted to it," Veronica shared her opinion. "It''s hard to believe that Ivona is your leader. I didn''t expect her to be in charge."

    Leticia replied, "She wasn''t supposed to be in charge. But the royal family couldn''t let the elder healerse to the war when half of our healers already disappeared. We need people to teach healers and guide them. Ivona was tutored privately by the eldest healer. That''s why she became our leader."

    "She must be a good healer then," Veronica stated.

    Violet nodded. "She is. Moreover, she has a good background. Her family is backing her up. That''s why she is special."

    "People are very lucky to have a family who supports them. It must be nice." Veronica smiled.

    "¡­" Other girls exchanged nces.

    To the other girls, there was a hidden meaning behind Violet''s words but she couldn''t understand it. They didn''t exin it to her either.

    Veronica stood up and wore her boots.

    "Are you going somewhere?" Leticia asked her.

    Veronica answered, "I''m going out to look around. Do you want toe?"

    -------------

    "What is the situation?" Ivona asked the moment she entered the temporary office. Her first interest was healing people and her second interest was knowing about her fellow mates who disappeared.

    Major General Orion''s expression turned grave. "As you can see the situation isn''t that good. We had to hold off Riverhill''s soldiers until you arrived. Many soldiers got injured and they were given treatment by the medical team. However, it''s not enough for them to stand on their feet and fight."

    Ivona frowned. She was expecting this oue but it was worse than she thought. "It''s not good. You should have let us heal people as soon as we got here."

    Major General Orion shook his head. "We couldn''t. We were ordered to treat you like royal guests since you are thest remaining healers. We can''t bear to lose you as well."

    "It will be better if you find my friends. How did they disappear? Any clue?" Ivona asked, showing her second interest.

    Major General Orion answered, "It is still being investigated. But we are . So, the investigation has been held off. We will resume it after we corner our enemy."

    Ivona made a decision. "Then there is nothing we can do about it. First, show me the direction of where the injured soldiers are kept. I will call my team to heal them as soon as possible." Since her hands were tied, she had only one duty left and that was healing people.

    "We will remember your kindness." Major General Orion sighed in relief.

    "It''s our duty." Ivona busily went out. She called her team and they began to treat the injured soldiers.

    The situation was simply outrageous. The enemy must have found out that Sians didn''t have healers. Thus, they mercilessly attacked the enemy soldiers. More than five thousand soldiers were wounded.

    The healers got tired after treating them all one by one. How could twenty six healers heal all those people? It was simply impossible. They grew tired before they could heal two hundred.

    Ivona wiped her sweats. Her head was dizzy. She announced, "That''s all for now, people. Let''s take a break."

    Violet sat on the ground with her shaky legs. She couldn''t feel her fingers anymore. "I don''t think I can do this anymore for today. I need to sleep," her tired voice rang in the room.

    "There is no other option. We have to give our best shots. Since we are outnumbered, we have to treat the critical wounds first." Ivona looked around and mentioned, "I see only twenty five healers including me. Where is the girl from the temple?"

    Leticia answered, "I think she went out to look around."

    Ivona frowned. "And she said she was going to help us. Is this how she helps us? How useless!"

    At that moment, Veronica entered the tent and dered, "Everyone, I bought food for us!"

    "Where were you?" Ivona demanded answers.

    Veronica exined, "I was helping the chef to cook. If I didn''t assist him, we wouldn''t be able to have any meal before midnight. So, I thought I would give him a hand. I know you all are hungry."

    Ivona was satisfied with her answer. Since Veronica decided to help them, she helped in any way she could. It was better than doing nothing at all.

    Everyone thanked Veronica and then she began to eat. In the evening, the temperature dropped. The warmer it was in the morning, the colder it was at night.

    As if they came to the mountain range, the healers began to shiver. They were wearing their light uniform because of the heat. They had to wrap their bodies with shawls.

    Veronica quietly sat on the ground and looked at the vast, emptynd. Her mind was off to the library in the town back home.

 Chapter 55 - HER NIGHT DUTY

    <h4>Chapter 55 - HER NIGHT DUTY</h4>

    After everyone had fallen asleep, Veronica''s mission began. She just couldn''t shut her eyes from all the problems and sleep in peace. She quietly went to the injured soldiers'' camp. Aftering here, seeing the injured people for the first time, her heart almost stopped. When the healers were busy healing people, she was sitting in the corner, shivering like a hysteria patient. Tears were falling from her eyes like a waterfall. The odor of blood almost made her puke.

    Why do people kill each other? How could they hurt their own kind? How could humans be so merciless? ¨C questions like these swirled in her mind. Nevertheless, there was no answer. She found no logical exnation for humans'' odd behavior toward their own kind.

    "Who is this?" Suddenly a man''s voice came from a tent. It was a rough voice of a soldier.

    Veronica flinched. Her heart skipped a beat in nervousness. She quickly wiped her tears before looking at the source of the sound.

    A tall man was peeking out of his tent. There were dark circles under his eyes. He seemed tired. He peeked out of the tent to see who was crying so miserably.

    Looking at her ashen face and moist eyes, his eyes thennded on the clothes she was wearing. She was wearing a white blouse, bluish green colored skirt, brown corset, and a scarf covering her head. He couldn''t see her hair as the scarf was entirely covering her head.

    The man asked, "¡­Are you a healer? Your uniform is kind of different though."

    "I¡­ I''m with them. Did I disturb you? I''m sorry. I didn''t think anyone would be resting here." Veronica apologized and stood up.

    The guy came out of the tent and told her, "Nah, it''s fine. I wasn''t resting or anything. I was just taking a break. You are new here, aren''t you? I can tell. Is that why you can''t stand the war camp?"

    "It''s¡­ nothing¡­" Veronica had already calmed down. She wasn''t used to crying in front of others.

    "I''m the cook here. The name is Adam. Since you guys have arrived, I will cook something for you. If you are not ready to go near the soldiers yet, why don''t you help me with cooking?" the man kindly suggested.

    Veronica introduced herself. "My name is Veronica. I would love to assist you. Thank you."

    That''s how she ended up with the chef. That day, she could barely eat anything. She wanted to finish the task she was here for.

    Without a problem, she went to the tent that was meant for the injured people. However, she was stopped right before she could enter the tent. Two guards were guarding that ce.

    One of them looked at her with suspicion and asked her, "What business do you have at thiste hour?"

    She answered, "I''m here to examine the conditions of the patients. I''m on night duty. Others wille back in the morning."

    "But what about your uniform?" another guard asked.

    "I''m still a trainee.," Veronica replied.

    The guards couldn''t see through the lies from her words. Thus, they allowed her to go inside. However, they kept an eye on her.

    Veronica explored the seriously wounded patients. She changed their dressings if it was necessary. She fed water to some of them. Some soldiers'' wounds needed to be cleaned. She cleaned their bodies too.

    Veronica was best at cleaning and she did not fail this time either. After examining them, she thoroughly disinfected the ce. The entire ce became neat and clean in no time.

    The guards got tired from keeping an eye on her. Their attention shifted to the outside since there was fear of enemy spies infiltrating.

    Taking this chance, Veronica used whatever power she had to heal them. Just as Saint Ava predicted, she wasn''t prepared. She hadn''t trained enough. Her power couldn''t heal their woundspletely. However, she was able to stop their bleeding and ease their pain.

    ''Why can''t I do it?'' she wondered. ''I remember healing Arthur and he didn''t have a scratch left. What''s going on? Is the power really controlling me or is it that his injury wasn''t deep enough?''

    While pondering deeply, she began to heal the twelfth soldier when something dropped from his hand.

    ''Hmm? What''s this?'' Feeling curious, Veronica lowered her body and picked up the object of her interest. It was a round silver locket with a chain. The silver locket had a round shape and there was a symbol of a tree etched in the middle.

    ''A locket. Maybe it''s a family crest. The tree looks familiar. Where have I seen it?'' She tried to take a trip down to her memoryne but couldn''t get anything. However, she had a feeling that she had seen this locket before.

    ''Where have I seen this before?'' She furrowed her eyebrows and shut her eyes tightly,pletely devoted herself to recall. And, suddenly she remembered.

    ''I saw it hanging on Sister Ruth''s neck. It was her ne. How did this end up here?'' Veronica covered her mouth, did her best not to make a noise. Her hands were shaking.

    Sister Ruth, who died six months ago, became a memory. Veronica couldn''t find a clue to her death and eventually gave up. Sometimes, while being trained, she would think about the case but what could she do inside the mountains?

    Her eyes looked at the injured soldier. ''Did Sister Ruth give it to him? But why would she do that? Oh, he could be the person who she met a few times! Should I ask him about it?'' She became excited and her curiosity was at its peak.

    And then, another thought hit her head. ''Wait, it could be that he is her family and it''s a family crest. She was from an aristocratic family, wasn''t she? But then, why would he participate in a foreign war? This war has nothing to do with Utahill.''

    She pondered deeply. She forgot where she was. At that time, that man groaned.

 Chapter 56 - A TINY HOPE

    <h4>Chapter 56 - A TINY HOPE</h4>

    Veronica heard the man groaning painfully. She nced at the wounded soldier. The man opened his eyes and looked at her as well.

    "I¡­ I don''t feel pain¡­" the man said in a hoarse voice. "Did¡­ you heal me?"

    Veronica felt a bit shy when that guy asked her directly. She scratched her head and spoke ufortably, "Yes, do you feel better now?"

    "Yes, I do. Thank you! Cough! Cough!" before he could finish speaking, he started coughing due to his dry throat.

    Veronica gave him a ss of water and said, "Here, have some water."

    "I want some alcohol. Is there any?" that man could hardly talk.

    "Yes, please wait a bit." She took out a bottle of brandy she was using to treat wounds and gave it to him saying, "Here."

    The soldier sat up with a great effort with her assistance. Then, he gulped down the whole bottle of brandy as though he was drinking water. "¡­Thank you, Miss Healer. You are kind."

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless seeing the high tolerance of that man. She faintly spoke, "I''m just doing my job. And, this fell on the ground. I believe this belongs to you."

    The soldier''s eyes began to get heavy. He must be getting drunk. He nodded while responding, "Y-yes, it does. I can''t thank you enough. It''s very precious to me." He took the locket from her.

    "Is it from your mother?" Veronica carefully inquired. Her heart was beating faster as she anticipated an answer.

    The soldier jolted by her question. "What? No! It''s from someone I treasure the most."

    "The person you treasure the most¡­" It was the first time she heard this phrase. She didn''t read that in the romance books Arthur gave her. She was curious. "Who do you treasure?"

    The man''s eyes were unfocused. His voice slurred as he replied, "The woman I love."

    "Is she a pretty woman?" she asked him further, trying to go deep into this matter.

    The man''s hazy eyes looked at the ceiling. The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly and he answered slowly, "She was the prettiest woman I''ve ever met."

    "Was?" Veronica coked her head. "Why are you using past tense? Could it be¡­" she gasped in realization.

    The smile on his face was gone. "She died. It was a suicide. She killed herself."

    "That''s so sad! I''m so sorry I brought up something so painful." For some reason, her heart ached for him but her suspicion grew stronger.

    The man''s lips quivered. "Painful¡­ so painful that it''s hard to breathe."

    "Then please don''t talk about it. How about talking about something else." For her selfish reason, Veronica didn''t want to cause pain to others. Thus, she reluctantly changed their topic of conversation, "You had burned marks all over your body. How did you get burned?"

    The soldier thought for a while and then answered, "It was a light."

    "A light?" Veronica''s emerald orbs flickered. That made people disappear, right?"

    The soldier''s eyes were suddenly filled with terror. "Yes, they disappeared right in front of my eyes. I couldn''t do anything to stop them from vanishing." His head started to clear up as he thought of that fateful night.

    Veronica gulped. "That sounds scary."

    The man kept going, "I never felt so much fear before. The light was so bright, but it felt so evil. I could¡­ I could hear them crying for help. But everyone was too scared to move. Those who wanted to save them ended up like me. Are¡­ are they alive?"

    She hesitated before answering, "We didn''t see anyone with burned marks. I guess you are the only one who''s survived."

    The soldier covered his face and groaned, "Why am I alive? I should have been dead."

    Veronica patted his shoulder and tried to ease his pain, "Don''t say that. I''m sure the woman you loved wouldn''t want that."

    The soldier uncovered his face while secretly wiping his tears, "You are just as kind as her."

    "What''s her name?" She realized she was being too brash and added, "¡­if you don''t mind sharing."

    The soldier stated, "Her name is Joana."

    Veronica was surprised upon hearing that name. She wasn''t expecting this oue. "Joana¡­ not Ruth?"

    The soldier slightly frowned. "Ruth? No, her name is Joana. I can never forget it. Even if I die or lose memories, I will forever remember her name. That precious being died. I was going to propose to her but she took her life."

    Upon hearing his story, Veronica felt her heart was suffocated. "Why did she do that? Did she not love you?"

    The soldier deeply sighed. "It''s because of her family. They didn''t approve of her getting married to a person with no status."

    Veronica desperately objected as if she was seeing a live show, "But you have a status. You are a soldier."

    The soldier slightly shook his head. "That''s not enough."

    Veronica recalled that there was something like that in Sister Ruth''s diary. Sister Ruth had met someone when she went out. Veronica couldn''t control herself and questioned him, "How did you meet her?"

    The soldier started, "She came to find some¡­"

    "What are you doing,dy? Aren''t you finished?"

    A crude voice abruptly spoke aloud out of nowhere. Veronica flinched. She was mad at the guard who interrupted their conversation. She was going to learn something good and the guard just ruined it.

    She smiled foolishly at him and answered, "I''m almost done. This gentleman wanted to drink some water. I asked him a few things about his injuries."

    The impatient guard didn''t melt by her words. He rudely shouted, "Whatever! Just get out of here. You have been inside for too long. Our shift is about to change. Leave before the next guardse."

    Veronica resigned without a fight. "Yes, yes, I''m leaving. Just don''t talk loudly. Patients are tired and sleeping." She left with her backpack. She wished she could talk to that soldier more. ''Oh no! I forgot to ask his name!''

    --------------

    The next day, the healers were surprised to see that the patients with critical conditions were better than before. They asked several patients and they all said that someone came at night and took care of them. However, they were sleeping and so they didn''t notice who did it.

    However, the healers were tired after the long journey and they even healed people as soon as they got there. They were sleeping deeply and didn''t know who woke up at night to take care of them.

    The healers became more enthusiastic afterward and worked hard withoutining. As the patients watched thosepassionate healers, they found hope and did their best not to get in the healers'' way.

    In a week, all the soldiers who were lying down and feeling weak had gone better. Everyone began to praise the hardworking healers. The soldiers were ready for war.

    Even after the great sess, Veronica didn''t seem joyous. She wasn''t able to talk to that soldier again. As soon as the guy healed, he was sent to the front line. She didn''t get any more opportunity to listen to what happened next after that.

    Every night, she would go to bed with her restless heart.

    Tonight was the same. She went to bed and closed her eyes. She was too tired to stay awake like other days.

    Suddenly, there was an ear-piercing siren. It woke up the entire camp.

    Veronica''s eyes flew open. She heard men shouting from the outside and noticed the lights were being turned on. She nervously sat up and asked her fellow mates, "What''s happening?"

    "The camp must be under attack!" Leticia announced.

    ____________________________________________________

    ANNOUNCEMENT

    Although I joined the Spirity Award 2021, truthfully, I''m notpeting against other authors. Competition doesn''t make me happy, rather my heart fills with a dark feeling and I hate it. It''s not good for my imagination skill either.

    I feel great joy from sharing my stories and ideas with you. My best gift is your heartfeltments, reviews, votes, and gifts.

    My writing pace is slow because I want toe up with the best plot. To me, plot quality is everything. And, I''ve got over 60 plots in my head right now.

    However, my future career as an author depends on this book. I''ll give my all to nourish Tangled by Fate. I don''t care about the money prize. After I finish this book, I will survey the whole book. If I don''t get the recognition I seek for this webnovel, I might choose another career for my future.

    It''s a great journey for me and I will never forget this experience. Especially my time with my beloved readers. These are more precious memories than I had with my family. XD

 Chapter 57 - UNDER ATTACK

    <h4>Chapter 57 - UNDER ATTACK</h4>

    Ivona did some arm exercise aftering out of the office of Major General Orion. The casualties were fewer thanks to the healers but there was still no news about the missing healers.

    She sighed and looked at the sky. The desert sky was clear. The stars were twinkling. She hoped for a bright and clear future just like those stars and the sky.

    A sudden gust of wind carried sands. She shut her eyes out of reflex and shuddered. ''It''s too cold at night. I can''t stand this anymore. I want to go back,'' she whined in her heart.

    At that time, she heard something rustling, not too far away. She swiftly turned around. She had several experiences in the war camps. She was more alert than the rest of the healers she had brought with her.

    She cautiously headed toward the source of the sound. She stopped when she saw a dark figure. "Who are you?" she questioned him. When the ck figure neither moved nor spoke, she thought it was a spy from the enemy camp. She threatened that person, "Show your face before I call for the guards."

    The person slowly turned around and took off his hood. His face was revealed in the camp light.

    Ivona''s eyes grew wide as she recognized that face. "Y-you!" her voice quivered with emotion. She quickly moved closer to him. "I knew you woulde. That''s why I came here. I wanted to see you. I missed you so much, my love."

    ------------

    Meanwhile, Veronica was sleeping soundly. All of a sudden, the sound of screaming, roaring, and horns woke her up in the middle of the night.

    Her eyes flew open. It was impossible to sleep in that noise. She nervously sat up and asked her fellow mates, "What''s happening?"

    "The camp must be under attack!" Leticia announced.

    Violet began to change clothes. "The enemy has attacked us!"

    Seeing that the dumbfounded Veronica still wasn''t moving, Leticia urged her, "We must leave and go to the safe spot. Hurry!"

    They were taken to the office room once and Major General Orion told them about a secret hideout where they could hide themselves during an emergency. They had to move there right now since this camp was attacked.

    Veronica couldn''t understand what was happening. She wasn''t able to move as fast as others. She draped a shawl around her shoulder and peeked out of the tent.

    The soldiers were running toward the front with their swords, bows, and arrows. Some of them hadn''t had the time to put on their armors.

    ng! ng!

    They were already shing swords with the enemy. Some tents were on fire.

    Veronica''s heart was racing. She just saw some enemy soldiers sh the soldiers she had healed previously. She knew she had to run but her legs were rooted on the spot. They weren''t budging. Her slender legs were shaking.

    "Find the healers!" someone shouted. "Gather them together!"

    "Found one!" someone announced.

    Veronica looked at the person with fear in her eyes. An enemy soldier ran toward her with a sharp bloody sword in his hand. His eyes had killing intent. She was too scared to dodge the attack. She shut her eyes.

    sh!

    Ack!

    "You, healerdy, you should run when you can," a voice roared in front of her.

    Veronica was trembling. She opened her eyes and saw the cook named Adam was standing before her, blocking her from the enemies.

    Adam told her, "You know the way to the secret hideout, don''t you? Go there!"

    "O-okay¡­" Veronica turned around and rushed. She ran aimlessly. Her eyes were tearing up seeing people dying everywhere. She could hear people''s howl and cry. She didn''t have the strength to move. The only reason her legs were almost flying was due to fear.

    "Oh!" she stumbled on a dead body and yelled. Since she didn''t have an ounce of strength in her body, she couldn''t bnce herself and fell to the ground.

    "Ow!" she winced as she felt a sharp pain on her knees. Since she was wearing something light, her skin was scraped. She wanted to sit up when she heard someone groaning under her. She was startled and immediately moved away.

    "S-save me¡­ please¡­" a soldier growled.

    When everything was burning, she could see clearly that it was an enemy soldier. His chest was sliced open and blood was gushing out from there. She felt pity for that man. ''Because of them, we suffered. But he is a human and I''m a healer. It''s my duty to heal him.'' As she thought that, she used her power to heal him.

    After she was done, she stood up and dragged her feet. She stumbled here and there but still managed to run.

    Just then, a tent on fire began to crumble down. It was falling on her.

    Veronica''s eyes widened in shock. She tried to move back but tripped on a dead body and fell. Her emerald eyes were reflecting the fiery tent. It was drawing closer.

    Just when she thought that she was going to be burned alive, someone snatched her away from the sandy ground and moved somewhere safe.

    Veronica panted loudly. She couldn''t move. Her eyes were seeing a ck cloak. She could hear her heart was beating fast. Just thinking about the tent falling on her made her scared to death. Her body began to tremble.

    At that moment, she heard a deep sigh and a voice speaking above her head, "Honestly, whenever I meet you, you are in danger. If you are going to attract dangers like a ma, you better not get out of my sight."

    Upon hearing the familiar voice, Veronica''s lips parted. Of all the ces, she didn''t think of meeting him here. She was longing to meet him after going to the town but fortune wasn''t in her favor.

    To think he woulde and save her again at the most crucial time, was it fate?

    She looked up and saw the face her heart was yearning to see. She called out in a quivering voice, "A-Arthur?"

    ____________________________________________________

    A/N: Hey guys, don''t get discouraged by my previous announcement. Let''s hope I can give you guys a good story. A good story will surely gain a number of readers, right? As long as I get 200,000 readers, I will continue writing. Please share this book to others if you think this book is worth a try. It''s a humble request from your Happy-go-lucky Author XD

 Chapter 58 - ARTHURS JOURNEY

    <h4>Chapter 58 - ARTHUR''S JOURNEY</h4>

    It had been six months since Arthurst saw Veronica. He would stroll aimlessly in the town at night. Once Sebastian asked him if he was missing the silver haired girl but he didn''t answer.

    One day, he came out of an antique shop and headed to his library. His old caretaker gave him two books and said, "A visitor came and told me to give them to you, Master."

    Arthur saw the romance fiction books and he grabbed the old caretaker''s shoulders. "Where is she?"

    The old caretaker was startled by his aggressive action. He had never seen him like this. He answered, "She left just now. Didn''t you see her?"

    ''Damn it!'' Arthur cursed. He snatched the book from him and left the library. He looked around the town all morning and noon and went back to his house after the sun went down.

    Sebastian was waiting for him in the usual ce. "Is there anything I can do for you, Master?"

    "Go, find Veronica''s whereabouts," Arthur ordered him.

    After Sebastian left, he thought about Veronica. ''It''s been six months and now she came to meet me.'' He looked at the books he left and chuckled. ''She took great care of my books. Not a single scratch on them. Why didn''t youe to meet me all this time?''

    Sebastian came not long after and told him whatever he found out, "Miss Veronica left the town with other healers. They must be going to the desert to support the Sians."

    "So, she has be a healer then." Arthur smiled softly thinking of her dreaming true.

    Sebastian hesitated before disclosing the matter, "Actually, she was wearing regr clothes. She wasn''t wearing a healer uniform or the church uniform she regrly wore."

    "Hmm?" Arthur frowned. ''If she wasn''t wearing any type of uniform, it means she belongs to none of those ces. If she isn''t a healer and not a part of the temple anymore, what is she then?'' A sudden realization hit him, ''Don''t tell me she was kicked out because of herst visit. She must have been caught by them and was punished.''

    Arthur stood up and grabbed his cape. "I''m heading to the desert."

    The cool headed Sebastian began to panic, "Master you still have to finish signing these papers. This is an emergency!"

    Thus, Arthur''s journey was dyed. On the way, he got the news that Veronica was sick. He turned his fifteen days journey into a ten days journey. When he reached the destination, it was already night. He was on the way to meet Major General Orion but ended up encountering an unexpected acquaintance.

    Ivona recognized him even when the dark shadow was looming over him. "Y-you!" Her voice quivered with emotion. She quickly moved closer to him. "I knew you woulde. That''s why I came here. I wanted to see you. I missed you so much, my love. Arthur¡­"

    After being stopped by a woman, Arthur became slightly annoyed. "I need to work."

    Ivona embraced his firm body. "I know but I missed you. Please spend some time with me."

    Arthur narrowed his eyes. There were times when he wanted to have thepany of a woman or a bunch of women. There were times when he wanted to have none. At that moment, he wanted to meet the Major General of the Sian army, not Ivona.

    He controlled his anger and patiently stated, "Mydy, I know you missed me but I have things to do and it''s urgent. You mustn''t get in between a man and his work. It''s unpleasant." Although his voice was gentle, his words were sharp.

    Ivona wasn''t used to his harsh words. Her eyes welled up. She wanted to protest but then they heard the siren.

    Arthur knew instantly what was going on. The enemy invaded the camp to secretly attack the Sian Army He didn''t wait to meet Major General Orion. Thinking of sick Veronica, he harshly pushed Ivona away and went to look for her.

    Who would have known that he would find her rooted beside the fiery camp that was falling over her?

    Arthur thought he was going to have a heart attack. He couldn''t help but say, "Honestly, whenever I meet you, you are in danger. If you are going to attract dangers like a ma, you better not get out of my sight."

    Veronica heard the voice she wasn''t expecting to hear. "A-Arthur?" her voice quivered.

    Arthur embraced her closer and asked her in a yful tone, "Troublemaking princess, did you miss me?"

    Veronica gasped. Her eyes teared up. She became emotional. "It''s really you!"

    Arthur wanted to tease her a bit more but seeing blood all over her body, he got up with her and inquired with a serious expression, "Are you injured?"

    Veronica was overwhelmed. "¡­I¡­"

    "Show me everything," saying that Arthur took off her shawl. He furrowed his eyebrows and scanned her up and down. The upper part of her clothing was clean thanks to the shawl. Arthur understood that the blood didn''t belong to her.

    Veronica spoke, "The blood¡­ doesn''t belong to me. Some dead soldier I came across¡­"

    Arthur questioned her while checking her arms, "Are you injured anywhere? Do you feel pain?"

    "My knees¡­ ouch!" She flinched when he touched her knees.

    Arthur looked around and said, "Let''s get out of here. This ce isn''t safe right now." He picked her up with both hands and kept her close as he moved quickly to a safe ce.

    They left the camp. Arthur walked a hundred meters away from the camp and reached his tent. He carried her inside and then put her down on the ground.

    "Is this where you are staying?" Veronica asked him.

    "Yes. This is my tent." Arthur rolled up her nightdress and examined her injuries. "These are not serious injuries. You will be fine after putting on some medicine." He took out a bottle and opened it. He applied the balm on her injuries and wrapped them up with a clean cloth.

    "I''m thirsty," she said with a dry throat.

    Arthur gave her a water pouch and said, "Drink it all up."

    "Is this okay? Water is rare in the desert," Veronica was concerned for him.

 Chapter 59 - VERONICAS FEELINGS

    <h4>Chapter 59 - VERONICA''S FEELINGS</h4>

    Arthur gave her a water pouch and said, "Drink it all up."

    "Is this okay? Water is rare in the desert," Veronica was concerned for him.

    Arthur assured her, "It is fine. There is an oasis not so far from here. But you should be careful not to go there alone, especially in the dark."

    Veronica tilted her head. She couldn''t understand why she couldn''t go there alone or in the dark. "Why not?"

    Arthur shortly narrated, "That''s because animals need water too and they go there to drink water."

    "I-I see." Veronica drank water and didn''t leave a single drop.

    Arthur was examining her ankles whilementing, "You have be thin. Your skin is dark. Were you working too hard?"

    Veronica flinched as she felt a slight pain. She replied, "I was doing whatever I could to help everyone."

    "As a healer?" Arthur casually questioned her.

    "No¡­" Veronica hesitated. She couldn''t tell anyone, including him.

    "Why aren''t you wearing a temple uniform? You are a part of the temple, right?" Arthur tried to find out in a roundabout way.

    Veronica averted her gaze. "It''s a long story." If it wasn''t for the Head Priest Saint Ava''s warning, she would have already let him know.

    Arthur grabbed her thighs and stated, "I''m worried."

    Veronica stubbornly said, "I can''t tell you."

    "Fine. I will wait until you are ready to talk. I hope you weren''t punished after being caught." Arthur easily gave in. He didn''t want to force her and let her be suspicious of his behavior. It would be troublesome if she was being cautious around him.

    Veronica replied, "You can say that."

    "So, this is a punishment." Arthur sighed. Now he could understand why she was hesitating. She was embarrassed to tell him.

    Veronica quickly expressed, "I''m doing great. I''m outside the country. I''m in a desert, saving people as much as I can. This is far better than living inside the wall."

    Arthur smiled. "Don''t let them hear you." He didn''t have a problem as long as she liked her punishment.

    For some reason, he felt that there was more to it than just punishment. But, since she was an inexperienced woman who knew nothing about the world, he couldn''t find the loophole in her words. With a logical exnation, someone like her would be sent on a mission. He saw with his very own eyes how scared she was. She was going to burn to death if he didn''t save her.

    "I won''t." Veronica finally noticed where his hands were touching. Her face flushed. She told him, "Hey, you should move your hands from my legs."

    Amusement flickered in his eyes. "Are you embarrassed?"

    "It''s not appropriate," Veronica''s face was turning deep shades of red.

    Arthur''s deep voice rang on her ears, "But you have shown me more than your legs. I''ve touched the ces no one ever touched before, not even you." His lips brushed over her left knee.

    Veronica''s heart was going crazy. Her body temperature increased. She had the same buzzing feeling just like six months ago. She shut her eyes and shouted, "Don''t say anymore! Forget about what you saw that night."

    Arthur''s fingers traveled a bit deeper. "How can I forget something so alluring?"

    "Are you doing this deliberately? I''ll leave then." Veronica couldn''t take it anymore. She tried to stand up.

    Arthur moved his hands away from her thighs. "All right, all right, I won''t do anything to harm you. Don''t move too much. You are injured." He didn''t want her to run away after he finally got a hold of her.

    A gust of chilling breeze blew. Veronica shivered and rubbed her cool arms.

    "The nights are cold. You shouldn''t sleep wearing thin clothes." Arthur draped a nket over her body and sat beside her.

    When he saw her being cautious, he raised his hands to show that he was harmless. "Easy, I won''t attack a woman who doesn''t want me. You need warmth. If I don''t share my warmth with you, tomorrow, you will catch a fever. It''s easy to capture targets like this. Do you want to be kidnapped by the enemy party?"

    "N-no," Veronica didn''t argue anymore. She was indeed feeling cold. She snuggled closer and asked, "Did they reallye to kidnap the healers?"

    Arthur answered, "It seems so. That''s why they attacked the enemy camp."

    Veronica couldn''t understand Riverhill''s plot. "Why would they do that? They have healers as well."

    Arthur exined, "With healers on Sians'' side, Riverhill has no chance of winning. Riverhill is certainly good at chivalry, there is no doubt. However, they are no match for the masters of weapons that Sia possesses."

    Sia has iron ore mines and they create first-ss weapons. They export weapons to other countries. They train the best fighters with the best weapons. They haven''t lost a war to date. It will be impossible for Riverhill to win against them without taking the healers away.

    Veronica became quiet. She was thinking of lots of things. Arthur''s presence caught her by surprise. After he saved her, she realized that she was missing him.

    Discovering her inner thoughts, she was surprised. She didn''t know him at all. Knowing a person''s face, name, and upation wasn''t enough to evaluate their character. Moreover, he was a downright yboy. She knew that he was ying with her too. However, she couldn''t help but get drawn to him. She felt reassured whenever he was close to her.

    It was weird that she felt like that but it was true and she couldn''t deny it.

    Arthur noticed that she was in deep thought. He asked her, "Did you miss me?"

    Veronica''s chain of thoughts broke. She instantly replied, "Not at all."

    Arthur leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Liar. Didn''t you go to the library to meet me?"

    Veronica sensed his hot breaths on her skin. It heated her face. She responded, "I went there to give your books back. Did you think I''d steal your books?"

    Arthur chuckled. "I did not. At least you could tell me that you were going to the desert."

    Veronica retorted, "Even though I didn''t tell you, you still came and found me. Wait, don''t tell me you are here because of me. How did you find that I was here?"

 Chapter 60 - SPENDING DESERT NIGHT WITH ARTHUR

    <h4>Chapter 60 - SPENDING DESERT NIGHT WITH ARTHUR</h4>

    "Even though I didn''t tell you, you still came and found me." Suddenly, a thought came to her mind and she asked, "Wait, don''t tell me you are here because of me. How did you find that I was here?"

    Arthur looked at her and mysteriously replied, "I''m here for another reason. I never thought I would meet you here, caught up with all these."

    His answer made Veronica even more curious about his true purpose.? "But, you are not a soldier. Why do you have toe here?"

    "I can''t tell you." Arthur downright rejected.

    Veronica turned to look at him with anger in her eyes and used, "And you said you saw me as your friend. Is this how you treat your friend?"

    Arthur also gazed at her. "If I didn''t see you as my friend, would I have saved you just now?"

    Veronica''s mouth opened in surprise. Their close proximity didn''t make her nervous this time. "So, you are saying you wouldn''t save people unless you were their friend? I never thought you-"

    Arthur was taken aback and cut her off by quickly saying, "Hey now, I didn''t mean it that way."

    Veronica argued, "How did you mean it then? I just asked you why you are here and you couldn''t tell me that reason. Since you treat me like this, I will treat you that way too. Hmph!" She looked away in anger.

    Arthur was helpless. He didn''t know how to react when she acted this way. No woman ever treated him like that. They always drooled over him and did their best to get closer to him physically by embracing him and whatnot, whenever he was in front of them. This was the first time a woman got mad at him and he found his skill in handling such a situation severelycking.

    In the end, he sighed and confessed, "I''m a cksmith who forges weapons. I have a smallpany and my men are working with Sians to keep them supplied with adequate weaponry. That''s why I''m with them."

    It caught her by surprise. "You are a cksmith?! What about the library then?"

    Arthur realized that there was no reason for him to hide it from her anymore. He replied, "Thepany is my side job. Designing weapons is my hobby."

    "So, that''s what it is." Veronica easily believed him. "Why did you try to hide it?"

    Arthur exined, "I didn''t tell anyone except you about my side job. I trust you. Don''t tell others."

    "No problem." Veronica didn''t have a reason to tell others about someone else''s personal life and so she readily agreed.

    The sound of shing swords and soldiers'' screams broke the silence of the quiet desert. They could hear all themotion from where they were.

    Veronica nervously asked, "They won''t attack us here, will they?" She had the kindest heart but it didn''t mean that she wanted to die just because someone wanted to kill her.

    Arthur inquired, "Are you scared?"

    "No¡­", she replied. However, there was uncertainty in her voice. Whether she was scared or not, she wanted to put on a brave face in front of him. She wouldn''t tell him that she was feeling quite queasy inside about this whole thing.

    Her uneasiness did not escape Arthur''s keen eyes even if she had told him otherwise. He found it rather interesting. The women he knew, would throw their bodies at him saying they were scared to death and try to appear as damsels in distress as much as they could and here was a girl sitting with him alone, having kind of a romantic time together and, she was trying her best to appear heroic.

    He assured her, "It''s okay. Most of the time, a single tent means a traveler. They have no reason to attack a traveler. However, if it''s an animal, that''s a different thing."

    Veronica''s expression didn''t look any better hearing this news. "I don''t want to be a meal."

    Arthur chuckled. "Rx, I''m a good hunter. If there is an animal, we can have a good dinner, don''t you think?"

    Remembering the meat curry he cooked for her once, Veronica''s mouth started to water.

    The night was long. Time wouldn''t pass quickly when someone was waiting. Every passing moment seemed like an eternity.

    Veronica couldn''t hear any chaos anymore. The quietness of the desert seemed to drag the night. It was tiring. Due to her excitement, she couldn''t fall asleep. She felt like if she slept, they would be attacked.

    She recalled that the enemy wanted to take the healers. She mumbled, "They wanted to take us."

    Arthur was deeply thinking of something else. Upon hearing her words, his train of thoughts broke. "Did the soldiers of Riverhill try to kidnap you?"

    Veronica remarked, "They didn''t exactly say that they wanted to kidnap us. I heard them saying, ''gather the healers''. I''m sure it''s rted to the white light that made the healers disappear."

    Arthur smirked. She never ceased to amaze him. "You were sent here as a punishment to you. And now you want to investigate it? You might even fall into more danger."

    Veronica couldn''t tell him everything even if she wanted to. She responded, "I don''t mind falling in danger. I told you I want to help everyone. If there is a chance for me to get the missing healers back, I want to try it."

    Arthur looked at her. His eyes became strange. He began to see her in a new light. After a few moments of pause, he said, "Guess what. I will help you."

    "Will you?" Veronica was astonished. She didn''t expect that he would want to help her with this. It was better to work alongside a person than doing it alone. It would be less scary.

    "I will but there is something we have to do first." Arthur pondered deeply while speaking, "I''m not sure if it will work on you though."

    "Work on me? What?" Veronica asked curiously.

 Chapter 61 - ASKING FOR HELP

    <h4>Chapter 61 - ASKING FOR HELP</h4>

    A couple was walking in the desert. They were wearing desert tribal clothes. The sun must have thought of them as his enemy. He was ring at them.

    Seeing hundreds of tents in front of them, the man finally found some hope. He carried the woman as fast as possible and nearly fell in front of the entrance.

    A soldier who was guarding the entrance stepped closer to the couple. He demanded, "State your business!"

    The man bowed and responded with a sob, "My wife¡­ she is dying¡­ please¡­ have some mercy."

    The soldier''s eyes brushed over the woman''s body. The woman seemed injured. Dry blood was coagted on her stomach area. She was heavily panting. Her face was pale as though she was going to die due to blood loss.

    "Wait," saying a curt word, the soldier went inside a tent.

    After a while, he came back with a giant man. From his clothes, it looked like he was some sort of high-ranking soldier. The man had a solemn expression. He nced at the couple for a few moments and asked the man, "Are you from the desert tribe?"

    The man hurriedly nodded. "Yes, sir."

    The high-ranking soldier interrogated him as though he was a criminal, "What are you doing out of your tribe?"

    The man began to shiver in fear under his crude gaze, "Our families are enemies. They would never approve of our rtionship. So, we secretly got married and ran away. However, she got injured after a cougar attacked usst night. Please save her. We will be indebted to you forever!" he desperately pleaded in the most pitiful way.

    The cougar is arge cat of the subfamily Felinae. It is also known as mountain lions. A sessful generalist predator, the cougar will eat any animal it can catch, from insects torge ungtes. Like other cats, it is an obligate carnivore, meaning it must feed on meat to survive.

    The high-ranking soldier squinted his eyes. He carefully observed the desert tribe man. He was wearing usual tribal clothes. He had tan skin and dark hair. One of his eyes was covered with a dirty cloth. Also, it had dry blood on it. It seemed that the man was injured as well. His dark pupil was filled with tears, begging him. There was a distinct smell of desert in his clothes. There was no doubt that the man was from the desert tribe.

    The high-ranking soldier mumbled, "Attacked by mountain lions, hmm." He looked at his soldiers and instructed them, "Take some men with you and find if there is any cougar around the area. These people are injured. I don''t think the cougar will be far from here. And, tell some men to take them to the healers'' quarter. They should be healed as soon as possible. This woman is dying."

    "Thank you, sir! Thank you! Thank you!" The man repeatedly bowed and thanked the soldier for his generosity.

    Just as the high-ranking soldier ordered, the couple was taken to the healers'' quarter. The healers were busy as many soldiers were attacked. They (healers) became exhausted by using their power to treat those injured soldiers.

    One of the healers was taking a rest. Seeing an injured couple, he quickly went to them. "Who is severely injured?"

    The husband of the woman desperately answered, "My wife. She was attacked by a cougar. She lost so much blood. Please save her."

    "All right, lie her down on the bed. That''s it." The healer used his knife to tear off her clothes and then examined her injury. "She is dying. I will heal her now," saying that the healer used his power to seal off the injury.

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­" the woman seemed to breathe properly. Tears rolled from her eyes. She looked at her husband and softly smiled.

    The husband grabbed her hands and squeezed them. "Romana, my beloved wife, are you feeling all right? Did your pain go away?"

    The woman nodded slightly. She was feeling better than before. Her face was still covered with sweat. She felt her eyelids became heavier. She slowly closed her eyes.

    The husband who was wiping her sweats panicked. "What''s wrong with her? Why did she close her eyes?"

    The healer answered, "She had fainted due to blood loss. Although I healed her injury, she still lost a lot of blood. I can''t grow her blood. She needs to rest and eat nutritious food to gain energy."

    "Thank you! Thank you!" The husband thanked the healer again and again.

    "Don''t worry about that. It''s my job to heal people. Let me see your injury." The healer inspected the man''s eye that was covered with clothes. He frowned andmented, "This is a terrible injury you have, sir. Don''t worry. You will be better in no time."

    After assuring him, the healer healed him as well. "Can you see properly now?" he inquired.

    The husband blinked several times and then his eyes welled up with tears. He cried out in joy, "Yes! I can see! I can see! I never thought I could see again with my two eyes."

    The healer smiled. "This is good news, isn''t it?" Then he mumbled to himself, "But I''m sure I didn''t have to use that much power. Hmm. Who knows, maybe I''m getting better."

    "What''s your name?" the healer asked him.

    The husband answered, "My name is Alzedro. She is Romana, my wife. We are from the desert tribe."

    "I''m Remus, a healer from Utahill. Please take plenty of rest. You have both lost so much blood. I''lle backter and check your condition." The healers left the couple after telling them to take a rest.

    Only then, Alzedro nced at his wife, Romana. He whispered in her ears, "Wife, you can open your eyes now."

    Romana opened her eyes and secretly looked around to see if someone was there. Seeing the coast was clear, she whispered back, "I had no idea you were so talented, Arthur."

 Chapter 62 - THEIR ACTING SKILLS

    <h4>Chapter 62 - THEIR ACTING SKILLS</h4>

    "I had no idea you were so talented, Arthur," Romana aka Veronica whispered.

    Arthur chuckled. "I''m d you like my acting skill."

    "What should we do now? I want to go out and ask others about missing healers." Veronica sat on the bed. She seemed enthusiastic. She was excited as she managed to enter the enemy camp.

    Arthur calmed her down, "Easy there. We have to make sure everyone will trust us. Then, we will try to find some information about those missing healers."

    Veronica cocked her head. She questioned him, "Why won''t they trust us right now? Didn''t we do great at acting?"

    Arthur tucked the nket and covered her body. He chuckled and replied, "Silly girl, did you think everyone was like you? Except for you, no one will trust strangers that easily."

    "You are one to talk." Veronica sulked. She knew that Arthur trusted her at some point to tell her that he had a side job when he didn''t tell anyone else.

    She was surprised when he came up with the n. In a short period, he managed to get his hands on the desert tribe''s clothes. When they came close to the army camp of Riverhill, Arthur injured his eye first and then wounded the terrified Veronica.

    In the beginning, he gave her the knife. But, she was too scared to leave a scratch on herself. That''s why he had to take the responsibility of hurting her into his own hand.

    What he didn''t expect was that she would be weak quickly after losing blood. He didn''t give her a deep wound. He had to admit that he was a bit nervous. He wasn''t a healer. He couldn''t heal her within a second. She couldn''t heal herself either. They would have been in trouble if they were taken by the enemies.

    "Does your injury hurt?" Arthur inquired.

    "Not at all. It was like I never had the injury in the first ce. Remus is the most amazing healer I''ve ever seen." Veronica admired the healer''s skill. She wished her power could be close to his.

    Arthur nced at her. "Why do you think so? All the healers are the same. Didn''t you heal me as well?"

    "But it''s not good enough, is it?" Veronica let out a helpless sigh. She wanted to be a good healer and hoped she could be better aftering to the desert. However, she didn''t improve in the slightest. It was so demotivating.

    "Are you trying to be modest?" Arthur let out augh. "Get some rest. We need to act like we are getting better tomorrow."

    "I don''t have to act. I''m feeling weak anyway." Veronicaid down. But her eyes were wide open.

    Arthur covered her eyes with his hands. "Do you think with open eyes you can fake that you are resting?"

    "How can I rest when I''m having an adventure?" Veronicained to him.

    Arthur''s voice was lower than usual. "Try counting numbers in your mind. It will help you fall asleep."

    When she really fell asleep, Arthur began to regret it a bit. He liked to chat with her. She would say something unpredictable and it would catch him off guard. He enjoyed that feeling.

    Aftering to the enemy camp, they rested for two days until the healer named Remus dered that they were fine. Later, Alzedro aka Arthur, and his wife Romana wanted to thank everyone for helping them. Since they were short-handed, the high-ranking soldier allowed them to work for them.

    Since then, Alzedro became a chef and Romana became aundrydy. They were both good at their jobs and so they became popr in the camp.

    Veronica had no problem with work. She liked working. And, washing clothes was something she liked to do.

    However, the problem arose somewhere else.

    It was with the bed.

    At night, Veronica dragged her tired body to the bed. After washing five hundred stinky clothes, she could barely open her eyes. She changed her clothes and went to sleep.

    Just then, Arthur came to sleep as well. As soon as he went to bed to sleep, Veronica became startled. She quickly moved away. "W-what are you doing?"

    "Me? Trying to sleep?" Arthur gave her a confused look.

    "Why are you in my bed?" Veronica''s eyes were filled with distrust.

    "Have you forgotten? We are husband and wife now. Of course, they would lend us the same bed." Arthur suddenly understood that she was cautious. He put on a smile and asked her, "Why? Are you being cautious around me? Don''t tell me you are waiting for something?"

    And then, he saw Veronica''s pale face turn several shades of red. Her red lips quivered but were unable to produce any words.

    Arthur was amused by her reaction. Heid down on the bed and assured her saying, "You don''t have to worry about anything. I''m quite harmless."

    ''Is he?'' Veronica wondered. She decided to trust him only once. She cautiously lied down beside him. It was a small bed and hard for two people with big bodies to sleep.

    She couldn''tin in this war situation. She tried not to touch him while sleeping but it was too much work. There was a single space left after heid down beside her.

    In consideration of war and her mission, she decided to seal her lips for once. The moment she closed her eyes, she drifted to the dreand. She had no idea what was happening right next to her.

    Arthur somewhat envied Veronica for sleeping so soundly. He couldn''t sleep when a soft body was being rubbed against his body. He couldn''t remember thest time he embraced a woman.

    Her soft body and unique smell reminded him of the night he almost ate her alive. Just thinking of her nude body and smooth skin made his blood boil.? He tried not to think about it but her body was letting him do as he pleased. Even though he didn''t wish for it, his little brother was getting worked up.

    "Haah¡­" he let out a deep sigh. ''I cannot wait for a peaceful day,'' he thought.

    But his tomorrow wasn''t peaceful. His new day started with chaos.

 Chapter 63 - SO MUCH FOR A PEACEFUL DAY

    <h4>Chapter 63 - SO MUCH FOR A PEACEFUL DAY</h4>

    It was a peaceful day. Veronica was doingundry as usual. She was humming a song while using her legs to wash a hundred clothes. She just started her day. There were tenrge buckets of clothes, waiting for their turn. She energetically kicked the clothes. She needed to finish theundry before lunch.

    As if to break the nice atmosphere, someone said, "What''s this? The fair maiden is washing our clothes. She might lose her legs like this. Should we give her a hand?"

    Veronica paused and looked at the source of the voice. There were five soldiers looking at her. The bulky man in the middle spoke to her. The other four soldiers were smirking as they eyed her hungrily. They were naked to their waists. They seemed to have finished their sword practice.

    They were looking at her perversely. It made her ufortable. Although Arthur made pass at her from time to time, he never looked at her like that. Moreover, he gave her afortable feeling. She would be at ease when he guarded her.

    In any case, she couldn''t do something to make these people mad at her. She was here for her mission. So, Veronica gave them a polite smile. "Thank you for the offer. I''m doing fine. Please do your job."

    The soldier was persistent. "Our job is to take care of this beautiful maiden. Oh, that means it''s you. Why don''t you spend some leisure time with us? I''m sure you are tired from doing all the hard work. Why don''t we help you?"

    It was the first time for Veronica to experience something like that. She had no clue how to deal with it. She saw those soldiersing closer. Before she could say a word, the soldier in the middle grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the bucket.

    "Ah!" Veronica yelled in pain and surprise.

    The soldier gave her a wide grin. "What are you screaming for? We will give you a good time. Why don''t youe with us?"

    Most of the soldiers were out on the field, training. The tents were all empty. No one woulde to help a helpless maiden.

    "Pl-please¡­ stop¡­" Veronica''s face turned pale. She was so scared that her legs weren''t moving. Remembering her first night going out of the temple made her legs frozen in fear. She looked at the soldier in horror.

    "Please let go of my wife''s hand." A calm yet cold voice could be heard not from far.

    Veronica nced at Arthur. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

    The soldiers didn''t look pleased after being interfered with. "Oh, isn''t that our lovely maiden''s dog? You are the one who gave us the source of the cougars'' hidden home. Because of you, we had a feast. Do you have information about the home of other animals?"

    "Please don''t call my husband a dog," Veronica requested. Even though she was shaking in fear, her voice was firm.

    The soldier who was hugging her waist agreed, "Fine, I won''t call him a dog. But, why don''t we have a tryst? I can let him off if you do that obediently."

    Arthur''s eyes darkened seeing that soldier''s hand on her waist.

    He was cooking a bit further away from her. At that time, a soldier hastened to him and said that some high-ranking soldiers went to cause trouble for Veronica.

    He left the cooking to that soldier and rushed toward her. He heard her scream and sped up. His anger rose the moment he saw the soldierid his hand on her.

    Arthur was in a dilemma. If he saved her, it meant he had to fight them. Veronica and he would be kicked out of the camp if the worse happened. If not, they would be surveilled at the very least. It might take more time than their n.

    Everyone was preparing for the uing war. He wanted to take this chance to investigate along with Veronica.

    Veronica heard the soldier''s demand. She recalled how the drunk man assaulted her in the dark room. He tore her clothes and touched her private ces with lust filled his eyes. Realizing that the soldiers wanted to do the same thing, her expression changed to disgust.

    The bulky soldier did not like her expression. It made him feel like he was some kind of insect. "What''s with this look?" he spoke with annoyance. "You go around and seduce men and don''t want to please us after making us horny? You slut!"

    He raised his hand to p her. Veronica flinched and closed her eyes. However, she only heard a groan.

    She opened her eyes and saw Arthur grabbing that soldier''s arms and twisting them behind. She heard him saying, "Didn''t I tell you to let go of my wife?"

    The soldier couldn''t help but let go of Veronica. She darted toward Arthur and grabbed his clothes. She buried her face on his arm.

    Arthur found her behavior cute. He was thinking about how he could tease her after that.

    His fantasy didn''tst long. The other soldiers came to attack him. He let go of the arm of the bulky soldier and kicked him toward his fellow soldiers.

    All five of them fell backward. The tent couldn''t hold their weight and it crashed on them.

    "Will they be okay?" Veronica asked in concern.

    Arthur looked at her. "Are you seriously worried about them? I would rather worry about ourselves. They are high-ranking soldiers. If they want, they can kill us or sell us in the ve market."

    "K-kill us?" Veronica''splexion wasn''t good. There was another thing he said that made her confused. She questioned him, "What is a ve market?"

    Sigh!

    Arthur let out a sigh and took her away from the mess. "ve is a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them. The ve market is where you can buy them. If you be someone''s ve, they can do whatever they want to do with you. And, you will have no right to object."

 Chapter 64 - LUNCHTIME

    <h4>Chapter 64 - LUNCHTIME</h4>

    Veronica gasped upon hearing his exnation. "It must be horrible."

    "Just horrible? It''s the worst that can happen to any human or animal," Arthur remarked.

    He took her to the kitchen. The soldier who was taking care of the cooking looked relieved that both of them were fine. He went back to his post, leaving the couple alone.

    "You better sit here and don''t leave my sight." Arthur pushed her down and made her sit on the wooden stool.

    However, Veronica hesitated. "But I have work to do."

    Arthur told her, "If you want to be attacked by them again, be my guest. They are going to be furious after what I did. Can you handle that?"

    Veronica asked him, "Will¡­ we be sold off?"

    Arthur took the knife that he left on the table before rescuing her. Hemented, "They came to attack you precisely because no one was around. It is natural for women to be hired as prostitutes in the soldiers'' camps. However, soldiers mustn''t touch the women who were appointed to work for them as healers, cooks, and so on. This rule has been followed in this continent for generations."

    He added, "Even so if a girl gets raped by soldiers, the deed is already done. If that rapist is a high-ranking soldier, he can just lie about being mistaken for not recognizing the maiden and thenpensate with money or take the girl as a concubine."

    "Even if that girl is a concubine, no one can ensure her safety. Her soldier husband might leave her to his friends to please them or might sell her off to the ve organization." While he spoke, he chopped the vegetables like a professional chef.

    "How cruel!" Veronica shivered and folded her arms around her body. She couldn''t imagine how a girl could live like that. "Why torture women like that? What do people gain from that?"

    "You think only women are being tortured?" At this time, Arthur wasn''t surprised by herck of reality. He began to treat her as a three years old child. He exined patiently, "Men are being tortured too. If you are not careful, you will be tangled in misfortune as well. So, stay by my side."

    "I will. But, it feels weird if only you work and I do nothing at all." She tapped her fingers.

    Arthur looked at the wooden table where he kept the vegetables and then suggested to her, "Why don''t you help me with cooking? I''m sure you have learned how to use a knife."

    Veronica agreed quite easily. "I did. I will help you with chopping the vegetables."

    "Why don''t you drink some water first? You look thirsty."? He offered her a ss of water.

    "Thank you." Veronica emptied the ss and after that looked at him. "I''m curious. Howe they have so much water to waste in the desert? Back in the Sian camp, they would wash clothes once in two weeks. We were strictly instructed not to waste even a drop of water."

    Arthur mentioned, "It''s because when ites to Riverhill, something they won''t ever worry about is water."

    Veronica remembered, "Oh yeah, I heard about it before. They have thergest natural water supply. They have more than hundreds of rivers in their country. The wateres down from the hills. That''s why they named their country Riverhill."

    "You are right. They directly brought water from their country to the desert. That''s why they are not worried about wasting any. Aside from that, don''t you think you should reward me for saving you?" Arthur calmly nced at her.

    "What?" Veronica couldn''t understand the sudden turn of conversation.

    "I saved you from the soldiers and I don''t get a thank you." Before she could say ''thank you'', he said, "Well, forget about thank you. I don''t need it. You shouldn''t thank your husband. The thing you have to do to appease your husband is¨C"

    He swiftly approached her and stole her lips.

    "!!!"

    At first, Veronica''s head was nk. In the next second, she gave him a push. However, he didn''t budge. His lips entirely devoured her.

    Veronica''s ears were buzzing. She felt butterflies in her stomach. Her heartbeat was going wild. She could only think of the soft sensation on her lips. The smooth and yet strong touch made her body go numb.

    "I know you guys are married but keep it down. We are a bunch of lonely soldiers. Geez! I want to get married too."

    A soldier''s rough voice made the couple separate. Other soldiers whistled. They must havee back from training and wanted to rest. Seeing the couple being all chummy, they couldn''t help but tease them.

    This time, Veronica forcefully pushed him away. Her face was bright red as she red at her so-called husband.

    Arthur gave her a satisfied look while licking his lips. It made Veronica''s expression even worse.

    ''If I must stay away from someone, that should be him!'' she came to a conclusion.

    -----------

    It was almost lunchtime. The soldiers wereining about the dy in getting their meal. The meat and vegetable stew was almost done. The soldiers lined up for the hot stew. The smell of the stew entered their nostrils and their stomachs grumbled.

    Veronica controlled herughter and served them rice with a normal expression.

    As soon as the stew was done, Arthur served them stew. They acted like they were going to jump over the hot stew pot.

    The stew was finished before their eyes. Everyone ate their fullest. They couldn''t help but praise Arthur''s cooking skills.

    Veronica was worried that those soldiers from earlier would attack them with arge group. Fortunately, they didn''t.

    No one evenined about why she didn''t finish herundry. It was like, everyone was aware of the incident and decided not to say a word about it.

    Noticing all that, she was able to rx. She didn''t want to make a bigmotion over this fact. She was worried that she would be kicked out of this ce before she could do anything.

    "Here is your meal," Arthur handed her a bowl of rice with stew. After that, he sat beside her. They would have their lunch together.

    He lowered his voice and dered, "We have to make a move tonight."

 Chapter 65 - ARTHURS TEASING

    <h4>Chapter 65 - ARTHUR''S TEASING</h4>

    After Arthur handed her a bowl of rice with stew, Veronica took the bowl. When her fingers slightly touched, an electrifying sensation rushed into her body and spread all over. She almost let go of the bowl.

    "Be careful!" Arthur quickly grabbed the bowl. Later, he slowly ced the bowl in her hand. "I know it''s warm but don''t drop it because of the temperature."

    "Okay," Veronica''s voice could barely be heard. She hung her head. Her face was hot. She couldn''t look at him properly.

    Arthur didn''t notice her odd behavior. Seeing that she began to eat, he lowered his voice and dered, "We have to make a move tonight."

    Veronica paused and then looked at him. "Will we really make a move tonight? Why so suddenly?"

    Arthur''s eyes carefully observed the soldiers not too far from them. He asked her, "Didn''t you notice the gaze of those soldiers who attacked you in the morning? They might try to attack us after everyone falls asleep. If that happens, it will be impossible to do what we are here for. Every day, I roam around the camp. I already memorized everything. I think I know about the missing healers."

    "You do?!" Veronica eximed. Upon realizing that she raised her voice, she covered her mouth. She took a deep breath and then whispered, "You do?"

    Arthur shared his opinion, "I think they were kidnapped."

    "Kidnapped?" Veronica''s eyes grew bigger in surprise. "How?"

    Arthur exined slowly as he stirred the rice and stew, "My guess is, the light the soldiers saw was from a magic ball that can teleport. The magic ball is way too expensive. I don''t have solid proof. But, I''ve seen a big tent being guarded by many soldiers. I have to cook extra portions for people I don''t even know of. The food is always taken by two guards and they deliver the food inside the tent. I never saw any person going inside or outside except for those two soldiers. So, who eats all the food I cook?"

    "Maybe they are just too hungry," Veronicamented.

    Arthur pinched her cheek. "I wonder what you would do without me, princess."

    Veronica pouted. "At least I wouldn''t get molested."

    Arthur touched his chest. "You hurt my feelings. I was just taking my payment."

    "Payment?" Veronica tilted her head.

    Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Did you think I would help you for free?"

    "Y-you!" Veronica''s face flushed instantly. She was about to get up from the ground.

    However, she had to stop when a soldier growled, "All right, you two lovebirds. You don''t have to make us feel more miserable than we are now."

    The soldiers burst intoughter.

    With an embarrassed expression, Veronica lowered her head and decided to finish her meal.

    At night, Arthur and Veronica wore dark clothes and came out of their tents. They walked hand in hand as if they were strolling. It was nothing out of the ordinary.

    The night was as chilly as usual. The guards were busier than before. Everyone was tense. They prepared for another battle that was tomorrow.

    Veronica clutched Arthur''s sleeve with her free hand. "Arthur," she said with a quivering voice, "I''m scared." She was indeed nervous and the chilling temperature of the desert night wasn''t helping either.

    "Do not worry too much." Arthur squeezed her hand in assurance. "Just stay close to me."

    The warmth of his hand spread in her heart. Veronica felt courage overflowing inside her heart.

    They walked naturally, avoiding suspicious gaze. After walking for a while, Arthur signaled her to look in a direction.

    When Veronica turned her head to look at what he wanted her to show, she saw arge tent guarded by more than twenty soldiers.

    ''So what Arthur said at lunch was true. I have never seen arge tent like this before. And too many guards kept it under surveince. It was so suspicious,'' Veronica pondered.

    She looked at Arthur and asked him "How are we going inside?"

    Arthur replied, "I don''t think they will leave tomorrow to join the battle. They are specifically appointed here. They won''t budge from here. We need to create a distraction."

    "Distraction? Veronica cocked her head. "What kind of distractio-"

    Boom!

    She wasn''t able to finish her words before a loud noise buzzed their ears and an earthquake shook them.

    Veronica nearly lost her bnce but was caught by Arthur. "I guess we got the distraction we were seeking."

    "Wh-what just happened?" She was shocked by the sound. "What was it?"

    "It was a cannon." Arthur grinned as if he was waiting for it.

    They heard amotion. They looked around and saw the soldiersing out of their tents, wearing their uniforms.

    Boom!

    Another cannon was fired. This time, it fell on a tent that was on the left side of where Arthur and Veronica were standing.

    "Be careful!" Arthur saw the fireballing at them. He hugged Veronica and dived on the ground.

    "Ahh!" Veronica shut her eyes and let out a scream. She clung to his clothes and trembled. She thought that she was going to get hurt but her body only jerked violently. She felt no pain.

    She opened her eyes and saw zing fire in front of her. Her heart shook in fear.

    "Are you okay?" She heard Arthur''s voice who sat up and covered her view.

    Veronica answered in a shaky voice, "I''m fine. You protected me."

    At that time, a soldier rushed toward them and ordered, "You two, go to the safe zone. We are under attack!"

    "Attack?" Veronica was surprised. "Who would attack us unless Sia-" she paused and looked at Arthur. Her eyes were filled with questions.

    Arthur whispered with a smile, "Come. The soldiers are all scattered. This is an opportunity."

    He pulled her and both of them stood up. When everyone was busy attacking, they darted in the direction of therge tent.

    No one was guarding the tent because of the attack. They slipped inside without anyone''s notice.

    The inside of the tent was dark. They couldn''t see anything.

    Veronica opened her mouth to speak when they heard a voice from behind.

    "What are you doing here?"

 Chapter 66 - A DISTRACTION

    <h4>Chapter 66 - A DISTRACTION</h4>

    They skipped enemies'' eyes and slid inside the tent. The inside of the tent was dark and quiet. They couldn''t see anything.

    Veronica''s heart was thumping. She was never this tense even when she went on a journey in the mountains. She couldn''t stand the silence and opened her mouth to speak.

    That''s when they heard a voice from behind.

    "What are you doing here? You are not allowed to be here. Leave!"

    The calm yet sharp voice was familiar. Veronica called out, "Remus?"

    The person ignited a candle and the fire illuminated the face. Veronica was correct. It was Remus indeed.

    "Don''t just stand there. Leave before anyone enters," Remus urgently hurried them.

    However, those two had no intention of leaving. The inside of the tent brightened up thanks to the candle. The special ce had no furniture. Only a few jars of water and some sses.

    In the middle of the room, Veronica saw a bunch of men and women tied up. Their hands, legs, and waist were tied with ropes and their eyes and mouths were covered with dark clothes. She counted each one of them, never missing a person.

    "Forty eight, forty nine, fifty! There are fifty people! You must be the missing healers, aren''t you?" Veronica asked those people in excitement. She couldn''t believe she found them.

    "Who they are is none of your concern. Please leave!" Remus hissed.

    "How can it not be my business? It is precisely my business that I''m here. We thought they died and everyone lost hope. I can''t believe they are still alive." Veronica covered her face as she became emotional.

    Remus frowned upon hearing her words. He interrogated, "Who are you people? You are not from the desert tribe, are you? Desert tribe would never care for missing healers. They know nothing about healers."

    A sudden realization hit him. His eyes widened in surprise, "You can''t be from Sia¨C"

    "We are not Sians," Veronica firmly denied his im. She stated, "We are from Utahill. I''m here to find out what happened to my fellow healers."

    "Fellow healers? You are a healer as well!" Remus was astonished. Never in his dream, he thought this innocent looking girl wasn''t a desert tribe maiden but his own kind.

    Veronica replied, "Yes, I am and I''m here to rescue my fellow healers."

    Remus shook his head. "You cannot take fifty people with you. you will get caught. And I don''t believe you are a healer. I''ve never seen you in the pce."

    Remus was a senior healer and knew almost all the healers who lived in the pce. He could swear that he had never seen anyone who resembles Veronica.

    Emerald pupils were rare. In his life, he only saw Veronica''s emerald eyes. If he noticed her before anywhere, he would have remembered it. After meeting her, it was the first time he saw emerald eyes. He couldn''t forget such charming eyes.

    Veronica didn''t mention why he didn''t see her before. She tried to divert his attention saying, "You are one of us and yet you betrayed your friends. How could you?"

    Remus mentioned, "I did not betray my followers. They were kidnapped and I''m here to guard them. This way, they won''t try to run off and get hurt."

    Veronica used him, "But they are supposed to work for Sians. You are wrongly hiding them."

    Remus exined, "It''s not me who did this. It was the soldiers of Riverhill''s n. There was no room left for us to argue as we knew nothing. We found out only after they were taken here. Only a few of us knew about this. Most healers have no clue about this incident."

    He swiftly changed the subject and came to the main point, "Enough of that. I don''t know you. You must be a Sian spy. Leave before the soldierse in. I cannot help you in any way."

    Veronica narrated shortly, "I''m a junior healer who joined recently. I heard about the missing healers and that''s why I''m here. Now please answer me, how did the soldiers of Riverhill manage to take fifty people all at once without leaving any mark?"

    Remus hesitated before answering, "It was a crystal magic ball. It''s a rare and expensive magical item. The king of Riverhill spent so much money just to buy two crystal magic balls."

    ''They only used one magic ball, didn''t they? They couldn''t use the other one because everyone left for the safe zone,'' Veronica pondered. Afterward, she nced at him and asked, "Where can I find that crystal magic ball?"

    Remus shook his head. "I cannot tell you that. When we work for someone, we have to swear our absolute loyalty to them. This is the contract we signed. I can''t betray Riverhill. If you are a healer of Utahill as you said, then I can only tell you to leave before anyone attacks you. This is the only thing I can do for you."

    Veronica said, "I''m sorry but I cannot leave without taking them. Tell me where to find the crystal magic ball. I''ll find it and then take my fellow healers away."

    Remus stepped forward and grabbed her arm with his free hand. "This is not as easy as you think it is. Only magicians can do that. A healer cannot use a magical object."

    "I can''t¡­" Veronica became dumbfounded. She was betting the sess of her rescue mission on this magic ball. If she couldn''t use the crystal magic ball, how was she supposed to take fifty people to the safe ce all at one? These people were healers, not soldiers. They couldn''t possibly win against trained soldiers.

    Not finding a way to solve her problem, she was in despair.

    "Listen well, get out of here. Don''t look back and go straight to the safe zone. No one knows your real identity. I won''t tell others either. You will be safe," Remus did his best to persuade her but she wouldn''t move.

    Remus sighed and looked around to find the partner of Veronica. He frowned and inquired, "Where is Alzedro? Wasn''t he with you? Where did he go?"

 Chapter 67 - VERONICAS ARGUMENT

    <h4>Chapter 67 - VERONICA''S ARGUMENT</h4>

    Remus sighed and looked around to find the person who came with? Veronica. He frowned and inquired, "Where is Alzedro? Wasn''t he with you just now? Where did he go all of a sudden?"

    Upon hearing his question, Veronica looked at her left side where Arthur was standing until just a few moments ago. She blinked in confusion. "Strange! He was right here a minute ago."

    She looked around but couldn''t find even a single trace of him. She nced at Remus in puzzlement. She questioned him, "Did you see when he left?"

    "I was talking to you so¡­ wait, he is with you. Don''t you know where he is right now? What are you two nning? Just as I thought, you aren''t a healer. You are a spy from Sia," Remus used her.

    ''If this continues, he will keep ming me and I will end up in the ve market,'' Veronica probed deeply. ''But where did Arthur go? Don''t tell me he fled after seeing a person here. Is he that type of person?''

    Veronica looked at her hand and recalled how warm and consoling his hand was. She clenched her hand and told herself, ''No, I cannot lose faith in him. He saved me so many times. I believe in him. He must have gone to find some way to save all these people.''

    Her thoughts were resolute. As she put her trust in him, her heart regained her lost courage. "There must be a way to take them away," she mumbled.

    "Wait¡­ you cannot¡­" Remus tried to stop her but she headed in the direction of the abducted healers.

    She crouched down and inspected the ties of the first healer. "It must be hurting your mouth. I''ll take it off," saying that she untied the cloth fastened around the healer''s head, covering her mouth securely.

    The healer was a girl. She breathed sharply after the cloth was taken off. "Thank you," she whispered in a quivering voice.

    "I''vee to save you. I''ll take you out of this ce soon," Veronica promised her as she ced her hands on her shoulders.

    "Not so fast, Ms. Wife."

    A mocking voice came from a corner of the tent.

    Veronica hurriedly looked at the source of the voice. She flinched recognizing that person. The timing couldn''t get any worse.

    The person who was standing there was the same soldier with a bulky body who attacked her this morning. His four fellows were also present. One of them was grabbing Remus while pointing a knife to his throat.

    "Leave him alone!" Veronica demanded. She stood up in slow motion. Her expression was rigid.

    The soldier was grinning ear to ear. "Ms. Wife is ordering me. Look at that. It''s dark outside and you finally want to show your true face? Not bad. I''m liking you more and more."

    "¡­" Veronica pressed her lips together. The more he talked, the more disgusted she felt. At the same time, she wondered why couldn''t people just talk to the fair gender with respect. This way no one would get hurt.

    "Mmph! Mmm!" Remus struggled hard to get off his capturer''s clutches. He wanted to defend the so-called spy. He didn''t wish for something bad to happen to thisdy.

    The bulky soldier frowned at the disturbance. He ordered hisrades, "Too much noise. Knock him out."

    "As you wish," saying that, the soldier who captured Remus struck at the back of his neck hard and Remus copsed on the floor like a cut tree.

    The soldier turned to Veronica and crossed his arms. "It looks like you are a spy, huh? What about your husband? Is he a spy too? He is more of a coward than he shows, leaving his beautiful wife in danger. What will happen if something happens to his beautiful wife?"

    For someone who caught a spy, he looked rather delighted by the fact that she was a spy.

    "Alzedro is not a coward," Veronica defended Arthur''s honor. Although she was mad, she didn''t forget to use the special names they were using for this mission.

    The smile on that soldier''s face disappeared. He walked closer while asking, "So where is your husband? Didn''t he cowardly leave you? if he doesn''te, you will have to face us yourself. Can you handle five men?"

    Veronica''s eyes coldly gazed at him. She was never this angry before. These crude taunts of his were getting on her nerves.

    He was amused by her reaction. He rubbed his chin and continued, "Because of him, we got hurt. Our bodies are in pain. Why don''t you give us a good massage? I''d be sure to give you splendid service as well. Myrades will do the same. Am I right guys?" He asked his friends.

    As a result, he got some answers with excited voices.

    "Sure, we will."

    "We have been looking forward to it for a while already."

    "The service will be for all night. We won''t even take a single break."

    "Just thinking about it makes me hard."

    The hulk soldier grinned perversely at her. "See? They are eager to give you a pleasant service. I''m so d that you are a spy. This way, our reputation will be intact and no one will question our deeds."

    He stepped closer and reached out to Veronica, "The night is long. We will have a good time together. Let''s enjoy it to our fullest."

    Hhk!

    Ack!

    Uuf!

    Aaak!

    Upon hearing those weird noises, the hulky soldier had to pause. He turned around and looked behind him.

    Veronica also got interested in those peculiar sounds. She nced in the direction where the soldier was looking at and her face brightened up instantly. "I knew you woulde!" She eximed in happiness.

    "I just left you for a minute and you caused trouble again. What will you do without me, princess?" Arthur threw away the fourth soldier he knocked out onto the floor.

    With a soft thud, under the astonished gazes of Arthur''s audience, the fourth soldier''s unconscious body joined the three bodies of his fellowrades.

 Chapter 68 - ARTHUR IN RESCUE

    <h4>Chapter 68 - ARTHUR IN RESCUE</h4>

    "I just left you for a minute and you caused trouble again. What will you do without me, princess?" Arthur threw away the fourth soldier he knocked out on the floor.

    "You!" The bulky soldier growled at Arthur. His eyes were terrifying and burning with rage.

    He was going to have some dirty fun with the beautiful maiden he was lusting for but because of this husband of hers, his n was ruined and it was the second time in a row at that. He was naturally fuming mad.

    "I did tell you not to bother my beautiful wife. Didn''t you have enough punishment in the morning?" Arthur''s voice was cool but not his eyes. They were colder and more threatening than a professional murderer.

    The hulky soldier felt chills run down his spine. He couldn''t move for a second. But then, he realized that Arthur was a spy and he had to attack him before he met the same fate as hisrades.

    He instantly grabbed Veronica''s arm and pulled out a knife. He ced the sharp knife close to her neck and threatened his enemy, "If you don''t stand down, I will kill her."

    "Ahh!" Veronica screamed in shock. It happened so fast that she couldn''t predict the enemy''s movement. When she sensed something sharp against her neck, everything was toote.

    Arthur''s voice became even colder if that was even possible. "I also told you not to touch her."

    His cold voice echoed in the soldier''s ears. He began to sweat. His throat became dry and he gulped. He couldn''t understand why he was feeling this nervous. He didn''t like to think himself as a coward. He pressed the knife tightly at Veronica''s neck. "Don''t move!"

    Veronica shut her eyes in fear. She stood there frozen. She felt a stung on her neck and then a warm liquid overflew. She couldn''t understand why she was feeling that. She didn''t have the mind to think about it.

    Arthur calmly looked at the thin trail of blood on her neck and it was socking her clothes. His expression was unreadable. He slowly moved and took out something from his pocket.

    The soldier of Riverhill''s eyes widened in shock after seeing the object in his enemy''s hand. "This¡­ where did you get this?" he demanded to know from his enemy.

    Arthur smirked. "I found it after searching through the Commander''s office. Since one crystal magic ball wasn''t used, it should be somewhere hidden. My guess was right."

    The soldier''s face turned from red to purple. He realized that they had been feeding meals to the enemies for days. The enemypletely fooled them. He was so angry that he couldn''t speak.

    Arthur enjoyed the reaction of the soldier. Then, he threw the ball up and caught it in the midair. After ying with it for a while, he asked the soldier, "Do you want it?"

    "Give it back before I call for myrades," the Riverhill soldier said in an attempt to intimidate his enemy.

    Arthur wasn''t easily frightened by a false threat. He mentioned, "Don''t forget they are busy fighting the Sian army. They don''t have the time to heed your call."

    The Riverhill soldier indeed had a reason to be nervous.

    The crystal magic ball was an important object that could help them win this war decisively and the Commander of Riverhill gave him and his team the duty to guard it with their lives.

    However, he and his team nned to attack the gorgeous wife of the desert tribe man. Unfortunately, when they secretly attacked the tent of the newlyweds, they found it empty. They began to look for the couple and that''s when the Sian army attacked them.

    They became desperate and tried hard to look for the girl, knowing she would try to go to the safe zone. Nheless, they saw Veronica and Arthur sneaking into therge tent. Thinking that the couple got scared and tried to take refuge in the huge tent, the soldiers followed them.

    Who knew Veronica and Arthur were spies of the enemy?

    But, things got easier for them since the woman they wanted to bed was an enemy. As a result, no matter what they did with her no one would say anything.

    They were so upied thinking about the sexual pleasure they were going to have that they forgot all about their duties. Because of their undisciplined attitude, the Sian spy got his hands on the crystal magic ball.

    When Arthur threw the ball up, the soldier''s heart shook like a sinking boat. He never faced such a critical situation before.

    "Do you want this ball?" Arthur suggested, "How about an exchange? You give me back my wife and you get the ball."

    The soldier squinted his eyes. His grey eyes shook ever so slightly.

    This simple movement didn''t leave Arthur''s eyes. ''He hesitated,'' he thought. He smirked. "I know this crystal magic ball is way more important to you than a woman''s life. Or maybe you are having second thoughts?"

    After a pause, he continued, "It looks like Riverhill has lots of money to throw away an expensive item like this. I don''t mind taking it. I will sell it at a high price. But, I''m not sure if you can keep your position or your head intact though."

    "Fine. I''ll take the crystal magic ball. You can take your wife," the soldier dered.

    He wasn''t good at thinking deeply. He liked to work his muscles, not his brain. Nevertheless, he realized the true worth of the crystal magic ball after Arthur exined the situation and what was at stake for his side and him.

    The corner of Arthur''s lips lifted. "Wise decision. Hand over my wife then."

    The soldier shook his head. "The magic ball first."

    Arthur argued casually, "How will I know you won''t kill my wife after getting the ball?"

    The soldier licked his lips. He couldn''t move a muscle. He took a deep breath and said, "Then let''s do this together."

    "Together." Arthur got ready to throw the ball.

 Chapter 69 - THE DEAL

    <h4>Chapter 69 - THE DEAL</h4>

    The Riverhill soldier and Arthur made a deal. The soldier would let Veronica go and retrieve the crystal magic ball.

    As he slowly pushed Veronica toward Arthur, Arthur stepped closer as well.

    As if time had stopped. The movements were slow and careful. No one made a reckless move.

    Just the moment Arthur''s hand reached Veronica, he grabbed her and threw the crystal magic ball up. The soldier''s eyes were fixed on the magic ball. He raised his head and moved forward to hold the magic ball.

    The moment the soldier let go of Veronica''s arm, Arthur pulled her toward her. His arm tightly held Veronica''s waist.

    Veronica''s fingers sped his clothes. "I-I''m sorry. Because of me¡­" She was so ashamed that because of herck of flexibility, they were at a disadvantage right now.

    "It''s fine. I''m more worried about your neck." Arthur frowned as he checked her wound.

    "It doesn''t hurt much but the crystal magic ball¡­" before she got to finish her sentence, she saw Arthur''s left leg flew in front.

    He kicked the soldier aiming at his stomach. After getting a hit on his stomach, the Riverhill soldier fell on his butt. He looked at Arthur and saw the ballnded on his hand.

    The soldier realized that he had been tricked and pped the ground. "You son of a bitch!" he cursed and red at him.

    "You didn''t possibly think that I would hand over the object I found after so much effort, did you?" Arthur smirked. Without looking at Veronica, he told her, "Close your eyes for a moment, okay princess?"

    "Okay¡­" Veronica already got used toplying with his words. She moved away from him and obediently shut her eyes.

    "Aaagh!" In that second, the soldier stood up and dashed toward Arthur while shouting.

    When he almost touched Arthur, he swiftly moved away and kicked the soldier''s shin. The soldier fell to the ground again. Arthur took the dagger from his hand. After that, he held the soldier''s arm high and said coldly, "This is for touching my wife." And then, he sliced the arm in one sh. The blood sttered everywhere.

    "Aaah!" the soldier let out a painful scream. It even made Veronica flinched. She started to tremble.

    Arthur caught her arm and said, "He screamed too loud. We have to get out of here as soon as possible."

    Veronica opened her eyes. "We are taking the healers, right? But we don''t know the magic spell to activate the crystal magic ball. How are we going to do it?" She disclosed what she heard from the enemy soldiers.

    Arthur frowned. He almost forgot that there was a spell they had to recite or the crystal magic ball wouldn''t work. He looked at the healers who were tied up and asked, "Does any of you know the magic spell?"

    The healers exchanged nces. They were healers, not magicians. It was understandable if they didn''t know the spell.

    Arthur probed persistently, "You might have heard your abductors recite the spell. If you remember it, it will work on us."

    Everyone heard amotion outside. The soldiers close to the tent might have heard this soldier''s scream and wereing to look inside. The time was running out.

    Veronica said, "Look, we came to save you. You are contracted. You cannot abandon the Sians. They are not being treated properly. Please¡­"

    Upon hearing her words, someone said, "I think I can do it because I was the closest to the abductor. But, I hardly remember what he recited."

    It was the voice of the female healer whose mouth was uncovered by Veronica.

    "Whatever is it you heard it and it''s enough." Arthur untied her hands and handed over the crystal magic ball to her. He calmly assured her, "Don''t worry about the mistakes. Just repeat whatever you heard that night."

    His handsome face was close to her. The healer''s face blushed in shyness. Understanding the urgency, she shut her eyes and tried to recall what she heard.

    The footsteps came closer. Veronica became nervous. She didn''t want to lose hope. But, looking at the healer and the magic ball, she found no changes. She began to worry if the healer''s magic spell would actually work or not.

    "What''s going on here?"

    "We heard a scream!"

    Just as she feared, the soldiers of Riverhill burst into the tent and began to ask questions. It didn''t take time for them to notice the unusual atmosphere inside the tent.

    "What''s this? Our soldiers¡­" the soldier was quick to notice. He saw their fellow soldiers lying on the ground and the crystal magic ball in the hands of an abducted healer. He pointed at Arthur and Veronica and shouted, "They are spies. Spies of Sian bastards!"

    The Riverhill soldiers directed their swords at them. They were ready to attack.

    Just then, a pure light illuminated. Everyone noticed the light came from the crystal magic ball. Before the soldiers could react, the pure light touched their skin.

    Wherever the light touched, it burned everything. The same was for the soldiers. They screamed as their bodies began to burn without fire. They could feel every burn and pain before death.

    The pure light shed in the dark desert night and blinded everyone. In the next second, the light was gone, along with the abducted healers, Arthur, Veronica, and Remus, leaving the soldiers of Rivehill dumbfounded.

    Just like the group of people vanished from the Riverhill camp, the same way they ended up in the Sian camp. Although it seemed like a sh, they had to go through a blue vortex. They could see time and space between worlds and whatnot. They were moved so fast that they were unable to breathe. One minute seemed like one year. When they finallynded on the ground, most of them fell as they were unbnced.

    "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Veronica coughed hard like the rest of the healers. She envied Remus who was still unconscious.

    "Easy there," Arthur patted her back until she stopped coughing.

    Veronica wiped her mouth and then looked at him. Seeing that he had not suffered like the rest, she couldn''t help but ask, "Howe you are okay?''

    ________________________________________________

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 Chapter 70 - BACK TO THE CAMP

    <h4>Chapter 70 - BACK TO THE CAMP</h4>

    "Howe you are okay?" Veronica couldn''t help but ask when she saw Arthur wasn''t affected at all.

    Arthur casually spoke, "If you had read a magic book you would have known that there couldn''t be any oxygen in the vortex road of different dimensions. All you have to do is to hold your breath and you will be fine."

    Veronica was pissed. "Why didn''t you say it sooner?" If he had mentioned it earlier, she wouldn''t have suffered from ack of oxygen.

    "Sorry about that." Arthur was quick to apologize. "But we came back safely. Isn''t that great?"

    "Did we?" Veronica got the chance to look around. It was the same dirty tents around them in the middle of the desert, nothing new. However, the gs of Sia made them believe that they were finally back.

    Veronica''s face brightened up. "We really came back. I can''t believe this."

    They heard some uproar. Instantly, they were surrounded by soldiers. They kept their weapons aimed toward the intruders.

    "Wait! It''s us! We are the missing healers!" Veronica came forward and spread her hands to protect the healers she brought.

    The soldiers became confused. Suddenly, one of them spoke up, "Ah! Isn''t this healer Veronica? She took care of my injuries!"

    Veronica smiled brightly. "Yes! It''s me!"

    "What''s the light? Another intruder?" Someone questioned the soldiers.

    "Actually¡­" The soldiers moved away without a word. They seemed confused as well.

    The handsome face with ponytailed blonde hair came through. It was none other than Major General Orion. He had a serious expression on his face. He looked at Veronica and instantly recognized her. "You are Veronica, a healer from Utahill, correct?"

    "Yes, I am!" Veronica immediately replied.

    "We have been looking for you since you went missing. Then we concluded that you were caught by the enemy. I''m d you came back but who did you bring¡­" Major General Orion nced at the tied people. Looking at the dirty clothes and tied bodies, his eyes widened. "Don''t tell me they are¡­"

    "They are the missing healers. We found them in the enemy camp and used their crystal magic ball to teleport here," Veronica narrated their adventure shortly.

    Major General Orion furrowed his eyebrows. "Who is that? This guy? Oh, you are¡­" He seemed to recognize Arthur.

    Arthur introduced himself, "I''m Arthur, Major General. The enemy mistook me as a healer. As a result, we both got captured together."

    Although both of them nned to go after the missing healers, none of them mentioned it as they didn''t want to get the spotlight. Somehow Veronica understood it and didn''t tell them that she wasn''t kidnapped. She just got along with their thoughts.

    "You are a weapon designer. I''ve heard about you. I''m sorry you were caught up with all that." Major General Orion came forward and shook hands with him.

    Arthur replied, "It''s nothing. I''m d to help you find the missing healers."

    The soldiers already began to untie the healers. They even provided the tired looking healers water.

    Major General Orion rubbed his chin. He remarked, "Anyway, I am curious. Are you two dating?"

    "Huh?" Veronica was puzzled. She couldn''t understand why he would think that she and Arthur were a couple.

    "You are embracing him as if he is your lover." Major General Orion pointed at where Veronica''s hands were grasping Arthur''s left arm.

    Veronica came to realize how she was hugging Arthur''s arm. It must have been when she got scared when the enemy soldiers entered the tent and tried to capture them. Afterward, she saw the light and grabbed what was nearest to her.

    The soldiers began to whistle. They began to tease those two. Because of the missing healers, they were upset. Now their mood was lifted gradually seeing the healers were back.

    Upon hearing all that, her face reddened. "Ahh!" she yelped.

    Arthur smiled, noticing her reaction. His eyesnded on her bleeding neck. The smile from his lips disappeared. He looked at Major General Orion and said, "Can we take her to any healer? She is bleeding."

    "Oh yes. let''s go inside." Major General Orion hurried them inside. The soldiers took healers to the resting room.

    Unbeknownst to them, someone was looking at them disdainfully.

    ------------

    Violet healed Veronica''s injury and then asked, "Do you feel any difort?"

    Veronica replied, "No, I don''t. Just as I thought. The healer''s power is incredible. Thank you for treating me."

    Laticia stated, "What are you saying? You are the one who brought back our fellow healers. We are forever grateful to you. Who knows if we could ever get to see their faces unless you helped us. It wouldn''t have been surprising if Riverhill killed them. Riverhill didn''t leave any trace of their crimes. If Utahill was to use them, they would''ve said that Sia had done something wrong. Sia had no evidence left to tell them that they didn''t make the healers disappear. Thanks to you this hasn''t turned into a huge diplomatic issue and may have even led to a world war."

    Violet gave Veronica a bowl of stew and agreed with her friend, "That''s true. Also, you brought our healers back with proof. Now Utahill can use Riverhill and get some cash. As for the penalty, our kingdom might never work with Riverhill. They broke the contract first and so they have to pay."

    Veronicamented, "Political issues are really hard to understand, isn''t it?"

    "Forget about a political issue. Tell me about the hot guy you are with. Are you guys dating?" Violet spoke in a teasing tone.

    "Cough!" Veronica choked on her food and coughed vigorously. When she calmed down, she asked with teary eyes, "What are you talking about?"

    "Don''t y dumb. The soldiers saw how intimately you two were standing together. They spread the news all over the camp. They are saying that you two are going out." Violet elbowed her. "So? Did you guys have a chance to be a couple in the enemy camp?" she hinted at something dirty.

    If Veronica had never read romance books, she wouldn''t have understood Violet''s meaning behind those words, but she read some of them. Her face tinted with red hue. "No, no, it''s not like that."

    "Is it? Tell me the truth!" Violet pestered her.

 Chapter 71 - WHAT IS LOVE?

    <h4>Chapter 71 - WHAT IS LOVE?</h4>

    No matter how many times Violet pressed for an answer, Veronica had the same answer that she didn''t have any rtionship with him. There was nothing more she could say.

    Laticia remarked, "He is Arthur, isn''t he? I''ve seen him in the pce before. All the girls have the hots for him. He doesn''t refuse beautiful women either. If you like him, get him before anyone snatches him. Or you will lose him to another."

    "Like¡­" Veronica pondered deeply and thenmented, "I don''t hate him. Can''t it be considered as liking?"

    "You¡­ don''t tell me you are clueless about these kinds of things." Violet gaped at her. She couldn''t believe her ears.

    Veronica felt slightly embarrassed as the two healers gave her astounded gaze. She stated, "It''s not that I didn''t read romance books. I just don''t know what it feels like to like someone. How will I know if I like him?"

    Violet let out a sigh and patted her shoulder saying, "Girl, you need to think about your emotions a bit."

    "Think about my emotions¡­" Veronica repeated the words. "Like reading my emotions? I have to sense it or something?"

    Her questions made those two realize how confused she had be.

    Violet told her, "Liking or loving someone means you will think of him constantly."

    Veronica thought of her lively friend andmented, "I do think of my friend Catherine constantly. She is my best friend and I love her. Does it mean I''m into women?"

    Laticia understood that leaving this to Violet wouldn''t work. She said, "When you are close to him, your heart will flutter and you will feel butterflies in your stomach. You will feel nervous and excited at the same time. When he is away from you, you will think of him. Your emotions will go on a rampage."

    "¡­Rampage?" Veronica''s head became more and more muddled. Her head couldn''t process everything Laticia was saying.

    Laticia exined, "Like your heartbeat will increase whenever you think of him or see him."

    Violent agreed and went along with her friend, "Yes, yes, your heart will pound harder as though you had run a marathon."

    "Marathon?" Veronica was even more puzzled. She couldn''t figure out how her heart could beat so rapidly without running a marathon.

    She had read a medical book once and there she read rapid heartbeats weren''t good for health. She said, "I think I will pass on loving or liking someone."

    "What?" Violet looked confused.

    "Loving someone isn''t good for the heart or the body. Why should I fall for someone knowing that?" Veronica questioned her in a matter-of-fact voice.

    Violet: "¡­"

    She forgot to utter another word. Veronica''s thoughts were so rational that she didn''t know what to say. Furthermore, she felt like she should agree with her (Veronica).

    Leticia sighed. "You are right. Loving someone is painful. If that love is unrequited, it hurts even more. Arthur is a downrightdies'' man. Falling in love with him means enduring hardships. It''s better if you don''t fall for him. You will get only pain in the end, not him. Veronica is so wise."

    It had been a while since someone called her wise or intelligent. After meeting Arthur, she had begun to think that she was the dumbest person in the world. After beingplimented by Leticia, she regained her former confidence.

    Veronica gave her a bright smile and shyly responded, "It''s nothing like that. I just don''t want to walk into the unknown future."

    Leticia couldn''t agree more. "It''s normal to think that way."

    She added, "Before cherishing others, one must cherish themselves. This way, others will start cherishing you."

    Veronica ced her hand on Leticia''s arms and said, "Thank you for telling me this. No one had ever told me this before."

    Leticia replied, "Don''t mention it. As long as it helps."

    Veronica wiped her mouth and ced the empty bowl on the table. "I''m full. I want to sleep. It was a tiring day."

    Violet shared her opinion, "It was indeed. You have found the enemies and came back in one piece. You must be dead tired. Hurry up and sleep. You don''t have to work tomorrow. Take as much rest as you want."

    Leticia also agreed with her. "Violet is right. Seeing you in one piece and breathing is what makes me happier. We thought we lost you forever when we couldn''t find you anywhere. We weren''t sure about your whereabouts but kept praying for you."

    Veronica smiled. She was touched by their kindness. "Thank you for praying. I think that''s what gave me strength. Good night everyone."

    Leticia replied, "Good night."

    "Sweet dreams!" Violet gave a rather cheerful response.

    Veronica covered herself with the nket and shut her eyes. In spite of being tired, she kept thinking about tonight''s incident. The world was more dangerous than she thought.

    Right after sneaking out of the temple, she got tricked by a man, almost got raped, was chased by assassins, her neck was about to be sliced, nearly got captured by enemy soldiers etc.

    Thinking about all that made her shiver. However, despite all that, she had wonderful times with Arthur and other people. She saved herself four times from dangers. She learned about the world. She learned the hidden story about her country and Goddess Juvena. She began training under Saint Ava. She understood what hunger and thirst were.

    The best thing she could ever hope for ¨C she rescued the missing healers. In her eyes, it was her biggest achievement. All her achievements in the past few months wouldn''t happen without Arthur''s assistance. She was grateful to him.

    Thinking of Arthur, she realized that she would be sleeping alone from today. The warmth she felt at night and the unique odor that had be quite familiar to her was nowhere close to her.

    ''Aah, I can''t fall asleep,'' she thought. She shut her eyes and tried to sleep but she couldn''t do it. She recalled when the soldiers teased her for being with Arthur.

    Thinking about that made her face flush. Her heartbeat increased. ''I can''t believe I''m thinking about this.''

    In the end, she fell asleep at dawn because she couldn''t control her imagination and racing heart. By the time she woke up, it was noon. She freshened up and went to look for Adam, the chef.

    "Yo, miss!" Adam noticed her and called out to her. "I''ve heard a lot about youst night. You have be a hero."

    "Oh please," Veronica bashfully averted her gaze. "I''m d you are safe."

    "Of course I am." Adam pped his chest. "Although I''m a cook, I''m also a trained soldier you know. I was appointed to cook for everyone only because my cooked food is edible. If you eat others'' cooking here, you will faint and never wake up. I can promise you that much."

    Veronicaughed. "That sounds terrifying."

    Adammented, "It is terrifying. By the way, I''m d you are safe and sound. I hope you aren''t hurt."

    Veronica answered, "Nope. I''m perfectly healthy. A healer took care of my injuries."

    "Those Riverhill bastards! When I get them, I''ll finish them off," Adam swore. He served Veronica breakfast and said, "Just you wait Miss, I will tear those bastards'' throats and hang them for your sake."

    "Cough!" Veronica almost choked upon hearing his words. She lost her appetitepletely. She wiped her mouth and hurriedly said, "You don''t have to go that far. I was able to bring the missing healers and I''m fine with it."

    "Oh, that''s too bad." Adam scratched his cheek. "I was getting all fired up thinking about getting revenge on them."

    "That aside, shouldn''t there be? a battle going on today?" Veronica mentioned. "The camp is filled with people. Did the battle got postponed?"

    Adam burst out inughter. "Haha, what do you think? It was a trap set by us. We would have called for a battle soon but they sneak attacked us at night once again. We got scattered. So, we had to dy our n. Later, we regrouped and continued with our n. We called for a battle butst night we sneak attacked them. They werepletely unprepared and caught with their pants down. Ahahaha! I had so much fun killing."

    Veronica''s throat was dry. She gulped down a ss of water and then said, "I see. That was the n. But how did Arthur know about your sneak attack? He seemed to be prepared."

    "Oh, don''t you know?" Adam sounded puzzled. He was surprised and then exined the situation, "It was him who gave us the signal to attackst night. We had been hiding close to the enemy camp for three days, you know."

    "Arthur knew?!" It was Veronica''s time to be surprised.

    Adam told her, "I''m astonished that you had no clue. I thought you two were working together."

    "We were but to think he would hide it from me¡­" Veronica looked down and did her best to control her emotions. When she couldn''t, she smiled at Adam and said, "It looks like I have to talk to him." Although her lips were smiling, her eyes were not.

 Chapter 72 - SOMEONE IS ANGRY

    <h4>Chapter 72 - SOMEONE IS ANGRY</h4>

    "We were but to think he would hide it from me¡­" Veronica mumbled. A few secondster, she said with a smile, "It looks like I have to talk to him." Although her lips were smiling, her eyes were not.

    ''Ekk!'' Adam flinched after observing her facial expression. For the first time, he found her scary. ''Maybe I have made a mistake. Poor Arthur.''

    But, he had already told her. There was no way to take back his words now.

    This was a beautiful day. The sky was clear with white clouds scattered throughout. The scorching sun at noon notwithstanding, it was as pleasant a day on a desert as it could be. Almost everybody in the camp felt really good except for one young woman eating in the kitchen.

    Veronica slowly finished her meal and went to look for Arthur. She didn''t have to look for him very long. Arthur came out of Major General''s Orion''s office and almost shed with Veronica.

    Veronica was startled but quicklyposed herself. She smiled at him and said, "My partner, is there something you want to tell me?"

    Arthur paused and carefully looked at her. In his eyes, he felt that she wasn''t smiling at all even though her lips were showing a smile. He was uneasy about her expression. He opened his mouth and asked her in return, "Do I have something to say to you?"

    "What do you think?" Veronica answered curtly, raising an eyebrow.

    ''She doesn''t look like she is in a good mood,'' Arthur pondered. ''Did I forget to tell her something?'' he tried to take a trip down memoryne but nothing came up.

    Her behavior was quite unexpected to Arthur. She seemed to be mad about something that he couldn''t pinpoint. It was like she was ready to go to war for it.

    Amusement flickered in his golden orbs. He smiled at her. He reached out and touched her neck. He rubbed her slender neck gently andmented, "I see your neck is better. Not a scar."

    Veronica pped away his hand and then red at him. His yboy-type attitude was pissing her off even more. "Try to remember what you forgot to do."

    Her eristic behavior confused Arthur. He had no idea what he did wrong.

    His clueless behavior made her madder. She ced her hands on her waist and spoke with uncontrolled anger, "You have contacted Sian soldiers beforehand and that''s how you knew that they were going to attack the Riverhill camp. I''m your partner and yet you hid it from me. How could you do this?"

    Arthur blinked. "Oh! You were talking about that. I''m sorry. I forgot to mention it to you."

    ''He apologizes way too quickly. It''s not fun,'' Veronica thought. She was thoroughly unsatisfied. She wished to have a fight with him to vent her anger. If he apologized so quickly, how could she do that?

    To shove her anger on something else, she forcefully stomped the ground with her right leg. Her pale cheeks were flushed as she was fuming.

    Arthur chuckled as she threw a fit like a child. "I always told you how cute you are when you get mad." Even though she acted like a child, he couldn''t possibly see her as a child. No child had an exquisite body like hers.

    Thinking of all that, he smirked. "Maybe I should give you a ride in the desert. Maybe it will make you feel better."

    "I don''t want that. Go travel by yourself," she retorted and then turned around and was ready to leave.

    "Hold on a second," Arthur hurriedly grabbed her arm. "I just didn''t want you to worry. I thought this way I will be able to keep you safe."

    Veronica shook her head. She exined to him, "That''s not what I wanted. I thought we were friends and you treated me like a partner when we acted as husband and wife. I thought you saw me as your equal."

    Arthur told her, "I saw you as my partner. There is no mistake in it."

    Veronica denied his im, "You did not. If you did, you would have consulted me and trusted me with the secret information. You would have told me everything I needed to know. But you left me in the tent with Remus and went to look for the crystal magic ball on your own."

    "Did you know how surprised I was? Now I just got to know that you contacted the camp beforehand. They were waiting for your signal." Veronica choked as she spoke. She didn''t want to cry in front of him.

    Thus, she took a deep breath to calm herself and asked him, "Tell me honestly. Did you ever work with someone?"

    Arthur answered, "No, I did not. But how did you guess?" He was a bit surprised as she had guessed correctly. He didn''t even give her a hint about that.

    "It''s easy to figure it out. Did you think everyone is as dumb as you?" Veronica reprimanded him. After shoving his hand, she left.

    "My, my, I didn''t mean to witness a lover''s quarrel." Major General Orion came out of his tent andmented. Anyone who saw him could tell he was doing his best to hold backughter.

    Arthur then realized that they were arguing in front of his office. He sighed deeply.

    Major General Orion was amused. Hemented, "Here all women are ttering you and you get scolded by a woman who you called your partner. How does it feel? Is it karma?"

    "I don''t know. What do you think?" Arthur asked him in a gloomy tone.

    Major General Orion replied, "What do I think? I think she has a unique charm. I like her already."

    Arthur swiftlymented, "Too bad she won''t even look at you."

    Major General Orion gave him a challenging look. "How do you know that? I didn''t even try."

    "Why don''t you try? Let''s see if you can win over her heart or not." Arthur''s expression was darkening by the second.

    "You said it. Don''t me meter for snatching her away," Major General Orion winked at him and left.

    ---------

    Veronica was strolling in the desert alone. She came out of the camp and walked a bit far. The scorching heat of the zing sun tried to burn her skin. She covered her arms and walked a bit further.

    "Veronica?" A female voice called out to her.

    Veronica turned around and saw Ivona. She was wearing a healer''s uniform. Her ck hair was untied. Itplimented her skin tone. She looked like an elegant aristocratdy Veronica often saw in the temple.

    Veronica smiled at her. "Are you taking a rest now?" she asked her. Everyone in the camp knew how hard Ivona was working.

    Ivona answered, "Yes. It is a tiring day. Last night was also too exciting. I couldn''t sleep properly. That''s why I needed a break. I wanted to thank you for saving my fellow healers."

    Her voice was as sharp as usual. Veronica understood after working with her a few times that it was just her vocal. And, she didn''t know how to talk to others in a soft voice. She was more like a leader than ady. It was Ivona''s unique charm and Veronica liked it.

    She responded politely, "Don''t mention it. I had to leave that ce as well. I thought why not bring everything with me. If it wasn''t for Arthur, we couldn''t see this camp ever again."

    Ivona''s eyes twitched upon hearing Arthur''s name from Veronica''s lips. She pressed her lips and stayed quiet for a moment. Then, she looked up and asked, "What''s on your neck?"

    Upon hearing a random question, Veronica looked at her neck. She was wearing a silver locket with a green gem. The color of the gen was exactly like her eyes. She quickly hid it behind her clothes. She was hiding it well all this time. She wasn''t sure when it came out from under her clothes.

    She saw Ivona staring at her. She hurriedly exined, "It''s a good luck charm." She didn''t want to say further about this unique locket.

    Ivona casually spoke, "I see. Is that a present?"

    "It is," Veronica replied. Although it wasn''t a gift, she didn''t want to tell her the details.

    Ivona pestered her. "From whom?"

    It was hard not to answer her question, considering hermanding personality. Veronica hesitantly answered, "¡­A well-wisher. Why don''t we head back to the camp? Let''s go." She changed the topic and strode toward the camp.

    "¡­" Ivona stared at her from behind. Her eyes were also scorching hot like the desert sun.

    She recalled some girls gossiping when she was taking a break. Girls were talking about Arthur and Veronica.

    "Did you know Arthur and Veronica are a couple?"

    "No way! I don''t believe it."

    "The soldiers were talking about them. Veronica saved our mission fellows. They are all worshiping her."

    "She is really brave, huh. When I first saw her, I never thought she could pull off something like that."

    "She isn''t a healer but she is amazing. I could never be this brave like her."

    "It''s understandable. Also, Arthur was with her. He helped her a lot. Maybe that''s when they fell for each other."

    "Don''t even talk about it. My heart hurts thinking about him being taken by someone."

    "Did you know Arthur called her his partner?"

    "What? Really?"

    "Yes, apparently, they were arguing outside and I heard it. He confessed that he called her his partner."

    "I''m so jealous!"

    "She is so lucky."

    -

    -

    -

    Recalling the gossip, Ivona''s heart became unsettled. ''Did Arthur give this locket to you, Veronica? He had never called anyone his partner nor did he give any woman a gift. Do you think you are special? I''ll prove you wrong!''

 Chapter 73 - VERONICAS CONFUSION

    <h4>Chapter 73 - VERONICA''S CONFUSION</h4>

    All of a sudden, Veronica started to notice that people were giving her extra attention. At first, she ignored it but their gazes started to burn holes in her body.

    ''What is happening?'' she wondered. When she turned toward the people who were looking at her, they averted their gazes. ''This is getting weird. Did I do anything wrong?'' she pondered hard but couldn''t think of anything.

    Things got even moreplicated after the Sians won the battle against Riverhill. After signing the treaty, Sians held a dessert banquet. The soldiers were drinking to their fullest. Healers were having fun as well. Everyone was enjoying the feast that was prepared by Adam, the healers, and the unharmed soldiers.

    "Cheers everyone!" Adam shouted as he held his mug full of beer.

    "Cheers!" Everyone replied with a shout.

    Veronica grinned looking at all those happy people around her. She felt aplished after helping them by finding the missing healers. With everybody, she was enjoying the feast. She took a big grilled piece of turkey meat on her te and sliced it gently. The smell of the grilled turkey made her mouth water.

    She took a piece of meat in her mouth and chewed it slowly. "Mmm," she shut her eyes and let out a sound. It was absolutely delicious. She felt like she could go to meatnd just tasting the food.

    "Veronica, do you like meat?" Major General Orion asked her. He was sitting right beside her.

    "Yes!" Veronica didn''t hesitate to reply. She considered herself lucky to be able toe here for her secret mission. If not, she would be stuck in the Rosemary Temple and who knew when she could have meat there. Moreover, it was hard to get vegetables and fruits in the desert. Here she could eat different types of meals made with meat. She felt like she was in heaven.

    "Here, you can have my portion." Major General Orion ced his piece of meat on her te.

    His piece of meat was bigger than hers. She couldn''t help but get happier. But seeing only a few pieces of small meat on his te, she said, "But you need to eat too." Although she said that, she wished he would deny taking the meat piece.

    As though Major General Orion could read her mind. He assured her by saying, "Don''t worry. I eat this kind of meal all the time."

    "I see. Thank you." Afterward, Veronica had no reason to hesitate. She thanked him and dug in without giving it a second thought.

    While eating, Major General Orion suddenly asked her, "Veronica, are you seeing someone?"

    "What?" Veronica turned to look at him. The topic was so random that she thought she heard it wrong.

    Major General Orion gulped down a ss of water and said, "I mean are you are going out with anyone?"

    Veronica casually answered, "I go out with anyone as long as they are the people I like."

    "¡­With¡­ anyone?" Major General Orion didn''t think she was so advanced. He dumbfoundedly gazed at her.

    Veronica chewed another piece of meat and then answered, "Yes, I like going out a lot. And it''s more fun if I could go out with my friends. You see, the more the merrier."

    "Pfft!"

    "Hehe¡­"

    The people around them covered their mouths to control theirughter.

    Major General Orion realized that she misunderstood his words. He rified as much as he could, "No, I don''t mean that way. I wanted to know if you like someone."

    Veronica went into deep thoughts, "Like someone¡­ Yes, I like everyone in this ce. You are all too kind to me. I can never forget your kindness. You have started taking care of me. You even gave me your delicious meal too.? One day I will surely repay your kindness."

    Major General Orion coughed. "Oh, not that. I mean if you have a lover."

    "Why would I have that?" Veronica couldn''t find a reason why she needed a lover. After talking to Leticia and Violet, she decided not to fall in love ever.

    "Don''t you want one?" Major General Orion inched closer toward her. "A person who you will live together with, who will support you in need. Isn''t that great to have a person like that?"

    Veronica gave his words a good thought. "Is that so? But why would I let only one person carry such a huge burden? As long as more people are together, they can share burdens and happiness. This way, it will be less burdensome. Don''t you think so?"

    "Ahh¡­ you are right about that." Major General Orion subconsciously agreed to her logic.

    The people around them whispered themselves excitedly ¨C

    "I can''t believe this is happening."

    "I know. This is so hrious."

    "Veronica is really something. I can''t believe she doesn''t have a clue."

    "Major General Orion only thinks of the battlefield. How can he pursue a girl? If he really wants to pursue someone, he needs to learn a thing or two from Arthur."

    "Why is thedy killer so quiet today?"

    "Beats me."

    Major General Orion didn''t want to lose to her just like that. He pestered, "Veronica, what kind of a man do you want to marry in the future?"

    "What kind of a man?" Veronica frowned. She had never thought about that. "Hmm¡­ let''s see."

    The room suddenly became silent. Everyone''s ears were paying attention to Veronica''s every move, every breath, every small sound she was making.

    Even a person who didn''t want to hear could hear whatever noises she made.

    Veronica didn''t have a long list. She said whatever came to her mind, "I don''t have much to ask. He has to be good to me and care for me. He has to be an amazing cook."

    Everyone''s eyes darted toward Arthur. In the camo, they got to taste the delicious stew he cooked.

    Even Arthur who tried not to pay any attention paused eating and looked at Veronica. His golden orbs flickered with something unknown.

    Afterward, she added, "¡­He has to be loyal to me. I don''t want a man who chases skirts every time he sees a beautifuldy."

    "Cough! Cough!"

    "Ahem."

    Everyone began to clear their throats and coughed lightly. They realized that Arthur had no chance.

    Someone''s expression started to get clouded.

    A female soldier whispered, "Damn! I was thinking of introducing her to my younger brother. I see my hopeless brother has no hope. Veronica won''t like him. He cannot cook, let alone make something delicious."

    "I was thinking of proposing to her." A male soldier sighed.

    "She will run in a different direction if you stand a bit closer to her," another soldier stated.

    That male soldier asked hisrade, "Why will she do that?"

    His fellow soldier told him, "Smell your body. Which woman can stand your sweaty body?"

    "Our goddess of beauty has such a simple preference but why does it seem that it will be hard to find a guy she likes?"

    The Goddess of Beauty was none other than Veronica. Because of her bravery, beautiful shiny silver hair, and unique emerald eyes, the soldiers gave her this title.

    "Just find a good chef for her. That''s all it will take to find her a groom. Maybe I should stop being a soldier and be a chef."

    "You can do that and then end up in prison in two hours."

    "Why will that happen?"

    "Because the customers will die after eating your poisonous cooked meal."

    "What did you say? You bastard!"

    The soldiers were drunk and saying whatever they wanted. Since their heads were all muddled, they had no clue what they were doing. They easily got manipted and started fighting. Others began to cheer for them. Immediately, the people were divided into two groups.

    While they were having all the fun they could, Major General Orion poured beer into Veronica''s ss. "Have some drinks," he said.

    Veronica hesitated, "But I cannot drink. I''m not into this kind of thing."

    Major General Orion tried to rx her upon seeing that she was nervous, "No one is good at this kind of thing since birth. There is always a first time for everything. Take small sips. Let your stomach adjust to this new drink."

    "But¡­" to ask for help, Veronica looked at Arthur. When she saw that he was giving her a cold re, she instantly furrowed her eyebrows. She recalled that she was having an argument with him and he was being insincere. Just thinking about that made her mad.

    She also remembered that he was a pervert who would go after any woman. It meant that he wasn''t her type. She looked away expressionlessly. Since it came to this, she didn''t want to have anything to do with him.

    Veronica raised the ss of beer close to her mouth and took a sip. It had an odd smell. The taste of the drink was bitter. She squinted her nose and followed Major General Orion''s lead as he encouraged her.

    Five minutester ¨C

    "Burp!"

    Veronica''s eyelids had be heavy. Her pale face waspletely flushed. Even her ears and neck were red. She stayed quiet like a dozing off yellow chick as she grabbed the mug full of beer with her both hands.

    She looked like she could die at any moment but she would not let go of the mug. She would keep the beer mug safe even if her life was on the line.

    "Is she drunk?" someone from the side asked. It was Remus. After they brought him here, they didn''t let him go. He was forced to stay with them.

    "Already? She just took two sips, right?" another healer said.

    "Nope. She took three small sips," Major General Orion corrected the healer. He was keeping a close eye on her. He didn''t imagine her to be so lightweight.

    "Burp!"

    Veronica wiped her wet mouth with the back of her hand and then red at Arthur. She wanted to unleash all her anger.

 Chapter 74 - SHE IS DRUNK

    <h4>Chapter 74 - SHE IS DRUNK</h4>

    The temperature around the camp was decreasing more and more. As a result, the air felt quite chilly. She folded her arms for a bit to find some warmth. However, she decided that drinking was the best solution for her to get warm.

    After taking the second sip, Veronica''s heart was telling her to stop drinking. However, she was too mad because of Arthur''sid-back attitude to stop drinking.

    ''I thought he saw me as his friend,'' she thought with a gloomy expression. ''But it was all talk. He had no interest in being my friend. He was feeling bored and so he stayed by my side. If he really thought of me as his friend, he would have stopped me from drinking. It''s all an act. He is just pretending to be my partner and yet, he won''t trust me. So hateful.''

    The more she thought about it, the more she got angry. Due to her anger, at one point, she gulped down a mouthful of beer. And right after that, she felt something hit her head. Her head began to spin for no reason.

    She opened her mouth wide and began to look around. She could see the lights were sparkling. The people were turning double and triple. It was kind of funny. But her head spun again. She lowered her head and took some deep breaths. She was confused why she was feeling like that. She tried to think about it but her head was betraying her.

    ''It''s all his fault.'' When she couldn''te up with a conclusion, she med everything on Arthur. He must pay.

    "Burp!"

    Veronica''s eyelids had be heavy. Her pale face waspletely flushed. Even her ears and neck were red. She stayed quiet like a dozing off yellow chick for a while as she grabbed the mug full of beer with her both hands.

    She looked like she could fall over and die at any moment but still, she would not let go of the mug. She would keep the beer mug safe even if her life was on the line.

    "Is she drunk?" someone from the side asked. It was Remus. After they brought him here, they didn''t let him go. He was forced to stay with them.

    "Already? She just took two sips, right?" another healer said.

    "Nope. She took three small sips," Major General Orion corrected the healer. He was keeping a close eye on her. He didn''t imagine her to be so lightweight. It wasmon for most people who lived in a military camp to be able to hold their liquor, even if they were not soldiers.

    "Burp!"

    Veronica wiped her wet mouth with the back of her hand and then red daggers at Arthur. The fuse was lit and now the bomb was ready to explode. She wanted to unleash all her anger.

    "You! Arthur! You are a big fat liar! Meanie Butt! Bad pervert! Skirt chaser! You are a disgrace of all man!" Veronica pointed her index finger at him and reprimanded him with all her might.

    "¡­"

    Everyone was stunned by her sudden outburst. They were more astonished after hearing her words. They had never imagined that those curses coulde out of her mouth. Her curses were so unique that they had to process in their heads that those were curses.

    "¡­"

    Arthur paused his drinking and calmly looked at her. The girls around him froze on the spot as well.

    Seeing women swarming about him, she became even angrier. She continued to rebuke him, "How dare you sit around women and y with their hearts? You don''t actually care about them, do you? If you did, you wouldn''t have yed with their hearts."

    Arthur ced his left elbow on the table and put his face on his palm. "Is that so?" he asked her quietly.

    Veronica ced her arms on her waist and chided him, "What''s with your reaction? Can''t you be more honest? If I''m right, say that I''m right!"

    "Should I be honest?" Arthur asked in slow motion.

    "Yes!" Veronica sharply answered.

    "It''s not me who is chasing skirts. Women are attracted to me. I can''t let these beautifuldies get hurt or feel lonely because of me. Seeing them sad makes my heart bleed." Afterward, he grabbed a woman''s hand who was sitting next to him and kissed on the back of her palm.

    The girl flushed instantly, covering her face with her other hand. Other girls screamed as if they would die at any moment.

    Veronica opened her mouth wide. She could hardly imagine that he just flirted with a girl right in front of everyone. She took more deep breaths through her open mouth. Then she chastised him, "You¡­ you are worse than skirt chasers! You are a big fat pervert. Underwear thief! Heartless man!" She was spouting whatever she read in the romance books that Arthur lent to her.

    Arthur regretted giving her a romance book that had a violent female lead. That female lead would often spout curses. Veronica was a quick learner. He wasn''t surprised at all that she learned those curses so well.

    However, he didn''t seem pleased by her usations. He calmly defended himself, "I understand being heartless but what''s with me being an underwear thief? Have I ever stolen your underwear?"

    Veronica''s face became tinted with several shades of red. "You¡­ you shameless skirt chaser!"

    Arthurmented, "Now you are defaming me. Don''t you think?"

    "¡­"

    Everyone was quiet up until now. For some reason it made them feel like they were hearing lovers'' quarrel. Those who were unromantic thought it was a fight between ice and fire.

    "Veronica, you must be tired. Why don''t I help you to get in your tent?" Major General Orion suggested as he stood up.

    Veronica raised her arm and showed her tiny muscle. After that, she proudly said, "I''m not tired. I feel more energetic than I was ever! See? I''ve even gained muscles like you."

    ''Did she learn it from the soldiers?'' Arthur wondered.

    Many soldiers showed thedies their naked upper bodies and sometimes showed off how strong they were. Some soldiers must have shown off in front of Veronica. That could be the exnation of her copying that.

    "Cough!" Major General Orion almost choked as he tried to control hisughter.

    What muscle could a skinny girl possibly have? She never exercised or trained in martial arts. No matter how much she tried, she couldn''t gain any arm muscle.

    Major General Orion told her, "Yes, yes, you are very strong and have muscle. But we are leaving tomorrow at dawn. Don''t you need to take a good night''s sleep before a long journey?"

    "No, I''m not going. Arthur is a bad person. I have to punish him NOW." Veronica started to roll up her sleeves.

    Major General Orion tried to stop her by grabbing her hand, "Wait, Veronica¡­"

    "How are you going to punish me?" Arthur interrupted him as he leaned on his right side and looked at her who was sitting across her. "Are you going to beat me?"

    "Yeah, you bet. I''ll beat the crap out of you!" she said.

    ''And, she learned this sentence from Adam. They are all bad influences,'' Arthur thought. Looking at Major General Orion''s hand holding her slender arm made his expression grim. He stood up and strode toward Veronica.

    "Wh-what are you doing?" Veronica stepped backward, feeling cautious of him. As she moved, her body bumped into Major General Orion.

    Arthur''s facial expression darkened even more. He came closer and grasped her other arm. "Major General, will you let her go?"

    Before Major General Orion could speak, Veronica asked, "Why would he let me go? What do you want?"

    Arthur''s eyebrow''s twitched. "Didn''t you want to punish me? I''ll let you do that. Come with me." And then, he drew her toward him. Surprising everyone, he threw her on his broad shoulder like a ragdoll.

    Everyone gasped. They never expected such a bold move from Arthur in front of everyone.

    "Ahh! What are you doing? Let me go!" Vernonia began to shout. She kicked and hit him with all her might.

    Arthur wasn''t fazed by her action or screaming. "Now, excuse us." Without waiting for others to reply to him, he turned around and left with her.

    "I didn''t think he wanted to be punished that badly." Adam was astounded.

    Violet rebuked him, "You idiot! He didn''t want to be punished. Rather it seemed like he wanted to punish Veronica."

    "What do you mean?" another soldier asked.

    "You soldiers are downright idiots. Can''t you see that Arthur is angry? He was mad at Veronica because she scolded him harshly in front of everyone." That was Violet''s conclusion.

    In the corner, Ivona was strangely quiet and seemed not bothered at all. However, the way her fingers paled due to the excessive force with which she was clenching her mug and her eyes were burning with mixed emotions, said otherwise.

    ------------

    "Wait! Stop! Let go of me! Skirt chaser!" Veronica reprimanded him. She did her best to get away from him by hitting him on his back.

    Arthur held her tight with one arm and warned her, "If you move too much, then I''ll kiss you."

    "Ki-ki-kiss¡­" Veronica was embarrassed. But she became quiet after that.

    "Good girl." Arthur took her to his tent and let her down.

    The chilly weather cleared Veronica''s head a little and she soon realized it wasn''t her tent and she asked him, "Why¡­ why are we here?"

    "For punishment," Arthur answered, his words sounded cold.

 Chapter 75 - TIME FOR PUNISHEMENT

    <h4>Chapter 75 - TIME FOR PUNISHEMENT</h4>

    Although Veronica''s head was muddled, she could realize something was wrong when Arthur was approaching her. She didn''t want to admit that she was scared. Rather she wanted to hide behind Major General Orion.

    He had been good to her for the past few days. She found him very reliable. More importantly, he wasn''t a womanizer like Arthur. That''s why she had a more favorable impression of him. He was also handsome and hardworking. His future was promising.

    And then, Arthur approached her with a grim expression and she got scared. Her heart betrayed her and thumped loudly. She refused to get close to him but he did it anyway.

    Afterward, to her surprise, her head spun and the next moment, her vision was upside down. It took her some time to realize that she was on his shoulder. She began to protest but it didn''t work. Then, in front of everyone, he took her away.

    The cool breeze of the night made her head slightly clear. She fought against him. She kicked him, punched him, and shouted. But, none of those worked on him.

    In the end, she got a threat from him. Arthur held her tight with one arm and warned her, "If you move too much, then I''ll kiss you."

    "Ki-ki-kiss¡­" Veronica was embarrassed. Her heart raced like a marathon. She became quiet after that. In her mind, she couldn''t help but scold him, ''A bad pervert!''

    "Good girl," Arthur gave her apliment.

    She thought he was heading toward her tent and yet she found herself in apletely different tent. She became nervous. She asked him, "Why¡­ why are we here? It''s not my ce. Whose ce is this?"

    "This is indeed not your ce. This is my tent." Arthur answered. His voice was cold. "And we are here for punishment."

    "Who¡­whose punishment?" Veronica began to stutter.

    "My, of course. Didn''t you want to punish me?" Arthur unbuttoned his shirt. "I would prefer if you punished me in my ce."

    Veronica took two steps back. "Why are you taking off your shirt?" She looked away the moment she saw his corbones.

    "Why? Should I not take off my shirt?" Arthur teasingly questioned her as he unfastened thest button.

    Veronica shut her eyes tight. She raised her voice, "No, you shouldn''t!"

    Arthur took five steps forward and got close to her. He cornered her and inquired, "Didn''t you say I''m a ''bad pervert''? A bad pervert wants to be punished like this."

    Veronica sensed danger approaching her. She hurriedly said, "I¡­ I don''t want to punish you anymore. I''m leaving." She tried to move away from him and slip out of the tent.

    Was it that easy to escape the predator when its eyes were set on its prey?

    Arthur caught her arm and pulled her closer. "When did I say you can leave? This is my ce. Here, you have to obey my words."

    Veronica didn''t dare to look at him. She struggled to lose her hand from his grasp. "What will you do if I don''t obey?"

    Arthur chuckled in a low tone and asked her, "Do you want to find out what will happen if you don''t obey? You are wee to try."

    Veronica stopped struggling and used him, "You¡­ you are a bad guy."

    Since she stopped struggling, Arthur realized that she wouldn''t run away anymore. He let her hand go. Instead, he hugged her waist. "You hurt me, princess. When did I ever hurt you? I alwaysplied with your request, did I not?" His voice sounded heartbroken.

    "I know¡­ but¡­" Upon hearing his voice, she hesitated. She thought she was being hard on him and her anger melted.

    Arthur touched her chin with his free hand and raised it toward him, "Are you jealous that I''m with other women?"

    Veronica''s melted heart instantly filled withva. "Waaah! No way! I''m concerned for those women. They are sweet and simple-minded. They fall for you and give their hearts to you. But you don''t even take responsibility. It''s hurtful. They must be so hurt. If you don''t want them forever, don''t y with their hearts."

    Arthur exined, "ying with them is one thing, but to call the simple-minded is funnying from you. Princess, do you think a simple-minded girl would offer her body to me?"

    "Wh-what? Offer a body?! Before marriage!" Veronica gasped. She was shocked. She could never imagine that girls were so forward. Moreover, doing something forbidden like offering a body before marriage was unheard of.

    Arthur told her, "See? That kind of woman I have to deal with. They are not simple-minded. They only want physical pleasure. I want the same. We just help each other to satisfy our hunger. I''m not hurting them. I''mplying with their request."

    "That''s¡­" she didn''t know what to say. She couldn''t find fault with him. It wasn''t like he was forcing anyone. The women came to him knowing what was going to happen. Both parties agreed on doing an unspeakable deed. As a third person, she had no right to interfere.

    Arthur continued, "You know what physical hunger is, don''t you? Once you taste it, it''s hard to forget about that desire, the hunger. You have tasted it once already."

    "Did I¡­" she was confused.

    Arthur whispered in her ear, "Did you forget about the night we first met? We had a passionate night¡­" His voice trailed off and he lightly bit her soft ear lobe.

    "Umm¡­" Veronica was startled by his action. She didn''t understand what he was doing. "What are you¡­"

    He seductively spoke, "Rx your body. It will be finished in no time."

    The ignorant maiden asked, "Finish what?" Her body was shivering. Her ears were sensitive.

    "This¡­" saying that he bit her ear.

    "Oww!" Veronica cried out. It stung.

    Arthur moved away from her. He stated, "This is what you get by trying to badmouth me in front of everyone."

    "You¡­" Veronica''s face flushed. It could be due to his action or anger.

    Arthur shrugged. "It''s your fault this time. Who told you to get drunk? Don''t get drunk in front of people you don''t know."

    Veronica denied his usation. "I did not. I drank in front of people I know."

    Arthur crossed his arms. He interrogated her, "Do you know them? Do you even know those people''s middle names or family titles? The person you know the most in this desert is me and you barely know me."

    Veronica refuted, "It doesn''t matter what a person does or what their family title is. It matters as long as the person has good intentions."

    Arthur questioned her, "Is that so? And how do you know they have good intentions? Just because they sweet talk you? I talk to you sweetly too. But I can also kill people." His golden orbs flickered with a golden light.

    Veronica suddenly felt afraid of him. "Your acting is getting scary."

    Arthur remarked with a remorseful expression, "It is a scary world. All good people have this kind of scary side, just like me, I''m good to you and respectful to you. However, if you ever want to sleep with me, whether consciously or subconsciously, I will sleep with you without hesitation."

    Veronica tilted her head. She mentioned, "I did sleep with you. Did you forget already? We were pretending to be husband and wife."

    In the enemy camp, they slept together as husband and wife. She couldn''t understand why he emphasized the word ''sleep''.

    "¡­You call that sleeping¡­ sigh!" Arthur couldn''t get any more astonished than this. He knew about her limited education regarding men and sexual rtions. He pulled her by her nose and asked helplessly, "How long are you going to give me a hard time?"

    Veronica felt wronged being used by him when she was innocent. "I did not do anything. You dragged me here."

    Arthur told her, "You are drunk. Should I leave you to those wolves?"

    "Are there wolves?!" Veronica gasped. She was scared of predatory animals. She wished to live a long life. She had no interest in dying at the hands of animals.

    Arthur stared at her for a couple of seconds and then let out a deep sigh, "Haah! Why am I not surprised? Anyway, from now on, don''t drink in front of men."

    In her eyes, he was being weird. She mentioned, "But you are a man."

    "Correction. Other than me, don''t drink in front of other men," Arthur corrected his demand.

    "Arthur¡­" she softly called his name. her heart skipped a beat. She didn''t know what to call this unknown emotion. All of a sudden, she thought of something and frowned. "Wait a minute, why do I have to drink in front of you? Why should I even listen to you?"

    Arthur poked her soft cheek. "It''s for your own good. Anyway, you are sleeping here tonight. I won''t let you go back to your tent in this drunken state."

    Veronica was surprised. "Huh? But I can''t sleep with you. And what will everyone think if I do? We are not ying husband and wife games anymore."

    Arthur pushed her toward the bed. "Didn''t we sleep together already? What are you being so shillyshally about? If you are too worried about what people think, I will cover it for you."

    Veronica gave him an excuse to escape from here, "But¡­ I want to wear afortable dress before sleeping. I''m sweating." If she went back to her tent by fooling him, she wouldn''te back.

    "Hmm, you can wear my shirt. It''s a cotton shirt. It''sfortable," saying that Arthur handed a shirt to her.

    "¡­"

    The shirt was indeedfortable. She couldn''t say ''no'' to that. She still tried for thest time. She opened her mouth, "But-"

    Crack!

    There was a suspicious sound outside.

 Chapter 76 - WOLF AND PREY

    <h4>Chapter 76 - WOLF AND PREY</h4>

    "But¡­ I want to wear somethingfortable, like a dress before sleeping. I''m sweating." If she sessfully went back to her tent after fooling him, she wouldn''t even think abouting back.

    "Hmm, you can wear my shirt. It is made of cotton. So, it will be more thanfortable," saying that Arthur handed a shirt to her.

    "¡­"

    The shirt was indeedfortable. She couldn''t say ''no'' to that. If she did, her intentions would be exposed in the next instant. She still tried for onest time. She opened her mouth, "But-"

    Crack!

    A suspicious sound came from the outside.

    Veronica and Arthur became quiet. After spending some time with him during the mission, she had be much more alert.

    However, she couldn''t hide her fear of predatory animals. She grabbed his clothes and inched closer to him, thinking a wolf might have been walking outside the tent.

    Arthur grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently to assure her. Then, he let go of her arm and pushed her deeper into the tent.

    Then he proceeded forward slowly, without making a sound of breathing. When he reached the entrance, he swiftly went out and looked around. His sharp orbs carefully observed the surroundings.

    But, no one could be seen outside. It made him even more suspicious. He scanned the ground and tried to find any visible footprints. Just as he thought, there was someone outside his tent when he was talking to Veronica. The footsteps came from the right side and went to the left side. It would be possible that it was just a passer-by.

    Since they weren''t talking about any secrets, he let it go. However, he decided to be careful next time. If there was a spy among the soldiers who were sent to harm him, he needed to stay alert.

    He went inside the tent and found Veronica sitting in the corner. Her face was ashen. It was obvious that she was scared.

    She saw him entering and asked in a shaky voice, "Is¡­ is there any animal out there?"

    Arthur paused and realized that she was talking about wolves. He thought of warning her about certain predators but it seemed that she thought the sound was made by an animal. He nned to go along with her. "You are right. I just saw some footprints." He deliberately changed his words to make her believe what she thought was real.

    Her eyes widened in horror. She eximed in a low tone, "Oh my goodness! What is going to happen now? It will attack the people."

    ''She is scared but worried more about others. What''s going on inside her head exactly?'' Arthur pondered. He eased her by saying, "Don''t worry. You can change your clothes and stay here. I''ll go outside and warn others. Don''t set foot outside, you hear me?"

    "But you will go out¡­" she was scared to stay alone when a predatory animal was roaming outside with a hungry stomach.

    Arthur controlled hisughter. Although she was scared and he was deceiving her, her docile behavior amused him. "If you don''t go out, it won''t attack you."

    [A/N: What a sadist!]

    "O-okay¡­" Veronica nodded.

    Arthur went out and walked several steps before stopping in an empty zone. He quietly asked, "Did you find anything?"

    A nk shadow came forward and knelt before him. Afterward, he heard a polite apology. "I''m sorry, Master. The matter is still being investigated."

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. He questioned Sebastian, "How long will it take for your men to see to it? It''s a matter of inquiry how a crystal magic ball ended up in the hands of the king of Riverhill. Not just one but two. Who knows how many they are left with. These magic balls are only allowed to be used by magicians. A mere powerless human shouldn''t have them in their possession."

    After being reprimanded by his master, Sebastian felt wronged. He was working his butt off and so were his fellow men. If they couldn''t find anything, what could they do?

    He respectfully stated, "As you have expected, the person who held the crystal magic ball in his hand and recited the spell had died. His body was burned because he couldn''t withstand the power of the magic ball."

    "That is what the magic ball does to a mere human. Moreover, they didn''t even have a magician to protect him." Arthur''s golden orbs turned colder. "Things are getting out of hand. Find the source who sold those crystal magic balls to the king of Riverhill."

    "As you wish. I''ll be back in two days," saying that Sebastian bowed.

    "Go and find the culprit," Arthur ordered.

    Sebastian then backed away and silently blended himself into the darkness just as he came.

    Arthur took a stroll in the camp before entering his tent. Veronica already changed her clothes and was now lying on the bed. She was startled when he came inside.? Noticing that it was only a human, she sighed in relief.

    Arthur smiled and said, "I''m won''t be going anywhere. You can rx and go to sleep."

    "Okay." Veronica was assured. Since he would be guarding the entry, she wouldn''t have to worry anymore. Her head was bing heavy thanks to the alcohol. Soon, she fell asleep.

    In the dark, a pair of rage filled eyes were fixed upon a tent, staring at the little abode intently, as if trying to shoot fire daggers out of them. The hands of the owner to those deadly eyes were clenched hard as low teeth gritting sounds left their lips, breaking the peace of this silent night.

    The air around this person smelled of thick jealousy. Those eyes were directed at the very tent, where Veronica was trying to catch a wink of sleep.

    At night, Veronica had a terrible nightmare. She saw some wolves chasing her. She was running in the desert. It was night time and only darkness greeted her eyes wherever theynded. The wind was chilly but she didn''t care. She needed to go somewhere safe. Unfortunately, the wolves caught on to her and were ready to attack.

    Veronica felt like her heart was about to break open her ribcage, trying to leave her body at any given moment now. She squeezed her eyes shut and was ready to die.

    "¡­ca! Nica!"

    Someone shook her body violently while calling out her name desperately.

    Veronica opened her eyes and found Arthur was looking at her. His eyes were filled with concern. She heard him asking, "Did you have a nightmare?"

    "Oh¡­" she realized that it was just a dream, a terrible one at that. She was so frightened that her heart was still shaking.

    "You are sweating even though it''s so cold. Here, drink some water," Arthur handed her a pouch of water.

    Veronica drank till her heart was at ease and emptied the water pouch. After that, she wiped her mouth.

    "What time is it?" She asked after she finally found her voice.

    "The sun is rising. It should be half past five." Arthur sat beside her and inquired, "What were you dreaming about?"

    Veronica lowered her head and tried to cover her tears. She said, "A bad dream. Wolves were chasing me."

    "¡­" Arthur felt sorry as regret washed over his being because he scared her earlier. She was traumatized because of him. However, a sudden thought crossed his mind. He said, "You know, people say that some dreams will actuallye true."

    Veronica looked up and looked at Arthur with an ashen face. "T-then¡­"

    "Until we reach our kingdom, stay close to me. I will protect you," Arthur told her. It wasn''t that he was making fun of her. He was genuinely thinking that wolves might really attack her if he didn''t pay enough attention.

    He himself was a wolf behind sheep''s clothes ¨C he wouldn''t deny that. As a wolf, he knew other wolves were going to chase her the moment theyid their eyes on exquisite prey, roaming out in the open without any protection. No predator would leave such a prey unscathed.

    Everyone woke upte with killer headaches. Some of them even vomited due to a hangover. Arthur cooked some hangover soup for everyone. After having their breakfast, everyone got busy with packing. They were supposed to leave at noon.

    Veronica didn''t bring belongings with her. It didn''t take her that long to pack her bag and was ready to leave. But, Leticia and Violet blocked her path right after she walked out of the tent.

    "So, did you have a good night''s sleep?" Violet''s voice had a teasing tone.

    However, Veronica didn''t catch that. She answered honestly, "No, I was on tenterhooks all night and woke up from a terrible nightmare."

    Violet''s eyes glittered. She waspletely in the gossip mood. "Were you scared because of a wolf?"

    Veronica easily agreed, "Oh yes! And I even dreamed of wolves. I don''t want to have a nightmare like that anymore."

    "¡­So, you are really scared of wolves, huh?" Leticiamented. After that, she patted Veronica''s shoulder and said, "I understand your worry. In front of a wolf, what can a woman do? You must be careful not to let them get too attached to you."

    "I won''t even get close to them." Veronica vigorously shook her head.

    Violet realized that her fellow was being truthful. The prey of the big bad wolf wasn''t joking. She eximed, "Wow! Did you get traumatized? What in the heavens just happenedst night?"

    The prey said, "Don''t you know? A wolf was lurking outside the tent I was in. I couldn''t sleep because of that."

    "¡­" Leticia and Violet were speechless.

    Here they thought, the prey was thoroughly eaten by the predatory wolf. But the truth was, she got scared and couldn''t have a good sleep due to other wolves who were waiting outside to eat her.

    Later, Veronica headed to the ce where Arthur told her to stay. At that time, she met a familiar person. She shouted, "Oh! You are the burned soldier!"

    She saw the soldier who she had talked to the first day she came. The man with the locket.

 Chapter 77 - THE LOCKET CARRIER

    <h4>Chapter 77 - THE LOCKET CARRIER</h4>

    Veronica caught a glimpse of a familiar face and shouted, "Oh! You are that burned soldier!"

    He was the man who had a locket with him that was simr to Sister Ruth''s locket.

    "Oh, Miss Healer!" The soldier also noticed her as well and came forward. "I''ve heard about your victorious deed. You are truly amazing, Miss Healer!"

    "It was nothing at all," Veronica replied to him bashfully. "I haven''t seen you since I came back. Where were you?"

    The soldier replied, "I went to scout our trail to see if an enemy is waiting out there to ambush us or not. I came back and reported to Major General Orion."

    Veronica questioned him, "Enemy? Haven''t you already defeated the enemy?"

    "We have more than Riverhill as our enemy. Please don''t be concerned, Miss Healer. The road is safe. I''ve checked myself," the soldier assured her.

    "Thank goodness for that," Veronica sighed in relief. "How''s your scar? Do you feel pain anymore?"

    The soldier shook his head. "No, no. I have been treated by other healers as well. I don''t even have any scar left now."

    "That''s good to hear." Veronica hesitated before continuing, "I¡­ was curious about your locket. If you don''t mind, can you tell me what she, the owner of the locket, looked like?"

    The soldier paused. He looked like he was debating inwardly whether he should tell her or not. When Veronica was about to give up, she heard him saying, "She was the prettiest woman I''ve ever met. Joana¡­ semi-tall. She had shiny brown hair and a pair of light brown eyes."

    Veronica''s heart began to race. She probed, "What about her skin? Was she fair, tanned, or dark-skinned?"

    The soldier answered, "Her skin was slightly brown but notpletely tanned."

    "Ah¡­ I see. How did you meet her?" Veronica inquired further. She didn''t notice that her voice was shaking slightly in excitement.

    The soldier answered, "I was walking on the street when I saw her looking for some orphans. She said that she lost them. She was deeply worried about them. So, I agreed to assist her in searching for them. Never in a million years did I think that I would actually see someone worrying so much about orphans when even their real parents didn''t care for them."

    "She had the kindest heart. The thing that attracted me the most was the kind smile that she always had for the children." The soldier stopped there and smiled at Veronica. "Is there anything else you want to find out, Miss Healer?" He asked her.

    It looked like she was in a daze. She came back to her senses and answered, "No¡­ My name is Veronica. I forgot to introduce myself."

    "The name''s Felix. At your service." Felix bowed respectfully.

    Veronica could barely reply, "It''s nice to meet you, Felix."

    "Nice to meet you too, Miss Veronica. I have to get my things. Please excuse me," Felix politely said and then left. Hisrades were calling for him.

    He was rather courteous for a soldier but Veronica didn''t have any time to notice that. ''His¡­ story matches with the story written in Sister Ruth''s journal. Doesn''t that mean, his Joana is Sister Ruth?''

    She covered her mouth. She was shocked by her own discovery. ''Wait! If she is the one, why did he call her Joana? It means Sister Ruth lied to him. More than that, why an Utahill citizen fighting for Sians? Is he a migrant?''

    All those questions whirled in her mind. She had no answer for them.

    She couldn''t ponder more deeply as her shoulder bumped into someone. She stumbled forward and turned to see who had bumped into her. It was none other than Ivona.

    "I''m sorry," Veronica apologized.

    Ivona was displeased as she nced at her. She rebuked, "Watch your step. You are in the middle of the road, blocking everyone''s path. Don''t just stand there like an idiot."

    "I''m very sorry," Veronica apologized again.

    Ivona turned around and walked away. Veronica saw her going further away.

    "What''s her problem?" Violet packed her bag and just came out of her tent when she saw this scene. Shemented, "She is being all moody in the morning."

    Veronica replied, "She was right though. Everyone is busy walking and working, and here I was standing without doing anything."

    Violet said, "That''s true but she didn''t have to say anything rude. Will it kill her to speak more politely?"

    Leticia reminded Veronica, "Veronica, aren''t you supposed to go to your post? Your team will leave you behind if you arete."

    The Sian group was huge. So, Major General Orion divided this massive poption into several teams. Each team would leave the desert at different times and would take different routes to reach the Sia kingdom. Veronica was supposed to leave with the first team. Arthur and Major General Orion would be in the same group.

    Veronica gasped as she remembered, "Oh, right! Ipletely forgot about that. I''m leaving first!" She ran toward her post.

    "This girl is so clueless," Violet sighed helplessly. "She can''t even understand that Ivona is being jealous of her."

    Leticia mentioned. "Ivona is in the same team as her, isn''t she?"

    "Yes, but I don''t think anything will happen. Arthur is with her after all. He will protect her, I think." Violet''s voice was full of uncertainty.

    Leticia frowned. "We can''t be with her to support her. Since we can''t go with her, we can only pray for her safety."

    "Yes," Violet replied.

    -------------

    "You are finally here," Arthur spoke as he saw Veronica running toward him. He was waiting for her for ten minutes. When she came closer, he asked, "Why are you running like that?"

    Veronica panted and replied, "I thought the group would leave me behind if I waste."

    Arthur took out a handkerchief and stated, "Wipe your sweat. Don''t run in this weather. If you tire yourself now, you cannot keep up with uster on."

    "Thank you." She wiped her sweat with the handkerchief he gave her and while doing so, she inquired, "Why can I not keep up with you in the journey? I''m not the one who is walking. The camel will."

    "Back then, you had to use a camel because it was an emergency. The soldiers needed you, the healers, to heal them. It''s not an emergency now. We are going to walk."

    "What?" Veronica gaped at him.

    "That''s why you need to save your energy for the real battle." Arthur smiled and took her bag. He tied her bag with his and ced it over the camel.

    -----------

    Veronica never thought that this journey would be like this. The sun was ring at them as if they were Its biggest enemies. She ced her fingers under her armpits. Everywhere the sunlight fell, it burned her skin. After walking for a long time, her head was dizzy.

    "Why are we walking while he is using the camel to travel?" Veronica asked. As for ''he'', she meant Major General Orion.

    Arthur lowered his voice and answered her question, "That''s because he is the Major General. He has a higher status than us."

    "But he is a soldier. He is trained. I''m not trained." Veronica tiredly dragged her feet as sheined.

    Arthur told her, "Didn''t you want to have an adventure? This is how an adventure is. Did you think having a servant serving you and sleeping all day are what adventure means?"

    Veronica felt like crying. "I''m really ignorant."

    "Now you know." Arthur didn''t coax her.

    In the evening, there was a sand storm. Everyone took over. Arthur covered himself with a huge cloth along with Veronica and his camel. The wind roared wildly.

    Veronica stayed quiet in Arthur''s arms. She didn''t dare to make a move. The untamed roar of the wind shook her heart. However, she began to think, ''No one can control the wind. It can roam everywhere, anytime without restraint. That''s what freedom is. The wind is so powerful that no one can hurt it. So invincible.'' She admired the wind as much as she feared it.

    It was night when the storm was finally over. At first, Arthur moved. And then, the camel stood up. Veronica tried to stand up but she felt a heavy weight on her body. When Arthur moved the huge cloth away from them, she realized that the sand covered the clothes and buried them in the desert.

    She looked around and found no one except for sand. "Where are others?"

    Arthur didn''t have to reply because others began to get up from under the desert. They were also buried under the sand.

    They set up their tents there and rested for the night at that spot. They started their journey at dawn. Every day was like that. Sometimes sand storms would stop them from going further. At that time, if they were unlucky, desert pirates would attack them.

    Two weekster, their eyes were finally blessed with green scenery. Everyone sighed in relief. There was even a fountain nearby. They set up their tents there.

    Veronica went to take a bath at midnight when everyone was sleeping. She couldn''t stand the smell in her body. It was like her body was itching. She took off her clothes and went to the pond. She swam for a while and enjoyed the cool water. Her fatigue seemed to wash away just by touching the water.

    She rxed her stiff body and looked up to the sky. Because of the trees, she could hardly see the sky. But, she could see the moon. It looked smaller than the moon in the desert. Even so, the moon generously shared her silver light with everyone.

    She was enjoying the moonlight bath when she heard a noise. Right behind her. She casually turned around without even thinking and froze.

    She was expecting something but the identity of the intruder shocked her.

    She wasn''t expecting THAT.

 Chapter 78 - BATH ATTACK

    <h4>Chapter 78 - BATH ATTACK</h4>

    Veronica was busy enjoying her bath as well as the glittering moonlight when she heard a noise. Without thinking much, she turned around and her body froze the next instant.

    A ck bear was standing there. It came to drink water at night but faced a yummy meal. In the dark, only its glowing eyes could be seen properly.

    The bear snarled as she turned over. At first, he just came to drink water but then saw the prey. Since the prey was unmoving, it assumed that its soon-to-be food was already dead.

    Dead food wasn''t as tasty as the one which was freshly killed and it was troublesome to get into the water. So, he was going to leave right after drinking water. However, the food suddenly moved. He then suspected that the food wasn''t dead and it looked quite delicious.

    The bear looked at its prey with hungry eyes.

    On the other hand, Veronica couldn''t move. Her lips wouldn''t part and let her voice out. It was like her brain was dead. It couldn''t give her body any order. She dumbly and cautiously stared at the predatory animal, without even blinking her eyes.

    "Gaaah!" The bear was confused as its food wasn''t moving anymore. It needed to confirm whether the meal was dead or alive. In order to test that, it roared with all its might.

    Upon hearing the ferocious sound, Veronica forgot to even breathe, let alone thinking about how to escape this predicament. Her whole body turned cold.

    The bear finally concluded that the food wasn''t alive. It wasn''t moving as he thought it would. "Hmph!" After expressing his displeasure, he drank water to his fill and then left the ce.

    Even after it had left, Veronica couldn''t move. She stayed like that for quite some time.

    "If you stay like that for another two minutes, your legs will go numb. After that, you will drown."

    Upon hearing a familiar voice, she slowly and carefully turned around. Her heart was still trembling in fear that the bear woulde back if she moved even a little. She was terrified to even let the water around her slosh lest it might attract the predatory animal''s attention again. She saw a man sitting on the tree branch, not so far from the bank of this water body, on a rather tall tree.

    In the moonlight, Arthur noticed how scared she was. Even her red lips turned white. He assured her by saying, "Rx. The bear left. It already lost interest in you. So, it won''te back. However, other animals maye to drink water. They won''t be as polite as bears. Hey, wait, why are you crying?"

    "Ah!" Only then did Veronica sense that water was actuallying pouring out of her eyes. She was so scared after seeing the bear and she thought she was going to die naked. It would be such a shameful way to die.

    After the bear left, Arthur came like a savior just like always. She felt a sense of relief wash over her entire being in the next second as she realized she was safe now. She couldn''t control her emotions and began to cry in front of him. So, she quickly wiped her tears.

    "I''m not crying or anything. It was just some water. I''m bathing." She refused to acknowledge her weakness in front of him. "In any case, what are you doing here? Are you a pervert who likes to peep at women taking baths? You said you were only after those who gave themselves to you. I didn''t give myself to you."

    Arthur was amused by her words. He came down from the tree and stated, "You know other women wouldn''te to me crying or would say how scared they were. They would also be ted knowing that I was watching them bathing."

    "Eww! Gross! No woman will do that. You are making things up. Get out!"

    Arthur started to walk away and she could hear his voiceing from further away, "Are you sure? You might face another animal. You may not return to the tent safely."

    "Wait! Wait!" Veronica quickly called out. There was no way she could walk out of there with this kind of fear guing her heart.

    Arthur smiled and paused in his tracks. As he was about to turn around to face her again, he heard her warn him, "Don''t you dare to look in my way. If you do¡­" her voice trailed off. She didn''t know what to do. She only said that to stop him from seeing her in her birthday suit.

    "If I do?" Arthur repeated. "What will you do?"

    She told him, "It won''t be good." She swam back to the shore and took a piece of cloth to wipe her body.

    "Pfft!" Arthur could not control hisughter. Her words humored him to a great length. Heughed for a while and then said, "What kind of reason is that? That is not good enough," saying that, he slightly turned around.

    "Don''t!" Veronica sharply warned him. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest. As if one attack (bear attack) wasn''t enough. She was going to die of a heart attack one day.

    Arthur paused when he heard her shout. He listened to the sound of her wiping her body hurriedly. He suddenly asked, "Are you done? I''ming¡­" he tried to turn around.

    "No!" Veronica''s heart jumped to her throat. She forced herself to wear her undergarments. She quickly grabbed her clothes.

    ''This is fun,'' Arthur thought in amusement. He hadn''t had fun for such a long time. The war made his life dull. Having a woman with a unique persona just added up as a prize.

    "Are you finished now? May I turn around?" he yfully asked and before she could reply, he turned around and faced her. He regretted not turning around sooner. She finished wearing her clothes sooner than he had thought.

    "I''m done," Veronica answered smugly. Back in the temple, when she would wake upte, she would dress up in one minute to cover up for herziness. The dress she was wearing now was lessplicated than the temple uniform. It didn''t take that much time. As if she aplished something great, she stared at Arthur with pride.

    He stepped forward and watched her closely. She was wearing a light blue-colored garment. It was given to her by a healer after she saved them. It was a night cloth. The cloth gripped her here and there because some of her body parts were still wet.

    Her hair was dripping wet and so she wrapped her head with the white cloth. Some hair strands peeked out of the white cloth and covered her forehead and temples. Those hair strands were still wet. He could see droplets of water hanging there. He touched one of those strands and dripped out the droplet of water. While doing so, he asked, "Did you have a good time bathing?"

    Veronica snapped at him, "Is this the main point right now? What were you doing here? How could you follow me when I came to bathe?"

    Arthur shrugged helplessly, "Oh, is it my fault now? I was here for quite a while. You are the one who suddenly barged in and started to undress."

    Veronica''s face heated up. Due to darkness, he couldn''t see her blushing out of embarrassment. However, she didn''t want to admit defeat just yet or she would lose her face here. She interrogated him, "Was it me who came hereter? Then why didn''t you say anything in the first ce?"

    "It looked like an emergency and so I said nothing. I was giving you some privacy and you me me." Arthur ced his hand on his left chest to show her that he was hurt by her usation.

    It wasn''t time to reflect on her actions. She had yet to confirm another thing. She was blushing furiously as she inquired, "Did you look? When I was bathing?"

    "Did I?" Arthur took a note of her nervousness and pretended not to know the answer to increase her anxiety. "I don''t remember."

    "What do you mean by that?" Veronica thought her heart was about to explode in anxiety and annoyance. "It just happened a few minutes ago and you cannot remember? Drop the act and tell me!"

    Arthur mischievously asked her, "What will you do if I didn''t see? What will you do if I did see?"

    Veronica pursed her lips. In anger, agitation, and humiliation, she wanted to cry.

    He was always like this. He yed with her heart like that and he wasn''t even serious about it. His insincere attitude only threw her back. For a simple-minded girl like her, it was hard for her to deal with something like this.

    She stomped her foot and said, "You are acting like this because you saw me, didn''t you? You always say that I''m your friend but you always take advantage of me. That''s it. I won''t ever talk to you anymore."

 Chapter 79 - VERONICA IS UPSET

    <h4>Chapter 79 - VERONICA IS UPSET</h4>

    She stomped her foot and said, "You are acting like this because you saw me, didn''t you? You always say that I''m your friend but you always take advantage of me. That''s it. I won''t ever talk to you anymore."

    She had enough of his games. He said he thought of her as a friend but he acted like he was her lover or something. He told her that she was his partner but didn''t trust her enough. Sometimes he would act like a good guy and make her think of him highly and sometimes he would act so ruthlessly that she would lose her confidence in him. She would feel deceived.

    It was like she was a fish and he was a fisherman. He would dangle the food using his fishing rod. Once she trusted him and bit the food, she would get hurt and realize that it was a trap. That would make her feel betrayed. It would hurt her immensely.

    "Hey, wait-" Arthur reached out and grabbed her hand.

    "Let go!" Veronica snatched her hand away from him. "I don''t care whether you saw or not. So, leave me alone!"

    "!!!" Arthur clearly saw a pained expression on her face. He paused and finally took down his hand. He saw her going in the direction of the tent. He decided not to follow her.

    He didn''t know why but he got upset seeing her anguish. He clearly didn''t like that feeling. To relieve his emotions, he kicked a nearby pebble and it fell on the pond. Still, those unsettling emotions wouldn''t go away. He punched a tree. ''Damn it!''

    [A/N: how dare you disturb my pond and hurt my tree! They give us water and oxygen you fool! X(( ]

    At that time, a ck shadownded on the ground and knelt in front of him. After that, the person politely said, "Master, I''ve arrived."

    Arthur didn''t want to show his expression to Sebastian. He controlled his emotions and asked in a cold tone, "What did you find? It better be good."

    After being threatened, Sebastian flinched. He didn''t know what happened to his master but he knew he better not anger him further. He answered, "We have found who delivered the crystal magic ball illegally to the ck market."

    Arthur was expecting this news as there wasn''t any reason for his man toe here unannounced. He questioned him, "Who did this?"

    Sebastian was slightly disappointed as his master wasn''t thrilled to hear the news. He narrated in detail, "A low ranked magician from Tybu who recently came to live in Utahill. We have captured him and interrogated him. He told us everything. He sold the crystal magic balls two months before Riverhill dered war against Sia. He also said that his family was poor and his daughter was sick. He didn''t have enough money to treat her illness."

    Arthur mumbled, "Just like that?" He thought about it for a while and shook his head, "It was too simple. Even without selling it to the ck market, he could''ve easily sold it to a legitimate buyer if he looked for some connections. However, he went all the way to the ck market."

    Sebastian reported, "Master, he has to be powerful enough to get some connections. Moreover, selling in the ck market is easier than finding a connection." It wasn''t that he was siding with the low-rank magician. He was telling his master the fact.

    Arthur knew it. Therefore, he didn''t argue back. He inquired, "Did you check his family?"

    "Yes, the girl is indeed sick as he spoke. She needs an expensive herb to cure it." Sebastian personally investigated that part and he made sure the illness wasn''t fake.

    "What illness?" Arthur moved further to the pond and took a stone to throw it to the river.

    Sebastian was waiting for that question. He told him, "It''s a lung disease. For an eight year old girl to suffer from it isn''t rare."

    Arthur agreed to hisst sentence., "You are right. But everything looks way too convenient. It''s almost like he knew Riverhill and Sia would go to war."

    Sebastian shared some more information.? "We have investigated the ck market seller to whom he had sold the crystal magic balls. The seller gave us an affirmative reply."

    "¡­Is that so?" Arthur threw some more pebbles on the quiet pond while thinking about the entire situation. The pebbles fell on the pond and created ripples and spread through the pond and vanished at the edge.

    No matter how many times he thought about it, it seemed fishy. The girl suddenly caught a cold when it was only Autumn in Utahill. Since that magician and his family were migrants, it must be why she couldn''t adapt to the environment where it was always cold.

    But it didn''t make sense for a poor magician toe to Utahill when it was going to be so cold. He could have waited for spring and summer. Something must have happened for him to choose the time of autumn to go to Utahill.

    The ce he was from was named Tybu.

    ''This is bad,'' he thought it hard and then ordered Sebastian, "I think this is way too smooth. Investigate things further. And the magician, check his history and find out with whom he and his family members had contact. Also, find out how the girl caught the illness."

    "Yes, Master."

    "Don''te back until you find out about anything else."

    He realized that his master was in a bad mood because of a quarrel and so he didn''t wish to stay near him any more than this. "¡­Yes, Master¡­" saying that he quickly left the ce. As he left, he kept sulking. He thought he was going to be praised and so he came here as soon as he found out everything but the master''s mood worsened just by seeing him. ''What a bad night,'' he thought.

    As soon as Sebastian left, Arthur thought of the kingdom named Tybu.

    Tybu is the southeast kingdom in their continent while Utahill and Sia are situated in the northwest. Tybu is a powerful kingdom and is known for its sorcery. They dedicate their lives to learn magic and they create master magicians and sorcerers. There is a great Magic Tower in Tybu and there the world''s most high-level magic tools are created. Crystal magic ball is one of them.

    The magician might have poor abilities and so he couldn''t do well in his kingdom. So, he decided to go somewhere he could earn a bit of money. He must have stolen the magic ball from the Magic Tower. Such an expensive magical object to be stolen by a magician, the Magic Tower would go berserk. The magicians might have already sent a search party.

    He pondered, ''We have to find out everything from that thief (poor magician) before the search partyes to get him. It won''t be good to face them so soon. It will look like we are betraying them. It''s too early to be in the spotlight. The time hasn''te yet.''

    He looked at the sky. Maybe to mirror how he was feeling right now, the dark clouds covered the moon. The clouds blocked the silver light to shine on the humans in the forest. Thus, the ce darkened in the blink of an eye. The wind had a thick smell of water or wetness.

    ''It''s going to rain soon. I have to go back,'' Arthur told himself in his mind. However, he was too reluctant to face Veronica right now. He didn''t want to make her madder than she already was.

    They were in a foreign country and there was no one she could rely on. Although she got some girlfriends, they were not here at that moment. Even if they were present, they couldn''t do anything in front of the hungry wolves.

    For a beauty like her walking around the soldiers unprotected¡­

    Arthur sighed deeply and decided to head back. He wanted to reach her before she put some distance between them.

    ------------

    Meanwhile, Veronica got mad at Arthur and left on his own. She went back to the tent she and Arthur were sharing. She sat on the bed quietly. Slowly, she cooled her head down.

    ''Honestly, what I was expecting. Just because I was thinking of him as a good friend, it didn''t mean he had to do the same. No one is obliged to do anything. Moreover, I owe him a lot. I should repay his kindness,'' pondering about that, she let out a sigh.

    Who would like to pay a debt to someone they got into a fight with? It wasn''t like money could solve anything right now. She had to help him when he was in danger to repay his kindness.

    She gasped, ''Oh, no! I shouldn''t have gotten mad at him when I didn''t even repay him. What am I going to do now? Should I avoid him? How should I do that? I almost know no one other than him. It''s a bit scary. Uff! Catherine is much better than him. We never argued. That''s what we call a true friend. She could have given me some ideas. I miss her so much.''

    When she was going crazy over that, someone spoke outside the tent, "Miss Veronica, are you busy? May Ie inside?"

 Chapter 80 - SOMEONE WANTED TO TALK

    <h4>Chapter 80 - SOMEONE WANTED TO TALK</h4>

    Veronica was in a dilemma about how she should act in front of Arthur. She had never fought with Catherine before, so she had no idea how to ignore a friend when she was mad at one. At that time, she heard someone speaking outside the tent she was in, "Miss Veronica, are you busy? May Ie inside?"

    "Sir Felix?" Veronica stood up and moved the curtain a little to make sure that it was indeed him. "What makes youe here at this hour?"

    Felix said, "I have something to talk about. May I pleasee in?"

    "Sure," Veronica let him in. "Please sit anywhere you want."

    Nothing in there was suitable for people to sit except for the bed. Thus, Felix declined her offer, "No, it''s fine. I''ll just stand. I don''t have much to talk about."

    Veronica understood that he didn''t feelfortable and so she didn''t push any further. This was a situation simr to what she had faced when she was in the temple asionally. Male members usually refuse to sit on girls'' beds. They would feel ufortable.

    She did not sit either. She simply asked, "What do you want to talk about?"

    Felix hesitated. He prepared his heart beforeing here but he was still afraid. He was afraid of hearing a negative answer from her. He took a deep breath and stated, "Miss Veronica, you are from Utahill. Since you are a part of the healers'' group, you must have visited the temple often. Have¡­ you¡­" he licked his dry lips and continued, "have you ever seen Joana? She lived in the temple. Although she didn''t tell me what she did there, I think she was a nun or something."

    "Sir Felix," Veronica said, "I used to live in the temple. I know her." She disclosed the matter as she did not want to hide it from him anymore.

    Felix''s body swayed. He steadied his body by grabbing onto the corner of the bed. He seemed a lot more emotional than he was before. It was like he was holding his emotions back but he couldn''t control them anymore after hearing her answer.

    He took deep breaths before looking at her with pleading eyes, "Can you¡­ can you please tell me how¡­" His eyes were bing teary.

    Veronica said, "Before I tell you about her, we were used to knowing her as Sister Ruth. Not as Joana. She was a Senior Nun. One night, she hung herself. Please don''t get emotional for what I''m going to say."

    She paused before continuing, "It seemed like she did something she shouldn''t have and she was surprised that she didn''t feel guilty about it. Since she didn''t feel guilty even though she knew she was in the wrong, it drove her mad. She lost her peace of mind and she became restless¡­" She stopped there and then inquired, "Do you have any idea what she meant by ''she did something unspeakable''?" Her voice was filled with sympathy.

    "Oh¡­" Felix sat on the bed as he couldn''t stand anymore. "Is this my fault? It must be it."

    Veronica stepped closer to him in concern. "What''s wrong?"

    Felix panted heavily in grief as he told her, "We¡­ one night we slept together."

    Veronica froze. "You did what?!" This time, she realized what sleeping together meant. It wasn''t just simple sleeping that would make Sister Ruth drive crazy. The couple had sex and she realized what sleeping together really meant.

    She was taken aback. She couldn''t imagine a nun of all people would break thew. This was forbidden and so unheard of. What surprised her most was that Sister Ruth didn''t regret what she had done. But, it came with a price.

    "She didn''t feel regret but this is what drove her mad. She thought she sinned and so, she killed herself. Ah!" Felix groaned painfully and covered his face. Tears fell from his eyes like a waterfall and he couldn''t stop them. He med himself as he couldn''t protect her. Back then, everything happened so naturally. He didn''t even think that she would be having a hard time for what they did. It was the best night they had and none of them would ever forget that.

    Veronica''s heart was beating rapidly. She didn''t know what to tell him. Her head was nk. She sat on the bed right beside him. Both of them were in their own world. One was grieving in regret, another one was speechless.

    A long timeter, Felix wiped his tears and asked, "Was there anything she said to me before she¡­mitted suicide?" His voice choked when he said mitted suicide''.

    Veronica said, "She spoke to no one. I think she wanted to protect you. She didn''t even write down how you look or what your name was. There was a vague mention of you. But she adored you from the bottom of her heart. I know that much."

    "If she didn''t speak to anyone, how did youe to know about it?" Felix seemed a bit cautious. It was natural for him to suspect or doubt her.

    If the temple found out about Sister Ruth''s misdeed, they wouldn''t stand still. They would try to find out the truth at any cost. After that, they would cover it up so that other people wouldn''t do the same mistake.

    Veronica sighed and took out a diary from her bag. She handed it to him and said, "This is Sister Ruth''s diary. We are aggrieved after she passed away. I wanted to know the truth behind her sudden death. So, I investigated a little. I found her diary. I think you should have it."

    Felix took the diary with his shaky hands. After that, he carefully opened the diary and saw Sister Ruth''s handwriting. His eyes were filled with tears once more. "This is her handwriting¡­" he said. Then, he looked at Veronica and said, "Thank you. Thank you so much, Miss Veronica."

    Veronica responded, "It is nothing. I''m d I could be of help. If you find anything after reading her diary, please do tell me. I want to help you in discovering the truth." This was her request to him. She waited for him to reply.

 Chapter 81 - AN ASSISTANT

    <h4>Chapter 81 - AN ASSISTANT</h4>

    "If you find anything after reading her diary, please do tell me. I want to help you in discovering the truth." Veronica wanted to dig deeper into the pond. Although she found nothing but dirt, she wished to keep digging. Since she couldn''t do much, she asked for Felix''s help.

    If Felix really had any feelings for Sister Ruth, he would want to be sure if Sister Ruth really died because of the sin they hadmitted. She quietly waited for his answer.

    Felix questioned her, "Why do you think she didn''t die just for what we had done? Didn''t she mention it in the diary that she did?"

    ''So, he is clever enough to find a hole in my words. It looks like I found the right person to assist me,'' Veronica thought. She answered him, "As a true believer and follower of Goddess Juvena, I believe thatmitting suicide isn''t the right choice. If I felt guilty for the sin I havemitted, I would have devoted myself to help mankind. Ending my life would just add another sin."

    She looked at him in the eyes and continued, "Sister Ruth was seemingly a wise person. Maybe she was going half insane but the love she felt for the children and us was what a mother would feel. Her love for us was greater than the love she felt for herself. She always put us before anything. She would not choose this path. That''s what I believe from the bottom of my heart. That''s the very reason I need your assistance. So please, lend me a hand."

    Felix stared at her for a moment before standing up. "I have underestimated her kindness and your conviction. I''m truly narrow-sighted to think her resolve would be so weak. My head is clear now."

    He paused before adding, "Miss Veronica, once again let me thank you. Without you, I would have died without telling anyone about my pain and Joana''s diary would have been lost. Because of you, I have a chance to get to the truth. I''ll try to find whatever I can."

    Veronica suddenly remembered something and said, "I forgot to mention something to you. When I went to retrieve the diary, some people sneaked into Sister Ruth''s room like me. One of them was called Lord Alexander. He was said to be Sister Ruth''s cousin. He didn''t seem to be a good person. I think he is a ve¡­ry bad person."

    "Lord Alexander¡­" Felix muttered the name with furrowed eyebrows.

    Veronica told him, "You said Sister Ruth had a rich family. She was from an aristocratic family. They wanted her back. I think her death might be rted to it."

    "Thank you for the information, Miss Veronica. I will keep in touch." Felix gave her a nod and then went outside.

    After he left, Veronica let out a deep breath. "Ahh¡­ buying a book of a detective series came in handy," she couldn''t help but praise herself for the right choice she made.

    It was the day she went to town to buy some necessary things. She couldn''t meet Arthur and randomly walked into the town. She stopped in front of a bookstore and decided to look inside the store. She was amazed to see the varieties of books there.

    She found a detective series and bought it before leaving. She read the book during the journey and whenever she had free time in the desert. After reading each story, she was enlightened by new knowledge. That''s what she thought.

    She was in a good mood when she heard familiar footsteps. She recognized the footsteps almost instantly. ''Arthur ising. What should I do?'' she started to panic.

    ------------

    Arthur walked toward the direction and halted in his ce when he saw Felix getting out of his and Veronica''s tent. His eyes sharpened. He waited until Felix left and then followed him quietly.

    Felix directly went to the waterfall area and sat on a huge stone. He opened his mouth and said, "I knew you would follow me here, Master."

    Arthur came out from the darkness and leaned against a tree. "I think you have something to exin."

    Felix lowered his head. "I''m sorry."

    "That''s not what I wanted to hear," Arthur''s tone was cold. "You faked your death. Why were the mercenaries after you?"

    Felix chuckled. "So, I was able to fool Sebastian and his men. They still have a long way to go."

    "He is only sixteen. Hecks experience. Well?" Arthur probed him to tell the truth.

    Felixmented, "You did realize I faked my death and disappeared to investigate on my own. You are as sharp as ever, Master."

    Arthur softened his tone, "I''m sorry for your loss, Felix. I didn''t think your love for that woman was so deep." Felix was his long-term employee. They grew up together and became master and servant. To him, Felix was more than just a servant who followed him around. He med himself for not understanding Felix''s pain.

    "Back then, I wanted to bring Joana with me when I didn''t hear any news of her for two weeks. I was worried something happened to her. As if my instinct was urate. She killed herself. If I went to meet her just a few minutes before, without wasting my time in the bar¡­" Felix didn''t finish his words and let out a regretful sigh. Then, he continued, "Master, those mercenaries were sent to kill me by Lord Alexander."

    Arthur crossed his arms and asked, "The same Alexander who is the cousin of Joana?"

    Felix answered, "Yes, I guess he was furious after Joana killed herself or maybe he was furious that I took (slept with) her. I''m still not sure what the reason was but he hated me for sure. He wanted me to suffer a lot before my death. But, I exchanged myself with a local thief. They weren''t able to hurt me."

    "But they almost ended up killing Veronica," Arthur mumbled as he was a bit annoyed. "So, what are you doing here now with the Sian soldiers?"

 Chapter 82 - THEIR CONVERSATION

    <h4>Chapter 82 - THEIR CONVERSATION</h4>

    "But they almost ended up killing Veronica," Arthur mumbled as he was a bit annoyed. "So, what are you doing here now with the Sian soldiers?"

    "I''m here to gather some proof," Felix answered. He stopped there as he didn''t want to disclose any further information.

    Arthur realized his motive andined in a cold voice, "You are not telling me anything. I know you too well for you to keep secrets from me. Do you want to make me mad?" He could easily get mad when he wanted to.

    The sky was full of dark clouds. The moon waspletely hidden from view. This made the darkness surrounding the area that much more grim. The only thing that was the proof of any sign of life was the constant noise made by various types of nocturnal insects.

    Felix sighed. While sitting, Felix turned around and spoke as he kept her head down, "Master, once I swore to be loyal to you for the rest of my life. I still am your loyal servant. I''ve given my whole life to serve you. However, I cannot go back to Utahill right now. At least for once please let me do something for Joana - the woman I loved."

    "You want to take revenge," Arthur concluded knowingly. He wasn''t surprised. If it was him, he would do the same. He could read the mind of his oldest subordinate like a book.

    Their love didn''te and go like seasonal birds. Once they loved, the love was forever.

    Felix loved Joana with all he had and he was dreaming to have a family with her. Now that she was gone, he would only focus on his mission. Not ever he would gaze at a woman as affectionately as he did when Joana was alive.

    Felix told him, "This is the only way I can rest before death."

    Arthur reprimanded his subordinate, "Don''t talk about death too early. You have yet to finish so many unfinished businesses."

    Felix nodded. "I know. I haven''t forgotten about our promise. After I''m done with this one, I will go back to your side."

    Arthur stepped forward and sat on the big rock beside Felix''s. "If you work alone, it will take forever. Let''s work together," he suddenly suggested.

    Felix looked at him in surprise. He paused for a bit and then tried to decline, "But, Master¡­"

    Arthur didn''t let him finish his words. He interrupted, "Felix, I''m still your brother in arms before I''m your Master. Furthermore, I''m afraid that if you work alone, it''ll take forever. Neitherof us have can afford such amount of time. I can''t wait forever. Sebastian and his team are slow. They need your guidance." His big hand patted Felix''s shoulder, giving him assurance and letting him know how important he was.

    Felix suggested to him, "You can always ask other members to help you."

    "I don''t want to be tracked down. It''s bothersome." Arthur rejected the offer. His eyesnded on Felix''s hand and hemented, "I see she gave you the diary."

    Felix nodded. "Yes, Miss Veronica is a generousdy. I owe her big time."

    Arthur remarked, "You better. She is the one who found out about the circumstances surrounding Joana''s death and retrieved her diary. Without her, it would be hard to get a clue what she left behind."

    Thanks to that, he got to see how the timid, na?ve girl grew up. He had to admit that she was a brave girl to be able toe all this way to here. She even coped with his acting. If he ever needed a partner in crime, she would be a good choice. But, he decided not to think about that for now.

    Felix asked him, "How do you know about the diary?" he didn''t know anyone other than him and Veronica knew about the existence of the diary.

    Arthur shortly exined, "I''ve read it after she brought it back. You should read it."

    Felix opened the diary and began to read. Whenever he was mentioned, his heart squeezed tightly and suffocated him. After reading thest page, he shut the diary and said with a groan, "I''ve caused her so much suffering and yet I knew nothing."

    The dark clouds moved away by then. The silver full moon was now proudly showing its face in the sky. The two men were bathed in the silver moonlight as were their surroundings. The whole ce seemed to transform because of it from how it was just a while ago.

    Arthur looked at the sky and stayed quiet for a while before saying, "It wasn''t your fault, Felix. It''s just that you two were too unfortunate."

    Felix covered his face. He didn''t cry or anything. He just stayed like this for a long time. After that, he uncovered his face and gazed at the diary again. Hemented, "There must be hidden notes in the diary if she can''t even write my name in the diary. She was afraid that someone would find it and I''d be in danger. What happened to thest three pages? Did you tear them?"

    Arthur denied, "No, it was like that from the beginning. Veronica discovered the diary like this."

    Talking about Veronica, Felix said, "Miss Veronica is a unique girl. She wanted me to assist her in uncovering the truth."

    Arthur chuckled, "That''s what she would say. Don''t involve her too much. The less she knows about this kind of thing the better. No need for an outsider to be involved too much in such a risky business."

    Felix wanted tough but held back. "Outsider? She is the reason I can do something about this investigation." He stopped before asking, "Are you worried about her wellbeing?"

    Arthur brushed aside his im, "Don''t talk nonsense. She has no experience and she will just annoy you."

    The more Arthur spoke about her, the more Felix became astounded. "You are joking, right? This is the first time you ever shielded a woman. You even let her sleep with you but you don''t want to flirt with her. You always keep guarding her."

    Arthur had a reason for that. He exined his actions to him, "That''s because she is na?ve. You have no idea what kind of headache she gives me. If I don''t keep an eye on her, she will cause a problem for sure. She always does."

    "Haha, I see." Felix didn''t probe further. If his master didn''t want to admit, he didn''t want to force either. Love didn''t give them a pleasant feeling anymore. He changed the subject, "I think Lord Alexander has some sort of role in this war."

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrow. His expression became serious as they were talking about the main issue. "Only him or his entire family?"

    Felix shook his head. "I''m not sure. I''ve been looking for clues. They are so good at hiding their tracks though." He had been tracking them for so long. If he still couldn''t get enough information, it meant that Lord Alexander was really sly which was not exactly unexpected.

    Arthur inquired, "About Alexander sending mercenaries, how does he know that you were Joana''s lover? Did he read the diary''sst three pages or sent a spy to follow her?"

    Felix shared his opinion, "I don''t have solid proof but I think it''s a spy. He is too obsessed with her. It''s disgusting." His expression was filled with hatred and disgust.

    Arthur couldn''t help butment, "He is a tyrant, and her family was scared to be killed. He was fascinated by Joana''s charm. Who wouldn''t be? Her family members were too scared to die. So, they wanted to sell her off. But, Joana was too strong-willed. There was no possibility that she would give in and agree to marry a heartless bastard. I think that''s what drove her to be a priest in the first ce."

    Afterward, he added, "I forgot to mention. The crystal magic balls were stolen from Tybu''s Magic Tower by a magician. He came to Utahill two months before the war broke out. He was captured by Sabastian''s men." He told him everything he heard from Sebastian in short.

    "From the Magic Tower!" Felix eximed in surprise. "It''s weird. Why would a migrante here during autumn? It''s not easy to adjust in a winter country that easily."

    Arthur was happy to see that Felix did not lose his touch. He agreed, "Yes, his daughter caught a cold and he didn''t have enough money. Without a good connection, he was forced to sell the crystal magic balls in the ck market."

    Felix rubbed his rough chin in deep thought. "The story is too good to be true. There are no ws. It will make anyone believe his tragic story. If they are truly rted, then Lord Alexander went to great lengths to make this plot believable. What is he thinking? Does he want another Great War or there is something in the desert that he seeks?"

 Chapter 83 - WELCOME TO SYNETIA

    <h4>Chapter 83 - WELCOME TO SYNETIA</h4>

    "The story is too good to be true. There are no ws. It will make anyone believe his tragic story. If they are truly rted, then Lord Alexander went to great lengths to make this plot believable. What is he thinking? Does he want another Great War or there is something in the desert that he seeks?" Felix came up with the questions one by one which he had no answers to.

    "Something in the desert, huh?" Arthur narrowed his eyes. His head was gathering all the puzzles in one box. "If I remember correctly, both Sia and Riverhill were on a mission to get desert in their underwear. But, the desert is a freend and the desert tribe won''t bow to anyone. Even so, the war broke down between two countries ¨C Sia and Riverhill. Shouldn''t it be rather like Sia and Riverhill fight side by side to take down the desert tribe?"

    Felix couldn''t agree more. "This is rather intriguing. What made them fight against each other when they could clearly defeat the desert tribe if they worked together?"

    Arthur shared his n with him, "We have to go back to the desert to find out about the reason. Since you are working as a Sian soldier, stay here. I''ll let other men spy on Riverhill. Sebastian will find more clues from Utahill."

    "And, you will leave for the desert. I see. Well then, I''m off. Let''s meet again when we gather more information." Felix stood up and left.

    ''I should head back too,'' Arthur thought. Upon remembering Veronica''s expression, he wondered, ''Is she still upset now? She doesn''t act like other women. Sigh! How to deal with her?'' he ruffled his hair before going back.

    After he reached the tent, he slid the curtain and looked inside. Veronica was already in bed and she wasn''t moving. He entered the tent without making too much noise. He sat on the bed and peeked at her sleeping face. Just as he thought, she was soundly sleeping.

    ''And here I was worrying what to say,'' Arthur smirked as he thought that.

    He changed his clothes and went back to bed to sleep. It was a long day. Nheless, he couldn''t fall asleep. ''What could possibly be in the desert?'' he wondered.

    As he was thinking, he heard a faint groaning from her side.

    "Hnn¡­ Sister Ruth¡­ sob¡­ sob¡­ don''t die¡­" Veronica made vague noises while she was sleeping.

    ''Is she dreaming about Joana''s death?'' Arthur frowned as he thought of that. He slightly raised his body and looked at her.

    Veronica''s eyes were moist. Tears dripped from her eyes. She was crying pitifully as she slept.

    "Nica? Wake up," Arthur didn''t want her to continue crying, so he called out to her.

    Veronica frowned. "N-no¡­ I don''t want to die¡­ please help me¡­" she wept louder.

    "Nica! Wake up!" Arthur strongly moved her body, causing her to open her eyes.

    Veronica jumped and gasped for oxygen. She was panting hard.

    Arthur realized that she had a bad dream. He stroked her back and said, "Easy there. Here, drink some water." He reached out for the water pouch and handed it over to her.

    Soon, she calmed down. She wiped her tears and mumbled, "Thank you."

    Arthur asked her, "Do you want to have some fresh air?" He was genuinely worried about her.

    She never showed her weakness to him or others, and so, he thought these killings, hunger, and unhealthy situations weren''t affecting her. Heplimented her for being so strong willed. She was indeed so. Or she could never hide her fear or pain like that. She was only vulnerable during sleep. If she didn''t have a nightmare, he wouldn''t have found out.

    "I''m fine." Veronica didn''t talk much andid down to sleep again. For a moment, she forgot that she was mad at him. When she remembered, she began to avoid talking to him.

    ''Maybe I shouldn''t have said "thank you",'' she pondered. "But, wouldn''t that make me look ungrateful? Why would I have a bad side because of him?''

    Veronica was tired after the journey. When she heard his footsteps, she lied down and waited for him. However, he didn''t enter the tent as she thought. She kept waiting and waiting. Soon, she felt drowsy and then passed out before she could tell. She wouldn''t know when he came back if he didn''t wake her up.

    ''Oh no! He saw my crying face. Will heugh at me or ckmail me for having a chicken heart?'' she began to panic. In spite of closing her eyes, she was far from sleeping.

    ''No matter what, I''ll just put a blind eye on everything. He won''t even admit that he saw me bathing. He saw my naked body! Does he know what it means for an unmarried woman? What I think is he doesn''t even care. I won''t talk to him unless he confesses his crime and acknowledges what he did was wrong! Just because some women sleep with him doesn''t mean the entire world wants to sleep with him! Enough is Enough! He must pay for what he has done!'' Veronica strengthened her resolve.

    -------------

    The next day, ten carriages arrived from the capital to pick them up. Their journey was smooth after that. They stopped whenever they passed the army checkpoint and they were able to rest for a while before setting off again.

    At each checkpoint, they regrouped with other teams and proceeded toward the capital city. Their group erged but Veronica couldn''t join her fellow healers from other groups. She couldn''t find them despite looking around.

    Sia was a bigger kingdom than Utahill. When Veronica thought it would take fifteen days to reach the capital since that much of a time it took to reach the desert from Utahill, she had to be disappointed. It took them thirty days to reach the capital despite having horses and carriages.

    It was more tiring because Veronica decided to avoid Arthur at all costs. She didn''t talk to him and avoided having eye contact. Even so, she couldn''t leave his side because there was no one she could trust. Only she knew how hard it was not to forgive something and start a happy conversation during the journey.

    As they entered through the huge iron gate, the city and the magnificent royal pce came to view. The citizens weed them with myrtles. They warmly weed the heroes with big smiles on their faces. Some women handed flowers to the soldiers.

    ''I''ve never seen a gorgeous city like this in my entire life!'' Veronica thought as she was gazing outside through the window of the carriage. She was never this happy and excited before.

    "Prettydy! Prettydy!" a small child saw her face and called out to her. Since the procession of the army was slow, the five or six year old boy ran toward her carriage and gave her a bouquet of flowers. "Prettydy, thank you for saving my papa!" he thanked her with a smile.

    "Thank you!" Veronica eximed. The boy''s mother came forward and took her son. Before leaving, she slightly bowed to Veronica to show her gratitude.

    Before Veronica could ask anything, she saw a soldier going closer to that woman and kissed her right in front of everyone. The young boy also hugged the soldier gleefully. The soldier then kissed the boy''s face all over.

    ''So, they knew I''m a healer and helped the soldiers. It''s only natural because all kingdoms hire healers from Utahill. The soldier must be the father of that child. I''m d I could do save some soldiers and return them to their families,'' Veronica''s heart warmed up. It''s been a month since she had felt so emotional.

    "Are you going to cry now?" Arthur asked teasingly. Ever since the day she started avoiding him, he would tease her about her crying face or nightmare.

    "¡­" The smile from Veronica''s face disappeared. Her mood was ruined. She pretended not to hear him and looked outside the window again.

    The procession stopped in front of the imperial pce. The royal family of Sia was present. The King of Sia kingdom, Edward the fifth, congratted the army for the great victory and weed them.

    Afterward, the healers were taken to the guest rooms while the soldiers went to their barracks or their families.

    "Veronica!" Violet saw her from afar and called out loudly.

    ''Finally!'' Veronica swiftly moved her head upon hearing a familiar voice she wanted to hear for a month. As a result, her hood slid off and her shining silver hair was revealed.

    They were still in the corridor and many visitors were walking there. They saw Veronica''s unique hair and then charming emerald eyes. The men in the corridor fell in love with her mesmerizing beauty at first sight.

    Veronica didn''t have the time to look at them. Her eyes were fixed on Violet''s excited face and Leticia''s exhausted face. She ran toward them and hugged them tightly. "I missed you!" she said.

    "Aww! I missed you too!" Violet hugged her back. "Why do you look like that? Did you not eat enough?"

    Veronica told her, "I couldn''t. I''m not used to having a long journey. I kept vomiting."

    "You have to take care of yourself as soon as possible. Because tomorrow¡­"

 Chapter 84 - THE TOUCHING REUNION

    <h4>Chapter 84 - THE TOUCHING REUNION</h4>

    "Aww! I missed you too!" Violet hugged her back. Their reunion, after a month and fifteen days, was touching. She looked at Veronica and asked in a worried tone, "Why do you look like that? Did you not eat enough?"

    Veronica told her, "I couldn''t. I''m not used to having a long journey. I kept vomiting."

    Leticia answered for Violet, "You have to take care of yourself as soon as possible. It''s because tomorrow evening, the Royal family will hold a ball to celebrate the victory and honor the dead."

    "Oh, you mean dead soldiers. Do you know how many of them died before we reached the desert?"

    Leticia pondered before answering her question, "Well, soldiers still died on the battlefield because we couldn''t heal them in the battle and of course we cannot bring people back from the dead. So, the estimated percentage is thirty. 30% of soldiers died on the battlefield before we reached there. The casualties lessened after we began working but as I said, we couldn''t heal people on the battlefield. 2% died after we arrived." She was good at calcting and she noted how many soldiers had died and got injured. Thus, she knew better than others about the urate number.

    "So, 32% of families lost their sons, brothers, husbands, or fathers." Veronica sounded upset. "There should be a prayer ceremony in the temple for the dead soldiers, right?" She asked Violet and Leticia.

    Violet scratched her head. She replied, "We don''t know. No one said anything. You can ask the maids around the castle."

    "Okay, thank you. See youter!" Veronica quickly left.

    "Don''t forget about lunch!" Violet spoke loudly so that Veronica could hear. Then, shemented, "Sometimes, I don''t understand what she is thinking."

    "She is kind," Leticiamented.

    "Kind? More like a good actress," someone remarked from the side.

    Both Violet and Leticia looked to their right side. Ivona was standing beside them.

    Violet put her hands on her waist and questioned her, "What do you mean by acting?"

    Ivona carelessly said, "Can''t you understand? Do you think she is really a goody two shoes? She is acting to get everyone''s attention."

    Violet argued back, "There is no way she is like that. If she was an attention seeker, she would have bragged about the incident when she brought the healers. But, she was always ufortable when someone praised her."

    "Ivona, could you be jealous of Veronica because Arthur is with her?" Leticia directly asked her.

    "Cough! Cough!" Violet choked to control herughter and vigorously coughed.

    Ivona''s expression turned ugly. She red at Leticia and Violet before storming toward her room.

    Leticia smirked. Ivona''s reaction delighted her.

    Ivona always acted high and mighty and treated them like bugs. She even looked down on Veronica. To think Veronica would be taken care of by Arthur whom Ivona had a crush on ¨C it was unexpected and enjoyable to the healers who were abused by Ivona''s harsh words.

    -------------

    Veronica did as Violet told her. Unexpectedly, the maids couldn''t tell her about any prayer ceremony for the dead soldiers. ''How can that be? They are part of the kingdom and they died to bring victory. They can nevere back to their family because of their decision to serve the king. The king should at least do something for them in return.'' She clenched her fists as she couldn''t take this.

    She was given a luxurious room but she didn''t feel happy anymore. She took a bath in a luxurious bathtub, wore fine garments, and had a fancy meal that she could never afford. But, her heart wasn''t into it. She could barely taste the meal.

    "Miss Veronica, why do you look so glum? Are you not happy with the meal? How about some steak? I know you love meat." Major General Orion was sitting beside her. He served her a te of steak.

    Veronica didn''t even notice when he sat beside her. "Oh, no, thank you. I don''t feel like eating."

    Major General Orion put down his fork and knife. "What''s wrong? Don''t you feel well? Sorry, I didn''t have time to take care of you on the journey. It must be hard for you." His voice was full of concern.

    "It''s not about the journey. I heard there is no prayer ceremony for the dead soldiers. It saddened me to hear about that."

    Major General Orion smiled. "So, that''s what it is. Please don''t let it get to you. We only celebrate the victory and offer the celebration to the dead heroes."

    Veronica couldn''t understand his logic. She stated, "How can that be enough? Even a dead person has the right to rest his soul. To rest his soul, he needs blessings and heartfelt prayer. Not any celebration can do that. Moreover, you said they are heroes. They and their families deserve more than just a celebration."

    Major General Orion eased her worry as he chuckled, "Our King has alreadypensated the families of the dead soldiers. You have nothing to worry about-"

    "What are you saying? Do you mean that money is equal to a person''s life? If money can buy a dead person then why cannot money bring a person alive from the dead?" Veronica''s voice unintentionally raised.

    Everyone who wasughing and chatting while eating stopped what they were doing and looked at her.

    Veronica continued, "Those people were trained, lived, and ate with you. Now they are gone. Don''t you feel sad about that? I know the King generously gave them money but that won''t rest those poor souls. They couldn''t die beside their loved ones. Who would want to die in an unknown ce, right beside their enemies? They didn''t get a proper burial. You dug a hole and buried all of their bodies. We blessed their tomb but how can that be enough? We are not even priests and their families weren''t there."

    She painfully added, "Don''t you find it unreasonable? You will be treated the same way when you die in a foreignnd. How do you think your family will feel? The pain, the sadness¡­ you cannot buy it with money or gold coins."

    The dining hall fell silent. The healers and high ranked soldiers that were dining together couldn''t speak. They lost their interest in food as well.

    Veronica noticed that everyone heard her and she bowed. "I''m sorry for ruining your mood. I didn''t mean that way. But, I cannot eat as long as I can''t attend a prayer ceremony for those heroic soldiers. Please excuse me." She wiped her mouth and stood up.

    She was ready to leave when a guard announced the King''s arrival. King Edward the fifth entered the dining hall. He was wearing extravagant clothes and an iron crown on his head. The crown was decorated with jewels.

    Everyone stood up to greet him.

    King Edward V was a middle aged man around forty. His lips were subtly lifted as though he was amused by something. He raised his hand and signaled everyone to sit.

    He opened his mouth and said, "I just came to visit everyone. I want to see everyone enjoying the meal my Queen has prepared for you. But, it seems like everyone is upset."

    Major General Orion hurriedly expressed his gratitude, "Your Majesty, that is not the case. We were really happy to have a delicious feast made by the imperial chef after a long time. We are grateful to you and our Queen for thinking of us."

    "Is that so?" King Edward V rubbed his chin and then his eyesnded on the girl with silver hair. His eyes curved as he remarked, "It''s not the case for thisdy right here, right?"

    Veronica stood up. She sat down when the king signaled them to sit. She didn''t want to offend the king and obliged quietly. Now that the king mentioned her, she had to stand up and bow to him.

    She greeted him politely, "Greetings to Your Majesty. It wasn''t my purpose to ruin your or the chef''s hard work. It''s just, we have been with these people for a few months and I noticed their love for their kingdom and their families. They had died in order to follow yourmand. We couldn''t give them a proper burial or blessings as it was a priest''s job, and not a healer''s. I know Your Majesty is kind and gave their families a good amount of money. Everyone praises your generosity; but, their souls won''t rest like this. I simply wish for a prayer ceremony so that their souls can rest in peace and give blessings to their families."

    She wouldn''t say that she wasn''t nervous but she couldn''t think of it right now. It was the first time she ever saw such a high level person. She didn''t have the chance to see the king of her kingdom before. Now, she was in a foreignnd and meeting up with a foreign king.

    King Edward V hummed as he pondered on what she just said and then asked her, "What''s your name?"

    Veronica introduced herself, "My name is Veronica, Your Majesty."

    King Edward V smiled upon hearing her name. "So, you are the one who brought the healers from the Riverhill camp and helped the soldiers to win. I''ve heard about your hard work. You have done a wonderful job out there. Since you led us to victory, I shall grant your wish."

 Chapter 85 - THE BALL TO CELEBRATE VICTORY

    <h4>Chapter 85 - THE BALL TO CELEBRATE VICTORY</h4>

    Upon hearing her wish, King Edward V said, "So, you are the one who brought the healers from the Riverhill camp and helped the soldiers to win. I''ve heard about your hard work. You have done a wonderful job out there. Since you led us to victory, I shall grant your wish."

    At first, Veronica was astonished as if she couldn''t believe what just happened. The next moment, her face beamed like a five hundred watt bulb and she bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

    King Edward V said, "I also think you are right about that. Money cannot rest a soul. No one ever mentioned it before so we didn''t give it a thought. Prime Minister?" he called for the Prime Minister of the kingdom, his right hand man.

    The Prime Minister was with him. He was around twenty five years old. He was rather young considering having a high profession. He had a pale face and a slim body. He didn''t train his muscles but the brain, that''s for sure. He had long dirty blonde hair and they were tied as a braid. He wore round sses to cover his sharp eyes.

    He was wearing traditional clothes. He stepped forward as he was called. "Your Majesty," he replied respectfully.

    King Edward V instructed him, "Tell the priest to arrange a prayer ceremony for the war heroes. Let their families know too. The prayer will be held tonight in front of the Imperial Pce. Everyone needs to attend the prayer. Let the announcer spread the news all over the city."

    "As you wish, Your Majesty," the Prime Minister bowed and left. He sighed inwardly. Just another workload was added to his to-do list.

    King Edward V turned to Veronica and asked her, "Now, you have no problem with the meal, right?"

    "Yes! I''ll eat my fill." Veronica couldn''t control her happiness.

    King Edward Vughed aloud and said, "Hahaha! Have your fill. We are anticipating seeing you at the ball tomorrow."

    "Yes, I will definitely attend," Veronica agreed.

    King Edward V waved his hand to others. "Enjoy your meal everyone. We will meet in the evening."

    "Yes, Your Majesty," everyone responded in unison.

    After he left, Major General Orion nced at Veronica. "It''s great, isn''t it? Your wish just came true."

    "You said it!" Veronica excitedly sliced the steak. "Your king is very generous. Are all kings as kind as him?"

    "A¡­hahaha¡­" Major General Orion cringed andughed. He couldn''t answer her question. He cleared his throat and said, "Miss Veronica, do you know that you need a partner to attend the ball?"

    Veronica gazed at him. "Oh, I did not. Is this a rule?"

    "Yes, there is a rule like this. If you don''t mind, would you like to be my partner?" Major General Orion proposed.

    "Um," Veronica hesitated and thought about Arthur for a split second. Her eyesnded on him and saw him chatting with a beautiful healer. She frowned and turned to Major General Orion. She answered, "Sure! I would be happy to be your partner."

    Major General Orion''s face brightened up. "Thank you so much, Miss Veronica. I''ll prepare a dress for you. I''m sure you won''t befortable wearing the clothes you are wearing right now."

    Veronica put down the fork and asked, "Then, what about my friends? Won''t they need clothes?"

    "They will surely buy some clothes. They have enough money or maybe their partners will buy for them," Major General Orion responded. He assured her by saying, "You don''t have to worry about them. You are the one who doesn''t have money with you, right?"

    When he mentioned money, she remembered that she was penniless. "Ahh, yes, I didn''t think money was needed in the desert. I had no idea that I would visit your kingdom."

    Truthfully, she had no money to spend even if she knew. Although the Head Priest gave her money, she didn''t want to spend his money. It just didn''t feel right. She even decided to pay him back what she spent.

    "Then, we will meet in front of the Imperial Pce in the evening," Major General Orion said.

    "Okay," Veronica responded with a smile.

    After the extravagant feast, Veronica was going back to her room. The bed she had in the guest room was soft and fluffy. She wished to sleep till evening.

    At that time, someone blocked her from going further.

    Veronica paused before turning to the right side but the person moved to the right side too.

    Veronica frowned and crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

    "Aren''t you too chummy with the king and the Major General?" Arthur ced his left arm on the wall and questioned her.

    "Whether I''m chummy or not, it has nothing to do with you. Wait, you are one to talk! I saw you talking to beautiful women and flirting around." Veronica pointed a finger at him.

    Arthur smirked. "What? Are you jealous?"

    Veronica raised her eyebrow. "As if!" She moved to the left side to leave, opposite of the side where he put his hand. But soon, her arm was grabbed by him.

    "Ah!" she yelped as he pulled her closer. Then, she was pushed back and her back pressed against the wall. Her eyes were subconsciously shut. When she opened them, she was pinned on the wall as his hands pressed the wall both sides of her face.

    Arthur spoke in a low tone, "Don''t think the king is easy just because he granted you a wish. He is rather an ambitious and greedy man. You should be careful around him. Don''t show your smile too often. I told you to be wary of men, did you forget that? Why do you keep showing your hair and smiling to others?"

    His expression was grim and his voice was threatening. It chilled her body.

    He kept saying, "If you continue to be stubborn like that and stay out of my sight, it will be hard for me to keep an eye on you." His eyes narrowed dangerously and continued, "I heard you dly agreed to be Major General Orion''s partner. He even offered you a dress. Don''t even think of wearing that dress and don''t be his partner. If you keep being a pest, it will only be a burden."

    Veronica''s eyes widened. In her heart, she suddenly felt pain. It was suffocating. Her emerald eyes wavered with emotions but she quickly shut her eyes to hide it from you.

    "A pest? A burden?" she mumbled softly and then opened her eyes. She fiercely red at him and questioned him, "Who told you to keep an eye on me. Did I ask you anything? You saw I was avoiding you and you keeping to me? Why should I blindly follow you? Am I your servant?"

    "¡­" Arthur was astounded by her sudden outburst. He realized something went wrong. He sighed and tried to speak, "Listen, Nica¡­"

    However, Veronica wasn''t in the mood to listen to anything. She berated him, "What do you want exactly? Do you want me to fall for you like other girls and make you feel better or aplished? Is this why you are doing all these? I haven''t asked for your protection or anything else. Other female healers survived even without your protection. Why can''t I? Or do you think I''m so useless that I can''t even defend myself?"

    She took a deep breath and continued, "Look, no one asked you. If you think it''s a bother, don''te in front of me. The one who is burdening with their presence is you!" After that, she forcefully shoved his hand and briskly walked away.

    Arthur looked at her back disappearing behind the door. He thought about her expression and his golden orbs flickered. ''Damn it!'' he cursed himself inwardly and punched the wall. ''I messed up. I shouldn''t have said all that,'' he pondered and reflected on his action.

    In the meantime, Veronica shut the door and dived to the bed. The bed bounced. The softness of the bed almost made her body melt. However, her heart was suffering.

    She hugged the soft pillow tightly and buried her face in the fluffy cushion. It felt like her heart was being twisted by something. It was painful. She opened her mouth and breathed in and out. It took a long time to subside the pain. When it was over, she opened her eyes and mumbled, "Arthur, you idiot!"

    ------------

    In the evening, there was a huge ceremony in front of the Imperial Pce for the dead soldiers. Everyone in the town was present as a priest performed the ceremony. They brought flowers and filled the royal road with flowers. The families of the dead soldiers cried and thanked their king again and again for his magnanimous action.

    It was heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time. Nheless, Veronica felt better. She imagined the souls were finally able to rest in peace.

    ''Why people only rest in peace but cannot live in peace? It would be great if they could do that,'' she wondered.

    The next day, Veronica wore a green gown and held Major General Orion''s hand as she walked inside the ballroom.

 Chapter 86 - THE DANCE

    <h4>Chapter 86 - THE DANCE</h4>

    The huge ballroom was spacious enough to father one thousand people. However, there were only five hundred people in the ballroom including the Imperial family, aristocrats, high ranked army officers, and the healers of Utahill.

    The floor was covered with white stones and the pirs were made of iron. Even the statues and the frames of the pictures were made of iron. The cream colored silk curtains were moved to each side of therge windows, showing the magnificent starry sky. The luxurious ballroom couldn''t bepared to anything in Sia kingdom.

    Veronica and Major General Orion entered the ballroom together.

    Hervish green gownplimented her skin and unique emerald eyes. The gown was designed with golden embroidery and gold dust. The dress hugged her body to her midthigh and then the clothes parted their ways, showing off her long slender legs.

    The half sleeved dress had a long neckline, showing off her cleavage and smooth back. To honor her wish, the fashion designer, who made her clothes gave her a golden colored chiffon shawl. Although it was transparent, at least it covered the parts of the dress that were deemed to be most revealing. It gave Veronica mental relief.

    Her neck wasn''t empty. She was wearing three sets of nes. The choker was made of ruby and pearls. The next ne was made of emerald and gold chains and thest and thergest ne was made of gold leaves. It covered half of her upper chest.

    A pair of ruby earrings were hanging on her ears. Her head was decorated with emerald stones and several golden chains. Her shiny silver hair was tied as a bun and some strands of her hairs were loose at the end, giving her an elegant yet seductive look.

    Overall, it wouldn''t be exaggerating to call her a princess of Sia, the Iron Kingdom.

    As they walked further and deeper into thevish imperial ballroom, Veronica felt several eyes falling on them. Veronica''s grip on Major General Orion''s hand tightened. "Don''t you think the dress is too revealing?" She whispered.

    Major General Orion was wearing an off white silk dress. The hem of the dress ended at his midthigh and his body was covered with a green robe. It was attached with a golden army brooch on his left shoulder. He chuckled softly and said, "Look around you. The women in the ballroom are wearing more revealing clothes than you are. Even your fellow healers. In my point of view, you are the one who is wearing the most conservative clothes here."

    He was right. She looked around and saw women revealing their necks, chest, back, and legs. None of them were wearing a shawl like her. Her pieces of jewelry were also less in numberpared to them. Men were wearing short gowns and their entire bodies were covered with silk robes.

    "I''ve seen women wearing conservative dresses and men wearing revealing clothes in the town," Veronicamented.

    "Oh, you are talking aboutmoners. Yes, that''s how they dress but for aristocrats, it''s the opposite. Aristocratdies love showing off their bodies and jewelry collections while aristocrat men only care about money, status, and power. Men love showing it when they invite you to their houses. They will show you around their houses and exin the details of every single statue and picture they bought at high prices and how much they spent on their houses andnds."

    Veronica remarked, "It''s like children showing off their favorite toys. I understand that."

    "Haha, what a simple way to describe things." Major General Orion questioned her, "Don''t you want to show off your beauty and your possessions?"

    "No, why should I?" Veronica asked him bluntly. "I''m grateful to have what I was given and I thank Goddess Juvena every day for it. It''s not something I need to show off."

    Major General Orion was astonished upon hearing her words. "So, that''s what you think. I always feel the way you think is different and amazing." He liked how different she was from other women. She was beautiful and simple minded. Outwardly wealth doesn''t affect her much. She wasn''t like those explicit women who showed off their bodies.

    "Thank you," Veronica felt much better after beingplimented by him. She was feeling down after having an argument with Arthur, and then, she became nervous seeing these expensive pieces of jewelry and revealing clothes. The more she talked to him, the more it became easy for her to calm down.

    Veronica soon cringed when she noticed everyone''s eyes were on her. She asked her escort, "Do I look weird? Why are they looking at me?"

    Major General Orion responded, "Because are you the most beautiful girl in the ballroom."

    Veronica wasn''t usually told that she was the most beautiful girl. She didn''t know how to take it. "Is it a good thing? I''m so scared."

    "Let''s do something enjoyable," saying that Major General Orion pulled her to the dance floor.

    "Wait, I cannot dance," Veronica panicked.

    "Just rx and follow my lead," Major General Orion pulled her closer and moved with rhythm as the musicians yed the music. A few momentster, he said, "You said you cannot dance but you are matching your feet with me."

    Veronica told him, "I can dance but only the traditional dances in our kingdom. I had no idea how you people dance. That''s why I said that. Now I think it''s quite simr to your dance. So, it''s easy."

    Major General Orion remarked, "So, this isn''t the first time you actually danced with someone."

    Veronica shook her head. "No, I danced with others before. Where I grew up."

    After the first music ended, someone came forward and asked Veronica, "May I have this dance with you, Miss Veronica?"

    Veronica hesitated after seeing Arthur. Arthur was also wearing Sian traditional clothes. His dress was creamed colored and his robe was red colored.

    Arthur saw she didn''t answer. ''She must be upset,'' he thought. He looked at Major General Orion and said, "Major General, may I borrow your partner for the next dance."

    Major General Orion replied without thinking, "Sure Arthur, you have escorted her all the way to our country. You deserve a dance with her. I''ll go and talk to others in the meantime."

    Before Veronica could voice out her thoughts, she was pushed to Arthur. Arthur didn''t miss the chance and drew her close after cing his hands on her waist. "It looks like he is relieved to get rid of you," hemented mercilessly.

    "If that''s what you have to talk about, then leave. I don''t want to dance." Veronica was already upset that Major General Orion didn''t even ask for her opinion and shoved her to Arthur. It was like she had no say in this.

    As she tried to move away, Arthur pulled her closer. As the next music started, he went with the music and Veronica had to follow him with a gloomy expression. He said, "Are you upset that he didn''t ask your permission? This is how this country is. Mostly, all men are the same. Just because they escort you, they think you are their possessions. Well, you did wear the clothes and jewelry he gave you. So, he already thinks that he owns you."

    "Whatever I think is none of your business," after saying that, she sealed her lips and didn''t talk anymore.

    Arthur quietly stared at her. She was putting on makeup and wearing gorgeous clothes. She looked like an extraordinary goddess. When she first stepped inside the ballroom, he forgot to breathe. After that, he couldn''t take his eyes off her. He didn''t like the fact that she was with Major General Orion and she even danced with him. It made him feel that she was unreachable and he hated that thought. That''s why the moment the music stopped he approached her.

    He realized that she wouldn''t talk to him the entire night. He opened his mouth and said, "Nica, I''m sorry for the other day. I shouldn''t have said that. It wasn''t your fault. It was me who wanted to guard you. You never asked anything. I became upset when you got close to others. It''s all my fault. You are not a burden or anything like that. You are the bravest girl I''ve ever seen. So, please forgive this insolent man."

    Veronica stared at him for a couple of minutes before asking, "Do you mean it?"

    Arthur quickly answered, "Yes, I do."

    Veronica couldn''t believe him. He broke her trust a couple of times. She questioned him, "You will never say I''m a burden, will you?"

    "I dare not," Arthur firmly replied.

    She inquired, "You will never be mean to me again, will you?"

    "I will never," Arthur swore.

    "Fine, I forgive you but next time you hurt me, I will leave you for good," Veronica threatened him.

    Arthur finally smiled at her and responded in a gentle tone, "Yes, my princess."

    After the dance ended, Veronica took a break. Arthur got mixed up with other women. At that time, the guards announced the King''s arrival.

    King Edward V was wearing a long dress covering his entire body. The color of his dress was red. The golden robe was covering his body. His crown was shimmering with jewels.

    After everyone bowed and greeted him, he sat on his throne and dered, "Today is a glorious day for Sia. On this glorious day, I would like to announce joyous news to everyone. I''ve decided to take my fifteenth wife. The lucky bride is Veronica, the heroine of the desert and the healer of Utahill."

 Chapter 87 - THE KINGS DECLARATION

    <h4>Chapter 87 - THE KING''S DECLARATION</h4>

    "¡­So, please forgive this insolent man," Arthur asked for forgiveness.

    Veronica stared at him for a couple of minutes before asking, "Do you mean it?"

    Arthur quickly answered, "Yes, I do."

    Veronica couldn''t believe him. He broke her trust a couple of times already. She questioned him, "You will never say I''m a burden, will you?"

    "I dare not," Arthur firmly replied.

    She inquired, "You will never be mean to me again, will you?"

    "I will never," Arthur swore.

    "Fine, I forgive you. But next time you hurt me, I will leave you for good," Veronica threatened him.

    Arthur finally smiled at her and responded in a gentle tone, "Yes, my princess."

    Veronica finally smiled at him. It was already hard not to talk to him. How could she stay mad at him?

    "You look pretty." Arthur''s eyes were glued to her face.

    Thepliment made her blush. "Thank you. It''s still ufortable. I wish I could cover my legs."

    Arthur stated, "Those kinds of clothes were only made for the members of the royal families. Aristocrats can''t buy it. It''s an Imperial rule."

    "If it was our kingdom, showing this much skin would be a crime," Veronica remarked. "I''m the one wearing the least revealing clothes and yet everyone is staring at me."

    He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "It''s because you look like the most dazzling star in a milky way. That''s why I always tell you not to show your hair. Well, even if you hide your hair, you can''t hide your radiant beauty."

    He noticed her ears turning red and he snickered. He assured her by saying, "Worry not, no one will bother you as long as you are by my side. Just stick close to me." Arthur''s hand slipped from her bareback and embraced her curvy waist.

    Veronica couldn''t look him in the eye. Her eyshes fluttered as she lowered her eyes. He was so close that she felt his breath on her face. She was also conscious of his familiar odor and touch. Her face began to grow hot. She couldn''t help but tremble whenever his hand touched her bare skin. Her heartbeat increased with each passing second.

    After the dance ended, Veronica told Arthur, "My legs hurt."

    "The new pair of shoes are already hurting your legs? Let''s ask a healer to fix it," Arthur held her close so that she could bnce herself while walking.

    Just then, they saw Remus walking in their direction. Thetter, who also noticed Veronica''s condition, came near them and asked, "Is something wrong, Miss Veronica?"

    Arthur answered for her, "Her legs are hurting because of the new shoes. Can you heal her feet?"

    "Yes, sure," Remus agreed readily.

    Arthur then took Veronica to sit on the nearby couch and Remus used his healing power to treat her. Afterward, she moved her legs and they seemed perfectly fine. "Thank you," she thanked him for healing her.

    "It''s nothing. You look like a princess, Miss Veronica," as he spoke, Remus''s face tinted with a red hue.

    "Thank you," Veronica gently smiled at him. After beingplimented twice, it didn''t affect her much.

    Her tender smile made him blush. He looked down and scratched his head. "At first, I thought you were some kind of royalty, ahahaha¡­" heughed foolishly.

    "I think your work here is done, Sir Remus. Thank you for your assistance," Arthur spoke from the side. His expression didn''t look amused.

    "Ah¡­ yes¡­" Remus stole a nce at Veronica who was fixing her bracelet.

    Before he could speak, Arthur asked her, "Don''t you feel stuffy here?"

    Veronica tilted her head. "Stuffy? I''m not sure¡­"

    Arthur suggested before she could finish, "Why don''t we go to the balcony? The view of the sky is great from there."

    "Sure, let''s go," Veronica stood up, ready to go to the balcony.

    Remus opened his mouth but his words were stuck in his throat. He was going to say something but couldn''t utter a single word.

    Balcony and garden meeting between opposite genders meant they had some kind of deep rtionship; such as ¨C lovers or love affairs between adulterer married couples. Since Veronica and Arthur weren''t married, it only suggested that they were lovers.

    Remus felt remorse when he saw the couple going to the balcony. His heart was twisting in pain.

    When they reached the balcony, Arthur said, "Wait here for me. I''ll go grab something to drink. You must be thirsty."

    Veronica realized that her throat was dry. "Yes, I am. I''ll wait for you here."

    After he left, she was looking at the sky. Just then, she heard some footsteps. She turned around and saw a familiar face. She smiled and said, "You are here. I have been looking for you."

    --------------

    Meanwhile, when Arthur went to get some drinks, he got mixed up with other women. Thedies gathered around him. They wanted to dance with him for the next round. He cursed inwardly and politely refused them, one by one.

    At that time, the guards announced the King''s arrival. "Your Majesty, the King has arrived!"

    King Edward V was wearing a long dress covering his entire body. The color of his dress was red. A golden robe was covering his body. His iron crown was shimmering with jewels.

    Everyone bowed to greet him. But, his eyes were busy skimming through the crowd. He furrowed his eyebrows for some unknown reason. It seemed like he wasn''t satisfied with something.

    He sat on his throne and dered, "Today is a glorious day for Sia. On this glorious day, I would like to announce a piece of joyous news to everyone. I''ve decided to take my fifteenth wife. The lucky bride is Veronica, the heroine of the desert who brought the healers back from the enemy, and the healer of Utahill. Veronica,e forth to ept my offer."

    Arthur''s blood turned cold upon hearing his deration. For a split second, his eyes darted toward the balcony.

    Veronica wasn''t present at the ball, and so, she didn''t hear anything.

    He sighed in relief. He skillfully slipped out of the ballroom and headed toward the balcony. When he reached there, he was stunned.

    Veronica''s clothes, shoes, and every single piece of jewelry she wore tonight were lying on the cold balcony floor.

    She was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 88 - VERONICAS DISAPEARANCE

    <h4>Chapter 88 - VERONICA''S DISAPEARANCE</h4>

    The King of the Iron Kingdom, great Edward V, one of the richest men on the continent. He had fourteen wives. And yet, it wasn''t enough. Thus, he took one hundred concubines in his harem. He took interest in Veronica when he read a report from Major General Orion.

    In his eyes, women were pieces of decorations to decorate men''s harem. For a woman to rescue fifty healers from the enemy camp was something he couldn''t even dream of.

    When he saw her face to face, he got fixed with her unique eyes and silver hair. She had an innocent face and a bold attitude. It was refreshingly charming. He decided to grant her wish so that she would have a good impression of him.

    At night, he had a good time with his newest consort, and then he went back to his office. The Prime Minister was waiting for him there.

    He sat on his chair and poured himself a ss of red wine. He asked meanwhile, "What do you think of that girl, Veronica?"

    The Prime Minister fixed his sses with the index finger and responded respectfully, "I think she is just a na?ve girl who got some false fame."

    King Edward V frowned and stated, "You mean someone or some people assisted her to get the healers back from the Riverhill camp. Why didn''t they show up then? Why did they let her take the credit for everything?"

    He had aged but his brain was as sharp as ever. His family discovered iron and he extended their territory over thends and oceans since he was young. There was nothing he couldn''t notice.

    The Prime Minister answered, "From what we have found, Major General Orion didn''t lie. Even the abducted rules said that Miss Veronica went to the tent and found them tied up. She fought against the soldiers and brought them back."

    "Did she look like she could fight?" King Edward V ced an elbow on the table and bnced his face on his arm. With his free hand, he yed with the ss of red wine.

    The Prime Minister immediately answered, "Not at all, Your Majesty."

    The King of Iron Kingdom narrowed his eyes. "Are you suggesting that all of the healers were lying?"

    The Prime Minister carefully replied, "I don''t want to suggest that but it may be the case. Also, the report said that one healer saw a person taking the magic ball. The healer who said that didn''t know the identity of that man."

    "What about his looks?" the king inquired.

    The young Prime Minister replied, "The healer couldn''t remember."

    "So useless!" King Edward V pped the table. "Anyway, this girl is very mysterious. Unlike other consorts and concubines, she is much more interesting. I''m thinking of taking her as my wife."

    The eyebrows of the Prime Minister twitched. It was unnoticed by the king because his eyebrows were hidden behind his bangs. "If that''s what you wish for, Your Majesty, I will proceed forward," saying that he respectfully bowed.

    After the Prime Minister left, King Edward V leaned against his chair and sipped the red wine. Then, he licked his lips thinking about Veronica''s beautiful face and body. ''Will she taste like the finest red wine? I wonder,'' he chuckled as he thought that.

    And, ording to his n, he announced the name of the candidate who was going to be his fifteenth wife. It was a great honor for a woman to be able to have a husband who was the richest in Sian and one of the richest men in the whole continent ¨C that''s what he thought. He excitedly waited for Veronica toe forth and ept his offer.

    However, ten seconds passed¡­ Twenty seconds passed¡­ One minute passed. Veronica was nowhere in sight.

    The color of King Edward V''s face started to change. There was one thing he didn''t like and that was ''waiting''.

    Where was she?

    --------------------

    After Arthur left Veronica on the balcony, she was looking at the sky. Just then, she heard some footsteps. She turned around and saw a familiar face. She smiled and said, "You are here. I have been looking for you."

    The person slowly stepped closer. "Nice evening, isn''t it?"

    Veronica agreed, "Yes, the air is also freshening."

    "You look pretty," the person praised her.

    Veronica bashfully smiled. "Thank you. You look gorgeous as well. Right aftering to the ball, I was so nervous. I was looking for anyone I knew of but it was so hard to find someone. I''m d you came to find me."

    The person cocked their head. "Were you truly looking for us? Were you really nervous?" The question didn''t sound friendly.

    Veronica thought she heard something wrong. "What?"

    The person crossed arms and stated, "It looked to me that you were busy seeking attention."

    "What are you talking about?" Veronica didn''t know what was going on. She was clueless about what the person in front of her meant.

    The person rebuked her, "Don''t you understand? How dumb can you be? Or maybe it is the way you do this, don''t you? You act innocently and get men all over."

    As the person moved forward, Veronica stepped back. "You have started to scare me. Why are you using me unreasonably?"

    The person chuckled disdainfully. "So, you still don''t understand. You were with Arthur but it wasn''t enough for you. You seduced Major General Orion and made him buy you dresses and jewelry. You got everyone''s attention wearing all that. You danced with him and then you made Arthur dance with you. You even made Remus kneel before you. Taking all men to yourself. Just how low can you be?"

    Veronica looked at the person in front of her. Her voice choked as she said, "I don''t understand why some people''s actions toward me are my fault. I''m not their master and I didn''t tell them to dance with me or buy me clothes. In which logic are you ming me for their actions?"

    The person sneered and mumbled, "Speak all you want but I figured out everything."

    Veronica was feeling a twisting pain in her chest. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. She took a deep breath and said, "It breaks my heart that you think that way. I''ve done nothing wrong. Please clear your mind. I''ll leave you be."

    The person spoke in a chilling voice, "You have to be punished for what you have done."

    "Wha-"

    After that, everything had turned dark. Veronica lost consciousness. When she woke up, everything she began to see was nothing more than a nightmare.

 Chapter 89 - VERONICAS TRANSFORMATION

    <h4>Chapter 89 - VERONICA''S TRANSFORMATION</h4>

    The person spoke in a chilling voice, "You have to be punished for what you have done."

    Veronica saw the personing toward her. She was going to shout, "Wha-"

    After that, everything turned dark. Veronica lost consciousness.

    When she woke up, her body was hurting quite badly all over. She flinched. She recalled what happened before she lost consciousness. She didn''t know how long it had been since she had fainted.

    ''Why does my body hurt so much? It''s like I''ve been beaten up all over,'' she wondered. She shuddered as her body was shaking badly in pain.

    ''I have to get up and look for a healer immediately. That person must be trying to kill me. But why?'' she was saddened thinking of that person''s face twisted in hatred. It was clearly directed toward her. ''There is no point in thinking that. After I''m healed, I will confront that person.''

    Thinking of that person, she looked around and didn''t find a trace of anyone. She sighed in relief. ''I don''t know what I would have done if that person was still here,'' she thought.

    However, as she tried to stand up, she had some difficulties. Nheless, she did her best to get up. But, for some reason, she was unable to do so. She started to feel even weirder as time went by.

    ''What''s wrong with me? Why can''t I stand up? Did something happen to my legs?'' She looked down to check her legs and what she saw nearly frightened her to death. ''!!!''

    She couldn''t see anything other than some small, silver-colored, fluffy legs. It was inexplicable to her.

    ''What? What is this?'' Her heartbeat increased. She tried to wipe her eyes to clear her vision, but the sensation on her face felt strange when she did that. She nervously looked at her hands. They looked the same as those tiny legs. More like the paws of a cat.

    ''Cat paws? But why?'' Veronica thought it was nothing but a peculiar dream. She would just wake up at any moment and everything would go back to being normal. She turned her head and was startled to see her reflection on the ss door.

    It wasn''t her face. It was the face of a cat. The cat''s reflection looked surprised as well. It had silver fur and emerald eyes.

    ''What? Cat? Me? H-how?'' Veronica began to panic. When she recalled the person had something in their hands, she realized that her being turned into a cat had something to do with that person. Also, much to her horror, it didn''t seem to be a dream at all considering all of her senses seemed to be working just fine. In fact, some senses worked even better than before. Her sense of smell was many times stronger than before as she could detect scents she didn''t even know existed. She was also seeing a lot better in the darkness.

    ''But how am I a cat?'' she couldn''t find the answer even if she wrecked her head. Then, she decided to do something else. ''Since I have no idea what is going on, I have to find someone who knows me and let them know what happened to me.''

    When she stepped inside the ballroom, she recalled no pets were allowed in the ballroom. She certainly didn''t want to get hit or chased. So she stepped back and went to the balcony again. She found her clothes and pieces of jewelry lying on the balcony floor.

    ''Oh, my Goddess! I''m naked!'' Veronica restlessly did her best to cover her chest and the private part between her legs but her ''hands'' and ''legs'' jumbled all together and fell on the floor.

    ''Oh yeah, I''m a cat now. It''s normal not to wear clothes as an animal, but, it feels weird,'' Veronica cried inwardly.

    A cold wind blew and she shuddered. She hid inside her dress and stayed there. When she was a human, she was wearing shoes. She didn''t know how cold the floor was. Now, the cold directly touched her skin and she couldn''t help but shiver.

    As she stayed there, she heard the guards announcing the king''s arrival. "Your Majesty, the King has arrived!"

    She stood up thinking she should go inside but hesitated. ''Where is Arthur? How long will he take to bring my drink? He must have forgotten about me, hasn''t he?'' she sulked.

    At that moment, she heard the king''s announcement, "Today is a glorious day for Sia. On this glorious day, I would like to announce a piece of joyous news to everyone. I''ve decided to take my fifteenth wife. The lucky bride is Veronica, the heroine of the desert who brought the healers back from the enemy''s clutches, and the healer of Utahill. Veronica,e forth to ept my proposal."

    ''What?! Marriage? With him?!!!'' Kitty Veronica''s face couldn''t be paled but blood drained from her face all the same. She felt chills ran down her spine.

    ''How could he decide to marry me without even asking me beforehand?'' She recalled seeing his family attending the prayer ceremonyst night. ''Wait, he already has wives and children, has he not? Why does he want to marry again?'' Tons of thoughts swirled in her kitty head.

    Veronica recalled what Arthur said yesterday after lunch. "Don''t think the king is easy just because he granted you a wish. He is rather an ambitious and greedy man. You should be careful around him. Don''t show your smile too often. I told you to be wary of men, did you forget that? Why do you keep showing your hair and smiling to others?"

    ''So, that''s why he was warning me. I thought he was being rude and all¡­ He was trying to save him from this disaster.'' Veronica wept. ''I was wrong, Arthur. I won''t do this again. Please change me back or wake me up from this hellish nightmare. I don''t want to marry an old fart either. I would rather marry a skirt chaser like you.''

    As she was crying, she heard amotion inside. She stopped weeping and paid attention to what was going on inside. She heard King Edward V shouting, "Bring that impudent woman in front of me right now. How dare that wench try to defy me? Going against the imperialmand is a serious crime!"

    Veronica flinched. "What am I going to do? The king is angry. Wait, what was the punishment for defying the imperialmand¡­'' She tried her best to remember all the books she had read since childhood. And she remembered, ''Sianw is a bit crueler than the rest of the kingdoms. The punishment for defying imperialw is¡­ beheading!''

    ''I can''t stay here any longer. I have to live a long life. I should leave this ce as soon as possible,'' she thought of that and came out of her clothes. She heard some footsteps and hid behind therge curtain.

    Since she didn''t notice who wasing closer, she missed Arthur who just passed by her side and went to the balcony to look for her.

    She peeked inside the ballroom and checked people''s actions and then moved from one curtain to another curtain. It was good that the windows were close to one another. She could hurry to another curtain without much of a problem.

    Because of her, the glorious party had turned upside down. The Sian soldiers entered the ballroom and started to look for Veronica, the criminal who dared to shame His Majesty the King.

    Since the soldiers were looking for her in every nook and cranny, it was hard for her to move anymore. The soldiers were checking the curtains, behind the statues, and under the food tables as well. They left no space for a human to hide.

    Even so, that wasn''t the part she was worried about. She was frightened of what would happen if they found a cat behind the curtains.

    ''Would they kill me or fry me?'' she pondered. ''Both are worse. It means I''ll eventually die whatever the process. I can''t let them do either of that to me. I have to find a way not to let them see me but they are approaching me.''

    She saw the guardsing closer. They looked scary. It reminded her of the Death God she read in a book. She shivered. ''How did Marshall Nolmes escape from his enemy?''

    Marshall Nomles was a highly skilled detective who solved many mysteries. He was also sent to do some espionage missions. The detective book she bought was all about Marshal Nomles solving mysteries.

    ''Oh yeah, there was a time he hid in the enemy''s house knowing the enemy would search for him anywhere but his own ce.'' Veronica peeked out of the curtain and looked at King Edward V and Prime Minister who were standing near the throne. Soldiers weren''t searching near them since there was no way Veronica was there. ''If I can just get there¡­''

    She turned around and went back to where she came from. As she reached the balcony, she saw for a split second that her clothes, shoes, and jewelry were all gone. She didn''t have the time to think about that. Using the curtains'' cover, she went close to the throne.

    She almost reached her destination when she heard, "Oh? What''s this?"

 Chapter 90 - MY PET

    <h4>Chapter 90 - MY PET</h4>

    Veronica sessfully hid behind the curtains without anyone''s notice. The nervousness in her heart began to fade away. She became more courageous and bolder. She peeked out of the curtain and decided to hide underneath the throne. No soldiers would look for her there and she would be safe.

    Just as she nned, she used nearby statues as covers and jumped from one ce to another. Unknown to her, someone spotted her tiny body and her bold moves. That person squinted their eyebrows.

    Veronica was now standing behind a statue that was before the stairs. There were seven stairs and then her goal awaited her. The throne.

    There was a statue in every other stair. She reached the highest stair by jumping from behind one statue to another. ''Yes! I''ve almost reached it. This is so easy. I will just need to jump only once and then I will reach there. You can do this Ver!'' She gave herself some encouragement and was fully ready for herst jump.

    Just then, she heard a voice, "Oh? What''s this?"

    Veronica instantly froze. She shut her eyes and told herself in her mind, ''I saw nothing. I heard nothing.'' She repeatedly told herself that and decided to stay behind the statue. She couldn''t dare to move and was too scared to even open her eyes.

    To her surprise, she was picked up in a very ungently manner. Someone grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and picked her up.

    "Hey, what are you doing?!" she shouted with all her might but the only word that came out of her mouth was, "Meow?!"

    Veronica used her paws to p the mannerless person and managed to leave only a scratch.

    "Ouch."

    Upon hearing a monotonous remark, she finally opened her eyes and saw a pale face and long dirty blonde hair. The person was wearing sses. His left cheek had three scratch marks which were definitely done by her a few seconds ago.

    "The Prime Minister!" She eximed. "Meow!" She covered her mouth when she realized she spoke like a cat.

    The Prime Minister narrowed his eyes. Hemented, "You are the most unusual cat I''ve ever seen."

    "It''s because I''m not a cat!" Veronica berated him with as much indignation in her voice as possible which ultimately sounded again like "Meow!"

    The Prime Minister tilted his head. "Hmm? Do you understand what I''m saying? As I thought, you are unusual. Or perhaps, intelligent."

    Veronica''s tiny heart was going wild. She was so scared that she couldn''t think of anything. ''Wait, what about the king? Did he see me? He won''t recognize me, right?'' She fearfully thought.

    She turned her head to look for the king. The king was standing in front of the throne. He was so excited and angry that he couldn''t sit calmly. His eyes were scanning the crowd with eagle-like tenacity. He had no time to pay attention to an insignificant cat.

    She sighed in relief. She looked at the Prime Minister who was staring at her and began to observe him. ''Hmm, what are you nning, sses guy? I don''t have time for your game. Leave me alone!'' She now used her right leg to kick him.

    The Prime Minister was ready this time around. He moved his hand away. This way, Veronica wasn''t able to reach his face.

    "Let me go, sses guy!" she shouted in anger. "Meow!"

    This time, she was rather loud. Her voice attracted attention from some people. The king was one of them.

    King Edward V looked at his Prime Minister and noticed that he was grabbing a cat. He slightly frowned. "A cat? Where did thise from? Have you forgotten that animals are prohibited inside the Imperial Pce?"

    He didn''t hate animals but his mood dropped when he couldn''t see Veronica. Even his soldiers couldn''t find her. Before entering the ballroom, he found out from his men that Veronica entered the ballroom and was Major General Orion''s partner. However, right now, Major General Orion was standing with other high officials. There was no woman in that men''s group.

    The Prime Minister was quick to apologize, "I''m sorry, Your Majesty. This is my pet. It must have missed me so it came to find me."

    "Is this your pet? When did you get a pet?" King Edward V gave him a doubtful look with narrow eyes.

    The Prime Minister lied without batting his eyelids, "Recently, Your majesty. It''s not even a week. She doesn''t know anyone other than me. She relies on me a lot. Probably followed my scent"

    Veronica thought, ''I have to show the king that the sses guy is my master or he might order to cut me in half.'' Just as she nned, she sweetly called, "You, sses guy, thank you for saving me." Her eyes twinkled and gave a happy expression. "Meow!"

    King Edward V saw that the cat was really chummy with his Prime Minister. He said, "Take it out. I don''t want to see it again."

    "Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for your benevolence." The Prime Minister bowed and took away Veronica.

    ''Thank goodness I''m out of the ballroom. But, what will happen to me now?'' Veronica pondered. She nced at the Prime Minister who grabbed her in a much gentler way this time. She sat on his arms without a fuss and thought, ''He isn''t a bad guy but I cannot stay with him. I have to meet Arthur and somehow convince him of my true identity.'' Thinking of how she ended up as a cat, her heart was filled with sorrow. ''I cannot trust anyone anymore.''

    The Prime Minister walked for a long time before he reached his office. He put down the cat on the floor and said, "You have been obedient for a while. I guess you are smarter than you look. Are you hungry?"

    "Yes, I''m hungry. I didn''t get to eat anything. I''m thirsty too," Veronica stated how much she had suffered. "Meow! Meooow! Meeeow!"

    "Judging by your look, I guess you are hungry. I''ll give you something to eat right away. Stay here," the Prime Minister left her in his office.

    Veronica was satisfied with his attitude. She looked around the office and thought, ''That''s an intelligent man. He understands me right away. I''m so aa¡­ ahhh!''

    She jumped three meters back and looked at the thing that was given by her new owner warily. She didn''t even realize when the Prime Minister entered the room.

    But, that wasn''t the point right now. The main point was ¨C he offered her a dead mouse.

    ''W-why is he giving me a rat?'' Veronica thought. The dead mouse was bleeding. It was dirty too. The smell that wasing from it was rotten. Anyone would vomit if they smelt it.

    "What? you don''t like it? Most cats love eating rats though," the Prime Minister spoke as he rubbed his chin.

    "I''m not like other normal cats. I''m a human cat. I can''t eat rats or anything raw!" Veronica started to reprimand him. "Even if I could, how could you give me a bloody, rotten rat? Where is your humanity?!"

    She moved around and said, "Meow. Meoow! Meeow!"

    That''s what the Prime Minister saw. Hemented, "So, you don''t like rats. How unusual." He threw the rat out of the window and sat on the couch. "I think I underestimated you. You have a clean body and an excellent feature. You are a pet of a noble, aren''t you?"

    "¡­" Veronica stayed quiet. She didn''t want to bring up anyone imaginary and cause more trouble.

    The Prime Minister poured a ss of water into a ceramic bowl. Then, he left the bowl on the ground and shoved it toward her. He remarked, "Let me guess, your owner didn''t want to leave you at home and brought you here, to the Imperial Pce. Whoever is this, must be foolish. I don''t have to guess that it''s an aristocraticdy. Only females have pets like cats and birds. Too bad that your owner will never find you. Since you were lost, she has to think you have been killed by the guards after they found you. If you want to survive in the Imperial Pce, be a good pet and no trouble wille toward you."

    As he talked to her, he observed her every action.

    Veronica was thirsty and she had an adventure. She was craving something to eat and drink. Finally, she was given a bowl of water in front of her.

    She was relieved and went closer to the bowl. She didn''t even care about what her new owner was saying. She started to think, ''How should I drink water? I can''t lick water. If I try licking it, who knows how long it will take. I''m so thirsty. I would rather drink it like a human.''

    She lowered her head in the bowl and opened her mouth. As she tried to drink, she choked miserably.

    "Cough! Cough! Cough!" she started to cough vigorously. There was no stopping there.

    The Prime Minister monotonously advised her, "Since you turned into a cat, you should act like a cat, Miss Veronica."

 Chapter 91 - THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN CAT AND HUMAN

    <h4>Chapter 91 - THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN CAT AND HUMAN</h4>

    The moment she began to cough, she regretted trying to drink the water like a human. She choked because of that and ended up coughing vigorously.

    The Prime Minister observed her odd behavior for a moment and monotonously advised her, "Since you turned into a cat, you should act like a cat, Miss Veronica."

    ''What?'' Veronica froze. She even forgot to cough, let alone breathing. She slowly turned toward the Prime Minister, her tail swinging nervously.

    "What? Not coughing anymore? Cat got your tongue? Oh, wait. You are a cat yourself." The Prime Minister smirked and rubbed his chin. It looked like he was enjoying her misery. "I had a doubt before but after seeing your reaction just now, I know for sure that you are Miss Veronica."

    Veronica became restless. ''Oh no! I made a mistake. What should I do? What will he do? Will he send me to the king? Wait, I''m a cat right now. No human can marry a cat.'' Slowly, she calmed down. ''Let''s wait and see what he has to say. Then, I will decide what I have to do.''

    "It was weird when I saw that everyone was present at the ball but you suddenly disappeared after I entered with His Majesty. Then, there was a cat somehow. It came to the ballroom without letting a single guard notice her. I found it strange. The way the cat was jumping from one ce to another, anyone could say it was a trained cat or a spy cat which is quite impossible."

    He added, "And then, I caught you. For a second, I thought I was delusional for thinking that a cat was looking like Miss Veronica who suddenly disappeared. I thought I was going crazy from the work pressure. Silver hair or fur and emerald eyes aren''tmon in this continent, you know. However, the more I observed the more you seemed to be the most different type of cat I''ve ever seen. You should have acted like a cat if you were trying to hide your identity as one."

    "I wasn''t trying to hide my identity," Veronica retorted. "Meow!"

    "You must have a lot of things to say. Why don''t you write them down," saying that the Prime Minister stood up and went over to the study table and took some papers, an inkpot and a quill. After that, he ced them on the tea table beforeying down the parchments and hoisted Veronica''s cat body to put her there. Then, he gave her the quill and said, "Now, write down what you have to say. Howe you ended up as a cat? Is this how you wanted to escape from our king''s grasp?"

    ''This man is too cunning. I don''t understand what he is thinking at all,'' Veronica pondered. ''Well, there is nothing I can do about it. For now, I have to listen to him. Ahhh! I feel like I have really turned into a pet now.''

    She grimaced and reached out her hand to grab the quill. Her paw hung in the midair remembering she couldn''t write with her now different forelimb. She sighed and used her mouth to hold the quill. Afterward, she sank the quill brush in the inkpot and began to write, "I did not want to turn into a cat. Someone made me."

    Just from writing this much, she was sweating. She didn''t think writing with one''s mouth was so horrifyingly hard.

    The Prime Minister tapped on the table lightly andmented, "I thought you only knew how to speak Siannguage. I didn''t expect you to write ournguage as well. You are more knowledgeable than I thought. I underestimated you."

    "Meow!" Veronica felt proud that she was praised for learning his mothernguage. ''That''s right. I''m knowledgeable!'' In the temple, all she had to do was work in the morning and read at night. Learning something new was a favorite pastime of hers.

    The Prime Minister mentioned, "So, you are saying that someone saved you from our King by making you a pet."

    Veronica shook her head. This man was making up all sorts of weird scenarios, making her appearance change look like some kind of royal conspiracy. So, she wrote hurriedly, "Someone didn''t like me." She didn''t want to be caught up with any royal family drama of any country. She had no interest in being beheaded.

    She didn''t want him to guess an even more unimaginable conspiracy theory. These royal and their calctive brains.

    "Oh, then it means it''s because of jealousy." The Prime Minister frowned and mumbled, "You only danced with two men and unfortunately, they were both popr with women. I guess it was a woman who made you like this."

    Noticing Veronica''s surprised eyes, he assumed what he said was right. He questioned her, "Did you know thedy who did this to you?"

    Veronica lowered her head. Feeling sorrow. She slowly nodded with her small head.

    "This is surprising. So, the person was from your kingdom, not ours." The Prime Minister picked her up by the cor and sniffed.

    "!!!" Veronica was rmed by his actions and waved her four paws frantically, trying to make him move his face away from her body.

    The Prime Minister calmly said, "Rx. I''m trying to find out what kind of magic spell they used on you."

    "A magic spell?" Veronica was confused. "Meow?" Now that he mentioned it, her head became clearer. ''Why didn''t I think of it before? Of course, it was spellcraft. If it wasn''t magic, what else could it be?'' She pped her face with her right paw.

    The Prime Minister told her, "No need to hurt yourself. It must be the first time for you to know that humans can be turned into animals using magic. That is why you had no idea what was happening to you. If you ask me, you are rather calmer than other people who were turned into animals. That''s why I find you more interesting."

    ''Well, I always think of how to solve the problem rather than crying over how my situation had turned bad. That''s why I can always keep my head cool and get out of any problem thates before me,'' Veronica thought with a bit of pride.

    The Prime Minister sniffed once more. He thoughtfullymented, "Hmm, you have a sweet smell of multiple flowers on you. I guess this is the fragrance of your body. However, there is a bitter odor that is mixed with it. The odor is definitely suspicious." He put her down and walked toward his bookshelves. He picked up a book after scouring through his collection briefly once and sat on his chair.

    ''What is he reading? I want to read it too,'' Veronica thought. ''But, can I jump from the tea-table to the reading table in one go or without hurting myself. It looks so high. I never thought there would be a time I would think a reading table is higher than my size after I passed the age of six,'' she scowled just thinking about that.

    She stretched her hands and legs backward and then flew into the air. She was able to reach a higher position than the table.

    ''Yes! I almost reached!'' Her eyes sparkled. Her body lowered and her hands touched the edge of the table. And then her whole body mmed into the table''s backside.

    "Ouch!" She winced in pain. "Meow!"

    She couldn''t keep her bnce anymore and fell to the ground. She got hurt on both sides of her body. ''It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!'' She growled and squeezed her eyes shut.

    "Why are you being so restless?" The Prime Minister got up from the chair and came toward her. He sneered at her, "Did you think, you can jump like a cat just because you turned into a cat now? Even cats need to practice how to jump."

    ''Oh, shut up! I''m in pain. I don''t need you to rub salt on my wound!'' Veronica was thoroughly displeased with the way he was making fun of her effort.

    He lifted her up and put her on the table. "Were you curious about the spell that was cast on you? You could have just told me," he said.

    ''Why didn''t I think of that?'' Veronica wondered. ''Is my brain turning into a cat brain too? Don''t tell me I''m going to eat raw rats in the future!'' Her face paled as she panicked.

    The Prime Minister didn''t spare her another nce. He could care less about her nonsensical behavior. He was more curious about her curse. He flipped over some pages and said, "Here it is. Look, this is the magic spell that was cast on you."

    Veronica stopped thinking about other things and peeked at the book. However, she couldn''t understand what was written. She had seen and learned manynguages since childhood but thisnguage wasn''t any of that. It was also different from the rest of thenguages and there were no simrities. This uniquenguage made her puzzled. She could only see the pictures which left her utterly confused.

    The Prime Minister said, "Do you not understand the spell? Well, I''m not surprised. It''s written in an ancientnguage. Only magicians and some highly knowledgeable people can read thisnguage. Thisnguage was forbidden after what happened in the Great War."

    Veronica thought, ''So, this kind of thing actually happened. But, I wonder why thisnguage is forbidden. I should ask Arthur when I turned back into a human. He reads lots of books. He must know what happened in the Great War that led people to kill each other and then forbade anguage that is so important.''

    The Prime Minister read a couple of lines and frowned deeply. His expression was grave.

    "¡­" Veronica had a bad feeling about this.

    Finally, the Prime Minister opened his mouth and told her the meaning behind her magic spell, "This is bad. This is not just any normal magic spell. This is a curse."

 Chapter 92 - VERONICAS WISH

    <h4>Chapter 92 - VERONICA''S WISH</h4>

    The Prime Minister opened his mouth and told her the meaning behind the magic spell, "This is bad. This is not just any normal magic spell. This is a curse."

    "Curse? W-what do you mean?" Veronica nervously asked. "Meow? M-meow?"

    The Prime Minister didn''t have to work his brain to understand what she was thinking about. He said in an unhurried tone, "You don''t understand spell craft, do you? It''s all right. Not just anyone understands these things unless they study spell craft. The magic spell that was ced on you was actually a curse. Since it was about love rivalry, I think it''s a love curse. These kinds of things can be very nasty."

    He thought about the person who used the magic spell to curse Veronica, ''To think thisdy would go this far for something like this. Thedy who did this is really foolish. She won''t get the heart of a man she loves like this. What was she even hoping for? Women like that are easy to fool.''

    Veronica jumped out of the table and brought the paper and quill close by her paws. She wrote down again with her mouth with much effort, "If it''s a curse, how can I turn back to human?"

    The Prime Minister read what she wrote and answered, "Even if you ask me, I cannot answer that. You need to ask the person who was involved in cursing you. Since you already know that person, why don''t you ask her instead? She might tell you what you have to do. The chance is very low if you ask me. I mean, she didn''t turn you into a cat to make you a human, you know."

    Veronica lowered her head. ''What he said was logical. That person may not want to turn me into a human again. But she can at least tell me what to do. I won''t know if I don''t try,'' she pondered.

    She wrote down, "I want to meet her."

    The Prime Minister ced his right hand under his chin. "I don''t mind if you want to meet her. However, you have to be careful. All the guards are stationed in the guest room area by the order of His Majesty the King. You must know pets are forbidden in the castle. If you are going to go, the guards might catch you. If His Majesty the King sees you and realizes that it''s you, you can forget about getting out of the country." He narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Maybe you want to be his fifteenth consort¡­"

    ''No way in hell I want to marry anyone!'' Veronica vigorously shook her head. She would rather get out of this kingdom as soon as possible. This ball tonight has only brought her misery.

    The Prime Minister fixed his sses and stated, "Since you don''t want to be a consort, please leave this kingdom and never return. I don''t want another headache to add to my head. I have lots of tasks to finish as the Prime Minister of this kingdom. Our King may be greedy when ites to prettydies but he is a wise ruler. Please don''t be offended because he is searching for you all over the capital."

    Veronica flinched. ''Should I be thankful that I became a cat?'' she wondered.

    She recalled Saint Ava once telling her, "Some bad things happen for your own good. You should be thankful for that."

    The Prime Minister questioned her, "So, do you want to leave this kingdom as soon as possible?"

    Veronica quickly nodded. There was no way she would want to stay here longer.

    "Fine, your people may leave the castle in three days. They should have stayed here longer but thanks to you, our King isn''t in a good mood. So, your people will leave quickly," the Prime Minister told her in a happy tone.

    Veronica scowled. ''Howe is this my fault? I didn''t tell anyone to marry me.''

    ----------

    Later, at midnight, the Prime Minister took her to the guest room area. It was the time knights were shifting their duties and the Prime Minister was a high official. No one bothered to stop him or question his reasons to enter there.

    He steadily walked to the hall and then stopped in front of a room. Then, he politely knocked on the door.

    "Who is it?" a girl''s voice came from inside the room.

    The Prime Minister replied, "Please open the door. I have something urgent to discuss."

    The girl opened the door and was surprised to see the Prime Minister. "Sir, what do you need at this hour?" She was already wearing her nightclothes and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders.

    The Prime Minister didn''t respond to her question. Rather, he said with amanding tone, "May Ie inside? I don''t wish to chat while standing."

    The girl hesitated before stepping back. "¡­Yes, please."

    The Prime Minister entered the room and said, "I would like you to close the door. You don''t want others to hear what I am going to say."

    The girl flinched by his sharp stare and hurriedly closed the door. She sat on a chair and asked, "What do you, Sir?"

    The Prime Minister replied as he sat on the couch, "I have no business with you. The one who has a business with you is her."

    "Her?" The girl was confused. She couldn''t see anyone with the Prime Minister. "Who?" she meekly asked him.

    At that time, a cat came out of the Prime Minister''s outer robe. The cat had silver fur and emerald eyes. The girl saw the cat and her face instantly paled.

    "Miss, why does it look like blood drained from your face? Don''t tell me you recognize this cat?" The Prime Minister leaned against the couch and continued, "I just found her today and I was surprised to see that she resembles Miss Veronica so much."

    He noticed how the girl''s body stiffened upon hearing Veronica''s name. He added, "This is the first time I saw this cat but why does it look like you know the cat as well? Is this your cat? Do you know that pets are forbidden in the castle? You must know that, don''t you? For breaking an imperialw, you will be beheaded. Do you know that?"

    As soon as he stopped speaking, the girl knelt on the floor and bowed. She spoke in a quivering voice, "Please Sir, have mercy. I don''t know this cat."

    ''She is easy to y with,'' the Prime Minister thought. Then, he said, "But this cat seems to know you. When I asked her who her master is, she dragged me here. A cat has a good sense of direction. This isn''t unknown to you, is it?"

    Just to prove his words were right, the cat walked closer to the girl and rubbed her face on the girl''s leg. The cat meowed in a coquettish way, "Meow."

    The girl gritted her teeth in anger and raised her hand to p the cat. ''It doesn''t matter whether you are a cat or a human. All bad things happen whenever you are around. You filthy cat!'' she cursed Veronica in her mind.

    "What do you think you are trying to do?" the Prime Minister''s cold voice froze her body while her hand was in midair.

    The girl stated, "Th-this cat is framing me. I don''t know this cat."

    "And, because of that, will you harm an innocent cat? What nonsense! This cat was so pitiful after losing its master and now the master rejects her so heartlessly. Because of that, you deserve a worse punishment!" The Prime Minister looked terrifyingly angry.

    The girl began to tremble in fear. She lowered her head and kept saying, "Pl-please have mercy, sir. Please have mercy."

    The Prime Minister coldly refuted, "Hmph! Only care about yourself, so selfish. I can''t believe a girl like you is a healer. You better take good care of the cat and make sure it rests and eats well. I''m not sure if you are also behind Miss Veronica''s disappearance. Are you involved in any way?"

    The girl''s face was ashen. She bowed deeply and said, "I''m not any part of Veronica''s disappearance. Please believe me."

    "I''ll keep an eye on you. If you are found involved in Miss Veronica''s disappearance, His Majesty the King will throw you in the dungeon." The Prime Minister threatened her for a good while and then stood up. "I will take my leave. Don''t forget what I just told you."

    The girl quickly said, "Yes, yes, I won''t forget. I will take care of Vero¨C I mean the cat, my pet."

    The Prime Minister left the room and spoke inwardly, ''I finished my job. The rest is up to you. I hope you will keep your promise. I don''t wish to face you again in this life, Miss Veronica.''

    As soon as the man left, the girl stood up and closed the door. Then, she slowly turned toward the cat. "I can''t believe I ended up with a slut like you. You became a cat and still managed to seduce another influential man to work for you. You must use your appearance a lot, don''t you? Should I destroy your beautiful face?"

 Chapter 93 - THE PERSON WHO CURSED VERONICA

    <h4>Chapter 93 - THE PERSON WHO CURSED VERONICA</h4>

    In the Prime Minister''s room, the Prime Minister had bargained with Veronica.

    He suddenly said, "Let''s make a deal."

    "¡­" Veronica tilted her head and looked at him curiously. She wanted to know what he was nning now.

    He exined what he wanted, "I will let you go to the person who cursed you and make sure she doesn''t hurt you. In return, you have to leave this kingdom in the cat form. You can turn back into your human self wherever you want but not here. Furthermore, never step a foot in this kingdom, ever. Have I made myself clear?"

    Veronica nodded her head. The deal was in her favor. She had no n on staying here or turning into a human in Sia to be the king''s fifteenth consort.

    "Then, it''s a promise," he stated.

    That was how they ended up in the perpetrator''s room who turned Veronica into a cat.

    After the Prime Minister left, the girl who was shivering in fear went back to her original demeanor. Her expression turned ugly as she said, "I can''t believe I ended up with a slut like you. You became a cat and still managed to seduce another influential man to work for you. You must use your appearance a lot, don''t you? Should I destroy your beautiful face?"

    Veronica stayed quiet. She stepped forward and opened her mouth. Something dropped from her mouth with a soft clinking sound before it rolled toward the girl and stopped right in front of her feet.

    She bent and picked it up. It was a small but hollow cylindrical item, made of silver. Inside it, there was a rolled paper. She unfolded it and found something written in there.

    "If you don''t help Miss Veronica to break her curse, prepare to live the rest of your life in the dungeon for harming the candidate of a royal consort."

    At the end of the note, there was a seal of the Prime Minister.

    The girl''s expression changed after recognizing the seal. "He¡­ he is the Prime Minister!" There was no way she couldn''t recognize this seal.

    She wanted to tear the note and throw it away, but she couldn''t. She was afraid that she would be taken to the dungeon if she did that.

    When she realized that she couldn''t do anything, she turned to face Veronica and red at her. "You are lucky, aren''t you? If it wasn''t for the king, you would be dead by now. It''s all your fault that I''m suffering and I can''t get his heart!"

    Veronica simply shrugged. She would never believe that she was the reason for anyone''s suffering when she did nothing. She wouldn''t admit it as long as one could not show her logical proof.

    "You are such a whore, you know that? The only thing you know is to seduce others. Arthur, the Major General, the King, and now, even the Prime Minister fell for your tricks," she mumbled as her anger rose.

    Veronica was hurt by her words. She thought, ''This is not what I wanted either. And, just because you couldn''t get one''s love and affection, it doesn''t mean you can shove the me and anger onto someone else. I really thought of you as my friend, Leticia.''

    Leticia couldn''t control her anger. Her face was as red as her hair. Her braids bounced as she strode back and forth, from one corner to another corner in her room. Finally, she stopped and sat on the couch.

    She opened her mouth and said, "Fine, I will tell you how to break the curse."

    -------

    Leticia was born in a Baron''s house. As the eldest child, she had to study a lot. She was the future heiress of her family. She hardly had any time to have fun. That''s how she gradually became a quiet girl.

    However, one rainy day, her parents died in an ident. They were traveling to the north and a snowstorm got them. Her rtives took this chance to take the authority. She was only twelve back then.

    When her power as a healer was discovered, her rtives sent her to the royal pce. And, they never contacted her again. It had been four years since she left her home.

    Although she wished to go back home, she didn''t want to face her rtives who always abused her while leading a luxurious life using her parents'' money.

    She wasn''t very outgoing and always stayed inside the library to read books. Violet, her only friend, didn''t like her being so anti-social. She dragged her out one day. And, that was when she saw Arthur for the first time.

    Arthur had this sameid-back attitude then as well. While he was drinking the most expensive wine, beautiful women gathered around him. He shut his eyes, enjoying his drink while the corner of his lips was slightly lifted.

    There was something about him that drew her close to him. After that night, she would regrly go out and visit the usual ce. She would steal nces at him from time to time. Gradually, she was attracted to him to the point she became obsessed.

    But, everything changed when he met a girl at Morina''s Pce. He took her to his room and stayed there all night. It was the first time she saw him being so aggressive. It was the first time he forcefully took a woman in his bed.

    From outside the door, she heard that woman''s soft moans and sweet calls. She never felt such jealousy before. She felt as though something was stolen from her. Inside her heart she sensed something eating her slowly, painfully.

    She couldn''t have a wink of sleep that night.

    Later, she saw Veronica meeting him from time to time abruptly and unannounced. Arthur''s schedule also changed and he stopped going to Morina''s Pce.

    All of a sudden, the man whom she thought she knew more than herself became a stranger. His schedulepletely changed.

    And then, she saw Veronica and Arthur in the desert. They were acting like a couple. Flirting, fighting ¨C whatever it was, it made them look like they were inseparable.

    Leticia recalled the woman from Morina''s Pce and noticed the resemnce between that girl and Veronica.

    Even a fool would understand what was going on.

    Then...

 Chapter 94 - THE FORCEFULL DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 94 - THE FORCEFULL DECISION</h4>

    It was hard for Leticia but she pretended to be a good friend with Veronica and every day, she kept an eye on Arthur and Veronica. When she heard that Major General Orion was interested in Veronica, she spread rumors about Arthur and Veronica so that other girls could get jealous and attack her.

    She knew how Ivona felt for Arthur. She used that one to trap her. Ivona shoved away many women who were around Arthur so that she could have him all for himself. Leticia wished Veronica would be tortured by Ivona at some point and then Veronica would disappear just like other women.

    Although she wanted it so badly, Ivona didn''t act ording to her wish. Ivona was the team leader of the new healer''s group. She had lots of responsibilities. Even though she began to hate Veronica, she didn''t have the time and energy to go after her.

    Moreover, Arthur was always keeping an eye on Veronica. Even if Ivona had some chance, she couldn''t do anything.

    Nheless, there were many opportunities to harm veronica. Before Ivona or Leticia could do something, they had to be separated and Veronica was with Arthur as they began their journey to the northwest.

    Later, Leticia met a wizard in a small town in Sia and bought a curse spell. She was given a paper with magic in exchange for a hefty amount of money.

    Almost two monthster, Leticia finally met Veronica. She waited for a good opportunity to get her alone. After meeting her on the balcony at the ball, she couldn''t control her jealousy any longer.

    How could she? She had been waiting to dance with Arthur but his eyes never left Veronica. It was like in his world, only one person existed and that was Veronica.

    In the end, Veronica got to dance with Major General Orion and Arthur. The two most handsome men only danced with her and no one else.

    ''Why?'' Leticia thought. ''She wore the clothes and jewelry which were given by Major General Orion. So, she would only stick to him. Why does it have to be Arthur as well? This whore! I should teach her a lesson before she goes too far!''

    Her moment came not long after and she finally tore the magic scroll and cursed Veronica. After that, she secretly left the balcony. She was feeling a lot better seeing a cat Veronica rather than a human Veronica.

    But then, luck wasn''t on her side that night. The King announced his marriage to Veronica who already got kids of her age. The guards started to look for her.

    Later at night, the Prime Minister came to her room with Veronica in her cat form. She knew she was doomed. However, he spared her life in exchange for the deal of turning Veronica back into a human.

    ''That luck of her!'' Leticia gritted her teeth. ''I shouldn''t have turned her into a cat. She would get married to the king and then my path would be clear. Damn it all!''

    In the end, she was forced to agree to help Veronica.

    ----------------

    The next day, Leticia secretly took Veronica out and left her where Veronica wanted to be dropped. Then, the girl left without looking back at her.

    Veronica saw Leticia''s figure mixed in the crowd and then, she lowered her head. Her heart hurt just a little. ''So, this is how it is. I guess I was never her friend. I wish I knew what Violet thought of me.''

    The bustling city was full of people. The imperial guards were checking all women in the town. Veronica realized that they were looking for her. She smugly walked in front of them with her beautiful tail riding high knowing they could never recognize her no matter how hard they tried.

    Just then, she saw Arthur''s horse standing in the marketce. She waited for Arthur to return and soon he did. The pain in her heart subsided the moment she took a nce at him.

    Arthur''s expression was grim. There were dark circles under his eyes. He looked tired and worn out.

    ''Why does he look so haggard?'' Veronica thought.

    At that time, Arthur met someone. That person she knew all too well.

    It was Felix.

    "Did you find her?" Felix asked him.

    ''Hmm? Do they know each other? How?'' Veronica wondered.

    Arthur replied, "No. There was no trace of her left anywhere."

    "This is bad," Felix said. "We must find her before the king does."

    ''Are they looking for me?'' Veronica finally saw some hope.

    "We have to find her by evening. I''m leaving at night. If I still can''t find her, I will have to leave without her. Since you are staying here for a couple of days, find her at any cost. Don''t let the king find her," Arthur instructed him.

    "I will definitely find her. Are you leaving tonight no matter what?" Felix asked him.

    Arthur responded, "I have no choice. I need to investigate the war further."

    Veronica thought, ''So, Arthur is leaving tonight. I must go with him but¡­.''

    She remembered what Leticia told her ¨C "You cannot let Arthur know who you are. As soon as he finds out, the curse will be permanent."

    After their conversation ended, Arthur left and Felix stayed in the market, strolling around.

    Veronica realized that he was looking for her. ''I can believe in him since he is working with Arthur,'' she pondered. After turning into a cat, she started to have some trust issues.

    When she approached him, Felix was quick to notice. "A cat?" He was surprised. He hoisted her by grabbing her by the scruff and observed her. "You don''t look like a street cat and you look oddly familiar. Why are you following me?"

    Veronica showed a rolled paper that was tied up in her leg. Felix frowned and took it off. ''I never thought people would use a cat as a messenger instead of birds. When did cats be smarter?'' he wondered.

    He unfolded the paper and read the content. Instantly, his eyes widened in shock. He had a hard time believing what was written in there. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the content once again to confirm that what he saw was right and not a hallucination.

 Chapter 95 - FELIXS ASTONISHMENT

    <h4>Chapter 95 - FELIX''S ASTONISHMENT</h4>

    Felix gaped at the note he was reading. Even if thunder fell on top of his head, he wouldn''t be this surprised.

    There was one sentence in the note. That was ¨C

    I AM VERONICA

    Felix blinked several times and then stole nces at the cat in his arm. He concluded that he wasn''t delusional. He whispered, "Miss Veronica, is that really you?"

    Veronica''s eyes shimmered withughter and relief as she thought he recognized her. She nodded vigorously.

    [A/N: Just imagine a cat nodding its head like a human XD ]

    Felix was stunned when the cat nodded its head like any normal human. ''It can''t be! The cat understands my words and even acts like a human. This must be really Miss Veronica. But how?''

    "Sir Felix, I''m hungry," Veronica said while rubbing her stomach. "Meow."

    Felix understood her gesture. "Oh, you must be hungry. Let''s take you to a restaurant."? Later, he took her to a restaurant and ordered meals for both of them.

    When fish curry, spicy meat stew and bread were served, Veronica''s eyes sparkled. ''Finally, some meat!'' She blew the stew and started to eat.

    Felix bnced his face on his palm and observed her. ''No matter how I see it, this is Miss Veronica. This silver fur, green eyes and her love for meat. No normal cat would take meat over fish,'' as he thought that, he pulled the fishbowl toward him.

    After they finished eating, he asked her politely, "Miss Veronica, how did you turn into a cat?"

    Veronica pulled the paper that was given by him and bit the quill. Then she wrote with great effort, "Curse spell."

    Felix frowned. "Who cursed you?"

    Veronica didn''t write anything. She didn''t want Leticia to be harmed. Leticia may not see her as her friend but she thought of Leticia as her friend. So, what the other party felt was none of her business.

    Felix saw how quiet she was. He said, "Let''s go to Master Arthur. He will take care of it." He was about to stand up.

    Veronica sprinted and grabbed his hand. Afterward, she vigorously shook her head. She didn''t want Arthur to find out about her curse or she would be a cat forever!

    "What''s wrong?" Felix was surprised by her abrupt action.

    Veronica quickly wrote down the reason and he became silent. He pondered, ''This is tricky. I know Master could help her to break the curse. I''m a novice when ites to reading books and spells. If we can''t ask for his help, we have to find the culprit and let them break the curse.''

    His eyesnded on the silver fur kitty who was writing something on the paper. He read what she was writing. "So, you know how to break the curse! The person who cursed you told you about this?" he asked.

    When she nodded in reply, he mumbled, "Why did that person curse you and even tell you how to break a curse?" He came up with a conclusion soon enough, "That culprit must have been threatened by someone, haven''t they?"

    Veronica was astounded noticing how intelligent he was. He was right on the dot. She nodded her head. Still couldn''t get rid of her amazement. ''Are all the people around Arthur this smart? If I stay with him more, will I be smarter as well?'' she thought.

    ''I wonder who threatened the culprit. It can''t be Master. But It has to be someone powerful. Since she didn''t tell me who cursed her, she may not tell me who threatened the culprit either,'' Felix thought.

    Then, he told her, "Since the person already told you how to break a curse, things are a lot easier then. Tell me, Miss Veronica. How to break this curse?"

    Veronica remembered what she was told by Leticia. "You were cursed because you were too close to Arthur. You don''t deserve him. That''s why the first thing you cannot do is tell him you were cursed or you will stay as a cat forever. The moment your heart will distance from him, the curse will break automatically. Until then, stay close to him. But, don''t let him find out."

    Veronica exined to Felix what Leticia told her.

    Felix frowned. "What a nasty curse!" He was thoroughly displeased. "How can you stay close to Master and not let him find out? Even if you can do that somehow, how can your heart be distant from him? This is so annoying."

    ''The curse was given to her because she was close to Master. That''s why he needs to know more than anyone what has happened. But even I cannot tell him what is going on. This is so frustrating.'' He pped the table not so gently.

    ''Since it was because of him, I guess the culprit is a girl. I will find her and make sure she can never harm my benefactor again,'' he promised to himself.

    He sighed. "Fine, Master Arthur is leaving tonight. I will let you be with him. I will not tell him who you are. Just be sure you don''t act like a human and make him suspicious about your identity. Or, you may have to remain as a cat forever."

    Veronica nodded. ''I will do my best to act like a cat.'' She swore.

    Later, she regretted taking this oath very much.

    ---------

    As promised, Felix took her to Arthur at midnight.

    "What''s this?" Arthur asked him to see a bamboo basket with him.

    "This¡­ is a gift," Felix couldn''te up with a better excuse.

    Arthur curiously pulled the cloth that was covering the basket and saw a kitten.

    Veronica looked at him in a friendly manner and said, "Meow!"

    Arthur was momentarily speechless. Then, he questioned, "Why on earth you brought a cat with you and gave it to me?" Arthur and his subordinates were very rational people. They never did whimsical things.

    Felix coughed to clear his throat and answered, "This is a good luck charm you need in the desert. Also, this cat needs someone to take care of it."

    Arthur was even more confused by his answer. "Then, why don''t you take care of this cat?"

    Felix shrugged and told him, "I''ll be busy looking for Miss Veronica."

    "I will be busy with my mission," Arthur retorted.

    Felix: "¡­"

    Arthur: "¡­"

    Two of them stared at each other and afterward, Felix resigned. He bowed and said, "Master, please, this is a humble request from a humble servant. Please take care of Mis¡­ cat. I won''t ask you anything."

    ''Miss Cat?'' Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "You asked something from me only a month ago," Arthur mentioned their meeting on the Sian border.

    Felix told him, "I know and that''s why I''m begging you. It''s not a request."

    Veronica was listening to their conversation with rapt attention and became furious. ''Why is Arthur being so mean to his friend? He even made Sir Felix bow his head. This is too much. I should scold him. But I can''t let him know that I''m a cat. But I also have to help Sir Felix.''

    "Meow!" she snuggled close to Arthur and rubbed her face on his arm.

    Felix said, "Look, Master. Even the cat likes you. You know I''m not good with animals. You will be the best person to take care of her."

    Arthur coldly stared at the cat before saying, "Give it to a family who likes cats. They will take care of it I''m sure."

    He was going on a rough mission. How could he take a pet with him? It would be a burden he didn''t want.

    "You don''t want me? But I want you," Veronica uttered softly and gave him a pitiful and sorrowful look. "Meow?"

    It might be easy to avoid a human''s pitiful gaze but when ites to children and small animals, it''s hard to resist.

    Moreover, the cat''s unique eyes looked so much like Veronica''s emerald eyes.

    Arthur covered his eyes and took a deep breath. ''What is with this cat?'' he wondered. Somehow, it reminded him of Veronica''s sorrowful gaze. He couldn''t say ''no'' to those eyes.

    "Fine, I will take it," he finally agreed.

    Felix sighed in relief but didn''t let his Master notice that. "Thank you, Master," he said.

    "What about her food?" Arthur inquired.

    "Everything she needs is in the basket," Felix replied.

    "I''m off then. If you find Veronica, send her to Utahill first. Then, you can do your other job," Arthur instructed him. He took the basket and put it on the horse. After that, he mounted on the horse and tightened his grip on the reins.

    "Yes, Master," Felix bowed.

    Arthur straightened his back and lightly kicked the horse with his heel. The horse neighed and began to run.

    Arthur disappeared in the dark along with his horse and the newfound kitten Veronica.

    ''I hope everything goes well,'' Felix thought.

    The journey was quite long. It took them forty days to reach the desert.

    ''It took longer when we went to Sia. Maybe because it''s just the two of us and that''s why we came here faster than I expected,'' Veronica thought.

    Arthur suddenly asked her, "You, kitty, there are no mice in the desert. Are you sure you can handle it? You are a city cat, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 96 - TO THE DESERT

    <h4>Chapter 96 - TO THE DESERT</h4>

    "You, kitty, there are no mice in the desert. Are you sure you can handle it? You are a city cat, aren''t you?" Arthur asked her.

    His sudden question startled Veronica. ''What mouse? I don''t want a mouse!'' She shook her head vigorously.

    Arthur chuckled at her reaction. "Do you not like mice? What kind of cat are you? Oh right, your kind is a natural enemy to mice. But, cats eat mice though. Why don''t you give it a try?"

    In reply, Veronica shook her head once again. Even if she died, she wouldn''t eat a mouse.

    Arthur mentioned, "You must be from a rich family. Your owner put on a fancy cor on you. Why did you leave them? Hmm?"

    Veronica didn''t have to look at the cor on her neck. It was the green gem ne she had regrly worn. After talking to Leticia, she slipped into her room and grabbed her locket before leaving the castle. Then, she asked Felix to make it into a cat cor. With that gem, Felix made her a decent cor.

    "Meow," Veronica shook her head and rubbed her head on his stomach affectionately. ''How long do I have to act like a cat? I can''t take this anymore,'' she thought. She cried without shedding tears.

    "Oh? You like me more than your owner? What an ungrateful cat you are," Arthur mocked her.

    Veronica wanted to pounce on him and scratch him with her sharp nails. ''This guy. I will tear him off once I be human. He is the ungrateful one. He knew I was missing and yet set out on a journey across the desert. Hmph!''

    A few dayster, they reached their destination. There were some small tents that looked like makeshift houses. That was where the desert tribe lived.

    As soon as they reached a considerably closer distance, Veronica saw several women cooking in a huge pot near one of thergest tents. The women saw Arthur as one of them shouted after noticing them walk closer, "Look, it''s Arthur!"

    Everyone dropped whatever they were doing and immediately came to greet him.

    "Arthur, is that you?"

    "How are you, Arthur?"

    "Didn''t you just leave just two months ago? Why did youe back so quickly?

    "What now? I just got here and you want me to leave already?" Arthur''s tone was surprisingly pleasant. The corner of his lips lifted slightly as he joked.

    "¡­" Veronica looked at him with her round eyes. It was the first time she had ever seen him being so carefree. Whenever she was with him, he would always don either a serious or a flirty demeanor. Well, not all the time but most of the time.

    Even during the journey, he didn''t talk much. It was like something was weighing on his mind. Now that she saw how carefree and rxed he looked around those tribal people, she subconsciously became rxed as well.

    Someone noticed her and said, "Oh, you brought a pet this time. Did you want to gift it to us?"

    ''Eek! Giving to them? No way! I won''t leave Arthur''s side!'' Veronica flinched and hugged Arthur''s arm tightly.

    "Oh my! Look at the kitten. It''s so smitten with you."

    "It''s because it''s a female. All kinds of women fall for him."

    "Arthur is such a sinner."

    The women giggled as they teased him.

    "Yes, this kitty is my girlfriend. Be careful around her," as Arthur spoke, he hoisted her close to his mouth and brushed his lips over her head. He didn''t miss the chance to joke as well.

    Veronica blushed. Her face grew hotter. ''Is he insane? What is he talking about?'' She rebuked him in her mind. No matter how many times she scolded him, her heart kept racing.

    An elderly woman reprimanded him, "Enough! Don''t be naughty with an animal. Look at the cat. Poor kitty froze after you kissed her."

    "She is attached to me. Can''t you see?" Arthur shrugged. He didn''t seem to be offended at all.

    "You havee a long way, Arthur." An elderly came out of his tent and walked toward them. He had a stern expression on his face but his eyes had a generous look. Even so, he looked dignified. "You must have something important to talk about."

    Arthur respectfully bowed to him, the leader of the desert tribe, and responded, "Can''t I juste to meet the people who raised me? How heartless do you think I am?"

    Veronica was surprised. ''So, Arthur is from the desert tribe! Is this why he could get his hands on those tribal clothes so easily when we were going to the enemy camp?''

    "It looks like your pet understood your words. Its facial expression changed," the elderly manmented. His sharp eyes were observing her.

    Veronica was startled. ''I should be more careful,'' she thought.

    "Yes, I have been training her all this time. She got better," Arthur rubbed her soft head.

    "Meow!" Veronica gleefully showed what a perfect cat she was.

    "Hmm," the elderly man hummed and tilted his head. "Come inside."

    "I will prepare some meal for you and the kitty," the elderly woman said.

    Arthur entered the tent along with the elderly man and Veronica. He ced her on the ground and sat down as well.

    "Speak your will," the leader of the desert tribe demanded.

    "I want to know the reason why Sia and Riverhill are fighting for control over the desert," Arthur directly went to business. He did not want to beat around the bush.

    Veronica was looking around the room. She paused when she heard his words. ''So, that''s why he is here,'' she thought.

    "That''s because they are greedy," the leader of the desert tribe bluntly answered.

    Arthur didn''t buy his answer. He stated, "I know something very valuable is with you. Somehow they found out about it. And now, they want to get it from you."

    The leader was still firm with his answer, "There is only golden dust here, nothing more."

    "I''m not a child waiting to hear fairy tales, grandfather," Arthur didn''t let him go either. "I need to know the root of everything. I have to protect you all."

 Chapter 97 - THE SECRET OF DESERT TRIBE

    <h4>Chapter 97 - THE SECRET OF DESERT TRIBE</h4>

    The leader helplessly breathed out. "You were always stubborn since you were young. You haven''t changed that habit. We don''t need you to protect us. Sians and Riverhills need to join hands if they want to win a war against us. What we have is too precious to tell others."

    "I''m not an outsider," Arthur uttered in a low but serious tone.

    The leader''s sharp eyes gazed at him and then swept that gaze toward Veronica. "That pet. Where did you get it?"

    Arthur stole a nce at the carefree cat who was roaming in the room as if that room belonged to her. He replied, "I got her from Felix. Why do you ask?"

    "Hmm," the leader hummed. "Do you know where her cor came from?" His voice sounded mysterious.

    "No, what about her cor?" Arthur inquired. He became interested in the cor with the green gem as well.

    Veronica acted like she didn''t hear or understand what they were talking about. ''What about my cor? Is this about my ne? Why is this grandfather curious about my possession?'' she wondered.

    "Since you don''t know, why should I tell you? It must be because you didn''t study well," the leader of the desert tribe shrugged his shoulders.

    "¡­" Veronica rxed her muscles. She sighed in relief and thought, ''So, it was nothing. He was just making fun of Arthur.''

    "¡­" Arthur thought it was something serious. Upon hearing the elder''s words, his veins popped out. "Listen, gramps, I don''t have time for a joke. You need to tell me what is so important about this desert that made Riverhill and Sia fight for thisnd. I have to prepare myself for the worst future. You don''t think I won''t protect you when you are in danger, do you?"

    "Arthur, myd, you don''t have to worry about us. You should worry about your surroundings. Don''t poke your nose to somewhere you cannot get away from there. You have a goal, remember? You have to fulfill the promise that you made when you were young," the leader reminded him.

    "I haven''t forgotten my goal. Nothing can sway me from my goal," Arthur stated in a firm tone.

    The leader of the desert tribe nodded as he approved his answer. "That''s good to hear. However, if you go deep into this kind of matter, you will get swayed from your goal. The path you chose and the path you want to go ispletely different."

    Arthur knew this elder was hard to crack. He was prepared for that. He said, "I know you want to treat me like a child but if you want me to grow up, treat me like a man."

    "Treat you like a man?" The leader of the desert tribe raised an eyebrow. "I''m not those women around you who will treat you as a man. Your yboy attitude is so annoying that I kicked you out of this ce. Who knows how many women you would make them carry your children if I let you stay here."

    "!!!" Veronica was speechless. ''I knew he was a skirt chaser but this is even worse than being a skirt chaser!'' she nearly freaked out.

    Arthur was losing his patience at this old man''s tease. He swept his hair behind him. His hair got longer in thest few months. He didn''t get the time to trim it. He even had a beard on his face. He looked more mature in that look. He almost looked like a traveler.

    He grinned like a devil and stated, "Listen, old timer, if you are trying to hide something from me, it''s good that you have done it. But, don''te at me just because I''m more handsome than you are. Women only go for handsome and charismatic men. You know very well that you have none of those qualities."

    The leader of the desert tribe got mad at Arthur this time. He stood up on one foot and spoke in a loud voice, "Say that again!"

    "What? Do you want to have a bet? You will lose, old timer," Arthur didn''t stop himself from saying something this cruel.

    ''Hey, hey, someone please stop them,'' Veronica became restless.

    "You boys, what are you doing? Look, you scared the kitten," the elderly woman came inside and scolded two big boys. "If you don''t want to run a marathon, stay put."

    "Yes, mam," Arthur sat down without an argument.

    "As you wish," the leader of the desert tribe sat down obediently as well.

    ''Hehe, who is the main leader of this desert tribe, I think I found out,'' Veronica snickered secretly.

    The elderly woman served the meal to Arthur and Veronica. While Arthur was given a stew, Veronica was given a meat curry. The woman stroked Veronica''s head and said, "Sorry child, we don''t have fish here. You have to eat meat only."

    "This is understandable considering it''s a desert. You can hardly find water here, let alone fish," Arthurmented.

    "Ah, don''t worry about fish. I love meat more," Veronica gleefully said and began to eat.

    ''She is just like Veronica. Look the way she is eating meat,'' Arthur thought while having his meal. Somehow the kitten''s behavior toward meat reminded him how happily she would eat food that contained meat. She even got chubbier despite it being a war zone. He managed to save extra meat for her knowing how much she liked them.

    Thinking of her actions made him chuckle. In the second, his smile disappeared. His expression became grim as he wondered, ''Where is she now? How did she vanish on the balcony? What happened to her? I hope Felix finds her soon and gets her out of Sia.''

    The elderly couple noticed his expression. The woman asked him, "Dear child, why do you look so gloomy?"

    "It''s nothing much. It''s just a girl I know who disappeared suddenly. I haven''t found her yet," Arthur shortly told them what happened in Sia.

    "Oh, is this the girl you brought to us and asked for clothes? You didn''t even let us talk to her. You kept her hidden. Is this the girl you have feelings for?"

 Chapter 98 - ARTHURS ANSWER

    <h4>Chapter 98 - ARTHUR''S ANSWER</h4>

    Upon hearing what was on his mind, the elderly woman''s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Oh, is this the girl you brought to us and asked for clothes? You didn''t even let us talk to her. You kept her hidden. Is this the girl you have feelings for?"

    Veronica''s ears would drop from her head from the elderly woman''s questions if it was possible. She lowered her head but was unable to eat food. She hung her head and waited quietly for Arthur''s answer. Without her permission, her heart was going paranoid.

    Arthur gave the elderly woman a bored look and answered, "Your imagination is running wild. I don''t have feelings for any woman whatsoever."

    The elder woman pped his shoulder and said, "As if I would believe that. This is the first time I saw you protecting a girl like that. You even brought her to us. How many women did you bring to us? You brought her to us so that we can see her even for a nce, didn''t you?"

    Her face was blushing as she continued, "I say she is the one who caught your eyes. She has shining silver hair and a beautiful face. You must be charmed by her beauty."

    "There is no such thing," Arthur readily denied.

    "Enough chit-chat. Finish your meal first," the leader of the desert tribe ordered the yboy foster son he raised. "By the way, I don''t see the cat. It left its food."

    The elderly woman, who was the leader''s wife, ced a hand on her face. Shemented, "Maybe the kitten wasn''t hungry. Sand cats are called desert kings for nothing."

    Sand cats are small and solitary cats, native to deserts. They are superbly adapted to life in the desert. They can live without water, run on shifting sand, and detect prey underground. They can be found deep in both sandy and stony deserts, far away from any source of water.

    They conserve water by spending the heat of the day in a burrow or the shade. The fur on the soles of their feet aid in instion against the burning heat of the ground as well as giving traction on loose sand. Their loud barking calls canmunicate over vast areas of the desert since sound does not carry well in dry air.

    "But, the fur color of this sand cat is different, isn''t it? It has silver fur unlike other sand cats," the leader of the desert tribe pointed out.

    His wife remarked, "Now that you mentioned, the kitty kind of looks like the girl Arthur brought that one time, don''t you think so?"

    Arthur paused eating. He thought of the cat''s fur and eyes. They indeed reminded him of Veronica. ''Could it be¡­?'' A sudden thought came to his mind.

    Meanwhile, after Veronica went outside the tent, she just walked randomly. She was heartbroken. She didn''t know why she was feeling like this. When she heard him answering insincerely, ''Your imagination is running wild. I don''t have feelings for any woman whatsoever,'' something pierced her heart.

    ''So, this is what it is. It''s just an imagination. There is no way for us to be partners. He didn''t even trust me. He denied that he even liked me. Does it mean he hates me? Then¡­ Why was he always kind to me? He is just ying with me, isn''t he? Just like other girls. I''m so going to hunt him down for ying with me like this,'' Veronica swore to herself.

    The agony in her heart made her feel suffocated. She opened her mouth and deeply breathed in. However, the pain deep in her chest was unbearable. ''Why am I feeling this way? This is so strange. Howe I don''t understand what I am feeling?'' She wanted to clutch her chest.

    "Yo, beautiful, want to have a tryst?" A very unfamiliar voice interrupted her thoughts.

    Veronica wasn''t feeling well. She didn''t even pay attention to the person who spoke. She continued walking forward aimlessly when her path was blocked.

    Finally, she looked up and froze.

    It was a desert cat. It was certainly a male. It said, "I have never seen a beauty like you. Are you new here? Would you like to join me for lunch? You seem to be my type. We can use this chance to get to know each other." Then, the cat winked at her.

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless. ''Is this cat hitting on me?'' She wondered.

    She read in a romance book that a beautiful female lead would get hit on by several handsome men. But, her love for the male lead was so strong that she would not get swayed.

    ''If I write about myself, it would be a cat love story, not a human love story,'' thinking about that made her even more depressed. ''What did I do to deserve a cat''s confession?''

    The cat walked past her and his tail touched her body. "What? You don''t want to? I''m the king of this desert. If you mate with me, you will be the queen of the desert."

    Veronica jumped and went out of his reach. "I don''t want to be a queen of the desert or mate with a cat. Please leave me alone." She strode in another direction since the cat was blocking her path.

    The cat became displeased by her action. He was confident that she would fall for his wealth and power. He questioned her, "What do you mean you won''t mate a cat? Are you going to mate a dog? How disgusting!"

    Veronica paused and yelled at him, "Don''t be a racist! I''m not a cat and I will never mate a cat! Get out of my way!"

    As if she wasn''t upset enough, the cat was only making her feel worse. Without realizing it, she vented her anger and frustration on the cat. ''Is this my worth? A cat''s worth? Am I not worthy enough as a human?'' The more she thought about that, the more dejected she felt.

    Just then, something deep in her heart shook her.

    "!!!"

 Chapter 99 - VERONICAS EMOTIONS

    <h4>Chapter 99 - VERONICA''S EMOTIONS</h4>

    "!!!" Veronica''s eyes widened in shock. She felt a sharp pain shooting all over her body before making her body grow numb. She couldn''t stand anymore and fell onto the hot sandy ground.

    The cat seemed to notice her unusual behavior and asked her cautiously, "Hey, what''s wrong with you?"

    Veronica couldn''t speak or breathe. Her brain stopped working as well. The tremendous pain paralyzed herpletely.

    The cat was looking at her but something else caught his eyes. He was startled.

    He panicked, "Oh no!? A cougar ising toward us. We have to leave. Hurry!"

    A sessful and opportunistic predator, the cougar will eat any animal it can catch, from insects torge ungtes. A cat wouldn''t be spared either.

    Veronica''s head spun. She didn''t even hear what he just said.

    The cat nudged her body, urging her to run but she was unable to move.

    Veronica cried in her heart. ''Hurts! It hurts all over! Save me! Save me from this pain. Someone! Anyone! Arthur!''

    The cat saw that she was as good as dead. The cougar saw its prey and closed in. "Since you want to die, then die. I''m going!" The cat turned around and fled from the dangerous predator.

    [E/N: Noo, Monty left her to die ]

    As for cougars, they usually hunt at night or during the gloaming hours of dawn and dusk. These felines employ a blend of stealth and power, stalking their prey until an opportunity arrives to pounce, then going for the back of the neck with a fatal bite. They will hiderge carcasses and feed on them for several days.

    Veronica is going to be a meal for this predator if she doesn''t move fast.

    Veronica opened her eyes. The sun was going down. The intense sunlight directly hit her eyes and made her feel dizzy. Somehow, she managed to open her eyes.

    At that moment, a shadow fell over her body. She felt better. ''It can''t be a tree¡­'' she thought and looked up to see what it was.

    And, her whole body chilled.

    It was the very cougar that was looming over her body. It hungrily licked its lips. The predator felt lucky to get himself a beautiful, tasty-looking morsel. It was drooling.

    Roar!!!

    Upon hearing its roar from such close proximity, Veronica lost consciousness.

    Not even a human could stand a cougar''s roar up this close.

    Before she shut her eyes, she saw a figure running toward her. The person was desperate to reach her.

    ''Is it Arthur? Must be my imagination.''

    That''s thest thing she heard.

    _

    _

    _

    _

    _

    Themotion in the tent woke Veronica up from her deep slumber. Everyone sounded so busy as they walked quickly. Someone even ran out of the room.

    ''What''s going on?'' Veronica thought. The sharp pain was still evident in her heart. It became more bearable since every joint of her body was in the same pain.

    She slowly opened her eyes and what greeted her was a bloody scene. For a moment, she forgot the throbbing pain in her body. It was as though her heart was forcefully stopped.

    On the bed near the window, Veronica saw an unconscious Arthur, who seemed to be severely injured. His body was bandaged all over. Still, blood was dripping through the bandages.

    "He fought the cougar empty-handed to save his pet. He couldn''t act recklessly since the kitten was so close to the cougar. So, he wasn''t able to fight properly. And, look what happened to him."

    "He must care for the cat dearly. To fight a ferocious animal just to save a pet is unheard of."

    "That''s our Arthur. He is always soft-hearted toward the things he likes."

    The women were whispering after treating his wounds. They didn''t notice the cat was already awake.

    ''This is all my fault. Because of me, he suffered. I''m the one to me.'' Although she thought that, her body was trembling in unbearable pain.

    Thedies left so that Arthur could rest.

    Veronica gritted her teeth and bore the pain before standing up. Her body shivered but she didn''t care. With her trembling legs, she jumped onto the bed and went close to Arthur step by step.

    When she finally reached him, she rubbed his hand with her head. His forehead was sweaty due to pain. His eyes were tightly shut.

    She looked at his face for a while and then let out a chuckle. ''Now I know. I fell in love with him. Just like those girls in the books, I''m foolishly in love with a pervert. I''m like those side characters. I can''t have a better male lead.''

    Then, she scolded him inwardly, ''Bad Arthur. Why did you save me? If you didn''t, I wouldn''t have realized my feelings. You don''t even like me. Yet, I''m going to suffer like the rest of the women. How can my first love be so pitiful?''

    She cursed her bad luck in her mind. She also knew she was a foolish girl to fall into his sweet trap even though she would gain nothing from him. ''No matter how much you dislike me or avoid me for liking you, I don''t think I will be able to do that. I like you not that I want to get something from you. I''m not that petty. My feelings for you are unconditional. And, it is my burden to bear. It has nothing to do with you.''

    ''No matter what, I will save you,'' thinking that she ced her paws on his chest and shut her eyes.

    She recalled what Saint Ava taught her. She rxed her body, forgot about everything else, even her pain, trying to surge up her healing power.

    Nheless, her power wasn''t enough to heal him entirely. ''No, this can''t be. I have to save him. I must save him. I can''t let him die here, not on my watch. I love him!''

    At that moment, a bright light came out of her small paws and pierced through the tent.

 Chapter 100 - TO SAVE HIM

    <h4>Chapter 100 - TO SAVE HIM</h4>

    Veronica used all her strength to force out her power. She didn''t stop even when she sensed something breaking inside her heart. At the same time, the green gem on her cor shattered into hundreds of pieces. After that, an intense pure light came out of her paws.

    The light was so intense that the dark desert night instantly turned into a day. It was as if the sun came out from the horizon and showered them with light.

    Everyone in the desert tribe was astounded by this otherworldly phenomenon. They had never seen such an intense light like that. It even surpassed the light of the crystal magic ball.

    ------------

    When Arthur opened his eyes, the sun was just peeking out of the early morning clouds.

    He felt no pain whatsoever. He wasn''t hungry or thirsty. He wasn''t even sleepy or tired. He waspletely refreshed.

    He looked at the familiar ceiling and recalled the series of events that happened before he lost consciousness.

    He was having lunch when his foster mother teased him using Veronica. When she mentioned how much this cat looked simr to Veronica with its silver hair and sparkling emerald eyes, he thought about the cat''s behavior and eating habits. Its characteristics and features were so simr to Veronica''s.

    ''Could it be¡­?'' The moment the thought shed in his mind, he quickly finished his meal and stood up.

    "Where are you going?" The leader of the desert tribe asked him.

    "To find my little kitty," Arthur replied.

    As he strolled in the desert he deeply thought, ''There is a high chance that Veronica is that cat. If it''s some kind of magic spell then it makes sense that on that special night, how her body disappeared while only her clothes and jewelry were left behind.''

    ''Felix must have found out about that and so, he forced me to take her with me. I have to find outter why they hid it from me. There must be a reason. But first, I have to find her,'' thinking that he sped up.

    The sun was going down. It would be hard to look for her if it got dark in these sandy dunes. Thus, he wanted to find her before that. "Where did she go?" He mumbled.

    At that time, he heard a roar that made him pause in his tracks. He muttered, "A cougar at this time of the day? It''s not even dusk. It must have been hungry and went out early to hunt. And, it has found its prey. Nica¡­"

    Before he finished his thoughts, his legs sprinted in the direction of the still booming roar. And finally, he found Veronica and to his shock, she was about to be gobbled up by a cougar.

    His heart dropped. He didn''t know what he was feeling at that time. The next thing he knew, he was running toward the cougar and Veronica.

    Cougar saw another prey and attacked him instead.

    They fought and he killed the cougar. From his injuries, he was losing too much blood. Yet, he carried the fainted kitten to the desert tribe.

    When he saw the tribal peopleing running toward him after seeing his bloody body, he gave them the kitty Veronica before copsing there. And while he was being treated, he lost consciousness.

    He covered his face with his left hand and slowly sat up. The quilt covering him slid from his body. His upper body was naked.

    He looked down and was astonished when he saw that there wasn''t a single scratch on his bare body. It was as though he never got injured in his life. There were supposed to be a couple of marks from old wounds but they were also gone.

    He whispered thoughtfully, "How? Where will a healere from? Could it be Nica¡­"

    At that moment, someone entered his room. It was a beautiful youngdy. She had a bowl of water in her hand. When she noticed that he got up, she was startled at first. The next second, she shouted and called for the wife of the leader of the desert tribe.

    The leader of the desert tribe and his wife hastily entered the room.

    "You have woken up," the elderly woman stated and sat beside Arthur. She held his hand and asked, "How are you feeling?"

    "I''m perfectly fine. Where is Nica?" Arthur quickly inquired but then he realized that she was a cat at that time. "I mean¡­ the cat¡­"

    The couple exchanged nces and the woman said, "The cat¡­ it wasn''t a cat was it? It healed you. No animal can do that."

    ''So, it was her, wasn''t it?'' Arthur pondered and then sighed. ''I knew it was her or I wouldn''t have been healed like this.'' He didn''t want to hide it from them.

    He replied, "Yes, she is Veronica, the girl I brought to you before. She is under some kind of magic spell. I have yet to figure out what kind of spell it is."

    The leader of the desert tribe cleared his throat and stated, "That won''t be necessary. It looks like her magic spell has been lifted."

    "Lifted already?" Arthur was surprised.

    The youngdy from before served him his meal. The smell of the food made his stomach cry out. He couldn''t wait any longer and started to drink the hot soup.

    While gulping down mouthful after mouthful, he inquired about Veronica, "How is she doing? Did the cougar injure her? I made sure it attacked me before it touched her."

    "Then what are you worrying about? Finish your meal. You were sleeping for three days straight. You need to gather some energy," the leader of the desert tribe bickered.

    Arthur''s hand paused in the mid air. "Three days?" He couldn''t believe this old man. He felt so healthy that he thought he just woke up after a good night''s sleep.

    "Three days. You were sleeping like a log. I tried to wake you up. Never thought there would be a day, you would sleep like a dead animal," the leader of the desert tribe scoffed.

 Chapter 101 - ARTHUR WOKE UP

    <h4>Chapter 101 - ARTHUR WOKE UP</h4>

    "¡­Never thought there would be a day, you would sleep like a dead animal," the leader of the desert tribe scoffed.

    The elderly woman pped her husband on his shoulder. "He slept because he was tired. He didn''t wake up because he believed we would protect him. Why are you being so heartless?" She reprimanded him.

    The old man didn''t back down either. "I just told the truth. Why are you supporting him? You have already spoiled him too much."

    "What did you say?" His wife put her arms on her waist. She was ready to fight.

    As the old couple bickered, their foster child stayed silent.

    "¡­" Arthur was dumbfounded and so he couldn''t speak. He was in a daze. ''I was healedpletely. Why did it take me so long to wake up?'' He wondered. He finished his meal absentmindedly.

    The elderly woman noticed that his bowl was empty and said, "Oh, you finished your meal already. Do you want more?"

    "No, I want to see Veronica. Where is she?" Arthur asked for Veronica immediately. He remembered that they avoided answering what she was doing earlier. It made him slightly anxious.

    "Aha, you are worried about her, I see. I knew something was going on between you two. But, you went ahead and denied your thoughts about being in a rtionship with her, saying I''m letting my imagination run wild for nothing." She threw his words back at him, not letting this rare chance of being able to lecture him go to waste. "She was present at that time. She must have been hurt by your words. You should apologize to her as soon as she wakes up."

    "Wake up?" Arthur frowned. He looked outside and knew from the sun''s direction and the temperature that it was veryte in the morning. "Why is she sleeping in the daytime?" He questioned them.

    "Do you think only you can sleep in the daytime and others cannot?" The leader of the desert tribe rebuked.

    His wife red at him before turning back to face Arthur and answered in a concerned voice, "She has been like that ever since we saw the light."

    Arthur almost interrogated her, "Light? What light? Healing light? Did she heal me in front of you?"

    The elderly woman slowly shook her head and answered, "No, after we treated your wounds, we went outside and left her here, in your room. She was still unconscious. Later, we saw a strong light. We couldn''t keep our eyes open. The light came from inside your room. Thinking something happened to you, we rushed into your room only to find that you have stopped bleeding. Your wounds werepletely gone and a person was lying beside your bed."

    "A girl with silver hair?" Arthur wished to make sure.

    She nodded. "Yes, a girl with long silver hair. It reminded me of the girl you bought before and the cat. I looked for the cat with everyone else, but we never found it anywhere. Then your father noticed the cor on her neck and we concluded that she was the cat. Somehow, she became a cat, healed you, and then turned back into a human."

    "So, the cor gave away her identity," Arthur remarked thoughtfully.

    The leader of the desert tribe shrugged andmented, "Well, she was only wearing that. It was hard not to notice."

    "What did you say?" Arthur''s expression became solemn and his golden orbs darkened. "You saw her naked?"

    The leader of the desert tribe argued back, "The cat wasn''t wearing any clothes, dummy. When she turned into a human, how could she have any clothes on?"

    "But you saw her naked? Old man, speak truthfully or I swear I will gouge your eyes out of their very sockets," Arthur warned him. He wasn''t a person to get mad at people easily, but right now he just couldn''t control his temper.

    "I did not. Happy? Your mother was taking care of you and I was nearby. She saw her first and covered her with a nket." He red at his foster son and thenined to his wife, "What an ungrateful bastard we raised. Look at him! He wants to make me blind."

    His wife responded, "It''s because you spoke in a misleading way. So what if she wasn''t wearing any clothes? Her entire body was covered by the time you came back from the search. You then saw the cor and found out that she was the cat he brought."

    The leader of the desert tribe got displeased because of his wife''s favoritism. "Still taking his side?"

    "So what if I did?" She asked him in return, not backing down.

    Arthur realized that there was no end to this couple''s bickering. He got up and wore his shoes.

    His foster mother nced at him and asked, "Where are you going? You should rest."

    Arthur put on a robe and answered, "I want to see Veronica. Where did you keep her?"

    She replied, "In the next room. Her belongings are there too."

    "Okay, prepare some clothes for her. She will feel ufortable after waking up," after giving the instructions, he went to the next room.

    "Ordering his mother. So shameless," the leader of the desert tribeined in a low voice.

    Smack!

    His wife hit his head and red at him.

    Arthur saw Veronica lying on the bed, unconscious. Her body was covered with a brown-colored thin nket. Her long silver hair was spread all over the pillow beneath her head.

    He hesitated before stepping closer. He was scared of making any sudden loud noises, in case she woke up from her deep slumber. He sat on her bed and observed her carefully.

    Her face was ashen. It was as though there wasn''t a single drop of blood on her face. It reminded him of a dead human.

    His heart skipped a beat. He touched her cheek and it was cold. He quickly checked her pulse. Her pulse was low and weak.

    He couldn''t exin how he was feeling at that moment.

    He ran to his room and shouted, "What are you doing? She is dying!"

 Chapter 102 - NO PULSE

    <h4>Chapter 102 - NO PULSE</h4>

    "What are you doing? She is dying!" Arthur shouted at his foster parents. "Her body is cold. She isn''t breathing. Her pulse is weak. Why on earth are you acting as if nothing bad happened to her?!"

    The leaders of the desert tribe casually spoke, "Rx, she is way better than before. After healing you, she didn''t even show any signs that she was still alive for two days straight. I even thought of burying her. But for some unknown reason, her body wasn''t freezing like a dead human. So we waited. Two dayster, I mean yesterday, she finally got a faint pulse. She is recovering slowly. She will live."

    "...What¡­" Arthur didn''t know what to say. His head was empty.

    The chief''s wife said, "Look at you being all worried. It looks like my Arthur has finally got himself a true lover. If it wasn''t the case, would you care about a girl like that?"

    ''Of course not. I left annoying women wounded and in tears. I never bothered to look at them for a second time. I even killed those who wanted to harm me. At first, they want my body. Butter, they will go after my heart. If they can''t have it, they will hurt me. Women are so annoying,'' Arthur thought as he felt greatly displeased.

    "How can we help her to recover faster?" he asked them.

    The leader of the desert tribe frowned. "We are not healers, you know. Don''t ask for something impossible."

    Arthur was restless. "Then I will go and find someone..."

    The leader of the desert tribe interrupted his words, "By the time you return, she will wake up. So, going out is pointless. You should rather check outside."

    "Check outside?" Arthur muttered these two words before stepping outside the tent. What greeted his eyes had left him inplete awe. "What on earth¡­"

    The desert wasn''t a desert anymore. It looked like a forest. There were huge trees everywhere. The ground was covered with grass. The sweet smell of flowers and ripe fruits was thick in the air. Birds were chirping gleefully. The herbivores were roaming around freely. He could even see argeke not so far from where he was standing. It didn''t look like the Govin desert he was used to seeing in any way.

    "Where are we?" he couldn''t help but ask.

    "We are in the same ce we were before. The girl revived the life of thisnd with her healing power," the leader of the desert tribe answered. He threw a thoughtful nce at his foster son and inquired, "Are you sure she is ''just'' a healer?"

    Arthur had no answer for that. He didn''t know her properly. Although she talked about her life, it wasn''t enough. There were still some things about her that screamed mystery. Furthermore, she disappeared for six months and reappeared suddenly, and joined other healers.

    Her every move was so unexpected that it was hard to track her. He couldn''t keep up with her pace. In his eyes, she was the most unreliable, na?ve woman with a great sense of justice. She also didn''t like to show her weakness to others which he found endearing. There were hardly any women around him who could pull these off.

    Women would mostly cry andin every single minute. They would talk about clothes and jewelry and love to gossip. They would read books and yet, their mindset was too narrow. it was as if they couldn''t think of anything else.

    As for Veronica, she waspletely different. She didn''t step a foot outside the temple but she was ready to learn everything, roam around the world and solve mysteries. He was always amused remembering her n to be a detective. Her attitude and actions entertained him endlessly.

    Just thinking about her lying in the bed made him upset. He stated, "I don''t know if she is some kind of trainee healer. As far as I know, she was always sad that she couldn''t heal people properly. In the camp, she did odd jobs so that she wouldn''t be useless. I even saw her healing the injured soldiers. She always tried her best but her healing wasn''t as effective as other healers. So, how could she do that now? She isn''t good at hiding things. I don''t think she was lying to me either."

    The leaders of the desert tribe hummed. "Maybe, what you said is right. She may not know about the extent of her own healing power. Let me show you something." He gestured for Arthur toe inside.

    They went inside the tent where Veronica was sleeping. There was a table beside her bed. On the table, there was a cor. It was the pet cor Veronica was wearing as a cat. The green gem that was supposed to be in the middle of the cor was gone.

    Arthur noticed it as well. "The stone¡­"

    "That stone was broken. We found the shattered pieces on your bed where she was lying. I think it exploded when she used her power to the fullest." The leader of the desert tribe exined, "Do you know what stone she was wearing? This was a stone that could control power."

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "You mean her healing power was limited by that stone."

    He recalled the first time she used her healing power. He felt no pain and his wound waspletely healed along with the scar. Afterward, when she couldn''t use her power to heal severe injuries, he thought it was because his wound wasn''t too deep.

    Not even once did he see her wearing a stone that limited her power and not even once did he think she would have something like that on her. The possibility of her having it seemed very low.

    The leader of the desert tribe nodded his head. "You are on point. If she had no idea what that stone was and what it was doing to her, the stone must have been given to her by someone. The person must be influential enough to have their hands on such a stone. Who do you think it could be?"

 Chapter 103 - THE GREEN GEM

    <h4>Chapter 103 - THE GREEN GEM</h4>

    "...the stone must have been given to her by someone. The person must be influential enough to get their hands on this. Who do you think it could be?"

    Arthur shook his head. "I''m not familiar with the people she is associated with. I barely know her. Why are you so curious about her stone?"

    The leader of the desert tribe smirked. "Aren''t you curious why you could not recognize a magical stone yourself?"

    Arthur agreed, "I am curious. The knowledge I have about the magical power controlling stone is that it is a red stone. The stone isn''t shiny. It looks dull and is oddly shaped. It is hardly avable due to its scarcity. Her green-colored stone was different. I thought it was some kind of expensive decorative stone. It didn''t give off any magical vibe whatsoever. I''m surprised that I didn''t notice it until now."

    His foster father stated, "There are two power-controlling stones in this world. It was supposed to be only one stone but an ident urred and the corner of the stone was broken. Somehow, the small part ended up in her hands."

    "Then, what about the big part of that stone, where is it?" Arthur inquired.

    The leader of the desert tribe stole a nce at him and then turned around to leave the room leisurely. Before leaving, he said, "You better pray for her. She is barely hanging in there." After that, he was gone.

    "That sly old fart," Arthur mumbled. He was dying in curiosity but there wasn''t a way to quench his thirst for knowledge at least for now.

    He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Then, his eyesnded on Veronica. Her face was still pale. He recalled what he said to his foster mother about her. He strongly denied that he ever liked her. His heart shook with uncontroble emotions.

    He reached out his hand and touched her cold face. His thumb stroked her cheek in small circles.

    ''Weren''t you hurt when I spoke about you like that? Did you not feel bad? Why did you heal me after that? You could just let me suffer and slowly heal myself. Why did you push yourself to the point of falling into a vegetative state like this? Even knowing I may not return your feelings, you went ahead and saved me. Was your life not important to you? Do you not love yourself?''

    His sorrowful gaze brushed over her face. Later, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her cold, lifeless lips.

    ''Do you not wish to see the world? Wake up soon.''

    ''I will show you the world.''

    _

    _

    _

    _

    _

    Veronica opened her eyes. The light was too bright. She squinted her eyes, letting them steadily get adjusted to the light. An unknown ceiling came into her view as soon as her vision got cleared. She slowly blinked several times.

    It took her quite some time to take a trip down the memoryne and a thought shed through her mind, ''Did I die? I''m not supposed to be alive after what happened.''

    The pain she felt before she lost consciousness was so unbearable. She only fainted before she felt her body was being torn apart by itself. She thought someone was cutting her skin with a rough knife. She felt every cut before she fainted.

    Right now, there was no pain. Only a serene feeling enveloped her heart, making her feel like she was in the afterworld. ''...I won''t be able to see him anymore, right? I wish I could stay by his side a little longer.? Too bad¡­'' she smiled slightly as she recalled Arthur''s face.

    "You are awake!"

    "!!!" Hearing a familiar voice, her body froze immediately. She was unable to move. ''What was that?''

    Arthur''s face came into her line of sight as her heart shook. ''Why is he here? Did he also die with me? Did my healing power not work? I''m so useless. I killed him instead,'' she wept in her heart, unable to bear the truth.

    "Nica, why are you crying? Are you in pain?" Arthur seemed concerned. He wiped away her tears. He was wearing a purple robe. Whenever the clothes parted, his chest became visible.

    ''Warmth¡­ I feel his warmth¡­'' she spoke in her mind. The next moment the question hit her, ''Why am I feeling his warmth? A dead person is supposed to be cold. Not warm. Then¡­ I¡­'' Her lips slightly parted. She had a hard time believing that she was still alive.

    "Nica, are you okay? Do you need water?" Arthur didn''t stop after asking. He brought a ss of water. Afterward, he lifted her slightly by holding her shoulders with one hand and helped her to drink with the other. Then, he gently wiped her mouth andid her down.

    "You have been sleeping for a month. Aren''t you hungry? I''ve cooked meat stew for you. Don''t you like meat?" Arthur''s voice was unusually gentle as though honey was mixed with his words.

    Veronica raised her hand and her fingers touched his face. "...How are you feeling?" she asked him in a weak voice. She needed to know if he was healed properly.

    Arthur let out a helpless smile. "You are the one who is in bed for a month and you are asking about my health? If you didn''t heal me, do you think you would be in this state?"

    ''Oh, thank goodness! He is alive! He is alive!'' as she was talking to herself, tears brimmed in her eyes.

    Seeing her tears, Arthur''s chest tightened with unspeakable emotions. "It looks like you are healthy enough to cry like this. I will bring you food. Wait for a while."

    Afterward, he brought the meat stew he cooked earlier. He didn''t make it spicy knowing she couldn''t stand too much spicy food. Also, her stomach was empty. He blew over the stew to cool it off and then fed her spoon by spoon.

    When he was done, he wiped her mouth and then assisted her to drink water slowly. Later, he questioned her, "Do you want to sleep more?"

 Chapter 104 - HER POTENTIAL

    <h4>Chapter 104 - HER POTENTIAL</h4>

    Rosemary Temple

    Saint Ava was praying in her usual ce. She sensed someone entering the prayer room. She didn''t bother to pay attention. After she was done praying, she got up from the floor and turned around.

    Seeing the Head Priest, she quietly went outside the prayer room. The Head Priest was done with his prayer and also left the room. He met her in the hallway.

    "What brings you here?" Saint Ava questioned him. There was no urgency in her voice.

    The Head Priest gave her a skeptical look before he started walking. She followed him. "Do you not know why I came here today without giving you prior notice?"

    "I''m not a mind reader, Head Priest," Saint Ava stated.

    The Head Priestmented, "You certainly are not a mind reader but you know about someone that I don''t. How is Veronica doing?"

    "How am I supposed to know how she is doing?" Saint Ava shrugged. "I didn''t keep any tabs on her after she left."

    "Are you sure?" The Head Priest mentioned, "An unnatural phenomenon had been seen in the Govin Desert. I''ve sent someone to check it out. They gave me some unbelievable information."

    "Oh? What did they say?" Saint Ava casually asked.

    "They said half of the desert turned into a forest," saying that the Head Priest observed her reaction.

    However, there wasn''t that much of a change in her expression. She remarked, "This is indeed unbelievable. Was that person responsible in the right mind?"

    The Head Priest let out a deep breath. Afterward, he said,? "I know you are stubborn at some point and I don''t pressure you for anything. But this isn''t just about healers anymore. This is political."

    He paused before continuing, "Out of all the healers, only one healer hasn''t been baptized yet. When other healers were baptized, they weren''t engulfed with pure light. The healers who were at Riverhill camp came back a month ago. Other healers who went to Sia came back as well. The only person who wasn''t with them was Veronica. She went missing at the Sian victorious ball. No one ever saw her after that."

    "A month ago a strange incident urred in the Govin desert and it could only be done by a healer. An exceptionally strong healer who can revive the life of thend. The healers who went to Sia, we have interrogated them all. They all said the same thing. Veronica didn''t have enough power and she was wearing a ne with green stone. Ava, have you given her that ne to prevent her from showing her true power?" he questioned her.

    _

    _

    shback -

    A month ago, Saint Ava was praying as usual. There were thirteen candles around her and the candlelights were turning.

    All of a sudden, she visioned a strong light and a small green gem that shattered in the light. She felt tightness in her heart and it made her unable to breathe. After that, a gust of wind almost swept her out of her feet. At that moment, all thirteen candles were extinguished simultaneously.

    She opened her eyes. Her body was trembling due to the unexpected wave. Cold sweats formed on her forehead. She covered her face and muttered, "Oh no. What has she done?"

    _

    _

    From that day, she was waiting for the Head Priest to show up. And there he was.

    Saint Ava was prepared. She immediately answered, "Did I? I don''t remember such a thing."

    The Head Priest sighed. "You and I both know there is only one green stone that can prevent someone from using their true power. It was broken and the small part of that stone was hidden in this temple. I already know you gave it to her. You don''t have to pretend. There is no logic for her to get it from someone who has therger part of the stone."

    "If you know already, then why did you ask?" Saint Ava inquired though she didn''t look like she was interested.

    The Head Priest said, "I asked you to confirm. Why did you try to hide her power?"

    "Is that really a problem now?" Saint Ava strolled in the garden and watered the nts.

    The Head Priest helped her water the nts and at the same time, he said, "Ava, she is important. I already heard about her sessful mission. I think she is ready. Has her power awakened?"

    Saint Ava bluntly shared her point of view, "She is not ready. A na?ve girl like her will only cause trouble. That''s why you don''t need her yet. As long as I''m alive, I will take care of everything. You can rest assured."

    "So, you won''t go back on your word." It wasn''t a question that he needed to confirm. He spoke in a firm tone only to clear her head.

    "I won''t," Saint Ava responded.

    The Head Priest inquired, "Is this position hard to let go of?"

    "If it was all about position, it wasn''t hard to let go. Leave, if you are done talking. I have a business to take care of," Saint Ava said without looking back.

    The Head Priest put down the water pot and told her, "I wille back again to ask about her condition. If anything changes within her, you will be the first person to know. I hope next time you give me the correct answer." After that, he left.

    Saint Ava finished watering the nt and went to the kitchen to prepare her meal.

    While eating, she recalled giving Veronica a ne with a green gem that looked exactly like her eyes. Saint Ava gave it to her when she (Veronica) finished her six months of training and was ready to head to the temple of the Head Priest''s request. She warned Veronica not to take it off even for a second.

    She ced her chin above her hand and mumbled, "What could have happened that made her force her power out and destroy such an expensive stone?"

 Chapter 105 - VERONICAS THOUGHTS

    <h4>Chapter 105 - VERONICA''S THOUGHTS</h4>

    Back in the desert, Veronica finally woke up and Arthur fed her till her stomach was full. "Do you want to sleep more?" he asked her.

    "I''m fine," Veronica replied. She had been sleeping for so long and her stomach was entirely full. Even if she wanted to sleep, she wouldn''t be able to do so.

    "Then, you should lie down. Don''t move too much. Your body won''t be able to bear it." Arthur gently tugged the nket over her body.

    ''Why is he so good to me? If he is like this, it will be harder for me to keep my attitude up. My heart is not prepared yet,'' Veronica talked to herself in her head. ''I fell in love with him so that I can forget everything that happened. My heart can never let him go. I will just pray for his happiness and watch over him and his family. I have no regrets.''

    Although she tried to find peace within her mind, her heart was in chaos. It twisted and turned uncontrobly, making her hard to breathe.

    The more he was good to her, the more it hurt. That''s because every time she reminded herself that this would be thest time he was being good to her.

    She was afraid to confess her feelings. She knew he always kept a distance from those women who were smitten with him and acted blindly out of love.

    In only a month, she got to understand him more than anyone because her eyes were always following him. She knew when he let a woman approach him and what kind of women he avoided.

    ''I will never be one of those women and end up miserably. He told me I was his friend, didn''t he? So, I will be his friend,'' she promised herself.

    Arthur saw her expression and chuckled. "What are you thinking about making a face like that?"

    Veronica came back to her senses and averted her gaze. "It''s nothing," she nervously replied.

    "..." Arthur stared at her for a couple of seconds and then moved closer to press his lips against her forehead.

    "!!!" Veronica''s eyes could pop out of their sockets at any moment. She sensed her heart stopped breathing the entire time until he slightly pulled away. His golden pupils deeply looked at her emerald eyes.

    Veronica nkly stared at him. Her brain ceased working. She didn''t want what just happened and why it happened. She was supposed to control her emotions but her face was beet red.

    Arthur observed her and was satisfied seeing her reaction. He stroked her head while saying, "It''s good as long as you don''t think about something silly and get all worked up. Rest well. I wille back soon." Afterward, he stood up and left the room.

    Veronica was still in a daze. ''Was I dreaming? Why did he act like that? Why did he kiss-'' Her thoughts remembered his soft lips and her heart started to race. ''What kind of unnatural phenomenon is this?!'' she wondered.

    "Oh! You are awake!" an elderly woman eximed as soon as she entered the room.

    Veronica tried to sit up. She recognized this woman. She was the leader of the desert tribe''s wife.

    The elderly woman hurriedly said, "Oh no, don''t get up. I''m here to check if your legs and arms are okay."

    "My legs and arms?" Veronica was puzzled.

    "When someone sleeps for a long time, their legs and arms be rigid. It will be hard for you to move if someone doesn''t help the patient to exercise and loosen up the joints." The woman sat on the bed and pulled her legs toward her. Afterward, she moved her legs up and down, left and right. Sometimes she folded her legs and opened them.

    "Oh, thank you very much," Veronica thanked her wholeheartedly.

    "It''s okay, my child. You don''t have to say ''thank you''. You have done us a great favor." The woman lowered her voice and added, "But, if you really want to thank someone, thank Arthur. That child was massaging your muscles, cleaning your body every single day without stopping. When he saw that your health was getting better, he began to cook delicious meat stew or curry for you every day thinking that you might wake up at any time and need something to eat. He even told me meat is your favorite meal."

    Noticing Veronica''s dumbfounded expression, she covered her mouth and giggled. She added, "You know he has been cooking for you for seven straight days without failing. Thanks to you we were able to find out how much of a good chef he is.

    "...He cooked for me¡­ for seven days thinking I will wake up?" Veronica wanted to confirm since it was hard to believe what she just heard.

    "Yes, yes, not only that, he hardly left you alone." the elderly woman smiled at her and said, "This is the first time I ever saw him treating someone so diligently. You have no idea how thankful I am to you." She cupped Veronica''s hands and squeezed them.

    "..." Veronica was speechless. She felt the woman''s warmth reach her heart.

    She pondered deeply, ''Did that really happen? I was ready to bury my heart and never look back. I was okay with sacrificing my happiness and choosing his happiness instead. Didn''t he say he didn''t even like me? Then why?'' No matter how hard she tried she couldn''t figure out what he was thinking.

    Later, she was reading a book given by the wife of the leader of the desert tribe. Since she couldn''t get up yet, she wanted to do something to pass her time.

    At that moment, Arthur came to the room. As soon as he saw the book in her hand, he asked her, "Are you steady enough to read a book of a differentnguage?"

    [A/N: A few times I wrote Mo Yuan instead of Arthur. I guess my heart still belongs to Mo Yuan. ///^w^/// ]

 Chapter 106 - THOUGHTS IN HER HEAD

    <h4>Chapter 106 - THOUGHTS IN HER HEAD</h4>

    After Arthur woke up from his slumber, he found out that Veronica actually slipped into a vegetative state. He took care of her every single day and didn''t let others touch her. Just imagining her body being exposed to others was unbearable. Even if it was a woman.

    One day, he thought, ''Since Felix gave her to me, he must have known that she was Veronica. Or, there would be no reason for him to push a kitten to me when I was leaving for a mission. If so, he must have left some instructions.''

    Thinking of that, he searched through Veronica''s kitty basket where she usually stayed while being a cat. Just as he thought, there was a letter sealed with wax on it. On the envelope, there was a short message - Master, open this letter only if you find Miss Veronica.

    ''Did he mean by finding her after she turned back into her human form?'' Arthur stole a nce at the sleeping Veronica. ''Since Nica returned to her human form, I guess I can open the letter now.''

    He opened the letter. Felix wrote down how he found Veronica in a cat form. He also exined everything about the curse and why he decided to send her to Arthur. He even promised to find out who did this to her, since Veronica didn''t want to reveal who cursed her.

    Arthur immediately wrote a letter to Felix. The letter said, ''If you find the culprit, just keep an eye on that person.''

    After that, he sent that letter through a new pet bird he was raising. In the forest they were living in, there wasn''t ack of any animals including birds.

    Later, he sat down beside her and gently stroked her head. ''You turned into a cat because of me. I even hurt you with words. Yet, you decided to save me. Why are you like this? Is this just friendship or did you actually fall for me?'' Hundreds of thoughts swirled in his mind.

    When she finally opened her eyes, a month had already passed. And when she noticed him, her eyes brimmed with tears. Seeing her tears, his heart was in turmoil. He asked her why she cried, but she wouldn''t reply.

    Her eyes had a pained expression and she kept averting her gaze. He observed every little detail of her reaction, so as not to miss a single thing.

    ''If she thought of me as a friend, she wouldn''t show this kind of expression. So, she did fall for me but decided to keep a distance,'' Arthur narrowed his eyes as he concluded.

    After feeding her, he left her for a while. When he came back, he saw her sitting on the bed while reading something. As soon as he saw the book in her hand, he asked her, "Are you steady enough to read a book of a differentnguage?"

    "Yes, I''m not made of wax," Veronica replied.

    The corners of Arthur''s lips slightly raised. "May I think you are made of iron?"

    Noticing the sarcasm in his voice, Veronica frowned. "Why would you think that I''m made of iron? I''m made of bones, meat, and skin!"

    Arthur chuckled. ''Looks like she reverted back to her normal self. Is she determined in her heart not to let me know anything that was going on in her head? Somehow I don''t like this.'' He was very unamused by this thought. He sat down beside her and took the book from her hand.

    "Hey! What are you doing?" Veronica immediately reached out to get a hold of the book she was reading but she couldn''t even touch it.

    Arthurined, "You have woken up after thirty days. I''ve taken care of you for so long and yet you didn''t give me anypliment. I don''t know if I did great or not. You didn''t even thank me. How ungrateful can you be?"

    "I was out for thirty days!" Veronica eximed. ''How did that happen? How can a human sleep for thirty days without waking up? I didn''t even dream of anything. Was I actually alive? Maybe I am indeed made of wax. That means I''m not a human,'' she gave it a serious thought.

    She secretly looked at him. Their eyes met and she quickly looked away. ''So, he took care of me when I was sleeping.'' Her heart softened thinking about that.

    "Thank you for taking care of me," she said in a low tone.

    "Are you really thankful? Look at me in the eyes and say it," Arthur demanded.

    ''Why is he acting so pushy after I woke up? Can''t he consider my heart for a second? So selfish,'' Veronica sulked. She took a deep breath and looked at him. Even though her mind was prepared, her heart still shook with uncontroble emotions. "Thank you!" saying that she swiftly looked away.

    Arthur probed at her, "Why are you acting like a thief? Did you do something unforgivable?"

    ''Of course, I did. I fell for you,'' Veronica looked down, unable to raise her head.

    ''She is so handful,'' Arthur told himself. Afterward, he put his index finger under her chin and raised her head. Before she could protest, his lipsnded on her soft pale lips.

    "!!!" Veronica was surprised by his action. Her emerald eyes were glued to his golden pupils now. Her heart stopped beating for a second.

    Arthur pulled away when he noticed that she wasn''t breathing. His golden orbs deeply gazed at her emerald ones as he said, "Now you are looking at me. I thought I turned so ugly that you didn''t even feel like looking at me. Or, maybe the king of Sian was more handsome in your eyes."

    "No way! I love your face more!" Only after blurting out the sentence, did she realize what she had just said. She covered her eyes feeling horrified. Her face paled in nervousness.

    ''What have I done?!'' She wished to scold herself but what was done was already done. She couldn''t take back her words. He already found out what was in her heart.

    ''Will he reject me? What if he never talks to me again? What am I going to do?'' She felt like crying.

 Chapter 107 - HOW COULD HE NOT LOVE HER

    <h4>Chapter 107 - HOW COULD HE NOT LOVE HER</h4>

    "No way! I love your face more!"

    The moment she blurted out her inner thoughts, Arthur sensed that his heartbeat wasn''t in the right order anymore. For some reason, all his senses were going numb.

    In the next second, he noticed her face turning pale. ''Why is she making that face? Did she really not want to tell me what she was feeling? Is it because I avoid other women who force themselves on me? This can be the reason,'' Arthur thought.

    He leaned forward and touched her forehead with his. He gazed at her in the eyes and inquired, "Do you love my face?"

    Veronica nervously stared at his eyes. She couldn''t speak. She was scared.

    Arthur let out a deep sigh. Other girls wouldn''t hesitate to jump on him and tell him how much they loved him and yet, this girl wanted to keep a proper distance from him after she realized her feelings.

    ''Why are you so difficult to handle?'' he wondered. He circled his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. After that, he nted a small kiss on her forehead.

    He noticed her body getting rigid. Hefortably hugged her, trying to ease her. Then, he said, "If you don''t want to share your thoughts, it''s okay. I will wait. But, promise me you won''t ever sacrifice yourself for me or anyone else."

    Veronica''s heart was in a mess. She pondered as her heart was thumping loudly, ''Wh-what does he mean? Why is he being so intimate? I don''t think I can handle it.''

    Arthur added, "Nheless, don''t think you can stop me from what I want to do."

    Veronica cautiously questioned him, "What do you want to do?"

    "Something like this," saying that he kissed her right eye.

    "Umm!" Veronica flinched and subconsciously shut her eyes. Afterward, she sensed his lips touching her other eye before trailing down to her cheek and then her jaw. She shuddered and her fingers sped his clothes.

    "...And this¡­" Arthur whispered in a husky voice and sucked her lower lip. Her lip was soft. It tasted sweet. He felt like he was eating cotton candy. He became greedier and devoured her upper lip as well. With each passing second, his kiss became wilder.

    "Mnn..." Veronica let out a soft moan. She closed her eyes and stayed still. ''It''s a dream. This is a dream,'' she thought. She feared that if she opened her eyes, everything would change. She opened her mouth and tried to kiss him back.

    However, Arthur didn''t let her do as she wished. He pushed his tongue inside her mouth and roamed around. Her mouth tasted sweeter than anything else. Maybe it was because she drank fruit juice earlier.

    It had been so long since hest kissed her like this. It reminded him of their first encounter. That night, he tasted her. She was so fresh and pure. He wasn''t able to be with other women after that night. His thoughts wandered around as he recalled her taste of that night while his tongue touched the roof of her mouth.

    It was ticklish. Veronica subconsciously jerked her head and ended up biting his tongue.

    "Ouch!" Arthur winced and looked at her.

    Veronica realized what she had done and looked guilty.

    Arthur stared at her for a couple of minutes. Seconds ticked away while Veronica became scared. She wanted to say ''sorry'' but her body was pulled toward him abruptly and in the next second, she was lying down and he was hovering over her.

    Then, she heard him saying, "Princess, you are quite stubborn."

    "I''m sorry!" Veronica immediately apologized.

    Arthur inquired, "What are you sorry for?" His expression was serious.

    "I bit your tongue. I didn''t mean it." Veronica was restless after seeing his expression. She wanted to run away from his hold.

    Arthur yfully asked her, "Then, do you want to continue what we were doing?"

    Veronica''s face tinted with a red hue. She wanted to but she couldn''t just ask for it. She wasn''t that shameless. She couldn''t take his bullying. Sheined, "Why are you acting like this, you skirt chaser?"

    "It''s because I''m a skirt chaser¡­" He pondered about the title. He didn''t like the title. He thought he should be called something more special. "No, it''s better if you call me ''princess chaser''. Because the only woman I have ever chased is you."

    Veronica couldn''t believe him. She couldn''t help asking, "When did you start chasing me?"

    Arthur confessed, "The moment you forgot about your own life and saved me. How can I not fall for you after what you did?"

    "What?!" Veronica was astounded. She wouldn''t be that surprised even if the world fell apart. "You are¡­ you are joking, right? Don''t treat me like other women."

    She greatly feared he would get tired of her and throw her away. After that, nothing would be left. She didn''t want that. She would rather have him close to her as a friend. At least, he would be by her side.

    When she asked that, Arthur realized why she was hesitating so much. He kissed her cheeks affectionately and said, "What if I say I''m serious? What if I say I want to be with you for the rest of my life?"

    Without noticing, her eyes teared up. She held them back and didn''t let them fall. "Why¡­ why will you fall for me? Just because I saved you? There were plenty of women who took care of you before, right?"

    Arthur answered her, "There was none. No woman ever took care of me when I was greatly injured. No woman ever came to save me knowing their lives would be at stake. No woman ever looked at me in the same way knowing I killed people."

    Veronica remembered that he killed people. She never approved of killing people but it was to save themselves. Later, she debated inwardly about this a lot. Killing people was wrong but they had to survive. In the end, she gave in. She concluded that if there was a situation like that, she had to survive just like Arthur did or she would end up dying.

    "Then, does this mean¡­"

    [A/N: I was writing their kiss scene and got nervous. It was so hard to finish the chapter since my heart was all excited and feeling doki doki¡­ I''m so hopeless. -.-" ]

 Chapter 108 - I WILL TEACH YOU LOVE

    <h4>Chapter 108 - I WILL TEACH YOU LOVE</h4>

    "...No woman ever looked at me, in the same way, knowing I killed people," Arthur confessed.

    ''Out of all women, am I the only one who cared for him?'' she wondered although it was hard to believe. She looked at him and asked,? "Then, does this mean they never took care of you when you were injured?"

    Arthur truthfully answered, "Usually, I don''t show it when I''m sick. But, it is inevitable to get injured while saving some of them. They fled in fear. They shouted and called me a monster who kills people."

    "You are not a monster. If you didn''t kill those people, those people would have killed you and those women. You had to do it to survive. But, killing people for self-defense isn''t a sin. I wish you never had to do it. You saved me too. You had to kill people because of me. I will bear that sin with you. No, I will bear all the sins if you hurt others in order to save me," her voice was firm as she swore.

    As usual, her words never ceased to amaze him. Other times, he would chuckle and tease her about it. This time, he couldn''t make fun of her. He cupped her face and gazed at her deeply. Then, he moved closer and pressed his lips against her temple. Afterward, his lips trailed down to her cheek and neck.

    Veronica shuddered. Most of the time, she was kissed by him. However, this time he was being quite bold. She pushed him on the chest. "Wait. We shouldn''t do this. We are not going out."

    "Then, let''s start dating." Arthur was quick to suggest.

    "We must not!" Veronica denied instantly.

    Arthur was puzzled. "''We must not''? Why?"

    Veronica expressed her worry, "Because you are treating me like those women. I won''t go out with you until I confirm your feelings for me."

    "I''m very serious. This is the first time I confessed to someone and I''m ready to chase her skirt. But the woman I like wants to push me away. My heart hurts." Arthur had a pained expression on. While speaking, he pressed his hand on his chest as if his heart was truly in pain.

    His sorrowful voice gave her a heartache. "...Then, we can be a couple."

    Arthur controlled hisughter. He thought maybe after being betrayed by someone she knew, she would have some self-awareness. To think she didn''t change and believed in him without a doubt, didn''te as a surprise anymore.

    "Then, let''s start kissing," Arthur said, moving his head to taste her lips.

    However, Veronica strongly refused, "No! We can''t do any kissing, missing, touching unless we are married." Her face was flushing as she spoke.

    "Married?" Arthur blinked. "Who said we can''t do any kissing, missing, and touching before getting married?" he questioned her nonchntly as he couldn''t understand what she was thinking.

    "But¡­" Veronica averted her eyes. Her face was turning reddish. She mumbled softly, "...If we do this, we might cross the line which we shouldn''t be doing before marriage. I''m scared."

    This time, Arthur burst intoughter. He couldn''t hold it anymore. Heughed for a while and noticed that she had be embarrassed due to hisughter. She thought he was making fun of her.

    Arthur calmed down and did his best to ease her concern, "That''s what you are worried about? You have a well-educated person like me. What you can do after marriage and what you can do after falling in love, I will teach you all."

    "...Will you¡­?" Veronica''s pair of innocent, curious eyes stared at him. These eyes were half embarrassed and half anticipating what would happen next.

    She wanted to be taught and wished to be loved. However, she was shy and cautious since she didn''t want to end up like those women he left before.

    Arthur''s mouth and throat became dry. Her innocent eyes were too much for his heart. He leaned closer and whispered in a husky voice, "Yes, I will teach you from the beginning. Now, open your mouth. Let me kiss your sweet lips."

    Veronica seemed mesmerized by his words. Those words sounded like a mantra. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she obediently parted her soft lips.

    Arthur nced at her parted lips and he swallowed his saliva. It wasn''t enough to quench his thirst. He wanted her. He wished to taste her. He wanted to devour her. He wanted to have her until they became one and inseparable.

    He didn''t waste another second and captured her lips. His lips firmly pressed against hers and a soft piece of flesh entered her mouth. After that, his tongue smoothly ravaged the inside of her mouth. He slowly made his way around her teeth and the sides of her cheeks.

    "Mm!" Veronica sensed a jolting pleasure when his tongue met hers. She shuddered and nervously retreated her tongue.

    Arthur wasn''t impatient. He was an excellent teacher. He had immense patience when he was teaching someone something. Especially since it was a lifetime matter, he had to take extra care of his student.

    His tongue slowly roamed inside her mouth and unhurriedly approached its prey. The prey was shivering and it was nervous. At first, his tongue poked hers, and then, it steadily tangled with hers.

    "Haah," Veronica let out a soft breath. His soft, hot, and wet tongue gave her an unfamiliar sensation. And yet, she couldn''t refuse it. Her body was growing hot. Maybe it was because of her shyness or the feeling called ''desire''. Her head was getting dizzier and she was in a trance.

    As their lips parted with the thinnest thread of saliva, Arthurmented in a hoarse voice, "You have to breathe with your nose while kissing."

    "..." Veronica was taken aback. If he didn''t remind her, she wouldn''t have noticed that she actually forgot to breathe.

    As she started to breathe again, he changed the angle and locked their lips once more. He muttered while kissing, "Move your tongue with mine. Follow my lead."

    Veronica obeyed him like a good student. Their tongues wrestled while their saliva mixed. He was focused on exploring the inside of her mouth through kissing. His tongue twisted and sucked on.

 Chapter 109 - RELAX YOUR BODY

    <h4>Chapter 109 - RELAX YOUR BODY</h4>

    "Mmn!" a moan escaped from the deep part of her throat.

    The soft kiss gradually heated up. His patient tongue suddenly pressed firmly inside her mouth, and when he continued to massage a sensitive spot, she subconsciously ended up grabbing his clothes firmly.

    He deeply kissed her and drank her saliva. He only paused when shecked oxygen. She could barely breathe while being kissed by him thoroughly. He told her to breathe again before he resumed kissing her.

    He realized that giving her wild kisses wouldn''t teach her how to breathe. Thus, he gave her small pecks and let her get used to these kisses first. Gradually, he deepened the kiss and made sure she was breathing while giving him a passionate kiss in return.

    Her kisses were still all about biting. She was having a hard time dealing with her lips and teeth. Her biting became gentler when her mind grasped kissing wasn''t all about biting.

    As soon as he realized that she was finally rxing in his arms, Arthur''s left hand groped her right breast and fondled it very gently. This single action of his instantly made goosebumps erupt all over her body.

    "Arthur!" she desperately called for him. His touch was making her tremble all over.

    Arthur noticed that her body became rigid. He pulled off his lips and brushed them over her eyes which were now brimmed with tears.

    Veronica nervously looked at him. Her innocent eyes were so adorable that they were making him go crazy.

    Arthur''s voice was deep and hoarse as he instructed her, "Nica, rx your body. Feel my touch."

    His voice whispered in her ear. She felt his hot breath on her neck. She was so close to him that they could feel each other''s breaths. Not only that, she could hear his heartbeats as well. She realized that she wasn''t the only person who was feeling something.

    She sensed the warmth of his palm on her chest through the light clothes she was wearing. Her heartbeat increased. She felt his fingers tighten their grip slightly. She winced. She tried to rx her body, but then, his thumb brushed over her nipple.

    "Ah!" After letting out a seductive moan, she covered her mouth. Her eyes could pop out any moment. She had a hard time believing that the moan came out of her mouth. She never imagined she could make a sound like that.

    Arthur grabbed her arms gently and moved them away from her mouth. He stated, "Don''t cover your mouth. Let me hear your voice." At the same time, his lips pressed against her skin and trailed down.

    His teeth grazed her corbone. He noticed that whenever he touched her skin with his lips, she would tremble in a loving way. Her reactions showed that she enjoyed whatever he did, but she was too shy to express it.

    He inhaled sharply and a unique scent entered his nostrils. He had smelt her natural scent at times before but he never had enough of it. He needed more of her smell.

    He nuzzled his nose on the nape of her neck and in the meantime, he pinched her both nipples.

    "Ahh!" Veronica''s body arched as she moaned a little louder. An electrifying sensation ran all over her body. She wasn''t expecting this surprise attack.

    Arthur was delighted to see her reaction. He rubbed her nipples with his fingers.

    Veronica couldn''t take his teasing and cried out his name, "Oh! Arthur!"

    Arthur responded to her with an obscenement, "Princess, your nipples perked up just from my touch. Does it feel good when I touch there?"

    "N-no¡­ ohh!" Veronica wished to deny his im, but another moan escaped her mouth. Her own body was betraying her under his magical touch.

    "Lovers should be truthful in bed. Did you know that?" Arthur asked her,

    "N-no¡­." Veronica shook her head. She wanted her mind to be out of the world but her mind betrayed her as well.

    "Now you know. Answer me properly," Arthur demanded, "Do you like where I touch you?" To get a quick answer, he shoved away her clothes and revealed her bare body. Her alluring body was nicely shaped. Her supple breasts were carrying peach-colored mounds. They were all perky and excited.

    "I¡­ I like it," Veronica was forced to confess. Her face was fifty shades of red in embarrassment.

    Arthur was satisfied with her answer. He praised her, "Good princess. You are a quick learner. I should give you a present."

    He traced his lips from her cor bone down to the vicinity of her breasts.

    "Hng!" Another jolting pleasure from her breasts forced Veronica to let out a short moan. Her body was shaking all over. This unique sensation wasn''t bad but addictive. He told her to feel and she sensed his every warm touch, his hot breaths, beating heart, and his manly odor.

    He took a mouthful and sucked on it. Her breast was so soft and tender that he thought that he could go deeper. He inhaled and then poked her perky nipple before using his teeth to graze them.

    She wasying down in bed while grasping onto the sheets. Her body would tremble while her hips jolted up from time to time.

    Gradually, Arthur felt his lower half starting to grow hot. Slowly but surely, he took off her clothes and presented her nude body before his eyes.

    Veronica''s mind was all foggy. She tried to keep in her mind how many times she was touched by his mischievous hands. However, she was unable to keep up with it as ecstasy blinded her and bound her body with his. She felt something burning in between her legs. She subconsciously rubbed her legs together.

    Arthur changed the position and gave her other breast the same attention. As she arched her back and shoved the rest of her breast inside his mouth. He sucked it delightfully.

    He wished milk would pour out from her breast. s! His dream didn''te true.

    After he teased her breasts to his heart''s content, his kisses traveled down to her abdomen.

 Chapter 110 - GROWING HOT

    <h4>Chapter 110 - GROWING HOT</h4>

    Veronica turned her head to the left side and bit her lower lip to hold back her moans. She sensed his kisses traveling down to her abdomen. Her legs stiffened in nervousness. Her tension rose and so was her anticipation. She kept thinking where his lips wouldnd next or what he would do.

    Arthur licked her navel and then proceeded down to her inner thighs, sending a tingling sensation traveling up her spine. She couldn''t help but moan in pleasure. She sped his shirt so tightly that her fingers turned white.

    Arthur''s lips hungrily moved toward ces nobody else had touched before. His lips brushed against the deep portions of her inner thighs before he began sucking.

    "!!!" Veronica''s mouth opened in great surprise but no sound came out. She never thought she would be touched there by anyone in her entire life. Her body writhed due to the intense touch.

    Arthur held her thighs firmly and kissed from her hips to her calves while making light lip smacking sounds. He was hungry for her. His lust had been awakened by her na?ve, innocent, and yet sensual body.

    He ced his lips on her feet and sucked her toes. His hungry eyes gazed at her, wanting to see her reaction.

    Veronica also nced at him and their eyes locked. Her tearful eyes couldn''t look away from his golden orbs that seemed to be glowing.

    After sucking ten of her toes, Arthur returned to her embrace and kissed her feverishly. She replied with the same passion. She was always a quick learner. She quickly learned how to kiss him.

    Their tongues intertwined. Arthur opened his eyes and stared at her. Her eyshes were long. They were quivering. He saw how eagerly she was sucking his tongue. Her face was growing hot and red.

    ''Honestly, what am I going to do with her? She is so¡­'' he couldn''t think more and got busy kissing her again. His kisses turned wilder as though he couldn''t live without her lips.

    While doing so, he grabbed her thighs and spread them apart. He positioned himself in between her legs.

    Veronica broke from her daze when she noticed her position. She wasn''t used to this position. Therefore, she tried to move away.

    Arthur saw that she became cautious. He tried to lessen her worries by saying, "Rx, don''t be nervous. I won''t do something that is out of the line."

    Veronica believed in him and stopped moving around. She felt his warm hands stroking her things in slow motion. Her leg muscles slowly rxed under his sensual touch.

    He was impatient but patiently waited for her to ease up. As soon as she rxed her muscles, his fingers explored her lower regions with slight pressure.

    His eyes were on her face. He saw her breathing heavily. Her chest was bouncing up and down. Her breasts were wet with his saliva and her pink mounds were perked up. Her face was glittering with cold sweats. This alluring seductress made his body heat up.

    His long middle finger slowly entered her.

    "Oh!" Veronica yelped in surprise. When his finger slid out in slow motion, she sighed in relief. But in the very next moment, he inserted his finger deeper into her.

    "Ahh!" Veronica moaned loudly. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she wasn''t expecting this.

    He repeatedly moved his finger in and out of her sweet hole. She never had anything inside her before. Thus, his finger made her feel strange. She couldn''t name this foreign feeling.

    As the stimtion continued, her lower region became slippery with moist juices and the sound of wet noises grew increasingly louder.

    Veronica felt ashamed upon hearing the obscene sounds. Her ears turned red due to embarrassment. Her whole body was burning with heat and she felt her back shiver uncontrobly. A few more of his fingers pressed and rubbed against her twitching flower.

    "!!!" A strange, indescribable sensation took over her body. It seemed a little painful and at the same time, it was a good feeling. Her breathing sharpened. She couldn''t think of anything but the feelings that were brewing inside her chest. She began to enjoy this naughty action.

    Sometimeter, she let out a loud moan that she never expected to do. After that, a tingling sensation surged up in her as a wave of pleasure rushed over. Her muscles spasmed and her entire body jerked as euphoria circted through her whole body.

    The moment of bliss passed by and her head became dull. She didn''t know what happened but whatever he did, it made her feel so good that she was unable to speak.

    In a daze, she saw Arthur slowly pulling off from her moistness. His hand was sopletely drenched that he sprayed her love juices while doing so. But, she didn''t know she was the culprit. She saw him licking his fingers while gazing at her in a heated way. Something inside her twitched.

    Arthur was feeling hot. He didn''t do any exercise but he was sweating. The sweet honey he just tasted made him feel hungrier. He wanted to suck her dry very badly. Nheless, he refrained from doing so, since it was her first time experiencing this with a clear head. All he wanted was for her to enjoy it and wished she would want to do it with him often on her own, and not to be forced to do it.

    He so wished to make her drink aphrodisiac and wantonly have her just like their first time. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He reprimanded himself for having such thoughts and controlled his desire with much effort.

    He took off his robe. The night wasn''t chilly like before. He was feeling too hot. He hovered over her and pressed his body against her. ''I want to do it but I can''t go further,'' he recited this sentence in his head.

    Veronica came back to her senses and gradually became alert to their position. Her legs were still apart and his body was hot while his hands were stroking her nude body. She circled her arms and legs around him and closed her eyes.

    Her body, which was cooling down, started to grow hot. At the same time, she noticed something. She said in a soft tone, "A...Arthur, I feel something down there."

 Chapter 111 - SOMETHING TOUCHING DOWN THERE

    <h4>Chapter 111 - SOMETHING TOUCHING DOWN THERE</h4>

    "A...Arthur, I feel something down there," her tone was soft. She sounded confused.

    Arthur knew fairly well what she was talking about. He shut his eyes and tried to pretend he didn''t hear what she said. But, she fidgeted as she was feeling ufortable and called out to him, "Arthur?"

    He inwardly sighed and decided to tease her. "What do you feel?"

    "Umm¡­ something touching me¡­" Veronica bit her lips. She couldn''t say where it was touching her.

    Arthur asked her, "How does it feel?"

    Veronica hesitated before replying with a restrained voice, "...It''s hard¡­ and warm¡­"

    Arthurid on the bed, not wanting to squash her under him anymore. Then, he pulled her toward him. He closed into her ear and whispered, "It''s my manhood that wants to enter you."

    Veronica bashfully lowered her head. Her ear grew hot. Her face became tinted with several red shades. She couldn''t look at his face. "...Oh¡­" Her voice could barely reach his ears.

    He ducked his head and pressed his lips against her nape. Afterward, he inhaled sharply and shared his innermost desire, "I want to be inside you and be one with you."

    "But¡­ is that okay¡­" Her heartbeat increased. Her ears were buzzing. She didn''t hate what he did. She could still feel the warmth of his finger inside her.? She wouldn''t mind if they went further. Unable to take the silence, she began to speak, "If so then¡­"

    Knowing what she was going to say, Arthur interrupted her by saying, "Let''s not. This is only what a married couple should do. I did promise you that I won''t cross the line. You can trust me."

    "I-I see¡­" Veronica stammered.

    Calmness washed over her realizing she could truth himpletely. She didn''t know much about physical rtions. If Arthur wanted, he could take full advantage of it. But, he realized that she didn''t know about sexual intimacy between couples and taught her without hesitation. It meant he respected her decision. It gave her a great sense of relief.

    Arthur hugged her tightly and let out a deep sigh. "But it''s ufortable. I want you so bad."

    "..." Veronica froze. She was happy that he supported her decision and didn''t force her but she felt guilty. She cupped his face and lightly pecked on his lips. After that, she questioned him, "Does it feel better?"

    Arthur was momentarily stunned by her action. He had a hard time believing that she had done it without him pushing her. As he heard her question, he instantly demanded, "I want more."

    Veronica''s lips touched his once again and this time, her lips lingered for some time. "What about now?"

    Arthur gazed at her with his heated eyes. His voice was deep and husky when he dictated, "Not enough. I need more."

    Veronica raised her body to kiss him. Her breasts brushed over his firm chest.

    Arthur''s glowing eyes dangerously narrowed. He grasped her buttocks and crushed his lips on hers. He simply couldn''t stand it anymore. Being with her so intimately, both being naked, it was just impossible to hold back.

    "Hng!" Veronica was surprised by his action. Her heartbeat crazily. She squeezed her eyes and passionately kissed him back.

    Their bodies heated up and their breaths mixed up. The sound of soft moans, smacking noises of smooches, and the gasping breaths filled the air.

    Arthur intentionally ground the lower part of his body against hers. Her hips bounced and her legs tightened around him. His hard member was in ecstasy after finding the rightful ce. However, it couldn''t go in since it hardened and grew bigger to reach the entrance.? Arthur pushed forward.

    "Arthur?" Veronica gasped for oxygen. He was kissing her for so long that she couldn''t breathe. Her voice sounded weak.

    Arthur recalled that she just woke up from thirty days of sleeping. He pulled off from kissing her and ced his head on her bare shoulder. He panted heavily and did his best to cool off.

    His hand was still fondling her buttocks. It didn''t make his self-control any better. So, he removed his hand. "Nica, while I''m hugging you like this, go to sleep."

    Veronica was confused. She thought there was going to be another round from the way he approached her. "Wha-"

    "Don''t argue. Just sleep," Arthur requested.

    His urging voice was so demanding that she didn''t talk anymore. Although his dick was grinding her, she tried to put up with it. Nheless, it was too ufortable.

    She couldn''t help but open her mouth to speak. "Arthur, that¡­ your man¡­ manhood¡­ touching me¡­" She felt like she had run a marathon just to say that one single sentence.

    "..." Arthur stood up and said, "I wille back in a few minutes, Wait for me."

    "...Okay¡­" Veronica shyly nodded. She saw him leaving that thought, ''Did I do something wrong telling him? But as a couple shouldn''t wemunicate? When I read those books, I noticed every problem was created because of mimunication.''

    While she was pondering hard aboutmunication between a couple, Arthur went to a dark and quiet ce. He thought of her alluring and seductive expressions and jerked off. When his penis cooled off, he dived in the cold pond and took a bath. He only came out when his body waspletely chilled.

    Later, he changed his clothes and returned to his room where she was staying. Veronica was waiting for his return. The clothes he took off from her body, she wore them while he was away.

    He bought a bowl of water and a small cloth. "You must be ufortable wearing that cloth after what we just did. Take it off. I will wash you."

    Veronica''s innocent face flushed. It seemed her thoughts weren''t innocent anymore. She hurriedly told him, "There is no need. I can wash myself."

    "Well, I want to do it for you. Since I made you all sweaty, I need to take responsibility," saying that he gently took off her clothes and began to clean her body.

    Both of them weren''t talking. The room was in utter silence. Sometimes, they couldn''t even hear water sshing when he touched water.

    Veronica couldn''t stand the silence anymore and asked, "The curse. How did the curse break?"

 Chapter 112 - KISSING HER COLD SKIN

    <h4>Chapter 112 - KISSING HER COLD SKIN</h4>

    The cold, moist piece of cloth felt better on her skin. Veronica closed her eyes and let Arthur wipe her body. She rxed her body as her sweats were cleaned off.

    However, her body became alerted when his hand and the cloth brushed over her breasts. Her body subconsciously froze. The silence, the soft breathing sounds, and his cool touch started to make her nervous.

    Veronica couldn''t stand this nerve-wracking atmosphere anymore and asked, "The curse. How did the curse break?"

    "Did you not know how to break the curse?"

    "Yes, but I didn''t know what it meant. She only said that I have to stay near you and can''t let you find out about my curse. If you find out, my curse will be permanent. Furthermore, staying by your side, my heart has to be distanced from you. This way, the curse will break automatically."

    Arthur''s hand paused before resuming his action. ''The culprit made the curse in such a way so that Nica is unable to break free from the curse. There is no way I wouldn''t notice if Nica was close to me.''

    He let out a low chuckle. ''So, she cursed Nica thinking she will stay as a cat permanently. She chose the wrong person to mess up.'' He couldn''t imagine even in his nightmare for Veronica to stay as a cat when she had done nothing wrong.

    ''If I didn''t say those mean words and didn''t hurt Nica, the curse wouldn''t start breaking. And in a few seconds, I realized that the cat was Nica. It was a close call. If I didn''t say I didn''t love her that time, it would have been impossible to break the curse for the rest of her life,'' as he thought that, his arms subconsciously tightened around her legs.

    "Arthur, it hurts. Is everything okay?" Veronica tilted her head and asked him knowing nothing about his worry.

    Arthur raised his head to look at her. She was covering her breasts with her right arm and her thighs were squeezed shut. Her face was tinted with a red hue. She was embarrassed but trying to hide it.

    ''Cute,'' Arthurmented in his mind. The corner of his lips lifted as he said, "Nothing is wrong. I thought it was a close call. If I didn''t say I didn''t like you at that time, you wouldn''t be hurt. The curse wouldn''t break. Also, I found out you turned into a cat after you left the room."

    Understanding the depth of his words, Veronica''s face paled. "If you didn''t say that, I would be a cat for the rest of my life."

    Arthur resumed cleaning her legs and responded, "That''s why don''t go out of my reach. Whenever you do that, you invite trouble to yourself."

    Veronica remembered that he said something like that in the past. She looked down and asked in a soft tone, "Do you think I''m a burden?"

    Arthur denied, "No, I don''t think so. But, if you are out of my sight, I start worrying. My heart will be in a mess." Afterward, he pressed his lips on her left leg. It was cold and wet. The feeling wasn''t bad.

    "Umm!" Veronica was surprised by his action and let out a soft moan. When she realized what she did, she wanted to crawl under the nket. Her face waspletely red.

    Arthur released her leg and stood up with the water bowl. He heard her signing in relief. Heughed without a sound. ''She is so easy to read,'' he thought.

    Later, Veronica changed her clothes and went to bed. Arthur joined her. Now that their steamy passion went away, she couldn''t sleep. It reminded her of their camping in the desert in the enemy camp.

    Seeing a noticeable smile on her lips, Arthur asked her, "What are you thinking?"

    Veronica mentioned, "We were sleeping like this as partners in the enemy camp, remember?"

    Arthur couldn''t forget those painful nights. He had endured so much for this innocent girl. He couldn''t say that. He only replied, "Yes, I do."

    "We never thought we would be a couple." Veronica grinned. Her emerald eyes sparkled in happiness.

    Arthur''s heart softened upon seeing her carefree happy smile. He nted a soft kiss in the corner of her eyes and promised himself, ''I will protect this smile.''

    He remembered something and told her, "You have no idea what you have done when you healed me."

    "What did I do?" Veronica asked him.

    ------------

    "What?!" Veronica eximed.

    Since she was bugging him the entire night, the next day, Arthur helped her to stand up and walked her out of the tent.

    She saw tall trees, grass on the grounds, birds chirping, and animals making sounds. The cool breeze was blowing and it carried the sweet scent of flowers and ripe fruits. She thought she was dreaming.

    "Arthur, did we end up in the wrong ce?" she questioned him.

    Authur replied, "No, we are in the Govin desert. This is where you healed me. You revised the life of thisnd with your healing power."

    Veronica looked at her hands and uttered in a shaky voice, "But, how is this possible? I''m not a good healer."

    "You are a good healer. The problem was with the stone you were wearing around your neck." Arthur then exined it to her. He told her everything he found out about the stone.

    Later, he asked her, "Who gave you this stone?" He tried to be casual about it although he was curious.

    "That is¡­" Veronica was so overwhelmed that she couldn''t grasp all the information.

    ''Saint Ava gave me this stone. Why would she block my healing power and make me train so hard every day? If she didn''t use the stone to limit my power, I could have healed her properly. Why did she injure herself to train me? Was she worried that I couldn''t control my power and create a disaster?'' she pondered.

    When she couldn''te up with an answer, she decided, ''I have to ask her or I won''t know what she was thinking.''

    [A/N: Veronica''s childhood picture is on Instagram and Facebook ^^ Check it out! ]

 Chapter 113 - THE REASON BEHIND THE WAR

    <h4>Chapter 113 - THE REASON BEHIND THE WAR</h4>

    She was thinking hard when Arthur pulled her arm. "Hey, are you okay? Your face is pale."

    Veronica replied, "I''m sorry, I can''t tell you yet. I must go back to the temple. I need to look for some information."

    Arthur told her, "If you don''t want to say how you got this stone, it''s fine. But, it would be great if I could find out. I''m very curious about this stone."

    "I''m curious too. That''s why I have to go to the temple," she stated.

    Arthur thought, ''So, she got the stone at the temple. But, one question still remains. From where did the temple get it? Or from whom? It was a possession of Tybu''s Magic Tower.''

    Veronica tugged his sleeve. She demanded, "I want to go back as soon as possible."

    Arthur started, "But your health-"

    "I''m afraid you cannot go back yet," the leader of the desert tribe dered. He came out of his tent and found Arthur and Veronica outside. Thus, he approached them. "It looks like you two are up. That''s good. Let''s talk while having breakfast."

    At his gesture, Veronica and Arthur exchanged nces before following him to the tent beside the kitchen. It was a food tent where everyone usually had their meals.

    Veronica and Arthur sat side by side, right across the old man. Their meals were served but they were unable to eat.

    Arthur was the first to open his mouth. "What did you mean by we cannot go back yet?"

    "I got a message from my menst night. It says people are looking for the person who revived the desert," still eating, Arthur''s foster father stole a nce at them.

    Veronica''s body chilled. She nervously looked at Arthur.

    Arthur noticed her gaze and squeezed her hand. Then, he looked at his foster father and said, "Where is the harm? They don''t know how she looks like¡­" his voice trailed off, noticing the elder''s expression, "...do they?"

    The leader of the desert tribe responded, "Apparently, they do. Since you both are here, now let me tell you the reason behind the war between Riverhill and Sia. It started seven months ago. We found a traveler who was dying without water. We brought him here and treated him. However, it was just his acting. He stole one of our antique prophecy scrolls."

    "Come again?" Arthur felt like something hit his head. His head began to spin.

    Veronica couldn''t understand what was going on. She asked, "What''s an antique prophecy scroll?"

    Arthur took a sharp breath and told her, "Antique prophecy scrolls are some ancient papers. At the beginning of the Utahill civilization formation, some great priests and their saint predicted the future and wrote them down. During the Great War, the enemy attacked the temple. The guardian of the secret library of the temple took the scrolls under the order of the saint and escaped. The guardian came to the Govin desert with his family and started his own tribe here."

    Veronica''s eyes widened. Her head turned toward the leader of the desert tribe. She uttered in disbelief, "You¡­ are the descendent of the guardian of the secret library of the temple¡­"

    "Yes, and we were safely guarding the scrolls for generations until that spy stole one of the scrolls," the leader of the desert tribe grumbled. "Even we don''t have the right to read them as we please. How dare they do such a thing!"

    "Which part was stolen?" Arthur inquired.

    The leader of the desert tribe responded bitterly, "It was Volume 15, Chapter 10."

    "If you couldn''t read, how did you know what it was?" Veronica asked him.

    The elderly answered, "Every year on the birthday of the desert tribe leader, we leaders have to read one volume of the prophecy scrolls. There are 1500 scrolls. No leader was able to finish reading all the volumes."

    "Then, why read one volume every year?" Veronica was puzzled. "You can read all of them at once."

    He nonchntly answered, "It is the rule set by the saint. Those who tried to break this rule died early."

    "Oh no!" she gasped.

    "So, what was written on the scroll?" Arthur butted in between the conversation.

    The leader of the desert tribe hesitated before answering this question, "The scroll mentioned the part when a blessed child wille and have a holy power to revive anything that belongs to nature."

    Arthur ended the rest of the sentence, "...And the blessed child is Veronica."

    "That''s how it seems," his foster father didn''t deny.

    Arthur''s veins popped out, but he couldn''t get mad. "And you knew it from the moment you saw her unusual silver hair, didn''t you?"

    The elder''s answer was instant as if he was prepared for this question, "I did. It''s not hard to differentiate between a normal human and a blessed child, you know."

    "You sound like you have seen hundreds of blessed children," Arthur scornfullymented.

    The leader of the desert tribe rubbed his chin. "Well, it is vividly written how the blessed child would look like."

    Arthur remarked, "Let me guess, that''s also in the scroll."

    "Aren''t your intelligence unparalleled?" the leader of the desert tribe mocked his foster son.

    "Perfect," Arthur mumbled. He was totally pissed.

    He exined the whole situation, "Long story short, the kings of Riverhill and Sia found out about the prophecy and they fought for thisnd thinking the blessed child would appear here. The one who will own thend will have the child. Unfortunately, before either of them could conquer this desert, the blessed child had arrived. Now they have sent their men to get her."

    The elderly nodded. "Yes, and that''s why I told you not to get involved. But you two are now lovers." He finished with a sneer.

    Arthur inquired, "Was it written on the scroll as well?"

    "Scroll doesn''t mention useless prophecies." His foster father scoffed.

    "I don''t understand anything about this scroll and prophecy. And, a blessed child? Me? There must be some kind of mistake," Veronica finally opened her mouth. She looked anxious and confused.

    The leader of the desert tribe told her, "I know it''s hard to ept such an annoying prophecy. I didn''t even want to be a leader, yet here I am." He nced at his foster son andmented, "I think the spy was from Riverhill. They are growing more powerful each day. They must be thinking of conquering the world."

    "I don''t think it''s that simple," Arthur shared his opinion. "And, I think I know who it is."

 Chapter 114 - VERONICAS DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 114 - VERONICA''S DECISION</h4>

    The leader of the desert tribe shared his opinion, "I think the spy was from Riverhill. They are growing more powerful each day. They must be thinking of conquering the whole world."

    "I don''t think it''s that simple," Arthur shook his head. "And, I think I know who it is."

    The elderly man asked, "Whose spy is it then?"

    Arthur voiced his spection, "It''s a Utahill spy. He is under themand of Lord Alexander of the Dormer family."

    His foster father frowned. "An aristocrat of Utahill. Are they nning on another Great War?"

    Arthur remarked, "He surely wants something. Maybe he is tired of worldly peace."

    "Am I the only one who isn''t understanding anything?" Veronica asked them. She looked troubled. "Please tell me so that I can understand clearly. What''s with me being a blessed child? What does the prophecy scroll have anything to do with me? You mentioned Lord Alexander. Is he the same person I knew as Sister Ruth''s family member?"

    Arthur held her trembling hand and exined to her since she didn''t know anything about Sister Ruth''s death, "We are suspecting that Sister Ruth''s cousin, Lord Alexander, sent a spy here to get the prophecy scroll. After they found out about the blessed child who would show up in the Govin desert, he wanted to get that child with power. He wanted to use that power to control the whole world. He was surely ambitious."

    He continued, "However, he knew that he couldn''t just kidnap the blessed child. A blessed child is like a national treasure. The royal family will execute him if he tries that. And, the Utahill royal family won''t go to war. The country is known for its peace. Also, it won''t stand a chance against any country."

    He added, "Since Alexander can''t have the royal family as his ally, he sought help from Riverhill and Sia. He sent the prophecy scroll to both kings in a roundabout way. The kings didn''t know who the sender of the tip was. The ambitious king of Riverhill wished to im the desert and announced it at the banquet hall. The news spread fast. Sia dered war against Riverhill as they were aiming for the same thing."

    "Then, what about me being a blessed child?" Veronica inquired.

    The leader of the desert tribe answered, "We are not sure why you are the blessed child. The power you have is a gift from the Goddess. Goddess Juvena has ns for you. You were sent here to save people and show them the right path."

    Veronica lowered her head and said dejectedly, "I just wanted to be a healer who could help people and save them from suffering. I never wished to be any blessed child. So many people died because of me¡­" Her body shuddered thinking about all the recent bloodshed.

    Arthur embraced her trembling body and did his best to soothe her by saying, "That''s not your fault. You have done nothing wrong. It''s the evil people who want to destroy the peace of this world."

    "Will there be another bloodshed like what happened in the desert if they try to catch me?" Veronica anxiously questioned them.

    The elder let out a dryugh. "To catch you, there won''t be that much bloodshed. However, it''s a different story after they catch you. Once theyy a hand on you, it will be much worse than the war you have seen. Millions will die. You can make an ocean of blood out of their bodies."

    "¡­" Veronica couldn''t utter a single word. She recalled the war and people dying with heavy injuries and sickness. Their families'' tears and children''s loud wails were enough to make her heart go numb.

    She heard Arthur saying, "I won''t let them capture you. You will be with me. We will hide from those people. If necessary, we will change your looks."

    Veronica grabbed his arm and asked him with a hopeful tone, "That¡­ can we do that?"

    Arthur promised her, "We definitely can. But, it still bugs me how they are sure that it is you. Anyone can have silver hair and emerald eyes. It''s like you were their target from the start."

    The leader of the desert tribe narrated, "The only silver-haired woman known by both Riverhill and Sian soldiers is her. Even the king of Sia wanted to have her. But she suddenly disappeared from there and they found out after a month that the desert turned into a forest. Their suspicion naturally goes in her direction."

    Arthur shook his head. He wasn''t pleased with the exnation. "Still, it''s bugging me. I can''t pinpoint, but something isn''t right."

    "I don''t care what you think, but get the hell out of this ce before theye to look for her," the elder scoffed in annoyance.

    Veronica started to stand up, "Yes, I should leave as soon as possible."

    Arthur grabbed her hand and pulled her down to sit. "What do you mean by ''I''? We are going together. I won''t keep you out of my sight."

    Veronica''s voice shook with emotion, "Arthur¡­"

    The leader of the desert tribe cleared his throat loudly andmanded, "Stop being all chummy and finish your meal."

    After finishing their meals, they went back to Arthur''s room to pack their bags. They hurriedly packed whatever they needed since they didn''t have much time.

    Veronica didn''t have any clothes. The wife of the desert leader gave her some of her old clothes. She said, "We don''t make many clothes since we don''t have enough materials. I hope my clothes will help you. I had the same figure when I was your age. It reminds me of the old days." The elderly woman giggled.

    Veronica finally smiled. "Thank you very much for giving me your clothes. Two pairs are enough."

    The elder woman denied, "No, no, you will travel a lot and don''t know how the situation will turn out. At least take three sets."

    While they were talking, Arthur''s pet bird came back with a letter. Arthur unfolded the letter and read the content. His eyebrows deeply furrowed.

 Chapter 115 - HIS MISCHIEVOUS LIPS

    <h4>Chapter 115 - HIS MISCHIEVOUS LIPS</h4>

    Arthur''s expression was grim after reading the letter that was sent to him.

    His noticeable expression didn''t miss Veronica''s eyes. "What did it say?" she questioned him.

    Arthur looked at her and answered, "It looks like among the healers there is a traitor. The healer spread the news of you being the blessed child. The whole Utahill knows your existence. The king ordered you to bring you back. But, the kings of Sia and Riverhill ordered their spies to abduct you before you reach Utahill." He tore the letter andmented, "I know what was bugging me. No wonder they were so fixed on you. Now I know why."

    "Who would do such a thing?" Veronica sat on the bed and covered her face. ''It can''t be Leticia, right? She doesn''t know whether I''ve turned into a human or not. It must be someone who doesn''t know the fact that I turned into a cat. I haven''t harmed anyone. Why do people want to harm me without any reason?'' she wondered.

    Arthur crouched down in front of her and gently held her hand. He spoke in a tender voice, "I will ask my friends to look for the person who did it. Don''t worry about anything. Just stay with me no matter what, okay?"

    Veronica''s tears threatened to fall but she didn''t let them fall. She nced at him and gave him a slight nod with a small smile.

    The preparation was done, and they left shortly. The wife of the desert tribe leader was in tears. "I wish I had enough time to prepare for your marriage. It would be great if I could just marry you two. You are a match made in heaven."

    Veronica was so embarrassed that her face was blushing hard. She could barely look at anything. She lowered her head and just nodded whatever they told her.

    They departed after bidding farewell. They still didn''t have horses even though the desert turned into a forest. They took two camels. One was to carry their clothes and necessary items and another one was to ride on it.

    The camels were not fast. Walking in the unusual environment, they were even slower.

    Veronica yawned even though it wasn''t noon yet. This slow journey made her sleepy. "I can''t believe I revived this desert and turned it into a forest." After waking up, when Arthur told her what she did to this desert, she insisted on getting up from the bed and seeing for herself. "It''s like a dream," she said.

    Arthurfortably embraced her body and responded with a smile, "It''s because you are amazing. Goddess has given you this power to help this world. It will also make your dreame true. Don''t you think it''s wonderful?"

    "If I have to think positively, I think this is the best thing that can happen to me." She yawned again andmented, "But, it''s been thirty days. When will the horsese? I''m getting sleepy with this slow journey. Furthermore, the tribe needs horses now, don''t they?"

    Arthur could understand her unwillingness to ride a camel in the forest. He snickered. "Yes, the horses will arrive soon. They have to pack their bags and depart from the forest. A forest isn''t a ce for the desert tribe," He briefly stated.

    Veronica mentioned, "But they are not truly a desert tribe, are they?

    Since it wasn''t as simple as she thought, Arthur exined it to her, "They may not be, but this generation has been in the desert since they were born. To protect the prophecy scrolls, they need to build their own security. A security that no human can breach. They can only do it in the desert."

    Right now, they were escaping with their lives depending on it. Arthur didn''t want to keep her in the dark. If he could, he would teach her everything about thisplicated world in one day. However, it wasn''t possible. That''s why he provided as much information as she could handle for now.

    Veronica nodded as she understood. "I understand what you are saying. Other people don''t live in the desert. But a desert tribe is different. They were born in the desert. They know the desert like the palms of their hands. As a result, it will be hard for others to obtain the scrolls from the desert tribe."

    ''She is indeed a quick learner,'' the corner of Arthur''s lips lighted as he thought. He couldn''t help but praise her, "Sometimes, you truly amaze me with your brilliance. It''s hard to tell that you know nothing about the world so far."

    She instantly refuted, "How can you say that? I know fivenguages. I can fluently speak, read, and write them. I know politics and philosophy. I know a lot about social work. I know how poor people suffer but I just don''t know the feelings and experiences they go through. That''s why I decided to help everyone in need."

    "I know you will do well. However, I''m a little bit jealous that you are only thinking about other things when I''m right beside you. Don''t you think I will be jealous?" His arms around her tightened and his lips brushed over the back of her neck.

    Veronica flinched by the sudden affectionate touch. The ce where his lips touched it became surprisingly hot. "Mnn! What are you doing?"

    Arthur''s warm lips moved to the crook of her neck and nted a kiss there. He sensed her body shuddering at his touch. Afterward, he whispered in her left ear, "I''m trying to fill your head with me."

    His hot breath gently touched her neck and shoulder. Her heart began to pound harder. "Th-that''s not my head."

    He replied in a deep husky voice, "If your body senses me, so will your head." He gave his excuse and licked her nape.

    His hot, wet tongue brushed over her skin. She tasted sweeter than any dessert. His tongue became hungry. His hands slipped inside her top and touched her bare skin.

    "Umm¡­" Veronica trembled. She bit her lower lip to control her voice. She didn''t want to leak her voice out into the wild.

    "Let''s stop here and stay for the night, shall we?"

 Chapter 116 - IN THE WILDERNESS, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN

    <h4>Chapter 116 - IN THE WILDERNESS, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN</h4>

    Arthur teased her smooth, sensitive neck and his fingers found their way to her chest. His lips pressed soft, feather light kisses on her neck while his fingers yed with her small mounds. He rubbed them between his fingers until they hardened, eliciting a familiar ache in the depths of her core.

    "Umm¡­" Veronica''s voice threatened to leak. The electrifying sensation spreading through her entire body turned her into a moaning mess. As a result, her body trembled unconsciously. She bit her lower lip, trying to tone down the obscene sounds that were threatening to leave her lips. She didn''t want to leak her voice out into the wild.

    Arthur paused from kissing her and moved to her ear. He lightly bit her soft earlobe before licking it and suggested in a low, husky voice, "Let''s stop here and stay for the night, shall we?"

    Veronica moved her head to the side while pushing his chest lightly. She protested, "We can''t¡­? We hardly left the houses."

    "That''s too bad. I just want to spend some time with you," saying that Arthur twisted his fingers.

    "Mmn!" Veronica''s face grew hot. A jolting pleasure rushed all over her body. Her quivering lips opened and replied in a shaky voice, "Aren''t¡­ we already spending¡­ ahh¡­ time with each other¡­?"

    Arthur cupped her breasts. He responded with a mischievous smile on his lips, "If you don''t mind spending time with me while still sitting on this camel, I don''t mind either. But, the camel might feel ufortable."

    Veronica grabbed his arms, but her hands had no strength to fight them. "Let''s not¡­."

    Arthur whispered, "Are you sure? But I didn''t have enough¡­"

    Veronica roughly nodded her head. She had a troubled expression on her face. Her body was wishing for him to continue but her mind was warning her not to do it above a poor animal. They couldn''t stop their journey so soon. She looked like a desperate little bunny in his eyes.

    Arthur couldn''t control himself andughed aloud. Her behavior was always entertaining. He had fun harassing her like that. ''What to do? I''m getting addicted to teasing her. This is not good,'' although he thought that, he felt no regret.

    However, he didn''t overdo it and stopped harassing her. He then circled his arms around her and ducked his head on her neck. He inhaled her sweet odor and closed his eyes. ''I''m drunk,'' he thought.

    ''This is bad. My heart is beating loudly,'' Veronica panicked. Whenever his lips and fingers touched her skin, she would be excited. ''I should do something so that he doesn''t hear my heartbeat. If he does, I know for sure he will make fun of me. Again.'' Just as she nned, she hurriedly opened her mouth, "Arthur, I forgot to ask. Where are we heading now?"

    Arthur rubbed his face against hers and inquired, "Where do you want to head? I''ll go anywhere you want."

    "I''m asking since I don''t know any country." Veronica shrugged. "If you want my suggestion¡­ hmm¡­" she pondered deeply for a while and then shared her opinion, "I think we should head to Silvarta. This is the biggest and strongest empire in the continent and the only empire with the most powerful emperor."

    "Silvarta¡­" Arthur mumbled. He gave it a thought andmented, "This is a big empire indeed. That''s why we should avoid it. If the emperor orders to get you, it will be hard to leave that empire."

    Veronica realized only after he mentioned it. They would be truly at a disadvantage if they had to escape from a big country. She wasn''t a cat anymore. "Ahh¡­ you are right. But what can we do? We can''t choose either Sia or Riverhill. Except for those two kingdoms, only one kingdom is closer to us and that is Silvarta. If we want to go to other countries, we have to go through the passage of the Alss mountain range. I have a feeling that Lord Alexander had already posted his men there."

    "Oh?" Arthur controlled his expression and questioned her, "Why do you think that?"

    Veronica answered like an experienced detective, "I read the book of Marshall Nolmes. His enemies always hid there to ambush him."

    Arthur''s lips were twitching uncontrobly after seeing her expression. He was trying hard to control hisughter. Nheless, he praised her, "You have learned a lot."

    Veronica''s eyes were sparkling after hearing thepliment. She excitedly said, "Yes! I''m aiming to be a detective!"

    Arthur smiled discreetly and said, "Let''s save our as**s first. You can be a world ss detectiveter."

    They had traveled for three days continuously while taking short breaks to eat and take a nap. They didn''t stay in the same ce for too long. The further they were away from the desert tribe, the more alert Arthur became. Seeing him like that, Veronica too became weary of her surroundings.

    Three dayster, Arthur stopped their camels and said, "Let''s stop here for tonight."

    Veronica settled under a big tree and made some fire after clearing a small ce, out of dried leaves and small twigs. Arthur went on a hunt and brought back a dead bunny. After he toasted it in the fire, they ate their fill.

    "I never thought a rabbit''s meat would be this delicious." Veronica leaned her back against the tree.

    "Everything is delicious as long as you know what type of spices and the right amount of spices to use." Arthur looked at her, who was drowsy. He moved closer to her and pecked on her cheek. The back of his hand stroked her face as he spoke, "Sleepy?"

    "Mhmm," Veronica nodded and leaned against his shoulder. "I want to sleep," she mumbled.

    Arthur inquired, "Aren''t you ufortable? Should I unbutton your clothes?"

    She started to say, "It''s fine¡­"

    But Arthur interrupted her by saying, "Let me do it for you then." He unfastened her robe and then unbuttoned her brown colored blouse. Her smooth skin was revealed. In the fire, her pale skin showed a reddish yellow color.

    His eyes traveled over her slender neck, curved corbones, inviting cleavage, supple breasts that were covered by her blouse. The blouse ended shortly after. Her t stomach was going up and down in slow motion. Her round navel looked like an eye, looking at him and judging him.

    Arthur gulped. His throat was dry. The beast, that was living inside him, was trying toe out and devour her.

    They were alone in the wilderness. No one was there to bother them. If they made out, no one would bother them.

 Chapter 117 - HARD TO RESIST

    <h4>Chapter 117 - HARD TO RESIST</h4>

    Veronica woke up after a good sleep. It was already morning. Sunlight came through the trees. The shadows of the leaves fell on her face. She yawned and stretched her arms. At that time, she sensed something slid off her body.

    "Hmm?" She looked down and saw Arthur''s robe slid from her chest. ''Did he cover me? Where is he?'' She looked around and found him sitting beside the fire. She smiled and said, "Good morning."

    Arthur smiled discreetly and replied, "Good morning indeed." Although he said so, he didn''t look as enthusiastic as her.

    Veronica got up and wrapped his shoulders with his robe. She cupped his face and worriedly asked him, "Are you okay? You seem tired. You don''t look like you have slept enough."

    Arthur grew a beard on this journey. His hair was growing longer too, but he did not want to waste valuable time that could be used to put some distance between any pursuers. He eased her worry by saying, "I have slept enough. I woke up earlier than you."

    He scratched his face and thought, ''How can I tell you I couldn''t sleep because all I could think about is eating you? If I tell you, you won''t be able to stay by my side with a carefree attitude anymore.''

    Last night, he was hoping to have something romantic. He didn''t mind teaching her new techniques. However, when he approached her with a perverted mind, she was already asleep.

    Veronica was tired and anxious for three days. Since he decided to take a break, she rxed and passed out before she could speak.

    Arthur could neither take a cold bath nor could he leave her alone in this unknown ce. He had to just endure the entire night. He cooled his body down by the cool breeze blowing in the forest. It was truly exhausting.

    They had roasted wild chicken for breakfast and then set out for the journey. One weekter, they met some unexpected people. The one who was more surprised was Veronica.

    They were walking while Arthur guided the camels. Veronica was walking by his side. At that time, she saw two figures heading in their direction. She looked at those people with astonishment.

    Arthur noticed her expression and asked her, "Do you know her?"

    Veronica didn''t answer him. Basically, she didn''t hear what he just asked. She abruptly dashed toward those people, leaving Arthur speechless.

    She bolted toward the female traveler and embraced her. "Cathy, what on earth are you doing here?" Her voice was shaking with uncontroble emotions.

    Catharine was stunned before hugging her. her eyes were brimming with tears. "Oh, Goddess! Ver, you are alive! Thank goodness!"

    While the girls were having an emotional moment between them, Sebastian nervously went toward Arthur and bowed respectfully. "Master, I brought your horses along with another stallion."

    Arthur''s expression didn''t look good. He was in a foul mood for a whole night and now he had to see this. "I can see you brought a human as well. Did you mistake it as my pet?" his tone was colder than the north wind during winter.

    Sebastian flinched. "I''m sorry, Master. I was¡­ I was tricked."

    Arthur squinted his eyes. "How?" he demanded an exnation.

    Veronica looked at Catherine and asked several questions in one breath, "How are you doing? Moreover, what are you doing here? What about the temple? Don''t tell me you fled?! You will be punished!" She was surprised, happy, and worried at the same time. She was overwhelmed with emotions.

    Catherine sang in a happy mood. "Ver, calm down. Everything is fine. I quit. I''m not a member of the temple anymore."

    Upon hearing her answer, Veronica was even more astounded. She eximed, "What?! What on earth are you bbering about? What about your dream of bing a nun?"

    Catherine exined, "Oh,e on! I was so worried about you. Everyone heard the news of a silver-haired woman being the blessed child. The temple was talking about you. You are the only one with silver hair. The royal pce got information from a healer and ordered the soldiers to get you back. The whole kingdom is in an uproar. I was so worried that something would happen to you. So, I quit the temple work and began to live on my own.

    "You know I''ve been going out of the temple secretly since I was young. I knew almost everything about our town. I got a decent job in a restaurant and started to look for someone who would head toward the desert. That''s how I found this dude," Catherine pointed at Sebastian. "I saw him talking with one of the spies of the Information Guild and found out that he was nning to go to the desert to carry out a mission or something."

    Then, she whispered in Veronica''s ear, "I think he is an imperial spy. There is a vibe around him of a spy. Don''t you think so?"

    Veronica''s eyesnded on the innocent-faced Sebastian who was scared of getting scolded by his master. She smiled and said, "No way. He looks so harmless. He can''t do anything."

    Catherine grasped her friend''s shoulders and stated, "Why do you think so? Don''t judge a book by its cover. I think he uses his innocent face to lure out information and kill people."

    "All right, I believe you. But if he is a spy, how did you end up with him? Didn''t he suspect you for having an ulterior motive?" Veronica curiously inquired.

    _______________

    WARNING: anyone giving a review under 5 star must give a short/long exnation as to what they didn''t like about the book so that I can improve this book where Ick. Please don''t give 4 star for a stable update when I give you 2 chapters every day when I''m suffering from a fever and dry cough for 3 days. You are always wee to point out my mistakes and give me a better suggestion. I''m ready to learn.

 Chapter 118 - MEETING AN OLD FRIEND

    <h4>Chapter 118 - MEETING AN OLD FRIEND</h4>

    Veronica was bewildered when she saw Catherine who was supposed to be at the temple. She was even more astonished when she heard Catherine left the temple, saying her future dream was only to find her childhood friend who seemed to be in danger. She was in awe hearing her friend managed to get help from a spy, or that''s what Catherine said.

    "All right, I believe you. But if he is a spy, how did you end up with him? Didn''t he suspect you for having an ulterior motive?" Veronica curiously inquired.

    Catherine seemed proud as she answered, "Oh, that was easy. I told him that I needed to meet my family who seemed to be traveling from Riverhill to Utahill. And you know, anyone has to cross the desert to visit Utahill from Riverhill. He believed in me and gave me a ride."

    "¡­" Veronica''s jaw dropped. Although she would easily believe someone who would say the same thing to her, she was surprised that a spy would do the same. ''He had seen more of the real world than I did, right?'' she wondered.

    Arthur''s cold gaze swept over his subordinate. "She could be an assassin in disguise," he uttered in a low tone.

    Sebastian flinched. He lowered his head and muttered, "She looked so beautiful and pitiful¡­ I couldn''t help it. I''m sorry, Master." He looked like a puppy who did something wrong and made his master mad at him.

    Arthur instructed in a low tone, "We still don''t know if the temple sent her to us to keep an eye on Veronica or not. So, don''t let her get out of your sight."

    Sebastian scratched his head. "What if¡­ she had to bathe or use toi¡­let¡­" His face reddened visibly when he mentioned ''toilet''.

    Arthur demanded, "Guard her surroundings. Don''t let any bird or animal approach her. If they do, kill them all."

    "Okay, Master." Sebastian sighed in relief. He didn''t want to spy on a woman while she was bathing or responding to nature calls. He was d his master didn''t make him do that.

    "Aftering to the forest, I told him the truth, but he couldn''t leave me behind. I think he is too much of an idiot for a spy," Catherinemented.

    "I can hear you, you know? How could you speak ill of me when I brought you here?" Sebastian retorted. He seemed to be hurt by herment.

    Catherine denied shamelessly, throwing an excuse at him, "I''m not speaking ill of you. I''m just expressing my opinion."

    "No one asked you!" Sebastian refuted.

    Catherine put her hands on the waist. She was ready to fight. "What did you say?"

    Veronica saw those two arguing and tried to stop them, "Please stop¡­"

    "He started it!"

    "She started it!"

    Catherine and Sebastian spoke in unison.

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless. ''They are even talking at the same time, amazing!'' she thought.

    "Enough," Arthur bellowed in amanding voice. Then, he held Veronica''s arm and said, "Let''s depart. We will meet some people from the desert tribe soon if we go faster. This way, we can leave the camels to them and be on our way without anythinggging us behind."

    "Sure, let''s head out," Veronica readily agreed. Though she began to love these animals, they were too slow. She couldn''t sleep well with anxiety gripping her heart either. She wanted to move somewhere safe soon.

    "Let''s go together," Catherine held Veronica''s hand and grinned in excitement. "But who are you?" She red at Arthur. Her expression immediately changed when she saw him.

    Arthur slightly bowed to show some respect to thedy in front of him. "The name is Arthur. May I have your name, please?"

    Catherine gave him a suspicious nce and replied, "Catherine. I''m Ver''s childhood friend. I grew up with her in the temple."

    "We¡­ Arthur and I are a couple," Veronica bashfully announced.

    "¡­Huh?!" Catherine was so stunned that she couldn''t process the information properly. It took her some time to realize what her friend said. "What are you saying? You just got to know him, right? What is a stranger doing with you? He isn''t ying with you since you are inexperienced in that field, is he?"

    Arthur''s eyebrow twitched. ''I don''t like this woman,'' that was his first thought about Catherine.

    Veronica denied her ims, "It''s nothing like that. We have known each other since I started going to town. I''m sorry I forgot to introduce him to you. He is from Utahill. He is the owner of the library in our town."

    Arthur was content with her supporting him. He smiled in satisfaction.

    Now everyone had one horse each. Veronica was nervous at first to ride on her own. However, she had a strange connection with animals. The horse was quite friendly toward her and she managed to ride without a problem.

    The only person who didn''t like it was Arthur. He wanted to be with her. He wished she could ride with him. But she was too busy enjoying her new ride. Her face was glowing radiantly in excitement.

    He couldn''t say anything to her.? ''As long as she is not scared anymore. It''s for the best,'' he thought. He was at the front. The girls were behind him and Sebastian was behind them.

    "So, tell me, how did you end up reviving the whole desert?" Catherine questioned her friend. "I knew you were a healer, but you never mentioned that you had magical powers as well."

    Veronica was riding by her side. She replied, "I don''t have any magical powers. Arthur was injured and I meant to heal his injury. I lost consciousness after that. Later, Arthur told me that I healed the desert while healing him. At first, I didn''t want to believe his words but when I saw with my own eyes and everyone started to call me a blessed child, I realized I did something big."

    Sebastian perked his ears up. He was surprised to hear his master was injured. ''How did my invincible master get injured? He can fight against ten men all at once.''

    "Trying to heal a human but ended up healing nature," Catherine mumbled. She looked at her friend and said, "Ver, I think you did something marvelous. No healer could ever do it. That''s why they call you the blessed child. No wonder all countries areing after you. So, what is your n now?"

 Chapter 119 - THEIR EXPRESSIONS

    <h4>Chapter 119 - THEIR EXPRESSIONS</h4>

    "So, what is your n?" Catherine asked.

    Arthur and Sebastian became alert. Their attention was drawn to the girls'' conversation.

    "I simply wanted to be a healer, not a blessed child. Since I became one, I will fulfill any duty I have to. I will use my power to help the weak and protect them from harm." Veronica was all fired up.

    "¡­I understand. But who will protect you? This guy?" Catherine pointed at Arthur''s back. She lowered her voice and asked, "Is this Arthur guy reliable? What if he is after you like other countries?" Her voice was full of suspicion.

    Arthur turned his head subtly and stole a nce at Catherine. The girls didn''t notice him. They were busy talking to themselves.

    "You know we can hear you no matter how low your voice is, right?" Sebastian whispered from the back. He now regretted bringing this talkative woman with him.

    "Oh, shut up!" Catherine retorted and then looked at her friend. She urged, "Now, tell me. Tell meee."

    Veronica shook her head. "No way, he protected me from dangers multiple times. He didn''t know I was a healer back then."

    Catherine stated with concern, "But you are so pretty. Maybe he just wants to y with your heart and then leave you. You shouldn''t trust men so easily, Ver!"

    Veronica smiled and assured her childhood friend, "I know you are worried. But you canpletely trust him. He fought with a cougar with his bare hands to protect me."

    "He did?!" Catherine was dumbstruck.

    ''Master did?!'' Sebastian freaked out. Never in a million years had he thought that his master would save a woman from a wild animal.

    ''If Master had seen a woman bing prey to a cougar, he would nonchntly leave her knowing she would make up some bad rumors involving him afterward. He was never merciful to those who harmed him. Why did he have a sudden change of heart?'' No matter how long he pondered, he couldn''te up with a conclusion.

    Remembering that Veronica announced she and Arthur were dating and Arthur had an affectionate smile on his face, Sebastian cupped his head. He seemed to be devastated. ''Don''t tell me that Master has truly fallen in love with her!!!''

    Arthur could feel intense stares from three people. One was giving him a loving gaze. He didn''t need to turn around to see who it was. Another one was giving him a bewildering gaze. Thest one gave him a freaked-out gaze. He knew his subordinate was finding it hard to believe that finally, a woman had managed to catch his heart.

    Arthur''s ears grew hot. He was suddenly embarrassed which was a very rare asion indeed. He scratched his ear and thought, ''What an ufortable situation.''

    ----------------

    Five dayster, they met tribal people who bought horses and wagons from Riverhill''s border vige. Arthur and Veronica entrusted their camels to them.

    "Did you see any spies on the way?" Arthur asked them privately.

    One of the desert tribe people answered, "We caught three who were following us. We beheaded them. We were cautious just as you ordered. Nothing else happened."

    Arthur instructed them, "You may take the camels and reach the vige as soon as you can. They already started packing. By the time you arrive, you may not even have the chance to rest properly and have to move out immediately."

    Another man from the group stated, "We are not worried about ourselves. We can handle any kind of hardship. We are more worried about the horses."

    Arthur assured them by saying, "They are stronger than they look. Didn''t Felix teach you about horses?"

    That man shook his head. "He did. He even gave us some books for reference. We had theoretical knowledge about horses, but this is the first time we are experiencing riding on them on a journey. We have learned a lot whileing back."

    "That''s good to know. Let''s part here." Arthur patted his back.

    "Yes, have a safe trip. We heard Utahill borders are currently under the Dormer family''s control. The king of Utahill gave them the order to strongly guard the area," the man warned Arthur ahead of time.

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. " So Dormers are controlling the border of Utahill. I''ll keep that in my mind. Thank you, everyone."

    After the group left, Arthur went back to his team. Catherine and Veronica were chatting excitedly just like before.

    Catherine was saying, "Didn''t I tell you? The dark-skinned guy was more dashing. Did you see his sharp jawline? The moment heid his eyes on me, my heart started beating nonstop. Which one did you like better?"

    Arthur paused in his tracks and listened to hear Veronica''s answer.

    "Hmm¡­" Veronica gave the issue a serious thought. After pondering for a while, she answered, "I think I will go for the dark-skinned guy too."

    "I knew our choices would be in line!" Catherine pped her hands in excitement. "That guy was so damn sexy."

    "Yes, very!" Veronica nodded her head.

    Sebastian also heard their conversation. He couldn''t understand these women''s meaningless gossipy nature. ''What''s the point of talking about a guy when you cannot marry him?'' ¨C that was what he was thinking.

    He opened his mouth and said, "What''s so good about him? He only got a good-looking face. There is nothing special about him."

    Catherine instantly refuted, "What are you talking about? The face is very important for a human being. It''s a visual feast for the beholder. A good-looking guy with good muscles. Where to find a guy like that?"

    "Exactly!" Veronica sang along.

    "¡­" Sebastian groped his chest and sighed in disappointment. As a spy and an assassin, he had to train his body every day to make it skinny and flexible. Even though he had muscles, his skinny body only showed them when he was training half-naked. When he wore clothes, he looked like a teenage boy.

    ''Being a handsome man is difficult,'' he concluded and sighed. ''But what about Master? He trains every day and he has good muscles and yet looks so manly. Then why is his woman into another dude? Is she not satisfied with Master''s body? That can''t be the case, right?'' His eyes looked for his master only to find him behind the trees, looking at his woman with a dark expression.

    ''Eek!'' Sebastian flinched. His blood turned cold. ''He looks angry. What''s going to happen now?''

 Chapter 120 - ARTHURS DARK EXPRESSION

    <h4>Chapter 120 - ARTHUR''S DARK EXPRESSION</h4>

    When Veronica was talking about another man''s body, Arthur''s expression became gloomy. As if dark clouds gathered in the sunny sky.

    Sebastian''s blood turned cold after noticing his master''s expression. ''Eek! He looks angry. What''s going to happen now?''

    They proceeded to the south until dusk came. In the whole journey, the girls chatted merrily. Arthur stayed silent all the way. His quietness made Sebastian tremble in fear.

    The sky set on the west. Their surroundings became darker. While Sebastian guarded the women, Arthur went ahead and scouted the area. After he came back, he dered, "The area is safe. But it will rain soon. We should stay under a big tree. We won''t get a big animal tonight. Is it okay if we only have fried fish for tonight?" he asked everyone.

    "I''m okay with anything you cook," Veronica stated with a smile.

    Arthur didn''t seem to be happy with her answer. He expressionlessly turned toward her friend.

    "I don''t mind some fish. I was tired of eating meat every day," Catherinemented while stretching her arms.

    Sebastian stood up and said, "I''ll catch some fish. There must be a pond nearby."

    "There is a pond in the southeast corner. Let''s catch fishes together," saying that Arthur turned to the girls. "Stay here and don''t go anywhere no matter what you see or hear. It''ll be hard to find anyone in this dark unknown forest."

    "Okay¡­" Veronica mumbled. The moment he left, she grabbed Catherine''s arm. "I think Arthur is mad at me for some reason. He didn''t get close to me or talk to me sweetly. Did I do anything wrong?"

    Catherine frowned. "What did you do wrong? You didn''t go out of his sight. You were with me all the time. What else does he want? It''s almost like you are a caged bird who cannot fly without its master''s permission."

    Veronica shook her head. "Without his guidance, I will fall into the hands of Lord Alexander."

    If it was before, she wouldn''t have listened to him. However, after turning into a cat and hearing the deration of King Edward V, she decided to listen to Arthur more and try to understand the reason behind his words.

    It would be a lie if she said she wasn''t safe after listening to Arthur. And, his words were logical and he surprisingly knew the future oue of any situation. Probably because he was experienced and she knew nothing about the world, it amazed her every time how right he was and how grateful she was to follow his words.

    "Lord Alexander?" Catherine tapped her chin. "Where did I hear that?" she pondered before recalling that fateful event at night. "Oh! Is that the cousin of Sister Ruth?"

    Veronica nodded, "Yes, that''s him."

    "Oh, I really hate that guy. He was very rude to Sister Josephine. I think he is a psycho," Catherine didn''t hesitate to share her thoughts.

    Veronica stated, "You don''t have to think. He is a psycho. He wants to use my power to be powerful and rule the world. Those who will oppose him, he will kill them all."

    Catherine was bbergasted. "What are you saying¡­"

    Veronica exined to her friend, "Yes, no kingdom will bow to a foreigner, you know. Even you and I won''t be ves of someone we don''t know. The same goes for others. If Lord Alexander tries to take over kingdoms, the kings and their armies won''t stand and watch. They will fight. It will be a bloody war."

    She added, "That''s why I have to escape. I can''t go to Utahill where he is waiting to capture me. He even led Sia and Riverhill to find me. I can''t be the cause of bloodshed. I''ll be nothing more than a killer if I let that happen."

    Catherine didn''t know all that. She had a hard time digesting what her friend told her. "¡­Yes, you are right. It will be terrible. But Ver, aren''t we going to the southwest?"

    "Yes, what of it?" Veronica inquired,

    Catherine scratched her cheek and mentioned, "Umm¡­ then aren''t we heading to Utahill border? The way we are heading is only the Alss mountain range."

    "That¡­ Ipletely forgot." Veronica was stunned. It had been so long since shest met someone close to her. She was so busy chatting with her friend that she didn''t notice. "So, we are heading to Utahill. But Lord Alexander is waiting to catch me. Why would Arthur¡­"

    Her face became ashen thinking Arthur decided to abandon her. Her heart ached. She touched her chest. She could feel her heart was suffering throbbing pain. ''Why would he take me to the ce where I would be in danger the most? Is he an acquaintance of Lord Alexander? No way¡­ I won''t believe it even if it''s true.''

    Catherine noticed her friend''s expression wasn''t well. She patted her shoulder and assured her by saying, "I think it will be fine. Lord Alexander is just an aristocrat. The king ordered his men to bring you back safely. What can an aristocrat do going against their king? He will be beheaded."

    Veronica replied, "If you say so¡­ but Arthur looks so gloomy today. Could he be thinking of sending me to Lord Alexander? Is this some kind of punishment?"

    Her worry didn''t go away even after being assured. Leticia''s betrayal left her in trauma. Her cat life wasn''t the easiest thing in the world.

    Catherine hugged her friend seeing that she was spouting nonsense. "Hey now, I know I don''t trust him and you shouldn''t either since he looks suspicious in my opinion. However, you cannotpletely love someone without trusting him."

    Veronica''s worry didn''t wash away like that. "I know. But I never saw him so distant when I did nothing wrong. In Sia, he was mad at me but that time I was in the wrong." She looked down, feeling sad.

    Catherine stroked her head and told her, "All right, don''t think too much. Just ask him what''s the problem with that jerk. If he still ignores you, tell me. We will beat him up together. Okay?"

    "Okay¡­" Veronica nodded slightly.

    "Who do you want to beat up?"

 Chapter 121 - TIME FOR SWEET PUNISHMENT

    <h4>Chapter 121 - TIME FOR SWEET PUNISHMENT</h4>

    Arthur and Sebastian caught as many fishes as possible. Sebastianmented, "For someone to conjure up a pond full of fish, it''s unimaginable."

    "Indeed," Arthur muttered expressionlessly.

    Sebastian gulped. He continued, "Master must really love her to save her from a wild animal barehanded."

    ''But the woman in question had her eyes fixed on someone else,'' Arthur thought with a gloomy expression.

    Sebastian stole a nce at his master and saw a grimaced expression. He looked away. His heart was shaking. ''I thought I could make him feel better. What should I say?''

    He kept wondering what he should say. While he did that, Arthur already caught ten fish.

    When they returned with fish, they heard the girls'' conversation. Arthur asked, "Who do you want to beat up?"

    Veronica was startled and turned to face him. She hurriedly responded, "No one! No one important. We were thinking Lord Alexander was a bad person. We should beat him up if we get the chance."

    "Is that so¡­?" Arthur muttered and nced at the girl next to her. Catherine red at him in return.

    Sebastian put down the basket of fish on the ground and stated, "Now that you mentioned Lord Alexander, our sources told us that Lord Alexander''s men are guarding the Utahill border by the king''s order."

    "What?!" Catherine was shocked.

    "¡­" Veronica looked at Arthur. She was scared. Uncertainty filled her heart.

    "Aren''t we going to Utahill? What if he catches Ver?" Catherine questioned Sebastian.

    Sebastian answered, "We have ns for that. Once we reach there, you will find out. Now, clean the fish with me."

    "You are so annoying. Not telling us anything at all," Catherine grumpily said and yet went to help him.

    Veronica followed her and Arthur joined them too.

    Arthur was correct. It started raining not long after that. Fortunately, they were done eating by then. Four of them chose four trees. They covered themselves with thin nkets and wanted to sleep.

    However, Veronica couldn''t sleep. She tossed and turned but sleepiness left her head. She could hear Sebastian''s snoring and Catherine''s sleep talk. She shut her eyes and thought, ''Why was Arthur angry? I tried to talk to him during dinner but he avoided having a chat with me. He didn''t choose the same spot as me. I feel sad¡­'' Tears fell from her eyes as she thought of him. She missed his affectionate voice and tender touches.

    At that time, someone touched her face and asked, "Why are you crying?"

    Veronica''s heart was shaken vigorously. It had been some time since she was this scared. She called out in a quivering voice, "A-Arthur?"

    She was too busy thinking about her depressing life. She didn''t notice when he approached her.

    Arthur sat beside her and went under her nket. Afterward, he replied, "I saw you having a joyful time with your friend. What makes you downhearted now?"

    "It''s your fault, you big fat meanie!" sheined while wiping her tears. She was thoroughly embarrassed to show him her weak side.

    "What did I do?" Arthur inquired.

    Veronica grumbled, "You weren''t talking to me and acting distant. You aren''t even telling us why we are heading toward Utahill. I''m scared."

    Arthur soon realized what she meant. He directly questioned her, "Were you thinking that I would betray you?"

    Veronica looked away, feeling guilty conscience pricking her heart. She mumbled, "I didn''t want to, but my head wasn''t following my heart."

    Arthur''s eyes dangerously narrowed. "You," his voice was low and full of malice, "¡­you were the one eyeing other men and their bodies and now you think I will betray you. Aren''t your thoughts too haphazard? Shall I demonstrate what it means to be a lover of a man?" He grabbed her shoulder and pinned her against the tree.

    "Huh?" His sudden movement caught her off guard. When she came back to her senses, she struggled but was unable to break free from his grasp. Her face flushed and her heart started to race. "A-Arthur¡­ umm¡­"

    Her lips were blocked by him. It was rather forcefulpared to before. It wasn''t a sweet kiss. She winced when he bit her lower lip.

    After biting her lower lip, he licked the wounds. She gasped and opened her mouth. He took his chance to enter her mouth. Their kisses turned wilder the next moment.

    Veronica shuddered. Her fingers sped his clothes and responded to his kisses. His actions were too abrupt. She couldn''t settle with his tongue and only could resign herself.

    She followed his lead while he tangled his tongue with hers and sucked it hard. Her body began to grow hotter. She could sense her blood boiling. Her face and ears felt hot. The heavy rainfall covered the indecent sounds of their kissing from the unwanted ears.

    Soon, shecked oxygen and he let her mouth go. The thread of mixed saliva was added to both tongues. With a flushed face, she tried to look at the man in front of her. Her chest was moving up and down due to her rapid breathing.

    Before she could cool off, Arthur''s lipsnded on her neck. Her body trembled at his touch. Her sensitive skin grew hot wherever his lips touched her.

    "Mmm¡­" she couldn''t help but moan when his lips touched her nape. He didn''t just nt butterfly kisses on her skin. His lips strongly sucked her most sensitive areas and nibbled her less sensitive skin.

    Her brain was too upied with his lips to notice his hands. By the time she felt the cold breeze cooling her skin, her blouse was unbuttoned by Arthur''s experienced fingers.

    "Wait¡­ ahh!" she tried to stop him in panic. She didn''t want to do it when other people were around. Moreover, one of them was her best friend and another one was a man too. Nheless, she let out a sweet moan as his fingers pinched her both nipples. A jolting pleasure rushed through her spine and almost made her joints numb.

    Arthur''s ears went numb when she moaned close to his ear. He felt heat in between his legs. He growled and then, his lips trailed down while his fingers rubbed her small mounds until they hardened. Veronica shuddered in ecstasy. The feelings of his fingers touching her nipples were too much. She could only moan in pleasure.

    If she had any more stimtions than that¡­

    [A/N: New book title: Tangled by Tongue XD ]

 Chapter 122 - DRINK HER JUICE

    <h4>Chapter 122 - DRINK HER JUICE</h4>

    "Ahh¡­. Mmm¡­." Veronica let out sweet moans under his stimtions. Her body reacted to his action. Something deep inside her was triggered and her inner horny self was awakened by him. She felt fire reaching her lower abdomen. She circled her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

    Arthur''s ear grew numb as he heard her moaning close to his ear. He sensed growing hot and hard down there. He growled in a low tone like a hungry animal. His lips trailed down while his fingers rubbed her small mounds until they hardened. Veronica shuddered in ecstasy. The feelings of his fingers touching her nipples were too much. She could only moan in pleasure.

    If she had any more stimtions than that, she might grow crazy in pleasure. The fire was burning the inside of her body. The lust she never felt before tried to take over her senses and reasoning.

    Arthur''s lips left marks on her supple breasts before taking a mouthful of her right one.

    "Ahh!" Veronica subconsciously arched her back and her breasts rose. It was only her reaction from the stimtion he created but her action shoved more of her breast inside his mouth.

    Arthur was decent enough to let go of this chance. His tongue swirled around the nipple, poked the perky mound before sucking it harshly. He felt like milk was going toe out from her red fruit. He wished for that too. He wished he could drink thest drop of the milk from her breast. Her breast was as soft as jelly. It tasted sweet and it had a nice smell. He couldn''t help but suck like a child.

    "Hng¡­ ohh¡­ A-Arthur¡­ not anymore¡­" Veronica begged even though her body yearned for her. She felt something liquid in between her legs.

    Arthur''s free hand slipped inside her skirt and massaged her most sensitive flower hole through her panties. He suddenly discovered a small section of her thin underwear was already moist. Veronica also made a lewd shy shout at that time. After sucking her breast thoroughly, he looked at her.

    His hungry eyes looked at her as he said in a hoarse voice, "You are wet, princess. Did you like it when I touched you?"

    Veronica sensed that she was aroused by his vulgar words. She was embarrassed by her own emotions.? She strongly denied his im by saying, "Wrong¡­ ahh!" She moaned, unable to reply to him because he pinched her flower.

    "Is that so? I see your mouth down there is twitching. See?" He rubbed her clitoris and more love juice gushed out from her flower hole.

    "Ohh!" An electrifying sensation rushed through her body and Veronica writhed in ecstasy.

    Arthur continued rubbing her flower with his fingers. Her juice drenched his finger, making it slippery. "Nica, you are leaking so much juice. Do you want me to drink it?"

    "¡­What¡­" Despite feeling the pleasure, her attention drifted toward his mouth. Her head was feeling all hazy. She couldn''t understand what he meant by drinking something. She saw him grabbing her legs, hoisting them up, and then spreading them apart.

    Her head slightly cleared up realizing that he was looking at something he wasn''t supposed to. Her secret ce was in full view. His shameful behavior turned her facepletely red. She tried to cover her secret spot and pleaded, "Stop¡­"

    Arthur did not pay any heed to her words. Without hesitation, he began to lick her secret ce.

    "Eek!" Veronica never imagined someone could lick the dirtiest ce of the human body. He was even using his tongue to lick her down there. She could feel every move of his touch and its moist touch. Despite her embarrassment, a jolting sensation darted through her entire body, causing her body to go numb. At the same time, shameful nectar overflowed out of her flower hole.

    He lifted his head and nced at her. Hemented, "Princess, your little pussy has already be wet because of me." Afterward, he raised her hips further as though to spread it apart he diligently used his tongue and began tasting.

    Veronica knew that there were people around them but she could no longer construct words. This extraordinary sensation made her feel as if she was standing at the summit of pleasure. Her moans grew louder. Her covering the mouth wasn''t working well. Her hips began to spasm from the blissful feeling of his tongue plunging into and tormenting her insides.

    Artur kissed her moist flower and asked, "Princess, does it feel good?"

    It felt good to the point it was unbearable. Veronica was ashamed but she nodded her head. It was just so good that she was unable to speak. Tears poured from her eyes automatically.

    After she woke up, she didn''t have any aversion to licking or being licked, only his fingering down there. However, the sensations she experienced then were iparable to now.

    She was at the mercy of his tongue.

    Her thoughts flew away and she was unable to say anything further.

    Arthur saw her reaction. Her lewd expression made his blood boil. He lightly nipped her exposed flower bud, and she was undone. The love liquids continuously dripped down making their clothes moist.

    "Aahh!" Her head was nk for a moment and her body gave out. Her entire body trembled as her lower body spasmed. The blissful feeling rushed over her sweaty body.

    Arthur lifted his head and licked his lips. He really drank it all. In front of her, he knelt and took off his clothes. By the time her head started working, both of them werepletely naked.

    While she was panting heavily, she said in a shaky voice, "¡­Arthur¡­ what are you¡­"

    "Don''t worry. I won''t cross the line. Just let me do this." Arthur breathed hard. His hot breaths touched her face. He leaned forward and embraced her sweaty body with his warm hands.

    Veronica was clueless until something warm and hard touched her. Her body jumped in surprise, but he held her tightly. He knew this was going to happen.

 Chapter 123 - RELAX YOUR BODY

    <h4>Chapter 123 - RELAX YOUR BODY</h4>

    Veronica wasn''t sure what was going on. She couldn''t understand why he was naked. But then, she felt something warm and hard touched her. Her body jumped in surprise.

    Arthur held her tightly. He knew this was going to happen. She jumpedst time too. He rubbed his face against hers and said, "Rx your body. I''ll just move."

    His hard member poked her wet entrance. An electrifying sensation spread all over her body. She felt the short-lost lusting back. Her body gradually warmed up. Her fingers dug in his arms when she felt the slightest bit of movement.

    Her heart was racing like a marathon. She was nervous and excited. She was curious about what would happen next and at the same time, she was scared. She feared if they were going to cross the line and also, she was anticipating the next pleasure.

    Arthur noticed how his dick was rubbing against her pretty hole. Her flower was twitching and wishing for him to continue. It was so inviting that he became aroused. He took a deep breath and began to move. His cock slid past her clitoris and went behind.

    "Hng!" Veronica sharply breathed and a moan escaped her mouth. She sensed the hot and hard rod moving around her sensitive spot, causing her to feel something enormous. Her inside twitched and began to spasm. Her juice soaked his member.

    Arthur breathed hard. He kissed her lips and sucked her lower lip. His hands caressed her smooth buttocks before spreading them and rubbing his penis on her honey hole. His movement increased. He thrust forward and imagined being inside her. He gritted his teeth and rammed harder.

    "Mm! Nn! Oh!" Veronica''s lips were blocked and yet her lewd moans escaped out from her little mouth. Despite the sound of rainfall, she could hear wet soundsing from down there. Her underripe body which still hadn''t experienced the ways of the world was unable to endure his coarse and wild passion. Her tender small mouth continuously moaned as she stuck up her butt on her own initiative. Without realizing it, she began to move her hip.

    Arthur growled like an animal. His golden pupils were burning in lust. He wasn''t expecting her to move at all. He wanted to p his own face. ''What is this na?ve girl doing?'' he thought and grimaced.

    She had no idea what she was doing to him.

    ''This is bad. If this continues, I won''t be able to control myself,'' he thought. He was restraining his inner demon pretty well but her action inmed his passion. It was too hard to resist.

    His fingers groped her buttocks and thrust a few more times before releasing his semen. She came not long after. He breathed heavily in her embrace and inhaled her unique scent.

    When both calmed down, he opened his mouth and proposed, "Nice, let''s get married in the next town or vige, whatever wee across first. As long as there is a temple."

    ''I can''t take this anymore,'' he thought.

    Veronica was surprised and then bashfully ducked her head. She said in a low and yet sweet okay, "Okay." Her body cooled down but her heart was racing. She started to imagine her married life with him.

    "And don''t think about another man. Don''t praise them. I''m too possessive," he demanded.

    "What?...." Veronica was confused at first but then soon realized what he was talking about. "It''s just a girls'' conversation. Pay no heed."

    Arthur responded, "I mind as long as it''s something to do with you. I don''t care about the rest. Now, be obedient. If you want to be mine, leave your heart, head, and body to me."

    Veronica found his choice of words were deliberately shameful. She shyly nodded, unable to speak.

    Arthur was satisfied with her answer for now. He nned to monopolize her after they get married. So, this time, he let it off the hook.

    He looked down and saw that her clothes werepletely ruined. He covered her with the nket and gathered her clothes. "I''m going to wash the clothes before they get smelly. Wait for me here," saying that he kissed her lips onest time before going to wash his clothes.

    He strolled to the nearest pond. While washing the clothes in the cold water, he recalled her aroused expression and lewd moans, her twitching flower, and her wet vagina. He closed his eyes and decided, ''Maybe I should take a bath right now.''

    ----------------------

    It took them another six days to reach the Utahill border. It was the Alss mountains. The familiar snowy mountains put Veronica at ease.

    "It''s strange. We are right under the mountains but we don''t feel cold at all," Catherine stated.

    "It''s because the wind isn''t blowing this way. The cold breeze is on the other side of the mountains. Our city is surely cold," Veronica answered.

    "I''m impressed with your geography knowledge," Sebastianplimented her. In his eyes, she was nothing more than an idiot, so her exnation came as a surprise to him.

    Veronica bashfully grinned. "Thank you, I''m a good student."

    Catherine pointed at her friend and told Sebastian, "She may not have much experience about the world since she never went out before she turned eighteen but she is quick-witted and has a good amount of knowledge."

    "Really?" Sebastian gave Veronica a doubtful look.

    "Haha, I''m not that knowledgeable, really. She is just boasting," Veronica said. She nced at Arthur who was looking at the mountains. Her heart was not insecure anymore. She already knew his answer. She knew that he wouldn''t betray her.

    She asked him, "What do you think?"

    Arthur answered, "I''m thinking about which road is the safest."

    Catherine responded, "It should be the mountain gate. There is only one path to enter this country from this mountain range."

    "Not really. There are more than five paths to enter Utahill. But before that, I think we have to deal with them." Sebastian sighed.

    "Deal with whom?" Veronica inquired.

    Before anyone could answer, she saw twenty men wearing back clothes surrounded them.

 Chapter 124 - THE ASSASSIN GUILD

    <h4>Chapter 124 - THE ASSASSIN GUILD</h4>

    "There are more than five paths to enter Utahill. But before that, I think we have to deal with them." Sebastian sighed.

    "Deal with who?" Veronica inquired.

    Sebastian didn''t answer her but looked ahead with an unreadable expression on his face. And, her curiosity was soon quenched by the scene that unfolded in front of them. She didn''t even need a verbal confirmation anymore.

    Out of the blue, twenty burly men rushed from all four sides and surrounded them. They were all wearing ck clothes and their faces were covered with thin back gauges, leaving only their emotionless eyes open to the world.

    "They are assassins from a guild," Sebastian finally replied in a low voice while drawing his weapons out. His weapons were two short swords.

    ''Assassins? Like the ones who came after me to kill me in the forest? But why?'' Veronica wondered as her heart started shaking.

    "¡­" Catherine quietly looked at the assassins. It was her first time seeing them in real life. She looked frightened and guided her horse closer to Veronica''s.

    "State your business," Arthur calmly yet firmly demanded. His eyes observed those assassins.

    The leader of the assassins answered, "We are here to take the blessed child. Give her to us. We are following direct orders from the king."

    "What blessed child? We don''t have things like a blessed child here," Sebastian bickered. He thought in his mind, ''Do you take us for fools? A king has his own army. They follow his order. He doesn''t need a private assassin guild to take care of his business.''

    The assassins exchanged nces. They looked like they were confused. Nevertheless, their leader wasn''t easy to fool. He pointed out at Veronica and stated, "She is right there."

    Veronica became nervous but didn''t show it on her face. She did her best to calm her racing heart and stared at the leader of the assassin guild. She gathered some courage and said, "Is this some kind of trick to kill people and rob them off?"

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    Catherine and Sebastian''s eyes slowly turned toward her. ''Has she gone insane?'' they thought.

    The leader of the assassin guild looked at her with deadly eyes. He questioned while directing a killing gaze at her, "What do you mean?"

    "What do I mean? Heh. Do you not understand or are you pretending to be a brainless fool?" Veronica taunted him. "I heard many stories about bandits stealing from poor travelers and killing them mercilessly. Aren''t you one of them?"

    For assassins, it was a great insult. They weren''t bandits.

    Another assassin reiterated since he couldn''t take the insult. "We get paid with gold coins by clients to finish off some human garbage. It is far better than stealing from others."

    Veronica was pissed after hearing his im. She said, "Far better? You stole their lives, robbed off people''s children, fathers, mothers, husbands, and wives. How can you say you are better than bandits? Bandits take goods that can be retrieved. But, can you give back the human lives you took? Can you? Those people did nothing to you but you took their lives just for some money. Do you think you are any better? You are the worst kind of people in the world."

    She added, "Even we, some harmless travelers, are going to meet our family members. You know nothing about us. We didn''t hurt you either. But you sold yourself to get some money. So, you decided to kill us. Isn''t that right? Even an animal knows how to show affection to those who care for them."

    "¡­" the assassins were quiet. They were being humiliated by this woman and they couldn''t say anything.

    "Enough of that." The leader of the assassin guild stepped forward. "You think you can get away from us by saying that, blessed child? Come with us before it gets any more bloody."

    Arthur moved his horse forward and blocked her from the leader of the assassin guild. "What does the blessed child look like? Does she match the description?"

    The leader of the assassin guild stated, "She has shining silver hair that no one ever had."

    "Does thisdy over here have silver hair?" Arthur pointed at her.

    Everyone looked at Veronica. Veronica took off her hood and showed her shining ck hair.

    Veronica was thankful to the wife of the desert tribe leader for keeping her ck hair wig safe when she went to visit them during the war. She had mistakenly left it there and was surprised to find it monthster. The elder woman gave it back to her after she woke up from her thirty days ofa. She wore the wig thinking they would go through the checkpoint at the border.

    The assassin guild was dumbstruck. They did not expect that. They exchanged nces and one of them whispered something to their leader. The leader looked at Arthur and said, "Our spy notified us early this morning that the blessed child was heading to this road. Our spy''s information can''t be wrong."

    Arthur shrugged. "Maybe your spy deliberately gave you false information. He must have wanted to betray the team."

    The leader of the assassin guild demanded, "We will be checking this woman. You may leave."

    "Leave?" Arthur narrowed his eyes. He coldly refused to obey the leader of the assassin guild, "I won''t leave my woman to some barbaric men."

    ''There is no way anyone was following us. My master and I scouted every day. The road was clear,'' Sebastian thought. ''But, it is indeed suspicious that we didn''t face any mischief all the way. And, their spy is urate. Howe we didn''t notice who was tailing us?''

    The leader of the assassin guild told them, "Our spy informed us every day what you did, where you went. Even if you try to fool us. It is not possible. She is cunning."

    "She?" Arthur turned toward Catherine. "Was it you?" he inquired.

    "No way!" Veronica firmly believed that her friend would never do that.

    But, she only heard Catherine say, "I''m sorry, Ver."

 Chapter 125 - THE SPY WHO TAILED THEM

    <h4>Chapter 125 - THE SPY WHO TAILED THEM</h4>

    "She?" Arthur muttered. For some reason, he wasn''t surprised that the spy of the assassin guild was a girl. He slowly turned toward Catherine. "Was it you?" he inquired.

    "No way!" Veronica firmly believed that her friend would never do that. She grew up with her. She knew what kind of person Catherine was. If one day she became blind, she would let Catherine be her eyes ¨C that''s how much trust she had in her friend.

    Unfortunately, she only heard Catherine say, "I''m sorry, Ver." Her voice was low. She sounded low-spirited.

    Veronica was shocked. She couldn''t believe her own ears. She didn''t want to believe them.? She said, "There must be some reason. There has to be something that made you do it. Tell me. Did they force you? They must have threatened you." Her voice was unshaken. She thought there must be a reason.

    The more she spoke, the more Catherine''s head lowered. She looked downcast. She was trying hard to speak but nothing came out. She opened her quivering lips. Even so, she could only choke her words out. She sensed something breaking her throat as she could only mutter, "I''m sorry, Ver."

    "It can''t be." Veronica shook her head. She pulled the reins and her horse stepped away from Catherine. Her horse then got close to Arthur''s.

    Arthur gently held her hand, feeling sorry for her. He tenderly said, "Don''t worry. Everything will be fine." Afterward, he looked at Catherine and said, "You should be ashamed of yourself. You are so unlucky to lose a friend like her."

    Catherine finally raised her head and looked at him with clear eyes. She didn''t even look guilty for a second as though everything she did up until now was nothing but a pretense to be a friend of Veronica. She sneered and said, "Unlucky? Ashamed? I think you got everything wrong. I deserved everything. I''m more beautiful, more talented, more hard-working, more deserving than Veronica. However, suddenly she got herself some healing power. Everyone started to give her priority. Azy, ugly girl like her doesn''t deserve any attention."

    She continued, "She doesn''t work hard and diligently. She always looks for trouble and fun. Everything seems nothing but an adventure to her. Life isn''t a yground. She thinks she is the best and she can do anything. But she''s the one who''s making everyone suffer. How am I unlucky to lose a friend like her? She should be d that I''ve been a friend of hers until now."

    "That''s why when I heard that people were looking for her, I volunteered. I wanted her to know what it feels like to suffer. I will take her back to Lord Alexander. He will decide what to do with her. He promised to make me his queen once he took over the world. I will rule the world with him," just talking about that thrilled her endlessly.

    "¡­" Her mocking words hurt Veronica so much that she became speechless. Her only friend whom she cared so much said such hurtful words that she couldn''t say anything in return.

    "Is that what you think?" Arthur asked. "Then you know nothing about her. She is the most caring person who would even give up her own life to protect someone precious to her. But there is no point in talking about it right now. You betrayed her. Your friendship ends here."

    "Whatever you say," Catherine shrugged. She moved her horse to where the assassins were standing. "It doesn''t change the fact that so many people have died because of her."

    "¡­" Sebastian also looked visibly shocked. He didn''t speak but his grip on his short swords got tighter. He felt guilty because he was the one who brought Catherine with him. And because of him, Veronica lost someone very close to her. And, they were now in danger.

    "Enough! Let''s kill them all and get the blessed child," the leader of the assassin Guild ordered his fellow men.

    The assassins drew their weapons and dashed toward where Arthur, Veronica, and Sebastian were standing. Arthur and Sebastian covered for Veronica. They didn''t bother to think about Catherine who already went over to the safe side.

    Arthur told Veronica, "Close your eyes, Princess. I don''t want you to see what''s going to happen next."

    "Okay," Veronica agreed without hesitation and shut her eyes. She didn''t move from her spot. Shepletely trusted Arthur and Sebastian. She also knew that no one from the assassin guild would hurt her.

    With her eyes closed, she heard sharp metals shing and people shouting in pain. Her blood turned cold and her heart shook. Not that she was sad for the assassins who came to kill Artur and Sebastian, but she was dejected and sorrowful for those that were the family members and friends of those assassins. They were going to lose someone they held dear.

    However, there was nothing she could do other than praying for their lost, sinful souls. She had to survive as well. She epted this truth long ago.

    Arthur taught her, "Survival of the fittest." As long as you are alive, you win.

    Her life had already turned like this. She had to live in order to fulfill her dreams.

    Arthur and Sebastian were both masters at sword fighting. However, it was hard to fight twenty professional assassins and protect Veronica at the same time. They had to keep an eye on her so that she wasn''t taken away from them.

    As long as she wasn''t taken, they would be safe too or the assassins might use some kind of explosive to finish them off at once. And, Arthur and Sebastian didn''t have any weapons to stop an explosive. Since Veronica was in between them, the assassins couldn''t use an explosive to finish them off recklessly.

    The assassins were masters of their weapons themselves. They weren''t easy to deal with. As a result, Arthur and Sebastian were quickly cornered even though they injured more than ten assassins.

    When there was no hope left for Arthur, Veronica, and Sebastian, someone shouted, "Everyone stop right there! If you move for even an inch, you will be shot to death."

 Chapter 126 - ANOTHER THREAT

    <h4>Chapter 126 - ANOTHER THREAT</h4>

    When there was no hope left for Arthur, Veronica, and Sebastian, someone shouted, "Everyone stop right there! If you move even an inch, you will be shot to death."

    Everyone ceased fighting and turned to the source of the sound. Even Veronica opened her eyes, wishing to see who was trying to kill both groups. In the low mountain area, behind the stones, she saw about ten arrows were pointed at them. The heads of the archers could slightly be seen. An eleventh head raised from them. That person wasn''t holding any bow or arrow. It was a familiar face.

    Veronica''s face brightened up when she recognized the person and she yelled gleefully, "Sir Felix. is that you?"

    Flicks smiled seeing the human Veronica and then threatened the assassins, "Let them go or you will die here like stray dogs."

    "¡­" The assassins exchanged nces before withdrawing. However, the leader of the assassin guild was hellbent on taking the girl with them. He wanted to finish off the people who''d protect her. That was his final stance.

    He looked at his men and shouted, "What the hell are you doing? We took money from the client. We have to kill them!"

    Seeing that his fellow assassins wouldn''t follow his orders anymore, he turned to Arthur and attacked him. But before he could go even a step further an arrow sprinted toward him and perforated his back. The long sword fell from his hand and his body mmed to the ground.

    Felix said loudly, "These are poisonous arrows. Once it prates you, you will die in a second. So, don''t you dare to raise your weapons. Now, leave before we catch you and kill you."

    The assassins left and Felix ordered his men to follow them. He instructed his men to kill them before they reached the border. After giving them the instruction, he came down and got closer to Arthur, Sebastian, and Veronica.

    Veronica on the other hand ran toward Catherine. "Are you okay?" she asked her friend, feeling worried. "Are you injured? They didn''t harm you, did they?"

    Catherine''s face was as pale as a sheet. She weakly gazed at Veronica and replied, "I am alright. What about you? Did they hurt you?" Her voice was full of concern.

    Sebastian was thunderstruck. "What the hell! Why are you acting like a good friend when you betrayed her?" he asked Catherine in rage.

    "She didn''t betray Miss Veronica," Felix defended Catherine. "There was no reason for her to betray a friend when she cared for her so much."

    Veronica supported Felix''s im by saying, "He is right. Cathy would never betray me."

    "You knew all along?" Sebastian was astonished.

    "No, I didn''t know," Veronica replied. "I realized when she was lying to us. That''s when I understood she was forced to do it but she meant no harm to me."

    "What was she lying about?" Arthur inquired.

    Veronica exined, "Well, she was saying that I was more intelligent and more popr and drawing more attention. But, that''s not true at all. The person who is more intelligent, popr, and would always draw attention was Catherine herself. I wasn''t popr at all. Everyone thought of me as a troublemaker and avoided me. And yes, I am indeed azy person who is always looking for trouble. As you see, she has no reason to envy me. If you ask me, because of her I was saved from a lot of trouble."

    "My eyes never lie," Sebastian remarked. He couldn''t believe he was fooled twice in a row. His pride was hurt. "I saw you crying, Miss Veronica. You lowered your head and wept because she hurt you with her words."

    "I wasn''t crying," Veronica calmly refuted. "I felt likeughing so much that it was hard to bear. She doesn''t usually act. As a result, her acting isn''t as good as mine. But, she was trying so hard to act like a viin, I couldn''t justugh openly and ruin her hard work, could I?"

    "¡­" Sebastian was speechless.

    "And what about you?" Sebastian questioned Felix. "You weren''t supposed to be here. How did you know we would be here?"

    "That''s precisely what I was going to say," Felix answered politely. "Sometimes I sent messages to Sebastian. However, the next time I got a reply it wasn''t suggestions in writing. It was Catherine''s. She told me what Lord Alexander was nning. She also told me that she was forced to do this. Some people in the temple were in danger because of Lord Alexander. She asked for my help. So, I instructed my group to protect those people in the temple and came here to save all of your asses."

    Veronica stated, "I can''t believe people in the temple were targeted. Why didn''t our king do anything?"

    Felix replied to her, "It was done in secrecy. Moreover, the people in the temple didn''t know they were being targeted. They were living peacefully without knowing that they could die at any moment."

    "That''s terrible." Veronica shuddered. "Thank you so much for helping us, Sir Felix."

    Felix responded, "Please don''t mention it. It''s my duty."

    Arthur''s sharp gaze fell on Sebastian. "Howe your message was replied to by someone else?" he demanded an answer.

    "Umm¡­" Sebastian cringed under his re.

    Before he could reply, Catherine opened her mouth and said cheerfully, "He was sleeping when Sir Felix''s messenger bird arrived. Therefore, I took this chance and sent him the messages. I also had to continuously report to the assassins. At first, I didn''t know if it was a trap or not. But, I had to take this chance or else you were all going to die and Ver would have the worst life possible. I gambled and I won."

    Arthurmented, "You never had a n to betray us. did you?"

    He was doubtful of her the whole time. He didn''t catch hermunicating with Felix or the assassin guild. He realized that she had done it when she was bathing or responding to mother nature.

    At that time, Sebastian was supposed to keep an eye on her. Who knew he would mess up like that? He even fell asleep while guarding her.

 Chapter 127 - HER NIGHTMARISH EXPERIENCE

    <h4>Chapter 127 - HER NIGHTMARISH EXPERIENCE</h4>

    "You never had a n to betray us. did you?" Arthur inquired.

    At his question, Catherine answered, "I don''t care whether I have to betray you or not," Catherine replied. "I only care about Ver. I''m fine as long as she is okay. This is all that matters to me."

    "She is a brave young woman. I give her that," Felix voiced his opinion about Catherine. "Miss Veronica is also a smart woman who understands what is happening. I do like her strong will not tough at that terrible viinous act. My men wereughing at Miss Catherine''s performance in the mountains."

    "Was it that bad?" Catherine''s face reddened in embarrassment.

    Felix answered, "You were on the verge of crying when you were talking ill of your friend, Miss Catherine."

    "So then, when you were shaking you were trying to hold back your tears?" Sebastian was dumbfounded.

    "It was hard all right! It was so hard to talk bad about her when she is such a good girl. I''m sorry for saying harsh words to you, Ver," Catherine wept as she apologized to Veronica.

    Veronica said, "No, no, it''spletely fine. I know you tried your best. You can do it again in the future. However, I don''t think Lord Alexander will think of you as his ally anymore. But hey, did he really promise you that he would make you his queen?"

    "Of course, he didn''t. I made it up. That guy is such a jerk that he threatened to kill everyone with poison if I didn''t help him." Catherine sounded irritated.

    "Let''s pray for his soul so that he bes a good person." Veronica pped her hands together as though she was praying.

    Catherine looked like she couldn''t believe her friend. She asked in disbelief, "Do you really think he will change no matter what happens? Well, I don''t think so. This madman will ruin the entire world if he gets you. Millions will die. Don''t let him get you, Ver. He won''t treat you like a human. He will treat you like a chess piece to win his chess match. I''ve seen him with my own eyes."

    "How did he get to you?" Veronica interrogated her. "You shouldn''t be going out, right? Did you slip out of the temple again?"

    "Yes, I did. I slipped out at night and I was caught by his men. It was like he knew that I went out every week. His men must have been telling me all this time. I was taken to him. He was torturing someone at that time and he did it deliberately in front of me. That person betrayed him. As a result, Lord Alexander punished him. Lord Alexander told me that I would face the same fate if I betrayed him. You have no idea how scared I was." Catherine shivered as she recalled that nightmarish experience.

    Veronica embraced her friend''s shaking body and said, "You must have had a hard time. I''m sorry that you had to go through this because of me. I wish I could erase your terrifying memory with my healing power. But I''m merely a child who can do nothing but kill people."

    "Don''t say that!" Catherine reprimanded her. "You are not just a child. You are a good child."

    Arthur: "¡­"

    Felix: "¡­"

    Sebastian: "¡­"

    The boys couldn''t understand how telling Veronica that she was a child could make her feel any better. Surprisingly she didn''t mind. Now they could really believe that Catherine was her one and only true friend in the temple since she could understand Veronica better than anyone.

    Arthur wouldn''t let anyone know but he was truly jealous of Catherine and Veronica''s bond. It takes some time to understand how Veronica felt and what he had to do to make her happy when she felt depressed.

    Arthur looked at Felix and inquired, "What will you do with the assassins? Kill them all?"

    Felix answered, "Yes, my men will kill them before they get to cross the border. There were also two men spying on this situation. Maybe Lord Alexander put them to keep an eye on the assassins and so that they could let him know if the assassins didn''t seed. I wanted to interrogate them but my man told me that they killed themselves with cyanide before they could do anything. I guess they were truly loyal to Lord Alexander. I also don''t want him to find out that I''m alive. I don''t like being hunted by mercenaries anymore."

    "That''s for the best," Arthur nodded his head as he approved of his action. "We should head to Zynthx before he finds out that none of his men survived. I would hate it if he tailed us. I don''t want to kill anyone unnecessarily in front of her," saying that he turned to look at Veronica who was talking to her friend. "We must cross the border before he sends another group of assassins."

    "Sure," Felix agreed. "I will be with you until we cross Utahill. After that, you will be on your own."

    "Fine, let''s head out." Arthur pulled the reign of his horse and then with five of them marched to the South.

    It took them three days to reach the border. Just as Sebastian said there was indeed an unsafe road to cross the mountains. Even though they were shivering in the cold breeze, they couldn''t stop their horses. Snow piled on the horses'' bodies. Even so, they had to move forward. The narrow road was rough. If they made a single mistake they would fall thousands of feet and die.

    Arthur wanted Veronica to sit with him so that he could share his warmth with her. However, she refused because she didn''t want her horse to feel cold. She wanted to share her warmth with her horse.

    After they crossed the mountains there was a in field waiting for them. Crops were growing in the field. Everyone sighed in relief.

    They set up a camp for the night. Sebastian and Catherine were cooking meals. Felix went to scout the area. Arthur strode to Veronica and held her hand. He rubbed her hands and then blew hot breaths to warm up her freezing hands.

    He said, "That''s why I told you to sit with me. What if you caught frostbite? There is no healer around us right now. You can''t be healed if something happens and you cannot heal yourself either. How many times do I have to tell you to be cautious?" His voice was full of affection.

 Chapter 128 - DELICIOUS MEAL

    <h4>Chapter 128 - DELICIOUS MEAL</h4>

    "How many times do I have to tell you to be cautious?" He seemed to be chiding her but his voice was full of affection.

    Veronica''s heart fluttered as she heard his affectionate tone toward her. She sweetly refuted, "There is no way I would catch frostbite. I''m used to going to the mountains while skipping my work. Cold doesn''t bother me as much as you think."

    "Just because cold doesn''t affect you, doesn''t mean you have to be careless. Can''t you see? I''m worried about you." Arthur pulled her hands close to his mouth and praised his leaves on her palms.

    "What are you doing?" Veronica bashfully asked as she tried to snatch her hands away from him. However, his grip on her arms was tight. She hissed, "You cannot do this here. Cathy and Sebastian are near. They will see us." She looked around secretively to check what Catherine and Sebastian were doing.

    "Do not worry about them," Arthur told her. "We are behind your tent. Their view is blocked by this tent." His left hand held her slender waist and drew her body closer. Her delicate body was pressed against him. After that, he cupped her face with his right hand, raised her head, and stole her lips.

    "Umm¡­" Veronica closed her eyes and epted his kiss. She circled arms around him and kissed him back. Her heart was shaking in nervousness in fear that at any moment her friend or Sebastian could find them here and at the same time, she was excited by his sweet, passionate kiss.

    Arthur was such a good kisser. With a few kisses, he made her breathless. She was softly panting and her tongue tried to follow his lead. The way she tried to suppress her moans was cute as well. He couldn''t help but feel amused. His tongue zealously ravished her mouth.

    His frenzied kisses made her head dizzy. She sensed his curious tongue touching every corner of her mouth, leaving his traces behind. Their tongues tangled and danced in the same rhythm.

    Arthur paused kissing her when he realized that she couldn''t breathe. He lowered his head and gazed at her face. She was blushing hard. Her eyes were unfocused. There is a hint of a tiny bit of lust in her emerald eyes. Her slightly parted lips were moist and swollen.

    He couldn''t resist how inviting her lips were. He bent down, changed their angles, and nted a sweet kiss. After pressing his lips for a long time, he traveled down to her jaw and neck.

    Veronica trembled. Her skin grew hot wherever his lips traced her. Her heartbeat increased. She sensed his soft lips traveling down to her corbones. He sucked there and left a hickey. She covered her mouth in case moans came out of her mouth.

    Arthur was addicted to her smooth skin and sweet scent. He inhaled sharply. Her unique scent entered his nostrils. It made his head spin. He inhaled once again as if her scent was a drug and he was addicted to this newly discovered drug.

    While doing so, he ground his lower body against hers. When she let out a moan, he rubbed harder. His arms became impatient. He leaned against the nearest tree, dragged her with him, and then began to grope her here and there.

    His experienced fingers unhooked her blouse. The moment he released the goods inside of the blouse, they bounced in front of his eyes. There was a silver lighting from the moon and a golden lighting from the campfire. The mix of silver and golden light made her supple breasts and pink color nipples ravenous.

    He gulped while looking at the tantalizing sight. "They are so beautiful," hemented. He couldn''t wait to fondle them. His fingers flickered her small mounds.

    "Hng!" Veronica bit her lower lip. She did her best not to leak her voice. She could feel his hard member already poking her in the right spot. She said in a quivering voice, "A-Arthur¡­ your¡­ thing is¡­ rubbing me down there¡­ mmm¡­"

    "Hmm!" Arthur moaned as he sucked one of her small, delicious fruit. No matter how many times he had it in his mouth it wasn''t enough. He was diligently eating her, he heard what she said. He couldn''t help but groan.

    She just knew what to say to drive him crazy. He fondled her buttocks and ground his ass harder. "I really want to do it," he confessed in a low husky voice.

    Veronica''s ears grew hard upon listening to his wish. She reminded her, "We cannot do this here. Don''t forget about Cathy and Sebastian. And we are not married, remember?"

    "Then let me just rub it," he sighed. "I cannot wait to get tied up with you."

    "It sounds like you are after my body only," Veronica said in a dejected tone.

    Arthur stopped sucking her and lifted his head. He ced his forehead against hers and said, "If that was how it was, I wouldn''t care about marrying you. I want you. I want to protect you. If you want to be mine, you have to stay with me for the rest of your life. Because I won''t let you get away from me after you be mine."

    Veronica stared at him as if she was dreaming. She bashfully lowered her head and said, "I just want to be with you and no one else."

    "A good response," Arthur smiled and appreciated her answer.

    They were having a sweet time when Catherine called for them. "Ver, Arthur, Sir Felix, where are you all? The food is ready. Come back and join us before the dinner turns cold," she loudly announced.

    She always called Felix with honorifics. She called Sebastian and Arthur by their names. She didn''t like Sebastian because he was the dumbest guy she ever met. Always making trouble. And she disliked Arthur for snatching her friend away from her.

    After finishing their dinner, Felix went to a quiet ce. He was looking at the stars when he heard footsteps.

    "Who is there?" he asked.

 Chapter 129 - WHOS THERE?

    <h4>Chapter 129 - WHO''S THERE?</h4>

    Felix was alone when he heard footstepsing near him. He cautiously turned around. "Who is there?" he asked.

    "It''s me." Veronica stepped away from the tree and came to the view. She walked closer to him.

    Felix''s demeanor changed and he politely said, "Miss Veronica, you must be tired. Why are you here?"

    Veronica replied, "There is something I wanted to do for you for helping me when I was a cat and saving us from the assassins." She reached out her hand and requested, "Can I have the locket you are wearing?"

    "You mean Joana''s locket?" Felix slightly hesitated.

    Veronica smiled and assured him by saying, "I will just borrow it for a moment and give it to you right after that."

    Felix stared at her for a while and then took off his locket. It was shining in the moonlight. Anyone could tell that he took great care of it.

    After he handed the locket to Veronica, she sped the Locket in between higher palms and closed her eyes. She recited a mantra in a whisper that he couldn''t understand. Sometimeter, he saw white smokeing from her palms. His heart almost dropped thinking that something happened to his precious locket.

    He was going to speak when he noted that the white smoke was taking a form. He quietly observed and soon realized that the white smoke was turning into a human form. He could recognize that human form. His heart was trembling with various emotions. He parted his lips and called out in a quivering voice, "Joana?"

    At that moment, Veronica opened her eyes and handed over the locket. After that, she said, "I summoned Sister Ruth''s soul from the afterlife. Please talk to her as long as you want.

    Felix took his locket and asked her, "How is this possible?"

    Veronica only smiled and then turned around and left, leaving the two of them alone.

    Felix looked at his long-lost lover. Tears pooled in his eyes. "It''s been so long," he said.

    Sister Ruth affectionately smiled at him. "It has," she replied.

    Felix didn''t consider hearing her voice. When he did, he cried harder. All the emotions he bottled up had burst out. "Why? Why did you do this? Why did you leave me behind? Why did you take our child away from me? I deserve an exnation."

    Sister Ruth''s eyes brimmed with tears. she told him, "Oh, my dear Felix, I wish I could be with you and our children."

    "Children?" Felix''s whole body shook as he broke into tears. "You mean you were bearing twins?" How he wished he could have his own house with his beloved wife and two children. They would call him Papa and run around the house. He wished nothing more than that while he was with her. However, everything was nothing but a dream.

    Sister Ruth raised her hand and tried to touch his face. But she was only a soul. She couldn''t touch a living thing. Her eyes were filled with love and sorrow. "My dear Felix, I cannot tell you everything. If I do, you will be in danger. Your life will be at stake. Neither I nor our children did wish to see you suffer. That''s why, please never ask me what actually happened."

    Felix shed tears as he stated, "You think I can be happy without you and our dead children? I can never ept the fact that you were forced to choose death over me. I am nothing without you. If you are not here, what is the point of living in this world?"

    Sister Ruth was hurt by his words. "Please don''t say that. The only reason I chose this path is to save you and the people around you. I had to do this. Not only for me but also for the innocent lives in this world."

    "Is it Lord Alexander?" Felix inquired, "He sent assassins to kill me. Now, he sent more assassins to kill all of us. Is that what you wanted?"

    She shook her head. "I did not. He has chosen the worst path possible. He needs to be punished. And that matter, I could never face it alive."

    He tenderly gazed at her. "I wish you would tell me. You believe in me, right?"

    Sister Ruth smiled and nodded. Tears dropped from her eyes. "I believe in you so much that I never believed in myself. As a soul of another world, I''m not allowed to tell you the details. It''s against the rules and there will be consequences.? I have to think about our children too."

    He asked her, "How are they? Our children?"

    She answered, "A boy and a girl."

    "Oh¡­" he could visualize his dream. Something struck his heart. It was hard to breathe.

    She could feel the pain he was feeling. "I miss you so much."

    Felix tried to embrace her but his hand only touched the emptiness. Even so, he stepped forward and bent his head, pretending as if they ced their foreheads against each other. "I miss you too," he responded with a forced smile.

    She confessed, "I love you."

    "I love you too," he responded with the same affection.

    She stated, "Don''t forget that no matter where we are, our hearts are connected. If we meet in the next life, we will be reunited and fulfill the dream that we couldn''t fulfill in this life."

    "Yes, no matter how many times I am reborn, I will find you, marry you, and raise our twins together," he promised.

    "It''s a promise," she said. Her face brimmed with happiness, just like she was when she was alive.

    They stayed like that for a long time before Veronica''s power wore off and Sister Ruth''s soul slowly disappeared into the sky.

    Far away from that tragic couple, Veronica shed tears. "This is what I could do for him. I wish I could do more."

    "You did your best," Arthur hugged her body to ease her pain.

    Veronica ced her head on his chest and uttered, "I don''t want us to be like that."

    "We won''t be. I will protect you," he promised her.

    The night was quiet. Somewhere a wolf howled. It sounded like he was wailing. Veronica interpreted that the fox was expressing his sadness for losing his partner.

    The next day, they started their journey at dawn. When Felix went past Veronica, he muttered, "Thank you." Only she could hear him. She only nodded in reply.

    Veronica looked ahead and thought of Arthur''s promise. She also remembered that they were supposed to get married after they reached a town. Despite being downhearted until now, excitement filled her heart again.

 Chapter 130 - CROSSING THE BORDER

    <h4>Chapter 130 - CROSSING THE BORDER</h4>

    Zynthx is a countryrger than Utahill. It is best known for agriculture. The soil of Zynthx is so fertile that there is no nt that won''t grow in thisnd. It will take them twenty five days by horse and forty days by wagon to reach Zynthx from Utahill.

    Arthur and his group couldn''t stay around Utahill border too long. There could be Lord Alexander''s men waiting to attack them.

    As they crossed the long field, Felix suggested, "Why don''t we take the river? It will be safer than the road."

    The River he mentioned is thergest river Rozar that has divided the holy kingdom Utahill and the great empire Silvarta. The Rozar river is on the border of Utahill. The birthce of the Rozar river is the Alss.

    Arthur pondered about it for a moment before saying, "We need a barge that can carry five people and five healthy horses. Can you arrange that in three days?"

    Felix replied without hesitation, "Sure, I can. We just have to go sixty miles before we reach the destination. We can do it in two days if we don''t rest much."

    While the boys were talking, Catherinemented, "Sir Felix looks more refreshed today."

    Veronica sang, "That''s because something good happenedst night."

    "Something good? What?" Catherine was curious.

    Veronica then exined to her what happened the night before. After listening to her, Catherine gasped and asked her, "how did you do that? I didn''t know healers had that kind of power!"

    Veronica lowered her voice so that the boys couldn''t hear her. Then, she said, "Healers can have many more powers than you can imagine. it''s just the healers nowadays don''t know that they can do it. In the Rosemary Temple, I have found some books in the library. I read them and I learned that healers could have multiple powers if they practiced with their healing power. There are some spells you have to memorize. Thenguage of those spells is ancient. I had to search more than two hundred books to learn thatnguage properly. And I did it when Saint Ava wasn''t looking. She would never let me use those spells if I wanted to learn. So, I had to do it once she fell asleep."

    "It sounds so amazing that you learned many things in the Rosemary Temple. But something is bugging me. Why would Saint Ava not let you learn anything? Aren''t you her one and only disciple? As your teacher, she was supposed to teach you everything about being a healer."

    "That''s what I wanted to know too. But I can''t even go to the temple right now. The moment I will get a chance, I will ask her."

    "Then what else can you do?" Catherine was beyond curious.

    "That''s a secret." Veronica winked at her friend. "You will find out when the time is right."

    "That''s not fair," Catherine whined.

    "Besides when we reach Zynthx, we will hold a small wedding." Veronica blushed as she exposed her n with Arthur.

    "Wedding?!!" Catherine yelled. She was thunderstruck.

    The boys were all startled by her scream. They turned to look at her. Arthur''s sharp eyes nced at Veronica. The moment their eyes locked, she bashfully looked away. Her face was growing hot.

    Catherine had yet to ovee the shock. She grabbed her friend''s arms tightly and vigorously shook her. "Are you kidding me? You just started dating and you are already nning to get married?"

    Veronica looked down and yed with her fingers. "You see, I don''t want to make the same mistake as Sister Ruth."

    "Oh yes, she slept with Sir Felix and got pregnant before marriage." Catherine heard about this story long ago when she met Felix for the first time. Veronica told her how Sir Felix and Sister Ruth were connected. "Fine, I understand where you areing from. You have my permission. If he hurts you in any way, beat him up to your heart''s content, and thene and live with me."

    "So, what kind of wedding do you want?" Catherine got all excited while talking about her friend''s wedding. "Do you want a white gown? Or maybe something traditional?"

    Veronica replied, "Just some clean clothes and some flowers, maybe?"

    Catherine couldn''t ept it. "What do you mean by just some clean clothes? Don''t you want to wear a wedding gown? This is a lifetime marriage. It happens only once."

    Veronica stated, "I know what you are trying to say. However, I can''t dream of that luxury right now. Look at us. We are running away as our lives are depending on it. Having a gown will be only a burden and nothing more."

    Veronica wouldn''t say that she didn''t wish for a gown and wedding ceremony. She had a dream of inviting everyone she knew to her wedding. But the unfavorable situation they were in now, having a normal wedding would be more like a curse. At this moment, she wanted to be reasonable. She didn''t want to put more burden on him than she already did. He wasn''t supposed to take her anywhere. Now that he was helping her, he and his friends were in danger because of her.

    "I really want to hold a grand party for you," Catherine said. "You truly deserve it."

    Veronica was touched by her words. She held her hand and said, "Thank you, Cathy."

    Meanwhile, Felix and Sebastian looked at Arthur as if they couldn''t believe their ears.

    "Master, are you getting married?" Felix was astonished.

    "No way, a yboy like our master wouldn''t get married that easily," Sebastian defended Arthur.

    Arthur red at Sebastian and warned him, "Be careful of what you say in front of her." He already had a hard time making Veronica believe that he loved her. If his men messed up, he didn''t know what would make her believe in him.

    "Master? Really? Getting married? Within twenty days?" Sebastian was bewildered. Even if a cyclone hit his head, he wouldn''t be that surprised. For his master who never liked women, to suddenly date a woman, then taking risks for her, getting further away from his goal, and deciding to marry her, was an unbelievable sight.

    "Don''t tell me I''m going to miss the wedding?" Felixmented. "Maybe I should join you on the boat."

    "What? Weren''t you nning to join us?" Sebastian asked him.

 Chapter 131 - SOON-TO-BE HUSBAND

    <h4>Chapter 131 - SOON-TO-BE HUSBAND</h4>

    "Don''t tell me I''m going to miss the wedding?" Felixmented. "Maybe I should join you on the boat." His master, who was also his childhood friend, was finally getting married. How could he not attend? He didn''t want to miss a chance. But he had yet to finish his work.

    "What? Weren''t you nning to join us?" Sebastian asks him.

    Felix replied, "Didn''t I say before that I had to go back to Sia. My job isn''t done yet. I only came here to get you out of your misery." He looked at Arthur and continued, "I''m more curious about the marriage. Were you trying to get married secretly?"

    Arthur shamelessly answered, "Yes, that was my n until you all got to know about it."

    "That''s not very nice," Felixined. "We deserve to celebrate in your marriage ceremony. This is our birthright."

    Arthur moved his horse forward and said, "Birthright? Howe? This is between her and me. It has nothing to do with you."

    Felix told him, "If you say that, Miss Veronica will surely run away from you one day. As far as I know about women, they really care about their marriage. Even if it''s not grand, they want it to be memorable. If their husbands cannot provide at least that much, how can they love their husbands?"

    Arthur looked at him and inquired, "You think so? You have underestimated her. Nica is not like that. She cares more about the situation around us. She feels guilty and she thinks that because of her we are in this dangerous situation. That''s why she won''t ask or wish for anything grand."

    Sebastian agreed, "It is true that we are in this situation thanks to her. If Master wasn''t involved with her, you would¡­ not be here right now." He was going to say something else but changed the sentence due to his master''s hard re.

    Felix refuted, "Whether she asks for it or not, it doesn''t matter. At the end of the day, when she will tell her grandchildren the story of her marriage, she willin how tasteless you were. She willin that you didn''t have a heart, or you didn''t understand a woman''s heart."

    Arthur questioned him, "Do you think I''m that much of a loser that I will give my future wife a mediocre wedding?"

    "Will it be a grand wedding then?" Felix didn''t hesitate to ask.

    "It will be a memorable day," that was thest thing Arthur uttered about the wedding.

    After that Sebastian parted. He went ahead to hire a barge for them. Just as nned, they met Sebastian in two days on the riverbank. The local fishers weren''t used to seeing travelers. Their eyes didn''t hide their curiosity.

    As Felix promised, he already bought a barge and hired a boatman for them. "I wish you a pleasant journey," saying that Felix bid them farewell.

    "Thank you for helping us, Sir Felix. Please stay safe." Veronica waved her hand at him. He did the same.

    Felix was going back alone when he met a man wearing ck clothes. He had a ck stallion with him. His head was covered with a hood. He looked like a strider. He was nothing like a normal traveler. He was wearing a ring made of silver. There was something carved in the ring.

    Felix couldn''t recognize the character. He gave him onest nce before walking away.

    --------------

    It was Veronica''s first time traveling in a boat. So was Catherine''s. They were all excited. They pranced here and there and looked around the barge.

    "Did you see that, Arthur?" Veronica wasughing as she pointed at the river. She could see fishes jumping in the water. "I''ve never seen something like this," she confessed. "The smell of the water is refreshing." She took a seat and reached her hand to the river. Her fingers touched the cold water. She enjoyed the touch of the river water until someone sshed some water at her.

    "Ahh!" Veronica yelped in surprise. She looked at the culprit and found Catherine was grinning at her mischievously. Her hand was wet.

    Veronica realized who did this. "You asked for it," saying that she started sshing water at her friend. Both of them got wet after ying with water.

    Like an adult, they realized they should stop. Veronica went to a private room to change her clothes. She didn''t want to catch a cold.

    She took off her blouse and then skirt. She was about to take off her undergarments when someone embraced her body. she was startled and turned around, only to see Arthur. She sighed in relief. "You scared me." She pushed him away. She was aware that she was naked in front of him. That made her embarrassed.

    "That was my intention. I wanted to scare you." Arthur stepped back and continued, "I saw you having a good time with your friend. Youpletely forgot about me."

    "I did not," Veronica denied his im. "I was having fun with my friend. There is nothing wrong with having fun with her when you are around, is it?"

    "What do you think?" Arthur directly asked her. "We will soon get married. Don''t you feel anything for your soon-to-be husband? How heartless can you be?" He ced his hand on his chest, pretending to be hurt.

    "I didn''t know you would be upset if I yed with my friend. Why would you be upset? It''s not that I don''t think of you or spend time with you." While talking, she covered her bosom with the skirt she was holding. Her face was flushed. She could hardly look at him.

    Her shyness always triggered him. Arthur''s eyes were glued to her body that was barely covered with her skirt. The more she acted conservative, the more it made him want to peel off her clothes one by one and see her reaction. Teasing her was his favorite leisure activity - he realized that now.

    He grabbed her slender wrist and yanked her toward him. When her body shed against his firm chest, he embraced her and whispered in her ear, "I''m not upset. I''m jealous. I only want you to look at me, talk to me, smile at me, and y with me. When you do it with someone else, I feel like eating you up. Do you want to know what I want to do?"

 Chapter 132 - EATING HER UP

    <h4>Chapter 132 - EATING HER UP</h4>

    Arthur confessed, "I''m not upset. I''m jealous. I only want you to look at me, talk to me, smile at me, and y with me. When you do it with someone else, I feel like eating you up. Do you want to know what I want to do?"

    His hot breath touched her bare shoulder. She shuddered and ducked her head. She tried to hide her face. Her fingers tightened around the skirt she was holding.

    Her trying to hide her embarrassment was so cute that Arthur''s heart skipped a beat. Her being shy, trying her best to cover her private areas, staying all quiet, made his blood boil. It was hard to resist her charm when she did her best not to show off.

    He leaned and took her right earlobe in his mouth. He noticed her flinching and wriggling her body, wanting to get away from him. At the same time, her mouth let out a soft sigh. Knowing that she only struggled out of her fear if someone barged in the room, he didn''t let her go.

    He already locked the door so that others couldn''t bother them, especially that annoying Catherine. He didn''t like Catherine. The moment she came along, his beloved fianc¨¦e was spending more time with her. If she wasn''t with them, Veronica''s attention would be on him alone.

    "Don''t fight. We hardly get the chance to be alone," saying that he nted a kiss on her ear before biting her soft earlobe.

    "Mm!" Veronica let out a moan as a jolt of sensation spread throughout her body. Feeling ufortable with her hands'' position, she ced her hand on his chest. She forgot about the skirt that was covering her.

    Their bodies pressed together as his tongue entered her ear. She shuddered and clung to him. Her body rubbed against him.

    Arthur sensed her supple breasts were stroking his toned chest. As his shirt was unbuttoned, he could feel her brassiere touching his. His hands trailed behind and untied her undergarment. Afterward, he pulled it off and drew her body closer.

    "Wait¡­" Veronica was breathless. Still, she tried to stop him from going further. She was almost exposed in front of him. "What if Cathy¡­"

    "No one wille. I locked the door. Just focus on me." Arthur''s lips moved on her shoulder. He didn''t want to hear her friend''s name when he was with her. He wished to have her all for himself.

    He sat on the bed and made her sit in front of him. As her back was facing him, it gave him good ess to her breasts. He kneaded her breasts andmented in a husky voice, "Your breasts are so sensitive, princess. Do you like it when I do this?" His fingers pinched her nipples and pulled them.

    "Ahh!" An electrifying sensation made her arch her back. Her moan was rather loud. Her whole body was on fire as her small mounds were being teased by his perverted fingers.

    Arthur nted kisses on her shoulders and left hickeys. "These marks look good on you," he said. "They show whom you belong to."

    "Hng! Stop, no more¡­" Veronica begged. The ecstasy that came with the pain drove her insane. She could feel something hot in between her legs. She desperately said, ``If you do this, I will¡­!"

    Before she could finish, he tugged her breasts and she climaxed. Her head went nk. It took her some time to realize what just happened. When she heard him saying in a teasing manner, "Did you just cum from your tits? My princess had turned horny. I guess you want it badly."

    She was stunned. ''No way! Did I juste without even him touching me there?'' She could hardly believe she had cum just like that.

    "Are you hungry there? Let me check your honey mouth," as he said that Arthur''s left hand slid down there and touched her through her underwear. It was dripping wet.

    "Oh!" Veronica nearly jumped but she was held by him. She felt him touching her throbbing area. She breathed hard. The more he rubbed his fingers, the more she wanted him to continue.

    His fingers continuously touched her flower through her panties. "You are drenched down here. Did you like me touching your breasts that much? I shall do this often." After that, with his right hand, he untied her underwear.

    "No¡­" feeling ashamed, Veronica tried to deny but who could she fool? She had already submitted her heart and body to him. Her body writhed in pleasure as he yed with her sensitive spot.

    Arthur exposed her bodypletely. He always enjoyed peeling off her clothes and seeing her reaction. Today, he was more into teasing her sweet, sensitive spots. She waspletely bare. From behind, he could see her breasts bouncing as she breathed heavily. Her pale skin still had red hickeys, left by him a few nights ago. He groped her right breast with his right hand and yed with her hard nipple while his left hand pinched her drenched flower. He softly kneaded her flower hole, pressing on that small flower core, moving it to and fro.

    "Ahh!" a sweet, luscious moan escaped from her mouth. Her love juice kept pouring from the pleasure he gave her. She heard him giving his opinion, "My princess drowned my hand with her juice. How are you going to take responsibility, hmm?"

    "Hng¡­ Arthur¡­" she called out in a loving voice. The pleasure andfort almost made her shout but she didn''t dare to release a loud voice, or else, Catherine, Sebastian, and the boatman would hear her. They would criticize her for doing something obscene in broad daylight.

    Arthur nted a kiss on the back of her neck, his hand grabbed her round breasts again, fondling them, and finally, he pulled her nipple, suddenly pinching it with force.

    "Ohh!" Veronica raised her head and moaned, shaking like a leaf while supporting her body on his chest. A wave of limp and numb pleasure spread throughout her entire body from her breasts. Her right hand touched his right arm and her left one touched his left arm. As though she wanted him to pull his hand out; but her hands had no strength.

    After ying with her flower as he pleased, he entered his two fingers in her honey hole. He earned a lovable, sweet moan from her. It was music to his ears. Her inside was so slippery that his fingers slipped right to the end all at once. Her inside was hot and juicy. It weed his fingers open heartedly like a hungry siren. As soon as they entered, she tightly wrapped them, not letting them go.

    Arthur pecked on her left cheek and then brushed his lips on her neck, giving her butterfly kisses. At the same time, his fingers went in and out in a rhythm.

    "Ohh¡­ hmm¡­ Arthur¡­ wait¡­ ahhh¡­" she tried to say something but nothing came out other than seductive moans. The jolting pleasure almost numbed her body.

    Arthur slightly moved her body toward him, lowered his head and caught her left breast with his mouth. Then, he sucked her breast. While doing so, he made his fingers'' movements fiercer, rotating that small pearl at high speed. He added another finger this time and explored her tight honey spot.

    "Ahh!" as his fingers touched somewhere they weren''t supposed to, Veronica moaned aloud like a voluptuous siren before her body went stiff, after violently shuddering, then she came hard.

    Sweats formed on Arthur''s face. He finally smiled and stated, "Finally found your good spot." He kissed her left temple as her body limped against him.

    At that time, Veronica was seeing stars. Her vision was blurry. Her emotions were all over the ce. Aftering for a second time, her body gave out. She panted hard with her mouth wide open.

    She was calming down, all of a sudden, a jolting pleasure touched her to the core, bringing her back to her senses. Her eyes became wide in the surprise attack. Her body writhed in pleasure. She heard a hoarse voice in her left ear, "Did you think that would be the end? I had just discovered your good spot. I haven''t had enough of you yet."

    "Arthur¡­ ahh!" Before she could finish her sentence, she was touched in the deepest part of her body by his three fingers. They repeatedly hit the same ce again and again.

    "Don''t you want to learn about love? Leave your body to me. I will teach you everything." Arthur passionately kissed her lips.

    Obscene wet sounds filled the room. She nearly wished for herself to go deaf. She couldn''t believe that this kind of lecherous sound wasing from her body.

    His hand wantonly yed with her plump breast and his other hand was busy pleasuring her. He could feel his penis was growing bigger from her luscious moan. His hot member was now pressing against her buttocks.

    Veronica had no time to think about what was poking her from behind. Her mind was all upied with the unimaginable pleasure she was being given. She could feel that she was just a few breaths away froming once again. Just when she was at her limit, he pulled out his fingers.

    "Ohh! Why¡­" the unsatisfactory feeling almost made herin before she realized what she was going to say and she covered her mouth instantly.

    Arthur let out a chuckle. "Do you want more? I will give you what you want. But before that, do this for me," he said that and then gentlyid her down on the bed, leaving her clueless.

 Chapter 133 - TO GIVE HIM THE SAME PLEASURE HE GAVE HER

    <h4>Chapter 133 - TO GIVE HIM THE SAME PLEASURE HE GAVE HER</h4>

    "Do you want more? I will give you what you want. But before that, do this for me," he said that and then gentlyid her down on the bed, leaving her clueless.

    Soon after, Veronica saw him taking off his clothes. His upper body was unveiled first before his lower body greeted her curious gaze. She shuddered when she saw his cock rising to the sky proudly.

    "Umm¡­ Arthur¡­" her voice could be barely heard. Her face was unusually flushed. Every time she saw his naked body and huge cock, her heart would race and the ce between her things would throb.

    Arthur lowered his body and straddled her. He pecked on her lips several times and gave her a passionate kiss. He only left her lips alone when she became breathless. "My princess''s lips are so sweet. I can''t have enough," he sweetlyplimented her.

    Even though she was given affection andpliments, it felt as though he was doing it for a hidden purpose. Her emerald eyes gazed at him and inquired, "What¡­ do you want me to do¡­?" Her eyes were saying, ''I won''t fall for your little trick.''

    Arthur snickered and pecked on her lips. His princess was bing clever. She wasn''t easy to fool. It amused him. His thumbs rubbed her flushed cheeks and replied, "You just have to y with me."

    Veronica tilted her head, not realizing what he meant by that. She waited for him to exin.

    However, he didn''t exin. Instead of using words, he eagerly faced it toward her rapturous small mouth and said, "Touch me here, princess."

    Veronica''s wide eyes stared at his huge rod. Never in her dreams had she ever imagined things would turn out this way. "T-touch it¡­?"

    "Hmm, use your hands to touch me here. It wants to be touched just like I touched you here," saying that he touched her honey spot.

    "Hng¡­" she flinched. That area was still wanting to feel some love.

    Arthur continued, "If you do this, I will finish what I was doing."

    Veronica bashfully looked at him. "You will?"

    "It''s a promise." Arthur kissed her lips.

    Veronica sat up on the bed and touched him. Her face grew hot. The warmth of his hard member spread all over her body through her palms. Her cooled down blood started to boil. She held him in her hands and gave him an innocent look. "What should I do now?"

    Arthur shuddered the moment his throbbing penis was held by her hands. He wanted nothing more than shoving his cock in her mouth and mouthfucking her. But the moment she asked him with an innocent voice, his head was momentarily nked.

    For her to be so pure and innocent and at the same time, acting like a seductress when he pleasured her ¨C was too much to bear. Her unique and dangerous charm was enough to drive him to his edge. That was when his inner monster wished to be released.

    He sped her wrists and moved them up and down. "Do it like this," he patiently instructed her. "Move up and down and then rub here with your thumb." He taught her each action one by one. His body trembled and his precum already began to pour. The touch of her inexperienced hands made him go crazy. When the best prostitute in the red light district gave him pleasure, it didn''t feel this good.

    Veronica was looking at his cock, watching it grow bigger and hotter, and something pouring out of it. Her head was dizzy. She couldn''t understand what was happening.

    "Hng¡­!" Arthur let out a growl. He was driven mad with pleasure.

    Veronica was surprised by the moan that escaped from his mouth. She soon understood that what she was doing was giving him ecstasy, like the one she had tasted. Subconsciously, her hands tightened around him.

    "Hhk! Go easy on me, Nica." Arthur pulled her into his arms and ced his head on her shoulder. His breaths had be rougher.

    His hot breaths made her feel unusually warm. Her face was as red as a ripe tomato. She wasn''t sure what else to do. Looking at his tanned face getting reddish, his golden orbs flickering with lust and pleasure, she became greedy. She wanted to know more about this side of him. She wished to give him better pleasure.

    She suddenly remembered that he used his mouth to pleasure her. She looked down and watched his penis grow. After that, she observed his face. His eyes were still closed, and he moaned from time to time. She pondered for a moment before lowering her head and pressed her lips against the tip of his cock.

    "!!!" Arthur felt an electrifying sensation throwing him off the boat. He was stunned and looked down only to see her taking him in her small mouth.

    Veronica wasn''t sure if she was doing it right. She lovingly kissed his throbbing cock and then licked it the way he would do to her.

    "Hnk!" Arthur''s grunts became louder. When he saw her raise her head, his hand grabbed her head, not letting her raise anymore. He didn''t want to show her his flushed face that was contorted by rapture.

    Veronica, not knowing what else to do, started to suck him just like he would do to her.

    "Ahh!" a moan escaped from her mouth. Arthur pleasantly closed his eyes, enjoying this rapturous moment. He couldn''t contain his monster on the leash anymore. Her warm satiny mouth was making him go crazy. He held her head with both hands and then, he thrust in and out inside her mouth. He was careful not to hurt her since it was her first time. But, he couldn''t be gentle either.

    When he was about to climax, he let out a roar, and afterward, he took his trembling penis out, spraying his white semen on the bed. He didn''t let a single drop touch her face in case she was disgusted. He knew not all women could take it.

    Veronica nkly stared at the thick semen on the bed and then looked at his cock. Afterward, she looked at his face. With her flushed face, she bashfully asked him, "Did that feel good?"

 Chapter 134 - SHOULD HAVE DRUNK IT ALL

    <h4>Chapter 134 - SHOULD HAVE DRUNK IT ALL</h4>

    ''He came¡­'' Veronica nkly stared at the thick semen on the bed and then looked at his cock. Afterward, she looked at his face. With her flushed face, she bashfully asked him, "Did that feel good?"

    Arthur''s heated eyes gazed at her before he grabbed the back of her head and yanked her forward. His lips devoured her swollen lips and gave him tons of love until shecked oxygen. Afterward, he breathed harshly andmented, "You will be the death of me, Nica."

    Veronica gave him a pitiful look. "I didn''t mean to kill you. Did it hurt?"

    Arthur chuckled and pecked on her forehead. "It felt so good that I almost thought I was going to die."

    Veronica blushed vigorously. She rubbed her face on his chest and told him, "As long as I can make you feel good, I''m happy. But the bed¡­ we can''t sleep here. It''s all dirty."

    "We can sleep on the other side or you can sleep on my body," Arthur suggested.

    Veronica firmly denied it. "I don''t want to. What if I smash you with my heavy body and you die of suffocation?"

    Arthur was thoroughly amused. "Haha¡­ you think you can kill me with your lightweight body? If it was spoken by someone else, I would have punished them for insulting me. Questioning my power means questioning my manliness."

    She hurriedly stated, "I wasn''t thinking about insulting your manliness. I was worried."

    He fondly gazed at her and then cupped her cheek. "I know," he said. "You only care about others. But sometimes, care for yourself too."

    Veronica told him, "I don''t have to care about me. I have you and Cathy to care for me. That''s why I don''t need to worry about my wellbeing."

    Arthur affectionately stroked her head and said, "Sure, leave your worries to me. I will take care of you." He wanted to forget the part where she mentioned Catherine.

    Veronica smiled sweetly and then embraced his body. When she moved her legs, they touched his semen that already cooled off. She instantly froze.

    Arthur noticed her odd behavior and looked down. Spotting what bothered her, he sat up and used his shirt to clean her legs.

    "I should have drunk it just like you did mine. This way it wouldn''t make the bedsheet dirty," shemented.

    Arthur''s hands paused and looked at her. Imagining that she was drinking his milk with her innocent face and lustful eyes was enough to make him hard.

    Veronica suddenly realized that he stopped his movement. She nced at him and saw his eyes were glowing.

    Something was even more attractive than his eyes. Her eyes trailed down and saw his magnificent manhood standing in glory. She looked at it in a daze,pletely dumbfounded. It was just like what happened the first time they met. She had no clue why all of a sudden he reacted like this.

    Arthur wished he could shove his penis in her mouth but refrained from doing so. She might get frightened and never do it again, let alone marry him. He let out a sigh and finished cleaning her legs before standing up. He wore his clothes and said, "I''m going to swim in the river. Stay here and rest. You have traveled for a long time." After he kissed her cheek, he left.

    "¡­Why did he suddenly leave? He is the one who alwaysins that I don''t spend time with him. And now he goes off on his own," Veronica grumbled. She looked at her sweaty body and mumbled, "I wish I could swim in the river too."

    She looked out of the window and saw the breathtaking view of the river. The water was clean and the breeze had a moist smell that was refreshing. She took a deep breath and let her nostrils have a taste of the river.

    She looked around to find a chair or stool to sit beside the window. However, she found a wooden container in the corner of the room. It was attached with rope.

    "Can''t I take water from the river and wash my body with it?" The moment the idea came to her mind, she collected water from the river using the container. Then, she drenched a soft cloth and wiped her body. The cool water touched her skin. She happily washed her sweaty body and her hair. Then, she washed her clothes and bedsheet. Afterward, she wore a new set of clothes. She was indeed feeling tired and decided to rest.

    Sheid down on the bed and shut her eyes. She soon went to the dreand. When she woke up, the room was dark. Realizing that it was evening, she rubbed her eyes and sat on the bed. She yawned and stretched her arms. ''I should check what others are doing,'' she thought.

    "Slept enough?"

    She heard a low, raspy voice. Her body instantly stiffened. She had never heard this voice before. Not even the boatman talked like that. She slowly turned around and looked at the man. She couldn''t see anything in the dark. The window was open. A faint light came into the room but it wasn''t enough to see more than a structure.

    The man was standing beside the window, leaning against the wooden wall. There was a ck robe covering him. He was crossing his hands. In the index finger of his right hand, there was a silver ring. In the faint light, she could see something craved there. It was a creature.

    Veronica narrowed her eyes and looked at the design carefully. It was a creature that was half bird and half snake. The design was so familiar. She tried to recall where she had read about it.

    The stranger noticed her great interest in his ring. He said, "Are you interested in my ring? The creature in the ring is called a basilisk. It is also known as a cockatrice. It is born from a serpent''s egg incubated by a cockerel, so the resulting creature is half-bird and half-snake."

    "Who are you? What do you want? You didn''te here to exin what kind of creature on your ring is, did you?"

 Chapter 135 - SILVER RING

    <h4>Chapter 135 - SILVER RING</h4>

    The stranger asked her, "Are you interested in my ring? The creature engraved on the ring is called Basilisk. It is also known as a Cockatrice. It is born from a serpent''s egg incubated by a cockerel, so the resulting creature is half-bird and half-snake."

    Veronica carefully questioned him, "Who are you? What do you want? You didn''te here to exin what kind of creature on your ring is, did you?" her eyes stole a nce at the door. She wanted to distract him somehow and then run toward the door.

    The stranger was still rxed. He waszily leaning against the wall and introduced himself, "The name is Dastan. I''m here to take you."

    "Why would you want to take me?" Veronica taunted him. She acted bravely to fool him and hide her fear or nervousness. "Do I look like I''m willing to go anywhere with a stranger? And, I don''t remember you asking for my permission?"

    Dastanmented, "You are a curious one. Aren''t you afraid of what I might do to you?"

    Veronica counted with her fingers, "Take off my clothes? Chase after me? Kidnap me? Or kill me? I''ve experienced it all."

    "¡­" For a moment, he was speechless. He was informed that she recently went out to war. Before that, she never set a foot outside. ''Just what did she experience in the desert?'' he wondered. But in the faint light, he nced at her. ''She still looks innocent after experiencing all that. I don''t have the heart to pity her. I have to finish my job.''

    Veronica stated, "So, if you want to surprise me, do something different."

    "You are very intriguing," he remarked although he didn''t sound amused. His voice still held coldness.

    "And you are very annoying. Who watches people sleeping? Creepy!" Veronica rebuked.

    "Creepy?" Dastan sneered. "You know nothing about that."

    Veronica''s heart turned cold seeing that he took out something sharp from his pocket. It was a small knife. ''Is.. he going to kill me? Wait, he told me that he would take me. Maybe he doesn''t want to take me alive.'' She shuddered at her own thoughts.

    At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Veronica nearly jumped. Her heart was about to fly off the window.

    They heard from a voice from the outside, "Ver, did something happen? Why did you lock the door? I can''t enter. I brought your meal. It''s still warm."

    Upon hearing Catharine''s voice, Veronica desperately looked at Dastan. His face was turned toward the door. His left hand was ying with the small, sharp knife.

    ''If I try to open the door or Cathy opens the door somehow, he is going to throw the knife at her, isn''t he? He is threatening me,'' Veronica realized. She calmed down her heart and replied, "I want to sleep more. I''ll eatter. Go back."

    "Aren''t you sleeping a lot? You are awake now. You can eat and then sleep. You will be weak like this," Catherine sounded cornered.

    ''Dear Cathy, you can forget about my health. Just save your life first,'' Veronica prayed in her heart. She replied, "No, if I eat and sleep, I will get fat. I don''t feel like eating either. You can help yourself. I''m going to sleep again. Don''t bother me."

    Catherine paused and then, she gave in. She said, "All right, I will try to save your meal." She sounded reluctant.

    Her footsteps soon disappeared. Veronica was finally able to breathe. She didn''t know when she held back her breaths. She looked at Dastan and said, "Who do you work for? Utahill, Sia, or Riverhill?" She wanted to know if he was working for Lord Alexander or the kings of the other two countries.

    "Neither," he replied.

    "Then who?" she probed.

    He answered, "You will find out after you go with me."

    ''What is he waiting for? He could clearly take me with him when I was asleep,'' she thought. "How are you going to take me there? We are in the river."

    "Want to see?" Dastan straightened his back. The moment he stepped forward Veronica sprinted in the direction of the door. The room was small. She could have reached the door but her arm was caught by him and he yanked her body. She lost bnce and shouted, "Arthu- mmph!"

    Her mouth was covered before she could call out properly. She fought and threw her arms and legs. It didn''t seem to bother him. He was already standing on the window still while holding on to her.

    At that moment, someone kicked the door harshly and barged in. Arthur entered the room and saw the unbelievable scene. He couldn''t recognize the guy whose face was covered. ''Why didn''t I hear anything? He must be a professional,'' he thought.

    Just then, he just saw Veronica''s fearful eyes as she desperately tried to get away from her kidnapper. His expression turned ugly and shouted, "Who are you? Let her go."

    Dastan smirked. "I really wanted to see that expression." After that, he flew off.

    "Mmmm!" Veronica screamed even though her mouth was covered. She was scared out of her wits. It was like she was flying.

    Arthur''s heart leaped out. He saw the man flying away with Veronica. ''Is he a ninja?'' he wondered. He didn''t have time to waste.

    However, he noticed something.

    Veronica was struggling and fighting off her kidnapper. She was doing something on his waist.

    Arthur squinted his eyes and finally realized what was going on.

    Veronica was trying to unbuckle the belt of Dastan''s pants.

    "Are you crazy? What are you-" His hands were upied grabbing her body. So, he couldn''t stop her in time. As a result, she sessfully untied his belt.

    The ck pants fell on the river. Dastan''s lower part was bare.

    "Ahhh!" Catherine shouted and covered her face. Her face was flushed.

    Sebastian stared at Veronica in awe. No matter how trained he was, he could nevere up with something like this.

    "¡­" Arthur simply couldn''t react.

    Then what happened to Veronica and half-naked Dastan?

    _______________________________________

    Editor Onii-san''s thought: Veronica opening Dastan''s pants when something so serious was happening was unexpected. I didn''t expect u to write something like that. Maybe if I were the author, I would have written it that way.

 Chapter 136 - CURSING ISNT ENOUGH

    <h4>Chapter 136 - CURSING ISN''T ENOUGH</h4>

    Dastan dyed abducting Veronica because he was nning to see Arthur''s expression. He heard a rumor in Sia. Veronica and Arthur were lovers ¨C ording to the soldiers. That''s the very reason he was waiting patiently. He wanted to know the truth.

    After seeing Arthur''s expression, he concluded that the rumor was true. They were indeed lovers. ''It wouldn''t be so bad to make him my enemy,'' he thought.

    It was because of that, Dastan abducted Veronica in front of him. Veronica struggled to get away from him but he held her firmly as he flew off. However, something felt off and he looked down. What he wasn''t expecting was that Veronica was trying to unbuckle the belt on his pants.

    Dastan was dumbfounded. "Are you crazy? What are you-"

    He wanted to stop her but his hands were already upied holding her body. He couldn''t let her go and at the same time, he couldn''t hold his pants. It was the first time he faced a dilemma like that. As a result, he didn''t know what to do. So, he couldn''t stop her in time. Taking advantage of his situation, she sessfully unfastened his belt.

    The ck pants slid off his legs and fell on the river.

    Dastan''s lower body was bare. He was dumbfounded.

    Catherine heard themotion and looked outside. She was shocked to see that her friend was being taken away by some stranger up in the sky. She stood rooted in the ce. She never saw a guy flying off like that.

    And then, she was stunned when she saw the guy''s lower half suddenly became naked. "Ahhh!" she shouted and covered her face. Her face was flushed. ''What did I just see?'' She wanted to delete her memories but she couldn''t forget the pale round buttocks of that man. She was only able to experience it because the guy''s robe was flying in the wind. It made his lower bottompletely exposed.

    Sebastian stared at Veronica in awe. He was ready to save her but he didn''t expect to see that. No matter how trained he was, he could nevere up with something like that.

    "¡­" Arthur simply couldn''t react. ''Did I make her so horny that she came up with something like this?'' ¨C that''s what he wondered.

    Dastan was thunderstruck by this sudden turn of events. Before he knew it, he dropped Veronica to retrieve his falling pants. His reputation was at stake. He didn''t want to bebelled as the naked ninja.

    "Ahhh!" it was Veronica''s time to scream as she fell on the river. She was ustomed to the cold water. It wasn''t unpleasant. She knew how to swim. As she started to swim toward the barge, Dastan also fell in the river. He grabbed his pants. He wore his pants while still swimming in the river and cursed Veronica in his mind.

    While swimming, Veronica couldn''t help but look behind. She was curious to know what her kidnapper was doing. Noticing that he was struggling to wear his wet pants, she couldn''t control herughter. "Who told you to try to abduct me without my permission?" she taunted him. "It serves you right. You''re nothing but a naked kidnapper. Pervert!"

    Dastan got angry after listening to her words. His expression turned sour. By the time he buckled his pants again, Arthur was already by Veronica''s side. He dived in the river the moment Veronica fell.

    "Are you okay?" Arthur questioned her. He swam toward the barge while holding onto her.

    Veronica breathlessly replied, "Yes, I''m all right. I''m just a little surprised."

    Arthur was relieved to hear that. He didn''t know what he would do if she was taken away from him. It was the second time he felt empty. The first time he felt like that was when she was in a vegetative state after healing him.

    He took her to the boat. Sebastian helped Arthur to get up when Catherine helped Veronica.

    She didn''t care if her friend was drenched. She hugged Veronica and said, "Thank goodness you are safe. I don''t know what I would done if you were taken away." Her voice was shaking.

    "It''s cold," Veronica shivered as she spoke. At night it was chilling.

    "I''ll take you to the room." Catherine stood up and helped her friend to stand up as well.

    "No, I can do it myself. I just want to take Arthur with me." Veronica didn''t want to go back to her room with her friend who cannot protect her from the kidnapper. Arthur would be a better choice.

    Sebastian already dived in the water to catch Dastan. However, he was nowhere near the site. while everyone was busy with Veronica, he wore his pants and slipped away in the dark.

    Veronica and Arthur went back to their room and they changed clothes. After she changed her clothes and wiped her hair, she told him, "His name is Dastan. I''ve seen that guy wearing a silver ring. He had a small knife with him. That''s why I couldn''t ask for any of your help. If you came inside, he would have injured you."

    "That''s the reason you didn''t let Catherine enter the room. He threatened you," Arthur concluded. ''So, his name is Dastan. That bastard,'' he cursed under his breath. ''I''ll kill him for trying to take my woman away from me.''

    "His ring was quite interesting, she mentioned. "A creature was engraved on the ring. It is called a Basilisk. He told me that. It was like he was deliberately letting me know. He even said that he was waiting for me to wake up. If he really wanted to kidnap me, why did he wait for me to wake up? He could have kidnapped me while I was sleeping. This way he wouldn''t have had to lose his pants."

    "A Basilisk, you say." Arthur furrowed his eyebrows and pondered deeply. He knew what a Basilisk was. But for a person to carry such an engraved ring must hold some importance.

    "Did he say anything else?" He inquired.

 Chapter 137 - FOLLOWING THEM

    <h4>Chapter 137 - FOLLOWING THEM</h4>

    "Did he say anything else?" He inquired.

    "Uhm, yes," Veronica remembered and then told him, "he said that he didn''t work for Utahill, Sia or Riverhill. I''m curious to know who he works for. Did I get myself another enemy?"

    He held her hand and said, "Stay close to me from now on. Don''t leave my side. The moment you are alone, you will be in danger."

    However, the question remained. Who did the man with the silver ring work for?

    ------------

    "A Basilisk," Felix mentioned. "I was skeptical but couldn''t pinpoint it."

    Felix was going back to Sia but he kept thinking about the man he saw in the morning after bidding farewell to Arthur and Veronica. He couldn''t control his curiosity and at the same time, he had a premonition he couldn''t get rid of. Thus, he changed his path and followed Arthur. By the time he reached them, they were already attacked.

    "He is a professional," Arthurmented. "I didn''t hear nor sensed his presence at all. He told Nica that he was in the boat for hours."

    "This is scary. A stranger was with us and we knew nothing of his presence¡­ he is like a ghost." Catherine couldn''t stop shivering.

    "Don''t talk about ghosts." Veronica fearfully looked around. She didn''t want to encounter any ghosts. After killing so many people if she didn''t see any ghosts it would be rather surprising.

    Felix stated, "I''ll be with you until you have your wedding. But, I''m not sure if you will be safe there. I think you managed to make a new enemy. The problem is we don''t know how powerful this newly emerged enemy is."

    Days passed like this. Everyone was vignt. The girls couldn''t sleep or bathe properly. Every passing second, they felt like someone was looking at them or spying on them. It was more tiring than traveling non-stop.

    The moment they crossed the border, they stepped onto a vastnd filled with luscious crops. At that time, they knew it was Zynthx, the kingdom known for its agriculture.

    "I''ve seen crop fields in Sia but this ce is on a whole new level. It''s unbelievably huge," Veronicamented.

    Felix replied, "Well, of course. The farmers of Zynthx harvest tons of crops every year and export the excess produce to other kingdoms. Utahill is one of them."

    "This is my kingdom," Sebastian said.

    Veronica was surprised. "Is it? This is wonderful. You grew up in such a beautiful kingdom."

    "Yes," Sebastian proudly said. He suddenly suggested, "I have an idea. Why don''t we go to my vige? We can stay there and arrange the wedding."

    "Did you juste up with that?" Felix questioned him.

    Before Sebastian could reply, Catherine blurted out, "No he did not! He was nning to tell you three days ago. But since everyone was gloomy, he wasn''t able to say it. Now that he got the chance, he couldn''t wait to tell you."

    "You!" Sebastian blushed hard in embarrassment and anger. "Why did you tell them?"

    Catherine shrugged. She liked pissing him off. It was her new hobby.

    "All women are the same. They can''t keep any secrets. So annoying," Sebastian chided.

    Catherine was triggered instantly. She put her arms on her waist and rebuked, "What did you say, you stupid moron? Say that again if you have the guts."

    "Chatterbox women are annoying!" he reproached.

    "You said it!" Catherine snatched Felix''s sword and raised it at him.

    Sebastian turned around and ran. She went after him.

    "Be careful! Don''t fall!" Veronica shouted from behind. She giggled seeing how cheerful her friend and Sebastian were. She looked at Arthur and asked him, "What do you think? Do you want to go to Sir Sebastian''s house?"

    Arthur gently held her hand and squeezed it. He answered, "We can do that. We just have to send a letter to his family first."

    "Do you know his family?" Veronica inquired.

    Arthur replied, "Sebastian is the Viscount''s youngest son. After taking his father''s permission he went off on his own and met Felix. Felix brought him to me and he started his training. It has been five years since."

    Veronica mentioned, "So, he is from an aristocratic family. Is this okay if we go there? What if their family is linked to the royal family? We might be in danger."

    Arthur chuckled. "It''s good to see that you have learned not to trust everyone. Yes, we might face that if you show your silver hair to them."

    "How can I not reveal my hair at my wedding? I love my hair," Veronica sounded distressed.

    "I know you do. That''s why I wanted to take you to a vige. I wish I could take you to the town and give you a grand wedding but if we want to keep our marriage a secret and not reveal our location to anyone, we have to take precautions," he told her.

    Veronica realized that Arthur was thinking of her safety before anything. Thinking of how careful he was, her heart grew warm. She put her head on his shoulder as they walked. Her lips held a small smile.

    Felix, Veronica, and Arthur were walking. Catherine and Sebastian were nowhere on the site. All of a sudden, Arthur halted in his tracks and stopped Veronica from going further.

    "What''s wrong?" Veronica kissed him. She became conscious of her surroundings. After traveling with them for so long, she learned when they were in danger.

    "We are being followed," Felix told her. He didn''t have his sword with him as Catherine took it. He took out his bow and arrow.

    Veronica quickly went behind Arthur. He and Felix guarded her.

    Arthur drew his sword and asked coldly, "Whoever you are, if you have courage, then reveal yourself."

    At his prompt, four people came out. They didn''t look like ordinary people. Judging by their clothes, they were no mercenaries, assassins, or kidnappers.

    Veronica had learned that all bad people wore ck clothes. She avoided people with ck clothes at any cost.

    However, if they were not any of that, who were they and why were they following Veronica and Arthur?

 Chapter 138 - FOUR STRANGERS

    <h4>Chapter 138 - FOUR STRANGERS</h4>

    Arthur drew his sword and demanded coldly, "Whoever you are, if you have courage, then reveal yourself."

    At his prompt, four people came out. They didn''t look like ordinary people. Judging by their clothes, they were no mercenaries, assassins, or kidnappers.

    Their expression looked like they weren''t pleased to be found by Arthur.

    A tall, bald guy with dark brown skin stepped forward andmented, "I was thinking what kind of big boobs, seductive woman made a hard rock like you fall for her. I''m so disappointed. She seems to be an innocent kid. I didn''t know you were a pedophile, Arthur."

    Veronica was surprised by hisment. She looked at Arthur and asked him, "Do you know them?"

    "Yes," Arthur put back his sword and held her hand. "I know them. They are my trusted vessels. You can trust them."

    "Vessels? Like a king has?" Veronica was curious.

    The girl beside the dark-skinned snickered. "Oh my, she doesn''t know who you are but is ready to marry you. Did you hide your identity and won her over? What will you do if she gets scared of your scary expression?" She had a slender body, red wavy hair, and attractive blue eyes. She was wearing a sleeveless top, showing off her deep curved cleavage and a skirt that was divided in the left side, revealing her slender leg.

    Veronica blushed upon seeing her body. Her upper body was almost bare. So was her belly and one of her legs. She had a weapon carrier on her back, hiding behind her red hair.

    She saw the red-haired beauty''s provocative smile and was displeased. "What can be worse than killing a human? If that''s what you are saying then yes, I''ve seen that part of him and still decided to marry him."

    The girl wasn''t bothered by her words. She stated, "Aww, look at her. Acting so supportive and all. She is too cute to be your wife, Arthur. Give her up." Her big breasts swayed as she moved. Other than Veronica, no one seemed to be bothered by this. They were all used to it.

    "No, I won''t," Arthur denied without hesitation. "Anyway, who told you about the wedding?" he asked. His eyes turned toward Felix. Without even asking, he could predict. Sebastian didn''t have the guts to disobey him.

    Felix already put away his bow and arrow. He shrugged and said, "How can I let you marry secretly? We all deserve to be at your wedding."

    "Tsk!" Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was hiding his track up until now so that these minions couldn''t reach him. Felix had done it this time. Now, with a girl he had to protect, he would have a hard time hiding from them.

    "I was dreaming of being at Arthur''s wedding," another tall guy stated. He was covered with a ck robe from head to toe. He had a metal stick with him. He looked at Veronica and flushed. He shyly introduced himself, "Hello, I''m Merlin. I''m a mage. This prettydy beside me is Zinnia. The baldy beside her is Darius."

    The dark-skinned guy, Darius, retorted, "Hey! Who are you calling baldie? I''m a proud bald man. Who can have a shiny head like me?"

    Veronica had to admit that he was correct. He had the shiniest head she had ever seen. His head was practically glittering in the sunlight.

    "That''s why I called you baldy." Merlin scratched his head and then continued, "And, this archer beside me is Ironin. We have been working under Arthur for years."

    Veronica smiled at them and introduced herself, "I''m Veronica, a healer from Utahill. I''m so d to meet you all."

    "A healer from Utahill?" Darius rubbed his chin. "I think I heard a healer from Utahill was on the run. People are going crazy for that poor little thing. She is called a blessed child or something. Do you know that healer?"

    "¡­" Veronica hesitated. She looked at Arthur and tugged his clothes. She wanted his aid.

    Arthur held her shoulder and pulled her toward him. "She is the one they are looking for," he dered.

    ''He must trust them enough to tell them who I am,'' Veronica pondered. ''Then, it means I can trust them too.''

    The people in front of them gaped at them. The one who cracked first was Darius. Heughed out loud and said, "Say what? This puny kitten is the one they are looking for?" He grinned and added, "I have to say you have keen eyes for your target. You chose the most troublesome one to be your wife. Ahahaha! Hk!"

    He wasughing hard but then was jabbed in the ribs by Zinnia. She retracted her elbow and said, "You must have had a hard journey. I heard assassins were sent after the blessed child. Some people are trying to kill her before war breaks out."

    "Kill her?" Arthur frowned. "Who would try to kill her?"

    Zinnia shook her head. "I don''t know much. I didn''t think I would need to know about it. Who would have thought you would bring her with you? If I knew sooner, I would have tried to find more information."

    Arthur disclosed their recent incident, "A ninja wanted to kidnap her when we were on the river. He even hid his presence for hours in the boat. I sensed no presence of a stranger at that time."

    Darius was astonished. "What?! Even a ninja cannot possibly hide his presence from you of all people or else we wouldn''t be discovered."

    "Maybe that guy used some kind of spell to hide his presence," Merlinmented. As a mage, he had more knowledge about spells.

    "For a ninja to do that? Does he have no pride?" Zinnia was displeased.

    Ironin: "¡­" He stayed quiet and pondered.

    Darius asked Arthur, "Why did he not kidnap her right away?"

    Arthur told him, "He wanted to confirm something and so waited. He saw my reaction. I assume he wanted to confirm our rtionship. However, if he used some kind of spell, I would have known before anyone."

    "Oh, that''s true," Merlin agreed.

    "Why would you know before anyone?" Veronica questioned him.

    "Don''t you know what his true identity is?"

 Chapter 139 - ARTHURS IDENTITY

    <h4>Chapter 139 - ARTHUR''S IDENTITY</h4>

    "However, if he used some kind of spell, I would have known before anyone," Arthur pointed out.

    "Oh, that''s true," Merlin agreed. He lowered his head, feeling ashamed that he suggested that.

    "Why would you know before anyone?" Veronica questioned Arthur.

    Zinnia seemed surprised. She inquired, "Don''t you know what his true identity is?"

    "Arthur?" Veronica was puzzled. "Isn''t he a librarian?"

    "Bahahahaha! A librarian? Is that how you were hiding from us? I can''t imagine you were working as a librarian. Ahahaha! Man, that should be a site to see. How did I miss that?" Darius keptughing as he talked.

    Merlin remarked, "¡­Darius, I think you are taking it too far."

    Dariusughed till his eyes brimmed with tears. "I know. I''m sorry. I didn''t mean tough. It''s a noble job. But him being a librarian is what''s making meugh. Can you imagine him working with all those boring books?"

    "Books are anything but boring," Marlin defended his beloved books.

    Darius brushed away his remark by saying, "That''s what a book worm would say."

    Veronica was confused. "Are you really not a librarian? Then the library¡­?

    "Once I saved an old man and he took me in. I was helping him with the library. He didn''t have any rtives. After he died, he left the library to me. So, I was taking care of it," Arthur exined.

    "A librarian left a whole library to you!? Can I have the keys?" Merlin''s eyes were sparkling.

    Arthur knew no one could stop him from reaching books. Therefore, he agreed. "Sure, when we go back to Utahill, I will give you the keys. I left the library to my assistant and the caretaker."

    "Then what''s your real upation?" Veronica probed him. The more he dyed the answer, the more she became curious.

    Arthur only smiled. He didn''t answer. He liked it when she was so interested in him. She hardly asked him about his life or family. He was the one who always inquired about her. After finally getting attention, he was pleased.

    Zinnia noticed his sadistic behavior and asked his soon-to-be wife, "Do you know Tybu, Veronica?"

    Veronica nodded her head. "Yes, I read about Tybu. It''s a kingdom famous for magic and wizards."

    "That''s correct. There is a famous Magic Tower in Tybu. It is a ce where the most talented and powerful wizards work. Some of them even live there due to their high positions." Zinnia pointed at Arthur and announced, "Arthur is the Master of the Magic Tower. He is known to be the most powerful man on this continent."

    "¡­" Veronica didn''t know what to say. She was utterly speechless.

    Someone else burst out on behalf of her.

    "What? The Master of the Magic Tower?! The most powerful man on the continent?! You must be joking." Catherine marched forward and stepped between Arthur and Veronica. She and Sebastian came back after running too long. She aimed Felix''s sword at him and demanded, "Exin, why didn''t you save all of us using your magic when we were in danger?"

    "How many times were we in danger?" Arthur questioned her. He didn''t care that the sword de was pointed at him.

    Catherine argued back, "When we were attacked by a group of assassins. What if Sir Felix showed upte that day? Wouldn''t we be killed?"

    "But he dide. If something serious were to happen, I would have taken necessary steps," Arthur calmly replied.

    Catherine frowned. "I don''t believe you." She was boiling inside. ''I was so scared every day, every second, not knowing what to do, I couldn''t sleep well because of tension. If I knew he was the master of the Magic Tower, I wouldn''t have to worry this much. Argh! Why is my luck so bad? If I didn''t get out of the temple, I wouldn''t have to suffer from this misfortune.'' Just thinking about the torture cer, she was kept for two days made her shiver.

    "I don''t care." Arthur bluntly replied and then turned toward Sebastian. "Send a letter to your family. We will go there. In addition, four more people joined our group."

    "Huh? You are still thinking of going to someone else''s house when your tower is waiting for you? After getting the news of your marriage we have already told everyone to decorate the whole castle to wee our Mistress." Darius scratched his cheek and continued, "Although, I''m not sure what they will say when they see a little kitten as your bride." His eyes said, he was clearly teasing the couple.

    Veronica flinched when she heard the word ''kitten''. An innocent cat had turned into her absolute nightmare. Her heart would tremble whenever she heard the word ''cat'' or something simr.

    "Why did you go that far?" Arthur sighed. He started to have a headache.

    Darius frowned. "Why are you acting so gentle? If it was any other time, you would send a life threatening blow at us." His eyesnded on Veronica and added with a smirk, "Oho! Don''t tell me it''s because of the new Mistress."

    "Has he turned gentle after falling in love? Oh my! I''m heartbroken, Arthur. What are you going to do about my heart?" Zinnia ced her hand on her chest.

    Arthur carelessly replied, "Do something about it. We are not going to Tybu. We just got here. We will marry here and-"

    "That''s not going to happen. We will take you to the tower right now. Merlin!" Darius called out.

    Merlin was prepared. By the signal, he recited something and hit the ground with his metal staff. Veronica saw magic circles formatting in the ground. In the next second, they were all in the whirlpool of wind. It was the same experience she had with the crystal magic ball

    Minutester, they were thrown on the ground. Veronica couldn''t control herself and almost fell but she was caught by Arthur.

    As for Catherine, she fell miserably. Sebastian tried to help her before he could bnce himself. As a result, he fell down with her. His body smashed against Catherine''s.

    "Oww! You idiot! How can you try to help others when you are not stable! Get off!"

    "Sorry¡­"

    "We are¡­"

 Chapter 140 - WELCOME TO THE MAGIC TOWER

    <h4>Chapter 140 - WELCOME TO THE MAGIC TOWER</h4>

    Catherine was slightly hurt when she fell. When Sebastian''s body mmed against her, she felt all her oxygen leaving her body. Not to mention she was hurt as well. She shouted, "Oww! You idiot! How can you try to help others when you are not stable yourself! Get off!"

    Sebastian felt something squishy rubbing against his chest. Upon realizing what it was, he hurriedly moved away. "Sorry¡­" he apologized in a low tone. His face and neck were flushed.

    Veronica looked around and saw an unfamiliar ce. They were surrounded by trees and bushes. In front of them was a huge iron gate and behind the gate was the tallest building she had ever seen in her life. The tower was colored in dark ash. It gave off a chilling aura. She looked up but could hardly see the peak of the tower. It was covered by white clouds. "We are¡­"

    Darius dramatically stated, "Wee to the Magic Tower. This is the entrance."

    Veronica was beyond surprise. She nced at Arthur and asked him, "Are you really the Master of this building?"

    "¡­Yes. Let''s go in," Arthur pulled her inside.

    Veronica noticed that he wasn''t happy for some reason. Something struck her heart. ''Could it be that he didn''t want me to know who he is?'' she wondered. She saw the gate moving on its own. She wasn''t surprised to see it since she already saw the automatic door of the Rosemary Temple. Her mind was thinking about his expression.

    The heavy door of the tower opened and they saw a red carpet covered with colorful flower petals on the ground. All the magicians who were present at the tower stood in two lines and bowed respectfully. "Wee back, Master." They were magicians of different sizes. Both men and women worked there. They were wearing different colors of uniforms. Each color represented their departments, depending on which type of magic they used.

    Veronica subconsciously stepped back. She wasn''t prepared to be greeted by so many people. It made her nervous. She felt her shoulder was gently held by Arthur. She looked at him.

    "Come," he said. Then, he led her inside.

    "Is it okay for me to go?" Catherine hesitated.

    "Yes, I''ve already told them to prepare a room for you," Felix told her. "Sebastian will show you the way to your room. Freshen up first and then we will call you for lunch."

    "That would be great." Catherine then red at Sebastian and warned him, "Show me the exact room without making trouble."

    "Yes," Sebastian nodded. He couldn''t keep his mind away from the softness he felt a few moments ago. His heart raced whenever he thought about it.

    Arthur pulled Veronica inside. She looked around and was amazed at how big the entrance was. It was a big hall. The ceiling was very high. The walls were decorated with colorful gs. Each g represented a major magic category. One g represented ice magic, another one fire magic, another one earth magic, another one wind magic, another one water magic, and so on. There were also paintings of the great wizards in the world. All of them graduated from the Magic Tower and they were the Masters of the Magic Tower.

    Veronica noticed that Arthur was also in one of the portraits. His painting was rather horrific. He was standing on the ground littered with dead bodies. Dead bodies were all bloody but he was fine. She flinched and looked away. ''What was it? How could someone draw paintings like that? Why did they make such a violent painting of Arthur?'' She felt absolutely horrible while thinking of the picture.

    "¡­" Although Arthur noted her behavior, he didn''t say anything.

    At the end of the hall, right in front of the stairs, a man was standing alone. He was like a mountain, blocking them from going further. He was a tall, handsome young man with gray hair. His gorgeous purple eyes were covered with his sses. He was wearing a wizard''s blue uniform. Itplimented his fair skin. "Wee, Master. I have been waiting for you for a long long time. It''s great to finally see you in your real body. There are tons of work piled up for you. I hope you can finish them before your wedding, master."

    ''What does he mean by "real body"?'' Veronica wondered.

    The wizard''s purple eyesnded on her. "You must be Miss Veronica. I have heard so much about you from Felix. I''m Ovior, the Secretary of this Magic Tower and Master''s Personal Assistant. It''s an honor to meet the future Mistress of the Magic Tower." He respectfully bowed.

    Veronica flushed when she heard the phrase ''future Mistress of the Magic Tower''. She replied, "the honor is mine."

    Ovior fixed his sses and said, "I''ve never thought that our Master would finally get himself a wife. It''s surprising and overwhelmingly pleasant to hear that he finally decided to settle down. It will be a great relief if he stays in the tower and shares the workload with me. I don''t remember thest time I have seen sunrise and sunset."

    "Are you going toin about me or let us get some rest?" Arthur interrupted his words and chided him.

    "I don''t want to rest. I want to look around. Is it okay if I do it?" Veronica became excited as she tugged Arthur''s sleeve.

    "Yes, of course," Arthur easily agreed.? "From now on you are the mistress of this ce. You can go anywhere you want. If you want to destroy this ce and rebuild it, you can do that too."

    "What?" Veronica gassed and said, "there is no way I would want to destroy and rebuild it. This ce is very beautiful as it is now."

    Arthur smiled upon hearing her reply and then looked at Darius. "Show her around," he instructed. "Don''t let her go to dangerous ces."

    "As you wish, Master." Darius bowed and nced at Veronica. He was waiting for Veronica''s approval.

    Veronica gazed at Arthur and asked, "What about you?" She thought he would show her around. He was the Master of this ce after all.

 Chapter 141 - ARTHURS MISSION

    <h4>Chapter 141 - ARTHUR''S MISSION</h4>

    Veronica gazed at Arthur and asked, "What about you?" She was expecting him to show her around.

    He gently replied, "I have some business with my assistant."

    "¡­" Everyone in the magic tower gaped at him thinking if he was their real Master. It was the first time they heard him speaking so affectionately to someone.

    ''This must be thest day I breathe.''

    ''If I die after this, I can die without regret.''

    ''Is this really our Master?''

    ''It must be an imposter. Darius brought a fake man with him. What will happen if the real Master shows up?''

    ¡­That''s what the magicians were thinking.

    Without knowing their thoughts, Veronica allowed Darius to show her around. She looked for Catherine but she was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she?" she asked.

    "She went to her room saying that she needed to freshen up," Felix answered.

    "Did she go alone?" Veronica inquired. She didn''t want her beautiful friend to face trouble with men. Some men were truly dangerous. If she didn''t face drunkards and those soldiers before, she wouldn''t know how lustful they acted toward women.

    Felix assured her by saying, "Please don''t worry. Sebastian is with her."

    "That''s good." Veronica was relieved. She nced at Darius and said, "Please show me around."

    "Most certainly. This way." Darius walked away with Veronica.

    Arthur stared at her back until she disappeared behind the pir. Afterward, he turned in the direction of Ovior and coldly said, "Let''s get back to business."

    "Why don''t we go back to your office first?" Ovior suggested.

    After they went to the fiftieth floor where Arthur''s office was situated, Ovior used magic to close the door. "I wish you came back sooner. I did send you to cool your head and to y with some women. I didn''t expect you to bring one of them with you and to make her your wife. What''s going on?"

    Arthur''s office covered half of the floor. The floor was designed with ss painting and the ceiling showed the sky. Since it was morning, the sky was lit up. At night, it would be dark. Even though there were floors above this office, using his magic, Arthur made the sky visible in his office. It gave him a magical feeling.

    Right across the door, there was his wooden study table. Half of the huge table was covered with papers. It looked like he had tons of work to do. There were ten huge bookshelves, filled with rarest and expensive books written in forbidden and ancientnguages. Other shelves were filled with scrolls, potions, magical artifacts and wands. There were some sofas and a tea table in the middle of the room.

    "She is the blessed child everyone is talking about," while sitting on his chair, Arthur exined how they met and what happened in the desert.

    "So, she is the one who people were after. I wasn''t expecting that," Ovior mentioned. He was astonished. "If you were trying to marry her then why didn''t you bring her here in the first ce? She would have been the safest in this tower. No one would have dared to harm her as long as they knew your identity."

    Arthur replied, "She never traveled around the world. Her dream was to travel and learn what''s outside the temple. I wanted to show her that world she was dreaming of."

    "This is unlike you to be so kind," Ovior remarked.

    "I know. And I want to be like this only for her," Arthur voiced his wish. "She deserves happiness and I will give it to her."

    "Love, at a time like this. I''m not sure if you are reckless or not. This isn''t the time to gamble. Moreover, she is THE blessed child," Ovior rubbed his head as if he was having a headache. "All you needed was a person who lived in the temple and got information out of them. I didn''t think you and Felix would fall for women who lived in the temple. How can I scold him when his master fell in the same trap? Are you sure you two weren''t given love potions?"

    "Are you making fun of me right now? What''s done is done. Going back to Utahill is out of the question. Alexander is lurking there. He is the real brain behind the operation."

    "I read the report given by Felix." Ovior sat down and sighed. "I sent you two to investigate the temple and have some fun. You have caused serious trouble this time." He was the one who was taking all the pressure. That''s why he was more worried than anyone else.

    Arthur put his legs on the table. He didn''t seem worried. His Personal Assistant''s concern didn''t reach him. "If they want a war, let it be. It''s always fun when things get a little bloody." His golden orbs shed with bloodlust.

    Ovior mentioned, "I don''t mean to pry but are you going to tell her that you were meaning to use her? If you are going to marry her because she is the blessed child then¡­"

    -----------------

    "This floor belongs to the fire magicians. All they do here is research." Darius was showing Veronica the Magic Tower.

    "This is wonderful," she said as her curious emerald eyes looked around. "This ce is a bit hot, isn''t it?" She used her hands to fan herself.

    Merlin exined, "Yes, the fire magicians can''t stand the cold weather. They can use their heads well in the heat. The same goes for wind, ice, and water magicians. They can''t live without their elements." He tagged along with them since he wanted to know more about the blessed child.

    "If you ask me, they are all crazy for magic just like kids are obsessed with toys. In my eyes, they are nothing but grown-up children," Darius scoffed. "That''s why they are still single. No woman can stand their craziness. Just think a fire magician got married. How can his normal wife stand the heat in the room? That''s why most of the magicians marry their fellow magicians. Only a fire magician can understand another fire magician."

    "What about Arthur?" Veronica asked them. "Which sort of magic does he possess?"

 Chapter 142 - THE BLOODY PICTURE

    <h4>Chapter 142 - THE BLOODY PICTURE</h4>

    "What about Arthur?" Veronica asked them. "What sort of magical powers does he possess?"

    Merlin and Darius looked like they were looking at the dumbest girl they had ever seen. In the end, Darius opened his mouth, "Miss, Arthur is the Master of the Magic Tower. There isn''t any magic spell he doesn''t know. He mastered controlling fire, wind, water, earth, ice at the age of fourteen. He is the youngest master of the Magic Tower in history."

    Veronica felt a tingling sensation in her heart. Something was swelling inside her. The man who loved her, the man who protected her from any harm, the man who helped her to see the world was such a powerful person, she never knew. She saw many aristocrats act like they were gods and thatmoners were nothing. But, when the most powerful man in the world was beside her all this time, she felt nothing. Realizing how humble he was, her heart brimmed with pride.

    Looking at her expression, Darius rubbed his clean shaved chin. "You really didn''t know, huh. Then, it is true that you lived your whole life in the temple. How was your life there?"

    "It was a safe ce and yet a boring one. I''ve always felt that I never belonged there. That ce and those rules weren''t for me," as she told them what she truly felt, she looked down. She wouldn''t say she didn''t miss that ce but that was it. She didn''t want to go back and live that life again. Her life may be dangerous now. Even so, she enjoyed this life more than her regr cleaning duty.

    Darius and Merlin exchanged nces. Afterward, Darius patted her back. "Don''t worry about it. You are going to live here. This is your home now. Moreover, you are the Mistress of this house. You can do whatever you want. Even if you don''t do anything, it''s fine. No one will dare to say anything to you. Just chill out."

    Veronica raised her head and smiled at him. "I will do that." She suddenly recalled Arthur''s portrait and decided to ask them about it, "I have seen a portrait in the hall. It was Arthur''s portrait. It was horrible. Why did the artist paint something like that?"

    "By something like that you mean bloody?" Darius smirked. "Why not? It''s the most glorious story of Arthur. Hasn''t he told you his story?"

    Veronica replied, "I was curious but I never asked. I thought he was an ordinary librarian. I did see some pictures of an old couple but I''ve never seen his pictures. Since I didn''t see the couple in the house, I thought maybe they died and he took over the family library. He never talked about them and so I didn''t pry. I assumed it was a hurtful past. I gave him space so that he could tell me eventually."

    Darius and Merlin gaped at her before Darius asked, "Are you really a woman? I doubt it."

    "What do you mean?" Veronica couldn''t understand the meaning behind his words.

    "All the women I saw up until now got curious about Arthur. They would cling to him and ask him about his personal matters. I''m not sure how he dealt with them." Darius sighed in frustration and stated, "I think I can understand why he fell for you. You are different from other women and more charming in the eyes of a man. if I was in his ce, I would have done the same."

    Veronica''s face was tinted with a red hue. "Umm¡­ I don''t think that''s the reason. It happened after the war celebration."

    "Oh, you are talking about the battle between Riverhill and Sia. So, he confessed in Sia?"

    "No¡­ from Sia, we went to the Govin desert, and then he saved me there. I fell into aa. After I woke up, he told me that he¡­ liked me." Her face was as red as a tomato. She remembered his confession and how he touched her all over. Just thinking about that was making her body grow hot.

    "He certainly took a long time to confess." Merlin looked confused.

    "He certainly did." Darius asked her, "When was it revealed that you were a blessed child?"

    "It was the next day." Veronica could remember everything the leader of the desert tribe told them.

    ''Then he confessed before he knew she was the blessed child. But why did he do that? Didn''t he want to marry her because she is the blessed child?'' The same question swirled in Merlin and Darius''s minds.

    Veronica thought of something and questioned Darius, "Why did you say a bloody scene was glorious? Why is it glorious for Arthur?"

    Darius hesitated before saying, "Since he didn''t tell you, I will tell you all about him. The reason his portrait is bloody is that he is the most bloodthirsty Master this tower has ever had."

    "B-blood thirsty?!" Veronica eximed as she couldn''t believe him.

    "That''s true," Merlin sang along. "Most certainly he had to win thepetition to get the title of the Magic Tower. The rule of thepetition is to kill your opponents. The Master of the Magic Tower must survive even if he has to kill his closest ally."

    Veronica gasped. "That''s terrible!"

    "Oh well, it wasn''t that bad for Arthur." Darius'' tone was full of regret. "That poor kid had no friends or allies. He mercilessly killed his opponents like some street dogs. Those animals weren''t better either. They bullied and tortured Arthur whenever they got a chance. Arthur couldn''t do anything since he wasn''t blue blood. But in thepetition, everyone was equal."

    Merlin added, "I heard that he enjoyed killing those opponents. He was smiling when he tore apart their bodies. I think that''s when everyone started to fear him."

    Veronica was speechless. ''No way¡­ how could my kind, reliable lover act like this? I don''t believe it.''

    "Even before he met you, he used to kill at least ten people every day. He killed anyone who annoyed him. The smell of blood was so thick that it could be smelled from anywhere in the tower. Ovior couldn''t take this bloodshed anymore. He got fed up."

    "What did he do?"

 Chapter 143 - THE BLOODLUST

    <h4>Chapter 143 - THE BLOODLUST</h4>

    Merlin added, "Even before he met you, he used to kill at least ten people every day. He killed anyone who annoyed him. The smell of blood was so thick that it could be smelled from anywhere in the tower. Ovior couldn''t take this bloodshed anymore. He got fed up."

    "What did he do?" Veronica inquired.

    Darius replied for Merlin, "He simply kicked him out and told him to calm down his blood lust. He even said that Arthur could fool around with women if he wanted to. Ovior wants him to do anything to control his bloodlust."

    "So, that''s how he ended up in Utahill." Veronica was asking herself why he went to Utahill when Tybu was so far away from Utahill.

    Utahill is on the northwest border and Tybu is on the southeast border. There are at least five kingdoms and one great empire between these two countries.

    "I still don''t believe he can kill mercilessly," Veronicamented. She would never believe it even if Arthur told her himself. After the kindness and caring he showed, she could never imagine him killing people in cold blood.

    Merlin hesitated before asking her, "I don''t mean to pry but did you ever see him killing people?"

    Veronica told him, "He always told me to close my eyes when he killed people."

    Darius stated, "This is the reason you didn''t see him smiling when he kills off his enemy. He kills them slowly and makes them beg for their lives."

    Veronica instantly denied his im, "No way! He kills quickly without letting them talk. He uses his sword to fight. How can he kill slowly with that."

    Darius was dumbstruck. "Huh?! Did he truly change after fooling around with women?"

    "It seems like it," Merlin remarked. It was hard for him to believe that as well. He knew Arthur since he was young. He learned to fear Arthur the moment he heard of him.

    Darius put his arms on his waist. "Maybe Ovior''s theory was correct. If you sleep with women, your blood thirst will reduce."

    "¡­" Veronica felt ufortable just thinking about that. She didn''t want to imagine Arthur sleeping with other women. Although he did sleep around before he met her, it was unpleasant to think about it.

    She wasn''t trying to be overbearing. She knew his past had nothing to do with her. That''s why she could never be upset about it. Just like he couldn''t be upset or forceful about her past. She epted him knowing what kind of person he was in the past. She had no right toin. Even so, it pricked her if someone mentioned his yboy past. She couldn''t help but get jealous.

    Merlin noticed her grim expression and realized that Darius''s words made her upset. ''This is bad. If she gets upset with us, Arthur will surely kill us. Although it doesn''t seem like he truly likes her, we still have to be cautious.'' He jabbed his fellow mate''s arm and tried to change the subject by saying, "Maybe it''s because after Arthur met her, he became gentle."

    "Oh, that can be too." Darius looked at Veronica and inquired, "Was he good in bed? Was he gentle or forceful?"

    "Wha-" Veronica waspletely flustered.

    Merlin pped his face inwardly. ''I can''t believe he just asks ady this question.''

    -------------

    After touring several floors, Veronica became tired. They said there were more than three hundred floors in the Magic Tower and most of them were dangerous areas because explosions could happen at any time. Magicians could block them with magic but for her, it would be dangerous to go there alone.

    Using a magical esctor, Merlin took her to Arthur''s office. The magical esctor was like a magic carpet but it was made of silver. It could fly to where a magician wouldmand it to go.

    Veronica thought her heart would fly away. It was her first time flying like this.

    Ovior and Arthur were still talking in the office. Upon hearing a knock on the door, Ovior opened the door using magic and found Veronica and Merlin. Merlin gave them a small bow before leaving.

    Ovior also stood up. "I shall leave then. I hope you can finish the paperwork before the wedding." When he walked past Veronica, he nodded slightly. She did the same.

    After he left, Veronica entered the room. When she tried to close the door, the door automatically closed, giving her a jump. "What was that?" she turned to look at him.

    Arthur smirked and lowered his hand. It seemed that he used magic to shut the door and lock it. He moved his finger, signaling her to go close to him. "Come here," he said.

    Veronica''s heart skipped a beat as she saw the teasing smile on his face. She stepped forward andined, "You gave me a fright."

    When she moved closer, he reached out and pulled her in his arms. She fell on hisp. "You have to get used to it from now on."

    Veronica reached out and touched his face. She had already prepared her heart and asked him, "You don''t look well since you met your friends. Did you not want me to know that you were the Master of the magic Tower?"

    Arthur stayed quiet for a while before answering, "I had a n. After we married, I wanted to use my magic to bring you here and surprise you. Then, I wanted to give you this." He ced something in her hand.

    Veronica looked down and saw a ring with red stone. The red stone was glowing at her touch as though it found its rightful owner. "This is¡­"

    Arthur exined, "This is the ring that every Mistress of the Magic Tower wore for generations. When the Master finds his sole partner, the ring reacts to that woman. It''s the same for you and me."

    Veronica''s heartbeat increased. She didn''t know what to say. To be with his rightful partner, there was nothing she wanted more than that.

    "I heard that you were a merciless killer."

    "Are you scared of me now?"

 Chapter 144 - REGARDLESS WHO YOU ARE

    <h4>Chapter 144 - REGARDLESS WHO YOU ARE</h4>

    Veronica took his hands on hers and yed with his fingers. ''These hands cut down people,'' she thought. She stated, "I heard that you were a merciless killer."

    Arthur''s hands froze. "Are you scared of me now?" When he killed people, others got scared of him. He didn''t care much about it before. He never thought there would be a day that he would have to be wary of what others thought about his bloodlust.

    ''Not really," Veronica answered. "These hands may be filled with blood but they protected me." She used his hands to cup her face. She nced at him with her emerald eyes and voiced her opinion, "I rather feel safe when you are near me." She kindly smiled at him and continued, "I''ve also heard that you only killed people when they came to hurt you and your subordinates. You don''t kill people unnecessarily."

    Arthur''s heartbeat rapidly. His thumbs stroked her soft cheeks. "Who said I don''t? I kill anyone who annoys me. I enjoy killing people."

    "Too bad," Veronica replied. "I''ve fallen for a bad guy. I guess I have to get used to it."

    Arthur gazed at her innocent face and thought what would happen if she stayed with a bloodthirsty man like him. He told her, "You can still walk away and never return."

    "Is this why you gave me this ring? Since I epted it, I have no intention of giving it back." Veronica smirked. Her eyes were filled with mischief.

    Arthur''s flickering eyes narrowed. He questioned her, "Didn''t you ever wonder why I didn''t use my magic when you were in danger?"

    Veronica paused. She pondered for a while and then answered, "Isn''t it because you would catch more attention if your identity was found out? You seem to have more enemies than I have."

    Arthur inquired, "What if I said I used you?"

    "Use me?" Veronica was puzzled. "How?"

    Arthur exposed, "You were my target from the very beginning. I used you to get information about the temple."

    Veronica halted expectedly. She took a trip down to memoryne and said, "Is that so? But you saved me regardless of whether I was a prostitute or a child from the temple when the first time we met. You didn''t disrespect me or tried to hurt me."

    "I had my fill with your body," Arthur pressed the issue.

    "Even so, you didn''t go all the way. You knew I was lusting over your body because of the drug given to me. Still, you could go all the way, and yet you decided to stop." She stared at his eyes and added, "Look, Arthur, I''m not sure why you are trying to make me think that you are a viin. Maybe I don''t know about your past but I have a clear idea what kind of person you are. No matter how many times you try, you cannot make me hate you as I epted you the way you are."

    Her loving gaze brushed over his face and asked him with concern, "Why are you trying to be so hard on yourself? We promised to marry each other, didn''t we? Why do you want to go back on your words? What are you afraid of?"

    Arthur resigned. ''I give up. She is a treasure I can''t let go of. I will die if I push her away and remove her from my existence,'' he thought. ''What is love? Isn''t it just a physical attachment? Then why does my heart act strangely every time I think about her? Why can''t I think properly when she is around me? Why can''t I hide anything from her despite wanting to be decisive? Why do I want to lock her up and never want to show her to anyone? Why do I want to protect her from any harm?''

    He didn''t know when it all started. Was it from the very beginning or after she had saved him? Was it her face or her personality? He didn''t know what drew him to her. For the first time, he saw someone who epted the ''bloody him'' for who he was. This na?ve girl could surprisingly see through his heart and catch him off guard. After knowing all that, even if the world breaks apart, he wouldn''t let her go.

    He let out a deep sigh and put his head on her shoulder. "I''m afraid you will be hurt. I don''t want you to be involved with the massacre I cause."

    Veronica felt that her heart turned into cotton candy. She started to feel all fluffy. Her heart raced. She saw how dejected and worried he was. She told him, "I''m with you. You will protect me. I will heal you. Where will you get a useful wife like me in this world?" Her voice was full of mischief.

    "No one in the world can rece you," Arthur told her. He felt much better after getting things out of his chest. He realized it was hard to keep things away from her. Feeling lighter in his heart, he pulled her close and gave her a warm embrace.

    "My future husband is very correct. For that correct answer, I shall give you a reward." Afterward, she kissed his forehead.

    "How can a kiss on the forehead be enough? I need more. Here," he offered his lips.

    Veronica snickered at his childish act. Due to his cute act, he was rewarded with a sweet kiss on his lips.

    Arthur was ququick-wittedHe turned the sweet kiss into a wild, passionate kiss. The room echoed with their lips touching and soft panting. Sometimes, he would hear her seductive moans.

    "Mm¡­ hah¡­" Veronica''s tongue danced with his tongue at the same rhythm. Every time his tongue touched the upper part of her mouth, she would shiver. She sensed his hands groping and fondling her breasts. Her body was growing hot. Her mind and body were drowning in the whirlpool of his affection.

    At that time, a thought came to her mind, ''Didn''t I have something to ask him about the temple?''

 Chapter 145 - GOOD REASON OR PUNISHMENT

    <h4>Chapter 145 - GOOD REASON OR PUNISHMENT</h4>

    ''Didn''t I have something to ask him about the temple?'' The moment she recalled that, she pushed his chest. ''It''s not time for pleasure. I have things to talk about.''

    "Mnn¡­" Arthur moaned as he wasn''t ready to let go of her lips. He was too addicted to her small, sweet, juicy lips. He hadn''t had enough.

    "Wait¡­" Veronica barely freed her lips and breathlessly said, "I have something to ask."

    Arthur gave her onest peck on her swollen lips before remarking, "It better be good." It was a warning. If it wasn''t something more important than their sweet time, then she had to prepare herself for his punishment.

    Veronica hugged his shoulders and uttered, "You were saying something about gathering information on the temple. Why does the Magic Organization need any information regarding the Holy Temple?"

    Arthur answered in a roundabout way, "There is something that caught my eyes. So, I decided to investigate it."

    "Why couldn''t you send spies?" Veronica inquired. She noticed that most of the time he intended for Felix or Sebastian to work for him if he needed to gather some information. She wanted to know why he took things into his own hands.

    Arthur noted that she wasn''t suspicious of his behavior. She trusted himpletely. The only reason she was questioning him was because of her curiosity. He never imagined that someone''s trust in him could give him that much energy. Everything felt new to him when he was with her.

    He patiently exined, "The only people who can work there are orphans or poor children who grew up there. Other people from aristocratic families can only be Senior Priests after going through three years of training. It was impossible to ce a spy in such a strict ce where everybody knew everyone. Outside the temple, it''s not easy to get close to priests and other workers either. They don''t chat freely if it''s something regarding the temple. I tried multiple times but it never worked out. Then, I met you."

    Shemented, "At that time, you had no idea who I was."

    Arthur shook his head. "No, I didn''t. I even thought; from where did this different kind of species pop out?"

    "Hey!" Veronica retorted. She yfully punched his chest. She earned a chuckle from him.

    Arthur caught her hand and kissed it. "I''m not joking. I''m being truthful. You are the most different and unique person I have ever met in my life. You opened my eyes. For someone to know so little about the worldly ways is unheard of, especially when they had amoner background. Only princesses act like this."

    "That''s the reason for you to call me princess," she remarked. Now she knew his reason behind calling her that.

    "Yes. However, most princesses are arrogant and ignorant. Thankfully, you are humble and kind. Furthermore, you learn rather quickly and smartly."

    He added, "Not to mention, I never saw any woman taking off their kidnapper''s pants to catch them off guard before."

    "That¡­ I was trying to protect myself," she defended herself.

    He assured her by saying, "I''m not criticizing. I just think it''s marvelous."

    "Really?" Veronica gave him a doubtful stare.

    Arthur nuzzled his nose against hers. His reply was, "Absolutely."

    "So, what interested you in the temple? What do you want to know?" She went back to the main topic.

    He inquired, "Will you tell me if I want to know?"

    Veronica thoughtfully replied, "It depends on whether you are on the good side or the bad side. No matter what the situation is, you can''t expect me to do any harm to anyone for your own interest. Got that?"

    "Yes, princess." He pecked on her cheek and continued, "We have a crystal stone that can see the future. Two years ago, the transparent stone suddenly turned dark. As the Master of the Magic Tower, only I could feel the dark energying from it. I realized that the situation was grave. I must investigate the matter. I immediately did so. The crystal stone showed me the Holy Temple of Utahill."

    He looked at her. His expression was serious. He dered, "I believe something sinister is going on inside that temple."

    Veronica was shocked. She instantly denied his im, "What? Impossible! How can that be? We don''t allow evil to prevail in the temple. We can''t stand evilness."

    Arthur calmly pointed out, "Even so, Felix''s lover died. Whether it was a suicide or a murder, there was no clue left."

    After Arthur brought up Sister Ruth''s incident, Veronica looked down. She couldn''t refute. "Yes, sin after sin. We never realized. Then¡­ is our faith toward Goddess Juvena no more? She must be angry. What should we do?"

    He shared his opinion, "That is the reason the Goddess might have sent you to the earth. To protect everyone and show them the truth. However, it''s just my spection. I don''t actually believe in religion. Even if you try, you cannot make me believe that your Goddess is for good. If She truly loved humans, she wouldn''t have let the innocent people suffer and turn them into viins."

    Veronica stared at him. She tried to find excuses, "This is Her way to test us. She wants to see if we can endure or not."

    Arthur frowned. "What''s the point of doing that? I think She is bored and ying with our lives."

    Veronica gave him a worried look and questioned him, "Arthur, did you have a harsh childhood? I heard other teen apprentices would bully you a lot and you had to endure everything."

    Arthur cursed Darius in his mind and said, "Darius told you too much in an hour. I promise I will tell you everything in due time."

    Veronica told him, "I''m not going anywhere. Take your time."

    He gazed into her eyes and asked her, "Why are you willing to dy? If it was other women, they would pester day and night to know about the men they love. For you, you want to dy as if you have all the patience in the world. I don''t mind telling you everything. I have things to prepare before I tell you everything. But you seem more reluctant than I am. Why is that?"

 Chapter 146 - GREATLY CARE ABOUT HER THOUGHTS

    <h4>Chapter 146 - GREATLY CARE ABOUT HER THOUGHTS</h4>

    "Why do you want to dy? If it was other women, they would pester day and night to know about the men they love. For you, you want to dy as if you have all the patience in the world. I don''t mind telling you everything. I have things to prepare before I tell you everything. But you seem more reluctant than I am. Why is that?"

    She looked away. "I fear that you will lose interest in me after every secret is revealed."

    Arthur knew that he deserved it after ying with women but that was before they knew each other. He didn''t have any interest in those annoying beings but she was different. He cared greatly about what she thought or did. If she was feeling insecure due to his action, he felt guilty.

    "I''m sorry. Making you feel like this was never my intention. I never got close to other women after I met you, I promise." He was telling the truth at this point. After tasting her on the first night, he lost appetite for other women.

    "That''s not the only reason. I have secrets that I want to share with you but I need time. So, I''m giving you time as well. It''s not fair if one has the upper hand in the rtionship. Also, I don''t mind if you talk to other women. As long as you don''t betray me, I''m fine with it. As you sit in a high position, you need to chat and meet with several people. I cannot hinder your work."

    "My princess is generous," he praised her. He was relieved with her consideration. He had subordinates who were female magicians. It would be awkward if he couldn''t talk to them due to his work.

    And then, she added, "You must also allow me to talk to men and talk about them."

    "That''s¡­" Arthur couldn''t say anything. Just imagining her talking to men with her usual innocent and alluring smile that drew men to her made him feel like want to gauge out all men''s eyes.

    Veronica realized that he was reluctant. She urged him, "You have to be generous for my sake too. You do realize 80% of people here are all men." Thest time when she talked about a tribal man, they almost did it in the forest, around her sleeping friend and his subordinate. She didn''t want history to repeat itself.

    Arthur confessed, "If you talk about other men, I will get jealous."

    She suggested, "What if I talk about them behind your back?"

    He instantly frowned. "That won''t do."

    She probed, "As long as you don''t hear what I say, you won''t get jealous."

    Arthur shook his head. "That won''t do. Now that you have told me, I will constantly think you are talking and eyeing another man behind my back."

    She argued, "Oh you! If I wanted to do something behind your back, I wouldn''t have said it in the first ce!"

    "I know but I still get jealous. Love is unreasonable," saying that he pecked on her lips.

    A kiss couldn''t appease her. She dered, "I will do whatever I want. You can''t stop me. Hmph!"

    "I won''t stop you." Arthur wasn''t nning to stop her in the first ce. He got a better idea.

    Veronica beamed. "Really?!"

    He said, "I''ll punish you at night."

    "What!" She eximed. Her face flushed in embarrassment. She thought of the night in the forest. Her mind was filled with dirty thoughts.

    Arthur announced, "Every time you talk about men, we will do it in a new position."

    "Do what in what position?" Veronica was confused. Sometimes, she had no idea what he was talking about.

    Arthur stroked her head as though she was a child. He told her, "You will know soon enough."

    To change the shameful subject, she said, "Wait, I want to see the crystal that showed you the darkness in the temple."

    He replied, "It''s in this room."

    "In this room," Veronica looked around and gasped. She was amazed by the decoration of the room. "Oh my goodness! Arthur! This room is extraordinary! It''s like something out of a fairy tale!"

    Arthur looked pleased. "I''m d that you finally noticed."

    "How did I not notice before?" Veronica stood up. Her eyes were sparkling as she couldn''t control her excitement. She looked like a child who was in the amusement park for the first time. "Arthur, did you do this with your magic? You are the best magician I''ve ever seen!

    Arthur chuckled. His mood improved quite a lot. "I''m feeling happier to know that when I''m around, your eyes are fixed on me. Do you want me to show you around?"

    "Absolutely!" she vigorously nodded her head.

    He showed her around therge room and told her about the magical artifacts. She couldn''t understand most of them. However, she realized some of them were very dangerous. Some magical artifacts could literally destroy the world in one blow.

    "Is it okay to keep them here? What if someone stole it from here and used it just like the crystal magic ball?" she asked him worriedly.

    "That won''t happen." Arthur shook his head. "This is one of the safest rooms in the tower. Only Ovior and I can ess this room. From now on, you can too."

    She inquired, "Is it okay for me to enter when you are not around?"

    "Of course, if you miss me, you cane here as you please. As for urgent matters, if I''m not present and some work has to be done, you can work at my ce. However, you can never allow anyone other than Ovior. If something bad does happen, everyone will me you. Most certainly, I will kill any magician who will me you but I fear you can''t get rid of the guilt. You are too soft." His hand rubbed her face.

    Veronica touched his hand and nced at him. "You thought everything through, didn''t you? I wish I could think of you as much as you did. What do you want me to do?"

 Chapter 147 - TALKS OF THE TOWER

    <h4>Chapter 147 - TALKS OF THE TOWER</h4>

    Veronica touched his hand and nced at him. "You thought everything through, didn''t you? I wish I could think of you as much as you did. What do you want me to do?" She would be d if she could help him in some way.

    Arthur thought for a while and asked her yfully, "Hmm¡­ do you really want to do what I want?"

    "Definitely. You said I have to work on your absence. All you need to do is to guide me and I can learn as quickly as possible. I may not be good at it but I will try hard." Veronica was full of determination.

    Arthur told her, "All you have to do is to marry me and let me please you every day."

    "Please me¡­" she mumbled. Her head was in the process of brainstorming what he just said.

    "In bed." He made it easy for her to realize.

    "!!!" Veronica''s face was beet red. She pushed his chest. "What are you-" She covered her face, not letting him show her bashful expression.

    ------------

    Five days passed and Veronica was adjusting herself to the new environment better than she expected. She was feeling a lot better since she didn''t have to wear the wig to hide her hair. She didn''t have to flee and she was free to do whatever she wanted.

    No one called her a troublemaker and she was being respected by everyone. No one dared to say anything bad or re or look down on her. It felt like she was in her own world for the first time.

    Everyone''s eyes were on her. By now, the whole tower knew about her existence. Her silver hair, emerald eyes, and her beautiful features were the talks of the tower. Since everyone feared Arthur, no one dared to approach her on their own; not even if they had any ill intention.

    ''This is an absolute paradise,'' while thinking that Veronica hummed a song.

    The way Arthur monopolized her every day, no one dared to take her lightly. Moreover, she was a beauty. And which man wouldn''t like beauty?

    To her surprise, female magicians didn''t approach her with jealousy. Even if they had any kind of feelings toward Arthur, it seemed unrequired. Moreover, they feared and admired him. He neverid his hands on his female staff despite being a yboy.

    Everyone was absorbed with their research and work day and night. They hardly knew the outside world.

    The talk about a silver-haired girl being a blessed child was hush-hush news between the royals of Utahill, Sia, and Riverhill. The temple knew about it since she was involved with them. Otherwise,moners had no idea about the existence of a blessed child.

    Aside from Felix, Sebastian, Ovior, and four other members she met the other day, no one else seemed to know that she was a blessed child. She felt like she was in the safest ce in the world.

    She trotted to Ovior''s office and knocked on the door. His office was on the opposite side of Arthur''s office. Half of the floor was his, and his papers'' and magical artifacts''.

    The door opened automatically. She didn''t see him on his desk. She looked around and found him lying on the floor.

    "Ovior!" she eximed and quickly ran toward him. She shook his body but he didn''t move. She checked his pulse. His pulse was weak.? She learned it from Arthur. ''This guy fainted from the workload,'' she concluded.

    There was no way she could drag a huge body anywhere. She used her healing power to revive him.

    Five minutester, Ovior opened his eyes. His body was brimming with energy. ''What''s this?'' he raised his hand and looked at his fingers. His vision was blurry.

    "Ovior, are you alright? How are you feeling?" he heard a sweet and yet concerned voice.

    He turned his head and saw a blurry woman. "My sses¡­" he mumbled.

    "Oh, yes," she quickly and carefully put his sses on his face.

    Ovior finally had a clear vision. "It seems that I passed out again." He sat up and looked around. He was still on the floor.

    "Again? It happened before?" she eximed. "How can you treat yourself like that?"

    Ovior stood up while answering, "Miss Veronica, if your soon-to-be husband didn''t goof off, I wouldn''t have to go through all that."

    Veronica flushed at his mention of ''soon-to-be husband''. "Didn''t you send him off to cool his head?" she asked.

    Ovior strode to his desk and sat down. "Yes, I gave him two months. But he was out for two years. He doesn''t treat me like a human."

    "¡­" Veronica couldn''t say anything since it was partially her fault. Arthur chased after her, went to the desert, and got tied up with her.

    Ovior adjusted his sses and looked at the documents while saying, "Please don''t misunderstand, Miss Veronica. I''m not ming you even though it''s partially your fault." His voice was polite but his words were sharp.

    ''¡­He is clearly ming me,'' she thought.

    "Please review these documents and separate them, deciding which is important and which can wait." He handed her a bunch of papers and scrolls.

    "Okay, I will finish them in no time," she promised.

    They had to finish too much work before the wedding that would be held in three days. Veronica started helping him with organizing documents so that they could wrap up things faster.

    At first, she started working with Arthur but he couldn''t keep his hands away from her and their work was dyed. That''s why Ovior took her as his assistant, saving their time.

    Veronica organized half of the documents before evening. Her back and neck were aching. After talking to Ovior, she went out to get some fresh air.

    She went to the garden that surrounded the Magic Tower. She already took on the duty of the garden. With the help of water and earth magicians, she created a flower garden. The deadly Magic Tower finally looked like a ce where humans worked.

    She was strolling in the garden with satisfaction when she heard two magicians gossiping.

    "I heard that Master really dotes on her."

    "Does he? As long as it''s nothing to do with her beauty. If she was ugly, would she catch his eyes?"

    "I also heard she was a healer. Someone was hurt during an experiment. She healed him on-site without dy. They said she is a powerful healer."

    "Healer? Did Master decide to marry her for her power?"

 Chapter 148 - THOUGHTS BEFORE THE WEDDING

    <h4>Chapter 148 - THOUGHTS BEFORE THE WEDDING</h4>

    "I also heard she was a healer. Someone was hurt during an experiment. She healed him on the spot without dy. They said she is a powerful healer."

    "Healer? Did Master decide to marry her for her power?"

    "Who knows? Healers are in high demand everywhere. All the kings have to pay a handsome amount to hire healers from Utahill."

    "¡­" Veronica silently heard their gossip before going back to the tower. Her heart was feeling heavy.

    -----------

    "Hmm? So, they were gossiping about you." Catherine munched chocte cookies on her break. She had be Ovior''s personal ountant. Since she was good at math, she was helping him. Her payment was rather good. There was no way she would let go of this job opportunity.

    She continued, "Do you really think Arthur needs your healing power? He is the most powerful man in the world."

    "I¡­ don''t know¡­" Veronica heavily sighed. Her heart was in a mess. "I know I''m being sensitive and I shouldn''t be like this. I''m not sure why I''m feeling like this. We just started going out and he wanted to get married. It can''t be because of my power¡­"

    Catherine patted her back and stated, "You told me that he didn''t know you were a blessed child when he confessed. You also said that he saved you from a ferocious animal with his bare hands. Now that I think about it, he could have used magic. He must be frightened that you might get hurt. As a result, he fought barehanded. No one would go to that length to save someone they know but don''t care about. Love is a great burden."

    She suggested, "Why don''t you have some faith in him? Without trust, no rtionship can be built." She shoved her cookie box to Veronica and added, "here, have some cookies. They are really good."

    Veronica took a cookie and voiced her thoughts, "I have faith in him. But sometimes, I don''t know if this is the right choice. Will it be all right if we get married? What if I bring him danger? What if one day he leaves me for another woman? Will I be able to bear it? He already told me that I''m his destiny but what if it''s all for¡­ I''m so ashamed of myself. I don''t know why I''m feeling like this. This is awful." She looked down. She was on the verge of crying.

    Catherine put down the cookies and shook her fiend''s shoulders. "Hey, hey, look at me, Ver. Ver!"

    When Veronica raised her head, she said, "Get rid of this ''if'' and ''what if''. When he chose you, it was his choice. He didn''t force you or you didn''t force him. It''s mutual. He isn''t going out with you because of guilt. He liked you. I never told you before why I disliked him. It''s because I saw how he yed with other women. I detested him for that. I saw how lowly he treated them. I saw his eyes with no emotion when he was with other women."

    She continued, "This is the very reason I opposed your rtionship with him. However, I saw how he looked at you and how he treated you. It was like I was looking at apletely different person. I know you didn''t see how he acted before, so you have no clue. He changed because of you. If this is not love, then what is?"

    She gave another cookie to Veronica and added, "He is doing this much for you. All you have to do is to let go of your anxiety and be happy. Who cares what others think or say? He loves you enough to marry you. No woman in Utahill would ever dream of this nightmare that he would get married. And here you are. You are going to be the Mistress of the Magic Tower, marrying the most powerful man who can protect you from any harm. How can he get dragged to danger by you? He will snap his fingers and make all your enemies disappear."

    A small smile finally reached Veronica''s mouth. "You are right. He is powerful enough to defeat them all and be the king of all kingdoms. But he never did it because he didn''t want to. He simply wishes to be the Master of the Magic Tower. He wanted to be powerful and he became the strongest person. No one can beat him there. There is no reason for him to use my power to be the strongest. What was I thinking?"

    She looked at her friend and squeezed her hand. "Talking with you always helps. I don''t know what overcame me right before the wedding."

    "It''s all right. I heard all women go through anxiety before marriage. They get nervous and think about illogical things. You will ovee it once you get married." Catherine tapped her chin. "However, I''m surprised how the yboy held back sleeping with you. In the journey or the tower, he hardly did anything intimate. He truly respects your wishes, doesn''t he?"

    "Hahaha¡­ he does¡­" Veronica''s face was red. She couldn''t tell her friend that Arthur had his ways many times during the journey. It''s just he refrained from doing so when others were around. Even in the tower, she avoided him so that he could finish his work before the wedding.

    -----------

    ¨C Three dayster ¨C

    Catherine was busy helping Veronica. After attaching the onest pin on Veronica''s hair, she huffed. "It''s done. I''ll apply the makeup now."

    "I''m hungry," Veronica whined.

    Catherine shook her head. "You just threw up your breakfast. I don''t want to take the risk of ruining your wedding dress. I''ll give you a bar of sour chocte. It will help you not to throw up again."

    "I''m nervous." Veronica rubbed her palms.

    Catharine looked at her and said, "If you act like that, I''ll get nervous too. Now close your eyes and hold back your breath. I''ll apply powder."

    At that time, someone barged into the room. "Is the bride not ready yet?" Ovior spoke. "The guests are all there. They are waiting-" words caught in his throat.

 Chapter 149 - HERE COMES THE BRIDE...

    <h4>Chapter 149 - HERE COMES THE BRIDE...</h4>

    Catherine was applying some powder onto her face when someone suddenly barged into the room. "Is the bride not ready yet?" Ovior asked emphatically. "The guests are all here!"

    He was wearing a cream colored uniform with a golden design. It was a ceremonial uniform, and this particr uniform was worn by all Secretaries of the Magic Tower on various asions. "They are waiting-" Ovior''s train of thought was cut short and his words were stuck in his throat.

    There she was. She was wearing a white ballroom wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline, full sleeves, and gold specks of dust. The embroidery was done with silver threads. Her gown was glittering every time she moved. Her silver hair was tied as a bun and decorated with camellia flowers. The transparent veil was tugged at the end of her hair bun. Some silver strands were curled around her face. Her white pearl earrings moved along with her head. It was Veronica. Her emerald eyes nced at Ovior and gave him a small smile.

    "!" Ovior felt as though his heart was struck by something in his heart, but he was not sure what this feeling was.

    "How do I look?" Veronica asked him, her voice slightly quivering out of nervousness.

    Ovior fixed his sses. His throat was dry for a reason he thought was unknown. "You look ready. I''m not sure what else you need to prepare." He hastily looked around and inquired, "By the way, is there a ss of water here?"

    "There," Catherine pointed at the table. "That petty guy cannot evenpliment. Tsk! No wonder he doesn''t have a girlfriend," she muttered. Afterward, she turned toward Veronica and observed her. "Maybe I should apply some lipstick¡­"

    Veronica dared not move her head in case she ruined her head decoration. She dered, "Give me some lip balm. I don''t want to color my lips. I like my natural look. I want to keep it like this on my wedding day."

    "Sure - you are beautiful either way." Catherine applied lip balm, as the bride had requested. "Now you are ready to meet your groom."

    "Pleasee with me," Ovior politely said, his throat feeling less dry after drinking two sses of water. He ushered both the bride and the bridesmaid downstairs.

    As the ceremony was to be held in the garden, some magicians decorated the garden as per Catherine''s request.

    After leaving the bride and bridesmaid in front of the main door, Ovior hade out. He strode toward the stage as he was going to perform the ceremony. He picked up a ceremonial book and squeezed Arthur''s shoulder. "I was wondering why you were trying to get married in a hurry," Ovior remarked, "but I know now."

    "I can see you were enlightened - why so suddenly?" Arthur was curious.

    However, his secretary didn''t reply.

    Arthur felt the urge to pester Ovior, yet the music from the ten magicians dominated the stage. The main door of the Magic Tower had opened. When Arthur turned around, his golden pupils immediately fell on the bride he was going to marry.

    "!!" He felt like thunder was quaking inside of him. His body became rigid. He was unable to move. He was unable to think.

    Ovior noticed his reaction and cleared his throat. "You''ve turned into stone!" Yet hisment couldn''t be heard by anyone other than Arthur since the ten magicians'' music continued to overpower all other sounds.

    Arthur came back to his senses. ''So¡­ I''m going to marry her. She is my bride. My woman. My partner.'' Reciting this in his mind made his heart warm up.

    Veronica thought her heart was about to explode out of anxiety when she heard the music. The door opened in slow motion. She stepped outside and walked into the aisle. The first thing Veronica did to calm her nerves was recognize her surroundings: the magicians had decorated the garden using their magic, leading her to be surrounded by colorful flowers, magical butterflies, and white ribbons everywhere. Multicolored flower petals gently fell from the sky as the bridge sauntered onto the white carpet.

    Veronica''s emerald eyes thennded on the stage where Arthur was standing. Even though Ovior was present, her eyes stuck to her groom like glue. She gazed at every detail of Arthur''s attire: how he was wearing a white silk shirt and white pants, how his shoulders were covered with a white robe designed with gold, and a golden chain, how he was wearing a gold crown with jewels, and how he was holding a gold staff in his left hand. It was the ceremonial uniform of the Master of the Magic Tower; he could only wear it once - at his wedding.

    Veronica''s face grew hot as she stared at him. Unable to take his heated gaze, she timidly lowered her eyes while tightly squeezing the flower bouquet in her hands.

    Catherine was holding Veronica''s long veil from behind. Her attireplemented the bride''s, as she was wearing a sky blue, velvet gown with whitece. Her long hair, which was decorated with blue flowers, was brushing against her back.

    Arthur could no longer control himself. He broke all customs and swiftly strode in the direction of Veronica. Her eyes were still fixed to the ground, but upon hearing unexpected reactionsing from the guest magician, she instantly raised her head. Once Veronica saw her grooming toward her, her legs had frozen. Her heart''s thumping had be audible.

    The moment Arthur reached Veronica, he took her into his arms and carried her bridal style down the aisle.

    "This guy¡­" Catherine mumbled. She wanted to curse him but she controlled herself. ''I''ll let this slide since it''s their special day,'' she rationally thought. Her lips held back a smile as she stared at her friend who was being carried away.

    "A-Arthur!" Veronica was flustered. Her face had be beet red while she panicked in his arms.

    Arthur didn''t say anything. His grip on her tightened.

    Veronica''s heart was racing wildly. She could feel the warmth of his palms through her clothes. ''His hands are warm¡­'' she pondered. Her head nuzzled against his neck, and she decided to stay quiet.

    Arthur stood in front of the stand where Ovior was waiting with a sour expression. As Ovior waited for him to let go of the bride, the groommanded, "Start the ceremony."

    Upon hearing the master''smand, Ovior helplessly began the ceremony. ''Dearly talented Wizards, we have gathered on this special day to unite these two people in marriage. Their decision to marry has not been entered into lightly, and today they publicly dere their private devotion to each other. The essence of thismitment is the eptance of each other in entirety - as friend,panion, and lover."

    "Arthur Theodericus Silverstar, do you take this lovely woman as your wife?"

 Chapter 150 - SENSUAL KISSES

    <h4>Chapter 150 - SENSUAL KISSES</h4>

    "Arthur Theodericus Silverstar, do you take this lovely woman as your wife?"

    "I do," Arthur replied while gazing at his wife. His eyes never left her from the moment heid his eyes on her.

    Ovior wanted to throw the ceremonial book at him but held himself back. He continued, "Veronica the Healer, do you take this powerful man as your husband?"

    Veronica''s heart was trembling. She opened her mouth and said, "I do."

    "Go now in peace and live in love," Ovior dered, "sharing the most precious gifts you have ¨C the gifts of your lives united. May your days belong on this earth till death do you part. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

    As if Arthur couldn''t wait. Before he was even told to kiss the bride, his lips were already locked with hers.

    The magicians who were present stood up. Their apuse and joyous shouts brightened up the ceremony.

    ''I''m not crying. I''m not crying.'' Catherine wiped her tears before pping again.

    Someone gave her a handkerchief. "Thank you," she whispered as she took the handkerchief and began to wipe her tears.

    "¡­" the person beside her froze when the realized that Catherine was then blowing her runny nose with their handkerchief.

    Catherine came back to her senses and apologized. "I''m sorry¡­ I don''t think I can give it back to you. I will give you another er."

    "I-it''s fine," the person quickly retorted.

    Catherine suddenly raised her head when she recognized the voice. "Oh, it''s you." Upon seeing Sebastian, her expression turned dull. Her politeness had drained out of her visage. "Well, even if you wanted one, I wouldn''t give it you. But since you helped me, I will burden myself with it."

    Sebastian snorted. "Geez, who cares whether you give me a handkerchief or not. I already said I don''t need it."

    "If I didn''t have to do so, I would be relieved - trust me. But you see, I was taught to give helpers something in return. So, unfortunately I have to, even if it''s you." Catherine cleaned her nose once again before returning to the tower. There was going to be a small program before the luncheon and she had to take care of them all.

    "Crazy woman," Sebastian muttered under his breath.

    --------

    "Wait, wait, Arthur¡­ umm¡­" Veronica pushed his chest. She was breathless.

    Arthur licked her lips and asked her in a heated voice, "What is it?"

    Veronica panted after being released from the storm of kisses and muttered softly, "We left the guests¡­"

    It''s true - Arthur didn''t let go of her until the end of the ceremony. After he kissed her, he directly carried her to his bedroom, leaving all the guests behind. They could only stand in awe and passively watched the bride and groom leave without notice.

    "Don''t worry about them. They can enjoy the program without us." Arthur pressed his lips against hers once more. His hands tugged her veil but he was unable to take it off. With only a flick of his finger, the flowers and veils which decorated her hair were all removed from her head. Her long wavy silver hair was undone and spread all over the red pillow.

    Veronica wanted to say something, yet her mind drifted back to their sensual kisses. It was the first time she ever stepped into Arthur''s room. Even so, she didn''t have the time to look around.

    She closed her eyes and epted his passionate kiss. His hand felt hot as it traveled from her nape to her cheek. Her skin tingled, but she could only helplessly shudder as a reaction.

    He bit her lips. ''Delicious,'' he thought. He wedged his thick tongue between her lips and entered her mouth in an instant. He began entanging his tongue with her tongue. In his mind, everything - including her tongue - belonged to him. One of his warm hands was on her cheek, the other firmly gripped her waist. He didn''t want to ruin her dress since she loved her wedding gown so much. With the snap of his finger, he removed her clothes.

    "Ahh!" Veronica yelped in surprise after being suddenly exposed in broad daylight, Veronica was startled. Her hands subconsciously covered her bosom.

    "Don''t hide them. Show me," Arthur demanded.

    "B-but¡­" Veronica hesitated. Her face was beet red, with a temperature so hot blood could drip from her face.

    Arthur reassured her. "It''s okay. You now belong to me and I belong to you. It''s not wrong if you show me what is yours as they are now mine. I won''t hesitate to show mine as they are yours from now on."

    He pulled her left leg up and kissed her ankle. "My princess," he mumbled as his lips trailed down. "My wife." He pecked on her other leg. "My woman." His lips traveled downward, to her thighs. "My Nica."

    Arthur''s kisses with soft bites left trails of hickeys on her pale, trembling legs. His fingers touched her flower through her panties, and he could feel her wetness. She was aroused from his kisses. The moment he realized this, he felt a primal instinct scorching in his blood.

    There was no backing now. He might not control himself today.

    Arthur took off his wife''s white underwear and threw it on the floor. Her pink innocent flower was on disy, twitching to get some attention. His throat was suddenly dry. He gulped but it didn''t work out. As if he was hypnotized, Arthur couldn''t take his eyes off her. He instinctively spread her legs and then lowered his head.

    "W-wait¡­" Veronica was flustered. Everything was going too fast. Her head was spinning. Before she knew it, he roughly licked around her twitching flower. "Ahh!" An ecstatic sensation rushed all over her body.

    Arthur heard her alluring moans; her soft, sweet, and yet seductive moans urged him to release his desire onto her body. From his teasing, obscene nectar overflowed out of her honey hole. He pinched her sensitive flower while licking her drenched pot.

    "Hng! Ohh!" Lewd moans escaped from her lips. Her mind went nk as she felt him greedily licking and sucking her.

    Just like a savage beast who had escaped prison and hungrily could take anything in its way, Arthur didn''t show any ounce of hesitation in his actions.

 Chapter 151 - BECOME ONE WITH THE LOVED ONE

    <h4>Chapter 151 - BECOME ONE WITH THE LOVED ONE</h4>

    Arthur could feel a throbbing pain down there. He licked Veronica to the point that she could lose her mind. He suddenly stopped before gaping at her mesmerized expression.

    Veronica was breathing hard. Her face was flushed, her eyes were teary. There was a glint of lust in her eyes which craved for Arthur, and her slightly parted lips let out cute moans. Arthur''s observing eyes trailed down, gazing at how Veronica''s breasts went up and down as she breathed. Her waist was curvy and her stomach was t. Her navel was round and cute, and down to her flower hole, she was dripping wet, soaking the bed sheet.

    Arthur entered two fingers into her in one go. Her inside was slippery so his fingers entered her vagina without a hitch.

    "Ahh!" A jolting pleasure forced Veronica to moan aloud. Something deep within her twitched. She could sense his bony, long fingers going in and out in slow motion. Her body trembled at the stimtion and began to react.

    Veronica''s insides were hot enough to make Arthur feel as though his fingers were going to melt. Her walls clenched him tightly. He added another finger to prepare her hole; preparing her for his eager manhood which was to enter her. His fingers explored her inside walls and touched her G-spot.

    "Ohh!" Veronica let out an obscene moan. She subconsciously tried to press her thighs together to stop his hand, but it was no use.

    With one hand, he gave her pleasure, and with another hand, he fondled her right breast. His fingers toyed with her nipple until it hardened. His lips sucked her other one and his teeth nibbled her fruity mound.

    Veronica sped the bedsheet with all her might. When all her sensitive spots were being yed with, her mind was blown away. "A-Arthur¡­" A wave of pleasure washed over her. Soon, she reached her limit. Her body jerked and then trembled while euphoria circted through her entire body. As the blissful moment passed, her mind went nk.

    Arthur pulled out his fingers and kissed her sweaty cheek. Afterward, he tugged his scarf. His body was practically boiling and he was sweating. He unbuttoned his shirt one by one and then unbuckled his belts. After he undressed, he embraced her body.

    Veronica''s hands automatically hugged him. Her breathing had steadied, but when she felt his warm body on her, her heart began to race again. Veronica gave Arthur a light peck on his cheeks to which Arthur kissed her lips in return.

    He sensed her breasts which were pressed against him. He moved and at the same time, that movement made his huge cock slide against her hole entrance, causing Veronica to slip out another moan. Arthur craved her moans more. "Nica, moan for me. No one will hear you other than me." He kissed her lips while simultaneously rubbing her entrance with his penis.

    "Hnng¡­ Arthur¡­" her quivering lips called out.

    Arthur gave her butterfly kisses on her right ear and her entire face. "What is it?"

    She rubbed her legs against him and asked him in a soft tone, "Are we¡­ umm¡­ going to do it¡­?"

    The corner of his lips lifted. He affectionately answered, "We will. I can''t wait to be one with you."

    She bashfully stared at him and said, "Can¡­ we do it then? I can''t wait either."

    "¡­" Arthur observed her innocent face, full of naivety. Her eyes were filled with eagerness, curiosity, love, and lust. He let out a deep sigh. "You will be the death of me."

    "Why?" she tilted her head as she innocently inquired.

    "You will find out soon enough." Arthur grabbed her legs and guided them around his waist.

    "Wha- !!!!" Veronica couldn''t speak because at that time she felt immense pain. She sensed something hard and hot entering her vagina. That ripping pain made her body tremble. She couldn''t close her mouth. Tears fell from her eyes. Her eyes were filled with disbelief. Never in her dream could she imagine that being one with the man she loved would give her that kind of pain.

    Arthur fiercely thrust inside her tender flower hole. His cock was bitten by her hole. He thought he was going to die along with her. His hands stroked her head repeatedly. "Nica, breathe. Take deep breaths and rx," his tender voice uttered.

    "¡­Hng¡­" Veronica couldn''t hear what he said. She truly forgot to breathe. His fingers brought her to her senses. "¡­Why¡­" She wanted to ask why there was so much pain. She felt like bursting into tears and crying her heart out. She felt betrayed.

    Arthur saw her pursing her lips like a sulking child. ''She is upset,'' he realized. He wooed her by saying, "Nica, I''m sorry. I didn''t tell you because it would make you feel less pain. I''ll move slowly - don''t worry."

    "It hurts!" In the end, she cried. The pain from her lower body consumed her entire mind. She sobbed. She wanted to be saved from this pain. It was like her inside was torn apart. It was too much to bear.

    Arthur gritted his teeth. He breathed in deeply and then replied to her in an affectionate tone, "I know. I know. Just this time. It hurts the first time. It won''t happen afterward."

    "Never?" she questioned him. She doubted him. Tears brimmed in her eyes. The severe pain made her feel like her body would split in two. She wanted to faint if possible.

    "Never. I promise." Arthur gently kissed her lips. He caressed her naked body to calm her down. "Now, breathe slowly."

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­" Veronica did as he instructed her. The pain was subsiding. She was feeling better. Even so, she was moving softly.

    Arthur noticed that she rxed her muscles inside. Feeling freed slightly, he pulled out slightly and then prated.

    "Ung!" Veronica frowned.

    Arthur coaxed her, "It''s okay. It will get better. Kiss me."

    Veronica kissed his lips. She felt him moving again. She frowned and kissed him hard, digging her nails into his back forfort.

 Chapter 152 - DOES IT FEEL GOOD, MY PRINCESS?

    <h4>Chapter 152 - DOES IT FEEL GOOD, MY PRINCESS?</h4>

    ''This is heavenly,'' Arthur thought. It wasn''t the first time he embraced a woman - but she was different. Maybe it was her body or her affection or her naivety. He was never sexually aroused like this before. He just fell for her for the second time.

    He caressed her body, appreciating her seductive frame. His firm cock was stiffening to its limit and she was squeezing him. He couldn''t endure any longer. He raised his body and thrust his hips so that his length could be fully wrapped inside her.

    Veronica''s body twitched from this new-found sensation. Red blood dripped out of the moist junction between her thighs as he pulled out.

    Seeing that Arthur felt pain in his heart. His inner demon, that was going crazy toe out, calmed down. He sweetly kissed her lips and showed her affection. The next time he thrust inside her, he was very gentle.

    "Hmm¡­ mmm¡­ mng¡­ hahh¡­" Along with the pain, Veronica started to feel ecstasy. The sweet, addictive pleasure began to build up inside her. She felt a burn from her inner walls when he pulled out. But once he pushed in again, her entrance swallowed him hungrily. Her soft inner walls continuously stimted his shaft.

    Arthur shuddered. Only he and Goddess Juvena knew how much he was holding back. He just didn''t want to scare her during their first time; after all, it was their wedding day, and he was already feeling guilty for letting her experience pain. He didn''t want to make it worse for her.

    ''Next time. Next time the sex will be more fierce.. Just today, for today, I must endure it,'' he told himself again and again.

    No matter how many times he told himself that, he couldn''t control his penis. It was swelling inside her.

    Veronica noticed that as well. Her emerald eyes pitifully widened. "Arthur, am I going to die?"

    Arthur was troubled by her question. It was already hard enough to control himself and she just added the fuel to the fire. He slowly breathed in and out. "No, I won''t let you die." Wet sounds reverberated through the whole room as he kept thrusting.

    Veronica''s rough breaths increased. Her eyes gradually filled with warmth. From the tip of her toes to the top of her head, an overwhelming euphoric shock engulfed her body. She swallowed hard. Gradually, a pleasant feeling welled up. She rxed her muscles. As her sensitivity rose, her reaction became more and more obvious.

    Arthur noticed that she started to feel good. Sucking on the buds of her breasts, he increased the speed of his thrusts. His cock was quite long and pierced deeply into her depths. As he hit the mouth of her cervix, countless feelings of pleasure ran throughout her body.

    "Ahh! Hhng!" Veronica continuously produced lewd moans as they made love.

    Grinding, he pushed to the opening of her cervix as if knocking. A high pitched whimper leaked out of her mouth from immense pleasure. His hand gripped her slender waistline and moved her up and down - fiercer and fiercer each time. Their love liquids continuously dripped down making the bedding moist. The sound of bodies hitting each other continuously resounded in the room as the air becamescivious.

    Veronica''s vision was bing foggy. She nced at him with desire and confessed in a sweet tone, "Arthur, I love you."

    "¡­" Arthur''s remaining patience flew out the window. He squeezed her breast and nibbled and sucked on its peak. The veins on his cock were pulsing. He crouched down and raised her hips, trying to get even deeper inside her. He began to pump furiously inside her as his pace sped up. The sound of their bodies pping gradually got louder.

    "Ahh! Ohh! Arthur¡­ slower¡­" Veronica pleaded.

    "Does it feel good, my princess?" He sounded like he waspletely drunk with lust as he whispered.

    "Umm¡­ good¡­" She was embarrassed but she agreed.

    "I''ll make you feel better," Arthur raised the speed of his hips even more and her mind nked out. Dominated by love and lust, tion cornered her.

    Veronica twisted her head into the pillow as she cried out. Her sensitive sex trembled as a transparent fluid flowed out, dripping onto the cotton sheets on the mattress. As another powerful wave of pleasure went over her, she moaned. As her orgasm spread through her, Arthur captured her lips and began to suck.

    Before giving her a chance to rx, he flipped her over with his manhood still inside her. He raised her hips and began to violently pump his hips up as he thrust into her.

    "Ahh! Arthur¡­ wait¡­" Veronica retorted. Her entrance was still twitching from her climax, but his cock began to hammer into it once again. The throbbing pleasure rolled through her body once again and her muscles began to stiffen. Her heart raced so fast that it felt like it would burst. Her face was buried in the pillow.

    Due to their position, his huge cock was hitting her in her deepest part. Every time he thrust, jolting pleasure dispersed around her body. She issued alluring moans. Upon hearing her moans, his cock swelled evenrger. His fully sheathed hilt felt indescribable.

    Veronica''s whole body was trembling as her arousal boiled over. The pleasure spread from her fingertips to the tips of her toes. In the midst of all this, her mouth had gone dry. She felt as though fireworks were going off in her head.

    Before she knew it, she began to move her hips up and down. The sounds of their bodies smacking together began to get louder as it rang in the room.

    "Hng!" A groan slipped through Arthur''s gritted teeth. His grip on her buttocks tightened and left marks. He was approaching his climax. He turned her over as he wished to see her face. Silent fireworks burst within his eyes as he buried himself inside her. His heavy body pressed down onto her. He grasped both of her hands in his.

 Chapter 153 - NO MORE...

    <h4>Chapter 153 - NO MORE...</h4>

    Arthur turned her over as he wished to see her face. Silent fireworks burst within his eyes as he buried himself inside her. His heavy body pressed down onto her. He grasped both of her hands in his.

    He pounded hard before his cock swelled up even more as he sought to pour his cloudy white semen into her. A sticky, warm fluid squirted inside her, and she climaxed at the same time. Her inside had friction as she epted his seeds.

    While his hands were still intertwined with hers, he captured her lips. He devoured her lips and strongly sucked her lower lip. Yet he had to let go of her lips soon since she was gasping for oxygen. Her legs dropped onto the bed and her chest bounced up and down heavily.

    "I adore you, my princess¡­" She heard how his husky voice was full of affection.

    The blissful moment passed. She steadily overcame her dull senses but a sudden wave of fatigue rushed over her.

    She didn''t sleep wellst night because of being nervous. After much heavy exercise, her body gave out. She was dozing off. That''s when she felt his lips nting soft kisses all over her body. It soothed her body and before she knew it, she fell asleep.

    -

    -

    -

    The next day, Veronica could hear birds chirping. ''Isn''t it toote for birds? Why aren''t they sleeping? It must be night¡­'' While thinking about the night, she remembered that she didn''t eat anything. ''I''m thirsty. I should at least drink some water.''

    She tried to move, but a dull pain stopped her from moving. She realized her entire body was sore. "Mm¡­" She flinched. ''Why is it¡­" Yet Veronica didn''t have to finish her thought because she recalled everything that happened before she fell asleep. Images started shing through her mind.

    ''We did it¡­'' Just thinking about it made her blush. She touched her face. ''I''m already Arthur''s wife¡­ his wife¡­'' This simple thought made her heart bloom.

    Veronica noticed that she was enveloped with warmth and a familiar scent. She felt something in her back. Enduring the pain, she turned around and faced a muscled chest.

    "!!!" She raised her head and saw Arthur''s sleeping face. Even when he slept, he looked handsome. With dreamy eyes, she looked at him in a daze.

    She slightly moved her body backward to face him properly. At that moment, she realized that they were both naked under theforter. Her face was tinted with multiple shades of red.

    "Like what you see?" he murmured.

    Veronica was startled, and her body shivered sheepishly. She didn''t know what to say. "G-good morning!" she stuttered out of anxiety.

    "It is morning." Arthur pulled her closer and nted a soft kiss on her forehead. "How''s your body? Still in pain?"

    Veronica''s face heated up, but this time her face reddened out of slight anger. "Why didn''t you tell me before that it would hurt? Bad Arthur!"

    Arthur pecked Veronica softly on her cheek and patiently exined to her, "It doesn''t hurt for everyone during their first time. A woman''s hymen may have already broken before her first time - depending on her habits - so it wouldn''t hurt as much for herpared to a woman with a hymen. Others may feel very rxed and would be more lubricated down there, so they may bleed less or not feel as much pain. If a woman is more nervous, it would be harder for her to be lubricated, and she would feel more pain. I was preparing you all this time - who knew it would hurt this much."

    Veronica furrowed her eyebrows upon hearing that everyone''s first experience is different. From what Arthur had told her, she understood that women may not be as equally prepared because of their physical differences. Yet one part of his exnation did not resonate with her. "H-how is it possible not to feel nervous?" she softly questioned. "I''m a person with emotions. Without emotions, I can''t be called human."

    His fingers brushed through her hair in an attempt to reassure her. "Don''t worry. Next time it won''t hurt."

    "I''m not doing this anymore. Hmph!" Veronica puffed her cheek.

    Arthur paused. ''That will be a huge problem,'' he thought. However, what came out of his mouth waspletely different. "Sure, I won''t do anything as long as you don''t let me," he easily agreed.

    "Really?" She was surprised that he epted whatever she told him, yet there was still a tinge of loneliness within her.

    He yawned and then suggested, "Why don''t we take a bath? It''s already morning."

    "Morning? But it was morning when we were¡­" Her voice trailed off as she looked outside the huge window. The sky was clear, and the sun had begun to rise.

    "You have slept for sixteen hours. Let''s eat something after bathing." Arthur swiftly carried her like a princess and strode to the bathroom.

    "Ow! Be gentle!" Veronica winced andined.

    Later, she realized that it was a trap.

    In the fancy ck marble stone bathtub, in the name of washing Veronica''s body, Arthur''s naughty and expert hands were fondling her everywhere. He had begun to tease her sensitive spots, and her small, pink mounds perked up under his teasing. He also toyed with her clitoris until she was soaking wet.

    Veronica shuddered. She questioned him, "Wh-what are you doing? Ahh!" A zing of pleasure spread from her breast to all over her body. He flicked her nipple before rubbing them in between his hands.

    Arthur licked her other breast and mentioned, "My princess, your husband is trying to clean you but you seem to get wetter and wetter. I thought you said you were in pain." After that, he took her in his mouth and nibbled her perked up mound.

    "Wah! Ohh!" Being taunted by his mouth and fingers, Veronica''s body squirmed in ecstasy. The water in the bathtub was hot enough for steam to emit from it, yet her nude body was burning to the point that any boiled water felt cold to touch.

    Arthur''s golden orbs flickered with desire. Setting her on top of him, he used his three fingers to enter her vagina.

    "Hng!" Veronica let out a lewd moan. Without her realization, she started to move her buttocks to match his rhythm.

    Arthur''s golden eyes observed the obscene siren who was writhing her body in pleasure. Her breasts were bouncing up and down. He guided his lips to her breasts and took a mouth of it. Taking two nipples all at once, he sucked her.

 Chapter 154 - LETS BATH

    <h4>Chapter 154 - LET''S BATH</h4>

    Taking two nipples all at once, Arthur sucked her delicious mounds. Veronica arched her back, shoving her breasts to his mouth.

    He thrust his fingers in her sensitive spot and pierced with pinpoint precision.

    "Ahh!" A wave of pleasure washed over her body. As her body moved, water sshed around them. She circled her arms around his neck and pulled his head closer. Her expression was torn apart by rapture.

    Arthur was gazing at her mesmerizing beauty. Her sultry expression provoked him to break through the barrier. He asked her in a hoarse tone, "Does it hurt there?"

    "N-no¡­" Veronica shook her head. Her silver hair danced along with her body. Her flushed face in the middleplimented her face and hair.

    His fingers were tightly wrapped by her walls. In the moist and yet tight hole, he inserted his fingers. He could feel him bulging under the water. "Then, does it feel good?"

    Veronica''s luscious lips parted and issued coquettish moans. "Mm¡­ yes¡­ ahh!"

    "Then kiss me." He raised his mouth. "Here."

    Her vision was foggy. She was breathless. She leaned forward and kissed his lips. Their tongues tangled and explored their mouths.

    Arthur''s eyes admired her as he questioned, "Do you want it?"

    "Ohh¡­ hngg¡­ haah¡­" Veronica moaned unrestrainedly.

    Listening to her loud shouts, Arthur made his hands'' movements fiercer, rotating that small pearl at high speed. "Don''t you want it?" He pressed for an answer.

    Veronica''s body stiffened. She was about to climax when he mercilessly pulled out his fingers. She cried out, feeling dissatisfied.

    "What?" Arthur manifested an innocent and yet cunning expression. "You said you didn''t want to do it again." He shrugged.

    Veronica pursed her lips. She never thought she would be bullied by her husband right after getting married; she dug a hole and fell into it.

    Arthur looked at her face. His free hand cupped her face and said, "Call me ''husband'' and I will do as you please."

    Veronica''s charming face was painted red. She was used to calling him by his name, so she was now too embarrassed to call him ''husband''. She bashfully ducked her head.

    However, Arthur wouldn''t let her go that easily. He was dying to go inside her and be one. He could never resist her charm. "Won''t you call me ''husband''?" he probed.

    ''We got married. It''s natural for him to wish for me to be more affectionate. This isn''t supposed to be hard¡­ but¡­'' Despite feeling shy, her heartbeat increased rapidly out of excitement. She limply fell on his chest and softly called out, "Husband."

    Arthur felt as though his ears were burning, and his throat felt like it had desated. He gulped before inquiring, "Is there something you want from your husband, mm?"

    "Mm¡­ we can do it¡­" Veronica was so embarrassed that she couldn''t look him in the eye, nor directly face him.

    "¡­" Thest drop of his resistance was swept away by her sweetness. After getting her response, he aimed his already erect huge cock at her flower hole, which was overflowing with nectar. Straightening his back, he thrust inside.

    "Ahh!" Veronica arched her back as she moaned again. She wriggled her slender waistline. This time, her pussy was filledpletely with that hard penis until the limit. Due to their position, he knew he could enter her with his full length. Yet, it didn''t cause her pain - rather - it brought iparable pleasure to her. She let out a soft sigh and stated in a quivering voice, "Arthur¡­ hah¡­ so big¡­" She was afraid she would burst inside.

    "Hng¡­" Arthur groaned. He looked satisfied after being one with her. While Veronica''s tightness held onto him and wouldn''t let go, her husband pushed inside her until his full length was in.

    Veronica looked like a dry leaf in the winter - she had no idea what to do and meekly left everything to him.

    Arthur pulled out slightly before thrusting hard in the deepest part of her body. Her pussy wrapped around him - her tender moist flesh walls pulled back continuously - just like a small mouth, sucking him. He experienced the moment of bliss. Roaring in a low voice, he grabbed her waistline, pushing his cock to her lovely hole''s depth.

    He didn''t wait for her response any longer. He thrust his bursting erection vigorously.

    "Ahh¡­ mnn¡­" As her body continued to swallow his throbbing member, she noticed how much her body was enjoying this moment. Her breaths became raspy. Unable to resist the supreme lust and pleasure, she started to move her buttocks. Their hips met in the midair. Their skin pping noise and water sshing sound echoed in the huge bathroom.

    The pleasure she felt was beyond what words could describe. She let outscivious moans.

    Arthur panted roughly as if growling in her ears. He was also enjoying himself with her. His teeth grazed her skin as he prated harder. His body was so hot that the bathwater felt icy cold. The best part for him was her body answered back to his as her inside convulsed and squeezed.

    He thought his sanity would flow out of the window. ''I think I''m addicted to her now,'' he thought helplessly.

    Day by day, every day, for new reasons, he fell for her. He always admired her body. From the first time they met in the Morina''s Pce, he couldn''t get rid of the lewd images within his mind of her going crazy in pleasure under his body. It seemed like he was the one who would go crazy for her. No matter how many women he slept with in his life, he had to admit that they were no match for his wife.

    Veronica clung to his neck and announced, "Arthur¡­ I think I¡­"

    "Yes¡­ haah¡­ let''s cum together." Afterward, he thrust violently inside her a few more times before he felt a flood of euphoria rush down his body as he spurted his seed in her honey cave. At the same time, Veronica climaxed as well.

    Veronica''s body copsed into Arthur, and he affectionately held her. Their breathing was raspy.

    Still being inside her, Arthur cooled off before her. He stroked her naked back, and his gentle caresses calmed Veronica down.

    When she thought everything was over, she could hear him speak again. "Care for another round?"

 Chapter 155 - TALK TO ME SWEETLY

    <h4>Chapter 155 - TALK TO ME SWEETLY</h4>

    Arthur breathed heavily. He could feel her inside was taking his seeds. He imagined a small girl who had silver hair and a pair of emerald eyes. His imagination didn''t stand long as she panted close to his ear.

    He smiled contentedly and thought, ''This cute, lovable wife of mine¡­'' He pressed his lips on her head. ''Only person who epts me for who I am.'' He gently caressed her back. ''I won''t let her go.''

    He noticed that she gradually calmed down. So, he asked her, "Care for another round?"

    His question made the tired woman in hisp stiffen. Subconsciously, she tightened around him. His recently soft dick hardened in a second.

    Arthur smirked. His fingers moved her semi-wet hair to the other side. Her slender neck was in clear view. He pecked on her nape and nuzzled his nose. His hands groped her buttocks and urged her, "Want more, my wife?"

    "Mmmm..." His hot breath and whisper in a husky voice Veronica squirmed.

    Growl!

    She didn''t have to answer with her mouth. Her stomach answered for her.

    "Pfft!" Arthur chuckled. ''What timing!''

    Veronica ducked her head. Humiliation couldn''t let her lift her head. Her face, ears and neck were blushing hard.

    Arthur hoisted her body and pulled him out of her.

    "Umm¡­" due to friction, Veronica let out a soft moan.

    Arthur''s expression darkened. He nuzzled her and stated, "If you don''t want me to eat you right now, you better control your mouth."

    He carried her out of the bathtub and ced her on the counter beside the wall mirror.

    Veronica gasped. She had no more energy left to continue. "What are you-"

    "Don''t worry. I''ll just wipe your body. I''m not a tyrant enough to starve my wife to death right after our wedding," Arthur assured her. He got the towel from the counter to wipe her body.

    Veronica''s ears burned when he mentioned ''my wife''. She snatched the towel from him and said, "I''ll wipe myself. You go wipe your body." She already fell in his trap once. She didn''t want to fall into the same trap again.

    When he agreed that there would be no more sex, she easily trusted him. ''I should have known better,'' she thought.

    Arthur noticed how guarded she was. He didn''t force her. The predator already got his prey. He could slowly eat her. If he wanted to eat her in one day, she would never do it again. That would be quite a problem.

    After wiping her body, Veronica wrapped the towel around her body and went to the bedroom. Arthur''s bedroom waspletely different from his office. His office was luxurious whereas his bedroom was simple. Only the bedsheet and pillow covers were of expensive silk. Other than that, he had a wooden table, two wooden chairs in the corner. On the other side, a set of couches and a tea table. There was also a huge wardrobe. Across the room was a balcony door.

    ''The view must be good from the balcony. I''ll go thereter,'' she decided. After that, she opened the wardrobe door and found twenty sets of clothes and shoes. She opened some drawers and found pieces of jewelry.

    She scratched her cheek. ''They are pretty but I''d prefer not to wear them. I should wear some clothes now.'' She chose a cotton gown which was baby blue in color and whitece. She changed clothes and then unwrapped her hair. Her hair was wet. She sat on a chair and started to wipe her hair. All of a sudden, her hair became dry.

    "Hmm?" Veronica observed her hair. ''I know I''m good at wiping my hair but didn''t my hair dry too quickly? There is not a sign of water in my hair.''

    "Do you like my magic?" Arthur asked from the bathroom doorway. He strode forward only wrapping a towel around his waist. Water drops dripped from his hair and rolled on his toned chest.

    Veronica gulped at the sight and quickly looked away. "Put on some clothes," she demanded.

    Arthur approached her with a mischievous smile on his lips. "I''m hurt. Howe you are not calling me ''husband''?"

    "You don''t sound hurt," she mumbled. For some reason, she was so embarrassed that she couldn''t face him. Her face was growing hot. She fanned herself to cool off.

    Arthur leaned against the wooden table and then put his fingers under her chin. He lifted her face and asked her, "Do you want me to wear clothes?"

    Veronica''s face was flushed. She didn''t reply to him. Instead, she asked him back, "Then, do you want to stay naked?"

    Arthur cocked his head. His golden eyes flickered with amusement. "Hmm? I don''t mind if that''s what my wife wishes for. But I will also strip you naked. It''s not fair for only me to stay naked when you wear clothes." His demand was loud and clear.

    He could see steam rising from her head. "W-what?! Why should I be naked? If you want to stay naked, you can. Don''t add me with you."

    He calmly stated, "I won''t do what I wish. I will only do what my wife wishes. What do you wish for me to do, my wife?"

    Veronica pushed his bare chest. "Clothes! Put on some clothes!"

    With his free hand, Arthur held her hands and told her, "I''ll be hurt if you demand like this. Why don''t you speak to me sweetly?"

    "Sweetly?" Veronica''s eyebrow twitched.

    Arthur nodded. "Yes. Say, ''my husband, put on some clothes''."

    Veronica''s red lips quivered. She opened her mouth and repeated, "My husband, put on some clothes."

    Arthur''s eyes sparkled. She looked so cute when she said that. He probed her, "Say, ''my husband, I love you''."

    ''This guy really is¡­ something.'' Veronica puffed her cheeks in annoyance. "My husband, put on clothes quickly or I will say, ''I hate you''."

    Arthur let out an evil smile. "Will you say that, my dear princess? Maybe I should take you to the bed and eat you right now. Forget about breakfast, all right?"

 Chapter 156 - HIS TRAP WAS GOOD

    <h4>Chapter 156 - HIS TRAP WAS GOOD</h4>

    "Will you say that, my dear princess? Maybe I should take you to the bed and eat you. Forget about breakfast, all right?" Arthur let out an evil smile. As if his eyes were also smiling and saying, ''Finally, you are mine now. Now you will know how devilish I can be.''

    As though Veronica could read his mind. ''Is that why he was always asking me whether I wanted to marry him or not?'' she wondered. ''I think I made a lifetime decision on a whim. I should have known him better and prepared my heart before I got married.''

    There was no point in regretting now. She grumpily said, "Fine! I''ll say it. My husband, I love you. Now put on some clothes!" Even though she looked moody, her face was as red as a tomato.

    Arthur''s heart softened after seeing her expression. ''So cute~'' he thought. Then, he asked, "Where is my kiss?" He moved his face closer.

    "¡­" Veronica was on the verge of exploding. However, she didn''t have the heart to continue bed business at this moment. She gritted her teeth to control herself. Afterward, she stood up and pecked on his cheek. "Now go!" She pushed his chest.

    "Hmm? The kiss was supposed to be here," Arthur pointed at his lips.

    "You!" Veronica wished to shout but held back when her eyesnded on the bed behind him. It was a mess because of yesterday''s activities. Her face heated up and then red at him. She took a deep breath. ''If you wanted me to kiss me on your lips, why did you put your cheek close to me? You deliberately wanted me to fall for another trap, didn''t you? If I defied you, you would go for another round. As if I''m that na?ve. I''ll never make the same mistake again!''

    She calmed down while thinking she was intelligent enough to read his mind. She obediently hugged his neck and kissed his lips. She pretended to give him a passionate kiss but the moment her lips touched him, she moved away. She headed to the door while saying, "Dress up now. I''ll go to the kitchen."

    "¡­" Arthur, who was waiting to be kissed passionately, was dumbfounded by this unexpected oue. After she left the room, he felt like his soul left him. However, the light touch of her lips was still lingering. He pressed his lips with his fingers and stared at the door.

    ''She learned quicker than I thought. I have toe up with another n next time.'' He smirked.

    He suddenly felt like he was revived. He could smell the floral scent. His bedroom didn''t seem dull anymore.

    He wore a white shirt and purple pants. After that, he attached a purple velvet cape with a golden design at the edge. Checking himself onest time in the mirror, he turned to leave.

    He paused in his track and looked at the bed. The red silk bed sheet was still wet. A mixed smell came from it. He picked up the bedsheet and searched for some time before finding what he was looking for. He could differentiate a red bloodstain from the red-colored bed sheet. He traced her blood and decided, ''I should keep it in my office. I''ll keep it in a ss box. The box will be near my table. Every time I get tired of work, I will look at it.''

    Just as he nned, he went to his office and searched for a ss box. When he couldn''t find any, he went to Ovior''s office. His office was dark since the master of the office wasn''t there. He found a ss box he was searching for and took it to his office.

    ---------

    Meanwhile, Veronica used the magical esctor to go to the kitchen. She was starving to the point that her head was dizzy.

    There were two kitchens in the tower. The lower rank magicians and apprentices would eat in the third floor kitchen. The higher rank would eat on the fifty-fourth floor. The whole floor was for kitchen and dining. The kitchens were always open. Three teams worked in the kitchen. Each team worked for eight hours.

    She went to the kitchen and saw a group of the kitchen staff. They were at a meeting toe up with a new recipe. They saw the Mistress of the Magic Tower entering the kitchen. They hurriedly stood up.

    Veronica felt awkward by their action. "Please sit down. Were you working? Did I disturb you?"

    The Head Chef hurriedly replied, "Not at all, Mistress. What do you want to eat? We''ll cook anything you want."

    Veronica told him, "I want to eat something sweet. I need a lot." She talked to herself in her mind, ''I need energy. Sweet is the best option. The patissier of the tower also bakes yummy cakes. It''s worth eating.''

    The head Chef politely stated, "Please give us five minutes. We will prepare something right away."

    Veronica slightly hesitated before answering, "What about the wedding cake? I saw the wedding cake yesterday."

    She wanted to slice the cake with her husband after the wedding ceremony. Who knew Arthur would directly take her to the bedroom? She was so embarrassed that she could hardly look at the kitchen staff.

    The Head Chef smiled. "Mistress, it was a ten-storied cake. Since you love cake, we saved three stories of cake just for you."

    Veronica''s face lit up. "I want three slices."

    "Sure. Would you like some sandwiches?" he asked her.

    ''I can eat sandwiches too. Why didn''t I think of that?'' Veronica pondered. She inquired, "Is there any chicken sandwich?"

    "Of course, please take a seat." The Head Chef already knew her love for meat. Arthur specially told him to cook at least one meat dish every day. Each day had to have a different meat dish. That''s why the chefs were in a meeting.

    They noticed a positive vibe in the bloody tower for the first time. Everyone was in debt to her. The person who brought that blessing, deserved to have whatever she wanted to eat. Some meat dishes were nothing.

    "What are you doing?" a voice asked from behind.

 Chapter 157 - DONT YOU LIE!

    <h4>Chapter 157 - DON''T YOU LIE!</h4>

    While Veronica was talking to the Head Chef, a voice asked from behind, "What are you doing?"

    Veronica turned around and saw Catherine. "Cathy!" Her face beamed. "Why are you awake so early?"

    "What to do? Temple habits die hard. I can''t sleep anymore after six." Catherine yawned and requested the Assistant Chef, "I want two vegetable sandwiches and two boiled eggs please."

    The Assistant Chef replied, "Coming in ten minutes."

    Catherine held her friend''s hand and dragged her to the dining hall. They sat right across from each other. Catherine poured a ss of water for herself and Veronica. She asked her, "So, how was it?"

    Veronica cocked her head. "How was what?" her emerald eyes showered with innocence.

    "Are you kidding me? You stayed in the bedroom with your newlywed husband for a whole day without eating and drinking. Don''t you dare to tell me you guys did nothing." While pointing a finger at her, Catherine sipped water.

    Veronica sensed her face burning up. She covered her red face and said, "I slept almost sixteen hours."

    Catherine frowned. "¡­I don''t believe you."

    Veronica drank water and then told her friend, "I didn''t sleep the day before the wedding¡­"

    Catherine mmed the wooden mug on the table. The water jumped and shed around the table. "Quit joking!" she retorted. "You got red kissing marks all over your neck and jaw and everywhere!" She was blushing and still, she couldn''t keep her mouth shut.

    Crash!

    A silver te slipped from one of the chefs. "I¡­ I''m sorry." The poor guy was flushed to his neck. He was so embarrassed that he couldn''t look their way.

    Other chefs had the same expression. They all looked awkward.

    "I¡­" Veronica touched her neck. Her head was down. She couldn''t look at anyone.

    "Ah¡­ my bad. I should have controlled my voice." Catherine covered her mouth.

    ''I think that''s toote for that,'' the Head Chef thought.

    It was fortunate that only chefs were present at that moment. They were already scared of Arthur. So, they wouldn''t joke about their Mistress.

    Veronica couldn''t look at her neck but she tried to check her chest. There were indeed some red love bites on her skin.

    ''Kissing¡­ kissing marks?'' she was bewildered. She had no idea where to look. While dressing up, she didn''t notice them properly. She thought they were mosquito bites she got from the journey.

    ''No wonder the chefs weren''t looking at me properly. Even the Head Chef did his best only to look at my eyes,'' she thought. Her face was tinted with fifty shades of red hues. She stood up. "I think I should cover it up."

    Catherine grabbed her hand. "Hey, where are you going? It''s fine. No one''s looking at you. They won''t even dare to speak about it even if they see it."

    "I don''t care what they think or speak. I greatly care if someone other than my husband sees me like this. I''ll just go to my room and get a scarf. I won''t take long." Veronica quickly left the dining hall.

    Catherine let out a sigh. ''Why am I the only one who is single? Now I feel lonely. If it wasn''t for the damn work pressure, I think I could look for someone.'' While stretching her hands, she mumbled, "Someone who is destined to be mine."

    "Destined to be yours? What''s that?" Someone walked past her and questioned her.

    Catherine hurriedly straightened her back. She raised her head and saw Sebastian. "Why do I have to answer you that?" she asked him in return. "Didn''t youe to eat? Go eat!"

    "Okay¡­" Sebastian raised his hand to surrender. If they argued, they would have run a marathon. However, he didn''t want to fight her with an empty stomach.

    "With a character like that, where will she get a destined man? What a joke," he muttered.

    Catherine turned her head toward him and? instantly questioned him, "Did you say something?"

    "Not at all." Sebastian''s reply was quick.

    Catherine didn''t believe him. She narrowed her eyes. "I think I just heard you talking about me."

    "Then, I think you heard something wrong. Please don''t forget to give me the handkerchief you promised. My life is hard without one," he reminded her.

    Catherine sneered. "Oh, don''t worry. I will give you the most exquisite handkerchief made by me."

    "I only need a normal handkerchief." Sebastian couldn''t trust her. Who knew what she would do to that handkerchief? She could try to do something to him. ''I don''t want to be made fun of in the Magic Tower. My prestige would be at stake,'' he thought. ''I should be careful.''

    "What are you talking about? Do you think I will just let you think that I''m ungrateful?" Catherine stood up and stepped forward. She paused in front of him and then took out something from her skirt pocket. She put it down on the table and warned him, "Listen well, I don''t usually make embroidered handkerchiefs just for anyone. You better take good care of it."

    "¡­I will." Sebastian was surprised that she made one for him just in a day. She oversaw the wedding reception party yesterday. Even though the bride and groom weren''t present, she had to entertain the guests. She should have been busy and tiredst night after all the work.

    "Don''t even think of giving it to someone with a runny nose. Or else," she threatened him.

    Sebastian took a handkerchief and replied, "I won''t. What if you need it¡­"

    She interrupted his words by saying, "I will never need this. I have my own handkerchief."

    "¡­Okay¡­" Sebastian wanted to say more but held back after seeing her expression.

    "Good." Catherine gave him a fake smile and went back to her seat. Her meal was served shortly after.

    ------------

    Meanwhile, Veronica covered her neck with a white vest that covers her neck properly. She checked onest time in the mirror and was off to the dining hall. While going down, she saw the door of Arthur''s office.

    There was a red stone in the middle of the door. It was normally blue. Whenever he was inside, the stone would turn into a red-colored stone.

    ''What is he doing in there?'' she wondered.

 Chapter 158 - VERONICAS EMBARRASSMENT

    <h4>Chapter 158 - VERONICA''S EMBARRASSMENT</h4>

    ''What is he doing in there? Veronica wondered. ''Doesn''t he want to eat? I''m so hungry. He should be hungry too. I should check.''

    She went inside his office and opened the door using the magic ring she was given by him. She found him sitting on his chair and working on something. "Arthur, won''t youe and have breakfast with me?" she asked him.

    "I''ll be down in a minute," Arthur replied busily.

    "What are you doing?" Veronica was curious. She stepped closer and saw him putting a red cloth in the ss box. "Is this what I think it is?" she was astonished after recognizing the bedsheet. "Arthur, what are you doing? This is our bedsheet and this is not washed yet. it has blood and¡­" She was at a loss for words. "Arthur, why are you keeping it in the box?"

    "I''m going to keep it here. I want to see this every day." That''s what Arthur said.

    Veronica refuted, "This is insane! You cannot do this. How can you let something like that stay in your office? This is so embarrassing."

    Arthur chuckled. "Will it be OK if you cannot see this when youe to my office?"

    Veronica shook her head. "That''s not the point here. This is not a hygienic thing to do. I should have washed it."

    Arthur stayed quiet for a while and then responded, "It''s here for a reason. I want to see this every day and remind myself that you have given yourself to me while enduring this pain. This will help me to calm down if I ever go berserk. Maybe this way I can avoid bloodshed."

    "There is a better way to do this." Veronica truly didn''t feelfortable.

    "I know you feel ufortable. You worry that someone will see it. But don''t worry. I''ll put an invisible spell on it. Only I can see it afterward. This is our mark of us being one. This is precious to me. In case you didn''t know that it is a ritual. Every Master of the Magic Tower has to do it after their first night. After they die, they will be wrapped with the cloth and sent to the underground," Arthur exins to her.

    There were lots of rules she didn''t know about. She was supposed to learn them before marriage. But there were workloads and they needed some assistance who could keep their mouths shut while helping them. Veronica was among those trusted people. Not just anyone could work at Arthur and Ovior''s office.

    Most magicians had hidden intentions. Even if they didn''t have any hidden intention, they could do anything for their family members. At first, the security wasn''t that tight. The incident of the crystal magic stone being stolen was a good lesson for them.

    "Oh, so that''s what it was." Veronica was relieved. She thought he had some kind of weird fetish. "Do you need any help?"

    Arthur replied, "I do need your help. But we can do itter. Go to the dining hall. Fill your stomach first and thene back."

    "I¡­ want to eat with you," Veronica bashfully confessed. "It''s our first meal after the wedding."

    Arthur smiled. "You are right. We should have a meal together. Wait for a while. I''ll be done in a minute." Then, he suggested, "How about we eat in the bedroom? We will get some privacy."

    Veronica understood what he wanted to hint at. She quickly shook her head. She shyly averted her gaze and stated, "No need. If we don''t use the dining hall to eat, what is the dining hall for?"

    Arthur proposed a n, "We can have a private dining room up there. It will be great."

    "That''s not a bad idea. I think it''s a good idea." Her face beamed. "How about having our small kitchen? You can cook for me if I want to eat something. You can teach me too."

    Arthur nced at her. "¡­Don''t you like our chef''s cooking? I was sure that you would like his cooking. Your taste is almost simr to mine." Afterward, he thought, ''I thought I would make the Head Chef her personal chef. I guess it won''t work.''

    Veronica told him, "I do like his cooking. In fact, I might have a hard time eating somewhere else after I have tasted his cooking. But I like your cooking the most."

    Arthur stared at her for a while and then the corner of his lips raised. "Looks like I will have to be your personal chef," he replied.

    Veronica''s face was glowing in happiness. "I knew you would agree. Thank you so much."

    "Uhuh, you cannot say ''thank you''," Arthur forbade her.

    Veronica was confused. She inquired, "Then, what should I say?"

    Arthur had his answer ready. "You have to say ¨C ''I love you, husband. You are the best ¨C that one."

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless. ''Do I have to get used to it?'' she pondered. She saw that he was patiently waiting for her to speak. She lowered her head, trying to hide her expression. After that, she opened her mouth and said in a low tone, "I love you, husband. You are the best."

    Her voice was hardly audible but Arthur heard her. Even so, he insisted that he didn''t. "I couldn''t hear you properly, wife. What was it?"

    "Oh, you! Just go and check your ears!" Veronica stomped her foot. She was blushing hard.

    "We can go to the bed if you want." Arthur shrugged.

    ''Not again!'' She was shocked at how easily he threatened her. ''If I don''t do this, I will not be able to eat another day,'' she thought. She raised her voice and said, "I love you, husband. You are the best. Now, finish your work. I''m dying of hunger!"

    "That''s better." Arthur smiled in satisfaction. He was done with the ss box and then pointed his finger in the corner of the box, "You have to sign your name here."

    After she was done, they went to the dining hall together. Looking at the gloomy Catherine and Sebastian, Veronica was surprised.

    "What''s wrong with you two?" she asked them.

    ______________

    ANNOUNCEMENT:

    Dear Readers, chapter 1 has been re-uploaded. Please re-read it when you have time.

 Chapter 159 - CATHERINES FURY

    <h4>Chapter 159 - CATHERINE''S FURY</h4>

    "What''s wrong with you two?" Veronica inquired. She hardly ever saw Catherine and Sebastian with a glum expression. They were always lively when they were together.

    Catherine: "¡­"

    Sebastian: "¡­"

    Both were quiet. Even the chefs were silent. Veronica observed the chefs. They looked miserable. As though a typhoon just swept them away.

    Sebastian stood up from his chair and bowed. He politely greeted them, "Greetings to Master and Mistress of the Magic Tower. Congrattions on your wedding."

    "Thank you, Sir Sebastian," Veronica greeted him back.

    "Please don''t use honorifics," Sebastian hurriedly corrected her. He couldn''t bear the punishment from Arthur if she talked to him politely.

    Arthur also mentioned the same thing, "You don''t have to call him ''Sir''. He is your subordinate from now on."

    Veronica was flustered. "Oh, I see. I''m sorry."

    Arthur smiled discreetly. "You don''t have to say sorry either."

    Veronica felt awkward. "It''s a normal reply after making a mistake. I''m not used to being a mistress so¡­"

    Arthur assured her by saying, "It''s okay. I didn''t be a magician in a day. It took years of practice. You can take things slowly. Let''s eat first."

    However, having breakfast with a gloomy team wasn''t that easy. The atmosphere was awkward. The meals were served.

    "What is wrong with you? Did you argue again?" Veronica asked Catherine who was sitting right across from her.

    "This is nothing new. You shouldn''t worry about them." Arthur sliced the sausage and put a piece of meat in her mouth.

    Veronica took it and chewed without a word. She looked like an adorable pet being fed by her owner.

    Catherine looked at them with a bored expression. ''How many times has it been? In the forest and the mountains, I had to bear with this. Aftering here, I was able to eat in peace. Now that they got married, they are showing off their love in public. It started right after they became husband and wife. No, it started before their marriage.''

    She started counting, ''First, he carried her to the aisle. Second, right after they got married, they went to the bedroom. Third, showing off love bites. And fourth, they are feeding each other. I need someone who will do it for me too. Sigh. Single life sucks.''

    She red at Arthur when he used Sebastian and she argued all the time. "Hmph! Says someone who shows off her wife''s embarrassing side."

    "Embarrassing side? What''s that?" Arthur finally gave her attention.

    Veronica lowered her head and quietly chewed her meal.

    Catherine''s expression changed. She chided him, "Why are you acting like you know nothing? You put love bites all over her neck and let her walk out of the bedroom just like that. Shame on you."

    "So, that''s why you covered your neck. I was wondering why you suddenly covered your neck." Arthur nced at his wife and chuckled. "I don''t mind if you show that. Actually, I prefer you to show it to others. This way, bugs will stay away from you."

    Veronica: "¡­"

    Catherine: "¡­"

    ''Master, aren''t you bullying your wife too much?'' Sebastian thought in his mind.

    "So, that''s your motive. I knew you were faking your goodwill in front of my friend." Catherine was fuming. She wished she could roast him with fire.

    Arthur reminded her, "She is your friend but she isn''t yours. We got married yesterday in case you have forgotten."

    "You¡­" Catherine gritted her teeth. If looks could kill, Arthur would''ve shattered into pieces.

    Veronica finally opened her mouth, "It''s fine, Cathy. He already told me what kind of person he is before marriage. He didn''t hide anything." Thest thing she wanted was for her best friend and husband to be on bad terms. She already found out what kind of person Arthur was.

    Catherine didn''t know about Arthur''s killing machine vibe. She also had no idea that Arthur told Catherine about his dark past and dark self. For her to act like that was natural. She was just worried about her friend.

    "He did?" Catherine gave him a doubtful look before smiling at her friend. Her voice softened as she spoke, "Since you are saying this then I believe you."

    Arthur: "¡­"

    ''Look at her change of expression. So quick!'' Sebastian was amazed.

    "Ver, why don''t we go to townter? We are in the capital city, aren''t we?" Catherine suggested.

    "That''s a great idea!" Veronica''s face glowed. She was relieved to see that the awkwardness in the dining hall had lifted.

    "The capital city is two miles away from here," Arthur told them. Then, he instructed his subordinate who was eating, "Sebastian, prepare their carriage and escort them to the city. First, take them to the market center and then to the tourist spots."

    "As you wish, Master," Sebastian obliged.

    "When will we leave?" Veronica was excited to go out. She was thinking of going to the shops and buying souvenirs.

    Arthur stated, "You have to ask Ovior about that. Starting today, he will teach you the basics. It won''t take more than two hours. After that, you can leave. As for your friend, she needs to finish her work. She can take a leave from her immediate employee."

    "Oh yes, I have work. I forgot that I had a job." Catherine sighed. "If I can finish my work early, let''s go before noon."

    "I don''t mind. I would like to read some books before I leave. It''s settled then." Veronica gazed at her husband and asked, "Can''t youe with us?"

    ''Why is she asking him?'' Catherine thought with a sour expression.

    Arthur told her, "I would like to, but I will go out. I have some work to finish. After that, I can meet you in the capital and show you around."

    "That would be wonderful." Veronica quickly finished her meal and went to Ovior''s office with Catherine. "Good morning, Ovior," she greeted him.

    Ovior fixed his sses and greeted her back, "Good morning. Are you here for your lessons?"

    Veronica vigorously nodded her head. "Yes. I would like to go to the capital city for sightseeing. Can I finish my study sooner?"

 Chapter 160 - PRIVATE LESSON

    <h4>Chapter 160 - PRIVATE LESSON</h4>

    Ovior fixed his sses and greeted her back, "Good morning. Are you here for your lessons?" He looked haggard. He didn''t seem to sleep yesterday.

    Veronica vigorously

    nodded her head. "Yes. I would like to go to the capital city for sightseeing.

    Can I finish my study sooner?"

    "Depends on how quickly you learn your lesson." Ovior turned toward Catherine and ordered her, "Finish checking those papers first. I''ll add something more if I can."

    Catherine looked at his small table that had a pile of papers. She gulped and said, "Can I take a break after I finish checking those papers? I want to go out with Veronica."

    Ovior replied in a bored tone, "Hmm. As long as you work aftering back. Come to my office after you are done sightseeing. I have more tasks to give you today."

    "Yes," Catherine reluctantly nodded. She looked calm but she was exploding inside. ''Who knows how long it will take for me to check these papers. I''m so done!''

    "Ovior, aren''t you working way too much? You will copse like this," Veronica shared her concern.

    Ovior dragged his tired tone, "Please don''t worry about me, Mistress. Today is thest day I will work like this. From tomorrow, everything will be normal." He indeed looked like he was about to copse soon.

    She was relieved to hear that. "That''s good." It would be a great problem if Arthur''s Assistant passed out due to overwork.

    Ovior thought of something and voiced his proposal, "Why don''t you take the ss with your husband today? I''m sure he is eager to be your teacher. From tomorrow, you can take sses from me."

    Veronica was taken aback for a while. "Arthur will teach me¡­ but he is going out. He said he had a business."

    "His business is at noon. If he didn''t, he wouldn''t allow you to go out." Ovior told her. ''I know him very well. If he had work in the morning or evening, he would stay here at noon and monopolize her to the point she wouldn''t be able to get down. She married a monster. I hope she can deal with it'' ¨C that was his internal thoughts.

    "I hope he educates her not making her unable to move," Catherine muttered her prayer.

    "I''ll be off then. Come to me after you are done," Veronica told her friend.

    Catherine waved her hand to shoo her friend away and said, "Oh no, I don''t want to impose on your honeymoon period. Juste to me after you finish your private lessons."

    Veronica blushed vigorously as her friend mentioned ''honeymoon period''. However, she couldn''t understand the main point of ''private lesson''. ''Why did she say ¨C ''private lesson'' specifically?'' she wondered. ''It is a private lesson and she knows it.''

    She went to Arthur''s office and found him there. "Arthur, will you give me private lessons for today? Ovior seems too busy; so, he sent me to you."

    "Private lesson?" Arthur muttered. "Sure, I will. Where do you want to start?"

    "I want to start from zero," Veronica replied. ''I need to learn everything. It doesn''t matter how long it takes. If I can finish my lessons quickly, I will be able to learn about magic. Maybe there are magics that healers can use. The more I will learn, the easier it will be to help people'' she nned in her head.

    Arthur was in a good mood. "Sure. Let''s teach you how to give birth to babies."

    "What?!" Veronica eximed. She was bbergasted by his idea. She stepped back as she saw him standing up anding toward her. "Wait! That''s not what I meant when I wanted you to teach me."

    "You wanted private lessons and I will give you. You wanted to learn from level zero. I will teach you the basics of being a wife."

    She asked him, "Howe giving birth is the basic duty of being a wife?"

    Arthur smiled mischievously and exined, "Giving birth isn''t the basics. The basic part is how to please your husband. It''s the same process as making babies. Aren''t you interested? Only I can teach you about that, you know."

    Veronica hurriedly denied, "You have already taught me that yesterday and today. I don''t need to learn more." Their distance gradually narrowed.

    "How can that be? I haven''t taught you eighty percent of the basics. How can you learn if I don''t teach you?" Arthur reached her soon and caught her in his arms. "Aren''t I being a good teacher to help my student learn something essential?"

    Veronica was blushing hard. "You are being a bad teacher. You are harassing your student."

    Arthur pecked on her cheek and whispered in her ear, "Isn''t that a good thing?"

    She jolted when his lips touched her sensitive ear. "How''s this a good thing?" She pushed his chest and said, "Now move¡­ move¡­"

    "My student doesn''t want lessons from me. I need to punish her for disobedience, don''t I?" Arthur raised his head and spanked her buttocks.

    "Ah!" The sudden friction on her buttocks made her jump in surprise. "You¡­ you¡­" She could hardly believe that he just beat her buttocks.

    ''Soft,'' Arthur thought. He could still feel the softness of her butt cheeks and how they bounced after he pped her. He groped her hip and fondled them.

    "Umm¡­" Veronica let out a sigh when she was pressed against his lower part. She sensed him slowly grinding her to him.

    Their bodies rubbed against each other. It reminded them about their hot times in bed. Soon, their blood began to boil.

    Arthur was feeling hot. They just got married yesterday. He had yet to have her for himself. At first, he didn''t wish to get her out of the room for a week. In the end, he changed his n when she was telling him that she wouldn''t do it with him anymore.

    He loved her and wanted her. No matter how many times he tasted her it wasn''t enough.

    "Nica, I want more." His voice was husky and full of desire.

 Chapter 161 - ARTHURS PRIVATE LESSON

    <h4>Chapter 161 - ARTHUR''S PRIVATE LESSON</h4>

    "Nica, I want more." Arthur''s voice was deep and hoarse, making her heart flutter. They just got married and he was in a honeymoon mood.

    Without a word, Veronica nuzzled his neck with her nose. "We can''t. It still hurts and I have to go out." It wasn''t just him, she also wanted to do it, but she was worried that she would lose her stamina and can''t go out.

    Arthur sighed. "If it was hurting down there why did you get up? You should go and rest."

    "But I wanted to spend more time with you," Veronica spoke in a spoiled manner.

    "We could do that in our bedroom." It gave him great joy that he wasn''t the only one feeling like that. Even so, he didn''t want her to endure pain because of him.

    She told him, "Yes, but I thought you might have work and I would drag you down because of my selfish desire."

    "Acting like a mistress right after getting married." Arthur let out a deep breath. "You don''t have to be taught any lessons. You are doing fine now. If you learn anymore, I''m afraid you will not show your face to me again."

    "Are the rules that bad?" Veronica curiously asked him.

    Arthur nodded. "Yes. I will give you books that are necessary for you to learn. Otherwise, don''t bother to be a proper mistress. I don''t need a mistress who will fulfill her duty as a wizard''s wife. I need my wife who will love me day and night."

    She giggled and hugged his neck. "Okay. I will love you day and night."

    Arthur pecked on her cheek. "That''s better." He carried her to the couch andid her down. "You should rest more. I''ll bring some books for you to read."

    "Okay!" Veronica gleefully agreed. She was relieved to know that he cared for her. Every day, he showed her a new side and she got to learn more about it. She liked this slow process. She obedientlyid on the couch.

    Arthur brought two books with him. He sat down beside her and let her rest her head on his thigh. "Read this book," he said. "This book is about the history of Tybu and the Magic Tower. To be precise, you will learn about the start of the Great War and how Magic Tower assisted the good side to save the day." He sounded proud. For him who loved magic and liked to fight for justice, he had great pride as the Master of the Magic Tower and its glorifying history.

    Veronica took the book from his hand andmented, "I will learn about bloodshed, huh?"

    He didn''t deny it. "Yes. I know it''s not the right time for heading this kind of book. You just filled your stomach. However, if you want to learn from zero levels, this is level one."

    She questioned him, "What is level zero then?"

    His answer was quick, "Making love with your husband. Don''t worry. I will teach you slowly."

    Veronica hid her red face behind the book. She sensed himbing her hair with his fingers of the left hand. Something melted her heart and gave her a heart racing feeling. She smiled sweetly and started reading.

    -----------

    A few hourster, Catherine stretched her arms and legs. ''Finally, I''ve finished my work. But Ver didn''te to me. Don''t tell me she is doing this? Sigh! I knew this was going to happen. Now, what will I do? I wanted to go out with her.'' She pondered for a while and then thought, ''Hmm¡­ maybe I should just go and check what she is doing. It can be that she isn''t doing anything.''

    She asked Ovior''s permission to go out. He managed to let out a sound while looking at the papers. She felt sorry for him. Although managing the ounts was hard, his work was even harder. He was the head of the Administration. Everything that should be documented went to him for the final check. That''s why he had to check every word and punctuation on each line. He couldn''t afford to make a mistake.

    ''Only he knows how he had been working nonstop like that,'' Catherine thought. She went across the floor and knocked on the door. "Ver, are you there? I''m done with my work."

    The door was opened by Arthur''s magic. She saw Veronica was sitting idly on the couch. Aside from her messy hair, everything looked fine. ''Did they seriously not do anything? When did Arthur be a monk?'' She raised an eyebrow. For the first time, she didn''t want to believe her eyes.

    Veronica ced a bookmark in the book and looked at her. "You are here. Let''s go."

    Arthur held her hand. "What do you mean by ''let''s go''?" he asked. "Are you going to go out wearing this dress?"

    "Yes," she replied. "Is there anything wrong?"

    Arthur answered, "There is. This dress is to wear inside your house. Not to wear outside."

    Veronica was surprised and she looked down at the dress she was wearing. "Oh, I thought it was a fancy dress."

    "It''s understandable since you didn''t have good clothes to wear in the temple. Let me show you where the outdoor dresses are kept." Arthur stood up and held her hand.

    -----------

    After dressing up, Veronica and Catherine got inside a fancy carriage. Arthur and Veronica sat down, side by side, and Catherine sat in the opposite.

    "I''ll leave you in front of the main gate of the capital city. It was built to keep the city safe from the enemy during the Great War." He gave his wife a red pouch. It made a zing sound. The pouch felt heavy. "Keep this money with you. Buy anything you want. If you are hungry, go to a fancy restaurant and have your meal. If you want snacks, street food is good. They are cheap but tasty."

    Veronica''s face was glowing in happiness. "My husband is the best!"

    Arthur smiled at her. "Just don''t eat too spicy food. Your taste buds can''t handle their spicy meals."

    "All right!" Veronica agreed.

    ''I''m not a light bulb here but why does it feel like I''m the light bulb?'' Catherine thought dejectedly.

 Chapter 162 - THE CAPITAL CITY OF TYBU

    <h4>Chapter 162 - THE CAPITAL CITY OF TYBU</h4>

    Just as Arthur promised, he dropped Veronica, Catherine, and Sebastian in front of the main gate. "Guard them properly. Don''t leave them for a moment," he instructed Sebastian before leaving.

    "Isn''t he too guarded?" Catherine remarked.

    "Master has his reasons. I hope the Mistress understands," Sebastian politely stated.

    "Yes, I know. He has too many enemies. I decided to marry him despite knowing all of these facts." Veronica looked at Sebastian and asked him, "Do you know where he is headed?"

    "Yes," answered Sebastian, "he is going to visit the Royal Pce. Master and Mistress were invited to the pce by the Queen."

    "Ver, did you choose me over the royal pce? You are the best!" Catherine was the happiest among them.

    Veronica''s expression suddenly dulled. "I didn''t have to choose. I didn''t even know that I was invited."

    Catherine was astonished. "Huh? He hid it from you! ...But why?"

    "He must have had a reason for not telling me," Veronica uttered. "I will talk to him about thister." She then looked at Sebastian. "Sebastian, do you know something?"

    Sebastian hesitated before responding. "Umm¡­ I do not want to be rude, but, Master and the Queen of Tybu do not have the best of rtionships. The Queen is very traditional. As you know, my Master is an orphan and has no blue blood. Unfortunately, the Queen finds that disgusting. She was opposed to Master bing the head of the Magic Tower, so sent her second son -? the Second Prince who was a maze - for a duel."

    Catherine mentioned, "I heard about the Royal family. The King and Queen do not have a good rtionship. They have two sons and a daughter. The first prince is the Crown Prince, and the Queen wants her second son to be the Master of the Magic Tower. This way, all power will be in their hands. What a sly queen Tybu has!"

    Veronica remarked, "I don''t want to imagine what happened next¡­ but Arthur killed the Second Prince, didn''t he?"

    "Yes, he did. He tortured the Prince to the point that, after his death, we couldn''t recognize him. And for those who watched their duel - most of them couldn''t stand it." Sebastian shivered thinking about that horrifying day.

    Veronica was shocked to hear this. "Why did he torture the Prince like that? Wasn''t he worried that he might be killed for treason?"

    Sebastian shook his head. "No one can interfere with a duel between two magicians. It is their duty and privilege to bear the consequences ¨C this is the rule of the Magic Tower. Not even the Royal family can interfere."

    "Is there any reason for the Royal family toply with such a rule?" Catherine asked.

    Veronica remembered something and shared her thoughts with her friend. "Oh, now that I think about it, I was reading a history book Arthur gave me today. The Tybu royals didn''t have enough force to win the Great War. They needed help from the Magic Tower. At that time, the Master of the Magic Tower and the King of Tybu signed an alliance. It said that anyone who were to break the rules would be wiped outpletely. So, if the Magic Tower were to break the rules first, all magicians would die, leaving behind no knowledge for mankind. As for the Royal family, they would be entirely wiped out."

    Catherine frowned. "It sounds more like a curse than an alliance."

    Sebastian agreed. "It is a curse. This is why the Magic Tower cannot interfere with politics and the Royal family cannot interfere with anything that has something to do with magic."

    "But it doesn''t make sense for Arthur to kill the Second Prince so brutally," Veronicamented. "Did something happen between them?"

    Sebastian''s eyes wavered before quickly smiling. "Mistress is very observant. Yes, something did happen. The Second Prince always bullied the weak and themoners. He used to bully Master when he was only an apprentice. However, Master didn''t brutally kill him for the bullying. He took revenge for Ovior."

    "Ovior?" Veronica was surprised. "Did he get bullied too? I thought he was an aristocrat."

    "He is, but his family history is... depressing. Since it''s about him, please ask him or Master. I''m not in any position to talk about his private life. Nheless, I can say this much: after Master took authority, this kingdom had be peaceful. No aristocrat would even dare bully the weak. Master will save them - that''s why I follow him. Despite his bloody history, he is a true hero." As Sebastian talked about Arthur, his voice was coated in pride.

    The corner of Veronica''s lips lifted; her heart, too, swelling with pride. She could understand Sebastian''s feelings. The man who worked hard for justice became a bad guy in others'' eyes. The man being her man, her husband, her Arthur.

    "Fine, fine, I understand your sentiment. Now, let''s go!" Catherine pulled Veronica to the gate, ruining the sweet atmosphere.

    ''This woman is not very sentimental,'' Sebastian thought.

    They passed the huge stone gate that was being guarded by soldiers. One soldier asked for their pass. Sebastian showed the pass of the Magic Tower and they were able to enter. The guards couldn''t help but check out Veronica, gazing at her silver hair and green eyes. The brown colored gown and hat she wore perfectlyplemented her fair skin and braided hair.

    The city didn''t look like anything they had seen before: all the buildings were tall and there were only small stores at the front. The buildings were made of dark grey stones, and most of the stores were glittering with golden and silver dust. Decorative items hung on the ceilings, giving the whole city a magical air.

    "Am I in Wondend?" Catherinemented.

    Veronica had the same impression. She replied, "It seems so!"

    There were many street shops selling magical artifacts. Some people were even showing off their magic skills, making the children around amazed and joyous. Even older people were impressed by the street magicians'' skills.

    "Ver, look! That guy is so cute. He is just my type!" Catherine excitedly pointed at one of the street magicians.

    ''Seriously! Of all things,'' Sebastian grunted inwardly.

    "Did you have a type?" Veronica was confused.

    "I didn''t but I have now." Catherine''s eyes were sparkling like a teenager falling in love for the first time.

    "Ahh!" Catherine bumped into someone and hurt her arm. She held her arm and turned around to re at the culprit; however, before she could say something, she cringed.

    The person she bumped into was a huge, bulky man who seemed to be ring at her.

    Trouble?

 Chapter 163 - TROUBLE

    <h4>Chapter 163 - TROUBLE</h4>

    "Ahh!" Catherine bumped into someone and hurt her arm. She held her arm and turned around to re at the culprit; however, before she could say something, she cringed.

    The person she bumped into was a huge, bulky man who seemed to be ring at her. His slightly tanned face was growing red. Yet this red tint to his skin was not out of embarrassment, but out of fury - even a fool could understand that much.

    Veronica noticed his reaction and was ready to apologize.

    However, before she could, someone stepped forward and blocked her view.

    Catherine''s blonde hair came to her view.

    "Hey, you! Can''t you see where you are going? Were you looking at the sky while walking? Or are you blind?" Catherine''s voice was stern. She looked extremely serious.

    Veronica: "¡­"

    Sebastian: "¡­" Judging by the man''s facial expression, he wanted to butt in, but it seemed impossible to do that now. ''Why did she have to make it worse?'' he wondered.

    The big buy was going to explode but he was taken aback by her anger. He pointed out, "Woman, it was you who bumped into me."

    "What?! You dare talk back to me!" Catherine red up. "You insolent guy, I''ll beat you to death! That way, you might learn some manners!"

    She strode forward but before she could reach him, she halted. It seemed like her friend was holding her back from behind. "Ver, what are you doing? Let go of my hand. Today, I must teach this insolent, ill mannered guy a lesson, or he''s going to bully innocent women again."

    Veronica: "¡­" She looked down at her hand. Catherine was holding her wrist tightly. Even if she wanted to pull back her hand, she couldn''t; her friend wouldn''t let go.

    ''Why is she making me the culprit when I''m the victim?'' she wondered.

    Sebastian: "¡­" He wanted to facepalm. ''She could just apologize. Now, everyone is looking,'' he thought.

    The sturdy guy stepped backward after seeing Catherine''s murderous gaze. He also noticed that people around them were gathering up. If he created a scene here, people would think that he was bullying the girl. Here, no one could bully the weak.

    He nervously looked around. Before Catherine could say anything, he turned around and hurriedly left.

    Catherine gave a triumphantugh. "See? That''s how you defend yourself. Ver, you must learn everything from me."

    Veronica helplessly shook her head. She was relieved that the situation didn''t escte too much. "Yeah, right. Now let go of my hand. If you wanted to hit him so badly, why did you hold my hand?"

    Catherine shrugged. "Because he did nothing wrong. Why would I hit him and then get myself into deeper trouble? Didn''t you see that guy? I could never win against him!"

    "Then, why did you quarrel with him? Wasn''t it you who bumped into him? An apology should be enough." Veronica was still confused about her friend''s behavior.

    "Are you kidding me? Didn''t you look at his face? It was that kind of face that would pull you down if you were to show your weakness. If you gave him an inch, he would take it a mile. He could drag you to a ve trader or take you to the brothel," Catherine exined, sounding very experienced.

    "Why would he do that?" Veronica was bbergasted.

    Catherine grabbed her friend''s shoulders. "Listen Ver - people are still harmed by others even if they have no enemies. Some people will hurt others because of their own selfish reasons. I''ve seen that happen many times - strong people deliberately bumping into the weak and then acting harshly. Then they act like they were the victim. That''s why I took the lead first. Now, the problem is solved, let''s go!"

    Sebastian agreed with her. "Now that you mentioned it, I think it''s true. Although nothing like that happens here, it happens in other ces. I''ve seen weak men getting beat up by the strong ones. I think it was great that we tried talking to them first to show that we were mad. Now they won''t dare bully again, hopefully."

    He thought in his mind, ''I knew that she had some brain inside her head when she started to work for Ovior, but I never thought she was that quick witted.'' He smiled when he recalled how this tiny girl dealt with that big guy.

    Veronica was dragged by her friend. "I didn''t know something like this would happen. Cathy is so knowledgeable!" She praised her friend. "Next time, I will do that too."

    "That''s my friend. As long as I''m with you, you can leave it to me," Catherine proudly dered. She looked ahead and suggested, "Why don''t we go to that dollhouse?" She pointed at a beautifully decorated shop.

    "Sure! I would love to see some dolls," Veronica agreed.

    The three of them looked around the town, ate some snacks, and bought some souvenirs. Of course, after their long day out, they were slowly bing tired. Even still, that didn''t stop them from continuing to walk around.

    "Let''s go to an antique shop!" Veronica suggested.

    "Sure, it looks fancy. I think we will get lots of items there." Catherine''s eyes sparkled, as she was a sucker for vintage items. She earned some money from Ovior and decided to buy some antique products.

    "That won''t be a good idea," Sebastian interrupted. "Why don''t we go to another shop? I will take you to an antique shop I know."

    "Sure," Veronica nodded. The moment he looked away, she nced at her friend. They exchanged nces and mischievously grinned.

    Sebastian took them to a family shop. It seemed like he also liked to collect antiques. The girls liked some products there and bought some souvenirs for Ovior, Arthur, Sebastian, Merlin, and Darius. However, their minds were still on the show they wanted to go to.

    While he wasn''t looking, Catherine bought some spicy snacks. The girls pretended to eat the snacks while they forced Sebastian to eat everything.

    Catherine told him, "We shouldn''t waste food when people die of hunger. Why don''t you finish them for us, Sir Sebastian?"

    Sebastian could usually handle spicy food, but this snack started to make his stomach give him a hard time. While he had to rush into a public toilet, he left the two friends in the shop.

    The n was a sess. The girls giggled and went to the antique shop they wanted to go to. The shop was indeed fancy from both the outside and the inside.

    "Greetings! How may I help you?" the shop owner weed them warmly.

    "We''re going to look around first. If we find something we would like to buy, we will let you know," Veronica replied.

    "Sure. Please look around as much as you want." The shopkeeper smiled at them in a friendly manner.

    The girls collected some items and asked the shopkeeper about the price.

    The shopkeeper observed the items and then looked at their hands full of packages. "They are only fifty gold coins.

    "Gold coins?!" Catherine eximed in surprise.

 Chapter 164 - THE ANTIQUE SHOP AND THEM

    <h4>Chapter 164 - THE ANTIQUE SHOP AND THEM</h4>

    When Sebastian left, he had no idea what those two women were nning.

    The n seeded. The girls giggled and went to the antique shop they wanted to go to. The shop was indeed fancy from both the outside and the inside.

    "Greetings! How may I help you?" The shop owner weed them warmly.

    "We will look around. If we find something we like to buy, we will let you know," Veronica told him.

    "Sure. Please look around as much as you want." the shopkeeper smiled at them in a friendly manner.

    The girls collected some items and asked the shopkeeper about the price.

    The shopkeeper observed the items and then looked at their hands full of packages. Afterward, he said, "They are only fifty gold coins.

    "Gold coins?!" Catherine eximed in surprise. She argued, "This ispletely ripped off. The highest price we know is one hundred silver coins. Gold coins are spent on expensive magic stones."

    Since she worked as an ountant, she knew the value of some expensive items. No merchant could easily fool her.

    The shopkeeper gave her a sly smile. "Miss, I think you are making a mistake. The items you chose are highly expensive."

    Catherine put her arms on her waist. "Mister, are you trying to make fun of us? Or do you think we are some kind of foolish tourists who know nothing about the quality of the items?"

    "Cathy, let''s just go," Veronica held her friend''s arm and pulled her. She didn''t want to argue. "It''s not worth it. I think we already bought enough," she added.

    ''Now I know why Sebastian forbade us toe here. He had a good reason for that. We should have listened to him,'' she thought and repented.

    "Fine, let''s go. I will nevere here again. This is thest time." Catherine held her friend''s arm and turned around to leave.

    "Where are you goingdies? You cannote here and go away without buying anything, you know. You are breaking the rules of this shop," the shopkeeper spoke from behind. His tone was menacing. "No one goes out without spending money."

    ''They look rich. They are also pretty. Selling them and their products will get me some money. I shouldn''t let go of this chance,'' he thought. His eyes sparkled with greed.

    Veronica disliked the expression on his face. She sternly replied, "No one cares about your shady rules." She got irritated by the shopkeeper''s behavior. ''What''s his problem?'' she wondered.

    Unfortunately, their path was blocked by a hill. Someone stood in front of the door, making them unable to leave.

    The girls raised their heads and gasped. It was the same man Catherine bumped into at noon.

    It seemed like he had been following them all this time and took this opportunity toe here.

    ''Oh shoot,'' Catherine cursed inwardly. ''I knew this guy was nothing but a trouble. I should have been more careful.''

    However, regretting wasn''t going to help them. That guy was looking down at them with a terrifying expression. He slowly raised his hands and cracked his knuckles.

    He gritted his teeth and said, "Because of you, I have been humiliated in front of my subordinates."

    "Well, that''s too bad. I had no intention of humiliating you. Haha!" Catherine defended herself and then gave augh.

    "Cathy," Veronica called out to her to warn her. ''I don''t think it''s time for you tough. He is mad,'' she thought in her mind.

    "I have had enough!" the guy roared, making the girls jump. "I will get your first and then your friend. You will taste delicious. I''m sure of it." He licked his lips perversely.

    Veronica shivered. Her face was pale as she realized what was going to happen to them.

    "Don''t treat them too harshly. They are pretty. They will be sold well," the shopkeeper said from behind.

    ''Damn these perverts!'' Catherine''s face twisted with disgust.

    The man slowly approached them. His long legs quickly send him to the girls.

    "Ver! Take cover!" Catherine shouted and then threw her shopping bags at the tall guy.

    Veronica dropped her packages and ran toward the wooden shelves where big items were kept.

    "What are you doing?" The shopkeeper realized that these two youngdies were nothing but trouble.This precious shop was falling apart. He stood up and ran toward Veronica.

    Catherine threw whatever object she could at the burly man. The man pped away everything that came in front of him. The more items came toward him, the more he got angry.

    The products fell on the stone made floor one by one. Most of the items were rather broken or damaged.

    The shopkeeper was fuming mad. He sprinted in the direction of Veronica who was assisting Catherine to throw his precious items.

    Two minions of the shopkeeper heard themotion and came to see what was going on. They entered the room using the backdoor and their jaws dropped seeing two women fighting against their boss and his strongest and tallest man.

    "What are you waiting for? Catch them!" the shopkeeper shouted and ordered his minions.

    Veronica realized that she was in danger. Inside the shop was spacious. She saw his underlings rushing toward her.

    They split up and tried to corner her from both sides. She had nowhere to run. She was cornered. Feeling nervous, Veronica stepped back. Her back identally bumped into a heavy wooden shelf. It began to sway as the lower part of the shelf was slightly broken.

    Even the wooden shelf was antique.

    "!!!" Veronica was startled when the shelf began to stagger and fall toward her. Her soul almost left her ribcage. She swiftly moved away at thest second and theckey behind her raised his head. His eyes were full of horror.

    Crash!

    The shelfnded on him and buried him with the antique objects.

    The second minion tried to save hisrade but he was bickered by the shopkeeper. "Don''t be stupid! Catch her!"

    The underling followed his boss''s order.

    Veronica knew that she was in trouble now.

    However, at that time, Catherine threw a medium sized iron vase at the big man. With his strong bare hand, he shoved it away. The vase flew toward Veronica.

    Veronica saw it and instantly sat down. The secondckey behind her got hit on his face. He not only broke his nose but also lost consciousness.

    "Useless! The shopkeeper became restless and decided to take things in his hand. "Just let me get out. I will see how you can manage to get away from me." He strode in her direction.

    Just then, he saw a sword lying on the ground. He paused.

    "¡­" Veronica also noticed the sword. ''A weapon. If I can get it, we can leave by threatening them,'' she nned.

    But who will reach before?

 Chapter 165 - FIGHT FOR THE SWORD

    <h4>Chapter 165 - FIGHT FOR THE SWORD</h4>

    Both Veronica and the shopkeeper came up with a n after seeing a sword. They halted and looked at each other. Their eyes locked. Both knew that they were after the same object.

    The two of them dashed toward the sword at the same time. At the exact time, they reached there and grabbed the sword. The sword had a decorative sheath. The shopkeeperid his hand on the upper side of the scabbard and Veronica seized the lower part of the scabbard. They started to pull the sword toward them with all their might.

    Both realized the one who got the sword would win - that''s why none of them let go of the scabbard. The poor sword was being pulled on both sides.

    On the other side, Catherine was being cornered by the tall guy. When she had nowhere to run, she got close to Veronica. She saw that her friend was trying hard to get the sword.

    She noticed why her friend needed the sword; it was the only weapon they could see that could help them to save their lives. Although she was busy with the other guy, she decided to help her friend. She picked up a small object and threw it at the shopkeeper.

    "Oww!" the shopkeeper wailed in pain. Despite the pain he felt, he was still eager to hold onto the scabbard. Blood started to drip from his forehead, catching him by surprise. Instinctively, he raised his hand to touch his forehead.

    Veronica used his momentary break as her chance to yank the scabbard toward her.

    But to her dismay, the tall guy was right behind her, ready to grab her by her hair.

    However, before he could reach her, the tip of the scabbard directly hit him in between his legs. Right on his manly jewel.

    Bull''s eye!

    "Hkk!" The guy let out a groan and cupped his wounded area. His face turned red. His knees touched together as he knelt on the floor. Since Veronica was trying hard to get the sword, the scabbard hit him hard. He couldn''t think of anything other than the pain.

    Veronica gasped upon realizing what she had done. "I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean to hit you there. Does it hurt too much? I''ll heal you right away!"

    The man didn''t have the condition to heed her words. His body had already be numb. ''Please goddess, let my family jewel go. If it''s safe, then I promise I will never bully another woman,'' he prayed in his head.

    "What are you doing, Ver?! You mustn''t heal him. Give that to me!" Catherine snatched the sword away from her friend.

    He wanted to continue his prayer but Catherine raised the sword and hit his head with all her strength. That person lost consciousness at that very moment.

    Bam!

    Just then, someone barged inside the room. The girls were startled by the sound.

    ''Is this a new enemy? No worries. We have a sword. What do they have?'' Veronica thought.

    -----------

    A few minutes ago ¨C

    Sebastian cleared his stomach and peacefully came outside. To his surprise, thedies he left in the shop were no longer there. "Where are the twodies I left?" he asked the shopkeeper.

    "They left right after you left. I thought they were tourists. That''s why I forbade them to go outside without your guidance. But they didn''t listen. They said they had some things to do. So, I didn''t stop them anymore," the shopkeeper exined.

    "Damn it!" Sebastian wanted to curse. He mmed the table of the shopkeeper. ''Where could they have gone?'' he pondered. He briskly went out and started to look for them. However, they were nowhere to be seen.

    Chills ran down his spine. He didn''t want to think about what kind of danger they be facing.

    Meanwhile, Darius and Merlin were walking down the street. They saw Sebastian and called out to him. "Sebastian! Where are you going?" Darius asked him.

    "I messed up," Sebastian answered. "I lost Mistress and Miss Catherine... I don''t know where they went."

    "They ditched you?!" Darius was stunned. "Man, this is worse than I thought. No wonder you were looking for someone so desperately. Let''s find them before Arthur hears about this. You''re not going to make it alive if something happens to them."

    "I know - you don''t have to tell me..." Sebastian trembled as he tried to imagine what could happen to him.

    "Let''s not waste our time anymore. We will split up and go in three different directions," Merlin dered in a rxed tone.

    Just as they nned, the three of them scattered and went in three directions. Darius was going towards the southern direction. His eagle-like eyes were scanning the area as he walked. He went to the pretty shops where females could be. He also checked the restaurants around the area. Unfortunately, he couldn''t find them.

    ''Where could they have gone?'' he scratched his head while pondering. ''We don''t have much time. The more we dy, the more dangerous it will be for them.''

    As if to give him a sign, he heard some noisesing from a shop. "What''s going on inside?" he muttered. He walked forward and kicked the door. The wooden door fell apart. He entered the shop and was shocked to see the massacre. He let out a cough when the dust reached his nose and mouth, and waved his hand in front of him to clear his sight.

    And then what he saw before him - he swore he would never forget it for the rest of his life. He found the two girls fighting against two men. One of the men was already down and another one was bleeding. He found another man lying in the corner. And there was another man under the shelf full of antiques. One of the girls had a sword in her hand. Another girl was empty handed but still had a fighting spirit within her. They were in defense mode.

    "Darius!" Veronica eximed. The girls sighed in relief realizing that he wasn''t an enemy.

    "What a disaster!" Darius eximed. "Mistress, Miss Catherine, I never thought that I would see you here. We have been looking for you, thinking you would be in danger. To think you had handled four guys just by yourself ¨C this is so hrious!" He couldn''t stopughing. "I never thought I would see this day. How could two women who don''t know how to fight take care of four guys on their own?"

 Chapter 166 - POKING HER NOSE

    <h4>Chapter 166 - POKING HER NOSE</h4>

    "We are innocent. They attacked us first!" Veronica instantly defended herself, yet her face reddened out of embarrassment.

    "Yes, we are innocent," Catherine yed along.

    "I can see how innocent you are, Mistress and Miss Catherine." Darius stepped forward and strode toward the shopkeeper. With hisrge hand, he grabbed the cor of the shopkeeper and hoisted him up. His strength was so intense that he didn''t break a sweat when he raised the full-grown man with one hand. Then, he crashed him against the wall and dered, "You have made a huge mistakeying your hands on these two women. You have to pay the price."

    The shopkeeper realized that he picked a fight with the wrong people. "Sp-spare me¡­" he begged for mercy.

    Darius grinned. His smile was almost sadistically devilish, as though he was enjoying the shopkeeper''s misery. "Toote. The one who will deal with you is the Master of the Magic Tower. Youid hands on his wife, you know."

    "W-what?!" The shopkeeper''s face was ashen in shock. His body was visibly trembling. "Wh-when did he get married? I didn''t hear anything about the Master getting married! This is p-preposterous! Preposterous, I tell you!"

    Darius challenged him, "As if shady people like yourself would know about his wedding. Let''s go to the Magic Tower and find out."

    "Is there any need for Arthur to know about this?" Veronica interrupted.

    "He would find out even if we choose not to tell him," Darius answered.

    "Oh..." Veronica''s mouth was sealed shut, and she didn''t know what to say next. The first time she went out without Arthur, she happened to run into trouble. She was afraid that the next time she goes out without Arthur, he might send an army to apany her. "We should head back." She gestured at her friend.

    Catherine could tell that they might face the real boss of the game after going to the castle. She urged, "Let''s go back. Oh wait, we have to pick up our things."

    Later, Sebastian and Merlin came to the shop. They were startled to see the massacre inside the shop.

    "Mistress! Thank goodness you are safe!" A sense of relief rushed over Sebastian''s body. "Please don''t give me a heart attack like that in the future."

    "I''m sorry, Sebastian. We should have listened to you." Veronica was apologetic.

    "Hmph! As if I would listen to him." Catherine crossed her arms and proimed proudly, "We had everything under control."

    Sebastian: "¡­" He could only re at her. She was the one who forced him to eat all that spicy food. Because of her, he couldn''t properly fulfil the duty which was assigned to him by his master.

    Merlin looked around and coughed. "We can see that. I''m so proud to have such a strong Mistress and her friend. There''s not a single scratch on you and yet you fought four men. What a relief."

    Veronica bashfully replied, "You jest. How did you know we were here? I thought you went to look for us."

    Merlin exined, "We did. I was tracking Sebastian and Darius, hoping to get some lead. I suddenly noticed that Darius stopped in one ce and didn''t move. I contacted Sebastian using amunication device and came here."

    "You have amunication device? That''s so wonderful!" Veronica beamed with anticipation. "Can I see it?"

    Sebastian took out a small round box from his pocket. It was smaller than his palm. He opened it and they saw a blue gem attached to it. "When someonemunicates, their face bes visible, and we can talk just like that. It''s like having a face-to-face conversation."

    "This is brilliant. I want one. How can I get it? How much do I have to pay?" Veronica became excited like a child. She just had to have one!

    "Ahahaha!" Dariusughed loudly. "Mistress Veronica, you amuse me all the time. You are the Mistress of the Magic Tower. If you need any magical object, you just have to give your orders? to the magicians. They are obliged to carry out your order."

    "Okay, I will do that." Veronica understood that she said something stupid. She became quiet.

    Merlin: "¡­" He helplessly gazed at his friend. ''He really doesn''t know how to talk to people. Who will teach him?''

    Merlin then contacted Arthur. Arthur had finished his work at the pce in a hurry and went to the square to pick up his wife.

    It was already evening. Everybody started to turn on the lights. The streets weren''t covered in its usual yellow lights, but instead was embellished by a sea of multicoloured lights. A festive and magical aura was in the atmosphere.

    The sun had almost set by then. The sky had a yellowish hue which caused everything beneath the horizon to have a golden tint. The temperature was quite humid, despite the gentle breeze blowing from time to time. Summer in Tybu was indeed a mindblowing season.

    When the carriage arrived, Arthur asked Merlin, "Why did you contact me? Did something happen?"

    Merlin greeted him and said, "Your intuition is always correct. I know Sebastian was supposed to contact you. It looks like Mistress Veronica and Miss Catherine faced some trouble. Darius already took four guys that were responsible to the interrogation room. I''ll leave the rest to you."

    Arthur frowned. His cold eyes swept toward Sebastian before looking at Veronica. "Are you all right?" he asked.

    His voice was neither cold nor warm; however, Veronica was relieved to see him. She smiled a little and replied, "I''m okay. Nothing happened to us. Some people disrespected us. So, Catherine and I thought we should teach them a lesson."

    Arthur''s cold eyes finally were filled with some warmth. The corner of his lips lifted slightly as he told her, "You must have worked hard. Let''s go home and rest." He reached out his hand toward Veronica.

    "Okay!" Veronica took his hand and got inside the carriage. She never thought she would be this eager to get back to the Magic Tower.

    Catherine followed her, while Sebastian put the shopping packages in the carriage before shutting the door.

    The carriage had started to move. Arthur''s fingers gently brushed over her cheek. "How was your day? Do you like this city?"

 Chapter 167 - ARTHURS REASONS

    <h4>Chapter 167 - ARTHUR''S REASONS</h4>

    "How was your day? Do you like this city?" Arthur inquired. Veronica ventured into the city with her friend. He wanted to know how much she liked the city he grew up in. After all, he took great pride in taking care of the capital city of Tybu.

    The carriage was moving at a brisk pace. The noise of the horses'' hooves felt soothing somehow. Both Veronica and Catherine were enjoying all the views of the city from the window while they chatted.

    Veronica couldn''t wait to tell Arthur everything. She excitedly replied to his query, "This is an amazing city. I''ve never thought that there could be such tall buildings in the city. The city is so vibrant. We had so much fun. We ate tons of street food. This is the first time I''ve ever done shopping with someone. This is just the best!"

    Arthur chuckled. "I see. It''s all good then. You cane here often with escorts and shop to your heart''s content." He saw all the packages and asked his wife, "So what did you buy today?"

    Veronica rested her head on his shoulder and then gave him a list, "We bought food and some antique items."

    Arthur was a bit surprised. "Why didn''t you buy dresses and jewelry? I thought girls love that kind of thing."

    Veronica told him, "In the morning, I saw many clothes and jewelry in the drawer. I don''t think I need more than that. Moreover, I don''t like jewelry that much. Hence, I didn''t think I should buy something I already have."

    She nced at her friend and questioned her, "Cathy, didn''t youin that you didn''t have enough clothes? Why didn''t you buy those today?"

    Catherine answered smugly, "I had no ns on buying clothes today. I just came to look around. I gathered enough knowledge. After going to the tower, I will make a list of trending clothes and make a budget. The next time Ie, I will bring money to buy my clothes."

    "That''s a brilliant idea!" Veronica eximed. Since she didn''t know what to buy, she didn''t make a list. Moreover, Arthur gave her a pouch of gold coins. She didn''t have to think about the budget. However, after listening to her friend, she realized that as a Mistress of the Magic Tower, she should do the same thing. She questioned her friend, "Where did you learn that?"

    "Well, I was bragging to Ovior in the morning about what I was going to buy and what I would do. He heard me and gave me this advice. Now I understand how this tower is still intact without Arthur''s presence. It''s just that Ovior is toopetent." Catherine snickered.

    She was indirectly calling Arthur ''ipetent'' in front of him. ''She sure has guts,'' he thought. ''Or maybe she doesn''t care since I''m her friend''s husband. She thinks I won''t do anything to her or my wife will be upset.''

    Veronica turned toward Arthur, "Speaking of Ovior, I''ve heard that you brutally murdered the Second Prince to avenge Ovior. Is that true?"

    Arthur paused for a second beforementing, "Story spreads fast. Who told you?"

    "That''s not important. Tell me! Is it true?" Veronica urged him.

    "That is correct." Arthur clenched his fists unknowingly.

    Catherine who was sitting across the carriage saw it and stayed quiet.

    He added while squeezing Veronica''s hand, "Let''s not talk about it, okay? I know what you are curious about but I''d rather not talk about Ovior''s personal matter."

    "Fine, I won''t ask you about him. Then tell me why you went to the pce alone when we were both invited." Veronica decided to pester him till he blurted out everything. ''As his wife, I deserve to know this much,'' she thought.

    Arthur narrowed his eyes. He didn''t beat around the bush and asked directly, "Did Sebastian tell you that?"

    "Don''t change the subject. Answer me!" Veronica was getting impatient.

    "Do you really think I would let you have any contact with any royals after what happened to Sia?"

    "¡­" Veronica cringed. She couldn''t find words to defend herself.

    "Huh? What happened in Sia?" Catherine became curious. Judging by his friend''s expression, she could tell something disastrous happened in Sia. Something that was hidden from her. Veronica hardly kept a secret from her. She wanted to know what it was.

    "Mm¡­" Veronica averted her gaze. She didn''t want to say that she disobeyed Arthur and almost became the fifteenth wife of King Edward V.

    "Won''t you say? Fine, I will tell Arthur why you disappeared for six months." Catherine grinned like an evil woman.

    "You¡­" Veronica was astonished by the betrayal of her friend. "How can you try to ckmail me? Is this how a friend should act?" sheined. She couldn''t ept this act of betrayal.

    Arthur stroked his chin. "I don''t mind, I''m rather curious about where you were for six months and why are you trying to hide it."

    As if Catherine got approval from Arthur. She stuck out her tongue and winked at her friend.

    Veronica red at them. Those two were the closest to him. She couldn''t believe they cheated on her just like that. ''I''ll never tell her anything important in the future,'' she swore.

    In the end, she was forced to spill the beans. Catherine''s eyes turned into a pair of ser balls. "What the hell! Fifteenth consort?! Is that guy a pedophile? His eldest son is five years older than her. And the old man had the audacity to ask your hand in marriage?! Unbelievable!"

    Veronica lowered her head. She didn''t have the face to look up. "And this happened because I didn''t pay heed to Arthur''s warning and did whatever I pleased."

    "At least here you can do whatever you want. This is the best for you," Catherine told her.

    "This isn''t the only reason I didn''t take her to the Royal Pce. I have other reasons," Arthur remarked.

    "Other reasons?" Veronica inquired, "What other reasons do you have?"

 Chapter 168 - TEASING IS FUN

    <h4>Chapter 168 - TEASING IS FUN</h4>

    "This isn''t the only reason I didn''t take her to the Royal Pce. I have other reasons," Arthur remarked.

    Veronica raised her head and inquired, "Other reasons? What other reasons do you have?"

    Arthur calmly exined to her, "If Lord Alexander contacted all the royals in the continents, they should already know what you look like. If they ever see you, they might recognize you and pass the news to him. If war breaks down here, we will surely win but I don''t think you would want that. You might start to regret living this long. You have already seen how vicious wars can be, haven''t you?"

    "¡­" Catherine was literally speechless there. She looked at Veronica and then Arthur. Since it was the first time she saw him like this, she couldn''t help but wonder, ''How does he understand Ver so much? Can he read her mind or something?''

    "Ahh¡­" Veronica grabbed his arm and leaned against him. "I know you know me the best. I would truly regret it if the bloodshed happened because of me. Fine, I''ll avoid them. But, all the magicians in the tower already saw me. Is it not a problem if they tell the Royal family about me?"

    "Not really," Arthur stated. "As you see, all the people who went to Magic Tower had taken a potion without their knowledge. This is called ''Oblivion of Identity''. No matter how many times they see you, if they go around describing you, they will never be able to do it. Despite seeing you, they cannot describe your physical appearance. All they will be able to say is, "You are the most beautiful woman they have ever seen". Isn''t this great?"

    Veronica''s jaw dropped. ''I always thought magic was amazing but this is on a whole different level of amazing. Why didn''t I learn magic all these years?'' If she never regretted growing up in the temple, she was regretting it now.

    She suddenly thought of something and asked, "Will Darius, Sebastian, Marlin, Ovior be the same?"

    Arthur shook his head. "No, I gave them an antidote. I can''t allow your protectors to forget about your appearance. It will be a problem if they can''t use their brain in dangerous situations."

    "This is just mind-blowing," Veronica''s eyes were sparkling like a child who was witnessing a magic show for the very first time.

    "I have a question." Catherine finally opened her mouth, being unable to stay quiet any longer. "If you can make everyone in the Magic Tower oblivious to how she looks, why can you not do the same to the Royal Family? This way, Ver will be safe."

    The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. ''If everyone, including Lord Alexander, takes this potion, there will be no more danger. It will be great if they forever forget Ver. Ver will be safe and live happily ever after with me. We will have so much fun every single day. It sounds so wonderful!''

    Arthur: "..." He noticed her reaction and realized she was plotting something. ''This girl cannot be trusted. I must stay careful around her,'' he warned himself.

    Afterward, he replied, "It''s not that I didn''t want to. We, magicians, have mostly zero ess to the Royal Pce. However, with the help of the chef, I did put some potion in the meal but only the Royal Family. But I couldn''t give the potion to everyone. Even if the Royal Family doesn''t say anything, there should be many spies in the pce."

    "Spies from other countries¡­ hmm¡­" Catherine went into deep thought. "It looks like we have to stay low for a while until everything is under control, Ver."

    "I wonder how long it will take for everything to be under control. Maybe I should change my hair color permanently." Veronica touched her hair and stared at it. ''I really like my hair though,'' she thought.

    Her silver hair was truly unique. It shone brightly every time sunlight fell on it. How could she not love her hair?

    Arthur held her shoulder and pulled her closer. He gently uttered, "You can use potions to change your hair color but it won''t be permanent."

    Veronica sped her hands together. Her face beamed as she came up with a n. "All right. I have an idea! I should take a hair color potion every time. People who don''t know my hair color will think that silver hair is also because of magic. No one will suspect anything."

    "I don''t have a problem as long as you can stand it." Catherine shrugged. She didn''t like the gloomy atmosphere. She always preferred to have fun. Thus, she tactfully changed the subject, "We shoulde out every weekend. There is so much to see."

    "You are right. Tybu is like the ''I can''t get enough'' type of country. By the way, the name of the capital city of Tybu is Silvertein. Is this why you have the title ''Silverstar''?" Veronica queried about Arthur''s name.

    "That''s right," Arthur confirmed. "The name ''Silverstar'' came from that. I''m the protector of Silvertein."

    "Why is it Silver Star though?" Catherine probed. "It should be Silver Magic or Silver Ray or Silver Talent."

    "What kind ofme names are youing up with?" Veronica was dissatisfied with the new names and looked at her best friend with furrowed eyebrows.

    "What''s wrong with that? I think Silver Ray is a cool name," Catherine defended her creative skills.

    Arthur nonchntly stated, "If you are done mocking me then keep your mouth shut. We have already reached home."

    It was already dark outside. The Magic Tower was glowing with a silver light. It looked as magnificent and majestic as ever.

    The girls went back to their rooms. Veronica took off her clothes and went to the bathroom to take a bath. She dived in therge bathtub.

    At that time, Arthur came to the bathroom as well. "Enjoying the warm bath?" he asked with a hint of a smile.

    Veronica was flustered by his sudden appearance. "Why are you¡­"

 Chapter 169 - IT TASTES SWEET

    <h4>Chapter 169 - IT TASTES SWEET</h4>

    "Enjoying the bath?" Arthur asked while entering the bathroom. A faint smile was hanging on his lips. He was stark naked; there wasn''t a single clothing article on his body. His huge cock stayed up mightily.

    Veronica waspletely flustered upon seeing him. She couldn''t take her eyes off of his manhood. Her eyes were glued to it as she thought, ''This thing can enter me. How is that even possible...?''

    However, she quickly realized that she was staring at it too much. She averted her gaze. "Why are you¡­"

    "Why are you asking the obvious? I''m here for a bath of course," Arthur replied with a teasing smile on his lips. He went into the bathtub and moved toward her before tenderly pulling her into his arms. Her round breasts were pressed against his bare chest. "Are you that embarrassed after seeing my cock, hmm?" He lightly bit her earlobe and sucked it.

    An electrifying sensation rushed over and spread all the way from her sensitive earlobe. She trembled in his arms. She controlled her moan and asked him bashfully, "Why are you bringing that up?" She sensed something hard was poking her lower abdomen. Her lower body tightened upon realizing what it was. His penis was so warm that she could feel its scorching warmth. Compared to its temperature, the temperature of the bathtub water was nothing.

    Arthur liked teasing her the most. She would act all shy and cute when he did that. Her innocent heart would react to his words and behavior. Noticing that she shyly ducked her face, his heart seemed to soften.

    He whispered in a deep voice, "You have seen it many times. Shouldn''t you get used to it already?"

    Veronica''s face was so red that it felt like blood would drip from her nose. She could barely speak "¡­I don''t think I''ll ever get used to it."

    "That will be a problem. My cock is itching to enter you." After saying those obscene words, he licked her ear.

    Veronica felt a shiver run down her spine, causing her to shudder, despite sitting in the warmth of the bath water. "A-Arthur¡­" Her voice was like a whisper. She clung to him as her ear was being yed by him.

    Her body moved, rubbing against his body. The friction made their bodies grow hot. His hard rod stuck to her private spot and poked her relentlessly.

    "Ahh¡­" She gasped and he sighed in delight.

    Veronica could feel something quivering deep inside her. They hadn''t started anything but her lower part already wished to wee his manhood with open arms.

    After teasing her both ears, Arthur''s lips met hers. He lightly sucked on her lips. He liked chewing her soft, jelly lips. It always made him feel that he could eat away her lips any moment. Yet his aggression could only be subdued; he wasn''t a carnivore in that sense, after all.

    He nibbled her lips and then used his tongue to deepen the kiss. He explored inside her mouth and tasted something sweet. He didn''t taste it before. He broke the kiss and asked in a husky voice, "What did you eat? Your mouth is sweet."

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­" Veronica gasped for air. His kisses weren''t intense but sensual. It made her heart flutter, but also made her feel dizzy. "Candy¡­ I ate candy." Her voice was scarcely audible.

    "You ate candy without me... Should I punish you?" He lightly bit her upper lip and added, "Let me taste the vor." He brushed his tongue against her gums while maintaining eye contact with her. He wanted to see her innocent, hazy eyes fill with desire.

    His tongue tangled with hers and their saliva and breaths mixed. His hands roamed around her body freely, feeling her smooth skin. He pulled away when her breath hitched. He then asked her, "Did you enjoy your day without me?"

    "¡­Yeah¡­" Veronica replied in a daze. The next moment, she cried out when his arms firmly groped her buttocks and grinded her against him. Her eyes met his. She noted some re in his golden orbs. She opened her mouth and uttered, "A¡­Arthur, perhaps¡­ you are jealous?"

    "You think so?" Arthur didn''t reply to her and asked her back.

    "Then mad?" Her heart was beating rapidly. She tried to figure out his sudden outburst of sexual desire. They were supposed to bathe, not have intercourse in the bathtub.

    Arthur replied, "To be precise, yes." His voice sounded serene, but his heart was nowhere near being calm.

    Veronica leaned forward and gave him a peck on his lips. "But why?"

    "Because you put yourself in danger. You had no one to protect you. What if something were to happen? How was I supposed to live without you?" He spread her buttocks and slid in and out, feeling her warm flesh. He did it slowly to entice her

    ''I''m doomed,'' Veronica thought. His member was touching her flower, moving slowly. His touch sent shocking jolts throughout her body. It made her body crave for him more. For some reason, she thought that he was doing this to deliberately torture her.

    With his lips pressed against her slender neck, he let out a low whisper, "You really don''t care about anything. Since you don''t, I shall teach you, as your husband. Princess, remember where I touch. Feel when I touch. Cry for me."

    "Cry¡­?" She was confused at first, but in the next second, a lovely moan escaped her mouth, "Ahh! Ohh!"

    Arthur inserted two fingers in her flower hole as a finger of his other hand slid inside her asshole. He noted her widening eyes were full of surprise. Her body twitched as she felt a zing of pleasure. He smirked and said, "See? If I tease you relentlessly your body reacts."

    "N-no¡­ ahh!" Her body jolted as he slid his fingers deeper. Her inside walls held on to his fingers tightly. Her nipples caressed his chest, teasing his heart.

    Arthur''s gaze deepened. All of a sudden, he hoisted her body.

    "Ohh?!" Noticing that she was losing her bnce, she hurriedly circled her arms around his neck.

    "Princess, wrap your legs around my waist," Arthur demanded.

 Chapter 170 - CRAVING FOR IT

    <h4>Chapter 170 - CRAVING FOR IT</h4>

    "Princess, wrap your legs around my waist," Arthur demanded.

    Veronica instinctively obeyed him. No matter what, she knew she could trust him on this. After having a taste of immense pleasure, who wouldn''t want to experience it again?

    "Good, princess," Arthur praised her for listening to him. After that, he went back to business. He massaged the slit between her petals, directly teasing her flower core, thrusting his middle finger and ring finger inside her nectar hole. Her sweet hole unceasingly twitched as his fingers prated deeper.

    "Mm! Hng! Ahh!" Veronica moaned louder. Her breaths escted.

    When his middle finger and ring finger werepletely inside, he used his thumb to tease her protruding, small pearl. "You have gotten hard here," he remarked while licking his lips. Her expression was driven by ecstasy, and it only took once nce at her to easily turn him on.

    "Hngg!" Veronica''s lovely body intensely trembled as a huge amount of nectar overflowed out of her flower hole.

    Arthur''s fingers elerated the speed of thrusting while his thumb continuously teased her flower core. He heard her issuing lewd moans as she writhed in pleasure. "Do you want me to touch here too?" he asked her. Soon after, his other hand fondled her soft, round breasts, causing the red fruits on her breasts to be harder.

    "Ohh! Arthur! No more¡­" Veronica begged while moaning sweetly. Without anything supporting her waist, she started to slide down from his hips.

    How could he let this happen? With a mischievous smirk on his face, he slid out his fingers and hugged her waist closely to his taut yet tense body. He brought them to the edge before seating her down on the stone securely.

    The moment her sensitive skin came into contact with the hard but cold stone, she felt him positioning in between her legs without giving her a chance to escape before continuing what he was doing earlier.

    "Mm! Arthur¡­ not there¡­" Her body wriggled and writhed as she moaned. Her mouth didn''t stop begging him to stop and even so, her body was saying something entirely different.

    Arthur noticed her sinful writhing. "You just twitched. Don''t act so innocent now." He captured her lips and swallowed her moans. He yed with her tongue before whispering, "I''m going to give you all my love and make you all sticky."

    His shameless words turned her ears red. She wished she couldn''t hear them, yet her insides twitched every time he uttered such obscenements. Her fingers dug in his skin. She panted and their rough breaths mingled with each other. Waves of pleasure spread as fast as electricity. Before she knew it, her hips started to jerk to match his pace.

    Arthur''s eyes were admiring the raw beauty of his wife. He stared at her mesmerizing figure. Her body was glistening, as a thinyer of sweat covered her skin from head to toe. He recited, like a spellbound lover, "Nica, let me take care of you. I''ll go nice and deep, get you all wet, and make you feel really good."

    "Wait¡­" Veronica gasped. Her toned thighs were shaking in rapture.

    Arthur knew where her g-spot, that gave her the best pleasure, was, and he furiously plunged his fingers, venturing her inside world. "Wait? My princess, you are driving me crazy. Here, touch it." He didn''t lie. The monster in his head was about to break its chains. "I''m so hard that I can hardly bear it. Let me explore deeper inside you."

    Her body twisted in ecstasy. Her lower body slowly opened up to him. Since her flower hole was out of the water, Arthur could clearly see that her honey had overflowed.

    As he fingered her as he pleased, vulgar wet sounds kepting from it. It made the couple hornier. He took a mouth of her breast and poked the nipple with his tongue until it got hard. Then, he nibbled her ripe mound with his lips before biting it.

    "Ohh!" The slight pain that came along with pleasure made her let out a contented sigh. She raised her hips subconsciously to give his fingers better ess.

    Facing her pink fruits on those well developed breasts and her damp nectar hole, the enticement Arthur felt was immeasurable. Without stopping, he drilled his fingers in and out. A rush of euphoria hit her. Her head became dizzy in ecstasy. Her body jerked several times before it trembled with a final jerk. She spurted everything that was built in her honey pot.

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­" Veronica roughly breathed. Once again, she lost strength. Despite feeling dizzy, she wondered, ''Why am I losing strength when Arthur did all the moving?'' before she knew it, her body began to copse.

    Arthur caught her and pulled her toward him. He let her lean against him and breathe. He used his mouth to swallow her breath, wantonly kissing her tender cherry lips.

    A long time passed. Veronica calmed down a lot but her breathing was hot. Arthur struck the iron while it was still hot. He rubbed his long, coarse and huge cock at the entrance of Veronica''s cave.

    "Nica, I''m so hard that I can no longer hold myself back. Let me go deep inside you." He seduced her with his handsome face, devilish charm, and sexy voice. He straightened his back. Afterward, he stuck his hot and hard cock inside her nectar hole.

    "Ahh¡­" Veronica let out a satisfying yell. She closed her eyes and arched her back. She just started to enjoy the feeling of his penis expanding her already swollen lower lips when he suddenly pulled out, leaving her in a speechless abyss. She opened her eyes and gave him a pitiful look. She already felt empty inside.

    "Do you want it, my princess? It''s craving for you." Arthur drilled his manhood in her flower hole but he paused after his throbbing head was enveloped in her wet warmth. As if he didn''t intend to go further inside. He added, "I won''t know if you don''t tell me if you want it or not. What is it that you wish for, my sweet princess?"

    After some time, Veronica was unable to endure and pleaded to him, "Arthur¡­ hnng¡­ I can''t¡­"

    "Can''t what?" His cock eagerly rubbed against her pussy which drove her nuts.

    "Put it in¡­ A-Arthur¡­ I¡­" Veronica''s lips quivered. She bit her lower lip in embarrassment. She didn''t know that one day she had to go through something like this. Tonight, she was ready to beg him for his manhood in a clear mind. "¡­I want it¡­"

    "Where do you want it, my lewd princess?" Arthur''s fingers pinched her nipples and yed with them.

    "Ahh!" An electrifying sensation made her entire body tremble. "¡­Inside."

    Arthurs golden eyes stared at his bashful yet obscene princess. He probed, "Inside where? Show me or I won''t know."

    "Ummm¡­"

    "Spread your legs."

 Chapter 171 - SPREAD YOUR LEGS

    <h4>Chapter 171 - SPREAD YOUR LEGS</h4>

    Arthur probed further, "Inside where? Show me or I won''t know."

    ''Devil! He is a devil!'' Veronica used him in her heart. She lowered her head. There was no way she could say more than this. Her body already began to tremble as though she was going to explode with all these bottled up emotions. "Ummm¡­" Her voice was meek and hardly audible.

    Arthur noticed her behavior and realized that she was at her limits. If he pushed her further, she might start crying. ''Such a na?ve woman,'' he thought. He felt honey filling his heart. He wished he could keep her locked in his heart and let no one know about her existence. He pecked on her lips and then whispered affectionately, "Spread your legs."

    "!!!" Veronica was utterly speechless. His tone was gentle but it prohibited refusal. The deepest parts of her body shuddered. Goosebumps littered her skin as his discerning gaze roamed over her body with delight, affection, and lust. Seeing his zed golden orbs surprisingly pleased her.

    However, she was nervous. She rubbed her thighs together and gave him a worried look. She felt his hand brushing over her flushed cheek.

    "It''s okay. Only I will see it," Arthur''s tender voice assured her. When he saw that she was still hesitating, he asked, "Shall I help you?"

    Veronica shook her head as she looked down. Her cheeks were hot and her body was not cold despite being naked. Rather, she could sense her sweat dripping. Her face was bright red as she slowly but surely opened her legs and let him see what he was waiting for. Her pink flower was twitching after being continuously stimted. It was soaked with her honey.

    Her blood was scorching,? and her body trembled as she felt his heated gaze on her private area. For some reason, she was getting excited. She couldn''t grasp the reason behind this unwanted action. Before she knew it, more honey dripped from her honey pot.

    Arthur gulped. His throat was dry. While looking at her with a feverish look, he suddenly plunged deep inside her.

    "Ahh!" Veronica threw her head backward at the sudden wave of pleasure that hit her out of the blue. The wetness in her core was dripping from the earlier stimtion, so it easily epted his cock. She trembled like a weak bird. She drowned herself in his torment as she anxiously waited for more.

    Seeing her enjoying expression, Arthur couldn''t help but thrust with all his might. However, he was stuck in the middle. She was squeezing him so tightly that he was unable to go deeper.

    Arthur: "¡­" He, who was dying to be one with her, became awkward. He tried to push forward but she clung to him as though her life was depending on his cock. He breathed roughly. He caressed her back and told her, "Princess, will you loosen up a bit? You might injure me at this point."

    "I can''t..." Veronica shook her head vigorously. "How do I even do that?"

    "Breathe, slowly breathe." Arthur gently stroked her bare back and waited for her to breathe. Afterward, he instructed her, "Now rx your muscles¡­ yes¡­ that''s it." He sighed in relief when he was slightly freed by her.

    He didn''t wait any longer. Taking this opportunity, he thrust deep inside her impatiently and urgently. His bulge was pulsing. When his full length was inside, he panted roughly. At the same time, he squeezed her breasts and nibbled and sucked on their peaks in turns. He sucked them so loudly that the lewd sounds echoed in the bathroom.

    "Hng!" Veronica''s voice caught in her throat. Her body trembled. His thick rod was filling her sopletely that she felt as if she couldn''t breathe.

    Arthur growled like a hungry animal. His cock waspletely wrapped up in her warmth and it was rubbing against her sweet spot.

    He sensed that his heart was about to burst. His hips pulled out before mming back in. His thrusts were powerful. Every thrust went deeper and deeper.

    "Ahh!" Veronica was almost blown away by the deep meaning behind their lovemaking. The way she became one with the man she loved and wanted to be, and then was able to seek pleasure with him, she found it as a blessing.

    She was delighted. That heated feeling was pushed into her while a moaning voice was let out. Her insides tightened in delight as she was given the thing she desired. She also matched her butts'' movement to his thrusting, those huge jade breasts on her bosom swayed along with her fair naked body''s shaking.

    Arthur couldn''t help but use his mouth to alternatively suck those dark red fruits on her breasts. Shefortably arched her back, panting faintly, issuing unrestrained moans. His cock became huger inside her tight and slippery pussy. The folds inside her flower hole stuck to his huge penis, sucking it. The pleasure made him groan. Veronica also opened her mouth wide open and issued carefree lewd yells.

    He prated her as he held her hips. Her whole body trembled. He urately aimed at the spot he identified yesterday when they had sex for the first time.

    The chain reaction was like the coursing of electricity every time he pressed on the spot. Her insides clenched him in response.

    "Ohh! Ahh! Hng!" Veronica clung to him in tears as the speed of his thrusts got faster and faster. She couldn''t control herself as she felt the pleasure pile up. Every time his cock rubbed inside her, she was in ecstasy. Every time he thrust into her, he would hit her sweet spot as well as her clitoris, making her body scream silently.

    Arthur ferociously thrust inside her while she continuously moaned in a loud voice, thrusting to the depths each time. Her uterus was mping tightly that a portion of nectar flowed along with the huge manhood, sshing all over as it thrust inside her.

    At this moment, Veronica had already reached the pinnacle of her second orgasm. Her two fair slender and beautiful legs wrapped around his waist, her toes slightly curling up.

 Chapter 172 - DEEP INSIDE HER

    <h4>Chapter 172 - DEEP INSIDE HER</h4>

    At this moment, Veronica had already reached the pinnacle of her orgasm. Her two fair slender and beautiful legs wrapped around his waist. Her toes slightly curled up.

    Each time Arthur fiercely thrust inside, her legs followed by trembling. Issuing lewd moans, her small buttocks moved in ordance with Arthur''s movement.

    At the moment of her orgasm, Veronica let out a loud moan. "Ahh!"

    Arthur quickened the pace of his thrusts while holding her hips. The overwhelming sensation from a while ago doubled in intensity.

    Veronica became befuddled with the frenzy sensation. Seeing her in ecstasy, he quickened his pace even further, hitting the same spot again and again.

    "Hngg!" Arthur squeezed his eyes shut and reached his peak.

    Both of them squirmed in extreme delight before he spurted his seeds in her womb and she released for the third time.

    Arthur gave her a feverish kiss. Veronica, who was gasping for air, kissed him back. Their bodies were glued to the point that there was no opening.

    They kissed until theycked oxygen. Finally, he pulled away. They both breathed roughly.

    Arthur calmed down his heart first. He fervently pressed his lips all over her face.

    Veronica began to cool down while feeling his lips on her face. She let out a sigh and asked, "Are we going to bathe now?"

    Arthur chuckled. "Do you want to take a bath?"

    She pressed her lips on his shoulder and mumbled, "I thought your anger subsided."

    Arthur''s eyes warmed up with affection. He lovingly caressed her back and stated, "Silly princess, I was never mad at you."

    Veronica blinked as though she was baffled. "Huh? But then¡­"

    Arthur pecked on her cheek and told her, "I was just upset that you didn''t take care of yourself properly while I was away."

    "So, that''s your punishment? Sigh!" Veronica copsed over him. She had no strength left.

    After they bathed, they went to bed. Arthur''s magic was very useful. He dried up their bodies and her long hair in the blink of an eye.

    Veronica snuggled in the bed and closed her eyes, yet she couldn''t fall asleep.

    Arthur securely held her in his arms. He had a new habit. He didn''t like to sleep if she wasn''t in his arms. His temperature gradually warmed up her body.

    "Umm¡­ Arthur?" she called out.

    "What is it?" Arthur replied with his eyes closed.

    "I was thinking, maybe we should go to town together next time," Veronica suggested. "I enjoyed myself with Cathy and Sebastian, but I wished you were there too."

    Arthur paused and then smiled. "Sure, we will go tomorrow," he agreed.

    How could he not? She always knew when to drive him nuts for her.

    "Great! Then I can show you my womanly power. You will find out I''m better without an escort." Veronica showed her slender arm with pride.

    If she was nning to show muscles like soldiers, her n failed miserably.

    ''I see, that''s your n.'' Arthur''s eyebrows raised. "Show your womanly power in bed." He tickled her waist.

    Veronica, who wasn''t used to tickling, jerked her body and tried to move away. "Ahahaha! Arthur! Stop! Hahaha!" However, she couldn''t win against him.

    -------------

    The next day, she woke up at noon. She realized that her whole body was sore.

    She recalled right after tickling her whole body, they had done it again and he cleaned her body after she lost consciousness.

    He was neither rough nor gentle.

    Even so, she couldn''t deny that it was good.

    ''No wonder, people want to do it before they get married. They can''t stop their physical hunger. It was good that we were able to control ourselves before marriage. We are not sinners,'' Veronica thought contently.

    She suddenly recalled Sister Ruth. ''Now I know what she felt. But I wish she could get married to Felix and live happily ever after. Three lives died in one day, leaving a loved one behind.''

    Her chest felt heavy as she thought about it. She had yet to forget about the sorrowful expression on Felix''s face.

    ''I will never let Arthur suffer like this. He must be worried about me all the time. I have to make sure I''m as powerful as he is.'' Veronica clenched her fist with determination.

    However, the moment she tried to get up, she let out a yell. "Oww!"

    The determination flew away out of the window.

    "Hurts! It hurts!" Veronica''s body gave out.

    "What are you doing?" Arthur asked her.

    He just came back to the room with a tray of food and heard her cry.

    He ced the tray on the table and sat beside her.

    "Here, let me help you." He carefully assisted her to sit on the bed.

    "It''s all your fault!" Veronica med him.

    "If I remember correctly, you were crying for more," Arthur mercilessly reminded her.

    "¡­" Words stuck in Veronica''s throat. She lowered her crimson red face.

    ---------

    Later, Veronica was able to stand up. Arthur gave her a red pill that reduced her pain by ny percent.

    She went downstairs and faced a gloomy Ironin. He was the archer who was with Darius, Merlin, and Zinnia.

    Veronica greeted him before asking, "Do you know where Sebastian is?"

    Ironin greeted her back. "Since Sebastian couldn''t protect you, he will be punished ordingly." Darius''s expression turned serious. ''I can''t believe he couldn''t keep an eye on you. He was supposed to be your escort. How useless has he be?!"

    Veronica gasped. She immediately protested, "That''s not true. It''s not his fault. We gave him a spicy meal which caused him to go to the washroom. After that, we sneaked out..."

    Ironin''s cold expression hardened. "No matter what you say, it all sounds like a lousy excuse to protect him. I''ll give you one piece of advice, Mistress: have all the fun you wish for. It''s your privilege after all. But please think about the consequences thate with it. The ones who will lose their lives are the ones who have sworn to protect you. Just a small scratch on you can make their lives a living hell¡­"

 Chapter 173 - SEBASTIANS CHOICE

    <h4>Chapter 173 - SEBASTIAN''S CHOICE</h4>

    "¡­Just a small scratch on you can make their lives living hell. Try to understand these terms. Nothinges for free." Ironin lectured her.

    He showed his disdain for her action so openly that she was at a loss of words.

    Later, she squeezed out some words, "I''ll keep that in mind. Thank you."

    Ironin left with a frosty expression.

    Veronica went to Arthur''s office but couldn''t find him. The room was empty.

    ''Where could he have gone? Is he going to punish Sebastian?'' Chills ran down her spine.

    She ran to Ovior''s office. Fortunately, she found Catherine. Unfortunately, Ovior was nowhere to be seen.

    Catherine looked depressed. She sighed from time to time while doing her work.

    "Cathy! I heard about Sebastian," Veronica stated.

    Catherine exhaled sharply. "So, you know. Who told you?"

    Veronica replied, "It was Ironin. He was mad at me."

    Catherine''s eyebrows twitched. "Urgh! That guy! He came here and lectured me a while ago. Since we are both at fault, I guess he did the same to you."

    Veronica sat at the table and asked her friend, "What should we do, Cathy? It''s not his fault. We made him eat spicy food and created a dangerous situation for him. He is innocent."

    Catherine shook her head. She looked helpless. "We can do nothing. Ovior told me the news in the morning. I protested but it didn''t work. He said that Sebastian didn''t im his innocence. He didn''t even try. He took all the me on himself."

    Veronica desperately questioned her friend, "Where''s Arthur? I have to meet him and tell him to let Sebastian go. I will never ept it if he gets punished because of me."

    Catherine gave her a downcast look. "What can you do? What can we do? The trial has already started. Your husband is already there. So is Ovior. Sebastian is going to be punished. No one can stop that."

    Veronica grabbed her hand and stated, "There must be something we can do. We won''t know if we don''t try. The trial must be happening in the courtroom. I forgot where the courtroom is."

    "I know where it is. Let''s go together," Catherine suggested as she stood up.

    Veronica''s face beamed with hope.

    The girls went to the court together. They hurried so that they could stop the trial before it ended.

    It was the court only for magicians and those who belong to the Magic Tower. As Arthur''s subordinate, Sebastian was already a part of the Magic Tower.

    Two guards were guarding the door to the courtroom. They were putting on a mean expression.

    When they saw the girls, they greeted Veronica, "Long live the Mistress of the Magic Tower."

    Veronica nodded in reply and demanded, "I want to go inside. Open the door."

    The guards exchanged nces. She was the Mistress of this ce and they had no right to stop her.

    Without a word, they opened the door and dered her presence, "The Mistress of the Magic Tower enters."

    For the first time in her life, Veronica understood the magic of power. She realized why people craved the power that can dominate others.

    ''The pleasure of holding power is quite scary,'' she thought.

    Inside the courtroom, people became silent and looked toward the entrance. Everyone looked surprised to see her.

    The moment the heavy doors opened, Veronica''s heart shook in nervousness. However, she didn''t want to show her weakness.

    ''I came here as a Mistress. I have to enter like a Mistress and I have to prove Sebastian''s innocence as a Mistress. Weakness is not allowed.'' Veronica clenched her fist and stepped inside.

    Inside the courtroom was more like a stadium. In the oval-shaped courtroom, there was a chair in the middle. It was for the criminal. Around the room were stone tables and stone stools. On one side, the victim''s supporters could sit and on the other side, the criminal''s supporters could sit.

    Across the room, juries could sit, and in the top ce, above them all, there was a seat for the judge. It was for the master of the Magic Tower, the most powerful man in the country.

    Since it wasn''t a serious crime, there weren''t many people in the courtroom.

    Sebastian was sitting in the middle. He turned to look at her. He seemed astonished.

    Arthur was sitting on the seat for the judge.

    There were also two high-ranking magicians. They were quite old.

    Other than that, Darius, Merlin, Zinnia, and Ironin were present.

    They were all putting on serious expressions. Ironin gave her a frosty re.

    "Why have youe here?" Arthur asked her. He sounded helpless.

    "I''m here for Sebastian." Veronica''s heart was racing hard. She tried her best to calm down.

    "Oh?" The corner of Arthur''s lips rose. "How are you going to save him?"

    Veronica took a deep breath and dered, "Sebastian is innocent. I have proof."

    Arthur leaned against his chair. He was amused. He stated, "He has failed to protect the person he was supposed to protect. He imed that he was the one who should be punished. Are you saying that he lied?"

    Veronica answered firmly, "Yes, he lied. The person who he was supposed to protect was me. He forbade me to go to an antique shop. I had no desire to listen to him. That''s why I bought some spicy food and forced him to eat it. He didn''t understand the reason behind my action. He trusted me and ate the food. Afterward, just as I expected he had a stomachache. As a result, he had to go to the washroom. I took the chance and went to that antique shop without him. The people there were vicious."

    She added, "Then I realized why he stopped me from going to that shop. I regretted my action. If I followed what Sebastian had advised, I wouldn''t be in danger. As you can see, he had done his part to protect me. I''m the one who failed to protect myself by not listening to him."

    "Is this how it is? So, should I not punish Sebastian? It doesn''t change the fact that you were in danger and he couldn''t do anything to protect you."

 Chapter 174 - ARTHURS DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 174 - ARTHUR''S DECISION</h4>

    Arthur ced his chin on his palm. His other hand tapped on the stone table. "Is this how it is? So, should I not punish Sebastian? It doesn''t change the fact that you were in danger and he couldn''t do anything to protect you."

    Veronica was nervous. For some reason, her sweet husband seemed to be scared.

    She replied, "My life is my responsibility. I didn''t give this responsibility to Sebastian or anyone."

    Arthur smiled faintly and inquired, "Not even your husband?"

    "Not even my husband." Her voice was firm. She didn''t seem to be lying.

    "¡­" The courtroom was pin drop silent.

    Everyone was holding back their breaths. They cautiously stared at Arthur, afraid that he would explode at any moment.

    Darius couldn''t stand the pressure and whispered, "Are we going to die today?"

    "Quiet!" Merlin snapped at him in a low tone.

    To their surprise, Arthur didn''t get mad. After a long pause, he calmly stated, "But he does protect you, doesn''t he? I never saw you protesting."

    ''Calm down, me. I can''t mess up right now,'' Veronica encouraged herself.

    After that, she exined, "That''s because at certain times, I let him protect me. Other times, I can protect myself. As you can see, my friend Catherine and I defeated four men by ourselves. We didn''t need a man''s help."

    She further added, "We may not be as strong as men, but it doesn''t mean we cannot protect ourselves. We have our ways to protect us."

    "Will you take responsibility for your actions?" Arthur questioned her.

    ''What kind of responsibility?'' Veronica wondered. ''How am I supposed to take responsibility when I''m both the victim and the culprit? Should I apologize to myself?''

    Anyhow, she replied, "I will most certainly."

    Arthur straightened his back and said, "Very well. Since the victim pledged to take the punishment, I announce Sebastian is innocent. I shall revoke Sebastian''s punishment."

    He lifted his gold staff and then mmed it on the ground.

    The trial had ended.

    Sebastian stood up and bowed to Veronica with respect.

    Veronica sighed in relief. She smiled brightly.

    Except for Arthur, everybody stood up. They bowed to Arthur and then Veronica.

    Afterward, Arthur stood up and stepped toward Veronica.

    He stopped in front of her and asked her, "Did you like the taste of power?"

    "It''s terrifying," Veronica truthfully answered.

    She tugged his sleeve and asked him, "Did I mess up?"

    Arthur''s lips curled up enigmatically as he replied, "You did well."

    He held her hand and escorted her out of the courtroom.

    While walking, he asked her, "I told you to stay in bed. Why did you get up?"

    "How can I stay in bed for so long? I got bored," Veronicained.

    Arthur realized his mistake andmented, "I should have kept some books in the bedroom. Let''s go to my office."

    "Sure," Veronica agreed.

    She pondered for a while and then questioned him, "Say, what would happen to Sebastian if he was proven guilty?"

    "He would be sent to different missions until he became professional enough to protect the person he swore to protect," Arthur responded.

    "What kind of mission?" Veronica suddenly became curious.

    "A mission that can kill him any moment." Arthur didn''t hide from her.

    He believed ¨C no matter how soft hearted she was, she had to be known as the Mistress of the Magic Tower.

    "No way!" Veronica gasped. "This is more like a suicide mission."

    "That''s correct," Arthurplied to her. Then, he added, "You cannot always protect people like you did today, especially if you get hurt."

    "¡­" Veronica recalled Ironin''s expression and lowered her head.

    At that time, "Please, wait," Ovior spoke from behind. He dered, "I have some urgent business with you."

    Arthur turned around. "Spit it out," he said.

    Ovior gestured him, "Pleasee to my office-"

    Before he finished speaking, Arthur vanished, along with Veronica.

    Most of the time, Arthur used teleportation magic to move.

    Inside the Magic Tower, only three people could use teleportation magic ¨C Arthur, Veronica, and Ovior.

    Ovior realized that the couple went to his office, before him. He was annoyed by Arthur''s action.

    "¡­How rude!" he eximed.

    Afterward, he disappeared as well.

    Darius, Merlin, Zinnia, and Ironin gathered around Sebastian.

    Darius pped Sebastian''s back and then said, "Aren''t you a luckyd?"

    "I didn''t think she woulde to save Sebastian." Zinnia smirked. "It looks like I was wrong."

    Merlinmented, "I''m wondering who told her about the trial. Most certainly Arthur didn''t. Even he looked surprised when he saw her."

    "Who else could tell? There are always one or two lizards in the tower. Someone must have told her." Darius shrugged.

    "¡­" ''Lizard'' Ironin stayed quiet.

    ----------

    Meanwhile, Ovior teleported to his office and found Arthur and Veronica already in his room.

    Veronica was politely sitting on the couch and Arthur was looking around the bookshelves.

    Catherine was at her desk, working.

    "What news do you have?" Arthur started.

    "I got news for you." Ovior marched to his table and handed him a small letter. "Felix sent his words."

    Veronica inquired, "Where is Felix? I don''t think I saw him after our marriage."

    "Felix is in Tybu to gather information," Ovior replied.

    "This is interesting news," Arthur announced. "It says the King of Utahill dered that he stopped looking for the blessed child."

    "They are not looking for me?!" Veronica became excited.

    "This is indeed good news," Catherine looked relieved as well.

    "The king ordered Lord Alexander not to search for you anymore," Ovior stated.

    Veronica started, "Then, I can go back to Utahill and talk to the Head Priest-"

    Ovior interrupted, "Not so fast. We don''t know if it''s a strategy of the King or not. Moreover, just because they stop searching you, it doesn''t mean they won''t catch you after they see you in their territory."

    "Oh¡­" Veronica was disheartened.

    "The report says Felix created the fake death of the blessed child," Arthur told them.

    "Fake death?!" Veronica touched her chest. "But I''m alive and healthy."

 Chapter 175 - THE INVESTIGATION

    <h4>Chapter 175 - THE INVESTIGATION</h4>

    "The report says Felix created the fake death of the blessed child."

    "Fake death?!" Veronica touched her chest. "But I''m alive and healthy."

    Catherine caught on quickly, "Did someone else die in order to cover for Ver?"

    "Who died?" Veronica was shocked.

    "No one particrly died. Felix used a magic spell on a dead body and left it in the woods. The animals ate the body and made it unrecognizable. Later, it was found by people. Lord Alexander came and investigated it. The Head Priest seemed to recognize the body and dered that it was the blessed child who grew up in the temple."

    Veronica was confused. "The Head Priest?"

    Arthur added, "The King and Lord Alexander didn''t seem to believe him. So, they also brought a nun named Sister Josephine to testify. The body was already hideous at that point. It was rotting too. That nun fainted the moment she saw the dead body. After waking up, she confirmed that it was the blessed child."

    "Sister Josephine¡­" Veronica felt warmth in her heart.

    Catherine inquired, "Was there any mention of Ver''s name?"

    Arthur told them, "There is. In fact, the temple was quiet about the name but the healers she knew told the King your name and how you look. However, they knew her as Ver. They don''t know her full name."

    Oviormented, "It''s wonderful that the temple is being quiet about Mistress Veronica. They seem to support her."

    "Quite the opposite," Catherine stated. "They don''t want the troublemaker to go back and destroy the remaining peace. It must be the order of the Head Priest."

    "Troublemaker?" Ovior gave a quick nce to Veronica and then nodded. "I can guess why."

    "Hey, now!" Veronica said indignantly. "I''m the most lovable girl in the world."

    "Yes, you are," Arthur dotingly went along with her.

    "Oh please, I''ll vomit." Catherine looked away rolling her eyes.

    Veronica red at her and then remarked, "Since they already know I''m dead, doesn''t that mean I''m free?"

    "We are not so sure about that. Ovior is right. No one knows if they will capture you after they find you," Arthur told her.

    "But I need some answers," Veronica said. "I must go to the temple."

    "You can disguise yourself and go there. However, inside the holy city, you cannot use magic. There is a high chance that your disguise won''tst for too long. You can''t even use teleportation magic to leave that ce if you face danger. That''s what I''m concerned about the most," Arthur exined.

    "I agree," Ovior added. "The risk is too high. And just because Utahill stopped looking for you, doesn''t mean that Riverhill and Sia will. Lord Alexander is still suspicious too. We cannot let them know that you are alive."

    Arthur stated, "Furthermore, they might even look for you desperately. They would want to believe that you are still alive. That''s why you have to be more cautious around your surroundings. You will be safe here. Just wait patiently for a couple of months. After everyone stops looking for you, you can go to Utahill and look for the answers you seek."

    He patted her back and assured her, "Everything will be alright. Just have a little patience."

    "So, we have some time left. After that, Ver will be free from danger." Catherine asked, "What happened to the trial?"

    Ovior said, "This time, Mistress Veronica was able to save Sebastian by luck. I don''t think she can impose her power to save people like this anymore. If this continues, everyone will think that she favors certain people. It''ll create a mess."

    Veronica looked guilty. "It was my fault. I didn''t favor him. But I promise it won''t happen again. I''ll do everything I can to be a proper Mistress from now on."

    "There is no proper definition of being a proper Mistress."? Oviormented. "Just cause less trouble. This is the best way to prevent further chaos."

    "You are being too hard on her." Arthur frowned.

    Ovior rubbed his temple, feeling a headache. "I''m trying to prevent further problematic situations. Yesterday I left her in your care. However, she didn''t seem to learn anything. From today onwards I will teach her lessons. Since I already told you about the report, you may go."

    Arthur defended Veronica, "My wife is tired. She needs to go to bed and rest."

    "I don''t need rest," Veronica objected. "I want to learn how to be a Mistress."

    "See? At least she is dutiful, unlike her husband." Ovior red at the master of the Magic Tower. "Now off you go and finish your work. Your honeymoon trip is around the corner."

    "Honeymoon trip?" Veronica looked puzzled. She didn''t seem to quite understand what he meant.

    Ovior exined, "Yes, due to work pressure, we dyed your honeymoon trip. A monthter, you will go to an ind with your husband and stay there for a week. After marriage, every couple deserves to go on their honeymoon. Till then, please learn your lessons well. The Mistress of the Magic Tower should know proper etiquette."

    He added, "You need to know how to behave in front of others and who support our Master. You also need to know the people who don''t support us. You have to be cautious around them. Or else, you''ll be in another danger and someone else has to be punished instead of you. Thest thing we need is an ignorant Mistress."

    "I understand," Veronica nodded.

    ''He is scarier than Arthur,'' she thought pensively.

    Arthur reluctantly went out and Ovior began the lessons.

    Veronica''s first lesson was ¨C how to handle the enemies.

    Ovior lectured her, "The people who don''t support magic and Master of the Magic Tower due to hismoner status, they are enemies. You have to deal with them with strategy. If this is something, no matter how painful it is for your ears, you only have to smile gently in response."

    "Why do I have to smile?" Veronica couldn''t understand. "I can kick some butts."

    Ovior answered, "That''s because no matter how much they hate him or magic, they can''t do anything to him. They don''t have the power to do so. That''s why they will do their best to attack you with their mouth."

    "Aren''t they afraid of Arthur?" she asked him.

 Chapter 176 - LESSON WITH OVIOR

    <h4>Chapter 176 - LESSON WITH OVIOR</h4>

    "Aren''t they afraid of Arthur?" she asked him. "If they are, they shouldn''t try attacking me."

    "They are afraid of him, but they are not afraid of you because you don''t have any power to kill them or punish them. They will only attack you with their words when Arthur isn''t around," Ovior patiently told her.

    Veronica smugly uttered, "I can always tell Arthur to punish them or kill them."

    Ovior: "¡­" He was speechless by her rebellious attitude.

    It was as though she was a teenager, not the wife of the Master of the Magic Tower.

    While working, Catherine bit down her lower lip to control herughter.

    She thought, ''I''m sure he didn''t expect her to be so straightforward. There is no way she will suffer and stay quiet.''

    Veronica noticed his unusual expression and asked him, "Is there a problem?"

    Ovior cleared his throat and responded, "No, let''s go to the next part. It''s about how to address someone depending on their status. After the Royal Family, the Master of the Magic Tower has the highest status. As his wife, you have the same ¨C"

    "I have a question," she interrupted him.

    He took a deep breath and cued her, "¡­Go on."

    Veronica mentioned, "I thought Arthur has the highest authority and he is the most powerful person in the world. Then, why is his status lower than the Royal Family?"

    He nodded in agreement. "Good question. Arthur is indeed the most powerful man in the world andpared to him, the Royal Family is nothing. However, there had been an agreement between the Royal Family and the Magic Tower during the Great War. Since the Royal Family takes care of the wellbeing of the people, they get the highest position."

    "So, that''s how it is. Then, other than Tybu, in other ces, Arthur has the highest status," she concluded.

    "Most certainly." Ovior seemed pleased that she could use her brain properly.

    At that time, Veronica had a sudden realization.

    She said, "I feel like I suddenly turned into a VIP."

    He went along with her, "That you are. Now, let''s go back to your lesson. You always have to-"

    "I have another question."

    She interrupted him once again.

    Ovior gave her a hard re. Blue veins popped out in his temple.

    "¡­Now you are being rude. Don''t interrupt someone who talks."

    Veronica gave him a toothy grin, feeling slightly apologetic. "I''m sorry for my discourtesy but I will forget if I don''t ask now."

    "Carry on."

    "I thought there was something wrong with what you said about Utahill," she shared her opinion.

    "What''s wrong with that?" he questioned her.

    She pointed out, "You said in the Holy City, one cannot use magic. However, Felix used magic to change one''s hair and eye color. How did he do that?"

    "He found that dead body outside the Holy City of course," he answered her nonchntly.

    She probed further, "Did he write it in his report?"

    He exined, "In the report, he briefly described the situation. There was no detailed information. Mistress Veronica, you don''t have to think about it. Leave everything to Felix."

    "I''m more interested in Lord Alexander," she pestered. "I believe he is somehow connected with Sister Ruth''s suicide. I must do something."

    Ovior quickly shut her off by saying, "This is a personal matter of Felix. He will handle it. Why don''t you focus on your business? Let''s continue your second lesson. Where were we?"

    ---------

    Hourster, Veronica dragged her tired body to Arthur''s office. His ce was always quiet, unlike Ovior''s office where the high-ranking magicians often went in and out.

    She plopped on the couch and rolled around.

    Arthur was reading some magical scrolls that were created by magicians. After seeing her worn-out expression, he asked, "Tired already?"

    She nodded her head. "Hmm¡­ Ovior is a strict teacher. He didn''t let me go until I finished my fifth lesson."

    Arthur''s thin lips were holdingughter. "It''s only the fifth lesson. Why are you tired already?"

    She reported, "I''ve been tired since morning!"

    Arthur smirked. "Really? You were very energetic the night before."

    "Umm¡­" Veronica''s face flushed at his teasing remark.

    He stood up from his chair and came to her. Afterward, he securely embraced her in his arms and pecked on her head.

    "You have worked hard, princess," he said. "Shall I give you some reward?"

    The word ''reward'' sparked her interest.

    She instantly asked him, "What will you give me?"

    Arthur took out a box from his pocket and handed it over.

    "What''s this?" she curiously asked him.

    It was a purple wooden box in a square shape.

    She opened it and found a bronze holder holding a blue gem.

    She liked the unknown gift. "It''s pretty!"

    "It is called amunication device," Arthur exined. "You can contact anyone as long as you have amunication device."

    Veronica''s eyes sparkled like a child who got a birthday present.

    She checked it top to bottom and said, "Oh wow! Can Imunicate with you even if you are in another country?"

    "Yes, certainly," he replied.

    "No matter how far it is?" she inquired.

    He replied with a smile, "No matter how far it is."

    "This is the best!" Veronica instantly cheered up.

    All her fatigue washed away.

    "I can''t believe I have my ownmunication device!" She was grinning from ear to ear.

    She suddenly remembered something and said, "I heard they were expensive. The best kind ofmunication device is so costly that even a king can be a beggar after buying it. But how did you get your hands on it?"

    Arthur shared his knowledge, "Most magical artifacts are invented and created here. What do you think this huge tower is for? I''m the one who made yourmunication device."

    "You made this! You are a genius!" Veronica was overwhelmed. "Merlin told me it was hard to make amunication device. That''s why it''s rare and expensive."

    Arthur saw her squirming in happiness.

    The effort and joy he put into making this device were worth it ¨C that''s what he felt from the bottom of his heart.

    "Are you happy?"

 Chapter 177 - A REWARD

    <h4>Chapter 177 - A REWARD</h4>

    "Are you happy?" he asked her.

    "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Veronica vigorously nodded her head.

    Arthur was pleased with her reaction.

    Hemented, "I didn''t know you wanted one that badly."

    She told him, "I wanted to ask for one. Butter, I wasn''t able to do it."

    "Why couldn''t you?" he questioned her.

    Thinking aboutst night''s activity, her ears and neck tinted with a red hue.

    ''How dare you to ask me when he did ''that'' to me the whole night!''

    "I won''t tell you!" she pushed his chest.

    Arthur''s lips curled enigmatically. He knew why she was so flustered.

    He said, "Fine, don''t tell me. Where is my ''thank you kiss''?"

    "¡­" Veronica blinked. "Is this kind of thing a tradition around here?"

    "Not sure about others but this is our tradition," Arthur shamelessly replied.

    ''Can he make traditions and rules just like that?'' she wondered.

    She asked him, "What kind of tradition is that?"

    "Enough talk. Now, my kiss." Arthur leaned closer, probing her to kiss him.

    Veronica bashfully ducked her head. "No kiss! Husband and wife are equal in married life. If you can make rules, so can I."

    Arthur shrugged. "I never stopped you from making any. It''s you who never asked for anything."

    "¡­Ahh¡­ that''s true¡­" She couldn''t refute. "Anyway, we just got married. There will be plenty of time to make rules."

    "That''s right." Then, he whispered in her ear, "Make some romantic rules, okay?"

    "What? No way!" Veronica shook her head like a panicked bird. I''m not an expert in that field. You can make it if you want."

    "¡­You don''t mind?" Arthur carefully looked at her.

    "I don''t mind. I''ll make some other rules and you are obliged to follow them. Or, I''ll be mad," she threatened him.

    Unfortunately, she didn''t notice Arthur''s eyes.

    If she realized what she had done, she would have run away by now.

    "Fine, I''ll do whatever you want." He nted a soft kiss on her cheek and urged her, "Now, my kiss."

    Veronica cupped his face and moved closer. She shut her eyes and lightly pressed her lips against his.

    After a while, she let go. Her whole face was a huge red tomato.

    Arthurined, "What kind of kiss is that? You know I poured all my heart and power to make this device. Shouldn''t you work a bit harder for me?"

    "Okay, just one more," she agreed. She leaned forward and kissed him once again.

    This time, she probed her lips deeper. She hesitantly sucked his lips.

    The moment his lips quivered, she swiftly moved away.

    When she realized that he didn''t make a move, she would kiss him once more.

    Since Arthur opened his mouth, it was a lot easier to kiss him.

    Her heart was beating fast. She could hear it.

    Despite being nervous, she wholeheartedly kissed him.

    After sucking his lips with her unpracticed lips, she identally licked his lips.

    She had yet to realize that Arthur''s breathing was a lot heavier than before.

    His hands, which were holding her, were scorching hot.

    When she licked his lips, a wave of light shed through his eyes.

    Veronica, who didn''t notice a ripple in Arthur''s dark eyes, wholeheartedly sucked his lips and bit them.

    When she didn''t know what else to do, she hesitantly moved away.

    Her face was hot. She didn''t meet his eyes.

    She was so embarrassed to face him.

    "¡­" Arthur was in a daze.

    He gazed at her bashful red face. She was in his arms and heart. This na?ve woman upied his entire heart.

    Arthur''s chest was burning. His eyes were glowing with powerful emotion.

    Before she could react, his lips crashed on hers.

    "!!!" Veronica was thoroughly startled by his action.

    The kiss was so intense that she had no idea how to resist.

    Very soon, her mind started working. She remembered that they were at his office.

    Ovior mighte at any moment. If it was urgent, he mighte without knocking first.

    She hurriedly pushed his chest.

    However, he didn''t let her go. His arms were firmly holding her waist, not letting her off an inch.

    As she continued to struggle, he bit her lips in response.

    It was a slight warning so that she would behave.

    Veronica whimpered softly.

    It was oil to the burning fire.

    Arthur was trying to devour her. His lips were entirely glued to hers.

    "Haah!" Veronicacked oxygen and opened her mouth to get some fresh air.

    Taking advantage of her open mouth, he entered her mouth and entangled her tongue.

    In the spacious room, Veronica could hear the interweaving sound of Arthur and her breathing. There were also sounds of wet smooches.

    The sounds were intimate and indecent at the same time.

    Their lips ovepped and their breaths intertwined.

    Veronica''s heart was like a beating drum. Her entire body was as soft and weak as cotton. She didn''t even have the strength to lift her hands.

    She stopped struggling and responded to his wild, passionate kiss.

    Arthur spontaneously ventured inside her mouth, exploring every inch.

    She must have eaten some candies with Catherine before she came here.

    Her mouth tasted sweet and sour.

    The dual vors made him insane. He kissed her harder.

    "Ohh¡­" Veronica sweetly moaned.

    Her cheeks were a deep red from blushing. Her big and dark eyes were shimmering like water underneath the sunlight.

    Her appearance was innocent and yet her eyes were holding onto some desire.

    It seemed to Arthur, kissing her wasn''t enough. He leaned against the couch and pulled her toward him.

    He moved her legs to make her sitfortably.

    As her body leaned on him, her legs were straddling him.

    His big hands roamed around her body freely and then rested on her buttocks.

    "Hnng!" Veronica sharply breathed.

    She could sense his burning chest through their clothes.

    Her body gradually grew hot.

    Her soft breasts were pressing against his built chest.

    Arthur felt his throat was dry. Thus, he sucked her tongue to the point he drank their mixed saliva.

    His hands couldn''t stay still either.

 Chapter 178 - CUM AS MUCH AS YOU WANT

    <h4>Chapter 178 - CUM AS MUCH AS YOU WANT</h4>

    The couple gasped and kissed each other to the point that Veronica couldn''t even feel her tongue.

    Arthur noticed that her tongue wasn''t moving as actively as before. Realizing that she was tired, he had begun to leave Veronica a trail of kisses down her neck.

    "Mm¡­" Veronica shivered as she sensed his wet, soft lips touching her delicate neck.

    She opened her mouth to breathe. She was relieved that her lips were finally free from his tease.

    She panted. With her soft and sweet voice, she uttered, "Umm¡­ Arthur¡­"

    "What is it?" His hot breaths brushed over her neck.

    She felt hot everywhere he touched her. "We shouldn''t do it here."

    Arthur didn''t seem to agree with her. "Why not? Let''s leave some memories of our love here."

    Veronica didn''t oppose him, but she worried about something else. "What if someonees?"

    "I''ll make them go blind," he swore.

    "You can''t¡­ hngg¡­" Veronica flinched when he fondled her soft, round breast through her gown.

    Arthur''s left hand slid inside her gown and approached her panties.

    He remarked, "Princess, only I can do this to you. I won''t allow anyone else to see the expressions you are making."

    "What expression?" she asked.

    "An expression which shows that you are drowning in pleasure." While muttering those words, Arthur pinched her mound through her garments.

    "Ohh!" A sudden jolting pleasure made Veronica arch her back.

    "See? Your nipples are getting harder. You like me touching you here, don''t you?"

    "Wrong!" she retorted firmly, and yet her voice quivered in the end.

    Her blood was rushing, making her body gradually warm. She felt something building inside her.

    Arthur felt his blood boiling. Her aroused face made him crave giving into his primal temptation, causing his bulge to grow.

    While his right hand continuously fondled her breasts, massaging them, his left hand poked inside her wet entrance.

    "Hkk!" Veronica jolted in surprise.

    His unexpected action gave her goosebumps. She subconsciously moved forward, and her lower part had begun grinding against his bulging penis.

    She didn''t notice her own action, as she was too busy to deal with his naughty hands.

    However, Arthur noticed, and his penis was already protesting to be released from his clothes.

    He massaged the slit between her petals through her moist panties, directly teasing her flower core.

    "No matter what you say, my fingers are drenched," hemented in a husky voice.

    "You meanie!" sheined, but didn''t wish for him to stop his action.

    The more he teased her, the more she pressed against his cock.

    Arthur groaned. He sucked her earlobe, and then, he moved down her jade neck, softly kissing her. He grazed his teeth on her smooth skin and bit down her corbones.

    Veronica''s legs trembled as if they were sinking like a boat. She could hear wet noises that her obscene ce was making.

    She squirmed when his three fingers went inside her vagina all at once.

    "Ahh!" she issued a lewd moan. Her inside wrapped around his fingers.

    Arthur released a husky breath and pulled her forward. His right hand pulled the string and unattached her gown.

    Luckily, she wasn''t wearing a corset; if she were, Arthur would grow impatient trying to take off her clothes.

    He was thankful that he never bought any corset for her since she had a curvy waist.

    Veronica''s dress loosened up around her neck, and her snowy cleavage was exposed.

    He dropped several kisses on top of her delicate snow-white body.

    "Mm¡­" A low moan escaped her mouth. His dense masculine breath attacked her senses, making her feel somewhat dizzy.

    Arthur impatiently pulled her clothes down and her breasts bounced out. Afterward, he squeezed her huge breast, lightly kneading before taking it in his mouth.

    "Ahh!" She threw her head backward. She writhed as the electrifying sensation spread throughout her body.

    With his small thrust in her vagina, Veronica''s lower body intensely trembled as a huge amount of nectar overflowed out of her flower hole.

    Sweat formed on her skin, causing her gown to cling onto her body,

    With a snap of his fingers, Arthur made both of their clothes disappear off their bodies and be thrown onto the ground.

    ''Why didn''t I do that earlier?'' he thought. ''Then again, she would be too scared and insecure if I abruptly did it.''

    After being free from any garment, shyness enveloped her. She felt vulnerable.

    Veronica instinctively hugged his neck and ducked her head, not letting him show her face.

    Arthur chuckled. He felt her supple skin on him, making him feel good.

    Without his clothes, his penis was free. His cock rubbed against her pussy, sometimes softly and other times roughly.

    He pulled out his fingers from her pretty hole. Her sweet honey flowed out.

    He couldn''t wait any longer. He reced his fingers with his huge, bulging member.

    He pushed his thick cock inside her pussy.

    "Ahh!" Veronica''s butt squirmed in delight. Her body trembled as her pussy''s vaginal walls tried to squeeze that long finger out.

    The moment he pressed her good spot, an indescribable feeling washed over her and she released everything that was building inside her up until now.

    She panted heavily. Her body copsed as though she had no strength left.

    However, Arthur had just started. How could he back down just when he went inside her?

    "Nica, did you juste from me putting my dick inside?" While asking, he made quick and fierce deep thrusts inside her body.

    "Ahh!" Veronica, who recently came, couldn''t stay silent. She moaned loudly and her waist began to move on its own.

    She writhed in ecstasy. Her jade legs wrapped around his well-built waist as her pussy sucked on that cock continuously.

    "That''s not true," she bashfully refuted. She could barely reply.

    Watching her lustful flirtatious expression, Arthur quickened his thrust. He swayed her butt up and down, catering to his intense thrusting.

    "Don''t lie. What do I not know about your body?" he asked while plunging in and out. He encouraged her by saying, "It''s okay if you cum. Cum as much as you want."

    The pping sounds of their lovemaking, raspy breaths, luscious moans echoed inside the room continuously.

 Chapter 179 - I LOVE YOU, ADORE YOU

    <h4>Chapter 179 - I LOVE YOU, ADORE YOU</h4>

    "Ahh! Hnng!" Veronica pumped her body to match his rhythm.

    Due to their position, his entire penis went deep inside her and hit her G-spot.

    She was feeling oddly good. Words couldn''t describe the rapture she was feeling. It felt like her mind and body went apart.

    Her entire body stuck on top of his robust body. The dense masculine breath attacked her senses, making her feel somewhat dizzy.

    Arthur held Veronica within his embrace, caressing her delicate body. He looked at the usual na?ve woman who was acting like a lewd siren.

    ''Such a turn on!'' he thought. He sensed her perked up nipples rubbing against him.

    Realizing that she was actively moving her ass on her own, he grabbed her breasts. He twisted her tiny nipples with his fingers

    "Ohh!" Veronica was on the verge of cumming. She arched her back in excessive delight.

    Arthur wished to taste her small mouth.

    Thus, he bowed his head and used his mouth to suck her delicate pink nipples. Waves of limp and numb pleasure spread throughout her body as he used his tongue''s tip to tease her rock-hard nipples, using his teeth to lightly bite and pull them.

    His strong arms grabbed her buttocks and pumped her ferociously, hitting her deep inside.

    Veronica''s flower hole violently contracted. Her lovely body shuddered.

    After the orgasm, her entire body felt weak. She limped in Arthur''s embrace, faintly panting.

    She looked like she came back from her visit to ninth heaven.

    Arthur was also close to climax.

    Every time he thrust, a slippery wet sound resounded crazily. Their raspy breaths and her moaning voice were alluring.

    He felt a flood of euphoria rush down his body as he climaxed, shooting dense semen inside her womb.

    "Haah¡­. Haahhh¡­"

    Arthur embraced her body and panted roughly. Her delicate body was sweaty from their intense intercourse.

    It wasn''t that he couldn''t live without pleasure. However, his desire for the lovable woman in his arms grew exceptionally.

    She had no malice orplicated thoughts. She was like an open book. She was soft, pure, and honest.

    Just as much as he hated being around other women except for physical needs, he liked staying near her by that much.

    Being one with her gave him great joy and a sense of security.

    For the first time in his life, he had something that was his alone.

    The sole person who epted him for who he was.

    Arthur affectionately nted a kiss on her temple.

    ''I love you. I adore you. Just stay by my side forever. I won''t let even a flyy a hand on you.''

    Veronica''s hazy sense sharpened gradually. Her body started to cool down.

    Her head was ced on his shoulder. She could hear his heart thumping wildly.

    She moved her face and pecked on his chest.

    His skin was hot. He was likeva from a volcano. His temperature was preventing her from turning cold.

    ''It''s not that bad,'' she thought. She quietly embraced him and closed her eyes.

    "Did it feel good?" Arthur teasingly questioned her.

    Veronica''s cool face turned into a red tomato. She grumbled cutely and replied, "No way!"

    "Really?" Arthur pretended to be serious. "You are challenging my skill. Let''s go for another round."

    "N-no¡­ no¡­" Veronica urgently shook her head.

    However, Arthur paid no heed to her request. He was still inside her.

    With his light touch, she writhed and tightly wrapped around him.

    He had gradually swollen deep inside her. Before she could utter another word, he began to pump.

    It was a fierce day no matter how she saw it.

    ------------

    Two dayster ¨C

    Veronica went out with Merlin and Sebastian.

    She liked to visit the magical city, especially at night.

    Due to Arthur''s work, he was stuck somewhere in the capital city.

    "Mistress Veronica, is this really okay toe here without telling Arthur?" Merlin nervously asked.

    ''I really don''t want to deal with her troublesome behavior,'' he thought, feeling utmost helpless. ''If she faces another danger, no one will be able to save Sebastian or me.''

    Veronica giggled and assured him, "Rx, Merlin. I already have ns with Arthur. He agreed to let mee here in the evening with an escort. And I have the two of you. With your magic and Sebastian''s chivalry, nothing can harm me."

    Merlin recalled the other day and inwardly said, ''I truly don''t think you need us to protect you.''

    "Arthur went to the National Art Museum, didn''t he? Let''s go there," she suggested.

    "We cannot take you there," Sebastian shook his head as he denied her suggestion.

    "Why not?" Veronica was puzzled.

    A museum was for people to visit to enlighten their knowledge. Anyone could go there.

    Merlin exined, "That''s because when Arthur wasn''t around, some terrorists were encouraged. They attacked the museum and stole many artifacts."

    Veronica gasped in surprise. "Ancient artifacts are highly expensive, are they not?"

    Merlin shortly narrated, "Yes, that''s why Ovior urgently sent him a message through Sebastian. However, he didn''t bother toe. The Crown Prince and Ovior worked together to find the group of terrorists. After interrogating them in the Magic Tower, they finally spilled the beans. The museum has been repaired. The artifacts were sent today. In the morning, the magicians came to set tight security around the museum. Even inside the building. Arthur just came to check if everything is all right."

    Veronica understood the depth of the situation and stated, "Since the museum has been repaired, it should be fine."

    "The Crown Prince is with him," Sebastian announced.

    Only then she realized why they didn''t want her to be there. For her, the Royal Family was still off-limits.

    Since it was impossible to go there, she proposed, "Oh, then let''s go somewhere else. How about a restaurant? We can have small snacks."

    "I know a ce!" Sebastian dered. "Their cooking is still top-notch when ites to cooking meat."

    He already knew the mistress''s love for meat.

    Veronica smiled brilliantly. "Then what are we waiting for?"

    They went to the restaurant he mentioned.

    However, before they could enter, they heard a muffled sound.

    It sounded like a woman, crying while covering her mouth.

 Chapter 180 - THE DARK ALLEY

    <h4>Chapter 180 - THE DARK ALLEY</h4>

    Hngg!

    The three of them heard a muffled sound of a womaning from the dark alley right beside the restaurant.

    Veronica, Sebastian, and Merlin halted in their tracks.

    "Am I the only one who heard it?" Veronica whispered.

    Merlin replied, "I heard it too."

    Sebastian sang along, "Me too."

    For some reason three of them lowered their voices, afraid that someone would hear them.

    "Maybe something happened. Let''s check it out!" Veronica tiptoed and marched forward.

    "Wait! Mistress¨C" Merlin tried to stop her but she was already heading toward the dark alley.

    Speechless, he turned to Sebastian. His eyes wereining.

    ''Is she always like that?''

    As if Sebastian could hear his inner voice, he let out a helpless smile. His eyes were in agony.

    ''See? This is the Mistress I have to protect. Do you feel my pain?''

    Merlin could feel hisrade''s pain.

    ''My condolences.''

    That evening, the two of them came to a mutual understanding while chatting with eye contact.

    Those two helplessly followed her from behind and entered the dark alleyway.

    There was no light, not even in the houses. Or, maybe there weren''t any windows on that side.

    It was as though all the house owners purposely kept it dark. It gave off an ominous feeling.

    Chills ran down Veronica''s spine. The ce looked so creepy that she started to get scared and had goosebumps.

    The dark, quiet back alley creeped her out.

    When she couldn''t see anything despite her efforts, she asked, "Why is there no window in that area?"

    Merlin narrated the long story in a summary, "Long before, terrorists controlled the city. When the buildings were constructed, the house owners purposely avoided having windows in some particr areas where the terrorists gathered. But we have no problem now. We have Arthur."

    Veronica cocked her head. "Then why didn''t the residents have windows with magic? It''s possible, right?"

    "Yes, it''s possible with magic, but even now, when our Master isn''t looking, men with dark hearts lurk around," this time Sebastian quenched her thirst.

    Veronica found a reason to lecture them. "There is always fear in the darkness. That''s why we need lights. No need to create windows if residents don''t want to. Attach some streetlights on the walls. It''ll be like torches."

    Merlin assured her, "I''ll bring up the issue in the council meeting."

    "Don''t forget to add my name. I''m the one who gave you the idea," she reminded him promptly.

    Merlin paused, taken back by her words, and then smiled. "Most certainly."

    "Since the sightseeing is done, let''s go back to the restaurant," Sebastian suggested. "We haven''t eaten anything."

    Veronica firmly told him, "Food isn''t important right now. The girl who was crying. She could be in danger."

    Sebastian and Merlin exchanged nces. Even in the dark, their trained eyes could see most of the area. And they knew it wasn''t safe.

    However, who would dissuade this troublemaker Mistress?

    Wasn''t she way too lively for her position?

    "Mistress, please think about what if we fall into danger?" Sebastian warned her.

    ''I don''t want to go to another trial and then be sent to suicidal missions, all right?''

    He would have thrown a tantrum if he could.

    Veronica didn''t seem worried. She said, "You are a warrior and Merlin is a magician. Can''t you defeat a few bad people?"

    ''Is she challenging us?'' Merlin wondered.

    He was a proud young man. He could be easily triggered if he was challenged.

    "I agree. We can handle some small thugs with our capability. Since someone could be in danger, why don''t we check it out?" Merlin calmly said.

    "!!!" Sebastian almost choked.

    ''Is he for real? How could he take the bait so easily?''

    With Merlin''s support, Veronica''s eyes sparkled.

    They hardly made any noise as they proceeded. Sebastian and Merlin were more vignt.

    They walked in a formation. Merlin was in front. Veronica was in the middle. Sebastian was behind. Everything seemed silent except for their heartbeats.

    Some boxes and barrels were organized in piles in the alley.

    Veronica didn''t know what was in the boxes but she knew very well what was kept in the barrels. She could smell it quite easily.

    Booze!

    Her heart was racing and her head was giving her a high alert. She felt that they were going into a serpent''s belly, the more steps they took.

    A danger wasing!

    ''I can''t back down. What if someone needs help? Just like I did back then?''

    She remembered being molested by that drunk man. She never wished something like that to ever happen to any woman.

    As they went further, they finally saw a lighting from a building.

    ''Finally, some light!'' Her eyes lit up with hope.

    Just when she gained some confidence and walked briskly, Merlin grabbed her arm and pulled her behind the boxes and barrels.

    Sebastian also followed them.

    Veronica became stiff the moment he grabbed her. Her soul nearly flew away. Before she knew it, she was behind the boxes.

    Her racing heart calmed down a bit. She was about to ask why he did that but stopped when she heard footsteps.

    ''Someone''sing!''

    She didn''t move a muscle.

    Holding their breaths, they patiently waited.

    The footsteps came closer and closer and paused.

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    Veronica could hear how loudly her heart was beating.

    She squeezed her eyes shut and silently prayed, ''Oh Goddess, please don''t let anyone hear my heartbeat!''

    The person started walking again.

    Sebastian carefully peeked and saw who it was.

    It was a man with a tall build.

    He was wearing a white shirt, brown pants, and boots.

    To find out what Sebastian was seeing, curious Merlin and Veronica also stretched their necks.

    The alley was a dead end. The man was going closer to the light.

    It wasn''t the usual stone light people used in Tybu. It was a fire torch just like any other kingdom.

    The man moved away a bit and they saw a suspicious gunny sack.

    The sack was moving.

    "Mmph! Mmph!"

    The muffling sounds came from inside it!

 Chapter 181 - FOOTSTEPS

    <h4>Chapter 181 - FOOTSTEPS</h4>

    Veronica shuddered. ''Why is the sack moving? Could it be that someone is inside? But why?''

    She saw the man kick the sack mercilessly and yell, "Shut up bitch! Keep making sounds and I''ll throw you to the wolves!"

    The person inside the sack stopped making noises. But the sack was trembling.

    ''That person must be scared to death.'' Veronica felt so bad for the human inside the gunny sack.

    The man spat on the ground in annoyance. Then, he grabbed the sack and pulled it to the dead end.

    ''There is only a wall. Why is he going forward as if there is no wall in front?'' Veronica pondered. ''Wait! What if he is a magician and can walk past the wall¡­''

    She didn''t finish her thought before he disappeared behind the wall.

    "!!!"

    Her jaw dropped as she gaped at the wall.

    She couldn''t believe her imagination came true. Even when she was assuming that he would walk through the wall, she did not expect her own assumption toe true.

    Never in a million years had she expected this to happen.

    She was thoroughly impressed.

    ''Magic is the almighty!''

    [A/N: Anyone needs science when magic is this awesome? I doubt it. ;p? ]

    After the man vanished inside the wall, Veronica abruptly stood up.

    "Did you just see that? He walked through the wall!" she eximed.

    Merlin frowned and stated, "He didn''t walk through the wall. The wall is an illusion. There isn''t any wall there. They used a magic illusion."

    "Magic illusion?" Veronica never expected that. She was slightly disappointed.

    "Maybe that''s what Darius was talking about," Sebastian suddenly mentioned.

    "I think so," Merlin agreed. "Since it was an illusion and it was unexpected, no wonder the royal guards couldn''t find them."

    "What are you talking about?" Veronica was utterly clueless.

    Sebastian answered, "We are talking about human trafficking."

    "Human trafficking?!" she gasped in surprise.

    That was unexpected.

    Merlin narrated shortly, "Yes when Arthur went to the pce, the Crown Prince showed his concern about trafficking. He has a caring heart for themoners. Since Arthur wasn''t around for years, the Crown Prince told him that human trafficking increased and his men couldn''t locate them."

    "As a result, Arthur discussed it with me, Ovior, Darius, Zinnia, and Ironin. Sebastian was present, so he knew as well. With Arthur''smand, we had started to assist the royal guards since yesterday."

    "I see¡­" Veronica was in deep thought.

    ''Not good. She is plotting something. We must retreat!'' Sebastian''s sixth sense was giving him a red alert.

    He quickly suggested, "We should contact others and surround this ce."

    Veronica interrupted, "Wait! We don''t know what''s inside. Why don''t we see how the human traffickers are collecting and sending humans to faraway countries and who is behind this? I read that the big crimes always have people with power and money in tow. Aristocrats must be involved. If the soldiers capture the traffickers, they might not find the real culprits behind the operation. Do you get it?"

    "That''s true," Merlin agreed thoughtfully.

    ''Wait! Are you serious?'' Sebastian was stupefied. He was looking at Merlin in disbelief.

    But then, Merlin added, "Mistress, let me escort you to the tower first. Then, Sebastian and I will go on a secret mission."

    Sebastian sighed in relief. ''That''s more like it.''

    He almost thought that Merlin lost his sanity.

    "No way!" Veronica stomped her foot on the ground to emphasize her point. "I''m the one who gave you a n. How can I be left off? I won''t have that."

    Her legs were itching for another adventure. Her idol Marshall Nomes''s inspiration was boiling in her blood.

    How could she let them have all the fun while she stayed at home?

    So unfair!

    Merlin tried to persuade her patiently, "Mistress Veronica, I understand your logic. However, if the incident causes one scratch on your skin, we will be sent to suicidal missions and you cannot stop it unlikest time. We are not powerful enough to survive missions like that."

    When he calmly convinced her, Veronica quieted down. She remembered Ironin''s warning and sighed inwardly.

    ''So, what now? What am I supposed to do? Because of my position, I can''t even do what I want? Then what''s the point of this marriage? I can''t travel properly. I can''t have the adventure that I dreamed of my whole life¡­ Is everything I ever dream about is a lie? When Arthur told me that he would show me the world ¨C was it also a lie?''

    The more she thought about it, the more sadness she felt.

    Her heart was suffocating her. It was like something squeezed her so tightly that she couldn''t breathe.

    She felt like a caged bird.

    Just like she was in the temple.

    She realized that nothing had changed. No matter where she went, her position was still the same.

    She was trapped.

    Her heart was in turmoil and yet she didn''t show it in her face. She kept her facial expression normal.

    She opened her mouth and began to say, "I understand what you mean. I''ll do as you say. Please take me¨C"

    She wasn''t able to finish her words before a door opened forcefully.

    Bam!

    The three of them were startled by the sound.

    On the left side, there was the restaurant where they were supposed to go. It was a huge restaurant formoners. Above the restaurant was the hotel.

    The entire time they walked in the dark alley, they crossed more than seven buildings on their right side, but on the left side, the restaurant remained.

    And, the backdoor of the restaurant opened and scared the wits out of them.

    The lights from the restaurant illuminated the dark alley. Noises from the inside reached their ears.

    It seemed like some kind of performance was happening in the restaurant.

    Veronica squinted her eyes when the light suddenly fell on her face.

    "Araa! Is this the new girl you brought?" a fatty woman came out and asked in a coarse voice.

    Three of them had no idea what was going on.

    The fatty woman didn''t wait for the answer as she was in a hurry.

    She urged her, "You girl, your performance will start soon. Hurry up and get ready."

 Chapter 182 - THE INNER HALL OF THE RESTAURANT

    <h4>Chapter 182 - THE INNER HALL OF THE RESTAURANT</h4>

    She urged her, "You girl, your performance will start soon. Hurry up and get ready."

    The fat woman grabbed Veronica''s arm and pulled her to the restaurant and then closed the door.

    "!!!"

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    Sebastian and Merlin stared at the scene in shock.

    They couldn''t understand why that woman took away Veronica thinking she was a performer.

    They also couldn''t understand why she thought they were that woman''s subordinates.

    Sebastian nervously asked, "Should we tell our Master? Once Darius told us that a few performers had gone missing from this restaurant a few times. Now that I think of it, it''s suspicious."

    Merlin prevented him from doing anything by saying, "Wait, Mistress Veronica is right. We can investigate and figure out who is behind this human trafficking. I know what you are thinking. I''m suspicious of the restaurant too."

    "So, are we going to investigate without informing others? If something happens to Mistress¨C" Sebastian didn''t finish the sentence and gulped.

    They would be dead for sure if something happened to her. He didn''t have to tell Merlin about that.

    Merlin patted his shoulder to assure him. "That''s why we will go and be her secret bodyguard. At the same time, we will investigate."

    "So, how are we going to get close to her? If we go inside as that fatty woman''s underlings, we will surely be caught. She just couldn''t see us properly in the dark and she was in a hurry." Sebastian looked frustrated.

    "Youe here often. Do you know where the performers show their talents?" Merlin inquired.

    Sebastian was tongue-tied. He ufortably averted his gaze. He hesitated to speak.

    "They perform in front of drunkards," he finally said. His face started to grow hot, feeling embarrassed.

    Merlin didn''t understand why he was being all shy. He didn''t bother thinking.

    They needed to focus on the main target.

    He initiated the n, "First, we go as customers. Since the performers dance in front of drunkards, we will be able to notice if anything is unusual."

    "Okay!"

    Merlin didn''t understand why Sebastian looked so ufortable back then.

    He realized it after they entered the inner hall of the restaurant.

    It was for the customers who wanted to have drinks only.

    He nced at Sebastian in a new light. Tonight, he was enlightened to a certain degree.

    Sebastian felt a stare making a hole in his face. He blushed.

    "D-don''t look at me like that! Focus on others," he stammered.

    "Sure, I will," Merlin nonchntly replied. ''After all, it wasn''t easy to get the inside here.''

    He was right.

    It was indeed hard.

    Only the members of the restaurant could enter the inner hall.

    The members had to be regrs in the restaurant and they couldn''t have any connection with the Magic Tower. The rules were surely intriguing. It sparked the boys'' interests.

    Sebastian realized it was time for him to use his lethal power. He gathered all the women who worked in the restaurant and knew him.

    Thanks to his connection with the pretty women from the kitchen, they were rmended to the manager. They vouched for Sebastian''s frequent visits to the restaurant and that he wasn''t part of the Magic Tower.

    No one knew that he was associated with the Magic Tower or Arthur. As a spy, he always kept his identity secret.

    "What about him?" The manager pointed at Merlin.

    Sebastian hugged Merlin''s shoulder andughed. "He is a real mama''s boy. He neveres to a ce like this. He came back after his business was done. He will get married soon. Before that, I want him to teach me some good stuff."

    The manager was pleased with the exnation. He was like a middle-aged pervert.

    Only after the formal procedure, money payment, and signing papers, they were given golden tokens. The golden tokens were like the membership cards.

    And, when they entered the inner hall, Merlin was dumbfounded.

    Most of the chairs were full. The men were all drunk. Their lustful eyes were looking at the stage.

    The performers were dancing and singing on the stage. Most of them were barely wearing proper clothes.

    As their bodies seductively swayed with the rhythm, the customers roared in joy.

    Merlin couldn''t help but look at the man beside him and Sebastian couldn''t take it.

    "I wonder how you know what happens here when you don''t have the token," Merlin muttered.

    "Who do you think I am? I can gather as much information as I want without spending money," Sebastian proudly stated. "The girls who helped us previously, Always let me enter the inner hall secretly whenever I requested them."

    Merlin was truly confounded. "I never thought you would go that far to seduce women toe here."

    "I did not!" Sebastian hissed like a snake. "It was all Darius. He came here and slept with those girls. He is also a member of this restaurant. He would sometimes drag me here. That''s how I got to know about the beauties and the inner hall."

    "And then you sneaked in here whenever Darius wasn''t able to apany you." Merlin finished the story.

    ''So, it was Darius. Why am I not surprised?'' he bitterly thought. ''His flirting ability is growing stronger. What do women find in a bald guy?''

    He looked at the stage absentmindedly and noticed something strange. He asked Sebastian, "Why are these people throwing red-colored pouches of coins on the stage?"

    Sebastian exined, "Oh, that''s because when a customer likes ady''s performance, he throws money at them. The coins go to the performer."

    He hesitated before continuing, "¡­Later, the performer has to sleep with those generous customers who paid them a lot of money."

    Merlin frowned. He gritted his teeth in anger and spoke in a low tone, "This is an open prostitute business. This should be illegal if the girls are being forced!"

    "It is illegal, but no one isining. Look over there," Sebastian signaled him.

    Merlin followed his direction and noticed a group of a young generation. They were ministers'' sons. They were wearing simple yet expensive clothes. It was hard not to notice.

    ''They are backing up the restaurant well.'' Merlin cautiously looked around and then suddenly, he saw something unusual.

    Hmm?

 Chapter 183 - MERLINS PLAN AND SEBASTIANS COMPLAIN

    <h4>Chapter 183 - MERLIN''S PLAN AND SEBASTIAN''S COMPLAIN</h4>

    Merlin''s skillful eyes were scanning the whole room. Suddenly, he noticed something odd. He squinted his eyes.

    Hmm?

    He elbowed Sebastian and asked, "Everyone is throwing red pouches but sometimes, one particr man is throwing a blue pouch toward some performers. Those performers are being taken to a different direction, unlike the rest."

    "You are right!" Sebastian eximed. "Why didn''t I see it before?"

    Merlin: "¡­"

    ''I overestimated his espionage skills,'' he thought.

    He ordered beers for themselves. The customers were shouting so much that no one could hear what the two of them were talking about.

    The beers were served.

    Sebastian chugged down the beer and then wiped the foam from his upper lip. "I think I know why Darius said that the restaurant is suspicious."

    Merlinmented, "He must have noticed that man too. Everything about him gives off a weird vibe. He is wearing a ck cape and covering his face. From our angle, we cannot see who it is. I think he is buying these performers for trafficking."

    "I agree. He isn''t choosing everyone. He is carefully judging each performer and selecting the best one from each team. I wonder where Mistress is." Sebastian looked nervous.

    "Hopefully nothing will happen to her." Merlin was worried too.

    While they were talking about Veronica, another group of dancers came on the stage. When they started dancing, the customers suddenly became quiet.

    Sebastian and Merlin nced at the stage and froze.

    Among the dancers, there was a silver-haired beauty. She was wearing a red blouse, red harem pants. A golden chain was hanging on her waist. The coins attached to the chain zinged every time she moved her waist. She was wearing red shoes with golden embroidery. Her face was covered with a transparent red mask. Her hair was curled up and decorated with some golden chains. Both hands of hers were decorated with golden bangles.

    Although other performers dressed just like her, her striking features stood out among them.

    Not only were her silver hair and emerald eyes unique, but also her aura waspletely different from the rest.

    Even though she was standing far behind, she caught everyone''s attention.

    Merlin and Sebastian subconsciously gulped.

    ''No wonder Arthur is so infatuated with her,'' Merlin thought.

    ''Goddess, have mercy on me.'' Sebastian gulped.

    The customers gawked at her. They forgot to throw pouches at the performers.

    In their eyes, they were watching an angel dancing among the mortals ¨C beautiful and mesmerizing.

    Veronica, on the other hand, was having great trouble matching up with the others. Since she never learned these kinds of dance and she was super duper nervous, she made some clumsy moves.

    Her heart was thumping loudly just like the drummers beating the drums. She thought that her heartbeat was matching the rhythm of the drums.

    ''Please, please, please, finish the song quickly. I don''t think I can handle it for too long. The pants seem to be loose. What if it falls down in front of everyone?!'' The more she thought about it, the more she panicked.

    When the performance was almost over, the man with the ck cape threw a blue pouch at Veronica''s feet.

    Merlin and Sebastian became tense.

    Startled, Veronica looked at the blue pouch. She stopped dancing and stared at the pouch with a dumbfounded expression as though she had no idea what to do with it.

    The drunkards roared withughter.

    Finally, the dance ended and the dancers left the stage.

    Only then the customers began to move. They started toment for not giving Veronica the money.

    "Damn it! I wanted to bed her!"

    "How did I miss this chance?!"

    "Is she a foreigner? I''ve never seen a beautiful girl like that before. She makes me hard!"

    "I think I''m in love."

    The more they talked, the more Merlin and Sebastian wanted to shut them up.

    ''Do you people want to die?! Shut up before my Master kills you!''

    Those two imagined what would be Arthur''s expression if he heard these nasty perverts. Just thinking about that made them sweat profusely.

    They saw Veronica was taken away by the fatty woman just like those girls who received blue pouches before.

    Sebastian rose from his seat. "It''s not good. She has been taken to the other side of the stage. How are we going to get close to her now?"

    Merlin pondered for a while and came up with a n. Then, he said, "I''ve got an idea."

    -------

    Twenty minutester ¨C

    Sebastian stumbled as he walked.

    "Seriously! How did youe up with this idea?" he sounded thoroughly displeased.

    Merlin quietly said, "This is the only way we can get there." Even he was having a hard time walking.

    "But disguising as women? Look at these boobs!" He grabbed his breasts andined, "So heavy! It hurts! I cannot imagine women having such heavy burdens attached to their bodies. How can they endure it?"

    Merlin nonchntly said, "They are used to it. Now stopining. We have to give the customers some alluring performance and let the mysterious bad guy choose us."

    He also had boobs but his boobs were smaller than Sebastian''s. So, his chest didn''t hurt as much. However, losing his manhood and suddenly growing boobs were making him ufortable.

    Merlin''s n was to use magic to disguise themselves as women and perform on the stage. When they would be selected by that man, they would be able to be with Veronica. This way, they could protect her and gather more information.

    He wished he could use magic to be invisible but only Arthur and Ovior were capable of doing that kind of magic since they had lots of mana.

    Since Merlin and Sebastian needed to disguise themselves and the traffickers might check, he thought bing women temporarily would be the best solution.

    He used teleportation to go back to his room in the magic tower and took two bottles of potions that could change a person''s sex.

    After turning into women, they dressed up beautifully and headed to the restaurant to be hired.

    Let''s see how they handle it.

 Chapter 184 - BOOBS HURT

    <h4>Chapter 184 - BOOBS HURT</h4>

    Wearing two long grey coloredmoner''s gowns, Merlin and Sebastian walked into the dark alley. As soon as they reached the back door of the restaurant, they knocked on the door.

    The door was opened abruptly by a short man and he yelled, "Who is it?"

    Merlin pretended to be scared and said, "Umm¡­ we are here to be recruited. We know how to dance. Are we in the wrong ce?"

    "!!!" Sebastian looked at the man¡­ oops woman beside him. He was stunned seeing how excellent Merlin was in acting.

    He couldpletely mimic a woman!

    The short man was about four feet tall. He raised his head to look at those gorgeous women with a melodious voice.

    As though thousands of stars rushed toward him and shot his heart. His heartbeat rapidly and his eyes sparkled like a gxy filled with millions of stars.

    He grinned perversely and rubbed his chin. "I''m not sure how you knew that we are short on dancers. Since you came all the way, we won''t disappoint you."

    Merlin and Sebastian felt disgusted as they realized that the dwarf was lusting for their bodies.

    They entered the restaurant. They were taken to the dressing room.

    "What are you being sozy for? Hurry and finish dressing her up. Two more dancers are waiting for you!" The fatty woman was nagging the makeup artist.

    "Missus, I have brought you a gift," the dwarf happily trotted inside and dered.

    The fatty woman turned around and she was going to nag when she saw the two voluptuous women with innocent faces.

    Her jaw dropped.

    "Where did you find these two?" she asked, feeling suspicious.

    ''Just as I thought. She isn''t easy to fool,'' Merlin thought.

    The dwarf replied joyously, "They came here looking for a job. They said they can dance."

    "Hmm." The woman''s sharp eyes scanned the beauties as the beauties observed her with timid eyes.

    The woman was middle-aged and had a regr height. She was as round as a pumpkin and her hair was orange colored. Her eyes were light brown colored.

    She truly looked like a living pumpkin.

    Merlin nervously bowed and introduced himself (or herself?), "I''m Martha, missus. She is Maria. We are sisters. We have been learning to dance since we were little. We didn''t have any academic teaching. We are in need of money. A man approached us and said if we wanted to earn money by dancing, we coulde here. That''s why we came."

    The pumpkin woman didn''t care whether they knew how to dance or not. She liked the girls'' bodies which would give her more customers.

    She said, "Hmm, so that''s the reason. Very well, wait here and get dressed. The next dance will be yours and your sister will perform in thest one."

    "Thank you! Thank you very much!" Merlin bowed. His voice was filled with gratitude.

    "Thank you!" Sebastian also bowed. But he looked awkward. He wished this hellish nightmare would end soon.

    Later, they dressed up. They wore golden-colored blouses and rainbow-colored skirts.

    Before the time arrived, Sebastian became nervous.

    He whispered to Merlin, "How are we supposed to dance? I''ve never danced in my whole life!"

    Merlin was thinking the same thing. Just like Sebastian, he had no idea how to dance.

    He stated, "We must use some kind of strategy. We just have to shake our bodies and hips and follow the other dancers."

    Sebastian retorted, "It''s easier said than done! How am I supposed to shake my body with these busty boobs? They are hurting enough, all right?"

    Fortunately, they were able to practice their dance twice with the group before performing in front of the customers.

    Maybe because of the potion they drank or it was because they had female bodies, they were able to dance without much problem.

    And, since they were the sexiest beauties in their teams, they got more coin pouches than the rest and finally, the mysterious man chose them.

    Feeling relieved, they went to a special room after their performance was over.

    They thought they would be taken to where human traffickers put other people.

    They didn''t think they would be taken to a hotel room where other performers were happily chatting.

    They had already changed their original clothes and were sitting idly. Some waiters served meals. They were eating as they were hungry.

    Merlin and Sebastian''s eyes skimmed around the room and found Veronica sitting beside the window. She was alone.

    They were relieved to see her. They quickly headed in her direction.

    "Mistress!" Sebastian moved closer. "Are you alright? Did anything happen when you were taken away?"

    Looking at the beauty she never saw before, Veronica became puzzled.

    "I''m sorry. Do I know you?" she politely asked.

    With her good memory, she wouldn''t easily forget someone she knew. Moreover, not many women knew that she was the ''Mistress'' of the Magic Tower.

    Furthermore, she would definitely remember meeting eye-catching beauties.

    For the first time in his life, Sebastian felt ashamed to introduce himself. "I''m Sebastian. He''s Merlin."

    It was Veronica''s time to drop her jaw.

    "For real?!" She looked at both of them. She couldn''t find anything that could match their original features.

    "Magic potion for disguise," Merlin shortly exined.

    "This is brilliant!" Veronica gaped at them. "If I want to be a boy, can I have the magic potion as well?"

    Merlin pondered and then replied, "Arthur has some of it. But he might not let you have any. You can ask me what kind of physical structure you need. I''ll make you some."

    "I want a slim body like Felix," Veronica instantly gave her personal rmendation.

    Sebastian remarked, "He might look slim with clothes on, but he has a toned body. He''s got quite some muscles."

    Veronica shook her head. "I don''t want that much muscle. Girls like muscles. What if a girl falls for me?"

    "¡­" Sebastian was speechless. ''Why didn''t I think of that?''

    "Fine, I''ll make a potion to turn you into a slim guy. So, did you see anything unusual?"

    "Not really. We are just enjoying here¨C"

    Before she could finish her sentence, the girls in the room started to act strange.

 Chapter 185 - THE CONDITION OF THE PERFORMERS

    <h4>Chapter 185 - THE CONDITION OF THE PERFORMERS</h4>

    Veronica shook her head. "I don''t want that much muscle. Girls like muscles. What if a girl falls for me?"

    "¡­" Sebastian was speechless.

    ''Why didn''t I think of that? If a human trafficker falls for me and tries to rape me, can I fight with this female body?'' he began to worry.

    Merlin resigned, "Fine, I''ll make a potion to turn you into a slim guy. So, anything unusual did you see?"

    Veronica shook her head. "Not really. We are just enjoying here¨C"

    Before she could finish her sentence, the girls in the room started to act strange.

    They copsed one by one without making any sound, leaving Veronica, Merlin, and Sebastian in shock.

    "What''s wrong with them?" Veronica stood up. Her face was slightly pale.

    Merlin and Sebastian looked around without a word.

    Sebastian stepped closer to a table and sniffed on the wine ss.

    "Just as I expected," he said. "They have mixed sleeping pills in the wine."

    "Mistress, did you drink or eat anything?" Merlin turned to Veronica.

    "No, I was too nervous to eat or drink anything," she replied truthfully.

    Sebastian stated, "The traffickers made a move. They want to make us unconscious so that they can send us away without a problem."

    Veronica suggested, "Then we should at least pretend that we are unconscious. This way, we will know where they will take us."

    "That''s a good idea!" Merlin approved.

    Just as nned, the three of themid down on the couch and pretended to be unconscious.

    A few minutester, the door was opened and some hurried footsteps entered the room.

    Someone came inside in an unhurried manner and scanned the room with a pair of sharp eyes.

    "It looks like it worked again. They are finally asleep," the person spoke.

    From the voice, Veronica knew it was the pumpkin-like woman. She could recognize her hoarse voice from anywhere.

    The woman instructed, "Tie them up and then take them to the basement. Don''t forget to cover their mouths so that they cannot make sounds or ask for help after waking up. If they do, it will be troublesome."

    "Yes, Missus!" Her underlings obeyed her.

    While the performers were being tied up, the woman strolled inside the room. She paused in her tracks when she saw an unconscious girl with silver hair.

    "This girl is pretty," she remarked. "If she is a virgin, she will be sold with gold coins."

    The dwarf came forward and rubbed his hands. "Indeed. The master is very pleased with her beauty. He even told me that he would personally check her. He told me to warn you not to harm her. He didn''t want a single scratch on her."

    "Fine, we won''t tie her up." The pumpkin woman snorted. "She already passed out. I don''t think she will wake up soon. By the time she opens her eyes, she will already be in her cage."

    "The master told me to take her to his room in the basement, along with these two beautifuldies." The dwarf pointed at two women.

    ''What? Is Mistress not going with us? Are we going to be separated?'' Sebastian started to panic.

    ''If Mistress Veronica is going somewhere else, which other two will apany her?'' Merlin wondered.

    Since their eyes were closed, they had no idea where they were taken.

    They stayed quiet and breathed regrly not to get any troublesome attention.

    For some reason, the traffickers were being gentle with them. They were expecting something like kicking or pinching just like what they saw in the dark alley.

    However, it didn''t mean they weren''t being molested.

    A trafficker slipped a finger in between Sebastian''s legs.

    The sensation was quite different. He wished to kick the guy and break his fingers but he did his best to contain himself.

    After they were carried to somewhere they had no idea of, they were gentlyid on a soft mattress.

    Merlin slowly opened his eyes as he heard people locking the door from the outside and then sat up.

    He saw two more women with him. He was relieved to see Sebastian and Veronica along with him.

    ''So, the shorty was talking about us. I guess their master truly liked us,'' he thought.

    "It''s only us here. You can rx," he dered.

    Sebastian opened his eyes. He was also relieved to see Veronica.

    He skimmed the room and inquired, "Are we in an office?''

    His remark wasn''t wrong. It was a rectangle-sized room. There was a table with a pile of papers. There was a bookshelf in the corner and different colors of folders were neatly kept. In the corner, a single-sized bed was ced.

    Three women were currently sitting there.

    "Isn''t this a chance for us to gather some information?" Veronica''s eyes sparkled.

    "Let''s check the documents first," Merlin suggested.

    They didn''t think they would be lucky enough to get such valuable information. Some of the names in those documents raised their eyebrows.

    Sebastian dejectedlymented, "I can''t believe higher ranking aristocrats are involved. They look so honorable from the outside."

    "I knew these people had powerful backing but to have ''them'' as their backing, it''s shocking," Merlin remarked.

    Veronica checked some financial reports and stated, "They get a handsome amount of money from trafficking human beings. Virgin women are too valuable in other countries. They seem more expensive than any of us."

    Merlin halted before saying, "¡­I will think of it as apliment."

    Sebastian sang along. "Me too. I don''t want to be sold and be a boy toy."

    "You won''t be a boy toy. You will be a girl toy," Merlin pointed out the mistake.

    "That''s even worse!" Sebastian yelled.

    "Before you be a girl toy, I think you will turn into a boy." Veronica pointed at his chest. "Your¡­ breasts are growing smaller."

    Both Merlin and Sebastian looked at their breasts. Merlin was calm unlike his partner beside him.

    Sebastian gasped immediately. "What the hell! Why are my boobs shrinking?"

    Merlin pped the table as he remembered something, "Ahh! I think it''s a side effect. If the potion user gets sexually assaulted, the magic of the potion starts to wear off. That''s what is happening to you."

    At that time, they heard footstepsing closer.

 Chapter 186 - PLAN FOR SILVER-HAIRED WOMAN

    <h4>Chapter 186 - PLAN FOR SILVER-HAIRED WOMAN</h4>

    "Before you be a girl toy, I think you will turn into a boy." Veronica pointed at his chest. "Your¡­ breasts are growing smaller."

    "Wh-what''s going on?!" Sebastian gasped immediately. He grabbed his boobs and eximed, "What the hell! Why are my boobs shrinking?"

    His boobs weren''t just reducing, his body shape was also changing. He was turning into his original shape.

    "Is the magic wearing off?" Veronica asked.

    "But Merlin isn''t changing," Sebastianined.

    Merlin pped the table as he remembered something, "Ahh! I think it''s a side effect. If the potion user gets sexually assaulted, the magic of the potion starts to wear off. That''s what is happening to you."

    Sebastian was pissed. "Now you remember to mention that!"

    He recalled when some guys were groping him while tying up his body. He was the only big-busted woman among them.

    How could men resist touching his luscious body?

    [A/N: Why does it sound so wrong?]

    Merlin suggested, "Why don''t I go back and bring another potion? I just need a couple of minutes. Although, I''m not sure if you will get that face and body again."

    Veronica asked him, "How are you going to go back?"

    Merlin replied, "I''ll teleport. I''m going now¨C"

    Before he could finish the sentence, they heard several footsteps. Judging by the sound, the footsteps wereing toward them.

    "I think it''s toote. Let''s go back to bed. Hurry!" Sebastian urged.

    The moment the three of them dived on the bed, the door of this room was unlocked and some people entered the room.

    Man 1: "It was a tiring day! We were really short of performers today. What a drag!"

    Man 2: "Whose fault is it? I already warned you to be moderate. Now the pce guards are looking for us."

    Man 3: "What are you worried about? Duke is backing us up. As long as he is hiding us, there is no way some imperial guards will find us. Moreover, we have a wizard by our side. We have nothing to worry about."

    Man 2: "Even if you say that, we still have to be cautious. Make sure you don''t make a mistake. If we expose him, he won''t be able to save us."

    Veronica, Merlin, and Sebastian listened to their conversation as theyid on the bed like dead humans.

    Man 3: "Are these women going overseas?"

    Man 2: "Yes, especially this silver-haired woman. She will be sent to Sia."

    Upon hearing that, Merlin and Sebastian frowned.

    ''Why there of all ces?'' they wondered.

    Man 1: "Why are we sending her to such a faraway kingdom? She will be sold at a good price if it''s Riverhill."

    Man 2: "I got news from Sia. It looks like the Sian King became insane for a silver-haired woman. He was going to marry one but she ran away. Then, He started to look for his bride for a long time. Unfortunately, she seemed to be dead. He became insane after that. Now he dered that anyone who can get him a silver-haired woman, he''ll give them ten thousand gold coins."

    Veronica''s body subconsciously tensed. ''Why can''t that king forget me already? What kind of unhealthy obsession is that?'' she wondered.

    Man 3: "That''s a lot of coins. We can build a castle with that much money."

    Man 1: "Yes. Consider us lucky. We have to treat her with utmost care."

    Man 2: "It''s almost time for them to wake up. Stay here. Make sure they don''t cause trouble."

    After giving them instructions, he left.

    Man 1: "So, the silver hair is off-limits. What about these two? There is nothing wrong with ying with them, right?"

    Man 3: "I was thinking the same thing. I really like the big boobs woman. She is a real keeper."

    ''I feel sorry for Sebastian,'' Veronica thought. ''It never feels good when someone lusts over one''s body.''

    Sebastian, at that time, was thinking, ''How dare you lust over my body?! I know I''m a real keeper but it''s when I''m a man. You dirty bastards! Juste at me! I''ll make sure you regret your decision.''

    Man 1: "But doesn''t she seem a bit odd? From what I remember she is short and has long hair."

    Man 3: "I know. I remember her face. She does look a bit taller now, doesn''t she?"

    Man 1: "We are going to y with her anyway. Let''s check before she wakes up."

    Merlin and Sebastian were preparing to attack. The moment Sebastian''s leg was touched, he threw a kick.

    He wasn''t just a boy for nothing. He went through harsh training under Felix''s guidance.

    The kick threw the man away and his back crashed to the wall behind him. He fainted instantly.

    Sebastian cursed, "Son of a bitch! That''s what you get for lusting over my masculine body!"

    ''Masculine? Sebastian?'' Veronica quietly observed his body.

    The other man froze on the spot. He couldn''t grasp the situation at all.

    ''How did a girl have so much energy?'' he wondered.

    He was so shocked that he didn''t notice something approaching him from behind.

    Merlin used his magical staff to strike his head. He fell on the floor and didn''t move after that.

    Sebastian tied them both and hid them behind the table. After that, he looked at hispanion and asked, "Where did you get your staff?"

    "It''s my staff. I can summon it and make it disappear whenever I want to," Merlin casually replied.

    "So, what will we do now?" Veronica asked. "We can''t let them catch us."

    "I''m going to teleport to the Magic Tower and bring guards. You two stay here." Merlin gave Veronica a small ck stone. "This is a tracking device. As long as it''s with you, I''lle back with guards and track you wherever you are."

    Veronica held the stone firmly. "All right,e back quickly."

    After Merlin vanished with the informative documents, Sebastian sat on the chair. "What can we do other than waiting? I''m feeling so ufortable wearing these clothes. Can I change them?"

 Chapter 187 - GOING WITH THE PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 187 - GOING WITH THE PLAN</h4>

    "What can we do other than waiting? I''m feeling so ufortable wearing these clothes. Can I change them?" Sebastian asked.

    Since he went back to his original size, the gown was slightly tight. It was hugging his body. Especially around his waist and arms. It was hard to move his arms. It felt ufortable.

    "If you want to strip them naked and wear their clothes, I don''t mind," Veronica joked. "Honestly, when I saw you two as women, I didn''t know what to believe anymore. So, how does it feel being a woman?"

    "It feels annoying," Sebastian replied truthfully. "I had extra meat in my chest and had no idea how to not feel them. Everything about my physical structure felt weird. And then I had to dance. Never in my nightmares had I seen myself entertaining drunk men."

    Veronica remarked, "It was a good experience, wasn''t it? If you ever need to disguise yourself as a woman, you can get a job as a dancer. Spies always need to change their appearances, don''t they?"

    Sebastian suddenly calmed down. "You always know what to say at the right time. Thank you, Mistress."

    Veronica smiled. "You are the one who always helps me out."

    "That''s not true¨C" Sebastian was about to deny.

    "No, it''s true," Veronica insisted. "After meeting Arthur, I didn''t have enough time for Cathy. She did so much for me. She even forsook her future for me. You kept her busy. Thank you for that."

    "Busy? No way! All I ever did was argue with her." Sebastian awkwardly brushed his hair.

    Veronica held back herughter. "That''s a good way to start a friendship."

    Sebastian took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead. It was hot in this room. He was sweating.

    Veronica stared at the handkerchief. She seemed astonished as she recognized the embroidery. "Where did you get the handkerchief?" she asked.

    "This?" Sebastian showed it to her. "It''s mine."

    "Who gave it to you?" she inquired.

    "Miss Catherine did." Not to have any misunderstanding, Sebastian quickly mentioned, "She used my handkerchief and gave me this one instead."

    Veronica let out augh. She looked like she was having a hard time believing his words.

    She said, "You know, she isn''t someone who usually gives people handkerchiefs just because she used theirs. She cleans it and gives it back to them. The only person who ever had the privilege to have her embroidered handkerchief is me. Now you have it. I''m jealous, Sebastian."

    "Am I really the second person?" Sebastian didn''t know what mixed feelings he was having.

    "Yes, she doesn''t like giving her embroidered handkerchief to anyone else. When she first started embroidery, she wasn''t good at it. Girls would make fun of her embroidery. Later, she practiced day and night and got better than anyone. Afterward, to make other girls jealous, I would show off my handkerchief that''s made by her." Veronica giggled recollecting those days.

    Sebastian carefully put the handkerchief in his pocket. "You did your best to live in that boring ce. I could never stay there for eighteen years."

    "It was a peaceful ce to live in. But I guess I never wanted that peace. I wanted a busy, adventurous life. I had a dream. That''s why I was able to endure. Luckily, I met Arthur. He saved me countless times. I don''t know what would happen to me if he wasn''t there." Veronica hugged her knees.

    Sebastian remarked, "I''d say our Master is lucky to have you. He changed a lot after meeting you."

    "No more extra bloodshed?" Veronica grinned.

    Sebastianughed.

    Indeed, she knew her husband well.

    He mentioned, "No more extra bloodshed. Furthermore, he became calmer and more organized. I still remember how scary he was before. We couldn''t make a single mistake. If we did, it would make him so angry that he would send us to suicide missions."

    "That''s terrible!" Veronica eximed.

    "That''s why everyone is grateful to you. Even Ovior can sleep soundly at night. For the past year, he was sending letters to our Master but the letters were thrown away. If it wasn''t for your marriage, Felix wouldn''t contact Darius and you wouldn''t be here," Sebastian told her.

    While they were talking, they heard some voicesing from outside the room. The sounds were growing louder.

    "Are theying here?" Veronica stood up.

    "I think so. Don''t worry, Mistress. I''ll protect you," Sebastian sharply looked at the door.

    "Can you move wearing these clothes?" Veronica was concerned.

    "It has to work. Damn it, Merlin! Where are you?" Sebastian grunted.

    The men were talking loudly and excitedly as they approached the room.

    "They should be here, don''t they?"

    "Yes, I heard the beauties are here. Thomas wanted to y with one of them. He told me to join him after the boss went away."

    "Let''s go and enjoy!"

    They opened the door and found an empty bed.

    "Huh? Where are the women?"

    At that time, they heard a faint cry, "Please, save us!"

    They closed the door and saw two women crying, sitting in the corner.

    The silver-haired woman was wiping her tears. Her pure, innocent face looked incredibly pitiful.

    Behind her was another woman. Her head was covered. She didn''t show her face.

    Three men started to smirk. They found the beauties.

    "Woman, you should be lucky that you are here. If you serve us well, we might give you some love."

    "Please let us go. I have a husband and children waiting for me." Veronica broke into tears. Her acting seemed so genuine that Sebastian praised her inwardly.

    "But doesn''t that woman look slightly different?" one of them pointed at Sebastian.

    Sebastian realized that they would find out that he was a man. He tried to mimic a woman''s voice and said, "What are you saying? I''m a woman in body and mind. Please let me go. Huhuhu!"

    Veronica: "¡­"

    She lowered her face as she didn''t want to show the human traffickers her expression.

    Three men were skeptical but were satisfied with his voice.

    "She has a pretty voice, don''t you agree?"

    "Yes, baby, why don''t you show your face? I''ll give you a good time."

 Chapter 188 - SEBASTIANS ANGER

    <h4>Chapter 188 - SEBASTIAN''S ANGER</h4>

    "Yes, baby, why don''t you show your face? I''ll give you a good time."

    Sebastian cursed them inwardly, ''You, sons of bitches, I will show you my face and make you all faint. Just you wait!''

    "I heard you have big boobs. Show us!"

    Sebastian instantly covered his chest. ''Oh crap! Now what?! Big boobs, grow up please!''

    No matter how much he prayed, his boobs didn''t grow. His chest was as t as a chessboard.

    To those human traffickers, his action looked like he was trying to save his chastity.

    Only Veronica knew that they would screw up if these men saw that Sebastian''s big boobs were gone.

    The human traffickers slowly approached them. Their eyes were on Sebastian.

    The silver-haired woman was off-limits for them. They were warned by their boss earlier.

    Sebastian flinched as he saw them getting closer. He covered his mouth with the red veil and pleaded, "Please, I have a fianc¨¦. We''ll get married in two months. Please, don''t deflower me."

    "Cough! Cough!" Veronica choked.

    She was nning to act more pitiful and scared but Sebastian''s voice was making it hard for her. She slightly moved away when she saw them getting close to Sebastian.

    Those human traffickers approached them despite Sebastian''s pleas. They reached out and touched him.

    The one who was close to him noticed something was odd.

    "Hmm? Why is she so bony? I thought she was a voluptuous woman."

    He touched more and noticed that the big boobs woman didn''t have big boobs but something hard in between his legs.

    The man jumped and went five feet away from Sebastian. His face was pale. He pointed at the man disguised as a woman and shouted, "This¡­ this isn''t a woman. This is a He-She girl!"

    Sebastian couldn''t take any more assaults. He stood up and roared, "Who are you calling a He-She girl?! I''m a full-fledged man!"

    The human traffickers were new to this job. Upon Sebastian''s deration, they realized that something had gone wrong.

    A voluptuous woman turned into a man and it would be entirely their fault!

    If their boss found out, they had to be punished for it.

    They opened their mouths and shouted, "Aaaah!"

    Veronica and Sebastian realized that they couldn''t hide any longer.

    Sebastian told her, "Close your eyes!"

    As soon as she closed her eyes, he took out some shuriken and threw them at those men. The shuriken touched their vital points.

    Their death was instant.

    Veronica opened her eyes after they stopped screaming. Seeing them lying in a pool of blood, she shuddered.

    Sebastian collected their weapons and gave her two knives. "Use them for self-defense," he said.

    "O-okay." Veronica took them.

    They heardmotions outside.

    "Did they hear the scream?" Veronica asked nervously.

    "I guess so." Sebastian wiped his shuriken.

    Veronica became restless. "Merlin isn''t here yet. If we alert the human traffickers, they might leave. The two of us cannot stop them. What should we do?"

    Sebastian wiped his sweat and replied, "Before we can do anything, we have to save our skins!"

    The loud voices and footsteps approached them. The door was opened with a loud bang.

    Four men entered along with the guy with h ck cape. His entire body was covered with ck clothes. Nothing could be seen other than his eyes. His deep blue eyes were unreadable.

    His eyes scanned the whole room. He saw Veronica. She was sitting on the bed and shivering. She looked afraid.

    His eyesnded on the pool of blood. His blue eyes narrowed.

    He nced at the silver-haired woman and asked, "Whose blood is this?"

    "T-the girl¡­ girl w-who was with me¡­ They¡­ they hurt her and took her away¡­ They wanted to hide it but¨C" unable to say anymore, Veronica wailed heartbrokenly.

    She buried her head on her knees and trembled uncontrobly. Her lips quivered as she cried helplessly.

    Her hair and clothes were messy. It looked like she was attacked too.

    "How many? How many men?" the man probed further.

    Veronica fearfully answered, "There¡­ there were t-two at first. Then, three more came. They wanted service but she didn''t a-agree¡­ ohh¡­ What is happening to me?! All I ever wanted to do was earn some money. I want to go home."

    The man frowned. He didn''t like the loud noise that wasing from her mouth. He wanted to make her quiet but he needed some answers first.

    He walked inside the room and stepped close to his reading table. He picked up some papers and read them.

    Veronica''s heart thumped loudly. ''Please don''t let him notice. Please don''t let him notice,'' she prayed in her heart.

    Goddess Juvena heard her prayer and granted her wish.

    The man moved from there as he couldn''t find anything. His deep blue eyes nced at her face.

    He inquired, "There were two women with you. Did they take both?"

    Veronica shook her head. "I don''t know. When I woke up, the girl was already attacked. So scary! So scary!"

    Afterward, no matter how many times he asked, she couldn''t reply. It was hopeless.

    Realizing that she wouldn''t be able to give him more information, he ordered his men, "Find those fools and bring them to me. If those women are dead, throw them away. If they are injured, kill them. We don''t need witnesses."

    He noticed that the silver-haired woman shuddered at his coldmand. He told her, "Don''t worry. As long as you are unharmed, I won''t kill you. So, stay here like a good girl."

    After threatening her, he turned around and left.

    Veronica sobbed loudly and her eyes were under the door. She noticed that the dark shadows didn''t go away from the door.

    She wailed louder until the dark shadow left. After that, she wiped her face and knocked on the bed.

    Sebastian came out from under the bed and stretched his legs and arms.

    He mumbled, "I did a good job keeping all the bodies under the bed. Or else who knew what would have happened."

    Veronica told him, "When he approached the table, I thought he was going to find out for sure that some documents were missing."

    "I knew something was amiss. I know now.''

 Chapter 189 - THE SAME AS HIM

    <h4>Chapter 189 - THE SAME AS HIM</h4>

    Veronica told him, "When he approached the table, I thought he was going to find out that some documents were missing. I was sure that we were going to be exposed. Thankfully, we weren''t."

    While the two of them were talking, they didn''t notice the door opening soundlessly.

    "I knew something was amiss. I know now.''

    A cold voice interrupted their conversation.

    Veronica and Sebastian froze. They were too excited to notice him eavesdropping on their conversation.

    They turned around and saw the man in a ck cape. His face was still covered with the ck hood. Unlike before, she couldn''t see his eyes.

    The man nced at her in an unhurried manner. "Where did you hide the documents?" he interrogated her.

    He was d that he pretended to leave and then eavesdropped without showing his shadow under the door.

    "¡­" Veronica wanted to run away this time.

    ''We don''t have time to wait for Merlin anymore,'' she thought. ''We have to do something on our own.''

    "Answer when I''m asking you nicely. I won''t be polite when I ask you again," the man calmly warned her.

    Veronica stole a nce at Sebastian. She waited for his signal.

    But before he could react, that man threw a knife at Sebastian.

    Sebastian caught the knife easily and didn''t let it injure him.

    The man in the ck capemented, "You aren''t a normal guard. But you dressed up as a woman to find this ce, didn''t you? Who are you?"

    "Your doom," saying that Sebastian rushed toward him.

    The two of them started fighting. Veronica had never seen Sebastian fight before.

    His body was slim but his movements were fast. His arms and legs moved faster than she could see. He attacked, aiming for the vital points, nning to kill his opponent.

    The man with the ck cape wasn''t an easy opponent to deal with. He could follow Sebastian''s movements. He blocked every strike before throwing a kick.

    Sebastian gathered his arms in front of his face to block the kick. It was so powerful that he was pushed back quite a bit.

    The man didn''t look pleased. He asked, "I don''t have time for this. Where are the documents you took?"

    ''He is desperate to find the documents. We should dy him before he calls for others,'' Sebastian thought.

    He told the guy, "The documents are with me. If you want it,e and get it."

    The man didn''t move at first. Then, he pulled out some small knives and threw them at Veronica.

    "Aah!!!" Veronica let out a scream and squeezed her eyes in fear.

    She thought she was going to die for sure but the knives stopped inches before hitting her, paused in mid-air and fell on the bed.

    The man frowned seeing the unexpected oue. "You. What are you?" he questioned her.

    "¡­" Veronica was dumbfounded. She couldn''t understand what just happened.

    However, Sebastian knew what it was. It was a barrier. The barrier was protecting her.

    Nheless, he didn''t have time to exin it to a confused Veronica. Knowing that the guy wanted to kill her, he didn''t waste any more time.

    The man didn''t have the time to think about what just happened. He had to turn his focus to the He-She girl.

    Veronica was shivering in the corner.

    She thought, ''I was almost killed. I thought I was a goner for good. What would happen to Arthur if I was killed? I can''t let this slide.''

    She saw the back of the man facing her. The moment he pushed Sebastian down and straddled him, she flew to him.

    He wasn''t prepared for a heavy burden on his back. As a result, he couldn''t keep his bnce and fell to the ground.

    From down there, Sebastian already noticed that something was flying toward them. The moment itnded on the human trafficker, he rolled away.

    The man''s body crashed on the floor. When he tried to get up, he was unable to do so because someone was still on his back, refusing to move away.

    "Sebastian, tie him up. I got him," Veronica hurriedly said.

    ''What in the world¡­?'' the man''s poker face started to change. The harmless woman turned into something he didn''t expect.

    One became a man and another became someone magical with no experience in that field.

    No matter how astonished he was, he had to fight back. But the silver-haired woman prevented him from getting up and Sebastian''s quick approach stopped his arms from doing anything harmful to them.

    In the end, he was tied up. They covered his mouth so that he wouldn''t shout and warn others.

    "You are not a simple man. I didn''t notice your presence behind the door," Sebastian stated.

    Veronicamented, "I didn''t perceive either. Maybe we were too excited to spot him."

    After all, they rxed when the human traffickers left the room.

    "Did you forget that you checked under the door? You saw no shadow. That''s when you told me toe out," Sebastian reminded her.

    "That''s right. I was so sure. So, when did hee?" Veronica probed.

    Sebastian shook his head. "He must have hidden behind the wall and only heard our conversation. Even so, I should have noticed when he opened the door. That reminds me of that incident. He is just like that man."

    "The incident, do you mean Dastan?" Veronica could never forget that name.

    Dastan tried to kidnap her from the barge and she used an hical and inappropriate way to get away from him. At that time, Arthur didn''t catch sight of him until she shouted for help.

    "This man is just like Dastan, isn''t he?" she mumbled.

    They noticed the man flinch uncharacteristically when she mentioned Dastan''s name. He blinked at her before looking away.

    "You know him, don''t you?" Veronica realized. She checked his hand and there was a ring on his right finger. It was a silver ring. A magical creature was carved on it.

    It was the same creature she saw before. Dastan told her about this creature.

 Chapter 190 - THE DESPERATE PLEA

    <h4>Chapter 190 - THE DESPERATE PLEA</h4>

    "A creature that is half-bird, half-snake. It is called a Basilisk," Veronica muttered.

    She didn''t forget. She could never forget. She never heard of mythical creatures.

    Sebastian never saw the ring before. Now, he did. He took the ring from the man''s hand even though he was resisting.

    He stared at the ring and stated, "He is in the same group as that guy. We should take him to the tower. We will find out why they are after you and why they are connected to human trafficking."

    "It almost sounds like it''s a syndicate. Maybe it''s a big terrorist group who causes chaos," Veronica excitedly said.

    Sebastian was surprised. He mentioned, "I heard you never went outside until recently. How do you know about terrorist groups?"

    Veronica told him, "I read in a detective book. A detective found a syndicate who killed many innocent people for some secret information about other kingdoms. It''s one of the Marshall Nolmes series."

    "You read his book series! Me too! I love his stories. He is my hero! I read his every story!"

    "You too! Finally, I have found someone with whom I can talk about my favorite book. He''s really cool. I''m his diehard fan. But I only have one book. Do you have other series?"

    Veronica went to the library only once. She had yet to visit any library in Tybu. It wouldn''t be bad if she could borrow books from him.

    "Yes! They are in the tower. I kept all the books in my room."

    "Will you let me borrow them? I promise not to leave a single scratch on them."

    "Sure, just read them in your room or mine. You see, they are my babies."

    "You have my word."

    That''s how two Marshall Nolmes fans had berades.

    Sebastian remembered something and told her, "But will you have time to read? I heard Ovior takes your sses all morning."

    "I can read in the evening."

    "Can you?" Sebastian didn''t sound very promising.

    "Ahh¡­" Veronica couldn''t say anything in return.

    After marriage, she had passed the most unproductive week. Unproductive in the sense of work but productive in the biological sense.

    Now, she couldn''t guarantee if she could spend time without Arthur in the evening. He hardly let her be alone.

    Unless he had work, he would stick to her like glue. The honeymoon period was still ongoing.

    Before she could speak, they heard noises outside.

    "We are under attack!"

    "Aahh!"

    "Please have mercy!"

    "Spare my life!"

    Sebastian took out the man''s short knives from the bed and cautiously stepped closer to the door. He eavesdropped, trying to figure out what''s happening outside the room.

    A momentter, he shared his opinion, "I think Merlin brought the guards. They are capturing everyone¡­" He turned toward Veronica and asked, "What are you doing?"

    He saw Veronica crouching down to the man in the ck cape.

    She responded while healing him, "He has injured his leg."

    "I can see that but he just tried to kill you," Sebastian reminded her.

    Veronica simply said, "He has his reason to try to kill me. I don''t need a reason to heal him."

    Sebastian was speechless by her words. He couldn''t argue since she was correct. However, he couldn''t stand it either.

    He shook his head helplessly and muttered, "Sometimes I really don''t understand what you are thinking. He''ll try to kill you again when he has the chance."

    "Let him try." Veronica smiled and pulled on the man''s hood.

    The man''s pale face was revealed. His yellow blonde hair locks covered his forehead. His shining blue eyes were unfathomable. His thin lips were in a straight line, showing his displeasure.

    She was momentarily stunned by his breathtaking beauty before sweetly warning him, "Now I see your face. If you kill me, my soul will haunt you until you breathe yourst breath."

    The beauty silently stared at her before looking away. He didn''t want to speak.

    Sebastian frowned. He wanted to bicker at him but sensing some unusual vibe he focused on the outside situation. He opened the door to go out and let others know about their existence.

    However, he had to halt in his position and then quickly entered the room. He closed the door and stood there with a nk expression for a moment.

    "What''s wrong?" Veronica inquired. "Shouldn''t we go outside?"

    Sebastian replied in slow motion, "They aren''t our men. They aren''t royal guards either."

    Veronica furrowed her eyebrows. "If they are not our people, who are they?"

    Sebastian answered in a daze, "I don''t know. They are wearing ck clothes like typical assassins. They are killing everyone outside."

    "What?!" Veronica stood up. "Even the innocent women and children?"

    He nodded in reply. "I guess so. I saw two dead women outside."

    "We must stop them," saying that she strode in the direction of the door.

    Sebastian blocked the door. "What! No way! You are not going anywhere. If they see us, they will die us. I can''t fight them all. We are heavily outnumbered!"

    He would be killed if she were to go there and try to stop those unknown people.

    Veronica was restless. She retorted, "But we can''t just sit and watch them die. Those innocent people did nothing wrong. They don''t deserve to die like this."

    Her heart ached when she thought of those beautiful performers. When they were reading the documents, she saw the lists of children and men who were abducted by the human traffickers.

    She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. After that, she opened her eyes and said, "Sebastian, I know what you are thinking. But please understand, there are people out there whom I can help. Don''t think about those men and women. At least think about the children. As long as they are alive, I can use my power to heal them. Just this time. Please, let me go out and save those who can be saved before it''s toote."

    She pleaded as her eyes pitifully nced at him, begging with her emerald eyes.

 Chapter 191 - [Bonus ]LYING IN THE POOL OF BLOOD

    <h4>Chapter 191 - [Bonus ]LYING IN THE POOL OF BLOOD</h4>

    "¡­Please, let me go out and save those who can be saved before it''s toote."

    Veronica knew she couldn''t win if she fought against him using her strength. That''s why she had to request him.

    Sebastian stared at her for a long time. He was debating with himself.

    He was strict about not letting her go at first. Nheless, after hearing her pleading, his ears started hearing the cries of people outside. He couldn''t resist as his heart began to sway.

    In the end, he gave in.

    He sighed and told her, "Mistress, there are more than twenty men outside ready to kill us. I may not be able to single-handedly kill them. But, I will try my very best. Please hide under the bed and wait for my return. If I return, you will know every enemy is dead and you can save as many people as you want. If I don''t return, just think I''m dead."

    "No!" Veronica''s reaction was strong. "You muste back alive, in one piece. You are Arthur''s man. I believe in you. You got that?"

    Sebastian smirked. "All right, Ma''m. I must confess, you are really hard to serve."

    "I''ll wait for your return."

    After Sebastian made sure she hid under the bed, he gave the beauty a fair warning, "Don''t try to harm my Miss or you will regret it." Afterward, he went out.

    Twenty minutester ¨C

    Sebastian opened his eyes and found himself on the floor. He tried to move but he couldn''t. His entire body was sore. He recalled before he lost consciousness, he killed some people and injured a few. Later, he was hit on his head hard, and afterward, everything went nk.

    He opened his mouth and tasted something metallic. He frowned as he realized what he just tasted.

    It was blood.

    He looked down and saw that he was lying in a pool of blood. Right in front of his face, there was a dead body. The dead man''s face was so close to him that if he (S) breathed, the carbon dioxide would brush his (dead man) face.

    The dead man''s eyes were open and blood was pouring from his wide-open mouth. Before the person died, he was in great pain. His horrendous expression said it all.

    The pain vanished from Sebastian''s body. The scenery wasn''t something he saw often. He felt like vomiting.

    ''Wait, Mistress¡­'' Chills ran down his spine when he thought Veronica could be in the same situation or dead.

    ''I fainted and so they thought I died. But there is no way they will leave Mistress alone if they find out,'' he thought.

    Panicked, he stood up on shaky legs and sprinted toward the room. The door was wide open. His heart tightened as he rushed to the room.

    "Mistress!" he shouted.

    His heart dropped when he saw Veronica''s body on the bed, unmoved.

    Twenty minutes before ¨C

    Some time passed after Sebastian left the room. Veronica suddenly remembered that she forgot to hide their beautiful hostage under the bed.

    She crawled out and asked him, "Why didn''t you remind me of you? Did you want to die?"

    Even though sheined, the person in question didn''t reply. She suddenly realized why he couldn''t.

    His mouth was covered.

    She pped her forehead. "Silly me. Let me help you hide under the bed. I can''t let you die."

    She grabbed his cor and pulled him with all her might. But she underestimated his weight. He was too heavy for her to bear.

    She dragged him for quite some time before copsing on the floor. She breathed heavily and said, "Why are you so heavy? Phew! You don''t look much but you got some meat under your skin, don''t you?"

    She took deep breaths before standing up to tug him under the bed.

    At that moment, suddenly that man stood up. She was too surprised to move.

    She made sure his legs and arms were all tied. It was impossible for him to move.

    However, not only he stood up but also he moved so swiftly that she didn''t have time to breathe. Before she could blink, he spun her around. Her vision changed quickly and all she could see was the bed.

    She was pinned on the bed.

    The next second, she felt a dull pain on the back of her neck and she lost consciousness.

    The guy rubbed his wrists to help blood circte. He stepped in the direction of the door with long strides.

    After he opened the door, he saw a bloody mess.

    He frowned and looked around. He saw men wearing the same clothes as him. They were ughtering everyone who came to their sight. When they saw the blonde, they ceased their action and came to him.

    One of them said, "We have done everything you ordered. Only a few more left."

    It looked like the yellow blonde haired man was a young master of some family and those men were his minions.

    The man''s sharp eyes scanned the whole area and then coldly asked, "Did you see a redhead?"

    Someone replied, "You mean the ninja? Yes, he is a good fighter but not a good ninja. Already killed five of our people and injured several. But, he won''t live long. We''ll end him soon."

    "No need. Leave him unconscious," he instructed.

    The men in the ck exchanged nces.

    One of them hesitated before saying, "But your order-"

    The man interrupted and crudely said, "Change of order. Let him live."

    "All right." Although they were confused, they finally agreed.

    He was preparing to leave when someone shouted, "Young Master, I found a woman in the room."

    The man''s blonde eyebrows furrowed. "Don''t touch her. Spare her life."

    His underling scratched his head. He was thoroughly confused. "What about the rest?"

    "Kill them. Leave no trace behind," after giving the order, he covered his head with the hood and walked away.

    ''He just left two,'' his team members thought in their minds.

    The immediate superior gestured to others to finish the task. After that, he followed the blonde.

    "Young Master, where are you going next?" he cautiously inquired.

    The Young Master responded, "I need to meet my elder brother. Where is he?"

    The henchman answered, "I heard he was on a mission to capture a silver-haired woman. After he left, I heard nothing from him."

    The Young Master stated, "He must be in his safe house. I''ll go meet him. You all clean up the things here. The pce guards are looking for this ce. Don''t leave any evidence."

    "Understood!" the henchman replied and then added, "But Young Master, the Eldest Master Dastan is in duty. He can''t¨C"

 Chapter 192 - HOPELESSNESS

    <h4>Chapter 192 - HOPELESSNESS</h4>

    "But Young Master, the Eldest Master Dastan is on duty. He can''t¨C"

    "Shut your mouth!" With the Young Master''s warning, the minion sealed his mouth.

    Just then, two minions came and reported, "Young Master, we killed everyone excluding the ninja and the woman in the room. They are both unconscious."

    "And, we found our ring with him." Another one gave the Young Master his silver ring.

    "Splendid. Our work ends here. Remove the tracker barrier. Let''s go."

    The yellow blonde-haired walked away. Fifteen men followed him, carrying their dead fellows'' bodies.

    -

    -

    -

    Twenty minutester, Sebastian woke up and found Veronica on the bed. He rushed toward her and called her desperately, "Mistress, please don''t die on me. I''m the worst bodyguard in history. I promise I will be a better bodyguard and protect you. So, pleasee back!"

    He burst into tears and cried loudly. More than worrying about his life, he was more agonized over the fact he failed to protect her.

    Veronica heard some racket from a distantnd. She frowned.

    ''Who is this? Who is calling me?'' She tried to locate the source of the sound.

    Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she saw Sebastian''s tearful face.

    Sebastian also noticed her eyes opening and he was relieved. "Mistress! You are alive! Thank goodness! I thought I failed you!"

    "What happened¡­" she mumbled and tried to remember what caused her to pass out. When she did, she sat on the bed.

    "That man, where is he?" she looked around but there was no one.

    Sebastian shook his head. "I don''t know. I was fighting with those killers and they got me good. After I regained consciousness, I looked for you and found you here. How did this happen?"

    Veronica looked down and mumbled, "He knocked me out and left."

    "Ahh¡­" He knew even if he wanted to regret it, it wouldn''t give them that man back.

    "Let''s not worry about them, Mistress. We should get out and make Merlin exin to us why he couldn''t bring the guards sooner." He stood up to leave.

    Veronica instantly held his hand to prevent him from leaving. "But the people. All innocent people, what happened to them?"

    "I''m sorry, Mistress." Sebastian looked down. He had no excuse.

    "No¡­ way¡­" Veronica covered her mouth. Her body was shaking. "I don''t believe this."

    She stood up and stepped outside the room. Her eyes turned red as she saw women, teenage boys, children''s dead bodies lying behind the bars.

    Looking at the dead bodies, she couldn''t stay standing anymore. Her legs gave out.

    Before she copsed on the bloody floor, Sebastian caught her.

    "I''m sorry, Mistress," he apologized once again. He too didn''t feel good seeing all the innocent dead bodies.

    They didn''t deserve to die like this.

    "¡­" Veronica couldn''t utter a sound. Her vision became blurry as tears poured from her eyes.

    Her mind was nk. She felt suffocation while looking at the pile of dead bodies.

    ''I was here¡­ but I couldn''t save a single life¡­ not even one life?''

    She was unable to bear the fact that so many people died and she had the power to help them but she couldn''t do it.

    She suddenly opened her mouth. Her eyes widened. However, she couldn''t breathe.

    "Mistress! Mistress!"

    Sebastian noticed her odd behavior and called out frantically. He had no idea what to do.

    "Sebastian! Sebastian!"

    At that moment, he heard a familiar voice, calling his name.

    Afterward, several footsteps rushed toward the prison.

    Merlin, Darius, and Ironin rushed to the spot and saw Sebastian and Veronica. Both were covered in blood.

    "What happened? Are you injured?" Darius sprinted in their direction. His usual rxed expression was gone.

    "Where were you?" Sebastian barked at Merlin. "We have waited for so long. If you had arrived earlier then this wouldn''t have happened!"

    "What? Is she dead?" Darius''s face paled. He examined Veronica''s wrist and rxed his muscles.

    "She is alive," he announced.

    Merlin and Ironin exhaled loudly. They were concerned that she was dead.

    Darius stated, "We were trying to locate your position a hundred times for forty minutes. But we weren''t able to do so. We were just able to get a hold of your position and came to you."

    Merlin looked down. The vexing emotion was making him regret.

    He exined, "It could have been a tracker barrier. That''s why we couldn''t detect your presence. They had a magician with them, didn''t they? Now, there is no trace of any magic around here. The magic barrier must have vanished after the death of the magician. Had I known that there would be a tracker barrier, I would have-"

    Ironin frowned and interrupted with a poker face, "Enough, you couldn''t do anything even if you knew it. You have to break the barrier to use the tracking device. If you did that, you would notify the enemy. Now the question is, why is everyone dead?"

    Veronica already started to breathe properly. She took deep breaths to control her emotions. She didn''t feel like showing her weakness in front of them.

    Sebastian narrated the whole story, "I don''t know. We thought it was you guys. But then, they started killing everyone including these innocent people. Twenty men were wearing back clothes like professional assassins. Mistress wanted to save the innocents and so I tried to fight those guys. In the end, I only killed five men and before I could do anything, I was overpowered.

    "When I regained consciousness, I looked for Mistress. She was attacked by the man who chose performers for trafficking. I think he is their leader. He had the same silver ring as the guy who tried to abduct Mistress from the barge. They must be connected."

    Merlinmented, "They must have found out that their documents were missing. They had seen through our n."

    "So, they wanted to destroy all the evidence before leaving. Now, we won''t be able to trace them," Darius remarked. "Clever!"

    "If that''s how it is then why are you still alive?" Ironin questioned as he nced at Sebastian.

 Chapter 193 - [Bonus ]VERONICAS THOUGHT

    <h4>Chapter 193 - [Bonus ]VERONICA''S THOUGHT</h4>

    "If that''s how it is then why are you still alive?" Ironin nced at Sebastian.

    "I don''t know why they kept us alive." Sebastian looked down and then suddenly remembered, "Ah, I broke his legs."

    "Howe he still spared you? Did he fall for your charisma?" Darius joked.

    Sebastian shook his head. "No, Mistress healed him despite him trying to kill her."

    "So, he fell for her charisma. This is actually worse than falling for you." Darius frowned.

    He didn''t wish to see Arthur in a war for his woman. War because of a woman was the worst kind of war.

    In his eyes, it was stupid.

    Merlin stated, "At least you were saved thanks to her kindness. You and the Mistress should go to the tower and treat your wounds. We will look around and try to find if they left any evidence. The silver ring you keep mentioning is bothering me."

    Upon hearing his remark, Veronica stood up and bnced herself. After that, she announced, "We must tell Arthur about this man and this group immediately. We mustn''t let these innocent lives die in vain."

    Darius told her, "Leave it to us. You should rest. I think you are exhausted. Merlin, teleport them to the tower."

    "Very well." Merlin recited some spells.

    Circles were created under Sebastian and Veronica''s feet. Momentster, lights appeared from it and they disappeared.

    They were teleported outside the Magic Tower. Sensing the presence of authorized people, the gates opened automatically.

    Veronica and Sebastian went inside. Whoever saw them was shocked. They weren''t just in a mess. They were in a bloody mess. Fortunately, it was evening, and not so many people were around.

    The first who noticed them was Catherine.

    "V-Ver!" she eximed as she saw them first. She ran in their direction.

    Veronica stepped back. "Don''te closer. I don''t want to taint you with blood."

    Catherine stopped in her tracks. She quickly said, "I understand. Ipletely understand. But are you injured? It''s not your blood, right?"

    Sebastian answered for Veronica, "She isn''t injured. It''s not her blood. Please take the Mistress to her room."

    Catherine gave him a concerned look before taking Veronica away.

    Sebastian went to Arthur''s office. But not getting any response, he went to Ovior''s room.

    With Ovior''s permission, he entered his office and found Arthur there.

    Looking at his blood-dried clothes and skin, Arthur stood up. "Where is my wife?"

    Sebastian lowered his head and replied, "Mistress is heading to her room."

    Before he could finish his sentence, Arthur disappeared.

    "Geez, if you are going to leave before listening to answer, then don''t ask questions in the first ce," Ovior muttered in annoyance.

    His eyesnded on the bloody ninja and asked, "Is the incident under control?"

    Sebastian politely reported, "Yes, Darius, Ironin, and Merlin went there with guards."

    "We will hear what you have to sayter. Go, wash yourself. You stink." Ovior shooed him away.

    Meanwhile, Arthur found Veronica in the magical lift. She was going to her room. Catherine was apanying her.

    Veronica saw him getting close to her. She hurriedly shook her head. "Don''te closer. You will get dirty."

    "¡­" Arthur stared at her without showing any expression. Afterward, he snapped his fingers and she was dropped in the bathroom.

    "Aaah!" Veronica yelped when her vision suddenly changed. She calmed down realizing that she was sent to the bathroom.

    "Are you hurt?" Arthur questioned her.

    It wasn''t a surprise that he came along as well.

    "I''m not," Veronica replied in a soft voice.

    "Let me see." Arthur moved closer and tugged her clothes.

    Her clothes fell off one by one and revealed her body. The dried blood covered her legs to her knees.

    He frowned.

    Who would want to see someone else''s blood on their beloved?

    Afterward, he carried her to the shower and let the blood wash away from her body. Then, he transferred her to the bathtub. He stayed outside the bathtub so that his clothes didn''t get wet.

    He stole a nce at Veronica. She stayed silent and let him do whatever he wanted.

    He gently stroked her head and asked, "Did something bad happen?"

    His tender and caring voice made her choke. Her eyes welled up. She lowered her head, not letting him see her miserable expression.

    She mumbled in a low voice, "I just wanted to save innocent lives. Why is it so hard to save people?"

    "Did bad guys kill innocent people?" His fingers brushed her hair to the back as he looked at her sorrowful expression.

    She nodded. "Yes, they did. They spared no one. I would have understood if only human traffickers died. But the imprisoned men, women, and children? Why did they have to kill them? They did nothing wrong. They knew nothing at all."

    Arthur could roughly guess what happened.

    He heard her saying, "If we didn''t try to investigate and they didn''t find out that we stole secret documents, maybe they wouldn''t know about us and we would be able to save everyone. I think it''s my fault."

    He retorted, "It is NOT your fault. You didn''t know they were going to kill everyone. Even I wouldn''t know that. If I were you, I would choose the same thing as saving innocent people."

    "What should I do, Arthur? I feel so bad. I had all the power I needed to heal them but I couldn''t save a single child."

    This time, she literally broke into tears. She couldn''t stop herself from crying out loud.

    Arthur silently embraced her. He ced her head on his chest. His dry shirt started to get wet due to her tears.

    Thirty minutester, Arthur went to Ovior''s room. He found Sebastian, Merlin, Darius, Ironin, and Zinnia there.

    He sat down on the couch and ced his legs on the tea table. "Tell me everything that happened."

    Sebastian and Merlin told everything that happened from ''a fat woman taking Veronica to be a performer'' to ''a group of assassins ughtering people''.

    "They ughtered everyone and left you two alone? Why is that?"

    "¡­" Sebastian, Merlin, Darius, and Ironin exchanged nces.

    Should they tell him that the assassin leader fell for Veronica''s kindness?

    Wouldn''t that bring more disaster?

 Chapter 194 - THE PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 194 - THE PLAN</h4>

    Arthur heard what happened and knew that it was Veronica''s n to save the kidnapped people.

    There was no way his men would make her the bait to catch the human traffickers.

    However, one question remained.

    He questioned Sebastian, "They ughtered everyone and left you two alone? Why is that?"

    "¡­" Sebastian, Merlin, Darius, and Ironin exchanged nces.

    He noticed their unusual behavior and asked, "Did something happen that you forgot to mention?"

    Ovior agreed with Arthur. "True. They killed all the abducted people not to leave a trace. Would it make sense if they let you live?"

    Sebastian hesitated before telling him, "Umm¡­ we met a guy who was directly involved with human trafficking. He personally chose people from men and women performers. I broke his legs when he tried to kill the Mistress. Your protection barrier saved her. We tied him up and made sure he wouldn''t cause trouble.

    "But despite my disapproval, Mistress healed his legs saying ''he had reason to try to hurt her but she didn''t need a reason to heal his legs''. I couldn''t force her to do otherwise."

    Arthur coldly uttered, "They were ruthless enough to harm children. They let you live just because my wife healed their man. Does it make sense?"

    Others became quiet. They could feel the pressure build in the silent room. The temperature seemed to drop to the point they felt chills down their spine.

    Ovior stated the obvious, "It couldn''t be that the man had fallen for Veronica, the Mistress of the Magic Tower, could it?"

    ''Is he for real?!?!''

    Sebastian, Merlin, Darius, and Ironin''s thoughts were easy to tell from their expressions.

    Zinnia smirked. "It wouldn''t be bad if a man came to ask for her hand in marriage. Just imagine what will be his expression when he finds out that the girl he gave his heart to is married."

    Ovior rubbed his head and remarked, "It might not be something good. Moreover, she healed him. He found out that there is a silver-haired woman with emerald eyes who can heal people. This happens when Felix just helped us to get rid of the suspicion of the blessed child''s death."

    He exhaled aloud and added, "If this continues, the whole world will find out that she is the blessed child. Felix''s hard work will be in vain."

    Sebastian gulped and mentioned, "There is another thing. The guy had the same silver ring with a basilisk creature curved on it. There was a guy named Dastan who tried to abduct her, wasn''t he? I think they are connected."

    "You are stating the obvious. Argh! I''m going to die with a headache." Ovior was annoyed. "Arthur, I''m telling you. Keep your wife in control. Maybe we should lock her up for some months until everything quiets down."

    "Or, we can just annihte those bastards and they will never speak of Veronica, the blessed child."

    It was a proposal from Darius.

    Ovior''s cold eyes swept at him. "We are so not looking for a war. Don''t add fuel to the fire, Darius."

    Darius shrugged.

    "Even if we want to end his group, we have no idea who they are," Ironin reminded them.

    "Basilisk curved in the silver ring¡­ have you ever heard of it?" Zinnia looked at Ovior.

    "I did read about mythical creatures, but for a n having a symbol like that, I have no recollection of it." Ovior''s answer was negative.

    Darius dered, "The Crown Prince and royal guards already captured the duke and his followers who were involved with the human trafficking. They won''t be able to get away from it since we already collected the documents. Now, that the case is over, we can focus on looking for the silver ring with a basilisk. It''s no good that we have an enemy who we don''t know of."

    "Is that what you wish?" Ovior nced at Arthur who hadn''t talked for a while.

    Arthur finally opened his mouth and said, "They wille after her. We have to stop them before they spread the news that the blessed child is still alive."

    With his permission, Darius stood up and distributed the work, "Then, I''ll go to the bars. Zinnia can go to the red light district. Ironin can visit ck markets. Merlin will go to the royal library and try to find if anything is mentioning a n with basilisk symbol."

    "Fine by me," Zinnia agreed.

    Ironin gave a slight nod.

    Only Merlin had a problem. "I wish I can get an assistant."

    He had to visit thergest library in the kingdom. If he had more helping hands, he would be able to finish his work sooner.

    Arthur said, "Veronica will help you. I''m sure she wants to punish those assassins."

    "She will surely want to finish what she started. This will keep her upied." Ovior liked this idea. "Merlin, give her a hair color-changing potion. Red hair ismon here. Red would be best. I''ll get a pass for her. She won''t have a problem with entering the royal library."

    Merlin replied, "I have a hair color changing potion ready. I''ll give it to her before we leave."

    Arthur stared at Sebastian and said, "You know what you have to do, right?"

    Sebastian flinched and then nodded. "Yes."

    After everyone left, Ovior turned to Arthur. "How''s she holding up?"

    Arthur replied in a grave tone, "She cried a lot and got tired. I made sure she was sleeping and then came here."

    "It must be hard on her," Ovior sympathized.

    "She thinks it''s her fault."

    "It is her fault." After getting a hard re from Arthur, Ovior added, "If that guy didn''t find out that they took the documents, he wouldn''t have ordered his men to kill everyone. I wonder how he did that. I''m d that they found out the culprits but this mass murder¡­ How is the Crown prince going to handle it?"

    Arthur frowned as he recalled something terrible. "I already had an unpleasant meeting with the bitchy Queen. I don''t want to go to the pce anytime soon."

    While they were talking, someone knocked on the door. Ovior used his magic to open it.

    It was a messenger.

    "I have news. It''s about Lord Alexander of Utahill. He¡­"

 Chapter 195 - [Bonus ]THE NEWS FROM UTAHILL

    <h4>Chapter 195 - [Bonus ]THE NEWS FROM UTAHILL</h4>

    While they were talking, someone knocked on the door. It was like someone urgently pping the door.

    Ovior exchanged nces with Arthur before he used his magic to open the door.

    The moment he did, someone barged into the door. He was panting heavily.

    It was a messenger from Utahill.

    "I have news¡­" he could barely speak.

    Ovior curtly told him, "Sit down and catch your breath first. The news isn''t going to fly off the window."

    The messenger sat across Arthur. He couldn''t wait to catch his breath. He said, "It''s about Lord Alexander of Utahill."

    "What did he do this time?" Arthur furrowed his eyebrow.

    The messenger announced, "He was assassinatedst night. The news spread all over Utahill''s capital city. He was a powerful man after all."

    "!!!" Ovior was shocked by the news. He wasn''t expecting this.

    The messenger added, "The Holy Temple announced that it was a curse. They said Lord Alexander was trying to find the blessed child in an unholy way and so the blessed child was found dead. The curse was put upon Lord Alexander because Goddess Juvena was angered by him."

    Arthur asked him, "How does his assassination have anything to do with a curse? Why did the holy Temple say something like that?"

    The messenger shared the detailed information, "It''s because he was burned to death. Before his death, he was being hanged on his balcony and everyone in his house saw his body burning while he screamed in pain. When people rescued his body, it was already toote."

    "Felix has done it this time." Arthur looked satisfied. "When is heing back?"

    The messenger answered, "He was traveling to the east. I think he is going to meet his tribe beforeing here."

    "He can take his time. What about the peace treaty between Sia and Riverhill?" Arthur inquired.

    The messenger exined, "The blessed child is dead but it was suspected to be a fake. The one who was leading the investigation was Lord Alexander. He is also dead. Moreover, his bad deeds came to the light. It is also said that he murdered his cousin, Sister Ruth. He was marked as a viin by the King of Utahill.

    "And after the Holy Temple''s deration, the investigation came to an end. The blessed child was given a proper burial and everyone started to believe that it was a curse. Sian and Riverhill lost their hope and ceased their action. Whatever illegal business they were doing under Utahill''s royalty had been ordered to be taken down."

    With Arthur''s gesture, the messenger left.

    "All''s well that ends well." Ovior leaned against his chair and turned to Arthur. "I wonder why the Holy Temple helped Veronica."

    Arthur shrugged. "Beats me. I''m still not sure where she was for six months before she went to the desert. I can''t focus on my work when I think about that."

    Ovior poured two sses of white wine. He handed one to Arthur and said, "We should celebrate that Lord Alexander was killed. Now all the royal families who heard about Veronica need to hear this. I hope they get scared of the curse andy low."

    After drinking with Ovior, Arthur went back to his bedroom using teleportation.

    While flying in the air, he looked down at Veronica''s sleeping form.

    She was wearing a sky blue-colored nightgown. She was sleeping soundly. She was breathing heavily.

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. He came down and touched her face. He felt a high temperature. Her body was burning.

    "Nica? Nica!" he called out anxiously.

    At that time, Veronica was walking in darkness. Scared, she called out for Arthur. But he was nowhere to be seen.

    ''I should find something. Staying here won''t help.'' As she decided, she walked further.

    She walked for a long time. In the end, she saw a lighting from a far distance. She sped up.

    When she saw the bright light shining over the ce, her face beamed in happiness and relief.

    However, she paused on her track when she saw several people of all ages wearing white clothes just like she used to wear in the temple. There were children, teenagers, and young men and women.

    They noticed her presence and weed her with friendly smiles.

    Children came running to her and hugged her legs. They smiled brightly at her and said, "Sister, you are so pretty! Your hair is so shiny!"

    "Beautiful sister, are you here to y with us?"

    "Sister, you will stay with us forever, right?"

    "Sister, aren''t you one of us?"

    Feeling confused, she looked at the lively children and suddenly halted. Her body froze on the spot. She saw two familiar faces. She saw two children before in the human trafficking center.

    She saw their dead bodies.

    Her face paled. "What¡­ is going on?"

    "Sorry for bothering you." A woman came forward. "Although you look familiar, you are not one of us, are you?"

    "What do you mean?" Veronica asked her.

    The girl was the dancer in the restaurant. She danced in the same group as Veronica.

    She answered, "We were taken to be sold out in foreign countries. But, some people came and killed us. We knew too much. I heard royal guards were searching for them. That''s why they had to seal our mouths."

    Tears fell from Veronica''s eyes like a waterfall. She felt a strong sense of guilt. It was killing her. "I''m so sorry. It''s all my fault."

    Another girl approached and stated, "I don''t know what you are talking about. I don''t know what''s your connection with them. Did you order them to kill us?"

    Veronica wept and shook her head. "No. How could I? I wanted to save you all."

    A teenage boy stepped closer and gave her hope by saying, "You can still save us. Please find the killers and bring justice for us.

    Someone else said, "I left my poor parents and siblings at home. Many of us had precious families. We lost them as we were looking to earn money."

    The children started to say, "Pretty sister, will you punish those bad guys?"

 Chapter 196 - [Bonus ]THE DREAM AND THE PROMISE

    <h4>Chapter 196 - [Bonus ]THE DREAM AND THE PROMISE</h4>

    The children started to talk. "Pretty sister, will you punish those bad guys?"

    "Sister, punish them. I wanted to buy some medicine for my sick mother. But then, I was kidnapped. No one is there to save my mother now."

    "Sister, I wanted to y with my friends but I was kidnapped too. I want to y with them but I can''t do it anymore. Punish those bad guys, okay?"

    Veronica looked at them, feeling overwhelmed.

    She shut her eyes and thought, ''I could have saved them. If only I was more powerful ¡­''

    As if they could listen to her inner voice. They told her, "No matter how much you regret, it won''t bring us back. We don''t know what you have done but if you help us now, we will know you as our benefactor."

    Veronica hesitated, "¡­But¡­"

    "You can do this!"

    "We have high hopes for you, beautiful sister!"

    Veronica heartbrokenly stared at them. ''If I was more experienced and knowledgeable, they would be alive today. It''s true that I cannot change the past. But I can change the course of the future.''

    She clenched her fist and looked at them. "I promise I will bring you justice. Just give me some time."

    Everyone smiled at her as she promised them.

    "You have all the time you need."

    "We will be rooting for you."

    "Good luck, beautiful sister!"

    "May the Goddess bless the light upon you."

    -

    -

    -

    "Nica? Nica!"

    Veronica sensed someone shaking her body. She slowly opened her eyes. Her head was feeling lighter but her body felt heavy.

    She nced at him and uttered in a tired voice, "Arthur, I feel weird."

    Upon hearing her weak voice, Arthur''s frown deepened. He helped her to sit up and stated, "Of course you feel weird. You have a fever."

    Using his magic, he brought a tray of food. There was a bowl of chicken soup.

    "Here, finish this and take medicine." Arthur took a spoonful of soup and blew it before feeding her.

    Veronica shivered as she felt chills. The hot soup made her inside warm. It felt good.

    The more he was being gentle, the more she felt miserable. She chewed chicken and secretly stole a nce at her husband.

    Arthur noticed her behavior and inquired, "Is there something you want to say to me?"

    She fidgeted and then asked, "Um¡­ Arthur¡­ Do you hate me now?" Her voice quivered as she talked. She was afraid of being despised by him.

    Arthur put down the bowl and looked at her. "Why on earth will I hate you?"

    Veronica lowered her head and mumbled, "I caused a big trouble again, didn''t I?"

    Arthur paused before saying, "Well, I won''t lie to you. All you had to do isy low and not use your healing power outside the Magic Tower. Felix did his best to make everyone believe that the blessed child is dead. But the enemy already knows that you are alive and kicking. And we have no idea who the enemy is."

    "¡­" Veronica wished she could crawl into a hole.

    "¡­Do I have to stay inside the Magic Tower for years?" she felt restless just to ask this question.

    Arthur was speechless by her train of thoughts. He told her, "You have to stay in this bed as long as you have a fever."

    She yed with her fingers and questioned him, "What will happen after I get better?"

    Arthur observed her worried expression and dyed his answer, "You can go outside with a disguise."

    Veronica exhaled loudly. "Oh, okay." She was feeling better as if her fever had gone down.

    Arthur added, "You are allowed to go to the imperial library with Merlin. He needs your help."

    Veronica was stunned. Her blood started to boil. "Imperial Library? For what?"

    Arthur disclosed, "We have to catch the enemies who killed those innocent people, don''t we?"

    "Arthur¡­ I love you!!!" Veronica jumped onto him.

    She was so excited that she forgot that she was sick. The dark cloud was gone from her face and her face beamed.

    Arthur broke into a smile. "Easy there. You have a fever, remember?"

    Veronica breathed in and stated, "You know I just had a dream. Those people came to my dream and asked me to get them justice. After everything that has happened, I''m really scared to go out. I think I''ll make mistakes even if I have goodwill."

    Arthur held her securely and asked, "Then, do you want to stay inside your room?"

    "I''ll just do whatever I''m capable of. I won''t do anything that is not meant for me."

    "What is not meant for you?"

    "Dangerous tasks, such as fighting. I don''t want to risk others'' lives for my selfishness."

    He caressed her back and agreed to her wish, "Fine. You can have some action after learning how to fight. Now, you can help us find those assassins by reading hundreds of books. You are good at it, right?"

    "Yes!"

    Arthur smiled as he saw her excitement. He lovingly gazed at her and reminded her, "Finish your meal and sleep tight. If you don''t rest enough, you won''t be able to get better soon and work with us."

    She finished her meal without objection and took the medicine. Afterward, Arthur tugged her under the nket.

    The medicine started its work. Veronica felt drowsy. Soon, she went to dreand.

    The next day, she was all better. She went to Ovior''s room where she found Merlin.

    Ovior gave her a brief look before asking, "How are you feeling, Veronica?" She requested him to call her by her name.

    Veronica replied, "I''m feeling better. I want to assist you with work."

    "Please don''t forget to take your potion. Merlin made it for you. I have a humble request. Please don''t cause us any trouble. The Imperial Pce is out of our reach as you may know well."

    It sounded like Ovior was practically begging a child not to be mischievous.

    "I''ll do my best," Veronica swore. She was feeling embarrassed realizing how much trouble she caused for this poor man who had dark circles under his eyes.

    "Off you go."

    That''s how Veronica stepped into the Imperial Pce of Tybu.

 Chapter 197 - LETS WORK HARD

    <h4>Chapter 197 - LET''S WORK HARD</h4>

    "Red hair looks good on you," Merlinmented.

    "Thank you." Veronica looked around like a child. She was thrilled to enter the Royal Pce.

    After showing the pass, the carriage stopped in front of the Imperial Library. She looked at the stone-built library, standing tall and proud.

    Two guards were standing beside the door. Merlin bade them, "Good day."

    The guards knew Merlin. They replied in a friendly manner, "Good day to you, Wizard Merlin. What brings you here today?"

    Merlin always worked in the absence of Arthur. While Ovior took care of Arthur''s Magic Tower work, Merlin took care of outside works.

    He was the third powerful magician in the Magic Tower. His position was right after Ovior.

    Despite being a powerful magician, he wasn''t a mass murderer like Arthur or gloomy like Ovior. He was popr for being humble and polite. That''s why he was more approachable than the other two.

    Guards in the Imperial Library were also fond of him. He was one of the very few who greeted anyone with a lower position than him.

    Merlin replied truthfully, "For research."

    He came here for research purposes since he was an apprentice wizard. Thus, the guards weren''t wary of him.

    Their eyes went behind Merlin.

    "Who is the girl with you?" one of them asked.

    "My apprentice," Merlin replied.

    "Hello," Veronica, who was wearing a magician''s apprentice uniform, greeted them. She tugged her red locks behind her ears and gave them a small nod.

    The guards felt that someone tugged at the string of their hearts. They couldn''t take their eyes off her.

    Veronica''s white dress with red stripes danced in the wind. With her pale skin, red hair, and green hair, she looked so charming that everyone who passed by turned to steal a nce at her.

    "D-do you have a pass?" the guard stammered.

    "Yes," Veronica showed her pass.

    Afterward, the guards had no reason to stop her from going inside.

    Only nerds went to the library. But even those nerds who thought nothing more than books and knowledge stared at her, feeling dumbstruck.

    Veronica, who didn''t like to have attention, ufortably hid her hair and face under the hood. She quietly said, "I think my red hair is attracting more attention."

    "The section we are going to, there won''t be many people. Come with me," Merlin urged her.

    They climbed the stairs and went to the top floor. There was a huge door blocking them from going inside.

    Merlin used his pass to open the door. It seemed to be sealed with magic.

    There were no stone walls. The sunlight came through ss walls. The ceiling was lower than other floors.

    This room didn''t have tall bookshelves like other floors. This ce only had books and a carpet.

    Merlin told her, "Leave your shoes here. We can''t walk wearing shoes on the carpet."

    "Okay," Veronica agreed. She put the shoes close to the door and walked on the carpet barefooted.

    The carpet was soft. Her legs sank on the carpet. She took off her shoes.

    "You will start from the right corner. I will start from the left corner. We will try to find anything that mentions basilisks. Since the books aren''t arranged, it will be hard to find any information. These books are rare and expensive. Please be gentle with them."

    With Merlin''s instruction, they started working.

    They went to the canteen to have lunch beforeing back and starting their work.

    While looking through the pages, Veronica mentioned, "I wish Felix was here with us. He would be a great helping hand."

    Merlin inquired, "Did you not know about Felix?"

    Veronica nced at him. "What? Did something happen to him?"

    "He sessfully killed Lord Alexander and avenged his lover," Merlin disclosed. "Since you had a feverst night, Arthur didn''t tell you the details. All the search and investigation for the blessed child has ceased. If you stay quiet for a while, everyone will forget about the blessed child''s existence."

    "So, it really happened. I''ll be free."

    Veronica didn''t know what she was feeling. Her heart suddenly felt light.

    Merlinmented, "You were always free. It''s just, you will be in less danger. That''s why we need to find those men with basilisk rings as soon as possible. Arthur wants to get rid of anyone who threatens your life. That''s why let''s hurry and find information about them."

    Veronica looked at the book she was holding and told herself, ''Arthur is doing so much for me. I have to help him find those men. I will never forget the dream I hadst night. I must do something for those children and innocent people.''

    -

    -

    -

    -

    Havana Desert ¨C

    Felix was looking at the desert. His eyes were settled. He liked the yellow sands. It made him feel he was in his home.

    "You did a good job in Utahill," a voice spoke from behind.

    Felix didn''t move. "I didn''t expect you to visit here," he said.

    "I had toe." Arthur stood beside him and asked, "How are you feeling?"

    "Empty. Although I killed him, it won''t bring back Joana and my children." Felix looked down and sighed.

    Arthur grabbed his shoulder. He said nothing. Two of them stayed like this for a long time.

    Felix broke the silence first. "How''s your married life? Why didn''t you go on your honeymoon?"

    Arthur answered, "I had too much work to finish. And now we are going after a n. The n that tried to abduct Nica from the barge. Now they know the blessed child is alive."

    Felix remembered. "The man whose presence you didn''t notice. He is giving you a hard time."

    Arthur shook his head. "It''s not him. This time, it was another of his n. We think it''s a n because he didn''t work alone. He had an entire group of assassins. He was also wearing a silver ring with a basilisk creature engraved on it."

    Felix frowned, "A basilisk creature¡­ very umon. I think¡­ I heard about it somewhere."

    "Where? Where did you hear about it?"

 Chapter 198 - THE JOURNEY

    <h4>Chapter 198 - THE JOURNEY</h4>

    Felix frowned, "A basilisk creature¡­ very umon. I think¡­ I heard about it somewhere."

    Arthur nced at him. "Where? Where did you hear it?"

    Felix turned his face toward him. "Are you ready to travel?"

    "¡­"

    Felix added, "Of course, you cannot bring your wife."

    Arthur remarked, "Let''s finish this soon."

    -------

    "What? You will be gone for two days?!" Veronica did not expect that.

    She was talking to Arthur using hermunication device. She started carrying it in case of an emergency.

    Arthur exined shortly, "Felix said he knows someone who can tell us about the basilisk ring. We are going to find out together."

    Veronica was surprised as she didn''t expect Arthur to go and meet Felix. "Oh, you are with Felix. Is he¡­ all right?"

    "Did Merlin tell you about something?" Arthur could guess.

    Veronica didn''t hide. "Yes, Lord Alexander is dead. Felix killed him."

    "It''s true. He is alive. He will be okay."

    "That''s good to know."

    "What about you? Still in the library?"

    "Yes, there are lots of books. We are checking every page. It isn''t easy." Veronica paused and then added, "Are we¡­still going on our honeymoon?"

    Arthur nodded, "Yes, we are. After we find out who those people are, we will leave it to Darius and the team. After wee back from our honeymoon, we will hear the news from them."

    Veronica scratched her nose. "I don''t think I can have fun thinking about all that."

    Arthur smiled in understanding. "Right now, what you are doing is enough. If you want, we will wait until they hunt those men down. I''m not in a rush. So, you don''t have to worry either. Just focus on what you are doing."

    Veronica stared at his face that was so close to her and yet so far away. "I will miss you."

    "Me too."

    After the call ended, Veronica looked down. She suddenly felt an emptiness in her heart. They hadn''t been separated for some time. It just felt so weird not to have him around.

    "Can we stay here for the night?" she suddenly suggested.

    "!!!" Merlin was drinking water. He was almost choked by her sudden proposal.

    He knew she meant it in an innocent way. But being an adult meant thinking everything in an impure way. Even he couldn''t escape from having impure thoughts.

    She had a long way to go to learn the adultnguage.

    He put down his water bottle and inquired, "Why do you want to do that?"

    Veronica replied, "I don''t feel like going home. Rather, I want to find out about those men as soon as possible."

    Her heart wanted to fly to Arthur and help him out there. However, she held back thinking she might make a mess.

    "Sure, it would be better if we stayed here day and night. I''ll go and bring the necessary things." Merlin stood up and was ready to get out of the room.

    Veronica asked him, "Can''t you teleport?"

    Merlin told her, "The Imperial Library is under the Royal Pce. There are some protocols we must obey. If we don''t, Arthur will take away the license of being a legal magician and take away the power. Many magicians lost their powers and status and magicians like that."

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless.

    She pondered, ''Rules are meant to be followed everywhere. It''s the same in Utahill and here. But if I didn''t break the rules, would I ever meet Arthur? Things I know, would I know them if I didn''t break the rules? Which rule should I break and which rule should I not? So confusing¡­''

    -

    -

    -

    After talking to Veronica, Arthur dressed up, getting ready for another adventure.

    "Are you leaving already? I''ve baked some potatoes you brought." The wife of the desert chief came inside the tent and saw Arthur packing his bag.

    Arthur carried the back on his shoulder and stated, "I brought them for you, not for me to eat. I''m in a hurry. So, we can''t dy."

    "Are you hurrying because you miss your wife?" The old woman teased him, "I knew you were head over heels for her. Don''t leave her alone for too long. Newly wedded couples should stay together for at least a month. Your father and I went on a honeymoon for three months. Work isn''t everything. Remember that."

    "Yes, yes. I''m doing this for my lovely wife. If not for her, why would I separate from her before our honeymoon? I''m leaving first."

    "Be careful on the road," she said from behind.

    "Leaving already?"

    This time, he faced the leader of the desert tribe.

    Arthur paused on his track. "Do you have anything to say to me, old man?"

    The leader of the desert tribe sharply stared at him. "I already scolded Felix. He changed the course of the future by killing the nobleman in Utahill. I hope I don''t have to lecture you the same thing."

    Arthur frowned. "You cannot scold him when he doesn''t know what the future would hold."

    Felix came out of his tent and dered, "It''s fine. Even if I knew the future, I would still kill him for what he had done."

    "You!!! Rascal!!!" The leader of the desert tribe scolded nonstop.

    Without caring what he was saying, Felix and Arthur bade their farewell.

    "Where are we heading?" Arthur inquired.

    "Sia," Felix replied. "We will head to the capital city. Let''s use your teleportation. It''ll be faster."

    Using Arthur''s power, they directly went to Sia.

    Looking at the crowded city, Arthur murmured, "It''s been a while. The city is the same asst time I saw it."

    "It was a disaster after you left with the cat Veronica. Soldiers were everywhere in the town. The situation turned normal after Lord Alexander died." Felix''s eyes darkened as he thought about how he killed Lord Alexander.

    shback ¨C

    A few nights ago, Lord Alexander came to his room after taking a shower. Wearing his nightgown, he poured red wine for himself.

    At that time, someone knocked on the door. Without him saying anything, the door was opened and a girl wearing a white nightgown entered the room.

    The beautiful girl was tall with light tan skin and shiny brown hair. Her brown eyes were timidly looking at him.

    "Come¡­ Joana."

 Chapter 199 - THE NIGHT HUNT

    <h4>Chapter 199 - THE NIGHT HUNT</h4>

    The girl wearing a white nightgown was tall with light tan skin and shiny brown hair. Her timid eyes had brown pupils.

    She looked exactly like the woman in the temple who killed herself.

    Lord Alexander scanned her up and down and the corner of his lips lifted in satisfaction.

    "Come¡­ Joana¡­"

    The girl, whose name was not Joana but she had to act like one, shivered as she heard him.

    Her heart sensed a pang of pain when he called her by someone else''s name. Even so, she didn''t express it. With shaky legs, she stepped forward and stopped in front of him.

    Lord Alexander reached out and pinched her chin. Then, he raised her face and turned her to the candlelight. The yellow candlelight illuminated her face.

    He admired her face a little longer before devouring her lips. Her lips were so soft and kissable.

    He groaned and deepened the kiss. His hands undressed her without hesitation.

    The girl shivered as she felt his touch on her bare skin. Her body started to react to his fingers.

    He pushed her to the bed and caressed her entire body.

    "Joana¡­" he whispered the same name.

    The girl trembled as he did so. He furrowed his eyebrows.

    "What do you think you are doing?" he coldly chided. "This is not how Joana would react. She would look at me lovingly." He grabbed her face tightly and ordered her, "Now, do it."

    It pained her when the man she gave her heart to didn''t see her for who she was. He was looking for someone else in her.

    He just needed her shell.

    That''s all she could offer.

    Even if she gave him her heart, he wouldn''t notice. He wouldn''t care. He wouldn''t bother.

    She was taken from her poor family and was offered a luxurious home. She and her family would eat and sleep without worrying about money.

    The only thing she had to do to keep things as they were was to serve the Lord who offered her food and shelter.

    She had to learn about a certain woman. She had to act like her. If it was to eat or sleep or talk or walk, she must do exactly like thatdy who was no longer on the earth.

    She had to change her voice. She had to change everything about herself.

    She had turned into a different person, the person her employer needed.

    Night after night serving him, she fell in love with him.

    It was a mistake.

    Because of that, she became greedy. She felt every minute was a living hell.

    She fell in love with a man who called her by a name that wasn''t hers. He wanted her to be someone who she wasn''t.

    Sometimes, she wished to go back to what she was. She wished for no more luxury.

    But, she simply couldn''t turn back time.

    She had no power to do that.

    This man was just too powerful.

    He dived deep inside her. He felt warmth. He sniffed and smelled a familiar smell.

    He found happiness. He was at ease. That was her, his Joana. The woman who was supposed to be his.

    He always dreamed to be with her just like this. But in the end, she betrayed him.

    She gave herself to some street dog and became pregnant.

    The anger and hatred he felt back then had known no bounds.

    That''s why he punished her.

    Thinking of that, a creepy smile crept on his lips.

    He heard her moans and soft gasps. He sped up, thrust with all his might, going deep inside. He passionately called her name and firmly embraced her sweaty body.

    ''She is mine. Mine for eternity. I will not give you to anyone. You are bound to be tied with me for eternity.''

    After he was done, he got up from the bed.

    She knew that her time was over for the night.

    ''Why? Why does it have to be her? She is your cousin! Your blood!''

    She wanted to scream but nothing came out. She lowered her head helplessly and put on her clothes before walking away.

    The door was closed from behind. Lord Alexander took his wine ss and sat on his chair.

    "You are the most disgusting person I''ve ever met in my life. Even the King of Sia is far better than you."

    A voice stated from the dark.

    Lord Alexander didn''t seem to be fazed by this voice of unknown origin. He seemed rather rxed. It wasn''t the first time he had unwanted visitors in his room.

    He smirked. "Heh, so you support a man who wants to marry a woman of his child''s age?"

    The unknown person mocked, "At least he never lusted for his blood-rted cousin."

    Lord Alexander didn''t smile anymore. "Who are you? Show yourself," he demanded.

    The person came to the light. The ck figure waspletely covered. He had two swords on his back. The person took off his mask and revealed his identity.

    Lord Alexander let out a sigh as if he failed in a game. "Ahh¡­ I thought you were dead. My men really did some sloppy job. I''ll deal with themter."

    Felix shrugged. "They did the best they could. They couldn''t just outsmart me, that''s all."

    "Shall we see how smart you are?" Lord Alexander tried to stand up but his head spun. He was dumbfounded. "What¡­."

    Felix stayed where he was. "Sorry, you can''t move. I added a drug in your wine before you entered the room. It''s the best one you can find in the town. I''m surprised that you can still stand. You are in good shape."

    ''This guy was here from the very beginning and I didn''t sense him?'' Lord Alexander realized that Felix wasn''t like the past assassins he killed.

    He forced augh not to show his nervousness. "Peeking on one''s lovemaking, you sure are uncouth."

    "Not as uncouth as you." Felix drew his de and pointed at him. "Tell me, was Joana''s death simply a suicide? What did she know?"

 Chapter 200 - STORY ABOUT BASILISK

    <h4>Chapter 200 - STORY ABOUT BASILISK</h4>

    Felix drew his de and interrogated him, "Tell me, was Joana''s death was simply a suicide? What did she know?"

    Lord Alexander''s expression abruptly changed. He red at Felix and threatened him, "Don''t you dare to utter her name with your filthy mouth."

    Felix stubbornly said, "I have every right to utter her name. She is my lover and the mother of my two children."

    "Shut your mouth!" Lord Alexander barked. "I don''t want to hear anything about your children!"

    Felix squinted his eyes. "I assume you knew."

    Lord Alexander replied with a distorted expression, "Well of course. That''s why I had to punish her."

    "Then I guess her insanity wasn''t just an act," Felix''s voice turned cold.

    "No, it was real. After what happened that day, she couldn''t just stay sane. Haha! That''s the best way to break her down." Lord Alexander''s eyes sparked with madness.

    Felix had a bad premonition. "What did you do?"

    "What do you think I did?"

    Felix came closer. The tip of his sword touched Lord Alexander''s neck. "I don''t have time for this. Looking at your face makes me disgusted. No wonder she left you for good."

    "Shut up! Shut up!" Lord Alexander shouted. He didn''t want to hear that Joana left him or betrayed him. Just thinking about that made him go crazy.

    Felix persistently asked, "I won''t ask you again. What did you do to her?"

    Lord Alexander suddenly quieted down. Then, he looked at Felix and grinned. "I married her. We spent three days together. Do I have to fill you in with the rest?"

    The eyes of Felix grew wide in shock. If there was a 1% chance that it was true, he didn''t have to imagine what happened after the marriage.

    At that time, Felix didn''t know what to feel. His lover was pregnant, and she was forced to marry her blood-rted cousin.

    A sin. It was a grave sin.

    No wonder she became insane.

    As a man, as a lover, as the father of his children, how could he ept that?

    "You monster!"

    Felix''s grip on his sword tightened.

    Lord Alexander saw his immense fury and burst intoughter. "Ahahaha! She is mine! There is no way I will hand her over to you!"

    "¡­" Felix''s sword shook. He truly wished from the depth of his heart.

    ''No! This isn''t right. If he dies, his suffering will end as well. I can''t let him go that easily.''

    Thus, he nned to burn him alive in front of everyone in his state.

    shback ends ¨C

    -----------

    In the capital city of Sia, Arthur and Felix went to the local market.

    It was noon. People were bustling there. Felix slipped inside the huge crowd.

    Arthur tried to quicken his pace but there were just too many people. When he almost thought that he lost Felix in the crowd, he found him in front of an alley.

    Felix smirked when he saw Arthur sweating in the heat. "How does it feel to be in the crowd again?"

    "Terrific." However, Arthur didn''t seem amused.

    Felix chuckled. "I thought you would love to be far from the tower. Am I wrong?"

    Arthur reminded him, "I''m a man with a family now."

    "¡­" Felix thought, ''I shouldn''t have teased him. Now, he is showing off in front of me.''

    With his somber expression, he took the man with the family to a restaurant. The restaurant was popr for its cheap and delicious food. It was lunchtime. Couples, families, and travelers were eating there.

    There was only one space that was left in the corner. The curtains in that corner were blocking the window, not allowing the sunlight to approach the table. Surprisingly, the round table had only one chair as if only one specific customer was allowed to sit in that chair.

    They saw an old man sitting on that specific chair. The old man was sitting there idly. He wasn''t eating. He had a toy in his hand.

    Felix stepped forward and stood in front of him. He took off the shawl from his head and revealed his face. "Mr. Maximilien, it''s been a while. How are you doing?"

    Upon hearing his voice, the old man raised his head. His face beamed as he saw Felix. "Isn''t this Felix? Oh, my dear boy, it''s been so long. How are you?"

    Felix politely replied, "I''m doing fine. I''ve brought a friend with me today. I told him about you. Now, he is interested in hearing stories from you. No one is as good as you when ites to stories."

    Mr. Maximilienughed out loud. "Haha! You tter me, my boy. I have told you so many stories. I don''t think I have any more stories to share with you."

    Felix assured him with a smile. "If that''s the case then I hope you can tell us the old stories. I would love to hear those stories again."

    Mr. Maximilien granted his wish by saying, "Very well then. Bring your friend and join me."

    Arthur brought two chairs and introduced himself, "I''m Arthur from Utahill, Mr. Maximilien. I''m a librarian. I love stories and Felix told me about you."

    Mr. Maximilien was d that the young man talked to him so politely. Nowadays, it''s hard to find polite, humble people. "Good boy, Arthur. I''ll tell you any kind of stories you want to hear."

    Arthur''s eyes looked at Felix before asking the old man, "How about a story of a basilisk?"

    "Basilisk?" Mr. Maximilien frowned. He tried to remember if there was any story like that. When he remembered, he said, "Ah yes, I know a story about a basilisk. A serpent-like creature capable of destroying other creatures by way of its deadly stare. I knew a basilisk who was known as Ravato. It was thest basilisk in the world. It was a female.

    "Female basilisks are cruel and fierce. Ravato was no different. Her greatest enemy was Romano, a giant dragon. One day Romano and Ravato had a deadly fight. Ramano won."

    "Ravato bled so much that it turned into a river. The legend says that whoever drank her blood turned into¡­"

 Chapter 201 - THE TRUTH BEHIND THE BASILISK RING

    <h4>Chapter 201 - THE TRUTH BEHIND THE BASILISK RING</h4>

    Mr. Maximilien knew how to tell a story. Felix and Arthur held their breaths as they listened.

    Mr. Maximilien continued, "Ravato and Romano fought. It was a fierce fight. Legend said that due to their fight, thends were divided and turned into continents. Half of the forest was destroyed. In the end, Romano won."

    "Ravato bled so much that it turned into a river. The legend says that whoever drank her blood turned into something that was not a human."

    There, he paused. Maybe due to his old age this ny five year old man was taking a break.

    "Not a human?" Arthur was curious. "Then what?"

    Mr. Maximilien was pleased by his curiosity. "They turned into elves."

    "Elves?" Arthur''s heart shook in exhration.

    "Is that really possible?" Felix was shocked.

    He did hear the story before but didn''t pay that much attention since he was drunk at that time. That''s why he was as surprised as Arthur.

    Mr. Maximilien chuckled as he noticed Felix''s disbelief. "They are not just elves for nothing. By drinking Ravato''s blood, they became a part of mother nature."

    Arthur stated, "We are also a part of mother nature."

    "We are but the only thing humans do is destroy mother nature even after knowing that they won''tst without nature. We are the most intelligent and yet the most foolish creatures on earth," Mr. Maximilien expressed his abhorrence. "Anyway, these elves can use mother nature for their survival."

    Felix exchanged nces with Arthur before probing further, "How do they use mother nature for survival? Like us?"

    Mr. Maximilien shook his head. "No! They have powers, powers to control earth, water, fire, woods, and air. It''s different from magic. For wizards, they need mana to control their magic. For elves, they don''t need mana. They just have to be connected to the natural elements."

    Arthur was deep in thought. ''That man named Dastan could fly without being a ninja. He can hide his presence around me. He can move without making a sound like an assassin. He was using air to his advantage. Now, it makes sense.''

    He inquired, "Can you tell us details about these elves? Where do they live? Do they have some kind of n?"

    Mr. Maximilien became quiet as he was thinking. "Hmm¡­ I cannot say for sure. If you want to know the details, you have to search ancient libraries. They might have some old scrolls that might give you some information. Nowadays, libraries don''t have ancient scrolls."

    Arthur knew what he said was true. However, he was skeptical about the source of information. "How did you know about the stories of elves?"

    Mr. Maximilien told them his story, "My father was a pirate. He used to tell me great stories about his adventure. My mother was tired of living as a pirate''s wife. So, she left and took me with her. After growing up, I went to look for my father countless times, but the ocean didn''t want me to find him. I never saw my father again."

    Arthur sympathized, "That must be hard. I''m an orphan. I don''t know how it feels to have parents'' love. I''m sure what your mother did was for the best."

    "I also thought the same thing. I was too attached to my father. My mother was worried that I would be a pirate. Back then, I was young and med my mother. I regrettedter when I lost her." After a pause, Mr. Maximilien said, "Enough about me. Why are you curious about elves?"

    Arthur exined, "It''s not that we are curious. We had no idea about elves. We encountered two men who had silver rings and a basilisk was carved on each ring. We never knew anyone who was like that. That''s why I thought we shoulde to you and ask you."

    Mr. Maximilien furrowed his eyebrows. "Hmm¡­ for elves to get close to humans¡­ they must have some reason. From what I know, elves stopped associating with humans after the Great War."

    Arthur now found new information and was d that he came here. "That thing happened. I see¡­ Well, thank you for your story, Mr. Maximilien. You are the greatest storyteller I''ve ever met. Let us offer you lunch."

    After they had lunch, Arthur and Felix bade their farewell and left the restaurant.

    "I never thought elves existed in our world," Felixmented.

    Arthur said, "Me neither. Mentioning ancient scrolls, should we go to the desert? Maybe we will find some old scrolls that will lead us to the elves with earthly powers."

    Felix scratched his cheek, not sure about this n. "We mostly have prophecy scrolls. I don''t think the old man will let us check them."

    Arthur came up with an evil n, "If he doesn''t, we will secretly check them. This is the only option."

    Felix looked away, "As long as we don''t get caught. If we do, then he will kick us out."

    -------

    The desert ¨C

    "Elves?" the leader of the desert tribe frowned as soon as he heard about ''elves''. "What do you know about elves?"

    "So, you do know about elves," Felix remarked.

    He and Arthur came back to the desert tribe and started interrogating the leader of the desert tribe. However, things weren''t going well. In front of him, they weren''t the best detectives.

    "Whether I know about elves or not, it''s none of your business. Hmph!" The leader of the desert tribe crossed his arms and looked away stubbornly.

    Arthur''s nerves twitched but he controlled himself.

    He tried to exin as calmly as possible, "I don''t know what you are thinking but my wife''s life is on the line. Once they tried to kidnap her and then when we made the whole world believe that she died, another elf got to know that she was alive. That''s why we are doing our best to track them down."

    "That''s none of my business." The leader of the desert tribe didn''t budge.

    Arthur told him, "¡­They even killed innocent people in my kingdom, under my nose."

    "That makes you an ipetent master of the so-called Magic Tower."

    How can Arthur make him spill the beans?

 Chapter 202 - JOURNEY AFTER JOURNEY

    <h4>Chapter 202 - JOURNEY AFTER JOURNEY</h4>

    "¡­They even killed innocent people in my kingdom, under my nose."

    Arthur tried to reason with him but the old man was hard to crack.

    He replied, "That makes you an ipetent master of the so-called Magic Tower."

    Arthur was losing his patience. He became silent to control his temper.

    Felix let out a deep breath. He knew this was going to happen.

    "Do you know anything about ancient libraries in this continent?" Felix asked.

    Since he couldn''t ask him straightforwardly, he decided to take a sidetrack.

    The leader of the desert tribe pondered. "Ancient libraries? Hahaha! You want to search for documents about elves in the ancient libraries. You don''t think you can fool me, do you?

    "Listen, the only reason I''m not ready to tell you about the elves is that you have no reason to have any contact with them. I won''t tell you a thing. This is not your destiny."

    "Do those innocent lives mean nothing to you?" Arthur''s expression turned somber.

    The leader of the desert tribe lectured, "It''s not me who should think about them. It''s you. They were your people and you failed to protect them. You are too ipetent. Whom can you me? I have nothing to do with them.

    "Why should I care for some lives that I don''t know and risk the lives of everyone on this continent? Arthur, being a leader isn''t the easiest thing. Sometimes, you need to sacrifice fifty lives in order to protect five hundred lives."

    Arthur took a deep breath and said, "Fine, don''t tell us about elves. Just tell us if you know any ancient libraries."

    The leader of the desert tribe described, "The most ancient library is situated in Utahill. The library that our ancestors guarded before the Great War. But most scrolls have been destroyed or taken away.

    "I think the Senior Priests took in inside the ancient temple. It was the first temple where Goddess Juvena prayed. Afterward, men built the Holy Temple."

    "The first temple should be in the capital city of Utahill," Arthur concluded.

    The leader of the desert tribe shrugged. "I don''t know where it could be. All these years I''ve read the scrolls, they never mentioned anything about the first temple''s position. I don''t have time to chit-chat with you two. I have tons of work waiting for me. I''m heading out."

    After he went out of the room, Felix mumbled, "He ran away." He turned to look at Arthur and asked, "What do you want to do now? Go back to the tower or Utahill with me?"

    Arthur pondered and then replied, "Let''s go to Utahill. In my library, we can find some scrolls mentioning the first temple. If we find any information regarding the first temple, its structure or name, that will be sufficient."

    "I''d like that," Felix had no reason to disagree.

    --------

    Four dayster in Tybu ¨C

    "Cathy, I should really head back to the Imperial Library. We still haven''t found anything that could lead us to those people." Veronica tried to reason with her friend who was pulling her to the mountains.

    In the mountains, there were resorts for aristocrats and high officials. They would go there to relieve stress.

    Catherine pulled her friend''s arm as she walked forward. "You mean murderers. I get it that you have tons of work to do. But Ver, you were stuck in that library for four days with Merlin. You need to freshen up a little."

    They stopped at the peak of the mountain and she smiled broadly. "Isn''t this ce awesome?"

    Veronica was panting softly. It had been a while since she went hiking. "Why are we in the middle of nowhere?"

    Catherine put her arms on her waist and said, "Ver, why else would we leave the city ande out in the middle of freaking nowhere? Nothing kindles the mes of passion like sitting by the firece on a cold, moonlit night in the country.

    Sebastian was lying on a tree branch. In the morning, he was in the training room but saw Catherine going outside the Magic Tower from the window. Worrying about her safety, he followed her all the way here.

    When he heard her reason toe here, he was very much annoyed.

    He thought, ''I feel sorry for the sucker who falls for that man trap.''

    Veronica gave in. "Fine, I understand. How long will we stay here?"

    Catherine shared her n, "Since Arthur is nowhere, we can spend the night here. We will go back tomorrow. I''ll drop you in the Imperial Library and leave."

    She pointed at the resort and said, "See the building? It belongs to Ovior. He told me to bring you here to rx. We just have to enjoy tonight."

    "I have to thank himter." Veronica stepped forward.

    As they knocked on the door, the door was opened and a man with a shy outfit opened the door.

    Veronica and Catherine closed their eyes as the shy light brightened up.

    The guy had a red rose in his mouth and he bowed respectfully. "Something is weighing heavily on your tender heart."

    Veronica: "¡­"

    Catherine: "¡­"

    Sebastian stood in the tree branch and pondered, ''Did he lose his mind? Who is he flirting with?''

    The man took the rose from his mouth and offered it to Catherine. "Mademoiselle, this is an honor to have your presence in this humble ce." Saying that he gently held her hand and kissed the back of her hand.

    Catherine instantly melted. "Oh my, in my eyes, this ce is more luxurious than our outfits."

    "!!!" Sebastian''s jaw dropped. He could not believe what he was seeing.

    The man retorted softly, "That can''t be. You jest, Miss¡­"

    "The name is Catherine," she introduced herself.

    "Such a festive name, Miss Catherine. I''m sure your personality is as joyous as your name."

    ''Huh? ''Catherine'' is a joyous name? Why did I not know that?'' Sebastian confusedly scratched his head.

    The man looked at Veronica and asked, "And who is thisdy with you, Miss Catherine?"

 Chapter 203 - [Bonus ]JUST HER TYPE

    <h4>Chapter 203 - [Bonus ]JUST HER TYPE</h4>

    The man looked at Veronica and asked, "And who is thisdy with you, Miss Catherine?"

    Catherine introduced her friend, "She is my friend, Veronica."

    Veronica stepped forward with a friendly smile, "Hello, it''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr¡­"

    "The pleasure is mine. Please call me Vincent, mademoiselle," Vincent bowed to her.

    Although she was prettier, Vincent''s eyes were on the blonde woman beside him.

    His grey eyes smiled at Catherine and his hands were still grabbing her hands. "Miss Catherine, I''ve never seen such pretty hair as yours. My eyes have been cleansed by your beauty."

    Sebastian wanted to cough blood. ''What is with him? Why is he acting like this? And why am I so offended? Argh!''

    Feeling irritated, he red at Catherine and Vincent''s joined hands. ''Why isn''t she saying anything?''

    He nced at Catherine and he nearly slipped from the tree. ''Why the hell is she smiling?''

    He didn''t see wrong. Catherine was indeed smiling.

    When the guy named Vincent was holding her hands, she felt his warm touch. ''Tall figure, grey eyes, dirty blond hair, tanned skin, gentleman ¨C so attractive!''

    And, she was over the moon.

    Veronica cleared her throat. "Can we go to our rooms?"

    He let go of Catherine''s hand and quickly apologized, "Oh yes! I''m so sorry I was dying you. Pleasee this way."

    Vincent showed them around therge resort and gave them two rooms in the isted area.

    Veronica noticed it and tugged her friend''s sleeve. "Hey Cathy, isn''t this ce a bit far from other rooms?"

    Catherine enthusiastically said, "Yes, you always liked nature, and these are the only rooms that are isted from the rest. It''s quiet and best for rxing. We will be here for one day. So, you need plenty of rest. And, if you are bored, there is a festival going on somewhere down the hills. We can go there."

    "But what if someone attacks us? It''s already getting dark." Veronica looked around suspiciously.

    Ever since that incident with human traffickers, she was too afraid to go out alone. She reflected on her action. She kept imagining something bad might happen if she kept someone around her without protection. The thought scared her.

    "Who will dare to attack us? I''ll protect you!" Catherine showed her mighty arm muscle.

    Her action didn''t seem to assure Veronica. She still hesitated.

    Catherine paused before "All right, don''t worry. Some guards are keeping an eye on us secretly from the forest. If anything happens, they will protect us."

    Veronica was finally relieved. "Okay, let''s freshen up."

    She went to the washroom and took a bath. In the library, she wasn''t able to bathe. She could only wash her face, arms, and legs. Now that the warm water touched her body, she felt like her body was purified.

    After drying her body, she dived into the bed.

    ''Softness¡­ ahh¡­ When was thest time I saw a bed? Oh, four days ago.''

    Her eyelids were heavy. Before she could blink, she fell asleep.

    In the other room, Catherine took a bath and changed her clothes. "My luck! I wanted to cheer her up and I''m the one who became gloomy. I didn''t have the chance to talk to her about the incident with Sebastian and Merlin."

    "She was all bloody and it was so scary. It was a good thing I asked Ovior to send us some guards or it would be hard to keep her here. What am I supposed to do? How can I make her feel better?"

    "I wish I could help her with finding those silver ring murderers but I have my work." She sighed and sat on the bed.

    At that moment, someone knocked on her door.

    She took a deep breath to cool her mood and opened the door. Her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed who it was.

    "You!"

    ----------

    A few hourster, Veronica opened her eyes. Whatever tiredness she had was long gone.

    The room waspletely enveloped with darkness. A faint light wasing to the room and illuminated the room.

    ''If Arthur was here, the bed would be warmer,'' she thought.

    As she tried to snuggle deeper in the nket, she suddenly realized that she wasn''t feeling cold. The bed was indeed warm.

    ''Wow! I never thought I was hot enough to warm the bed. I don''t have a fever though.'' She touched her forehead and checked if her temperature was normal.

    ''Maybe I should sleep a little more. I don''t feel like going out.'' She turned around to change her position and her heart almost went out of her ribcage.

    A man was lying on the bed right next to her.

    "Ar-Arthur?!" she eximed the moment she realized who it was.

    "I''m impressed that you noticed it was me. Your eyes are better than I thought," Arthur fondlyplimented her.

    Veronica''s heart was still thumping loudly. "I cannot see. I know it is you even if I cannot see."

    Arthur pulled her closer and embraced her securely. His lips brushed over her forehead. "I missed you."

    Veronica snuggled and inhaled sharply. She missed his touch and familiar odor. Her fingers grabbed his shirt. She closed her eyes and mumbled, "I missed you too."

    She raised her head and tried to see his face in the faint light. Her fingers touched his face.

    "Did you have a hard time? You said you would take two days but you were gone for four days. Where did you go that you weren''t able to contact me?"

    Arthur stroked her back and replied at the same time, "Utahill. I had to go there. And, we cannot use our magical tools there."

    "Utahill?" Veronica lifted her body slightly after bncing with her left elbow. "Why did you go there? Is it rted to the basilisk ring?"

    "Yes, we found out that it''s the work of the elves¡­" Arthur exined everything to her. What he and Felix found out and where they went ¨C he didn''t hide anything from her.

    "Elves?! Do they even exist?! Veronica was stunned. Never in her dream had she thought that things like elves, dragons, and basilisks could be real.

 Chapter 204 - ASK YOUR BODY

    <h4>Chapter 204 - ASK YOUR BODY</h4>

    "Elves?! Do they even exist?! Veronica was stunned. Never in her dream had she thought that things like elves, dragons, and basilisks could be real.

    Arthur told her, "They not only exist but also create havoc while using their power."

    "This is marvelous. Using natural power as if they are born with it. They arepletely different from wizards but it''s still so amazing." Veronica was marveled as she thought about it.

    "But to use that power to kill innocent people, it''s not good. We must stop them. How do we find them? Any clue?" She knew no matter how amazing they were, they needed to be stopped.

    "We found out that their information could have been mentioned in the ancient scrolls. The first temple should have those scrolls. We searched my library for information and yet we still haven''t found any clue where it can be situated," he concluded. "We must find that temple."

    Veronica carefully asked, "The first temple¡­ the most ancient one¡­ Is this where Goddess Juvena prayed in her time?"

    Arthur''s answer was obvious. "That should be the first temple. Before her, everyone worshipped nature."

    Veronica opened her mouth but she was not sure what to say.

    She wanted to tell him that she knew what he was looking for but at the same time, she didn''t want to share that she was being trained there.

    Arthur didn''t notice her hesitation. He thought she was confused.

    He affectionately rubbed her cheek and said, "Enough about me and my journey. What about you? How are you doing these days?"

    Veronica was relieved that the conversation took a turn. She casually replied, "Just sitting in the library and reading books all day."

    "Did you eat properly?"

    "Yes, Merlin kept an eye on me so that I don''t miss my breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

    Arthur was a bit surprised by her answer. "Don''t tell me you were in the library from day to night."

    "We were practically living there," her answer was innocent.

    "¡­"

    At that moment in the Imperial Library, Merlin was reading the books. Just then, all the books he finished reading fell down and got mixed with the books he didn''t read.

    "!!!" The abrupt attack gave Merlin nearly a heart attack. Since magic was forbidden to use around the royal pce, he got a reasonable idea of who the invisible attacker was.

    He let out a deep sigh and mumbled, "Veronica the Mistress, did you have to sell me out like that? Who is going to protect me now?"

    Back at the resort, Veronica, who knew nothing that happened in the Imperial Library because of her honest answer, stared at her husband.

    "Next time you go somewhere, you should take me with you. It was really hard not to have you around." She ced her head on his chest and breathed quietly.

    Arthur agreed, "As long as it''s not dangerous, I will take you anywhere. But I''m afraid I cannot take you to Utahill and Sia."

    Vernice frowned. "I can understand if it''s Utahill but what about Sia? Didn''t they stop searching for me?"

    Arthur chuckled. "They did. Since you were in the library, you don''t know. The Sian King went insane after he wasn''t able to find you. He was forcefully taking concubines around your age. His sons thought that they had enough. He was in by his eldest son and he took over the throne."

    Veronica gasped. "Oh my! Such a thing to happen!"

    Arthur wasn''t finished yet. He added, "Not only that, the new King of Sia must be disgusted by silver hair. He banned all women with silver hair and green eyes. And no one can mention the blessed child in his kingdom."

    Veronica pondered before asking, "Even if I change my hair color, I cannot change my eye colors, can I?"

    Arthur smiled. "I never needed that potion. It looks like I have to make something for you."

    "I''d love that."

    Even in the dark, Arthur could clearly see her face. He stared at her lively face and stated, "You were so busy, you don''t look like you missed me that much."

    Veronica instantlyined, "How can you say that? If I didn''t miss you, would I stay in the library and drown myself with books?"

    "Hmm¡­ let''s test if you are telling the truth or not."

    In the blink of an eye, he changed their positions.

    "Wha¨C?!!!"

    Veronica was surprised as she was pushed on the bed and he came above. And her lips were stolen just like that.

    It wasn''t like drizzling rain turning into a storm. It was a cyclone from the very beginning.

    She thought he was going to suck her lifeforce and leave her dry. The passionate kiss made her body temperature rise.

    Arthur pushed her legs apart and settled himself. He was missing her ¨C her soul and her body. He rubbed his body against her. He was dying to love her ferociously.

    Veronica was embarrassed and yet joyous to have him back. He wasn''t the only one who was yearning for her. She was the same. She raised her lower body and wrapped her legs around his waist.

    Arthur pulled her closer so that they were face to face while softly supporting the back of her head and kissed her while sucking on her tongue. Her flexible tongue seemed to be trying to escape. However, he continued to chase after it while pressing and lightly nibbling on it.

    He enjoyed ying hide and seek with her. He could sense her lips curling up as though she was trying to hide her smile.

    Down there, he was already feeling hot. Just rubbing her secret ce wasn''t enough. His hands took off her night garments swiftly. He seemed to forget that he could use magic.

    He didn''t want to think of anything else. In front of him, he had his wife under him. Her body was writhing along with his body.

    He had a simple wish.

    Not to let her out of the bed for the next two days.

 Chapter 205 - BECOMING ONE FOR ETERNITY

    <h4>Chapter 205 - BECOMING ONE FOR ETERNITY</h4>

    The sounds of gasping breaths and touching of lips were echoing in the room.

    Veronica was sweating. She opened her mouth to inhale oxygen but Arthur blocked her mouth.

    After giving her a mouthful kiss, he mumbled in a husky voice, "Didn''t I tell you to breathe with your nose?"

    Veronica retorted, "Do you think it''s that easy? Mm!" She closed her eyes and epted another kiss from him.

    "Aren''t I doing that?" Arthur nipped her sensitive ear.

    Veronica took a sharp breath. Her hot breath touched his shoulder.

    His big hands massaged her thighs. His right hand slowly approached her drenched flower.

    He didn''t forget to tease her. "Nica, you are wet from the kiss. Did you miss me that much?"

    Veronica''s flushed face turned several shades of red ¨C just as he was expecting. "You are so evil. Ahh! Wait¨C" Her body jolted as a zing of pleasure rushed all over her body.

    Arthur whispered, "I can''t wait." His fingers entered her tight flowerpot without a hitch. Afterward, his fingers rapidly went in and out.

    "Hnng!" Veronica arched her back and her toes curled. She sensed his lips found her nipple and nibbled it.

    A wave of pleasure washed her body. Her fingers went through his hair and clutched them subconsciously.

    Arthur touched her sensitive ce and moved erotically. He pressed her g-spot and ventured into the honey pot. The ecstatic sensation urged him to release his desire on her body.

    "I¡­ I can''t¡­ Arthur¡­" Veronica gasped. She twisted her body as the pleasure was making her desire for more.

    He was the same. He could barely hold himself back. "As you wish, princess."

    He moved forward, that movement made his huge cock slide against her hole entrance making her moan loudly. She quickly covered her face.

    Her struggling moans were very charming. She was afraid that Catherine might hear her voice. It would be very embarrassing to face her afterward.

    "Don''t hide. Let me hear more." In order to listen to her lovely moans, Arthur pushed her hand away and intertwined their fingers. After that, he didn''t use his mouth to seal her small mouth and merely made superficial contact and kissed her lips and mouth''s corners as his genital rubbed against her soft ce.

    His hands stroked her ass as his scorching cock rubbed the sweet, drenched ce between her legs.

    "Ohh! Mmn!" Unrestrained moans continuously issued out from her mouth as his long and coarse scorching penis slowly entered her.

    Veronica held her breath as she could feel him pushing into her warm body. She felt a moment of intoxication.

    Finally, they became one. Her tight hole and his hard member threw them on the brink of climax but both of them controlled themselves. It was frustrating but at the same time, it was delightful.

    They felt like their bodies and hearts were connected. All the inner turmoil and sadness swept away. In a moment like this, they felt that they were not alone. They had each other for eternity.

    Veronica hugged him with both hands. Her hot palms touched his broad, sweaty back dependently.

    "Hng!" Arthur groaned. Being with her after four days, he was feeling content. He softly kissed her mouth as if trying to appease her.

    Her tight wet hole mping on his huge manhood made him feel ecstatic! He couldn''t wait and was already at his limit. His hand grabbed her white ankle as he continuously thrust inside her.

    Her insides squeezed him tightly as if they didn''t want him to slip out. He clenched his teeth as he pounded into her. Every time she squeezed around him, he felt a wave of desire growing thicker. He had to hold back. He wanted to thrust deeper.

    "Ahh! Ah!! Ohh!! Arthur!" Veronica seductively called his name as she embraced him in her arms.

    Arthur''s heated gaze looked at her. Her silver hair waspletely disheveled. They looked like silver flower petals. Her blushing face looked like a pistil.

    The pleasure ran through her body deep in the bones. With teary eyes and a lovely expression, she gazed at the man she loved.

    Arthur could sleep with any woman if he wanted. But after seeing her expression, there was no way he could be with any other woman. He could sense her affection pouring for him as she writhed in ecstasy.

    He was d that he was the only one who was able to see her like this. He could never expect someone else in his ce. Just like he offered himself to her, he wanted all of her to himself.

    He couldn''t help but stand up on his knees while holding her, making her legs wrap around his waist. His hand gripped her slender waistline and moved her up and down, more and more fierce each time. The love liquids continuously dripped down making the bedding sock.

    His manhood hit the deepest part of her flower pit. The jolting pleasure was inexplicable. Veronica threw her head back and continued issuing sultry moans. Her body squirmed in a lewd way and her breasts jiggled.

    Arthur thought he was in endless pleasure. He couldn''t stop ramming himself inside her voluptuous body. He wanted them to stay like this for eternity.

    He noticed that she was almost done. She was on the verge of climax. He abruptly put her down and raised her left leg. While he was still kneeling, he thrust deeper and deeper, further than ever.

    "Ahh!! Ahh! Ar-Arthur! I''m¡­ ohh! I''m¡­ cum¡­" Veronica wasn''t able to finish what she wanted to say. Before she could, she sensed a fierce storm of euphoria passed through her entire body. Her vision became white. Her senses became dull and she lost her strength. Her body mmed on the bed.

    A good amount of sweet, sticky liquids dripped from her honey pot and rolled down to her leg, moistening the bed.

    However, despite her condition, Arthur kept her lower body high as she was still joined with him.

    He had yet to finish what he started.

 Chapter 206 - SWEETNESS OVERWHELMING

    <h4>Chapter 206 - SWEETNESS OVERWHELMING</h4>

    Veronica was left with zero strength. Even so, Arthur pulled out before plunging deep inside her.

    "Ahh!" Her body arched back. She hurriedly tried to push him. "W-wait¡­ Arthur!"

    However, he didn''t listen. Despite her pleas, her inside squeezed him and sucked him dry. He could only pant and rock his hips.

    It was like her body enveloping him from all around and embracing her with warmth. He swelled inside her. He trembled as his whole body convulsed with pleasure.

    He didn''t wish to let her go anytime soon. He thrust his bursting election vigorously, without stopping for a second.

    "Ahh! Hngg! Arthur!" Veronica raised a rhythmical voice.

    She thought she was tired and couldn''t stand his lovemaking. However, her body was surprisingly delighted by his pounding and even clutched him tightly.

    His punishment was quite long. It made her feel so good. With her body and mind, she couldn''t deny it. Countless feelings of pleasure ran through her whole body.

    While pounding into her,?Arthur had a sudden thought. He pondered if he were to die one day,?he would choose to die inside her. He would have the most blissful death.

    Brushing his lips over her slender leg, he increased the speed of his thrust. At one point of grinding, he pushed to the opening of her cervix.

    He earned a high-pitched moan from her. It drove his desire to the edge. He wildly pounded into her. Inside her, his manhood pulsated hotly.

    At that very moment, he abruptly changed their positions. He put down her left leg, turned her body and then made hery down on her stomach without detaching himself from her.

    Afterward, he rammed her from behind. His cock swelled up even more as he sought to pour his seeds into her. Grabbing her round buttocks, he shot all of him inside.

    While spasming, Veronica quietly epted all of him. She felt like her stomach was filled to the brim with his semen.

    As her right cheek rubbed against the soft silk bedsheet, she stared outside the window. Her vision was blurry. So, she wasn''t practically watching anything.

    In a daze, she kept her mouth open and breathed in and out heavily. The blissful moment passes by slowly.

    Arthur had his eyes closed as he panted. He released everyst drop of his semen inside her. He could feel his heart racing.

    He opened his eyes and lowered his head. He saw her chest pressed on the bed and his ass was sticking out and linked with his dick.

    He gulped at the sight as his mind drifted to an obscene imagination. He kicked his upper lip and wiped the sweat that was there.

    His hunger didn''t decrease after one round. He wished to continue the whole night.

    -----------

    In the meantime, Sebastian was so pissed that he went blinded by anger. He red at the couple who were walking in the garden when the sun had already set.

    It was dark but dim lights wereing from the colorful stones. It gave the flower garden a magical vibe. The environment was dreamy and the atmosphere was romantic.

    A beautifuldy and a stunning gentleman were walking in the pathway. While walking sometimes the guy stole nces at her and the girl bashfully smiled.

    And they had been doing this for an hour.

    Sebastian didn''t know why, he wanted to gouge out the man''s eyes and the girl''s smile.

    "How dare they stroll around while I am doing all the guarding? How dare he look at her like this perversely? How dare she go to a suspicious ce with a total stranger? Doesn''t she know that a girl should never venture with a man she doesn''t know? Ahh! This is so frustrating! I should get out of here before I regret this decision."

    He cursed under his breath and jumped from one tree to another tree without making a sound.

    He was getting away from the garden.

    When he moved further away, he noticed some ck figures in the shadows. He knew who they were right away.

    They were Arthur''s men. The shadows were guarding and protecting Veronica from the moment she stepped out of the Magic Tower.

    That''s why, Catherine could confidently bring out her friend without an escort. She knew shadow guards were watching over her. Ovior assured her about protection and only after that, she nned the trip.

    Arthur didn''t want to keep her unsafe anymore and thus, he came up with this n.

    To Sebastian, it made him feel that Arthur had no trust in him.

    That thought made him feel even more upset.

    ''As if the day can get any worse,'' he said in his mind.

    He walked further away, close to Catherine''s cottage. Her cottage was isted from other cottages. He wanted to inspect if the cottage was secured enough.

    While he checked around the area, he heard some obscene sounds he didn''t wish to hear.

    "Ahh! Ahh! Oh! Arthur,?I¡­ I can''t anymore¡­"

    A high-pitched unrestrained whimper came out of the window.

    "Princess¡­" a man''s voice whispered something to the girl who was riding him like a horse as though he wanted to appease her.

    Sebastian''s face eventually grew hot. His feet rooted to the spot. He could neither move nor could he stay and listen.

    ''Oh wait, didn''t the Master say not to disturb her sleep? Then why is he so active right now?''

    He turned to see the shadows who were lurking in the dark forest.

    ''No wonder they were so far away. They could hear her voice from far away. They must be having a hard time,'' he sympathized with them.

    ''I should probably head back. Since the shadow guards are here, they will protect both of them. I don''t have to worry about a certain idiot.''

    As he nned, he went away just the way he came.

    Destination: Magic Tower

    ---------

    In the flower garden, Vincent plucked a red rose and tucked it behind Catherine''s ear.

    Thedy who received the flower was blushing profoundly. She couldn''t look at him in the eyes.

    "Miss Catherine¡­"

 Chapter 207 - OVIORS CALL

    <h4>Chapter 207 - OVIOR''S CALL</h4>

    Vincent deeply gazed at her and stated, "Miss Catherine, you are the most beautifuldy I''ve ever seen. The moment you came to this ce, your beauty struck my heart."

    Catherine, who was never praised like this before, tried to be asposed as possible. "Are you only into faces and figures, Sir Vincent?"

    Vincent interjected, "When I said you were beautiful, I meant inside and out. And please call me Vincent."

    "Wouldn''t it be too forward?" Catherine hesitated.

    It was the first day of their meeting.

    In Utahill, no one was allowed to call people by their names if the person was older than them. Only couples, friends, and siblings could use their names despite their ages.

    Therefore, Catherine wasn''t sure if it would be appropriate or not.

    Vincent gently refuted, "Not at all, Miss Catherine. If you don''t mind, I would like to be your acquaintance. I mean it. If you allow me-"

    "You are allowed." Only then Catherine realized what she had said. She wanted to p her little mouth for replying to him so fast.

    Noticing that she was embarrassed, Vincent stepped forward and held her hand.

    He gave her a gentle smile and said, "Thank you, Miss Catherine. Let''s get along."

    "You can call me Catherine." She thought both should call each other by their names if they were friends.

    Vincent''s eyes sparked with joy. "That would be my honor. But, are you okay with this?"

    Catherine replied, "If you are, so am I."

    -----------

    It was midnight. Ovior was in his office. He had some unfinished paperwork that was supposed to be done by Arthur.

    Since Arthur was out, as the second in-charge, he had to take care of that boring work.

    "Ah! This work is so tasteless. No wonder Arthur didn''t want to do his work. I wish I could abandon this shitty work," Ovior mumbled.

    After he was done signing thest paper, he rubbed his temples and used hismunication device at the same time.

    It rang several times before someone answered his call.

    Merlin''s face showed up above the blue lights.

    He greeted him (O), "Ovior, good evening. Is there anything I can help you with?"

    "How''s your search going?" Ovior directly went to the business.

    Merlin looked around the messy room and sighed. "I''m working on it. However, there is no mention of basilisk anywhere. I''d say it''s hopeless."

    Ovior frowned. "Basilisk? No. You are supposed to look for the whereabouts of the first church in the universe. It''s located somewhere in Utahill."

    Merlin was dumbfounded. "What do you mean? We have been searching for basilisk for four days."

    Ovior calmly exined, "Yes, that was the case but in the evening, Arthur and Felix came back and they said that in the first church, there are some ancient scrolls where they can find more about the elves."

    "Elves? What on earth are you talking about?" Merlin thought his brain was about to split apart. He couldn''t make head or tail of what Ovior was saying.

    "It looks like basilisk is the symbol of a special n of the elves. Arthur and Felix told me as soon as they found out. Felix then told Darius, Zinnia, and Ironin. Arthur was supposed to tell you and Veronica. Looks like he ran to his wife before exining it to you."

    Ovior''s expression turned ugly.

    "I can''t believe he did such a thing. We are in the middle of a mission. What was he thinking? Anyway, try to locate where the first temple is situated, all right? We don''t have enough time."

    Merlin helplessly sighed. "I''ll try my very best but shouldn''t Catherine and Veronica know where it is situated? I mean it''s where their Saints lived for generations. They should have some ideas."

    Ovior paused and pondered deeply. Then, he agreed with Merlin. "So, all Saints lived there. I thought they lived in the castle. Your visit to Utahill paid off.

    "You are right. Catherine and Veronica are from the Hole Temple. They must know something. Why didn''t I think of that? Must be all the workload."

    "I''ll contact Catherine tomorrow. I don''t think I can probably handle staying up any longer."

    Merlin nodded. "All right, take some rest. The books I have read so far have little mention of the first temple. Especially the history books. I''ll check other history books. Good night."

    "Good night."

    After they were done talking, themunication device''s light dimmed.

    In the library, Merlin took a deep breath slowly and then exhaled in the same motion.

    "What on earth did I do to deserve this?" he asked himself.

    ------------

    In the morning, Catherine''s beauty sleep was broken by the annoying noise that wasing from hermunication device.

    She was given thismunication device by Ovior just the day before.

    Thus, she knew very well who had called her.

    "Just my luck. It was supposed to be my holiday!"

    She squinted her eyes and got up from the bed. She answered the call while rubbing her eyes.

    "Ovior, good morning. What do you need?"

    Ovior curtly greeted her back, "Good afternoon. Seeing you just waking up from sleep, I guess you were awake all night."

    Catherine gasped. She looked out of the window and saw the sun was right above the mountain.

    She ced her hands on her head. "Oh no! I wanted to wake up in the morning and take Ver to the valley. There is a festival going on."

    Ovior tly remarked, "Toote for that. Arthur came back. I think he is already with her."

    Her drowsiness washed away upon hearing the news. "He came back! That was fast. Did they find anything?"

    "You will be briefed about itter. I want to ask you something since you were a nun in the Holy Temple. Do you know where the first temple is situated?"

    Catherine scratched her head. "The first temple you mean where Goddess Juvena would pray when she was on earth?"

    Ovior mentioned, "The same temple where all of your Saints stayed for generations too!"

    Catherine furrowed her eyebrows. She asked, "How do you know that information?"

 Chapter 208 - CATHERINES DOUBT

    <h4>Chapter 208 - CATHERINE''S DOUBT</h4>

    Ovior mentioned, "The same temple where all of your Saints stayed for generations too!"

    Catherine furrowed her eyebrows. She asked,?"How do you know that information?"

    Her voice was a bit rmed. She had a reason for it.

    Mostly, information regarding Saints and Holy Temple would be considered sacred.

    Even the public didn''t know much about the inside news of the Holy Temple let alone the Saint''s whereabouts.

    That''s why it was impossible for any foreigner to know where the Saints lived for generations.

    Years ago, the King of Utahill made the most extraordinary castle for the Saint whom he was in love with.

    However, the Saint couldn''t get married.

    The reason was simple.

    Goddess Juvena was known as a virgin who loved every living being. She had no romantic feelings for humans. That helped her to be selfless and just.

    It was the very point why the Saints couldn''t be in any romantic rtionships.

    And, generations after generations, they were doing their best to help the people in need and kept the harmony and bnce between hunger for power and peace.

    Many Saints were known to live in the castle that was made for their predecessor.

    Because of that, people had spected that the Saint who was in the highest position in Utahill would live in the Royal Castle.

    What they didn''t know, even though some Saints lived in the castle to show off, they spent most of their time in the first temple of Goddess Juvena since they couldn''t indulge themselves in luxury and be greedy.

    People hardly remembered the first temple after the Great War.

    Catherine was alert because Ovior seemed so sure that the Saints lived in the first temple.

    Ovior only then realized that he made a mistake.

    ''I have toe up with an excuse.'' He pondered really really hard beforeing up with an idea.

    He blurted out, "Merlin used to study in Utahill about religion before he came to Tybu to be a wizard. That''s why he knew that the Saints would live in the first temple."

    ''Merlin, please forgive me for selling you out,'' he apologized in his heart.

    Catherine let her guard down. Those who did higher studies in religion knew a little bit of the first temple.

    She was relieved. "Oh so, that''s how it is. I was wondering how you knew that piece of information. When we were children, we were taught about the first temple.

    She tried to recall, "If I remember correctly, Ver asked the Senior Brother about the location of the first temple. She often dropped her work and went out. She wanted to see the first temple with her own eyes.

    "The Senior Brother then told her that the temple had disappeared from the humans'' eyes a long time ago. No one could see it except for the Saint. I guess people need Saint''s power to locate it."

    She paused and then offered an apology, "I''m sorry that I couldn''t help you with this."

    Ovior shook his head. "No, no, it''spletely fine. At least we know that only the Saint knows where the temple is situated."

    Catherine inquired, "So, what was it about? You made me curious."

    She pretended to be calm but she was dying to find out for what reason he needed the location of the first temple, the holiest ce in the world.

    "If you had enough fun,e back immediately. Only then you will be briefed about it," Ovior''s reply was quick and blunt.

    Afterward, he quickly turned off the device to avoid any more interrogation.

    Looking at the dim device, Catherine sighed.

    ''I wanted to spend more time with Vincent but I''m so curious. Is something going to happen to the temple? Ver must be involved in this. Since she is with Arthur, I can leave her here.''

    Upon deciding what she wanted to do, Catherine wrote a letter to Veronica. After that, she sealed it properly.

    She packed her bag and was ready to head out.

    Just then, someone knocked on the door.

    She opened the door and found Vincent standing there with a tray of food.

    He gave her a brilliant smile and then greeted her warmly, "Good morning, Catherine. Did you sleep well? I hope I didn''t disturb your resting time."

    "Not at all. Pleasee in." Catherine moved away to let him enter the room.

    "Thank you." Vincent entered the room and ced the tray of food on the tea table.

    Then, he looked around and asked, "Are you leaving already? Didn''t you say you would leave in the evening?"

    Catherine replied, "Something came up. I have to move to the capital city before evening. My friend''s husband came. He will apany her. So, don''t freak out if you see her with a man."

    She sat on the couch and Vincent sat beside her. He opened the lids of the pots and delicious smells touched her nostrils.

    There were some soups, loaves of bread, eggs, sausages and desserts.

    Catherine was touched. "Thank you for the meal. I hardly had time to eat fancy breakfast like this."

    Vincent was pleased with her reaction. "I''ve told the kitchen to prepare the meal especially for you. I hope it suits your taste."

    Catherine assured him by saying, "Don''t you worry. It definitely will. I''m just sad that I can''t have this kind of meal every day."

    Vincent gently held her hand. "It''s possible if youe here whenever you have free time. You see, it''s my family''s resort and I''m the only heir. My mother takes care of the ounts and my fatheres up with ideas to bring more customers here.

    "That''s why I have to be on the desk and sometimes receive guests on their behalf. I can hardly have enough time to rx, let alone go outside the mountains."

    Catherine could feel him. She was like that when she lived in the temple. Still, she sneaked out often, unlike Veronica.

    As for Vincent, this was his family business. He couldn''t afford to be irresponsible and leave it to someone else.

    She looked at him and stated, "Vincent, I have a suggestion."

 Chapter 209 - THIS ISNT GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 209 - THIS ISN''T GOODBYE</h4>

    Catherine looked at him and stated, "Vincent, I have a suggestion. Will you hear me out?"

    Looking at her serious expression, Vincent straightened his back. "Sure, what do you want to talk about?"

    Catherine exined, "I was thinking if I could advertise your resort to my colleagues. They work really hard and they need to rx. If you have packages to offer for groups, I''d like to help you."

    Vincent''s eyes grew bigger. He wasn''t expecting her to help just like that.

    Soon, a smile reached his lips and his blue eyes. "Yes! My family and I will be forever grateful for your kindness, Catherine." He repeatedly bowed and thanked her,

    Catherine was overwhelmed by his formal gesture. "Hey, stop that. We are acquaintances, remember?"

    Vincent''s eyes were filled with gratitude. "How can we be just acquaintances after your help? Let''s be friends. It''s easier to take a friend''s help than taking help from an acquaintance."

    Catherine paused. She was hesitant since their rtionship was quickly changing.

    They met just yesterday and became acquaintances in the evening. The next day, at noon, they became friends.

    ''Are we too fast? Then again, it''s hard for men to take help from women. Their pride hurts. Furthermore, there is no problem with just being friends. It''s not like we are heading to the temple to marry tomorrow.''

    After thinking about the pros and cons, she smiled back. "We are friends then."

    Vincent was holding breaths. He exhaled loudly when he heard her answer. It was as though he was nervous thinking she might reject him.

    "Thank you. I was a bit scared that you might say ''no'' to me thinking I''m too brazen. I hardly had any friends since I''m too busy with the resort. I don''t want to ruin anything we built so far."

    He was sitting on her left side and his right hand was over her left hand.

    Catherine reached out her right hand and touched his hand that was holding her other hand.

    Vincent was a bit startled but didn''t move. He patiently waited for what she wanted to tell him.

    She told him, "There is nothing to destroy. Vincent, don''t think about too much when ites to friendship. It''ll ruin everything. Friendship gives people hope and peace. All you have to do is go with the flow."

    "That''s how it is. All right, I won''t think too much into it. I promise." He squeezed her hand.

    He could sense her warmth transferring to him through their joint hands. He started to feel warmer.

    ''Did the temperature rise? Why am I feeling so hot?'' he wondered.

    After breakfast, Catherine took her backpack and went out. Before leaving, she slipped the letter she wrote for Veronica under her door.

    She wrote something confidential. Thus, she didn''t want to hand it to Vincent to deliver.

    In front of the resort, she was standing with Vincent to bid him farewell.

    "Are we meeting soon?" he tenderly asked.

    She couldn''t look him in the eyes. His eyes seemed to hold too many emotions. her face grew red.

    She replied, "I''ll try managing some time toe here."

    He stared at her and then gently whispered. "I''ll be waiting."

    At that time, a gust of wind blew past them, making Catherine''s curly blonde hair dance in the wind.

    She squeezed her eyes shut as a strand of hair hit her eyes.

    When she opened her eyes, she saw Vincent holding her unrestrained hair lock in between his fingers.

    His thumbfortably rubbed her golden locks.

    Afterward, what he did, made her speechless.

    He raised the strand of her hair close to his mouth and kissed it.

    After that, he mumbled, "I''ll miss you. So,e back quickly."

    Catherine turned into a stone. ''What just happened?'' She couldn''t process the action she just saw.

    Her heart started racing. Her face waspletely red by now.

    She had no idea how to react when she was feeling like this.

    Vincent noted her reaction and chuckled. He mischievously grinned and mentioned, "You did tell me to go with the flow, remember? I''m just doing what you told me. You cannot me me for this."

    Afterward, she practically ran away. She had no idea when she reached the valley.

    She hired a local carriage and came back to the capital city.

    She took a shower when she reached the Magic Tower. It helped her to calm down her heart.

    ''I can''t believe he kissed my hair,'' she thought. She covered her face when she recalled the incident.

    Later, she headed to Ovior''s room.

    As soon as she opened the door, she found him with Felix, Merlin, Darius, Zinnia, and Ironin. Their expressions were somber.

    She hesitantly asked, "Are you having a meeting? Should Ie backter?"

    Ovior gestured at her toe inside. "You came earlier than I thought. Join us. You need to know what Felix and Arthur found out."

    "That''s why I''m here," Catherinemented.

    ------------------

    Back in the mountain resort, Veronica finally woke up. Her eyshes fluttered as she opened her eyes.

    As soon as she opened her eyes, the orange sun greeted her through the window. She saw yellow, orange hues illuminate her room.

    ''What time is it?'' she wondered. Looking at the strange colored sun, she concluded, ''It must be afternoon. I can''t believe I slept a whole day. But, why did I sleep that long?''

    When she tried to get up, she realized the reason. her whole body jolted in throbbing pain. Her joints were screaming how sore they were.

    "Nng!" she whimpered pitifully as she wasn''t prepared for this oue. She couldn''t breathe properly.

    She lowered her body and sensed something warm and hard under her. The bed was a lot softer and cooler than this.

    She moved her head and looked down only to find Arthur under her body.

    She finally noticed their position. Arthur was lying down and she was hovering over him. Her breasts were pressed against his chest and her legs were straddling him.

    That''s when she recalled what happenedst night.

    ''Oh, my goodness!''

 Chapter 210 - EMBARRASSING SITUATION

    <h4>Chapter 210 - EMBARRASSING SITUATION</h4>

    ''Oh my goodness!''

    Her face entirely turned deep shades of red.

    She recalled everything that happened after he came back.

    They made love like two wild animals in the heat from evening to dawn.

    ''I can''t believe we did it for so long. That''s why I can''t move a muscle now.''

    She stole a nce at him and realized that he was still sleeping.

    ''Maybe if I move away now, it might be less embarrassing after he wakes up.''

    Just as she nned, she bit down her lower lip to endure her pain and did her best to move away from him.

    Her whole body was trembling only to bear the throbbing pain all over her body.

    ''I had my lesson. I will never y with him from dusk to dawn again. I swear¡­''

    As she vowed, he clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut.

    She wanted to finish what she started as soon as possible.

    Just then¡­

    "Princess, if you move too much, you will regret it."

    Veronica froze on the spot. She didn''t think he would wake up at a time like this.

    ''Was I moving too vigorously?'' she wondered.

    However, she didn''t have time to think about it.

    She sensed his hands were caressing her smooth, bare skin.

    Arthur kissed on the top of her head and said, "I think you have slept so much that you have the strength to move your muscles."

    Veronica innocently stared at him and tried toe up with an excuse.

    "...I thought you would have a hard time breathing if I slept on top of you. That''s why¡­"

    "That''s why you tried to arouse me." He finished her sentence.

    She instantly retorted, "It''s not like that!"

    Arthur''s fingers tangled with her silver locks. He smirked as he saw her furiously blushing face and humiliated expression.

    "Is that so? Did I misunderstand? I thought you were going to rock your hips taking advantage of me sleeping and pleasure yourself."

    Veronica was stunned. "What nonsense! How am I supposed to pleasure myself?"

    Arthur tilted his head and yed innocent.

    "What do you mean ''how''? By taking advantage that I''m still inside you."

    Her eyes widened in shock. "...You¡­ what¡­"

    Her lower body was throbbing so much that she couldn''t feel anything despite having him inside her.

    So, she had no other choice but to raise her body and lower her head to check if what he said was true or false.

    "!!!"

    Her eyshes trembled when she saw they were still joined down there.

    She panicked in shame and subconsciously wrapped herself around him.

    "Ahh¡­" a soft moan escaped from her mouth.

    Due to her action, Arthur''s reaction changed.

    His dick was so used to her that he hardened just because she firmly embraced his cock.

    Arthur grunted. The dying desire was rekindled in his eyes. "Princess, are you seducing me?"

    "Nng¡­" Veronica was so ashamed that she couldn''t look at his face.

    "Pull it out! Pull it out!"

    The more she pleaded, the more she tightened around him.

    Arthur started to breathe hard. it was impossible not to feel anything when she was sucking him like that.

    He inhaled deeply and did his utmost to focus on her face rather than his lower body.

    He whispered in a husky voice, "You say that but your body won''t let me go. What should I do?"

    He took a strand of her hair close to his mouth and kissed it.

    Then, he gave her a sly look and whispered in a seductive voice, "Should I follow your upper mouth or lower mouth?"

    Veronica lowered her head. His obscene words were a great turn-on.

    Even though she was in pain, her body reacted to his words.

    She could feel it getting hot down there. Not only that, she sensed something pouring from there.

    ''!!!''

    She realized that she was wet. Before her husband found out and teased her for it, she wanted to do something.

    "Pull it out! Pull it out!" she shouted.

    Arthur realized that she couldn''t take it any longer. He tried to coax her, "All right, all right,e down first. Take a deep breath."

    Veronica didn''t know what to do. She listened to his gentle coaxing and took deep breaths.

    Arthur praised her for being obedient. "Good girl. Now, rx your body. I know your body hurts. So, I won''t do anything. Just stay like this and rest."

    While taking deep breaths, Veronica began to calm down. Trusting his words, she ced her head on his chest and rxed her body.

    However, she couldn''t forget that he was still inside her. Whenever she thought of that, she squeezed him involuntarily.

    She couldn''t help it anymore and asked, "C-can you pull out?"

    Arthur evilly inquired, "Pull out what?"

    "You know what."

    He shamelessly replied, "No, I don''t."

    Veronica paused. She didn''t want to say that obscene word after waking up.

    She pondered for a while and said in a roundabout way, "...I want to lie down on the bed. I''m tired of this position."

    Arthur let out a deep sigh. ''My princess is bing clever with her words,'' he thought, feeling proud.

    He carefully hugged her and lowered her body to his right side. While doing so, he slowly pulled out from her despite her tightly clutching to him.

    "Nng!" Veronica flinched but endured the pain when he moved her body.

    Soon, her back touched the soft mattress and sensed the emptiness in her lower part.

    Finally, she rxed her body.

    Then, he covered her upper body with the nket.

    She turned her head toward him and said, "I haven''t eaten anything since yesterday. I''m hungry."

    "Stay here. I''ll bring some food." Arthur got up from the bed and went to the bathroom.

    After he freshened up, he dressed up and headed out to bring a meal for her.

    However, he paused when he saw a white envelope on the floor. It was sealed.

    He bent down and picked it up.

    Veronica''s name was written on it. The sender''s name was Catherine.

    He announced, "Catherine left you a letter."

    "Cathy? Why would she?"

    "Maybe she knew that I''m here. Why don''t you check it out?"

 Chapter 211 - CATHERINES LETTER

    <h4>Chapter 211 - CATHERINE''S LETTER</h4>

    "Cathy? Why would she?"

    Veronica was surprised since her friend had no reason to send her a letter.

    Arthur shrugged. "Maybe she knew that I''m here. Why don''t you check it out?"

    Using his magic, he let the envelope fly toward her. When it approached her, it gently fell on her chest.

    After Arthur left, Veronica opened the envelope and read the letter.

    Catherine wrote -

    Ver,

    I think you will be busy with Arthur since he came back. However, please read this letter when he isn''t around.

    Ovior called me at noon and asked me about the first temple. He said Merlin used to study in Utahill in religion. So, he knew that Saints lived in the first temple for generations.

    Ovior asked me if I knew the location. I said the temple disappeared from human eyes during the Great War. Only Saints can see that.

    Well, I didn''t lie but I also didn''t tell them that you know that ce.

    I remember you saying that you were still hesitant about telling him that you were training at the first temple.

    I have no idea why they are after the temple. I''ve decided to hide it from them.

    I need to find out what''s going on. Ovior said he would brief me if I go back.

    I packed my back and am heading out. See you in the tower.

    Cathy

    -----

    After reading the letter, Veronica was in deep thought.

    ''Cathy doesn''t know but I know why they are looking for the location of the first temple. The Rosemary Temple has the most ancient scrolls and they are preserved with the Saint''s power.''

    She stared at the ceiling and tried to recall if there was any scroll that mentioned the elves.

    ''I don''t think there was such a thing called an elf being mentioned in the scrolls. Then again, it''s not that I was able to read all the scrolls.''

    She suddenly had an idea,

    ''Why don''t I take this chance to go to the Rosemary Temple? I can talk to Saint Ava about controlling my healing power as well as look for information about elves.''

    However, she was unsettled. ''They told me to stay low. Should I really go there? But, I promised that I would bring justice for those innocent lives. Maybe I should just talk to Arthur and see what he has to say.''

    While she was pondering, Arthur came back with her meal.

    He put down the meal on the table and walked in her direction.

    He inquired, "What are you thinking? What''s written in the letter?"

    Veronica tore the letter and put it in the envelope.

    She replied, "It''s nothing. I want to take a shower and wash my mouth before eating."

    Arthur noted that her expression didn''t look good. He didn''t press further.

    He said, "The food will get cold."

    "It won''t take much time."

    "I have an idea."

    "What?"

    With his idea, Veronica washed her mouth first before sinking in the hot water bathtub.

    She closed her eyes and asked, "What did you add in the water? It smells good."

    "I added some herbs. It''ll help to ease your pain. While you soak your body, you can have your meal here." Arthur passed her the tray of food.

    Veronica looked around. "Eating while bathing? I never heard of it."

    Arthur corrected her, "What you are doing is called body therapy. And the bathroom is spotless. You have nothing to worry about."

    "Still, eating in the bathroom¡­ I don''t know what is there to see anymore."

    She didn''t argue anymore. She was craving food. The delicious smells weren''t helping her stomach.

    She took a spoonful of soup, blew it a few times and then drank carefully.

    Soaking in the hot, herbal water while drinking hot soup, she never thought it would feel this good.

    Arthur also joined her. While enjoying the warm water, he was drinking milk.

    He had a habit of drinking milk in the morning and drinking red wine at night.

    As she lived with him, she started to develop this as her habit.

    Arthur noticed her twirling the spoon in the soup bowl. She was in a daze.

    He asked her, "Is something bothering you? You look like you are thinking of something after reading the letter."

    Veronica paused what she was doing and turned to look at him.

    She opened her mouth and said, "Arthur, I have something to tell you."

    Arthur put down his milk ss. "I''m listening."

    Veronica took a deep breath and said, "Do you remember that I was supposed to tell you something but I didn''t? I want to talk about it."

    Arthur''s gaze sharpened. ''Why does she look like she is nervous to talk about it? But since she wants to talk to me about that, I should listen to what she has to say. She seems to have gathered lots of courage to talk about that subject.''

    He replied, "I remember. Take your time and tell me."

    Veronica''s lips quivered. She took another deep breath and announced, "The first temple you are looking for, I know the location."

    "..."

    "I''ve been there for six months for my training."

    "..."

    "I''ve seen many ancient scrolls there and I learned the ancientnguage on my own to read those scrolls."

    "..."

    "I''ve read about many battles and conspiracies. But, I have never found anything about elves, dragons, or basilisks."

    "..."

    "I''m sorry that I hid it from you up until now. But I guess it''s time that you knew about it¡­"

    She wasn''t finished talking before she was pulled in his tight embrace.

    She was dumbfounded when he lovingly kissed her forehead and said, "You''ve done a great job by telling me this."

    Veronica was bbergasted. "What¡­ Why aren''t you surprised? Did you know this all along?"

    "I had a hunch. You disappeared for six months after your healing power came to the light. So, I thought you were being trained in the pce."

    "But then, I noticed that you weren''t part of the healing group. You were still wearing the temple uniform. I found it weird.

    "And afterward¡­

 Chapter 212 - ARTHURâ€™S ANSWER

    <h4>Chapter 212 - ARTHUR¡¯S ANSWER</h4>

    "But then, I noticed that you weren''t part of the healing group. You were still wearing the temple uniform. I found it weird.

    "And afterward, we found out that you were a blessed child. Moreover, you refused to tell me where you were for the six months.

    "Since you wouldn''t tell me, I had made my assumptions based on the clues you left me with."

    Upon hearing his conclusion, Veronica hung her head in shame.

    "I know I should have told you but I couldn''t. I still cannot tell you the location of the first temple. I''m sorry." She apologized from the bottom of her heart.

    Arthur chuckled. "I understand. It''s because I was spying on the temple. You don''t trust me enough."

    Veronica vigorously shook her head to deny his im. "It''s not like that. Just like in the tower you follow rules, we have to follow certain rules.

    "As the Saint''s disciple, I can never tell others about the location of the first temple even if it costs my life. I can''t even tell you her name. I was sworn to protect the secrets I know of."

    "It''s okay. I understand. I need to tell you everything why we are keeping an eye on the temple."

    "You already told me. Isn''t it because darkness covered the temple and you went to see for yourself what was wrong?

    "The Saint''s duty is to protect the bnce between good and evil. If the temple spreads darkness, it will be quite troublesome."

    She suddenly remembered something and asked him impatiently, "Did you check how your crystal stone reacted after Lord Alexander died?"

    "No, aftering back, all I wanted to do was to see you." Arthur''s fingers teasingly trailed down her back, giving her ticklish feelings.

    Veronica pped away his hand under the water.

    ''This guy takes every chance,'' she sighed inwardly.

    After that, she suggested, "Then, let''s go back and check your crystal. Afterward, you can teleport me to the Alss mountain range. From there, I''ll start my journey to the temple."

    "I can''t do that," Arthur immediately cut off her words.

    Veronica steeled. "What do you mean you can''t do that?"

    Arthur calmly exined, "Have you forgotten what I told you before? Utahill capital is surrounded by neutralizing power. You can''t have a magical disguise there."

    He added, "Furthermore, you don''t want to take me there. You will be going alone. How can I do that? What if you are in danger?"

    "Who is going to wait for me¡­" she swallowed her next three words -''in the mountains''.

    She couldn''t let him know the location of the ce.

    She silently reached out and touched his arm.

    "Please believe in me. I''m the only one who knows every corner and the paths of the mountains. No assassins or travelers could beat me who lived almost all her childhood nights in the mountains."

    It was true that she knew every nook and cranny of the Alss. Not only that, the Rosemary Temple''s road was hidden from the normal eyes.

    No human could follow her to the temple even if they tried to follow her.

    They would find themselves in the circle of a snow maze even if they left marks.

    That was the very reason she was this confident.

    Arthur replied, "I believe in you. I know you can never fall in danger. It is the danger I''m worried about. It always finds you when you are out of my sight."

    Veronica: "..."

    ''Is he being sarcastic?'' she thought suspiciously.

    When he heard no reply from her, he gently persuaded her, "Let''s go home and think this through, all right?"

    "...Fine¡­"

    As they nned, they went back to the capital city the next day.

    Vincent even prepared lunch for them, not knowing they would use teleport magic.

    Also, he had a letter for Catherine.

    He handed it over to Veronica and asked her, "Will you please give it to her?"

    Puzzled, Veronica answered, "Sure, you can count on me."

    ''What actually happened between them in one night that they are exchanging letters now?'' she wondered.

    On the way, Arthur inquired, "Did Catherine find a lover in the mountains?"

    Veronica didn''t think too much into it.

    "Howe? Although his skin color was her type, I don''t think they could go that far in a day."

    Arthur remarked, "Maybe it''s love at first sight. Here, in Tybu, blonde hair is rare."

    "He doesn''t look like she would fall for her just because of her hair. She has so much potential despite her physical beauty."

    "Really? I doubt that," he muttered.

    Veronica took her friend''s side, "Just because you don''t like her personality, doesn''t mean other men won''t. She was so popr in the temple. And, she isn''t stupid enough to fall for a guy without knowing him first."

    Arthur mumbled, "...Still, I doubt that."

    He suddenly caught what she just said and grabbed her arm.

    "Hey, what do you mean by stupid enough to fall for a guy without knowing him first? Did you think you made a mistake by falling for me without knowing me?"

    Veronica averted her gaze. "...I didn''t mean that.."

    ''If I knew that he was a beast in human''s clothes, I would have thought twice before falling for him.'' She sighed in her heart.

    Arthur frowned. His eyes were filled with doubt. "You answered a bitte¡­"

    "Let''s go home. Hurry!" Veronica urged him.

    After reaching their destination, they changed clothes and headed to Ovior''s room.

    Ovior saw them and said, "Finally, you are here. We have so much to do."

    Arthur went down to business as well. "I know. Did you check the crystal after Alexander''s death?"

    Ovior was quick to catch on. "To see if the temple''s situation had changed or not? I didn''t. Is that important right now?"

    Arthur dyed the answer. "...I think it is important."

    Ovior shrugged. "Why is that? We can check itter. The temple isn''t bing any darker than thest time."

 Chapter 213 - THE FUTURE

    <h4>Chapter 213 - THE FUTURE</h4>

    Arthur dyed the answer. "...I think it is important."

    Ovior shrugged. "Why is that? We can check itter. The temple isn''t bing any darker than thest time."

    Arthur disclosed, "It''s important because my wife knows the location of the first temple and I won''t let her go there unless I know it''s safe. My magic won''t work there."

    "Your wife knows the location! How?" Ovior''s eyesnded on the woman beside his friend.

    Veronica opened her mouth, "I was there to be trained for six months under the Saint''s guidance."

    "Why did we work so hard?" Darius was displeased. "We should have left everything to Felix and Veronica. I almost grew hair on my head because of these elves."

    Everyone: "..."

    Catherine: ''Dude, isn''t that a good thing?''

    Ovior cleared his throat and dered, "Anyhow, what those elves did was a crime. We have to bring them to justice. Only Veronica can help us find them."

    Veronica stated, "I just need some time. All you have to do is send me to the Alss mountain range. From there, I''ll be on my own."

    Catherine reminded her, "Without magic, you cannot be in disguise. What if Lord Alexander''s men¡­"

    Veronica was tired of hearing about the magic neutralization.

    She said, "I know. I know. You don''t have to remind me about magic neutralization. And, Lord Alexander is dead."

    Arthur added, "That''s why we need to check if the temple is a safe ce for her or not."

    "Let''s go and check.'' Ovior stood up.

    When Arthur pulled Veronica with him and Ovior followed after, Catherine walked behind them.

    However, she was caught by Darius.

    Catherine turned to look at him and asked, "What are you doing? Aren''t youing?"

    Merlin replied instead of Darius, "Miss Cathy, we cannot go there. It''s something only Arthur and Ovior have permission to watch."

    Catherine was puzzled. "But Ver went with them, didn''t she?"

    Zinnia reminded her. "Did you forget, she is the blessed child?"

    "Ahh¡­ right. How did I forget that." Catherine sat on her chair and cupped her face. "But, I''m so curious."

    Zinnia stated, "I know that feeling. But that ce is off-limits for us. I heard the crystal won''t work if uninvited people are there. It only answers to who needs to be answered."

    "There is such a thing. I do love this magical ce. It''s like a new dimension." Catherine stretched her arms. "I guess, I''ll go back to work."

    --------

    Meanwhile, Arthur and Ovior took Veronica to Arthur''s office.

    There was a small room inside his office. The small square-sized room was dyed in red from the ceiling to the floor.

    In the middle of the room, there was a white marble stone pir, attached from the ceiling to the ground.

    In the middle of the pir, there was a gap. in that gap, the ck crystal stone was floating.

    Veronica mumbled, "After knowing about the elves and dragons, nothing surprises me anymore."

    Arthur chuckled. "Don''t get too used to it. I''ll be sad if I can''t amaze you with my magic skills."

    Veronica told him, "Then, I''ll pretend to be amazed."

    Arthur: "..."

    "Sometimes, you should keep your thoughts to yourself so that the other party wouldn''t be hurtter," Ovior lectured her.

    Veronica faced Arthur. "Sure, I''ll hide things from now on."

    Arthur red at his friend. "Don''t teach her bad things."

    "...Me? What?" Ovior was speechless.

    Arthur stepped close to the crystal stone and raised his hand,

    His palm nearly touched the stone. He kept a minimal distance.

    "Can I touch the stone?" Veronica whispered to Ovior. She was afraid to speak aloud.

    Ovior bluntly replied, "Thest time someone touched it out of greed, his whole hand burned and turned into ashes."

    Veronica gulped. She really wanted to touch it. She was thankful that she didn''t touch it.

    She saw Arthur mumbling something. She couldn''t understand what he was saying.

    The next moment, the ck crystal stone''s color changed.

    It turned into a white crystal and a silver light came out of it.

    The crystal was glowing. Soon, they saw a moving picture in it.

    Veronica was surprised when she saw the Holy Temple in the crystal ball.

    It was the same ce she grew up in.

    Nheless, it seemed so unfamiliar for some reason.

    Because the picture waspletely different from what she had seen.

    The temple looked dested. The flower and vegetable gardens no longer existed. The ponds were all dry. All the trees died as well.

    Veronica was startled by this new discovery.

    "Is this supposed to be the future? Why does it look this way? That''s not how the temple looks like."

    Ovior exined, "This is what we had seen two years ago. That''s why Arthur went to check on the Holy Temple."

    "Now that Lord Alexander died, it should have a different future. That''s what we all hope. Arthur, show her the present."

    Arthur muttered some ancientnguage and the picture in the crystal stone had changed.

    It was an entirely different look. The temple seemed fresh and new. Children wereughing. Elders were working.

    That''s the ce Veronica grew up in - a peaceful, loving ce.

    She inquired, "What about the future? Can we check it?"

    "Sure, let''s see," Arthur whispered a mantra and the vision changed once again.

    It was the same as the present vision.

    She finally sighed in relief. "I''m so d things won''t turn out that way. So, Lord Alexander was the culprit who was going to change the Holy Temple into something unholy. I''m so d Felix has stopped him before he could do it."

    She looked at her husband and asked, "So, will you take me to the Alss?"

    Arthur put down his hand and the crystal stone dimmed. The color changed into ck.

    Upon hearing her question, he let out a deep breath.

    "What choice do I have? But Felix, Darius, Zinnia, and Ironin areing with us in case we need help."

    Veronica smiled. "All right. When will we start?"

 Chapter 214 - SOMEONE IS NOT HAPPY

    <h4>Chapter 214 - SOMEONE IS NOT HAPPY</h4>

    Veronica was relieved to know that he finally agreed. "All right, when will we start?"

    ---------------

    Darius was losing his wits. He bickered, "I can''t believe this is happening. I thought we would be able to rx a bit after going through so much trouble.

    "Now we have to leave tomorrow. And, not only that, but we also have to stay in the cold Alss for who knows how long. We can''t even use magic to stay warm."

    Darius, Merlin, Zinnia, and Ironin were in the lodging room, eating evening snacks and drinks.

    Darius was having a fun time with his teammates until Arthur barged into the room and ordered, "We are leaving tomorrow. Merlin, you stay here.

    "The other three will stay in the mountains with me and guard Veronica as long as she needs it."

    Zinnia smirked upon hearingints from Darius. "That''s why I always told you not to get yourself swayed by magic and luxury too much. But you won''t listen to me."

    Ironin: "¡­"

    He yed with his bow and arrows and listened to his friend''s bickering.

    Darius spatted, "Look at Merlin. How lucky he is! He is going to stay here and have warm tea every day."

    Merlin helplessly defended himself, "That''s because I''ll only burden you all if I tagged along. I cannot stand excessive cold and you know it."

    Darius grunted. "Yes, yes, yes, go have fun with all thedies while I get frozen in the cold."

    Merlin understood, "So, that''s what was bugging you. You wanted to spend more time with thedies in the restaurant. Have you forgotten that the restaurant was demolished and got a new owner?"

    Darius proudly stated, "So what? The girls already gave me the address of their new working ce. They said they would treat me anytime I go there."

    Zinnia: "¡­"

    Merlin: "¡­"

    Ironin shut his eyes and silently shook his head.

    ------------

    Catherine chatted, "I can''t believe you are going to the mountains and leaving me here. I miss snow. Tybu is a warm ce."

    Veronica replied, "It can''t be helped. The fewer the people, the better."

    They were currently in Veronica and Arthur''s bedroom. Veronica already packed her bag.

    She didn''t take too many things. She was going to wear winter clothes. She would only take one night garment and a light dress to wear all the time.

    As for body soap or any necessities, she didn''t need them. The temple''s garden would provide her everything she needed.

    Catherine yed with her golden locks before bashfully asking, "By the way, did you perhaps meet Vincent beforeing back?"

    "Huh? Oh! Yes, we met, and guess what. He wrote a letter for you and packed us lunch."

    Veronica took the packet of food and the letter before handing them both to Catherine.

    She added, "I''m not sure how you guys be close enough to exchange letters. I was rather surprised when he gave me the letter."

    Catherine''s face turned red. She lowered her eyes and covered her lips with the envelope.

    She bashfully confessed, "The truth is¡­ I kind of like him."

    Veronica understood where this was going. "Oh, yes, he is your type of man."

    Catherine hesitantly asked, "Do you think we are too fast? We just met and became acquaintances in the evening, and friends the next day. I''m a bit worried."

    Veronica tapped her chin with a slender finger, thinking. "Well, there is nothing wrong with getting to know a person before understanding if he''s the one you want to spend your life with.

    "If you ask me, I think most men in Tybu are too forward. You guys are just friends. But when it was Arthur¡­ sigh¡­ he was more physical before we had a proper rtionship."

    Catherine mumbled, "Maybe, we are too reserved."

    Veronica nodded in agreement. "Yes, we preserve our purity till we get married. I heard Tybu women are not like that. They are a lot independent and forward with men."

    Catherine had no idea about culture since she was always upied with ounting while her friend studied the culture and history of Tybu.

    She remarked, "It''s so wonderful when you think about one''s culture and norms that can be so different from others."

    Veronica couldn''t agree more. "It''s truly amazing when I think about it. That''s why every culture is fascinating in its own way. We should respect it."

    "We should."

    "Now, show me. What did he write in the letter?" Veronica mischievously urged her.

    "I won''t show you." Catherine quickly hid the letter.

    "Come on! It''s not the first time you got a LOVE letter. We always read them together," Veronica teasingly said.

    "But this time is different! He is the guy I like!" Catherine shouted.

    Veronica had her reasons ready.

    "Even so, you guys aren''t going out yet. There is nothing wrong with reading a pen friend''s letter. I promise I won''t inquire when you guys start going out."

    Catherine stared at her friend for a couple of seconds and then gave in.

    "Haa! Fine, but this is thest time. I''m too embarrassed to show you the future letters."

    "Okay!" Veronica beamed.

    Catherine opened the envelope and unfolded the letter.

    Vincent had clear, beautiful handwriting, just like his face. His gentle strokes reminded her of his character.

    His letter was simple ¨C

    Dear Catherine,

    I hope you reached home safely.

    I never thought having a friend would make me think of you day and night. The best part is, I don''t feel lonely anymore.

    Because I know you are here, in my heart.

    Do you think about me too? Or did you forget me already? When will youe again?

    Am I being too impatient? Please forgive me then. This is the first time I''m writing a letter. So, I''m not sure what to write.

    When I think about you, my heart is in a mess. All thoughts jumble up. I don''t know what to write.

    I think I wrote too much. Hope to see you soon. Take care of yourself properly.

    Your friend,

    Vincent.

    ''What a dimwit! He would have just written more. I don''t mind what he writes to me.'' Catherine was inwardly dissatisfied. But her heart was beating fast.

    ''Am I truly in love?''

 Chapter 215 - JOURNEY TO THE FIRST TEMPLE

    <h4>Chapter 215 - JOURNEY TO THE FIRST TEMPLE</h4>

    ''Am I truly in love? It feels so unreal. But my heart¡­ It''s beating so fast. I feel nervous and happy at the same time when I think about him. I feel good when he touches my hand or hair. It must be love.''

    When Catherine was pondering deeply, her friend gave her a push.

    "What are you thinking so dreamily?" Veronica elbowed her.

    "I was thinking when you will wipe that goofy smile off of your face! So annoying!" Catherine poked her ticklish ce.

    "Ahahaha!" Veronica jumped. She couldn''t stop giggling.

    Catherine stood up. Her face waspletely flushed. "I''m going to my room. Take some rest today. Good night!"

    "Good night! Have a romantic dream!" Veronica sang.

    She saw Catherine scurrying away and couldn''t help butugh.

    After her friend was out of sight, she finally stopped smiling.

    ''Hmm, I thought she liked Sebastian since she made a handkerchief for him. Oh well, that''s her choice. I guess Arthur was right. It was love at first sight.''

    ---------

    The next day, Arthur teleported Veronica, Darius, Zinnia, and Ironin with him.

    They went to the Alss mountain range''s neutral area. Neutral area belonged neither to Utahill nor Sia.

    That''s why they could use magic.

    Darius shivered even though he was covered with warm clothes.

    He stuttered, "M-maybe we should stay here if we are going to use magic to keep ourselves warm."

    Veronica took a deep breath. The cold wind and the smell of snow entered her nostrils.

    She felt so at home and a faint smile touched her lips.

    Upon hearing Darius''sment, she suggested, "If you guys want, I can bring you to a cave. Unfortunately, it will be under Utahill. I don''t think you guys can use magic there."

    Arthur''s answer was resolute. "We are going with you. We will stay with you as long as we can."

    Darius was going to say ''yes''. His head dropped when he heard Arthur''s reply.

    ''No one thinks of me. Sobs!''

    Zinnia patted his back and then they started walking.

    Veronica''s movements were rather swift.

    It had been so long since shest came here. She felt as if she returned to her childhood.

    She walked faster, leaving Arthur, Darius, and Zinnia behind.

    Ironin was quick with his feet. He was also lighter than the rest because he didn''t wear too many heavy winter clothes.

    His animal skin clothes kept him warm. He sped up to match up with Veronica''s speed.

    While walking, his eyesnded on her face and he paused.

    He noticed how free-spirited and happy she looked while walking in the familiar ce as if she owned this ce.

    He pondered, ''Since she is the blessed child, she does own this ce. Everything in Utahill belongs to her. She is the real queen of this ce. Does she even belong to our hot country?''

    With a forlorn expression on his face, Darius hid his hands under his armpits.

    ''I''m going to be frozen. I''m going to freeze to death. No one can save me. All the beauties will be heartbroken. They will grow old waiting for me. Ahh¡­''

    Zinnia chuckled. "Darius, are youmenting in your heart?"

    Darius turned to face her. "Huh? Why do you ask?"

    She replied, "I can hear you groaning."

    It wasn''t that hard. They were walking against the wind.

    Zinnia was right behind Darius. The wind carried the sounds left his lips.

    "I''ll try to be silent." Darius hugged himself.

    Zinnia reminded her fellow member, "We are still lucky that Arthur can use his fire magic to keep us warm. Think what will happen when we cross Utahill''s boundary."

    "Don''t remind me of that nightmare." Darius shuddered.

    At that moment, Veronica paused in the trail. She looked forward.

    "What is it?" Ironin asked.

    He barely talked to her. The first time he talked, he was threatening her.

    Afterward, he never chatted with her.

    His sudden question surprised her.

    She turned to face him with wonders in her eyes.

    Staring at his cold expression, sheposed herself.

    She said, "From here, it''s Utahill''s boundary. It will be better if you warm yourself first before we cross the boundary."

    "That''s a good idea." Arthur made a huge fire that withstood the cold breeze.

    Darius quickly strode forward with open arms as though he was going to embrace the fire.

    "How far is the cave from here?" Zinnia inquired.

    Veronica replied like a professional guide, "It''ll take another two miles to the west. The snow on the road will be thicker than what we see here. It''ll slow us down more than usual."

    Zinnia mentioned, "Darius is the strongest and biggest among us. He will clear the path for us."

    Darius flinched. "Hey, don''t make me suffer more than I''m already suffering."

    Veronica asked him, "Didn''t you bring booze? It''ll keep you warm."

    "Of course, I did. Here," saying that Darius pulled open his warm shawl.

    Other than Veronica, no one had a strong reaction. They were already used to it.

    Only Veronica gaped at him.

    Under the shawl, he was wearing a woolen garment that was filled with pockets.

    Each pocket had a small bottle.

    A bottle of alcohol.

    His mind and body were prepared for this journey.

    Veronica had nothing to say.

    She realized there was no point in being merciful to him. He had everything under control.

    "Darius can guide us. I''ll be right behind to tell him where to go," she dered.

    Zinnia lowered her head, not letting Darius see herughing expression.

    Darius helplessly looked at Arthur and then Ironin.

    No one came to his aid.

    He pursed his lips and said, "I''ll remember this, you traitors!"

    After warming up, they continued walking.

    Just as nned, Darius was in front of everyone. Behind him was Veronica, then Ironin, Zinnia, and Arthur.

    Arthur''s fire died down the moment they stepped past Utahill''s boundary.

    He turned it off so that the royal family of Utahill wouldn''t notice any magician trying to use their power in Utahill''s territory.

    Veronica was right.

    The snow only got thicker the more they went to the west.

    It was hard to move forward.

 Chapter 216 - VERONICAS HIDEOUT

    <h4>Chapter 216 - VERONICA''S HIDEOUT</h4>

    The freezing wind felt like cutting their face.

    Everyone covered their faces and kept their eyes open.

    However, the cold wind touched their skins and made them numb.

    Veronica slightly shivered. Although she was wearing warm clothes, she felt cold.

    ''I guess living in a warm ce made my bodyzy. Before, I would wrap only a shawl around my body to visit this ce and I almost felt nothing. If I tell Arthur that, I think he will freak out.''

    She giggled as she thought about it.

    "What''s so funny?" Zinnia asked.

    Veronica replied, "I was thinking what Arthur would do if he were to see my past self in the mountains."

    "Why was it funny?"

    Zinnia heard her and asked from behind. She wanted to talk and distract herself.

    "Because I never wore this kind of warm clothes toe here before," Veronica confessed.

    Zinnia replied without hesitation, "Arthur will lose his mind if he sees you like that."

    Veronica giggled. "Right? I was thinking that would be the case too."

    The girls kept chatting and the boys got tired of their silly gossip.

    Nheless, no one tried to stop them since it was better than staying silent in the cold ce.

    They started their journey at dawn. They ended up in the cave in the afternoon.

    "Finally! Ahahaha! We havee to our destination. I thought I was going to die. Haha!"

    Darius was in absolute bliss.

    Veronica put down her bag like the rest of them and walked inside.

    Arthur grabbed her arm. "Nica, be careful. There might be some bandits or animals."

    Veronica patted the arm that was holding her.

    She assured him by saying, "Don''t worry too much. No animals wille here leaving all the caves out there."

    Darius was startled. He turned toward her, "What? There are other caves?"

    Veronica readily nodded. "Yes, we have passed a few."

    Ironin muttered, "I noticed a few of them on the way."

    Darius thought that they all went crazy. "Then why didn''t you say so? Why are we stopping here?"

    Veronica cocked her head. "Why? It''s because this is my personal hideout."

    "Huh?!" Darius was speechless.

    Veronica confessed, "I came here often before I met Arthur."

    Darius looked at Arthur. "Didn''t you say she never left the temple until she was eighteen?"

    Veronica stated, "Arthur didn''t lie. This area is under the temple. Can''t you feel the air? It''s so fresh."

    Arthur and others sniffed and realized what she said was true.

    The wind carried the scent of snow and a fresh smell. They even felt warmer.

    Veronica was pleased with their reaction.

    "This is one of the best caves in the mountains. I''ve kept this ce clean. It''s a secret hideout even from an animal. Make yourself at home. I''ll get some wood."

    "Wood? For fire? I''ll help you." Darius followed her.

    They went deep into the cave and found some woods, some broken pots, a jar of ice, and some frozen vegetables.

    "Did you save water here in case of an emergency? That''s brilliant!" Darius was thoroughly impressed.

    "Thank you. Yes, I kept water here and whenever I needed to drink, all I had to do was to warm it up."

    Darius pointed at the vegetables. "What about these vegetables? Are these edibles?"

    "They look fresh. We won''t know unless we try eating them. More importantly, they are the vegetables I grew secretly, breaking the rules."

    "This is amazing. I never thought you could grow vegetables."

    "My fellow brothers and sisters grew vegetables. I learned from them. I would ask for seeds from the cook. He would save some for me. Then, I would grow vegetables in a corner.

    "Let''s take them all."

    Darius helped her carry the heavy objects.

    Later, they set out a fire and started cooking.

    Darius chugged down a mouth of alcohol and let out a satisfactory sigh.

    "Ahh¡­ now this is what I needed. Just a tiny bit of a problem. If there was some meat¡­"

    Zinniamented, "We can always hunt."

    Darius agreed, "That''s a good idea. It''s already getting dark outside. Let''s go tomorrow."

    "Cold weather gives strength, but the excessive cold makes you sleepy andzy." Zinnia yawned and stretched her arms.

    Darius opened his mouth and yawned. "We should probably fall asleep."

    "What''s your n for tomorrow?" Arthur asked his wife.

    Veronica was dozing off as she felt warmth close to the fire.

    She opened her eyes and looked at them with groggy eyes.

    "I''ll start my journey in the morning. You guys can stay here."

    Arthur said, "Let us follow you until we can."

    Veronica smiled. "I can''t let you do that and you know it."

    Ironinmented, "Just let her do what she wants. She knows this area more than we do."

    Arthur pondered for a while and then gave up. "Fine, do whatever you want."

    Veronica''s face beamed. "Thank you! You are the best."

    She hugged his neck and pecked on his cheek.

    Later, Arthur noticed that she was tired and made a bed for them.

    He made the bed close to the fire so that she felt warm.

    Without a word, Veronica lied down and closed her eyes. Before she blinked, she fell asleep.

    Dariusmented, "Man, she looks he tired. I thought she was a mountain girl."

    Arthur defended his wife, ''It''s been a while since she has had that kind of adventure. Moreover, she is mentally exhausted after that mass murder incident."

    "All right, lover boy.? We all understand. You don''t have to say anymore," Darius teased.

    Arthur looked around but couldn''t find what he was looking for. He asked others, "Where is Ironin?"

    Zinnia replied, "I noticed him going out."

    Arthur went out. The night hade. The darkness fell over but the white mountain range illuminated a slight hue.

    Arthur looked around but couldn''t find Ironin.

    Thinking of something, he turned around and raised his head.

    Ironin was sitting above the cave, on the snow.

    Arthur followed his trail and sat beside him.

    "Can we talk?"

    Ironin nodded.

    Arthur inquired, "Why did you support her? What if something happens to her?"

    Ironin answered, "I was thinking. A girl, who grew up in the temple, could be a good nun. But she was more into climbing mountains than do her duty to the temple."

    "When I saw her guiding us today, I saw her happy expression." He turned to Arthur. "Do you think she is happy with us, in the tower, always protected?"

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrow.

    "Are you saying we are keeping her in a cage? What I''m doing is protect her."

    Ironin agreed.

    "I know. I think she knows that too. But is this what she truly wants? I know she is shaken by incident after incident. It must be hard for her."

    "Even so, I don''t think she likes it. Why don''t you teach her self-defense and teach her the way of life?"

    "Oh well, even if you don''t do it, she will learn herself. You did see how she managed without Felix and Darius''s help."

    Arthur lowered his head.

    "I know what you are saying. I''d hate to let her be a caged bird if she wanted to be a free bird.

    "But, I''m so worried. This is the first time I have had someone I treasure more than myself. I just don''t know what I will do if she is gone."

    "You are confessing to the wrong person." Ironin was blunt.

    "I''ll talk to her when the time is right," Arthur promised.

    ----------

    The next day, Darius went hunting with Zinnia. They brought a huge pr bear.

    Arthur and Ironin cooked. Veronica had a hearty meal.

    Afterward, she was ready to leave.

    "Please take care of my house till I get back."

    Darius readily replied, "Yes, yes, we will keep it clean, I promise."

    Arthur held her hand. "Be careful on the road."

    She advised, "I will. If there is a storm, make a snow wall to cover the entrance. Don''t turn on the fire."

    Darius scoffed. "We will be frozen to death."

    "If that''s true, then I would be as well. I''m off. Bye-bye!"

    After waving at them, Veronica started her journey. Alone.

    "See you soon!" Zinnia waved her back.

    Darius and Arthur waved at her too.

    Only Ironin stood leaning against the cave. His eyes were on the parting figure.

    After she was out of sight, everyone counted inwardly¡­

    One¡­ two¡­ three¡­ four¡­ five¡­ six¡­ seven¡­ eight¡­ nine¡­ ten!

    As soon as they were done counting one to ten, Zinnia, Ironin, and Arthur followed her trail.

    Darius stayed behind to guard Veronica''s home. He was looking at his alcohol collection.

    "Let''s see¡­ which bottle should I open now¡­"

    In the meantime, the other three followed Veronica for quite some time.

    Veronica was wearing white fur warm clothes. Her silver hair was covered by the hood.

    All of a sudden, she paused in her tracks and took off her hood.

    ''What is she doing?'' Arthur became nervous.

    He was ready to go to her when Ironin stopped him by grabbing his arm.

    When Arthur looked at him, he only shook his head to stop him.

    Arthur nced at Veronica.

    She took her long hair out of the clothes and set them free. After that, she smiled broadly and spread her arms.

    She took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of the snow she loved so much.

    She wasn''t able to do it before because Arthur was worried that she would catch a cold.

    He was caring about her so much that he wrapped her in warm clothes and turned her into a furball.

    "How much I missed you snow," Veronica said loudly. "Did you miss me too?"

 Chapter 217 - TO THE TEMPLE

    <h4>Chapter 217 - TO THE TEMPLE</h4>

    "How much I missed you snow," Veronica said loudly. "Did you miss me too?"

    "¡­"

    Arthur quietly stared at her. He was shocked.

    ''I was tired of my freedom. I hated being alone. Nothing on this earth could make me happy.''

    ''When she came into my life, I was happy. For the first time, I wanted to be at home.''

    ''But that''s not what she wanted, did she? She wanted to be free.''

    ''I tied her up with me.''

    ''Howe she is happy with all this?''

    His trail of thoughts went into disarray when he saw Veronica disappear into thin air.

    He immediately stood up. He sprinted where she was a few seconds ago.

    He looked around but she was nowhere in near sight.

    "Where did she go?"

    Zinnia caught up with him. She was also surprised.

    They were in a higher ce, unlike Veronica who was on the lower path.

    There was no way she would suddenly disappear without their notice.

    Arthur looked up to check on Ironin.

    Ironin was visibly surprised. He was standing in a high ce and looked in front of the trail to search for Veronica.

    However, he saw nothing. Not even footprints.

    He looked down and shook his head.

    "What in the world¡­" Zinnia muttered. She had never seen a normal human vanishing like that.

    It was like magic.

    But she knew that Veronica didn''t know magic and even if she did, she couldn''t use it while they were inside Utahill''s boundary.

    Arthur''s eyes were chillingly cold.

    "I let my guard down. Let''s move forward and see if we can find her or not."

    Zinnia gestured to Ironin to follow them from above.

    Ten minutester, they ended up at the same spot.

    "I''m pretty sure we were here just a few minutes ago," Zinnia pointed out first.

    She looked up and saw a confused Ironin. It was the same for him too.

    "We are in a maze." Arthur suggested, "Let''s leave marks this time."

    "Okay."

    However, even after leaving several marks, they ended up in the same ce again.

    Zinnia brushed the snow away from her head and shoulders.

    "It''s not that we are taking the wrong direction. There is only one road ahead of us. So, why are we ending up in the same ce?"

    Ironin came down and advised, "Let''s go back to the cave and think this through. If what she said was correct, only she and the Saints could see that road."

    "That''s the only option we are left with," Zinnia agreed.

    Arthur pondered before nodding. "Let''s head back."

    When the other two walked in the direction of the cave, he turned to nce at the road Veronica had left.

    He was deeply worried about the unknown ce she had headed alone.

    Darius waszing around when those three came back.

    He sat up and asked, "Why did youe back so soon?"

    "We lost her." Zinnia exined the situation.

    Darius pretended to be a wise man and stated, "So, we have to wait here until shees back."

    Ironin put his hand on Arthur''s shoulder.

    "She knows what she is doing."

    "I hope so," Arthur muttered and left.

    "What''s with him?" Darius inquired.

    Zinnia whispered so that Arthur wouldn''t hear. "The lover boy feels lonely."

    --------

    While Arthur was drowning in the ocean called worry, Veronica hummed a song and went in the direction of the temple.

    She had a good sense of direction. So, she had no problem finding the right path to the temple.

    In no time, she reached in front of the temple.

    And, she was at a loss.

    "Now what? How am I supposed to open the door?"

    She recalled the Head Priest using his staff to open the door. He even mumbled some mantras.

    "How am I supposed to know what it was? I don''t even have a staff."

    She paced from one side to another side.

    "Maybe I should try pushing the door."

    She pressed both sides of the doors with her palms and pushed with all her might.

    An hourter, she was sitting on a stone in front of the temple, panting slightly.

    She was exhausted.

    "Should I¡­ take a nap?"

    She looked at the sky.

    The sun was high above her head. Thick clouds were covering the sun.

    Sometimes, the sun peeked and then hid behind the clouds. It looked like the sun was ying peek-a-boo with her.

    "I''ll freeze if I stay here when the sun goes down. I didn''t bring wood with me and there is hardly any wood to create fire near. I must get inside before it gets chillier."

    She pped the stone wall.

    "Hello? Saint Ava? Are you inside?"

    No response.

    "Please let me in."

    No response.

    "Do you want me to die?"

    Veronica was getting annoyed.

    "I''ll bring my husband and let the whole world find out where the Rosemary Temple is, understand?"

    No response.

    "Argh!"

    It was getting darker.

    She was hungry.

    Thankfully, Arthur packed her two slices of bread and some cheese.

    She had a water pouch. The pouch was supposed to keep the hot water warm.

    However, it was so cold out here that the water was getting colder.

    She had her meal and soaked her throat with water.

    After having her stomach fill, she tried to look for a way to open the door.

    This time, she was desperate.

    A polite request, threatening didn''t work.

    She had only one option left.

    "Saint Ava, please let me in. You don''t want your blessed child dying in front of her home, do you?"

    She had to plead.

    ''I can''t believe I have to ask for Saint Ava''s permission when this is also my home. It''s not personal property, woman. It''s a religious ce that belongs to all Saints and blessed children!''

    She was pissed but she couldn''t express it.

    ''I''m sure she can hear my voice. There is nothing that goes without her notice. Especially my movements. Wait¡­''

    Suddenly, she had an idea.

    ''She always notices me right away when I use healing power. That''s how she came to know about my existence in the first ce. If I use my healing power right now¡­''

    She looked around to find a sharp object.

    It was clear what she was going to do.

 Chapter 218 - ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS

    <h4>Chapter 218 - ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS</h4>

    Veronica searched for something sharp.

    "These stones are not sharp enough. I''ll feel more pain than make myself injured. I should have brought a knife. Let me check my bag."

    She ransacked her own bag only to find two boiled eggs.

    "Broken eggshells are sharp. I can try that."

    She ate one egg and used the broken shell to cut the skin of her arm.

    She flinched as she sensed the sharp shell cutting her skin.

    Two small drops of blood poured from the small cut.

    "I think this is enough. I don''t want to get hurt any more than this."

    She ced her injured hand on the stone door and used her other hand to heal her wound.

    A pure white light glowed and healed her injury.

    At that moment, she heard a deep, cracking sound.

    It came from the inside of the door.

    She stepped backward.

    The stone wall started to crack. It turned into two doors.

    "Finally!"

    Veronica was relieved.

    She waited for the doors to open by themselves and then stepped inside.

    "So good to be back in this ce."

    She never thought that she would feel better aftering to this ce.

    In the past, sleeping on the stone floor would make her body stiff. Sitting on the stone stool made her butts hurt. She couldn''t stand eating those fruits.

    Now, she couldn''t wait to eat those juicy fruits.

    ''I guess I got attached to this ce.''

    She directly went to the prayer room where Saint Ava used to stay most of the time.

    Just as she predicted, Saint Ava was there, kneeling on the ground and praying. There were thirteen candles around her.

    Veronica didn''t want to disturb her prayer knowing well that Saint Ava would be angry.

    Without a word, she knelt on the ground and started praying.

    Saint Ava finished her prayer and stood up. She bowed to the statue of Goddess Juvena.

    When she turned around, she saw Veronica bowing her head to the statue of goddess Juvena.

    "You finished your prayer too early," Saint Avamented.

    "I was praying with you for almost two hours," Veronica refuted. She smiled seeing her mentor reprimanding her and said, "I missed you."

    Saint Ava frowned. "I didn''t miss you at all. Why did youe back? I have persuaded the Head Priest and the others to lie about your death. You just ruined all our hard work. If the King finds out that we betrayed him, do you know the consequences?"

    Veronica flinched. She quickly apologized, "I-I am sorry. I didn''t mean to ruin all your hard work. I have many questions that need answers. And the questions can be answered here, by you."

    From the moment she stepped outside the temple, she got to know and learn so many things. She had yet to know why Saint Ava used a stone to restrain her power. And why they tried to cover her true identity.

    Saint Ava raised an eyebrow. "Questions? What kind of silly questions do you have for me?"

    "Let''s go to the dining hall and talk about it," Veronica politely suggested.

    Saint Ava gestured to her, "Come with me."

    They picked up some fruits from the garden and headed to the dining room. Veronica peeled the fruits for her mentor and herself.

    "I see you don''t have the stone I gave you," Saint Avamented.

    "About that, why did you use that stone to control my power?" Veronica directly asked.

    Saint Ava took a piece of apple. "So, you now know about this stone''s power. Who told you?"

    "The desert tribe. What was your reason behind the action? Why did you hide the fact that I am the blessed child? Why did you make me think that I don''t have any power to heal people?"

    One by one she asked all the questions she wanted to be answered.

    Saint Ava put down the piece of apple.

    "You want to know why? You are so silly. You know nothing about this world. What do you think men will do when they find out a beautiful woman has a tremendous power that can rule the world?"

    Veronica was bbergasted.

    "Tremendous power? Rule the world? What are you saying? My power is to heal people. How can my power rule the world?"

    "See? You are too na?ve. You didn''t know how the world works. How could I make you realize what cruel people could do when they had you?"

    Veronica clenched her fists.

    She knew she had little knowledge and she still hadn''t learned enough yet. However, she was trying her best every day to learn more about this world.

    She stated, "I didn''t know before. But I know now how the world can be cruel. How people can kill each other just to gain something they are so unworthy of. I know how people can ughter innocent people just for their pleasure."

    Saint Ava exhaled sharply. "At least you have learned something."

    "So please, tell me everything," Veronica pleaded.

    Saint Ava started, "The first time I sensed your power was a long time ago. I guess you were a child back then. You healed that person."

    Veronica confessed, "Yes. It was the first time I healed a person. But then when I tried to use my power again to show others that I am a healer, it didn''t work."

    "That''s why I thought that I made a mistake. But, two years ago I sensed your power again. The power was so strong that I knew that I didn''t make a mistake.

    "There are many healers in the castle who are too proud of their power. The stronger their power is, the bigger is their arrogance.

    "Thest thing this world needs is an arrogant blessed child. I had to make sure that you were as humble as possible."

    "This stone was here for a long time to prevent the Saint from losing control of her power. Since you didn''t know anything about the blessed child and how to use your healing power, I used that stone to prevent you from doing anything that will make you lose control of your power."

 Chapter 219 - REASONS BEHIND ACTIONS

    <h4>Chapter 219 - REASONS BEHIND ACTIONS</h4>

    "¡­Since you didn''t know anything about the blessed child and how to use your healing power, I used that stone to prevent you from doing anything that will make your power go out of control," Saint Ava answered truthfully.

    "So that''s the reason¡­"

    Veronica never thought Saint Ava cared so much about her responsibilities.

    It left her feeling ashamed for running away from her duty as a blessed child.

    Saint Ava continued, "If you knew you had tremendous power before you learned how to control it, your ignorance and arrogance could destroy your life and the world at the same time.

    "However, when you were out of my range you had a strong urge to heal someone, you destroyed the stone and let the whole world know that you are the blessed child.

    "And with the power you have now, you can go ande here as you please. You don''t need to cut your arm for that."

    Veronica abruptly stood up.

    "What?! Did I cut my arm for no reason then?"

    "Yes," Saint Ava bluntly replied.

    Veronica gaped at her. "And you knew but still didn''t open the door."

    "I was praying."

    "¡­"

    Veronica was speechless.

    ''What kind of excuse is this?''

    She couldn''t help but protest, "Is praying more important than spilling the blood of a blessed child."

    Saint Ava chided her. "Stop acting like a doll. You are not dead. It''s your fault for making that stone explode and you ended up reviving the entire desert."

    She let out a deep breath.

    "Haah¡­ that was the worst day of my life."

    "Pardon?" Veronica blinked as she couldn''t understand what she meant by the worst day.

    Saint Ava red at her. "Did you know how hard it was for me after all that? The Head Priest kepting here and asking me to track you down. Even the King was pressuring me."

    "Then, why didn''t you?" Veronica confusedly inquired.

    "If you wanted toe back, you would do that with your own feet. Did you think I wouldn''t know what you seek after living with me for six months?"

    Veronica was touched. "You did this for me?"

    Saint Ava wasn''t as merciful as she thought.

    "No, thest thing I needed is an imbnce of power. Manpower, magic, and holy power, everything needs to have a proper bnce. Just like manpower and holy power can''t get together, magic and holy power can''t join forces together either. Everything should stay ordingly."

    "¡­"

    Veronica gulped.

    ''Should I tell her that I married the master of the Magic Tower? Maybe I shouldn''t. What if she tells me to divorce him? I can''t let that happen.''

    Saint Ava didn''t notice Veronica''s odd expression.

    She continued, "I didn''t want to hand over your power to some mass murderer. At least his death will bring some peace."

    Veronica understood what she meant.

    "You mean Lord Alexander?"

    Saint Ava''s sharp eyesnded on her. "How do you know who was after you?"

    Veronica flinched. ''Oh no, is she going to find out now?''

    She swiftly lied, "I''ve encountered some people who were attacked by his men when he was searching for me."

    ''Please forgive me Saint Ava for lying to you,'' she apologized inwardly.

    "Then you were here in Utahill when people were looking for you like crazy all over the world. Have you not been using your power ever since?" Saint Ava asked her.

    Veronica paused.

    ''So, she didn''t notice that I used my healing power in Tybu.''

    "Well¡­" She didn''t know what to say.

    Saint Ava seemed toe to a conclusion after seeing her behavior.

    "Really, what a waste of your power. Well, it makes sense since you have to hide your identity. People will suspect a healer without a healing uniform.

    "Is this all you had to ask? If that''s it, then get out of here before the Head Priest visits again."

    Veronica hurriedly said, "Wait, wait, don''t kick me out that quickly. I''ve something else to ask you about."

    "What is it?"

    "You see, something happened during my visit to another country¡­"

    Without saying the name of the ce, she told Saint Ava about the incident of the human traffickers.

    She thought since Saint Ava was here for a long time, she must have read the ancient scrolls.

    Therefore, she nned to talk it out of Saint Ava''s mouth.

    It would save her time and effort.

    Upon hearing the story, Saint Ava stayed silent for a long time.

    Veronica urged, "If you know something about elves who carry silver rings with a carved basilisk, I would like to know. I need to bring justice."

    "Justice, you say," Saint Ava mumbled.

    She sighed and pushed back her long hair.

    She stood up and ordered Veronica, "Go, water the trees. It''s almost time."

    ''What?!''

    Veronica was stunned. She thought Saint Ava would tell her.

    ''Why isn''t she telling me?'' she wondered.

    However, she wasn''t able to ask any more questions.

    Saint Ava left the room and went to her room.

    Veronica lowered her head and stood up.

    Feeling dejected, she went to the garden.

    While watering the trees she missed so much, she became determined.

    "Even if she doesn''t tell me, so what? It''s not like there isn''t any other option other than asking her. After I''m done with my duty, I''ll read the scrolls myself."

    After saying that, her shoulders suddenly slumped.

    "But it will be too much work. As if the library wasn''t enough. Now, I have to read ancient script. Ahh!"

    No one was there to listen to her cries except for trees, butterflies, and birds.

    Just as she nned, she finished watering the nts and cleaning the temple by Saint Ava''s order.

    She wasn''t tired even though she mopped the entire temple.

    She was sure she was a born cleaningdy.

    When she was done, it was almost midnight.

    Using a fire torch, she went to the library.

    The first library in history.

    Sitting on the cold ground, she started checking the scrolls one by one.

    While doing so, she mumbled, "I miss magic stone torches. They provide stronger light without oil. Hmm¡­ what''s this?"

 Chapter 220 - THE ANCIENT SCROLL

    <h4>Chapter 220 - THE ANCIENT SCROLL</h4>

    "I miss magic tone torches. They provide stronger light without oil. Hmm¡­ what''s this?"

    Veronica''s eyesnded on a scroll. There was a picture. Two animals were drawn there.

    "I''ve never seen animals like this. An animal breathing fire¡­ and another animal¡­ it''s like a bird and it has¡­ a tail of a snake? What kind of¡­"

    A sudden chill ran down her spine.

    "Wait, a creature who is half-snake and half-bird¡­ don''t tell me it''s a basilisk. Then the other one is¡­ a dragon. It breathes fire!"

    Veronica was shocked by her own discovery.

    This scroll was long. She unrolled the scroll entirely. The scroll ended up on the floor.

    The paper was so fragile that she was being careful.

    The words written on the scroll started to fade away.

    She brought the scroll close to the torch and started to read.

    It was almost the same story that Arthur told her, except, everything was in detail.

    The story was long and it was written in an ancientnguage she hardly knew.

    Thus, it took her a long time to finish the whole story.

    "I didn''t know there was such a history. So, the dragon won and lived a quiet life afterward. As for the basilisk, its flesh was eaten by animals.

    "If the blood-drinking human turning into an elf is true, then it can be that the elves live around the river. The blood of basilisk gives them a certain power. They can''t leave it unprotected, can they?

    "The ce where the basilisk died was the battlefield where it and the dragon were fighting. The name of the ce, what was it¡­"

    Veronica looked for the name of the battlefield.

    Since the basilisk''s dead body wasn''t moved, it was still on the battlefield. The blood river started from its dead body.

    Therefore, the battlefield should be the elves'' secret ce of hiding.

    The sun began to rise.

    But, Veronica didn''t feel sleepy. She was rather excited.

    After skimming through the whole story once again, she finally found the name of the ce she was seeking.

    HYPITHIYA

    "Is that even a name of the ce? Did I see something wrong?"

    Veronica rubbed her eyes and brought the scroll close to her eyes.

    She read the name loudly, "Hy¡­pi¡­thi¡­ya¡­"

    She dropped the scroll.

    "I''ve never heard of a ce that was named like that. What kind of antique name is that?

    "How am I supposed to find this ce that doesn''t even exist on the map?"

    Her shoulders slumped.

    "Maybe I should sleep. The tired brain won''t give me any ideas."

    She rolled the scroll and kept it where it was before and went to her room.

    She made her bed andid down.

    However, she couldn''t fall asleep. Numerous thoughts came to her mind and she was unable to rest her head.

    ''What to do? I need to sleep. Should I count sheep?''

    ''One sheep¡­ two sheep¡­ three sheep¡­''

    She wasn''t able to count four because suddenly someone knocked on her door.

    The only person who was here other than her was Saint Ava.

    She hurriedly stood up and opened the door,

    Saint Ava urged her sternly, "What are you doing sleeping till now? It''s prayer time."

    ''Nooooo!!!''

    Veronica internally screamed.

    She was getting used to the luxury in Tybu. She couldn''t stand praying with tiredness looming over her.

    In the end, she ended up sleeping during the prayer.

    Since Saint Ava was sitting in the front and she was kneeling behind, she dozed off in that position.

    Generally, it took three hours to finish the morning prayer. But today, it took four hours.

    Veronica slept the entire four hours without being disturbed.

    After finishing the prayer, the Saint and Veronica had to bow thirteen times. Thirteen bows to thirteen Saints who lived previously and served the world.

    Each Saint mostly lived three hundred years.

    Saint Ava was the fourteenth Saint. She had to be the luckiest Saint who got to meet the blessed child and be her mentor.

    When Saint Ava was bowing, Veronica opened her eyes. She opened her mouth and yawned soundlessly.

    Her eyesnded on the bowing Saint. Realizing that she slept the entire time, she quickly bowed her head several times and apologized inwardly for being rude to Goddess Juvena.

    After that, her daily routine started.

    She had to wash clothes, collect flowers to decorate the altar of the Goddess, meditate with the Saint, and then, water the nts.

    After dinner, she nned to take a nap. Four hours of sleep didn''t give her that much strength.

    Moreover, she kept thinking of a solution. Her body and mind both became exhausted by the nighttime.

    Saint Ava went to her room at nine in the evening.

    Veronica took a nap as soon as she left.

    During her rest, she had a dream.

    In the dream, she saw the dragon throwing fire at the basilisk, just like it was written on the scroll.

    They fought until they were exhausted.

    While the dragon was a proud creature, the basilisk was a cunning creature. It would do anything to win the war.

    Seeing that the dragon was exhausted, the basilisk used itsst strength to bite the dragon and inject its venom into the dragon.

    The dragon''s pureblood was mixed with the basilisk''s venom. Such a poison weakened its strength.

    However, the dragon was mad due to the enemy''s sly move. Such a petty trick was disgraceful.

    The dragon roared and released fire.

    The basilisk turned crisp from the fire the dragon released.

    That''s how the dragon won.

    The dragon went back to its den to rest.

    Veronica''s eyes flew open. She sat up on the bed and started to think.

    ''There was nothing mentioned about what happened to the dragon after it went to rest. There was no mention of where its den was. I saw clearly it was a cave. The cave looked white. It was dyed in white color.''

    She closed her eyes and tried to remember what she saw in the dream.

    However, her dream wasn''t as vivid as she thought in her memory.

    ''White¡­ Can it be snow?''

 Chapter 221 - OUT OF CLUE

    <h4>Chapter 221 - OUT OF CLUE</h4>

    ''White¡­ can it be snow?''

    The thought had thrilled her. There was a reason behind it.

    Thergest amount of snow could be found in none other than the Alss mountain range.

    Sia might have had more snow if they hadn''t discovered iron mines.

    ''But when did they discover the iron mines? Was it before the dragon war or after? If it''s before the war, then the dragon''s nest would be in Sia. If it''s after the dragon war, then the dragon''s nest would be in the Alss.''

    ''I did read history but there is no date or year mentioned in the description of the dragon war. How am I supposed to know?''

    Veronica thought hard but couldn''t find a solution much to her dismay.

    ''Should I go to Arthur and consult with him? Saint Ava doesn''t know I havepanions waiting outside. I should secretly go in the dark and meet them. I cane back before dawn. This way, Saint Ava won''t find out.''

    ''But how did she know that I was outside the temple and cut my hand? Is it because I used my healing power? She can only sense my surroundings when I''m using my power in a close range.''

    ''As long as I don''t use my power, it will be alright. She won''t be able to sense anything. Since I have time, why don''t I go out now?''

    The crazy idea came to her mind as she yearned to go out. It had been only a day since shest saw Arthur, but her heart was already craving to see him.

    As he was somewhere near, the crazy thought won over her. She made up her mind to go out.

    Wrapping the warm cape around her as tightly as possible, she went outside.

    Just as she stepped outside, the gust of chillingly cold wind blew and nearly threw her back inside the temple.

    ''What?! A snowstorm?!''

    Veronica gaped at the sky as snow fell and noticed the intensely strong cold wind and the snow falling profusely from the sky.

    ''This is bad. Are they okay in the blizzard?''

    She couldn''t help but be deeply worried about those four she had left in the cave.

    ''I did tell them to make a wall with the snow and not to use fire. But they will die without using fire in this blizzard. I only meant it for a small snowstorm, not a blizzard. I have to find them before they freeze to death.''

    As she thought more about them, she became more determined to meet and help them in any way she could.

    She closed the temple door as silently as possible and quickly disappeared into the snow.

    Some time passed.

    Veronica could barely move.

    The warm clothes weren''t helping much at all. The cold wind seemed to pierce through her clothes and chilled her bones as if her clothes and skin were nonexistent.

    She could feel her teeth chattering inside her closed mouth. She sensed her legs shaking and going numb slowly.

    She recalled it was the second time she was experiencing a blizzard.

    Thest time she was in a blizzard, she was only thirteen years old.

    She was in a bad mood and forgot to notice the weather before heading to the cave, her favorite hideout.

    However, before she could find her cave, the blizzard arrived. It was a catastrophic blizzard that threw hard, strong and extremely cold white kes from the sky.

    The paths were almost instantly paved with a thick, cold and elegant coat of white, which also caused immense shivers to her body.

    The wind had howled at an extremely high pitch and threatened anything in its undefined route. At one point, she lost consciousness.

    The next day, the temple found out that she was missing and Sister Josephine sent a search party. The Senior Priests went to look for her.

    Her body was found by the temple priests.

    When they saw her body, they thought she was dead but they were surprised that she was miraculously alive and breathing.

    However, she was suffering from severe frostbite.

    They carefully took her back and sank her body in hot water.

    Five dayster, she opened her eyes and everyone was relieved.

    Afterward, she was thoroughly scolded by Sister Josephine.

    She could still remember Sister Josephine''s harsh reprimanding to this day.

    From that day onward, she was terrified of the blizzard. However, even that fear of a blizzard would not stop her from reaching her destination tonight.

    ''I need to move¡­ I must meet them¡­ I can do this¡­''

    Gritting her teeth, Veronica moved forward like a spirit wandering in the darkness.

    Whenever she was on the verge of copsing, she would think of Arthur and give herself mental strength to go on.

    Just like that¡­ in the blizzard, she reached her cave.

    The cave was already covered with snow.

    Thinking they might have listened to her advice and got stuck inside, her heart shuddered in an unknown terror.

    "A-Ar...thur¡­"

    She wanted to scream, but only a shaky and feeble voice came out from her vocal cord.

    She couldn''t properly raise her voice as her teeth were chattering uncontrobly.

    She took some deep breaths and gathered more strength.

    Then, she called out again, "A-Arthur!"

    Even then, her voice cracked and was muffled by the strong wind noise.

    ''Please Goddess, don''t let me find their dead bodies. Please...I beg you.'' She prayed frantically in her mind. There would be tears in her eyes, had it not been frozen solid already.

    Her frozen hands reached out to the snow that covered the cave''s entrance and with great effort, she managed to get a chunk of it out of the way with herst bit of strength.

    -------

    Meanwhile, inside the cave, everyone was drinking booze.

    "See? I knew my collection woulde in handy. Who wants more?" Darius looked at everyone in the cave cheerfully.

    "..."

    Everyone was quiet. They were cold but they weren''t freaking out like Darius.

    Arthur took a small sip from the bottle he brought with him.

    Zinnia was sitting beside Ironin. Since he kept her warm, she had noints. They shared one bottle of whiskey.

    When he saw no one was giving him any reply, Darius mumbled, "I can drink alone. Ahh¡­ I miss all the beauties I left at home.

    "Who knew I''d face a blizzard at a time like this. If I knew before, I would have brought all the girls with me."

    "Even if we were stark naked, we would be warm with some exercises."

    He let out a deep sigh. "How I miss my beauties."

    Zinniamented jokingly, "I won''t mind if you masturbate here. That is a kind of exercise too."

    "Won''t you mind?" Darius carefully asked.

    He was always careful around Zinnia, the sexiest woman he had ever met.

    Their first encounter left him terrified. It was more like a trauma.

    Long before they became partners, he met her in a bar. He wanted to bed her.

    Zinnia, at that time, was looking for a job. She was staying at the inn above the bar.

    When he started flirting with her, she went along. Then he sessfully took her to the hotel room.

    Afterward, everything was nk. He couldn''t remember anything that happened afterward.

    When he woke up the next day, he waspletely bare and he was tied in the local market in broad daylight.

    Everyone was staring at him and whispering with each other. Young girls wereughing and giggling at him.

    The humiliation he felt that time, he would never forget that. Just thinking about that day made him horrified.

    He was never able to step into that town again. He''d rather die than go back there. People of that town still gossip about him till now.

    Darius scratched his cheek. "Can I¡­"

    At that moment, the sharp object flew and got stuck in the ground right in between his legs.

    Darius froze.

    It was a shuriken.

    If the shuriken was a little closer, he would have to say goodbye to his little ancestor.

    He wanted to say if he would call out her name when he would masturbate but he had to hold back.

    His eyesnded on Zinnia. He thought she was the criminal.

    However, she was quietly sitting there. But the man beside her moved.

    The culprit was Ironin.

    "Did you hear something?"

    Arthur opened his mouth. His all senses became alert.

    The other three also stilled and no one talked.

    Ironin stood up.

    He dered, "Someone is there."

    The others followed his gaze to the wall they created with snow and stones.

    ''Could it be an enemy?''

    All four of them thought that.

    Arthur quickly darted forward ready to face off any enemy. He used his fingers to dig the snow.

    Ironin helped him.

    However, what they saw made them dumbfounded.

    They saw a snow-covered statue standing in front of them. The only other noticeable thing was that the statue waspletely white.

    Even the statue''s lips that were supposed to be red were pale purple.

    Veronica was so cold that she couldn''t shiver anymore. Her hands were on the snow wall and she just stood there.

 Chapter 222 - RESCUE FROM THE BLIZZARD

    <h4>Chapter 222 - RESCUE FROM THE BLIZZARD</h4>

    Veronica was so cold that she couldn''t shiver anymore. Her hands were on the snow wall and she just stood there.

    Arthur pulled her toward him with great force.

    "Why did youe here at a time like this? Look at you, you are freezing cold," he conveyed his worry as he scolded her.

    "Zinnia, get ready some warm water for her," he urged hispanion.

    "On it!" Zinnia hurriedly stood up. She was stunned when she saw the snow statue at the entrance of the cave. Before leaving, she kicked Darius''s leg so that he would assist him.

    Soon, Arthur took off her outer robe, shoes, cap, and muffler and soaked her body in the hot water.

    Deep inside the cave, there was a hole dug by Arthur and Darius to make it look like a bathtub. They made it so they could warm their bodies if it was too cold.

    That''s where they kept Veronica.

    "Darius, give me the strongest whiskey you have," Arthur ordered.

    "Are you serious?" Darius gasped. "Her throat will burn since she isn''t used to alcohol."

    Zinnia suggested, "Add it with water."

    Without a word, Ironin offered a wooden mug. Half of the mug was filled with water.

    Darius took the mug and poured the strongest whiskey he had to the brim.

    He couldn''t help butment, "It''s unbelievable that she came all the way here in this blizzard. Did she lose her mind?"

    Arthur took the mug from him. He took a mouthful of whiskey in his mouth. Afterward, he pried open Veronica''s mouth and transferred the whiskey into her mouth. Then, he closed her mouth and let the liquid travel down to her throat.

    Zinnia gathered Veronica''s clothes and said, "She must have some reason. But still, didn''t she know it was storming outside? How did she dare toe here? If her luck was bad, she would be covered in snow right now."

    "A-Arthur¡­"

    Veronica''s raspy voice touched their ears. She started coughing as soon as she opened her mouth.

    The whiskey was strong even though it was mixed with water. Even so, it was too strong for her, who was not used to alcohol.

    Veronica squeezed her eyes. She felt like her throat was burning.

    "She opened her eyes!" Zinnia was relieved.

    Arthur tenderly stroked her head. "I''m here." Despite being mad, his voice and action were rather gentle.

    Veronica was feeling better in the warm water. She started to sense her legs and arms.

    Her teeth shuttered as she spoke, "Y-you are o-okay¡­ thank goodness¡­"

    In spite of her feeling cold, she stretched her lips to smile.

    Arthur was speechless. "Don''t tell me you were worried about me and that''s why you came."

    He brought the mug close to her mouth and let her drink the whiskey.

    She could hardly talk. So, she gulped the drink without moving.

    It was a slow process, but she began to regain color in her face.

    When she felt that she could talk, she replied, "Yes¡­. I was worried you would cover the entrance and wouldn''t light up the fire. That''s why I came."

    Arthur sighed. "Honestly! Even if so, you should have realized that we would be able to think at least that much."

    "Don''t scold her. She came all the way just because she was worried about our life and death. I''m so touched¡­" Darius felt emotional.

    "All right, just give them some space, will you?" Zinnia dragged him away from there.

    "¡­" Ironin gave Veronica onest nce before following those two.

    Veronica touched her husband''s hand that was holding the mug.

    "I know but I was still concerned. What if you didn''t light up the fire? I didn''t want you to have frostbite."

    She looked up and added, "I didn''t know you would discover that there is a hole up above."

    Arthur followed her gaze and told her, "Ironin found the hole first when he moved the stone. That''s why when the blizzard came, Ironin opened the hole and we lit up the fire."

    He put down the mug and hugged her shoulder. "Of course, we know that we can''t light up the fire when everything is blocked. Even if the cold doesn''t kill us, the suffocation will definitely kill us.

    [A/N: To light up the fire, we need oxygen. Fire burns oxygen and stays alive. That''s why in the block where wind cannot pass, one shouldn''t light up the fire. Because fire will take all the oxygen and leave the living creature with nothing. One will die of suffocation (unable to breathe).]

    Veronica ced her head on his shoulder. She remembered how hard it was for her to make the hole.

    "Long before, I dug the hole and blocked it with a stone. I thought if I ever face a blizzard, I can stay here without worrying about anything. The good part is that snow won''t block the hole."

    Arthur pressed his lips on her forehead.

    "I still can''t believe you came all the way here at a time like this. Don''t do this again. If you keep doing things like that, I''ll die in worry."

    "I didn''t want to be reckless. But when I thought about you, I just couldn''t stay still." She nced at him and urged, "Do you want to join me? The water feels good."

    Wordlessly, Arthur took off his clothes and joined her in the bathtub.

    Veronica moved closer to him and let out a deep breath.

    "You made a bathtub. Was it Darius''s idea?"

    She could guess it because the only person who fussed over the cold was only him.

    Arthur didn''t want to hide it from her. So, he replied, "Yes, he nned it and we thought ''why not''? Do you mind? It''s your home after all."

    Veronica shook her head. "Not at all. I wanted to make one long ago, but the problem was my strength. I don''t have enough strength to break the stone. I''m d I brought you guys along with me."

    She hugged him like a spoiled child and mumbled, "I missed you."

    "Me too." Arthur tightened his grip around her. Only he knew how worried he was and how much he missed her.

    He sipped the whiskey and probed her, "Do you want more whiskey?"

    Veronica shook her head. "No¡­ I think I''m feeling weird¡­"

    She had been feeling this for a while but she neglected it at first. She thought she would get better if she stayed in the hot water more.

    But the longer she waited, the heavier her head became. She couldn''t process her head properly.

    Arthur understood the reason. The whiskey started to tick her stomach.

    He made her drink too much to hit up her body.

    He gently rubbed her head. "Are you feeling dizzy?"

    "Hmm¡­"

    Veronica heard his voice from a long distance. She wasn''t sure why it sounded like he was far away from her when she was too close.

    When she thought about it, her brain was upied with other thoughts, and then she forgot what she was thinking.

    Arthur affectionately brushed her hair and inquired, "Are you seeing double?"

    Veronica tried to focus on his voice thinking she would lose her head if she didn''t.

    She looked around and was surprised to see that everything was moving on its own as if they were alive.

    "¡­Everything is¡­ dancing¡­"

    She heard him muttering in a soothing voice, "Then close your eyes and take deep breaths. Leave everything to me. You are safe now. We are all right. Let go of your worry."

    "Okay¡­"

    She closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths.

    Arthur noticed that her breathing became regr and her muscles rxed.

    Realizing that she had fallen asleep, he started to massage her arms slowly. He was careful with his touch. He didn''t want to break the part of her body that had frozen stiff.

    If she suffered from frostbite and he broke one of her body parts, it would be beyond repair.

    The healers would heal the injury but they couldn''t regrow a body part.

    He didn''t know the capability of the Saints since he never saw her in action.

    The only person who could revive any living thing was Veronica.

    The only problem was she wouldn''t heal her own wounds. That''s why he was worried about her the most.

    After massaging her arms, he rubbed her body and then massaged her legs one by one.

    He let his guard down only when she had no frostbite, and her pulse was normal.

    After that, he carried her to the dry space, wiped her body, and then let her wear his clothes and warm clothes.

    The cave was long and curvy. The ce they were in, others couldn''t see them from there. Neither could they.

    When he was done, he brought her close to the fire and put her down on his bed.

    "She fell asleep? I was warming up the stew for her." Darius stirred the stew in the pot.

    "The whiskey was too strong for her. Let her rest first." Arthur tugged her body with the nket andid down beside her.

    "We can always have another round of stew. Think of it as supper." Darius served the soup to everyone.

    "I''ll pass." Arthur wanted to apany his wife. He wasn''t in the mood to eat.

    Darius chewed the meat and said, "The blizzard started in the morning and she came back in the middle of the night. She wasn''t outside for a long time because she would be dead if that was the case.

 Chapter 223 - THE STORY

    <h4>Chapter 223 - THE STORY</h4>

    Darius chewed the meat and said, "The blizzard started in the morning and she came back in the middle of the night. She wasn''t outside for a long time because she would be dead if that was the case.

    "She was so worried she couldn''t wait till the blizzard ended. I think she noticed the blizzard at midnight."

    Zinnia looked at him. "Are you trying to say she was in a ce where she didn''t even know that the snowstorm was happening?"

    Darius raised an eyebrow. "If she knew, she would havee in the morning, don''t you think? It''s better thaning inplete darkness."

    "Maybe she had work in the temple," Ironin shared his opinion.

    If she had work in the morning, she couldn''t neglect it and go to find them ¨C that''s what he meant.

    Arthur calmly stated, "We can ask her when she wakes up. No need to be paranoid."

    Darius wiped his mouth. "Aren''t you curious about the first temple, Arthur? I thought if someone was curious then that would be you."

    Arthur stared at the girl in his arms and said, "I am curious. But I can''t force it out of her. Whether she wants to say or not, that''s her freedom."

    Darius''s jaw dropped. "I can''t believe it came from your mouth. Last time a woman didn''t want to give us information, you gazed out her eyes from the sockets."

    "That was an assassin. This is my wife." Arthur closed his eyes. He didn''t feel like chatting anymore.

    "There he goes, showing off his marriage to us. So annoying!" Darius threw a fit.

    Zinnia put down the bowl after she was done eating. "Do you know when the blizzard will end? I can''t take this anymore."

    "I''ll watch tonight," Ironin dered.

    "I''ll leave it to you. If you feel like resting, wake me up." Zinnia went to bed.

    -----------

    The next day, the storm died down and it was a calm morning. No one could say that the snowstorm happened yesterday.

    Veronica woke up when the sun was right above the mountains.

    She yawned and sat up. That''s when she sensed a heavy head with a dull headache.

    "Ow! Why am I feeling this way?" she mumbled as she frowned.

    "This is called a hangover. You were drunkst night." Zinnia sat beside her and gave her a bowl of hot soup.

    Drink this soup and your pain will be gone," she said.

    "Thank you." Veronica took the bowl from her hand. "Do you mean the booze you gave mest night? It gives people headaches! I''m not going to drink this again."

    Zinnia chuckled. "Alcohol is bad for health but sometimes, it''s good too. It''ll keep you warm in the cold weather."

    "Don''t mind me. This kind of cold doesn''t bother me. I grew up here." Veronica took a sip of the soup and nodded. "This is delicious."

    Zinnia smiled at her. "Thank you. Since Arthur and Darius went hunting, I cooked today''s meal."

    Veronica fidgeted before requesting, "Zinnia, can you please teach me how to cook? I want to cook for Arthur. He always cooks for me but all I can do is chop vegetables."

    "Sure, I can. I will teach you whenever you want. Why don''t I help you today? Arthur and Darius are supposed toe back in a minute¡­"

    Zinnia didn''t finish her sentence, those two came back from hunting.

    Arthur saw Veronica sitting on the bed. He strode toward her and sat beside her.

    His fingers brushed over her face and he asked, "How are you feeling?"

    Veronica''s heart grew warm. Her eyes curved like a crescent moon as she smiled. "I''m good."

    Arthur just couldn''t have enough of her lively face. She almost died yesterday. It scared him out of his wits.

    Looking at her slightly blushing face and sensing her warmth made him less concerned.

    "Are you ufortable anywhere?"

    Veronica shook her head. "Not at all."

    "Someone please give me some attention here."

    Darius was carrying some dead rabbits. He put them down and showed a displeased expression.

    "Can''t you show me a little affection? I did my best to walk in the snow and get some rabbits," heined.

    Zinnia was stunned. "Where did you get rabbits in the snow?"

    "We went out of the Utahill boundary, left our warm clothes in the middle of nowhere while letting Ironin guard our clothes, teleported to a jungle and caught some rabbits and fish."

    Darius gave her a full description of the journey.

    "Where are the fish then?"

    "We buried them in the snow. The fish is for tomorrow. Let''s eat some rabbits today."

    "Where is Ironin?"

    Darius shrugged. "He went for a walk. He didn''t tell us where he was going."

    "Let''s cook something delicious."

    "I want a roasted rabbit. They taste so good." Darius was already rubbing his stomach.

    -------

    "This is really good. I never thought burning meat in the fire can make the meat so tasty."

    Veronica was impressed.

    Zinnia said, "It''s not just fire. Oil, salt, thyme, and pepper."

    "Let me tell you, Veronica," Darius chewed and continued, "when ites to roasting meat or vegetables, Zinnia is the best."

    Veronica replied, "I''ll keep that in mind. I''m in love with this dish."

    "Eat slowly or you will choke," Arthur probed her.

    "Hmm¡­"

    "Why did youe back from the temple?" Ironin suddenly asked.

    Since he rarely talked, everyone paid attention to him. His words were more valued than Darius''.

    Veronica answered, "I came back because I didn''t know what to do. I''m stuck."

    "You were stuck and so you walked here in the middle of the night when the snowstorm was going on?"

    Ironin had a poker face. His thoughts weren''t showing.

    Because of his expression, Veronica became nervous.

    "I opened the door and saw the blizzard. I was worried about you all and thus I walked here."

    Darius and Zinnia exchanged nces.

    ''So, she was in a ce where she didn''t know that the snowstorm was happening. It was a ce blocked from the mountain.''

    That was their conclusion.

    Arthur gently urged her, "What made you stuck? What did you find?"

    Veronica put down her roasted rabbit. She had too much in her mind.

    "Haah¡­ I didn''t find anything about elves. I found the story about the fight between the dragon and the basilisk. All the information is driving me insane."

    She told them everything she found out. She also shared her point of view.

    Arthur, Zinnia, Ironin, and Darius were deep in thought.

    "So the story that the old man told is true. Then¡­ you think the dragon''s nest is here somewhere?"

    Darius was curious.

    Zinnia stopped him, "Hey, wait a second. We are here for the elves. If the basilisk''s blood points to the ce where the elves live, we should find that ce first."

    However, Darius wasn''t easily persuaded when there was an adventure right in front of his nose.

    "But look, if the dragon sleeps here, in this ce, shouldn''t we try to find that out?"

    Looking at the uncertainty in Zinnia''s face, Darius probed more.

    "Just think, the ce we are sitting and eating, underneath us, there could be a giant dragon sleeping, breathing."

    "If it''s sleeping, we shouldn''t disturb it. Who knows what havoc it will cause to us. We don''t know how powerful the dragon is. Moreover, it''s a dragon who is angry. He will be more powerful when he''s angry."

    Zinnia was resolute.

    "Don''t you have confidence in us, Zinnia? And your power too. We can fight a mighty dragon. History will remember us for eternity. We will be heroes."

    "History will remember us as viins who woke up the dragon in search of a little fame and that killed dozens of people," Zinnia argued back.

    Darius realized that he couldn''t persuade Zinnia. He looked at others.

    "Someone, please tell me you don''t want to see the dragon and tame it?"

    In the end, Arthur opened his mouth, "Darius, if you were fucking a girl and someone barged into the room, would you like it?"

    When he spoke, he didn''t forget to cover Veronica''s ears.

    He didn''t want her to hear the word ''fucking''.

    Veronica blinked. She didn''t know what her husband was saying.

    Darius stared at the husband and wife duo.

    "Of course not. I would be pissed."

    Arthur inquired, "Would you want someone disturbing you when you are fucking?"

    "No way!"

    "The dragon is the same. It wants to sleep and doesn''t want to be disturbed. So, be a gentleman and leave it alone."

    Arthur uncovered Veronica''s ears.

    Veronica saw that everyone was quiet. She thought she needed to say something.

    "Look, I know that the dragon is sleeping. But I had a dream. In the dream, I saw the dragon in a deep slumber. Maybe it''s dead. I saw it covered in white. This white could be snow.

    "If it''s not important, why would I have this dream?"

    Arthur held her arm and said, "I understand what you want to say. But it can be because you were thinking too much about the dragon and hence saw the dream."

 Chapter 224 - THEIR ARGUMENT

    <h4>Chapter 224 - THEIR ARGUMENT</h4>

    "If it''s not important, why would I have this dream?"

    Veronica usually didn''t have this kind of dream. So, she wanted to find a reason behind this dream.

    Arthur held her arm and said, "I understand what you want to say. But it can be because you were thinking too much about the dragon and hence saw the dream."

    Darius shared his point of view, "If it''s just a dream, why don''t we look for the dragon? It''ll also make sure that the legend is true."

    Ironin remarked, "This legend is true. Or else, it wouldn''t be written on a scroll and kept in the temple."

    "Can''t we just drop the dragon thing and focus on the basilisk?" Zinnia asked.

    She felt like everyone was prioritizing something that wasn''t important at that moment.

    She gazed at Veronica and said, "You think the ce the basilisk died, the blood river was created there, right? Then it means the elves will protect the river and won''t let normal humans drink blood from there and be one of them."

    Veronica nodded. "That''s correct."

    "I think that''s a brilliant theory. I find logic in her words." Zinnia praised her.

    She asked her, "Do you perhaps remember the name of the ce where the war took ce? Please tell me you remember."

    "Yes, I remember but I never heard that name before." Veronica hesitated before saying, "It was called Hypithia."

    "Hypi...what?" Darius waspletely nk.

    "I never heard that name before," Ironin confessed.

    "Me neither." Arthur shook his head.

    Zinnia contemptibly looked at the other woman. "Veronica, are you sure you are remembering well? Maybe you made a mistake?"

    "I knew you would say that. I thought the same. I recited the word so many times that even if I lose my memory one day, I won''t forget this name."

    Veronica had a feeling that it would be hard to make them believe her. So, she didn''t try convincing them.

    "Well, the war happened a long time ago and afterward, the names of ces changed many times. The shapes of the kingdoms changed. While new kingdoms were born, old kingdoms perished."

    Arthur paused and looked at hispanions.

    "The only way to find out where the ce is by finding an ancient map."

    Veronica pped her forehead. "Why didn''t I think of that? I''ll go back to the temple and look for a map."

    "You do that. In the meantime, we will look for the dragon." Darius was excited.

    "Where will you look for it? Digging the whole mountain?" Zinnia scoffed.

    Darius told her, "Maybe Veronica will have another dream and we can use that as our direction."

    "I''ll do my best. I think we need to find the dragon''s nest."

    Veronica quickly finished her meal and was ready to head out.

    Arthur held her hand. "Leaving so soon. Why don''t you stay for the night? You just came back."

    "I didn''t tell the Saint that I was leaving. She will be furious after finding out I left without a word. I was supposed to go back before dawn. Look howte it is."

    Arthur stared at her.

    Sometimes, she was a responsible girl and sometimes, she wanted to run away from everything and be free.

    He had no idea what she was thinking at times like this.

    He silently pulled her in his arms and said, "Stay safe and rest a lot. Don''t just look for a map."

    "Haha¡­ that''s not the only thing I do there."

    "What else do you do there? Pray?"

    "...Among other things, yes."

    Veronica didn''t tell him in detail what she had to do there.

    She tip-toed and nted a kiss on his cheek. "I''lle back soon. Don''t worry too much."

    Arthur bent his head and captured her lips. It was a deep, long kiss. He nibbled her lips before letting her go.

    "Come back safely and don''t ever go outside during storms."

    Looking at his gentle eyes, her heart raced.

    "I''ll do as you say," she promised.

    ''He always knows how to throw my heart in turmoil. I should punish him when I return.''

    She bade farewell and left the cave.

    This time, she used her healing power to open the gate.

    The door opened.

    She took a deep breath, prepared her heart for the uing scolding, and entered.

    She knew at that time where Saint Ava would be.

    She went to the garden hoping that the saint would be there.

    Just as she predicted, Saint Ava was in the garden, sitting on a bench and reading a scroll.

    It was her reading time.

    Veronica walked forward and knelt before her.

    "I''m so sorry I went out without telling you first."

    "..."

    Saint Ava was still reading the scroll without talking.

    However, Veronica kept her head lowered and patiently waited.

    Only a few minutester, Saint Ava rolled up the scroll and gazed at the girl below her.

    "You have quite some nerve going in and out without telling me first, don''t you?"

    Veronica gulped, but her throat was dry.

    "It wasn''t my purpose. I was deeply worried about my cave. I kept it open before leaving. The blizzard made me worry. After all, I left too many valuable things and I didn''t want them to be buried in the snow."

    "Enough of your excuses! Why didn''t youe back at dawn?"

    Saint Ava''s voice was like the edge of a sharp sword.

    "I was too tired. I couldn''t wake up until noon. I had my meal and came back. I brought something for you too."

    Veronica took out something small and offered it to her. It was wrapped in green leaves.

    Saint Ava frowned and took it from her hand.

    "What is it?"

    She unfolded the leaves and found roasted meat.

    "!!!"

    Her eyes sparkled.

    The smell of the food was enticing.

    There was no way a person who hadn''t had meat for a long time wouldn''t like the smell.

    Veronica said, "I was taught how to roast rabbit. I made this for you. I hope you will like it."

    "You roasted it for me?"

    Saint Ava''s voice was surprisingly pleasant.

    She couldn''t wait to eat it.

    Although it wasn''t time to eat dinner, there was nothing wrong with an early dinner.

    She stood up and headed to the dining hall.

    Even though she was hungry, she looked graceful.

    Like an obedient disciple, Veronica followed her.

    --------

    Saint Ava liked the meal very much. Her attitude turned 180 degrees.

    "I understand your worry," she said. "I would be worried about things that are important to me as well."

    "Thank you for your benevolence."

    Veronica was inwardly relieved but didn''t show it.

    After Saint Ava finished her meal, she wiped her mouth.

    "Water the garden today. You don''t have to clean the temple tonight. It''s gettingte."

    "Okay!" Veronica went to the garden afterward.

    While watering the trees, she went to the middle of the garden. Thergest tree was situated there.

    She sat under the tree and let out a deep breath.

    "I wish I could have more vision about the dragon. It wasn''t just a dream, was it?

    "The dragon was covered in snow. Whole Alss is covered in snow. Even some parts of Utahill were covered in snow.

    "How am I supposed to find the dragon with this clue? And why is it necessary to find the dragon?"

    As she was talking to herself, she leaned back.

    However, to her surrpise, her back didn''t touch the tree but the emptiness.

    "Huh?"

    When she couldn''t feel anything despite leaning so much, she looked around. And, her eyes widened in shock.

    She saw the tree had a huge hole. It wasn''t there before. If she had leaned more, she would have fallen inside the hole.

    She wanted to pull herself out but it was toote.

    She slipped inside the deep hole.

    "Ahhhh!"

    A sharp voice came out of her mouth in fear.

    She reached out her hand to grab onto something but the hole was growing bigger. Her fingers touched nothing but air.

    With horror, she realized there was no way she could get away from this.

    She closed her eyes.

    As her body disappeared inside the dark hole, the tree turned back to normal.

    At that moment, Saint Ava came to the garden.

    "Veronica, are you okay? Where are you?"

    She looked around but couldn''t find anything.

    "How unusual! I swear I heard her voice. But where is she? I told her to water the nts. Maybe she left again."

    She shook her head helplessly.

    "Look at this girl. She won''t even water the nts. So irresponsible. How am I supposed to leave the worldly duty to her? She will surely run away.

    "I did a good thing letting her go. She is not ready for this job. She won''t be ready anytime soon. I''ll take care of everything as long as I''m capable."

    Meanwhile, Veronica was falling into the pit of darkness.

    She had been falling for a long time.

    She was so scared that she was unable to scream. She hugged herself and her eyes were closed.

    A long timeter, her body finallynded on something.

 Chapter 225 - VERONICA IN THE WONDERLAND

    <h4>Chapter 225 - VERONICA IN THE WONDERLAND</h4>

    Veronica was falling into the endless pit.

    At that time, she thought her heart and soul left her body.

    She was so scared that she didn''t know if anything else could scare her after this.

    And it was never-ending.

    She was sure she was going to die.

    She would be alone and no one would find out what had happened to her.

    A long timeter, her body crashed to the ground.

    By the way, she fell, she was supposed to die instantly.

    Instead, her back touched something soft and cold.

    Since she was wearing light clothes as it was warm inside the temple, she shivered to feel the cold touch.

    She opened her eyes and held her breath.

    She forgot to be scared.

    She was supposed to be in a pitch-ck hole.

    However, above her head, she saw thirteen stones. The stones were so bright that they illuminated the whole ce.

    Veronica couldn''t sit on the ground for too long. Her clothes were getting wet and she was cold.

    She hurriedly stood up. She looked down and realized the whole ce was covered with thick snow.

    Her savior.

    But snow beneath the tree? Underground?

    ''Is this ce under the tree? How is this possible? Am I dreaming or is it the afterlife?''

    She looked up again and saw the thirteen stones. They circled the whole ce just like the thirteen candles in the temple.

    ''They remind me of the thirteen candles of the prayer room¡­ Wait, does it somehow link with the previous Saints? This must be a sacred ce.''

    She didn''t want to speak loudly to break the silence. She felt like she would break the tranquility of this ce if she made a sound.

    To see all the stones properly, she stepped back a few steps.

    She halted when her back touched something cold and hard.

    ''Hmm? A wall?''

    She turned around and touched the wall. It was huge.

    ''It doesn''t look like a stone wall or soil or snow. What is it made of?''

    The wall wasn''t as rough as a stone or as dusty as soil. It wasn''t snow either.

    It had some weird sharp edges in some ces. The other ces were smooth.

    The wall had weird scales like a fish''s but much harder.

    She couldn''t figure out what she was touching. She had never touched a wall like that before.

    She walked clockwise and noticed that the wall wasn''t straight.

    It was round and she could feel the back of the wall. But there was a sharp edge above the wall as if it was guarding the ce beyond.

    To her surprise, the wall at one end became so small that she could grab it.

    At that time, a realization dawned on her.

    ''Hold on. This isn''t a wall. This is a tail!''

    She quickly let go of the tail.

    ''What kind of animal has that kind of skin? The skin is so hard. Stone is nothingpared to this. It has a weird spiky shape. I only saw fish having scales but an animal having it?''

    She stepped back realizing the animal would be too huge if the tail was that long.

    In the light of the stones, the entirety of the animal came to her view.

    Veronica forgot to breathe.

    It was just like the picture was drawn in books.

    A dragon.

    ''Unbelievable!''

    With her wide emerald eyes, she stared at the sleeping dragon.

    ''The dragon was here all the time? Beneath the temple?''

    ''Just how many secrets does this ce have?''

    Veronica carefully walked toward the front side of the dragon.

    ''Is it alive?''

    She was cautious.

    ''It''s so big and mighty. No wonder the basilisk was defeated. Darius cannot win against this mighty animal. And I don''t want Arthur to fight this thing.''

    Veronica took a deep breath and then closed her eyes. She tried to sense if the dragon was breathing or not.

    Apparently, it wasn''t breathing. Its whole body was as cold as snow.

    It could only mean that it''s dead.

    Veronica sighed in relief.

    She wouldn''t know what to do if she woke up this mighty dragon.

    At first, she would get burned into a crisp and then the dragon would go to the human world and create havoc to calm its anger.

    The head was on the ground. It seemed like it died while sleeping.

    Nothing could be better than a peaceful death.

    She touched the eyes of the dragon that was shut.

    ''It''s smooth here,'' she thought.

    ''How does it feel to be the only being left of its group? No one is there to talk or share the time with. For a big animal to stay in a small ce, wasn''t it suffocating? Or did you do it for the humans?''

    For some reason, she felt very emotional as she tried to think about the life of this mighty and yet lonely dragon.

    ''I did a good thing by marrying Arthur. At least, I''m not alone. I have a friend and many people to care for me now.''

    ''Being so powerful, it''s not as good as people think it is. It''s a lonely and tiresome journey.''

    She touched the spiky chin of the dragon and carefully rubbed it.

    As she moved, something small touched her left foot.

    She crouched down and saw a bowl made of metal.

    Bowl of gold.

    She had gold essories in the Magic Tower. So, she could differentiate between real and fake gold.

    She picked up the bowl realizing there was something in it.

    It was filled with dark red liquid.

    She took it close to her mouth and sniffed.

    She immediately moved it away.

    ''Is it blood? Blood of the dragon? Why is it in a bowl? Is the dragon injured?''

    She looked around and carefully observed the dragon but it wasn''t injured or there was no bloodstain anywhere.

    ''Then why?''

    She was confused. She couldn''t understand why a bowl of blood was close to the dragon''s mouth.

    She touched the blood with her index finger.

    The bowl was as cold as the snow but the blood was warm. Maybe that''s why it didn''t freeze.

    How was the blood of a dead dragon still warm?

    ''Me staying alive till now is the biggest miracle. I shouldn''t be surprised anymore.''

    She stared at the blood.

    She recalled the dream she had the night before.

    ''Why did I have that dream? Was it some kind of prophecy? Did goddess Juvena want me to find the dragon?''

    However, it wasn''t like she found the dragon. It would be more believable if she said the dragon found her first.

    If she went on an adventure to locate the dragon, she would look anywhere but in the temple.

    And surprisingly, the dragon was under the temple.

    Moreover, the thirteen stones looked like they were guarding the dead dragon.

    ''The Saints are somehow rted to the dragon, aren''t they? Doesn''t that mean the basilisk and the elves are their enemies? Then, why didn''t Saint Ava say anything to me?'' she wondered.

    ''And now is the blood rted to them all?''

    Her hands quivered in excitement and the blood moved slightly.

    Afraid that she would spill it, she stilled on the spot.

    She remembered that the tree opened a portal on its own. It happened when she tried to lean against the tree.

    It wasn''t the first time she leaned against the tree but the tree never behaved like this.

    She took a trip down to memoryne and recalled Saint Ava once told her something.

    "Veronica, a saint doesn''t believe in idents. A saint believes in miracles created by Goddess Juvena."

    The more Veronica thought of that, the more she became determined.

    ''The tree did this on purpose. My dream wasn''t a fluke either. The blood, it''s not a whim. It''s here for me. I think I have to drink it. If I ever get back from here on my own, that will be the biggest miracle.''

    ''But, what will happen if I drink the blood? Will I be an elf? Or a dark elf? Or a red elf? Or a small, mighty dragon who breathes fire? I don''t think I want to be any of them. I love being a human and I want to stay like this for the rest of my life.''

    That''s the very reason she hesitated to drink the blood.

    Therefore, she put down the bowl and looked around to find a ce to get up.

    But the huge stone wall left her with no option.

    She had no hope left except for drinking the blood.

    ''Maybe I''ll gain a pair of wings. I will fly. It won''t be a bad thing.''

    She didn''t want to smell that blood. She held her breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and chugged down the blood in one gulp.

    Afterward, she wiped her mouth and coughed vigorously.

    ''Disgusting! I''ll never drink blood again in my life. It tastes so awful!''

    How she wished a ss of water would be prepared for her.

    She closed her eyes and waited for some kind of transformation.

    ''Am I getting wings? Why don''t I feel anything? Hmm? Wait! I feel something!''

 Chapter 226 - ONES RESPONSIBILITY

    <h4>Chapter 226 - ONE''S RESPONSIBILITY</h4>

    Veronica closed her eyes and waited for some kind of transformation.

    ''Am I getting wings? Why don''t I feel anything? Hmm? Wait! I believe something is changing!''

    She sensed her heart getting warm. She lowered her head and looked at her chest.

    She saw a bright light start toe out of her.

    With a wide-open mouth, she stared at the pure light. However, a momentter, it was impossible to endure the bright light.

    She covered her eyes with the back of her hand as the light grew stronger.

    Soon, her body disappeared from the dragon''s grave.

    The only thing that remained was the golden bowl that was in her hand.

    The next second, she was seen in the garden of the temple, in front of the giant tree that made a hole for her.

    When her legs touched the ground, she opened her eyes and found herself in the bright ce.

    Although the sun was setting, the garden was brighter than the dragon''s grave.

    "I came back!"

    Veronica didn''t know if she should be relieved or disappointed. Nheless, she was happy.

    "Did I gain some kind of power? Am I as strong as a dragon now? Did I grow wings?"

    Veronica tried to look at her back. She had to be disappointed because she didn''t grow wings.

    She checked her muscles and saw that she was as thin as ever.

    "What? I didn''t grow wings or anything a dragon was supposed to have! Then why did I drink that blood, just toe back to the garden?"

    She tried to jump like Dastan thinking she could fly like him since he was an elf. However, that didn''t work either.

    "Maybe I cannot see my power but I can use it," she pondered.

    After taking a deep breath, she punched the giant tree with all her mind and she regretted it the very next second.

    "Ow!"

    She whined in pain and hugged her injured fingers. Her face distorted as her fingers started to bleed.

    ''It hurts. It hurts like hell.''

    The tremendous pain made her voice grow numb.

    She bit down on her lower lip and headed to Saint Ava.

    ''I need her to heal me. What kind of blessed child I am that I cannot even take care of my own injury. So much for drinking dragon blood. If that blood wasn''t supposed to help me then why did I go there in the first ce?''

    Whilementing, she walked inside, unable to notice the droplet of blood that dropped to the ground from her injured finger, and in that ce, a flower nt grew in the blink of an eye.

    Saint Ava was surprised to see her injured hand.

    "How did this happen?" she asked. "Were you fighting with the stone wall?"

    "No, I was just trying to figure out how strong I am."

    Veronica hid the fact that she fell on the giant tree hole and went inside the dragon''s grave.

    Since nothing inside her changed, she felt like everything was just a dream. She must have fallen asleep or daydreamed that she went to the dragon nest ¨C that''s the conclusion she came up with after being injured.

    "Did you think you could break a stone wall just with a punch of your weak arm?" Saint Ava mocked her.

    "Why do I think that you look pleased with my injury?" Veronica was displeased with the reaction.

    "Think whatever you want. If you are here just to fool around, then you should get back to the normal life you want to live. At least, you will get your freedom. But here, you will be trapped with responsibilities and duties you never wanted to have."

    Saint Ava healed her hand and was ready to go to the prayer hall.

    "You know why I''m here," Veronica reminded her.

    Saint Ava let out a sigh and turned around to take a nce at her.

    "Why do you want to know about the elves so much? Give it up. I''m not going to tell you."

    Veronica raised her voice, "You can''t say that! I told you innocent lives were lost because of them. They were not only connected with the human trafficking but also killed those people just to cover up who they were."

    "But you figured out who they were, didn''t you?"

    "They tried to kidnap me at first knowing that I''m the blessed child or whatever. The next time, they didn''t know who I was and almost killed me."

    "But you didn''t die."

    "That''s because I saved one of their people!"

    "Veronica, you are alive right now. You are breathing. They didn''t kill you. So, you shouldn''t have tried to fight them. You should be grateful to them that they let you live and celebrate it with your friends."

    Veronica was speechless by her cold words.

    She never thought Saint Ava would turn her back to innocent people, let alone people who died unjustly.

    "Are you really saying that? Are you really the Saint everyone respects? Why are you biasedly supporting the elves who did wrong and turn your back to the people who were devoted to Goddess Juvena and prayed to you?"

    Saint Ava was losing her patience. She thought it was time to correct her disciple''s view of the world.

    "You have mistaken something, Veronica. One should not pray to me. I''m not a Goddess. I cannot hear their prayers until theye to me and tell me what they want from Goddess Juvena. The only power I have is the healing power. Goddess Juvena does her miracle through me.

    "One should pray to the kind Goddess who gave them love and peace. I''m just a vassal who works for the Goddess. People can respect me and support me, but they must not serve me as I am not the powerful Goddess.

    "If people think their prayers wouldn''t be conveyed to the Goddess because they aren''t devoted enough, they can tell me their wish. I can pray to the Goddess in their ce. How dare they pray to the human vessel and not the Goddess Herself."

    Saint Ava took a deep breath and continued, "As for you, next time you want to pick a fight, pick on someone your own size. Don''te to me and ask for something ridiculous."

    Speaking her mind, she began to walk away.

    Behind her, Veronica lowered her head.

    She could vividly remember the faces of the innocent children who might have had a bright future one day and led a happy life, and those men and women whose precious families were suffering after losing them.

    "Have you ever told them not to pray to you?" she asked in a low voice.

    Saint Ava stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean?"

    Veronica said, "When you go outside and meet people, have you ever told them that they were making a mistake? Did you ever tell them that the only person they should serve was the Goddess Juvena, not you?"

    "Would that make a difference? If you think people are that intelligent and obedient, you are gravely mistaken. Just a few weeks ago, people were crazily praying to you, the blessed child who came to the world to bring peace and harmony.

    :Once or twice, you can tell them not to pray to you. But over and over they make the same mistake like some blind, deaf, ignorant fools. One day, you will eventually grow tired and stop pointing out their mistakes."

    "I won''t." Veronica raised her head and stared at the woman known as the Saint.

    "I won''t give up that easily. I know most people are ignorant to blind faith because it''s easier to trust a human they met or existed than to believe in the Goddess who they never knew but only know its existence through books."

    "That''s why I will keep reminding them what''s right from wrong until I lose my voice. I''ll make the strict rule so that they can only serve the Goddess not me, the vassal. As a vassal, my duty is to protect them from doing something wrong. My duty is to guide them to the right path. They will follow a leader who will guide them to the kind and loving Goddess.

    "It is my duty. My responsibility. They might be ignorant, but they are also innocent. I love these people. I''ll do anything to protect."

    Saint Ava raised an eyebrow. "Even if you have to let go of your freedom?"

    Veronica didn''t flinch at the question. Her emerald eyes were determined.

    "I need my freedom in order to protect them," she replied.

    The corner of Saint Ava''s lips hoisted.

    "Oh yes, and how will you protect them withouting by my side?"

    Veronica replied, "You weren''t able to protect them even though you were standing on the pedestal. What is the point of standing next to you? I will protect people in my way."

    "Someone who can''t even heal herself, what good can you do to those people? Before you can protect or reach all the people, you will die in the hands of power and greed. Can you even fight?"

 Chapter 227 - AN ARGUMENT

    <h4>Chapter 227 - AN ARGUMENT</h4>

    "¡­Can you even fight?"

    "I can learn how to fight."

    "Who will help you? Nothing goodes for free. Do you have money?"

    "You may don''t know, there are people who will support you and assist you with goodwill. I know the world isn''t the safest ce but it isn''t a bad ce either. There are good and evil."

    Saint Ava sneered, "You are too optimistic and naive."

    "The world needs an optimistic Saint, not someone who will stay in the shadows and pray. If your prayer did any help, those innocent children wouldn''t die by the hands of elves."

    "Prayers don''t work. I see." Saint Ava let out a chuckle, but her eyes were cold. "Go back to your room. You are grounded for disobeying me and defying me."

    Veronica''s eyes shed as she spoke, "I won''t take orders from you. At least not that kind of order that will not help anyone. Since you won''t help me, I''ll help myself."

    Saint Ava''s lips slightly parted. She was stunned by her disciple''s suddenly odd behavior.

    "Are you saying you will defy my order?"

    Veronica replied, "I''m saying I will do anything to protect the innocent people. That''s it."

    "Even if you have to leave my side?"

    "Even if I have to leave your side."

    Saint Ava started to have a headache. She had no clue what possessed her disciple for acting like this.

    ''Is this what people call rebellious phase?'' she wondered.

    "Sigh! Do whatever you want. Don''te back to me, crying for help. I won''t do anything."

    She turned around and left. She had no interest in dealing with something soplicated and troublesome.

    "I won''t. You have my words," Veronica vowed.

    She went to the dining hall without looking back. She had her dinner first to gather some energy.

    For some reason, she was feeling extra hungry. Other times, eating three fruits would be enough for dinner.

    However, tonight, she kept eating and eating. She only stopped after eating two baskets of fruits.

    It was the first time she ate so much food and because of that her stomach bloated.

    "Wah! It''s hard to move. Why did I eat so much?"

    Veronica rubbed her stomach and went to the library. Just as they told her, she was looking for old maps.

    She looked for a long time. Even so, she couldn''t find anything simr to a map.

    A few hours of searching were in vain. She dropped thest scroll she had in her hands.

    "How long do I have to search for maps? There is not a single map in this library. Forget about old maps, there are no new maps here."

    Since she checked all the scrolls, she had nothing else to look for.

    Feeling dejected, she went back to her room and packed her bag.

    "There is nothing I can do if I can''t find anything."

    All of a sudden, something came into her mind. She stopped her activities.

    Then, a smile bloomed on her face.

    "Why didn''t I think about it before? I should meet them and consult with them as soon as possible."

    She finished packing her back and was ready to leave.

    Her steps paused in the track and she took a nce at Saint Ava''s bedroom door.

    She debated with herself whether to leave a message for her mentor or not.

    Later, she decided not to. She felt like it wasn''t worth it.

    Aftering out of the temple, she was weed by a gust of cold wind.

    Her head and thoughts became clearer. She felt a lot calmer than before.

    Thinking back, she was surprised at how she talked back to Saint Ava.

    ''Why did I do it? Why was I mad at her? She is more knowledgeable than I am. She knows more than I do. Did I do the right thing?''

    When she began to feel guilty, she thought of those innocent children and her eyes narrowed.

    ''No, I didn''t do anything wrong. Those elves need to be punished. I''ll find them even if they are living under the ground.''

    She thought of Arthur and the rest of them.

    ''It''s past midnight. They are probably asleep. I hate to disturb them but I don''t want to stay in the temple any longer. I''ve been in the shadows for a long time.''

    ---------

    Surprisingly, Arthur and others didn''t go to sleep. They were chatting and reminiscing about their old times.

    When they saw Veronica, they were surprised. They didn''t expect her toe back so soon.

    They thought she might have got the map and came back.

    Looking at their hopeful and surprised expressions, Veronica felt even worse.

    "I''m sorry everyone. I didn''t find any map, whether it''s an old map or a new map. There is no map in the library," she apologized to them.

    Arthur held her hand. "You don''t have to apologize. I never thought it would be easy. We let you do all the work."

    "Then, all we have left is to find the dragon''s nest. It might lead us to the elves." Darius''s mind was set to the dragon.

    "Sure, go dig the mountain and fight the dragon on your own." Zinnia still didn''t approve of this idea.

    Veronica said, "Let''s forget about the dragon. There won''t be any lead there. It''s been so long. The dragon isn''t immortal. It''s probably dead already."

    Four pairs of eyes turned toward her.

    "Why do you say so?" Ironin asked her. His question was more like an interrogation.

    "Did you see the dragon?" Zinnia inquired.

    Veronica paused. She didn''t want to tell them what she had experienced especially after knowing how much Darius wanted to find the dragon''s nest.

    Fearing that he might try to sneak into the temple and destroy the whole garden just to find the dragon''s nest, she decided that she wouldn''t tell them the whole story.

    Since she didn''t reply, Darius impatiently probed her, "Did you have a vision or a dream again?"

    Veronica sighed. "Something like this. I''m not sure if it was a dream. It was just too real but unbelievable at the same time."

    Arthur and Ironin exchanged nces without her notice. Their expressions were somber.

    She added, "I think the Saint knows everything, but she won''t tell me. She said that the elves were out of my league. She won''t even stand for justice."

    She lowered her head and looked at her hands. Shemented inwardly that she wanted to do so much but couldn''t aplish anything.

    "Don''t be sad. I''m sure it''s because she doesn''t know that you have people who can fight against the elves. She must be worried about you." Arthur did his best to console her.

    Veronica couldn''t feel better. "I don''t know what to think of anything anymore. I''m sorry I failed you all."

    "What are you saying? You found the name of the battlefield. It''s a piece of important information. Cheer up!" Darius tried to lift her mood.

    Zinnia sang along, "That''s right. You did everything you could. If the information wasn''t there what you could do. You did everything on your own. Now let us do the rest."

    Veronica felt slightly better with their encouragement.

    She said, "Actually, there is another way to look for an old map."

    "There is?" Arthur nced at her. "What way?"

    Veronica recalled once the Head Priest told her about the forbidden library inside the Imperial Library of Utahill. He promised to give her the key if she could finish her training fast.

    She told them, "There is a forbidden area in the royal library. The Head Priest promised me that he would give me the key to go to that ce. If I go to him and-"

    "You are not going there," Arthur''s answer was straightforward. Judging by his tone, he didn''t want to hear anything more about that.

    Veronica tried to persuade him, "Howe? He is the Head Priest and he promised me. He will keep it if I tell him."

    "No." Arthur''s voice was resolute.

    "I vow not to tell him anything about the Magic Tower''s involvement and nothing about my current ce of living. I won''t share any news.

    "Arthur, someone once sneaked inside the temple when Sister Ruth died. I know every hiding spot of that ce.

    "I know where he stays. If any of you can sneak inside the temple, I can take you with me. If the Head Priest tries to do something bad, we will run away."

    Darius disclosed a matter, "Veronica, we aren''t part of the Magic Tower and so, you don''t have to worry about the Magic Tower''s involvement."

    "You are not!" Veronica was surprised. "Then, what are you?"

    "We are warriors. We fight for justice," Darius dered. He felt proud whenever he spoke about his upation.

    Veronica''s eyes sparkled. "Then, can you sneak inside the temple?"

    "A piece of cake," Ironin replied.

    Veronica was relieved. "I''ll take one of you with me. Who wants to go?"

    Arthur looked at her with a gloomy expression.. "I think I forbade you not to go there. Once they find out you are alive-"

 Chapter 228 - VERONICAS PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 228 - VERONICA''S PLAN</h4>

    Arthur looked at her with a gloomy expression. "I think I forbade you not to go there. Once they find out you are alive-"

    Veronica interrupted him before he could finish his sentence, "They already know I''m alive. Not everyone may be aware of it but at least the Head Priest is, and he already dered that I''m dead. He is on my side,"

    "Ah¡­ yes, he must have known it since they lied."

    Arthur grabbed his head. He still didn''t approve of this n. There was too much risk in it. His heart couldn''t agree to her request.

    "We are not in a hurry, are we? Why don''t we leave this discussion for tomorrow?" Zinnia suggested. "Let''s sleep already. I''m tired."

    As she yawned, Darius followed suit and stretched his arms.

    "That''s true. I''m feeling sleepy already. Let''s call it a day," saying that he took a bowl of warm water outside to clean his face.

    Arthur looked at Veronica. "You worked hard. Don''t you want to rest?"

    Veronica pouted. "You don''t want to send me there and that''s why you are avoiding this topic, aren''t you?"

    The corners of Arthur''s lips lifted ever so slightly. He leaned closer and nuzzled his nose against hers.

    "Who said I''m avoiding it? I just want you to n everything with a clear mind. Don''t make any reckless decisions."

    "Do we have any other choice than not being reckless? I hope there is." Veronica exhaled deeply.

    "You wille up with new ideas if you let your brain rest."

    Arthur made a bed for them. She reluctantly helped him.

    Ironin went out to guard. He always took the first watch.

    Veronica couldn''t sleep no matter what. She was restless.

    Lying by her side, Arthur could feel her difort. He pulled her closer.

    "Can''t sleep?"

    Veronica buried her head in his chest. His warmth transferred to her body and she gradually felt warm.

    "Hmm. I can''t clear my head. Moreover, Darius is snoring too loudly. I want to go out for a walk."

    Both of them heard loud noisesing from Darius. When he drank too much, he would snore like that.

    Tonight was one of those deadly days.

    It was surprising how Zinnia was able to sleep beside him.

    Arthur raised his head and looked outside the cave. "But it''s snowing outside."

    "It always snows here. Are you tired? Do you want to join me?"

    "All right." Arthur didn''t want to let her walk alone. So, he agreed.

    The two of them went out without disturbing the other two.

    Arthur wrapped the side of the warm cape he was wearing over her and kept her close to him.

    While walking, he mentioned, "You didn''t sleep after going back to the temple, did you?"

    As she walked beside him, she replied truthfully, "I didn''t. Why do you ask?"

    Arthur smirked as she fell in his trap.

    Hemented, "Then, I can assume you didn''t have any vision or dream about the dragon''s nest."

    Veronica paused. Even in the cold, her palms began to sweat.

    ''He found out. What am I going to say now? Another excuse?''

    Arthur stopped beside her and turned to face her.

    "It''s okay if you want to hide since it''s rted to the temple but I''m curious. I just wanted to tell you that." His voice was gentle as he spoke.

    Veronica lowered her head in shame. She realized that there was no point in hiding it. She let out a deep sigh.

    "It''s not that I wanted to hide the truth. I was worried that Darius would do everything in his power to enter the dragon''s grave."

    "Dragon''s grave?" Arthur thoughtfully said. "I presume you went to the dragon''s grave and found the dragon dead."

    Veronica was speechless by his assumption. "How did you¡­"

    Arthur pointed out, "Just today, you mentioned dragon''s nest. Aftering back, you said the dragon is dead. Just now you mentioned ''dragon''s grave''."

    After a pause, he added, "Don''t worry about Darius. Even though he is a troublemaker, he is aware that certain things are out of his reach."

    Veronica told him, "I didn''t mean to go to the dragon''s grave. I fell on a grave and found it was the dragon''s grave."

    "You fell?!" Arthur instantly became alert. "Are you hurt?" He turned her around and examined her body up and down to check if she was okay.

    "I fell on the snow. It was so odd that it still feels like a dream. There was a golden bowl with blood. I drank it."

    "You drank the blood of something you don''t know?" Arthur covered his face with his left hand. He wanted to make sure if he heard correctly. "Nica, did you really drink the blood of an unknown origin?"

    Veronica didn''t think he would react this way. She shared her opinion, "I think it''s the dragon''s blood. It was especially warm in the cold grave. After drinking the blood, a strange light engulfed me and I went back to the temple."

    Arthur heard her story and calmed down. "You want to say that the blood sent you back to the temple. But, what if the blood was from a human? A human could hide there."

    "The entire cave was taken by the dragon. It''s a huge animal. There was a wall beyond that. There was no way a human could stay there without my notice."

    "And light? What kind of light engulfed you?"

    "It was pure white light. It''s like when I use my healing power."

    Arthur rubbed his temple. "I see. I hope it''s nothing suspicious. What did the Saint say when she noticed that you fell into a cave? What did she say about the dragon?"

    "She didn''t know that I fell down and I didn''t tell her that I found the dragon. She wasn''t cooperating with me. Don''t you find that suspicious?" Veronica nced at him.

    Arthur was taken aback. He knew Veronica wasn''t someone who would distrust people that easily. For her, it was easier to believe in people than anything else.

    He carefully inquired, "Are you sure you want to doubt her actions? She is the Saint."

    Veronica tilted her head. "Why are you surprised? Aren''t you the one who is always suspicious of everything and everyone?"

    Arthur shook his head. "It''s not that I don''t want to trust people. In our line of work, we can only rely on ourselves. The moment you let your guard down, someone will attack you. This is the way we survive. But you¡­"

    "What about me? What are you worried about? I know now that I can''t blindly trust anyone. The person I show kindness to may kill many innocent people."

    Veronica clenched her fists and continued, "It''s really hard to trust people. I already learned my lesson. I won''t make the same mistake again."

    Arthur ced his hands on her shoulders. "Not everyone is bad. You don''t have to do this if you don''t want to. If you feel like it, you can trust people. If something happens, I''ll protect you."

    Veronica vigorously shook her head. "I can''t do that. I have you. What about others? Because of me, they will be killed. Even if I take revenge afterward, I can''t bring them back. I have to bear the burden for the rest of my life. I''d rather not trust people than have to live like that."

    Arthur calmly said, "As you wish, I will agree with you anyway. If you want to doubt the Saint, I won''t stop you. But I want to know if you are okay with this. What if she is on your side and you regret itter? That feeling isn''t that good either."

    "I know I will be regretful but what choice do I have? I trusted her and went to her but she wouldn''t tell me anything even though she knew. She is leading people in the wrong direction because she is bored and tired. That''s not how a true Saint should act."

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you nning to take her responsibility?"

    "I will take my responsibility but not like her, remaining caged in the temple. I''ll go out, meet with people, talk to them, and try to change their minds. I will help them to devote their souls to the good side."

    In the snowy mountain range, the moon was covered by heavy clouds. When the clouds parted, the moonlight caressed the mountain range.

    Veronica was staring at Arthur. Her head was raised to the sky. The moonlight fell on her face. Her green pupils were impressively glittering like emerald stones.

    Looking at her determined expression, Arthur resigned himself. He knew he wouldn''t be able to change her mind and he had no interest in controlling her.

    He was happy that she wanted to do something on her own without others telling her what to do.

    "I''ll grant your wish. As long as you want, I will support you. If you need my help, you just have to ask. I''ll assist you. If you need an army, I will give you hundreds of soldiers. If you need power, I''ll give you that.. Whatever you want, you will get it from me. In return¡­"

 Chapter 229 - PERSUATION

    <h4>Chapter 229 - PERSUATION</h4>

    "I''ll grant your wish. As long as you want, I will support you. If you need my help, you just have to ask. I''ll assist you. If you need an army, I will give you hundreds of soldiers. If you need power, I''ll give you that. Whatever you want, you will get it from me. In return, stay away from danger."

    That''s the only thing he truly wished for.

    For the first time, he fell in love. For the first time, he feared losing someone.

    If he could, he would keep her in his heart and cuddle her for the rest of his life. Whatever she would want, he would give it to her. He would not refuse her no matter what.

    However, deep in his heart, he knew it wasn''t possible. She would not want to be cuddled.

    She was a troublemaker who couldn''t stand still in a ce.

    His cuddling would only make her feel suffocated and caged.

    She might begin to hate him for that.

    And, he did not want that.

    Veronica looked at him. "Arthur, I would rather not face the danger. I want to live a good life. It''s a world that is full of danger and I have some responsibilities. I can''t get away from it anymore."

    ''Responsibilities.'' Arthur slightly furrowed his eyebrows.

    For Veronica to talk about responsibilities was nothing new, but trying to take those responsibilities was something new.

    If she had been that responsible, she wouldn''t have run away with Arthur and lived as his wife in the first ce. She would stay in the temple and follow the king''smand.

    ''Something seems different. She is¡­ different." Arthur noted her behavior. ''Is this because she drank the dragon''s blood? Was it really the dragon''s blood or something else?''

    He told her, "Your responsibility is yours. I''m fine if you choose that path. But if you are in danger, I''ll protect you. So, stop worrying about meaningless things."

    "It''s not meaningless. I truly think there is something wrong with Saint Ava. Why is she trying to hide information about elves? She didn''t even support the innocent children."

    Unconsciously, she blurted out the Saint''s name she tried to hide for so long.

    Arthur concealed his smile andmented, "As I said, there must be a reason. It could be that she is hiding her feelings for the innocents or she is supporting the elves behind everyone''s back.

    "But the question remains. The elves¡­ who are they supporting? Are they supporting the good ones or the bad ones?"

    Veronica retorted, "How can they support the good people? They assassinated innocent people. They can''t be on our side. We have to find them. I''ll ask the Head Priest. If he doesn''t know about elves, I can search the forbidden section of the library."

    Arthur voiced his opinion once again, "I still think it''s a bad idea."

    Veronica knew he would say that. She sweetened her voice to coax him, "The Head Priest is on my side. He is also a wise man. If I tell him I want to help people in my own way, he''ll listen."

    Arthur leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "If you give me a kiss and tell me that I''m the best husband, I''ll listen to you."

    Veronica chuckled. She felt a little embarrassed to do his bidding, yet she enjoyed it as much.

    She tip-toed and her lips touched his. It was a sweet, tonic kiss, giving him warmth in his heart in the snowy night.

    How much he loved her, his wife. No woman in the world could move his heart as she did.

    Other women only wanted materialistic things. Those who wanted his money and power didn''t dare to face him after knowing his identity. And, those who didn''t know his identity, only lusted after his body.

    And they couldn''t make his heart flutter. They only gave him superficially, temporary love andpany.

    After he saw Veronica, everything changed.

    Arthur''s arms circled her body and he deepened the kiss. Their lips ovepped.

    He sucked her lower lip and nibbled it, feeling the sweetness. Her addictive fragrance reached his nose.

    "Mm¡­" Veronica let out a soft moan as she responded to him.

    She loved how gently and lovingly he kissed her. She could sense his affection for her. It would always fill her heart.

    His tongue pressed against her lip. She gasped and opened her eyes. He entered her mouth.

    The tonic kiss turned wild. Their tongues tangled and their breaths caught.

    Despite the cold wind blowing, their bodies grew warm against nature.

    Veronica shuddered as she felt his hands roaming around her body.

    His hands groped her buttocks and firmly pressed her against him.

    "Mmg!" She sensed something hard touching her lower abdomen. She clenched her inner thighs feeling the hotness.

    She pulled back from the kiss when she couldn''t breathe anymore.

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­" She panted unsteadily. Her teary eyes stared at him longingly.

    Arthur''s hungry eyes looked at her alluring face. His warm fingers touched her flushed cheek.

    "I''m so hard because of you. What are you going to do, hmm?"

    Veronica''s face was tinted with several shades of a red hue. She pushed at his chest.

    "How is it my fault? Did I tell you to kiss me back? Do you still want to hear me say ''you are the best husband''?"

    Arthur teased her by saying, "How can I resist when you kiss me like that? Don''t you know I''m head over heels for you?"

    Veronica was so embarrassed that she looked away. "Who told you to be head over heels for me?"

    "Would you like it if I weren''t head over heels for my wife? I''m so pitiful. My wife doesn''t want me." Arthur pretended to be heartbroken.

    "Who said I don''t want you?" Veronica was shy but she couldn''t make him feel pitiful either. She would hate herself for hurting him. "But what can we do? We can''t do anything inside the cave. Darius and Zinnia are around. We''ll disturb them."

    "My wife is too precious. Always thinking about others before her. We can just do it here," Arthur coolly voiced his n.

    "Wah! Here? How are we going to do anything in the middle of nowhere? Even under the sky?!"

    Veronica waspletely flustered. She panicked as she couldn''t imagine having sex under the moonlight.

    "Don''t worry. I won''t take off your clothes." Arthur bit her soft earlobe.

    Veronica shuddered as a familiar sensation traveled down her spine. No matter how familiar she was with the sensation, she could never get used to it.

    She stammered as she protested, "Bu-but Ironin is guarding outside. He can see us."

    "Don''t worry. He is guarding somewhere else. He won''te between a married couple," Arthur swiftly lied.

    He held her hand and took her a bit further from the cave.

    He pushed her against the snow wall and devoured her lips once again.

    "Mm¡­" Veronica''s body trembled. She strongly hugged his shoulders and passionately kissed him back.

    Arthur''s right hand slid under her warm clothes and fondled her breast. He earned a sweet moan from her. His thumb stroked her nipple until it got hard. He could feel her shivering beneath him.

    After giving her a fervent kiss, he pecked on her jaw, throat, nape, and her corbones. His hot breaths caressed her uncovered skin which gradually became warm.

    Later, he dug inside her warm clothes, and through her dress, he kissed her other breast. It wasn''t enough. He couldn''t taste her nipple.

    Feeling unsatisfied, he untied her frontce and loosened up the cloth around her chest. He took out one of the breasts. At first, he circled his tongue around it to stimte her nipple. From the sensation, it perked up steadily. Afterward, he took it inside his mouth.

    "Ahhh!" Veronica flinched. An electrifying sensation went down her spine. Her body jerked and something hot spread from her breast to all over her body. While her other mound was being yed by his fingers, she couldn''t help but moan.

    She covered her mouth afraid that her voice would echo across the mountain. It might even reach Ironin''s ears.

    Arthur smirked at her cautious behavior. His soft tongue was still hovering over her perked-up mound. His suckling then suddenly turned intense.

    Veronica''s eyes went nk. She threw her head back. She didn''t want to enjoy this ecstasy under the sky, but she couldn''t help it. Her body was growing hot and her lower part seemed to be burning. She kept yearning for more.

    "Hng¡­ Arthur¡­ be gentle¡­" She blinked. She closed her eyes and opened them again. She felt like milk woulde out from her nipple at this rate as he was deliciously sucking her, just like a hungry baby.

    "Mmm!" Arthur''s eyes were closed as he let out a satisfied moan. The breast in his mouth was as soft as cotton. It tasted sweet. It was like a delicious dessert. He couldn''t help but suck more. He paid no heed to her request.

    His free hand went inside the hem of her skirt and touched her mid thighs. Slowly, they went up and ventured where he shouldn''t have.

    "Wa-wait!" Veronica gasped for air. She didn''t have the time to feel her soaking wet breast. She let out a pleasant moan.

    Arthur''s eyes were burning like fire. His golden orbs were shimmering.

    "Wait? I can''t wait."

 Chapter 230 - THE PASSIONATE MOUNTAIN NIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 230 - THE PASSIONATE MOUNTAIN NIGHT</h4>

    "Wa-wait!" Veronica gasped for air. She didn''t have to feel her soaking wet breast. She let out a pleasant moan.

    "Wait? I can''t wait." Arthur''s voice was husky.

    His eyes were burning like fire. His golden orbs were shimmering.

    With his fingers, he probed through her panties and noticed how obscenely wet she was down there.

    "Ohh!" Veronica''s hand gripped her skirt nervously. Her emotions were roaring wildly, extremely stirred up. She was nowhere as calm as the snow that was falling from the sky.

    She raised her head, hoping the falling snow would cool her face off. Soon she realized that the snow stopped falling. She had no idea when it happened. For now, she couldn''t cool off her heated face.

    "You are telling me to wait. But can you wait, princess? You are dripping wet here."

    In the next moment, she could feel a twitching sensation as he scratched around her clitoris in circr motions. It was as though he was observing how his thick finger moved when it gently invaded her outer lips.

    Arthur''s breaths became unsteady. His blood was boiling. He felt his fingers were lusciously wet with her honey. He licked his dry lips. Even so, it wasn''t enough. Without a warning, he slid two of his long fingers inside her.

    "Hng!" Her body jolted upward as his fingers entered her in slow motion.

    The fingers went in and out picking up a steady pace, making her wetter with each passing second.

    Veronica cried out. Her walls clenched his fingers as if she didn''t want him to slide them out. She wanted him to keep them there without letting her feel empty.

    Arthur felt her warmth. He stretched his fingers, deliberately feeling her vagina. He loved how she responded to him.

    Down in his straining trousers, his bulging penis was ready to unleash its impatience. It was growing hotter and trying to force its way to get out.

    He gritted his teeth and endured the throbbing urge. He wanted to prepare her more before entering her.

    He gently squeezed her clitoris and flicked it. He didn''t forget to observe her reaction.

    Her honey filled her entrance as though it had never been touched so intimately as it was now.

    He loved her. He loved her so much that he didn''t want to cause her the slightest bit of pain. He wished to cherish her like a baby and love her like a woman.

    While they were busy with their obscene business, poor Ironin frowned deeply and moved further away.

    However, it waste at night. The night was quiet, and in the mountains, sounds seemed to echo a lot. Furthermore, Ironin had good ears.

    No matter how far he went, he felt like Veronica''s soft and yet luscious moans were haunting him down.

    His face turned to a pink hue. His face gradually became hot.

    Realizing that his body was reacting oddly, he dived his face into the cold snow. He didn''t know whom he wanted to curse.

    Meanwhile, the couple didn''t seem to have any care for the world. They were too busy, busy seeking out pleasure from each other.

    Arthur pulled out his fingers when he thought that she was wet enough. He couldn''t wait any longer.

    He took out his cock that was all hot and hard for her. His huge hard cock was high, erect in front of his body, disying its coarse and wild desire. He was ready.

    He pressed the tip at her entrance. She squirmed and her dripping wet flower twitched.

    "Arthur¡­" Veronica grasped his hair. Her green eyes were burning with desire. Her hot clitoris trembled crazily while the tip of his cock rubbed it persistently. Without him telling her, she spread her legs further apart.

    Arthur could see the wildness in her eyes. His heart was throbbing. He captured her lips.

    "Hmng!" Veronica shivered and epted his kiss. The feverish kiss melted her heart.

    While kissing her fervently, Arthur raised her right leg and thrust his cock deep inside her. Since her body was anticipating him, it epted him without difficulty.

    His hot shaft entered her warm vagina. Despite the heat they were feeling, they felt even more warmth than before. Snow and cold could do nothing to her.

    When her particrly thrilling ce inside was touched by him, she covered her mouth and shook her buttocks.

    "Ahh! Hng! Hmm!" Veronica cried out in pleasure.

    The feeling was simr when his thick manhood rammed in and out, making her want to beg just for the stimtion like he had brought upon her a few days ago in the mountain resort.

    They didn''t do it for several days and that made her feel empty without him. She was yearning for him but she could do nothing with people around them.

    Arthur plunged in and out of her sweet hole. He didn''t pause, he didn''t slow down. He kept going. She tightened around his dick and wouldn''t let him go.

    With a groan, he pleasantly closed his eyes, enjoying this rapturous moment.

    Veronica moaned loudly. She didn''t have time to cover her mouth. She was standing on one leg. And that very leg was trembling now. Unable to keep standing on one leg, her hands gripped his shoulders.

    She nced at the man in front of her who was ramming inside her with a wild passion. She grabbed his face and kissed his lips.

    Arthur pulled her closer and kissed her with great delight. He sucked her tongue and probed further.

    He quickened the pace of his thrusts while holding her hips. The overwhelming sensation from since a while ago doubled in intensity.

    Veronica writhed in rapture. She became befuddled with the frenzy. Her walls were spasming. "Wait¡­ Arthur¡­ I''m cumming¡­"

    Arthur kissed her ear and whispered, "Cum for me, Nica. Cum hard."

    Hearing his seductive voice near her ears left her shuddering. She heartily enjoyed his every thrust before she came hard, just like he told her to. At the same time, her vision turned white.

    Her hot love juice drenched his manhood entirely. He waspletely enveloped with warmth and love.

    Veronica panted roughly.. Her chest heaved up and down.

 Chapter 231 - EXPOSED TO THE OUTOORS

    <h4>Chapter 231 - EXPOSED TO THE OUTOORS</h4>

    Veronica panted roughly. Her chest heaved up and down.

    Herher region spasmed and clung to him. Her body openly showed that she needed more, more of his love. She wasn''t satisfied with what she had.

    Delighted by her reaction, Arthur quickened his pace further.

    "Hnng! Ohh! Wai-" As Veronica''s innermost parts were pummeled, her entire body convulsed in tion.

    She just came. Despite her craving for another round, she wasn''t ready yet.

    "Nica, does it feel good?" Arthur asked her as his zing eyes fixed on her.

    "Ahh¡­ mmm¡­" Veronica''s mouth was open. Even so, she couldn''t speak. The only sound she could utter was moans. She was drunk in pleasure. She was enved to the love he gave her.

    It wasn''t that it only applied to her. Arthur was the same. It was like she cast him a magic spell. He was entirely trapped by her.

    At the same time, Veronica felt the sensation of something overwhelming. That sensual feeling served to add fuel to her quivering body.

    Their bodiespletely meshed together. The thrust of his hips reached the deepest part of her insides and showed no signs of stopping. He mmed his lower half with force.

    Veronica was breathless. Her breath hitched every time his cock touched her pleasure spot.

    Her leg that was grabbed by him was shaking vigorously as he rammed his dick. Her toes curled up as she sensed intolerable ecstasy.

    Although she just came, she was on the verge of orgasm once more.

    Even Arthur was at his limit.

    With another forceful push of his hips, he reached his peak.

    At the same time, she felt the sensation of something hot. That sensual feeling served to add fuel to her quivering body.

    Letting out a painfully ted groan, Arthur came apart several more times. And each time, it filled her with intense heat. With onest jerk of his hips, he finally stopped after making sure that he let out everything.

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­"

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­"

    Both of them panted roughly as they let out everything.

    Veronica leaned against his chest. Her forehead touched his shoulder. While she breathed hard, she could listen to his heartbeats.

    Arthur nted his lips on her head and inhaled sharply. Her hair gave off a calming scent. It eased his heart.

    However, his hunger had yet to be calmed down.

    She was hugging his manhood tightly as if she was trying to say she wasn''t ready to let him go yet.

    Arthur was the same. He pulled out with slightly more force.

    Along with a slippery sound, the filled sensation was lost, making her let out a voice unintentionally.

    At the same time, the fluids that were secreted inside her earlier leaked out.

    He put down Veronica''s leg and let her bnce her body. As she did, he unexpectedly turned her around.

    "Huh?" Veronica was confused by his sudden move.

    "ce your hands there," Arthur demanded in a low, hoarse voice.

    Veronica stared at the stone in front of her. Because of the friction and their vigorous exercise, the snow uncovered the stone of the mountain.

    Without understanding what was happening, she ced her hands there. Since she was wearing gloves, it prevented the cold from touching her.

    Arthur rolled up her skirt and bared her butts. After that, he pulled down her soaking wet panties and revealed her buttocks.

    "A-Arthur¡­ what are you¡­ Ahh!" Veronica''s eyes were wide open as she didn''t expect him to thrust inside her from behind, in that position at that.

    Arthur pushed his erection inside her in one go. With how slippery it was, her lower lips epted him easily.

    He couldn''t go all the way inside her in the previous position. But this time, he started with harsh movements, intending to hit my deepest parts.

    Veronica''s body reacted instant. Since she just recently came twice, her inside was slippery. Her insides clenched, stopping him from pulling out.

    It was embarrassing to stay in that position.

    Her buttocks were exposed under the moon and it made her extremely shy. Her embarrassment made her grip him tightly.

    Like a reaction from the earlier deed, he tightly held her body in time with his movements. The tip of her bare breast was rubbed in rhythm, giving her a new kind of pleasure.

    "Nica, how do you feel? Is it good, hmm?" He looked for her pleasurable points as he teased her nipples.

    Veronica couldn''t help but raise her voice. "Ahh! Arthur, slow down¡­"

    "I won''t. You won''t tell me how you feel. You must not feel as good as I''m feeling. I''ll give you more love."

    After that, he increased his pace. He continued to move at his quick pace with the squelching sounds to apany his movements.

    "Ahh! Wait... Arthur!" All Veronica could do was whimper.

    To match with his rhythm, she shook her ass. With both of their movements, they met each other in the middle, causing an unexpected attack.

    This time, the electrifying sensation touched all her senses and gave her immense pleasure.

    Being exposed to the outdoors, worrying about people who might see them, gave her another kind of thrill she never felt before.

    She worried that at this rate, she might turn into a shameless siren.

    Long before, she didn''t know what sex was and now she was getting addicted to this obscene action. She shamelessly spread her legs for her husband and let him pierce his cock inside her.

    All those erotic sensations riled her up and she soon went for another climax.

    Arthur thrust deeply continuously before he moaned and filled her insides to the brim once again. She epted everything,

    He securely hugged her from behind and ced his head on her shoulder. He breathed deeply. His warm breath caressed her neck.

    Veronica''s body trembled. She greedily took his semen inside her womb.

    Her legs lost strength long ago. The only reason she was still standing was that he held her from behind.

    Her head was all fuzzy. Her vision was white. She could neither think nor speak.

    It was not because shecked the energy that she felt no strength. The uncontroble desire and immense pleasure created an entric electrifying sensation.. That distinctive sensation made her numb.

 Chapter 232 - EDUCATION ON HUMAN MATING

    <h4>Chapter 232 - EDUCATION ON HUMAN MATING</h4>

    Arthur cupped her face. He could feel how heated her face was.

    She didn''t look at him properly. Her mind had not yete back. She was still in her dreamynd.

    Arthur smiled and kissed her lips. Since he couldn''t use magic to clean her off, he used his handkerchief and wiped her thighs clean.

    "Hmm¡­" Veronica sighed. Her thighs trembled at his touch as more of her love juice mixed with his semen oozed out.

    Arthur raised his head to see her face. He was ready to go another round if she was willing.

    However, she waspletely drained. The intoxicating sensation seemed to leave her in daze. No matter what she was feeling, she couldn''t continue another round.

    Realizing that she reached her limit, Arthur didn''t pursue either.

    He carefully wiped her clean and fixed her clothes.

    By the time he was done, Veronica also came back to her senses. Maybe further touch when he wiped her had stimted her senses.

    She found strengthing back to her legs. As she stood without her husband''s help, he observed her.

    "Do you want to walk?" he asked. He was worried whether she could walk to the cave or not.

    "I want to. I can walk." Veronica''s voice was mellow like a kitten waking up from her dream.

    Her voice left a significant amount of sensation in Arthur''s heart. He could sense his dick hardening again.

    Arthur frowned and decided not to think about it. The more he would think about it, the more torturous it would be.

    Veronica took two steps with her quivering legs before stumbling on a rock.

    "Ah!" she let out a yelp as she began to fall.

    Arthur caught her in one arm before her back touched the ground. Then, he swept her off the ground and carried her like a princess.

    "Umm¡­ Is this okay? What if they wake up and see us?" Veronica was hesitant.

    Arthur casually responded, "So what if they see a husband carrying his wife? Do you think they will kill us or eat us alive?"

    "Won''t they mock us?" she curiously asked.

    "They might tease us. If you don''t like it, just tell me. I''ll deal with them." Arthur pecked on her cheek.

    ''How can Iin when you love being teased by your friends about this kind of thing?'' Veronica helplessly pondered.

    Arthur carried her to the cave and put her down on the bed.

    Veronica covered herself with the nket and closed her eyes.

    The workout was too much for her. She fell asleep in no time.

    The moon and the mountain range finally sighed in relief. They had too much education on human mating. They also needed rest for the night.

    The next day, Veronica woke up at dawn. She was surprised because she didn''t assume that after two rounds of sex, she would wake up early.

    She opened her eyes and saw faint sunlighting inside the cave.

    Cracking sounds came from the woods others left in the fire. The fire was bing feeble as no one added more wood.

    When she presumed that her whole body would ache in throbbing pain, surprisingly she felt refreshed and energetic.

    She wiggled under the nket that looked exactly like a bug. She wanted to get up and do some exercise before she started the day.

    However, her n had to be changed when a strong arm circled around her waist and pulled her toward a muscled chest.

    "Mm¡­" a low and yet deep groan came out from that man''s throat. "Where are you trying to go?"

    "Outside. It''s been a while since I watched the sunrise."

    Veronica didn''t lie. She indeed wished to see the sunrise while doing exercise.

    Ever since she stepped in Tybu, she was showered by workload. Then, she got married and after that, she was doing unspeakable things till morning leaving all the stars of the night sky embarrassed.

    Therefore, she had no time to see the beautiful sunrise.

    "How''s your body? Can you move?" he asked.

    Veronica nuzzled her nose on his chest. His bare chest made her cold face warm. She inhaled to smell his familiar fragrance.

    "I''m feeling better. I think I can move."

    "Don''t bother. I''ll take you."

    Before she could oppose, Arthur carried her out while wrapping her with the nket.

    "What are you doing? You cannot take me like this!" Veronica hissed. She wanted to shout but didn''t after thinking about the sleeping people around them.

    "What if you catch a cold? I''m worried," Arthur replied.

    Veronica was speechless.

    ''If you were that worried, why did you do ''that''st night?'' She wished toin but held back.

    Wrapped like a cocoon, Veronica was ced on Arthur''sp. The two of them watched the sunrise together.

    The atmosphere was serene. In the cold weather, warm sunlight touched their faces. It warmed up their hearts and gave them new strength to continue their journey.

    "I decided to meet the Head Priest. Tomorrow at dawn," Veronica finally dered.

    Arthur let out a helpless groan. "You won''t stop no matter what I say, will you?"

    Staring at the yellow sun, Veronica answered, "I made the mess, let me clean it up as much as I can. I can''t chase the elves with my power. I''ll leave it to you."

    Arthur squeezed her securely in his arms. "Promise me you won''t do anything reckless."

    Veronica shook her head. "I won''t. I won''t take risks anymore. I already have enough burden to bear."

    "Let me bear the burden with you."

    Arthur hated it when she tried to do all the work by herself.

    Veronica chuckled. "You are already doing that."

    -------------

    After discussing with Arthur, Veronica disclosed her n to the other three while having breakfast.

    "So, I want to bring someone with me who will be quiet and move swiftly like Dastan. I won''t ask for you to fly in the sky like him but at least something simr."

    Veronica looked at them one by one.

    Darius was busy savoring his meal.

    Zinnia was deeply thinking about something.

    Ironin kept his head low and ate quietly.

    Veronica was surprised and frustrated by their behavior. "Anybody listening?"

 Chapter 233 - THEIR REACTIONS

    <h4>Chapter 233 - THEIR REACTIONS</h4>

    Veronica exined her n to everyone, but no one paid attention to her.

    She was surprised and frustrated by their behavior. "Anybody listening?"

    Darius tore a piece of meat from the roasted rabbit and chewed deliciously.

    While chewing, he said, "Ahh, yes, we heard you and we will n how to rescue you after being caught by them. We will prepare for the worst. So, don''t worry. No matter how much of a troublemaker you are, we will be there to fix it."

    "¡­" Veronica didn''t know what to say.

    ''Am I that worthless in their eyes?'' she wondered, feeling bewildered.

    As she realized that they didn''t trust her enough and brushed her off, she was overwhelmed with shame and guilt. She lowered her head, looking down.

    Observing her downcast expression, Arthur reprimanded his friend, "Enough. Don''t bully her. She didn''t mean to cause trouble."

    Veronica gaped at her husband. ''Does he also think I''m causing trouble?'' Feeling devastated, she couldn''t eat her meal anymore.

    "Arthur, now you made her upset. She needs energy before she causes another massacre!" Zinnia rebuked Arthur.

    "You aren''t making it any better,'' Ironin calmly stated.

    His calm eyesnded on the depressed woman. He frowned as though he was debating on something. In the end, he concluded.

    "I will take her to the temple," he dered.

    Others paused eating.

    "You will? Are you sure?" Darius was surprised.

    Ironin was someone who never meddled in other businesses. Furthermore, he didn''t like taking troublesome jobs. He was quiet and liked working on assignments alone.

    Whenever a bothersome person was disturbing him, he would quickly disappear.

    Just what made him want to help her out of the blue?

    As if the dark cloud moved away and the sun shone brightly, Veronica''s downcast face beamed in happiness and surprise.

    She was beyond happy as someone believed in her and wished to work with her, and at the same time, she was astonished that out of all people, Ironin wished to assist her.

    "Thank you! Thank you so much! We will head to the capital city today. We will reach by night. We can stay at Arthur''s house for the night and then sneak inside the temple at dawn.

    "We will ambush the Head Priest before he gets out of his room and heads to the prayer hall. After talking with him, we will leave before others wake up. We have one hour in our hands."

    After she was done exining, she asked him, "Anything you want to ask?"

    Ironin was paying attention to what he was eating. He quietly replied, "No. We will do as you said."

    "All right!" Veronica resumed eating again. She looked relieved. She found her meal extra tasty this time.

    ---------

    "Why did you encourage her?" Zinnia asked Ironin after breakfast.

    Ironin was sharpening his small knife. Without looking at her, he answered, "I did what I should have done."

    "Did you really think encouraging her was the right choice?" Zinnia''s eyes narrowed. "I know for certain that you didn''t do it because she is Arthur''s wife. You don''t care about that. You didn''t like her from the start."

    "¡­" Ironin didn''t reply.

    Maybe he didn''t know what to say or he didn''t know why he was trying to help the person he didn''t like.

    Zinnia stared at him in disbelief.

    "Don''t tell me you fell in love!"

    She was surprised at her own assumption. For this quiet and skillful archer who was herrade, she had high respect.

    She sometimes wondered what kind of woman could make Ironin fall for her.

    But to think he would go after a married woman whose husband was his longtime friend ¨C it was unbelievable.

    Ironin ceased and raised his head. His sharp purple eyes stared at her through his dirty blonde locks.

    In the end, he opened his mouth. "Think whatever you want."

    His answer was unexpected.

    Zinnia froze on the spot. She was expecting a strong denial or a warning. His calm answer threw her off the shore.

    ''Was I wrong to believe he fell in love with Veronica?'' she wondered.

    -------

    Later, they all packed up and headed to the town. Veronica knew the way to the temple, and they knew the way to the city.

    This time, Zinnia took the lead. She was in the front. Behind her were Veronica, Arthur, Darius, and Ironin.

    Darius suddenly halted on his track and created some distance between him and Arthur. Afterward, he grabbed Ironin''s shoulder.

    "Dude, what''s with you? Howe you are helping her? This is a suicide mission if you ask me. Do you think the Head Priest will believe her and hand over the key just because she asked?

    "She is going to the trap. I don''t care what the Saint told her. I think the Saint hid everything from Veronica thinking she was dumb or the Saint is trying to set a trap. Just think about it."

    Ironin walked forward and replied in a low voice, "Aside from her, who knows the Head Priest and Saint more? We never met them."

    He wished to say that since they never knew them in person, they shouldn''t make assumptions.

    Veronica knew them and she had better knowledge about the temple. If she said it was all right, then it was all right.

    She wasn''t a baby. She was a grown-up woman who experienced what could happen to the people around her if she selfishly made a mistake.

    She was guilty of her mistake and wanted to make amends by helping them.

    It was true that she was a novicepared to them but weren''t they also like her at some point?

    They became mature after experiencing more hardship and by working hard they became professional warriors. They were heroes respected by many people.

    It didn''t happen on a whim. It was years of hard work, making mistakes, and learning from the mistakes.

    Veronica was in the stage where she would make mistakes and learn from them.

    She was a smart girl who adapted and learned quickly.

 Chapter 234 - IRONINâ€™S FEELING

    <h4>Chapter 234 - IRONIN¡¯S FEELING</h4>

    Veronica was in the stage where she would make mistakes and learn from them. She was a smart girl who adapted and learned quickly.

    All she needed was proper guidance.

    However, Ironin didn''t say all that. He didn''t bother to exin, leaving all his friends curious.

    Darius looked at Veronica''s back.

    She was walking hastily. Arthur caught her arm and told her to walk slowly.

    Darius asked Ironin, "Do you think believing in her will help her somehow?"

    "Don''t know," Ironin''s reply was curt.

    Darius let out a deep breath. "If you keep everything to yourself, how will that help? What if Arthur misunderstands you?"

    "He won''t." This time too, Ironin''s reply was short.

    "He won''t? Why? You are making me curious." Darius lowered his voice, "If you suddenly support and pamper Veronica, Arthur might think you have a crush on his wife."

    Ironin tirelessly corrected his friend, "I don''t pamper anyone."

    "Then what are you doing? Guiding her?"

    "Hmm."

    "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don''t let her fall in danger. Arthur won''t spare you."

    "You don''t have to tell me. I know."

    Ironin''s cold eyes swept toward the snowy mountain.

    He could imagine Veronica walking here alone and going to her cave since childhood.

    This ce was somewhere where Darius wouldn''t agree toe for vacation in histe 40s.

    And here, a child who knew nothing about the world wasing here without a care for the world.

    Ironin was surprised when he recognized the emotion he felt for that child.

    He respected her, a kid, who wanted to learn about the world.

    ---------

    They reached Arthur''s house by evening.

    Veronica immediatelyid back on the couch, unable to lift a finger.

    "I''ll bring dinner. You guys take your turn and freshen up." Arthur left after taking off his outer robe.

    The town wasn''t as cold as the mountain range. It was spring. The temperature was slightly high.

    Therefore, everyone took off their warm clothes.

    "Ahh! Finally! Some warmth!"

    Darius rxed beside the firece.

    "Winter is boring," Zinniamented as she revealed her innermost clothes.

    Veronica was bbergasted when she saw that Zinnia took off her clothes one by one in front of two men without any hesitation. Thest piece of clothes she was wearing was a set of brassiere and underpants.

    Veronica blushed furiously. "Zinnia¡­ are you¡­ not cold?"

    Zinnia sat beside Darius and let the heat of the fire warm her body.

    "Cold? Not at all. This feels much better. I don''t like wearing too many clothes, especially heavy clothes. It hinders my movement."

    The firelight fell on her body. Her smooth skin looked as if it was glowing. With her red undergarments, she practically looked like a fire goddess.

    Veronica wanted to ask her more but she was too exhausted. Moreover, she didn''t want to have a conversation about female clothes in front of men.

    One thing astounded her. That was, Darius, who couldn''t keep his mind straight after seeing a pretty woman flirting with him, wasn''t truly bothered by Zinnia''s clothes.

    He didn''t give a second nce at her as though it was the most natural thing. He didn''t seem to look at her as a woman. He saw her as a man.

    ''Is this the power of this woman? I want to learn it too. To be able to be invisible from people''s prying eyes, it must feel good,'' Veronica pondered.

    ----------

    Meanwhile, Arthur went to the shopping district. That ce was crowded as usual.

    This ce was nothing glorious or magical like the capital city of Tybu. Even so, this ce had its own charm.

    Here, people weren''t the richest in terms of wealth but they were in peace. They wouldugh and chat with everyone.

    They didn''t look down on people. They could show kindness to unknown people.

    People here were easygoing, simpleminded, and devoted to Goddess Juvena.

    No one was alone here. As long as people lived in Utahill, they were somehow being taken care of by others.

    Rich or poor didn''t matter.

    However, that didn''t mean that people didn''t suffer.

    That''s precisely because they were so poor that they couldn''t eat expensive food. Luxurious food of the aristocrats was nothing but a daydream.

    People died when they went for huntings. They didn''t have enough money to get a better weapon or armor. They could only rely on their skills and knowledge.

    Sometimes, one or two healers would join the hunting group voluntarily if the hunters were lucky.

    At least people didn''t die of sickness. The healers from the pce did their best to keep people healthy.

    Arthur bought curry and bread from a famous shop. Only wealthy people such as royals and aristocrats could buy meals from there.

    While carrying the food, Arthur walked down the street.

    He saw some musicians ying music and some couples were dancing. Everyone was enjoying themselves.

    He recalled that once Veronica and him danced like those couples. They weren''t even in love with each other then like they are now.

    Thinking about that, the corner of his lips rose in amusement.

    ''Is this fate?'' he wondered, feeling light-hearted.

    While walking, he suddenly heard amotion. He looked around and spotted a stage drama happening in the open ce.

    He halted on his track and stared at the stage. He saw several women with white hair.

    He was stunned.

    He knew silver hair was unique and rare. It was the first time he saw so many women having silver hair.

    Those hair was nothing closer to Veronica''s shiny, wavy silver hair but they were close enough.

    ''What''s going on?''

    Realizing that he needed to investigate further, he asked a passer-by, "What''s going on up there?"

    The passer-by nced at him and said, "You haven''t been here for a long time, are you? After people found out that the blessed child existed, they became devoted to her. Without knowing her, only with little knowledge, they started to portray her.

    "People drew pictures of her and hung them in their houses. Many girls are now wearing false hair as it became a fashion icon. These false hair are called wigs. The city brightened up after she was known to the public."

    Arthur''s expression was strange.

    "....Didn''t she die?"

 Chapter 235 - NEWS ABOUT THE BLESSED CHILD

    <h4>Chapter 235 - NEWS ABOUT THE BLESSED CHILD</h4>

    "...Didn''t she die?" Arthur asked.

    He was surprised that people were joyfully celebrating the blessed child when the entire world knew about her death.

    The passer-by replied, "That''s what we thought until Lord Alexander died. Later, the blessed child showed up in the pce and confessed that Lord Alexander imprisoned her to sit on the throne and faked her death.

    "Since the body was hardly recognizable, the temple couldn''t recognize her properly. The blessed child was missing and the dead body was slightly simr. The temple was deceived by that viinous Lord Alexander. After that, his whole family was executed."

    "The blessed child confessed," Arthur repeated the passer-by''s words.

    He was confused and in deep thought. With hundreds of thoughts in his head, he went back to his house.

    By the time he reached, Veronica and Zinnia had already taken baths. Ironin was next.

    Darius saw Arthur and grabbed the packets of food.

    "Man, I''m starving. I''ll eat first and then bathe." saying that he opened the packet.

    "We can''t let you eat with your stinky body. It''s hard to be near you."

    Zinnia snatched the food packet from him.

    At that time, Ironin came down, totally refreshed.

    "See? Ironin is done. Hurry up and bathe first," Zinnia urged Darius.

    "Fine, fine, I''m going," Darius grumbled.

    After he left, Veronica nced at Arthur. "Aren''t you going to take a bath?"

    Arthur calmly looked at her.

    "There is a well outside. I will bathe there. Will you help me to scrub my back?"

    At his offer, Veronica''s pale face tinted with a red hue.

    "I¡­ I will bring some extra sponge."

    She quickly headed upstairs. Her heart was beating fast. Her thoughts were all jumbled up.

    ''Why did he have to say that in front of other people? Did he deliberately do it?''

    She covered her heated face in embarrassment.

    She wanted to get mad at him for being so shameless and yet her heart leaned toward him. Her heart softened whenever she thought of his face.

    In the meantime, Arthur was smirking as his eyes stayed on the back of the running Veronica.

    ''Ah, she fled. She doesn''t even know where I keep the extra sponge.''

    Thinking of her timid action made his heart grow warm. However, when he thought about the passer-by''s words, his expression turned grim.

    Ironin was quick to notice the sudden change in his expression. He was sitting in front of the firece.

    "Did something happen?" he inquired.

    Arthur nodded. He didn''t say the rest.

    If it was others, they would have died of waiting. They hated things being dragged on.

    But for Ironin, he was quiet and patient. He was like - he could wait eight hundred years for anything without a worry.

    Ironin didn''t ask further. He knew Arthur would say when the time was right.

    A few minutester, Veronica came down.

    "I have found extra soap and sponge," she dered. "And I have brought some clothes."

    Arthur turned toward her. He noticed that she was trying her best to act normal.

    Amused, he stood up. He went to the kitchen where the backdoor was.

    Veronica followed him, holding the candle, clothes, soap, and sponge.

    Right beside the backdoor, there was a well and a wooden bucket.

    Veronica was surprised that she never noticed it before.

    It was probably because this area was dark and the dim light in front of the door didn''t light up the ce properly.

    Arthur took off his clothes and only his underwear was covering his secret part. He hung the clothes on the rope.

    Veronica helped him after putting down the candle and the rest.

    After that, he tossed the bucket inside the well, collected water, and then pulled it up.

    Veronica saw him drenching his body with the cool water.

    Droplets of water rolled down his muscles. In his tan skin, the droplets of water were glittering in the candlelight.

    His ck underwear clung to his secret ce, making his bulge more visible.

    Veronica''s throat was dry. Suddenly, her face felt hot. Her heart was racing. Despite feeling shame, she was unable to tear off her gaze from him.

    Her eyes were especially glued to his bulging area. Remembering that the bulging part always entered her and pleasured her, her legs became numb.

    Maybe her piercing gaze was too noticeable, Arthur opened his eyes and nced at her.

    With a teasing smile, he asked her, "Won''t you scrub my back?"

    With trembling legs and a flushed face, Veronica stepped forward.

    Without a word, she applied the soap to his body and then started to scrub.

    In the candlelight, she could see several old injuries on his back.

    She paused. Her fingers automatically touched his scars. He wondered how a magician got hurt like that.

    For a powerful man whom everyone was scared of, she couldn''t imagine him getting hurt.

    Arthur noted that she stopped scrubbing his back. He turned his head slightly.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Does that hurt?" she asked him.

    "You mean the injuries? Not at all. Why? Are you worried?"

    "I didn''t notice them before. I''m sorry."

    "It''s not your fault. You weren''t there when I got injured. These are recent marks. The scars I had previously, they were healed by your power in the desert."

    "Recent injuries?" Veronica frowned. "Weren''t we always together after then? How did I not notice?"

    "It happened when I was out with Felix. We took care of some bandits who caused trouble to innocent travelers. I got scratched while helping some children."

    "What medicine did you use to take care of these wounds?"

    "We found some herbs in the forest. The wounds weren''t deep. They healed soon. As I said, there is nothing to worry about."

    Veronica let out a sigh and ced her head on his back.

    "If you keep facing danger, you should keep me close to you. This way, I can heal you quickly. It won''t hurt anymore."

    Her hands glowed and his scars were healed in a blink of an eye.

    Arthur twisted his hands back and held her waist.

    "Fine, I will keep you close to me even when I''m in danger. I won''t let you go no matter what.. Even if you cry andin, it won''t work."

 Chapter 236 - TAKE A BATH

    <h4>Chapter 236 - TAKE A BATH</h4>

    I won''t let you go no matter what. Even if you cry andin, it won''t work."

    "I won''tin."

    Veronica finished scrubbing his back, front, and arms. And now she had to scrub his legs.

    She crouched down and started to scrub his ankles first. Soon, her hands went up.

    Her eyesnded on the small hill and her eyes shook. She was astounded seeing his bulge turning into a mountain.

    ''How¡­ How did it grow so big? We didn''t do anything?''

    Her recently cooled-down face heated up once again. Her heart was thumping loudly.

    Arthur was delighted by her reaction.

    Her eyes were glued to his cock. She stopped scrubbing him and she didn''t even realize it.

    Arthur''s right hand touched Veronica''s head and stroked her lovingly.

    "Do you want to clean it that badly? Fine, I''ll allow it."

    "Wh-what?!" Veronica came back to her senses and was flustered by his teasing.

    Arthur innocently tilted his head.

    "What? Didn''t you want to clean my covered area? I gave you my permission to clean it. I don''t mind. After all, that very part belongs to you."

    Veronica''s face looked like blood was going to drip from her face.

    "What belongs to me? You can clean the rest by yourself. I''m going back."

    She forcefully gave the sponge to him and tried to run away hurriedly.

    However, before she could take the third step, her wrist was captured.

    She was yanked back and her body crashed on his wet chest.

    "You don''t want to clean? You sadden me. Are you disgusted by me?"

    Arthur''s voice sounded pitiful.

    Veronica couldn''t bear to hear his voice like that. Her heart instantly melted.

    "I''m not disgusted."

    "Then what?"

    "...."

    No matter how Arthur tried to probe further, it didn''t work. She didn''t want to tell him that she was curious but too embarrassed to clean his dick.

    Arthur saw that it was no avail to pursue her anymore, she wouldn''t open her mouth.

    He leaned down involuntarily and spontaneously covered her lips.

    Her lips tasted sweet and had a distinct floral scent. Her lips were as soft as jelly.

    Whenever he kissed her lips and tasted her texture, he would teleport to a dreamynd where he could only think of her.

    He kept nibbling and kissing her lips until her lips were swollen. Still, it was not enough. His hunger rose more and more.

    He pried open her lips and slid his tongue inside her warm mouth. He knew every inch of this dimension and yet he was never tired of exploring it again and again.

    His tongue intertwined with hers. Her soft, warm tongue trembled as it rubbed against his.

    Veronica shuddered as his wet arms caressed her body. Her hands held his muscled arms and her lips actively kissed him back.

    ---------

    Zinnia made tea for everyone.

    "I wish Arthur bought some vegetables. I want to have some soup," she mumbled.

    Ironin was washing the dusty tes. He inquired, "Do you want me to go out?"

    Zinnia shook her head. She disapproved.

    "You cannot find fresh vegetables at this time of the day and you don''t know which restaurant serves the most delicious soup here. There is no point in going out. Let''s just eat what he bought."

    Her words made sense. Ironin didn''t pursue it anymore.

    By the time they were done, Arthur and Veronica came back.

    Arthur was fully dressed while Veronica''s clothes were untidy and wet.

    Her face was flushed and her eyes looked foggy. She seemed to be in a daze.

    Zinnia stared at her and asked, "Did you help him to bathe or did you take a bath?"

    Veronica finally nced at her and panicked. "Ah! I didn''t mean to¡­ I mean I didn''t¡­"

    "Rx, I''m just teasing. I know what happens when newlyweds take baths together." Zinnia winked at her and chuckled.

    Veronica''s expression changed.

    Her expression changed several times in a minute. Whatever she thought or felt, her face would show them like an open book. Her expressions were always soical that it was fun to tease her.

    That''s the reason why Arthur poked her all the time. In his eyes, she was the most adorable girl in the world.

    As for Zinnia, she recently found out how fun it was to tease this girl her friend married.

    Her sadism perked up. Now, she began to n how to tease her every single moment.

    Arthur quietly nced at her. He didn''t say anything but his eyes were threatening.

    He could sense his friend''s sadistic eyes greedily looking at his wife.

    His warning was clear. He didn''t want anyone else other than him to tease his wife.

    He wouldn''t allow his friends either.

    Zinnia raised her hands to surrender. She didn''t n on fighting with him.

    ''Why is he so possessive? I want to tease her too. It would be great if I could make her cry a little.'' Zinnia''s eyes shed with sadistic thoughts.

    Arthur and Veronica went to his bedroom.

    Veronica searched her back and dropped on the floor. Her face was nk.

    Arthur threw his dirty clothes in the basket. Seeing her gloomy expression, he asked, "What''s wrong?"

    She nced at him and replied, "I don''t have any extra clothes. What am I going to wear?"

    Arthur looked down at the dress she was wearing.

    True, her skirt was soaked. The soap foam and water made a mess of her skirt.

    The back of the dress was also wet because he stroked her carelessly with his wet hands.

    "It''s all right. you can wear my clothes."

    Arthur opened his wardrobe and took out a shirt and pants.

    "You might have a problem with the pants since your waist is thin. I''ll give you a rope so that you can tighten the pants around your waist."

    As he looked for a rope, Veronica took this chance.

    She quickly took off her skirt and slipped her legs inside the pants.

    By the time she was done, Arthur already found the rope and turned toward her.

    He was surprised that she was so swift.

    She even folded the hem of the pants because it was too long for her. She didn''t want to trip on the floor and get hurt.

 Chapter 237 - THEIR DOUBTS

    <h4>Chapter 237 - THEIR DOUBTS</h4>

    Seeing that Veronica was all prepared when he turned his back for a few seconds, Arthur hid hisughter.

    ''Did she think I would jump her if I saw her naked? Hmm? I think I would,'' he considered.

    Without a word, he bent down and tightened the rope around her waist.

    After he was done, she took off her top and wore the shirt. Her actions were so swift that in the blink of an eye, she changed her top.

    Arthur was marveled noticing how careful she was around him.

    ''Was I being too hard on her?'' he wondered.

    His emotions ran deep when it came to her. Therefore, he noted everything, even her little actions, and reactions.

    He did his best to figure out the reason behind her every action.

    If he couldn''t figure out the cause, he would ask her directly.

    In any case, even if she was cautious around him, he couldn''t easily stop teasing her with his words and actions.

    Even if he could, he wouldn''t.

    He just loved teasing her and he didn''t want to change it no matter what.

    Veronica noted that her husband was deep in thought. She tugged his sleeve and probed him, "Let''s go. I''m hungry."

    Arthur discreetly smiled at her. "Sure."

    By the time they went downstairs, Darius had already finished bathing.

    He saw the couple and urged them, "Hurry up before the food turns cold."

    As they started eating, Arthur disclosed what he found out when he went to buy food.

    "Blessed child with silver hair? Another blessed child?" Darius gaped at him.

    Then, he turned toward Veronica. "Do you have a twin? Why didn''t you say so?"

    "I don''t. I''m as surprised as you are," Veronica told him.

    Others became quiet. They weren''t expecting to hear any news of the blessed child when Veronica was right beside them.

    "Is this a trap?" Ironin finally opened his mouth.

    Arthur shook his head. "I think it is possible too but we can''t say for sure. We have to find that blessed child first."

    Veronica started, "If I ask the Head Priest¡­"

    "Not now. I don''t think it will be a good idea for you to meet him," Zinnia said.

    "Zinnia is right. We shouldn''t rush," Darius admitted. "We are already here. Let''s take it slow. We need to be aware of our surroundings."

    "The woman showed up right after Lord Alexander was killed by Felix. Felix didn''t know or he would have informed us. But, what were his men doing? Couldn''t they inform us?"

    Darius showed his displeasure.

    "The Saint didn''t tell me anything about the newfound blessed child. She could say that a new blessed child was found and so they don''t need me anymore. But she didn''t. Rather, she told me that she would take care of everything. Why did she do that?"

    Veronica was confused. She had so many questions that needed to be answered.

    However, she already parted with Saint Ava after that argument. She didn''t want to go back and face her. She was still mad at her.

    Zinnia shrugged. "Maybe she didn''t think it was important."

    "If it wasn''t important, then she didn''t care. Isn''t that right?"

    Darius bit a huge chunk of bread and chewed on it.

    "If she didn''t care, does that mean this blessed child is fake?" Ironin nced at Arthur.

    Arthur frowned. "There is a possibility. Maybe the king didn''t want others to think that the blessed child was killed by the evil Lord Alexander."

    "Bnce and harmony," Veronica mumbled.

    She looked at her husband. "What should we do?"

    Arthur suggested, "Why don''t we wait for a while and try understanding the whole situation? You can work in the library or read books as much as you want till then."

    Veronica hesitated before nodding. "All right, I will do that."

    It''s true that she liked reading books, but currently, her focus was on getting justice for those innocent children. Her heart broke whenever she thought about it.

    After having their dinner, Darius went out to gather some information. Ironin went out for the first watch.

    Zinniaid down on the couch. She fell asleep the moment her back touched the softness.

    "She must be tired." Veronica covered her body with a thin nket.

    "She can''t stand cold weather," Arthur told her.

    Veronica gasped. "I didn''t know. She didn''tin like Darius. I thought she liked winter. It must be hard for her.

    "Weather here is always cold no matter what the season is. In summer, this town is a bit warm."

    Arthur took her arm. "Don''t worry about them. They are used to different temperatures. Let''s go to bed. You are limping."

    "You noticed¡­" Veronica was ashamed.

    She didn''t want to show him her vulnerable side. She was also frozen in front of him in the mountains.

    She hated the pained expression he showed at that time. She didn''t want to see that again.

    That''s when she promised not to show her weakness in front of him.

    "Of course, I would notice," saying that he bent down and held her back and the back of her thighs.

    "Wait!" Veronica gasped when her vision suddenly spun. In a second, she was being carried by him like a princess.

    Her arms wound around his neck. "Don''t scare me like this," sheined.

    "Aren''t I with you? You have nothing to fear."

    Afterward, Arthur took her to the bed. He ced her down and then crouched in front of her. Then, he carefully took off her shoes.

    "Ouch!" Veronica flinched.

    Her feet were red due to walking too long. They were swollen to the point they were painful.

    Arthur''s expression darkened. "I''ll get the ointment. Wait here."

    Veronica stole a nce at him. His expression was somber.

    ''Is he mad? Did I do something wrong?'' she pondered.

    Arthur brought a bottle of ointment. When he applied it on her feet, she felt cool touches in her injuries. It reduced the pain.

    Veronica rxed when she felt better. She let him bandage her legs.

    Her eyes once again wandered to his side profile.

    "Arthur, what''s wrong?"

 Chapter 238 - [Bonus ]DARIUS AND ARTHURS RENDEZVOUS

    <h4>Chapter 238 - [Bonus ]DARIUS AND ARTHUR''S RENDEZVOUS</h4>

    Veronica couldn''t stand his somber expression and then asked, "Arthur, what''s wrong?"

    Arthur faced her. "What could be wrong?"

    "You look¡­ angry."

    Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Do I? Why should I be angry?"

    "¡­I don''t know, but I think you are mad about something." She pondered about it and suddenly realized, "Is it because of my feet?"

    Arthur sat beside her and calmly asked, "What do you think?"

    Veronica held his hand and coaxed her by saying, "Don''t be mad. I''m used to it. It used to happen all the time. So, I don''t bother much. You have already applied ointment.. It will be fine by tomorrow."

    "You cannot walk until your feet healpletely," Arthur demanded.

    "That''s not fair. I''ll get bored at this rate."

    "I''ll bring you two books."

    "What will you do tomorrow?"

    "I''ll go back to my librarian life like before. Go to sleep first. I''ll bete."

    "Where are you going?"

    "I''ll wait for Darius. We need to hear what he finds out."

    "Shouldn''t I wait?"

    "Aren''t you tired? Sleep."

    Veronica didn''t argue because she was indeed tired. She covered herself with the nket and fell asleep quickly.

    Her breathing became deep and regr.

    Realizing that she had fallen asleep, Arthur quietly left the bedroom.

    He went outside and found Darius in the nearby bar.

    After ordering his beer, Arthur sat beside him. "What did you find out?"

    Darius chugged down a mouthful of beer and then mumbled, "The blessed child goes out of the pce every week. On the holiday, Sunday, she goes to the temple and then visits the sick people in the hospital and nearby slums. She heals people. Her healing power is very powerful. They said she brought back a human from death''s door."

    Arthur frowned. He was also near death''s door when Veronica healed him.

    At that time, she couldn''t control her power and ended up reviving the whole desert as well.

    Unlike her, the recently blessed child had control over her power.

    "Is this a true story or just a rumor?"

    "They said it happened a week ago. Whether it''s real or not, if we find that guy and make him cough out every single word, we might be able to find the truth."

    Arthur approved this notorious idea, "Sure, let''s get him first. Let Ironin handle him. This way, the guy will think it''s an assassin from Lord Alexander''s loyal group. They won''t think someone else was behind it."

    "I like this idea." Darius nodded. "By the way, is there any¡­ you know¡­ a good ce to enjoy myself?"

    "There is a ce called Morina''s Pce. Let''s go there. It''s been a while since I visited that ce." Arthur stood up.

    Darius walked beside him. "Hey, hey, are you sure you want to go there? Won''t you be cheating on your pure wife like that? She would be hurt if she found out."

    "If you keep your mouth shut, she won''t find out anything."

    Morina''s Pce was the one he often went to. It was one of the very few ces he could rx and do whatever he wanted. After meeting Veronica on one fateful night, he never stopped there.

    Since he was out of Utahill for several months, he could take this chance to find out what happened here when he wasn''t around.

    Morina and the girls were delighted to see Arthur at their door. The entire ce found out about his return in a second and all the free girls came to meet him.

    "Master came! I''m so happy to see you!"

    "I can''t believe Master Arthur came back! I thought he left me heartbroken and was never going to return."

    "My heart broke after Master Arthur left."

    "I was so lonely without you, Master."

    "Master Arthur, let us serve you tonight."

    Madam Morina, the mistress of Morina''s Pce, came atst. Her eyes sparkled as she faced Arthur.

    "My beloved Master, I missed you so much!"

    She stepped forward and hugged Arthur before he could say anything.

    Darius was startled by Arthur''s poprity.

    Back in Tybu, everyone feared Arthur. Therefore, even if there were girls who had a crush on him, they wouldn''t dare to approach him.

    However, in this ce, no one knew his real identity. As a result, no one feared him.

    Tonight, Darius had to encounter his biggest rival.

    He realized that he wasn''t the only one who could make the women fall for him using one nce. In front of Arthur, he had no existence at all.

    That, Darius couldn''t ept. His pride as a sexy man hurt!

    ---------

    The next day Veronica woke upte. She stretched her arms and yawned. Afterward, she rubbed her eyes and then looked at her left.

    The left side of her bed was empty. Arthur was gone.

    She remembered Arthuring to bedte at night. He hugged her to sleep. She didn''t know when he left.

    She washed her face and went downstairs. She found Zinnia mopping the floor.

    "Veronica, you are awake. Good morning. Looks like you slept well."

    Veronica smiled at her. "Good morning. I slept well. What about you? Was the couch ufortable?"

    "Not at all. I slept soundly. I''ve prepared breakfast for you. You have to warm it up before eating. It''s almost noon. Your meal has already cooled down."

    "I see. Thank you for making breakfast. It should be my duty¡­"

    "I know you are not good at cooking. Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it. Also, I need to buy some ingredients for today''s lunch and dinner. Can you help me to buy groceries?"

    "Yes, of course!"

    Veronica was delighted. It was the first time she would buy groceries. She never did it before.

    Later, the two of them went to the marketce. It was in a huge area and everything could be found there. From food to furniture, everything was there.

    Zinnia bargained a lot to buy vegetables and meat.

    It was lunchtime and so, the ce was less crowded.

    Veronica covered her hair with a hood. She didn''t want others to see her hair.

    Althoughst night she heard from Arthur, she was still surprised to see the girls wearing silver hair wigs.

    She stood in a ce in a daze when someone bumped into her.

    "Oh dear, I''m so sorry-"

    "It''s okay¡­" Veronica saw that person and her voice got stuck in her throat.

 Chapter 239 - SOMEONE SHE KNOWS

    <h4>Chapter 239 - SOMEONE SHE KNOWS</h4>

    Looking at the silver-haired wigs, she stood in a daze when someone bumped into her.

    The person hurriedly apologized, "Oh dear, I''m so sorry-"

    "It''s okay¡­" Veronica saw that person and her voice got stuck in her throat.

    She wasn''t expecting to meet the person she collided with anytime soon.

    Her mouth was wide open but words couldn''te out.

    The person also had the same reaction. His pupils shook as though he was astounded upon seeing a ghost.

    They stared at each other. Silent fell upon them. Even the bustling town couldn''t hide their awkwardness..

    One of them had to say something. In the end, Veronica opened her mouth first.

    "May the Goddess bless the light upon you, Head Priest." She bowed and greeted.

    "Veronica¡­ you are really her, aren''t you?" The Head Priest''s voice quivered.

    Veronica felt pity for him. The man in front of her aged quite a bit. He looked more haggard than before.

    ''His condition seemed to worsen. Is it my fault? Did I cause him more trouble?''

    Feeling guilty, she couldn''t look his way.

    "...Yes¡­ it''s me, Head Priest. You look sick. Are you alright?"

    The Head Priest''s face brightened up instantly. His eyes gleamed in joy.

    He sped her hands and said in a beaming tone, "I knew it! At first, I thought I was hallucinating but then I remembered that I bumped into you. Most certainly you are real.

    "You have been here all along, haven''t you? You didn''t leave the city. I knew you wouldn''t. I had faith in you. I prayed every day for your return.

    "We have looked everywhere for you. The King was searching for you. Maybe not showing up was the best thing to do when Lord Alexander wasn''t on our side."

    "Head Priest, let''s go somewhere private," Veronica quickly interrupted him. She didn''t want to draw attention to them.

    "Yes, yes, sure." The Head Priest must have noticed her difort. He agreed.

    They went to a high-ss restaurant. They booked a private room.

    There was no one in the royal and aristocrats who didn''t know the Head Priest.

    The Head Priest would hardly have a fancy meal in a fancy restaurant.

    As a result, they got a special privilege. They could eat any food for free.

    After they ordered their meal, the Head Priest paid attention to her.

    "Everything is in order. Lord Alexander is gone. His family was punished. No one will dare to harm you anymore. Come back."

    His tone was gentle and affectionate that Veronica had a hard time turning him down.

    She hesitated to speak, "Umm¡­ Head Priest, I''m not nning on going back."

    "What?" The old man''s expression changed.

    Veronica continued, "I already heard a new blessed child has been found. She must have great power, unlike me. I would like to leave the rest of the responsibilities at her hands."

    "Don''t think too much about the other blessed child. It was you who were taught by Saint Ava and no one else. The healers hardly get to have lessons from her but you got it. Why waste it?

    "If you announce your presence and prove to them that you are the blessed child, then you will be loved by all. Didn''t you want to be loved by everyone?

    "This is your opportunity to take your rightful ce and serve the people of Goddess Juvena. This is your duty. No one else can do it instead of you."

    Veronica inquired, "...But what about the other blessed child? Isn''t she the one who dered that she was the real one? If I let others know my existence, it will be bothersome."

    The Head Priest brushed his hand. "Your worry is meaningless. She is just a proxy. She is the new healer we found in the temple. She grew up with her. Even her features match yours. We just disguised her as you since many healers knew you."

    Veronica was stunned by their n. "Why did you go that far?"

    "We did it so that darkness in people''s hearts wouldn''t spread. We had to give them hope. People can only continue when they have hope in their hearts. As long as they have hope, they can conquer anything."

    He urged her, "Come back, child. You belong with us. How long can you hide yourself in this ce? If you need protection, we will provide it for you."

    Veronica shook her head. "It''s not protection I seek. It''s me who wants to protect people. But, I can''t do it when I''m the blessed child. I have to stay in the royal pce or the Rosemary temple and can only help people for a short time.

    "This is not what I want. I want to live with these people and understand and love them. Whenever they are in danger, I want to help them first.

    "If I live in the castle, I can never do as I please. I will be stuck in a ce just like Saint Ava. Head Priest, this is what I call a waste."

    She paused before continuing, "It''s not that I''m running away from my responsibility. My job is to guide people to the right path. I have to make them follow in my footsteps and go through hardships together."

    "..."

    The Head Priest couldn''t talk for a long time.

    Their meals were served. The waiter left after saying, "Please call me if you need anything."

    Even after the waiter left, they didn''t touch the meal.

    The Head Priest took his time before saying, "Child, I understand where you areing from. But you see, your presence is the biggest hope that people can get.

    "You are the blessed child, sent by Goddess Juvena, light in the darkness, hope in the hopeless situation. You have to be protected no matter what.

    "Do you know, we have a secret army just to protect you from evil eyes? You will be safe with us. With our protection, you can do whatever you want. That''s why I''m telling you toe back. What do you want to choose?"

 Chapter 240 - PERSUATION

    <h4>Chapter 240 - PERSUATION</h4>

    "¡­You will be safe with us. With our protection, you can do whatever you want. That''s why I''m telling you toe back. What do you want to choose?"

    Veronica smiled at his words. "I understand that my safety is your utmost concern and I''m happy to know that. However, if I act like a scaredy-cat, the bad guys will have the upper hand. I cannot show my weakness.

    "I have a duty to the people of Goddess Juvena. The Goddess sent me for that purpose. I''m sure She will protect me. If I, as Her blessed child, cannot show a little faith, how can other people have faith in Her?"

    The Head Priest let out a deep breath. "You are right.. Faith is what we need if we want the Goddess''s strength."

    He paused before adding, "When we found out the remarkable job you did in the desert, we were so proud of you. We wished to wee you grandly. Who knew you would choose this path? Are you sure you want to walk down a road that has no future?"

    Veronica politely refuted, "It''s not that it has no future. It''s just we don''t know what the future holds for me. And yes, I''m sure I want this road to walk."

    Walking that road, full of uncertainty, most people would avoid it, but Veronica didn''t. Going into the unknown future, she wasn''t worried or scared because she had Arthur by her side.

    Arthur was her biggest support. He always gave her courage.

    If she walked on the unknown path, she wouldn''t be alone. There would be people who would follow her even if she didn''t ask.

    That''s why she had the courage to choose this path.

    The Head Priest stared at her for a long time before saying, "Maybe that''s the reason Saint Ava wanted to let you go. Do whatever you wish. This old man will hide that he met you today. The King knows you are dead. As long as you want, I''ll keep this secret. At least Saint Ava should know that you are alive. She was devastated when she heard you died."

    "She knows," Veronica confessed. "I met her in the temple beforeing here. I came to the city to meet you but was surprised when I heard about the new blessed child."

    "You met her? That''s good." The Head Priest looked relieved. "Why did you want to meet me?"

    Veronica brought up what she wanted to ask for several days, "Do you remember promising me the key to the secret chamber of the royal library? I wish you could give me that. I''ve be a good healer now, just as you wished."

    The Head Priest pondered deeply. "Why do you need that all of a sudden?"

    "I need some information. I''m working on something. I can''t do it without enough knowledge. I searched so many libraries around the world but only the ancient library should have it. For some reason, it wasn''t there."

    The Head Priest interrupted her at this point, "May I ask¡­ what are you looking for?"

    Veronica paused. She recalled Arthur forbidding her telling anything about elves to the Head Priest. She wasn''t sure if she should tell him.

    She rubbed her palms together. She wanted to tell him but hesitated. Disobeying Arthur never gave her any good experience.

    The Head Priest observed her reaction and told her, "It''s okay if you don''t want to tell me. I could help you if it''s about something most people have no knowledge of."

    Veronica''s tense body rxed as he didn''t pursue the issue anymore. "I think I can handle it. If I can go to the library, I''ll get the information I need."

    "Most books are written in the ancientnguage. Thatnguage isn''t alive anymore. No one knows it. It''s forbidden to teach it openly. Can you read it?"

    "You have nothing to worry about. I learned it in the temple. I cannot speak properly since I never heard it. But I can guarantee I can read."

    The Head Priest looked surprised. "That''s impressive. I can''t believe Saint Ava taught you that well. She isn''t a good teacher."

    "She didn''t. She also gave me a stone that would control my healing power. She prevented me from using my power properly. I learned everything myself."

    The Head Priest stared at her in disbelief. "What are you saying? Even if she isn''t a good teacher, she wouldn''t do something like that!"

    "That''s what happened. The past six months, she has made me mop the floor, take care of the garden, prepare meals, pray with her, and use healing power."

    "How could she do that?" The Head Priest didn''t know how to react. "I sent you to her so that you could learn from her. I trusted her! I thought you would be better with her. She could guide you who knew nothing.

    "When you used your power for the first time one year ago, she realized it first. She sensed your power. Me too. And that''s when we knew someone other than Saint Ava, a powerful being came to the world.

    "That gave me hope. I was happy. I thought I could leave my responsibilities to you."

    As he started eating, she touched the spoon as well. "Honestly speaking, I still don''t understand why you need me. Things are going great without my presence. If power-hungry people knew about my existence, they would seek me. Whatever my role is, Saint Ava can fulfill it. That''s why I better be left alone. I want to do things my way without people hunting me."

    The Head Priest suggested, "Don''t you think if you are recognized as the blessed child you can do better? People will be obliged to work for you."

    "It''ll create more attention. I don''t want it. I want to do things without being noticed by others too much. More than anything, I don''t want the life I grew up in. I want to be free."

    "Then I won''t pursue you anymore. I thought you were misguided but it looks to me that you hate our way of life."

    "Yes¡­ I''m sorry." Veronica lowered her head.

    "It''s okay. I understand not everyone can handle our way of living. Especially those who have high ambition."

    Veronica hesitantly reminded him, "About the key¡­"

 Chapter 241 - COMPENSATION

    <h4>Chapter 241 - COMPENSATION</h4>

    "About the key¡­" Veronica hesitantly reminded him.

    "Oh yes, yes. About that, when do you need it?"

    "I should leave this ce as soon as possible. So, when can you give me the key?"

    "Then, meet me tomorrow around half past nine in front of this restaurant. I''ll take you to the Royal Library."

    "Are you going with me?"

    "Do you think you can go without a pass? They will check you. And when they find out about your silver hair and green eyes, what do you think will happen?"

    Veronica gulped as she could imagine the situation. "Will they take me to the King?"

    "Exactly.. If you don''t want that, you have to disguise yourself."

    "How can I do that? I can''t change my hair color or eye color."

    "What about buying a wig?"

    "A wig?" Veronica was curious. "What is that?"

    "False hair. You must have seen girls wearing silver hair matching yours. They are made of jute fiber. It''s very popr among girls around your age. Buy one and color it with charcoal."

    "Coloring false hair with charcoal and wearing it¡­" Veronica''s eyes sparkled. "That''s a brilliant idea! I''ll meet you tomorrow, Head Priest."

    "Good. Let''s finish our meal."

    Afterward, they focused on eating their meal.

    Later, Veronica went back to Arthur''s house.

    "Ve-ro-ni-ca!!!"

    "Yess!!!"

    Zinnia''s angry shout made Veronica jump in front of the door.

    Zinnia stomped forward with a red face. She was furious. Her blue eyes were burning with fire. Her red hair just added the intensity of her emotion.

    "You! Where did you run off to? Did you forget you have to stay close to us all the time? What if something happened to you? We were so nervous and had no idea what to tell Arthur if he found out."

    She was breathing hard. She looked like she was going to burst at any moment.

    "I''ve been looking everywhere for you. There wasn''t a ce I haven''t searched. Even Ironin looked for you. Where were you?!"

    Veronica knew she had to apologize for her action.

    "I''m so sorry. I met someone I knew, and we had a meal together. I totally forgot that we were out shopping."

    "You met someone," Zinnia frowned. "Whom did you meet? What if they tell everyone that you are in the city?"

    "I met the Head Priest. He agreed to take me to the royal library tomorrow." Veronica told them everything.

    Zinnia gaped at her. "And you agreed?! Unbelievable! And a wig? Will that fool the imperial guards? I highly doubt it."

    She knew Veronica was too simple-minded and easily trusted other people. That''s the very reason Arthur told her to keep an eye on his wife.

    However, she didn''t imagine babysitting a married woman would be so hard.

    "We won''t know if we don''t try. Let''s talk to Arthur." Veronica looked around. "Where is he? He has been gone since I woke up."

    "Ah¡­ about that¡­" Zinnia''s temper suddenly cooled off. "He must be busy outside¡­ working you know." She shrugged and walked to the kitchen.

    "You can chop vegetables, right Veronica? Help me, will you? I''m tired after walking so much."

    Veronica was puzzled by her sudden change of mood. It was more like a mood swing.

    She didn''t think too much into it and helped Zinnia with work. She had topensate for what she had done.

    Ironin came backter. He paused when he saw two women were cooking in the kitchen harmoniously.

    His eyes focused on Veronica who was struggling with spinach. "Where were you?"

    Veronica paused and raised her head. She noticed that his sharp pupils flickered as their eyes met.

    All of a sudden, she didn''t know why she felt nervous. Her words got stuck in her throat.

    "She didn''t get lost. She met the priest and they nned to go to the Imperial Library tomorrow." Zinnia took this chance to tell him what trouble Veronica caused this time.

    After she was done, Ironin squinted his eyes. He pondered for a while and then said, "I''m heading out. Don''t wait for me." Afterward, he dashed out of the house.

    "Why would we wait for him?" Veronica cocked her head.

    "He meant not to wait for him for lunch. He will eat outside." Zinnia gritted her teeth. "Why am I even cooking? Veronica, it''s just you and me. Let''s finish everything on our own."

    Veronicaughed helplessly. "I don''t think we can finish them all. Let''s save it for dinner."

    -------

    In the evening, Zinnia and Veronica went out.

    Veronica wanted to buy a wig and Zinnia would apany her.

    "It''s so lively in the dark." Zinnia hummed a piece of music she heard from the street musician.

    "Yes, I love the couple dancing part the most. I had never been to the restaurants and gift shops. I went to a clothing store once to buy some clothes. And we have book shops too. The street foods are the best."

    Veronica was lively as she talked about the city she grew up in. Anyone could tell she was happy to be here.

    Zinnia could too. She pulled Veronica''s hand. "Let''s eat something while we can. Arthur got enough money to feed us."

    Veronica giggled in return. She didn''t mind spending some of Arthur''s money.

    Thinking of him, she was saddened. She missed him all day but he was nowhere to be found. He wasn''t in the library either. He didn''t even tell her where he had gone.

    ''Where could he have gone?'' she wondered.

    She got so used to having him around that when he was gone for a while, she would feel lonely.

    ''I shouldn''t think like that. He has a library and a cksmith shop in this city. He must be working hard. I should cheer for him.''

    She suddenly came up with a n.

    ''I have an idea. Hees homete. How about I wait for him and give him a surprise? He will be happy to see me waiting for him.''

    Veronica''s face brightened up as she thought about that.

    They were walking in the alley when she once again met someone she didn''t expect.

 Chapter 242 - UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

    <h4>Chapter 242 - UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER</h4>

    Veronica wasn''t expecting to meet that person in the alleyway. She wasn''t even close to the bar.

    Max looked surprised at first and then his face beamed.

    "Well, well, well, isn''t this my favorite customer!"

    He rubbed his hands together and licked his lower lip. Acting like a proper boot licker, he stepped forward.

    Zinnia became alert when she noticed someone recognized Veronica.

    Veronica calmly smiled. "Isn''t this Max? It''s been a while."

    "It is.. You have been gone for months. I was a bit sad." Max touched his chest. "I''m honored that you remember my name."

    "Max sure knows how to jest."

    Veronica shook her head helplessly. She could never get used to his way of talking.

    "Not at all. I''m surprised to see you tonight. What brings you here?" Max''s eyesnded on the red-haired woman beside Veronica.

    Veronica knew she had to introduce Zinnia to him. "I''ve brought my friend to look around the area where I live. Why are you here?"

    "I''m going to my bar. The friend of my customer is also my friend. How can I not invite such a beautifuldy to my bar?"

    Max bowed toward Zinnia and introduced himself, "Mademoiselle, I''m Max, the owner of the most popr bar in the town. It would be a privilege to share my best drinks with my new friend as a celebration."

    Veronica was surprised. "Celebration?"

    She didn''t know any festival was going on at this time of the year.

    Max shamelessly replied, "Celebrating the meet of a pretty friend of course."

    Zinnia came forward and said, "Max, when ites to me, ttery will get you anywhere. Call me Zinnia. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    "Well then Zinnia, would like to taste our first-ss alcohol?" Max invited her with a charming smile.

    Zinnia smirked. "Absolutely!"

    "Pleasee this way." Max showed them the way.

    Zinnia elbowed Veronica. "I didn''t know you had a generous friend," she whispered.

    "He isn''t. Trust me," Veronica mumbled.

    "What do you mean?"

    "While you eat, I''ll just work at his bar. This way, we won''t owe him anything."

    "True. There is nothing such as a free meal."

    Later, Zinnia enjoyed the beer that Max served while Veronica worked as a waitress.

    She put down two mugs on the counter. Feeling a bit tired, she leaned against the counter and used her handkerchief to wipe her forehead.

    "Tired already?" Max served two customers who were sitting in front of the counter.

    "Too many customers today. This ce is stuffy." She fanned her hand close to her face.

    "You know, you can uncover your scarf. Covering your hair might be making you stuffy. Why don''t you take it off?"

    Max pointed his index finger at her head.

    "I''m fine with my scarf."

    Veronica quickly covered her head. She wrapped her head with a white scarf so that her silver hair was hidden. She didn''t want to attract unwanted attention.

    Max leaned backward and rubbed his chin.

    "Surprisingly, when you were suddenly gone for the past few months, Arthur vanished as well. Did you guys go somewhere together?"

    "Huh? Me with Arthur? Why do you think that?" Veronica tried to hold herposure.

    "Well, when thest time I met you, he warned me not to approach you."

    Max took a trip down to memoryne. At that time, Arthur''s eyes were chilling cold. Max knew his warning was serious.

    "But you still approached me tonight."

    Max nodded. His face was delighted. "Yes, I did because he lost interest in you."

    Veronica blinked. "I beg your pardon?" She thought she heard him wrong.

    Max gave her a surprised look. "Did you not know? Maybe he grew tired of you. He is back at Morina''s Pce. A leopard doesn''t change its spot. He is the same as ever."

    "What are you even saying?" Veronica''s voice quivered.

    She did not want to believe him. Such defamation without evidence against the man she loved with all her heart made her mad. Her expression said it all.

    "Yo! Don''t be mad. You don''t trust me? Why don''t I show you?" Max suggested.

    At that moment, he was sure that Arthur and Veronica were together this past few months and now Arthur had no affection left for her. He threw her away just like he did to other women. He got bored easily of women.

    "Do you want to take your friend?" Max nced at Zinnia who was enjoying a ss of beer.

    Veronica recalled at noon, when she was looking for Arthur, Zinnia hurriedly cooled down and changed the subject.

    Her answer was swift. "No, we don''t need to let her know about that."

    "We can use the backdoor. Just tell her that you are going to work in the basement since the beer is running low."

    "Okay¡­"

    Just as nned, Veronica left with Max using the backdoor. Zinnia didn''t even know.

    They were both quiet. The two of them had two different thoughts and worries.

    Max broke the silence first, "Your skin darkened quite a bit. Did you go to the countryside?"

    "Ah¡­ um¡­ yes¡­ for a while¡­"

    Veronica was distracted. She couldn''t reply properly. Her thoughts were swirling to the words he said back in the bar.

    ''This Max¡­ how could he say anything bad about Arthur like that? I know Arthur. I know he genuinely loves me and cares for me. Although he never promised not to meet another woman, I don''t even care.''

    ''I don''t casually touch men or women while talking. This is how I was taught. It''s our culture. Tybu''s culture is too open. For Arthur touching and holding people must be a friendly gesture, nothing more than that.''

    ''This is why he must be being misunderstood by our people who are more conservative.''

    She came to a conclusion and calmed down her heart.

    She was afraid of nothing and she believed in her husband.

    "We have arrived," Max announced as he stood in front of the gate of Morina''s Pce.

    Only then Veronica noticed that she had reached the destination. Her head was too upied to notice where she was going.

    "Let''s go inside." Max held her shoulder and took her inside.

    After he showed his membership, he was able to go upstairs.

    In the upstairs, only VIP guests could enter. Those guests only went there to seek pleasure for their bodies and souls.

    For a night, Veronica worked there. She knew people came here not only to sleep but also to pass time by watching dancing or listening to music or singing.

    It also reminded her of the drunk guy''s assault. It chilled her spine.

    She saw some women were giggling and talking about something excitedly.

    "I can''t believe Arthur is here after such a long time."

    "I knew he woulde back. I missed him so much!"

    "Me too. I can''t wait to be the next!"

    ''What are they talking about?'' Veronica was confused.

    "We are here," Max whispered.

    He lightly pulled her close to the room, waited for the women to leave, and the corridor to be empty. Then, he opened the door.

    Through the slightly opened door, Veronica could hear coquettishughtering out.

    She held her breath and peeked inside.

    She shouldn''t have seen what she just saw.

    Her heart dropped as she watched the scene inside the room unfolding.

 Chapter 243 - BELIEVE HER EYES

    <h4>Chapter 243 - BELIEVE HER EYES</h4>

    Veronica peeked inside and her emerald pupils shook.

    She didn''t believe what she saw. She just couldn''t do it.

    How could she believe her eyes when the man she trusted more than herself acted like someone she didn''t know.

    She knew how much he loved her. She could sense it whenever he gazed at her warmly or touched her affectionately. His fingertips screamed love for her.

    That was the very reason she could blindly lean on him and had faith in him.

    But what did she get in return?

    Betrayal?

    Watching two girls touching and kissing her man, she wondered why she had eyes. Why didn''t she go blind before catching the sight of that cruel scene?

    Max observed her reaction. He saw her growing pale. Her eyes were unfocused. Her lips slightly quivered.

    ''Honestly, I felt bad for her. I had already guessed what kind of woman she was when I firstid a gaze on her. She is the loyal type. Now that Arthur yed with her, she is impure. Unless a guyes to love her for who she is, she won''t be able to get married. But guys mostly like virgin women. I scarcely think she will be able to get married in the future.''

    He gently held her arm and pulled her away from the room. Afterward, he closed the door.

    "I think you have watched enough. Let''s go back." His voice was low and sympathetic.

    Veronica didn''t hear what he said. Her mind was reying the scene she had just witnessed.

    Her ears were buzzing. Her heart was thumping loudly. A drop of cold sweat fell from her forehead. She felt weak.

    When she couldn''t hold back anymore, her knees buckled. She copsed on the floor.

    "Hey!" Max held her before her knees dropped on the floor.

    ''This is bad. She isn''t in a good condition.'' He sweated.

    He heard light footsteps and the voices of women. He pulled Veronica and made her stand on her feet.

    "Let''s get out of here. If others see us spying on their favorite customer, they will bully you," he told her.

    Veronica finally regained herposure but her face was still pale. Her legs had yet to get back their strength.

    Max observed her and understood that she wouldn''t be able to walk properly.

    He said, "I''ll take you. Hang on." Then, he put her arm around his neck and assisted her to walk.

    They walked past several women. Those women gave them an odd look before going to where Arthur was.

    They spoke loudly whileughing, "Do you think that woman is one of Arthur''s women?"

    "You mean like us? How can that be? She isn''t even pretty."

    "Right, I thought so too. Seeing her so pale I thought she was betrayed by Arthur."

    "Hahaha! How can that be! Such an ugly duckling doesn''t have the right to stand in front of Arthur."

    "I think she wasn''t one of his women. She must be in love with him but he never nced at her."

    "True."

    "She was nothing. She will be nothing."

    Those women giggled at their own poor jokes. They entered Arthur''s chamber and sweetly called out his name.

    Max frowned.

    ''Jealous women are truly vicious.''

    He nced at Veronica. Watching her face contorted in pain, he couldn''t utter a word of sympathy.

    ''I should take her away as soon as possible.''

    At that moment, another door was opened, and someone stepped out of the darkroom. That person yawned and stretched their arms.

    Noticing some movement, that person''s golden orbs flickered gazing at the corner.

    That person wondered, ''Did I see wrong? It did seem like her. I must be missing her too much. I''ll go back after I''m finished with my work.''

    Meanwhile, Max took Veronica out of Morina''s Pce. He let her sit on a stone stool right beside a small pond. Afterward, from a street food shop, he brought her a ss of water.

    "Here, drink this."

    Veronica gulped down the water and realized that her throat waspletely dry. She coughed vigorously.

    While coughing she couldn''t hold back anymore. Tears burst out of her eyes.

    She did not want to cry in front of others. She wanted to hold back all the emotions she was feeling.

    She sensed him patting her back and heard him say, "Don''t be sad. You know what kind of person Arthur is. He never loved a woman. All he wants is physical rtions. Such a vulgar man should not have existed in this holy city."

    Veronica listened to his kind voice and cried even harder.

    It felt like something sharp pierced her heart and stabbed her bloody, wounded, pitiful heart until there was nothing left.

    It hurt so much that only unspeakable noises came out of her lips.

    She recalled her time with Arthur. The more she thought, the more it hurt.

    It pained her so much that her heart had gone numb after some time.

    Time passed.

    Her loud cry turned into weeping.

    Later, there was no sound except for her uneven breathing.

    Max ufortably looked around.

    Luckily, musicians were ying loudly and people wereughing and talking loudly.

    He sighed in relief when no one noticed them or they would assume he bullied her.

    Scratching her ear, he looked at the pitiful girl who stopped crying.

    In a corner, a girl was crying, no one noticed. Her cry was covered with joyfulughtering from the happy couples.

    Her moist eyes puffed. Her nose turned red. Her face was flushed.

    Her face was unrecognizable.

    Anyone would think she went to war.

    ''Life is a war,'' he thought.

    ''I never imagined a girl would love a man that much to cry like that. Man, that wasme. How can a guy leave a girl like that? Arthur is an idiot. When he threatened mest time, I thought that he was serious. I was wrong. He didn''t change at all. It''s okay to y with women who opened their bodies to him shamelessly. Isn''t Ver different from them? That guy will regret it.''

    "What do you want to do? Do you want to go back to your friend or stay here a little more?"

 Chapter 244 - HEART WRENCHING PAIN

    <h4>Chapter 244 - HEART WRENCHING PAIN</h4>

    He cleared his throat and asked her, "What do you want to do? Do you want to go back to your friend or stay here a little more?"

    "¡­" Veronica lowered her head and wiped her face with her handkerchief. She did her utmost to calm down.

    Without looking at him, she replied in a broken voice, "I have to go back to my friend."

    She told herself, ''I shouldn''t let Zinnia know what I witnessed. I need to clear my head before I make a big mistake.''

    Max didn''t argue. "Let''s go back then. You can wash your face there before you meet her."

    "Thank you, Max." Although she wasn''t feeling well, she knew she had to thank him for opening her eyes.

    "Don''t mention it. You are my friend, right?" Max grinned at her.

    At the bar, Zinnia finished her dinner and five mugs of beer. Even so, she didn''t get drunk.

    She saw Veronicaing from the back door and said, "You took long enough."

    "There was a little mishap. I needed to clean the floor," Veronica lied.

    Zinnia observed her face and asked in concern, "You don''t look well. Are you okay?"

    Veronica forced a smile. "Not really. The smell of the beer was too much. I vomited. I don''t feel well."

    "We can go home and rest. You want to go tomorrow, right?"

    "Yes, let''s go back." Veronica agreed easily as she wanted a quiet ce.

    After reaching home, she went to her bedroom that she shared with Arthur. She sat on the bed and looked around.

    Every inch of the room reminded her of him. She could smell a distinct fragrance of his body. It was like he was everywhere in the room.

    A pang of pain turned her entire body numb. Her body trembled and she didn''t know how to stop it.

    She looked down and covered her face with her cold hands.

    ''Arthur, what am I going to do? You said you loved me. What kind of love is that? Isn''t love supposed to be loyal? Is there any other kind of love? Doesn''t love mean being loyal and true to each other?''

    ''That''s why I have been learning since I was a child. Whatever I learned, cannot be wrong, can it? I don''t want to believe what you told me is a lie. I want to trust you. I should trust my husband and take his side.''

    ''But¡­ after what I had witnessed, how can I¡­ how can I trust you?''

    Later at night, she kept trembling. She felt cold. She covered herself with theforter, but it didn''t work. She couldn''t warm up her body.

    Late at night, around 3 am, she woke up from a nightmare.

    She dreamed that she was being chased by dark smoke. She ran away as fast as she could. But the darkness won and she was engulfed by thick ck smoke.

    She woke up sweating. Her heart was thumping loudly.

    To find support, she nced at the bed and didn''t find Arthur.

    Her glittering eyes turned dull. Her thumping heart slowly cooled down.

    She recalled what those women said at Morina''s Pce.

    "She was nothing. She will be nothing."

    She let out an emptyugh. Loneliness crushed her.

    ''I thought he wouldest night. I''m so pathetic. I shouldn''t have thought of anything. I shouldn''t have expected anything. When will I learn?''

    She got up from the bed in slow motion. Theforter slid from her body. The chilling temperature made her shiver.

    ''Why am I so cold?'' she wondered.

    Covering her body with theforter, she walked forward. She opened the door of the balcony and stepped outside.

    Her fingers touched the railing, The wooden railing was cold.

    She remembered their home in Tybu. The whole building was made of stone. Even the balcony railing.

    Thinking of that, she pitifully smiled.

    ''What home? Whose home? When the husband isn''t there to support his wife, can the wife call his home her home?''

    ''Men in Tybu are frivolous. That''s why girls are more alert. They don''t want to be taken advantage of. They are independent and have separate homes. They won''t be homeless if their husband abandons them someday.''

    ''But what about me? What will happen to me? I don''t have a home or money.''

    All of a sudden, Veronica felt hopeless. Her heart was empty. Her brain was upied with nothing.

    Looking down at the dark, quiet street, she had a new type of thought.

    ''As long as I''m with him, I''ll keep trying to bring him back to me. I won''t be able to tolerate him with another woman. I will turn into a jealous wife.''

    ''Men hate this kind of woman, don''t they? Arthur most certainly won''t like me interfering in his life. He might think of me as a nuisance.''

    ''If I disappear from Arthur''s life, would he be happy? He might feel better if he could live a life without being bothered by a jealous wife.''

    ''Even so, should I n everything myself? I don''t even know what was the reason behind his flirting with those women. I should ask him and talk this out like a real couple, shouldn''t I?''

    The vision of Arthur kissing and hugging other women in Morina''s Pce abruptly came to her.

    Her whole body trembled. ''How can I face him like this? I don''t want to face him or talk to him.''

    ''What if my fear turns into reality? What if he says he is bored with me and he doesn''t want me anymore.''

    She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

    I believed in him and I want to believe in him. But that scene in the room¡­ it couldn''t be an illusion. He can''t use magic to make someone else do this job here. He has no power here. It''s not magic or an illusion.''

    ''If he was on an assignment, he could have told me. But he didn''t. He kept it a secret.? How can I keep trusting him after what I saw with my eyes?''

    While thinking, her head suddenly became dizzy. She didn''t notice before that she wasn''t feeling well due to her thoughts and worry about Arthur.

    Her body swayed and leaned forward. She couldn''t bnce herself and fell out of the balcony.

 Chapter 245 - STILL WAITING

    <h4>Chapter 245 - STILL WAITING</h4>

    Veronica was feeling dizzy for a while. At that moment, her head spun.

    Her left hand slipped from the railing and her body leaned forward.

    Unfortunately, the railing was short and couldn''t support her body. As a result, her body swirled and went out of the balcony. Before she knew it, she was falling from the balcony.

    ''Ahh¡­ what just happened?''

    Veronica didn''t realize she was falling. Her head felt light. She thought she was floating in the air. She found it weird.

    All of a sudden, she stopped flying and her dress tightened around her body and her neck was stuffy.

    "Hkk!"

    Her face twisted and cupped her neck. She couldn''t breathe because she was choked.

    ''What? Why do I feel like that?''

    "What''s this? Are you trying to attempt suicide?"

    Veronica heard a familiar voice. With a great effort, she turned her head and found someone grabbing her cor.

    Ironin coolly looked down at her.

    Apparently, he slept in the afternoon and guarded the house and her at night.

    He was squatting on the wooden railing and crouched down. His posture was immobile and rxed. He had confidence that he wouldn''t fall from there.

    He stood up and at the same time, he pulled her up. After taking her inside her room, he let her down.

    After her feet touched the cold floor, he went to the balcony and collected theforter. It slid from her body when she was about to fall.

    He covered her with theforter. Later, he nced at her and saw that her face was unusually red.

    His eyebrows slightly furrowed. He moved his hand and touched her forehead.

    "You have a high temperature," he muttered. "You have a fever."

    "Huh? Fe¡­ver?" Veronica confusedly touched her forehead. "You are right. I do. That''s why I feel weird."

    "¡­" Ironin was speechless.

    Howe she couldn''t know when it was her own body?

    He shook his head and told her, "Lie down. I''ll get a medicine."

    "Nn¡­" Veronica dragged her body to the body. She felt so lightheaded that the soft bed felt like a cloud.

    Ironin came back with a ss of water and medicine. It was a white medicine powder.

    Veronica stared at the white powder with wonder in her eyes. "What kind of medicine is that?"

    It was made by Ironin who never depended on healers to heal him when he was injured. However, he didn''t want to tell her everything.

    He shrugged and told her, "Take it or suffer."

    "As long as I don''t die¡­" Veronica took the small paper that contained the white powder and took it in her mouth.

    Her taste buds tasted the bitterness of the medicine and her mouth twisted.

    Before she could throw it away, Ironin forced her to gulp the ss of cool water. The water flowed in her throat and washed the bitter taste from her mouth.

    When he pulled away, Veronica coughed vigorously. She wiped her mouth and nced at him.

    She wanted to use him of being rough with a sick person, but her words got stuck in her throat when she saw his serene expression.

    He didn''t seem regretful or sorrowful for treating her like that. She had a feeling he would do the same thing in the future even if sheined to him now.

    "By the way," Veronica nced at her empty ce on the bed. "Didn''t Arthure back at night?"

    Ironin paused before replying, "No, he didn''t. He has an urgent business to take care of."

    Veronica let out a chuckle. "Right, he does. He could have met me in the afternoon or evening and had a meal with me."

    Ironin stayed silent and observed her. He couldn''t understand why she looked so depressed and lonely. It was the first time he saw that expression on her face.

    ''Does she miss him that much? Why is she acting like a child without a mother? What is Zinnia doing? Arthur told Zinnia not to make her feel lonely. I should talk to her about it tomorrow.''

    Before leaving Ironin quietly said, "Rest. If you feel better, you can meet the priest."

    After he closed the door, she remembered that she had to meet the Head Priest.

    ''Oh yes, I have to meet him. I totally forgot about it. But I don''t feel well¡­''

    She wasn''t able to finish thinking before her eyelids felt heavy.

    The next day, she woke up when the sunlight fell directly on her face.

    She frowned and opened her eyes. ''Ahh, it''s morning already.''

    She nced at the other side of the bed and found it empty. She touched the empty pillow. It was cold.

    ''So, he didn''te back after all.'' Veronica was downhearted. Her heart twisted in pain.

    ''I don''t want to think about it for a while. I have to meet the Head Priest today no matter what and get the location of where the elves live. It''ll help me to distract myself.''

    As she got up from the bed, her head spun. She quickly sat down. Touching her forehead, she realized that she had a fever.

    ''This is not good. If Ironin finds out, I won''t be able to go out. What if he calls Arthur here?''

    Recallingst evening''s experience, she clenched the bedsheet.

    "I don''t think I can face him. I need to clear my mind. I must act like I''m okay.''

    She freshened up and headed downstairs. She met Zinnia downstairs.

    "Oh, you are up early."

    Zinnia stretched her arms and yawned. Afterward, she slowly sat up on the couch.

    Veronica smiled at her. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

    Zinnia pleasantly smiled. "Yes, I did. Drinking alcohol helps a lot if you don''t know. So, what do you want to eat today? I''ll cook whatever you want to eat."

    Veronica suggested, "Why don''t I cook today? Let me show your disciple''s cooking skills."

    Zinnia''s lips stretched. "Sure. I''ll leave it to you then."

    Veronica made scrambled eggs. She learned it from Arthur. She cooked with great care.

    The scrambled eggs seemed fluffy and soft. Using yesterday''s leftover bread, they finished their meal.

    Zinnia praised her skills. "Ahh! It''s hard to believe you can cook so well after a few days of training. But I didn''t teach you that. Did Arthur teach you?"

    Veronica flinched and then forced a smile. "Yes, he did it when we were at the tower. But he never let me cook before. Cooking makes me feel better."

    Zinnia nodded as she understood. She felt the same way about cooking. "I see. You can cook as much as you want from now on. I''ll tell you how to cook and you can do it."

    "Sure."

    "I remember, you have to go out today, don''t you? Do you want me to follow you?"

    Veronica stole a nce at Ironin who was quietly drinking tea. "You can follow me but you cannot go inside the pce area. It''s heavily guarded. Furthermore, I don''t even know what the rules are to enter the library."

    "You don''t have to worry about it. Sneaking inside the ce is nothing for us. We are professionals." Zinnia winked at her.

    Gazing at her confident smile, Veronica rxed a bit.

    Truthfully, she was nervous. If anything went wrong, she wanted someone to protect her.

    She felt bad when she had to rely on others and she couldn''t do certain things to protect herself. She felt like she was useless.

    Later, she headed out and went to the spot where the Head Priest told her to meet.

    And afterward, whatever happened, everything was out of control.

 Chapter 246 - TO THE LIBRARY

    <h4>Chapter 246 - TO THE LIBRARY</h4>

    The Head Priest came at the exact time. He smiled at her when he spotted her.

    Veronica noticed him too. She went closer and greeted him, "May the Goddess shine the light upon you, Head Priest."

    "You are here. I had a hard time recognizing you. This ck hair wig looks good on you. It changed your appearancepletely. Did you wait too long?"

    "No, I just came," Veronica lied. She waited twenty minutes.

    "Great.. I brought you a set of temple uniforms. Go, change into it." He handed her a package.

    It was early morning. The shops hadn''t opened yet.

    Taking this chance, Veronica went to a public washroom and changed her clothes there. When she came out, she looked like a devoted nun from the temple.

    The Head Priest nodded his head in appreciation. "Very good. Let''s go to the Royal Library before we attract people."

    "Do many people go to the library, Head Priest?"

    "Most certainly. Especially Royal officials for work and research purposes, and trainee soldiers and healers to take exams."

    "Healers take exams!" Veronica was surprised.

    "Unlike you, they have to study the history of the saints and healers. They are the disciples of the saints. You are their master. When you take your position as the blessed child, they will all serve you."

    "I don''t want anyone serving me. I need people''s cooperation to fight against the people who are on the bad side." Veronica nced at him.

    "I know what you are thinking, Head Priest, but you can''t make me greedy about something I don''t wish to have. What I want is beyond this border."

    She looked forward. There was a strange calmness on her face.

    The Head Priest detected her oddly serene expression and remarked, "Today, you look a bit down. Are you okay?"

    "Ah¡­ it''s nothing like that." Veronica hurriedly denied his im.

    She came up with excuses, "I was too excited and couldn''t sleep well. That''s why I''m trying not to ruin anything by acting out of the ordinary. When I lived in the temple, I saw how gentle and peaceful they were. I''m trying to copy them so that no one will suspect me."

    "Keep up the good work!"

    They reached the Royal Gate. The guards greeted the Head Priest and checked Veronica''s pass before letting them enter.

    The gate was opened for them and Veronica saw in awe for the first time the Royal Pce of Utahill.

    The entire pce was colored in white. The designs were dyed in golden color. The entire pce ground gave off holiness. Anyone would feel lighthearted if they came to the pce.

    "The air refreshes your mind and body, isn''t it?" the Head Priest asked.

    "Yes! Why is that? It''s like the holy temple but more luxurious." Veronica''s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

    The Head Priest exined, "That''s because Ie here every month to bless this ce. Also, the healers keep this ce neat and clean. There is no rotten fruit in the royalpound. No evil can step inside."

    "This is brilliant. People who live here are lucky."

    "And yet, the Saints hardly live in this ce. There is a Saint Pce. I''ll show youter. Let''s go to the library first."

    "Okay."

    In the Royalpound, whoever saw the Head Priest all came to greet him.

    "Head Priest is really loved and respected by all," Veronicamented as they walked on the concrete path.

    "You are too. If you just let them know who you are, they won''t even see my presence. Hohoho¡­" the Head Priestughed heartily.

    "That''s not going to happen. I don''t like too much attention."

    "That''s too bad. I think you would enjoy it. Ah, we are here," the Head Priest announced.

    They stopped in front of the building that had a simr structure to the rest of the pce. In Utahillnguage, there was a huge name written above the door.

    HOLY LILAC LIBRARY

    "Lc¡­" Veronica mumbled while thinking, "Isn''t this the name of a Saint?"

    "Yes, it is. Saint Lc first requested the King to open the library for everyone. She designed the library herself. She was a well-known engineer. That''s why the library was named after her."

    "She is a genius."

    "All Saints were geniuses. Saint Ava is a well-known doctor who knows about medicine. Before joining the temple, she was working abroad. When she realized that she had healing power, she came to us for training. Let''s go inside and don''t talk in the library. It is prohibited."

    "Okay," Veronica robotically nodded.

    She was amazed when she heard about Saint Ava being a famous doctor.

    ''For a doctor, she didn''t care about the lives of innocent children. Why is she acting like that? She won''t tell me anything and leaves me in the dark. How am I supposed to make a wise decision?''

    The door was opened and they went inside the huge library. All they could see were wooden bookshelves filled with books.

    There were very few people there since it was early in the morning. Everyone was busy reading or researching or collecting books. No one saw them or maybe they didn''t care.

    Veronica held her breath. She feared if she exhaled, she would break the silence.

    ''I came all the way here. I won''t stop. No matter what, I will keep my promise.''

    Thinking of yesterday''s incident once again, her heart throbbed.

    ''I can''t let my personal feelings get in the way. A promise is a promise.''

    The Head Priest took her to the basement. Veronica became nervous. Her rxed shoulders tensed.

    It wasn''t that she didn''t trust him¡­

    Actually, she didn''t trust him.

    She couldn''t trust him.

    She was scared to believe anyone from now on.

    The lower they went, the darker the ce it became. It seemed like they were going down to an endless dark pit.

    In the end, Veronica couldn''t stand it anymore. "Head Priest, where are we going?"

    The Head Priest replied, "Where you wanted to go. The secret library. It''s the oldest library. Only royals, Saint Ava and I can visit here. If you had your title as the blessed child, you coulde here whenever you want. Where did you think I was taking you?"

 Chapter 247 - THE HIDDEN LIBRARY

    <h4>Chapter 247 - THE HIDDEN LIBRARY</h4>

    "¡­The secret library. It''s the oldest library only royals, Saint Ava and I can visit here. If you had your title as the blessed child, you coulde here whenever you want. Where did you think I was taking you?"

    "No, it''s just too dark. I''m scared." Veronica lied once again.

    The Head Priest once again believed her. He couldn''t imagine someone lying to him.

    "Oh, you are scared of the dark. There is something I must tell you, Veronica. Never fear the darkness. Think of them as neither your friend nor foe. Darkness glorifies you. Darkness is your opportunity. Darker the ce is, the brighter you shine."

    ''Darker the ce, brighter I shine?''

    Veronica cocked her head, not understanding why she would shine in the darkness.

    Soon, they saw light in the darkness. Fire torches were illuminating a yellow, orange hue, giving off a mysterious vibe. Not long after, they met a dead end.

    Veronica was confused. "What now? There is nothing but a wall."

    The Head Priest told her, "You cannot always see the truth with your eyes and what you see isn''t false either."

    ''What''s with the riddles today?'' Veronica wondered.

    The Head Priest ced his hands on the stone wall and pushed it. The stone moved and revealed a space.

    Veronica stood still. She was sure that the wall couldn''t move.

    Who knew¡­?

    Although it was dark, she entered into the darkness along with the Head Priest. The moment she entered, she smelled heavy dampness. It''s because sunlight never reaches this ce. As a result, the ce wasn''t wet but it was cold.

    Veronica saw him lighting up a candle and the small room brightened up. She found wooden bookshelves with scrolls in them.

    "Are you sure this is the best ce to keep these scrolls?" she mentioned. "I think you told them they are ancient and valuable."

    The Head Priest nodded. "They are indeed. That''s why we have to take utmost care of them. You see, these scrolls were covered with waterproof silver covers.

    "The papers of the scrolls were mixed with herbs when they were specially made. As you can see, humidity won''t affect them. They have been here for thousands of years. Still as good as new."

    "Oh, amazing! I never thought people in ancient times were so knowledgeable."

    Taking a candle from the table, she lit it up. Two candles were most certainly better than one. With the help of the candlelight, Veronica looked around.

    The Head Priest instructed her, "Search what you are looking for. We have hundreds of scrolls here. Look at the silver covers. You will see something written there that''s rted to the scroll inside it."

    "All right."

    Veronica knew how tiring it was to search for the ancient basilisk and dragon war story. Especially when they had to look through the pages.

    However, here, she only had to check the silver cover. On the cover, there was a title and anyone could understand what''s written there. This way, the task became easier.

    A long time had passed. While the Head Priest was rxed and reading historical scrolls, Veronica kept looking for any information regarding elves and the basilisk.

    It was a good thing that she brought her homemade sandwiches with her. When they were hungry, they shared the sandwiches to fill their stomachs.

    Who knew what time it was, Veronica finally found the scroll that had mentioned basilisk and dragon''s war.

    ''Finally!'' Her eyes glittered. With expectation, she excitedly opened the silver cover only to find it empty.

    "Huh? Where is the scroll? It''s not here!" she eximed. Her heart suddenly felt empty.

    The Head Priest rolled the scroll he was reading and looked at her.

    "What do you mean? Why would anyone take the scroll?"

    He stood up and came forward. He took the silver cover from her to check.

    She was right. The cover was empty.

    "Is there any rule to take the scroll?" Veronica nervously asked.

    The Head Priest''s expression was somber. It was the first time he looked this serious. "There is no such rule because these are valuable."

    Veronica muttered, "Then who can take it? Will the king¡­"

    "Nonsense! He doesn''t care about scrolls unless there is a war and other kingdoms want to hire healers."

    The Head Priest paused before asking, "Did you perhaps tell anyone what you are looking for? The person who has ess to this ce."

    "Oh, you did say you, the king, and the saint..." Veronica gasped. "I told Saint Ava. I told you that I went to her for an answer. Oh no! What have I done! Did shee before me and take the scroll thinking I''d approach you toe here?"

    She cupped her face. She didn''t know what to say or think.

    All the people she had faith in kept betraying her to the point she felt like she was all alone.

    The Head Priest was surprised. "For Saint Ava to do such a thing¡­ She doesn''t do anything unless it''s necessary. But going against you without telling you the reason¡­ I can''t fathom what she is thinking."

    He helplessly shook his head. Curious about what Veronica was searching for desperately, he read the title on the cover.

    "Basilisk and Dragon war? Why do you need that story? More than that, how do you know this story? Not just anyone can know it. The temple worked so hard to keep it a secret."

    Being cornered by his questions, Veronica knew she was busted.

    "I''m looking for elves. I searched everywhere outside the country. When I heard the location might be found here, I asked for Saint Ava''s help. But she didn''t. So, I came here."

    She couldn''t tell him everything. So, she hid many parts. If she told him about the trafficking business, the Head Priest might not help her. Just like Saint Ava.

    "Elves¡­ you are looking for them!" The Head Priest''s beamed. "That''s amazing! Why didn''t you say so before? So, you want their assistance. I can understand why. They will definitely support you if you ask them."

    ''Why would they assist me?'' Veronica was puzzled.

    She inquired, "Do you know where they live?" Her heart was shaking in excitement.

    "Yes, I do. They live in¡­"

    At that moment, something terrible happened that they didn''t expect.

 Chapter 248 - THE ANSWER

    <h4>Chapter 248 - THE ANSWER</h4>

    "Do you know where they live?"

    Veronica''s heart was beating so fast. She stared at him in anticipation.

    "Yes, I do. They live in¡­"

    However, the Head Priest couldn''t finish the sentence. Before that, some soldiers burst into the room and pointed their swords at the Head Priest and Veronica.

    While the Head Priest looked at them in surprise, Veronica was frightened.

    ''Did¡­ Head Priest¡­'' In disbelief, she nced at the old man beside her.

    At that time, she heard a voice. "Well, well, well, isn''t this an interesting surprise, Head Priest?"

    A guy wearing a shy soldier outfit stepped inside the room. His blonde hair, blue eyes revealed his identity right away.

    He was the son of the King of Utahil. A prince.

    He walked forward and stood in front of the Head Priest. He said, "Head Priest, I never thought you would betray Goddess Juvena like this." His voice carried a hint of ridicule.

    The Head Priest''s eyebrows slightly furrowed. He wanted to see through the prince''s intention but he couldn''t.

    "And why would I betray my Goddess?"

    The blonde prince showed a haughty smile.

    "You are so confidently telling lies. I''m surprised that the Head Priest of all people is so used to hical ways."

    His sharp blue eyesnded on the girl behind the Head Priest.

    Veronica flinched at his sharp re. ''hical? Does he mean me?'' Her heart shuddered in fear.

    However, the Head Priest didn''t waver. He calmly stated, "I don''t understand what you mean by that, Prince Gerald."

    "I never thought you would feign ignorance like that. Haven''t you be quite shameless in your old age?" Prince Gerald mocked him.

    "Hold back your tongue, Prince. You may be a Royal blood but I''m still the Head Priest."

    The Head Priest''s voice was low and cold. He was a humble man, but he wouldn''t allow any insolent man to disrespect him.

    Prince Gerald frowned at his words. His heart slightly shook at the old man''s clear warning. He was furious at his own cowardice.

    ''This old man, who does he think he is? How dare he talk to me, the prince, like that? Today, I found a way to teach him a lesson. I won''t let go of this opportunity.''

    He gritted his teeth in anger and voiced out his usation, "Still acting all high and mighty when you brought an illegal member in the forbidden library?"

    Veronica trembled. She was frightened.

    She couldn''t reveal her identity and at the same time, she couldn''t just watch others using the Head Priest because of her.

    The Head Priest, on the contrary, seemed calm. He didn''t look like he was scared of anything.

    "What do you mean by an illegal member? There is no rule regarding a member not being able to bring apanion with them. Perhaps you should learn about thew before talking about justice."

    Prince Gerald refuted, "Head Priest, don''t be too conceited. I wouldn''t havee if a high authority didn''tin to us. What you have done is a crime serious enough to send you to prison."

    The Head Priest was surprised by his usation, but he didn''t show it.

    "Prison? Crime? Which high authority didin to you?"

    Prince Gerald grinned as though he was scheming something.

    "You will find out soon enough. Let''s take you to my father. He will punish you for your crime."

    "Head Priest is innocent. He didn''t bring anyone hically. I have every right toe here."

    Veronica finally spoke. Her heart was beating rapidly. Only she knew how nervous she was. She did her best to hide it.

    ''His father? It means the king. I can''t let him take away the Head Priest because of my selfishness. I can stop this.''

    Prince Gerald most certainly didn''t like someone interfering with his work.

    "Insolent bitch! You dare to talk in between men! I''ll show you your ce."

    Prince Gerald roared and grabbed her hood. As he tried to pull her hair, her ck-colored wig slid off and her shiny silver hair was revealed.

    The soldiers and their prince gaped at the sudden discovery. Never in a million years did they imagine that they would meet a silver-haired woman right down in the forbidden section of the library.

    Veronica knew that the cat was out of the bag. She couldn''t hide it any longer.

    She dered, "I''m Veronica who lived in the temple and is also known as the blessed child. I have every right toe to this ce."

    Her voice was full of confidence. She did her utmost not to show any weakness or fear.

    Prince Gerald and his soldiers were taken aback. It took them a while to realize that she had the same features as the blessed child said to have.

    Prince Gerald''s expression contorted. He wanted to take down the Head Priest this time. He didn''t want to miss this opportunity.

    ''Is this really her? Because of the abrupt arrival of the blessed child, I might lose this chance and never get it again.''

    He panicked as he thought of that.

    "Nonsense! There is no way you are the blessed child. We already have the blessed child in the pce. Soldiers, seize this woman and take her to prison. She will be locked up for defaming the blessed child and disguising herself as her. She will be interrogated. When she is found guilty, she will be executed."

    Hemanded his hand. His voice was full of authority.

    ''Great! This way, no one will find out who the real one is and the Head Priest will be gone forever.''

    He was satisfied with his n.

    However, despite hismand, the soldiers didn''t move.

    One of them confusedly inquired, "Your Highness, this woman has silver hair and green eyes. She was wearing a ck wig to cover her hair. Hasn''t her disguise already been revealed by you?"

    "Yes, Your Highness. She clearly looks like the blessed child who lives in the pce. Why don''t we take her to the pce and let the king decide? Only he can make decisions regarding the blessed child."

    Prince Gerald burst in fury.

    ''Why isn''t anyone listening to me?''

 Chapter 249 - THE ONE COMMITTED A CRIME

    <h4>Chapter 249 - THE ONE COMMITTED A CRIME</h4>

    Prince Gerald was furious as his subordinates didn''t listen to him.

    ''Why isn''t anyone listening to me?''

    "What nonsense are you spouting? Can''t you see I''m ordering you to imprison her?" he barked at the soldiers.

    The soldiers were confused.

    "B-but, Your Highness¡­"

    "That''s not needed." The Head Priest calmly interrupted. "If needed, we will all go to the pce to meet the king. I also have to inform him that you illegally came to this ce."

    Prince Gerald flinched. "Wh-at?! What do you mean by that?"

    The Head Priest, who was known for his wisdom, calmly looked at him. "Did you forget, Prince Gerald? You don''t have enough authority to enter this ce."

    Prince Gerald confronted him, "I hade to seize you for your crime."

    "It''s the King who will decide who has sinned and who has not." The Head Priest nced at the soldiers. "Take us up to the pce."

    "Yes, Head Priest!" the soldiers replied instantly.

    Prince Gerald''s face turned purple. He was beyond enraged.

    "Wha-! You are my men. How dare you listen to others''mands?"

    The Head Priest shook his head upon seeing the ipetence of the young man. "It looks like Prince Gerald cannot control his own men and yet he wants to possess the power of something he doesn''t understand. How pitiful!"

    "You!" Blue veins popped out in Prince Gerald''s face.

    The soldiers came to their prince''s rescue.

    "That''s not true, Head Priest. It''s just Your Highness sometimes loses control of his anger and makes mistakes. We don''t want him to be punished. We were just looking out for him."

    As if things couldn''t go any worse than this.

    "Shut up you all!" Prince Gerald roared at those soldiers as he lost his face in front of the Head Priest and the silver-haired woman.

    He stared at the Head Priest andmented, "Fine, I will believe that the blessed child we have is the fake one and this is the real blessed child. You brought the blessed child to us and did not even tell us? What''s with this secrecy?"

    Veronica gulped. She didn''t like this rising tension in the air.

    The Head Priest knew he couldn''t stop Veronica from going to the pce after she was revealed by Prince Gerald. If he wanted to hide her, she would end up in prisonter.

    He replied, "I''m not obliged to answer you. I''ll talk to the King."

    ---------

    The Head Priest and Veronica were taken to the pce.

    Veronica didn''t have the time to admire the interior design of the fancy pce. She was profusely sweating in front of the King of Utahill.

    The King of Utahill, King Graham the fourth, was sitting on the throne. His shining blonde hair dimmed the golden throne. His blue eyesnded on Veronica.

    "So, you are the blessed child?" His deep voice rumbled in the throne room.

    Veronica flinched. She was so scared that she couldn''t talk.

    Noting her situation, the Head Priest answered on her behalf.

    "Positive, Your Majesty. I brought her to the library to give her history lessons."

    King Graham the fourth didn''t seem angry. His expression was well hidden.

    "You met her and yet you forgot to inform me. Do you think you did a good job, Head Priest?"

    "I met her yesterday. It''s not that I didn''t want to tell you. The fact she doesn''t want to live a luxurious life is what made me unable to say so. The blessed child wants to lead a humble life among the children of Goddess Juvena and protect them with her power. How can this humble old man defy her wish?"

    "That she wants to protect the children of Goddess Juvena is a good thing. However, who will protect her?"

    "Y-Your Majesty, I''m Veronica. It''s an honor to meet you."

    Veronica stepped forward and bowed to greet the king. She didn''t wish for the Head Priest to face every question because she was too weak to face them.

    "Please don''t concern yourself with this lowly being. I can protect myself from danger."

    "Haah! A lowly being? Is this what you have taught her, Head Priest? How can the blessed child call herself a lowly being?"

    King Graham the fourth mmed the golden handle of the throne.

    Being chastised by the king, Veronica lowered her head even more.

    ''Oh no! I just wanted to calm him down but he got mad. What should I do? I''m scared!''

    "Please calm down, Your Majesty. She is still a child who never met a powerful man. That''s why she is nervous and merely made a mistake. Please don''t take it to heart."

    The Head Priest tried to appease the king.

    His calm expression and serene voice cooled off King Graham the fourth''s temper.

    "The blessed child, look at me," he demanded.

    Veronica gulped and raised her head. As her emerald eyes met his blue ones, he squinted his eyes.

    "What''s your name?"

    "It''s Veronica, Your Majesty."

    "Veronica, are you scared?"

    "¡­Yes, Your Majesty."

    "You have nothing to fear. From this pce to the dust of this kingdom, everything belongs to you. Everything you wish will be yours. What are you afraid of?"

    "I have no interest in earthly possessions, Your Majesty. The more I will have these, the more I will fear losing them."

    "I see. That''s a very noble way of thinking. There is no surprise since you were raised in the temple."

    The king''s impression of Veronica improved. His fierce eyes nced at her gently.

    "You said you can protect yourself. Do you know how to fight?"

    "Your Majesty, even if someone doesn''t have the martial arts training, to protect oneself, they can fight with what they have."

    "I understand what you mean but that only applies to normal people. However, you are different. Even if you and I see you just as a regr woman, your enemies won''t see you like that.

    "In their eyes, you are the blessed child who is getting in their way. They will do anything to eliminate you.. Even my regr soldiers are no match for them. What can you do?"

 Chapter 250 - THE KINGS COMMAND

    <h4>Chapter 250 - THE KING''S COMMAND</h4>

    "In their eyes, you are the blessed child who is getting in their way. They will do anything to eliminate you. Even my regr soldiers are no match for them. What can you do?"

    "That''s¡­ all I know is that I want to live freely without being burdened. I''m already helping people as much as I can. I''m living a good life. Please, Your Majesty, I don''t want to be forced to do something I don''t want to."

    Veronica lowered her head and begged.

    "You have a na?ve way of thinking. The only reason the enemies left you alone is that we have a fake blessed child in the pce."

    "Then, if she keeps acting like a blessed child, no one will find me, isn''t that right?"

    "Ahahahaha!" King Graham the fourth burst intoughter. Heughed for a long time until his eyes got wet.

    Later, he wiped away his tears and said, "I never thought that Goddess Juvena would send us a funny blessed child this time. I guess I have noints."

    Veronica sighed in relief. ''I think I''m off the hook now,'' she thought.

    "But a rebellious blessed child might cause us trouble. If she falls into danger and can''t save herself, the whole world would be in danger. As the king of the holy kingdom, Imand the blessed child to stay within the pce grounds until shees back to her senses."

    At King Graham the fourth''smand, chills ran down Veronica''s spine.

    "What?!"

    "The blessed child must know that life isn''t a bed of roses. She must change her delusional way of thinking. Guards! Take her to the Saint''s pce. She will stay there for the time being!"

    At the king''smand, soldiers came forward and grabbed Veronica''s arms.

    "Wait¡­ Your Majesty! I don''t want to be locked up. Please! I have some unfinished business!" Veronica desperately pleaded.

    "Your Majesty!" The Head Priest saw the situation was getting out of his hand and came forward. "Please let her go. Locking her up won''t serve us any good."

    King Graham the fourth let out a sigh. "Head Priest, you are too soft-hearted. Look at the mess we have in our hands now. I understand that your affection for your children runs deep. She won''t suffer under my care. So please, do not worry."

    "That''s not why I want to protest, Your Majesty. Forcing her¡­"

    "If it''s about her education, I won''t stop you froming here and giving her lessons like you were doing. In fact, you can bring the scrolls from the forbidden section and teach her."

    "Your Majesty, that cannot be done. Bringing scrolls from the forbidden section is out of the question."

    "But I will allow it only this time. Don''t protect her like that, Head Priest. Even you know how immature and illogical her words are."

    The Head Priest couldn''t fight back when he knew Veronica''s innocent way of viewing the world might cause her danger.

    As a result, Veronica was taken to the Saint''s pce.

    She heard the door being locked from the outside. Feeling hopeless, she copsed on the ground.

    ''Why did this happen? Why are there so many obstacles? I just want to help those children. So why?''

    She covered her face and sobbed.

    Feeling incapable of doing what she promised to do without anyone''s help and the person she relied on the most, betraying her wounded her heart.

    The agony in her heart was unbearable. Tears streamed down her cheeks and ruined her beautiful face.

    She stayed there like that for a long time.

    A few hourster, the door was opened.

    "I heard you didn''t eat anything. What are you trying to do?"

    Upon hearing a familiar voice, Veronica''s eyes opened wide. She couldn''t believe she heard this voice here in her prison.

    She quickly stood up and turned around.

    "Saint Ava, please help me get out of this ce!" she requested.

    Saint Ava was still wearing her cream-colored clothes but this time her shiny blonde hair was covered with her white robe. Even so, her unparalleled beauty couldn''t be hidden.

    She coolly nced at her disciple.

    She asked nonchntly, "Why should I take you out when I was the one who requested Prince Gerald to capture you?"

    "What?" Veronica stared at her in disbelief. Her green pupils shook.

    She recalled that there was no scroll inside the cover of the war of basilisk and dragon.

    "Did you also take the scroll from the forbidden section of the library? Only a person who knew what I was looking for and had the ess to that ce could do that."

    "That''s right. I did it," Saint Ava calmly confessed. From her expression, she didn''t look like she did anything wrong.

    Veronica grabbed Saint Ava''s wrists and shouted, "Why? Why did you do this? I was okay with you not helping me but stabbing my back? Was it necessary?"

    She couldn''t take betrayals anymore. All her frustration and anger fell on Saint Ava whom she thought to be thest person to deceive her.

    "That''s enough. I think you don''t understand my position. I''m not your friend or an ally. My main target is to keep peace in the world, not dance around with your selfishness.

    "You, who should have taken responsibility, ran away and never came back when we were looking for you thinking you were dead. Did you ever think about what we were feeling when a foreign king wanted you as his consort?

    "You wanted to escape from your duty, and I allowed it. I even took your job on my shoulders and performed the ceremonies which were supposed to be performed by you.

    "Then one day, you suddenly returned and said you were looking for elves to punish them. You say they killed innocent people. Just how many innocent people die every day, do you know that? Because of that, you wanted to fight against the elves?!

    "Do you have any idea how powerful the elves are? Even a human army isn''t enough to defeat them. What kind of power do you have to punish them for the sake of some dead people?"

 Chapter 251 - THE PERSON BEHIND THE TRAP

    <h4>Chapter 251 - THE PERSON BEHIND THE TRAP</h4>

    "Do you have any idea how powerful the elves are? Even a human army isn''t enough to defeat them. What kind of power do you have to punish them to avenge some dead people?

    "Dead people are already dead. They won''te back!"

    "Stop! Stop! Stop it!"

    Veronica shouted as she covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn''t want to hear such cruel words.

    "I know what I did was selfish, but I never wanted to be a blessed child. I never wanted heavy responsibilities. I just wanted to see the world and help people in need."

    Saint Ava crossed her arms. Her poker face showed no emotions.

    "And I didn''t stop you from doing so. You shouldn''t havee here. Why didn''t you listen to me?"

    "If you hadn''t moved the scroll and contacted the prince, I wouldn''t have been here right now!"

    "It''s toote. I told you to never set foot in the capital city, but you did. Even when elves were no match for you. Now that you are here, you have no other option left."

    Saint Ava took a deep breath and continued, "From now on, you have to stay in this ce. You MUST NOT leave the city, let alone the kingdom."

    Veronica grabbed her hand and desperately questioned her, "Why are you doing this to me? Why aren''t you exining everything to me?"

    Saint Ava narrowed her eyes as she noted her disciple acting like a madwoman.

    "Just listen to what I have to say. If you leave, disaster will be brought in this country. You disobeyed me. Now take responsibility for your actions."

    After that, Saint Ava went away, leaving Veronica alone.

    Veronica''s silver strands moved forward as she hung her head. Those shimmering locks blocked her view.

    ''If you don''t tell me anything, how am I supposed to learn? How am I supposed to tell right from wrong?''

    She closed her eyes and thought of dead bodies in the pool of blood. The innocent eyes of the pitiful children came to her view.

    Slowly, she opened her eyes.

    ''Screw your disaster. I don''t care anymore. All of you see me as a blessed child. No one sees me as a human with a dream or life. Who do you think you are?! Who do you think I am?! I have had enough! I''m getting out of here on my own.''

    An unknown re burned in her emerald eyes.

    A few hourster ¨C

    ''I don''t know how to get out of this ce. It''s so heavily guarded. Someone, please help me!!!''

    Veronica internally cried.

    It wasn''t that she didn''t try. However, she was under heavy guard.

    Guards were stationed outside her door. Whenever the maids came to serve her meal or clothes, one of the guards would apany the maid to keep an eye on Veronica.

    There were guards outside the pce, under her balcony, and on the rooftop.

    All the guards were mean-looking. Whenever she asked for something, they would re at her and say nothing.

    It was already evening and sleeping time. It was dark outside.

    Veronica was too tired to lift a finger.

    ''This can''t be happening. Too many guards. How am I supposed to get out at this rate?''

    ''Maybe because of the guards, Zinnia and Ironin can''te to rescue me.''

    She sat down on the bed and covered her face.

    ''It could be for the best. At least I don''t have to see Arthur''s face.''

    As she thought of Arthur, her heart became heavy.

    ''What is he doing right now? Doesn''t he know that I''m locked up here? Maybe not. Maybe he doesn''t care now that he has all those experienced women with him.''

    The more she thought of it, the more suffocated she felt.

    She hung her and let out a deep breath.

    ''I can''t take this anymore.''

    ----------

    At Morina''s Pce ¨C

    Arthur''s tired eyes were staring at the paper he was holding. The dark eyebags were getting darker.

    At that moment, someone opened the door.

    "Arthur, are you still working? It has already been two days since youst slept. At this rate, you will faint."

    Darius came inside and nagged his friend.

    Arthur''s eyebrows creased as he couldn''t stand the loud voice. It gave him a headache.

    He said, "Lower your voice. If you can, make me some tea."

    "Fine, fine." Darius made him a cup of tea and sat on the couch.

    "I must admit you know a fine ce. I will never get bored here."

    Arthur sipped on the cup andmented, "I guess you had a good time."

    "You bet." Darius nced at the pile of paper on the table.

    He remarked, "Ovior sent these papers to you, didn''t he? But I don''t understand why you are working here. You can work if your house is just fine."

    "I won''t be able to. I''ll be distracted." Arthur put down a paper and took another one.

    ''Distracted? How so?'' Darius wondered.

    As they were spending quiet time, Ironin came to the room.

    "I have a report," he said.

    "Weren''t you with Veronica? Why are you here?" Darius inquired in azy tone.

    Ironin reported, "She¡­ is in the Saint''s pce. The king ordered the guards to lock her up."

    "¡­" Darius''s jaw dropped.

    Arthur stared at his friend. His tiredness and headache both went away in a blink.

    "Tell me everything."

    After Ironin told them what he knew, Darius sighed.

    "We can''t let her be alone for a single time, can we? Let''s go and rescue her." Saying that he stood up.

    "No," Arthur forbade him. "We can''t let the royal family or the temple know that we are involved."

    Ironin shared his opinion, "We can''t just go to her room. She is heavily guarded. If we don''t create a diversion, we can''t reach her."

    ''So, it is impossible without getting assistance from someone inside,'' Arthur narrowed his eyes as he thought that.

    He told them, "Then she has to create the diversion herself."

    Darius was confounded. "I know she is a troublemaker but how is she going to do it?"

 Chapter 252 - ONLY SHE CAN DO

    <h4>Chapter 252 - ONLY SHE CAN DO</h4>

    He told them, "Then she has to create the diversion herself."

    Darius was confused. "I know she is a troublemaker but how is she going to do it?"

    --------

    Later that night, in the Saint Pce, Veronica gathered all kinds of clothes she could collect. Aside from curtains, she took bed covers, bed sheets, pillows, and dresses from the wardrobe.

    She gathered everything in the middle of the room. Afterward, she brought the oilmp forward.

    After extinguishing the fire, she damped the corner of the pile of clothes with the oil.

    Later, she changed into a ck dress and then cut it short so that it would be easy to move.

    Afterward, she used the candlelight fire to burn the pile of clothes. With the help of the oil, the fire spread quickly.

    Veronica hurriedly moved away as the heat touched her skin.

    ''Distraction is done. I need to move out.''

    Before the fire could spread, she went to the balcony and crossed the railing.

    The wind blew and caressed her cheeks. A few strands of her hair danced and tickled her neck.

    Her heart was beating crazily. She was so nervous that her palms started sweating.

    As she blindly and quickly tried to move, her left leg slipped and caused her a huge ident.

    In the meantime, the fire spread fast and the whole room was on fire. In thete-night, the huge fire in the pce was too conspicuous.

    It was easily noticed by the guards outside the pce.

    "Hey! There is a fire!"

    The one who noticed first, shouted. Others followed his gaze and then ran toward the pce.

    At the same time, as the smoke rose, it sipped through the door. The dark smoke was noticeable in the bright corridor.

    The guards immediately noticed and nervously banged the door.

    "Miss Veronica, are you there? Are you okay?"

    They heard no reply and it made them fearful of something happening to her. After all, she had many enemies.

    With their leader''s signal, they opened the door and were weed by a huge fire. The fire already reached the door.

    They instantly stepped backward so that they wouldn''t be engulfed by the fiery fire.

    The leader shouted at his team, "What are you doing? You serve yournd by fearing the fire?! How shameful! Go inside ande out with Miss Veronica. We mustn''t let her die."

    The soldiers were ashamed after being scolded and rushed inside the room.

    The fire was too much. Their skin burned and yet they didn''t stop looking for Veronica.

    During that time, their leader instructed others to bring water to extinguish the fire. The fire spread so much that it threatened to burn down the whole pce.

    The soldiers from the outside brought buckets of water to dampen the fire.

    They were all so busy snuffing out the fire that they forgot about Veronica.

    The guards from the inside came out and reported, "Sir, we don''t see Miss Veronica inside."

    Their leader''s expression changed. "What did you say? Where could she have gone?"

    The healers were called since some guards got injured in the process of looking for Veronica.

    Their leadermanded another soldier to ring the bell. When the bell rang, the whole pce ground was in chaos. The soldiers realized that their captive blessed child was missing.

    Prince Gerald just went to his bedroom with a heavy heart after being heavily scolded by his father, King Graham the fourth.

    He was grounded because he vited the rules and regtions when he went to the forbidden library with his soldiers.

    Without changing his uniform, he was just going to lie down on the bed when he heard the bell ringing.

    Cursing in his mind, he abruptly stood up. He sprinted out of his room. He headed to the Saint''s Pce.

    By the time he reached there, most of the soldiers were mobilized to control the fire.

    The fire already reached the closest rooms and floors. The wind was assisting the fire to spread even further.

    "Why is there so much fire? What the hell is going on?" Prince Gerald asked the nearest soldier.

    The soldier flinched as he met Prince Gerald. He didn''t expect the prince to be here.

    He answered, "Your Highness, somehow the fire broke out and we are trying to extinguish it. Also, the blessed child disappeared. Some of us are already searching for her."

    Prince Gerald heard the story and gritted his teeth in anger.

    He barked at the soldier, "What do you mean by ''somehow''? It''s obvious that the scheming bitch created this mess. I''ll go look for her! Lead the way!"

    "Y-yes!"

    While the whole pce was in chaos, Veronica was trembling. She almost slipped and fell down.

    Her eyes swept over the dark ground where her left shoe had vanished and her heart shuddered. If she fell like her shoe did, she would die for sure.

    Veronica bit down her lower lip hard so that she couldn''t yell and give away her position.

    She could taste something metallic and realized that she bit down on her lower lip too hard.

    Her hands were having a hard time as they grabbed onto the railing with all her might.

    ''I mustn''t fall. I can''t fall now. I can''t give up!.''

    Giving herself some courage, she looked for a ce to keep her left foot on. The ce to keep her right foot was too cramped.

    The moment her unsteady legs stepped away from the balcony, themotion was created in her room.

    Although the pce sun sheds were wider than the normal?houses, she was still on the fourth floor.

    Fortunately, this part was covered with trees. The soldiers from the outside couldn''t see her even if they wanted to.

    She did her best to go to the corner. There were kitchen and washroom pipes. She could climb down using them.

    All of a sudden, her barefoot touched something sharp and it cut through her skin.

    "Nng!" Veronica nearly cried out in pain.

    Biting her wounded lip, she tried to endure the pain. Her foot was in so much pain.

    With a bleeding foot, how could she climb down the pipes?

    "Veronica."

    At that moment, she heard a soft voice.

    Her body momentarily froze.. She slowly turned around to see who it was.

 Chapter 253 - THE RESCUER

    <h4>Chapter 253 - THE RESCUER</h4>

    "Veronica."

    At that moment, she heard a soft voice.

    Her body momentarily froze. She slowly turned around to see who it was.

    Her heart trembled as she saw a familiar face.

    "Ironin¡­" she called out his name. Her voice quivered.

    "¡­" Ironin felt like something tugged his heartstrings.

    Her pitiful voice was soft. He knew she was frightened.

    "Come to me," he said in a low voice.

    ''Come to him? But how?''

    Puzzled, Veronica lowered her head to check the distance between them.

    Not only were they on the fourth floor, but they also had a three meters distance.

    How was she supposed to jump over to him? She wasn''t a ninja!

    The height was enough to give her goosebumps.

    Her eyes turned red as she nced at Ironin. "¡­Ironin, I''m scared."

    She was afraid if she jumped, he might not catch her on time.

    What if she fell? What if she was injured?

    She was too scared to think of anything else.

    Ironin understood her fear and assured her by saying, "I''ll catch you. Trust me."

    Veronica gulped, but her throat was still dry.

    Trust.

    This word weighed too much.

    For the first time, she realized how hard it was to trust someone.

    She didn''t want to trust, and yet, she wanted to be saved.

    It was conflicting and painful.

    Ironin clearly noticed that her eyes wavered. He realized that she couldn''t trust him properly.

    A numb pain spread all over his heart. He ignored it and reached out his hand.

    "You won''t fall. I will definitely catch you," he promised. He empathized with the word ''definitely''.

    Veronica stared at his big, strong arm. Although she didn''t believe in himpletely, she was assured.

    She took a deep breath and jumped over his side. She tightly shut her eyes in fear.

    She wasn''t good at jumping. Before she could reach him, she started to fall.

    As she opened her mouth to scream, Ironin''s arm grabbed onto her right wrist. His grip tightened around her thin wrist and pulled her up. Soon, she was in his arms.

    Veronica was relieved. She trembled and panted heavily. His warmth slowly calmed her down.

    Ironin noted her trembling in nervousness. He securely embraced her body and leaped out of the tree.

    Veronica''s mouth gaped. She wanted to scream but the sound didn''te up.

    She finally realized why Zinnia and Ironin were so confident in keeping an eye on her.

    Ironin''s light feet touched the branches without breaking them. Everyone was busy searching for the blessed child and extinguishing the fire. No one spotted him as he moved with the wind.

    Veronica held her breath. Subconsciously, her arms tightened around his neck.

    Ironin sensed it and his muscles rxed. He passed the royal pce and took her to the bustling market.

    At that time, Veronica''s stomach growled when the smell of delicious food entered her nostrils. She was hungry. She didn''t eat anything after she went to the pce.

    Feeling embarrassed, she lowered her head.

    Ironin heard her stomach crying for food. He put her down near theke and checked her injuries.

    She didn''t have many injuries but her foot was still bleeding. He applied the ointment he had with him, tore a part of his clothes, and wrapped it around her foot.

    Veronica felt much better after her wound was treated. She told him, "I want to eat something."

    Ironin was nning to take her home first and give her a meal. Since she wanted to eat now, he casually asked, "What do you want to eat?"

    "A bread chicken tikka is enough," Veronica hesitantly replied.

    "Can you walk?"

    "I will wait here. Can you bring me? It''s not expensive. It''s right across the street." Veronica pointed out the direction.

    Ironin nced at the street food shop she mentioned and agreed, "All right, wait here."

    After he left, Veronica finally sighed in relief.

    ''Thank you, Ironin, for everything. But, I cannot go to that house and face Arthur afterward. I guess I''m not brave enough.''

    Later, Ironin bought her meal but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, he found a piece of paper left where she was standing. A stone was keeping the paper in ce.

    He took the paper and read what was written. His heart panicked and he looked around.

    ''She couldn''t have gone too far with her injuries. I must find her.''

    --------

    In Morina''s Pce, Arthur got up from his seat and stretched his arms.

    ''Finally, I can go home,'' he thought. Thinking of Veronica''s bright face, his mood lightened up.

    Just then, Darius came inside his room with a bottle of liquor.

    "Arthur, look what I found. This precious is five hundred years old. I bought it with all the money I earned from gambling. Didn''t I hit the jackpot?!"

    He was in a good mood.

    Arthur smirked. "Let''s taste how good is this."

    "Sure," Darius readily agreed.

    As they enjoyed the luxurious texture of the wine, Zinnia barged into the room.

    "Zinnia, join us. This is a masterpiece!" Darius wholeheartedly invited her.

    Zinnia frowned. "We don''t have time for this."

    She nced at Arthur and reported, "This is bad. Veronica is missing."

    Arthur straightened up. "What do you mean by she is missing?" he coldly inquired.

    Zinnia told him everything, "She created fire and escaped from the pce. Ironin took her away. Later, she fooled him by saying she was hungry and then fled when he went to buy food for her. She left a note. Ironin is still searching for her."

    Arthur''s heart was beating fast. He had a bad premonition about this. An unknown fear clung to his heart.

    He did his best to calm his heart and asked, "The note, where is it?"

    "Here," Zinnia took a piece of paper and handed it to him.

    Arthur and Darius read the small note.

    THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. PLEASE DON''T LOOK FOR ME.

    "What is she thanking us for? Why won''t we look for her?" Darius was confused.

    Arthur''s expression darkened as he read the piece of paper. He tightly squeezed the paper in his palm.

    "I don''t care what she wrote. Find her!"

 Chapter 254 - WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARD

    <h4>Chapter 254 - WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARD</h4>

    "Oi, bitch! How long are you going to sleep? Wake up! It''s dawn!"

    A man''s vulgar shout woke her up. Her silver long eyshes fluttered open and looked at the man''s back who just left water waking her up.

    She knew if she was a bitte, she would be beaten by them.

    She got up and winced as her whole body ached.

    "Ver, are you awake already?" someone asked with a sleepy tone.

    Veronica kindly smiled at the five years old child beside her. She pinched his dirty cheek lovingly.

    "Get up, Rs. We have work to do," she urged the child.

    "You, elves,e here and start working!" an angry voice shouted.

    Veronica, Rs, and other children and women got up. They brushed their torn, filthy clothes and walked barefooted in the muddy road.

    They needed to work.

    It had been two months since Veronica fled from Ironin and got caught up with the traffickers. This time, they weren''t human traffickers.

    They were elf traffickers.

    No matter what she said, she was taken by them as an elf because she had unique hair and eyes.

    Afterward, she woke up in a cage and found herself with elves children, and women.

    They were taken from Utahill and headed toward the south.

    For two months, Veronica gathered some information.

    The elves were kidnapped while they were traveling or ying and then they were taken to some unknown ce. For some reason, they were highly sought after by the elf traffickers'' master.

    Who was the master, why did they need elves ¨C Veronica had no idea.

    However, she knew one thing.

    They had to get out of there and go to where the elves lived.

    This way, the innocent elves would be saved and she would also reach her goal.

    Although she was nning to escape, she was weak.

    They were given meals once a day and the rest of the day, they had to work.

    They had to hunt small animals and catch fish to feed the kidnappers and themselves and also had to walk for miles with shackles in their ankles. That''s because they had to go to the kidnappers'' master''s home. They had to take care of kidnappers'' horses and cows.

    Afterward, when their bodies hit the cold, dirty ground, they were half-dead.

    When would she have the energy to get away from them?

    Moreover, she had to worry about Rs, the youngest elf in there. He had a weak constitution because of starvation. She didn''t want to leave him behind.

    In two months, Veronica had already learned how to hunt rabbits and wild chickens, and ducks. She could catch fish too.

    Elves mostly ate leaves and foods made of grain. They never touched meat.

    That''s why Veronica was mostly certain that she wasn''t an elf but a human.

    She who craved meat more than anyone in the team, how could she not be human?

    Today, Veronica decided to run away,

    Rs had a photographic memory. He could remember everything he had seen in his life.

    Before he was kidnapped, he was ying with some human children in the guise of a human child. Somehow, he was spotted and abducted.

    Therefore, he knew the way to his ce.

    Others knew as well but Veronica was worried about the youngest member who might die at any moment.

    Rs rubbed his eyes and followed Veronica. He knew she wasn''t an elf, but she took great care of him. That''s why he followed her around.

    He missed his mother. Veronica cared for him as though he was her son. He was grateful to her.

    He would do only minor works. Most of the time, he would help Veronica.

    In the south, the sun would set soon. The sky darkened soon, and all the elves were physically and mentally exhausted.

    Veronica''s tired body copsed beside the road. She wiped her sweats. She couldn''t remember thest time she took a bath.

    Whenever they crossed a river, there was always an opportunity to take a bath but no woman dared to.

    The smelly body was like a blessing for them. They didn''t want to be vited by kidnappers.

    The elves were tall and skinny. They had tinum blonde hair. Their fair skin and hair would glitter in the moonlight. Their ears were bigger and more shapely than human beings.

    Their unparalleled mour was hidden under mud.

    The same went for Veronica. No matter how disgusted she was by her own stinky smell, she endured it for the sake of her security.

    The kidnappers bathed whenever they could, so they stayed away from smelly women.

    Later, they were given some dirty leaves and bread to eat.

    Veronica took the dirty leaves and chewed them while closing her eyes. Then, she swallowed them.

    At the same time, she secretly handed over the piece of dirty bread to Rs.

    Rs wanted to save some bread for Veronica but she shook her head in denial.

    Tonight, she nned to leave this ce with Rs. He needed more strength. She could manage.

    After eating, they tried to sleep on the muddy road once again. This road was in the deep dark forest.

    Travelers hardly took this path because they would easily get lost in a ce like this. Because of that, kidnappers chose this road.

    They had marks leaving everywhere in the forest so that they could understand which way they were going. If they were straight ahead, they would reach their master soon.

    Veronica found out about it when the kidnappers were chatting. That''s why she wanted to move tonight.

    When everyone fell asleep, she opened her eyes and moved her thighs close to her chest. She took out a nail from her chest underwear and tried to unlock her shackles.

    Ever since she found the nail on the road, she had been practicing for a month how to use it. A month''s practice made her an expert. She unlocked her and Rs'' chains soon enough.

    She saw not so far away two kidnappers were drinking and gossiping. They didn''t have the mood to look at the elves. They never thought these elves would have the energy to escape from their grasp.

    Taking their thoughts for granted, Veronica and Rs slowly and carefully rolled away.

    When they went a bit further away and sighed in relief, another kidnapper walked on the trail and suddenly found two shackles without elves.

    His face contorted instantly and roared, "Two elves have gone missing. Find them!"

    His shout woke up the remaining kidnappers. They all started looking for the two elves.

    Veronica shivered as he heard his voice. He was the angry kidnapper who always hit women and children for his pleasure.

    She grabbed Rs'' tiny body and stood up. Without looking behind, she ran in another direction.

    The angry kidnapper noticed a movement from the corner of his eyes. He turned around and caught Veronica running away.

    "That bitch is going that way. She has a child with her!"

    Upon hearing hismand, Veronica ran even faster. She didn''t have enough strength as she was already tired.

    However, the hope of getting away from here was so strong in her heart that she ran faster than usual.

    She sprinted toward the ce where the kidnappers said there was a cliff and a river down there.

    However, before she could move further away from them, something sharp pierced her back.

    "!!!"

 Chapter 255 - BEING CHASED

    <h4>Chapter 255 - BEING CHASED</h4>

    Veronica was running with all her might but little Rs was slowing her down.

    At that moment, something sharp struck her back, piercing her skin, flesh.

    "!!!"

    Veronica stumbled and for a moment, she became blind due to excessive pain.

    She stopped for a second, hugged Rs securely, and then resumed running.

    From behind, she heard someone scold the archer who shot Veronica.

    "What the heck are you doing? You can''t kill her!"

    "She won''t die from this. We just need to catch her alive right? It doesn''t matter if she is injured or loses one of two legs."

    "Don''t forget about our master''s wish."

    She didn''t know how long she ran but soon, she spotted the cliff.

    Even though it was dark, when she saw nothing in front of her after a few more trees, she knew she was near the cliff.

    Her eyes lit up with hope. She increased her pace.

    Just then, another arrow hit her body. It was on his right ankle.

    This time, she fell down and rolled on the ground. Due to rolling, the arrows on her back broke and pierced her even more.

    "Cough!"

    Feeling a ripple inside her stomach, it tried to pour out of her body, she opened her mouth and puked blood.

    Her body became numb and she let go of Rs.

    "Ver?" Rs couldn''t understand why she suddenly fell down and confusedly stared at her.

    "You¡­ go first and¡­ hide." Veronica could barely talk.

    Rs didn''t notice the blood in her mouth. It was too dark.

    He pulled Veronica''s fragile wrist and said stubbornly, "I''m¡­ not going anywhere¡­ without you."

    Veronica sighed. She really didn''t have strength. She could feel the cool breeze on her cheek. She felt something wet.

    ''Water is nearby. Is that a river? But we are in a high ce,'' she wondered.

    She learned to use her nose and ears when she couldn''t see in the dark. It was a lesson from Arthur.

    Looking forward, she realized they were so close to the cliff. She heard some shouts behind her.

    ''They are close. I can''t wait any longer.''

    Gritting her teeth, Veronica endured her pain and stood up. Her body swayed but the little Rs grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

    His fingers were soft. Veronica''s heart melted.

    ''Even if I cannot save myself, I have to save Rs,'' she thought.

    She bent down and took him in her arms and then without another thought, she jumped out of the cliff.

    At that moment, the kidnappers came to the edge of the cliff and looked down. They couldn''t catch her for a millisecond. They cursed under their breaths.

    Veronica was falling and saw the kidnappers looking at her angrily.

    Arthur''s image shed in her eyes. She tried her best to forget him in the past two months, but she couldn''t.

    Her heart ached. She yearned for him, but she still didn''t have the courage to face him.

    Closing her eyes, she tightly held Rs. She wanted to secure him and use her body to shield him.

    ''Maybe I won''t live any longer. But, I don''t want to die yet. What to do?''

    While she felt regretful, she passed out.

    ---------

    A pair of blue eyes were quietly staring at the small camp. The eyes roamed around the people around the camp.

    Not long after, the person jumped to other trees and went away only to kneel in front of another person.

    "I have a report. There are around a dozen kidnappers and they are heavily armed. They are guarding the area. They are too cautious. The elves are exhausted and taking rest."

    A pair of golden eyes flickered as fire reflected on them.

    "We will attack when most of the kidnappers fall asleep," the person with golden eyesmanded.

    "As you wish." The blue-eyed person bowed.

    Just as they nned, they attacked when the kidnappers mostly fell asleep. They secretly went to the tents and killed the sleeping kidnappers first before taking others hostage.

    Pointing a sword at the remaining kidnappers, the purple-eyed man coldly asked, "Where is the girl with silver hair and green eyes?"

    "Wh-what?"

    The kidnappers were dumbfounded.

    "Answer or else," with the warning, the purple-eyed man''s sharp de touched one of the kidnappers'' throats.

    The kidnapper panicked. "P-please, don''t kill us. Most of the she-elves have silver hair and green eyes. How do I know which one you are talking about?"

    "She is a human woman, not a she-elf," the aloof man corrected them.

    The kidnappers gulped. They only kidnapped elves as they were ordered. They never abducted humans because that''s not what their master wanted.

    They confessed, "We don''t know what you are talking about. We only take elves, no humans."

    The purple-eyed man showed no mercy. "Then, die." He lifted the sword, ready to ughter.

    Just then, a woman with a seductive body, fiery red hair, and blue eyes entered the tent.

    She said, "Wait, the elves have some information. They said two nights ago someone tried to escape and the kidnappers shot her to death."

    She paused and added, "Apparently since the woman was kidnapped, she kept saying that she wasn''t an elf but the kidnappers seemed to ignore her and gave her the toughest task as a punishment."

    Only then, one of the kidnappers said, "Yes, yes, there was a she-elf like that. She did look weird and ugly and her one foot was rotten but other elves helped her to get better."

    The aloof guy''s purple eye flickered. He asked, "What''s the woman''s name?"

    The kidnappers tried to remember. "She said something like Ver¡­?"

    sh!

    The guy didn''t wait any longer and shed the kidnappers'' throats with a single stroke.

    The red-haired woman behind him took a step back.

    "I don''t believe Veronica died," she dered. However, her voice quivered in the end.

    "Ask the elves, Zinnia. We can''t say she is dead unless we find her body," the man coldly said.

    Zinnia nodded, "Let''s do that. Ironin, go to the cliff and check if you find anything. I''ll ask the elves."

    Before leaving, Ironin warned her, "Don''t let Arthur know before we confirm what happened to her."

 Chapter 256 - THE REASON AND THE REACTION

    <h4>Chapter 256 - THE REASON AND THE REACTION</h4>

    Ironin warned her, "Don''t let Arthur know before we confirm what happened to her."

    Zinnia stared at him. She knew he wasn''t joking.

    "Do you think it will be a good idea? What excuse can we give him?"

    Ironin opened his mouth to reply when Darius barged in.

    "This is bad. I heard Veronica was shot to death," he announced.

    "Weren''t you with Arthur?" Zinnia vigntly asked.

    "I was. I came down with Arthur. We asked a few elves. They said two nights ago Veronica tried to leave with an elf child and was shot arrows until she fell on the cliff."

    Upon hearing the reply from Darius, the other two exchanged nces. Having a bad foreboding, Zinnia and Ironin dashed out of the tent.

    Darius was confused. "Hello? I''m still here?"

    Lamenting that no one cared about him, he came out. He spotted his tworades not too far away.

    "Damn it! They are leaving without taking care of the elves. Am I supposed to handle that?"

    He could only curse and feel remorse.

    Zinnia and Ironin interrogated a few elves to find out where actually Veronica did fall. The elves couldn''t answer correctly as they walked miles in two days.

    Those two had no choice but to walk on the cliff trail. The trail was steep, and they might fall from there if they weren''t being careful enough.

    Using the fire torch, they strode forward. After walking miles, they finally found a ck figure.

    "Arthur!" Zinnia recognized him and was relieved.

    Arthur didn''t look back as though he didn''t hear her. His knees were on the stony ground. His back was bent. His fingers lightly touched the ground.

    At that moment, Ironin and Zinnia came forward. With the light from the torch, they could dry blood on the ground.

    "Someone bled here and then fell off the cliff," Zinnia evaluated as she checked the trail. "It could be Veronica."

    Ironin clenched his jaw. "The person bled too much."

    Zinnia peeked out of the cliff. She couldn''t see anything in the dark. However, she could smell something wet.

    "A river is down there. If she has purely good luck, she might be alive. But if there are stones¡­" she didn''t finish the sentence.

    Ironin''s heart sank. He nced down at Arthur who didn''t say a word.

    Zinnia''s mouth was dry. She started to like the girl she met. The girl was a free-spirited sweetheart who always thought of others.

    Her heart ached thinking Veronica was no more.

    If she felt that bad, what could Arthur feel?

    Zinnia felt sympathetic toward herrade. Shenguidly stepped forward and touched Arthur''s shoulder.

    Just then, a strong gust of wind circled around Arthur and almost threw Zinnia off bnce.

    She quickly regained her bnce andposed herself. She anxiously looked at him.

    "Arthur, what are you doing? Don''t do this. If you feel sad, you can cry and scream. We will be with you. We will always support you."

    "¡­" Ironin lowered his gaze. He didn''t bother to stop Arthur.

    Who was he to stop his friend from mourning for his wife?

    Zinnia''s words made the winds even stronger. The wind circted around Arthur who was still lowering his head. He looked like a defeated soldier who lost everything.

    Ironin and Zinnia couldn''t get close to their mourning friend. Their hearts throbbed as they gazed at him.

    Soon, a purple light shed, and Arthur vanished into thin air.

    "Arthur!" Zinnia called out but he was nowhere.

    "He is gone," Ironin confirmed.

    "Hey! Hey! What just happened? I saw a light."

    Darius finally caught up to them. His eyes darted around his tworades.

    "What''s wrong? Did you not meet Arthur?" he inquired.

    Zinnia let out a deep sigh.

    "Arthur doesn''t believe Veronica died. I think he went down there to look for Veronica''s body. He won''t stop until he finds her."

    "So¡­ she is dead¡­" Darius mumbled. He suddenly felt empty in his heart.

    Veronica was half of his age. She was so lively and cheerful. She had a strong sense of justice. She was eager to learn.

    It was hard to imagine that she wasn''t alive.

    He nkly stared at the edge of the cliff. "How can someone live after falling from here with two bloody arrows?"

    "We would be alive, but her¡­" Zinnia bit down her lower lip.

    "What did you do with the abducted elves?" Ironin changed the topic.

    Darius answered, "What did I do? I handed them over to Felix''s men. They will guide them in a safe spot. After recovering, they can contact their elf people and they will go to theirnd.

    "But, shouldn''t we go with them as well? Our mission was to take down that elf guy who killed many people. But now this¡­"

    "Taking down the assassin elf wasn''t our mission. It was Veronica''s. If she isn''t alive¡­ what''s the point?" Zinnia lowered her head.

    "I think we should help Arthur look for her body. What if she is alive somehow?" she suggested.

    However, Darius didn''t want to back down.

    "What if she is dead? Logically speaking, she should be dead. I know you are being emotional but think about it from my angle. If we catch the guy and punish him, her soul will rest in peace."

    Zinnia took a deep breath. "¡­Maybe you are right. Her birthday is next week. She was supposed to turn twenty this year. The head body of that assassin would be a great gift."

    "Right! Because of her birthday, we were trying to hurry to find her. We wanted her and Arthur to celebrate it together. Who would have thought¡­"

    Darius felt regretful.

    Two months ago, they found out that a certain group of kidnappers abducted elves and took them somewhere secret.

    They thought they could help Veronica gather clues about elves. While they were looking for more information, she suddenly disappeared.

    It took them three days to find out that she was kidnapped by those elves'' abductors.

    They didn''t eat or sleep until they found out information regarding the abductors.

    They followed the abductors'' track and attacked them as nned.

    But what did they get from their two months'' hard work?

    News of Veronica''s unconfirmed death?

    Why was Goddess Juvena so cruel to Her blessed child?

 Chapter 257 - THE INFORMATION

    <h4>Chapter 257 - THE INFORMATION</h4>

    Veronica woke up with a pain in her back.

    ''Ow! Ow! Ow! My back hurts!''

    Her expression changed as the pain was unbearable.

    She wondered why she was in pain. Remembering thest incident, she was stunned.

    ''Wait, I can feel pain. Does that mean I''m alive?''

    She opened her eyes and saw a brown ceiling.

    ''Hmm? I''m not in the river?''

    As she tried to get up, her back throbbed and almost made her numb.

    "Ver!"

    A cheerful voice could be heard.

    Veronica looked down and saw Rs. He looked radiant. His olive eyes were filled with joy as she gazed at her,

    "Rs!" Veronica eximed, momentarily forgetting that she was in pain.

    "Are you okay, Rs? Are you in pain?" she repeatedly asked as she scanned him up and down.

    The five year old elf child shook his head. He trotted forward and grabbed her hand.

    "I''m not in pain. I was saved by you, Ver. You are saved too. We are home. No one can harm us anymore."

    Veronica was taken aback. "Home? What home?"

    "My home of course!" Rs gave a crispyugh.

    "Your home?" Veronica''s voice quivered.

    ''This is an elf''s house? Am I in their territory?''

    Forgetting about the kidnapping incident, her heart started pounding.

    Rs replied, "Yes, yes, my home. After falling from that high ce, you were sleeping. You wouldn''t wake up no matter how many times I called for you. Some people heard me and found us.

    "Later, my parents noticed me and we took you home. Ver, you don''t know how happy everyone is. They are happy that I came back. Later, other people who were locked up like us came back. We are holding a big party."

    Veronica was stunned. "What did you say? Others who were kidnapped came back?! How?!"

    Rs shook his small head. "I don''t know."

    Veronica calmed down. ''Of course, he doesn''t know. He is just a child. I should talk to his parents.''

    She nced at the little boy and inquired, "Where are your parents? Can I talk to them?"

    "I''ll call them!" Rs sprinted from her room.

    A few minutester, Rs came back with a man and a woman. They were both elves.

    It was the first time Veronica saw clean-faced elves. She was nearly blinded by their radiant faces.

    The couple smiled at her kindly. The man said, "We greet you Miss Ver in our den. Thank you for saving our son."

    Veronica looked at them in a daze. Her tongue was tied. She had never seen such beautiful beings in her lifetime.

    She suddenly regretted being born as a human.

    "Ver, they are my mommy and daddy," Rs introduced them.

    Coming back to her senses, Veronica bowed. "Hello, I''m Ver. Thank you for taking care of me while I was unconscious."

    Rs''s mother shook her head to deny her im. "No, it''s us who should thank you. We know human beings as capricious beings. Thus, we always avoided them. But, you are different from them. You could have escaped by yourself, but you didn''t. Please ept our gratitude."

    "Then I have no other choice. I only wanted to take Rs away because he couldn''t survive that ce," Veronica answered truthfully.

    After a pause, she mentioned, "I heard others were rescued and came back. Are they all right?"

    Rs''s father answered, "Yes, they are. Apparently, they said some humans came to save them. They seemed to be looking for someone."

    Veronica''s heart skipped a beat. "Who were they looking for?"

    "One of them gave your description. I guess they were your friends."

    Veronica lowered her head. Her heart was racing.

    ''Could it be Arthur? But he is too busy with his old lovers. Will he remember me? I shouldn''t get my hopes up. He has already chosen his path. I have to get those killers before I confront him.''

    ''Those who are looking for me must be the Utahill soldiers. I shouldn''t let them know that I''m here.''

    She raised her head and asked, "Umm¡­ I have a question. Do you know a n that carries the basilisk symbol?"

    Upon hearing her question, the couple exchanged nces. They seemed astonished.

    Rs''s father inquired, "Miss Ver, can you tell us how you know about that n and why you are asking?"

    Veronica''s eyes shone. ''So, they do know. There is a n like that.''

    She hid her excitement and shared, "Actually I was looking for them for a long time and traveled many ces. They came to look for me first but an incident separated us. I didn''t get to know their names, but I saw their rings. From then, I was looking for them. Later, I was kidnapped, and you know the rest."

    She lied without batting an eye. Her heart was beating fast.

    She was this close. She didn''t want to miss this chance.

    She waited for them to reply.

    However, the news shocked her.

    They said, "Basilisk is the symbol of the elves'' royal family."

    "You may not know the war history of the basilisk and dragon. That''s how our ancestors became elves."

    "The royal family produces the strongest elves and is respected by us all."

    Veronica took all their words with a wide-open mouth but didn''t know how to digest them.

    Royal family? She was trying to find some culprits.

    How could she go against the royal family of the elf n?

    She would be killed before she could get justice for her people.

    Rs''s mother suddenly gasped. "Oh no, I should prepare some food for you. Look at my manners. Please excuse me."

    Rs''s father said, "You were unconscious for a month. Please take it easy. After you recover, I will see how I can introduce you to the royal family."

    "A month? I was knocked out for a month?"

    Veronica didn''t know what else could make her more shocked.

    "Actually, I''m more surprised that you are alive. No normal human can stay alive after falling from such a high ce. Your body should have been crushed to the stone.

    "Others thought you were acting at first but Rs told us everything and knew you saved him and in the process got badly injured. As his father, I have no words to show my gratitude. He is my only child."

    "Uhh¡­ about me being here, who else knows?"

 Chapter 258 - RECUPERATE IN THE ELVISH VILLAGE

    <h4>Chapter 258 - RECUPERATE IN THE ELVISH VILLAGE</h4>

    "Uhh¡­ about me being here, who else knows?"

    Veronica was worried that she would be targeted by the elves and then the royal family woulde to take her away.

    She still didn''t forget Dastan who leaped from the boat as though he was flying.

    If she didn''t take off his pants that time, wouldn''t she have ended up here a long time ago? She wouldn''t know what injustice they did to innocent people.

    Rs'' father answered, "Everyone in our vige knows. Our soldiers found you with my son. They knew he was missing."

    "So, that''s how it is. Thank you for finding us."

    Veronica didn''t feel good after hearing this. Nevertheless, she didn''t show her turmoil.

    After he left, she had the chance to look around where she was.

    The ce she was in was very unique. She had never seen anything like that.

    The room was spacious at the bottom. The wall went up and narrowed. It seemed like she was inside a giant cone.

    The wall looked oddly different. She didn''t know if it was stone or wood or something else.

    The room only had a bed, table, and chair. They seemed to be made of bamboo.

    Rs held her hand and asked excitedly, "Ver, do you like your house? Your house and mine are the same!"

    "House? Is this a house?" Veronica was puzzled.

    Rs pretended to be an elder who passed the knowledge to their youngsters.

    "Hmm! One tree is one house. Everyone has their own house. Just like you and me!"

    Veronica was amazed. She couldn''t help but look around her once more.

    "Then, I''m inside a tree? This is brilliant. You don''t have too much furniture, unlike humans. Simple decoration. That''s so like elves."

    "Ver, you will live with us from now on, right? It will be great if you do. We can eat leaves and bread every day. Our bread is really special. You can take one bite and you won''t be hungry in four days."

    Saying all that, he took out a piece of bread from his pouch and gave it to her.

    "Give it a bite and see if what I''m saying is true or not," he proudly stated.

    Veronica thought it was a childish prank. Even so, she took a bite seeing his expectant eyes. She didn''t want to make him sad.

    It had a nice fragrance. It made her stomach growl. Her stomach was without food for a month. It wouldn''t stand anymore. She took a huge bite.

    The bread was a bit crispy but not like toast. It tasted a bit sweet but the sweetness was so mellow that she could barely sense it.

    She wanted to take another bite. She opened her mouth and was ready to take another mouthful when she realized that she didn''t have the appetite.

    She closed her mouth and dumbly looked at the bread.

    ''Strange. I took only one bite and had no appetite? Half of the bread is still left.''

    She touched her belly and wished to empathize if her stomach was still hungry or not.

    Unexpectedly, her stomach was entirely satisfied.

    She blinked. She couldn''t understand why her stomach was rxed.

    That''s when she heard crispyughter from Rs.

    "I told you. Your stomach is filled after a bite, isn''t it?" he mischievously asked.

    "It is indeed." Veronica had no hunger. She had to put down the remaining bread.

    Rs took the bread from her hand and ced it on a te. The te was made of soil.

    "It''s okay. You can eat it four dayster. Although I don''t think you need to eat for a week. You took a huge bite!"

    "Th-that long?" Veronica couldn''t believe her ears.

    "Just you wait and see!"

    Later, Rs'' words came true. She didn''t eat for a whole week.

    Veronica stayed in the elvish vige for a whole month. She recuperated there.

    The elvish doctor used their advanced medicine to heal her wounds caused by arrows and other injuries caused by two months of hardship.

    She was healed to the point there was no scratch on her body. She was thoroughly impressed with their knowledge and skills.

    She thought only healers could heal people like that, but she was proven wrong.

    Although she was taken care of by the professionals, her back pain remained.

    She didn''t tell the doctor or anyone about it because they had done their best. She didn''t want them to worry much.

    Moreover, she didn''t take it seriously. She felt like she would be better after some time.

    The elvish vige was simple. Elves cherished nature and lived with nature. Their lifestyle was ordinary.

    All birds and animals were their friends. Since elves didn''t eat animals, animals never put their guards up around elves. They had a harmonious rtionship.

    It was quite surprising that they lived without harming mother nature, unlike humans. They didn''t have to use fire as the trees glowed and gave off blue and green hues at night.

    It was more than magical. To them, it was so natural.

    Veronica couldn''t help but be amazed. She started to get used to them and blended with their lifestyle.

    One evening, during teatime, Veronica asked Rs'' father who was the vige chief a question.

    "About the royal family, I don''t want to notify them about my selfishness. I only want to meet Dastan. Do you know anyone named Dastan?"

    Upon hearing her question, the vige chief''s eyebrows slightly creased before going back to normal.

    "I have heard of this name, but I''ve never seen that person before. If it''s urgent, then I can ask my people to look for him. They will bring that person here."

    Veronica''s heart eased. She was worried that others might not know Dastan.

    She stated, "It''s not necessary to bring him here. I''ll go and meet him."

    "Okay, I''ll notify you," the vige chief agreed.

    Five dayster, he notified her, "The man named Dastan was spotted in the imperial vige. If you want, I can send you there."

    Veronica''s face beamed in excitement. "That would be wonderful."

    Rs'' father arranged two guards for her and sent her off.

    Rs waved his hand from behind and said, "Ver,e back quickly! I''ll be waiting for you!"

    His olive eyes were glowing as he stared at Veronica intensely.

    "I''lle back as soon as possible!" Veronica waved him back.

    Elves didn''t use vehicles. They walked from one ce to another ce. As a result, it was a slow and tiring journey for Veronica who wasn''t used to it.

    The elvish kingdom was a huge ce. She didn''t know where on the map it actually existed. She had no idea how she approached their ce.

    When she tried to find out, she couldn''t find a map or anything.

    She was told that only the council had a map of the kingdom. They were very secretive toward their position in the human realm.

    In the end, Veronica had to give up. She could only follow the guards.

    She wanted to talk to them but they wouldn''t open their mouths. It seemed like their lips were sewed.

    All she could do was enjoy nature and memorize the path she walked.

    A weekter, she dragged her feet to a motel. They had a long way to go to the imperial vige the elvish chief mentioned.

    She took a quick shower and changed her clothes before going to bed.

    The night was quiet. The moon rose in the sky and shared her silver slight with a magnanimous heart.

    Veronica was staring at the round moon when she heard a yful voice.

    "You came to find me. Did you miss me that much?"

 Chapter 259 - DASTAN APPEARED

    <h4>Chapter 259 - DASTAN APPEARED</h4>

    "You came to find me. Did you miss me that much?"

    Veronica was startled. She turned around and saw a dark silhouette in the corner of the room.

    She hesitantly inquired, "Dastan¡­ is that you?"

    "You remember my name. I''m honored." Dastan yfully bowed.

    Veronica frowned and nagged him, "Don''t you knowmon decency? How can youe inside ady''s room without permission? Where are your manners?"

    Dastan''s lips twitched as if he heard a joke.

    "Do I have to learn manners from you? You make meugh. Someone eager to open a man''s pants shouldn''t talk about decency."

    Veronica''s face slightly flushed. She looked away to hide her embarrassment.

    "The situation called for it. I wouldn''t have done that if you didn''t try to abduct me."

    Dastan shrugged. He couldn''t refute. "I was doing that for your own good. You came to me eventually."

    "It''s my life and I am the one who gets to decide what''s good for me. Not an outsider like you."

    "Princess is mad. I''m scared." He pretended to be frightened by her gloomy expression. "I didn''t think you woulde all the way here to find me. What reason did youe here for?"

    "For what reason did you try to abduct me?"

    Veronica went straight to the business. She needed to confirm something before asking for his assistance with her work.

    Dastan chuckled in disbelief. "You came to the elvish realm just to ask that?"

    "You are an elf, and you came to find me. I want to know why."

    "Is that all?"

    "I need to know your position in the elvish realm."

    "What will you do when you find out?"

    "I need to ask for a favor."

    "Now we are talking. What do you want from me?"

    "I''ve answered everything you need to know. It is time for you to answer me. Are you ready?"

    Veronica raised an eyebrow.

    Dastan finally noticed something different in her.

    "Ohh? You seem different than before. You never had this coldness in you. Did something happen?"

    ''He is perceptive, isn''t he?'' Veronica ignored his question.

    "Why were you looking for me and trying to abduct me?"

    "Isn''t this obvious?" Dastan shifted his bnce from one leg to another leg.

    He continued, "Did you think you would have been safe with the humans? I heard that you were imprisoned by Utahill King. They didn''t want to hear your exnation, did they?

    "Now you know if you want to keep your freedom, with your status you won''t be able to live freely in the human realm."

    Veronica denied. "I don''t believe I cannot do that. All I have to do is hide my identity. There is a potion for that."

    "Yes, you are right. By the way, where is the guy you were with? Did you know his identity before you tagged along with him?" Dastan skillfully changed the subject.

    Veronica bluntly asked, "What does it have to do with my identity?"

    Dastan shrugged. "Nothing. But you should be careful when you choose yourpanion. The bloodthirsty person you were hanging out with created havoc in the human realm."

    Her heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

    "Don''t you know? I''m surprised. It seemed that he got secretly married and his wife disappeared. He does have numerous enemies. One of them must have killed his wife and hid the dead body. He is turning the world upside down to find her."

    "¡­That can''t be¡­" Veronica mumbled. Her chest tightened, making it hard for her to breathe properly.

    She knew Arthur was hanging out with women in Morina''s Pce. How could he have time to look for her?

    ''Did he finally remember that he has a wife?'' Her lips twitched just thinking that.

    ''He must have gotten bored ying with all those women and now he wants the doll he owns. Women are nothing but his toys anyway. I shouldn''t be bothered about it. I need to focus on my mission.''

    Veronica shook her head as if to push away any thought regarding Arthur.

    Dastan heard her mumbling and stated, "Do you not believe that he can create havoc? If you knew his power¡­"

    Veronica cut him off by saying, "That''s not necessary. I''m not interested in him. I''m here for another reason."

    She rubbed her temple since her head hurt when Arthur was involved in any conversation.

    "Sure, let''s see how curious you are tonight. Do you want to have a meal together? It''s my treat," Dastan proposed.

    Veronica agreed. Although she ate a day ago, she felt like she needed something to eat in order to run a conversation with him.

    They went downstairs and their meal was served. Surprisingly, they were served egg sandwiches.

    The bread wasn''t the elvish bread that could make one''s hunger go away with one bite. It was a normal human bread.

    Looking at her quizzical expression, Dastan mentioned, "What? You didn''t think we don''t eat human food just because we are elves, did you?"

    Veronica didn''tment on that. it''s because that''s the exact thing she was thinking all along.

    She changed the subject, "Why do you, elves, want to give me freedom and security? What do you want from me?"

    From a few months of experience, she knew there was nothing as free treats. She wouldn''t fall for this kind of blind kindness.

    Dastan narrated shortly, "Since you don''t know, we, elves, are very supportive toward saints and blessed children. You are no different. You are all descendants of the great dragon. That''s the very reason we are supportive."

    Veronica was astounded when she heard him talk about the dragon.

    She remarked, "You sound like you worship the dragon."

    "That''s right."

    "Why is it? Didn''t the dragon kill the basilisk who gave you power?"

    "I''m amazed you know that. I thought you were just a na?ve princess of Utahill," Dastan mocked her.

    He continued, "Yes, we had great immense power from the basilisk''s blood, but it only happened because of the great dragon. He defeated the basilisk.

    "That''s why we worship the great dragon, unlike humans who worship Goddess Juvena. And we provide all the assistance we can to the great dragon''s descendants."

    "How am I the dragon''s descendant? Where is the proof?"

 Chapter 260 - VERONICAS FAVOR

    <h4>Chapter 260 - VERONICA''S FAVOR</h4>

    "How am I the dragon''s descendant? Where is the proof?"

    At Veronica''s question, Dastan gave her a weird look.

    "You are the healer who revived a whole desert, didn''t you? Isn''t that proof enough? Moreover, if you weren''t the blessed child, you wouldn''t get any attention from the Saint."

    He finished a slice of sandwich and nced at her.

    "Have you not met the dragon?"

    His abrupt question started her. "Why do I have to meet the dragon? I didn''t dream of any dragon or basilisk."

    She didn''t want to disclose that she had met the dead dragon. She didn''t trust him yet.

    She had no idea what people might do if she told them about meeting the dead dragon and drinking blood.

    She had already told Arthur and she was d that he didn''t take advantage of it.

    Dastan frowned at her answer. "Hmm? That''s strange. As the leader of the healers, the Saint should have baptized you with dragon''s blood.

    "For a blessed child, it is a crucial ceremony. No one has the right to stop that."

    Veronica''s heart trembled. "What do you mean? Why would she do that?"

    She pondered before adding, "Come to think of it, when I asked her about elves, she didn''t answer me. She didn''t let me find the elvish realm. She even conspired with the King of Utahill and captured me."

    "Did she really do that?" Dastan was suspicious.

    Veronica clenched her fists. "Yes, she did. I know she wasn''t disguised as a Saint. She is the real Saint."

    "That is quite shocking. Don''t tell me she did all that to get a hold of the holy power?"

    "Holy power? What''s that?" She gave him a quizzical look.

    "What else? The immense power that is given by the great dragon himself to protect humankind. You will only have that power after you are baptized. It''s a sacred power."

    Upon hearing his exnation, Veronica went into deep thought.

    ''Huh? I drank dragon blood, but nothing happened. I didn''t get immense power or anything. Moreover, my back is still hurting. Even the elvish medicine couldn''t heal my back.''

    A sudden thought finally hit her. She gasped.

    ''Could it be Saint Ava drank the dragon blood and left her blood in that golden bowl? Then, the power of the dragon has been transferred to her.''

    Veronica wanted to get mad and punish Saint Ava for her treachery. But then, she recalled that she wasn''t ready to take the responsibility as the blessed child.

    In that case, the one who suited better in her position was Saint Ava.

    She let out a deep breath and stared at her food. She lost appetite.

    Her changes of expression didn''t miss Dastan''s eyes. "You are actingical. What''s wrong?"

    Veronica frowned. "It''s nothing." She didn''t want to share her thoughts.

    Dastan realized she wouldn''t tell him no matter what. He went back to the topic.

    "Anyway, since it happened like this, you cannot trust the Saint of yours. She might be a good leader but if she is aiming for power, you will be in danger."

    "What do you want me to do then?" Veronica nced at him.

    "Finish the task that you came for and then do whatever you want. Also, if you want to know more about a blessed child and her responsibility, you are wee.

    "We have a huge library containing thousands of years old knowledge. Even the human realm doesn''t have that much knowledge. You are wee to study here."

    Veronica''s eyes fixedly stared at his olive-green eyes. He looked rather handsome when the light touched his face. His pale face was practically glowing.

    "Are you saying, you, elves, will wee me with open arms without anything in return just because I''m the blessed child?"

    "Most certainly," Dastan promised without hesitation.

    Veronica squinted her eyes. "How will I make sure that you are not lying to me?"

    Dastan let out a chuckle. "My, my, you sure changed a lot. Are you really that girl who trusted anyone without giving a second thought?"

    Veronica''s expression hardened. "People change! Now answer my question."

    "Yes, we will help you unconditionally, however, you have to let the whole elvish realm know that you are the blessed child, including the King of Elves."

    Veronica hesitated. She didn''t want any attention. Furthermore, she lost all her faith in kings.

    One wanted to marry her and another one wanted to imprison her against her will.

    Who knew what the Elvish King would do?

    ''I don''t want to take risks. But do I have any choice?'' she pondered.

    She thought for a long while before raising her head.

    "I will do as you said, but I have a favor first. I need to know that I can trust youpletely. Do this for me and I will know that I can trust you."

    Dastan leaned against the bamboo chair. "Okay, what do you want?"

    "There is a guy who has the same body features as yours. His hair was yellow blonde and his eyes were blue like sapphire. He wears the same silver ring with basilisk engraved on it.

    "He was in Tybu five months ago and he was involved with children, young men, and women trafficking. His people ughtered those innocent people when the imperial guards were close to finding their den.

    "I want those killers to be brought to justice. They havemitted a heinous crime and they have no right to live likemon people. Those criminals need to be punished."

    Dastan narrowed his eyes as he heard her. His right hand''s index finger tapped on the table as he pondered.

    Noticing that he had gone quiet, Veronica uttered, "I believe you know him since you guys have the same rings. No matter how familiar you are with them, they deserved to be punished. Don''t tell me you can''t?"

    Dastan stood up from the chair. He looked somber.

    "I heed your words. I''ll look into it.. If what you said is true, I''ll meet you as soon as possible. However, if what you said is false, then¡­"

 Chapter 261 - THE FAVOR

    <h4>Chapter 261 - THE FAVOR</h4>

    "I heed to your words. I''ll look into it. If what you said is true, I''ll meet you as soon as possible. However, if what you said is false, then, I can''t promise you anything."

    It was Dastan''s final warning. However, Veronica wasn''t scared.

    "Do not worry. You wille back before you imagine." Her voice was resolute.

    Her steady eyes made Dastan''s heart waver. He covered his head with the hood and gave her a nod. "Good night."

    After that, he paid for their meal and left the inn.

    Veronica stayed there and finished her meal. Her head was filled with thoughts that no one knew.

    ----------

    A man came to a dark room and lit up themp. The room was illuminated with a yellow hue.

    In the room, there was a bed, table, and chair. There was a map lying on the table. Several types of daggers, swords, and arrows were hanging on the wall.

    He took offyers of clothes and went to the corner. There was a bucket of cool water.

    He washed his lean body and changed into night garments. Afterward, he managed to drag his tired body to his bed.

    He pretended to lie down but secretly took out a short knife that was under the pillow. With a swift motion, he threw it in the direction of the window.

    Someone caught the knife''s sharp de. That person came inside the room and part of the feet touched the floor.

    "You are learning well, considering how dumb you were before," that personmented.

    Sitting on the bed, the owner of the room knitted his eyebrows. "What do you want?"

    "What do I want?" The stranger chuckled. "Maybe you should let me know how a mortal knows about your existence.

    "Urs, did you forget to inform me about something when you were in the human realm?"

    The question made Urs''s back stiffen in worry. His sapphire eyes nced at the stranger.

    He took his time to answer, "¡­I don''t know what you are talking about, Aerolus. Or should I call you Dastan?"

    Dastan aka Aerolus stepped closer. "My younger brother''s joke isn''t amusing. Maybe you should learn it from your teacher. At least you will learn some wisdom."

    His cold gaze swept over Urs. "I know you are inexperienced and have done mischief since the day you were born. However, things are a lot different.

    "You went to Tybu secretly without informing me and got entangled with a vicious crime such as human trafficking.

    "Not only that, but you also killed remaining innocent lives thinking your identity would be exposed when the imperial army was drawing near.

    "The gravest mistake you havemitted was to let some people know the existence of your crime and leave a witness.

    "Now the person came to our realm to hunt you down and your men. How are you going to deal with it, my little brother?"

    The expression on Urs''s face changed dramatically.

    "What do you mean by ''witness''? I made sure to kill them all except for¡­" he halted. He squinted his eyes.

    There was indeed a person he let go back then. That person was his benefactor.

    She was an immense beauty that could leave any guy in awe. She had incredible healing power.

    ''For someone as forgiving as her, would shee to hunt me down and my men for some insignificant people?'' he wondered.

    He could still recall her kind eyes and soft expression despite being cornered.

    She was the first person he got to know who cared more about others than herself.

    That''s why he couldn''t believe his elder brother''s words.

    He crossed his arms and inquired, "Do you have any proof?"

    Dastan aka Aerolus chuckled. He nced at his younger brother in disbelief.

    "You want proof, do you? Fine. Let me guess, you spared her life because she was an enormous beauty. Indeed, her silver hair and green eyes that sparkle like jewels are umon."

    Urs shuddered involuntarily. He had no idea how his brother knew about her existence, nheless, he did his best not to show his bewilderment in his expression.

    Noticing that his brother stayed mum, Dastan squinted his eyes.

    "You know very well that father had told us not to make trouble in the human realm. Why on earth did you do that?

    "The best thing you did was not to kill the blessed child even though you had no idea what she looked like."

    Urs jolted with surprise. His sapphire eyes grew wider. "What did you say?"

    Dastan aka Aerolus recalled something and stated, "Oh, I remember you were training in the mountains, thus you had no idea that the blessed child made an uproar in the human realm.

    "Father told me to go to the human realm and especially escort her here. Unfortunately, she had powerful people protecting her. If I lingered there any longer, my identity would have been exposed.

    "I lost her on the way and you met her. Now she is here, looking for you and your men. Apparently, she wants to put you all to justice before she agrees to live here under our protection."

    He paused there and nced at his younger brother. "What are you going to do?"

    Urs finally took his brother seriously. He stood up and asked to confirm, "She is here in the imperial vige?"

    "Do you want to meet her? Why don''t you take all your partners in crime with you? She will be happy to wee you all."

    Urs didn''t pay attention to his mockingment. He dressed up to get out.

    -----------

    Veronica was correct. Dastan came back before he imagined.

    It wasn''t two nights before he came back with the culprit and his ''partners in crime''.

    However, she didn''t imagine that he would bring an entire army with him.

    Veronica was bbergasted. She dumbly stared at the army.

    Some curious onlookers peeked outside to see the elvish army inrge numbers. Later, they hurriedly closed their doors and windows.

    Although they were peaceful in heart, they didn''t want to meddle in something troublesome.

    Veronica''s eyes reflexively swept over the army andnded on Urs''s face. Her emerald pupils constricted.

    She could never forget that face. Because of that face, she was having nightmares repeatedly. The cries of pitiful, innocent children still lingered in her ears.

    She stated, "You¡­ I know you."

 Chapter 262 - URULAS BEFORE VERONICA

    <h4>Chapter 262 - URULAS BEFORE VERONICA</h4>

    Veronica''s eyes reflexively swept over the army andnded on Urs''s face. With a pause, she recalled the pool of blood with dead bodies here and there.

    Her pupils shook and she stated, "You¡­ I know you."

    Urs stared at her face. He had seen her from far away.

    She had a lean body. He felt like if he poked her, her body would crumble.

    Her silver hair was shining in the sunlight. The soft breeze brushed over her body. Her silver hair lightly danced while her white clothes gently moved.

    She looked like a great spirit of light in the midst of the sturdy soldiers.

    He now realized that he had been longing to see her face ¨C the unique girl who once saved him despite him being the bad guy.

    After he noted her expression, his heart sank. Her expression didn''t seem weing when her eyesnded on him. Her kind, soft, concerned expression was nowhere to be found.

    He recalled what his eldest brother told him ¨C she came here for revenge for her people who died by his men''s hands.

    As he anxiously mulled over it, he heard her saying, "You¡­ I know you."

    Urs stepped forward and knelt. "Mdy, this is Urs from the Imperial Vige. I''m pleased to be your acquaintance, the blessed child of the Great Dragon."

    Since their leader knelt on the ground, the soldiers knelt before her as well.

    However, it didn''t amaze her. "Your name is Urs¡­?" Her tone was interrogative as though she couldn''t believe it was his name.

    Urs bowed and respectfully answered, "Yes, it is. I''ve heard you were looking for me and my people. As requested, I''ve brought them with me."

    "Do you know why I asked you toe?"

    "Yes, I''ve heard you havee here to ask something from me."

    "Do you know why?"

    "No, mdy."

    "Do you remember the time you killed dozens of innocent people whom you couldn''t sell off to rich families?"

    "¡­" Urs didn''t reply.

    Veronica''s expression hardened. "I want an answer ¨C yes or no."

    "¡­Yes, mdy."

    "Do you know it is a heinous crime to kill people especially if they are innocent?"

    Urs tried to reason with her, "We kill people we need to, mdy. Please try to understand our reasons¡­"

    "You need to take the lives of innocent children for a reason?" Veronica''s face became ugly. "It''s better be a good reason."

    Urs''s heart tightened after noticing her expression.

    "They could have known our existence. That''s why we had to eliminate them before they could speak of us. After all, elves are nothing but a myth in the human realm."

    Veronica found his reasons were hrious. They were so illogical that she took them asme excuses.

    "If you know elves are only myth in the human realm, what were you doing in the human realm? Why did you not take an honest job but turn into a criminal?

    "And you say ¨C they could have known ¨C haha, you don''t even know if they know about elves or not, but you just killed them thinking they are a nuisance."

    Her biting remark was so true that Urs could only choke. He couldn''t utter a single word. He stayed silent and listened to what she had to say.

    Veronica stated, "There was a kid among them who wasn''t in the age of speaking or walking properly."

    Her voice was trembling as she kept going on and on.

    Even Urs could tell that she was furious. He lowered his head and pleaded, "Mdy, please quell your anger. No matter what you do, those people wouldn''te back to life."

    Veronica''s eyes reddened. Even so, she held back her tears.

    "They won''te back to life, but they wille to my dream every night and remind me to seek justice for them. They will keep trying to remind me about the bloodshed I want to forget.

    "Every night, I hear innocent cries. Every night, I see innocent mouths speak of vengeance.

    "Sometimes, I wonder why I am even alive. It would be great if I was the one who died back then. At least, I wouldn''t seek revenge.

    "Yes, they won''te back. Nheless, because of your crime, the innocent me is thinking of justice, the forgiving me thinking of vengeance, the happy-go-lucky me thinking of dead bodies, the idle me cannot sleep because of nightmares.

    "I''m here to seek justice. They are dead. So, you will pay the price of the dead. Tell me, how should I punish you?"

    Dastan quietly watched the show from the corner. Up until now, he said nothing.

    This time he suggested, "Why don''t you choose how to punish them? How do you want it ¨C an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?"

    Veronica raised her chin slightly. "What''s the point of taking their lives? Are they even worthy?"

    Her words were too scornful. Urs gritted his teeth. His nails dug on his palms.

    He finally raised his head and stood up. "My team and I didn''t do anything wrong. We did what we thought was right. You cannot punish us because I won''t ept it."

    "¡­Is that so?" Veronica slowly uttered.

    Before they knew it, the atmosphere around them changed. The sun was suddenly covered with dark clouds. The wind abruptly stopped blowing and then all of a sudden, a gust of wind blew.

    The elves seemed confused at the sudden change in the weather. They looked around with a stupefied expression.

    Elves had a keen connection with nature. If nature''s mood changed, they could understand the very moment. It''s part of their instinct.

    However, at this moment, they couldn''t understand nature''s behavior. They realized that nature was angry, but they weren''t sure why. They didn''t know what nature''s next move was.

    They were looking around when Dastan and Urs''s eyesnded on Veronica.

    Surprisingly, she didn''t seem nervous. She wasn''t looking anywhere but at Urs.

    She seemed calm from the outside, but she was actually seething in anger. A strong wave of emotions was blowing inside her heart.

    She didn''t stop it. She couldn''t stop it.

    She couldn''t understand the audacity of the criminal who shed a toddler''s throat.

    ''They need to be punished.. They have to be punished.''

 Chapter 263 - [Bonus ]THE PUNISHMENT

    <h4>Chapter 263 - [Bonus ]THE PUNISHMENT</h4>

    ''They need to be punished. They have to be punished.''

    The words kept repeating inside her head. She couldn''t help but feel rage bubbling inside her heart. Her emerald eyes flickered as she stared at Urs.

    Dastan instantaneously realized something was amiss. He immediately walked forward and grabbed her hand.

    "I think your emotions are connected to nature somehow," he said, worried that something unprecedented might happen. "Calm down before things get worse."

    Urs heard him and his eyes widened in surprise. ''Is this her doing? How is she powerful enough to control nature?''

    At first, he came to meet her and wanted to ept punishment. However, when his elder brother Aerolus spoke up, he had to retreat.

    He recalled for what reason he waspeting against his elder brother. That was why he refuted. He didn''t expect Veronica to be this angry.

    Veronica didn''t heed Dastan''s pleas. She repeated, "They have to be punished."

    Dastan helplessly gazed at his brother. "If you don''t take the punishment, there will be a huge storm. Do you want to destroy this vige? Think about father."

    Urs clenched his fists. He couldn''t help but curse his brother inwardly.

    ''Our father would never allow this to happen. Aerolus, that bastard! Every time he wants to control me, he will use our father as the bargaining chip. I hate him!''

    Urs nced at Veronica and stepped forward. The moment he did so, a thunder struck right where he had been.

    He dived andnded on the nearestnd and looked back. His pupils shrank when he spotted the ce he was standing in until a moment ago was burned.

    Dark clouds were already forming above his head, ready to start a war against him.

    Thinking that he would have been fried if he was a tad bit slower, he gulped.

    ''That was a close call,'' he thought.

    He stood up and didn''t step closer to her like before. He cautiously said, "Fine, I admit my mistake. I was wrong."

    Veronica''s expression didn''t change. "Oh? What were you wrong about?"

    Urs bowed deeply. "I was wrong about killing innocent people. I gravely sinned by selling people. I deserve to be punished."

    He sounded as if he was truly regretting it.

    Veronica didn''t seem to believe him yet. "How do you want to be punished?"

    Urs bit down his lip and took some time to answer. "Let me serve you."

    "¡­What?" Veronica blinked. She wasn''t expecting this answer.

    Urs continued, "Let me and my men serve you for the rest of your life. We will help you whenever you need us. If you need us to fight animals or bad people, we will do that."

    Veronica slightly raised her chin. "¡­Anything I ask for?"

    "Anything you ask for," Urs promised. His unwavering eyes fixed on hers.

    "What if I tell you to protect innocent people from now on." Veronica didn''t give a second thought before asking for this.

    "¡­It means we have to stay in the human realm forever. But we have people to protect here too."

    Veronica mockingly watched him. "Did you forget to protect your people when you went to the human realm?"

    "¡­ I only went there to see how the human world works. My men went to find me."

    "And you turned them into a criminal group when they went to find you. They are so lucky to have you as their leader."

    "¡­" Urs stayed quiet.

    Veronica breathed deeply. "Leave for now. I don''t need your entire army. The men who were present during the crime and you must stay. I''ll talk to you tomorrow."

    Afterward, she turned around and went inside the inn.

    As she disappeared behind the door, the sky became clear and the wind calmed down. Everything went back to normal as if the disturbance a moment ago didn''t ur.

    Dastan narrowed his eyes. Displeasure was written all over his face.

    The ending of the asion gave him dissatisfaction and yet he couldn''t voice it out loud.

    When he saw everything being settled without any bloodshed, he turned around and left. He didn''t even spare another nce at his brother.

    Urs saw his brother''s back before turning toward his army and leaving them an instruction.

    Afterward, a few of his men and he went inside the inn. They wanted to stay for the night.

    Veronica didn''te out of her room for the rest of the day. She wasn''t in the mood to eat either. But the next day, she couldn''t stand the hunger anymore and went downstairs.

    And, she bumped into Urs.

    He was startled at first but quickly overcame it. He tried to put on a polite smile and greeted her first, "You are awake. Good afternoon. Would you like some lunch?"

    Veronica calmly stared at him. When she first met him, he was cold and unfriendly. Aftering here, she found himpletely opposite of his deadpan personality. She knew he was forcing himself to get close to her.

    "Good morning. I want lunch," she curtly replied.

    "Then, pleasee with me. I''ll have lunch too. Let''s eat together."

    "¡­" She was so hungry that she didn''t have the energy to continue the conversation.

    Urs misunderstood her silence as anger. He quietly followed her downstairs and ordered their meal.

    While Veronica was served egg fried rice, Urs was served green leaves with breadcrumbs.

    Veronica nearly lost her appetite seeing his meal. She forced herself to open her mouth and eat her food. She closed her mouth to savor the taste. It was delicious.

    Urs carefully observed her. Noticing that her expression eased quite a bit, he spoke his mind.

    "Back then when you wanted to punish us for our crime, I said ''no'' for a reason. If I agreed to the blessed child''s demand, I would fall into my brother''s trap."

    Veronica wasn''t interested in his excuses anymore, nheless, his words interested her.

    Urs noted her gaze on him. He continued, "That''s why I disagreed with taking any kind of punishment. I even came up with a half-assed excuse. I''m sorry."

    He apologized from the bottom of his heart.

    "Except, I didn''t imagine that you would bring storms in our elvish realm. You are truly the blessed child.

    "However, you are the first to have this kind of power.. The blessed children before you could never control nature. Do you know why?"

 Chapter 264 - VERONICA FIGURED IT OUT

    <h4>Chapter 264 - VERONICA FIGURED IT OUT</h4>

    "You are truly the blessed child. However, you are the first to have this kind of power. The blessed children before you could never control nature. Do you know why?"

    At his prompt question, Veronica cocked her head.

    "Isn''t it because others only stayed inside the walls and prayed for the rest of their lives? How can they be as useful as me?

    "Let me tell you, you all want blessed children to be obedient because they have immense powers that can rule the world. Nevertheless, you don''t want something like that to happen. Do you know why?

    "It''s because you want to rule the world yourself. That''s why you want to capture the blessed children to use them for your own agenda.

    "You keep the blessed children inside the walls like a criminal in the prison and let them only heal people at your mercy. Humans, elves ¨C they are all the same.

    "They are selfish, power greedy, jealous, and disgusting. Isn''t that why you killed those innocent children who couldn''t kill a fly let alone expose you?"

    Urs was speechless. It was the third time he met her, and it felt like he kept knowing a new side of hers every time.

    At first, she was as innocent as a dove. The second time, she was like destructive waves that could wreck the whole elvish vige. Third, she was as wise as the oracles of ancient times.

    He couldn''t help but stare at her in awe. He even forgot to eat.

    Veronica didn''t care about his dumb expression. She concentrated on finishing her meal.

    For the past few months, she had lots of time to think this through. She was used, betrayed, imprisoned, got abducted, treated like a ve, almost got killed.

    She had a realization of how scary the world was.

    The world was like quicksand. If she let her guard down, she would drown in the ocean of sand and could never get up.

    Even so, she didn''t want to give up on her dream. She still wanted to explore the world knowing it still had a good side.

    She understood the fact that her naiveness and single-minded kindness would only make her fall in danger again and again. She would be a burden no matter where she went.

    Therefore, she decided to let go of her stupidity. She would rather be more careful and not fall for tricks. She would be kind, but not silly kind. She would be gentle but only when it was needed.

    For now, she was displeased. She wasn''t happy with the punishment of Urs and his men.

    She wrecked her brain all day toe up with what to do with them and what should be her next move.

    When Urs mentioned her power, she recalled yesterday''s event. At that time, she was too angry to think about it.

    But, now she was surprised thinking she had that kind of power. She had no idea why nature didn''t help her when she was injured.

    Urs came back to senses and stated, "Listen, you are the blessed child and right now you are in the elvish realm. Here, nature is close to our hearts, especially yours.

    "That''s why you should control your emotions a bit. Who knows what havoc it will cause if your emotions are out of control."

    "You don''t have to worry about that. I''ve decided to leave this ce. I''m going to the human realm," Veronica disclosed her n.

    "What?" Urs was at a loss for words.

    She didn''t pay attention to his reaction. "You and your criminal men areing with me. You will teach me how to fight, how to survive in the wilderness, how to hunt animals. I want to learn how the world works."

    Urs choked. "But¡­ but you can do it here in the elvish realm. You will be safe here too."

    Veronica shrugged. "What''s the point of staying here? This isn''t my home. If I stay here, I''ll turn into a caged bird. The human realm is vast. People who know me are very few in number. I can live there without worry."

    She paused before adding, "Moreover, if I don''t fall in danger, how will I learn to survive?"

    "¡­" Urs didn''t persuade her further.

    Later, Veronica was done packing and was ready to leave when Dastan came to meet her.

    He directly asked her, "I heard you are leaving. What about going to the imperial vige?"

    Veronica bluntly answered, "Oh, not going there. I''m not interested in reading books."

    Dastan''s expression didn''t look well. "You asked for a favor and I gave it to you. Now you are backing from your words."

    "How can that be?" Veronica was confused. "The favor was about you gaining my trust. Congrattions. You have earned it." She patted his back.

    Dastan was bbergasted. He was unable to get a word out.

    Everything was going ording to his n. He was nning to trick his younger brother for a long time and then he met Veronica.

    Upon listening to her story, he smirked inwardly thinking this was his chance. However, after Urs met Veronica, nothing went ording to his n.

    Not only did it happen, but he also discovered that his brother became a bit closer to Veronica and became her escort.

    By this time of the day, he was sure that? his father already knew about it. Even so, he didn''t oppose his youngest son''s action because he was pleased with the oue.

    The blessed child needed guidance. In the guise of punishment, the elves would be her guardians and teachers. She would still have a connection with them even if she didn''t stay in the elvish realm.

    Dastan clenched his fists. He couldn''t ept that. He hade this far only to give away the trophy to his brother ¨C he would rather die than ept that.

    He grabbed her arm forcefully and gave her an anxious look.

    "Will you think twice before you take action? How about this? In exchange for Urs, I will be your teacher.. I''ll teach you how to fight and everything. What do you think?"

 Chapter 265 - DASTANS PERSUASION

    <h4>Chapter 265 - DASTAN''S PERSUASION</h4>

    "Will you think twice before you take action? How about this? In exchange for Urs, I will be your teacher. I''ll teach you how to fight and everything. What do you think?"

    At his plea, Veronica was astounded. "That''s not necessary. He is the one who is getting punished by being my teacher, not you."

    Dastan insisted, "But I''m better at fighting than he is. I''ll be a better teacher."

    Veronica didn''t change her expression.

    She said, "A bad student can be a good teacher. Since it''s hard for him to learn, he knows the easy process to learn. He can teach me more efficiently. A genius can never be a good teacher.

    "All the more, it''s fine if he doesn''t know too much. We can learn together."

    Afterward, without giving him another nce, she left.

    She had be aware that she was a woman and in a man''s eyes, she was alluring. Thus, she decided not to be too chummy with the men who insisted on being close to her for ulterior motives.

    After chatting with Urs and Dastan today, she realized that these two had some kind of connection.

    Although she didn''t know who Urs''s brother was, she could connect that it had something to do with Dastan.

    That was the reason she couldn''t trust Dastanpletely and believed that he had some kind of motive trying to be close to her. After all, he did try to kidnap her once knowing her identity.

    After Veronica set off on the journey, Urs and his men tagged along. Before they started, they knelt before her and asked for forgiveness.

    "You are apologizing to the wrong person," she coldly reminded them. "I''m not the one you killed. After we go to the human realm, you will go to their families andpensate them with all the illegal money you all have earned.

    "After that, you will visit their graves and personally apologize. You also have to promise them to protect the good people from now on."

    The elves raised their heads and stared at Urs. As their master nodded, they bowed again and epted the punishment.

    On the road, Urs reminded her, "We are going in the wrong direction. It''s not the path to the human realm."

    "I know. Before I leave, I want to meet a friend of mine," Veronica stated. She was thinking of Rs. She promised to meet him.

    With horses, it took them ten days to reach the vige.

    Rs was ying with his friends. The moment he saw her, he sprinted toward her.

    His small arms hugged her lean leg and then he eximed, "Ver! Ver! I missed you."

    Veronica couldn''t help smiling at the little fellow. She dismounted from the horse and embraced his little body. "I missed you too."

    The young boy''s fair face flushed in happiness. "I''m so happy you came to meet me. I kept your promise. Did you finish your work?"

    Veronica''s fingers brushed his hair as she replied, "Of course, I will keep my promise to you. And yes, I finished my work. It''s time I go back to my house."

    Her voice sounded empty as she thought about the house. She didn''t have a home, nor an urate identity. She was like a person who came to the world for a fleeting moment and would go away soon.

    She didn''t want to think too deep into it. She didn''t want to be depressed about her existence.

    She was lucky enough to be born and wanted to enjoy her life to the fullest ¨C she changed the direction of her thoughts and her mood lifted gradually.

    She inquired, "Rs, where is your father? I want to see him."

    "Come,e," Rs held her two fingers with his small hand and pulled her to his house.

    The vige chief was a famous doctor. He was taking care of a patient. He spotted ady with his son. Recognizing the person, he was a bit surprised.

    He did not expect her toe back so soon. After dealing with his patient, he came out of the chamber.

    He politely greeted her, "Miss Ver, wee back. What can I do for you?"

    "Good to be back. I wanted to meet Rs before I went back to the human realm, and I needed to ask something from you. Do you have medicine for back pain?"

    At Veronica''s question, the vige chief slightly frowned. "Do you still have pain, Miss Ver?"

    "Yes, and sometimes, it''s unbearable."

    "When is it unbearable?"

    "A week ago, at night."

    The vige chief looked at the calendar and mentioned, "It was a full moon that night."

    "Oh, I remember. The moon was unexceptionally huge. So, it was a moonlit night. But why will my back pain increase because of the full moon?" Veronica asked.

    "During the full moon and new moon, many people''s old pain surfaces. Yours isn''t that old. I''ve already checked your injuries. They remarkably healed before you woke up. The same goes for your bones. But the pain¡­"

    The vige chief thoughtfully mulled over it. However, he couldn''te up with a definite conclusion.

    In the end, he decided to give her some medicine. "Fine, I''ll prescribe some medicine for you."

    He went inside and came out with a small jar.

    He said, "It contains herbs that ease pain momentarily. Take a small amount and apply in the area you are in pain. Use it only during the full moon and new moon."

    He added, "Find a good healer when you go to the other side and let them heal youpletely. Having back pain at this age isn''t good. You are still young."

    Veronica took the jar and thanked him wholeheartedly. After bidding goodbye, she left the vige with Urs and his men.

    "How are we going to the human realm?" she asked Urs.

    Urs replied, "There is ake down the road. There is a magic portal. We will use it to go out."

    "Does that mean I came to the elvish realm using that portal?"

    "No, you can''t do that."

    "What do you mean?"

 Chapter 266 - TO THE HUMAN REALM

    <h4>Chapter 266 - TO THE HUMAN REALM</h4>

    Veronica curiously asked, "Does that mean I came to the elvish realm using that portal?"

    She was nning, if she could open the portal on her own, she coulde here whenever she wanted.

    Urs replied negatively, "No, you can''t do that."

    "What do you mean?" she inquired.

    Urs shook his head. "No, humans can never use the elvish portal. Only elves can open the portal and you are not an elf."

    Veronica was confused. "Huh? Then, how did Ie to your realm?"

    Urs reportedly answered, "Someone must have seen you and opened the portal to take you in. It''s still surprising that someone would do that without knowing your identity."

    "Maybe Rs did it. He is an elf."

    "He is still a child. Children have no idea how to open the portal. They will be taught when they are adults."

    Veronica couldn''t help wondering. "Then, how did I open the portal and enter into the elvish realm?"

    Urs was skeptical about this too. Even magic couldn''t open the portal.

    "I don''t know how you entered into the elvish realm. I think someone assisted you. Did you ask for someone''s help?"

    Veronica responded by shaking her head.

    "No, not at all. When I was falling from the cliff, I thought I was going to die. I hugged Rs tightly thinking if I was going to die, at least I could save his life.

    "Fortunately, both of us are alive and well. I can''t imagine living a life as a one-legged woman."

    Urs chuckled. He couldn''t imagine that either.

    "If someone opened the portal for me, I wonder who it is¡­" Veronica mumbled.

    "¡­" Urs thought that same, but he had no idea.

    Not long after, they reached theke. The water of theke was shimmering blue.

    It seemed like a normalke at first, but when their horses touched the water, the water glowed. It was already dark. The blue water was glowing wherever it was touched. That made it look so magical.

    "This¡­ is this real?" Veronica nced at theke with eyes full of amazement.

    "Pretty, isn''t it?" Ursmented. "Thiske is the source of the power energy for the portal. I asked the vigers and they told me that they found you in thiske along with the little boy. Both were unconscious."

    "Oh, I had no idea. Then, an elf truly helped me. I''ve to thank that person. I wish I could see him or her at least for once."

    "We don''t have time for this. Let''s go to the human realm." Urs muttered.

    Afterward, he recited something in the elvishnguage and the water started to move. Theke water moved clockwise. Whenever water made the slightest contact with the horses, it glowed.

    Theke water moved until it created a vortex. A momentter, a silver ray came out right from the bottom and engulfed them.

    Veronica shut her eyes as the light was unbearable. She was having goosebumps thinking the vortex might pull them down.

    Some time passed. It seemed an eternity.

    She sensed the light was gone and slowly opened her mouth. She found herself in the forest.

    She looked around. It was dark. At first, she couldn''t see anything. Her eyes gradually adjusted in the dark and she got a better look.

    The moonlight didn''t reach the ground. The moonlight and the long trees were giving off a mysterious aura.

    "It looks familiar. I think this is the forest I was inst time before falling from the cliff."

    She was sure not to speak loudly. She was scared that she would notify kidnappers where she was.

    Urs dismounted from the horse and gathered two dry rocks. Afterward, he hit the stones to catch a spark. It created fire. Then, they lit up torches.

    After that, he responded, "This is one of the oldest forests in the human realm. Rivelden. You are lucky you haven''t reached the end of the forest."

    "Huh? Why?" Veronica was puzzled.

    "After the forest ends, there is a ce where you do not want to go. No one mentions that ce."

    "What ce is that?"

    Urs lowered his voice and said, "A cursed ce."

    Veronica gulped. Chills ran down her spine.

    She mentioned, "We were being taken to that border. That means we would be dead if we went to that cursed ce."

    "So, this is where the elves were being taken. I have to notify my father."

    Urs wrote a letter and instructed one of his men, "Deliver it to my father."

    "Yes, Second Master." The man took the letter and then left.

    Urs turned toward Veronica and thanked her. "If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be able to notify my father before Dastan."

    Although she thought it wasn''t her ce, curiosity took the best of her. "Do you have bad blood with Dastan?"

    "Yes, we brothers are fighting to get our father''s attention."

    Veronica was surprised. "You are brothers! I didn''t expect that. Why do you need your father''s attention?"

    "We were born from different mothers. Father''s first marriage was political. Dastan''s mother died after giving birth to him.

    "Later, my mother was sent to our father to serve him. My father fell in love with her at first sight. She is an incredible beauty after all.

    "My mother gave birth to me after a year of their marriage. Our father doted on me quite a bit. After my sister was born, all his affection was poured toward her. It was as if our father forgot his sons'' existence. It wasn''t true though.

    "Later, our father announced that either of us could take over his power. My elder brother who always thought we snatched away his only family, his father, tried to sabotage my training one by one.

    "Although I didn''t want to fight against him,ter, I had to change my mind because of his behavior. He is also good with the high society and soldiers. Everyone supports him. They all think I''m no good.

    "Our father says nothing but I''m sure he thinks the same. However, he is willing to give me an opportunity. I''ll ept it and learn more. I''m sure I can take over what he leaves for me."

    Veronica silently listened to his story. She didn''t want toment and yet, her mouth opened as she couldn''t stand it anymore.

    "I''m not sure how you can do that when you can heartlessly kill children who have nothing to do with you."

 Chapter 267 - [Bonus ]DISASTER IN THE MAGIC TOWER

    <h4>Chapter 267 - [Bonus ]DISASTER IN THE MAGIC TOWER</h4>

    "I''m not sure how you can do that when you can heartlessly kill children who have nothing to do with you."

    Veronica bit her tongue after this slip of a tongue.

    She hurriedly added, "I mean a leader has to be wise. He has to let go of personal feelings and bring justice to his people.

    "I understand that your father is some kind of lord in your realm, and you want to take over after him, but do you think it is the right way to be a wise lord?

    "Think about the people you are going to rule. If you only think about snatching power from your eldest brother, you can never be a good ruler.

    "Now I realize why Dastan cooperatively brought you to me. He wanted an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. He thought I was going to kill you and so did you.

    "I think you are just like me. Na?ve and simple-minded. People like us can''t be good rulers, you know. It''s because we trust people too much and then get betrayed. When our backs are stabbed, we can do nothing but watch."

    While she was talking about betrayal, the scenario where she saw Arthur ying with other women floated in her mind.

    She opened her mouth and wanted to talk more but nothing came out.

    Urs stole a nce at her. "You talk like you have experienced betrayal."

    "Not enough to lose my life," Veronica bluntly retorted.

    It was a bitter subject. None of them wished to continue it.

    Afterward, the two of them didn''t talk for a long time.

    Two dayster, they finally came out of the oldest forest, Rivelden. They crossed a river and found themselves in a small country named Ganda.

    "How long will it take for us to reach Tybu?" Veronica asked.

    "Let''s buy a map first," Urs suggested.

    They went to a bookshop and bought a map. Under the sun, they opened the map.

    "We are right here," Urs pointed out. His finger then slid to the right corner. "Tybu is right here. From this distance, it seems we need four months to get there."

    Veronica responded unhurriedly, "Four months it is. We will be able to sightsee the surroundings. In the meantime, teach me how to wield a sword and shoot an arrow."

    "Sure, we can do that," Urs agreed with a smile. His eyes gentle gazed at her.

    -------------

    Meanwhile, in the Magic Tower in Tybu, Ovior woke up from a deep slumber. Someone was shaking his body.

    He furrowed her eyebrows in annoyance. He had been working tirelessly for months. Now that he got some time to rest his eyes on his desk, someone was disturbing him.

    He groggily opened his eyes. Noticing his secretary Catherine''s worried expression, he straightened his back.

    "What is it this time?"

    "I think Arthur¡­ he seeded," she reported in a hushed tone.

    Drowsiness washed away from Ovior''s eyes. He stood up from his chair.

    "Why do you think so?"

    Catherine shared her opinion, "It''s a mess up there. It''s too hard to breathe."

    "I''ll take a look. You finish the work I left for you." After instructing her, he left his room.

    Catherine was left alone in Ovior''s office.

    "I don''t like anything that''s happening." She sped her hands as though she was praying. "Ver, where are you? I don''t believe you are dead. Come back and save us all."

    Ovior took a magical lift upstairs. Catherine wasn''t wrong.

    The air was tight. It was indeed hard to breathe. It felt like something was weighing him down and he couldn''t inhale oxygen as much as he wanted.

    The magical board reached a certain floor. Ovior had to cover his mouth.

    A toxic odor filled up the area. The sickening scent contained a skin-burning fragrance along with fresh blood.

    It was so disgusting that Ovior almost puked.

    ''Thank goodness that my stomach is empty. There is nothing to throw up,'' he thought.

    He stood in front of a certain door and knocked lightly. When he heard no reply from inside, he twisted the knob and opened the door.

    When he entered the room, he almost became blind. Thick, ck clouds formed on the floor. The fog carried that stinky smell.

    Ovior frowned and coldly looked around.

    It was a mess. The room was aplete disaster. Piles of human bodies were kept here and there. They were all dead.

    It didn''t look like a magic tower anymore. If someone said it was a gate of hell, it would be more believable.

    Ovior''s stomach was empty, but he felt like throwing up after seeing the barbaric scene. He covered his mouth and walked forward.

    In front of him was a pool. Before, this pool was for the senior employees to enjoy swimming. But the water pool was reced with a blood pool.

    In the middle of the pool, someone was standing there, naked. His tanned body was soaked in human blood. His dark raven hair reached the pool and the edge of the hair brushed over the pool of blood.

    It seemed like the man was performing some kind of ritual.

    Ovior clenched his fist in anger and anguish.

    "Do you think if you do this she wille back?"

    At his question, the man in the pool paused what he was doing, However, he didn''t look back.

    Ovior shouted, "She is dead!"

    Before he could blink, his body was thrown away in the corner. The pressure on his check was too much. He coughed blood.

    He took a moment to realize what happened. His friend didn''t move. A gust of wind shoved him away.

    He looked at his friend in disbelief.

    He wondered, ''What did he just do these few months to gather this much power? What does he want to do with it?''

    Realizing that his friend was too blinded by power, he decided to go back. There was no point in talking to a deaf.

    Outside the room, he met two people. They looked at him worriedly.

    Zinnia took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from the corner of Ovior''s mouth.

    "I heard from Catherine that you came here. Did you fight?"

 Chapter 268 - VERONICAS TRAINING

    <h4>Chapter 268 - VERONICA''S TRAINING</h4>

    "I heard from Catherine that you came here. Did you fight?"

    "He is mad. He haspletely be insane."

    Ovior was so mad that he couldn''t control his emotions.

    "He has gone mad long before. It is just the oue." Darius sighed. It was the first time he seemed depressed.

    Ovior pinched in between his eyebrows and then nced at Zinnia. He inquired, "Where is Ironin?"

    Zinnia replied, "He never came back. I think he is still looking for Veronica."

    "..." Without a word, Darius stared at his sses friend.

    Ovior fixed his golden sses and raised an eyebrow. "And why would he do that?"

    Zinnia sighed. "We don''t know for sure since he never tells us anything. I think he believes Veronica is still alive and so, he is looking for her."

    "Is he doing this just for Arthur or does he have another reason?" Ovior paused to mull over his own question. "Don''t tell me he likes her?"

    "How can that be? Ironin, in love with a girl, a woman who is married to his friend? Impossible." Zinnia brushed it off.

    "As long as you are right about that. She did have a thing for making people fall for her innocence," Oviormented.

    Darius remarked, "You mention her as if she is dead."

    Ovior raised an eyebrow. "Is she not? If not, show me the proof. A person knowing of no magic or martial arts jumped off the cliff and her body wasn''t found. You want me to believe she is alive - that''s a false hope, Darius."

    "No news is good news, Ovior. Although none of us think she is alive, at least for our friend, let''s just hope she is alive and wille back soon."

    Darius didn''t stand there anymore. The atmosphere was too toxic. His chest was throbbing.

    Zinnia worriedly nced at Ovior and patted his shoulder in constion. She too couldn''t believe that fragile girl could live after falling from that cliff.

    --------------

    Two months passed by in the blink of an eye. Veronica had gotten better with a bow and arrows. Unfortunately, she couldn''t beat anyone with a sword.

    ng! ng! ng!

    Two swords shed.

    Veronica red at her opponent.

    ''I swear I won''t lose this time. I have to give the final blow,'' she thought.

    "Too slow," Urs dered from the sideline.

    Veronica''s eyes widened when she heard him. Before she could take a step back, she stumbled and fell to the ground.

    In a moment, a sharp point was aimed at her left eye.

    "Dead." Her opponent stared at her expressionlessly.

    After the pointed sword was moved away, Veronica stood up. She put down the sword and brushed her pants.

    "This is so unfair. It''s a sword fight. Not a leg fight. Why did you kick my leg? You deliberately tripped me."

    She couldn''t help butin. Her ego couldn''t ept this defeat.

    Her opponent stated, "You lose."

    "!!!" Veronica''s face turned red in anger.

    Urs helplessly sighed. "Miss Ver, everything is fair in love and war. How many times do I have to tell you this?"

    "This isn''t a war!" Veronica retorted, unable to ept this fact.

    "It''s a fight. I''m teaching you that. Your opponent won''t always be one person, or there might be the case they won''t fight honorably. If you face that, with your attitude,? you will die in no time. Aren''t you fighting to live? Then try to live."

    His words were merciless. He didn''t want to give her any false hope.

    After lecturing her, Urs looked at his men who were ready to fight one on one with Veronica.

    He told them, "Today''s ss is dismissed. Prepare for lunch."

    "No! I want another round," Veronica proposed while wiping sweat from her forehead.

    Urs said, "With the mindset you have now, you won''t be able to win."

    "Are you sure?" Veronica tried to provoke him. "Maybe you are just afraid that you will lose."

    "If you want to be beaten up so much, be my guest." Urs shrugged.

    On his mark, one by one his men fought against Veronica.

    She was no match for these trained elvish soldiers. She was being trained for two months whereas they were being trained for two human generations.

    How could she fight them with her hot head?

    Gradually, she slowed down. She was losing her energy. The heat wasn''t helping her either.

    Noticing that she was in the condition of passing out, her current opponent pped her ass with his sword.

    For Veronica, it was humiliating. She was furious. When she went to attack him, she realized that her sword wasn''t in her hand.

    With a single blow, her opponent tossed her sword somewhere.

    Since she had no weapon in her hand, the match was over. She lost.

    Nheless, she didn''t care. She red at her opponent who put down his sword.

    "How dare you p my butt! You are dead!"

    She jumped on him. She used both her hands and legs to fight off.

    Others enjoyed the show. In two months, they got quite close with this blessed child who looked livelier and more humane than the blessed children they have heard of and imagined.

    Urs shook his head. He knew something like this could happen. It wasn''t the first time.

    "Prepare for lunch," he ordered his men.

    Later at night, Veronica went to the small pond. She wanted to take a bath.

    Taking off her clothes, she dived in the cool water. It was so hot today that she was sweating all day. Her body was burning too.

    The cool water of the pond made her think that she was in heaven.

    After swimming for some time, she wiped her body and wore a new shirt. Later, she washed her clothes and was ready to go to her camp.

    At that time, she heard a rustling sound. Her senses became alert. She closed her eyes and using her ears and sense, she tried to figure where she heard the sounding from.

    At night, many carnivore animals coulde to the water source to drink water. She didn''t want to be eaten by them in case she made a mistake.

    She didn''t hear anything afterward.. Lowering her guard, she turned around and her heart jumped.

 Chapter 269 - SHE FREAKED OUT

    <h4>Chapter 269 - SHE FREAKED OUT</h4>

    At first, Veronica thought it was a carnivore. However, after turning around, she had to change her mind.

    When she saw someone standing right behind her and she didn''t sense anything, she was spooked the hell out.

    "Ah!" she gasped and stumbled backward. She had no weapon with her to defend herself.

    The person was calm as if he or she was expecting her to be startled. Before Veronica could shout, her mouth was covered.

    "Umm! Umm!"

    Veronica wanted to scream but she couldn''t. Since she couldn''t alert others, she just threw a punch ¨C right across the face.

    The person wasn''t ready to take a punch. Even so, that person didn''t let go of her mouth.

    Veronica couldn''t tell who it was but from the features, smell, and strength, she could guess it was a man.

    ''I know what to do.'' She narrowed her eyes. She hadn''t forgotten two months of training.

    Without hesitation, she kicked him, aiming at his weakest spot.

    The guy must have noticed where she was aiming. He was prepared this time.

    He swiftly blocked her knee with one hand and took off his ck hood with another hand, revealing his sharp purple pupils and dirty blonde hair.

    Veronica''s body stiffened. She wasn''t expecting him at the least.

    She stepped back and asked, "Ironin¡­ why are you here?"

    "Vero¡­nica¡­" Ironin mumbled. His unique eyes weren''t focused.

    He raised his hands and cupped her cheek as though he wished to check if she was real.

    Veronica wanted to move away but she sensed his fingers trembling.

    She nced at him in confusion. "Are¡­ you okay?"

    "You are alive." Ironin''s quiet voice was hoarse.

    "Yes? Should I be dead?" Veronica frowned. She couldn''t understand why he was acting so weird.

    "I''m not dreaming¡­" Ironin mumbled.

    At first, he thought he was hallucinating. So, he touched her face.

    But her cheeks were soft and cold after the bath. There was a sweet fragranceing out of her body. it was faint but reached his nostrils.

    Only then could be confirm that he wasn''t hallucinating.

    Only then did Veronica realize she was only wearing a shirt. Feeling bashful, her face becamepletely red.

    "No, you are not. First of all, you sneak around when ady is bathing and then you ask odd questions. Have you gone crazy?"

    Having her pointed her index finger at him and being nagged at, Ironin stared at her in amazement.

    This wasn''t the Veronica he knew of. The kind, gentle girl he knew turned into a fiery woman.

    Long before, she couldn''t talk to him properly and was scared of him and now she just reprimanded him.

    He had been searching for her for months aimlessly and almost lost hope. After meeting her unexpectedly, he got to know a new side of her. It was a lot to take in.

    It wasn''t that he disliked it. He just found it interesting.

    Veronica recalled how she got away from him months ago and suddenly felt guilty. However, she didn''t want to show it.

    Veronica put her hands on her waist, trying to cover her embarrassment.

    "Anyway, what are you doing here? You shouldn''t peep in someone''s bath."

    Nothing she said went inside his head. His eyes were steadily looking at her. He was scared that she would vanish if he blinked.

    His chest was acting unusual. He felt like something squeezed his heart. It was painful.

    He muttered in a low voice, "I was looking for you¡­"

    "You were? But¡­ didn''t I leave a note? I thought you got that."

    "But then you got captured by some elf traders."

    "You know about that? Were you tracking me?"

    "We were. How could we not? Arthur was¨C"

    "Don''t mention him," Veronica immediately interrupted him.

    She closed her eyes. Her heart trembled. She thought after all these months, she could face the truth, but she wasn''t ready yet.

    Ironin was surprised. "¡­Is there something wrong?"

    He wished to know if she had a fight with Arthur.

    Veronica looked away. "Why would he try to track me down? Wasn''t he busy with others?"

    The memories of that night shed once again and frowned. The burning pain in her chest was unbearable.

    "¡­He was busy but he was done the night I picked you up from the pce. When he heard you were gone, we all went to find you on his order."

    Veronica crossed her arms. Her pain and anger wouldn''t go away just because he said so.

    "Who is he to order others to find me when I want to disappear? I can''t believe he would go looking for me after he was done with his business there."

    Ironin was even more confused.

    "¡­Are you upset because he was busy with work?"

    Veronica tightened her fists. She didn''t want to open her mouth about it but she thought there wasn''t any point in hiding this fact anymore.

    "He wasn''t just busy with work. I saw him with my very own eyes that he was ying with women from Morina''s Pce. I saw it with my own eyes.

    "Before that, I didn''t believe in rumors. You guys would avoid talking about Arthur when he was just missing without telling me anything.

    "Later, someone took me to Morina''s Pce. Even though I didn''t want to trust my eyes, it was all true. The whole ce knew Arthur was ying with women and so did I.

    "How do you think I felt at that moment? Do you think I''m kind enough to be okay with whatever my husband does? Do I look that foolish?

    "The reason I didn''t want to go back with you was that I didn''t want to face him. I had my things to take care of and I didn''t want to drag you all with this.

    "That''s why I decided to go far away from him. I wanted to clear my mind and wanted toe to a decision. However, I still couldn''t. I don''t think I can face him. You should go away."

    After saying all she wanted, Veronica walked past him.. She didn''t want to stay around him any longer.

 Chapter 270 - HER DOUBT

    <h4>Chapter 270 - HER DOUBT</h4>

    Ironin was taken aback by her usation. He didn''t move for a while.

    When she was walking past her, he grabbed her wrist.

    "Wait, are you sure there wasn''t any mistake?"

    Veronica snickered. "Mistake? Am I blind? At first, I thought there could be an exnation. I thought it was magic or hallucination.

    "But then I knew it wouldn''t be magic because magic couldn''t be used in the Holy City. And, that wouldn''t be a hallucination because everyone knew about it."

    She tried to get away but Ironin wasn''t ready to let go of her.

    "Are you sure? Why don''t you talk to him?"

    "What is there to talk about? Ironin, let go. I''m not in the mood to have a conversation." She tried to pull her hand back.

    Ironin nervously insisted, "Please¡­ just talk to him. A burden on your chest, why not take it off?"

    He was scared. He was afraid that she might disappear again if he let go of her hand.

    "It''s because I''m not ready to face it."

    "Arthur spent months finding you in the old forest. So¡­"

    "Then you people freed the elves. You have my thanks. I thought they were king''s men."

    "No, it was us. Zinnia thought you died. Arthur didn''t."

    He also wished to say that he too believed she was alive, but he couldn''t just say it.

    "I died¡­ because I fell from the cliff? No, I was saved by some elves and they took care of me."

    She nced at Ironin. She touched his dark sleeve. Her voice was gentle as she spoke.

    "Since they think I''m dead, can you not tell them that I''m alive. I might not ever go back."

    She lowered her head. She didn''t know why she was saying that.

    All she knew was that she had to take a journey to keep her promise. After that, she would travel around.

    She didn''t have the heart to meet Arthur or any of them.

    Ironin''s eyes widened in surprise. He instantly held her arms.

    "Please don''t say that. How can you say that? I know you have be different. But please face him.

    "I''m not sure if he really yed with women but I knew for sure he was devoted to you. Just talk to him once and you will know it."

    Veronica sneered, "He was devoted to me and yet slept with other women. Don''t you find it hrious?"

    "No, I don''t. Because he signed a contract with the God of Underground to bring you back from the dead."

    "What?" Veronica was astonished.

    "Do you think he is devoted enough? He killed hundreds in two months to sign a contract with the God of Underworld. He wants to see you."

    Ironin''s words made Veronica''s head buzz. For a moment, her brain stopped working.

    As if the whole world stopped around her. She couldn''t see, or hear, or feel anything.

    Ironin realized that she was in a daze and jerked her body.

    "Back to the earth, Veronica."

    It was the first time he had pleaded to someone and talked so much. His mouth hurt.

    Veronica came back to her senses. She stared at him as if she saw ghosts.

    "What are you saying? Arthur summoned the God of Underworld? This ispletely out of natural order!"

    "Arthur doesn''t care. He won''t care. The only thing that matters to him is you to be by his side." Ironin was calm.

    "This is so selfish." Veronica cried out. "Why is he acting like this? He is wise enough to know there are things that cannot be done!"

    Ironin took a deep breath and insisted, "Veronica, I think you are underestimating his feelings for you."

    Veronica was conflicted. "How can it be? I''ve seen him with other women. I won''t ever ept my husband with another woman. Never!"

    Keeping hisposure, Ironin persuaded her, "That is why I want you to talk to him. Let him know you are alive and talk it out. Everything will be over."

    "Let me think for a while. I also¡­ need to dress up." Veronica lowered her gaze.

    "Hmm?" Ironin was puzzled and looked at her shirt. He couldn''t understand what else she should wear until his eyes reached her bottom.

    "Ohh¡­" He immediately moved away and averted his gaze. His ears were warming up.

    Veronica''s face burned in shame but she didn''t express it. She hurriedly wore her pants and wrapped her wet hair with a cloth.

    After that, she hung her wet clothes on the tree branches and sat under a nearby tree.

    Ironin sat beside her. Two of them looked at the pond she was bathing half an hour ago.

    Veronica sighed. "You know when I first saw Arthur, he was my savior. Then, he turned out to be a flirt. A charming flirt. Obviously, I was too na?ve to realize I should stay away from a man like him.

    "But then, we were constantly together. I found out he was loving, gentle, possessive, and annoying. Before I knew it, I was drawn to him.

    "We got married and had little adventures. If I think back, we really didn''t know each other. Our physical rtionship was stronger than our emotional rtionship.

    "Now I know a physical rtionship isn''t the most important thing. Your hearts have to be connected. Seeing him with other women was so painful that I thought my heart was torn apart.

    "Only then did I know how much I love him and what his love actually meant. The truth is ugly and hurtful. I didn''t want to face it. That''s why I wanted to run away.

    "Yes, running away was a good option but it wasn''t sessful. I got to learn that the world wasn''t as I thought it was. People are foolish and they tend to make the wrong choice.

    "I thought, ''what are the odds with that? Didn''t I make a wrong choice too?'' And then, I noticed something. I understood that people with little knowledge made more mistakes.

    "Tonight, I found out that even the most learned man can make foolish mistakes.. For Arthur to do such a thing, is this his love or just possessiveness? Maybe all he wants is to control me or possess me or to owe me."

 Chapter 271 - WHAT SHE FEELS

    <h4>Chapter 271 - WHAT SHE FEELS</h4>

    Ironin listened to her words with his lips tightly sealed.

    "Your faith in Arthur ispletely gone," he remarked. There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

    Veronica covered her face with her knees.

    "I know and there is nothing I can do about it." Her voice was full of helplessness.

    "I want to trust him. I want to believe he loves me, but I can''t. Every time I want to believe, I remember that scene. It hurts so much, Ironin. I just can''t¡­"

    Her throat tightened and her eyes tears threatened to fall but she shut her eyes. Her pants dried her tears.

    She gulped and continued, "As long as I don''t think of him and anyone I know, I feel better. That''s why I don''t want to face them. I know if I meet, it will be all over.

    "I''m scared. I''m scared of ending everything and I''m scared of being tied up with him. I''m confused and I don''t know if I should go forward or backward.

    "So, I wanted you to forget that I''m alive. But it''s toote to run away, isn''t it? I have to stop Arthur from doing anything foolish."

    Ironin''s eyes slightly lit up with hope.

    "Are youing with me then? I''ve brought a magic stone to teleport us¨C"

    Veronica cut in, "No, I have another n. Before leaving Tybu, I went to a resort in the hilly area with Catherine. Can you ask her to meet me there in a week?"

    Ironin''s purple eyes dimmed. "Don''t you want to meet Arthur?"

    Veronica responded with a sigh, "I will, but first, I want to meet my friend."

    "Why don''t youe with me?" Ironin suggested.

    "I have something else to do before that. We will make a n. After all, I''m heading to Tybu. Do you have other magic stones to teleport?"

    "No, but I can share the one I have or I can ask Merlin to help you..."

    "No, I have a group of people with me. I don''t want them to know I''m associating with the people from the Magic Tower."

    Veronica didn''t want to share everything. Just like she didn''t want the elves to know her rtionship with the Magic Tower, she didn''t want the Magic Tower about the elves.

    She thought, ''No one knows when someone will use me for their advantage.''

    Ironin pondered, "Those people who are a mile away in the camp? I''ve seen them before seeing you here. They aren''t normal people. I''ve seen their cautious movement. Who are they?"

    Veronica tly answered, "They are people who promised to serve me from now on and they are training me."

    "Training you?" Ironin recalled how she tried to kick him.

    ''Her strength increased and her hands are skinny but tougher,'' he thought to himself.

    "To fight. I''m learning how to fight," she confessed.

    Ironin wasn''t surprised. "Why do you suddenly want to fight? To protect yourself?"

    "Sometimes you have to fight to get your point across."

    "¡­You have changed a lot." Ironin finally admitted. She was very different before.

    "This earth is well experienced. Just get out of your shelter and you will see. The world is terrible, and you will fall in love with it."

    The corner of Ironin''s lips stretched. "You learned so much in such a short period."

    Inwardly, he was d that she was out of her shelter and learned things that she couldn''t learn if she was always protected by them.

    The night of the forest was lively. The sound of gnats, whistling wind, rustling leaves, animals snarling, and their careful movements- everything kept the forest alive.

    Ironin didn''t want to go. He wished to stay here longer.

    It was still like a dream. They hardly talked to each other before but tonight, she said so much, it was unbelievable.

    However, Veronica was already sleepy. She stood up. "I''ll leave first and tell my men. See you in a week."

    She gave him a nod, took her clothes, and left. Standing behind, Ironin stared at her.

    ----------------

    Urs heard footsteps and looked in her direction. "You arete."

    Veronica hung her wet clothes "I had things to do. Did you wait for me?"

    Urs replied, "Yes, you werete. I was worried and went to check up on you. I''ve seen you talking to an unknown person. Who is he?"

    ''Did he hear what we were talking about?'' Veronica wondered. Even so, her answer was brief.

    "An acquaintance. He brought a piece of urgent news about my friend. I guess we have to go to Tybu within a week."

    Urs frowned. "Even if we fly, we need at least two weeks to reach there."

    He was curious about her acquaintance, but he held back. She didn''t like to open up about her personal matters and he respected that.

    Veronica suggested, "We can use a magic stone to teleport."

    Urs rubbed his cheek. "Hmm, there should be a magician in the next town. We can buy it from there. It''ll take three days to reach there."

    "Fair enough. Let''s head to the town tomorrow," Veronica concluded.

    "As you wish," he agreed.

    Three dayster, they reached the town. After having lunch together, Veronica and Urs went to the magician''s store.

    "Foreign customers! What do you need?" The magician excitedly greeted them.

    Urs stayed quiet as he didn''t know thenguage of the country. With his body and face all covered, he acted as Veronica''s bodyguard.

    Veronica stepped forward and asked, "I''d like to have a magic stone that is used to teleport people."

    "Teleport¡­ hmm¡­ how many people do you want to teleport?" the magician inquired.

    "Teleport eight people at least," she answered.

    Elves are seven in number. Including her, it was a group of eight people.

    The magician observed their clothes and then finally said, "You need a powerful magic stone for that, mam. It will cost you three gold coins."

    Urs slowly reached out for his sword. His lips were tightly sealed.

    Veronica stole a nce at him before turning toward the magician.

    "You should pick someone else to cheat. Also, I forgot to mention that we won''t be giving you any gold coins.. If you want, we can give you an object in return. How about that?"

 Chapter 272 - THE CUSTOMER OF THE MAGIC SHOP

    <h4>Chapter 272 - THE CUSTOMER OF THE MAGIC SHOP</h4>

    Veronica wouldn''t threaten anyone randomly. But this time, she had to do it.

    She put on a poker face and warned the magician to behave.

    ''The nerve of him. Did he think he was the first scammer I met in my life? I''ve already dealt with five of them before meeting him,'' she thought.

    The middle-aged magician realized that he couldn''t scam thisdy. Hisplexion changed.

    "Mam, you don''t have to be rash. What do you have to offer?" His tone was unexceptionally polite. No more cunningness.

    After a moment of silence, Veronica gave him a wooden box.

    The magician didn''t seem to be impressed. Nheless, he took the box and opened it.

    There was an iron dagger in the box. It was rustic and antique.

    The magician yed with his long mustache. He spotted Urs''s hand on his sword.

    Afterward, he spoke as humbly as possible, "Mam, I''m sorry to tell you that it isn''t valuable enough to be exchanged for the magic stone. Is there something else you can offer?"

    Veronica frowned. ''I found this dagger in the ruins. I thought it would be valuable. I guess I made a mistake. But, what can I offer?''

    She thought of her wedding ring given by Arthur. It was hanging on her neck.

    After running away from Ironin in Utahill, she put it in a chain she bought from the street.

    ''I shouldn''t sell something as significant as this one. If Arthur and I¡­ can''t work this out, I have to give it back to him,'' she thought.

    Although she couldn''t trust him, thinking about separation made her heart throb.

    The magician nced at her hair and his eyes lit up.

    "Mam, you have very unusual hair. Why don''t you give it to me?"

    At his suggestion, Veronica was surprised.

    "Would you like my hair? It''s very long."

    "Yes, that would be wonderful." The magician was delighted.

    He Thought, ''As the rumor said, the blessed child has silver hair. Everyone knows the blessed child lives in a castle.''

    ''Thus, the blessed child selling her hair for some magic stones is out of the question. Although thisdy has an escort, she doesn''t look like a pampered princess. Since this girl has silver hair, I''m sure I can sell it for a hefty amount.''

    Veronica paused to ponder about her hair before grabbing her braid. Her long hair was bothersome during the journey and so she tied it up.

    She took out her sharp knife and roughly separated the braid from her remaining hair.

    Urs stepped closer to prevent her from cutting her hair but before he could, the braid was on her hand. Her short hair loosened up and covered her hair.

    "Here you go," Veronica expressionlessly put down the braid on the table.

    The magician was delighted. He took the braid and carefully observed it.

    "The magical stone?" Veronica asked.

    "Yes, yes, I''m giving it to you right away."

    The magician opened a drawer and grabbed a small pouch. He untied the pouch and let a small blue stone roll on the table.

    "This is what you are looking for. You can use it only four times. After that, the stone will lose its glow. It means it has no more mana left."

    Veronica heard him giving instruction and then calmly spoke her mind.

    "If you give us a wrong product, you do realize that we wille for you, right?"

    The magician gulped. A droplet of sweat rolled down his cheek.

    "Haha, mam, you jest. You gave me a valuable product in exchange. How can I cheat? Please be rest assured and don''t forget toe to me next time. I have valuable magical items."

    Veronica collected the stone and her wooden box with the rustic dagger and then left with Urs. Outside the shop, a soft breeze blew and ruffled her short hair.

    Urs stared at her short hair and his heart ached. He couldn''t help butin.

    "Was it necessary to cut off your hair? You look better with long hair."

    Veronica shrugged. Her expression was serene.

    "I don''t see the problem. It''ll grow soon. At least we have the magical stone. We can go to Tybu tomorrow morning. Let''s stay here for the night. I''d like to look around."

    "Sure, whatever you wish," Urs agreed.

    That night, the magician sent Veronica''s hair to the Magic Tower.

    In that tower, magicians could invent many magical items from human parts if they carried lots of mana.

    The magician wished to know if he could sell his items in the tower and get enough money.

    In the Magic Tower, magicians were already familiar with Veronica. When they found the hair, one of the senior magicians secretly informed Ovior.

    Ovior rubbed the back of his neck and went to talk to the magician from the town.

    "I see you have a fascinating item. Where did you get it?" he inquired.

    The magician''s eyes sparkled after seeing Ovior. He greeted him in a friendly manner.

    "Master Ovior, it''s an honor to meet you after a long time. I''ve brought this hair in exchange for a magical item. The customer didn''t have enough money, so she decided to give me her hair."

    "I see." Ovior frowned. "Where is your shop situated?"

    "A small town on the border of Lynnford," the magician replied.

    Ovior raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    Lynnford was a developing kingdom. The kingdom was separated from two powerful countries in the north by a mountain range. In the south, there''s another country, Tybu.

    Tybu and Lynnford were separated by rainforest.

    Ovior''s heart trembled. "Do you remember how the customer looks like?" he carefully asked the magician while reminding himself not to hope too much.

    The magician didn''t have to think too much. It happened just this morning.

    "The customer is a prettydy. She is tall and skinny. Her skin is slightly tanned. She must have been traveling a lot because her lips are rough, and her arms have old injuries.. It can be a sharp sword."

 Chapter 273 - OVIORS INQUIRY

    <h4>Chapter 273 - OVIOR''S INQUIRY</h4>

    "She is quiet, and her attitude is cold. She is wary of unknown people. Although she is a foreigner, she speaks in Lynnfordnguage quite well. She was with a man who hid his face. He didn''t talk till the end.

    "Ah, I forgot to mention one thing. She has a pair of green eyes. They sparkle like gems. Her eyes are sharp. When she stared at me, I felt like she was reading my mind. It was a bit scary. Haha."

    An unspeakable hope lit up in Ovior''s heart. At that same time, his heart was full of doubt.

    ''It does sound like that''s Veronica but tanned skin and swords? I don''t want to believe it. It''s not even a year. She can''t suddenly change her demeanor.''

    ''What should I do? Should I tell Arthur, or should I call for Ironin? Arthur is so close to making a deal with the God of Underworld.''

    ''If we can''t stop him on time, catastrophe will fall upon this earth. He won''t listen to me even if I warn him.''

    ''He doesn''t care about this unkind world. He only cares about his dead wife.''

    ''But, we are not sure if she is dead or alive. We haven''t found any evidence. All we think is that she died after falling from the cliff. No one would be able to stay alive falling from there.''

    ''In any case, there is a high chance that the woman is Veronica. Not many women have this kind of unique hair and also, gem-like green eyes. I should be able to find out who the owner of this long hair is.''

    Thinking of all pros and cons, Ovior grabbed the silver braid and told the magician, "You wait here. I''ll test the hair and then give you money worth the product."

    The magician''s eyes lit up with greed. "Oh! Sure! Sure, Master Ovior. Anything you wish."

    Ovior went back to his room and avoided meeting Catherine who was working with the papers.

    He went to a small dark room. There was a ck stone altar in the middle of the room. He ced the hair on the altar.

    Afterward, he used magic to bring his magical staff. With a single touch of the silver staff, the silver hair glowed.

    Then, he recited some ancientnguage. The silver braid began to float in the air and Ovior envisioned a picture

    It was a picture of Veronica.

    The braid lost the glowing light and dropped on the altar. Ovior disappeared from the room.

    He abruptly appeared in front of the magician, almost giving him a scare.

    Pushing a pouch of gold coins, Ovior said, "This is your reward. You brought an excellent product. You may go."

    The magician wanted to leap in the air. He never earned this much money for a single product in his life.

    He grabbed the heavy pouch and thanked Ovior again and again.

    "Thank you, master Ovior. Thank you! Thank you!"

    Ovior didn''t have time to give a nce at him. He disappeared abruptly, just like he appeared.

    ''I have things to take care of. I don''t have much time,'' he thought.

    After he left, the magician put the pouch on the table and opened it. The golden coins were shiny.

    His rapacious eyes gazed at the gold coins. He licked his lips as they were dry. He recalled Veronica''s face.

    ''That woman, she must have had enough mana for her hair to be this worthy. I wonder how much each body part will be. If I break them into pieces and sell them in the tower, will I be rich enough to own a kingdom?''

    As he thought, he decided to look for her.

    --------------

    Meanwhile, Ironin went to Ovior''s office and didn''t see him anywhere. Relieved, he walked toward Catherine.

    When he was in front of her table, Catherine finally noticed him. She raised her head to find out who he was.

    "Ironin, sir, Master Ovior isn''t in this room. He will be here shortly. Would you like to drink tea while waiting?"

    Her voice was sluggish. She became thinner than before. Due tock of sleep, she had dark eye bags under her eyes.

    "I''m not here to meet him today. I''m here for you," his response was curt.

    Catherine blinked. "What do you want from me?"

    Without answering her, Ironin asked, "Do you remember the ce where youst went with Veronica?"

    Catherine lowered her eyes. Sadness filled her tired eyes.

    "How can I not remember? It was thest trip with Ver. We went to the hilly area resort to enjoy our time there. I wish I could spend a little more time with her. If I only knew¡­"

    She sobbed when she remembered it. "I miss her so much."

    Ironin could understand how she felt but he already knew that she was alive. Thus, he showed no reaction.

    He stated, "I need you to go there and spend some time there. Stay there for seven days."

    Catherine dumbly stared at him. After a long time, she remarked, "You do realize that you sound absurd."

    "It doesn''t matter how it sounds. I don''t care what you think. I told you my piece."

    Ironin was ready to leave. In front of the door, he paused and turned around. "You will regret it if you don''t go."

    After he left, Catherine gaped at the door. "What is wrong with him? Did he lose his mind?"

    Suddenly, she recalled Darius and Zinnia''s gossip and gasped.

    She wondered, ''Don''t tell me he got a crush on Ver. That''s just sad!''

    She lowered her head and looked at her table. There was a bronze photo frame on the table. Veronica and Catherine''s picture was painted there.

    ''Ver, you tell me. Should I go there? I don''t want to go where you remind me of you. It hurts so much.''

    Her heart cried for their good times together. She could not forget.

    ___________________________________________________________________________________

    A/N: I''m so sorry that I didn''t upload chapters half of the month. As a punishment, you will get 3 chapters everyday from now on (except for Friday). Pray for my health since I get sick every 3 weeks.. It''s kinda like a habit of my body. Wish me luck!

 Chapter 274 - CATHERINES VISIT

    <h4>Chapter 274 - CATHERINE''S VISIT</h4>

    Her heart cried for their good times together. She could not forget.

    ''Maybe I should go there and pay a visit to my new friend I made there. I will talk to him about you and how much fun we had together. It wouldn''t be that bad.''

    She covered her face. Tears streamed down her face.

    --------

    The hilly track was empty. Catherine couldn''t find a soul. A soft breeze blew, and her curly dirty-blonde hair danced with the wind. Looking at the muddy road. She found it lonesome.

    She walked in the direction of the resort. When she walked closer, she spotted Vincent standing in front of the resort. His tall body stood like a statue.

    A pair of attractive grey eyes also noticed her and the owner of the eyes gave her a bright smile.

    He came closer and stated, "Dear lovelydy, I was waiting for your arrival. What took you so long?"

    Catherine dropped her bag and slightly smiled at him. Now that she saw him, she felt much better.

    She gently retorted, "What do you mean by ''so long''? I''vee on time."

    Vincent had his piece ready. "I''ve been waiting for two days. It felt like more than two decades. How can it be a short amount of time?"

    Two days ago, Ironin told her to visit the resort. She wrote a letter to Vincent that very day and applied for a week''s holiday. She finished all her remaining work in two days and came here.

    "Glib tongue." Catherine didn''t wait anymore. She walked closer and went to his embrace.

    She wanted to be hugged by him. After the news of Veronica''s death, she didn''t have anyone to console her.

    In the arms of a man, she felt his warmth and sturdy muscles. It gave her a sense of security andfort.

    Vincent took her in his arms and was surprised at how cold her body was.

    "Why are you so cold? Didn''t you say you woulde here in a carriage?"

    He rubbed her arms in order to warm up her body.

    "I took a walk and stayed on the track for a while," Catherine replied. She did not tell him that she was reminiscing about her time with Veronica.

    "Why did you do that? You could be in danger. No one could save you." Vincent was worried. "You must have walked for two hours. Come inside. I prepared a room for you."

    He grabbed her bag and showed her the way inside. "I''ve prepared the same room you bookedst time; just like you mentioned in the letter."

    "Thank you, Vincent," she genuinely thanked him.

    Vincent was excited to have her here. He kept talking, "I will prepare a warm bath for you. You need to warm up your body. While you bathe, I''ll ask the cook to prepare your lunch."

    "That''s very kind of you." Catherine liked the way he tried to keep the conversation going. She was not in the mood to keep her cheerful fa?ade.

    More than that, the open space was trying to make her reveal all her sorrow so that nature could embrace her.

    "What ''kind''? How many times in the letter did I mention you toe over during weekends? What kind of demonic boss do you have who cannot give his employee a weekend? I''m going toin to him."

    Vincent was fuming.

    ''As I thought. He held grudges,'' Catherine thought.

    ''It''s just I didn''t want toe here, and I wished to forget about Ver''s death so much that I kept working without a break. I couldn''t sleep at night.''

    ''That''s why in the letter I lied to him that I have too much workload. I was just doing extra work that wasn''t mine.''

    She grasped his free hand and pleaded, "Please don''t be upset, okay? I promise to visit you often."

    ''Coming here already made me feel a lot better. It wouldn''t be so bad toe here often,'' she decided.

    "Really? You promise?" Vincent''s eyes sparkled. But the next second, his eyes dimmed. "What''s the point of promising? You promised mest time too but you waited months beforeing here again.

    "It won''t happen again. I promise," she swore.

    Vincent became excited once again. "That will be great. I made so many ns for us. We will see the stars at night.

    "We will see the dawn while hiking to the highest hill. We will have a lunch pic. We will go down the road and watch the sunset in the valley."

    Catherine''s smile widened. "It sounds thrilling. Let''s do that. I''ll be here for a week. We will have plenty of time together."

    "Yes! I''m looking forward to our time together." Vincent couldn''t agree more.

    "But what about your work? Your parents won''t scold you if you skip your work, will they?" Catherine was worried about that part.

    "No way! I already asked for a half shift for a week. Since I work hard every day, my parents agreed to take over the rest of the day. And it''s only for a week. That won''t be a problem."

    "That''s good then." With this, Catherine was relieved.

    Vincent took her to her room and dropped the bag. "You can rest a bit. I''ll check if the water is warm."

    "Okay," Catherine sat down on the chair.

    It reminded her of thest time she was sitting beside the window and enjoying the view. Veronica was sleeping in the next room.

    ''Ver, now you aren''t here¡­''

    Her heart was heavy. She subconsciously touched her chest.

    "The water is ready. You can take a bath first. I''ll tell the cook to make your meal ready," Vincent announced.

    "Thank you! Please tell the cook to prepare a spicy dinner for me," before entering the bathroom, she requested.

    "You got it!" Vincent left.

    Catherine stayed in the bathtub for at least thirty minutes beforeing out. Herbs were mixed in the warm water. It soothed her body and she felt refreshed.

    Wearing a bathing gown, she wrapped her hair with a towel. When she entered the room, she found the meal was already prepared for her.. Vincent was nowhere in the room.

 Chapter 275 - TIME WITH VINCENT

    <h4>Chapter 275 - TIME WITH VINCENT</h4>

    When she noticed Vincent wasn''t around, she rxed. Whether he was a friend or not, she didn''t wish to meet a man after a bath.

    The aroma of the delicious food entered her nostrils. Sensing something moving down to her chin, she touched it and realized that she was drooling.

    ''Oh! I can''t believe I''m drooling." She wiped her mouth and sat on the couch. The smell of the meal made her stomach cry.

    "I didn''t know I was starving." Before she knew it, she finished thest piece of meat.

    With a filled stomach and content heart, she leaned against the couch. "When was thest time I had a heartfelt meal? I don''t remember."

    She turned her head toward the window. She noticed three white, ck, and brown cows in the field. They were eating grass.

    It reminded her of Veronica who used to love animals. She liked feeding all kinds of birds and animals. She never discriminated.

    ''If she was alive, would she feed the cows right now?''

    Questioning herself, Catherine closed her eyes and shook her head. ''I should try not to think about the negative part. Ver will be sad if she finds out. I need to be strong.''

    She got up from the seat and changed her clothes. She wore a grey colored gown and an orange corset.

    Her hair was still wet. She kept the hair untied, letting the hair get dry.

    At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Vincent opened the door and smiled politely, "Did you finish your meal?"

    Catherine could finally stretch her lips without forcing herself.

    "Yes, that was the most delicious meal I had this year. Please thank the cook for me." While talking he sat across from her.

    "I told her that my friend wanted to eat spicy food. She was thrilled. She is a master at cooking spicy food. She cooked the best dishes she could make," Vincent looked proud

    Catherine was delighted to hear that.

    "That''s wonderful! I want to eat spicy food every day for the next few days. Just give me a light breakfast."

    "Sure, whatever you wish for." Vincent leaned forward and sped his fingers together.

    "Now please tell me, why do you look horrifyingly sickly. I know you had work pressure but the moment I saw you, you looked like a dead person. What happened?"

    He sounded deeply concerned. His eyes were filled with worry.

    Catherine lowered her eyes. "Like a dead person, huh? I wish I was the one who died."

    "What do you mean by that?" Vincent became serious. "You cannot just say things like that as a joke."

    "Joke?" Catherine chuckled. Grief covered her blue eyes. "It''s not a joke though."

    Vincent reached out and carefully held her hands. "Did something happen? Can you share? It will ease your burden."

    A deep sigh escaped from Catherine''s mouth. "Do you remember the girl who came with me here?"

    Vincent remembered. "Yes, the red-colored hair."

    At that time, Veronica was using a hair color spell. Thus, he didn''t know her true hair color.

    "Yes, she is my best friend. We grew up together. She went on traveling with her husband and then¡­"

    Hiding whatever was necessary, Catherine borated how Veronica died.

    Only then Vincent realized what she was going through.

    "I see! That''s terrible! You must have had a hard time. Even I would grieve for my best friend. No wonder you hardly wrote anything in the letters."

    Catherine nodded. "I just wanted to dig a hole and stay there and work, work and work. I did not want to think of anything else. I just wanted to forget about the news that she died. It''s unbearable."

    "Sometimes, you just have to face it to fight your fears. Only then it will be gone forever." Vincent''s voice was gentle.

    Catherine shook her head. "It won''t be fair for Ver. I want to remember her till the day I die."

    "Please don''t talk about death for now. It''s giving me goosebumps," Vincent stated.

    After that, he stood up and reached out his hand. He proposed an idea, "Want to go for a walk?"

    "Sure," Catherine agreed. "It''ll help my stomach to digest the food."

    "You will be here for a week, won''t you? In a whole week, I will change your moodpletely," Vincent took an oath.

    Catherine giggled. "I''m looking forward to it.

    The two of them went out for a walk. The open area was mainly covered with green grass.

    The resort was covered with tall trees. There were at least two tall trees beside every cottage.

    In front of the small cottages, gardeners took care of the flower beds. The sweet scent of mixed flowers was mesmerizing.

    Catherine looked around and found colorful butterflies ying around. A pet dog was chasing after a yellow butterfly. It was an amusing sight.

    She took a trip down memoryne while staring at the scene. When she was a child, she and Veronica would often miss sses and chase after butterflies.

    Her heart throbbed but it wasn''t as painful as before.

    ''Maybe talking to Vincent did help me,'' she thought.

    She took a deep breath and looked around. Everywhere she looked, she saw rolling hills. This picturesque hill was surrounded by undting hills.

    They went down to the road. The road was wide enough for three horses to walk side by side. The red soil looked attractive around the greenery.

    Naturally, the road would be dark at night. Visitors would find onemppost with magical stone in a ten-meters stoppage.

    It was chilly around here because of the trees surrounding the area. The sloppy part of the hill had a deep forest.

    Only natives go there to hunt animals. Visitors were forbidden to go there, or they would never find their way to the resort.

    All the fills were connected and so was the forest.

    Vincent took Catherine to the lush green valley. People held pics there. Childrenughed and yed. There was a hugeke in the middle of the valley.

    "Theke is beautiful," Catherinemented.

    Vincent replied, "It is, isn''t it? You can find lots of fish here.. Fishermen frequentlye here to catch fish."

 Chapter 276 - ENJOYING THE EVENING

    <h4>Chapter 276 - ENJOYING THE EVENING</h4>

    Vincent replied, "It is, isn''t it? You can find lots of fish here. Fishermen frequentlye here to catch fish."

    Catherine thought of something and urged him, "Shall we catch some fish?"

    Vincent was surprised at first and soon smiled. "Do you know how to catch a fish?"

    "Yes, I do!"

    Afterward, the pair borrowed a fisherman''s rod and wire. Then, they caught three medium-sized fish.

    While catching fish, they enjoyed the sunset. The sky spread red, yellow, and orange hue while the fiery sun went down and blended with the horizon.

    Theke was sorge that it seemed theke united with the horizon. Theke, horizon, and the sun were connected. It was a mind-blowing sight.

    They decided toe back before the light was out. The resort was far from the valley, up in the hill.

    Catherine didn''t feel anything when she came down but going up was the hardest part, thanks to the gravity.

    "I¡­ huff¡­ I can''t walk anymore. It''s just too much¡­ huff..."

    At herint, Vincent paused. He was walking at ease since he was a native who used to live there. He was holding the fish they caught in theke.

    "Do you need a hand?" he asked.

    Catherine shook her head. She ced a hand on her chest and took deep breaths. The more oxygen went inside her system, the better she felt.

    Her heartbeats slowly decreased. Even in the chilly weather, she was sweating.

    "If you can walk without any help, I can too. I refused to act like a grandma."

    Her stubborn answer made Vincentugh out loud.

    "No one thinks of you as a grandma. It''s just you are not used to it. I was born here and naturally went to the valley every time I had a chance.

    "Besides, you only do the table work. You don''t have the time to exercise. So, naturally, you have less strength than the native people in hilly tracks."

    Catherine couldn''t agree more. "I promise that I will start exercise after I reach our destination."

    Vincent hid hisughter. "Let''s go to the resort first."

    Since they walked slowly, thest bit of light went out. The sky started twinkling with the stars.

    The magical stones automatically lit up. The colorfulmps turned the ce into a dreand. The atmosphere suddenly became romantic.

    Without a word, Vincent grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it. he walked by her side, without impatiently pulling forward, giving her time to walk slowly.

    Catherine noticed his patience and understood his gesture. His warm palms transferred the temperature to her hand. Soon, it transferred to her heart.

    Her heart was beating faster. Feeling nervous, she subconsciously squeezed his hand.

    Vincent sensed her squeezing his hand. The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly, and he intertwined their hands.

    Catherine realized what she had done. Blood rushed in her face. As a result, her face heated up.

    She opened her mouth to say something to get rid of her nervousness, but nothing came out.

    The thirty minutes'' walk seemed like a thirty hours'' walk. It was like a never-ending road.

    Finally, they reached the resort. Catherine couldn''t take it anymore.

    "I''ll take a short break," she told him and then quickly walked in the direction of her room.

    ''Oh, my Goddess! Oh, my Goddess! This is so embarrassing!'' She screamed inwardly but acted poised.

    Behind her, Vincent stared at her without blinking. When he realized that his hand was empty, he chuckled.

    ''She ran away. How can you eat away my warmth and leave me alone when you are done? So selfish. You should pay for the service before you leave, at least.''

    Shaking his head, he went to the kitchen. His heart was fluttering. He couldn''t control his feelings.

    Catherine rushed toward her room and went directly to the bathroom. She took a jar of water and sshed it on her head.

    The cold water cooled down her face and heart. Afterward, she changed her clothes and went back to her room.

    Wrapping the towel around her head, sheid down on the bed. Her leg muscles were throbbing walking for so long.

    Covering her face, she scolded herself, "Cathy, you idiot! Why did you run away? Even if you are not a grandma, you became a coward after running from him. You didn''t even thank him for the wonderful evening. You are such an idiot."

    She was so busy reprimanding herself that she didn''t realize that she was speaking loudly.

    "Yes, Cathy is an idiot."

    The voice came out of nowhere.

    Catherine jumped out of the bed, forgetting about her sore legs. She looked around and asked, "Who are you? Show yourself!"

    ''Oh no! Why don''t I see anything? It''s not a ghost, right?'' She shivered thinking about the invisible ghost. It scared her out of her wits.

    A voice spoke again, "Should I show myself to an idiot?"

    Catherine trembled. ''Oh, my freaking Goddess, this is really a ghost. I''m going to die today. Ahh, I wasn''t able to date a guy. How can I die right now?''

    While she cried andmented, suddenly, something hit her.

    ''Wait, the voice is familiar. Doesn''t it sound like Ver''s voice?''

    The realization struck her head. ''Does this mean she came here to possess my body? This way, her unsatisfied soul can live a long life.''

    She gulped and tried to stay calm. After gathering some courage, she asked, "Ver, is that you? Did your soule to find me?"

    No matter how strong she wanted to be, her voice quivered in the end.

    The voice didn''t answer for some time. After a few moments passed by, Catherine thought she was hallucinating.

    At that time, the voice answered, "I''m back from the dead and came to find out. It looks like you were having so much fun without me. You forgot about your friend, didn''t you? Maybe you wanted to get rid of me for a long time."

    "No! No! That''s not true. This ce reminded me of you. It was thest ce where we had fun after all. I came here for you.. I did not forget you."

 Chapter 277 - GHOST POSSESSES BODY

    <h4>Chapter 277 - GHOST POSSESSES BODY</h4>

    At the ghost''sint, Catherine firmly stated, "No! No! That''s not true. This ce reminded me of you. It was thest ce where we had fun after all. I came here for you. I did not forget you."

    Veronica''s ghost seemed to like what she said. "Is that so? Prove it."

    "Prove? How to prove it?" Catherine''s throat was dry. She didn''t know if it was for hiking or because she was frightened. "Do¡­ Do you want to possess my body, or do you want me to die?"

    Veronica''s ghost replied, "You can die¡­"

    Catherine gulped. She wished to cry but even her tears were scared toe out. Such treacherous action.

    Veronica''s ghost added, "¡­but it will be better if I can possess your body. Ahahaahahaha!"

    ''Omigud!'' Catherine internally screamed.

    "Shall I?" It looked like Veronica''s ghost was politely asking for her permission.

    Despite feeling terrified, Catherine responded, "Hyesss! You are my friend, Ver. I can let you have my body. No problem. See you in heaven!"

    "I''ming!!!" The voice seemed toe closer.

    ''Eeekk!'' Catherine''s legs trembled. She fell to the ground as she had no strength left. Closing her eyes, she prepared for death.

    However, nothing happened. There was pin-drop silence in the room. Only her heart was beating like a drum. Even so, she waited for her end.

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    "Boo!"

    "Aaaaaa!"

    If someone didn''t make the sound near her ear, she wouldn''t scream that loud.

    "Ahahaha!" Veronica burst intoughter. She couldn''t stop it. Her stomach hurt so much but she still couldn''t stop. She sat on the ground and keptughing with all her power. She wanted to roll on the floor but held back her urge.

    There was a reason behind it. Catherine was looking at her with a petrified expression.

    Veronica wiped her eyes and touched Catherine''s shoulder. "I''m not sorry for scaring you. I just wanted to surprise you, but you got so frightened, I had no choice but to make fun of you. Haha! Ah, my stomach hurts."

    She didn''t lie. When she arrived, she spotted Catherine and Vincent on the road. Since she was in the forest, those two didn''t see her.

    She went to the resort before them and got herself the room she used before. She couldn''t bathe for two days since she was on a journey.

    Not wanting to shower her friend with a stinky smell, she decided to take a bath. After taking a bath, she waited in Catherine''s room. She had a feeling that Catherine would choose this room, just like her and she wasn''t wrong.

    While waiting, she found Catherine running to the room and showering herself with cold water. She had to admit she was perplexed.

    When Catherine spoke loudly who stupid she was, Veronica understood what she was going through. As she spoke up, her friend became all nervous and scared.

    She could not let go of the chance to make fun of her friend. She had an urge tough a few times when her friend used weird words like "Hyess" instead of "yes" and so many reactions. She did her best to hold back.

    Catherine stared at theughing Veronica. Her face was ghastly pale. After a while, her eyes teared up and poured like a rainy day.

    "Ver, I can''t believe you can touch me after being a ghost. Did you gain a new power because you are the blessed child?"

    "¡­"

    Her question threw Veronica off her feet.

    ''I can''t believe she still thinks I''m a ghost!'' Veronica wished to p her own face. ''I wanted to run away from Arthur and I hurt Cathy in the process. I''m the worst.''

    She put her other hand on Catherine''s shoulder and jerked her body harshly.

    "Wake up! I''m alive. I didn''t die."

    Catherine was dizzy when her body was swayed by her friend vigorously. She thought it was the process for a ghost to gain a body.

    When she heard Veronica''s words, she tightly grasped her friend''s both arms and gave her a weird look.

    "You¡­ are alive¡­" her voice quivered as she talked.

    "Yes, I am."

    "You are not a ghost?"

    "I''m not."

    "You didn''t die."

    Veronica shrugged. "How can I die leaving you behind. Next time I really die, I''ll drag you with me. Does that sound nice?"

    At that moment, Catherine threw herself at her. "Waaah! Ver, I was so sad when I heard you were gone forever. I couldn''t imagine my life without you."

    She wailed loudly and tears poured down, drenching Veronica''s shoulder.

    ''She is truly heartbroken. I should have contacted her before. But if I did that, Arthur and Ovior would notice something. That would be troublesome. What''s the point? I have to meet up with him anyway.'' Thinking all that, Veronica exhaled loudly.

    When Catherine stopped crying, she wiped her eyes and stared at her friend. She pursed her lips. She was surely offended.

    "If you didn''t die, why didn''t you contact me? Do you know how sad I was? I couldn''t eat or sleep. I only worked. I lost my beauty because of you. Everyone thinks of me as a grandma. I can''t date anymore. Do you want me to die single?"

    "I''m so sorry, Princess Cathy. I never thought of hurting you. I went on a long journey, and I had no way of contacting anyone. And who said you lost your beauty. Who dares to call you grandma? Just you name it, my lovely princess. I shall cut down any person who dares to bully you."

    Veronica''s reply was dramatic. Her sudden change made Catherine perplexed.

    She touched her friend''s hands and asked, "Ver, is that really you? Why did you change so much? You have be skinny too. Your skin is darker shades. What happened while you were gone? Did you suffer a lot?"

    Veronica looked down. "I''ve just suffered betrayal."

    "Betrayal?" Catherine was startled. "What betrayal? Who hurt you? I heard you were locked up by our king. Did he betray you?"

    "How can he betray me?" Veronica''s shoulders dropped. "He doesn''t see me as an adult. I guess I gave them enough reasons to see me and treat me as a child...."

 Chapter 278 - CHEATING HAS CONSEQUENCES

    <h4>Chapter 278 - CHEATING HAS CONSEQUENCES</h4>

    "¡­He doesn''t see me as an adult. I guess I gave them enough reasons to see me and treat me as a child. But I''m willing to change myself. So, I''ve decided.

    "I won''t act like a child anymore and think the world is a fun ce. I treated this world too lightly. It''s one of the most aged existence in the history of creation. From now on, I will treat the earth and the lives of living beings on earth more seriously."

    At this point, Catherine cut in saying, "All right, all right, I understand that you are all fired up. It''s good that you have be wiser. But please don''t change your personality. I love my friend the way she is."

    Veronica squeezed her hands. "I know. I won''t change my personality but my attitude toward people. I''ll treat you like a princess."

    Catherine looked away. "Hmph! I don''t want that. Treat me like a queen."

    "Yes, your majesty." Veronica bowed.

    The girls giggled and Catherine pulled her hands. "All right, tell me who else betrayed you., I swear I''ll take revenge."

    Veronica found her funny. "Can you really take revenge?''

    "Why not? Just name it!" Catherine was so sure she could do it. "I''ll beat them up."

    "Okay, my queen. Please take revenge on Saint Ava and Arthur."

    "¡­Eehh?" Catherine choked.

    They were two powerful people. One of them, she never saw in her life and another one, she could never pick a hair of him. How could she beat them up?

    But there was something more concerning.

    "So, the Saint sold you out to our king but what''s the deal of Arthur? What do you mean by ''he betrayed you''?"

    Veronica felt a pang in her heart. She took a deep breath and told him the whole story.

    "What? What?" Catherine''s eyes nearly popped out from the sockets. "Arthur slept with women!! You mean just like before he met you? Are you kidding? What about mistakes?? It can be illusion magic or something. Did you see that with your very own eyes?"

    While working with the Magic Tower, she had learned about magic spells. She knew when certain spells could work.

    Veronica let out a long sigh. "You know, you can''t use magic inside the Holy City. Moreover, I saw the scene with my very own eyes. I cannot forget it no matter how many times I see it. So, I wanted to run away. I didn''t want to face him.

    "Who knew I would get abducted. When I fell from the cliff, I truly wished to die. I thought I would finally be free."

    Catherine understood how heartbroken her friend was. However, the usation was hard to ept. She had seen Arthur for a few months, and she could tell how much he cared for his wife.

    She hesitated before saying, "Ver, I know. I believe what you saw was correct. But after your death, Arthur has gone mad."

    "Who cares if he goes mad? I don''t care. If he was that worried, why did he cheat? Did she think I would let him off just because I love him? That won''t happen. Cheating is forbidden as long as someone is in a legal rtionship. What he did was wrong. He needs to face the consequences."

    Veronica''s voice was firm. She wouldn''t let him go without a fight no matter what.

    Catherine shook her head. "You don''t understand. He killed all the bad criminals and assassins who attacked him and some bad nobles. He used their souls to practice Dark Arts. I tried to contact the devil in exchange for your soul. They are even looking for a body as a host."

    Veronica''s eyes widened in shock. She knew about God of the Underworld, but she learned something new.

    She covered her mouth. "Dark Arts? That''s forbidden."

    The Dark Arts, also known as Dark Magic, was a term that referred to any type of magic that was mainly used to cause harm to, exert control over, or even kill the victim. Most people who practiced what was known as The Dark Arts were evil, but not all.

    The Dark Artsmonly referred to spells and actions that could be used to harm others, ranging from the powerful Unforgivable Curses to brewing harmful or poisonous potions and breeding dark creatures. These acts were often illegal or at least heavily discouraged in the wizarding world. Practitioners were referred to as Dark Wizards or Witches.

    She learned about many rules andws, and she knew Dark Arts wouldn''t do any good to the human world.

    In ancient times, the Dark Arts were popr among local people, and they hired magicians and witches who performed that magic. Only highly educated magicians and witches could perform the spells since it was done with the ancientnguage.

    Many people died and the world was filled with unholy items and ces. Newborns started to suffer. A curse came down from heaven.

    And then, the Great War washed away all the sins. After that, the leaders and Kings of all kingdoms concluded that ancientnguage and Dark Arts would be forbidden.

    First, they burned all the books written in the ancientnguage. They kept very few books in the Holy City and the Magic Tower.

    Then, they created a secret team of highly professional soldiers to hunt down remaining Dart Arts magicians and witches.

    Many magicians and witches died. Some fled. Some hid.

    In the rules of Magic Tower, magicians couldn''t dare to study the ancientnguage. Even the Head of the Magic Tower couldn''t do it.

    ''Now that Arthur disobeyed the ancientw and opened the forbidden door, how many magicians will follow his path? How many of them are waiting for someone powerful to do something horrible? Now that they got the chance, will they leave this good opportunity?''

    Veronica frowned as she thought of that.

    "Cathy, I don''t think I have time for romance. We have to prevent him from going any further. We must not let others know what he had done."

    Catherine was depressed.

 Chapter 279 - [Bonus ]CATHERINES PERSUATION

    <h4>Chapter 279 - [Bonus ]CATHERINE''S PERSUATION</h4>

    "Cathy, I don''t think I have time for romance. We have to prevent him from going any further. We must not let others know what he had done."

    Catherine was depressed. "It''s toote."

    "What do you mean by it''s toote?" Veronica''s heart dropped. "Don''t tell me he seeded in summoning the God of Underworld?"

    Catherine shook her head. "He didn''t want to summon the God of the Underworld. He straightly called for the Demon Lord."

    "D-Demon Lord?" Veronica gulped. "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    "You don''t read dark history books and so you have no idea. The Demon Lord is the King of Hell!" Catherine exined.

    In her free time, she had been reading books so that she could forget about Veronica''s death.

    "Arthur went too far." Veronica''s expression contorted. "At this point, to bring me back from death¡­ If he was going to go that far, why did he cheat? This is so unfair."

    Catherine spoke her mind. "That''s why I''m telling you that there might be a reason behind his action."

    Veronica became a bit agitated after hearing that. "I told you! I don''t care what his reason is! If he loves me, he has to be loyal to me. If he can''t do that, the only thing left is separation."

    Catherine was startled by her rough voice. She realized that it wasn''t time to push her theories to her.

    "Ver, I know you are mad but think this through. You guys got married so soon and hardly know each other. Try asking him what happened that night. If it really was him or another man ¨C you need to know that. That''s your right."

    With a gentle and rxed voice, she put her thoughts into words. Thest thing she wanted was a conflict with her best friend.

    Veronica frowned. "You think I won''t recognize who my husband is?"

    ''Oh, no! I''m making things worse.'' Feeling nervous, Catherine quickly raised her hands.

    "No, I didn''t mean that. All I want you not to regret. Don''t you want to stop him from summoning the Dark Lord? When you do, just ask him why he did that. Clear up everything and break things up with him."

    She cried inwardly and prayed, ''I''m sorry that I couldn''t give you a proper solution. I hope you will calm down before you face him.''

    When she heard about ''break up'', Veronica gradually cooled down. Her stern expression turned normal.

    Observing her reaction, Catherine sighed in relief. To ease up the atmosphere, she quickly added, "Why don''t we have dinner? I''m starving. I''m sure you are hungry."

    "I am." Veronica smiled. She was relieved that her friend tried to make her feel better. "Let''s go."

    Catherine met up with Vincent and told him about Veronica. He was surprised and then looked genuinely happy.

    Veronica came to see them and greeted him. "Thank you for taking care of my friend."

    Vincent humbly replied, "Please, don''t thank me. Just like you, I''m also her friend and it is my honor to help a friend like her. I wish she could be here often."

    He kept a proper distance from Veronica and spoke formally. This was how he treated his guests.

    ''He doesn''t like me that much. Is it because I thanked him or made Catherine sad over my fake death news?'' Veronica pondered.

    Before she could think too deeply about this, Catherine butted in. "Vincent, I''m sorry but I want to eat with my friend. Is that okay? I''ll definitely wake up early and have breakfast with you. I promise."

    When she pleaded with her innocent eyes, Vincent stared at her for a while. No matter how he felt, in the end, he gave in. "As you wish, my princess."

    He took her right hand and nted a kiss on the back of her hand. He gave her a flirtish look before leaving.

    Veronica stared at his back disappearing inside the kitchen andmented, "It''s surprising that you two are still in touch."

    "Why don''t you like him?" Catherine asked her.

    Veronica shrugged. "I hardly understand men. And this guy doesn''t open up very much. I don''t have much of an impression of him."

    She didn''t miss the chance to tease her friend. "But, look at you two. Giving each other stares and flirting when I''m present¡­ Are you guys really friends?"

    After being elbowed by her, Catherine''s face flushedpletely. "W-what are you saying? We are still friends. Nothing''s going on. You overthink everything!"

    "Really?" Veronica smugly stared at her.

    "Yes, yes. Let''s go outside. We will eat in the restaurant." Catherine pushed her out of the resort.

    Their meals were served. The smoked fish with a spicy vor in front of them was truly appetizing. While eating, Catherine told her that she was the one who caught fish.

    Veronica was delighted. "Amazing! I miss the times when we caught fish in the temple pond. Sister Josephine would be so mad."

    "Yes! Now we don''t have to worry about stupid rules." Sensing that her friend was bing gloomy as the topic, Catherine changed the subject, "Let''s hear about your journey. Did you have an adventure just like you wanted?"

    Veronica was thrilled as she told her about the abduction, the elvish realm, and what she learned from them.

    "Are you kidding me? Elves! They are real! Like what on earth!" Catherine burst with excitement. "Howe they did not find out who you are?"

    Veronica replied, "I haven''t told anyone I know that I''m married. Saint Ava told me not to fall in love."

    Catherine mmed the table. "That''s nonsense! How can you shower love on others if you can''t fall in love? It''s a good thing that you didn''t listen to her."

    "I think it is something forbidden so I do not want to disclose our marriage and get ourselves in trouble. If they find out I''m here, I don''t know what will happen."

    Catherine pointed a finger at her. "War. War will break out. I can guarantee it."

    Veronica had goosebumps. "Don''t say something so scary. Am I worth it?"

    Catherine sneered. "Huh, because of you being the blessed child, people are going crazy, and you are doubting your worth? I''m sure your brain isn''t worth much."

    "Hey, now! I''m sorry. I made a mistake.. Acting humble like that makes me only a hypocrite. But still, I''m thinking, if I''m that worthy, why isn''t anyone paying heed to my words?

 Chapter 280 - EMPOWER

    <h4>Chapter 280 - EMPOWER</h4>

    Catherine sneered. "Huh, because of you being the blessed child, people are going crazy, and you are doubting your worth? I''m sure your brain isn''t worth much."

    Veronica was embarrassed. "I''m sorry. I made a mistake. Acting humble like that makes me only a hypocrite. But still, I''m thinking, if I''m that worthy, why isn''t anyone paying heed to my words?"

    Catherine paused. "Huh? What do you mean?"

    Veronica exined, "I mean, if I''m the blessed child, shouldn''t people try to understand what I have to say? Think about the King. He kept pushing his words toward me.

    "He wasn''t ready to listen to what I wanted. If I was the blessed child, shouldn''t they at least try to understand what I want?" Veronica expressed her opinion.

    Catherine listened to her and remarked, "Maybe because you know less than them?"

    Veronica shook her head. "It''s not just that. Well, whose fault is it that we know less than them? They were the ones who shut us from the world. And when they found out that I was the blessed child, they were ready to control me saying I was naive.

    "I''m not a doll that can be controlled. I am a human with my own feelings and desires. There are things I want to do and want to know. Why should I obediently listen to others?"

    "Wow! Ver, you changed. Are you sure you were that girl who didn''t want to get out of the temple wall for eighteen years? Unbelievable!"

    Catherine was marveled by her way of thinking. This kind of transformation was a huge deal for her friend and she knew it.

    Veronica felt dejected. "I know. That was stupid of me, I admit. I''m not sure now why I was so obedient and why I thought after eighteen I''m an adult.

    "You are an adult when you take responsibility for yourself and your actions. It looks like I wasn''t an adult up until now."

    "Don''t feel bad. What''s wrong with learning now? It''s never toote." Catherine tried tofort her.

    Veronica stated, "Sometimes, it is toote to change anything. That''s why we need to change our ways of thinking.

    "Such as?" Catherine became curious.

    Veronica exined, "People in our kingdom are too restrictive and controlling. And we, women, are being looked down on by men.

    "I''ve learned it all in the past few months. And what''s more, I''ve seen in many ces that women were treated better than us in Utahill. That''s when it hit me.

    "Why are we being looked down on? Don''t we worship a Goddess? Isn''t she a woman? Those men who treat us like that, can they live a day without a woman in their lives? Can they cook, doundry, or finish household chores?

    "What about having sex and having children? What about raising children? Can they do all that? If they don''t, if they depend on us so much, why do they treat us like ves and not humans?

    "Man and woman can''t live without each other. Aren''t they equal in terms? Then why is this discrimination?"

    Catherine pped the table. She was elevated.

    "Ver, I totally agree with you. Even in the temple, the Priests have more than the Nuns. Why can the Priests perform prayers but not the Nuns? They have equal status. Why can they go out more often but not the Nuns?

    "I really had enough of that lifestyle. I cannot go back to that ce. Now I''m here, working as much as I want. I''m wearing and eating whatever I want. There is no one to tell me off. Having freedom is so much fun. I cannot let go of that.

    "Even if I get married and have my responsibilities, I want to share the job with my husband. If we both work outside, we will work at home too. Howe I work inside and outside and he can goof around with friends? That won''t happen.

    "If marriage means being a babysitter for my husband and taking all the burdens to myself, I''d rather stay single forever!"

    Veronica couldn''t agree more. "Yes, that''s what we should do. We don''t need to take a burden if that''s what people will give us. If they can''t live without us, they should give us that amount of respect."

    After a pause, she added, "And, so it goes for cheating. You can''t just eat my tofu and then put your eyes on someone else''s body. That''s unforgivable!"

    "Yes, unforgivable!" Catherine shouted.

    Fortunately, there weren''t many guests in the area. Those who were having dinner gave the drunkards an odd look.

    Later, Vincent came to find them since they werete. He was stunned when he saw the girls sleeping soundly in the restaurant.

    The girls finished their meals and drank ten sses of beer. cing their faces on the table, they went to dreand.

    The waiter came to meet him when he was spotted. "Vincent, what should we do? We don''t have female staff here to wake them up. Touching the guests is rude." The young boy looked troubled.

    Vincent scratched his nose. "What else can we do? We need to wake them up."

    However, waking up two drunkards wasn''t that easy. They kept mumbling and moving around. They frowned as they seemed bothered by the sound.

    Later, not finding any other options, Vincent sprayed some water on their faces.

    Only then, they opened their eyes. Veronica rubbed her eyes. She was still drowsy. "Did something happen?" she asked.

    Vincent politely told her, "Yes, you need to move to your room. Will you be able to do that?"

    "Oh." Veronica looked at Catherine whose eyes were still closed. She poked her friend and said, "Cathy, get up. We need to go to our room."

    Catherine must be still dreaming, "No, not going. I''m not listening to others. I''ll do whatever I please."

    "Do that in your house. Not someone else''s ce. We are bothering people. Get up!" Veronica slurred as she reprimanded her friend.

    Pursing her lips, Catherine opened her eyes and stood up. Two drunkards stumbled as they walked into each other''s cottage.

    From behind, Vincent worriedly followed them until they went to their room.

    For Veronica, she had no idea what was waiting for her.

 Chapter 281 - DRUNKEN PLEASURE

    <h4>Chapter 281 - DRUNKEN PLEASURE</h4>

    The fresh, clear wind of the hills cleared Veronica''s head. She yawned and stretched her arms.

    She noticed Catherine''s body swaying a few times before stumbling on the stairs and then entering her room.

    "At least she is in her room. I need to go to mine¡­" mumbling, she tried to climb the stairs in front of her cottage.

    Unfortunately, she couldn''t see the next step properly in the dark since her eyes were blurry. As a result, she tripped over.

    "Ouch!" Her knees throbbed. The pain cleared her vision. Standing up, she went back to her room.

    She took off her cape. The hood slid off and revealed her short shiny silver hair. Taking off herst drop of clothes, she went to the bathroom and took a shower.

    While wiping her hair, she came out of the bathroom and lit up the candles. After that, she stood in front of the dressing table and looked at herself in the mirror.

    She was checking out her beauty and thinking, ''Aren''t I the prettiest girl with the short haircut? I look like those sexy performers on the stage. Should I try being an actress? How much money can I earn from it?''

    As she pondered about her future career, she heard a light noise from her back. It was like someone unintentionally knocked on her window. A

    fter being trained by the warrior elves for months, her ears became sensitive toward any kind of sound.

    She abruptly turned around, opened the window, and inspected the surroundings. She spotted a couple walking hand in hand and going to their room.

    "Oh, a married couple. I thought it was something else. I should rx a bit. Nothing will happen here." Closing the window, she walked toward the dressing table.

    She was done brushing her hair and then, she put down theb. Once again when she looked at the mirror, her heart jumped as she noticed a tall, dark figure right behind her.

    "Ah¡­ mmh!" She wanted to shout but the stranger covered her mouth.

    A familiar scent and sensation enveloped her.

    "!!!" Realizing who it was, her heart dropped and her whole body became numb. She was unable to fight back anymore.

    The man lowered his head and kissed her slender neck. His lips trailed down and sucked her nape.

    "Mm!" An electrifying sensation traveled every corner of her body. She involuntarily trembled.

    It had been so long since thest time she was touched like this by the man she deeply loved. No matter how aggrieved her heart was, her body gave in to the pleasant feelings of love and lust.

    Before she knew it, she was turned around. The man in front of her cupped her face.

    "Nica, Nica, my princess¡­" Arthur murmured her name affectionately under his breath and passionately kissed her lips.

    Veronica''s eyes welled up the moment she saw his face. No matter what she said, in the deepest corner of her heart, she was longing to see him and meet him. She was craving for his tender gaze, gentle voice, and loving touches.

    In the soft light of the candles, she could see his face. In the few months she hadn''t seen him, he grew a beard, and his raven hair became longer. Deep dark circles took ce under his eyes. He looked haggard and tired. He looked broken.

    However, it didn''t seem like hecked strength. His arms were tightly wrapped around her waist and back as he kissed her lips fiercely. Her mouth hurt when he bit her bottom lips.

    "Nng!" she groaned. Her lips became numb thanks to his biting her lower lip. She gathered some strength and pushed his chest.

    In the cold weather, he was wearing light clothes. She could sense his warmth seeping through the clothes, and his heart was beating like a drum. Her heartbeat elerated to sync with his heartbeat.

    Arthur sensed her struggling. He stopped biting her lips and gently sucked her lips and then licked her lips. His hot, moist tongue poked her mouth''s entrance.

    Veronica wasn''t sure how long she held her breaths. Unable to take it anymore, she gasped for oxygen.

    Taking this opportunity, Arthur slid his tongue inside her mouth and explored every nook and cranny. He growled at the touch of the familiar ce. He acted like a thirsty traveler who finally found an oasis.

    He didn''t want to think how long it had been since hest saw her, hugged her, loved her dearly. The person he thought didn''t exist in the world suddenly appeared before him, he was beyond thrilled.

    Having her in his arms and exploring the same ce, he could barely control his excitement.

    The familiar face, the familiar smell, the familiar touch almost blinded him.

    His hands ripped off the belt that was tightened around her waist. As a result, the bathrobe loosened up. He impatiently yanked the bathrobe and threw it somewhere.

    Veronica was overwhelmed by his power. It was the first time he was ever this rough with her. The gentleness he showed before was long gone. In her eyes, he looked like a beast who was getting ready to eat his prey.

    Veronica shuddered. His tongue was traveling in her weak spots. Her mind was going nk. Not able to take the pleasurable sensation any longer, her legs gave out.

    Arthur groped her buttocks and raised her body. His arms spread her legs and made her wrap them around his waist.

    Veronica needed to hold onto something. She circled her arms around his neck before she realized it. Her mind was upied with his tongue. She had no time to think about other things.

    Now that she was in his arms, he held her round, smooth buttocks with his left hand and his right hand groped her left breast.

    He kneaded her breast in a soft and then hard manner, that lustrous white flesh squeezed out between the gap of his fingers. The soft mound slowly perked up by his constant stimtion.

    "Ohh!" The touch of his rough hand sent a zing of pleasure down to her spine. She could feel something hot going down. She wanted to squeeze her legs to relieve her tension but due to her position, she was unable to do it.

    This unbearable rapture was too much. She subconsciously rubbed herself against him.

    "Hnng!" Arthur groaned. He could feel that she already was at her limits, but he hadn''t had enough. He sensed his manhood was trying to break free. It seemed hot and rigid.

    Since she wasn''t wearing any underwear and his shirt was thin, he could feel his shirt bing wet from her juice.

    To make her even wetter, he pinched her small pink fruit all of a sudden.

    "Ahh!" Veronica threw her head back. Her mouth was open, and her tongue was drenched with their mixed saliva.

    Arthur''s burning eyes stared at her blushing face, swollen lips, and teary eyes. She had that kind of expression that could make an impotent man hard for her. His heart shook as he stared at her seductive face.

    He leaned forward and licked away the remaining saliva that came down from her mouth. His lips trailed down, leaving hickeys all over her chest.

    Pausing in front of jade breasts that stood tall upwards with cherry-sized nipples on their peaks, he admired their beauties before taking one of them in his mouth.

    At the same time, his hand ground her against his hot penis.

    "Ahhg! Hnng! Stop¡­ Ahh¡­" Issuing alluring moans, she wriggled her body, thinking of breaking away from his hungry mouth.

    Her inviting moans provoked him further. Licking her nipples with his tongue, he grazed his teeth, making the tower harden from his teasing. After ying with it to his heart''s content, he paid attention to the other one, using his tongue to rapidly lick her.

    He loved them and missed them. How could he not touch them after seeing them after a long time?

    The softness reminded him of the pudding he ate with her long ago. He sucked her harder wishing milk would pour from her healthy mound.

    Unfortunately, she didn''t have enough milk. He wished she was pregnant with his child and then he could drink milk as much as he wanted.

    Veronica made a lewd shy shout. Her head waspletely nk. Her entrance kept being rubbed against his hot member, making more juice pour from inside.

    Arthur untied his belt and let his pants slide down. After tearing off his underwear, he pressed his warm rod at her entrance and gave a little stimtion.

    "Hnng!" Veronica clearly felt his hard thing pressing against her soft ce. Trembling hard, her lower mouth twitched with unexinable hunger. Shameful nectar overflowed out of her flower hole.

    Arthur caressed her soft butt cheeks as he prepared himself. The ecstatic sensation urged him to release his desire on her body.

    His scorching eyes were like fireballs. His lustful gaze looked at her, observing her reaction, as he plunged deep inside her.. A strong thrust was enough to go inside the deepest part of her, in one go.

 Chapter 282 - THE ULTIMATE PLEASURE

    <h4>Chapter 282 - THE ULTIMATE PLEASURE</h4>

    With one deep thrust, Arthur slid inside her deepest part. His scorching eyes observed her every action and reaction.

    "Hhk!" The moment he was fully inside her, Veronica''s eyes widened in surprise. She wasn''t prepared for that.

    Her head was spinning, and she felt hot. It was like her blood boiling. Her body was fiery hot.

    When his hot rod pierced into her deepest part, the slight dull ache suddenly cleared up her mind.

    ''What am I doing? Didn''t I say I''d settle everything between us? Then why am I acting like this? Why is my body opening up to him so quickly? My head is buzzing. I can''t take this anymore. It must be the alcohol that''s making me like this.''

    Her fingernails scratched his back through his shirt. Squeezing her eyes, she gasped for breath. Her inside was clenching on him tightly. She could feel him throbbing inside her. It stirred up her emotions.

    Arthur growled in a low voice. He kissed her neck and licked it to ease her heartbeat. He didn''t want her to pass out before he could even start anything. Holding onto her buttocks with two hands, slowly, he slowly took his manhood out and then slid in.

    "Hnng!" An stic sensation spread all over her body and reached her toes. Her body trembled. The ends of her fingertips jolted, while her body felt like it was sinking in.

    In order to listen to her lovely moans, Arthur didn''t use his mouth to seal her small mouth and merely made superficial contact and kissed her lips and mouth''s corners as his genitals rubbed against her soft ce.

    Her breasts unconsciously caressed his chest making his whole body tremble. Her aroused appearance pleased him.

    He lowered his head down to kiss her red swollen lips and spoke to her in a hypnotic manner at the same time, "Nica, my Nica, I missed you. I missed you."

    Then, he kissed Veronica passionately, sliding his tongue inside her moist oral cavity, entangling it with her small tongue.

    Veronica''s heart trembled when he heard his voice. Tears rolled down her cheek as she kept listening to his voice. She had many things to say, she had manyints, she had many arguments ready ¨C but everything was choked on her throat. She couldn''t utter a single word. In the end, she cried.

    "Sniff¡­ sniff¡­"

    Arthur licked her tears, wiping them with his tongue. His movement was very gentle. "It''s okay, Nica. I''m here. Nothing bad will happen to you now. I''ll protect you."

    Lies! ¨C she wanted to shout out but choked again.

    She hated crying in front of others. She didn''t like showing her emotions to others. But this time, she couldn''t stop her tears from falling.

    Her tears were clear and glittering. They sparkled in the candle lights. They were like magic. For a moment, Arthur thought she was a mermaid, and her tears would turn into pearls.

    "Ahh¡­ Ohh¡­" Unrestrained moans continuously issued out from her mouth as his long and coarse scorching cock went in and out of her flower hole.

    Arthur continued to repeat his movement of pulling out and sliding in a little deeper until his length seemed to have hit the sweetest part of her body.

    Veronica was distressed. Her heart was filled with anger, but at that moment, nothing felt righter than them being one. As if their heart and body were in sync. It confused her even more.

    The wetness in her core was dripping from the earlier stimtion, so it easily epted his huge penis.

    Her body desperately craved pleasure. His slow moves weren''t enough to quench her months of starvation. Thus, with an unsatisfied heart, she moved her hips.

    "!!!" Arthur shivered. Their hips met in the middle. ''Is she trying to y with fire?'' he wondered.

    However, her action further escted his movements. He thrust harder and continuously touched her sweet spot. The obscene sounds from his stimtions incited more pleasure and sent her head into nothingness.

    Veronica saw stars in front of her. Numerous colors of stars were sparkling before her eyes.

    Her insides tightened in delight as she was given the thing she desired. Everything within her settled as she became entranced by the feeling of his heat. Her whole being unbearably loved the feeling of the fast-paced throbbing of her heart.

    Arthur groaned when she clutched him tightly. He wished she could stop clenching him too tightly. Looking at her face that was drowning in pleasure, he forgot what he wanted to say.

    He thrust his bursting erection vigorously. His inner demon was released. He let his body take over their lovemaking. His heart was already softening after being one with her. Inside her vagina was so hot, he thought his cock was going to melt at any moment.

    His erotic appearance served to fuel the fire in her stomach, making her convulse her insides even more. Arthur slipped out a smirk as he noticed her reaction.

    The chain reaction was like the coursing of electricity every time Arthur pressed on the spot. Her insides clenched him in response.

    "Ohh! Ahh... More¡­ Umm¡­" Her tender small mouth continuously moaned as she stuck up her butt on her own initiative.

    When Arthur heard her breath start to be raspy, his member throbbed harder. He fiercely thrust inside her tender flower hole. He punctured that path which represented a virgin''s emblem and deeply thrust his huge stiff penis inside her honey hole.

    "Hkk!" Veronica gasped for oxygen. She continuously issued lewd moans as her body was being eaten. The sound of their bodies pping echoed in the room. She wanted to cover her ears and hide in a hole.

    Even so, she couldn''t stop herself from moving. Her inside wanted to eat him entirely so that he could never taste any other woman.

    Arthur licked his dry lips. His hand gripped her round ass and moved her up and down, more and more fierce each time.

    The love liquids continuously dripped down from their joint, making the floor wet. The sound of bodies hitting each other continuously resounded in the room as the air becamescivious.

    If it was another time, Veronica would be exhausted with the position they were making love. However, the months of training made her energetic. The woman who coulde from the fierce stimtion a few months ago wasn''t found here.

    "Haah¡­ haahh¡­" Arthur felt his sanity leaving as her insides squeezed and pulsated repeatedly, he could barely hang on as he breathed roughly. He hadn''t even cum yet, but he was feeling a high tension of euphoria.

    ''Why isn''t she cumming? I want to cum with her. Isn''t this making her feel good?'' he pondered hard and rammed deep inside her.

    "Ahh¡­ stop¡­" Veronica had a feeling that she would die from this ultimate pleasure. Her insides squeezed him tightly as if they didn''t want him to slip out. He clenched his teeth as he pounded into her. Every time she squeezed around him; he felt a wave of desire growing thicker.

    Arthur grew bigger inside her. It seemed that her begging had the opposite effect on him. The monster inside him was already released. She was the only woman who could stir him up so much.

    Her breasts were jiggling in front of his eyes. Lowering his head, he took one of them in his mouth and sucked it hard.

    "Stop¡­ slower¡­ Ahh!" Veronica raised her head and moaned, shaking like a leaf while supporting her body on his sturdy shoulder. The apanying violent pleasure almost made her soul fly out of her body.

    Arthur sucked both her nipples one by one. He looked towards her captivating red face and elerated his tongue''s movement. He let his desire take over his action. While forcing his way inside her, he raised a hand and pped her one butt cheek.

    "Ahh!" Veronica threw her head. She was shocked by this kind of roughness of his. It was the first time she was pped. She was embarrassed and felt humiliated.

    However, that stimted her walls. The pain and pleasure all together made her insane. She felt as if someone had taken a hold of her brain and was massaging it. She couldn''t take it anymore. A tingle surged up, flooding into her body. Her body jerked and reached its peak.

    "Haaah¡­. Haaaah¡­" She twisted while mewling. Wriggling her waistline, she was unable to resist the supreme lust and pleasure. Her pupils dted and her mouth gaped open, and she couldn''t stop her voice from moaning. The feeling was indescribable. It was as if her brain and lower half of her body melted into one being and let out a flood of sensual sweetness.

    ''She came¡­ now I can¡­'' Arthur couldn''t help but raise his butt and thrust in Veronica''s little lewd hole with all his might. His cock was violently mped by her contracting pussy after her orgasm; he felt a flood of euphoria rush down his body as he climaxed.. It was mind-blowing.

 Chapter 283 - INTENSE ECSTASY

    <h4>Chapter 283 - INTENSE ECSTASY</h4>

    Panting heavily, the couple embraced each other''s bodies.

    Veronica''s vision was white. She could see nothing. She could think of nothing. She could only feel her womb was flooding with warm, thick semen her husband rewarded her with.

    Slowly, she came back to her senses. She found herself leaning against his broad chest. She wanted to push him away, but she realized she had no strength left.

    ''Does¡­ sex take more energy than sword fighting? Unbelievable!'' she wondered despite being tired.

    Arthur noticed her doing her best to push him away without a word, but her slender arms weren''t strong enough. He smirked. His eyes scanned her glistening skin.

    His eyes paused on a brown mark on her forearm. It was a small cut but from the darkness of the color, he could tell that it was deep.

    The smile from his lips disappeared. Keeping their position like that, he walked toward the dressing table with an urgency.

    With each step, his recently softened dick made a small thrust deep in her flower hole.

    "Hnng!" Veronica''s body jerked in the sudden stimtion. She bit down her lower lip to control her voice. Subconsciously, she tightened around his dick.

    Arthur''s eyes flickered. When he reached the dressing table, without a word, he put her down.

    The cold wooden table touched her naked butt. Veronica shuddered.

    Arthur didn''t remove himself from her. He just grabbed the candle and brought it closer to her body. In her fair skin, there were several small marks like that.

    These marks she gained from practicing swords with her Elvish team. They did not show any mercy to her.

    However, Arthur didn''t know that. His expression was solemn.

    ''If she didn''t run away from Ironin, this wouldn''t happen,'' he told himself. ''She marked her body and suffered this much only because she ran away. She even insisted on not looking for her. This foolish woman¡­''

    The more he thought about it the angrier he became. He looked at her to have some words with her. His eyes halted behind her face. He saw her slightly wet short hair stuck to her sweaty face.

    He was too busy eating her, savoring her lustful face. He didn''t notice until now that her hair was short.

    "This¡­" His hand abruptly went to the back of her head. He pulled her whole body close.

    Pressing their foreheads together, he muttered in a hoarse voice, "Nica, you suffered so much. I''ll make sure nothing happens to you anymore. I''ll keep you safe."

    Veronica wanted to ask ¨C what do you mean by that you will make sure nothing happens to me anymore ¨C but before she could, he sealed their lips.

    "Umm¡­" She struggled to break free. However, he deepened the kiss. Her mouth was forcefully open, and he slid his tongue inside.

    Veronica couldn''t help but deliver her small tongue to his. Her body responded on its own.

    Due to the tightness in her hole. He became hard. While kissing her mouth, Arthur straightened his back, stuck his hot and hard cock inside her nectar hole with a force.

    "Hnng!" Veronica issued a loud moan as she arched her back.

    Seeing her enjoying expression, Arthur couldn''t help but ram with all his might. Veronica also matched her butts'' movement to his thrusting.

    Those huge jade breasts on her bosom swayed along with her fair naked body''s shaking. Arthur couldn''t help but use his mouth to alternatively suck those dark red fruits on her breasts.

    Veronicafortably leaned back. Her sweaty back touched the cold mirror. She shuddered in the touch of the coolness. However, she didn''t have the time to think about that. Her mind was upied with their lovemaking. With his every thrust, she let out unrestrained moans.

    Once again, Arthur''s dick became huger inside her tight and slippery pussy. The folds inside her flower hole stuck to his huge cock, sucking it. The pleasure made him groan.

    Their vigorous movements were shaking the dressing table. Colliding with the wooden floor, it was making an annoying noise. Even so, the sound was covered by the couple''s skin pping sounds and their seductive moans.

    "Ahh¡­ Arthur¡­ stop¡­ it''s¡­ enough¡­ Ahh! Hnng!" Veronica pleaded. Her heart was about to explode by the intense ecstasy.

    Arthur gritted his teeth and ferociously rammed inside her while she continuously moaned in a loud voice, plunging to the depths each time.

    "Ohh!" Veronica''s mind was blown away. Her uterus was mping tightly on top of the huge head.

    A portion of nectar flowed along with the huge manhood, sshing all over the dressing table as it jabbed inside her.

    She had so much to talk about. She didn''t want to give in to this pleasure. She bit her lower lip to control her moans.

    Arthur noticed her action. He pressed this thumb on her lips and then stuck it inside. He didn''t like it when she injured her luscious lips.

    Not being able to do what she wanted, Veronica was upset. She red at him. Opening her mouth, she bit his thumb hard.

    Arthur chuckled and kissed her cheek lovingly. His beard scratched her soft face. Feeling ufortable, she moved her head.

    Arthur could tell that she didn''t like his beard. ''I need to shave,'' he decided. He moved his head away, not trying to irritate her any longer. Aside from that, he kept plunging deep inside her and ground the top of his cock in her sweet spot.

    "Ahh!" At this moment, Veronica had already reached the pinnacle of her orgasm. Her two fair slender and beautiful legs wrapped around his waist. Her toes slightly curled up.

    Each time Arthur fiercely rammed inside, her legs followed by trembling. Issuing lewd moans, her small buttocks moved in ordance to his movement.

    At the moment of her orgasm, Veronica scratched his back mercilessly and shouted. Her honey hole violently contracted. Her lovely body shuddered. After she climaxed, her entire body fell limp in Arthur''s embrace, faintly panting.

    Arthur, who had yet to cum, didn''t stop his movements. At thest moment, he gritted his teeth.. While he energetically rubbed his cock in her vagina, he shot dense semen inside her womb once again.

 Chapter 284 - [Bonus ]NEWLY FOUND PLAY

    <h4>Chapter 284 - [Bonus ]NEWLY FOUND PLAY</h4>

    Arthur opened his eyes and panted roughly. He could hear her unrhythmical breathing. Straightening his back, he looked down at her.

    Her eyes were closed. Droplets of sweats formed on her forehead and rolled down to her temple. Her moist lips were slightly parted. Her chest was heaving up and down. Her breasts and perky nipples were rubbing against him, stimting his nerves and desire.

    It was the second time he came, but his penis was throbbing inside her. His inner demon was calling him seductively to fall for this temptation.

    Arthur took deep breaths to calm his heart. When his heartbeat decreased, he pulled out from her. With his soaked dick, their mixed love juices overflowed and messed up the wooden dressing table.

    "Hkk!" Arching her back, Veronica let out a moan. With her open lips, she breathed in and out. Her eyes looked empty. She didn''t want to be apart from him this soon.

    Arthur noticed her slightest change of mood. He bent forward to peck on her lips. After giving her a soft, lovable kiss that could ease her heart, he carried her in his arms.

    When he reached the bed, he ced her there. Impatiently, he took off his wet clothes and threw them away. Soon after, he joined her in bed.

    Veronica''s hazy senses gradually sharpened. Her body was cooling down after climaxing. With her clear vision, she saw Arthur getting close to her.

    His long raven hair covered his shoulder and face. His golden eyes were burning like a nocturnal animal who was ready to hunt his prey.

    His expression rmed her. With the little bit of strength she had left, she turned around and tried to run away. She had no idea what her action did to the hungry animal behind her.

    In front of his eyes, he saw a round ass, wriggling and provoking his lust. From her honey pot, thick semen mixed with her liquids oozed out.

    The scene was so tempting that his throbbing dick becamerger than it was before. Licking his lips, he moved cautiously toward his prey.

    They moved to the center of the bed. Finding the better position, Arthur grabbed her buttocks with both hands and shoved his hard cock inside her flower hole.

    "Ahh!" Veronica gasped and gave an unrestrained and carefree moan mixed with a contented sigh. Her whole body trembled due to the sudden stimtion she received.

    She had already cum twice. Therefore, every inch of her body was sensitive. Even a slight touch could make her drown in pleasure.

    The moment he entered her flower hole, her walls tightened while sucking him in and massaging his member.

    Her inside was all juicy and moist. The slippery road was easy to ess.? The pleasant sensation left Arthur speechless. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her eating his tofu.

    He took a few deep breaths before starting his attacks. Sometimes, he only thrust a little, and other times he rammed in deeply. His movements were incoherent, doing as he pleased.

    Veronica, who had no idea what his next move would be, anticipated something new and got yed by him every single time. This stimted her emotions as well as her senses.

    "Ahh¡­ no¡­ not anymore¡­ ahh¡­" Even though she requested Arthur to stop, she stuck out her ass and swayed, catering to his intense thrusting.

    Her recently cooled body started to be hotter. Her blood was boiling. The intense pleasure broke her body as her pussy became wetter. Her body trembled as her pussy''s vaginal walls tried to squeeze his long penis.

    Due to his huge, hot, throbbing cock, her small hole could barely hold him. The tip of his rod reached the entrance of her womb. It stimted her in a different way.

    While ramming her walls and producing lovely nectars, Arthur leaned closer and squeezed her huge breasts, lighting kneading them. He heard Veronica''s lewd moans and saw her wiggling her ass and ground against his cock. He licked her sweaty back and pinched her nipples.

    "Hnng!" Veronica writhed in pleasure. His dense masculine breath, close to her ear, attacked her senses, making her feel somewhat dizzy.

    Arthur left a trail of hickeys all over her back while ying with her soft breasts. Her two sensitive spots were being yed by him. Unable to endure the pleasure, she came fiercely and unannounced.

    She spasmed thest bit of juice. Her mind went nk after that. She had nothing in her head as her body kept responding to the pleasure Arthur gave her.

    The view from her back was marvelous and erotic. Her body had copsed to the bed as she had no strength left. However, her ass was sticking close to him and moving to his desire.

    Arthur licked his lips. He straightened his back and enjoyed the view. When he noticed that her movement was getting slower, he narrowed his eyes. He had yet to finish off and he had no desire to stop just because she didn''t have an ounce of energy left.

    He raised his hand and pped her right butt. Her pale skin soon grew a red handprint.

    "Ahh!" Veronica was feeling drowsy. Nheless, his sudden attack jolted her body. A seductive moan came out of her mouth. Her butt stung where he pped. The pain mixed with pleasure stimted her senses. Before she knew it, her inside walls mped around his hot dick and tightened securely.

    Arthur groaned. The way she tightened, he thought her mouth down there would bite off his cock without teeth. It was painful for him too, but it gave him more ecstasy. Enjoying every bit of it, he raised his left hand and pped her left butt.

    Veronica shuddered in the intense rapture. He never yed roughly with her. She didn''t know whether she liked it or not, but the way he spanked her butts while jabbing her good spot, she could think of nothing but the pleasant sensation.. It was stimting and new, and she wanted more.

 Chapter 285 - [Bonus ]A LONG NIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 285 - [Bonus ]A LONG NIGHT</h4>

    As if pping wasn''t enough. Arthur grabbed her buttocks and spread them. The small hole looked lonely in his eyes. He used his wet index finger and inserted it into her round hole.

    "Hhkk!" Veronica''s body jerked. "Not¡­ not there. Anywhere but there!" She shuddered. This gave her an unbearable limp ticklish feeling, but she was unable to resist it.

    It was a ce that no one had touched before. Only once Arthur did touch her there but then he stopped.

    To think he would do that when she was feeling the most vulnerable ¨C Veronica clenched her fists.

    She just came and barely held back from cumming once again. It took too much strength and so she tried to hold it. But the way he kept doing whatever he pleased, it was impossible to control her urges.

    Arthur noticed that she tightened around him even more after he touched there. Listening to her erotic moans, he realized that she liked what he did.

    It added fuel to the fire in his stomach. To make her convulse her insides even more, he slid his finger in and out relentlessly.

    This time, Veronica came faster than the previous time. Her waist swayed and her knees unbuckled. She was undone.

    Arthur paused to think whether he should stop and give her a rest or not. But his inner demon continuously poked him, and he was unable to satisfy his lust.

    He pulled out from her. A huge amount of juice came out of her flowerpot and drenched the bedsheet. However, he didn''t care.

    He turned her body over and let her back touch the bed. Her body was fiery hot as though she had a fever. The cold bed made her feel better.

    Tears smudged in her eyes. Her slightly parted lips quivered. Her breasts bounced up and down as she heavily panted.

    Arthur stared at the beauty in front of him. He dared not to blink. He was afraid that if he blinked, she would vanish into the thin air.

    A few days ago, this scene was hard to imagine. The woman he held dearly in his heart was alive, in one piece, right in front of him. Nothing mattered to him anymore.

    All he wanted was to keep her within his eyes'' reach and never let go. If she wished to run away again, he nned to love her dearly so that she could forget whatever was in her head.

    He positioned himself in between her legs. His cock rubbed against her pussy, sometimes softly and other times, roughly.

    "Ahh¡­" Veronica arched her back. That scorchingrge stick rubbing her tender pussy made her feel quite pleasant as nectar flowed out of it gradually. She was gradually being swallowed by lust.

    At this moment, Arthur pushed his thick cock inside her pussy. He watched her going nuts due to ecstasy.

    "Ahh! Arthur¡­ not anymore¡­" Pleading moans came out of Veronica''s mouth. Despite her tiredness, her waist moved to match his rhythm. Her breasts trembled continuously. They bounced at his every thrust.

    Arthur observed her reaction and kept ramming her walls. While looking at her bouncy bosom, he reached out and grabbed her breasts. His hands became all the more brazen as they toyed with her plump breasts, using his fingers to twirl the nipple.

    Veronica grasped the bedsheet. The bed was getting messier and messier.

    The night was long. To Veronica, it was an eternity. She couldn''t sleep, she couldn''t stop. She kept cumming as Arthur''s stimtion all night. They didn''t talk. Their physical needs became their top priority.

    --------

    In the morning, Catherine opened her eyes when she heard birds chirping outside the window. She hadn''t had a lovely and lively morning like this for a long time.

    In the Magic Tower, the density of dark aura was so much that no birds or insects could stay near the tower.

    Feeling the headache, she frowned and sat up. She opened her mouth wide and yawned loudly.

    ''How much I missed the morning bells of the sweet, small, angelic birds? I always wanted this lovely morning back. But why does my head hurt this bad?''

    Rubbing her head, she looked around. ''Hmm? Where am I? I don''t recognize this ce¡­'' While thinking, she gradually remembered that she was in the resort, she met Veronicast night, andstly, they got drunk, and¡­

    ''And? How did I end up in my room? Did Ver carry me?'' Her head became clearer. Her blurry vision got fixed after washing them with cold water.

    She was still wearing yesterday''s clothes. She didn''t change it. Dressing up like that, she went out. She went to the resort lobby and found Vincent there.

    Vincent showered her with a bright smile. "Good morning, Catherine. Did you sleep well?"

    "Sleep? Yeah, it was an amazing night. But now, my head feels like it''s going to split apart." Catherine grabbed her head.

    Vincent chuckled. "I understand your pain. You can go to the restaurant. I''ve already told the cook to keep your hangover soup ready."

    He noticed that her face was glowing and the dark circles under her eyes reduced a lot. She looked a lot better than yesterday. At least, today, she didn''t look like a walking dead.

    "That''s great." Catherine rubbed her temple. "By the way, how did I end up in my cottage?"

    Vincent exined to her aboutst night. He didn''t forget toment, "You are cute when you are drunk."

    "Waah¨C" Catherine''s face flushed. Her heartbeat increased. She suddenly became nervous.

    "Umm¡­" She did her best to find an appropriate word to change the subject. That''s when she thought of her best friend. "Ver¡­ Did you see Ver in the morning?"

    Vincent shook his head. "Not at all. She hasn''te out of her room sincest night."

    "She must be sleeping. Please tell the chef to prepare her hangover soup as well. I''m sure she will have a headache after waking up," Catherine requested.

    Headache or not ¨C Veronica was in pain, that''s for sure. She felt it after she woke up at noon.

    "Oww!" She frowned.. There wasn''t a part of her body that wasn''t screaming "pain".

 Chapter 286 - THE MORNING

    <h4>Chapter 286 - THE MORNING</h4>

    When Veronica woke up, her body was sore all over.

    "Oww!" she winced in pain. Every part of her body was screaming "pain". Her body was throbbing all over.

    With her aching body, she tried to move, but she couldn''t. Her body was numb from the vigorous training she went through all night till dawn.

    ''If it wasn''t for Arthur, I wouldn''t be in this situation right now. It''s all because of him that I always suffer. He dares to cheat on him and then do this all night¡­''

    She was fuming. She wanted to me it all on him but then she recalled how much she enjoyedst night.

    She came over and over again. Later, she even begged for more.

    Therefore, Arthur was more enthusiastic and tried many different positions he had never tried before. He relentlessly sought for her and she epted everything.

    She groaned in dissatisfaction. Covering her face, shemented, ''Why on earth did I do something so shameless? Did I forget he cheated on me? Stupid! Stupid, Ver!'' She cursed herself.

    Moreover, something huge was pushing her to the bed. Turning over her head with a great effort, she found Arthur on her back.

    Just when her eyesnded on him, her initial anger died down. The fire in her heart extinguished.

    He was sleeping soundly behind her. His big hand and leg were over her body that was the reason she was unable to move.

    Her eyesnded on his face. Last night, she did see him but, in the sunlight, she could see his face clearly.

    He looked exhausted even though he was sleeping. His face seemed smaller than before. His cheekbone was visible. His jawline became sharper. The eyebags were darker than Catherine''s.

    In other words, it looked like he was sick and suffered from malnutrition.

    ''Just what on earth happened when I wasn''t around?'' Veronica pondered hard. ''Wasn''t he happy to have all the women for himself? Why does he look so miserable?''

    Her heart ached when she saw him like that. She reached out her hand and her fingertips touched his face.

    It looked like after she passed out from exhaustion, he shaved his beard. His face was smooth. That made his face look sicklier.

    Only, his long hair was left. His raven hair sprayed all over the white pillow.

    Feeling nostalgic, she stared at his face.

    Arthur might have noticed her stare that was drilling a hole on his face. He slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw after waking up was Veronica''s angelic face.

    It was noon. The sunlight came through the open window. He could see Veronica''s slightly tanned face and the mark of the wound on her shoulder along with the marks he left on her. The sunlight made all the cuts in her body more vivid.

    He stared at her in a loving gesture. The emotions in his eyes were so strong that Veronica had to avert her eyes. She also removed her fingers from his face.

    Looking at his eyes, she recalled him cheating with other women. Her heart throbbed.

    Even now, she knew that she still loved him. It was hard to face him because she knew she was weak toward him. That''s the very reason why she never wanted to see him unless she became stronger.

    However, it was toote. They met and had sex the whole night. Their hearts and bodies sought each other repeatedly. She could not lie about that. She was always true to her feelings.

    Pain and conflict reflected on her face. She felt like crying.

    Arthur was observing her face. When he first woke up, he thought it was a dream or an illusion. He started to hallucinate after they found out that she was thrown out of the cliff. Thus, having hallucinations was a daily urrence.

    But then, he recalledst night. He felt the warmth of her body as he embraced her. He could smell the sweet fragrance that came out of her body. He sensed her soft fingertips on his face. When he hallucinated before, his senses didn''t work like this time.

    At that moment, he realized that he wasn''t dreaming. She was real, and she was right in front of him.

    He wanted to say so many things. He wanted to ask her why she left, how she survived, why she was injured, if she was in pain, why she took so much time toe here, why she didn''t contact him, and so on.

    However, his words were caught in his throat. He could only stare at her and get drunk by her. He didn''t want to take his eyes off of her for a second. He wished to stare at her for eternity.

    He wanted to touch her face. That''s when he noticed her expression. His heart quivered in fear and anger when he spotted pain written on her face.

    He turned her body in his direction and cupped her face. "Nica, why do you look like that? Are you in pain? Who hurt you?"

    Hearing the affectionate nickname, Veronica''s heart shuddered. Multiple emotions all together jumbled up in her heart and hurt her mercilessly. She held back her tears and looked away.

    Nheless, Arthur wouldn''t let her go just because she was tight-lipped. He wanted to punish those who made her suffer.

    He turned her face to face him and asked once again, "What''s wrong? Why are you crying? Tell me the name of the bastard and I''ll kill him."

    ''Yeah, you can go and kill yourself, you cheater! I hate you!'' She wanted to shout out loud but ended up shouting in her mind. Her lips trembled. She couldn''t utter a word. She felt like, if she opened her mouth, she was going to cry.

    Arthur''s eyes narrowed dangerously. He was so upset that it was visible in his face. He did not like it when she hid things from her.

    ''She is clearly in pain but why won''t she tell me? In these past few months, did her heart move far from me? Does she have someone else in her heart? Did she meet a new guy and fall for him? Is this why she secretly came here to meet her friend and didn''t go to the Magic Tower?''

 Chapter 287 - [Bonus ]CARING HUSBAND LOVING HIS WIFE

    <h4>Chapter 287 - [Bonus ]CARING HUSBAND LOVING HIS WIFE</h4>

    ''She is clearly in pain but why won''t she tell me? In these past few months, did her heart move far from me? Does she have someone else in her heart? Did she meet a new guy and fall for him? Is this why she secretly came here to meet her friend and didn''t go to the Magic Tower?''

    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He had no control over his emotions. His obsession and possessiveness over his wife had grown beyond limitations.

    Holding her arms, he pushed her down and pressed him under him.

    Veronica''s eyes widened in surprise. She was rmed by his abrupt action. "What are you doing?"

    "Trying to find the truth," saying that he pulled out before thrusting deep inside her.

    "!!!" Veronica gasped in shock. She hadn''t realized up until now he was still inside her.

    "What are you doing? Let go¡­ Ahh!" Veronica clutched her pillow and arched her back. Down there, it was throbbing painfully. But when he moved, the pleasure spread all over her body, giving her an electrifying sensation.

    "Tell me who made you upset or I''ll punish you." Arthur didn''t warn her falsely. His movement became fiercer.

    The feeling of ecstasy produced honey and dripped from her flower hole every time he rammed in her deepest part. Her body trembled and she moaned sweetly. When she begged him to stop moving, her face became filled with yearning.

    After noticing her reaction, he could only continue without heeding her words.

    In the end, Veronica was so tired that she couldn''t lift a finger. Even her breathing was uneven. Exercise with an empty stomach was no food for health. She was drained.

    Arthur felt guilty for not letting her take the meal and pushing her to the point of making her unconscious. Covering her with theforter, he leaned forward and kissed her head.

    "You shouldn''t sleep too much, my sleeping beauty. I''m scared whenever I see your eyes closed." Although he said that, he didn''t wake her up.

    He took a bath and changed into a bathrobe. ''I need clothes,'' he thought. He tore yesterday''s clothes, and nothing was left.

    He was thinking of leaving when he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door and saw Catherine with a tray of food.

    Catherine was visibly startled by Arthur''s appearance. She did not expect him. "Arthur¡­ howe¡­"

    Arthur lowered his gaze and looked at the tray. "Did you bring breakfast for Nica?"

    ''Nica?'' Catherine blinked. "It''s lunch and hangover soup. She drank a lotst night. She must have a headache after waking up."

    Arthur med himself even more for not letting her eat anything after she woke up. However, the word ''drank'' made him frown.

    He had a clear memory of Veronica''s drunken state. He was relieved that she did nothing childish and directly came back to her room.

    If she stayed outside, who knew how many men would be seduced by her innocent charm?

    He took the tray from Catherine and told her, "Don''t disturb her. She is sleeping."

    Not giving her another exnation, he shut the word with magic.

    "¡­" Catherine was dumbstruck. ''She came here to meet me, you know.'' She felt grumpy.

    Thinking ofst night, she pondered deeply, ''How did they make up? Arthur didn''t bully her, right? If she is sleeping, how can he bully her anyway?''

    Thinking about their tense rtionship, she got worried. However, it wasn''t her ce to interfere. So, she left.

    Vincent greeted her with a smile. "Why do you look down? Did you have a fight with your friend?"

    Catherine shook her head. "Not really. She is sleeping. I just found out that her husband is here."

    Vincent was surprised. He checked the entry book where Veronica registered her name. "Huh! I didn''t know she was married. She registered as a singledy."

    Catherine sat on the couch and exined, "She was supposed to be here alone. Her husband suddenly came. I guess it was a surprise for her."

    "He must be a good husband for making his wife happy like that." Vincent gently held her hand while talking. "I wish I will once be a happy man like him too."

    Catherine blushed furiously.

    "Shall we go for a walk today?" Vincent carefully asked, taking the chance of her embarrassment.

    Catherine could barely look at him. "¡­Okay¡­"

    -------------

    The next time Veronica woke up, it was because of her stomach. Her nose unconsciously smelled some delicious food and her stomach cried out loudly.

    The growling sounds were disturbing. She woke up. Since she was tired, she slightly opened her eyes and tried to sit.

    Arthur ced the tray of food in the bed and gently touched her face. "Do you want to eat?"

    Veronica leaned against his hand and slowly nodded. Her eyes were closed when he fed her a spoonful of hangover soup, chicken with eggnt, onions, bell peppers, zhini, and tomatoes, and finally, a piece of an apple pie.

    After she finished her meal, she drifted to the dreand with a satisfied stomach. A long timeter, she slept well without worrying about animals, insects, or bandit attacks. Thefortable bed was assisting her to sleep too.

    She slept for a long time. The next time she opened her eyes, two days had already passed.

    And, she found herself in a very familiar ce.

    ''Huh? Am I dreaming?'' Feeling puzzled, she looked around.

    It was the same old bed. The simply decorated room gave off a little lonely vibe. The windows and balcony door were tightly closed. She saw snow falling outside.

    ''Am I truly back? Is it not a dream?'' She got off the bed and walked toward the window. She opened it and was weed by a gust of cold wind.

    She couldn''t help but shiver. She was wearing little clothes.

    She reached out her hand. Some small snow flexes fell on her palm and then turned into water.

    Feeling the cool touch, she could finally conclude that she was back at the Magic Tower.

    Her expression changed. ''Did Arthur just bring me back without my permission? How dare he? I need to talk to him.''

    Anger rose in her heart. She walked toward the door and almost reached out when her right leg looked like catching up with something.. She was unable to step forward.

 Chapter 288 - BACK TO THE TOWER

    <h4>Chapter 288 - BACK TO THE TOWER</h4>

    Veronica wanted to move but her right leg was stuck with something.

    ''Huh?'' Confused, she pulled her leg, but it was no use. She couldn''t yank her leg any further. It felt like something invisible was controlling her.

    She had a lump in her throat. She was scared. Even though it was snowing outside, she was sweating in her room. A chilling breeze could do her nothing.

    ''Why? Why can''t I move?'' She tried to walk to the different side of the bedroom. She roamed all over the room, but nothing happened. She opened the balcony door and stepped outside. Even then, she felt nothing.

    However, when she went close to the door, she felt an invisible chain lock her right ankle. She was unable to open the door.

    She lowered her body and touched her ankle. She felt nothing when she held it.

    ''Did Arthur use magic so that I cannot leave the room?'' The realization hit her like a strike. Standing in front of the door, she was thunderstruck.

    At that time, Arthur came to the room. When he opened the door, he spotted her right there. His expression instantly became gentle.

    "You are awake. I''ll ask the chef to prepare your meal. You must be hungry." He looked around the room and frowned as the cold wind whistled in his ear. "Why did you open the door and windows? You will catch a cold."

    With his signal, the balcony door and windows shut and locked automatically.

    Afterward, he held her hand and pulled her to the bed. Veronica followed him silently. When he pushed her shoulders to make her sit, she didn''t move.

    With all the strength in her legs, she stubbornly stood in front of him and then red at him.

    "Did you use your magic to lock me up in this room?" she asked in a low tone.

    Arthur paused and then smirked. "Did you like my surprise? See, our bedroom. It was just like it used to be. You don''t have to go around and injure yourself."

    "¡­Arthur¡­"

    Arthur went on, "I''ve arranged everything you need. Whether you want to study or y. You can do it right here. You just need to tell me what you want."

    Realizing that he deliberately ignored her request, Veronica clenched her fists. "I want to be free, Arthur, and you know it."

    "Nica, don''t be upset, okay? I''ve prepared everything you need," Arthur told her with a smile as though he heard nothing.

    "That''s not what I need, Arthur! I want to be free!" Veronica couldn''t take it anymore and shouted.

    Arthur didn''t look angry. His expression didn''t change either. He kindly smiled at her. His eyes were full of affection. He reached out and cupped her face.

    "Nica, my princess, you married me, remember? You are the Mistress of the Magic Tower. You cannot leave this ce unprotected. You have so much work to do. They are all piled up. I''ll bring them to you once you are done with your breakfast. You have nothing to worry about as long as you are here."

    After he was done speaking, he left the room as if nothing happened.

    With a ''plop'' sound, Veronica copsed on the bed. Her head was dizzy.

    ''Does this mean I''m locked up here? He won''t let me go out because he thinks I''ll run away once again, doesn''t he? This is bad. I don''t have the time or patience to be here. I need to escape.''

    ''No one can control me. I won''t let anyone, even Arthur, control me. I''m tired of people forcing me to be their puppet.''

    She went to the balcony again. She was relieved when she found out that Arthur didn''t seal the door with his magic. She coulde out as much as she pleased.

    She looked around the balcony. The white clouds covered the view under the balcony. She could see nothing down there.

    She raised her head and looked up to the sky. There was anotheryer of clouds up there and snow was falling from there.

    She was pleasantly surprised to see anotheryer of clouds. Nheless, it wasn''t time to be impressed.

    ''If I can get a rope, I will be able to go down. I know the terrace design. I can walk there easily. My hard work is going to be paid off. I''ll thank Urster.''

    Veronica searched the whole room but couldn''t find a rope or anything simr. Therefore, she took three bed sheets from the drawer and turned them into a long rope.

    After tying it with the railing, she was about to jump off. That''s when her right leg felt another tug. She couldn''t go down. She tried five more times and then gave up.

    Sitting on the cold floor, she covered her head. ''No way! He blocked me from there too! He is way too cautious! This cannot go on. I need to talk to him and fix this mess. I haven''t settled my score yet!''

    Not long after, Arthur came back with a tray of food. When he didn''t find Veronica in the bed, his eyebrows slightly creased. He noticed her on the balcony.

    His eyes roamed around. He already figured out what she was doing while he was gone. He wasn''t depressed because he knew that she would try that. That''s why he cast the magic spell so that she couldn''t escape from either way. If she chose the balcony or window, her death would be certain.

    "Nica, you shouldn''t sit there. What if you catch a cold? Don''t you care about your body? Let me help." Arthur carried her in an unhurried manner and took her to the bed. The balcony door automatically closed, leaving the lonely rope outside.

    "I''ve seen some marks in her body. There is an ointment in Ovior''s room. It can remove any wound mark from the body. I''ll ask him to hand it over. Then, I''ll apply it on your marks."

    "I don''t want to," Veronica responded with a re.

    "What?"

    "I said I don''t want to."

 Chapter 289 - HUMAN OR PET

    <h4>Chapter 289 - HUMAN OR PET</h4>

    When Arthur talked about ointment, Veronica responded with a re, "I don''t want to."

    "What?" Arthur focused on her face.

    Veronica repeated her words. "I said I don''t want to." She pushed him back and said, "These marks are the symbol of my hard work. I''ve traveled ces, I''ve learned sword fights, I''ve saved people, I''ve fought for injustice. I got these marks from those incidents. This is my achievement. I don''t want to remove it."

    "You¡­ fought? Sword fight?" Arthur stared at her. His eyes said he couldn''t imagine her fighting with people using swords.

    Veronica sneered when she saw his reaction. "In your eyes, I''m nothing but a weak, troublemaker with no sense of danger. You think I''m na?ve, stupid, and worthless. I can''t even me you for thinking that."

    She lowered her head. "You know, I changed over time because I wanted to. I didn''t want to be a victim whom everyone can pity. No matter how many times people tell me I''m weak, I won''t give in. I''ll fight to be better. I''ll be clever. I''ll train my body. I''ll fight for justice. I''ll be someone who doesn''t need protection from others and who can protect people."

    She looked at Arthur and continued, "Arthur, I don''t want to be someone who needs to hide behind you. I want to be someone who can stand beside you like a proud woman. I want to be someone I can be proud of. I''m working hard for it. Won''t you give me the chance to fulfill my dream?"

    "You promised me that you would show me the world. Is this how you are going to do this? By locking me in the room? Am I your wife, or am I your possessions like some valuable magical stones? Is this¡­ what I''m worth?" Tears streamed down her eyes.

    Arthur stared at her for a long time before holding her hand. He couldn''t see her suffering.

    "I see you as my wife. I don''t want you to go around and hurt yourself. I know what''s best for you. You can stay by my side and I''ll protect you. You don''t need to hold swords."

    "That''s the problem, Arthur!" Veronica snapped out. "This is my life. I know what I want, and I know what''s best for me! The way you are talking to me it feels like I''m a statue with no feelings or emotions. You are acting like I''m not even a human, just like those people in Utahill. The Saint, the King, everyone acted on their own without asking what I wanted for my life."

    She pulled her hands away from him. "I didn''t marry you so that you can cage me like a pet animal, Arthur. I married you so that I can be free to do whatever I want. Don''t let my love go to waste."

    Arthur grabbed her shoulders. His fingers tightened as he replied, "I''m not trying to cage you. I''m doing this for your good. Last time, you almost died! I don''t want to lose you again!" His voice was desperate. His eyes were filled with urgency.

    Veronica wiped her tears and raised her chin. "For your kind information, I am very much alive. And what''s more, I can survive in the jungle, in the desert, and even in cold mountains. I killed animals and injured humans in order to survive. The person in front of you is just the same as you are, Arthur, not a newborn baby. Face it!"

    Arthur''s expression contorted. He couldn''t imagine what she had gone through. He didn''t want to think about it even for a moment.

    "I don''t care," he insisted stubbornly. "It doesn''t matter what you have be and how strong you are. What I mean is I can''t bear to hear any news of you jumping off the cliff or being abducted by traffickers. You have no idea how I felt back then."

    "And you have no idea how I felt when I saw you cheating with a bunch of prostitutes!" Veronica couldn''t take it anymore and so, she screamed at him.

    "Did you know how much pain I was in when I saw you with those women? I was sick and you didn''t even think of visiting me back then. Do I look so easy to you that you can do whatever you want, and I will happily oblige?"

    Veronica panted as she furiously yelled at him. Her chest heaved up and down. Her emerald eyes glowed in fiery anger.

    "You can y with whoever you want, and I have to stay locked up in this room? I refuse to ept this kind of treatment. Who do you think I am? Huh? Do you think you owe me? Just because we are married, you think I''m your ve? That''s what you think, don''t you? You want to control me like a puppet while you y with other women behind my back."

    Arthur stared at her with a confounded expression. Disbelief was written all over his face. It was the first time he ever saw her anger. It was the first time he ever saw her arguing with him.

    ''She changed. Shepletely changed. I don''t think I know her. Can I turn back time and save her before she can go to the pce so that she never gets kidnapped, and change like that?'' he pondered.

    However, another thing bugged him. "What do you mean by cheating? When did I y with women?"

    At his question, Veronica opened her mouth, but she was unable to speak. Her face turned red in anger. "Are you trying to feign ignorance? Amazing! Just amazing!"

    She let out an angryugh, but her eyes weren''t smiling at all. "Thank goodness that I saw with my very own eyes that you were in a room with a bunch of prostitutes. You were touching them and acting disgustingly. Did that jog your memory?"

    No matter what she said, Arthur couldn''t remember any incident like that.. ''What is she talking about? Is she deliberately lying so that she can run away from me? I can''t let that happen.''

 Chapter 290 - REVEAL

    <h4>Chapter 290 - REVEAL</h4>

    ''What is she talking about? Is she deliberately lying so that she can run away from me? I can''t let that happen.'' Arthur paused and then wondered, ''But, she looks angry. She doesn''t look like she is lying. Then where is the problem? What made her think that I would do such a thing?''

    Arthur tried to inquire, "When did that happen? In Utahill?"

    "Oh, you remember? I went to Morina''s Pce where we first met. The girls there mocked me saying I was already used by you. You don''t want me anymore. No one would want a broken toy like me. And then, I saw with my very own eyes what you did¡­"

    Veronica choked at this point. Her eyes were welled up once again. She turned her head, not wanting to show her face to him.

    Arthur was tongue-tied. He couldn''t respond to her usation.

    Veronica noticed it and self-mocked, "See Ver, look at your righteous husband who acts like he cannot live without his wife. But he left his wife at home and never returned because he was busy ying with women. The whole city knew how popr he was. And now he locks you up. He thinks you are his pet. You are pathetic, Ver, for falling for his kindness. I''m really so stupid."

    "¡­That''s not like it¡­"

    Veronica snapped at him, "Stop your nonsense! Release me. Release me this instant, Arthur. I won''t y nice with you if you don''t. You have no idea what will happen." Furious, she threatened him with all she had left.

    ''I tried to y nice with him and get me released. But he doesn''t listen no matter how nice I am. Why does everyone ignore me when I''m being nice? Do they want to see my angry cruel side that much? It''s not that I want to be a bad person. Why do people keep making me do the things I don''t want to? Why is it hard to make them listen to my wishes?''

    Feeling devastated, she stomped on the floor. She wanted to tear off this ce and break free from here. She didn''t know why she was acting so aggressive. One thing for sure ¨C she didn''t like being locked up.

    Once a wise author said ¨C once you taste the test of freedom, you will never want to be tied down. Very few are willing to give up their freedom and be locked up. They are the submissive characters.

    [A/N: The author is your one and only... Happy-go-lucky Author!!!! XD ]

    Veronica had realized that she was anything but the submissive type. For love, she had done many things. She tried to be quiet and obedient, but it simply didn''t work. After roaming around the world with a free spirit, she had no desire to be locked up in this ce even if it was their bedroom.

    Arthur realized that she was getting out of hand. He sighed and lifted another spell.

    Veronica frowned, not sure whether he lifted the spell or did something else. She strode toward the door and opened it. Once she left the room, she let out a deep breath. Her heart was beating fast. She was scared.

    She was afraid that he would lock her up forever like a caged bird. She then had to break free from there by any means necessary. After she could escape, she would never return. That would truly be the end of their rtionship.

    Maybe Arthur realized that too and that''s why he didn''t wish to take any risk. After losing her, he already knew how great importance she had in his heart and life. He wouldn''t be able to live without her.

    Arthur took a deep breath and stepped forward. He hesitated before hugging her from behind. "Nica, I never had any intention to hurt you. It''s just¡­ I''m scared that you will leave me behind. The world is so horrible and empty without you. I don''t want to be a part of this world if you are not here."

    For such a powerful man to talk about his heartbroken feelings ¨C Veronica''s heart ached for him. She wanted to turn around and hug him andfort him. However, she held back thinking about that incident in Morina''s Pce. She hardened her heart.

    "If you are that afraid, you shouldn''t have cheated on me," she stated. She clutched her dress tightly.

    "It''s not like that. I admit I was in that ce, but I didn''t cheat on you. I swear upon my name. ying with women behind your back ¨C I did no such things," Arthur denied her im while holding her securely. "I was working on something. I stayed in a room and didn''t go out even once. Darius can vouch for me. He was there with me."

    Veronica furrowed her eyebrows. "You think I mistakenly saw you ying with women? You sure know how to joke."

    "No, Nica No! Please believe me. I was working. I''m sorry I didn''t tell you before. Morina''s Pce is thergest underworld meeting ce on the continent. All bad people meet there and exchange information. Darius and I stayed there to gather information. I wanted to help you to find the traffickers'' whereabouts. Darius yed with women to collect more information from them.

    "I''ve read papers from papers to find all the news we need to find the culprits. So, I was stuck there. Not a woman entered my ce when I was there. I hired the ce in Darius''s name. No one knew I was there. By the time we found out where the traffickers went after that murderous incident, we heard that you were gone. We immediately looked for you. It took us two weeks to find out about the secret traffickers to kidnap elves.

    "We assumed that you would be there and so in two months we located your track, but it was toote. They all said you were dead. They said you jumped off the cliff. I found your trace and saw your blood. I went down the cliff and looked everywhere in the river. I didn''t want to believe that you were dead, but there was no trace left. It was scary, Nica.. So scary."

 Chapter 291 - HER ANSWER

    <h4>Chapter 291 - HER ANSWER</h4>

    "¡­It was scary, Nica. So scary." Arthur groaned as he exined.

    Veronica closed her eyes. "How am I supposed to believe you? I''ve seen with my eyes. Do you have any proof?"

    After being betrayed by the people she trusted, again and again, she lost the ability to believe anyone.

    Arthur thought for a while and then said, "I''m going to bring Darius. Wait here. You can finish your meal first."

    "You are not going to lock me up again, are you?" Veronica turned around and stared at his eyes.

    "I won''t. I promise," Arthur hastily gave his word.

    Veronica''s eyes became sharper. "Don''t disappoint me, Arthur. I''m not the kind of person who trusts people easily like before."

    In the blink of an eye, Arthur vanished, leaving her in the corridor. Veronica went back to the bedroom and freshened up. By the time she dressed up and came out of the bathroom, Arthur came back with Darius.

    "Veronica, it''s been so long. I''m d to see you safely return." Darius greeted her with a friendly smile. His face turned radiant after seeing her. it only showed how happy he was after knowing she was alive.

    He was wearing pajamas. In his head, he still had the cap. Looking at his form anyone could tell that he was sleeping, but he was woken up by Arthur''s forceful approach and was dragged here.

    Veronica politely smiled. "Thank you, Darius. Are you well?"

    Darius excitedly replied, "You bet! I was so shocked when Arthur brought your sleeping form two days ago. I thought he had done something forbidden. But then, Ovior told us that you were alive all along and went to the resort to meet your best friend behind Arthur''s back. As a punishment, he brought you back without asking for your consent."

    ''By ''forbidden'' he meant Dark Arts, didn''t he?'' Veronica assumed. ''Let''s just talk about itter.''

    "There is something I want to ask you," she stated. "I want you to speak nothing but the truth. It''s not that I''llpletely trust you either. I''ll have my own judgment."

    "Sure, I''ll speak nothing but the truth," Darius swore.

    "I want to know about Morina''s Pce. I''ve seen the night before going to the pce that¡­" Veronica told him the whole incident.

    Darius frowned while listening to him. After she was done, he opened his mouth to speak, "From what I know, Arthur stayed in one room and did all his paperwork. I''m the one who rented the room for a month. No one else knew that he was there. I delivered all his meals to that room."

    After a pause, he added, "Back then, my duty was to gather information from the girls while he checked the documents from the Information Guild. And also, I heard the rumor that there was a guy named Arthur who was popr with women. At first, I thought it was weird, but I didn''t pay attention to itter since I knew Arthur was in the room and had no time to y with women."

    "So, there was a man named Arthur who looked exactly like Arthur?" Veronica paused. "Darius, who are you trying to fool?"

    Darius was startled by her way of speaking. "Huh? I''m telling the truth. I swear by my potency that I was the one who yed with women, and I didn''t meet the guy named Arthur. So, I have no idea who it was."

    Veronica coughed. She knew how important potency was to Darius. It was his life. "Then, it could be Arthur as they said. You were busy with women. How do you know if my husband wasn''t the one who didn''t y with the women?"

    Darius denied, "How''s that possible? Whenever I had dinner for Arthur, girls always went to meet that guy. That Arthur bastard also had dinner with a bunch of women."

    Veronica narrowed her eyes. "You aren''t making it up, right?"

    "Swear by my penis!" Even though he didn''t wish for it, he was sweating. ''I wasn''t always with Arthur. If he yed with the girls when I didn''t check on him, I''m dead meat.''

    ''There is no way he would lie when his penis is on the line,'' pondering, Veronica sighed. "All right, you can go. I heard enough."

    Darius inwardly sighed in relief. For the second time in his life, he found another scary woman whom he didn''t wish to mess with.

    "All right, I''m going. But I have a request. Please don''t go out for the time being. Ever since you have arrived, all the magicians are trying to clean up the dirty mess Arthur had created in the tower. It won''t be good for your health. I think that''s why he locked you up. Don''t get mad at him, okay? He had almost gone insane after losing you."

    Veronica listened to him and calmly replied, "I understand."

    "Have a nice day." Darius quickly left. ''Man, that was he scary.

    Veronica turned toward Arthur and raised an eyebrow. "Should I believe you?"

    Arthur understood her intention. She was testing him.

    "Please, Nica. You have to trust me. I''ve never looked at other women after meeting you. This is the only truth."

    Veronica listened. Her eyes tried to figure out whether he lied or not. "Fine, I won''t go away."

    Arthur''s eyes lit up. "Nica¡­"

    "But, you can''t lock me up here either. I''ll go out and have fun as much as I want. I''ll also do my duty as the Mistress of the Magic Tower. I''m mature enough to handle them all."

    Arthur listened to her demand silently. He wanted to say something, but he wasn''t sure if he should say it or not.

    This new side of her made him doubt his choices and decisions. Every time he wanted to say something, he was worried that she would leave him.

    Veronica noticed his hesitation. "If there is something you want to say then say it."

    "Nica, I know I''m wrong, but I want to ask you one thing. Do you still love me the way you did before?"

    When he asked her the question his eyes were silently putting her. It made her heart twist in pain.

    She opened her mouth to reply. "Give me some time."

    After hearing her reply, Arthur did not say another word.

    Veronica watched him leave the bedroom. His expression kept haunting her.

    She covered her face. "I''m the worst."

    She lost her appetite, and yet she forced herself to eat.

    In the evening, she went to the balcony wearing warm clothes. The whole day, she didn''t see a trace of Arthur.

    "It figures. He must have been hurt badly," she murmured.

    "So, you know." Ament came from behind her.

    Startled, Veronica looked behind and saw Ironin standing beside the door. He was wearing a navy blue shirt and navy blue pants. His sharp purple eyes gazed at her. His dirty blonde hair danced in the wind.

    Ironin stepped forward. "Mesmerizing sunset view," hemented dryly.

    "It is," Veronica admitted, "but are you here to see the sunset though?"

    "No," Ironin replied her truthfully.

    Veronica let out a deep breath. "Did Arthur tell you toe?"

    Ironin responded as he stared at the huge orange-colored sun. "No, Ovior did." The sun was glowing like a fireball. It reminded him of his depressed friend who was drowning in sorrow and calling for his wife''s name.

    Veronica rxed her muscles. "Oh, how is he doing?" She hadn''t heard of those bunch of people for a long time.

    Ironin didn''t hide anything from her. "Terrible. His workload has increased multiple times thanks to Arthur."

    As though she was waiting for that answer. She replied, "Thought so. What does he want?"

    Ironin responded calmly, "It''s about Arthur. He is drowning in sorrow. He said you didn''t want him anymore."

    "That''s not true. I said no such thing," Veronica firmly denied his im. "I realized that I''m a bad person."

    She continued, "It''s not his fault. He did nothing wrong. I know it. But why am I acting like this? Was I always this narrow-minded?" She told him about Darius''s confession.

    Ironin shook his head. He already had a reason in his mind. "It is not that you are narrow-minded. You are being cautious."

    "Being cautious?" Veronica was stunned. "Why do I need to be cautious?"

    Ironin calmly exined, "That''s because you are afraid. You think if you believe someone and that person betrays you, you will get hurt. You don''t want to get hurt by the loved ones."

    "So I love myself more than I love him?!" Veronica lowered her head.

    "Self-love is a good practice. It is not hateful," he stated.

    Veronica panicked, "But Arthur, how will I face him when I can''t give him the best. I can''t even give him my heart."

    "It''s all right. Take some time off and think this through. Your heart will gradually soften. You are not mad at him or anything. Your heart was betrayed so many times. It''s being more careful just to make sure you don''t get hurt in the process."

    Ironin''s voice was low as he talked in an unhurried manner. The pain in Veronica''s heart gradually went away.

    "Oh, I have a request."

 Chapter 292 - NOT AT FAULT

    <h4>Chapter 292 - NOT AT FAULT</h4>

    Ironin''s reasonable exnation eased her heart.

    ''That''s right. It''s not that I hadn''t suffered even if it was a misunderstanding. If Arthur told me where he was doing and what he nned to do, this misunderstanding would never happen. Moreover, I could''ve helped him with the work. This way I could have avoided meeting the Head Priest.''

    Veronica took a deep breath and calmed herself. ''I shouldn''t think of the past. I need to talk to Arthur ande up with something that will make our life smoother. I don''t like this break-up rtionship when we are living together. It''s torture.''

    While she was talking to herself, Ironin stared at her. He observed her every move. When her face gave off the ''I made a decision'' vibe, he decided to leave her alone. Just how he came here, the same way he left.

    "Oh, I have a request," Veronica said and turned around. She was puzzled when she didn''t see Ironin. "Where did he go?" She scanned her bedroom and there was no trace of him.

    "So, he left without saying anything. I wanted to ask him about the tower''s condition since I want to leave the room. I guess I will go and check for myself."

    Veronica used the magic board to go down. The lower she went, the heavier the air was around her. She had a hard time breathing.

    ''Oh, my goodness, this ce is in terrible condition. How did the people work here up until now?'' she wondered while covering her nose.

    She spotted ck smoke almost on every floor. She could sense evil power from those. She also noticed the wizards working their butt off to clear the smoke. She frowned.

    ''I cannot let this go on. It''ll take months for wizards to clean this mess.'' She shut her eyes and put her hand near her chest. A pure white light came out of her chest and brightened up her whole being.

    The ck smoke created by the evil power couldn''t take the purity of the light. Slowly, they perished.

    Veronica used her healing power to purify the whole ce. The wizards felt their energy was boosting. No one felt exhausted anymore. Everyone cheered up and praised her.

    "Long live the Mistress of the magic Tower!"

    "Long live the Mistress of the Magic Power."

    "Long live the Mistress of the Magic Power."

    "Long live the Mistress of the Magic Power."

    They were shouting so loudly that Ovior came out of his room. He saw the bright light and almost got blinded by it. Soon, his body and mind were purified, and all his fatigues washed away.

    At first, he looked at himself and his eyes focused on Veronica. He stated, "I was wondering what''s themotion all about and I see your presence gracing our home."

    Veronica opened her eyes and noticed him. She stopped the magic board andnded on that floor. She warmly greeted him, "It''s good to see you. How are you doing, Ovior?"

    Ovior gave her a slight nod. "Thanks to you, I''m doing great. Good to see you too. Are you going down to have your dinner?"

    "No, I''m here to meet Arthur. He must be at the office." Veronica''s eyesnded on Ovior''s back where she could see Arthur''s room.

    "No, he is not. I''m not sure what you told him. He is sulking right now," Ovior responded.

    "Where is he?" she asked.

    "In the garden. It was destroyed, and so, he is taking care of it by himself. Let''s go. I have something to tell him too."

    The two of them went downstairs. At that time, Veronica mentioned, "Catherine, is she working?"

    "No, she went on a vacation for a week and didn''te back. She did call me and asked me if you arrived safely. When she didn''t find you in the resort, she figured you could be here. She wanted toe back right away, but I told her not to. She had been working hard a lot."

    "I see." Veronica didn''tment anymore about this. ''As long as she isn''t worried about me going missing, I think it''s fine. She indeed looked haggard that day.''

    "It must have been tough living in this unholy ce."

    When they reached the first floor, they were greeted by a wizard. That person had long yellow-blonde hair with a charming face. He was wearing a blue uniform. He was a water mage. Hisdy-killer face was smiling at them.

    Ovior nonchntly responded, "It was, but not anymore. Go inside and check with your own eyes."

    The mage seemed surprised. "Is that so?" he mumbled. His eyes spotted the girl beside Ovior and he became curious, "Who is thisdy? I have never seen a wizard without their uniform here. Is this allowed nowadays?"

    "No, it''s not. That person will be expelled if they break the rules. She is the Mistress of the Magic Tower, Veronica. Mistress, this man is a water mage, Dave Morton." Ovior introduced them.

    Dave Morton seemed surprised at first. But then he bowed politely. "Forgive my insolence, Mistress. This is my first time meeting you. I''ve been out for an assignment. It''s a pleasure to be your acquaintance."

    "The pleasure is mine," Veronica replied with a smile.

    Dave Morton gently held her right hand and ced his lips on the back of her fingers. Then, he said, "I''ve heard so many rumors about your beauty, Mistress. I''m surprised that one of them is untrue. But you look amazing with your short hair."

    "Thank you for thepliment." Veronica was pleased upon hearing the praise. Her impression of him improved a lot.

    "Then, I shall head inside. Please carry on with your work." Dave Morton slightly bowed and then left.

    "Isn''t he a gentleman?" Veronica muttered as her eyes were on his back. In her journey, she hardly met a man who would talk to women respectfully. Thus, she couldn''t help but admire.

    "Be careful or your husband will murder this prodigy," Ovior bluntly warned her.

    "Oh, this is insane." Veronica helplessly shook her head.

    They walked into the garden which looked like a dead zone. The flowers all died because of the evil power spreading all over the Magic Tower. They noticed Arthur trying to revive the flowers usingplicated magic.

    ''This will take longer. The air is heavy around here,'' Veronica thought to herself. Using her healing power, once again, she purified this ce.

    The ck smoke instantly disappeared from the garden. Arthur''s magic worked faster than before. He could feel the presence of the healing power. He turned around and saw those two walking toward her.

    Arthur dropped his work and came to meet them. "Why did youe out?" he asked as he worriedly looked at her.

    "If I didn''te out, how long were you nning to stay in the unholy ce?" Veronica nagged him. "It''s even hard to breathe."

    "I''m sorry," Arthur''s shoulders dropped as he apologized.

    ''Oh, my Goddess! Why is he acting like a puppy all of a sudden?'' Veronica''s heart fluttered. She coughed to hide her embarrassment.

    After that, he quickly said, "It''s fine, but I never want to hear anything about Dark Arts or Devil here. You are not allowed to do something forbidden, and no one will follow you. I can''t believe you tried to do it despite knowing others might wrongly follow you. The world would be in chaos. Don''t ever do something so horrible."

    "If you get hurt, I will do it again," Arthur''s words were resolute.

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless. She recently calmed down, but her anger rose once again.

    "It''s always because you hide things from me thinking I''m too weak to handle it and then cause misunderstandings that cannot be resolved. Who told you to hide that you were searching for the traffickers? Who told you to hide the fact that you were staying at Morina''s Pce? Weren''t you all doing that for me? Was it fun hurting me for the past few months? Actually, I did great in leaving you. I will never regret doing that again if you try hiding things from me."

    Arthur grabbed her hands tightly. "No, don''t leave me again. Whatever I hid, I did it for good."

    Veronica snatched her arms away. "Are you stupid? If you told me back then, this misunderstanding couldn''t ur. Moreover, I could help you with papers and so did others. This way, you had less pressure to deal with everything, and I wouldn''t be locked up in the pce. It''s because of you I suffered."

    Arthur lowered his head. "¡­I know, but I couldn''t do that. It''s because those papers mentioned so many crimes. You would be hurt if you read them all."

    Veronica took a deep breath. "Arthur, I would be slightly hurt and I would be worked up for sure. However, I wouldn''t turn insane if I read them. I would have calmed down and dealt with them ordingly."

    "That''s the very reason I didn''t want to bring that up. I don''t want you to get hurt."

    "But I did end up out there without anyone''s protection. I learned about crime, and I was injured. I had to learn how to fight in order to protect myself and innocent people. So, tell me, what is the point of your useless worry? Were you able to stop it?"

    Arthur''s jaw clenched. He couldn''t say a word. ''She is right at this point. I left her all alone. Her body is filled with marks. How much was she hurt when she was injured? There was no one to protect her.. She did everything by herself. If I had told her back then¡­''

 Chapter 293 - UNDERSTANDING HER PAIN

    <h4>Chapter 293 - UNDERSTANDING HER PAIN</h4>

    ''¡­If I had told her back then, things wouldn''t turn out this way.''

    Veronica continued, "Do you know how helpless I felt when I silently called for your help when I was in danger but then I remember ying with other women? I was hurt again and again. I suffered so much that sometimes I thought if my emotions didn''t exist. I''m still not sure how I''m still alive."

    Arthur couldn''t imagine her pain. But, he could guess it was something simr to his. He didn''t want to go through it again.

    ''Because of me, she went through this kind of pain all alone. She had no friends around her, unlike me. No food to eat. People''s harsh words and bad intentions¡­ she had to protect herself from those things. She was in pain, and yet, she wanted to live.''

    He came forward and hugged Veronica tightly in his arms. "I''m sorry, Nica. This won''t happen again. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have hidden any information from you. I''m sorry I couldn''t be there to protect you. I''m sorry for hurting you and making you feel miserable."

    He apologized again and again. He choked while talking. His arms securely held her lean body.

    Veronica winched as she felt pain from his tight hug, but she couldn''t push him away. She sensed him trembling when he embraced her. She could feel his sincerity from the bottom of his heart.

    All her anger and sorrow melted on the spot. She couldn''t help it. After all, every inch of her body and heart loved him dearly.

    She finally raised her arms and hugged his back. Tears rolled down her eyes, and she did nothing to prevent them. She buried her face on his chest and cried along with him.

    After crying for some time, she decided to set some rules between them.

    "We will have our private lives without each other once in a while and none of us can interfere. However, we will tell each other beforehand so that no misunderstanding urs."

    "¡­Okay," Without a fight, Arthur agreed with her.

    "We are both strong and weak in some ways. We will respect each other''s weaknesses and still share the burdens because there is no point of being husband and wife if we can''t support each other no matter how capable we are."

    "All right."

    "If we need some space, we will respectfully give it to each other. We are not bound to follow anything that we don''t like. No forcing."

    "All right."

    "If we have something in our heads, we will share. Onlymunication can help us grow closer."

    "Whatever you want." Arthur was very agreeable. His obedience pleased her.

    Finally, both of them calmed down and left each other''s embrace.

    "I''ll forgive you this time. Don''t ever think of hiding anything from me in the future," Veronica threatened him.

    "I won''t hide anything. I promise." Arthur had no reason to hide anything from her from now on. He was more worried about her leaving him than the incidents of the human world.

    "Cough!" Ovior, who was standing not too far away, coughed loudly enough to get their attention.

    Veronica quickly pushed him away. pushed Arthur away. ''Ovior is here! Oh no! Ipletely forgot about him! He is here and I cried. How embarrassing!''

    Ovior stated, "I think you two have enough time to make up with each other. Unfortunately, I don''t have that much free time. Please hear me out."

    "What is it?" Arthur''s expression became normal. His face looked more rxed.

    Ovior answered, "Felix sent his regards. I told him to search for the man who was using your disguise to y with women. Apparently, he found him. Now, he is bringing him back using teleportation. They will be here at any moment."

    "So, there was a guy who looked like Arthur." Veronica was astonished.

    Ovior fixed his sses while replying, "We are not sure whether he used magic or not. We all know he can''t use magic in the Holy City. Anyway, shall we go inside?"

    "Yes, let''s go." Veronica took Arthur''s hand and pulled him inside.

    Arthur nced at their joined hands. Her initiative surprised him. His face bloomed with hundreds of invisible flowers.

    His love-sick expression made the single dog Ovior sick. He frowned and looked away. ''How annoying,'' he thought.

    Felix brought the guy to Arthur''s office. He threw the guy on the floor. The guy was all tied up.

    Without caring whether he was hurt or not, Felix greeted Veronica first. "d to see you alive, Miss Veronica."

    Veronica replied with a smile, "d to see you too, Felix. How are you?"

    "I''m doing great. So, this is the guy who made you misunderstand Arthur. Am I right?" Felix bend down, grabbed the guy''s hair, and pulled his head up.

    Veronica stared at the face and gasped in bewilderment. "This is the guy. Look, Arthur. He looks exactly like you. Even his eyes."

    "I always believe you." Arthur kissed her head.

    "This is amazing. I thought only magic could change people''s appearance like that. I guess it''s not true. This man definitely looks like you." Ovior scanned the guy with interest.

    "Mm! Mmm!" The man tried to shout but his mouth was covered. His eyes were shaking in fear.

    Veronica remarked, "I think he wants to say something. Felix, can you please take out the piece of cloth from his mouth?"

    "dly." Felix obeyed her order.

    The man coughed as his mouth became free. He inhaled sharply several times before cautiously looking at them.

    "Please, please, let me go. I don''t think I''ve done any harm to you. I''m innocent, all right? I cannot kill a single fly. I did nothing wrong." Looking at the cold-faced men, he couldn''tpletely trust them. Looking at the innocent face, he thought he could rely on her. "Miss, I don''t think Iid a hand on you. Why are you doing this?"

    Veronica shrugged. "I''m not the one who brought you here. You are asking the wrong person."

    "But¡­ but what did I do?"

 Chapter 294 - INTERROGATION

    <h4>Chapter 294 - INTERROGATION</h4>

    "But¡­ but what did I do?" the man who looked exactly the same as Arthur desperately asked them. "I swear I did nothing wrong."

    "You sure? Look at me in the eyes, bastard. Who do you look like? Whose disguise did you take?" Arthur stepped forward.

    Due to nervousness, he hardly nced at Arthur. Now that he came closer, he saw his face. The moment he recognized that face, his eyes widened in shock, and the blood drained from his face. He tried to move backward. "Y-you¡­"

    "Looks like you remember." Arthur kicked his face. He used enough strength.

    The man rolled on the floor. He let out a cry. His nose was broken. Two trails of blood streamed down his face, covering his lips. He looked horrifying. He wept in pain.

    "Because of your action, my wife misunderstood me, left me, suffered alone, and I could do nothing to help her. It''s all your fault. You need to be prepared for the endless punishment." Arthur stepped on his right hand''s fingers. His fingers created cracking sounds.

    He needed to vent all his anger and pain. Now that he found the culprit, he vented everything on him. He med his guy for ruining his happiness and made Veronica suffer for months.

    "Aargh!" The guy screamed. Tears and blood made a bloody mess of his face, but he didn''t care.

    "Because of his action, the world was on the verge of going down," Oviormented.

    "Say it! How did you get my face? Should I break other fingers as well?" Arthur mercilessly threatened him.

    The guy realized that it wasn''t an empty threat. He stopped crying and quickly said, "I''ll say it! Say it!" Although he didn''t cry anymore, he couldn''t help but tremble. He was scared to the point he could piss on his pants any moment. "It''s facial surgery," he finally confessed.

    "Facial what?" Veronica thought she heard wrong. Confused, she nced at other guys in case they heard anything, but they weren''t sure about this ''surgery'' word either.

    The man exined, "It''s an advanced medical science that can change your face to any shape."

    Ovior looked at him with contempt. "I''ve heard many things in my life but never this term."

    Arthur kicked his face again. "Tell us everything from the beginning."

    The guy winched. He licked his bloody lips and started, "I was a farmer. I lost mynds to the lord and came to the Holy City. I knew nothing about the city. No one gave me work either. I was dying without food.

    "Fortunately, a guy came to me and gave me an offer. He said I could livevishly without worrying about food, money, and women. I could never say no to that. Later, I was taken outside Utahill. My eyes were covered. So, I''m not sure where they took me."

    "They took you? How many?" Felix inquired.

    The man replied, "Four people. All men. When they took off the cloth, I found myself in the dark. There were lights pointed at my face. Since all the lights were focused on me, I couldn''t see those people''s faces. I only heard their voices."

    Felix asked again, "What were they talking about?"

    "They were talking to me about how my life was going to change after this surgery. I was looking forward to it. It wasn''t that I wasn''t scared. There were tons of knives in different sizes. They cut my face. It was painful. I couldn''t cry. My salty tears burned everywhere it went. So, I had to hold my tears. The pain was unbearable. I lost consciousness."

    He shuddered as he reminisced about that day. "The next time I woke up, the surgery was done. They used snow to cool off my burning pain. It numbed my skin. I hardly felt any painter. To tan my body, they took me to the beach for sunbathing. I went through training and exercise. I loved my new face and body. Girls loved me. I nevercked food or money. It''s the best life I can ever have."

    After he was done talking, he looked at them pleadingly, "So, please, don''t snatch my life away from me. I never knew I looked like someone, and I harmed a married couple unintentionally. In my job, I wasn''t allowed to ask any questions. I have no idea who you are. If you are an aristocrat, please spare me. I''ll evere before you in my life."

    He silently wept. Everyone stared at him. They were quiet.

    Ovior finally opened his mouth, "Do you want to believe this guy?" His question was directed to Arthur.

    "I''m telling the truth! I''m only speaking the truth. Please believe me! Believe me!" The guy desperately begged.

    Veronica inquired, "Do you remember the face of the guy who offered you the job?"

    The guy shook his head. "No! I was half-blind back then. They reced my eyes."

    "What? Rece eyes? Not healed?" Felix was stunned. He was as puzzled as the rest of them.

    "Take him out," Arthur ordered.

    "Please don''t kill me! Don''t kill me!" the guy screamed as he was being dragged out by Felix.

    "No one is killing you," Veronica assured him.

    After he left the room, she turned to Arthur and Ovior. "Okay, this is getting out of our hands. We have no clues who did it. It''s almost like someone is ying with us behind the screen. And, we have no idea what is happening and who this guy is. I don''t like this feeling."

    Arthur added, "Yes, it''s like the guy knew I was married, and I took you there. And you coincidentally went there to see this ying with women and misunderstood greatly."

    "Yes, and after that, I escaped the pce with Ironin. But the moment I wanted to run away, I met the traffickers. They thought I was an elf even though I looked nothing like elves. No matter what I told them, they didn''t listen to my words. It was like they were so sure that I was an elf.. Moreover, it was like they were keeping an eye on me for a long time and waiting for the opportunity to get me alone."

 Chapter 295 - THE ENEMYS MOTIVE

    <h4>Chapter 295 - THE ENEMY''S MOTIVE</h4>

    "¡­Moreover, it was like they were keeping an eye on me for a long time and waiting for the opportunity to get me alone."

    At Veronica''s mention, Arthur knitted his eyebrows. ''I''ll get them back for separating us for so long.

    "And they are talking about advanced surgery. Not magic. What''s advanced medical surgery anyway?" Veronica nced at Ovior while talking.

    Ovior raised his hands as if he surrendered. "Don''t ask me. I never heard the term."

    Veronica suggested, "We need to find out what that is."

    Arthur interrupted her, "Before all that, think about this n. The enemy wanted to separate us. What''s their motive? Was their target Nica or me? I almost did something forbidden. If I seeded in doing that, the world would be in chaos. Maybe their target was chaos."

    Veronica shuddered. "All right, don''t say something so scary. How in the world would someonee up with this critically ugly n?"

    Arthur tried to ease her, "I''m just stating this fact. Anyway, we have to be more careful."

    "Damn it! Not again! If it wasn''t for you hiding things from me, the enemy wouldn''t get this opportunity in the first ce. But you hid the news from me and acted on your own. Now, things turned out like this," Veronica snapped at him.

    "I''m sorry¡­" Arthur''s voice was hardly audible. He looked pitiful.

    Ovior rubbed his temples. "Veronica, do me a favor and don''t be too harsh on this guy. This is the first time he ever loved a girl. He doesn''t know what to do and what he shouldn''t do. He is trying to be sincere toward you the way he thinks it fits right. Try to tell him gently. Scolding him will only make him cautious around you."

    Veronica nced at Arthur who kept his head down. She took a deep breath and calmed down the fire inside her. "Fine, I''ll do that."

    "My wife is the best," Arthur couldn''t stop praising his wife, leaving Veronica blushing.

    Ovior frowned. He couldn''t stand their lovey-dovey moments. For some unspeakable reason, it irritated him greatly. "Anyway, Veronica, do you remember the person who took you to that ce and made you misunderstood?"

    Veronica nodded. "Yes, I remember him. He is a local bartender. He owns that ce. His name is Max."

    "Max." Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "I know that guy. So, he is behind the misunderstanding. I''ll murder him. I''ll send Felix to get him."

    Veronica suggested, "Zinnia knows him. Why don''t you ask her? Don''t let Felix do all the chores."

    "I''ll do that," Arthur agreed without hesitation.

    Ovior put his hand under his chin and analyzed Veronica''s behavior. "I kind of like Veronica''s transformation. I guess it was a good thing that you were not under Arthur for a while."

    Veronica smirked. "You can only spread your wings in the open sky, not in the cage."

    "Point taken."

    "¡­" Unlike those two, Arthur looked gloomy.

    ---------

    That night, Veronica went to bed and tried to get some sleep. However, Arthurid down beside her and hugged her.

    "¡­Nica?"

    Veronica heard his hesitant call but pretended not to hear him. She didn''t want to have any private conversation with him.

    Both of them had a fault in the misunderstanding and someone took advantage of it. The moment she realized how easy it was to break their rtionship, she felt remorse. That''s why she wasn''t in the mood to chat with him.

    Arthur noticed her regr heartbeat. He didn''t talk anymore. His right hand slipped inside her nightgown and touched her skin.

    "!!!" Veronica''s eyelids trembled in surprise. For a moment, she held her breath. Her body involuntarily trembled when his warm fingertips caressed the area around her belly button.

    It was a sensitive spot. She couldn''t stand him teasing her weak area. She grabbed his hand and rebuked him, "What do you think you are doing?"

    At her reproach, Arthur smiled. He leaned forward and nted a kiss on her face. "I''m touching my princess."

    "Not now. I want to sleep." Veronica tried to move his hand away, but his fingers went from her right side to the left side and hugged her waist.

    Arthur brushed his lips over her nape. "But you aren''t sleeping."

    Veronica shuddered in the process. She gritted her teeth and held back her moan. "I''m tired."

    "Are you? Didn''t you sleep for two days? Do you still have sleepiness in your eyes?" Arthur whispered in her ear.

    ''Of course not! How can I sleep when your hot breath is ying with my ear?!'' she screamed inwardly but she didn''t utter the words. She lied, "Yes, I have. So, let me sleep."

    "You don''t seem to be sleepy though. Look, your nipple is hard." Arthur yfully groped and fondled her right breast.

    "Ahh¡­ wait¡­ Arthur!" Veronica''s body jolted in pleasure. Her knees bent and her toes curled.

    Arthur paid no heed to her words. Rather, he circled his fingers around her small mound without touching it. At the same time, his tongue licked the back of her neck.

    Veronica''s body gradually grew hotter. She licked her lips. Her small fruit gradually hardened, but she was unsatisfied it wasn''t touched. Her heart felt somewhat lonely. She bit down her lower lip in order to prevent any kind of shameful sound that coulde out of your mouth.

    Arthur slipped his left arm under her body and kneaded her left breast. Her breasts were soft and bouncy like jelly. When he cupped them, they filled hisrge palms.

    "Nica, did your breasts grow smaller when I wasn''t around? It seems no one was there to massage them." It was like he meant topliment her for being loyal. He bit down the back of her neck and sucked that area, leaving a red mark on her skin.

    Veronica rolled her eyes.. "What do you think you are saying? Do I look like a man-craving woman to you? Hnng!" Despite feeling anger boiling in her heart, she couldn''t help shuddering from his action.

 Chapter 296 - LATE NIGHT SUPPER

    <h4>Chapter 296 - LATE NIGHT SUPPER</h4>

    Veronica couldn''t help but shudder from his action.

    "I would never think that. Don''t be upset. From now on, I''ll massage them every day. They will grow bigger than before," Arthur righteously made a promise to her. After that, he used his finger to flick those small cherries on their peaks.

    Unable to endure this abrupt attack, Veronica cried out, "Ahh! Stop it¡­"

    "Are you sure? It looks like they are enjoying it. Did you see how hard they have be?" Arthur wantonly yed with her plump breasts.

    Veronica felt blood rushing toward her face. She blushed furiously. She was embarrassed and didn''t want to admit that she was enjoying his yful act. The more she tried to pretend like a saint, the more lewdly her body responded and exposed her inner feelings.

    "Princess, are you enjoying this? Tell me, all right?"

    "I''m not enjoying this!" Veronica shouted. It was maddening when her body betrayed her so outright, and she couldn''t do anything about that.

    "Is that so?" Arthur thought for a moment. Then, he pressed his lower region on her butt.

    Veronica sensed his cock was already as hard as a rock. It was poking her behind. Her body trembled in excitement. Her buttocks subconsciously wiggled against him. She had no clue that she did something so shameful.

    Arthur didn''t miss her tiny action. His blood boiled in desire. His heart throbbed. "Princess, are you trying to seduce your husband with your action? It''s working very well."

    Only then did Veronica realize what she was doing. Her body became rigid in shame. She couldn''t utter a single word to protest.

    "It''s okay. You are only seducing your husband. Ipletely approve of it." Amused, Arthur nted a sweet kiss on her shoulder.

    ''Who wants your approval?'' Veronica wanted to bite his skin. Her body shuddered in his yful action. She softly panted.

    "Are you feeling stuffy? Let me help you breathe." Afterward, Arthur forcefully pulled the front of Veronica''s nightgown, exposing her white tender skin. It caused her fair and plump breasts to bounce. Before sleeping, she didn''t wear her brassieres. Losing the nightgown restriction, her jade breasts stood tall upwards with cherry-sized nipples on their peaks.

    "Wait¡­ my favorite nightgown¡­" Veronica gasped.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll buy the exact same color and design again. I''ll buy lots." Then, pulling her face toward him, he devoured her small cherry lips. They were soft and sweet. He tasted them multiple times before, but he never had enough. He sucked her upper lip and then lower lip.

    Veronica wanted to reject his kiss at first, but before she knew it, she kissed him back with the same passion. To breathe, she slightly opened her mouth. Taking that opportunity, Arthur slid his tongue and explored inside.

    "Hhng!" A wave of limpness spread across her entire body. She didn''t fight back. She fiercely yed with his tongue.

    While kissing her, Arthur kneaded her breasts in a soft and then hard manner. That lustrous white flesh squeezed out between the gap of his fingers.

    Under his willful toying, Veronica sensed something warm going downward. She squeezed her thighs together and unintentionally rubbed them.

    While she was enjoying their forey, Arthur''s right hand moved away from her breast, moving along her thigh, it massaged her most sensitive flower hole through her obscene underpants. He discovered a small section of her obscene underpants was already moist.

    "Princess, are you having fun? You are wet from your tits. I thought you didn''t want it." Arthur, the demon, didn''t stop himself from teasing her where she was most vulnerable.

    Veronica''s body stiffened once more. She was so ashamed that she wanted to hang her head. Her eyes became tearing as she wanted to cry out in shame. ''Why does he always tease me like that? Does he have fun ying with my heart? If that''s so, I shouldn''t give him the pleasure of teasing me so heartlessly.''

    Her hands were already touching his hands. They were meant to prevent his naughty hands; however, she had no strengths in her fingertips. She didn''t have enough energy on her legs either. Overstimtion caused her legs to go limp.

    Therefore, she could only use her waist. Ashamed and resentful Veronica ground her buttocks against his hard member. ''If you can tease me, I can tease you too,'' she thought.

    Arthur was surprised when she attacked him at his weakest point. His golden eyes flickered. His handsome face turned demonic for a moment. He didn''t stop his hunger for her from showing on his face.

    He licked her tongue and yed with her flower hole. It was her sensitive ce that had only been touched by him. He provoked her more under the present erotic movements.

    A soft moan escaped Veronica''s mouth. She clearly felt his hard thing pressing against her soft ce. Her body was so used to his touches and teasing. Without her permission, hercey panties were drenched with her juice.

    An ecstatic sensation urged Arthur to release his desire on her body. He pulled her obscene panties down and rolled the hem of her nightgown up. He didn''t want anything to disturb his lovemaking ritual. After that, he used his fingers to pinch her small bud. The action stimted her to the core. Shameful nectar overflowed out of her flower hole.

    "Ahh¡­." Veronica let out a loud moan. A wave of limp and numb pleasure spread throughout her entire body from her clitoris.

    Arthur softly kneaded her flower hole, pressing on that small flower core, moving it to and fro. "Princess, do you like what I''m doing?" He looked towards Veronica''s captivating red face and elerated his hand''s movement.

    Two days ago, he just wanted to feel her in his body and mind. Thus, he didn''t speak too much. He only uttered her name urgently. As for tonight, he wanted to tease her badly, just like he did other times when no one was around. He knew for a long time that his obscene words only made her crave for more.

    How could he not do that when she had fun?

 Chapter 297 - SILENT PRAYER

    <h4>Chapter 297 - SILENT PRAYER</h4>

    Veronica stopped struggling for some time now. She didn''t know what she was fighting in the first ce. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to have some fun or seek pleasure. However, it was true that she didn''t want to do it when her emotions were conflicted.

    She felt responsible for the misunderstanding and lots of people got hurt. She couldn''t forget that. That''s why she wasn''t quick to seek fun because her heart wanted to suffer to seek redemption. She wanted to vent her feelings and thoughts but didn''t know where to.

    At that time, Arthur came to tease her. That''s the very reason she couldn''t be in the mood. She felt like she was undeserved.

    She recalled once Urs told her, "If you want the beast to listen to you, tame it. Get on the top and rule it like you are the master and it is your servant. When it sees that you are more powerful than you are, only then it will be tamed."

    When she remembered his words, she suddenly stopped struggling and let herself sway with pleasure. She moaned softly as her husband yed with her sensitive spot.

    Listening to her shouts, Arthur made his hand''s movements fiercer, rotating that small pearl at high speed.

    "Mm¡­ Nnn¡­" Veronica''s body went stiff. After violently shuddering, she limply stayed on the bed. Her mouth was slightly apart. Her head was nk from the climax.

    Arthur kissed her flushed cheek and said, "Princess, did you manage to have some fun? You came so fiercely. I thought you weren''t able to enjoy it much because of my fingers. Am I wrong?"

    ''Is he making fun of me?'' Veronica wanted to curse herself for cumming so fast. She took deep breaths to calm down.

    Arthur continued, "Are my fingers alone enough to give you the pleasure? Or maybe you would like to have something else."

    While asking for her opinion, he raised her right leg. Then, he took out his already erected cock from the pants and armed at her flower hole which was overflowing with nectar. He positioned himself before thrusting inside.

    "Ahh!" Veronica moaned again, wriggling her slender waistline. This time, her pussy was filledpletely with that hard cock until the limit. It brought iparable pleasure to her. "Arthur¡­ slow down¡­"

    Could he go slow just because she said so? He was dying to go inside her.

    Arthur closed his eyes and savored every second of being inside her. Her pussy wrapped around him, her tender moist flesh walls pulled back continuously, just like a small mouth, sucking him.

    He licked her neck. He was throbbing inside her. He wanted to jab her with all his might and tear her apart. He recalled thest time she slept two days after he let his inner beast do whatever it wanted. This time, he didn''t want to make the same mistake.

    He inhaled sharply. Her body had a sweet, addictive smell. It entered his nostril and made him drunk. Roaring in a low voice, he grabbed her thigh tightly, leaving his fingerprints, and pushed his manhood to her lovely hole''s depth.

    Veronica screamed. This position was new to her. His dick was touching her all the way to her womb''s wall. She scratched the pillow and firmly held the bedsheet. With her back facing him, she had no way to see his face.

    "Princess, you are so tight down there. Do you like it?" Arthur''s voice was maic. His left hand grabbed her bouncing breast and wantonly pinched while he moved his waist and plunged in her flower hole deeply.

    The way Arthur''s firm member rammed into her had every intention of sending her senses to heaven. The gradually rising ecstasy was amazing. Whenever he thrust himselfpletely into her, Veronica''s body would shiver from head to toe.

    "Nica, move your ass for me." His husky voice was drunk in ecstasy.

    He didn''t have to say it because Veronica had already drowned in pleasure. Her strength weekend a lot after cumming once.

    To respond to his shameful act, she wriggled her waist, unable to resist the supreme lust and pleasure. As he thrust in and out of her, nectar followed her orgasm and sttered all over again.

    Her body jolted in rapture. After she came, she felt her body sinking deep. As though she was in the unfathomable ocean. She sank deeper and deeper and found no way to go up.

    Arthur''s cock was violently mped by Veronica''s contracting pussy post her orgasm. It also enthusiastically spurted out. He gasped for his breath, supporting himself on her body, avariciously looking at her faintly breathing post her orgasm.

    He poured everyst drop of thick semen in her womb. He didn''t spill out a drop of it.

    He dropped her leg and pulled her in his chest. Her sweaty back touched his warm chest. He leaned his head and dropped kisses on her smooth shoulder.? He gently massaged her stomach where he filled her with his seeds.

    While doing so, he softly whispered in her ear, "Nica, I love you. Don''t leave me. Stay with me and teach me how to love you properly. I''ll do whatever should be done for you. I want to make you the happiest bride. I have no intention to hurt you. Please give me another chance."

    His tender movement brought tiredness to her eyes. His racing heart helped her drowsiness. Her eyes gradually dropped. From a far distance, she could hear his voice, his prayer. Slowly, she drifted to a farawaynd.

    Arthur noticed that she didn''t make a sound. He heard her soft breathing. Realizing that she had fallen asleep, he let out a deep sigh. He didn''t want to get up and take a bath with her when she finally closed her tired eyes. Thus, he used magic to clean their bodies.

    ''Let''s not force her and take it slow. I''ll coax her slowly and make her fall for me again. I don''t need to hurry.. As long as she is by my side, I care for nothing. Please let me be with her¡­''

 Chapter 298 - LIKE UNREQUIRED LOVE

    <h4>Chapter 298 - LIKE UNREQUIRED LOVE</h4>

    ''¡­Please let me be with her. There is nothing I want from this world.''

    While praying to who knew whom, he closed his eyes. His arm securely held her.

    The next day, Veronica woke up in the morning. The moment she opened her eyes, her visionnded on the strong muscle. Still drowsy, her brain was quite slow.

    "Like what you see?" She heard a teasing voice from the top of her head.

    Rubbing her eyes, she looked up and saw Arthur''s tender expression. He lovingly gazed at her. The back of his fingers caressed her face.

    His action slowly cleared her mind. The drowsiness disappeared. She found herself nestled in his arms.

    At that moment, she was confused. She didn''t know if she should push him away or stay in his embrace. ''If I stay in his arms, it makes me feel like I''m cheating. I''m taking all the affections from him and not giving him anything. But if I don''t stay in his arms, he will be depressed.''

    She couldn''t forget what he saidst night before she fell asleep.

    "Nica, I love you. Don''t leave me. Stay with me and teach me how to love you properly. I''ll do whatever should be done for you. I want to make you the happiest bride. I have no intention to hurt you. Please give me another chance."

    It was like a silent prayer of a lover''s unrequired love.

    Not knowing what to do, her heart began to hurt. She didn''t want to deal with the conflicted emotions in the early morning. She took a deep breath and hugged Arthur''s strong, lean waist.

    Indeed, Arthur''s heartbeat raised. She could hear his heart beating fast when she hugged him. She nuzzled her face on his chest and inhaled his nectar. She sensed his arms stiffen on her back, and something hard pressed her stomach.

    Her face slowly turned red. She knew exactly what was poking her belly. She tried to avoid touching it and stayed in his arms.

    However, Arthur was having a hard time. He woke up twenty minutes ago and was enjoying the lovely sight in front of him. He saw her waking up and couldn''t help but tease her.

    He didn''t expect her to act cute like a small pet. He thought she would definitely push him away or re at him. He was prepared for it. But now that she acted so cutely, his heart raced. It was like he became an immature teenager who fell in love for the first time in his life.

    In the morning, one''s sexual hunger stayed at the highest peak. Her acting so cute made his dick throb painfully. He wanted to do it badly.

    ''No, I have to hold back for her sake. I already forced herst night. She is in a good mood right now. If I force her again, her mood might turn sour. She might think I''m only into her body, not her heart. This time, I''ll definitely win her heart.''

    He promised himself and hugged her close to his chest. The precious being was alive and breathing in his arms. Even a week ago, he couldn''t dream of it. Last night, he slept peacefully. It''s only because she was in his arms without pretesting. His sleepless nights and torturous days were gone.

    Thinking about how he spent his days looking for her and bringing sacrifices to please the Devil himself to bring her back, he tightened his grip. It was the most hellish time in his life. For the first time, he fought madly to get her back. If needed, he would do that again to keep her by his side.

    However, he didn''t want to spend days without her anymore. He would fight anyone for her happiness, but he needed her close to him, somewhere where his eyes can reach.

    He closed his eyes and began to sweat. He kept telling himself inwardly. ''Endure, endure. You cannot act indecently in front of her. You cannot show your shamelessness when you are trying to make ady fall for you. you already had your mealst night. You don''t need it in the morning. She hadn''t had her breakfast yet. She must be tired.''

    While he kept telling himself that, Veronica was a bit surprised that he tried to avoid grinding himself against her. If it was another time, he would definitely go for a round and make her stay in bed all day.

    ''Why is he acting gentlemanly all of a sudden? Did he think I''d change my mind just because he didn''t have sex with me in the morning?''

    While she thought that, she came to realize something, ''Wait, he confessedst night, didn''t he? Is he trying to court me like men court women before marriage? But why?''

    ''We are already married. He never tried to please me like this before. He always yed with me. Every time we were together, we only had sex and got intimate like that. My body was filled with lust and that''s what I mistook as love.''

    ''However, days passed, and my affection grew for him. That''s why it hurt so much when I thought he was cheating. I wanted to run away and forget him. Now my heart is unable to love anything. My mind is filled with distrust. I cannot afford to fall for him again and get hurt again.''

    ''I know it''s not his fault, and I''m acting stupid. I''m not sure why I cannot be sweet like before. I cannot get along with him like before. Ironin was right. I''m afraid. I''m scared of getting hurt. The heartbreaking pain ¨C I don''t want to face anything like that again.''

    ''What should I do? How can I turn normal? What can I do to ease his heart? What can I do to help myself? I love myself too much to suffer from the same pain again.''

    She was conflicted. Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her temple. She had a headache. She couldn''t help but frown.

    Arthur observed her expression. "What''s wrong? Are you in pain?"

 Chapter 299 - BLAME ME

    <h4>Chapter 299 - BLAME ME</h4>

    "What''s wrong? Are you in pain?" Arthur observed her expression. He couldn''t help but worry.

    Veronica slightly shook her head. "Nothing. It''s just¡­ human emotions are tooplicated."

    ''Where did that thoughte from?'' Arthur wondered confusedly. "Is there something that''s bothering you?"

    Veronica paused before sharing some parts of her thought, "Everything. Whatever I see or feel, they all bother me. I''m not even sure why I''m feeling or thinking like this. Maybe I have too much free time. I hardly thought of anything when I was out there, trying to survive."

    Arthur paid attention to her words. "Are you thinking about our rtionship?"

    "Among other things, yes." Veronica didn''t want to lie about it. She felt that the more she hid from him, the further they parted from each other.

    "Since it''s about our rtionship, don''t give too many thoughts. If you think too deeply, you will end up in the bottomless sea and lose yourself. So, don''t use your head to think. Try using your eyes to observe my actions from now on and analyze them with your head. Just one month.

    "If you think there is a small part of me that you don''t like and want to change, tell me. I''ll definitely change for you. However, if you think I''m not worthy of you then¡­ just do whatever you want. I won''t stop you. Please just don''t give me false hope. I can''t bear it."

    His hands firmly grasped hers. His throat tightened inside when he talked but he pretended not to notice.

    "¡­" Veronica became quiet. She didn''t want to be mean to him. Nor did she want to hurt him. She wanted to be truthful.

    ''Look Ver, you tried to do the right thing and ended up hurting him right after waking up. He didn''t do anything wrong, but you kept punishing him because of your selfishness. You are the worst.''

    She left his embrace and got up. Wrapping theforter around her chest, she told him, "It''s not your fault, Arthur. It''s just me being selfish. I was just thinking too deeply about myself and got hurt in return. In the process, I made you suffer as well."

    Arthur couldn''t sleep anymore. He sat beside her. Once again, he gently held her hand. "I didn''t suffer as much as you did."

    Veronica couldn''t take this anymore. She shouted, "Why are you supporting me? Why don''t you me me? If you did, it would hurt me less. I would feel less guilty. You are the victim, but you make it sound like I''m the victim. Don''t do this! Comin to me if you were hurt. me me for my stupidity. Tell me where I''m wrong so that I can fix it. I''m willing to learn!"

    Arthur cupped her face. "It''s okay. Calm down first. Take a deep breath. Let me tell you why I said nothing. Nica, the moment I saw you, I was drawn to your naiveness and innocence. I haven''t met a woman like you before. It was new to me and I rather liked yourpany. That''s how I came to like you.

    "You see, I didn''t have any expectation of what kind of woman I wanted to be with in my life. I never even daydreamed that one day I would marry someone and think of having a family with her. After meeting you, I started thinking about dating you, marrying, and then having a family with you.

    "From the very beginning, I liked you just the way you are. I want you to be happy by my side. There is nothing I want more from you. That''s why I didn''t think you needed to be changed. I knew you had shorings despite your dream so big. That''s why I was willing to y the part of your protective charm for the rest of my life.

    "I didn''t want to burden you with my thoughts. That''s why I never told you. The mistake you made was amon mistake if I think from your point of view. Two days you were sleeping and then you woke up and told me what made you leave me. In the office, I tried to think about what I would do if I were in your ce. With all the people said to you and then what they showed you, it was normal for you to believe that was real. That''s when I ordered Felix to bring the guy.

    "When I saw that guy look exactly like me, there was no way I could me you after that. Even I would have misunderstood you no matter how much I trusted you. Later, you suffered alone. You experienced a cruel world without anyone''s help. You have no friends near you to teach you anything.

    "At that time, I was surrounded by friends and disciples. They tried to give me mental strength. They helped me to search for you. They did everything to please me. But you were all alone, Nica. It was my duty to protect you. I swore that I would never let the wind scratch on you. But you came to me with scars on your body.

    "Every time I see these scars, I feel regret and guilt. I did want to help you to show the world, I didn''t want you to learn about it so fast. That''s why whenever you med me and scolded me, I felt like I was redeeming myself. This is how I should be punished. That''s the reason why I took all the me on myself without protesting. If I was good enough you wouldn''t suffer like this."

    Arthur''s words were full of affection. His words held no lies or disguise. He openly shared his thoughts with her. To him, he was worthless who wasn''t able to keep the woman he loved from harm. That''s why he didn''t mind when she reprimanded him.

    For Veronica, it hurt more when he was acting more lovable. She could feel less guilty if he acted all bossy in front of her. But, he didn''t. Rather, he apologized. He didn''t want her to change. He wanted to change for her sake.

    What he wanted was her happiness without her changing her personality. He didn''t think it was necessary for her to do that when he would keep her safe all the time.

    How wrong he was!

    However, it was toote. The misunderstanding came to an end, but their hearts grew apart. Both felt guilty. Both felt responsible. Both wanted redemption.

    Veronica lowered her gaze. She couldn''t stare at the innocent eyes filled with love anymore. It was too much for her heart.

    Arthur noticed small pearl-like tears trickling down her face. His heart ached when he saw her tears. He didn''t mean to give her agony. That''s why he stayed quiet up until now.

    Nheless, that''s not what Veronica wanted. She wanted equality. She was done standing behind him and being protected by him. She wished to stand beside him even if it hurt.

    Thus, he opened his mouth. He shared his innermost thoughts. And, she was hurt even more.

    Arthur leaned forward and kissed her forehead. It was a soft touch. His lips barely grazed her skin. It was only to soothe her pain.

    But, he didn''t know that it twisted her heart ufortably. Her heart ached so much that she had a hard time breathing. She was unable to control her tears. The gentler he acted, the worse she felt.

    After that, Veronica cried a lot. If tears could create a pond, her tears would create ake. She cried until her eyes were puffy. And, Arthur was beside her the whole time, trying to soothe her pain.

    When she was done crying, she sniffed. Her breathing became irregr. Her eyes, nose, and ears turned red in the process.

    Using his magic, Arthur poured a ss of water and brought the ss close to her mouth. "Drink water. You will feel better."

    Veronica drank thest drop of water from the ss. Arthur wiped her mouth and eyes and then said, "Do you want to rest more? You must be tired."

    Veronica shook her head. "I want to cool my eyes. My eyes look ugly, don''t they?"

    "Not at all. They look prettier when you cry," Arthur replied with a smile.

    "Don''t joke." Embarrassed, Veronica pinched his thick waist.

    Arthur turned the ss of water into ice and ced it on her eyes as shey down. His free hand stroked her head as though he was coaxing a child to sleep.

    Veronica was tired after crying so much. She was drowsy from his actions. It didn''t take much effort to make her fall asleep.

    When Arthur realized that she fell asleep, he let the magic control the ice and got up from the bed. The ice stayed above her eyes. No matter how much she moved, the ice didn''t fall. It was as if it was glued to her eyes. The amazing part of the magic was, it didn''t melt.

    After freshening up, Arthur went downstairs. He met Ovior in his office.

    "You are here.. I have something for you."

 Chapter 300 - OVIOR IS PISSED

    <h4>Chapter 300 - OVIOR IS PISSED</h4>

    Ovior woke up early as usual. ''Another productive day when I want to sleep more,'' he told himself, squirming on the bed.

    He washed his face and took a bath. After changing his clothes, he went to the dining hall. There, he met Merlin.

    Merlin spotted him and waved at him. When he got closer, he greeted first, "Good morning, Ovior."

    Ovior greeted him back, "Morning, Merlin. You are up early, especially in the winter morning."

    Merlin already started eating his breakfast. He replied, "I wanted to meet Veronica. I guess she will bete."

    "Meet Veronica?" Ovior recalled something and understood what he meant. "Oh, you just came back yesterday. Of course you didn''t meet her."

    "Did she purify the ce? I have to thank her. I can finally breathe in this ce. So, how did Arthur meet her?"

    "That''s a long story¡­" Ovior told him the entire story while waiting for his meal to be served. "Anyway, we found the culprit. He was hired by a guy who had a group of people. They changed his face."

    Merlin was impressed thinking it was done by magic because only highly well-known magicians could do that. However, one question remained. "Oh, magicians'' work? But how did it work in the Holy City?"

    Ovior thanked the cook who served him food and then disclosed, "That''s because it wasn''t any magic. They did some kind of advanced facial surgery. I don''t even know what that means. The fake Arthur said that his face was cut with different sizes of knives."

    "Advanced facial surgery?" Merlin tapped the table with his index finger. "Different sizes of knives." His other hand was reaching out for another sausage and a loaf of bread but paused in the mid-air. He wiped his mouth and then stood up. "I''ll head to the Royal Library. If I find anything, I''ll tell you right away."

    "I''ll wait for your early return." Ovior bade him farewell.

    After finishing his breakfast, he headed to his office room. Since Catherine was in the resort, there wasn''t anyone to clean his room. He used his magic to clean and organize the room. When he was done with it, he started with his usual paperwork. That''s when Merlin barged into his room.

    "I didn''t need that much time to find out about advanced surgery," Merlin dered. It seemed that he used magic to travel. He didn''t break a sweat.

    Ovior''s eyes glinted with excitement. He almost stood up. "What did you find?"

    Merlin brought the book closer and ced it on the table. He opened the book and two heads peeked at what''s written inside.

    "What you said about advanced facial surgery, it truly does exist. It''s amazing that it already has a name for it. And, this kind of facial experiment isn''t new either.

    "The reconstructive efforts of the ancient Louses ring true of rhinosty, and as such the text is generally considered to contain the earliest known mention of stic surgery. Records suggest that stic surgery was used as far back as those times to attempt to reconstruct noses."

    Ovior was confused when he heard a new word. "Rhinosty? Also known as stic surgery?"

    Merlin nodded. "Yes, and this isn''t anything new either. Louses has a method of healing people without using healing power. Many kingdoms were curious about it and sent spies. Louses never let any outsider find out about their secrets. They had hidden it well. Once Louses King Raymond the Third offered a proposal. He wanted to share their skills to heal people without healing power. They called it ''Science''.

    "In exchange, they wanted sick people to research and experiment with their bodies. Utahill rented its healers with a low prince. The kings of other kingdoms didn''t want to get themselves in trouble by lending them their people for experiments. They found it horrendous. As a result, they refused.

    "Afterward, the kings of Louses never brought up that matter. Soon, the kingdoms lost interest in Louses saying the Lousesians lost their minds and humanity. No one ever became interested in Louses'' Science again."

    "Louses¡­" Ovior mumbled. "I can''t believe this was invented by our neighboring country. This science thing is really advanced. If we can learn about their surgery and can perform well, we don''t need to keep our guards up in Utahill. No one can trace magic if we don''t use magic."

    Merlin pondered before asking, "Are you willing to sacrifice men for Louses to experiment on them?"

    Ovior nonchntly replied, "We have plenty of prisoners in the dungeon. It''s far better to use them for experiments than killing them as a sacrifice for the Devil."

    "Then I shall write a letter for the King of Louses." After Merlin dered, he left the room.

    Ovior took the book Merlin left on his table and began reading it.

    Almost at noon, Arthur came to meet him.

    Ovior raised his head. "You are here. I have something for you." he shoved the book toward Arthur.

    Arthur took the book and read the content. "stic surgery? What''s that?"

    Ovior narrated everything shortly, "It''s the advanced facial surgery the fake guy was talking about. Louses invented this process. They call this kind of thing "science". I''ve sent Merlin to negotiate with their king. I hope we will get a positive reply soon."

    Arthur squinted his eyes. He was in deep thought. After some time passed, he finally opened his mouth. "What will you give in return? If they are nning to hide their creativity, we must prepare some tokens that they cannot refuse."

    Ovior replied, "Prisoners. They need people to research and experiment on them. We have plenty to share."

    "All right. Send the fake guy first. I can''t stand him," Arthur demanded. He couldn''t stand that guy. Because of that person, he was separated from his wife. He couldn''t forget that.

    "As soon as we are done with getting all the information from him, I''ll set him off on the journey," Ovior promised. "What about you? Do you want to investigate this on your own?"

    Arthur sat on the couch and answered, "No, we were having too much trouble and adventure right ever since I met Nica. I''ll let Merlin handle Louses just like I let Zinnia handle Max. For now, I want to stay here and try my best to coax my wife."

    Ovior frowned. He felt an unexinable sense of jealousy whenever he met couples. The same thing happened when Arthur kept feeding him and the rest dog food. His public disy of affection drove him mad.

    He shooed his hand. "All right, do whatever you want. Don''t bother me with your love life. Since you are done, get out."

    Arthur was amused. He suggested, "If you feel bad because you are single, why don''t you hook up with a girl? Catherine seems to be a good woman. She is inexperienced. Why don''t you check her?"

    Ovior almost choked. "You were too busy summoning the Devil Lord, so you don''t know a thing. Catherine has a penfriend in the hilly resort. That friend is a guy. They seem to be close. Catherine left a week and never heard anything about her return even when Veronica is back. She must be having the best time of her life."

    Exining all that, he sighed. He was depressed. He wondered, ''Why does everyone have time to date, and I don''t? Is this some kind of joke? I don''t like it!''

    "Too bad that you couldn''t get the girl who was nearest to you. Since you make her work too hard, she decided not to be with you. Serves you right." Arthur mercilessly mocked his friend.

    "Well, if you did your job properly, I wouldn''t have to hire a secretary and work my butt off. I would have some free time to fall in love!" Ovior snapped at him.

    "It must be hard to have a friend like me." Arthur didn''t have an ounce of guilt.

    Ovior red at him. "I''m not doing it for you. I''m doing this for my Master. I can''t believe he left this tower in the hands of azy bone like you."

    "Don''t be upset. His first choice was you, but you couldn''t win against me. Too bad." Arthur clicked his tongue. He pretended to show pity.

    His pretentious action pissed off Ovior. He stood up and grabbed his long silver staff. "Let''s have another match right now!"

    "If you wish," Arthur agreed with a smile. It had been a while since he had some fun. He didn''t want to miss this opportunity.

    ---------

    Veronica woke upter at noon. She felt the coldness numb her eyes. She took off the ice bag from her eyes and put it on the table.

    She thought while stretching her arms, ''It has been three days since I did some exercise and sword practice. Should I practice when Arthur isn''t around? But¡­ did I bring my sword? Wait, Arthur brought me here. He didn''t mention anything about my belongings.. Don''t tell me he left my sword and dagger in the resort? I need to ask him.''

 Chapter 301 - A MATCH BETWEEN ARTHUR AND OVIOR

    <h4>Chapter 301 - A MATCH BETWEEN ARTHUR AND OVIOR</h4>

    ''¡­Wait, Arthur brought me here. He didn''t mention anything about my belongings. Don''t tell me he left my sword and dagger in the resort? I need to ask him.''

    She quickly washed her face and went downstairs. The magicians greeted her when they came across her. She gave them a slight nod. First, she went to Arthur''s office but found it empty. Then, she checked Ovior''s office, and it was empty too.

    ''Where did everyone go? Has anything urgente up in the morning?'' confused, she wondered.

    She went to the dining hall and spotted only the chefs in the kitchen. Other than that, the whole dining hall was empty. The chefs bowed as soon as they saw her.

    "Good afternoon, Mistress."

    Veronica smiled at them. "Good afternoon. Is something going on? Other times I would see at least one person whenever I came here, but today this ce empty."

    The chefs exchanged nces and then said, "Mistress, that''s because Master Arthur and Second Master Ovior are having a match for an hour. They are the most powerful magicians in the Magic Tower. Everyone went there to see their match."

    Veronica was petrified. "They are fighting! Why?"

    One of the chefs replied, "We, magicians, usually don''t need a reason to fight unless we are doing with the ranked Magicians. Suppose someone wants to fight Master Arthur or Second Master Ovior. If they want to fight them, it means they are after their positions. I heard from others that Second Master Ovior asked Master Arthur for a duel. He is fighting for the Master title."

    Veronica never heard this kind of match existed in the Magic Tower.

    ''Looks like the Magic Tower is more interesting than I actually thought. But I wonder why Ovior wanted Arthur''s title. Why are they having a fight?'' she pondered.

    More than being excited, she was worried that their friendship would be destroyed.

    "Where are they fighting right now? Please don''t tell me they are outside the tower."

    The chef mentioned, "They are on the seventy-seventh floor. We have the Ring Arena there. This is where magicians fight each other for fun or the title."

    "All right, thank you." Veronica hurriedly went to the seventy-seventh floor.

    The Seventy-seventh floor was the Ring Arena. It was spacious and dark. In every corner and the middle, they had blue fire burning. It created soft light and illuminated the area.

    Veronica''s eyesnded in the middle. There was a huge ring and a ck marble floor. Blue fire surrounded the area. Inside the ring, Ovior and Arthur were standing.

    ''What are they up to?'' she wondered.

    Dave Morton noticed her in the dark and came toward her. "Mistress, fancy seeing you here. Are you interested in the match?"

    "I came to look for my husband and I learned that he is fighting like a child," Veronica replied. Even in the dark, she could recognize Dave.

    "Fighting like a child?" Dave Morton burst intoughter. "Those two have been fighting for over an hour but they didn''t break a sweat. It''s amazing. Only Second Master Ovior can stand this long with Master Arthur."

    At that moment, Ovior moved his silver staff and created a huge fire dragon. The fire dragon ferociously opened its mouth and flew toward Arthur.

    Veronica held her breath in nervousness. Her blood was boiling.

    The audience cheered loudly.

    "Why does it look like everyone is on Ovior''s side?" she asked.

    Dave Morton exined, "That''s because this part is Second Master Ovior''s supporter. The opposite side is Master Arthur''s supporter. When a fight like this happens, we hold a bet. Whoever loses pays huge sums of money."

    Veronica shook her head in bewilderment. "This is insane."

    In the ring, Arthur avoided the fire dragon at thest moment. Arthur''s supporters cheered on the other side.

    "Let me take you to the front seat. It has the best view." Dave Morton showed her the way. "There are no VIP seats here. Everyone is the same. Only judges have special seats up there." He pointed above them.

    Veronica raised her head and saw five floating chairs above them. ''I wish I could sit in one of those chairs,'' she thought.

    There were some empty seats at the front. Veronica and Dave Morton took two seats. Afterward, she kept her eyes on the ring.

    Although Arthur avoided the fire dragon, the fire dragon didn''t stop there. It''s a proud creature. It became madder when a tiny human avoided this giant creature. Releasing a roar, the dragon threw fireballs at him.

    Arthur created a blue magic shield and protected himself from the fire.

    "Isn''t this match too dramatic? Why isn''t Arthur throwing magic at the dragon?" Veronica loudly asked, but her voice was covered by the loud cheers.

    "He doesn''t have the time to create anything big to take the fire dragon down." Dave Morton told her, "Even if the fire dragon is magical, the fire is real. Master Arthur would be toasted by now if he didn''t avoid it."

    Veronica gulped. She didn''t expect they would be this serious about the Master title.

    Dave Morton could guess her line of thoughts. He chuckled. "Did you think they were ying for fun? This ring is a serious ce where magicians fight with their lives in their hands. If anyone is dead inside the ring, no one is held ountable. If someone dies, they will be med for being weak."

    Veronica''s heart began to shake. "Isn''t this too intense?"

    Dave Morton replied, "If someone is weak, they shouldn''t ept the match in the first ce. Master Arthur fought every opponent here to be the Head of the Magic Tower. Many magicians died here. Even the first prince of this kingdom."

    Veronica recalled something like that. "I heard about the first prince. He lost a match against Arthur, didn''t he?"

    "Not only did he lose a match, but he was also murdered by Master Arthur mercilessly. All magicians who were present at that time could still remember the first prince''s loud cry. It was a horrifying death. From then on, no one dared to mess up with Master Arthur or Second Master Ovior."

    "Why did something like that happen?"

    Dave Morton shortly narrated the whole story, "It was because the first prince had a problem. He was immoral and hical. People who served him got bullied a lot by him. They still supported him because he was the Crowned Prince of this kingdom. It was also true that his supporters were the biggest bully. Anywhere they went, people lost something precious.

    "Master Arthur took revenge for all those people who suffered. He killed all the first prince''s supporters in this ring. That''s how Master Arthur became popr among the people. They fear him. They also respect him from the bottom of their hearts."

    "To get rid of a monster, sometimes we have to be the monster. That''s thew of nature," Veronica murmured. She focused on the ring.

    Arthur finally got a chance to create a water wave around him. Ovior guessed his n and created another dragon. Two dragons attacked Arthur all at once. Arthur created a water ball and surrounded the ce around him. The dragons fired balls at him, trying to destroy the water wall around his body. Inside the water ball, Arthur got some chances.

    Soon, numerous water balls appeared in the ring and all began to roll at the same time. Arther''s ball got mixed with them. He created an illusion to make the dragons confused.

    Ovior became alert. Since the water balls were everywhere, Arthur could appear before him anytime. He prepared himself for his sneak attack. Using wind magic, he rose from the ring. From up there, he wanted to keep an eye on the ring so that Arthur couldn''t make a sneak attack.

    While he was flying high, at that time, an invisible force kicked his back harshly. The power was too much. Ovior fell on the ring. His body mmed on the cold, wet marble floor.

    The fire dragons and water balls burst at the same time. When the ring only had Ovior, Arthur''s body became visible where Ovior was standing in the midair.

    Apparently, he became invisible and made the water ball around him disappear. Using wind magic, he sneaked behind Ovior. He wanted for Ovior to rise, waiting for his strike. When Ovior flew high enough, Arthur usedbined wind and water magic and attacked his back.

    Ovior coughed vigorously. He drank some of the water from water balls. He coughed water while standing up. His whole body was wet. He was disgusted. The water was cold. He shivered. He wanted to use a fire ball to dry himself off but before he could, ice froze his feet. The ice quickly spread all over his body, making him unable to move.

    The audience from Arthur''s side cheered. Without anyone announcing, they knew who won the match.

    Dave Morton whispered in Veronica''s ear, "Master Arthur has a chance to give Second Master Ovior a death blow. If he kicks the ice statue of Second Master Ovior, his body will shatter into pieces.. He will die just like that."

 Chapter 302 - THE MATCH RESULT

    <h4>Chapter 302 - THE MATCH RESULT</h4>

    "Master Arthur has a chance to give Second Master Ovior a death blow. If he kicks the ice statue of Second Master Ovior, his body will shatter into pieces. He will die just like that."

    Veronica shivered at Dave Morton''sment. ''Thank goodness, Arthur and Ovior aren''t enemies. I don''t want to imagine them fighting for some mere title with their lives depending on it. Arthur cares more about his friends than power.''

    She smiled while she thought how caring Arthur was. ''Now that I have noticed, I''ve never seen him power hungry before. To him, I always came first. Because of me, he went all the way to summon the Devil himself. If he needed power, he couldn''t have done that a long time ago, but he didn''t. Even now, he is fighting against Ovior but not heavily injuring him. He truly cares more about rtionships than power.''

    Sweetness spread all over her heart. ''Should I mend our rtionship, or should I wait a little while? If I make up with him right away, he might not take this seriously. Let''s just wait and see what he is capable of. I want to know the true Arthur behind this mask.''

    She opened her mouth to say something when her eyes were stuck inside the ring. Ovior was turning into eyes. However, red light emitted from his heart and spread his entire body. In the blink of an eye, he melted the ice and freed himself.

    He flew up and faced Arthur. "Did you think that I wouldn''t be able to read your moves after all this time? You underestimated me."

    Arthur smiled upon hearing his remark. "I knew you were smart, but I didn''t think you were smarter than I expected."

    His nonchnt attitude made Ovior furious. "Are you trying to say that you are looking down on me?" Gradually, his entire body began to emit fiery fire. The fire spread his long silky hair too, and yet his body wasn''t burning. Slowly, he raised his hand.

    At that moment, Arthur was surrounded by small fireballs. As if he knew it was going to happen, he created an ice wall around him. The ice wall created sharp spears, and they were all aimed at Ovior. They were both still, waiting for the right moment to strike.

    The moment the firewalls attacked Arthur, the ice spears attacked Ovior. They charged each other mercilessly without holding back. While striking each other, they created protective walls around them so that their opponents couldn''t hurt them.

    Just like that, they went on for minutes, minutes to an hour. They used lots of energy and power. Even so, none of them got tired. None of them gave up.

    Veronica robbed a temple. Her head began to hurt as she kept looking at red, yellow, and white shes. ''I think I need to stop this,'' she thought. She stood up from her chair and loudly dered, "The yers are both powerful and promising. I announce this match as a tie."

    At her loud voice, the audience became quiet. The same went for the yers who were firing at each other. After all, the Mistress of the Magic Tower said so. That much power she held in her hands. The match concluded just like that.

    The match was over. The magicians went back to their works. They excitedly discussed the match.

    "This is a legendary rematch."

    "I never thought Second Master Ovior was so powerful to have a tie with our Master Arthur."

    "It is truly unbelievable. Maybe master Arthur held back while fighting."

    "That could be the case." Others agreed to thatment.

    Dave Morton bade Veronica goodbye and left the room. After giving him a slight nod, Veronica walked toward the ring. The fire surrounding the ring already died down. Arthur and Ovior both looked all right.

    Arthur didn''t lose the match, but his expression was gloomy. She found out the reason very soon. "Why were you supporting Ovior?"

    ''So, he is jealous.'' Veronica crossed her arms. "I supported neither of you. I just found a seat and sat there to watch the match."

    Arthur''s expression turned normal. He held her hands and curiously asked her, "Did I look cool when I was fighting?"

    Ovior furrowed his eyebrows at his question. He didn''t imagine his friend to be this shameless. ''What is there to boast about anyway? It''s not like he won. I should have used more power,'' he regretted.

    Veronica was surprised at first and then averted her eyes. Arthur''s eyes were full of expectations like a child waiting for a birthday present. Her face heated up. She suddenly felt embarrassed. ''Where did he learn such words?'' she wondered.

    Noticing that he still waited for her answer, she answered, "That was an amazing fight. If I was a magician, I would have taken you as my master."

    Arthur learned from his fellow magicians that girlfriends and lovers liked it when their boyfriends fought a match and won the game. The women would fall for their lovers even more thinking their lovers were heroes from the romance books.

    Upon listening to their advice, he realized that Veronica hardly saw him fighting in the actual war. That''s why he yed with his friend a little. He wanted to show his wife how heroic he was.

    However, he didn''t think his wife would want to take him as her master to learn magic. The smile from his lips vanished. "You don''t have to fight," he stated. "I will be your sword and shield."

    ''See? I knew this would happen. I shouldn''t mend our rtionship soon,'' Veronica thought. She took away her hands and said, "Arthur, I want to be your sword and shield when you are fighting against your enemy. Thest thing I want is to be someone useless who burdens others."

    Arthur quickly started, "You are not a burden."

    Veronica snickered. "At this rate, I will be.. Anyway, talking about fighting reminded me of something. Did you bring my belongings from the resort?"

 Chapter 303 - ARTHURS SUGGESTION

    <h4>Chapter 303 - ARTHUR''S SUGGESTION</h4>

    "¡­Anyway, talking about fighting reminded me of something. Did you bring my belongings from the resort?"

    Arthur paused. After a while, he replied, "I don''t remember seeing your belongings. Thus, I didn''t bring anything other than you."

    Veronica blinked. She was confused. "How did you bring me without dressing me up?" She felt ufortable talking about that in front of Ovior.

    Ovior sneered. He couldn''t miss the chance to mock his friend. "He didn''t need to bring your clothes. He wrapped you with the white bedsheet and carried you to the Magic Tower. At first, I thought he brought a dead body, but I was wrong."

    Veronica gaped at Arthur. She couldn''t believe her ears. First, Arthur brought her here without her permission. Not to mention, he left her belongings. He even brought her naked and showed everyone her embarrassing state.

    ''Now that I heard the truth from Ovior''s mouth, how can I show my face to anyone?'' Feeling helpless, she covered her head. She couldn''t raise her head.

    Arthur panicked seeing her state. He red at Ovior and cursed at him with his eyes. Then, he hurriedly said to his wife, "Nica, don''t worry about anything. No one saw you naked or anything. I wrapped you well. I directly took you to our bedroom. Only when Ovior came to meet me in the bedroom, he saw you. At that time, I was cing you on the bed."

    Angry Veronica grabbed his cor and pulled him closer. "You didn''t undress me in front of your friend, did you?"

    Arthur vigorously shook his head. "No way. I would have taken his eyes out if he saw you like that."

    Ovior red at him and yet said nothing. "I shall leave first, loser." Using his magic, he dried his body, hair, and clothes and then left the floor.

    Veronica finally nced at her husband. She pinched his waist. "How could you do something like that?"

    "I''m sorry, Nica. I was too upied thinking that I had to bring you to our home. It was already magical that you came back to me alive when I thought you were dead."

    Arthur lowered his head. He looked like he was wrong.

    Seeing his innocent puppy expression, Veronica took a deep breath. ''Scolding him won''t get me anywhere. I need to bring my clothes and weapons from the resort. They are favorite weapons given by the elves. I can''t lose them.''

    "I need to bring my belongings back. Help me to use teleportation to go there," she demanded.

    Arthur gently suggested, "How about I ask Catherine to bring them with her? She is still staying there."

    "She won''t know if something has gone missing or not. It''s already been three days."

    "Isn''t the resort Manager her friend? I''m sure he will keep your things safe. Let me contact Catherine," Arthur insisted.

    Veronica suddenly thought of something and squinted her eyes. "Why does it look like you are trying to keep me in the tower?"

    "Absolutely not," Arthur firmly denied. "I''m just worried about your safety, that''s all."

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless. She thought that she was going to have another headache.

    "Moreover, we have already found out who is behind this advanced facial surgery," Arthur added. "It looks like Louses is behind this."

    "Louses?" Veronica frowned. She had a clear idea about geography thanks to her travels. "Why would they try to harm us? Do you have animosity with them?"

    Arthur answered while taking her to his office, "We have never fought against them. Somehow, they invented something called ''Science'' to cure people. They don''t need healers or magicians to help them. Merlin went to write a letter to the king of Louses. He ns to meet him and study science."

    Veronica tried to imagine the whole incident. "Then the guy who was hired to act like you, did his face change because of this ''Science''?"

    "That''s right," Arthur nodded. "They call it stic surgery. Records suggest that stic surgery was used as far back as those times to attempt to reconstruct noses. That was even in ancient times."

    "And now they can change one''s face however they want without others finding out the truth." Veronica gasped as she realized the seriousness of the issue.

    She recalled what the Head Priest told her in the ancient library. "You can''t always see the truth with your eyes and what you see isn''t false either."

    ''The thing that wasn''t true was Arthur ying with women. But it wasn''t false that there wasn''t any Arthur there. It was the Fake Arthur.

    "Then, we must investigate who is behind this. Who knows how the enemy will try to confuse uster." Veronica shivered.

    Arthur couldn''t agree more. "Not only that, but I also believe that they wanted destruction to fall in thend. Since the enemy knew me very well, they knew how much I cared about you. They might have predicted that I would have used the ck magic to bring you back."

    "They wanted to separate us to bring disaster¡­" Veronica mumbled.

    At that moment, Saint Ava''s voice rang in her ears. "From now on, you are to stay in this ce. You MUST NOT leave the city, let alone the kingdom¡­ If you leave, disaster will be brought in this country. You disobeyed me. Now take responsibility for your actions."

    ''So, that''s what Saint Ava meant,'' Veronica thought inwardly. ''She predicted the future. Or maybe not. She somehow found out about the future and tried to stop me from doing anything stupid. She had already forbidden me to marry someone. If she knew I was married to Arthur, I''m sure she would make a scene.''

    She wished to p her face. ''When you know nothing, you make stupid mistakes, and then regretter.''

    "I will let Marlin handle Louses and Zinnia handle Max. We hardly had time for each other after marriage. Let''s finish our work here while you study or do whatever you wish. You can go out whenever you want but I suggest you take at least one bodyguard with you. The enemy already knows that you or someone special. I''m not sure if they know that you are the blessed child.. Let''s be careful."

 Chapter 304 - TAKE YOUR TIME

    <h4>Chapter 304 - TAKE YOUR TIME</h4>

    "¡­I''m not sure if they know that you are the blessed child. Let''s be careful."

    Arthur didn''t want to hide anything from her anymore. He didn''t want to cause another misunderstanding. He wasn''t sure if he was prepared for the blow.

    He didn''t know that this action of his pleased Veronica. Unlike before, she didn''t disagree with his words. "You are right. We need to be careful. I''ll ask Sebastian to escort me whenever I go out."

    Arthur suggested, "You should take Ironin. Sebastian isn''t good enough."

    "Then he just has to be good enough. I can''t always rely on Ironin every time I go out. He isn''t your henchman. Before Sebastian couldn''t guard me properly because I was the one who tricked him. I won''t do that anymore."

    "I believe you. You have grown wiser." Arthur forced a smile. "I missed the old you though."

    Veronica looked at his eyes, trying to read his thoughts. "I haven''t lost myself, Arthur. I''m still the old me. I just grew a bit."

    Arthur nodded. He didn''t speak further. After going to the office, he first contacted Catherine.

    "What is it?" Catherine sounded annoyed on the magic stone.

    "I want you to bring Nica''s belongings. I left them in her cottage," Arthur ordered.

    Catherine was pissed by hismanding attitude. "I know what you did, you thief. I already have them. Vincent gave them to me after you suddenly disappeared with Ver. Do you know how worried I was? If you do this kind of thing again¡­"

    Arthur cut off themunication. He had enough threat hanging near his neck. He didn''t need more of it.

    On the other side, Catherine was threatening him. When the magic stone dimmed, she realized that the connection was gone. Her face turned red in anger.

    "How¡­ How dare he disconnect me while I was talking? I won''t let this slide. I''m going toin to Ver. First, he took her away without notifying me and scared me to death. Second, he left her stuff. Third, he dared to order me around. Fourth, he dared to disobey me. Arthur, just you wait. I''ming back in three days."

    "Who are you talking to?" Vincent entered her room with a basket of fruits.

    Catherine closed the lid of the wooden box that kept themunication stone hidden. She put the box in her bag and replied, "I was talking to myself. I''m practicing how to scold my friend''s husband."

    "You don''t have to be that hard on him." Vincent smiled. After Veronica was abducted by her husband, he had more time with Catherine. He felt gratitude toward Arthur.

    "You don''t know him. This guy is so annoying," Catherineined. "Ever since my friend met him, she changed. To her, her husband is more important than me. I''m sure she had forgiven him even though he took her away. I''m so upset."

    Vincent chuckled. He sat beside her and peeled apples for her. "That''s because she is in love. When you love someone, you be devoted to that person. You can only think of your partner and no one else. You forgive them no matter what they do."

    "You sound like you are saying this from your experience," Catherinemented.

    "That''s true. I''m telling this from my experience." Vincent fed her a piece of apple.

    "Did you fall in love before?" Catherine became curious.

    "The moment Iid my eyes on you, I fell in love. I''ve waited months to see your face. I''ve forgiven you even though you havee to meet me after so long."

    Catherine''s face blushed furiously. She bashfully lowered her gaze. It was the first time she had ever experienced a man''s love confession. Her heart beat crazily. "Vincent, I¡­"

    "It''s okay. You don''t have to answer me right away. I did promise you that I''ll be your friend before anything. So, take your time. I can wait another few months for your answer."

    His generosity eased her heart. "Thank you."

    Later, when she was alone, someone came to meet her. The first thing that person said was, "Are you sure you want to be his lover? You have bad eyes for men."

    Catherine red at him. "Are you here to criticize my personal life, Sebastian?"

    Sebastian shrugged. He entered her cottage through the window. "Who wants to criticize your boring life? That person must be crazy."

    ''Wow! Both the master and his disciple are good at messing up people''s mood.'' Catherine''s eyebrows twisted. "Are you talking about yourself?"

    "Oh no. I wasn''t criticizing. I was just wondering. Of all people, why did you choose a guy like that?"

    "What do you mean I chose him? We are just friends."

    "You could have made friends with the guys in the tower."

    "How can I do that? When I''m in the tower, I''m always working. Did I have time to rx?"

    "It''s you who didn''t take a break in the first ce."

    "That''s because I was too depressed at that time." Catherine let out a deep breath. "All right, let''s not argue about it anymore. Why are you here?"

    "I''m here because I''m keeping an eye on you."

    "Are you tailing me for some reason?" Catherine covered her mouth in surprise. "Sebastian, even if you are a guard, it''s creepy when you stalk someone."

    "What do you mean tailing you?" Sebastian casually replied. "You suddenly wanted to leave the tower after working continuously for so long. Everyone got worried and sent me here to keep an eye on you. They thought you would do something stupid because your friend died. And then you met the Mistress. I''m just protecting you from the shadows, that''s all. Don''t think too much."

    Catherine crossed her arms. "I didn''t hear about it before. When did you start protecting me from the shadows?"

    "¡­After I was released from being Mistress''s shadow guard. Since incidents always urred whenever you two were together, I thought guarding you would help me with my training."

    "So, you were trying to use me as your bait?" Catherine''s right eyebrow raised. She wasn''t sure if she should get mad at him or not.

    Sebastian scratched the back of his neck. "Give me some ck. Isn''t it great that you got a free bodyguard? No one would dare to harm you. You can be free from worry. I can also practice being a guard."

    Catherine thought about it and then finally agreed. "Fine, since it''s partially my fault that you lost your position as a guard, I''ll let you use me as bait. But make sure you protect me well. And¡­ stay away from me when I''m with Vincent. Don''t you dare to poke your nose into our rtionship."

    Sebastian raised his hands to surrender. "Yes, Miss Catherine!"

    -------

    Three dayster, it was time to leave the resort. Catherine was waiting for her carriage.

    "You could have stayed another week." Vincent looked gloomy.

    "I''ll try toe here often," Catherine promised.

    "You said that before too," Vincent mumbled. "I don''t like it when I''m waiting for your return, and you enjoy your time with your friend."

    "I won''t be just enjoying my time with my friend. I have my job."

    "See? You didn''t even deny it."

    Catherine''s lips stretched voluntarily. She reached out and held his hand. "If you miss me too much, trying to the capital. I''ll spend the whole day with you."

    "You promise?"

    "I swear."

    "All right, next time you arete meeting me, I''ll just go there and meet you."

    "I''ll be waiting."

    Just then, Catherine''s carriage came. She went inside and waved at Vincent. "See you soon!" She gave him a bright smile.

    The corner of Vincent''s lips rose. He stared at her until she disappeared with the carriage.

    Catherine closed the window and leaned against the couch. She recalled her precious time with Vincent. ''It was a wonderful week.''

    While she was thinking about that, someone knocked on the window. She opened her eyes and looked at the window. She gasped when she saw Sebastian. She quickly opened the door for him.

    When he entered inside, she shouted at him, "Are you crazy? What if you fell from there and broke your arms and legs?"

    "Am I dumb in your eyes? Of course I won''t fall. I''m trained to be a ninja."

    "It doesn''t matter if you are a ninja or not. idents happen when we at least expect them. We always need to be cautious."

    "I was being cautious. What? Were you worried?" Sebastian smirked.

    Catherine frowned. "Why would I be worried about you? You are so annoying."

    Sebastian''s lips stretched. He didn''t say anything. However, his eyes were poking Catherine''s conscience. She stared at him.

    "What are you smiling for?" she asked.

    "Nothing," Sebastian replied. However, his lips were still smiling.

    Catherine frowned. "What do you want to say? Spill it."

    Sebastian shrugged. "There is nothing to say. You are too worked up."

    "But you are smiling. It''s making me annoyed. It''s like you know something but I don''t.. You are not scheming anything, are you?" Catherine looked at him suspiciously.

 Chapter 305 - DELUSIONAL

    <h4>Chapter 305 - DELUSIONAL</h4>

    "But you are smiling. It''s making me annoyed. It''s like you know something but I don''t. You are not scheming anything, are you?" Catherine looked at him suspiciously.

    "If you still don''t know what that is, you don''t have to know."

    Catherine wanted to choke him to death. "Don''t y words with me, Sebastian. I don''t like it."

    Sebastian smugly smirked as if he was enjoying this. "Since you want to know that badly, let me tell you."

    Catherine focused on him as she anticipated.

    Sebastian proudly dered, "You are falling for me."

    "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Catherine covered her mouth and coughed vigorously. She wasn''t prepared for a deathly blow. If it was a bit more intense, she would cough blood.

    She wiped his mouth with her handkerchief and stared at him with confusion. "Dude, I''m amazed but where did you get that confidence from?"

    Sebastian quizzically nced at her. "Why? Aren''t you worried about me? Look how scolded me for standing outside the carriage like that? You acted like a newly wedded wife."

    Catherine showed him her palm to stop him from talking. "All right, stop, stop. I can''t take any more blows. Let me tell you one thing. You. Are. Delusional."

    Sebastian scoffed. "Hmph. There is no point in denying it. You just fell for my ninja charm."

    Catherineughed. "That''s the most illogical thing I''ve ever heard this year. I wouldn''t be this shocked if someone told me that you had fallen from the trees."

    "One day you will realize," Sebastian dered like a learned man.

    Catherine averted her eyes. She couldn''t help butugh. However, after some time, when she saw that he was still confident that she liked him, she started to ponder about it.

    ''Do I really like him? Howe? I hardly know what he likes or hates. I know nothing about his family either. Compared to how much I interact with Vincent, I barely talk to Sebastian. Now that I think of it, I hadn''t talked to Sebastian for some time now. Is he taking revenge on that?''

    As she thought, she stole a nce at him. Sebastian was looking outside the window, enjoying the scenery. For the first time, he looked slightly mature and manly. That thought startled her. ''What am I thinking? I must have lost my mind.'' She shook her head.

    They arrived in the Magic Tower in three hours. They came down the carriage and stared at the tower with wide-open mouths.

    "What the hell is this?" Catherine''s bag dropped from her shoulder.

    They were looking at the tall, dark tower that looked ominous a few days ago, it? turned out to be a garden. Every window and balcony of the tower were decorated with small flower nts. Small colorful flowers were blooming, and butterflies swarmed around them.

    ''Is this the Magic Tower or a greenhouse?'' She was confused. "Sebastian, I think we are in the wrong ce."

    "I don''t think so." Although he said that, Sebastian was as puzzled as she was. He didn''t imagine the powerful, scary-looking tower could turn into a paradise one day. "Let''s go inside."

    The gate was opened for them as they entered. Veronica was walking in the garden. Seeing Catherineing inside, her face glowed. "Cathy!" She smiled brightly and came forward.

    "Ver!" Catherine hugged her friend. "I missed you." She patted her friend''s back and then looked at her. "Look at you! You cut your beautiful hair short! How could you do this unjust to your hair?" Shemented for the lost hair. "Don''t tell me Arthur made you do this for some kind of spell to bind you! I swear I''m going to kill him."

    Sebastian heard her voice and raised an eyebrow. ''Heh, you try doing that and your head will roll on the ground.''

    Veronica chuckled. "He didn''t do anything to my hair. My hair was short when I went to meet you in the resort. I was wearing a hood, so you didn''t realize back then. Arthur seemed to like my long hair but didn''t mention anything. I think short hair is easy to maintain and takes less attention. I think I''ll keep my hair short for a while."

    "As long as you are happy, then I''m happy." Catherine was relieved that it had nothing to do with the Master of the Magic Tower. "By the way, what''s the issue with all the flowers? For a moment I thought I was in the wrong ce."

    "Oh, that¡­" Veronica stroked her forehead. "It''s just as you see. It turned into a greenhouse two days ago."

    shback ¨C two days ago

    Veronica opened her eyes and stretched her arms. She sat up while yawning. When her eyesnded in front of the bed, she was startled. The bed was surrounded by flowers. Red roses. There wasn''t an inch of space left to walk in the bedroom.

    ''What? What is this? How did flowerse here?'' Confused, she looked around but didn''t find a soul. She quickly washed her face and changed her clothes and then hurried to Arthur''s office.

    "Arthur, did you see what happened to our bedroom?" she asked the moment she entered his office.

    Arthur was doing paperwork like a real Master of the Magic Tower. He raised his eyes and his eyes sparkled with stars when he saw his wife. "Nica, did you like my present?"

    Veronica halted. "That was¡­ your doing?"

    Arthur''s eyes were pouring honey. "It is. I wanted to give you a gift, but I wasn''t sure what to give. Then I remembered you love flowers."

    Veronica didn''t know what to say. She thought for a long while and then said, "Please don''t pluck flowers like that. They look the best when they are attached to the nt."

    The next day, Arthur showered her with the flower nts. He not only showered her but also showered the whole tower with the nt. He added a new rule in the tower.

    ALL MAGICIANS MUST TAKE CARE OF THE FLOWER PLANTS WITH THEIR LIVES DEPENDING ON IT

    shback ends ¨C

    Catherine blinked. "Like seriously? Now I have to maintain flowers with the magicians?"

    "With your life." Veronica''s shoulders dropped.

    "This crazy jerk! What is wrong with him? Can''t he think of anything normal?" Catherine stomped her foot in frustration.

    Veronica scratched her cheek. "This is his way of showing that he cares about it. I want to ept this side of him."

    "What?" Catherine gaped at her friend as if she heard wrong. "You can''t be serious."

    "He said that he epted me the way I was. He decided to protect me when he saw my naiveness. This is the least I can do for him. I want to ept him for who he is." Veronica smiled helplessly.

    "It sounds like you guys talked to each other and came up with some terms." Catherine sighed in relief. "Honestly speaking, I would have felt bad if you left him without sorting it out. He doesn''t deserve you, but he doesn''t treat you badly."

    "That''s right. I believe that too. As for my belongings, did you bring them?" Veronica scanned her friend''s hand.

    "Sebastian carried them for you. Damn it was heavy. What did you put in your bag?" Catherine frowned as sheined.

    "Just some clothes and my weapons." Veronica nced at Sebastian and greeted him with a while. "It''s been a while, Sebastian. I hope you are doing well."

    Sebastian ced his arm on his chest and bowed. "It''s been a while, Mistress. I''m doing great. Thank you for taking care of yourself while you were away."

    "You all care about that, huh." Veronica heard this from every magician she greeted the past three days.

    "That''s because we would have all died if you weren''t alive," Catherine mentioned. "I was honestly thinking about quitting my job. It was so hard to live in this ce. And look at it now. You just came back, and everything has changed. I know I only need you to live this life."

    Veronicaughed. "Let''s go inside. We have so much to talk about!"

    "All right!"

    ------------

    "stic surgery? I''ve never heard this term either." Catherine frowned as she found out what happened while she was absent. "Merlin is truly amazing. He found out so soon."

    "He is brilliant. I thought maybe I should take him as my master. Ovior is so hard on me," Veronica whined.

    "He is always hard on everyone. The only person who tried to stop Arthur from making a bloody mess was him. He got some courage!" Catherine admired him for that. "Aside from that, your cooking skills improved. This is the most delicious soup I''ve drunk in my life. Where did you learn it?"

    "In the forest," Veronica replied. "Roasted meat is good enough for one person but when you are with several people and you have only a small amount of food, you can only cook soup like this. This way, everyone can eat the same meal together."

    "So, you were with a group? You didn''t tell me about that story. Tell me more!"

 Chapter 306 - A DEAL

    <h4>Chapter 306 - A DEAL</h4>

    "So, you were with a group? You didn''t tell me about that story. Tell me more!"

    At her friend''s urge, Veronica became quiet. She still didn''t think it was the right time to tell them about the elves. "It''s when I was with a group of people. They were going in the same direction. Traveling alone on that road wasn''t safe. So, I tagged along with them."

    "But, was it safe for you though?" Catherine looked concerned. You are such a beauty."

    "I charmed them with my beauty." Veronica winked at her friend.

    "You sure did. Did you take one of those handsome dudes to your bed?" Catherine teasingly elbowed her friend.

    "Ahem!" Someone cleared their throat while two girlfriends were busy gossiping.

    They both turned around and found Ovior and Arthur standing there. They were in the dining hall. Magicians wereing in and going out. Everyone was busy eating.

    While Ovior coughed to let the bizarre pair know about their presence, Arthur stared at his wife with a glum expression.

    "!!!" Catherine choked down the remaining words she wanted to utter. ''Oh dammit! Did I just ruin their rtionship? Oh no, Goddess, please no!''

    Ovior elegantly kept his stoic expression and sat down beside her. Arthur took the seat beside Veronica''s.

    Veronica''s body already stiffened. She couldn''t look at her husband. ''I didn''t do anything wrong. But why do I feel guilty?'' she pondered.

    Arthur and Ovior''s meals were served. They started eating. Veronica and Catherine exchanged nces but stayed quiet.

    "So, did you?" Arthur finally opened his mouth.

    However, his words confused Veronica. "Huh?"

    "Did you take other men to your bed?" Arthur inquired.

    "Pffttt!" Catherine was drinking water. She sprayed the water in front of her. Veronica''s food was supposed to be showered by her mouth water, but Arthur used wind magic as a shield to protect her meal.

    Veronica''s face paled. "There is no such thing. Why would I take any man in my bed? They need to be qualified to get that opportunity."

    "Who has the qualification then?"

    "Of course the one who I married." Veronica wasn''t nning to suck up to him. She was just being improved.

    Nheless, Arthur''s expression improved. "Then, let''s do this. Since I have the qualification, you have to kiss me every day," he suddenly proposed this n.

    "What?" Veronica was speechless. She pressed her lips, trying to hide her embarrassment. "What are you trying to say?" No matter how serious she looked, she wanted to dig a hole and hide there. ''Why did you have to talk about something like that in front of others? Can''t you talk about ''couple things'' when we are alone?''

    "Kiss." Arthur seemed enthusiastic about it. "From now on, you will give me at least one kiss every day. Ever since you set out some rules, I''m doing whatever it takes to follow them. I deserve a reward."

    "And what if I don''t kiss you a day?" Veronica asked him.

    "I''ll seduce you at night," Arthur confidently replied.

    Catherine''s jaw dropped after listening to their conversation. ''Did my question add fuel to the fire? I never thought Arthur was this clingy. Ver, I''m sorry you have to go through this because of my stupid mouth.''

    While she was busy apologizing, her friend was busy trying to understand if she turned deaf. A few days ago, she gave him some rules of what he could do or not. One of the rules was, they weren''t allowed to have intimate time without each other''s permission. If one of them said ''no'', another one couldn''ty a finger on the body.

    Thus, Arthur and Veronica slept in the same bed but didn''t have any intimate moments. He kept his promise.

    Veronica thought deeply about the situation. ''So, what if we don''t have sex? If he tries to seduce me without even touching me and I get seduced, won''t it be even worse? I know about his charm but I''m not sure how he will try to seduce me. I can''t take chances. Or else, I''ll lose my face.''

    "Fine, one kiss," she agreed. "Nothing more than that."

    Arthur''s eyes glittered. "You agreed. You cannot take it back. If you forget one day, I''ll seduce you."

    "That''s never going to happen. I''ll remember every day," Veronica swore.

    "I don''t care what you two do when you are alone but please be considerate to us. We are here to eat luncheon, not your PDA." Ovior was slightly offended but couldn''t express himself well due to Veronica''s presence.

    "Get married if you are jealous," Arthur bluntly provoked him.

    Ovior''s pupils shrank. "I will marry the moment you hand over your authority to me."

    "Heh, you can''t even win against me. What a loser!"

    Ovior gritted his teeth. "You!"

    "All right, ver. I''m done with my meal. Didn''t you say you wanted to go out? Let''s go out together." Catherine stood up. Sitting with an angry Ovior was like sitting beside a mine. She didn''t want to deal with him when she was worshiping her stomach.

    "Yes¡­ yes¡­" Veronica inwardly thanked her friend. Collecting her bowl and tray, she stood up.

    "Where are you going?" Arthur raised her head and looked at her.

    "I''m going to the capital." Veronica didn''t hide it. "It''s been a while since I visited there."

    "Are you taking Sebastian with you?"

    "No, I asked Ironin to escort me."

    Only then Arthur seemed assured.

    Veronica went back to her room and changed her clothes. She met Ironin downstairs. He was wearing his usual ck cloak and hiding his ck shirt, pants, and boots. He only took his long sword with him. He was leaning against a pir and waiting for him.

    He spotted Veronica and straightened his body. "Ready to leave?"

    Veronica took long strides to approach him. "Yes, just one request. I need you not to ask too many questions and you cannot tell Arthur anything about what you see."

    "All right." Ironin slightly nodded. He wasn''t a person who liked to talk much. He didn''t care about gossips either.

    Veronica was satisfied with his attitude. "The reason I''m taking you and not Sebastian is that I trust that you can keep it a secret. I can''t tell Arthur about what I''m about to do right now. I''m not sure how to disclose this information to them."

    Ironin nodded. He walked beside her and reached out his hand to help her to get in the carriage. Veronica ced a hand on his hand and got inside. After Ironin entered the carriage, the coachman signaled the horses to start walking.

    The carriage took them to the central point of the capital city. The city was bustling like before. Covering her head with the hood, Veronica walked into a quiet alley with Ironin. They stopped when a wall blocked their path.

    Veronica scanned the area to check if anyone followed them or not and then knocked on thest door. It was a round wooden door.

    Someone opened the door and saw Veronica and Ironin. The person was covering his head with a ck hood. His face was barely open. As if the guy knew they wereing. "We were expecting you, Veronica."

    "Good to see you too," Veronica greeted him back. She didn''t address him by his name because of Ironin''s presence.

    "Is this guying?" The guy looked behind her. His eyes were suspiciously scanning Ironin.

    "¡­" Ironin''s sharp eyes stared at him without wavering.

    "No, he won''t," Veronica answered negatively. "He will stay outside and guard the door for us."

    "Sounds good."

    Veronica nodded at Ironin and went inside. The man closed the door. Inside the room was dark but it had a refreshing smell. Elves liked clean ces. Wherever they stayed, they kept the ce spotless.

    "It looks like you guys are enjoying living here," Veronicamented.

    She got a reply, "This is the best ce to keep ourselves hidden."

    Veronica looked around. Looking at the empty living room, she asked, "Where are others? I don''t see anyone."

    "They are working part-time. Urs is in the kitchen."

    "Let''s go to the kitchen." Veronica strode to the kitchen and found Urs there. He was making tea.

    Urs greeted her politely, "Veronica, I was waiting for you. Have a seat. The tea will be done shortly." Although he got used to calling her name, he couldn''t drop the act of politeness.

    "Thank you. Sorry, it took so long," Veronica apologized. "It was hard tomunicate where I''m living now."

    "You suddenly vanished in the hills. We were worried," Urs mentioned.

    "I was kidnapped by my friends. They were worried sick about it. They were scared that I would run away again."

    "Veronica, are they mistreating you?" Urs slightly knitted his eyebrows.

    "No, that''s not the case. They are simply concerned about my wellbeing. Right now, we are investigating my new enemy. Have you heard the term "Science" anywhere?" Veronica came here today for two reasons.. One, to find out how the elves she brought here were doing; and two, to find out more about science.

 Chapter 307 - FORBIDDEN

    <h4>Chapter 307 - FORBIDDEN</h4>

    "No, that''s not the case. They are simply concerned about my wellbeing. Right now, we are investigating my new enemy. Have you heard the term "Science" anywhere?"

    Urs was startled before resuming what he was doing. However, Veronica didn''t miss his reaction.

    "I''m not surprised that you know. I''m just curious what you know about it," Veronica stated.

    Urs poured tea in three cups and served her one cup before asking, "Why are you suddenly interested in this?"

    "Using that so-called Science, some people are trying to bring darkness to the world."

    Urs listened carefully and furrowed his eyebrows. "How can that be possible? Only dark magic can bring darkness to the world. Science has nothing to do with this. Darkness also has nothing to do with Science."

    Veronica exined, "People aren''t using Science directly. They are changing faces and disguising themselves so that the people who can bring darkness act up. It''s a roundabout way but it almost worked."

    Urs thoughtfully inquired, "And how do you know that? Veronica, are you anyhow rted to the magical world? Let me tell you one thing ¨C you shouldn''t get close to the people who know anything about magic. It won''t be good for you."

    ''And that''s why I can''t tell you that I''m Arthur''s wife,'' Veronica said in her mind.

    She intertwined her fingers and told him, "It''s not about getting close to the magicians. With my position and my responsibilities, I just need to have a good rtionship with everyone. Withoutmunication, I won''t be able to get information. I have to do as much as I can to keep the world peaceful. I chose freedom instead of a flimsy ''blessed child'' title. I owe the world peace."

    Urs knew how determined she was. He gave in. "Fine. I won''t stop you frommunicating with them. But heed my words. Don''t get emotionally attached to them. Keep everything business-rted. You help them, they help you.

    "Since you want to know about Science, I guess you already know where it is from. People of Louses were poor but genius. They didn''t have money to hire magicians or healers. So, they came up with something different that would help them to develop. They studied. They had theories and they did tons of research. Using logic, mathematics, and knowledge, they invented science."

    Veronica listened attentively. "So, what is this science?"

    "You cannot describe science with one word specifically. It is the study of the nature and behavior of natural things and knowledge. If you want to know more details, you just have to go to the royal library. They should at least have some information about Louses kingdom." Urs took a sip on the tea. "I''ve been meaning to thank you for rmending us tea. Adding lemon and ginger brings a unique vor. It''s good for health."

    "I''m d you like tea." Veronica emptied her cup and stood up. "I''ll be going now. I''ll try a way to get more information about Science. But I have to ask if I need you to stop Louses to prevent any scheme, will you help me."

    Urs ced his cup on the table. "What will you do if we don''t assist you?"

    "Isn''t this obvious? I''ll go alone and fight them." Veronica was dead serious.

    Urs let out a deep breath. "You leave us no option. We pledged our service to you. We will be with you to death."

    "I''m d to hear that. I''ll be off." Veronica nodded and turned around. When she came out, she found Ironin in the same ce she left him. He didn''t move an inch. A perfect bodyguard.

    "I''m sorry to make you wait long," she apologized.

    "It''s okay." Ironin kept a poker face. He flowed her out of the alley and uttered, "You hid weapon under your skirt."

    Veronica gave him a surprised look. "I thought I hid it well."

    "You did but you can''t fool me," his reply was blunt. "You brought a sword and you attached it with your left leg. Because of that, you cannot walk normally like before. It makes it obvious for me to notice. Any observant person who knows your walking style, they''ll figure it out."

    "Do you think Arthur noticed that I brought a weapon with me?"

    "Yes, even Ovior too."

    "I wonder why they said nothing. Other times, I''m sure both of them would nag you."

    "That was in the past. If they nag you now, you won''t go back to the tower, right?"

    "Haha, right. I don''t want to be rted like a child. If they think Ick something, they should just teach me so that I can''t burden anyone." She nced at him. "I have a favor to ask you."

    "..." Ironin calmly stared at her.

    Veronica continued, "I want you to teach me sword fighting."

    Ironin pondered before asking, "¡­Does Arthur know it?"

    "I''ll tell himter. I don''t want to create too much attention. He needs to focus on his work."

    "You want to hide it. You want to learn secretly."

    "Don''t trouble yourself too much thinking I can''t lift a sword. I''ve been using my sword for a while now."

    "We can start anytime," Ironin finally agreed. "But I have only one condition. You cannot give up in the middle. If you do, I''ll never teach you again. Tell me when you are ready."

    "All right. You can rest assured. I won''t give up. But now, tell me how to get a pass to enter the Royal Library." Veronica wanted to check the contents regarding Science.

    Ironin replied, "Merlin can help you."

    "Let''s buy snacks for everyone and go back. I need to talk to Merlin."

    "You won''t find him in the tower," Ironin told her. "He has a private mansion in the capital. He is there."

    Due to work pressure, Merlin moved to his house. He didn''t go to the tower for three days.

    "Oh, I see." Veronica had no idea about Merlin''s whereabouts. So, she believed him. "Can you take me there?"

    "Sure," Ironin readily agreed.

    Their carriage stopped in front of Merlin''s huge mansion.

 Chapter 308 - [Bonus ]AT MAGICIANS PLACE

    <h4>Chapter 308 - [Bonus ]AT MAGICIAN''S PLACE</h4>

    There was an invisible magic circle in front of the iron gate. It recognized the carriage from the Magic Tower and opened the door automatically. The carriage entered the area. There was a fountain in front of his mansion. The mansion was surrounded by a red rose garden.

    Veronica stared at the gorgeous mansion breathlessly. "Does Merlin love red roses? I had no idea. How does he manage the huge garden?"

    She wasn''t wrong. Merlin hardly showed any interest in red roses when she was in the tower.

    Ironin stated, "He has five gardeners to take care of them."

    "¡­" Veronica couldn''t utter a single word. She already realized how much Merlin cared about his garden.

    The front door was opened, and an old man bowed to the guests. "I apologize for the dy in weing you, Sir Ironin and Miss. We weren''t expecting guests."

    "We apologize for our sudden visit," Veronica slightly bowed. "I''m Veronica. I''m here to meet Merlin. Is he at home?"

    "Yes, Miss Veronica. I''m the butler of this house. It''s an honor to meet an acquaintance of Master Merlin. Pleasee inside. I''ll call for him." The old man took them inside.

    They were taken to a cozy living room. The wood pieces were burning in the firece. Soon, the maids brought tea and snacks.

    Merlin came not long after. He looked like he didn''t believe at first that Veronica came to meet him here. "I''ve heard Veronica came to my ce. I''m honored to have your presence at my house. I hope you arefortable."

    Veronica bashfully smiled. "Enough with the formalities. Sit down, please. I''m sorry I came without prior notice."

    Merlin hurriedly said, "Oh, please don''t be bothered by it. Come here whenever you want. I don''t mind at all. How can I help you?"

    "I''m here to ask you about how to get a pass to go to the Royal Library. We went there once, remember?" Veronica reminded him.

    "Yes, I remember. All right, I''ll ask the librarian to make a pass for you right away. Is there any specific information you are looking for or just random time passing?"

    "I want to know more about the science that louses invented."

    Merlin was startled. "Arthur told you about that?" Looking at her unwavering eyes, he mumbled, "I see. You don''t have to go to the library for that. I have quite a collection in my study. Let''s go there."

    They went to Merlin''s study room. It was a huge library. It just exhibited his love and affection for books and knowledge. Merlin had a few books on the table. He gave them to Veronica.

    "Were you studying Science?" Veronica asked him.

    Merlin stated, "Yes, I want to have a connection with the king of Louses. The best way to do it is to learn about their method."

    Veronica couldn''t argue. Louses had too much hidden information. Without knowing about a kingdom, one couldn''t interact with the people of that kingdom. She opened one of the books and tried to read it.

    Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence. The scientific methodology includes the following: Objective observation: Measurement and data (possibly although not necessarily using mathematics as a tool) Evidence¡­

    Science, any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased observations and systematic experimentation. In general, science involves a pursuit of knowledge covering general truths or the operations of fundamentalws.

    Veronica closed the book wordlessly. Her face was expressionless.

    "What''s wrong?" Ironin asked her.

    Veronica rubbed her temple in frustration.? "For some reason, I don''t understand what''s written there. Thenguage must be too advanced for me."

    "For people like us, Science is indeed advanced. If we don''t see with our very own eyes, we won''t understand what this is. If I get a positive reply from the king, I''ll go there and see for myself. I also want to know how some knives can change faces," Merlin expressed thoughtfully.

    Late at night, Veronica went to the assigned guest room with her exhausted. She tried to read all the science rted books and history of Louses. She couldn''t keep her eyes open anymore. Later, Merlin arranged a room for Ironin and Veronica.

    The maids washed her body with warm water. She only rxed in the bathtub. After she was done, she went to the bed. After that, she remembered nothing.

    Arthur was restlessly waiting for her in the tower. He called Ironin when he couldn''t get connected to his wife. "Where is Nica?"

    Ironin bluntly answered, "She drowned herself with books at Merlin''s ce."

    "Why is she there?" Arthur was visibly surprised.

    "It''s about Louses."

    "Sigh! Why does she have to poke her nose there? I''ve already let Merlin handle it. I''ming to get her."

    "Okay, I''ll inform her."

    By the time Arthur teleported to Merlin''s ce, Veronica had already passed out in bed. She was soundly asleep.

    Arthur could only cover her body with theforter. After that, he went outside the room. He asked Merlin, "Did she eat anything before sleeping?"

    Merlin replied truthfully, "She had dinner in the evening. Later, she had a ss of warm milk and cookies for supper."

    "How long does she n on staying here?"

    "She wants to know the king''s reply. Till then, she wants to study here."

    "I see. I''ll stay here for the time being," Arthur decided. He didn''t care whether he imposed on his friend or not. His wife was here, so he would be here.

    "As you wish." Merlin was used to Arthur''s behavior. He didn''t seem to mind. "Do you want to stay in the same room, or should I arrange another room?"

    Arthur frowned and said, "Don''t ask the obvious." Then, he went back to Veronica''s room. He walked toward the bed andid down beside her.

    "Are you trying to run away from me? I''m not letting you do that.. You owe me a kiss," he whispered in her ear and pecked on her cheek.

 Chapter 309 - THE WINTER MORNING

    <h4>Chapter 309 - THE WINTER MORNING</h4>

    "Are you trying to run away from me? I''m not letting you do that. You owe me a kiss."

    Veronica thought that she heard someone talking to her, but she couldn''t recognize who it was. She felt like she was drowning in the deep pool of water. Gradually, her soul drifted somewhere.

    When she finally opened her eyes, it was already morning. She rubbed her eyes and looked outside the window. Everything was white. Layers of snow covered the trees. She couldn''t see anything after that. The scenery behind the trees was hazy.

    ''Was there any scene like that in the tower?'' she wondered. Closing her eyes, she tried to recall yesterday''s event. When she remembered going to Merlin''s house, her eyes flew open. ''I don''t remember going back to the tower. Did I sleep over?''

    She moved theforter away and tried to get up, but then she realized that something heavy was over her body and that WASN''T theforter.

    It was a hand.

    A man''s hand.

    For a moment, her heart dropped to her stomach. Her inside was filled with terror. ''Who¡­?''

    The next second, she found the hand familiar. Carefully, she turned around and found Arthur. His eyes were closed.

    Veronica stared at her husband. She hardly had time to see him sleep like that. Most of the time, he woke up before her. She slowly reached out and touched his long eyshes. His eyshes always attracted her.

    Her fingertips brushed over hisshes. They quivered at her light touch. She hurriedly moved her hand away.

    Arthur opened his eyes. His clear golden eyesnded on her white face. His eyes gradually curved with a smile. "Morning."

    "¡­Morning." Veronica discovered their morning interaction could be normal. If it was before, they either started another course of lovemaking or woke up with the other side empty.

    Wishing each other good morning or greeting morning after waking up beside each other was sweeter than making passionate sex.

    Veronica''s heart softened after perceiving this. The corner of her lips lifted without her noticing.

    The back of his fingers caressed her face. "Your face is cold," hemented.

    Veronica held his hand and spread his fingers before pressing his warm palm on her face. "Then, you warm it for me."

    "¡­Okay." Arthur was surprised that she was acting affectionately. He became nervous. He kept his palm on her face to warm her. He dared not to make another move.

    Veronica closed her eyes again, enjoying his warmth. "We hardly spent time like that, didn''t we?"

    "¡­Yes. I''m sorry I should have done better." Arthur''s eyebrows were slightly knitted. He recalled the time. All he did was make passes at her in the past.

    If others knew it, they would say he was only after her body. He couldn''t me his wife for thinking that way either.

    ''I actually tried to possess her without giving her actual love. If it wasn''t for me losing her for months, I would have kept mistreating her. Should I say that I was lucky to lose her?''

    "No," Veronica shook her head. "Marriage is between two people. No matter what it is, we are both in it. We are both at fault. Let''s do better from now on."

    "Okay." Arthur leaned forward to give a peck on her forehead. "By the way, you forgot to kiss me yesterday. What''s the penalty for that?"

    With the sudden change of subject, Veronica was dumbfounded before pushing his chest. "Not giving you any. It''s a punishment for scaring me in the morning."

    "Scare you?"

    "When I woke up and saw a hand over her body which shouldn''t be there, do you know how frightened I was? I was spooked!"

    "How about I give youpensation?" Arthur suggested.

    "Compensation?" Veronica was curious. "What do you want to give in return?"

    "A kiss."

    "All right, get up. It''s time for breakfast." Veronica was ready to get off the bed.

    "What about the kiss?"

    "Forget it. I don''t want any." She brushed her hand.

    The couple went outside and met a maid. The maid respectfully bowed at them. She informed them, "Master Merlin is waiting for you in the dining room."

    "Please show us the way," Veronica requested.

    They were escorted to the dining room. Ironin and Merlin had already started their breakfast.

    "Good morning, Veronica, Arthur. I hope you had a pleasant night," Merlin greeted them.

    "Good morning, Merlin." Veronica was all smiles. "Yes, that was wonderful. Thank you for your hospitality. And I apologize for imposing on you unnoticed."

    Merlin took a loaf of bread and replied, "Don''t be so formal. You are wee toe here if Arthur bothers you too much."

    "Nice idea. Thank you, Merlin." Veronica appreciated it.

    Only Arthur red at Merlin. "Did you get a reply from the king?" he asked.

    He meant ¨C if you have time to meddle into my business, then I think you have finished the task I gave you.

    Merlin applied butter to the bread. "Not yet. I''m hoping to get a letter within three days."

    "Toote." Arthur was dissatisfied.

    "What''s the hurry?" Merlin shrugged. "The enemy isn''t going to kill you. Ironin is guarding Veronica. As long as you two have trust andmunication, nothing that happened in the past will repeat."

    Arthur stared at him. "And you think you are an expert in married life?"

    "What he said is true," Veronica sided with Merlin. She nced at him and inquired, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

    Merlin smiled at her question. He was a person who liked to work alone, but he didn''t mention it to her. His answer was rather polite.

    "It will be great if you don''t meddle into this. You are already involved and suffered a lot. I know you had lots of adventures and had a hard time. Why don''t you rx for the time being? Since I''m already doing this, let me take care of it. If I need help, I''ll definitely ask for your assistance like before."

    His answer appeared to be logical to Veronica. "Sure. I do have things I want to do."

    "You don''t like to stay put, do you?" Arthur smiled. "If you are so restless, you should eat more." He ced two slices of bread on her te.

    "Don''t treat me like a kid." Veronica pursed her lips.

    "You don''t like it when I treat you like an adult." Arthur showed an innocent expression.

    Veronica frowned. "When did that happen?"

    Arthur started, "When I wanted to give you a kiss¡­"

    "All right, stop it," Veronica interrupted him in a hurried manner. She didn''t want their bedroom story to spread more than it''s necessary.

    Merlin controlled hisughter. "Anyway, I''ll be off after lunch. If you want to stay here and explore the house or the garden, you are wee to do so. I won''t being untilte at night. You don''t need to wait for me."

    "No one will wait for you," Arthur bluntly replied.

    "Arthur didn''t mean that. We are supposed to go out sightseeing after breakfast. He meant we won''t be waiting for you at your home." Veronica pinched Arthur''s thigh under the table.

    Merlin smirked. "I know what he meant. Enjoy your day." He finished his meal and left the room.

    Soon, the other three were done eating. They were ready to go out. Veronica took a look at her husband. "Are you going to the tower?"

    Arthur casually answered, "No, didn''t you say we had a sightseeing n? Let''s do that."

    "I''ll be around." Realizing that it was a ''couple-time'', Ironin swiftly left.

    "Where did he go?" Veronica was surprised.

    "Don''t worry. He will guard us no matter where we go." Arthur reached out his hand. "Shall we go?"

    Veronica hesitantly ced her hand over his. "Okay¡­!"

    The next second, they vanished from the ce. Arthur sued teleportation.

    The next moment, Veronica found herself in the crowded street. "Where are we?"

    "Kerbell. It''s the port city on Tybu." Arthur pulled her hand. "This ce always bustles with people from other kingdoms who bring their exports here. From this ce, the goods are supplied to the whole kingdom."

    "Where are we going?" Veronica thought they came here to shop.

    "Somewhere you would like to be in." Arthur didn''t say anything else. He took her in the back alley and spotted a burly guy guarding a small door.

    Arthur murmured a code in his ear. Afterward, the man allowed them to enter the building. Inside, it was dark. From afar, Veronica could hear faint noises. She narrowed her eyes.

    They went further and they saw lighting from inside a room. Arthur opened the door and bright light blinded them. The noise became clearer. A huge crowd was cheering.

    Veronica blinked several times to adjust her eyes. When her vision became clearer, she noticed a hundred people gathered around a ring. Two people were fighting inside the ring. The ring was down there. Everyone was peeking down at the ring and encouraged the fighters to fight.

    "¡­" With a subtle open mouth, Veronica stared at the ring. She detected a woman among the fighters.

    A guy was fighting against a woman!

 Chapter 310 - THE FIGHTER IN THE RING

    <h4>Chapter 310 - THE FIGHTER IN THE RING</h4>

    It was the first time for Veronica to see a woman who was fighting with a man barehanded. She was wearing a ck top covering her chest and ck shorts. Her waist was wrapped with a brown leather belt.

    Her short silky hair swung as she moved swiftly at her opponent''s left side. Before he could react, her hand struck the lower part of his chest.

    Khuuff!

    The guy bent on his knees. He couldn''t afford to stand anymore. Before he could take a breath, the woman''s feet hit his head. With a ''plop'' sound, he copsed on the ground. He lost consciousness.

    The audience cheered. It was like they were all supporting the woman. Veronica''s ears buzzed. She covered her ears. She noticed some men were collecting money.

    She pulled Arthur''s sleeve. When he leaned closer, she asked, "Why are they taking money from people?"

    Arthur exined, "In this kind of ce, watching fighting isn''t enough. You have to bet on one of the yers who fight inside the ring. If the person you choose loses the game, you lose the bet and pay a penalty. And the winning yer wins the money."

    "This is great. But why did you bring me here?" She was curious because he always avoided taking her to dangerous ces unless it was the only option.

    After a pause, he replied, "That''s because you want to learn how to fight. I want to support your decision."

    "You¡­" Veronica was stunned. She knew how stubborn her husband was. She didn''t expect him to agree with her decision so soon.

    Arthur saw her visibly confused face. He held her shoulder and continued, "If you like this fighter, I''ll hire her as your teacher. She is the best fighter in this ce. You can spar with her."

    Veronica grabbed his arm. Her hands were trembling in excitement. "Want! I want to learn!"

    Arthur smiled. He talked to a guard and the guard took them to a less crowded ce. It was a room with a table and chairs. Behind the table was the woman who fought a while ago sitting with her legs on the table.

    She chugged down a mug of beer and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Well, well, what a pleasant surprise for Master Arthur toe to my domain." Her eyesnded on the woman beside him. "And he brought a girl here. Are you on a date? What kind of man chooses a ce like this for a date? You are unbelievable."

    "My wife likes this kind of ce. So, I brought her here," Arthur replied.

    The woman was stunned when she heard that. She lowered her legs and sat straight. "Come again?"

    Veronica nervously smiled at her and introduced herself, "Hello, I''m Veronica. Arthur is my husband. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    The womanughed in disbelief. "The pleasure is all mine, Mrs! I''m Roxana and I own this ce. Please take a seat. I''m not ill-mannered enough to keep my guests standing while I''m seated."

    After they sat across from her, she asked Arthur, "When did you get married?"

    Arthur''s reply was short. "It''s been a few months."

    Roxana couldn''t be more surprised. "You are so secretive. I personally think that''s a good thing. I mean all the girls would cry to death if they heard about your marriage. And look at you marry a red-haired beauty. I didn''t know she was your type."

    Veronica bashfully smiled. She dyed her hair before going out of the tower. Merlin''s potion was effective. Itsted longer than she thought.

    Arthur took a look at the shy Veronica. His voice was filled with indulgence when said, "It''s not about type. It''s about her."

    Roxana stared at him in amazement. "Oh, now you know how to shower your love. Dang it! I never thought I would see this day. I could certainly bet that I would marry before you."

    "You, Roxana? Marry a guy?" Arthur didn''t believe her words.

    The woman in question shrugged. "I know. Marriage isn''t for me. I didn''t imagine marriage was your thing either."

    Arthur took Veronica''s hand and squeezed it gently. "People change when they meet the right person."

    Roxana held her palm. "All right! Enough of that. You are making me jealous. So, what brings you here? I''m sure it''s not for a formal introduction. We don''t have that kind of rtionship."

    Arthur bluntly said, "I came to hire you as my wife''s teacher."

    Roxana blinked. "I beg your pardon?" Her puzzled eyes focused on Veronica.

    This time, Veronica told her, "I want to learn how to fight like you. Please take me as your student."

    "What in the¡­" Roxana was confused. "Is this some kind of joke?" Ever since the couple came, they kept throwing her off bnce.

    Veronica tightened her fist. "I''m serious. I learn a bit of sword fighting but what will happen if I don''t have a sword when I''m in front of an enemy? And I was amazed how brilliantly you can fight."

    Roxana sighed. ''I''m going to have a headache,'' she thought.

    Then she took a deep breath and exined, "Honey, with just that, you cannot learn fighting. You need conviction. I''m d that you want to learn to fight and not rely on your husband, but I can''t help you unless you show me your resolve."

    Veronica nodded. She found his words reasonable. "Then I can only challenge you on a duel."

    Arthur heard his wife and was startled. "What? Ni¡­"

    "Fight me in the ring. Bring your sword," Veronica cut him off and challenged Roxana.

    Roxana stared at the woman in front of her without blinking. She was a fighter. She liked nothing more than someone asking her a duel. Gradually, a smile spread on her face.

    "Since you are asking politely, my answer is ''yes''."

    Arthur could only see the situation unfold. He couldn''t stop his wife or Roxana.. ''Did I make a mistake bringing Nica here?'' He was confused about whether he should me himself or not.

 Chapter 311 - INSIDE THE RING

    <h4>Chapter 311 - INSIDE THE RING</h4>

    Veronica was inside the ring. She heard cheers and looked up. At least three hundred people in the premises were looking at her. Some were encouraging her, and some wereughing at her for being stupid.

    ''They must be looking for me to be beaten up,'' she thought. ''How demotivating!''

    Just then, Roxana entered the ring. The crowd shouted her name. "Roxana! Roxana! Roxana!"

    Roxana smirked at them and then eyed her opponent. "Are you scared?"

    "How can that be?" Veronica pretended to be tough. She drew her sword. "I''m game."

    Roxana began to like her opponent. "Great! I''m in high spirits. I''ll go all out."

    Veronica''s confidence flew out of the ring. "Wait! How about going easy on me? I''m still a novice."

    "Prepare yourself, Veronica." In the blink of an eye, Roxana drew her sword and rushed forward.

    Veronica could barely breathe. She just noticed a gust of wind. She saw something shiny darting toward her face. In thest millisecond, she blocked it with her sword.

    "Wow, this is the first time someone blocked my first blow. I was aiming for your same." Roxanaughed like a madwoman.

    "¡­" Veronica gulped. She didn''t find it funny at all.

    In the next few minutes, Roxana kept attacking her, she could only block at thest moment. Her opponent''s movements were so fast, she had a hard time keeping up. However, the audience''s voice became quieter and quieter. In their lifetime, they only saw Roxana''s rivals get beaten up every single time. This time, it was a girl. Although she didn''t fight back, she was able to stop Roxana from hitting her. It was something new.

    For Veronica, which was a pathetic survival, to others, it was an amazing fight.

    "¡­" Arthur stared at his wife. He noticed that she was sweating. But her eyes were focused. Her eyes were sharp and constantly moved and followed herpetitor. She didn''t get distracted. She lookedposed. Her legs and arms moved flexibly. Her arms were strong enough to hold a long sword.

    He scanned the sword. His eyes narrowed slightly. He could recognize the design on the de. He saw it in a book where it was mentioned. ''Elvish de,'' he muttered inwardly.

    He nced at his wife in a new light. The sweet, soft girl was no more. There, inside the ring, his wife was a fighter who could fight against a professional fighter with an Elvish sword. His heartbeat increased.

    Roxana kept attacking nonstop, but she couldn''t even touch Veronica. She was using her short sword. She didn''t expect her rival to be an expert in blocking her every move.

    "You are good," sheplimented Veronica. "Why don''t you try attacking me?"

    "Don''t listen to your enemy''s provocation and give in. It''s their trap when they can''t beat you in a fair fight" ¨C Urs once told Veronica when he was giving her a lesson. She remembered it and stayed quiet. It wasn''t that she wasn''t trying to find a way to strike. She just couldn''t find the chance. Roxana was a bullet. She moved too fast.

    Roxana realized that she couldn''t distract her with words. So, she decided to use her leg. She kicked aiming at Veronica''s knees.

    From the corner of her eyes, Veronica spotted something wasing. She could deal with double attacks. She jumped back two steps and swung her sword.

    Roxana opened her eyes wide and swiftly moved away from her sword''s length. A wide smile spread over her face. She was enjoying it. She changed her posture. This time, she was more serious.

    Veronica frowned. ''Why is she changing her sword style? I''m not familiar with this kind of stance.'' She licked her lips. They felt dry.

    Roxana took out four shurikens and threw them at her. Veronica blocked two of them. The other two grazed her left cheek and right arm. Seeing blood on her skin, Roxana was finally satisfied. ''Found your weakness. Can''t take more than two attacks, aye.''

    Afterward, Veronica was quickly beaten. She couldn''t prevent all the attacks at once. Roxana was swift when she attacked. She couldn''t attack four times altogether without spending too much effort. However, Veronica used her extra effort and energy on obstructing the second strike that she didn''t know what to do to prevent third and fourth attacks.

    Veronica only learned to deal with two attacks. Even so, it didn''t mean that she didn''t want to block her opponent''s movements. Before she coulde up with a n to strike, she got beaten up. And Roxana, as promised, didn''t hold back.

    Veronica was pampering her body for a week and thus, it led to a disaster. She lost oxygen and her stomach was empty. Without oxygen, she couldn''t produce more energy. With her bleeding corner of the lips and an aching cheek, she raised her head to look for Arthur.

    She spotted him among the audience. Unlike others, he was worriedly looking at her. His eyes were asking for her permission. If she gave him a signal, he would destroy this ce and rescue her. She could feel him regretting his decision.

    ''Arthur is holding back because I told him not to force his decision on me. I need to show him that I''m not someone who gets beaten up for nothing,'' she thought. She looked at Roxana. Her wet hair was stuck on her face, but she didn''t bother.

    She saw Roxana''s left leg was darting toward her and her hand was thrusting a knife at her left eye. Veronica used her sword to block the knife and Roxana''s left leg kicked away her sword. When her fist came not long after, Veronica grabbed it and pulled her forward. She pulled out her knife that was attached to her thigh. She directly aimed at Roxana''s face.

    Roxana hurriedly moved her head, but her chin was scratched. Blood gushed out of her injury. It happened so fast that none of them could stop it from happening.

    "Oh no! I''m sorry!" Veronica panicked and dropped the knife.

    The match ended just like that.

 Chapter 312 - TEACH YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT

    <h4>Chapter 312 - TEACH YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT</h4>

    The audience became quiet. They didn''t think that novice fighters would end up scratching the beautiful face of Roxana.

    "¡­" Even Roxana was silent. She touched her face and blood got stuck to her fingers. Then, her eyes focused on the sorry state of Veronica.

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it." Veronica''s dreadful expression was worth seeing.

    Roxana covered her face and looked up. She dered, "The match is over. Veronica is the winner." After that, she left the premises.

    The audience exchanged nces. They didn''t share anyments. It was the first time for them to hear Roxana quit before she could knock out her opponent.

    Roxana exited the ring. Veronica followed behind her. "I''m sorry!" She apologized again. She was nervous.

    Roxana halted on her track. Later, she turned around and said, "Mrs, if you feel really guilty. I advise you not to do this sort of match again. It''s you who invited me for a fight. Is your resolve that weak?"

    Veronica was startled. "I didn''t mean it that way."

    Roxana exined, "For us, warriors, scars are our achievement and glory. We carry them with pride. If you want to fight someone to prove your worth and then attack them andter hurt them, that''s how it was supposed to be. However, the moment you apologize, your action and conviction have no value. Your action bes insincere."

    Veronica became rigid. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it that way. I have no intention of taking back my words. I still want you as my trainer. The reason I apologized is because it was due to my selfishness that I left a scar on your face. Moreover, you held back while fighting against me. You can kill me, but you didn''t."

    Roxana felt likeughing. ''What an odd woman Arthur got married to,'' she thought.

    She stated, "Mrs, of course, I have the ability to kill you. but this isn''t war; it''s a game. This is where I defeat my opponent. Furthermore, I was aiming at your face and vital parts multiple times.

    "If you didn''t dodge them in time, you would be disfigured by now. And, I would never apologize or feel guilty about it. Because both of us are adults and we partook in this game knowing the consequences."

    Veronica confessed, "I was at fault. I understand politeness isn''t always important. Thank you for teaching me that."

    Roxana smirked. She was satisfied with the response. At that time, her assistant came hurriedly with a white bandage. He wiped the blood and then patched her cheek and said, "Maybe we should find a healer."

    "That''s not necessary. A bit of turmeric paste would be enough."

    "That will leave a scar. Here, let me help." Veronica came forward and touched her injured cheek. Her fingers slightly glowed. When the light deemed, she released her face. "I think you are okay now."

    Roxana took off her bandage and touched her cheek. Her assistant gasped, "Mdy, there is no wound left on your face. It''s like magic!"

    "It''s a little magic I learned while traveling. I''m going to find my husband. See youter, Roxana." Veronica walked past her, leaving two dumbfounded people behind.

    Arthur saw her from afar and strode toward her. In front of everyone, he embraced her body tightly. "Are you all right? You are hurt, aren''t you? Do you need medicine? Or should we look for a healer? You cannot heal yourself, can you?" He then cupped her face and scanned her up and down.

    Veronica''s heart softened when she heard his worried tone. "It hurts a bit, but I''ll be fine if you give me your magical ice pack. They work fantastic."

    "Let''s go to a resting chamber." Arthur grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the crowd. He took her in an empty room and used ice magic to create ice packs just like she wanted and ced them on her injured areas.

    Veronica shivered. "I''ll apply some ointment after I go back home."

    "Yes, I''ll order Merlin to make a few ointments for you."

    "Don''t pressure him too much. He already has loads to deal with. Let me study herbal books and we can make herbs together."

    "Okay, whatever you want." Arthur''s fingers brushed her hair away from her face. "Are you hurt elsewhere?"

    "To tell you the truth, my whole body hurts right now. I should''ve exercised every day. Having a sparring partner isn''t a bad idea." She paused and then mentioned what was bugging her for a while, "Why did you want to hire a trainer for me?"

    Arthur touched her face and replied, "I noticed you brought your sword with you yesterday. I thought if I let you do whatever you want, you wouldn''t hide things for me. I''m not your father but your husband. I don''t have any say in whatever you want to do with your life. I realized that the more I oppose your action, the further we will go apart. I simply didn''t want that."

    "¡­You really think so?" Veronica was overwhelmed by his change of thoughts and actions.

    "You don''t have to trust me. I told you. Just watch my actions and evaluate them." Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "But I don''t like it when you get hurt and wounded. Maybe I should tell Roxana to go easy on you."

    "No, you can''t." Veronicaughed and pushed him. "If you do that, I will learn nothing."

    "You really want to learn, don''t you?" The corner of Arthur''s lips lifted slightly. "Since you chose me as your life partner, I''ll help you to teach you anything you want. I won''t let you regret choosing me."

    "I''m looking forward to it." Veronica showered him with a bright smile.

    "I was wondering, did you ask Ironin to train you?" Arthur changed the subject.

    Veronica was startled. "Did you just guess it, or did Ironin tell you that?"

    "I guess it''s true." Arthur breathed out. "I thought I was doing what was the best for you, but in the end, I only pushed you away. I''ll make sure not to make the same mistake again."

    "Will you?"

 Chapter 313 - ROXANAS ANSWER

    <h4>Chapter 313 - ROXANA''S ANSWER</h4>

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Will you?"

    Arthur''s expression became solid. He could only me himself for her mistrust. "Nica, I''m sorry I made you lonely and let you decide everything by yourself."

    Veronica nodded. She was ready to give him a chance. After all, she loved him. "If you are sorry then help me convince Roxana. Ironin will be just my sparring partner. I need someone who can teach me how to use my hands and legs."

    "Since she readily dered that she lost, I think she took a liking to you. Don''t worry what she has to say," Arthur eased her concern. "As for your sword, care to exin how you got this?"

    Veronica tilted her head. "Is this something special?" She recalled it was gifted by an elf warrior from Urs''s group. He gave her this after she learned how to draw a sword and fight with it. It was her first lesson.

    Arthur remarked, "It''s not a manmade sword."

    "What do you mean?" Veronica was rmed. "Did a deadman make this sword? A ghost?"

    "No, I mean a human didn''t make this sword," Arthur corrected. "It''s an Elvish de."

    "Is that so¡­" Veronica muttered. ''Seriously! I didn''t want Arthur to know this fast. Why did they have to give me an Elvish sword?'' She was annoyed but didn''t express it. "Is this a bad sword?"

    "No, it''s a legendary sword. It belonged to a famous Elvish warrior. It was made during the Great War."

    "How do you know so much about this sword?"

    "It''s a history book about the war. The book was written by a General of Sivarta Empire."

    "Maybe I should read it," she considered. ''I can learn more about the Great War.

    "I have a feeling that you cannot handle it because it''s too gruesome even for you. Zinnia once puked while reading the book and never touched it again in her life."

    "That intense! Then I must read it." Veronica''s eyes were sparkling like a mischievous child.

    Arthur chuckled. "I should have realized why the priests and nuns always kept an eye on you."

    "How can you be so mean! It''s not like that." Veronica pouted. "It''s just Sister Josephine who always rolled her eyes whenever she saw me. She always thought of me as a troublemaker."

    Arthur rubbed his chin with a smile. "Well, I can understand why."

    "How could you!" Veronica punched his chest again and again.

    Arthurughed. He hardly had times like that with his wife. He wanted to cherish every moment of this.

    Later, Roxana came to meet them. "I see you aren''t healed yet," shemented.

    "Yes, I''m not powerful enough to use the magic on me yet," Veronica smoothly lied.

    Roxana ced a hand on her waist. "Then, maybe you should start practicing because I''m going to give you a hell of a mark on your whole body."

    "Does that mean¡­" Veronica stood up with expectation. When she saw her approving smile, she just knew the answer. "Oh! Thank you so much!"

    "There is nothing to be thankful for. You earned it. You should thank yourself. Do you want to stay here and train with me?" Roxana asked.

    "No, she won''t," Arthur directly rejected. "You have to go to the tower and train her."

    "And how am I supposed to do that? I don''t have teleportation balls unlike you."

    "Here," Arthur threw her a teleportation magic ball. "It was made especially for you."

    "Thank you!" Roxana caught it. She was ted.

    Arthur told her, "You can only use it to teleport in the training ground of the tower."

    "¡­" The smile was gone from Roxana''s mouth. She didn''t feel likeughing anymore.

    Veronica noticed that a storm could approach at any moment. She didn''t want to lose Roxana as her trainer. She hurriedly said, "All right, we will be leaving now. Shall we start my training tomorrow morning?"

    "Sounds good. I''ll be there around nine. Make sure to eat two hours before the lesson starts," Roxana advised her.

    "All right. I''ll do that." Veronica agreed. After that, they left the ce.

    Arthur was holding Veronica''s left hand while she was grabbing a stick of spicy chicken kebab in her right hand. She swung their hands and tasted the vor of the meat.

    People were walking past them but those two weren''t bothered by the crowd. It was like they were in their own world.

    Veronica finally got her trainer thanks to her husband. She was ecstatic. "This is delicious. Arthur, try some." She shoved the stick kebab into his mouth.

    Arthur already knew the taste since he ate it before. Even so, he took a small bite and left the huge piece for her to enjoy. He nodded and said, "Hmm, it''s good."

    "I gave you a chance, but you ate so little. I''m not giving you any more. It''s your loss." Veronica giggled and took arge bite.

    The corner of Arthur''s mouth raised enigmatically. His mood lifted upon seeing her joyful mood. "Fine, it''s my loss. As long as you enjoy it, it''s fine with me."

    "Don''t regret and then eye on my food. I''ll have a stomach acheter," Veronica warned him.

    "That won''t happen." Arthur chuckled.

    "By the way, why didn''t you tell her how much she will get while training me?" she reminded him. "Shouldn''t you discuss this before epting her? I was so excited that I totally forgot about it."

    "You want her as your trainer, so there is nothing else to discuss. She will be working for the Magic Tower''s Mistress. She will be paid handsomely. She doesn''t need to ask for the payment. If she does, it means she is looking down on the Magic Tower."

    "It won''t be too much, will it?" Veronica was worried.

    Arthur didn''t know why she was concerned. "You are the Mistress. You have enough allowance to drown yourself in luxury. I''m sure Ovior told you."

    Only then did Veronica remember. "Oh, yes, he did say something like that when he was teaching me lessons. I almost forgot about it. I will ask him once I go back¡­"

    She was talking to him but halted on her track and was at a loss for words.. She was staring at something.

 Chapter 314 - SOMEONE WORTH SPYING

    <h4>Chapter 314 - SOMEONE WORTH SPYING</h4>

    Veronica''s legs stayed still on her track. Her eyes were fixed in front of her. Her lips parted slightly. Her eyes were widened in surprise.

    Arthur''s hand was linked with hers. Since she stopped, he had to stop as well. He nced at her to ask, "what''s wrong", but observing her expression, he decided not to. His eyes trailed her line of direction and saw Catherine with a man.

    "Oh! A date in the port city. I wonder how they managed toe here. This guy doesn''t look like a magician," he remarked.

    "No, he isn''t. He is the Manager of the resort we were in," Veronica told him. "They are on a date just like us."

    "Isn''t this great? Let''s go our way¡­" Arthur tried to drag her away, but she was rooted to the ce.

    "No! Let''s tail them." Veronica''s blood was boiling in excitement. "I''m curious how much their feelings developed."

    "Why bother? You can ask her directly."

    "This is the fun of spying on your best friend! Come with me!" Veronica pulled him along. Following the lovebirds, they went inside a huge water stadium. She was amazed as she looked around. She hadn''t seen anything like this before. "Oh wow! What is this ce?!"

    "This is a water pool. This is huge enough to be called ake. This is where peoplee to swim."

    "But they have the ocean right beside the city," Veronica was puzzled. "Why bothering here?"

    Arthur pointed out an area. "It has restaurants. After swimming people be hungry. They can eat fresh food here. The perfect temperature is maintained with magic. No sea storm will affect this ce. This is better than a beach."

    "So, they are here to swim. I know Cathy can swim but Vincent is a man from hilly areas. Does he know how to swim?" Veronica didn''t want to wonder for too long. They got to see Vincent and Catherine in action.

    Catherine already wore a blue short dress. Her dress was full-sleeved and the skirt hem was above her knees. It was the traditional clothes for women.

    She stood in a high ce and then gracefully dived in the water pool. The water sshed around her. She swam around the circle and raised her head above the water. She was waiting for her date to join her.

    However, her date was peeking from above. He wasn''t going down.

    Puzzled, Catherine stared at him. She raised her hand and signaled him toe down.

    Vincent seemed to notice her gesture but didn''t do as she was told.

    "What''s wrong with him?" Veronica couldn''t help but ask.

    Arthur observed him for a while and then remarked, "This guy is scared."

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless. Although she was expecting something, she didn''t imagine that.

    For Vincent, it was a nightmare. He came with his soon-to-be girlfriend here. He nned this trip for a week. He brought Catherine here to impress her. He was amazed when she gracefully dived. In his eyes, she looked like a mermaid.

    And then, he tried to dive like her. He wished to be his merman. He wanted to be her better half. But the moment he peeked from up above, he realized that it was too high.

    He didn''t particrly have a height problem, but this was giving him goosebumps. His heart shook when he saw how tiny the heads looked from above. He saw Catherine move her hands elegantly, but he couldn''t go forward.

    His legs were trembling like a tiny boat in the ocean. He had yet to touch water, but he was profusely sweating.

    ''Oh no, it looks too high. What if my neck brakes if I jump? I won''t look as dazzling as Catherine. I''ll look hideous. Moreover, I might lose my life and face forever. There is a 50-50 chance. Should I take it? Or should I not?'' Vincent debated in his heart.

    Catherine tilted her head. ''What''s wrong with him? Why isn''t heing down?'' She was confused. She kept waving her hand.

    She didn''t know that her waving hand made him even more nervous. Vincent''s heart was beating faster. He could hear his own heartbeat despite all the noises. He wiped his sweat from the forehead with the back of his hand.

    ''It''s too high. Too high¡­'' He grasped the railing beside him. It was too cold. Chills ran down his spine. He shuddered involuntarily. He feared that he would fall from there. ''I can''t¡­ I can''t do this. I should go back.''

    Although he thought of that, his legs betrayed him on the spot. They didn''t budge an inch. Helpless Vincent felt like crying. He couldn''t stand there anymore.

    His legs lost strength. He gradually sat down and then rolled on the ground. He took deep breaths to calm his beating heart. Slowly, he turned around with great effort.

    At that moment, three teenage boys went up and found him rolling on the board. It wasn''t the first time they hade here. They could guess immediately that Vincent was scared of heights.

    Despite knowing that, they did note forward to help him. On the contrary, they folded their arms and enjoyed the little show.

    Vincent cursed inwardly. He definitely didn''t want to lose his face in public. Even so, he didn''t have any other choice. Biting his lower lip, he stood up with his unsteady legs.

    After that, he leaned against the cold railing as if nothing happened. Then, he nced at the boys with a triumphant look.

    If the teens were that easy to fool, they wouldn''t be teens anymore. They only smirked and raised their eyebrows, waiting for him to dive.

    Vincent could understand what they were waiting for. He cried in his heart, but his tears betrayed him and didn''t fall. His calm heart started to beat faster again. ''I swear I will nevere to this ce again in my life,'' he swore.

    With his trembling leg, he turned toward the pool. He gulped and shut his eyes. He didn''t want to keep his eyes open when he would fly in the air.

    ''Ready¡­ Set¡­ Go!'' And he jumped.

 Chapter 315 - IN THE SWIMMING POOL

    <h4>Chapter 315 - IN THE SWIMMING POOL</h4>

    Vincent was ready to jump. With all the courage he had left, he gathered them in his heart and jumped on the count of three.

    With his tightly shut eyes, he could see nothing. He thought he was falling for a long time, but his body didn''t touch the water at all. He was puzzled, not understanding what was happening.

    Frowning, he opened his left eye and found himself facing something brown that looked like a wooden board. Thoroughly confused, he opened his both eyes and realized that he dived backward.

    In other words, he jumped on the board, the opposite direction where he should jump.

    ''But¡­ I swear I dived toward the pool¡­'' He was visibly startled. At that moment, he heard snickersing from above. Realizing some people wereughing at him, he slowly raised his head.

    He saw the teenage boys staring at him with mocking eyes. They didn''t control their expression. Theyughed at his cowardliness.

    Vincent gripped his hands. His face was tinted with many shades of red color. He couldn''t move his head in shame.

    From down there, Veronica saw everything. "Why did he jump on the opposite side? There is no way he is afraid, right?"

    "You are correct. He is frightened to death. Poor him." Arthur smirked. Despite his words, he didn''t seem to feel bad about that guy.

    Veronica shook her head, not being able to believe a man''s ego. "Then he shouldn''t have brought Cathy here in the first ce."

    "He wanted to show his heroism, I guess. Many men do that." Arthur let go of her hand and held her waist before pulling her into his chest. "I did the same to woo you, did I not?"

    Veronica''s heart skipped a beat. She quickly pushed him away. "What are you doing? There are people around us."

    "So what? They are also with their partners. No one is watching. Shall we swim in the pool?" Arthur suggested.

    "Sure, we can do it, but first, I want to be sure Vincent is okay. His actions are worrying me." Veronica looked over in Catherine''s direction.

    "¡­" Arthur wanted to say something but held back. He sensed something was scratching his heart but tried to ignore it. His irritation went toward the guy who was fighting a life and death situation over diving in the pool.

    While the couple was in their own world, Vincent was in a dire situation.

    ''I can''t let them make fun of me like this. What will Cathy think of me if I do this? I want to date her like a hero from the romance book. I don''t want to be a coward!''

    His heart was full of fire, but his legs decided not to go ording to his heart.

    His legs shook tremendously, giving away his fear. His entire body trembled. The moment he looked down at the pool again, his body turned cold. He was scared out of his wits.

    With his legs rooted on the spot, he swayed his body back and forth, debating whether to jump or not.

    The teenagers wereughing behind him. Theyughed so hard that their stomachs were hurting. However, one of them got irritated by Vincent''s attitude. He wanted to swim but this guy in front of him was dying him.

    Without thinking further, he double kicked Vincent''s ass. Vincent wasn''t ready for the sudden attack. His body jerked forward. His mouth automatically opened, and a shout came out of his mouth. Everyone''s attention turned toward him due to his massive scream.

    Catherine saw him finally diving; she swam away so that he wouldn''t fall above her. Vincent''s body fell in the pool and a huge wave erupted surrounding him. His body went deep inside the pool.

    When Catherine noticed that Vincent wasn''ting out, she dived inside, grabbed his shirt, and then pulled him up.

    "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Vincent coughed vigorously and water came out of his mouth.

    Catherine patted his back and asked in a concert tone, "Are you all right? What happened up there? For a moment I thought you were scared."

    Vincent finally caught his breath, and not as his head. "I wasn''t scared or anything. I was just doing some exercise so that I wouldn''t suffer from leg cramps in the pool."

    Catherine was relieved to hear his lies. Shepletely trusted him. "So that''s the case. I was worried for nothing. Can I swim now? Can you move your legs?"

    "Yes, yes, I can move my legs. It''s nothing at all." Vincent''s heart gradually calmed down. His legs weren''t trembling anymore. There was no way he was going to tell her what happened up there.

    And the next second, the teenage boy who kicked him dived in the pool. The boy raised his head, shook it harshly, and his hair water sshed around him. Afterward, giving Vincent a side nce, he turned around and swam away.

    Vincent could only re at his back. He had mixed feelings about the kicking. He was sure that he couldn''t dive on his own. He was grateful for the teenager''s help, and at the same time, he was offended by the double kick on his ass.

    "He''s a young boy, isn''t he? Look how well he can swim. I wish I could swim like him." Catherine''s voice was full of admiration as she stared at the teenage boy.

    ''All right, that''s it. I don''t like him.'' Vincent decided right away.

    "See? They are OK. You have nothing to worry about. Let''s go and have some fun. I will buy us some bathing suits," Arthur said.

    Veronica was relieved that nothing happened to Vincent. "I''m d that the kick didn''t cause him any ident. But why didn''t he say anything about the kick? He could have punished the teenager."

    "As I said, there is no way he would tell because he was worried about his reputation. If he scolded the teenager, the boy would tell everyone that he was too scared to dive," Arthur exined. "And if the boy told everyone, Catherine would find out."

    "So that''s it. He wanted to impress Cathy." Veronica smirked. "I had a feeling he liked her. I wish them happiness."

    "Okay, so let''s buy some bathing suits for us." Arthur grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the clothing shop that was situated in the corner.

    Veronica was excited. She had never bought any clothes with her husband before. She told him her wish, "I want to pick yours."

    The corner of Arthur''s lips lifted. His mood got better. "And I will pick yours."

    However, when they went to pick up their swimming suits, they realized that they couldn''t pick one for their partner. Although the swimsuits weren''t revealing, they cling onto a human body. Both Veronica and Arthur did not want other people to ogle their perfect bodies. They could only stare at clothes and reject each of them when they realized the clothes were too skimpy.

    "Let''s not swim here. We can make a swimming pool in the tower. Let''s just buy the clothes from here," Arthur suggested. He definitely didn''t want other men looking at his wife''s curvy body.

    "Yes, I think that it will be the best." Fortunately, Veronica agreed. She was thinking the same thing.

    Later, they bought swimming suits for each other. Then, they went to the restaurant and ordered their food. They found grilled octopus, squids, seaweeds, and many varieties of fish from the ocean.

    "Since the ocean is near, you will find fresh seafood in the restaurants. The chefs make a special sauce for each food. If you mix the sauce with the food and eat it, you''ll be able to taste a different kind of vor which you will never be able to get anywhere," Arthur told her. "Whenever we are in the city, Darius alwayses here to eat his lunch and dinner. As long as we are here, he will never miss a day.

    "Then, these recipes must be popr," Veronicamented.

    "Yes, definitely. You will never be able to forget the taste. We alwayse along with Darius whenever hees here to eat. It has certainly be our favorite ce to enjoy our food." Arthur thought about the wonderful days with his friends and smiled. He had to admit that he always had fun whenever he was with his friends.

    "I can''t wait." Veronica was thrilled. She rubbed her palms together as she waited.

    Not long after the meal came. The waiter, who was a young girl, recognized Arthur right away, and her face beamed in happiness. "Arthur! You are here. It''s been so long. Why didn''t you say sooner? Mom would have cooked something special for you."

    Arthur gently stroked the head of the eight year old girl and said, "I''m here to surprise you. Thedy here is my wife. Veronica, this is Ang. Ang, this is my wife. We got married a few months ago."

    Veronica understood that her husband had a good rtionship with this young girl named Ang. She gave the girl a friendly smile and said, "Hello there, how do you do?"

 Chapter 316 - MEETING THE CHEF

    <h4>Chapter 316 - MEETING THE CHEF</h4>

    Veronica was surprised that Arthur was on good terms with the children. It was her first time experiencing this. She smiled at the pretty girl. "Hello there, how do you do?"

    The girl covered her mouth. She could hardly contain her surprise and tion. "Oh my! You got married! That''s wonderful!" She held Veronica''s hands and shook them eagerly. "Miss, you are super beautiful. I''ve never seen a red-haired girl with short hair. Your hair is pretty!"

    Veronica chuckled. She was embarrassed at the same time. "Thank you! I love your blonde hair too."

    "Thank you." Ang giggled bashfully. Her face flushed. "I''m going to tell my mother. She would love to meet you. Enjoy the food." After that, she quickly dashed inside.

    Veronica was amused by her reaction. "She''s a charming girl, isn''t she?"

    "Yes," Arthur agreed. "Her father is a magician under me. When he was just an apprentice, Ang was born. Her mother was mostly sick after her birth; so, Ang practically grew up in the Magic Tower. Later we found out that her mother would never get better unless she moved to the countryside."

    "But it seems that she got better. This isn''t the countryside. This is a town." Veronica stirred the bowl of seafood soup with the spoon.

    Arthur replied, "Ang''s mother got better after staying in the countryside for a few months. Later, the whole family shifted to this city. While her father opened a magic shop, her mother opened a restaurant."

    Veronica blew the spoonful soup to cool it down. Then, she drank it along with the piece of crab meat. "Umm! This is absolutely delicious!" She covered her mouth and delightfully expressed her opinion.

    Arthur smirked. "I knew you would love it. Ang''s mother loves to cook. And people love her cooking."

    "No wonder this restaurant is popr. I don''t think I will ever be able to forget the taste." Veronica took another mouthful of soup to drink it.

    "I''m d to hear that you like my cooking." The woman who spoke to Veronica came forward. She was the carbon copy of Ang. It was like she was the older version of the young Ang. The woman had a pleasant smile on her face. She bowed to Arthur and Veronica. "It''s an honor to meet both Master and Mistress in our humble ce."

    "Oh! You don''t have to do that. Please raise your head," Veronica hurriedly told her. She didn''t want to catch any attention from the outsiders. After all, they were still dealing with an invisible enemy.

    "Veronica, this is Ang''s mother, Bridget. Bridget, this is Veronica, my wife." Arthur introduced them both.

    "It''s an honor to meet you, Mistress Veronica." Ang''s mother, Bridget, looked at the couple and continued, "Congrattions on your wedding."

    "The honor is mine, Bridget. Please have a seat," Veronica invited her to join them.

    Bridget couldn''t disobey the order of the Mistress of the magic tower. So, she sat down beside her. "Since it''s not amon story, I guess your marriage was discreet."

    "That''s right." Arthur nodded his head. "I didn''t want others to be curious about my wife. I would absolutely hate it."

    Bridget covered her mouth and giggled. Her actions were just like her daughter. "I never thought that there would be a day when Master Arthur would talk about a woman so affectionately. I am pleased that it finally happened. I wonder what other women will do when they hear about this news. This news will absolutely bring disaster."

    "Please don''t tease me." Arthur raised his hands to surrender. "That''s all in the past. After meeting my wife, I forgot toy my eyes on other women."

    "I wish you will be a loving husband for the rest of your life," Bridget prayed for it from the bottom of her heart.

    "I will," Arthur promised as he grasped Veronica''s hand. "Tell me about yourself. How is your business going?"

    "The business is still as good as ever. Ang''s father is also doing great." After a pause, Bridget disclosed shyly, "We are expecting."

    "Congrattions!" Veronica eximed. "How old is it?"

    "The baby is three months old." Bridget stroked her belly lovingly. "It was really hard the first two months. I couldn''t stand the smell of food. It made my morning sickness worse."

    "Is that so? I hope you''re doing better," Veronica said.

    "Yes, I couldn''t cook at that time," Bridget described shortly. "Ang''s father helped in the restaurant when I took care of his business. There is no food smell in his shop. I didn''t have any problem dealing with his customers."

    She nced at Veronica and asked, "When the two of you are nning to have one new member in your family?"

    Then, she quickly added, trying not to be disrespectful toward the couple, "If you need any help after you get pregnant, please call for me. I will definitelye and help you with the little knowledge I have."

    Veronica hesitated before answering, "Actually, we haven''t nned to have a baby yet. After marriage, we had so many things to deal with that wepletely forgot about this matter. For now, I just want to enjoy my time with my husband." She tugged Arthur''s sleeve and asked his opinion, "Right, Arthur?"

    Although Arthur had another n in his mind, he tenderly gazed at her and responded with a smile, "There is nothing I want more than yourpany."

    Veronica was satisfied with his answer. "We have yet to go on our honeymoon," she reminded him.

    "If you want, I will take you right away to our honeymoon destination," Arthur promised.

    "¡­" Veronica couldn''t respond. She already had too many important tasks to finish. She didn''t want to take a short vacation when things were getting busier. To her, learning how to fight was more important than a sweet little honeymoon.

    Bridget covered her mouth bashfully as she looked at the couple one at a time. "I''m so happy to see that you are so lovey-dovey." She stood up and added, "All right, I don''t want to bother your meal. Please enjoy your food. I''m bringing something special for you."

    Right after she left, a woman peeked outside and stared at the couple.

 Chapter 317 - MY WIFE, VERONICA

    <h4>Chapter 317 - MY WIFE, VERONICA</h4>

    Right after she left, a woman peeked outside and stared at the couple. She had the same blonde hair and a pair of blue eyes just like Bridget.

    Veronica was drinking soup. She sensed someone intensely staring at her. Her sixth sense was sharp. She turned her head in the direction of where the girl was standing. She found out that the girl was practically ring at her.

    "The girl," she mentioned. "What is her problem? I don''t think I have offended her in any way." She thought of something and then looked at Arthur. "don''t tell me this is one of your old mes?"

    Arthur, who waspletely innocent, stared at his wife with a pair of puppy eyes before taking a nce at the girl. "Oh, that girl, she is Betty; Bridget''s younger sister."

    "Betty," Veronica muttered her name and then waved her hand toward the girl named Betty.

    Betty, who was intensely ring at her, was startled when she waved at her. She cursed inwardly, ''Shit! she found out. She''s a customer. So, I have to go and greet her; or she might badmouth Bridget''s restaurant.''

    Hesitating for a while, she walked briskly in Veronica''s direction. "Hello, Arthur, how are you doing?" She greeted Arthur first before turning toward Veronica. "Hello Miss, is there something I can help you with?"

    Veronica shrugged. "I don''t know. You tell me. You have been looking at me for a while. Are you interested in me?"

    Betty frowned upon hearing her question. "I''m not, Miss. Are you trying to pick up on me just because you came with Arthur? Unbelievable!"

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless.

    Betty then nced at Arthur and spoke her mind, "Arthur, you didn''t give me a reply. By the way, do you like red-haired girls that much? Before you always brought another red-haired girl who always wore shameless clothes. Are you tired of her and got another one?"

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. ''Who is she talking about?'' she pondered hard.

    Arthur silently gazed at her for a while before answering, "I''m doing great, thank you. But, what do you mean by - I''m interested in a red-haired girl?"

    Betty smiled when she noticed Veronica''s confused and curious expression. "Oh you!" She flirtishly pushed Arthur''s shoulder.

    "Don''t act innocent. Every time you came, you always brought a woman with you. She always wore revealing clothes. She flirted with other men shamelessly. She was actually a real slut, wasn''t she? I guess you got tired of her. Is this a new girl?"

    Only then did Veronica understand that Betty was talking about Zinnia. Arthur did tell her that he always came here with his friends. The red-haired girl who wore revealing clothes could only be Zinnia.

    Although she was offended when Betty bad-mouthed Zinnia, she kept quiet. Zinnia was Arthur''s friend. Arthur should protect his friend.

    Arthur already lost his appetite. He slowly wet his mouth and then looked at Betty. "Let me introduce my wife, Veronica. We got married recently. We have already talked to Bridget and Ang. You are the one who was left."

    ''Savage, Arthur,'' Veronica spoke in her mind. Even so, she wasn''t a little bit upset. Same smiled at Betty and said, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Betty." Although she didn''t show it, she was gloating inside.

    "¡­What?" Betty was thunderstruck. Her eyes went from Veronica to Arthur, and Arthur to Veronica. Even if someone told her that Arthur lost his potency, she wouldn''t be this shocked.

    Her eyes were as round as an apricot. Her mouth was open enough to keep a fish in it. Her tongue moved, but she couldn''t utter a single word. She wanted to speak but nothing came out.

    "You¡­ You¡­ You¡­ You are married???" Finally, after stuttering for a while she could speak a sentence.

    Veronica answered for her husband, "Yes, I''m his wife." She was thoroughly enjoying the reaction. If it was other times, she would have felt sorry for the girl, but she couldn''t anymore. Someone was eyeing the person she loved, and she had no desire to hand him over to anyone. She decided to protect her man from all the women in the world.

    "Who asked you?" Betty got angry and shouted at her. She didn''t care about her image or her surroundings.

    Veronica didn''t react. She leaned against the chair and raised her left leg over the right leg. She calmly answered, "You asked my husband. I have every right to answer for him."

    Betty slowly shook her head. "No¡­ this¡­ can''t be happening. You are lying!"

    Veronica cockered her head. "Am I? Why should I? Do you mean even my husband is lying to you? What purpose do we have to lie to you? I didn''t even know you until today."

    Betty''s eyes turned red. If re could kill, Veronica would have died a thousand times. The phrase ''my husband'' pierced her heart every time she heard it from Veronica''s mouth.

    For a long time, she hated Zinnia who could stay with Arthur even though she went around flirting with men right in front of him. In Betty''s eyes, Arthur was a generous lover who never cared if his girlfriend cheated on him.

    The resentment grew over the years. She could barely hold it in her heart. Today, when her niece Ang came to her and told her that Arthur came, she was genuinely happy. However, the moment she saw another redhead, her ecstasy vanished in the air.

    She could only re at Veronica and curse at her. But then, Veronica noticed her and called her. Betty nned to taunt her thinking she would leave Arthur knowing that Arthur never loved a woman for real. He was only interested in red hair.

    Nheless, things didn''t go ording to her wish. Her haughtiness and dream were crushed by Arthur''s introduction to his partner.

    My Wife.

    Never, ever, did she want to hear this again. She thought her ears were going to rot when Veronica kept saying ¨C Arthur this and that¡­ My husband¡­ My right¡­

    Would Betty let them be?

 Chapter 318 - THE DRAMA

    <h4>Chapter 318 - THE DRAMA</h4>

    Veronica wasn''t exactly enjoying Betty''s sorry state. She was satisfied that Arthur supported her politely, leaving Betty no room to argue. Unknowingly, the corner of her lips curled enigmatically.

    Betty noticed her smirking with the corner of her eyes. She couldn''t stand it anymore. She turned toward Arthur andined to him, "Look, Arthur, she is bullying me."

    Veronica wanted to puke. ''What the hell! How did I bully her? Does she think this is a drama?''

    Arthur observed Betty for a while before opening his mouth, "Betty, we are good customers of yours. You aren''t trying to be rude to us, are you?"

    Betty''s blue pupils shook as she was astonished by his support for his wife. "Customers¡­ That''s what you think our rtionship is? You¡­ you know me more than you know this woman, am I right? How can you take her side? I will¡­ I will not tolerate this!"

    Since she was speaking rather loudly, the customers around them looked over there and whispered among themselves.

    Veronica noticed it and became more alert. She already lost her appetite. No matter how delicious the meal was, the taste would ruin if the mental state of the eater was unstable.

    Arthur calmly stared at her and stated, "I don''t remember making you my girlfriend. I never had any."

    His words clearly meant ¨C I never made amitment to any women, nor did I ever have any rtionship with you. Why the hell should I support you and not my wife who Imit to?

    "¡­" His words left Betty speechless. She stared at him in disbelief for a couple of minutes. After that, her eyes were suddenly brimmed with tears. As she was heartbroken and betrayed by her past lover, she wiped her tears like a drama queen and said, "Arthur, how could you say that to me? I am closer to you than any redheads out there!"

    Veronica was bbergasted by her sudden tears. She nervously looked around. ''What is wrong with this girl? What if people see her crying and think we are abusing her or something? Arthur''s reputation will be tarnished.''

    Suddenly, she paused and thought about Arthur. ''Wait¡­ Does he really care about his reputation? I''m sure his reputation is a goner long before she became an adult. What am I worried about?''

    On the contrary of her panic-strike emotion, Arthur looked serene. He wasn''t affected by Betty''s tears or usations. He only said in a collective manner, "I know how many moles my wife has in her body. I know nothing about yours."

    "!!!" Veronica''s face flushed instantly. She pushed Arthur''s shoulder and harshly reprimanded him, "How could you say that in public? What will people think if they hear you?"

    Arthur defended himself, "What can people say? I didn''t say anything descriptive. If I don''t say it, they will think I''m cheating on a woman. That will be misleading."

    "¡­" Veronica opened her mouth but wasn''t sure what logic to use.

    The people around them did hear themotion and med Arthur for two-timing and also cursed Veronica for stealing Betty''s lover. Since they were regr customers, they knew Betty and sympathized with her.

    However, the moment they heard Arthur''s deration, they were confused. They had no idea whom to trust.

    Betty''s face paled. She covered her mouth; not sure what else she could do to defend herself. "Why are you doing this? Is it because I didn''t agree to sleep with you that you married a different girl? I told you it''s only after marriage I will sleep with you."

    Veronica couldn''t stand her drama anymore. She was thoroughly pissed. She abruptly stood up and said, "If marriage is the only way to sleep with you, then why would he marry me to sleep? If you two really had a history together, he would have proposed to you and married you instead."

    "We got to know each other for months. We were in the middle of a war, almost died multiple times, and got to love each other. Why would he marry you instead of me? What do you have to offer?"

    At her question, Betty exploded, "What do you mean I have to offer? I have a more refined body than you could ever have. Your arms got injured marks. I''m sure your body is the same."

    Veronica coldly retorted, "Yes, I have marks on my body, and these are the marks of honor. They have more value than your spotless skin which you will never understand."

    She was a warrior. Every cut in her body was because she practiced hard, and she got injured to save innocent lives. How could she not be proud of that? If anyone tried to mock her for it, she would wholeheartedly fight. That''s how she could protect her honor.

    Betty was surely insulted by her words. She didn''t know what Veronica''s identity was. In her eyes, Veronica was someone who stole the man she had a crush on for a long time. She would never let the redhead girl win. Although she felt like she was looked down on, she didn''t show it in her expression.

    She sneered, "No matter what you say, how can Arthur be satisfied with your body? I will love him with my heart and body. What can you offer?"

    Veronicaughed at her naiveness. "You think love is all about giving your body to someone else? It is about two hearts being connected, being respected, and being trusted. It is also about wishing the best for each other. I can do everything for his happiness and so can he."

    "If it was only about the body, there were plenty of women Arthur could get his hands on and you wouldn''t even get a chance. If you cared a tiny bit about his happiness, you would have given us your blessings, not trying to tear us apart."

    After saying what she wanted to say, she grabbed Arthur''s wrist and pulled her. "Let''s go from here. I don''t want toe here ever again."

    Arthur was staring at his wife who boldly defended him. His heart sweetened like honey dripping from his heart. When his hand was pulled by her, only then did hee back to his senses. He paid for the meal and stood up. "Let''s go. I''ll take you to a better ce."

    Veronica walked past Betty and demanded, "I want seafood."

    Arthur''s heart was swimming in the honey ocean. He agreed to anything she wished for. "Anything for you. I''ll take you to a fancy ce."

    Leaving the speechless Betty, the couple left the area.

    "Ver?!"

    The couple didn''t get the chance to leave before Catherine spotted them in the crowd. Veronica turned around and saw her waving at her.

    Catherine just came out of the pool. Water dripped from her body. Guys around her stared at her. She didn''t know that other men were ogling at her. She was walking toward her friend.

    Vincent''s expression turned sour the moment he noticed Veronica.

    ''Not her again! How many times will shee between us? This is the first time I decided toe to this ce for a date and almost died in a heart attack. I wanted Catherine to pay attention to me only. Sigh! Getting the heart of a woman is truly hard.''

    His shoulders dropped thinking that Veronica was his third wheel in his rtionship. He didn''t have the time to think about the third wheel anymore when he noticed that other guys were staring at Catharine''s body.

    He was going to lose when Catherine grabbed Veronica''s shoulders. "Ver, what on earth are you doing here without swimming in the pool?"

    Veronica pretended that she had no idea about Catherineing here. "We came here to have lunch. When did youe here? I didn''t know that you would be here. We talkedst night but you said nothing about today''s n."

    "That''s because I didn''t know before I came here. Isn''t Vincent sweet for bringing me here?" Catherine gloated. At that moment, Vincent stood behind her.

    "¡­" Veronica only nodded with a peculiar expression. She gave him a nod, he replied with a nod.

    "So, when did youe here?" Catherine asked Arthur.

    Arthur replied, "We came here forty minutes ago."

    Vincent became rmed by his reply. He came forward and gave him a silent nod to greet and then cautiously inquired, "Then¡­ Did you see?"

    "See what?" Veronica blurted out, and only after that did she realize what he meant.

    Vincent''s face was pale. He didn''t want to stutter in front of Catherine and so he took his time to spill two words, "Us¡­ diving¡­"

    Veronica: "No."

    Arthur: "No."

    They replied in unison.

    "Not at all," Veronica added again thinking their quick answer might make them suspicious. ''Let''s not make them doubt us. I have had no interest in embarrassing Vincent when his face already turned gloomy after seeing me.'' She wasn''t blind about her surroundings anymore.

    However, something dide to her mind. ''Why doesn''t he like me though?''

 Chapter 319 - DECLARATION

    <h4>Chapter 319 - DECLARATION</h4>

    Something crossed in Veronica''s mind. ''Why doesn''t he like me though? What did I do wrong? I don''t ever remember offending him. Could it be because Arthur left my stuff and made a scene there? Vincent is the resort Manager. He could be worried at that time. Maybe that''s the case.''

    As for Vincent ¨C he secretly sighed in relief. ''Oh, thank goodness. I can''t imagine what would happen if they saw a boy kicking my butt. If they told Catherine, our future together would be gone.''

    Catherine didn''t know what their minds were thinking about. Shemented, "Then I guess you are done with your lunch."

    "Oh, yes, yes. We are leaving actually. We won''t bother you actually. Enjoy your date." After that, Veronica pulled Arthur''s arm and dragged him out of this ce. She didn''t want to stay there any longer and keep seeing Vincent''s dull face. Before leaving she gave her best friend a hand wave to make her happy.

    Catherine waved back with a smile. After Veronica and Arthur got lost in the crowd, her smile disappeared. "I wish Ver would be with us. We would have a great time together."

    Vincent felt a lot better when she saw Veronica leaving with her partner. When Catherine said that he hurriedly said, "We will have a double dateter on. They are a couple. They just want some private time. That''s why they were hurrying."

    "Yes, I think so too. They barely went anywhere after reuniting," Catherine agreed with him.

    "Reunited. Oh, you did tell me that your friend was married."

    "Yes, that''s her husband." Catherine didn''t want to disclose more information. She could understand her friend being cautious around Vincent with her husband. They didn''t want normal people to get to know the Master of the Magic Tower. That would be troublesome.

    She suggested, "Let''s go. I''m starving."

    "Sure!" Vincent smiled at her. ''No matter what, the date is sessful.''

    ------------

    Using teleportation magic, Arthur transferred Veronica to Silvertein, the capital city of Tybu. They had a fancy meal in the city as he promised. Later, they walked on the lone road in the woods. Their destination was the Magic Tower.

    The snowkes were falling from the sky and settling down on the ground. The whole area surrounding the tower was covered with a nket of snow. The trees looked like they were decorated with snow. It was a wonderful view at night.

    No matter how magnificent the view was, the chilling wind sent shivers down to Veronica''s spine. Near the woods, the temperature dropped several degrees. It was cooler than the city area. She shuddered. She couldn''t help hugging her shoulders.

    Arthur used a fire magic circle around them. Inside the circle, they would be warmer. As they moved, the magical circle moved along with them.

    "Ah, thank you." Veronica rubbed her palms together and held them toward the fire circle, trying to make them warm.

    "Anytime," Arthur quietly replied. After a pause, he stated, "Nica, you don''t have to worry about your body. You have the most beautiful body anyone can have. Don''t listen to an outsider''s nonsense. They know nothing."

    Veronica raised an eyebrow while turning her head toward him. "Are you defending Betty?"

    "Not at all. What I mean is ¨C you don''t have to care about what others say. They don''t know you. They only say those words to hurt the people of their target. If you feel bad, they will only win. So, don''t listen to them all right?"

    "All right," Veronica went along with him. "I wasn''t upset that she tried to look down on me. I was upset because she made fun of my scars. These scars remind me of my hard work and the happy faces of the women and children I saved. I can''t even think of my life without these scars."

    "You can proudly exhibit it to everyone. I''ll support you," Arthur dered.

    Veronica''s eyes glistened with tears. Her heart softened. "Oh, Arthur! What happened to you? You are so supportive today. First the Roxana and now the scars. You wanted to make these scars disappear, remember?"

    Arthur lowered his head. "Yes, I know. And I''m sorry about this. I made a mistake. These marks are still on your body because you wished for them. You would have used multiple ointments to make them disappear, but you didn''t. That was your wish for your body. You have absolute right over your body because you own it by birth. I shouldn''t have pressured you and hurt you."

    Veronica stopped in her tracks and hugged Arthur. She tightly wrapped her arms around his back. "Thank you for your understanding. I hope you keep supporting me like this. There''s nothing I want more than that."

    "Well, you already made sure that love isn''t all about bing one during sex. It''s also about two hearts being connected, being respected, and being trusted. It is also about wishing the best for each other."

    "You learned well, Arthur. I''m impressed," Veronica praised him.

    Arthur stroked her head while gazing at her tenderly. "It''s because I have a wife whose heart is filled with wisdom¡­ And¡­ thank you for taking my side and trusting me. I never had any connection with Betty. She was just a regr girl. I didn''t know why she reacted that way. I should have protected you well. However, you did an excellent job. I didn''t have to interfere."

    "She¡­ is a regr girl¡­ Are you serious?" Veronica wanted tough but she couldn''t. "A regr girl can''t talk like this to a newly wedded couple. Oh! Wait, wait¡­ in your eyes, she is a regr because mostly all girls fall for you and act like they want to sleep with you. That''s why in your eyes, women are cheap. They don''t have a high value."

    "¡­Ahh¡­ Nica¡­?" Arthur realized that things were getting in the wrong direction. He wanted to stop his wife before she jumped to the wrong conclusion. One heartbreak was enough.

    "The reason you got interested in me was because I wasn''t the same as those women. And, you tried to control me thinking I''m not even a human¡­" Veronica stared at her husband.

    Arthur was having goosebumps. A droplet of sweat rolled from her left temple. "Nica, even though I thought like that, I''m trying to change. You changed my point of view."

    "Did I?" Veronica looked at him.

    "If you don''t, who will?" Arthur held her securely in his arms. "I''ve already lost you once. I''m not making the same mistake twice."

    Veronica''s heart fluttered at his words. She ced her head on his chest and stated, "Together¡­ let''s not lose each other again."

    "Yeah¡­"

    As the snow came down around them, the couple embraced each other like love birds in the middle of the road, surrounded by snow-covered woods.

    ---------

    Kerbell, the port city in Tybu

    It was ate night. The restaurants were closing down. Bridget was closing down the restaurant, and Ang was crying behind her.

    Ang''s father came to help take his family home. When he saw his little princess was sobbing, he became worried. He carried her in his right arm and asked, "Little baby, what happened? Why are you crying? Tell papa. He will punish whoever upsets you."

    "Uhuhuhu¡­ Papa¡­ you know¡­ Aunt Betty is a bad girl. She made Arthur and his pretty bride upset." Ang cried louder when sheined.

    "What?" Ang''s father was bbergasted. ''I thought someone bullied my little princess. How did Master Arthure to the story?'' Not finding the answer by himself, he looked at his wife for an answer.

    Bridget could only sigh. She narrated the whole story shortly, "Master came with his wife. I was preparing a special meal for them, and Ang was drawing. Betty took this chance to create a scene.

    "Everyone saw it. Master and Mistress left after paying without eating anything. When I brought their dish, they were gone. Customers were whispering to themselves. I heardter what happened from a customer."

    As if another lightning struck him. "Master¡­ he got married?! When?"

    Bridget tried to remember, "He said it was a few months ago."

    "A few months ago? But that time¡­" Her husband became quiet and said nothing more. ''Wait, when there were rumors that Master lost his sanity and tried to use dark magic because of some women he crazily fell in love with, was it true? Was that his wife? Did he seed in getting his woman back using dark magic?''

    "Honey, are you okay? You look pale?" Bridget asked in concern. She noticed how her husband''s face turned pale after hearing the story. "I guess Betty did something real bad, didn''t she? We should go to the tower and offer some dishes. I hope that will quench Master''s anger."

    Her husband nodded. "Yes, yes¡­ Let''s do that. Why don''t we go tomorrow? Ang doesn''t go anywhere because we are always busy. It''ll be a good trip."

    Ang''s face instantly brightened. "Are we truly going to see Arthur and his pretty bride?!" Her eyes glittered in excitement. No one could tell she was crying a while ago.

 Chapter 320 - SECRET MEETING

    <h4>Chapter 320 - SECRET MEETING</h4>

    "Are we truly going to see Arthur and his pretty bride?!" Ang''s eyes glittered in excitement. No one could tell she was crying a while ago.

    Her father stroked her head. "Yes, little princess. We are going to see them."

    "Yay!" Ang rejoiced.

    However, her father couldn''t be as festive as her. He asked his wife, "Where is Betty? We need to take her with us."

    Bridget''s shoulders dropped. "She left early. She didn''t want to stay here any longer."

    Her husband became frustrated when he heard that. "Haah! She messes things up and then runs away."

    "Hey, give her some time. Her heart is broken now. I''m sure she will be fine by tomorrow."

    While Bridget was siding with her sister, Betty was walking the quiet alley alone. She knew this city like the back of her palm. Whenever she was upset, she would walk on the street when no one was there and enjoy the night breeze.

    Just like other times, she was doing the same. However, this time, she was cursing Veronica. ''That bitch! How dare she take my Arthur from me? I can''t believe Arthur supported her. She is an ugly redheaded girl.''

    ''Wait., he must be doing this because he was with her. What if he met me separately? If that happens, then he might treat me gently like before.''

    Her eyes sparkled when she thought about it. She felt happier and walked in the direction of her house. On her way, she saw someone waiting for her in the dark, wearing dark clothes.

    She frowned. "Who are you? Show yourself!"

    The person had a tall build body. After hearing her voice, the figure took off the hood and revealed the hidden face.

    Betty covered her open mouth. Her eyes widened in surprise. The next second, she dashed toward his direction. She embraced that body securely and said emotionally, "Arthur, I knew you woulde for me."

    Arthur held her in his arms and kissed her forehead. Betty wasn''t expecting him to be so affectionate. Her heart raced. With a blushing face, she looked at him. "Are you here to apologize? I won''t forgive you."

    Arthur stared at him with his pair of golden eyes. "Are you upset with me?"

    "You are asking this? You brought your wife and then insulted and hurt me in front of everyone. I thought I would stop talking to you."

    "Don''t say that. I''ll be heartbroken if you do that. I missed you." Arthur raised her chin and covered her lips with his.

    "!!!" Betty stopped breathing. Her head was nk the moment his lips touched hers. ''Oh, my goodness! What is happening? Arthur is kissing¡­ me? Is that even possible? Am I dreaming? But it feels so real¡­'' She wasn''t sure whether it was a dream or reality.

    Arthur pressed his lips against hers and sucked them softly. "Mm¡­" He earned a tender moan from her. It burned his desire. He changed angles and kissed her again. She hummed. He pulled away when he realized that she was losing her strength.

    "Silly girl, you should breathe when you kiss someone," he told her.

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­" Betty panted and stared at him in a daze. It took her some time to realize that it wasn''t a dream but reality. She refuted saying, "I¡­ How am I supposed to know? This was my first kiss."

    "First kiss¡­?" Arthur stared at her. "Is what you said true?"

    "Of course! Who else would I kiss if it''s not you?" Betty bashfully looked away. She looked like a teenage girl in love. No one could say she was the girl who insulted the Mistress of the Magic Tower just this noon.

    She suddenly thought of Veronica and looked at him. "But¡­ What about your wife? You came here to meet me. What if she finds out? Won''t she torture me to death?"

    "What are you worried about? I''d never let that happen. She will never find out about us unless I tell her so." Arthur stroked her back and sweetly talked to her.

    Betty was relieved. However, she still mentioned, "But are you sure you want to be with me? What if something bad happens? Although it''s your wife who came between us, what if everyone mes me? After all, you are married."

    As if Arthur was waiting for her to say it, his eyes glowed when she said that. "I''ll show you how serious I am about you."

    Afterward, he kissed her cheek and pulled her into another alley. It was surrounded by walls. No one would see them from anywhere. However, there was a tiny crystalmp. It illuminated their faces and figured slightly.

    "Why did you bring me here¡­" Betty still hadn''t finished speaking; Arthur quickly pinned her hands behind his back, making her embrace him.

    Betty couldn''t understand what he was doing. "What are you doing? You are scaring me to death!"

    Arthur cupped her face with both hands. "There is nothing to be scared about. Betty, I wished to be with you for a long time. I didn''t realize my feelings for you sooner. After I saw you today, I just knew it had to be you."

    "Oh¡­" Betty''s eyes trembled. Tears glistened her eyes. She didn''t expect he woulde to tell her this. "Are you saying¡­"

    "Betty, I love you," Arthur confessed. His lips hungrily crushed over hers and devoured her lips.

    "Umm!" Betty shuddered at his passionate kiss. ''Arthur¡­ he said he loves me. He kissed me!'' She couldn''t control her excitement. She was ted. She hugged him tightly and kissed him back with the same passion.

    She clumsily kissed him as she had no experience. Arthur bit her several times. She winced but didn''t argue orin. After a long storm, he slowed down. He touched her chin and stated, "You are learning well. Good girl." Then, he kissed her once again.

    Betty cheered up when he praised her. She opened her mouth to speak but he took his opportunity to enter her mouth. When his tongue entered inside her mouth.

    "Hnng!" She jolted in the newfound sensation. She trembled all over. At the same time, she couldn''t help but deliver her small tongue to his.

    While kissing her, Arthur''s left hand held Betty''s waist while his other hand entered inside her chest undergarments, fondling her soft, round breasts over the clothes, the red fruits on her breasts became harder. He used his fingers to tease her dark red nipple, making her moan harder.

    "Does it feel good?" he asked. He tried to undo the string attached in front of her chest, trying to lose her clothes.

    Betty''s face was flushed due to the excitement. "I¡­ don''t know. It feels¡­ weird¡­" She let him expose her breasts in the cold weather. Although the weather was cold, she didn''t feel it.

    "Is that so?" Arthur narrowed his eyes. "How about this?" At that moment, he released her waist and teased her nipples. His right hand continuously fondled her breasts, massaging them.

    "Ahh! Ahh!" Betty''s moans became louder. Arthur lowered his head near her ear, blowing cold air at it, sucking her earlobe, and then, he moved down her jade neck, softly kissing her.

    Betty shuddered. Her heart was beating rapidly. It was the first time she felt such affection. More than that, she was feeling this love from the man she longed for such a long time. Her heart was content.

    Now that Arthur''s lips were somewhere else, Betty''s mouth was uncovered. She opened her mouth and let out lewd moans. Arthur''s blood boiled listening to her moans. He immediately used his mouth to swallow her moan, wantonly kissing her tender cherry lips.

    Kissing a moment, Arthur fondled her breast, his other hand directly went under her skirt.

    "Ahh! Wait!" Betty was startled by his sudden action. Her body jerked.

    "Rx. I will make you feel good." Arthur licked his lips. He then gently caressed her flower hole through her obscene underpants, using his middle finger to massage the area between her petals. A part of those obscene underpants became moist.

    "Ohh! But there¡­ Ahh!!" Despite herint, Betty writhed her body.

    "Now, open your legs," Arthur demanded. "Let me touch there more, or I cannot show you how I love you."

    Betty had no clue how he was going to show his love to her by ying with his sensitive spot. Even so, she slowly opened her lower body.

    With pleasure, Arthur massaged the slit between her petals through the moist obscene underpants, directly teasing her flower core, thrusting his middle finger inside her nectar hole.

    Her juicy flower unceasingly twitched, as his finger thrust deeper. "Ahh! Arthur! Darling!" Betty''s moans became hurried.

    When his middle finger waspletely inside, he used his pinky to tease her small mound. Her lovely body intensely trembled as a huge amount of nectar overflowed out of her hole.

    Arthur''s finger elerated the speed of thrusting while his other hand continuously teased her flower core.

 Chapter 321 - LATE NIGHT RENDEZVOUS

    <h4>Chapter 321 - LATE NIGHT RENDEZVOUS</h4>

    Arthur''s finger elerated the speed of thrusting while his other hand continuously teased her flower core.

    Betty bit her lower lip, afraid that people might hear her shouting. She couldn''t imagine people looking at them while she was exposed under the sky.

    At that time, Arthur''s manhood had already risen. He quickly stripped her dress, throwing her undergarments on the ground, he turned her body. Facing her red fruits on those well-developed breasts and her damp nectar hole, the enticement Arthur felt was immeasurable.

    He rubbed his long, coarse and huge cock at the entrance of Betty''s sweet hole. He didn''t enter her. He just teased her twitching cave.

    After some time, Betty was unable to endure and pleaded to him, "Arthur, not anymore. I can''t take this anymore. Please take me. Make me yours." Her glistening eyes were burning with desire.

    Arthur smirked. He slowly licked his lips, enjoying her begging. He straightened his back, sticking his hot and hard cock inside her nectar hole.

    "Ahhh!"? Betty''s lewd moan was filled with satisfaction.

    Arthur saw her expression and couldn''t help but thrust with all his might.

    "Ahh!" Betty''s expression twitched in pain. She never thought that her first time would be so painful. Her face paled. She bit down her lower lip to endure the pain.

    Some time passed. Arthur''s movement became fiercer. Betty finally started feeling pleasure with the dull pain.

    As she began to enjoy sex, she also matched her butts'' movement to his thrusting. Those huge jade breasts on her bosom swayed along with her fair naked body''s shaking.

    Arthur lustfully looked at them. He couldn''t help using his mouth to alternatively suck those dark red fruits on her breasts. Bettyfortably arched her back, panting faintly, issuing unrestrained yells. "Arthur¡­ more¡­ more... give me more¡­"

    Arthur''s lips stretched with an evil smile. "You don''t have to say it twice."

    --------

    Vincent was holding Catherine''s hand. "Thank you for today. The date would be dull without you," he said.

    Catherine bashfully smiled. "I should thank you for giving me a wonderful date. I did hear about this ce, but I didn''t have the chance toe here before. Thanks to you, I got to visit a wonderful ce."

    Vincent became hopeful when he listened to her words. "I''m d to hear that. Next time, let''s take two days'' vacation. We will visit the beach," he suggested.

    "Sounds like a good n." Catherine had no problem spending another date with him. ''Vincent is so gentle. He knows how to take care of everything. He nned such a nice trip. He will be a good husband and a father in the future. If we can be together¡­'' Her face flushed when she realized what she was thinking.

    Vincent stopped in his tracks and raised her hand. He ced his mouth on her fingers and kissed them.

    "Mm¡­" A soft moan escaped from Catherine''s mouth. She heard her voice and was startled. ''Did I just make that weird sound? How shameful! I hope he didn''t hear me¡­''

    However, her hope was a fruitful wish. It was a quiet ce. No one was around them. Everyone went back to their houses in the evening.

    Vincent heard her moan. His heart skipped a beat. "Catherine," he whispered her name in a deep voice.

    Catherine''s heart shuddered. She suddenly found herself close to him. His warm breath was caressing her face. She couldn''t look away from him.

    Vincent stared at her. As though his eyes were glued to her, he couldn''t tear off his gaze. Slowly, he was drawn to her.

    Their faces gradually became closer. Their eyes closed subconsciously. Before they knew it, their lips touched. Two soft lips were pressed against each other. No one moved. They felt each other''s softness. They could hear their hearts beating like drums.

    Tension rose around them. For Catherine, the excitement was too much. She moved her head away from him. She softly panted. She had no idea when she stopped breathing.

    Vincent cupped her face. He never thought a woman''s lips would be so soft and smooth. It made him want more. Ignoring his wildly beating heart, he leaned his face closer. Their lips locked again.

    "Mm!" Catherine let out another moan. She held her breath. Their lips ovepped. Unlike their first kiss, this one was more passionate. They nibbled each other''s lips and sucked them. They made gasping noises as they hugged each other securely.

    Catherine felt her legs getting numb. She clung to his back. Her chest was pressed against his.

    Vincent sensed her softness rubbing his chest. His adrenaline rushed.

    Catherine''s ears were buzzing. She had a feeling that her heart was going to be ripped out of her chest. She opened her mouth and took his upper lip in her mouth. When she went to suck his lips, she noticed a metallic taste in her mouth.

    Frowning, she opened her lips. Her eyes widened in shock. She quickly pushed him away. She panicked and said, "Oh, my goodness! Vincent, your nose is bleeding!"

    Vincent was confused by her sudden push. Upon hearing her voice, he touched his mouth and found something liquid. He looked at his fingers and saw blood.

    Catherine touched his face. "Vincent, are you okay? Did you fall sick?"

    Vincent already realized what caused his nose to bleed. He blushed. He was thoroughly embarrassed. "Ah¡­ no, don''t worry about it. I''m fine." He hurriedly wiped his nose with his white handkerchief.

    How could Catherine be fine even if he tells her that? "How can you be fine? You are bleeding! You must have been injured at some point. I''m so sorry that I didn''t notice before."

    Vincent was dying in shame. "Catherine, it''s nothing like that. I was so happy when we kissed. That''s why¡­ my nose was bleeding." He decided to tell her the reason or she would keep ming herself.

    "Oh¡­ is that so¡­" Catherine lowered her head. Her face was blushing furiously.

    Vincent was also the same. He hung his head and couldn''t look at her at all.

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    There was an awkward silence between them.

    Catherine thought, ''I should say something. But what should I speak of? I don''t even know what to do. I never thought kissing would feel so good. I kept kissing him and made him bleed. Ahh! I''m so ashamed of myself!!!'' She screamed inwardly.

    Vincent, on the other hand, thought, ''So this is what a kiss feels. Such an extraordinary feeling. It''s like two souls were connected. I could feel her, and she could feel me. What could be more beautiful than this? But¡­ What am I supposed to do now? I don''t want to ruin the date. Should I apologize for scaring her? I don''t know what to do!!!''

    Those two were debating in their hearts when they heard a weird noise.

    "??"

    "!!!"

    Catherine and Vincent exchanged nces. They forgot about their awkward behaviors.

    "Did you hear that?" Catherine asked him.

    "I did. We are talking about the same thing, right?" Vincent wanted to make sure.

    The sound was faint, but they could still hear it.

    "Should we check? I think someone is in trouble. I don''t want to ignore when I could help someone in need," Catherine told him.

    "You are so kind, Catherine. I would like to go with you as well." Vincent held her hand, and they walked in the direction of the source of the sound will stop

    The alley was getting narrower and darker. Both of them became nervous, but they still didn''t stop because the voice was getting louder as they went closer.

    They soon reached a dead end. In the magical light, they saw the scene unfolding in front of them. They saw a pair of men and women having each other.

    The woman was entirely naked. Her whole body was wrapped around the man. The man was jerking her body. Her body was swaying seductively, and she was making obscene noises.

    "¡­" Catherine had no idea what to do. Speechless, she covered her mouth and stared at the insane couple. She had no clue what they were doing. It was the first time for her to watch a couple having sex. Unlike her best friend, she had no knowledge about making love.

    However, Vincent had a clear idea of what was going on. He was flustered. He quickly covered Catherine''s eyes and pulled her away.

    Catherine wasn''t sure why Vincent was dragging her away. "Hey, what''s wrong? Where are you taking me? Shouldn''t we help them?"

    Facing her questions, Vincent felt even more embarrassed. "There is nothing we can do," Vincent replied. "If we interfere, we would be really. It was a couple thing. Only people in love do things like that. This is called making love."

    "Ma¡­making love?!" Catherine''s face was dyed in fifty shades of red.

    ------------

    "I want to make love to my wife," Arthur dered. In the morning, he came to Ovior''s office.. He sat on the couch and expressed his feelings.

 Chapter 322 - OVIORS CONDITION

    <h4>Chapter 322 - OVIOR''S CONDITION</h4>

    Ovior started another busy day when Arthur came to his office. He sat on the couch and dered, "I want to make love to my wife."

    And that''s how Ovior''s mood was ruined. With an exceptionally sour expression, he bickered, "Why the hell are you telling me that? Go, tell your wife!"

    "Yeah, right, I tell her, and she will use me saying I only love her body, not her soul."

    Ovior shut the book with a loud sound. "That''s not my problem. Don''t juste here and brag about your love problem to me. Get out! Can''t you see I''m busy?"

    "Yes, yes, I see you are super busy doing nothing," Arthur replied in a bored tone. "That''s why I feel like bothering you."

    "I hate you," Ovior expressed his innermost feeling.

    "I know. Where is Catherine? I don''t see her." Arthur looked around as if he wasn''t bothered by his friend''s hatred.

    Ovior took off his spectacles and wiped them with his white handkerchief. "Where else? She went on a date yesterday. She wille backter."

    "Oh yes, I''ve seen her in Kerbell yesterday. She was with her boyfriend."

    "Kerbell?" Ovior fixed his sses. "That''s pretty far. I hope she didn''t use any magic balls."

    "Why can''t she? They are rather cheap here for the Tybu citizens. Isn''t she a citizen in our country yet?"

    Ovior shook his head. "Not yet. She and Veronica will get their passes soon."

    "That long?" Arthur frowned. "It''s been months."

    "Well, our prince hadn''t approved their applications yet."

    Arthur stood up. "I''ll go and talk to him."

    At that moment, someone barged into the room. "Ovior, I just saw Arthur with another woman¡­ Oh, my gosh!"? Darius fell on the floor when he saw Arthur standing right in front of him.

    He stared at Arthur dumbly before asking, "Why the hell are you with another woman in another ce and at the same time you are here as well?" After asking, he seemed to realize something. "Don''t tell me that guy was a fake?"

    "Where did you see someone who looked like me?" Arthur questioned him.

    "Where else? The brothel. I spent my days there and then beforeing, I just saw you with three women. You were fucking them with all your might," Darius exined.

    "I haven''t fucked in thest three days! Don''t mention this again." Feeling annoyed, Arthur scolded him.

    Darius was dumbstruck. "What did I do? I just told you what you asked for."

    "And you came back without catching the guy?" Ovior rubbed his temple. "Unbelievable!"

    Darius had his reasons. "How could I? I thought the guy was you! And more importantly, I wanted to protect my friend from having another separation."

    "¡­" Arthur couldn''tin since Darius was the most supportive and understanding person when it came to ying with women.

    "Go, get him," Arthur ordered him. "I think our enemy is closer."

    "Roger!" Darius left just the way he came inside.

    After he left, Catherine entered the office. "Good morning, Ovior, Arthur."

    "Good morning," Ovior gave her a blunt reply.

    "It sure is, Catherine. How was your date?" Arthur asked her.

    Catherine blushed furiously when she recalled what happenedst night. "¡­It¡­ it was good," she stammered.

    Arthur gave Ovior a teasing smile.

    Ovior red at him in return. ''I knew it! He asked her just to tease me. So what I''m single? I have a less problematic condition than the rest!''

    ------------------

    Later, Darius brought back the guy who looked exactly like Arthur.

    "Oh, my goodness! Another one?!" Veronica was astonished. After breakfast, she came to meet Arthur at his office when Darius dragged the guy inside.

    "Tell me how you want me to interrogate this asshole. I will fulfill your wish." Darius licked his lips.

    The guy who looked like Arthur shuddered. "I¡­ I will tell you everything I know. Please save me!!!"

    "Where did you find him?" Veronica looked at Darius.

    "In the brothel," Darius answered truthfully when he saw Arthur''s signal. "He was forcing some women to have sex with him."

    Veronica closed her eyes. She didn''t want to imagine someone doing something horrible with Arthur''s face.

    "You knew with whom your face resembles, right?" Arthur coolly asked.

    The fake Arthur trembled. His eyes turned red; probably because of tears. "Master¡­ Master¡­ please forgive me. If I hadn''t done that, I would have died of hunger."

    Veronica asked, "Were you found in the street as well?"

    The fake Arthur replied, "No, I was a prisoner."

    "Prisoner?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "That''s interesting. So, how did you change your face?"

    The fake Arthur told them, "A¡­ man¡­ he came to the prison. He asked me if I wanted to leave this prison and live a better life. I thought he was joking. I said yes. Then, he took me to the forest and opened a magic portal. The portal took us to a cave. It was smelly and full of knives.

    "What about that dude? Did you see the dude''s face?" Darius asked while kicking his stomach.

    The fake Arthur curved his body in pain. He coughed some air. "Yes, I did."

    "What does he look like?" Veronica was curious.

    The fake Arthur shook his head. "¡­I don''t know. I forgot his face. I can''t remember no matter how many times I try to think."

    "He is lying. Maybe we should take him to the torture room," Darius suggested.

    "No! No, please no!" The fake Arthur panicked. "I will tell you everything. Please don''t hurt me."

    Darius pressed his leg on his knee. "You can''t even tell us what we want to know. Did you not ask him anything?"

    The fake Arthur could only endure the pain. "We had a long conversation but after Iid on the bed in their favor, I forgot what we were talking about. When I woke up, I got a new face. They took me out of the cave and told me to go to Silvertein and enjoy my life however I want. Afterward, I never saw that guy again. And I also forgot the remaining conversation."

    "How useless! What else can you tell us?"

 Chapter 323 - [Bonus ]I WANT TO KISS HER

    <h4>Chapter 323 - [Bonus ]I WANT TO KISS HER</h4>

    "How useless! What else can you tell us?" Darius was pissed.

    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. But that''s all I know. Please have mercy!" the fake Arthur begged.

    "What''s your identity? Why were you in prison?" Veronica inquired.

    The fake Arthur introduced himself, "I''m Dion, a professional thief. I lived in Silvertein before I was caught stealing a ne. I was in prison for three months and was dying in starvation when that guy came and took me away."

    "Not professional enough, I see." Darius sneered. Then, he looked at Arthur. "What are we going to do with him?"

    "Take him to the prison. Leave him there. Also, the other one; find out his identity too. We need to know everyone''s information and how they were being picked up," Arthur instructed him.

    "All right." Afterward, Darius dragged him away from Arthur''s office.

    Veronica nced at her husband. "The enemy made their move here. I guess they already know that we are here. They have thetest information. Just whenever we are together, the fake ''you'' appears. This is getting scary."

    Arthur got up from the seat and approached her. After that, he carried her in his arms and walked back to his chair.

    "What are you doing? Let me go!" Veronica lightly pushed his chest.

    "What are you worried about? No one will see us here." Arthur sat on the chair and ced her on hisp. He kept her close to his chest and stroked her head. "Don''t be scared. As long as I''m here, I won''t let anything happen to you."

    Veronica leaned her head against his shoulder. "I''m not worried about myself. I''m worried about you. The Imperial family already doesn''t like you. If they find a w in their reputation, what do you think will happen? I''m afraid something bad will happen to you and I don''t have enough power to protect you."

    "You want to protect me?" Arthur found her answer adorable. He couldn''t help but smile.

    Veronica could sense his voice changed a bit. She raised her head to look at him. She fumed when she noticed him chuckling on his own. She was embarrassed for what she said but didn''t show it.

    Rather, she reprimanded him, "Why are you smiling? Did I say something funny? I was being truthful!"

    "I know. I know you are. But still, just who do you think your husband is?" Arthur tried to coax her. "Your husband is the most powerful person in the world. Have a little faith in me, or I''ll lose my confidence."

    "I know you are powerful but that doesn''t mean you are not human. I''m scared of seeing you getting hurt¡­" Veronica lowered her head. "And, I don''t want to separate from you either."

    "You won''t be separated from me. I will never allow anyone to do that to us again. Once was enough," Arthur promised.

    He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "Didn''t you say we will do this together? Then what are you afraid of? Don''t tell me you are afraid of a little fight?"

    At his provocation, Veronica raised her chin. "Only a fool will be scared about a little fight. I''m a warrior with a warrior''s pride. There is no way I will be scared of a fight. I can even fight a war."

    When she proudly said that she was a warrior, she looked like a child who recently learned how to fight and bragged about it. In Arthur''s eyes, it was the cutest thing ever. He wanted tough heartily but ended up controlling himself. ''I can''tugh, or I''ll hurt her pride. I should endure it,'' he told himself.

    Veronica shifted closer to him and rubbed her nose against his. "After your work is done, shall we go out? I''ll be free in the evening."

    Arthur lowered his gaze. His eyes were glued to her rosy lips. He gulped. "Yes, we can do that. I''ll finish my work before eveninges."

    ''I want to kiss her. I want to kiss her. I want to kiss her.'' Like a mantra, he kept repeating the same sentence in his head again and again.

    Veronica''s face beamed when he agreed to go with her. She pecked on the corner of his lips and stood up from hisps. "That''s great. I''m going to prepare for my lesson. Roxana will being in a minute."

    Then, she quickly turned around and left the room. Her husband failed to see her red face. After the door was closed behind her, she covered her face. Her face felt hot.

    ''I can''t believe he was poking me down there just because I was sitting on hisp. What would happen if I stayed there any longer?'' She felt that her legs were weak and her heart was thumping loudly.

    On the other hand, after she left, Arthur lowered his head and looked at the thing in between his legs. It was growing like a proud mountain. He let out a deep sigh.

    ''Just how long do I have to endure this? I''m already tired of ying by myself,'' he tiredly thought.

    ---------

    Although Veronica said that she would go out in the evening, before the sun went up to the sky, she was already dead meat. Roxana made her exercise and run five times faster than she was already used to. As a result, whatever energy she had left, was gone.

    Later, Ironin wanted a match with her. She wanted to say ''no'' but her pride would be hurt if she did that. Thus, she sparred with him and got beaten by him. After an hour, she told herself, ''Ver, you are a loser.''

    She dragged her tired body to the upper floor when she saw a female magician. She had dark skin. Her voluptuous and curvy body was attractive. The cor was slightly open and it was showing off her deep cleavage.

    When Veronica looked at her chest, her pupils quivered.. She had never seen such big breasts before. ''OMG! Do they even exist?''

 Chapter 324 - BIG BOOBS

    <h4>Chapter 324 - BIG BOOBS</h4>

    When Veronica looked at her chest, her pupils quivered. She had never seen such big breasts before. ''OMG! Do they even exist?''

    She lowered her head and checked hers. Although she didn''t have small-sized breasts, her breasts were as big as that of that magician''s.

    Moreover, that woman had long silky ck hair. They moved elegantly whenever the woman shook her head.

    Veronica felt like keep staring at her hair. ''Such beautiful hair¡­'' She couldn''t help but admire the straight silky hair. ''I''ve never seen such beautiful hair before. Mine is all wavy; not as obedient as hers.'' Shepared her hair with the woman''s ck hair.

    One had wavy silver hair that shone under the moonlight. Another had straight silky hair that shone under the sunlight. They werepletely different and that''s what attracted Veronica the most.

    The woman saw her and walked closer. "That''s a new face. Who are you? You aren''t wearing an apprentice''s uniform. You are dressed as a woman and carrying a sword. Are you a bodyguard or something?"

    The woman''s voice was full of authority and yet polite. She didn''t look down at Veronica. She was just curious about the new person who dressed informally to the Magic Tower. Under Arthur and Ovior''smands, no one dared to wear informal clothes during work.

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. She didn''t think of anything about that woman yet. She crossed her arms and said, "May I ask who you are?"

    She recalled once Ovior taught her, "As the Mistress of the Magic Tower, every magician is beneath you. In the Master''s absence, you have the power to rule and control all the affairs of the magicians and the Magic Tower, including protecting them all.

    "Even if you don''t feel arrogant, it is your job to make the magicians look at you with respect. Act like a Mistress whom they won''t dare to object."

    Keeping that in mind, Veronica didn''t introduce herself first. Instead, she asked the woman her name.

    The gorgeous woman seemed to be stunned by Veronica''s behavior. She crossed her arms and asked Veronica, "Do you know who I am?"

    "I can see you are a senior magician, but I want to know your name." Ovior made Veronica memorize all the detailed information of magicians'' sses and uniforms.

    The woman let out a chuckle. "I can''t believe this is happening. I''m Aria, the senior fire magician. Now, tell me what''s your identity."

    Even though it was insulting, Veronica kept her expression poker and coolly said, "It''s a pleasure to meet you Aria. I''m Veronica, the Mistress of the Magic Tower. I wee you to my domain."

    "What?!" Aria, the fire magician, couldn''t believe what she just heard. She turned around to confirm with the other magicians.

    The magicians behind her tried to stop her knowing how bossy she was but their Mistress beat them to it. They could only awkwardly scratch their heads.

    "If you have nothing else to say, I''ll be leaving first." Veronica then left the area. She thought in her mind, ''I want to take a bath and roll on the bed. If I don''t, I don''t think I''ll be able to go out with Arthur.''

    Aria felt embarrassed. She wanted to apologize and greet Veronica properly but by the time she wanted to, Veronica was gone.

    The magicians surrounded her.

    "Why didn''t you apologize? What if Mistress punishes youter?" one of them asked her.

    Aria was frustrated. "I wanted to, but she left so quickly. How is this my fault?"

    "Next time you meet her, you should apologize and introduce yourself properly."

    "It''s good to act all proud but you shouldn''t behave like that in front of the Mistress."

    "She didn''t look hard to deal with. What can she do to me?" Aria scoffed.

    The magicians exchanged nces that shrugged.

    "Don''t me us for warning you. Even if you are not scared of the Mistress, you should be scared of the Master."

    Aria only brushed away their warning and left. ''What scared? Do I look like I''m scared of Arthur? The only reason I''m here is because of him.''

    ---------

    Veronica took a bath and went to bed to take a nap. When it was time for lunch, Catherine came to her.

    "Ver, open the door. I got news for you. Hurry!"

    At her urgent voice, Veronica couldn''t stay in the bed anymore. She got up to open the door. As soon as she opened the door, Catherine came inside and grabbed her shoulders.

    "Ver, did something happen yesterday? A family came to the tower to meet Arthur and you. They wanted to apologize to you for behaving rudely. What happened?"

    Veronica rubbed her eyes and then yawned. "Oh yeah, someone was being chummy with Arthur and wanted to get rid of me. But we took care of it. There was no need for them toe here and apologize."

    "Maybe they have something on their sleeves," Catherine stated.

    "Ah, no, I don''t think so. Except for that girl, everyone is harmless. Let''s go and greet them." Veronica changed her clothes and went downstairs.

    She went directly to Arthur''s room. Her skirt swayed as she walked. She saw the guests there and smiled at them. "Wee to the tower. I heard you wanted to meet with me."

    Arthur stood up when he saw her. He walked toward her. "You didn''t have toe. Weren''t you resting?"

    Veronica was surprised. "How did you know I was resting?"

    "Anyone should be tired after training. It''s only natural." Arthur looked at her with a caring expression. His finger brushed over her face before taking her to the chair where he was supposed to sit.

    Then he pushed her to sit there, and he stood beside her. As if he wanted to show the guests what Mistress of the Magic Tower meant to him.

    Bridget and her husband looked at the couple with a pale expression.

    Her husband was thinking, ''I can''t believe Master treats the Mistress so well.. Betty is an idiot to let her anger fall on the Mistress. If the Master is angry¡­''

 Chapter 325 - SOMETHING TO SAY

    <h4>Chapter 325 - SOMETHING TO SAY</h4>

    Her husband was thinking, ''I can''t believe Master treats the Mistress so well. Betty is an idiot to let her anger fall on the Mistress. If the Master is angry¡­'' he didn''t want to think anymore.

    He stood up and bowed to Veronica. "Mistress, I''m Trevor, the fire magician. You have already met my wife Bridget and daughter Ang. Thank you foring to meet us in the restaurant."

    Veronica was feeling ufortable sitting in Arthur''s seat. She didn''t show it to the outsiders. She smiled in a friendly manner. "Hello Trevor, It''s a pleasure to meet you. I only went there because your wife''s cooking skill is well-known in the area. I still can''t forget the taste."

    Bridget stood up and put a wooden box on the table. "I was supposed to serve you a special dish. Because of a mistake, I failed to do it. I''m sorry. I''ve brought a new dish with me. I hope you can enjoy this."

    "Thank you, Bridget. You have a kind heart." Veronica replied. Her eyesnded on Ang. "Ang, do you like this ce?"

    Angel''s face brightened when the pretty bride talked to her. "Yes, I do. I love all the flowers in the building. It''s pretty!" She gave her honest opinion.

    Veronica chuckled at her answer. "I see. I''m d you like it."

    "¡­" Betty''s expression was sour. She didn''t like the fact that she was being treated like an invisible person.

    ''How dare she treat me like that? She is so arrogant. No wonder Arthur doesn''t love her. Look, he even let her sit on his chair. Maybe she forced him to treat her like that. or else, why would Arthur treat her like this?'' While she was thinking that, she cursed Veronica secretly.

    "So, what are you here for? It''s not because of the meal I assume," Veronica mentioned.

    Trevor hesitated before looking at her. "We are here to formally apologize to you. I know this is us being cowardly only to apologize. My sister-inw was rude to you. I''m not sure if we can take the punishment for it. So, we are here to apologize in person. Please forgive this brainless girl. She was pampered by her sister and wasn''t taught well."

    As he bowed, his wife, Bridget bowed as well.

    Betty was fuming. "What do you mean I''m brainless? Do you think she deserves Arthur¡­ mm!"

    Before she could finish talking, Bridget covered her mouth. "Please don''t talk anymore and apologize. You don''t want your head to fly," she whispered.

    Betty groaned. With a big frown, she lowered her head. "I''m sorry."

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. ''What a half-ass apology. I wish I could beat the crap out of her. My fingers are itching.'' Although she thought of that, she smiled generously and stated, "I forgive you. I hope it never happens in the future. Please refrain from doing something that will make us punish you."

    Betty clenched her teeth and gripped her skirt tightly. "Yes, I will."

    --------

    Later, Veronica finished her meal and went out to visit the flower garden. That was her favorite ce to visit. That''s where she met Ironin.

    Ironin saw her and inquired, "Are you done taking a rest? Shall we have another spar?"

    Veronica shuddered. "Are you trying to kill me in one day? We sparred already, didn''t we? Let''s do it tomorrow."

    "¡­" Ironin silently stared at her for a couple of minutes before taking out a sharp dagger. He held it to her.

    Veronica wanted to cry. Without changing her expression, she reluctantly took it.

    "You never practiced wearing a dress, did you? You should practice that," Ironin advised.

    Veronica was startled. ''It''s true that I never wore a gown while practicing. When I was with Urs, I sometimes wore dresses, but they weremoner''s clothes. They were light and easy to move. But noble women''s dresses are heavy. Wearing those gowns, it''ll be hard to move quickly with a sword,'' she thought.

    "I''ll attack you and you try to protect yourself. Try not to let your dress get scratched," saying that Ironin attacked her.

    His movement wasn''t fast enough. He held back a lot to fight with her. Or else, her clothes would be tattered by now. And Arthur would hate it.

    Veronica''s eyes grew bigger when she saw his sword aimed at her right eye. She ducked her head to the left. She wanted to shift as quickly as possible, but the gown was slowing her down.

    And there was a heavy winter draped over her shoulders. Moreover, there was a ring under her skirt. It swayed ufortably and she had no idea how to deal with it.

    From the tower, Ang was looking at the garden. She saw Veronica doing the sword fight with a ck figure. She hurriedly called for her mother, "Mother, look at the pretty bride! She can y with a sword. Isn''t this amazing?"

    Bridget and Betty were staying in a room to rest while Trevor had a meeting with Arthur. They went to Ang''s side and looked out of the window.

    Bridget was surprised. "Oh, my! I never saw ady fighting with a sword. So, the customers were telling the truth. She met Master at war. They were both warriors. I think that''s how the Master fell in love with the Mistress."

    She held her sister''s arm and voiced her opinion, "Betty, I think you should forget about Master. If you keep hanging onto him, your reputation will ruin. You will sufferter."

    Betty scornfully stared at Veronica and said, "Sister, you know nothing. I won''t be abandoned. Although Arthur shows he only cares for his wife, that''s not true at all. He loves me. He will definitely protect me."

    Bridget helplessly sighed. ''I don''t know what has gotten to her. Last night, she came homete, and she came here willingly to apologize. After yesterday''s incident, where did she get this kind of confidence? Only Goddess knows!''

    After the little sword fight, Veronica went back to the tower. It was freezing outside but her body was warm. She met Betty at the entrance.

    "Do you have something to say to me?"

 Chapter 326 - CHALLENGE

    <h4>Chapter 326 - CHALLENGE</h4>

    "Do you have something to say to me?" When Veronica saw Betty staring at her intensely, she decided to face her. ''I didn''t do anything to her. Why will she keep resenting me? Just because she had false hope for Arthur? I hate it for being hated without a reason.''

    "Drawing swords while wearing a gown. You must be stupid enough not to know what ady does in the household, do you?" Betty sneered at her.

    Veronica chuckled at her words. "And you must be stupid enough to think ady''s duty is to only manage her household and a family."

    Betty frowned and yelled at her, "What? Did you just call me stupid?"

    Veronica''s eyes twinkled as she said, "You see, I have people to help with managing the tower. All I have to do is to check if their work has any mistakes or not. For this, I have to study harder than any nobledy."

    "And I practice sword fighting so that I won''t be useless like otherdies in danger. Not everyone likes to depend on others." She asked past Betty and whispered in her ear, "As Arthur''s wife, how can I be as useless as you?"

    Betty clenched her skirt and trembled in anger. "You¡­ Do you think just because you have fulfilled your duty, you can be a good wife?"

    She recalled her night with Arthur and warned her, "If you want your man to be faithful, you need to be good in bed, not in sword fighting."

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

    ''So, she doesn''t even know that Arthur slept with me. It''s so funny when I think about this.'' Betty giggled. "Just figure it out on your own."

    After Betty left, Veronica jeered in her direction. ''What did she mean by that?''

    Aria saw them having a conversation and eavesdropped from the corner. After listening to their conversation, her mouth lifted on its own. ''Well, well, look at that. This Mistress is already fighting with Arthur''s past lover. How long can she stand it? This is going to be a fun show.''

    ---------

    Later, Veronica went out with Arthur.

    Arthur noticed that she was quiet after lunch. She hadn''t had a proper conversation with him. "Is there something bothering you?" With the back of his hand, he touched her face.

    "Not really." Veronica shook her head. "For someone who got insulted yesterday, Miss Betty was sure confident today."

    "Confident?" Arthur scoffed. "What about?"

    "She still thinks you will go after I guess." Veronica shrugged. Although she said that, she didn''t like talking about it.

    "She should look at her face before trying to fight against you," Arthur sneered.

    "But it''s true that I''m not as beautiful as before. All the women you hung out with are so pretty. I''m the only one who has scars on my body." Veronica lowered her head. Her eyes glistened with tears.

    "What on earth are you saying?" Arthur embraced her body securely in his arms. "How can you say that about yourself?"

    "But I''m ugly now¡­" Veronica sniffed. Tears streamed down her eyes. ''What is wrong with me? Why am I so upset? Why can''t I stop crying?''

    Arthur''s heart broke seeing her like this. ''That wretched woman! She came to apologize, she said. I''ll make her pay for this.''

    He kissed away his wife''s tears and told her, "What nonsense! Who said your body is ugly? Whenever I see those scars on your body, my heart fills with pride. Yes, I feel guilty that you had to choose that path because I wasn''t there to protect you. However, it''s also true that I''m proud of you because you can protect yourself and others with your ability. I absolutely love this about you."

    Veronica looked at him pitifully. "Is that true? You don''t think I''m ugly?"

    Arthur cupped her face and spoke in a determined voice, "You are the most brilliant, most outstanding, most gorgeous, and most pure woman I''ve met in my life. No one can copy you. No one can rece you. Mark my words. If you don''t believe me, I''m not sure how I can prove this to you."

    Looking at his helpless expression, in the end, Veronica circled her arms around his neck and demanded, "Just grow old together with me. I''ll believe you."

    Arthur chuckled. Kissing her forehead, he replied, "Yes, that is my dream. To grow old with you."

    The couple stayed in each other''s embrace until they reached the marketce. They got off the carriage. The ce was bustling with people as usual. Hand in hand, Arthur and Veronica strolled in the marketce.

    They bought some street food, ate spicy kebabs while watching street magic shows, and paid the magicians for the entertainment. Veronica felt a lot better as she wandered around.

    She was checking out the shops when she noticed a strange shop in the corner. The surroundings of the shop were rather empty.

    "Shall we go to the jewelry shop?" Arthur suggested. He didn''t notice that his wife''s eyes were somewhere else.

    "Umm, can you go there first? I want to check out something," she stated.

    ''Most definitely I don''t want to, but if I don''t, you will be sad again. I don''t want to take the risk.'' Arthur reluctantly agreed but warned her, "Don''t wander around bad ces. If something happens, call for me using this," saying that he gave her a small stone.

    "I will!" Veronica agreed.

    Arthur went to the jewelry shop and Veronica headed to the mysterious shop. When she opened the door, she found a woman at the reception desk.

    The receptionist saw a new customer and professionally spoke to her, "Wee to our shop, Mam. How can I help you?"

    Veronica greeted her back, "Hello, what kind of service do you provide here? I''m sorry I have never seen this shop before. It looked so mysterious that I was automatically drawn to it."

    The receptionist humbly smiled. "You have a wonderful sense, Mam. Yes, you are right. The shop opened recently. As you can see these pictures of women are drawn on the wall; this shop is run by ady named Nasha and we provide body massage to women."

    Veronica instantly became curious. "Body massage? To relieve pain?"

    The receptionist patiently exined, "Body massage does not only remove the pain but also relieves fatigue and improves body parts, such as ¨C if you want your smooth shaped face, sharp nose, long neck, skinny arms, and legs, or huge breasts¡­"

    "Huge breasts?" Veronica was startled. "You can make my breasts huge too?"

    "¡­" The receptionist stared at her chest. ''Is there anything wrong with her chest? Why don''t I see it?''

    Later, she cleared her throat and replied, "Excuse my rudeness. Yes, through massage we can make your breasts huge. All our experts are females. So, you don''t have to be ashamed of someone seeing you naked or not. If you want, we can give you either a private or public massage."

    "That will be wonderful. How much do you charge?"

    "Per day, we take ten copper coins for public massage. You will have to be naked in front of other women. This is mostly for themonerdies. We give aristocraticdies private massages. That is five silver coins.

    "Our shop is open from dawn tote night. If you make an appointment first, it will be easier for you."

    Veronica thought deeply, ''That magician had such big breasts. It won''t be bad if I develop my breasts. Ovior gave me a huge amount to spend on a monthly basis. I can use that.''

    She looked at the receptionist and asked, "Do you have a form?"

    The receptionist answered, "Yes, for members, we keep forms."

    "Please give me two forms," Veronica requested. "I''ll give another one to Catherine. We will consult first before applying here.''

    After taking the forms, Veronica thanked her. "I''ll be here soon."

    "We will be waiting, Mam." The receptionist bowed.

    Veronica went to the jewelry shop. She found Arthur standing in front of the ss box. She strode toward him and saw that he was looking at the ice-colored crystal ne that was inside the ss box.

    "Do you like this?" she asked.

    Arthur turned toward her. "You took your time. If you were another minutete, I would have gone to look for you."

    "Ahh, sorry about that. I went to collect some information about a new shop. I like this ce." Veronica replied.

    "All right. Shall we go there next time?" Arthur suggested.

    "Oh, no you can''t. It''s only for women." Veronica grinned at him. "Our anniversary ising soon, right? I''ll give you a surprise."

    "Oh?" Arthur became interested. "What do you want to give me? I''m curious."

    ''Shit, I forgot it was our anniversary. I should prepare something for her,'' he thought.

    ''My huge breasts¡­ I can''t say that.'' Veronica''s face turned red. "It won''t be a secret if I tell you, will it? Just wait for it."

    ''What is she nning to give me that her face is turning red just thinking about it?'' Arthur''s mind was filled with naughty thoughts.

 Chapter 327 - THE DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 327 - THE DECISION</h4>

    "Boob massage? What is that about?" Catherine never heard of it. Somehow, she had turned into the most innocent person in Veronica''s eyes.

    "It''ll help to develop our breasts," Veronica exined. She was taking a break after she finished taking a lesson from Roxana.

    Catherine gaped at her. "What? Do my breasts look small to you?"

    Veronica confidently stated, "Men like huge breasts."

    "Oh, stop it! Vincent isn''t like that," her best friend refuted actively.

    Veronica smirked. "Unless he is a woman in disguise."

    Catherine was blushing hard. "Oh,e on! You don''t know him well enough."

    "Of course, I don''t, and I still know that men like big breasts. And there is no way he will tell you that."

    "I can''t believe you. How can you say that without knowing? I will definitely ask him."

    "As if he will tell how he likes big boobs to the girl he likes."

    "¡­Li-like¡­" Catherine stuttered. She looked at her friend vigntly. "What do you mean?"

    Veronica elbowed her. "Don''t act coy. I know everything." She told herself in her mind, ''I stayed with a group of elvish men for a few months. If I don''t know about men even after that, I will be the dumbest person in the world.''

    Catherine rubbed her chin. "Your brain surely opened after having a little adventure, didn''t it?"

    "That''s what we call the power of wisdom!" Veronica tried to show off.

    Two friends were talking when someone came to interrupt their fun conversation, "Am I seeing the Mistress chatting leisurely at a time like this?"

    The girls stopped talking and turned to see the rude intruder. They saw a dark-skinned woman with a pair of huge breasts.

    "¡­" Catherine gaped her breasts. ''Am I seeing things? How can she have such big breasts?! Compared to her, I''m t-chested.'' The more shepared their breasts, the more she wondered how it was possible to have huge breasts.

    "Aria, is it? Am I seeing a magician walking leisurely at a time like this?" Veronica raised her chin. At the same time, she thought, ''What is wrong with this cow?''

    Aria noticed that Catherine''s eyes were glued to her. Unlike when she enjoyed when men stared at her, she didn''t feelfortable when women stared at her breasts. Even so, she smirked and proudly moved her body and her breasts swayed from right to left.

    However, when she heard Veronica''s taunting words, her body stiffened. The smirk from her face vanished. "Are you taunting me?"

    Veronica shrugged as if she had done nothing wrong. "You are the one who interrupted us. The employee is you, not me. I never saw an employee questioning their Mistress."

    ''Didn''t they all say that she is a quiet and shy woman? She acts so feistily. Are they blind or mixed with someone else?'' Aria narrowed her eyes. "Mistress Veronica, are you jealous of me somehow?"

    "Me? Jealous of a mere employee? Do I look like I have that much free time?" Veronica chuckled in amusement. "Since you talked about jealousy, are you jealous of my position, Aria?"

    Aria''s expression became cold. "What?"

    "It''s all right if you are. I mean you are not the only one. Every time womene to annoy me, there is always one reason. My position beside Arthur. I''m sure that''s not the case for you. I think of you as a wise person, Aria." Veronica gently smiled at her.

    Even so, Aria felt that her eyes were smiling at all. She controlled her expression and replied, "I think you are making a mistake. I have no such intention." After a pause, she added, "I have work to do. I''ll take my leave."

    After she was gone, Catherine let out a breath. "That was terrifying! Who is this fire magician?"

    "That cow¡­" Veronica quickly corrected herself. "I mean that fire magician is Aria. A senior at that."

    "Cow is all right!" Catherine supported her. "Did you see her boobs? So huge! I bet they can produce milk like a cow."

    Veronica felt guilty for calling Aria a cow. "Let''s just keep that in her mind. No need to tell that in front of anyone. I''m sorry I blurted it out loud. We shouldn''t speak about one''s weaknesses just because they get on our nerves. Then we are just like them; a lowlife."

    Catherine raised her hands to surrender. "All right, all right. I won''t speak about it again. But look at her boobs. No wonder she is so popr with men!"

    "How do you know about it?" Veronica was interested.

    Catherine narrated, "Oh well, I was dealing with magicians in the tower longer than you. I heard her name all the time. Especially the male magicians; they just love to talk about her. When they are only men, they talk about her physical appearance as well."

    "Men are dirty creatures," Veronica remarked while shaking her head.

    "That they are. Back then I thought she might get boobs like yours. But now, I''m going to change my mind." Catherine grabbed her friend''s hand. "Ver, let''s go to the massage shop."

    "Wait, before that, I want Sebastian to check the shop''s background. I don''t want anything bad to happen to us after going there. After all, we will be naked when our bodies are massaged." Veronica didn''t want to take a risk.

    ''Oh, look at her. She grew up so much, to think about our safety¡­ I''m so proud of her.'' Catherine''s eyes teared up. "Ver, when did you be so reliable? I love you!" She hugged her.

    Veronica only smiled. Thinking about everything she went through, she exhaled softly.

    ----------

    "Umm¡­ Vincent¡­ stop¡­" Catherine gasped for air.

    "But I can''t wait¡­" Vincent captured her lips once again.

    On the weekend, Catherine came to the resort. Vincent took a break and brought her to the room she booked.

    __________________________________________________________________________

    ANNOUNCEMENT ¨C

    If anyone wishes to have pictures of Arthur and Veronica''s first night and them meeting after a few months (I mean smut pictures), you will get them on Patreon. Except for the $1 Tier, all other Tiers have those pictures.

    You can see my Patreon link here: https://bio.link/flow07

 Chapter 328 - ANOTHER DATE

    <h4>Chapter 328 - ANOTHER DATE</h4>

    On the weekend, Catherine came to the resort. Vincent took a break and brought her to the room she booked. The moment they entered the room, he pushed her on the wall and sealed her lips.

    Catherine felt her ears buzzing. She couldn''t think straight. The only thing that was in her mind was something soft stered on her mouth. It was wet and warm. Then something licked her lips.

    Startled, she opened her mouth. After that, she sensed something going inside her. Her heart thumped like a drum. Her arms had no strength as she put them on his chest to push him away, but it was futile.

    Her legs were shaking so much that she couldn''t stand anymore. Vincent noticed her slipping down. He grabbed her waist and took her to the bed.

    Catherine panicked when she saw that she was taken to the bed. "Wait¡­ wait¡­ Vincent¡­ we must not¡­"

    "Don''t worry. I won''t do anything you don''t want," Vincent promised. He put her on the bed and hovered over her. While kissing her, he slowly pushed her down.

    Catherine grabbed his shoulders. Her eyes were tightly shut. His soft tongue touched her tongue. She shuddered. She instinctively wanted to move her tongue away, but he followed.

    He explored her warm, moist mouth. It was something new he had never done before. His chest was burning. Their bodies writhed together. Catherine''s squashy breasts rubbed against his chest.

    "!!!" Vincent thought his chest was burning. He ced his legs in between her legs and kissed her more aggressively.

    "Haahh¡­ Haahh¡­" Catherine panted roughly. Her lips and tongue were eaten until her tongue numbed. She also felt a dull pain.

    When Vincent came back to his senses, he stopped and looked at her. Catherine''s hair was disheveled. Her pink lips were swollen. Her dress was messy.

    Thece that tightened the clothes around her chest was untied some. The dress loosened in the process and showed her cleavage.

    Vincent gulped. ''I never imagined Catherine was so sexy. She is just my type.'' He licked his lips thinking about devouring her. He cupped her face and rubbed her flushed cheek with his thumb.

    "Catherine, I love you so much," he confessed before pecking on her cheek. Then, his lips trailed down, touching every corner of her neck.

    Catherine wanted to push him away when they were done kissing. She came to spend some time with him. Never did she think that things would turn out like that from the start.

    However, her heart swayed when he confessed his feelings for her.

    For women, love is more about internal feelings, and for men, love is more about physical rtionships ¨C she knew it, but she did her best to avoid it.

    Nheless, she didn''t want to lose him and didn''t wish for him to lose interest in her. Thus, she quietly let him do whatever he wanted. It wasn''t that she disliked what he did.

    Everywhere his lips trailed, she felt the fire burning her skin. Her heartbeat elerated. Her nails dug on his shirt. She had a hard time suppressing her moans.

    Vincent did not care. He left small hickeys on her neck when he sucked her head. It wasn''t that he wasn''t nervous. He was practically trembling, wondering if he was able to give her pleasure or not. As he heard her soft moans, he decided to go further.

    He loosened up thece of her dress more and revealed her chest. He gulped and then pushed away from the remaining clothes. A pair of round breasts came into his view.

    As if he saw the seventh wonder of the world, he stared at her dumbly. He couldn''t take away his eyes from the most artistic part of the woman''s body.

    Catherine, whose eyes were shut up until now, opened her eyes wondering why Vincent suddenly stopped moving. Then, she saw him intensely staring at her. Feeling ashamed, she covered her chest.

    "Wh¡­ what are you doing? You cannot stare. It''s against the rules." She was blushing hard as sheined.

    Vincent came back to his senses. He couldn''t help hugging her tightly. "How can I not look at you? You are so beautiful. I only want to stare at you and no one else."

    "Even so, don''t¡­" Catherine tried to oppose.

    "Baby, remove your hands please. I''ll die if I can''t see them," Vincent practically begged as he held her wrists. He didn''t want to be forceful. He coaxed her in a gentle voice and slightly pushed her hands away.

    Women were soft creatures by birth. When Catherine heard him speaking so sweetly to her, her heart could only melt. She stopped struggling. Slowly, her hands were pushed up. Her chest was revealed in front of him once again.

    With trembling hands, Vincent touched her breasts.

    "Umm¡­" Catherine shuddered. She closed her eyes and didn''t do anything. It was the first time someone other than her touched her private ce that no one ever saw. She felt excitement.

    Vincent approached her more boldly when he heard her moan. His mouth was dry. "You are so pretty, Catherine. I have to treat you like a queen, don''t I? I''ve never seen beautiful breasts like before. They are masterpieces. Look at the small mounds in the middle. So pink," saying that he touched her nipples.

    "Stopped talking¡­ Ahh!" Catherine felt an electrifying sensation when her nipples were touched.

    Vincent''s eyes sparkled. "Wow! They got harder the moment I touched them. Do you like what I''m doing?" With his index fingers and thumbs, he rubbed her nipples gently. At his teasing, they slowly became erected.

    "Ahh¡­ Vincent¡­ stop¡­" Catherine realized that she was making some odd noises. She hurriedly covered her mouth.

    "How can I stop, Catherine? Look, your mounds are aroused. You must be liking what I''m doing, right?" Vincent pressed her for an answer.

    Catherine shook her head to object. "Weird¡­ Oh! It feels odd¡­"

    "Are you lying? Did you hear your moans? I heard that women only moan like that when they feel good. Tell me, Catherine, how do you like it?"

 Chapter 329 - THE RELATIONSHIP

    <h4>Chapter 329 - THE RELATIONSHIP</h4>

    "Are you lying? Did you hear your moans? I heard that women only moan like that when they feel good. Tell me, Catherine, how do you like it?"

    Catherine was so ashamed that she wanted to hide herself. "Mm¡­ don''t say it¡­"

    Her eyes blurred when Vincent took one of them on his mouth. "Don''t be shy, Catherine. If you like it, just tell me more."

    He would have gone further but someone knocked on the door.

    "Cathy, you there? Why are you taking so long?" Veronica''s voice came from the outside.

    ''Goodness! I hate her so much! Always interrupting us!'' Vincent cursed her in his heart.

    Catherine quickly pushed him away and stood up. She fixed her clothes and then hurriedly opened the door. She met her friend''s worried expression.

    "Are you okay? What took you so long?" Veronica asked her.

    "Ver, why are you here?" Catherine was surprised to see her. In her heart, she was relieved too.

    Veronica answered, "Well, Sebastian suggested that I shoulde here for a change of pace. So, Ironin and I came here for a day. We will go back in the evening. Since I knew that you would being here, I thought I would give you a surprise."

    "That''s good. Let''s have some fun." Catherine grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

    "Go easy on me," Veronica stated. ''What''s wrong with her? She is all flustered. Even her hand is warm. Did I interrupt something I shouldn''t have?''

    Before leaving, she turned her head to take onest nce toward Catherine''s cottage. She found Vincent fixing his shirt. Veronica wanted to smash her head on the wall.

    ''OMG! Something was definitely happening. How can I be so stupid! I should have realized that they were in an intimate rtionship. I didn''t want toe between them and ruin everything. Sigh! When will I learn?''

    No matter how many times shemented, nothing could be changed. Catherine took her to the valley to enjoy the view of theke. They sat on the ground and ordered some snacks.

    Veronica cleared her throat and asked, "So, how is it going between you and Vincent?"

    Catherine kept quiet for a long time before looking at her friend. "Ver, do you think we are a good match?"

    ''I thought they got along well. Why is she asking this right now?'' Veronica pondered hard. "Well, I personally think you two look good together. But a rtionship isn''t something whether the couple looks good to others or not. It''s about the spiritual and mental connection with your partner."

    "Like peace and understanding?" Catherine wondered.

    Veronica agreed, "Yes, something like that. When you are with that person, you will feel secure and at ease, because you trust him, and you know he won''t harm you in any way.

    "For example, I know how much Arthur cares about me. Although he wants to tie me up and never let me go, he is doing his best not to do that because he knows I will hate it. When I talked to him about our rtionship, he agreed to have a bit of distance that made me at ease."

    "Distance?" Catherine frowned. "What kind of distance?"

    Veronica hesitated before answering, "¡­Like not kissing on my lips and having any sexual activities."

    Catherine blinked. "You mean Arthur agreed not to have sex with you until you are saying so? Arthur?"

    Veronica looked at theke. The water of theke was pure sky blue, reflecting the clear sky. The environment looked nothing like the snowy Tybu. The serene atmosphere calmed her heart.

    She replied, "Yes, he agreed. I know it''s hard for him. But, it''s also hard for me to ept him physically. Our sexual rtionship ¨C I respect that activity because it bonds our hearts and souls along with our bodies. I don''t want to do this unless my heart can fully ept it.

    "I''m not sure how to exin this. I don''t even understand what''s happening to myself. All I want is to take a slow pace. We got into a physical rtionship before we could understand each other''s hearts and intentions. So, I hoped we could get along like lovers for now. Slowly, we will get to know each other better and improve our bond."

    Catherine let out a deep breath. "That''s how it is then. I can''t believe Arthur got along with your idea. He must cherish you a lot. But it is also hard for him, I guess. Don''t be too hard on him too. Your rivals aren''t just one or two."

    "I won''t hand him over to anyone. I''ll fight for him if I have to," Veronica was determined.

    Catherine snickered. "I''m sure Arthur would be super happy if he could hear that from your mouth."

    "I know." Veronica couldn''t agree more. "Enough about my story. How about you? Are you confused about your rtionship with Vincent? I don''t think he is a bad guy. He is even devoted to you, cares for you. He treats you with respect. He is a gentleman."

    "I don''t know. I thought so too, but now, he kisses me and touches my body. I want to say ''no'', but I''m scared that I''ll upset him." Catherine covered her face with her hands, feeling helpless.

    Veronica patted her back to make her feel better. "Cathy, it''s always okay if you want to say ''no''. The body belongs to you. Neither he is even your husband, nor you are his ve.

    "If you are not okay with it, just tell him you are notfortable with it. If he can''t respect your wishes, he is simply after your body, nothing more."

    Catherine hesitantly stated, "It''s not that he ispletely forcing me. This new feeling, I want to know about it too. It feels good."

    Veronica chuckled. "I know it feels good. But I hope you don''t make the same mistake as me. For me, Arthur agreed to go along as I wanted.

    "I''m not sure if Vincent will do the same. Since he is already acting like this, I can''t guarantee what''s on his mind. However, it''s not just him though. All men are horny for women''s bodies."

    "You still have the gut to say this. Don''t tell me you don''t feel horny. I''m sure you want to take him badly." Catherine elbowed her friend.

    Veronica pushed her friend before saying, "I feel so horny that I want to ride on him like a horse."

    ''I can''t believe she said that!'' Catherine''s face flushed in embarrassment. "You little slut!"

    The girls giggled as they joked.

    Ironin was sitting further away from them, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

    Sebastian sat beside him with some grilled fish. "What are they talking about?"

    "You don''t want to know," Ironin bluntly replied. "Why are you curious?" He faced him.

    "Nothing important." Sebastian averted his gaze. He didn''t dare to look at Ironin''s eyes. He was scared that Ironin would read his heart like an open book.

    "You like her," Ironin stated without changing his expression.

    "What? I like who? What nonsense!" Sebastian harshly denied it.

    "Confess before she is stolen," Ironin advised him.

    "I can''t believe you are trying to give me a love lecture with your poker face." Sebastian handed him a grilled fish stick. After a pause, he asked, "Did you ever fall in love?"

    "No," Ironin curtly replied before taking the fish.

    Sebastian told him, "Then you won''t know how it feels before you fall in love. You will be scared of being rejected. That''s why you won''t confess. Moreover, when you see the guy she likes has more money than you, you will feel less confident."

    "Is that so? I thought Arthur paid you enough."

    "Not enough to have my own resort or business. Look at Vincent. His family got this entire hill. Their business is booming. Catherine will be better off with him."

    "That''s not always what moves a woman. Women are more into heart and emotions. They want to take things slowly. They don''t like it when men are forceful. Even if they get pleasure, their heart feels confused and empty."

    Sebastian frowned. "How do you know so much stuff? It''s like you can read women. You don''t even talk to women."

    "¡­" However, Ironin became quiet.

    Sebastian thought of something and gasped. "You were listening to their conversation, weren''t you?"

    "¡­They were just too loud."

    "Unbelievable! Ironin, I didn''t expect that from you." In Sebastian''s theory, listening to women''s secret conversations unless it''s life-threatening is extremely rude.

    "I have no desire to live up to your expectation." Ironin was blunt.

    Sebastian became silent. His mind was filled with thoughts. Suddenly, he sat closer to Ironin and inquired, "So, Catherine isn''t happy with Vincent, is he?"

    "¡­" Ironin stared at him without a word.

    "Oh,e on! You heard everything she talked about, didn''t you? Help me out here. Does she not like him? What does she not like about him? Isn''t she thinking about marrying him? They went on a day.. They should have progressed."

 Chapter 330 - SLEEPING PEACEFULLY

    <h4>Chapter 330 - SLEEPING PEACEFULLY</h4>

    Ironin''sment perked up Sebastian''s curiosity. "Oh,e on! You heard everything she talked about, didn''t you? Help me out here. Does she not like him? What does she not like about him? Isn''t she thinking about marrying him? They went on a day. They should have progressed."

    "Ask her if you are curious." Ironin didn''t show him any mercy. ''Serves you right for saying I disappointed you,'' he thought.

    "¡­" Sebastian became quiet. ''I had a feeling he wouldn''t tell me. But what''s wrong with Catherine? Doesn''t she like Vincent? I''ve seen her happily chatting with him every time they were together. That Vincent bastard is always chummy. No wonder she fell for that stupid brat. I hope everything goes well for her.''

    After enjoying the sunset, they all head back to the resort. On the way, Veronica talked to Sebastian, "Did you find anything about the massage shop?"

    Sebastian replied, "Yes, Mistress. The shop is genuine. Nothing shady is going on. The shop is already popr among the nobledies. Commoners have also started going there. All the employees are female. I believe it''s safe."

    "Then, we can fill in the form. What do you think, Cathy?" Veronica nced at her friend.

    "Since you are up for it, me too," Catherine gave her approval.

    After leaving her in the resort, Veronica and Ironin bade goodbye. Sebastian hid in the trees. Knowing that he was there, Catherine was relieved.

    She went to the lounge and found Vincent there. He didn''t have the brightest expression. She wasn''t expecting otherwise. "I''m sorry, I took so long," she apologized.

    "No, no, it''s quite all right. I think there was a mistake on my part." Vincent was also quick to apologize. "I shouldn''t have forced you and scared you away. I apologize."

    "We don''t have much time left. I''ll be leaving tomorrow morning. Do you want to take a stroll in the flower garden?" Catherine felt like something heavy came out of her chest. ''Thank goodness, he understood. I don''t know what I would have done if he was upset about it.''

    Vincent checked his notebook and then gave her a polite answer, "I will be free after dinner. Shall we go then?"

    "Definitely."

    After dinner, the two of them took a stroll in the garden. The cold breeze sent chills running through her spine. Catherine shuddered vigorously.

    Vincent took off this coat and covered her with it. "A shawl isn''t enough here at night in the winter season," he stated.

    "So I see," Catherinemented. "But it''s not snowing here, and the weather is rather warmer."

    "That''s because this is the highest ce in Tybu. The weather is a bit different. Also, there is a hugeke. It somehow prevents the weather from getting colder. But at night, it''s cooler than you can expect."

    They walked for the while. The heavy clouds covered the moon. Everything became a little dark. Magicalmps illuminated the garden with different colors.

    Not being able to stand the silence, Vincent opened his mouth, "How''s your work?"

    "Work? Busy as usual. In my job, I cannot afford to make a single mistake. So, I always have to be extra careful. Checking double and sometimes triple times."

    "It''s a hard profession," Vincent remarked.

    Catherine couldn''t agree more. "It is but it pays well. I can have a good ce to stay and also eat free food. I hardly need to spend money."

    "So, I was thinking." Vincent took a deep breath before continuing, "I was hoping I could invite you for dinner."

    He noticed her awkward expression and quickly stated, "I know what you might think but I promise you that today is thest time. I''ll never push my desire on you."

    Catherine nodded as though she could feel what he was thinking or feeling.

    "I understand, Vincent. I don''t mistrust you. I''m just not ready yet. For my friend, she got married first before they got married. I came from a ce where women aren''t allowed to have an intimate rtionship before marriage. That''s why I''m a bit ufortable with it."

    Vincent lowered his head and bit his lower lip. "I didn''t know you grew up in a conservative country. I''ll do my best to go along with you."

    "Thank you. Thank you." Catherine felt grateful from the bottom of her heart. ''I knew he would understand. I chose the best man for myself.''

    From the tree, Sebastian stared at the couple. He was silent the whole time.

    ---------

    Two dayster, Veronica and Catherine joined the massage shop. Two of them became rigid after taking off their clothes.

    Although they wrapped a white silk cloth around their body, they were never this naked in front of people they never knew.

    "It''s all right, Mam. I understand that you are ufortable but we are all girls here. You have nothing to fear." The female employee who was supposed to give Veronica a massage tried to rx them.

    "Miss, no matter what you say, you can''t just stay normal. Can you start the massage, please? We only have thirty minutes, right?" Catherine urged her.

    "All right, Mam. I''ll do as you wish."

    "Oww! My back!" Catherine cried out in pain when the female masseuse was massaging her back.

    "Cathy, shut up. My ears are buzzing," Veronica hissed.

    "How can you stay quiet? Aren''t you feeling pain?" Catherineined with a heartbroken expression.

    "Unlike you, I don''t work sitting all day and night. I move and exercise," Veronica gave her reasons.

    "I''ll start exercising with you tomorrow," Catherine promised.

    Veronica wanted tough aloud. "Don''t try it. you won''t be able to walk the next day."

    After thirty minutes of the torture, Catherine''s face brightened. "Ver, I have never felt this good in my whole life. Was it magic or something? I feel much better!"

    Veronica nodded. "Me too. I did want a breasts massage starting today but having a back massage isn''t bad either."

    "Yes, we can have a breast massage from next week. Let''s have a back massage every month," Catherine suggested excitedly.

    ---------

    "You look happy today, what''s the reason?" Arthur asked his wife. He just came to bed and found Veronica reading a book and giggling like a teenager.

    Veronica responded with a smile, "Oh, I had a good day today in the massage shop."

    "Massage shop? For what?" Arthur heard it for the first time.

    "For a back massage. It makes me feel really good. Even Catherine thanked me for rmending that ce."

    Arthur pondered for a while. "...Is that ce safe?"

    "Yes, only female employees work there since the customers are all female. I let Sebastian check their background. It''s quite popr."

    "As long as you are enjoying it. Do you want to sleep now?" Arthur came to the bed and went under theforter.

    "Uhu." Veronica gave him a sweet smile. After that, she snuggled closer to him.

    Arthur tugged her under theforter and turned off the light.

    The night was long. The snow was falling. They covered the tower and the surrounding area.

    Arthur caressed her back as she tried to sleep. He sensed something serene in his heart as he stared at her face in the dark. He could see her features even though it was dark.

    Noticing her fidgeting, he asked, "Shall I sing you a luby?"

    Veronica opened her eyes and nced at him even in the dark."Luby? Like a mother sings her children to make them sleep?"

    "Yes, have you heard luby before?"

    "No, but I read about them in books. I did wonder how the luby would sound."

    Only then did he remember that she didn''t have a mother to sing her a luby. He wanted to change the subject, "What were the lyrics? Do you remember?"

    Veronica tried to remember, "There was something like ¨C

    Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night

    Sailed off in a wooden shoe ¡ª

    Sailed on a river of crystal light,

    Into a sea of dew.

    "Where are you going, and what do you wish?"

    The old moon asked the three.

    "We havee to fish for the herring fish

    That live in this beautiful sea;

    Nets of silver and gold have we!"

    Said Wynken, Blynken, and Nod. ¨C this is what I read. I don''t know what happened to the storyter. It wasn''t written in the book."

    Arthur scratched his head. "I see. Unfortunately, I don''t know this song. But I know another one. Do you want to hear it?"

    "Sure!" Veronica agreed.

    "Okay." Arthur cleared his throat. Then, he began singing ¨C

    "Sweet little baby, sweet little baby, sleep sleep first.

    Sweet little baby, sweet little baby, dream dream first.

    Dream about flowers, dream about stars.

    Dream about the moon, and all beyond Mars.

    Fly over the hills and roll on the grass,

    Sing with the wind, and let joy surpass.

    Sweet little baby, sweet little baby, sleep sleep first.

    Sweet little baby, sweet little baby, dream dream first."

    Arthur repeatedly sang the song until Veronica fell asleep. When he heard her breathing softly, he stopped singing. He carefully pulled her closer and closed his eyes.

    ''I''m so d that my made-up song helped her sleep,'' he thought before falling asleep.

    The next day, something unexpected happened.

 Chapter 331 - NICELY DONE

    <h4>Chapter 331 - NICELY DONE</h4>

    Veronica woke up early as usual. For two days, she woke up in the empty bed. This morning, she was gifted with her husband''s presence.

    Arthur was used to waking up earlier than she was sleeping soundly next to her. Veronica''s head was ced on his chest. She carefully moved her head and looked at him.

    His raven hair was spread all over the pillow. His lips were pressed in a thin line.

    ''I could stare at this face for eternity without getting bored,'' Veronica thought. She recalledst night''s event and remembered how sweetly he sang a luby to her. Her face bloomed with a smile. She couldn''t stop herself from kissing his face.

    From a far distance, Arthur sensed something soft touching his cheek. It was slightly wet too. It felt familiar like he was waiting for it. He opened his eyes, and the pair of golden orbs met the pair of emerald gems.

    "Good morning, did you sleep well?" Veronica who never asked this before asked him.

    Arthur was in a daze. He wasn''t expecting a warm greeting from his wife who decided to be less intimate with him. Not Long after, he blinked before touching her face.

    "It''s a good morning indeed," he stated in his mind. I slept well. What about you?"

    "Yeah, me too. Thanks to your luby, I had a good dream," Arthur told her. The back of his fingers brushed over her face. "What''s your n for today?"

    "I''ll take lessons from Roxana, spar with Ironin, and then Ovior will teach me about Magic Tower history."

    "It sounds like a lot of work. Don''t you want to take a break?"

    "No, I want to meet up with Merlin. Ironin told me he woulde here in the evening. I want to ask him about Science."

    Relieved that she wouldn''t step out of the tower day, Arthur fondly responded, "Very well. If you want to go somewhere, let me know."

    "All right." Veronica pressed her chin on his chest and asked him, "You always think about my boredom. What about your work?"

    "But I don''t care about them. I only care about you. I will only think about you," Arthur stated as if it was an obvious fact.

    Veronica thought that her heart was going to explode. Blood suddenly rushed to her face. She lowered her head to hide her bashful smile. Her nose was pressed against his skin.

    Arthur''s heart skipped a bit. He could feel her warm breaths as if softly inhaled and exhaled. His arm around her back automatically tightened.

    "!!!" All of a sudden, Veronica gasped and raised her head. Her face was entirely red. Her emerald jewels were using him of something.

    Arthur could guess what made her react like that. "I''ll take a bath first." Arthur got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom.

    Veronica covered her head with theforter. ''How can he poke me like that? It''s morning at that. Always so horny!'' She wanted to scold him but only smiled foolishly.

    -----------

    "Have you read the history of the Dark Magic?" Ovior abruptly asked a question.

    ''We were studying about the Great War. Why did he suddenly ask about the Dark Magic? Is it rted to the war somehow?'' Veronica wondered.

    "I don''t know much about the Dark Magic. All I know is that it is bad magic, using for bad reasons," she answered him.

    ''No matter how experienced she bes, she is still as innocent as ever,'' Ovior thought. "I''ll brief you about Dark Magic today."

    He cleared his throat and continued, "You have seen how hard it was to breathe when Dark Magic swarmed in the tower. It created lots of disturbance in our daily life. Negative thoughts, sinful thoughts filled her mind. We lost peace of our minds.

    "ck Magic has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish purposes; or magic associated with the devil or other evil spirits. It is also sometimes referred to as the ''left-hand path''."

    "What''s a left-hand path?" Veronica inquired.

    "Left-hand path is magic used for selfish reasons. ck magic''s right-hand path counterpart being benevolent white magic, good magic."

    "There is something like White Magic!" Veronica was surprised. "What''s that?!"

    Ovior fixed his golden framed spectacles and described, "White magic has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for selfless purposes. Practitioners of white magic have been given titles such as wise men or women, healers, white witches, or wizards.

    "Many of these people imed to have the ability to do such things because of knowledge or power that was passed on to them through hereditary lines, or by some eventter in their lives. White magic was practiced through healing, blessing, charms, incantations, prayers, and songs.

    "With respect to the philosophy of left-hand path and right-hand path, white magic is the benevolent counterpart of malicious ck magic. Like its counterpart white magic, the origins of ck magic can be traced to the primitive, ritualistic worship of spirits as outlined in the book I wrote, ''Magic which is Forbidden''.

    "Unlike white magic, in which ce sees parallels with primitive shamanistic efforts to achieve closeness with spiritual beings, the rituals that developed into modern ck magic were designed to invoke those same spirits to produce beneficial oues for the practitioner.

    "ce also provides a broad modern definition of both ck and white magic, preferring instead to refer to them as "high magic" or white, and "low magic" or ck based primarily on the intentions of the practitioner employing them.

    "I acknowledge, though, that this broader definition such as ¨C "high" and "low" ¨C suffers from prejudices because good-intentioned folk magic may be considered "low" while ceremonial magic involving expensive or exclusiveponents may be considered by some as "high magic", regardless of intent. Any more questions about white magic, Veronica?"

    ''So much to learn. I''ve never thought such a thing existed,'' Veronica thought.

    She put her thoughts into words, "I''m curious. If a person selflessly harmed someone for someone else using magic, will it be White Magic? And if a person selfishly did something good to someone else using magic like punishing bad guys, will it be Dark Magic?"

    Ovior stared at her for a while and then stated, "Remember, Veronica, the tower has forbidden both Dark and White Magic. No matter how much youpare them, they are forbidden. Either way, the user of Dark and White Magic will be punished once captured red-handed."

    "But why?" Veronica was confused. "Even if they were used for good, they shouldn''t be punished."

    "That''s because to gain that power the witch or the wizard has to sell their soul to the Devil himself. That magic will be naturally attached to them till they die which makes them blinded by greed," Ovior patiently exined.

    He added, "For us, we have to study and practice every day to control our mana. Once we forget what we learned, all magic we learned is meaningless. Manifesting power naturally with hard work is an honest job we are proud to learn."

    Veronica understood what he wanted to say. "I see. So, it''s forbidden for a good reason. But people still choose that road because it''s easy to get that power."

    "Veronica, the wrong path is always the easiest," Ovior advised her.

    "Yes, I''ll keep that in my mind." She couldn''t take it anymore and asked her mind, "But why are you teaching me all these things, Ovior?"

    "I know you have enough on your te, however, I wish you can keep an eye on your husband. Selling his soul to the devil isn''t the best thing to happen to a human; especially not for a powerful ruler," Ovior warned her. "I couldn''t stop him. But I hope you can."

    Later, Veronica asked Merlin, "What''s White Magic and how is it different from the ck Magic?"

    "That''s an interesting question, Veronica. The books and practices of the purveyors of white Witchcraft are examined alongside other popr Witches oriented toward consumerism.

    "White Witchcraft is alsopared to traditional Witchcraft. I argue that white Witchcraft is a marketingbel for a type of Witchcraft consistent with consumer Capitalism.

    "White Witchcraft emphasizes growth and sess, eliding the understanding of loss, death, and the dark that is found in traditional Witchcraft.

    "White Witchcraft also celebrates individual pleasure and instrumental self-gratification at the expense of locating individuals in ecological and humanworks of rtionships.

    "Consumer-oriented Witchcraft has poprized and facilitated the growth of Witchcraft, but consumer capitalism has also shaped Witchcraft to be consistent with consumer values and ethics.

    "The purveyors of white Witchcraft do not challenge or question the goals and values of consumer capitalism, but explicitly celebrate them.

    "The mass media and consumerism are central sites of the ethical struggle for contemporary Witches..."

    Merlin loved teaching people. Once someone asked him something, he would start saying everything he knew about that topic.

    For Veronica, it was the first time experiencing this.. ''I think I learned more than I wanted. Should I tell him to stop?'' she pondered

 Chapter 332 - LADIES FIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 332 - LADIES'' FIGHT</h4>

    ''I think I learned more than I wanted. Should I tell him to stop?'' Veronica pondered.

    While she was thinking about how to stop him, Merlin asked her, "Why are you suddenly interested in White Witch?"

    Veronica answered, "It''s not just about White Witch. It''s somehow rted to the tower. No matter how minor or forbidden the topic is, I want to know about them. I don''t want to take the risk of knowing nothing and making another wrong decision. I''m through with it."

    "I like your answer. If you want to know anything, ask me without hesitation. I''ll answer." Merlin checked the clock that was hanging on the wall. "Oh, it''s almost time for departure."

    "Departure?" Veronica was interested. "Where are you going?"

    Merlin exined, "I''m going to Louses. The King of their kingdom approved my application and invited me to be a part of their world."

    Veronica pped. She was ted to hear the news. "That''s wonderful! Please be careful since you are going to spy on them."

    "That''s where you are wrong, Veronica. I''m going there to learn," Merlin corrected her.

    "I''m wrong. I''m sorry," Veronica wisely corrected her mistake. "Have a safe trip."

    "Thank you!"

    After that, Veronica turned around and found Aria walking in her direction. Other times, she would have walked away but this time, she stayed because Aria was staring at her.

    ''Is sheing to me? What does Ms. Boobs want from me?'' Veronica wondered.

    Aria came closer, swaying her breasts from one side to another side. "Mistress Veronica, how wonderful to see you again."

    "Oh yeah? Get used to it," Veronica replied bluntly. ''Why can''t I talk to her properly? No matter what happened between us, I''m the Mistress of the Magic Tower. I have no reason to act so impolitely,'' she thought.

    "¡­" Aria froze at her reply. Every time she came prepared, she was blown away by Veronica''s reply.

    ''I don''t know what those stupid bunch has to say. I know she''s a rudedy. I just don''t understand why Arthur married her. All she knows is to be cruel to all thedies. She''s the worst Mistress of the Magic Tower in history,'' she thought.

    She tried to smile at Veronica and stated, "Mistress Veronica, the way you act and speak is unthinkable. I hope you don''t cheat on Arthur."

    Veronica was established when she heard her advice. ''What is wrong with her? What does she think that I''ll cheat on Arthur? Did she see me talking to Merlin?''

    She crossed her arms and straightly looked at Aria''s eyes. "And what makes you think what I''m doing or saying is unthinkable? If you ask me, you''re the one who keeps crossing her line. You don''t have the basicmon sense to talk to your superiors."

    "Veronica," Aria didn''t use honorifics with Veronica anymore. "I think you are the one who doesn''t know how to talk to a senior magician."

    Veronica raised her chin. "You humor me. I didn''t know that a senior magician was in a higher position than the Mistress of the Magic Tower."

    Aria''s eyes twitched. "It looks like Veronica doesn''t have a tiny bit of respect for the senior magicians. I never thought that Arthur had poor eyesight for women. The Magic Tower is unfortunate to have such a disrespectful Mistress."

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Never in the history of the magic tower did I hear that the magicians were rude enough to be disrespectful to their Mistress."

    Aria sneered. "When was I disrespectful toward you? If you ask me, I would say you''re the worst mistress."

    Veronica didn''t want to talk to her anymore. She stated, "I''m not sure what else to say to you when you already think like that. I don''t have the time to argue with you. It''s so childish. I will just lower myself if I keep talking to a child like you."

    After speaking her mind, she turned around and left. ''What was I thinking chatting with her like that? It''s not like I have anything to gain from it. She just makes me argue with her. I don''t like it anymore.''

    Other magicians seemed to hear their argument.

    "What is happening?"

    "It looks like they are arguing about something."

    "Shouldn''t we stop them? It looks terrifying.":

    "Ladies'' fight. We shouldn''t interfere."

    The whole day, Veronica''s mood was sour. She didn''t like to do anything. She waspletely bored.

    "What''s wrong with you?" Catherine asked her, noticing her gloomy expression.

    "It''s about Aria." Then, Veronica told her everything.

    Catherine listened to her story like a good friend andmented, "I think you are jealous of her."

    "Oh, please! Me? Jealous? For what?" Veronica was thunderstruck. "I told you my story and that''s what you conclude?"

    "Boobs." Catherine pointed out. "She got sexy boobs. Moreover, she challenged your authority. No one likes their authority to be challenged. No matter how good that person is."

    "But still¡­ You are saying that I''m jealous¡­ I don''t think that''s the issue." Veronica ufortably shifted.

    "You aren''t feeling great about it, are you?" Catherine snickered. "It''s because you are jealous."

    "What? Am I?" Veronica didn''t like to admit it. She stood up. "I''m going for a walk."

    "Sure, go ahead. If you want to get rid of your jealousy,e to me. I''ll give you good ideas." Catherine spoke from her behind.

    Veronica waved her hand in silence.

    She headed upstairs, nning to go to Arthur''s room to borrow a book. At that time, she once again faced Aria.

    ''What a small world,'' she thought. ''But I don''t want to face her.'' As she tried to ignore Aria and go inside Arthur''s room, Aria blocked her.

    "I''m sorry Veronica, but you cannot go inside right now," Aria dered.

    Veronica frowned, not a bit satisfied with Aria''s action. "What do you mean I cannot go?"

    "What part of my sentence do you not understand? Are you illiterate? I''m saying that you cannot go inside," Aria replied in an irritated voice.

    "And I want to know why I cannot go inside." Veronica''s voice was firm.

    "We are holding a meeting at Arthur''s office. It''s an emergency meeting. We need the least useful people there to be an inconvenience to us. Please don''t bother us during an important period."

    After that, Aria opened the door and went inside. Then, she shut the door right in front of Veronica''s face.

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless. ''Did¡­ did she just do that? Just who does she think she is? Did she think she is the Mistress of the Magic Tower, and she can look down on me and do whatever she likes?''

    The more she thought about this, the more her anger grew. She was fuming standing in front of Arthur''s office.

    Ovior opened the door of his office. He was leaving his office to go to Arthur''s office. At that moment, he saw Veronica standing there with her expression contorted.

    "Are you okay?" he asked. "What are you standing there and ring at the door for?"

    Veronica was startled by his sudden presence. She was so focused on her own thoughts that she didn''t notice his footsteps. She controlled her emotions and told him, "I''ve heard an emergency meeting is being held inside Arthur''s office. I''m not sure whether I''m allowed or not."

    Upon listening to her words, Ovior rubbed his temple. "Geez, you are the Mistress, Veronica, not a child. Go inside if you want to, just don''t disturb the meeting."

    "Okay." Veronica felt much better. She opened the door and went inside. Ovior followed him.

    They found Arthur sitting on his chair and top senior magicians were sitting on the red couch. Aria was standing beside Arthur and giving him papers one by one.

    "I''m notte, am I?" Ovior asked.

    The people in the room saw Ovior and Veronica. Except for Arthur and Aria, others stood up and greeted them.

    "Good afternoon, Mistress."

    "Good afternoon, Second Master Ovior."

    "Good afternoon," Veronica greeted them with a smile, "please sit down and continue your meeting. I''m not here to bother you."

    "You will never be a bother." As if honey dripped from Arthur''s mouth. "Do whatever you want without hesitation."

    A sweet smile spread all over Veronica''s face. It felt like a burden was lifted from her shoulder. "Then I shall." Before going to the corner of the room, she gave Aria onest nce.

    Aria stared at her with a dark expression. She looked away without a word.

    With a triumphant heart, Veronica collected some books from the shelves. She took some basic etiquette learning books for aristocrats and also books rted to Tybu''s history and culture.

    While she was taking the books, she heard the conversation in the meeting.

    "I''ve got a report about Kerbell. It seemed the sailors had seen a monster lurking around. The rumor is harming the lives of the people. I must do something," the Head of the Water Magician reported.

    "Monster? I''d say it''s some pirates knowing little magic tricks and nothing more," the Head of the Wind Magician scoffed.. He looked at Arthur. "Master, do you think this is serious?"

 Chapter 333 - DONT MOVE

    <h4>Chapter 333 - DON''T MOVE</h4>

    The Head of the Wind Magician scoffed. He looked at Arthur. "Master, do you think this is serious?"

    Arthur tapped his finger on the table. "I''ll let the water magicians investigate this matter. Do this secretly. I don''t want the imperial guards or the royal family to know about this until we have a solution."

    "As you wish, Master," the Head of the Water Magician epted the job.

    "The next issue¡­" Ovior brought out another topic.

    ''It''s strange. They are not bringing up the Louses''s Science issue. Do they want to hide it? I thought Arthur and Ovior would exin the situation to them. What will happen if they once see the fake Arthur outside ying with women? Arthur''s reputation is already low. If this continues¡­''

    Veronica scratched her head in frustration. ''I''m so confused. I wish I could do something. Merlin went to spy on Louses. Zinnia and Darius are working outside as well. Ironin stays in the tower which is weird. I wish I could go outside and enjoy the adventure again.''

    She looked outside the window and saw snowkes were falling. She shivered just by looking at the snow-covered woods. ''Maybe I should stop thinking about adventure right now.''

    ''It reminds me of Utahill. I''m not sure how those people are doing. I hope they are fine. There is a fake blessed child to take care of them. For now, let''s take care of my duties. Arthur is being very supportive. I''d hate to have any separation from him. He even sang me a luby.''

    Thinking aboutst night, she giggled. ''I didn''t know he could sing. It was nice of him. Maybe I should tell him to sing more.''

    "That will be all for today. If something elsees up, leave it for the next weekly meeting." Arthur adjourned the meeting.

    "We will be off then, Master." The magicians bowed and left.

    "I''m leaving too." Ovior had no reason to stay; so, he went out.

    Veronica breathed out. ''Finally, I can talk to Arthur.''

    "Ouch!"

    "Oops! Sorry, my bad!"

    ''What''s going on?'' Upon hearing two familiar voices, Veronica came out of the corner. What she saw after that, she automatically stopped breathing.

    It seemed that somehow the ss of water identally fell on Arthur''s upper thigh. His pants were wet. Aria knelt in between his legs and wiped his thighs carefully with a pink handkerchief.

    While she was wiping his pants, Arthur satfortably as if he was used to it.

    Veronica saw Aria''s hand was going to the middle. She narrowed her eyes. ''So, she is aiming for Arthur all along. I can''t let this go on.''

    "What happened?" she asked.

    Aria was startled and fell forward. Arthur quickly grabbed her. "Are you okay?"

    Aria clung to Arthur and replied, "Yes, I am. I was just startled. That''s all."

    Arthur stood up and gently pushed away Aria who was clinging to him. Then, he looked at Veronica and exined it to her, "I''m soaked. She wiped it off. Nothing serious."

    ''Damn it!'' Aria bit her tongue and forcefully smiled at Veronica. "This is just an ident. Please don''t misunderstand anything."

    ''You want to y like that, you cow? Well, I''m game,'' Veronica secretly epted her challenge.

    She gave her an innocent smile and replied, "Misunderstanding? What are you talking about? It''s just normal to wipe it clean if something gets wet. You must have important work to finish, right? Please leave. I''ll take care of the rest."

    ''So, she wants me to leave¡­ In her dreams!'' Aria cursed inwardly. "What are you saying, Mam? It''s my mistake. I''ll take care of it. You are the Mistress. You shouldn''t do things like that."

    "You are right." Veronica smiled brightly. "I''m the Mistress. It''s your duty to listen to me. Get out of the room."

    After that, Aria couldn''t say anything else. Without Arthur''s notice, she red at Veronica. After that, she bowed and then stepped outside.

    Arthur looked at those two with aplex expression. "Did something happen between you two?"

    Veronica crossed her arms and calmly responded, "I''m not sure. Did something happen?"

    Arthur tried to figure out the reason for her furious expression. "¡­Are you mad at me, princess?"

    Veronica shrugged. "I''m not sure what you mean. You let a woman wipe your pants. Did you lose your hands?"

    "Oh, is that it?" Arthur chuckled. "It''s not what you think, Nica. It happened so fast, and then she wiped my pants before I could say anything. That''s when you came. I didn''t have enough time to react. I''m sorry if I made you feel ufortable."

    "Well, you lookedfortable. It was like you were used to it," Veronica spoke her mind.

    "Yes¡­ no, I mean, I''m used to this kind of thing," Arthur exined. "People serve me all the time. It''s natural for me."

    Veronica pointed out, "It was before marriage. Now you are married."

    Arthur stood up. He patiently stated, "Nica, I know you are upset, but let me tell you this ¨C I will never cheat on you. Aria is a talented magician, and she is my subordinate. There''s nothing wrong with her wiping my leg. Rx, she was just wiping my legs."

    "¡­Right. Since you say there is nothing wrong, there should be nothing wrong." Veronica smiled at him.

    Arthur carefully observed her and asked, "Are we good?"

    "Yes, sure. I''m just here to borrow some books. See youter!" Veronica quickly left. She bumped into Aria outside the room. "Were you waiting for someone?"

    Aria smirked after scanning her expression. "You don''t look well, Veronica. Did something happen?" She sped her hands together. "It looks like you had a little fight with Arthur. Did he get mad at you?"

    "You were nning to drive us apart?" Veronica snickered. "You have to work harder than this."

    "This is just a start. Did you think Arthur would support you all the time because of what ¨C you are his wife?" Aria tilted her head. "How blind can you be? The only reason he is still with you is that he hasn''t gotten tired of you."

    She stepped forward and whispered in Veronica''s ear, "Did you think he will like a little who acts like a teenager? Arthur is into real women with feminine, curvy bodies. Compared to yours, I have much on my te. It''s enough to make any man go crazy."

    "Is that so? I''ll look forward to it." Veronica smirked. "I hope you know that all men are not ssless. Some men have a taste."

    "You¡­" Aria abruptly turned around and wanted to argue more but some magicians were heading to Ovior''s room. She didn''t want to be disrespectful toward Veronica in front of other magicians.

    She clenched her fists. ''Just a few more days and then Arthur will be mine.''

    ----------

    Arthur couldn''t find Veronica after that. ''I think she was really upset at that time. If she wasn''t, why hadn''t shee to talk to me after that? She wasn''t there for lunch either. Maybe I should look for her.''

    He went out and searched everywhere in the tower. When he saw a magician, he asked, "Did you see my Mistress?"

    The junior magician trembled in front of Arthur. "Umm¡­ I¡­ I saw Mistress heading to the training ground."

    "Okay, go." Arthur let the magician go.

    The magician was relieved that no harm came toward him. ''Oh, Goddess! I thought I was dead today. Thank you, Goddess, for saving my life,'' he prayed in his heart.

    Arthur was ignorant of his subordinate''s inner voice. He headed to the training ground. He teleported there without a sound. As a result, the people inside the room didn''t hear himing.

    The training ground was near the swimming area. It was right above the kitchen and canteen floor. Arthur''s men get trained here by Arthur and Felix. In another private section, Veronica had her own space for practicing and training.

    He smiled when he spotted Veronica with Ironin. His smile disappeared when he saw her wearing a shirt, tight pants, and boots just like men. She was sweating. The white shirt got stuck with her body. Her shirt was transparent, and it was showing her light pink undergarment that was covering her breasts.

    Veronica lost another fight with Ironin, and she showed frustration. "I don''t like this. How can you win this time again? You are cheating, aren''t you?"

    "¡­" Ironin stared at her for a while and then stated, "Keep dreaming." Then he turned his back.

    "I''m not done!" Veronica dered.

    "Take a break first." Ironin held a water pouch toward her.

    Veronica wanted to grab it. Their fingers touched, and all of a sudden, the water pouch slipped from his hand. She tried to hug the pouch. As she did, the water sshed and soaked her shirt and pants.

    "I''m sorry," Ironin tly apologized.

    "How can you apologize without showing your emotion?" Veronica snatched his handkerchief that was hanging on his waist and demanded, "Don''t move. Wipe it off."

    "¡­I''m sorry?" Ironin thought that he heard wrong.

 Chapter 334 - ENJOYING BEING A MISTRESS

    <h4>Chapter 334 - ENJOYING BEING A MISTRESS</h4>

    When Veronica snatched his handkerchief, Ironin thought that she was going to clean her shirt. He tried to turn around to make herfortable when he heard her saying, "Don''t move. Wipe it off."

    "¡­I''m sorry?"

    "Did you hear what I said before? Wipe it off!" Veronica urgently urged him. "I''m freezing."

    Ironin hesitantly wiped her chest area. His lips were pressed together. He didn''t say it, but he was very ufortable. He stopped at some process and gave her a silent stare.

    "Why did you stop?" Veronica cocked her head. "My pants are wet too."

    "¡­" Ironin shoved the handkerchief toward her and looked away. "Do it by yourself." His voice was low.

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Because of you, I''m drenched. I might even catch a cold. Now you want me to take the responsibility?''

    Ironin frowned. He expressedcentness with his expression ¨C just like any normal gentleman would.

    "What do you think you are doing?" A cold voice rang in their ears.

    "!!!" Veronica was startled as she was pushed toward someone. She raised her head to see the person. "Arthur? What are you doing here?" She seemed confused.

    Arthur squinted her eyes. "You are asking me what I''m doing? I''m here to check your progress. But what do I see? Is this what you two do when I''m not aware?"

    "What do you mean?" Veronica blinked innocently and tilted her head. "Are you misunderstanding something? Don''t tell me you are upset just because Ironin touched me a little. He wasn''t really touching me."

    She patiently exined, "The water got spilled on me by ident. It was his fault that I''m wet. So, I made him wipe me off. You know, since I''m the Mistress, I should get used to people serving me. This kind of thing should be nothing for me. Like you, it should be natural for me."

    "¡­" Arthur was speechless. ''Is she getting back at me? I knew it. She was mad at me for that incident.''

    Feeling headache, he pinched the area between his eyebrows. He took a deep breath and started, "Nica, you don''t have to force yourself to match with me?"

    "What do you mean by forcing myself? I''m enjoying my life as a Mistress." Veronica grabbed his arm and smiled brightly. "If it wasn''t for you, I wouldn''t have known the enjoyment of being served. I want to get used to it as soon as possible."

    Arthur was in a terrible situation. He came to see his wife and saw her being touched by his best friend. Only then did he know what it felt like when someone else touched the body of the person he loved and cared about deeply.

    Moreover, his wife was the one who was leading his friend unknowingly. Furthermore, the one who taught her that weird lesson was himself.

    Only a person who gets hurt can understand the pain of being hurt ¨C Arthur understood that at that moment. He could only imagine how confused and hurt his wife was feeling when he just brushed off her thoughts.

    Therefore, no matter how furious he was, he could neither vent on his wife, nor his best friend who was forcefulyl got dragged into this mess.

    "¡­" Ironin stared at the couple, trying to figure out what''s going on. Looking at how irritated Arthur was and still holding it back and trying to talk to his wife, he realized something.

    ''He must have done someone and now dug his own grave. I almost became the victim. I should get away from this scary couple,'' he thought.

    "I''ll head back first," saying that he slipped out of the room.

    "Let''s train tomorrow too!" Veronica waved at him from behind.

    After Ironin left, Arthur looked at Veronica who was innocently gazing at him, and sighed. He couldn''t help butment, "Princess, you have be scarier."

    Veronica pursed her lips as if she was wronged. "What do you mean?"

    "It''s all my fault. I already have you. I shouldn''t let other women touch me. I''m in the wrong. I ask for your forgiveness, my princess. Please don''t give me a heart attack. My weak heart cannot take the blow. You won''t even let me lock you up either. Have mercy on this stupid subject, my princess," Arthur wholeheartedly apologized.

    Veronica heard his apology and thought, ''Maybe I should forgive him right now. He learned his lesson.'' She grinned and hugged him tight, "My Arthur is so intelligent. He learned a good lesson. I will reward you for being a fast learner." Saying that she tip-toed and pecked on his lips.

    Arthur''s heart skipped a bit. Her soft lips just lightly brushed over his lips, but it seemed like a tornado went over his heart. It had been a while since she had kissed him on the lips.

    His heart quivered as he gazed at the lovable woman in front of him. She even called him ''my Arthur''. She hardly showed possessiveness like that.

    Arthur drew her body closer and ced his chin on her head. "Can I get another kiss from my princess? I promise to be more well behaved in the future."

    Veronica pondered for a while before agreeing to his wish, "Okay!"

    Arthur didn''t waste any more time and devoured her lips. He closed his eyes and savored every part of her lips. The softness, jelly vibe, sweet vor, wetness, warmth, everything he could taste.

    He tried to remember when was thest time he had actually eaten her lips like that. He felt like eating her away and leaving nothing.

    He wasn''t the only one feeling wanton. Veronica''s fingers grasped his back tightly and she wantonly kissed him back. Their tongues swirled like a pair of tango dancers.

    They felt each other, tasted each other, expressed their affection and desire for each other.

    They kept going until Veronica''s tongue went numb from kissing. Arthur gave her a light bite on her lower lip before finally letting her go. The two of them panted heavily as they stared at each other with hunger in their eyes.

    Arthur stared at her mesmerized face and proposed a n, "Shall we head to the bed?"

    Veronica''s eyes grew big, and she pushed him away.

    -----------

    "I kissed my wife."

    "¡­"

    "It felt so good."

    "¡­"

    "I want to do her."

    "Well, go ahead and do her if you want. Why are you bothering me when I am trying to work?" Ovior snapped at his friend.

    Every time he focused on his work, Arthur woulde and share his love story with him. It always ruined Ovior''s mood, and he could hardly concentrateter on.

    He was fuming. ''I don''t have any experience in love life. Why does this bastard keeping to me? There is no way he is here for advice. It must be he is trying to add some salt on my wound.'' He gritted his teeth. ''Just you wait until I get a girlfriend. I will see how you can show off after that!''

    ------

    After that incident in the training ground, Arthur kept more distant from female magicians. If someone tried to make a pass at him, he would move away or shove that woman. Afterward, he would quickly scan his surroundings, checking if his wife saw this or not.

    One day, Arthur was talking to Veronica and Ironin on the first floor. They were talking about the fake Arthur incident.

    While they were at it, Veronica asked her husband, "Any news about Zinnia? She went to Utahill to look for Max, didn''t she? I hope shees back safely."

    "We couldn''t get any news of her. We can only guess she is inside the Holy City. She can''t use magic there," Arthur mentioned.

    "Shouldn''t we send someone to check up on her? I''m worried that something will happen to her. I don''t trust Max." Veronica clenched her fist.

    Arthur patted her back to assure her. "You are worrying too much. This is nothing for our missions. There are times when we don''t talk to each other for months even if wee face to face. During missions, we have to be careful not to expose ourselves. And this time, she has gone for two weeks."

    Even so, Veronica couldn''t brush away her concern. "But we already know about Max''s whereabouts. Her only mission was to capture her. I''m worried that she was the one who got captured. We don''t even know who the enemy is."

    "It''s true that she is taking more time than she was supposed to," Arthur admitted. "However, sending her an aid will blow her cover. She isn''t as weak as you think. She nailed many missions with her skills. She can kill people mercilessly. If something were to happen, she can manage."

    "Or, maybe she is trying to get bigger fish," Ironin remarked.

    "That is possible too." Arthur nodded with a solemn expression. "We will wait another week. If she still doesn''te, we will send Felix."

    "That would be great," Veronica stated. She was depressed. "If I didn''t believe in people so easily, this wouldn''t happen.. Everything is my fault."

 Chapter 335 - SAVE ME!

    <h4>Chapter 335 - SAVE ME!</h4>

    "If I didn''t believe in people so easily, this wouldn''t happen. Everything is my fault," Veronicamented.

    Arthur stroked her head. "It''s not your fault. You just didn''t know people can be bad. If you want to me someone, me the people who raised you. They didn''t teach you well.

    "But now, you are working hard, aren''t you? You became smarter. You know how to deal with people, whom to trust or not. I will help you out too."

    "All right," Veronica nodded.

    "About Felix¡­" Ironin started talking.

    At that moment, someone shouted loudly. "Save me!!!" The horrifying shrill sent chills down to their spines. They looked up and saw Aria falling to the ground. She was right above where they were standing.

    Ironin acted first. He swiftly backed away. Arthur then grabbed Veronica''s waist and yanked her backward.

    Veronica was still not sure what to do. She sensed something holding her and pulling her away. She shut her eyes and clutched Arthur''s shirt.

    Aria''s eyes grew bigger. She thought someone woulde to save her, but no one actually volunteered. Fear crept into her mind. Her head was nk. Nothing came to her mind. All she knew was that she was going to die if no one helped her.

    Just when her body was about to crash on the floor, her body froze. She had a one-inch distance from the ground. She stayed there.

    Her body was mobilized. A droplet of sweat rolled down from her temple to the ground. Her eyshes quivered. She forgot to breathe.

    Veronica looked at her body in terror. "Is¡­ is she alive?"

    "Probably, if she didn''t die in a heart attack," Ironinmented. He stepped forward and lightly kicked Aria''s body.

    Aria''s still body rolled, and she faced them. Her mouth was open. She turned her head toward Arthur and saw him hugging Veronica tightly.

    "Why¡­ why didn''t you save me?" With a shaky voice, sheined to Arthur.

    Arthur frowned. He coldly defended himself, "Who do you think prevented you from crashing on the floor? Do you think you are capable of wind magic?" He flicked his finger and Aria''s body mmed on the ground.

    "Ahh!" The falling didn''t hurt her, but she was startled by his sudden action. She stood up and wiped her tears. "Arthur, I was scared. How could you do that?"

    "He just saved your life. A ''thank you'' would be nice," Veronica reminded her.

    Aria used her handkerchief to wipe her forehead. "I''m sorry. I was so scared. I forgot to thank you. Arthur, I''m truly grateful. I don''t want to imagine what would happen to me if I were crushed on the floor¡­ Oh! My head¡­ it''s¡­ spinning¡­"

    She couldn''t talk anymore. Her body swayed. In the blink of an eye, her body copsed. This time too, shended in Arthur''s direction.

    Arthur took another step back and pulled his wife along with him. As a result, Aria''s body mmed on the floor.

    "¡­Maybe she needs to be healed," Ironin mentioned.

    Ignoring his words, Veronica spoke her mind, "I wonder how she fell from above. Is it normal to fall from there? She is a magician. She could have used her fire to bnce herself."

    "The tower would be destroyed if that happened," Arthur told her.

    "It cannot be more important than a good magician''s life. Moreover, howe the tower doesn''t have magic resistance? You guys have the power to make the Magic Tower magic resistant, right?" Veronica nced at her husband.

    "¡­" Arthur stared at her for a while and then exchanged nces with Ironin.

    Ironin shook his head. "I never thought of that."

    "You are right. We can do that. Why did I never think about it?" Arthur was both surprised and impressed. "This way, we can save our important items. It takes time and money to repair the building every month. That will be saved too. I will mention it to Ovior. I''m sure he will like it."

    "Let''s do itter. We should take Aria to the resting room," Veronica reminded him. "After falling twice, her body must be aching."

    "Sure," Arthur used his magic to teleport Aria to the resting room.

    On the way, Ironin asked her in a low tone, "Why didn''t you use your healing power."

    "Because I don''t want to," Veronica tly responded.

    "¡­" Arthur said nothing even when he heard that. ''It seems Nica and Aria have animosity toward each other. Is it because of me? Sign!'' Frustrated, he brushed his hair with his fingers.

    Meanwhile, in the resting room, Aria was rolling on the bed. She was so angry that her entire body was burning in rage.

    ''Twice! Twice!! I can''t believe Arthur didn''t hold me twice in a row. Why the hell did I jump over and not use my power to control my fall? Why did I take the pain?''

    ''Isn''t it only because I wanted Arthur to catch me? If it was other times, he would definitely catch. He is always polite toward the women he had rtionships with in the past. So why not now?''

    ''He changed. He definitely changed. Just two days ago, I wiped his legs and his dick over his pants. He was fine with it. I''d rather say he enjoyed it. But today, he justpletely avoided me. Not only that, I heard other female magiciansining about it too.''

    ''I guess it''s true that Arthur is avoiding all the female magicians. Before, he wouldn''t mind their flirting. Now, he doesn''t like being touched by us. How can he change so quickly?''

    Aria recalled the scene after she fell. She noticed how Arthur securely embraced his wife. She clenched her fists.

    ''This must be that bitch. She must be the one who threatened Arthur somehow. They fought right after I wiped his legs. That must be when she warned him or something. I don''t know what other reason could be there.''

    ''Now one thing is clear. As long as she is there, Arthur will try to avoid me. I can''t let that happen. I need to find a way to make Arthur look at me. I will make him throw away that stupid bitch by any means possible.''

    She wasn''t done cursing before Veronica and Arthur came to check up on her. Aria''s face contorted seeing Veronica. She pretended to be weak.

    "You came to see me. I''m grateful," she spoke in a low voice.

    "You had a hard time. You must rest today," Veronica politely stated.

    She couldn''t help pondering, ''I can''t even tell for sure whether she is deliberately doing this or not. Then again, who would be crazy enough to fall from that high just to get attention? She is a great magician. She has her pride. I think it was an ident. Later, maybe she will try to take advantage of her situation. I should be prepared for it.''

    "¡­But I have work," Aria''s voice was weak. Her face was pale. There was no way to tell whether she was acting, or if it was real.

    "How can your work be more important than your health?" Veronica benevolently smiled at her. "I cannot allow you to wander around with your sick body."

    She leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "I cannot let you be an inconvenience to others, can I?"

    ''!!!'' Aria wanted to re at her but controlled herself. She opened her mouth to say something when someone else barged into the room.

    "I heard someone fell from a high ce. I''ve called for a water magician," Catherine dered as soon as she entered the room.

    "Why are you here?" Veronica asked. "What about your work?"

    "I''m on my break. Don''t worry." She ced a tray of food on the table. "I brought some sweets thinking the patient would be weak. I''m right. Here, miss, eat some sweets. You will feel better."

    Aria delicately responded, "I¡­ will¡­ I wish¡­ I could have a healer to take away my pain."

    She wasn''t done talking before a water magician came. "Miss Aria, I''ll heal your wounds." He used water magic to remove her pain.

    No matter how much she tried to act, Aria was still injured. Herplexion got better once her pain was gone. With the magician''s help, she sat on the bed.

    She nced at Arthur and said, "Arthur, I have something to talk about."

    "Your talk can wait. You should rest first," Arthur bluntly rejected.

    Aria flinched. ''Don''t get angry. You have to use this opportunity wisely.''

    She took a deep breath and continued, "This is urgent. I went to look for you at your office, but you weren''t there. I was looking for you when suddenly my head spun. The next thing I knew I was falling. I still feel scared when I think about it."

    "Is that so? Then don''t talk about it. We are not eager to know how you feel," Arthur told her.

    "¡­What?" Confused, Aria blinked. ''There is no way he just said that.. I don''t think I heard wrong.''

 Chapter 336 - SECRET MEETING

    <h4>Chapter 336 - SECRET MEETING</h4>

    "Is that so? Then don''t talk about it. We are not eager to know how you feel," Arthur told her.

    "¡­What?"

    "It''s good as long as you are alive," Arthur stated.

    ''Is he trying to lead me on, and scared of finding out by his wife?'' Aria''s eyes went from Arthur to Veronica. She felt a lot better when she thought that way.

    "As you can see, I have something to tell you. Unfortunately, I can''t say that in front of unrted people." While talking she stole a nce at Veronica.

    ''Aha, you want to make me jealous and make a rift between my husband and I. Am I stupid enough to fall for it?'' Veronica chuckled in her mind.

    Arthur signaled others to empty the room.

    Catherine seemed confused. ''What? Did he just support that shameless woman? Why support her though? I''m not leaving this room!'' She stubbornly stayed in the room despite others leaving.

    Veronica could understand her feelings. Her expression was like an open book. "Come with me," she whispered. Then, she grabbed her friend''s hand and dragged her out of the room.

    The door was closed from the inside by Arthur''s magic. Catherine red at the door. "What was he thinking? Why did he have to be alone with another woman?" She was furious.

    Veronica wasn''t in a good mood either. But, she felt much better when her friend was there to support her.

    She shrugged. "Nothing can''t be done. Aria isn''t just another woman. She is a Senior Fire Magician. She works under Arthur. Furthermore, I believe in my husband. I know he knows when to draw a line.

    "As for Aria, I''ll have to make sure she fails to spread false rumors about Arthur. I don''t want other people thinking that he cheats on his wife with his subordinate."

    Catherine frowned. "Oh yes, that would be terrible. And the one who will suffer the most is you. Everyone will ridicule you and disrespect you. We need to get rid of Aria as soon as possible."

    Veronica shook her head, disapproving of the idea. "We can''t get rid of her. She is an important member of the tower. Losing her will be a great loss for the Magic Tower."

    Catherine stomped on the floor. "Your reputation is at stake. How can you think about the tower at a time like this?"

    "This is what being the Mistress of the Magic Tower means. I need to use my head more than letting my emotions lead me on."

    Meanwhile, inside the room, Arthur was alone with Aria. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

    Aria was pleased that Veronica was kicked out of the room. She secretly smiled. "Arthur, it was about the Imperial Family. I think they are doing something suspicious."

    "Oh?" Arthur became interested. "What are they doing?"

    Aria told him, "They are meeting with some Senior Magicians. They called for me too. They ask for a secret meeting with each of them."

    "What did they talk about??"

    "I''m not sure about other magicians, but I was interrogated by an imperial vassal. He was asking me about the tower''s work and if there was any mismanagement."

    "They are trying to find out if I''m worthy of being the Master of the Magic Tower or not." Arthur''s lips spread to a devilish grin. "Even if they find something, they don''t have enough power to hold me back."

    Aria reached out toward him. "I''m worried they might go against you and that will lead to war. You just have to know, no matter what happens, I''ll always be there for you. I will never leave your side."

    Arthur pretended not to see her hand. He looked away and stated, "That''s what I expect from my cherished disciples. Do you know the names of the other magicians?"

    Aria''s hand froze in the midair. Realizing that Arthur wouldn''t let her touch him, she slowly retracted her hand.

    She answered in a low voice, "I don''t know them. The meeting was held secretly. No one speaks about it. If you want, I can spy on them."

    "No need to go that far. Just attend the meeting when they call for you and answer carefully. Let me know what happens after the meeting," Arthur instructed.

    "I''ll do as you wish."

    "Now, take care of yourself. Don''t push yourself too hard."

    "Okay¡­ Cough! Cough! Cough!" She tried to speak but something struck her throat, and she began to cough.

    Arthur quickly grabbed a ss of water and gave her to drink it. When she wanted to hold the ss, some water spilled and soaked her chest area.

    "It''s cold¡­" She shivered.

    Arthur looked around and found a tower. He gently ced it on her chest. The moment he retracted his hand, Aria extended her hand and grasped his hand. At that moment, the door was opened, and Veronica and Catherine entered.

    "We heard Aria coughing. What''s wrong¨C" Veronica''s words got stuck on her throat when she saw their intimate position.

    Arthur followed her eyes and realized where she was looking. He harshly brushed away his hand. As if he wanted to give some excuses, he said, "She spilled some water."

    Veronica pretended she wasn''t bothered. "Is she all right? Should I call for the water magician?"

    Arthur was feeling ill at ease. ''Damn! I was careless. Nica just warned me two days ago. Now that this happened, I wonder which man she will use to hold hands with. Sigh! Why does this always happen?'' He wished to tear his hair off in agitation.

    ''Tsk! I just wanted to have a romantic time with Arthur, but this bitch has to ruin it.'' Aria cursed in her mind. However, she had to act pure in front of Arthur.

    She coughed twice before stating, "I''m fine, Mistress. You don''t have to worry about this unworthy me. I''ll try to get better."

    "You can only get better once you eat something sweet. Here," Catherine brought the tray of food on the bed.

    "Eat first and rest a lot, okay? We won''t bother you anymore. Bye-bye!" Then, she pushed Arthur and Veronica''s back and shoved them out of the room.

    Aria saw how single-handedly she took Arthur away. Her expression contorted. ''Who is this bitch? It looks like Veronica isn''t the only person who can control Arthur. This bitch can too. Did she use her blonde hair to seduce him? Arthur did like blonde hair.''

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she had be. ''Looks like I have to deal with her first.''

    -----------

    Aftering out of the room, Catherine reprimanded Arthur, "Look, Arthur, I know you are my superior, but it''s also true that I''m your wife''s only friend. I don''t care how you deal with your subordinates, but you should be wary of the women who want to snatch you away from Ver and hurt her. I''m sure you don''t want to be treated as the prize of apetition."

    Saying her mind, she left those two alone.

    Arthur was in a daze at first and then nced at his wife. "Was what Catherine said true? Did Aria start apetition with you?"

    "Don''t meddle in women''s war, Arthur. It''s not something a man should interfere with," Veronica warned her husband.

    Arthur replied, "I understand. I won''t interfere unless you are in danger. However, I must tell you that I didn''t touch her chest. I justnded the towel on her chest without touching her. She was the one who tried to touch me. I''m innocent. Next time, I''ll warn her not to try anything stupid. You have my word."

    Veronica carefully observed him before nodding, "Sure, as long as she doesn''t bother me anymore."

    "There is something else I want to talk about. Let''s go to Ovior''s room," Arthur urged her.

    "Okay then."

    At her approval, Arthur teleported her to Ovior''s office. There, he told them about Aria''s suspicion.

    "The Queen finally made a move. I was thinking that she would forget about her son," Oviormented with a solemn expression.

    "Then, do you think they are the ones who made fake Arthur? There is no way Arthur will let any harm happen to the tower. So, they took a different approach," Veronica shared her point of view.

    Ovior frowned at her suggestion. "That can be possible, but we don''t have any proof. I hope Zinniaes back soon."

    Arthur spoke his mind, "That may not be the case. If the Queen knew that Nica is the blessed child, she would use any means necessary to take me down. She wants me to grovel on her feet. She will choose the harshest way to do that."

    "What you said makes sense," Ovior nodded. "However, we have to be more careful around the Senior Magicians from now on. We don''t know who might stab our back. Shall I make a list of all of them?"

    "That would be for the best. Tell Felix to send his men to keep an eye on them," Arthur ordered.

    "On it!" Catherine used hermunication device to call Felix.

    "What about Merlin? Did he reach Louses?" Veronica asked Ovior.

    Ovior fixed his sses before replying, "He should be. He can''t contact us unless he is absolutely sure no one is keeping an eye on him."

    "I see. I think I should refrain from going outside from now on. I''ll stay inside the tower and practice sword fighting more," Veronica decided.

    "Oh! I was thinking I would go out with you tomorrow.." Catherine''s shoulders slumped.

 Chapter 337 - A NICE DATE

    <h4>Chapter 337 - A NICE DATE</h4>

    "Oh! I was thinking I would go out with you tomorrow." Catherine''s shoulders slumped.

    Veronica shrugged. "I don''t want to take a risk; especially if the enemy is the Imperial Family."

    "Fine, I''ll just go alone." Catherine pouted.

    Veronica came up with an idea and whispered to her friend, "Just tell your boyfriend to tag along with you."

    Catherine gave her a cheeky grin in return.

    The next day, she indeed went out with Vincent. "I''m so sorry I dragged you here on short notice," she apologized the moment they met.

    "No, no, it''s fine. It''s a workday. So, we hardly have any customers in the resort. My parents can handle that much." Vincent paused before adding, "They also like you very much."

    "I''m d to hear that." Catherine bashfully lowered her gaze. "Oh, goodness! Do they like me enough to make them my daughter-inw? I hope they do. I don''t want to fight over Vincent with them.''

    Being ignorant of what she was thinking, Vincent asked her, "Where are we going today?"

    "Spring ising. So, I want to do some spring clothes shopping. I''ll buy some for Ver too," Catherine answered without checking Vincent''s expression.

    ''Her again?'' Vincent, of course, became somber after hearing Veronica''s name. ''I wish she could think only about me and no one else.''

    "Why didn''t shee with you?" he inquired.

    "She couldn''t. She is busier than I am," Catherine lied. ''I''m sorry, Vincent. Unless I know for sure that I can trust you with the tower information, I can''t tell you anything.''

    She held Vincent''s hand and pulled him forward. "Since you came so far for me, let''s enjoy our day together."

    Vincent smiled. "Sure."

    Unknown to them, two dark shadows were following them secretly.

    Catherine ordered five sets of gowns. Two for regr uses, the other two for office uses, and another one for the party. After that, she bought some jewelry to match the gowns. Later, she bought choctes which were Veronica''s and her favorite.

    Vincent''s head spun when he noticed the prices of each product. He began to sweat. "Catherine, are you perhaps a noble?"

    "Hahaha!" Catherine burst intoughter. "No, I''m not. I''m just spending money from what I earned at my work."

    Vincent nervously stated, "I''m sorry, I''m not trying to be rude but do you perhaps for the royal family? But even the royal family doesn''t pay that much to a maid."

    Catherine put her arms on her waist and retorted, "Who said I''m a maid? Do I look like someone who could work as a maid and still have the luxury to stay in a fancy resort?"

    Vincent soon realized where the fault was with his imagination. "Oh! I''m sorry. It actually slipped my mind. You always wear fancy clothes, and you have a job, but you say that you aren''t noble. You at least know where I work and how my daily life is, but I know nothing about you."

    Catherine soon calmed down. "Yes, that''s true. I apologize for my sudden outburst. I work as an ountant and a secretary. Since I took two jobs altogether, my payment is rather high. Also, I can stay and eat for free. That''s why I don''t have anywhere to spend my money on."

    "Then you must work in the imperial pce," Vincent''s heart was beating fast. He began to see her in a new light. "Your job must require extraordinary knowledge."

    "Well, yes, I do have to do management on behalf of the superior sometimes. But my superior works more than I do. That''s why it''s hard to ask for a vacation. Please understand that my work is confidential. I cannot talk about it with people who are unrted to this matter."

    "I''m sorry that I doubted you and imagined something less of you without asking you anything."

    Catherine patted his back. "No, it''s fine. I was wrong not to tell you first. But I hardly speak about my job outside, so it slipped my mind. Shall we go for lunch?"

    "Yes, of course," Vincent agreed.

    On the way to the restaurant, someone bumped into Catherine. It was a crowded ce during lunch. She didn''t think anything of it at first. Suddenly, she felt that her belt felt lighter.

    Her heart dropped. She touched the belt area where she kept her money pouch. When she realized that it was gone, she turned around and tried to locate the person who bumped into her.

    "You thief! Come back here!" she shouted.

    Would the pick-pocketere back just because she said so? That person ran even faster.

    "How dare you! I''ll catch you before you can breathe!" Catherine was thoroughly pissed. She pushed the people around her and ran after that guy.

    "Huh? Catherine? Where are you going?" Vincent was confused. He tried to follow her in the crowd, but he was pushed back.

    Catherine ran after that pick-pocketer for some time before heading to a quiet alley.

    The pick-pocketer reached a dead end and turned around to find another path when Catherine stood at the front.

    "Are you done running?" She panted and wiped off her sweat. "Before I scream and gather more people, give me back my money. I''ll give you one gold coin in return."

    The pick-pocketer hesitated. One gold coin was a lot for a poor teenager like him.

    However, if he could take the whole pouch, all the money inside the pouch would be his. That''s why he couldn''t decide right away.

    "Well, well, well, look at that. We were trying to find an opportunity to capture her, but she came to us instead. It made our job a lot easier."

    An unfamiliar voice spoke from behind. Catherine turned around and flinched. She saw four bulky men. They looked like thugs.

    One of them licked his lips. "That''s a pretty face. I didn''t think she would be this pretty when I saw her picture."

    "Well, it''s rare to have blonde women around here. It''s a bit sad that we have to finish our task sooner."

    Catherine hid her fear and frowned at their words. "Who are you? What do you want?"

    She got a reply from the thugs'' leader. "We are the generous people who work for money, and someone paid a good amount of money to make you disappear forever."

    Catherine''s heart beat faster. ''Who wants to ruin my life? What did I ever do to anyone to make me disappear? I don''t have any influence in the powerful world. Oh wait, is it the Imperial Family?''

    She did her best not to shake her voice when she asked, "Who sent you? Do you know what powerful backing I have? If something happens to me, you won''t be spared."

    The thugs exchanged nces. They hesitated beforeing to a conclusion. The leader stated, "You can say whatever you want, prettydy, but you areing with us."

    Catherine gritted her teeth. "In your dreams!"

    However, the thugs didn''t listen to her. They grabbed her arms and yanked her body abruptly.

    "Ouch!" Catherine winced. She opened her mouth and bit a hand that was holding her wrist tightly.

    "Ahh! This bitch!" The guy cried in pain. He cursed her and then raised his arm.

    p!

    The p felt so hard on her cheek that her lower lip bled. Her head was dizzy. Everything around her became dark.

    Her body copsed on the floor. One of them picked her up and stated, "It''s easier when the prey is unconscious. What should we do with the kid over there?"

    Everyone looked at the pick-pocketer. The boy flinched at their murderous re. "Please, please spare me. I won''t tell anyone. I''ll just take thedy''s money and leave."

    The leader of the thugs looked at the pouch and said, "That amount is too much for you, son. Give it to us or we will crush your bones."

    The boy started trembling. "Please, I have a sick mother¡­"

    The leader narrowed his eyes. "And my stomach is empty. Do you want to give us the pouch or die? Choose."

    The boy fidgeted before asking in fear, "Then, can I take at least one coin?"

    The leader replied, "Sure, why not?"

    The boy took one gold coin and threw the pouch at the leader. The leader caught it and grinned. "Now that''s a heavy pouch. This woman is rich."

    The thug who was carrying Catherine remarked, "Must be a nobledy. Can we have some fun with her before we kill her?"

    The leader rubbed his chin. "Although I was ordered to finish her quickly, I guess why not? Let''s enjoy our time before finishing her off."

    The teenager dashed out of the alley. As he was passing the leader, the leader grabbed his hair and yanked backward. "Did you really think I would let you go after you saw us abducting a nobledy?"

    The teenager was terrified. His whole body shook. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes. "Pl¡­please¡­"

    The leader grinned at him. "In your dreams."

    He threw the boy at his two men. They punched and kicked him until he started bleeding. The coin rolled from his unconscious hand.

    The leader caught it with his leg and then picked it up. He said, "Such a waste to leave it with a dead body. I can get some beer with this."

    "Yes!!" The thugs cheered.

    A beautifuldy with money, nothing could be more fun to them.

    The thugs took Catherine away, leaving a bloody body behind.

    ----------

    "Nng!" Catherine shuddered in dull pain.. ''Why does my face hurt so much?'' she wondered.

 Chapter 338 - AFTER BEING KIDNAPPED

    <h4>Chapter 338 - AFTER BEING KIDNAPPED</h4>

    "Nng!" Catherine shuddered in dull pain. ''Why does my face hurt so much?'' she wondered.

    Slowly, she opened her eyes. She found herself in a dark, cold ce. The floor was icy cold. The temperature made half of her body numb.

    In the middle of the darkness, a bunch of firewood was burning on the ground. The fire was enough to illuminate the surroundings.

    She saw several wooden boxes and nothing more. As for how big the room was, she was uncertain.

    She tried to sit up when she realized that her legs were tied. Her wrists were also tied on her back.

    ''What? Why?'' She was confused. She tried to recall what happened before she fainted. Remembering the thugs, her blood turned cold.

    ''I need to get out of this ce before theye to kill me.'' She struggled to loosen up the rope, but it was tied in such a way that there was no way she could not loosen up an inch.

    Feeling vexed, she looked around. She lost once but didn''t give up. As she stared at the fire, her eyes suddenly lit up.

    She rolled her body close to the fire. Slowly she lifted her legs and moved them in the fire''s direction. She held her legs high, afraid to burn her beautifully shaped legs.

    Her heart was racing. She bent her head to see if the rope was being burned. But her legs were too high. She lowered them a little bit. She sensed a burning sensation on her ankles.

    She raised her legs again and took a deep breath. ''Come on, Cathy. You can do this. Just endure for a while. Ver will heal your pain.'' Coaxing herself for a few seconds, she lowered her legs once again.

    The fire''s peak touched her ankles along with the rope. The rope slowly burned and so did her shoes. The moment the rope loosened up, she immediately spread her legs and moved away.

    "Haah¡­ Haah¡­. Haah¡­" she panted as she checked her wounds. Her skin was slightly swollen. It didn''t have any other injuries. But Since it was winter, the burning wounds pained her greatly.

    ''Let''s take care of my arms.'' She ced her arms on the floor and guided her legs to slide them inside her hands'' circle.

    It took her some time to fold her entire legs and slip through the circle. Slowly and surely, her hands came forward.

    She let out a deep breath and then put her wrists close to the fire. Along with her skin, the fire burned her rope and she forced her arms to spread, and the rope was unknot as it burned.

    She didn''t wait any longer. She hurriedly stood up while grabbing a piece of firewood in her hand. She looked around the house and realized that it was a deste warehouse.

    ''Why am I here of all ces?'' she wondered.

    While looking for a door, she found one in the corner. She quickly grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. However, it didn''t work. The door was locked from outside.

    ''They already tied me down. Why did they have to lock the door?'' Catherine was irritated. ''Wait, I cannot make loud noises, or they might find out that I''m here.''

    She looked around to see if there was a window. She found one. It was open; no iron rod, nothing. She could easily slip out from there. But, it was too high for her to reach.

    She put down the fire and used the empty boxes to gather in front of the window, like stairs.

    Although the boxes were empty, wooden boxes were heavy to begin with. She was out of breath when she added thest box.

    Wiping her sweats, she climbed the boxes. She reached her destination. Her heart danced in joy. She slipped her head through the window to see what was down there.

    Her heart turned cold when she saw nothing but water. She used a fire torch to look carefully. Wherever her eyes went, there was only water.

    ''This warehouse is right beside a river! No way! Do I have to swim in the cold water?'' Her whole body shuddered thinking of the consequences.

    It was winter. Also, the river seemed frozen, it might be still dangerous. It was no better than walking in thendmine field.

    She was debating what to do when she heard noisesing from outside. She looked behind and saw someone opening the door.

    The thug leader entered the warehouse. He was drunk but acted sober.

    His eyes went to the fire where she was supposed to be. He narrowed his eyes when he didn''t find her.

    He walked closer to see it wasn''t his drunken mistake. She wasn''t there at all.

    He immediately scanned the area only to find Catherine beside the door. While he was walking closer to the fire, Catherine took this chance to step down and walk toward the door.

    Just when she was about to get out, she was found out.

    The leader didn''t hesitate to shout, "The bitch is escaping. Catch her!''

    Catherine heard his scream and dashed out of the warehouse. Although that guy shouted, there wasn''t anyone to hear him.

    The surrounding area was empty. It gave her a chance to run toward the road.

    She spotted a broken carriage with two horses. She took a second to think before running toward the horses.

    The horses were puzzled as she unfastened their belts. She climbed one horse and pped the butt of another horse. That horse ran away.

    "Hyah!" She urged the other one to run too.

    The thug leader had alreadye out of the warehouse. Noticing that she was leaving with his horse, he went nuts.

    "You bitch! Come back before I ughter you!" roaring, he chased after her.

    The big guy wasing at her, Catherine''s heart jumped in fear. She patted the horse''s neck, "Go! Go! Hurry!"

    As if to realize that she was in danger, the horse sprinted forward, facing the dark road.

 Chapter 339 - RUN AWAY

    <h4>Chapter 339 - RUN AWAY</h4>

    Catherine rode to an unknown destination. She had nevere to this ce, so she had no idea where she was heading.

    The horse was guiding her. She could only have faith in that animal.

    The ce she was in didn''t have fancy buildings. They looked untidy and dirty slums. There wasn''t enough light around here. She could only have the torch in her hand as the source of light.

    She saw people around the corners, sitting alone, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs. They raised their heads to look at her whenever she crossed them.

    She was terrified but kept her head high. Her eyes were forward. She could only pray for her safe return.

    However, the moment she was out of the slum, she crossed paths with the remaining thugs.

    The thugs were all drunk. They were talking to themselves rather loudly.

    "Do you think the leader is having fun with that woman?"

    "I think so. He said he wanted to have her first before letting us enjoy herter."

    "She is a golden beauty, isn''t she? I can''t imagine how fun it will be when she cries under me."

    "Let''s do it together. It will be more fun with four people than two people."

    Theyughed at their indecent jokes.

    Catherine couldn''t help but shiver as she imagined what would happen to her if she didn''t wake up in time. If she was a bitte, she would be doomed.

    The thugs heard a horse galloping. They raised their heads in curiosity. When they recognized the rider, their eyes grew big.

    They must have been thinking that they were hallucinating because of the alcohol.

    But when she went past them, one of them shouted, "Hey, isn''t she that bitch? Why is she leaving? Get her!"

    "Go! Hurry!" Catherine urged the horse to go faster.

    As though it could understand her urgency, the horse ran faster. It created distance between Catherine and the thugs.

    Although she could barely see those thugs, Catherine felt like crying.

    ''Why is no one here to help me? Where is that idiot Sebastian? Other times, he would stay there to keep me safe. And today of all day, he wasn''t here with me. If I die, I''ll haunt him until his death. I won''t give him a moment of peace. Stupid! Stupid Sebastian!''

    She cursed Sebastian as fear crept into her heart. She heard somemotion behind.

    She turned her head behind only to see the thugs wereing after her, along with their leader.

    Somehow, they managed four horses in a short amount of time.

    Catherine''s blood was cold. She hurried the horse. Tears streamed down her cheek. She wiped them and prayed to the Goddess.

    ''Goddess, please save me. If I get away from them safely, I''ll donate half of the money I earned in thest two months to the sickly poor. Please, Goddess. You are my only home.''

    Her prayer didn''t seem to work well. Maybe Goddess Juvena didn''t want to save her or thought she wasn''t worthy enough to be saved.

    The thugs caught on her quickly. One of them used his dagger and threw it at the horse. Since he was drunk and the horse was moving too fast, the dagger pierced Catherine''s back.

    "Ahh!" Catherine shouted as she felt an unimaginable pain. The sharp de cut through her skin and meat and went inside. It was burning pain. Her body swayed.

    She heard the thug curse from behind. She could understand why he was annoyed. They wanted to rape her before killing her. But now, they wouldn''t get the chance to y with her since she would be dying first.

    The attack was so sudden that she wasn''t ready for it. As a result, her hands loosened the grip on the horse''s rein.

    At the same moment, a street boy around seven years old was running on the road.

    He didn''t notice Catherine and the four thugs. He stood in the middle of the road and finally noticed them, but it was toote.

    He was horrified and stood still in the middle of the road. Fear didn''t let him think of anything.

    People around them screamed andmented, but no one came to take him away.

    It took Catherine three seconds to make a decision. She pulled the reins of the horse.

    Since the horse was running at a speed, the sudden appearance of the human child and its rider''s action made the horse jump in fright.

    Catherine''s body jerked backward. As she couldn''t keep her bnce, she fell to the ground.

    From a high ce, with a dagger on her back, her body crushed on the cold, stony ground.

    The sharp de jerked and cut through her skin even more. She momentarily became blind as the pain was unspeakable.

    Unless one felt the pain she went through, they could never understand her situation.

    Her vision almost cked out. She couldn''t speak or move. Her whole body was screaming in pain.

    The horse she was in was gone. With blurry vision, she could only see the horse was going far away. The child also ran away.

    The horses behind her stopped near her. The thugs dismounted from the horse and came to get her.

    As for Catherine, she had no strength left to fight. She was losing blood.

    She was gravely injured and was in pain. She couldn''t utter a single sound, let alone move. Her eyes were hardly focused.

    The thug leader grabbed her hair and yanked her face. "You whore, you gave us lots of trouble. You were kept in that warehouse. You should have been there for me to fuck. Now, look at what you have done. I wanted to give you a painless death, but it doesn''t look like I can. Since I can''t fuck you, I''d rather have the fun to kill you slowly. Beg me, bitch!"

    He raised his hand and pped her cheek. With one p, her left cheek was red and bleeding. There was no end to her suffering.

    The thug leader grinned and wanted to p her once again, but suddenly found out that his palm and fingers were gone.

 Chapter 340 - [Bonus ]SLICING ARMS

    <h4>Chapter 340 - [Bonus ]SLICING ARMS</h4>

    Onlookers on the streets pitied Catherine who was a bloody mess and four men were torturing her. However, no one dared toe forward to help her.

    They were allmoners with no power. If these thugs targeted them and got revenge, they would have no way to protect themselves.

    How could they dare to go against the thugs?

    The thug leader pped Catherine''s cheek and she bled. That made him feel even better. It increased his sadism more. He raised his hand once more to p her.

    However, he suddenly realized that his right hand''s palm and fingers were gone. Instead, there was a t wrist. It looked ugly and disgusting. In the next second, blood sprayed from that area.

    "Aaahhh!"

    The leader screamed as he realized that the main part of his hand was gone. Someone sliced it when he didn''t even notice.

    The other three thugs were drunk and baffled. Their heads could hardly process the horrifying scene.

    Before they could react, they sensed sharp pain in their vital parts. One by one, they all fell to the ground.

    It wasn''t that they were dead. They were alive and rolling on the ground, groaning in pain.

    The thug leader was terrified. "Someone! Someone, save me!!!" He cried pitifully.

    No one came to assist him as he cried and begged for help. They gave him a frightened look and stayed away. No one wanted to save such a wretched man.

    Catherine watched them suffering just like her. but she felt nothing. Just like her body, her mind was going numb.

    Her eyes were almost closed when she sensed someone holding her carefully and taking her in their arms.

    ''Who¡­?'' Curious, she opened her eyes and tried to focus her blurry vision on the person. She met Sebastian''s teary face.

    "Catherine, you will be fine. You will be fine. I will take you to the Mistress. She will heal you. Can you endure a bit?"

    He cupped her face and continued with his quivering voice, "Don''t close your eyes. Keep them open for me. Keep them open!"

    He was anxious and couldn''t figure out if he could take her first or take care of those thugs.

    As if to help him out, Darius was walking past them. He was with two women. At that moment, he spotted the injured Catherine and desperate Sebastian.

    He left the women and ran toward them. "What happened?" he asked.

    Sebastian saw him and narrated shortly, "These bastards kidnapped her and tried to kill her."

    "Damn these fuckers!" Darius kicked the thug leader who was groaning. "Take her to Veronica. I''ll bring those bastards to the tower."

    "All right." Sebastian carried Catherine in his arms and then used a magic stone to teleport to the Magic Tower.

    Veronica was about to fall asleep when someone knocked on the door with urgency. She exchanged nces with Arthur who was reading a book on the bed.

    "It seems urgent. Will you open the door?" she asked him in a sleepy tone.

    She might have stayed in the tower all day, but she worked extra hard; which made her too tired to get out of bed.

    "I will." Arthur shut his book and got up. ''I will have to make new rules so that others don''t disturb Nica in the bedroom,'' he thought.

    As soon as he opened the door, Sebastian cried out in a shaky voice, "Master, please ask the Mistress to heal Catherine. She bled too much."

    His voice was loud enough. Veronica jumped out of the bed. She forgot to cover her body with something thick. Wearing a light nightgown, she came closer.

    "Where is Cathy? What happened to her?" she asked anxiously.

    Arthur was stunned when he saw a bloody mess on Sebastian''s clothes. He became concerned about Catherine.

    However, the thing that worried him most was his wife was almost half-naked in front of his subordinate.

    He hurriedly took off his white shirt and ced it on her shoulders. Then, he buttoned it. After he checked that her chest was covered, he rxed.

    Neither Veronica nor Sebastian cared about her half-naked appearance. Sebastian told her, "I left her in her room. She is bleeding profusely."

    Veronica grabbed her husband''s hand. "Arthur, teleport me to her room."

    Except for Arthur and Ovior, other magicians couldn''t use teleportation inside the tower. For emergencies, some Senior Magicians were permitted to use teleportation for a short period.

    Others could easily teleport one ce to other ces, but not inside the tower.

    Even so, most of them would use magic stones to teleport as this magic could be too powerful and not everyone could handle it because ofck of mana.

    As for Arthur and Ovior, they mastered the magic and could use it without needing any magical stone.

    Others who mastered the magic were all Senior Magicians. They use their mana to create teleportation magic stones. They earned a lot from it as the stone was valuable and rare.

    Anywhere in the world, teleportation magic stones would be expensive. In Tybu, this magic stone could be found anywhere, and so, it was less expensive.

    After Arthur, Sebastian, and Veronica went to Catherine''s room, the couple found Catherine on her bed,ying on her stomach. There was a dagger on her back. Her clothes were drenched in her blood.

    "Oh, my goodness!" Veronica gasped. She strode forward. She tried to grab the dagger.

    "Let me take it off!" Sebastian hurriedly interrupted her. He marched to the bed and carefully held the dagger. His hand was trembling. He closed his eyes and yanked the dagger.

    "Ahhh!" Catherine was half unconscious. She yelled as soon as she felt pain in her back.

    Veronica ced her hands on her friend''s body. Gradually, a white light sipped through her palms and the bleeding sessively stopped.

    Catherine could barely hold it any longer. Sensing all the pain going away, she rxed her muscles. Soon, she passed out.

    After Veronica healed her friend''s entire body, she began to unfasten her bloody clothes.

    "Sebastian, bring a bowl of warm water," she ordered him.

    "Heh? Oh, oh¡­"

 Chapter 341 - TREATING HER WOUNDS

    <h4>Chapter 341 - TREATING HER WOUNDS</h4>

    "Heh? Oh¡­ oh¡­" Sebastian''s brain wasn''t working well. He left the room in a daze.

    Veronica was alone in the room. Arthur went out at some point when she was healing Catherine.

    It didn''t take long for Arthur toe back. He brought a woolen shawl and draped it on her shoulders.

    Veronica was busy taking Catherine''s clothes off. She turned around when she noticed someone covering her with a heavy shawl.

    Veronica helplessly stated, "Arthur, I need to help her. I can''t cover myself like that and work."

    Arthur properly wrapped the shawl and mentioned, "You will catch a cold."

    "¡­" Veronica couldn''t argue knowing he couldn''t take ''no'' for an answer. "Fine, but give us some space. She will murder me if I turn her naked in front of a man."

    Arthur was already satisfied that he covered her properly this time. He left without causing any problem.

    Veronica stared at Catherine''s gown. It was one of her friend''s favorite winter gowns, but the bloody mess made it impossible for another use. Thus, she didn''t hesitate to use a scissor to cut it.

    When Sebastian brought a bowl of cold water, Veronica already turned her naked. Therefore, she didn''t let Sebastian enter the room.

    "Wait outside, I might need your helpter," Veronica told him.

    "Can¡­ Can I check her injuries?" Sebastian hesitantly inquired.

    "They are all healed. There is nothing to worry about." After a pause, Veronica gave him a space to enter the room.

    Sebastian peeked inside. He found Catherine''s back facing them. Her hair was disheveled. Her fair back was covered with blood. Her lower body was tucked with the nket.

    Veronica soaked a towel and wiped her friend''s back. She was careful not to wake her up.

    When the back was cleaned, Sebastian had to bring another bowl of water. Veronica cleaned her arms and legs.

    Later, she turned around her body and wiped her face. She didn''t forget to hide her chest before turning her body since a man was in the room.

    Noticing that her beautiful face had no swollen mark like before, Sebastian was relieved.

    He recalled how painful it looked when the corner of her lips was bleeding, and her face was red and swollen. His heart twisted in agony whenever he thought of that.

    "How did this happen?" Veronica asked him while wiping her friend''s mouth.

    Sebastian lowered his head. "It was due to my negligence. I heard that she was going on a date. I didn''t think it was appropriate for me to tail her. Moreover, it was in a ce where she frequently went out.

    "I was strolling on the street when I saw herpanion, Vincent, was crazily looking for someone. I didn''t know what he was looking for. I went forward and asked him. He said that hispanion went for a pick-pocketer and didn''t return.

    "I had a clear idea who hispanion was. I asked around and went to an alley only to find the pick-pocketer, injured and half-dead. He was unconscious. So, I took him to the nearby clinic and then searched the area where Catherine wasst seen.

    "However, there was no trace left of her. It was as if she vanished. Later, the pick-pocketer woke up and told me that she was kidnapped. With the face descriptions he gave me, I knew they were one of the local thugs. It took me a while to find out about their hideout.

    "It was toote. I saw her on the road when I saw her galloping on the horse. Her back was stabbed, and it was bleeding. I didn''t know what to say at that time. Later, she fell to the ground and was caught by them. I injured them. Darius brought them back and left them in the prison"

    After listening to the whole story, Veronica observed Sebastian. He looked haggard after running from one ce to another ce, day and night. His eyes were red and moist.

    ''Did he cry? I didn''t know he was that desperate¡­'' Her hand froze in the midair. ''Oh, my goodness! Don''t tell me he likes Cathy?''

    She had a hard time controlling her emotions. She bit down her lower lip and cleaned Catherine''s remaining ces. After that, she took a nightgown from the drawer and helped Catherine to wear it.

    Sebastian turned around so that he couldn''t see Catherine''s naked body.

    He was embarrassed as he thought, ''Idiot! Why didn''t you leave when the Mistress was changing her clothes? Do you think it was appropriate to do that? I know you are worried, but you shouldn''t stay in a room where only two women stayed.''

    He scolded himself inwardly and wished to p himself hard. While he was talking to himself in his mind, he heard Veronica dere, "Finally, it is done. She can rest as much as she wants now."

    Sebastian turned around and noticed that Catherine was properly dressed. He asked, "Shouldn''t we clear the bed sheet? It''s not good sleeping in a dirty bed."

    He was right. The bed was soaked in Catherine''s blood. It was impossible to sleep there with a proper dress.

    Fortunately, Veronica ced Catherine''s body on the clean bed cover. As a result, her clean nightgown wasn''t stained.

    "Sebastian, can you help me carry her?" Veronica requested. "I want to change the bed sheet and bed cover."

    "Yes, sure." Sebastian stepped forward and two Catherine in his arms. He lowered his head and observed hard breathing softly. Although she waspletely healed, her face looked pale.

    "She lost too much blood," he stated. His heart hurt seeing her in this state.

    "Yes, she bled for a long time. But I can only heal her wounds. I don''t know how to reproduce blood. It''s not something a healer can do. I wish I could do better," Veronicamented.

    Sebastian hurriedly stated, "No, Mistress, you have done more than enough. I am so happy that you were able to treat her wound in time."

    Veronica chuckled as she took off the bed sheet and bed cover and ced them with a new one, "Of course, I will help her.. She is my friend. Why are you thanking me?"

 Chapter 342 - WHO IS CLOSER?

    <h4>Chapter 342 - WHO IS CLOSER?</h4>

    "Of course, I will help her. She is my friend. Why are you thanking me?" Veronica smirked, feeling amused.

    Sebastian realized what he said was just wrong. For Veronica, it was okay for her to take care of her best friend she grew up with.

    Sebastian had no rtionship with Catherine. It wasn''t him who should thank her best friend to heal her. Instead, it should be Veronica who needed to thank him for rescuing her friend.

    Embarrassed, he scratched his head. He didn''t know how to respond to his Mistress.

    To break the awkward silence, Veronica changed the topic, "I wonder why those thugs attacked Cathy. If they needed money, they could just grab the pick-pocketer. There was no reason to kidnap her and imprison her. Why did they go through so much trouble?"

    While talking, she was done bedding and Sebastian put Catherine down.

    His expression changed when Veronica mentioned the kidnapping. "Not to mention, Catherine dresses up like a noble. Common thugs shouldn''t dare to mess up with nobles. These thugs only attack nobles when they are paid by other nobles."

    ''Just as I predicted,'' Veronica told herself. "But why her? When did she start making enemies? That''s not like her."

    "Darius should be interrogating them. I''ll go and check what he has found." Sebastian bowed and then left.

    Veronica stared at the door and then mumbled, "Cathy, you have two handsome men with great potential on your feet. Which one are you going to choose?"

    --------

    Sebastian went to the dungeon and heard hideous screamsing from a cer. He quickened his pace and reached his destination.

    He spotted four thugs in one cer. They were stripped naked. Their wrists were tied with iron chains that were hanging on the ceiling.

    Darius was standing in front of them. He had an iron whip that had sharp pins from top to bottom. Each time he whipped those guys, their skins cut through and blood gushed out.

    Right this moment, four small pools of blood gathered under four thugs'' feet. They shuddered and cried. Nheless, the pain and suffering didn''t go away.

    "You fuckers dared toy a hand on the employee of the Magic Tower. Where did you get the nerves?" Darius was rather enjoying torturing them. Just his grin was enough for Sebastian to tell.

    The thug leader sobbed and answered, "I had no idea who she was. I thought she was a nobledy with lots of money."

    As if Darius would buy that. He smirked.

    "And yet you not only took her money but also took her away and they tried to kill her. All I want to know is the purpose. If you can''t say it, get ready for more torture."

    He moved the whip, and it made a sharp pping sound on the floor, close to the thug.

    The thug trembled in fear. "I was greedy. I''m sorry!"

    "Did they not tell you anything yet?" Sebastian stepped inside.

    Darius didn''t need to check who it was. He stroked his bald head.

    "Well, others are a bunch of idiots. They know nothing. But the leader has all the information. But he won''t just say it. I''ve finished interrogating the three. Now, I''ll open his bastard''s mouth."

    "Good luck." Sebastian coldly gazed at the thug leader. He thought of many unspeakable things that could kill the leader in the most painful way possible.

    Darius asked, "How''s Catherine doing?"

    Sebastian replied, "Sleeping. The Mistress already healed her. She looked pale and sickly."

    "Tell the chef to prepare some soup that will help her reproduce blood quickly," Darius instructed. "She needs strength."

    "Yes, I will. Continue with your interrogation." Sebastian thought, ''I should go to the kitchen and stay busy. Or, I think I might lose my patients.

    "Leave this to me." Darius grinned. After Sebastian left, he turned to the leader.

    "Oh well, you said you don''t know. But need to ask, onest time, who was that person who ordered you to do it? What did they offer?

    "If you don''t tell me this time, I''ll start drilling your fingers first and then move to your arms and legs. I''m losing my patience. Say it!"

    He whipped the leader hard. This time, along with blood, his skin and small pieces of meat were chunked out.

    "Aaahhh!!" The leader yelled loudly and at the same time, writhed in pain.

    He screamed as long as he could. Darius almost feared that he would lose his vocal cord. He stood there patiently, waiting for that leader to speak up.

    The leader finally stopped screaming. He squeezed his eyes and tears gushed out of his eyes. He regretted greatly for taking this job. He could do nothing butment but it''s toote.

    He wished he could die painlessly but there wasn''t a chance. The thing he wanted to avoid was the endless torture before his death. Thinking about all that, he made a decision.

    "It was a woman¡­" he began. "She offered me fifty gold coins and gave me a picture. She told me to finish this girl and make her disappear. She instructed me to leave no trace of her left in the world."

    ''Fifty gold coins?'' Darius frowned. ''This is a huge amount of money for a mere thug. Fifty gold means five thousand silver coins! They could buy a decent three-storied building in themoner''s street or a shop from aristocats'' town. Why did that woman pay him so much for Catherine? Whom did she offend?''

    "The woman," he stated. "What does she look like?"

    The leader was already having a hard time breathing. He could barely talk.

    "I didn''t see her face properly. She wore a velvet purple cloak and hid her face with it. All I saw was her left hand. She gave me a pouch of gold coins with that hand.

    "Her hand was dark. Her fingers were long. She had a gold snake embedded in her ring. That snake was breathing fire."

    Darius raised an eyebrow.. "You said that the snake was breathing fire. Did it move?"

 Chapter 343 - A GRUDGE

    "You said that the snake was breathing fire. Did it move?"

    The thug leader tried to recall. "No¡­ the snake didn''t move. But the fire around the snake moved. It was a small fireball. It surrounded the snake''s head. The fireball made the snake look like it was breathing. It was such an unusual ring."

    "That''s it? What else do you know about that woman?" Darius urged him.

    "Her hair¡­ It was peach ck. I''ve never seen hair like that before," the leader confessed.

    "You gave enough description. Was there anything else you forgot to mention?" Darius probed.

    "That¡­ that woman told me that if we seeded in taking care of that nobledy, she would give us another task."

    Darius frowned when he heard it. "What task?"

    "¡­I don''t know. She didn''t say anything else."

    "All right, I''m going to report. Behave when I''m gone." Darius put down the whip on the desk and left the cer.

    The thugs screamed from behind.

    "Please save us¡­."

    "Please spare me¡­"

    Darius didn''t heed their words. He went upstairs and freshened up as he reeked of blood. After that, he went to find Sebastian. He found him in the kitchen as he expected.

    "Are you done interrogating?" Sebastian spotted him and asked.

    Darius replied, "Yes, I found who the culprit is. Someone paid them fifty gold coins for this job."

    It was Sebastian''s time to raise an eyebrow. "Fifty gold coins?"

    Darius spoke his mind, "I wonder what Catherine did to offend that woman. She wanted Catherine to disappear without a trace. Also, she wanted to give another task to them if they were sessful."

    Sebastian frowned. "So, who is that woman?" He felt like he needed to find out the culprit badly.

    Darius told him, "A woman with dark skin and shiny ck hair."

    Sebastian sighed. "There are many women out there who look like that, Darius. What''s specific?"

    Darius took his time to reply, "She had a golden snake ring, and its head was surrounded by a fireball."

    Sebastian was stunned. There was no way he wouldn''t know who that woman was. "Then it means¡­"

    "The next target was possibly Veronica," Darius concluded.

    -----------

    "But why Cathy? If her target was me, she should have gotten me first. Why putting Cathy on the line?" Veronica wondered.

    She was standing outside Catherine''s room. Sebastian and Darius told her what they found out and who could be the next possible target.

    "Maybe it was a test," Arthur answered her doubt. He came to see his wife and got to meet the three of them outside, in the corridor.

    "I don''t understand. Just for a test? Did she want to see if they were capable of doing that? Then why didn''t she check it on me first? Cathy ispletely innocent. She never harmed anyone. Just because she has a grudge against me, she would go for my friend ¨C I cannot ept this."

    The more Veronica thought about it, the angrier she became. "I hope this is just an impulse. As long as she apologizes and promises not to harm again, I''ll forgive her."

    "This is not you who needs to forgive her," Arthur mentioned. "Catherine was the one who got frightened and suffered. Let her be the judge."

    "But that woman is important for the tower, and you know it," Veronica was restless.

    Arthur patiently stated, "Nica, a culprit is a culprit. She did something wrong. She will be punished. A person cannot rece others, but a talent can."

    Veronica heard him and calmed down. "I''m sorry. My head was so upied that I kept thinking about myself. I should have realized how Cathy felt. I will let her deal with this. But from what I think, she won''t ever forgive her after what she had gone through."

    "That would be for the best. Shall we go to sleep?" Arthur asked her.

    "Then who will take care of Cathy?" Veronica was concerned. "I need to stay by her side in case she has a nightmare and needs someone to console her."

    "I will," Sebastian gathered some courage and dered. "I will stay with her."

    ''Should I let him stay? What will Cathy think? I''m sure she will be safe with him, and I''m tired after using my healing power. If I don''t rest now, I will have a bad morning. I do think Sebastian would be a better choice than Vincent, but it doesn''t matter what I think. It''s Cathy''s choice. I can just give her an opportunity to see how Sebastian can treat her,'' Veronica pondered.

    She thought this through before replying, "All right, just call for me if something happens."

    Arthur red at his subordinate from behind.

    Sebastian gulped as he felt the intense re. "¡­I will. I will make sure to call you if something needs your assistance," he promised while thinking in his mind, ''There is no way I will call you, Mistress. If I do, I won''t be able to see another day.''

    "Good." Veronica was assured and left with her husband.

    "Don''t tell me you are nning to pounce on her now that you got the chance," Darius remarked when only the two of them were left in the corridor.

    "What are you talking about?" Sebastian was flustered.

    "What? Did you think you are good enough to hide your love sickness?" Darius grinned. "So, will you attack her while she is sleeping?"

    "Only you will do something so dirty to a woman." Blushing hard, Sebastian red at him.

    "Enjoy the night!" Darius sang as he walked away.

    His room was at the end of the corridor. Zinnia, Merlin, and Ironin''s room were right beside his. asionally, they all stayed here. Whenever they worked tillte at night, they spent nights here.

    Sebastian stared at Darius as though he was drilling his back. Later, he pped his chest.

    ''I need to calm down. She bled so much. She is sick. I shouldn''t think of anything inappropriate,'' he repeatedly told himself.

    After that, he entered her room.. His eyesnded on the sleeping beauty.

 Chapter 344 - SEBASTIANS PUNISHMENT

    Catherine was sleeping soundly. There was a trace of tiredness under her eyes. It showed how hard she worked every day. Her face was pale, indicating that she lost too much blood.

    There was a table right beside her bed. Sebastian left the pot there. There was a medium-sized firestone under the pot that kept the pot warm. There was a chair in front of the table.

    Sebastian strode forward and sat there. Putting his left elbow on the table, he leaned on his palm. Then, he gazed at her without blinking.

    He recalled the time with her. When they first met and how they got along well. Most of the time, they came to fight each other. However, her every minor thing, he remembered them in detail.

    Whenever he was alone, he would start thinking about her. Later, he began to notice her every move, what kind of food she liked, what color was her favorite.

    He thought he had gone crazy. But then, she met a guy named Vincent and got along with him. They got closer and closer.

    That''s when he felt a pang on his chest and realized that he had feelings for her that were not for a normal friend. It was a feeling a man had for a woman.

    He tried not to think about it anymore and secretly wished her well. He wanted her to fall in love with the man she loved and live happily forever.

    He did think of confessing to her, but he was afraid of what would happen if she rejected him. Since she liked Vincent, it was inevitable that she could reject him if he confessed.

    Thinking that she might feel ufortable after his confession, he couldn''t dare to express his feelings. Rather, he prioritized her happiness.

    It was one of the reasons he didn''te and bother her with the date she had this morning.

    However, she was in danger, and he was toote to rescue her. He realized that he couldn''t keep her out of his sight.

    He slowly reached out and held her pale hand. Her hand was cold. He squeezed her hand so that he could transfer his warmth to her.

    ''It hurts when I see you with him. And if I don''t guard you, you get hurt. Tell me, what am I supposed to do?'' he was conflicted.

    Catherine, who was sleeping soundly, sensed something warm touching her hand.

    ''¡­Who is holding my hand¡­?'' She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids seemed too heavy. She felt like drowning all the way down to a deep ocean.

    When she opened her eyes, she felt like she slept for years. She yawned. It was still night. Two candles in her room were still lit up.

    She scanned her room and found Sebastian. He was sitting on her chair. His head was lowered. He was taking a nap.

    ''Why is he here¡­'' As she tried to wonder about his presence, she recalled what happened before she lost consciousness.

    ''Wait, I was stabbed on my back!'' She abruptly sat on the bed and ced her hand on the back. She felt no pain or injury.

    "What? Why? Was that Ver?" Confused, she spoke without realizing.

    In a quiet room, Sebastian heard Catherine''s voice. He quickly opened his eyes and found her sitting on the bed. He stood up.

    "Catherine, are you okay? Why are you awake? Are you feeling ufortable?" His voice was full of concern.

    Catherine gradually looked at him. "Sebastian¡­ did you save me?"

    Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed. He lowered his head and apologized. "I''m sorry. I was toote¡­"

    Before he could finish his sentence, he was punched on his chest.

    "You arete, you idiot!" Catherine med him as she gave him another punch. Tears streamed down her eyes. "Do you know how scared I was? It hurt a lot! I had never suffered like this before."

    Her sobbing pierced Sebastian''s heart. He grasped her hand and repeated, "I''m sorry. I''m sorry."

    Catherine didn''t heed his words. She stated, "You are supposed to protect me! You are my bodyguard, aren''t you?"

    "¡­" Sebastian became quiet.

    Truthfully, he was Veronica''s bodyguard. But, since she hardly went out, he got the chance to follow Catherine.

    He wanted to stay close to her by any means possible. Whenever Catherine caught him following him, he had an excuse ready, "I''m here to protect you if something bad happens."

    Catherine didn''t think too much and believed him. She genuinely thought that he was her bodyguard.

    Therefore, she neverined when he tailed her, even if it was a date. Moreover, she felt a sense of security whenever he was close.

    Catherine cried as her hands were tightly held by Sebastian. His guilty expression eased her heart. "You are such an idiot. Tell me how to punish you."

    Sebastian finally looked at her. They were sitting so close that he could hear her beating heart. He wanted to move away and then paused.

    ''I may never get the chance to sit close to her like this in the future. Just let me stay here for a while, close to her,'' he thought.

    He responded, "You can do whatever you want. I''ll ept anything."

    Catherine stared at him with her moist eyes. "Oh yeah? I can do whatever I want?"

    Sebastian carefully outreached his hand not to startle her and gently wiped tears from her cheek. "Yes, you can do whatever you want."

    "Even if I tell you to perform street dance butt naked?"

    Sebastian flinched. He wasn''t prepared for that kind of punishment. He pitifully asked her, "Isn''t there any better punishment?"

    Catherine knew she got him. She smirked and said, "What could be a better punishment than this? You need to be taught some lessons. Thus, you are going to the street, take off your pants, and dance in front of the public."

    Just imagining what it would look like, Sebastian shivered. From the bottom of his heart, he didn''t want to go through that. "How about something else other than being naked?"

 Chapter 345 - DANCER IN THE STREET

    "How about something else other than being naked?" Sebastian did not want to lose his face.

    When the whole tower would find out, he knew he was going to suffer greatly. Moreover, he wasn''t even assigned to be her bodyguard. It would be so unfair if get punished when he did nothing wrong.

    "No, you have to be naked," Catherine insisted.

    Sebastian realized that he had no way of escaping it. Catherine was determined to embarrass him. He tried to use hisst resort.

    He told her, "Fine, I will do it, however, you must know after dancing in the street, I will never be able to show my face to others. Master may try to transfer me to another ce. You will have no one to protect youter."

    Catherine dyed her reply. She pondered about the situation and frowned. "Why won''t I get another bodyguard if you aren''t there?"

    ''So, to you, the bodyguard is more important, not my existence,'' Sebastian thought. Deep inside his heart, he felt someone piercing a dagger. It was burning.

    ''Although I didn''t expect anything from her, I still thought that we were able to be good friends over the past few months. I guess it''s all my wishful thinking.''

    ''I''m the one who wanted to bind myself with you. If that''s how it''s going to be, I want to do it to appease her. At least, when she remembers me, she will remember that I never hurt her and meant no harm to her. I was true to her.''

    Before he knew it, he let go of her hands. "That''s because I volunteered to be your bodyguard and no one else," he replied to her question.

    Catherine''s hands suddenly felt empty and cold. She looked down and stared at her hands. "Why did you volunteer?" she asked.

    "That''s because I wanted to. There''s nothing wrong with sharpening one''s skill." Sebastian paused and then continued, "As you wish, I''m going to dance in the street."

    "Wait," Catherine pulled his hands, "you have to wear a mask so that no one recognizes you."

    "¡­I will do that. Are you hungry? You haven''t eaten anything since morning, have you?"

    Sebastian stood up, ced a bed table on the bed, and served the soup pot with a bowl and a spoon.

    He added, "You need to eat this soup to gain energy. You lost too much blood."

    "No wonder I feel so weak. I''m starving." Catherine began to eat. "What time is it?"

    Sebastian answered, "It''s midnight. You only slept three hours."

    "Did Ver heal me?"

    "Yes, she did. She wanted to stay here, but she looked so tired after using her power. So, I decided to stay here in case something happens."

    Catherine quietly chewed the piece of chicken in her mouth and then inquired, "¡­Did I snore?"

    Sebastian shook his head. "No, you did not."

    "Really?" Catherine was surprised. "I thought I did. Ver always told me that I have a bad sleeping habit."

    Sebastian chuckled. "She lied."

    "How could she do that?!" Catherine felt betrayed. "Because of her, I was always afraid of sleeping with other girls. Just you wait, Ver, I''m going to take revenge for what you did."

    After she emptied the pot, Sebastian cleared her bed and took the pot away. Before leaving, he said, "Since you are fine, I will guard you outside. If you need anything, call me."

    "All right." Catherine was sleepy after filling her stomach. She didn''t waste time anymore and went to sleep.

    The next day, she woke up with a refreshed body and mind. She hummed music and got ready for her work. On the breakfast table, she heard some magicians gossiping.

    "Did you hear? In the street, there was a guy dancing. He was totally butt naked!"

    "Oh yes, I heard that. A huge crowd was gathered in the street. Everyone had fun watching his performance. Theyughed until the guy disappeared."

    "Who was that guy?"

    "I don''t know. He was wearing a mask, they say. No one recognized him."

    "It must be a drunk."

    "Probably. Well, no one had the chance to get to know who he was because the guards saw the crowd and chased that guy. In the end, the guy escaped. He seemed skilled. Even the guards couldn''t catch him."

    "I heard he got himself a name."

    "Yeah! He was named smooth-butt-dancer. Haha!"

    They were excited and were speaking so loudly that Catherine was forced to listen to their gossip. She was a bit annoyed.

    ''What is with these people? Talking about a naked man in broad daylight so shamelessly. Who will dance butt naked¡­?'' Catherine''s hand paused in the midair. She recalledst night''s conversation with Sebastian.

    shback ¨C

    "Yes, you can do whatever you want."

    "Even if I tell you to perform street dance butt naked?"

    "Isn''t there any better punishment?"

    "What could be a better punishment than this? You need to be taught some lessons. Thus, you are going to the street, take off your pants, and dance in front of the public."

    shback ends ¨C

    Catherine dropped her spoon and covered her mouth. She remembered how persistently she pressured him to dance in the street with his butt naked.

    ''What was I thinking? I never thought I was a vengeful spirit! Why did I tell him to do something so shameless? It wasn''t that he was wrong. He dide to protect me. I didn''t say ''thank you'' and punished him instead. I wasn''t even drunk. I thought I was dreaming. But it was all real!''

    She also remembered what he said about her performance.

    "Fine, I will do it, however, you must know after dancing in the street, I will never be able to show my face to others. Master may try to transfer me to another ce. You will have no one to protect youter."

    "That''s because I volunteered to be your bodyguard and no one else"

    ''He offered to protect me voluntarily and I made such a mess!'' Catherine stood up. She had no appetite.. ''I need to find him.''

 Chapter 346 - THOUGHTFUL GUY

    ''I need to find him. I can''t let him disappear. I will apologize to him. As long as people don''t know who the dancer was, he doesn''t need to disappear.''

    The more she thought about it, the more she realized the urgency. She strode in the hallway and spotted his room. She quickened her pace and reached his room.

    She knocked on the door several times, but no one responded. She started to yell, "Sebastian, are you there? Open the door!"

    However, no one came to open the door. Her heart beat faster. She quickly went to Ovior''s room.

    "Ovior, did you see Sebastian?"

    "Sebastian?" Ovior fixed his sses. "Yes, he got another assignment from Arthur and left the tower. Do you need him?"

    "He left? For an assignment?" Catherine sighed in relief. ''At least he didn''t resign. It''s good as long as he is out for work. Or maybe, it was all a dream. The butt-naked dance is just coincidental.''

    "By the way, Catherine, are you doing okay? I heard what happened yesterday," Ovior mentioned.

    "Yeah, I''m okay, Thanks for asking. Do you know when Sebastian wille?"

    "I don''t. It''s almost time. Do you want to take a day off or want to continue the work?"

    "I''ll work. No need for a break." However, Catherine couldn''t concentrate on working. There was a pile of papers that needed her signature and she could barely read more than a few lines.

    "I''m going to take a break," she announced and left the room. ''I should talk to Ver,'' she thought. She changed her destination to the training ground.

    On the way, she met Darius. "Catherine, it''s good to see you. How are you feeling?"

    Catherine smiled at him. "I''m feeling better. Thank you, Darius. You were there when Sebastian was there to rescue me, didn''t you? I owe you."

    Darius shook his head. "Nah, you owe me nothing. But you should definitely thank Sebastian. That bastard was crying his eyes out while carrying your body. He never stayed with you all night to take care of you."

    "¡­He was¡­ crying?" Catherine was astonished when she heard it.

    "Not only that, but he also asked the chef to cook soup for you. Such a thoughtful guy. A perfect husband material." Darius winked at her.

    He thought inwardly, ''Sebastian, I already helped you. if you can''t capture the maiden''s heart after all these, I''ll sell you to the red-light district.

    "Husband material?" Catherine was dumbfounded while she stared at his back as he walked away. When she realized what he meant, her face furiously blushed.

    ''So,st night wasn''t a dream at all. He was really really there. That means, we were touching each other''s hands, and oh no!''

    She covered her face. Her face was blushing furiously. She was never embarrassed like that in her whole life.

    She had experienced many romantic times with Vincent. But sharing her feelingste at night alone with a man in her bed, nothing as such happened in her life.

    The whole day, she couldn''t forget the intimate scene.

    When Veronica came to talk to her during lunch, she was still in a daze.

    "Cathy? Cathy? Are you not feeling well? Why is your face reddish? Did you catch a fever?"

    Concerned, Veronica touched her forehead to check her temperature.

    Catherine came back to her senses. She couldn''t look at her friend. "I''m fine. Don''t worry about it."

    Veronica didn''t want to believe her as she recalledst night. "But you lost too much blood. You should be in bed resting. Why are you working today?"

    "I just wanted to. Thank you for healing me in time."

    "It''s all because Sebastian brought you quickly. I wish I could produce blood." Veronica felt useless and dejected.

    Now it was Catherine''s time to console her friend. "Hey, it''s fine. You did more than enough. I will eat properly and get better soon, I promise."

    "All right," Veronica didn''t persuade her anymore. "Oh, I forgot about Vincent. He must be worried sick after losing you. Shouldn''t you contact him?"

    Catherine gasped. "Oh! I almost forgot about him. Thank you for reminding me. I''ll send him a letter after I finish my meal."

    I can''t believe I forgot about Vincent. I was too upied thinking about Sebastian. Ahh! Stupid me!'' she scolded herself in her mind.

    She quickly finished her meal and then strode to her room. She wrote a letter to Vincent and sent it to the resort.

    After that, she went to Ovior''s office. She found Arthur, Veronica, Sebastian there. Their expressions were grave.

    "Did something happen?" Catherine asked.

    Veronica told her, "Well, we found the culprit who paid the thugs to kill you. The person was outside in the morning. So, we didn''t do anything. Now that the culprit is in the tower, we want to deal with her right now."

    Catherine was stunned. "Her? The culprit was a woman? Why would a woman want me to die? When did I harm anyone?"

    "That''s what we are going to find out," Arthur stated. "Ovior, call for her."

    "On it." Using the magical device, Ovior sent a message to the culprit toe to his room.

    In less than ten minutes, the culprit was present. "Ovior, did you call for me?" As she walked inside the room, she asked. That''s when she noticed Arthur. She was delighted. "Oh my, Arthur is here as well. Why are you looking for me?"

    "Because we want to figure out why would you spend so much money to kill my friend." Veronica who was hiding behind a shelf came forward, along with Darius and Catherine.

    Veronica intently stared at her and continued, "Can you tell us, Aria?"

    Aria''s expression faltered. However, she collected herself rather quickly. "What are you talking about? Are you drunk?"

    "Where were you the day before yesterday after you left the tower?" Arthur asked bluntly. He didn''t want to waste time on drama.

    "The day before yesterday? Arthur, did you forget that I fell from a high ce and was resting in bed afterward?"

    ____________________________________________________________________________

    A/N: If anyone is wondering how handsome Arthur looks like with his long hair, you will find them on my IG and FB page.

    bio.link/flow07

 Chapter 347 - CALLING THE CULPRIT

    "Where were you the day before yesterday after you left the tower?"

    "The day before yesterday? Arthur, did you forget that I fell from a high ce and was resting in bed afterward?" Aria became emotional.

    She shed tears and continued, "Whole night, I was lonely. No one came to apany me. No one came to care for me either. Weak and sick, I couldn''t get up from the bed. How can you use me, Arthur? Anyone but you should trust me. I don''t know anything about killing."

    "Keep your crocodile''s tears to yourself, sweetheart," Darius stated in delight. "The thugs already confessed. Anyone can copy your appearance but the ring in your middle finger, it''s only one piece in the world."

    Aria''s expression changed. "What do you mean by that? What ring?"

    "The ring with the golden snake and its head was covered with a fireball. Sounds familiar?" Arthur asked.

    "They¡­ must have been lying. I''m being framed!" Ariained.

    "Oh really?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "And how would some street thugs would know about your family heirloom, Aria? You are known for only talking to nobles. Commoners aren''t your type."

    Aria remarked, "Some other people might have framed me."

    "Why will everyone frame you? How many people''s lives did you ruin for them framing you?" Veronica inquired with an innocent face.

    Aria gritted her teeth and red at her. "No matter what you say, I''m tell you that I was framed. I''m innocent."

    Everyone who was present found thisughable. Ovior couldn''t stand it anymore and used magic to teleport the thug.

    The thug leader suddenly appeared in the middle of the room. He cowered in the extreme light. The prison was dark and cold, opposite environment of where he was now.

    Aria''s expression twisted. She could barely recognize the thug leader. His entire body was treated as a chopping board. There wasn''t a ce where his skin wasn''t injured.

    "If you don''t speak up now, your situation will end up like this fellow over here," Ovior threatened her. Then he urged the thug leader, "Tell us if you can recognize her ring."

    ''If I can find that woman, I will be spared. I won''t be tortured anymore,'' the thug leader realized that, and his face lit up. He was enthusiastic as he approached Aria.

    Aria knew she was she was about to be doomed. She retreated subconsciously. She didn''t want to end up like that thug. She took a great care of her body for so long.

    She turned around and began to run. Arthur used magic to shut the door and then, he sealed it with magic.

    Aria stopped. Her path was blocked. She tried to use teleportation, but it didn''t work since she didn''t have the permit to do so anymore. Either Arthur or Ovior evoked her permission.

    Her heart was beating fast. She nervously turned around. The thug leader also caught her arm and checked her ring.

    His eyes shimmered with thousand lights when he recognized the ring. "This is it! This is the ring! That''s the hand. I remember this hand. Since I couldn''t see the face, I memorized the hand and the ring. I won''t mistake."

    "How are we going to punish you, Aria?" Arthur calmly questioned the culprit.

    Aria raised an eyebrow. She slowly exhibited her real expression. "Why? Why do you want to hurt me? Are you upset that I wanted to harm your mistress?"

    "Phhtt!"

    Catherine was drinking tea. She sprayed some of it while drinking. Using a magical cloth, she wiped her table.

    "Mistress? Are you mistaking Catherine as Arthur''s mistress?" Veronica inquired.

    "What I said is the truth. Arthur and Catherine have a secret rtionship," Aria confessed.

    Catherine wiped her mouth. "And how do you know that we are meeting secretly? Did we go for a stroll or something?"

    "I''ve seen you intimately touch him when other women couldn''t." Aria red at her. "How can you touch him but I don''t?"

    "What do you mean by I intimately touched him?" Catherine stood up from her chair. "When did I ever do that? I''m already dating someone to marry him. Don''t try to ruin my reputation. I never hurt you in any way."

    Darius shook his head regrettably. ''Sebastian, brother, I feel sorry for you. Don''t worry. I''ll find you a beautiful woman who is good at both cooking and riding in bed.''

    "¡­" Veronica and Arthur exchanged nces. They were puzzled as well.

    "You are dating someone and then touch Arthur''s back intimately in front of me? I''ve never seen a shameless woman in my entire life," Aria sneered.

    "I can''t believe touching my friend''s husband''s back to push him out of the room would be considered intimate." Catherine panicked. "Ver, what should I do? I think I did adultery. I''m not pure anymore!"

    Veronica covered her face. She recalled the day before yesterday Catherine pushed her and her husband''s back to push them out of Aria''s room.

    ''I have never considered that was an intimate move. Is that really intimate and inappropriate?'' Veronica considered deeply. ''I''ve also patted Urs and other men''s backs. Does it mean I''vemitted adultery as well?''

    Ovior stroked his forehead in annoyance. "Catherine, you hadn''t done any adultery. It was a simple gesture toward your friend, nothing more. Committing adultery means having an affair with someone else''s spouse."

    "But, wasn''t that an intimate gesture? I patted Ironin''s back. Did I have an affair just because I did so?" This time, Veronica freaked out.

    Arthur''s eyes dangerously narrowed. At that moment, he wanted to bring Ironin here and slice his back. He took a deep breath to calm his heart.

    Then, he grabbed Veronica''s hand who was sitting next to him and told her, "That''s not an affair. As long as you don''t have any romantic feelings involved, it wouldn''t be considered intimate or adultery."

    "¡­Is that so?" Veronica finally sighed in relief.

    "Then, did I get kidnapped and hurt because I just Arthur''s back?" Catherine was confused. "This doesn''t make sense!"

    "What do you mean by it doesn''t make sense?"

 Chapter 348 - SHOW MERCY OR NOT

    "Then, did I get kidnapped and hurt because I just Arthur''s back? This doesn''t make sense!" Catherine felt like she was wronged.

    "What do you mean by it doesn''t make sense? We, women who love Arthur, can''t even touch him. But here you are, without having any legal rtionship with him, casually touch him right before my nose. Do you think this is fair to us?"

    "Why does it have to be fair to you? Don''t you know that the world is an unfair ce?" Veronica raised an eyebrow.

    She was annoyed. "I can''t stand her foolishness any longer. Give her a proper punishment. I don''t want anyone hanging around us thinking such malice. It''ll be great if the whole tower knows about this. Everyone will be aware of what happens if they mess with us."

    Arthur smirked. He started getting used to this new ''Veronica''. She was no longer his na?ve princess. She had be a wise mistress.

    "I like that idea," Ovior stated after careful consideration. "I''d hate to take care of Arthur''s mess every time girls feel jealous."

    Arthur stared at him. "Now it''s my fault?!"

    "You bet!" Ovior med everyone on the Master of the Magic Tower. "If it weren''t for your lousy character, how could women make such moves?

    "Look at Ironin. Is he less handsome than you are? Did you see how upright he is? He is still a virgin. Did he die without sleeping with women?

    "You could at least learn from him and things like kidnapping, assassinating wouldn''t happen."

    Somewhere in the garden, Ironin was sharpening his weapons. He suddenly sneezed and rubbed his nose. ''Who is talking about me?'' he wondered.

    ''If he continues, Nica will get upset. Things are getting better between us. I can''t take the risk,'' Arthur rubbed his temple as he thought about the possible threat.

    He confessed, "If I knew I would end up falling for a brilliant woman, I wouldn''t have slept with other ugly women either."

    Aria was bewildered as she stared at him. She couldn''t believe her eyes.

    ''I¡­ took care of my body and shaped it into the way he liked women. There were countless nights we spent our nights embracing each other in bed. Did he really think I was ugly?''

    She recalled their passionate nights and did not think that Arthur could hate a woman and sleep with her at the same time.

    "I don''t believe it. Arthur, tell me you love me. You spent so many n¨C!! Mm!! Mm!!!"

    Her lips were sealed, and she couldn''t talk anymore. She desperately looked at Arthur, but he was merciless. He didn''t like her talking so much about the past.

    ''Damn that woman! She isn''t the only woman I slept with. Why is this one so troublesome? I don''t want Nica to find out more details of my dirty past,'' he thought.

    "Why not let her finish her words?" Veronica suggested. Her voice was rather cold. "I''d love to know what she has to share."

    The men in the room froze. As inexperienced as they were, they didn''t know how to handle a woman with a big temper.

    Darius gulped. ''Arthur, you ruined your own life. Now, you only know how to deal with your wife. Married women''s jealousy is the scariest thing.''

    ''This is over. She is angry. I might have to sleep on the floor tonight.'' Arthur wiped his sweat.

    ''Go, Ver! Go! Teach your yboy husband a lesson. Make him regret even looking at other women. Traumatize him!!!'' Catherine cheered inwardly.

    "That''s not necessary," Ovior spoke first. As Arthur''s friend, he came to the rescue. "I''ve heard enough annoying stories today. I want to let my brain and heart rest."

    Veronica didn''t approach Aria afterward. She let Arthur handle the rest.

    Aria screamed at Arthur, "Arthur, please stop doing this! For the old times'' sake, forget what I have done."

    "You should be happy that I didn''t ask him to order some thugs to gang rape you," Catherine told her.

    "Thanks to your stupid jealousy, not only did I lose blood, but I was also almost gang-raped. I never harmed you. But you tried to harm me.

    "You never thought about my situation. There should be no mercy for you if you can''t show me mercy."

    Her words stopped Aria from refuting. But she didn''t want to give up.

    Arthur gave her enough time to redeem but since she didn''t, he ceased her powers and mobilized her. Taking the chance, Darius took her to the dungeon, the underground prison.

    "What do you want to do about the thugs?" Ovior pointed at the thug leader.

    The leader knelt before them and begged for mercy, "Please spare me. I promise I''ll never harm you anymore."

    Catherine shuddered. She didn''t want to deal with this. "Excuse me," saying that she stood up and left the room.

    ''I can''t take this. I know they had been tortured enough to tell who gave them money, but it''s still hard for me to forgive them. Just thinking about yesterday''s incident gives me chills,'' she thought.

    "I guess it''s hard for her to kill him and bring justice," Oviormented.

    "How do you want to deal with him?" Arthur softly asked Veronica''s opinion.

    Veronica was still upset with him. Without talking to him, she stood up and stepped in front of the thug leader.

    "Do you want mercy?" she asked him.

    The thug leader found hope in her words. He bowed several times as his head touched the ground. "Yes! Yes! Please have mercy!"

    "¡­" Veronica intently stared at him.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________

    ANNOUNCEMENT:

    Hiya my beloved Readers!!! I have some news to share with you all.

    My elder sis is positive, and I''ve been suffering from cough and runny nose for several days. Since the day before yesterday, my temperature has risen a bit. I''m taking care of myself and taking meds. I hope I don''t catch it.

    I''m also preparing for my exam. I don''t even have a month left and am super nervous.

    Despite all that, I will try my best to update the book regrly. Forgive me if I make mistakes with my foggy head. I can hardly focus.

    Please pray for me. _/_ _/_ _/_

 Chapter 349 - THE REASONS BEHIND HER THOUGHTS

    "¡­" As the thug leader groveled on her feet, Veronica intently stared at him.

    She didn''t feel like forgiving him after she heard from Catherine that they were going to gang-rape her.

    She finally opened her mouth, "I''ll let you go, but I have what condition."

    The thug leader hurriedly replied, "Whatever condition it is, I''ll ept it."

    "Be a better person. It''s not just you but all of your friends. Don''t ever drink alcohol. Leave the city and find a ce to work.

    "Don''t ever do anything illegal or harm good, innocent people. I''ll keep an eye on you all. If one of you does something wrong, I''ll make you disappear from the world."

    That was Veronica''s condition.

    The thug leader agreed and left with his team. They kept thanking Veronica for showing mercy, but Veronica didn''t melt.

    Later, she went to meet Catherine in her room. Catherine let here inside and asked, "Did you let them go?"

    Veronica hesitated before asking, "Cathy, are you mad at me?"

    Catherine shook her head. "No, I know you wouldn''t judge them wrong. Everyone deserves a second chance. You let Aria work too, right?"

    Veronica replied, "We can''t lose Aria. She is a good magician. We are letting her stay in the magic resistance room. She will work there. She can''t get out. Her food will be given by Arthur''s men.

    "So, there is no chance for the magicians to meet her. She can''t contact them. Her power has been limited. She can''t attack anyone. She will work every day without a reward, like a ve."

    "A ve for the rest of her life," Catherine sighed. "I must admit, Ver. You really know how to pick up a punishment. I''m sure after the announcement, the whole tower will be freaked out."

    Veronica was nonchnt about it. "Let them freak out. I don''t like it when women lust over my husband. It''s disgusting."

    Catherine nced at her. "Are you mad at your husband? You know, everything he did ¨C that was before meeting you."

    Veronica dropped her shoulders. "I know, but I feel so conflicted. I told myself countless times that he didn''t cheat on me. His past doesn''t matter. Even before going out with me, his actions shouldn''t affect me.

    "But here I am, jealous over the fact that other women lust over my man because they got to sleep with him. It''s like we will never find peace as long as we are around women."

    "Leave me out of it. I''m not interested in Arthur," Catherine giggled. "I like Vincent more."

    "Did you get a reply from Vincent?"

    "Not yet. I''m not sure whether he is upset or not. I''ll wait for his reply."

    "Fine," Veronica didn''t push her further. "By the way, don''t forget to thank Sebastian after hees back. He had done a lot."

    While talking about Sebastian, she thought, ''Sebastian, I''ll give you a chance. If you can''t take this opportunity, you will never be able to get a woman in your life.''

    ''Can I meet him again? What if he leaves and neveres back? If I really told him to dance butt naked and he did it this morning, I see zero chance to meet him again in my life.'' Catherine became restless as she thought about it.

    "Will¡­ Will Sebastiane back? What if he doesn''t?" she expressed her concern.

    Veronica didn''t know the details. She frowned. "Why won''t hee back?"

    Catherine didn''t want to share his embarrassing story with her best friend. "No, it''s nothing. I have a feeling that he won''te back."

    Veronica gasped. "Cathy, don''t say something like that! He went on a mission. If you say it, what if he truly neveres back alive? I''d hate to lose a good bodyguard like him."

    Catherine never heard it before. "Sebastian¡­ is he your bodyguard?"

    Veronica told her the truth. "He is. Arthur assigned him to protect me."

    "Then¡­ then why did he follow me around and neglect his duty?" Catherine was puzzled.

    ''How can you still not understand after everything I told you?'' Veronica wanted to p her own face.

    "How would I know?" she shrugged. "I hardly go out and he took this chance to guard you instead. Since you are a beauty, he thought you needed protection."

    Catherine scratched her head. "But why though? It''s not that anything happens to me as it happens to you. Even if I''m not guarded, I hardly have an ident."

    Veronica gently refuted, "How can you say that? He didn''t guard you yesterday and you were kidnapped. Just think how much guilt he had when he noticed that you were taken away. I can''t imagine it."

    "I still don''t understand why he would go to such length to protect me." Catherine suddenly had an idea. "Oh! I know! He must have been sharpening his skills because he sucks at his job."

    Veronica was drinking a ss of water. She nearly spat it out after hearing her best friend''s logic. "Like seriously? Is that what you came up with after all his hard work?"

    Catherine was even more puzzled. "What? Do you have any better ideas?"

    "Most definitely." Veronica put down the ss and stated, "How about something like ¨C my best friend is a beauty and he fell in love with her at first sight? Doesn''t it sound dreamy?"

    "Dreamy, my ass!" Catherine frowned. "Don''t even joke about it. Him? Fell in love with me? You want me to believe that? Just why on earth did youe back with such a bizarre idea?"

    It was Veronica''s time to be dumbfounded. "And why do you think it is a bizarre idea?"

    "That''s because we hardly get along. He always picks a fight with me. He always has to say something that will piss me off. So, tell me why should I think he fell in love with me," Catherine gave her reasons.

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless.

    ''Sebastian, I wanted to help you out. Why did you have to bully your crush? Don''t you know not all women like this kind of thing? Only masochists fall in love with their bullies. Cathy isn''t like that.. She will murder you if you confess now.''

 Chapter 350 - THE LETTER

    When Veronica heard how Sebastian treated Catherine, she didn''t know what to say. She was left off-guard.

    Catherine saw her friend''s thunderstruck expression. Thus, she changed the subject, "Let''s just wait for Vincent''s letter. I want to stay in the tower and finish my work for the time being."

    Veronica agreed with her. "That would be for the best. Who knows who will attack next? Since you don''t have a bodyguard, it will be hard for you if something happens. Sebastian would protect you before. Who will do it now?"

    "Maybe I should learn sword fighting with you," Catherine was considering it for a while.

    "You can if you want. I''d love to show you a few moves, or you can just use teleport magically to teleport to the tower." Veronica didn''t want to push her thoughts around. She wanted to ept whatever her friend wanted for her life.

    "I think I will choose thetter, but who will give me the stone?" Catherine wondered.

    "Ask Ovior to make you one," Veronica suggested.

    "Okay, I will do that."

    Later in the evening, Catherine finally got a letter from Vincent. The letter says,

    Dear Catherine,

    I hope you are doing great. I was frightened by your sudden disappearance. I''ve even asked the guards to help me, but they couldn''t locate you. I was so worried that I didn''t leave the capital city. I stayed here. In the evening, I got a letter from my family saying that your letter went to the resort. They sent your letter to me as well. You have no idea who relieved I was when I read your letter.

    I want to confirm that you are alive. Will you pleasee and meet me? I''ll give you the address.

    Yours,

    Vincent

    Catherine wore warm clothes and went to the address he wrote down. It was a three-star motel. Travelers stay here for one or two days.

    She went to the diner where Vincent was having dinner alone. He was staring at his food and didn''t take a single bite.

    She teasingly remarked, "Looks like someone is ying with their food. Who eats dinner sote?"

    Vincent abruptly raised his head and saw her. As though dark clouds floated away, his face brightened up like the summer noon.

    He stood up and hugged her. "Thank goodness that you are fine. I was worried sick."

    "Vincent, we are outside." Catherine was so embarrassed that her body became stiff.

    Vincent controlled his urge to kiss her. He let her sit first before he went back to his original seat.

    He ordered something light for her and then inquired, "What happened to you? Did you catch the thief who took your money?"

    "About that¡­ no, I didn''t. I was taken away by a group. They were hired to assassinate me."

    "What did you say?!"

    "Rx, before they could do it, I ran away. But they threw a knife at me. I was badly injured. But then my friends were walking off the street. They helped me out.

    "They took me to Ver. You know Ver is good at taking care of injured people. She took care of me all night."

    She had to hide many things as kidnapping a woman wasn''t looked at appropriately in the world they lived in. People would talk about her on her back.

    They would say she had be impure even if she hadn''t. Later, bad people would try to sell her in the brothel.

    "How are you feeling now? Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?"

    "Rx, it doesn''t hurt much. I told you. Ver is really good at her job. And I rested all night. When I woke up, I barely felt the pain."

    "I can''t believe such a thing had happened. I must thank all of your friends for protecting you. Why don''t you bring them to the resort next weekend? Free of charge. I all wholeheartedly serve them."

    "Aww! You don''t have to go that far." Even though she said that Catherine was touched.

    "No, I must. It''s my duty to do that. I''m so d nothing else happened to you. Why did someone try to kill you?"

    "Ahh¡­ that was a long story. I get along well with my employer. I mean I spend most of the time working with him.

    "Of course, we would be close after working for such a long time. The woman thought we were dating. So, she wanted to eliminate me.

    "Fortunately, my friends were right on time. They captured the assassins and interrogated them. The assassins spilled everything. We punished the woman. She will never get out of prison."

    Vincent rxed his muscles. "That sounds perfect. She should have been prepared for the oue when she tried to harm you."

    Catherine agreed, "I think so too. I''m so sorry I couldn''t contact you yesterday. You had to spend a day here as well."

    "What are you saying? Your safetyes fast. My work or time doesn''t matter." Vincent paused before suggesting, "Catherine, do you want to stay here? I''m afraid I don''t want to stay a second without you after hearing I almost lost you."

    "Sure, I will." For some reason, Catherine wished for apany. Surely, her friend couldn''t do that. So, it wasn''t bad that Vincent agreed to be with her.

    Later, Vincent took her to his room. Before she knew it, she was being kissed by Vincent. His passionate kisses made her grow numb.

    Catherine shuddered as the jolting sensation spread throughout her body. Her body responded to him in delight.

    Vincent noticed it and leaped in joy. His kisses grew wilder. His tongue swept her mouth as if he was nning to clean her inside and out.

    His hands caressed her body. Feeling her trembling under his touch, he tried to be rather cautious.

    One by one, her warm clothes dropped on the floor. She had no idea when she was pushed against the bed. Her head was dizzy. Overwhelmed with his feverish touch, she was unable to think of anything.

    Her thoughts were frozen in the cold winter.

 Chapter 351 - COLD WINTER NIGHT

    When Vincent pulled out from her, Catherine was wearing a thinyer of clothes. She trembled once in a while in excitement.

    Vincent already untied her hair ribbon. Her curly blonde hair was disheveled. Her chest was moving up and down. He licked his lips. His hand reached out and groped one of her breasts.

    "Hnng¡­" Catherine arched her back. She panted roughly. She tried to focus on his face, but her vision was hazy.? She could only think about where his disobedient hands stroked her.

    Vincent massaged her chest over her undergarment. "Catherine, my love, does this feel good?"

    Embarrassed by his question, she shut her eyes. "¡­I¡­ don''t know¡­"

    "Don''t say that. Look how flushed you are. And this is growing harder." By ''this'', he meant her small mound. He brushed over her small peach over her clothes and still could feel it getting perked up.

    While groping her with his left hand, his right hand trailed down. His fingers touched her body over the clothes. Thus, he wasn''t satisfied. His fingers moved down and pressed against her sweetest spot.

    The electrifying sensation jerked her body. Catherine moaned softly. She closed her legs together, capturing his hand in between his legs.

    Even if his arm was imprisoned, his fingers weren''t. He stroked his middle finger against her fold. Something liquid sipped through her undergarment, slowly soaking his finger.

    "You are wet, Catherine. See here? Whenever I touch you, you respond perfectly." Delighted by her reaction, he put his finger inside her panties and touched her warm flower directly.

    Catherine let out a cry. Not sure what was happening down there. She was confused. However, it gave her a foreign sensation. She had no idea about theseplex feelings.

    Her body was opening up to Vincent. She wanted to think if she didn''t ept him, why would her body react like that.

    She had known for a long time that sexual intercourse was one of the most amazing things in the world. Even so, she had no idea how to do it until she saw the couple in the streette at night.

    When she saw the woman was calling out for her lover in an explicit way, she realized that pleasure made her act like that.

    From then on, she was curious and wished to do something like that. She had been anticipating being touched like that by the man she loved. She wanted to open her body and venture into the wilderness with him.

    Now that the moment had arrived, she was rather nervous. Her heart was pounding harshly.

    Vincent kissed her cheek lovingly and coaxed her, "Catherine, it feels so good. Do you want to open her legs a bit? I want to see how beautiful you look. I want to see everything of you."

    Ashamed by his words, Catherine shook her head. Her whole body was writhing in pleasure. Even so, she was desperate not to open her legs.

    Realizing that she was too embarrassed to listen to him, Vincent decided to take another approach.

    He lowered his head and took her touched breast in his mouth. He sucked her over her clothes, slowly drenching the mold before biting it hard.

    "Ahh!" Catherine hugged his neck, trying to push him away in reflex. But when he bit her nipple, she clung to him, not letting him go.

    As if that was his n, Vincentughed. He yed with one of her breasts with his mouth while another one was being assaulted by his fingers.

    He suddenly let go of her breast and rolled up her clothes, revealing her smooth skin. Her white undergarment was exposed.

    "Wa¡­ wait¡­ Vincent¡­" Bashfully, Catherine wanted to forbid him not to go further than this.

    However, Vincent didn''t heed her words. He blocked her lips and deepened his kiss while he unfastened her undergarment. As he pulled it down, a beautifully shaped pair was put on view.

    Vincent smoothly broke away from the kiss and stared at her round-shaped breasts. It was the second time he had seen them. His mouth was dry.

    Mesmerized by the view, he dumbly stared at her. His fingers that were teasing her lower mouth halted as well.

    Catherine couldn''t stand his intense stare. She wanted to move away and hide her breasts.

    Vincent instantly grabbed her hands with his left hand and pushed them up. Her body jerked and her breasts bounced. He couldn''t take his eyes off the engrossing action.

    He pressed them up above her head and asked her, "Why are you trying to hide away from me? From now on, you should show me your everything. I''ve waited so long to embrace you. Now that I see you like this, I can barely wait."

    Saying his lines, his mouth crushed on her mound. He could finally test the vor of her flesh. He couldn''t control himself.

    Catherine''s entire body trembled. Her body was burning wherever he touched. As much as she anticipated his touch, her body responded the same. The body was overly sensitive as he yed with her body secret parts that no one touched or had seen before.

    While attacking one of her breasts, he pinched her flower with both hands. He heard her moan loudly. At the same time, something warm oozed out from her flower hole. It made him excited.

    He inserted his middle finger inside her hole. Since she was drenched and slippery, his finger could go inside without much problem.

    However, she was sping his finger down there. He could barely go any further.

    "Catherine, my darling, can you loosen up a bit? I want to explore your sweet spot that no one experienced before," he kissed her mouth and begged her in a gentle voice,

    Catherine''s ears were buzzing. "I¡­ I don''t know how¡­"

    _________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ANNOUNCEMENT

    The Readers who bought the Highest Tier deserves some pictures. Knock me on my social media and send the text screenshot in this chapter. Whoever sends the screenshot gets the pictures.. There are 2 smut scenes as well. ??

 Chapter 352 - DO SOMETHING

    Under Vincent''s coaxing, Catherine stared at him with confusion. She could barely process his words. "I¡­ I don''t know how¡­"

    She couldn''t think straight. Her body parts were moving on their own as if she wasn''t any part of them. She had no control over her body.

    Vincent was impatient. He gently urged her, "Take a deep breath¡­ slowly¡­ Yes, you are doing great. Take another deep breath¡­"

    Once Catherine''s focus went to something else, her fold loosened up a bit. He could slip his finger freely. His finger slid all the way inside.

    When she realized what happened, her focus immediately shifted to the finger. Her tight walls sped around his finger tightly.

    Vincent''s middle finger was already inside. He could feel his tightness. He began to sweat.

    The inner walls squeezing his finger were hot. Though he had only inserted his middle finger, her walls quivered and clenched around it so tightly.

    He thought, ''What will happen when she wraps around me like this when I''m inside her?'' Just thinking about that made his dick hard.

    He knew a virgin''s hole was super tight when no one ever touched this area. Being able to be the first person doing this to the woman underneath him, he was thrilled.

    While kissing her mouth, he directly teased her flower core. He thrust his middle finger fiercely, going in and out with a great force.

    He used the thumb of the same hand to y with the small pearl above the hole.

    His attention was concentrated on her entrance, where the tightening and loosening motions were repeated whenever the stimulus on her bud was applied.

    "Hnnn¡­" Catherine''s breathing quickened. She bit her lips, trying to restrain her moans.

    She was losing her senses from his rapid movement. Her lovely body intensely trembled as a huge amount of nectar overflowed out of her sweet hole.

    Vincent''s finger elerated the speed of thrusting while his other hand continuously teased her small mound that had hardened. It had turned red under his continuous assault.

    "Catherine, do you hear it? The sound?" he asked all of a sudden.

    Confused, Catherine tilted her head. She tried to focus on what sound he was talking about. It was hard to concentrate when her sensitive spots were being touched like that.

    It took her a lot of effort to do that. Once she did, she heard something wet. It was an unfamiliar sound that repeated continuously.

    Vincent observed her puzzled expression and chuckled. "This wet sound is being caused by us. Whenever my finger moves inside you, we produce the sound along with your love juice."

    As he exined, he thrust faster, and the wet sounds also quickened.

    Catherine''s face waspletely flushed. She had never thought this kind of obscene sound could be produced by her own body.

    Vincent was enticed when he saw her writhing under him. He hurried his pace as she jolted in pleasure. His finger explored inside her walls, touching and pressing them only to feel her.

    Catherine''s leg muscles trembled violently before more juices gushed out. Let out an unrestrained moan at the same time. Her vision became white.

    She had climaxed.

    The sensation she was feeling, she could never exin it. As if something that was building inside her for a long time had been released. She felt tired. Her chest rose up and went down rapidly.

    Vincent let out a sigh of contentment. He was d that he was able to make her cum with his finger. He smiled and kissed her face lovingly.

    Soon after, he pulled out her hand, leaving her honey hole empty. His finger waspletely drenched with her love juice. When he pulled out, some juice licked out from her sweet hole.

    Afterward, he kissed her lips passionately as a reward.

    Catherine, who had no strength left, moved her lips to respond to his kisses. However, her movement was slow.

    While kissing her, Vincent was ready to take another step when someone banged on the wall beside the bed.

    "Yo! Lovebirds, keep it down. I''m trying to sleep here!"

    Startled, both Catherine and Vincent jumped.

    Catherine had no idea that the walls were so thin in the motel. They could practically hear everything clearly from what their neighbor said.

    Her dizziness was gone, and her head became clearer. ''If I can hear him clearly, he can hear us too, doesn''t he?''

    The moment she thought about that, blood rushed on her face. She was so embarrassed that she turned her body and pressed her face on the pillow.

    When Vincent saw her expression and action, his shoulders dropped. He knew he couldn''t go further when she was regretting doing that in a motel. He got up and covered her body with theforter.

    "Let''s stop here for tonight," he whispered in her ear. "Once youe to my ce, let''s continue where we left off."

    He noticed her ear twitch. He snickered and pecked on her ear before leaving the room, giving her some time and space to calm down.

    -----------

    Meanwhile, in the tower, everyone had found out about Aria''s crime and punishment.

    The female magicians had be vignt. They didn''t dare to fantasize about Arthur anymore. Whenever they tried to, they recalled Aria''s punishment and stopped themselves from thinking of Arthur.

    To ease up the atmosphere, Veronica arranged a game in the arena. All senior and junior level magicians could y there.

    The audience screamed louder as the magicians inside the ring desperately fought each other.

    Veronica stayed there and enjoyed the fight.

    At some point, Dave Morton came forward and greeted her. "Mistress, it has been a while. Are you doing well?"

    Veronica smiled at him. "Yes, it has been a while. I''m doing well. How are you?"

    "I''m great. I heard what happened. Is Miss Catherine okay? I didn''t see her all day."

    "She is resting. I didn''t want her to overwork after what she had gone through. No one would feel well after being chased by murderers."

    "That is true. I wonder what made Aria think she could get away with it when Catherine was working under Second Master Ovior."

    "I was wondering the same thing. I guess women in love do crazy things."

    "It doesn''t just generalize to women. When men are in love, they do the craziest things in the world. Our Master is a good example."

    Realizing that he was talking about Arthur summoning the Devil, Veronica became quiet.

    As she became quiet, Dave Morton understood that she didn''t want to talk about it in public. He changed his subject. "I haven''t seen Master and Second Master. Are they busy?"

    "I don''t know. I haven''t seen them for a while either." As she talked about them, Veronica wondered where they had gone. It''s like, they suddenly vanished.

    "Excuse me," excusing herself, she left that ce and headed to Arthur''s office. She searched for him in every corner, but he was nowhere. Afterward, she went to Ovior''s room.

    Usually, Ovior would work tillte at night. Tonight, he wasn''t at his working table.

    "Ovior, are you here?" she called out. Just like Arthur''s office, Ovior''s office was huge. There were multiple shelves and it was hard to see everything at one nce from one ce.

    She roamed around and looked for them. In the end, she found them in the corner. They were sitting on the floor. Several empty bottles were rolling in front of them.

    Veronica was speechless. It was the first time she had seen those two in disheveled shape. Especially Ovior. Thisposed guy loosened up his cor and unbuttoned his uniform, exposing a small part of his solid chest.

    ''Ooo! I didn''t know Ovior had muscles. I''ve never seen his chest. I never saw him practice martial arts. How did he gain so many muscles?'' she wondered as she stood there.

    Ovior might have noticed someone''s presence. He slowly opened his eyes and raised his head. He spotted Veronica in front of them.

    In his drunken state, her figure and red hair reminded him of someone he had sealed for a long time. He stared at her in a daze. He forgot to blink.

    "Ovior, are you okay?" Veronica asked in concern. Since he was drunk, his behavior was out of his character.

    Ovior finally let out a breath. ''This is not her. This is Arthur''s wife,'' his mind told him. He rubbed his eyes and asked to confirm, "Veronica, is that you?"

    "Yes, it is me." Veronica came closer and crouched in front of her husband. She looked at Ovior and asked, "Are you all right, Ovior? Should I help you?"

    ''It''s not her. So, what''s the point?'' Ovior shook his head. "No, you can leave with this bastard. I want to stay here alone."

    At his curse, Veronica realized that he wasn''t happy with Arthur for some reason.

    She pondered, ''Did something happen between them? But then why are they drinking together? Maybe I will askter.''

    She pushed Arthur but he wouldn''t budge. "Arthur, wake up. Let''s go to our room. Don''t bother Ovior."

    "Zzzz¡­" Arthur was so heavily drunk that he didn''t hear that she was calling him.

    Veronica began to p his face. "Wake up, Arthur! Wake up!"

    "p him more. Harsher and harder¡­"

 Chapter 353 - ADULTS BEING CHILDISH

    When Veronica tried to wake up her husband by pping his face, she heard from the sideline, "p him more. Harsher and harder¡­"

    "¡­" She was speechless by Ovior''s childish act. "Did you two argue about something?"

    ''What couldn''t possibly Arthur talk about to offend Ovior. They are adults and friends. Howe they can''t just get along. I''m sure Arthur said something stupid to make him angry,'' she pondered.

    Ovior bluntly expressed his annoyance. "This bastard got all his loveints to share with him. I''m sick of this."

    Veronica held back herughter. "Isn''t this because he trusts you?"

    Ovior deeply frowned. "I don''t want to be tortured."

    "What did he talk about?" Veronica became interested.

    Ovior seemed frustrated when he heard her question. "He was losing his mind not being able to sleep with you."

    "Huh?" Veronica cocked her head. "But we sleep together."

    Ovior let out a deep sigh. "What''s not what I mean."

    "¡­" Veronica''s eyes were asking him ¨C ''then what do you mean?''

    Ovior''s frown deepened. "Figure it out yourself."

    "All right, I will do that. But can you please teleport Arthur to his bedroom? I''m sure you can''t teleport him inside the bedroom but at least outside the bedroom is fine." Veronica was tired of pulling her heavy husband.

    "I''ll teleport him." Ovior snapped his finger and a light blue colored aura enveloped Arthur before making him disappear.

    What Veronica didn''t know was that her husband wasn''t sent outside the bedroom. He was mercilessly dropped in the freezing cold water of the swimming pool.

    At first, Arthur''s body jerked at the sudden fall, and then the next second, his body was attacked by thousands of needles.

    He abruptly woke up only to find himself in the pool. Trembling tremendously, he snapped his finger just like Ovior to teleport to his bedroom.

    At that moment, Veronica opened the door and came inside. She was also teleported by Ovior. But she was sent to the corridor of their bedroom.

    She didn''t find Arthur in the corridor. Curious, she opened the door. When she did so, she found her husband standing in the middle of the room, drenched in water.

    "Arthur!" Veronica eximed in surprise. "Why are you soaked? Did you go to the bath wearing your clothes? That''s dangerous!"

    Despite the warmth in the room, Arthur shivered nonstop. "How¡­ how did I end up in the swimming pool?"

    "Swimming pool? That''s nonsense. I told Ovior to teleport you in front of our bedroom."

    ''So it was that bastard. How dare he do this to me?'' Arthur gritted his teeth. "He deliberately did it to me."

    "Oh,e on! He isn''t that childish. He is drunk. It must have been a mistake," eventually Veronica took Ovior''s side. "I''m not sure how you two can argue with each other. It''s fine if you do but at least keep it to moderation. There is no point in ming him for his unintentional mistake."

    Arthur scowled. "You think I''m being childish!? Who is the one that sent me to the cold pool? Just look at me!"

    "What are you¡­ Oh, my Goodness! You are freezing cold. You need to take a bath right now." Veronica urged him to take a bath when she touched his body. His body was as cold as a dead body.

    Veronica prepared his warm bath. Arthur took off his clothes and went to the tub. He felt exceptionally better after the warm water touched his body.

    "Don''t fall asleep. I''m going to check on Catherine," Veronica told him before leaving the bathroom.

    She went to Catherine''s room. After knocking a few times, no one responded from inside. She tried to turn the knob, but the door was locked.

    ''Did she fall asleep? Or she could go outside. I don''t think she went outside with her weak body. She has yet to recover. She could be sleeping. I shouldn''t disturb her anymore,'' thinking that she went back to her bedroom.

    She went to check on Arthur who almost fell asleep in the tub. She took a bit of scented shampoo on her hand and applied them to his long hair.

    Arthur slowly opened his eyes when he felt someone massaging her scalp. It felt better. He grabbed her wrists and yanked her forward.

    "Ahh!" A shrill came out of Veronica''s open mouth. She was forced to dive in the warm water. Not that she hated it. She detested that the clothes were all wet and stuck with her body.

    ring at her mischievous husband, she shouted at him, "Why did you do that?"

    "Why did you support Ovior but not me?" Arthur asked. He seemed genuinely upset over this fact.

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless by his childishness. "That doesn''t give you the right to make me wet! I don''t like bathing at night during winter!"

    When she mentioned ''wet'', something shed in Arthur''s eyes. "You are not wet. Should I make you wet? It''s been a while since I did that."

    Puzzled, Veronica furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean? You just made me wet." Then she thought of something and sighed. "Oh, yeah right. You are drunk. Who am I talking to?"

    She turned around to leave. She was in no mood to take a bath.

    However, before she could, her arm was grabbed by him and pulled toward his chest. She shed against his solid foundation and raised her head to tell him off.

    She didn''t have the chance to do that because her lips were sealed by his lips. Veronica was startled. It had been a while since they kissed. It was more sensual than other times.

    Arthur was extra careful while kissing her. His approach might be bold, but his heart was thumping wildly.

    Since Veronica was keeping her eyes closed, she didn''t know that he was carefully observing her mood while kissing her. If she showed a slight frown or difort, he would let her go.

    ''I will just tell her in the morning that I was drunk. I didn''t know what I was doing,'' he nned.

    While kissing her lips, his arms untied her clothes one by one. He stopped only when she was left with a thin garment over her body. It was her nightdress.

    She was going to sleep but when she noticed that Arthur hadn''te, she wore ayer of clothes over the nightgown before going to look for him.

    Theyer of clothes was now floating in the water, while she was wearing her nightgown and panties. The thin fabric was stered on her body. This while garment became transparent and exhibited her fair skin and curves.

    Veronica shuddered when she sensed his hands were roaming around her body, caressing everywhere.

    Although she kept her distance from him for a while giving a reason like she wanted to take a slow process, she was still yearning for his touch.

    It could be because her body became hungrier after being yed by Arthur''s experienced fingers and cock. She couldn''t refuse his touch whenever he held her.

    Arthur''s fingers rubbed against her buttocks before his right hand''s middle finger touched a hole.

    Veronica flinched. Her fingers clung to his shoulders.

    Arthur''s middle finger rubbed her lower entrance. He felt her trembling violently. She let out a soft moan in pleasure.

    Since she didn''tin or push him away, Arthur became bolder. He parted her folds with his fingers and then carefully inserted his middle finger. He let out a content groan.

    Veronica noticed something long entering her flower hole along with warm liquids. Realizing that water entered her private area, she opened her mouth. "Wait¡­ Arthur¡­"

    "Didn''t you say I made you wet? I''ll truly make you wet this time," Arthur seductively whispered in her ear.

    Veronica shuddered. ''Is this what he meant by getting wet? Then, Ovior must be talking about sex when he mentioned sleeping with Arthur. How can he talk about our private life to another person?''

    Turning red in embarrassment, she was clueless about what to do. As she knew ¨C no one can control their mouth or action when they are drunk.

    He sensed the walls around his finger were hot. It was slippery inside her. He could easily thrust his finger all the way. Her walls quivered and clenched around it so tightly.

    When he pressed down on her sensitive bud with his other hand, they tightened around his finger even more, releasing it for a moment before tightening over and over again.

    Arthur''s focus was concentrated on her entrance, where the tightening and loosening motions were repeated whenever he stimted her flower bud.

    When he slowly pulled out his finger and tried inserting two fingers in it, an alluring moan came out of her mouth.

    Being encouraged by her moan, he kissed her lips. He softly nibbled them before entering his tongue in her mouth.

    He locked his tongue with her soft, moist, warm tongue, and stroked it thoroughly.

    Veronica responded to his kisses while her husband yed with her both mouths.. Not able to take the stimtion in both ces, her legs gave out.

 Chapter 354 - IN THE BATHROOM

    Veronica''s legs gave out. She was about to fall when Arthur pulled her up while grabbing her buttocks.

    He had to pull out from her flower hole momentarily and raise her body. Since she had no strength, he positioned her legs around his waist.

    Since their bodies werepletely pressed against each other, she could sense his hard cock was poking her lower abdomen.

    An electrifying sensation was sent to her spine. She vigorously trembled.

    Once again he reached out to her empty hole. Veronica softly moaned.

    The sweetness in her voice made Arthur''s eyes burn with lust.

    ''Why is her voice so sweet? She is like an innocent woman,'' he groaned as he spoke in his mind.

    ''No matter how many times I hold her, she always reacts like this is her first time. She will make me go crazy one day.''

    He noticed his dick was painfully throbbing. it had been a while he had sex with her. Thus, he wanted to forey a little longer.

    However, her soft moans didn''t help at all. He pressed his lips against hers to control her.

    As he sucked on her soft tongue, he thrust his fingers fiercely. Her soft lips were as sweet as jelly.

    ''She is too sweet. Everything about her is too sweet.''

    Arthur, who wasn''t a sweet lover, fell for her sweetness over and over,

    Veronica was an active student who went along with his passionate kisses and responded in sync.

    Arthur had trouble keeping his desires under control. His inner beast wanted to unleash and he had to force himself to control his urges.

    After the desiring kiss was over, he looked at her eager expression.

    ".." His mouth became dry. He gulped but it didn''t moist his throat.

    For a while, Veronica could feel his cock jabbing her entrance. She tried to endure for a while but then, she didn''t want to take a risk.

    She wondered, ''What if he puts it inside me? I don''t want to go further than this. Not today.''

    Despite her sensitive spots being attacked, she tried to think properly. However, she could feel his lower demon was bing impatient.

    As she couldn''t find another option, she took a hold of his firm rod.

    Arthur flinched. He was astounded that she voluntarily touched him. Before, he had to beg her to hold him with her hands.

    Veronica was in the process of generating new information. The thing in her hand - it was huge. It was so firm that she wondered if it was a piece of meat of a human body or not.

    Her hand started shaking and her head went nk. She didn''t know what to do anymore. Her brain finally stopped giving her signals.

    Observing her clueless expression, Arthur realized that no matter how forward his wife may be, she was still innocent.

    He smirked and guided her, "Move your hand. Up and down. Nice and slow."

    His whisper tickled her ear. Veronica''s body jolted. Under hismand, she nervously moved her hand.

    His dick was so hot that the warm water felt colder. Her heart pounded hard as she slid her hand up and down.

    Arthur growled like a starving animal. He couldn''t remember how long it had been since he had to jerk off on his own while thinking about her naked body and a seductive expression.

    Her soft, smooth palm was touching his most sensitive part with great care. He could cum from her slow movement.

    He realized that he was in trouble. He was nning to tease her a bit but now, he wanted to ravish her.

    Veronica, on the other hand, was pondering hard while massaging his firm manhood.

    This thing¡­ It prated her day and night. This hard object persistently made her obey his everymand. She shouted in pleasure and begged for this long cock every time she was under him.

    This thing opened her slowly and made her express her naked desire to her husband. She bloomed and sought pleasure from this.

    Whenever it was inside her, she forgot about everything and let out her innermost desire.

    It was like a sacred jewel that drove her nuts and yet made her crave for it.

    That''s why she was scared of it. She wanted to stay away from it as long as she had to think straight.

    Her index finger touched the tip of his dick and rubbed there. She noticed him shudder and let out a deep moan.

    She closed her eyes. The moment she touched it she wondered how it fitted inside her small hole. At the same time, she wanted to take it inside her.

    She sweated profusely. She didn''t know whether it was warm water or their exercise.

    She bit her lips and tried to think if she should take it in her pleasure seeking hole.

    Although Arthur added three fingers already, they were nothingpared to his thick cock.

    However, if she took him down there and released her hunger, it would be hard to reject him in the future.

    Arthur would feel like he was being yed and it would not make him feel any better. He would think that she only had sex with him only when she desired him.

    If he thought that way, there would be no difference between him and her.

    What she wanted in their rtionship were love and affection. She wanted their sexual rtionship would be the same. It would be filled with love, not lust.

    But, a wise man once said, "What is love without lust?"

    [A/N: I''m such a wise old man XD]

    Veronica didn''t want her husband to feel insecure in their rtionship, nor did she want him to have a misunderstanding about them.

    She didn''t want to share her innermost desire with anyone, not even him. If she didn''t share, there were bound to be misunderstandings.

    Thus, her only option was to not take his dick inside her and control her desire.

    However, Arthur wasn''t as good as her when it came to controlling desire. He was having a world war with his inner demon.

    Tasting his wife after so long, he could only be greedier. It was a natural instinct. If he didn''t feel like that toward his wife, it meant he didn''t love her at all.

    His left hand that was holding her waist grabbed her hair and pulled her in his bosom.

    He inhaled sharply and smelled her scent. Then, he let out a sigh of contentment.

    His reaction excited Veronica. The inside walls ached and squeezed his fingers tightly. It was the feeling of a female getting drunk on a male''s thick scent.

    Her ears were buzzing. Her heart was thumping loudly. Their vigorous panting was loud enough to subside the sound of her heartbeat.

    Her clumsy movement stirred Arthur''s heart. His wife, who couldn''t even kiss, now massaging his manhood on her own ord excited him more than anything.

    Many women did the same and also gave him blowjobs. They were professionals and always cared to give him the most ecstasy with their service.

    However, his wife seemed to be a bit scared. He could probably guess why she suddenly grabbed his cock. She was afraid that he would stick his dick inside her.

    Arthur stared at her intently. Her tearful eyes were unfocused and her face was flushed due to excitement. Her slightly partly lips were red and moist from their wild kisses.

    Overall, her expression was terribly erotic.

    She turned him on so much that he grew bigger. His dick hardened more. He growled and at the same time, his body jerked before releasing his buildup tension.

    Veronica was moving her hand normally without using any proper skills. Suddenly, she noticed him violently trembling and then something thick and warm liquid touching her hand. Soon after, it mixed with the water.

    She was momentarily stunned. Not sure what had happened.

    Arthur''s expression, on the other hand, contorted. He couldn''t make his wife cum. Before that, he had cum. He found it utterly humiliating.

    He lowered his head and ced it on her shoulder as he heavily breathed. His warm breaths touched her skin and she trembled.

    He took some time to regain hisposure before pulling his fingers out and lifting her body with a strong force. Then, he pressed her in the dry ground and spread her thighs.

    He could see her flower opening and closing nonstop as if waiting for something. He licked his lips. His golden pupils were glowing.

    Veronica shuddered under his gaze. She had a very good idea about this look of his.

    He wanted to do it.

    She opened her mouth and said in a quivering voice, "¡­We can''t¡­ I don''t want to do it¡­ like this¡­"

    Arthur paused. "Do you not want to have sex?"

    "Not now." Veronica shook her head.

    The hunger in Arthur''s eyes subsided a little. He kissed her mouth and said, "Don''t worry I won''t do anything you don''t want to."

    Afterward, he firmly held her thighs and kissed herher region.

 Chapter 355 - RELENTLESS TEASING

    "Don''t worry I won''t do anything you don''t want to."

    That''s what Arthur said. Veronica sighed in relief and then in the blink of an eye, he firmly held her thighs and kissed herher region.

    Veronica''s eyes flew open. "Ahh!" with a loud moan, she arched her back. Her head touched the hard floor and it genuinely hurt. However, she didn''t have the time to think about it.

    Her body jerked violently. Nheless, Arthur''s grip on her thighs was firm. He tasted her petals nestled in between her supple thighs. There was a lot of delicious honey overflowing beneath her flower petals.

    He rubbed her tender flesh with his lips and sucked on it strongly. His mouth moved like when he desired her creamy breasts. He pushed his tongue inside her petite entrance.

    Her wet, hot walls did not easily give way to his prying tongue. He sucked on her chewy flesh and swallowed her deeply.

    "Hnng¡­" Veronica bit her lower lip to control her moans. Her head was spinning. At the same time, her slender legs trembled. A hair-raising pleasure ran up her spine.

    When he pushed his tongue deeper, she would get a greater thrill. Observing her reaction, he kept his stimtion to a borderline degree. He didn''t want her to cum just yet.

    He had cum before her, and he found this humiliating. He wanted to y with her until she would beg to cum.

    Veronica was gradually losing strength in her fingertips and lower body. Alluring moans escaped from her mouth. Her entire body was focused on his stimtions and ckened. Without any strength, her fair body was stered on the dark marble floor.

    Just like when he kissed her lips senselessly a few moments ago, he rolled his tongue inside her flower hole, enveloped her wetness with his lips, and licked her with the tip of his tongue.

    Her spring drooled with fragrant juices. It was a clear spring but deep enough that the bottom couldn''t be reached.

    Reaching the bottom was a task for his manhood that was firmly erect in his lower abdomen.

    The shallow insertion of his tongue in her crevix was mainly for exploration. The stimtion from his tongue that moved recklessly and stirred up her insides was too covert.

    Veronica shuddered with a mix of shame and excitement.

    His caresses were done without reserve. His mouth was greedily licking her private part. The sound of him swallowing her body fluids made her feel giddy. Her breaths and moans gradually turned rough.

    She was on the verge of cumming. Just then, Arthur suddenly paused what he was doing.

    "¡­" Veronica was in a sense of loss. With her teary eyes, she nced at him. She was confused.

    Arthur licked her lower abdomen and then slowly moved up there. His tongue reached the valley of her breasts. After that, he grabbed her breasts and tasted them over her thin garment that had be transparent long ago.

    A short sigh escaped from Veronica''s mouth. Not only was she puzzled by his sudden change of action, but she also had no clue what he would do next.

    Without letting the thoughts bother her, she closed her eyes and left her body to him.

    Since he couldn''t feel her skin directly in his mouth, he grasped the corner of the wet undergarment and pushed it to her neck. Her wet breasts in his mouth were as soft as whipped cream.

    Arthur grabbed the peaks together and pressed them together before nibbling them all at once. After that, he took them in his mouth and sucked harder. He took his time to taste the delicious mounds.

    He noticed her body trembling under his experienced mouth. Her back bent, shoving her bosom further in his mouth.

    As her honey gushed out from her flower hole, Veronica prepared to release her build-up tension.

    Just then, Arthur pulled up and at the same time, yanked her body to make her sit.

    "Ahh!" Veronica let out a dissatisfied moan. She wanted toin but control herself.

    Arthur watched her biting her lower lip in frustration. He chuckled and drew her body closer to his chest. He hugged her and stroked her smooth back.

    "Do you want to cum?" he asked.

    "¡­" Veronica didn''t say anything. She stayed quiet in his chest and panted softly.

    She didn''t just want to cum. She wanted to cum badly. However, twice in a row she was unable to release anything.

    Her flower twitched down there, showing a desperate urge to cum but the emptiness forced her not to do so.

    Arthur kissed her shoulder and said, "If you want to cum, you only have to beg."

    ''He is teasing me.'' Finally, Veronica understood his n. ''I''m not getting down that easily.''

    ''So stubborn,'' Arthur thought. Even though he was pressuring her, he was the one who wanted to cum with her more than herself.

    "If you don''t tell me I won''t know what you want," saying that he rubbed the tip of his dick against her clit.

    "!!!" Veronica''s body jolted. She ced her hands on his chest and tried to push him away.

    However, Arthur pecked on her wet hair. "It''s all right. I''m not going to put it in if you don''t want to." Even so, that didn''t stop him from moving his hips.

    His hard dick caressed her twitching flower. The mouth of the flower opened and closed, desperate for the cock.

    Veronica''s entire body trembled like a sinking boat. She needed something to grab on it and relieve her tension. Even though she wanted to, there was nothing around them. Not even a tiny piece of cloth.

    So, she stretched her arms and got a hold of his neck. Her arms around his neck shook up and down and she mewled seductively. Her screams resonated throughout the bathroom.

    Arthur increased his speed. He repeated this over and over without using too much force.

    With his every strong thrust, he wanted to express his desire to be one with her. But at thest moment, he didn''t enter her flower hole that was hidden under the flower petals.

    Veronica grabbed his hair securely with her fingers.? She was losing control. With a scream, she felt a short sense of climax and her body shook tremblingly.

    In an instant, it ran up her spine and the feeling of intense pressure was dizzying. She tightened her hold on his hair and gasped for breath. As his lips moved away, his strength supporting her legs disappeared and her body copsed.

    Arthur held her waist with his left hand and used his right hand to grope his penis. He massaged it forcefully and slid his hand up and down.

    A few momentster, a thick white liquid spurted from his cock and sprayed on her stomach.

    Veronica was slowly regaining her strength. She sensed something hot touching her stomach. She reached out and touched it only to find that it was her husband''s semen.

    Her flushed face was tinted with even more shades of red. She could barely look at him.

    Arthur put his right hand under her chin and raised her head. He kissed her mouth feverishly. Veronica responded back. Their bodies pressed together as if they were one body, one soul.

    Later, Arthur washed their bodies and took her to bed. He kissed her one more time before hugging her to sleep.

    The next day, Veronica shared her marital problem with Roxana in a roundabout way during her break from the training.

    "So, your married friend stopped having sex with her husband and her husband was a yboy before marriage," Roxana stated the whole story shortly.

    Veronica nodded. "Yes, that''s how it is. She asked for my opinion. I haven''t argued with Arthur, and he listens to me well. So, I couldn''t give her a piece of good advice. So, I''m asking for your guidance."

    Roxana pondered about it deeply. "Hmm¡­ it seems like a problem. Well, the guy was a yboy before. It means he slept with women before and a lot of them. If he cannot have sex with his wife, wouldn''t he look for mistresses?

    "I mean for some women love is mostly tonic. Some other women can explicitly express their sexual desire to their partners and some can''t.

    "The wife of course can say ''no'' if she wants to but she also needs to take care of her husband''s needs. I''m pretty sure she doesn''t want her husband to find a mistress and ruin their marital life."

    Veronica''s heart skipped a beat. "You mean he will cheat on her."

    Roxana responded positively, "Yes, for men wanting to do sexual intercourse is verymon. If they can''t have sex with their wives regrly, they feel sexually frustrated. They will want to relieve the frustration by trying to drink alcohol or having fun with women."

    ''Then, I''m not being fair to Arthur. He wants to do it badly. I know for sure.'' Veronica thought aboutst night and her face flushed instantly.

    ''What if I don''t do it with him for a few months and he seeks for other women? He let Aria touch his legs, thinking it was nothing. What if something like this happens next time as well?''

 Chapter 356 - A FRIENDS SEX LIFE

    ''What if I don''t do it with him for a few months and he seeks for other women? He let Aria touch his legs, thinking it was nothing. What if something like this happens next time as well?''

    The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became.

    Roxana drank a mouthful of water and then stole a nce at her. Seeing Veronica in deep thought she nudged her with her elbow and asked, "What happened? Are you worried about your friend?"

    "I''m not just worried. I don''t know what she will do. She doesn''t want to have sex with her husband before she forgives him," Veronica lied while expressing her worries.

    Roxana became curious. "Huh? Did something happen between her and her husband?"

    Veronica scratched the back of her neck as she replied, "Something happened and she didn''t want to share the story with me. I hope whatever happened was just a misunderstanding.

    "Since she doesn''t want to have sex with him, how can she not make her husband sexually frustrated?"

    Roxana pondered about it. "Hmm¡­ that''s not a tough question but doing something intimate when her heart doesn''t want¡­"

    Veronica thoughtfully shook her head. "No, it''s not that she doesn''t want it. In fact, she yearns for him but she wants to take things slowly. Before marriage, she didn''t have time to spend with him as a couple. She wants to fulfill it."

    Roxana stared at her expression and suddenlymented, "It almost sounds like you are talking about yourself."

    Veronica''s heart jumped but she controlled herself and hid her feelings. She smiled and stated, "Haha. Arthur is romantic. He knows how to make me weak for him."

    Roxana couldn''t agree more. "Yes, I can see that. When I appeared the first day to start your lesson, I almost flipped seeing all the flowers in the tower. It has be a flower tower."

    "He decorated the tower with all the flowers I like." Veronica tugged a loose strand behind her ear. Thinking about flowers warmed up her heart.

    "That''s sweet of him. Anyway, your friend, she needs to decide what to do. Even if she doesn''t want to have sex, she has to make more intimate contacts," Roxana went back to the main topic.

    Veronica rubbed her chin in confusion. "How to make those intimate contacts and not have sex? Won''t it build up more frustration for her husband?"

    "That''s why without taking his dick inside her, she should give it a handjob or blowjob," Roxana rmended. "After he cum, he will be satisfied. Some couples use toys to make it more exciting."

    "Toys?" Veronica became curious. "What kind of toys?"

    Roxana exined, "Those are called sex toys. You won''t practically have sex but it will give you almost the same kind of sensation."

    "Interesting." Veronica had no idea what kind of toys there would be. She couldn''t help but try to imagine. "How can I get my hands on it? I want to give it to my friend as a gift."

    "I understand. I''ll give you an address. You should go there and buy it yourself. The shop is in the capital city. So, you don''t have to be worried about going too far without Arthur. It will be rather embarrassing if he finds out."

    "I understand. Thank you, Roxana."

    "Hey, when ites to love life, ask me anything. I''m an expert."

    "Most certainly," Veronica agreed.

    Later, Veronica met up with Catherine. She asked her friend who was exhausted from working overtime, "Why did youe to work if you haven''t recovered yet?"

    "Ah¡­ to distract my head. What should I do without working? I''ll be bored." Catherine yed with her spoon as she waited for her meal to be served.

    "I went to check up on youst night. Did you go somewhere?" Veronica inquired.

    Catherine''s face flushed in a second recallingst night. She averted her gaze.

    Last night, after Vincent left her alone, she calmed down. Her body was tired after the strong stimtion. Later, she slept with Vincent in the same bed.

    ''I never thought sleeping with the man I like would feel so wonderful. I wish I could sleep with him more,'' she thought.

    When she failed to meet her friend''s eyes, Veronica understood something. She snickered. "Don''t tell me you went to meet Vincent and something happened between the two of you."

    Embarrassed, Catherine covered her face. "Ver, when did you be so smart?"

    Veronica wouldn''t let go that easily. She pointed out everything, "What do you mean how? I''m already married and professional in rtionship advice, remember? Moreover, your face is literally glowing as if you are trying to show off how much you enjoyed hispanyst night."

    "Ah!! Shh! Shh! What if someone hears it? Don''t speak like that in front of people." Catherine quickly scanned the dining hall, checking if someone heard them.

    When she realized that no one was bothered about them, she sighed in relief. Afterward, she red at her friend. "Who said my face is glowing? Don''t talk nonsense!"

    Veronica shrugged. "Since you don''t know, let me give you a lesson then. After a woman relieves her sexual desire, her face glows. It is the same for a man too."

    "Huh?!" Catherine eximed. "Why did I not ever hear about it?"

    "Because you don''t talk to unknown people about sex," Veronica remarked.

    Catherine nodded, understanding the theory. She frowned. "Why does it feel like our role has reversed?"

    Veronica chuckled.

    At that moment, their meals were served. Both were hungry. They focused on having their meal.

    Catherine remembered something and stated, "Oh, I remember something. Vincent told me to take you, Darius and Sebastian to the resort. He will let you guys stay there for free."

    "Huh? Why all of a sudden?" Veronica was puzzled. ''I''m pretty sure that guy doesn''t like me at all. He does not need to invite me.''

    "You all saved me from dying, that''s why," Catherine replied.

    "Did you tell him everything?"

    "Not at all! I had to hide that I was kidnapped. I don''t want people to find out. Especially him. I don''t want him to doubt my purity. I just told him that I was chased and got injured but then my friends helped me."

    ''If it was Sebastian, he wouldn''t care about your purity,'' Veronica thought.

    "I don''t think Sebastian cane. He is on a mission after all," Catherinemented. Should we take Ironin with us?"

    "It''ll be great." Veronica was ted. Then, she suggested, "Since we all are going, why don''t we ask Arthur and Ovior to join us? They can pay their rent while we don''t."

    "That will do. We never had a pic, did we? We can have lots of fun there. I wish Sebastian, Zinnia and Merlin were there," Catherinemented. "Who knows when they wille back?"

    "True. Well, I''m going to ask Arthur, Ovior, and Ironin if they are free next weekend."

    "Sure."

    -------------

    "Free? That word doesn''t belong in my dictionary." Ovior adjusted his sses. "If you have time to have fun, help me with my work."

    Veronica knew this would happen. She came prepared. "Fine, I''ll help you with your work and will make sure all your papers are checked before the weekend. Deal?"

    "Deal."

    Ovior had no idea that Ironin would join to assist Veronica.

    "Are you going as well?!" Ovior was astonished when he saw Ironin''s enthusiasm about paperwork which he hated.

    "Pic sounds fun." That was Ironin''s reply.

    He hung out with his friends many times during missions. However, having leisure time and eating with friends when enjoying together without nning for the next mission was new to him. That''s why he joined.

    Both Veronica and Ironin had fundamental knowledge about Magic Tower''s work.

    After having two extra heads to help him out, Ovior finally cleared all the documents.

    "You two," Ovior sternly looked at them, "assist me from now on. I''ll pay you."

    "I''ll pass," Ironin bluntly replied.

    Ovior: "¡­"

    Veronica felt bad for the Second Head. "I can help you out. As long as the documents aren''tplicated like the ones I checked today, I don''t think there will be a problem."

    Ovior mentioned, "Actually, half of the papers should be checked by you as the Mistress of the Magic Tower. You have your own office. Nheless, I can''t give you the key to the office and all the documents because you have yet to learn more."

    Veronica was astounded and then felt guilty. "I''m sorry. My ipetence made you suffer."

    "Just focus on learning quickly. I don''t want to die working."

    "Yes!" Veronica med herself even more.

    ------------

    "I never thought such a ce existed!" Ovior eximed as he stared at the resort in awe.

    "I told you, ''you will like it''." Veronica grinned.

    The team of six came to the resort and got their keys for the rooms. Vincent gently weed them.

    "Thank you all foring here. Wee to our humble resort. I''d like to thank you all for saving my girlfriend."

    As polite as he was, Catherine blushed when he mentioned her as his ''girlfriend."

 Chapter 357 - LEANING TOWARD BEST FRIEND

    After hearing him, Dariusughed aloud, feeling bashful by the ''thank you'' from a gentleman. "Ahahaha, don''t worry about it. Catherine is like a sister to me."

    "He can see a woman as a sister?! That''s unbelievable!" Catherine mumbled at Veronica''s ear.

    "Hey, I heard that!" Darius red at her.

    "¡­" Catherine quickly looked away.

    Fortunately, Vincent went inside to guide them to the lounge. He didn''t hear Catherine.

    They unpacked their backpacks in their rooms and went to the restaurant to have their meal. Except for Arthur and Ovior, the other four got free meals.

    Every one of them got a huge portion of food. Darius was astonished and happy.

    He gloated, "Now that''s what I call breakfast. They know how much a person should eat for breakfast."

    He nced at Catherine and said, "Why don''t you fall in danger every now and then? I will protect you each time."

    "And you get to eat this much every time? No, thank you," Catherine curtly replied. She thought, ''I don''t want Vincent to go bankrupt. I cannot marry into a bankrupt family.''

    Not knowing what she was thinking, Darius made a sad face. "Don''t say it like that. Aren''t I your brother?"

    It was Catherine''s time to be surprised. "When did you be my brother? Did your parents adopt me or something?"

    Darius cleared his throat and dramatically announced, "At this moment, in a sacred ce called ''restaurant'', I officially adopt you as my beloved younger sister."

    "Oh, stop it! No one wants to be your sister," Catherine brushed him off.

    "Tsk!" Darius clicked his tongue. "What a party popper."

    "I heard that," Catherine red at him.

    Darius focused on his meal.

    "Arthur," Veronica tugged her husband''s sleeve. "I don''t think I can eat that much. My stomach will burst."

    "You can share half of the portion with me," Arthur stated.

    Catherine looked at Ovior. "Would you like half of mine? It''s too much for me as well."

    "Sure," Ovior agreed. "This way I don''t need to order mine."

    After breakfast, they walked to the valley. Despite being winter, the weather there was rather warm.

    They couldn''t see anything after six meters on theke. Everything was covered in heavy fog. They couldn''t even see the sun. The scenery gave off a mysterious feeling.

    Arthur took off his shawl and spread it over the grass. "Nica, let''s sit," he invited her.

    Veronica readily sat beside him and yawned. "I had to wake up early today. I''m so sleepy."

    Catherine said, "If we didn''te here early, we would have missed this view." She seemed excited.

    "Yeah, I know. It has been a while since I saw this scenery." Veronica looked nostalgic.

    "Are you telling me you secretly watched this view without telling me first?" Catherine was upset.

    Veronica unhurriedly exined, "Don''t me me. You were nowhere by my side and all of you thought that I was dead when I got to watch this kind of scenery."

    "Oh¡­ that''s¡­" stuttering, Catherine cautiously took a nce at the gloomy-faced Arthur.

    The mood suddenly became cold.

    To lift it up, Ovior said, "Maybe sometimes, I should drop all my work and go on an unknown adventure on my own."

    "You can go and make Arthur miss you. He will die working. Haha!" Veronicaughed.

    Arthur turned toward her. "Do you want me to die?"

    Veronica shook her head to clear up the misunderstanding. "Nope. That was a figure of speech. I just want you to value your friend, more than argue all the time."

    "We don''t fight," Arthur denied her im.

    Veronica: "¡­"

    "Yes, do we look that childish to you?" Ovior stated this time.

    "¡­" Veronica told herself in her mind, ''I''ve seen enough when you two get drunk.''

    "Maybe you guys should invent something that can record everything. Something like a scenery," she suggested.

    She added, "This about it. When we have a fun time and want to capture that moment, we will record the whole event. Later, we can watch this if we feel like recalling our past time. What do you think?"

    Arthur and Ovior exchanged nces.

    "This is something interesting," Ovior mentioned. "I''ve never thought of something like that. I mean most of the time, I''d rather not reminisce about my past days."

    "Because your life is too boring. That''s why I told you to have a girlfriend or something," Arthur told him.

    "And whose fault is that I''m like this!" If looks could kill, Arthur would burn into ashes by Ovior''s re.

    "Now you know you two act childish," Veronica pointed out.

    "They act more like married couples than you, Ver," Catherine remarked.

    "Is that true?" Veronica was surprised and looked at her husband who averted his gaze.

    "Now that you mentioned, it does look like it," Darius joined the conversation. "Arthur and Ovior are like a bickering couple. I''ve seen nobody bicker like that other than these two."

    "Are you cheating on me with Ovior?" Veronica covered her mouth. She was on the verge of tears.

    Arthur was helpless. "You know that''s not true. You know I''m a straight guy, right? Did I ever make you feel that I''m gay?"

    At that time, Veronica thought about what Roxana warned her about. She felt that Catherine was right on spot.

    ''My husband is leaning toward his best friend because he can''t have sex with me,'' she concluded.

    Her expression became worse. She replied, "I don''t know. Is it because I don''t want to have sex with you that you went to look for Ovior? You always get drunk with him but not me."

    As if to make it worse, Darius said, "There is a tradition In Tybu. On the day you were born, every year that day you have to share your meal with the person you love the most. Arthur always shared his meal with Ovior."

    Catherine gasped. She couldn''t control her expression this time.

    And Veronica? She was shocked and forgot to speak.

    "Ovior gave his share of meal to Arthur as well," Ironin dered.

    "¡­" Ovior and Arthur stared at their friend who was always so quiet as if they wanted to say, ''Did you have to blow up at a time like this? Can''t you read the atmosphere?''

    Darius gaped at Ovior. "No wonder you don''t have a girlfriend."

    Ovior: "¡­"

    "I can''t believe this is the reason why you didn''t have a woman in your life. I''m sorry, Ovior," Catherine felt guilty.

    The reason why she felt bad for Ovior was because there was a rule. In their country, having a rtionship with the same sex was like a crime.

    Veronica looked at Catherine with teary eyes. She was still depressed. "Why did this kind of rule appear in Tybu? Other kingdoms don''t even bother with who marries who."

    Darius replied, "The reason behind it was the gay couple could never produce an heir. Not even with magic. When the magicians failed to make a human child with magic, the Queen banned gay couples."

    "Why is she worried about gay couples? She didn''t do it before." Catherine was curious.

    Darius lowered his voice and said, "That''s because the Queen believed that Ovior was gay."

    Another series of gasping noises came from the girls.

    "¡­" Ovior wanted to tear Darius apart. He tried to clear up this false im, "It was all a misunderstanding. Just because I don''t go on a date, doesn''t mean I''m not straight."

    Veronica wiped her tears. "Okay, so here is the deal. Why don''t Ironin and I help you with your work and you get more free time and date someone? Anyone is fine."

    What she meant ¨C ''at least leave my husband alone.''

    Ovior: "¡­"

    Arthur: "¡­"

    Ironin looked at her. "I don''t want to do paper works."

    What''s more, he hated paper works and everyone knew it.

    Veronica gave him a pitiful look. "Please Ironin. My marriage is at stake."

    Ironin: "¡­"

    "What about me?" Darius pointed at himself. "I can help you guys with signing too."

    Catherine frowned. "Huh? You are so dumb. How will you know which one is the correct document and which one is not? You will only give me pain."

    Darius was speechless. ''At least I tried to offer my help.''

    "No, Cathy. I think it''s a good idea. Ironin can read the document. If the document is correct, he can pass it to Darius. Darius will seal it," Veronica suggested.

    ''So, even Veronica thinks I''m dumb.'' Darius was depressed.

    "I agree. Signing and sealing are bothersome," Ironin responded.

    "Okay, can we have a moment of silence?" Ovior came in between their ns. "I can see that you guys have a couple of misconceptions about Arthur and me but I assure you there is no such thing. I hate this guy."

    "Likewise," Arthur replied instantly. "I hate him with my deepest part."

    ''It sounds so erotic,'' Darius thought.

    "Why? Is it because you guys didn''t have a good time in bed?" Catherine asked.. "I swear if you hurt Ver again I''ll murder you and you can''t stop me from doing that because Ver will be sad and will hate you for killing me for the rest of your life. Can you take that?"

 Chapter 358 - BICKERING OLD COUPLE

    "I swear if you hurt Ver again I''ll murder you and you can''t stop me from doing that because Ver will be sad and will hate you for killing me for the rest of your life. Can you take that?"

    "¡­I''ve no interest in hurting anyone. Therefore, there is no chance for Nica to hate me." Arthur grabbed his wife''s hand and added, "She said she would love me despite who I was."

    Next, he nced at his wife. "Isn''t this right, darling?"

    "¡­" Veronica bit her tongue. Shepletely forgot her promise to her husband before they got married.

    ''It''s not that I don''t love him for who he is. Sometimes, he is just unreasonable. I have to point them out. If I don''t, he would let women touch him without being bothered. I''m not forcing him to do anything¡­''

    She cleared her throat and responded, "Yes, definitely I will love you for who you are. But cheating was never an option."

    "I swear by my name and status, I never cheated on you." Arthur pointed at Ovior and said, "This guy is a venomous rattlesnake."

    Ovior dropped the door he was holding. His eyebrows creased. "You are one to talk, viper!"

    "You are a catfish"

    "You are a king venom snake."

    "Brown recluse!"

    "Lionfish!"

    "ck widow spider!"

    "You are the ugliest stonefish."

    "Cobra!"

    "Scorpion!"

    "Excuse me?"

    Arthur: "¡­"

    "Ovior: "¡­"

    Sparks flew in each of their directions as the silent war kept going.

    Catherine dumbly stared at them. ''Wow! Are they cursing each other or having apetition to see who is better at memorizing all venomous species on earth?''

    Veronica rubbed her forehead. ''I can''t believe they are arguing like children.''

    Darius bit on a piece of potato fry and thought, ''Oh? It''s been a while they are bickering at each other. This is fun!''

    "¡­" Ironin stared at theke, not bothered with some low-level adults.

    Those would have continued if a resort staff didn''t find them. He was a twelve year old boy. He carried a basket of food.

    "Vincent told me to bring this meal to you in case you are hungry." That''s what he said.

    ''Oh, thank goodness someone came.'' Relieved, Catherine grabbed the basket. She smiled brightly at the boy. "Thank you, child. Can you thank Vincent for me?"

    The boy shyly nodded. He didn''t leave right away.

    After fidgeting for a while, he asked, "Are you going to marry Vincent? Will you take care of us?"

    Some amount of blood rushed at Catherine''s face. Her face gradually became hot. She nervously smiled and then replied, "Why don''t you ask Vincent? He can give you the proper answer."

    "All right!" Afterward, he turned around and left.

    "The child is sharp." Veronica snickered.

    Catherine could barely look at her friend. "Oh, please. I think he guessed something wrong."

    Veronica was surprised. She suddenly stood up and pulled her friend with her.

    Catherine reluctantly stood up as well. After that, she was dragged away further from the male group.

    Veronica continued, "What? Aren''t you going to marry? I thought that was your n."

    Catherine lowered her head. "Yes, that was my n. But he said nothing. I don''t want to push him for marriage. He still doesn''t know where I work. I''m keeping so many secrets from him."

    "Then take the initiative and tell him one by one," Veronica advised her.

    "What do you guys do whenever you meet? What about when you write letters? If you don''t talk about each other, what else can you do?"

    One by one, she kept asking questions, making her friend''s check even redder.

    "All right, stop it now. I can''t tell you what we do." Catherine bashfully looked away.

    "Even if you don''t tell me, I know well," Veronica smirked. "Don''t let him take advantage of you, Cathy. If he cherishes you, let him take you after you are married."

    After a pause, she added, "Even in Tybu, no matter how forward a woman is, if she loses her virginity, she loses everything. But for a man, it doesn''t matter."

    Catherine dropped her shoulders. "I know. But I can''t stop him. It just¡­ feels too good. It''s hard to resist."

    "Then talk to him about it before he starts touching you" Veronica suggested. "Nothing can be more important than your decision. Thest thing I want is for you to get shunned by society."

    "I know, Ver. Don''t even mention it. Whenever I think of it, I feel scared," Catherine shuddered just imagining it. "But when he touches me, I forget everything. I can''t think straight."

    Veronica couldn''t argue with it when she is the same. "That''s what sexual pleasure means. In any case, if you want him to love and cherish you, let him respect your wishes.

    "Many men don''t see their lovers as an individual after getting married to them. For them, they own their wives. They force their wives to do things the women don''t want to.

    "When I was away for a few months, I saw many things that made me tremble in fear and anger. Many men use their wives as nothing but sex dolls and baby-making machines.

    "Those guys abuse their wives and daughters. Sometimes they sell their wives'' and daughters'' bodies to other men to get enough money to gamble or get drunk.

    "Whenever I think about it, it gives me chills. I thank Goddess Juvena every day for giving me a wonderful husband and a wonderful married life.

    "No married life is perfect. Our married life is imperfectly perfect. If Arthur didn''t cherish me, no matter what I said, he wouldn''t listen to me. That is the reason why I still stayed in the tower.

    "In your case, you have to tell Vincent what you want. We don''t even know if he is ever going to marry you. Don''t let him y with your body and leave you after that."

    Catherine finally opened her mouth, "I don''t think Vincent is like that. He is quite a gentleman. Moreover, he never forces on me and always respects my wishes. That''s why I''m always at ease."

    Veronica was relieved. "Then I guess there is nothing to fear. If you get married to a good man, no one will be happier than me."

    "I know. I can only rely on you." Catherine smiled at her friend.

    Later at noon, they had lunch and after that, they went back to each other''s cottage.

    Veronica went to the bathroom and took off her clothes. After dropping thestyer of cloth, she dived in the bathtub.

    The hot water warmed her body. She rxed her shoulders and closed her eyes after letting out a sigh of contentment.

    ''This is good. Who doesn''t want a vacation where no one will remind you of work and you can do whatever you want without checking the time?''

    She was rxing when she heard a voice. "Enjoying much?"

    Veronica abruptly opened her eyes and saw him standing beside the door with his stark-naked body.

    Her eyes trailed down from his abs to his lower abdomen. She gulped nervously when she spotted his huge cock already standing up.

    Arthur smirked when he noticed where his wife''s innocent eyes were glued at. "Like what you see?"

    Veronica''s face flushed in embarrassment. "Don''t talk nonsense."

    Arthur chuckled and strode forward. He sat on the stone floor at the edge of the bathtub and sank his legs in the warm water.

    He smelled something sweet in the water and asked his wife, "Did you add anything in the water?"

    "Yes?" Veronica blinked. "Oh, I added medicinal herbs. I heard these are good for health."

    Arthur scornfully smiled. "Good for health indeed. It''s for those who can''t get it up properly."

    "Huh? What do you mean?" Veronica tilted her head, confused by his words.

    Arthur''s face steadily turned red. He helplessly covered his face and asked his wife, "Nica, don''t you feel anything?"

    "Huh? What are you talking about? What should I feel¡­" Veronica paused.

    Now that her husband mentioned it, she felt something itching in herher region. She subconsciously rubbed her thighs together.

    Realizing what she had just done, her face instantly dyed in several shades of red.

    "Wha¡­t? Why¡­.?" Flustered, she inquired.

    "This cottage is for a couple, is it not? It''s not abnormal that the staff kept herbs like that to increase the potency of the couple. Very thoughtful indeed." Arthur clicked his tongue.

    Panicked, Veronica desperately looked at him. "What¡­ what should we do?"

    Observing how flushed her face was, Arthur stated, "You should have gotten out of the water when you noticed how my cock was standing up. It''s toote now. The herb is good. It has already started working."

    "How am I supposed to understand that? You were already¡­ when you were at the door." Veronica was unable to focus as her eyes secretlynded on his dick.

    The corner of Arthur''s lips lifted. "Well, yes. I''m always ''hard'' for my beautiful princess."

    "Shut up and tell me what we should do now. We can''t let this go on!"

 Chapter 359 - SWEETNESS

    "Shut up and tell me what we should do now. We can''t let this go on!"

    If it was the time before their separation, they would have already started making love. However, Veronica didn''t want to have sex with him because it was convenient. She wanted to cherish him as much as she wanted him to cherish her.

    "It''s toote," Arthur murmured.

    Veronica flinched when she noticed the way he looked at her. His golden orbs were glowing.

    She could see that he was trying to resist his hunger and it was painful for him. Her heart ached for him.

    "No need to control yourself. I will help you out," she dered.

    Arthur widened his eyes. "But Nica¡­" he already started panting.

    "Hush!" Veronica interrupted him. "Don''t worry about anything. Just focus on me." She came closer and positioned herself in between his legs.

    Arthur shuddered when her soft hands touched his penis. It was throbbing and sending a jolting sensation all over his body.

    ''He is hot and hard as a rock,'' Veronica thought. Her face was blushing. She slowly lowered her head and kissed one of the balls.

    "Nng!" Arthur shut his eyes. His blood was boiling like a furnace. He thought he was going to turn into ashes at any moment.

    Veronica steadily moved her hands. Up and down. Without going too fast or too slow.

    Her heart was pounding. Just like before, her hands were growing numb from just touching him.

    Due to her stimtion, it became hard for Arthur to control his hunger. He started to leak some precum.

    Veronica gradually quickened her hands'' movement. She continued for several minutes.

    However, despite Arthur being at the edge of cumming, he didn''t. It was like he was holding it in.

    ''What''s wrong with him? Why doesn''t he want to release his pent up? My hands can''t keep up at this rate.'' She was troubled.

    Veronica thought ofst night''s event. Yesterday, Arthur licked her off as if she was the most delicious being.

    She ducked her head in shame. Just thinking about it, it gave her an idea.

    The next moment, her lips caressed his huge rod before touching the tip. The moment her lips touched the peak, she noticed him trembling uncontrobly.

    Surprised, she raised her head and looked at him. His eyes were tightly shut. He bit his lower lip and controlled his voice.

    ''He is enjoying this. Then I guess I did the right thing.'' She was content. She licked him off like she was licking a sugar-coated candy.

    "Nica¡­" Arthur called out her name in a hoarse voice. He gritted his teeth.

    One of his hands was ced on the cold floor but he barely let it. His other hand reached out and grabbed her head, tenderly stroking her head.

    His action made it look like he was praising her for doing a good job.

    Taking it as apliment, Veronica took him in her mouth.

    Arthur growled like an animal. He nearly jumped when he realized that she took his cock in her mouth without hesitation.

    He lowered his head to see her face. His eyes were glowing like a scorching torch.

    She swirled her tongue and moved her mouth. Her teeth slightly grazed his skin.

    The pain mixed with pleasure turned Arthur on so much that he suddenly snapped. He thrust his wife''s mouth, quickening her pace.

    Veronica was astonished but quickly adapted to the new pace. He had never done something like that before. So, it was hard for her at first. Naturally, she got the hang of it.

    Arthur gritted his teeth and suddenly pushed her head away. In the next second, something poured out of his dick and sprayed all over her mouth. It was thick and white. It covered her whole mouth and neck.

    Veronica was stunned. She was too surprised to realize what just happened.

    Arthur breathed heavily. Electricity sparked every inch of his body. He was delighted and yet hungrier at the same time.

    He opened his eyes and saw what a mess he made on his dumbfounded wife. He came back to his senses and quickly washed her face with the water.

    The warm water touched her face. Her nk face started to have some expression.

    "That was a lot¡­" she couldn''t help butment.

    "Yeah, I''m sorry about that." Arthur rubbed her face to clean her thoroughly. "Are you okay though? Don''t you need to cum¡­"

    "I''m fine! I can endure this. Unlike a certain someone, I don''t need to exercise toe myself. And I guess this is enough for you."

    "Are you sure?"

    His question brought doubt in her heart. ".." Without a word, she looked down and saw the dick was standing up like a mighty hero.

    Veronica stood there, speechless knowing that her action didn''t work on him at all.

    Perplexed, she asked, "What?? Why?"

    ''I missed this side of her.'' Arthur smirked at her pure question. "You used the finest herbal for sexual intercourse. Of course, none of us will be able to calm down until we do the deed."

    Veronica was flustered. "Is¡­ is there no other option?"

    "There isn''t. Now, princess, how are you going to serve your husband? Or shall I serve you first? I don''t mind who gets to the top but shall we start the journey. I can hardly control myself. I don''t want to hurt you."

    Watching his face that was burning with heat, Veronica took a deep breath. "Let''s wipe our bodies and go to bed. I don''t want to do anything here."

    "Fine." Arthur nodded.

    Veronica reached the edge and raised her body to sit on the cold floor. Water dripped from her slender body. When she hoisted her legs and put them on the dry floor, the floor got wet.

    She was wearing nothing. Arthur was her husband who saw every nook and cranny of her body. Therefore, she didn''t bother to hide her private parts.

    After that, she stood up with her trembling legs. The herbal medicine''s aftermath was quite serious. She pressed her hair to squeeze out the remaining water.

    "Arthur, let''s head bac¨C"

    She wasn''t able to finish her sentence before she was mmed against a broad chest and her lips were taken away.

    It was a deep, passionate kiss. It left Veronica speechless. She was going to ask him what was wrong but then she noticed something hard poking her lower abdomen.

    "I''m sorry, Nica. I don''t think I can control myself." Panting hard, Arthur spoke in the middle of kissing her.

    That''s when Veronica realized something. ''I underestimated the power of herbal medicine.''

    While kissing her soft, sweet lips, Arthur pushed her against the marble wall. Next, he roughly raised her left leg with his right hand. His other hand rubbed her drenched flower.

    Noticing that she was already wet and prepared, he didn''t waste another minute. He plunged deep inside her without any hesitation.

    "Hnng!" As if a strong wave crushed her and joined her with the loved one, Veronica shuddered.

    An indescribable feeling spread throughout her entire body. It was like her heart, body and soul were finally satisfied.

    She was surprised by her own feelings and emotions. She bit down her lip and clung to Arthur.

    Their rough breathings, moans and grunts, wet and pping obscene sounds of two bodies colliding echoed inside the bathroom.

    ------------------

    While the married couple enjoyed lovemaking, another couple was in the garden, kissing each other with their hearts'' content.

    Under the tree, the female was pushed against the tree and was hugged tightly. Her lips were almost eaten by the impatient man. His hands were roaming everywhere on her body.

    The female moaned softly. She pushed her body toward him as she enjoyed being groped by him.

    She was in apletely disheveled state when the man was fully dressed. It made her embarrassed.

    "What¡­ what if someone sees us?" she asked in a quivering voice.

    "No onees out for a walk at night during winter. You can be at ease. Umm¡­ Catherine, why do you taste so good? Every part of your body is so sweet. I can''t have enough."

    "Don''t¡­ say something like that¡­ Ahh!" Catherine cried out as her partner pinched her mounds.

    "They are harder than I thought. I see being kissed under the sky excites you." Vincent grinned when he found out about her secret.

    "Wha¡­?! No¡­ it''s not¡­" Embarrassed, Catherine looked away. However, it didn''t stop her from enjoying the pleasure he was giving her.

    ''No wonder Ver wanted to get married so quickly. It feels so good,'' she thought.

    Vincent''s one hand already went down and touched her through her pants. Her pants were soaked.

    Catherine''s legs trembled in response. She was anticipating something more when she remembered what Veronica told her.

    All of a sudden, she pushed Vincent and said, "I''m sorry. We can''t go further unless we are in a legal rtionship."

    [A/N: I don''t know how I finished writing this chapter. It was so hard to lift a finger.. T.T ]

 Chapter 360 - FEAR TO BE DISAPPOINTED

    "I''m sorry. We can''t go further unless we are in a legal rtionship."

    Vincent was startled when he was suddenly pushed away. When he heard her firm rejection, he controlled his expression.

    "Catherine, do you think that we don''t have a future? Do you not believe in me?"

    "It''s not like that. I just don''t want to do anything that would make me want you more than I already feel. I think I''ll take advantage of you."

    "It''s not like that, Catherine. You can never take advantage of me¨C"

    "Even so, this isn''t right. I can''t be intimate before marriage. No matter what society allows, in the end, the one who loses value is the woman without purity. We cannot change that fact. I''m sorry I led you on."

    Vincent calmed down when he heard that. "I understand. What you said is logical. I cannot argue with you about that. But Catherine, you didn''t lead me on. I''m doing it in my free will. Moreover, if you need confirmation for our future, I''m ready for it."

    "What do you mean¡­?" Catherine couldn''t understand. She wanted to hope for something and at the same time, she was afraid of being disappointed.

    Vincent knelt before her and took out a purple-colored velvet box. It was a small square-shaped box, only to put a small piece of jewelry.

    Catherine covered her mouth. She couldn''t believe that he came prepared.

    Vincent lovingly stared at her. "Catherine, the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one I was looking for all this time. I want no one other than you.

    "The reason I wanted to be your friend is because I wanted to marry you. I apologize for harboring a hidden intention but my feelings for you aren''t hidden. I never hid it from you. That''s why I want to ask your hand in¨C"

    Thumb!

    "Ahh!"

    Vincent couldn''t finish speaking before something fell from the tree. The same tree they were standing under.

    Catherine was frightened and screamed. In the middle of the night, a human fell from the tree and dropped to the ground

    Vincent embraced Catherine quickly and brought the magtern in front of the human.

    The person was wearing ck clothes. He was injured. His face was covered with blood.

    Catherine gasped the moment she recognized the person despite having blood all over.

    "Sebastian?!" She cried out and dashed toward him. She crouched on the ground and carefully rolled his body.

    When his back touched the ground, he let out a groan.

    "Who is he? Why is he like that?" Vincent was frightened after seeing the severely injured man. He had never seen someone injured like this before.

    With a panicked heart, Catherine replied, "He is Sebastian. My friend. He is badly injured. Please help me take him into a room."

    "But all the rooms are booked!"

    Catherine was quick to think. "Then, we can take him to my cottage. He can have privacy there. Help me to move him."

    Vincent didn''t like the idea of an injured guy staying in Catherine''s room. But noticing how she was desperately urging him, he reluctantly agreed to help her.

    They took Sebastian into her room and ced her on the bed. After turning on the light, she took off his shirt and realized that his left shoulder and right waist were sliced.

    "Oh no! I have to call Ver!" Catherine rushed outside without giving Vincent any exnation.

    She banged the door of Veronica''s cottage. "Ver! Open the door!"

    Meanwhile, Veronica and Arthur were done with their fourth round. The first round was in the bathroom; the second round was beside the window, the third was on the table and the fourth was on the bed.

    They made the whole room messy. Curled close to his chest, Veronica breathed hard.

    Her body was twitching. Not a bit of strength was left in her body. Arthur ravaged her like an animal. He didn''t restrain himself. He went all out.

    ''We have done it four times but it feels like it''s still not enough,'' she thought. ''Furthermore, Arthur is still hard inside me.''

    Arthur who just finished filling her up stayed inside her while embracing her tightly.

    Hugging each other''s sweaty and exhausted bodies, they panted hard. That''s when someone banged in their room. They heard Catherine''s voice soon after.

    The urgency in her voice reached their ears. Despite not having enough strength, Veronica tried to sit up.

    "Let me help you," Arthur said.

    With his assistance, she sat up. Arthur used magic to clean their bodies and brought the bathrobe to them. After wearing his bathrobe, he opened the door.

    "What happened?" he asked when he saw Catherine''s panic-stricken expression.

    "Sebastian!" She answered nervously. "He is gravely injured."

    "He came fast," Arthur mumbled. He turned around and took a nce at his wife. "Looks like they need your help."

    Veronica already heard her friend. "Help me to stand up."

    Arthur carried her to Catherine''s room. They found Sebastian''s unconscious body in Catherine''s room. Vincent was standing next to him with a pale face.

    "Can he be treated?" Vincent asked them. "I don''t want anyone to die in my resort."

    "He will be fine. Please leave this room for a while and bring fresh clothes for him. We will pay," Veronica calmly stated. She signaled Arthur to let her sit on the bed.

    "All right," Vincent didn''t wait any longer.

    After he left, Arthur closed the door with magic. Only then did Veronica use her healing power to heal Sebastian.

    The injuries took time to heal. The bleeding stopped. All his scars disappeared from his body.

    Veronica was already exhausted. When she was done healing the unconscious Sebastian, she copsed.

    Arthur was quick to catch her.

    "Ver! Are you okay?!" Catherine was concerned. Due to her worry for Sebastian, she didn''t notice her friend''s condition. She finally noticed her friend''s bathrobe and wet hair.

    "Oh no! Were you bathing? Did I disturb you?"

    "Don''t worry about it. Take care of this guy. We will be leaving," Arthur said before carrying Veronica once again.

    They teleported to their room. After that, Arthur ced her on the bed and then quickly covered her lips.

    Veronica didn''tin. She let him kiss her. Using the power took away her little bit of strength. Even though she wanted to be embraced by her husband one more time, she couldn''t.

    She closed her eyes and soon after fell asleep.

    Arthur noticed that she wasn''t moving an inch and realized that she went to the dreand. The corner of his lips lifted and then he pecked on her forehead. Later, he covered their bodies with theforter and hugged her to sleep.

    In the meantime, Catherine took off Sebastian''s shirts. Later, she reached out for his pants and hesitated.

    ''Should I take it off? What will Vincent think if I do that? But I have to clean Sebastian''s body.''

    Debating with herself, she finally unbuckled his belt.

    "P-pervert!"

    Sebastian noticed some movement and opened his eyes only to find out that Catherine was struggling with his belt.

    His mind wentpletely nk. ''Last thing I remember is her getting proposed by that Vincent guy. And now she is taking off my pants. Is she trying to take advantage of me while I''m unconscious?''

    Before he knew it, he blurted out ''Pervert''.

    Catherine jumped in surprise. She ced a hand on her chest to calm down.

    When she realized what he meant, she blushed furiously. She threw the wet towel at his face.

    "Who are you calling a pervert?! You are a pervert! I was trying to clean your body."

    "How am I supposed to react when I open my eyes and see a woman taking off my pants?"

    "I haven''t taken off your pants yet."

    "Yet?!"

    "What the hell are you two arguing about?" Someone spoke from the window.

    "Ahh!"

    "Ahh! Ghost!"

    The sudden appearance of the man in the dark outside the window spooked the pair inside the cottage.

    Darius clicked his tongue. "Open the door. It''s locked."

    Catherine opened the door and he entered the room. He sniffed and twisted his face. "The room stinks of blood. It seems that you were sliced deeply. How did you get injured that badly?"

    "The soldiers were chasing after me." Sebastian couldn''t speak too much in front of Catherine.

    "I can''t believe you let them scratch you." Darius licked the blood that was on Sebastian''s skin which was not yet cleaned. "They used poisonous arrows. You are lucky not to be dead."

    "I believe so," Sebastian agreed.

    Darius stole a nce at the woman beside them. "So, Catherine, I didn''t know you were so horny for Sebastian''s dick. Do you like his little penis?"

    "My penis isn''t little!"

    "I didn''t see anything!"

    Two of them answered together.

    Darius smirked when he heard their objections.. "How can you say that? Sebastian was sleeping and you were ready to take advantage of that. Who else takes a patient''s pants off?"

 Chapter 361 - SHED TEARS

    "How can you say that? Sebastian was sleeping and you were ready to take advantage of that. Who else takes a patient''s pants?"

    Catherine snapped. "I wanted to help him out. You two have a twisted mentality, always thinking about perverted thoughts. Unlike you, I don''t have experience. I don''t understand these things!"

    After that, she red at Sebastian. "Why don''t you go to the bathroom and take a bath?

    "Do you want me toe out naked? I knew something was going on in your head!" Sebastian covered his chest with his bare hands.

    Catherine''s lips twitched. "My boyfriend is bringing your clothes. And be sure to wash my bed sheet. Today, you will sleep on the ground."

    Without giving them another chance to talk, she left the room. The door shut with a ''bang''.

    "Ouch! My ears hurt!" Darius rubbed his ears. Then, he nced at the man in the bed. "She said ''boyfriend'', eh? How cheeky. Are you upset?"

    Sebastian lowered his head. Noticing the red color on the bed, he realized he bled a lot.

    "That Vincent guy¡­ he proposed to her today," he disclosed.

    "What?!" Darius was surprised. "What did she reply? Did she say ''yes''?"

    Sebastian spoke in a low voice, "I interfered before she could. Sigh! I don''t know what I''m doing. But I can''t stand it when she is with another man."

    "Then why don''t you propose to her?" Darius naturally suggested.

    Sebastian shook his head. "¡­I just can''t. She doesn''t like me like that¡­"

    "Dude, if you don''t try, you won''t know. There is always room for development," Darius tried to persuade him.

    However, it didn''t work. "What if shees to hate me or avoid me? I don''t think I can handle it." Sebastian didn''t want to imagine the next.

    Darius breathed out loudly. "You are a coward. I can''t believe I rooted for you. Don''t regret it when you saw her carrying another man''s seeds and producing children one after another for him."

    "Stop it!" Sebastian hissed. "Don''t say anymore."

    "Fine, do whatever you want. I won''t bother you. Have a good rest."

    After Darius left, Sebastian hung his head, feeling devastated.

    Sometimeter, someone knocked on the door.

    "Come in," he allowed. He thought it was Catherine who came back but it was Vincent. There was a set of clothes in his hands.

    "Are these for me? Thank you," Sebastian bowed.

    Vincent silently ced them on the table and then said, "I don''t know who you are to Catherine. But as her boyfriend, let me warn you. If you ever make her cry again, I won''t forgive you."

    "What?" Sebastian was surprised. ''Did she shed tears because I was acting like that? I was just nning to tease her. It was nothing serious. I will talk to her and apologize.''

    He stood up to go after her.

    Vincent frowned. "Please don''t tell me you are going out half-naked on a winter night? Catherine''s friend worked hard to heal you."

    Sebastian looked at him vigntly. "How do you know someone healed me?"

    Vincent shrugged. "Even we have healers in Tybu. I know there is nothing that can heal people so fast or urately other than healing power. Please take a bath and wear these clean clothes."

    Sebastian took the clothes and went to the bathroom without a word.

    The room was empty. Vincent let two housekeeperse. They took dirty clothes and ced a clean bedcover before leaving.

    Vincent left the cottage after checking the room onest time. He recalled Catherine shedding tears and it made his blood boil.

    He looked for her and found her in the flower garden. "You will catch a cold if you stay here any longer," saying that he gently wrapped her with his coat.

    Catherine smiled at him. "I was enjoying the view. It''s a nice ce."

    Vincent carefully observed her face. "Are you all right?"

    Catherine tilted her head to understand what he meant. She couldn''t guess anything just by looking at him.

    Therefore, she replied, "¡­Yes, I''m great. I''m sorry Sebastian created such trouble."

    Vincent shook his head. "It''s not a problem. You shouldn''t apologize to someone else. He was injured. It would be inhumane not to save him even if he wasn''t your acquaintance."

    Catherine stated, "We are more like colleagues, working under the same master."

    Vincent''s expression eased. "Oh, I thought you guys were close."

    Catherine giggled. "Do I smell jealousy?"

    "What if I''m jealous?" Vincent didn''t deny it.

    Catherine was stunned. "No way! Really?"

    "You didn''t reply to my proposal. Rushed to a man''s aid. Took him to your bedroom."

    "Don''t say it like that. It''s not that I didn''t want to reply. How can I leave an injured man alone? Then he happened to be my colleague. There was nowhere to take him. I can lend a hand to my colleague. My other friends booked cottages. I can ask them to lend me their couches."

    "Your female friend is with her husband. Others are all male friends. Don''t sleep in their rooms. You can stay in my room¡­"

    "That won''t be necessary."

    As a voice spoke from behind, they turned around. Sebastian bathed and changed his clothes. No one could tell if he was hurt thirty minutes ago.

    Catherine asked him, "Are you okay? Do you have any pain?"

    Sebastian gave her a short nod. "I''m fine. You should go back to your room before you catch a cold."

    ''He repeated the same words Vincent mentioned earlier. What a coincidence!'' Catherine thought. "It''s funny how you two tell me the same word. But what about you? Where will you rest?"

    Sebastian replied, "I''ll ask the others to give me some space."

    "All right then. I''m going to sleep." Catherine looked at Vincent and smiled at him sweetly. "Good night."

    "Good night." Vincent stared at her petite back as she disappeared in the dark. Then, he looked at Sebastian. "You made the right decision by choosing someone else''s room."

    Sebastian calmly stated, "Of course, I did. I''m not someone who lusts over the woman I love. I respect her and wait for her when she is ready to be mine. I don''t force my desire on her even if she wishes for it. I wait for her to get ready for it on her own and tell me that she is ready."

    After speaking his mind, he also left Vincent alone in the flower garden. Vincent stood there alone. He didn''t seem happy.

    ----------------

    The next day, the sun finally showed his face at noon. He peeked out of thick foggy clouds. Despite trying his best to share the sunlight with the people of the earth, the sunlight was rather dim.

    Veronica opened her eyes when she noticed a warm hand gently caressing her back.

    Arthur noticed her eyshes fluttering. "Did I wake you up?"

    Veronica shook her head. "I''m hungry."

    Well, afterst night''s vigorous exercise, who wouldn''t?

    Her dinner might be already digested.

    "Shall I bring the meal here?" Arthur inquired.

    "Why? I can get up!!! Oww!" Veronica cried out in pain as she tried to move. Her whole body was aching.

    There wasn''t any spot where her body was left alonest night. As for the aftermath, her entire body was throbbing.

    Her painful cry made Arthur a bit guilty. ''I should have gone slower,'' hemented.

    However, even he knew that it wasn''t easy for him either. He wasn''t in the right mindst night. He was left in hunger for a long time.

    And then, to add oil to the fire, Veronica added that herb in the water. Everything went out of control.

    "Don''t move. I''ll rub your back until you feel better," he said.

    ''Is this why he was stroking my back?'' Veronica thought.

    She flinched whenever he touched her lower back. It was so painful that a droplet of tear rolled down from her left eye.

    "Can you try using your power to heal yourself?" Arthur suggested. "If you can''t, we ask Ovior to bring his famous ointment from the tower."

    "Let me try." Veronica gritted her teeth and focused on her inner energy. She tried to bring out her power. Her body glowed dimly before she became exhausted.

    She breathed hard. Then took a deep breath and then tried again. However, she failed once again.

    "Okay, stop," Arthur interrupted her. "It''s only bing more painful. I''ll ask Ovior to bring me the ointment." Then, he disappeared in a sh.

    Ovior was having a wonderful breakfast in his room. It was a tranquil atmosphere just like he loved but soon his little peace was gone when Arthur appeared out of nowhere.

    "Gosh! You cannot just appear in someone else''s bedroom like that! Do you want your wife to call us a couple again?!"

    "She was just joking back then. Don''t take it to heart. I want your ointment that relieves pain. Go, bring it."

    "Are you nuts? Can''t you see I''m eating? How did she get injured? If it''s nothing serious, I''ll finish my breakfast first."

    "We had sexst night."

    "&*%&$%^#!!!!!"

 Chapter 362 - MOOD IS RUINED

    Ovior bickered at his friend, "Are you nuts? Can''t you see I''m eating? How did she get injured? If it''s nothing serious, I''ll finish my breakfast first."

    "We had sexst night," Arthur proudly announced.

    "&*%&$%^#!!!!!" Ovior lost his cool. His mood waspletely tarnished.

    "How dare you talk about your personal life in the early morning? Have some ss!" he roared.

    Arthur nonchntly said, "Oh, I forgot you are still a virgin."

    "¡­"

    "You don''t have to take it personally. Just bring the ointment. You don''t want an innocent person to suffer due to your anger, do you?"

    ''He said it exactly because he offended me,'' Ovior thought. He gritted his teeth.

    He controlled his anger thinking of Veronica''s condition. "One the left drawer of the wardrobe. You will find the ointment there."

    "You brought it with you?" Arthur strode toward the wardrobe and found the thing he was looking for.

    "How can I not bring it when your wife is always a troublemaker?" Ovior scoffed.

    ''You want to insult my wife? I will show you what happens when someone does that.'' Arthur stared at his friend and stated, "I didn''t know you had that in you."

    While eating Ovior asked, "Had what?"

    Arthur replied, "Fatherly love."

    Ovior: "¡­"

    Arthur added, "I''m sure you will be a great father in the future. I mean if you ever be able to get married that is."

    ''You want to take that road? Fine, I''ll do the same,'' Ovior decided.

    He stated, "¡­I can be a father. Here is the suggestion. I''ll adopt your wife. I''m sure she would love to have a father figure. After all, she never got the chance to be spoiled by her father. And when I be her father, call me father-inw."

    "¡­" This time, it was Arthur''s time to stay quiet. ''There is no way in hell I''ll call him that!''

    -------------

    Veronica waited ten minutes and got impatient. Finally, Arthur came back.

    Sheined, "What took you so long? I was thirsty and had to get up to drink water."

    "Everything is Ovior''s fault. He is a bastard. He didn''t want to give me the ointment." Arthur shoved the me toward Ovior.

    At that time, Ovior bit his tongue while eating and flinched. ''Did someone curse me?''

    Veronica was surprised. "He didn''t? Then why did you bring it? Don''t apply it. I don''t want to use someone''s medicine that they don''t want to give."

    "I bought it from him already," Arthur tly lied. "Your husband spent lots of money for this ointment. So, use it."

    "Okay then." Veronica didn''t doubt him even for a second.

    After the massage, she washed her face and dressed up to have breakfast with Arthur.

    "Shall we stay here?" Arthur wanted to know her preference.

    Veronica looked outside the window and replied, "No, let''s go out. This is a fine morning."

    "All right, let''s go."

    They were having a peaceful meal when Darius and Sebastian joined them.

    "Sebastian, how are you feeling?" Veronica asked the moment she spotted him.

    Sebastian bowed to greet her. "It''s all your grace, Mistress. I''m better than I ever was."

    "I just did what I could. You are Arthur''s precious disciple."

    ''More like a troublemaker,'' Arthur thought.

    "You guys woke upte. We are here to have lunch," Darius stated. He looked at the couple ambiguously. His eyes were meaningful.

    Veronica was quick to respond, "I finally got a day off from training. So, I wanted to sleep as much as I can."

    "Oh yeah, you were training day and night. Want me to check how much you have progressedter on?" Darius proposed a sudden n.

    Veronica''s eyes lit up. "Really?! Can I¨C"

    "No need," Arthur cut off. "This guy over there doesn''t know how to restraint his strength."

    "I will restrain myself because of this beautifuldy here. I swear by my head." Darius touched his smooth bald.

    "Don''t fall for it," Arthur warned his wife. "He is swearing because he knows he can''t control himself. He just wants to break the promise."

    Veronica became curious. "Why is he eager to break the promise?"

    Sebastian was drinking. He choked upon hearing her question.

    He started telling a story, "That''s because he fooled around with a beautiful woman once. She was a witch. When she realized that he was just ying with her and not serious, she cursed him."

    He stole a nce at Darius whose face was dark. He chuckled. "Darius was always proud of his strong hair. So, her curse was aimed at his hair. The rest is history."

    Veronica was astonished. "The woman cursed and his hair started to fall? Just like that?"

    "Just like that." Sebastian nodded his head like a wise man. "He did everything to grow his hair but never been able to grow his hair again."

    Veronica listened to them and shared her opinion, "That''s just sad. But I think the woman was even more hurt. I mean just think about it. The man she loved so much; she cursed his most proud possession. Her heart must be bleeding."

    Darius was speechless. "¡­I''m the one who is cursed you know."

    "You reap what you sow, Darius." Veronica''s answer was clear-cut.

    "Do you want to join me for a spar or not? I swear I will go easy on you."

    "I have a feeling you won''t. Let''s check if you were able to grow some hair after breaking the promise."

    Thus, Veronica agreed.

    In the evening, wearing her usual training uniform that was fetched by Arthur, she confronted Darius.

    They were in the valley''s private area. No one would bother them here.

    Darius stood there barehand while there was a sword in Veronica''s hand.

    "Draw your weapon," she demanded.

    Darius replied, "I won''t do that unless I see you as my opponent."

    However, Veronica insisted, "I don''t care whether I''m your opponent or not. If you don''t draw your weapon, I won''t fight against you with a sword."

    "Don''t me me for the oue." Darius drew his ax.

    His eyes sharply stared at her. He acted like he wasn''t scanning her but drilling her.

    ''Why is he looking at me like that? It''s as if his personapletely changed. Can he read my every move? Should I attack him first or let him attack me?''

    The more Veronica thought about his gaze, the more she got nervous. At this rate, she couldn''t think straight.

    "He is trying to scare you. Don''t let him get you," Arthur shouted from the sideline.

    "Stop saying anything. This isn''t fun like this." Ovior hushed from the side.

    Arthur frowned. "What do you know? You don''t have a wife."

    "There is no chance for Mistress." Sebastian shook his head.

    "Shut up! She didn''t even start fighting," Catherine red at him. "I think she will win."

    Then, she shouted at Veronica, "You can do this, Ver! Just kick his balls!"

    "¡­" Sebastian face-pped himself.

    Darius grinned at Veronica, not affected by the surroundings. "Youe first."

    "No, youe." Veronica shook her head.

    Darius''s lips stretched wider. "I can do this all day. Do you want to stand there forever? Trying to figure out who has no more patience? We can test that too."

    Veronica licked her lips. ''I don''t think I have the patience.''

    She waited till snow started to fall. Snowkes flew closer to her in slow motion. One of them touched the edge of her shiny de.

    She raised her sword and attacked Darius. As she drew near, she swept her de.

    But, Darius didn''t move. He was standing there without doing anything.

    Veronica''s de sliced into the thin air. It didn''t leave a scratch on him. She bit her lower lip and stepped forward to attack him once more.

    Darius quietly moved away. His movement was so swift that she couldn''t see it.

    ''It''s not that I''m not being serious. Darius is just like Urs and then other elves. He is strong and quick. Did he train with the elves too?'' Veronica wondered as sheunched at him.

    This continued for a while. She kept attacking him but he dodged her. he avoided all her attacks as if it was nothing. And that made her frustrated.

    ''Damn it! I know he is a good warrior. But it looks like I''m no match for him in any way,'' she thought.

    No matter how swift and desperate she became, it wasn''t enough. And then, there was his smirk. It almost blinded her in anger.

    ''No, I shouldn''t lose my cool. It will bring me a disadvantage,'' she told herself.

    Her eyes searched for his weak spots. He was standing there unfazed. Nothing bothered him.

    That''s where their strength and experiences drew a line.

    ''I need toe up with a n.''

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________

    Announcement:

    Those who were unable to get all the arts of Tangled by Fate in January 2022, you guys finally have good news. I created a PDF of the arts containing those pictures and you will find it at /s/93f93308fe or choose https://bit.ly/tbf-artebook1 along with 2 smut pictures. Enjoy the treat!!!

    If it''s still hard, find my ko-fi page in bio.link/flow07

 Chapter 363 - DRAW A SWORD

    Veronica started to pant after some time. However, she didn''t progress even a little bit.

    ''This is humiliating. I need toe up with a n.'' Even if she thought so, she couldn''te up with anything.

    She abruptly lowered her body and stretched her left leg to knock him out.

    Darius wasn''t expecting her sudden attack on the lower leg. However, he stepped back without being worried. He yawned, feeling bored.

    His moment of distraction caused him to slip his foot in the snow and he began to fall.

    Veronica''s eyes shed. She didn''t let go of this chance. She thrust her sword toward him.

    Darius saw that happening while slipping. He moved his ax in a sh.

    Veronica''s strength was nothingpared to him. As their swords shed, her sword flew away from her hand.

    She took out her hidden dagger and threw it at him.

    Darius shoved the dagger with his ax. But since he was falling and he had no bnce in his body, the dagger went in the wrong direction.

    The handle of the dagger got stuck on the snowy field. It was snowing at noon and so the snow was firm enough to keep the dagger in one ce.

    The problem was the dagger was right under where Darius was falling. Except for Veronica, Catherine, and Sebastian, no one saw the dagger''s position.

    Everything happened so fast that no one had the time to act.

    In the end, Darius fell to the ground. The sharp de got stuck to his right butt cheek. He opened his mouth. His lips turned into an ''o'' shape. His body leaned to the left side and copsed on the snow.

    "Oh, my Goddess! Darius!" Veronica quickly ran after him.

    Catherine let out a small scream and covered her mouth. Recently she experienced the pain of a sharp de piercing one''s flesh. She knew the pain the poor guy was going through.

    Ovior and Arthur realized that something had happened and came to take a closer look.

    Veronica already crouched down and touched his back.

    "Don''t¡­ touch¡­" Darius was in the snow but he was sweating.

    Veronica did as he told her. She didn''t touch. "Okay, I''ll heal you as soon as possible." She used her healing power to heal him.

    The wounds around the dagger began to heal and his flesh clenched around the sharp de. It hurt even more.

    Darius gritted his teeth. "Pull it out!"

    "Yes." After getting his permission, she finally pulled it out.

    "I hope you won''t be traumatized sitting anywhere," Catherine prayed when Darius was finally healed.

    Darius stood up and stroked his butt. "You know, I don''t feel much pain but I never thought slicing butts would hurt this much. I have a feeling that my butt isn''t healed properly. It''s still hurting deep inside. Veronica, do something."

    ''But I already did what I had to do.'' Veronica helplessly stared at him.

    "That''s your mental pain. You are scared and so you are thinking you are still in pain." Arthur stepped closer to Veronica. "Are you hurt somewhere? How are you feeling?"

    "¡­" Darius stared at him as if he was wronged.

    His eyes were resentful as though they were saying ¨C "I''m the one who got hurt. Why are you asking your wife if she was okay?"

    Veronica replied, "I''m fine. I just wanted to y fairly. I didn''t mean this to happen. I''m sorry, Darius."

    Darius shook his head. "Don''t bother about it. It''s my fault too. I wasn''t careful enough."

    "Even though it was an ident, the winner of the battle is Veronica," Ovior announced.

    "I ept defeat." Darius raised his hand.

    Veronica said, "I just got lucky. If he didn''t slip, I wouldn''t have the chance to throw the dagger at him. Or else, I''m no match for him. That''s why I can''t ept the oue."

    Darius agreed. "Yes, you should focus on practicing harder."

    "No need. She is doing fine for a normal person," Ironin interrupted.

    All this time, he was sitting on a tree branch and observing the whole y. He wanted to see how his female disciple was doing.

    After Ovior announced the result, he came down to give his opinion.

    "I believe so. Normal soldiers cannot be a match for Nica," Arthur approved his words. "Up until now, she always fought with Ironin and Roxana. They are both highly skilled and professionals for many years."

    "Ture. Veronica, you must be thinking that you are not powerful enough, right?" Ovior nced over Veronica.

    Veronica shrugged. "I''m losing my confidence every single day," she confessed.

    "Then it''s time you have spars with royal soldiers," Darius suggested. "Every year they holdpetitions. Why don''t you try and find out what your capabilities are?"

    "Why do you always have to push her to the limit?" Arthur stood between his wife and Darius. "She didn''t even beat you up and yet, you are trying to punish her."

    "Huh? When did I do that? I just want her to gain some confidence. She will never know her capabilities if she is always with powerful people. She needs to fight with warriors of every caliber to find out her strength."

    After Darius exined properly, Veronica understood what she wascking. She held her husband''s hand and said, "I want to do it."

    Arthur sighed and rubbed his temple. He was having a headache.

    ''I really don''t want her to go but I can''t control her actions either. We just made outst night. I don''t want her to keep any more distance. I''ll just need to force Ovior toe up with better ointment to cure her injuries.''

    He gave a slight nod and agreed. "Fine, do that."

    Veronica gave him a huge grin in reply.

    -------

    Later, Catherine was walking beside theke. Sebastian caught up to her.

    "Are you okay?" he asked her.

    Catherine looked at him. "I am. What about you? Are you feeling well enough to go for a walk?"

    "Of course. You can never underestimate Mistress''s power. She is a genius." After replying to her question, Sebastian hesitated before adding, "I''m sorry if I made you upsetst night."

    "Huh? What do you mean?" Catherine was puzzled.

    Sebastian borated, "I teased you too much. It wasn''t my intention. But after I woke up, I saw you taking off my pants, I couldn''t help but wonder that you wanted to see me naked¨C"

    "Enough! How long will you keep going on and on about it? I know I''m wrong and I''m sorry if you think that way but it wasn''t my intention. I didn''t think you would be so sensitive about it. Anyway, I won''t do anything from now on. Please spare me from your usation!"

    Catherine scoffed in frustration and strode away.

    "No¡­ no... wait!" Sebastian nervously called out to her but she didn''t heed his words. She even sped up.

    Realizing that she wanted to be far away from him, he stopped chasing after her.

    Later at night, he was sitting on the stair of Darius''s cottage. He was gazing at the emptiness.

    The cottage was in the corner of the hill. So, under them were heavy clouds, sticking close to the mountain peak.

    It was an amazing view for a person who lived in the city but his heart wasn''t moved by the beauty of nature.

    "What''s wrong, Sebastian? Is everything okay?" Veronica asked him.

    She was going to the restaurant for dinner but seeing him like this, she couldn''t just go.

    Sebastian was depressed. ''Should I tell Mistress? She is Catherine''s friend. She will be able to tell me what I can do for Catherine.''

    As he thought that, he told her everything.

    "Hmm¡­ so you wanted to apologize but she got angry on the other hand," Veronica concluded.

    Sebastian hung his head. "Yes, I totally messed up. I don''t know what to say. Vincent was telling mest night that she cried because of this incident. I feel like pping my face."

    Veronica nodded in understanding. "Did you not understand where your mistakes were?"

    "No, I didn''t. That''s why I told you, Mistress," he replied.

    "Well, for starters, you wanted to apologize to mend up your rtionship, right?"

    "Right." Sebastian nodded.

    "Then why did you go and try to justify your action?" Veronica calmly inquired.

    "But¡­ if I didn''t, she would misunderstand me. In fact, her actions were wrong and misleading."

    "But you didn''t go to her to prove her wrong, did you? or did you want to prove to her that you were right, she was wrong; even so, you went to apologize to her."

    "No way! I didn''t think that way."

    "Then, you should have sincerely apologized. You had to tell her that you didn''t know what overcame you and you mistakenly bullied her. It was your fault. You shouldn''t have done that. You would do anything to make her feel better."

    "Feel better?" Sebastian scratched his head.

    Veronica shook her head.. She couldn''t believe this guy was so clueless.

 Chapter 364 - HOW TO APOLOGIZE

    "Sebastian, you don''t know how much a person''s small action could hurt another person immensely. Maybe Cathy isn''t mad at you. She is simply depressed thinking she wanted to do something good but you misunderstood her and mistreated her. She must have thought she was wronged so much."

    Veronica''s voice was soft but her tone was firm.

    "But what if she misunderstands me?" Sebastian asked restlessly. "What If she doesn''t want to hear what I have to say?"

    Veronica replied, "She can or she cannot, you don''t know that. You had to ask her how she was feeling after you bullied her. ording to her answer, you had to reply. Remember, you went to apologize to her. Not to point out who was right, who was wrong, what you believed in, what she believed in.

    "I don''t even think she was in a position to be lectured at that time. Moreover, you are both adults. No one should lecture each other to begin with. So, it''s about an apology. You want to make up with her and so you apologize. Case closed."

    "But what about my reason behind the action?" Sebastian inquired. "Shouldn''t I tell her?"

    Veronica responded with a smile, "After the incident calms down, you could find an opportunity for her if she was interested to listen. But not before that. You hurt her. So, she wouldn''t want to listen to what you believe and what was your action behind it."

    Sebastian stayed quiet for a while. He pondered hard. Finally, he decided, "I''ll talk to her once again. But I''ll take my time for her to calm down first. I already hurt her. There is no justice in it. I was in the wrong."

    ''He finally started to catch up. I guess I do not need to worry about it anymore.'' Veronica stood up. "See youter, Sebastian."

    "Yes, Mistress. Thank you for your guidance." Sebastian stood up and bowed.

    "Anytime!"

    Veronica met Arthur in the restaurant along with Ovior, Ironin and Darius. She went ahead and sat beside him.

    "What took you so long?"? Arthur asked her.

    "Just giving Sebastian some advices." Veronica didn''t want to go to the details.

    "Did he do anything wrong?" Arthur already started thinking of a way to punish his subordinate if he had disturbed Veronica at some point.

    Veronica vaguely replied, "That''s his private life., Nothing to do with me. Did you already order dinner?"

    "Yes, we did. We also ordered yours ording to your liking," Darius answered.

    "Thank you! But why are you all so gloomy? Did something happen?" Veronica scanned their expressions.

    Darius lowered his voice to reply, "We are thinking about Zinnia. It has been a while since she had left to search for that Max dude. She hasn''te back yet. Her mission was the easiest one but she is taking way too much time. There is no contact from her. We can''t say for sure if we did the right thing to send her there."

    Veronica took this seriously. "Is she missing?"

    Darius shook his head. "No, in a mission like that, it''s normal for us to leave without a trace. But don''t you think she is taking way too much time to find a bar dude?"

    "Maybe Max moved out and Zinnia can''t find him," Veronica thoughtfully pointed out.

    Ovior remarked, "Even if he left, with Zinnia''s ability, she wouldn''t take much time to trace him and pull him here by his cor."

    "Are you worried that something has happened?" Veronica furrowed her eyebrows. "If I only knew that Max was a bad guy. Why did I trust him so much?" shemented regretfully.

    Arthur patted her back. "It''s okay. You didn''t know him well.

    "That doesn''t justify my action. If I didn''t go out that night, Zinnia wouldn''t have apanied me." Veronica bit her lower lip. "Should we go to Utahill and check for ourselves?"

    Arthur calmly ced his left hand on her right hand.

    "Nica, I know what you are thinking. I can let you go anywhere in the world. I might tag along with you too. But we are never setting a foot in Utahill. Please understand my worries. It''s really hard for my heart every time you mention something dangerous."

    Veronica giggled. She could understand his worries. ''I always make trouble for him, don''t I?''

    "I will wait another two days before going to Utahill. I will check things on my own," Darius dered.

    "But what about mypetition?" Veronica mentioned. "You promised that you would be there to guide me."

    Darius said, "Oh, that will take time. We still have a month left. Ironin is already training you. You just need some advice about your opponents, nothing more. I''ll teach you how to read their strengths and weaknesses. I will be there before yourpetition, I promise."

    However, Darius didn''t have to leave. They went back to the tower the next day and found Zinnia in the tower.

    "Folks, I heard you went to enjoy your vacation while I was working my butt off," Zinnia greeted them.

    Veronica gasped. "Zinnia, we were so worried about you. I was even nning to go to Utahill!"

    "Oh, great that you didn''t. That would be quite a hassle. There was nothing to find anyway," Zinnia stated with a somber.

    "What happened there?" Arthur asked for the full report.

    Zinnia started, "Sure, I will tell you everything."

    A few months before ¨C

    Zinnia went to Utahill to get Max, the bartender of the famous bar.

    Having a disguise, she went to the bar. Max was working there as usual. He talked to customers, got them beer, talked to them about things, and got information from his drunken customers.

    ''Interesting. I guess he bes rich by selling this information,'' Zinnia thought. ''I wonder if that''s how Arthur''s enemy found out about him.''

    The bar was closed at dawn. Afterward, Max went to a house. Zinnia followed him.

    Looking at the small two-storied building in the residential area of themoner, she wondered, ''Is this where he lives? That''s an expensive house for a rich guy.''

    That morning, Max took a bath and went to sleep. No one came to his house to bother him. He lived there alone.

    Zinnia waited the whole day before Max went to the bar in the evening once again.

    After that, she searched the whole house. She looked for documents that would lead to the downfall of this Max.

    The small wooden house was well furnished. Everything was spotless. He had a few amounts of furniture. The amount of furniture and the tes, sses, bowls made her conclude that he lived alone.

    He had a desk in the corner, right beside the firece. There was a pile of books.

    ''For what reason does a bartender need to have so many books? He doesn''t have the time to read books. He doesn''t look like he sells books.''

    She checked the contents of the books. Those worn-out books looked fragile. She gingerly touched them.

    The books contained information about aristocrats, their money embezzlement, torturing innocent pure people and so on. Every book had information about one family''s secret documents. Nothing was hidden.

    She also noticed that those books were handwritten.

    Zinnia smirked. ''Looks like he is from the information guild. He gathers information and sells it to the clients. That''s how he was able to buy this house. Or else, how could a bartender have that much money.''

    ''If he is an information broker, there is nothing wrong for him to find out about Arthur being in the red-light district. Moreover, it''s natural for him to know when the entire ce knew. Maybe he didn''t know that guy was the fake Arthur, not the real one. I mean, no one knew that.''

    ''As for him taking Veronica to that ce to show her fake Arthur ying with women could be a coincidence. She is such an open book. Anyone would realize that she fell for him. That''s why he might have taken her there.''

    ''Or, maybe he knows everything and pretends not to know. He is an information broker. There is no way he wouldn''t know that the blessed child has silver hair. He seemed intelligent.''

    ''In the entire world, the first woman he had ever seen having long silver hair and a pair of green eyes was Veronica. He can join the broken pieces together and then find out who is the real blessed child.''

    ''I don''t know if he knew about Arthur marrying Veronica. These books only include people from Utahill. But what about his office and the fellow members of the guild? They might know something.''

    ''If only I could get my hands on the office¡­ that would be perfect.''

    ''Maybe I should change my n. I don''t want to capture him and warn his fellows. Let''s observe to see his daily actions. I hope he will lead me to something interesting.''

    Just as she nned, she waited patiently. She observed all the people he met with and where he went. Afterward, she kept an eye on those buildings and people, observing their every move.

    Then, she found out something interesting.

 Chapter 365 - ZINNIA FOUND OUT

    Zinnia had to wait a month to find out something that she wasn''t expecting.

    She found out because Max was acting suspiciously. For two days, he didn''t sleep right after he was done with his work.

    He took a bath and then went to the first floor. Then, he covered all the windows with ck curtains.

    Because of his actions, Zinnia couldn''t see what was happening inside the house.

    She waited two hours but the curtains didn''t open. Almost three hourster, the curtains finally opened.

    Max acted like nothing had happened and went to sleep. The next day, he did the same thing.

    This time, Zinnia used the opportunity to enter his house. She wanted to find out what was happening behind the curtains.

    She used the second-floor bedroom window to go inside. She checked the surroundings. No one was there.

    ''I don''t know what''s happening downstairs. But if I get caught, I''ll be sure to take him back with me.''

    Taking a deep breath, she prepared her weapon and headed to the first floor.

    The first floor waspletely dark because the ck curtains blocked the sunlight from appearing.

    The darkness didn''t bother her. She was so used to this kind of thing that her eyes became sharper than an owl.

    There was no sound of movement. No one was talking either.

    Zinnia furrowed her eyebrows. ''Why is there no sound? He isn''t meditating, is he? Where did he go then?''

    She moved from the kitchen to the dining room but no one was there either. Afterward, she walked toward the living room and stopped there.

    At first, she thought she was imagining things.

    In the living room, in front of the firece, there was a circle drawn with white chalk on the floor. Inside the circle, there was a star with six cones. Six candles were ced in each cone.

    The candle fire wasn''t normal. It was a purple-colored fire.

    And, this wasn''t the first time for Zinnia to see this. She knew what was going on very well.

    ''Witches¡­'' she thought. ''I never thought he could be part of this. This is Utahill where magic shouldn''t take ce.''

    Tsk, she clicked her tongue in annoyance. For now, Max was nowhere at sight.

    ''Did he use magic to go somewhere or did he use any hidden ce?'' Zinnia already checked if there was a basement before she came but found nothing.

    ''If he is in any way rted to Arthur''s face changing, I have to destroy everything,'' Zinnia decided.

    Later, the next day Max was going to perform the same ritual. Zinnia caught him red-handed.

    ''I didn''t know our friendly bar owner was a part of the witches," she grabbed him from behind andmented. "I''d love to find out how you managed to do it inside the Holy City."

    Max froze on the spot. ''Damn it! When did shee? Why did I not notice? Did I let my guard down?''

    He tried to move but Zinnia''s sword was ced on his neck. "Careful, don''t move so much. You might lose your neck."

    Not being able to see who it was but the voice seemed to be familiar, Max became nervous. "Who are you? What do you want?"

    "Who I am isn''t important. But what I want¡­ I can tell you that. I want to know so many things. And you have to answer them one by one." Zinnia pressed her sword against his neck.

    Max raised his hands, quick to surrender. "Please don''t hurt me. I''m harmless."

    "Oh? I''ll decide that." Zinnia didn''t budge. "Now tell me, how did you manage to perform witchcraft in the Holy City?"

    Max snickered. "Heh, this is nothing nowadays. This so-called Holy City is corrupted. When the pir of the city is missing, what will be there to protect it?"

    "Pir? The Saint is still alive," Zinniamented.

    Max shrugged. "Who is worried about the Saint? After the blessed child appeared, she was non-existent."

    Zinnia knew that there was a fake blessed child kept in the pce. She mentioned, "But the blessed child is in the pce. How can you still use witchcraft?"

    Max replied, "Did you think that fake can be the real? Then I''d be damned."

    "That one was fake?!" Zinnia furrowed her eyebrows. ''How does he know that it is fake?'' she wondered. "Who is the real one then?"

    Max told her, "There is another woman. She was in the city but then suddenly vanished. I don''t know what happened to her after that. she was simply gone."

    "What''s her name? What does she look like?" Zinnia pressed for an answer.

    "Her¡­ her name is veronica. She has long silver hair and a unique pair of green eyes. Her appearance is so umon that she is quick to be noticed."

    "Oh yeah? Why did I not see her even once then? What else do you know about her?"

    ''Is she here for the blessed child? What''s her intention?'' Max pondered. ''I can''t tell her any more than this. What if I get killed after I tell what I know?''

    "Answer!" Zinnia de grazed his skin.

    "She is married to the Master of the Magic Tower. I haven''t seen it with my own two eyes though. Someone else told me. She has exactly the same appearance as the Veronica I know. Once she disappeared, I was able to use my magic. No one was alerted. Nothing happened to me either." Max quickly blurted out everything.

    ''I had a feeling that he knew.'' Zinnia''s lips twitched. "Who told you about her wedding? If she was married to a powerful guy, why didn''t she seek revenge?"

    "I was wondering that too. But it can happen because the Master of the Magic Tower doesn''t care about much or she hasn''t told him about it yet. Maybe she didn''t have the chance to tell him." Max subconsciously grinned.

    "And why so?" Zinnia asked. When she saw him hesitating, she tilted her de to leave a red mark on him.

    Realizing that she was serious about hurting him, he answered, "It''s just she saw him flirting with other women and left crying. Maybe they will never meet each other again after that."

    Zinnia narrowed her eyes. ''Does this guy really not know about the fake Arthur or is he just faking it?''

    "Look, I have no interest in you and your Veronica. All I want to know is one thing. It''s about the Master of the Magic Tower and his bride. The one who told you about his wedding, he must know more detailed information, right? I want to talk to him."

    ''I see, she is after the Master of the Magic Tower. This is nothing new but I can''t let my guard down just yet,'' Max thought.

    "I can help you to meet that person but you have to pay a certain amount if you want any information. Lookdy, I know you are desperate but we are running a job here. Please try to understand. I''m sure we will be able to fill in all the information you need," he told her.

    "I have money." Zinnia shoved her money pouch at him. "Guide me to your ce."

    Max observed how heavy the pouch was. He opened it and found gold coins. His attitudepletely changed after that, "Please, madam,e with me. The journey might be a bit rough."

    Afterward, he used his witchcraft knowledge to take her to their hidden base.

    It was just as she thought. All the information brokers were witches. Both male and female. The one who got the news of Arthur''s marriage was a man.

    The man handed over some papers to Zinnia. "This is all I know for now. The recent news came just a month ago. Master Arthur''s wife arrived at the tower."

    "I see." Zinnia checked all the contents. ''Someone is selling news outside the Magic Tower. What an audacity. I will have to find out about them soon.''

    "Is there anything else you want to know?" the man asked.

    Zinnia lowered her voice and stated, "Yes, did you know that there was a fake Arthur in the capital of Utahill while the real Arthur was working somewhere else?"

    The man was taken aback. "Why do you think there was a fake Arthur in the capital?"

    Zinnia told him, "That''s because the real Arthur was hanging out with his subordinates while the fake one was ying with women in the red-light district."

    "This is news to me. I didn''t hear it before." The man nervously fixed his sses.

    Zinnia had already figured it out. She seductively smiled at him. "I''ve already paid enough money to get all the information I need. Now tell me what you know."

    After a pause, she added, "You might get something more than just my money." She lowered her eyes, indicating her body.

    The man''s eyes lowered and looked at her cleavage. He gulped. Licking his lips like a pervert, he told her, "Actually, I know a group of people.. They are gathering people to make the fake Master of the Magic Tower."

 Chapter 366 - DONE WITH THE DEED

    "Actually, I know a group of people. They are gathering people to make a fake Master of the Magic Tower."

    Zinnia stared at him. Her expression didn''t show her thoughts. "Are they only making fake Arthur? I have some men in my hands. If I ask that group to make me some fake Arthur, will they help me?"

    The guy licked his lip. "You can ask them but you cannot meet them personally."

    "That won''t do. I''m ready to pay them. If they are making fake Arthur, it''s guaranteed that they are his enemy. I''m not a fan of him either. In fact, after he betrayed me, I''m seeking revenge. Tell that group that I''m willing to give them half of my fortune if they are ready to meet me. I''ll give them some of my men. If they are ready for negotiation, seek me through Max. I go to his bar every night."

    After that, Zinnia waited patiently.

    Two weekster, Max served her drink. "Miss, you are persistent."

    "When there is revenge in your head, you cannot just give up. Any news from them?" Zinnia picked up the beer ss and chugged down half of it.

    "Yes, they are ready to negotiate with you."

    "Finally," Zinnia rxed her shoulders. "Tell them toe to my house in three days." She left her address.

    "All right."

    The next day, a group of men visited Zinnia. Zinnia already bought a house near Arthur''s library. The group went there.

    After negotiating the amount of money she would give them, they agreed to take her men.

    "Wait," Zinnia interrupted them. "I cannot just leave my servants to you. I need to see in what process you are going to turn my people into fake Arthur."

    The men exchange nces. One of them replied, "Mam, we must let you know that our ce and our work are confidential. We can''t let you know the whereabouts."

    Zinnia shook her head. "I''m not telling you to tell me the whereabouts. I''m not interested in where you work. I want to know if the process of the operation is safe or not. I don''t want my servants to lose their lives in the process. I want to see with my own eyes."

    The men talked among them and then finally agreed to take her.

    They took Zinnia and her servants to the secret cave where they do their work. Those men didn''t forget to cover Zinnia and her men''s eyes with ck cloth.

    Once they reached the cave, they took off the ck clothes covering the guests'' eyes.

    Zinnia looked around. It was just the fake Arthurs described. Everything seemed advanced, which she had never seen before.

    Several shaped knives were lying on the table. They had recently taken care of a person. His face was covered in a white bandage.

    "What will happen to him?" Zinnia asked.

    One of their people answered, "He will recover soon. We are using witches to help us recover these people faster. Your servants will get better in four days as well."

    "Four days?" Zinnia frowned. "That''s a lot of time."

    "It''s a quick recovery. We are shaping their whole faces. It means even their eyes, lips, and nose shapes are being changed. No ce will go unscathed."

    "I see. I think I''ve seen enough," Zinnia stated.

    It was a signal. The moment she said that the servants she brought with her attacked the people who were involved with the face-changing mission.

    "Spare their leader. Kill the rest," Zinnia ordered.

    She always worked alone. However, to fool these people, she hired Felix''s trained men.

    Felix trained his men well. Just with her order, they mercilessly killed everyone and just left the leader. Everything happened so quickly that the enemy didn''t have the time to react.

    The leader was shocked when he saw his men were being killed one by one. "What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted.

    Zinnia raised an eyebrow, not a bit affected by his usation. "You still have the energy to ask? Can''t you understand what''s going on? Who told you to go after Arthur? You should have picked an enemy of your size."

    Later, she went to Max''s ce. She killed everyone including the witches and the information brokers. Before leaving, she grabbed Max''s cor and teleported to the Magic Tower.

    When she came back and tried to go to Ovior''s office, she noticed that there was a huge notice hanging on the door.

    The notice said ¨C On vacation. Coming back in three days.

    ''What''s this? I do all the hard work and they go for fun. How should I punish them?'' Zinnia wondered.

    shback ends ¨C

    "Did you manage to get Max?" Veronica asked Zinnia.

    "Not only Max but also the leader of the group who was making fake Arthur," Zinnia narrated everything shortly, skipping the part of witches.

    "Where are the criminals?" Arthur asked.

    "They are in the dungeon. I made sure they cause no harm," Zinnia replied.

    "Looks like I will get to do something fun." Darius grinned, cracking his fingers.

    Arthur was pleased with the work. "Good job, Zinnia. Take a week''s rest."

    "I''ll go on a vacation then. Don''t call for me in the meantime." Zinnia waved her hand and left.

    "She seemed tired. She needed the rest. I''ll go fresh up. Let me know what you find out," Veronica told Arthur before leaving.

    Arthur instructed Darius and Sebastian, "I''ll leave the interrogation to you."

    "Leave it to us. We will find everything by tonight," Darius promised.

    However, something unexpected came out of the interrogation.

    Darius shook his head. "Sebastian, you do this. I don''t think I can rely on either Arthur or Veronica."

    Sebastian gulped. He didn''t want to be part of this either. "Don''t shove me the hardest duty."

    "But this is serious. I don''t want to suffer from ck smoke again. What if Arthur starts another ck magic ritual?" Darius was worried.

    "Don''t ask me. I''ll just leave this ce if that happens."

    "Bastard! Go and call Arthur. I had enough of this pressure."

    After being scolded by Darius, Sebastian went to look for Arthur.

    As if Arthur was waiting for his arrival. "Did they confess?"

    Sebastian gulped and yet, his throat was dry. "Yes¡­ they did but¡­ it''s rted to you."

    "How so? I don''t think I''ve ever harmed them in any way."

    "That leader¡­ his sister fought with a woman over you and died. As for Max, the woman he loved, she slept with you a week and then got pregnant. She was taken to the red-light district for being an immoral woman."

    Sebastian breathed deeply after finishing his report.

    "Zinnia''s report says they used Louses'' science and witches all together toe up with the mission. I should praise their motivation and talent." Arthur dropped the report.

    "Kill them," he coldly ordered. "No need to tell Veronica anything. I will tell her what I can."

    "Yes, master." Sebastian bowed and left.

    After he left, Arthur rubbed his head. His head was throbbing after Sebastian reported him.

    ''Just when things got better between me and Nica. What should I tell her?'' Arthur pondered hard.

    Veronica was sitting beside the window. She was reading a book.

    Knock! Knock!

    "Come in."

    With her approval, Arthur came inside. Without saying anything, he pulled the chair and sat beside her.

    Veronica noticed his timid gesture and shut her book. "What''s wrong? Weren''t you interrogating Max and the leader?"

    "It''s done," Arthur replied. His voice was hardly audible.

    "Did they confess? What did they say their purpose was?" Veronica was curious.

    Arthur sighed. "It''s because of me. Some women I got attached to before I met you. They were just seeking revenge." His face looked solemn and filled with guilt.

    Veronica didn''t seem to be bothered by what he just said. She rather eximed, "By making fake you everywhere?! What kind of revenge is that?"

    "They thought this way it will tear us apart and I will never be happy."

    "They sure used the process to show off their talent."

    "And, Max knew witchcraft."

    "Did he?" Veronica gasped after learning something unexpected. "I had no clue. But did he perform magic inside the capital city?"

    Arthur naturally replied, "I don''t think so. From Zinnia''s report, the cave was outside the capital city. So, it''s fine."

    Veronica nodded. "Yes, I thought so too. It would be impossible to do it in the capital. After all, it''s protected by divine power."

    Arthur hesitantly called out, "Nica¡­"

    "What is it? You look restless even though the problem has been solved."

    "Aren''t you upset?"

    "About what?" Veronica couldn''t get what he meant.

    "Don''t y dumb. This incident wouldn''t happen if I didn''t have a lousy character."

    Only then did she understand what was bothering her husband. She asked, "Arthur, are you reflecting on your action?"

    "I am!"

    "Will you do it again, even if womene after you?"

    "No way! I already have you. I don''t need anyone else."

    "Then I don''t see the problem.. You have been with me since the day we met. After that, you hadn''t been with others, did you?"

 Chapter 367 - TO FORGIVE

    "Then. I don''t see the problem." Veronica shrugged. "You have been with me since the day we met. After that, you hadn''t been with others, did you?"

    "Of course, not!" Arthur loudly opposed.

    "So, it''s fine, isn''t it? Your past has nothing to do with me. We can''t change it even if we want to. But we can change our present actions. As long as you don''t cheat on me, I see nothing wrong."

    Arthur stared at her for a couple of minutes before leaning close to embrace her. "You are so good to me, Nica. I was so worried."

    "Well, you should be worried. It''s a good thing that you aren''t cheating now. Just try doing that and you will see the worst." Veronica didn''t give him an empty threat.

    Arthur vigorously shook his head. "You are the best when you are the kindest."

    Veronica chuckled. "Am I? It doesn''t sound so promising. People will hurt me if they notice how forgiving I am. Should I let them hurt me?"

    "That''s not what I mean. I don''t want you to get hurt. Just do whatever you feel like. But when you are kind, I just feel the safest. Or, I''m afraid of what you might do to me."

    Veronica''s body trembled as she controlled herughter. "Aren''t you being too scared? What will I do to you? Eat you?"

    Arthur''s grip on her tightened. "I''m afraid you will go far away."

    ''This is going to be traumatic,'' Veronica thought. "Arthur, aren''t we getting along well? We even share each other''s problems now. We don''t hide anything from each other. I don''t see any reason for us getting apart."

    "You are right, but I''m still afraid." Arthur raised his head and pecked on her cheek. "You are not allowed to leave me."

    Veronica looked at him. She stared at his golden pupils. Those attractive orbs drew her near as though she was spellbound.

    Their lips locked and they participated in a meaningful bond. After the meaningful kiss, Veronica traced her index finger on his face.

    "And you aren''t allowed to hurt me," she demanded.

    Arthur held her hand and brushed his lips over her finger. "I''ll do anything to ensure your happiness."

    "My happiness isn''t something you can give me, Arthur." Veronica pulled her hand away from his grasp. "It''s something I have to ensure myself."

    Arthur stared at her. "What if I change your belief? I will make sure you are happy by my side."

    ''Is it just me or did she seem a bit depressed? Is it because of the bartender witch and his partner?'' Arthur thought about it and became restless.

    Not knowing what he was thinking, Veronica lowered her head. "How can you ensure my happiness when I don''t want it?"

    Arthur''s expression changed. "What do you mean?"

    Veronica took a deep breath before saying, "I¡­ did some things which don''t give people the right to forgive me."

    "Is there something you want to tell me, Nica? I''ll always be there to listen to your worries."

    Veronica ruefully smiled. "Maybe you will. Maybe you won''t."

    "Don''t say it like this!" Arthur pulled her close to his chest. "There is no way I will ever stay far from you willingly."

    "Even if I''m a criminal?"

    "What kind of criminal are you? I will erase that from the earth."

    Veronica pressed her head against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat. His heart was beating faster.

    "Arthur¡­ when I was out there, experiencing the world¡­ I¡­ killed people," she confessed while staring at an empty space.

    Arthur froze. He was expecting many things but not this.

    Long before, Veronica was someone who shed tears for her enemy. Even the cruelest criminal had her sympathy.

    ''For her to be like this, just what did she experience out there when I wasn''t there to protect her?'' Arthur felt a pang of pain in his heart when he wondered.

    Controlling his emotions, he asked in a low voice, "How did this happen?"

    She told him, "I realized that the world is a cruel ce. A person cannot act elegantly if she was thrown into the world of the savage beasts. A princess can act like a princess in the pce, protected by many.

    "When she is at war, she has to bring out her ferociousness to defeat her enemy. If she doesn''t act ording to the situation, she is meant to suffer and die."

    Veronica raised her head and smiled at him. Her eyes were drowned in sorrow.

    "How can I me you for anything? How can I punish you for anything when I know the world we live in is so cruel? I know I shouldn''t kill people. But if I didn''t kill the nobleman and the looters, the innocents would die. At that time, I knew that I couldn''t save both parties. I had to choose only one party.

    "Either I choose the nobleman or the innocent bride of another man. Either I choose the looters or the innocent travelers. People out there are so cruel. They don''t care about one''s life if the person isn''t rted to them.

    "I''ve even seen brothers killing each other for a woman or a piece ofnd. How can something be worthy enough to destroy the bond of two brothers ¨C I have no idea. I don''t even want to understand. I believe, if I try to understand them, I''ll go insane."

    Arthur listened to her and stroked her back. He couldn''t utter a single word. His throat painfully choked.

    Veronica kept going, "Back then, I was debating with myself. I was still thinking, if I try to make the nobleman understand what he is doing wrong, he will eventually understand and let the woman go. But, he didn''t want to listen to my words. Rather, he asked his servants to send me in his quarter."

    When Arthur heard that, his eyebrow creased. His pair of golden pupils raged silently.

    Without knowing his thoughts, Veronica continued, "Even then, I was ready to make him understand his actions were wrong. But then, when I went to his chamber, I saw his guards grabbing the legs of an infant and hanging him upside down.

    "The child was crying loudly. His mother was being forced by the nobleman into the bed. At that time, I realized something.

    "There are some animals out there. They disguise themselves as humans. But they cannot leave their cruelty behind. They aren''t prepared to hear humannguage because they simply cannot understand that.

    "It wasn''t just the nobleman who was enjoying the sufferings of mother and child. The guards, the servants¡­ they were all the same. When a human grows up in the jungle, it acts like an animal. It must be true.

    "Was it wrong for me to kill everyone in the mansion without giving another second thought¡­ without flinching or feeling sorry for them? At least, I saved the mother and the child."

    Arthur securely embraced her body and responded painfully, "No, you did nothing wrong. You did the best thing. Even I would do the same. You acted as a hero. I''m sure the mother and the child will be forever grateful to you."

    Veronica let out a deep sigh. "What''s the point of being a hero if I have to bathe in blood? I wanted to help people¡­ but I never wanted to be a murderer."

    "You aren''t a murderer," Arthur firmly stated. "You said so yourself that those things weren''t human. They were animals in disguise. You had to choose between good and bad. You chose good and left bad. You made a wise decision."

    "But a killer is a killer."

    "Howe? When you see a person who kills animals to eat them or to save himself, do you call him a killer? That''s definitely a hunter. You are also a hunter. Your hunting saves innocent people. It''s not like you did it to save your skin. You are the most selfless hunter I''ve seen in my life."

    "But Arthur¡­ even if you say that¡­ it won''t change the fact that I harmed people. And I might do something bad in the future too. What if I somehow hurt you?" Just this thought was enough to scare her.

    "You think you can hurt me by killing people? Just kill them if you want to. I''ll take the me. I will see whoes to hurt youter on," Arthur boldly dered.

    Arthur killing people was killing mosquitoes. He killed countless people. No one could ever keep a record of it. If he killed one or two more, who woulde to bother him for that?

    Even if someone dide to bother him for that, that person would have a death wish.

    "But that''s power abuse," Veronicained. "This is a crime. Should we do this?"

    "We have the power to do so. There is nothing wrong with cleaning off some insects from society. There will be fewer diseases. Don''t you think so?"

    Arthur seemed reasonable but Veronica still couldn''tpletely agree.

    "Even if there is power like that, we shouldn''t use it as we please. Just for the betterment of everyone," she stated.

    "As you wish¡­"

    They were chatting when amunication device rang a bell.. Someone summoned Arthur.

 Chapter 368 - DESPERATE CONFESSION

    "Even if there is power like that, we shouldn''t use it as we please. Just for the betterment of everyone."

    Arthur smiled faintly and replied, "As you wish¡­"

    They were chatting when amunication device rang a bell. It was Arthur''s device. Someone summoned Arthur.

    Using his magic, Arthur brought the device close to him. The device opened and Felix''s face popped up.

    "I''m back from my mission. Did I¡­ disturb your private time?" he asked.

    Veronica shook her head and replied before her husband could say anything rude, "No, you didn''t. How was your mission?"

    Felix answered, "It was sessful. I''ve eliminated all the fake Arthurs."

    "Did Zinnia send you a list?" Arthur inquired.

    "The one with how many fake Arthurs out there?" Felix frowned. "Yes, but she was toote. I''ve already found the majority of them. The list made it easier to find the rest. My team took care of them."

    "This problem has finallye to an end." Veronica sighed in relief. "Should we hold a party?"

    "We have yet to go on a honeymoon. Shall we enjoy it there?" Arthur gave her a meaningful look.

    ''Is he really saying that in front of Felix?'' "Veronica forced a smile and tried to change the subject by saying, "Let''s make a deal. If I can win thepetition, we will go on a honeymoon."

    Arthur''s expression changed. "I believe you need to start training now."

    "¡­" Veronica was speechless.

    It was almost evening. The sun was setting soon. She was dead tired after two days'' vacation. How could she have the energy to train?''

    Felix cleared his throat to seek attention from the couple.

    "I''ll be staying in the tower for a month. If anythinges up, be sure to tell me. Have a good evening."

    And then, themunication device turned off.

    ------------

    For thepetition, Veronica practiced every day. She even sparred with Felix.

    When she wanted to fight with Darius, Felix and Ironin gave her another task.

    "Why don''t you people let me fight him?" Veronica was displeased.

    "We don''t want you to break your bones before thepetition, that''s why," Felix replied. "How about this? During thepetition, you go all out and break as many bones as you want. You will be able to miss your honeymoon."

    "Don''t even joke about that!" Unable to control her expression, Veronica ended up ring at him.

    "Talking about the honeymoon," Sebastian mentioned, "do women like grand weddings and grand honeymoon? I mean this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Women must fancy a grand wedding and honeymoon."

    His duty was to protect Veronica. Since she spent most of her time in the training ground, he ended up staying there as well.

    At his question, Veronica stopped what she was doing.

    "That actually depends on what kind of woman you are talking about," she responded. "You see, not all women are materialistic. Some women care about love and affection more than anything else. Even if their husbands can''t give them a fancy life, as long as they are happy and in peace, nothing else matters."

    Sebastian nodded as if he understood her. Then, he asked, "What if that woman''s lover is rich and owns a fancy hotel? Will she be interested in a guy who is less than her lover?"

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Why would a woman have both a rich lover and a poor lover? If she is out of her mind, she might do something risky like that to ruin her rtionship with her rich lover."

    Sebastian borated, "I mean if the woman isn''t engaged yet and a guyes to propose to her even though she has a rich lover, would she say ''yes''?"

    "If you are talking about Cathy¨C"

    "It''s not about her," Sebastian insisted.

    Veronica respected his wish. "¡­If you are talking about someone simr to Cathy, she will follow her heart. If she gets proposed to by another man, she will try using her brain to find out with whom she is close and satisfied. She will choose the person with whom she will be happiest."

    "So, the guy has a chance to propose to her," Sebastian concluded.

    "The guy most certainly has the chance. I mean, even I would have a little crush on a handsome guy who rescues me in danger." Veronica winked at him.

    "It''s not about me or anything," Sebastian quickly stated. "Just a friend''s problem."

    "Sure! Tell your friend that it''s now or never. If he doesn''t have the courage to do it now, he will regret it forever."

    "But what if he is scared of being rejected?"

    "At least there is a chance to be epted and live happily ever after. It might be a 50-50 chance, it''s worth trying. At the very least, your friend won''t have regrets."

    "No regrets¡­" Sebastian mumbled. "I''ll tell him that. Thank you for your advice."

    "Anytime."

    After he left, Darius said, "I''ll bet five hundred gold coins that he won''t propose to Catherine."

    "I''ll bet against you," Veronica immediately responded. "I want to know what Cathy will say. I hope she chooses the right person."

    "Who can be better at treating women than Sebastian?" Darius rooted for his friend''s subordinate. "He is loyal. He doesn''t even get hard seeing naked women. I only saw him getting hard on Catherine."

    "You can keep those details to yourself. I''m not interested." Veronica brushed him off. She nced at Ironin and asked, "Ironin, what do you think of Sebastian and Catherine?"

    Ironin stopped practicing and looked at her. "I think nothing," his reply was short.

    "How can that be?" Veronica was surprised. "Don''t you want them to be happy?"

    "As long as they don''t bother me," Ironin replied.

    Veronica shook her head.

    Meanwhile, Sebastian headed to Ovior''s office. He knew Catherine was working there.

    The more he got closer to the office, the more nervous he became. His stomach was hurting. His heart was racing. He felt like he was going to puke.

    He stopped in the middle of the corridor and thought, ''Maybe today isn''t the day. I''ll ask her tomorrow.''

    Just when he decided, Catherine called out from behind, "Sebastian, what are you doing standing here? Is everything all right?"

    Sebastian''s entire body froze. Slowly, he turned around and saw Catherine with a pile of papers.

    "You don''t look well. Is everything all right?" Catherine stepped closer.

    At that moment, Sebastian recalled what Veronica said, "It''s now or never."

    He opened his mouth and said, "Catherine, what do you think of dating me?"

    -----------------

    Little Theater:

    Felix came to Arthur''s office. Others were there as well.

    Darius: [looking at Felix] What brings you here?

    Felix: Can''t I be here? I brought news. You heard about Flow07, right?

    Ovior: [frowning after hearing the weird name] Flow07 who?

    Zinnia: Oh, I know. She is an author. She was writing a story about us, wasn''t she?

    Felix: Yes, it was apetition. She thought our stories would earn her some bucks. Looks like her book that was mentioned won a nomination.

    Ironin: Not bad. But I hoped she would do better.

    Ovior: She should have done a lot better considering she wrote our story.

    Catherine: But isn''t she always sickly? She has to do her work too. It''s not like she is a full-time author.

    Veronica: Does she need help? I can always heal her if she is sick.

    Arthur: You don''t have to tire yourself for a loser. Save your energy for the night.

    Veronica: Huh? Why for the night¡­ oh you!

    Felix: I think she did great, considering irregr updates. I''ve heard 79000+ authors joined thepetition. To be picked up among them, don''t you think she did a great job?

    Veronica: It wasn''t just great. It was amazing! I knew she could do this.

    Ovior: The only reason she was nominated was because of us. If she worked even harder, she could have done much better.

    Flow07 from Mars: Well, why don''t you do all my work for me. I think I can concentrate better. Do you know how long it has been since I didn''t go on a vacation? I''m stuck in the same city for two years and dare not to go out if it''s not necessary. Even so, I get sick every month. Do you think I''m deliberately causing this? I''m losing my mind here and youe with all theints. Next time you do that, I''ll beat you up.

    _________________________________________

    ANNOUNCEMENT:

    Thank you so much all of you, guys. I couldn''t havee this far without you. Despite my irregr update, you guys stick with me. Because of your love and support Tangled by Fate won a nomination in WSA 2021.

    This year, I''ll focus on finishing TBF and MWG:99.

    I''m trying to be a full-time author for the time being but I don''t know how to write full time. Can you guys help me out?

    I also have so many ns for this year as I have to move quite some ces and I wish for your constant support and prayer. s

    Thank you all of you.

    Love you ~

 Chapter 369 - MIND BLOWING

    "Catherine, what do you think of dating me?"

    Sebastian''s words were quick and abrupt. It was so unexpected that Catherine stared at him dumbly.

    "What?"

    "What if we date with marriage in mind?" Sebastian asked in one breath. "You don''t have to worry about myfort. Just¡­ be with me."

    At that moment, his head was nk, his ears were buzzing. If the earth split apart, he wouldn''t know. His focus was only toward Catherine, and her alone.

    "What¡­ what are you saying¡­?" Catherine stammer. Her legs were immobile, betraying her wish.

    Noticing that she wasn''t moving closer, Sebastian stepped forward.

    "I know you have a man in your life but I want to tell you that when you are with me, you can be who you are. You can have your secrets. I won''t pester you for that. As long as you are with me, you won''t be pressed to do anything you don''t want. Just be yourself."

    "...I need to¡­ organize the papers¡­" Catherine breathlessly told him before walking past him.

    She didn''t know how she reached Ovior''s room. She dropped the papers on the table. Her head was a mess.

    The sound of the dropping papers was loud in the silent room. Ovior raised his head and observed her.

    Her unusual behavior piqued his interest. "Are you all right? Your face is red. Don''t tell me you have a fever."

    Catherine unnecessarily wiped her face. "I¡­ I''m fine. Just a bit distracted."

    "I don''t care if you are distracted or what. Just finish today''s papers. We will have another pile tomorrow." After giving her instructions, Ovior paid attention to his work.

    "Yes, I will."

    Catherine was checking numbers and suddenly realized that she was working on one paper for two hours. She just kept making mistakes. She wasn''t able toe up with the answer she was seeking.

    She covered her face, trying to eliminate all kinds of thoughts that were distracting her.

    However, her mind only betrayed her. Her mind kept repeating thosest few words of Sebastian, "¡­you won''t be pressed to do anything you don''t want. Just be yourself."

    ''No, no, Cathy. You already have Vincent. You cannot think about another man now. You have to focus. Focus!''

    No matter what she told her mind or pped her face, her mind stubbornly decided to be a traitor.

    In the end, she couldn''t stand it anymore and went to the dining hall.

    It was dinner time. Veronica went there after a hard training session. She spotted her best friend sitting in the corner ying with her food.

    "Hey, it''s not good to y with people. People out there starve to death," she reminded her.

    Catherine looked at her and let out a sigh. "I want to eat but it''s not going inside my throat."

    "It will if you put the food in your mouth, chew it, and then gulp it down. Food doesn''t have legs to move ording to your wish." Veronica sat across the table and asked, "What happened? You look like you have lots of thoughts in your mind."

    "You can tell? Sigh! Ovior was saying that too. I wasn''t able to finish my work on time thanks to the distraction." Catherine''s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

    Her words stimted Veronica''s curiosity. "Distraction? What kind of distraction?"

    "It''s just¡­ Sebastian¡­" Catherine hesitated but she knew that sharing the incident would help her clear her mind. She continued, "I don''t know what''s wrong with this dude¡­ but he confessed to me. He said he wanted to date me with marriage in mind!"

    Veronica''s jaw dropped. "No way! Is that true?!"

    In her mind, she cheered. ''Congrattions, Sebastian! I knew you could do it. You just needed a bit of push. That''s all.''

    "As if I can dream of that." Catherine rolled her eyes. "I never thought that Sebastian thought of me in that way. I mean, whenever we were together, we often argued. If it wasn''t for today''s incident, I could have never imagined that he would propose to me. Just when I think about it, I can''t breathe more."

    She paused there and took a deep breath. She wasn''t lying. Whenever she thought about him proposing to her, she would be so nervous that she could barely breathe.

    "Just how much his words got you that you are having a hard time breathing? Wait, don''t try to talk, just breathe." Veronica prevented her friend from talking.

    Catherine shook her head. She calmed down and then said, "I don''t know. I don''t understand why it''s getting on my nerves and mind. I want to focus on my work but my mind is flying like a butterfly. What is wrong with me?"

    "Are you sure you don''t feel anything for him?" Veronica directly asked.

    "¡­What? No!" Catherine eximed.

    "You know your reply was a bitte," Veronica pointed out.

    "That''s not the problem here."

    "That exactly could be the problem here," Veronicamented. "Look, I know everything is confusing now. You are dating Vincent and Sebastian suddenly proposed to you. but I want you to know what you feel about both guys.

    "They are both remarkable in their own ways and you cannotpare them. It''ll be so unfair. That''s why you can onlypare how and what you feel around them. Who makes you feel more rxed and more you? Where can you be freer? Where is the ce where you don''t have to think what the other party has to think or say?

    "Who makes you feel more loved? Who understands you more? Who makes you feel at ease? Who saves you every time you are in danger? Who do you think of first when you are in danger?

    "Try thinking about all that and then choose the person you want to be with for the rest of your life."

    Catherine took a mouthful of soup and then licked her lips. "Umm¡­ I don''t think I can answer them all. But, there is no way I cannot think about Sebastian when I''m in danger. He was protecting me for a while, and I instinctively think of him when I''m in danger. That doesn''t count."

    "Fine, then who understands you more?"

    Catherine exined, "Look, they are more understanding. It''s just that Sebastian is more annoying than Vincent. Vincent understands me well. However, I didn''t tell him about my job specifically. Thus, he has a hard time understanding my work and values.

    "As for Sebastian, he knows almost everything about me. We live under the same roof. Therefore, no matter how you want me to judge, he gets the advantage."

    "So, in that sense, you are morefortable with him because you have nothing to hide from him," Veronica concluded.

    "Exactly," Catherine confirmed. "And more than that," she added, "Vincent also proposed to me the other day. I have yet to answer him."

    "!" Veronica was dumbfounded. "Vincent proposed to you and you say it now?!"

    ''This is moreplicated than I thought. Why did Vincent have to propose to her so quickly? They just met and started to know each other. He didn''t need to get married so soon. Why so hurry?'' she pondered hard, rubbing her forehead.

    "I know, I''m sorry but then Sebastian got injured and we were all in a hurry. I couldn''t even get the time to answer him. I had to focus on helping Sebastian recover first."

    "Vincent proposed to you, Sebastian got injured, you didn''t reply to Vincent''s proposal rather took care of Sebastian ¨C is that what you are trying to say?"

    "¡­Yes¡­ that''s how things went in the resort. And after we departed, I didn''t send Vincent any letter."

    "So, you chose Sebastian over Vincent." Veronica''s eyes sparkled in delight.

    "What? No!" Catherine firmly denied. "What makes you think I chose him? He was just injured. I''d do it for any person."

    ''That''s true,'' Veronica thought. She couldn''t say anything in return.

    She said, "Fine, you were busy helping Sebastian but then I healed him. You had plenty of opportunities to talk to Vincent but you avoided him."

    "It''s not that I wanted to avoid him. He got busy with new customers. It couldn''t be helped." Catherine sounded depressed.

    Veronica stayed quiet for a long time before speaking her mind, "Honestly, it''s really hard to pick up between them. You are easily shaken when something happens to Sebastian. You are close to him and feelfortable around him. You have nothing to hide from him.

    "But with Vincent, everything is different. He can''t even protect you if you are in grave danger. You might need to hide your workce secret for the rest of your life. Even then there is a problem. If you use teleportation after marriage toe to work, Vincent and his family will be suspicious. Things will getplicated.

    "Or maybe, they will ept you for who you are. You can just be yourself and do whatever you want."

    Catherine listened to her and mumbled, "ept me for who I am¡­ can a married woman think of that?"

 Chapter 370 - ANSWER TO THE PROPOSAL

    "ept me for who I am¡­ can a married woman think of that?" Catherine muttered.

    "Huh? What do you mean?" Veronica looked at her.

    Catherine mentioned, "You know, after marriage, the inws don''t let the girls do jobs outside. They want her to be a full-time housewife."

    Veronica couldn''t deny her friend''s worry. "Well¡­ I didn''t face it because Arthur doesn''t have any family other than me. As for you, you have to ask them what they want. Some women just sacrifice everything for the men they love.

    "But my question is¡­ for what cost? If you throw away the career you worked so hard for and then sacrifice all your wishes for the sake of your husband and children, what will you get in return?

    "It will be great if you can get their devotion and love for you but most women are treated worthless. That''s the problem. If that''s what happens, it would be better not to sacrifice anything at all."

    "But I won''t know if I don''t try, will I?" Catherine asked. "I have to sacrifice and then check if they really care for me or not."

    "Yes but if they don''t, who will get hurt more than you? I don''t want you to take risks," Veronica told her.

    "So, what do you want me to do?"

    "Go and ask them what kind of woman they want as their daughter-inw. You also have to make sure if Vincent will support you or not. If he doesn''t, you already know the answer to his proposal."

    "But I love him!" Catherine insisted. "I really want to be with him."

    Veronica reached out and held her friend''s hand. "Cathy, no one is stopping you from saying ''yes'' to him. I want you to be happy no matter who you are with. My choice here is irrelevant. All I want you to choose wisely.

    "I want you to be happy no matter what you choose. I''m telling you to give both of the proposals some thought because you have choices you have made. Since you can ept or reject both of them, I want you to think deeply before you make the decision. Just make sure you won''t have any regrets in the future.

    Catherine finally understood what she wanted to say. "You have a point. I need to make sure I''m going to a safe and happy ce. I can''t throw away my life because of love. I guess I will have to ask Vincent and Sebastian to wait.

    "It sounds cruel but their sudden proposals did make my brain stop and I don''t want to answer them. Right now, I want to focus on my work and finish the rest of it before tomorrow arrives. Or else, I''ll be killed with another pile of papers tomorrow."

    "Yes, do that and try to eat some fruits while you are at it. You need strength to work," Veronica reminded her.

    "I will." Catherine looked at her te. "I don''t want to waste it but I don''t even have the appetite to eat."

    "Let me eat it. You barely touched the food."

    "Sorry, but thank you." Catherine pushed her meal to her friend''s side and then stood up. "I have to go now. I will finish my work before going to sleep."

    "All right. Rest early if you can."

    After Catherine left, Veronica was left alone. Other magicians didn''t dare to sit anywhere near her. If their eyes were locked with hers, they would greet her, or else, they avoided her mostly.

    She emptied half of the bowl when she spotted Darius walking past her. His action made her believe that he was avoiding her.

    Darius looked at what stopped him from going forward. He saw her and politely smiled at her. "Hey! Isn''t this the Mistress of the Magic Tower¨C"

    "You lost the bet. Give me five hundred gold coins," Veronica directly demanded.

    ''I knew this would happen. That''s why I tried to avoid her,'' Darius thought. He gave her a half-smile. "What gold coins? Are you trying to rob me?"

    "If you are trying to avoid it, it won''t work. You see, Sebastian already confessed to Cathy. Ironin and Felix were there when we had a bet. When they take my side, you will have to give a penalty. How about giving me double the price as the penalty?" Veronica suggested, feeling amused.

    Darius''s shoulders dropped. He pulled the chair beside hers and sat there. He spoke in a gentle voice, "Veronica, I know you have a grudge against me because I didn''t hold backst time we were fighting. Can''t we sort this out without going for the money?"

    "It has nothing to do with that match though. I was at a disadvantage, but I still won. The thing is we made a bet and you cannot take your words back now."

    "Veronica, aren''t you the Mistress of the Magic Tower? You are the richest woman in the universe. Why do you need to take the money of a humble being?"

    "Humble?" Veronica''s lips twitched. "I heard you spend a thousand silver coins every night. I know alcohol and women are expensive in ces you go. You can spend money there but not when you make a bet? Where is your dignity as a warrior?"

    Darius could have any kind of insult but not when someone mocked him as a warrior. Since Veronica talked about his dignity as a warrior, he couldn''t argue with her any longer.

    ''I don''t know which son of a bitch told her about my nightly expenses but I''ll hunt him down, I swear.'' Darius gritted his teeth.

    "You will get the money by tomorrow," he dered. He looked depressed. His heart suddenly felt empty thinking a fortune of him was going to end for a stupid bet.

    He started calcting, ''Just how many alcohol bottles and women would I get from those five hundred gold coins?''

    When the result turned into something more than he expected, he choked. As though half of his heart was chunked away, he became motionless.

    ''No way¡­ how did everythinge to this? Why did I take the bet in the first ce? Wasn''t Sebastian a coward? Why would he confess to Catherine, the ugly woman? Did he lose his mind?''

    The more he thought about it, the more upset he became.

    Even though he was sad, he still had to give her a pouch of gold coins after dinner.

    Veronica was delighted. ''What should I do with all this money? Should I go shopping?" She started making a list.

    While she enjoyed because of Sebastian''s confession, he himself didn''t think the same.

    That''s because from then on Catherine began to avoid him.

    Whenever he tried to approach her, she looked away or went to another ce. Her action was so open that she didn''t hide from others.

    She even stoppeding to crowded ces where they could meet by chance.

    ''I knew things would turn this way,'' he thought. ''Why did I have to confess? If I held back from proposing to her, she wouldn''t avoid me. We would have still talked. Now everything has changed because of my stupid mouth.''

    Hemented and med himself every second.

    On the other hand, Catherine stayed at Ovoior''s office and ced her hands on her head.

    ''What am I doing? I have to tell him that I need a month to wait. I''ve already sent a letter to Vincent. All I have to do is to let Sebastian know that I need time. And yet, I can''t face him. Whenever I see his face, my legs start running. Just why?''

    It was like her body was moving on its own ord. Her legs would turn the heels whenever she spotted Sebastian.

    ''Why is my heart going crazy?'' she wondered. ''I admit it was unexpected that he would like me. But I shouldn''t run away. This is just rude. Sebastian is a good man and I quite like him as my friend. I rely on him sometimes too. Am I not breaking his heart by doing this?''

    "Legs, listen to me well. Don''t run away from Sebastian!"

    "Catherine, have you finally lost your mind?" Ovior asked from his seat. He was deeply frowning at her.

    He mumbled, "I knew she would lose it at some point due to work pressure but that''s just too soon."

    "Huh? What do you mean?" Catherine stared at him. She was confused by his usation.

    "Why do you ask me? You are the onemanding your legs." Ovior''s frown deepened. ''This is serious. She has be insane.''

    ''Oh no! Did I speak loudly just now?'' Catherine gasped. ''Just how much did I say out loud for him to hear?''

    She carefully observed him and told herself inwardly, ''He thinks I lost my mind. It''s all over his face and he isn''t hiding it.''

    "Ovior," she stated, "I''m all right. It''s just someone did something and I started avoiding him before I knew it. It''s making me distracted. There are things I want to tell him but my legs keep running away."

    Ovior listened to her worries andmented, "Your legs are betraying him, not your hands. Write a letter if you have something to say.''

    "Writing letters?"

 Chapter 371 - LET ME READ

    "Your legs are betraying him, not your hands. Write a letter if you have something to say."

    "Writing letters?" Catherine stared at him dumbly.

    ''Why did I note up with the idea first? This is so simple! If I can''t face him and am unable to talk to him, I can just write him a letter!'' pping her head, she began to write a letter immediately.

    Ovior quietly observed her and pondered hard, ''I shouldn''t give her too many tasks today. Maybe I should give her half a day off?''

    An hourter, Sebastian got his first letter from Catherine. Her pet dove gave it to him while he was training in the training ground.

    Veronica noticed him grabbing the letter and frowning deeply. She asked, "Sebastian, did you get any ill news? You don''t look well."

    Sebastian nervously looked at her. "Ah¡­ no, I just don''t know what''s in the letter. I''m a bit worried."

    "If it''s not personal, do you want me to read it for you? I''ll take the secrets to keep in my grave, trust me." Felix offered help.

    Sebastian thought about it and then frowned. "You will take it to the grave? What if someone digs your grave and finds out the truth?"

    ''What is going on in his mind?'' Felix wondered. "Fine, then what do you want me to do?" He reached out his hand to grab the letter.

    Sebastian backed away. "No, I don''t want to. You don''t seem reliable."

    Darius put down his axe and stepped forward. "You don''t have to give it to him. I''m your most trustedpanion. You should let me handle it."

    Sebastian vigntly looked at him. "Promise me you will forget after telling me."

    Darius brushed away his worries by saying, "Okay, I promise I will forget whatever secret there is after telling you."

    After all, he was a man of words. No matter how much of a jerk he was, he always kept his promise.

    "All right." Assured by his promise, Sebastian handed over the letter to him.

    Darius unfolded the letter and read it. There weren''t too many words to begin with. He quickly finished reading.

    "Oh, it''s from Catherine. She apologized for avoiding you but you made her ufortable, so she had no other option. For now, she likes to keep her distance. She will think about your proposal but warn you not to have high hopes. She wants one month to think before answering. That''s it. That''s what the letter says."

    After he was done narrating the content of the letter, he looked at Sebastian.

    Sebastian was cid.

    Confused seeing his expression, Darius nced over at others who were present at that moment. They were silently staring at him.

    Not being able to take everyone''s silent jeer, he asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

    "You just said everything written in that letter," Felix mentioned.

    Darius nodded in affirmation. "Yes, I did. Sebastian wanted to know the content, right?"

    "You promised to forget after telling him. You dered the content to us," Ironin pointed out his mistake.

    Darius still didn''t think he had broken the promise. He stated, "But I promised if it was something secret or super private. Sebastian proposing to Catherine is nothing new. Everyone knew about it. There is nothing private about it."

    Felix decided to tell him what he did wrong. He said, "A letter for someone is supposed to be private to begin with. You shouldn''t announce it to everyone."

    "Huh? Is that so¡­?" Darius looked at the letter once again. Afterward, he raised his head and told them, "But we all wanted to know what Catherine had to say after being proposed, right?"

    Sebastian strode forward and snatched the letter from Darius. He did not utter a single word and left the premises.

    Realizing that he was upset, Darius went after him. "Sebastian, man, don''t leave like that. I was wrong. I didn''t understand that it was private. I''m sorry."

    Veronica shook her head, feeling helpless for that ''huge idiot''. "So much for being a trustedpanion."

    "If you have time to feel sorry, trying to practice the move I showed you a few minutes ago," Felix told her.

    "All right." Veronica raised her sword once again.

    ------

    It was almost a month. Spring wasing. The snow started to melt. Veronica and the others in the Magic Tower could see green leaves growing in the trees and nts once again.

    Veronica wore her armor. Arthur fastened the belt around her waist and right leg. While he did that, Veronica adjusted her helmet.

    "Do I have to wear this? It''s making me suffocate," Veronicained.

    They were in the hotel, preparing for thepetition. Veronica would go on a match in one hour.

    The field where thepetition would be held was a ten-minute walk from here. All other participants were around the area.

    "I can allow you to fight those rough soldiers but I can''t allow you to get heavily injured," Arthur firmly stated his mind.

    "I''m already covered from top to bottom. How can my head get injured?"

    "Many soldiers will try to kill if you are a good fighter. They will aim at your head. Didn''t Ironin or Felix teach you?" Annoyed, Arthur clicked his tongue. "I should have trained you myself."

    "Then I would learn nothing. You don''t know how to be rough."

    Arthur pulled his face closer and murmured close to her ear, "I know how to be rough in bed."

    "Don''t be so shameless." Veronica pushed his chest.

    She thought he was just joking to ease her. However, he didn''t seem tough at all. His somber expression stated how reluctant he was to send her inside the ring.

    He drew her body closer and embraced her body, ignoring her hard armor that was hurting him.

    "Nica, you can''t get hurt. If you see that you are about to lose, don''t worry about anything and run away. You are already wearing a helmet, so no one will know who you are. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

    Veronica didn''t know whether tough or cry.

    "Arthur, I can be anything but a coward. How can I run away?"

    Arthur told her, "Do you think your opponent will go easy on you like Ironin and Felix? They will do their best to crush you. Don''t you know they will desperately y in order to win five thousand silver coins?"

    "I''ll y desperately too," Veronica swore. "I don''t let them win the coins because I want to win them fairly. It''s just that, I''m worried that I can''t y well. I always lose."

    "You beat Roxana in the first match. Don''t you remember? You are much stronger than you think. If you were a weak person, I wouldn''t let you participate in thepetition. Just focus on your opponent''s shoulder. Forget about everything else. Don''t let them touch you. The moment they give the first strike, you are drop dead."

    Arthur tried to make her feelfortable and relieved, but he just added more worry in her tiny head.

    "Am I that weak?" Veronica shuddered.

    "No one hit you with all of their strength before. Ironin and Felix held back. I''m sure Roxana did the same too since they were all teaching you lessons, not fighting you in real life."

    "I''ll be careful." Veronica couldn''t control herself from trembling. Her stomach muscles tightened. She felt like she was going to vomit at any moment.

    Arthur was quick to notice her changes of expression. "You don''t look well. Are you feeling ill? Do you want to quit?"

    "No¡­ no¡­ I''m going."

    "Veronica! I heard you are participating. I came to see your matches¡­ Oh my! Are you okay?" Zinnia burst into the room and spotted Veronica''s pale face through the helmet right away.

    Small portions of Veronica''s cheeks were visible. Her face was ashen due to nervousness.

    Zinnia patted her back and said, "Hey, it''s normal to feel that way. It''s your firstpetition after all. Breathe¡­ Take deep breaths. It''ll help you to calm your nervous system. By the way, have you had your breakfast?"

    "I made sure she ate a good amount. No one can fight with an empty stomach." Darius came out of nowhere and pped Veronica''s back.

    "Are you trying to kill her?" Arthur stepped forward like a protective husband.

    Darius raised his hands to surrender and backed away. "Wo! Wo! Calm down, mother hen! It''s just a small pat and she is wearing armor. She will get more hurt inside the ring. No need to be so aggressive about it."

    Arthur red at him without a word.

    Looking at Arthur''s scowl expression, Zinnia hurriedly stopped Darius to say further, "Don''t make it worse, or else Arthur won''t let Veronica fight. I heard that she worked really hard. She will be upset if Arthur takes her away midway."

    Darius covered his mouth. He shook his head toward Veronica as if to tell her that he didn''t mean to do it.

    Veronica had no time to think about other stuff. She was so nervous that her head was spinning.

    "It''s almost time. We should head out.." Zinnia urged.

 Chapter 372 - ARE YOU READY FOR IT?

    "It''s almost time. We should head out." Zinnia urged.

    After going out, Veronica became even more nervous. The road was swarming with people of all ages.

    The children were gazing at the big-sized warriors with their big eyes with wonder.

    Even Veronica stared at them and wondered, ''Will I be able to beat any one of them?''

    There was a reason behind her thoughts. Those warriors who were going to participate all wore armors suitable for them. Their sizes were huge. Most of them had a simr size to Darius.

    In front of them, she looked like a tiny bug. She never felt like this before in front of Darius. That''s because he was never her opponent, but these giants could be her opponents during thepetition.

    Arthur securely held her hand as if to assure her there was nothing to worry about. Even so, it wasn''t too convincing. She didn''t feel better in the slightest.

    When they entered the huge round building where thepetition was held, the shouts of the people increased.

    "Why are people screaming so much?" Veronica asked.

    "That''s because their favorite warriors already entered the ring," Darius replied. "You have nothing to worry about. From today, you will be one of them."

    "Thanks," Veronica finally smiled. Nheless, her smile seemed forced. It almost looked like a cry.

    Zinnia lowered her head and said, "Don''t let these stupid hogs'' sizes get you. They are just tall. When they fight, they use their strength and muscles more than their brains.

    "I know warriors live and die with their muscles but you have better chances in that because you will use both. Strategy is everything."

    "Yes, thank you." Veronica nodded.

    She looked ahead and found Felix, Ovior and Ironin. They were walking toward them. Somehow, they managed to notice Veronica, Arthur, Darius and Zinnia in the crowd,

    "Hello! How''s our little champ doing?" Felix gave her a bright smile.

    Veronica put an effort to stretch her lips. "I''m doing great."

    "She saw some warriors had already died," Darius confessed instead of? her.

    Felix chuckled. "There is nothing to worry about. You aren''t going to fight all of them. Most of them were going to join hand-in-handbat. You will fight with your sword. That''s a totally different category."

    ''Someone is awfully cheerful. I never saw him expressing his emotions properly before,'' Veronica thought.

    She recalled thest time he expressed his emotions like that. He was crying hard after meeting the spirit of the love of his life, Lady Joana. After that, he was rather calm and quiet.

    ''Maybe me participating in thepetition made him excited. Fighting people for money isn''t that bad, after all,'' she thought.

    "If you had briefed her properly, she wouldn''t be in this sorry state," Arthur profuselyined. He had a glum expression.

    Felix didn''t seem to mind his mood. He said, "She already knows what she needs to know. Some things saved forter. If I told her everything beforehand, she would mix up all the information and screw up. Let her experience first-hand first. It''s better this way."

    "As long as she doesn''t piss her pants. I have to go. I''ll meet my friends. See youter!" Darius went ahead and got mixed in the crowd.

    "Ver! Are you okay?" Catherine was squashed in the crowd and was finally able toe closer.

    Behind her was Roxana. She came too.

    "You are also here!" Veronica was surprised.

    "How can I miss my little disciple''s firstpetition?" Roxana shrugged with a smile. She scanned the little warrior top to bottom. "The armor suits you. Did Arthur make it for you?"

    Veronica nodded in reply.? "Yes, he brought it for me. I love it."

    "He has a fine taste. I love the design. I hope this is strong armor though it doesn''t look like it," Catherinemented.

    "Arthur said it''s? good. I trust his judgment.? Why were youte?" Veronica asked her.

    "I was sewing the handkerchief for you. I didn''t notice the time. Mostly, women give the handkerchief to the men they root for. I will only cheer for you. So, I made one for you. Here¡­" saying that Catherine wrapped the white handkerchief around Veronica''s left wrist.

    "Ohh! Thank you!" Veronica was touched.

    Her worries dissipated a lot when she met Catherine. Two besties headed inside while others followed them from the back.

    "Mithril, Arthur?" Roxana looked at Arthur.

    "My wife can only get the best object in the world," Arthur proudly stated.

    "That''s why mithril? In an urban musclepetition?" Roxana shook her head in disappointment. "You know how to spend to collect the most valuable item and then use it where it''s the least expected."

    Mithril was a material that resembled silver but was way stronger and lighter than steel. Warriors from farawaynd would wear armor made of mithril when they went to fight a war.

    Mithril was the perfect shield that protected them from the sharpest, heaviest and hardest tools.

    "My wife needs to be protected when I can''t do anything," Arthur''s devotion was resolute.

    Inside the round building where thepetition was being held, no magic could be used in the area.

    If Veronica was injured and needed help during a fight, Arthur would only have to watch without doing anything.

    "Anyway, what''s up with the disguise? I thought you guys would get all the attention after entering the ring." Roxana looked at Arthur and Ovior.

    Those two tied their long hair and then hid the ponytails under their hats. They were wearing masks to cover their eyes. No one would find out who they were.

    "We can''t get enough attention. It will be harmful to Veronica," Ovior stated.

    "True, they have so many enemies around here. Who knows who will take advantage of it ande to bite Veronicater during the match?" Zinnia acknowledged their worries.

    "It''s a bit hard to ept when they love to keep a high profile, especially Arthur. I can''t believe he changed so much after marriage. It almost amazes me," Roxana expressed her opinion.

    "Makes you jealous?" Zinnia smirked. "Why don''t you find a man?"

    "I''d rather have a docile man who will cook for me and sew me clothes and handkerchief. Where to find a man like that?" Roxana shrugged.

    "Indeed. Your choice is unique. But you don''t have to work too hard for it. Just show off your charm. The man who is meant for you will fall hard for you. problem solved," Zinnia advised.

    "It sounds so easy," Roxanamented.

    Their conversation didn''t reach the duo in front of them. Veronica and Catherine were busy chatting to themselves.

    "Ver, just focus on what you are here for. Don''t worry about the crowd. I know you are feeling nervous because of these ugly people but don''t you worry. After you went through so much, you deserve a gold medal," Catherine told her.

    She added, "We will be all rooting for you. And we believe that you can do it, Veronica. Your teachers know how capable you are. So, have some faith in yourself."

    "I''ll do my best." Veronica let out a deep breath. Being apanied by Catherine helped her a lot.

    They were talking when Arthur came between them and said, "Let''s sign up your name first."

    First, she had to write her name in the list ofpetitions she was going to participate in. Later, she had to be separated from her friends and stay with the participants.

    Once her name would be called, she had to go inside the stadium and fight against her opponent in front of the huge crowd.

    Veronica went with Arthur and Felix to register her name while others went to their seats.

    Looking at the lines, she knew who was participating in the sword fighting.

    Veronica gulped. Her short-gone fear came back with anxiety.

    "I''ll choose archery," she abruptly dered.

    "!!!" Arthur and Felix were stunned.

    Arthur was quick to recover. He inquired, "Archery? Can you use a bow and arrows?"

    "I''ve never seen you doing archery. Are you sure you want that?" Felix asked next.

    "Yes, archery is harmless. I just have to hit the target and win," Veronica stated.

    ''I really don''t think I can defeat those strong people. They look so tough. I guess archery will have to do. I''ll use the knowledge and wisdom Urs shared with me when we were traveling,'' she told herself inwardly.

    ''Oh wait, I did ask Urs and the others toe. Did theye? They should have because they would be curious about me fighting others.''

    Arthur knew nothing about her thoughts. He epted her reasonable exnation and was rather pleased.

    "Sure, you can sign up for archery,'' he agreed.

    Archery was rather harmless than sword fighting. During sword fighting, if things went wrong, the yer would have to suffer. That''s why he didn''t mind her doing archery.

    After Veronica signed her name, she? went a bit away from the crowd. She wanted to talk to Arthur before going to the archery team.

    Felix waited a bit far away while Arthur hugged her. "You will do well. I know you will. Just don''t hurt your fingers. It''ll hurt."

    Veronica sniffed her husband''s soothing cologne andmented, "Umm. Although I never showed you my skill, I''m rather good at this. I hunted birds and animals. I have confidence."

    "Then I''ll be able to witness a wonderful performance then. Whatever the result is, don''t be upset. We will still go on our honeymoon."

    "Even if I lose?"

 Chapter 373 - ARCHERY

    "Then I''ll be able to witness a wonderful performance then. Whatever the result is, don''t be upset. We will still go on our honeymoon," Arthur tried to encourage her.

    "Even if I lose?"

    "Even if you lose," he promised.

    Veronica rubbed her face against his chest. "You are always so good to me."

    Arthur pecked on her forehead. "You are good to me too. Do your best in thepetition. If someone tries to give you a hard time, just tell meter. I''ll beat the crap out of them."

    "There is no way I will tell you after hearing that." Veronica giggled and then tiptoed to touch his lips with hers. After giving him a small peck, she backed away.

    Pushing his chest, she stated, "Go now. Wait for my victory."

    "Umm, be careful." Arthur''s fingertips touched her face onest time before he went out.

    Felix waved his hand and mouthed "good luck" to her before following him.

    Veronica took a deep breath and patted her chest. "You can do it. This is archey that you practiced many times.. You have to make your masters proud of you."

    After giving herself some encouraging words, she headed toward the room where all the archers stayed

    The moment she entered the room, all eyes were fixed on her. It made her a bit nervous but she didn''t express it.

    She found a space in the corner. She quietly sat there and waited for her name to be called.

    One of the participants came to her and asked, "Are you an archer?"

    Veronica looked at him. He had a simr body structure to Felix. He had a petite figure. His skin was darker. He was wearing a brown worn-out shirt and ck pants.

    His straight brown hair covered his eyes. His rough hands were covered with bruises. Especially his fingers. It showed how much he practiced archery every day.

    "Yes, I am," she replied.

    "You¡­ you are a woman?!" The participant eximed loudly and stepped back a few steps. He was thunderstruck knowing that there was a woman in the room.

    Other participants once again focused on her. That made her ufortable. Her heart beat louder as she became nervous.

    Despite how anxious she was, she raised her head and inquired, "Is there any problem?"

    "It is my first time seeing a woman archer. I didn''t mean anything bad. Please forgive my rudeness." The man bowed as he apologized.

    "Oh, okay. I forgive you," Veronica responded with a forced smile.

    ''Now he has done it. I didn''t want to bring any attention to myself. Because of him, everyone is now looking at me.'' She wanted to cry but she couldn''t shed any tears.

    The participant sat beside her. Because of his curiosity, he couldn''t help but ask, "So, how long are you practicing archery?"

    "About a few months." Her reply was short. She tried to express that she didn''t wish to chat with him any longer.

    "Only a few months?!" The participant was stunned. "I have to admit that you have the guts to participate in thepetition when you just practice for several months."

    "Is that a problem?" Veronica directly questioned him. "I heard that anyone can join thepetition as long as they have some skills."

    The participant nodded his head. "Yes, you are right. However, people without learning for several years don''t dare to join thepetition. Do you know why?

    "It''s because they would be fighting in front of the whole town. Even the aristocratse here. They pick up the best soldiers and hire them. Some warriors get scouted to join the imperial army.

    "That''s whypetition is important for everyone. They practice every day without eating or sleeping properly to participate in thepetition. Formoners, this is the only chance they have to get recognized by the aristocrats and the imperial family."

    Veronica understood that he was mocking herid-back attitude in a roundabout way. Feeling embarrassed, she straightened her back.

    Then, she put on a serious expression and told him, "just because I''m a woman and I practice for a few months doesn''t mean I didn''t give my all."

    She recalled the time when she practiced side by side with the elves. The elves didn''t give her an easy time just because she was a woman and they were serving her.

    They trained her the exact way they were trained since they were young.

    There were times she couldn''t eat because they couldn''t find anything to eat. There were times when she only had to eat grass. There was a time when she had to drink dirty water and got a stomachacheter on.

    Even then, the elves made sure she practiced every day. They didn''t care about her excuses. When she was sick, they forced her to drink bitter medicine or chew some insects.

    No matter how hard the day was. It didn''t matter. She had to practice archery and sword fighting. In addition, they had to go from one ce to another ce every day. They didn''t stay another night in one ce.

    That''s why she was confident that she could do something about archery in thepetition. For the same reason, she was rxed. She knew she would not make a fool out of herself.

    "I''m sorry if I offended you," the participant was quick to apologize when he realized that she was offended by hisments. "I thoughtlessly provoked you. I didn''t mean it. I don''t know how much you practiced, but you have my respect as a fellow archer."

    "Thank you."

    Afterward, the participant couldn''t talk to her. He did look like he wanted to say more but Veronica''s expression just sealed his mouth. Later, his name was called.

    "I''m going then. Wish me luck. And once again, sorry for the inconvenience I caused you." He bowed again and left.

    ''He was rather polite after I shut him up with my expression. Maybe I shouldn''t have been too hard on him. He looked like a good guy,'' Veronicamented inwardly.

    She looked outside the window and saw ten archers lined up. The emcee announced the rules for the participants and the audience.

    The participants were provided with one bow and three arrows each. They would have to hit the goal in front of them. The winners would be the archers who could heat the bull''s eye twice.

    Veronica excitedly observed them. The participant who was bothering her moments ago checked his bows and arrows with a serious expression. He didn''t look clumsy at all once he was in the field.

    "He looks professional," Felixmented from the audience''s seat.

    "Why do you think so?" Catherine asked who was sitting by his side. "He stumbled on the in ground the moment he entered the field. He looks rather clumsy."

    "It''s because of the way he was checking his bows and arrows," Zinnia exined. "Just look at other participants. Others didn''t check their bows and arrows. It''s not that the products providing them would be broken, but one still needs to check his weapons before he goes on a war."

    "Even if it''s his weapon?" Catherine inquired.

    Zinnia nodded in response. "Even if it''s his weapon. Moreover, the participants weren''t allowed to bring their own weapons. They were provided with weapons because some participants cheated long before."

    "Is that so? Let''s just watch if he can hit the bull''s eyes." With curious eyes, Catherine looked forward to the game.

    The emcee gave them the signal. On his mark, the participants stretched their bows and then pulled their arrows.

    Three of them hit the bull''s eyes and one of them was the clumsy participant. Two of the participants'' arrows hit closer to the main goal. Others barely came closer.

    All the participants had two more chances. With the emcee''s signal, they shot arrows. Only one of them hit the exact same goal twice more and it was the clumsy participant.

    Catherine was amazed. And so was Veronica.

    ''I couldn''t believe that he hit the bull''s eyes thrice. He didn''t make a single mistake,'' Veronica spoke in her mind. ''Was he just acting stupid when he was talking to me? But why would he do that? He already looked down on me so there was no reason for him to agitate me before thepetition.''

    She could hear the audience apud from the outside. They were congratting the winner.

    The emcee exined that the winner could go to the second round while others had to leave the premises. The losers wouldn''t get another chance to y archery this year.

    Next, Veronica and another nine participants were called. Veronica used a pseudonym. She named herself Monalisa.

    Upon hearing her name, the audience realized that she was a woman.

    Although they had seen female warriors before, it was the first time a woman participated in apetition where they had topete against skilled male warriors.

    Zinnia pleasantly smiled. "Finally, a woman gathered some courage topete alongside men in thepetition. I''m looking forward to this round. Oh, the participants are entering the field."

    "Huh? wait, isn''t that Ver?!" Catherine was dumbfounded. "Why is she in the archerypetition?"

 Chapter 374 - SHOOTING AN ARROW

    "Huh? wait, isn''t that Ver?!" Catherine was dumbfounded. "Why is she in the archerypetition?"

    She turned her head toward Arthur. Ovior, Ironing, Zinnia, Roxana and Darius looked over as well.

    Arthur was speechless. ''Why are they looking at me like that? It''s like they are silently using me when I did nothing to prevent Nica from participating in sword fighting.''

    "She didn''t have the guts to fight the swordsmen," Felix exined. "To her, it seemed to be that archery was the easiestpetition."

    "But can she shoot an arrow? I''ve never seen her doing archery," Oviormented.

    "Me neither," Ironin added.

    "Since she came this far, I''m sure she has a n. Let''s wait and see," Felix stated in a flexible manner. He was enjoying this.

    The Mistress of the Magic Tower learned swordsmanship from him and other great warriors and participated in thepetition. What could be more unique and wonderful than that?

    Veronica came to the field. She scanned her surroundings. The round-shaped stadium looked like a ring. People were cheering and encouraging the new participants.

    ''So many people¡­'' her mouth suddenly went dry. She became nervous. She looked for Arthur and others but she couldn''t. She had no idea where they were seated.

    She was provided a bow and three arrows by the guard. The guard narrowed his eyes as he nced at her. His scornful eyes looked at her with contempt.

    "¡­" Veronica didn''t bother with him. She skillfully examined her bow, inspected if the rope was tightened well with the corners of the bow. She also checked the feathers and the sharp points of the arrows.

    On the emcee''s signal, she stretched the rope of the bow with the arrow, and then aimed at the board sixty feet away from her.

    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ''Come on, Ver! You can do this. You have trained hard for so long. This isn''t even a moving object. You can definitely do this.''

    After motivating herself, she released the arrow. The sharp arrow flew in the direction of the board. It pierced a hole in the middle of the board.

    Bull''s eye!

    "Oh, my goodness! Her arrow pierced the board!!" Catherine jumped and pped excitedly.

    "She hit the target. I didn''t know she would be able to do it," Roxana mumbled.

    "I know right? I''m surprised too." Zinnia stroked her chin.

    Darius leaned toward Arthur and whispered, "Did you notice the way she checked the bow and arrows? Also, her movement and standing style? We didn''t teach her archery. Someone else did. I''d love to find out who her master was."

    "¡­" Arthur''s sharp gaze was focused on Veronica. He didn''t utter a single word. No one knew what he was thinking.

    Only three participants including Veronica were able to hit the target. Others failed. However, everyone had another chance. No one knew who would go to the second round until thest arrow was shot.

    Veronica smiled broadly when her arrow shot the board. She gained some confidence. It reminded her of the time when she was outdoors with the elves.

    She released another two arrows which pierced directly the previous arrow in the middle of the board. Satisfied with the result, she dropped the arrow.

    ''I''m done with my part. Fortunately, all the arrows hit the main target. I can go to the second round,'' she spoke to herself.

    When she looked at other participants to check their results, she flinched.

    All the eyes were on her. No one was shooting the arrows. Even the emcee and the guard who was holding the arrows stared at her.

    ''Huh? Did something happen?'' She nervously backed away.

    She suddenly realized that the stadium that was packed with people was rather quiet. The unusual behavior of everyone scared her.

    "What¡­ what''s wrong with everyone¡­?" she stuttered.

    The emcee came back to his senses first. He came down from the stage and whispered to her, "Did you not know the rules? I did exin that no one could release the arrows before my signal."

    "But you signaled to release the arrows." Veronica couldn''t understand where the problem was.

    "That''s for the first time. The guard here was supposed to pull out the arrow from the board before you shoot the second time. The same goes for the third time," the emcee hissed.

    Veronica covered her mouth. She realized her mistake. She didn''t get the second signal before she shot two more arrows. She broke the rules.

    From the audiences'' seat, Arthur stared at his wife who was the center of the attention.

    "All right, I have to admit that she is good at this. Did you notice how her arrow pierced one another? She is well-bnced and skillful. There is no doubt about it. I believe she can surpass Ironin," Felixmented.

    "This is outstanding. I''ve never seen anything like this before," Roxana stated in amazement.

    "I guess she has more hidden skills under her sleeves," Zinniamented.

    Ovior stole a nce at Arthur to find out if he knew about it. However, noticing how gloomy Arthur looked, he knew the answer without a word.

    "She is a genius," Darius dered. "I don''t know what else she learned in the short period when she was out of town, she learned well."

    "I''d love to know who her master is," Ironin remarked. He had the same wish as Darius.

    In the team, Ironin was the best among the bests in archery, no one could beat him to it. He was proud of his skills.

    Now that he noticed how remarkably skilled Veronica was in archery, he would not let her go without telling him first who her archery master was.

    She was so amazing in archery. Her master would be far better than her.

    ''Her master could be someone who matches me or¡­ better than me,'' Ironin pondered. ''I need to find that master and ask them for a duel.''

    Meanwhile, the emcee looked at the judges, waiting for their response.

    Veronica turned to them and bowed deeply. "I''m sorry for breaking the rules. I misunderstood it."

    The judges talked among themselves and one of them stood up. "It''s wonderful to have the young generations surpassing the old ones. It''s fascinating to find out that women can be this skillful in archery. However, you misunderstood the rules, didn''t observe the previous game and broke the rules. How should you be punished?"

    "¡­" Veronica gulped. She lowered her head like a criminal.

    "Talents like you deserve to go to the second round. Good luck!" the judge dered.

    Her face instantly brightened up. She couldn''t believe they would give her another chance. She couldn''t be happier.

    "I object!" One of the participants stepped forward andined, "First, she is a woman, and second, she broke the rules. It shows how insincere she is about thepetition just because she is a bit good at archery. Such an arrogant and unworthy participant should be disqualified."

    Veronica''s expression paled. However, she hid her feelings and asked, "I understand that I broke the rules and so I should be disqualified. But what does it have to do with me being a woman?"

    The participant frowned as she talked back. "If you weren''t a woman, would you be insincere? We, men, are working hard to participate in the program and you are just cking off."

    "cking off? I''m the one who hit the target despite being a woman while most of the ''male'' participants could barely hit the target. Who is cking off? Women are insincere? Maybe your mother gave birth to you insincerely," Veronica scoffed.

    "You! How dare you insult me!" The participant was furious. "You are the one who broke the rules. Doesn''t that make you insincere?"

    Veronica wouldn''t back away easily. She retorted, "I was so nervous seeing the crowd, and their scream was buzzing in my ears. This is my first time entering this kind ofpetition. If I don''t feel nervous, I would not be human."

    "Enough argument!" The judge sternly looked at the participants. "Even if the participant broke the rules, she was honest and yed fairly. She was assisted by no one and hit the target three times. That''s what we want from our participants. A brilliant fighter. Of course, we won''t allow another mistake. So be careful, Miss Monalisa."

    "Thank you! Thank you so much!" Veronica thanked them again and again and left the field.

    The audience cheered loudly, enough to destroy her eardrums. She quickly headed to the next room that was for the participants of the second round.

    She patted her chest and took a deep breath. Her heart was racing. She was so nervous that she thought she was going to faint.

    "I see you won the first round remarkably. Congrattions!"

    Veronica turned around and saw the participant who was bothering her before thepetition. He scratched his head ufortably and added, "I didn''t know you were this good. I''m sorry for offending you."

    "Oh, please don''t be. You already apologized. However, if your behavior was like that because I was a woman, please stop apologizing because I won''t be able to forgive you.. Having prejudice is one thing, but hurting people because of your blind belief is another."

 Chapter 375 - RIGHT NEXT TO YOU

    "¡­Having prejudice is one thing but hurting people because of your blind belief is another." Veronica''s voice was soft but her words were sharper like a sword.

    The participant''s face paled. "I know I offended you. I''m sorry. Yes, I believed that women were weak. You changed my mind today. I''m sure many will change their minds after today."

    He gulped as his mouth was dry and then asked, "May¡­ may I be your friend? I''d love to have a friend with an amazing archer. My name is Lothar." He reached out his hand.

    Veronica looked at his hand. ''He came clean. As long as he is sincere, there is nothing wrong with shaking hands with him,'' she told herself.

    She reached out and captured his hand. While shaking hands, she introduced herself, "I''m Monalisa."

    Lothar scratched his cheek. "You have a nice name. But it somehow doesn''t suit you. I''m not sure why. Who gave you the name? Your father?"

    Veronica answered, "I gave it to myself."

    "Huh? But how¡­? What about the name your parents gave you?"

    "My parents never had the chance to give me any names. So, I gave myself a name," Veronica replied. When she realized that he couldn''t understand her answer, she explicitly stated, "I''m an orphan."

    "Oh! I''m so sorry," Lothar immediately apologized.

    "It''s okay. I''m used to it." Veronica shrugged. "Can I just stay alone for a moment? The second round will start soon."

    Lothar panicked. "Did I offend you? I''m sorry I don''t know how to talk to a woman."

    "I know."

    "What?"

    "I know you can''t talk to women."

    Lothar didn''t talk to her anymore. Veronica had five minutes to cool her head before the second round started.

    In the second round, only fifteen participants remained. The participant whoined at first about Veronica was also there.

    When he entered the room, he red at her through his blonde locks but said nothing. Veronica pretended not to see him either.

    In the next round, all the archers stood in one line. This time, the boards were one hundred meters away. And, they were moving.

    "Is this thest round?" Veronica asked Lothar.

    "Last time there were three rounds. Looks like this time they want to wrap it up quickly," Lothar replied.

    "It''s not that. It''s just¡­ someone showed someme moves that the judges thought that they should give us harder goals to deal with." The blonde participant sneered.

    ''So, it''s my fault? He seemed pretty annoyed,'' Veronica thought. "I''m sorry. It''s all because of my ignorance."

    "I''m d you know." The blonde gave her a ck look.

    Lothar stepped between them. "Hey, this isn''t a bad thing, is it? It''s not that we can''t shoot arrows. It has be more fun. Or do you think youck the skills to beat it?"

    The blonde gave him a dirty look. "You can say what you want after you win the game."

    "Right, it''s just a game," Lothar smirked. His eyes were covered with his brown locks.

    The boards were moving from right to left. Each participant had one board. While the board moved, they had to shoot their arrows.

    If they hit the target, they would win. If they couldn''t hit the target or hit the target of another participant''s board, they would be disqualified.

    Veronica didn''t make any mistakes this time. This moving board was nothing for her.

    The second round winners were three out of fifteen ¨C Veronica, Lothar and the blonde.

    "You did great," Lotharplimented her after they went back to the room.

    "You did great too." Veronica smiled. "This was actually nothing. The movement was predictable. It was easy to count."

    "Just wait for the next round," the blonde muttered.

    "Dude, chill out. It''s not like any of us lost the game. We are here till now. We can beat the rest of it and win it together," Lothar stated.

    "Do it yourself." The blonde left the room, going to the field for the third time.

    Veronica and Lothar exchanged nces.

    From the audiences'' seats, Darius was pping after the second round had ended.

    "Unbelievable! I think I saw something forbidden. Was Veronica always this powerful? Maybe I will take her under my wings and make her my disciple." He couldn''t stopplimenting her.

    "That''s never going to happen," Arthur firmly rejected.

    "Huh? Why?" Dariusined. "Look at her. She is killing it out there. I won''t be surprised if she wants to join the knights."

    "No matter what happens, she doesn''t need a master. I think her previous master is more skilled than any of us," Roxanamented.

    "That''s why I need to meet him or her, whoever it is. As far as I know, no human was more skillful than us," Darius remarked with a serious face.

    "Jealous much? Do you think someone more powerful than you were there all along but never got the credit for it?" Roxana smirked.

    "I''m jealous." Darius didn''t hide his feelings. "But more than that, I want to fight that person. I want to see who is more powerful."

    "If that person is a good archer, how can he or she fight you?" Catherine asked. "Do you think that person would be good at ax fighting?"

    Felix exined, "It''s because of Veronica''s movement. She is too skilled. Her movements are wless. She seems like a professional who got to touch her weapon a few months ago. Normally, it takes weak people years to master their weapons. She is different."

    "Yes, she even makes me jealous," Zinnia admitted. "I keep wondering if she has been learning archery since she was born."

    "That''s not possible." Catherine shook her head. "Weapons aren''t allowed where we used to live before. If she tried to pull off some tricks, she would have to stay with the children. And she absolutely hates children."

    "She hates children?! Why?" Roxana was stunned. She didn''t know Veronica''s past.

    Catherine told her, "That''s because children always yed pranks on her and always disturbed her. She had a hate rtionship with them. The worst part was, she couldn''t teach them any lessons. If she tried to scold them, she would get bullied by themter on."

    "That''s terrible. You guys faced hardship. I hope things are better for you now," Roxana tried tofort her.

    "Oh yeah, things are a lot better. Who doesn''t love freedom?"

    The third round started soon. This time, along with the board, the ground went up and down.

    When Veronica entered the field, she was astonished. She wasn''t expecting it.

    The boards were practically running inside the field. Their moves were unpredictable. There was no chance to stay in one ce and wait for them toe to the participants.

    If the participants tried to stay in one ce, they would be knocked out. So, standing in one ce wasn''t an option.

    "We got one board to shoot. The one whose three arrows would be in the board wins," Lothar exined the details.

    "Um¡­ there are at least ten boards. Which board is for us?" Veronica looked around. She was so anxious that she didn''t hear the emcee exining the rules.

    "I can''t tell you that. It won''t be apetition anymore." Lotharughed.

    "Show a bit of sincerity by using your brain," the blonde walked past while talking to her.

    "Sorry," Veronica bit her lower lip. ''I think I owe them a big apology. If it wasn''t for me, things wouldn''t be this troublesome. But I''m enjoying this.''

    "And it begins!" the emcee announced.

    Veronica, Lothar and the blonde dashed to three different paths. Veronica scanned the area. She could hardly stay still. The tes under her were going up and down.

    She saw colorful boards and got confused. ''Red, purple, blue, yellow¡­ which one is mine?'' she wondered. ''What is Lothar doing?''

    She nced over Lothar. He was running behind a brown board.

    ''Why is he running toward brown?'' She was puzzled. She then noticed the blonde was going after the yellow board.

    ''How can they know which boards are theirs? Wasn''t it supposed to be one board?'' She looked at her weapons. ''I have five arrows. I have to shoot three arrows. Then what are those extra two arrows for? two chances?''

    "So generous after putting us through this much¡­ ohh!" The te under her suddenly moved and she fell. The te next to hers lifted and her body mmed there.

    "Ouch! That must have hurt!" Darius groaned.

    "¡­" Ovior looked at Arthur clenching his fists till his fingers turned white.

    Veronica was definitely hurt. Her face smashed on the te. The helmet crashed against her soft face. She whimpered. For a moment, she saw darkness in her eyes.

    ''This is nothing. I''ve gone through worse.'' She wiped her face and stood up. She took off her helmet. Her wet stands covered her cheeks. She pushed them back. While doing so, she suddenly thought of something.

    ''Oh, wait, Lothar and the other guy are going after the same board that matches their hair colors. Should I go after red?''

    She raised her head and looked at the gs which were used to decorate the ce. The gs were in a triangle shape.. Their colors were red.

 Chapter 376 - THE WINNER IS...

    She raised her head and looked at the gs which were used to decorate the ce. The gs were in a triangle shape. Their colors were red.

    Veronica''s eyes lit up. ''Red! It has to be red!''

    She searched for the red board without further dy. The moment she found it, she dashed toward it.

    "It looks like our female archer finally found something. We aren''t sure yet which board she is going after. It''s better than standing still without doing anything. They have only ten minutes before the winner is chosen," the emcee dered.

    ''Ten minutes¡­ not enough time,'' Veronica thought while running. She had to pause suddenly when the te in front of her suddenly rose, almost knocking her out.

    That''s when she noticed the red boarding toward her. It was going to pass her any moment. In the blink of an eye, she aimed at her target and shot an arrow.

    The audience screamed loudly, cheering for Veronica.

    The emcee loudly announced, "Ourdy archer hit the target. With her first shot, she was able to find the target. She is one step ahead of other archers. No matter what anyone says, ourdy archer proved that not only she is excellent at archery, but also exceeds in intelligence. Such a fighter is extremely needed in the imperial army."

    Veronica sighed in relief. ''Thank goodness I found out which one is the target. I can''t imagine what would happen if I kept hitting the wrong target and then lost the game. I should hurry and finish the game.''

    "Looks like the other archers noticed that thedy archer hit the right target. They are going after the red board. Will thedy archer be able to shoot two other arrows before the game ends? No matter what happens, in the end, if three of her arrows don''t stay in the main target, she will lose," the emcee dered.

    Veronica looked behind and spotted Lothar and the blonde not too far away. They were also going after the red board.

    ''Oh no! They found out. What if they hit the target and my arrow drops?'' she anxiously thought. She sprinted toward the red board.

    However, the speed of the board became faster after one arrow hit the target.

    ''Wait, wait, I cannot go after it. If I do so, I will only see the back of the board. I can hit the back of the board but the problem is my arrows are only at the front side. But how am I supposed to stay in front of the board? The movement is too unpredictable. If I could just stand somewhere and figure out the pattern¡­''

    Biting her lips, Veronica did her best to locate a ce where the ground didn''t move. With a panic-stricken heart, she scanned the area once more.

    She noticed two pirs standing proudly on the two sides of the field. The pirs were kept so that the red gs could be decorated all over the stadium. The pirs had onedder each, probably for the servants to take off the decorationster.

    ''Why are thedders still there? Shouldn''t they be kept in the storeroom until thepetition ended? Or is it a chance?'' Veronica''s eyes lit up with the thought.

    ''The pirs are inside the field. As long as I''m inside the round field, I won''t be crossing the line no matter when I am, right?''

    Veronica wiped her sweats with the back of her arm and darted toward the left pir.

    "Ourdy archer is running to the opposite side of the board. Did she change her n? Or is she running away? What is she nning?" the emcee described the situation. "They have only six minutes before thepetition ends."

    "One of the participants almost reached the red board. He aimed at the target! Looks like he is going to hit¡­ oh yes! He hit the target!" With the emcee''s deration, the whole stadium burst into cheer and excitement.

    "However, thedy archer''s arrow was knocked out by the participant''s arrow. Now her point is zero. She has to shoot another three arrows to win."

    Veronica reached the pir when she heard it. She looked behind and saw the blonde scornfully gazing at her. He had only three arrows left.

    ''So, he knocked off my arrow.'' She didn''t think about it anymore and began to climb thedder.

    "Ourdy archer is climbing thedder. What''s her deal? Is she truly running away? Is she quitting? Since she is still inside the field, she didn''t break the rules. She won''t be disqualified if she wants to rest in thedder," the emcee stated.

    "What is Ver thinking? Shouldn''t she go after the board? She has only five minutes!" Catherine was panicking.

    "Just wait for her. I think she has a n," Zinnia told her.

    "She just wants a stable ce to stand. Smart girl!" Oviormented.

    "Oh! That''s how it is!" Catherine looked at Veronica with admiration. "Go, Ver go! You can do this!!" she shouted with all her might.

    "Don''t call her real name. She is known by Monalisa now," Roxana reminded her.

    "Oh yes! Go Monalisa go! You can do this!!! I''m rooting for you!!" Catherine shouted again.

    While the time was running out, Lothar shot two arrows on the red board. One of them hit slightly far from the target.

    Lothar cursed, "Damn it! I was in a hurry. I should calm down."

    He took deep breaths when he heard the emcee''sment, "Ourdy archer has climbed half of thedder. She is aiming her arrow at the red board. It''s brilliant that she came up with an idea like that. From that angle, no matter where the red board goes, she will be able to hit it. Look at that! another participant understood her n and headed toward her."

    ''Huh? Is he talking about that rude guy?'' Curious, Lothar looked in Veronica''s direction. He spotted the blonde. He was indeed running toward Veronica.

    The blonde reached under the pir and looked up. He looked straight at Veronica. A vicious thought shed in his mind.

    Veronica didn''t have the time to think about her surroundings. She had only two minutes to shoot arrows. She had to aim properly to hit the target.

    With only her left eye open, she pointed at the red board. The blonde''s two arrows already upied the target. She shot the arrow. Her arrow flew in the direction of the board.

    Pushing two arrows in the two sides, her arrow hit the target. However, this time the audience didn''t cheer for her.

    ''Huh? It''s awfully quiet,'' Veronica thought. Even so, she didn''t think too much about it. She took another arrow and aimed at the red board. That''s when her body suddenly swayed.

    "Ahh!" a short yelp came out of her mouth on its own.

    Veronica quickly grabbed the pir and bnced herself on thedder and then looked down.

    She spotted the blonde down there. He was shaking thedder.

    Veronica gritted her teeth. ''Why on earth is he doing this? Shouldn''t he run after the board? Isn''t what he just did illegal?''

    She desperately looked at the emcee and the judges, wishing to get some assistance from them. However, none of them came forward to help her.

    "One of the archers is trying to throw ourdy archer off thedder. If she falls from here, she will break her limbs. Not to mention, her beautiful face will be disfigured," the emcee described the situation.

    He sounded like he was showing sympathy for thedy but he couldn''t hide his excitement while speaking.

    Noticing that no one came to help her and the emcee pretended to worry about her but actually enjoying it, Veronica''s face contorted.

    ''Useless people!'' Cursing them inwardly, she stretched one leg and wrapped it around the pir. Although thedder was shaking vigorously, with her one leg wrapping around the pir, she stopped her fall.

    Catherine, Zinnia and Roxana stood up in concern.

    "Why isn''t anyone helping her?" Catherine asked.

    "During thepetition, idents like that happen a lot. It''s nothing new. No one wille to rescue her unless the time is up," Felix told her.

    "She has to hand in there until the time is up," Darius stated.

    Catherine covered her mouth, imagining the worst.

    Arthur''s eyes were focused on Veronica who was desperately hanging in there.

    Because of Veronica''s new position, she had less chance to fall. Despite feeling scared of the height, she directed her train of thoughts to the red board. She pointed her third arrow to the board and without hesitation released it.

    Just then, her body staggered. The arrow''s feathers shook by the touch of her bow. The arrow''s direction changed. It pierced the red board''s corner.

    Veronica bit her lip. Her throat was dry from the nervousness. She lowered her head and red at the blonde.

    The blonde had no intention to let her go. He was pulling thedder now.

    ''Since you want thedder so much, I''ll give it to you,'' thinking that, she pushed thedder to him.

 Chapter 377 - IT WAS GRACEFUL

    After pushing thedder toward the blonde, Veronica crossed her legs immediately to bnce herself in the pir.

    The best part of the stony pir was, there were several holes in it. As a result, it was even easier to steady her body. If she were to slip, she could just grab those holes so she wouldn''t fall.

    "Ourdy archer threw thedder. Now she has nothing to stand on. Wait! She kept herself hanging there just by crossing her legs. It seems she knows what she is doing. Now, she is aiming at the red board. She has only two more arrows left. I hope she can hit the target before she slips."

    With the emcee''s exnation, the audience began to shout. They were cheering for her.

    Veronica pointed her arrow at the red board. ''I can''t make a mistake this time.'' She took a deep breath and then held it.

    After she shot the arrow, it pierced the middle of the red board.

    "She hit the target! It''s so incredible that her arrow reached the target while she hanged in the pir. She is mind-blowing. Despite having the worst position, she could still aim perfectly."

    The audience cheered loudly after the emcee''s announcement. Since the stadium was huge, not all the audience could see what was happening in one corner properly.

    When Veronica kicked thedder, thedder fell. The blonde was also crushed by it. He ran away when he noticed that thedder was falling toward him.

    Thedder fell when he moved to the safe zone. That''s when he heard from the emcee that Veronica hit another target.

    "Thirty seconds left! Let''s find out who is going to be the winner!" the emcee spoke excitedly. Along with the emcee, the audience raised their voice.

    The blonde gritted his teeth. ''I can''t waste my time here anymore. I need to shoot another arrow.'' He red at Veronica onest time before going after the red board.

    Veronica was relieved that he didn''te to bother her anymore. She focused on the red board.

    She noticed Lothar shooting two more arrows to the back side of the red board.

    He already shot three arrows to the red board. One of them was slightly far from the target. He had no more arrows left.

    Veronica aimed at the board once more. She shot the target rather quickly because it was hard to keep herself in bnce in the pir. However, this time, her arrow didn''t reach the board. It fell on the ground.

    The reason was the blonde also shot an arrow. Both arrows crossed a path before hitting the board and both arrows fell on the ground.

    "You bitch!" the blonde cursed in frustration.

    Veronica also didn''t have a good mood after her arrow fell on the ground. ''If only I could chew his head before thepetition, it would be the best.''

    "Ten seconds left! Everyone, let''s count together. Nine¡­ eight... seven¡­ six¡­" along with the emcee, the audience started counting.

    Because of the position, Veronica couldn''t sit properly. She was slipping.

    How was she supposed to find the red board, predict the movement, aim at the target and shoot the arrow in five seconds while she was sliding down?

    With her left leg''s toes, she clung to the small hole of the pir. She knew she didn''t have enough strength to keep herself in that ce.

    Afterward, she arched her back and then aimed her arrow at the board. Her vision was blurry for a moment. Looking at the board, she predicted the movement of the board in less than two seconds.

    "Four¡­ three¡­ two¡­"

    She released the arrow without another thought. She didn''t have the opportunity to check if the arrow hit the target. Her toes gave out, she began to fall.

    Her body slid quickly. She threw the bow and grabbed the pir with both hands. She found two holes to grab onto them. As she did, her body hung on the pir.

    She looked down to see how far she was from the ground. The distance between her and the ground was forty meters.

    She gulped. She began sweating. Her hands were sweating. It made her arms slippery.

    She couldn''t keep it any longer. Her hands slipped. She hugged the pir with her hands and legs. She shut her eyes. She was so scared that she felt like her soul leaped from her body.

    A few secondster, she opened her eyes and found herself close to the ground. She unlocked her legs and straightened them.

    When her legs touched her ground, her whole body jerked. She felt dizzy and copsed on the ground.

    She heard nothing after that. All the screaming and loud chatters were gone. Before everything went dark, she saw some pairs of feet running toward her. Her vision was too hazy to figure out the owners of those legs.

    The next time Veronica opened her eyes, she was in her bedroom. She nkly stared at the familiar ceiling.

    "Ver, you woke up!" Catherine sounded relieved.

    Veronica moved her head. She found her best friending inside the room. Her hands were upied with a bowl.

    Catherine put down the bowl on the table and sat on the bed. "I was worried thinking that you would sleep another day. I thought you would starve to death while sleeping."

    Veronica blinked slowly. "How long was I sleeping?"

    "You have the guts to ask? You were sleeping for three days!"

    "Three days?!" Veronica was astonished. "But¡­ why¡­?"

    "Huh? You don''t remember? You participated in apetition. You were against two archers. One of them was trying to kill you. Then, hitting thest arrow, you fell and lost consciousness," Catherine told her about the whole incident in one breath.

    "Everyone thought you were gravely injured but the doctor said that you were just sleeping. Maybe you were exhausted due to your training every day, your body couldn''t go on anymore."

    "Oh¡­ thepetition¡­" Veronica mumbled. She steadily sat up and leaned against the pillow. If Catherine didn''t remind her, she would forget what she was doing before losing her consciousness.

    "Hey, aren''t you curious about the winner?" Catherine asked. "I thought you would ask me the moment you wake up."

    Veronica covered her face. "No, I don''t want to know. I shot thest time in a hurry. Even if it hit the board, it wouldn''t hit the target. I think Lothar won."

    "Lothar?" Catherine tried to remember. "The brown haired one? He won second ce."

    "Is that so¡­" Veronica felt demotivated to get up from the bed. "I can''t believe that blonde won first ce. I want to snatch the reward from him right now. He doesn''t deserve the prize."

    Catherine agreed. "Yes, he doesn''t deserve it and so he was disqualified. After attempting to kill the winner, there was no way your husband would stand still.

    "He revealed himself and ordered the judges to disqualify that blonde. He won''t be able to participate in anypetition or join any army for at least five years."

    "Huh? Attempt to kill the winner¡­ you mean me? Am I the winner?!" Veronica''s jaw dropped.

    "Who else would be the winner? I have no clue how you started practicing archery. But then you showed some unexpectedly amazing moves. Especially thest shot. Uff! You actually bent your body backward and shot the arrow. That was just mind blowing!" Catherine excitedly expressed.

    Veronica began tough. "I won¡­ haha¡­ I won! I can''t believe it!"

    "Of course, it''s hard to believe considering we never saw you practicing archery. It was a jaw dropping performance!

    "But you fell and then fainted right after shooting the arrow. We didn''t have the time to celebrate your victory. We were all worried sick."

    "Did I get the prize?" Veronica inquired in concern.

    "Yes, you did. After you fainted, Felix carried you away with the prize money. Arthur didn''t want others to find out that you are rted to the magic tower. So, we had to be cautious.

    "I think Arthur kept your prize money in his office. You can take itter. But first, are you hungry?"

    "I''m starving." Veronica groaned. "But where is Arthur? I don''t see him."

    Catherine replied, "He was glued to you right after you came to the tower. He just got a call from the pce. He wanted to reject it but Ovior forced him to go. It seemed important. Should I inform others?"

    Veronica shook her head. "No need. I''ll take a bath first and then eat. Later, I will go out for a walk."

    "Take a bath first then. I''ll prepare your meal in the meantime." Catherine went out of the room.

    "Oh, my goodness! I won! I won! I won!" Veronica yelled while throwing her arms and feet. She rolled on the bed. She couldn''t control her happiness.

    Later, she went out for a walk after finishing her meal. She went to the training ground first. The first person who noticed her was Darius.

    "Look at that. Isn''t this our winner? She finally woke up." Darius''s loud voice made others focus on her.

    "Veronica, are you feeling well?" Felix asked, scanning her top to bottom.

 Chapter 378 - WAIT FOR MY HUSBAND

    Scanning her top to bottom, Felix asked, "Veronica, are you feeling well?"

    Veronica grinned. "You bet. I woke up and heard I won. What can be the most entertaining news after waking up?"

    "I guess you are right." Darius came forward. "I mean you are not a puny kid anymore. You are a warrior now. People are looking for you all over to recruit you. How can you not feel well?"

    Veronica giggled at his teasing, not a bit offended. "I''m so famous. I don''t know what to do anymore."

    Darius suggested, "Just go to the street and announce, ''I''m the famousdy archer'' and then start giving autographs to everyone."

    "Is that a thing nowadays?" Veronica was surprised.

    Felix shook his head. "No, he is joking. Don''t listen to him. I''m d you are on two feet. We were worried about you. We were giving you a hard time, didn''t we?"

    "Don''t say that. if I didn''t want to do it, you could never force me. I still owe you all an apology. You all worked so hard for me but I ended up running away. I''m such a coward. I''m sorry," saying that Veronica bowed.

    "Don''t bother," Ironin curtly replied.

    "He is right, Veronica. Why are you bothered with it? You already won onepetition. There is always next year," Dariusforted her.

    "I don''t think even next year I will have the guts." Veronica rubbed her palms ufortably. "I saw those swordsmen. They are just too strong."

    Darius waved his hand. "You didn''t even see them fighting. All right. Don''t think about swordy anymore. Just take a week''s break. After that, ask Ovior to take you to the barracks of the imperial pce. Imperial soldiers practice martial arts and sword fighting there."

    "What will I gain from watching them fight?" Veronica inquired.

    Darius grinned. "You will find out how weak they are."

    "Imperial soldiers are weak!?" Veronica eximed. "You want me to believe that?"

    Darius replied, "You don''t understand how powerful you have be. You just kicked the asses of those young archers who were supposed to be the best.

    "Since you don''t have faith in yourself, you can just use your eyes to see and use your brain to judge."

    Veronica gave up talking logic with him. "Fine, I will do that but I cannot guarantee that it will boost my confidence. You see, I never won against anyone."

    "Hey, hey, you won against me and Roxana. I even got injured¡­" Darius tried to show his wounded mark but it had disappeared a long time ago. After all, Veronica was an excellent healer.

    Ironin strode forward and stood in front of Veronica. His purple eyes stared at her.

    Veronica found his action rather odd. "¡­Is there something you want to say to me?"

    "Your master¡­ the one who taught you archery¡­ who is it?" Ironin tly asked.

    "That was a living being," Veronica was quick to reply. "It wasn''t a dead human or a dead dragon, believe me."

    "I want to know that person''s identity," Ironin stated with a poker face.

    "I cannot do that," Veronica replied. ''Ironin is a straightforward person. I can only answer him the way he likes it.''

    Ironin''s eyebrows slightly creased. "Why not?" He refused to back down.

    "That''s because my master doesn''t want others to know. I swore to keep it a secret," Veronica tly lied.

    "Payment." All of a sudden, Ironin changed the topic of the conversation.

    Not understanding what he meant, Veronica blinked. "Payment? What payment?"

    "For teaching your swordsmanship."

    Veronica''s jaw dropped. "You want me to give you my master''s identity as a payment for teaching me swordy?"

    Ironin nodded quietly.

    ''Sometimes, I wish I was a dumb woman,'' Veronicamented inwardly.

    She forced a smile and then suggested, "How about I give you the same amount of money Roxana gets for training me?"

    "Ooo¡­ nice payment. I would love that," Darius grinned.

    Veronica didn''t bother to reply to him.

    In return for her suggestion, Ironin stayed expressionless. "Your master''s identity."

    Veronica let out a deep sigh. "Ironin, aren''t you a good friend of my husband? Aren''t you a good teacher of mine? Why do you have to be so difficult? I already promised my master. I can''t tell you my master''s identity."

    Darius put his elbow on Veronica''s shoulder and said, "Yeah, we can see that. You are trying so hard to cover that person''s gender. I''m not sure how else one can hide one''s identity like that. So, Veronica, why don''t you tell us who that person is?

    "Just look at you. You were gone for a few months. It''s not like you were gone for years or something.

    "You have done a tremendously great job. Bending your back and then shooting with the little bit of time you had left. Who could do that?

    "I''ve never seen anyone doing something so amazing except for Ironin. You are almost as good as him. That''s why we are all curious to find out who your master is. I''m sure Arthur wants to know as well."

    After talking so long, he suddenly lowered his voice, "You don''t know. When you were ying in the field, Arthur''s expression was cold. He looked like he was going to kill anyone. I''m sure he was wondering how much you worked hard to be this good in archery."

    "Work hard?" Veronica let out a dryugh. "You have no idea. It didn''t matter what kind of weather or situation I was in. I had to practice every single day. It''s great that my hard work paid off."

    "Hard work, practice and persistence always pay off. Now tell me who is your master," Darius pressed.

    "I''m not telling." Veronica was also stubborn. "I''m sorry everyone. I''m sorry, Ironin. But I can''t tell you. Don''t tell me to be someone I''m not for your personal curiosity. I can''t even tell Arthur about this."

    "Why won''t you tell him? Won''t he get mad if you do this?" Felix became curious.

    "It''s not like he doesn''t have secrets. He has many secrets and I''m not prying them out. Then what gives him the right to be mad at me?" Veronica shrugged.

    Darius and Felix exchanged nces.

    "Just inform me before the tower shatters into pieces. I need to run away with my life," Darius told her.

    "Why do you think Arthur will get mad? Even if he bes upset, he won''t hurt anyone, trust me," Veronica tried to ease his worry.

    "Phht! You are telling me that he won''t hurt anyone because he will be just upset?" Darius found her logic ridiculous. "He will ughter people if he gets a bit upset. Forget about being furious."

    Ironin and Felix nodded in reply.

    "We have known him for a long time now. It''s easy to predict his actions. Although he changed a lot after meeting you, a leopard doesn''t change its spot. Remember this," Felix advised her.

    "Fine, I''ll remember it and inform you in advance so that you people all can run away. I''m heading downstairs. I want to greet Arthur as soon as hees back."

    "Go to your bedroom rather than going downstairs," Felix instructed her. "He teleported to the pce. He wille back using teleportation."

    "Then, I''ll go downstairs and walk in the garden before going back. I want to stretch my limbs a bit. See youter. And Ironin, I''ll pay you money. Sorry that I can''t give you what you want."

    Afterward, she slipped away from the room.

    ''Huff! I can''t believe they would gather around me to find out about Urs and his people. It''s been a long time since I met them. I should ask Arthur to give me my reward money.''

    ''With that money, I will buy a house for myself in the capital. I''ll keep one room for myself and leave the rest to Urs and his soldiers. At least they will have a good ce to live. They deserve it.''

    Veronica went to the garden and walked around. The flowers were blooming and spreading sweet smells. It was a pleasant atmosphere.

    ''I can''t remember thest time I came to the garden to enjoy the view. Just how busy was I? I should spend more time here. The weather will be warm soon. I can bring some books and read them here. I can hold a small pic for myself.''

    Veronica was nning for her recreation when something huge crashed on her behind.

    "Eek!" Veronica stumbled and nearly fell facing the ground when an arm circled around her back. Soon, she was enveloped with warmth and a tight hug.

    "Nica¡­" Arthur''s voice shook as he called out her name. "When did you wake up?"

    "Arthur!" Veronica''s face beamed. She turned around and circled her arms around his back. She ced her head on his chest and responded with a smile, "I woke up three hours ago. Are you done with the meeting? I heard you went to the imperial pce."

    "It was an annoying meeting. It''s no fun talking to bugs.. I was worried about you and came back. Why are you walking here alone? Where are the others?"

 Chapter 379 - CATHERINES ANSWER

    "It was an annoying meeting. It''s no fun talking to bugs. I was worried about you and came back. Why are you walking here alone? Where are the others?"

    Arthur looked around but found no one. It irritated him.

    ''How can they leave her here alone? She was in bed resting for three days. Can''t they understand she might faint at any moment?''

    At that moment, Sebastian suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Master, I''m protecting Mistress. No enemy approached her until now."

    Arthur''s creased eyebrows released a little. "All right, go now."

    "Thank you for protecting me, Sebastian," Veronica never failed to thank him.

    "It is my honor, Mistress." Sebastian bowed to them and then disappeared like a storm, the same way he came.

    Veronica nced at Arthur and then affectionately rubbed her face on his chest. "What are you worried about? I''m still in the towerpound. What can happen to me here?"

    Arthur''s heart softened when she was being so sweet. He gently stroked her head.

    While doing so, he asked her, "How are you feeling? I was so worried when Ovior told me that you were exhausted to the point that you were sleeping for days."

    Veronica replied with a charming smile, "I woke up and heard I won. How can I not feel well after that? Later, I talked to others and they said that you supported me and punished the blonde guy. I''m over the moon. I''ve decided to give you a treat for your help."

    Arthur made a sullen face. "You better give me a good treat. For the sake of yourpetition, you were training too hard and we didn''t have enough time to enjoy ourselves."

    He looked like a sulky boy who didn''t get his treat. Veronica giggled. She wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, "Shall we go on our honeymoon? I''ll go wherever you take me."

    Arthur''s eyes dangerously narrowed. "Are you sure? Will you go wherever I take you?"

    "Yes," Veronica nodded in confirmation. "I did tell you before that as long as you are there, I''ll be happy even if it''s hell."

    Arthur''s golden orbs stared at her. "Is that so? Then if I don''t let you go anywhere in our honeymoon period? How about that? Will you be mad at me for that?"

    Veronica couldn''t understand the deep meaning behind his questions. She innocently chuckled after hearing his questions.

    "What are you saying? Why will I be mad? Isn''t this our honeymoon?

    "Since I was unable to spend a good quality of time with you for a month, I will permit you to make a to-do list for our honeymoon.

    "You can make two lists. One is for what we can do, the second one is for what we cannot do. I''ll ept whatever it is."

    After getting permission from her, Arthur was pleased. "Fine. Let''s do that. I need to finish my work before we go on our honeymoon. Or else, Ovior will curse at us. I don''t want any curses before our holy ceremony."

    "Holy ceremony?" Veronica blinked. She couldn''t understand what he meant by it.

    However, they didn''t have the chance to continue their conversation. Catherine interrupted them.

    "Ver, I''m going to the market za. Do you guys want toe with me?" She invited them.

    Veronica exchanged nces with her husband. Her eyes were sparkling. It had been a month since shest went outside to have some fun. She didn''t want to miss it.

    Arthur could only agree when her eyes were showing this much interest. "Fine, let''s go."

    He ordered the coachman to bring his carriage.

    The girls sat side by side.

    "So, you dressed up. I''m sure it''s not because you want to hang out with me." Veronica pushed her friend while trying to tease her.

    Catherine blushed when Veronica brought it out like that. "It''s nothing suspicious. I had a n with Vincent. He wanted to meet with me. It''s been a month since we met. So, I thought I shouldn''t avoid him anymore."

    "Why do you want to avoid him? Oh!" Veronica''s lips turned into an ''O'' shape. "He proposed to you and you wanted some time, didn''t you?"

    "Huh? How do you know that? Are you spying on me?" Catherine suspiciously looked at her friend.

    "Nope. If you want to me someone, you should me Darius. You wrote Sebastian a letter, right? Darius read it aloud. Ironin and Felix were present there. We all heard it and found out at that time. Since I was too upied with my training, I didn''t talk to you about it."

    After a pause, Veronica continued, "Well, now that one month is over, have you thought of an answer? Have you prepared an answer to his reply?"

    "That Darius. I''m going to grill himter. I''ll make sure he never bes noisy after being punished." Catherine clenched her fists.

    She took a deep breath to calm down and answered, "Well, yeah I have prepared an answer. I think I will say ''yes'' to him. We haven''t known each other for too long but he took great care of me.

    "Moreover, he is polite and rich. Although I work enough to feed a game team, I don''t want to spend all of it on my family. I want to save money for myself. So, marrying Vincent will help me.

    "In addition, I also want to start a family. The resort is a great ce for children to grow up. If I want them to study in the capital, I can always teleport us to the capital every day. Ovior is preparing a teleport stone for me. It''s a powerful one."

    Veronica was delighted. "Then I guess you are preparing for everything. I must say it''s a good thing that you thought things through. It doesn''t matter what you choose. As long as you are happy, that''s all that matters. But are you ready to tell Vincent and his family you work at the Magic Tower?"

    "That¡­" Catherine bit her lip. "At first I did want to tell him but Ovior told me otherwise. The Magic Tower staff who aren''t magicians often get assaulted by the Queen''s men. I''m worried things like that will happen to Vincent and his family.

    "I don''t want anything to happen to them or their resort because of me. I think I will tell them that I work under the Imperial Pce and I don''t tell them in what position I work. I cannot quit because I have signed a contract with them."

    Veronica agreed, "I like that idea of yours. I also think you should hide it for your sake. You are going to make a new family. You need Vincent''s parents'' blessings. After marriage, if you and your inws keep facing danger, they will me it on you."

    Catherine sighed in relief. "I''m d that you agreed with my idea. I was so nervous when I made the decision. I kept feeling like I''m deceiving him. But what can I do? I need to protect him and his family."

    "If he loves you, he will understand if one day he gets to learn where you work. If he still has a hard time epting it, I will talk to him. I''m sure Ovior will talk to him as well. There is no way we will let you suffer. You just have to tell us to make him understand. And then, you will have to leave the rest to us."

    After a pause, Veronica told her with a smirk, "And if you need ideas from some married women and experiences in bed, I''ll be sure to help you out."

    Catherine blushed furiously. "Only ghosts wille to you for advice."

    They chatted and giggled till they reached the market za.

    Vincent seemed thinner than before. He smiled in relief when he saw Catherine. He greeted Veronica and her husband politely.

    "Good to see you too, Vincent." Veronica smiled at him. "Why don''t you chat with Catherine while I check out some items in the shop with my husband?"

    "Sure, thank you for bringing her to me safely." Vincent gave her a slight bow.

    He saw Veronica waving at them before leaving. When she disappeared in the crowd along with Arthur, he turned toward her. "Catherine¡­"

    ________________________________________________

    NOTICE:

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    Love you ~

 Chapter 380 - HAPPINESS

    "Catherine¡­" Vincent started.

    He couldn''t finish what he had to say because Catherine interrupted him by saying, "Vincent, I''m sorry that I made you wait so long. Everything was happening so fast that I got scared¡­"

    Vincent gently held her hands. "Catherine, it''s okay. I don''t mind that you took the time to answer. Rather, it made me happy that you took your time thinking about my proposal."

    His voice was warm and his words were tender. He was gazing at her affectionately.

    Catherine was touched by his generosity. Her eyes slightly welled up. "I''ll take a break from work," she told him.

    Feeling confused by her words, Vincent stared at her.

    "Let''s get married, Vincent," she added. "I''m ready to be yours forever anytime."

    Vincent opened his mouth but was unable to utter a single word. He gazed at her. His eyes were saying many words at the same time but he couldn''t express them properly.

    Catherine blushed and grinned at the same time. "I''d love to be your wife, Vincent. Are you not happy with my answer?"

    Vincent suddenly lowered his body and hugged her legs. Before she could say anything, he lifted her body.

    "Ahh!" Catherine yelped as her vision changed quickly. She nervously looked around. In the bustling market za, people stared at them with an odd expression.

    Embarrassed by their stares, she pushed Vincent. "What are you doing?! Put me down! Let go! What do you think people are thinking right now? They think we are insane!"

    "There is no way I''d let you go when you finally agreed to marry me. I''m the happiest man alive!" Vincent replied loudly. His voice could barely contain the joy he was feeling.

    "People are looking at us," Catherine told him. Her face was hot and her heart pounded hard.

    Noticing how he expressed his happiness, her heart was delighted.

    As if flowers bloomed before spring could arrive.

    Vincent carried Catherine like that to a restaurant. The people inside were busy chatting, so they didn''t bother to look at the excited couple.

    He let her sit on a chair and then sat across from her. He had yet to let go of her hand.

    With a joyful expression, he asked, "When do you want to hold the wedding? First, let''s have our engagement. Then, we can get married a monthter or so."

    Catherine would hardly hold back her excitement. She lowered her head, not being able to look him in the eyes.

    "I don''t know. I haven''t nned anything yet. We can have the engagement first. But is it all right to have an engagement and wedding ceremony? It will be too expensive."

    "What are you saying? We are getting married only once in our lifetime. Of course, it has to have everything," Vincent told her. "I also heard women dream aboutvish weddings. Don''t you want avish wedding?"

    "I¡­" Catherine was at a loss for words. "I did dream about my wedding but it wasn''tvish or anything. I wanted the venue decorated with flowers and bushes.

    "I wanted butterflies swarming about the flowers. I dreamed of birds chirping happily at my wedding. Is that consideredvish?"

    Vincent was surprised when he heard about her wedding dream.

    "¡­That¡­ sounds fantastic. In spring, flower blooms and butterflies roam around the flowers. Shall we hold our wedding in spring?"

    Catherine was startled. "Spring? Isn''t that too soon?"

    "Is it?" Vincent asked. "I think a month was like an eternity. I could barely wait for your answer. Since you want to be mine, I''m ready to be yours."

    Catherine hesitated andter gave in. "Then¡­ we should meet your parents properly. And¡­ we also have to n our future before we start our journey together."

    "Sure, let''s meet from time to time and n things together. But first, do you have time tomorrow? I will stay here tonight and take you to the resort tomorrow. Let me reintroduce my family to you once again."

    ''Tomorrow is the weekend, isn''t it?'' Catherine pondered. "Fine, let''s do this. But I can''t go empty-handed. I should buy gifts for them. But I don''t know what they like. Will you help me to buy gifts for them?"

    Looking at her panic-strike face, Vincent chuckled. "How can I let you buy the gifts alone? I cannot buy gifts for your family. So, let''s buy gifts for my family together. After all, my family will soon be your family."

    "All right¡­ let''s do that." Catherine agreed without a second thought.

    After their shopping was done, it was almost departure time.

    Veronica and Arthur came to their meeting ce hand in hand. Watching Vincent and Catherine with tons of gifts, Veronica''s eyebrow rose.

    "Just what made you all buy so many items? Are you nning to buy a house around here and live there?" she asked.

    "No, we are going to meet Vincent''s family tomorrow. That''s why we bought some gifts for them," Catherine replied. She didn''t bother to hide her excitement.

    "That means you already told him ''yes''! Congrattions!" Veronica hugged her friend tightly. She grinned ear to ear. She did not hide that she was happy for her friend.

    For the first time in his life, Vincent epted Veronica as his would-be wife''s friend. For a girl friend to support their love, he could never dislike her after knowing that.

    "Congrattions. I wish you two happiness of a lifetime," Arthur wished him.

    "Thank you. Thank you," Vincent bowed while he thought, ''I''m surprised he can wish people like that. I thought he could only re at people.''

    At that moment, Arthur recalled how Veronica taught him how to wish Catherine and Vincent happiness for her future.

    "What a drag. Why do I have to wish them happiness? I only care about our happiness," heined to her back then.

    Veronicaughed and replied in return, "If you want our happiness, you have to wish others happiness too. This way, others will wish us happiness from the bottom of their hearts."

    "What nonsense! Only I can make you happy and only you can make me happy. What do other people have to do with our happiness?"

    Veronica only giggled when he keptining.

    He didn''t like wishing people, and yet, he wished Vincent happiness.

    Veronica''s heart was flying to the moon.

    In the tower, everyone found out about Catherine''s decision and cheered for her.

    Felix smiled at her. "Congrattions Catherine!"

    Ovior looked at her with a poker face. "Congrattions."

    Zinnia gave her a friendly hug. "Be happy Catherine!"

    "If your husband doesn''t listen to you, stop cooking for him for a month. He will be obedient," Darius advised her.

    Zinnia shook her head. "Nah, just don''t let him sleep with you in the same bed for a month. He will beg for forgiveness in three days. Trust me."

    Catherine grinned. "Thank you so much, everyone. Yes, I will do that if necessary."

    ''I''m feeling sorry for Sebastian. That coward was toote to propose. Catherine''s heart is already set for someone else," Darius muttered to Felix.

    Felix replied in a low voice, "I''m sure he knew everything since he was guarding veronica. Shall we look for him?"

    "Let''s go."

    They looked for Sebastian everywhere but he was nowhere to be found.

    "Where did he go?" Darius sighed. "He isn''t in his room or the dining hall or any other room. He didn''t go swimming either."

    "Maybe we need to look in the training ground. He might go there," Felix suggested.

    "Well, that''s the only ce we hadn''t looked. I will prepare some booze and women. We have to heal that precious boy''s heart."

    "If only that makes him feel better."

    Felix was right. They found Sebastian in the training ground. He was training by himself. He didn''t bother to look at them when they entered.

    Darius spoke loudly. "Sebastian, I''m going out. I''m throwing a party after winning some gold coins in the gambling. Join me. It won''t be fun if I go alone."

    "Go by yourself. I''m not interested," Sebastian replied.

    "Hey, stop tiring yourself out. You have duties in the morning. Juste with us." Felix came forward and grabbed his hand.

    "Just leave me alone!" Sebastian shouted in frustration.

    "We can''t do that," Darius declined. "We have to make sure you feel like a new man after waking up tomorrow."

    "We know you are having a hard time and that''s why we want to apany you. Come with us. Staying here and brooding alone won''t make you feel any better." Felix patted his back.

    "Sigh¡­ fine¡­" in the end, Sebastian agreed.

    They went to Darius''s favorite ce. He ordered his favorite wine and women. The women were delighted to have their favorite customer along with two handsome men.

    "Master, what can we do for you?" the girls asked Darius.

    ________________________________________________

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 Chapter 381 - MEET MY FAMILY

    "Master, what can we do for you?" the girls asked Darius.

    "Make him drunk," Darius whispered to them.

    The girls giggled. One of them coquettishly said, "Oh my! This is such an easy job. We are hoping for a good reward after that."

    "That''s why I love you all." Darius didn''t forget to kiss their cheeks.

    Sebastian was sitting in the corner of the room. He was motionless. He nkly stared outside the window.

    He kept recalling his time to Catherine. The more he thought about those memories, the more he realized that those would be forever his memories.

    ''I was toote¡­ wasn''t I? I should have confessed to you way before. I shouldn''t have teased you all the time. I shouldn''t have argued with you whenever we met. I should have been gentle with you. I should have been¡­ more mature¡­''

    ''If I change myself now and be the man you like¡­ will you ept me? I''ll do anything¡­ everything to change myself. I will be the man you like. I will forget who I really am. So please¡­''

    He shuddered and then hugged his body.

    He was on the verge of crying. Tears streamed down his face. He covered them with his arm. The tears were sucked by his woolen sleeves.

    "Master¡­ Please have a drink. This drink will help you to forget all your worries and sadness."

    The girls came closer and one of them shoved a ss of wine at him.

    Sebastian reached out his hand without looking. The girl handed him the ss. He grabbed the ss and emptied it in a few gulps.

    The girls sat close to him. One of them fanned him with a huge fan. Another one poured him wine from time to time. Another girl yed the lyre. Someone else sang a song.

    ~Heart craves for love,

    Love craves affection,

    Caring beyond the boundary,

    Tears heart permanently~

    Sebastian listened to the song. The heartbreaking song sounded sweeter than honey. He drank more and more before he passed out.

    ----------

    The next day, Catherine went to the resort with Vincent.

    "Mother, look, I brought someone with me," he announced the moment he entered his house.

    Their house was on another hill beside the resort hill. Those two hills were bought by Vincent''s father. Their two-storied house was simple and cozy. It gave a friendly andfortable vibe.

    "Who is with you? I tell you to show me my future daughter-inw but you never listen. You must want me to die without seeing my grandchild''s face. I won''t talk to you unless you bring her to me!" his mother shouted from the kitchen.

    Catherine''s heart pounded when her future mother-inw mentioned grandchild. She bashfully nced at her fianc¨¦.

    Vincent was amused. He teasingly said, "If you talk like that, your future daughter-inw will run away in embarrassment."

    "Huh?" Realizing that her son said something important, the mother ran out of the kitchen.

    She was a woman around fifty. The tanned skin had a touch of old age. Her mixed brown and gray hair were tied as a bun. Her green simple gown was neat and clean. Her apron had a touch of flour.

    From a nce, anyone could say that she was a tough, hard-working woman.

    When she saw a beautiful blonde girl standing next to her son with a huge amount of gifts, she covered her mouth. She couldn''t believe her eyes.

    "My eyes aren''t deceiving me, are they? Am I seeing this right? Is this the girl you were dating?"

    "Yes, mother. That''s her. She is Catherine. Catherine, meet my mother." Vincent introduced them.

    "H-hello mam, it''s an honor to meet you. I''ve heard lots of things about you from Vincent." Catherine bowed to greet her.

    She was nervous. Her heart was beating like crazy. Her voice quivered when she talked.

    The face of Vincent''s mother immediately broke out a smile.

    "Oh, Catherine, it''s so wonderful to meet you. I''ve been telling Vincent to bring you home from the moment I heard that he was dating a girl. I was always curious just what kind of girl finally made my son think about making a family. I''m so d you finally came over."

    She grabbed Catherine''s hands and pulled her forward. "Come and sit. I just baked some cookies. You will be the first person to taste them. I hope they will be of your taste."

    "I heard that you are a wonderful baker, mam. I''m sure it will suit my taste." Catherine nervously smiled at her.

    "Why do you keep calling me ''mam''? Call me ''mother''," Vincent''s mother was friendly. "I''m sure you came here after you agreed to marry this rascal. I must say that he is quite a handful."

    Catherine giggled.

    "Mother, if youin to her about me, she will run away from me. It was really hard to make her say ''yes'', you know." Vincent carried the gifts inside. "She bought so many things for you. You should at least thank her."

    "Oh my! You bought them by yourself?" Vincent''s mother gasped and then nced at Catherine.

    "I didn''t buy everything. Half of them were bought by Vincent," Catherine told her.

    "Not at all. Catherine bought most of them. I just apanied her," Vincent corrected her.

    "Look at you two. You need to save money for your future family. Why did you have to spend money on some old people? We will die soon." Although Vincent''s motherined, she couldn''t control her happiness.

    Catherine let out a deep breath that she was holding in for a while. ''Oh, thank goodness that she did oppose this. I''ve spent a fair amount to buy these gifts. As long as she is happy with this, I''m relieved. After all, who doesn''t love presents?''

    Vincent looked around to find something and then asked his mother, "Mother, I don''t see father. Where did he go?"

    "Your father has gone to the restaurant to check if the customers are getting a proper meal. He wille back soon," his mother replied. "Catherine, sit here."

    "Thank you." Catherine sat down.

    The woman sat beside her and said, "Tell me about yourself, Catherine. What do you do and how many people are there in your family?"

    Vincent also sat down on another couch. He was also curious about Catherine''s background which he hardly knew.

    Catherine anxiously looked down. "I''m not sure what you were expecting from me but I''m an orphan. I grew up in the temple. I recently got permission to go out."

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know you were an orphan," Vincent''s mother sympathized with her. "I heard about the temple''s teachings. I''ve met a few children who grew up in the temple in our kingdom. They are nice, well-behaved children. I''m sure the priests taught you well."

    "Yes, I''m forever in debt to them."

    "So, what do you do? Since you have no one to look after, do you have a job?" Her blue eyes were staring at the girl beside her.

    "Yes, I''ve been working in the Imperial Pce as an ountant."

    Vincent''s mother was astonished. "Oh my! You keep surprising me, Catherine. It must be hard to get a job in such a big ce."

    Catherine shook her head. "Not at all. The Imperial Pce always takes employees from the temple. They believe that the children who grow up in the temple are more loyal than others. And, that''s actually true.

    "So, they keep some seats for us. In the temple, we were educated properly so that we could get jobs anywhere. The Imperial Pce chose me based on my result."

    "Oh, Goddess Juvena, please forgive me for lying to them. I didn''t mean to lie to them but I had no other choice!'' she prayed.

    Vincent''s mother''s face rxed slightly. "I see, then you must be a hard worker. I''m sure you are talented and educated enough to be picked up by them."

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________

    A/N:

    I kind of want to share today''s event, more urately I want to vent my feelings. Today''s exam was crap. I don''t know what was the problem with the examiner; she asked me so many difficult questions. She asked me aboutws and rules. I''m not even interested inw. How am I supposed to answer those questions? And then suddenly she asked me about what kind of rules I want to change and how I can change them. I never tried to change rules or I never wanted to be a ruler who can change the rules. Well, it was a shit exam and I hated it. I think the result is going to be so miserable that I have to take another exam I wish I didn''t have to take. Anyways, I just cried with Sebastian. We both cried for something else.l Well, I definitely cried for the number which I needed more than he needed Catherine. Tomorrow, after the exam, I just need a break. I wish I could take a long break but a small break is enough. See you tomorrow.

    Sorry to make you listen to me guys. I just needed to share with somebody.

    TT.TT

 Chapter 382 - WEDDING PLAN

    "I see, then you must be a hard worker. I''m sure you are talented and educated enough to be picked up by them."

    ''I don''t think she is taunting me but why does it sound weird in my ears,'' Catherine thought as she sweated.

    "I hope so," she replied politely without taking Vincent''s mother''s tone negatively. "There are other talented children in the temple who are getting jobs in the Ministry."

    Vincent''s mother didn''t let her thoughts show on her face. "Working for the Ministry must be nice. Do you n to continue working there after marriage?"

    The temperature of the room suddenly dropped to a few degrees. The atmospherepletely changed.

    Catherine''s voice softened, "That''s actually my n¡­"

    Vincent''s mother cut her off saying, "Is that so? How are you going to take care of both your family and Ministry duty?"

    "Mother¡­" Vincent started.

    "Let her answer, son." His mother sternly intervened.

    Catherine''s throat was dry. "Just like Vincent will take care of both our family and the family business."

    His mother frowned, not understanding the meaning behind her words.

    "What do you mean? You can''t possiblypare yourself with a man. The man has to earn for his family while it''s the woman''s duty to take care of the family. The thing you just said, I''ve never heard something so absurd."

    Catherine calmly stated, "I''m sure people''s ideas about marriage vary from person to person. In the temple, we were taught that husband and wife should support each other equally.

    "Both individuals have their own ns for their personal and matrimonial lives. Men and women are both humans. They have the right to talk to each other, n their future keeping both of their desires and wishes.

    "A third party has no right to have a say in this ¨C that''s what I believe. We, temple children, are free-spirited. Please don''t mind our behavior."

    Although she was smiling sweetly, she totally freaked out.

    She kept thinking, ''Oh my Goddess! What am I supposed to do? She hates me. Shepletely hates me. I just said what Zinnia made me memorizest night. What if Vincent''s mother doesn''t approve of me now?''

    Vincent''s mother was irritated by herst few words.? She couldn''t help but fume.

    ''I''m Vincent''s mother. I gave birth to him and raised him. Do I have no right to say anything about my son''s future? I don''t ept this! My son''s family has to be simple. The daughter-inw has to be family-oriented. Looks like temple children aren''t as great as it seems.''

    However, when Catherine smiled and asked not to mind her behavior, the mother could only swallow her words ofints.

    Catherine added, "Further, children should grow up with both of their parents. From what we learned, it''s the parents'' duty to take care of the children. That''s why I want Vincent and I will both create a family where everyone will be equal.

    "In the near future, when we have children, they will learn to be strong, hard-working, and amicable like Vincent and wise like his parents. I wish for everyone''s cooperation.

    "Since I never had the chance to grow up with a family, I wish my children will have their parents and grandparents when they grow up. Thus, whatevercking Vincent or I have, it won''t reach them."

    She slightly bowed and continued, "I hope you will consider this orphan''s wish."

    "Catherine, you don''t have to say it like this." Vincent was flustered. He stood up and hurriedly rushed forward.

    While hugging her shoulder, he looked at his mother with a pitiful expression. "Mother, I never asked anything from you. Just this time, please allow me to live the rest of my life with her."

    At her son''s plea, his mother reluctantly changed the subject.

    "Fine, I won''t bother you two. You chose her. Moreover, it looks like you nned what to say to me beforehand. What can I say after that? Stay for lunch. Once your fatheres, greet him. I''m going to prepare some snacks."

    After that, she went back to the kitchen, leaving the couple alone.

    Catherine tightly held Vincent''s hand. "Did I do it right? I think your mother is upset. What should I do?"

    Vincent rubbed his forehead before smiling at her. "What are you worrying about? She agreed, didn''t she? If she didn''t like you, she would oppose."

    "But my job¡­ I can''t stop being an employee suddenly. The Imperial Pce isn''t as easy as you think. It has numerous rules. Before I started my job there, I had to sign a twenty year contract there. If I breach it, I will have to pay thousands of gold coins as a fee."

    Panicked, Catherine lied one after another.

    "Twenty years¡­ that''s a long time," Vincent thoughtfully remarked.

    "Yes, I know. But when I signed the contract, I didn''t meet you. I was only thinking about a life with a stable job. Now I really regret it." Catherine deeply sighed.

    ''Goddess, please forgive me for lying to him. I don''t want to lose my job,'' she prayed.

    "Don''t think about it anymore. I will manage mother in the evening. I''m sure she wille to ept you when she realizes how true you are toward me and my family," Vincent assured her.

    His voice was gentle and soothing. Catherine rxed quite a bit.

    While they nned their engagement, his mother brought some warm cookies with two sses of milk.

    "Vincent, have some cookies with Catherine. I will prepare lunch now. When your fatheres home, introduce her to him. Don''t tell him too much of your future ns or he might go out of control."

    After giving them a fair warning, his mother went back to the kitchen once again.

    Catherine''s face paled. She nced at Vincent. Vincent helplessly scratched his head.

    "Please understand they aren''t city people. They are too old-fashioned. Once we get married, there is nothing that can stop us," he told her.

    ''As long as that''s true. I would hate to fight with them every single day. I want a family, not a bunch of guards where I can''t even breathe,'' Catherine thought.

    However, it wasn''t as hard as she thought it was to talk to Vincent''s father. He was rather quiet and yet amicable.

    He first saw them with gifts all over in the living room. He was stunned.

    Vincent acted quickly. "Father, this is Catherine, the woman I am dating. We wish to get married and want your blessing."

    "Hmm¡­" his father sat on the couch and asked, "Does your mother know?"

    "Yes, we talked to mother first. She even told us to have lunch before leaving."

    "Hmm¡­" his father nced over at Catherine. "You are Catherine."

    Catherine hurriedly gave him a polite bow. "Yes¡­ Sir¡­ My name is Catherine and I''m dating your son."

    "How did you meet my son?"

    "I went to the resort with my friend when we first met."

    "I approached her first father. It was love at first sight," Vincent added before his father could ask him an odd question.

    "I see. When do you n to get married?" his father inquired.

    ''Did he approve of us?'' Catherine''s eyes beamed.

    Vincent told him, "If you permit us, we will have our engagement by next month and then will hold our wedding ceremony the month after that."

    His father pondered about their wedding n. "What kind of wedding are you nning? You can''t have a grand wedding in such a short period."

    "We aren''t nning for a grand wedding. Catherine wishes to have a simple wedding in the flower garden. I want to respect her wishes." Vincent squeezed Catherine''s hand.

    His father stared at their joined hands andmented, "I didn''t know city girls like nature."

    Catherine exined, "Actually we do like being around nature a lot. All the time, living in a city full of crowds and smoke makes us feel bored. Nature helps us to revive. However, we simply can''t get used to the country lifestyle because we are so ustomed to the urban lifestyle."

    "Then why did you decide to marry Vincent? Did you think he would live in the city?" Vincent''s father looked at her.

    Catherine shook her head. "No, I knew I had to live here after I get married and I epted his proposal knowing that."

    "And how are you going to manage living here? What if you get bored with the country lifestyle?"

    "I have already made arrangements for that. I''ve bought a magic stone that will help me to go to the capital city for my work purposes."

    "¡­Your work purposes?" Vincent''s father dyed the question.

    ''Oh no!'' Catherine freaked out. ''I slipped about my job! Vincent''s mother forbade us not to!''

    Realizing that she screwed, Vincent exined to his father, "Catherine had an employment contract with the Imperial Pce. She has to work there for a certain period. If she breaches the contract, she will be fined."

    His father stayed quiet for a long time before stating, "That sounds like an obstacle. You are all adults now. You know how to deal with your own problem."

    Vincent gulped, almost couldn''t surpass his emotions. "Then do you agree to our marriage?"

    -

    -

    -

    Later, Catherine went back to the tower to share the news, however, something unexpected happened in the tower.

 Chapter 383 - UPSIDE DOWN

    With a relieved mood, Catherine went back to the Magic Tower.

    ''I have to tell everyone the good news. Oh wait, maybe I should have bought some sweets to celebrate with them.''

    She pped her forehead. ''How did I forget to buy some sweets?! Just how miserable I can be!'' shemented.

    ''Maybe I will ask the cook to make pastries for everyone. Hmm¡­ I should go to the kitchen before telling them about my engagement and marriage,'' she decided.

    While she was going to the upper floor after talking to the chef, she noticed somemotion in front of Arthur''s office.

    Darius, Zinnia, and Felix were standing in front of Arthur''s office. Some people were shouting and crying inside.

    Catherine''s heart dropped. She had a bad premonition. She let the magic elevator stop in front of Arthur''s office and went closer.

    "Why are you guys standing there? Who is crying?" she asked in a low voice.

    Zinnia pressed her index finger on her lips to signal her to be quiet and then pulled her forward to give her a chance to look inside.

    She saw Arthur was sitting on his chair with a solemn expression. And Veronica was sitting on a couch. Ovior was standing behind her. He was expressionless.

    There was a woman in the middle of the room. She was crouching on the floor and crying heartbrokenly. She had bright blonde hair. Her curly stands covered her face.

    From the back, she looked rather familiar.

    ''Who is she?'' Catherine wondered.

    The woman finally raised her head and stated earnestly, "Arthur, how can you lie like that? You said you would divorce her and take me as your wife. You told me your wife was a horrible woman who forced you to marry her.

    "We made love every week. Every time you embraced me, you said you loved me. Now that I''m pregnant with your child, won''t you ept me anymore?

    "Did your love disappear because I''m pregnant? What will happen to our child, Arthur?"

    Catherine''s jaw dropped. She couldn''t believe her ears. She just went to the resort to meet Vincent''s family and here something big had happened without her knowing.

    ''Arthur? Made a woman pregnant?! The girl came to be his wife??''

    She could barely process the data.

    Veronica seemed distressed. She stroked her forehead and told the girl, "Look, I understand your pain but you have some kind of mistakes somewhere. Even if Arthur is a magician, he can''t be in both ces at the same time."

    The woman wouldn''t fall for her words. She shook her head in disbelief.

    "We have been together since we met in Kerbell. He came to meet me that night. That night was the first time I gave him my innocence knowing the risk of being with him. After that, he appeared every weekend. There is no way I can make a mistake."

    Veronica sighed. "That night Arthur was with me. And also every weekend, he spent his time with me. Forget about the night, he doesn''t have time to be with you even in daytime."

    Ovior had a headache. ''That''s true. I pushed so much work on Arthur that on the weekends, he had to work in the morning and he could only be with his wife at night. There is no possible way for him to have time for another woman just to have sex.''

    ''Then again¡­ if he wants¡­ there is no way he cannot ce a dummy with Veronica and have sex with another woman in another city. He is such a yboy. I don''t believe he had changed his character so quickly. If he really makes this woman pregnant¡­''

    Ovior didn''t want to imagine the rest. He red at Arthur, wishing that he would do something about this.

    "I don''t believe this. You cannot fool me." The woman refused to believe any word Veronica had to say.

    "Fine, think whatever you want." Veronica gave up trying to make her understand.

    ''I''m pretty sure that it has something to do with one of the fake Arthurs. They must have seen a weakness in this girl for Arthur and that made use of her. I can''t even disclose the matter of fake Arthur to the outsiders. Now she is pregnant. How pitiful.''

    Veronica bit her upper lip and covered her face. Neither she could say anything, nor did she find a way tofort that woman.

    Thinking that she was having a hard time because of the pregnant woman, Arthur''s hurt shook in fear. He finally decided to open his mouth.

    "I''m sure many people can change their appearance by taking expensive potions. Furthermore, even if I don''t sleep with my wife, I won''t sleep with you either. I''m a man with great taste. I don''t sleep with just any woman."

    His words were like a sharp de. It pierced through the pregnant woman''s heart and ripped it apart.

    "Damn! That was a deep blow. That heartless jerk. He can be so merciless toward a pregnantdy," Darius whispered.

    "This is just a huge misunderstanding. I think it''s something to do with the fake Arthur. I feel sorry for the woman," Zinnia stated.

    "Whatever it is, it has to end today. I don''t think Magic Tower is prepared for another ck magic smoke," Felixmented.

    Except for him, the other three shuddered thinking of the time Arthur had gone crazy killing people to bring Veronica''s soul from the underworld.

    "I think I should go inside and stand with Veronica," Catherine said before entering the room.

    She saw the pregnant woman''s blue eyes glisten. She was badly hurt by Arthur''s words. As though her eyes were like a fountain, tears streamed down to her face.

    ''Kerbell¡­ this face!'' Catherine recognized that woman almost instantly.

    "Hey! I know her!" She pointed a finger at the woman. "She wasn''t with Arthur on the night you guys met in the swimming pool area. She was with another man."

    "How do you know that?" Veronica stood up, surprised by her friend''s sudden im.

    "I was strolling with Vincent when I encountered a couple in a narrow alley. She was almost n-naked. They were¡­ they were¡­" Catherine blushed when she recalled it. Her lips betrayed and she kept stuttering.

    "They were doing what a married couple does!"

    Later, she forced herself to answer and shouted in the process.

    Everyone heard her loud and clear.

    "I can never forget you," she added. "You came to the towerter with your family. Your name is Betty!"

    Betty''s swollen blue eyes red at Catherine.

    She shouted, "No! No! You are lying. You are all lying. You are trying to deceive me, aren''t you? I know who I was with.

    "I have loved Arthur for so long! Why won''t I recognize him when he came so close to me. I still remember his voice."

    She panted heavily. This kind of stress wasn''t good for her. After bing pregnant, she had morning sickness almost every day and it was getting worse each passing day.

    ''Why is this happening to me? I''m sure I slept with Arthur every week. I made sure not to take pills to prevent pregnancy. I wanted to take the chance since he always poured his seed inside me, again and again, every time we did it.''

    ''Is this because I got pregnant willingly and lied to him about taking pills? Is this why he doesn''t want to take me? Maybe he had another n and I ruined it.''

    She panicked while wondering about that fact. She became sad when she realized that Arthur wasn''t ready to take her in.

    "I had enough of this drama. I''m sure others had their fills," Ovior finally opened his mouth. His cold eyes jeered at Betty.

    "Since you know that Arthur isn''t the man you slept with, you will get out before we throw you to the dungeon. You have no right to disrupt the magic Tower as you please.

    "People fear us for a reason. If you want to kill yourself and your child, you can try neglecting my words."

    His words sent chills running down her spine. Betty shuddered.

    "You should leave. You can''t just sleep around with men and then try to destroy someone else''s family. If you destroy one''s happiness, you will never be happy either," Catherine told her.

    Betty''s eyes turned red from crying. Her face was pale since she was feeling sick. She wanted to throw up several times but held back.

    With her trembling legs, she stood up. Her eyesnded on Veronica first and then Catherine. Later, she looked at Arthur.

    "I''ll leave for today. But I won''t give up. After I give birth to my child, I''lle back. If my child looks a tiny bit like you, you have to take me in as your concubine, Arthur.

    "You promised to take in and let me live in the tower with you. Don''t go back on your words."

    She wiped her tears and walked away.

    After she left, there was a heavy silence inside the room. The problem was gone but the atmosphere didn''t improve.

    Who would talk first?

 Chapter 384 - WHO IS BEHIND THIS?

    After Betty left, the heavy atmosphere remained in the room.

    Arthur stared at Veronica who was covering her face. Her expression waspletely hidden behind her hand.

    Catherine hesitantly looked at Ovior. Ovior muttered in annoyance, "Just when I wanted to take a break, things like that always happen."

    He looked at Catherine and pointed his finger at the door. He silently told her to get out of the room.

    Catherine understood what he meant. She followed him and left the room. She didn''t forget to close the door.

    "What a mess!" Darius eximed. "I have no idea how Arthur will get out of this mess."

    "If it was me in Veronica''s situation, I would have beaten my rival to death." Zinnia punched her left palm. "Whether that mistress is pregnant or not, no one can have my husband."

    Darius stared at her dumbfoundedly. "You don''t have a husband," he reminded her.

    "I''m just saying. If I had a husband and he cheated on me, that mistress would be dead and I''d lock my husband in the bedroom," Zinnia told them.

    Darius shook his head. "I''m so d I''m not your husband."

    "Huh? Who would marry you?" Zinnia retorted.

    "Ver cannot hurt other women., Especially not a pregnant woman. Although she has be tougher than before, she is logical and kind. She can never change her kind-heartedness she has been down," Catherine mentioned.

    "I hope she won''t be hurt by today''s event," Felix stated. "I want to live longer."

    "I just want this tower to stay in one piece, that''s all," Ovior exhaled deeply. "Let''s get out of here before someone runs out of here crying her heart''s out."

    Everyone listened to him and went back to their own rooms. Catherine worriedly started at the tightly shut door before going to Ovior''s office.

    ------

    Meanwhile, in the room, Arthur stared at Veronica for a long time before standing up. He strode toward her and knelt in front of her.

    "Nica, you aren''t misunderstanding anything, right?" He ced his hands on her knees. His voice was full of concern.

    "I didn''t do anything with her," he anxiously added. Her silence was scaring him. "You know I''ve been with you ever since I met you. I never¡­"

    "Arthur, I know you are innocent." Veronica finally removed her hand. Her face was filled with sorrow.

    "Just how many women are going to suffer because of us? This time, an innocent child ising along. Just think how hard it will be for that angelic being to grow up with a single mother."

    Arthur bent his neck and nted a soft kiss on her hands. "It''s not our fault, Nica. It''s the group of people who came after us even though we didn''t harm them."

    Veronica asked him, "Who are they, Arthur? I''m pretty sure Louses has no reason to go after the most powerful person in the world. And I''ve nevere across them. They shouldn''t have any reason to go after me."

    After a pause, she added, "I know you know something but you are hiding it from me."

    "Nothing goes past you, does it?" Arthur sat beside her and held her hand. "As we expected, the Queen is behind this. She is vengeful. She wants to take me down because I killed her son."

    Veronica believed him and frowned. "Her son was a tyrant. She still has another son. Why is no one stopping her? Why does she have to target you for revenge?"

    Arthur replied patiently, "It''s because the second prince isn''t her son. He was born from the Duke of the North. The King made sure no one found out about it because he wanted his second son who was born from his beloved woman to be the ruler of this kingdom.

    "The Queen is the most powerful woman in the noble society. She suffered under the King. Who dares to go against her wrongdoings?"

    Veronica didn''t hide her feelings. She was astonished by the news. ".... That''s news to me. It''s a rumor how much she cares for her both sons. I''ve neve thought this would be the case. That''s the reason the King didn''t hold any grudge against you but the Queen did."

    She anxiously clutched his hand. "She knows my identity. What if she sends a report to Tybu? Saint Ava forbade me to marry a magician. They wille for me if they find out where I am!"

    Arthur clenched his fist. "Then let theme. They can''t take you against your will. Magicians are more powerful than those human-made weapons. They won''t be able to beat us in war."

    ''I will destroy this if someone dares to snatch my princess from me. No one can touch her. No one can have her.'' His eyes were burning.

    "But I don''t want war!" Veronica reacted to his answer. "I want peace! I can''t stand people dying because of my selfish desire."

    Arthur ced a hand on her shoulder and drew her closer. He wanted to console her.

    "It''s not your selfish desire. You are living with your husband. This is the most natural thing to do. It''s them who are selfish. They don''t care about others'' happiness. They want to fulfill their desires."

    Veronica put her head on his shoulder and inquired softly, "...So, what do you think we should do about the unborn child?"

    ''Huh? Did I just hear wrong?'' Arthur didn''t speak his mind.

    He carefully asked her, "What do you want to do? It''s not like they are rted to us."

    "That woman doesn''t. But the child? We should do something." While keeping her head on his shoulder, she turned her head to look at him.

    Arthur licked his lips, tensed about what was nning about the child.

    "If you want to bring the child here with Betty and raise him here, people will think we are trying to cover us that child is mine. I won''t have that. If any child has the right to grow up here, that''s our child."

    "...Um¡­ then we can ask her brother-inw to take care of them," Veronica suggested.

    ''Even though it was a fake Arthur, it was still part of our duty since we took our time to take care of this mess. We need to make sure the child is safe,'' she thought.

    Arthur organized his words before saying, "We shouldn''t interfere with them by any means. If we do, it''ll be like that kid is my illegitimate child. The best thing we can do is to pray for their happiness."

    "Huh? But¡­"

    Arthur patted her back and tried to make her understand, "No buts. Listen Nica, I know you have goodwill. But Betty is crazy enough to tear us apart. We shouldn''t give her any reason toe between us.

    "Also when her child is born, she will understand that it''s not mine. Even if those fakes had my face, it doesn''t mean they have my characteristics in their blood. So, her child won''t resemble me in any way."

    Veronica pondered briefly before realizing that his words were logical.

    "You are right. I''m being paranoid for nothing. Let''s just take a break. I''m sure we made others worried. Let''s talk to them."

    "Sure, let''s go."

    ---------

    "Oh, thank goodness, not another broken heart," Felix sighed in relief.

    The couple came to notify them that they were on good terms, no misunderstanding urred. The group was relieved.

    "And here I was packing my bag. I was nning to go on a journey." Darius sat on the couch. "So, what did you guys decide about that Betty?"

    "We won''t do anything to her. We won''t be involved with her," Veronica answered.

    "Even so, we can''t just stay silent. From my experience, she wille again and create another mess," Zinniamented.

    "If it bes something big, we will take care of it," Ovior dered.

    "If you are nning to kill her mother-child duo then please stop," Veronica retorted. "They don''t have to die for making some drama."

    Ovior expressionlessly stated, "This ''drama'' can destroy your happiness forever. Just because we have you, ''a soft-hearted child'', as our Mistress, it doesn''t mean we will let you forgive the people who harm us. We have codes and rules to follow.

    "And we do it because these extreme crimes should be managed in an extreme way. Not even Arthur can stop us from doing what''s proper."

    ''Is he saying that even though I''m the Mistress I can''t pardon a criminal whoes to harm me?'' Veronica thought, feeling depressed.

    Zinnia ced a hand on Veronica''s shoulder. "Don''t mind his words. He isn''t in the right mind right now. Long ago, people of the Magic Tower pardoned criminals and because of that, they had to sufferter on."

    "What happened?" Veronica inquired.

    Zinnia answered, "There were blood shades everywhere. Magic Tower lost many magicians from that civil war. From then on, this new rule was added to the book of Magic Tower.

    "We can''t show mercy to the criminals or their families. We can''t let them have even a tiny bit of opportunity to harm us."

    "Oh no!" Veronica covered her face.

    "Even if the children are innocent, should we really not spare them?"

 Chapter 385

    Chapter 385- SULKING

    "Even if the children are innocent, should we really not spare them?"

    Veronica couldn''t understand the statement. ''Why harming innocent people? What will be the difference between us if we do that?

    Felix exined, "They might grow up and then find out that we killed their family members. Later, they wille for vengeance."

    Veronica was restless. "But it''s still an ''if. Not everyone is like that Punish people if its necessary. Let''s reduce the number of murders."

    Ovior rubbed his temple. ''I think I have to take things in my hand. Her childishness is beyond boundaries. So annoying.''

    "They don''t care about right from wrong," he said. "When they are hurt, they will think that no matter what their families did, they didn''t deserve to die."

    Veronica retorted, "Even so, killing them isn''t a good option when there is still a chance for them to be someone better."

    "You are the Mistress of the Magic Tower," Ovior reminded her. ''Your job is to protect the people that belong to the tower. Not anyone else."

    "Nothing goodes with a cheap price, Ovior. That''s why being true to oneself is the hardest part."

    Ovior''s ice-block cold eyes stared at her. "1 don''t care if I''m true to myself or not. I don''t have the time to think about that rubbish! I need to work my butt off to keep the tower in one piece. If the tower is destroyed, the whole world would be in chaos.

    "Maybe it is time to look at the bigger picture, Veronica. To keep peace intact, small sacrifices are needed. We can''t take Veronica felt ashamed. She looked around. "Does everyone think the same?" she asked while observing everyone''s

    reaction. ..." Everyone stayed silent. They didn''t even meet her gaze ''I take your silence as yes,'' Veronica thought. "Arthur..." She nced at him. The person, who murdered people in the blink of an eye, bit his tongue. He couldn''t utter a single word that could appease her "I''m going out for a walk." Veronica then left with tearful eyes. "I will follow her," Catherine said before walking out of the room. "Phew! Women!" Darius eximed. He was holding his breath up until now without realizing it. Zinnia red at him for mentioning ''women'' but said nothing. "As if one problem isn''t enough, another one just added. Maybe today is an unlucky day," Felix stated. At his statement, Arthur looked at Ovior. "Did you really have to be that harsh on her?" "Great poweres with great responsibilities. I''m her teacher. I must make sure that I''m giving the Mistress''s power to the perfect Mistress of the Magic Tower. The position isn''t something that should be taken lightly." Ovior''s answer was straightforward. He didn''t feel the slightest guilt when he lectured Veronica. Arthur sighed and pressed his temples. "Just let me have a peaceful wedded life." "You? Peaceful life? Darius chuckled. "Dream on!"

    In the meantime, Catherine rushed to catch up with Veronica. Veronica went to the garden and sat on a chair beside a round tea table.

    Catherine paused before carefully approaching her. "Are you all right?"

    Veronica lowered her head. "I don''t know."

    "It''s all right to feel sad. It''s really hard to get ustomed to new rules which arepletely different from your belief." Catherine pulled a chair and sat beside her

    "Do you think I''m wrong?"

    Catherine shook her head. "Not at all. What they are doing, it''s inhumane. It''s so wrong. However, this is the way to save millions of lives. All those lives, Magic Tower has the responsibility to protect them. Its a heavy burden.

    "Even if the leaders don''t want to do something cruel, they still have to. They know that if they soften even a tiny bit, some people might take advantage of it and harm them. They don''t have the luxury to keep their guard down."

    Veronica wiped her tears. "I have faced it. When I was out there, even when I slept, I couldn''t let my guard down. Thus, I could hardly sleep. So, what''s leadership? How is running a tower any different from war?

    "I Imow I''m being immature and I should solidify my heart for the sake of all people... but killing children who did nothing wrong... I wish I could do something to change that. It hurts my conscience that I can''t do anything despite knowing it''s wrong."

    "I understand. In fact, I feel your pain. I also knew about it. When you were gone, Arthur killed dozens of people. Men and women. With a qualm. The tower filled with the smell of blood. Everyone stayed tense. I got sick of this.

    "Then suddenly one day I thought, ''why am I hurting myself? Why am I going through all the trouble just because some things are not going ording to my wish? I''m living a better life than many people.

    "I can eat fancy meals daily. I earn a lot. I have a roof above my head. I can buy anything without looking at the price tag. I don''t have a trashy family to deal with. What more do I need in this life?

    "I realized that I was hurting myself because I didn''t want a peaceful life for myself. I wanted a life filled with problems. And I had no problem. So, my head was making up some problems on its own.

    "That''s when I decided that I wouldn''t act like that anymore. I knew there was a reason behind their cruelty and I asked Ovior about it. He told me the reason. That''s when I knew it was because of powerless civilians like us they have to be cruel even if they don''t want to be.

    "That''s when I felt ashamed of myself. They were dirtying their hands because we couldn''t protect ourselves. We didn''t want to feel guilty and that''s why we didn''t want to dirty our hands. We just wanted people to be the bad guys and protect us.

    "I felt like I wasn''t a human. These people are heroes who have gone through so much for our sake. We shouldn''t me them for being cruet Rather we should thank them for keeping us safe.

    "They are like those soldiers who fight for us at war to keep us alive. That''s why I think we should just let them do their job. It''s not our responsibility to question them. We dont have rights. We can only wish them happiness after everything they have gone through."

    Catherine smiled at Veronica. "That''s why don''t be mad at Ovior. He is the one reason we are still able to live in the tower peacefully. We owe him a great deal."

    "That means I was being childish, wasn''t I? I''m so ashamed." Veronica covered her face.

    Catherine patted her back. "As long as you understand. I still think killing children is a bad thing but this is all for the best. You know better than anyone how cruel the world is. I''ve seen the whole world in this tower. I just don''t want to go anywhere. I will stay here and work. A peaceful life."

    Veronica said, "I remember. You always dreamed about a life where you can live without conflict and hunger while I wanted to travel the world. I guess both of our wishes have been fulfilled."

    "What do you mean? Don''t you want to travel the world with Arthur?" Catherine inquired

    ''Oh crap! I didn''t make her change her decision, did I? I don''t want to be killed before I live a happy life with Vincent,'' she prayed in her mind.

    "How can I?" Veronica forced a smile. "He is a soldier who has to protect good people from bad people. He has a huge duty here. I don''t want to burden him." "How can you say that? He is not only a soldier but also your husband!" Catherine eximed in disbelief. Veronica chuckled. "You don''t understand yet. Sometimes, to gain something you have to lose something. When you love a person, you will want to care for them without any regard. "It''s safe for me though since Arthur won''t take me for granted. Cathy, you are in love, don''t you feel like you want to make your man the happiest person in the world?" ''Do l?'' Catherine was taken aback by her own thoughts. "I don''t know what to say. I never thought about it before," she replied. "Is it really like that? Falling for someone I

    "When you love and care for a person to your fullest, you will want to give them your everything. You will want to sacrifice yourself to shower your love. That''s how it mostly turns out," Veronica exined.

    "But its not like it happens all the time. Lovees to us in different shapes. Let''s just say there is a couple who keep bickering day and night. But when real danger approaches, they forget about their own safety and try to save each other."

    Veronica mischievously stared at her.

    Catherine wondered, ''Huh? Why do I think it sounds so familiar?

    (A/NJ Showing my respect to all Ukrainian soldiers who are fighting to protect your beloved ones and our mothend. My prayers are with you..!

 Chapter 386

    Chapter 386: SHARE THE NEWS

    ¡°But it¡¯s not like it happens all the time. Lovees to us in different shapes. Let¡¯s just say there is a couple who keep bickering day and night. But when real danger approaches, they forget about their own safety and try to save each other.¡±

    At Veronica¡¯s words, Catherine tilted her head on the side. ¡®Huh? Why do I think it sounds so familiar?¡¯

    Veronica didn¡¯t give her the time to think deeply about it. She changed the subject. ¡°You went out today. Did you talk to Vincent¡¯s parents?¡±

    Catherine confirmed, ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    Curious, Veronica asked her, ¡°What did they say?¡±

    Catherine thought about the morning and was depressed. ¡°They were upset about my job. They wanted a full-time housewife.¡±

    ¡°What did you reply?¡±

    .....

    ¡°I told them that I signed a contract. I have to work twenty years under the Imperial Pce. If I breach the contract, I will have to pay tons.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a nice move. What did they say in return?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. But I think I made Vincent¡¯s mother upset. I¡¯m so scared now. It¡¯s a good thing that Vincent¡¯s father approved of us. But I¡¯m worried about what will happen in the future.¡±

    Catherine was distressed thinking about her future.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to suffer. I¡¯ve heard mothers-inw are the hardest to please. She is upset before I married her son. What is waiting for meter on?¡¯

    ¡°Thank goodness that it was approved. Now nothing can stop you guys to get married. Congrattions! I¡¯m really happy for you!¡± Veronica¡¯s wish didn¡¯t make Catherine the slightest happy.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t understand her friend¡¯s concern. ¡°Are you worried that what might happen after marriage?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I would hate to see her face as ck as the back of the pot every time Ie to the tower. If she needs a servant to take care of household chores, she should hire one. It¡¯s not like they don¡¯t have enough money not to spend for a maid.¡±

    ¡°What about your money?¡±

    ¡°I will only spend money for my children. They will be my only direct family. But I¡¯ll make sure Vincent spends money as well.¡±

    Catherine was very clear about where to expend something and where not to.

    ¡°I have a feeling you learned it from Ovior,¡± Veronica remarked.

    Catherine had no reason to hide from her. She replied, ¡°Yes, he told me not to spend too much money on men or their family members. They would take it for granted and treat me like trash.¡±

    ¡°I do love that about Ovior. He is so wise. It¡¯s like he is never wrong,¡± Veronicamented. ¡°Anyway, they have approved your marriage. When will you hold the engagement?¡±

    ¡°Next month.¡±

    Veronica jumped out of the chair. ¡°That¡¯s so early! We have to do lots of shopping! What about the venue? What about the dinner menu? Did you guys think about it?¡±

    Seeing her friend so excited, Catherine became cheerful as well.

    She responded with a shy smile, ¡°We haven¡¯t nned anything. We don¡¯t have time besides weekends.¡±

    ¡°That means you have four days only! That can¡¯t be done. Just n how you want engagement. I¡¯ll take care of the rest. I¡¯ll go out with Zinnia and Darius and buy whatever is needed for the party. Then, we will think about the wedding ceremony. Oh! We need to hire a priest as well.¡±

    Veronica started to make a list in her mind.

    Catherine hurriedly interrupted her, ¡°Ver, hold on. You can¡¯t just make ns all alone. Your head will fry. Then, you will be the second Ovior.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you are right. Let¡¯s tell everyone the good news. We need everyone¡¯s cooperation.¡± Veronica grabbed her hand and pulled her inside the tower.

    After returning to Ovior¡¯s room, they only found Ovior and Felix.

    Veronica bowed and apologized for her earlier behavior, ¡°Ovior, I¡¯m sorry I gave you a hard time. I know you don¡¯t enjoy hurting people. It must be hard on you and everyone in the tower. I¡¯ll do my best to be a Mistress who can support countless people.¡±

    Ovior was taken aback by the fact that she changed her point of view so easily. Although he didn¡¯t show it, he was touched.

    ¡°...It¡¯s nothing,¡± he muttered.

    Felix smiled at Veronica and told her, ¡°I¡¯m d that you understand our sacrifice and hard work. To tell the truth, we don¡¯t enjoy killing innocent children as well. They haunt us down every time we try to sleep.

    ¡°There is nothing enjoyable about killing people. Even so, we do all that for the rest of the people who we swore to protect.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Veronica hung her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. We don¡¯t mind it since many people do the same. Now, we got so used to it. At least, you didn¡¯t call us monsters. That¡¯s a huge relief. Since we don¡¯t mind, don¡¯t worry about it anymore. You understand our work now, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Veronica vigorously moved her head.

    Felix patted her head. ¡°Then it¡¯s more than I can appreciate.¡±

    After that, he looked at Catherine and changed the subject. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go out with your boyfriend? Did you bring any good news? The chef sent us some pastry cakes. We sent it to Arthur¡¯s office since everyone is there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that...¡± Catherine turned red while disclosing the news, ¡°I was proposed. Vincent and I are going to hold our engagement ceremony next week.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Congrats!¡± Felix grabbed her hands and shook them.

    Catherine bashfully smiled. She hid her worries from them and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we all head to Arthur¡¯s office? We can eat the pastries there.¡±

    ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s go!¡± Felix agreed.

    Three of them looked at Ovior, waiting for his approval. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± he asked them. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m not going.¡±

    ¡°You need to or else we will drag you there.¡± Catherine began to roll her sleeves, clearly threatening him.

    Ovior dropped his pen. ¡°Such troublemakers.¡±

    Meanwhile, Arthur was sitting on his chair, feeling anxious at every second. After a while, he couldn¡¯t take this anymore. He stood up.

    ¡°Maybe I should check on her. Why are they taking so much time?¡±

 Chapter 387

    Chapter 387: A BET

    ¡°Maybe I should check on her. Why are they taking so much time?¡±

    Watching his restlessly pacing in the room, Zinnia stated, ¡°Rx, will you? Give the girls some time alone. They might have so much to talk about.¡±

    ¡°Have some pastries. These are delicious.¡± Darius pushed a tray toward Arthur.

    ¡°...¡± Arthur didn¡¯t bother to spare any thoughts at food. He marched forward and opened his door.

    At the same time, Veronica reached out to open his door. When the door was abruptly opened by him, she was momentarily stunned.

    Arthur was stunned when he spotted her right in front of his office. ¡°Are you done talking?¡±

    At his concerned look, Veronica felt even more embarrassed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m sorry I hurt you with my words and then made you worry.¡± She didn¡¯t hesitate to apologize first.

    .....

    Arthur was relieved to see her going back to normal. He cupped her face. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I understand your feelings., I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t offer you the rules you want. We won¡¯t change it.¡±

    ¡°I know. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Uhm, please let me go inside. You can have your couple chat in your bedroom.¡± Catherine pushed Veronica¡¯s back.

    Veronica blushed and pulled her hand. ¡°Come in.¡±

    ¡°Veronica, are you feeling better?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry for hurting you all. I didn¡¯t understand and acted foolishly,¡± Veronica apologized to them.

    ¡°Thank you for apologizing and understanding. Now,e! You are missing all the pastries.¡± Darius pointed at the tray.

    Catherine marched inside the room and put her hands on her waist. ¡°Hey! Howe you don¡¯t wish me before eating what I ordered for you.¡±

    Darius already took the third bite before innocently gazing at her. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±

    ¡°Why would I be pregnant?¡± Catherine retorted with a flushed face. Her anger was rising. ¡°Why do you keep thinking about weird thoughts? Do you think everyone is like you? Not everyone loves lying with people here and there, you know.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? What can be more pleasurable than having sex with a beautiful and sexy partner?¡± Darius tried to justify his hobby. ¡°You are still a virgin, that¡¯s why you are thinking like that. Ask your best friend. I¡¯m sure she has a different thought than you.¡±

    As he grinned, Catherine frowned. She suspiciously gazed at Veronica. ¡°Ver, do you think this kind of physical rtionship is great?¡±

    Veronica¡¯s body stilled at her question. ¡®Damn you, Darius!¡¯ she cursed Darius.

    She stiffly smiled at her friend and replied, ¡°...N-no...¡±

    Catherine¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Did you stutter?¡±

    Veronica dared not to speak. She vigorously shook her head.

    Catherine turned her head toward Darius. ¡°See? Ver doesn¡¯t think that way.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Arthur isn¡¯t good enough?¡± Darius sniggered.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Arthur muttered slowly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was that bad.¡± He looked at his wife.

    Veronica paled. She screamed inwardly, ¡®Darius, I will take revenge!!!¡¯

    ¡°Stop arguing people. ¡°Catherine, tell us why you are treating us amazing pastries,¡± Zinnia fondly smiled at the blonde.

    Catherine announced, ¡°My engagement with Vincent has been confirmed. We are holding the ceremony the first weekend of next month.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s Catherine¡¯s special day then. Congrattions! Darling, I wish you the happy life you have ever hoped for with your husband and lovely family.¡± Zinnia was delighted by the news and hugged Catherine.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Catherine was touched by her warm greetings. Her eyes almost welled up.

    ¡®Man, I feel so sorry for Sebastian. I¡¯m so d that he isn¡¯t here,¡¯ Darius thought.

    ¡°Cathy doesn¡¯t have enough time to pick up the venue and dress. Since she works all the time and hardly has time except for the weekends, we need to assist her. Who is with me?!¡±:

    At Veronica¡¯s suggestion, Zinnia, Darius, and Felix raised their hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m totally free in the morning,¡± Darius stated. ¡°I must confess to you guys. My taste in women¡¯s fashion sense is the best. No one can match up for it.¡±

    ¡°Is this why your fashion sense of men is the worst? I can¡¯t leave Catherine¡¯s engagement to you,¡± Zinnia remarked.

    ¡°Baby, don¡¯t faint when you see the clothes I pick up,¡± Darius confidently said when he threw the challenge at her.

    ¡°We shall see,¡± Zinnia epted his challenge.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge then,¡± Felix dered.

    ¡°Everyone has free time except for me,¡± Oviormented with a dark face.

    ¡°My husband will apany you,¡± Veronica confirmed.

    Ovior twisted his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not so tasteless.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Arthur was speechless. His eyes were saying, ¡®Who wanted to be with you?¡¯

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The next day, Veronica went out with Zinnia, Darius and Felix.

    ¡°I feel bad for Cathy. She was looking at us with a sad expression,¡± Veronicamented.

    Zinnia was eating cotton candy beside her. She had a n in her mind and shared it with Veronica.

    ¡°No worries. We won¡¯t buy anything without letting her choose. We will check the wedding shops today. We will take catalogs from them. After she chooses her dress, we will ask the shop owner to go to the Magic Tower and take her measurements.¡±

    Veronica was surprised. ¡°Oh, nice! It¡¯s so amazing making clothes is so easy now. However, Cathy didn¡¯t tell Vincent where she works. If the shop owner finds out...¡± she showed her concern.

    ¡°High-end shops know how to keep their clients¡¯ secrets.¡± Zinnia assured her.

    Only then did Veronica agree.

    After collecting the catalogs, Veronica stole a nce at Felix. He was standing in front of a wedding gown. His eyes were fixed on it.

    ¡®Is he thinking about Sister Ruth?¡¯ Veronica¡¯s heart twisted in pain thinking about Sister Ruth¡¯s soul who was staring at her beloved man and Felix was crying his heart¡¯s out.

    ¡®Is it really impossible to find someone else when your first love dies?¡¯ Veronica wondered.

    She tried to imagine her life without someone else but just thinking about a random man gave her chills.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Veronica nodded.

    Darius observed her with his sharp eyes before saying, ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Let me show you magic. It will make you feel better.¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡±

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388: HOW TO MAKE A WOMAN FALL FOR HIM

    ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Let me show you magic. It will make you feel better.¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡± Veronica became curious. ¡°What kind of magic?¡±

    ¡°You see the girl standing in front of the restaurant?¡± Darius pointed at a girl.

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    ¡°You see, that girl is being stood up by her boyfriend. That¡¯s why she is restless and mad.¡±

    ¡°Really? How are you going to find out whether you are right or wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make her mine tonight.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Is this your magic? Do you mean a bet? A woman¡¯s body is fun to you...¡± The more Veronica talked, the more her voice rose.

    Realizing that she was getting upset, He hurriedly corrected his words, ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not like that. Sigh. Fine then, I won¡¯t sleep with her. I will steal her heart.¡±

    ¡°A heart is a heavy burden, Darius. Why do you want to hurt women to seek pleasure? Can you actually find pleasure out of it?¡±

    ¡°Veronica, you aren¡¯t getting mad at me, are you?¡±

    Veronica shook her head in response. ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious. I mean, a person wouldn¡¯t want to hurt others unless that person was hurt by others. There¡¯s always a reason behind every action.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You suddenly became wise afterst night.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Cathy taught me ¨C there is always a reason behind any action, even behind the cruelest action.¡±

    Darius stared at her. The corner of his lips lifted slightly. ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Veronica confidently replied.

    Darius nodded as if he believed her. ¡°It¡¯s nice you think that way. But it¡¯s me you know. I don¡¯t need a reason to y with women. It¡¯s just fun. And I¡¯m going to make that woman fall for me.¡±

    Saying his piece, he walked forward to talk to that woman.

    ¡°...¡± Veronica stood there, speechless by his action. Furious by his attitude, she shouted, ¡°I wish you get beaten up! I bet on her rejecting you!¡±

    Darius waved his hand without looking back. He epted her bet.

    Zinnia was in the shop next to where Veronica was standing. She came out with Felix and told her, ¡°Honestly, don¡¯t let him get into your head. Your mood will be ruined.¡±

    ¡°How can he be such a devil¡± Veronica¡¯s face was red. She could barely control her anger. ¡°It¡¯s because men like that exist, women suffer so much.¡±

    Zinnia patted her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the case. Many women want to be dominated. They like to y with men too. For example, try making a world where men are equal to women.

    ¡°Some men and women will ept it but for the majority, they won¡¯t ept it. Because they like how things are.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why would they do that? Don¡¯t they want to have a life without a problem?¡± Veronica asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s because they are too dumb or they just enjoy dominating and being dominated. Some just don¡¯t want to change what they are following.¡± Zinnia shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s mostly because people don¡¯t want to change. So, changing oneself is the hardest part,¡± Felix concluded.

    ¡°Darius was like that for too long. He loved to sleep with different women every night before I met him. He hasn¡¯t changed for many years. If he doesn¡¯t want to change, you cannot change him,¡± he added. ¡°And women just love him for some reason.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because he knows those pickup lines,¡± Zinnia exined, ¡°and he is so experienced that he knows women¡¯s pleasure spots. So, women want to sleep with him again and again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I want him to be rejected by the woman over there.¡± Veronica worriedly stared at the woman whom Darius targeted. ¡°But she looks so innocent...¡±

    Felix: ¡°...¡±

    Zinnia: ¡°...¡±

    They both thought, ¡®Who is more innocent?¡¯

    While they were chatting, Darius approached the woman. He bought a red rose from the flower shop nearby and brought it in front of her face.

    ¡°Beautifuldy, something is weighing heavily on your tender heart. May I be part of your thoughts?¡±

    Thedy was startled by his sudden move. She stepped back when he suddenly pushed the rose on her view. When she heard his voice, she slowly moved her head.

    The woman was a redhead who had a wonderful pair of blue eyes. Judging from her attire, she seemed to be a nobledy.

    Seeing a tall man, her face became nk.

    Darius certainly wasn¡¯t expecting her nk expression. He was wishing for her to be more excited after getting a red rose rather than her dumb stairs.

    But would it make him stop there?

    He gave her a charming smile and added, ¡°I¡¯ve been noticing that you were standing like that for a long time. Has your ungrateful partner stood you up? I can¡¯t believe such bastard exists in the world.¡±

    Realizing that he cursed a guy, he quickly said, ¡°Pardon mynguage. I hate it when men treat women harshly. When I saw you standing alone, my heart broke for you. I wish I could help you with everything I have.¡±

    Veronica cringed when she heard him. ¡°How can women fall for that? Look at his expression. He makes me want to p his face.¡±

    Zinnia chuckled. ¡°Just wait for the oue.¡±

    Darius used various words to make the woman open up to him.

    However, thedy responded with a polite smile, ¡°...That¡¯s not necessary...¡±

    Darius gaped at her. ¡®Did I just get rejected? How can that be? Veronica is watching. I shouldn¡¯t shame myself.¡¯

    He forced a smile. ¡°But beautiful Miss is alone. It¡¯s getting darker. I¡¯m worried something might happen to you. Why don¡¯t we go inside and spend some time drinking a cup of tea until it¡¯s time for you to leave?¡±

    Thedy hesitated before nodding slightly.

    Darius escorted her inside the restaurant. Before going in, he turned his head and gave Veronica a triumphant smile.

    Veronica¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he did this! I can¡¯t watch this any longer. She is going to be heartbroken when she realizes he is only ying with her. I must tell her the truth!¡±

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389: MEAL WAS SERVED

    ¡°...I must tell her the truth!¡±

    As Veronica marched toward the restaurant, Zinnia grabbed her arm. ¡°Hey, hey, calm down, will you? If you bother them, you will lose the bet.¡±

    ¡°A bet is nothingpared to a woman¡¯s heart. I¡¯d rather lose money than see a woman heartbroken for a worthless man.¡± Veronica was fuming.

    Felix chuckled. ¡°All right, angry bird. We will see how far Darius can go. If he goes too far, we will stop him, I promise.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to promise. I¡¯ll take things in my hand.: Veronica punched her other palm.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost seven. Anyone want to have dinner?¡± Felix asked, looking at thedies.

    ¡°I¡¯m famished,¡± Zinnia replied, ¡°And also interested in how things end.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Let¡¯s watch a fun show while having dinner. Meal on me,¡± Felix dered.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I love you, Felix.¡± Zinnia gave him a flying kiss.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ept your love, Mam. I¡¯m not into olddies,¡± Felix rejected her right then and there.

    In less than a second, a flying shuriken came right at his face. He caught it in between his fingers in a sh.

    ¡°...¡± Veronica¡¯s eyes were as round as a flying saucer.

    ¡®If I was at his ce, I¡¯d definitely lose my nose today,¡¯ she thought.

    They went inside the restaurant. It was a spacious ce only for noble members.

    Fortunately, the gatekeepers knew Zinnia. They allowed them to enter.

    ¡°Do youe here often?¡± Veronica asked her.

    Zinnia replied, ¡°Not particrly. Once a year I guess. When Arthur was still a ferocious wizard, we used toe here often. So they know five of us including Ovior.¡±

    ¡°This is my first time here. I didn¡¯t know you guys had such history here while I was working hard in the desert.¡±

    Felix casuallymented. There was a hint of jealousy hidden in his voice.

    Realizing that he was just making fun, Veronica assured him, ¡°How about wee here often. If you want to make someone jealous, this is a good opportunity.¡±

    Felix immediately liked the idea.

    ¡°Aha! That¡¯s a pleasant idea. Let¡¯s do this and then brag about it in front of Arthur and Ovior.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want them to explode?¡± Zinnia snickered. ¡°They are working day and night. We should be a bit lenient on them.¡±

    ¡°You mean Arthur is lenient when he orders you around?¡± Veronica inquired.

    ¡°....¡± Zinnia pondered for a second and then said, ¡°...All right, let¡¯s enjoy our fullest and then brag in front of them.¡±

    Veronica burst intoughter.

    They chose a table in the opposite direction of where Darius sat down with the gorgeous nobledy.

    After ordering their meals, they eavesdropped on Darius and thedy¡¯s conversation.

    Darius was saying, ¡°How can I let such a beautifuldy pay for the meal? I have a principle not to let a woman pay the bill when I¡¯m with her.¡±

    Thedy nervously took a quick nce at the entrance and then said, ¡°No, please. I did agree to join your meal but I want to pay for my meal. I have my principles.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Darius dumbly stared at her.

    ¡°Wow! She is good!¡± Veronica couldn¡¯t help praising her.

    Zinnia smirked. ¡°I knew she was a smart girl. She seemed nervous at first but she can handle a man like Darius politely.¡±

    ¡°Well, good for her since Darius isn¡¯t a forceful person,¡± Felixmented.

    ¡°Yeah, lucky her.¡± Zinnia couldn¡¯t agree more.

    Their meals were served. They were starving after walking in the market za all day.

    ¡°I love their sizzling chicken. It¡¯s hot and spicy. Their chef is just the best,¡± Zinnia praised the chef.

    ¡°Hah... hah...¡± Veronica sniffed. Wiping her tears, she finished another ss of water.

    ¡°Do you need ice water? Your whole face is red.¡± Felix felt bad for her.

    He wasn¡¯t wrong. Her cheeks and nose were red. Her teary eyes were the same.

    After she wiped her nose, she replied, ¡°Ice water would be great.¡±

    Felix ordered the waiter to bring some ice water.

    Zinnia expressed her astonishment, ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you can¡¯t eat spicy food. From what I know Arthur loves spicy food and so he learned how to cook spicy meals. How do you manage when you eat the meal he cooks?¡±

    ¡°He uses fewer spices when he cooks for me,¡± Veronica replied.

    Zinnia responded with a pissed-off ¡°Lucky you. He never made anypromise for us. He forced us to get used to his extra spicy meals. Now it feels like nothing.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s cheeks became hot. She bashfully confessed, ¡°Frankly, this is the first time I¡¯ve had such a spicy meal.¡±

    ¡°No wonder. Arthur treats you so well. If your stomach aches today, we will have to face his wrath,¡± Zinniamented.

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to give her digestive medicine. That¡¯s all. For now, I¡¯m worried about Darius,¡± Felix stated.

    At his gesture, the girls turned their heads in Darius¡¯s direction. They watched him holding the woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Has he gone crazy? Thedy is feeling ufortable,¡± Zinniamented.

    Darius was caressing thedy¡¯s hand and told her, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such smooth skin in my life. You are making me fall for your hand.¡±

    Thedy hesitated. She once again stole a nce at the entrance and then said, ¡°You should finish your meal.¡±

    Darius smiled at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you want to hurry and ditch me? Do you really think your partner will arrive?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s not important,¡± she replied in distress.

    ¡°I think we should interrupt them,¡± Veronica suggested.

    ¡®But what if we createmotion here. It won¡¯t be good for the image of the Magic Tower,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡®The take care of the reputation of the Magic Tower is my utmost responsibility. But I want to help thedy over there too. Should I just call for Darius and cancel the bet? I can give him any amount he wants.¡¯

    While she was pondering hard, someone marched inside the restaurant and scanned the whole area. Spotting the target, the customer took a fewrge steps and reached Darius.

    Darius was busy pleasing the beautifuldy. Suddenly he sensed a murderous aura behind him. He immediately turned around.

    The new customer was quicker than him. Before Darius could see who was standing behind him, the customer caught his cor, pulled him and then threw him on the ground.

 Chapter 390

    Chapter 390: THE SUDDEN ATTACK

    Darius noticed his huge body suddenly became light. His vision turned upside down before his back was mmed against the cold floor.

    His whole body jerked from the shake. He groaned while closing his eyes.

    The sudden appearance of the violent customer made other customers frightened. They screamed. Some cried out in fear. Many customers began to leave hurriedly.

    Veronica, Zinnia, Felix were startled but they didn¡¯t panic like others. They were still sitting on their chairs.

    Veronica¡¯s heart was thumping loudly in nervousness.

    ¡®Who is this person?¡¯ she wondered. ¡®He looks so frail but to be able to toss Darius as if it was nothing.¡¯

    The violent customer was covered head to toe and his back was on them. That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t see the person. However, from his body structure and strength, they could understand that it was a man.

    .....

    ¡®I never thought someone could just grab Darius and throw him out like that. So thin but so strong. Who is he?¡¯

    Veronica was sure Zinnia and Felix had the same thought as hers. They had the same look on their faces.

    Darius shook his head. His head was buzzing. His vision was blurry. He was seeing double.

    ¡°What was the big idea? You can¡¯t just throw a person like that. That¡¯s so impolite.¡±

    ¡°And flirting with someone else¡¯s wife is polite?¡±

    The cold, solemn voice was so familiar that four of them froze in shock.

    Darius quickly rubbed his eyes. He looked at the man in disbelief.

    Veronica, Felix and Zinnia stood up in surprise. They heard the stranger loud and clear. They recognized the voice without any dy.

    Darius denied his im while standing up, ¡°Someone else¡¯s wife? Whose wife? She wasn¡¯t wearing any ring. You picked up the wrong person. On wait! That¡¯s not it. Why are you pissed? It¡¯s not like she is your wife!¡±

    He wasn¡¯t all wrong.

    Thedy definitely wasn¡¯t wearing any kind of ring that could prove that she was a married woman.

    The person¡¯s sharp purple eyes red at him. ¡°Whose wife should I defend then?¡±

    Darius stared at him, dumbstruck by thement.

    ¡°What... what do you mean? There is no way you are married.¡±

    Veronica, Felix and Zinnia thought the same.

    The person stared at Darius for a couple of seconds before mumbling, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think.¡±

    Then, he strode forward, grabbed the woman¡¯s hand and told her, ¡°We are leaving.¡±

    Thedy hesitated, ¡°But our date...¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± Saying that he took her out of the restaurant.

    Thedy took onest nce at Darius and bowed slightly. ¡°Thank you for your time. I paid the bill for my fruit juice.¡±

    The couple went out, leaving the four of them astonished.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait... I don¡¯t understand. Wife? Married? Who? When? Where? What is going on?!¡± Darius finally expressed his shock.

    Felix finally came back to his senses. He looked at Zinnia.

    ¡°I know nothing about his past history. Moreover, I knew nothing about any of your past before I met you guys. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not curious. It¡¯s just you guys never shared and I respected your decision.¡±

    Zinnia sat on her chair. ¡°I know. I don¡¯t know about others¡¯ past either. Even though I have known Darius, Ironin, Arthur and Ovior for a long time, I still don¡¯t know many things about them.

    ¡°We do share our current life stories but not the ones we had before we met each other. Arthur and Ovior grew up together and so they know everything about each other.

    ¡°As for Darius, Ironin and I, we met each other a long timeter. We have been a group for twenty years or so. We should at least know that one of us has a family.

    ¡°I mean look at us. We are betting on our lives in every mission. If one of us had someone we cared about, Arthur would definitely get us off the hook. But to think...¡±

    She couldn¡¯t say anything anymore.

    Everything happened so fast that they didn¡¯t know how to react.

    ¡°I still find it unbelievable,¡± Veronica finally opened her mouth. ¡°Out of anyone, to think Ironin was a married man when he spent all his days in the tower, it¡¯s just astonishing.

    Yes, the man who suddenly approached Darius and became violent and then took away the woman iming that she was his wife was no other than Ironin.

    The quiet guy who never expressed his emotion got mad because another man was flirting with his wife.

    ¡°What is even more shocking to me is that he married an aristocratic woman,¡± Felixmented.

    ¡°Just think about it,¡± he added. ¡°Can anyone get married to a noble woman if the man is amoner? It might be possible in our desert but not here.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they fell in love and fled,¡± Zinnia remarked. ¡°Maybe he was her bodyguard. They fell in love, her family didn¡¯t approve, so they ran away and then got married.¡±

    ¡°There is a logic in your story,¡± Veronica couldn¡¯t agree more. ¡°Maybe we can ask him if your theory matches with his life.¡±

    ¡°I think we should do that after he calms down,¡± she added. ¡°I¡¯m sure he was so angry with Darius that he wouldn¡¯t want to talk to us.¡±

    ¡°That may be true but you guys sadden me with your thoughts. Ironin, fleeing with a woman? It doesn¡¯t sound like him at all.¡± Felix wasn¡¯t satisfied with Zinnia¡¯s theory.

    ¡°Huh? Why not? It sounds so romantic to me,¡± Veronica replied in a dreamy tone.

    Zinnia smirked. ¡°See? You men are just too dull.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± Felix nced over at Darius who was massaging the back of his neck. ¡°Should we call Darius over? He must be shocked now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we should.¡± Zinnia waved her hand as she shouted, ¡°Hey Darius, join us!¡±

    Darius saw them. He couldn¡¯t be surprised anymore after being shocked by Ironin¡¯s sudden appearance.

    He took long strides and came to them. ¡°Guys, you are here. Then, you saw what happened right? A man looked exactly like Ironin and snatched my partner saying that¡¯s his wife!¡±

 Chapter 391

    Chapter 391: PRICE OF LOSING THE BET

    Darius took long strides and came to them.

    ¡°Guys, you are here. Then, you saw what happened right? A man looked exactly like Ironin and snatched my partner saying that¡¯s his wife!¡±

    ¡®Poor man still thinks that he was hallucinating,¡¯ Veronica thought.

    Zinnia dered, ¡°That guy didn¡¯t look like Ironin. he was Ironin and that¡¯s his wife. It¡¯s a fact.¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on!¡± Darius sat on a chair and asked Zinnia, ¡°When did Ironin ever talk about a woman or met a woman? Think about it.¡±

    He continued, ¡°He was always staying unaffected by those sexy women that I thought he was impotent.¡±

    ¡°You seriously thought that?¡± Zinnia frowned.

    .....

    ¡°Did he have another reason not to get hard for women?¡± Darius threw her the most logical question.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see? His standard is that high. How can he fall for random women?¡± Zinnia pointed out.

    ¡°Moreover, I think it¡¯s a love marriage,¡± she shared her thoughts with him.

    Darius¡¯s jaw dropped on the floor. ¡°You think that¡¯s a love marriage? Him?? Love???¡±

    ¡°Do you think people will force him to have an arranged marriage?¡± Zinnia retorted.

    ¡°...¡± Darius couldn¡¯t reply. In his heart, he knew how correct she was.

    ¡®That¡¯s true. Ironin is so scary. Who dares to tell him what to do? He will just ughter them with his blood sucking arrows.¡¯

    After pondering for a while, he asked, ¡°So, what are you guys nning? You can¡¯t just leave it be.¡±

    ¡°What do you n to do?¡± Zinnia raised an eyebrow. ¡°Remember, you just flirted with his wife and made him mad.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be surprised if he stops talking to you after that. I think he will think of you as his enemy now,¡± Felix slowly assumed.

    ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t jinx it.¡± Darius gulped. His mouth waspletely dry.

    ¡°I can¡¯t have him as my enemy. One of us will end up dead and another one will be gravely injured.¡±

    Veronica opened her mouth in astonishment. ¡°Do you think you will die?¡±

    ¡°Me? Don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t ever think I will be defeated, Veronica. However, he isn¡¯t a weak opponent. And I¡¯m wise enough not to look down on my enemy.¡±

    Darius was smug when he said that.

    ¡®So confident. It looks to me that he will end up dead,¡¯ Veronica thought.

    And then, she recalled something. the corner of her lips lifted significantly.

    ¡°Anyway, you got rejected by her since she had no interest in you. Also, you got beaten up. You lost the game, Darius. You owe me a big time.¡±

    She smoothly sang with a pleasant voice, reminding Darius about their bet.

    Darius¡¯s expression changed. He pointed a finger at her. ¡°You are the jinx in real life!¡±

    ¡°Say what you want but you have to do what I tell you now,¡± Veronica smirked.

    Darius wasn¡¯t afraid. He leaned against the chair and crossed his arms. Raising his chin, he asked, ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡±

    Veronica¡¯s eyes were smiling.

    ¡°You have to stop flirting with women. The only time you can sleep with women is only when they give their consent. And they cannot be virgins. Oh, and you cannot sleep with women more than once, in a week.¡±

    Felix and Zinnia stared at Veronica as if they heard wrong Slowly, their heads turned toward Darius who was sitting opposite of her.

    Darius just stared at her. He just stared at her. His face was expressionless. He neither blinked or breathed.

    Veronica intertwined her fingers and said, ¡°You are a man of word, Darius, and you lost the bet.¡±

    ¡°...Wait.. wait...¡± Darius straightened his back and carefully said, ¡°Why are you worried about me sleeping with women?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you. I¡¯m worried about those women.¡± Veronica sweetly smiled at him.

    Darius: ¡°...¡±

    For the first time in his life, Darius thought that Veronica was a poisonous woman.

    ¡®She hides her poison underneath her smile. Anyone who falls for her smile will die.¡¯

    ¡°What about one woman a night?¡± he hurriedly tried to negotiate.

    Veronica tilted her head. ¡°Shall I make it a woman a month?¡±

    Slowly, Darius¡¯s face turned red. He gritted his teeth.

    Even a fool could realize that he was getting angry.

    ¡°You witch!¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Utahill

    In the Holy City of Utahill, King Graham the fourth was sitting on his throne.

    ¡°The Crown Prince has arrived!¡± The royal guard announced.

    The huge double doors designed with fine gold were opened and the Crown Prince entered the Throne Hall.

    He strode forward. His elegant posture, handsome face, tranquil eyes and peaceful smile soothed King Graham¡¯s eyes.

    The Crown Prince paused in front of King Graham and bowed.

    ¡°May the Goddess bless the light upon you, Your Majesty. I¡¯ve heard you summoned me for an urgent matter.¡±

    King Grama dotingly gazed at his beloved son and replied, ¡°I have. How have you been, Crown Prince?¡±

    The Crown Prince replied, ¡°With your prayers and the Goddess¡¯s blessing I¡¯ve been splendid. How¡¯s your health, Your Majesty?¡±

    King Graham was content by his words. It¡¯s good to hear you are doing well. I¡¯ve been... worrying so much that I cannot sleep.¡±

    The Crown Prince asked in concern, ¡°How can that be? What worries Your Majesty so much that youck sleep?¡±

    After a pause, he inquired, ¡°This is about the blessed child, Your Majesty?¡±

    Pleased with his point, King Graham nodded.

    ¡°You are on point, Crown Prince. I¡¯ve let the Second Prince take over the mission since I gave you another task. But he has failed me.¡±

    King Graham let out a deep sigh. He stroked his temple with his right hand¡¯s index finger.

    ¡°He has failed me many times and yet I hoped this time he could guard her well. However, he let her get away from his grasp and burned down a part of the pce. I¡¯m simply disappointed.

    ¡°After that, I have given him months to find the blessed child but he showed no improvement. He cannot give me the results I seek. Such disappointment.¡±

    He took a deep breath to calm down and ordered, ¡°Find the blessed child, Crown Prince. We must have her before she falls into someone else¡¯s hand.¡±

 Chapter 392

    Chapter 392: THE PLAN OF CROWN PRINCE

    ¡°Find the blessed child, Crown Prince. We must have her before she falls into someone else¡¯s hand.¡±

    The Crown Prince thought for a moment before asking, ¡°May I know how far I can go to search for the blessed child? I know we have to be more secretive but doing that will only slow us down.¡±

    King Graham nodded slowly as if he could understand.

    ¡°I understand your point but we already have a fake blessed child living in the pce. We can¡¯t let our people be confused. It might bring chaos in the kingdom which I don¡¯t prefer.¡±

    ¡°I apologize in advance, Your Majesty.¡± The Crown Prince bowed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± King Graham furrowed his eyebrows.

    The Crown Prince confessed with a guilty expression, ¡°Without your permission, I¡¯ve already started a secret investigation.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Secret investigation?¡± King Graham raised an eyebrow, not understanding the reason.

    ¡°Yes. To find the blessed child,¡± the Crown Prince revealed.

    King Graham was rather surprised. ¡°When did you start your secret investigation?¡±

    Noticing that the king wasn¡¯t upset, the Crown Prince straightened his back. He told him the truth, ¡°Right after the blessed child escaped from the pce.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s almost the same time I ordered the second prince. So, what¡¯s the result?¡±

    King Graham showed interest rather than anger.

    The Crown Prince slightly lowered his head.

    ¡°I still haven¡¯t found her yet since it was a secret investigation. With the manpower I have, it is quite difficult to find a woman in the entire continent.¡±

    It was only then, someone stepped forward. That person was standing behind the curtain that was situated behind the golden throne.

    The man was around fifty-seven years old. He was wearing a white uniform like any other Royal Officials. Only, he had a golden broach that was meant for the Prime Minister of Utahill.

    The Prime Minister requested, ¡°Your Majesty, may I interrupt your important conversation? I have something to ask the Crown Prince.¡±

    King Graham gave a slight nod.

    With the king¡¯s permission, the Prime Minister fixed his heavy sses and asked, ¡°Crown Prince, may I know how you started your searching?¡±

    The Crown Prince exined, ¡°Since the Prime Minister showed his interest, I must exin. First, I sent my men to look for a girl who had silver hair. Since the blessed child didn¡¯t have time to put on a disguise, I thought we would find her easily.¡±

    The Prime Minister interrupted him by inquiring, ¡°Why do you think she didn¡¯t disguise?¡±

    The Crown Prince stated, ¡°She is a woman, Prime Minister. Even though she was experienced in facing war, she was suddenly captured by us. Her target was to leave the pce by making amotion.

    ¡°This immature attempt worked because it was the first thing any army would do. She used her historical knowledge. She didn¡¯t have the resources toe up with a disguise in such a short period.¡±

    The Prime Minister agreed. ¡°Good point. But you didn¡¯t find her. Why?¡±

    The Crown Prince patiently replied, ¡°That¡¯s because she was taken by a group of traffickers.¡±

    King Graham opened his eyes wide in shock and mmed the handle of the throne to express his anger.

    ¡°I knew she only knew how to cause trouble. That¡¯s why Saint Ava told us to keep an eye on her! But the foolish second prince failed me.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down. Your health is of utmost importance,¡± the Prime Minister requested the king and then looked at the prince in front of him. ¡°Crown Prince, please tell us what happened afterward.¡±

    The Crown Prince answered, ¡°We traced their tracks but unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t find anyone alive. All the traffickers were dead and the hostages were gone. There was no clue left. Some warriors came before us and saved them. We did our best to trace them. Even so, we found nothing.¡±

    ¡°Then, I guess she was rescued by a group of warriors.¡± King Graham started to calm down. ¡°What did you do after that?¡±

    The Crown Prince narrated shortly, ¡°I sent my men to search all the kingdoms to find a woman with silver hair and a pair of green eyes. It took them months toe up with a negative answer. Later, I asked the Royal Artist to give us the body and facial structure of the blessed child.

    ¡°Since our time was short, I sent those pictures by using my trained messenger birds. Since silver hair and green eyes were hard to find, we are skimming through all the women with the same facial and body structure of the blessed child.

    ¡°I like your idea,¡± the Prime Minister approved with satisfaction. ¡°How long will it take?¡±

    The Crown Prince counted a long time ago. He didn¡¯t hesitate to reply, ¡°It will take a hell of a time since a blessed child was an average-looking girl except for her eyes and hair.¡±

    King Graham was surprised by his son¡¯sment.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are being too hard on the blessed child? I¡¯ve seen her with my very own eyes and she was a gorgeous woman.¡±

    The Prime Minister stated with a hint of a smile, ¡°Maybe someone else captured His Highness¡¯s heart. That¡¯s why a beautifuldy seems mediocre in the eyes of our Crown Prince.¡±

    King Graham curiously looked at his son. ¡°Is that true, Crown Prince? Do you have someone in your heart already?¡±

    The Crown Prince politely declined, ¡°There is no one, Your Majesty. I¡¯m only sharing my perspective. I¡¯ve seen more beautiful women in every ball the Royal Pce holds.¡±

    King Graham was surprised when he heard that. ¡°Most certainly there will be beautifuldies at the ball, Crown Prince. They decorate themselves to be your future Queen. Has no one caught your eyes yet?¡±

    The Crown Prince, however, answered, ¡°No one yet, Your Majesty. I¡¯m too focused on the blessed child. World peace is my top priority.¡±

    King Graham was content. ¡°You always know how to please me, Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Your Majesty taught me well.¡±

    King Grahamughed heartily. ¡®There was never a dull moment with my precious son,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Haha. Fine. I¡¯ll allow you to take the Royal Seal so that you can use my secret spies to find the blessed child faster.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± The Crown Prince bowed.

    ¡°Make me proud.¡±

 Chapter 393

    Chapter 393: WANTING TO KNOW SECRET

    The Magic Tower, Tybu

    Veronica came back with others after filling the three carriages with shopping bags and boxes. After returning she directly headed to Arthur¡¯s room.

    She opened the room and found Arthur reading a book standing near a bookshelf. She tip-toed behind him and then hugged him securely.

    The corner of Arthur¡¯s lips curved slightly. Without turning his head, he knew who was there.

    He held her hands with his left hand and asked, ¡°Did you have fun?¡±

    Veronica nuzzled her nose on his back. ¡°Yes, we did. And you know what, we learned about something shocking.¡±

    Arthur closed the book. He slowly turned around. ¡°Something shocking? What is it?¡±

    .....

    Veronica pouted. ¡°You know Ironin is married, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Arthur¡¯s lips parted a bit. ¡°You found out?¡±

    Veronica became excited. She couldn¡¯t wait to tell him everything.

    ¡°Yes! Darius was trying to flirt with his wife and then got beaten by Ironin. That¡¯s when we found out about this.¡±

    ¡°Darius flirted with her?¡± Arthur rubbed his temple. ¡°That nerve of this guy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we knew she was a married woman.¡± Veronica took Darius¡¯s side. ¡°She wasn¡¯t wearing rings. How would we know she was a married woman?¡±

    Arthur put the book back on the shelf and said, ¡°Enough of them. What did you buy for yourself?¡±

    Veronica replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy anything for myself. You have given me plenty and I have yet to use them. I just bought some pieces of jewelry and essories for Cathy.¡±

    ¡°But about Ironin. Was it a love marriage?¡± She quickly changed the subject back to Ironin.

    Arthur slightly knitted his eyebrows. ¡°Why are you so interested in him?¡±

    Veronica retorted, ¡°How could I not? The man we thought was going to die single because he was too stoic got a gorgeous wife who is even a noblewoman! My blood is itching to know the whole story!¡±

    ¡°Then you should ask him. He doesn¡¯t like it when others talk about him when he isn¡¯t present.¡± Arthur nuzzled his nose against hers. It¡¯s his new favorite thing to do with her.

    ¡°But what if he is angry with Darius and does not tell us anything?¡± Veronica was worried.

    Arthur smirked. ¡°Then there is no other option.¡±

    ¡°Such a party pooper...¡± Veronica¡¯s shoulders dropped.

    ¡°You spent all day with them. Now you want to spend time thinking about them? Aren¡¯t you being too unfair?¡± Arthurined.

    Veronica grinned realizing his feelings. ¡°Why? Are you jealous?¡±

    Arthur looked at her eyes and inquired, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m pitiful?¡±

    ¡°You? Hahaha!¡± Veronicaughed heartily.

    ¡®How can she be so lovable?¡¯ Arthur fondly stared at her. ¡°You have time tough like that. Maybe you have time to do something else.¡±

    Veronica tilted her head, confused by his question. ¡°Hmm? What else?¡±

    Arthur held her lower back and pulled her closer enough to make their bodies stick together. After that, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Maybe something like making out?¡±

    ¡°Making out?¡± Veronica blinked while she tried to figure out what he meant. When she did, her face turned red in a sh. ¡°Y...You...¡± Her voice trembled.

    Arthur shrugged as if he said nothing wrong. ¡°What? You said you didn¡¯t like physical rtionships because I wasn¡¯t good enough. Then, as your husband, should I not try practicing getting better so that my wife can like our bonding?¡±

    ¡°When did I say such a thing?!¡± Veronica¡¯s eyes widened.

    Her husband reminded her, ¡°You just said it yesterday. I didn¡¯t say anythingst night because you had to go out in the morning. It¡¯d be wrong to tire you out. But you have no ns tomorrow, do you?¡±

    Veronica wanted to curse Darius once again. She tried toe up with an excuse, ¡°No... but...¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s it. Let¡¯s practice till the sun goes up.¡± Arthur pulled her up and made her sit on the window sill.

    ¡°Wai...t...¡± Veronica couldn¡¯t finish her word before her mouth was sealed with a hungry kiss. ¡°Mm!¡±

    Things got wild faster. Arthur made their clothes disappear and covered her body with hickeys.

    Veronica softly moaned. Her nails dug his skin. She hugged his head securely while he sucked her nipples. She cried out in ecstasy as he thrust in her deepest part.

    ¡°Princess, do you not like this?¡± Arthur asked in a hoarse voice. His hands felt hot in her cold back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t a... ask... ahh!¡± Veronica¡¯s body jerked.

    ¡°You need to answer or I won¡¯t know if you like this or not. Maybe you will like this,¡± saying that Arthur plunged in her sweet post.

    With a sweet cry, she wrapped around him tightly.

    In the process, Arthur gritted his teeth. ¡°Slow down, Princess. You are killing me.¡± He breathed roughly against her ear.

    ¡°Mm... can¡¯t...¡± Veronica bit his shoulder. She was on the verge of climaxing. Her entire body was shaking at the stimtion. Her inside was tingling.

    Arthur kissed her shoulder. ¡°You clung to me so much. You like what I do, don¡¯t you, my Princess?¡±

    ¡°Dummy!¡± Veronica whimpered in shame.

    ¡°Do you want to cum?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Veronica reflexively drew her breath.

    Arthur¡¯s hips pulled out before mming back in. His fierce movements were making noise in the quiet office room.

    Veronica could feel him piercing through her walls. His thrusts were powerful enough to hit her good spot. Every time he crushed into her clitoris, making a surge of pleasure run up her spine.

    The weather was cooler in the evening but she started to think that it was summer.

    She couldn¡¯t control herself as she felt the ecstasy pile up. Every time his dick rubbed inside her, she was in high pleasure.

    Arthur kissed her ear with his wet lips. ¡°Don¡¯t drive me crazy, my Princess. If I lose my penis, I won¡¯t be able to make you feel good anymore.¡±

    ¡°Mm... Ahh! Ar... Arthur... slow down.¡± Veronica begged.

    ¡°Honey, you don¡¯t mean that, do you?¡± Arthur licked his lips. ¡°Open your eyes. Aren¡¯t I handsome?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t... Ahh!¡± Veronica refused to open her eyes.

    Arthur crushed his lips against hers.

 Chapter 394

    Chapter 394: SURROUNDING HIM

    ¡°Honey, you don¡¯t mean that, do you?¡± Arthur licked his lips. ¡°Open your eyes. Aren¡¯t I handsome?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t... Ahh!¡± Veronica refused to open her eyes.

    Arthur crushed his lips against hers. Then, he pulled her from the window sill and raised her hips, trying to get even deep inside her.

    He began to pump furiously inside her as he sped up his pace. The sound of their bodies pping gradually became rougher and more obscene.

    Veronica¡¯s breaths puffed through her nose. She wanted to gasp for breath but her lips werepletely sealed.

    Arthur¡¯s dick glistened as it continued to thrust her. All of a sudden, a creamy substance started to burst out of her honey pot.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    .....

    For a moment, he let go of her lips, Veronica cried out. Her nails made his back bleed.

    Arthur didn¡¯t bother with the pain. He leaned again and sucked her lips before licking inside her mouth.

    Although she had climaxed, he had yet to release his pent-up desire.

    After producing thest drop of love juice, Veronica dropped her arms. Her heart was pounding hard. Her vision was blurred. She thought she was going to copse soon.

    Arthur carried her to his work table. He pushed away everything andid her sweaty body there.

    He began to admire her luscious beauty. His penis was still inside her. It was pulsing.

    Although she was driving him crazy, he wanted her to catch her breath first.

    When she calmed down, he started to squeeze her breast.

    Veronica was just regaining her strength. Her mind was nk. She was unable to think of anything.

    At that moment, her breast was being gently groped by Arthur. She gasped in surprise.

    When she opened her eyes wide, Arthur stated in a hoarse voice, ¡°You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d stop just right there, did you?¡±

    While fondling her soft mound, he thrust slowly. ¡°We will y till the sun rises.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s entrance was still twitching from her climax. But his dick began to hammer into it.

    Slowly, he increased his pace. He didn¡¯t go easy on her. He rammed her hard.

    The wet sounds filled the room. Her bottom reddened as it continuously pped against his hips.

    The throbbing pleasure rolled through Veronica¡¯s body. Her heart raced so fast that she wondered if it was going to rip out of her body.

    Arthur loved her body and took one of her breasts in his mouth. He pinched the mound of the other one.

    Veronica¡¯s whole body trembled as her arousal boiled. The pleasure spread from her fingertips to the tip of her toes.

    It was just evening. The night was still young.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Felix stood on the roof tile of the seventieth floor. He saw a dark figure sitting at the edge.

    He opened his mouth and said, ¡°Is this okay to avoid her like that? She was looking for you this evening.¡±

    ¡°...I can¡¯t face her,¡± the figure replied.

    Felix let out a deep breath. ¡°How long are you going to run away from her? She is going to get married in two months. Even if she gets married, she will still work here. You two will face each other after her marriage.¡±

    ¡°Whatever happens, I will never go in front of her,¡± the person stubbornly stated.

    Felix sat beside him and handed him a bottle of beer. ¡°Darius wanted to give it to you. He is upset. So, he didn¡¯t look for you.¡±

    While taking the bottle, he asked, ¡°What happened to him?¡±

    ¡°He lost to Veronica,¡± Felix told him everything.

    Despite feeling sad, Sebastian chuckled. ¡°Only the Mistress can be so cruel to him.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Felix couldn¡¯t agree more.

    After that, he became silent. No one of them talked anymore.

    While Sebastian drank beer, Felix gazed at the starry sky.

    They stayed like that for a while when they noticed the gate was opening.

    The gate only opened for people who worked at the Magic Tower. There was a curfew for people. Only high-ranking magicians could enterte at night.

    They saw a familiar person entering the tower.

    ¡°Ironin was out all evening?!¡± Sebastian eximed. ¡°What was he doing all night? Was he on a mission?¡±

    Felix scratched his right ear. ¡°He was with his wife.¡±

    ¡°He what?!!¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Ironin couldn¡¯t even enter his room before Sebastian rushed toward him. ¡°Ironin, what Felix said was true? Did you get married? If you got married then why are you living here?¡±

    Ironin stared at him with a poker face before unlocking his door. He entered his room without answering his question.

    The door was soundly shut right before Sebastian¡¯s face.

    ¡°See? I told you he was pissed. Who would like to see someone flirting with their wife?¡± Felix came closer.

    He patted the dumbfounded Sebastian¡¯s back. ¡°Go to your room and sleep. You have duty tomorrow.¡±

    Although Ironin was able to avoid Sebastian at night, the next morning, he was surrounded by all of them.

    ¡°Ironin, is that true?! You have a wife?!¡± Catherine eximed in astonishment. Her eyes were saying that she didn¡¯t believe Darius¡¯s story.

    Ironin: ¡°...¡± He was expressionless.

    ¡°Buddy, I don¡¯t care if the outsiders know or not, but how could you keep it a secret from your most trusted friend? It hurts my feelings.¡± Darius ced a hand on his chest, acting like he was truly hurt.

    Zinnia crossed her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t tell others. But you should at least give a hint.¡±

    ¡°Why are you ming him? It¡¯s not like he ever shares anything?¡± Ovior took Ironin¡¯s side. ¡°You guys are just too ipetent and didn¡¯t understand when he got married.¡±

    ¡°Why are you taking his side?¡± Darius retorted. ¡°Does that mean he told you?¡±

    Ovior shook his head. ¡°He never told anyone. He married under your nose and you were unable to see it. Arthur and I realized on our own. Since he didn¡¯t mention it, we never bothered to ask him.¡±

    ¡°Even if you leave it be, I won¡¯t ept it. My feelings were crushed,¡± Dariusined. He stubbornly looked at the statue in front of him. ¡°I won¡¯t let go unless you tell me.¡±

 Chapter 395

    Chapter 395: SECOND HAND EMBARRASSMENT

    Arthur blinked before opening his eyes and looking at the window. The sunlight fell on his face.

    Not able to withstand the light, he squinted his eyes. ¡®Is it 10 o¡¯clock already? I slept too long,¡¯ he thought.

    Without moving, he looked down at his chest. Someone was soundly sleeping cuddling to his chest. She was breathing softly.

    Her silver hair spread all over her back and his chest. Her long eyshes hid away the dark circles under her eyes. Her lips were dry and swollen.

    He caressed her smooth back under theforter for a long time. However, she didn¡¯t even blink.

    As he promised, they were ying till the sun was up. Later, he teleported to the bed and then cleaned their bodies.

    Veronica was so tired that she fell asleep right when her back touched the soft mattress.

    .....

    ¡®I don¡¯t feel like getting out of the bed,¡¯ Arthur thought. He fondly smiled at the sleeping beauty and stroked her back.

    He closed his eyes and enjoyed her warmth. It was a blissful morning and he couldn¡¯t help but smile thinking how wonderful married life was.

    While he was debating whether to go to work or not, hismunication device chimed.

    He let the device fly toward him and then, he turned it on. He instructed in a low voice, ¡°Whatever it is, keep it low.¡±

    Ovior greeted his teeth. He said in a sarcastic manner, ¡°Rise and shine, Master of the Magic Tower. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten that you have a meeting in the pce. Get your ass ready.¡±

    After that, he cut themunication.

    ¡°That freaking queen,¡± Arthur murmured some curse at the Queen of Tybu.

    Since he had no other option but to go to the pce, he kissed Veronica¡¯s forehead before carefully getting out of the bed.

    Afterward, he tugged her hickey-covered body under theforter properly.

    Next, he freshened up and had his breakfast. Then, he headed to Ovior¡¯s office.

    As he opened the door, he heard Darius¡¯s voice, ¡°Even if you leave it be, I won¡¯t ept it. My feelings were crushed. I won¡¯t let go unless you tell me.¡±

    Arthur entered the room and found Ironin surrounded by hisrades. Ironin looked at him and asked for his help silently.

    Arthur smirked, reading his mind. ¡°You should be d that my wife isn¡¯t awake yet. She kept talking about your wife all evening.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Ironin grimaced.

    ¡°Serves him right for being so secretive,¡± Ovior snorted. ¡°But you guys should move out of my room. I need to work.¡±

    After being shooed by Ovior, Zinnia, Ironin and Darius came out.

    Darius stood face to face with Ironin and sped his palms together.

    ¡°I know I made a mistake by hitting on your wife, but I shall tell you that it¡¯spletely unintentional. If I knew she was married, I wouldn¡¯t hit on her.¡±

    Ironin frowned. ¡°You would.¡±

    Darius was taken aback. ¡°Huh? Me going after married women when there are plenty of unmarrieddies out there?! Do I look that horny to you?!¡±

    ¡°You do,¡± Ironin answered without hesitation.

    Zinnia opened her mouth, ¡°It¡¯s not just him. I also think you would. You never let any woman go as long as she is a beauty. Also, you made a bet with Veronica. Most definitely you would hit on the woman even if she is married.¡±

    Darius was left speechless.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    When the sun was leaning toward the west, Veronica opened her eyes. She found herself in bed.

    ¡°Mmm... bed? Why?¡± She stroked her smooth bed as she wondered how she ended up there.

    Slowly, she recalled the activities she had before passing out.

    Last night, the pleasure was so intense that she couldn¡¯t help but shake her hips and beg him for more.

    Just thinking about that her face turned red in embarrassment.

    ¡®How shameless can I be? Why did I do that?¡¯

    She wanted to cry out in shame.

    ¡®But where did Arthur go? Most of the time, he stays with me. Did he go to work already?¡¯

    Veronica raised her body. Her back throbbed. She flinched in the process. Rubbing her lower back, she looked at the wall clock.

    ¡®Oh, my goodness! It¡¯s 3 pm!¡¯ She gasped in surprise.

    Not only had she woken upte, but she also missed her morning training with Roxana and lessons with Ovior. Not to mention, her breakfast and lunch.

    ¡®What will people think when they see me now? They will think I sleep like a baby, no care for the world. I¡¯m theziest and most pathetic Mistress of the Magic Tower in history.¡¯

    She groaned.

    Later, she washed her face, changed her clothes, tied her hair, and then went out.

    ¡®Ver, you have to keep a natural face. You cannot let others know that you slept till now. If they find out I slept till noon, they will wonder what made me do so. They mighte up with bizarre ideas.¡¯

    She kept a normal expression as she entered the training ground.

    ¡°Oh, look, the sleeping beauty has finally opened her eyes. Did your prince kiss to wake you up?¡± Darius didn¡¯t forget to tease her.

    Veronica¡¯s normal expression changed quite a bit.

    She stuttered, ¡°What do you mean by that? I was awake if you didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t want toe down before I didn¡¯t feel like it.¡±

    ¡°Says one who was excited about Ironin¡¯s wife all day yesterday. You think you can fool me?¡± Darius retorted.

    Veronica put arms on her waist and retaliated, ¡°Just because I¡¯m curious about ironin¡¯s wife, doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t have a rest.¡±

    Darius raised his chin. ¡°Huh?! And I should believe you? Even Arthur said you couldn¡¯t stop talking about Ironin and he had to punish you for that?¡±

    Veronica¡¯s expression changed. Her face was pale as if blood drained from her face. ¡°What... what do you mean?¡±

    Darius paused before a nasty smile spread on his face. ¡°Arthur said he punished you so much that you couldn¡¯t get up from bed in the morning.¡±

    Veronica was bbergasted.

 Chapter 396

    Chapter 396: THE MEETING

    At first, Darius was just teasing her out of habit. However, Veronica took his joke too seriously which made him suspicious.

    ¡®This is fun,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I should make fun of her a bit more.¡¯

    Just as he nned, he remarked. ¡°Arthur said he punished you so much that you couldn¡¯t get up from bed in the morning.¡±

    Veronica was bbergasted, just the way he expected.

    ¡°No... no way. Arthur would n-never speak such vulgar words.¡± She was so nervous that she was stammering.

    Darius grinned. ¡°I got you, didn¡¯t I? You are the one who said you didn¡¯t like sex but I guess Arthur made you think otherwise- oww!¡±

    He flinched when Zinnia pped his head hard.

    .....

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to the jerk. It¡¯s normal between couples. Nothing to hide or feel embarrassed about,¡± she tried to ease flustered Veronica. ¡°By the way, are you okay to train?

    Veronica blushed furiously when she heard that question. ¡°I¡¯m fine! I can train.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure though? You can take a rest if you want. I don¡¯t want Arthur showering his wrath on me because I made you train.¡±

    The more Zinnia showed concern, the more embarrassed she felt.

    ¡°I will make sure he doesn¡¯t do that,¡± Veronica swore. ¡°Let¡¯s start training.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    In the Royal Pce, Arthur was in the meeting room, listening to the aristocrats¡¯ ideas to settle down trafficking once and for all.

    ¡°As for the criminals, we have to make sure that they are publicly executed. This will give everyone a fair warning. No one will dare to join a guild like human trafficking.¡±

    Arthur chuckled. ¡®This is so stupid. I don¡¯t think I can handle this anymore.¡¯

    The Queen of Tybu raised her head. Other nobles shifted their gazes at Arthur.

    The Queen faintly smiled before asking, ¡°Is there something amusing, Master of the Magic Tower? If you remember a joke, why don¡¯t you share it with us? We could use some jokes to ease the atmosphere of the room.¡±

    In a room full of noblemen, the Queen was practically glowing. She was wearing a red-colored gown with a golden touch. Her head was decorated with several gold chains and many colorful jewels. The makeup in her eyes made her look fierce and elegant. Her red lips were smiling.

    Arthur smirked. ¡°You want to know the joke? Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. The biggest joke is when the criminals gather together, n to execute their scapegoats. If someone sees the drama, how can they notugh?¡±

    The smile from the Queen¡¯s lips disappeared. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Arthur exined, ¡°What I mean ismoners won¡¯t have the courage to make such a huge trafficking guild. They need support and money from someone with great influence. Only a person with high status and power such as aristocrats can do that.

    ¡°If nobles stick to their ideals,moners won¡¯t have the courage to do something so horrible. So, if you truly want to end this problem, find out which aristocrats are behind this. The rest is history.¡±

    After he was done talking, the nobles¡¯ faces turned white. The meeting room became quiet. No one said anything including the Queen.

    One of the nobles couldn¡¯t take it anymore and stood up. His chair fell upside down and made a huge noise in the process.

    He didn¡¯t bother with the chair. He roared at Arthur, ¡°Rubbish! Such arrogance in front of her Majesty the Queen! Even if you are the Master of the Magic Tower, you should hold your tongue.¡±

    Arthur didn¡¯t budge at his loud voice. He calmly stared at the guy. His golden orbs stared at the angry nobleman.

    ¡°It seems like some people forgot how things should be done in front of me.¡±

    The nobleman was rather young. He was twenty-three years old.

    He heard about Arthur¡¯s cruelty but never met him before. When he saw him in the meeting room, he noticed how detached he was from the rest of the nobles.

    Since Arthur dared to pick a fight with the aristocrats, he spoke up in order to steal the light. He wanted to be praised by everyone including the Queen for his bravery to stand up for the nobles.

    The young nobleman was slightly intimidated by Arthur¡¯s cool gaze. He gulped in nervousness. But he didn¡¯t back down.

    He hurled back, ¡°Are you threatening me? Did you think I¡¯d back away just because you are in power? You are abusing your power!¡±

    Arthur arrogantly raised his chin. ¡°When have I not used my power to tear off worthless shit?¡±

    ¡°Y-you....!¡± The young nobleman trembled. He wanted to retaliate but nothing came to his head.

    Arthur scanned the room. No one dared to respond.

    Even if they were dissatisfied with him, even if they were mad at him, even if they despised him, they said nothing.

    Many of their children died in his hands because of their misdeeds.

    However, they couldn¡¯t me their children since they also thought what their children did was the correct thing to do.

    To dominate the poor was a noble¡¯s duty.

    Even so, they couldn¡¯t say anything to Arthur. They couldn¡¯t pick a fight with him.

    They already lost one member of their families. They didn¡¯t want to lose the rest of them.

    There was an ufortable silence in the room. Everyone seemed pressured except for the queen.

    Arthur spoke in an unhurried manner, ¡°When I was first ordered to investigate the traffickers, no one came to assist me. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t need your help.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind. What I minded was that they were eliminated before I could get the words out of them. How did the enemy know about my target?

    ¡°I realized that someone put spies on my guards hoping to get all the information about my investigation. I didn¡¯t mind that either.

    ¡°However, now, you want to push your me to someone else and keep doing whatever you want, how can I let that happen?¡±

    Hisid-back voice turned cold as he eyed the noblemen in front of him.

    He recalled how Veronica was hurt because of the traffickers. He clenched his fist.

    ¡®I...

 Chapter 397

    Chapter 397: THE REASON BEHIND THE MEETING

    Just thinking about Veronica¡¯s pain made his fists clenched in anger.

    ¡®I will never get hurt. As long as she is with me, I won¡¯t let anyoney a finger on her and make her cry. I¡¯ll get rid of these filthy traffickers once and for all.¡¯

    The Queen mentioned, ¡°Master of the magic Tower seems too worried about my subjects. I¡¯m grateful to have you.¡±

    ¡®What is she up to?¡¯ Arthur looked at her without a word.

    She smiled at Arthur and continued, ¡°I hope it¡¯s nothing personal. You look pretty vexed to me.¡±

    ¡®This sly fox,¡¯ Arthur cursed her inwardly. ¡°I tend to take some things personally; especially when it¡¯s my mission to protect people.¡±

    ¡°I never saw you taking things personally.¡± The Queen¡¯s lips stretched further. ¡°It must be something rted to you. Personally.¡±

    .....

    ¡®Where do you want to go with that, old hag?¡¯ Arthur smirked. ¡°Unlike someone else, I take things in my heart.¡±

    As the Queen¡¯s smile disappeared, the noblemen shifted awkwardly. Unease crept their minds.

    The Queen mentioned, ¡°Somehow, I find it suspicious that the Master of the Magic Tower, who is so ruthless that he left a pile of dead people in the tower, would take a bunch of citizens seriously. Maybe some close to you got abducted by the traffickers.¡±

    Keeping a nonchnt expression, Arthur asked, ¡°What do you mean by that? Who can be so precious to me other than the citizens of this kingdom?¡±

    The Queen smiled softly. ¡°How am I supposed to know? I¡¯m just guessing. Oh well, you got married, didn¡¯t you? How is your wife?¡±

    Arthur narrowed his eyes. ¡®Why is this witch bringing my wife into this? Did she think she could find my weakness like that?¡¯

    He respondedposedly, ¡°She is doing fine. But, is this important right now? I thought it was an important meeting, not some personal matter.¡±

    He tried to change the subject before mentioning the importance of the ¡®meeting¡¯.

    The Queen ignored his question and kept talking about Veronica, ¡°It¡¯s splendid that she is doing great despite you being ruthless to your enemy. Does she not fear you?¡±

    ¡°Fear me?¡± Arthur chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s quite the opposite. It¡¯s me who fears her. She is such a ferocious woman.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I heard she was gone for a while. Did shee back?¡±

    ¡°She wanted a little adventure and then came back where she belongs.¡±

    ¡°I see. You must be leading a happy married life.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Good for you.¡±

    ¡°Since there are no ns on how to take care of the traffickers today, I will leave. I¡¯ll go ording to my n. If I find out who is behind this, I won¡¯t spare them. Have a nice day, everyone.¡±

    Saying his piece, Arthur left the meeting room.

    ¡®This witch!¡¯ he cursed the queen of Tybu. ¡®The meeting was just a farce. She wanted to find out my weakness. She has wizards under her wings, hasn¡¯t she? She thought I¡¯d let her have spies in her turf and let her do as she pleases. So stupid of her to think that.¡¯

    At the time he reached the tower, Veronica was looking at Catherine who was standing in front of the mirror wearing nothing but undergarments.

    The gown designer came with his team today to take her size in order to make her engagement dress.

    ¡°The dress Miss Catherine chose is the most splendid dress I¡¯ve ever made,¡± the designer said from the other side of the room. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for her to wear it on the blessed asion.¡±

    ¡°I think so too. The dress is gorgeous,¡± Veronica had to admit.

    Catherine chose a baby blue colored ball gown. It would match with her blue pupils andplement her blonde hair.

    When the team was done taking Catherine¡¯s measurement, Catherine wore her clothes and Veronica moved the curtain away.

    The designer announced, ¡°I shall send the gown within three weeks. I will make it perfect so that everyone stars at the would-be bride in awe.¡±

    Catherine smiled. ¡°You jest. I think I¡¯m pretty normal. There is nothing to look at in awe.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about you,¡± the designer corrected her. ¡°I was talking about the gown.¡±

    Catherine: ¡°...¡±

    At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

    ¡°Ladies, are you done? Arthur came back and now he¡¯s looking for his precious wife,¡± Darius announced from the door.

    Veronica looked at her best friend. ¡°I¡¯ll be going then.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Veronica went to her bedroom. The moment she entered, a feastful scenery came to her view.

    Arthur just took a bath. He was wiping his hair with a gray-colored towel. A white towel was wrapped around his waist. Droplets of water rolled on his tan skin.

    Yesterday¡¯s event came to her mind in a sh. Her heart pounded hard.

    While wiping his hair, Arthur turned around and looked at his wife¡¯s flushed face.

    He smirked. ¡°Like what you see?¡±

    Veronica pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not something new.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you so red?¡± he pointed out.

    Flustered, Veronica raised her head. ¡°Why should I be red?¡±

    Arthur hid hisughter. ¡°But you are.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s too hot today.¡± Veronica fanned her face with her right hand. She hurriedly changed the subject. ¡°You came backte from the pce. How was the meeting?¡±

    When she mentioned the meeting, Arthur¡¯s face darkened.

    ¡°Who told you I went to the pce?¡±

    Veronica answered truthfully, ¡°I asked Ovior when I went to have brunch. Zinnia and others knew as well. It wasn¡¯t a secret, was it?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡±

    Veronica stared at his face. She inquired, ¡°You don¡¯t look well. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Arthur marched forward and took her in his arms. As his arms wrapped around her tightly, it made her impossible to breathe properly.

    ¡®What happened in the Pce that he has to hug like this? He doesn¡¯t look good either.¡¯ Veronica worried.

    She hugged him back and stroked his cold back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who scolded you? Just tell me the name and I¡¯ll go to the Pce and scold them for you.¡±

 Chapter 398

    Chapter 398: SCOLDING

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who scolded you? Just tell me the name and I¡¯ll go to the Pce and scold them for you.¡±

    Upon hearing her words, Arthur chuckled. ¡°Are you going to defend me?¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Veronica promised.

    Arthur found her words amusing. He asked her, ¡°Even if that person is the bloody queen?¡±

    ¡°Even if that person is the bloody queen,¡± Veronica replied. ¡°How dare she scold my husband? I will make sure no one ever does that.¡±

    ¡°Then I must tell you why I¡¯m upset.¡± Arthur took a deep breath and then disclosed, ¡°Today, she talked about you in the meeting.¡±

    Veronica furrowed her eyebrows understanding the weird situation.

    .....

    ¡°Huh? Why would she talk about me in the meeting? Do they talk about someone¡¯s private life in events like that?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think so? We were supposed to talk about how to deal with traffickers but she suddenly mentioned you.¡± Arthur squeezed her hard. ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡±

    ¡°If you are worried about me then don¡¯t be. I won¡¯t act recklessly like before. Moreover, I can fight now. I practice every day. I will take Sebastian with me. If he¡¯s not enough, I can take either Darius, Felix or Zinnia,¡± Veronica tried to assure him.

    Arthur ced his head on top of her head. ¡°I¡¯m still worried. What if she tries to harm you another way? I want to go out whenever you go out from now on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even better.¡± Veronica¡¯s face beamed. ¡°We can always go in the evening. It will be like a date every time.¡±

    ¡®And here I was concerned, thinking that she would be upset.¡¯ Arthur rxed when he saw that she didn¡¯t mind his overprotective behavior.

    He said, ¡°Let¡¯s do then. When are you going out again for shopping? It¡¯s not like wedding shopping can be done in one day.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it cannot be done in one day?¡± Veronica was curious.

    Arthur had to exin, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Ironin buy all the clothes and jewelry for his wife before the wedding. He took over a month and ended up filling his mansion with gowns and pieces of jewelry.¡±

    Veronica was startled. ¡°What?! Why?¡±

    ¡°Because everything looked pretty in his wife ¨C that¡¯s what he said,¡± Arthur told her. ¡°So, he couldn¡¯t choose what to buy and ended up buying everything his wife tried on.¡±

    Veronica couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Unbelievable! Ironin? With a wife? And now I hear he has a mansion?! Why does he live here and not with his wife?!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t want anyone finding out he is married. He doesn¡¯t like people digging out his identity.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he is a hidden prince of a famousnd.¡±

    ¡°Your imagination sure runs wild.¡±

    ¡°Oh? It¡¯s not? Then, is it because he is working under you that he has to hide his identity.¡±

    ¡°A part of a reason, yes. Zinnia and Darius also hid their real identity.¡±

    ¡°Although I¡¯m curious, I guess it would be too impolite to ask, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Arthur agreed, ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Speaking of private life and marriage, I¡¯ve made the thing you asked for. You will find it in the table drawer.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s face brightened up. ¡°I¡¯ll check it. Thank you!¡±

    ¡°I hope you will like it. I¡¯ll manage my work tonight so that I can go out with you tomorrow. So, I can¡¯t apany you tonight.¡± Arthur leaned and pecked on her cheek.

    Veronica pushed his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to apany you.¡±

    Arthur whispered in her ear, ¡°Won¡¯t you feel lonely without my apany?¡±

    His warm breath tickled her ear. She flinched. ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? What about down there...¡± Arthur¡¯s hand trailed down.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Veronica pped his hand.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Later, Veronica met Ironin. Ironin halted when he spotted her at the end of the corridor.

    Then, he turned around and started walking to where he came out from.

    ¡°Wait! Ironin!¡± Veronica called out to him.

    She noticed that he quickened his pace when she called his name. In the end, she ran toward him.

    ¡°Why are you running away?¡± she asked.

    ¡°...I wasn¡¯t.¡± For someone who didn¡¯t like to lie, Ironin took some time to answer her.

    Veronica could understand the reason behind his action. ¡°If you are wondering if I¡¯m going to ask you about your wife, I¡¯m not. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not interested in your wife.

    ¡°I want to know about her but I heard you are avoiding anyone asking about your wife. I don¡¯t want you to avoid me for the same reason.

    ¡°I obviously want to know more about her. She looks so gorgeous and smart, and I¡¯m really happy that you are married to a girl like her. I¡¯m sure you got married when I wasn¡¯t around. So, I bought you two a wedding gift. It¡¯s a congrattory gift.¡±

    She handed him a box wrapped in white glitter paper.

    Ironin was taken aback when he saw the box wrapped in glitter paper. He opened the box and found a pair of silver bracelets.

    One of them was a bit small and another one was a bitrge. Both had blue gems on the top.

    ¡°This is amunication device,¡± Veronica exined. ¡°I asked Arthur to make them. This is a pair of couple devices.

    ¡°You can wear one and give another one to your wife. Since you stay away from her most of the time, you can talk to her whenever you miss her.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you.¡± A small smile spread on Ironin¡¯s face as he thanked her.

    ¡°!!!¡± Veronica stared at him in awe. Even though he turned around and left her sight, she still stood there in a daze.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness! Can Ironin even smile? I think this is the first time I¡¯m seeing him smiling.¡¯

    She touched her heart and thought, ¡®My heart is pounding. It feels like I¡¯m falling in love. What am I even thinking!¡¯

    pping her face, she headed to Catherine¡¯s room.

    ¡®We have so much to buy tomorrow. I don¡¯t have time to think about such a sin,¡¯ she reminded herself.

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    The next day, Arthur escorted Veronica while Catherine was out with Vincent to shop.

 Chapter 399

    Chapter 399: SHOPPING DAY

    It was another busy day but Catherine took her time off. She asked Vincent to join her for the shopping.

    ¡°Is this okay for you to take the day off like that?¡± Veronica asked her. ¡°What will happen to Ovior? I feel sorry for him.¡±

    Beforeing to the market za, Veronica spotted Ovior under the pile of papers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. Ironin decided to help him out,¡± Catherine assured her. ¡°I will also spend my evening working. No time to spare.¡±

    ¡°Even when you take a day off, you talk about work,¡± Vincent remarked. ¡°Why is it so important?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because that¡¯s how we got the money to live and enjoy.¡± Catherine smiled at him. ¡°And that¡¯s how we got to spend for our engagement and marriage ceremony.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s true...¡± Vincent mumbled.

    .....

    Veronica stared at them from behind and then pulled Arthur¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he is a bit gloomy when she talks about work? I wonder if he hates the fact that she is going to work after marriage.¡±

    Arthur listened to her and remarked, ¡°Judging from his expression, he has lots in his mind. Marriage isn¡¯t all about shopping and partying.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t have a problem with our marriage, is it?¡± Veronica wondered openly. ¡°Our marriage is pretty normal.¡±

    ¡°Truth be told, we have the most umon married life in history,¡± Arthur pointed out. ¡°Do you think all husbands allow their wives to participate in war games?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this why I chose you?¡± Veronica circled her arms around his right arm. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be a normal housewife and you knew it. You promised to show the world to me and you are holding up to the promise, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Arthur leaned closer and suggested, ¡°Since you know that much, why don¡¯t you pay more attention to me? I¡¯ll make sure to take you to the ninth heaven every night.¡±

    Flustered, Veronica pushed him away. ¡°Only you want to go to the ninth heaven.¡±

    Behind them, Felix clicked his tongue. ¡°Look at them, having so much fun just for the wedding. It makes me want to get married too.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Zinnia couldn¡¯t agree more. ¡°I feel like getting married as well. I never thought I would feel that way in my life.¡±

    ¡°This is the wedding season. You see newlyweds everywhere. It just makes you envious and lonely. Let the wedding season pass. Your mood will turn back to normal,¡± Dariusmented.

    ¡°True, there is nothing more fun than having a single life. You can do whatever you want without exining your actions to anyone. Like me.¡±

    Saying that Zinnia winked at the royal guard who was patrolling the area,

    The royal guard halted as he stared at the oh-so-sexy Zinnia who was wearing revealing clothes in broad daylight, showing off her curves and cleavage.

    He gulped as his mouth became dry. It took just one wink to steal all his attention. He began to walk again but ended up crashing into an iron buildmp post.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Darius groaned on behalf of the royal guard. He was grinning.

    ¡°That must have hurt him badly,¡± Felixmented. He didn¡¯t seem worried about the royal guard. ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± Heughed.

    ¡°See? Can you do that when you have a husband? Women don¡¯t understand the fun of this. They want to have only one man and stay with him for the rest of their lives. This is just a waste.¡±

    Zinnia shook her head in disappointment.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you have your great friends to share your problems and burdens. Not all women have that. They aren¡¯t that lucky.¡±

    Zinnia shook her head. ¡°You just don¡¯t understand. How can I have problems? I¡¯m not married. Just how many single people face inws, babysitting, taking care of inws and their partners?¡±

    Felix thought about it. ¡°Isn¡¯t marriage all about equality? Both partners work inside and out. There should be a bnce. Even if the wife stays home and works, the husband should help her with house chores.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it should be. But people love abusing their powers. I¡¯m not sure about you guys but I think this Vincent guy doesn¡¯t want Catherine to work outside. He wants her as a housewife.¡±

    As Zinnia mentioned it, Felix and Darius stared at the would-be married couple.

    ¡°I hope Sebastian isn¡¯t anywhere near us,¡± Felix mumbled.

    ¡°That¡¯s just sad. I mean love sure makes people blind but I hate that Catherine chose that resort guy but not our Sebastian. What does our boyck inparison?¡± Darius scoffed.

    ¡°That¡¯s money, status and a stable life,¡± Zinnia stated. ¡°No matter how good of a character Sebastian has, his life is at risk most of the time.

    ¡°Unless a woman has a deep affection for him, there will be no woman to choose him with a cool head. No one wants to live the rest of their lives as a widow you know.

    ¡°Furthermore, he doesn¡¯t stay in one ce too long. His mission makes him go out of the kingdom and make him stay there for months if necessary.

    ¡°Which woman would want to have a married life where the husband wouldn¡¯t be present and leave her alone for a long period?

    ¡°Moreover, Sebastian didn¡¯t approach her until she was proposed to by Vincent. She and Vincent had lots of time to build some chemistry between them.

    ¡°Furthermore, Vincent approached her swiftly. He asked her to be his date and did some romantic stuff that would make a woman fall for him eventually.

    ¡°So, you see, no matter how good Sebastian is, if he doesn¡¯t do anything to make her heart bloom, Catherine has no reason to say ¡®yes¡¯ to him.¡±

    There was a heavy silence after she pointed out the reasons one by one.

    ¡°You have a point,¡± Felix approved. ¡°Rtionships can¡¯t be built one-sided. He needed to work hard. Just having feelings for the loved one doesn¡¯t make love bloom between a couple. One needs to work hard for it.¡±

    While they were talking about love, marriage and rtionship, they heard amotion in front of them.

    They looked forward and saw something they weren¡¯t expecting.

 Chapter 400

    Chapter 400: UNEXPECTED COMMOTION

    Five minutes before themotion ¨C

    Catherine¡¯s stomach grumbled while they were choosing jewelry.

    ¡°Oh! I guess I¡¯m starving already,¡± she bashfully stated, lowering her head.

    Finding it adorable, Vincent smiled. ¡°Shall we go to the nearby restaurant and have something? You will have time to rest too.¡±

    ¡°Umm...¡± Catherine looked outside the window and spotted a van where the shopkeeper was selling delicious kebabs.

    ¡°I want to eat that kebab.¡± She pointed at the van.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go out and buy kebabs for you. You can choose your jewelry.¡± Patting her head, Vincent went out of the shop.

    .....

    The shop assistant came forward and asked Catherine, ¡°Mam, have you chosen any piece you like?¡±

    Catherine replied, ¡°I¡¯ll choose one with my fianc¨¦. Please give us some time.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± The shop assistant politely smiled and left her alone in the room.

    ¡®We should eat outside. What if we ruin the couch or the floor while eating? We might need to pay for the damages. I better wait for Vincent outside.¡¯

    Pondering that Catherine went outside the shop. She delightfully watched Vincent buying kebabs for her.

    The road was less crowded. Since it was a workday, only aristocraticdies were walking on the street, shopping to their hearts¡¯ content.

    At that moment, two horses with a carriage wereing forward. All of a sudden, a street child ran in front of the horses.

    The child¡¯s sudden action spooked the horses. They raised their front legs and neighed loudly.

    The coachman pulled the reins and tried to calm them down but it didn¡¯t work. The horses rushed forward.

    In front of them, there was the jewelry shop where Catherine and Vincent were a few minutes ago. Catherine was standing right in front of the jewelry shop.

    The horses were rushing toward her.

    Catherine only noticed the horses when people screamed around her. The blissful smile disappeared from her lips. Her crescent curved eyes were filled with horror instantly.

    The horses were so close and she realized it sote that there wasn¡¯t enough time for her to think about moving away.

    Her legs froze on the spot. Fear crept into her heart.

    She subconsciously closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands protectively.

    Without having a second thought, she cried out inwardly. At a moment like that, Sebastian¡¯s worried face came to her mind.

    Just when she thought she was going to die, a gust of wind blew around her.

    Her body was wrapped with something warm and firm.

    She felt lighter.

    She sensed something tightly wrapped around her body. It was almost painful.

    She slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was dark. She couldn¡¯t see anything.

    ¡®Is this what death looks like?¡¯ she wondered.

    ¡°What were you thinking, you airheaded woman?¡±

    The voice came from above.

    Recognizing the voice, she slowly turned her head.

    Sebastian¡¯s face came to her view.

    ¡°!!!¡± Catherine was stunned when she saw him. Her heart beat fast.

    ¡®Wait... how can that be...? Am I dreaming? Or is it the aftermath of myst wish? Maybe an alternative ending. The Goddess must be fulfilling myst wish after my death...¡¯

    ¡°Catherine, are you okay?¡±

    Since she was looking at him in a daze without showing any expression, Sebastian got worried.

    ¡°Catherine-¡±

    ¡°Am I dead...? Is this... heaven...?¡± Catherine mumbled.

    Panicked, Sebastian shook her body. ¡°What are you saying? You didn¡¯t die. Snap out of it!¡±

    When her body was jerked several times, Catherine seemed toe back to her senses.

    She properly looked at him and realized that she wasn¡¯t dead. Her eyes were full of surprise.

    ¡°Se...Sebastian?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. What¡¯s 1+1?¡±

    ¡°Two?¡±

    ¡°Correct. Can you stand up?¡±

    Confused about what to say, she replied, ¡°I... yes... I think...¡±

    Her head was still muddleheaded. With his assistance, she tried to stand up. While doing so, she noticed that her legs were shaking uncontrobly.

    Sebastian pulled her up by her waist. His left hand was holding her left hand.

    Catherine leaned against him as she breathed.

    ¡°Cathy!¡± Veronica called her name. Her voice quivered.

    She ran to her best friend and grabbed her arm.

    ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?¡±

    She scanned Catherine from top to bottom, making sure she was left unscathed.

    ¡°I¡¯m... fine... Sebastian...¡± Catherine looked at her rescuer.

    Sebastian avoided meeting her gaze. He politely pushed her to Veronica.

    ¡°Since Mistress is here, I¡¯ll leave her in your care,¡± saying that he walked away and mixed in the crowd.

    ¡°...Wait...!¡± Catherine called out to him. Her voice was weaker than she anticipated.

    Sebastian heard her but he didn¡¯t look back.

    Veronica could only look at Sebastian¡¯s back disappearing in the crowd. Then, pull Catherine, ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere and take some rest.¡±

    The crowd was gathering in front of the jewelry shop where the horses with the carriage were crushed. The sses broke. The horses were injured. It was a bloody massacre.

    Veronica took her to the nearest bench. Catherine was still overwhelmed by the sudden ident and had yet to gather strength.

    Arthur gave Veronica a pouch of water. She handed it to Catherine.

    At that moment, Vincent ran toward them. ¡°Catherine!¡± he called her name in panic.

    ¡°They said a blonde woman was crushed and killed in the ident. Are you all right?¡±

    ¡®He seriously thought that Cathy was hurt just cause some people said so?¡¯ Veronica pondered. ¡®His worry isn¡¯t unreasonable though. Not many women have blonde hair like her.¡¯

    Drinking a mouth full of water, Catherine replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Nothing happened to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank goodness!¡± Vincent sighed in relief. ¡°That ident was surely scary. Why did the child run like that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯smon for children to run randomly in the street. But causing idents like that, it¡¯s rare,¡± Zinnia stated.

    She was standing close to the shop. She walked closer and checked Catherine¡¯s temperature.

    ¡°You seem fine. I hope you can recover soon or you might suffer from a fever due to trauma,¡± she said.

    ¡°Maybe we should rest for today,¡± Vincent suggested. Afterward, he expressed his displeasure, ¡°How can children be so reckless in the city?¡±

    Unknown to them, the child who scared the horses went to a quiet alley and whistled. Some timeter, a person came to meet him.

 Chapter 401

    Chapter 401: MESSED UP

    The child who caused the entire ident didn¡¯t seem to be affected by the blood of innocent horses.

    He hummed a piece of music and headed to a narrow alley when no one noticed him. The alley was rather quiet and no one spotted him.

    He whistled and waited for someone.

    Some timeter, a person came to meet.

    ¡°I did what you wanted me to do. Now give me the money,¡± the boy stated.

    ¡°But you couldn¡¯t harm her.¡± The person was unsatisfied.

    The boy shrugged at his employer¡¯sint.

    .....

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not my problem. She almost died but the guy in the ck cloth came to rescue her. How would I know she had a bodyguard? You said she was amoner. Why would amoner wear a fancy dress and have a bodyguard?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m also not sure why she has a bodyguard.¡± The person clenched his fist.

    The person threw a pouch at the boy. The boy delightfully jerked the pouch. He heard ng noises of coins shing. Without another word, the boy went away, humming the same music.

    The person didn¡¯t bother to look at the boy. Her blue eyes were fixed on Catherine, Vincent, Veronica and Arthur.

    ¡®I won¡¯t forgive you. Because of your false statement, my child couldn¡¯t live in the tower. Do you think you cane in between me and Arthur? I will show how it feels to take away someone you love.¡¯

    No one noticed that a pair of bloodthirsty eyes red at them from a distance.

    ¡ª¡ª-

    ¡°We should have caught the child and then interrogated him,¡± Arthur stated.

    He was in the same carriage with Veronica and Catherine. They were heading back to the tower.

    ¡°This is just a child. Although idents like that don¡¯t happen often, we should let him go,¡± Veronica shared her opinion.

    ¡®But I sensed someone¡¯s murderous gaze,¡¯ Arthur thought. ¡®Who was it? That bloody queen¡¯s men? I¡¯ll tear them apart when I find them.¡¯

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve messed up,¡± Catherine mumbled.

    Veronica asked, ¡°Huh? What do you mean? What happened?¡±

    ¡°I messed up a big-time,¡± Catherine repeated the same sentence. She clenched her hair and pulled them.

    ¡°Cathy, what are you doing? You will be bald like Darius if you keep pulling your hair.¡± Veronica prevented her from pulling hair. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Share with me?¡±

    ¡°...I can¡¯t...¡± Catherine shook her head.

    Veronica looked at her husband.

    Arthur understood her gaze. ¡°Do you want some privacy? Fine then. I¡¯ll be close by.¡± He disappeared from the carriage. He teleported outside.

    Veronica said, ¡°He is gone now. Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°When I was in danger... I was thinking about Sebastian.¡± Catherine looked at Veronica and desperately said, ¡°Can you believe it? I didn¡¯t think of Vincent but Sebastian!¡±

    Veronica halted, not sure what to say. ¡°Why... why do you think about him but not your fiance?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Catherine shook her head and sobbed. ¡°I love Vincent. I really do. But I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯m in danger, I keep thinking about Sebastian.¡±

    Now that she had a clear mind, she thought about how Sebastian hugged her close to his chest.

    His heart was beating fast. He had a worried look on his face.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because whenever you are in danger, it¡¯s always Sebastian whoes to rescue you?¡± Veronica calmly stated.

    Catherine¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened as she realized it.

    ¡°You... you don¡¯t mean...¡± she didn¡¯t want to think about the impossible.

    ¡°You love him, Cathy,¡± Veronica disclosed what her best friend was fearing the most.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± Catherine eximed.

    ¡°I hate to say this, Cathy. You love both of them.¡±

    ¡°How is this possible? I¡¯m getting engaged to Vincent. I dated him. I had nothing for Sebastian. How can I fall for...?¡± Tears streamed down Catherine¡¯s face. ¡°Am I a slut now?¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to exin. You just fell for him without realizing it. It must be confusing but that¡¯s the truth.¡±

    Veronica ced a hand on her shoulder, feeling bad for her friend who was about to knot her tie with someone.

    ¡°What should I do, Ver? Will I be happy if I marry Vincent knowing I like Sebastian?¡± Catherine sought advice.

    ¡®I really wanted her toe up with the solution herself,¡¯ Veronica thought.

    However, she had no other option. Her friend wanted to know her opinion and she could only help her with words.

    ¡°I wish I could tell you to choose both of them. But it might make you more upset. I know you want a peaceful life. If living with Vincent makes you think about Sebastian all the time, Vincent may not be a perfect choice for you.¡±

    ¡°Ver!¡± Catherine eximed. Her hands grabbed Veronica¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Cathy, I can only advise you to choose a man that won¡¯t make you regret. You will never be happy if you marry someone but think about another man day and night,¡± Veronica told her.

    Catherine clenched her skirt. ¡°I love Vincent. I can ovee anything after marriage.¡±

    Veronica stated, ¡°Cathy, love isn¡¯t enough for married life. If you want to get married, you need to understand each other, support each other, ept each other¡¯s shorings and faults, and need to sacrifice andpromise. You have to face the problems together too.¡±

    Catherine cupped her head. Her head was unable to think further.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t know what to do anymore. I met Vincent¡¯s family. We fixed our date, checked out the venue and ordered dresses. I cannot back down now. It¡¯s impossible.¡±

    Veronica hugged her. ¡°Cathy, it¡¯s better to cancel the wedding than get married and suffer in the long run. Your happiness and satisfactione first; not what others think about you.¡±

    Catherine couldn¡¯t take her advice into consideration.

    ¡°But how can I turn him down? We were both so happy when I said ¡®yes¡¯. He supported me and went against his parents¡¯ wishes for my sake when I told him I have to work. He did everything he could and he epted me for who I am.¡±

    Veronica could understand herplicated feelings. She asked her, ¡°Then what do you n to do about your feelings for Sebastian?¡±

 Chapter 402

    Chapter 402: HER CHOICE

    ¡°Then what do you n to do about your feelings for Sebastian?¡±

    After Veronica asked the question, there was no sound inside the carriage. Only from outside, people¡¯s voices reached their ears.

    Time passed. No one talked.

    Veronica stared at her friend without pressuring her.

    ¡®If she is thinking about Sebastian, will Sebastian have a chance then? I¡¯m not sure whom I should support anymore. I want both of them to be happy without getting hurt. Maybe I¡¯m asking for way too much.¡¯

    She hung her head, feeling hopeless and helpless.

    ¡°I will forget Sebastian,¡± Catherine finally stated. ¡°If I work at Magic Tower and meet him constantly, I¡¯ll stoping here. I can work from home or I will quit working here. Whatever it is, I have to forget him.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Cathy...¡± Veronica started.

    Catherine shook her head as she tried to deny everything Veronica had to say.

    ¡°No, Ver, I have to do this. No matter who I love, I willingly befriended Vincent; willingly dated him; I consented to have a rtionship with him and agreed to marry him. I did it on my right mind and I still know that I love him.

    ¡°That¡¯s why, no matter what, I cannot hurt him. I cannot see him heartbroken because of my treacherous heart.¡±

    Veronica tried to persuade her otherwise, ¡°You are not treacherous, Cathy. If you were, you would have hurt Sebastian and Vincent both and would enjoy it. But you are the one who is suffering more than anyone.¡±

    ¡°How can I agree with you, Ver? I¡¯m hurting Sebastian. And I know I have feelings for him but I can¡¯t do anything about it. I wanted to reject him face to face but I couldn¡¯t find him. He hid away from me.¡±

    Catherine put a hand on her left side of the chest.

    She continued, ¡°This ce, it hurts badly when I think about him. It wrenches so tightly that sometimes I cannot breathe. But at that time, I didn¡¯t know I liked him. I found it weird.

    ¡°I asked myself ¨C why is my heart throbbing so much when I think about him? I didn¡¯t know then. But now I know. And it will be the best for him if we don¡¯t face each other.¡±

    It pained Veronica that her friend suffered so much while making a decision.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I will give you my full support. I will ept whatever you want to do for your life. However, you cannot regret it. You can never harm yourself or sacrifice your happiness like this ever again

    ¡°You want to start a new journey, that¡¯s fine by me. But you have to be happy. You have to choose something that you will never regret.¡±

    Catherine covered her face and nodded. Veronica hugged her until they reached the tower.

    Meanwhile, Vincent went back to the resort. His mother saw him bringing some shopping boxes.

    ¡°So many boxes! Who bought all these?¡± she asked.

    Vincent ces the boxes on the table while replying, ¡°Catherine bought them for you and father. She was saying that she didn¡¯t have any elders to buy gifts for her wedding. So, she wanted to give some things to you.¡±

    His mother muttered, ¡°She has a big heart. Women like her devoted to their husbands.¡±

    ¡°Why does it sound like you still aren¡¯t satisfied?¡± her husband inquired.

    She hesitated before replying, ¡°It¡¯s not that I have anything against her. She is well educated. She is smart enough to get a job at the Royal Pce. However, she will work outside. That¡¯s what I don¡¯t like.

    ¡°We are all busy with our family and business. I wanted my daughter-inw would be the same. She needs to be devoted to her family, children, and us. That¡¯s all we want. A good housewife, not a good employee.

    ¡°What we need isn¡¯t a smart daughter-inw. But I couldn¡¯tin till now because our Vincent fell in love for the first time. She is a beauty too. I can proudly show her off to my neighbors and friends.

    ¡°But we will be aughingstock when they find out she works outside. They will mock us behind our back and say we are so poor that we are letting our daughter-inw work outside.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can handle that humiliation. I¡¯m getting older and weaker. This is too much for me.¡±

    Her husband remarked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be proud that we are getting an intelligent daughter-inw who works in the pce? From what I saw, she wasn¡¯t a bad woman.¡±

    ¡°So what we are proud of her? Will that change other people¡¯s minds?¡± she retorted.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time not to think about what others have to say.¡± Her husband shrugged.

    Vincent sang along with his father, ¡°Mother, I think father is right. Why should we have to live a life to please others? When I fell in love with her, I didn¡¯t care where she worked or what she did for a living. I saw a bright, honest girl and I liked the way she is.¡±

    His mother retorted, ¡°You all learned to talk big but the person who faces everything alone is me. How are you going to understand my pain? Anyway, it¡¯s not like I want toin. You asked me and I told you my answer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t oppose this marriage and I never will. I do like her. It¡¯s just I hope she can contribute to the family more than in her job.

    ¡°Married life is never easy. You cannot treat your married life the same way you treat your single life. If you cannot take the hardship of marriage, you shouldn¡¯t get married in the first ce. There is no point in ruining one or two lives in the process of curiosity.¡±

    ¡°I will keep that in my mind and work hard to contribute to Catherine and my married life,¡± Vincent promised.

    ¡°You!¡± His mother¡¯s face turned red in anger. ¡°Did you think I was telling this to you? Seriously!¡±

    Vincent yed innocent, ¡°But the only person getting married here is me. If you want to tell that to Catherine, tell her when she is present.¡±

    ¡°Good, good, just stay here and help me with the kitchen for now. I need to collect some vegetables. Keep an eye on the pot. Chicken is almost done. Don¡¯t burn it.¡±

    After giving father and son a task, Vincent¡¯s mother headed to the garden. On the way, she heard a scream.

 Chapter 403

    Chapter 403: [Bonus chapter]A SCREAM

    Vincent¡¯s mother walked toward the valley. The garden was a ten minutes walk. She grew her favorite vegetables there.

    She had amp in her hand as she walked down the road.

    All of a sudden, she heard a scream.

    ¡°Ahh! Help me!¡±

    It was a pitiful cry of a woman.

    Vincent¡¯s mother almost jumped as she wasn¡¯t prepared for the sound. She kept hearing a person¡¯s cry. Her heart thumped in fear.

    She dashed in the direction of the source of the scream. She went near the apple tree and found the trap she and her husband set to catch wild animals was gone.

    .....

    And the scream of the woman wasing from down there.

    ¡®A woman fell in the trap!!¡¯

    She freaked out imagining the worse. She quickly walked closer and brought the light forward.

    After peeking inside, she spotted a woman in the hole. Her clothes were dirty. She was crying. She looked scared.

    ¡°Miss, are you okay? Can you stand up?¡± Vincent¡¯s mother asked.

    The woman looked up and her face brightened up. Her face was cut in several areas. Even so, her smile was brighter than the star that night.

    She hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m okay! I¡¯m okay! Please help me get up!¡±

    ¡°Please wait a minute. I¡¯ll ask my family to bring adder.¡± Vincent¡¯s mother hurried back.

    The moment she entered the house, she shouted, ¡°Vincent, bring adder. A woman was injured by fall into the trap we set beside the apple tree!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Vincent jumped out of the couch and darted to the tool shade.

    He grabbed thedder and rushed outside. His mother tagged along.

    Soon, they reached the apple tree. Vincent looked down the hole and saw the woman was still there.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll put down thedder. Can you climb up?¡± he asked.

    The woman looked up after seeing the light. When she heard his voice, she replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I twisted my ankle. I don¡¯t have the strength to move either. Will you please help me out?¡±

    ¡®Did she say she was fine so that I wouldn¡¯t worry?¡¯ Vincent¡¯s mother wondered. She felt even worse.

    ¡°Please wait. I¡¯lle down.¡± Vincent climbed down thedder and reached out his hand. ¡°Can you stand now?¡±

    The woman held his hand and stood up. Suddenly she couldn¡¯t bnce herself and fell backward.

    Vincent quickly caught her. ¡°Can you hold onto my shoulders?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    While she hugged his shoulders, Vincent pulled her legs and grabbed them with his right hand. He held thedder with his left hand and climbed up.

    Vincent¡¯s mother stared at them with worried eyes. Once they were up, she assisted her son to hold the injured woman.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take care of her wounds first,¡± she suggested.

    ¡°You take her home. I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡± Entrusting the injured woman to his mother, Vincent ran in the opposite direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to fall in the hole,¡± his mother apologized to the woman while taking her to their home. ¡°People hardlye to this area. I didn¡¯t know you would fall in the trap we made for the animals.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡±

    ¡°You must be badly injured. What were you doing here of all ces?¡±

    ¡°I was supposed to go to the resort. But I lost my way and went to the wrong ce. My sense of direction is the worst.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! You are our guest. I cannot imagine how much you suffered. We will make sure to write down the directions next time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really okay. I was just here to change my mood. I had a hard time in my house recently. It was quite upsetting.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s sad. And now you are injured because of us. We will do everything to make you feel better. I won¡¯t allow you to go anywhere before you recover.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s our responsibility as the owner of the resort to help our guests. You are no exception.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so wonderful that someone I don¡¯t even know can be so kind toward me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Any good person will be kind to you. By the way, what should I call you?¡±

    ¡°Please call me Betty.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Magic Tower

    The next day already arrived. Veronica went to check up on Catherine who didn¡¯te out of her room after reaching home.

    She knocked on the door and said, ¡°Cathy, pone the door. It¡¯s me. I brought breakfast.¡±

    A few minutester, Catherine opened the door. Veronica was startled after seeing her face.

    Her face was ghastly pale. Her lips were dry. Her eyes were red. She looked exhausted.

    ¡°Look at you! Didn¡¯t you say you had work? How could you not sleep?¡± Veronica reprimanded her while putting the tray of food on the table.

    Catherine hugged her from behind and let out a deep breath. ¡°Ver, I don¡¯t feel like eating at all.¡±

    Veronica couldn¡¯t get mad at her. She said, ¡°Can you move without eating? You haven¡¯t touched a grain of ricest night. You will faint in the process.¡±

    ¡°...Fine, I¡¯ll eat.¡± Catherine reluctantly took a spoonful of porridge and then put it in her mouth.

    After taking a few mouthfuls of porridge, she couldn¡¯t eat anymore. She was nauseated.

    She puked for ten minutes before copsing on the bed.

    Veronica was extremely worried. ¡°Just rest for today. You don¡¯t have to go to work. I¡¯ll talk to Ovior.¡±

    ¡°...But work...¡± Catherine¡¯s voice was weak as she tried to speak.

    ¡°Ovior will handle your work. Ironin and I can share his loads. Don¡¯t worry about anything else. Just rest for today,¡± Veronica assured her.

    After making sure Catherine would rest in bed, Veronica went to Ovior¡¯s office.

    Ovior looked up and watched her entering his office. He asked, ¡°What brings you here? Your ss is two hourster.¡±

    She was still taking sses with Ovior.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to help you with work. Cathy is too sick to get out of her bed,¡± she replied.

    Ovior rubbed his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that small ident caused her to lose heart. Such a chicken-hearted woman! I don¡¯t know how women like her get the chance to get married and have children.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    ¡°A woman might die while having children, you know. However, despite knowing the pain and suffering, women are always ready to have children. But when ites to idents like that, they get scared. Sometimes I don¡¯t understand women.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of having children, something is bugging me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s bugging you?¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s about...¡±

 Chapter 404

    Chapter 404: LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT¡¯S NOT HERS

    ¡°Speaking of having children, something is bugging me,¡± Veronicamented.

    ¡°What¡¯s bugging you?¡± Ovior casually asked while checking the contents of the papers.

    ¡®It¡¯s about Betty. We thought she was with fake Arthur. But Cathy said that she was with another man. Then Betty must have lied.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how I see it. I think others also thought that way too after Catherine said she saw Betty with another man. Only you believed it was fake Arthur even after Catherine dered it wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m so dumb. Why didn¡¯t I think she was lying all along?¡± Veronica pped her forehead. ¡°But is she desperate enough to sleep with another man and then im it¡¯s Arthur¡¯s child?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what crazy women are capable of. She isn¡¯t the only woman who did it. We faced things like that often when he was single. It¡¯s nothing now. Anyway, since you are here to work then work. Don¡¯t bother me unless it¡¯s important.¡±

    ¡°...All right.¡± Veronica didn¡¯t bother him anymore.

    .....

    ¡ª¨C

    Catherine got better two dayster. She started to work with Ovior.

    It was another usual day. She was checkingst month¡¯s budget.

    That¡¯s when someone opened the door and entered the room.

    ¡°Second Master, you asked for me?¡±

    Catherine flinched and then raised her head.

    It was Sebastian.

    Ovior took off his spectacles and replied, ¡°Oh, yes, I have some tasks for you. Veronica isn¡¯t going anywhere this afternoon, is she?¡±

    Sebastian replied, ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t have any ns on going out for a while.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Ovior handed him a paper and instructed, ¡°Go to this ce and spy on the owner of this shop. I believe he is selling some cursed objects in disguise of selling expensive magic tools. If you find evidence, capture him with it and drag him here.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    After Sebastian left, Catherine couldn¡¯t concentrate on her work. She stood up and headed outside.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be out for a minute,¡± saying that she was gone.

    ¡®I hope she isn¡¯t chasing after Sebastian. She is already engaged. Why do people keep looking at something that¡¯s out of their hands?¡¯ Ovior wondered.

    ¡°Sebastian!¡± Catherine called out from behind. She ran into the corridor and caught him. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Sebastian asked without looking back.

    Catherine took a deep breath and started, ¡°A month ago, you asked me out. I need to tell you my reply...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I already know the answer. Congrattions on your engagement. I wish you happiness.¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice was soft.

    Then, he pulled his arm away from her grasp and headed to the magic elevator.

    Behind him, Catherine stared at him back. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

    ¡ª-

    The next day, Darius went to Ovior¡¯s room.

    ¡°Ovior, didn¡¯t you want to know... holy crap! What is this?!¡±

    His words only expressed how freaked out he was.

    A chicken was staring at him intensely before walking away.

    ¡°!!!¡± Darius¡¯s jaw dropped on the floor. His eyes were as big as an orange. ¡°What... what is this?! Am I in the right room?¡±

    He frantically looked around and made sure he was in the right room.

    Catherine smiled at him. ¡°Wee, Darius. Ovior is out for a while. He¡¯lle back soon. Why don¡¯t you wait a bit?¡±

    ¡°I would love to wait but what is this? Why is there a chicken here?!¡± Darius couldn¡¯te out of shock.

    ¡°I bought it yesterday. Is that a problem?¡± Ovior just came inside and answered his friend¡¯s question.

    ¡°You bought it and left it here? Why not give it to the kitchen? I¡¯m sure the chef can make an amazing dish out of it.¡± Darius licked his lips.

    Ovior walked toward his desk while stating, ¡°She is not for your stomach, Darius. I adopted her. I¡¯ll raise her and her future generations.¡±

    ¡°You are kidding me!¡± Darius couldn¡¯t believe him.

    ¡°Since when did I ever joke with anyone?¡±

    At Ovior¡¯s question, Darius became quiet. He gave another strange look at the chicken before putting down the papers on Ovior¡¯s desk.

    ¡°This is what you wanted to know about that guild. I think you should strike when the iron is hot...¡±

    While he was putting down the papers, something moved on the table.

    ¡°OMG!¡±

    Darius jumped in shock. He looked at the desk properly and saw a baby turtle walking in the direction of Ovior.

    Ovior smiled softly at it and stroked its back with his index finger.

    ¡°Tu...turtle!¡± Darius stuttered.

    ¡°Darius, you are being overdramatic,¡± Oviormented in a cold voice.

    Darius eximed, ¡°This is a freaking turtle, Ovior! Why are you being so calm?!¡±

    ¡°And why are you shouting?¡± Ovior scoffed. ¡°And this is not freaky. The person who is acting freakish is you.¡±

    ¡°What else do I have to see today?¡± Darius looked around suspiciously. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this one is adopted by you too.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Ovior confirmed.

    ¡°Unbelievable! What am I going to see tomorrow? An elephant?¡±

    ¡°Maybe that won¡¯t be a mad idea. We can always make room for one.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Darius was left speechless.

    He gave his report to Ovior and came out of the office. He met Zinnia in the corridor.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Why do you look like you have seen a ghost?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°Seeing a ghost?¡± Darius let out a humorlessugh. ¡°Just wait a few days. This tower will turn into a zoo.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this already a zoo? It¡¯s a zoo of useless wizards.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about an animal zoo.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    Darius didn¡¯t wait to exin it to her. He wanted to go to his harem.

    That pair of chicken and turtle in the Magic Tower freaked him out.

    The next day, Ovior brought an elephant.

    Darius: ¡°...¡±

    Zinnia: ¡°...¡±

    Ironin: ¡°...¡±

    Veronica stared at Ovior. ¡°Are you sure you want to keep it in the tower and not in the forest?¡±

    ¡°She can go to the forest if she wants. But her real home will be the tower,¡± Ovior stated.

    ¡°Are you sure it wants to call this tower its home?¡± Catherine wondered.

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405: OVIOR ACTING STRANGE

    ¡°Are you sure it wants to call this tower its home?¡± Catherine wondered.

    ¡°Just because this is not your home, doesn¡¯t mean it cannot be my girl¡¯s home,¡± Ovior replied.

    Catherine: ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The elephant is your daughter?¡± Darius was stunned. ¡°I can see the resemnce.¡±

    His biting remark didn¡¯t bother Ovior. He stared at the elephant who was eating leaves from the tree.

    ¡°I will go back to my work.¡± Catherine went back to the tower.

    Later, Veronica asked Arthur, ¡°Did something happen to Ovior? Why is he acting so strange?¡±

    .....

    Arthur was singing some papers. He put down the quill and replied, ¡°That¡¯s because everyone around him is pairing up with someone. No matter how much a workaholic he is, he feels lonely.¡±

    As he reached out his hand, Veronica happily sat on hisp and put her head on his shoulder.

    ¡°Poor him,¡± Veronica pitied Ovior. ¡°I wonder why he doesn¡¯t want to fall in love.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Veronica looked at Arthur who stayed quiet and then stated, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t pester you about someone else¡¯s secret. It¡¯s just I¡¯m too curious.¡±

    Arthur mentioned, ¡°Summer ising soon. You will find out then.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure why I will find out at that time but I¡¯ll wait for summer.¡±

    ¡°Since I gave you a clue, give me a kiss.¡± Arthur pointed at his lips.

    ¡°I would have found out about that even if you didn¡¯t tell me,¡± Veronicained before resigning to his demand.

    The next day, Veronica went to Ovior¡¯s office with Darius and both of them became speechless.

    Ovior was working. He was sitting behind his usual worktable. He was busy as usual.

    However, what made them dumbstruck was a little yellow-colored chick. It was sitting on top of his head.

    ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°Maybe we are dreaming the same dream,¡± Veronica responded.

    Both of their eyes were fixed on the chick.

    The chick was a quiet one. It was sleeping soundly without being disturbed.

    Ovior also kept his head still. He barely moved his head.

    ¡°Is his neck okay?¡± Veronica whispered.

    Darius replied, ¡°Maybe for now, but it won¡¯t be after a few hours.¡±

    ¡°You both realize that I can hear everything that you are saying, right?¡± Ovior stated without looking at them.

    Veronica¡¯s face grew hot in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We brought the billing papers that require your signature.¡±

    ¡°And when did you start working with us? Aren¡¯t you busy with Catherine¡¯s engagement?¡± Ovior inquired.

    Catherine stopped working and looked at Veronica.

    Veronica answered, ¡°Zinnia and Felix went to check the venue. If they are okay with what Cathy chose, we will start preparing tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Sounds fair,¡± Ovior remarked. ¡°Give me the billing papers and thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Darius cleared his throat.

    ¡°Quiet,¡± Ovior hissed. ¡°The baby is sleeping. Don¡¯t disturb her.¡±

    Veronica: ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Darius: ¡°...¡±

    After giving him the papers, Veronica and Darius came out of the office.

    ¡°Is he seriously doing this? Something must have gone wrong with his head,¡± Darius was bewildered.

    Veronica shrugged. ¡°Maybe he is too lonely.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he needs some women,¡± Darius remarked.

    ¡°...¡± Veronica turned to look at him and asked, ¡°Do you dare?¡±

    Darius gulped and then eximed, ¡°Of course not!¡±

    Veronica didn¡¯t have time to think about Ovior anymore. She got busy with Zinnia for Catherine¡¯s engagement ceremony.

    After Zinnia and Felix gave an OK, they started decorating the venue.

    Since they had never done this kind of thing before, the new experience became more enjoyable rather than a burden.

    Veronica brought a box of glitteryces and asked Zinnia, ¡°Where should I put this box?¡±

    ¡°Give them to Ironin. He is decorating the wall,¡± Zinnia replied. She was instructing a magician who was helping them with lighting.

    ¡°All right.¡± Veronica carried the box to Ironin. ¡°Ironin, I brought theces.¡±

    Ironin was struggling with decorating the pirs. ¡°Thank you. Keep it here.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Veronica put down the box and then observed him struggling. ¡°Do you need an assistant?¡±

    Hesitating at first, Ironin replied, ¡°...Yes... Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Veronica helped him to decorate the ce.

    Darius carried six rolled carpets by himself. He dropped them on the floor and then asked, ¡°Zinnia, wouldn¡¯t it be better to hire people to decorate this ce?¡±

    Zinnia replied, ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fun?¡±

    Darius shook his head. ¡°Nah, how many days has it been since Ist saw my beauties? I¡¯m beat.¡±

    Veronica quickly inquired, ¡°What do you mean beauties? Have you forgotten about our bet, Darius?¡±

    Darius froze on the spot.

    The person who was fit up until now began to sweat.

    Zinnia smirked. ¡°I guess he will remember from now on.¡±

    ¡°This is nuts. What did I ever do to deserve this?¡± Darius cried out.

    ¡°You made a move on Ironin¡¯s wife. That¡¯s what happened,¡± Felix reminded him with a smile on his face.

    Darius was pissed. ¡°Why is everyone going against me? Why don¡¯t you all oil your own machine?¡±

    Except for Darius and Ironin, the other threeughed despite being scolded by the strongest andrgest person in the group.

    It was thest day of decorating. After finishing their work, everyone rolled the carpet-covered floor.

    They were exhausted.

    ¡°I never thought my energy would drain after decorating a room,¡± Darius huffed. He was sweating nonstop.

    ¡°This is not a room. This is a hall,¡± Zinnia corrected him. ¡°A huge hall for a couple who was going to be engaged tomorrow.¡±

    Veronica suggested, ¡°I think we should double-check before leaving tonight. Tomorrow noon all the guests wille. We have to dress up in the morning ande here before the guests arrive. We won¡¯t have time to take care of any mess at that time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s do that,¡± Zinnia agreed.

    Then, she added, ¡°I hope Catherine is doing all right. She must be nervous now. I¡¯ll pay her a visit before going to bed.¡±

    Veronica paused before nodding her head. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that. She might needpany to sleep tonight.¡±

    ¡°Whatever man, I still feel sorry for Sebastian. Our poor child.¡±

    As Darius mentioned him, Veronica looked at him.

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the problem?¡± she asked.

    Darius stated, ¡°He proposed to her. He loved her but she hurt him.¡±

    Veronica argued back, ¡°If he truly loved her, why did he hide it? Why didn¡¯t he show it? Why did he pick a fight with her every single time when he talked to her?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how men show their love!¡±

    ¡°Is it true? If Arthur pursued me like that, we would have turned into mortal enemies rather than husband and wife.¡±

    ¡°But he also saved her, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Then should I fall for every single guy who saves me? Maybe women too. How about I fall in love with Zinnia and Ironin because they saved my life twice?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    At Veronica¡¯s logic, Darius shut his mouth. He moved his hand in front of his lips to show that he was zipping his lips.

    Zinnia remarked, ¡°It¡¯s true though. Sebastian saw those two going out already. He should have taken the chance at that time.

    ¡°Catherine openly saw him as a good colleague. She cannot just say ¡®yes¡¯ to him when he abruptly proposes to her.¡±

    Darius said, ¡°But she took a month to think, did she not?¡±

    ¡®Who was going to seal his lips?¡¯ Veronica asked herself in her mind.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t want to reject him outright. Just giving him some face,¡± Zinnia answered.

    She continued, ¡°I mean just think of it. She was already proposed to by her boyfriend and then suddenly came to propose to her.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t used to this time of things. Just think how overwhelmed she was. I bet she didn¡¯t know how to say ¡®no¡¯ to him.

    ¡°First of all, Sebastian is her colleague. Second, those two always fought. Third, she thought of him as nothing more than a bodyguard.¡±

    Darius looked at both Veronica and Zinnia and then remarked, ¡°You two are particrly supporting Catherine. It must be because Catherine is a woman.¡±

    Zinnia red at him. ¡°You think that way because you are too dumb to judge properly. You are only supporting Sebastian because you know him for a long time and not Catherine.¡±

    ¡°All right, you two, stop arguing. Our dinner has arrived,¡± Felix dered.

    The next day, Veronica and Zinnia helped Catherine to dress up.

    ¡°Catherine darling, why don¡¯t you drink some water? You don¡¯t look well. Don¡¯t be nervous, all right?¡±

    Zinnia tried to ease the soon-to-be bride.

    ¡°I think drinking too much water won¡¯t be a good idea.¡± Catherine forced a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin the dress by going to the toilet.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, that too. Howe you didn¡¯t sleep when Veronica was with you? Look at your dark circles.¡±

    Veronica was braiding Catherine¡¯s hair. Hearing Zinnia¡¯sints, she defended her friend, ¡°She drank too much waterst night and kept going to the toilet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is then. Well, once you are ready, let¡¯s go to the venue.¡±

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406: THE ENGAGEMENT

    Spring hade.

    The weather was hot. The warm breeze carried the scent of flowers. Flowers bloomed everywhere.

    The dead season was gone.

    A new beginning for the world.

    And so for a couple.

    Wearing a baby blue colored gown and a flower crown, Catherine stood beside Vincent. The couple was smiling at the guests.

    Aside from Vincent¡¯s rtives and Catherine¡¯s colleagues from the Magic Tower no one else was invited.

    .....

    Looking at the magicians of the Magic Tower such as Ovior and Arthur, Vincent asked, ¡°Catherine, are they from the pce?¡±

    ¡°No, they work for the pce. They have houses to live in.¡±

    ¡°What about that huge guy?¡± Vincent stared at Darius who wasughing hard at Felix¡¯s joke. ¡°He was a customer. That¡¯s one thing. But in our engagement ceremony? Why?¡±

    Catherine answered, ¡°He is my best friend¡¯s teacher. That¡¯s how we got to know him.¡±

    ¡°What does he teach? This huge guy doesn¡¯t teach history, does he?¡±

    Catherine shortly replied, ¡°Martial arts.¡±

    Vincent was startled as he wasn¡¯t expecting the answer. ¡°...Oh! I didn¡¯t know your friend knew how to fight. I¡¯ve noticed many women in the capital city are fighters. If I didn¡¯t see them fighting with my very own eyes, I would have never believed women were strong.¡±

    ¡°Ver is strong too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are stronger.¡±

    ¡°If I got against her, I¡¯d be beaten up.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about just your physical strength. Mental strength is the biggest support a human can have.¡±

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you acting like a learned man.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I have a pretty woman beside me. I¡¯m bing wiser.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a smooth talker?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I can¡¯t take my eyes off you.¡±

    ¡°You look handsome today too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t I look handsome other times?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°You are always handsome in my eyes.¡± Then, Catherine repeated back the same question. ¡°What about me? Don¡¯t I look pretty other times?¡±

    ¡°Catherine, you look gorgeous no matter what you wear.¡±

    ¡°Such a glib tongue.¡±

    While the couple was sweetly bickering at each other, someone approached them with a bouquet.

    ¡°Congrattions to you both. Can¡¯t wait for your wedding.¡± Veronica hugged Catherine as she wished her.

    ¡°Thank you, Ver.¡± Catherine beamed when she saw her. She took the bouquet from her. ¡°Thank you for the flowers. Where were you all this time? I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere. I was so nervous when I had to greet Vincent¡¯s rtives.¡±

    Veronica exined, ¡°I went to check the kitchen if the lunch was prepared. Everything is fine. The chef is professional. Your special meal has been prepared too. You will be surprised when you see it.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait.¡± Catherine grinned ear to ear.

    Vincent said, ¡°Thank you, Miss Veronica. I like how you and Catherine¡¯s other friends decorated the hall and managed everything on your own. I should have assisted you.¡±

    Veronica gently responded, ¡°Hush! This is our gift to you and Cathy. I¡¯m d you liked it. The wedding ceremony will be held at your ce, right? We will be sure to help you out.¡±

    Vincent started to see Veronica in a new light. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you. It¡¯s an amazing friend. I¡¯ll remember it forever.¡±

    Veronica smiled beautifully. ¡°You sure you do and treat my friend like a queen. Or I wille after you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared now.¡± Vincentughed along with her.

    After they stoppedughing, Veronica told them, ¡°I¡¯ll go and check on your rtives. We will make sure they arefortable. So Cathy, you have nothing to worry about. Greet everyone with your lovely smile.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡± Catherine brightly smiled at her.

    After that, Veronica was going to talk to Vincent¡¯s parents when she overheard what his mother was saying to her rtives.

    ¡°She works in the Pce. She is polite and has a good upbringing. She was too shy to look at us when we first met her.¡±

    Upon hearing what Vincent¡¯s mother said, the female rtives around her age shared their opinion.

    ¡°Is it okay to have a working daughter-inw? She will make you work day and night.¡±

    ¡°What if she treats you like a servant and takes all the property?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you who should control your daughter-inw. Why are you letting her do as she pleases? If she marries, she has to serve her inws, not Imperial Pce!¡±

    Veronica stepped forward and cleared her throat.

    The women were all startled when she did it. They gave her a suspicious look.

    Veronica gently smiled at Catherine¡¯s future mother-inw and approached her.

    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not bothering you. I¡¯m Veronica. I grew up with Catherine. I¡¯m sure you are skeptical about her character since you don¡¯t know her well, but I¡¯m sure you know at least this much that Holy Temple doesn¡¯t allow ill-mannered children.

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t havee today either if they thought she was such a girl who stole someone else¡¯s money. She works for the Pce. If she had a character problem, she wouldn¡¯t be able to work there.

    ¡°Moreover, Cathy said that you were a wise mother. I hope you are wise enough to judge a person on your own rather than listen to people who never met her. The lunch is ready. Please have your lunch in the dining hall.¡±

    Afterward, she once again smiled politely at everyone. However, her eyes scanned each of their faces to recognize them for the future.

    Vincent¡¯s mother and the rest of the women¡¯s faces turned ck.

    Later, she sat in between Arthur and Zinnia and told them what happened.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe they assumed Cathy is a cruel person. How can they speak like that without knowing anything? This is simply uneptable!¡±

    She was beyond frustrated.

    ¡°Rtives can be like that. Trust me. I love the speech you gave them.¡± Zinnia winked at her. She didn¡¯t seem to be affected.

    Veronica was surprised. ¡°Did you hear what I said? I¡¯m sure this seat is far from there.¡±

    Zinnia elegantly smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not just ears you always need to use. Your eyes and imagination too. I read your lips.¡±

    While the girls were talking, Darius came forward. ¡°You guys don¡¯t know what I just saw. Do you want to know what just happened?¡±

 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407: YOU PROMISED

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t know what I just saw. Do you want to know what just happened?¡±

    Darius seemed excited when he came to them.

    Veronica, Arthur and Zinnia turned to face him.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Arthur inquired.

    Darius told them, ¡°You know the pregnant bitch who imed the child was yours came today. She was with Vincent¡¯s people.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Veronica stood up. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°She is talking to a woman. She is friendly with them,¡± Darius narrated what he had seen.

    .....

    ¡°Show me the way,¡± Veronica demanded.

    While Darius took Veronica to Betty, Arthur instructed Zinnia, ¡°Go with her.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡± Zinnia took a ss of champagne with her before going after Veronica.

    Veronica went to the dining hall where Felix was taking care of Vincent¡¯s rtives who were having a meal.

    ¡°There she is. Right beside the old hag,¡± Darius muttered.

    ¡°The old hag you mentioned is none other than Vincent¡¯s mother,¡± Veronica responded in a low voice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know who she was. She looks like an old hag, so I called her old hag. If you didn¡¯t think of her as an old hag, why did you think I was talking about Vincent¡¯s mother, not the other women besides the pregnant bitch?¡±

    What Darius said was so urate that it took away Veronica¡¯s remaining words.

    Clearing her throat, she stepped forward.

    Giving her most professional smile, she said, ¡°Miss Betty, such a pleasant surprise. What brings you here?¡±

    Betty looked at her. She was startled by Veronica¡¯s sudden arrival.

    Vincent¡¯s mother red at Veronica. ¡°She is one of us. What? Now you are going to attack us when we did nothing wrong?¡±

    ¡®She must be upset because I told her rtives off at that time.¡¯ Veronica kept her lips stretched. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. We knew each other and weren¡¯t in touch for a while. I¡¯m surprised to see her here.¡±

    She looked at Betty and asked with a smile, ¡°I was expecting a letter from you, Betty. How¡¯s your health?¡±

    She purposely looked down at Betty¡¯s stomach.

    Betty¡¯s face paled. She subconsciously hid her stomach.

    Vincent¡¯s mother suspiciously nced at Betty and then Veronica. ¡®They do seem to know each other. I guess I was being rude. I can¡¯t believe I keep losing face to Catherine¡¯s friend. What will happen if she badmouths me to Catherine?¡¯

    Thinking about all that, Vincent¡¯s mother softly said, ¡°You two must have many things to catch up on. You can talk more after lunch. We will wait until you are done.¡±

    Veronica was all smiles. ¡°Thank you. Please enjoy the lunch.¡±

    After lunch, Betty washed her hand and went to the hall. She stared at Catherine and Vincent¡¯s happy faces.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are jealous of them,¡± Veronica stood behind her as she spoke.

    Without looking back, Betty smirked at her words. ¡°Do you think only you have the right to be happy and I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Everyone deserves to be happy,¡± Veronica stated, ¡°but not by hurting others. If you think you can be happy by forcing your way on others, then it¡¯s wrong.¡±

    Betty turned around and faced her. Her eyes were burning. ¡°Why can¡¯t I have what other people have? I know Arthur more than you ever know.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then after so long, why did he not choose you? I¡¯m sure you two had plenty of time to get along.¡± Veronica tilted her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he has no interest in you whatsoever?¡±

    It was like rubbing salt on the wound. Betty opened her mouth to shout when someone stood behind Veronica.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to create a scene here,¡± Arthur coldly warned her. ¡°{I first let you go because you are someone close to Trevor. But I won¡¯t let it go twice. Since you know me so well, you must know what I do when I get mad.¡±

    Betty¡¯s face turned pale. She knew he wasn¡¯t giving her an empty threat. He meant every word he said.

    Veronica told her, ¡°You need to leave, Betty. No matter who you sleep and get pregnant with, it¡¯s none of our business.¡±

    Betty rebuked in a low voice, ¡°...I slept with Arthur and that¡¯s the absolute truth.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°You can keep lying but my friends already saw you with another man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I swear upon my child it was Arthur,¡± Betty hissed.

    ¡°Is she that desperate to swear upon her unborn child?¡¯ Veronica wondered.

    In the end, she said, ¡°Then give birth to the child and prove that it¡¯s Arthur¡¯s child.¡±

    ¡°!!!¡± Arthur was stunned. He looked at his wife.

    She added, ¡°If the child looks like Arthur, we will let you live in the tower.¡±

    ¡°Nica!¡± Arthur grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Betty.

    Betty was smiling as she saw Arthur dragging her away. ¡°You promised.¡±

    Arthur brought Veronica to the corner and asked, ¡°Why did you say that?¡± His golden orbs were flicking.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t understand his anger. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? The child won¡¯t be yours anyway. There is no way it will look like you.¡±

    Arthur shook his head as he couldn¡¯t make her understand. ¡°But she can use magic to change the child¡¯s appearance.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Veronica shrugged. ¡°You are the Master of the Magic Tower. Can anything get past you?¡±

    ¡°There are magic spells that cannot be detected.¡±

    ¡°If the child looks like you, you know she used magic. It doesn¡¯t matter whether it can be detected or not.¡±

    ¡°But if she will go around and tell everyone about it. No one trusts me more than you. Everyone will me you saying you are the worst Mistress of the Magic Tower who won¡¯t let an infant stay with its father.¡±

    Arthur was desperate to make her understand.

    ¡°If being a good person is a weakness, I can be the bad guy. No one can take advantage of that.¡±

    Veronica smiled at him brilliantly.

    Arthur stared at her lovely smile. This was the smile where he lost himself again and again.

    ¡°You know I can tolerate anyone badmouthing me, but not you. I cannot stand it if others say hurtful things about you.¡±

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408: INVITATION

    ¡°You know I can tolerate anyone badmouthing me, but not you. I cannot stand it if others say hurtful things about you.¡±

    The back of Arthur¡¯s long finger stroked her soft cheek. He added, ¡°You are not allowed to get hurt because of me.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She stared at her husband before pushing his chest.

    ¡°What are you doing in front of people? We are outside!¡± she whispered with a flushed face.

    ¡°Who cares what we do? We are married. No one will bother us. Want to check this out?¡±

    Arthur pulled her closer and kissed her lips.

    ¡°!!!¡± Veronica¡¯s heart jumped in nervousness. She struggled to get away from him in fear of who was watching andbeling them as a shameless couple.

    .....

    No matter how much she struggled, Arthur didn¡¯t let her go. He yfully bit her lower lip, causing her to gasp in surprise. He took this chance to venture into her mouth.

    She tried to fight back but his deep kisses were mesmerizing.

    Whenever she tried to pull her tongue away from his grasp, he twirled his tongue with her and rubbed them gently. It gave her a ticklish sensation, causing her to focus on his kiss.

    Soon, she forgot she was in the hall around many guests.

    ¡°Look at them. It feels like they are in their own world and we are living in their world. Sigh! I¡¯m so envious.¡± Darius stared at the couple with jealousy in his eyes.

    ¡°What are you so bitter about? It¡¯s not like you are someone lonely,¡± Zinniamented as she stood beside him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been lovely almost every night thanks to someone busy flirting with her husband,¡± Darius scoffed, who was in absolute misery. ¡°Such a witch!¡±

    Zinnia chuckled. ¡°Easy cowboy. Don¡¯t curse her or the head-over-heels husband of hers won¡¯t spare you another day.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know. But who will apany me at night from now on? Sigh! I¡¯ll be a hermit like this.¡± Darius¡¯s shoulders dropped.

    ¡°If you be a hermit, I¡¯ll be a saint.¡± Felix came forward with two champagne sses and offered one to Darius. Then, he added, ¡°And you will have to pray to me.¡±

    Darius gave him a grossed look. ¡°That would be a nightmare.¡±

    Felix stated, ¡°Then don¡¯t mention anything about you being a hermit. Hermits will oppose it.¡±

    ¡°Hermits like you?¡± Zinnia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whom I should think of hermits anymore. I thought Ironin was a hermit until I got to know he had a wife.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which I don¡¯t see Ironin. Where did he go? Wasn¡¯t he here minutes ago?¡± Darius looked around.

    ¡°He went out saying he had some urgent business to deal with,¡± Felix replied. ¡°His expression didn¡¯t look well. I hope it¡¯s nothing serious.¡±

    ¡°Speak of the devil.¡± Zinnia raised her chin at the door, making others look in that direction.

    Ironin came inside with a deep frown.

    Looking at his grave expression, Zinnia asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±

    Upon hearing her question, Ironin¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°My wife... she invited you all.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Darius, who was leaning against the wall, straightened up. ¡°Wait. What? Your wife invited us?! Where? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s your ce.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Ironin quietly turned toward him. His cold eyes pierced Darius¡¯s heart as if he was warning him ¨C no funny business.

    Darius raised his hands to surrender like an innocent man.

    Zinnia raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal? You won¡¯t tell us you got married and suddenly an invitation? Is this a bribe to stop us from pestering you about your wife?¡±

    ¡°No...¡± Ironin grimaced. ¡°Juste to my house next weekend. She wants to meet you all.¡±

    Darius: ¡°...¡±

    Zinnia: ¡°...¡±

    Felix: ¡°...¡±

    It was the first time they heard him talk this long. They were astonished.

    ¡°Hey, what are you talking about?¡±

    Veronica came running to them. She was all flustered. It looked like she ran away from her husband.

    Arthur followed her from behind. His steps were slow. He had a satisfied smile on his face.

    Felix stated, ¡°Ironin is inviting us into his house. His wife wants to treat us to a meal.¡±

    ¡°Is that true, Ironin?¡± The unexpected news made Veronica surprised and happy at the same time.

    ¡°...Yes.¡± As usual, his reply was curt.

    ¡°How can you invite us with a sour expression. It¡¯s like you don¡¯t want us there,¡± Dariusined.

    ¡°It could be right. Maybe he doesn¡¯t want you near his wife. I can understand his worry.¡± Zinnia winked at him.

    Darius responded, ¡°I swear I will act like a hermit at Ironin¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡°Did you just swear?¡± Veronica wanted tough.

    ¡°I cross my heart and hope to die.¡± Darius ced a hand on his chest.

    ¡°He is serious. Look at that.¡± Even Zinnia was astonished.

    ¡°Darius is bing more serious day by day. This isn¡¯t like you, pal.¡± Felix patted his shoulder.

    ¡°What do you know about my misery?¡± Darius red at him.

    ¡°He is learning well from me. Don¡¯t you think so, Nica?¡± Arthur hugged Veronica from behind and kissed her cheek.

    ¡°Oh, stop!¡± Veronica pushed his face away. Her face grew hot due to his actions.

    ¡°Get a room you two,¡± Darius grimaced. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she is making out in public while she stopped me from having fun. This loneliness is the worst!¡¯

    ¡°We can actually do that. We will leave everything to you,¡± saying that Arthur carried his wife in his arms.

    ¡°A-Arthur!¡± Veronica yelled in surprise.

    In the blink of an eye, they disappeared.

    Arthur teleported to the Magic Tower.

    ¡°Did he seriously just do that?¡± Darius looked around hurriedly. ¡°I hope Vincent¡¯s rtives didn¡¯t notice.

    ¡°Who cares if they find out Arthur is a magician. Most of the citizens in Tybu are magicians.¡± Zinnia wasn¡¯t worried.

    ¡°I hope not.¡± Felix looked at Ironin. ¡°So, next week, we are going to your ce. You won¡¯t change your mindter, will you?¡±

    ¡°...No.¡± Ironin eyed Darius before leaving the premise.

    ¡°Did he just...¡± Darius stared at Ironin¡¯s back. He was speechless.

    ¡°Give up. You made a move on his beloved wife. He won¡¯t forgive you easily.¡± Zinnia pinched his left butt.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Darius cried out with a small jump.

    The next week, as promised, they went to Ironin¡¯s house.

 Chapter 409

    Chapter 409: GOSSIP-GUY

    Veronica came out of the carriage and looked at the huge mansion in the west territory of Tybu.

    Ovior, Zinnia, Darius, Felix, Sebastian and most certainly the host himself came out of the long carriage.

    Arthur teleported them to the western territory.

    They looked at the pce before them. It was huge enough topete with the Royal Pce of Tybu.

    In front of the pce was a wide green valley. Behind the pce was thergest rose garden Veronica had ever seen.

    ¡°Wait a second. This ce looks familiar,¡± Darius mentioned all of a sudden.

    ¡°Did youe here before?¡± Veronica asked him.

    .....

    ¡°No, but I heard from an informant about thergest rose garden in Tybu. I think this is the ce. This is the western territory, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Correct. This is indeed thergest rose garden in the world,¡± Arthur admitted.

    Darius stated, ¡°But then, this ce belongs to the Murderous Mad Duke!¡±

    ¡°Murderous Mad Duke? Sounds ominous.¡± Veronica touched her chest.

    Darius went into the gossip mood. ¡°There is a reason behind it. He is the cruelest man at war. He mercilessly kills his opponent. He is super swift. Also, there is other news about his cruelty.

    ¡°He kidnapped a noblewoman and kept her captive in his castle. He didn¡¯t want her to die in boredom. So, he asked the gardeners to make a rose garden so that she could watch the roses from the room she was locked into.¡±

    ¡°How ferocious? What about the girl¡¯s family? The poor girl must be scared.¡± Veronica was sympathetic.

    ¡°Of course, the woman¡¯s family and her fianc¨¦¡¯s family came to rescue her but who could win against the murderous Mad Duke?¡±

    Veronica gasped in shock. ¡°Oh, no! She was engaged?! What a vicious duke!¡±

    ¡°At least the woman¡¯s family members were untouched. They were just slightly injured.¡±

    ¡°So, he went easy on them because of the girl then. But why does it matter? She is still held captive.¡±

    Veronica stared at the rose garden from afar and then looked down.

    After hearing the story from Darius, the rose garden didn¡¯t look appealing anymore.

    Arthur looked at her expression and pulled her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. The Murderous Mad Duke isn¡¯t as bad as you think.¡±

    Veronica raised her head to see his face. ¡°But is it a lie that he kidnapped a girl who was engaged?¡±

    Arthur¡¯s reply was ratherte. ¡°...It¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°Then he is a bad guy, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°There is always a reason behind one¡¯s actions. Let¡¯s not judge people by what idiots have to say,¡± Ovior calmly said as he walked past them.

    ¡°Hey! Who are you calling idiots?¡± Darius yelled from behind.

    ¡°Someone knows that he is an idiot,¡± Ovior muttered.

    ¡°Hey!!¡±

    Darius strode forward and suddenly halted in his tracks as the main doors of the castle opened.

    A fifty-year-old man came out wearing a formal uniform. Behind him were maids in two rows. Everyone was bowing their heads.

    ¡°Master, wee home.¡± The butler bowed toward Ironin.

    Veronica: ¡°...¡±

    Darius: ¡°!!!¡±

    Zinnia: ¡°...¡±

    Felix: ¡°???¡±

    Sebastian: ¡°... ... ...¡±

    Five pairs of eyes turned toward Ironin. Ironin walked forward and gave a small nod to the butler.

    Darius finally found his voice back, ¡°No way, Ironin is the Murderous Mad Duk- kuff!¡±

    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence since Zinnia elbowed the lower left of his chest. Her elbow hit his lower ribcage and it throbbed.

    Veronica turned into stone. Arthur noticed that and hid his smile. He touched her hand and pulled her forward. ¡°Come.¡±

    They went inside. Veronica looked up and held her breath. It was a breathless sight. She had never seen such gorgeous interior design in her entire life.

    The inside of the castle was made of white and gray marble stones. All decorated picture frames, showpieces, chandeliers, light holders, and statues were made of gold.

    Except for having a chessboard-designed marble floor, the carpet was pure ck Kashmir. The edges of the carpet were embroidered with golden fiber.

    The butler smiled warmly at the guests and said, ¡°Wee, esteemed guests. You are precious friends of our Master. Our Master may not have said it but he is very happy to have you here and so are we. We have heard so many stories about you.¡±

    ¡°You heard about us?¡± Zinnia took a quick nce at Ironin who was still walking. ¡°There is no way Ironin told you about us.¡±

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t but I did.¡± The blond-haired woman came down the stairs with a sweet smile on her face.

    She was the same woman Darius flirted with andter got hit by Ironin.

    Ironin¡¯s wife.

    And...

    ¡°The kidnapped bride...¡± Darius whispered.

    Veronica gulped. She was the Murderous Mad Duke aka Ironin¡¯s bride who was someone else¡¯s would-be wife, but he kidnapped her and imprisoned her.

    The ¡®kidnapped bride¡¯ hugged Ironin and kissed his face.

    The so-called kidnapped fianc¨¦e of someone else didn¡¯t seem to be held captive at all.

    Those who didn¡¯t know their real rtionship stared at them with dumbstruck expressions.

    ¡°Wait! Ironin, didn¡¯t you kidnap her? Why are you two so lovey-dovey?¡±

    Darius couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity and shot his mouth.

    The gorgeous womanughed when she heard his question while Ironin turned around and red at him.

    Thedy replied, ¡°That¡¯s a long story. You will be hearing the storyter on. Wee to our house. I¡¯ve wanted to meet you all for a long time. In the end, the opportunity came. I¡¯m so d that I can finally invite you to our house. Please make yourself at home.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for having us.¡± Veronica came forward with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Veronica.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Jte. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Veronica.¡± Lady Jte gave her a slight bow.

    Veronica hurriedly stated, ¡°Oh, please call me Veronica. No need for formalities between us.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, Veronica. Call me Jte as well.¡±

    Zinnia came forward and introduced herself, ¡°Jte, I¡¯m-¡±

    ¡°Zinnia, I know.¡± Lady Jte sweetly smiled at them. Her blue eyes curved like a pair of half-moons. ¡°And you must be Ovior, Arthur, Felix, Sebastian and... Darius. Did I get your names correctly?¡±

    At her urate answer, everyone was stunned.

    ¡°How?!¡±

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410: LADY JENETTE

    ¡°And you must be Ovior, Arthur, Felix, Sebastian and... Darius. Did I get your names correctly?¡±

    Lady Jte smiled mischievously.

    ¡®Hmm? She looks familiar but why?¡¯ Veronica squinted her eyes.

    Lady Jte¡¯s facial expression seemed overly familiar as if she had seen this kind of familiarity of voice before.

    ¡°How?¡± Darius stared at her as though dumbstruck. He looked at Ironin in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you told your wife about us? You always show disinterest but you are soft-hearted toward us, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ironin didn¡¯t bother to look at him.

    Lady Jte chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not it. Why don¡¯t I show you how I know about all of you, Mr. yboy?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Pff!¡± Felix didn¡¯t hide hisughter.

    ¡°Nicely said,¡± Zinnia smirked while approving the nickname.

    Darius gulped. He didn¡¯t like others tarnishing his name in front of a beautifuldy.

    ¡°Dearest Lady Jte, I¡¯m sure there was a huge misunderstanding. You see the silver-haired woman beside you. she instigated me to bet on whether I can make you fall for me or not. I¡¯m innocent!¡±

    Veronica¡¯s jaw dropped at his desperate plea.

    ¡®Did he just me everything on me?¡¯

    She couldn¡¯t believe how shameless he was.

    ¡°No matter how much you push your me on Veronica, we were there, you know.¡± Zinnia clicked her tongue and shook her head. The right corner of her lips was stretched up.

    ¡°What are you selling me for?¡± Darius hissed at her.

    Lady Jte chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you guys are exactly how my husband described. I always imagined how it would have been if you were interacting with each other. This is funnier than I imagined. Shall we go upstairs?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we shall,¡± Veronica agreed.

    Ironin and Lady Jte took them to the second floor living room. Their hands were intertwined as they walked with Arthur and Veronica.

    Lady Jte described each room as they walked in the corridor.

    Veronica said, ¡°I really want to see the rose garden you have, Jte. I heard that it¡¯s the biggest rose garden in the entire world.¡±

    Lady Jte replied, ¡°It is. I love red roses. So, Ironin hired gardeners to grow roses in the back of the castle. They have been taking care of the rose garden till now. We decided to have a pic at 10 o¡¯clock in the rose garden. How about that?¡±

    Veronica¡¯s face beamed. ¡°Splendid!¡±

    ¡°Anyhow, I was wondering. Where is your best friend?¡± Lady Jte inquired. ¡°Her name is Catherine if I remember correctly.¡±

    Felix secretly nced at Sebastian.

    Sebastian had a cid expression. No one could guess what he was thinking judging by his face.

    Veronica awkwardly smiled. ¡°She is thankful for your invitation but she had a prior date.¡±

    She didn¡¯t tell her that Catherine didn¡¯t want toe anywhere close to Sebastian. She just couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Is it like this? That¡¯s too bad. I wish I could meet her. I wanted to go to the Magic Tower many times but Ironin won¡¯t allow it,¡± Lady Jte childishlyined.

    Veronica was startled. Once again, she had a feeling that she met Lady Jte before.

    ¡°That ce is no good,¡± Ironin stated with a poker face.

    ¡°It looks like Ironin does keep her wife as a prisoner,¡± Oviormented.

    Ironin red at him but he said nothing.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true at all,¡± Lady Jte defended her husband. ¡°I can go anywhere whenever I want except for the Magic Tower. I¡¯m not sure why he said so but I really want to go there. I want to know where he stays with his friends.¡±

    Zinnia confirmed, ¡°He has a luxurious room like any one of us. We all stay on the same floor. Our room structures are simr. We have fancy meals every day. It¡¯s a better ce than a pce.¡±

    ¡°Then, I should be able to go there, right honey?¡± Lady Jte looked at her husband.

    Normally, others wouldn¡¯t react to this kind of pet name. However, it was Ironin they were talking about.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes fixed on him when he was called ¡®honey¡¯ sweetly by his wife.

    Ironin suddenly felt very hot. Blood rushed over his face. He scratched his left ear awkwardly and told her, ¡°It¡¯ll be better if you don¡¯t go. Bad people are all over that ce.¡±

    ¡®That I cannot deny. I still haven¡¯t found anything yet,¡¯ Zinnia thought. ¡®If I could catch the person who was behind leaking the information regarding Veronica, that would ease my mind.¡¯

    ¡°As long as no one knows her identity, that¡¯s fine,¡± Ovior shared his thoughts. ¡°However, anyone acquainted with Veronica or us could be targeted. We have enemies everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Is that how it is?¡± Lady Jte¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Then, how do you all live there let alone sleep in peace?¡±

    Felix smiled amicably. ¡°That¡¯s because we are powerful enough to take care of ourselves. Plus, no one would dare to harm us in our domain. If they do, they just have suicide wish.¡±

    ¡°Even so...¡± Lady Jte looked at her husband in concern.

    ¡°Oh...hoho... don¡¯t give him that look.¡± Darius shook his hand. ¡°No one will be able to give him a single scratch, let alone a blow. They will wind up dead before they could step any closer. Don¡¯t underestimate your husband¡¯s murderous... hkk!¡±

    After being elbowed by Zinnia once again, he shut up.

    Zinnia covered her mouth and snickered, ¡°Don¡¯t mind his words. I¡¯m not sure if Ironin ever told you this ¨C our Darius cracked his head in childhood. Sometimes, he mixes up people.¡±

    Lady Jte was quizzically looking at Zinnia and Darius. She couldn¡¯t understand why Zinnia kept attacking the yboy whenever he mentioned something about ¡®murder¡¯.

    ¡®Are they trying to hide something from me?¡¯ Suspicion arose in Lady Jte¡¯s heart.

    However, Zinnia was a professional seductress. There was nothing she couldn¡¯t do to melt a person¡¯s heart.

    Lady Jte was no different. She smiled at Zinnia and brushed off her suspicion.

    The maids prepared a perfect pic for them. While admiring the red roses, Veronica inquired, ¡°I was wondering how you two met. There is a rumor about Ironin that he kidnap[ed you and forcefully married you. Is that true?¡±

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411: MURDEROUS MAD DUKE AND HIS LADY

    ¡°I was wondering how you two met. There is a rumor about Ironin that he kidnaped you and forcefully married you. Is that true?¡±

    At Veronica¡¯s question, others looked at Lady Jte who was sitting beside Ironin.

    Thinking it was a bit rude, Veronica quickly added, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude. It¡¯s just Ironin is close to everywhere here and we were almost flipped by him when we found out you were his wife. We heard about him kidnapping his bride and so we got even more curious about your adventurous love rtionship.¡±

    Upon hearing her words, Lady Jte bashfully lowered her eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Ironin told her.

    They were gathered around a round silver table. Snacks and rose tea were being served by the butlers in silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. There is nothing to hide,¡± she assured him. She looked at everyone before she started her story.

    .....

    ¡°It is true that he abducted me. However, it¡¯s not that he forcefully married me. I married him willingly. My family tried to sell me to a count to get something in return. So, our engagement was just pure business.

    ¡°After I turned sixteen, I went to the pce for my debut. That¡¯s when I met Ironin for the first time. He is known as Duke Leonel. I fell in love with him at first sight. And it was me who went to talk to him.¡±

    Lady Jte looked at Ironin with a mischievous gaze. ¡°I guess it is love at first sight for him as well.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Ironin lowered his head and focused on the piece of cake in front of him.

    He could remember the time vividly.

    It was a morous evening. Even so, everything looked dull in his eyes.

    With a bored expression, he stood on the balcony with a ss of red wine.

    He was thinking about living after greeting the King.

    That¡¯s when a timid, nervous and yet a curious sixteen year olddy came to greet him.

    Ironin was only twenty one that year.

    ¡°H-hello... I¡¯m Jte. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.¡±

    She was an elegantdy. Her voice was soft. It went in his ears and created a ripple in his chest.

    The moment his eyesnded on the beautifuldy in front of him, his heart was knotted with hers.

    Unable to take the breathtaking view, he only gazed at her.

    Under his intense stare, sixteen year old Lady Jte was about to melt.

    Not being able to withstand his gaze, she opened her mouth, ¡°If I bothered you, I apologize. I¡¯ll leave.¡±

    She quickly turned and was ready to leave.

    However, her hand was caught by a cold hand.

    ¡°Wait,¡± a cool voice touched her ears. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±

    Lady Jte looked at him. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know Your Grace? You are Duke Leonel. You are the youngest Duke in Tybu. You are quite famous.¡±

    Ironin quietly stared at her.

    He knew very well what he was famous for. People, who couldn¡¯t control him and wanted the dukedom from him but failed, spread malicious rumors about him.

    During the border war, he protected hisnd all by himself. The King or other nobles didn¡¯te to assist him during his worst time.

    He fought enemies and killed them mercilessly. He cut ties with those greedy, useless nobles and kept a distance from the King.

    That¡¯s when rumors around him spread. Where he was supposed to be called a hero and a savior, he was called a monster.

    A Murderous Mad Duke.

    However, he cared less about what people had to say about him.

    He had a life. He performed his duties. Other times, he would spend his time reading books, hunting or doing other activities.

    Outsiders were nothing to him. They carried no values in his eyes.

    Tonight¡¯s ball was something he was forced to attend. If the Head Butler of his didn¡¯t pressure him toe, he would enjoy his evening in the library.

    Aftering here, he noticed people¡¯s disapproving gazes. He didn¡¯t bother as he knew their reaction. So, he chose a quiet ce to enjoy the moonlight.

    However, a sixteen year old noble girl came to talk to him.

    It was the first time.

    And she caught his eyes.

    So, he couldn¡¯t let her go when she decided to go back inside. He became curious if she knew him.

    ¡°Normally, people avoid me,¡± he said.

    He wanted to say ¨C you are different from them.

    ¡°That¡¯s because they care more about rumors than the real story. I¡¯m not illiterate, Your Grace. I read newspapers. I know how much you contributed to saving your people and keeping them happy. It¡¯s really admirable.¡±

    Her words were something he never heard before.

    Something struck his heart and he felt a unique sensation but he didn¡¯t know what to name such emotion.

    For the first time, something piqued his interest.

    ¡°Which house are you from Lady Jte?¡± he asked out of curiosity.

    Lady Jte replied, ¡°House of Cromwell, Your Grace.¡±

    ¡°You can call me by my name,¡± Ironin corrected her.

    ¡°... Shall I call you... Lionel?¡±

    Not used to calling a person by name, she hesitated.

    ¡°Ironin.¡±

    ¡°Ironin?¡± Lady Jte was confused. ¡°But isn¡¯t your name...¡±

    If it was other times, Ironin wouldn¡¯t exin the details. However, this time he thought he had to tell her.

    ¡°Lionel is my formal name. Ironin is my nickname.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s a wonderful name...¡±

    ¡®Calling the Duke by his name? Is that okay?¡¯ Lady Jte wondered.

    From then on, they began to exchange letters. The more they wrote letters, the more they opened up to each other.

    Due to Ironin¡¯s work, he could barely attend balls. So, they could only meet twice a year.

    Even so, he never forgot to send her a gift. Each month, he would send her diary or ink or a set of quill or books.

    Lady Jte also sent him gifts asionally. She sent him a handkerchief or belt sewed by her or a small dagger.

    Everything was peaceful but one day an incident changed everything.

 Chapter 412

    Chapter 412: HER ANSWER

    It had been two years since Lady Jte and Ironin started exchanging letters.

    Count Cromwell suddenly dered during lunch, ¡°Jte, your engagement is in a month. Your fianc¨¦ wants to take you to his grandma¡¯s house. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have any objection.¡±

    Lady Jte froze on the spot. ¡°I heard his grandma lives far away. It could be a week¡¯s trip.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What of it?¡± Count Cromwell didn¡¯t understand her point.

    Lady Jte hesitantly stated, ¡°Going on a trip with a man before engagement...¡±

    Count Cromwell frowned. ¡°So what? You two are getting married anyway. What¡¯s the problem with going out with him? He is trustworthy.¡±

    ¡®Trustworthy...¡¯ Lady Jte¡¯s fingered tightly held the spoon.

    .....

    She could still remember how her ¡®trustworthy¡¯ fianc¨¦ looked at her. He never hid his lust when he was with her.

    Just thinking about his gaze sent chills down her spine.

    She didn¡¯t want to go but she couldn¡¯t refuse either.

    Her lips quivered as she opened her mouth, ¡°...I understand.¡±

    That night, she wrote a letter to Ironin.

    Ironin got the letter two dayster. He was sitting under a tree when the messenger bird gave him the letter.

    As if he was anticipating the letter, he quickly opened the letter.

    After reading for a while, he knitted his eyebrows. His warm eyes turned cold.

    He stood up and headed to his pce.

    When he was in his room, the Head Butler entered the room. ¡°Master, I¡¯vee to inform you... are you going somewhere?¡±

    He looked at his master who was changing clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out for a few days. If somethinges up, take care of it on your own.¡± After draping the ck cape around him, he went to the stable.

    He mounted on his favorite stallion and rode out.

    Lady Jte went to his fianc¨¦¡¯s grandmother¡¯s house.

    Her fianc¨¦ is another Count¡¯s son. His name was Wilhelm.

    ¡°Grandmother, this is Jte, my Jte,¡± Wilhelm introduced Lady Jte to his grandmother. ¡°Jte, meet my grandmother.¡±

    ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± Lady Jte bowed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you that before I met you, it felt like I was going to meet someone close to me.¡±

    The grandmother didn¡¯t say anything in reply. Her judgmental eyes scanned her top to bottom.

    ¡°Hmm. So, you are Count Cromwell¡¯s daughter. Countess Cromwell gave birth to a beautiful daughter. I hope you can give birth to a beautiful great-grandson.¡±

    Her stern apathetic voice made Lady Jte shiver.

    They all cared about an heir. No one thought about how she felt.

    As if her feelings were irrelevant.

    A noble or amoner, a woman wasn¡¯t viewed as a human.

    Lady Jte couldn¡¯t feel good even though she came to a wonderful ce surrounded by nature.

    Her heart was empty. Her right hand was itching to write a letter to Ironin.

    However, she couldn¡¯t let others know that she had a penfriend.

    Later, Wilhelm came to talk to her in the garden.

    ¡°Did you hear what grandmother said? She wants a beautiful great-grandson. You have to work hard for it.¡±

    He gave her a lustful gaze as he stated his mind. Slowly, he stepped forward.

    Lady Jte subconsciously stepped back. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Wilhelm didn¡¯t stop at her question.

    ¡°Did you not hear what I just said? You have to work hard for it. You need to show how good you are at it. You need to show that you are willing, Jte.¡±

    Lady Jte suddenly felt scared. She became cautious and stepped back until a cold wall touched her back.

    She had nowhere to go anymore.

    Wilhelm smugly came forward and ced his left hand on the wall.

    ¡°Done running?¡±

    ¡°Please stop!¡± Lady Jte¡¯s lips quivered as she pressed his chest firmly. ¡°We aren¡¯t engaged yet.¡±

    Wilhelm smirked. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s okay to do it after we are engaged? I thought you were purer than this. Jte, tell me the truth. You were always horny for me, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    Lady Jte turned pale before blood formed on her face. She felt embarrassed and humiliated.

    More than that, she was disgusted.

    Wilhelm didn¡¯t give her a chance to answer. He leaned forward to kiss her.

    Lady Jte struggled. She wanted to shout but then she remembered that they were in his territory.

    Helplessness filled her heart. She didn¡¯t know how to seek help.

    She wanted to cry but she learned not to cry in front of others.

    She did her best to push him away but she couldn¡¯t win against the man who had learned swordsmanship since childhood.

    She could feel his breaths inched closer. She tightly shut her eyes. Her face was void of blood. Her blood turned cold.

    ¡°Pl...please let go...¡±

    It was thest thing she had ever said to him.

    In a sh, something strong came like a wind and threw Wilhelm to the ground.

    Startled,dy Jte opened her eyes.

    Wilhelm was also bbergasted. As a fine warrior, he didn¡¯t hear any footsteps approaching them.

    He shot res at the attacker and yelled, ¡°Who are you? How dare you attack us? Guards!¡±

    He called for guards but no one came.

    Ironin coldly stared at him before shifting his gaze to the pale girl.

    His heart ached when he saw her like this. He untied his cape and wrapped it around her shoulder.

    Only then did he ask her a question.

    ¡°Do you want to be with him?¡±

    Lady Jte was in a daze. She trembled when she heard his question. When she finally realized that he came to save her, astonishment, relief and happiness washed over her.

    Before she knew it, her eyes became teary.

    She sobbed and vigorously shook her head.

    She didn¡¯t want to get married.

    She would rather choose death than get married to a guy like Wilhelm.

    Ironin understood her wish. There was a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

    Without wasting another minute, he suddenly lowered his body and hugged her thigh.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    Lady Jte yelled in surprise when she was abruptly raised and then was thrown to his shoulder.

 Chapter 413

    Chapter 413: IRONIN¡¯S LOVE LIFE

    Lady Jte gasped. Her eyes widened when the world turned upside down.

    Before she could utter a single sound, she saw Wilhelm looking at them in disbelief.

    Soon, he came back to his senses and shouted, ¡°You! Who do you think you are taking my woman away? Guards! Seize him!!¡±

    His expression distorted and scowled at Ironin.

    Looking at the boring sight, Ironin coolly looked at him. ¡°She isn¡¯t yours. She will never be.¡±

    Without giving him another nce, Ironin left with Lady Jte.

    He had already taken care of the guards when he arrived. Therefore, no one came to stop them.

    .....

    Lady Jte heard Wilhelm¡¯s scream for some time. But then, Ironin ced her on his horse.

    He also mounted on the horse and then rode away.

    Lady Jte¡¯s heart was beating fast. She was nervous and frightened.

    It was the first time she had done something that crossed her limit.

    Her heart leaped in joy being with the man she liked and at the same time, she was scared of what would happen in her family.

    She turned her head and looked at Wilhelm¡¯s grandmother¡¯s mansion onest time.

    ¡°Are you having a second thought?¡± Ironin nonchntly asked as he noticed her action.

    ¡°N-no. Just worried. Where are we going?¡± she inquired.

    ¡°Do you want to see your parents? I don¡¯t n on taking you there though.¡±

    Lady Jte pondered. Ever since she was little, her mother openly showed her disappointment in her.

    It wasn¡¯t that she chose to be a girl. It wasn¡¯t like she told them to sleep together to have her.

    Nheless, everyone pushed the me on her.

    She was educated harshly to be a perfectdy.

    She knew that was a bait to attract men.

    To her father, she was just a chess piece.

    Her brothers never considered her as their family as they kept thinking that she would be married off and there was no point in showing affection to her.

    In the midst of all these, she grew up.

    Lack of love and affection.

    She craved love but was afraid to go against her family.

    ¡°Is it okay to do this?¡± a soft whisper came out of her mouth.

    Ironin¡¯s eyes were straight at the path. His left arm tightened around her waist.

    ¡°Everything is fine as long as you want it for yourself. I¡¯ll protect you.¡±

    Lady Jte¡¯s face turned red. Her heart beat rapidly.

    She felt the warmth of his hand transferred to her body. She couldn¡¯t move at all.

    Without a second thought, she blurted out, ¡°I want to be with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll fulfill your wish.¡±

    When she heard his reply, blood rushed toward her face.

    The sudden realization hit her hard.

    ¡®Did... did I just say I wanted to be with him?!?!¡¯

    She was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t talk rest of the journey.

    Ironin noticed her odd behavior. He also said nothing. He just gave her some space to think with a cool head.

    That night, they rested in a cabin. It was one of Ironin¡¯s safehouses.

    While it was quiet outside, inside the cabin, the couple shared a heated night.

    Ironin never knew how it felt to embrace a delicate body of a woman, how much it could give pleasure to a man. Especially when the woman was someone he fancied.

    Feeling the extreme pleasure, he couldn¡¯t control his emotions. His eyes poured all the affection he felt for her.

    While she cried out his name, he thrust deep inside her and connected to her again and again.

    The next day, Ironin woke up in a jolly mood. His spirit lifted as soon as he noticed the woman in his arms.

    Lady Jte was exhausted and was in a deep sleep. Her whole body was covered in marks.

    Without bothering her, he got up, wore his clothes and then assisted her to wear hers.

    He knew that Wilhelm woulde to look for them and he didn¡¯t want to waste his sweet precious time with her.

    Hugging her close to him, he galloped toward his castle.

    Lady Jte woke up when it was almost noon. She sensed that she was moving.

    Feeling startled, she opened her eyes and found herself in Ironin¡¯s embrace.

    She was stupefied. A series of incidents came to her mind, ringing the bell in her memory.

    When she recalledst night¡¯s heated moment, she couldn¡¯t help covering her face.

    She was embarrassed to death.

    There was a hint of a smile on Ironin¡¯s face. He pretended not to see her and focused on the road.

    It took them another day to reach his castle. The servants were stunned to see their master with a beautiful woman.

    The Head Butler knew that his master was exchanging letters with a nobledy but he didn¡¯t imagine his master taking her home just like that.

    From then on, Lady Jte stayed at Ironin¡¯s pce. Every night, they had a passionate time.

    The maids who served her blushed in embarrassment every time they helped her bath.

    The whole castle spread the news that their stoic master finally bloomed.

    They also find out that Ironin kidnapping a nobledy who was already engaged to someone else. The news spread like a wildfire.

    Count Cromwell couldn¡¯t take the humiliation and dered war against Ironin.

    Wilhelm joined forces. Although he didn¡¯t want to take the woman who was already tainted by another man, he needed to teach her a lesson.

    ¡®That slut only pushed me away and acted virtuous and yet, she ran away with the Murderous Mad Duke. I¡¯ll show her what happens when she disobeys her man,¡¯ he thought.

    However, his words were only words. His wish didn¡¯te true.

    He should have known that his opponent was the infamous Murderous Mad Duke. There was no way he would win.

    After being defeated by Ironin mercilessly, he could only flee.

    Count Cromwell and his sons did the same. It took them weeks to stand on their own feet.

    Lady Jte never met her family again. Not even contacted them.

    And she never missed them.

    Soon, Ironin proposed to her and they got married. She became the Duchess of thisnd.

    As Lady Jte told the story, Veronica and others breathlessly listened.

    They never thought Ironin could have a romantic adventure like that.

    They looked at him in a new light.

 Chapter 414

    Chapter 414: COMPETITION

    Ironin looked away feeling ufortable. His ears turned red due to their silent admiration.

    ¡°My head is blowing away. Ironin, you are actually a romantic hero! Why don¡¯t I have that kind of story in my life?¡± Darius wondered loudly.

    Veronica retorted, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you are after too many women and after using them you toss them away? You break women¡¯s hearts. How can you be a romantic hero? If you ask me, you will only be a viin in the romantic books.¡±

    ¡°You... say that again...¡± Darius was going to stand up while threatening her.

    However, a sharp re struck him. Darius froze and looked at the man beside Veronica. Then, slowly he sat down.

    He gulped and murmured, ¡°What are you mad about? It¡¯s not like I hurt her or anything.¡±

    Without a world, Arthur focused on Veronica. He ced another pastry on her te knowing how much she liked sweets.

    .....

    Veronica grinned triumphally at Darius before thanking her husband. She focused on eating.

    ¡°When did he tell you about us?¡± Zinnia asked Lady Jte.

    Lady Jte stole a nce at her husband before chuckling. ¡°My husband thinks very highly of you. Although he doesn¡¯t say it, he shows it with his action.¡±

    ¡°Enough, Jte,¡± Ironin warned her to stop in a soft tone.

    When he tried to hide it, Felix became even more curious. ¡°What¡¯s there to hide? We don¡¯t eat you. Just let us know with what action you shared our stories to your wife. We have the right to know.¡±

    Lady Jte said, ¡°Then I shall take you to his office. Come with me.¡±

    They had light snacks and after that, they went to Ironin¡¯s office.

    Ironin looked gloomy but he didn¡¯t stop his wife.

    Ironin¡¯s office was spacious. His bookshelves were filled with books and scrolls.

    The room was neat and clean. There were couches to sit and rx. Behind his desk, there was a huge painting of Ironin wearing his formal clothes. He looked majestic.

    What surprised them was the paintings hanging on the wall. There were paintings of Arthur, Ovior, Darius, Zinnia and most certainly Veronica.

    In the painting, Veronica was wearing majestic clothes. Her white colored dress with golden embroideryplemented her skin and shiny silver hair. She had a golden staff in her left hand. Her right hand glowed. There was a golden aura in it. There was a golden crown on her head.

    There was a caption in the painting.

    ¡®Veronica: The Blessed Child¡¯

    There was a signature in the corner of the painting.

    Leonel

    Veronica looked at Ironin in surprise. ¡°You painted them all?!¡±

    Lady Jte smiled at her bewilderment. ¡°One of his hobbies is painting. He is good, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°This is remarkable!¡± Zinnia looked around. She couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed.

    Arthur looked at his painting and then turned to Ironin. ¡°You are truly good at hiding yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide,¡± Ironin stated coldly.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you want to hide it but Ironin, you are incredible!¡± Veronicaplimented him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t even recognize myself. Will you please paint one for me? Something simr to this one.¡± She pointed at her painting.

    Ironin nodded.

    Darius said, ¡°If you are going to do hers, do mine too. I¡¯ll keep it in my room. Whoeveres, I¡¯ll proudly tell them that Murderous Mad Duke did such an amazing job.¡±

    Ironin frowned. ¡°Rejected.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Darius inquired.

    ¡°You are ugly,¡± Ironin replied.

    Darius became furious. ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯m the most handsome man in the empire. Who can bepared to my beauty?¡±

    Lady Jte immediately retorted, ¡°My husband can bepared to yours. Do you think you are any match against him? He has looks, wealth and power.¡±

    Darius raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t want to back off that easily.

    ¡°If ites to looks, do I have topete with him? Women go after me more than him. If it¡¯s wealth, my money and property are no less than his.

    ¡°If it¡¯s power, I¡¯m as strong as him. If we start fighting, one of us will wind up dead and another will be gravely injured.¡±

    Lady Jte listened to his logic. However, she had more on her list.

    ¡°My husband is loyal, kind and sweet to me, his wife. He knows when to act. He doesn¡¯t let other women get close to him.

    ¡°He keeps his distance from other women which makes him especially charming. Just like street women, yboys are cheap. And cheap things don¡¯t have much value. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Zinnia couldn¡¯t agree more.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. If I get a man who is hard to get, I¡¯d be more interested in him. If a manes to me easily and wants to do me, that will be just a one-night stand to seek pleasure. No matter how good that guy is in bed, he won¡¯t interest me.¡±

    Lady Jte was delighted to have support. ¡°See? The proof is right there.¡±

    Veronica added, ¡°I think so too. If Arthur ever seeks another woman, our rtionship will be over. I¡¯ll try to find a man who is loyal like Ironin and Felix.¡±

    Arthur squinted his eyes as he heard his wife.

    ¡®What did she say? She is going to look for a man like Ironin and Felix?¡¯

    Suddenly, the temperature of the room dropped.

    Arthur hugged his wife from behind and red at Ironin and Felix. ¡°You two, stay away from my wife. Are you seducing her when I¡¯m not looking?¡±

    Veronica: ¡°???¡±

    Felix: ¡°!!!¡±

    Ironin: ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Your imagination is off the hook. Come back to earth please,¡± Felix stated with a sour expression.

    ¡°I have Jte,¡± Ironin said. He was expressionless.

    Only then did Veronica understand her husband¡¯s words. She was embarrassed.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®seducing me¡¯? Who are you trying to use? Do you think I¡¯m disloyal?¡±

    As she retorted, Arthur lowered his head to look at her. His expression was somber.

    ¡°Loyal or not, you are mine. In this life and the next lives. No one can take you away from me.¡±

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415: VERONICA¡¯S WORRY

    ¡°Loyal or not, you are mine. In this life and the next lives. No one can take you away from me.¡±

    At Arthur¡¯s deration, Veronica¡¯s face grew hot.

    ¡®Did he forget that we are around people?¡¯ she wondered bashfully.

    Darius whistled. ¡°Get a room you two.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s face burned. She couldn¡¯t look at them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not embarrass Veronica more. Shall I show you other paintings? He has pictures of Felix, Sebastian, Catherine and other people. They are in another room.¡±

    At Lady Jte¡¯s suggestion, others moved to another room.

    .....

    After having lunch, Lady Jte, Sebastian, Felix and Zinnia went for a walk.

    Darius took a nap while Ovior and Ironin went to the library. Ironin showed Ovior his book collection. Both had a hobby of collecting rare books.

    ¡°You have the History of The Dark Age. This is an ancient book.¡± Ovior couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous.

    ¡°I bought it with five hundred thousand gold coins,¡± with a poker face, Ironin proudly told him.

    ¡°You could buy a castle with that much amount. Ah, there is a book of Dark magic...¡±

    As everyone enjoyed a good quality of time, Arthur and Veronica went to the rose garden.

    Sitting under the tree, Arthur hugged the woman in front of him. Veronica leaned against his broad chest and enjoyed the warmth.

    Arthur moved a bit and pecked on her right temple.

    Veronica closed her eyes and enjoyed his affectionate tease.

    ¡°Do you like red roses?¡± Arthur suddenly asked.

    ¡°I like any flower. You know it.¡±

    ¡°Do you want a rose garden? I¡¯ll make a bigger one than this one,¡± Arthur conveyed his thoughts.

    Veronica chuckled at his childishness.

    ¡°What are youpeting for? I don¡¯t need a rose garden. I love the garden you made for me.

    ¡°My garden has colorful flowers with mixed fragrances. Butterflies always roam around. Nothing can be more beautiful than my garden.¡±

    The corners of Arthur¡¯s lips lifted.

    Having the woman he loved in his arms, her soft voiceplimenting his generous gift, being affectionate with him ¨C those were the best things he could have in his life.

    He closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth and softness of her body and her melodic voice.

    ¡°By the way, I was wondering how Betty was doing,¡± Veronica mentioned.

    Just hearing the name creased Arthur¡¯s eyebrows.

    Veronica didn¡¯t notice his expression. She expressed her worry.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of her after I saw her in Cathy¡¯s engagement. If she is really a close rtive of Vincent, I don¡¯t know what she will do to Cathy. Betty is too vengeful. I¡¯m worried about Cathy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Felix to keep an eye on her,¡± Arthur promised.

    ¡°That would be great.¡± Veronica was a bit relieved. ¡°I wonder what Cathy is doing right now.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    While Veronica was thinking of Catherine, Catherine was in her bed.

    It was the weekend and she had nothing to do.

    She rolled on the bed all day without eating anything.

    She tried to sleep but whenever she closed her eyes, Sebastian¡¯s face came into her vision.

    As a result, she couldn¡¯t sleep.

    After tossing around for a while, she got up.

    ¡®I should go out for a stroll. It could at least clear my head,¡¯ brushing her hair with one hand, she chose a dress.

    Her first target was boutique shops. It was her first time going shopping alone.

    She had no one to talk to. The shopping district looked rather dull. Even the usual delicious street food didn¡¯t seem tasty.

    ¡®Should I go to Vincent¡¯s resort and spend some time with him? I do have a teleportation stone.¡¯

    Just as she nned, she disappeared from the shopping district.

    In Tybu, disappearing suddenly from a public ce was nothing new. Many citizens in Tybu had teleport stones.

    Vincent¡¯s resort was surrounded by trees, birds and flowers. It simply calmed her heart.

    She went to the front desk and saw a girl working there. The girl beamed when she saw Catherine.

    ¡°Miss Catherine, wee to the resort. I wasn¡¯t informed you would be here today.¡±

    Catherine smiled. ¡°I came abruptly. Vincent doesn¡¯t know.¡±

    She looked around but couldn¡¯t find Vincent anywhere. ¡°I don¡¯t see him. Where is he?¡±

    The receptionist replied, ¡°I saw him going to the restaurant to supervise. It¡¯s already past lunchtime. I think he is taking a nap after having lunch.¡±

    ¡°I will go and check on him.¡± Catherine turned around to leave.

    The receptionist dered from behind, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the chef to prepare something for you, Miss Catherine.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Catherine walked in the direction of Vincent¡¯s house. It was far and there was no transport to go from one hill to another one.

    The only option she had was to walk there.

    It was amazing that she didn¡¯t get tired from going from one hill to another.

    There wasn¡¯t anyone on the road. However, it wasn¡¯t quiet. Birds and animals kept the hills lively.

    Smiling softly, she went to Vincent¡¯s home.

    She stood in front of the main door and asked, ¡°Anybody home? Mother? Father? Vincent?¡±

    She was rather loud and yet no one replied.

    ¡®Hmm? Is there no one in the house? But the receptionist said Vincent would be here.¡¯

    Hesitating for a while, Catherine turned around to leave. That¡¯s when she heard Vincent¡¯s voiceing from inside.

    ¡®Huh? He is inside...? Then why didn¡¯t he reply to me?¡¯

    Wondering for a moment, she went inside. Aside from Vincent¡¯s voice, she heard nothing as if no one else was home.

    She strode toward his room. The door was ajar. She could see inside the room.

    ¡®...Huh?¡¯

    Her heart dropped. She saw a man with a girl.

    The girl giggled when the man pulled her in his arms. Both of them were naked.

    Catherine¡¯s mind went nk.

    She didn¡¯t feel like she was physically there. She felt that she was watching a show.

    During the festival, she watched a puppet show with Veronica and the rest.

    Just like that time, she felt like she was watching a puppet show but this time she wasn¡¯t enjoying it.

    The scene was right before her but her brain couldn¡¯t process it.

    The man in the bed was Vincent and the girl was...

 Chapter 416

    Chapter 416: WHAT SHE DISCOVERED

    Catherine¡¯s world became quiet. She couldn¡¯t hear the couple¡¯sughter and rustling sounds of the bed sheets.

    The man in the bed was Vincent and the girl in his arms was none other than Betty.

    Her whole body shook and her legs went limp. As she began to fall down, she pressed the door to bnce herself.

    The door was already slightly open. Since she pushed the door before falling, the door instantly opened and hit the wall on the side.

    Thud!

    The sound was loud enough to startle the couple in the bed. They ceased their action and jumped out in surprise.

    Vincent¡¯s face turned pale when he saw the reason the door was opened.

    .....

    ¡°Catherine!¡± he pushed Betty away from him and hurriedly wore his clothes. Then, he dashed toward his fianc¨¦e.

    Catherine was sitting on the floor in a daze. Her brain was still processing what she had seen with her very own eyes.

    Vincent noticed her face was as white as a sheet. Her body temperature was decreasing tremendously. She didn¡¯t look okay.

    From behind, Betty slowly wrapped the bed sheet around her body. The corners of her lips twitched ever so lightly. Looking at Catherine¡¯s reaction, her heart delighted in joy.

    ¡®Oh, Catherine. The beautiful friend of Veronica. So what you are pretty and sweet? Men like experienced women. Men are into seductive girls. Men love it when they are wrapped around women¡¯s fingers. You wanted to separate Arthur from me. You made my child fatherless. Now I separate you from your fianc¨¦. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s lovely revenge?¡¯

    Vincent crouched beside the dazed Catherine and asked desperately, ¡°Catherine, are you okay? This is all a misunderstanding. Whatever you saw just now, forget them. Nothing is real.¡±

    Catherine slowly turned her head toward him. ¡°...Are you saying your love for me is... fake?¡± she weakly asked.

    Vincent¡¯s pupils shook. ¡°No, no, of course not. My love for you is real!¡± he strongly denied her im.

    Catherine¡¯s lips quivered, ¡°...If that¡¯s true then why did you sleep with another woman? Why Vincent?¡±

    While she talked, treats streamed down her face. She didn¡¯t try to hide them nor did she wipe them away.

    She stared at him. Her eyes were filled with questions, confusion and usations.

    She couldn¡¯t understand the man who loved her and proposed to her, how could he do this to her?

    She was indeed interested. However, it wasn¡¯t that she was forcefully marrying him.

    The one who asked her to be his lover was him. The one who proposed to her was him.

    Everything started with him.

    Even though he

    She recalled that back then she didn¡¯t want to get intimate with him before marriage.

    ¡®Is this why he slept with her? He had physical hunger and couldn¡¯t control his urge?¡¯ she wondered.

    ¡°...It was just a moment of passion. It was a mistake. You love me, right? Why don¡¯t you forget it? It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t want to do it with you but you always rejected me. It¡¯s not my fault?¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s now my fault?! Why couldn¡¯t you wait another three weeks? We would be married by then! You waited so many months but can¡¯t wait three weeks?!¡±

    The more Catherine spoke, the louder her voice became. Her voice was hoarse. She felt a lump in her throat. She could barely speak with the current condition of her voice.

    ¡°Catherine...¡± Vincent reached out to grab her shoulder.

    Smack!

    Catherine pped away his hand.

    He had touched Betty with those hands of his. Just thinking about it made her feel disgusted.

    Vincent¡¯s expression changed. The way things were going, he didn¡¯t want to foresee the future oue.

    He quickly reached out and grabbed her arm. ¡°Catherine, you are too emotional right now. Calm down first.¡±

    ¡°You are supposed to marry me in three weeks and here you are sleeping with someone else. You were doing a holy ritual that¡¯s supposed to happen between a married couple. Now, you want me to stay calm?! Like hell I will!¡±

    Catherine shouted at him and yanked her arm away from him. With her trembling leg, she stood up.

    She shuddered as a chilly wind entered the room through the window. She hugged herself.

    ¡°Catherine, don¡¯t be childish...¡± Vincent hurriedly stood up. He was thinking, ¡®I can¡¯t let her walk away from her. I need to make her stay.¡¯

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Catherine yelled at him. Her red moistened eyes stared at him.

    Everything was revealed to her. She understood what kind of man she was engaged to. She had enough of his acting.

    At that time, several footsteps came running.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening inside? Who is shouting?!¡±

    It was the voice of Vincent¡¯s mother.

    Vincent¡¯s parents came inside the room. Looking at the mess in the bed, cuddled Betty, their naked son and crying angry soon-to-be daughter-inw, their heads spun.

    Vincent¡¯s mother suddenly panicked. ¡°What... on earth is going on?!¡±

    Catherine wiped her tears and murmured, ¡°Ask your precious son.¡±

    Afterward, she brushed past them. She marched out of the room.

    Vincent¡¯s heart dropped as he saw her leaving. ¡°Catherine, wait!¡±

    He was about to catch her when his mother caught his wrist.

    ¡°Dear, what is happening? Why is Betty here in your room in this appearance? Why are you wearing nothing?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you understand what¡¯s happening?¡± Vincent¡¯s father coldly said. ¡°Your precious son was cheating on his fianc¨¦e.¡±

    His wife looked at her son, ¡°Huh? Dear child, why did you do something like that? Didn¡¯t you say you liked Catherine? Then, why are you with Betty?¡±

    Vincent closed his eyes. He covered his eyes with one hand and stayed silent.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering me? Your wedding is in three weeks!!¡± his mother choked as she spoke.

    ¡®The fun is over. I don¡¯t think I should stay in this room any longer.¡¯ Betty got up from the bed and tried to get out of the room as quietly as possible.

    However, she couldn¡¯t escape the eagle gaze of Vincent¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Stop right there. Where do you think you are going? Let you stay here thinking you were a good woman but I was wrong. You ruined my son¡¯s happiness. Destroyed his marriage. Is this how you repay kindness? How treacherous!¡±

    Betty didn¡¯t flinch. She made a pitiful face.

    ¡°Madam, it¡¯s nothing like this. I didn¡¯t force him and did anything to harm me. Vincent is such a good man. He is so kind to me. I couldn¡¯t help but fall in love with her.¡±

    After her confession, her eyes brimmed with tears.

    ¡°Madam, I wanted to leave after confessing to him but things changed between us. We had mutual bonding before he got engaged to Catherine.¡±

    ¡°You came here intentionally and seduced my son. Now you are trying to push the me on my son? Looks like I¡¯ve been raising a snake by feeding milk. How dare you still show your face to us? Get lost!¡±

    Vincent¡¯s mother yelled at her. She was furious. Her breathing increased rapidly.

    Vincent told his mother with concern, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be so agitated. You will fall sick!¡±

    ¡°Why are you still standing here?¡± his father reprimanded him. ¡°Go and look for Catherine. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t go far. Tell her to calm down and then apologize to her. you owe it to her. Poor child must have been shocked. I can¡¯t believe I have such a foolish son!¡±

    ¡°Y-yes...¡± Vincent hurriedly got out and chased after Catherine.

    ¡®Huh... did you think I came this far for you to apologize to that bitch? Did you think I slept with you to let her get married to you? Never!¡¯ Betty¡¯s eyes shed with viciousness.

    ¡°Madam, I understand you are upset with me. You have a good reason to do so.¡± She whimpered like a wounded animal. ¡°But... I haven¡¯t forced anything on Vincent. I tried to move on. However, it¡¯s already toote to return.¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°I¡¯m expecting...¡±

    Vincent¡¯s mother frowned. ¡°Expecting? Expecting what?¡±

    ¡°...A child, madam.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?!¡± The eyes of Vincent¡¯s mother grew bigger. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    Betty stated, ¡°It¡¯s a month old... I swear that this child belongs to Vincent. I¡¯ve given my innocence to your son and am only loyal to him. There is no way this child of mine can belong to anyone.

    ¡°Please have mercy. Not for me but for the innocent child who did nothing wrong. It was created with the love of its parents. It¡¯s your grandchild. It could be your grandson.¡±

    After begging them, she pitifully lowered her head. Her hands hugged her stomach as if she was protecting a precious life inside her.

    Vincent¡¯s parents were thunderstruck. They couldn¡¯t say a word.

    They never imagined that one day they would have to see this scene.

    In the end, Vincent¡¯s father sighed. ¡°If you are pregnant, stay here. We will call our family doctor.¡±

    ¡°You cannot do this!¡± His wife opposed it. ¡°Who knows if the child in her stomach is from wedlock? We can¡¯t be sure if she nned to target our son from the very beginning after being pregnant with a bastard.¡±

    .....

 Chapter 417

    Chapter 417: WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

    ¡°If you are pregnant, stay here. We will call our family doctor.¡±

    Vincent¡¯s mother was thunderstruck when she heard her husband¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°You cannot do this!¡± She opposed it. ¡°Who knows if the child in her stomach is from wedlock? We can¡¯t be sure if she nned to target our son from the very beginning after being pregnant with a bastard.¡±

    Her husband frowned. ¡°I already told you that you shouldn¡¯t keep an unmarried woman in our house because we have a son. Now look at what they have done.

    ¡°And it¡¯s right before his wedding with a good girl. We need to call the doctor to verify if she is pregnant and whether her child is one month old or not.¡±

    Betty¡¯s expression changed. ¡®This old fox...¡¯

    ¡°So what if her child is one month old? It cannot be certain that it belongs to my son. I know my son and he is not that sort of person!¡± Vincent¡¯s mother defended her child.

    .....

    Her husband¡¯s face turned ugly.

    ¡°Then, what is happening in our house right now? Why is our would-be daughter-inw running away? Why is your half-naked son chasing after her? Why is this woman naked in your son¡¯s bed? Why are we arguing? ¡®Not that sort of person¡¯? If it wasn¡¯t for his stupidity, why is everything happening?!¡±

    As he roared, her wife trembled in fear. However, she still didn¡¯t want to admit it.

    Her husband continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know what Catherine is doing right now. But if she cancels the wedding and mes Vincent for cheating, our family reputation will really be tarnished this time. If that happens, I¡¯ll kick him out. I don¡¯t need such an unfilial son.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that? If you kick him out, how will we be able to live? He is our only son!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need that kind of son! Just thinking about this makes me angry!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be hard on him. I¡¯ll persuade Catherine,¡± Vincent¡¯s mother tried to ease her husband. ¡°I¡¯m sure after she calms down, she will understand...¡±

    ¡°Understand what exactly?¡± he snapped at his wife. ¡°If she was married to our family, it wasn¡¯t a problem. She could have endured. But she isn¡¯t even married yet.

    ¡°Who would want to marry a notorious man? If he cheats before the wedding, is there any guarantee he won¡¯t do it again? Furthermore, he made a woman pregnant. Things aren¡¯t as simple as you think they are!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll persuade her. Just you wait!¡± she promised. ¡®There is no way I will let my son be kicked out. I can¡¯t let Catherine cancel the wedding. Much less, I don¡¯t want any rumors to be spread.¡¯

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    That evening, Veronica, Arthur and the rest came back to the tower. They had a great time at Ironin¡¯s castle and now, they were exhausted.

    Veronica was humming while swinging her and Arthur¡¯s intertwined hands back and forth.

    Arthur¡¯s lips curled up when he noticed her good mood.

    ¡®I should take her out often,¡¯ he thought.

    Veronica nced over Catherine¡¯s room as they were going up. She suddenly thought of something.

    ¡°Arthur, why don¡¯t you freshen up first? I want to talk to Cathy for a bit,¡± she said.

    ¡°Sure, take your time but don¡¯t wear yourself out.¡± Arthur moved closer and ruffled her head.

    Veronica beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± She tiptoed and kissed his cheek before running into the corridor.

    Arthur looked at her back and smiled a little.

    Veronica stopped in front of Catherine¡¯s room and knocked on the door.

    ¡°Cathy, are you there? I came back. Let¡¯s talk for a while.¡±

    However, there was no response from the inside.

    After a pause, she continued, ¡°Cathy, did you fall asleep? If you are, then I can go back. We can talkter-¡±

    She didn¡¯t finish talking before the door was opened by her hard push.

    Veronica pushed it open and went inside.

    The room was pitch ck and she couldn¡¯t see a thing.

    The light from the corridor entered the room and slightly enlightened it.

    ¡°Why is the room so dark? Don¡¯t tell me you are still depressed about Sebastian? Come one, you already chose a side. You cannot think about him and stay depressed for the rest of your life.¡±

    Veronica looked for the magic bulb and turned it on. The room brightened up in a second.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    She turned around after turning on the light and couldn¡¯t help but scream. Terror filled her eyes.

    Catherine was lying on the floor. There was a pool of blood near her left wrist. It seemed that she had slit her wrist. In her right hand, there was a sharp de.

    ¡°Cathy!¡± Veronica dashed toward her.

    She knelt down and then lowered her head till her ear touched Catherine¡¯s chest. She heard a faint heartbeat and soon calmed down.

    She used her healing power to heal the wound and then took off Catherine¡¯s clothes, cleaned her body, put on a nightdress and moved her to the bed.

    ¡°Haah... haah... haah...¡± she huffed after she was done.

    After taking a minute rest, she cleaned the floor and threw the sharp de away.

    When she was done cleaning, she chugged down a ss of water.

    She sat on the chair and waited for Catherine to wake up.

    ¡®What just happened? Why did she try to kill herself? Committing suicide is a huge sin. Furthermore, she already agreed to get married to Vincent. Vincent isn¡¯t a bad guy. From what I have seen, he cherishes her. There is no reason for her to do this.¡¯

    She covered her face and pondered deeply.

    ¡°What happened?¡± someone asked from the doorway.

    Veronica jumped up. She looked at the door and saw Arthur. He was wearing a sleeping robe.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you. Don¡¯t spook me. I can¡¯t handle it right now.¡± She sounded worn out.

    She forgot to close the door and that¡¯s how Arthur could enter. Shepletely forgot about the door after she found Catherine like that.

    Arthur frowned and came inside the room. He scanned the room and then his eyesnded on the sleeping Catherine.

    ¡°What happened to her?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Veronica shook her head. Her eyes teared up. ¡°When I came, the door was already open. She slit her wrist and fainted from the blood loss. I healed her. She is still breathing. But I¡¯m not sure when she will wake up.¡±

    Arthur stroked her head gently to console her. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Ovior toe and check up on her. You stay with her.¡±

    ¡°All right...¡±

    Arthur disappeared and within a second, he appeared again. This time, he brought Ovior with his pajamas.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Ovior shouted in annoyance.

    He just took a bath and went to bed. The moment he closed his eyes, Arthur suddenly appeared in his room out of nowhere, grabbed his arm and then brought him to another room.

    He didn¡¯t get the time to breathe!

    ¡°Check Catherine. She tried tomit suicide. Her condition isn¡¯t good,¡± Arthur spoke in a solemn voice.

    ¡°What?! Why?¡± Ovior was stunned. He quickly looked at Catherine and then took her hand to check her pulse.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We just left her here today because she wasn¡¯t willing to go with us. But now this happened. I want to know what exactly has happened. Whoever is at fault, I won¡¯t forgive them!¡±

    Veronica¡¯s eyes brightened up in anger.

    After leaving the temple, the only person who knew her the best apanied her.

    If it wasn¡¯t for her, Catherine wouldn¡¯t decide to step out of the temple and live a harsh life.

    So basically, Veronica could only me herself. She wanted to protect the only person she grew up with, who cherished her like a sister, like a family.

    And she failed to protect her.

    She failed to protect Catherine¡¯s heart.

    She failed to protect her twice.

    Both the time she got kidnapped and now, Catherine nearly died from her injuries.

    If she was a bitte, she might have lost Catherine forever.

    Just thinking about that made her shiver.

    Ovior checked Catherine¡¯s pulse and then her injury. It waspletely healed. There was no mark left.

    ¡°How much did she bleed?¡± he inquired.

    ¡°Enough to cover her one arm,¡± Veronica replied.

    ¡°How cold was her body?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Freezing cold.¡±

    Ovior checked Catherine¡¯s eyes and after that concluded, ¡°I think she was having a hard time these days. She didn¡¯t eat or sleep well for the past few weeks. Although she didn¡¯t bleed much, she got weak quickly.

    ¡°It will take her some time to recover. She can drink soup. Liquid meals will easily help her body regain strength. I¡¯m sure she will be better before her wedding.¡±

    ¡°Wedding... oh yes, wedding. I should notify Vincent. If he takes her to the resort, she will be able to heal quickly,¡± Veronica decided.

    Arthur interrupted her, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t n hastily. Wait until she wakes up and then, ask her what she wants to do. I will assign a bodyguard for her.¡±

    ¡°I think that will be the best. But wouldn¡¯t it be better if we let Vincent know? After all, he is her fianc¨¦ and they are in love.¡±

    Arthur looked at his wife and pondered a little.

 Chapter 418

    Chapter 418: WHO¡¯S THE BEST MAN?

    ¡°I think that will be the best. But wouldn¡¯t it be better if we let Vincent know? After all, he is her fianc¨¦ and they are in love.¡±

    Arthur pondered about his wife¡¯s suggestion and then shook his head. He disapproved.

    ¡°First of all, it¡¯s a sin. It will harm Catherine¡¯s reputation. People will specte things and will think of the worst. They might think she cheated on Vincent and Vincent found out and thus, she tried tomit suicide.

    ¡°Secondly, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s the reason she tried to kill herself. Or maybe it wasn¡¯t her but someone else did it and made it look like a suicide.

    ¡°It could be rted to her marriage with Vincent or might be something else. She might not want to let others know about this.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to stay quiet about it and wait for her to wake up. Until then, we will let Felix investigate the matter. Is that okay with you?¡±

    When Veronica heard his exnation, she gradually calmed down.

    .....

    ¡°All right, do as you fit.¡±

    ¡°Okay, stay with her. I¡¯m sure she needs you more than her fianc¨¦.¡±

    Arthur patted her shoulder before getting out of the room. He headed to Felix¡¯s room.

    After he left, Ovior opened his mouth, ¡°Veronica, tell me honestly. Did she have any second thoughts about her marriage?¡±

    His question was straightforward and unexpected.

    Veronica flinched. She wasn¡¯t sure how to answer him.

    She tried to stay as natural as possible and asked him back in return, ¡°Why do you think so? It¡¯s not like she had any other choice. She was dating Vincent for some time, wasn¡¯t she?¡±

    Ovior mentioned, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean she cannot fall in love with someone else. Moreover, from what I have observed so far, women love heroic men the most. They fall for the men who protect them very quickly.

    ¡°In my eyes, Vincent is a flower boy. He doesn¡¯t have the guts to fight with anyone, let alone have the power to rescue anyone. If you want topare him with Sebastian in that aspect, thetter wins.¡±

    He slowly turned toward her as he spoke.

    Veronica gulped. ¡®Isn¡¯t he just way too perspective? That¡¯s so scary!¡¯

    She lowered her head, unable to look at his sharp gaze. ¡°She didn¡¯t share anything like that. I¡¯m pretty sure she loves Vincent.¡±

    Ovior squinted his eyes and stared at her for a while. Later, he retracted his gaze and didn¡¯t bother to expose her lies.

    ¡®Young people are annoying. They can be so fickle-minded. Wait... what did I just mean by ¡®young people¡¯? Did I just make myself look older?¡¯

    The more he thought about it, the more the folds between his eyebrows deepened.

    ¡ª¡ª-

    ¡°Catherine? Why did that happen?¡± Felix was stunned when he heard the news.

    Arthur shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Nica is clueless as well. Try to figure it out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Felix promised.

    The next day, he woke up early as usual and went to the training ground. After an hour, he took a bath and then had his meal with Darius and Zinnia.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you? You seem serious after having a pleasant day yesterday,¡± Darius mentioned.

    ¡®Why do they ask? Do they not know? Arthur probably doesn¡¯t want anyone to know before I get some result,¡¯ Felix thought for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied. ¡°I just got a mission. I was thinking about it.¡±

    Darius was seemingly surprised. ¡°Huh? So early in the morning! Is it something serious?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. After I find out the information, I¡¯ll understand,¡± Felix vaguely replied.

    Darius lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Is this about the Queen? I¡¯m sure this bitchy queen is bothering Arthur too much.¡±

    Felix shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. As I said, I can¡¯t say anything until I get any information.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pester him,¡± Zinnia reproached Darius. ¡°We all know we can¡¯t disclose any information without Arthur¡¯s order if our missions aren¡¯t the same.¡±

    ¡°Yeah right. You are acting like you got a mission in your hands,¡± Darius snickered.

    Zinnia looked at him in awe. ¡°Well, excuse me, I¡¯m busier than you even if Arthur doesn¡¯t give me a mission. But you, mister, have time to go to the brothel no matter what mission you have or don¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t this because I have the charm? You need to understand that I¡¯m the most wanted man in the universe. The older I get, the hungrier women be.¡±

    Darius seemed so proud when he said that.

    Zinnia and Felix raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°So, Mister Wanted man, did Catherine or Veronica fall for you? These two women are the closest to you but you didn¡¯t seem to attract them very much. Maybe some guys are more attractive than you that women don¡¯t think of as a man.¡±

    Zinnia¡¯s words hit Darius¡¯s pride. He sneered.

    ¡°How could Arthur and Vincent be any match for me? They are nothing. If we havepetition-¡±

    ¡°Then, Arthur will win,¡± someone interrupted him.

    They all turned in the direction of the voice. Veronica stood there with a tray.

    She walked forward and ced the tray filled with breakfast on the table beside theirs and sat down.

    She said, ¡°As much as women like mature men, it differentiates how old they look and how mature they act. Compared to you, who jumps over any woman he sees, Arthur is tactful.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Darius raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t want to admit defeat.

    Veronica replied, ¡°He didn¡¯t sleep with just any woman before he met me. He would check all the women he had in the room and then he would pick up the best.¡±

    Darius frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t know him before you met him. I heard after he met you he stopped going for other women. How do you know he picked the best woman among all the women?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he choose me as his wife among all the women in the universe? That¡¯s how.¡± Veronica acted like she said something so obvious.

    ¡°...¡± Darius was speechless.

    ¡°O...hohoho...¡± Zinnia pped. She liked the response.

    ¡°Savage. Truly savage,¡¯ Felix muttered.

    ¡°You came to pick up on me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Darius pointed a finger at her.

    Veronica innocently shrugged. ¡°Not at all. You were talking about thepetition. I just shared my opinion as a woman. All your voters are women, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Darius nodded. ¡°They are but they are normal. On the other hand, you and Catherine are possessed by Arthur and Vincent. So, you are disqualified as a voter.¡±

    The mentioning of Catherine¡¯s name made Veronica¡¯s eyes dim. She hurriedly looked at her meal and took a spoonful of pudding.

    The soft, cold pudding touched her tongue. A sweet milky vor spread inside her mouth, making her heart at ease.

    She easily controlled her expression and then said, ¡°You are just being biased. You think other than the two of us, all women will choose you?¡±

    ¡°Most definitely,¡± Darius instantly replied.

    Veronica: ¡°...¡±

    His confidence made her speechless.

    She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know where you got your confidence from but that¡¯s not true at all.

    ¡°You see, most of the women in the Magic Tower don¡¯t even give you a second nce, while they are scared of Arthur and Ovior, the top two handsome men in the tower.

    ¡°But most of their eyes are on Felix. The handsome, kind guy in their eyes. As for the woman who is sitting beside you, she won¡¯t choose you either.¡±

    Felix raised his hand. ¡°Oh, I can bet my life that Zinnia won¡¯t vote for him.¡±

    Zinnia, the woman beside Darius, only smirked. She didn¡¯t have to utter a single word. Her expression said it all.

    Darius¡¯s face paled. ¡°Nonsense! She can¡¯t be part of the voters. She isn¡¯t a woman!¡±

    The moment he mmed the table, Zinnia¡¯s butter knife touched his neck.

    It happened so fast that they didn¡¯t see Zinnia move.

    ¡°Careful what you say or you might lose your tongue.¡± A cold, ruthless light shed in Zinnia¡¯s eyes.

    It seemed she wasn¡¯t giving an empty threat.

    Darius gulped. His mouth was dry.

    He slowly raised his hands to surrender and softly said, ¡°Now, now, everything was a joke. You don¡¯t have to take them to your heart. It was only a joke. Hahaha!¡±

    Hisugh was so lifeless. His eyes were staring at the butter knife in fear. His heart was beating fast.

    Even though the butter knife didn¡¯t have a sharp edge, in Zinnia¡¯s hand any wooden spoon would be a sharp sword.

    Darius knew this better than anyone and he didn¡¯t dare to trifle with her.

    He saw her being drunk and forcefully being taken to a brothel by two men. They wanted to sleep with her.

    .....

    Unfortunately for them, a waiter was serving meals to the customers in the street shop. In the blink of an eye, Zinnia grabbed the waiter¡¯s rice spoon and then...

    sh!

    She sliced those two perverted men¡¯s throats with the wooden spoon.

    From then on, Darius dared not to take her lightly.

    Wouldn¡¯t he die early if he flirted with a scary woman?

 Chapter 419

    Chapter 419: MEANING OF MARRIAGE

    Would he dare to offend Zinnia?

    The answer was simple.

    No way!

    Thus, he raised his hands to surrender.

    ¡°All right. All right. It was just a simple joke. Nothing else. No harm was done. There is no need to be angry.¡±

    His voice was as soft as cotton.

    Zinnia narrowed her curved eyes. ¡°Just a joke? Why isn¡¯t anyoneughing then? It was a bad joke.¡±

    .....

    Darius easily nodded and went along with her, ¡°Yes, yes, it was a bad joke.¡±

    ¡°You are terrible at telling jokes.¡±

    ¡°You are absolutely right. I¡¯m super terrible at this.¡±

    Two friends went on and one. Zinnia kept pointing out his mistakes and Darius agreed to every single true or false usation.

    The way he suddenly turned into a softie, made Veronica stunned.

    ¡®What is wrong with this guy?¡¯ she wondered.

    However, she didn¡¯t have time to think about it as she had some tasks to do.

    After finishing her meal, she trained with Ironin. Later, she had a ss with Ovior.

    Then, she was free to do whatever she wanted. She went to check up on Catherine.

    Catherine was still sleeping. She had no sign of waking up.

    Veronica apanied her for a while before going out.

    In the flower garden, she was flowering the pot when Sebastian came to apany her.

    He knelt before her and said, ¡°Mistress, I¡¯ve heard your call. Is there anything I can help you with?¡±

    ¡°Yes, do you know where Arthur went?¡± Veronica inquired.

    ¡°Master went to the Imperial Pce. He was called by the Queen all of a sudden.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s eyebrows were slightly knitted. ¡°Why so suddenly? What¡¯s going on between him and the Queen?¡±

    Sebastian replied with a serious expression, ¡°I cannot say for sure, Mistress. But the Queen¡¯s movements are suspicious. I don¡¯t know if you know the reason behind her grudge against the Master. All I can ask you is to be more careful.¡±

    Veronica pondered for a while and then said, ¡°I want to go out. Prepare a carriage for me, will you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Sebastian readily agreed. Afterward, he thought of something and hesitated before asking, ¡°Mistress, is this all right if we take extra guards? You know... the Queen...¡±

    ¡°I understand your worry. Do as you fit.¡± Veronica didn¡¯t mind taking precautions against the Queen.

    Sebastian was relieved when he heard her reply. Most of the time, she rebelled whenever Arthur told her to take more bodyguards.

    This time, she was acting more mature.

    Like a true mistress.

    On the way, Sebastian apanied Veronica in her carriage.

    He saw her looking outside the window and watching the scenery.

    He said, ¡°Mistress, I was meaning to ask you... it¡¯s something private but you don¡¯t have to answer if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Veronica finally looked at him. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Umm... I heard that you wanted to travel the world after marriage but now you are constantly being guarded and you cannot go anywhere far because of the Master¡¯s workload. Do you regret getting married?¡±

    Veronica was surprised when she heard his question. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    She took a deep breath. There was a long silence in the carriage.

    Sebastian didn¡¯t dare to say a word. He had a feeling that he offended her at some point.

    Finally, Veronica opened her mouth and continued, ¡°Sebastian, if you want to gain something, you have to lose something. Back then, none of us understood the real meaning of marriage. We wanted to get married and enjoy life. We didn¡¯t think of the responsibility thates with it.

    ¡°When we really faced it, we realized how fragile the married structure was. We barely had faith in each other. We constantly worried one of us would leave the other. He wanted to do things that he couldn¡¯t. He was frustrated. I couldn¡¯t fulfill my dream. I had my frustrations as well.

    ¡°Everything built up and we couldn¡¯t breathe. And then one day, one misunderstanding tore us apart. I was gone for months and Arthur went insane. I was enjoying my freedom, honestly. However, if I kept doing that, the world would be destroyed by his hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s when I had to choose. I was already married to him anyway. Moreover, if he went that far to kill so many people to summon the King of the Underworld, I assumed his affection for me ran deep.

    ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t love me that much, at least what he was doing was wrong. I had to stop him. I have a duty as a blessed child or as the child of our Goddess. Therefore, I made a choice.

    ¡°For the second time, I willingly let go of my freedom and embraced married life. You cannot have freedom and marriage at the same time because marriage is a huge responsibility. And being the Mistress of the Magic Tower just added fuel to the fire.

    ¡°I understood that toote. I was so blinded by love back then. I didn¡¯t think things through. No wonder Arthur always called me na?ve. I was truly na?ve.

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done. And the situation with the Queen is temporary. It¡¯s not like I will be locked up forever. If I want to travel, I¡¯ll just use a teleport stone. I wonder which queen can take me down then.¡±

    After answering the question, Veronica looked at him. ¡°I hope this answers your question.¡±

    Sebastian stared at Veronica. ¡°Then... even if you have regrets, you have no choice. Do you think it¡¯s unfair?¡±

    Veronica slowly shook her head. ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only one who is sacrificing. Arthur is doing that too. Do you think he is the type of guy who likes to do paperwork? He would rather push all the work to Ovior and then enjoy his time at redlight district.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he is like that...¡± Realizing what he just said, Sebastian was flustered. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean it. I was wrong.¡±

    Veronica chuckled at his honesty.

    ¡°No, what you said was right. He was like that and he changed his habit just to be with me. He holds back a lot. I understand that. Look at Darius. He is so miserable not being able to go to the brothel every night. Just imagine Arthur like that.¡±

    ¡°If the Master really is like that, he is quite miserable,¡± Sebastian agreed. He felt sorry for Arthur.

    Veronica stated, ¡°Yes, so when you see your partner is suffering, your suffering lessens. If just one person was suffering in the marriage, then it would be a burden. It won¡¯t be a happy marriage anymore. Marriage bes null and void. It¡¯ll be more like very than marriage.¡±

    After that, no one talked until they reached the Market za. As usual, people were bustling in the center of the city.

    Veronica¡¯s carriage moved further under her instruction and then moved to the residency area. She ordered the carriage to stop in front of a mansion and then got out of the carriage.

    In front of the mansion, there was a huge gate. In the gate, there was a wooden board. Something was written on it.

    FOR SALE

    The owner was already waiting beside the gate. He smiled at Veronica and said, ¡°Wee, Madam. I was waiting for your arrival.¡±

    Sebastian started at Veronica in surprise.

    ¡®Does she want to buy a house? But why?¡¯ he wondered but couldn¡¯te up with an answer.

    Veronica smiled at him. ¡°Thank you for waiting. Did you wait long?¡±

    ¡°No, no, Madam. Pleasee inside.¡± The owner escorted her inside the mansion.

    It was spacious and luxurious. They could feel that the designer dedicated his brain to this mansion.

    There was a garden at the front. A fountain was situated in the middle. The garden was well maintained.

    Inside the mansion, a red carpet weed them. The door, window frames as well as chandeliers were made of gold.

    There was nothing personal there. No family photo or anything. Except for the furniture, the belongings of the owner¡¯s family were moved.

    ¡°The mansion is wonderful. Why did you move suddenly?¡± Veronica inquired.

    The owner let out a forced smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted to move out. My wife suddenly got sick and she needs to be moved to the countryside.

    ¡°We have one child and he has his own mansion. He doesn¡¯t contact us anymore. For my wife¡¯s treatment and also to buy a house in the countryside, I¡¯ve decided to sell the mansion.¡±

    Veronica was sad when she heard the story. ¡°It must be hard to let go of the ce you grew up in.¡±

    ¡°It is. But Madam, now that I see you, I know my family house will be in good hands. Please take care of this ce.¡± The owner skillfully changed the subject.

    ¡°I will,¡± Veronica promised. ¡°The price is affordable. I¡¯ll pay the full amount. Please prepare the papers.¡±

    The owner¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement. ¡°Sure, Madam. Sure!¡±

    It became noon after preparing the paper and signing them. Veronica, Sebastian, the coachman and the rest of the bodyguards had their meal.

    Veronica was smiling ear to ear as she yed with the keys of the mansion.

    ¡°Mistress, why did you buy the mansion?¡±

    .....

 Chapter 420

    Chapter 420: PREJUDICE

    Seeing that Veronica was ying with the bunch of keys, Sebastian couldn¡¯t control his curiosity anymore.

    ¡°Mistress, why did you buy the mansion?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Are you wondering if I¡¯ll move there?¡± Veronica chuckled.

    ¡°I just wanted to have a house of my own. You will always feel assured if you have a ce that only belongs to you. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have one?¡±

    She looked at him. Sebastian was dumbfounded.

    ¡°I never thought of having a house for myself. I mean most of the time, I¡¯m on a mission. Other times, I stay at the tower. I don¡¯tck a ce to stay.¡±

    It was Veronica¡¯s time to be stunned.

    .....

    ¡®And he wanted to marry Cathy with that carefree attitude? I guess men are hardly practical when they have this kind of upation.¡¯

    At one moment, she wished Catherine would marry Sebastian, another moment, she was happy that Catherine didn¡¯t choose him.

    It¡¯s hard to be married to impractical men; especially when they don¡¯t listen to their wives.

    ¡°We will be stopping here,¡± Veronica ordered as she saw a familiar narrow alley.

    Sebastian looked around and frowned. ¡°Here? But Mistress, doesn¡¯t it look too shabby?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯vee here often. This is one the safest ces on earth,¡± Veronica assured him.

    However, Sebastian didn¡¯t seem convinced. His eyes scanned the whole area.

    The alley was just too quiet. Even other bodyguards seemed ufortable.

    Veronica came out of the carriage and instructed them, ¡°You all stay here. I¡¯ll just go for a while and thene back.¡±

    ¡°Mistress!¡± Sebastian didn¡¯t agree to this. He had to stay with Veronica 24/7 if necessary. Moreover, the Queen was keeping an eye on her.

    It was all too risky.

    ¡°Nothing will happen. If I take you all with me, I can¡¯t go where I want to. If you are too worried, go and check the alley. Locate if there is any suspicious person and chase them away.¡±

    At Veronica¡¯s order, Sebastian sent three bodyguards to check what was in the alley. The three bodyguards came back quickly.

    One of them said, ¡°There was no one in the alley. It¡¯s deste.¡±

    Sebastian was surprised but there was nothing he could do other than let his Mistress go there alone.

    Before going Veronica ordered, ¡°Guard the alley. Don¡¯t let anyone go inside.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mistress,¡± Sebastian replied.

    Afterward, Veronica walked into the alley, disappearing from their sight. She went to thest house and knocked on the back door.

    The door was opened in three seconds.

    A familiar face came into her view.

    ¡°Mdy, it has been a while. Pleasee inside.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Veronica walked inside without hesitation. The door was closed from the back.

    ¡°How are you all these days?¡± she asked the guy.

    The guy replied, ¡°We are doing as usual. Today is the weekend. Everyone is here.¡±

    ¡°Excellent! Call Urs for me, please. I need to talk to him,¡± she requested.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Veronica sat on a wooden chair in the living room. There was hardly any furniture. The residents who lived here didn¡¯t like much furniture.

    She didn¡¯t have to wait long. Urs came to meet her.

    ¡°Veronica, I hope you are doing well.¡±

    Veronica looked at the handsome elf and replied with a smile, ¡°I am. How are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good. Shall I serve you tea?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Veronica didn¡¯t refuse.

    While Urs poured tea, he stated, ¡°You have been gone for a while without any contact. What brings you here all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy with my daily life. I came here today because I have good news to share.¡± Veronica pulled out a bunch of keys and ced them on the table.

    Urs served her tea and took the keys. ¡°What are these for?¡±

    Veronica responded, ¡°They are the keys to the mansion I bought today. Don¡¯t stay here anymore. Move to my house.¡±

    Urs was stunned. He stared at the keys and then said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say. Is it spacious enough for all of us to stay there?¡±

    Veronica nodded. ¡°I know only a few of you are living here. So, yeah. I bought a huge mansion so that all of you can fit in there. Leave a room for me too. I won¡¯t be able to take you there. So, pick up the room you want for yourself. There is a garden and you can do gardening and grow some fruits if you want.¡±

    ¡°Thank you...¡± Urs seemed surprised and pleased at the same time. ¡°Where did you get the money... let me guess, thepetition you won?¡±

    ¡°How do you know about that? You were there?!¡± It was Veronica¡¯s time to be surprised.

    ¡°I was there. Many of us participated in thepetition. We just didn¡¯t go for archery because it seemed too boring. Fortunately, they added some fun for you. You did great,¡± Ursplimented her.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°But you could have done better. You were too nervous. Did Tybu make you soft?¡±

    Veronica: ¡°...¡±

    The criticism was too much to bear.

    However, Urs didn¡¯t leave just that. ¡°Your movement became slow. Even monkeys are faster than you. I think you gained some weight. Although your nning was great, if it was war, you would probably be dead.

    ¡°Moreover, your senses have be dull. You hesitated many times. That made your decision-making slow. If your opponent was a warrior from war and they were aiming to kill you, you would have lost your eyes.¡±

    Veronica couldn¡¯t take it anymore and stated, ¡°...You know I practiced really hard.¡±

    She indeed practiced from dawn to dusk. Ironin, Darius and Roxana, all helped her.

    ¡°What were you busy practicing? Swordsmanship? Then, why didn¡¯t you apply for it?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Veronica was tongue-tied.

    She definitely didn¡¯t have the courage to tell him that she was too scared. She barely practiced archery at that time.

    Therefore, she had no way to refute it.

    If she told him, she would be criticized. If she didn¡¯t tell him, she would still be criticized.

    Wouldn¡¯t it be better if she kept it a secret?

    At least, she could keep her dignity that way.

    However, in return, she had to face the long lecture.

    Urs stated, ¡°A true warrior understands his shorings and epts them. Then, he moves on and practices as hard as he can. Only then, he can be better than before... h h h h...¡±

    Veronica¡¯s head started spinning when the lecture continued.

    Urs suddenly stopped and looked at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you needed bodyguards to stroll outside.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s expression changed. ¡°So, you found out.¡±

    ¡°They came to our territory. Of course, I would know. Furthermore, they are the guards from the Magic Tower. How did you get associated with them?¡±

    Urs narrowed his eyes. He looked serene and yet, there was pressureing from him.

    Veronica hesitated before responding, ¡°I¡¯ve be close to them before I met you.¡± She answered in a roundabout way.

    Urs stared at her quietly. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to share but I hope you get less associated with them. I¡¯ve seen you around here often and always saw you with someone rted to the Magic Tower. Don¡¯t tell me you live there?¡±

    He was calm when he spoke to her. His blue eyes flickered with worry.

    Veronica was still surprised when he saw concern in his eyes.

    ¡°Why are you being so cautious about the Magic Tower? I know there are some bad rumors around them but they aren¡¯t as bad as you think. They are all hard working people and they are good to me. They treat me like a true friend.¡±

    The more she supported them the more he became suspicious.

    Urs quietly sipped green tea and then asked, ¡°Do they really? Or are they using your divine power for their selfish desire?¡±

    If it was someone else, Veronica would be angry.

    However, it was Urs, the Second Prince of the Elvish realm. Whatever he did, he had only Veronica¡¯s interest in his mind.

    .....

    Thus, Veronica patiently exined, ¡°I know you have doubts. I can¡¯t me you. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, you have the right to get suspicious. But I¡¯m honestly telling you that they don¡¯t use people for their interest.¡±

    That¡¯s when she remembered how cunning Ovior was when he dealt with businesses.

    She quickly added, ¡°At least not forcefully. All I know is that they are good to innocent people and harsh to immoral people. I¡¯ve worked with them, got along with them, and I know how they are.

    ¡°And I hardly healed them. They have great equipment to heal themselves. They hardly need help from me. The only time I helped anyone was my childhood friend. She always gets injured.

    ¡°Aside from that, I¡¯m taking sses in the tower and learning martial arts from them. None of them sought my power.¡±

    Urs put down his cup and said, ¡°A few months ago, the Magic Tower was a ce for the dead. Even if normal people couldn¡¯t recognize it, I knew how many impurities were swirling around it when I saw it.

    ¡°Later, when I once again visited, I noticed that everything had changed. It has be a flower garden. There was no sign of impurity.¡±

 Chapter 421

    Chapter 421: FORBID

    ¡°... There was no sign of impurity.¡±

    After that, Urs said no more. He waited for her to say something.

    Veronica caught on quickly.

    ¡°Do you think it has anything to do with me? Haha. Just think that the ce you live has turned into a ce where you can barely breathe. Of course, I had to do something to clean up the mess. It¡¯s not like anyone asked me.

    ¡°Moreover, there are hardly any people who know my actual identity. They merely know me as a healer.¡±

    Urs refuted, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell them your identity. They will find out on your own. The Master of the magic Tower is a cunning fox. He reeks of blood. There is no way he won¡¯t notice your divine power.¡±

    Veronica smirked. ¡°As tricky as he is, his eyes are only for his wife. He hardly cares about the rest. If someone is truly working for the tower, that would be the Second-inmand.¡±

    .....

    Urs couldn¡¯t believe it. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to trust her. He was thinking that the tower people were fooling her.

    ¡°I know about the Master. He is infamous for his cold-blooded murders. How can that be a lovebird just for a woman?¡±

    At his question, Veronica¡¯s lips raised slightly. ¡°That¡¯s because his wife is an unparallel beauty. Everyone falls in love with her the moment they saw her.¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a crime to falsely praise myself,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Unparalleled beauty?¡± Urs lightly chuckled. ¡°Is there someone more beautiful than you are?¡±

    ¡°You jest!¡± Veronica went along with him, slightly embarrassed.

    ¡°Please notify me if you are in trouble. If they try to use your power for something evil, run for your life ande to us. We will protect you and take you out of the human realm.¡±

    Since he was so sure that she would be attacked by the tower people, she replied shortly, ¡°I will.¡±

    Urs didn¡¯t pester her any longer. He talked about something else, ¡°Do you still have back pain?¡±

    Veronica nodded. ¡°I do. It happens two days each month. Once on the full moon and another time on the new moon.

    ¡°I do apply the ointment I got from the Elvish realm but it¡¯s only a temporary solution. I wish I could permanently deal with it.¡±

    ¡°You need to be stronger. That¡¯s how you can reduce the pain,¡± Urs advised.

    Veronica pressed the table and asked, ¡°Do you know how to be stronger to reduce the pain?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. Knowledge about the Blessed Child is kept in the Royal Academy in our realm. The human realm does have some information but they are nothing but tales. Humans used astronomy to predict the future and wrote them down in the scrolls. Now they protect them as if their lives depend on it.¡±

    Urs shook his head, feeling hopeless for mankind.

    ¡°Anyway, I must warn you about the tower. Even if you live with them, don¡¯t get too close to them. Don¡¯t have any romantic feelings for any magicians, especially someone who can use Dark Arts.¡±

    As he warned her, Veronica squinted her eyes. She recalled Saint Ava telling her something simr to this.

    ¡°What will happen if I have any romantic feelings for a magician?¡± she asked. When she noticed his sharp gaze, she added, ¡°Just curious. It¡¯s not like I fell in love with someone.¡±

    ¡°Something that you will never want to happen in your life,¡± Urs replied mysteriously.

    Veronica wanted to ask more but Urs stood up. ¡°I know you have brought your sword. Let¡¯s have a spur before you leave.¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± Veronica easily agreed.

    Fifteen minutester, she came out of the ce. Her whole body was throbbing after being beaten by Urs countless times.

    Rubbing her back constantly, she came out of the alley. The guards were waiting for her with Sebastian.

    Seeing the dire state she was in, Sebastian¡¯s heart dropped.

    ¡°Mis-Mistress, how did this happen?!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡¯ worry about it. Just met an old friend.¡± Veronica brushed him off. She was in no mood to chat after losing to Urs so many times.

    Urs even mentioned before she left, ¡°You have not improved at all.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s face became sour. She had been practicing every day and her result was still the same.

    She really wanted to give up this time.

    On the way, there was utter silence.

    Sebastian couldn¡¯t speak, dared not to offend Veronica when she was frowning hard.

    Once she arrived at the Magic Tower, she directly went to her room, took a bath and then changed her clothes. Later, she went to visit Catherine.

    Ovior just went to check up on Catherine. They met in the hallway.

    ¡°Are you going to visit Cathy as well?¡± Veronica asked.

    ¡°Yes, I need to make sure my Assistant doesn¡¯t die from blood loss,¡± Ovior replied with a poker face.

    They went to Catherine¡¯s room. Ovior used magic to open the door.

    The windows were tightly shut. White smoke was swirling in the room.

    ¡°Cough! Cough! What is this smoke? Where did ite from? Cough!¡± Veronica could barely see inside. She quickly opened the windows and let the wind blow inside.

    The room cleared up within a minute.

    ¡°It was fine in the morning. Did you do this?¡± she looked at Ovior.

    Apart from Arthur and Felix, only Ovior knew Catherine¡¯s condition. He must havee here when she was gone and used smoke to do something.

    Despite hearing her question, Ovior was mute.

    The room cleared up and they could see Catherine properly.

    She was still unconscious. However, her pale face got the color back. Her body started to warm up.

    Veronica sighed in relief. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that she is recovering quickly. Shouldn¡¯t she wake up by now? What¡¯s taking her so long?¡±

    She had reason to question. It had already been twelve hours since Catherine was healed.

    With Ovior¡¯s magic ointment and liquid medicine, she should be able to open her eyes by now.

    However, she kept sleeping despite recovering quickly.

    It was something to worry about.

 Chapter 422

    Chapter 422: WAKE UP

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that she is recovering quickly. Shouldn¡¯t she wake up by now? What¡¯s taking her so long?¡± Veronica wondered.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I burned essence that is good for sleeping. Even if she got the chance to regain consciousness, she wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    At Ovior¡¯s reply, Veronica finally rxed.

    Ovior said, ¡°The air is fresh. She will wake up soon. Prepare a light meal for her. Bring extra. She needs to fill her stomach.¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go and bring her a meal.¡± Veronica dashed out of the room.

    ¡°...¡± Ovior stared at the wide-open door. He was dumbstruck.

    ¡®She just had to order the chef. What does she mean by bringing the meal? Did she forget that she is the Mistress?¡¯ He sighed and rubbed his temple. ¡®She has a long way to go.¡¯

    .....

    By the time Veronica came back with the meal, Catherine woke up.

    ¡°Cathy, you are up. I¡¯ve brought your meal.¡± Veronica put down the tray on the table and sat beside her. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    Ovior stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving for now. If her situation gets worse, call me.¡±

    ¡°All right. Thank you Ovior.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡¯

    After he left, Veronica looked at Catherine. ¡°Hey, are you okay? Why did you do something so dangerous? You really scared me this time.¡±

    Without a word, Catherine burst into tears and threw herself at her friend.

    Veronica quickly hugged her. She wasn¡¯t sure what to do with her overly emotional friend.

    She stayed silent and let Catherine vent her emotions.

    When the left side of her shoulder and chest werepletely soaked, only then did Catherine stop crying.

    ¡°Ver, why did you save me? Why didn¡¯t you let me die? Just why...¡±

    Upon hearing herints, Veronica was stunned. ¡°Are you saying that you wanted to kill yourself? Not someone else did it and made it look like you did it?¡±

    Catherine sniffed and then confessed, ¡°...I did it...¡±

    Veronica was puzzled. ¡°Just why?¡±

    ¡ª¡ª-

    ¡°Apparently, Vincent cheated on her with a woman who was residing at his out at that moment. Catherine caught them red-handed. She was heartbroken. Using the same teleportation stone, she came to the tower and went to her room without a word. After that, no one saw her.ter, Veronica spotted her on the floor.¡±

    Felix gave Arthur the report he gathered. After a pause, he added, ¡°Can you guess who the woman he cheated with?¡±

    Arthur stared at him with a bored expression. ¡°Who?¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to use his brain for something so pathetic.

    ¡°It was Betty. Also, she mentioned that she was pregnant with Vincent¡¯s child. The family doctor even dered that the child was a month old and that made the whole family think it was Vincent¡¯s child.¡±

    As Felix concluded, he looked at Arthur.

    Arthur inquired, ¡°Did she bribe the doctor?¡±

    Felix smirked. ¡°Not really. The bribe couldn¡¯t move a family doctor. This famous doctor regrly went to the brothel and Betty once spotted him. So, she ckmailed him. He already has a wife from a powerful family. He dared not to offend his inws.

    ¡°Thanks to his false diagnosis, Vincent¡¯s house is in an uproar. They don¡¯t want their reputation to be harmed. Especially when they have a business to deal with. Furthermore, it was Vincent who proposed to Catherine while cheating on her back.

    ¡°If this story goes out, people will lose faith in Vincent. He will be branded as a cheating husband. And you know how people detest cheated partners in Tybu. It will be disastrous. That¡¯s why Vincent¡¯s parents are doing their best to take care of the incident as quietly as possible.¡±

    Arthur listened quietly and then said, ¡°They will contact Catherine soon. Since she wanted tomit suicide, it could be she was too hurt to deal with it.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Felix asked.

    Arthur replied, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll let Nica deal with it. She is Catherine¡¯s friend after all. So far, it¡¯s good for us. Betty can¡¯t ever dere that this child belongs to me. Nica won¡¯t suffer. I don¡¯t mind a scoundrel like Vincent raising a bastard child.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s the best punishment he can ever get. I want to see how Betty pulls off after the child is born. It won¡¯t resemble Vincent.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when he will get his punishment. Anyway, leave the report. Wait for Catherine to wake up.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    After Felix left, Arthur leaned against the chair and closed his eyes. He had a hectic day. He wanted to rest a bit.

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    ¡°Vincent did that?!¡± Veronica was speechless after hearing everything from Catherine.

    Vincent was a gentle, sweet and kind guy. He approached Catherine first and proposed to her. he got interested in her first.

    For him to suddenly sleep with Betty...

    Thinking about Betty, Veronica frowned. ¡°I knew she was plotting something when I first saw you at your engagement party. I never thought she would take revenge like that. it¡¯s my fault, Cathy. If you me me, I don¡¯t mind...¡±

    Her voice was hoarse as she lowered her head and apologized.

    Catherine instantly interrupted her, ¡°No, don¡¯t say that Ver. It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s not like you told him to sleep with Betty. They did it on their own. And Betty¡¯s bad blood with you is uncalled for. She is the one who eyed your man. It¡¯s not the other way around.¡±

    ¡°Even so...¡±

    Catherine shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense. I¡¯ve had enough time to clear my head. It¡¯s my karma. I¡¯ve hurt Sebastian. I¡¯m getting punished because of that.¡±

    ¡°How can that be your fault? It¡¯s Sebastian who confessed toote. You just wanted to be loyal to your boyfriend. If Sebastian was serious, he should have approached you long ago. He shouldn¡¯t have pissed you every single time he met you.¡±

    After a pause, Veronica asked, ¡°What do you want to do now? If it was me, I wouldn¡¯t want to marry him. It¡¯s simply impossible. If he cheats once, he can cheat twice.¡±

    Catherine became quiet when she heard her friend¡¯s opinion.

    Truly. What should she do?

 Chapter 423

    Chapter 423: WHAT TO DO NEXT?

    ¡°What do you want to do now? If it was me, I wouldn¡¯t want to marry him. It¡¯s simply impossible. If he cheats once, he can cheat twice.¡±

    When Catherine heard her question, she became quiet. After waking up, she had been thinking the same thing.

    ¡°Marriage is impossible between us,¡± she stated. ¡°When there is no trust, what kind of rtionship can we build? I don¡¯t think I want to have an untrustworthy man as a life partner.¡±

    Veronica paused. ¡°But the invitation cards have been delivered to all the guests. Are you sure you can handle the cancetion? Will you be able to face it? I¡¯m sure Vincent will lose his reputation and business if this story leaks out.¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think I want to tell everyone about this. What¡¯s the point in ruining his business? I¡¯ll just cancel the wedding and break up with him. It will be a clear breakup. No drama, nothing to argue. I just wish I didn¡¯t have to see his face again.¡±

    Catherine covered her face. She tried to delete the images of Vincent and Betty on his bed, rolling andughing like true lovers.

    Whenever she thought of that, she had a hard time breathing. She didn¡¯t want to remember the scene. However, the images kepting.

    .....

    Veronica stroked her back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you don¡¯t want to face him, I¡¯ll face him and break up for you. Also, you can just rest. Ironin is helping Ovior with your work. I can cancel the wedding and write apology notes to the guests.¡±

    ¡°Will you do this for me?¡± Catherine was touched. Although it wouldn¡¯t be wise if Veronica went to meet Vincent, she didn¡¯t want to face him.

    She didn¡¯t have the courage. She wasn¡¯t sure that she wouldn¡¯t break down after seeing him.

    Veronica hugged her friend. ¡°Of course I will do that for you. Who else can I do it for if it¡¯s not for you? You just rest. I¡¯ll do the rest.¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°...You have few letters. The letters have suddenly started toe since yesterday. I kept them in your drawer. They are from Vincent... Do you want to read them?¡±

    ¡°Burn them. I don¡¯t want to see them.¡± Catherine¡¯s eyes flickered with hatred.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Veronica collected the letters and then burned them before her friend¡¯s eyes.

    Catherine¡¯s eyes reflected the fire. It looked like her eyes were burning just like the letters.

    Later in the evening, Veronica went to Arthur¡¯s office.

    ¡°Are you busy?¡± she asked him.

    Arthur put down the paper on the table and calmly looked at her. His tense expression eased when he saw her.

    The corner of his lips raised slightly. He replied, ¡°I¡¯ll never be busy.¡±

    As he raised his hand, Veronica sat on hisp and leaned against his chest. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you all day. You must be busy.¡±

    Embracing her body, Arthur¡¯s fingers yed with her silver locks. ¡°When I came back, I looked for you. Ovior said you were out with Sebastian and other bodyguards. Did you have fun?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. But I wish I could go with Cathy. She is so worn out.¡± Veronica sighed.

    ¡°How¡¯s she holding up?¡±

    ¡°Not sure. She is heartbroken. Do you know what happened to her?¡±

    ¡°Felix reported to me. What did she decide to do after that?¡±

    ¡°Most certainly she won¡¯t marry a guy like him. If she tried to, I¡¯d force her not to.¡±

    ¡°How would you force her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d kidnap her and keep her unconscious until the wedding date is gone,¡± Veronica replied.

    Arthur chuckled at her determination. ¡°And what if Vincent sues you for this?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I care? He dared to hurt her. I¡¯ll tell the whole world what he has done to her. This way, he will never be able to show his face anywhere, let alone Cathy.¡±

    ¡°Hmm...¡± Arthur pressed his lips and pondered. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t want to give up, I have ways to deal with guys like him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t dirty your hands for a trash like him. I¡¯ll be sure to teach him a good lesson.¡±

    ¡°How are you nning on doing that?¡±

    Veronica described her n, ¡°First, I¡¯ll cancel the wedding and send apology letters to the guests from our side. I don¡¯t care what Vincent¡¯s rtives do when they reach the wedding venue and see no bride and decoration. Then, they will be curious and ask around.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Vincent and his family will try to cover it up. That¡¯s when I¡¯ll go with Catherine¡¯s disguise. I¡¯ll tell everyone about what he has done. After I make everyone believe the story, I wille back.¡±

    Arthur was amused by her plot. ¡°What if they do something dangerous? Won¡¯t it be better if Zinnia went instead of you? You can just be yourself and act like you are supporting your best friend. Zinnia will be there to protect you. I¡¯ll ask Felix to go with you as well.¡±

    Veronica thought about it and nodded. ¡°I do like this n. I¡¯m d I shared it with you.¡±

    After that, the couple became silent. While Veronica¡¯s heart was heavy, Arthur was thinking about the incident that happened in the pce today.

    The Queen was bing more and more aggressive. She acted like she had Arthur under her palm.

    The satisfaction she expressed today alerted him.

    Arthur didn¡¯t want to waste time thinking about her. Nheless, he couldn¡¯tpletely brush her off.

    The Queen¡¯s actions were well hidden.

    But Arthur already set guards around Veronica. The guards were the best knights he trained. Imperial guards were no match for them.

    He looked down and watched Veronica¡¯s unhappy face. His heart ached for her.

    ¡°Nica...¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Veronica looked at him.

    ¡°Are you upset that I couldn¡¯t fulfill my promise?¡±

    Veronica tilted her head to the side. She looked curious. ¡°Upset about your promise? What promise?¡±

    She tried to think about what Arthur promised her. All she could remember was that he swore not to be with other women.

    ¡°The promise that after marriage we will travel the world together. Are you upset that I couldn¡¯t keep it?¡±

 Chapter 424

    Chapter 424: THEIR WORRIES AND CONFESSION

    ¡°The promise that after marriage we will travel the world together¡± Arthur mentioned. ¡°Are you upset that I couldn¡¯t keep it?¡±

    Veronica finally remembered that he had promised something like that before they got married.

    Furthermore, it was because of that promise she agreed to marry him as quickly as possible.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t remind me, I wouldn¡¯t have remembered,¡± Veronica stated.

    ¡°Are you upset about it?¡± Arthur carefully asked. ¡°After our wedding, we hardly had time to go anywhere aside from visiting Utahill. Even that was for a mission, not an actual vacation.¡±

    Leaning against his chest, Veronica looked at the magical ceiling.

    She said, ¡°What can we do? Both of us have responsibilities toward the tower. It¡¯s not like we can abandon it. The more we try to finish our more, the more pile up. It¡¯s almost like someone wants to tell me that I need an assistant.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Do you want an assistant?¡± Arthur inquired.

    Veronica shook her head. ¡°I would if only whatever the assistant did would be saved in my memory. Unfortunately, that¡¯s not possible. But I think it¡¯s fine this way.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay with this?¡±

    ¡°Well, we just got married and it¡¯s been a year. We have our whole life waiting for us. Who knows, maybe tomorrow you will take down the Queen and then we will be able to travel to any neighboring country.¡±

    Arthur chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m d you are so optimistic. But I worry that I will disappoint you.¡±

    Veronica rubbed her face. ¡°Hmm, if that¡¯s what you think, I have a solution.¡±

    ¡°What solution?¡± Arthur was interested in her n.

    Veronica narrated shortly, ¡°Well, I deal with Vincent and you deal with the Queen. Whoever finishes their business first will have the opportunity to choose where to visit next weekend.¡±

    ¡°It might take a month for you to deal with Vincent.¡±

    ¡°So what? Whoever finishes first will decide what to do the next weekend. The weekend could be next month¡¯s first weekend. Who knows?¡±

    Arthur felt better seeing her so carefree.

    As long as she wasn¡¯t unhappy marrying him, he had no regrets.

    ¡°Do you regret marrying me?¡± Veronica suddenly questioned him.

    Arthur was taken aback by her question. His expression immediately became solemn.

    ¡°What do you mean? Why would I regret it?¡±

    ¡°You were... a Casanova. You had a carefree life until you met me. Now that we got married, you are stuck with responsibility. You don¡¯t have enough time to breathe.¡±

    Truthfully, Veronica kept telling others that both needed to sacrifice to have a happy marriage.

    However, she kept feeling guilty inside.

    If it wasn¡¯t for her, Arthur would be able to enjoy his life however he wished. He would be with any woman without a string attached.

    But after meeting a na?ve, weak girl like her, he had to keep worrying about their surroundings.

    He was always tense and worried something would happen to her.

    He wasn¡¯t as rxed as before.

    Even at war, he was so carefree. He always had time to flirt with her even if they were in the enemy camp.

    He was reckless and she was curious. That¡¯s why they became a good pair and got quickly attracted to each other.

    Now, she wondered if that kind of day would evere back.

    Arthur was a protective husband. He would never be reckless like before and have adventures like that with her.

    She didn¡¯t mention them to him, worrying that he would be depressed. He already had enough on his te.

    Nevertheless, she missed the old him and the old days before they got married.

    And, she feared that he would regret marrying her.

    Arthur¡¯s arms around her tightened all of a sudden. He could see a pained expression nted on her face.

    ¡°Why do you think I will regret our marriage just because my lifestyle changed? What are you thinking right now?¡±

    ¡°I already told you what I¡¯m thinking.¡± Veronica stared at him with her limpid eyes. ¡°Are you really not regretting it?¡±

    The back of Arthur¡¯s finger brushed over her face. ¡°Nica, I don¡¯t know what you are thinking but I can swear that ever since I met you my life changed for good.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Arthur nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t mention it before but I was just running away from my duties. I was acting like a reckless teenager. I pushed all my duties to Ovior and lived a carefree life. I shouldn¡¯t have done that.

    ¡°After I met you, I realized you were the same as me. You were reckless and carefree. Moreover, you knew nothing about the world. It was all new to me and so, I got easily attracted to you.

    ¡°When you almost sacrificed your life for me, I realized how precious you were to me. At that time, I knew that I couldn¡¯t deal with that kind of irresponsible life anymore.

    ¡°I understood that I couldn¡¯t live a life where you weren¡¯t there. I just simply couldn¡¯t lose you. That¡¯s why I confessed to you. Trust me, when I saw your motionless body lying on the bed, I was so scared that I couldn¡¯t think of anything.

    ¡°That¡¯s when I started to n everything. I knew about my situation very well. I knew what I had to discard and what I have to keep in my life just to be with you.

    ¡°I was mentally prepared to be with you. I knew the moment I would take you to the Magic Tower we would both be busy with piles of work. I knew what we were going to face. I also had the Queen in the n too.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to hide it from you. I feared that if I didn¡¯t hide it from you and lure you with the traveling, you might not want to be with me.¡±

    ¡°You are right, I wouldn¡¯t be with you if it weren¡¯t for the promise,¡± Veronica replied without batting an eye.

    ¡°...¡±

    Arthur was speechless.

    He did think she cared more about traveling than him, he didn¡¯t imagine her confessing outright.

    He had no idea what kind of face he should make.

 Chapter 425

    Chapter 425: GIFT FOR THE GENEROUS WIFE

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to hide it from you. I feared that if I didn¡¯t hide it from you and lure you with the traveling, you might not want to be with me.¡±

    ¡°You are right, I wouldn¡¯t be with you if it weren¡¯t for the promise,¡± Veronica blurted out without thinking.

    When she saw Arthur¡¯s unique expression, she realized what she had done.

    She hurriedly added, ¡°That was before you know. Now, if I had to choose between you and traveling, I would choose you.¡±

    Arthur didn¡¯t change his expression and stared at her without a word. His pair of golden orbs jeered at her.

    Veronica regretted blurting out her innermost thoughts.

    However, she didn¡¯t want to be a criminal here. If she did, she didn¡¯t know what Arthur would do. He always exceeded her expectations when he went crazy.

    .....

    Since she couldn¡¯t go in a defensive mood, she had to be offensive.

    After all, offense is the best defense.

    She circled her arms around him and pursed her lips. ¡°Are you going to be mad because you were right to predict that?¡±

    She shamelessly pushed the me on him.

    Arthur raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t think that she would push it on him.

    ¡®She has been with Zinnia and others for too long. She now became a sly vixen. What will happen if I continue to let her stay with them?¡¯ he pondered.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault,¡± he apologized despite it not being his fault.

    ¡°No problem. I forgive you. You are my husband after all. I can¡¯t bear to fault you. Aren¡¯t I a generous wife?¡±

    ¡°...You sure are... shall I give you a reward then?¡±

    Veronica blinked. ¡°Heh? What reward... eek!!¡±

    She shrieked when she was pushed to the table. The moment her hips touched the cold table, Arthur rolled up her skirt.

    Veronica panicked. ¡°Wait... wait... what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°What else? Rewarding my wife with generosity,¡± saying that he took off her white panties and spread her legs.

    His unrestrained eyes directly looked at the small flower that was hidden under the thinyer.

    Veronica¡¯s face dyed red. She could barelyprehend what was happening.

    Without waiting for her reaction, Arthur leaned forward and kissed her thigh.

    ¡°Umm...¡± Veronica¡¯s legs trembled uncontrobly. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip to suppress her moans.

    Arthur¡¯s lips traveled deeper and deeper. He bit her lightly. Her white skin turned red. Then, he moved even deeper.

    ¡°A-Arthur... ung!¡± Veronica shuddered.

    She wanted to hold something. Her hands tried to grab the table when she realized that it was his work table.

    She gasped when she realized that she was in his office right now.

    Anyone coulde at any moment and see her half-naked with her legs spread shamelessly.

    Nervousness wrecked her nerves. She was flustered.

    She tried to push his head away. ¡°Arthur... this is the office. We can¡¯t do this here... ahh!¡±

    A strong wave hit her when Arthur¡¯s lips touched her flower.

    ¡°Umm... Princess, you smell sweet down there. What did you apply here?¡± Arthur muttered while smelling her.

    Veronica wanted to bury herself in a grave in shame.

    When it came to things like this, he had the most shameless and vulgar mouth.

    Even Darius would fail in that area.

    ¡°D-don¡¯t speak nonsense. Move... awa... ahh!¡± Veronica shuddered and couldn¡¯t finish her protest.

    Arthur¡¯s warm, soft, wet tongue began to lick her. A wave of pleasure attacked her. Her blood began to boil. Something warm traveled down to her stomach.

    Before Veronica could process the pleasure she was feeling, Arthur¡¯s tongue went inside.

    ¡°Hnng!¡± Veronica widened her eyes. Her toes curled up in stimtion.

    She wanted to scream out loud and vent her ecstasy. Then again, she recalled that she was at his office and Ovior or Ironin or anyone could enter the room at any time.

    She moved her quivering lips and reminded him in a soft voice, ¡°Arthur... someone mighte...¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Is this why you tightened up here? Does that excite you thinking someone might see you?¡± Arthur asked her without stopping his action.

    Veronica trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t speak when you lick... ahh!¡±

    However, she kept thinking about what he just said. When she thought about how people might see her, she indeed clenched around his tongue as tightly as she could.

    ¡®Did... I be so shameless that I was excited by it? This cannot... be...¡¯

    She couldn¡¯t believe how obscene her body had be.

    However, she didn¡¯t have time to think about anything after that. Arthur soon added three fingers and relentlessly went in and out.

    A jolt of pleasure washed over her and spread her entire body. Her body shook like a leaf.

    Soft, restrained moans automatically burst out of her lips.

    The stic sensation traveled down her stomach and reached the ce between her thighs. Something was building up inside her.

    In therge quiet room, only her moans and an obscene wet sound could be heard.

    Veronica didn¡¯t want to notice it at first but Arthur said in a husky voice, ¡°Princess, your juice is leaking out. You are enjoying the thoughts of people who might see you, don¡¯t you? Can you hear the wet sound? If people stand outside the door, they will be able to listen to the lewd sound.¡±

    Veronica bit her lower lip and red at Arthur¡¯s head. She couldn¡¯t see his face as his face was buried in between her thighs, ying with her clitoris and his fingers teased her vagina.

    If she could, she would punch his face for speaking dirty. However, she had no strength left.

    She couldn¡¯t help but shed tears as she was helpless to do anything to him.

    Soon, a tingle surged up and flooded into her body. Her muscles spasmed and her body jerked up as euphoria circted through her entire body.

    Her vision turned white. A delightful pleasure made her body go numb.

    Although she couldn¡¯t move, her legs trembled from time to time as she was being wiped clean.

    ¡°Princess, did you enjoy the gift your husband gave you for your generosity?¡±

 Chapter 426

    Chapter 426: GOING OUT

    ¡°Princess, did you enjoy the gift your husband gave you for your generosity?¡±

    Arthur stroked her head and asked in a gentle, teasing voice.

    Veronica was breathless. Her head was all fuzzy. She heard his voice from far away. She had a hard time processing what he said.

    She stared at him in a daze. It took her some time to understand why he suddenly did that at his office.

    He wanted to punish her for pushing the me on him.

    When she found out she was furious but she had no strength to fight him.

    The blissful moment passed away. Veronica cooled down.

    .....

    She was lying on the couch while her head was on Arthur¡¯sp.

    ¡°You said you were prepared before you got married. You knew you had to face the responsibility and still married me,¡± she mentioned.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. How could I not know what my responsibilities are?¡± Arthur tenderly stroked her hair while replying.

    ¡°But it was also true that I didn¡¯t know how to deal with you,¡± he added. ¡°I was being too controlling and secretive. I have no excuse for those mistakes.¡±

    Veronica closed her eyes. ¡°You are indeed more mature than I am. I¡¯m feeling ashamed of myself. I thought both of us unknowingly got married because we desired something else. But now the responsibilities knocked us back to senses.¡±

    She recalled once Sister Josephine told her ¨C nothinges without a price.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You know now. Do you regret marrying me now?¡± Arthur asked her.

    Veronica smiled. ¡°Not at all. And I never will.¡±

    ¡°Even if you did, I have no intention of letting you go.¡±

    ¡°You sound like a tyrant.¡±

    ¡°Cause I am.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    The next day, Veronica started writing apology letters for canceling the wedding on behalf of Catherine.

    She didn¡¯t mention the reason behind it. It was just a sincere apology.

    In the meantime, Catherine rested as much as she could and could stand on her feet after two days.

    To make her feel better, Veronica took some time off and took her to the market za.

    This time, she didn¡¯t let Sebastian guard them. She gave him some tasks, so he was unable to join them. Instead, she chose Felix to guard them.

    Felix kept an eye on them from the shades. He didn¡¯te in front of Catherine.

    Her face had sunken. She looked ghastly pale. Her lips were dry. Her eyes were red. She had be a lot quiet.

    Felix felt sympathetic when he saw her.

    Veronica took her to antique shops, book shops, gift shops and magic shops and dared not to take her anywhere near the couples¡¯ area but nothing could make her happy.

    Later, she gave up on making Catherine happy and took her to the massage center.

    As regr customers, they got appointments sooner than they expected.

    Catherine had missed her several massage therapy sessions. As a result, she felt sore all over her body after the massage. She even shouted when her back was being massaged.

    Afterward, her body felt much better. She was rxed. She had a feeling that her stress was all gone.

    Even her face was livelier than before.

    Veronica smiled as she looked at her. Even she felt better seeing her friend in a good mood.

    However, their mood was ruined the moment they got out of the massage center.

    They came face to face with Vincent¡¯s mother. It seemed that she was also a regr customer of the massage shop.

    She was startled at first when she saw Catherine and Veronica. The next second, her face beamed. She rushed forward and grabbed Catherine¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Girl, you are here. I cannot believe I¡¯ve finally met you. I¡¯ve been trying to reach out to you for several days but you haven¡¯t replied to any letters!¡±

    Her loud voice attracted many people. Veronica and Catherine began to feel ufortable.

    To help her friend from the dire situation, Veronica suggested, ¡°Can we go to a quiet ce to talk? It¡¯s not a good ce to have a conversation.¡±

    Before Catherine could open her mouth, Vincent¡¯s mother replied, ¡°Sure, sure!¡±

    Catherine¡¯s expression was sour but didn¡¯t refute.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t guard you well enough,¡± Felix apologized.

    Currently, he was sitting on a chair with Veronica. They were in a restaurant. The waiter served their meals.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You are supposed to protect us from danger, not from a helpless woman.¡± Veronica blew the spoon full of soup and then took it into her mouth.

    ¡°I know, even so...¡± Felix lowered his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. She had to face it at least once. I can¡¯t help her with this. The sooner she cut ties, the better.¡± Veronica looked across the room.

    Catherine was sitting with Vincent¡¯s mother. She seemed extremely unwilling to talk to the middle-aged woman in front of her.

    Vincent¡¯s mother ordered their meal as she wanted to treat them to a meal.

    After she was done ordering, she looked at Catherine¡¯s haggard face.

    She lovingly asked, ¡°Catherine, girl, how are you doing?¡±

    Catherine¡¯s lips twitched when she heard the question. She looked outside the window and muttered, ¡°Maybe you should ask that question to your son.¡±

    Vincent¡¯s mother let out a deep sigh when she heard the answer.

    She felt sorry for the innocent girl. However, she had only one son and she only cared about his happiness.

    ¡°I know it must be hard on you. Even I¡¯m surprised after what happened. I¡¯ve scolded Vincent a lot and punished him too. He deeply reflected on his crime.

    ¡°He sent you letters every day. He feels sorry and wants to apologize to you. I understand your pain but I¡¯m also a mother. A mother wishes for her child¡¯s happiness. Please under my pain.

    ¡°I can¡¯t bear to see my only son suffering. It was all Betty¡¯s fault. She is a street girl. She whores around and seduces men. She wanted to seduce my husband first but I always guarded him closely.

    ¡°Since I hardly had time to take care of Vincent, she used him as a target. My son is also a victim of this conspiracy. He had done nothing wrong. He said he was drugged.

    ¡°So, please forgive him. Talk to him for a moment. Punish him or scold him. But please talk to him. You are soon to be married.

    ¡°How can a couple stay mad at each other? I know how much you two love each other. A street whore can¡¯t be enough to tear apart you two.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to kick her out. Don¡¯t worry about dealing with her. Once youe to the resort and talk it out with Vincent, I¡¯ll deal with her. you don¡¯t have to lift a finger. After all, you are my precious daughter-inw.¡±

    Catherine felt likeughing when she heard the term ¡®precious daughter-inw¡¯.

    Daughter-inw?

    What daughter-inw?

    She wasn¡¯t even married yet.

    They wanted to im her before she got married.

    What would happen when she was actually married to him?

    Would she have freedom of life?

    ¡°He suffered?¡± Catherine finally looked at Vincent¡¯s mother. ¡°He is a victim ¨C is that what she said?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but sneer at the middle-ageddy.

    She wanted to say more but the meals were served. After the waiter left, she once again opened her mouth.

    ¡°If you think you can fool me with those words, you are underestimating my intelligence. I remember vividly what happened that day. There was no way he looked like a victim. Rather, he was embracing her and enjoying a woman¡¯s body.¡±

    At her words, Vincent¡¯s mother knitted her eyebrows.

    ¡°I understand it hurts you deeply. But what can you do? You are going to get married anyway. A husband is like a god. A wife must serve her husband like she is worshiping a god. You have to get along with him.¡±

    The more she listened to this, the more Catherine got irritated.

    ¡°You... think a god is lustful enough to cheat on their partner? Why have I not heard about a god like that before? Where did youe up with such a bizarre idea?

    ¡°He cheated on me in broad daylight. He was going to get married to me within three weeks but he dared to sleep with another woman. He was not drugged or anything.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen with my very own eyes. He wasn¡¯t seduced. He was seducing her. He wasn¡¯t being forced. Even if he was being seduced, he should have a great character not to fall for a whore!¡±

    .....

    The way Catherine was badmouthing Vincent, his mother became annoyed.

    She retorted, ¡°That¡¯s a man¡¯s body. He is young and healthy. Of course he would want to reduce his pain. Every man has a strong physical desire. They need to relieve their frustration. As his fianc¨¦e, shouldn¡¯t you have done something to relieve his stress?¡±

    Catherine was speechless.

    ¡°Now it is my fault?! How could you point your fingers at me? I was taught to preserve my dignity until I get married. In our society, a woman who loses her chastity before marriage loses value. And now you are saying I should have done something to give away my chastity? How could you!¡±

 Chapter 427

    Chapter 427: CATHERINE¡¯S ANGER

    ¡°...In our society, a woman who loses her chastity before marriage loses value. And now you are saying I should have done something to give away my chastity? How could you!¡±

    Catherine¡¯s eyes were burning in rage.

    ¡°It¡¯s your son who cannot control his desire. It¡¯s his fault to give in to someone¡¯s seduction when he already pledged his love and loyalty to me.

    ¡°You talk about men¡¯s desire. I¡¯ve been working with men for several years but I haven¡¯t seen anyone lust for women so crazily that they would cheat on their wives. You have a husband. Did he ever lust for other women?¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue, girl!¡± Vincent¡¯s mother sternly reprimanded her. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to get married in the first ce but only agreed because my son chose you. An orphan like you is not even fit for my son!¡±

    Catherine coldly gazed at her. ¡°Fit for your son? I¡¯m afraid he is the one who isn¡¯t fit for me. I mean you said so yourself. How can a guy who sleeps with a whore just because of his desire actually fit me, a woman with dignity? Only a whore sleeps with a whore.¡±

    The face of Vincent¡¯s mother turned red in anger. She yelled, ¡°You... you dare to say that again!¡±

    .....

    The customers from other tables looked in their direction. Some were enjoying the argument and some were offended by the chaos.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to say anything. I¡¯ll say instead,¡± Veronica stepped forward and held Catherine¡¯s shoulder.

    There was no way she could stand it when her friend was being framed and humiliated when she did nothing wrong.

    She continued, ¡°Your son is a whore. Do you know why? Because he sleeps with a whore. And you cannot stop our mouths. You have no right to yell at us. Rather, you should try teaching your son some basic norms and values or everyone will treat him like a whore.¡±

    After saying her mind, she pulled Catherine. ¡°Don¡¯t just sit there. Let¡¯s leave this ce. I can¡¯t stand sitting next to a whore¡¯s mother.¡±

    Catherine was stunned at first when Veronica used the word ¡®whore¡¯. She never saw her friend cursing at anyone. Her heart filled with gratitude.

    She nodded and stood up. Without looking back, the girls paid their bills and left the restaurant.

    If they looked back, they would be able to see a priceless expression on the face of Vincent¡¯s mother.

    Veronica sat on the carriage and looked at Catherine who was sitting in the opposite direction.

    Catherine was looking outside the window. She was wearing a grim expression on her face.

    Veronica hesitated before asking, ¡°Cathy, you have been stuck in this kingdom for over a year. Do you want to travel somewhere far from here?

    ¡°How about going to Ironin¡¯s ce? Lady Jte is a friendly person and she wanted to meet you. Everyone is caring. There is a huge rose garden and I¡¯m sure you will want to see it.¡±

    Catherine finally looked at her. ¡°What about the work? Ovior won¡¯t like it if I take too many days off.¡±

    Veronica replied, ¡°He won¡¯t be upset if Ironin and I work on your ce. He¡¯d be happy to have two assistants then one.¡±

    Catherine liked the idea but there was always something that made her hesitate. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go there alone. I don¡¯t know anyone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Zinnia to apany you,¡± Veronica assured her. ¡°Let¡¯s see what she says.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    ¡°Sorry, folks. I can¡¯t go. I¡¯m working on something right now,¡± Zinnia replied.

    After Veronica and Catherine came back, they went directly to Ovior¡¯s ce. Ovior permitted Catherine to take a month off and pressed Veronica to work for him.

    After that, they asked Ironin¡¯s permission to stay at his pce. Ironin did not object.

    Everything went smoothly until they talked to Zinnia. Apparently, she had some work and could not apany Catherine.

    She had to reject the offer.

    ¡°I should have thought that you were busy.¡± Veronica scratched her cheek. ¡°Who should I ask?¡±

    ¡°Felix can do,¡± Zinnia suggested. ¡°Ask him if he is free or not. Don¡¯t ask Darius to join. Ironin might not like it since he tried to flirt with precious Duchess.¡±

    ¡°Duchess?¡± Catherine frowned. ¡°Who is the Duchess?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I wanted to tell you but then things happened and I couldn¡¯t. It¡¯s Ironin. He is a Duke. Can you believe it? He even married Lady Jte because he loved her!¡±

    Veronica excitedly told Catherine about their team discovery. She even told her about everyone¡¯s portrait.

    Catherine was stunned. ¡°What a low-profile Duke! I can¡¯t believe this. It¡¯s more unbelievable that he had a love marriage.¡±

    Veronica responded, ¡°Right? I thought all aristocrats marry for their prestige. They have lovers outside. Ironinpletely changed my views of the aristocrats.¡±

    ¡°But now the problem is apany. Shall we talk to Felix?¡± Catherine asked.

    ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go,¡± Veronica agreed.

    Felix was in the library. He would sometimes read books to pass the time.

    Surprisingly, he readily agreed. ¡°Sure, I will dly apany Catherine if that¡¯s what she wants.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Don¡¯t you have any mission to deal with?¡± Veronica asked carefully.

    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m free. I will tell Arthur that I¡¯ll be on a vacation for a month. He is not my superior. He has no say in what I do,¡± Felix eased their worry.

    ¡®It¡¯s good that I can guard her away from this ce. A good way to rx and enjoy a vacation,¡¯ he thought while hiding the fact that his mission was to guard Catherine from Vincent.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    ¡°Mother, you met her and you couldn¡¯t persuade her?!¡± Vincent looked at his mother in disbelief.

    His mother came back home right after being humiliated by Veronica and Catherine.

    Sheined to her husband and son and she just kept going until Vincent started to have a headache.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. The audacity of an orphan. She dares to call me a ¡®whore¡¯s mother¡¯! How dare she!¡±

    She red at her son and chastised, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, would I have gone to lower myself and talk to her? Just who does she think she is?!¡±

    ¡°Mother. Please calm down,¡± Vincent nervously said.

    He was having a roller coaster ride from the day Catherine saw them in bed.

    After he chased her for some time, he couldn¡¯t find her because she just simply vanished.

    He was astonished wondering how she could leave the ce so quickly. As a city girl, she wasn¡¯t as quick on her feet as him.

    He was confident that he could soften her heart by asking for forgiveness using nothing but his sweet voice.

    When he couldn¡¯t find her and talk to her, he felt terror in his heart.

    After he came back, he got shocking news.

    Betty was pregnant.

    With his child.

    He recalled every time they slept together, he came inside her. At that moment, he was only thinking about pleasure and lust. He did not think about the consequences.

    Now he realized the problem he was in.

    But it was toote.

    He kept writing letters to Catherine but got no response. Anxiety filled his heart.

    He remembered that their wedding was only twenty dayster.

    He wanted to go to her house and apologize to her but he knew nothing about where she lived.

    And two dayster, his mother coincidentally met her butpletely ruined the chance for him to apologize.

    Moreover, his mother was enraged by her attitude.

    He had no idea what to do.

    Betty watched the family show quietly and then sneered in her heart.

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t she heartbroken? Howe she didn¡¯t beg for Vincent¡¯s love? Why did she call him a whore in front of his mother?¡¯ she wondered.

    Her trick was simple. Just the way Veronica snatched Arthur from her, she snatched Vincent from Catherine.

    Then, everything would go her way. That¡¯s what she thought.

    However, unexpectedly, Catherine didn¡¯t act the way she did.

    Betty begged for Arthur¡¯s love. She thought Catherine would do the same

    She always imagined Catherine crying and begging while she was down to her knees.

    She was displeased that things didn¡¯t go in her way.

    Biting her nails, she stepped forward. When she reached Vincent, she hugged his arm.

    ¡°What should we do, Vincent? If she doesn¡¯t listen to your mother and obey her, it means she doesn¡¯t want to marry you, right? Does she hate you now?¡±

    Her sweet, honey voice didn¡¯t melt his heart. Rather, he became annoyed.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Why will she hate me? She¡¯s just sulking. I¡¯ll just have to talk to her. Then, everything will be fine. That¡¯s it!¡±

    .....

    Seeing him irritated, Betty shed tears.

    ¡°Vincent, how can you talk to me like that? Please don¡¯t upset me. I¡¯m carrying your child right now.¡±

    Her sweet threat worked on him. He shuddered and became quiet.

    However, his mother wasn¡¯t easy to deal with. She red at Betty.

    ¡°You bitchy whore! How dare you threaten us with your child? Do you think we will cower because of that unborn child?

 Chapter 428

    Chapter 428: I WILL MEET HER

    ¡°You bitchy whore! How dare you threaten us with your child? Do you think we will cower because of that unborn child?

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, would I be humiliated in public? I lost my face because an orphan got the right to point a finger at me. And it was all because you keep whoring around my son.

    ¡°Who knows if it belongs to my son. It could be some other man¡¯s offspring. Well, it¡¯s a bastard either way.¡±

    Vincent¡¯s mother scoffed and looked away.

    No one saw Betty¡¯s eyes sh with hatred for a second.

    She lowered her head and controlled her emotions.

    ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t get too emotional. I have to take care of Arthur and my child. I have to make sure my son will be born healthy,¡¯ she said in her mind.

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her,¡± Vincent said. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize to her and we¡¯ll hold our wedding on the date we¡¯ve arranged it. I¡¯ll show my sincerity.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do but you cannot tarnish the family name or you will have to deal with me,¡± his father warned him.

    ¡°To you, reputation is more important than your son¡¯s happiness?¡± Vincent¡¯s mother scowled at her husband.

    His father sternly responded, ¡°I haven¡¯t spent my life working and being honest just to be destroyed by your brainless son. If it wasn¡¯t for you, he wouldn¡¯t turn into a womanizer like that. He¡¯s supposed to get married to one girl and get another girl pregnant. How shameful!¡±

    ¡°Oh? Now everything is my fault?!¡± his wife shouted.

    ¡°Your teaching is wrong and that¡¯s why you are being named as ¡®whore¡¯s mother¡¯. Still deny it?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because this woman seduced my son.¡±

    ¡°Hah... just because a girl seduces him, he reacts like that? I¡¯ve been seduced many times because of my property. When did I cheat on you? Don¡¯t push your son¡¯s inability into a woman. He needs to manage his cock, not another person¡¯s action.¡±

    ¡°How vulgar!¡±

    ¡°That son of yours is more vulgar.¡±

    ¡°So, he is only my son and not yours?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t acknowledge him as my son if he has anything to do with harming our family and name. We have a business to run to fill our stomachs. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    The husband and wife kept bickering. Vincent rubbed his forehead,

    ¡®Why did my life turn out that way? Why did Catherine have toe at that time? Everything was going just fine. Could she not understand a man¡¯s body? She wouldn¡¯t let me touch her and won¡¯t let me touch another woman. Why is she so unfair?!¡¯

    ¡®Betty and I were doing fine for the past month. No one got to know back then. If mother knew anything, she would have done something that would prevent Catherine from noticing us.¡¯

    ¡®My luck is surely bad. My parents organized a grand wedding and we invited so many people. The wedding is supposed to increase our family business and our reputation. If the wedding is suddenly canceled, customers will think badly of us. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯

    Thinking of all that, he clenched his fists.

    Betty noticed the change in his expression. She didn¡¯t feel good about the determination she was seeing in his eyes.

    She tugged his sleeve and pitifully said, ¡°Vincent, don¡¯t forget our child, the fruit of our love.¡± Then, she rubbed her stomach.

    Vincent looked at her stomach and narrowed his eyes.

    ¡®If only this child didn¡¯t exist...¡¯

    He regretted it deeply but there was no turning back.

    The child was already in the world.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    The next day, Veronica went to the Imperial Library to collect some books about Louses.

    Merlin had given her a list of book names before he left for Louses. He wanted her to know more about Louses.

    Veronica didn¡¯te alone. She brought Catherine with her, thinking it might change the mood of the heartbroken girl.

    Catherine¡¯s mood indeed lifted after seeing a luxurious pce up close. It was her first time seeing an actual castle.

    Although she didn¡¯tugh a lot, she was looking around with great interest. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t hide the glowing light in her curious eyes.

    Veronica borrowed the books and checked out from the library.

    ¡°This ce is huge. This is no way worse than the Magic Tower,¡± Catherine said in amazement. ¡°And here I thought our temple in Utahill is the best building out there.¡±

    ¡°Our temple is luxurious. However, this ce is magnificent,¡± Veronica replied.

    ¡°You are so lucky to be able toe here to read books often. I want a membership card too,¡± Catherine whined.

    ¡°You can ask Merlin for the membership card. He has influence here. As for me being lucky... I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m lucky or not. But it¡¯s my third or fourth timeing here. I hardly had the time to read any storybooks. Everyday lessons are killing me.¡±

    Veronica was depressed when she thought of her fight with Urs. The way he criticized her, she felt like her everyday hard work was for nothing.

    She talked to Ironin about this. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve lost a fight against a good friend. He said I¡¯m not good enough. I didn¡¯t improve at all. What should I do? I don¡¯t feel like practicing anymore if I don¡¯t improve at all.¡±

    Ironin thought for a second before replying, ¡°You need to fight against trainee soldiers first if you want to get better. If you always pick up your opponent who is out of your league, you will never improve.¡±

    ¡°So, practicing isn¡¯t the issue, my opponent is?¡± Veronica caught on quickly.

    Ironin gave a slight nod.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t understand his point. ¡°But if I don¡¯t practice with good warriors, how am I supposed to get better?¡±

    ¡°First, you fight. Then, I¡¯ll exin,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you-¡± that¡¯s what Veronica said in reply. She decided to fight with lower-level warriors after Catherine left.

    Before Catherine left, it was theirst time going out. That¡¯s why Veronica wanted to lift her mood before she left.

    ¡°Want to go to the garden? I heard the Royal Pce¡¯s gardens are extraordinary.¡± She looked at Catherine.

    ¡°Can we go?¡± Catherine¡¯s eyes brightened up. ¡°I want to go but are we allowed?¡±

    ¡°We should be allowed since I have the pass,¡± Veronica thoughtfully responded. ¡°If it¡¯s about yours then we might face some problems.¡±

    Catherine¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Veronica hurriedly said, ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure whether we will be caught or not. We won¡¯t know if we don¡¯t try. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    She pulled her depressed friend with her. Fortunately, no guard bothered them.

    Just looking at their appearances and clothes the guards thought they were aristocrats. No one dared to stop them.

    They spent a quality of time staying in the garden before deciding to head back.

    As they got closer to the castle¡¯s main gate, they saw a familiar person. The person was talking to the guards politely.

    Veronica recognized the man right away. She quickly shot a nce at her friend.

    Catherine¡¯s face was rigid. She wasn¡¯t expecting to meet him at a moment like this.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Veronica grabbed her friend¡¯s hand and pulled her friend along with her.

    Vincent was talking to the guards when twodies approached them. At first, he was stunned that Catherine and Veronica were there together.

    ¡®Could they be working at the same ce?¡¯ he wondered.

    He hurriedly strode forward and caught on to them.

    ¡°Catherine, I¡¯m so sorry I hurt you. I was wrong. I have nothing left to face you. I didn¡¯t know how to contact you but I remembered that you work at the Royal Pce and so I came here to meet you. I had no way to contact you since you wouldn¡¯t read them.

    ¡°If you could just give me some time to think this through, I would tell you how it ended up like that.¡±

    Upon hearing the unwanted voice, Catherine stopped in her track. She turned to face him and sneered, ¡°You mean how you were going to justify your action?¡±

    ¡°...Yes...¡± Vincent muttered while his eyes were lowered.

    Catherine crossed her arms. ¡°Say it. I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be close.¡± Veronica patted her back before walking to a normal distance

    ¡°Catherine...¡± Vincent stared at her. He was nervous. For a second, he forgot what he wanted to tell her.

    However, in front of her strong presence, he lost his voice.

    She was a gorgeous woman. A blonde at that.

    Her hair and appearance wear something unique in Tybu.

    ¡®How did I mess up like that? She was right there for me and we were about to get married. Why did I sleep with Betty and got her pregnant?¡¯ he sighed inmentation.

    ¡°If you have nothing to say, I¡¯ll leave...¡± Catherine turned around to leave

    ¡°No, no, please.¡± Vincent caught her wrist.

    ¡°I know you are suffering. It¡¯s all because of me, I know that. If you want to me, then me me. Please don¡¯t cancel the wedding.¡±

    .....

 Chapter 429

    Chapter 429: VINCENT AND CATHERINE

    ¡°I know you are suffering. It¡¯s all because of me, I know that. If you want to me, then me me. Please don¡¯t cancel the wedding.¡±

    Catherine was surprised, hurt and disgusted when she heard Vincent¡¯s unreasonable request.

    However, it wasn¡¯t the end. Vincent had more to say.

    ¡°Catherine, if you promise to be with me, I¡¯ll make sure to leave Betty and never ever see her again. It will be just the two of us. There will be no one in the future.¡±

    Veronica was irritated by his words. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped. She looked at her friend.

    ¡®It¡¯ll be better if she deals with him alone,¡¯ she thought.

    Catherine¡¯s blue eyes teared up as she looked at Vincent.

    .....

    ¡°I already promised to be with you but you are the one who broke the promise,¡± she reminded him.

    Vincent felt embarrassed. He looked at her pain-struck face. It made him feel suffocated.

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know how things ended up like that. I have only myself to me. Catherine, I¡¯m really really sorry. If you want to get angry, please be angry. If you want to hit me, please do so. Just stay with me till the end of the day, okay?¡±

    Catherine wiped her tears and looked away. ¡°How can I? Your mother said I¡¯m not suitable for you. She doesn¡¯t want an orphan like me. I guess Betty is the only choice even though she doesn¡¯t have parents.¡±

    Vincent was dumbstruck.

    ¡®Mother, how could you say that to her? You just made this worse!¡¯

    He felt like crying.

    ¡°What?! Mother said that?! Impossible! She is wrong! It¡¯s not your fault. My mother is delusional. She was just mad and spouted nonsense.

    ¡°She was ill-tempered because of what happened. She was just mad at me butshed out at you. I apologize on her behalf.¡±

    Catherine let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m the one who suffered the most. Why would shesh out at me if she was mad at you? Is she a fool or do you take me for a fool?¡±

    Vincent¡¯s face became a bit somber. ¡°If you are mad, juste at me, Catherine. Don¡¯t say bad things about my mother.¡±

    His voice had a hint of warning.

    Catherine shook her head. ¡°You make me surprised. I did nothing wrong. I didn¡¯t harm you or did anything to be your enemy. You and your mother hurt me, humiliated me and did whatever you felt like doing without thinking about how I would feel.

    ¡°What gives you the right to talk to me like that? What will go wrong if I tell the truth? Vincent, you and your family are allowed to wrong me once. Not twice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t give you the right to hurt me whenever you please. If you can¡¯t do that, why should we get married? I will gain nothing from marrying a cheater like you.¡±

    Vincent¡¯s firm attitude changed when he heard that.

    She might not gain anything but he would lose everything if he didn¡¯t marry her.

    His reputation and family reputation would go to waste. Furthermore, they had the resort business.

    Not to mention Catherine was a virgin blonde beauty.

    Although Betty was a blonde beauty like Catherine, she was too seductive and sly. A girl like her was hard to control.

    Moreover, she didn¡¯t care about her dignity and was easy to spread her legs. A woman like her was unfit to marry a respectable man. She was even pregnant before marriage.

    But Catherine was a sweet, bashful girl. She preserved her dignity and worked in the Royal Pce. She had a good reputation and was well-mannered.

    And with her beauty like that, anyone who would marry her would win.

    Evaluating their overall characters, Vincent would prefer to be with Catherine for the rest of his life than Betty.

    ¡®Who would want to marry a loose woman? I need a wife who will take care of my family. I don¡¯t have time to keep an eye on my wife whether she is sleeping with other men or not. If she can sleep with an engaged man like me, I¡¯m sure she can go for a married man.¡¯

    Thinking of all that, Vincent already eliminated Betty from the list.

    Vincent took a deep breath to clear his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have used that tone with you. But I¡¯m ready to change. I¡¯m ready-¡±

    ¡°Vincent, if you marry me you will have to say sorry for the rest of your lives,¡± Catherine interrupted him. ¡°Do you know why?¡±

    She added, ¡°Because you will keep making mistakes and will have to apologize. You can never make eye contact with me.¡±

    Vincent¡¯s face paled. ¡°Catherine...¡±

    ¡°Vincent, the moment you slept with her, you knew it was impossible.¡±

    ¡°Catherine, please just listen...¡±

    ¡°If it was me sleeping with another man after the engagement, would you ept me?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Vincent couldn¡¯t reply.

    The answer was so obvious.

    Catherine didn¡¯t have to wait for him. She scoffed and then gestured at Veronica before walking past Vincent.

    She didn¡¯t look back. Her eyes were straight at the road.

    But her vision started to blur soon.

    Veronica ran after her. Before leaving, she red at Vincent.

    ¡°You will regret what you have done,¡± she told him.

    Vincent couldn¡¯t reply. He looked at the back of the twodies. Their hair was shining in the sunlight.

    All of a sudden, he lost strength and fell to his knees. His heart felt empty.

    Thinking of the good times he had with Catherine and was close to obtaining her forever made his heart throb more than he expected.

    ¡®...This can¡¯t end like this. The wedding is almost near. If she doesn¡¯te, what will happen? Should I put Betty on her spot? But my rtives already know Catherine¡¯s face. They will surely discuss it and people will find out. I should do something about this.¡¯

    From the shadows, Felix and Sebastian were guarding Veronica and Catherine.

    ¡°Their wedding... what happened to them?¡± Sebastian asked.

    ¡°Nothing much. This jerk cheated on her with Betty, the pregnantdy,¡± Felix narrated the report he presented to Arthur before.

    Sebastian listened quietly. His anger rose slowly. While doing so, he clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug into his palm.

    ¡®I let her go to you and that¡¯s how you treat her? You son of a bitch. Even if she let go and forgives you, I won¡¯t ever forgive you,¡¯ he said in his mind.

    Veronica caught up to Catherine and grabbed her shoulder.

    ¡°Cathy, are you okay?¡± she asked in concern.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know....¡± Catherine took a deep breath.

    Droplets of tears fell from her eyes. She felt like choking.

    It hurt. Her heart hurt. As if thousands of knives pierced through her chest and dug out her chest.

    She opened her mouth and wanted to inhale but she faced problems breathing.

    Veronica noticed it and rubbed her back. ¡°Cathy, are you having a hard time breathing? What should I do?¡±

    She panicked quickly. She knew she couldn¡¯t use her healing power for breathing.

    Catherine was rather calm when she couldn¡¯t inhale properly.

    Vincent¡¯s loving gaze came to her mind.

    She loved him. When he expressed that he wanted her to be his girlfriend, she was already dreaming of being with him, marrying him and growing old with him.

    She had feelings for Sebastian and she realized it toote.

    But, her affection for Vincent was real. She wanted to protect her dream and happiness. That¡¯s why she rejected Sebastian and chose him.

    Nheless, what did she get from all that?

    She couldn¡¯t think about it anymore.

    ¡ª¡ª-

    After Catherine left with Felix to Ironin¡¯s pce, Veronica got busy with Catherine¡¯s job.

    At the end of the day, she didn¡¯t have the energy to have dinner. She was dragging her exhausted body to the bedroom when Sebastian came to meet her.

    ¡°Mistress, you wanted to talk to me,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t be going out for a while. Can you keep an eye on Vincent and see what he is doing?¡± she asked.

    ¡®He doesn¡¯t look like a person who will let Cathy go that easily,¡¯ she thought. ¡®A cheating man cannot be so simple. The wedding is drawing near. Vincent¡¯s letters are stilling every day. I need to know what he is doing.¡¯

    Sebastian paused before asking, ¡°Is there anything else I have to do other than observe him?¡±

    .....

    ¡°What else could be done?¡± Veronica asked.

    ¡°Beating him to the point of his face bing unrecognizable...¡± Sebastian had a list of punishments for Vincent.

    He started making it after he found out about Vincent¡¯s cheating.

    Veronica chuckled. ¡°Oh, how I wish you could do them all but let¡¯s wait and see what¡¯s his next move. Notify me if he does something.¡±

    Although Sebastian was disappointed not to be able to punish Vincent, he had to take the order. ¡°As you wish, Mistress.¡±

    After that, Veronica continued to do her job.

    But one day, Sebastian came back with shocking news.

 Chapter 430

    Chapter 430: THE WEDDING

    On one peaceful day, Sebastian barged into the room and reported, ¡°Mistress, Vincent didn¡¯t cancel the wedding. He decided to marry Betty.¡±

    ¡°He gave up?!¡± Veronica hung her head. ¡°I overestimated him.¡±

    She was in Arthur¡¯s room, working for Ovior.

    At first, she was using Catherine¡¯s space in Ovior¡¯s office. However, Arthur kepting to meet her from time to time and flirted with her in front of a single dude like Ovior.

    Although Ironin was unaffected by the whole thing, Ovior couldn¡¯t stand it. To kick out Arthur from his room, he had to kick out Veronica as well.

    Thus, Arthur set a table and a chair for her. She started working there. Whenever he raised his head, he would see her working with a serious expression.

    Seeing her so close to him, he was delighted.

    .....

    Vincent¡¯s news was what he expected. As a man, he knew a man¡¯s character just by looking at them.

    Veronica was too forgiving and soft-hearted. She still thought that man would have a chance if he begged properly.

    Seeing his wife disappointed, he remarked, ¡°A jerk will be a jerk. There is nothing to be surprised about.¡±

    He walked toward his wife and sat at the table. While stroking her back, he gently asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°What else can we do? Cathy already said she won¡¯t be doing anything. She¡¯d rather forgive and forget. Since she wants that, I will respect her wish,¡± Veronica said.

    Her expression told them that she was not satisfied with the oue.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all, Mistress,¡± Sebastian added. ¡°Vincent even spread rumors about... Miss Catherine. He lied to everyone saying she was cheating on him and when he found out, he was heartbroken. That¡¯s when Bettyforted him. That¡¯s why he decided to marry Betty.¡±

    Veronica nkly stared at him. ¡°...He.... Did.... What?¡±

    Sebastian lowered his head. He surpassed his anger and continued, ¡°He spread malicious rumors. Not only him, but also his mother badmouthed... Miss Catherine to the guests and their rtives. His father stayed quiet. But everyone who had a good impression on her, they are now talking badly of her.¡±

    A blue vein popped on Veronica¡¯s temple. ¡°Is that so? Then, I must let everyone know who the bad person is here, don¡¯t I?¡±

    The corner of Arthur¡¯s lips rose. ¡°You can do whatever you want,¡± he encouraged her.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    On the day of the wedding, Vincent was checking himself in front of the mirror onest time.

    He was wearing a white tailored coat, shirt and pants. His dirty blonde hair was brushed backward. There was a white rose in his chest pocket.

    Checking the knot of his tie onest time, he pressed his hand on his chest.

    It was supposed to be a happy day but he felt a dull pain in his chest.

    ¡®Catherine, I loved you but you left me with no choice. You will regret not choosing me.¡¯

    He went out of the house and saw the decorations. Rtives and guests were swarming. They saw himing out. They smiled at him happily and congratted him.

    Some of them looked at him in pity and sympathy.

    ¡°Poor him. Vincent is such a good man but look at his luck. His fianc¨¦e betrayed him. The girl is too stupid to leave a guy like him.¡±

    ¡°She was all about looks. I knew she had something wrong with her personality.¡±

    ¡°Working women are always immoral andplicated. It was a good thing that Vincent found out before their marriage. What would happen if she was pregnant with a bastard child?¡±

    ¡°A city girl is sly. She cannot be a good fit for a simple-minded guy like Vincent.¡±

    She worked in the pce I heard? I wonder how she got the job. With her looks, she could easily get any job just by spreading her legs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she is already pregnant. That¡¯s why they called the wedding off.¡±

    ¡°I think Betty is a nice girl. Even Vincent¡¯s mother likes her.¡±

    ¡°She is a sweet girl. She always talks to us with a sweet, friendly smile. Just staying near her makes me feel better.¡±

    ¡°She is careful and caring. She will be a good housewife. Unlike Catherine.¡±

    ¡°Yes, a working girl cannot be a good housewife. They only go after money. Who knows what they do to earn some coins.¡±

    Vincent could hear all the malicious words about Catherine. He felt bitter.

    ¡®See, Catherine? If you married me today, none of these things would happen. Everyone would praise you. no one would badmouth you. In any case, this time, you lost. I¡¯ll see how you get married after hurting me like this.¡¯

    Betty came out wearing a white gown. Her head was decorated with flowers. Everything that was for Catherine, she wore all.

    The dress was slightly altered as she had a baby bump. She had to buy another pair of shoes as Catherine¡¯s feet were shorter than hers.

    With a sweet smile, she looked at the guests and then Vincent. Everybody¡¯s admiring gaze made her content.

    ¡®Veronica, look at this. What belonged to your friend, I took them all. Husband, family, rtives, wedding, gown, flowers, everything belongs to me now. Your friend will get nothing. Do you still have time to regret it?¡¯

    With a pleased expression, she stood beside Vincent.

    ¡°You look beautiful,¡± he praised her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Betty gave him a loving gaze.

    Vincent stared at her for a while and suddenly saw Catherine in her. He imagined how gorgeous she would look if she was wearing the dress now.

    After all, the dress was chosen by Catherine. She loved flowers and that¡¯s why they arrange the wedding in spring.

    She also wished the wedding to be held here. She wanted to attract the attention of the customers with the wedding.

    Vincent looked away as he didn¡¯t want to think of her anymore.

    ¡®Whatever happened, happened. There is no way I will have any regrets. I wanted to marry her but she rejected me. This grand wedding was supposed to be hers. She is a fool to say ¡®no¡¯ to this.¡¯

    The priest already started the ceremony. The wedding ended in no time.

    It was the time for the bride to throw the flowers.

    ¡°Ready everyone?¡± Betty excitedly looked at the crowd.

    ¡°Yes!¡± thedies shouted.

    Betty turned around and threw the flowers at thedies.

    When someone caught it, others began to p. But then suddenly, they all became quiet.

    The unusual silence made Betty curious. She turned around to see what was wrong but then her entire body froze.

    The bouquet of white roses was caught by none other than Catherine.

    She was wearing a pink gown with golden dust all over the dress. A perfect party gown for a wedding reception party.

    Everyone stared at the morous beauty. They didn¡¯t expect her arrival.

    Betty looked at Vincent. Noticing that he was also watching the uninvited guest in awe, she became envious.

    ¡®What does he see in that bitch¡¯s face? She is nothing.¡¯

    She pulled Vincent¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Husband, why is she here? Does she want to ruin the wedding?¡±

    Looking at her pitiful appearance, Vincent pulled her closer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. We are already married. What can she do now? You have our child in your stomach. I won¡¯t ever leave you.¡±

    Although he seemed worried, he was pleased.

    His self-esteem hit rock bottom when Catherine rejected him. He slowly became confident after lying to people about Catherine.

    The more people badmouthed her, the better he felt.

    Now that she dolled up and came to the wedding, he was sure that she came to snatch him away from Betty.

    He felt proud thinking two women would fight over him.

    Hiding his happiness, he stepped forward.

    He calmly said, ¡°Catherine, what do you want? If you want to make trouble, I request you clear your head and go away.¡±

    Catherine crossed her arms. ¡°Why would I want to make trouble? Can¡¯t I attend the wedding as a valued customer? Is this how you treat your customer?¡±

    Vincent frowned at her nonchnt attitude.

    ¡®Why is she behaving like that?¡¯ he wondered. ¡®Is she upset that I didn¡¯t marry her? Well, she is the one who rejected me first. Even if she begs me, I can¡¯t divorce Betty.¡¯

    ¡°You are indeed a valued customer but you weren¡¯t invited,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Why weren¡¯t I invited?¡± Catherine looked around. ¡°I see most of the customers are invited here. Why didn¡¯t I get one invitation? Did you not want me toe? What are you afraid of?¡±

    Her clear blue eyes were fixed on Vincent.

    Vincent¡¯s expression changed. Before he could say anything, his mother came forward.

    .....

    ¡°You, slutty girl, what do you want? You already hurt my son and now you want to destroy his wedding? Don¡¯t you have anything else to do? Orphans are really the worst. After all, they don¡¯t have parents to teach them manners!¡±

    Catherine didn¡¯t flinch because of her harsh words. She coldly looked at Vincent¡¯s mother.

 Chapter 431

    Chapter 431: I WANT TO ASK

    ¡°You, slutty girl, what do you want? You already hurt my son and now you want to destroy his wedding? Don¡¯t you have anything else to do? Orphans are really the worst. After all, they don¡¯t have parents to teach them manners!¡±

    ¡°Manners?¡± Catherine chuckled. She looked at Vincent¡¯s furious mother and said, ¡°Say, I don¡¯t have parents. But your son has parents. Then, why did he act immorally? Why did he betray me?¡±

    Her questions silenced themotions. The guests exchanged nces in confusion.

    ¡°What is she saying?¡±

    ¡°What does she mean by Vincent acting immorally? Is he that kind of person?¡±

    ¡°Did she just say Vincent betrayed her? Interesting! That¡¯s not what we heard.¡±

    Everyone whispered and Catherine and others could hear them loud and clear.

    .....

    Vincent¡¯s face turned pale when he heard Catherine¡¯s questions.

    ¡®What does she think she is doing? Is she nning on taking revenge?¡¯ he thought. Fearing the worst oue, his throat became dry.

    ¡°Catherine, what do you think you¡¯re doing? I know you¡¯re upset but it is all your fault. Because of you, everything happened. That¡¯s why I had to choose Betty. Our wedding ceremony is done.

    ¡°Now she¡¯s mywful wife. Even if you have regrets, you cannot do anything. She will be my wife for the rest of my life. Please for the sake of our first rtionship, just leave peacefully. Don¡¯t ruin our wedding.¡±

    He spoke in a roundabout way. They were in front of guests. He knew she didn¡¯t do anything wrong. But he had to take care of his image in front of all the customers and rtives.

    That¡¯s why he spoke vaguely so that no one could understand the real reason behind the change of bride before the wedding.

    Catherine looked at him helplessly. Even though she liked Sebastian, it didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t love Vincent.

    Vincent was her first love, first crush and first dream.

    She dreamed of having a family with him.

    That¡¯s why when he spoke like that it broke her heart. The pain in her heart made her breathless.

    ¡®Is this the guy I fell in love with? How did he change so much? He was the coolest guy I¡¯ve ever known. Now, look at him. He looks like a worthless guy who cheated on his fianc¨¦e and made another woman pregnant or so she said.¡¯

    Catherine realized that it was time for her to let him go. She wanted to hold him dearly but he made the wrong decision

    Now that he became someone else¡¯s husband, he did not belong to her anymore.

    After being hurt by him like that, she did not want to keep him in her heart any longer.

    She said, ¡°Vincent, how can you me me? Do you think I wanted to make trouble for you? I did not want toe. Even though you were sending apology letters, I did not bother to read them because I knew it was over for us.¡±

    The guests were stunned when they heard her.

    ¡°Did she just say that he sent her apology letters?¡±

    ¡°I heard she cheated on Vincent. Then why is he sending her apology letters?¡±

    ¡°I think there is something wrong with the overall story. Maybe Catherine didn¡¯t cheat on Vincent. It could be another way around.¡±

    ¡°How could that be? We all saw how Vincent cared for her.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. An orphan is an orphan. Whenever they go, they will only cause problems. It must be her. Now she is jealous and wants to destroy Vincent¡¯s reputation.¡±

    ¡°After cheating on Vincent, she was unable to marry him. That¡¯s why she wanted to take revenge. This is all her game. ¡±

    ¡°As I thought, a working woman isplicated and dangerous.¡±

    The conversations among the guests took two sides. They even started an argument and then divided into two groups.

    Some took Catherine¡¯s side and another took Vincent¡¯s side. However, most of them took Vincent¡¯s side.¡±

    Vincent could care less what Catherine had to say. But he had to stop her at any cost. He didn¡¯t like that some guests were supporting Catherine.

    ¡°If you know that everything is over between us, then why have youe?¡± he asked her. ¡°You know thest thing we want in our holy ceremony is your presence.¡±

    Catherine sneered. ¡°You are right. Holy ceremony. But in this holy ceremony why did people badmouth me? What have I done to receive such treatment? Do you care to exin?¡±

    Vincent was sweating profusely. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. All I know is that you are bothering us. Your presence is unwee. Please leave.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I will leave,¡± Catherine assured him. ¡°But before that, I have to regain my reputation. I have not hurt you. I haven¡¯t hurt your family either. I haven¡¯t hurt anyone in my life.

    ¡°I was recognized everywhere because of my hard work and merit. I never had any problem getting any job just because I was an orphan. I never had any problem getting friends just because I was an orphan or a workingdy.

    ¡°Yes, I earn money. I work hard to earn it. I am proud of my achievement. People praise me for my hard work and intelligence.

    ¡°I studied day and night, I worked endlessly just toe to this position. Do you think I could get a job at a ce like that without having a tiny bit of brain in my head?

    ¡°Now you have to tell me why I am being looked down on by your guests because I work and I am an orphan.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to cry. However, tears brimmed in her eyes. She choked while she was talking. Her throat tightened and it hurt.

    A woman¡¯s tears are a dangerous thing. It can even make a strong piece of wood soft.

    It was the same for Catherine. Her tears moved people¡¯s hearts.

    Those who were talking badly of her lowered their heads in shame.

    They knew nothing about her but they kept talking as if she sold her body to work.

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re saying,¡± Vincent firmly denied her im. ¡°You need to ask them who were trying to ruin your reputation¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I need to ask them.¡± Catherine looked around and asked the guests, ¡°Why were you looking down on me because I was an orphan and I work? Men work too. Why is it normal that men use their connection to get a job but for women it isn¡¯t?

    ¡°I knew I heard people say that men sold their bodies to get a job. But when women work hard to get a job, people say that they sold their bodies. Do we, women, have nothing else other than our bodies?

    ¡°Despite peopleshing out on us, looking down on us, we work hard and don¡¯t give up. We eat the same meal as the boys. We grow up in the same environment as the boys.

    ¡°Then why is it that men are always superior and women are looked down on? Why can you not treat us equally? Whenever something bad happens between a couple, why do people¡¯s fingers point at the woman?

    ¡°Can you never think that there must be something wrong with the guy? Even if you know that there is something wrong with the guy then why does he not get punished? Why don¡¯t you me the guy? Why do you let him go?

    ¡°And when it is the woman¡¯s fault, you peoplee to bite her. She never did you any wrong. But you don¡¯t let her go as if she is your sworn enemy. You use your heinous words against her and kill her with it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even bother to find out why the woman chose the road of action. You don¡¯t even feel guilty for what you say about her.

    ¡°A person¡¯s word is the sharpest weapon. Once you throw it, you can never take it back. Don¡¯t you think you should use that sharp weapon carefully? If you use a sharp weapon carelessly, you will get injured.¡±

    ¡°And now with your lecture!¡± Vincent¡¯s mothershed out.

    ¡®What is this bitch here for? How dare she try ruining my son¡¯s wedding? Did she think that just because she came here and used some words to manipte people she could ruin our reputation?¡¯

    ¡®No one knows what actually happened. As long as we say it¡¯s her fault then people will think it is her fault. She can do nothing about it. But before she says something, I have to get rid of her from this ce right now.¡¯

    She strode forward and grabbed Catherine¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°My son already said that you are not wee. So, you have to leave right now. Because of our past rtionship, I wanted to give you a face. But you don¡¯t bother to respect your elders anymore.¡±

    Catherine winced when she felt her nails digging into her arm. Her eyebrows creased in pain.

    ¡°Respect?¡± She looked at Vincent¡¯s mother. ¡°What kind of respect do you want? Did you forget how you talked to me in the restaurant a few days ago?¡±

 Chapter 432

    Chapter 432: CONFESSION

    It was Catherine¡¯s time to stand up for herself.

    ¡°What kind of respect do you want? Did you forget how you talked to me in the restaurant a few days ago?

    ¡°Because of what your son did, you were supposed to apologize. But no not only you didn¡¯t do it, but also you said that an orphan like me didn¡¯t fit your son.

    ¡°You said it was my fault that he was cheating on me with some other woman. You said that if I didn¡¯t preserve my dignity and gave my chastity to your son.

    ¡°He cheated on me and you med everything on me. Do you know what I felt when you said that in the restaurant in front of so many people?

    ¡°I was utterly humiliated. I never felt so ashamed in my life. At that moment, I thanked Goddess that I didn¡¯t give my chastity to a scoundrel like Vincent.

    ¡°If a man¡¯s love can only be preserved by physical needs, then there is no need to be with that person for the rest of my life.

    .....

    ¡°Who knows what he will do if I can¡¯t sleep with him during pregnancy? A man like that cannot be trusted.¡±

    She let out everything she wanted to say. She vented her emotions ¨C her anger and frustrations and helplessness.

    She had been controlling herself from going insane for three weeks.

    When she found out from Catherine¡¯s letter that Vincent and his mother were spreading bad rumors about her cheating on him, she was thunderstruck.

    At first, she didn¡¯t want to believe this. She couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Despite him cheating on her, he was the most gentlemanly person in the world ¨C that¡¯s the kind of person he was in her eyes.

    She began to doubt herself and her own personality. She thought she was the wrong one.

    However, Felix and Lady Jte couldn¡¯t agree with her.

    When she stopped eating and sleeping, they apanied her and did their best to keep her alive.

    Being heartbroken due to cheating was one thing. Being betrayed and spreading false rumors took her pain to another level.

    It took her two weeks to recover.

    Veronica and Zinnia came to check on her. They told her that they had ns to deal with Vincent.

    Veronica told her, ¡°He hurt you. I have no intention to let him go just like that. I don¡¯t curse him or anything. I want to reveal the truth.¡±

    That¡¯s when Catherine said, ¡°Let me join you. I want to see if I really misunderstood him and thought too highly of him.¡±

    When she overcame sadness, her heart was filled with questions and confusion. At the same time, a burning rage flickered deep in her heart.

    She had only one question.

    Why?

    Why her?

    When she did nothing wrong to them, why did they have to go that far?

    She let him go for his happiness. But he came to bite her.

    Just why?

    Therefore, she came to the wedding. She wanted to see with her very own eyes that what Sebastian said was true.

    After she faced Vincent and his mother, it pained her when they behaved that way.

    The loving, caring, gentle voice became hostile. It was hard to bear.

    When Vincent¡¯s mother once again pushed the me on her, she did not hold back. With a loud and clear voice, she voiced her grief.

    The guests were dumbstruck. Before they were divided into two groups but they still thought Vincent was innocent.

    But now that she voiced confidently that she was the victim, their mind had begun to sway.

    ¡°Oh, my! Such a thing happened?¡±

    ¡°Why would a single woman sleep with a man? Even if that¡¯s her fianc¨¦e, she must keep her virginity till her marriage.¡±

    ¡°To tell an unmarried girl to sleep with a guy in public... so vulgar.¡±

    ¡°She must have suffered humiliation.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Vincent¡¯s mother would be so treacherous.¡±

    The guests gave Vincent and his family an odd look.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever say that?¡± Vincent¡¯s mother roared.

    She was on the verge of beating Catherine.

    ¡®How dare shee here and tell people what happened in the restaurant? A mere orphan wants to challenge me? She cares so much about her reputation, doesn¡¯t she? I¡¯ll strip her from her honor. She will never be able to hold her head high.¡¯

    She red at Catherine and said, ¡°If my son didn¡¯t see you having fun with other men, would my son be heartbroken? You live in town and get along with so many men, who knows how many men you already slept with? Maybe that¡¯s why you don¡¯t want to sleep with her son to show that you are innocent.¡±

    Catherine already expected her to stain her character. The hope she had for them left her mind.

    ¡°Oh, I slept with other men just because I work with men? Then, must I say that Vincent works with female attendants; thus, he sleeps with all of them? However, it was Betty who became pregnant, but not other women. Right?¡±

    She nced at Betty and said, ¡°I heard from the family doctor that your child is one month old. You even imed that it¡¯s Vincent¡¯s child.

    ¡°Before our engagement, you came to this ce and started living here. That¡¯s when Vincent began to sleep with you, didn¡¯t he?

    ¡°So, there is one hundred percent certainty that the child belongs to him. Or else, there is no reason for him to marry a pregnantdy.¡±

    Betty frowned. ¡°Who said anything about pregnancy?¡±

    ¡°Well, I have proof. Here, eat this.¡± Catherine took out green papaya from the bag she was carrying and put it on the table.

    ¡°This is a nutritious fruit. It¡¯s good for our health,¡± she added. ¡°But, if a woman is pregnant, her fetus will be harmed if the mother eats this.¡±

    ¡®There is no way I will eat it. I will harm my child.¡¯ Betty bit her lower lip.

    She thought, ¡®The truth is already out. I can¡¯t even deny that it¡¯s not Vincent¡¯s child. If I do, my child won¡¯t have a ce to live.¡¯

    ¡°So, what if I¡¯m pregnant with his child?¡± She was forced to confess.

    Cursing Catherine inwardly, she continued, ¡°I married him anyway. The child belongs to him. This child is the love of our life.

    ¡°You cannot harm our child¡¯s reputation. He is the legitimate heir of this family.¡±

    Catherine smirked and looked at Vincent.

    ¡°You talk about love and promise me that you will be loyal to me for the rest of our lives. Is that what loyalty means to you?

    ¡°You began sleeping with a woman before our engagement and made her pregnant before our marriage. And you still expect me to marry you? Hrious!¡±

    Vincent¡¯s head was already buzzing when he heard her talking about pregnancy.

    ¡®How does she know? I never told her about Betty¡¯s pregnancy. Even the rtives don¡¯t know. We kept it a secret and nned to disclose the news to the rtives after a month of our marriage. She has no way to find out.¡¯

    He wanted to prevent Betty speak of their child but she already opened her mouth.

    The guests were astonished when they heard about the pregnancy.

    They first looked at Betty, and then Vincent and then Catherine. They tried to figure out if what Catherine said was true or false.

    Nheless, Betty confessed and the guests had confirmed the legitimacy of the news.

    Those who were still supporting Vincent couldn¡¯t refute it. Everything became clear to them.

    The face of Vincent¡¯s mother turned ugly. ¡®That stupid Betty actually disclosed the matter when I told her not to. Now everyone knows!¡¯

    She looked at Vincent, signaling him to say something.

    Vincent started to have a headache. ¡°Yes, I was wrong. I told you before. I even apologized but you didn¡¯t want to marry me. So, I let go of you and got married to Betty. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted? I fulfilled your wish. We are not rted anymore. Then, why did youe to bother us? Please leave.¡±

    Catherine replied, ¡°I said I will leave. I don¡¯t want to see your and your mother¡¯s ugly faces for the rest of my life. But I have one thing to settle.

    ¡°You must take back what you and your mother said about me to others. Also, you have to apologize to me for spreading nasty rumors about me.¡±

    ¡°Never!¡± Vincent¡¯s mother instantly refused.

    The moment she would apologize, she would admit in front of everyone that she was telling lies about Catherine.

    She proudly told everyone how her good son was betrayed. She talked so big.

    Wouldn¡¯t she lose face if she admitted?

    She could never let that happen.

    Vincent kept quiet. He clenched his fists and stared at Catherine.

    The sweet, bashful woman he knew was nowhere at the sight. The girl who sweetly smiled the moment she would see him was staring at him coldly.

    .....

    ¡°Catherine, please...¡± he started.

    ¡°What? Are you going to apologize?¡± Catherine crossed her arms. Ready to ept an apology.

 Chapter 433

    Chapter 433: LET GO

    ¡°What? Are you going to apologize?¡± Catherine crossed her arms. ¡°You cannot just cheat on me and then tell others that I cheated on you, Vincent. You have to pay for your crime.¡±

    Vincent opened his mouth but before saying anything, he looked around.

    The guests were genuinely surprised but more than being surprised, they were offended by Vincent and his mother¡¯s lowly act.

    ¡®Everything is gone. I didn¡¯t think the ending would be like this. If I knew... if I just knew...¡¯ Vincent couldn¡¯t think anymore.

    He regretted it. He regretted letting Catherine go. He regretted cheating on her.

    He regretted touching Betty. He regretted making her pregnant.

    Even if he wanted to me him for his stupidity, it was toote.

    .....

    Even if he tried to turn around what he had done, it was toote.

    Nothing could be reversed.

    Whatever damage was done, was done.

    There was no going back.

    He looked at Catherine, the beautiful fianc¨¦e he had a few weeks ago.

    She was his dream girl.

    The moment he saw her for the first time, he knew he had to have her.

    And he was the one who ruined everything by sleeping with Betty.

    He couldn¡¯t point his fingers at anyone anymore.

    Feeling pathetic, he lowered his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he mumbled.

    Catherine raised an eyebrow. ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry.¡± This time he apologized a bit loudly.

    In the quiet ce, it sounded rather loud. Even the wind stopped blowing to listen to his proper apology.

    ¡°And you¡¯re sorry for what?¡± Catherine wanted a specific apology.

    It was spring. The sun was right above their heads. The temperature was high. Nheless, the cold, refreshing wind blew in the hills.

    Despite all that, Vincen¡¯s face was covered in sweat.

    He was never humiliated like that before.

    He wiped his face and then said, ¡°...For cheating on you... And for trying to ruin your reputation.¡±

    Catherine heard it loud and clear.

    Her curly blond hair danced in the spring breeze. She tugged her unruly strands behind her ears and looked at him forlornly.

    Thinking of all the good times and bad times, she sharply inhaled and then slowly exhaled.

    ¡®I can finally let it go...¡¯ she thought.

    Goodbye, first love.

    Goodbye, daydreams.

    All that was left were memories.

    She didn¡¯t know why, tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall. The more she wanted to wipe them, the more her tears fell.

    She didn¡¯t want to cry in front of others. She turned around and marched out of the wedding venue.

    Vincent¡¯s mother came back to her senses. When she realized what just happened, she exploded.

    ¡°That bitch! She dares to humiliate us! How could she lie in front of so many people? She made my good son apologize to her when he did nothing wrong...¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Vincent¡¯s father roared and silenced his wife.

    His head throbbed when he heard his wife shouting nonsense.

    His wife was startled and then felt wronged after being scolded by her husband in front of so many people.

    ¡°Dear, how can you talk to me like that?¡± she asked.

    He reprimanded his wife, ¡°How else do you want me to talk? I had enough of your drama. I have already told you not to speak badly of her.

    ¡°She never wronged you but you wronged her. Isn¡¯t it natural for her toe here and ask for justice?¡±

    He looked at his good son and said, ¡°Do you regret it now? When I told you not to go overboard, you and your mother didn¡¯t listen to me.

    ¡°Now because of both of you, I lost my face and my family¡¯s reputation. I have nothing else to say to you.¡±

    Speaking his mind, he left.

    Even if he wanted to kick his son out of the house, he simply couldn¡¯t.

    After all, Vincent was his only son and his son¡¯s wife was carrying his heir.

    He could only feel sorry for what happened and try to forget about it.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one who left.

    All the guests and rtives followed his suit. They gave Vincent, Betty and Vincent¡¯s mother a disappointed look before leaving.

    Betty trembled in anger. She clenched her fists and red at the way the guests left.

    ¡®How dare you ruin my wedding? Catherine, I will never let you go. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have had a happy wedding. It¡¯s always you and your friend, Veronica who destroy everything I care for..¡¯

    After cursing them with all her might, she calmed down. She looked at Vincent.

    Her husband¡¯s face was ashen. His hands were trembling.

    ¡°Vincent, are you alright? You don¡¯t look well,¡± she said in a worried tone.

    Vincent sat on a chair. He looked at the ground. He didn¡¯t look like he had any strength left in his body.

    She softly stated, ¡°Vincent, what is wrong with you? I¡¯m asking you a question. Please answer me. You¡¯re not the only one who is feeling upset.

    ¡°I am also depressed about what happened. But we have to carry out our wedding. It¡¯s not like we can stop or anything.¡±

    Vincent heard what Betty said and looked at her with a nk expression.

    ¡°You want to carry out our wedding?¡± he asked.

    He pointed his finger at the empty chairs.

    He said, ¡°What wedding do you want to carry out? The guests are already gone. Since you wanted a wedding so much, have a wedding on your own.¡±

    Betty¡¯s face turned red in humiliation. she wanted to punch Vincent¡¯s face in fury but she held back.

    She shed tears and lowered her head as if she was wronged.

    ¡°How can you speak to me like that? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the one who jumped on you and made myself pregnant. Whatever happened between us was mutual. I have your child in my stomach.

    ¡°Now you cannot push the me on me just like you did it to Catherine. Unlike her, I¡¯m carrying your child. Therefore, you can wrong her but not me.¡±

    Listening to her cries, Vincent thought that he was a scum for making two girls cry on the same day.

    He took a deep breath and wiped his sweats. He stood up and stroked her back.

    He gently coaxed her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong. Yes, it¡¯s all my fault. It¡¯s my fault for being seduced by you. I¡¯m the one who put my seeds inside you. I¡¯m the one who made you pregnant.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have pushed the me on you. Let¡¯s go inside. You need to drink water. It¡¯s still hot outside.¡±

    Betty wiped her tears and then looked at him with her red eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t leave me, are you?¡± she asked in concern.

    ¡°You are carrying my child. There is no way I will leave you,¡± he assured her. ¡°Just as I promised, we will spend the rest of our lives together. And no one wille between us.¡±

    Betty was delighted when she heard that. She sweetly smiled at him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s spend our life together. Forever.¡±

    From a distance, Vincent¡¯s mother looked at the couple. Her tongue was tied.

    She had yet to process what just happened on the happiest day of her son¡¯s life.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Catherine teleported herself and went to the Magic Tower. She shoved herself on her bed and burst into tears.

    She only became quiet after she cried her heart out.

    .....

    Outside her room, Veronica and Zinnia were waiting for her to calm down. They went to the wedding with Catherine and observed the situation.

    They were there in case Catherine needed any help. However, Catherine was so strong that she didn¡¯t need their help.

    ¡°I hope she can ovee her grief,¡± Veronica prayed for her best friend.

    ¡°She will eventually,¡± Zinnia assured her. Then, she suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s give her some time to ovee her feelings.¡±

    ¡°You leave first. I¡¯ll go backter,¡± Veronica told her.

    She didn¡¯t tell Zinnia that Catherine tried to attempt suicide before. She was worried that her friend would do the same thing again.

    That¡¯s why she wanted to stand back and wait for Catherine to cool her head.

    She wasn¡¯t ready to lose her friend just because of some scoundrels.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Veronica asked while handing over a bowl of soup to Catherine.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Catherine said.

    Although she said she was fine, Veronica found it hard to believe.

    Catherine¡¯s voice was hoarse. Her eyes were red and puffy. She cried so much that she became weak.

    She quietly drank her soup without looking at her best friend.

    Veronica waited for a while and then asked, ¡°What will you do now? Do you have any ns?¡±

    ¡°What n?¡± Catherine let out a deep sigh. ¡°I will just go back to my usual routine after staying at Ironin¡¯s house for a couple of days. Romance doesn¡¯t suit me. I think I¡¯m better without a husband in my life.¡±

    Veronica felt sorry for her friend.

    ¡°Why do you want to live a lonely life? You are the one who said that I had to live my life to the fullest. Shouldn¡¯t you do the same? There is still Sebastian...¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Catherine shook her head. ¡°He gave me a chance and I didn¡¯t take it. That¡¯s all there is to it. It¡¯s a good thing that he didn¡¯t pursue me anymore. I took him for granted. I don¡¯t deserve him. He¡¯s too good for me.¡±

    Veronica touched her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that.¡±

    Catherine insisted, ¡°No, I¡¯m right. Sebastian deserves someone way better than me. Not a broken doll like me.¡±

    Veronica wanted to say something but someone knocked on the door, interrupting their conversation.

    ¡°Mistress, you there? It¡¯s urgent.¡±

 Chapter 434

    Chapter 434: URGENT NEWS

    ¡°Mistress, you there? It¡¯s urgent.¡±

    A voice came out of the door, interrupting the girls¡¯ conversation.

    Finding the voice familiar, Veronica opened the door.

    Dave Morton was standing there. He politely bowed.

    ¡°Greetings, Mistress. I hope you are doing well.¡±

    ¡°I am. What¡¯s so urgent?¡± Veronica directly went to the business.

    ¡°Master has called you. He wants you to meet him at his office,¡± Dave Morton informed.

    .....

    Veronica replied, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be there. Thank you.¡±

    After he left, Veronica looked at Catherine.

    She told her, ¡°I¡¯ll be going to Arthur¡¯s office. Something urgent came up. Take as much rest as you want. I wille to apany youter.¡±

    Catherine nodded.

    Veronica went to Arthur¡¯s office and found Zinnia, Darius and Felix with him. Their expression was grave.

    Looking at their deadpan expressions, she became nervous.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Aria is dead,¡± Zinnia told her.

    Veronica was stunned.

    Aria was the infamous magician who thought Veronica a love rival. In the end, she hurt Catherine and then betrayed the Magic Tower.

    Therefore, she ended up in the dungeon.

    Veronica looked at Arthur. ¡°Isn¡¯t the dungeon a secured ce? You said not everyone has ess to go there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, not just anyone can barge in there. That¡¯s why we need to figure out who did this,¡± Darius said.

    Arthur had yet to say anything. He stayed quiet. He looked like he was deeply thinking about something.

    ¡°Before we try to find out who did this, shouldn¡¯t we try to figure out why they did this?¡± Veronica asked. ¡°She must have known something that shouldn¡¯t have been disclosed.¡±

    Darius replied, ¡°As you know I was already interrogating her. She has sold out some important information about the Magic Tower. We needed to find out who else was involved with her.¡±

    Veronica suggested, ¡°So, we can guess that one of them killed her. From what I know, only higher-ranking magicians can enter the dungeon.

    ¡°It is even restricted to the higher-ranking magicians. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to figure out who did this. At the same time, you can find out how many are involved.¡±

    ¡°We would be happy if that was the case,¡± Felix responded this time. ¡°However, the person who killed her has already taken his life.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out who killed Aria. When we barged into the magician¡¯s room, we found him dead,¡± Zinnia said.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be!¡± Veronica was astonished. ¡°They are one step ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Zinnia couldn¡¯t agree more. ¡°The question is ¨C did that person really kill himself?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying another killer is roaming around in the Magic Tower in disguise as a good guy?¡± Veronica gulped.

    No matter how brave she was, she could never be at peace when a killer was living and working at the same ce she called home.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this ce is not safe for you anymore,¡± Arthur finally opened his mouth. His pair of golden orbs were looking at her. observing her reaction.

    Veronica said, ¡°There is a murderer out there. This ce is not safe for anyone.¡±

    Arthur pretended not to hear her.

    He said, ¡°For now, can you stay somewhere else? Why don¡¯t you stay at Ironin or Merlin¡¯s ce?

    ¡°It¡¯ll be safer for you. If not, we can let you stay at Ovior¡¯s ce. His house is in the capital.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. A killer is out there and I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m not that person¡¯s target. Why do I have to leave?¡± Veronica asked.

    Darius exined, ¡°The traitors are working for the Queen. They are working with him to take down Arthur, the lowborn who suddenly became the master of the Magic Tower.

    ¡°Those worthless scums cannot defeat him face to face. So, they are using underhanded tactics.¡±

    ¡°Remember we aren¡¯t sure yet whether the killed himself or someone else did it,¡± Felix reminded them.

    Zinnia stated her thoughts, ¡°There is a high chance it was done by someone else. Those who work under the Queen, won¡¯t work for her if there isn¡¯t anything to gain. That¡¯s how she traps her chess pieces.

    ¡°Thus, there is a high possibility that the person who killed Aria was promised to get something in return. After killing Aria, the person was waiting for the gift he was supposed to get.

    ¡°However, what came to him wasn¡¯t the gift but a murder weapon. He was killed with it and then the killer stuffed the knife in his hand and left.

    ¡°That¡¯s how you create a perfect crime scene without a suspect. Anyone will think it was a suicide. That¡¯s what the killer wants us to think.¡±

    Darius said, ¡°I can¡¯t argue with you when you use your logic. But you said that there is no proof that someone has killed him. Then, how are we going to figure out who did this?¡±

    ¡°Ovior and Ironin went to inspect the crime scene,¡± Felix said. ¡°Wait for their return.¡±

    Zinnia silently stared at Arthur and thought, ¡®Should I tell them that the spies in the Magic Tower already sold information about Veronica to the other kingdoms?¡¯

    ¡®There might be a chance that the Queen knows what she looks like too. But if I tell them, it might make Arthur take the wrong decision. He is so overprotective.¡¯

    She didn¡¯t have time to think too much. Ovior and Ironin came back.

    ¡°You guys are all here. Good. Let me tell you what we found out.¡± Ovior sat on a chair and drank a ss of water.

    Afterward, he added, ¡°First of all, it¡¯s not a suicide. Someone murdered him. Whoever murdered him is a left-handed woman. She is strong. Even an adult man like Ruda couldn¡¯t fight her off.¡±

    Veronica: ¡°Ruda?¡±

    Darius: ¡°A girl?!¡±

    Ironin exined it to Veronica, ¡°Ruda is the one who died after killing Aria.¡±

    Veronica understood. ¡°Oh, that makes sense. But Ruda is a strong man. Isn¡¯t he around forty? Such a strong, ambitious man died by a woman¡¯s hand... I somehow feel proud.¡±

    Zinnia smirked. ¡°True. You won¡¯t find women killers a lot.¡±

    She looked at Darius and said, ¡°See? I told you he was murdered. He is such a selfish man. Maybe he was too greedy and asked for something that the Queen didn¡¯t want to give him. As a result, he was killed.¡±

    ¡°But a strong woman who killed Ruda? Where will you find such a female magician in the Magic Tower?¡± Darius stroked his bald head in frustration.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard,¡± Ovior agreed. ¡°Our female magicians are strong magicians, there is no doubt. But physically strong enough to kill a strong man... well, we can¡¯t leave a single female magician who is left-handed.¡±

    ¡°But, one problem remains,¡± he added. ¡°There is no document saying that there is a girl who is left-handed.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember properly? You could be wrong.¡± Arthur stared at him with a grim expression.

    Ovior frowned. ¡°Just how is it to remember left-handed magicians in the tower? Unlike you, I read all the documents. If there is a unique feature, I will surely remember it.¡±

    Veronica suggested, ¡°We can check once again. If the documents aren¡¯t proper, we can only examine them.¡±

    Arthur ordered, ¡°Seal the tower. No one can go in or go out. Make it an emergency shutdown. But before that, Nica, you have to leave this ce. Take Catherine with you.¡±

    Veronica: ¡°No.¡±

    Ovior: ¡°No.¡±

    Both of them denied Arthur¡¯s order in unison.

    Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Just try to understand the situation.¡±

    ¡°I need Catherine. She needs to work when I¡¯ll be busy with the murder case,¡± Ovior tly stated his demand.

    Veronica said, ¡°I won¡¯t leave. This is my home. People here are in danger. I cannot just leave them at a time like this.¡±

    Arthur shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t time to argue.¡±

    Veronica protested, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to argue. Every time something like this happens, you push me away. I¡¯m not weak like before. I can fight for my own safety.¡±

    The room suddenly became silent. Ovior stood up without a word and left. Others followed him.

    After they all left, the door was tightly shut behind Veronica.

    She stared at Arthur with using eyes.

    Arthur rubbed his forehead. He started to have a headache.

    Afterward, he stood up and walked toward Veronica. He stopped in front of her and grabbed her hands.

    ¡°Nica, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to fight alongside me. I¡¯m just worried. If you stay by my side, I¡¯ll worry too much.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be distracted and can¡¯t focus on where the actual problem is. I¡¯m no god. I can¡¯t do this like that.¡±

    .....

    His voice was gentle as though he was coaxing her.

    Veronica wanted to push him away but her heart was unable to be so cruel.

    She muttered, ¡°You are bad. You cannot talk gently at a time like this. I want to be mad at you.¡±

    Arthur pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. ¡°Be mad at me. Hit me. Curse me. Just go somewhere safe.¡±

 Chapter 435

    Chapter 435: ARGUMENT

    ¡°Be mad at me. Hit me. Curse me. Just go somewhere safe.¡±

    His voice was tender and affectionate. But it didn¡¯t sweeten her heart in the slightest.

    On the other hand, she felt suffocated. It was like thorns shackled her tightly. The thorns pierced her skin and she bled.

    Veronica took some time to reply.

    ¡°Arthur, if I leave, you can never bring me back here.¡±

    Arthur was astounded. ¡°Nica...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. If I leave, I leave for good.¡± Veronica looked at him with an unwavering gaze.

    .....

    ¡°Arthur, it¡¯s always like this. Whenever something happens, you push me away. We must change it.

    ¡°I know there is a reason that you don¡¯t believe in me but let me prove myself. Not only as the Mistress of the Magic Tower but also as your wife who can protect herself.

    ¡°I have been training every day under Roxana, Darius and Ironin¡¯s assistance. I have been studying under Ovior¡¯s strict guidance. Now it¡¯s time to test what I am capable of.

    ¡°You are only thinking about my life. Have you ever thought of my reputation and emotion? How will I face everyone aftering back?

    ¡°I¡¯ll be known as the cowardly Mistress of the Magic Tower. Everyone willugh at me. I will never be able to raise my head with dignity.¡±

    Arthur¡¯s eyes gradually turned cold when he listened to her.

    ¡°Whoever mocks you, I¡¯ll cut off their heads,¡± he promised.

    Veronica asked in return, ¡°How long can you do that? After our death, anyone can say anything. In the history book, I¡¯ll be a coward; a worthless mistress.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you proposed to me knowing the future oue? You knew I¡¯d be a mistress. You knew the Queen would give us a hard time.

    ¡°Then, did you n to make me a useless mistress from the beginning? So then, why didn¡¯t you tell me that?

    ¡°Why did you think I worked so hard for being a mistress and let go of my ns to travel the world? Who did you think I was doing this for?¡±

    The more she spoke, the more her voice rose. Her high pitch made Arthur realize how upset she was.

    ¡°Of course you did it for me and I highly appreciate it. You also know everything I did is for you,¡± he tried to cool her down.

    ¡°You do everything for me, Arthur. Have you sacrificed your life-long dream? What is your dream, Arthur? Just to be with me? But I¡¯m greedier than you think.

    ¡°I¡¯m just not satisfied being with you. I want to roam the world with you. I want to proudly stand beside you. I want people to respect me just like they respect you. That¡¯s the very reason I¡¯m working so hard, Arthur.

    ¡°I¡¯m practicing swordsmanship so that you don¡¯t ever have to fear what might happen to me when I go out alone. You will be able to depend on me and have a hundred percent faith that I can guard your back.

    ¡°I¡¯m studying hard so that I can be the best Mistress of the Magic Tower. I want people to remember me as the perfect wife of the fearsome Master of the Magic Tower.

    ¡°Why... just why do you keep trampling on my dreams and hard work like that? Does my hard work mean nothing to you? I¡¯m a human too.¡±

    Her voice gradually lowered. Arthur could barely hear thest sentence.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t look at him. She didn¡¯t speak anymore either.

    She choked up. Her throat tightened. She didn¡¯t want to break into tears and act pitifully in front of Arthur.

    She always showed her strong appearance in front of him and yet he never acknowledged it.

    ¡®What can I do to make him look at me with trust. When will he be confident about my skills? When will he have a little bit of faith in me?¡¯

    She pondered hard but no answer came to her head.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to. It was just that she feared having a high ambition and then would get disappointed again.

    It already happened so many times. Each time a knife was pierced through her heart.

    However, she didn¡¯t back down. She kept going on and on. She pushed herself to the limit. She even won the best archery award.

    Nheless, everything seemed meaningless to Arthur when they were in danger.

    He had always pushed her away.

    She felt like no matter how many times she wanted to raise her head he pushed her head down, not letting her raise her head.

    ¡®I¡¯m a human too. Doesn¡¯t he understand that I get tired of the same incident repeating again and again?¡¯

    The more Veronica thought about it, the more she became depressed.

    She didn¡¯t want to shout at him anymore. She didn¡¯t like arguing with him.

    If anything, she wanted some rest. Rest from everything. Marriage, responsibilities, swordsmanship.

    Just like Catherine, she wanted to get away from everything and rest.

    Arthur understood very well what she was talking about. He was mad at himself for not talking to her properly and making her upset.

    He was scared of losing her through this misunderstanding. So, he hurriedly stated his mind.

    ¡°Nica, listen... It¡¯s not like that. There is no way I don¡¯t trust your ability. In fact, I know you are more powerful than I am. All I know is to kill people. As for you, you know how to revive lives. You know how to heal people and animals. Unlike you, I don¡¯t have that kind of power.

    ¡°Did you forget thest time I was attacked to protect you and you used almost all of your power and revived the whole desert? You went into aa and I could do nothing to take care of you. All I could do was just sit next to you and wash your body and keep looking at you.

    ¡°I¡¯m not someone who believes in gods or goddesses. But at that time, I was so scared of losing you that I started praying to God. I don¡¯t want to go through that experience again. I don¡¯t want to be scared of losing you. You, lying down on the bed, that visiones back to me like a nightmare every time I want to close my eyes. I don¡¯t want more nightmares to hunt me down at night when I sleep next to you.

    ¡°That is the sole reason I just told you my selfish desire. I know it was wrong of me to tell you to go away. It is irresponsible of me as the Master of the Magic Tower to do this kind of thing. Even so, I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t want to bother with what people have to say about what I do.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have any good reputation either. No matter how many times I¡¯ve tried to protect people, I have always been known as a bloodthirsty monster. What can I expect them to say this time? I don¡¯t even believe what they will think of anything if I tell you to stay away from the tower until the problem is solved. I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t think of your position. I should have done that.¡±

    He cupped her face and gently raised her head. He could see the pained expression written all over her face. Her eyes were reddish but she didn¡¯t cry.

    He felt his heart twisted and crushed by something.

    His beloved wife couldn¡¯t even show her weakness to him so that he could think of her as a strong woman ¨C just that thought hurt his heart enough to make him speechless.

    ¡°Nica... it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe in you. I just believe in you way too much. Please understand,¡± he requested.

    Veronica looked at him with her red eyes. ¡°If you believe in me too much, then I have to do the same, don¡¯t I?¡±

    She added, ¡°From now on, I will do whatever I want. Since my husband is so capable of taking care of all the problems alone, I¡¯ll just leave it to you. You can take care of all your problems of your life.

    ¡°As for me, I will roam around the world alone, fight against bad people, bring justice to good people and neglect my duty as the Mistress of the Magic Tower.

    ¡°Since you cannot let me join your fun or problem, there is no point for me to make you join my fun or problems. Doesn¡¯t that sound just great?¡±

    Arthur stared at her in disbelief. He never felt so dumbstruck before.

    Before he could say something, Veronica¡¯s eyes glistened.

    ¡°See? It¡¯s hard for you to ept this kind of separation. This is exactly what I am feeling right now. I realized that if you don¡¯t put on someone else¡¯s shoes, you wIll never understand that person¡¯s situation. Now you tell me, what you are thinking right now.¡±

    Arthur stroked his forehead. He was really nervous.

    ¡°Nica... I didn¡¯t think that way. If I tell you to go to the safe house until I take care of the queen, will you roam around the world without me and do whatever you want without including me?¡±

 Chapter 436

    Chapter 436: THE CHOICE

    ¡°...If I tell you to go to the safe house until I take care of the queen, will you roam around the world without me and do whatever you want without including me?¡±

    Veronica firmly replied, ¡°Yes, exactly. I have to give you your own medicine to make you understand the situation you¡¯re creating between us.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t do this much, how will you understand the emptiness in my heart? I will let you choose the future of our marriage. Whatever you choose I will ept it. So, what do you say?¡±

    She had enough of his slyness. She didn¡¯t want to give in anymore. She suffered without him before. She could go through that again because this time she was prepared.

    However, she didn¡¯t want to be separated from him; especially not at a time like this. She married him because she loved him.

    That¡¯s why she worked so hard to stand by his side. She didn¡¯t want to let go of such an opportunity.

    Thus, she could use this kind of gambling tactic to pin him down.

    .....

    ¡°Fine, you win. You don¡¯t have to go anywhere. I will let you protect me,¡± Arthur finally gave in.

    He could barely live with her out of his sight. He would turn into a madman if she left his sight forever.

    Veronica¡¯s face beamed with happiness. She tightly embraced Arthur¡¯s motionless body.

    Arthur felt helpless seeing her cuteness. He hugged her back and muttered softly in her ear, ¡°My princess, you are in serious trouble.¡±

    ¡°As long as we are working together, nothing is trouble,¡± Veronica replied with a smiley face.

    ¡°From now on, whatever we do, we do it together. I dare you to say no to me. If you do that just like today, I will leave you for good. I won¡¯t let you hurt me again and again and let you go with it.¡±

    With a sweet voice, she warned him.

    Arthur powerlessly looked at her. His fingers brushed through her hair.

    ¡°Princess, I learned my lessons. I promise that I won¡¯t dare to utter such nonsense in front of you again,¡± he swore.

    Veronica responded with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m d that you feel that way. Now let¡¯s make a n of what to do to take down the Queen. I¡¯m tired of going everywhere with bodyguards.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Arthur agreed.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Ovior, Zinnia, Ironin, Felix and Darius were standing outside.

    ¡°How long are they going to argue? They keep repeating the same argument again and again. This is so frustrating,¡± Dariusined.

    ¡°It¡¯s just Veronica wants to prove herself but Arthur doesn¡¯t want to give her any chance. I pity that girl,¡± Zinnia sympathized with Veronica.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change the fact that she is vulnerable against the Queen and she is Arthur¡¯s greatest weakness,¡± Felix stated. ¡°He is right to keep her safe somewhere where the Queen cannot touch her.¡±

    Zinnia said, ¡°But if he keeps doing that, Veronica¡¯s position as the Mistress of the Magic Tower will be vulnerable. If he cares about her face, he won¡¯t do such a thing like that.¡±

    ¡°You know Arthur doesn¡¯t care about reputation,¡± Felix told her. ¡°Up until now what I¡¯ve seen is that Arthur only cared about Veronica¡¯s safety. Nothing else matters to him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like anything will happen to her when we¡¯re the ones protecting her.¡± Zinnia shrugged.

    ¡°Anyway, I had enough of couples fighting. I don¡¯t want you two to argue in front of me,¡± Darius stopped them from talking. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that I didn¡¯t get married. I would have lost my freedom if I did.¡±

    ¡°Yes, be single and have some pet animals like Ovior,¡± Zinnia sarcastically remarked.

    Ovior frowned when he heard the sarcasm. ¡°Don¡¯t bring my children into your fight,¡± he warned her.

    Before Zinnia could say something, the door of Arthur¡¯s office opened automatically.

    The five people outside froze for a moment. They looked at each other, trying to make sure if one of them opened the door.

    But everyone had the same expression. Only after they confirmed that none of them opened the door, did they look inside.

    They found Arthur sitting on his chair and Veronica was sitting on the sofa.

    The seriousness from before was long gone.

    The atmosphere had be warm and cozy.

    Everything was so normal as if nothing happened just a few moments ago.

    Ovior stepped forward. ¡°I hope you finish your conversation. May I know what you have decided?¡±

    ¡°Arthur decided that I will be here, protecting the tower by your side,¡± Veronica dered.

    ¡°What? Arthur gave in?!¡± Darius eximed. He stared at the couple in astonishment.

    Veronica retorted, ¡°How is that possible that Arthur wouldn¡¯t let me stay? It would be wrong if I didn¡¯t stay. Shouldn¡¯t you be happy?¡±

    ¡°I do not have a clue. Tell me honestly. Did you ckmail him?¡± Darius interrogated her.

    ¡°Is this what you think of me?¡± Veronica didn¡¯t reply to his question. Instead, she asked him back.

    Since Darius didn¡¯t get any direct reply from her, he looked at her suspiciously.

    ¡°Well, you should know that I don¡¯t think highly of you. I have seen how you use your underhanded techniques. So what you are weak? You can take down a giant enemy by using their weakness. If you are the enemy, you will be the worst kind of enemy.¡±

    ¡°I am upset that you think that way.¡± Veronica pretended to be sad.

    She quickly added, ¡°However, one thing is certain. I¡¯m a worthy opponent, and why not? Since Darius said so himself, I have nothing else to prove.

    ¡°No one can take me away from my position. I will perform my duty as a mistress and you cannot do anything about it.¡±

    Arthur shook his head. It was the first time he felt so weak in front of her.

    Ovior scanned his face and then sat on the couch. ¡°Since that¡¯s how it is, I have nothing else to say. Shall we start our meeting?¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    The next day, Catherine went to Ovior¡¯s office. She was supposed to start working today since Ovior called her for an emergency.

    When she opened the door, she found Veronicaing out of the room. They almost collided with each other.

    ¡°Ver, you scared me. Why are you here so early?¡± Catherine asked.

    ¡°Did you forget that I am currently working for Ovior?¡± Veronica reminded her.

    ¡°No, I remember. But it¡¯s not the time for work yet. Or did Iete?¡± Catherine checked the clock that was hanging on the wall.

    ¡°No, you are on time,¡± Veronica corrected her friend. ¡°Due to a long meeting, I wasn¡¯t able to finish some work. So, I started early. I will talk to youter. Bye for now.¡±

    Catherine saw her going back to Arthur¡¯s office. She entered Ovior¡¯s office and closed the door. she didn¡¯t find Ovior at his seat.

    From the moment he bought some pet animals, it was the usual time he would wake them up and feed them.

    She didn¡¯t wait for him. She looked at her table and saw a pile of papers. Seeing the usual site, she rxed.

    Ironin came inside long after and sat on a couch. There were some papers on the tea table. It was his work.

    ¡°Good morning, Ironin. How are you doing?¡± Catherine greeted him while working.

    ¡°Good,¡± Ironin curtly replied.

    Catherine continued, ¡°Thank you for letting me stay at your ce. Your wife is a gorgeous and refineddy. She¡¯s one of the kindest women I have seen in my life.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Ironin didn¡¯t say anything but his expression became smooth.

    Catherine observed him for a while. Although he was quiet, she didn¡¯t leave him alone.

    Aftering back from the castle, she had something she wanted to share with him. However, he was so busy that she didn¡¯t have the chance.

    Since Ovior wasn¡¯t here, she wanted to use this chance to let out what she wanted to him.

    She said, ¡°You know what; at first I thought you liked Ver. She¡¯s the most gorgeous woman in the world. She¡¯s kind and sweet. She is naive and weak. Any man will want to protect her. Before they know it, they develop certain feelings for her. The same happened to Arthur.

    ¡°Darius is a dumb guy. He only thinks with his dick. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t fall for her. But Ironin, you are different. You are a strong, quiet and smart man. You captured your feelings quickly. You held back your feelings even though you knew you were already in the trap.

    ¡°I have seen the paintings you draw. Do you know you let your emotions run wild when you paint? I studied art when I was back in the temple. I used to analyze the greatest paintings of history. Your paintings are masterpieces.

    ¡°However, unlike your personality where you can control your emotions, you cannot control it when you paint. In the whole castle, the most beautiful painting you have done is Ver¡¯s.

    ¡°You love her, don¡¯t you? Is it because her personality is simr to Lady Jate?¡±

 Chapter 437

    Chapter 437: HER THOUGHTS

    ¡°...You love her, don¡¯t you? Is it because her personality is simr to Lady Jate?¡±

    There was an odd silence in the room. Catherine could sense the cold wind blowing that gave her chills. She looked around but didn¡¯t find all the windows open, enough to drop the temperature of the room.

    ¡°You developed your feelings for her so quickly that you couldn¡¯t stop them when you realized it. So, now you admire her more. You are forcing yourself to respect her as your friend¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°You said enough,¡± Ironin interrupted her. ¡°Focus on your work.¡±

    Catherine was stunned by his attitude.

    ¡°Did you think I would just let it go like that? How can you be so nonchnt about this? What if Ver finds out? Do you know what disaster it will bring?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to raise her voice. However, she couldn¡¯t help it.

    .....

    ¡°Lower your voice,¡± Ironin demanded in a cold voice. ¡°It was you who picked up the topic. If you don¡¯t say anything, no one will learn anything.¡±

    Catherine looked at him in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable that you are not opposing my im. Are you just agreeing with the fact that I discovered?¡±

    Ironin slightly creased his eyebrows. ¡°I will neither deny nor agree with you. You have the right to think whatever you want. And I have the right to admire whoever I want.

    ¡°Just because I admire someone doesn¡¯t mean I fall in love with them. But if I try to oppose it, you will try to push your theory on me. You are like those women who always seek trouble.¡±

    Catherine paused. ¡®It¡¯s true if he disagrees, I will think that he¡¯s lying. Should I just believe that he doesn¡¯t have any romantic feelings toward Veronica?¡¯

    She pondered hard but was unable toe up with an answer.

    ¡®But that cannot be right. I have seen the portrait with my very own eyes. It was more vivid and eye-catching than any portrait that was painted by him. Although I didn¡¯t see his wife portrayed that was done by him, I¡¯m pretty sure he cares for Ver more than he says.¡¯

    Although she thought that way, for a man like him to cheat on his wife was unbelievable.

    Even so, she couldn¡¯t get rid of the idea.

    Ironin was always quiet and never shared his thoughts with anyone. Moreover, he was sincere.

    If he liked someone, he would take it seriously and sincerely. He would definitely want to marry the girl. Just like he married Lady Jate.

    It was the very reason that it was unbelievable that he would fall for Veronica.

    If anyone heard her thoughts, they would brush her thoughts due to her absurd idea.

    At first, Catherine also thought the same. She thought that her lifecked drama since she broke up with Vincent.

    Later, the idea kept bugging her until she lost her sleep. She kept going to Ironin¡¯s office and stared at the portrait.

    The more she looked at it, the more she was convinced that he liked her.

    Aftering back, she dealt with Vincent. She was exhausted.

    Later, she couldn¡¯t spend time with Veronica. She had nothing else to do. That¡¯s when this absurd thought kepting to her and bothered her.

    Today, she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She had to tell Ironin about her suspicions.

    She was expecting some reaction but he was as cold and distant as ever.

    When he shared his logic, she found it believable.

    She couldn¡¯t retort. Thus, she became silent.

    Although her lips were sealed, her mind wasn¡¯t.

    She tried to recall how Ironin behaved around Veronica.

    Not long after, Ovior came back after feeding his pet animals. The yellow chick was sleeping on his head and the little tortoise was in his hands.

    After staring at him for a couple of seconds, Catherine looked away.

    ¡®I can never get used to this site,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Catherine, how are you doing?¡± Ovior asked.

    Catherine replied, ¡°I¡¯m doing better. Thanks for having me back. I hope I didn¡¯t give you all too much trouble because of my personal reasons.¡±

    Ovior sat on his chair and then ced the tortoise on the table. After that, he took a document.

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t,¡± he replied. ¡°Now you know why I don¡¯t get involved in any rtionship.¡±

    Catherine¡¯s back stiffened. Soon, she nodded. ¡°You are right. A rtionship is bothersome. It¡¯s good to stay single and enjoy my youth.¡±

    ¡°You have learned well, haven¡¯t you?¡± Ovior remarked.

    Soon, he changed into a demonic boss and demanded, ¡°Finish your work by tonight.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Catherine looked at her table and gulped.

    ¡®So much to finish within a day!¡¯ She freaked out.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Veronica was rolling on the bed. Her mind was unsettled.

    Arthur was reading a book, sitting beside her. Noticing her movements, he closed his book and turned toward her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he inquired. ¡°What are you thinking that you cannot keep your calmness?¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± she replied, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about the Queen and her desire to harm you.¡±

    ¡°You are with me and thinking of another person? Now you¡¯re making me jealous,¡± Arthurmented.

    He reached out and grabbed her ankle before dragging her close to him. He circled his arms around her and then picked on her cheek.

    ¡°The Queen isn¡¯t a person worthy of your thoughts,¡± he remarked. ¡°But since you still thought about her, I¡¯m curious what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Veronica shared her thoughts, ¡°I was thinking that she was quite foolish. She knows the very reason why her son died. She cannot even differentiate right from wrong.

    ¡°How can she be a queen of a kingdom? Furthermore, she wants to go against you, the most powerful person in the kingdom.¡±

    She paused and then looked at him.

    ¡°You are a magician, Arthur. If you want you can just snap your finger and make her disappear. It¡¯s not like you are a reasonable person or you care what other people have to say about you. So then, why are you going through so much drama? This isn¡¯t like you.¡±

    At her evaluation of his character, Arthur smirked.

    ¡°My princess is so wise that I can¡¯t help but be amazed,¡± Hemented. ¡°I understand your thoughts. Indeed, I¡¯m capable of that kind of trick. It¡¯s nothingpared to what I have to do inside the ring to have a match with Ovior.

    ¡°However, when ites to the Royal Family I have to be careful. You already know about our peace treaty. We cannot unnecessarily attack them and so can¡¯t they.

    ¡°But then I could attack the Crown Prince because it was right. We were having a match. Killing people there was a normal urrence. No one could me me for what I did.

    ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s crime was so big that even the king couldn¡¯t point his fingers at me. Not even the aristocrats could say anything about it. Some of them even felt relieved.

    ¡°As for the Queen, she could only boil in anger. I want this day toe. And I¡¯ve been preparing for this day for a long time. I have enough proof to take her down. But it won¡¯t be fun.

    ¡°I want her to dance like a rat. I will let her think that she won but actually she won nothing. It will be quite a sight to see her reaction when she finds out everything.¡±

    While talking, he held her hands and rubbed them to keep them warm.

    After he was done exining, he asked her, ¡°Are you scared of your husband now? I¡¯m evil, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°As long as you stay with me and let me stand beside you, I think you¡¯re the sweetest evil,¡± Veronica replied.

    Arthur chuckled. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m sweet?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°What part do you think is sweet about me?¡±

    ¡°The fact that you are good to me. It makes everything about you the best.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? What about my little ancestor? When you suck it, do you think it is sweet too?¡±

    Veronica suddenly realized that their conversation was going off the line.

    Her heart skipped a bit when she realized what he meant. Her face flushed instantly in embarrassment.

    She pushed his chest with full force.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Why would I think something like that is sweet?¡± she retorted with a red face.

    Arthur said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Why not? You just said everything about me is sweet. Aren¡¯t I good to you? Doesn¡¯t that mean everything about me is sweet?¡±

    Veronica felt her ears burning.

    ¡°I meant your personality, not your body.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want him to misunderstand her and then tease her for that in the future.

    Arthur stated, ¡°How can you say it like that? I won¡¯t take ¡®no¡¯ for an answer. Since you mean ¡®everything¡¯, then it IS everything.¡±

    .....

    He whispered in her ear, ¡°Princess, it has been a while since you sucked me like it is the most delicious thing in the world. Why don¡¯t you test it today and tell me if it is sweet or not?¡±

 Chapter 438

    Chapter 438: THE INVITATION

    ¡°Princess, it has been a while since you sucked me like it is the most delicious thing in the world. Why don¡¯t you test it today and tell me if it is sweet or not?¡±

    Arthur slowly approached her.

    Realizing that she was in danger, Veronica tried to retract.

    ¡°A-Arthur... mm!!¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The next day, Catherine went to Arthur¡¯s office to pass some documents.

    The moment she entered the room, she realized that something was wrong. However, the documents were too heavy for her to keep any longer.

    .....

    Therefore, she put them on Veronica¡¯s desk and told her, ¡°Ovior wants you to finish this by today. He also said that if you can finish this by today, you don¡¯t have to work tomorrow.¡±

    Staring at the pile of documents, Veronica questioned her, ¡°Is this some kind of torture?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± Catherine shrugged. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me taking half of your task, you might have needed to stay awake the whole night to finish them. You owe me one.¡±

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. ¡®Just who is exactly doing whose work?¡¯ she wondered.

    ¡°I guess I have to thank you for that,¡± she told her friend. ¡°You do realize that it is me who agreed to help your work. I don¡¯t even get paid for the job.¡±

    Catherine grinned. ¡°If you put it like that, I have to treat you to a meal, don¡¯t I?¡±

    Veronica demanded, ¡°One treat is not enough.¡±

    ¡°You got it.¡± Catherine stared at Veronica¡¯s mouth andmented, ¡°By the way, are you okay? Your lips look swollen. Did you get hurt somehow?¡±

    Veronica was startled. ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Why are you startled? I¡¯m just asking if you got hurtst night. Are you sick or something?¡±

    At that moment, Arthur cleared his throat. ¡°Nica, I didn¡¯t know you were hurt. Is it because ofst night?¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± Veronica red at her husband.

    Last night, because of his demand, Veronica had to suck him till her throat hurt. Her lips were swollen while sucking him for too long.

    After every round ended, Arthur kept asking her how it tasted.

    At first, out of anger and embarrassment, she replied that the taste was awful.

    Later, Arthur forced her to suck him until she said it was sweet, it was the sweetest thing in the world and so on.

    She had to keep doing this until he was satisfied with herpliment.

    When she woke up in the morning, her lips, her mouth, her throat ¨C everything was painful.

    She could barely clean her mouth. As for breakfast, she only had a bowl of soup.

    Out of anger, she didn¡¯t even look at Arthur today. Let alone talk to him.

    Arthur knew that she was upset. But thinking of yesterday¡¯s incident, he was amused. He kept teasing her until she exploded.

    Catherine noticed that Veronica was awfully riled up because of her lips.

    She said, ¡°It¡¯s too bad that you can¡¯t heal yourself. I will ask Ovior to give you some cooling ointment. It will relieve your pain.¡±

    ¡°Please do that,¡± Veronica told her.

    While they were talking, the door was opened. Felix came with the letter in his hand.

    ¡°Our waiting has finally ended,¡± he said. ¡°The Queen has sent an invitation to attend a ball. The Master and the Mistress of the Magic Tower must attend.¡±

    ¡°Waiting? What waiting? Were you waiting for some party?¡± Catherine asked.

    She was already busy with Vincent¡¯s cheating incident. His wedding incident wore her out.

    That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t know about the recent incidents about Aria and another senior magician¡¯s death.

    She had absolutely no clue about Arthur and Veronica¡¯s n against the Queen.

    ¡°I have never been to a royal ball in Tybu,¡± Veronica hurriedly exined to her. ¡°I kept telling Arthur that I wanted to attend one. This is what Felix was talking about. It was my waiting.¡±

    Catherine wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure he said ¡®our¡¯ waiting.¡±

    ¡°Did you misspeak, Felix?¡± Veronica looked at Felix.

    Felix went along with her, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I said ¡®your¡¯ waiting, not ¡®our¡¯ waiting.¡±

    ¡°I guess I misheard.¡± Catherine scratched her head in confusion. ¡°I¡¯ll be going then. Before you start enjoying the invitation please finish your task.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Veronica promised.

    After Catherine left, Veronica nced at Felix. ¡°Is this ball for the Queen¡¯s birthday?¡±

    Felix replied, ¡°It seems that way. It will be another grand party. All the while members and the aristocrats will be there.¡±

    ¡°It means the King will be there as well. I wonder if the Queen will make her move.¡± Veronica started to feel nervous.

    Felix said, ¡°The only way you can find out is by going there. But you must have to be careful. You cannot reveal your identity.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling that her identity was already revealed.¡±

    The voice came from the doorway. Everyone looked in the direction of the source of the voice.

    Zinnia was standing there. She closed the door and then told them, ¡°Remember many of the magicians knew Veronica¡¯s hair is silver. At that time, the blessed child was missing too.

    ¡°Sure uses her healing power often. They could assume that she was a blessed child. If some senior magicians are already under the Queen, do you think they didn¡¯t tell her about their suspicions?¡±

    ¡°If that happens, I don¡¯t think Veronica should go there,¡± Felix shared his thoughts.

    Veronica didn¡¯t want to agree with him but he was right. Since she agreed to work with Arthur against the Queen, there is no way she could back down.

    She had toe on with something else that would prevent the Queen from pointing at her hair and questioning her identity.

    ¡°I think I have to use something real to change my hair color,¡± she said. ¡°No more potions.¡±

    ¡°Did someone invent something like that?¡± Zinnia wondered. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anything like that.¡±

    Veronica suddenly came up with an idea. She suggested, ¡°Maybe we can use clothing colors. I heard people use different shades of color to make clothes colorful.¡±

    Zinnia creased her eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The colors could be harmful to your hair or scalp.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°If you have any better idea I will dly ept it. But you cannot prevent me from going there and confronting the Queen. I want to know what kind of material she¡¯s made of.¡±

    Zinnia realized that she was headstrong and wouldn¡¯t back down.

    She reluctantly said, ¡°We still have a week to figure that out. For now, we should go out to order your dress.¡±

    Veronica was puzzled. ¡°Dress? Why a new dress? For Cathy¡¯s wedding, I have already ordered a dress. It¡¯s in my closet. I don¡¯t need a new one.¡±

    Zinnia brushed her idea off.

    ¡°Dearest, that kind of dress is only proper to wear in a wedding ceremony. The ce you¡¯re going is the imperial pce, for the imperial ball.

    ¡°You have to wear a morous gown that will make people attracted to you. In a party like this, a woman¡¯s gown makes a statement.¡±

    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± Veronica frowned. ¡°This is a waste. There are people in the street who cannot even wear clothes. And here we are wasting all kinds of garments for a ball.¡±

    Zinnia smirked. ¡°Wee to the world of the aristocrats.¡±

    Veronica looked at her husband. She wanted him to take her side. But the moment their eyes were locked, she recalledst night¡¯s incident.

    She quickly looked away. Her face was hot.

    She remembered that she was mad at him and she was not going to talk to him until he apologized.

    ¡°Fine, I will go with you,¡± she finally agreed. ¡°But we cannot go today. I have a pile of work to finish. Ovior said if I could finish it by today, I can take a day off tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Fine then,¡± Zinnia shrugged. She turned to Arthur. ¡°You are quiet for a while. What are you thinking?¡±

    Arthur was silently listening to their conversation. When Zinnia asked, he dered, ¡°I don¡¯t n on going to the ball.¡±

    Veronica was stunned. Felix and Zinnia were surprised as well.

    ¡°Why not? If you don¡¯t go with her, who will escort Veronica?¡± Zinnia inquired.

    ¡°Ovior will,¡± Arthur replied. ¡°If I go there, the Queen might use some underhanded techniques to take me away from my wife. And then, she might make trouble for Nica. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    Zinnia asked, ¡°Won¡¯t it be the same if Ovior went there as well?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Arthur shook his head. ¡°Ovior takes care of the management while I have actual power to control anything and everything of the Magic Tower.

    ¡°Even if the Queen and the nobles want to discuss something with Ovior, he will have to decline. Because it is not his job to participate in any meetings on my behalf.

    .....

    ¡°If he tries to do that, it will be out of his limit of responsibility. As the master of the Magic Tower, I will have to punish him for crossing his line.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°But if Ovior goes, what will you do?¡±

 Chapter 439

    Chapter 439: ORDER THE GOWN

    ¡°But if Ovior goes, what will you do?¡± Felix asked Arthur.

    Arthur stared at his wife and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll just stay here and wait for my wife toe home.¡±

    ¡®Glib tongue,¡¯ Veronica thought. She didn¡¯t bother to look at him. She tried to concentrate on her work.

    Zinnia and Felix exchanged nces. They realized the couple had a feud.

    Not wanting to bother them anymore, Zinnia said, ¡°If you need anything, just let us know.¡±

    After they left, Arthur looked at his diligent wife. ¡°Nic...¡±

    ¡°Focus on your work,¡± Veronica sternly said.

    .....

    Arthur: ¡°...¡±

    ¡®Did I takest night¡¯s action too far?¡¯ he wondered.

    However, even if he took back time, he would do the same thing again.

    Yesterday, Veronica looked more pitiful and luscious than ever. He wanted to forever imprint her expression.

    ¡ª¡ª

    The next day, Veronica went out with Zinnia. She had to order a gown for the ball.

    ¡°I want to go to the regr boutique shop but I wonder if we still have the chance to order there,¡± Zinnia shared her thoughts.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t imagine it. ¡°It can¡¯t be that crazy, right?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± Zinnia said.

    Ten minutester, her premonition came true.

    The manager bowed deeply and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Madams. We arepletely booked. If we take another order, I fear my workers will die from exhaustion.¡±

    Veronica was rendered speechless. She could see the scenery inside the shop.

    The workers were running with clothes andces. They were going crazy to finish the orders in less than a week.

    ¡°...Does this happen often?¡± she asked the Manager.

    The Manager replied, ¡°Not precisely. Mostly the invitationes a month before the party is held.

    ¡°But this time, the invitation from the Imperial Pce was dyed. As a result, not every noble family was prepared.

    ¡°The moment they got the invitation, they came to choose a design. We weren¡¯t able to close the shop yesterday. Only at three in the morning, we were able to close the shop.¡±

    Zinnia narrowed her eyes. ¡°If this shop is like this, I wonder what¡¯s the situation in other shops.¡±

    The Manager stated, ¡°The situation is dire, Madam. Not even one shop opened today. I¡¯m pretty sure about this. I¡¯m afraid you came toote.¡±

    ¡°Since no other shop can take orders, there is no need to order one. Let¡¯s just leave.¡± Veronica stood up. She was ready to leave.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Zinnia stopped her. She looked at the Manager and asked, ¡°You cannot take more orders because you worry about your workers¡¯ exhaustion, am I right?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, Madam.¡± The Manager nodded.

    Zinnia smirked. She came up with a brilliant n.

    ¡°How about we know a process to take your workers¡¯ exhaustions? They won¡¯t feel tired or sleepy until their work for the day is done.

    ¡°If they want, they can work without sleeping for a few days. If I can make that happen, will you take the order?¡±

    The Manager stared at her with a dumbstruck expression.

    ¡°Madam, if it was possible with magic, we would have done that and would take all the orders which came to us. However, it is impossible.¡±

    ¡°It is possible. She can do this.¡± Zinnia pointed at Veronica.

    She added, ¡°This is my offer for you. She will use her magic to take away exhaustion and your workers will make one gown for her.

    ¡°And that gown has to be more gorgeous than any one you have ever made.¡±

    The Manager listened and then stated, ¡°I understand that you are desperate, madam. But how can she do such a thing? I¡¯ve never heard of any magic like that at all.¡±

    ¡°You never did but now you will.¡± Zinnia looked at Veronica. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use your magic trick on one of his employees? I¡¯m sure he will change his mind.¡±

    Veronica was confused. ¡®What magic trick? Is she telling me to use my healing power? Wouldn¡¯t I just draw attention to myself if I do that? it will be more dangerous if rumors about me spread.¡¯

    ¡°What if we don¡¯t use my trick? I don¡¯t want to cause any problem...¡± she meant to say ¡®attention problem¡¯.

    Zinnia brushed off her worry. ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem as long as the Manager keeps it a secret and asks his employees to keep it a secret. Right, Manager?¡±

    The Manager nodded. ¡°Surely. If my customers want me to keep it a secret, I will. I¡¯ll just tell my employees about the magic trick. Then there won¡¯t be any harm done.¡±

    ¡°Perfect!¡± Zinnia looked at Veronica. ¡°Show him what you got.¡±

    Veronica took a deep breath and muttered, ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±

    After that, she used her healing power on the most exhausted employee she could find from the ajar door.

    The employee was a seamstress. She was working tirelessly since yesterday. She barely had the chance to have a meal.

    She felt like fainting when somehow, she sensed that her power was reviving. She didn¡¯t feel like fainting. Her power was restored quickly.

    Soon, she felt like she had just woken up from a good sleep.

    She paused her work and stared at her hands. She looked like she was dreaming.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that without a rest or a meal she was feeling like an invincible person.

    She looked around to check if others felt the same way but they were all too busy with their tasks. They didn¡¯t notice her abnormality.

    The Manager noticed her behavior from another room. He strode forward and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    The seamstress said, ¡°Sir, I was tired of working without a rest but suddenly I think I¡¯m not tired anymore. I don¡¯t know what happened. My head is clear. I¡¯m not dizzy any more. I don¡¯t feel hungry either. I feel refreshed.¡±

    The Manager couldn¡¯t believe her words. He stared at her with an eagle-like gaze.

    She didn¡¯t look like she was acting and so he only had to trust her words.

    ¡°All right, just go back to work.¡± He looked around and then announced, ¡°Until all the orders for the Imperial ball are done, I¡¯ll be giving nourishing drinks to everyone. It will keep you healthy and less exhausted. You can work without getting tired.¡±

    At first, the employees didn¡¯t believe him. They had never heard of such nourishing drinks before.

    But soon, they cheered up to make their Manager happy.

    The Manager went back to the room and looked at Veronica excitedly.

    ¡°Madam, you are a genius. I¡¯m not sure what kind of magic you used but my employee haspletely changed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give them fruit drinks every day. Instead, you stay here as my guest and use your magic to empower them secretly. How¡¯s that sound?¡±

    Veronica listened to him carefully and then looked at Zinnia for permission.

    Zinnia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a solid n. I like it. As long as your employees won¡¯t be suspicious, it will be fine.¡±

    ¡°They will never,¡± the Manager promised. ¡°No onees to my room as long as I¡¯m not here. I will stay with them and they don¡¯t need toe here to look for me. I will even personally provide your meals here.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll be with my friend as well. Make sure you prepare both of our meals,¡± Zinnia stated. ¡°Shall we talk about the dress?¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    After that, for six days, Veronica and Zinnia came to the boutique shop. While Veronica healed the employees, Zinnia guarded her.

    Veronica easily became exhausted while healing them every ten hours. There were a lot of employees.

    She had to make sure that she was healing everyone in the building including the Manager.

    Since the Manager was serving fruit juice to the employees, the employees thought that they didn¡¯t get exhausted due to the drinks.

    They believed in the Manager and thought of the drink as some kind of magic potion. They praised their Manager and worked day and night without getting tired.

    As a result, the workload they had for six days was finished in four and half days.

    They all cheered up and held a party for it.

    Since the orders were cleared up, they wanted to take more orders. That¡¯s when Veronica and Zinnia came with her order.

    Without knowing who their benefactor was, they dly epted the order.

    The designer hade up with an excellent design while working on the dresses. When she showed the design to Veronica, she immediately agreed.

    Thus, in two days, all the employees focused on one dress and made the most gorgeous gown they could ever make.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    .....

    On the day of the Imperial ball, Ovior was standing in front of the entrance of the Magic Tower, fixing his tie.

    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Felix asked.

    ¡°Why should I be nervous?¡± Ovior furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s just, I¡¯m feeling ufortable.¡±

    Darius snickered. ¡°Are you feeling ufortable because of the ball or for the person you are going to escort?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! Why should I be ufortable just attending a ball? I¡¯m from a noble family. I have attended this kind of ball since I was a child. As for Veronica, she is just a partner. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never had a partner before...¡±

    Ovior couldn¡¯t finish his sentence as the words were stuck in his throat.

    His gaze was at the front, looking at his partner.

 Chapter 440

    Chapter 440: THE BALL

    ¡°Nonsense! Why should I be ufortable just attending a ball? I¡¯m from a noble family. I have attended this kind of ball since I was a child. As for Veronica, she is just a partner. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never had a partner before...¡±

    Ovior couldn¡¯t finish his sentence as the words were stuck in his throat.

    His gaze was at the front, looking at Veronica.

    She was wearing a white ball gown. Above the gown, there was a white sheeryer embroidered with golden thread.

    The golden floral design was heavy at the bottom. As it rose to the top, the flowers became fewer.

    The sleeves were entirely designed with golden flowers, covering her whole arms.

    The round neckline went deep, showing off her cleavage. The neckline was designed with golden sheerce.

    .....

    The neckline touched a bit of her shoulders before going down on the back. As a result, her back waspletely exposed.

    Even though her back was revealed, there was a golden floral design on her back. It didn¡¯t seem to be attached to the dress. It was securely fixed on her back.

    As for her red hair, it was tied as a half-updo. The untied stands were loosely hanging around her right shoulder.

    She was wearing a golden hair essory on the top of her head. There was a yellow stone in the middle of the essory. It was loosely hanging on her forehead.

    Aside from that, small golden flower essories were fixed on her bun.

    Aside from hair essories, she was wearing a pair of earrings and two rings on her left hand¡¯s fingers and one ring on her right hand¡¯s index finger.

    Due to the sparkly design around her neck, she didn¡¯t wear any ne.

    With one step at a time, Veronica came down the stairs. She felt ufortable as people gazed at her with admiration.

    Fidgeting a little, she raised her head and saw Ovior, Felix and Darius were waiting for her.

    ¡°Have you been waiting for long?¡± she asked Ovior.

    Ovior cleared his throat as he came back to his senses and replied, ¡°We just got here.¡±

    Truth be told, they had been waiting for two hours.

    Felix stole a nce at Ovior. He didn¡¯t expose the lies.

    Darius whistled. ¡°Look at you! For the first time, you look like a Mistress of the Magic Tower.¡±

    Ovior and Felix couldn¡¯t help but agree with him in their minds.

    For the simple woman who didn¡¯t wear anything fancy most of the time, she looked breathtakingly gorgeous with today¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°Is it really all right? I think I¡¯ve overdressed,¡± Veronica expressed her worry.

    Felix said, ¡°What are you saying? This is the best appearance of a Mistress. Did you not wear history?

    ¡°Have you seen how other Mistresses dressed up in the ball and at the tower? There should be tons of pictures.¡±

    Veronica replied, ¡°I know. I¡¯ve seen them but mor doesn¡¯t suit me.¡±

    ¡°I think it suits you very well,¡± Darius told her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Ovior?¡±

    ¡°Hmm... I guess so. The sun has almost set. Shall we go?¡± Ovior reached out his hand.

    ¡°Yes, we should.¡± Veronica took his hand.

    ¡®What does he mean by ¡®guess so¡¯? He was staring at her like a dumb guy just a minute ago. This guy doesn¡¯t know how to be truthful. No wonder he is still single.¡¯ Darius scoffed.

    The carriage was waiting for them at the entrance.

    Ovior helped her to go inside the carriage. Then, he entered as well.

    Darius and Felix pushed the heavy skirt of the ball gown inside the carriage and then shut the door.

    ¡°Enjoy the party!¡± Darius said loudly.

    Felix waved his hand.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Veronica smiled and waved her hand along with the reply.

    The carriage left the tower and went through the forest road.

    Veronica looked at Ovior who was looking outside the window.

    ¡°Have you seen Arthur?¡± she inquired.

    Although she was upset with him and didn¡¯t talk to him properly for a whole week, she wanted to show her appearance to him before showing it to anyone else.

    Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t in the room. He wasn¡¯t at his office either.

    She was a bit disappointed.

    ¡°I heard he went out for an errand. I¡¯m sure by the time you go back to the tower, he will be there,¡± Ovior answered.

    ¡°Did he not tell you where he went?¡±

    Ovior answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him explicitly. If he thought it was important for me to know, he would have told me before leaving.

    ¡°But why are you asking me? Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t talked to him yet. Are you two still fighting?¡±

    Veronica frowned. ¡°No one is fighting!¡±

    Ovior frowned. ¡°Must be something serious for you to stay mad at him for a whole week. I can¡¯t imagine him making you this angry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at him. He just has to apologize. But he won¡¯t. It¡¯s like he enjoys tormenting me. I can¡¯t stand this. If I forgive him easily, he will keep repeating the same thing and I might start hating him for that.¡±

    Veronica didn¡¯t worry about hating Arthur.

    But thinking about that night¡¯s incident and then his teasing smile every time their eyes met, infuriated her.

    It wasn¡¯t that she hated sucking him. He always gave her pleasure and she also wanted to pleasure him.

    ¡®But why does he keep teasing me for that? it¡¯s like he enjoys teasing me!¡¯ she thought.

    Sucking him wasn¡¯t the issue. He forced her to tell him that it tasted sweet and so on.

    He made her exin obscene words which she didn¡¯t want to say. Furthermore, he was saying all kinds of indecent words.

    She was so embarrassed that she wanted to hide in a hole and never face him again.

    ¡°If he can¡¯t say sorry and doesn¡¯t promise not to do that kind of thing again, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever talk to him,¡± she said.

    How could she let the obscene act repeat almost every night?

    Unlike him, she didn¡¯t have hard skin. Thus, she couldn¡¯t be as shameless as him.

    ¡°Did you tell him that you need an apology and a promise not to do something you don¡¯t like?¡± Ovior asked.

    Veronica clenched her fists. ¡°Why should I have to tell him? He is so intelligent. He says he can read my mind. I¡¯m sure he knows what I want.¡±

    ¡°Although he said that, I think you should tell him yourself,¡± Ovior suggested. ¡°Or else, you might end up with another misunderstanding. I can¡¯t let you ruin my tower twice.¡±

    Arthur already tried to make this tower a tomb of a thousand people.

    Ovior didn¡¯t want history to repeat itself once again due to this stupid couple.

    At his words, Veronica¡¯s back stiffened. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell him.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    It took them thirty minutes to arrive at the pce.

    Veronica had been in the Royal Library at night. But she never had the time to enjoy the view of the Imperial Pce at night.

    Due to the birthday party, the pce was decorated with flowers, glittery strings and magic lights. It looked magnificent.

    Veronica stared at the pce in awe.

    ¡°This is like an enchanting castle from the fairy tale,¡± she remarked as she stared at the pce.

    Ovior said nonchntly, ¡°Did you forget which country it is? This is the country of magic. And the pce is a magical ce. This is far beyond any fairy tale you¡¯ve ever read.¡±

    Veronica replied, ¡°I must say, I¡¯m impressed. I was imagining it would be morous. I didn¡¯t expect it to be this entrancing.¡±

    ¡°You just saw the outside and you are like this. I wonder what you will do when you head inside.¡± Ovior held out his hand. ¡°We should head inside.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we should.¡± Veronica excitedly grabbed his arm.

    The nobles were inside the ballroom. They were chatting,ughing softly and making rich jokes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Her Majesty will dere the name of the future Crown Princess tonight. I¡¯m so excited.¡±

    ¡°They said the Crown Prince will be absent today. I¡¯m not sure if the rumor is correct.¡±

    .....

    ¡°No one can tell the Crown Prince¡¯s intention. He won¡¯t be too satisfied with today¡¯s event. After all, the Queen is his sworn enemy.¡±

    ¡°Every time he was attacked, all the clues pointed at the Queen. Who can me him for being rmed by today¡¯s event?¡±

    ¡°True, if he doesn¡¯te to tonight¡¯s ball, I won¡¯t be surprised. But it will be such a shame.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why His Majesty let Her Majesty do whatever she wants. Maybe he has feelings for Her Majesty despite what the rumors say.¡±

    The nobles were busy gossiping about the Imperial Family. All of a sudden, people quiet down.

    Since half of the people became silent, others became quiet as well.

    Those who didn¡¯t know what happened, looked around with puzzled expressions, curious to find out why everybody was quiet.

    At that time, the pce staff announced, ¡°The Mistress of the Magic Tower and the Assistant Master of the Magic Tower have arrived.¡±

 Chapter 441

    Chapter 441: MISTRESS VERONICA

    ¡°The Mistress of the Magic Tower and the Assistant Master of the Magic Tower have arrived.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed at the entrance.

    Seeing the pair entering the ballroom, everyone held their breaths.

    Even though they weren¡¯t a couple, they lookedpatible.

    While Ovior was wearing gray-colored clothes with silver designs, Veronica was wearing an off-white gown with a golden design.

    Their appearance dazzled the eyes of the guests. The ballroom instantly brightened up.

    ¡°Am I seeing things? This is Ovior, the Assistant Master of the magic Tower. The one beside him is the rumored Mistress of the Magic Tower!¡±

    .....

    ¡°The rumor didn¡¯t justify her beauty. She is more beautiful than people said.¡±

    ¡°And for the Assistant Master toe to the party, I must be dreaming.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he is escorting the Mistress of the Magic Tower?¡±

    ¡°Who is the lucky one? The one who is escorting the gorgeous Mistress or the one who is escorting the Assistant Master who barelyes to the balls.¡±

    The moment the pair entered the ballroom, everyone started gossiping about them.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying but she could feel their gazes on her.

    She nervously tightened her grip on Ovior.

    ¡°If you are trying to ruin my sleeve, it¡¯s working,¡± Oviormented with a t expression.

    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Veronica panicked.

    Ovior sighed. ¡°Did you forget what I taught you? You cannot apologize; especially not to someone with a low ranking.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°You aren¡¯t a low-ranking person...¡±

    Ovior interrupted her, ¡°My rank is lower than you. Keep your shoulders straight. Look forward. Don¡¯t let me repeat myself the whole evening please.¡±

    ¡°I... I won¡¯t...¡±

    ¡°Stop being nervous. This isn¡¯t a ce where you show your emotion. It¡¯ll be your weakness. If the people find out, they will attack you with their words.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    The nobles surrounded them the moment their feet touched the ground.

    A middle-aged man greeted her first.

    ¡°Good evening, Mistress of the Magic Tower. I¡¯m Elios Jermyn. It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you.¡±

    Veronica greeted the man, ¡°Good evening, Jermyn. Count Jermyn? The honor is mine.¡±

    Count Jermyn was surprised that she knew his title. ¡°Oh, you know me! I¡¯m truly honored.¡±

    Veronica smiled in return. ¡°I know everyone who I should know.¡±

    Her words sounded arrogant. Those who were around them froze for a while.

    At first, they thought that the beautiful Mistress didn¡¯t appear before due to her immature characteristics.

    Many women thought that her behavior was so inappropriate that the Master of the Magic Tower didn¡¯t bring her out to meet the nobles.

    But to make them liars, Veronica first blinded them with her looks and now with her words.

    ¡°Our Mistress has an unexceptional brain. She can memorize any name she has seen once,¡± Ovior stated.

    Veronica froze. ¡®Just when did that happen?¡¯ she began to wonder.

    From what she could remember ¨C she had spent a week of sleepless nights memorizing all the names of the aristocratic families and their family members.

    Later on, she spent a whole month learning about each family scandal. She spent months memorizing those families¡¯ history.

    ¡®Did he say that to boost my poprity? What if they start testing me if it¡¯s real or not? I¡¯ll be in danger at this rate,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate, Ovior. They might n to bother me by trying to test me,¡± she said.

    The nobles who were thinking of ¡®bothering¡¯ her by testing if she really had photographic memory became nervous.

    ¡°N-no way! Who would dare...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is imbecile enough to do that to the Mistress of the Magic Tower.¡±

    ¡°If someone dares to do it, they will have to see the wrath of the Master of the Magic Tower.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I won¡¯t bother Arthur for some trivial matter,¡± Veronica said while taking a champagne ss in her hand. ¡°Such matters can be taken care of by me.¡±

    Her confident attitude showed the nobles a new light. They realized that she wasn¡¯t someone they could trifle with just because she appeared for the first time.

    Count Jermyn said, ¡°Sure, the Mistress of the Magic Tower wouldn¡¯t be able to capture the heart of the Master of the Magic Tower if she couldn¡¯t take care of herself.

    ¡°Someone worthy of the Master of the Magic Tower can be his Mistress.¡±

    Others went along with him.

    ¡°True, true.¡±

    ¡°A rightly Mistress of the Magic Tower doesn¡¯t need her husband to take care of her business.¡±

    While the men were all praising Veronica, nobledies couldn¡¯t ept it.

    Not only Veronica was beautiful, but also she could easily steal anyone¡¯s heart.

    For the matter that she stole the heart of Arthur, the Master of the magic Tower, it bothered thedies more.

    After all, they had a lifelong crush on him despite him having a bad reputation.

    Women love bad boys.

    It ought to be true.

    Veronica excused herself and walked to another part of the ball.

    Her n was to stay low until the Imperial Family arrived.

    However, her n was unsessful when somedies gathered around her.

    ¡°Greetings, Mistress of the Magic Tower.¡±

    Thedies bowed to her respectively.

    But to Veronica, they seemed to pretend in front of her.

    ¡°Good evening,dies. I hope you are doing well.¡±

    One of thedies replied with enthusiasm, ¡°We are, Mistress. We were excited to meet you.¡±

    Anotherdy with an innocent face said, ¡°At first, I thought Mistress wouldn¡¯te. I was delighted when your title was announced. It was a grand entrance I must say.¡±

    ¡°The Mistress of the Magic Tower is truly unexceptional. Your dazzling appearance is enchanting.¡±

    Veronica was truly pleased to hear thosepliments. She stated, ¡°Thank youdies for your kind words.¡±

    Anotherdy was staring at Veronica for a while quietly.

    She was wearing a navy blue gown with gold dust sprinkled on her gown.

    Half of her face was covered with a decorative fan, only revealing her eyes.

    She spoke, ¡°Shall we call you Mistress or do you have a name? I didn¡¯t know someone would be desperate enough to be called by their title and not their names.¡±

    Herment made the threedies who talked to Veronica first silent. They didn¡¯t know how to react.

    However, otherdies who heard the arrogantdy¡¯sment snickered. They enjoyed how Veronica was insulted.

    Veronica looked at thedy with the navy-blue gown calmly and then asked, ¡°I¡¯m not sure who should introduce themselves first. Me who was not interested in talking to anyone or you who approached to talk to me?¡±

    Her voice was neither loud nor quiet. Everyone around her heard her voice.

    Veronica continued, ¡°I understand that some people are so dazzled by my beauty that they forgot to introduce themselves aftering to talk to me.

    ¡°But they shouldn¡¯t point their fingers at me when they don¡¯t tell their names first.¡±

    When she criticized their action, their expression changed.

    Thedy with the navy-blue gown narrowed her sharp eyes. She was about to say something when the other threedies talked first.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that I forgot to introduce myself, Mistress. I¡¯m La.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯m Arisa, Mistress.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Reba.¡±

    Veronica smiled at them. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, La, Arisa and Reba. I¡¯m Veronica.¡±

    ¡°It is a unique name, Mistress Veronica!¡± La praised her.

    ¡°It sure is!¡± Arisa said.

    Reba went along with them, ¡°I think so too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,dies.¡± Veronica was genuinely happy that there were people topliment her name.

    ¡°Mistress Veronica truly has a unique name and unique hair. I¡¯m sure many women are envious of your beauty,¡± thedy with the navy-blue gown stated.

    Veronica didn¡¯t smile. She wasn¡¯t pleased with her words.

    Her statement was in no way apliment. She was mocking Veronica.

    Red hair was unique in Utahill but not in Tybu. It wasmon to have red hair in Tybu and many witches and magicians had red hair.

    For saying that red hair was unique, thedy was surely trying to look down at Veronica.

    Although Veronica looked cold outside, inside she was on the verge of crying.

    ¡®Why is she picking a fight with me when we just met? I¡¯m not here to fight. I just want to enjoy the party and meet the Queen.¡¯

    Sadly, she could neither agree nor disagree with that woman outright.

    If she agreed with the red hair being unique, it would show herck of knowledge. If she disagreed with red hair being unique, it would make her lose her face.

    She was in a tight spot.

    Then, she had another thought.

    ¡®Since she is picking a fight with me, does she not care about my title as the Mistress? What kind of formidable opponent she is?¡¯

    No matter what thedy¡¯s identity was, Veronica had to say something.

    While wondering about the girl¡¯s identity, Veronica said, ¡°Lady must have free time to think about one¡¯s appearance. And here I¡¯ve thought aristocraticdies are busy with education, dancing and music since they were born. I must have thought wrong.¡±

 Chapter 442

    Chapter 442: THE ROYAL FAMILY

    ¡°Lady must have free time to think about one¡¯s appearance. And here I¡¯ve thought aristocraticdies are busy with education, dancing and music since they are born. I must have thought wrong.¡±

    Veronica wasn¡¯t wrong.

    Aristocraticdies studied music and manners since they were born.

    They were taught how to walk, speak, eat and talk.

    They had to dance until their feet bled. They had to learn how to sew until their fingers bled.

    When they had time, they had to organize tea parties or attend parties.

    At the party, they had to show how much they learned to establish a good reputation to capture a potential groom.

    .....

    Veronica learned it from Ovior and pitied aristocraticdies for their fate. She was also grateful for her carefree life.

    When she sympathized with the nobledies, she never thought that there would be a day she would use their lifestyle to criticize them.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t feelfortable attacking them with their lifestyle.

    But she had no other choice.

    Here, people were wearing different kinds of armor and their weapons were only their months.

    This war zone had not a battlefield she had seen outside.

    She had to be tough and cruel. Her weapon had to be sharper than anyone.

    Just like her dazzling armor, she had to dazzle all her friends and foes.

    Even feeling remorse wouldn¡¯t suffice.

    She didn¡¯t have the luxury to feel that way.

    Upon hearing her statement, thedy with the navy-blue gown¡¯s expression twisted. However, her face was covered with her decorative fan.

    She sneered, ¡°It seems like Mistress Veronica doesn¡¯t know how to talk.¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± Veronica reprimanded her coldly. ¡°I haven¡¯t allowed you to utter my name. How dare you try to voice my name when you haven¡¯t introduced yourself. It seems that you not onlyck manners but also intelligence.¡±

    The harshness of her voice was real. She expressed that she was offended.

    Her expression made the other three girls pale in fear.

    If someone made Arthur angry, they wouldn¡¯t see another light of the day.

    They didn¡¯t know the ruthlessness of the Mistress he married.

    Thedies feared that thedy with the navy-blue gown lost her mind.

    Before the navy-blue gowndy could say anything, Veronica stepped forward. She stood right in front of her.

    Their heights were the same. Thus, their eyes were at the same level.

    Staring at the arrogantdy, Veronica raised her chin slightly.

    ¡°Name your family,dy. I won¡¯t ask you a second time,¡± she said.

    Deep down, she was screaming, ¡®How did things end up like that? It¡¯s not like I want to fight. If I don¡¯t show them my authority tonight, it will be bad for the Magic Tower. Why is being a Mistress so hard?¡¯

    She cried without shedding tears.

    Thedy was feeling slightly uneasy. However, she kept herposure firm.

    ¡®Did she think she could outsmart me? Just who does she think she is? Every nobledy always greets me first. And she thinks she can do whatever she wants right after entering the aristocratic world?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ve worked so hard since childhood toe all this way. How can a lowborn like her do anything? If she thinks she can do this in just one night, I¡¯ll show her what the aristocratic world is.¡¯

    The arrogantdy stated, ¡°Mistress Veronica doesn¡¯t know the customs of our world. When someone newes, they have to greet their higher-ranking nobles here. Then, they have to hold a tea party.

    ¡°If the higher-ranking nobledies think the tea party is appropriate, only then they could join us. If not, they have to apologize to us for not knowing well manners.¡±

    Veronica narrowed her eyes. ¡®Our world? High ranking? Is she looking down on me? For what?¡¯

    She could hear women giggling from the side.

    She was getting pissed off at the way people were behaving.

    ¡°Your world?¡± She sharply gazed at her. ¡°You sound like you havee from another. Maybe that¡¯s why you don¡¯t know who is higher-ranking.¡±

    She took one step forward and continued, ¡°A person who can only be a high ranking due to their power. May I ask, what power do you have?

    ¡°Are you more powerful than Her Majesty the Queen or me, the Mistress of the Magic Tower?

    ¡°As long as you are not from the royal family, no noble family is in a higher ranking than the Master of the Magic Tower.

    ¡°Even if you are from Her Majesty¡¯s family, you are only considered as a nobledy, not a royaldy. So, tell me, who is in the higher ranking?

    ¡°If you can¡¯t tell that properly, just tell me your family name. I¡¯ll show your parents what it means to be a higher-ranking individual. They must have forgotten to teach you what actual higher ranking is.¡±

    Lady La, Lady Arisa and Lady Reba were frightened to the point they didn¡¯t know what to say.

    They wanted to appease Veronica but didn¡¯t know how to.

    Lady La nervously looked at the arrogantdy. ¡°Lady De Pole, please don¡¯t anger Mistress Veronica anymore. Apologize to her. I¡¯m sure she is magnanimous enough to forgive today¡¯s incident.¡±

    Thedy with the navy-blue gown red at Lady La.

    Lady La flinched and then lowered her head as if she had done something wrong.

    No matter how much she lowered her head, the mistake was already done. She had mentioned the family name of thedy who was wearing the navy-blue gown.

    Veronica caught up with the mistake.

    ¡°De Pole? Duke De Pole? I¡¯ve heard he was a righteous noble. I didn¡¯t think his family would be the one who would ruin his reputation one day. I¡¯ll send my regards to the duke.¡±

    After that, nody could utter a single word.

    If the Mistress of the Magic Tower sent the regards, the Duke might have a hard time.

    Arthur didn¡¯t have a second thought when he mercilessly killed the Crown Prince. Even the King couldn¡¯t do anything to him.

    How could a duke do anything to the Mistress of the Magic Tower when his family was at fault first.

    ¡®This woman is too young to be the Duchess,¡¯ Veronica thought. ¡®Lady La addressed her as a ¡®Lady¡¯, not a ¡®Duchess¡¯. It means she is the daughter of the Duke De Pole.¡¯

    Lady De Pole bit her lower lip, not letting Veronica show her trembling lips.

    Since her family name was out and the Mistress of the Magic Tower knew her family, she didn¡¯t know how to defeat Veronica.

    She opened her mouth to say something but the guard announced, ¡°His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen and His Highness the Crown Prince have arrived!¡±

    Everyone looked at the entrance as the King, the Queen and the Crown Prince climbed down the stairs. They all respectfully bowed at the Royal Family.

    The Queen generously smiled at the crowd. ¡°Good evening, everyone. I thank you for attending my birthday party. Let¡¯s enjoy this evening and make it memorable.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®Memorable? Just what is she nning?¡¯ she wondered.

    Ovior finally came to her side.

    ¡°You must have gotten some friends while I was away, haven¡¯t you?¡± he muttered.

    Veronica heard his sarcastic remark and her expression changed.

    She realized something, ¡®He deliberately talked to the noblemen and let me go alone to have a chat with thedies!¡¯

    With a forced smile, she replied, ¡°Friends indeed. You have no idea.¡±

    ¡®Friends, my foot! I¡¯ve gained a bunch of enemies and don¡¯t know how to deal with them,¡¯ thinking that she felt helpless.

    Recalling how she acted in front of Duke De Pole¡¯s daughter, Ovior felt proud to be her teacher.

    However, he didn¡¯t say anything to her and looked straight ahead.

    The King¡¯s eyes went over to Ovior and paused. Then, his eyesnded on Veronica.

    He said, ¡°What a pleasant surprise the Assistant master of the Magic Tower has given me with his presence and with a partner too.¡±

    Ovior calmly bowed to the King and replied, ¡°Good Evening, Your Majesty. Seeing you healthy makes me feel assured.¡±

    The King stated, ¡°Even so you declined many parties that my family held. I¡¯m surprised to see you tonight.¡±

    Ovior replied, ¡°It¡¯s only because the Master of the Magic Tower is absent due to some urgent business that I had to attend. Since the Royal Family had invited us personally, we had to present ourselves.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s regrettable that the Master of the Magic Tower couldn¡¯te. But I¡¯m d that you came.¡± The King once again looked at Veronica. ¡°However, who is thedy beside you? I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for thete introduction. I¡¯m Veronica Theodericus Silverstar, the Mistress of the Magic Tower.¡± Veronica respectfully bowed.

    .....

    After marrying Arthur, she could rightly borrow his middle andst names.

    All the members of the Royal Family finally paid attention to her. After all, she was the next most powerful woman in the empire.

    Not until the Crow Prince got himself a wife, Veronica would stay as the second most powerfuldy in Tybu.

    ¡°The rumors didn¡¯t do any justice to you, Mistress Silverstar. You are more beautiful than I thought,¡± Her Majesty the Queen stated. Her sharp eyes gazed at Veronica.

 Chapter 443

    Chapter 443: THE PRESENT

    The Royal Family was sparkling in the ballroom. Their gleaming appearance was outstanding.

    All three of them wore clothes with the color of red and golden ¨C the color of the royal family.

    Veronica was breathless when she saw them shining in the crowd.

    ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯ve worn something simr to them. If my appearance was any dimmer than theirs, the Magic Tower would be aughingstock. I have to thank Zinnia for that,¡¯ she thought.

    She realized that as the Mistress of the Magic Tower, she represented the tower. Whatever she would do, it would reflect on the tower.

    The moment she agreed to stay with Arthur as the Mistress of the Magic Tower, her life was sealed with the tower.

    That¡¯s why she had to hold her head high and act on behalf of the tower. Her personal feelings were unnecessary when she dealt with foes.

    .....

    If she had a foe, it was the enemy of the tower. If she had a friend, it would be the friend of the tower.

    That kind of life she would have to live from now on.

    The Queen sized up Veronica.

    ¡®So, this is the woman that imbecile is crazy for. I have to admit she got something to seduce men,¡¯ she thought.

    Afterward, she stated, ¡°The rumors didn¡¯t do any justice to you, Mistress Silverstar. You are more beautiful than I thought.¡±

    ¡°You are jesting, Your Majesty. No one can outmatch your beauty,¡± Veronica replied humbly.

    The Queen narrowed her sharp eyes. ¡°You have your ways with words, don¡¯t you Mistress Silverstar? I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking what gift you have brought for me today.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Veronica looked at Ovior and gave him a signal.

    Ovior used his power to bring a huge gift to the middle of the ballroom. The gift was tightly wrapped with glittering clothes.

    The gift appeared out of nowhere. People gasped in surprise and then pped for the surprise magic show.

    ¡®Tsk, who do they think they are? Do they think I¡¯m showing them some magic show like an entertainer? How stupid!¡¯ Ovior growled in his mind.

    Then, he politely said, ¡°Your Majesty, pleasee forward. The moment you touch the gift, the wrapped cloth will disappear.¡±

    The Queen was also surprised; not because of the sudden appearance of the gift but seeing the size.

    Up until now, Arthur sent some senior magicians to send her gifts like jewels and ornaments.

    There was never a big gift like this before.

    She walked forward and touched the gift. The wrapped cloth disappeared just like Ovior said.

    The gift was revealed. It was a mirror with a gold frame.

    ¡°Care to exin to me how valuable it is, Assistant Master of the Magic Tower?¡± the Queen inquired.

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± Ovior said. ¡°The frame was crafted by an ancient ruler of a kingdom.

    ¡°The ruler gave this gift to the third generation of the Master of the Magic Tower. The older the item is, the higher the price is.

    ¡°This mirror isn¡¯t just a mirror to see one¡¯s face. The owner of the mirror can ask the mirror to show certain people.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± the Queen was stunned. ¡°What a thoughtful gift! Did you prepare it by yourself?¡±

    Ovior answered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you. It was the Master of the Magic Tower who prepared the gift. I¡¯m just the sender.¡±

    The Queen said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Master of the Magic Tower was so thoughtful. So, who can I see in the mirror?¡±

    Ovior replied, ¡°The Master told me that the owner can ask the mirror to show the faces of the people they loved.¡±

    The smile from the Queen¡¯s mouth disappeared. Her eyes gradually turned cold.

    ¡°Any person I love?¡± she muttered.

    Ovior replied, ¡°Yes, like your family or friends, the people you love and care about. If you ask the mirror, the magic mirror will show you their faces.¡±

    ¡°What an excellent gift! I¡¯ve never seen such an extraordinary gift,¡± the King quite liked the present.

    ¡°It is indeed quite remarkable!¡± the Crown Prince said. ¡°Thank you, Mistress and Assistant Master for a thoughtful gift. Please send our regards to the Master of the Magic Tower.¡±

    ¡°We will,¡± Veronica bowed. She couldn¡¯t help but notice the Queen¡¯s clenched fists.

    ¡®Did Arthur get her sore spot? Why did he send a gift like that? Is he trying to piss her off more than she already is?¡¯ she wondered.

    For the Queen who already lost the only family member who was dear to her, the gift was totally useless to her.

    Moreover, the gift would keep reminding her that she lost her beloved son and the one who sent the gift was the killer of her son.

    By sending a gift like that, it was like Arthur was deliberately pouring oil into the fire.

    While thinking about Arthur¡¯s move, Veronica took a pastry from the table and began to eat it.

    Just then, Lady La came to her with a pale face.

    ¡°Mistress Veronica, I¡¯m sorry that you had to face Lady De Pole like that,¡± she apologized.

    Veronica said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    Lady La fidgeted as she requested, ¡°Please... forgive her if you can. She is an importantdy in the society.¡±

    Veronica paused and quietly nced at Lady La.

    She wondered, ¡®What is with her? At that time, she deliberately exposed Duke De Pole¡¯s daughter and now she is asking forgiveness on her behalf? I thought she was helping me but it¡¯s like she has another motive. But what is it?¡¯

    ¡°Why do I have to forgive her?¡± she finally asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like she wants to be forgiven.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true! I¡¯m sure she wants to be forgiven!¡± Lady La persisted.

    ¡°If she wants to be forgiven, she should ask for forgiveness. Since she didn¡¯t want it, she didn¡¯t ask for it.¡± Veronica finished her pastry and put down the te.

    ¡°Mistress Veronica...¡±

    ¡°Lady La, don¡¯t you think you are being too nosy? Why are you bothering me for someone else¡¯s business? It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    Veronica was irritated by her behavior. But she didn¡¯t know their history and she had no desire to find out about it.

    If Lady La truly cared for Lady De Pole, she shouldn¡¯t have disclosed her identity in the first ce.

    She walked away without giving Lady La a chance to say anything anymore. Ovior simply followed her.

    ¡°What trouble did you cause now?¡± Ovior asked even though he knew everything. He just didn¡¯t want her to find out that he was keeping an eye on her this entire time.

    ¡°There is ady who tried to insult me...¡± Veronica told him everything.

    In the end, she remarked, ¡°It¡¯s like she deliberately let me know about Lady De Pole and is now trying to be a gooddy by asking for forgiveness on her behalf.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she is just doing this to make you look bad,¡± Ovior said. ¡°A merciless Mistress of the Magic Tower. She could be trying to ruin your reputation.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if they call me merciless.¡± Veronica shrugged.

    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t care?¡± Ovior was amused. ¡°I thought you wanted to be the kindest Mistress in history. After all, ruthlessness doesn¡¯t suit a na?ve girl like you.¡±

    ¡°Are you done mocking me?¡± Veronica red at him. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m going to change my personality.

    ¡°Arthur doesn¡¯t care about his reputation. So, I don¡¯t think I should give it too much thought. People tend to spread bad rumors when they are jealous.¡±

    Ovior observed her. ¡°It¡¯s surprising that you are acting so mature tonight.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I have a good teacher?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to be praised,¡± Ovior expressionlessly replied. ¡°Anyway, what will you do with the Duke¡¯s Family? You already said that you would send regards to him. Everyone heard it.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t do anything, they will think you don¡¯t have enough authority. They will simply look down on you.¡±

    When Ovior pointed that out, Veronica fell into deep thought.

    After some time, she looked at him. ¡°Can I leave it to you? I can¡¯t figure out what to do with them. It should be a ruthless punishment but I don¡¯t know what to do with someone who didn¡¯t do anything harmful.¡±

    Ovior asked, ¡°How¡¯s he harmless? His daughter deliberately approached you and insulted you.¡±

    Veronica stated, ¡°That¡¯s his daughter who did it, not the Duke. I don¡¯t like unfair judgment.¡±

    Ovior sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, if you want to punish them, just ask your husband. I¡¯m too busy to bother with women¡¯s quarrel.¡±

    ¡°Hey...¡±

    ¡°Mistress Veronica...¡±

    Their conversation was interrupted by another woman.

    Veronica turned around and saw Lady Arisa and Lady Reba.

    ¡°Ladies, is there something I can help you with?¡± Veronica asked them. She didn¡¯t look amused but she didn¡¯t look stern either.

    .....

    They nervously exchanged nces when they noticed that Veronica wasn¡¯t smiling like before.

    Lady Reba started, ¡°Mistress Veronica, it¡¯s about Lady De Pole...¡±

 Chapter 444

    Chapter 444: SNAKE BEHIND THE MASK

    ¡°Ladies, is there something I can help you with?¡± Veronica asked.

    Lady Reba started, ¡°Mistress Veronica, it¡¯s about Lady De Pole...¡±

    ¡°You are not going to ask for an apology on her behalf, are you?¡± Veronica crossed her arm.

    When thedies looked guilty, she slowly shook her head.

    ¡°I have no idea what has got into you. Is Lady De Pole that incapable of asking for an apology? If so, then why does she create trouble? She shouldn¡¯t cause a problem if she cannot handle the consequences.¡±

    After that, she walked away with Ovior.

    ¡°Mistress Veronica, please...¡± Lady Reba pleaded. Her face was pale. ¡°If you don¡¯t do it, we will be the ones who will face the consequences.¡±

    .....

    Veronica paused and then turned around. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Lady Arisa exined, ¡°Our fathers have businesses and Duke De Pole loaned us money to support the businesses. If something happens today, he will withdraw all the money and even sue us.

    ¡°It¡¯s arge amount of money and our families cannot give him back that amount.¡±

    Veronica had no idea that there was a reason like that; but, she wasn¡¯t surprised.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a problem. No wonder you three stay with her even though she is a rudedy. But let me ask you, why did Lady La give away Lady De Pole¡¯s identity if her family was her benefactor?¡±

    At her interrogation, Lady Arisa and Lady Reba exchanged nces and became silent.

    Veronica smirked. ¡°You need toe up with something solid if you want to mess up with me. Which families are you from?¡±

    Lady Arisa and Lady Reba started trembling.

    ¡°Mi... Mistress Veronica, please don¡¯t punish us. We haven¡¯t done anything wrong!¡± Lady Arisa pleaded.

    Her voice was rather loud. The nobles around them heard her and looked at them. They became curious when twodies were trembling in fright.

    ¡°They are doing this on purpose,¡± Ovior muttered from behind only for Veronica to hear.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that. I can clearly see it,¡± she whispered back without looking at him.

    She just attended the ball to check up on the Queen. She didn¡¯t think some unknown people woulde to ruin her reputation.

    ¡®I haven¡¯t even done anything to them. Then why...?¡¯ she wondered.

    ¡°Look at her. Just because she is the Mistress of the magic Tower, she thinks she can do whatever she wants.¡±

    ¡°The audacity! It¡¯s her first time attending an event and she dares to act so haughtily!¡±

    ¡°No manners at all. Just like her husband. What they say is true. Birds of a feather flock together. They are a match made in heaven.¡±

    ¡°Master Arthur surely has eyes for a partner who is as cruel and ruthless as him.¡±

    ¡°She could easily forgive these poordies. They are from good families. I¡¯ve heard nothing but good stories about them. How can she pick a fight with them?¡±

    ¡°The Mistress of the Magic Tower is so dangerous. They just went to talk to her and she is ready to punish them. She has no manners at all.¡±

    People around Veronica kept talking about her. People never badmouthed her so openly before.

    When she roamed around the world, she met different kinds of people and faced many kinds of problems and issues.

    Each time she faced something new, she screwed up. It was Urs and his group that helped her get away with it.

    This time, this kind of issue waspletely different. She never faced anything like that before.

    Ovior already warned her about being targeted and she was prepared for it.

    However, all these people were criticizing her without knowing anything about her. They didn¡¯t know right from wrong and kept badmouthing her.

    Veronica felt wronged. Her heart twisted in pain.

    She bit her lower lip to control her emotions. She didn¡¯t want to cry in front of these people.

    Ovior wanted to pat her back but after looking around he decided not to.

    It wasn¡¯t an appropriate time to do that.

    He cleared his throat and politely told Veronica, ¡°Mistress, please let me handle this.¡±

    He gently pulled her behind his back and then he confronted thedies.

    ¡°You keep saying not to be punished. But what did you do to be punished,dies? Have you done anything?¡±

    His voice was cold and his eyes were void of any emotions.

    Chills ran down Lady Arisa and Lady Reba¡¯s spines. They looked at him and forgot to tremble.

    Lady Reba stuttered, ¡°N-no... but Mistress Veronica is angry...¡±

    Ovior asked, ¡°Angry? Who is angry? Why would Mistress Veronica be angry with you,dy? Did you do something to her?¡±

    Lady Arisa and Lady Reba were dumbfounded.

    Lady Arisa answered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because we did something wrong? I¡¯m not sure what we did wrong. Mistress Veronica suddenly got angry and asked our family names. Isn¡¯t it because she wanted to punish us?¡±

    ¡°My, my, have you fed your brain to the pigs?¡± Ovior shook his head in disbelief.

    He added, ¡°You came to talk to her but you have yet to tell your identity. Is it wrong for a person to ask for a person¡¯s identity when they talk to each other?

    ¡°Moreover, it was clearly you who approached her first. She would be genuinely curious to know more about you. It¡¯s a normal human reaction. Why do you think she is angry and wants to murder your family?

    ¡°From what I know, the people whoe to talk first, they introduce themselves properly. But have you done that? How dare youe forward and make such a childish mistake and then create a scene to bring attention?¡±

    Ovior¡¯s cold voice traveled the surrounding area. Everyone heard him and became quiet.

    They realized that they wrongly used Veronica and became terrified.

    They didn¡¯t want to imagine what would happen if Arthur heard about the injustice that happened to his wife.

    If they had nothing to defend themselves, Arthur would kill them and get away with it. They could do nothing to get revenge.

    There was no way they could take that.

    They were very offended by Lady Arisa and Lady Reba¡¯s actions and red at them.

    Lady Arisa and Lady Reba were dumbstruck. They didn¡¯t think the angry eyes would turn on them.

    Their family businesses were mostly rted to the aristocrats. That¡¯s why they always had to maintain a certain image and had to have a good rtionship with all the nobles.

    If the nobles get angry at them, their business could be damaged.

    Lady Arisa and Lady Reba bowed and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! We are sorry! Please forgive us! We were wrong! We were wrong!¡±

    They apologized pitifully and shed tears.

    Veronica wasn¡¯t moved by their actions. It was clear that they wanted to frame her when she did nothing to them.

    However, her softheartedness surfaced when she thought about their family businesses.

    ¡®Oh, well, maybe Lady De Pole made them do this. What can they do about that? It¡¯s not like they are going to trust a person who they met for the first time,¡¯ she thought.

    She told thedies, ¡°Ladies, the reason I asked for your family names is simple. I wanted to know more about your family business.

    Why did you have to twist it like that? I understand that the title is too powerful and you are afraid of that.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have the courage to share your identity while having a conversation with someone, you shouldn¡¯t talk to them in the first ce.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost interest. Leave my sight. I¡¯ll forget today¡¯s event as long as you don¡¯t appear before me.¡±

    The nobles heard her speaking to thedies and understood her intention.

    ¡°Thesedies are quite something.¡±

    ¡°Did they just realize that they turned down a good sponsor for their family businesses?¡±

    ¡°The Mistress of the Magic Tower was interested in their business. Maybe she would be their customer. If that happened, their customers would grow even more.¡±

    ¡°They will be reprimanded by their families when they go home.¡±

    ¡°Will the business still stand after this incident?¡±

    ¡°I thought they were smart but I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen stupid people but I didn¡¯t see people this dumb.¡±

    Lady Arisa and Lady Reba were stunned. They did have some ns in mind and that¡¯s why they approached her.

    Veronica seemed like an amicabledy but they didn¡¯t think for a second that the Mistress of the Magic Tower would be so generous.

    They just shared their problems and never even imagined that Veronica might help them.

    .....

    If the Magic Tower were to be their sponsor, they would never have to worry about Duke De Pole.

    They wouldn¡¯t have to be Lady De Pole¡¯sckey and clean up her dirty mistakes.

    Having the second most powerful woman in the kingdom backing them, their reputation would grow higher.

    But they shot themselves in the foot with their stupidity. And there was no way to turn back.

    An apology wouldn¡¯t work since Veronica didn¡¯t want to see their faces again.

    They pushed their anger toward Lady De Pole.

    ¡°What is going on?¡±

 Chapter 445

    Chapter 445: AN APOLOGY

    Lady Arisa and Lady Reba were mad at their own stupidity. But they pushed their anger on Lady De Pole.

    They viciously cursed her in their minds while having pitiful expressions.

    Since Ovior helped Veronica, she was able to calm down before he was done taking care of the twodies.

    She controlled her expression.

    ¡®I should have dealt with this, not him. I pushed my responsibility at him. I have to be stronger and smarter.¡¯

    She tightened her fist.

    As she was about to leave, she heard a voice, ¡°What is going on?¡±

    .....

    The voice belonged to none other than the Queen.

    The Queen came forward with a smile hanging on the corners of her lips.

    Everyone bowed slightly as she walked toward Veronica, Ovior and the twodies.

    For some reason, Veronica wasn¡¯t surprised by the Queen¡¯s sudden attention.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, Your Majesty,¡± she replied politely. ¡°Somedies had some misunderstanding toward me.¡±

    ¡°Misunderstanding? How unusual!¡±

    The Queen covered her mouth with her decorative fan.

    ¡°To face something like that in a ball in this kingdom, you must be surprised.¡±

    Veronica replied, ¡°Well, it is true that it is my first time at a Royal Ball in this country. I was excited to find out more about new people. I was quite surprised by theck of manners of the nobles of this kingdom.

    ¡°The interesting part is, here in this kingdom, nobles try to humiliate each other using their brains. I¡¯ve never seen anything like that in other countries.¡±

    The Queen narrowed her sharp eyes. ¡°Other countries? Which other countries have you been to, Mistress Silverstar?¡±

    ¡®Is she trying to figure out where I went so that she can send spies to gather information about me?¡¯ Veronica wondered.

    ¡°Are you interested in me, Your Majesty?¡± she asked.

    The Queen¡¯s sharp eyes stared at her. ¡®Not replying to my question. Very well...¡¯

    She said, ¡°Most certainly I¡¯m interested in the most powerful woman after me. How can I not be curious about you?

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you for a long time but your husband is utterly protective toward you. I thought there could be some reasons behind it.¡±

    Veronica chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not entirely his fault. It was I who was having a hard time coping with the responsibilities. The work of the Mistress was much more than I had prepared myself for.¡±

    ¡°Is it? How are you coping up now?¡± the Queen inquired.

    ¡°Things are getting easier now that there are people to help me out with the tasks I don¡¯t need much attention. I supervise their work while working on the important matters myself,¡± Veronica tly lied.

    She didn¡¯t feel an ounce of guilt when she lied despite knowing that the Queen had spies in the tower and she might know everything.

    The Queen was rendered speechless.

    She already knew about Veronica and her lifestyle and didn¡¯t think she would be able to lie like that without batting an eye.

    To think she would lie right in front of her and so many people were beyond her expectations.

    She could only go along with her lies.

    ¡°I had no idea you were struggling so hard. Do you need any other spare assistants? I¡¯ll dly let you lend some of mine.¡±

    Veronica smiled. She always had her excuse ready. ¡°Your Majesty is kind. Thank you for your generosity; however, I¡¯m fine with the assistants I have.

    ¡°Furthermore, I cannot have assistants from the Royal Pce. Only people from the Magic Tower can work on the tower.¡±

    ¡®Not as dumb as I thought she was,¡¯ the Queen thought.

    Most of the time when Arthur acted overprotective of Veronica, she thought that the woman was utterly useless and brainless. She had nothing but her beauty to seduce Arthur. That¡¯s why he married her.

    Now that she met her and had a conversation with her, she realized that Veronica was someone she didn¡¯t imagine to be.

    ¡®Why was that bastard trying to protect this woman? She doesn¡¯t look like someone who needs a man¡¯s protection. She can handle any conversation with me very easily. Should I try pressing her more?¡¯

    Just as she thought in her mind, she told Veronica, ¡°You are the Mistress of the Magic Tower. You can change rules.¡±

    Veronica calmly responded, ¡°Rules are there for a reason, Your Majesty. I cannot randomly change the rules for my own benefit. That will make things worse and moreplicated.¡±

    The corner of Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s lips raised slightly. ¡°Master Silverstar must have high expectations of you.¡±

    Her eyes weren¡¯t amused at all. They were sharply gazing at Veronica as though she was trying to read Veronica¡¯s mind.

    Veronica faced worse gazes when she traveled the world. She wasn¡¯t fazed by the Queen¡¯s sharp gaze.

    She said, ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s quite the opposite.¡±

    The Queen was surprised. ¡°Oh?¡± She waited for more information.

    Veronica exined, ¡°He doesn¡¯t even care if I spend my timezing around all day. It¡¯s me who has high expectations of myself.¡±

    ¡°Mistress Silverstar is truly an amazing woman. Your beauty and intelligence go beyond my expectations,¡± Her Majesty the Queen suddenly praised her.

    Veronica respectfully said, ¡°Thank you Your Majesty for your kind words.¡±

    ¡°However, wouldn¡¯t it be better if you were generous enough to forgive these twodies?¡± the Queen pointed at Lady Arisa and Lady Reba.

    ¡®What a sudden change of event. Did she have a long conversation with me just to talk about them?¡¯ Veronica pondered.

    She replied, ¡°Them? I already did. I don¡¯t think they will be too happy to see me in the future. So, it¡¯ll be better if they don¡¯te in front of me in the future. It¡¯s for their own good.¡±

    ¡°If you behave that way, how will the nobles treat them?¡± the Queen showed concern for thedies.

    Veronica found the Queen¡¯s behaviorughable. She arrogantly smirked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like nobles curry favor for me anyway. From what I saw tonight, I don¡¯t think they were too eager to meet me anyway.

    ¡°They were too busy trying to spread malicious rumors about me. Why would they even care how I treat some people who tried to wrong me?¡±

    The Queen didn¡¯t imagine that Veronica would criticize the nobles right in front of their faces. ¡®She has guts. I give her that. What else does she have?¡¯

    She scanned the facial expressions of the nobles. They looked awkward. They all heard Veronica¡¯sints.

    They all knew that the Queen didn¡¯t favor the Magic Tower. At her birthday party, they couldn¡¯t openly support the Mistress of the Magic Tower.

    Moreover, Her Majesty the Queen was dominating the noble women¡¯s world in Tybu for many years.

    The Mistress of the Magic Tower recently came to this kingdom and it was her first time meeting the nobles.

    She had no power or support from the nobles.

    How could they openly support her?

    Wouldn¡¯t they face the Queen¡¯s wrath at this rate?

    The Queen stated, ¡°Mistress Silverstar¡¯s tongue is sharp. I understand your feelings. I apologize on the behalf of all nobles for their poor behavior.¡±

    The nobles were stunned when the Queen apologized to Veronica. They whispered among themselves.

    ¡°How could she let Her Majesty apologize to her? Just who does she think she is?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Her Majesty apologized!¡±

    ¡°Her Majesty has done it for our sake. As I thought, no one is more caring than our Majesty the Queen!¡±

    ¡°The Mistress of the magic Tower is too arrogant. I can¡¯t believe she is letting Her Majesty apologize to her. Does she have no shame?¡±

    Veronica looked around. The nobles shut their mouths when her gaze grazed their faces.

    Afterward, she calmly stated, ¡°I cannot ept your apology, Your Majesty.¡±

    The nobles gasped as they couldn¡¯t believe that she would reject the apology in front of the Queen¡¯s face.

    ¡®She dared to do this?¡¯

    ¡®Unbelievable!¡¯

    ¡®Is she just brave or stupid?¡¯

    ¡®What a nerve!¡¯

    However, they dared not to share their thoughts loudly.

    The Queen smiled slightly when she heard Veronica¡¯s rejection.

    ¡°Why is that, Mistress Silverstar? Care to exin?¡± she inquired.

    .....

    Veronica replied, ¡°That¡¯s because you have done nothing wrong. You are a wise person. You mustn¡¯t apologize on behalf of others.

    ¡°If you do this, you will only lower yourself for some worthless people. Everyone gathered around here are adults. They all need to bear the consequences of their actions. Someone else shouldn¡¯t do it on their behalf.¡±

    She continued, ¡°If you do this, Your Majesty, what will they learn from it? How will they teach their children?

    ¡°You are the mother of the nation. Your actions will be followed by many. You shouldn¡¯t do something that might lead others astray. Don¡¯t you think so, Your Majesty?¡±

    This was something she learned from Ovior. Tonight, she shared it with the Queen to justify her action.

    She added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I had rejected you. You are someone I respect, Your Majesty. I cannot allow you to lower yourself from some brainless people. They need to face the consequences.¡±

 Chapter 446

    Chapter 446: FORGIVENESS

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I had rejected you. You are someone I respect, Your Majesty. I cannot allow you to lower yourself from some brainless people. They need to face the consequences.¡±

    Her voice was loud and clear.

    The Queen stared at her for some time.

    Then, she said, ¡°You are bold, Mistress Silverstar. Not anyone could reject me like you.¡±

    Veronica calmly stated, ¡°I have no interest in rejecting you, Your Majesty. However, I cannot let you lower yourself in front of me. I¡¯m not a fan of injustice.¡±

    ¡®She is just like him. How annoying,¡¯ the Queen thought.

    She muttered, ¡°No wonder Master Silverstar married you. You two are so much alike.¡±

    .....

    Veronica smiled. ¡°I will take it as apliment.¡±

    ¡°It is apliment.¡± The Queen nced over at Lady Arisa and Lady Reba. ¡°Since you are not a fan of injustice, you might as well not bother them with your grudge.¡±

    Veronica merely told her, ¡°I don¡¯t have any grudge against them.¡±

    The Queen didn¡¯t let it go easily. She pestered, ¡°But your action is harming their businesses.¡±

    ¡®What is with her? Why is she so fixed with them?¡¯ Veronica pondered. ¡®It¡¯s not like she is generous or something.¡¯

    She replied, ¡°I said I don¡¯t have grudges but it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll help them when they need it.

    ¡°They targeted me when I didn¡¯t even harm them. I have no desire to forget that.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if you are so kind as to worry about them, why don¡¯t you help them? I¡¯m pretty sure after today, they need a donor too.¡±

    ¡°Donor? What for?¡± The Queen looked at the twodies.

    Lady Arisa shuddered under Veronica¡¯s gaze and bbered the truth, ¡°Your Majesty, Lady De Pole was rude to Mistress Veronica and so we came to apologize.

    ¡°But Mistress Veronica refused to forgive her because she didn¡¯t apologize in person. But if we can¡¯t make Mistress Veronica forgive her, our family businesses will face some problems in the future.¡±

    The Queen seemed surprised. ¡°How could Lady De Pole be rude to Mistress Silverstar? I thought she was an amazingdy. Bring her here.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring justice tonight. No one messes up with my important friend on my birthday.¡±

    When Her Majesty dered that Mistress Veronica of the Magic Tower was her friend, the nobles didn¡¯t dare to judge Veronica.

    Soon, Lady De Pole came forward and greeted the Queen. ¡°I wish you a very happy birthday, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it will be a very happy birthday,dy De Pole,¡± the Queen stated

    Lady De Pole looked confused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean. Did I do something to upset Her Majesty?¡±

    ¡°I have heard something upsetting. You see, somedies here are using you of disrespecting Mistress Silverstar. Is that true?¡± the Queen inquired.

    Lady De Pole froze for a second before saying, ¡°there is no such thing, Your Majesty. I have only pointed out Mistress Veronica¡¯s ill manners. I had no intention of disrespecting her.¡±

    The Queen frowned and then stated, ¡°This is the first time Mistress Silverstar came to a royal ball. Shouldn¡¯t you have been generous toward her if she did something wrong?¡±

    Veronica was stunned. ¡®Did she just use me of showing ill manners? And did the Queen just act as if I didn¡¯t know manners?¡¯

    She noticed some female nobles were snickering behind their decorative fans.

    They seemed to understand Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s sarcasm.

    Veronica¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°Your majesty, are you using me of being ill-mannered at your party? You don¡¯t even know what I have done and yet you actually believed someone¡¯s lie.

    She sounded offended.

    The Queen turned toward Veronica. There was a hint of a smile in her eyes.

    The Queen replied, ¡°There is no such thing, Mistress Silverstar. Lady De Pole has no reason to lie. There is nothing wrong with believing in her.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°And what if I say that I had done no such thing. Will you believe me?¡±

    ¡°I would love to believe you but why would Lady De Pole lie? What will she gain from it?¡± The Queen questioned her.

    Veronica lightly shrugged. ¡°Maybe she is jealous that I¡¯m someone to whom she has to show respect. I¡¯m not a mind reader but think of only this reason.¡±

    ¡°I have no reason to be jealous of someone who came to a royal ball for the first time,¡± Lady De Pole stated with a firm voice.

    ¡°Even if you are not jealous, you shouldn¡¯t point out someone¡¯s mistake who is in a higher authority than you are.¡± This time, Ovior opened his mouth.

    He added, ¡°I cannot imagine someone pointing out Mistress Veronica¡¯s mistake. And what kind of mistake can she make that someone from the lower rank can rudely point it out?¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you what happened.¡± once again, Veronica exined the whole situation

    ¡°Toe to talk to a person and then not introduce yourself ¨C what kind of rudeness is that?¡±

    Ovior looked excessively cold as he looked at Lady De Pole.

    Lady De Pole didn¡¯t look well. She didn¡¯t imagine that Veronica would tell them the whole story.

    Since Ovior opened his mouth and expressed his dissatisfaction with the rudeness of Lady De Pole, the Queen realized that this situation wouldn¡¯t end just like that.

    She looked at Lady De Pole and said, ¡°Lady De Pole, how can I do such a heinous thing?

    ¡°I¡¯ve never thought in my life that you would be so rude to my friend. Don¡¯t you know who you should talk to properly? What kind of teachings did you have in your house?¡±

    Lady De Pole¡¯s eyes ttered. She nervously looked at the Queen.

    She hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, this wasn¡¯t my intention. I didn¡¯t think things would turn out this way. I acknowledge my mistakes.¡±

    ¡°You do? Then introduce yourself properly to mistress Silverstar,¡± the Queen ordered.

    Lady De Pole beat her lips in frustration. She red at Veronica and then bowed properly. ¡°My name is Evely De Pole. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Veronica coldly stared at her.

    if it was some kind of apology and introduction, she would rather not have it.

    The Queen smiled in satisfaction.

    She looked at Veronica and stated, ¡°I don¡¯t think there is a reason for Mistress Silverstar to stay upset any longer. Justice has been served.

    ¡°Since she asked for forgiveness and introduced herself properly, you can forgive her rudeness. Can you not?¡±

    When Veronica heard her, she smiled ruefully.

    ¡°Forgiveness? I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t hear her asking for an apology. She just confessed that she was wrong.

    ¡°And then, without me asking for it, she randomly introduced herself. Since she didn¡¯t ask for an apology, should I forgive her?¡±

    The Queen didn¡¯t smile anymore. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were such a petty person, Mistress Silverstar.¡±

    Veronica defended herself, ¡°Petty person? I think I have the right to stay mad at her, Your Majesty. Why do you think I have to forgive a person who didn¡¯t even ask for forgiveness?

    ¡°Your Majesty can be so generous but it seems I¡¯m too narrow-minded to forgive an ill-mannered soul.¡±

    Afterward, she paused and thought of something. After that, she changed her mind.

    ¡°Fine, since Your Majesty is steadfast about forgiveness, I shall forgive Lady De Pole,¡± she stated.

    The Queen was surprised that she would give in so easily. However, she didn¡¯t show it in her expression.

    She smiled at Veronica and said, ¡°Please do so. It will be better if you can be friends in the future.¡±

    Veronica smiled at her in reply.

    After that, the next thing she did, stunned everyone

    Ssh!

    she poured the ss of champagne onto Lady De Pole¡¯s head.

    the champagne soak Lady De Pole¡¯s head. the liquid traveled down her face shoulder and then her dress.

    Her upper body was drenched and she reeked of champagne.

    Everyone was thunderstruck. They weren¡¯t prepared for this kind of oue.

    Never in a million years did they think that someone would dare to do this kind of ying in front of Her Royal Highness.

    Veronica smiled as if nothing happened.

    ¡°There you go. This is your punishment for not asking for forgiveness and acting like you have done a favor.

    Since I punished you, I can forgive you. Next time, don¡¯t show your face if you cannot act properly in front of the Mistress of the Magic Tower.¡±

    After saying her piece, she looked at Her Majesty the Queen.

    .....

    ¡°I have forgiven her. I hope this appeases your heart. As you can see, I cannot spare people who bother me. Now, if you excuse me, I¡¯d like to have some fresh air. This ce is stuffy.¡±

    After that, she faced Ovior and suggested, ¡°Shall we go for some fresh air?¡±

    Ovior came back to his senses and replied, ¡°Sure, Mistress Veronica. Whatever you wish.¡±

    Then, he held her hand and escorted her toward the garden.

    It waste evening. The cooling air was refreshing.

    Veronica¡¯s head became clearer and she recalled what happened just now.

    Panic struck her heart.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness! Did I just do that? How could I do that in front of so many people?¡±

 Chapter 447

    Chapter 447: SHE PANICKED

    ¡°Oh, my goodness! Did I just do that? How could I do that in front of so many people?¡± Veronica began to panic.

    Ovior calmly said, ¡°You did great.¡±

    Veronica became even more nervous.

    ¡°Did I? Oh goddess, I even talked back to the Queen. How did I do that? I even rejected her! Where did I get such bravery?¡±

    ¡®She will have a panic attack at this rate,¡¯ Ovior thought.

    He suggested, ¡°Veronica, stop for a second and breathe. You are always brave. It¡¯s just you don¡¯t know how much of a brave girl you are.¡±

    Veronica followed his instruction and took some deep breaths until she rxed.

    .....

    Afterward, she stated, ¡°So, this woman... the Queen was trying to make me look bad in front of nobles.¡±

    Ovior exined, ¡°Making you unpopr amongst the powerful people means you have a disadvantage here.

    ¡°If there is a war between the Royal Family and the Magic Tower, the nobles will stand with the Royal Family. The Magic Tower won¡¯t have any support.¡±

    Veronica asked, ¡°Do we need support from the nobles?¡±

    Ovior pointed out, ¡°Without any support, we will be vulnerable. No one wins a war alone, Veronica.¡±

    Veronica wasn¡¯t worried about it. ¡°Arthur can do it.¡±

    Ovior smirked. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that despite being mad at him you will have faith in him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have faith in him. Hmph.¡± Veronica puffed her mouth and looked away.

    Ovior chuckled and then looked at the sky. As the sun set, the sun was darkened. Numerous stars twinkled in the clear sky.

    The real magic worked in the sky.

    While looking at the vast sky, Ovior thought, ¡®She would have loved it.¡¯

    A face came to his mind. A happy face that gazed at the sky.

    ¡°I love the sky, Ovior. Do you love the sky?¡±

    ¡°Not more than I do you.¡±

    ¡°Ovior....¡±

    Those sweet memories came back like shbacks, softening his heart.

    ¡°....or... Ovior.... Ovior?!¡±

    Upon hearing someone calling his name, Ovior broke free from the trances.

    He turned his head and saw Veronica looking at him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you for a few minutes!¡± she told him.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t hear.¡± Ovior took out his handkerchief and wiped his sweats.

    Veronica didn¡¯t think too much into this.

    She mentioned, ¡°I wonder why Arthur chose a mirror like that as a gift. The Queen was super pissed. I could tell just by looking.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Arthur who chose the gift.¡±

    ¡°Then who did?¡±

    ¡°It was me,¡± Ovior disclosed.

    Veronica was astonished. She didn¡¯t expect this answer.

    She inquired, ¡°But why did you choose that gift? Her beloved son is already dead. She hates the King and the Crown Prince. There is no use for this gift to her. It was pointless.¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t,¡± Ovior said almost instantly. ¡°It was presented to her so that she can keep remembering she doesn¡¯t have loved ones left on this earth.

    ¡°She is all alone. This gift was given to her to make her feel miserable.¡±

    Veronica quietly listened to him.

    She recalled that there was a reason Arthur was persistent to kill the Queen¡¯s one and only son. The incident was somehow linked with Ovior.

    ¡®Should I ask him?¡¯ she wondered. ¡®I truly want to know what happened that made Arthur kill then Crown Prince.¡¯

    She looked at him to ask but then, she changed her mind.

    ¡®But Ovior is a secretive person. He doesn¡¯t like to share his personal information. I shouldn¡¯t be rude.¡¯

    ¡°Shall we go back to the party?¡± she suggested. ¡°I have yet to taste more delicious food.¡±

    Ovior stared at her for a while wondering why she didn¡¯t pester him about the Queen¡¯s gift anymore.

    Later, he agreed to go inside with her.

    After the champagne sshing incident, no one dared to make trouble for Veronica.

    Everyone politely greeted her and had a little conversation with her.

    Throughout the party, she didn¡¯t see Lady De Pole, Lady La, Lady Reba and Lady Arisa.

    When the music started, Ovior offered her one dance. She happily agreed.

    In the middle of the ballroom, under the gigantic chandelier, she danced with Ovior.

    ¡°Ovior, I didn¡¯t know you were such a great dancer.¡± Veronica was impressed with his dancing skill.

    Ovior nonchntly replied, ¡°What do you know? I¡¯ve been a perfectionist since childhood. I perfected my movement until my feet bled.¡±

    Veronica shivered to imagine the scene. ¡°Practice made you perfect.¡±

    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t know how to dance, I would make sure that we were the best dancing partner at the ball.¡±

    ¡°I believe you.¡±

    After the dancing ended, she left with Ovior. The part was yet to end.

    That night, Arthur didn¡¯t return to the Magic Tower.

    More than feeling anger, Veronica felt anxious. She went to the balcony and stared at the sky.

    Since the sky was clear, she could see the stars twinkling.

    From her balcony, the sky looked close to the sky. She felt like she could just grab the stars with her hand.

    She reached out her hand when she heard a voice from above.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Arthur warn you not to raise your body like that? You might fall.¡±

    Started by the words, Veronica gasped and turned around. She saw Zinnia sitting on the tiles of the terrace.

    ¡°What about you? Aren¡¯t you scared that you might fall from the terrace?¡± she asked Zinnia.

    ¡°Not at all. Practice.¡± Zinnia slid down and came to the balcony.

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to guard you at night when Arthur isn¡¯t home. Why are you awake?¡±

    Veronica lied, ¡°I don¡¯t know why I cannot sleep.¡±

    Zinnia smirked. ¡°You are lying, aren¡¯t you? Are you worried about Arthur?¡±

    ¡°Nope, not at all.¡±

    Zinnia assured her by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. He wille soon. When you were getting ready, he got bad news.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what it is but I heard from Ironin that he left as soon as he got the letter. When hees back, you will know.¡±

    Veronica was even more concerned. ¡°Is it rted to the Queen? I heard that Arthur killed her son because it¡¯s somehow rted to Ovior.¡±

    Zinnia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything rted to the Queen. So, I¡¯m not worried.¡±

    She looked at the worried Veronica and asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious, how did you find out about the rtion between Ovior and the Queen¡¯s son?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. Do you know something?¡± Veronica asked her back instead.

    Zinnia told her, ¡°I don¡¯t know much. All I know is that at that time, the Crown Prince was super evil. He had shes with Ovior from time to time.

    ¡°Arthurter dealt with him in the name of a magic battle or something like that. you know the thing they do inside the ring.¡±

    Veronica nodded understanding what she wanted to say.

    ¡°So then, you don¡¯t know much. I¡¯m curious to find out more.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Arthur or Ovior didn¡¯t tell you about this incident. Who did you hear this from?¡±

    Zinnia pestered her to find out.

    Veronica didn¡¯t know why she was probing too much. She simply replied, ¡°Dave Morton. He told me.¡±

    Zinnia slightly narrowed her eyes. ¡°He came to the tower after I met Arthur and set my foot in the tower. How does he know about this incident?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Veronica shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like people are forbidden to have secret gossip in the tower. He might have found out just like you did.¡±

    Zinnia slightly knitted her eyebrows. ¡°I understand what you mean but it¡¯s simply unbelievable.¡±

    She felt like she forgot something important. She couldn¡¯t pinpoint it.

    Veronica stared at her for a while and observed her reaction.

    Then, she said, ¡°Sometimes, I think that I can never be a detective. However, now that I see you, I feel like my dream will one daye true if I keep hanging around you.¡±

    Zinnia smiled. ¡°Do you really think that way? How sweet of you! Did you never doubt that I may have slept with Arthur? You should have thought about it at least once.¡±

    Veronica froze on the spot. She didn¡¯t know how to react.

    After some time passed, she reacted, ¡°It really didn¡¯te to my mind for a second. I think it¡¯s impossible. There is no way he would sleep with you.¡±

    Zinnia didn¡¯t know how to take this answer.

    Up until now, no matter who Arthur slept with, when they saw her with Arthur, they all thought she slept with him. Then, they would try to harm her in many ways.

    She didn¡¯t tell Arthur anything because she enjoyed those attacks. It was a good pastime activity to reduce her boredom.

    She said, ¡°Now I feel a bit insulted. Why do you think it¡¯s not possible?¡±

    ¡°Because you are older than Arthur, and Arthur doesn¡¯t like older women,¡± Veronica said.

    Then, suddenly she recalled that Zinnia didn¡¯t like to be called an older woman and hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I know you aren¡¯t older. I¡¯m just saying...¡±

 Chapter 448

    Chapter 448: NEED HELP

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I know you aren¡¯t older. I¡¯m just saying that you are beautiful and the most extraordinary woman I¡¯ve met in my life...¡±

    ¡°Veronica, stop. If you were a guy, I would have thought that you were confessing your love to me.¡±

    Zinnia stopped her just like that.

    Veronica felt awkward. She stayed quiet.

    The atmosphere around them was stuffy. The silence grew longer.

    Zinnia realized that this would continue. So, she changed the subject.

    ¡°You were talking about Dave Marton. Are you two close?¡±

    .....

    Veronica heard her and shook her head in denial.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re just acquaintances. Whenever we meet coincidentally, we exchange greetings. He¡¯s a friendly guy.¡±

    Zinnia listened to her carefully and then let out a deep breath.

    Afterward, she said, ¡°Veronica, do you know that I went to Utahill to look for Max?¡±

    Veronica nodded. ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    Zinnia licked her lips. She was nervous about what she was going to say.

    She started, ¡°There I found out that someone from the tower was selling news of you and Arthur to the information guild. That¡¯s how Max found out that you were married to Arthur.¡±

    Veronica stared at her with a dump truck expression. ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    Zinnia said, ¡°Your separation with Arthur was nothing but a conspiracy. Since Arthur was keeping everything secret from you, the enemy¡¯s n was a sess.

    ¡°From what I think, they didn¡¯t know that Arthur was truly in love with you or not. However, they took the chance. The moment Arthur went crazy and tried to use dark magic to bring you back, their n seeded.

    ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure that we just had something to do with it. They¡¯re the very good reason why fake Arthurs were created.¡±

    Veronica had yet to process everything she just heard.

    Witches? Max? Spies? Information guild?

    She asked, ¡°What are you saying? Why are you telling me about this now? Does Arthur know it?¡±

    Zinnia shook her head. ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t tell him.¡±

    Veronica inquired, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him? He was the first person who should have known this.¡±

    Zinnia didn¡¯t hide it any longer. She knew that she had to tell the truth.

    ¡°Yes, but I was afraid that he would try to lock you up before they found the culprit. That¡¯s why I was secretly looking for the information seller. I wanted to find the spy before I could tell him.¡±

    Veronica stared at her. Her heart filled with gratitude.

    She couldn¡¯t me her at all. She had a feeling that this was exactly what Arthur would do once he found out.

    Then, they would have gone through another separation.

    ¡°Zinnia, I don¡¯t know what to say. Thank you for thinking about me. It means a lot. But why are you telling me this now?¡±

    Zinnia answered, ¡°That¡¯s because I think Dave Morton has something to do with it. And I want your help to catch him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The next day, Veronica woke up at 7 in the morning.

    She barely slept at night. She was only able to close her eyes at dawn.

    After two hours¡¯ sleep, she woke up with dark circles under her eyes.

    She went to the washroom to freshen up when she heard water sshing.

    Last night, she heard too much information. She jumped in fear when she heard some movements.

    ¡°Easy, I didn¡¯t want to scare you. You don¡¯t easily get scared in the morning. What happened yesterday?¡±

    The familiar voice was filled with concern.

    Veronica looked at the bathtub and found Arthur soaking in the warm water.

    She replied, ¡°Nothing happenedst night. It was a fun experience. When did youe back? Wait, where did you even go yesterday?¡±

    Arthur answered, ¡°I came back just now. I saw you sleeping so I didn¡¯t wake you up. I got emergency news from Kerbell. I had to go there as soon as possible. I didn¡¯t want you to worry so I didn¡¯t tell you anything.¡±

    Veronica crossed her arms. ¡°Well, are you ready to tell me now?¡±

    Arthur observed her while replying, ¡°Yes, I am. But are you not mad at me anymore? Just yesterday you weren¡¯t talking to me even though I tried to have a conversation with you.¡±

    Veronica remembered that Betty was from Kerbell. She met her and her whole family there.

    She said, ¡°Yes, we will talk about itter. But first, tell me what was your emergency that you had to go to Kerbell without ruining my mood.¡±

    ¡°Fine, then.¡± Arthur came out of the bathtub and wrapped a white towel around his waist. Afterward, he strode toward her and then grabbed her shoulders.

    ¡°Do you remember Betty¡¯s brother-inw?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Trevor, yes I remember. Did something happen to him?¡±

    Arthur disclosed with a grave expression, ¡°He died the day before yesterday. He was burned to death in his workshop at midnight.¡±

    Veronica gasped. ¡°What? That was awful. Is his family okay?¡±

    She could still remember the bright girl named Ang. The sweet, angelic girl used tough and talk a lot.

    She felt pain deep inside her chest.

    ¡°They are not doing okay,¡± Arthur didn¡¯t lie to her. ¡°Bridget fainted after hearing the news. After she woke up, she didn¡¯t say a single word. She couldn¡¯t eat. She didn¡¯t blink.

    ¡°Her daughter couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. She was scared of the way her mother was behaving. She cried a lot.

    ¡°I left her under the neighbors¡¯ care. They will take care of her until the investigation is over. She should be fine there for now.¡±

    Veronica covered her mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening. What about Betty? Did you contact her? She is the immediate family. She should take care of her sister and niece.¡±

    Arthur nodded. ¡°Yes, I went to her. Her inws don¡¯t know that she has a sister. They think she is an orphan with no family members. That¡¯s why Betty decided not to be with her sister and niece.¡±

    ¡°What? This is unbelievable! How could she do that? This is her only sister and niece we are talking about. They always took care of her. And now she cannot be there for them?¡±

    Veronica felt rage engulfing her. She had never been this angry before in her life.

    Arthur patted her back to show condolences.

    ¡°I know. Not everyone is born with love and sympathy andpassion. Not everyone is as kind as you.¡±

    Veronica looked at him with a pained expression. ¡°Do you think we can keep the mother and child here?¡±

    Arthur replied, ¡°I did offer that suggestion to Bridget. However, she didn¡¯t reply. I¡¯m not sure how long this will continue. I have to stay there until the investigation is over.¡±

    Veronica agreed. ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t mind if you stay there for a while. Just make sure they¡¯re okay. If you need my help, I will dly assist you. I will try to talk to Bridget if you want.¡±

    Arthur brushed her tangled hair with his fingers. ¡°I will definitely call for you if I need your help. Until then stay here.¡±

    Veronica asked him, ¡°Do you think that Trevor¡¯s death is not an ident? Do you think he was murdered?¡±

    Arthur replied, ¡°The local guards told me that they think this is an ident. While he was experimenting on some magical items they exploded and caused his death. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Veronica frowned.

    Arthur confidently told her, ¡°That¡¯s because he was one of the most talented magicians who worked under me and he wouldn¡¯t just simply use a wrong magical artifact to st himself.¡±

    He added, ¡°So, so stay here until I tell you anything further.¡±

    ¡°Do you think Betty is involved somehow?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I did investigate her. She hasn¡¯t stepped in Kerbell for the past few months.¡±

    ¡°Then, it means after she left Kerbell and came to get revenge on me, she didn¡¯t go back there at all. That keeps her out of the list of suspects.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Arthur agreed. ¡°Now tell me what happened yesterday. Did you have fun?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it while we have breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    ¡°Did you find that woman terrifying?¡±

    .....

    After hearing everything, Arthur asked her while slicing the poached egg.

    Today, they didn¡¯t go to the dining hall to have breakfast. He made breakfast for both of them in their private kitchen.

    Veronica replied, ¡°Not at all. But I have to admit that she is a sly woman. I think she conspired with Lady De Pole to get me.¡±

    ¡°I guess she underestimated my gorgeous wife.¡±

    ¡°She totally did and I have no idea how to deal with Duke De Pole.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to take care of it?¡± Arthur asked.

    After a pause, Veronica replied, ¡°Actually, I asked Ovior for help but now I think I should handle it myself.¡±

    ¡°You can always take care of it on your own. But if you need suggestions, I have a list.¡±

    ¡°Care to share?¡±

 Chapter 449

    Chapter 449: ACCEPT YOURSELF

    ¡°We can always take care of it on your own but if you need suggestions, I have a list.¡±

    Veronica looked at her husband. ¡°Care to share?¡±

    ¡°But first, what will I get in return?¡± Arthur asked with an innocent expression. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯ll help you for free.¡±

    ¡®So, he is going to y this game with me. Fine, I¡¯ll y along.¡¯ Veronica controlled herughter.

    She said, ¡°I think you will help me for free because I¡¯m your wife and you don¡¯t want your wife to be in trouble.¡±

    Arthur hugged her neck and pulled her closer. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want my wife to be in trouble but it will be nice to have something in return.¡±

    Veronica tried to put on a serious face. ¡°Do youck anything? Why are you being so greedy?¡±

    .....

    Arthur pecked on her lips and said, ¡°Princess, when ites to you, I¡¯m the greediest man alive.¡±

    Veronica stretched her lips. She looked half amused.

    ¡°I know what you want. I won¡¯t give you what you want until you apologize to me for what you did that night.¡±

    Arthur froze. He thought about the night they spent intimately.

    ¡°I thought you liked it.¡±

    Veronica told him, ¡°You thought? Look at my face and say it.¡±

    ¡°Princess, I would never do anything you wouldn¡¯t like. You know your face says one thing and your body another, right?¡±

    Saying that Arthur kissed her hard. He sucked her lower lip as if he was collecting honey from her mouth.

    For a moment, Veronica thought that air was sucked out of her system.

    She opened her mouth to breathe when something softly entered her mouth, exploring her inside madly.

    ¡°Mm...¡± she let out a soft moan and almost immediately responded with the movement. Her tongue followed after his.

    Her body rubbed against him subconsciously. She gasped when Arthur¡¯s towel unhooked and slid down.

    She tried to step back but Arthur pulled her closer and kissed her hard.

    ¡°Arthur... ung... wait...¡±

    Veronica was flustered. Her face was hot. She had trouble breathing.

    ¡°You feel it, Nica?¡± Arthur whispered in a husky voice.

    His right hand trailed down and touched her soft flower that was already drenched.

    ¡°That night you were wetter than today. You were twitching down there. Did that happen because you were feeling bad about what I did?¡±

    Arthur chuckled and kissed her both cheeks affectionately.

    ¡°You do realize that I understand you better than anyone else, right? You try to hide away your lewdness and I see everything. I know everything.¡±

    While he spoke, his fingers slid inside. Her walls clung tightly around him.

    ¡°You were this hot. You were licking me but you wanted me to put it there, right?¡±

    Veronica felt hot breaths on her left ear.

    More than that, the words he was spouting were like hot liquidva. They entered her ears and melted her brain.

    ¡°Princess, I don¡¯t care if you try to hide your sexiness in front of others. But don¡¯t do this in front of me or I will have to punish you like that.¡±

    His sweet, gentle voice threatened her while his fingers did the job.

    Veronica could care less what he was saying. That night, she had to pleasure him while he felt empty inside.

    Today, he was giving her what she was craving that night. The pleasure was more like toxic.

    The sensation was spreading in her body and building something hotter and wetter than she could imagine.

    Before she knew it, a tingling sensation surged up. Her muscles spasmed.

    Her body jerked with a loud moaning out of her mouth as euphoria circted through her entire body.

    After the strong release, everything became white. She felt something hot and liquide out of her flower, dirtying her thighs.

    Arthur kissed her chin as she gasped for air. When her body limped, he carried her to the bathtub.

    He took off her clothes and threw them somewhere as her body soaked in the warm water.

    Her body was so hot that the warm water felt colder.

    Arthur made her sit on hisp and let her recover.

    His fingers brushed through her hair in a loving manner.

    When Veronica came back to her senses, she found herself on hisp. She straightened her back and tried to get down.

    However, Arthur caught her. ¡°Where do you think you are going? Stay here. I missed you.¡±

    He hugged her securely in his arms. After that, he ced his chin on her shoulder.

    ¡°Are you still mad at me, princess?¡± he whispered before pecking on her slender nape.

    Veronica¡¯s energy had yet to recover. She softly asked back, ¡°Should I not be?¡±

    Arthur gently uttered, ¡°At least you cannot say that I did something you didn¡¯t like. Is there anyone else who knows your body more than I do? I know everything about you.¡±

    Veronica let out a breath. ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t.¡±

    Arthur said with a tender voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I destroyed your pride. But there is nothing wrong with epting who you are, is there?

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel guilty to feel lewd or hungry for me. Rather, I¡¯d love it if you acted lewdly in front of me,¡± Arthur encouraged her.

    Veronica¡¯s face burned in shame.

    She retorted, ¡°There is no way I will act lewd. It¡¯s all your fault that my body reacts this way. I was someone innocent who knew nothing about this.¡±

    ¡°But your body loves the way I y with it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Arthur teasingly smiled. Isn¡¯t this way you were willing to y with me? I still remember how curious you were to touch my dick...¡±

    Veronica shut her eyes and shouted. ¡°Stop!¡±

    She had enough for the day.

    However, Arthur didn¡¯t finish talking. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m d that I made your body lewd for me.¡±

    ¡°All right., Stop talking!¡±

    Arthur chuckled as his wife shut him up.

    After soaking their bodies for a while, Veronica noticed some changes under the water. Her body became high alert.

    She tried to move away but Arthur didn¡¯t let her.

    ¡°Why are you trying to move away?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Why do you ask? You... your body...¡± Veronica couldn¡¯t face him.

    Arthur acted as if it was nothing. ¡°Isn¡¯t this natural? I¡¯m with my sexy wife. We are both naked. If I don¡¯t react like that, I¡¯m not healthy at all.¡±

    Veronica gritted her teeth. ¡°So shameless!¡±

    ¡°Since I¡¯m so hard for you, shouldn¡¯t we do something about it?¡±

    ¡°Wha- ahh!¡± Veronica was caught off guard when something hot entered her.

    Her eyes widened in surprise. Her swollen lips parted as well.

    Arthur growled as he felt his clutching tightly around his dick.

    His dick was throbbing to be one with her but her flower was also eagerly waiting for him.

    ¡°Princess, don¡¯t you think you are too tight? I have barely moved,¡± he panted whileining. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to melt.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Veronica snapped at him.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one who was feeling like he was about to melt, she was having the same feeling.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can wait any longer. Princess, I¡¯ll make you move.¡±

    As he said that, Arthur grabbed her buttocks. With her still joined with him, he turned her around to face him.

    He fixed her position and then moved her up and down.

    ¡°Wait... ahh! Arthur...¡±

    .....

    Veronica¡¯s nails scratched his shoulders when she tried to hold him to bnce herself.

    The throbbing manhood was hitting her sweet spot. The wave of pleasure swam her entire body.

    Water sshed around them but it couldn¡¯t hide the lewd moans and hungry gruntsing from the couple¡¯s mouths.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    ¡°Veronica, are you okay? You look flustered. Are you sick or something?¡± Zinnia asked Veronica.

    They met in the corridor. Both were heading to the practice ground. Veronica had a lesson with Roxana.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t tell her the horny activities she had done with her husband. Just thinking about that made her blood boil.

    ¡°I¡¯m all right. I¡¯m not sick at all. By the way, did you find anything about Dave Morton?¡±

    Zinnia answered, ¡°I haven¡¯t started looking for anything yet.¡±

    ¡°Even if you do, I don¡¯t think he is the guy you are looking for,¡± Veronica shared her opinion. ¡°He isn¡¯t a high-ranking magician. He shouldn¡¯t have known about my silver hair or I¡¯m the blessed child.¡±

    ¡°Even so, I¡¯ll give it a shot. I don¡¯t want to leave anyone I suspect. I¡¯m not leaving any chances.¡±

    Veronica stared at her with admiration.

    ¡°You are a pro at your job, aren¡¯t you Zinnia? That¡¯s why I admire you so much. I guess that¡¯s why you don¡¯t make many mistakes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Zinnia stopped in her tracks and looked at Veronica. ¡°We all learn from our mistakes, Veronica. That makes us wise.

    ¡°I hope you are intelligent enough to learn from others¡¯ mistakes. This way, at least you won¡¯t have to lose anyone precious to teach yourself to guard up.¡±

    Veronica was stunned when Zinnia became all serious when she lectured her.

    ¡®What¡¯s making her say it like that?¡¯

 Chapter 450

    Chapter 450: THE SPAR

    ¡°I hope you are intelligent enough to learn from others¡¯ mistakes. This way, at least you won¡¯t have to lose anyone precious to teach yourself to guard up.¡±

    Zinnia¡¯s words left Veronica speechless.

    ¡®What¡¯s making her say it like that? What bad thing could happen to her to say something like that with such an expression?¡¯ Veronica pondered.

    However, she couldn¡¯t think too much because they met Roxana on the way to the training ground.

    After the lesson ended, Veronica wiped her neck with a towel and then drank a mouthful of water.

    ¡°Your movement has improved,¡± Roxanaplimented her.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Do you really think so?¡±

    .....

    Roxana replied, ¡°Yousted more than an hour. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°It soundsme,¡± Dariusmented with augh.

    Veronica¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t improving at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we are going to y with some Imperial Guards. Those punks decided to do me a favor by sparring with you,¡± Darius said.

    ¡°They agreed!¡± Veronica¡¯s face lit up.

    Darius added, ¡°We are drinking buddies. We share women too. There is no way they won¡¯t agree. Just kick their asses and you will get your confidence back.¡±

    ¡°This is going to be fun. I don¡¯t think I want to miss it,¡± Roxana said.

    ¡°Then, Veronica should cover her face so that they don¡¯t figure out who she is,¡± Zinnia suggested.

    ¡°Are youing with us?¡± Darius asked her. ¡°I promise it will be some fun.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll pass. I have some tasks to do,¡± Zinnia declined the offer.

    Later, Darius, Roxana and Ironin went to the secret hideout of Darius along with Veronica.

    As usual, this house was made of stone. It was spacious as the house didn¡¯t have much furniture.

    The backward was empty and well maintained. Anyone would know that people regrly came here.

    ¡°I sue this backyard to spar with them sometimes. Most of the time, I work out here alone,¡± Darius told them.

    Roxana concluded, ¡°So, Veronica will spar with them here. Anything to drink?¡±

    ¡°I keep water and beer here. You will find water in the kitchen.¡± Darius pointed the way to the kitchen. ¡°If anyone wants beer, you will find them in the basement.¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Veronica said.

    A few minutester, four soldiers came. They were all wearing shirts and pants, no uniform.

    One of them said, ¡°We took a day off thinking we should go with this spar all day long. After all, your first disciple wants to have a spar with us. We can¡¯t let him be lonely when we leave.¡±

    Another one said, ¡°We will give him what he wants.¡±

    Roxana said, ¡°Umm... boys, I think you are mistaken. The disciple he has is not a dude like you. That¡¯s a girl.¡±

    After she was done, Veronica came wearing her training uniform.

    She wore a brown-colored tight shirt and the same colored pants. Her red hair was tied in a ponytail. She wore a red scarf covering her face.

    The four soldiers stared at her with a dumb expression.

    ¡°You guys fight her one by one. I¡¯m sure she can go on without a break,¡± Darius said.

    The moment the soldiers heard him, they hurriedly stepped back.

    Soldier 1: ¡°We can¡¯t fight a woman!¡±

    Soldier 2: ¡°She has a thin figure. What if we break her neck or waist or arms? Are you serious?¡±

    Soldier 3: ¡°Her pretty face might be disfigured.¡±

    Soldier 4: ¡°If we hurt her, we might not get married in the future.¡±

    Soldier 2: ¡°What will happen if she dies in our hands and you kill us next.¡±

    Darius was disappointed upon hearing theirints. ¡°Hey now, aren¡¯t you overestimating your skills way too much? You do realize that she is my disciple.

    ¡°Just stand in front of her. And don¡¯t hold back. She can bite hard.¡±

    After he grinned devilishly, Veronica gulped.

    ¡®Doesn¡¯t he have too much of a high expectation of me?¡¯ she thought. ¡®Maybe I can¡¯t hold back at all. I¡¯ll give my all.¡¯

    As one of the soldiers stood in front of her, Roxana yelled, ¡°Start!¡±

    In the sh, Veronica threw a kick aiming at the soldier¡¯s face.

    The soldier didn¡¯t believe Darius¡¯s warning. So, he was caught off guard.

    The kick hit his face before he braced himself. His body flew far away.

    His nose bled and his face had a red footprint. He didn¡¯t move at all.

    He fainted on the spot.

    Soldier 2: ¡°...¡±

    Soldier 3: ¡°...¡±

    Soldier 4: ¡°...¡±

    They had no idea what just happened.

    Veronica on the other hand freaked out.

    She panicked. ¡°Oh my goodness! What have I done?! Did I kill him? But it wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. How did he end up like that?

    She stepped forward to heal him but Ironin held her shoulder. When she turned around, he shook his head, forbidding her from using her healing power.

    Veronica froze. She realized that she couldn¡¯t use her power randomly outside.

    After all, these men in front of her were Imperial Guards.

    The King and Queen might find out about her healing power if she used her power to heal these soldiers.

    It might endanger her life.

    She remembered what once Ironin told her, ¡°If you want to fight your enemy, you should find out more about them and let them know less about it.

    ¡°This way, your enemy won¡¯t predict what¡¯sing for them. They won¡¯t be prepared enough.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want the Queen to find out more about them.

    Because once they fight, it will be between the tower and the queen.

    And the Magic Tower didn¡¯t have any support.

    But, it didn¡¯t mean she would be powerful by beating someone to their death. It was too inhumane.

    Roxana saw her panicking. She assured her, ¡°Rx, you are freaking out too much. He wasn¡¯t prepared. So, this is thest time you can do this.¡±

    Soldier 2 came out of his senses at first. ¡°What.. what just happened?¡±

    He looked at the masked woman in disbelief. ¡°There is no way you have done it.¡±

    ¡°Care to find out?¡± Veronica raised an eyebrow. ¡°You are wee to fight.¡±

    ¡°Ahh!¡± The soldier came running after her.

    Veronica braced herself.

    The moment he came, he threw a punch.

    Veronica ducked her head and punched his stomach.

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    The soldier bent his body in pain.

    Veronica knew that the stomach was one¡¯s weak point. She didn¡¯t hold back at all.

    Once his body bent, she spun her body and kicked his head.

    The soldier rolled on the ground, groaning in pain.

    Veronica looked at the other two soldiers. ¡°Who is next?¡±

    .....

    Ten minutester, thest two soldiers rolled to the ground.

    ¡°Haha! I had a feeling you could do it!¡± Darius was extremely happy. He pped Veronica¡¯s back.

    Veronica stumbled forward and then bnced herself.

    She looked at the four soldiers in amazement.

    ¡°Did I really do that?¡± she asked.

    Roxana smiled. ¡°You did a good job. See? I told you that you were improving.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡± Veronica still had a hard time believing it.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you were always fighting us. We are pros. We were born with our skills. We had sharpened our skills since we were children. You don¡¯t believe that you can throw us like them, do you?¡±

    At Darius¡¯s question, Veronica shook her head.

    Then, she said, ¡°But I want to throw you like I did to them.¡±

    Darius smirked. ¡°Heh, I wish you good luck. You might need to die a few times and incarnate a hundred times to throw me like that.¡±

    All of a sudden, Veronica felt that power and confidence engulfing her.

    All this time, she was the one who was thrown by her instructors every day.

    The failures were weighing her down. She didn¡¯t have confidence as a warrior.

    But after today¡¯s fight, with a bit of fear, her confidence came back.

    ¡°So, how are you feeling after winning four times in a row?¡± Roxana asked.

    ¡°I feel light,¡± Veronica told her the truth with a smile.

    Roxanaughed. ¡°You sure are light in your feet. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d taught you to be like that. Where did you learn it?¡±

    ¡°I have picked up some skills when I was traveling alone.¡±

    This time, Veronica didn¡¯t lie. She learned how to fight while traveling.

    Roxana replied, ¡°Nice skills you picked up. You should do it sometimes. Go out of the country. Travel alone. Bring back more knowledge. Surprise me more.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Veronica agreed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give her creepy ideas. If she goes out on her own again, Arthur will murder us all,¡± saying that Darius looked at Veronica. ¡°Do you want to go for another spar with me today?¡±

    Veronica immediately replied, ¡°Nope. I¡¯m going to keep the memory of my winning today intact. So, give me a break.¡±

    ¡°So, you will. Enjoy your day. I should head back now. See you tomorrow.¡±

    Roxana left after bidding goodbye.

    ¡°Where do you want to go to celebrate your victory?¡± Darius asked Veronica. ¡°I have a ce in mind.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go there!¡±

 Chapter 451

    Chapter 451: DARIUS BROUGHT HER TO HIS FAVORITE PLACE

    ¡°Where do you want to go to celebrate your victory? I have a ce in mind.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go there!¡±

    Veronica¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    She was in a joyous mood.

    She beat four Imperial Guards. Her mood couldn¡¯t be better.

    However, she didn¡¯t expect that she would be taken to a restaurant where it was filled with belly dancers.

    There were dancers on the stage. The waitresses were also belly dancers. They were all wearing revealing clothes.

    .....

    Veronica¡¯s face burned.

    It was too hard to look around. She stared at the clean table. Food would be served a bitter.

    She never felt so ufortable in a restaurant before.

    ¡°What do you think you are doing? Look outside. It¡¯s lunchtime,¡± she hissed.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why we are here to have lunch,¡± Darius replied.

    He was nonchnt about her awkward attitude. His eyes were sparkling as he looked around. He winked at the girls whenever their eyes met.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t take his behavior. ¡°But why here? Do you think I would like toe to ces like this?¡±

    Darius said in a delighting tone, ¡°Sweetheart, they are all girls. What¡¯s your problem? Anyway, we already ordered our meal. So, let¡¯s stick around for a while.

    ¡°Or, if you want, I can take you to the male belly dancers restaurant. It¡¯s popr among noble women.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Veronica gritted her teeth.

    ¡®This is so embarrassing. I regret believing that Darius would take me somewhere nice. I should have guessed sooner. How could he be such a good guy to bring me to a decent ce?¡¯

    She wanted to curse him.

    Suddenly she thought of Ironin. Curious to find out what he was doing, she turned her head and looked at him.

    Ironin was sitting beside her. His eyes were closed as though he was meditating.

    His face was unfazed. He didn¡¯t bother to look around when dancers danced in front of him.

    ¡®Out of sight, out of mind. Nice one.¡¯ Veronica couldn¡¯t be more amazed.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom. Excuse me.¡±

    She stood up and asked a dancer for the location of the restroom.

    The dancer showed her the way. She strode to the restroom.

    When she saw no dancers, she took a deep breath. She was relieved.

    ¡°You said they were your friends but why would they bring you to an inappropriate ce like that?¡±

    Veronica was startled. She turned around and saw Urs at the end of the corridor.

    He was wearing the Manager¡¯s uniform. He walked forward and stopped in front of her.

    ¡°You... are you working here?¡± Veronica asked him with surprise on her face.

    ¡°That¡¯s where I do my job,¡± Urs replied. ¡°I¡¯m the Manager of this hotel. The owner is someone else. But why are you here?¡±

    Veronica didn¡¯t want him to misunderstand.

    She said, ¡°My friends brought me here. I didn¡¯t know he was bold enough to bring me here in broad daylight.¡±

    Urs raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why? Would youe here at night time then?¡±

    Veronica was embarrassed by how misleading her reply was.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. But why are you working here? Do you like belly dancing?¡±

    She changed the subject after not being able to make him understand.

    Urs expressionlessly replied, ¡°It has nothing to do with belly dancing. I saved the owner from the abductors.

    ¡°He realized that I needed a job. So, he asked me to be the Manager of the shop.¡±

    ¡®So, he isn¡¯t like other men in the human realm. That¡¯s assuring,¡¯ Veronica thought.

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear. I hope you are doing well.¡±

    ¡°I am doing well. You seem happier than thest time I saw you.¡± Urs didn¡¯t miss the changes on her face.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. I defeated four Imperial Guards today in spar.¡±

    Veronica proudly told him in detail how she took care of them with ehr kicks and punches.

    Urs snickered when he saw how excited she was.

    He asked, ¡°What now? Does that make you invincible? Shall we have a spar?¡±

    Veronica shook her head while replying, ¡°Nope, not today. I want to enjoy my victory.¡±

    ¡°Well, enjoy your victory. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow. I have a day off. Let¡¯s see what you have got. I¡¯m going back to work now.¡±

    As Urs turned to leave, Veronica stopped him.

    ¡°Wait, I need you to do something for me.¡±

    Urs looked at her. ¡°What do you need?¡± he asked.

    Veronica told him, ¡°I want you to find information about witches. First, bring me the information about Tybu witches.

    ¡®If they don¡¯t satisfy me, I have to ask you to bring news of the witches all over the world.

    ¡°Aside from that, someone needs to go to Louses and spy on their Science. A friend of mine went there. His name is Merlin.

    ¡®He works for the Magic Tower. I want to find out everything he is doing there. He must not be harmed.

    ¡°Give these tasks to others. I have another task. This task is for you. Have you heard about the Rosemary Temple?¡±

    Urs thought for a moment. ¡°The ancient temple that is situated in Utahill? Yes, I do. But I don¡¯t know the exact locations.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°I will give you the location and how to enter that ce. You have to do one thing. Steal some scrolls from there and hand them over to me.

    ¡°When we meet tomorrow, I will give you the list. I¡¯m sure you know the ancientnguage of the human realm.¡±

    Urs exined, ¡°Ancientnguage is simr to elvishnguage. Long before, humans would use pictures asnguage. But when the elves joined hands with the humans, they taught humans the elvishnguage.

    ¡°That¡¯s how humannguage changed. Through centuries, thenguage went to different ces of the human realm and shaped into different forms.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s assuring. Then, you won¡¯t have problems finding the scrolls,¡± Veronica said.

    ¡°You have so many tasks for me. Are you investigating something?¡± Urs was curious.

    ¡°I will tell you after you find the scrolls and I get information about the witches,¡± Veronica replied.

    ¡°You are good at hiding things from me. Fine. I won¡¯t pursue this matter. After I bring you everything you need, you can tell me. See you tomorrow.¡±

    After Urs left, Veronica pondered about the conversation she had with Zinnia.

    Zinnia said that witches were involved in the fake Arthurs¡¯ case. It could mean that Science of Louses might not be involved.

    Or even if they were involved, the witches had all the news regarding the Magic Tower.

    Louses usually didn¡¯t take disciples from outside countries.

    For their king to approve of Merlin¡¯s wish to learn more about Science wasn¡¯t normal.

    It seemed too easy.

    It could mean only one thing.

    Merlin could be in danger.

    When Veronica was having a spar with the Imperial Guards, she thought of this possibility.

    However, she debated whether she should tell Arthur or not.

    ¡®If I tell him, he will immediately send someone to bring Merlin back. If Louses captures the knights who went to bring Merlin back, it might raise a diplomatic issue.¡¯

    ¡®Merlin is an important figure in the tower. He has ess to both the tower and the pce. Without him, the tower is a bit vulnerable. Arthur doesn¡¯t like to negotiate.¡¯

    ¡®If the witches wanted to break the rtionship between the pce and the tower, Arthur just has to make one single mistake.¡¯

    .....

    ¡®The King will surely choose world peace over the tower. He won¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice the Magic Tower if Louses calls for war with their Science. The tower will be destroyed.¡¯

    ¡®And who will benefit the most if the tower is destroyed?¡¯

    She didn¡¯t need to guess who.

    It¡¯s the Queen.

    ¡®Arthur¡¯s suspicion was correct. The Queen was behind all these. While the Queen wanted to eliminate the tower, the witches wanted Arthur to bring darkness to the world. That¡¯s why they shook hands together.¡¯

    ¡®Unfortunately, they have no idea that I have an elvish army who work for me. The Elvish King swore to protect me.¡¯

    ¡®I definitely can¡¯t call upon a war. I don¡¯t want innocent people to suffer for the Queen and the witches¡¯ greed.¡¯

    ¡®And I can¡¯t tell Arthur or Ovior about this matter. They will try to send people and I have to tell them I have already sent people to rescue Merlin if something bad had happened to him.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s when they will suspect me and spy on my daily life to find out who I associate with. Sigh, sometimes I don¡¯t understand if I¡¯m living a caged life or not. Humans are soplicated.¡¯

    She shook her head and then went back to the restaurant. She didn¡¯t notice someone was skillfully hiding their presence.

    Darius saw her and said, ¡°You took your time. Good that you came back before the food got cold.¡±

    Veronica looked at the table and several dishes were served.

    That¡¯s when her stomach clenched tightly. She realized that she was hungry.

    ¡°It¡¯s so many. Can we finish all that?¡± she asked while sitting down.

    ¡°It¡¯s a treat for your victory. I¡¯m so proud of you. The way you kicked the face and butts, you were born to be my disciple.¡± Darius patted her shoulder.

    Afterward, he announced, ¡°Let¡¯s start digging!¡±

    Veronica started eating when a waitress poured warm water on her ss and then slipped something in her hand.

    It seemed like a note.

 Chapter 452

    Chapter 452: VERONICA IS WORRIED

    Veronica moved her hands under the table and discreetly unfolded the note.

    Something was written there. She read.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t want to get fatter than this, I advise you to eat less meat and more vegetables.¡¯

    It was signed with a leaf.

    The unique leaf belonged to only one person.

    The Second Prince of the Elvish Realm.

    ¡®U.R.U.L.A.S.¡¯

    .....

    Veronica gritted her teeth in anger.

    She clenched the note tightly and turned it into a ball before throwing it on the ground, under the table. No one noticed anything.

    ¡°Veronica, you should eat more or don¡¯t me me for stealing your meal,¡± Darius warned her yfully.

    Veronica scanned the dishes. Except for the main dish, rice, every side dish was cooked with meat.

    She lowered her head and looked at her stomach. She stroked her stomach to understand howrge her stomach was.

    She noticed her belly moved. She gasped.

    ¡®Belly fat! I have belly fat!!!¡¯

    She let out an internal scream.

    Darius and Ironin were busy eating. They didn¡¯t notice her changes in expression.

    ¡°Veronica, eat before you think,¡± Darius reminded her. ¡°No need to be shy. Here, I¡¯ll give you something.¡±

    Then, he put a chicken drumstick on her te.

    Veronica started at the drumstick and gulped.

    Ever since she was a child, she had only had meat once a month. Other days, she had to go with vegetables and grains.

    She liked meat so much but only had it asionally.

    That¡¯s why after leaving the temple, she ate more meat than vegetables.

    With her training and eating meat, she gained more muscles in her arms and legs.

    However, for some reason, her stomach became pudgy even though she trained every day.

    She recalled that Arthur wanted something in return after giving her the idea of how to deal with Duke De Pole.

    ¡®How am I supposed to show my body to Arthur? His body is so perfect!¡¯

    Just thinking about that her face paled.

    She looked at the meat that Darius served her and gulped.

    She was drooling to eat but worried about her belly fat at the same time.

    ¡®Let¡¯s just eat today. I will exercise more until I give Arthur what he wants. He is busy dealing with Trevor¡¯s death. He won¡¯t be back until the investigation is over.¡¯

    ¡®Should I pray that the investigation takes a month? I shouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s too selfish. Sigh!¡¯

    She pulled the te closer with a glum face. Then, she dug in.

    Aftering back to the tower, she started exercising.

    ¡°Ver, are you okay? Why are you exercising at this hour?¡±

    Catherine came to find her and saw her doing a side nk hip lift.

    She once saw Zinnia do the same thing. When she asked her what this exercise was for, Zinnia exined it to her in detail.

    ¡°The side nk with hip lifts activates the obliques and helps to build endurance and core strength. This exercise works the deep abdominal muscles and helps to tighten and shrink the waistline.¡±

    Veronica counted one to ten before she stopped.

    She panted for a while and then replied, ¡°I¡¯m getting fat.¡±

    Catherine was puzzled upon hearing that. She scanned her friend up and down.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any changes. On which side are you fat?¡±

    ¡°My stomach! I have belly fat.¡± Veronica pulled her shirt up and showed her pudgy belly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m gaining weight.¡±

    She looked depressed, ready to cry her heart out.

    Catherinemented while staring at her friend¡¯s stomach, ¡°I guess your diet is out of control. You eat more meat than Ironin.¡±

    Veronica frowned. Somehow, she found herment insulting.

    She questioned her, ¡°How do you know Ironin eats more meat than I do? Are you spying on him or something?¡±

    ¡°I just happened to notice.¡± Catherine shrugged.

    She hid the fact that she was spying on Ironin aftering back from his estate.

    She added, ¡°But I don¡¯t think your belly fat is rming enough to start the exercise. You are already training every day.

    ¡°It will toil your body. You should enjoy a little fat. It¡¯s normal. I believe every woman has belly fat.¡±

    ¡°No, Zinnia and Roxana don¡¯t have belly fat. Their stomachs are t and their waists are nicely shaped. I want to be jealous.¡± Veronica pursed her lips.

    ¡°Oh,e on, it¡¯s nothing bad.¡± Catherine hugged her friend to console her.

    She continued, ¡°Your changes in physical appearance won¡¯t change who you are. The only thing that matters is your heart.

    ¡°Those who truly care for you, won¡¯t start hating you for gaining some weight. They love you because of your personality.¡±

    Veronica felt better after being consoled by her friend. She stopped worrying about her belly fat.

    She asked, ¡°What about you? It¡¯s so hard to get in touch with you nowadays. I went to look for you at Ovior¡¯s office in the morning before I left the tower. You weren¡¯t there.¡±

    She noticed that Catherine was hard to find these days. Not if Veronica needed her for something, Catherine barely approached her.

    Moreover, she became a lot quieter and she started wearing light-colored clothes.

    After Vincent¡¯s wedding incident, she mostly wore light gray, light brown and off-white skirts with off-white or white blouses. And her corset was brown in color.

    Before, she would wear bright-colored dresses. Just looking at her people would feel better.

    Now, she looked remorseful and depressed.

    Her behavior sometimes scared Veronica.

    ¡°I had to run an errand. Sometimes I deliver documents to higher sections,¡± Catherine exined.

    Truthfully, she was avoiding Veronica. She noticed that her friend was worried but she didn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    ¡°Do you want to have dinner together?¡± Veronica invited her. ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    Catherine couldn¡¯t decline the offer. So, she agreed.

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    At dinner, Veronica and Catherine sat down with Zinnia.

    Veronica narrated shortly to Catherine what she and Zinnia found out about the fake Arthur case.

    Catherine gaped at them. ¡°I can¡¯t believe something like this is happening in the tower. Shouldn¡¯t we tell Arthur about it? He should take extra measures.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we can¡¯t tell him,¡± Veronica said. ¡°I¡¯m already dealing with bodyguards and can¡¯t roam around freely. I hate it. I have something else to tell you.¡±

    She also told them what she thought about the rtionship between the Queen and the witches.

    ¡°Such conspiracy!¡± Catherine was astonished.

    ¡°So, you have gone that far. Good job, Veronica!¡± Zinniaplimented her. ¡°I¡¯ve thought that too but we have no proof of the Queen¡¯s involvement. It¡¯s just our spection.¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t have one, we will get one,¡± Veronica said.

    ¡°How do you n to do that?¡± Zinnia showed interest. ¡°Do you have a n?¡±

    Veronica was excited to share her n.

    She said in detail, ¡°I think I do. At first, you have to give Arthur, Darius and Felix false information. It¡¯ll lead them to look for the culprit somewhere else.

    .....

    ¡°Second, we will tell Ovior and Ironin about our n and ask them to assist us. When the Queen¡¯s spy will see that Arthur and others are investigating the wrong side, they will lower their guard.

    ¡°When the spy lowers their guard, they ought to make mistakes. That¡¯s how we will capture them.¡±

    ¡°I understand but what lie should I tell Arthur?¡± Zinnia asked. ¡°We are already investigating all the high-ranking magicians.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°Tell him that you noticed a low-quality magic item in the information guild or a seal maybe. You can tell him that you were wrong all along.

    ¡°The information guild wanted to divert her attention to the high-ranking magicians so that the real culprit who is a lower-ranking magician can run away.¡±

    Zinnia approved of the idea. ¡°Nice idea. I¡¯ll think of a way to divert his attention. But what about capturing the culprit? How will we catch him?¡±

    ¡°We need a bait and I can be the perfect bait. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Veronica¡¯s emerald eyes glinted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it will be a good idea,¡± Zinnia instantly denied. ¡°Arthur will ughter us.¡±

    Veronica knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy to get Zinnia¡¯s approval.

    She told her, ¡°That¡¯s why we need Ovior and Ironin¡¯s help. Ironin will secretly protect me and Ovior will use his magic to hide Ironin¡¯s presence.¡±

    ¡°It is a solid n but if you get even one scratch, Arthur will kill us.¡± Still, Zinnia didn¡¯t agree.

    ¡°How about I be the bait? I¡¯ll disguise myself as Ver,¡± Catherine suggested.

    Zinnia¡¯s eyes flickered.

    ¡°No way! I won¡¯t agree with this. I will do this myself.¡± Veronica was firm with her decision.

    Zinnia said, ¡°Maybe we can ask some other woman...¡±

    Catherine interrupted her by saying, ¡°No one knows Ver better than I do. What she likes, how she acts, how she walks ¨C I know everything. I even know she has belly fat.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Veronica hissed. Her face was red in embarrassment.

    Zinnia chuckled. ¡°You might be in danger. You know that, right?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Catherine nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s settled then,¡± Zinnia approved. She looked at Veronica and said, ¡°You better find out how you are going to deal with Duke De Pole. He is not an easy guy.¡±

    ¡°I know. I will deal with him properly,¡± Veronica replied with a sour face.

    The next day, Duke De Pole came to the Magic Tower to meet Veronica.

 Chapter 453

    Chapter 453: THE PUNISHMENT

    Duke De Pole stood in front of the Magic Tower.

    Looking at the proudly stood tower, his expression twisted. His expression said that he didn¡¯t want toe here.

    However, he didn¡¯t have a choice. His beloved daughter had done something that made him take the me for her behavior.

    Cursing her daughter in his mind, he waited outside the gate.

    He wasn¡¯t a magician and so the gate didn¡¯t open for him automatically.

    Sebastian came to pick him up. ¡°Duke De Pole, I¡¯m here to escort you to the Mistress.¡±

    Looking at his bodyguard uniform, Duke De Pole¡¯s expression turned sour.

    .....

    ¡°And howe the Mistress herself didn¡¯te to greet me? What kind of attitude is this?¡± he criticized Veronica¡¯s behavior.

    Sebastian coldly replied, ¡°That¡¯s because you are not here as an honored guest.¡±

    Duke De Pole frowned. ¡°If I¡¯m not a guest, then what am I?¡±

    Sebastian replied, ¡°Someone whose daughter dared to upset our Mistress. You are here to appease our Mistress. We are not here to honor you.¡±

    Duke De Pole became furious enough to make his face turn red but he said nothing.

    When his servants wanted to follow the Duke, Sebastian stopped them

    ¡°The servants are not allowed,¡± he said.

    ¡°They are here to carry the gifts I bought for the Mistress of the Magic Tower,¡± Duke De Pole replied.

    Sebastian said firmly, ¡°I can¡¯t let you bring any suspicious item or some servants without our Mistress¡¯s permission. Not after what your daughter did to our Mistress.¡±

    His hostility was on point. Duke De Pole couldn¡¯t argue even though he felt insulted.

    He signaled his servants to stay put and told Sebastian, ¡°I¡¯ll be taking only one of my servants. I hope it won¡¯t anger Mistress Silverstar.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡¯ Sebastian responded coldly. Afterward, he escorted him to Veronica¡¯s office.

    Veronica had an office that was recently decorated by Felix and Darius. Before today, she had never used this office.

    Just to show Duke De Pole her authority, she was using her office.

    Sebastian knocked on the door before opening the door.

    Veronica quickly checked her face onest time on the table mirror before straightening her back.

    Duke De Pole entered the room and saw Veronica wearing a purple gown. The gold ne was sparkling in the magic lights.

    Her red hair fell on her shoulder. The gold crown was perfectly ced on the top of her head, dering her position in the Magic Tower.

    She looked more dignified than any woman Duke De Pole had ever seen.

    ¡°Duke De Pole, wee to the Magic Tower,¡± Veronica said.

    No matter how high his rank was,pared to the Mistress of the Magic Tower, his power was nothing.

    Thus, he had to bow to greet her. ¡°Thank you for your invitation, Mistress of the Magic Tower. It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you. I¡¯ve received your letter.¡±

    The corners of Veronica¡¯s lips slightly curved. ¡°So you shall. Please have a seat.¡± After the Duke sat down, she asked him, ¡°Would you like some tea?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love that.¡±

    ¡°Bring us rose tea,¡± Veronica ordered the servant beside her to bring tea.

    That servant was none other than Catherine in disguise.

    Her disguise was so perfect that Duke De Pole would never find out when he would see the real Catherine in the future.

    After Catherine bowed and left, Veronica looked at the Duke.

    ¡°Duke De Pole, I¡¯m sure you know exactly why you had toe here today despite you having a busy schedule.¡±

    Duke De Pole replied, ¡°That¡¯s right, Mistress Silverstar. I deeply apologize for the inconvenience my daughter has caused you. To appease your anger, I¡¯ve brought some gifts.¡±

    Although he apologized, he didn¡¯t seem remorseful at all.

    ¡®You don¡¯t understand the seriousness of this issue, do you Duke? I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯m capable of,¡± Veronica thought inwardly.

    ¡°Gifts?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Just what kind of gift can appease my anger? Your daughter knew who I was and deliberately tried to insult me in front of the nobles and her friends dared to make me look bad. Do they deserve my forgiveness?¡±

    When Duke De Pole first encountered Veronica, he didn¡¯t take her that seriously.

    She was expressionless but her face was a bit innocent. Because of her serious and sincere attitude, she looked a bit mature.

    Anyone who would see her think that she didn¡¯t know the way of the world.

    That¡¯s why when Duke De Pole heard her question, he said, ¡°I know Mistress Silverstar is upset and you have every right to do so.

    ¡°All I want you to see is the gifts I¡¯ve brought for you. Then, you can decide what you want to do.¡±

    After that, he signaled his servant. He bowed and left the room. After a long while, ten of his servants came with fiverge wooden boxes.

    The servants put the boxes down on the floor and opened them.

    Duke De Pole said, ¡°I present you silk clothes, gold pieces of jewelry and excellent pieces of stones that can make fine pieces of jewelry. I¡¯ve brought them from the east. They are the best quality.¡±

    Veronica silently stared at Duke De Pole. Then, she stood up and strode toward the wooden boxes.

    First, she checked the boxes. They were best quality boxes from the Duke¡¯s mansion but they were used a lot.

    None of the boxes were new. They had scratches and marks here and there.

    After that, she scanned the pieces of jewelry and stones. She never had any interest in those things. So, she moved away and touched the silk clothes.

    The moment she rubbed her fingers on the silk, she knew they were somewhat good quality. The clothes weren¡¯t refined enough.

    Veronica knitted her eyebrows. She coldly stared at Duke De Pole and asked, ¡°Is this supposed to be a joke?¡±

    The Duke was standing there proudly. When he heard her question, he asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°You wanted to appease my anger after your daughtermitted a crime. But where is your sincerity?¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand, Mistress Silverstar. I was sincere when I gave you these presents,¡± Duke De Pole said.

    Veronica furrowed her eyebrows.

    ¡°Is that so? Then, do you think I¡¯m from the street? I¡¯ve grown up wearing the finest quality of silk. Do you think I don¡¯t recognize the bad-quality silk you gave me as a gift?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t lying. Back when she grew up in the temple, the Royal Family often donatedrge amounts of silk clothes to the temple.

    The Priests and Nuns make handmade clothes for the apprentices like Veronica and Catherine and equally distribute them.

    From the youngest child to the oldest Priest or Nun, everyone had high-quality silk clothes. They would wear the clothes during festivals in the temple.

    That¡¯s why, before she married Arthur, she knew about silk¡¯s quality.

    After marriage, Arthur gave her high-quality clothes. She was so used to wearing them by now that she would tell just by looking what a good quality cloth was and what¡¯s a bad quality.

    When Duke De Pole gifted her those silk clothes, he was clearly insincere. Moreover, he underestimated her knowledge.

    ¡°Do you think I came from the street; so, I couldn¡¯t tell what high-quality silk is? The gold jewelry and the stones are cheap.

    ¡°I can tell just by looking at them. If that¡¯s how you show your sincerity, you are making me angrier than I was before.¡±

    Her cold tone expressed how angry she was.

    But she was just acting. She wasn¡¯t even angry. She didn¡¯t care about gold, stones or silk.

    She just needed to teach Duke De Pole¡¯s family a lesson.

    Moreover, she made up that gold and stones were of bad quality.

    She thought, ¡®If silk is that quality, jewelry and stones cannot be that high quality either. Why don¡¯t I give it a shot?¡¯

    That¡¯s why she criticized gold and stones.

    Duke De Pole changed his expression. ¡°I apologize for my actions that upset you. I didn¡¯t think they weren¡¯t high-quality items. I have poor judgment. The merchant must be a fraud. He gave me bad quality products.¡±

    ¡°In any case, you can take them away. I never touched low-quality products.¡± Veronica went back to her seat.

    She added, ¡°You have failed me, Duke De Pole. You aren¡¯t sincere. No wonder your daughter became as lousy as you. An apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. Now prepare yourself for punishment.¡±

    Duke De Pole paled. ¡°Please, Mistress Silverstar, calm down. I can still offer you something better than this.¡±

    Veronica raised her chin. ¡°What else do you think you can offer?¡±

    Duke De Pole hurriedly thought of something and said, ¡°I¡¯ll offer you the summer house from the westst. Please take it and forgive my daughter.¡±

    .....

    ¡°A summer house?¡± Veronica wanted tough.

    ¡°Do you think the Mistress of the Magic Tower needs a summer house? We have all kinds of summer, autumn, winter and spring rooms in the tower. Who do you take me for? A homeless beggar?¡±

 Chapter 454

    Chapter 454: VERONICA¡¯S ANGER

    ¡°Do you think the Mistress of the Magic Tower needs a summer house? We have all kinds of summer, autumn, winter and spring rooms in the tower. Who do you take me for? A beggar?¡±

    Veronica furiously shouted at him. Her sharp voice pierced through Duke De Pole¡¯s ears and shook his heart.

    For the first time, he felt nervous around her. He nervously licked his lips.

    ¡°Mistress Silverstar, please calm down...¡±

    Veronica sneered. ¡°Calm down?! How do you want me to calm down after you dared to insult me? You dare to look down on someone as powerful as me. It¡¯s no wonder why your daughter acts this way.

    ¡°It must have been you who taught her to act like that. Duke De Pole, you have to be punished for what you have done.

    ¡°You have chosen the worst person to upset today. I won¡¯t be lenient to you. You think your wealth, your property and your power are abundant. But I¡¯ll make you change your mind in a week.

    .....

    ¡°You will find out what happens when you insult the Mistress of the Magic Tower. When you do, don¡¯te here to beg.¡±

    After that, Veronica didn¡¯t want to see him anymore. She signaled Sebastian to take him away.

    Along with Sebastian, a group of guards came. They were all wearing ck clothes and their faces were covered with the same color of cloth.

    When arms guards surrounded Duke De Pole, he cautiously looked at them.

    ¡®Damn it! This is not how it should have ended. I have to make a peace treaty. We aren¡¯t prepared to fight against the Magic Tower yet.¡¯

    He didn¡¯t notice that droplets of sweat formed on his forehead.

    He stole a nce at Veronica but her back was facing him. He couldn¡¯t see her expression. He clenched his fists.

    ¡®Maybe she is just acting. She just got married and knows some things about wealth. That doesn¡¯t make her powerful.¡¯

    He said, ¡°Mistress Silverstar, I came here with my goodwill but you weren¡¯t kindhearted enough to ept my sincerity. I can only back away.

    ¡°In any case, the Mistress of the Magic Tower is too immature to deal with. You don¡¯t have to pretend to scare me. I¡¯m old enough to understand your inability to do certain things.¡±

    Veronica stayed silent. She didn¡¯t show her expression.

    This time, she wasn¡¯t acting. She was truly angry

    ¡®How can people look down on others simply because of wealth and power? They are all just temporary. You cannot take them with you after your death.¡¯

    ¡®They can leave you anytime they want. They aren¡¯t even men¡¯s true friends. So why are people so obsessed with those things and push away the most important thing on earth?¡¯

    She asked herself but she couldn¡¯t find an answer.

    Some people are just too foolish to understand what¡¯s more important than earthly temptation.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m unable to do certain things,¡± she muttered. ¡°You have no idea what my position is capable of.¡±

    Duke De Pole didn¡¯t hear her words. He stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving, Mistress Silverstar. I hope we can meet again in different circumstances.¡±

    When he addressed her as ¡®Mistress Silverstar¡¯, there was a hint of mock in his tone.

    Sebastian red at him. Since Veronica didn¡¯t order him, he couldn¡¯t attack Duke De Pole.

    Veronica smirked. ¡°Different circumstances? Indeed, we will. That will be very soon.¡±

    ¡®What nonsense is she spouting? Does she think she cany a hand on me? Ridiculous!¡¯ Duke De Pole scoffed.

    After he left with his servants and gifts, Veronica stared out of the window for a long time.

    No one knew what she was thinking.

    Sebastian saw off Duke De Pole to the gate and then came back.

    The group of people who were with him previously was gone by now. They were just illusions made by Ovior¡¯s magic.

    ¡°Mistress, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t punish him,¡± Sebastian apologized.

    Veronica said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, Sebastian. You have done nothing wrong. Prepare for an assignment. You and your friends have to do something for me.¡±

    Her emerald eyes glinted. Since her back was facing him, Sebastian didn¡¯t notice it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything for you, Mistress. You only have to order,¡± he replied.

    ¡°I will.¡± Veronica smiled. ¡°Being a mistress is fun. All I have to do is order and people will work for me. Is this the taste of power? No wonder people crave it.¡±

    Then, she turned around and told Sebastian, ¡°Tell your friends to get ready. I¡¯ll make Duke De Pole regret what he did today.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    The next day, at a ball of a noble¡¯s family, Duke De Pole was surrounded by people.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you going to the Magic Tower. What did Mistress Silverstar tell you? Did she punish you harshly?¡±

    ¡°How did she talk? Is she good enough to talk about any diplomatic issue?¡±

    ¡°Did you get punished harshly, Duke De Pole? What about your family members? Are they all right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that she was a cruel woman just like her husband. It¡¯s good to see you in one piece, Duke De Pole¡±

    Duke De Pole heard them andughed heartily.

    ¡°Thank you for caring for me so much. But you, my friends, are worrying way too much. She isn¡¯t even worthy of my time. What Mistress of the Magic Tower?

    ¡°This is utter nonsense. How can a mere woman do something to me? She acts all high and mighty but she is nothing really.

    ¡°I tried to appease her anger with gifts from the east but she rejected them as if they were nothing. She only knows how to act spoiled.

    ¡°She has nothing in her brain. I can only guess that the Master of the Magic Tower only wanted a puppet to please his eyes.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t actually looking for a partner who could be a proper Mistress of the Magic Tower. I suppose warming his bed is also an important role. Haha!¡±

    Other noblemenughed along with him. At the same time, they were also relieved.

    Duke De Pole yed an important role in the kingdom. He had lots of power and influence across the capital city.

    As a result, many nobles supported him. He was a pir to most of the nobles in the kingdom.

    If something were to happen to him, it would affect them all.

    The worst part would be that if Duke De Pole became an enemy with the Magic Tower, they would be too.

    What feared them was not the Magic Tower but Arthur.

    He always got away with anything no matter how cruel he was to the nobles. That¡¯s because he had the endless support of the King.

    Since their King was the ruler, they couldn¡¯t do anything to change his mind.

    As long as he supported Arthur, the noblemen could never beat him in the game.

    They were relieved that the Mistress of the Magic Tower was totally a farce.

    As long as they didn¡¯t have two Arthurs as their enemy, they were fine with it.

    Under the influence of a little alcohol, they began to talk dirty about Veronica.

    ¡°She is a rare beauty, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°I must say she has a seductive body. She must be good in bed if Arthur that yboy could stick to her for a year now. I heard he never held a woman for more than a month.¡±

    ¡°The way she was showing off her body during the bouquet, I knew for sure she was there to seduce us. She just acted politely to be hard to get. As if we will fall for that.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is, I want to have a taste of that woman whom the yboy became loyal to.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he became herpdog. Who knows?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    They all burst intoughter and talked like Veronica was some kind of street girl.

    As they were making fun of her, someone hurriedly came and began to look for Duke De Pole.

    It was his secretary.

    Duke De Pole noticed him and frowned in annoyance.

    ¡°Albert, what do you want now?¡± he asked. ¡°We are discussing something important here.¡±

    Albert, his assistant, didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by his anger. He was sweating profusely.

    He wiped his sweat with a white handkerchief and started, ¡°D-Duke, I have something to say to you. Can we talk somewhere private?¡±

    Duke De Pole narrowed his eyes. He was having a good time but his assistant ruined it.

    ¡°What is it? Just say it here,¡± he ordered.

    ¡°But Duke...¡±

    .....

    ¡°Just say it already.¡±

    Albert gulped and then reported, ¡°We heard a report from the port that the ten ships you sentst month were all destroyed in the sea storm.

    ¡°All the goods are gone. The crews are all dead. Only one captain of one ship was alive and was able toe back to the port.

    ¡°He shared the grave news to the locals and then died. His body was half-eaten by a shark. I¡¯m not sure how he was alive until he reached the port.¡±

 Chapter 455

    Chapter 455: THE WRATH OF MISTRESS OF THE MAGIC TOWER

    The ships were destroyed.

    The goods were lost.

    The crews were dead.

    Those three sentences circled around Duke De Pole¡¯s mind. He sat there in a daze.

    Albert wiped his face and looked at the Duke.

    The noblemen also looked at Duke De Pole.

    ¡°My condolences, Duke. I knew how important shipment was.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Duke, everything will be all right.¡±

    Duke De Pole couldn¡¯t hear their voices. That shipment was indeed very important.

    He started the business when his father was still alive and he had yet to take his father¡¯s title.

    He was a great strategic businessman. He also had a friend who would understand the weather.

    The two of them worked together and started the business. Thus, never before his ships were destroyed due to sea storms.

    Thus, he became bolder and sent more ships risking his wealth.

    While others worried about their wealth and risked less, he risked everything and became wealthier.

    That¡¯s why most of the noblemen look up to him and respect him.

    His family was proud of him. He had no obstacle to deal with when he took the title. The Queen also favored him because he was so powerful.

    He became the third most influential man in Tybu. Nothing could go wrong with him.

    Furthermore, He became someone who never faced setbacks.

    He was a person who was born to be sessful.

    People would call him ¡®Magician¡¯ in secret.

    This time too, he risked his fortune to send the goods.

    Who knew his friend¡¯s prediction would go wrong?

    Duke De Pole went pale.

    Albert was worried enough. Looking at the Duke¡¯s expression made him worry even more.

    He said, ¡°Duke, please get a hold of yourself. We have to go back to the mansion. Pleasee with me.¡±

    Soon, Duke De Pole came back to his senses.

    He looked at his assistant and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Albert sighed in relief. He was worried that the Duke might have a heart attack.

    Duke De Pole went back to his mansion. Without meeting his family, he strode toward his office.

    When Albert closed the door behind them, Duke De Pole threw whatever there was on the table in anger.

    ¡°Arghhh! What is happening? Why did the ships get destroyed? The most expensive medicines and drugs were there. It cost a fortune to send them.¡±

    He yelled like a madman.

    Albert flinched when he saw his employer¡¯s sudden outburst. Duke De Pole never lost his control before.

    ¡®Well, I cannot me him. With the money the Duke was supposed to earn, we were supposed to buy weapons for it. It¡¯s all the Duke and Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s n.¡¯

    ¡®To go against the magic Tower, they needed to prepare lots and the weapons would help us the most. But now that the Duke lost a fortune thanks to the sea storm, what will happen now?¡¯

    He could only worry.

    He admired Duke De Pole more than anyone.

    That¡¯s why he was desperate to be his assistant.

    He looked at him in concern and asked, ¡°Duke, are you all right? Shall I call the doctor?¡±

    Duke De Pole took his time to reply. He controlled his anger and said, ¡°No, there is no need to call for the doctor. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    As he replied calmly, Albert was relieved. ¡°Then, shall I go and investigate the reason behind the sea storm? Maybe some of the crew are still alive.¡±

    ¡°Crews?¡± Duke De Pole sneered. ¡°They are nothing but worthless ves. Only the captains were my actual henchmen. Now they all died. They are worthless now. Just leave them in the ocean to die.

    ¡°As for Her Majesty, I¡¯ll write a letter to her. We have to give her the unfortunate news.¡±

    ¡°And what about the fortunes you lost?¡± Albert asked.

    Duke De Pole said, ¡°You know me, don¡¯t you Albert? I always have a backup n. Yes, I lost a fortune and I can gain them back. I just need to do some things.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go out. I heard that some products arrived in the capital. We have to check if those products are good enough to sell.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask the coachman to prepare the carriage.¡±

    Albert left Duke De Pole alone.

    He stared at the map that showed all thends he owned. His expression became serious.

    ¡®How did this happen? My partner was always right about the weather. We found the safest route. We always used that route to send the ships.¡¯

    ¡®All the captains were familiar with the route. The ves were working for me for over ten years. Everything was under control.¡¯

    ¡®There was nothing suspicious in the weather. There was no sign of climate change. We knew everything about the ocean and when the storm would start. Then why now?¡¯

    Duke De Pole wrecked his brain to try to figure out why his ships were destroyed. However, nothing came to his mind.

    Then suddenly, something came to his mind.

    Memories.

    The words of the person he met in the morning.

    ¡°You will find out what happens when you insult the Mistress of the Magic Tower. When you do, don¡¯te here to beg.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m unable to do certain things. You have no idea what my position is capable of.¡±

    ¡°Different circumstances? Indeed, we will. That will be very soon.¡±

    It was Mistress Silverstar of the Magic Tower who told him those lines.

    She was calmly threatening him.

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be done by the little Mistress of the Magic Tower, could it?¡± he muttered.

    Chills ran down his spine.

    He recalled how ruthless Arthur, the Master of the Magic Tower, was.

    Arthur killed people without blinking once. He loved bloodbaths. He liked torturing people who harmed society.

    He didn¡¯t ask for forgiveness when he killed the Crown Prince.

    He merely expressed his condolences by sending a letter which was written by Ovior.

    He was bold, ruthless and brave. Nothing could make him scared.

    Duke De Pole thought Arthur¡¯s wife could be his weakness.

    Following the plot, his daughter Evely De Pole disrespected her at the ball.

    To his surprise, Arthur didn¡¯t even lift a figure. Instead, he got a letter from Arthur¡¯s wife, the Mistress of the Magic Tower.

    Some low-quality gold, jewels and silk couldn¡¯t appease her. It all ended with a threat from her.

    And then, his ships were destroyed which was never supposed to happen.

    ¡°This must be it. It was that bitch who destroyed my ships. If I find any clue, I will destroy her for doing something like that.¡±

    He promised with anger rising in his mind.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    ¡°Thank you for the help, Ovior. I knew I could count on you.¡± Veronica was smiling ear to ear.

    Ovior stared at her expressionlessly before replying, ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to harm a bastard. And thanks to your n, I was able to visit the ocean after a long time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my first time in the sea too. I wish Arthur was here,¡± saying that Veronica looked at the ocean. She missed Arthur.

    .....

    Right now, there were in thergest ship that Ovior owned. His father was a merchant and so they still owned some ships.

    After Veronica talked to Duke De Pole, she decided to stick to Arthur¡¯s n.

    Arthur gave her some intel about Duke De Pole¡¯s ships and told her how to sabotage his business.

    At first, she thought it was extreme.

    Since Duke De Pole didn¡¯tpensate her properly for his daughter¡¯s misbehavior, she decided to go with her husband¡¯s n.

    She asked Ovior for help.

    Ovior didn¡¯t have much to do since Catherine and Ironin were helping him.

    Also, Veronica nned to keep the head of the Magic Tower high.

    Thus, he decided to help her. He teleported Veronica, Sebastian and Arthur¡¯s group of assassins to his ship.

    The ship sailed soon. With his magic, he teleported the entire ship to the location where Duke De Pole¡¯s ships were heading.

    Veronica looked at the ships and told Ovior, ¡°Let Duke De Pole see my wrath.¡±

    After that, Ovior used earth magic to create some stones which made the captains of Duke De Pole¡¯s ships move their ships away from the course.

    They never saw anything like that and they got scared.

    After changing the course, they had to face the sea storm. For a decade, they didn¡¯t face any sea storm let alone a fierce storm like that one.

    They couldn¡¯t keep up with the storm. The crews panicked.

    The thunders burned down the g, the main masts and the foremasts.

    There was nothing the crews could do. When the ships were on fire, they had to abandon the ships.

    When Ovior¡¯s ship came, they were over the moon thinking they were rescued.

    Without knowing they were almost dead thanks to Ovior, they keep thanking him, Sebastian and the other assassins.

    Sebastian led them to a dry space and gave them food and water. Unlike the captains, the crews were ves. They never had a proper meal for years.

    When they thought everything was under control, something happened.

 Chapter 456

    Chapter 456: THE CREWS MISSHAP

    When Sebastian and other assassins served meals to the crews, they jumped over the food crazily.

    As ves, they didn¡¯t have a proper meal for decades.

    The smell of the delicious food and the taste of fresh meals reminded them of their good days.

    They cried in joy and thanked Sebastian and others feeling grateful.

    Sebastian left the assassins in charge and went to the Captain¡¯s room. Ovior was there.

    He reported, ¡°Second Master, I¡¯ve done ording to your wish. I left one captain in the sea so that he can swim back to the shore and tell everyone that their ships are destroyed.¡±

    Ovior was looking at a chart. He lifted his face. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll help him to reach his destiny.¡±

    .....

    After that, he used water magic to make strong waves to push that one captain to Tybu. He also sent one shark behind him.

    He made sure the current would take the captain to the shore and the shark would bite him off.

    This way, the captain would die from blood loss and wouldn¡¯t be able to tell people the details of what happened in the ocean.

    Afterward, Ovior warned Sebastian, ¡°Make sure Veronica doesn¡¯t know about this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Second Master.¡± Sebastian bowed.

    He was ready to leave when one of the assassins rushed inside the Captain¡¯s room.

    ¡°Second Master, something has happened. After the crews finished eating, they killed their captains and threw them out in the ocean,¡± he reported.

    ¡°What?¡± Ovior turned around. ¡°And none of you stopped them?¡±

    The assassin replied, ¡°We were ordered not toy a hand on them. We couldn¡¯t stop them unless we knocked them out first.¡±

    Ovior frowned. ¡°Sigh! You all love to give me a headache. Go, call Veronica. I¡¯ll tell her what happened.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Second Master.¡± The assassin followed his order.

    Soon, Veronica came to Ovior. ¡°Ovior, what¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t we going back?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but there is a situation.¡± After that, Ovior told her everything.

    ¡°Such a thing happened?¡± Veronica gasped. ¡°Why did the crews do that?¡±

    Ovior exined it to her, ¡°Apparently, these crews are ves and the captains are... were the thugs who were loyal to Duke De Pole. These thugs tortured the ves by every possible means.

    ¡°The crews couldn¡¯t do anything because they didn¡¯t want to die a painful death. That¡¯s why after they were free from their master, they wanted to get rid of the captains.¡±

    He added, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t me them for being resentful. The thugs needed to pay for their crime.¡±

    ¡°What about the crews? Are they injured?¡± Veronica asked in concern. She no longer thought about the captains.

    Ovior didn¡¯t think it would be that easy to appease her. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Go check yourself. Just don¡¯t use your power.¡±

    ¡°All right!¡± After Veronica left, Sebastian followed her.

    Veronica went to the hall room and found the crews there. She observed the crews.

    Everyone was somewhat injured but none of their injuries were serious.

    The floor was a bloody mess. Since the crews weren¡¯t injured much, she could tell to whom this blood belonged.

    The dead captains.

    One of them came to apologize to her, ¡°Missus, we deeply apologize for ruining your ship. I know you saved us with goodwill but we cannot stay with those sons of bitches. They ruined us in many ways.¡±

    Then, the crew bowed and apologized again.

    Others also bowed and apologized to her.

    Veronica told them, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Please sit down. I¡¯m not here to interrogate you. I need to know if you have any family in Tybu. We will send you to your families one by one.¡±

    The crews looked around but no one answered.

    ¡°Does that mean no one lived in Tybu?¡± Veronica inquired.

    The crews shook their heads.

    ¡°I have a family in Sia. I went to Tybu to find work. Who knew things would turn out this way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from Binavill. I left my child with my elder sister.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from Zenon. I lived there with my family.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from Riverhill.¡±

    One by one, the crew told Veronica where they were from.

    Veronica told them, ¡°Then, I will talk to my friend. The ship belongs to him. He will be able to send you all back. Please wait for further instruction.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,dy!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, missus!¡±

    ¡°You are a lifesaver,dy.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I will finally be able to see my family again! Thank you, miss!¡±

    They all thanked her while wiping their tears.

    Veronica smiled at them. Later, she told Ovior about the situation.

    ¡°This is nothing. I can send them back before they know it,¡± Ovior said.

    Veronica was delighted to hear that. ¡°I will leave it to you then.¡±

    Ovior went to meet the crews in her absence.

    He told them, ¡°Thedy wished for me to let you go to your family and I approved her wish. You have to wait for a while since I cannot send everyone to their families at the same time.

    ¡°It will take some time but I promise I¡¯ll send you back to where you are from. But you have to give me your word that you won¡¯te back to Tybu.

    ¡°Everyone in Tybu believes that you all are dead. If you go there and people recognize you, thedy who requested me to send you to your family will be in danger.

    ¡°Do you want to harm the person who saved your life? She freed you from very. She promised to send you to your family. If you try to hurt her for your selfishness, do you think karma will let you or your family go?¡±

    His cold eyes gazed at the crews. They shivered in fear.

    ¡°No, no, we don¡¯t want them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best for us that people know we are dead. At least, Duke De Pole won¡¯t send people to look for us. We can go back to our families.¡±

    The crews agreed.

    ¡°But what about a job?¡± a crew voiced his opinion. ¡°I need a job to provide for my family. Who knows if they are alive until now.¡±

    He wept when he thought about his poor family.

    ¡°I can give you a job. A proper job with a ce to live and eat. You can also bring your family there,¡± Ovior suggested.

    The crews looked at him in surprise. But soon, they looked at him warily. They didn¡¯t believe him.

    If it was Veronica, they would believe her. She looked so kind and gentle. She was concerned about them

    However, this guy with long hair was different.

    The moment he came inside, he threatened them.

    How could they believe him?

    Ovior became irritated by their attitude.

    ¡®Just whose ship they think they are in?!¡¯ he thought in anger.

    But he decided not to shove the anger on them.

    He calmed down and said, ¡°My ship will send you to your kingdoms. You will have one month to prepare yourself. The ship will wait for you in the port.

    ¡°It will leave the port on time whether you are there or not. The ce you will go is a vastnd with fertile soil. You have to produce rice and wheat and grow vegetables and fruit.

    ¡°Forty percent of the food you produce will be for you and your family and the rest will be taken by me. At the same time, you will be paid for your hard work.

    ¡°If you want to take the job, you are wee. If you don¡¯t want to take the job, you have to forget what I told you and never return.

    ¡°If you stand in my way or if your action harms thedy who requested me to offer you a better life, I will not let you be. Mark my words.¡±

    After he left, the crews talked among themselves.

    ¡°Is that a good idea?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Sounds like a trap to me.¡±

    ¡°It seems too good to be true. After what happened with Duke De Pole, I don¡¯t want to face another betrayal.¡±

    ¡°But they saved us...¡±

    ¡°So what they saved us? What if they saved us to turn me and my family into ves for the rest of our lives? I¡¯ve suffered enough. My old parents can¡¯t take this struggle.¡±

    While they debated, Ovior sat on the chair and leaned against the soft pillow.

    ¡°Thank you for doing so much for me. I owe you one,¡± Veronica said.

    Ovior shut his eyes and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I won¡¯t help them without anything in return. I have my ns too.¡±

    ¡°n?¡± Veronica became curious. She probed further, ¡°What n?¡±

    Ovior told her, ¡°I have an ind. I want to send the crews there to work and bring profit for me.¡±

    Veronica honestly said, ¡°I think it is a good idea. At least they will have a job. They can live well.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would say that. We could easily use these ves to tear off Duke De Pole¡¯s mask. But they soon will be known as mysteriously dead in the sea storm. So, what¡¯s your next move?¡±

 Chapter 457

    Chapter 457: THE DUKE¡¯S PLAN TO RECOVER

    ¡°I knew you would say that. We could easily use these ves to tear off Duke De Pole¡¯s mask. But they soon will be known as mysteriously dead in the sea storm. So, what¡¯s your next move?¡±

    Upon hearing Ovior¡¯s question, Veronica stayed silent for a while.

    Then, she told him the truth, ¡°I actually didn¡¯t think I¡¯de this far. This was Arthur¡¯s idea. I don¡¯t know what to do next. Maniptive ideas aren¡¯t my thing, you know.

    ¡°I wish I could get Arthur¡¯s help but he is busy with the investigation. And it just doesn¡¯t seem right to rely on him every single time.

    ¡°It was me who was willing to be a proper Mistress. A proper Mistress relies on her own strength, not seeking help from her husband.

    ¡°First, let¡¯s just take care of the ves. Sebastian and I will handle this job. You can do your work in the meaning. While helping the ves, I¡¯lle up with an idea.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± After that, Ovior didn¡¯t say anything.

    .....

    The next day, the news of Duke De Pole¡¯s ships being destroyed in the storm reached the whole kingdom.

    ¡°Did you hear the news? Dule De Pole just went to meet the Mistress of the Magic Tower and that night his ships were all gone under the ocean.¡±

    ¡°I heard that he insulted the Mistress of the Magic Tower and was kicked out.¡±

    ¡°It must be karma after everything he has done.¡±

    ¡°Goddess punishes the bad people even if it¡¯ste.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the Mistress who did it.¡±

    ¡°What will happen to him now?¡±

    The nobles were whispering about Duke De Pole everywhere.

    As for Duke De Pole, he shut himself in his study room in his mansion.

    ¡°Albert, I want you to go through the amount I earnedst time. We will use that money in order to invest more,¡± the Duke instructed.

    Albert was wiping his face. He stated, ¡°But Duke, that amount of money was already spent on the ball the Duchess organizedst week.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? How much money costs to organize an evening ball? Are you joking with me?!¡± Duke De Poleshed out.

    Albert trembled. He had never seen the Duke be this angry before.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m telling you the truth. The Duchess always holds the most expensive ball since Her Majesty the Queen always attends the parties.¡±

    Duke De Pole frowned. He knew the reason for thevish lifestyle of his family.

    They nevercked money and so they never cared how much they spent.

    However, this time, it was different. Duke De Pole lost so much in this ident.

    The ships were carrying millions of gold coins worth of goods. Everything was gone.

    Therefore, the report about thevish expenses made his mood worse.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about this. Tell the Duchess that there won¡¯t be any balls from now on. I need the money to buy more ships and hire more crews. Damn those ves are gone. Need to buy more of them.¡±

    ¡°Duke, then shall I go to the ve trader¡¯s center to buy more ves?¡± Albert inquired after great difficulty.

    Dule De pole raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Buy ves? Heh, do you think we have enough money to buy a hundred of them? Better collect some from the streets. Send some men to educate them. Prepare them within a month.

    ¡°As for money, we have to find another way. Increase the tax on the richnds by 50%. Raise a 30% tax on the poornds. Whether people live or die, it¡¯s their business.

    ¡°There will be no parties, no extra expenses, no extra hiring. To get more goods, we need to send raw materials to the factories. Otherwise, we won¡¯t have anything to export next month.¡±

    Albert listened to the instructions diligently. ¡°Duke, what about we ask some friends of yours to invest in the shipment?¡±

    ¡°You want my friends to invest?¡± Duke De Pole pondered for some time. ¡°We can do that. I will write them letters as soon as possible.¡±

    Albert¡¯s eyes lit up. He was always happy to help his master.

    Before he left, he mentioned, ¡°Duke, everyone is saying that it¡¯s because you insulted the Mistress of the Magic Tower that this ident urred. Do you think...¡±

    He was too afraid to finish the sentence.

    Duke De Pole heard his theory and sneered.

    ¡°That woman? What can she do? We just talked yesterday and she attacked us on the same day? How could she prepare in a short moment?¡±

    Albert couldn¡¯t be at ease just because Duke De Pole looked down on Veronica.

    He said, ¡°Duke, she is the Mistress of the Magic Tower. With magic...¡±

    With magic, anything could happen in the blink of an eye, much less within a day.

    However, Duke De Pole didn¡¯t believe that. He shook his head.

    ¡°I heard that the son of a bitch, Arthur, is out of town. Without his support or approval, how can she use magicians as she pleases?

    ¡°Moreover, I heard that she was an ordinary girl from an ordinary family. I also met her. She doesn¡¯t have an ounce of mana in her body. She can¡¯t use magic. It¡¯s not in her blood.¡±

    He nced over at his assistant¡¯s face and added, ¡°This storm happened out of blue. You sent men to figure out how the ident happened, didn¡¯t you?

    ¡°Once the result is out, you will know that stupid woman has nothing to do with this. Now focus on the tasks I gave you.¡±

    ¡°Yes... Duke...¡± Albert said no more.

    After Albert left, Duke De Pole stared at the door. His mind was unfocused.

    He thought about how Veronica looked at him when she promised that she would deal with him for the insults.

    ¡®Could she be... nah, she is just a na?ve woman to warm Arthur¡¯s bed. She is nothing special.¡¯

    He brushed off all suspicions he had about Veronica.

    A weekter, another devastating news came to him.

 Chapter 458

    Chapter 458: THE SECOND LASH OUT

    That day Albert came running to Duke De Pole¡¯s study.

    ¡°Duke...¡± he panted hard, ¡°The people are rebelling. They are on strike. They refused to pay the tax.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Duke De Pole mmed the table.

    Albert gulped. ¡°Duke... I¡¯ve already passed the news to all the territories and told them to increase the tax.

    ¡°But their leaders disapproved. They said that this year they couldn¡¯t grow enough crops. So...¡±

    ¡°So, they can¡¯t pay more taxes?! Rubbish!¡± Duke De Pole¡¯s face turned red in anger.

    Albert said, ¡°The current tax was already too much for them. The field expert said that the main reason the crops were hard to harvest this year was that they didn¡¯t have enough seeds to buy after paying taxes.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Not enough seeds?¡± Duke De Pole sneered. ¡°There was enough when my men went to collect taxesst season.¡±

    ¡°Duke, the people in thends have to eat,¡± Albert reminded him.

    ¡°That¡¯s all excuses. I don¡¯t want to hear any excuses. If they refuse to pay, I just have to snatch what belongs to me.¡±

    Duke De Pole¡¯s eyes glowed in fury.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    ¡°Was this your n?¡± Darius looked at Veronica.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Veronica feigned ignorance.

    ¡°The rebels,¡± Darius mentioned.

    ¡°What are you saying? What could I have done? It was the Duke who pushed his people to the edge and they had no other choice other than to rebel. They have to survive.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s logic was on point. Darius couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Zinnia put down her ss and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

    ¡°Veronica, I came homete the night before yesterday,¡± she said.

    Veronica looked at her. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I went to talk to Ovior but he wasn¡¯t at his office.¡± Zinnia¡¯s blue eyes were fixed on her.

    Veronica said, ¡°He could be in his room...

    ¡°But he wasn¡¯t there either,¡± Zinnia finished her sentence. ¡°Then, as usual, I went to guard you in your room but you weren¡¯t present. Both of you were just gone.

    ¡°Then, I saw you in the morning. You had dark circles under your eyes. I know you weren¡¯t cheating on Arthur with Ovior. There must be something else.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Felix, Darius and Catherine looked at Veronica.

    ¡°Ahem!¡± Veronica cleared her throat.

    The day before yesterday, Sebastian came to Veronica with urgent news.

    ¡°Are you saying that Duke De Pole wants to raise the tax because he needs money for the next business?¡± Veronica stared at him.

    Sebastian replied, ¡°Yes, the people in hisnds are already suffering. If the tax increases this time, they will starve to death.¡±

    Veronica creased her eyebrows.

    ¡°This is bad. My greed to punish the Duke is hurting innocent people. Why didn¡¯t I see this oue?¡± shemented.

    She was in deep thought.

    The guilt ate her as she felt bad for the people who were barely alive after paying high taxes.

    She was mortified thinking of the future scenario.

    She looked at Sebastian and asked, ¡°Do you have any financial records of Duke De Pole¡¯snds?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Sebastian remembered something and then shared, ¡°Second Master Ovior has a hobby of collecting those records of manynds. If you want, I can ask him.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go talk to him. Thank you for notifying me.¡±

    Afterward, Veronica went to Ovior¡¯s office.

    He was working there alone. Catherine wasn¡¯t present.

    As soon as he saw Veronica he said, ¡°What are you here for? I thought you were busy working.¡±

    ¡°Ovior, I heard something terrible. It¡¯s all my fault...¡± Veronica told him what she found out.

    Ovior didn¡¯t change his expression. ¡°It¡¯s nothing new. He had done it before when his son was born and also after he went to school. His excuse was that his son needed the best education and the best life in the empire.¡±

    ¡°You knew this would happen?!¡± Veronica stared at him in disbelief.

    Ovior had nothing to hide.

    ¡°Yes, as a matter of fact, I also knew what kind of reaction you would have after learning the truth. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell you anything. Or else, you wouldn¡¯t want to destroy the ships.¡±

    Veronica felt weak on her knees. She sat on the couch and covered her face.

    She muttered, ¡°This is all my fault. Innocent people are suffering because of me.¡±

    ¡°Do you wish to help them?¡± Ovior asked while working on some papers.

    Veronica lifted her head. ¡°How can I help them? I want to do everything I can to amend.¡±

    ¡°If you help them, you will indirectly help Duke De Pole,¡± Ovior reminded her.

    Veronica said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. I have to do something for them.¡±

    ¡°Fine, after lunch, we will check out some territories which belong to Duke De Pole,¡± Ovior responded with his usual poker face. ¡°You can inspect the areas at first and understand their problems and needs before taking any action.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Thank you, Ovior!¡±

    As he promised, after Veronica, Sebastian and Ironin gathered around at Ovior¡¯s office, he teleported them to the worst territory the duke owned.

    Veronica scanned the deste area and shuddered.

    People were lying here and there. They were so thin that the curves of their bones were shown through their skin.

    ¡°It¡¯s like famine struck them,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve seen worse but this is just the worst. How is Duke De Pole managing his territory?¡±

    ¡°Who said he managed anything?¡± Ovior scoffed. ¡°All his henchmen did his job. Duke De Pole is too busy sucking the Queen.¡±

    ¡°How can they be treated so terribly? Aren¡¯t they paying five hundred gold coins per season? How can they do that?¡± Veronica was confused.

    ¡°Even if Mistress wants to me herself, you mustn¡¯t because it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Sebastian told her. ¡°They have been treated badly for years since Duke De Pole got his title.¡±

    While the group was marching forward, a little boy around five years old rushed forward.

    ¡°Water... water please...¡± he begged with thirst in his eyes.

    Veronica¡¯s heart twisted in pain for the child. Without a second thought, she offered her water pouch to him.

    ¡°You can have it,¡± she said.

    The child was stunned at first, he thought he was going to be kicked by the ferocious men around the woman.

    He snatched the water pouch from Veronica and ran away.

    ¡°Let me take you to another territory,¡± Ovior said.

    After that, he teleported the whole group to another area.

    Looking at the situation in the next territory, Veronica was shocked.

 Chapter 459

    Chapter 459: TYRANNY

    When Ovior took them to another ce, Veronica was shocked.

    Some of Duke De Pole¡¯s henchmen gathered in the vige. They started asking for taxes.

    ¡°Where the heck is tax? Do you think we have enough time to stay here? This ce is such a dirty ce. I want to puke. Hurry up and get me the money.¡±

    One of the henchmen ordered the vigers.

    The vigers gathered but they didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. They kept their heads low.

    The vige head came forward. He was an old man around eighty years old.

    He stood in front of the henchmen and said, ¡°The news was sudden. We didn¡¯t have enough time to prepare. Please give us more time.¡±

    .....

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Do you think our Duke has time for your bullshit? You have to pay back right now or you must be punished.¡±

    The henchman didn¡¯t take ¡®no¡¯ for an answer.

    ¡°Please, we have our families to feed.¡±

    The old man wasn¡¯t someone who would beg but he tried to be as humble as possible.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t pay money, you better pay with your life.¡±

    As soon as the henchman said that, he kicked the vige head¡¯s chest.

    The old man was tough but not strong enough to take a burly man¡¯s kick.

    He was thrown away. The kick was too much for his old body. He couldn¡¯t take it. He coughed blood.

    ¡°Elder!¡±

    The vigers screamed in terror.

    One of them came forward to help him but he was kicked away and then with a single stroke, his back was sliced open.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    The man shouted in agony but his scream was drowned by the screams of the vigers.

    Veronica shuddered as she witnessed the scene.

    The man¡¯s wife rushed forward and embraced her husband who was covered in blood.

    ¡°Honey! Honey! Please talk to me!¡± she wailed and called for him.

    The man was coughing blood. He couldn¡¯t talk. His dimmed eyes stared at his wife. Tears rolled down his left eye.

    While the vigers¡¯ hearts broke seeing the newly wedded couple in misery, the henchmen seemed to enjoy the show.

    ¡°Hey, look at the woman. She is quite a beauty. Shall we have some fun with her?¡± one of them asked his fellows.

    ¡°Why not? Let¡¯s have some fun while we are working. The Duke didn¡¯t say we can¡¯t have fun,¡± one of them approved.

    The henchman who sliced the woman¡¯s husband stepped forward and grabbed the woman¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Beauty, why bother with a dead man? y with us!¡± he said with a grin.

    The woman noticed that he felt no remorse for killing her husband. She red at him with hatred and spat on his face.

    The henchmenughed hard watching the scene.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she a feisty girl?¡±

    ¡°I love feisty girls.¡±

    The henchman who grabbed the woman¡¯s arm couldn¡¯tugh like his fellows.

    ¡°I like feisty girls too but don¡¯t like them spitting on my face,¡± saying that he wiped his face and pped the woman hard.

    Then, he said, ¡°That¡¯s what you get spitting on my face. Now I¡¯ll show you what you get by messing with me.¡±

    After that, he tore the woman¡¯s dress. The woman shouted and called for help but no one dared to step forward

    The henchman was trying to spread her legs when he suddenly felt a gust of wind passing his back.

    Before he could react, his two arms were sliced off.

    The blood sprayed on the woman.

    The sudden turn of events stunned the woman. She stopped moving. She didn¡¯t dare to make a sound.

    Instead, the man who was trying to rape her cried out in pain.

    He forgot about the woman and stood up hastily.

    ¡°Ahh! My hands!!!¡± he cried pitifully.

    His fellow henchmen were astounded by this incident.

    They were looking at the woman who was about to be raped. They didn¡¯t notice the attackers.

    ¡°Who? Who did this?¡±

    The henchmen looked around cautiously.

    ¡°Are you looking for me?¡±

    A cold voice asked, sending chills down their spines.

    They instantly turned around and saw a skinny woman with a bloody sword. She had fair skin. Her red hair was like fire. Her emerald green eyes were like jewels.

    Veronica coldly stared at them.

    ¡°You have picked up the wrong ce to mess up,¡± she said.

    Ovior, Ironin and Sebastian dumbly stared at her. Never in a million years did they think Veronica would bloody her hand.

    Not only did she draw her sword but also, she sliced off a man¡¯s hands. She didn¡¯t show an ounce of hesitance.

    And then, her emerald eyes, which always showered love and kindness, looked at the henchmen void of emotion.

    It was like she was ready to kill them all.

    Her movement was swift, light and yet strong.

    A normal warrior wouldn¡¯t be a match for her strength.

    No matter how long she practiced swordsmanship, her skills weren¡¯t something that could be easily obtained just from training.

    And the way she sliced a person¡¯s hand without hesitation, it didn¡¯t look like it was her first time.

    Ovior, Sebastian and Ironin held their breath.

    While one henchman rolled in the mud with his bloody hands, the other three henchmen stared at Veronica.

    If it was another time, they would lust after her body. However, they couldn¡¯t do it right now. Terror and anger filled their hearts.

    One of them gritted his teeth. ¡°You bitch! Do you know who we are? How dare you!¡±

    He drew his sword and then rushed forward. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you bitch!¡±

    He strike his sword and with a ¡®ng¡¯ metal sound, his sword was blocked by Veronica¡¯s sword.

    ¡°If you want money, you should have done that. You shouldn¡¯t have harassed innocent people,¡± Veronica told him.

    The henchman sneered. ¡°So what will you do if we do whatever we want? What can you do?¡±

    Veronica narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°I can take your arms and legs and leave the rest to the vigers. What can you do without your arms?¡±

 Chapter 460

    Chapter 460: CHOP THE HANDS

    ¡°I can take your arms and legs and leave the rest to the vigers. What can you do without your arms?¡±

    The henchman¡¯s eyes constricted when he heard her question.

    He recalled how she sliced off his fellow¡¯s hands. He couldn¡¯t help but shudder.

    ¡°Not happening. I will kill you before you can look at my arms,¡± he said.

    The other two henchmen shouted from the back.

    ¡°Yes, get that bitch. Show her what will happen if she messes with the Duke¡¯s men.¡±

    ¡°Kill her! Finish her off!¡±

    .....

    The henchman with the sword smirked. ¡°Hear that? I have two men with me and you are all alone. What can you do?¡±

    Veronica wasn¡¯t scared of his threat.

    She muttered, ¡°If I can¡¯t defeat you, I¡¯ll just kill you. It¡¯s easier. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    Her voice was low and cold. The vigers or the other two henchmen didn¡¯t hear her.

    However, along with the henchman who was fighting her, Ovior, Ironin and Sebastian heard her.

    Ovior was speechless. ¡°Am I hearing this correctly? Did I hear it from her mouth?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong. She indeed said that,¡± Ironin confirmed his suspicions.

    ¡°Why does she look like a different person? It¡¯s like she haspletely changed. I¡¯ve never seen her like this,¡± Sebastian whispered as though he was scared to speak loudly.

    ¡°I bet Arthur hasn¡¯t seen this sight of her. If he knew, he would freak out,¡± Ovior stated.

    They weren¡¯t exaggerating when they expressed their concern.

    They had known Veronica as the kindest woman in the world.

    She was so caring to the point sometimes she acted like a fool.

    Just a few days ago she was whining not to kill the innocent children of the enemies. She argued with Arthur about this topic.

    However, today, what they had witnessed was beyond their imagination.

    She didn¡¯t look like the usual kind Veronica who was worldly recognized as the blessed child.

    She looked like a warrior who came to save the vigers from the disaster.

    The vigers and Ovior, Ironin and Sebastian watched the duel in silence.

    The voices of two henchmen slowly died down as they saw their fellow was being beaten by a woman with a sword.

    Veronica and the other henchman¡¯s swords shed several times.

    The fight wasn¡¯t as intense as she expected. The henchman wasn¡¯t as skilled as she anticipated.

    While she was trained by warrior elves and the most powerful warriors like Ironin, Zinnia, Darius and Roxana, the henchman was rather a street fighter.

    He probably learned swordsmanship from a lousy swordsman. His skill wasn¡¯t near Veronica¡¯s.

    With another three moves, Veronica made him drop his sword.

    The sharp de of her sword touched his neck.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose this neck of yours, leave with your people and never return. Tell the Duke that there won¡¯t be any moneying from this vige.¡±

    Her voice was loud and clear. Everyone heard her.

    The other two henchmen dashed forward when they saw their leader was defeated.

    They didn¡¯t care about honor in a duel. They didn¡¯t give a damn who was the winner.

    They had to attack Veronica and kill her before she could trouble anyone.

    However, they were blocked by Sebastian and Ironin.

    ¡°That¡¯s how far you will go,¡± Ironin coldly warned them.

    As they hesitated to stare at his cold eyes, Sebastian threatened, ¡°If you want a fight, I¡¯ll give you a bloody fight. Trust me.¡±

    The henchmen understood that their opponent wasn¡¯t someone they could easily deal with.

    If the woman was alone, they had a chance but the woman had twopanions who didn¡¯t look easy.

    Therefore, they didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer. They took their injured henchman with them.

    The vigers cheered. They praised the bravery of the young woman who came to their rescue.

    However, the vige head was gravely injured and the brave man who went to save him was barely breathing.

    Veronica quickly went forward and touched his hand to understand his situation. His hand was ice cold.

    ¡°He lost too much blood,¡± she mumbled.

    His wife was sitting close to him, crying her heart out.

    ¡°He is still alive,¡± Ovior stated the man¡¯s situation while examining his pulse.

    He looked at Veronica and asked her, ¡°Can you heal him?¡±

    ¡°Are you a healer?¡± The man¡¯s wife nced at Veronica with expectation. ¡°Please, please heal him. I want nothing more than that. Just please heal him.¡±

    ¡°I will try. I can¡¯t guarantee that I¡¯ll be sessful. He lost too much blood.¡±

    Veronica licked her dry lips nervously. Then, she closed her eyes and focused on her power.

    Slowly, a yellow ray came out of her palms.

    The wound was deep. It took minutes to heal his back.

    Veronica¡¯s body turned cold when he waspletely healed.

    Her head spun. Sebastian quickly caught her.

    ¡°Mistress...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Veronica forbade him to use a proper title to address her.

    The man¡¯s injuries were healed. He soon opened his eyes. His wife cried in happiness.

    ¡°Thank you, miss. Thank you for saving my husband and me.¡±

    She bowed to Veronica again and again while thanking her.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Please don¡¯t bow to me. Where is the elder?¡± Veronica looked around.

    ¡°He was taken to his room,¡± Ovior replied. ¡°He was heavily injured after all.¡±

    ¡°Take me there. I need to heal him before he suffers more.¡± With Sebastian¡¯s help, Veronica got up.

    ¡°You can barely walk,¡± Ovior muttered but he didn¡¯t stop her.

    After healing the vige head, Veronica didn¡¯t have an ounce of energy left.

    The vigers let Veronica stay in the best house so that she could get some rest. They even served meals for her and herpanions.

    Veronica rested in the bed while Ovior, Ironin and Sebastian were sitting on the chairs.

    ¡°Veronica, would you like to tell me what you have done out there tonight?¡± Ovior mentioned it first.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Veronica asked. Her eyes were shut as she rested.

    ¡°You sliced a man¡¯s hands,¡± Ovior reminded her.

    ¡°Why? Did you think I can¡¯t do it?¡± Veronica smirked.

    Ovior stated, ¡°That¡¯s not the point. You are the kindest person I know. You don¡¯t like the idea of people getting hurt.¡±

    ¡°People, Ovior, people. The man¡¯s hands I sliced and the man I fought weren¡¯t people. They were worse than animals. They are monsters. I don¡¯t mind chopping off a monster¡¯s hand and saving a human.¡±

    When Veronica calmly exined her theory, the other three quietly stared at her.

    ¡°What happened to you when you were gone for months?¡±

 Chapter 461

    Chapter 461: LET ARTHUR KNOW

    ¡°What happened to you when you were gone for months?¡±

    At Ovior¡¯s question, Veronica simply opened her eyes and turned to look at him.

    ¡°Nothing that you should be concerned about,¡± she calmly said.

    Ovior fixed his sses. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m criticizing you. I¡¯m not saying I started hating you for hurting that guy. He deserved it.

    ¡°I want to know how the girl who even forgave her enemy cut off a man¡¯s hands.¡±

    ¡°I just did it. It¡¯s not a big deal. You can tell Arthur about it. I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s not like I wanted to hide anything from him anyway,¡± Veronica nonchntly said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Master won¡¯t freak out,¡± Sebastian did his best to ease Veronica.

    .....

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly when he will freak out,¡± Ovior muttered.

    Sebastian: ¡°...¡±

    Veronica: ¡°...¡±

    An awkward silence fell in the room.

    As if to save them from the awkwardness, the vige head came to the room.

    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not bothering your rest,¡± he said.

    Veronica got up and sat on the chair.

    She answered, ¡°Not at all. Are you feeling well enough to walk?¡±

    The vige head replied, ¡°Never been better. Your wonderful power makes me feel young. Thank you, mydy. What can I do for you?¡±

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. ¡°What can you do for me? Nothing. I¡¯m not here to ask for a favor. I was here just to inspect. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get involved in your problem.

    ¡°But I am curious to know what your next step will be. Are you going to bow down to the duke who is the sole reason for your sufferings or are you going to rebel?¡±

    ¡°Rebel?¡± The vige head shook. ¡°Mydy, we don¡¯t have the luxury to rebel.¡±

    Veronica crossed her arms. ¡°From what I see, you don¡¯t have the luxury to follow his order.

    ¡°How long do you think you can keep it up? A month? A year? In my opinion, you won¡¯tst six months.¡±

    The vige head had a glum expression. ¡°What can we do other than following orders?¡±

    Veronica simply said, ¡°Rebel. Don¡¯t give in. You have to fight for your rights. What has the duke ever given you that you have to give him back?

    ¡°Life is about give and take. If the duke collects tax from you, he has to spend that money to develop yournd. Did he do that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± the vige head denied. ¡°He sent soldiers to protect our borders.¡±

    Veronica furrowed her eyebrows.

    ¡°Other than sending some thugs to collect taxes, what else are they capable of? Raping and killing? Are you satisfied with it?¡±

    The vige head said, ¡°We have to get used to it eventually...¡±

    Veronica chuckled. ¡°I thought you were wiser than this. If you get used to it, your children and grandchildren won¡¯t have a future here. Thisnd will perish.

    ¡°However, if you rebel and be free from Duke De Pole, yournd will flourish and your family will have a future.

    ¡°Think about what I just said. It¡¯s your life, your family, yournd. I have nothing to do with it.¡±

    After speaking her mind, she signaled herpanions to move out.

    Sebastian walked behind her and asked in a low tone, ¡°Mistress, are you okay to leave?¡±

    Veronica replied, ¡°I want to go check othernds before going home. I can¡¯t let Duke De Pole do whatever he pleases anymore.¡±

    That night, they roamed around from onend to anothernd. They took care of the duke¡¯s henchmen and encouraged the people to rebel.

    By the time they came home, it was dawn.

    Veronica slept till noon and headed to the dining hall.

    She wanted to have a peaceful brunch when she faced the interrogation.

    ¡°Well?¡± Zinnia looked at her curiously.

    Veronica gulped. ¡°It has nothing to do with me. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°No, we want to trust you but I don¡¯t believe people will rebel on their own. Someone must have encouraged them,¡± Felix said.

    Veronica shrugged.

    ¡°I just happened to tell them that they will die at this rate. They need to do something if they want to survive. I guess they took my advice seriously.

    Catherine was stunned when she heard it.

    She said, ¡°And you say it¡¯s not your fault. You are 100% behind this rebellion.¡±

    Veronica frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t use me, I¡¯m innocent.¡±

    Catherine shook her head.

    ¡°I had a feeling it was you. In the temple, you are the only rebellious child. Sister Josephine grew old because you worried her so much.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I deliberately rebelled. I just wanted more fun. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look for excuses. We know you are a troublemaker,¡± Catherine said.

    Othersughed.

    Later in the evening, Veronica was wiping her wet hair.

    ¡®What should I do next?¡¯ she wondered. ¡®What will Duke De Pole do now? Will he try to stop the rebels?¡¯

    She was pondering so hard that she didn¡¯t notice a figure teleporting into her bedroom.

    She was about to put the towel on the hanger when she was embraced by a pair of strong arms.

    She wanted to move away when a familiar scent engulfed her.

    She smiled and hugged the arms back.

    ¡°You scared me,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°You are the one who scared me,¡± Arthur muttered in a low tone.

    Veronica chuckled, amused by his usation.

    ¡°How did I scare you?¡± she asked.

    She couldn¡¯t move her head since Arthur¡¯s face was ced against hers.

    ¡°I heard what happenedst night,¡± he told her.

    ¡°And? Are you mad at me?¡± Veronica inquired.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m so scared that I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± Arthur stated.

    Truthfully, she was ready to face his anger. She had a feeling that he would order more bodyguards to guard her.

    If that happened, she would challenge Arthur to a duel.

    If she won, she would tell him that she no longer needed a bodyguard. If she lost, then she would agree to whatever he insisted.

    However, what he said surprised her.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, feeling curious. ¡°Why are you scared?¡±

 Chapter 462

    Chapter 462: ARTHUR¡¯S WORRY

    ¡°No, I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m so scared that I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± Arthur muttered

    Veronica found his behavior strange. ¡°What do you mean? Why are you scared?¡±

    Arthur tightened his grip around her when he heard her question. Then, he let out a deep breath.

    ¡°Nica, are you okay?¡± he asked in a worried tone.

    Veronica answered in a light tone, ¡°If you are talking aboutst night¡¯s incident, I¡¯m perfectly fine. They are too unskilled to leave a scratch on my body.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that.¡± Arthur took a deep breath and then continued, ¡°I mean your heart.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Veronica covered her mouth. Her whole body shook as she tried to hide herughter.

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± Arthur seemed serious.

    Veronica controlled herughter and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean tough. I never thought you would be scared of anything.¡±

    Arthur responded with a solemn expression, ¡°I¡¯m scared that you might leave me.¡±

    ¡°Did I say that I would?¡± Veronica pushed him as she wanted distance between them.

    ¡°Enough whining. Go and take a bath. You must be exhausted running around. I¡¯ll wait for you in bed. Do you want dinner? I can ask the chef to serve you a simple dinner.¡±

    ¡°No need. I¡¯m not hungry.¡± After that, Arthur went to the bathroom.

    When he was done, he came to the bedroom and found Veronica on the bed.

    With the tablemp on, she was reading a map.

    Arthur wasn¡¯t the slightest interested in the map she was holding. Rather he came to bed and hugged her waist.

    Then, he put his head on her shoulder and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t protect you well.¡±

    Veronica was startled by his apology.

    The Arthur he knew was like a king who ruled the most powerful people on earth. All magicians were under hismand.

    He could change a kingdom with a single flick.

    For him to apologize was something Veronica could hardly imagine.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I hid things from you and you ran away thinking I cheated on you. After that, you lead a harsh life. It¡¯s because of my negligence that you had to learn to dirty your hands.¡±

    Guilt overwhelmed his mind. His heart felt heavy.

    When Veronica heard hisment, she looked at him directly. ¡°Dirty my hands? Now you hate me for that?¡±

    Arthur straightened his back. Afterward, took her hand and kissed her fingers in response.

    Then, he said, ¡°There is no way I could never do that. I saw you as a pure and humble being. I wanted to protect you so that you never had to touch impurity.

    ¡°It¡¯s all on me. I¡¯m at fault. I¡¯m not good enough to protect you.¡±

    He wanted to take all the me. He regretted his decision when she went missing that night.

    However, now he felt like he could never look her in the eyes.

    If he didn¡¯t hide things from her, she wouldn¡¯t run away and wouldn¡¯t do something she hated doing.

    He never wanted her to face what he had faced in his childhood.

    Killing people wasn¡¯t something a soft-hearted person could do in a sane mind.

    He could imagine how desperate and helpless she was when she decided to kill the first person in her life.

    He could also feel her pain and guilt as the killing event haunted her day and night.

    ¡®How can I not understand her sufferings when I was in her ce too,¡¯ he thought while reminiscing about his harsh, bloody childhood.

    Veronica agreed with his theory. ¡°In a way, you are right. I knew attacking a human isn¡¯t something to be proud of but that¡¯s survival.

    ¡°There are people out there who enjoy people¡¯s sufferings. If you want to live a life, you have to hurt those people. I had nightmares for months after I killed a man.

    ¡°Even though I was suffering, I had to kill more bandits before they could attack an innocent family. I felt guilty to the point I couldn¡¯t sleep. People thanked me for saving them but I didn¡¯t feel better.

    ¡°Deep down I knew that I was wrong. Even though I had to save people, I had to find a way not to hurt the bad people. But sometimes, it was easy to slice your enemy. Later, I couldn¡¯t take this anymore.

    ¡°That¡¯s when someone told me ¨C if I ever suffer because I killed a bad man, think that person wasn¡¯t a human; just a worthless worm ¨C that lesson helped me a lot.

    ¡°Now, I just epted fate and got used to it. I don¡¯t suffer anymore.¡±

    When she described, Arthur wanted nothing more than to take her memory of that period.

    He felt even worse because Veronica didn¡¯t me him. She calmly epted her guilt and didn¡¯t use others to reduce her pain.

    Her maturity was admirable but he knew how much she had to suffer to stay rational.

    It was something he never wanted for her. That¡¯s why he could only me himself for letting her face all that alone.

    He muttered, ¡°If I could only protect you...¡±

    Veronica touched his lips, blocking him from stating the rest of the worst.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to protect myself. I understand that everything you wanted to do for me was for my own good.

    ¡°I wish you were with me so that I didn¡¯t have to kill. I don¡¯t want to be selfish. I wanted to learn about the world and now I know. So, stop feeling guilty about it.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s not that easy,¡± Arthur whispered.

    Veronica smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not. Even so, we have to make it easy, don¡¯t we? Or how will we be able to live for long?¡±

    Arthur hugged her tightly and ced his head on the nape of her neck.

    Veronica wasn¡¯t used to seeing him acting like that. She stroked his arms tenderly, doing her best to reduce his self-reproach.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    The next day, Arthur went to his office with a solemn expression. After that, he called for an emergency meeting.

    Oivor dropped his work and came to his office. Ironin, Darius, Felix and Zinnia came as well.

    Noticing Arthur¡¯s grave expression, everyone was quiet. They put on a serious face. The temperature of the room was chilling.

    Finally, he opened his mouth. ¡°We have to do something.¡±

    Ovior instantly said, ¡°If it¡¯s about Duke De Pole, I¡¯ll handle the matters of viges. The Magic Tower will approve of freends that don¡¯t have to pay tax to any lords. They will have an ambassador who will send the money to the King.¡±

    Felix asked, ¡°What if the ambassador is a bastard? If he takes half of the money and tells the King that the vige didn¡¯t send any money?¡±

    Ovior exined, ¡°That¡¯s why this time it will be different. There will be an Imperial Official who will be there when the ambassador collects the money.

    ¡°There will be 4 money receipts with them. Four receipts will be sealed by the three of them. One will stay with the vige head, another one with the ambassador and another one with the Imperial Official.

    ¡°Thest one will go to the King. So, even if someone wants to use, it will be invalid since the vigers have proof to prove their innocence.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fascinating!¡± Darius was impressed.

    Zinnia stated, ¡°If thends are going to rebel, Duke De Pole will try to control them. He doesn¡¯t have enough funds to hire more people to fight against the people of all hisnds. He might ask for the Queen¡¯s help.¡±

    Felix agreed. ¡°Sure, he will. That¡¯s when Arthur needs to warn the King and the Crown Prince to keep an eye on the Queen.

    ¡°Once the Imperial Guards are involved, no one can rebel anymore. And we don¡¯t want that. Duke De Pole has to end his reign.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about this,¡± Arthur interrupted their conversation.

    All of them turned toward him.

    ¡®So, why did he call us?¡¯ they wondered.

    He slowly mentioned, ¡°It¡¯s Ver. We need to do something about her.¡±

    Everyone exchanged nces. Zinnia, Darius and Felix already found out about the chopped hands incident.

    ¡®Does he want to control her?¡¯ everyone pondered.

    Darius licked his lips. ¡°Hey man, I know you want to do something but I wish you don¡¯t. She just acted the way she thought would be best in that situation. Don¡¯t be too hard on her for that.¡±

    Darius was known as the most ruthless member of Arthur¡¯s friend circle.

    Whenever Arthur wanted to punish someone, he enjoyed it the most, like a heartless bastard.

    For him to take Veronica¡¯s side was a new change.

    Darius groaned inwardly.

    .....

    ¡®Oh man, I didn¡¯t want to go between a couple. But I hate to see the girl suffering. She is already like that because of Arthur. Now if she is treated harshly, she will run away again. If she can¡¯t, she might kill herself!¡¯

 Chapter 463 - 463 ARTHURâ€™S EMERGENCY MEETING

    463 ARTHUR¡¯S EMERGENCY MEETING

    ¡°Hey man, I know you want to do something but I wish you don¡¯t. She just acted the way she thought would be best in that situation. Don¡¯t be too hard on her for that.¡±

    Darius was feeling pity for Veronica.

    He had been training her for some time now and he noticed how hard she had been trying to get stronger and a better fighter.

    He always admired people who had conviction and worked hard to strive forward.

    For someone like her being caged and staying under her husband¡¯s protection could be the worst ending ¨C that¡¯s what Darius thought.

    Although he was scared of what Arthur would do to him, he still wanted to stand beside his student, Veronica.

    Arthur listened to his friend¡¯s advice quietly and stated, ¡°We must change. We have to make sure she thinks this ce is her home.¡±

    ¡°Man, don¡¯t do this¡­ wait, what?¡± Darius widened his eyes.

    He was sure he first heard that Arthur said that he wanted to enforce Veronica.

    .....

    But in the next second, he heard something totally opposite?

    Others were stunned by Arthur¡¯s words as well.

    Arthur didn¡¯t heed Darius¡¯s words.

    He continued, ¡°We have to be gentle whenever we are with her. We must not give her a hard time. If possible, take away all her worries. So, whenever she will stay in the tower, she will feel at ease.¡±

    Everyone: ¡°¡­¡±

    They practically gaped at him. It was hard to imagine words like thating from his mouth.

    Ovior frowned. ¡°The one who should be gentle is you. Why the hell are you bringing us all in your mess?¡±

    At that moment, Ironin turned around. He was ready to leave.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Zinnia asked.

    ¡°I miss my wife,¡± Ironin quietly said and then left.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one. Others felt homesick too.

    ¡®I wish I was married,¡¯ Zinnia thought regretfully.

    ¡°Listen,¡± Arthur said with a serious expression, ¡°we all who live here have to be good to her. Only this way, she will feel loved. She will forget all the bad experiences.

    ¡°She will feel at home whenever she is at the tower and she will share her burdens with us. The more she will share her painful stories, the more she will be at ease.¡±

    Ovior, Felix, Darius and Zinnia speechlessly heard his order.

    Ovior inquired coldly, ¡°So, this is your n to cage her?¡±

    ¡°No more caging. No more guards,¡± Arthur corrected his thoughts. ¡°She can take care of herself. Since she can protect herself, she doesn¡¯t need guards.

    ¡°She is better on her own. She can do whatever she wants and she doesn¡¯t need to ask anyone¡¯s permission.¡±

    Eventually, Zinnia smiled. ¡°Am I really hearing this or did you change?¡±

    Arthur looked at her and said, ¡°Thest thing I want is for her to run away from me and nevere back.¡±

    ¡°Ahahahaha!¡± Darius burst intoughter. ¡°You are afraid. Finally, you are afraid!¡±

    ¡°You should have thought about it sooner,¡± Ovior scoffed with furrowed brows.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made mistakes. I admit it. Now, it¡¯s time to change things. We have to make sure that she doesn¡¯t leave me.¡±

    ¡°Make sure on your own. I¡¯m busy,¡± saying his mind Ovior left the room.

    Felix chuckled. ¡°Well, you should tell her that you are changing your way to protect her. She will be over the moon.¡±

    Arthur nodded.

    ¡°Oh well, I have nothing to worry about then. Haha,¡± Dariusughed awkwardly.

    ¡°Thank you for making her strong.¡±

    Darius shut his eyes and shivered. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, man. I didn¡¯t be her master so I can hear this from you. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Before he could leave, Arthur said from behind, ¡°Don¡¯t be hard on her.¡±

    ¡®That bastard! He is clearly warning me!¡¯ Darius growled.

    After they all left, Zinnia told Arthur, ¡°Whatever you do, I hope you do to make her smile. And you should stop feeling guilty.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time you fell in love and got married. Naturally, you needed to learn more from your experiences. And you are learning pretty well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Zinnia,¡± Arthur said softly.

    Zinnia smiled seductively before leaving.

    Atst, Arthur was alone. He started to make ns about how he could make Veronica happy.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    However, Veronica had no idea about this meeting.

    Arthur¡¯s orders were secretly passed to all the magicians. They had no idea what was happening but they didn¡¯t dare to question Arthur.

    The next day, Veronica woke up early. She stretched her arms and yawned.

    ¡°Good morning, my princess,¡± a deep, hoarse voice came from her left side.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± startled by the voice, Veronica shouted.

    She turned around and noticed Arthur lying beside her. He calmly stared at her as if nothing happened.

    She soon calmed down.

    ¡°Arthur, why are you here?¡± she asked.

    ¡®This is strange. I don¡¯t see him often after waking up,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m here? I slept next to you,¡± Arthur casually replied.

    ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t mean that,¡± Veronica shook her head. ¡°I mean, here, in the morning, greeting me. You always wake up earlier than me. Most of the time, I don¡¯t see you after waking up.¡±

    Arthur sat up and cupped her face with his both hands.

    ¡°Nica, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he apologized with an extremely gentle voice. ¡°This won¡¯t ever happen again. I¡¯ll always wake up early and wait for you to wake up. Then, I¡¯ll greet you good morning.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s head was nk. ¡°What? No, you don¡¯t have to apologize. I¡¯m not mad. It¡¯s just unusual.¡±

    Arthur immediately showed concern, ¡°Are you ufortable?¡±

    ¡°No, why would I be? It¡¯s just different from before,¡± Veronica answered.

    She did her best to keep a natural expression. However, her mind was a mess.

    ¡®What is wrong with him? Did he take the wrong medicine? Or maybe he got ill news?¡¯ she pondered hard.

    Arthur didn¡¯t know what she was thinking.

    He asked, ¡°Do you dislike that it¡¯s different?¡±

    ¡°I like it,¡± Veronica honestly answered. She smiled at him and said, ¡°Good morning, Arthur.¡±

    Arthur rxed his muscles. He stared at her face.

    Her smile was sweeter than the morning dew. The sun had risen and the soft light touched her face. She looked heavenly.

    He gently pulled her closer and pecked on her lips. Their lips ovepped. A sweet kiss slowly deepened.

    He slightly nibbled her upper lip before poking her lower lip with his tongue, asking for an entrance.

    To give him permission, Veronica parted her lips. Arthur adventurously entered her cave and explored her soft, warm, wet mouth.

    Tickled by his kiss, a smile spread on Veronica¡¯s face.

    The morning kiss was passionate and yet sweet. Her heart became softer than a cotton ball.

    ¡®It¡¯s nice to have a morning like this,¡¯ she thought.

    She embraced his back and kissed him back with the same passion.

    Arthur slowly pushed her back and came over to her. His left hand stayed on the side of her head, ced on the silk pillow.

    The other hand slipped inside her sleeping gown and explored further.

    Veronica shuddered. She instinctively closed her legs, crashing his hand with her thighs.

    Arthur flinched and abruptly stopped the kiss.

    Veronica panted and stared at him in a daze.

    .....

    Arthur gasped. Their breaths mixed together. They could feel their hot breaths.

    He stared at the loving face and thought, ¡®What am I doing? Am I going to force her just because I want to do it? I mustn¡¯t.¡¯

    Just as he nned, he nted a soft kiss on her forehead and got up from the bed.

    Veronica saw his back vanishing behind the bathroom door. She dumbly stared at the door.

    ¡®What just happened?¡¯ she wondered.

    She spread her legs and touched her down there. She waspletely drenched.

    Her face turned deep red. Embarrassed by her own physical reaction, she bit her lower lip.

    ¡®Why did he stop there? Did he not want to do it anymore? But he never stops midway. Moreover, he even touches those areas and embarrasses me by saying dirty words.¡¯

    No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t find a reason for him to stop and leave her like that.

    ¡®Could it be that he is mad at me? Or he doesn¡¯t find me attractive anymore?¡¯

    She recalled how upset he was when he found out about her killing people.

    ¡®This could be the reason for him to do this. Maybe he is tired of me¡­¡¯

    The more she thought about it, the more her face paled.

    After Arthur masturbated and then took a cold shower, he came out of the bathroom and looked at Veronica.

    She was still sitting on the bed.

    ¡°You can freshen up. I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± he told her with a gentle smile on his face.

    He was exceptionally sweet. Whatever doubt she had in her mind was gone.

    ¡®Maybe he didn¡¯t want to do it. It doesn¡¯t matter,¡¯ she thought while brushing away her worry.

    After freshening up, they went to the dining hall for breakfast.

    Before they could take the first bite, they heard the news about Duke De Pole.

 Chapter 464 - 464 ARTHUR CHANGED

    464 ARTHUR CHANGED

    The kitchen and the dining hall were quieter than usual.

    Veronica¡¯s head was still upied with Arthur¡¯s recent behavior. Thus, she didn¡¯t notice it.

    Arthur ordered breakfast for both of them and sat in their usual seats.

    That¡¯s when Darius strode forward.

    ¡°Arthur, Veronica, have you heard the news?¡± he asked excitedly.

    Veronica came back to her senses and asked him in return, ¡°What news?¡±

    ¡°His soldiers were defeated by the vigers. They even dered theirnds free.¡±

    Darius couldn¡¯t conceal his excitement.

    Veronica¡¯s face brightened up instantly.

    .....

    ¡°Is that true?! That¡¯s good news! But how did they win against soldiers? They are merely farmers, fishermen and businessmen.¡±

    Darius lowered his voice and said, ¡°That¡¯s because we went to fight along with them.¡±

    After that, he winked at her.

    Veronica chuckled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that without me. I missed all the fun.¡±

    Darius scratched his head. ¡°Well, we wanted to but then we went to look for you, you were sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Ahh! I slept on time!¡± Veronica cupped her head.

    Arthur patted her back tofort her. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Their fight hasn¡¯t ended yet. If you want adventure, you can go today.¡±

    Veronica was stunned by his remark. She looked at him with her wide-open eyes.

    She couldn¡¯t believe his words.

    How could she?

    The most protective husband on earth was acting like a doting husband.

    It was the first time.

    Arthur noticed her eyes full of disbelief. He was hurt.

    ¡®Just how ruthless does she think I am?¡¯ he wondered.

    ¡°You can go with them if you want,¡± he said once again.

    ¡°Can I really?¡± Veronica carefully asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Arthur replied readily.

    Veronica raised an eyebrow. ¡°Without any bodyguard?¡±

    ¡°You are your own bodyguard. Do you think you need one?¡± Arthur casually answered.

    Veronica was astonished. Even more, she was impressed by his attitude.

    She wasn¡¯t able to think further as Darius pped her back.

    ¡°Now that you are permitted to go out, let¡¯s go for some hunting,¡± he said with a grin.

    Arthur knitted his eyebrow. ¡°What permission? My wife doesn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s permission. She is the Mistress of the Magic Tower. She can do whatever she wants to do without anyone¡¯s permission. If she wants to destroy the Magic Tower, she can do so.¡±

    Darius was speechless.

    The magicians who heard Arthur¡¯s deration went livid.

    ¡®Master, what are you saying?!¡¯

    ¡®Are you trying to destroy everything we built so far?!¡¯

    ¡®Master, how can you talk about destroying the most powerful building on earth? So ominous!¡¯

    They were stunned andined in their hearts but dared not to voice their opinion.

    They fearfully nced at their Mistress and gulped.

    ¡®Romance is scary,¡¯ they all thought in unison.

    Without knowing what they were thinking, Veronica stole a nce at Arthur.

    ¡®There is something wrong with him today. He is acting totally different,¡¯ she pondered. ¡®What happened to him?¡¯

    Later, Catherine came to the dining hall in a hurry. She quickly ordered her meal and sat on the usual spot.

    ¡°Why are you in a hurry?¡± Veronica asked her.

    ¡°Oh, Ver!¡± Catherine was startled as if she didn¡¯t notice Veronica.

    Veronica narrowed her eyes. ¡°Did¡­ something happen?¡±

    ¡°I woke upte!¡± Catherine hissed.

    Veronica gave her an odd expression. ¡°Cathy, today is Sunday. It¡¯s the weekend.¡±

    ¡°I know! That¡¯s why I¡¯m panicked.¡±

    Veronica was even more confused.

    ¡®What is wrong with these people? Why is everyone acting strange?¡¯ she wondered.

    Before she could finish her meal, Catherine was done with hers and dashed away.

    ¡°I hope everything is fine with her,¡± she muttered looking at her best friend¡¯s back.

    ¡°She will be fine. You must take care of yourself when you are out there tonight. You hear me?¡± Arthur mentioned.

    His sweetness was too sudden. It was so new to her that she didn¡¯t get used to it yet.

    Her heart softened from his care and support.

    She gazed at him and softly answered, ¡°Mm, I hear you.¡±

    After breakfast, Veronica went to Ovior¡¯s room.

    ¡°Sebastian said that you were looking for me,¡± she said. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°I heard you are going to fight against Duke¡¯s men tonight,¡± Ovior remarked.

    Veronica didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°That¡¯s my n for the night.¡±

    ¡°I got news from my intel. They told me that Duke is going to buy some ves tonight,¡± Ovior calmly disclosed the information.

    Veronica¡¯s eyes constricted. ¡°ves? It¡¯s forbidden and Arthur and Imperial guards got rid of the ve traders.¡±

    Ovior sneered. ¡°And why do you think they still exist if Imperial guards can get rid of them?¡±

    From his attitude, Veronica could guess it.

    ¡°Someone must be more powerful than the imperial guards supporting this very. The person must be from the Imperial family. If Duke De Pole can buy ves so easily, the person behind very must be the Queen.¡±

    The corner of Ovior¡¯s lips slightly lifted for a second before it disappeared.

    He stated, ¡°Your deduction is correct. Our beloved Queen is really the mastermind of all the crimes we want to eliminate from society.¡±

    He intertwined his fingers and stared at Veronica.

    ¡°So, what will you do?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you want to fight the Duke¡¯s men or fight him instead?¡±

    Veronica¡¯s emerald eyes gleamed.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Later, at night, Duke De Pole went to the ve market. The traders were holding an auction.

    The trader¡¯s assistant came to meet him. ¡°Sir, pleasee with me. I¡¯ll escort you to your seat.¡±

    As the noblemen were all wearing masks to keep their identity a secret, no one could mention each other¡¯s names even if they recognize each other.

    After all, it wasn¡¯t a social gathering but one of the most heinous crime arenas.

    Duke De Pole was escorted to his seat. He expressed his satisfaction when he looked at the stage.

    Although the men on the stage looked skinny, dirty, hungry and thirsty, they seemed strong.

    ¡®This time, I¡¯ll get some good products,¡¯ just thinking that Duke De pole grinned.

    The auction started soon. Duke De Pole won most of the time and took many good ves.

    Other nobles envied him. They snorted and clicked their tongues in annoyance.

    .....

    Duke De Pole sneered after hearing their dissatisfaction.

    ¡®They can get mad all they want but today¡¯s winner is me.¡¯ He smirked triumphantly.

    ¡°Are you thinking that you are tonight¡¯s winner?¡±

 Chapter 465 - 465 THE CHAOS

    465 THE CHAOS

    ¡°Are you thinking that you are tonight¡¯s winner?¡±

    Suddenly, a female voice spoke from the Duke¡¯s left side.

    Duke De Pole was startled. He turned around and saw a woman wearing a red satin gown. Her off-shoulder gown revealed her smooth skin.

    Her developed breasts could barely be hidden behind the gown. Her cleavage was deep, making men wonder how big her breasts were.

    The area around her eyes was covered with a red mask. Her red lips were slightly curved. Her yful attitude could make a man¡¯s head spin.

    Duke De Pole could be evil but he was a decent husband. He never cheated on his wife.

    However, the woman¡¯s beauty intoxicated him. He licked his dry lips as he stared at her.

    ¡°Lady knows how to read one¡¯s mind? Interesting,¡± hemented, trying to praise her.

    The woman seductively smiled in return. ¡°Do you know what else I can do?¡±

    .....

    Duke De Pole chuckled. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? What else can you do?¡±

    The woman leaned closer and whispered in his ear, ¡°I¡¯m good at bedding men too.¡±

    Her sweet perfume and melodic voice hardened Duke De Pole. His blood boiled.

    His children were at marriageable age. He hadn¡¯t had sex with his wife for a year or two.

    He was so upied working with the Queen and conspiring against the Magic Tower that he couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had sex.

    Thedy next to him knew how to stir a man¡¯s heart despite his age.

    He hardened down there before he realized what was happening.

    Thedy seemed to understand his train of thoughts. She chuckled.

    She became bold and ced her hand on his thigh. She noticed his leg trembling.

    ¡°I know more than just that. Do you want to know?¡± She used her alluring voice to whisper in his ear.

    Duke De Pole¡¯s throat was dry. He vaguely nodded.

    Satisfied by his reaction, she slowly stroked his thigh and then said, ¡°I can kill people too.¡±

    Duje De Pole¡¯s face drastically changed. He turned to face her. Ne noticed a shuriken in her other hand.

    The danger bell rang in his head. He widened his eyes in shock and shouted to warn.

    His shout warned everyone.

    Everyone turned around. They saw a woman in a red gown standing up with a sword.

    Realizing the crisis, the nobles shouted. They ran toward the entrance.

    ¡°All I wanted was to scare them a bit. I didn¡¯t want to start chaos,¡± thedy in red dress half-heartedly stated.

    ¡°And you want me to believe that? You knew very well what your shuriken could cause,¡± Felix said.

    Zinnia smirked. She didn¡¯t deny his im.

    ¡°Now that we created chaos, shall we leave it to Veronica?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Just as the n,¡± Felix muttered.

    The noblemen rushed toward the entrance only to find the doors were locked.

    They banged the door repeatedly and shouted, ¡°Let me out! Open the door! Please help!¡±

    No matter how loud they shouted, no one opened the door for them. The guards who were guarding the doors were all unconscious. They were also tied up.

    But the noblemen didn¡¯t know what was happening outside. They kept banging the door.

    They were no fighters. They hadn¡¯t trained their bodies since they were children. Most of them were middle-aged.

    Soon, they became tired of kicking the door and shouting. They looked at the stage and noticed that the stage was cleared.

    The ves were gone and so were the ve traders.

    They cursed and ran toward the stage.

    Since the traders couldn¡¯t walk around with ves in front of people in the street, they must have hidden passages in the tunnel.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Urgh!¡±

    The noblemen fearfully noticed an armed couple shing nobles and ve traders¡¯ assistants. They were horrified.

    Most of the noblemen hated dirty ces but their lives were at stake. What could they do?

    They climbed the stage and noticed an iron stair and went downstairs, into the basement.

    They didn¡¯t have time to hesitate. They could hear the nobles¡¯ pitiful cry behind them. They climbed the stairs.

    They noticed the traders in the basement with the ves.

    Feeling they were just as pitiful as the ves, their anger rose.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°Do you have spies in your group?¡±

    ¡°Did you n to expose us? Do you think you can get away with it?¡±

    The ve traders had a hard time calming the angry nobles. They were also in the same situation as the nobles.

    They retorted back. ¡°Why are you ming us? Why would we expose anyone? Are we stupid?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know we all have permission from you-know-who?¡±

    Everyone knew that someone powerful permitted the ve trade and that¡¯s why they would still do this kind of business.

    The nobles became quiet.

    ¡°But what will we do?¡± one of them asked. ¡°We need to escape as soon as possible. Don¡¯t you have an escape route?¡±

    One of the ve traders rubbed his head and answered, ¡°We have. We will discreetly leave this ce. You can follow us from behind but make no sound. Got it?¡±

    The nobles nodded.

    The ve traders and their henchmen escorted the ves and nobles to the tunnel.

    The tunnel was narrow and small in height. Only two people at the same time could walk.

    The ce was dirty and stinky. The noblemen wanted to vomit but could only hold back.

    There wasn¡¯t enough air supply. The ce was stuffy. It was hard to breathe when so many people were together.

    Some were murmuring something but no one cared. Everyone wanted to get out of this ce as soon as possible.

    They felt like they walked for ages. Their energy was draining quickly. The nobles were especially exhausted.

    ¡°There is a light! I see the end of the tunnel!¡± the person in front eximed.

    Everyone lightened up. As if they suddenly gained energy, they sped up.

    However, no one expected that the moment they came out of the tunnel, there would be people to wee them.

 Chapter 466 - 466 THE STRANGER WHO IS A FIGHTER

    466 THE STRANGER WHO IS A FIGHTER

    ¡°Oh my! Well, isn¡¯t this Duke De Pole and the ve traders. I didn¡¯t know you were acquainted.¡±

    A familiar voice spoke.

    Duke De Pole was indeed the first person toe out with a ve trader.

    He was the highest-ranked noble. So, the leader of the ve trader escorted him.

    Duke De Pole was startled when his name was mentioned. Up until now, no one called him by his name.

    He found the voice was extremely familiar but couldn¡¯t figure out where he heard this voice.

    He looked up and saw a woman wearing a brown shirt and pants. She had a sword in her hand and a bow and arrows on her back.

    The area around her eyes was covered, not showing her face. She had short silver hair.

    She was standing there alone. She looked strong and dignified.

    .....

    The ve trader was scared when he first saw her. But when he noticed that she was alone and there was no one else with her, he regained his courage.

    He ordered his henchmen, ¡°What are you waiting for? Attack!¡±

    His henchmen drew their swords and moved forward.

    The woman with silver hair slid her left leg backward. Her posture was rxed.

    The moment the henchmen came forward the girl struck first. She shed four henchmen¡¯s chests with a single strike.

    Blood sttered everywhere. The four bodies dropped at the same time.

    The girl¡¯s fearless eyesid on the ve trader. ¡°Looks like you have a shortage of men. Still want to fight?¡±

    The ve trader red at her. He took out a magic stone and threw it at the girl.

    The stone instantly became a fireball as it proceeded to hit the girl.

    The girl narrowed her eyes. She waited for the fireball toe closer.

    Only then did she strike and with a single hit she sliced the fireball into four pieces.

    The ve trader was shocked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not possible.¡±

    The girl looked at him, enjoying his shocked eyes. ¡°Criminal, you have no idea what¡¯s possible.¡±

    After that, she hit his head with the back of her sword and knocked him out.

    Other nobles and ve traders came out of the tunnel. They saw the mess and freaked out.

    Duke De Pole was so afraid that he fell to the ground before the girl could do anything.

    ¡®Who is this woman? I¡¯ve never seen her before. How does she know my name? How can she defeat so many men? I need to get out.¡¯

    As he was thinking all that, the girl looked at him.

    He quickly crawled back, fearing for his life.

    ¡°Please spare me. You want money, right? I¡¯ll pay you. I have gold coins.¡±

    His beg didn¡¯t seem to affect the girl. She stepped forward with a cold look on her face.

    ¡°Duke, aren¡¯t you begging too much? It doesn¡¯t fit your noble appearance.¡±

    She crouched in front of him and continued, ¡°You should have thought twice before harming innocent people for your selfish need.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you imagine what will bring you to doing all these? It¡¯s toote now.¡±

    While she was talking, she noticed that Duke De Pole¡¯s eyes moved behind her back for a second.

    At that moment, the girl also felt a presence behind her. She instantly moved away from Duke De Pole.

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    In the end, the attacker¡¯s sword pierced through Duke De La Pole¡¯s chest.

    He opened his mouth wide. The pain was unbearable. His eyes looked at the attacker in disbelief.

    The attacker was a ve trader. He wanted to kill the woman who was blocking their way, not the duke.

    Realizing what he had done, the ve trader¡¯s face turned pale.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, and here I was thinking how to deal with the Duke. Thank you for dirtying your hands for me,¡± the girl said. She was standing not too far from them.

    Duke De Pole slowly turned to face the girl. His eyes poured pure hatred.

    The girl sliced the ve trader¡¯s back. The ve trader dropped to the ground.

    Then, she stepped forward and looked at the Duke and said, ¡°I have healing power. I can save your life.¡±

    The Duke¡¯s eyes changed in a second. His eyes were brimming with tears, pleading to her silently.

    ¡°What will I gain from saving you? the girl asked. ¡°I don¡¯t need money or anything. What can you give me in return?¡±

    Duke De Pole opened his mouth. However, he couldn¡¯t speak as he coughed blood.

    The girl crouched once again. She whispered, ¡°I can help you if¡­ you can tell the court who is behind the ve trading.

    ¡°You have to name the person who is behind all these. If you can do that, you can save both your life and the title. What do you think?¡±

    Duke De Pole didn¡¯t care about what she was saying. He vigorously nodded without listening properly.

    After all, he was dying.

    What could possibly be better than getting healed and staying alive?

    The girl¡¯s palm glowed with white lighting. Soon, the Duke stopped bleeding.

    He sighed in relief. But soon he realized that his pain didn¡¯t go awaypletely.

    ¡°I¡¯m in pain,¡± he weakly stated.

    The girl said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve just healed half of your injury. If you can answer properly tomorrow, I¡¯ll heal youpletely.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think you can get away with a half-healed injury. You will die in three days. You don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth lying in the trial, do you.¡±

    ¡°Trial? What trial?¡± Duke De Pole was confused. His face paled.

    However, he didn¡¯t get any answer from the girl. In the end, he looked around and noticed Imperial Guards.

    The guards were arresting all the nobles, the ve traders and their henchmen who were still alive.

    An Imperial Guard came forward and tied Duke De Pole¡¯s wrists.

    ¡°Duke De Pole, you are under arrest for breaking the Imperial Law by doing business with the ve traders. In tomorrow¡¯s trial in front of His Majesty, you will have to admit your crime and confess everything.¡±

 Chapter 467 - 467 THE NOBLEMENâ€™S CONFUSION

    467 THE NOBLEMEN¡¯S CONFUSION

    Duke De Pole was arrested along with other nobles and sent to the dungeon.

    In the dirty dungeon, they were imprisoned.

    They were only provided with water in a small pouch.

    Most of them were too disgusted to move on the dirty floor let alone drink water.

    They cried andined but no one came to save them.

    ¡°This is going too far! No matter what, we are nobles. How could they imprison us like this?¡±

    ¡°They should be executed for doing this to us!¡±

    ¡°Why is no oneing to help us out? We can reward them with a hefty amount!¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be that His Majesty has abandoned us!¡±

    .....

    ¡°Huh! How can that be? Without nobles, what can a king do?¡±

    The nobles became angry at the situation. Then, they began to me their surroundings.

    When they were scared, they pointed their fingers at the king and acted smugly.

    Later, they talked to themselves.

    ¡°Duke De Pole, I didn¡¯t think you would be here with us.¡±

    Duke De Pole was shivering in the cold. He would be healed only outwardly. His inner wound was prickling him.

    He wiped his sweat and looked at the noble who talked to him first.

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise to see you all here too,¡± he replied.

    The noble sneered.

    ¡°Did you think you are the only one who supports the ve system? We all do. We all have ves.¡±

    Duke De Pole noticed how arrogant the noble was.

    He asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of the punishment?¡±

    The noble smirked.

    ¡°We are the foundation of the empire. Whatever we want, we get. Without us or our support, even a king cannot do anything.¡±

    Duke De Pole became quiet.

    He couldn¡¯t brush off the noble¡¯s logic.

    The nobles were right at not bothering with this.

    This imprisonment could be a show for themoners and a small warning to the nobles who broke the rules.

    There was never a history of the King of Tybu punishing the nobles for very. Since it never happened before, the nobles weren¡¯t worried.

    After all, the person behind the continuation of the ve system was from the Imperial Family.

    His Majesty the King wouldn¡¯t risk it for the sake of his name and fame.

    If he decided to punish the nobles, he would know very well that the nobles wouldn¡¯t sit ideally.

    The nobles would open their mouths andmoners would point their fingers at the Imperial Pce.

    The King might need to step down from the throne which no king in the world would want to do while staying alive.

    Thus, most of the nobles weren¡¯t worried. More than that, they were dissatisfied with where they were kept.

    One of the noblemen couldn¡¯t stay quiet.

    He remarked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? Why is there no guard? More importantly, the only reason we are here is because Her Majesty let the ve system continue. Why didn¡¯t she save us when we are all held captive?¡±

    ¡°It could be because she can¡¯t help us?¡± one of them supported the Queen.

    ¡°She is the second powerful person in our kingdom. Howe she can¡¯t order some guards to free us from the imperial dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not the imperial dungeon,¡± one of them said. He was calmer and quieter than the rest.

    The other noblemen looked at him.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we in the imperial dungeon? Then where are we?¡±

    They kept questioning.

    ¡°Think again. The people who attacked us tonight weren¡¯t part of the Imperial Guards. Moreover, the guards were being respective and cooperative to them.¡±

    When the noble exined the details, other nobles thought about it.

    ¡°You are right. I¡¯ve never seen those fighters before.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Especially the white-haireddy. I have never seen her before.¡±

    ¡°The white-haired one huh¡­ wait! I think I¡¯ve seen her before. Her figure is too much like the archer who won in archery in thepetition.¡±

    The nobles recalled thepetition that was held this year.

    They had seen many warriors but the archer who won this time around was a woman.

    After she won, she vanished into thin air. No one saw or heard of her again.

    Even when the King sought her, he couldn¡¯t find her.

    ¡°B-but this girl has silver hair. Wasn¡¯t that archer girl¡­¡±

    ¡°Why does it matter what hair color she has? Hair color can be changed at any time. Maybe after joining a gang, she changed her hair color.¡±

    ¡°It can be. I mean how many girls can fight against men. She struck four men all at once. I was so scared that I couldn¡¯t move my legs. I should have taken the chance to escape.¡±

    ¡°True. She was truly terrifying. She didn¡¯t hesitate to injure anyone even though she was outnumbered. If I could escape while she was busy with Duke De Pole, I wouldn¡¯t have been stuck here.¡±

    ¡°Who is she? Who is she working for?¡±

    ¡°If this isn¡¯t the Imperial dungeon, then there can be only one ce where we can be locked up,¡± the calm nobleman said.

    ¡°What¡­what ce?¡±

    The noblemen were nervous.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? There is only one ce that has a dungeon other than the Imperial Pce. The Magic Tower,¡± the calm noble said.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°The Ma-magic Tower?!¡±

    ¡°Impossible!!¡±

    No matter how many times they wanted to deny it, it was true that the Magic Tower had a dungeon.

    And the noblemen were teleported here directly after they were arrested.

    The Imperial Pce had a magic neutralizer that prevented magicians from using magic inside the pce.

    There was no way the criminals couldn¡¯t be teleported inside the pce dungeon.

    The moment they realized they were under the same roof as the Master of the Magic Tower, the noblemen couldn¡¯t stay still.

    They were so scared that they dared not to talk anymore.

    What if the Master of the Magic Tower eavesdropped on their conversation using magic?

    They had already spoken too much. They didn¡¯t want to slip any more information.

    The night passed slowly. The noblemen were exhausted before they were called out.

    They were abruptly teleported outside.

    From the darkness, they were taken to the light.

    The bright sunlight blinded them. They squeezed their eyes shut, unable to look.

    They heardmotion surrounding them.

    The noblemen opened their eyes and were shocked.

    There was an ocean of crowd. People were swarming like bugs.

    In front of the nobles was a throne.

    His Majesty the King was sitting there.

    .....

    Right beside him stood the Master of the Magic Tower, Arthur.

 Chapter 468 - 468 THE PUBLIC TRIAL

    468 THE PUBLIC TRIAL

    Duke De Pole was stunned. He stared at Arthur.

    ¡®Why am I here? Why is he here? Why is he beside His Majesty the King?¡¯

    He pondered hard but he couldn¡¯te up with a reason.

    ¡°Duke De Pole seems clueless about his situation,¡± His Majesty the Kingmented.

    Arthur nced at him.

    King William had been ruling Tybu for over forty years. He took the throne when he was only twenty years old.

    He was already married and had his first son with his Queen Isabe.

    He always kept a distance from the nobles even though he always had a good rtionship with them.

    He showed great interest in Magic Tower after Arthur became the Master of the Magic Tower.

    .....

    From time to time, he would summon Arthur and ask for his opinion about various matters.

    Many nobles thought King William pretended to be close with Arthur so that he could keep Magic Tower within his reach.

    Some nobles thought King William wanted Arthur¡¯s power to control the nobles.

    However, everything was spection. No one knew for sure what was the reason King William kept Arthur close.

    As for Arthur who was always rebellious and never bowed down to anyone, he respected King William but never showed his true feelings.

    Thus, no one knew their actual rtionship.

    Arthur looked at Duke De Pole and asked, ¡°Duke, are you confused?¡±

    ¡°Confused?¡± Duke De Pole¡¯s expression changed. His face twisted with anger. Hatred shed in his eyes.

    ¡°You! A piece of trash master. Who do you think you are treating me like this? I¡¯m a Duke! Do you think you have the power to treat me like this?!¡±

    Arthur didn¡¯t faze by his roar. He only nced at him and muttered, ¡°He has lost his mind.¡±

    King William chuckled. ¡°Duke De Pole, have you forgotten who is sitting in front of you?¡±

    The soldier beside the Duke kicked his stomach. ¡°Insolent! How dare you raise your voice in front of His Majesty the King?¡±

    Duke De Pole¡¯s face paled. The soldier hit him exactly where it was hurting him all night.

    He bowed and said, ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive my behavior. It¡¯s really hard to understand what is happening. I¡¯ve done nothing wrong. I¡¯m innocent.¡±

    King William narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that so? Are you innocent? Then why are you here, Duke? Why did I have toe out of the pce and sit here to make a show for my citizens?¡±

    Duke De Pole was sweating profusely.

    ¡®What does he mean? Is he trying to turn his back against us? But why? I¡¯m the highest-ranking noble. How could His Majesty do this to me?¡¯

    Other nobles who were tied down like him were wondering the same thing. Their expressions weren¡¯t good.

    The confidence they had at night that their King would protect them was gone.

    The way King William was behaving, he didn¡¯t look like he was going to support these nobles.

    Duke De Pole shuddered. ¡°Your Majesty, quell your anger. I¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡±

    ¡°You want me to believe that after you were arrested in the ce where ve auction was held? You were caught with all the ve traders. What do you want to say about that?¡±

    As King William interrogated him, the crowd shouted.

    ¡°ve supporter!¡±

    ¡°Duke disobeyed the King!¡±

    ¡°Execution!¡±

    ¡°Execution!¡±

    ¡°Execution!¡±

    Duke De Pole shuddered when he heard the angry shout.

    A woman broke free from the guards and scratched his face.

    She yelled at him, ¡°My child. My son. He is only eight years old. What did you do to him? Tell me, where did you send him?

    ¡°My son went to y with his friends but was taken by the ve traders. Aren¡¯t they your men? Tell them to give my son back!¡±

    That mother¡¯s heartbreaking cry saddened the crowd.

    King William didn¡¯t look good.

    ¡°Duke De Pole, what do you have to say in this?¡± he asked.

    He was raged.

    ¡°I¡¯ve forbidden ve trading and passed aw. Did you think that was a joke? Or did you think you could ouw anything and get away with it because you are noble?¡±

    His words chilled the nobles¡¯ bodies who were chained by the soldiers.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Duke De Pole cried out.

    His tongue was tied. He wanted to defend himself but nothing came out of his mouth.

    For him who always faced sess, respect and admiration all his life, it was difficult for him to deal with things where everyone pointed fingers at him.

    Angry people were shouting at him. Amoner woman was ming him for her lost child.

    Then, there was the King himself who was interrogating him.

    It was scary and suffocating. He realized that he couldn¡¯t breathe.

    Just likest night.

    Suddenly he recalled what the woman told him.

    ¡°I can help you if¡­ you can tell the court who is behind the ve trading. You have to name the person who is behind all these. If you can do that, you can save both your life and the title. What do you think?¡±

    His eyes lit up. ¡®That¡¯s right. I have to tell His Majesty who is behind all these. I¡¯m not to be med.¡¯

    He raised his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s not me who is doing the ve trading. Everyone who is involved in this knows. There is someone who permitted this ve trade. That person belongs to the Imperial Pce.¡±

    The moment he disclosed the matter, the whole area became quiet.

    King William frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Other nobles who were also arrested finally opened their mouths.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°You must believe us!¡±

    ¡°That person is too powerful to deal with!¡±

    Arthur sneered. ¡°No matter how powerful a person is, how can you go along with it? It¡¯s not like you were forced. You just wanted to use this opportunity. Doesn¡¯t that make you aplish?¡±

    The nobles shook their heads in fear.

    ¡°No, no, we are innocent.¡±

    ¡°Please have some mercy.¡±

    ¡°Punish the main criminal.¡±

    The nobles bowed their heads.

    Arthur rubbed his chin.

    ¡°They may be correct, Your Majesty. Shouldn¡¯t we find the ¡®powerful¡¯ person who started all this? I mean, that person disobeyed yourmand and made this whole mess with the nobles.¡±

    At his suggestion, King William asked the nobles, ¡°And who is the powerful person you are talking about? Name him!¡±

    The nobles froze.

    ¡®Does His Majesty really want to know or is he just pretending? Anyway, we are dead either way. We should disclose the matter as soon as possible.¡¯

    The nobles exchanged nces and then agreed together.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the person who allowed this ve trade is¡­.¡±

 Chapter 469 - 469 THE OUTCOME

    469 THE OUTCOME

    ¡°Your Majesty, the person who allowed this ve trade is¡­.¡±

    The nobleman who opened his mouth couldn¡¯t speak anymore. His words were stuck.

    Other noble prisoners looked at him, curious about why he didn¡¯t talk anymore.

    That nobleman who was talking grabbed his neck. His eyes turned bloodshot. His mouth was wide open.

    Only then did others realize that he had a hard time speaking.

    Before they could say something, the noble coughed blood.

    Along with the red blood, dark liquid came out.

    The nobleman looked at the dark liquid in horror.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ Ah¡­ Ah¡­¡±

    .....

    He screamed in horror but people¡¯s screams covered his.

    The prisoners and themoners stared at him in shock. They were terrified beyond the limit.

    Why did he cough? What was that ck liquid mixed with the blood?

    Why did he cough something like that?

    They didn¡¯t know. That made them horrified beyond the limit.

    King William¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Arthur¡­¡±

    Arthur¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t move, Your Majesty. We don¡¯t know what we are dealing with.¡±

    The nobleman vomited more blood. He kept vomiting until he copsed in his own blood.

    The soldier stepped forward cautiously after being signaled by Arthur.

    When he approached the noble, he first kicked his leg. The nobleman didn¡¯t move.

    The soldier crouched beside him and touched his nose.

    Then, he stood up and said, ¡°This man is dead, My Lord.¡±

    The audience gasped. They didn¡¯t believe it.

    No one touched him. He wasn¡¯t supposed to die.

    But why did that happen?

    ¡°Could it be poison?¡± King William asked.

    Arthur pondered. ¡°We can¡¯t be sure until we examine his body.¡±

    ¡°I wish Merlin was here. He is knowledgeable when ites to medicine and the human body,¡± King Williammented.

    ¡°He is still in Louses, Your Majesty. I haven¡¯t heard from him ever since he left,¡± Arthur said.

    Afterward, he used teleportation magic to teleport the dead body to the Magic Tower.

    He looked at other prisoners and ordered, ¡°Finish what he was going to say.¡±

    The nobles gulped. They were already pale and scared to the point that they could wet their pants.

    Looking at how calm Arthur was, they concluded that Arthur was behind the noble¡¯s death.

    Arthur could use magic to kill anyone and those who never studied magic would never understand.

    ¡°I know who did it! It¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Imperial Majesty¡­¡±

    ¡°Her Ma¡­¡±

    The noblemen who were prisoners were quick to speak.

    However, none of them could finish their words.

    Eighteen prisoners struggled to talk. In the end, they all had painful seizures just like the previous nobleman.

    After that, they puked blood with the ck liquid and died.

    Duke De Pole stared at them in shock. He was too scared to move.

    Themoners shouted and ran away. They were frightened to the point they didn¡¯t know where they were going.

    They just ran away, away from the horrifying ce.

    Arthur noticed the scene and immediately teleported the dead bodies to the Magic Tower.

    ¡°I want a thorough investigation,¡± King William ordered.

    ¡°Most certainly.¡± Arthur¡¯s golden pupils flickered. He clenched his fists. He was barely controlling his anger.

    ¡®We were this close to unmasking the damned queen! I can¡¯t believe we lost evidence when everything was about to be revealed.¡¯

    He was frustrated but didn¡¯t reveal it in front of King William.

    He looked at Duke De Pole. The duke¡¯s face had ashen. He didn¡¯t move as if he was paralyzed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just lock him in the dungeon. It doesn¡¯t look like he can talk at this moment,¡± Arthur stated.

    King William¡¯s eyesnded on the duke. ¡°Duke De Pole, why not you say who is behind the ve trade?¡±

    Duke De Pole trembled. He looked at King William with tears in his eyes.

    ¡®What should I do? I don¡¯t think I should open my mouth. The other nobles¡­ all died. Isn¡¯t it because they wanted to speak of Her Majesty? I can¡¯t speak. Absolutely can¡¯t!¡¯

    However, the next second he remembered something. His stomach was still hurting.

    ¡®That girl didn¡¯t heal me yet. She told me to reveal Her Majesty. What should I do? If I speak, I will die. If I don¡¯t speak up, I won¡¯t be healed and eventually die.¡¯

    Being in a position he hated the most but still fearing he was going to die soon, he felt powerless.

    He opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t speak.

    Fear was eating him slowly, paralyzing his nerves.

    King William noticed his situation and sighed. ¡°It looks like we can¡¯t do anything. Send him to the dungeon. I¡¯ll go back to the pce.¡±

    ¡°All right, Your Majesty,¡± Arthur replied.

    The trial had ended. Most of the criminals were dead. Even the ve traders were wiped out.

    All the dead bodies ended up in the Magic Tower.

    When Arthur went to his office, he met Ovior, Darius, Ironin and Felix.

    ¡°You are all here. Good.¡± Arthur sat on his chair and put his legs on the table. ¡°Have you found anything?¡±

    Ovior took off his sses and cleaned them with a white handkerchief.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you have figured it by now,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s witchcraft.¡±

    ¡°It can be the Queen¡¯s doing,¡± Felix shared his opinion.

    ¡°Not ¡®could be¡¯. She IS behind it,¡± Arthur said.

    ¡°Working with the witches now, eh? This Queen is one step ahead of us.¡± Darius grinned.

    ¡°But if he is using the witches, isn¡¯t she as powerful as you guys? Both of you have armies who know magic,¡± Felix stated while leaning against the chair.

    Ovior frowned. ¡°If that damn Queen is thinking the same thing, we might have trouble.¡±

    Arthur squinted his eyes. ¡°We have to warn His Majesty,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°But the duke has no army. We subdued themst night,¡± Darius told them.

    He added, ¡°You should have seen your wife. Right after taking down the ve traders, she fought with the duke¡¯s soldiers. Man, his soldiers are all puny. It didn¡¯t take us all night to deal with them.¡±

    ¡°So, you are so ipetent that you made her fight all night.¡± Arthur¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°You should be lucky that she doesn¡¯t have a scratch on her body.¡±

    Darius gulped. Chills ran down his spine.

    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ What are you saying? You do realize that only five of us fought with two thousand soldiers, right? You shouldn¡¯t count the vigers who don¡¯t even know how to fight.¡±

    Arthur red at him. He didn¡¯t say anything else.

    ¡°Should we prepare for a battle with the witch?¡±

    .....

 Chapter 470 - 470 IS IT WAR OR NOT?

    470 IS IT WAR OR NOT?

    ¡°Should we prepare for a battle with the witch?¡± Felix asked.

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Ovior denied. ¡°We need more information about the witches. We have no idea how powerful they are and how many are ready to fight.¡±

    ¡°I shall leave it to Felix and Ironin,¡± Arthur stated. ¡°Bring me as much information as you can. And Ovior, take care of the ves.¡±

    ¡°On it.¡± Ovior fixed his sses.

    The meeting ended. Everyone left the room.

    Arthur went to his bedroom. He looked at the bed and found Veronica.

    She was in deep slumber. She didn¡¯t notice his presence.

    Seeing the peaceful scene, the deep frown in between Arthur¡¯s eyes eased a bit.

    He sat beside her and gently stroked her hair.

    .....

    Veronica could sense someone touching her head. She slowly opened her eyes and noticed Arthur.

    She smiled at the sight of him. Seeing his face right after opening her eyes, she enjoyed the moment.

    ¡°What time is it?¡± she inquired in a sloppy tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime,¡± Arthur replied. ¡°You haven¡¯t had anything sincest night. Why not have lunch and then sleep again?¡±

    Veronica stretched her arms and then sat up. Then, she leaned against his chest and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve slept enough. I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°Shall I bring meals here?¡± Arthur asked for her opinion.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Veronica nodded.

    After freshening up, she had a meal with her husband.

    Arthur told her what happened with the ve traders and the prisoners.

    Veronica listened attentively. When he was done, she asked, ¡°Is there any way to avoid the war?¡±

    ¡°We will do our best to not go to war. But if it¡¯s unavoidable, we have no other choice,¡± Arthur answered truthfully.

    ¡°I wanted to keep the people of thisnd safe,¡± Veronica muttered. She lost her appetite.

    Arthur held her hand and gently squeezed it.

    ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t here, this damned queen would still go to war. At least this time with your power you can save as many people as possible.¡±

    His words made her feel better.

    She thought of something and asked, ¡°But are you free enough to pay attention to the nobles? What about Trevor¡¯s death? You were investigating it, right?¡±

    Arthur¡¯s face darkened at the mention of Trevor.

    ¡°About him¡­ I found some evidence in the hidden room in the shop. Although the room was entirely burned down, I used revive magic to get most of them back.

    ¡°It looks like he associated with the witches and used magic to disguise himself as me temporarily. That¡¯s how he impregnant Betty.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s?!¡± The meatball dropped from Veronica¡¯s mouth. ¡°What are you¡­¡±

    Arthur could understand her feelings.

    He said, ¡°Right, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I didn¡¯t read his journal. He wrote down everything. I know his handwriting.¡±

    ¡°But why would he do what? He had a beautiful wife he loved and an angelic daughter¡­¡±

    Veronica remembered the first time she met Bridget and Ang. Her heart ached for the child.

    Arthur answered, ¡°He loved his wife but he also felt a strong obsession with his sister-inw. It could be because unlike Bridget and Ang, Betty didn¡¯t worship him.¡±

    Veronica frowned. ¡°Worship him?¡± she asked, not understanding his statement.

    Arthur exined, ¡°What I mean is ¡®devotion¡¯. Bridget loved him and gave herself to himpletely. Ang loved her father the most.

    ¡°However, Betty who lived with them didn¡¯t feel the same because her heart belonged to someone else.¡±

    ¡°Her heart belongs to you,¡± Veronica stated. She finally understood. ¡°So, he didn¡¯t like the fact that the girl who lived with him didn¡¯t feel like devoting herself to him.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Arthur agreed. ¡°And that¡¯s what made him obsess over her.¡±

    Trevor couldn¡¯t ept the fact that a girl lived with him but didn¡¯t put him in her apostle.

    As a result, he worked with the witches and used their tricks to disguise himself as Arthur.

    After turning into a fake Arthur, he met her a few nights and slept with her. He knew she would never love anyone other than Arthur.

    Thus, he pretended to love her as Arthur and yed with her heart. He had herplete devotion and was satisfied.

    After making her pregnant with his child, he finally let her go.

    He used his twisted version to have her devotion. Even though that devotion belonged to someone else, he was satisfied that the devotion was directed to him.

    Veronica¡¯s face paled when she realized how sickly Trevor was.

    ¡°Did you tell his wife?¡± she asked.

    Arthur shook his head. ¡°No, I burned the journal after reading it. I just left the clue of him working with the witches.¡±

    ¡°Since he worked with the witches, he might have sold some information to them,¡± Veronica said.

    ¡°If he didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get the witches¡¯ help,¡± Arthur added. ¡°But we have no way to find out what information he sold.¡¯

    Veronica pondered, ¡®If he sold the information, could he be the one who told the witches that I had silver hair and I could be the blessed child?¡¯

    Then, she thought of another person whom Zinnia was thinking was the culprit.

    In fact, Trevor couldn¡¯t possibly know everything that was happening in the Magic Tower. Someone who lived here only knew what was happening.

    Veronica looked at her husband.

    ¡°Arthur, the witches definitely wanted you to open the dark magic. Could they be wanting to take down the Magic Tower under the Queen¡¯smand?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s true then that damned queen must know you are the blessed child. Would she let you go that easily if she knew? I think she would abduct you and use your power.¡±

    Arthur¡¯s logic was justified. Veronica became quiet.

    Arthur noticed that she was concerned about something. He smiled at her.

    ¡°What are you worrying about? If someonees to attack you, you just have to fight them. You can do it, can¡¯t you?¡±

    At his word, Veronica smiled. ¡°You are right. I can fight. I can even be a good detective. I will fight off the enemy like the hero of the romance novel.¡±

    Arthur chuckled. ¡°Sounds great.¡±

    However, he didn¡¯t know what she would go through to be the detective she wanted to be.

 Chapter 471 - 471 WHO COULD BE THE CULPRIT?

    471 WHO COULD BE THE CULPRIT?

    That very day, Zinnia and Veronica were having a spar. They moved back and forth as their swords ssed.

    When they were done, Zinnia gave her some instructions to change some moves and then drank a mouthful of water.

    Afterward, she wiped her mouth and asked, ¡°Did you hear what happened in the trial?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Veronica replied. ¡°The Queen is really cunning. She made our hard work go for nothing.¡±

    Zinnia remarked, ¡°It¡¯s not that we weren¡¯t expecting her not to befriend the witches.¡±

    ¡°True but for her to kill all the nobles who tried to mention her¡­. even for her it¡¯s a vicious move. How can such a person be the mother of a nation?¡±

    Veronica questioned Queen Isabe¡¯s principal.

    Zinnia shrugged. ¡°You know, people who are real viins, they don¡¯t give a damn what¡¯s right from wrong. They have their own goals and desires. They are busy fulfilling them. They will brush off your reasons.¡±

    ¡°No wonder Arthur wants to take her out of the Imperial Pce. Someone like her doesn¡¯t deserve that kind of position.¡±

    .....

    Veronica clenched her fists. Anger rose deep inside her.

    ¡°Enough of the Queen,¡± Zinnia changed the subject. ¡°What do you think of Trevor¡¯s death? Do you really think he is the one who sold your information to the witches?¡±

    Veronica replied, ¡°I thought of it but how would he know when I¡¯m going out of the tower? Even if it¡¯s him, someone must have been helping him.¡±

    ¡°That person could be him,¡± Zinniamented.

    Veronica frowned. ¡°Who?¡±

    However, Zinnia didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she threw two shurikens at the pir.

    Veronica noticed a moving shadow. She immediately ran after that.

    She noticed a blue aura circling around the shadow. She squinted her eyes.

    ¡®Is that person trying to use teleport magic on this floor? Must be a high-level wizard,¡¯ she thought.

    She threw her dagger at the shadow. Just when the shadow was going to disappear, it was jabbed by a sharp dagger.

    The shadow couldn¡¯t use the teleportation magic anymore and fell to the ground.

    In the blink of an eye, Zinnia reached out and unmasked the person. She recognized that person right away.

    She grinned devilishly. ¡°Looks like you have nowhere to flee.¡±

    Veronica also reached the area and was surprised to see the person.

    ¡°Dave Morton, you have some nerve spying on twodies, don¡¯t you?¡± she stated.

    Dave Morton looked at them with his cunning eyes. He pulled out the dagger from his thigh and stood up.

    His face was a bit pale from the pain. Even so, he smiled at them and then politely bowed.

    ¡°Mistress, Lady Zinnia, it¡¯s wonderful to see you,¡± he greeted them.

    ¡°Guess what, it¡¯s wonderful to see you as well. You made my work easier. I was thinking of looking for the spy for a long time. So, it was you.¡±

    Speaking her mind, Zinnia grabbed him and took him to Ovior¡¯s office. Veronica followed behind.

    Ovior was working. He raised his head when he heard amotion.

    Zinnia dered, ¡°Ovior, I¡¯m certain that this guy is the one who passed all the information to Trevor.¡±

    Ovior looked at Dave Morton through his sses. ¡°You did?¡±

    Dave Morton smiled. ¡°I think there are some sort of mistakes.¡±

    Zinnia drew her de and ced it against his throat. ¡°You better be careful what you say.¡±

    Veronica looked at him and said, ¡°I think you are smart enough to understand what will happen if you lie, Dave.¡±

    Dave Morton looked at her with a sly smile stered on his face.

    ¡°Mistress, I¡¯m smart enough to understand what will happen if I tell the truth.¡±

    Veronica gave him a fake smile. ¡°What if I tell you that I will let you go if you tell the truth? You know I¡¯m saint enough to keep my word, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Dave Morton replied, ¡°I¡¯d love to tell you who I am and what is my intention but I don¡¯t think you are prepared enough to hear them.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like a smart ass. I don¡¯t have patience,¡± Zinnia threatened him.

    The edge of her sword rubbed against his neck, causing blood to spill from the wound.

    ¡°Zinnia, enough,¡± Ovior ordered. ¡°Put away your sword. You don¡¯t want tomit treason.¡±

    Zinnia withdrew her sword. ¡°What do you mean by treason?¡±

    She looked at Dave Morton and asked, ¡°Are you part of the Royal Family?¡±

    ¡°What Royal Family?¡± Veronica was confused. She stared at Dave Morton in puzzle.

    ¡°It is my regret that my disguise won¡¯t work anymore.¡± Dave Morton stood up and courteously bowed to thedies. ¡°Prince Louis, at your service.¡±

    ¡°Prince Louis? You mean THE Prince?¡± Veronica was astonished.

    It was hard to believe that he was the Crown Prince. She never expected it.

    She had seen the Crown Prince only once in the Queen Isabe¡¯s birthday banquet but Dave Morton looked nothing like that dazzling Crown Prince.

    ¡°You are King William¡¯s second son, the Crown Prince!¡± she eximed in surprise.

    ¡°You are correct.¡± Dave Morton aka Prince Louis smiled at her. ¡°The more I see you, the more amazed I am. Master Arthur has indeed picked up an intelligent woman.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Prince Louis,¡± Zinnia coldly cut him off. ¡°You can be the Crow Prince but that doesn¡¯t give us an excuse to eavesdrop on our conversation. State your reason.¡±

    Prince Louis shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about¡­¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, Zinnia grabbed him by his neck and raised him off the ground.

    ¡°Look pal, I understand that you think you are the Crown Prince and so you will get away from anything but I will remind you how your stepbrother died in Arthur¡¯s hand. I might identally break your neck and you have to kiss your life goodbye.¡±

    Zinnia¡¯s words were chilling and threatening.

    Veronica gulped. She was worried that Zinnia might truly kill Prince Louis.

    ¡°Zinnia, calm down. You don¡¯t want tomit treason,¡± she gently told her.

    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯d love tomit treason.¡± Zinnia smirked devilishly. ¡°Sweetheart, do you know I love torturing men before I end their lives?¡±

    Prince Louis sensed his mouth was dry. He licked his lips and said, ¡°Lady Zinnia, I can exin¡­¡±

    ¡°Now we are talking,¡± Zinnia said. ¡°Let¡¯s hear your reason. Just remember if I don¡¯t like your exnation, I¡¯ll separate your head from your neck.¡±

 Chapter 472 - 472 UNBELIEVABLE!

    472 UNBELIEVABLE!

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear your reason. Just remember if I don¡¯t like your exnation, I¡¯ll separate your head from your neck.¡±

    At Zinnia¡¯s threat, Prince Louis removed his disguise.

    Veronica finally recognized him. He was the prince she saw at the party.

    ¡°I¡¯m here because I had a feeling that Queen Mother was connected to the witches somehow,¡± Prince Louis confessed.

    ¡°What does that have to do with your appearance in the tower?¡± Zinnia interrogated him.

    Prince Louis said, ¡°I knew for a long time she was plotting something against the Magic Tower. I thought I needed to do something in order to save the tower and myself.

    ¡°Therefore, I decided toe to the Magic Tower in disguise and join hands with Queen Mother. This way, I will be able to keep an eye on her.¡±

    After hearing his reason, Veronica raised her eyebrows.

    She started, ¡°I understand your reasons¡­¡±

    .....

    ¡°Veronica, this is¡­¡± Zinnia tried to stop her.

    Veronica raised a hand to stop her and continued, ¡°¡­but you have no right to sell our private information or important information to anyone. Do you know I may be in grave danger thanks to you?¡±

    Prince Louis elegantly bowed. ¡°I deeply apologize if it somehow affects your lifestyle.¡±

    ¡°I heard enough.¡± Ovior intertwined his fingers and ced his chin on top of his joined fingers.

    His cold eyes gazed at the prince.

    ¡°Crown Prince Louis, your stupidity and selfishness might cause her life.

    ¡°Your apology isn¡¯t enough to pay off her life. Do you think Arthur will let you go if something happens to her?¡±

    Prince Louis looked at Ovior. ¡°Why will Mistress Silverstar¡¯s life be at stake?¡±

    Zinnia red at him.

    ¡°Are you stupid or pretending to be one? Since you are spying on us, you must know Veronica¡¯s true identity.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already found out the witches knew that identity too. You sold her out.¡±

    She roared at the detestable prince.

    Prince Louis was stunned. His heart was shaken by Zinnia¡¯s roar but didn¡¯t let others sense his fear.

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense, Lady Zinnia. I have only disclosed how she hid her amazing silver hair. I said nothing more.

    ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s not easy to gain Queen Mother¡¯s trust. She has more spies in the tower.

    ¡°As a result, there are some facts I had to share just as much as other spies knew.

    ¡°I swear by Goddess Juvena, I¡¯ve never shared any information that could harm Mistress Silverstar.¡±

    ¡°Fine, we won¡¯t hold it against you,¡± Veronica stated.

    ¡°Is that okay to leave him be?¡± Zinnia still couldn¡¯t trust him.

    Ovior solemnly responded, ¡°We have to. In fact, as long as he is staying here, the Queen won¡¯t know we have found out about him.

    ¡°This way, she won¡¯t send another spy. Prince Louis will do the spying part and at the same time, he will have to tell us about all the spies who were nted by the Queen and the witches.

    ¡°We will monitor the spies and Prince Louis will sell the information exactly how we tell him to. That way, if the witches want the war, we will be able to win it.¡±

    ¡°Brilliant, Ovior! I do like the n,¡± Veronica said. ¡°Let¡¯s do it ording to your n.¡±

    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Ovior replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do ording to your wish,¡± Prince Louis stated.

    ¡°Yes, you must or else you will face my sword despite being a prince. Got that?¡± Zinnia threatened him.

    Prince Louis smiled elegantly at her.

    ¡°Lady Zinnia is as upright as her. You look more beautiful when you are threatening someone.¡±

    Upon hearing his words, Veronica and Ovior were speechless.

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Zinnia squinted her eyes. Her eyes were full of suspicion.

    Prince Louis ced his left hand on his chest and said, ¡°Ever since I first saw you, I¡¯ve admired your beauty, intelligence and strength. You can say, it¡¯s love at first sight.¡±

    Veronica: ¡°¡­¡±

    Ovior: ¡°¡­¡±

    Zinnia: ¡°???¡±

    Prince Louis earnestly stated, ¡°It¡¯s my long-time wish to be able to get married to you.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Zinnia was thunderstruck. She had never been this puzzled in her whole life.

    Veronica was confused as well.

    ¡®Am I hearing this? Crown Prince Louis is really something. Doesn¡¯t he know how to read the room?¡¯

    ¡®Zinnia is even threatening him with her sword. And he has the gal to confess his love to her?¡¯

    She wondered as she stared at Prince Louis.

    Ovior cleared his throat.

    ¡°Ahem! I understand that you are attracted to Zinnia¡¯s beauty but did you forget your age difference?¡± he mentioned.

    If it was another time, Zinnia would throw her shuriken at him. However, this time the situation was a bit different.

    She was wondering the same thing!

    ¡®That¡¯s true. Zinnia is in her 30s whereas Prince Louis is in his 20s. There is a big difference,¡¯ Veronica thought.

    Although she was thinking the same thing, she dared not to speak aloud.

    Who knew if Zinnia would attack her?

    Even though Veronica was good at fighting, she wasn¡¯t as good as Zinnia.

    Meanwhile, the most seductive woman on earth was furious to the point her seductiveness flew away out of the window.

    ¡°Love at first sight? Marriage?! If you told us the Queen¡¯s n earlier, we could have prepared earlier. Veronica¡¯s true identity wouldn¡¯t be disclosed.¡±

    At Zinnia¡¯s outburst, Prince Louis began to show his guilt.

    He bowed at Veronica and said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡±

    Veronica started to feel ufortable as the Royal Prince kept bowing to her.

    ¡°I forgive you this time. However, there won¡¯t be the next time,¡± she stated. Her words hinted at a fair warning.

    ¡°That¡¯s very generous of you, Mistress Silverstar.¡±

    Prince Louis straightened his back and nced at Zinnia.

    ¡°Lady Zinnia, I¡¯ve already let you know my feelings. I hope you think about it for a while before replying to me. I¡¯ll be sincerely waiting for your answer.¡±

    He gave her the final bow and then left the room.

    Zinnia looked at the other two. ¡°Did you just see that? This is unbelievable!¡±

    Her voice carried astonishment.

    ¡°Is this the first time a man proposed to you, Zinnia?¡± Veronica asked, showing her curiosity.

    Zinnia sat on the couch and then smirked at her.

    ¡°Oh honey, do you think Ick man? Just look at me and see if a man won¡¯t be provoked by seeing me.¡±

    Her confidence level was out of control. Anyone who heard her would understand how much pride she had in her alluring body.

    Ovior: ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Veronica couldn¡¯t help but agree. ¡°So then, why are you acting that you cannot believe he proposed to you?¡±

    ¡°How could I?¡± Zinnia began to exin, ¡°Just look at the mess he created. We dragged him here to interrogate him but he confessed to me and even stated that he wanted to marry me.

    ¡°Is the Crown Prince that airheaded? If so, then we have to worry about the future of ournd.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe he just wanted to distract us,¡± Veronica mumbled.

    She faced Ovior and asked, ¡°Ovior, there is no way a man could just roam around in disguise in front of your nose and you won¡¯t notice it. Did you know that he was a spy?¡±

    ¡°Arthur and I permitted him to stay and work here under His Majesty the King¡¯s request,¡± Ovior replied.

    .....

    He added, ¡°We had no idea that he was selling the information. I thought he was on our side. Thus, I never investigated him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so unlike you, Ovior. I can¡¯t believe you let your guard down,¡± Zinnia remarked.

    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. Ovior isn¡¯t a superhero. My husband is too unskilled to manage his household. Ovior was too busy because of Arthur¡¯s inability.¡±

    Veronica shoved all me on Arthur¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Your generosity is remarkable,¡± Ovior tlymented. ¡°I thank you for that.¡±

    ¡°You are most wee,¡± Veronica smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll go and take some rest. See you twoter.¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­¡± Zinnia said.

    After Veronica left, she looked at Ovior. ¡°Did you really not notice that the Crown Prince was here to spy? I don¡¯t think things are that simple.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, Zinnia,¡± Ovior responded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me,¡± Zinnia snapped at him. ¡°I¡¯m not as single-minded as Veronica. You let the Crown Prince spy on the tower, didn¡¯t you?

    ¡°Since Arthur wasn¡¯t around, you could do anything you wanted. You helped him with disguise, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Veronica sneaked into Arthur¡¯s office only to find his chair empty.

    ¡°Huh? Where did he go?¡± murmuring to herself, she looked around the room.

    Arthur¡¯s office was spacious. One couldn¡¯t see everything with a single nce. There were just too many pirs and bookshelves covering one¡¯s sight.

    Veronica walked around, peeking here and there. Suddenly, something caught her eyes.

    She halted and looked at the left bookshelf.

    Although it was a bookshelf, Arthur ced many items there. Most of them were too unfamiliar to Veronica.

    Even so, there was one thing she found familiar.

    It was a photo frame.

    In the photo, there were three people. Arthur, Ovior and some other girl.

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

 Chapter 473 - 473 VERONICAâ€™S CURIOSITY

    473 VERONICA¡¯S CURIOSITY

    Veronica could recognize young Arthur and Ovior in the picture. The two of them looked young and rebellious.

    ¡°So cute!¡± She giggled.

    There was another person beside them. She was standing beside Arthur.

    She had golden blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. She looked like a lively child.

    ¡°If Arthur and Ovior are around fifteen, the girl could be thirteen. I wonder¡­ who is she?¡±

    She talked to herself without realizing she was speaking loudly.

    ¡°She is Dorothy,¡± a voice spoke from behind her.

    Veronica jumped in surprise. She turned around and saw Arthur.

    He had a book in his hand. He must be checking books from the other bookshelf.

    .....

    ¡°You scared me!¡± she said, cing a hand on her chest.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± Arthur pulled her by the waist and pecked on her cheek.

    Veronica dly epted his kiss.

    She moved the photo frame in front of him and asked, ¡°Who is Dorothy? You seem close.¡±

    ¡°Jealous?¡± Arthur smirked.

    ¡°No.¡± Veronica giggled. ¡°You have been with too many women. I¡¯ll die if I keep getting jealous of all the women you slept with.¡±

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Arthur clicked his tongue. ¡°You need to show feelings for your husband.¡±

    Veronica yfully raised an eyebrow. ¡°Am I not showing enough?¡±

    ¡°Are you?¡± Arthur moved closer and whispered in her ear, ¡°How about showing it right now?¡±

    He ced the book on the bookshelf and used his free hands to caress her buttocks.

    Veronica¡¯s face flushed. She pushed his chest.

    ¡°What are you doing? What if someonees?!¡±

    ¡°How can anyonee without my permission? This is my office,¡± Arthur assured her.

    ¡°N-no, even so, Ovior mighte. He doesn¡¯t need your permission.¡±

    Veronica couldn¡¯t imagine Ovior¡¯s face.

    How could she face him if he saw them having sex in broad daylight?

    She would die in humiliation.

    ¡°Just scream loudly,¡± Arthur suggested. ¡°No one will dare to look for me after hearing your moans.¡±

    Afterward, without giving her a chance to retaliate, he covered her lips.

    ¡°Mm!¡± Veronica immediately shut her eyes and kissed him back.

    The room was soon engulfed with the sounds of their heavy breaths and moans.

    Two naked beings embraced their primitive desires and pushed themselves to the limit of uncertain ecstasy.

    ¡°Nica, I can¡¯t live without you. Stay with me forever.¡±

    Arthur whispered sweet words in her ears, different from his original teasing.

    Veronica enjoyed the new change in him. It gave her a pleasant feeling.

    A new form of emotion rushed over her body. She never felt like this before.

    She grasped his back, tightened her legs around his narrow waist and then moved her body in a rhythm to match his movement.

    Their bodies pressed in the midway, connectingpletely.

    Arthur groaned in pleasure. He noticed her reaction changing due to his words.

    Other times, he teased her to embarrass her. Due to her bashful personality, she would coward and give a meek reaction.

    She would look like she was being bullied and it would give Arthur another kind of pleasure.

    However, today he said nothing but affectionate words. It soothed her heart and she acted rather boldly.

    She epted his love entirely and showed her impulsive desire to him openly.

    She showed it to the man she loved who was her life partner.

    She had nothing to be ashamed of because she knew that the man whom she gave her all epted her for who she was.

    This newfound knowledge delighted Arthur. His manhood throbbed and he thrust firmly inside her.

    A loud moan escaped Veronica¡¯s parted lips. Her body trembled vigorously. Her inner walls squeezed him repeatedly as if devouring him.

    ¡°Nica¡­ ahh¡­¡± Arthur growled and called out to her in a lustful voice.

    His golden pupils red as they heated up with a strong desire to ravish her.

    The lust he had been fighting to suppress exploded.

    With a few more deep thrusts, his manhood buried inside her spurted unceasingly.

    He panted sharply. His strong arms hugged her sweaty body as his seeds jetted inside her, giving her everyst drop.

    ¡°Nica¡­. Ngh¡­ Nica¡­¡±

    He affectionately whispered her name repeatedly, causing her heart to melt away just like her body.

    Arthur kissed her passionately before cing her on the windowsill.

    After that, he pushed himself once again and started another course.

    Veronica¡¯s nails dug in his bare back, scratching him to bleed.

    She was still sensitive after cumming just now. She felt weak on her knees.

    She gasped for oxygen. Tears rolled down her face in pleasure.

    Soon, she noticed him swelling inside her as he pushed against her vagina.

    Their mixed love-making juice dripped from their connection and marked the windowsill, the wall and the floor.

    However, they had no time to notice that. They were too busy to pleasure themselves.

    By the time they stopped, it was almost evening.

    Arthur was sitting on the floor, leaning against the cold wall. He was trying to cool off his body.

    His arms were embracing a tired form.

    Veronica was too exhausted to open her eyes.

    She could feel the room had darkened and magic stones glowed to illuminate the room.

    ¡®Did we do it until the evening? How shameful! Why did I listen to him and get along with his wishes?¡¯

    She med herself. She was quite embarrassed.

    ¡®It¡¯s all his fault. I thought it would be only one round. Who knew he would go for multiple rounds?¡¯

    She wanted to be mad at him but she felt his fingers were stroking her back. He even covered her body with a thin nket.

    She rxed and moved closer to him, trying to feel his warmth more.

    Arthur groaned. ¡°Princess, if you move like that, my little ancestor will wake up again.¡±

    Veronica stilled her body, not daring to move. She didn¡¯t think she could handle another round.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Veronica took a nap soon after. She woke up at midnight.

    She found Arthur next to her. He was sleeping.

    She wanted to lie beside him and hug him to sleep but her stomach was empty. She craved a spicy meal.

    After lightly kissing Arthur¡¯s forehead, she got up from the bed.

    She was wearing a white silk nightgown. She wrapped a purple shawl around her body and headed downstairs.

    The lights in the dining hall were still on. The chefs who had night duty stayed in the kitchen.

    They greeted her as soon as she entered the kitchen.

    .....

    ¡°Good evening, Mistress. What do you want to eat?¡± the Head Chef asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m craving a spicy meal,¡± Veronica told him.

    ¡°Do you want it mild-spicy? I¡¯ve noticed you cannot eat extreme spicy meals,¡± the Head Chef stated.

    ¡°You are observant. Yes, mild-spicy but still spicy. I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m craving it.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t take much time. Please take a seat.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Veronica sat on the chair and waited for her meal.

    As she waited, someone called out to her, ¡°Veronica? What are you doing here?¡±

    Veronica turned her head and saw Ovior. ¡°Late night meal. Why are you awake?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep. What are you having?¡± Ovior rubbed his forehead due to a headache.

    ¡°A mild spicy meal. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll be given.¡± Veronica shrugged.

    ¡°I want to have what she¡¯s having,¡± after ordering his meal, Ovior suddenly offered her, ¡°I know a ce to have a meal. Would you like to join me?¡±

    Veronica was surprised by his invitation. He usually avoided having meals with others.

    ¡°Inside the tower?¡± she asked.

    Ovior slightly nodded.

    ¡°Sure!¡± Veronica immediately agreed.

    After their meal was ready, Ovior teleported to another tower along with Veronica and her meal.

    The Magic Tower had many side buildings and all of them were attached to the main tower where Veronica, Arthur and others lived.

    Those sub-towers were shorter than the main tower and their highest floors were mostly empty ces.

    The highest floors of those sub-towers didn¡¯t have walls. Only pirs and ceilings. It was a great ce to enjoy a moonlit night.

    ¡°Good gracious! I never knew I coulde here and enjoy sightseeing!¡±

    Veronica was marveled by the sight of the full moon.

    Ovior wasn¡¯t fazed by her reaction.

    He said, ¡°You are always busy escaping this ce. How could you have the eyes for the beauty that exists in front of you?¡±

    Veronica retorted, ¡°That¡¯s not the reason¡­¡±

    ¡°This is the reason. Now sit down and finish your meal before it gets cold.¡±

    Ovior pointed at the table where their meals and water were served.

    While having their meals, Veronica suddenly remembered the picture of Arthur and Ovior.

    ¡°Today, I saw a photo of Arthur and yours. There was a girl among you. Arthur said her name was Dorothy.¡±

    As she mentioned the girl¡¯s name, Ovior flinched.

    His reaction was so obvious that Veronica became more interested in her.

    She added, ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to talk to Arthur about her. Since you are here, why don¡¯t you tell me about her? Is she your and Arthur¡¯s childhood friend?¡±

 Chapter 474 - 474 HER CONVICTION & HIS STORY

    474 HER CONVICTION & HIS STORY

    She added, ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to talk to Arthur about her. Since you are here, why don¡¯t you tell me about her? Is she your and Arthur¡¯s childhood friend?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised he told you about her,¡± Oviormented.

    ¡°I was curious,¡± Veronica said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t want me to misunderstand anything. However, he didn¡¯t tell me more about her which made me curious.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you out of his respect for me,¡± Ovior stated.

    ¡°Respect for you?¡± Veronica raised an eyebrow. ¡°So then, she is rted to you, not him.¡±

    Ovior probed, ¡°Are you worried that she could be rted to your husband?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± Veronica answered. ¡°He yed with too many women I¡¯ve seen in my lifetime.

    ¡°I would have grown old if I kept worrying about that. I trust him and his feelings for me.

    ¡°It¡¯s just I hardly heard anything about his past, especially his childhood. That¡¯s why seeing that picture made me curious.

    .....

    ¡°I would love to know more about his friends and precious people he cared for.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t you be jealous?¡± Ovior inquired.

    Veronica seemed carefree.

    She said, ¡°I know he loves me. If his love for me was so fickle then he wouldn¡¯t use ck magic and sacrifice people to have a deal with the underworld.¡±

    ¡°True. It¡¯s marvelous how much you are matured,¡± Oviormented. ¡°When I first saw you, you were a na?ve child.¡±

    Veronica smiled, ¡°You can me the environment I grew up in.¡±

    While eating his meal, Ovior remarked, ¡°Is that why you love yourself more than you love Arthur?¡±

    Veronica frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Whom can you trick with your behavior?¡± Ovior chuckled.

    ¡°If you truly loved Arthur more than you loved yourself, would you think of running away every time you have a chance?¡± he remarked.

    His question was direct to all the selfish decisions Veronica took in this short period without thinking about Arthur and his feelings.

    Veronica understood his intention very well.

    She said, ¡°Are you telling me to forget the dream I had since I was born?

    ¡°Before I met Arthur, I dreamed of roaming around the world freely. Moreover, Arthur promised me that after marriage, we would travel together.

    ¡°However, everything became a lie. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t cope with this lifestyle. I became a mistress you all wished for, didn¡¯t I?

    ¡°You have no right to me me if I want to pursue my dream. In fact, I¡¯m still thinking about traveling the world.¡±

    ¡°So, you won¡¯t change your mind and settle down,¡± Ovior concluded.

    Veronica replied, ¡°Far from it. Arthur fulfilled his wish by having me tied with him. After everything is over, I¡¯ll fulfill my wish by roaming around the world.

    ¡°Although people hate it when I say that we both sacrificed in this marriage. Marriage means giving up on some things and getting something else, I will change this.

    ¡°For women, we suffer the moment we enter the inw¡¯s house. We have no right, no will. We have to take care of our families and serve only our husbands.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in this kind of lifestyle and I won¡¯t. It¡¯s great that Arthur doesn¡¯t force his ideas on me like before. He is learning well.

    ¡°I will also try to learn how to be more caring toward him. Even so, I won¡¯t give up on my freedom or my dream.¡±

    ¡°You are more rebellious than I thought,¡± Oviormented.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it as apliment,¡± Veronica grinned. ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t told me about Dorothy.¡±

    Ovior stated, ¡°There is nothing to say. I grew up with her. We were engaged before we were born.

    ¡°She was a charmingdy. Any man would fall for her but she fell in love with me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±

    Veronica was impressed. She never imagined that she would listen to the workaholic Ovior¡¯s love life.

    ¡°So then, why are you still single? I never saw you going on a date with her. Did she break up with you because you didn¡¯t pay attention to her?¡± she asked jokingly.

    She nned to make fun of him if that was true.

    ¡°No. There is no way she would break up with me. Her love was too pure.¡±

    ¡°Was?¡± Veronica didn¡¯tugh anymore. She had a mad premonition about this.

    Ovior replied, ¡°She is gone. The culprit was none other than thete Crown Prince.

    ¡°It happened after I won the semi-final against him. He didn¡¯t like it. So, he decided to do what would hurt me the most.

    ¡°However, he didn¡¯t think about the consequences. Arthur asked for a duel with him. In the duel, he killed the Crown Prince mercilessly to avenge me.¡±.

    ¡°But what¡¯s done is done. Even though that son of a bitch was killed, Dorothy didn¡¯te back. Now it¡¯s all history.¡±

    Veronica stayed quiet. She didn¡¯t know what word to use to console him.

    Her original lively mood turned sour. She felt like the temperature chilled despite it being summer.

    Judging by his low voice and pained expression, she could understand how much Ovior loved his fianc¨¦e.

    She felt terrible. She could hardly imagine what Ovior had gone through after he heard her incident and how much he could have med himself.

    ¡°Ovior¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Ovior interrupted her.

    Using magic, he brought a red wine bottle in his hand. He opened the lid and poured red wine for both of them.

    Then, he raised the ss and said, ¡°Today is her death anniversary. Shall we toast it to her?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Veronica answered readily. ¡°For her peach.¡±

    ¡°For her peace.¡±

    Veronica took a sip. It was a high-quality red wine. The sweetness spread inside her mouth. The heaviness in her heart lightened up quite a bit.

    She licked her lips and then took another sip. She mentally praised the taste of the wine.

    By the time she finished half of the ss, Ovior already finished the second round. He poured another ss of wine for him.

    His face soon flushed red. Skipping his dinner, he finished the bottle of wine.

    Veronica was worried that he would pass out here and then catch a cold.

    She said, ¡°Ovior, why don¡¯t you rest for the night? You have drunk a lot.¡±

    ¡°I want to stay here for the night,¡± Ovior¡¯s tone slurred. ¡°You can leave if you want.¡±

    There was no way she could leave him like that when he was grieving.

    ¡°I cannot do that¡­ cough!¡±

    Before she could finish what she wanted to say, she coughed.

    She covered her mouth automatically. When she pulled out her hand, she saw red liquid covering her hand.

    ¡°Ah¡­ the wine¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish talking when she coughed again.

    This time, more red liquid came out. It filled her palm and dripped from it, messing up her nightgown.

    Before she could understand anything, her head spun.

    Thud!

    Ovior raised his head, startled by the metal sound. He didn¡¯t find Veronica.

    He looked down and saw Veronica rolling on the cold floor. She was unconscious.

    There was a small pool around her face.

    Blooding out of her mouth.

    ¡°Veronica?!¡±

    He rushed forward and grabbed her. He turned her over and cupped her face.

    ¡°Veronica!¡±

 Chapter 475 - 475 POISONED

    475 POISONED

    Arthur was peacefully sleeping. All of a sudden, Ovior teleported into the bedroom.

    ¡°Arthur, get up!¡± he called out with urgency in his voice.

    Arthur surely never heard his friend talking to him like this in his entire life.

    His eyes flew open. He instantly got up.

    ¡°What is¡­¡±

    His words stuck in his throat when he noticed the unconscious Veronica in Ovior¡¯s arms.

    Her mouth was covered in blood and so was her neck and the upper part of her clothes.

    Ovior¡¯s clothes were all bloodied too due to his arms wrapped around Veronica¡¯s bloody body.

    Arthur¡¯s heart sank. He jumped out of the bed and snatched Veronica from his friend.

    .....

    He carried her to the bed and carefully put her down.

    ¡°What¡­ what¡­¡± while checking her condition, he stammered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ovior told him. ¡°We were just drinking wine when she suddenly copsed.

    ¡°At first, I thought it was her meal but we were having the same meal. Beforeing, I already checked if her meal was poisoned. But it¡¯s not.¡±

    Arthur asked desperately, ¡°What about the wine?!¡±

    Ovior shook his head. ¡°We had the same meal and wine. I¡¯m still alive.¡±

    Arthur brought his index finger in front of her nose. He frowned and then ced his head on her chest.

    ¡°She is not breathing, Ovior. She is not breathing.¡± His voice quivered when he spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find whatever I had to take down the poison. But I need a sample.¡±

    ¡°Then take it!¡±

    Ovior vanished for a second and then came back with a syringe. After taking her sample, he gave Arthur a purple stone.

    ¡°Here, use this healing stone. I¡¯m not sure if it will work but use it until it turnspletely red and shatters. I¡¯ll try toe up with a solution by then.¡±

    Arthur did what he was told. He used the stone to heal Veronica until the stone turned red.

    By that time, the sun peeked out of the east window.

    Hours had passed but Veronica didn¡¯t breathe.

    Arthur¡¯s heart was beating faster. He became more and more nervous.

    He didn¡¯t notice a bit of improvement in Veronica¡¯s condition. His face was gradually ashen.

    Someone knocked on the door but he didn¡¯t hear.

    When no reply came from inside, the door was slowly pushed open. Zinnia came inside.

    ¡°Arthur, why are you still¡­ Oh Goddess! Veronica!¡±

    She rushed forward and grabbed Veronica¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Arthur, she is as cold as a dead person. What happened?¡±

    However, Arthur didn¡¯t reply. It seemed like he was shocked by Veronica¡¯s zero improvements. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes that she couldn¡¯t get well.

    Zinnia noticed how shocked he was. She grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him hard.

    ¡°Arthur! Arthur! Say something!¡±

    After being shaken a few times, Arthur slowly turned his head toward her.

    ¡°¡­Poison¡­¡± he muttered in a hardly audible voice.

    ¡°How could that happen?! I¡¯ll inform others. You just stay with her!¡±

    Zinnia dashed out of the room.

    Soon, Ironin, Felix and Darius gathered around in Arthur and Veronica¡¯s bedroom.

    Sebastian came not long after.

    He brought a small bowl in front of Arthur. It was a green liquid with the most disgusting odor they ever smelled.

    Darius and Felix immediately covered their noses while Ironin instinctively held his breath.

    Sebastian told Arthur, ¡°Second Master asked me to bring this to you. This is for Mistress Veronica. She needs to drink this right now.¡±

    Arthur snatched it from his hand and poured the whole medicine into his mouth. After that, he mouth-fed Veronica.

    Some of the medicine spilled from her mouth. Some of it forcefully went down to her throat.

    Even after drinking the medicine, Veronica didn¡¯t wake up. Arthur¡¯s face turned rigid.

    ¡°What should we do?¡± Darius whispered to Ironin. ¡°We have already gathered everyone on the first floor.

    ¡°We have used a magic barrier so that no one can leave. But how long will Arthur take to give us further instruction?¡±

    Ovior was too busy to look for a cure the whole night. He didn¡¯t have a wink of sleep.

    Neither he nor Arthur had any condition to notify others about this incident.

    When Zinnia came, only then did she find out. She informed others as soon as possible.

    With Ironin¡¯s instruction, they gathered everyone and used a magic circle to create a barrier.

    No one could break the barrier except for Ironin, Ovior and Arthur.

    ¡°Give him some time,¡± Ironin told impatient Darius.

    He turned to Felix and asked, ¡°Did you find Catherine?¡±

    Felix shook his head.

    ¡°I saw her going outst night. Today is her holiday. So, I don¡¯t expect her toe before evening.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent her a messenger bird. Hopefully, she will arrive soon.¡±

    While they were waiting, Ovior teleported to the room.

    He looked haggard after staying awake all night. He was still wearing yesterday¡¯s clothes. Veronica¡¯s blood dried on his clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve figured out the problem,¡± he dered.

    Arthur finally turned around, ready to listen to what his friend had to say.

    ¡°Veronica wasn¡¯t poisoned just yesterday. She has been poisoned for a long time. It might have started from the day she arrived at the tower after being missing.

    ¡°The amount of poison was so low that she didn¡¯t show any symptoms. Last night she vomited blood because my red wine had a spell on it.

    ¡°The spell reacted to her poison which caused her to vomit and lose consciousness. It¡¯s more like her poison was activated.

    ¡°She has been taking poison for so long that it spread all over her body. Her blood vessels are poisoned now.

    ¡°If you remove thest drop of her blood, the poison will be removed¡­¡±

    ¡°And she will also die forever,¡± Ironin said. ¡°There is no way to enter new blood into her body. That¡¯s impossible unless there is magic to handle this.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, there is no magic like this,¡± Ovior said. He didn¡¯t give them false rms.

    ¡°Then, find something that can remove the poison from her blood vessels,¡± Arthur said.

    Ovior told him, ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as you think. This poison is the most ancient unknown poison I¡¯ve ever seen.

    ¡°If anyone cane up with the origin of it, that is Merlin. He is an expert in medicine and healing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll notify him right away,¡± Felix said.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Ovior prevented him from leaving. ¡°Before you go, there is something else you need to know¡­¡±

 Chapter 476 - 476 DARKNESS

    476 DARKNESS

    ¡°Before you go, there is something else you need to know. This kind of ancient poison can only be found among the witches.¡±

    ¡°Those wretched witches,¡± Darius cursed

    He hated witches more than anyone. His face turned red in anger.

    ¡°If it¡¯s the witch¡¯s poison, then it means¡­¡± without finishing his sentence, Ironing looked at Arthur.

    Arthur¡¯s golden pupils burned with anger.

    He gritted his teeth and muttered with deep hatred. ¡°That bloody Queen!¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    It¡¯s dark. Too dark. Nothing could be seen.

    Veronica walked on the unknown path.

    .....

    She didn¡¯t know where she was heading.

    She couldn¡¯t remember what happened before she went into utter darkness and silence.

    There was no wind, no sound nor no light.

    Although she couldn¡¯t sense anything, chills ran down her spine and she shivered uncontrobly.

    ¡®Where am I? What am I doing here?¡¯ she wondered.

    Hugging her arms, she moved forward. She was too afraid to stay in the same ce.

    She had no awareness of where she was heading.

    She felt like she was walking for an eternity when all of a sudden, she noticed a yellow light.

    It was a mellow light. if it was any other time, she wouldn¡¯t have noticed it but in utter darkness, that mellow light was too bright.

    The light also gave her hope.

    Her eyes brightened up and she walked forward with quick steps.

    The closer she came and the brighter the light was shown.

    She found courage in her heart and walked closer.

    When she reached the destination, she saw thirteen candles positioned in a circle.

    In the middle, there was ady, wearing a white dress, kneeling and praying silently.

    ¡°Saint¡­ Saint Ava?¡± Veronica called out in a shaky voice.

    Upon hearing her voice, the woman slowly stood up.

    When she turned around, a familiar face came into sight.

    Veronica¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Saint Ava, it is you!¡±

    She smiled as relief washed over her body. She quickly stepped forward.

    ¡°Is it you, the selfish blessed child? Or should I say, ¡®cursed child¡¯?¡± a cold voice froze her on the spot.

    Veronica couldn¡¯t move anymore.

    She shuddered when she noticed how cold Saint Ava sounded. The kind-hearted saint was nowhere to be seen.

    Veronica said, ¡°I know you hate me for what I have done, but I never wanted to be a blessed child in the first ce. And there is a fake blessed child who is doing her job perfectly.¡±

    Saint Ava replied, ¡°A fake is a fake. They can never take the ce of the real deal.¡±

    She nced at Veronica and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like you are in a good shape either. I guess you wanted a messy life for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Not in a good shape?¡± Veronica repeated after her. She was confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Saint Ava frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember that you were poisoned?¡±

    ¡°Poisoned? Me?!¡± Veronica Was stunned. She tried to recall if there was any incident like that but she couldn¡¯t. ¡°But how?¡±

    Saint Ava let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°You are more useless than I thought. Is that why you left your glorious life? What do you want to do with your life anyway?

    ¡°You left your duty because you wanted your freedom. Now you get poisoned and your soules to Nowhere because you are dying.

    ¡°Is this why you chose freedom? To have an early death? I¡¯m not sure if I should call you a brave woman or a stupid idiot.¡±

    After being harshly scolded by the Saint, Veronica was depressed.

    She took her time to think about her actions.

    She wanted freedom and left her duties. She got married willingly and now didn¡¯t want to be tied down to marriage.

    Her knees gave out and she knelt. Covering her face, she mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m really an idiot. What am I actually doing?¡±

    At that point, she didn¡¯t know what she was doing, what she wanted or what could bring her happiness.

    Whatever she had, she threw them away, even Arthur who loved her madly and tried to use forbidden dark arts just to bring her back ¨C she couldn¡¯t acknowledge his heart.

    ¡°Why am I so selfish?¡± she muttered, feeling guilty.

    Suddenly, a thought came to her mind.

    ¡®Wait, if I¡¯m poisoned right now and dying, what will he do?¡¯

    She felt a pang of pain in her heart. Her heart ached for him.

    She didn¡¯t want to see him in pain. The pain of losing her.

    It only led to darkness and suffering.

    It was she who willingly joined hands with her and then selfishly tried to leave his side for her so-called freedom.

    What¡¯s freedom? How to gain it? How can someone achieve it? ¨C she had no idea.

    She never thought of it and didn¡¯t bother to feel what others felt after she chose to stick to her ns.

    She didn¡¯t care what others thought, not even the people who loved her.

    She was born alone, grew up alone and all she knew was how to be alone.

    That¡¯s why all the decisions she took were only part of her and no one else.

    Saint Ava noticed the abnormality in her action. She scoffed.

    ¡°Are you guilty of your own stupidity now? What¡¯s the point when you are dying soon?¡±

    Veronica looked at her. Too shocked to speak.

    The sudden realization of her actions up until now made her stunned.

    She never regretted anything in her life other than her decision of being free from the man who chose her and only her to be his life partner.

    What¡¯s a life partner?

    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be someone who stayed with their partner in good and bad and supported each other through hardships and enjoyed their good days together?

    Then, what did she do? What could she do?

    She willingly grabbed his hand and promised to be with him but she let go of his hand for something so selfish?

    That so-called freedom was nothing but the responsibility she was running away from.

    What could be freedom other than taking one¡¯s own responsibility?

    Saint Ava narrowed her eyes and looked away.

    She was so disappointed in her disciple that she didn¡¯t want to look at her anymore.

    ¡°I guess you did something stupid again. You shouldn¡¯t have left and you should have done what I instructed you to do.

    ¡°Since you wanted to choose your own path, shouldn¡¯t you live a happy life? Why are you in a sorry state?

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can help you here. You don¡¯t even know what happened to you. How can I go and help you?¡±

    Veronica¡¯s eyshes trembled.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you abandon me?¡± she asked.

 Chapter 477 - 477 OUT OF OPTIONS

    477 OUT OF OPTIONS

    ¡°Won¡¯t you abandon me?¡± Veronica asked.

    Saint Ava raised an eyebrow. ¡°Should I not abandon you?¡±

    Veronica lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡±

    Seeing her sorry state, infuriated Saint Ava even more.

    She said, ¡°That¡¯s a sudden change of heart. I wonder what¡¯s the reason. You are a stubborn fool who keeps making wrong choices.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s because you grew up not being able to make any decisions in your life and you are delusional.

    ¡°With all those responsibilities. I thought you could change for a better person but I was wrong.¡±

    Veronica lowered her head even more. The guilt she felt at that time, she wanted to bury herself in it.

    She gathered some courage and said, ¡°I know you must be disappointed in me but I¡¯m ready to face him and tell him I won¡¯t look for my freedom anymore. Please give me a chance to live.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Face him?¡± Saint Ava frowned. ¡°Who is he? Do you have a lover now? Did you throw away your responsibility because of a man?¡±

    Veronica immediately replied, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t escape my responsibility as a blessed child because of a man.

    ¡°I¡¯ve be a blessed child because I wanted to save the man I love. Without him, I¡¯d be nothing.¡±

    ¡°What on earth¡­¡± Saint Ava paused for a moment and then took a deep breath.

    Then, she mentioned, ¡°So, this is the reason why you released your energy. For a man. And now, you are poisoned and dying.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I want to know how I can wake up healthy. What can I do? Please, Saint Ava, help me,¡± Veronica begged her.

    Her heart tightened and it was painful to even breathe when she thought about Arthur.

    Although she wanted to roam around the world, she never thought of leaving him permanently.

    It¡¯s after she was at death¡¯s door she realized how much he meant to her.

    Just thinking about not being able to see him again and him suffering from losing her made her breathless.

    She realized that her affection for him was much stronger than her dream.

    She regretfully realized it just now and she wanted nothing more than to go back to his side.

    Saint Ava shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible even for me,¡± she answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know where your body is. You have no idea what happened to you.

    ¡°Your soul came here when I was praying. There is nothing wrong with your soul.

    Even if I try to heal your soul, it won¡¯t work because your soul is detached from your body.¡±

    Veronica panicked when she heard it.

    ¡°What should I do? There must be something I can do. Please, Saint Ava, do something.¡±

    A sigh escaped Saint Ava¡¯s lips. ¡°Listen, no matter how much you plead to me, it won¡¯t work. I already told you why I can¡¯t do anything.

    ¡°I¡¯m not Almighty, Veronica. There are certain times when I¡¯m powerless.

    ¡°If only you did your part as a blessed child, you could be more powerful and knowledgeable than me.

    ¡°Sadly, you chose a path that deprived you of wisdom. Now, you can only pray to our beloved Goddess.

    ¡°If She thinks you still have some tasks to do in mortal life, she will revive you.¡±

    Veronica gulped. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing but run away from my duties. What reason does Goddess have to save me?¡±

    Saint Ava replied, ¡°I¡¯m d you know how useless you are. But it¡¯s not yours to judge who has parts in the mortal realm. Let our Goddess do her judgment.

    ¡°Nowe, kneel beside me and pray with me. Let Goddess hear your prayers.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Magic Tower

    ¡°Still no change?¡± Zinnia asked Ovior with a worried expression.

    Ovior slowly shook his head. His solemn expression already gave zinnia the answer she was seeking.

    Her heart dropped. She stared at the sleeping beauty mournfully.

    ¡°It¡¯s been three days and there is no cure,¡± she said. ¡°Her heart is barely beating. At this rate, she might die.¡±

    ¡°Shut it!¡± Ovior snapped at her. ¡°Do you want Arthur to hear this? You might even prepare for your death.¡±

    ¡°Zinnia, please control your mouth,¡± Felix requested. ¡°There¡¯s enough bloodshed inside the tower now.

    ¡°Arthur is still suppressing himself in the hope Veronica will get better soon.

    ¡°If he finds out we still haven¡¯t found any cure, do you think anyone will stay alive?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know,¡± Zinnia stated calmly. ¡°We have looked for all the healers we know of. Now the only thing left is going to Utahill.

    ¡°They have a saint named Ava. She lives in the temple where Veronica wentst time. If we can go to her¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll put Veronica¡¯s life at risk,¡± Felix carefully said. ¡°Think about the snowstorm and cold temperature.

    ¡°We can¡¯t use magic there to keep her warm. Plus, we have no clue where that ce is.

    ¡°Her body is already so cold. She¡¯ll freeze before we find that ce.

    ¡°But this may be our only option,¡± Zinnia tried to convince him.

    ¡°If you guys have time to argue, why not find something useful for me?¡± Ovior spoke.

    He was dead tired. He didn¡¯t sleep a wink in three days.

    His face was pale and dark circles were deep under his eyes.

    He looked so exhausted that if the wind blew toward him, he might fall.

    ¡°Have you got any news about Merlin?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent him four urgent letters already,¡± Felix answered. ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s no answer.¡±

    ¡°After he left, themunication was suddenly cut off. However, we don¡¯t have time to worry about his situation,¡± Zinnia mentioned.

    Ovior¡¯s face darkened. ¡°When dangeres, ites from everywhere,¡± he murmured.

    With Merlin¡¯s knowledge of ancient healing magic, he thought they had a chance to save Veronica.

    However, after he left, there was no news from him.

    At first, they let it go thinking about his mission but now it was an emergency.

    Until now, Ovior tried to keep Veronica alive for three days with the minimum ideas stored in his head.

    However, he was running out of options and she still hadn¡¯t woken up.

    In fact, her situation didn¡¯t get better at all.

    On the other hand, life was slipping away from her little by little.

    ¡°Then, we should find that Saint Ava,¡± Ovior dered.

    He was going to say more when the door burst open.

    Darius came inside while panting.

    ¡°Guys, you won¡¯t believe this,¡± he said. ¡°A couple of men came and stood outside the gate of the tower. They want to meet Veronica.¡±

    Ovior frowned. ¡°A couple of men? Who?¡±

 Chapter 478 - 478 THE ARRIVAL

    478 THE ARRIVAL

    ¡°A couple of men? Who?¡±

    Ovior, Zinnia, Felix and Darius went to the front gate.

    They saw three men.

    Their bodies were covered with ck cloaks and ck hoods. Their faces couldn¡¯t be seen.

    The men saw them and the person in the middle demanded, ¡°We are here to meet Veronica.¡±

    His voice had a hint of hostility.

    Ovior knitted his eyebrows. ¡°And who are you and why will we allow you to meet her?¡±

    The man in the middle revealed his face and so did hispanions.

    They had light golden blonde hair, shining in the sunlight. Those tall men had unusually pointy ears.

    .....

    Their skin was pale and they didn¡¯t look like ordinary people.

    ¡®They are elves!¡¯ Ovior widened his eyes in surprise.

    He and the others immediately became alert.

    The man in the middle said, ¡°Veronica was supposed to meet us yesterday but she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°We thought she woulde today but she didn¡¯t. We want to know if she is alive and well.¡±

    ¡°We never heard of her meeting with elves. She didn¡¯t mention anything about you,¡± Zinnia coldly retorted. ¡°You are lying.¡±

    ¡°If you have any bad intentions, then you won¡¯t be able to leave this ce alive,¡± Felix threatened them.

    ¡°Bad intention?¡± The elf in the middle chuckled. ¡°If anyone has a bad intention that should be you, the Magic Tower. You are the one who wants to hurt Veronica.¡±

    His anger and unfriendly attitude was so vivid that Darius was ready to attack.

    ¡°Who dares to mention my wife¡¯s name?¡±

    A chilling voice was heard. Arthur teleported to the gate and gave the elves a vicious re.

    ¡°What do elves want with my wife?¡± he asked again.

    ¡°Wife?!¡±

    The elves were stunned. They exchanged nces. Their looks said that they didn¡¯t believe Arthur.

    The elves scanned Arthur from top to bottom. They could sense the huge source of mana inside the man¡¯s body.

    ¡°This is the Master of the Magic Tower,¡± the elf in the middle muttered.

    The other two elves gasped. They started talking among themselves.

    The elf on the left whispered, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s the Master of the Magic Tower?¡±

    ¡°His aura and the amount of mana he has in his body, there is no way I can be wrong,¡± the elf in the middle replied.

    ¡°Does that mean Veronica is married to the Master of the Magic Tower?¡± the elf on the right asked.

    The elf in the middle mentioned, ¡°We can¡¯t say for sure. It was unusual for her to live in the Magic Tower in the first ce.

    ¡°She always avoided talking about her reason for staying here in the Magic Tower even though I warned her. She said that she trusted the people here.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± the left one agreed. ¡°Why would she trust them so much unless she was a family to them? But what about¡­¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to worry about that. let¡¯s find out Veronica first,¡± the middle one said.

    While they were whispering to each other, Darius asked in a low tone, ¡°Howe Veronica knows elves and we have no clue about it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she doesn¡¯t trust us enough to share all her information,¡± Zinnia shrugged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. We all have our little secrets,¡± Felix stated.

    ¡°I guess Arthur knew about it. Didn¡¯t you?¡± Ovior looked at Arthur.

    Arthur¡¯s golden eyes glowed coldly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± he told his friend in a low tone.

    His voice sent chills down their spines.

    Darius let out a dryugh to lighten up the atmosphere.

    He said, ¡°Maybe she wanted to but forgot. Don¡¯t forget the amount of work she did every day including her lessons.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure if his tactic was of any help because no one was talking. Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Arthur.

    Before Arthur could say anything, the elves turned to face them.

    The elf in the middle said, ¡°I¡¯m Urs, the second prince of the Elvish realm.

    ¡°My soldiers and I sworn our alliance to Veronica who is the blessed child of the earth.¡±

    ¡°And should we believe you?¡± Arthur demanded.

    ¡°We don¡¯t care whether you believe us or not,¡± Urs replied. ¡°We are here to meet Veronica. Let us meet her.¡±

    ¡°How did you meet her?¡± Ovior calmly questioned them.

    Urs didn¡¯t answer him. He looked at Arthur and asked back, ¡°How long have the two of you been married?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Arthur quietly stared at him. His face darkened further.

    Seeing that Arthur didn¡¯t answer, Felix answered, ¡°¡­Two years.¡±

    Urs chuckled. His eyes were filled with ridicule.

    He said, ¡°Then, you married her before her kidnapping. What kind of man are you? You cannot protect your wife.

    ¡°It looks like you married her for her power. Her life means nothing to you.¡±

    Arthur scowled at him. His knuckles turned white as he tightened his fists.

    ¡®He hasn¡¯t slept three days and he¡¯s boiling in anger. He will burn everything if this continues,¡¯ Ovior thought.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one, others were worried about the same thing.

    ¡°It was our mistake that we couldn¡¯t protect her,¡± Ovior quickly said. ¡°So, you ended up rescuing her?¡±

    Urs stated, ¡°We didn¡¯t rescue her. She was found unconscious near a vige.

    ¡°The vige elves helped her recover. Since then, we have been helping her to train just as she wanted.¡±

    ¡°Now I know why she is so good with bows and arrows,¡± Zinnia said.

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Urs agreed. ¡°Now, we would like to meet her. She gave us some tasks and we need to talk to her about them. It¡¯s urgent.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t,¡± Ovior said.

    Urs frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°She was poisoned,¡± Zinnia stated. ¡°It has been three days and she hasn¡¯t recovered yet.¡±

    Urs¡¯ heart dropped. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±

    By the time they reached Arthur and Veronica¡¯s bedroom, Ovior gave the elves a short brief about what happened.

    After listening to everything, Urs clenched his jaw.

    His heart ached uncontrobly when he noticed the almost-dead Veronica.

    It didn¡¯t look like she would recover soon.

    He scornfully looked at Arthur.

    ¡°I heard that you were the most powerful man on earth. I guess I was wrong. What can your power do when you can¡¯t protect your beloved.¡±

    As he said that, Arthur lowered his head without a word as if he was epting that fact.

    His behavior momentarily stunned the rest of the people.

    Urs wanted to curse him but he cooled off his head.

    ¡®I mustn¡¯t lose control. I need to find a way to cure Veronica,¡¯ he thought.

    All of a sudden, an idea popped into his head.

    He nced at Ovior and said, ¡°I think I can help.¡±

    .....

 Chapter 479 - 479 THE ANTIDOTE

    479 THE ANTIDOTE

    ¡°I think I can help.¡±

    The moment Urs said so, others looked at him.

    ¡°Can you? How?¡± Arthur asked. He still didn¡¯t trust him.

    Urs replied, ¡°First, I need to examine her condition.¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± Arthur permitted him.

    Urs and the two other elves examined Veronica¡¯s body. Their faces darkened after they were done.

    ¡°Witchcraft,¡± one of Urs¡¯ fellows mumbled in a low tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s poison from the witch,¡± Ovior said. ¡°We already know it. If we only find what nt they used to make it, I could make the antidote.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t. No one can,¡± Urs stated.

    .....

    Arthur frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Urs told him, ¡°The witches didn¡¯t create the poison from any nt.¡±

    Others were stunned. They didn¡¯t know what to say.

    They clearly saw Veronica being like this because she drank something.

    The wine wasn¡¯t the issue because Ovior drank the same wine.

    There must be some kind of poison or why would it harm Veronica?

    ¡°If it¡¯s not a poison from a nt then what did they use?¡± Felix asked.

    Urs exined, ¡°They created it using ck magic. It¡¯s a curse.¡±

    Ovior was enlightened by the information.

    He remarked, ¡°Not a poison but a curse. I never thought about it. How to break the curse?¡±

    Urs shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t. It has no cure.¡±

    ¡°No cure?!¡± Darius eximed. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡±

    Arthur quietly stared at him but he was anxious.

    Urs answered, ¡°It¡¯s possible. The witch who gave Veronica the poison didn¡¯t want her to get better ever again.

    ¡°Once it¡¯s taken, there is only one path left for you. It¡¯s death.

    ¡°It means the person knew she was going to die from taking it.¡±

    ¡°That bitch!¡± Zinnia cursed. ¡°I¡¯m shocked the bloody queen would attack Arthur so ruthlessly.¡±

    Ovior stated, ¡°Since she attacked Arthur¡¯s weakest point, I assume she is prepared for the battle. After all, Arthur won¡¯t let it go easily.¡±

    Everyone looked grim.

    Arthur asked Urs, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you have an idea? Do you think you can heal her?¡±

    Urs answered, ¡°If it was someone else, there was no other option but since it¡¯s Veronica, we have a chance.¡±

    Saying that he opened his bag and took out a flower.

    It was a flower that no one ever saw before.

    The flower had five long petals leaning toward the back. It had a burning orange color.

    It became yellowish to the core and reddish to the edge.

    The flower looked like a small piece of sun, glowing in the sunlight, just like some magic stone that lit up in the dark.

    Urs looked at the fellow elves and signaled them to assist them.

    They used the stone bowl that was on the table and sashed the flower there.

    The more they smashed the flower, the more the smell of blood thickened.

    Even Arthur, who was known for his bloodthirst, furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°What¡¯s with this flower? Why is it spilling blood?¡± he asked.

    Urs exined, ¡°This is called ¡°the Blood of the Sun¡±. It is born once in a millennium.

    ¡°It¡¯s a mixture of the dragon¡¯s blood and the virgin blessed child.

    ¡°The dragon is the protector of the earth while the blessed child is a connection between Goddess Juvena and all living creatures.

    ¡°While the blessed child can¡¯t use her power to heal herself, the Blood of the Sun is the only thing that can give her instant recovery.¡±

    ¡°That means Veronica will wake up after she drinks it,¡± Zinnia said with a smile. She was relieved to hear that.

    ¡°I cannot say for sure,¡± Urs told them while shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s possible to heal the blessed child as long as she is alive. On the other hand, Veronica is¡­¡±

    ¡°She IS alive.¡± Arthur hardened his face. ¡°She is breathing.¡±

    ¡®I can¡¯t be sure about that. Her body is as cold as a dead body,¡¯ Ovior spoke in his mind but didn¡¯t utter a single word.

    ¡°If this flower is born in a millennium, does that mean it¡¯s a millennium-old flower?¡± Felix asked, curious about the origin of the floor.

    ¡°Not at all. It was born recently and I believe it was created with Veronica¡¯s blood,¡± Urs answered

    ¡°Veronica¡¯s blood when she was a virgin along with dragon¡¯s blood?¡± Ovior was surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t think she ever told me that she met a dragon.¡±

    ¡°There are many things we don¡¯t know about her,¡± Darius mentioned. ¡°There is no point in talking about that.

    ¡°The question is where she met the dragon. I haven¡¯t recently heard of any dragon awakened because of the blessed child.¡±

    ¡°If the ancient being was awakened, we, elves, would know before anyone. We have a strong blood connection with the dragon. We didn¡¯t notice anything,¡± Urs stated.

    ¡°We can ask Veronica once she wakes up,¡± Arthur said. ¡°How long will it take to create the antidote?¡±

    A fellow elf handed the bowl to Urs¡¯ hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Urs dered. ¡°Please help Veronica to sit.¡±

    Arthur immediately sat on the edge of the bed and carefully assisted Veronica¡¯s unconscious body to sit.

    Urs sat on the other side and fed Veronica the thick red liquid spoon by spoon.

    The others noticed the liquid glow yellow as it slipped through Veronica¡¯s throat to her stomach.

    ¡°If this curse of the witch is fed a small amount almost every day, a woman will lose her fertility,¡± Urs suddenly mentioned.

    Arthur and the rest were startled when they heard the news.

    Arthur¡¯s face was overcast with dark shadow.

    His confusion became clear. He was hoping that Veronica would be pregnant right after she came back from the kidnapping incident.

    However, no matter how much he tried, Veronica never showed pregnancy symptoms.

    He doubted that Veronica was taking some medicine to have birth control.

    Even so, he didn¡¯t pursue this matter or push her.

    Eventually, he pushed away the subject as they became busier with their duties as well as Queen Isabe¡¯s scheme.

    ¡®If only I paid attention to her¡­¡¯

    Arthur shut his eyes and med himself for everything.

    As if Ovior could read his mind. He said, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t me yourself.¡±

    Then, he looked at Veronica and asked Urs, ¡°You already fed her the antidote. Why isn¡¯t she waking up yet?¡±

 Chapter 480 - 480 THE BLOOD OF THE DRAGON

    480 THE BLOOD OF THE DRAGON

    ¡°You already fed her the antidote. Why isn¡¯t she waking up yet?¡±

    At Ovior¡¯s question, Urs looked at him.

    ¡°You do realize that I just fed her the medicine, right?¡± he mentioned. ¡°I understand how you are feeling but please have some patience. If she is lucky then she¡¯ll wake up within a week.¡±

    ¡°That long?¡± Arthur furrowed his eyebrow.

    He was busy wiping the corner of Veronica¡¯s mouth as the reddish-orange liquid was dripping from her that area.

    Urs exined, ¡°When I was young, I used to go to the library to study. We have information about Goddess Juvena and the blessed child.

    ¡°From what I read from the scrolls, the Blood of the Dragon takes a good amount of time to heal the blessed child if she is seriously injured.

    ¡°From my point of view, Veronica has¡­ nearly lost her life. If what I know is true then it should take time.¡±

    Arthur looked at Ovior and instructed him, ¡°Have Catherine and Sebastian guard her.¡±

    .....

    Afterward, his body disappeared right in front of everyone.

    ¡°Where is he running off to?¡± Darius wondered.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± Ovior squinted his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s going to bring his golden staff.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Others became silent.

    They stared at Veronica, waiting for her to open her eyes, but there was no improvement.

    Some timeter, Ovior stated, ¡°I¡¯m going to get Catherine.¡± Then, he disappeared as well, teleported to his office.

    After Veronica fell into bed, Ovior was madly trying to find a cure.

    However, his work was piling up and so, Catherine didn¡¯t have time to worry about her best friend. She had to be stuck in Ovior¡¯s office and do the paperwork all by herself.

    When Ovior appeared in his office, he saw a tired Catherine.

    ¡®She must be working non-stop without getting enough sleep since I didn¡¯t help her these past few days,¡¯ he thought.

    He told her, ¡°Catherine, you can take a break now.¡±

    Catherine looked at him with her tired blue eyes.

    ¡°Huh? Why? I can finish in three days.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯ll take care of them. You can go to Veronica¡¯s room. She needs you there.¡±

    Catherine jumped out of her seat.

    ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡±

    Her face paled as she imagined the worst.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what you are thinking. Some elves came and gave Veronica an antidote. I have nothing to do there.

    ¡°Since they will look after her, I want you to stay there until she recovers.

    ¡°And, don¡¯t let them do anything harmful to Veronica. Be careful around them.¡±

    Catherine ced a hand on her chest. Relief waved in her heart.

    ¡°So, she has been cured. Thank goodness!¡±

    She had been worried sick when she heard about Veronica.

    However, she knew she couldn¡¯t do anything to save her. She knew nothing about medicine.

    Thus, she told Ovior not to worry about work because she would handle it.

    Instead, he could focus on making medicine for her friend.

    She drowned herself in working to forget her worry for Veronica but it barely worked.

    Whenever she took a break, she kept thinking about her sick friend.

    As a result, she hardly rested and focused on finishing her tasks.

    Now that she heard about the current situation, she felt a heavy weight lift her shoulders.

    After she let Ovior know what part of the work she was done with and the work that was important to finish, she was ready to leave.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to her now¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, before you go, take Sebastian with you. Arthur asked the two of you to guard her,¡± Ovior told her from behind.

    Catherine stiffened. It had been a while since she had met him and theirst encounter wasn¡¯t great.

    ¡°¡­Sure, I¡¯ll do that. Do you know where he is?¡±

    ¡°Not a clue.¡± Ovior rubbed his head as if he was having a headache. His headache got worse as he looked at the papers.

    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡± Catherine went out.

    At first, she went to the training hall. She didn¡¯t find him there. Then, she went to his room, library, and dining hall but he was nowhere to be found.

    When she was about to give up looking for him, she spotted him downstairs among the guards and magicians.

    After hesitating for a moment, she called out softly, ¡°Sebastian?¡±

    Sebastian instantly turned around. His lips parted, showing that he was surprised by her sudden visit.

    Catherine nervously walked closer.

    ¡°Arthur wants us to guard Veronica,¡± she spoke in a low voice so that only Sebastian heard her.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go,¡± Sebastian easily agreed.

    He talked to hisrades and then went along with Catherine.

    The two of them were quiet in the magic elevator. Their silence grew longer and it created an awkward environment.

    They reached Veronica and Arthur¡¯s bedroom.

    The moment they opened the door, they found three elves along with Zinnia, Darius and Felix.

    Although Catherine heard about the elves, she was momentarily surprised.

    Soon, she looked at her friend and her eyes teared up.

    ¡°Oh, Ver,¡± she walked closer and sat on the bed. She held Veronica¡¯s hand and shivered.

    ¡°Why is her hand still cold? Isn¡¯t she recovering?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You must be Catherine. Yes, we think she is recovering but we haven¡¯t seen any improvement yet.¡±

    When Urs answered her, Catherine was stunned.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know if your medicine works or not? Then, we should do something!¡±

    As she panicked, Zinnia patted her shoulder.

    ¡°There is no cure for this poison. They said it was the witch curse. It makes a woman infertile and then kills her.¡±

    Zinnia¡¯s words made it worse for Catherine. She became scared and nervous.

    ¡°Oh, Ver, how can I help you? Can you never give birth to a child? Will you never wake up?

    ¡°Please open your eyes. I beg you! I can¡¯t stand looking at you when you are like this!¡±

    She sobbed while she begged.

    Darius and the rest felt sad. Arthur barely showed his weakness to them.

    The first time someone expressed their sadness for Veronica so explicitly that it broke their hearts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go outside and see if Arthur needs help. Call me if you need me,¡± saying that Darius hurriedly went out of the room.

    Felix went out as well.

    Zinnia tried to calm Catherine down, ¡°She will recover. She will most certainly recover.¡±

    She also felt bad for Catherine. After all, Veronica and Catherine grew up together.

    They were more than just friends. They were practically family.

    Urs understood how much Catherine cared for Veronica. His gaze softened.

    He politely told her, ¡°Pray to Goddess Juvena. Only she can help. Plead to her with everything you have.¡±

    As everyone did their best to convince her, Catherine finally wiped off her tears.

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯ll pray. I¡¯ll definitely pray,¡±

    After Zinnia saw Catherine closing her eyes and began praying silently, she looked at Sebastian and signaled him to go out of the room.

    When they went out of the bedroom, Zinnia said, ¡°You have to keep an eye on the elves while checking Veronica¡¯s condition.

    ¡°If it gets better or worse, you must send a signal to Ovior.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do as you wish,¡± Sebastian stated.

    ¡°Also, is everything okay between you and Catherine?¡±

    Sebastian was startled by the sudden question but he immediatelyposed himself.

    ¡°¡­Yes¡­ I don¡¯t see a problem.¡±

    Zinnia helplessly shook her head. ¡°I know it¡¯s a bit awkward between you two but try to get along with each other for Veronica¡¯s sake. You can do that, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can,¡± Sebastian nodded.

    Zinnia was relieved to hear that.

    ¡°Good. We will be gone for a couple of days. Arthur won¡¯t be there either.

    ¡°However, if something happens, like something really bad, you must contact me. I¡¯ll pass the information to Arthur.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Great. See youter.¡±

    Sebastian waited until Zinnia left and then went back inside the room.

    He scanned the room. He noticed a bloody smell and frowned.

    ¡®Whose blood?¡¯ he wondered.

    ¡°Is someone injured?¡± he asked the elves.

    Urs and hispanions only shook their heads slightly. Afterward, they got busy with their work.

    They wanted to research more about the Blood of the Dragon and Veronica¡¯s condition.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time a blessed child was critically ill.

    However, there were barely any notes about their conditions after they took the antidote from Blood of the Dragon.

    That¡¯s the reason why they didn¡¯t want to waste this opportunity.

    Sebastian watched them doing research.

    On the other hand, Catherine prayed. She was holding Veronica¡¯s hand while praying.

    As she prayed, Veronica¡¯s hand suddenly dropped.

    She was startled.

    ¡°Ver?¡± She panicked and nervously looked at the elves. ¡°She¡­ her hand dropped on its own.¡±

    Urs checked Veronica¡¯s pulse and his face was ashen.

    ¡°Her pulse¡­ I can¡¯t feel it anymore¡­¡± he stated with much difficulty.

    Catherine was already in tears. ¡°What¡­ what do you mean??¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    In the darkness, Veronica was praying. All of a sudden, she fell on the floor.

    Her body weakened so much that she couldn¡¯t move.

    Saint Ava was right beside her. When she noticed that the person beside her wasn¡¯t feeling well, she checked her condition.

 Chapter 481 - 481 HELL BROKE

    481 HELL BROKE

    Not understanding her condition, Veronica softly uttered, ¡°Why¡­¡±

    After examining her soul, Saint Ava stated, ¡°It¡¯s not good. Your life is slipping away. You are dying, Veronica.¡±

    ¡®It seems like they didn¡¯t get the cure,¡¯ Veronica thought.

    She opened her mouth to say something but her lips only quivered. She couldn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to talk. You are too weak to do so. Even your soul doesn¡¯t have the energy to utter a word,¡± Saint Ava said.

    She felt sad for this foolish girl. She wanted to keep her safe but she kept getting out of her reach.

    ¡®In the end, she fell in love with some random guy and is about to die¡­¡¯ Saint Ava thought with her lips pursed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t save you. if your body was anywhere near me, I¡¯d heal you,¡± she said.

    Veronica let out a small smile. A droplet of tears fell from the corner of her right eye.

    .....

    She wanted to say ¨C it was okay, there was nothing to worry about, Saint Ava did everything she could and she was blessed to have a guardian like that, she wished for nothing more from Saint Ava.

    She thought of Arthur and felt a pang in her chest.

    She remembered all those times they were together.

    She always kept her distance and they were both busy but there were good times she could never forget.

    ¡®Ah¡­ I wanted to be with you a little longer. It must be my punishment for not loving you the way you loved me. I¡¯m selfish, aren¡¯t I? Please forgive this stupid wife of yours, Arthur¡­ I love you.¡¯

    Saint Ava saw a bright lighting out of Veronica¡¯s heart. The light brightened in seconds and enveloped the whole area.

    The light was too pure and too bright.

    Saint Ava couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open. She automatically closed her eyes.

    When she opened her eyes again, Veronica was gone.

    ¡°That foolish child¡­¡± Saint Ava muttered, hiding deep sorrow.

    She closed her eyes to pray for the blessed child so that she could enter heaven without difficulties.

    ¨C

    ¨C

    ¨C

    ¨C

    ¨C

    ¨C

    ¨C

    ¨C

    ¡°She looks better.¡±

    ¡°Yes, herplexion is getting better.¡±

    ¡°Her body is warm.¡±

    ¡°Her breathing is normal.¡±

    Veronica could hear whispers around her. She slowly opened her eyes.

    Her eyes adjusted to the magic light in the room. She noticed Catherine, Ironin, Sebastian and Urs along with two more elves.

    Veronica was bewildered.

    ¡®Wait, shouldn¡¯t I be in heaven right now? Why does it look like I¡¯m in my bedroom?¡¯

    She pondered but she couldn¡¯te up with anything.

    What surprised her more was Urs talking to Ironin and Catherine.

    ¡®Why is he here? What happened when I passed out?¡¯ she wondered.

    ¡°Cathy¡­¡± Veronica called out.

    Catherine was startled. She instantly looked at Veronica.

    Her face beamed.

    ¡°Ah! Ver! You are awake!¡±

    At her scream, others looked at Veronica.

    Catherine jumped and hugged Veronica tightly.

    ¡°I was worried sick. That devil queen! How dare she curse you! I thought you were dead. Huhuhu!¡±

    She bawled while hugging her best friend.

    Veronica smiled seeing her so devastated due to her sickness. She hugged her friend back.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Thanks for taking care of me.¡±

    ¡°Congrattions on your recovery, Veronica.¡± Urs bowed. He softly smiled.

    Other elves bowed as well. They seemed relieved.

    Catherine moved from Veronica. Veronica sat up on her own.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you, Urs,¡± she said. ¡°What brings you all here?¡±

    ¡°You were supposed to meet us but you didn¡¯t. We thought something bad might happen to you¡­¡±

    Urs exined everything in detail.

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Veronica stated.

    ¡®For Arthur to get along with the elves for my sake¡­¡¯ her heart warmed up thinking about it.

    She thought about something and asked, ¡°Oh right, Catherine said I was cursed by the Queen. What¡¯s with that?¡±

    ¡°Queen Isabe joined forces with the witches,¡± Sebastian disclosed.

    ¡°Oh! Is there any proof of this? We can take down the queen with that evidence,¡± Veronica stated.

    Catherine chuckled. ¡°You just woke up and thinking about politics? You have be a fine Mistress of the Magic Tower.¡±

    Veronica smiled. ¡°I do feel energetic. It could be because of the Blood of the Dragon Urs gave me. I do want to meet Arthur. Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He is at war against the witches,¡± Sebastian replied.

    ¡°Huh?? What¡¯s going on?¡± Veronica was puzzled.

    While Catherine brought food for her, Sebastian told her what happened after she passed out from the witch¡¯s curse.

    Arthur directly went to the Imperial Pce and used magic.

    All the Imperial Guards who came to stop him ended up injured by him to the point they couldn¡¯t get up.

    The King stopped him and demanded an exnation.

    Arthur red at him and said, ¡°That bitchy queen dared to hurt my wife with the help of witches. I won¡¯t forgive her. I¡¯ll burn her and all the witches with her.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?!¡± The King roared. ¡°How can you disrespect the Queen?!¡±

    Even if he didn¡¯t like his wife, he had to keep the face of the imperial family. He couldn¡¯t let anyone disrespect them.

    There were many ministers with the king but they didn¡¯t dare to stop Arthur who was seething in anger.

    ¡°Disrespect?¡± Arthur chuckled.

    Hisugh sent chills to the ministers¡¯ spines.

    He coldly asked, ¡°Should I respect a bitch who joins hands with the witches? Why should I respect her for cursing my wife? Veronica is losing her life.¡±

    The King was stunned.

    ¡°Joined hands with the witch? Queen Isabelle?! Mistress of the Magic Tower is in a critical condition?¡±

    Arthur sneered. ¡°You have no idea what¡¯s happening under your nose. Can you call yourself a king?¡±

    ¡°Arthur!¡± The King was so angry that his face turned red.

    Arthur didn¡¯t bother with him. ¡°Since you can¡¯t even control your family, it¡¯s time I put everything to an end.¡±

    Then, Arthur broke the ancient seal of the pce that was preventing him from using magic and after that teleported to the Queen¡¯s Pce.

    .....

    Queen Isabe was drinking tea at the time but hell broke soon enough.

 Chapter 482 - 482 THE QUEENâ€™S TEA PARTY

    482 THE QUEEN¡¯S TEA PARTY

    Queen Isabe was having a st.

    Her enemy¡¯s wife was cursed by the witch and the Magic Tower was vulnerable.

    She was able to befriend the witches and they secretly raised a witch army behind her husband¡¯s back and no one found out.

    For her, it was a glorious day.

    While drinking fancy southern tea with other nobledies, she thought of Duke De Pole.

    She instantly frowned.

    ¡®That stupid mutt. He couldn¡¯t do anything and dared to disclose all the information.¡¯

    ¡®It was a good thing that I didn¡¯tpletely trust him and poisoned him with the witch¡¯s curse so that he would be unable to tell the truth, or else who knows what would¡­¡¯

    Boom!

    .....

    Before she could finish her thoughts, the pce door flew, leaving dust everywhere.

    The loud sound startled everyone in the garden.

    The Pce maids and aristocraticdies shrieked in fear.

    White dust covered the area. Thedies were unable to see what was happening.

    Thinking that a rebellious group attacked the pce, Queen Isabe was about to stand up to escape when Arthur showed up right behind her.

    He grabbed her by her neck and raised her in a blink of an eye.

    Queen Isabe¡¯s feet left the ground. Fear crept into her heart. She shut her eyes tightly and opened her mouth to scream.

    But how could she scream?

    Arthur was grabbing her neck so firmly that she was unable to let out a scream.

    The Queen¡¯s white face turned red slowly by suffocation.

    As she was passing out due to theck of oxygen, she was thrown away like a doll.

    Her majestic body touched the hard ground. She groaned in pain and was covered in dirt.

    She coughed vigorously while clutching her neck. She felt like her neck was crushed.

    She opened her tearful red eyes and was ready to curse whoever it was when she noticed a huge figure surrounded by a dark aura.

    She subconsciously flinched.

    She never saw the master of the Magic Tower bing so angry. She could sense how enraged Arthur was.

    A sense of delight cast on Queen Isabe¡¯s heart.

    ¡®So, she finally died,¡¯ she came to a conclusion.

    She stood up. The corner of her lips was raised slightly.

    ¡°The Master of the Magic Tower is so brave. He even barged into my pce. Don¡¯t you worry about treason?¡±

    Just hearing her voice made Arthur¡¯s blood boil.

    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for this bitch¡­¡¯

    His golden eyes glowed as this woman reminded him of Veronica¡¯s bedridden situation.

    ¡°When someone has a connection with the witches, they are under my jurisdiction,¡± Arthur said in a dark tone.

    Then, he raised his hand upward and instantly thunder came down.

    Queen Isabe was shocked.

    ¡®He knows? But how?¡¯

    She wondered hard but wasn¡¯t able toe up with anything.

    The moment she realized that Arthur cast a spell, she immediately grabbed a red teardrop ne that was hanging on her chest.

    Just when the thunder fell over her, she disappeared from the ce.

    ¡®I won¡¯t forgive you! You bastard! You killed my son and now you want to kill me? I¡¯ll destroy everything you love and I¡¯ll make you feel the same feeling I have felt years ago!¡¯

    Arthur crudely looked at where thunder made a hole in the pce garden.

    Afterward, he came back to the Magic Tower and met Ovior.

    ¡°The bitch left. She used witch¡¯s magic,¡± he said.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Ovior was relieved. He was worried about Arthur destroying the whole pce.

    ¡°Since she already used forbidden magic, even the king won¡¯t be able to stop us from interfering,¡± he said. ¡°What do you want to do now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know already? War.¡±

    And that¡¯s how the war between the magicians and the witches started.

    ~ shback ends ~

    ¡°Oh my!¡± Veronica grabbed her head and stayed like that for a while.

    Her heart fluttered and raced at the same time.

    She was on the verge of dying. The reason she woke up was because she wanted to have a life with Arthur the way he wanted.

    She wanted to say that she loved him and she wished to promise that she wouldn¡¯t be selfish anymore.

    She¡¯d rather give up on her dream than leave his side.

    Dreamse and go but true love is hard toe around.

    ¡®I neglected you and tried to run away from you while you started a war to get revenge for my sake. Say, Arthur, how am I going to repay you?¡¯

    Seeing her so quiet, others exchanged nces. Catherine signaled them to leave.

    As all the men left, Catherine sat beside her friend and embraced her closely.

    ¡°Are you worried about Arthur?¡± she asked.

    ¡°How can I not?¡± Veronica stated. ¡°I treated him badly and he went to war for me¡­ how can I not feel bad?¡±

    ¡°How did you treat him badly?¡± Catherine softly asked. ¡°You studied hard and worked day and night as the Mistress of the Magic Tower. Who did you take the responsibility for?

    ¡°You wanted to travel the whole world but were you able to do it? You had so many responsibilities that you hardly had time to go somewhere.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ I wanted to leave him for good when he was going crazy without me. Aren¡¯t I pathetic?¡± Veronica sobbed.

    Catherine wouldn¡¯t approve of it.

    She said, ¡°Not at all. How can that be? Everyone makes mistakes. Which couple doesn¡¯t have a short moment of misunderstanding? People have it worse than that. It¡¯s not like any of you cheated on each other or something.

    ¡°You thought what you felt was right and believed you did the right thing. Now you know what you want to do and I¡¯m sure you can do that.

    ¡°Just like you wanted to leave him because of misunderstandings and he tried to cage you because he was obsessed. But you went over it, didn¡¯t you?

    ¡°From now on don¡¯t worry about those things and keep moving forward. You both can make amends. I believe in you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Cathy. Thank you.¡± Veronica clutched her friend¡¯s clothes tightly and sobbed in her arms.

    When she calmed down, she wiped her eyes and said, ¡°I want to see Urs.¡±

    The moment she said that someone knocked on the door and came inside.

    ¡°Have you asked for me?¡± Urs asked.

    ¡°How did you¡­ were you eavesdropping?¡± Catherine was bewildered.

    ¡°Elves¡¯ hearing ability is sharper than humans,¡± Urs politelymented.

    ¡°I wish I had this kind of hearing ability,¡± Catherine told him. Then, she looked at Veronica. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave you alone. Ver, ask me if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Veronica waited until her friend left. Only then, she looked at Urs.

    ¡°Did you find the documents I asked you about?¡± she asked him.

    Urs shortly answered. ¡°Better.¡±

    Veronica was confused. ¡°What better?¡±

    ¡°I found something better.¡±

    ¡°What could that be?¡±

    .....

 Chapter 483 - 483 THE DOUBT

    483 THE DOUBT

    ¡°I found something better.¡±

    Veronica became curious. ¡°What could that be?¡±

    Urs took out some scrolls from hisrge sleeve and handed them over to her.

    Veronica grabbed them without a word and opened them one by one.

    After learning the ancientnguage, she read many scrolls from the Rosemary Temple.

    Even in the Magic Tower, there were forbidden books in the ancientnguage. She read them whenever she had a chance so that she wouldn¡¯t forget thenguage.

    Due to her regr study, she was able to read what was written in the scrolls. After reading a few lines, her eyes widened. It was visible how surprised she was.

    ¡°This is¡­¡± she took a sharp breath.

    ¡°As you can see, these are forbidden knowledge that should only be known by the blessed child. Even a mere saint can¡¯t have this knowledge,¡± Urs exined.

    .....

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you got them from the Rosemary Temple?¡± Veronica asked.

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Urs answered.

    ¡°Then¡­ these scrolls were with Saint Ava all this time¡­ but why would she keep them with her?¡± Veronica wondered.

    ¡°ording to thew of the temple, as soon as the blessed child enters the Rosemary Temple, the Saint is supposed to hand over all the knowledge and authority that belongs to the blessed child,¡± Ursmented.

    ¡°Huh? But that didn¡¯t happen to me.¡± Veronica was confused.

    She recalled how Saint Ava made her work day and night. She barely had time to rest.

    ¡°Since she didn¡¯t hand over the knowledge and the authority, doesn¡¯t that mean she is plotting something? I don¡¯t trust her,¡± Urs stated in his mind.

    ¡°Saint Ava¡­¡± Veronica muttered her name.

    She recalled what happened after she was poisoned. She was with Saint Ava.

    She didn¡¯t find any hatred in Saint Ava toward her. In her eyes, the Saint was always level-headed.

    To her, the Saint knew more than anyone knew but she hid her knowledge from others.

    A person who always hid their intentions and thoughts, she didn¡¯t know what kind of person they would be.

    She looked at Urs and said, ¡°I can¡¯t decide yet what kind of person she is. She must have her reason. I need to talk to her.¡±

    ¡°You trust her?¡± Urs stared at her.

    It wasn¡¯t a question but more like a statement but it sounded more like a question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to mistrust her and then regret it afterward. After all, she wanted me to choose a path I truly wanted,¡± Veronica replied.

    ¡°From what I see, she only did it so that she could have all the authority for herself. You may not like power but others aren¡¯t the same as you.¡±

    ¡°Power can¡¯t give people happiness.¡±

    Urs said, ¡°It can¡¯t but humans are obsessed with power because it lets them control weaker people.

    ¡°They love controlling things that don¡¯t belong to them. That¡¯s why they need you. You have to take care of the mess they create.¡±

    Veronica frowned. She didn¡¯t like when strong people took advantage of their power to control the weak but she had no intention to be recognized as the blessed child.

    ¡°Saint Ava knows things that I don¡¯t. It¡¯s more than what these scrolls have written. Without talking to her, I won¡¯t know why she wanted me to choose the path I wanted.¡±

    She had more questions.

    Why Saint Ava didn¡¯t want her to get close to the magicians and why she didn¡¯t want her to fall in love or have children.

    Urs noticed that Veronica was serious. He didn¡¯t push his opinion on her any further.

    He asked, ¡°Do you want to meet her soon? You have yet to recover.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll meet her after I meet Arthur. I need to see him first. I need to tell him that I¡¯m alive.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I think the guy named Ironin already went to talk to the second head of this ce. They will notify Arthur soon.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I wanted to surprise him with my presence first. Let me talk to Ovior.¡±

    At her urge, Urs helped her to stand on her feet. She was trembling at first as she was resting in bed for too long. Soon, she gained enough strength to move.

    Using the magical stone Arthur left, she teleported to Ovior¡¯s room

    Ironin just arrived there to let Ovior know about Veronica when she popped into the room.

    Ovior was visibly startled. He abruptly stood up and looked at Veronica in shock.

    Ironin froze for a second and then announced, ¡°Veronica woke up a few minutes ago.¡±

    Veronica looked at Ovior and said, ¡°Ovior, I¡¯m sorry for making you worry. I¡¯ll talk to Arthur and ask him to stop the war.¡±

    Ovior was in a trance but soon recovered. ¡°You can¡¯t stop him¡­ I mean you are alive! That bloody flower actually worked.¡±

    ¡°What bloody flower?¡± Veronica was curious.

    Ironin mentioned, ¡°A flower the elves brought to heal you.¡±

    Veronica said, ¡°Oh, that one. But the war, we need to stop it. There is no need for war anymore as I¡¯m alive. I don¡¯t want innocent people to die for my sake.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t stop the war,¡± Ovior stated while sitting down.

    ¡°What? Why can¡¯t I do that?¡±

    Ovior exined, ¡°The war started thanks to you but this war can eliminate all the witches from the world. It¡¯s good for us. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t stop Arthur when he dered war.¡±

    However, Veronica couldn¡¯t be as rxed as him. ¡°But the innocent people¡­¡±

    ¡°Rx, the war is happening in the desert, outside Tybu,¡± Ovior eased her worry. ¡°You have been there before for war.¡±

    She could never forget that desert. She was able to meet Arthur there again and then their love bloomed there.

    ¡°Desert? But I thought there was no desert anymore.¡±

    Veronica remembered how she used her power in the desert and revived the wildlife.

    Ovior understood her chain of thoughts and stated, ¡°Although you revived half of the desert, some parts are still left out. The war is happening there.

    ¡°That means there are no civilians getting hurt in this.¡± Veronica sighed in relief. ¡°But I still want to let Arthur know I¡¯m alive. I want to meet him.¡±

    Ovior didn¡¯t have any problem with that. ¡°I can help you to teleport there.¡±

    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t go there alone,¡± Ironin stated.

 Chapter 484 - 484 TO MEET ARTHUR

    484 TO MEET ARTHUR

    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t go there alone,¡± Ironin stated.

    Ovior couldn¡¯t agree more.

    ¡°Fine, she can take somepanions with her. Ask Sebastian and Catherine toe here. As long as she is under Arthur¡¯s protection, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡±

    As Ironin went to find those two, Ovior was alone with Veronica.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you were poisoned due to ourck of security,¡± he apologized.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. Thanks to this incident, I realized how much I love Arthur.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. And please do something about the Elves. I can¡¯t handle them after you leave.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Veronica went back to her room and found Urs and the other two elves with Catherine.

    .....

    They were packing their stuff and cleaning the mess while Catherine was keeping an eye on them.

    ¡°Are you ready to leave?¡± Veronica asked them.

    Urs replied, ¡°We have nothing else to do here. Unless you have anymand for us, we would like to leave this ce.¡±

    He seemed like he would be relieved if he could leave this ce. Same for the rest of them.

    ¡°I thought this ce wasfortable for you,¡± Veronica said.

    Urs stated, ¡°This ce reeks of the smell of magic. We feel ufortable around dark magic.¡±

    He looked around the walls and continued, ¡°This ce has a cruel history. Many died and were betrayed here. The greed of the people here is toxic.¡±

    He nced at Veronica and said, ¡°This ce isn¡¯t good for you. This ce weakens your power. Maybe this is why you can¡¯t heal quickly.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Veronica was surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about that. I can always clear the area with my divinity.¡±

    After that, she raised her arm and then, her hand was illuminated with white light. Instantly, the whole room was purified.

    Urs took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s bearable. The air is lighter,¡± hemented.

    ¡°My power is stronger than before. I can feel it in my fingertips.¡± Veronica looked at her fingers. ¡°The Blood of the Dragon, is it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s because of the flower that grew from the mixer of the blessed child and the dragon¡¯s blood.¡±

    ¡°Blessed child?¡± Veronica was skeptical. ¡°It can¡¯t be me.¡±

    ¡°It has to be you because the flower is born once in a millennium.¡± Urs opened a scroll and showed it to her. ¡°This is the flower we fed you. I found it in the Rosemary Temple. I thought it belonged to you and so I brought it.¡±

    Looking at the picture for some time, Veronica stated, ¡°I swear I never saw it in the temple in my life. If I had ever seen such an exquisite flower, I would have remembered it.¡±

    ¡°As for dragon blood, I don¡¯t think I have something like this in my body.¡±

    ¡°So, there are things that go past you. You must have drunk dragon blood when you were in the temple. That¡¯s where the mighty dragon took itsst breath. I¡¯ve already found the grave.¡±

    ¡°Grave¡­ you mean¡­¡±

    Veronica recalled a small, dark cave where she found a dragon and there was a small-sized gold bowl filled with an odd smell and metallic taste.

    She covered her mouth in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t believe she drank dragon blood without knowing what it was.

    She asked, ¡°Is something supposed to happen to me if I drank the dragon¡¯s blood? Oh wait, it doesn¡¯t make any sense. Even if I drink the blood of the dragon, how did the flowere out?¡±

    Ursmented, ¡°You must have hurt yourself after drinking the dragon¡¯s blood and bled. The ce where the blood fell, the flower grew there.¡±

    Veronica tried to remember but it was a long time ago and she couldn¡¯t properly remember if she was injured or not back then.

    ¡°But I bled countless times. Do you think the flower bloomed every time?¡±

    Urs was skeptical. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know for sure. The times you bled in front of us, we didn¡¯t notice anything. It could be a one-time thing.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by you saw her bleeding before?¡± Catherine interrogated Urs.

    ¡°He meant the time they helped me train,¡± Veronica quickly exined.

    ¡°They bled you to death to train you?¡± Catherine gave Urs a murderous look.

    Urs: ¡°¡­¡±

    Catherine was even angrier when Urs didn¡¯t look like he regretted it a bit.

    Veronica patted her friend¡¯s back to calm her down.

    ¡°Cathy, don¡¯t exaggerate. I didn¡¯t bleed to death.¡±

    ¡°How could they do that to an innocent girl like you?¡± Catherine simply couldn¡¯t forgive those ¡°inhuman elves¡±.

    ¡°Of course they didn¡¯t want me to bleed. I wanted to learn how to fight. That¡¯s why they taught me. I¡¯m so powerful now that I can protect you from bad guys now. Isn¡¯t this wonderful?¡±

    Catherine wasn¡¯t impressed by Veronica¡¯s words.

    She said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be powerful just because you drank the dragon¡¯s blood like a vampire from the fairy tale? Why do you need to learn how to fight?¡±

    Although her question was reasonable, Veronica didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    The question also came to her mind.

    Why did nothing change after she drank the blood of the dragon?

    Urs was also wondering the same thing.

    He probed, ¡°Are you sure nothing changed after you drank¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure nothing changed. Whether it¡¯s falling in love or bing more courageous.¡±

    Veronica shrugged.

    While the room was inplete silence, someone knocked on the door and then entered the room.

    It was Ironin.

    ¡°We need to leave,¡± he dered.

    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± Urs asked Veronica.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Veronica nodded. ¡°I want to meet my husband.¡±

    Urs slightly frowned. ¡°Be careful on the way.¡±

    ¡°We will be teleporting. Nothing to worry about.¡± Veronica looked at her friend. ¡°Cathy, do you want to join us?¡±

    Catherine thought about it. ¡°If Ovior is okay with it, why not? At least I can help the injured wizards.¡±

    Eventually, Ovior didn¡¯t have a problem with it.

    He created a circle on the floor of his room and drew some symbols inside.

    Afterward, he asked Veronica, Ironin, Sebastian and Catherine to enter inside the circle.

    As they did, Ovior used his long staff to grow light and murmured something.

    The circle brightened and illuminated a strong light.

    Veronica and the rest shut their eyes as they couldn¡¯t stand the light.

    Before they knew it, they appeared in apletely different ce.

    Veronica opened her eyes and looked around. She gaped.

    Catherine spoke first, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to be in the desert? Where are we now?¡±

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

 Chapter 485 INTO THE UNKNOWN

    Chapter 485 INTO THE UNKNOWN

    "Aren''t we supposed to be in the desert? Where are we now?"

    Catherine looked around, confused about what she was seeing.

    "This is¡­ not a desert. It''s thergest pasturnd," Veronica stated.

    She had been traveling for some time. She had memorized all the ces she had visited.

    Right now, they were standing in the middle of and covered with grass and other low nts.

    They could barely see rivers on both sides of thend. The rippling sound of moving water had confirmed that the rivers had stones and pebbles.

    Catherine was puzzled. "The pasturnd? Thergest one at that? Where on earth do we have this pasturnd?"

    "I don''t know the name of thisnd," Veronica answered. "This ce is mostly suitable for animals who eat grass. Unfortunately, we don''t have horses to feed."

    "We are in a ce that has no name?!" Catherine pped her forehead. "But why are we here? Did Ovior mistakenly send us here?"

    "What kind of mistake is that?" Sebastian frowned. He was also dumbfounded like the rest. "He isn''t an amateur wizard."

    Veronica nced at Ironin. He had been quiet until now.

    "Ironin, what should we do? We didn''t prepare any teleportation stones," she said.

    Ironin didn''t hesitate to answer her.

    "We walk."

    Catherine''s jaw dropped.

    Her other threepanions might have had physical training but all she had was brain training.

    Staying in the tower, all she ever did was work on ounting. After her break up with Vincent, she hardly went on hiking.

    They didn''t bring any horses. All they could do to reach the desert was walk.

    "There s no point thinking why Ovior sent us here." Catherine let out a deep sigh. "The question is where are we now?"

    "That''s the border of Louses," Sebastian pointed at the west. They could see the forest far away across the river.

    "We are too far from the desert," Veronica stated. "We need to head to the north. Does anyone have a map?"

    Ironin opened his bag and there was a rolled paper. After he unrolled the paper, the map of the whole continent was revealed.

    Looking at the map, Veronica took a sharp breath. "Ironin, don''t tell me you drew this map after visiting all the ces?"

    Ironin gave a short nod of affirmation in return.

    "That''s amazing!" Veronica couldn''t help but praise him.

    Even Sebastian looked at Ironin in admiration.

    "How do you know he drew it?" Catherine asked.

    Veronica pointed out some areas. "These ces and details are not in the usual maps we buy from the shops."

    "And you memorized the details?! That''s mind-blowing!" Catherine eximed.

    Ironin and Sebastian had to agree with her.

    Not sure how to handle thispliment, Veronica went back to the main topic, "In any case, if we just head to the north, we will face mountains that we cannot cross.

    "We must move to the northeast. At the border of Tybu, only small hills are left. It won''t be an issue to cross Tybu and go to Lynnford."

    Ironin acknowledged her n with a nod.

    "Hills¡­ we have to climb hills¡­ and we don''t have horses with us¡­" Catherine looked like she was already drained of energy.

    "You cannotin now," Sebastian told her. "If it wasn''t for you, we could reach the border of Tybu in four days by walking. With you, it will take twice the time."

    "Who asked you?" Catherine shot daggers at him with her gorgeous blue eyes.

    "Twelve days," Ironin corrected Sebastian after he was done with the calction.

    Upon hearing that, Catherine''s shoulders slumped as though someone sshed water over her burning fire.

    ''Savage," Veronica thought.

    Since they had nothing else to do, they headed to the northeast. Since Catherine wasn''t as fast as them, they had to walk slower than usual.

    By the time the sun set on the west, they only crossed 1/8 of the prairie.

    Sebastian gathered some sticks and lightened up the fire.

    Ironin headed east to check if there was any small animal around them while Veronica headed west to hunt.

    Catherine was sitting idly. She was exhausted. After Veronica fell sick, she hardly had time to rest.

    Before she gathered enough energy, she had to go for an unexpected adventure that she wasn''t ready for.

    Staring at the fire, she was thinking of something unknown to the world.

    Sebastian stole a nce at her. He sat across the fire. He would sometimes add more dry sticks to keep the fire running.

    When he watched the quiet, exhausted girl, he tried to figure out what she was thinking but failed miserably.

    Soon, Catherine started to feel drowsy. With someone close to her, she felt secure. Her eyes gradually closed.

    Sebastian noticed her dozing off. Her head slowly leaned to the left side.

    He quickly got up and sat beside her. When her head moved, it touched his shoulder.

    Sebastian carefully adjusted her head so that she could sleep without having neck pain after waking up.

    For some unknown reason, a strange warmth started to spread all over his body. The heat unexpectedly came from his shoulder.

    Sebastian had no idea why Catherine''s head felt like it was burning.

    To match up with the heat, his heart was pumping violently. He got nervous thinking if the sleeping beauty next to him would wake up from the sound of his beating heart.

    The time was moving slowly. Every second seemed too long.

    While Sebastian heard animals calling each other''s partners, the fire crackled the sticks.

    Veronica was the first toe back. She brought two dead rabbits with her.

    She was going to speak when she saw two people snuggling close to each other.

    She paused on her track and then slowly approached them. She soundlessly dropped the dead animals and pretended not to care about the other two.

    Sebastian noticed her and froze on the spot. He wanted to move but then he paused as he looked at Catherine''s sleeping face.

    Feeling embarrassed, he scratched his cheek. He took a quick nce at Veronica.

 Chapter 486 NIGHTS NOT SAFE

    Chapter 486 NIGHTS NOT SAFE

    Sebastian took a quick nce at Veronica. He was expecting Veronica to talk or tease him.

    However, Veronica took her dagger and skillfully peeled the rabbit skin. She chopped the meat and started grilling them.

    While the delicious smell of grilled meat spread to the grasnd, Ironin came back with a bucket to fish.

    With hunger in her stomach, Catherine sniffed the air unconsciously and then slowly opened her eyes.

    The first thing her eyes noticed was the meat Veronica was grilling.

    Her drowsiness flew away. She abruptly sat straight.

    "Ahh food, finally¡­" Her focus was on food until she realized that something wet was tickling her jaw.

    She touched her jaw and realized that it was her saliva. It happened when she was sleeping with an open mouth.

    She absentmindedly wiped her jaw and looked around. Seeing Sebastian right beside her and looking at her, she stilled.

    When she realized that her saliva dropping was noticed by the guy who she had a crush on, her face turned red instantly.

    "Your face is red. Do you have a fever? Are you feeling unwell?"

    Concerned about her sudden red face, Sebastian reached out.

    "Ah!" Catherine pped his face subconsciously. When she realized what she did, she became awkward. "It''s nothing. Sorry."

    Then, she hurriedly looked away and awkwardly moved where Veronica was sitting.

    With that one p, Sebastian froze. He noticed how oddly Catherine was behaving.

    Only then did he realize that she was feeling embarrassed. His heart skipped a beat.

    He looked away and covered his mouth.

    ''What is happening to my heart?'' he wondered.

    ----------

    Three days passed by quickly. They would wake up early in the morning and start their journey after having breakfast. In the evening, they would rest somewhere.

    They would have moved in the evening as well if it wasn''t for Catherine. She was always out of breath and exhausted at the end of the day.

    To give her proper rest, they paused their journey in the evening.

    It was another evening. Veronica and Ironin were frying the fish they caught While Catherine was resting and Sebastian was guarding.

    After they fried the fish, Veronica woke up Catherine and the four of them had dinner together. When it was tied to sleep, Sebastian and Ironin suddenly stood up.

    Feeling something wasn''t right, Veronica looked at them. "What''s wrong?"

    Catherine, who just lied down, sat up again.

    All four of them were quiet as though they were hoping to hear something.

    "What is it? I don''t hear anything," Catherine said while rubbing her eyes.

    "You are right. It''s too quiet," Sebastian admitted. "Not even gnats are making noises. It''s not good."

    Catherine couldn''t understand. "What''s wrong with being quiet?"

    "Something bad is about to happen and that''s why mother nature became quiet," Veronica briefly exined.

    With months of experience in the wilderness, she gathered enough knowledge just like any other warrior.

    Ironin''s eyesight was better than anyone in the group. He narrowed his eyes and his eagle-like eyes stared at the unknown darkness.

    The area they were in at that moment had long grass. The grasses were long enough to cover most of their bodies.

    Veronica and Catherine were only covered to their chest while Sebastian and Ironin were covered to the upper waist.

    "We should leave," Ironin suddenly said.

    Veronica and Sebastian exchanged nces. They didn''t hear or see anything but they were already feeling ufortable.

    They silently listened to Ironin and packed their bags.

    Ironin blew off the torches. They were in endless darkness.

    Soon, they headed to the northeast.

    The moon was on the top of the sky. There was also the north star guiding them.

    With the moonlight brightening the road for them, they were able to walk properly until they heard amotion.

    They stopped on their track and then looked back.

    They saw hundreds of torchesing toward them.

    "What''s happening?" Catherine asked. "Are people chasing us? Why?"

    "Let''s wonder about thatter. Run!" Sebastian urged her.

    He grabbed her hand and pulled her while he ran.

    Veronica and Ironin weren''t sitting idly. They were also running.

    After running for a while, Veronica looked back once again.

    "Wait, wait, I don''t think those people are going after us," she stopped the rest of the team.

    Others paused. They turned around. Ironin walked forward and noticed the people with torches going to the north.

    "Fortunately, it''s not a dry season; it''s raining now and then. Or else, the ce would be on fire," Veronica said.

    "Forget the fire. What were we running for?" Catherine asked. "It''s a freend. Who were those people? Wouldn''t it be great if we didn''t run at all?"

    She was panting hard. Her whole body was sweaty. They were wearing the same clothes for several days and they weren''t able to take baths.

    She wondered what sin shemitted to suffer like this.

    Veronica couldn''t me her forining. She had a good idea about Catherine''s body strength.

    "I''m sorry that you got dragged into this. They could be bandits in this area but I doubt it," she expressed her opinion.

    "They can''t be bandits. The bandits mostly stay in the forest or mountain area," Sebastian stated.

    He added, "Although I''m not sure who they were, it''s good that we ran. If we didn''t move from there, we would be stomped to death or attacked. You wouldn''t like that."

    "Scary!" Catherine shuddered.

    "But who were they chasing I wonder," Veronica mentioned. "No one would light up torches and go in a group making loud noises for no reason."

    "Could it be a war? Were they soldiers?" Catherine probed.

    "Soldiers," Ironin shortly mentioned.

    Sebastian agreed, "Yeah, I can tell from the metallic sounds."

    Veronica became worried. "They are not going to the desert to join the war, are they? I''m curious which side they are on."

    "They headed to the north. I don''t think they want to join the war. They also didn''t have any horses with them," Sebastian eased her worry.

    Veronica sighed in relief. "Then, they were chasing someone," she concluded.

    "Could be," Sebastian shrugged.

    "Who could it be?"

    Although Veronica voiced it out, everyone was thinking the same.

    "¡­That would be me, I suppose."

 Chapter 487 UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL

    Chapter 487 UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL

    "Who could it be?"

    Although Veronica voiced it out, everyone was thinking the same.

    "¡­That would be me, I suppose."

    Ironin and Sebastian didn''t react much but Veronica and Catherine were startled by the voice.

    The girls were so busy talking about the people with torches that they didn''t notice that someone was approaching them secretly.

    The man was tall and had a thin figure. A blue cape covered his body. His fair face was visible under the hood.

    He gave them a bashful smile.

    "No way! Is that you, Merlin?!" Veronica gasped.

    "One and only. It''s been a while. Good to see you all in an unexpected situation."

    "A while? It''s been years! It''s good to see you again, Merlin!" Catherine politely greeted him.

    ''Why is she so polite to him and always fighting with me?'' Sebastian thought. He was offended by her discrimination.

    "Good to see you too, Lady Catherine," Merlin greeted her back.

    "Were those soldiers looking for you, Master Merlin?" Sebastian asked.

    "You can say that," Merlin gave them a guilty smile.

    "We should move," Ironin urged them.

    While they moved further away from the soldiers, Merlin opened his mouth.

    "Although I went to study in Louses, my target was to gather information about their so-called ''science''."

    "So, you went to spy," Veronica concluded.

    Merlin said, "I learned so much in those past few years. What we learned about magic it''spletely different from science.

    "They don''t need magic to light up a room. They use the simplest things to turn them into something you will never imagine. I wish I could stay there longer. But I was found out."

    "What do you mean by you being found out?" Catherine asked.

    "I went there as a normal academy student. If they knew I was a maze from the Magic Tower, they would never let me enter. Someone gave them evidence of me being the mage and I was exposed."

    When Merlin told them how he was exposed to the enemy, Veronica frowned.

    "Could it be the witches?" she pondered.

    "Witches? Howe?" Merlin was surprised. "It was from the Imperial Pce of Tybu. I''m pretty sure about it because the King of Louses summoned me and interrogated me."

    "The Imperial Pce? Then, it has to be Queen Isabe and the witches. They are going around and creating havoc," Veronica stated.

    "I''m sorry I don''t quite follow." Merlin was confused.

    "Ah¡­ that is¡­" Sebastian shortly described the situation between the Magic Tower and the witches.

    After finding out everything, Merlin was stunned.

    He looked at Veronica and said, "I''m d you are safe, Mdy."

    "Thank you, Merlin. I''m d to see you safe too."

    "Thank you. How did you manage to have contact with the elves?"

    "That''s a very long story. Maybe some other time."

    While the two of them were having a conversation, Catherine said, "Hold on. Why are we running? Merlin is a mage. He can just teleport us to the desert."

    Merlin said, "To the battlefield? Yes, I can. It''s just I need a ground where I can draw the magical circle. Unfortunately, there is only grass there."

    "Can''t you do any magic without drawing circles?" Veronica asked.

    She recalled Arthur could use magic without drawing circles.

    Merlin said, "I don''t have my magic ring or my staff. I didn''t bring them with me when I left for Louses."

    "So, you can''t use magic unless you have a magical staff or ring," Catherine stated.

    "Yes," Merlin nodded.

    "How useless," Catherine muttered.

    "¡­"

    Catherine sighed as she walked further. She had a tiring day and then, she couldn''t rest. Now, she had to run again.

    Since they had to run, they reached the river by dawn. No rest the whole night.

    Thankfully, the river was more like a stream due to the narrow edge. The only problem was due to rain, the current was too strong to cross it.

    Veronica rested her arms on her waist. She was exhausted. "What should we do? We don''t have a boat."

    "Even if we have a boat, the current will take us to the south," Sebastian said.

    "How about resting for now? It will be nice to take a bath too," said Catherine while wiping her sweat.

    "We can''t stay here," Merlin said. "Although I shook off the soldiers, they will find by now that I bluffed them. They could be heading in this direction."

    "We cross the river now," Ironin decided.

    "How about we let the sun rise first?" Veronica suggested. "Catherine and I are too tired to deal with the river current. If we walk¡­"

    "We are walking?!" Catherine''s jaw dropped. "I can''t do this. Someone has to carry me."

    "We are all too tired to carry a fully grown human," Sebastianmented.

    "I agree. I''m tired too. I don''t think I can cross the river especially when I can hardly see anything," Merlin confessed.

    This maze only spent time on magic and reading books. He hardly exercised. After ying hide and seek with the King of Louses for three months, he was beyond exhausted.

    "We cany low for thirty minutes," Ironin finally agreed.

    Thirty minutester, they crossed the river. The river wasn''t deep but they were soaked to their waist.

    Everyone held their hands while crossing the road. The first person was Sebastian and then Catherine.

    Catherine shuddered after sensing how cold the water is. She was worried that she would lose her footing at any moment.

    She looked at Sebastian and said, "Don''t let go of my hand."

    Without looking back, Sebastian answered, "Never." He tightened his grip around her hand.

    Catherine felt warmth spreading from their joined hands.

    Behind them was Merlin. He was in between Catherine and Veronica.

    He wasn''t close to women. Holding bothdies'' hands made him too embarrassed to talk.

    Veronica trembled as her skin touched the cold water. Her body gradually lost its warmth.

    She slowly looked back. "Ironin¡­"

    Noticing that she wasn''t feeling well, Ironin became alert. He could see her lips turning purple.

    "A bit more," he said.

    In the middle of the river, they couldn''t stop and take a rest. If they stopped even for a second, the current would shove them to the south.

    To reach thend, they took fifteen minutes. Due to the harsh flow of the water, they couldn''t walk quickly.

    The moment their feet touched thend, Veronica copsed.

    "Ver!"

 Chapter 488 EXHAUSION

    Chapter 488 EXHAUSION

    "Ver!" Catherine shouted.

    Ironin and Merlin quickly held Veronica''s unconscious body who almost touched the ground.

    Merlin put his index finger in front of her nose and stated, "She''s not breathing."

    "What?!" Catherine cupped her face in fear.

    Merlin then checked her pulse and frowned. "Her pulse is slow. Maybe she didn''t take enough rest after recovering."

    Ironin instantly loosened up Veronica''s top. He unbuckled the leather vest from her chest and the belt from her waist.

    After that, he blew air inside her mouth and pressed her chest.

    Merlin rubbed her palms. "Why did you all let her run around right after she recovered?"

    Catherine and Sebastian exchanged nces.

    "You are right," Catherine admitted. "I was worried about her when she wanted to get out but since Ovior was supposed to teleport us directly to the battlefield, we didn''t think it would be much of a problem."

    Sebastian added, "That''s right. We thought teleportation won''t toil her health. Master would take care of her once she reached him."

    "Sigh! What would you do if Ovior sent you in the middle of the battlefield while they were fighting?" Merlin shook his head as he couldn''t believe their recklessness. "Don''t be too reckless."

    "We believed in him too much," Catherine said. "Maybe I should be grateful that he sent us here."

    "He must be dead tired with all the work pressure or there is no way he would mistakenly send you here," Merlinmented.

    ''In other words, don''t trust anyone no matter how good they are,'' Catherine and Sebastian thought.

    Soon, Veronica woke up. She opened her eyes and noticed Catherine''s concerned eyes.

    "¡­What¡­ happened?" she asked in a shaky voice.

    "You fainted. Do you remember?" Catherine anxiously asked.

    "¡­Fainted¡­?" Veronica rubbed her head.

    As she tried to get up, Merlin stopped her.

    "Please, you need rest. You haven''t rested properly after you recovered and you had lots to deal with in the past few days."

    "But we have to move," Ironin mentioned.

    "I''ll carry her," Sebastian said.

    "We can''t teleport here, can we?" Catherine looked around.

    After crossing the river, they came to thend of pebbles. Small pebbles were spread all around the ground. There was no tree or grass in this part.

    "True," Merlin agreed. "I can''t draw circles here. If I had calks or powder color, I could do it but I don''t. If it''s soil, then I can draw any magical circle with a stick."

    In the end, Sebastian carried Veronica on his back as they headed to the northeast.

    A few dayster, they reached the mountains.

    Veronica had already recovered by that time. She crossed the hilly road on her own.

    In three days, they crossed the road and reached Lynnford.

    Catherine flopped on the ground. "Phew! We can finally take a break, can''t we?"

    "We can," Ironin agreed.

    "Let''s take three days'' rest. I''m not moving from this spot even for a second." Catherine stretched her arms.

    Veronica soundlessly sat beside her and leaned against her shoulder.

    "You are still feeling weak, aren''t you?" Merlin asked.

    He looked around and scanned the area. "Since it''s a forest, we will find plenty of wild chickens and vegetables here that are good for recovering strength."

    "I''ll get some chickens and vegetables," Sebastian said.

    "I''ll help you," Catherine said. As Veronica straightened up, she stood up.

    Sebastian looked at her exhausted face. "I thought you weren''t moving an inch."

    Catherine rested her arms on her waist. "Just how much do you know about vegetables, idiot!"

    "You!" Sebastian red at her.

    He had no idea why it was always him she had to pick a fight with.

    He started to wonder how much she hated him.

    "Now, now, this is not a ce to fight," Merlin came between them as a peacemaker. "Think about Mdy. She is tired."

    Catherine and Sebastian red at each other onest time before heading out.

    While Ironin was on guard, Catherine and Sebastian left to get food,

    "To think there would be a far at a time like this¡­" Merlin breathed out.

    Veronica asked, "Did Louses not know about the war?"

    Merlin replied, "How can that be? But since it''s a war between wizards and ck witches, no one isfortable talking about it."

    "Why not?" Veronica was curious.

    "As much as people don''t want ck witches, they don''t want wizards either."

    "Howe? Wizards are helping people. The magic Tower supplies lots of magical items as well as stones to other countries."

    "That''s because people are jealous. They can''t ept that we have the power to make impossible things possible. We can earn lots of money from magical items and stones. When ites to power, no one can defeat us."

    Veronica was surprised by what she heard from Merlin.

    "This is unbelievable. I can''t imagine people would take magical stones from us and also would feel ufortable around us."

    Merlin shrugged. "This is how it is. Why don''t you rest, Mdy? We will wake you up when the food is ready to serve."

    "But I want to study a little." Veronica opened her back and brought out some scrolls.

    "What are these scrolls?" Merlin curiously asked. "It looks ancient."

    As a bookworm, Merlin liked all sorts of books and scrolls. Noticing the scrolls in Veronica''s hands, he had the urge to read them.

    Veronica apologetically smiled. "I''m sorry. I have no right to show this to you."

    "Oh, I apologize for asking. I was being rude," he immediately apologized.

    The next few days, they rested. Ironin and Sebastian cooked with the help of Catherine while Veronica read the scroll and Merlin searched for herbs.

    Veronica''s health improved gradually. Catherine and Merlin also had enough rest.

    Three days passed and they started packing their things.

    Ironin had nothing to pack as he brought almost nothing except his weapons. He stayed alert and scanned the forest.

    They were almost done packing when Ironin shot an arrow aiming a bush in the corner.

    "Aaah!"

    A man''s shout alerted everyone.

    "What was that?" Catherine looked at the source of the voice. She was nervous.

 Chapter 489 UNDER ATTACK

    Chapter 489 UNDER ATTACK

    "What was that?"

    "A man was hidden under the bush. He had a bow and arrows," Sebastian said.

    He walked forward. First, he searched the man and found something in his pocket. Then, he took the bow and arrows from the dead man.

    "He was nning to attack our Mistress. He had a picture of her."

    He showed the paper. There was a printed drawing of Veronica.

    The picture itself wasn''t professional but there was a description of her below the picture.

    Her unique appearance was already hard to copy. As a result, whoever knew her, they all could guess who the poster was mentioning.

    Veronica frowned. Ironin didn''t look any better. Catherine and Merlin were shocked.

    "What''s happening? Why are people looking for me here?"

    "That''s what I want to know," Catherine murmured. "Ver, did you do anything in this forest to make yourself a criminal?"

    "What?! No!" Veronica eximed.

    "Then, why are people looking for you with your picture on the poster?" Catherine interrogated her. "They only do that for the wanted criminals!"

    "Not entirely," Ironin finally opened his mouth. "This poster isn''t a wanted poster."

    "True, if it was, there would be the seal of the royal guards of Lynnford," Sebastian agreed. "This is their territory."

    "We need to move quickly," Ironin urged them.

    No one argued with him. They grabbed their bags and headed to the west.

    They didn''t go that far before arrows flew toward them.

    "They are attacking. Take cover!" Sebastian shouted.

    Afterward, he quickly grabbed Catherine who was close to him and hid behind arge tree.

    Ironin got a hold of Veronica and Merlin and hid behind another tree.

    The tips of the arrows struck the nearby trees. Some even passed them.

    "What''s happening? Who are they?" Veronica asked.

    Since there was a shower of arrows, they couldn''t peek to see the enemies'' faces.

    "Are you sure you didn''t do anything, Mdy?" Merlin asked.

    Veronica scratched her cheek.

    "I really don''t remember much. I''ve visited so many ces that it''s hard to remember every single detail."

    She had been roaming around for months. With the elves by her side, many things happened.

    She trained, she killed, she ran.

    The agony and nightmares haunted her every night. Many sleepless nights passed.

    Urs used to tell her that she would groan while sleeping and asked her if she was okay.

    At that time, she was a heartbroken woman who thought her husband cheated on her. Although she had freedom, her world seemed to turn gray.

    She was open on the outside and quiet on the inside. She didn''t want to share her thoughts or feelings.

    Urs could understand it. That''s why he didn''t pressure her to express her feelings. Rather, he pushed her hard and trained her to be a better fighter.

    Those nightmarish days, she would rather forget.

    "They stopped shooting at us," Ironin said.

    Veronica focused on her surroundings and realized that he was right. No one was shooting arrows at them anymore.

    "Did they stop? Should we run?" Catherine whispered.

    While asking, she couldn''t control her curiosity and peeked out. That''s when an arrow came flying toward her.

    "Watch out!" Sebastian grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.

    "Ahh!" Catherinended on his chest.

    Sebastian tightly wrapped his left hand around her waist.

    "What do you think you are doing?" he hissed. "Do you n to die?"

    "I-I don''t," Catherine''s voice quivered.

    Her face was touching his chest. She could feel his warmth, his unique odor and his heartbeat.

    His heart was beating rapidly. While listening to his heartbeat, her heart started to beat at the same rhythm.

    If she was scared before, she was nervous now.

    She was afraid of rubbing her body against him and giving him the wrong idea. She dared not to move in his arms.

    "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Veronica asked in a low voice.

    Sebastian gave a signal with his finger to show they were fine.

    "What should we do now?" Veronica asked Ironin. "Wait until they approach us?"

    Ironin said, "They realized they were wasting their arrows. So, they n to shoot only when we show ourselves."

    "And they can slowly approach us by keeping an eye on us, knowing we won''t be able to move a muscle," Veronica muttered.

    She suddenly got an idea. She shouted, "You people who are attacking us, if you are bandits, please leave. We don''t have any money or jewels to give you. We are just random travelers."

    Merlin was stunned by her attitude. So were Sebastian and Catherine.

    ''Why is she yelling? Doesn''t she already know that they are mercenaries? Which bandit has wanted a poster with them?'' they thought.

    Only Ironin didn''t say anything. He waited for a reply.

    After Veronica shouted, there was silence in the forest.

    No one spoke. Even the wind stopped blowing and birds stopped chirping.

    Just when they were running out of patience, a voice spoke.

    "My, my, it was never my intention to harm youdy with the silver hair."

    Veronica found the man''s voice familiar but couldn''t recognize it.

    "Who are you? What do you want?" she loudly asked.

    "Have you forgotten me? I''ve helped you once. I''ll be sad if you don''t remember me."

    The man chuckled.

    His attitude angered Veronica.

    She refuted, "Don''t joke with me. You and your people tried to kill us. What kind of person would help me and then would want to kill me?"

    "So, you have forgotten my voice. It has been some time. Since I owe you a big time, I''ll forgive you this time. Why don''t youe out and see my face? Thedy might remember me."

    The man tried to be as friendly as possible but nothing about him made him trustworthy.

    "Yes, I do that and you shoot me to death. I won''t fall for your trap," Veronica replied.

    "That would be a dilemma. I was hoping I could collect you unscathed."

    There was a hint of disappointment in that man''s voice.

    ''Collect me unscathed?!'' Veronica couldn''t understand what he meant.

    She looked at others. They seemed confused too.

    Veronica asked, "Who are you working with?"

    The man answered, "Me? I''m not working with anyone. I''m working for myself. These men I hired; I did that only for you."

    "Why would you do that for me? To help me?"

 Chapter 490 THE REASON BEHIND THE ATTACK

    Chapter 490 THE REASON BEHIND THE ATTACK

    "Me? I''m not working with anyone. I''m working for myself. These men I hired; I did that only for you."

    "Why would you do that for me? To help me?"

    Veronica asked after being skeptical about his action.

    "Help?"

    The man burst intoughter.

    After heughed to his heart''s content, he added, "Lady, I don''t mind if you think that way. You see, I''ll be helped if youe with me."

    "What do you want? Who are you working for?"

    "Didn''t I tell you? I hired the mercenaries myself. Everything is my doing. You see the Magic Tower values you very much."

    "Magic Tower?" Veronica frowned.

    ''Does he know my identity? Is this why he is after me?'' she pondered.

    The man said, "Thest time I sold your hair to them, I had be rich enough to buy a noble title.

    "I wonder if I sell the rest of your hair, eyeballs, arms and legs, how much money I''ll earn. Maybe I''ll be richer than the king."

    "..."

    ''What did I just hear?'' Veronica asked herself in her mind.

    Sebastian and Catherine exchanged nces and so did Ironin and Merlin. They had the same thought as the Mistress of the Magic Tower.

    In the meantime, Veronica processed the information she received. It took her a while.

    When she realized what that man was nning, chills ran down her spine.

    She suddenly moved away from Ironin and Merlin. She looked at the man who was chasing them.

    She saw a middle-aged nobleman. After staring at him for a while, she recognized him.

    "You are the one I sold my hair to get teleportation stones," she said.

    "I''m pleased thedy recognized me. Now, if you pleasee with me, your friends won''t be harmed."

    "If you think you will get money after sending my corpse to the Magic Tower, you are mistaken."

    "Why is that?"

    "It''s because I''m the Mistress of the Magic Tower," Veronica revealed. "You take my corpse there, your entire family and group will be annihted."

    The man was stunned when he heard that. After that, heughed hard enough to bring tears to his eyes.

    "Sorrydy, I didn''t want to disrespect you. However, I couldn''t control myughter. If you are really who you are, tell me why you are roaming around in the jungle."

    "I don''t see why any of it is your business. I''m being valued at the Magic Tower because I''m the Mistress. It is that simple."

    "Is it? Then, where is the proof? Prove to me that you are the Mistress of the Magic Tower and I will let you go."

    Veronica showed her wedding ring. It was the ring that many wizards would recognize since they were taught the history of the Magic Tower when they studied magic.

    The man recognized the ring instantly. His heart was shaken.

    "It''s really the ring of the Mistress of the Magic Tower.," he murmured.

    "Master, what do you want to do?" the leader of the mercenary asked him.

    The nobleman didn''t answer. He was thinking of something that no one knew of.

    After some time, Veronica asked, "Does this appease your curiosity? Now leave with your men.

    "I''ll forgive you this time. But the next time I see you attacking me and my group, I won''t let it slide."

    "Forgive me for not recognizing you earlier, Mistress," the nobleman bowed.

    Afterward, he grinned.

    He continued, "However, I can''t let you leave just yet. Since you are the Mistress of the Magic Tower, of course I can''t harm you and take you to the tower to be punished. I''m not that foolish.

    "Instead, how about I take you to the Queen Isabe of Tybu? I''m pretty sure she would be delighted to have you when she''s at war against the Master of the Magic Tower."

    Veronica couldn''t believe her ears. She was furious.

    "You dare to betray the Magic Tower?" she asked while suppressing her anger.

    "Betray the tower? I wouldn''t dream of it. However, I''ll be swimming in wealth if I hand you over to her, won''t I?"

    The man paused and then added, "Just because I live in Lynnford, it doesn''t mean I don''t keep an eye on what''s happening to the Magic Tower.

    "A little birdie told me that the Mistress of the Magic Tower is on deathbed. That''s the reason why the Master of the Magic Tower dered war against Queen Isabe.

    "Lady wants to fool me by using the false heirloom but I won''t be fooled that easily. I believe whatever plot you have in mind is not going to work. Why not leave your friend and join me now?"

    The man waited patiently while Veronica was restless.

    ''There is no way the Magic Tower knows I''m alive since the moment I woke up, I only met Ovior and didn''t let him spread the news. He won''t believe me no matter what I say and show him. Either way, I''ll be in danger. What should I do?''

    While she tried toe up with a n, Merlin whistled.

    Veronica instantly looked at him and noticed that he drew a magical circle on the ground.

    Since the forest ground was covered with long lemon grass, they enjoyed their time in the forest and didn''t clean the area to draw teleportation circles.

    But now in desperation, Merlin didn''t want to push everyone in danger.

    While Veronica kept the magician, who became a nobleman by selling Veronica''s hair, busy, he pulled the grass and created a small magic teleportation circle.

    After whistling, Merlin looked at Sebastian. Sebastian noticed his gaze.

    He tightly held Catherine in his arms and dashed toward the tree where Veronica, Ironin and Merlin took cover.

    At the same time, Veronica went behind the tree and stood above the circle.

    The nobleman realized that he had been tricked. Anger caused his face to turn red.

    "Attack!" he roared.

    Hundreds of arrows flew toward them.

    "Ahh!" Catherine screamed in fear. "We are going to die!"

    However, Sebastian wouldn''t let that happen. He carried her behind the tree in time.

    The mercenaries rushed toward them.

    Merlin recited a mantra and the magic circle glowed.

    In the blink of an eye, they disappeared from the Lynnford forest.

    "Nooo!"

    The nobleman cried out in frustration.

    Meanwhile, just when Veronica and the rest thought that they were teleported to the desert, they came to notice an unexpected view.

 Chapter 491 DID NOT EXPECT

    Chapter 491 DID NOT EXPECT

    Where they thought they would see yellow sands, they saw a blue river.

    Everyone: "¡­"

    At first, they were all astonished. So much so that they couldn''t utter a word.

    Then, they thought they must be dreaming. But the cool breeze and the serene odor of the river brought them back to reality.

    "What?! Why are we here?"

    Catherine screamed first. She red at the only magician they had to rely on.

    "Merlin?" Veronica wanted him to exin the situation they were in.

    Merlin exined, "Well, I needed arger area to draw the specific circle that would take us to the desert. The tree wasn''t wide enough to cover me for that."

    Indeed, if the enemy noticed his movement, they would definitely shoot them.

    Even if they noticed him acting suspiciously, they would take action.

    If that happened, Veronica wouldn''t get the chance to buy some time for him to draw the circle.

    "What can I do for you, young travelers?"

    A kind voice spoke.

    "Ahhh!" Catherine shouted as she was startled. She wasn''t expecting another person with them.

    "Ahahaaha! Youngdy, you didn''t think you would be alone in this boat, did you? How can you be in an empty boat in the middle of nowhere?"

    The manughed heartily.

    Everyone saw a man around the 60''s rowing the boat.

    "I was expecting to row the boat by myself. I wasn''t expecting anypany," he said.

    Veronica came forward and bowed.

    "We apologize for teleporting to your boat without your permission. We aren''t supposed to be here. We identally came here."

    "It''s fine. It''s fine. You are not bothering me at all. It''s good to have somepany."

    The man brushed it off as if it didn''t matter.

    "Is it really okay? Isn''t he suspicious of us?" Catherine muttered.

    The boatman rowed the boat as he listened to her.

    He said, "I can tell by looking that you people aren''t normal travelers. After all, you have weapons with you. I can recognize a magician with you."

    As he looked at Merlin, Merlin flinched.

    "Please do not worry. We mean no harm," Veronica assured him.

    "Your silver hair¡­ it reminds me of the blessed child," the boatman said.

    Veronica didn''t change her expression. It wasn''t the first time she heard it.

    She smiled. "You know a lot about the blessed child."

    "Is there anyone who doesn''t know about her? She is the holy being," the boatman said.

    "She¡­ is not that great," Veronica muttered, feeling downhearted.

    She couldn''t put herself on the pedestal. She couldn''t think of herself as the blessed child whom people worshiped.

    She did nothing for people. She was always selfish. She always chose her happiness.

    Being someone ''holy'', someone chosen by Goddess Juvena ¨C she couldn''t perform that part.

    She abandoned everything and fled from her responsibility. She chose love over duty.

    As if to punish her, Goddess Juvena cursed her. Even after marriage, she couldn''t have a peaceful life.

    For her desire, she hurt her husband. She hurt herself. Lack ofmunication,ck of trust tore them apart.

    If it wasn''t a curse then what was?

    She couldn''t think of something else.

    Catherine grabbed her shoulder. "That''s not true. She is the most wonderful person. She is my best friend. I''d go anywhere with her."

    Veronica smiled at her. She knew how much Catherine cared for her.

    If it wasn''t for her, Catherine wouldn''t be in Tybu. Catherine chose to be with her not knowing where they would go.

    If it wasn''t for Catherine, she wouldn''t be able to stay in an unknown country with people she barely knew.

    Veronica nced at the boatman.

    "We are so sorry that we ended up in this boat," she stated. "I assure you that we will pay for the ride."

    "Oh no, that''s not needed," the boatman shook his head. "As you said, it was an ident. You don''t have to pay for it. Where do you want to go? I''ll drop you nearby."

    Sebastian looked head.

    "I see mountains. Would you mind telling us where we are exactly?" he asked.

    The boatman replied, "This is Rozar river. The mountains you are seeing are the Alss."

    "Rozar!" Catherine eximed. She excitedly nced at Veronica.

    Veronica also seemed excited. Her heart beat faster.

    Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she held back. With a soft smile hanging on her lips, she stared at the green peacefulnd.

    Happiness filled her heart. It felt like the lost child finally found its way home.

    "Then it means we are in Utahill. The desert is close," Sebastian stated. "If we cross the mountains, we can be teleported to the desert."

    When Veronica heard him, her eyes lit up.

    Arthur¡­

    Arthur was in thend behind the mountains. there was a giant peak between them.

    If only she could cross the mountains¡­ she''d be able to meet him.

    "Can we not cross the mountains?" Merlin pleaded. He shuddered at the thought of snow.

    "It''s impossible to use magic in the mountain," Ironin said. "We tried before."

    Veronica remembered that time. When she went to the Rosemary temple, they almost froze to death. Thus, mountains weren''t an option.

    "Will you please take us to the west?" she requested the boatman.

    "Why west?" Catherine asked.

    Veronica replied, "The east is the capital city of Utahill. We can''t perform any magic there."

    "Oh! Then, we can teleport to the desert!" Catherine sighed in relief.

    The boatman thought about Veronica''s request and remarked, "But there is only desert there. I''ve heard that there is a war going on there."

    "We need to go there. Please. Only you can help us," Veronica pleaded.

    The boatman didn''t say anything anymore and agreed.

    "If that''s what you want."

    Ironin came forward and offered help, "Let me row."

    The boatman chuckled. "I may look old but I can take you all."

    "Please," Ironin curtly requested.

    The boatman stared at him for a while and then said, "You are a man of few words but you have a big hurt, young man."

    In the end, he let Ironin row the boat.

    Veronica and the rest sat on the boat and enjoyed the view.

    As they did so, Ironin suddenly said, "Sebastian, you are hurt."

 Chapter 492 ON THE BOAT

    Chapter 492 ON THE BOAT

    "Sebastian, you are hurt."

    Ironin''s remark made everyone pay attention to Sebastian.

    "Let me see," Catherine came forward and scanned him up and down.

    "I''m fine. Don''t bother."

    Sebastian tried to push her away but she didn''t budge.

    "You hurt your shoulder." Catherine looked at Veronica. "Ver, can you heal him?"

    "You don''t have to ask," Veronica said.

    "No, Mistress, I can''t let you do that," Sebastian firmly stated.

    "Sebastian, stay still. That''s an order," Veronicamanded.

    "But Mistress, it''s just a scratch."

    Sebastian helplessly stated as he stepped away from Veronica. He lowered his head. He couldn''t look at Veronica or others.

    Despite understanding that he was embarrassed to show his wound, Veronica said, "I don''t know if I don''t see it."

    She stubbornly examined his injury. What he said wasn''t wrong.

    It was only a scratch. There was a thin red line. He wasn''t bleeding.

    As for how Ironin noticed his tiny injury, Veronica had no clue.

    In the end, she only used her power a little to heal that scratch.

    Later, they shared the remaining meat they had for lunch.

    "Thank goodness we saved some meat forter or we would have been starving right now," Catherine said as she munched.

    "It''s because you didn''t eat enough for breakfast," Veronicamented. "The meat you are having now is your share."

    "That''s true," Merlin agreed. "Thanks to Lady Catherine we are able to share this with everyone. Thank you."

    "I''m d we had enough to share. Do you guys want more?" Catherine asked while looking at them. She didn''t forget to steal a nce at Sebastian.

    While Ironin was rowing the boat, Sebastian was lying in the corner and sleeping.

    He was sleeping so soundly that Catherine''s intentionally loud voice didn''t reach him.

    Seeing that he didn''t move even a millimeter, she snorted.

    ''It''s not that I wanted to share my food with him or anything. Even if he wanted some, I wouldn''t have given my portion. Hmph!''

    Although she thought so, she couldn''t help but take a nce at him.

    Just looking at his peaceful slumber, she also started feeling drowsy.

    As she yawned, Veronica told her, "Get some sleep. I''ll wake you up when we reach thend. It''ll take another few hours."

    "Please do. I''ll take a nap then."

    After that, Catherine washed her hand in the river water.

    The boat could amodate them. It was big enough for them to sleep in.

    Without a worry, Catheriney down in an empty area and tried to take a nap.

    "Ironin, do you want me to help you row the boat? " Veronica asked.

    "I can handle it," Ironin replied.

    "No, no, let me help. I can row the boat for an hour or two," Merlin said.

    He was a bit ashamed that he didn''t ask Ironin sooner than Veronica. After all, Veronica was the Mistress of the Magic Tower whom he, a magician, served.

    Ironin narrowed his eyes. "It''s a boat carrying six people."

    Merlin gulped and said nothing more. Even he knew he wasn''t powerful enough to row that heavy boat for hours.

    "Take a nape, Merlin," Veronica said. "I''ll wake you up in two hours. Then, I''ll be the one who''s going to take a nap."

    "No, no, I can''t do that, Mdy," Merlin immediately disagreed. "You need more rest than I do."

    "You haven''t slept properly thest two days," Veronica offered logic. "At this rate, you will copse before we reach the desert. Unlike you, I''ve rested properly and I have more energy."

    "¡­Yes, Mdy," in the end, Merlin reluctantly agreed.

    After Merliny down beside Sebastian, Veronica sat beside Ironin.

    She stared at the sky. The sun was setting. Orange and yellow hues touched the burning red. It looked like the sky was burning.

    "Too much blood was shed today," she muttered.

    "The elves taught you well," Ironinmented.

    Veronica smiled.

    "They did. Who taught you?" asking she looked at him.

    Her question reminded Ironin of his past.

    when he was a child, he ran away from home, acting all rebellious. However, he went to an unknown territory in a fit of anger and got lost.

    He starved for three days until passed out. The next thing he saw after waking up was a fire.

    He didn''t have any strength left. As a spoiled young master of a noble family, he wasn''t cut out for this kind of ce.

    Still, his will to survive made him stand up. He looked around. With a dizzy head, he noticed that he was in a cave and an old man was sitting in the corner.

    That was how he met his master.

    the guy wouldn''t give him food or water unless e listened to him. He also taught him how to survive in the woods and desert.

    A monthter, Ironin went back to his home turning a new leaf.

    When he reached home, he found people mourning for him.

    His mother was ill in bed thinking her beloved son was dead. His father stopped taking care of their territories in the agony of losing his one and only heir.

    After everyone found out that he was alive, they cheered and the castle brightened up in happiness.

    Everybody was surprised, noticing how much he changed. He turned into apletely different person.

    His parents asked him in concern about what he had faced when he was gone. He told them everything.

    His father investigated the man and found out that the old man was the previous general serving theirte king. He retired after the previous king died and went to travel the world.

    Later, his parents decided to make that old guy their son''s master.

    The old man tly refused. He didn''t want to stay in the castle and live among people.

    Thus, Ironin had to go to him and stay with him for months to be taught swordsmanship among other things.

    "This is brilliant, Ironin!" Veronica was impressed.

    "I didn''t know you were a rebellious child though. I can''t imagine you acting like a spoiled brat. Now I''m curious how you looked when you were a child."

    she giggled as she tried to imagine.

    Ironin frowned. he didn''t like people teasing him. But, he couldn''t re at her.

    When he tried to, the moment his eyesnded on her pure frame, his gaze softened.

    She reminded him of his wife.

    "I looked ugly," hemented.

    "I doubt that." Veronica couldn''t believe him.

    The atmosphere around them was harmonious. They sat next to each other and talked in a low tone.

    So, the boatman who was sitting on the other side couldn''t hear what they were talking about.

    "Are you two lovers?" the boatman suddenly asked.

    "What?" Veronica was surprised by the question.

    "No," Ironin curtly answered.

    The boatman chuckled. "You don''t have to be so guarded around me. I can smell romance from a thousand miles."

    "...I see¡­" Veronica forced a smile.

    Hours passed while they talked. They were surrounded by darkness. Soon, stars popped out and twinkled. The north star appeared among them.

    The boatman lit up a candle.

    However, it looked more dangerous as they were in the wooden boat and water surrounded them.

    Thus, Veronica used a magic stone she brought with her to light up the area.

    "It''s time to wake them up," Ironinmented.

    "Okay¡­" Veronica stood up and walked toward Catherine, Sebastian and Ironin.

    "Everyone, wake up. We have reached thend."

    Catherine and Merlin woke up rubbing their eyes and stretching their hands.

    "It''s night already?" Catherine yawned. She looked at Sebastian and asked, "Why isn''t he up yet?"

    "Strange, I called him several times. Is he that tired?" Veronica was surprised.

    Ironin sharply looked at Sebastian.

    "Sebastian!"

    He loudly called out but there was no answer. Sebastian didn''t move.

    The boat reached the dock. The boatman tied the rope with a wooden pir attached to the dock.

    Ironin strode toward Sebastian and jerked his body.

    The thing he feared became true.

    Sebastian''s lifeless body was lying in front of them.

 Chapter 493 UNEXPECTED SITUATION

    Chapter 493 UNEXPECTED SITUATION

    Sebastian wasn''t moving. Not one bit.

    His motionless body shook their hearts to the core.

    "W-what''s happening?" Catherine''s voice quivered.

    She stepped forward with her shaky legs and sat beside Sebastian.

    Afterward, she held his hand. She trembled after feeling his temperature.

    Only dead people had this cold temperature.

    "Se-Sebastian¡­?"

    She called his name and started to shake him.

    An unbelievable scene unfolded in front of her. She didn''t know how to react.

    Ironin reacted fast. He touched Sebastian''s wrist and then ced his index finger in front of his nose.

    After examining, he dered, "He''s not breathing."

    Catherine''s heart dropped. Her head was nk.

    "What do you mean?" she asked.

    "He¡­ is dead?" Veronica couldn''t believe her eyes and ears. "But why?"

    Merlin moved forward and examined Sebastian''s eyes, tongue and fingers.

    He slightly frowned and stated, "He has been poisoned."

    "Poisoned? How?" Veronica inquired.

    Ironin thought of something. "It must be the arrow."

    Veronica couldn''t understand. "But I already healed him."

    "It''s probably because you healed his wound, not the poison part," Merlinmented. It''s just my guess. I can''t be sure."

    "He can''t be dead. Ver, heal him! Treat his poison!" Catherine begged her friend.

    "Cathy," Veronica had no idea how to console her friend. "I can only heal people who are alive, not the dead¡­"

    "He''s NOT DEAD!! And you won''t know unless you try!" Catherine shouted.

    Veronica''s heart hurt seeing Catherine so miserable.

    The situation escted worse day by day. Nothing was in their favor.

    Not only Veronica but also Ironin and Merlin were feeling down. Only Catherine didn''t want to give up.

    To ease her mind, Veronica used her healing power.

    The silver light engulfed Sebastian''s cold body. His pale skin shone.

    "Se¡­bastian¡­?"

    20:38

    Catherine called him with a shaky voice. Her eyes turned red as she kept staring at him in the hope A few minutester, the light gradually ceased and left with nothing.

    "¡­"

    There was no change in Sebastian.

    "Se¡­bastian¡­?"

    Catherine called him with a shaky voice. Her eyes turned red as she kept staring at him in the hope there would be any changes in him.

    Maybe he would open his eyes or move his fingers.

    However, nothing happened.

    Droplets of tears rolled down her eyes. She wept while holding his icy arm.

    No one said anything.

    In the murky world, even the gnats kept silent, let alone animals. The only sound they heard was Catherine''s voice.

    "Please wake up¡­. Sebastian¡­"

    The silence was broken by her voice. She wiped her eyes and shook his body.

    Veronica had yet to understand why Sebastian died. She was so confused.

    Her heart wrenched painfully for her friend. Only she knew how she was feeling at that time.

    She never saw Catherine cry like that.

    Low voice, but the cry came from the depth of her heart.

    ''If you loved him that much, why stayed away from him?'' Veronica thought mournfully.

    She nced at Ironin with a heavy heart. The death of Sebastian was so unexpected that she didn''t know what to do.

    Even worse, she disliked exposing her fragility in public. There was not just Ironin, but also Merlin and the strange boatman.

    Ironin looked at her sorrowful eyes. Since she couldn''t give him any order, he decided to carry Sebastian''s body.

    Catherine didn''t want to let go of Sebastian''s arm. She feared Ironin would throw his body.

    "Where are you taking him?" she asked.

    He stated coldly, "We have to get out of the boat."

    He nned to bury the dead body.

    The boatman said, "Do you want me to call the vigers and bring you a carriage?"

    His journey with the young travelers was short but, in his eyes, they seemed like a good bunch. The unexpected death of the young fellow left him with sadness.

    "No, thank you," Ironin replied.

    They couldn''t risk meeting their foes disguised in sheep''s clothes. Sebastian''s death left everyone vulnerable.

    They bid farewell to the boatman and walked toward the drynd. Ironin stayed in the front. Veronica and Catherine were in the middle while Merlin was in the back.

    Veronica hugged Catherine to console her. Catherine couldn''t stop crying.

    Her legs limped and she fell to the ground. She buried her face in her thighs and cried her heart out.

    Veronica sat beside her and stroked her back.

    Catherine''s snivel was contagious. Tears threatened to fall from Veronica''s eyes. She kept remembering Sebastian''s face and actions from the moment they met.

    This fellow was a hardworking, loyal person. He was sharp when it came to his job. At the same time, he was simple-minded when it came to his life or love.

    He was someone Arthur trusted and so did she.

    Ironin looked around and found a ce. He ced Sebastian''s body down and drew his sword. Afterward, he started digging the soil.

    Catherine frowned as she noticed his action. She realized what was happening and quickly stood up.

    While standing up, she stumbled upon the hem of her skirt and nearly fell.

    Veronica caught her quickly.

    "Cathy, be careful!"

    Catherine held onto Veronica and asked, "What are you doing?"

    She was looking at Ironin.

    Veronica took a deep breath and said, "Cathey, we need to bury him."

    It hurt her heart to say that but what could she do? She couldn''t go against mother nature.

    Catherine shouted, "N-no! You can''t! He is not dead yet!"

    "Cathy, I understand you are in pain but if we don''t bury him right now, his body will start rotting soon and it''ll spread smell," Veronica tried her hardest to talk softly to her friend.

    Catherine interrupted, "No! We will take him to Arthur. He is a magician. He will be able to do something¡­"

    Her voice turned mellow and she nced at Merlin.

    "You are a magician. Don''t you know how to revive people?"

    Merlin was bbergasted. He was still digesting Sebastian''s unanticipated death. Her question brought him back to reality.

    "Revive the dead? That''s forbidden. It''s the Dark Arts. I can''t do it," he replied.

    Catherine''s frown deepened. "Can''t or won''t?"

    "It''s impossible, Lady Catherine," he denied.

    "Lie!"

    Merlin quietly took the me. Then, he thought of something and told them what he knew about reviving the dead.

    "Except for the Dark Arts, there is another way to revive the dead. When I was in Louses, I did some research. They had information about the elves. Elves have the ability to revive people."

    He nced at Veronica.

    "You must have an idea, don''t you?" he asked.

    Catherine looked at Veronica.

    "Ver?"

 Chapter 494 THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

    Chapter 494 THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

    Theet''s tail extended over the sky in the early morning light. A scarlet cut that flowed like a wound in the reddish-purple sky over the desert.

    Arthur nkly stared at the sky as blood rained over him, soaking him head to toe.

    Dead bodies piled up around him. The aura around him was getting darker every second.

    The days had been tiring. Every day he was eliminating all the witches he could get.

    At the same time, he was waiting for Veronica''s news. Months had passed and he was away from her but there was no news of her.

    His heart was suffering from not being able to see her for so long. However, he didn''t have the courage to face the pale, sickly almost dead Veronica. `

    He was in agny thinking she had yet to recover. At the same time, he was burning in rage. He swore to destroy everyst bit of living witch out there as well as that bloody queen.

    As long as he won''t kill them all, he won''t go back to the tower, in Veronica''s arms - that''s what he promised to her before he left for the war.

    Arthurid his eyes on the ground. He scanned the area around him. He was a bit satisfied seeing the dead witches lying around him.

    He was about to move from there when he heard a noise in the wind. Something was approaching him.

    He turned around and found an ostriching toward him. He raised an eyebrow.

    it was unexpected tos ee an ostrich who was supposed to be in their farm for being cooked was running around in the battlefield.

    Looking closely, he realized that there was someone sitting on the ostrich.

    His golden orbs constricted. His body froze at the spot, unable to move.

    The ostrich stopped in front of the hill of dead bodies as it couldn''t go upward.

    The rider behind it didn''t mind. The rider dismounted and then pped the ostrich''s ass. The ostrich ran away from that ce.

    The rider turned to face Arthur and then slowly climbed the hill, stepping on the dead bodies.

    When the rider stopped in front of Arthur, he stared at the unanticipated guest in astonishment.

    A few seconds passed. the wind blew around them.

    Arthur slowly murmured, "I must be dreaming,"

    The rider gazed at him with tearful eyes.

    "It''s not a dream. I''m alive."

    Arthur''s eyes widened in surprise when he heard the rider speak.

    ''How could it be so real?'' he pondered.

    He reached out his hand and touched the face in front of him.

    "Nica?"

    "I missed you, Arthur."

    The soft voice uttered his name. The hole in his heart was instantly filled with tenderness.

    The voice he was craving to hear, the face he was desiring to see like a madman appeared before him.

    Artur cupped her face with both hands and stroked her cheeks. Feeling the warmth of her skin, he made sure he wasn''t dreaming or hallucinating.

    Afterward, he abruptly pulled her close to his chest. He sighed in content after having her in his arms, alive and well.

    "Arthur, I missed you." Veronica sobbed. Her nails dug in his cloak.

    "..."

    Arthur didn''t say anything in return. Only he knew how much he missed her. He couldn''t express it with his words.

    Four months of waiting was agonizing.

    The two of them stayed in each other''s embrace until the sun rose, throwing pinkish yellow color to the sky.

    A long timeter, Arthur moved away from ehr and scanned her up and down.

    "How are you? Howe you are here? Did you get injured anywhere? When did you wake up?"

    He threw a series of questions at her, carrying anxiety in his voice.

    "I''m okay. I woke up a month ago. I wanted to surprise you. So, I asked Ovior not to contact you and to teleport me to you," Veronica answered.

    she hid most of the facts, not wanting to rm him with another level of worry.

    "Shall we go back to the camp? Let''s take a bath," without giving him a chance to say something, she urged him. "I haven''t taken a bath for a while. i feel all sticky."

    Arthur looked at his own body. He was covered in blood. Since he hugged Veronica, blood smeared her clothes as well.

    "Okay, let''s go."

    Afterward, he teleported them near the camp.

    They walked through the crowd. The magicians greeted them. They looked surprised seeing Veronica with Arthur.

    "Master," Sebastian came forward and bowed.

    "You are here," Arthur said.

    "Ironin and Sebastian escorted me here," Veronica told him.

    "Good job," satisfied with his subordinate''s work, Arthur praised him.

    Afterward, he took Veronica to his camp. There was a wooden bucket filled with water.

    Using his magic, Arthur warmed the water. Then, with a flick of his finger, he removed both of their clothes.

    Veronica went to the water greedily and soaked herself head to toe.

    Arthur chuckled seeing her like this. He went inside the bucket and hugged her from behind.

    Then, he shoved her silver locks to the other side of the left shoulder and then ced his lips on her right wet shoulder.

    Veronica closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. Her fingers found his arms and grabbed them tightly.

    "How are you feeling? Do you feel weak anywhere? or ufortable?" Arthur asked her.

    Veronica let out a deep sigh.

    "It feels like I left a huge chunk of my heart somewhere, Arthur. Sometimes, I feel like I shouldn''t have been born."

    Arthur''s arms secured her close to him.

    "Why do you think that? You have no reason to think like that."

    "I do, Arthur, I do. How am I supposed to live with myself after everything I did."

    Her voice was lifeless, void of any emotions. Arthur had a bad premonition about this.

    "Nica, did something happen?"

    In return for his question, Veronica cried out.

    Without knowing what made her suffer, Arthur hugged her tightly and pulled her close to his body.

    His heart sank when he noticed how heartbroken she was.

    He wondered what had happened.

    In the meantime, Darius noticed Ironin and Sebastian and called out to them.

    "Ironin, Sebastian! I''m surprised to see you!

    He strode forward and grinned ear to ear.

    "Looks like the rumor I heard wasn''t wrong. Veronica is awake, isn''t she?" he guessed.

    "That''s right," Ironin stated. "We brought her here ording to her wish."

    "So, you two escorted her," Darius said.

    "Ahh¡­ actually, Catherine was also with us. On our way here, we met Merlin," Sebastian told him.

    Darius was stunned. "Merlin? Howe?"

    "Hiscover blew up thanks to Queen Isabe," Ironin said.

    "Urgh! That bitch! I will crush her head with my bare hands," Darius gritted his teeth. "By the way, where are they? I don''t think I''ve heard others mentioning them."

    "They didn''te with us. we separated into two groups," Sebastian replied.

    ''That''s strange though. Catherine was supposed toe to the battlefield to treat the injured magicians. Why did she note with us? What happened when I was unconscious?''

    Sebastian couldn''t remember properly.

    At that time, he slowly opened his eyes after a deep slumber. The first thing he saw was the dark sky full of stars.

    The stars were brightly twinkling as though they were busy showing their beauty to the stranger in the unknownnd.

    He was about to appreciate the beauty when something came between his vision and the star, blocking away the vision.

    it was Ironin''s cold, observant face.

    "He is awake. We are ready to leave," he said.

    Sebastian wasn''t sure who he was talking to. He was still in a daze.

    From a close range, he heard Merlin''s voice and then blue and purple light engulfed Sebastian.

    He closed his eyes. The next time he opened his eyes, he was in the desert with Veronica and Ironin.

    "Veronica?!"

    Zinnia was the one who spotted them first. Her words were directed to Veronica. She was pleasantly surprised.

    "Zinnia, where is Arthur?" Veronica asked without greeting her properly.

    "Oh, honey, he is still on the battlefield. He barely slept or rested aftering here," taking the chance, Zinniained.

    "I''ll go to him."

    Without wasting another moment, Veronica walked toward the battlefield with her sword, bow and arrows.

    On the way, she saw an ostrich farm. they were probably there for the magicians to eat. She took one and rode on it.

    Looking at her from the back, Zinnia asked Sebastian, "Is she okay?"

    "She should be?" Sebastian was confused to.

    "She looks unsettled. Did something happen on the way?" Zinnia asked.

    However, Sebastian couldn''t reply.

    What could have happened when he was unconscious?

    I hope no one had a hard time understanding the situation. After thest chapter, there was a part I cut off. How Sebastian is alive, you will find out in the next chapter.

    Just wanted to twist it a bit. Sorry for the confusion it caused you all.

 Chapter 495 RELUCTANCE

    495 RELUCTANCE

    ~ shback ~

    "Except for the Dark Arts, there is another way to revive the dead. When I was in Louses, I did some research.

    "They had information about the elves. Elves have the ability to revive people. You must have an idea, don''t you?"

    When the question was directed to Veronica, Catherine looked at Veronica.

    "Ver?"

    Veronica looked away. She couldn''t look at her friend.

    Catherine grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

    "Ver, say something!"

    Veronica frowned. "Things like this have a price, Cathy. And, it''s not a simple price."

    Catherine''s eyes lit up with hope.

    "What do you mean? You know a way to save him?"

    "It''s more like bringing him back."

    Veronica was reluctant to mention it further.

    "I don''t care about the price. Tell me. What do I have to do in order to bring him back to life?" Catherine urged her.

    "Even if you don''t care, I care!" Veronica snapped at her.

    Catherine couldn''t understand her reason to act like that.

    She asked suspiciously, "Why are you bothered about the price? It''s not you who will pay for it, is it? Can''t I pay the price?"

    "Haah! This is what I''m worried about," Veronica muttered.

    "Could it be that the prince is a life for a life?" Merlin mentioned.

    Veronica had the urge to beat Merlin. She closed her eyes and did her best to quell her anger.

    Catherine noticed that her friend didn''t deny Merlin''s im.

    Everything became clear to her.

    Her heart suddenly felt empty. For a moment, time seemed to halt. The world stopped around her.

    ''Life¡­ for a life¡­''

    The mere thought of the idea sent chills down her spine.

    Life is precious.

    Anyone would choose their own life over someone else''s.

    She nced over at Sebastian''s body one more time. Her heart ached to see him like that.

    How amazing would it be if he was alive!

    There would be a time when he would get tired of this life of his and settle down with a pretty girl who would love him wholeheartedly.

    They would have a family together and live happily ever after like in those fairy tales.

    Slowly, she clutched the soil underneath her hands.

    She wouldn''t mind if she could give him that kind of life.

    "Ver, I know how much you care for me. I won''t me you for anything. For the sake of our rtionship, can I ask you for a favor?"

    Her soft voice was like pleading. Veronica''s heart was shaken by her.

    She stood up and strode away from them.

    "Ver, listen¡­ Listen to me!" Catherine followed after her.

    Veronica paused in her tracks and told her, "I can''t do this to you, Cathy, not with my own hands."

    Then, she told her how it has to be done.

    Urs brought her some scrolls from the Rosemary Temple. On the journey, she was reading one of those scrolls.

    Basically, to save a dead human, another life has to be sacrificed. A life for a life.

    A living human body has a life force. That life force has to be transferred to the dead person within a day.

    This way, the dead wille back to life and the living being will die.

    "It''s not that you are killing me, Ver." Catherine smiled at her. "You are saving his life."

    "But by killing you!" Tears finally shed from Veronica''s eyes. "I can''t do that. Please, Cathy. Don''t make me do this."

    "Don''t think like that. You are just transferring me to him - think like that. I will be him."

    The more tenderly Catherine spoke, the more tears fell from Veronica''s eyes.

    "No, you won''t be him. How can you be him? It''s not like your soul will be there¡­" she argued back while sobbing.

    Catherine embraced her and pleaded, "Ver, please, I beg you. Do this for me. He died protecting me.

    "If I wasn''t there, his movements wouldn''t have slowed down. It''s my fault, Ver. I need to give him back what I took from him."

    Veronica raised her voice, "It wasn''t your fault! It was those barbaric people''s fault. They shouldn''t have attacked us.

    "Ver, if you don''t save him, I''ll slit my throat here. I will die in vain. Would you want that?"

    10:23

    With her threat, Veronica became scared.

    "Sebastian saved you with his life. He wouldn''t want you to give away the life he died protecting."

    Catherine smiled. "He wouldn''t want that. I know it. But, I could never ept it. I could never face it. It''s because of my ipetence that he is¡­ dead. Ver, you must help me save him."

    "..."

    When Veronica didn''t reply, Catherine became mad.

    She moved away from her friend. Afterward, she took out a small dagger that she hid in her left boot and ced it on her neck.

    "Ver, if you don''t save him, I''ll slit my throat here. I will die in vain. Would you want that?"

    With her threat, Veronica became scared.

    "Cathy, please listen to me. Don''t do this. Or else, Sebastian''s death will be in vain."

    Catherine shook her head. "That''s not true. He would have been alive if you would agree to my request. It will be your fault if I die."

    "Cathy!"

    "Ver, I told you properly but you didn''t listen. I even begged you but you didn''t listen. Now, you will see me slitting my throat and killing myself instantly. I will breathe myst breath before you have time to heal me."

    Saying what she wanted to say, Catherine raised her dagger.

    Veronica panicked and shouted, "No! Cathy! Please stop! I will do it! I will save Sebastian."

    Catherine stared at her friend, trying to confirm whether she was trying to fool her or not.

    When she realized that Veronica was being serious, she dropped her dagger.

    Veronica let out a deep breath that she was holding. She took her knife and created a magical circle on the ground.

    After that, she ordered Ironin, "ce Sebastian''s body inside the circle. Don''t mess up the circle."

    Ironin carried Sebastian''s motionless body and dropped it inside the circle.

    Afterward, Veronica signaled Catherine to enter the circle.

    "Hold his hand tightly and don''t let it do no matter how painful it feels," she instructed.

    "Will it be painful?" Catherine flinched.

    She didn''t want to die painfully. She wanted a peaceful death.

    It''s the part where it you will find out how Sebastian came back to life.

    Big huuugs for those who are sad after reading the chapter.

    Flow07

 Chapter 496 INTOLERABLE

    496 INTOLERABLE

    When she heard about the pain, Catherine subconsciously flinched. She didn''t want to die painfully. She wanted a peaceful death.

    "It will be the most unbearable pain you ever had," Veronica mentioned. "It''s also a test. If you can''t bear the pain and let go of Sebastian''s hand, the life force wille back to you."

    Catherine gulped. "Why is it soplicated?"

    Veronica stated, "That is why it is a test. It tests how much you love a person to go through the pain and give your life away. It''s not an easy thing to do."

    Chills ran down Catherine''s spine. Her heartbeat rapidly increased. She was scared and nervous but didn''t want to show her emotions in front of Veronica.

    She was also afraid that her friend would stop if she showed a bit of weakness.

    She took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart. Afterward, She mournfully looked at Sebastian''s pale face.

    ''What a life we have, don''t you think Sebastian? I didn''t have the courage to be with you, but now I have to show everyone how much I love you until I die.''

    A sad smile spread across her lips.

    ''I guess this is for the best. This way, you will finally let go and move on.''

    After that, Catherineid down next to Sebastian and held his cold hand.

    "I''m ready," she dered.

    Then, she closed her eyes.

    Veronica stared at her with tearful eyes. She wiped the tears and then started the ritual.

    The silver light glowed where she curved the circle and then wrote ancient words. The light got closer to the bodies inside the circle and reached them.

    At first, Catherine''s body was enveloped with the silver light and then slowly transferred to Sebastian.

    Veronica wasn''t lying. When the light enveloped Catherine, she started sensing the pain.

    As the light began to transfer to Sebastian, she felt the pain escte quickly. Her whole body was crying in pain.

    She opened her eyes and mouth. No words came out through her parted lips. However, tears streamed down her eyes. The pain was so intolerable that her body started getting numb.

    Ten minutes passed. She couldn''t stand the pain any longer. She wished it would be over soon but it didn''t. Every second felt like years. When she wanted to let go of Sebastian''s hands, she paused.

    ''¡­What am I doing¡­?''

    She could barely move her body but she forced herself to turn her head toward Sebastian. Seeing him being illuminated by the silver light of hope, her heart was at ease.

    She could feel that her pain became more tolerable after seeing his face. At the same time, it gave her courage.

    ''I can do this. For him, I can do anything. This pain is nothing. It will be over soon.''

    She could sense her life force was slipping away. Her body was turning cold.

    At that moment, an image shed in her eyes. Sebastian was standing in front of a cottage covered in ivy nts.

    He was ying with a small boy. They wereughing loudly.

    At some point, a woman came out of the cottage. Sebastian smiled at her. He kissed the woman and hugged her along with the child. They looked like a happy family.

    A smile escaped Catherine''s mouth. She felt content. She wished for this dream toe true.

    She closed her eyes.

    When thest drop of life force was taken away from Catherine, the silver light abruptly vanished.

    Veronica''s body dropped to the ground. She looked lifeless. She didn''t have the energy or the courage to go forward and check the result of the ritual.

    Ironin was quick to catch her. He sat beside her and paid attention to her condition.

    Merlin inhaled sharply. He didn''t realize that he was holding his breath. He hesitantly advanced toward the circle.

    At first, he examined Catherine''s pulse and then Sebastian''s.

    "I think it worked," he announced. "Lady Catherine doesn''t have a pulse but Sebastian has."

    Upon hearing that, Veronica became weak. She leaned against Ironin. Her senses and feelings became numb. She nkly stared at the bodies.

    Her heart was empty.

    The person who knew her the best, who she grew up with, her lifetime childhood friend, a partner in crime, that person was gone. She was killed by her own two hands.

    Merlin looked at Veronica and saw her state. Then, he lowered his gaze, unable to endure her expression.

    After some time passed, Ironin asked her, "What do you want to do with her body? Bury her?"

    "No!" Veronica instantly jolted. "She deserves a proper burial. We can''t randomly choose a ce."

    She looked at the magician and asked, "Merlin, can you take her to the tower and preserve her body until I go back? I will choose a proper ce where she could be buried and then hold a burial ceremony."

    "Most certainly, Mdy," Merlin agreed.

    Veronica sighed in relief.

    "Make two circles," Ironin instructed Merlin. "Veronica and I will go to the battlefield with Sebastian. You can take Catherine to the tower."

    "But we need Sebastian awake. What if we end up in the middle of the battlefield with unconscious Sebastian?" Veronica mentioned.

    Although she faced the shock of losing someone so precious just now, her brain was still working.

    "I will draw the teleportation circles. We will wait until he is awake," Merlin stated.

    Just as nned, he separated the bodies with Ironin''s help and then drew the teleportation circles. After that, he stood beside Catherine''s motionless body.

    He wanted to ask Veronica if she wanted to have anyst word to Catherine but seeing her condition, he controlled himself.

    After Sebastian woke up, Ironin told Merlin to teleport them.

    Without any dy, Merlin teleported Veronica, Ironin and Sebastian to the battlefield. Afterward, he teleported him and Catherine to the tower.

    ~ shback ends ~

    In the desert camp ¨C

    Veronica hugged Arthur in the bathtub and cried mournfully.

    Arthur''s heart hurt seeing her heartbroken like this.

    He was also speechless knowing the fact that his wife could bring a person from the dead without going through the procedures like him.

    He had no idea how tofort his wife.

    While sobbing, Veronica asked him, "Arthur, do you think I''m the murderer of my own friend?"

    Finally, done with the heartbreaking chapter. Huuugs to those who are sad by the oue.

    Flow07

 Chapter 497 HER CHOICE

    Chapter 497 HER CHOICE

    Arthur had no idea how tofort his wife. He killed numerous people. The bloody history he left was awful. However, he never killed his friend.

    As for his wife, Catherine was her one and only childhood friend who epted her for who she was. Catherine was a part of her life and heart that even he could never be part of.

    It wasn''t that he was jealous of Catherine and his wife''s rtionship. He was d that there was someone his wife could rely on other than him especially when he wasn''t by her side all the time.

    In the end, she killed her best friend with her own two hands, just to save the man Catherine loved.

    As much as it hurt Catherine, it burdened Veronica for rest of her life.

    "Arthur, do you think I''m a murderer of my own friend?"

    Shocked, Arthur gazed at her. His arms tightened around her.

    "No Ver, you didn''t kill her. You kept your word and saved the man she loved."

    Veronica ced her chin on top of his drenched shoulder.

    "But her life ended with my own hands."

    She didn''t feel better even though Arthur tried to console her. However, his present itself gave her greatfort.

    Arthur also realized that his words weren''t going through her heart. He thought for a while and then said what he felt was the truth in his heart.

    "It''s not that you hide anything from her. You gave her a choice. It wasn''t your choice to make. It was her life and she had the right to make whatever decision with it. She knew that she was going to die and she chose that road to save him. There, your opinion doesn''t matter. You had no choice."

    Veronica understood what he meant. Nheless, she didn''t want to admit it.

    "But I could choose not to help her save Sebastian."

    "Would you? Would you be able to live with the guilt when she would suffer from a heartbreak for the rest of her life?"

    "¡­"

    Veronica thought for a while.

    if what he was true then Vincent wouldn''t cheat on Catherine. Catherine would be happily married to him, she wouldn''t have travel with Veronica, Sebastian wouldn''t have died protecting Catherine and Catherine wouldn''t die saving him.

    "People can move on, can''t they?" she asked. "Love is an illusion if you don''t catch it. So, why sacrifice yourself for it?"

    Arthur smiled. He lowered his head and nted his lips on her shoulder.

    "Would you be able to do that?" he asked. "Can you move on if I die? Will you not try to sacrifice yourself just like I wanted to?"

    Back then, when he thought that she was dead, he killed countless people and used Dark Arts to bring her back. He was this clsoe to sell his soul.

    Veronica remembered it well.

    "I don''t regret what I tried to do back then," he continued. "If I have no other choice, I will do that again."

    Veronica moved away from his shoulder and stared at his deep golden eyes. His unfathomable eyes poured love and she sank further.

    "What if the world turns against you?" she inquired.

    "Even if the gods turn against me, as long as I get you back, so be it."

    Arthur''s eyes were stubbornly determined when he said that.

    Veronica had no doubt that he loved her; but at this point, she knew she could go to hell to do that exact same thing for Arthur.

    Without a word, she leaned forward and kissed his lips.

    Arthur kissed her back. At first, it was a light kiss. Soon, they showered each other with kisses. Later, the rain shower became a thunderstorm.

    The tent was filled with small noises. A pair of dove gasped for air. Their bodies clung to each other in the water as though their lives were depending on them.

    The fricktion between their bodies sparked fire. Their blood boiled in that fire and increased their temperature.

    Arthur''s arms traveled down her back. His fingers caressed her smooth, wet back. Everywhere his fingertips touch was on fire.

    They were separated for months. They had finally reunited. Four months of hunger made them go crazy for each other.

    Veronica wanted to forget; forget everything she had done yesterday.

    The night was too long. It was the post painful night she had ever experienced.

    After being with the one she craved for, she wanted to make all her thoughts and memories of other things disappear.

    When shecked oxygen, she pulled away from the intense kiss and panted.

    She looked at Arthur''s scorching eyes. she leaned closer and kissed him again.

    Arthur pulled her closer, sticking her with his body so that there was no space left.

    Soon, Veronica pulled back again and gasped for the air.

    "Let''s move to the bed," she suggested.

    They were instantly moved to the bed wtih their bodies all dry.

    Arthur ced her gently to the bed and hovered over her.

    However, to his surprise, she ced a hand on his chest and didn''t let him close the distance.

    "What''s wrong?" Arthur asked in a hoarse voice.

    He was lusting after her so much that he could barely control him. When she said that she wanted to move to the bed, he was sure that she wanted the same.

    However, her action just made him more impatient.

    "Not you," Veronica said. "Let me do it."

    "Huh?" Without answering his question, she changed their position.

    Arthur obediently obliged and waited for what she wanted to do next.

    Veronica straddled him and leaned forward. Her breasts touched his solid foundation.

    She lightly pecked on his lips and said, "Let me serve you tonight."

    "..."

    Arthur thought he heard wrong.

    From the moment they met, it was always him who took the initiative. Veronica was the shy one.

    He teased her until she turned red and felt embarrassed. He noticed that her body liked to be teased by obscene words.

    The more he did so, the wetter she would get. He enjoyed teasing her so much.

    After meeting her today, he found her a bit different. The aura around her was a bit odd too.

    When he noticed that Veronica started kiss all over his face, only then did he believe that she really wanted to take the lead.

    He stared at her with hungry eyes. He couldn''t wait to see more of her.

 Chapter 498 PLEASURE YOU

    Chapter 498 PLEASURE YOU

    Arthur''s lustful eyes scanned her up and down.

    Her fair skin had several marks. Most of them were recent. Her face, neck and arms were tanned under the sun.

    Compared to that, her body which was covered in clothes was fairer.

    He could understand that she had a rough journey before reaching him.

    ''She came for me,'' he realized. ''She passed a thousand miles and faced hardships to be with me.''

    His heart swelled with pride and triumph.

    All the scratches she had on her body wouldn''t hide the beauty. Her developed body, healthy round breasts, rosy pink fruits, curved waist, flower-like naval overpowered the scratches.

    He stared at his goddess with appreciation in his eyes.

    His hands caressed her thighs lovingly.

    "Princess, aren''t you tired? Let me do it," he requested.

    Veronica leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "No, Arthur. I''ll handle it. Help me forget everything. For now, I don''t want to think about anything else."

    Arthur''s heart tightened. He felt unexinable joy at her words.

    Veronica pressed her lips on his forehead and then traveled all over his face.

    Arthur closed his eyes and enjoyed the shower of kisses. When he felt her lips against his, he opened his mouth to bite her lower lip.

    Unexpectedly, he didn''t have the chance to do it. His wife had the upper hand. She bit his lower lip and nibbled it slowly.

    "Ung!" a groan escaped his lips. His mouth felt dry when she took the initiative to copy his style.

    Afterward, her soft tongue entered his mouth. She sucked him, absorbing the kiss. She possessively entangled his tongue as though it belonged to her.

    Her fingers caressed his toned chest, feeling his warmth. She had no idea what her action did to him.

    Her simple touch tickled Arthur''s heart. His heart thumped heavily as he grew excited by her action.

    Veronica yed with his tongue until she had enough before lowering her head. She licked his chin and ventured into his throat.

    She strongly sucked his neck and left red marks here and there. Her teeth grazed his corbone and nape.

    "Haah¡­ haah¡­"

    Arthur gasped for air. He couldn''t feel ashamed that he was feeling like this. Rather, he was proud, thinking how much his wife loved and wanted him.

    "Arghh!"

    Arthur groaned. He shuddered from the pleasure. Momentarily, he shut his eyes and enjoyed the She gradually moved to his nipples.

    Back when she first experienced a man''s touch, she couldn''t quite understand why Arthur was obsessed with her breasts.

    Today, she wanted to see what was so fascinating about those small, forbidden fruits.

    She touched his left one and licked his right one.

    "Arghh!"

    Arthur groaned. He shuddered from the pleasure. Momentarily, he shut his eyes and enjoyed the ecstasy.

    Many times, heid women but never let anyone touch his body like this.

    However, this time, it was different. It was his beloved wife who wanted to please him.

    He didn''t know it would feel this amazing to let others touch your sensitive ces like that.

    Every time she sucked his nipples, a current would spread all over his body and make his body go numb.

    While ying with his chest, her lower part rubbed against his hard dick.

    To rile him up even more, she continued to move her butt while keeping his bulging cock in between them.

    Arthur growled and grabbed Veronica''s waist. His fingers dug into her skin.

    With hunger in her eyes, Veronica looked at Arthur''s expression. Seeing his rapture, she felt excited.

    She resumed licking his chest and moved downward. She sensed him trembling.

    She moved her body more, gradually increasing her speed.

    She noticed Arthur was trying to stop her from moving.

    "What? Do you not like it?" she asked, continuing to move.

    Arthur grunted. His eyes said that he wanted to eat her alive.

    "I''d rather have you inside," he stated.

    "Shh¡­ wait a bit more," Veronica said.

    It wasn''t a request. It sounded like an order.

    She could feel how hot his dick was. He was practically burning. She shuddered in response.

    She could sense something burning inside her. She was dripping, she could feel it. It wasn''t just him who wanted to be one with her.

    She rubbed him until he let out his pre-cum and then abruptly stopped moving.

    Arthur''s golden pupils constricted. He subconsciously raised his hips, wanting more stimtion. His arms pressed her waist against him.

    However, Veronica didn''t move anymore.

    Not understanding what she was ying, he opened his eyes and looked at his predator.

    Veronica stared at him with lustful eyes. It stirred his heart.

    She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Arthur, what should I do to make you feel even better? Can I take you in my mouth? Would you like that?"

    Arthur gulped when he heard that. His mouth and throat were all dry.

    "...Go ahead," he agreed with a hoarse voice.

    Veronica turned around and lowered herself. She straddled his chest while facing his dick.

    Looking at the size of it, she wondered if it would fit her mouth. She opened her mouth.

    When she took him in her mouth, her flower revealed in front of his eyes.

    Without wasting any time, Arthur grabbed her buttocks and kissed her flower.

    While rubbing herself against his dick, she became wet and started dripping. Noticing her wetness, he sucked her sharply like a desert traveler finally finding the oasis.

    Veronica just took him in her mouth. When she felt a strong sense of pleasure, she gasped and let out a luscious moan.

    Her round, smooth ass shook in pleasure while Arthur got drunk on her.

    She narrowed her eyes. Her eyes teared up in ecstasy. She took him in her mouth again and began to suck him.

    Something soft and wet wrapped around him. It was cooler than his bulging cock.

    Arthur shuddered and muttered her name.

    "Mm¡­ Nica¡­"

    Just like her, he didn''t stop doing what he was doing. He continued to lick her.

    Both of them pleasured each other''s sensitive spot. they sucked and moved their tongues until both spasmed and released themselves in each other''s mouths.

 Chapter 499 THE GODDESS

    Chapter 499 THE GODDESS

    The room was filled with obscene sounds. The wet sounds mixed with the panting noises.

    After releasing himself in her mouth, Arthur gasped for air. He licked his lips and let out a content sigh.

    Afterward, he moved her toward his chest and pulled her in his arms. Then, he opened his mouth and kissed her.

    Both tasted themselves in each other''s mouths. That didn''t make them stop their action. Instead, their hunger intensified.

    When the wild kisses ended, Veronica raised her body and straddled him. She lowered her head and looked at him.

    From down there, Arthur stared at her in a daze.

    His princess had a developed body that glistened with sweat under the magic lights inside the tent. Her round, luscious breasts lightly bounced as she panted.

    He gulped. He wanted to devour her then and there.

    Veronica stared at his eyes and positioned herself above his disk. She slowly lowered her body and let the tip of his cock touch her entrance.

    Her clitoris was already moist with the leaking juice. It made her entrance slippery and created lewd noises with his cock rubbing her.

    Arthur shuddered in anticipation. He impatiently grabbed her waist "Arthur, do you want it?"

    While asking, Veronica raised her hip a bit and her body didn''t and pressed her down.

    However, she didn''t budge an inch. She took his arms and intertwined their fingers.

    "Arthur, do you want it?"

    While asking, Veronica raised her hip a bit and her body didn''t touch his manhood anymore.

    Arthur scowled. He replied, "I do."

    "How much?"

    "Badly."

    Arthur sighed in contentment when her clit touched his dick again.

    "Please don''t torture me anymore," he couldn''t help begging.

    "Ahh¡­ me neither¡­" Veronica admitted.

    Afterward, she lowered her body. The swollen head of his penis entered her wet entrance. She could feel him begin to slide in.

    "Haaah¡­"

    With her parted lips, a soft sound escaped. Her entire body trembled.

    His thick dick was filling her inside in slow motion. She couldn''t breathe in excitement.

    Arthur licked his lips. His fingers gripped her tightly.

    Her walls were stretched to their limit and gripped around him tightly.

    It had been so long since they embraced each other. Veronica''s muscles could not help but get excited.

    Arthur gave her a feverish gaze and asked in a husky voice, "Why are you so tight?"

    His low grunt sent a shiver down her spine. She noticed that he was enjoying it.

    As though her excitement reached him, Arthur lost his rationality.

    He could not use his arms to move her body, so he raised his ass to enter herpletely.

    !!!

    Veronica''s eyes shot open. She parted her lips. Unable to take the surprise attack, she arched her back.

    Her whole body trembled like a leaf in the storm. Her mouth was open but she couldn''t utter a single word.

    Arthur let out a deep breath he was holding back. He watched his wife go through the shock.

    His golden pupils glowed. He did love surprised attacks and at moments like this, he liked teasing her. It gave him a pleasant feeling when he noticed her shock.

    Before she coulde out of her shock, he pounded his hips and gave her great stimtion.

    A pleasant feeling welled up inside Veronica. She noticed her sensitivity rising and her reaction became more obvious.

    His strong pration made her go over the edge. Her vision started to get blurry.

    She sensed that he drew his hips out before smashing back within. It was so ferocious that it made a lewd sound. He was piercing her through the walls and she could feel it.

    His thrusts were so strong that every time he entered her, he stroked her clitoris, sending a shiver up her spine. She had the impression that the temperature in the room had increased.

    She couldn''t stop herself as the pleasure grew stronger. She was in ecstasy every time his cock rubbed her insides.

    He reached the sweet spot every time he thrust into her, making her body scream silently. Her body seemed like it was on fire.

    She was drowning in rapture when she suddenly remembered that she should be in the lead, not the other way around.

    "Ung¡­ Arthur, stop¡­"

    "I don''t want to."

    "Ahh! I''m supposed to do that!"

    "Princess, just enjoy the ride."

    "No!"

    "Sighh¡­."

    Arthur stopped moving at her persistence.

    Seeing him so obedient, Veronica lowered her body and kissed his lips to appease his frustration.

    "Let me forget everything and focus on you," she said.

    Afterward, pressing her palms against him, she moved up and down. A tingling sensation surged up and spread throughout her body.

    "How about we move together?" Arthur suggested.

    While thrusting her hips, Veronica gave him a slight nod of approval.

    Arthur didn''t waste any more seconds and moved his lips and plunged his dick deep inside her.

    The shaking caused her fair and plump breasts to bounce in front of him.

    With heated eyes, Arthur watched his princess dance in ecstasy. With double force, he pounded her deepest part.

    "Ahh!" A high-pitched whimper leaked out of Veronica''s mouth from the overwhelming pleasure.

    The two of them forgot about the rest of the world and drowned themselves in pleasure.

    "¡­"

    Darius stood in front of Arthur''s tent and hesitated to enter.

    ''What should I do?'' he pondered hard. ''If I go in now, I''ll be murdered. But I need to talk to Arthur. Damn it! Why do I have to take the hard task?''

    Zinnia was walking past him. She spotted him and halted in her tracks.

    "What are you up to? Don''t mention that you want to interrupt them right now."

    As she stated, Darius clicked his tongue.

    "I know I''m not supposed to go there but I have urgent news to share with him," he impatiently answered.

    Zinnia raised an eyebrow. "How urgent? Can''t it wait until their reunion?"

    Darius thought for a moment and then gave up.

    "¡­I guess it can wait. It already happened. So, it''s not like we can stop it."

    Curious, Zinnia asked, "So, what''s the urgent matter you wanted to discuss with him?"

 Chapter 500 REPORTING

    Chapter 500 REPORTING

    "So, what''s the urgent matter you wanted to discuss with him?"

    "Merlin is here. He fled from Louses because his identity was exposed. The soldiers from Louses are looking for him everywhere."

    "Is that so?" Zinnia frowned. "Who exposed him?"

    Just like them, Merlin was a spy who was trained with them. As a magician and as a spy, he was one of the best.

    Therefore, Zinnia was skeptical about how Merlin was exposed.

    "The witches," Darius grunted.

    Everything became clear to Zinnia.

    "So, the queen is behind it," she stated. "Arthur will be so pissed when he hears this."

    "He will start doubting the high-ranked magicians," Darius mentioned. "And, there is another thing I need to mention."

    His face became gloomier when he spoke.

    "Huh? What is it?"

    "It''s about Catherine."

    -----------

    The thunderstorm passed by and left with a serene atmosphere.

    Veronica opened her eyes. She didn''t know when she passed out. Thest thing she remembered was being pushed to the bed while her husband lost his sanity and pushed her into the depths of pleasure.

    She yawned and rubbed her eyes.

    Just then, she sensed someone caressing her back. She raised her head and found Arthur looking at her.

    "Did you not sleep?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

    "I did," he replied.

    He didn''t lie. When he noticed that Veronica passed out from intense lovemaking, he stopped. He used magic to clean themselves and hugged her to sleep.

    He woke up when she moved. After the poisoning incident, he became careful around her. If there was a subtle change in her breath orplexion, he would be alert.

    "Sorry if I woke you," Veronica said.

    It had been so long since she got afortable bed. She felt drowsy. She wanted to keep her eyes open but she was unable to do so.

    Arthur noticed her tired state and gently stroked her back.

    "It''s okay. You can go back to sleep. I''ll wake you up if necessary."

    "But Arthur¡­" she mumbled, "you need to stop the war."

    "Why do you want to stop the war?" Arthur asked her.

    Veronica exined, "We are killing innocent people."

    He replied, "They are all witches who wanted to overpower us and spread dark magic. Would you want that?"

    "No, but there are other ways to handle it¡­" saying that she yawned.

    Arthur tugged her under the nket. "Why don''t you sleep first? We can talk about it after you wake up. I''ll prepare a spicy curry for you."

    "Will there be any meat?" she excitedly asked.

    "Lamb meat," he answered with a smile.

    Arthur knew how much she likedmb meat. He would like to cook a specialmb curry with spices just like she loved it.

    Veronica was happy just as he expected. However, suddenly she was depressed.

    "Cathy lovedmb meat too," she said.

    Arthur paused and then called out to her. "Nica¡­"

    Veronica let out a deep sigh. She buried her face in his chest and then took a deep breath.

    "Arthur, I miss her a lot."

    Arthur pulled her close to his chest.

    "Of course, you do. She was your best friend."

    "She was my only friend. How did it lead to this? What should I do without her?"

    "I wish I had the answer for it. But I can be your friend and your husband at the same time if you want."

    "I know you can. I believe you can." After a pause, she asked, "Arthur, did you lose anyone you hold dear?"

    "I lost you once."

    "That doesn''t count since I came back."

    "But the despair I felt was real." Arthur then kissed her forehead.

    "I can feel that. I was going crazy to see you," she confessed. "So, I desperately tried toe to you as soon as possible.

    "Who knew I would have to sacrifice Cathy in the process? I guess I don''t see what''s precious to me when they are close to me. I start regretting when they are far away."

    Arthur stroked her back over the light nket, trying to make her fall asleep.

    "I will be here for you. I won''t let you feel lonely."

    "I''m sorry for everything, Arthur,"

    "Don''t be. You did nothing wrong. I should have treated you better."

    "You did. I just acted like a spoiled brat. Now it''s toote. I lost Cathy forever."

    The more she thought about it, the more she felt distressed.

    Arthur saw her suffering from agony and his chest tightened. He felt his chest getting wetter.

    He wanted tofort her but he had no idea how to take away her pain.

    All he could do was tightly wrap his arm around her and kiss her forehead. He let her shed tears until she fell asleep.

    He checked her breathing. When he realized that she was in a deep sleep, he slowly got out of bed.

    He wore clean clothes and went outside. He spotted Darius, Zinnia and Ironin around a bonfire. They were talking to another person whom he didn''t expect to see.

    They saw him approaching them and stopped talking.

    "Merlin, why are you here? Shouldn''t you be at the tower?" Arthur stated.

    Merlin wasn''t surprised.

    He said, "Did Lady Veronica tell you that? I finished my work in the Magic Tower and rushed here to report. I also submitted a report to Ovior."

    After a bit of hesitation, he mentioned, "Did¡­ Lady Veronica say anything to you about Lady Catherine?"

    Darius and the rest solemnly stared at Arthur.

    "I heard," Arthur replied. "Tell me in detail what exactly happened."

    After listening to Merlin and Ironin''s report, Arthur frowned his eyebrow.

    "Find that bastard who was chasing after her. I don''t want a twirp stalking my wife to kill. I also want the heads of his men. Those who are looking for my wife, I won''t spare them."

    His order pleased everyone. No one had aint.

    Dairus mentioned, "That''s nice of you to say. But we have another situation."

    "What else?"

 Chapter 501 FIND HIM

    Chapter 501 FIND HIM

    "That''s nice of you to say but we have another situation," Darius mentioned.

    Arthur looked at him. "What else?"

    Zinnia stated, "We believe that the queen and the witches are involved in exposing Merlin to Louses."

    "This bitch is getting in our way every single time." Arthur clicked his tongue. "First, get the pathetic bastard. Then, we will deal with that bitch."

    "Are we going to have a meeting for tomorrow''s battle?" Darius asked. "Is it going to be held at night as usual?"

    Currently, due to the high temperature during the day, the battle between the wizards and witches would be held in the evening. The wizards and witches had to take extra precautions to avoid heat stroke during the battle. At dawn, the battle would cease and everyone would go back to their tents.

    Wizards could use magic to cool the temperature at their side but that would take a high amount of mana which Arthur didn''t want to lose to keep a proper temperature. He knew that the uing battle would be intense and he needed to conserve his mana for more important spells.

    "We won''t hold any meetings for now," Arthur replied. "First, I want that bastard under my feet. Ironin, I''ll leave it to you."

    Ironin heeded his words and stood up.

    After he left, Arthur turned to Merlin.

    "Why did Ovior teleport everyone to an unknown ce?" he demanded.

    Merlin helplessly shook his head.

    "It was a mistake on his part. He sent you a letter. He apologized."

    "His apology won''t bring Catherine back."

    Arthur wasn''t satisfied with the answer.

    What would Ovior''s apology do?

    Could it bring Catherine back to life?

    Could it take away the sorrow and emptiness Veronica felt when she took her best friend''s life with her own two hands?

    Others could feel it and so they said nothing.

    00:39

    Merlin could only sigh. It was a helpless situation in which they couldn''t do anything.

    He recalled how Veronica wept heartbreakingly. Just thinking about it made his heart bleed.

    At that moment, Veronica thought of herself as a murderer.

    Before she was used to being agonized by it but she could coax herself by saying that she killed bad people who harmed others.

    From the moment Catherine''s life force was transferred to Sebastian, she had no other excuse left.

    No matter what others told her, she knew she had killed Catherine. It couldn''t be changed.

    The weight of her actions was crushing her. She knew that she could never justify or rationalize what she had done and that it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

    She would never be able to live a peaceful life.

    She would constantly dream about killing Catherine and wake up with regret and agonizing pain.

    Ovior''s apology wouldn''t change anything.

    Others could feel it and so they said nothing.

    Merlin could only sigh. It was a helpless situation in which they couldn''t do anything.

    He said, "Ovior regretted it when he saw Lady Catherine''s dead body. He was beyond exhausted because he was working alone. That''s why the mistake happened."

    As they were talking, Ironin came back with his weapons. He was prepared for the next task.

    Without a word, Arthur teleported him to Lynnford.

    Later on, Arthur went back to his tent. He found Veronica rolling on the bed.

    He smiled and walked toward her. He came to the bed and hugged her from behind.

    "Are you awake?" he asked.

    "Mm," Veronica yawned. "I want to sleep more but I can''t seem to sleep. I keep thinking about Cathy."

    Her tone was a mix of fatigue and sadness. She had been through a lot and the exhaustion was taking a toll on her both physically and emotionally. Despite her efforts to conceal it, her weariness was evident in her voice and appearance.

    Arthur noticed the dark circles under her eyes were still visible. His heart ached as he saw her predicament. He whispered in her ear, "I will help you fall asleep."

    Afterward, he began to suck on her shoulder. He left behind a trail of wetness.

    Tickled by his lips, Veronica lightly giggled. She reached out on her back and touched his head. Her fingers scratched his head in indulgence.

    Arthur''s hands slipped under theforter. They mischievously groped her sensitive parts.

    She had her breasts yed by his hands like this, A wave of limpness spread across her entire body, and soon she couldn''t help but moan.

    Her body jolted in pleasure and trembled at all the teasing. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on When he was done, he went out of the tent.

    It was already midnight. The stars shone brightly in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the barren his yful hands.

    He continued to explore her body with his hands, tracing every curve and dip until she was lost in a sea of pleasure. As their bodies entwined, she knew that she wouldn''t be able to sleep for a while.

    After the storm passed, Arthur cast a sleeping charm on her.

    "Sleep tight," he murmured. Then, he lovingly kissed her on the forehead.

    He took a bath and changed his clothes. After that, he cleaned Veronica''s body properly and put his sleeping gown on her.

    When he was done, he went out of the tent.

    It was already midnight. The stars shone brightly in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the barrenndscape.

    The desert was quiet. The only sound was the asional howl of a distant coyote. The silence was almost deafening, making it feel like they were the only ones left in the world.

    The sand dunes were illuminated by the moonlight, casting eerie shadows on the ground. It was a peaceful and serene moment in the midst of the vast desertndscape.

    Arthur walked forward and he happened to hear some whispers in a tent. He could feel the tensioning from there.

    The battle was supposed to be held the next night. Since there was no meeting today, the wizards were confused.

    He didn''t interrupt the wizards and moved to Darius'' tent. He found Ironin standing outside the tent, rxing as he gazed upon the stars.

    "Did you find him?" Arthur asked.

    Ironin gave him a short nod.

    Arthur let out an uncanny smile.

    "Let''s have a small talk with him."

 Chapter 502 WHAT PUNISHMENT WOULD YOU PREFER

    Chapter 502 WHAT PUNISHMENT WOULD YOU PREFER

    "Let''s have a small talk with him."

    With an eerie smile, Arthur strode inside Darius'' tent.

    There, he found a man tied to a rope. A small piece of cloth was stuck in his mouth.

    It was the same man who was going after Veronica to kill her and sell her body parts to the Magic Tower.

    When Arthur arrived, Zinnia pulled the piece of cloth out of his mouth harshly.

    "Argh! What do you think you are doing to me? Who do you think you are? Do you know what I can do to you? A slut like you won''t understand anything!"

    The man spoke garbage the moment his mouth was free. His furious gaze was focused on the redhead.

    Zinnia''s eyebrows trembled.

    Bastard, it looks like you will die in my hands," she said.

    "And you think you will get away with it?" the man berated. "Do you know who I am?!"

    "Do you know who I am?"

    A chilling voice made the magician flinch. He turned his head and finally saw who spoke.

    There was no magician on earth who didn''t know what the Master of the Magic Tower looked like.

    Even if they didn''t recognize his face, the aura he emitted and the intense mana light was enough for any wizard to know who he was.

    His aura sent chills down the magician''s spine. He gulped.

    "Ma-master!" he called out while giving a deep bow.

    "So, you know who I am. You aren''t as ignorant as I thought you were," Arthurmented.

    "You jest, Master!" the magician said. "Who doesn''t know you? They should just burn in hell."

    Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?"

    "Most certainly, Master! It''s just¡­." The magician hesitantly continued, "... I don''t understand why a small magician like me has been summoned."

    He was nervous. It could be shown in his eyes. His eyelids were also shaking slightly, betraying his anxiety.

    He took a trip down memoryne and tried to find out if he had broken any codes.

    All magicians had to follow codes. The codes were the rules of the magic world.

    If someone wanted to be a magician, the first thing they would have to do was memorize the codes. The codes were like thew in the magic world.

    After some thought, the magician realized he had made no mistakes. He didn''t break any code. Thus, he rxed a little.

    Nevertheless, he was unable to manage his anxiety. He sensed that something wasn''t right.

    From the ground, the Master of the Magic Tower appeared to be a giant rock due to his magnificent existence. The magician was out of breath from it.

    Arthur stated, "You said a person who doesn''t recognize me should burn in hell. Say, how should a person be punished if they cannot recognize my beloved wife?"

    Without understanding the situation, the magician replied, "They should also burn in hell. Death will be forgiving for those wretched fellows."

    "Nothing can be a better punishment than that." Darius chuckled, feeling amused. "Wise judgment. Since he said so himself, there is nothing wrong with punishing him for the crime."

    This time, the magician knew something was definitely wrong. He looked around nervously.

    "Crime? Punishment? What is happening?"

    Zinniazily answered, "You couldn''t recognize the Mistress of the Magic Tower. Furthermore, you tried to kill her and her fellow members. You eventually ended up killing her childhood friend. She is in grief. What a grave crime youmitted."

    "I¡­ I don''t understand¡­"

    The magician''s eyes darted around. He was freaking out.

    "Remember this?" while asking, Arthur threw him a piece of paper.

    The magician stared at the paper. He recognized the paper as soon as he saw it.

    It was a wanted notice he ordered and Veronica''s physical details were written there.

    At first, he couldn''t understand what was wrong with the poster but then a sudden realization came to him.

    "This¡­ this¡­" the magician stuttered.

    "That woman there is the Mistress of the Magic Tower. Remember the silver-haired woman?" Zinnia inquired.

    "That¡­ that has nothing to do with me! I have no hands in it!"

    The magician started to defend himself but it was futile. No one believed him.

    Darius snorted. "You don''t have to lie too hard. One of ourrades was there with her. He is also the one who brought you here."

    The magician''s face paled. He stared at Arthur with frightened eyes.

    "Aww, look, Arthur. He is scared, like an adorable bunny," Zinnia mocked. "What should I do? I want to bring Veronica here to show what state he is in."

    "No need; she is sleeping," Arthur denied.

    "That''s too bad," Zinnia pretended to feel sorrow. "Shall we execute the punishment?"

    Arthur coldly gazed at the magician and said, "Death will only reward you. That''s why, ording to your statement, I will punish you for eternity. As long as this earth exists, you shall burn in this desert. You will never die. You will never faint. You will feel your entire body burning every second. Your flesh will fry, your blood will dry up and your bones will sizzle but when everything is over, your body will rebuild on its own and start burning again. It''s never-ending."

    The magician was ghastly pale. His body limped when he heard his punishment.

    "I was wrong, Master! I was wrong!! Please forgive this wretched servant! Please give me death!"

    No matter how he begged or cried, Arthur paid no attention. His face was void of emotions. Death''s dark aura was surrounding him, making him look like a god of death.

    Darius dragged the magician outside and Merlin executed the punishment. With his magic staff, he created a fire pit. That''s where Darius kicked the magician inside.

    They could only hear the man howling.

    Arthur frowned in annoyance. "I don''t like his voice."

    Merlin cast another spell to cover the sound.

    From now on, everyone would notice the bonfire without knowing that someone was being punished right in front of their eyes.

 Chapter 503 THE PLAN

    Chapter 503 THE PLAN

    Other wizards saw how the stupid man was being punished for his crime. Although they knew of Arthur''s ruthlessness, they couldn''t help but shiver.

    Arthur stared at the hearth expressionlessly before turning his head toward the other wizards.

    "The meeting will be in fifteen minutes. Prepare for it," he announced. After that, he headed to the meeting tent.

    "So, are we attacking tomorrow night?" Darius asked as he followed Arthur.

    "No, in the morning," Arthur shortly replied.

    "Huh?" Darius halted on his tracks. "That would be boiling hot!!!"

    "Something you cannot handle, hot guy?"

    Zinnia brushed past him with a teasing smile.

    During the meeting, one of the witches'' envoys came to set up the next date.

    The meeting with the envoy ended after fixing the date and time for the next battle.

    After the envoy left, Arthur had a strategy meeting. Only the highest-level wizards were in the meeting. They were surprised by their Master''s n but didn''t argue.

    When the meeting ended, everyone went back to the tents to sleep.

    Arthur, Zinnia, Darius, Ironin and Merlin sat together and had their own ns that couldn''t be disclosed.

    --------------

    Meanwhile, at the witches'' camp ~

    "Did you say they agreed without argument?" Queen Isabe asked the envoy.

    "Yes, Your Majesty. The Master of the Magic Tower agreed to your request. The battle will start tomorrow at six in the evening."

    Queen Isabe smirked.

    "That bastard doesn''t know what will bite him. Tomorrow is the day his pride will be shattered and crushed in the mud."

    Other witches heard her and smirked, feeling satisfied just by imagining the end of the Magic Tower.

    "Hold on," someone else said.

    That person was standing among the witches. Her shiny ck hair and purple eyes were attractive enough to make other women feel jealous.

    She stepped forward, moving her voluptuous body. She stood in front of the envoy.

    "Is that the only thing you have to say? We sent you to spy on the situation there. Did you notice anything?"

    As the witch asked, the envoy thought for a while.

    "Now that you mentioned it, the wizards were a bit unusual. They looked uneasy while the four people around the Master of the Magic Tower looked more rxed. I found it very unusual."

    When the envoy said so, Queen Isabe snorted.

    "How''s that unusual?" she retorted. "They are all his dogs. They are born killers. Why would they be nervous or excited like the wizards?"

    "No, I think it''s worth checking. They must have their own ns," the beautiful witch stated.

    Queen Isabe shrugged.

    "I don''t understand. What''s the point? The war has been ongoing for over a month. They have been going like this until now. Why will they change their ns?"

    "This is precisely because the war has been going on for over a month. They must want to end the war quickly," the beautiful witch stated. "We need to know why. Why is there a sudden urge to end the war quickly?"

    "Isn''t it better if the war ends quickly?" one of the witches said. "Yesterday, many of our sisters died. At this rate, we will be outnumbered."

    Other witches agreed with her.

    "If you were so worried about being outnumbered, why did you start the war? Did you not think that you wouldn''t die at war?"

    Queen Isabe''s mocking voice made the witches angry. Nheless, they didn''t argue.

    However, the pretty witch confronted her.

    "We are prepared to give away our lives for our freedom and honor but what we don''t want is to be exterminatedpletely.

    "Be careful of what you say. Here, you are not the queen you are proud of so much."

    Queen Isabe red at the witch. She held the chair handles hard, unable to express her anger.

    The beautiful witch went back to the topic, saying, "It''s not usual to see people rxed before the war unless they have some sort of n in mind and if they think the situation is under control.

    "We must find out what is happening in their camp. Let''s send a spy."

    The other witches agreed to this.

    Thus, they made a n and sent two spies. Three hourster, they came back.

    "What did you notice?" the beautiful witch asked.

    "Most of the wizards are sleeping," one of the spies replied.

    "Sleeping?" Queen Isabe was stunned.

    They would confront the witches tomorrow evening. To think they would sleep the night before was unimaginable.

    "They are looking down at us."

    "How dare they?"

    Furious by the news, the witches hissed.

    "No wonder they were rxed." Queen Isabe frowned.

    She didn''t like the fact that Arthur, the man she hated the most, was looking down on her.

    She grew up being pampered and respected by everyone. Whoever came across her path, she eliminated them.

    She treated herself like a goddess.

    How could she stand being looked down on?

    "That''s very unusual," the beautiful witch stated. "They never acted like this before. They must havee up with some kind of strategy."

    Other witches listened to her and whispered among themselves.

    "Did they?" Queen Isabe spoke thoughtfully.

    The beautiful witch stated, "If not, they wouldn''t be so rxed. They must be nning to catch us by surprise.

    "We have to stay alert. We will be divided into two groups. One group will keep an eye on them in the morning, another one in the evening. We will rest as much as possible.

    "If by any chance they want to attack us when we are unprepared, we will have half of the witches left to prevent their attack."

    "Half of the witches only?" Queen Isabe retorted. "Do you know how many wizards they have left?"

    "Five thousand wizards," the other spy murmured.

    "Do you have any better ideas?" I''m all ears," the beautiful witch said.

    Queen Isabe wasn''t a tactician. How could shee up with any ideas?

    "Each group will stay awake for twelve hours only. For the next twelve hours, we rest. This way, if there is a sudden attack, we will wake up and fight with the rest," the witch exined.

    Everyone nodded in understanding.

    "There is one more thing that I found suspicious," the first spy mentioned.

    "What could that be?"

 Chapter 504 [Bonus chapter]THE DAY BEGINS

    Chapter 504 [Bonus chapter]THE DAY BEGINS

    The next day ~

    Arthur was running his fingers through Veronica''s silky silver locks. His golden pupils stared at the sleeping princess next to him.

    He heard voices outside and reluctantly got up from the bed.

    After changing his clothes, he pecked at Veronica''s lips and murmured. "When you wake up, the war will be over."

    Afterward, he went outside. He found Darius and Ironin talking across his tent.

    When they saw him walking toward them, they stopped talking.

    "What happened?" Arthur asked.

    "Sebastian found out about Catherine. He''s devastated," Darius exined.

    "Where is he?" Arthur asked. He scanned around the area but couldn''t find Sebastian.

    "In front of the firepit," Ironin curtly replied.

    Arthur strode toward the firepit. Just as Ironin told him, he found Sebastian in front of the fire pit.

    Sebastian was just standing there. Like a statue.

    If Arthur didn''t know any better, he would have thought that the motionless being was a sculpture of a tragic lover.

    He stood beside his subordinate and stared at the firepit without saying a word.

    Sebastian was staring at the fire in a trance. He wasn''t able to think of anything. His eyes were nk, just like his mind.

    When he first came to the desert, he was surprised that he didn''t see Catherine.

    He wanted to ask Veronica but she was nowhere to be found. Later, he heard from Zinnia that Veronica was resting and hadn''te out since she went into the tent.

    He wanted to ask Ironin but Ironin had been busy ever since he got there. Thus, he didn''t want to bother him.

    Only after waking up this morning did he meet Merlin. When he asked about Catherine, he found out from Merlin what happened to her.

    Merlin apologized and regretfully told him that Catherine gave away her life to save him. When Veronica didn''t want her to, she practically begged her to take her life force to save him.

    When Sebastian first heard it, he didn''t believe it. In fact, he couldn''t.

    All this time, he knew that she was in love with the Vincent guy who had hurt her so much.

    When did her feelings develop for him?

    She never showed it. She never expressed it.

    When he conveyed his feelings for her, she firmly denied him, crushing his heart, dreams, and hopes all together.

    He began to avoid her after that, not wanting her to feel ufortable.

    After everything that happened, how could he even think that she was in love with him, to the point that she willingly gave up her life force to him?

    If she really loved him, why did she push him away? Why didn''t she ept him when he bared his emotions to her?

    Those thoughts kept circting in his head. However, the final realization crossed his mind.

    He would never be able to get this answer.

    Because she was dead.

    She wouldn''te back.

    Since she gave up her life for him, he couldn''t act recklessly. This precious life was just too valuable. He needed to protect it at all costs.

    His heart suddenly felt empty.

    The best way to express one''s love is to give away the most valuable object to the person one holds affection for.

    What can be more valuable to a person than life?

    Merlin even told him that Catherine was in the worst kind of pain before her death.

    The pain was a test of her willingness to give away something so precious to a person she held dear.

    After hearing that, Sebastian couldn''t hear what else Merlin had told him. Those words kept repeating in his ears.

    Afterward, his mind went nk. He came to see the fire where the magician was burning alive.

    He felt nothing when he stared at the fire. He could hear the screaming from inside the pit but he expressed no joy.

    He was void of emotions.

    So what the guy was being punished?

    Catherine wouldn''te back, nor could rewind the pain she felt.

    The numbness slowly spread all over his body.

    He was standing in front of the pit for hours. He didn''t move an inch. Not even a blink.

    Merlin got worried about him and told Darius. Afterward, Darius told Ironin and expressed his worry.

    While Ironin was listening, Arthur showed up.

    Arthur stood beside Sebastian for a couple of minutes. When he noticed that his subordinate was motionless, he realized that the poor guy was in shock.

    He raised his hand and harshly pped Sebastian''s back.

    Thud!

    Sebastian was startled and turned toward Arthur. Seeing his master, his eyes widened in surprise.

    highest?

    "Howe you don''t notice that someone is standing beside you? Is this how I taught you?"

    Arthur''s words carried a hint of anger.

    "I-I''m sorry, Master!" Sebastian knelt.

    "Get up. I don''t have time to lecture you."

    "Yes, Master."

    After Sebastian stood up, Arthur stared at his face for a couple of seconds before mentioning, "I have a task for you."

    ----------

    Just like the witches predicted, there was a sudden attack from the wizards'' side.

    Just when the sun was above their heads, the attack came.

    The first attack fell on Queen Isabe''s servants'' tents. It was a warning to Queen Isabe from Arthur.

    Afterward, a series of attacks befell the witches.

    When the witches noticed that there was no movement from the wizards in the morning when the temperature was still okay, they let their guard down.

    Who knew that the wizards would attack at noon when the temperature was the highest?

    Those witches, who were guarding, were surprised by the raid. First, they became stupefied.

    The wizards easily killed dozens of them before the witches could blink. Only then did the witches realize that whatever was happening in front of them was true.

    Their sisters were dying from the wizards'' attack.

    They got scared and panicked.

    They knew they had to act fast and find a way to protect their sisters before it was toote. They had nned thisst night. But everything went out of hands.

 Chapter 505 SUDDEN ATTACK

    Chapter 505 SUDDEN ATTACK

    Dong! Dong! Dong!

    One of the witches rang the bell to warn the other witches. Soon, the witches who went to rest not long ago woke up.

    They came out of the tent, well prepared only to see their other sisters'' tents were burning. Dead, bloody bodies covered the sandy ground.

    The bloody scene angered and agonized them at the same time.

    "Curse the wizards!"

    "Curse them all!!"

    They threw curses at the wizards while shielding their vulnerable sisters.

    Colorful spells were thrown at the witches and they either vanished, got burned or ughtered or turned into ash.

    Darius, Zinnia and Ironin couldn''t use magic. Using their weapons, they sliced any witch that came into their sights. Ironin''s arrow flew to any witch he could get his eyes on.

    Darius moved his ax and hacked off the witches. While doing so, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

    Zinnia who was beside him smirked.

    "What happened? Are you upset that I killed more than you?" she asked.

    "What nonsense!" Darius snorted. "I''m definitely killing more than you. I''m sad that I''m raising my hands against sexy women. I hate this!"

    He looked like a heartbroken lover who cheated on his wife.

    wife.

    "¡­"

    Zinnia was speechless.

    "Don''t pay attention to him, Zinnia," Merlin said. He walked in the air, above their heads.

    "Did you see Arthur?" Darius asked.

    Merlin turned back and said, "He was creating a spell in the back. I don''t see him there anymore."

    "Maybe he went after that bloody queen," Darius said. "That bitch can be annoying."

    "She won''t die that early," Zinniamented. "Arthur won''t kill his enemy so mercilessly. Don''t forget what she did to Veronica."

    Darius sweated. He didn''t need to find out what his lovesick friend would do for his wife.

    "Ah, he is over there," Merlin pointed out on the right side.

    Zinnia and Darius looked to their right.

    They found Arthur using some circles to get rid of the witch tents. Purple aura spread miles and killed all the witches within the area.

    "What are you guys doing? Did you forget that you are in the middle of the battlefield?"

    Felix came forward with a bloody sword.

    "Focus on the witches, not Arthur," he added. "The queen disappeared from her ce. We need to find her and end this war."

    "We are supposed to get them off-guard. For them to fight back like this, it means they knew we woulde and were prepared for this," Zinnia stated.

    She blocked a witch''s attack and threw a shuriken at her. The shuriken stabbed the witch''s neck and blood gashed out. She died on the spot.

    "I did see the spies," Dariusmented. "Arthur''s hypothesis was right as usual. I can''t believe the bitch queen alerted the witches."

    "I don''t think that''s her," Felix replied.

    "Yeah, me neither. That woman is just too stupid," Zinnia agreed.

    "It''s not that the witches randomly befriended the queen. Someone smart enough to have knowledge about politics and battles¡­ a witch¡­" Merlin voiced his thoughts.

    "It seems to me this isn''t the end of the witches. We have to destroy their coven," Zinniamented.

    "Let''s hope we don''t have to. I want to end this war right here and now. I don''t want another battle in the scorching hot desert," said Darius while wiping his forehead.

    Others couldn''t agree more. They were profusely sweating. Whatever water was in their body was seeping out of their body.

    "Couldn''t there be a way to only cool our team?" Darius asked aloud.

    "There is," Merlin replied. "Only Arthur and Ovior can do it while fighting against the witches. I, on the other hand, can''t focus on both. I also don''t have enough mana to release both magic spells at the same time."

    Darius groaned painfully.

    "Get me some water at least!!"

    While they were fighting, suddenly the ground shook.

    "Earthquake!" Darius shouted to warn others.

    "It''s not an earthquake!" Zinnia yelled. "Look!"

    Everybody looked in the direction she was pointing out.

    The desert was a vastnd with golden sands all around it. A tiny peak came out through the sands.

    The tiny peak gradually became a sand tower that turned seventy-three meters tall.

    Everyone stared at it in a daze.

    Felix used his left hand to shade his eyes from the sun as he asked, "What the hell is that?"

    "Witchcraft," Merlin murmured.

    "Huh? That''s witchcraft?!" Darius eximed. "Why the hell then I''m still a warrior? I should just be a guy witch and build houses like this? I''ll be rich!"

    "When did you care about? You earned so much but always wasted them on women," Zinniained.

    Darius smirked. "Women are worth spending money on."

    "But what is this doing here? Any clue?" Felix focused on the main topic.

    They didn''t have to wait for long. A witch came to view.

    From the top of the sand tower, they could see the witch wearing a beautiful ck gown and a ck veil was covering her face. Right beside her was Queen Isabell.

    Queen Isabell was wearing a red gown. She was stripped of her title but her luxury knew no bounds.

    Although she covered herself with gold and jewels, the eye-catching person was the ck-veiled witch beside her.

    "Why doesn''t she feel hot? I''m getting jealous here," Dariusined.

    "I feel some unusual power from her. She must be the one who built the tower just now. She could be the head of the witch," Merlin stated.

    "Then we should take both of them down," Zinnia stated.

    She threw one of her shurikens at them. However, it didn''t reach those women. A ck smoke prevented the shuriken.

    "There is ayer surrounding the tower," Merlin said.

    "Where is Arthur?" Felix mumbled while looking around.

    He found Arthur close to the tower. He also found it suspicious and used magic to fly close to two women.

    "You have some nerveing in front of me," he said in a threatening voice.

    Queen Isabe smirked. Before she could speak, someone brought another woman in a white dress.

    Just looking at the face of that person, Felix, Zinnia, Merlin and Darius''s eyes constricted.

    "Wait¡­ isn''t that¡­"

 Chapter 506 NEGOTIATION

    Chapter 506 NEGOTIATION

    Arthur flew toward the witch and Queen Isabe. His eyes shot daggers at them.

    "You have some nerveing in front of me," he said in a menacing voice.

    Queen Isabe wasn''t afraid of him. She smirked.

    Before she opened her mouth, Arthur''s eyes went behind her and his pupils constricted.

    A witch brought a woman wearing a white dress and ced her beside Queen Isabell. The woman''s eyes were closed as if she was in deep sleep.

    "Wait¡­ isn''t that Veronica?" Darius asked. "What is she here?"

    "Can''t you tell?" Zinnia gritted her teeth. "They abducted her while we were busy fighting them."

    "But she was being guarded," Felixined. "There is no way they picked her up without a fight."

    "Even if that''s true, why isn''t she doing anything?" Darius asked.

    "That''s because Arthur put a sleeping spell on her. She won''t be awake until evening," Merlin stated.

    "Damn it!!!" Darius cursed.

    Veronica was wearing a white silk sleeping gown. Her eyes were closed. She was surrounded by a purple aura that looked quite ominous.

    Arthur clenched his fists.

    "You dare to take her under my watch!"

    His cold voice sent shivers down Queen Isabe''s spine but she brushed off her worries.

    She said, "Do you still want to threaten me, Master of the Magic Tower?"

    "So, it seems you haven''t forgotten who I am. Still, you are brave enough to take my wife. Your stupidity is beyond limits."

    Queen Isabe viciously stared at him. "How dare you talk to me like this? To your queen?!"

    Arthur replied in disdain, "A queen protects her people. You only know how to save yourself."

    Queen Isabe''s face turned red from the insult.

    "So, you won''t y nicely. I hope you can save your wife, Arthur."

    With her signal, the ck-dressed woman moved Veronica close to the edge.

    From that huge tower, if she fell, she wouldn''t die by crushing in the sand but the pain would be unimaginable. Worst of all, she wouldn''t be able to heal herself.

    "If you dare to harm a strand of her hair, you will regret you were ever born," Arthur warned her with a chilling voice.

    He showed his strong demeanor in front of them but his heart was trembling in fear.

    The witch''s barrier was too strong for him to break in a second. He was worried they wouldn''t let his wife off if he crossed their boundary.

    "It''s surprising how caring you are, Master of the Magic Tower." Queen Isabe smirked.

    She was enjoying Arthur''s anxiety. She had been dreaming of cornering him. She could feel happiness building in her heart just from making him suffer.

    ''To think this bastard is the cause of my precious son''s death. I''ll make sure he regrets hurting my son,'' she thought.

    "Have you forgotten how you killed my son despite his pleading for his life?" she crudely asked.

    Arthur narrowed his eyes. "He deserved it for hurting innocent women."

    "Then, you deserve it for killing him. Say goodbye to your wife," saying that Queen Isabe signaled the ck-dressed witch.

    After getting her consent, the ck-dressed woman pushed Veronica forward.

    "Stop!" Arthur shouted. He clenched his fists to control his urge to break the barrier. "What do you want? I will give it to you."

    Queen Isabe was pleased to hear that. She was hoping for that reaction.

    She answered, "I want everything you own. Money, power, status and my son. I had everything until you showed up and you destroyed my life. I won''t let you get away with this."

    Arthur could give her money and status. But power and her dead son were to be brought back to life? How could he do that?

    He carefully stated, "The moment you are caught, you will have nowhere to go. If you let my wife go, I''ll spare your life."

    Queen Isabe knew it wouldn''t be easy to persuade him. Although he said he could give her everything she wanted, she knew that there were certain things he wouldn''t be able to give her.

    However, she still asked for it because she liked watching her enemy being tormented.

    She raised an eyebrow as she stared at him.

    "What if I don''t? What if I push her to death?"

    "You will regret it," Arthur coldly replied.

    The corner of Queen Isabe''s lips went up.

    "Heh, you are a terrible negotiator. Give me everything I desire and I will let her go."

    Arthur told her, "I will give you all the fortune I have. You will be able to live a luxurious life. As for your son, the dead cannot be revived."

    Queen Isabe squinted her eyes. "Do you think I''m stupid? You revived your wife from death."

    The moment she heard that Veronica was alive and currently resting at Arthur''s tent, she and the rest of the witches were bewildered.

    They had no idea how the cursed woman who should be on the brink of death came to the battlefield and was sleeping so peacefully.

    The beautiful witch tried to confirm with the spies. When they confidently stated that Veronica was well and alive, she ordered several first-grade witches to kidnap her when the wizards woulde to attack them.

    When they sessfully brought her to them, they examined her body and made sure that she was healthy. However, they didn''t figure out how the incurable curse was gone from her body.

    When the beautiful witch tried to put another curse on Veronica, she failed. They realized that Arthur put on some kind of spell on her to prevent any harm froming to her.

    That made them even more curious about the tonic that cured Veronica.

    Arthur told them, "It wasn''t me who dispelled the curse. It was a rare herb that grows once a thousand years. We already finished thetest one to make an antidote for my wife. There''s none left."

    Queen Isabe was surprised to hear that there was an herb that could cure a deadly curse like that. She was hopeful that if Veronica could be alive and healthy, then her son had a chance too. Unfortunately, nothing was left.

    "You really disappoint me," saying that Queen Isabe pushed Veronica. Her sleeping body stumbled at the edge.

 Chapter 507 QUEEN ISABELLAS TREACHERY

    Chapter 507 QUEEN ISABELLA''S TREACHERY

    As Veronica''s body was pushed forward, her body stumbled near the edge of the sandy tower.

    "Stop!" Arthur shouted. Distress was visible in his voice.

    "Kneel," Queen Isabe ordered. "Kneel and beg for her life. Ask for forgiveness. If I find your words sincere, I might let her go."

    "This bitch!" Darius cursed.

    He and the rest heard the conversation from the ground.

    "She is intentionally messing with him," Zinniamented. "She knows very well Arthur cannot give her what she wants."

    "Doesn''t that mean Arthur will beg for no reason? She is nning to throw Veronica, is she not?" Darius asked.

    "She is and Arthur knows it very well," Felix stated.

    "Then, will he still kneel?" Darius asked.

    No one had to answer him as they watched Arthur kneel in front of Queen Isabe.

    As he was standing in the air, he knelt in the air. It didn''t look like he was kneeling. It felt like he was floating while kneeling.

    "Please, I beg you. Give my wife back to me safe and sound," he pleaded just as he was asked.

    Queen Isabe was enjoying the scene in front of her.

    "You have to bow your head while begging or did you forget how people beg?" she said.

    Arthur bowed his head withoutining.

    "Please give my wife back," he pleaded again.

    Queen Isabe didn''t reply and made Arthur wait.

    She took a nce at the ck-dressed witch and asked her, "What do you think? Should we let him off just with begging?"

    "Isn''t it too easy? We lost lots of blood. A mere begging can''t heal everything," the witch answered thoughtfully.

    Unlike Queen Isabe''s gloating behavior, she didn''t show much emotion. She was calmer than other witches even though her mortal enemy was right in front of her.

    "Maybe we should ask for his ownership ring," she suggested. "Let''s find out what he chooses. Will he choose his duty and power over his wife or the opposite?"

    The ownership ring signifies the Master of the Magic Tower. Truthfully, all the wizards around the world answer the ring. The Master of the Magic Tower has no value without the ring.

    Darius, Zinnia, Felix, Ovior and Merlin became nervous. If Arthur took off the ring, the wizards wouldn''t listen to him anymore.

    The war started because Queen Isabe harmed Veronica. The wizards were simply following Arthur''s orders.

    If Arthur didn''t have the ownership ring, there wouldn''t be any reason for the wizards to follow his orders anymore. They would simply leave the battlefield. They would lose the war.

    The battle they almost won would be all for nothing.

    As they nervously waited, Queen Isabe chuckled. She liked the idea the witch gave her.

    "Why not take off your ring, Arthur? I mean your ownership ring, not the wedding one," she mockingly stated. "Or, you can always choose your ownership ring over the wedding ring to keep."

    Even a fool could understand the hidden meaning ¨C ''choose to keep the ownership ring and your marriage will fall (Veronica will die).

    When everyone held back their breath, Arthur wordlessly took off his ring and dropped it on the ground.

    Everyone noticed which ring he dropped.

    The ownership ring.

    He didn''t hesitate to take it off.

    The witch was surprised but her face was entirely covered with her ck veil. She didn''t anticipate this unexpected scenario.

    She never thought the infamous womanizer Arthur was the kind of person who would throw away his hard-earned power just for a woman. Even though it was his wife, it was hard to imagine.

    As for Queen Isabe, she broadly smiled. She wasn''t surprised. She had seen Arthur going berserk just for his wife.

    He used forbidden magic to bring her back from death once. Even though the whole world didn''t know about it, Queen Isabe''s spy told her how many people he killed to get his hands on the dark magic.

    Feeling satisfied, she urged the witch, "Bring this ring to me. I want to wear it."

    If she wore the ownership ring, she would have power and status. Everyone would bow to her. She could even order all the wizards to use dark magic to bring her son back from the dead. Then, she could seize the whole world and everyone would be under her control.

    Everyone understood her n.

    Zinnia viciously red at Queen Isabe. So did the rest.

    The ck-dressed witch used witchcraft to bring the ring. As the ring floated in front of them, Queen Isabe couldn''t control her urge and grabbed it.

    She put on the ring right away and proudly stared at it. She couldn''t control her happiness.

    "From now on, the power is mine!"

    She shouted loudly and raised her hand with the ring in the sky. The ring glistened as the sunlight reflected on it.

    The purple stone of the ring instantly turned red and a dark smoke emitted from the ring.

    Queen Isabe was shocked by the sudden release of dark smoke. She had no idea why this happened.

    She wanted to bring her hand close to her chest but she was unable to do so. As if an invisible hand was grabbing her wrist and didn''t wish to let her go.

    She was so terrified that she didn''t realize that the ring was the reason behind that invisible force.

    The ownership ring was created by the first Master of the Magic Tower. He pushed all his knowledge and power into the ring before he died.

    The ring passes from one owner to the other owner. Everyone owner gives away their power and knowledge to the ring.

    The first Master of the Magic Tower loved the ring and gave it all the knowledge to choose the right owner for the Magic Tower. That''s why the ring was more important than the owner himself.

    Thus, whomever the ring epts, that person bes the owner of the magic tower.

    Queen Isabe had no power or enough mana to hold something so powerful. The pride of the ring couldn''t handle it. It released all the power out of anger as it refused to take the new owner as its master.

    Everyone was busy watching the helpless queen. Arthur took the chance of the distraction and tried to break the witch''s barrier.

    The ck-dressed witch realized what he nned to do. She propelled Veronica to the edge.

    Veronica''s motionless body fell from the tall tower.

 Chapter 508 FALLEN VERONICA

    Chapter 508 FALLEN VERONICA

    "Nica!" Arthur screamed.

    He used more force to break the witch''s barrier. The purple barrier shattered into pieces.

    He didn''t bother to look anywhere else and flew ahead to catch Veronica.

    All of a sudden, a burning fireball charged at him.

    Arthur''s fingertips were able to touch Veronica''s hair when the fireball pushed him away.

    "!!"

    Arthur widened his eyes. He was so close to holding his wife but the fireball cast by the witch in the ck dress took him away from her.

    He forgot the burning pain in his stomach. His heart and brain filled with emptiness as he stared at Veronica falling.

    Down there, Darius and the rest held their breath when they saw her fall to the ground.

    Darius dashed forward with his arms open wide to catch her but Merlin used a spell and created a soft. This way, Veronica could drop into the soft and not get hurt.

    Before she couldnd on the, Veronica''s eyes abruptly opened.

    She didn''t have the usual shiny emerald eyes. They turned into glowing golden orbs. It appeared as though her eyes were reced with a snake''s eyes since the dark pupils in the center of the golden orb were not rounded but rather straight lines.

    In the span of a single instant, her entire body was consumed by mes.

    Even so, she didn''t seem to be in pain. She didn''t scream or make any kind of sound. The mes flickered and danced around her, forming intricate patterns.

    "What''s happening?!" Darius eximed.

    Others couldn''t speak. They had no idea what was happening.

    Soon, the fire around Veronica grewrger andrger, and everyone could see a red tail and golden horns. Her hands grew bigger and turned into wings.

    In front of their eyes, the ''human'' Veronica transformed into a mythical creature they had never faced before.

    "¡­"

    The spectators stared at the whole scene with a dumb expression. To them, it was more like moving pictures than an actual scene.

    She not only turned into a dragon but also her personality changed.

    As anger built up inside her, the dragon let out a roar, causing some of the spectators to cover their ears. She pped her wings and took off into the sky, leaving everyone in awe of the incredible transformation they had just witnessed.

    "¡­"

    Not a word came out of anyone''s mouth. Wizards and witches who saw the scene also stopped fighting and gathered around to watch the dragon.

    This mythical creature was only known in children''s fairy tale storybooks. To be able to see it in the midst of the war, no one imagined that.

    "Wha¡­ what is this?!"

    The magicians stared at the giant beast that they had never seen before. They eximed and shuddered in fear.

    "¡­A dragon¡­ this is a dragon¡­" Merlin whispered.

    "Veronica¡­ just turned into a dragon¡­ right?" Darius asked.

    The grip on his ax tightened.

    When he was young, he heard stories about dragons. The stories were all fictional but he didn''t care. He wanted to kill a dragon; it was his dream.

    At this moment, a dragon was flying in front of him, he subconsciously clenched the ax tightly.

    "Darius, don''t do anything stupid!" Zinnia warned him.

    "B-but¡­" Darius hesitated.

    He was scanning the heated sky, trying to locate the red dragon that disappeared in the sky.

    "Darius, you can''t harm her," Felix told him.

    "But we don''t know if that''s really Veronica or not. She might try to harm us," Darius shared his worry.

    "Then we will shield everyone," Merlin stated. "Don''t do anything reckless. Don''t forget if you fight her, you won''t just fight against a dragon but also the most powerful wizard."

    "Fine!" Darius lowered his ax.

    He had no desire to go against Arthur and be his enemy.

    It didn''t take time for the mighty dragon toe back. Flying in the sky didn''t make her any better. She opened her mouth and threw fire at the sand castle.

    The witch''s magic didn''tst in front of the highest temperature. It was burned to the ground.

    As for Queen Isabe, she was burned in front of everyone. Even the ck smokeing out of the owner ring cooperated with the fire and increased her suffering.

    "Aargh!!"

    Everyone heard a heart-shaking agonized scream of terror. They knew where the sound wasing from.

    They shivered in fear. They wouldn''t forget the screeching sound for a long time. It might haunt them in their dreams.

    Arthur paid no attention to the queen who was burning. His eyes were fixed on the red dragon.

    Truth be told, the dragon looked nothing like Veronica. There wasn''t an ounce of resemnce.

    Forgetting the pain in his stomach, he watched the dragon burn all the witches she came across, leaving nothing but ashes in her way. The heat was unbearable but he couldn''t look away.

    The wizards were confused. If it were any other time, they would drop their fight with the witches and attack the dragon as the dragons were more destructive than humans.

    However, this dragon had a unique taste. It was going after witches.

    Sensing that the dragon was supporting the wizards, they became confused.

    They didn''t know that the dragon was their Mistress. They were busy fighting their opponent. They had no idea where it appeared from and why it was supporting them.

    "Find the witch!" Felix hissed.

    Zinnia, Darius and Merlin looked around the destroyed sand tower.

    Due to the sudden destruction of the tower, sand was everywhere. From afar, it looked like a small sandstorm had hit the area.

    However, no matter how many times they searched for the witch in the ck dress, they couldn''t find her. Only Queen Isabe was left with the fire and the ck smoke.

    Arthur stared at the mighty dragon in a daze. He still couldn''t believe that his wife had turned into something he could never imagine.

    Most of the witches were almost dead. He knew he had to stop her before she caused any more destruction.

    he carefully moved toward the dragon who was facing back.

    "¡­Nica?"

 Chapter 509 THE ENDING OF QUEEN ISABELLA

    Chapter 509 THE ENDING OF QUEEN ISABELLA

    "¡­Nica?"

    Arthur softly called out as he carefully went behind the dragon.

    Without heeding his call, the red dragon pped her wings and circled around the battlefield. She was not interested in the aftermath of the war. She scanned the ground, always alert. If she saw one witch, she would burn them to a crisp.

    The war had ended. Most of the witches were burned to the ground. Those who were luckily alive escaped. Those who couldn''t escape were captured by the wizards and taken as prisoners.

    Although the wizards won this battle, both sides suffered a lot. Wizards lost many talented wizards. It would take time for them to recover.

    As for the witches, they almost perished. It would take them decades to be as powerful as they were before the battle.

    Since the dragon wasn''t harming the wizards, they focused on apprehending the witches. Merlin ordered them to take the captives to the camp.

    Darius and Felix kept an eye on the battlefield while Ironin and Zinnia looked for the ck-dressed witch.

    "Should we leave Arthur with the dragon Veronica?" Darius muttered.

    "I don''t know," Felix replied truthfully. He licked the upper part of his lips.

    "I don''t think the dragon Veronica can recognize Arthur," he spoke his mind. "But I believe that he can handle her more than we are capable of. I just don''t want to startle her by ganging up on her."

    "She is supporting us by killing off the witch. The war ended in the blink of an eye. I can''t ask for more," Merlin added.

    "Me neither," Felix replied. "That''s why we have to back off. Darius, you cannot do anything reckless."

    "I didn''t think of doing anything," Darius grumbled as he shamelessly did his best to convince others that he was innocent.

    Felix shook his head. He didn''t believe a syble his ''dragon lover'' friend uttered.

    He suggested, "We should take the witches as soon as possible and clear the area. Let Veronica ease her mind. She can have some alone time with Arthur."

    "Let''s do that," Merlin agreed.

    They gathered the captive witches, hiding from the mighty dragon''s eyes. Afterward, they teleported to the camp.

    Zinnia and Ironin saw them disappearing from the desert.

    "That witch is something," Zinnia mentioned the witch in the ck dress. "How can she run away under our watch?"

    "She is different from the other witches," Ironin curtlymented. His eagle-like eyes sharply inspected the area. He found some witches were trying to escape.

    "We should follow them." Zinnia pointed at those witches. "That can lead us to that witch."

    Ironin nodded. They found some dead witches'' cloaks and covered themselves to disguise. After that, they secretly followed the witches.

    In the meantime, Arthur''s heart wrenched as he stared at the red dragon who was ignoring him. He called her name several times but she didn''t pay any attention to him.

    Feeling lonely and downcast, he stared at the back of the dragon.

    The dragon was minding her own business. She seemed to detest the witches enough to disperse their existence from the earth. Her golden eyes swept over the desert.

    She saw fire everywhere. The witches were dead. Their burned bodies were lying deserted. Her eyes stopped in one area. Afterward, she pped her wing and went down.

    Arthur looked at the front. She was targeting Queen Isabe.

    Queen Isabe was still burning. The ck smoke seemed to keep her alive while the fire was burning her skin. It was the first and most agonized pain this majestic human ever suffered.

    She couldn''t scream anymore as her vocal cord melted from the fire. Her face was unrecognizable. Her hair and skin were burned. The silk gown she was wearing was long gone. The silk was stuck to her skin and made the pain worse.

    Surprisingly, her eyes were intact. No harm was done to the pair of eyes. It was unknown why her eyes were unscathed.

    Pain from all over her body made her stunned. She had no idea that this kind of suffering could exist. This unbearable suffering made her muddleheaded. She couldn''t tell which pain was worse than the other.

    The red dragon stared at her in disdain.

    As a queen, Isabe was so proud. Since she was born, she got everything she wanted ¨C dress, jewelry, everything. When she wanted to marry the King of Tybu, despite his heart belonging to someone else, her father gave her the Queen title.

    She had everything without trying hard and so she took them for granted. She became greedier and showed no appreciation. She was ungrateful.

    If something didn''t go her way, she would hurt people without thinking about the consequences. She never cared, she never bothered to care.

    That''s why she was punished by karma.

    She forgot that she was a human. No matter how powerful and beautiful she was, at the end of the day, she was a mortal who was bound to be judged by her creator.

    She forgot the biggest lesson of life and she had to pay for it.

    The ''dragon'' Veronica scoffed at her and then opened her mouth wide.

    Queen Isabe''s eyes widened in fear. Despite the pain, she waited for another horrifying moment.

    The mighty dragon gobbled Queen Isabe and chewed her. Afterward, she spat out whatever was left. It was nothing more than some burned bones with the skull, covered with saliva that belonged to the terrifying creature.

    The dragon roared as if she wanted to dere her supremacy. She seemed delighted that she finished off the witches down and Queen Isabe who hurt her the most.

    "¡­"

    Speechless by the action, Arthur stared at her. He didn''t know how to react to this scene that unfolded in front of him.

    He also killed his enemy so many times that he lost count. Nevertheless, he never ate them. He was a wizard, not a cannibal.

    An unknown fear crept into his mind.

    He had no idea if the ''dragon'' version of his wife was sane or not. She actedpletely like a real dragon.

    Was she still his wife?

 Chapter 510 THE TRUTH

    Chapter 510 THE TRUTH

    Was that mighty dragon really his wife?

    If he didn''t see her transformation with his own eyes, he wouldn''t believe it. He knew it was her.

    However, he started to have second thoughts when he watched her chewing off her enemy.

    He lowered his gaze and found the ''owner ring'' right beside the bones. It was easy to notice because of the dark smoke that was swirling around the ring.

    He came down and picked it up. Finding its original owner, the ring calmed down and the dark smoke disappeared.

    After putting on the ring, he kept a close eye on his wife''s movement.

    The powerful dragon flew into the air while pping her wing. Arthur had no choice but to follow her.

    He was frightened thinking about the fact that she wouldn''t be a normal human after he failed to protect her.

    "Nica, my princess, please listen to my voice. I know you are in there. Can you look at me please?"

    The dragon stopped in her tracks and then turned around. She squinted her eyes and stared at him.

    "Nica, the war is over. It''s all thanks to you. Let''s go home, okay? Catherine is waiting for you there. We have to prepare for her funeral."

    Arthur''s voice was soft as if he was coaxing her.

    The dragon groaned. She seemed sad and angry. She lowered her head and whined in a low tone. Then, she raised her head and looked at him.

    Arthur''s gaze softlynded on her. He suppressed the uncertainty in his heart and tried to convey his words through his eyes.

    The dragon was staring at him but all of a sudden, her eyes became sharper and her gaze became fiercer.

    She spread her wings and soared in the sky. This time, she took Arthur along with her.

    Arthur was hanging in her ws obediently. He looked down at the battlefield which became smaller and smaller.

    This situation reminded him of his childhood when his master was teaching him magic. His master was used to taking him around flying over the towns.

    After his master''s death, he became the Master of the Magic Tower. No one dared to take him around flying.

    He never thought there would be someone who would do that with him again. Especially not his wife.

    He didn''t have to use magic. Just like before, he was enjoying the ride without doing anything.

    However, unlike other times, he simply couldn''t enjoy the view. He was curious to find out where his wife was taking him.

    ----------

    In the meantime, Zinnia and Ironin followed the witches who were escaping.

    ''I can''t believe they made a tunnel under the desert,'' Zinnia thought.

    The desert was filled with sands but it didn''t mean there couldn''t be an underground tunnel beneath it.

    The witches thought of something that was never done by anyone before. They used their dark magic to create a tunnel.

    "I''m so happy that we made this tunnel. This has be our escape route," one of the witches said.

    "It''s all thanks to our sister. She came up with the n," another witch said.

    The third witch said, "At first, we were mad at her when she came up with the n. We thought, why would shee up with a stupid idea like that? Why would she want a tunnel when we knew that we would win the war?"

    The first witch agreed. "I thought so too. But then, she told us that there would be reinforcement for us. But the reinforcement never came! But at least, we can save our lives."

    The second witch stated, "But all the food and clothes came from this tunnel. I wonder who was supplying us with all that."

    "It''s that sister! I tell you, she is smarter than any of us," the fourth witch said.

    Zinnia and Ironin exchanged nces. Although they were quiet, they had the same thought.

    ''Who can be that witch? Who cane up with an idea that no one ever can? Also, who could be supporting the witches? They were given food and clothes. And reinforcement? Who would do that?''

    All these thoughts swirling in Zinnia and Ironin''s heads.

    ''For them to be suddenly so powerful to be able to go against the Master of the Magic Tower directly¡­ someone powerful must have been backing them,'' Zinnia thought.

    Soon, the tunnel came to an end and they entered a round hall.

    A woman was standing in the middle. She was wearing a ck gown and a veil was covering her face.

    !!!

    Zinnia and Ironin became alert.

    They were looking for her and indeed, she was here all along.

    "Dragon? A dragon!! What on earth is this?!"

    The witch in the ck dress eximed. She didn''t sound pleased.

    Zinnia could understand her fury.

    They went to war thinking that they would win, and they almost won but who would know that the moment of their victory would turn into defeat?

    The witches talked among themselves.

    They were numerous; enough to defeat an army. Sadly, now there were only thirty to fifty of them. It was heartbreaking.

    As much as they hated the defeat, they were also curious about the dragon.

    "Who is the dragon?"

    "Where did the dragone from?"

    "Why did the dragon appear on the battlefield? Is this the trick the wizards came up with?"

    "How could they?!"

    As they talked about the dragon, one of the witches raised her voice.

    "I know who that dragon is! She is the Mistress of the Magic Tower."

    Everybody turned to look at her.

    The witch looked young. She had dark skin, a pair of gray eyes and long ck hair with multiple braids.

    She stepped forward and told them while pointing her finger at the witch in the ck dress, "I''ve seen this sister push the mistress from the sandy tower. The mistress fell and transformed into a dragon."

    "Unbelievable!"

    "Preposterous!"

    "How can a meredy turn into a dragon? She is lying!"

    The witches didn''t want to believe her words.

    "What she said is true."

 Chapter 511 MEETING OF THE WITCHES

    Chapter 511 MEETING OF THE WITCHES

    "What she said is true," the cked-dressed witch stated. "I pushed her and she turned into a dragon. She is the reason we lost the war!"

    The witches trusted her words. They were shocked when they heard it.

    How could a normal woman be something so powerful to take them down?

    Zinnia was upset when she heard them using Veronica.

    ''How''s that her fault? If it wasn''t for you, she wouldn''t have turned into something like this. It''s all your fault, you power suckers,'' she cursed them inwardly.

    "Why did she turn into a dragon?" one of the witches asked.

    The witch in the ck dress shook her head.

    "I have no idea how that happened," she replied. "In my eyes, she is just a woman blessed with a pretty face. She doesn''t look like she is special like us."

    Another witch said, "For an ordinary person to turn into something so amazing, it could be witchcraft!"

    "That cannot be," the ck-dress witch denied the im. "When our sisters abducted her, she was in a deep sleep. There was a sleeping spell on her. So, the only thing I did was to put a spell that would help me move her around. She had no other spell on her."

    "Then, could it be that the Master of the Magic Tower did something to his wife? Maybe that''s why she is so precious to that womanizer?"

    As they discussed the possibility of the Mistress of the Magic Tower bing a dragon, the witch in the ck dress said, "We can discuss the issueter. We have lost today. We won''t lose tomorrow. Today, we must flee and regroup."

    "But how? Where will we go? We can only hide here," one witch said.

    The witch in the ck dress chuckled. She took off her veil and showed her face.

    She was a beauty that made Zinnia and Ironin nkly stare at her. Whoever saw her for the first time, they would be stunned after seeing her beauty.

    She had the beauty to captivate both men and women. As young as she was, she could seduce both men and women.

    She smirked at thement of the witch.

    She stated, "My fellow sisters, there is no way I could make you work hard to create a tunnel like that for no reason. I always have a counter n. As for what reason, you will find out soon."

    "The tunnel is to bring our food and clothes, is it not?" another witch asked.

    "Not only that, but we can also have reinforcement," the beautiful witch told them.

    The witches were surprised.

    "If that''s true, then why didn''t the reinforcement help us when we were attacked?" a witch asked.

    Other witches agreed with her.

    "First of all, the wizards attacked us suddenly. The reinforcement was supposed toe in the evening to help us out. Second, even if they came early in the morning, they wouldn''t be able to do anything against a dragon. None of us were prepared to fight a dragon."

    With the statement of the beautiful witch, the other witches became quiet.

    Noticing that she shed a small but captivating smile.

    "We will wait until the reinforcement arrives. We have enough food and drinks tost here until the evening," she said. "We will soon go to our convent."

    The other witches agreed. They scattered around and sat on the ground in circles. They shared food and drinks and talked among themselves.

    Zinnia and Ironin sat together. They were also eating food the witches provided them.

    "What do you think? Should we kill them all and capture our target; or do we wait until we go to their convent?" Zinnia whispered.

    "The convent," Ironin replied.

    "Are you sure?" Zinnia hesitated. "They will be the most powerful in their convent. We might be outnumbered. We don''t know if there are hundreds or thousands waiting for us there. We should call for backup."

    "The reinforcement," Ironin curtly said, "I want to know who they are."

    "Me too but we shouldn''t be rash," Zinnia said.

    "Are you afraid?" Ironin asked.

    That question hit Zinnia''s pride.

    "Who said I''m afraid?" she hissed. "I just want to deal with them once and for all. But we also have to provide Ovior with the information."

    "We will deal with them and inform him," Ironin replied.

    Zinnia sighed.

    ''What should I do with this stubborn fool?''

    She thought of something and then asked, "Are you worried about Arthur and Veronica?"

    "¡­" Ironin stayed quiet. He silently chewed bread.

    Zinnia continued, "I''m so worried about them, especially Veronica. I hope she turns into a human soon."

    "She will," Ironin stated.

    "Do you think she turned into a dragon because of the dragon blood she drank or the flower?" Zinnia asked.

    "It could be both but I think it''s because of the dragon blood," Ironin spoke his mind.

    "Right? I have a feeling that was the reason. But to think she would be a dragon just by drinking blood¡­ Something must have triggered it."

    "She almost died," Ironin reminded her.

    "So, when she is about to die, she turns into a dragon," Zinnia concluded. "Does that mean she turned into a dragon before? It''s not like we were always with her. Elves were with her for a few months."

    Before Ironin could say something, they heard amotion.

    The reinforcement arrived.

    -------

    "Why is he like that?!" Darius eximed in shock.

    Sebastian was lying in front of Arthur''s tent. His eyes were closed. The pool of blood was already dry.

    "He must have been guarding Veronica who was resting," Felix said.

    Looking around the ten lying bodies of the witches, hemented, "There must be more than twenty witches. He was outnumbered.

    Sebastian''s stomach was pierced while protecting the sleeping Veronica in the camp.

    There was a sudden attack from the witches. He took down ten of them but fighting thirty witches alone was nearly impossible.

    Five witches were collecting Veronica''s body. He became distracted at that time. Taking the chance, one of the witches pierced his stomach while others attacked him. He was still fighting knowing he was going to lose.

 Chapter 512 SEBASTIANS SITUATION

    Chapter 512 SEBASTIAN''S SITUATION

    He fought until he was left with a drop of energy. But he was losing too much blood. Even in that heat, his body was turning cold quicker than he expected.

    In the end, his weak body dropped to the ground and his tired eyes were staring at the witches who took away Veronica.

    ''I''m really pathetic'' he thought. ''I cannot save anyone I want to protect.''

    Catherine''s smiling face came into his view. Afterward, he slowly closed his eyes.

    After Darius found him, he carried Sebastian to the nearest camp and put him in bed.

    Felix called Merlin. Merlin dropped all his work and went to check up on Sebastian. He carefully inspected the patient and sighed in relief.

    "He is alive but he''s very weak," hemented. "Darius, dress his wounds."

    "On it!" Darius brought some clean clothes to dress Sebastian''s wounds.

    Merlin used magic to heal his deep wounds.

    "I wish Veronica was here. She would have healed him instantly," Dariusmented.

    "I may not be as good as Lady Veronica but I''m not a bad healer either," Merlin stated.

    Unlike Veronica, it took him hours to make Sebastian''s condition stable. When Sebastian was out of danger, he straightened his back and then wiped his sweat.

    "We need to go to the tower," Merlin instructed. "All the injured people would heal faster there. Those who have sunburned skin, they will only get better there."

    "You go first. I''llest," Darius said.

    "Just don''t go after Arthur and Veronica," Merlin requested.

    Felix gathered all the wizards and made small groups. The heavily injured wizards got the most priority and then small wounded ones had another group, afterward, sunburned wizards andter healthy wizards.

    Merlin and other wizards created a huge magic circle and took each group one by one.

    By the time they reached the tower, it was already evening.

    Ovior was at work. He sensed a strong presence of magic and teleported downstairs. In front of the entrance, he found all the wizards.

    He was surprised to see them back so soon.

    Although he sent Veronica to the battlefield since she insisted to cease the war, he didn''t expect Arthur to do that just because she asked for it.

    He knew how important the war was to take down all the witches. Arthur promised to eliminate them once and for all.

    ''Did that guy do something stupid again?'' he wondered.

    He squinted his eyes. "You''re back. Is everything all right?"

    "We are alive. What happened to you? You look worse than I do," Felixmented.

    Ovior paused. He was obviously on the verge of fainting from overwork and also the guilt was killing him. Being under the same roof as Catherine''s dead body could only make his guilt worse.

    He kept remembering Catherine who worked so hard every day. Thanks to her assistance, his work became a lot easier.

    He didn''t answer Felix. In the end, he replied, "I''ll be needing two assistants. Since you are in good shape, you can join me with Merlin."

    "Even though the war is over, we still have a lot to do," Merlin replied.

    "All right, but why do I only see the two of you? Where are the rest? Don''t tell me they are dead," Ovior said.

    Darius is bringing back the captives," Felix reported. "Zinnia and Ironin went after the witches who escaped. As for Arthur and Veronica¡­" he paused and looked around.

    There were too many people around them. He didn''t want to utter Veronica bing a dragon in front of them.

    When Ovior noticed that Felix was hesitating to tell him about Arthur and Veronica''s whereabouts in front of others, he said, "Let''s go to my office."

    After they went to his office, Felix told him everything and Ovior''s jaw dropped.

    "Wait¡­" he rubbed his forehead, feeling an extreme headache. "Veronica, a human, turned into a dragon because she sensed danger while sleeping¡­ is this what you are telling me?"

    "You heard me correctly," Felix replied. "For now, Arthur went after her. I hope everything goes well."

    "Everything should go well. I''m d Darius didn''t go after her. He always wanted to kill a dragon."

    Ovior let out a deep sigh.

    He was getting ill news one after another without any break. Ever since Veronica was poisoned, he couldn''t sleep properly. Things were just getting worse for him.

    Noticing his situation, Felix suggested, "Why don''t you go and take some rest? We will make a report ad leave it in your office. You can check it once you feel better."

    "If you take care of the rest, I can do that."

    Ovior yawned. Afterward, he teleported to his room.

    Felix left Ovior''s office. At the end of the corridor, there was a huge ancient window. He looked outside the window.

    The autumn night was tranquil. The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, creating a soothing melody that echoed through the air. The moon shone brightly, casting a soft glow over thendscape. The stars twinkled like diamonds in the sky, adding to the enchanting atmosphere. The crisp air was refreshing,

    The beautiful night couldn''t pacify his worried mind.

    ''I just hope Arthur and Veronica are okay,'' he inwardly spoke to himself.

    That night, Sebastian opened his eyes. He found himself in his room. He recalled his memory before he lost consciousness. Stunned, he rubbed his eyes, not believing his eyes.

    "Rise and shine! Did you sleep well?" Felix asked with a smile. He was waiting here for him to wake up.

    "I''m home¡­ How??" Sebastian was bewildered.

    He was sure that he was dead when he closed his eyes. He fought with so many witches even though he was outnumbered. He fought bravely but, in the end, he was lost.

    He couldn''t protect his Mistress until the end.

    He clenched his fist in regret. Feeling guilty, he lowered his gaze. Even so, he couldn''t control his curiosity.

    He couldn''t understand how he was alive and well and he was home as well.

    "¡­A lot of things happened¡­ Where should I start?" Felix asked.

 Chapter 513 MAGESTIC ENTRANCE

    513 MAGESTIC ENTRANCE

    "What are you saying? Our Mistress turned into a dragon?" Sebastian couldn''t believe his ears.

    While he wasmenting that he couldn''t guard his Mistress properly, Felix told him something so shocking that he had a hard time epting it.

    After he woke up, Felix called Merlin. Merlin was checking his wounds and dressing them again.

    "Let''s just hope they wille back safely," Felix said. "I think it''s a kind of blessing that she was taken away or we wouldn''t have known."

    "Don''t speak like that." The ever-so-gentle Merlin became serious. "We were lucky that she didn''t burn us to death but I cannot guarantee that she won''t do the same for Arthur.

    "He is persistent. He won''t leave her no matter what. What if Veronica gets angry and burns him? Will you still say that we were lucky?"

    "I''m sorry I said that," Felix apologized.

    Nheless, he still thought that it was good for them that they got to know that she was a dragon. Thanks to her, the war ended quickly and they didn''t have too many casualties.

    He was being realistic when he said that he supported Veronica bing a dragon. The battlefield wasn''t a ce to be emotional.

    "Is there any way to contact Master? I have something to give him," Sebastian said.

    "Weren''t you just guarding Veronica?" Felix asked.

    "I had another mission I had to take care of," Sebastian replied.

    Since he didn''t disclose the details, Felix didn''t pester about it.

    He told Sebastian, "We can''t be sure when Arthur will be back."

    "Even if hees back, I just pray he''ll be unscathed," Merlin added.

    ''Master, pleasee back soon,'' Sebastian prayed.

    ---------

    The ''dragon'' Veronica tirelessly flew in the sky. Two days and two nights passed.

    She didn''t stop for a break to eat or drink. Since she didn''t eat, Arthur didn''t have the chance to eat or drink anything either.

    There were times when he fell asleep in her ws. Sometimes when he woke up, he saw a forest or river or mountains beneath him. Sometimes, it was simply a meadow.

    He didn''t know if people down there noticed them or not. He was worried that it would create a bigmotion and Veronica would be in danger.

    It was midnight when they reached Tybu. The dragon flew down and sat on the highest peak. As she released her grip, Arthur slid onto the balcony of their bedroom.

    He stood there and looked up. Veronica proudly sat there and roared, shaking the world around her.

    As if to answer her call, the dark clouds began to form around her.

    "Nica, it''s dangerous. Go down!" Arthur shouted when he noticed that the weather was bing weird.

    However, Veronica didn''t pay any attention to his words. She looked around the clouds and seemed happy that they answered her call.

    The wizards who were still in the tower woke up by her roar. They looked outside the window and saw lightning and heard thunder.

    Those who already watched the dragon''s wrath didn''t dare to go outside to see what was happening. They trembled and prayed for their lives.

    However, Ovior, Merlin and Felix were different. They went to check outside what was happening. Ovior, who hadn''t seen the dragon up until now, dashed outside and raised his head.

    !!!

    Even though he knew what he was going to see, he was still astonished to be able to watch a red dragon with his very own eyes.

    Soon, the clouds covered the mighty dragon. The sky crackled and lightning struck her.

    Roar!

    Electricity ran all over her body through her veins. Her eyes constricted and her blood began to boil. Soon, a numb pain spread throughout her body.

    Afterward, her eyes fluttered before closing down.

    Arthur''s heart skipped a beat when he watched lightning striking her and then covering her whole body in white light. Soon, her body dropped from the tower.

    He reached out to grab her. He used magic toy out a magical all around the tower.

    Surprisingly, she fell into his arms as a normal human. Her eyes were still tightly shut and her body was burning.

    Seeing her normal form gave Arthur a huge relief. He tightly held her close to his chest and took her into the bedroom.

    He was concerned about the lightning struck. Although she was in dragon form when she was struck by lightning, he wondered if she was hurt terribly.

    He carefully put her in bed and slowly took off her clothes. He found some red scales of the dragon were still visible in her body but only as a form of art. It looked as if someone painted on her smooth skin.

    Afterward, he brought a bowl of cold water using magic and wiped her body with a tower soaked in that cold water.

    No matter how much he tried, her body wasn''t cooling down.

    In the end, he took her to the bathroom and put her in the cold water. He used ice magic to have a lightyer of ice in the water to lower the water temperature.

    While he was trying to cool her body, someone knocked on the door. When he didn''t answer, someone barged in.

    "Arthur, are you here?"

    Upon hearing Ovior''s voice, Arthur replied, "I''m here."

    With a loud bang, the bathroom door was opened.

    Finding Arthur in the bathroom, Ovior signed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness you are here. Did you hear the dragon roaring¡­ what are you doing?"

    He finally noticed unconscious Veronica in the bathtub. Her body was covered with ayer of ice; so, he could only see her face.

    "I''m trying to cool her body. She is burning," Arthur answered.

    Ovior sat beside him and touched her forehead. It was indeed hot; too hot to touch.

    "How? Why?" Ovior was shocked as he retracted his hand as soon as he touched her.

    Hemented after seeing his fingers turning red. "She is untouchable!"

    Arthur frowned and put a few moreyers of ice in the tub. However, the ice kept melting due to the heat emitting from Veronica''s body.

    "Is she really the dragon that roared just now? The red dragon?"

 Chapter 514 THE REINFORCEMENT

    Chapter 514 THE REINFORCEMENT

    "Is she really the dragon that roared just now? The red dragon?"

    Ovior wanted to confirm.

    It was already unbelievable that she became a dragon. Moreover, Felix, Merlin and the rest were watching Veronica from down there.

    He had a feeling that they might make a mistake since Veronica was in a high area. Only Arthur was close to her to know what actually happened.

    "That''s right. The red dragon is her," Arthur admitted.

    Ovior observed him and then frowned.

    "You don''t look well. You are injured," hemented. "I''ll treat you."

    "Don''t worry about me," Arthur said.

    "Even your voice is broken. When was thest time you drank water?" Ovior inquired.

    "¡­Two days ago," Arthur answered.

    Ovior used magic to bring ten jars of water with three tes of food.

    "Finish them while I take care of the iceyer," he said.

    Afterward, he took out a ss ball from his sleeve and put it in the bathtub.

    The moment the ball touched the ice, the iciness transformed into the ball. Later on, the ball produced ice to prevent the ice from melting.

    Noticing that Arthur began to have his meal. He was so anxious about his wife''s condition that he didn''t bother to think about his physical issues.

    He was thirsty, hungry, tired and his wounds on the stomach got worse because it wasn''t treated for two days.

    Ovior brought medicine and applied it to the injury.

    "It looks bad, Arthur. You need to rest," he stated.

    "No, I can''t," Arthur refused.

    Ovior knew this out happen. He cast a spell on Arthur.

    The exhausted Arthur didn''t notice when his friend cast a spell on him. Before he could realize what was happening, his eyes automatically closed and he fell asleep.

    Ovior grabbed him and ced him in his bed. Then, he called for Merlin.

    "What''s happening here?" Merlin came to Arthur''s bedroom and asked.

    After hearing the situation from Ovior, he said, "Let me keep an eye on Lady Veronica. I mighte up with a solution."

    "Try to lower her temperature. Ice isn''t working," Ovior said with a grave expression.

    While they were talking, Felix knocked on the door and entered the room.

    He announced, "The elves are here. They want to talk to Arthur."

    --------

    The underground in the desert ~

    "The reinforcement is here!"

    Someone announced loudly.

    The witches became excited. The beautiful witch smiled and walked forward.

    Zinnia and Ironin watched her casting a spell in the wall that was the end of the tunnel and the wall disappeared. It became a road that led to a river.

    Everyone gasped in surprise. Even the witches didn''t know that there was a river at the end of the tunnel.

    Even Zinnia and Ironing were astounded.

    ''Just how much did she n ahead?'' they thought.

    They saw tenrge wooden boats. The soldiers on the boats were wearing ck clothes. Their faces were also covered, as protection from the sun. There was no symbolizing marks in them to recognize their identity.

    Three soldiers came forward. They bowed in front of the beautiful witch.

    "Enough, raise your head," the beautiful witch said. "We are all equal here. You came to our aid. We wee you as our ally."

    The soldiers raised their heads.

    The soldier in the middle asked, "Why are you here? I thought you''d be in the camp."

    The soldier didn''t address the witch but his voice carried respect, showing how much he valued her.

    "We lost," the beautiful witch replied. "There was an unexpected encounter."

    "Unexpected encounter?" The soldier frowned.

    They had nned everything beforehand. The witches were powerful enough to hold the wizards back for a few days. When both sides would be tired, reinforcements would arrive to aid the witches.

    That''s how they nned to win.

    The soldiers couldn''t understand what could have happened that the witches lost.

    "Let us leave," the witch replied. "I''ll tell you everything after we depart."

    "As you wish," the soldier agreed. "Pleasee this way."

    The witches got on the boats one by one.

    "We shouldn''t have waited," Zinnia whispered. "If they tell those unknown people who the dragon is, it''ll harm Veronica."

    "We will eliminate the witches before they can utter anything," Ironing said.

    "How are we going to do that with the soldiers packed in?" Zinnia questioned him.

    She wasn''t wrong. If they did attack the witches, the soldiers, who were in ten boats, wouldn''t stay still.

    ''We should have killed the witches before the reinforcement arrived,'' Zinniamented inwardly. ''If we only didn''t want to know who were supporting the witches and where the witch convent was, we would have done that already.''

    They went inside the boat and found themselves in a luxurious cruise.

    Stunned, Zinnia stopped in her tracks. Unable to go forward, Ironin pushed her from behind.

    They sat on afortable couch and drank red wine that was served for them.

    The beautiful witch came forward and said, "This cruise has been especially ordered for us so that we can rest asfortably as we can. You have all worked hard. This is the prize for your hard work."

    The witches cheered.

    A soldier cacme forward and said, "Food will be served soon. If you need anything, please don''t hesitate to tell us."

    After the soldier left, the beautiful witch followed him to the other room.

    Just as the soldier said, some maids came brought delicious food and served them.

    Ironin and Zinnia exchanged nces.

    When a maid came to serve them food, Zinnia asked, "Is there any rose wine?"

    "...Rose wine, madam?" the maid was perplexed.

    "Yes, rose wine. After the battle was over, I was craving for some rose wine. Is there any?" Zinnia asked innocently.

    "I¡­ I don''t know, madam," the maid hesitantly replied. "If you want, I can ask the chef."

    "That won''t be necessary. Where is the kitchen? I can ask the chef myself. You can do your job," Zinnia spoke in a friendly manner.

    "Um¡­" The maid wasn''t sure how to answer her.

    Only chef and maids who were serving dishes could enter the kitche. Visitors weren''t allowed.

 Chapter 515 THE TRICK

    Chapter 515 THE TRICK

    "That won''t be necessary. Where is the kitchen? I can ask the chef myself. You can do your job."

    "Um¡­"

    Noticing that the maid was hesitating, Zinnia raised an eyebrow.

    "Or are you saying that we aren''t allowed?" she inquired. "I thought we could ask for anything and this cruise is especially for us."

    Other witches around her heard herment and agreed.

    "Yes, we can ask whatever we want, right? After the war, we are all exhausted. Get us some ice."

    The witches began to order one thing after another. The maids began to panic. They hurried to serve the witches as much as they could.

    Zinnia took the chance to go toward the kitchen. The door was slightly open.

    She knocked on the door and went inside.

    There was only one person inside. He was a young chef wearing a red scarf around his white cor.

    He was filling the tes with food, ready to serve. Upon hearing footsteps, he raised his head.

    Zinnia took off her hood and shed a sexy smile at the chef.

    "¡­"

    The chef saw beautiful girls in his life but a charming woman who easily caught attraction was hard to get.

    He stared at her in a daze. He even forgot to mention that the kitchen was off-limits for the guests.

    "H-hello!" he stammered. "What can I do for you?"

    Zinnia stepped closer and said, "I''m very thirsty. Can I have some rose wine?"

    "Rose wine?" The chef was surprised.

    People would most go for red wine or white wine. Women in his country would drink red wine or white wine to match the taste of the man they like.

    He never met a woman who would prefer rose wine over red or white wine.

    "Is there none?" Zinnia looked disappointed. "I thought there would be some. It was so hot in the desert. I worked so hard. My thirst won''t go away if I don''t drink rose wine."

    The young chef gulped. He suddenly felt his throat dry.

    "Ahem, I believe there is some rose wine in the cab. Please wait for a moment."

    When he hurried away, Zinnia looked around the kitchen. On the left corner, she noticed a huge wooden jar.

    She peeked inside and then smirked.

    A few momentster, the chef returned with a rose wine bottle.

    "Here is your rose wine," saying the chef handed her the bottle.

    Zinnia took the bottle from him with a smile.

    "You are a lifesaver," she seductivelyplimented him. "You deserve a present."

    "Present?" the chef was flustered.

    He started imagining something that shouldn''t being to one''s mind.

    "Yes, something like this¡­" Zinnia slowly approached him and lightly touched his cheek with her lips.

    The chef''s legs gave out and he fell on the floor.

    Zinnia controlled herughter and went back to the room in satisfaction.

    Afterward, she sat beside Ironin and poured him some drink.

    "Let''s celebrate our victory early," she said.

    Ironin raised the ss and they clicked their sses together.

    ---------

    Magic Tower ~

    Veronica opened her eyes. She blinked several times before stretching her arms.

    Her eyes roamed around and found herself under a familiar ceiling. She rxed her body.

    She looked outside the window. The sun already set in the west but there was a hint of orange and red hue in the blue sky.

    ''Beautiful,'' she thought.

    She couldn''t remember when was thest time she enjoyed the beauty of the sky.

    Arthur came to the bedroom and saw her moving around.

    "You are awake," he said.

    Afterward, he sat beside her and kissed her forehead.

    "How are you feeling?" he asked.

    Veronica smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him closer and kissed his lips.

    They exchanged a sweet kiss before she tried to get up. Artur assisted her to sit.

    She yawned and answered, "I feel like I slept for ages."

    "You did indeed," Arthur chuckled.

    "We are back to the tower I see. When did wee?" Veronica asked.

    "Five days ago," Arthur replied. "How''s your body?"

    "I''m okay¡­" Veronica suddenly frowned. "My back hurts."

    "I''ll massage your back. How about you have some food first?"

    "Okay," she agreed. She couldn''t help but rub her back.

    Arthur noticed it but didn''t say anything.

    After he brought some heavy breakfast, he fed Veronica.

    "I can eat on my own," she said.

    "I know. I just want to feed you."

    "Fine, let me feed you as well. I can''t finish everything on my own."

    She picked up the spoon and fed him soup.

    Arthur obediently took a mouthful of the soup.

    The two of them fed each other until the tray was empty.

    After that, Veronica wanted to take a bath. When she was done with the bath, she came to the bedroom and found Arthur on the balcony.

    She walked behind him and hugged his back.

    Arthur took her wrists in his hands and turned around. Then, he pressed her head on his chest and took a deep breath.

    Veronica sensed something odd and inquired, "Did something happen?"

    "Do you not remember what happened on the battlefield?" Arthur asked her back.

    Veronica was stunned.

    "What could happen? I came to find you¡­then you know the rest¡­"

    Arthur interrupted her and said, "I''m talking about the time when the witches kidnapped you."

    "Come again?"

    Veronica was astonished. At first, she thought her husband was joking. However, she saw his serious expression and became quiet.

    She tried to think if something like that truly happened or not but she couldn''t remember anything.

    In the end, she asked, "What actually happened?"

    Arthur told her everything.

    Just like everyone else, she couldn''t believe what he said. She could neither trust or mistrust him. She knew he wasn''t a person who would lie.

    "How? How can that happen? Me being a dragon? That''s¡­"

    Arthur said, "I had a feeling you wouldn''t know. Apparently, this wasn''t the first time you transformed into a dragon. It was the second time."

    His long fingers smoothly ran through her silver locks, trying to keep her calm.

    "Second time? When was the first time?"

 Chapter 516 FIND OUT

    Chapter 516 FIND OUT

    "Second time? When was the first time?"

    At her question, Arthur replied, "The time you were taken by the ve traders along with the elves and you saved a young elvish child. You don''t remember what happened after you fell from the cliff, do you?"

    Images after images shed in her mind as she tried to recall that fateful night. She remembered falling from the cliff but then¡­ everything was dark.

    There was a five years old elvish child with her at that time.

    "Rs," Veronica said. "That''s the boy''s name."

    "Do you remember bing a dragon at that time?" Arthur inquired.

    Veronica shook her head.

    She told him, "No, not at all. But I had this kind of simr back pain. Rs'' father knew medicine. He treated us after we fell from the cliff. He didn''t say anything."

    "That''s because he didn''t see you being a dragon. But Nica, think again. There is no way you would survive after falling from the cliff unless something happened."

    "You are right," she went along with him. "I can''t even heal myself¡­ Do you think it''s because of the dragon blood I drank?"

    "That''s the only logical theory I can find right now."

    "And I killed so many witches without batting an eye?"

    Anxiety and excitement sent shivers down her spine.

    She mumbled, "Wow, dragon¡­ this is truly something. I can be a dragon¡­ I¡­"

    Arthur noticed her body was trembling.

    He said, "Enough, don''t get too excited. It''s not good for your body. You just woke up. I was worried that your temperature wouldn''t decrease."

    Although he told her almost everything, he avoided to mention but she chewed Queen Isabe to death. The details were too horrifying.

    He worried that his wife might not stomach that news,

    He pressed his chin on top of her head. Veronica closed her eyes and enjoyed hispany.

    After a while, she asked, "What did you feel when I became a dragon?"

    "I was scared," Arthur truthfully answered.

    Veronica couldn''t believe it.

    "What? Why would be scared. You are the most powerful wizard out there. Nothing fazes you."

    "That''s not true," Arthur denied her im. "You faze me. You scare me the most."

    "Me?!" Veronica burst intoughter. "How did I scare you? Did you think I would breathe fire on you?"

    "I wasn''t worried about that. What worried me the most that you would be upset because you did all that after you became a dragon. Moreover, you could feel guilty."

    Veronica scratched her head.

    "It''s not that I don''t feel guilty. I''m surprised that I actually burned them to death. But, I don''t have any memory of it. Whatever is hidden inside me, it''s¡­plicated.

    "I wasn''t in the right mind. So, I can''t me myself for everything that happened. I can''t even feel guilty about drinking dragon blood because if I didn''t, there wouldn''t be any flower to save me life from the witch''s curse."

    She shrugged. She knew she did it and she felt sorry for doing so but she couldn''t feel guilty since it wasn''t entirely her fault.

    She turned into a dragon without knowing that she would be one. The dragon didn''t ask for her consent.

    Moreover, the dragon did it to save her life. Therefore, she couldn''t be mad at it even if she wanted to.

    "Yes, I forgot to ask about it. After I transformed back, how did you reduce my temperature?" curious, she asked.

    "The elves. They came to bother us. As soon as they sensed your presence, they came to the tower and got to see your dragon form. Just imagine their reaction."

    ~shback~

    After Felix informed that the elves came to see him, Arthur went downstairs.

    Urs was present with his two morerades.

    "Why are you here?" Arthur directly asked him. He still didn''t like the elves.

    "Greetings, Master of the Magic Tower. We are here to confirm if Veronica is safe and sound," Urs curtly spoke. He also didn''t like the man in front of him.

    "She is fine. You can go back," Arthur bluntly replied.

    Urs squinted his eyes. "Is that why she became a dragon?"

    Arthur''s face darkened.

    "Who told you that?" he asked.

    Urs sneered. "Everyone in the capital knows that in the Magic Tower, the owner of the tower is raising a dragon."

    "That''s preposterous. If you have nothing else to say, please leave. I have a business to take care of."

    As Arthur turned around to leave, he heard Urs'' voice.

    "Is that business has anything to do with Veronica being a dragon?" Urs inquired.

    "That''s nothing to do with you."

    "I don''t see the dragon anywhere. Did shee back to her human form? She might have some side reactions from the shapeshifting. Bring me to her."

    In the end, Arthur had no choice but to take them to her.

    Urs checked Veronica''s pulse. Afterward, he frowned.

    Hemented, "Although she turned back to human form, inside of her body didn''t realize that yet. That''s why she is as warm as a dragon. Her pulse is high too."

    "Do you know how to cure her?" Merlin asked.

    He showed the most interest in the elves. This was his first time meeting them and he was curious for the knowledge that the elves had.

    His respectful voice pleased Urs.

    He answered, "I have been carrying this nt for a while now."

    Then, he took out a purple nt from his bag. The small nt had long leaves and it was glowing.

    "What is this nt?" Merlin eagerly asked.

    Urs exined, "This is an ice nt. Last time Veronica was burning like this after falling from the cliff. We had no other choice but to use this nt to cool her down. I guess at that time, she turned into a dragon to save her and the little boy''s lives."

    "Fell from the cliff?! When?" Ovior eximed.

    He was already feeling guilty for all the bad things that happen recently. He didn''t want more on the te.

 Chapter 517 BEING A DRAGON

    Chapter 517 BEING A DRAGON

    "Fell from the cliff?! When?"

    "Oh, I remember! It was the time when she was caught by the ve traders who sold elves," Felix remembered.

    "Oh, that time¡­" Ovior touched his chest. He almost had a heart attack.

    He thought maybe Veronica fell off the cliff when he teleported her to the wrong ce.

    "So, if this nt for on her this time, we can be sure that this is her second time being a dragon," hemented.

    "Right," Urs nodded.

    "Let''s try it then," Arthur permitted them.

    No matter how much he disliked the elves, his wife''s safety was his first priority.

    With Urs'' order, hisrades made a paste from the ice nt and added water to it.

    After that, Urs gave the jar of purple juice to Arthur.

    "Make her drink it every three hours," he instructed.

    Arthur took the jar and made the unconscious Veronica drink it mouth-to-mouth.

    He followed Urs'' instructions and Veronica''s body temperature gradually decreased. At dawn, her body temperature went back to normal.

    ~shback ends~

    Veronica heard how her temperature was reduced.

    She said, "I should talk to Urs. I have a few things I need to ask him."

    "You can talk to them tomorrow morning. Why don''t you sleep first?"

    Arthur was ying with her hair while urging her to sleep.

    Veronica didn''t want to. She said, "I''ve rested enough. How are the wizards after the war? Did I burn them too?"

    She wasn''t showing it but deep down she was anxious fretting about the people who were on the battlefield while she was breathing out fire.

    "No, you didn''t," Arthur calmly denied.

    "Is it?" Veronica was skeptical. "I''ll look around the infirmary." She paused and then frowned. Her arms were wandering around his waist. "What''s wrapped around your waist?"

    "Nothing."

    Arthur tried to move away from her but Veronica held pulled him closer.

    "Did I burn you?"

    She thought the worst.

    "It wasn''t you. It''s nothing."

    Arthur tried to avoid but his wife wouldn''t have it.

    She pestered, "Then how? You must be lying."

    She pressed his stomach and he momentarily flinched, making her confirm her worry.

    "I''m not. It was a bad witch."

    "Let me see," she insisted.

    "You will open the wound."

    When Arthur pushed her away, she persistently stepped forward and began to untie his nightgown belt.

    "I''ll heal you after seeing it. You won''t feel any pain."

    After assuring him, she quickly took his belt off. The nightgown revealed his skin. She gasped.

    "Oh, my goodness. I''m so sorry! I was hugging you too tightly."

    "No worries. It doesn''t hurt."

    "Of course it hurts. It hasn''t dried yet. Oh no!"

    Veronica took off the bandage and felt horror seeing how badly he was injured.

    A white light was emitted from her palm and Arthur''s injury gradually healed.

    "It must have gone worse when I carried you here. I''m really really sorry!"

    "Nica, it''s fine. I''m okay. You already healed me."

    "That doesn''t mean that you didn''t feel the pain. I''m so stupid!"

    "You are not. Never say that again," Arthur softly reprimanded her. "I''m all right as long as you are okay."

    He pulled her close to his chest and gave her a warm squeeze.

    Veronica cuddled in his chest and wondered, ''What can I do to make it up to him?''

    They were enjoying each other''s warmth when someone knocked on the door.

    Arthur opened the door with magic and found Felix.

    Veronica stepped back and asked Felix, "It''s been a while. How are you?"

    Felix paused in his tracks when he saw her. Then, he smiled and replied, "I''m good, Veronica. Are you well?"

    Veronica replied with a smile, "As you can see, I''m healthy. I''m feeling fantastic after sleeping for a couple of days."

    Arthur didn''t like the fact that his good time was spoiled by his friend.

    He inquired, "What happened?"

    "It''s about Sebastian," Felix stated. "His fever got worse."

    "Fever?" Veronica who knew nothing of what happened to her bodyguard was concerned. "What happened to him?"

    Felix shortly exined, "He was gravely injured while protecting you from the witch. Merlin did his best to save his life but the wounds became infectious. His health is deteriorating."

    "Quickly take me there. I''ll heal him."

    With Veronica''s urge, Arthur teleported her to Sebastian''s room along with Felix. Merlin was there.

    Seeing Veronica appear before him, his face brightened up.

    "Mydy!"

    Sebastian opened his eyes because of the sound. His face was pale and lips were dry. His eyes were red.

    "¡­Mis¡­tress¡­ please¡­ leave¡­"

    The words he uttered were hardly audible.

    Without paying attention to what he said, Veronica hurried toward him.

    "Sebastian, don''t talk. I''ll heal you right away."

    "¡­N-no¡­" Sebastian protested.

    However, Veronica applied her healing power to him before he could finish his sentence.

    His wounds were more serious than Arthur''s. It took Veronica several minutes until he was entirely healed.

    When the healing light disappeared from her palms, she was exhausted.

    She wiped her forehead and smiled at her protector.

    "If you have serious injuries, you must take care of them right away. Or else, how are you going to protect me in the future?"

    Her kind words brought tears to Sebastian''s eyes. He tried holding back his tears but couldn''t control the overflowing emotions.

    Felix signaled Merlin and then disappeared from the room.

    After they were gone, Sebastian finally revealed his thoughts.

    "Mistress, I''m forever grateful to you for saving me but I didn''t want to live anymore."

    Veronica was astonished when she heard that.

    "Why? Why would you do that to yourself?"

    Sebastian let out a deep breath. He looked outside the window with an agonized expression on his face.

    "That''s because it''s not worth saving this wretched body, Mistress."

    Finally, Veronica understood what he meant.

    "¡­Is it because of Cathy? Sebastian, I''m sorry¡­"

    "No, no, why would you apologize? It''s not your fault. It''s mine. I''m so weak that she had to choose to die in the most painful way."

    "Sebastian, it was not your fault. It was that magician who came to attack us. Don''t be hard on yourself. Cathy would be devastated if she were to see you like this."

    "Do you know what mission Master gave me when you were sleeping?"

 Chapter 518 TAMED

    Chapter 518 TAMED

    Sebastian pondered Veronica''s situation.

    Catherine was her one and only childhood friend. Their bond was so strong that Catherine wished toe with her without having a second thought.

    In the end, Veronica had to force herself to take away her only friend''s life force and transfer it to him, whom Catherine fancied.

    ''She must have med herself a lot after doing that, '' he thought.

    He said, "Do you know what mission Master gave me when you were sleeping?"

    "No, what was your mission?"

    "I was ordered to protect you with my life depending on it. Even if I had to die, I need to use myst breath to protect you."

    "... But there were other guards outside, was it not?"

    "There was none. Only me. Master said that since I made you cry, I needed to be punished."

    Veronica had a headache.

    She knew what was going on inside Arthur''s head. He hardly saw her so broken. So, when she was crying her heart out in front of him, he had no way to take care of the situation for her.

    Therefore, he decided to punish Sebastian for his ipetency.

    She rubbed her forehead, feeling embarrassed by Arthur''s childish action.

    "Sebastian¡­ I apologize¡­" she started.

    "No, Mistress! You cannot apologize. You mustn''t apologize. If it wasn''t for me being incapable, this wouldn''t happen."

    "I can say the same thing. If it wasn''t for me, Cathy wouldn''t be there at that time. You wouldn''t be tormented either. At this rate, we will keep going in circles and Cathy won''t like it."

    Veronica looked at Sebastian. She med herself for seeing a loyal man like him go through something like heartbreak.

    She stood up and continued, "You rest today. You will regain your strength by tomorrow."

    "Thank you, Mistress. I will forever remember your kindness. I promise to pay you back one day."

    "If you want to pay me back, keep living a good life. Cathy would want the same."

    "¡­I will try."

    "Good. Have some rest now."

    Veronica came out of Sebastian''s room and spotted Felix and Merlin around the corner.

    "Sebastian will be fine," she told them. "How are the other magicians? Are you badly injured?"

    "Some of them are truly badly injured. Some are being healed by me and Ovior," Merlin said.

    "All right, I will see them. Show me the way to the infirmary," Veronica ordered.

    "But will you be okay? You seemed tired after healing Sebastian," Sebastian expressed his concern.

    Veronica smiled in response.

    "I will be fine," she answered.

    It took her two hours to heal all the injured magicians.

    Everyone expressed gratitude toward her. They even mentioned the dragon.

    "Mistress, have you heard about the dragon?"

    "The dragon took away Master and brought him back to the tower. Do you think Master tamed the dragon?"

    "Master is so powerful, isn''t he? He even tamed the dragon. We haven''t heard it roar anymore."

    Veronica surpassed herughter and said, "I agree. He is really powerful. He is powerful enough to tame the dragon."

    All the magicians'' eyes brightened up upon hearing herment.

    "Did Master really tame the beast? Amazing! Amazing!!"

    The magicians were excited by the news.

    Veronica finallyughed after noticing their excitement was just like children.

    After the infirmary was emptied, she went upstairs. There, she found Arthur standing in the corridor and leaning against the wall.

    "Have you been waiting for long?" Veronica inquired.

    "Not really," Arthur calmly answered. He held her hand and squeezed it softly. "I heard something bizarre."

    "Did you?" Veronica stepped closer and softly whispered, "What did you hear?"

    Arthur whispered back, "I heard that I tamed a dragon."

    Veronica chuckled. She pretended not to know.

    "Ah, did you?"

    "I need to ask you that question. Did I?"

    "It seems so," Veronica admitted.

    "If I did something so amazing, I deserve a prize. Do I not?" Arthur shamelessly asked for a present.

    "You do," his wife agreed.

    Afterward, she tiptoed and kissed his lips. It was a soft and sweet kiss, filled with love and appreciation.

    Arthur''s heart was moved by her kiss. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

    The moment of bliss passed.

    Veronica pulled away. Her face was flushed. She was breathless.

    It took her some time to get over it and then, she said, "And you are not allowed to torment Sebastian."

    Arthur paused and contemted. "I want to torment him a lot."

    Veronica scratched his chest.

    "Leave him alone. He is already sad enough. Give him some time to get over his sadness. He might find a good girl and get married soon. Cathy would have wanted that."

    Arthur kissed her forehead.

    "Since my princess wants it, I will listen to you," he agreed.

    A momentter, hemented, "I''m not sure who tamed whom."

    Veronica giggled and pecked on his cheek.

    --------

    The next day, Veronica went to her mansion where the elves lived.

    The elves were delighted when they saw her.

    "Veronica, congrattions on being a dragon!"

    Urs came to greet her.

    "Thank you. Thank you!"

    Veronica was thanking everyone who congratted her.

    "You have a letter from the Elvish realm," Urs passed her a letter.

    Veronica unrolled the letter and noticed the Elvish king''s seal on it.

    It was a congrattory letter along with a wooden key.

    "What is this key for?" she inquired. "In the letter it says that it wille in handy."

    "This is the key to the Elvish royal library that holds all the secrets. Since you became a dragon, you are rightfully eligible to be a member of the library. You can ess any book you want. Even the forbidden ones."

    Veronica held her breath, trying to control her excitement.

    "Urs, I don''t know what to say¡­"

    Urs let out a soft smile.

    "You don''t have to," he said. "You earned it. It belongs to you anyway. You are the blessed child after all."

    "I see. I will keep it safe," Veronica promised.

    "Imperial Father has another reason to give it to you as soon as possible," Urs mentioned.

    "What is the reason?"

 Chapter 519 IMPOSSIBLE FUTURE

    Chapter 519 IMPOSSIBLE FUTURE

    "Imperial Father has another reason to give it to you as soon as possible."

    "What is the reason?"

    Urs answered, "I mentioned to him about you being a dragon and also that you lost your only friend. I''m sorry about Catherine."

    "Thank you, Urs. I''m trying to get over it," Veronica shrugged. "But what does that have to do with the key to the library."

    Urs lowered his voice and said, "The forbidden section of the library has books that discussed the forbidden magic.

    "Forbidden magic is dangerous and that''s why they are in the forbidden section. There are books that''s rted to the dead people."

    Veronica''s heart skipped a bit.

    "You mean¡­"

    "There is a way to bring back the dead," Urs revealed.

    Calming her heartbeat, Veronica tried not to be interested.

    She said, "I know that. However, that''s Dark Art. I don''t want to do anything gruesome by killing numerous people. I''m certain Cathy wouldn''t want it."

    Urs shook his head. "No, that''s Dark Art. There are some magic spells that only blessed children can do with the holy power they have.

    "It''s the power of the ancient dragon, Veronica. You are the child of the dragon who has dragon blood in her veins. You can do it with the power you have. You just need to learn the spell."

    Veronica''s heart was beating fast. She started to imagine the impossible future.

    She thought of something and shut her eyes. She did her best to remove the impossible future.

    She warned him, "Urs, don''t give me false hope¡­"

    "It''s not a false hope. I read them when I was a child. If my memory serves me correctly, only blessed children are capable enough to do it. I tried to do it but I failed."

    Veronica curiously asked, "Why did you want to do it?"

    Urs took a deep breath and answered, "To save the woman I loved."

    Some sweet memories shed in his mind along with the most painful one. He smiled bitterly.

    Veronica felt apologetic toward him.

    "I¡­ Urs, I''m sorry."

    "It''s okay. She has be a fine tree. I live there."

    In the Elvish realm, after death, elves would be trees. Depending on how glorious their lives were, they would be good or bad tree.

    For example, a good king or a person would be a healthy tree. The greater their contribution to the previous life, the bigger and healthier tree they would be.

    As for the bad elves, it was the total opposite.

    Veronica recalled visiting his house and mentioned, "You mean the house I was in with you¡­"

    "Yes, that''s her," Urs admitted. "It''s a sacred tree now because she was a general who fought against evil and died as a hero."

    "Urs¡­"

    "Don''t worry about me. You still have time. I heard from Merlin that you asked Ovior to preserve Catherine''s body. Go and save your friend."

    Veronica clenched the key.

    "I will!" she promised.

    Veronica dashed to the tower. She found her husband in his office. She told him everything.

    Arthur was seemingly surprised.

    "Are you sure?" he asked. He simply couldn''t believe the elves.

    What if they had bad tricks on their sleeves?

    "Urs doesn''t lie," Veronica pressed. "I want to take this chance."

    Arthur knew that he couldn''t stop her and he didn''t want to. Nheless, he was worried.

    "All right, but I want to go with you."

    "You cannot go anywhere."

    Ovior barged into the room and gave him a letter.

    Then, he said, "The imperial pce was holding a ball to apologize to you and congratte you for the victory."

    "You attend," Arthur pushed the letter to him.

    Ovior mercilessly refused, "I have done enough. I need to rest. I will be going on vacation for a month. You have to handle the rest. Merlin and Felix will help you. If I work another day, I will probably die."

    Arthur pressed his lips. He couldn''t refute. He knew how much his friend was working.

    "Arthur, if you are worried, why don''t I take Ovior with me?" Veronica suggested.

    "Going where?" Ovior frowned.

    Apparently, he didn''t hear the previous conversation the couple was having. He only heard thest sentence that Arthur said when he was opening the door.

    "I want to go to the Elvish realm," without giving him enough information, Veronica shortly answered him.

    "Why there all of a sudden?" Ovior was stunned by the news. "I thought you wanted to hold the funeral first."

    "I need to go there as soon as possible."

    Arthur noticed that his wife was bing restless and overly excited.

    He told his friend, "Ovior, go with her. You can rest as much as you want and also keep an eye on her."

    Ovior''s eyes shone. He didn''t want to lose this chance.

    As a human and as a wizard, there was no way he would possibly have a chance to go to the rumored Elvish realm in his life. It was a lifetime opportunity.

    "Sure, I will go. I heard the Elvish realm had better tonics. I want to learn more about them. It would be a nice vacation."

    ''This man thinks about work every chance he gets,'' Veronica thought.

    That night, Veronica went to Catherine''s room.

    Her room was exactly how it was left. The only exception was she was lying in the bed with a white spell covering her entire body.

    It was the preservation spell Ovior came up with.

    Veronica swept her eyes around the surroundings while her heart painfully wrenched.

    She sat on the chair and held Catherine''s cold, lifeless hand.

    ''Cathy, your misery will be over soon. I promise. After I get you back, I will do my best to make up to you. The pain you went through, will never happen again. I will make sure of it.''

    Two dayster, Veronica and Ovior started their journey toward the Elvish realm with the elves.

    Before they left, Arthur repeated again and again, "You must be careful. Don''t trust them too much. Don''t associate with them too much. Make sure to let them know that you have no intention of living there. You are just there temporarily."

    He was loud enough to let the entire traveling group know.

    Urs frowned in annoyance and murmured, "What is his problem?"

 Chapter 520 ARTHURS WORRY

    Chapter 520 ARTHUR''S WORRY

    Urs frowned in annoyance and murmured, "What is his problem?"

    Just as much Arthur didn''t like the elves, Urs and the rest of the elves felt the same way.

    From their knowledge, they knew that the blessed child shouldn''t be with a wizard who would use Dark Arts any time.

    And Veronica got married to the most powerful wizard in the universe.

    It was enough to give them a headache.

    "Yes, yes, I understand. I love you too."

    Veronica tiptoed and nted a kiss on her husband''s cheek. The reason for her sweet words and action was to shut him up.

    She added, "I promise toe back to you soon."

    "¡­"

    Urs and the rest of the elves were speechless seeing the public disy of affection in front of them.

    Arthur finally settled seeing her bubbly side.

    "Don''t fret. I''ll be with her." Ovior patted his friend''s shoulder.

    When they started their journey, Arthur stared at Veronica''s back.

    Veronica rode a brown horse and left with the others. She turned her head to look at Arthur''s face onest time.

    Seeing that he was staring at her, she waved her hand.

    Arthur raised his hand and waved back at her.

    "Be safe," he muttered.

    Veronica and her team left Tybu by nightfall. They camped near the border.

    Ovior started a fire and burned the bunny he hunted.

    "Maybe we shouldn''t eat meat," Veronica said. She stole a nce at the nearby the elves.

    Ovior sensed her difort. He turned the roasted bunny and looked at the elves.

    The elves were looking at him disapprovingly.

    He frowned and said, "Don''t bother with them. If you want to eat bread, you eat bread. If you want to eat meat, you eat meat."

    Veronica let out a deep sigh.

    She softly uttered, "If only I could¡­"

    Before she could finish her sentence, someone stepped forward.

    "Veronica, eat bread. This will give you more strength for the uing journey."

    That someone was Urs.

    ''I knew it,'' she thought.

    "I can teleport us to the destination. We won''t need any horse," Ovior told him.

    "We don''t use magic, wizard," Urs coldly refuted.

    Ovior wasn''t easy to bully. He was the Second Master of the Magic Tower, the second most powerful wizard on earth.

    He stood up and faced Urs properly. His pair of purple eyes sharply shed.

    He curtly reminded him, "I''m just trying to save our time. Unlike you, I understand the importance of this journey."

    Urs wouldn''t back down so easily. He was amander and a prince.

    He said, "You mean you are at fault because if it wasn''t you, Catherine would have been alive."

    "¡­"

    Ovior coldly stared at him.

    It wasn''t that he didn''t know that he wasn''t guilty but that wasn''t the reason why he suggested teleportation.

    He clenched his fists and controlled his urge to punch the arrogant elf.

    "All right, stop it, both of you."

    Veronica came to stop them.

    "Ovior, you cannot teleport so many people close to the gate. It won''t be good for your body. You are already tired enough. That''s why I didn''t suggest that option.

    "And Urs, if you need to me someone, you have to me me first because I was the very reason she has suffered."

    Urs hesitantly started, "Veronica, I didn''t mean¡­"

    "I know." Veronica smiled to ease their concerns. "It would be great if we could teleport. Since we couldn''t, we will find the best way to go close to the gate as soon as possible."

    Urs suggested, "The quickest way to go there is to go barefoot. Horses are a burden to us. We should stick to the forest and move quickly."

    Ovior frowned.

    "What about tents?" he pointed at the tents.

    Urs curtly replied, "We don''t need them."

    "Where shall we sleep?"

    "On the tree branches."

    "Aren''t you worried about insects and animals?"

    "They are part of nature, a part of us. They have their businesses during the night while we sleep. They won''t harm us if we don''t bother them."

    "I don''t believe it."

    "The insects and animals don''t harm the elves because they know that elves are their friends. Also, elves can tame any beast."

    "Lucky for them. It won''t happen to me though."

    Veronica pondered for a while and then suggested, "Why don''t you teleport to our destination? We will catch up soon."

    "I don''t have any problem with that. Give me the location of the closest town or vige. I''ll be in the inn and wait for you there."

    At first, Urs didn''t want to share the location. However, if he didn''t , Veronica would be sad and ufortable. After all, she was married to Ovior''s friend.

    In the end, he reluctantly gave him the location. After having the meal, Ovior packed his bag and took his and Veronica''s horses and then teleported to his destination.

    "Shall we leave then?" Urs asked.

    Since they didn''t have any burden with them, they had the freedom to move like elves and reach their destination sooner.

    "Let''s go," Veronica agreed.

    With no more baggage with them, they traveled freely.

    They walked and ran. If they felt tired, they rested on the tree branch.

    When they were hungry, they had elvish bread to eat that would give them energy for two to three days.

    Four dayster, they arrived at the nearest vige close to the portal where Ovior was residing.

    They found him in the inn, having lunch all by himself.

    "My goodness!" Ovior eximed when he saw Veronica. "You have be skinner and your skin is burned."

    "The sun does me a good favor. I do like my skin tan," Veronica answered. "Did you get bored waiting?"

    "I have rested for four days. It did me a lot of favor. I did wish for you to arrivete," Ovior answered truthfully.

    "Well, we did arrive a bitte. But we won''t wait anymore. We will get to the portal by nightfall."

    Veronica was being restless every passing day. She couldn''t wait to go to the Elvish realm.

    Urs came and said, "But there is a problem.".

 Chapter 521 THE ARRIVAL

    Chapter 521 THE ARRIVAL

    "But there is a problem."

    Veronica looked at Urs.

    "What is the problem?" she asked.

    Urs exined, "We can''t let him see the way to the portal and how to open it."

    Veronica pondered.

    She trusted Ovior but it was normal for the elves not to do the same. Their hostility toward each other was so visible that even she could feel it.

    She asked Ovior, "Do you mind if I put blindfold on you?"

    Ovior shrugged. He eagerly wanted to see the portal but if they set a few rules, he could onlyply.

    After getting Ovior''s permission, Veronica settled.

    "There is another issue," Urs mentioned.

    "What else?!"

    When Urs noticed that Veronica started to lose her patience, he politely said, "He is not allowed to use magic after he enters our realm."

    "He won''t. I guarantee it."

    When Veronica took Ovior''s side, Ovior started to feel better.

    By nightfall, the vigers went inside their houses. The roads became quieter. Only gnats made noises.

    Veronica, Ovior and the elves walked through the forest. Veronica put on a blindfold on Ovior. She took his hand and guided him.

    Ovior did his best to memorize the road. Even though his eyes were covered, he used his senses.

    After a while, Veronica impatiently asked, "Isn''t it taking longer than usual? I feel like we are circling around the same ce."

    "You are right about that. We can''t disclose our route to any wizard, you see. So, we are going in a roundabout way," Urs answered.

    Veronica shut her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She felt like she was having a headache.

    She did her best to be as calm as possible and said, "Please do me a favor and get us to the portal."

    "Yes, sorry."

    Understanding her mood, Urs guided them to the portal.

    There was a hugeke in front of them. Theke was reflecting the moon in the sky, creating a mysterious and serene atmosphere.

    Urs opened the gate. A big hole was created in the middle of theke.

    ''Here Ie. Cathy, wait for a few days. I will get you back soon,'' Veronica inwardly spoke.

    Excitement and anticipation filled the air as she stepped through the portal.

    Suddenly, they found themselves in a lush forest, surrounded by towering trees and exotic wildlife. The colors were vibrant and the air was thick with the scent of blooming flowers.

    Veronica untied Ovior''s blindfold and told him, "We have arrived."

    Ovior looked around and held his breath.

    "This is¡­"

    It was the opposite of the Human realm. The sun was up in the sky, proudly exhibiting the beauty of the Elvish realm.

    They wandered through the forest, marveling at all of the new sights and sounds around them. As they walked, they stumbled upon a hidden waterfall cascading down into a crystal-clear pool below.

    Feeling thirsty, Veronica and Ovior couldn''t resist taking a dip in the refreshing water, feeling rejuvenated and alive.

    Ovior felt like he was dreaming. He was so grateful to Arthur for the first time in his life for sending him here with Veronica.

    As they continued their journey through this new world, he knew that this adventure would be one he would never forget.

    The forest ended near the river. Several boats were awaiting them.

    The boatmen bowed when they saw Urs and his group arrived.

    They greet him with Elvish words.

    The boatman said, "Your Highness the Second Prince, you have arrived."

    "Thank you for waiting. We have the blessed child with us. Please give her the best treatment," Urs said.

    When the boatmen looked for the blessed child, Veronica stepped forward from the crowd.

    "Good afternoon, gentlemen."

    The boatmen knelt and bowed to her. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "The sacred Dragon''s blood, we wee you to our humble adobe."

    Veronica was moved by their greetings. She had yet to get used to the way Elves treated her.

    "Please, stand up," she said. "I''m nothing but a normal human being."

    Even Ovior was surprised by the way elves treated her. They treated other humans like they were trash but when it came to Veronica, their attitude waspletely opposite.

    "You are very humble," Ursmented.

    "I feel embarrassed whenever I''m treated that way," Veronica uttered.

    The boatmen took her and the rest of thepanions to the Imperial Vige.

    Ovior looked around and foundrge trees;rger than the buildings they had in Tybu.

    Those trees were used as buildings. The elves made houses in the trees and resided there.

    When they reached the Imperial Vige, elves around them gathered around. When Veronica stepped out of the boat, everyone knelt and bowed.

    "This¡­ is ufortable¡­" she whispered.

    "I know your feeling," Ovior whispered back.

    Veronica smiled at the elves and gave them a light bow in response. She waved her hand toward the children who curiously stared at her.

    They walked through the crowd and saw a carriage waiting for them.

    The soldiers guarding the carriage bowed to her and said, "His Majesty the King sent his regards."

    "They must have brought the carriage for you," Urs told her.

    "That''s so nice of him. I should thank him," Veronica said. "Why don''t I go to the castle first?"

    One of the soldiers said, "His Majesty the King said that you need to rest after the long journey. After that, you can meet him anytime."

    "Is that so¡­? All right," Veronica agreed.

    She got in the carriage and Ovior followed her. He was wearing a green cloak just like Urs and the rest. That''s why the elves didn''t suspect anything.

    While Urs and hisrades walked beside the carriage, Veronica waved her hand toward the crowd.

    "These people are something else," Ovior murmured.

    "You don''t say," Veronica let out a deep breath. "I never liked this kind of attention. It makes me tired."

    "Normally, the king would want to see his guest. This king is different," Oviormented.

    "He is," Veronica couldn''t agree more. "To tell you the truth, I''m scared of him. I can''t read him at all."

    "That'' makes me interested," Ovior said.

    He looked outside the window and asked Urs, "Can I meet your father?"

 Chapter 522 HIDING OVIOR

    Chapter 522 HIDING OVIOR

    "Can I meet your father?"

    Urs looked like he heard the most impossible question.

    He crudely stared at Ovior. Then, he looked at the front, without bothering to answer.

    "I guess not," Ovior muttered.

    "We will do our best to hide your presence," Veronica promised.

    "I don''t think you can," Ovior mentioned. "The Elvish soldiers already noticed my presence."

    Veronica was stunned. "Did they? They didn''t say anything. Their expressions also didn''t change."

    Ovior pointed out, "Just because their expressions didn''t change, doesn''t mean they didn''t notice."

    Veronica still had a hard time believing it. She said, "I know they are sharp but how did they notice? I made you wear an Elvish cloak and I added some mushy paste on your skin so that they can''t smell you."

    "Perhaps they sensed my mana," Ovior guessed. "We can''t underestimate their senses."

    "We shouldn''t." Veronica shook her head. "They are the best warriors you can ever find. I wonder if Elves and wizards ever fight who will win."

    Ovior stared at her. "Why? Just why would you think about war?"

    Veronica shrugged. "I wasn''t. I was just wondering."

    "Don''t, please. We already lost so many lives. I''m not ready to be wiped out yet."

    Ovior was exhausted just thinking about the word ''war''.

    "It''s not that I want to pick a fight," Veronica said. "I wonder why you think that you will lose."

    Ovior replied, "That''s because we just had a war with the witches. It will take us time to recover. Although the Elves are physically strong, we know nothing much about them. "They know about us more than we do because they were spying on us. We are also not as secretive as them. They will beat us in logic and strategy. "Well, that''s what I think. I''m sure if Arthur ever wants to fight the elves, he will have a n ready."

    "I will do my best to prevent that war," Veronica said. She also believed if it was her husband, he would definitelye up with something. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    When they reached their destination, they found a beautiful elf was waiting for them.

    He bowed and greeted them, "Wee, sacred Dragon''s blood and Your Highness the Second Prince. I''ve been waiting."

    "Thank you for your warm wee, Juv," Urs brightly smiled at him and gave him a warm hug.

    "You have be fatter," the man called ''Juv'' jokingly teased him.

    "I becamezy," Ursughed in response. "It''s not to hard to guard someone sacred you see."

    He looked at Veronica and introduced him to her, "Veronica, he is Juvelius, the second-inmand. When I''m not here, hemands the rest of the army."

    "That''s amazing. It''s an honor to meet you, Juvelius."

    Veronica gave him a slight bow.

    Juvelius hurriedly said, "Oh, no, you mustn''t bow to me. I''m your servant. The honor of meeting you is all mine."

    Veronica firmly stated, "I have no servant. I don''t need any servants. I do wish to have friends. If you want to be one, I''d be very happy."

    "That would be my wildest dream, Your Holiness" saying Juvelius took her arm and kissed on the back of her hand.

    "Juvelius, call me Veronica if you want to be my friend."

    Juvelius smiled. He already started liking Veronica.

    He replied, "I will try. Pleasee this way. By His Majesty''s order, we have prepared a room for you."

    "Please show me the way," Veronica responded.

    He took her in front of a gigantic tree. Inside the tree was an elegant but simple room.

    There was a bed in the middle of the room, a reading table and a chair beside the window. There was a wooden shelf to keep clothes and books. All the furniture was made of wood.

    Veronica looked around and couldn''t helpplimenting, "This is perfect. Thank you so much."

    "I''m d it suits your taste," Juvelius was relieved.

    "It does," Veronica pressed. "This style suits my taste."

    Juvelius politely replied, "It''s wonderful how your taste matches us. Are you sure you are not an elf?"

    "Since you are settled, have some rest. We will meet my father tomorrow after breakfast," Urs said.

    "Okay," Veronica agreed. She looked behind Urs. Ovior was not there.

    ''Could he be with other members since he couldn''te with me?'' she wondered.

    "You know that you have to prepare another room, right?" she whispered to Urs.

    "Nothing to worry about. My house is big enough to fit a group," Urs assured her.

    Only then Veronica rxed. After Urs left, there was only one person with her.

    "So," Juvelius mentioned, "are you sure that you can revive her? Your friend I mean."

    "¡­"

    Veronica stared at him without speaking.

    Juvelius said, "Please, no need to be suspicious. Urs, my friend, told me about your circumstances. He told me to help you as much as I can."

    When she heard it, Veronica let her guard down.

    "I''m d to hear that. Please, help me however you can. I need it."

    "And¡­ your friend¡­"

    "I can''t be certain." Veronica''s voice was filled with uncertainty as she replied to his previous question. "But I can only try."

    "Do you think it''s the right thing to do?"

    "Bringing back life from the dead, it''s against the rules. I know that. But what can I do? I can''t just sit around and live a wonderful life knowing my friend died and it was part of my fault. I can never bear that guilt."

    "You don''t care about the consequences, do you?"

    "I do but as I said - I can''t bear the guilt. Call me selfish if you want." "I can never do that," Juvelius replied. "There is nothing to be called ''selfish''. The Holiness can never be wrong. If you choose to do it, it means it''s the right thing to do."

    "Oh, I''m not always right," Veronica denied his im. "I was wrong many times. I keep making mistakes."

    Juvelius disapproved by saying, "That''s not true. Everything you call ''a mistake'' is an opportunity for you to do something right ¨C that''s what we, the Elves, believe. We also think you can never be wrong and we want to stick with it.

    "Even though you broke our rules, we still believe what you did was the right thing to do."

    "What rule did I break?"

 Chapter 523 WHAT SHE CAN DO

    523 WHAT SHE CAN DO

    "Even though you broke our rules, we still believe what you did was the right thing to do."

    Confused, Veronica asked, "What rule did I break?"

    "Like bringing a human into ournd," Juvelius cooly pointed it out.

    Veronica''s heart skipped a bit. "You¡­"

    Juvelius chuckled. "Please don''t think no one noticed."

    "Everyone did?"

    "Everyone except the ones who didn''t learn to fight."

    "It means all the soldiers. Why didn''t you mention it before? Is it because you believe what I did was the right thing to do?"

    "It can be. Also, since it''s you, the Holiness aka the sacred Dragon''s Blood, it''s not us who can say anything to you. The only person who can say anything is His Majesty the King."

    "Are you going to tell him?"

    "No, we don''t care what you do. No one will report anything about you to him."

    "But then¡­"

    "Please don''t make a mistake by thinking we will burn him alive. Even His Majesty the King won''t be upset with you. The reason we are elves is because we drank the dragon''s blood. We owe Him, the scared Dragon. And you are carrying His blood. To us, you are like a living God."

    Veronica thought for a moment and then asked, "Since I am the ''living God'', I can do whatever I want here?"

    "Yes," Juvelius confirmed. "If this is ournd, then it means thisnd also belongs to you."

    "So, basically, I''m the ruler of this realm."

    "You have all the power to rule but you are not the ruler yet."

    "Thank you for all the information. I''m d you talked to me about this."

    Veronica felt a unique emotion. She was never a power-hungry person but she had the urge to do an experiment on them. However, she held herself back.

    "I''m d I could help you out. If you need anything, please let me know," Juvelius humbly said. "I live in the next tree."

    "I will, thank you."

    After he left, Veronica took a bath while humming veronica song and then changed her clothes. She wore a light blue colored velvet dress with silver designs on it. She tied her hair and looked in the mirror to check for thest time before heading out.

    Six guards were guarding her tree. They bowed when they saw her. She smiled at them and went to Urs'' house.

    Someone opened the door. It was Urs. He also changed his clothes. He was delighted to see her.

    "Did youe to see me?" he asked.

    Veronica felt embarrassed. "Is Ovior here?" she asked.

    Urs stopped smiling. "I can''t believe you came to meet him," he said. He let here inside and she spotted Ovior beside the window, sitting on a couch and reading a book. "What are you reading?" she asked him. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Ovior closed the book and raised his head.

    He said, "Ah, you are finally here. Come and see what I found."

    "What did you find?"

    Veronica sat beside him and took the book from him.

    She read loudly, "The Constitution of the Holy Realm¡­? You mean the Elvish realm?"

    "Yes, have you ever read it? It mighte in handy."

    "Why would I read it? I don''t n to stay here. Besides, I have the dragon''s blood. If I want, I can be a king here to rule thisnd. I can make rules by myself and no one will argue with me."

    "Don''t act all high and mighty," Ovior became his usual ''teacher'' self. "Without knowledge, you are nothing."

    Veronica crossed her arm and challengingly said, "Fine, but I must tell you, no matter what I do, the elves think I''m right. In other words, I can never be wrong."

    "She is right," Urs stated. "How dare you speak to her like that? Be respectful or I will kick you out of ournd."

    Ovior coldly replied, "I don''t care how you treat her but to me she is the Mistress of the Magic Tower. As her tutor, it is my duty to teach her the basics things she need to learn for being veronica Mistress."

    Urs clenched his jaw and red at him.

    He started, "You are¡­"

    "Hold on, I know what I should do now. You don''t have to argue. Ovior, control yourself when you stay here because these people won''t tolerate this kind of behavior toward me.

    "And Urs, he is my teacher who teaches me. Please, try to understand."

    Only after Veronica came forward, they stopped.

    12:32

    Urs shot daggers at Ovior with his eyes while leaving the living room.

    Only after Veronica came forward, they stopped.

    Urs shot daggers at Ovior with his eyes while leaving the living room.

    Veronica let out a deep sigh. She looked at Ovior and said, "Anyway, the reason I came here is because I want to discuss something."

    "What is it?" Ovior inquired.

    "I think we should let the Elvish King know that you are here," Veronica suggested. "Hiding you won''t solve anything. You might face dangerter on."

    "I don''t mind meeting that king of yours. I''m here to keep an eye on you anyway," Ovior shrugged as he didn''t care. "Did Arthur contact you?"

    Veronica frowned, stating the obvious, "How''s he going to contact me? We can''t use magic here."

    "You still have your magicalmunication device, don''t you?"

    "Yes, what of it?"

    "It''s already a magical artifact," Ovior exined. "You don''t have to use magic tomunicate with him."

    Veronica''s eyes widened in surprise. The corners of her lips rose higher.

    "Is it? Why didn''t you say so earlier?!"

    "You never asked. I just got curious and asked you." Afterward, Ovior proposed an idea, "Listen, if anything happens to me, you need to contact him as soon as possible."

    "Even if I do, he can''t do anything. He doesn''t know how to get inside the portal. He doesn''t even know where the portal is!"

    "That''s not necessarily true¡­"

    Ovior didn''t mention anything else.

    ---------

    Later, in the evening, Urs went to the pce.

    Two gigantic doors opened as he stood in front of them. The throne room came to his view.

    He stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

    "Your Majesty," he greeted, "have you been well?"

 Chapter 524 THE CALL

    524 THE CALL

    "Your Majesty," he greeted, "have you been well?"

    A long shiny silver hair glistened from the throne. The owner of the attractive hair looked down at the visitor.

    "My son," he said, "you did a great job bringing our Great Dragon''s blood back to ournd. She belongs here. You made me proud."

    Urs lowered his head. "I thank you, Your Majesty." He licked his lips and added, "However, Veronica didn''te here to stay."

    A subtle crease formed on the space between the eyebrows of the dignified Elven King. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "What do you mean to say?" he demanded.

    Urs could feel his heart was shaking.

    "My King, she is very much happy in the Human Realm."

    "Son, you don''t mean that she will live better in the Human Realm than here."

    "I firmly believe that she will have the best life here in thisnd. She belongs here. However, she will be the happiest if she lives there."

    "¡­"

    The Elven King stared at him while hiding his thoughts.

    Urs waited patiently.

    A momentter, the Elven King asked, "What made you think she would be the happiest there?"

    "She¡­ is married there."

    m!

    The left wooden handle of the throne broke from the strong force that came from the Elven King''s hand.

    "She is creating a family in the Human Realm with another human?"

    "Yes¡­ My King¡­"

    "Ridiculous," the Elven King dered.

    Urs was amazed that his father was able to control his voice. Elves were known for their mild temperament. They show their anger only through action. Even so, Urs was worried about his father bursting out in anger since not having Veronica in the Elvish Realm would be a great loss. It wasn''t often that a blessed child would be born. Even if they were born, they woulde to the Elvish Realm because it was the safest ce for them. It would be humiliating for the Elven King if Veronica would be happier in the Human Realm than here. Didn''t that make him a bad host?

    The Elven King calmly inquired, "Which human she is married to? Get him here."

    ''This is bad,'' Urs thought.

    "He¡­ is the Master of the Magic Tower," he revealed.

    There was a long silence.

    Urs was waiting when he heard, "I want to meet the carrier of the Great Dragon''s blood. Send her in tomorrow."

    "¡­Yes, Your Majesty," Urs bowed and then left.

    ''That was unexpected,'' he thought.

    He went straight to Veronica''s ce but he found the house empty. Then, he went to his ce and spotted her with Ovior.

    "Urs, you are finally here," Veronica saw him and spoke. "I was going to ask you something. I think we should take Ovior to the pce when I go to meet him."

    Urs elegantly sat on a chair and replied, "That''s not possible. He sought an audience with you but I ask you to be level-headed when you meet him."

    Veronica became alert and asked, "Did something happen?"

    "He asked me whom you married to the point you wanted to live in the Human Realm, I answered him truthfully. He¡­ doesn''t like people who break the tabu."

    "The tabu is the blessed child marrying the magician," Ovior concluded.

    He could guess easily since he watched the elves showing vignce when they found out Veronica was married to a magician. He looked at Veronica and told her, "The King might try to stop you from leaving this ce. What will you do?"

    Veronica frowned.

    "I don''t like being forced," she replied. "I don''t think he will do something like this either. It''s not that I trust him. I will meet him and try to find out what he is thinking. Truthfully, my personal life is none of his business."

    "Well said."

    At night, Veronica went back to her room and used themunication magic stone to call for Arthur.

    Arthur almost answered immediately. "Nica." He was relieved to see her face and smiled at her.

    "Have you been well?" he eagerly asked.

    Veronica stared at his face that popped out of the magical stone and replied softly, "I am. How have you been?"

    "Busy," Arthur''s voice carried frustration. "Ovior left me tons of work."

    "Now you know how he felt," Veronica chuckled. "He is enjoying his vacation."

    "I want to be jealous but I''m not."

    "You shouldn''t. He deserves his break and you need to work."

    "Are things going well in your end?"

    "I¡­don''t know. I haven''t met their King yet. He found out that I''m married to you. Urs is worried that something might happen."

    Arthur stayed silent for some time and then asked, "Do you want me to gather the army?"

    Veronica knitted her eyebrows.

    "We can''t do that," she replied. "The magicians are yet to recoverpletely. I''ve healed them physically, that''s true but think about their mental health. "They are not ready for another war, Arthur. We won''t be able to win against the elves like that. I don''t even want a war against them. "We need to show them that you are not a threat to me. I will do my very best to persuade him."

    Arthur pondered after what she said.

    "Call for me if anything happens," he said. "I''lle to get you as soon as I get a signal from you."

    "I will do that."

    "Has Ovior''s identity be exposed?"

    "How do you know? Did Ovior contact you?"

    "If I were you, I wouldn''t underestimate them. You have seen them fighting, did you not?"

    Veronica became quiet after realizing her stupidity.

    She rubbed her temple and said, "I will go to bed. I''m tired. You need to sleep too. Rest properly. Don''t overwork like Ovior."

    "I won''t."

    "And Arthur?"

    "What is it?"

    "I love you."

    The confession came from the bottom of her heart. It hadn''t been a week. Nheless, she missed him terribly.

    Arthur was stunned. It wasn''t easy for Veronica to confess. He knew it and he also knew that she wouldn''t always express her emotions so verbally.

    His heart softened like the soil that got the touch of rainfall.

    He softly uttered, "I love you more."

    Veronica stared at his face intently with a beautiful and satisfied smile hanging on her lips.

    She replied back, "I love you most."

    ------

    The next day, Veronica faced the Elven King.

    Everyone might be wondering what am I doing when I have summer vacation.

    Working 9 am to 9 pm, also with the mentqal patient. When I go home, I just die without setting the rm. I also moved to another house while working. Working for 2 weeks without a break.

    Finally, today 25 June 2023, my eyes lost their innocence as I saw penis for the first time in my life (directly). I thought I might startughing or say ''eww'' in disgust but I was too busy cleaning poop so didn''t think of it much. I need to tell my office that I don''t want to work for male patients. Working as a CareGiver sure is a tough job.

    25.06.2023

    Flow07

 Chapter 525 MEETING THE ELVEN KING

    525 MEETING THE ELVEN KING

    There was a gigantic tree in the middle of the Imperial Vige. This was where the Elven King resided with his family. The tree was said to be over a thousand years old and its branches reached high into the sky, casting a shadow over the entire vige. The Elven King was known for his wisdom and fair rule, the strongest elf alive. Many sought his counsel on matters of great importance. The tree itself was considered sacred by the elves, and it was believed to possess magical powers that could bless the good souls. The vigers often gathered around the tree to celebrate festivals and hold important ceremonies. The Elven King''s family lived in a grand pce that was built from the trunk of the tree, with rooms that stretched up towards the canopy above.

    The entrance of the majestic pce started with giant doors. An ancientnguage was written on the door with a unique design.

    The soldiers saw Veronicaing with Urs, their second prince. They bowed to show respect and then opened the door for them.

    As they swung open, Urs and Veronica entered the pce.

    Veronica marveled at the intricate carvings on the walls and ceilings, which depicted scenes from ancient elven mythology. Despite its grandeur, however, there was an air of peace and tranquility about the Imperial Pce that made it feel like a haven from the outside world. It was as if time had stood still here, in this magical world.

    The pce itself was a marvel of architecture, with soaring pirs and intricate mosaics adorning every surface. Inside, the halls were lined with priceless works of art and ancient artifacts, each one imbued with the rich history of the elven people. The Imperial Family resided in the heart of the pce, surrounded by opulent furnishings and luxurious amenities. But despite their wealth and power, they remained humble and dedicated to serving their people.

    When they entered the throne room, Veronica spotted the Elven Lords lined up in front of her and bowed deeply. She looked ahead and saw the Elven King sitting on the throne, patiently waiting for her.

    Veronica stared at him in a daze. He could be the father of Urs but he looked young. He was wearing a long silver top that touched his ankle. His muscles were invisible but anyone could guess that he was hiding a strong body beneath his silver top. His white hair fell on his shoulders. A wooden crown was fixed on the top of his head. His blue eyes sparkled with knowledge. His pale skin, sharp jaw, slender neck, curved corbone ¨C everything made him look attractive.

    His appearance looked simple but divine and morous at the same time.

    "Your Majesty, the Wisest King of Elven Realm, we, the second prince of Imperial Vige and the carrier of the blood of the Great Dragon greet you."

    Urs announced and bowed deeply while Veronica slightly lowered her head.

    "Rise," The Elven King said.

    Veronica and Urs straightened their backs. Her eyes were fixed on the wisest elf.

    The Elven King continued, "The descendent of the Great Dragon, I, Erestor Culn¨¢mo, the wisest ruler of the Woond, wee you."

    His blue eyes were shining and dominating, trying to pressure Veronica with his presence and knowledge. His gaze was unbearable. It shook Veronica''s heart. However, she stubbornly stared at him, didn''t want to lower her gaze and admit defeat.

    She replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty. It is an honor to be in your presence."

    The Elven King said in return, "The honor is all mine, the descendent of the Great Dragon. We have been waiting for a millennium and the time hase. We are delighted to have you in our holynd. I hope you feel at home in ournd."

    Veronica was being formal in front of him unlike she was with others. She had a feeling that she shouldn''t act humble in his presence. She needed to show her stance and let him know that she couldn''t be easily manipted.

    She said, "Your Majesty knows me well even though it''s the first time we have met. No wonder everyone admires you for being the wisest. Yes, this ce feels like a home to me. If I ever get tired of my home, I will surelye and stay here."

    The corners of King Erestor Culn¨¢mo''s lips raised ever so slightly because of her ttery.

    He stated, "I''m delighted to hear that. I''ve heard from my son that you have created a family in the Human Realm." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "That is correct, Your Majesty."

    "I''m surprised. With everything going on around you, when did you have time to meet a man."

    "He is the one who has supported and protected me the most when I was in danger."

    "Is this the reason you have turned into a dragon?"

    "¡­"

    Veronica stayed quiet to hear what he had to say.

    "By all means, I''m grateful that you have turned into a dragon and showed your authority and power. All I want to know is that you are safe and sound being under the magicians."

    "You have misunderstood, Your Majesty."

    "Please, borate," the Elven King proposed.

    "I''m not trying to show my authority or power, nor am I under the magicians. I turned into a dragon to protect myself and the people I care about. "I''m living in the Magic Tower because I simply want to. I don''t need anyone''s protection. No one is forcing me to do what I want."

    Veronica cleared the misunderstanding he had about her. She didn''t wish for anyone to see her as a weak blessed child who was here to get protection. She wanted to show that she was powerful enough to do her duty as a human, not a blessed child.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo calmly stared at her when she spoke.

    Afterward, he said, "A person who doesn''t need protection and yet ready to protect others is a warrior in our holynd. What you have aplished so far has made us proud. "Thisnd has been your home since the day you were born. It will be your home even after you die. You are wee toe here anytime you want without anyone''s permission. We treat you like a god and I hope you grant us our wishes like a god."

    Veronica asked, "¡­What wishes, Your Majesty?"

 Chapter 526 THE PURPOSE OF VISIT

    Chapter 526 THE PURPOSE OF VISIT

    Veronica''s heart was pounding. She didn''t know if he was going to say something that could start a war. She kept her expression under control and stayed, "Unlike what you think of me, I''m simply a human. I''m not someone who has the power to grant a wish. "However, if it''s within my humane capability, I will surely try. If you don''t mind me asking¡­ what wishes, Your Majesty?"

    The Elven King stared at her. Amused by her answer, he remarked, "It is surely within your capability. I know how humane you are and what''s possible and impossible by humans."

    ''Is he upset? When I said those words, I didn''t mean to insult his brain,'' Veronica thought.

    Before she could say something, the Elven King continued, "I have not been angered by you if that''s what you are worried about."

    "¡­"

    Veronica was speechless.

    The Elven King said, "Anyway, what I want I will ask youter on. Let''s talk about you. As much as I''m delighted that you havee here, I want to know the purpose of your visit. Surely, you didn''te here for a leisure visit."

    Veronica replied, "You heard correctly, Your Majesty. I havee here to read the scrolls of the Forbidden Section." The other Elven Lords attentively listened to the conversation between their king and the blessed child. When they heard her reason for visiting this ce, they didn''t makemotion. They simply exchanged meaningful nces.

    "So I have heard," the Elven King replied. "There is a reason I gave you the key as a congrattory gift."

    "I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Veronica didn''t lie. She really meant when she thanked him.

    "Nheless," the Elven King continued, "I want to know the true purpose of visiting the Forbidden Section of the library."

    ''So, Urs didn''t tell him my purpose for the visit,'' she thought. ''That''s a wise decision. I don''t think anyone will like the idea of bringing the dead back.''

    "I want to know the reason why people are interested in me," she tactfully answered. "It simply cannot be my healing power. There should be more to it.

    "Moreover, I''ve turned into a dragon and I have no control over my power. When I came back to my senses, I couldn''t remember anything. "I need to know what else I can do and how I can control my powers. If only I have enough knowledge about myself then I know how to save myself from my enemy."

    Her reasons seemed logical. The Elven Lords didn''t suspect her. On the contrary, they were inwardly satisfied with her reason for reading the books.

    However, King Erestor Culn¨¢mo didn''t seem to be too impressed by what she just said. He told her, "What you have said is admirable. Nheless, you don''t need the Forbidden Section to learn more about you."

    ''Why is he so persistent? Did he realize that I''m lying?'' Veronica pondered.

    She said, "I don''t know if you have misunderstood something, Your Majesty. I did say that I want to know whatever information there is about my existence. "It doesn''t matter what it is. I need to know what I am capable of and why humans want to use me."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo didn''t pester her about books. He changed the subject.

    He inquired, "You know the danger of living in the Human Realm and you still want to live there?"

    She answered, "Yes, that''s my home and I feel at ease to live in the ce where I have my loved ones."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo raised his chin.

    "With so much danger. Are you prepared for the consequences?"

    Veronica was slightly irritated by the question. However, she didn''t lose control of her emotions.

    She voiced her opinion, "With all due respect, Your Majesty, I don''t see the problem. Whenever I had any problem, my friends and I dealt with it together. "Not even once I sought manpower from you. If you ask me, it''s the Elves who got involved in the Human Realm in the first ce. "If it wasn''t for them interfering with mynd, I wouldn''t have known that they existed."

    The Elven Lords who heard her defense cleared their throats. Urs also lowered his gaze, not being able to look at her.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo squinted his sharp eyes and stared at her for a couple of seconds.

    Afterward, he said, "I understand your viewpoint. Very well. You can gain as much knowledge as you want. You are the descendent of the Great Dragon. You are wee to our library at any time."

    "Thank you, Your Majesty."

    After the audience with the Elven King had ended, Urs and Veronica came out of the Imperial Tree.

    Veronica looked around and found no one around. Only after that did she wipe her forehead.

    "Why do I feel so hot?" sheined.

    "You did better than I expected. It''s not easy to stay calm and confront my father," Urs was full of praise.

    "You are giving me way too much credit. Believe me, the pressure I felt when I was in front of him my legs would have shaken up if I wasn''t prepared. Ahh¡­"

    "What happened?"

    "I forgot to mention about Ovior. Ipletely forgot about it! How could I?!"

    As Veronicamented, Urs patted her back. "We believe, whatever happens, it''s all for good. Maybe it''s for the best," heforted her.

    "Are you sure about that?" Veronica looked at him.

    Urs only smiled.

    "Sure about what?"

    They heard a familiar annoying voice.

    Veronica turned around and confronted the person.

    "Look who it is," she said.

    "You don''t seem happy to see me," the personmented.

    "Should I be?" Veronica raised an eyebrow while asking. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "I thought we were friends!" The person eximed.

    ''As if!'' She wanted to scream what her inner voice was saying. "Why are you here, Dastan?" she asked.

    "This is my home. Of course I would be here. Congrattions on being a dragon, Veronica. And please, call me Aeolus here."

    "I don''t want to," Veronica immediately refused.

    Dastan stared at her for a while and then asked, "Is it just me or you have be feistier?"

 Chapter 527 THE LIBRARY

    Chapter 527 THE LIBRARY

    "Is it just me or you have be feistier?"

    Veronica asked him back, "Is it just me or do you behave more like a human than an elf?"

    "Isn''t it because you are a human? Wouldn''t it be a bit weird if I spoke like an elf in front of you? I thought you would like it if I spoke like a human."

    "I don''t like your very existence! You tried to kidnap me!"

    "You still remember that? Oh well, if you know now, this ce is way safer for you."

    "That''s for me to judge. Now, go to your house. Don''t bother me anymore."

    Saying her mind, Veronica turned around and left.

    Urs followed her. Before he left, he looked at Dastan. Noticing Urs watching him vigntly, Dastan smirked. Veronica aimlessly walked toward the river and muttered, "I hate that guy."

    "Why do you dislike him so much?" Feeling curious, Urs asked. "He kidnapped you a long time ago. Are you still holding a grudge because of that?"

    "No, but something about him always gets on my nerves. Just his very existence makes me mad. I don''t know why."

    "Be careful around him," Urs warned her in a light tone.

    "I am careful!" Veronica eximed.

    "That''s not what I mean." Urs exined, "He is goofing off in front of you but he might be scheming behind your back."

    "So, he is that kind of person. I should have known better."

    "That''s not it. He is the firstborn. Our father loves him very much because, in some way, they are very much alike. He is going to take the throne one day. If he is not cunning, he won''t be able to rule this realm."

    Veronica sneered, "With his attitude, he will only cause war, nothing more."

    Urs chuckled. He was amused by her negativity toward his eldest brother.

    He said, "Believe it or not, all the peace talkes from his mouth."

    Veronica sneered, "All fake. I don''t believe a word thates from his mouth."

    Ursmented, "You surely get worked up when ites to him."

    "Do I? I don''t think so!" Veronica refused to ept his theory.

    "You do. You didn''t even realize that you are speaking loudly," Urs pointed out.

    Veronica covered her mouth and scanned their surroundings.

    "Fret not. No one is around," Urs eased her worry.

    "Was I truly speaking too loud?" she whispered.

    "Loud enough. If it was another person, they would think you like Aeolus."

    "Eww! This is an insult to my husband!"

    Veronica shivered in disgust.

    "Do you want to stay here or go to the library?"

    "Library!"

    "I will show you the way."

    Urs walked forward and Veronica followed him from behind.

    They walked for around twenty minutes.

    When she opened her mouth toin, Urs announced, "We are here."

    Veronica was confused. She scanned the area. It only looked like a huge orchard. "Where?" she asked.

    "This is the library," Urs told her.

    "I only see big trees. Is the library invisible?"

    "We are standing inside the library."

    Veronica didn''t want to argue with him. "All right," she said, "show me the library please since it''s invisible in my eyes. I''m ready for the Elvish spell."

    She imagined if she used the key, the ancient library would be visible. All the walls and bookshelves would be visible.

    Urs softly smiled. He pointed at the trees.

    He told her, "All these trees are the bookshelves and the leaves are the scrolls you are looking for."

    Veronica''s jaw dropped. "These small leaves?! Can I even read what''s in there?!"

    She touched a leaf and it came out of the branch.

    "Oh no!" She gasped. "I tore it from the tree."

    "it''s okay, you can put it back¡­. Like this¡­"

    Urs demonstrated by taking the leaf from her hand and putting it back by attaching it to the branch. The leaf attached to the branch on its own. No one would know if it was torn or not.

    Veronica stared at the leaf as of she just learned a magic spell.

    Urs took another leaf and sped his fingers around it. The leaf glowed inside her palm and turned into a green scroll.

    Afterward, he handed it to her and said, "This is how you read it. Once you are done reading it, the scroll will automatically turn into veronica leaf. So, don''t even think about stop reading until you finish it."

    "This is amazing, Urs."

    She had no other word to describe this world. The Elven Realm showed her something that human magic could never do. There was so much she didn''t know about them and every time she discovered something, it marveled her. ''There is no way Arthur can win against them without knowing what they are capable of,'' she pondered.

    She took the scroll from Urs'' hand and read the title.

    The Chosen One

    "Did you know," Urs started, "you are the one we call ''the Chosen One'' because you were chosen by the Great Dragon. And my father was chosen by the Great Dragon''s opponent. "My father is known as the wisest ruler. His name, Erestor Culn¨¢mo, means bravest and wisest. You are each other''s opponents. This is why he tried to create pressure on you. But it didn''t seem like you were affected by it."

    "Is this how it is?!"

    Veronica was surprised. She didn''t know there was a deep meaning behind her meeting with the Elven King.

    "He went easy on you," Urs said. "He must have realized that there is no point in making a dragon angry," Veronica joked. "I am happy that he didn''t pick a fight with me or else I wouldn''t know what to do."

    Urs stated, "He isn''t a child. He will test you one day. Be prepared for it. And if you want to know how to defeat him, you need to read this scroll. It has all the information you need to understand why you are the chosen person and not someone else."

    "I''m curious to know what''s in there!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Veronica unrolled the scroll.

    --------

    In the meantime, Dastan met his father.

 Chapter 528 THE MALICE

    Chapter 528 THE MALICE

    The Imperial Tree ~

    The soldiers bowed when they saw Dastaning.

    When the doors were opened, he entered the throne room.

    "Father, I''vee to greet you."

    He respectfully bowed.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo was pleased to see his firstborn.

    "What brings you here, Aeolus?" he asked.

    "I was curious to know why you went easy on her."

    "She is not as weak as you have described. I was pleased with her attitude. She wasn''t the weak person I thought she was. She is a worthy descendent."

    "Is this the only reason? But she won''t be staying in thisnd after she is done with her purpose."

    "My son, you seem to be infatuated with her."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo raised his child. He knows his son more than anyone.

    "That''s not the point¡­"

    Dastan denied his father''s im. Whatever he felt, he didn''t want to express it.

    "She is married," the Elven King disclosed.

    "She is¡­ what?!"

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo could understand his son''s emotions. He was also astounded when he heard the news. After all, a blessed child marrying was unheard of.

    "There is no way you can be with her when she is already married."

    Dastan couldn''t help but ask, "How do you know? Whom did she marry?"

    The Elven King answered, "Your brother informed me yesterday. I was as surprised as you are. Apparently, she is married to a wizard."

    "A wizard?" Dastan frowned. He took a trip down to memoryne and a face appeared in his mind.

    !!!

    When his expression changed, King Erestor Culn¨¢mo asked, "What is it, my son?"

    Dastan told him, "If she married the person I know, then she might be in grave danger."

    "Even if she is, she will figure it out on her own."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo was beingid back which was unusual. His attitude made Dastan confused. "If that''s what she wants, let her embrace it."

    "Father, I know you are thinking of something. May I know what it is?"

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo closed his eyes and smiled. He said mysteriously, "You will find out soon, my son."

    --------

    "You took your time," Oviorined the moment Veronica came back. "I was worried sick about you. How did the audience go with the king?"

    Veronica answered, "It was okay but I forgot to mention your presence. Now, all we have to do is to hide you here until I''m done with my task here."

    "You must have been under pressure if you have forgotten my existence," Oviormented after hearing the whole story.

    "I''m d you weren''t present. He isn''t easy to fool. He is known for his wise decision. I can only hope he will let everything slide."

    "Did you find the book you were looking for?"

    "No, Urs gave me this scroll. I will finish reading it first. I can take only one scroll at a time."

    Veronica took out a scroll from her bag and showed it to him.

    Curious, Ovior asked, "Can I take a look?"

    "Sure." She handed it to him.

    Ovior unrolled the scroll and read aloud, "The Chosen One? Is this scroll about you?"

    "Yes, I told the Elven King that I want to know the reason for my existence and the history of it. To fool him, I chose the first scroll as this one. Whatever scroll I take, there will be a record. That''s why I have to be vignt."

    "All right," Ovior agreed.

    "What were you doing all day?" Veronica asked him.

    "Painting, reading books and sleeping," he answered.

    "No wonder Arthur is jealous of your life now," shemented. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "He was the one who was enjoying his life for years. I''m only giving him his own medicine back."

    "Enjoy your holidays. I will finish this scroll by tonight. How''s Cathy holding? Did you check up on her?"

    Veronica and Ovior carried Cathy''s frozen body with them since she was going to revive her from the dead. Her body was in Ovior''s care. He was keeping her body frozen with his magic.

    Ovior answered, "My power is limited here. I cannot use any magic spell here. Fortunately, the magical stones I brought are working quite well. But they will run out their power soon. "I suggest you get the scroll in two days. If you can''t revive her in three days, I''m afraid I can''t keep her frozen anymore. Her body will start to rot."

    Veronica''s body shuddered. She clenched the scroll that was in her hand.

    "I will find the scroll in two days," she promised.

    --------

    Late night, she was reading the scroll when someone knocked on the door.

    Knock! Knock!

    Veronica stood up and opened the door.

    The moment she saw the person who was in front of her door, her expression changed. Almost immediately she tried to shut the door.

    The uninvited guest said, "Wait, hold on. You cannot shut the door over my face! I''m the future king!"

    Veronica had only one sentence waiting for that person. "Go away!"

    "Shouldn''t you treat me to some food as a host?" he shamelessly asked.

    Dastan didn''t care how unwee the host was. He slipped inside and sat on the nearby chair.

    "Shouldn''t you treat me to some food as a host?" he shamelessly asked.

    "Why should I? I didn''t invite you. Get out!"

    Veronica was furious. Her pale chicks had tints of redness.

    Dastan saw her rigidly standing beside the door and said, "You don''t have to be so guarded. I''m not here to bother you."

    Veronica said, "You are bothering my sleeping time."

    "I saw the lights were on. That''s why I came for a chat."

    Dastan looked at the table and found a scroll.

    "Oh, I see you started reading a scroll already."

    He stood up and went closer to the table to check what she was reading.

    "It doesn''t seem like you were lying to my father. You indeed want to know about yourself," hemented.

    "Since you can see I am busy, leave," Veronica pointed at the door.

    Dastan casually said, "Before I go, answer my question."

    Veronica frowned. She couldn''t help but get angrier.

    "Do you even know how to say please?" she sneered.

    "Did you marry Arthur?" Dastan directly questioned her.

    "Why is that any of your business?" Veronica shot back.

    Dastan replied with a grave expression, "Marrying a wizard is already bad for you. Thest thing you need to do is to marry a guy like him."

    "''Him?''" Veronica squinted her eyes. "What kind of guy is ''him''?"

    "He is a person filled with malice, Veronica. You won''t be happy with him. If you marry him, your future is full of darkness."

    "Is that so? Then, I will embrace that darkness and turn it into a light."

    "I''m not trying to deceive you, Veronica. Heed my warning. He has nothing to offer you."

    "My personal life is none of your business."

    "Veronica, you will suffer. I can see malice."

    Dastan already realized that the guy she was married to was none other than who he was afraid of. His heart became heavy just thinking about it.

    He heard her saying, "All my sufferings came from the people I don''t even know. My husband protects me from all the malice of the world."

    He could only sigh.

    He stated, "You don''t know what you are talking about."

    Veronica already had enough of him.

    She told him, "You don''t know me or my family enough to talk about malice with me."

    "See what he did to you? You weren''t like this before. He changed you, didn''t he?"

 Chapter 529 HEATED ARGUMENT

    Chapter 529 HEATED ARGUMENT

    Dastan said, "See what he did to you? You weren''t like this before. He changed you, didn''t he?"

    Veronica shot a re at him. She said, "First of all, you don''t know a thing about me! Second, people change after having new experiences. There are times when people have to make decisions to survive in the harsh world. That''s when they change. They decide to change.

    "I wanted to change. I''m not that na?ve girl you knew I was. I''ve seen things I never imagined seeing. I''ve learned things I never knew of. Above all, I don''t regret my choice. I''m d I did it." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Dastan couldn''t describe the emotions he was having. The more she retaliated, the more restless he had be.

    "You are saying this now because you don''t understand, Veronica. I know you don''t like me because I tried to force you to bring me here. But what I am going to tell you, you must listen."

    Veronica crossed her arms.

    "Why should I?" she demanded. "Just because I will listen to what you have to say doesn''t mean I will obey it."

    "With that guy you married, you are destined to suffer."

    "This again! I told you I don''t want to hear anything about it!"

    Veronica snapped at him. She had never felt this kind of anger before.

    The malice he created with his words was already making her uneasy and that feeling was creeping to her bones. His grave expression only created a grim atmosphere. It made her want to believe whatever he was saying.

    However, Dastan kept going on, "You will continue to suffer until the day you die. You will die quickly and in the most painful way you can possibly imagine. And the one who will be med for it is him¡­"

    "Enough!" Veronica shouted. "Get out of my house immediately. I have tolerated you long enough. I don''t want to see your face ever again."

    Dastan watched her getting aggressive every time he mentioned something negative about Arthur. He couldn''t stand the agitated feeling in his heart.

    He stomped forward and grabbed her arms. Before Veronica could retaliate, he pulled her closer and covered her lips.

    "!!!"

    The unexpectedly sudden attack froze Veronica on the spot. She couldn''t understand what was happening.

    She found herself in his arms all at once and then his face came so close. She couldn''t move her head or her mouth. Her eyes flew open when her lips were roughly nibbled.

    The moment she realized what happened to her, she was bewildered. She was never prepared for something like this and never imagined someone other than her husband could do it to her.

    She tried to push him away but show she was kidding. Her strength was nothingpared to an Elven Prince''s strength.

    Not being about to win against the strength, she chose a different strategy.

    She rxed her body and then opened her mouth to gasp for oxygen. Dastan thought that she was inviting him. Turned on by her action, he inserted his tongue.

    Veronica took this chance and bit his tongue. A metallic taste filled her mouth. With her mouth open, she couldn''t spit it out. It went down to her throat.

    At the same time, Dastan groaned in pain. Astonished by the sudden attack, his body flinched and moved away from her instantly.

    When he looked at her, he saw a pair of angry orbs flickering.

    He heard her saying, "How dare you¡­"

    Unfortunately, she couldn''t speak anymore. She cupped her throat.

    An unimaginable pain was burning her throat.

    Cough! Cough! Cough! Her knees trembled as she couldn''t hold her body weight any longer. Her face twisted in pain and she dropped to the floor.

    However, her situation was getting worse. Her heart was pumping hard and yetcked oxygen. Her blood was boiling as if she was on fire. Her breathing became hard. Her eyes filled up with tears which made her vision go blurry.

    "Veronica?"

    Confused about her sudden change of expression, Dastan came forward to hold her.

    It didn''t matter whether it was a life-or-death situation. Veronica wouldn''t let him touch her. With her left hand, she flung his hands.

    However, her situation was getting worse. Her heart was pumping hard and yetcked oxygen. Her blood was boiling as if she was on fire. Her breathing became hard. Her eyes filled up with tears which made her vision go blurry.

    "Veronica, what happened to you? Are you okay?"

    Veronica stepped back while sitting on the floor. She raised her chin and saw a blurry vision of Dastan.

    Dastan was covering his mouth after he realized something.

    She heard him mumbling, "Could it be¡­"

    She couldn''t hear the rest of the words because she passed out.

    The darkness consumed her.

    Dastan saw her losing consciousness. Regret crept into his heart. He wanted to hold her but he heard noisesing from outside.

    He quickly looked outside the window. He saw Ursing toward the house.

    Urs'' house was closer to this guest house. He was having his dinner when heard some noises from Veronica''s house which he found rather peculiar. The only person she knew well was Ovior, currently residing in his house. She had no reason to talk loudly to bother her neighbors¡­ unless someone was bothering herte at night.

    Just when Urs thought about it, his brother''s face came to his mind.

    ''I hope he isn''t doing anything out of the ordinary,'' he prayed.

    He dropped his food and dashed out of his house. As he headed toward Veronica''s house, he saw a dark shadow jumping out of her window.

    With his sharp eyes, there was no way he wouldn''t recognize his brother. He quickly headed toward the house.

    The front door was open. He entered the house and looked around.

    The house seemed awfully quiet. Urs felt his heart shudder in fear.

    ''Aeolus, you fool! What have you done?!'' he wondered.

    "Veronica, are you here¡­"

    His voice hitched when he saw Veronica lying on the ground,pletely unconscious.

    "Veronica!"

    He carried her to the bed and checked up on her. Her breathing was shallow and her pulse was weak.

    Since he didn''t know what made her like this, he called the guards and the doctor.

    Soon, the guards surrounded her house and the physician came. The physician checked up on her and his face darkened.

    "What happened to her?" Urs asked.

 Chapter 530 THE PERMISSION

    Chapter 530 THE PERMISSION

    "What happened to her?" Urs wanted to know her situation.

    The physician truthfully said, "I cannot say for sure. I haven''t seen this kind of symptom before. I need you to ask someone to get my teacher. He is the most knowledgeable physician I''ve ever known."

    Urs was surprised that the Royal Physician he knew since his birth didn''t know how to deal with Veronica''s symptoms. The teacher he was speaking of was the oldest Royal Physician who retired sixty years ago.

    He inquired, "Where can I find him?"

    The Royal Physician tried to remember, "If I recall correctly, you can find him in the mountains. Thest thing I heard from him was that he was trying to create a unique medicine."

    "I will send someone right away," saying Urs went outside.

    The next day, the oldest physician arrived with Urs'' two soldiers at dawn.

    He had grown old but elves wouldn''t age like humans. He had a few lines on his face and a long white and grey beard. He was wearing sses which were unlikely for elves.

    "Well, well," he gently smiled at Urs and then looked at the girl in the bed, "all my life I knew I could aplish many things but I never thought that I would see the descendent of the Great Dragon. I must have done something heroic in myst life to be able to face someone so glorious. Ho! Ho! Ho!"

    The Royal Physician wasn''t as amused as his teacher was. He said, "Master, I apologize for bringing you here in a short while, but there is something you need to see. I couldn''t find any problem when diagnosing her. I don''t know why she is like this."

    The old physician yed with his long grey bread.

    "Is that so¡­" he muttered.

    He walked closer and checked the patient''s pulse. Without making any expression, he inspected her eyes and tongue.

    "She has blood in her mouth," he announced.

    "Is she vomiting blood?" the Royal Physician inquired.

    "It doesn''t seem like it¡­" The old physician pulled out Veronica''s tongue and examined it. "It doesn''t look like she injured her tongue either. It''s more like¡­ she drank blood."

    "Drink blood?" The Royal Physician frowned. "Why on earth¡­"

    He stopped withoutpleting the sentence. He stole a nce at Urs.

    Urs had a deadpan expression on his face.

    He knew Veronica wouldn''t drink blood. The only conclusion he came up with was his brother.

    "Please excuse me for a while," he said. "I need to talk to my father."

    Afterward, he left the room.

    A silent exchange of looks took ce between the two physicians.

    -----------------

    The Imperial Tree~

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo was having a meeting with the Elven Lords when his aid came and announced that the second prince had something urgent to discuss.

    "Send him in," the Elven King permitted to bring him over.

    Urs came to the throne room and greeted his father.

    "My King, I''vee to report grave news."

    "What happened?"

    "Veronica, the descendant of the Great Dragon, has fallen sick. Her health is deteriorating. The Royal Physician cannot find a clue what has happened. So, we brought the oldest physician back from the mountain. From what he has said, I believe it has something to do with¡­ Aeolus." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo slightly raised an eyebrow. He wasn''t expecting this kind of news first thing in the morning.

    "What do you mean?" he demanded.

    Ursmented, "Last night, I heard some voicesing from her house. I went to check if she was okay. I saw Aeolusing out of the window. Later on, I found her unconscious on the floor."

    The Elven Lords exchanged nces. Without much exnation, they understood the seriousness of the case.

    "My King, we need Aeolus to exin what has happened," Urs shared his opinion. "I need your permission to do so."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo calmly asked, "Are you saying you want to interrogate your own brother?"

    Urs cooled his heart and replied, "Yes."

    "What did the physician say?"

    "He said Veronica drank blood which made her lose consciousness. Her pulse is weak. Her breathing is shallow. Moreover¡­" after a pause, Urs continued, "her blood is boiling."

    After hearing that, the Elven King had no reason not to permit Urs.

    He said, "Fine, bring him in and ask him what he did."

    After getting the king''s order, Urs sent his men to find his brother.

    Fifteen minutester, Aolus'' Vice General was brought in front of the king.

    Urs'' men reported, "My King, we haven''t found the Crown Prince anywhere. Instead, his closest aid was there. We have brought him in for interrogation."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo looked at the Vice General whose hands were only tied with a rope. His head was lowered as though he was guilty of something.

    "Tell me," the Elven King said, "where is the Crown Prince?"

    "My King," Vice General greeted, "I have no information regarding his whereabouts. He hasn''t informed me anything before he left. He left in a rush."

    "When did he leave?" Urs inquired.

    "Last night," the Vice General reported. "Due to his rush, I didn''t have the time to ask him anything. I thought it was urgent."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo tapped his right hand''s index finger on the handle of the throne. His wise blue eyes curved with deep thoughts. The entire throne room was silent. Everyone was prepared to hear what their kind had to say about this hazardous situation.

    He abruptly asked, "Do you think he has fled after harming the descendent of the Great Dragon?"

    "No, My King!" The Vice General answered. "I''ve known him since childhood. He is anything but a coward. He won''t run away from his responsibility."

    "What if your emotions are clouding your judgment?"

    "That''s not possible, My King. I left my emotions behind before I joined the army."

    "Fine, with your proper judgment, try thinking where the Crown Prince might go. Since you know him so well, you might find out where he is. Bring him back before the condition of the descendent of the Great Dragon deteriorates." "¡­Yes, My King!" The Vice General bowed and then left.

    Urs was relieved that his father wasn''t biased toward his son. He ordered his men and follow the Vice General.

    "What now? Should we keep waiting?"

 Chapter 531 WHAT TO DO

    Chapter 531 WHAT TO DO

    "What now? Should we keep waiting?" One of the Elven Lords asked. "What will happen to the descendant of the Great Dragon?"

    "I will ask the physicians to keep her alive any way possible," Urs said.

    While they were discussing the matter, one of Urs'' men who was guarding Veronica came to the throne room. He whispered something to Urs.

    "What''s wrong?" King Erestor Culn¨¢mo inquired.

    "My King, the physicians came up with the reason behind Veronica''s health deterioration," Urs announced.

    "Go and find out," King Erestor Culn¨¢mo ordered.

    "As you wish, My King."

    Urs rushed once again to Veronica''s house. He noticed the physicians both had deep frowns.

    "Why is she having these symptoms?" Urs asked.

    The old physician said, "It''s a bitplicated. Listen well, this youngdy is the descendent of the Great Dragon because she has the dragon''s blood in her veins. "Her greatest enemy is the basilisk and if its blood gets mixed with her dragon blood, it will cause her so much pain that she will be on the verge of death."

    After hearing the exnation, Urs was stunned. His head instantly became clearer.

    He muttered, "Does that mean¡­"

    "I believe you are thinking the same thing as I am thinking. Someone has made her drink basilisk''s blood," the old physician confirmed.

    ''That can''t be,'' Urs thought. ''There is no way she will let Aeolus force her to drink his blood. He must have made her lower her guard¡­ kiss!!''

    The moment he thought of that conclusion, his blood boiled in anger. He was fuming.

    ''He must have kissed her and blood spilled from his mouth and she identally drank it. She must have bitten his lips.''

    "We must find him soon," he murmured.

    If they couldn''t find a cure soon, Veronica could die at any moment. If that happened, what would they do?

    He looked at the physicians and inquired, "Since you know the reason, do you know how to cure her?"

    "Hmm¡­ to my knowledge, there has never been any incident when dragoon and basilisk blood have been mixed," the old physician said.

    Urs and the rest of the elves were disappointed. If they couldn''t find a cure soon, Veronica could die at any moment. If that happened, what would they do?

    After a heavy silence, the Royal Physician opened his mouth.

    He said, "I''ve once heard that human magicians once experimented on a blessed child with basilisk''s blood."

    The old physician and the rest of the elves were astonished by the story.

    "Where on earth did you hear that rumor?" the old physician was baffled.

    The Royal Physician said, "To study more about human medicines, I have gone to the Human Realm before. I went to a country where magicians are popr. I''ve heard the rumor there."

    "What was the experiment about?" Urs pressed.

    The Royal Physician said, "I can''t remember properly. I didn''t hear much. I think it was a failed experiment. It happened thousands of years ago. Once a blessed child was captured by the humans and that''s when the tragedy started. If it wasn''t for that, the blessed children wouldn''t have been hidden from the humans."

    Urs began to sweat. He excused himself from them and went to his ce. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Ovior was restlessly perambting in the house. The moment Urs entered, he asked, "What happened to Veronica? Why did you take so much time toe here?"

    Urs shortly told him everything. The time was limited for Veronica.

    "That bastard! If I get my hands on him¡­" Ovior clenched his fist.

    "You can''t do anything to him since he is the Crown Prince," Urs told him. "However, it will be a great help if you can tell me about an experiment that was done to the blessed child thousands of years ago with basilisk''s blood."

    Ovior closed his eyes, trying to remember. "There was a story about it. It was an experiment that was hidden by the top-ss wizards since it was a top-secret experiment. However, it has indeed happened. Arthur and I found the papers for the experiment in the forbidden book." When they were teenagers, they sneaked inside the library at night and found forbidden books. They used to read those books the whole night. That''s how they came to cheat on the exams and had more knowledge of magic than their peers.

    "What was the result of the experiment? How was the blessed child cured?" Urs desperately asked.

    "Cure?" Ovior frowned. "There was no cure. Why would there be any cure when they wanted to know the result of mixing the two bloods of two different creatures?"

    Ovior''s answer sounded like a cold-blooded human. Even Urs felt his heart chilling.

    He gritted his teeth and asked, "Did Veronica know?"

    Ovior stated with a normal expression, "Why should I? It''s not like it''s our fault what happened to thatdy. As a matter of fact, if it was us, we would have protected the blessed child from the humans and anyone who coveted her. "Just because we don''t show it in our expressions doesn''t mean we don''t feel sorry for that poor girl. However, it''s not like it''s us who should feel guilty about things we didn''t do.

    "Anyway, if you want me to find a cure for it, I need to talk to Arthur who is living in the Magic Tower. He might find something to help out. However, I cannot guarantee he won''te here and attack you for what you did."

    Urs clenched his fists. He didn''t want Arthur to find out what was happening here. After all, no one knew what a mad dog would do after it went crazy.

    "Don''t let him know," he said. "Just say that you are curious."

    "And you think I''m going to obey you?" Ovior''s cold voiceshed out.

    "This is not an order," Urs retorted gently. "A request."

    Ovior didn''t say anything. He also knew what would happen if Arthur found out.

    "I can do another thing but I have to leave thisnd for one day.," he said. "Can you protect Veronica until then?"

    "You have my word," Urs promised.

    -------

    Darkness overcast the sky as the sun kissed goodbye. The stars were twinkling dimly due to the dark clouds covering the sky. Even the gnats were silent. The dreary weather only reminded everybody of Veronica''s sickness. The elves started praying for her. Ovior started packing his bag while muttering to himself, "I can''t believe she fainted again. How many times has it been? People face so many issues in their life and she has to faint all the freaking time. No wonder Arthur is worried about her."

    He only packed a few things out of necessity and headed outside. Urs was waiting for him in the woods. "How is she doing?

    Two of them went to theke. It looked simr to the one they saw in the Human Realm.

    Urs opened the gate and let Ovior go to his realm. The moment he stepped into the Human Realm, the gate closed behind him.

    He found his way to the nearest vige. He was still renting the room in the inn. At that moment, someone else was staying in his room.

    When he knocked on the door, that person opened the door. A strong smell of alcohol hit Ovior''s nostrils. He knitted his eyebrows.

    He heard the person saying, "Well, well, I thought you were on vacation. What happened this time?"

    "I''m d to see you too," Ovior despondently replied. He entered the messy room and grunted. He sat on a chair and let out a sigh.

    A few secondster, his tired voice floated, "Do you know where Zinnia or Ironin is?"

    Darius dropped the beer ss on the table and burped. Afterward, he sat on the bed and answered, "They are supposed to destroy the witches once and for all. But why are you suddenly asking this? Is this rted to the reason you are here now?"

    Ovior said, "Darius, I need Ironin back. Is there any way to contact him?"

    Darius scratched his cheek. He was confused why Ovior needed Ironin all of a sudden. Other times, it was Arthur who always gave Ironin or others a mission, not the second-inmand.

    He replied, "He doesn''t carry any magical device with him. He is way too old-fashioned. Zinnia might have one. I can contact her."

    "Do that. I need to contact him," Ovior urged him.

    Darius used a magical stone and gave Zinnia a call.

    Zinnia answered right away.

    Her seductive voice rang in their ears, "Darius, I wasn''t expecting your call. Did you miss me?"

    Darius smirked. He replied, "If I tell you I missed you, will you sleep with me?"

    Zinnia smoothly answered, "I didn''t know your dick was still working. Do you want me to cut it for you?"

    ''This bitch is savage,'' Darius cursed in his mind.

    He changed the subject, "Here is the thing, Ovior wants to talk to Ironin. Are you two together? Can you talk?"

    "We are in the boat filled with witches now but sure, we can talk," Zinnia lightly answered.

    "A boat with witches?" Darius became curious. "What is happening?"

    "A long story¡­"

    Zinnia told him how they disguised themselves as witches and went to the boat.

    Later, she took the chance and seduced the chef. While doing so, she added poison to the soup.

    Everyone who was in the boat and other boats drank the soup and two dayster, they started to feel difort. Later, they vomited and their stomachs ached badly. When they thought there was something wrong with their digestion or ingredients, one by one they died.

    "Are you telling me you killed the bad witch who pushed Veronica?"

 Chapter 532 WAITING

    Chapter 532 WAITING

    "Are you telling me you killed the bad witch who pushed Veronica?"

    Darius excitedly asked. He regretted not being in their group.

    "Unfortunately, she and the captain of the boat fled. We didn''t know until we weren''t checking the dead bodies."

    Zinnia only wanted to me herself but she knew in the end, she was also a human.

    However, Darius wasn''t generous.

    He asked, "How could you not notice? I can''t believe it!"

    Zinnia rolled her hair while saying, "Sorry, darling but we were busy fighting off the reinforcement soldiers. They were more than one hundred."

    Darius was taken aback by her reply.

    "You two¡­ fought more than a hundred people?"

    "Yes and we are tired."

    She yawned. She looked around to find a ce to sit and rest but everywhere was a bloody mess.

    "Who won?"

    Darius was curious to know who killed more.

    Zinnia sighed in regret.

    She said, "Ahh¡­ I forgot to count. We were too busy to have apetition."

    "That sucks. Next time group with me. We will have apetition."

    "I promise you."

    "Zinnia," Ovior abruptly spoke feeling their conversation would never end, "is Ironin anyway near you?"

    "Ovior! Is that why you called me? He''s in another boat, still searching for anyone alive. I can call for him if you want."

    Ovior urged her, "Please do. It''s urgent."

    A few minutester, Ironin''s poker face came to the screen.

    "Ovior, you called," he curtly said.

    Without a proper conversation, Ovior started, "I''m going to give you my location. Teleport here as soon as you can."

    After giving his location, he hung up.

    `

    "That was quick," Dariusmented. He wanted to ask something but looking at Ovior''s face, he zipped his lips.

    The wall clock counted seconds. It felt like time was going slowly.

    In the count of ten seconds, Ironin and Zinnia arrived.

    "It seems to me something happened," Zinnia mentioned while scanning the room. "Where are we?"

    -------

    Zinnia stayed with Darius while Ovior took Ironin to the inn.

    Ironin calmly ordered his meal and patiently waited for Ovior to disclose what he had to say.

    Ironin was drinking a ss of water. His hand paused in midair.

    Ovior cupped his head and quietly mentioned, "Do you have the cure for the experiment of the blessed child you have mentioned before?"

    Ironin was drinking a ss of water. His hand paused in midair.

    Imagining the worst, his eyes constricted. He stood up immediately.

    "Wait," Ovior stopped him. "Don''t go anywhere. Veronica is not being experimented."

    Ironin sharply stared at him for a while and then sat down again. However, his expression didn''t look well.

    Ovior sighed and started, "Veronica and I went to the Elvish Realm and the first elf prince put some of his blood in her mouth. Everything seemed idental. Now having a dragon and a basilisk''s blood in her vein, Veronica is in danger.

    "There is no record of the magicians experimenting on the blessed child. You are the one who told me this story. I looked at all the records and there was nothing I could find about it.

    "However, an elven doctor told the same story and I didn''t tell Urs where I heard this story from. Now, I can only trust your story. I need you to tell me if there is a cure for it. We can''t involve Arthur in this!"

    He impatiently waited for Ironin to say something.

    The meal was served. Before the waitress left, Ironin asked the girl, "Pack our food please."

    The waitress was surprised but then she quietly took the meal away.

    Ovior anxiously asked, "What are you going to do? Do you want to go to the Elvish Realm? Do you have the antidote?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "I never lose it," Ironin replied.

    Ovior felt a wave of relief rushed over his heart.

    He left a note for Darius and Zinnia and then headed toward the woods with Ironin. They spotted an elf waiting for them in front of theke.

    "Lord Ovior?" the elven soldier asked just to confirm even though he recognized him.

    "Yes, that''s me," Ovior replied.

    "Who is this person?" the soldier asked while looking at blood-soaked Ironin.

    Ovior said, "He has the cure to treat Veronica. Without examining her, he won''t be able to cure her."

    The elven soldier suspiciously stole a nce at Ironin before opening the gate. The three of them entered the Elvish Realm. They went directly to Veronica''s house.

    At that time, Urs and the two doctors were discussing something in the living room.

    When they heard footsteps, they looked behind and saw two humans with an elven soldier.

    "I asked you to bring a cure or a solution, not a human," Ursmented with dissatisfaction.

    "He has the cure," Ovior mentioned.

    All the eyes fixed on the new face.

    "Who is he?" the eldest elf asked curiously.

    Without letting Ironin answer, Ovior answered for him, "He''s Ironin, my friend and so is Veronica''s. I''m Ovior, the second-in-charge of the Magic Tower. You are?"

    "Magic Tower! This is unheard of!!" The eldest eximed. "How did you end up here?"

    Ovior frowned. "I also asked you a question."

    The eldest said, "Oh! Very sorry! Where are my manners? I''m Lucinor, the eldest physician of the Royal Court."

    "I''m Armetius, the Royal Physician," the other physician introduced himself.

    "So¡­" Lucinor went back to the topic, "how did you end up here?"

    "This is a long story," Urs interrupted. "If he has the cure, we need to give it to her right now."

    Without a word, Ironin headed to the room that he thought of bedroom. Ovior followed him.

    The two of them stopped on the track.

    "What on earth is this?!" Ovior eximed.

    They discovered Veronica being dressed in a crisp white dress by two women. There were some soiled garments on the ground. Orange liquid had gotten on the white clothing and made them dirty.

    When they looked closely, they spotted some sticky orange liquiding out of Veronica''s mouth, ears, nose and eyes.

    "This symptom startedst night. It''s the reaction due to the mix of two types of blood," Armetius exined. "I watched her carefully and saw that neither she nor her condition improved. She won''t pass away or recover, either. Until she finds an effective treatment."

    "Leave," Ironin coldly uttered.

    "We are not leaving her alone with you," Urs stated. He waspletely alert.

    Ironin faced him and spoke in a low voice, "It''s because you couldn''t protect her, she is like this."

    Urs stared at him. He was utterly speechless. He just had no words to refute him.

    "Leave," Ironin said again.

    Ovior was the first to move.

    "We should give him some space," he said. "Our top priority is to heal her faster."

    Urs wanted to stick around but he looked at Veronica and controlled himself.

    After the room was emptied, Ironin was alone with Veronica.

    He stepped closer and stood in front of her. Afterward, he reached out and touched her hand.

    Her fingers were stiff and cold. He could barely move them. She seemed like a person who died a few hours ago.

    Orange liquid starteding out of her mouth again. He gently wiped the inside of her mouth.

    Then, pulling out his knife, he savagely hacked off his other hand. He then drew nearer to her mouth with his hand. His blood trickled down her throat, into her mouth.

    Meanwhile, Ovior and the rest were waiting for Ironin toe out. However, twenty minutes passed but there was no sound or any movement they could hear.

    Urs stared at Ovior. He waited for an exnation.

    On the other hand, Ovior was quiet.

    What exnation could he give to the elves when he had no idea what was going on in the bedroom either?

    ''How does he know about the experiment? How does he know it when I don''t know?'' he wondered.

    Due to the pressure of healing Veronica, he didn''t have the time to think about Ironin''s words. Now that he had time, suspicion rose inside him along with curiosity.

    He remembered when Ironin first told her about this experiment where the magicians mixed the ancient basilisk''s blood with the blessed child''s dragon blood.

    At that time, he was extremely curious and looked through piles of books and scrolls, read scripts of the ancientnguage, and also collected forbidden documents but nowhere in those scripts the experiment was mentioned.

    Later on, he was busy with his work and couldn''t do more research. In the end, he had forgotten all about it until Veronica copsed from drinking the elf''s blood.

    ''Wherever this girl goes only bring trouble,'' sighing loudly he thought. ''I shouldn''t havee here to enjoy my holidays. There is no peace as long as she''s around.''

    An hourter, Urs stood up. His patient ran out. He marched forward and entered the bedroom.

    At first, he was stunned but the next moment, he sprinted forward and said, "What do you think you are doing?"

    His voice was loud and clear in the silent house. The other three entered the bedroom as well.

    They spotted Ironin sitting next to Veronica who was still in the bed. There was no change except for blue liquiding out of her mouth this time.

    "¡­What did you do?" Ovior asked.

    He was rather calm but his heart was beating rapidly.

    He looked at his friend but Ironin had a poker face. His expression didn''t change in the slightest. His reaction bothered him even more.

    What did he just do?

 Chapter 533 TRYING TO SAVE

    Chapter 533 TRYING TO SAVE

    Ovior could feel his heart pounding hard. He couldn''t think for a second what was happening in front of him.

    "Did you give her the cure?" he asked.

    "Yes."

    In response to the curt answer, he questioned back, "Then, why is she vomiting? The color of the liquid has changed!"

    "Let it be," Ironin curtly said.

    Ovior and others waited for him to say more. When he didn''t, he exploded.

    "Ironin, you have to exin everything to us. Just because you say, ''let it be'', doesn''t mean it will calm us down. You need to tell us exactly what is happening."

    "Sorry," Ironin apologized for not exining beforehand. "The basilisk''s blood ising out. When the liquid will stop overflowing, it''s over. It means her blood is cleared."

    "I understand but what did you feed her? Where is the cure?" Urs asked. His eyesnded on Ironin''s bandaged hand. "Why is your hand injured? It wasn''t like this before."

    "Don''t tell me you fed her your blood?" Lucinor, the eldest physician caught first. "What?!" Ovior was astounded. "You fed her blood?!"

    Urs drew his short sword. He was ready to attack Ironin.

    When Ironin didn''t refute their ims, Ovior let out veronica deep sigh.

    "Ahh, Ironin, at a time like this you have to defend yourself."

    "I did nothing wrong," Ironin imed.

    "Are you saying that your blood is the cure?" Lucinor was the only person who took this positively. "This is fascinating!"

    Ironin stated, "My blood is not¡­"

    "Yes?" Lucinor urged him to finish.

    "I am the cure."

    Ovior couldn''t understand his statement. "How are you the cure? Why are you the cure? What do you even mean by that?"

    However, Ironin kept quiet. It drove Ovior mad.

    "Ahh! Ironin, if you are going drive me mad, this is your chance because I''m going to call Arthur and tell him everything. I had enough of your attitude."

    "Wait," Urs stopped him, "you cannot call him. He might start a war that will be unavoidable."

    "Do I look like I want to care? I''m going insane," Ovior refuted.

    "I don''t know what is happening right now but shouldn''t we wait until she wakes up? What can be more important to us than her recovery?"

    It was Lucinor who came forward to calm them down. Ovior took deep breaths and gradually cooled down.

    "Anyway, what can we do other than wait?" he asked. "Nothing can be done," Urs said while withdrawing his short sword.

    --------

    "Hahaha¡­"

    "Wait up!"

    "Keep running."

    "Catch me if you can."

    "¡­love¡­"

    "¡­I refuse¡­"

    "...I will go¡­"

    "¡­there is no news."

    A few images crossed each other as they appeared, resembling some type of shback. They were incoherent. While the images were vivid, the voices were hardly heard, seeming to being from a great distance.

    Veronica tried toe up with a story but her head wasn''t following the direction. ''This is too much.''

    ''My head hurts.''

    ''It has to be stopped.''

    But no matter what she thought, it was getting worse and her headache was increasing.

    Haah¡­ Haah¡­ Haahhh

    She panted heavily. She could hear familiar voices from a distance.

    Her eyes fluttered open and some familiar faces.

    She rubbed her eyes and yawned, acting like she woke up from a deep sleep.

    "Ovior¡­ Ironin¡­ why are you here?" she asked in a sluggish voice while trying to sit up.

    "Don''t sit so quickly. Take it slow," Urs quickly said.

    He gently held her shoulders and pushed her to the pillow.He was treating her like a fragile doll.

    "Huh? Why? What''s wrong?" Veronica was confused by his sensitivity. Then, her eyesnded on the other guy and another thought shed in her mind.

    "And why is Ironin here?"

    "Do you not remember what happened to you before you passed out?" Ovior carefully asked her.

    Veronica frowned. "What are you talking about? Wasn''t I just sleeping?"

    She looked at those two. She knew they weren''t the people who would joke around but she couldn''t remember if something had happened or not. For her, it was a new day after a long, deep sleep and a weird dream.

    Her eyesnded on Ironin''s hand. She immediately reached out.

    "Ironin, you are injured!" She grabbed his hand out of concern. She looked rmed.

    Ironin gentlyid his eyes on her.

    "This is nothing," he softly answered.

    Veronica wouldn''t take ''no'' for an answer.

    She said, "There must be something! How can it be nothing? You are not careless enough to injure your hand. Did something happen?"

    "Something big happened indeed¡­" Ovior then told her the entire story.

    Veronica was perplexed.

    "Did that really happen?" she wondered aloud. "Strange! I don''t remember any of it. Wait, how long was I out?"

    "It''s already been three days," Ovior sullenly answered.

    Veronica''s heart trembled. "Ca¡­Cathy¡­"

    "I''m sorry, Veronica. Her body started to rot," Ovior solemnly answered.

    Veronica''s eyes widened. Her pale lips quivered.

    "We are already looking for an answer. We used your key," said Ironin while squeezing her hand that was holding his hand.

    Only then did she notice that the floor of her room was filled with scrolls. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    On the way to Elvish Realm, Veronica told Ovior the reason for her visit. Oviorter told Ironin because there was nothing Veronica would hate more than losing the only chance that could save her friend.

    She stared at the scrolls in a daze and then said, "I thought you cannot take more than one scroll."

    "Apparently, your key is different from the rest," Ovior mentioned. "You must be hungry. I''ll bring you some food."

    "Give me one elvish bread," saying that Veronica tried to get up.

    "Don''t," Ironin prevented her from getting up by putting his hand on her shoulder. "Talk to Arthur first."

    "That can wait, Ironin" Veronica was restless. "I need to revive Cathy. If I''mte¡­"

    "This realm will be destroyed soon," Ironin stated with a nk expression stered on his face.

    "What?" Veronica was speechless. She stared at him, trying to determine if he wanted to divert her attention by tricking her. His expression was yet the same.

    When she couldn''t figure it out by seeing his expression, she turned to face Ovior.

    "Ahem," Ovior cleared his throat. "Darius, that bbermouth, must have said something to Arthur. He brought his elite assassins and right now waiting outside the gate of the Elvish Realm."

    Veronica''s jaw dropped. "Did he think I was kidnapped or something?"

    "Maybe he thought you were locked up," Ovior scratched the back of his neck. "If he breaks in, there will be a huge fight. "After Urs found out about his presence, he''s trying to cover the situation until you wake up. If the Elven king finds out, it will be the end."

    Veronica frantically looked around. "Where is mymunication stone?"

    "Here." Ovior handed it over.

    The moment Veronica touched the stone, it glowed and Arthur''s face appeared.

    "Nica! Are you there?!"

    His impatient voice betrayed his calm expression.

    "Arthur! How are you?"

    Veronica kept her voice casual. She didn''t want him to trigger more when he seemed to be reaching his limits.

    "How can I be okay when you suddenly stop themunication?"

    The tone when Arthur spoke carried a hint of sadness and restlessness. Veronica''s heart tightened when she heard his pitiful voice.

    "I''m sorry, Arthur. I don''t have time to exin. We have yet to find anything that will help Cathy. I''ll talk to youter. I heard you brought your army to the gate."

    "I did but how are you?"

    "As you can see, I''m alive and well. Just move your army away and wait somewhere safe. I''ll bring Cathy back with me."

    She lied through her teeth. The witnesses were Ovior and Ironin. Although Ironin thought nothing of her action, Ovior thought she was quite shameless for lying with a straight face right in front of them. "But¡­" Arthur believed her and yet, he hesitated. There would be no reason for Ovior toe and give Ironin an emergency call to pull him away from his mission.

    "Arthur, I''m really fine," Veronica tried to appease him. "Elves won''t dare to do anything to me. Moreover, Ovior and Ironin are here. Have faith in them."

    Arthur was reluctant but he could feel her restlessness through her voice.

    He said, "Fine, I won''t dy you anymore. Talk to me once you settle your business."

    "Thank you, Arthur! Just pray for us!"

    "Nica!" Before she was hanging up, Arthur called out.

    "What is it?"

    "You are okay, right? Nothing happened."

    Arthur just wanted to make sure.

    "I am just fine, Arthur. There is nothing wrong. Everything will go wrong if I can''t save Cathy."

    "All right then," Arthur finally gave in. "I will be waiting for you on the other side."

    "Thank you, Arthur. Bye!"

    Veronica threw themunication stone at Ovior and slid down from the bed. Afterward, she snatched the bread from the table and munched on it.

    She then knelt on the ground and searched for a scroll.

    Realizing that they wouldn''t be able to stop her, Ironin and Ovior didn''t bother her anymore. Instead, they helped her with studying the scrolls.

    A few hours passed by when someone came into the room.

    "Veronica?!"

    The voice did startle Veronica as she was too engrossed in reading the scrolls.

    "Urs!" The voice did startle Veronica as she was too engrossed in reading the scrolls.

    "Urs!" She jolted in surprise.

    Urs was even more surprised than she was.

    "How¡­ When did you wake up? Why are you not resting? Moreover, how are you feeling?"

    A series of questions left his mouth.

    "I will talk about my conditionter. Let me focus on finding a cure for Cathy."

    "But¡­"

 Chapter 534 NELLAS INGLORION

    Chapter 534 NELLAS INGLORION

    "I will talk about my conditionter. Let me focus on finding a cure for Cathy."

    "But¡­ I already found the cure."

    Veronica, Ovior and Ironin turned to look at her. In the next second, Veronica jumped to her feet.

    "Cure? What cure? Where did you find it?" she asked. Her heart was thumping loudly.

    "I was also reading a few scrolls," Urs exined. He showed a scroll that was in his hand. "I found in this scroll that we have to take the dead body to Nes Inglorion, the immortalke and the body has to be covered in the Isilwen Tin¨²viel nt."

    Veronica snatched the scroll and read what was written there. It was the exact same as what Urs mentioned.

    Ovior came over and read it too.

    "What is Isilwen Tin¨²viel nt? What can it do?" he asked.

    Urs answered, "Isilwen Tin¨²viel is a sacred nt. It relieves pain or any injury. Legend says that this nt has the ability to suck any injury or disease and cure any living creature.

    "But I never knew it could cure dead people. If only I knew before¡­"

    He paused there,menting silently. His beloved''s face shed in his memory.

    He wouldn''t be leading a lonely life if he had found this scroll long before. She would be alive and would live a glorious life.

    However, no one had the time to understand what he was feeling.

    "Where can we find the nt?" Ovior required.

    "In the immortalke," Urs answered.

    Veronica stared at the scroll. Her heart was shaking.

    "The immortalke¡­ where is it?" she inquired.

    Urs calcted and then said, "Nes Inglorion is situated in the middle of our realm. That''s a five-day journey if we don''t stop in between."

    "We can''t wait that long!"

    Veronica wanted to scream. She helplessly looked at Ovior.

    "I can send us there," Ovior said. "But I don''t have a teleportation stone. I need to draw the magical circle here."

    Veronica bent down and quickly shoved the scrolls away from the floor, making room for him. Urs and Ironin helped her.

    When the floor was cleared, Ovior drew a magical circle and wrote some ancientnguage.

    Afterward, everyone gathered and stepped inside the circle. Ovior then brought a coffin.

    He looked at Urs and told him, "I need your memory of the ce we are going to. So, I will have to hold your hand. Only then, I can take everyone there."

    "Sure," Urs calmly agreed. He closed his eyes and took a trip down memoryne. A hugeke came into his vision.

    Ovior held his hand. After that, he recited a spell and the drawn lines illuminated with purple light.

    Together, they disappeared from Veronica''s house.

    When they opened their eyes, they found themselves inside a cave. The cave was supposed to be the darkest ce on earth since sunlight couldn''t prate its depths.

    Inside the cave, though, was a sizableke. The water in theke wasn''t like other water. In the shadows, it was shining. It''s possible that the water included an unidentified mineral that made it glow in the darkest areas.

    That was it.

    Nes Inglorion.

    Theke that could revive the dead body.

    Anyhow, for that precise reason, the cave wasn''tpletely dark.

    The glowingke cast an ethereal light, revealing the intricate rock formations that adorned the cave walls. The mysterious ambiance created a sense of awe and wonder as they marveled at the hidden beauty thaty within the depths of the cave.

    The group couldn''t help but feel a sense of reverence for the ancient forces that had shaped this mesmerizing underground world. They cautiously approached the glowingke, captivated by its otherworldly allure and eager to uncover the secrets it held beneath its shimmering surface. Forgetting their purpose of visit, Veronica, Ovior and Ironin stared nkly at the view of the beauty that was upheld in front of them.

    Although it wasn''t their first encounter with the splendor of the Elvish Realm, they were astounded by the unaltered natural beauty of the ce each time they did.

    Urs stared at theke with the utmost respect. He bowed to pay his respect to theke and muttered something in the Elvennguage.

    His voice brought Veronica back to her senses.

    She took the lid of the coffin and an odd smell smacked her nostrils. She didn''t dare toy her eyes on Catherine''s dead body.

    Controlling her urge to vomit, she said, "Ovior, quickly help me out."

    Ironin and Ovior came forward to assist her. The men carried the stiff, cold body to theke.

    Urs knelt in front of a bush and prayed before taking his short sword to chop it. After gathering the leaves, he stood in front of theke.

    "I gave pain to that sacred nt for my selfish desire. I had to ask for forgiveness," Urs said while sitting down next to Catherine''s body and cing the leaves on her body.

    "What did you pray?" Veronica questioned him.

    "I gave pain to that sacred nt for my selfish desire. I had to ask for forgiveness," Urs said while sitting down next to Catherine''s body and cing the leaves on her body.

    Maybe it was the power of theke water, the dead body didn''t sink. It floated as Urs shoved it toward theke.

    Veronica clenched her fist near her heart.

    ''Oh Goddess Juvena, please help me save my only family,'' she prayed inwardly.

    Ovior watched the body floating.

    "What will we do now?" he asked. "We need to wait. The immortalke was blessed by the Great Dragon himself. Theke has the right to choose who it wants to revive and who it wants to discard. Depending on the decision of theke, the body will revive."

    Urs exined the details of how Nes Inglorion, the immortalke worked.

    When he first found a way to revive a dead body, he became curious about Nes Inglorion. He didn''t know about it until he read another scroll that was about the immortalke.

    "Do we have anything to eat?" Veronica asked. "I didn''t bring anything with me. Either food or water."

    Ovior and Ironin exchanged nces.

    They didn''t bring anything with them either. Other than swords and the scrolls, they had nothing.

    "We can go back and get some food," Ovior stated.

    He drew another magic circle and tried to teleport. However, it didn''t work.

    "Did you make a mistake again?" Veronica doubtfully asked.

    She couldn''t trust him after she was teleported to the wrong ce along with herpanions. They even had to sacrifice Catherine''s life.

    Ovior red at her without uttering a single word. He carefully scanned the magic circle.

    "That''s strange," he mumbled. "There is nothing wrong with the circle. Why isn''t it working?"

    "This ce is Nes Ann¨¢r?, a holy ce. Something like magic won''t work here," Urs responded. His voice carried a hint of respect.

    "We should find a way out," Ironin finally spoke.

    "I will stay here," Veronica mentioned. "I''m not going anywhere."

    She already left her once. She didn''t want to leave her again. She wanted to stay here until she could see her friend again, alive and well.

    "Okay, no visitorse here, so you will be safe on your own. We will find a way to get some water and food," Urs stated.

    "Can''t we drink theke water?" Ovior asked.

    Urs sternly shot daggers at him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "You MUST not. This is not something a mere human like you can touch."

    No matter how much he got along with Veronica, he was always hostile toward humans, especially wizards.

    "We are not drinking even a drop of water from here," Veronica firmly confirmed. "We must respect thisnd. We are here for my selfish reason and we can revive Cathy, I have nothing more to ask. We mustn''t be too greedy."

    Afterward, they began their search for an exit while she stayed near theke, sitting and waiting.

    They found a small hole covered by the floral bushes. It was enough to fit a grown man.

    Ironin wordlessly took the first step. After he disappeared behind the hole, there was no sound.

    "Ironin, is this a way out?" Ovior inquired from the side of theke.

    After a while, Ironin gave an answer, "Yes."

    Trusting his answer, Ovior went to the other side through the hole. Urs tagged along.

    After they were gone, the silence came upon the cave.

    Veronica hugged her legs and ced her chin on her knees. She nkly stared at theke where Catherine''s body was floating.

    Her vision slowly became blurry and she started to see a faint lighting from under theke.

    Her mind was empty. That''s why she didn''t react to it immediately.

    A few seconds had passed.

    Finally, it was drawn to her that she was seeing something she wasn''t expecting to see.

    She abruptly stood up and intently stared at the light.

    The light was growing stronger and stronger. It was a silver light.

    It wasn''t anywhere close to Catherine''s dead body. That was why Veronica was certain that the light had nothing to do with Catherine.

    Eventually, the light came to the surface. It then shaped into a human form.

    The light was too bright to keep staring at it.

    Veronica had never seen anything as holy as this light.

    She felt her knees be weak. She lowered herself to the ground. Her head was down. She couldn''t stare at the light.

    After some time, she heard a gentle voice.

    "Child, what is your purpose here?"

    Veronica couldn''t figure out whether it was a man or a woman upon hearing the voice. Despite her curiosity, she couldn''t raise her head.

    "I¡­ I want to¡­ save my family."

    She replied with a shaky voice.

    She didn''t know why she was feeling so nervous.

    The presence in front of her was just too strong. She felt like she was nothingpared to the being that was in front of her right now.

    "Family? The dead being?"

 Chapter 535 THE OPTIONS

    Chapter 535 THE OPTIONS

    Family? The dead being?" the voice asked.

    Veronica''s heart shuddered.

    "Yes¡­. I want to save my friend. Will you please save her?"

    Her voice carried the tone of begging. She never begged anyone. However, today, she didn''t mind begging to save her friend.

    The calm voice stated, "But she is already dead. Why do you want to save her going against the Goddess and nature?"

    Veronica clenched her fists and said, "Because I''m greedy. I know I''m a sinner to do something against nature but if there is any way I can save my one and only family, I want to take the risk."

    "Interesting¡­" After a long pause, the voice said again, "But don''t see any blood rtion between you too. How can she be your family?"

    Veronica replied, "To be someone''s family, one doesn''t have to be rted by blood. They have to be with that person for better or worse, always reach out their hands when the other falls, go anywhere the other one would want without a question and always wish them well. "My friend, Cathy, sacrificed her entire future for me. She went to an unknown ce with me without a question. She put up with me unconditionally. If it wasn''t for me, she wouldn''t have died."

    She stopped there and waited for a reply. Nevertheless, she heard something she didn''t expect.

    "So what?" the voice asked.

    Veronica''s heart chilled.

    "What?" She thought she had heard wrong.

    The gentle voice nonchntly said, "People die every day. It''s not fair but that''s the way the world is. They ept it and continue their lives without the dead people."

    Veronica retorted, "They are forced to ept reality. But I know I have a choice. I know I can save her. So, why would I let it go? Why would I have to ept the sad reality?"

    "What if I don''t grant you the wish you desire?"

    "Then I will turn the world upside down to find another way to save my friend. I will use thest drop of my healing power to bring her back to death."

    Veronica''s voice was resolute as though nothing could prevent her determination.

    She calcted in her mind what else she could do to save Catherine. She had a few more options in her mind but she didn''t want to venture those options first. She wanted to use the best way to bring her back.

    However, if the better way was impossible, she would have no other choice rather to go for the other options.

    She could always use her healing power. She was even ready to use thest remaining of it if that could save her one and only friend.

    If the healing power wouldn''t be enough, then she could use the dark magic¡­

    Dark magic or Dark Arts wasn''t something anyone could talk about lightly. Not just the use of dark magic was forbidden, just thinking about using it was a sin.

    At that moment, she heard the voice chuckle.

    "You are different. A better version that anybody could ask for. A child with the healing power is special. They are vulnerable. They cannot protect themselves. "Even more, they don''t want to protect themselves. They just want to save mankind without asking for anything in return. Selflessness is their virtue. And here, to think you would want to use ck magic¡­"

    Veronica flinched when she heard it. ''Can this person read my mind?'' she wondered.

    Then, she heard, "I do read your mind."

    ''Oh no¡­''

    Veronica felt her throat was dry. A momentter, she heard the voice, "Fear not. I won''t harm you. I cannot harm you."

    "¡­"

    Veronica waited for her to finish because she had a feeling the voice was going to say more.

    "I''m surprised¡­"

    "¡­?"

    With a question in her mind, Veronica stayed quiet.

    And she heard the voice again, "¡­by how you have evolved. You¡­ changed, very much so."

    Veronica finally voiced out what she wanted to ask for a while, "By any chance, did we meet before?"

    The voice said in reply, "No¡­ that shouldn''t have happened. But you¡­ crossed a forbidden line. For the first time at that. I''m impressed and also¡­ surprised. What made you think and go through with the impossible?"

    "Forbidden¡­ impossible¡­ I don''t know about that." Veronica shrugged. "I guess I became greedy. I became brave. The credit goes to my husband. I learned from him."

    The voice paused beforementing, "Husband¡­ You are married."

    "¡­"

    "You shouldn''t have."

    "I hear that often."

    Veronica remembered what she was told before ¨C about marriage, romance; and she remembered the pure hostility that was visible in Urs'' face.

    The voice paused for some time and then said, "¡­Well, you are too unpredictable. I guess it''s for the best. It was never a happy life for a selfless person in this selfish life."

    ''Did she want to say something else?'' Veronica wondered. ''It doesn''t matter right now. I need to save Cathy.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She started, "About Cathy, my friend¡­"

    "I understand. Your life¡­ It seems fun."

    There was nothing else that Veronica heard after that. The cave was filled with an intense blue light. She immediately averted her gaze. Closing her eyes wasn''t enough; she had to cover her face with her hands as well.

    A tremendous wind sted around her, almost lifting her off the ground. She struggled to keep her bnce against the powerful gust.

    She scrabbled around and finally found a stone stuck near theke. She gripped the stone so that she could support herself. The force of the wind whipped through her hair and stung her cheeks, making it difficult to concentrate on what was happening around her. The wind blew stronger every second. She clenched her teeth. Her grip on the stone tightened.

    At that moment, she felt something warm touching the back of her palm. The next second, that warm thing circled around her wrist.

    Scared out of her wits, Veronica opened her eyes despite the light being illuminated. "¡­?"

    With squinting eyes, she tried to see what was holding her wrist. However, the light was right in front of her. It was blocking her vision.

    Water spilled from her eyes as she forced herself to look. She saw nothing. She had to close her eyes again.

    "Ver!"

    The word made her eyes fly open. The strong light couldn''t stop her from doing so.

    While she did her best to keep her eyes open, someone shook her body as they held her arms.

    "Ver!"

    Someone blocked the source of the light and finally, Veronica could see that person.

    At first, she felt weak on her knees. Her lips quivered when she muttered her friend''s name. Tears streamed down her face.

    "Ca¡­thy¡­"

    She tightened her grip on the warm body that she never thought would get warm.

    With her blurry vision, she saw a face that she had wanted to see for a long time.

    She had so many things she wanted to say.

    ¡­I missed you¡­

    ¡­I''m sorry I made you go through so much pain¡­

    ¡­You are my only family¡­

    ¡­I have no one else to share my unspeakable thoughts other than you.

    Nevertheless, the words didn''te out of her mouth. Her mouth was open, unable to talk.

    A strong emotion shook her to the core. Her entire body was trembling.

    "Ver¡­"

    Catherine cried out. She folded her arms around the only human that existed in that cave.

    The two girls held themselves close to each other and cried for a long time. They stopped only when their chests hurt from crying. As their crying stopped, the blue light gradually smothered. After that, they stared at each other.

    Veronica cupped Catherine''s tear-smudged face and gently wiped her tears.

    "How¡­ how are you feeling?" she asked. "Are you in pain anywhere?"

    "No," Catherine sniffed. "How¡­did you do it? I mean, I was¡­"

    "Don''t mention it. It''s a long story. I brought you to the Elven Realm and so many things happened."

    Veronica was panting hard. She still had a hard time believing that her friend hade back to life.

    "Elven Realm?" Catherine was surprised. She looked around and then stated, "Howe it''s so dark? Is the Elven Realm always this dark?"

    "We are in a cave. Let''s head out." Veronica held her hand and pulled her up while she stood up.

    Catherine looked down at her clothes and her expression changed.

    "What the hell am I wearing?" sheined. "Why is it dirty and wet?" She then sniffed on it and her face twisted in disgust. "Eww! It smells so bad. Was it wrapped with a rotten animal?"

    Veronica paused. "¡­The only thing that was rotten was you. They only revived you from the dead, not your clothes. What do you expect?"

    Catherine frowned. "They¡­ who?"

    Veronica also remembered the voice. She turned around and looked at theke. It was as calm as before. It didn''t look like anyone was there in the first ce.

    "What are you looking at?" Catherine asked when she saw her friend acting strangely.

    "Cathy, did you see anyone when you opened your eyes?"

 Chapter 536 GRATEFUL

    Chapter 536 GRATEFUL

    "Cathy, did you see anyone when you opened your eyes?" Veronica asked.

    Confused by her question, Catherine asked, "See? See whom?" "Anyone? Or did you hear any voices?"

    "Now that you mentioned, I did hear a voice." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Was it a familiar voice? To me, it was."

    "Well, of course it was. I mean I heard your voice. How can it not be familiar? I heard you keep calling my name. You sounded so desperate. "You heard my voice?! But I didn''t call you. Why would you hear my voice?" "Maybe it''s some kind of Elvish magic," Catherine spoke with uncertainty. "But Ver, why does it not seem real? Did we both die? It must be our afterlife."

    "Wait, wait, I didn''t die. I brought you back to life. I had to do it for you."

    "You didn''t do anything forbidden, did you?"

    "Don''t you think bringing a dead back to life itself is forbidden? But fear not, I''m not Arthur. I wouldn''t do something like that."

    Veronica hid the fact that she did want to use ck magic if the Elven Realm couldn''t help her out.

    "But¡­ Ver, I''m so confused. I don''t know what to do. Was I really dead? Or I didn''t die at all?!!

    The excitement started to fade away and the astonishment wasing back. Veronica grabbed her friend and said, "This is real, Cathy. You died because of me and you now live because of the elves. I took away your life and it was my responsibility to bring you back."

    Catherine''s heart shook.

    She said, "What should I do now? I''m so scared."

    "What are you scared of? You just have to live your life. Don''t be afraid," Veronica assured her.

    Catherine thought of something and asked cautiously, "You didn''t give anything in return, did you? There shouldn''t be any easy deal."

    "I know but I didn''t make any deal," her friend reassured her. "The person¡­ I heard a voice. It talked to me and agreed to save you without asking anything in return."

    "But it feels too good to be true," the blonde was skeptical.

    "I know!"

    "Thank you for bringing me back, Ver. I never wanted to die. I wanted to live for a long time."

    "I know. I''m sorry I made you go through this."

    "Ver, you brought me back. What else I can ask for?"

    "But the pain¡­"

    Veronica couldn''t forget the scene of her best friend''s pained expression. It was so painful for Catherine that her face turned blue before she died.

    That painful dying face would haunt her down for the rest of her life. If she wanted to atone for something, it was for the painful death she caused her one and only friend.

    "What pain?" Catherine frowned.

    "¡­You don''t remember?"

    Veronica couldn''t understand how her friend could not remember the emotional or physical pain she had gone through right before her death.

    "Remember what?"

    "Do you not remember how you died?"

    "I do remember why I died but how I died¡­ I don''t recall it. But I know I asked you to share my life force with Sebastian." Catherine stopped there and then asked nervously, "How¡­is he doing?"

    "¡­He is doing just fine. He''s healthy. He is working hard. He was devastated when he learned that you died though. I couldn''t look at his face."

    "Was he devastated? But¡­ he was supposed to move on. That guy is so silly."

    Catherine sighed. She wished he could just fall in love with anotherdy and live happily. She didn''t wish for him to cling to her. She already gave away her life for him without expecting anything in return.

    "Don''t talk about him like that," Veronica softly reprimanded her. "When you are truly in love, there is no way a person can move on so easily. "I''d be devastated if something were to happen to Arthur. I can''t imagine moving on without him. And I know you couldn''t either. "So, stop saying something like that. You are someone who gave away your life for that man. That much you loved him. "How can you expect him to move on? A human cannot do that. Now, you are back. Get him back. Not everyone can have a second chance."

    Catherine smiled at her.

    "I know," she said. "That''s why I''m grateful. Although I don''t remember the pain you are talking about, I''m happy that I''m alive. A second chance, Ver! I can''t be grateful enough to you."

    "Don''t say that," her friend replied. "There is nothing to be grateful for. Let''s go out. We need to share the good news with everyone!"

    Then, she pulled Catherine near the hole. "Ovior and the rest used this hole to go outside," she said. "Someone will be out there guarding. Let''s meet them first."

    "All right."

    Catherine deeply inhaled and let the oxygen calm her pounding heart. Afterward, she entered the hole.

    Before Veronica followed her from the back, she turned around and looked at theke.

    The voice that helped her get her friend back was very nostalgic. She kept having a thought like she heard this voice before but she couldn''t remember where.

    However, from the deepest part of her heart, she felt gratitude. She bowed to show her respect.

    As they stepped out, they were greeted by the breathtaking sight of the setting sun. Its vibrant orange hues painted the vast sky, casting a warm glow over everything around them. The clouds above took on a reddish-gray hue, creating a mesmerizing contrast against the fading sunlight. The sudden light caused them to squint their eyes but soon, their eyes adjusted to the light.

    "Oh goodness¡­"

    The girls heard an odd noise and looked to their left.

    Ironin and Urs were standing there. They were bewildered.

    Although they did their best to assist Veronica on her whim to revive her dead best friend of hers, they never expected that she would actually seed in doing that.

    Catherine noticed their gaze and felt bashful.

    "Hello, good to see you," she said.

    "Ack!"

 Chapter 537 SHARE THE NEWS

    Chapter 537 SHARE THE NEWS

    "Ack!"

    Thud!

    Everyone turned around toward the source of the sound and spotted Ovior. He had dropped the food he was carrying.

    Disbelief was written all over his face.

    "C-Cathrine¡­" he murmured.

    "Ovior, how are you?" Catherine asked.

    Ovior marched forward and grabbed her shoulders. "You¡­ are you okay? Do you feel anything strange?" he questioned her one after another while his gaze was fixed on her.

    "I''m fine, Ovior. I''ve never felt this better before," she replied, trying to assure him.

    Ovior couldn''t believe her and scanned her from top to bottom. He made sure that it was really her and he wasn''t dreaming, he let out a weird noise.

    "Is this¡­ even possible?"

    He voiced out his inner thoughts.

    Not only he but also Ironin and Urs were thinking the same thing. They were just tongue-tied. No one med Ovior for thinking like that.

    Bringing the dead back to life was something they could never think was possible. Perhaps, ck magic and witchcraft could bring the dead back to life but there was a high risk that it wouldn''t be the same soul.

    The scene they were watching right in front of their eyes was a whole new different level.

    "This is something I knew was possible," Veronica proudly said.

    "Yeah, only in dreams¡­" Ovior muttered.

    Veronica red at him and then turned to Catherine.

    "Cathy, it''s been so long since you ate anything. Are you craving for something?" she asked her friend. "Whatever you want to eat, I''ll get them for you."

    "Ah¡­ I don''t know." Catherine thought of something and then smiled brightly. "I guess I will eat anything as long as you cook, Ver."

    "Me?" Veronica froze. "But I hardly cook anything."

    "I know. That''s why I want to eat whatever you can cook."

    "¡­Sure, let''s go home. I''ll cook you anything you want," Veronica agreed to her request.

    "Shall we go then?" Ovior asked.

    "We have to go to the Imperial Vige first," Veronica mentioned. "I want to thank the Elven King for his kindness. After that, we will depart."

    "As you wish."

    Afterward, Ovior used the circle he created to teleport everyone to Veronica''s room.

    "Where are we?" not recognizing the ce, Catherine asked.

    "This is the house I''m currently staying at," her friend answered. "Feel free to rx."

    Catherine looked around in amazement. A House inside a tree was the most fascinating thing a human could think of.

    At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

    When Urs opened the door, Lucinor and Armetius entered the room.

    Seeing a new face, the eldest physician said, "Oh my, did wee at the wrong time?"

    "Not at all. Pleasee," Veronica said. Noticing their gazes, she introduced her friend to them.

    "This is Catherine, my childhood friend. Cathy, they are Elven Physicians. They helped me out many times."

    Lucinorughed. "Haha, you jest. Wasn''t this brave warrior that saved you? We just tried to help you and failed miserably."

    "Brave warrior?" Catherine muttered. She looked in the direction of where Lucinor and Armetius were staring. She followed their gaze and saw Ironin standing in the corner with his usual poker face.

    ''Ironin saved her? But how?'' she wondered.

    It was impossible for the Elven physicians to save Veronica, but Ironin, who knew nothing about medicine, ended up saving her. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn''t find the logic behind this conversation.

    That''s when Lucinor added, "You were busy after waking up and that''s why I didn''t bother you. If you have time now, I''d like to have permission to research your blood, Master Ironin. Your blood must be special enough to save non-curable diseases. "I still cannot believe it was your blood that resolved the issue with the mixed blood of the Great Dragon and the basilisk."

    Catherine was rendered speechless when she realized what exactly happened here when she was dead.

    ''Just how?'' she pondered hard. ''Whenever she was in grave danger, he never came forward. Just when no one was able to cure Ver he came forward to help her. And with his blood at that? There must be something going on.''

    She stared at Ironin and waited for him to reply.

    "I don''t want to," Ironin tly rejected the request of a respected elderly.

    Lucinor didn''t feel dejected when he heard the reply, as though he knew he would be rejected. He said, "I had a feeling you would say it. I won''t force you but just think about the innocent lives you can save with your blood."

    Lucinor and Artemis chatted with Veronica and Urs for a while. After they left, Veronica brought up Dastan.

    "Did your soldier find him? Where did he go after making me drink his blood?" she inquired.

    "My Imperial Brother is a superior Elf. If someone can be close to as powerful as my Imperial Father, that would be him. Even I am no match for him. That''s why he is the Crown Prince. It won''t be easy to catch him."

    With Urs'' exnation, Veronica became quiet.

    "He must have gone to the Human Realm," Ovior said while fixing his sses. "Leave it to us. We will find him and deal with him before sending him to you."

    Urs answered, "If you find him before we do, please send him back unscathed. You don''t want to make my Imperial Father your enemy."

    Veronica shook her head thinking, ''This is hopeless.'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    While those two were arguing, she took Catherine to the kitchen. Although she had eaten Elven food until now, Urs was generous enough to leave some meat and grain for her if she craved human meals.

    With Catherine''s instruction, she managed to cook something her friend wanted to eat. After they filled their stomachs, she went to her bedroom and tried tomunicate with Arthur.

    As if he was waiting for her call, Arthur answered right away. His face popped out on the screen.

    "Nica, are you okay?"

    He couldn''t find the anxiety in his voice. All he wished to know was if she was safe and healthy.

    "Arthur! You can''t believe what happened. Cathy is awake. She got her life back! I''m so happy!"

    Veronica''s delightful voice calmed Arthur''s heart. However, the news she just gave him astounded him.

    "How did you manage to do that?" he asked.

 Chapter 538 THE CONFRONTATION

    Chapter 538 THE CONFRONTATION

    "How did you manage to do that?"

    Veronica had nothing to hide from him. She told him everything.

    Afterward, she said, "I still don''t know who that person is. I should have looked up but I was unable to. Now, I regret my action so much."

    Arthur heard her story in silence and then shared his own opinion, "Why not ask your Elf friend ¨C If someone was ever buried in thatke or someone blessed theke? It also can be that the person you met is the protector of theke."

    "Ah, yes, I should ask Urs about this."

    "When will you be back?" Arthur asked her. "I miss you."

    Veronica was touched by his gentle voice that craved for her.

    "I will ask for an audience with the Elven King. If I manage to talk to him tomorrow morning, I will see you at noon. I miss you too."

    ------

    While Veronica was having a conversation with her husband, Catherine went outside. She spotted a familiar face right away.

    Ironin was standing under a tree, guarding Veronica''s tree house.

    Upon hearing her footsteps, he opened his eyes and looked straight at her.

    "Good to see you, Ironin," Catherine said.

    Ironin nodded in reply, acknowledging her. He said nothing. Since she came here to see him on purpose, he realized that she had something to tell him.

    Catherine stared at his nk expression and frowned.

    She opened her mouth and said, "I believe I told you if you had any feelings for Ver, you must get rid of it."

    "¡­" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    When Ironin didn''t utter a single word, she became irritated.

    "Ironin, she is your friend''s wife. More than that, you have a wife yourself. Don''t you feel sorry for her?"!

    Ironin coldly stared at her.

    "Don''t speak nonsense."

    "Nonsense? Hah! Please exin the fact that you fed her your blood."

    "I''ve nothing to say."

    "What''s your excuse? Saving her life by giving your blood? If your blood has elixir, why didn''t you give it to her before? Is it because Arthur was there? Don''t tell me it''s something special."

    "It is special," Ironin snapped at her, "for a certain incident."

    A huge secret that he had in his heart, that he couldn''t share, not even with his wife. He decided to take this secret to his grave.

    "A certain incident?" Catherine raised her left eyebrow. She didn''t believe him. "May I ask why your blood carries the cure for the mixture of a dragon and a basilisk''s blood? Do you think that makes any sense? "Ovior already told me that an experiment like that happened hundreds of years ago. Howe you have the antidote after hundreds of years? Don''t tell me your family has this antidote."

    Her usations weren''t wrong. Her logic was on point. How could blood cures be passed down from generation to generation? Ironin didn''t answer her. He turned around and was about to leave.

    Catherine said from behind, "You may not answer me but Ver will tell Arthur. I hope you have an answer ready for him. Don''t get close to Ver more than necessary."

    Ironin clenched his fists and stayed quiet.

    After he was out of sight, Catherine let out a deep breath.

    ''What is his problem?'' she wondered. ''Why is he so attached to Ver? He has a wife already. Didn''t we hear how intimate he was with his wife?''

    Not just her, anyone who would notice his behavior would think the same. Everyone knew Ironin as a loyal person. He wasn''t a womanizer like his friends. He hardly paid attention to women.

    Moreover, there was a strong love story about him and his wife. His wife loved red roses. That''s why he personally made her a huge red rose garden.

    Every inch of his castle showed how much he doted on his wife. He loved her so much that he even stole her from her fianc¨¦. Then, why would he act so differently toward Veronica? In Catherine''s eyes, the way he acted in front of her, it felt like he had some hidden feelings for her. This was what made Catherine ufortable.

    She knew that her best friend wholeheartedly trusted Ironin and would feel betrayed if she found out that Ironin had something different in his mind.

    She didn''t want Veronica to feel betrayed. She was afraid that her friend would lose trust in everybody she held dear. She didn''t want that to happen.

    ''What could be the reason he''s acting like this? I hope Arthur doesn''t smell anything fishy,'' Catherine hoped.

    -------

    The next day, Veronica went to meet King Erestor Culn¨¢mo.

    He looked as dignified as he was before. Veronica came and paid him respect.

    His voice swept across the throne room, "I''m d that you are safe. I apologize for the inconvenience my eldest child caused you."

    Veronica replied, "You mustn''t apologize, Your Majesty. You have done nothing wrong. Whatever the Crown Prince of the Woond did, it was his own choice. "He was clear-headed when he attacked me. I''m d that I didn''t die. That''s why I won''t hold him responsible."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo said, "I expect nothing less from the Descendent of the Great Dragon. Your magnanimity will be praised for centuries."

    Veronica said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. Now that I have be healthier, my heart seeks nothing but my home. I thank you for your hospitality. I wille back soon. But now, I must bid my farewell."

    "Bidding farewell¡­" King Erestor Culn¨¢mo tapped the handle of his throne. "Are you done with your business?"

    "Your library has a collection of extraordinary amounts of knowledge, Your Majesty," Veronica told him. "I dare not try gaining all of them all at once. I will take my time. Since this realm wees me as if it''s my own ce, I wille back and often visit this ce."

    "I''m delighted that you have thought that way," King Erestor Culn¨¢mo stated. "However, I must inquire about the group of powerful magicians who are guarding the gate to the Woond Realm."

 Chapter 539 INVITATION

    Chapter 539 INVITATION

    "However, I must inquire about the group of powerful magicians who are guarding the gate to the Woond Realm." "¡­" Veronica licked her lower lip. With the corner of her eyes, she looked at Urs.

    Urs stayed expressionless. However, he was also staring at her with the corner of his eyes. He seemed guilty.

    Even though he tried so hard not to let his father find out about Arthur''s army, his father still found out. Veronica couldn''t me Urs. He had already done everything he could. He was very grateful that he had helped her to save Catherine. She just couldn''t ask for more.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo was the wisest ruler on earth. Some wizards were guarding the gate to the Elven Realm, there was no way he wouldn''t find out. It would be rather odd if he didn''t find out.

    Veronica said, "I apologize for my husband''s action. They are harmless people. He''s simply worried about me and brought a few people with him. I will go now and take him and our people with me."

    "That''s not necessary," King Erestor Culn¨¢mo stated. "I understand that a husband worries about his wife. He and his ''harmless friends'' cane here and see how we treat you in ournd. This way, he''ll be less worried in the future."

    Veronica didn''t know what he was scheming but his ''harmless people'' phrase made her ears burn in shame. She was clearly being mocked by the wisest ruler in the world.

    Veronica forced herself to keep herposure and said, "Since Your Majesty wishes for it, I willply."

    Afterward, she came out of the throne room. Urs immediately apologized.

    "Veronica, I''m sorry. I should have been careful."

    Veronica shook her head. "It''s not your fault. You have already helped me more than I hoped you could. I will talk to my husband. Help me open the gate."

    "Sure," Urs agreed right away.

    When the gate was opened, Veronica entered the Human Realm. She found some tents near theke. The wizards came around to see what was happening in theke. When they saw their Mistress in one piece, they couldn''t help but rejoice.

    Their Mistress didn''t bother to look at them. She scanned the crowd and spotted what she was looking for. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Arthur!"

    She dashed forward and jumped at her man.

    Arthur was talking to Zinnia and Darius. When he heard amotion, he was turning around to look when a light body crashed on him.

    Immediately, he grabbed the arms that were around her and then turned around. Having the love of his life in his chest made his heart swing in relief and happiness.

    He tightly embraced her thin body and ced his lips on top of her head. He kept his eyes closed and inhaled sharply.

    They stayed there for a long time until they heard a cough.

    The culprit was Darius.

    Despite feeling unwilling, Veronica pushed herself out of Arthur''s embrace and looked at him. A soft smile hung on the corner of her lips.

    Arthur affectionately stared at her. His fingers brushed away the silver strands that covered her face and scanned her from top to bottom.

    "I thought you went there for a mission," he finally spoke. "Did you starve yourself while trying to save Catherine?"

    Veronica shook her head. "I won''t starve myself for anything." She grinned and said, "Catherine is alive! I''m so happy!"

    Arthur smiled and then kissed her forehead. "I''m d that you seeded. You are amazing," he praised her wholeheartedly.

    The lovebirds were engrossed with each other. Others nkly stared at them as they realized that they were being ignored.

    "I can''t believe Catherine is alive. What did you do?" Darius couldn''t help asking.

    Veronica finally looked away from her husband. She told Darius, "This is something I can''t tell you. I have to take this information to the grave."

    "Aww,e on! Why can''t you tell us?! How did you manage to bring a dead person back without using Dark Arts? You want me to believe that?"

    Darius wanted to know badly. He wasn''t the only one. Zinnia and Merlin were curious too. They were standing in the distance with Arthur, other wizards had no way of hearing their conversation.

    "I''m sorry but I can''t," Veronica was resolute. "Even Ovior cannot speak of it."

    "You mean he was there too?!" Darius was surprised. "Why wasn''t I there?!"

    He asked the obvious.

    Zinnia smirked. She controlled her curiosity and consoled Darius. "You know why you weren''t there. You would get drunk and then announce to the whole world what you saw."

    "I can keep my mouth. I''m not a woman," Darius retorted.

    "You are a bbermouth when you are drunk and everyone knows it." When Zinnia saw Darius was opening his mouth to retort, she added, "We all witnessed it. No point in arguing."

    Fine! No more talk!

    Darius sealed his mouth.

    Veronica giggled. Seeing her smiling so brightly made Arthur happy as well.

    He looked around and asked her, "Why are Ovior and the rest not with you?"

    "Actually¡­" Veronica scratched her nose. She told him that King Erestor Culn¨¢mo had invited them.

    Arthur creased his eyebrows. He was in deep thought.

    "Should we go?" Merlin was skeptical. He openly shared his opinion, "I don''t think I would be the brightest idea."

    "It won''t be nice if we don''t ept his hospitality either," Veronica reminded them.

    Arthur said, "Let''s just do this¡­"

    In the end, Veronica brought Arthur and a few of the magicians with them.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo wanted to wee them directly. Urs escorted them to the Throne Room.

    "So, you havee," King Erestor Culn¨¢mo said as his eyes glued on Arthur''s face.

    Arthur didn''t have any reaction. He slightly moved his head forward, made it look like it was a bow but actually it wasn''t.

    "Thank you for inviting us in your Elven Realm, Your Majesty," he said. "It''s a pleasure."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo narrowed his eyes. "Pleasure," he curtly replied.

    From the look of it, none of them liked each other.

    Veronica was tense. ''Are they going to start a fight?''

 Chapter 540 SCHEMING

    Chapter 540 SCHEMING

    Veronica was worried that the Elven King and Arthur would start fighting. If that happened, she had no idea how to deal with it.

    As she braced herself, King Erestor Culn¨¢mo said, "A ce has been prepared for you and your people to stay. Please stay here as long as you wish. I''d like to know if our savior is in good hands."

    "Only my wife''s family has the right. Other people are irrelevant," Arthur coldly replied. "We will take your offer and stay here for a few days but that''s all."

    The beady eyes of King Erestor Culn¨¢mo gazed at him.

    "Make yourself at home," he said.

    That was the end of their conversation.

    When Veronica and the rest came out of the Royal Tree, Veronica let out a deep breath. She didn''t realize when she held her breath.

    "Phew! That was stressful!"

    Merlin wiped the traces of sweat away from his forehead.

    "I don''t know why but King Erestor Culn¨¢mo hates us, especially Arthur," he added.

    "He thinks she belongs to the Elven Kingdom," Arthur muttered in a cold voice. "As if he can do whatever he wants."

    Veronica circled her arm around his left hand and said, "Don''t worry about it. There is no way he can make me do anything I don''t want. He knows I can be a dragon. The dragon is the most sacred god they have."

    Arthur looked at her and then brushed his fingers through her silver locks. Then, he pecked on her forehead and said, "I hope what you said is true. But I''m not too fond of his gaze on you. He''s scheming something."

    "I agree," Ovior said. "There is no way he will agree to the fact that their blessed child is associating with the Magic Tower. They think we will use her for our own gain."

    As he came forward, Merlin and Arthur looked at him.

    "You seem well," Arthurmented.

    "True, you are practically glowing," Merlin couldn''t help but say a word of praise.

    Ovior ufortably fixed his sses. "I had enough rest. Aside from that, I have a feeling that the Elven King is scheming something. They don''t like us but why would they invite us?"

    Since he returned to the serious conversation, Arthur or Merlin didn''t sidetrack him.

    "We have to be careful," Arthur said.

    "Fine, we will be careful. Let''s go to the ce that''s been ready for you," saying Veronica pulled him by his arm.

    With a restrained expression, Urs escorted them to the guest houses. Veronica told them about how the tree houses were linked to the elves.

    Merlin and the rest of the magicians were astounded by the stories. They couldn''t help but feel respect for these friends of nature.

    Once they moved to their respective guest houses, Veronica took Arthur to her house.

    Catherine was sitting on a chair, reading a book. When she noticed them, she stood up and greeted Arthur.

    "It has been a while, Arthur," she said. "Thank you for everything you have done for me."

    "Good to see you alive, Catherine," Arthur greeted her back. "I did nothing. My wife is the one who saved you."

    "If you didn''t support her decision, she wouldn''t be able toe this far," Catherine stated.

    "True but it was still not mine to decide. You are her friend. She has every right to decide what she wants to do," saying Arthur squeezed Veronica''s hand. "All I did was support her decision because I trust her."

    Veronica felt touched by his words. Her eyes became teary.

    Even Catherine was stunned. She didn''t have the time to check how Arthur changed over the months. All she knew was that he was blindly possessive toward Veronica and would lose his sanity if she was out of his sight.

    "¡­You have changed," she said. Then, she let out a soft smile with relief. "Since you have matured so much, I have nothing to worry about. I can leave in peace."

    Veronica frowned. She stepped forward and looked at her friend.

    "Cathy, what do you mean?"

    Catherine answered, "I decided to quit," Catherine said. "Honestly, this kind of adventure is too much for me. Although, I''ll never say ''no'' to you if you need help. I just want to live a quiet life. I want to get married and have children. A simple life is fine for me."

    "But what about helping out Ovior? Did you not promise to help him with his work?"

    "Yes, I talked to Ovior about this. I''ll work with him. Since magic is something we can rely on, I won''t have any problem connecting my house with his office room."

    Catherine was done exining to her friend. Then, she asked Arthur, "If you don''t mind, can you tell me where Sebastian is?"

    "I can," Arthur slowly nodded. "If the Elven Prince takes you to the human realm, ask Darius to take you to him. He knows."

    "I will, thank you." Catherine smiled.

    Veronica embraced her friend and said, "Wait for me there. I''ll prepare a grand wedding for you."

    Catherineughed in embarrassment. "Let me win him over first."

    Veronica teasingly said, "His heart is already yours. Go, get him, girl."

    After Catherine left, she went back to Arthur''s arms.

    He tightly wrapped her around his arms and pecked on her left temple.

    "Are you finally at peace?" he inquired.

    Veronica smiled in response. "You have no idea," she said.

    After a while, Arthur couldn''t help but ask, "Do you wish to stay here?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "This ce is way safer for you than the Human Realm. I''ve seen how people here respect you and earn your affection. They have no evil intentions. I won''t say the same for the Elven King though."

    Veronica poked his chest and said, "This ce is the safest spot for me."

    Arthur affectionately kissed her cheek. "Then, why don''t you stay with me? You are always running around. You are everywhere but near me."

    Veronica intertwined their fingers and then pulled his arm on herp. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Why don''t we go somewhere? Just the two of us? We never went anywhere for a trip, just the two of us, other than when you showed me around Tybu."

    Her sudden proposal made Arthur look at her properly.

    "Do you mean honeymoon?" he asked.

    "Yeah," she looked at him and continued, "Let''s go to the ocean."

    Arthur raised an eyebrow. "The ocean?"

    "Yes."

    "Why suddenly the ocean?"

    "That''s because I want to sail on a boat," Veronica answered. "Last time you took me to Kerbell. I liked it there."

    Arthur remembered when he first took her on an outing, he brought her to Kerbell, the port city of Tybu.

    "I didn''t know you liked Kerbell that much. Fine, I''ll take you to a cruise ship for our honeymoon," he promised.

    His lips brushed against her forehead. She felt his lips pressing her skin. She closed her eyes.

    The touch of his lips was soft, warm and soothing. It filled her heart.

    When Arthur moved his lips away, he noticed that Veronica didn''t move. Her eyes were shut. She fell asleep then and there.

    There was so much he wanted to talk about but she seemed too tired. Her lips were slightly cracked; and dark eye bags underneath her eyshes.

    Noticing her condition, his heart ached. However, there was a feeling of pride.

    ''My woman is just amazing,'' he thought.

    He carried her to the bedroom and ced her on the bed. After covering her with aforter, he went outside.

    Ovior was waiting for him outside.

    The two of them stood outside her house quietly for a few minutes before Arthur broke the silence.

    "What happened when she was here?"

    Ovior hesitated before telling him everything.

    The more Arthur heard, the more blue veins became visible on his forehead.

    "Where is that bastard?" Arthur mentioned Dastan, who forced a kiss on Veronica.

    "We wanted to search for him," Ovior replied with regret, "but the elves sent a search party and told us to mind our own business."

    Then, he added, "It''s not that we could do anything. We had to take care of Veronica first. Right after she woke up, she wanted to help Catherine. We were unable to stop her. Luckily, she knows how to take care of herself."

    "Since we have quite some time for ourselves, I''d like to find that bastard," Arthur said.

    "Are you nning to upset the Elven King? I don''t think that''s a good idea. What we want is not a war," Ovior reminded him. "We might need their help in the near future."

    "They are the ones who are harming us. If they want trouble, we can give them that."

    Upon hearing his words, Ovior pressed, "They have be Veronica''s ally. You sure you want to do this?"

    Thest thing he wanted was a war where they would lose terribly. Moreover, it might strain Arthur''s rtionship with Veronica.

    Arthur stated, "If they really are her ally, they have to take that bastard down from the throne and make the second prince the Crown Prince since he has be her true friend."

    "I''m surprised you are not jealous saying he is her friend."

 Chapter 541 QUESTIONS ROOTED DEEP IN HIS HEART

    Chapter 541 QUESTIONS ROOTED DEEP IN HIS HEART

    "I''m surprised you are not jealous saying he is her friend."

    Ovior''sment wasn''t unjustified as his friend was a jar of vinegar every time Veronica was with another man. His possessiveness knew no bounds to the point of making her unhappy.

    Right now, he was calm as he mentioned the friendship between his wife and the elf he hated so much which obviously caught Ovior''s attention.

    "It''s not that I have female friends. Why can''t she have male friends?" Arthur stated the obvious.

    However, his obvious answer was one of the eighth wonders in the world.

    Ovior gaped at him as if he had heard wrong.

    Arthur noticed his friend''s expression but he could care less.

    "First thing first," he stated, "since we are already here and have nothing to do, we will look for the bastard. If theye to stop us, we will demand a reasonable exnation. They cannot stop us from looking for him when he intentionally harmed my wife.If they cannot give us a motive to prevent us from searching for him, they will shut up."

    "What if they don''t shut up and try to cause trouble?" Ovior questioned.

    "The only way to do it is to let us leave this ce," Arthur replied. "Aside from that, is there anything in this ce we can use for ourselves?"

    One of the reasons he sent his best friend with his wife was not only to be her guard but also to keep an eye on the elves.

    The elves were connected to mother nature. They used nature to their advantage. If the Magic Tower could learn some tricks using nature. Also, there were many nts the elves used to heal themselves. Those knowledge were unknown to humans.

    Arthur wondered if there was a way for the Magic Tower to harness the power of nature like the Elves did. Additionally, he pondered the potential benefits of discovering and studying the healing properties of the nts used by the Elves, as they could greatly benefit humans in ways they had never imagined. Aside from that, the Elves knew how to bring the dead back to life without using dark power. It was something worth knowing.

    Ovior revealed his desire to make the most of their stay. Additionally the Elves'' connection to nature and their unique healing method intrigued him. He pondered if the Magic Tower could acquire simr knowledge and incorporate it into his own practice. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "I''ve been reading a few books and have noted down the names of the nts that can cure the incurable diseases of the Human Realm. Unfortunately, very few of the nts are in our realm. I did take five seeds with me so that I could nt them in my garden. I wish to get the rest of them.

    "I know I''m asking for too much but we could get Urs'' help. He is Veronica''s friend. If she asks him, he will surely give it to him."

    Arthur quietly listened to his friend and then mentioned, "Do you think so? If anything, he''ll brainwash her and make her think that we are all evil. If those seedse into our hands, we will have more power and we will lead the world to destruction."

    "Would she believe him though?" Ovior doubted. "We have been with her for a long time now. She knows what we can do and what we can''t. She surely trusts us more than the Elves."

    "It''s better if she doesn''t know. Besides, one day we might use the Elven nts as our weapons. If she gets to know that and then realizes that she was part of it, she will have a breakdown. Pointless things should be eliminated. Anyway, you keep up with the research; I''ll take care of the rest."

    After saying what he wanted to say, Arthur turned around to leave.

    "Did you decide what to do with Ironin?" Ovior asked from the back. "For him to have the antidote for Veronica and make her drink his blood without knowing the consequences, are you okay with it?" Arthur halted on his steps for a moment, considering his friend''s query and then replied without turning around, "I will ask him once we leave this ce. I do have to thank him for saving Veronica."

    After he left, the trace of his shadow left with him. Ovior stared his way until his shadow disappeared. Ovior couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease as he pondered Arthur''s response. He wondered if Arthur truly understood the gravity of Ironin''s actions and the potential consequences they could have for Veronica. ''Did he really change this much for Veronica?'' he contemted, having a hard time understanding Arthur''s mind.

    Arthur headed to Veronica''s home. Her bedroom door was open. He slowly pulled the door forward and walked inside. His heart pounded. Although he didn''t express it, he was concerned about Ironin''s actions and the connection between Veronica''s cure and his blood. He discovered Veronica sleepingfortably in her bed. He moved closer andid down alongside her. He stroked her face with the back of his fingers.

    As though she could feel his touch, she hummed and opened her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Did you juste back?" she asked with a muffled voice. Without answering her, Arthur questioned back, "How do you know?"

    "When you left me in bed, I woke up. Then, I slept again," Veronica mumbled. She held his hand that was touching her face. She intertwined their hands and then pulled his hand to touch her lips.

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to wake you up," Arthur replied. The touch of her lips ignited the fire inside him.

    "It''s okay. I slept well. Where you talking to Ironin and Ovior?"

    Veronica could understand that Arthur had many things to talk about with his friends whom he left to take care of her. He also needed to assess the situation they were in. At a moment like this where his wife was the friend of a powerful alliance but he and his allies weren''t wee to the least, he had to be prepared for the worst situation in case of emergency.

    "I did¡­" Arthur replied. Afterward, he hesitated before mentioning the thought that was bugging him, "Nica, I want to ask you something about Ironin."

 Chapter 542 THE KINGS SUMMON

    Chapter 542 THE KING''S SUMMON

    "Nica, I want to ask you something about Ironin."

    When Arthur mentioned it, Veronica looked at him.

    "What do you want to talk about?" she inquired.

    Arthur arranged thoughts in his head before asking,"When he was around you, did he... look strange to you?"

    "Strange?" Veronica was intrigued. "What kind of strange?"

    "Any kind."

    "I don''t think so... I mean, he never talks much and always has a poker face on so that you won''t be able to read his mind. He didn''t act out of character. Why do you ask?"

    "...Nothing, I was just worried."

    Arthur sensed that she had no idea about Ironin saving her by making her drink blood. That''s why he didn''t push it further.

    "You worry too much. I''m sure he is all right." Her hand slipped through his parted silk shirt and touched his warm chest. She continued, "Why don''t you focus on me?"

    Her yful tone made his throat dry. He gulped and gently pinched her chin.

    Her yful tone made his throat dry. He gulped and gently pinched her chin.

    "Did I not pay enough attention to you?" His voice was hoarse as he spoke, "My bad. I will only pay attention to you from now on."

    Eventually, he parted her lips and inserted his tongue. Their tongues yed tango as their body collided with each other.

    In the blink of an eye, their clothes disappeared and only their heated bodies remained. Veronica''s inverted nipples perked up from her husband''s yful tongue and fingers'' intense teasing.

    She cried out in delight.She squirmed underneath him as she yearned for his love. Her eyes brimmed with sweet tears while she oozed out honey down there. When they became one, Arthur thrust deep inside her, touching her G-spot.

    "Ahh... Arthur..." Veronica squalled his name. She sank in bottomless pleasure and her nails dug his back.

    Arthur''s eyes became bloodshot when he noticed his wife moved her waist to match his rhythm. She shook her hips to be one with him in the middle of the air, taking his breath away. Arthur inhaled sharply. He had never felt more alive. He buried deep inside her and sucked one of her perked nipples, causing her body to tremor in absolute delight. Their bodies moved in perfect harmony, creating a symphony of passion that echoed through the room. Veronica''s moans filled the air, a melody of desire that only fueled Arthur''s fervor. The room was filled with the sound of their passionate moans and the scent of their desire. They were lost in each other at that moment, consumed by a love that burned brighter than any me. Arthur''s movement got harder while Veronica''s nails dug into his bare skin, leaving red love notes. At the most intense moment, she could feel something warm filling her up¡ªa wave of pleasure that crashed over her in a tidal wave of ecstasy. The room seemed to spin around them as they reached the peak of their shared passion, lost in the moment of pure connection. They trembled in each other''s arms, their hearts beating as one in a symphony of love and desire. Theyy there, breathless and spent, and their hearts were brimming with adoration and devotion.

    The night passed as they slept away in each other''s embrace. When they woke up the next morning, they were still intertwined, their bodies entangled in a beautiful mess of limbs and sheets. The sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on their faces as they exchanged sleepy smiles.

    Arthur stroked her supple cheek. She closed her eyes to feel his affection when his lips hovered on her face and pecked on her lips. They exchanged sweet kisses. They cherished the small bit of intimacy they shared, leaving them with nothing but mellow tenderness. By the time they got out of bed, the Elves already finished their breakfast.

    They were having breakfast when Urs came. He apologized first and then announced, "His Majesty requested an audience with the Master of the Magic Tower." "We will be there shortly," Veronica replied. "Thank you for informing us, Urs."

    In return for her reply, Urs said, "He wants to meet him alone."

    Veronica and Arthur exchanged nces. "Did he say why he wants to meet him alone?" she asked.

    "He didn''t," Urs answered. His stoic expression didn''t reveal what his mind was thinking.

    "Very well," Arthur wiped his lips and then stood up. "I''ll go and meet him now."

    He didn''t want to dy the meeting any further. He needed to know what the Elven King was conspiring. As he was about to leave, Veronica instantly grabbed his hand. Arthur looked at her and saw worries drafted her eyes. He took her hand and gently squeezed it. "Don''t worry. I won''t overreact," he promised. After he left with Urs, Veronica became restless. Most certainly she would worry because both Arthur and the Elven King were like sleeping lions. Once something triggered them, they would roar.

    She trusted her husband but at the same time, she didn''t have any faith in his temper when it was rted to her. And obviously, both the Master of the Magic Tower and the Elven King would talk having the only interest in mind.

    The blessed child.

    She entirely lost her appetite. Wiping her mouth with the handkerchief, she stood up. When he left the house, she met Ovior and Felix.

    "Where are you going?" Ovior asked, squinting his eyes. "King Erestor Culn¨¢mo is talking to Arthur," she restlessly exined. "I don''t know what he has to talk to Arthur alone. I simply hope nothing will happen."

    "Calm down. I''m pretty sure nothing worse will happen," Felix tried to assure her. "In any case, we have our army ready. King Erestor Culn¨¢mo has been known as the wisest being on earth. He won''t do anything that could upset you." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "That''s true," Ovior agreed. "Even if he doesn''t care about the rest of the world, he values your opinion. He won''t want to be on your bad side."

    Listening to their reasoning, she finally calmed down. Even so, she couldn''t let go of the uneasiness she was feeling.

    What could they be talking about?

 Chapter 543 A REQUEST

    Chapter 543 A REQUEST

    Veronica put her worries aside for now and looked at Felix.

    "It''s good to see you. Felix. Howe you are here?"

    "How could I miss the chance of seeing the Elven Realm?" Felix jokingly replied. "It''s good to see you and especially Catherine. I can''t believe you revived a dead person."

    "I''m delighted that she is alive." Veronica couldn''t ask for more.

    "So, how was it? Is there any side effect on both of you?" Felix inquired.

    Veronica answered, "I haven''t felt anything. Since it''s a sacred art of Elves, I don''t think there should be any bad effect. However, Cathy cannot remember how she died. "The painful memory before her death has been wiped out of her memory. I''m d that she doesn''t remember any of it. Or else, I don''t think she would still love Sebastian."

    Felix and Ovior exchanged looks. Their thoughts were hidden.

    "That is a lovely coincidence," Ovior remarked.

    "I say so myself," Veronica agreed. "Did she meet him?"

    "Yes, I escorted her to the Human Realm. Sebastian was waiting for her there," Ovior replied. "Veronica, we have something to ask of you."

    As he said that, he knelt and bowed, along with Felix.

    "Oh my!" Veronica was surprised. "What is it that you have to bow to me? Please, stand up!"

    "We won''t be able to stand up unless you agree to our request," Ovior stubbornly stated.

    "What it is that you need?"

    "Please revive Dorothy? I still have her body intact with magic," Ovior begged.

    "Ruth too. I don''t have her body but I have her soul," Felix added.

    Veronica was astounded by their requests. She heard from Ovior about Dorothy''s unfortunate death. As for Felix''s lover Ruth, she had known her for a long time. Sister Ruth took great care of her and she would do anything to help her. Sister Ruth''s death was the saddest part of her life in Utahill. "Ovior, we need the Holy Spring to revive her. Isn''t her body preserved with a spell in Tybu?"

    "I brought her here this morning," Ovior answered. "Since I couldn''t use the spell on her inside the Elven Realm, her body might start dposing soon."

    ''Did he go to the Magic Tower yesterday when he got the chance? But how did he manage to fool the eyes of the Elves?'' she wondered.

    However, it wasn''t time to think about that. She hurried him, "Let''s bring her with us to the Holy Spring. We can''t revive a rotten body."

    "I''ll get her," Ovior said and then hurriedly left.

    Afterward, she nced at Felix and said, "I need to know more about the soul revival method. Please give me some time. But I can''t guarantee that it will work."

    "I know." Felix''s eyes brimmed with tears. "But your words are enough. Thank you, Veronica."

    "Please don''t thank me yet."

    Later on, she left a short letter to Arthur before traveling to the Holy Spring. Since they already knew the route, they took horses and rode as fast as they could. Veronica walked inside the cave first. She was followed by Felix and Ovior as they pulled the sack that had Dorothy''s body. The Holy Spring was as quiet as before. Not a single creature was there. Ovior opened the sack and Dorothy''s body came into their view. For years no one but him saw her delicate beauty.

    The pale skin, brte wavy hair ¨C everything was just like before. Nothing had changed over the years.

    Only the marks she received before her death were taken care of. He didn''t want to leave any marks on her.

    Veronica prepared Dorothy''s body the same way she did Catherine''s. Once her body was in theke, she knelt in front of theke and started praying.

    Felix and Ovior did the same. Both squeezed their eyes and prayed hard. They never prayed to the Goddess before. They thought it was time to do so. In any case, both of their lovers died a long time ago. They weren''t sure if this method would work. If this method worked on Dorothy and she could be revived, there was a tiny bit of possibility that Ruth could be revived as well.

    Soon, they could feel a strong and warm silver light covering them. They didn''t dare to open their eyes.

    Ssh!

    When they heard the noise in the water, only then did they open their eyes. The strong light was gone. It took them some time to adjust their eyesight. After adjusting, they looked around. However, Veronica wasn''t in front of them. She was gone! N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Dorothy, who was floating on theke, disappeared as well.

    They stood up and frantically looked for the girls.

    "Veronica?! Dorothy?!" Ovior shouted their names.

    However, there was no reply. They would only see the ripples in the water.

    Without hesitation, Felix took off his shoes and dived into theke.

    In contrast to the warmth of the silver light, the water of theke was extremely cold. It was dark too,pared to the light hue it illuminated. It felt like his brain was going to freeze in a second. He could sense thousands of needles pricking his body. It was painful to the point he wanted to open his mouth and gasp for oxygen and cry in pain.

    Just at that moment, a scene came to his vision.

    He saw Dorothy drowning in the deepke and Veronica was holding her hands. Behind her, another woman was holding them. At first, he thought that the woman was pushing them down. He swam toward them. He noticed that the woman wasn''t pushing them or anything. She enveloped two other girls with a strange blue light. The blue light matched her clothes. Her long hair was shining in the darkke. Her eyes were closed. It seemed that she was concentrating on something. The blue light glowed stronger, nearly engulfing the two unconscious women.

    Fear crept into Felix''s heart. He thought, ''What if they are taken somewhere no one can find them?''

    He swam harder.

    The woman must have sensed his presence. She opened her eyes and turned her head toward him/

    Their eyes locked.

 Chapter 544 AWAKEN

    Chapter 544 AWAKEN

    Ovior waited impatiently in the cave. After Felix dived into the water, he noticed a few bubbles before things remained quiet. He knew Felix would resurface soon, but the silence was unnerving. He couldn''t tolerate the stillness. He strode from one corner of the cave to another. Three minutes¡­

    Five minutes¡­

    Ten minutes¡­

    ''That''s it. I''m going,'' Ovior decided when no one showed up on the surface. As he took off his shoes, someone popped out. Startled, he halted on his track only to see who came back. He spotted silver locks in the blueke. Following the brte and light brown hair.

    As Veronica moved closer to the shore, Ovior came forward and pulled Dorothy to the dry area. He didn''t even look anywhere else. Cupping her face with his shaky hands, he checked her vitality. Dorothy opened her clear blue eyes and coughed out water. He helped her to sit straight and let her have fresh air. She calmed down after oxygen filled her lungs. "Do-Dorothy? Can you¡­. hear me?" A trembling voice came with a suppressed sob. Dorothy finally looked at him. At first, she seemed confused. She didn''t seem to recognize him. However, her memories slowly started returning; she opened her mouth.

    "Ovi¡­??"

    She sounded so confused when she uttered his nickname oh so sweetly.

    "Oh, thank goodness."

    Droplets of tears fell from Ovior''s eyes. He couldn''t contain his emotions. He tightly embraced her wet body without caring that his clothes were getting dirty.

    Bewildered by his outburst, Dorothy simply wrapped her arms around him. She stayed quiet, attentively listening to his cry.

    Those twopletely ignored the other two people who got drenched by trying to save her. Veronica wiped her face and checked on Felix who was coughing up water.

    "Goodness, Felix, are you okay?" she asked in concern. "Why did you jump in theke?"

    "Why do you think so?" Felix asked her back after catching his breath. He couldn''t help but shiver and then muttered, "So cold!"

    "It''s not cold. The temperature of the water is okay," Veronica said.

    "For you but not for me," Felix grunted. "Maybe it''s because you were an unwee guest by theke. Anyway, I could have handled it."

    "You were unconscious."

    "Thest time I checked, it was YOU who were unconscious," she retorted.

    After she dived into theke, she had a vision. She saw something that seemed familiar but couldn''t catch it. By the time she opened her eyes, she found two people drowning in theke.

    One was obviously Dorothy who was supposed to be in theke. Another one was unexpectedly Felix who was supposed to be in the drynd. He wasn''t unconscious but he was able to move. She didn''t think twice before grabbing both of them and pulling them to the shore.

    Felix was unable to move due to the excessive coldness of theke water. He had no interest in having any argument with her. He thought about what he saw earlier and then kept his mouth shut.

    The two of them looked at the couple who reunited after a decade. None of them ever saw the mighty, ferocious Ovior crying his heart out. His face was wet from the waterfall dripping from his eyes. They waited until his emotions were under control.

    Ovior calmed down and then inspected Dorothy once again.

    "Are you sure you are okay, Dorothy?" he inquired again.

    "Y-yes¡­" her tongue seemed frozen because she could barely talk. She moved her head.

    Veronica noticed their little interaction and couldn''t help but smile. Her heart was at peace.

    Whenever she did something forbidden that brought happiness to others she was happy. She found happiness by bringing joy to people.

    If she was capable of doing the right thing, why wouldn''t she do it? She was given the power to make this world better. Since she could do it, why wouldn''t she try it?

    Forbidden or not, she brought people happiness; the people who deserved it. She didn''t have an ounce of regret.

    Felix loudly cleared his throat.

    "Apologies for disturbing your passionate moment but I''d like to go back to the camp and change into dry clothes."

    Hisment made the couple distance themselves. Dorothy shyly looked at the strangers.

    "Dorothy, they are my friends," Ovior introduced them to her. "Veronica and Felix. She is the one who saved you."

    "Saved me?" Dorothy tilted her head. Veronica didn''t want to disclose anything further. She said, "You must be feeling ufortable wearing wet clothes. Why don''t we go to my ce? I can give you some clothes. You must be hungry as well¡­"

    She didn''t finish her sentence before the drenched girl''s stomach growled. Embarrassed, she covered her stomach and said, "I-I''m sorry."

    "It''s okay, Dorothy. Let''s go somewherefortable," Ovior said. He took her in his arms and headed toward the entrance of the cave.

    Soon, they reached Veronica''s house. Arthur was already in the living room, waiting for his wife.

    Upon hearing the footsteps, he went to the doorway to wee her but stopped in his tracks when he saw an existence he absolutely wasn''t expecting to see.

    "¡­What is going on?"

    Ovior let Dorothy step on the ground and made her follow Veronica. Once the girls were in the bedroom, he said, "Let me exin."

    By the time Dorothy and Veronica changed clothes, hepleted the story.

    Afterward, everyone was sitting in the dining room. Two elves served them dishes and then left. Dorothy was quietly eating and others were discussing the situation.

    "Is there any side effect from whatever happened?" Arthur inquired.

    "No, not at all," Veronica denied his im. "I don''t feel anything in me. Moreover, it wasn''t me who did the miracle. I just brought Dorothy there. Now, all we have to worry about is about Dorothy''s health."

    Ovior nced at Dorothy and asked her, "How are you feeling now, Dorothy?"

    "I''m okay. Just a bit hungry," she politely replied. "This bread is amazing. I have never tasted something like this before."

    After some tongue exercises, she could talk fluently. Her tongue didn''t tangle anymore while speaking. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "What is thest thing you remember? Can you tell?" Veronica inquired. She hoped Dorothy would be lucky like Elizabeth.

    "I do remember receiving a letter from Ovi," Dorothy answered. "Then, I went to the school to meet him. I was in the carriage. I don''t remember what happened next. Did something bad happen?"

    She gazed at Ovior and asked, "Why do you look so old? Even Arthur looks like he grew bigger?"

    Ovior coughed. "Do I look old?"

    "You must look like an old man to her," Felix joked.

    Ovior red at him. "Shut up."

    Dorothy was flustered. She hurriedly tried to clear the misunderstanding saying, "I-I didn''t mean you look that old. I mean you look older than thest time I saw you."

    "I understand what you mean," Ovior''s voice became softer as he talked to her. "When you were in the carriage, you had a little ident. You have been unconscious for years."

    "For years? Just how long?" Dorothy was curious.

    "Enough to make Ovior grow ''old''," Felixmented.

    Ovior shot another death re at him. Before he could speak, Veronica said, "Even though they have all grown up, Ovior still cares for you. Others lost hope but he waited for you. And now, you are finally awake. Wee back, Lady Dorothy."

    Her warm smile made Dorothy''s anxiety go away. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she felt a sense of calm washing over her. Dorothy knew she was in good hands with someone who genuinely cared about her well-being.

    After their tea time was over, Ovior took Dorothy with him. He didn''t forget to meet Veronica privately and thank her.

    "You have nothing to thank me for," Veronica replied. "You have done a lot for me and Arthur. Consider it as a return of favor."

    "You don''t understand, Veronica," Ovior stated. "You gave me my life back. I''ll forever be in debt to you."

    "You don''t have to be," Veronica said. "Please be the way you always are and be happy with Dorothy. That''s all I want from you."

    Ovior respectfully bowed to her before leaving. Felix met her afterward and told her, "Please don''t forget about Ruth."

    "I won''t but please don''t forget what I said before. Don''t bear any hope," she reminded him.

    He smiled pitifully in return. "The only thing that still keeps me alive is hope." Then, he followed Ovior and Dorothy.

    After they were gone, it was just the two of them in the house. Arthur held her hand. He gently asked, "Are you sure you are all right?"

    Veronica smiled at his gentleness and replied, "Yes, I am. Don''t worry about it. What did King Erestor Culn¨¢mo say? Did you argue with him?"

    She wanted to bring this topic to the table but didn''t mention anything in front of Dorothy. She just woke up and the topic would be too heavy for her. Ovior and the rest had the same thought.

    "We didn''t have any argument," he replied. "Why? Don''t you trust me?"

    "Ipletely trust you," she answered. "However, I met King Erestor Culn¨¢mo before. He is a wise and cunning ruler. I''m just worried if he did anything to trap you."

 Chapter 545 TIME TO LEAVE

    Chapter 545 TIME TO LEAVE

    "However, I met King Erestor Culn¨¢mo before. He is a wise and cunning ruler. I''m just worried if he did anything to trap you."

    As Veronica mentioned, Arthur couldn''t agree more. "I know he''s cunning. A wise ruler will want the so-called blessed child to be in their territory where they can control the power it holds."

    "So, he tried to persuade you to keep me here I assume." Veronica figured that much. Arthur sneered. "Not just persuasion, he threatened me with your life."

    That''s not what she expected. "Howe?"

    He told her in detail, "He didn''t mean that he would harm you. He said that if you were with me, you would face worse than death. That made me angry."

    She thought about it and said, "I''m sure he tried to get on your nerves. I don''t believe him. I know from my heart that I''ll be in my best position as long as you are by my side."

    Afterward, she leaned on him and ced her head on his shoulder.

    Arthur smiled upon listening to her words. "I promise that I''ll protect you at any cost."

    Veronica looked at her husband and proposed, "We will protect each other. How''s that?"

    "That''s good enough for me." He pecked on her forehead. "Do you n to leave this ce soon?"

    "No, I have a n. I might have to stay here for another week." Veronica then told him about Felix''s request.

    He quietly listened to her and then inquired, "What do you n to do?" She truthfully replied, "I''ll try to find the cure. Using the fragments of a soul to make aplete human ¨C I would like to know if it''s possible. The knowledge mighte in handy in the future."

    "I''ll leave it to you then. But I''m staying here."

    "You can''t do that," she couldn''t agree with his idea. "Take all magicians with you to the tower. Wait for me there. Ovior needs some time with Lady Dorothy. He has done a lot for us over the years. Let''s do him a favor. Release him from his duty for a few weeks. Let him be with his lover. I''lle back soon."

    Arthur properly faced her and held her hands. "Promise me you won''t take more than a week."

    "I''ll do my best to finish my research as soon as possible."

    Veronica couldn''t say for certain that she could finish her research in a week. Truth be told, she wasn''t even expecting there would be any chance like this. However, she nned to go as deep as possible to find a solution. After all, no one would be happier than her if she could bring Sister Ruth back to life and let her be with Felix. That day, Arthur and Veronica stayed together as if no one could separate them. They stroll outside. She showed him around the area. Later in the evening, they met a few people. The Elves invited them for dinner. They yed beautiful melodies with flutes and lyres while performing ancient dance. The dance was dedicated to the blessed child who protected heaven and earth from evil. Both enjoyed the magnificent performance.

    When they went home, they took a bath together. After drying her hair, he braided her hair. After that, covering her with the bath towel, he showed her the clothes he brought with him. All of them were in colored with simple designs, just the way she liked. She checked a few clothes and couldn''t decide which one to wear. "Why don''t you choose one for me?" she suggested.

    Without a second thought, Arthur pointed at thevender color dress. It had glitter on the fabric and goldence at the edge. "Why did you choose this one?" she asked, feeling curious.

    "You like purple, don''t you?" he said with a smile. "There is nothing I don''t know about your taste. Your taste in clothes, food and even¡­" he pulled her forward and kissed her lips beforepleting the sentence, "¡­your taste in men."

    She giggled and kissed him back. Her slender arms wrapped around his neck.

    Forgetting about the dress, they moved to the bed and spent a heated night. Veronica could feel that there was an earnest affectioning from Arthur''s deep-rooted lust. Despite climaxing several times, he went on and on. When she asked for a break, he apologized and tried to soothe her by nting wet kisses. After giving her enough time to calm down, he started moving again. Until dawn, she cried in pleasure and he groaned sweetly like a beast. By the time they woke up, it was already noon. Arthur woke up first and cleaned both of their bodies. Feeling the freshness, Veronica woke up. As soon as she opened her eyes, sunlight attacked her mercilessly. She squinted her eyes and then yawned. While she stretched her body, a pair of arms around her waist.

    "You can sleep a bit more," a hoarse voice spoke from her back. She turned around and rubbed her body against himfortably.

    "My whole body is in pain. Massage me," she demanded in a sleepy tone.

    Arthur noticed that his throat was dry. Something was itching to rise. "Are you trying to punish me?" he asked.

    "Yes."

    It was a quick reply.

    Resigned to his fate, the Master of the Magic Tower performed his duty. Around ten minutester, his hands couldn''t be honest anymore. They started mischievous attacks.

    Veronica almost fell asleep from the soothing massage when she felt something odd happening to her body. Then, she sensed a naughty pair was roaming around her sensitive areas shamelessly.

    Completely alerted, she demanded, "What is happening?"

    "Massage," a fiery voice answered near her left ear. Veronica opened her mouth to speak but the mouth hole became wider as her other hole got upied in the blink of an eye.

    Trembling from the sudden attack, she let out a luscious moan.

    As if it was confirmation, the heavyweight behind her thrust deeply. Their breathing became heavier and heavier. After the sweet release, they stayed on the bed. Veronica was in a daze and panted with her mouth open.

    Arthur caressed her back. With his eyes shut, he enjoyed her warmth and smooth skin. Later, he took the ss from the bedside table and then gave it to Veronica. She raised her body and took the ss. After drinking a mouthful of water, she gave it back to him.

    Arthur also drank water and then ced it back on the table. Afterward, heid down on the bed once again.

    Noticing that he showed no interest in getting out of bed, she asked, "Aren''t you leaving today?"

    He nned to leave the Elven Realm today, at least that''s what he told her yesterday. However, it was past noon and he was still in bed.

    "I will, at night," he replied. "I want to stay with you a bit longer."

    "Mm, okay." She didn''t mind if he leftter on. They had been separated for a while and she missed him dearly. If only they didn''t have responsibilities to take care of, she''d want him to stay with her a bit longer. However, she didn''t want to be too demanding. They stayed quiet and enjoyed each other''s presence. They wished they would be like this forever.

    Sometimeter, Veronica mentioned yesterday''s party, "Did you like the party?"

    "It was enjoyable," Arthur replied.

    "Do you really think I can be the protector of heaven and earth?"

    "It''s not that I think that," he answered truthfully, "you are THE protector of heaven and earth."

    "I didn''t know you cared about this kind of prophecy."

    "It''s not about prophecy. I saw your transformation up close. I saw you protecting us during the war. You revived an entire desert. I don''t know what you call it but I definitely believe that you are the protector who was sent to us."

    Veronica shifted and looked toward the clear sky through the window.

    "Why does it feel like that I''m going to destroy this world," she murmured.

    Arthur flinched when he heard her. "What are you talking about?" His voice was alert. "Why would you think that?"

    "No reason," she gave a light-hearted reply. "Suddenly had this thought for no reason." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Are you worried about being a dragon and having no conscience during that time?" he mentioned.

    She was surprised by hisment. She turned to him and said, "Did you just read my mind?"

    Arthur smirked. "I don''t need to read your mind to think about it. You know you are the kindest soul."

    "Just because you think I''m kind?" She was skeptical. "Is it not because some people mentioned that I could be dangerous in the dragon form?"

    "No such thing," he firmly denied her usations. "There is no one who will dare to say this to the Mistress of the Magic Tower."

    "If only they knew¡­" she muttered. She knew that most of them didn''t know about her being the fiery dragon.

    They chatted for a while before Veronica''s stomach growled. They got out of bed, took another shower, dressed and then went to the dining room. After a hearty meal, Arthur got ready to leave.

 Chapter 546 LETS BE TOGETHER

    Chapter 546 LET''S BE TOGETHER

    The Imperial Tree ~

    The soldiers bowed when they saw Dastaning.

    When the doors were opened, he entered the throne room.

    "Father, I''vee to greet you."

    He respectfully bowed.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo was pleased to see his firstborn.

    "What brings you here, Aeolus?" he asked.

    "I was curious to know why you went easy on her."

    "She is not as weak as you have described. I was pleased with her attitude. She wasn''t the weak person I thought she was. She is a worthy descendent."

    "Is this the only reason? But she won''t be staying in thisnd after she is done with her purpose."

    "My son, you seem to be infatuated with her."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo raised his child. He knows his son more than anyone.

    "That''s not the point¡­"

    Dastan denied his father''s im. Whatever he felt, he didn''t want to express it.

    "She is married," the Elven King disclosed.

    "She is¡­ what?!"

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo could understand his son''s emotions. He was also astounded when he heard the news. After all, a blessed child marrying was unheard of.

    "There is no way you can be with her when she is already married."

    Dastan couldn''t help but ask, "How do you know? Whom did she marry?"

    The Elven King answered, "Your brother informed me yesterday. I was as surprised as you are. Apparently, she is married to a wizard."

    "A wizard?" Dastan frowned. He took a trip down to memoryne and a face appeared in his mind.

    !!!

    When his expression changed, King Erestor Culn¨¢mo asked, "What is it, my son?"

    Dastan told him, "If she married the person I know, then she might be in grave danger."

    "Even if she is, she will figure it out on her own."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo was beingid back which was unusual. His attitude made Dastan confused. "If that''s what she wants, let her embrace it."

    "Father, I know you are thinking of something. May I know what it is?"

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo closed his eyes and smiled. He said mysteriously, "You will find out soon, my son." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    --------

    "You took your time," Oviorined the moment Veronica came back. "I was worried sick about you. How did the audience go with the king?"

    Veronica answered, "It was okay but I forgot to mention your presence. Now, all we have to do is to hide you here until I''m done with my task here."

    "You must have been under pressure if you have forgotten my existence," Oviormented after hearing the whole story.

    "I''m d you weren''t present. He isn''t easy to fool. He is known for his wise decision. I can only hope he will let everything slide."

    "Did you find the book you were looking for?"

    "No, Urs gave me this scroll. I will finish reading it first. I can take only one scroll at a time."

    Veronica took out a scroll from her bag and showed it to him.

    Curious, Ovior asked, "Can I take a look?"

    "Sure." She handed it to him.

    Ovior unrolled the scroll and read aloud, "The Chosen One? Is this scroll about you?"

    "Yes, I told the Elven King that I want to know the reason for my existence and the history of it. To fool him, I chose the first scroll as this one. Whatever scroll I take, there will be a record. That''s why I have to be vignt."

    "All right," Ovior agreed.

    "What were you doing all day?" Veronica asked him.

    "Painting, reading books and sleeping," he answered.

    "No wonder Arthur is jealous of your life now," shemented.

    "He was the one who was enjoying his life for years. I''m only giving him his own medicine back."

    "Enjoy your holidays. I will finish this scroll by tonight. How''s Cathy holding? Did you check up on her?"

    Veronica and Ovior carried Cathy''s frozen body with them since she was going to revive her from the dead. Her body was in Ovior''s care. He was keeping her body frozen with his magic.

    Ovior answered, "My power is limited here. I cannot use any magic spell here. Fortunately, the magical stones I brought are working quite well. But they will run out their power soon. "I suggest you get the scroll in two days. If you can''t revive her in three days, I''m afraid I can''t keep her frozen anymore. Her body will start to rot."

    Veronica''s body shuddered. She clenched the scroll that was in her hand.

    "I will find the scroll in two days," she promised.

    --------

    Late night, she was reading the scroll when someone knocked on the door.

    Knock! Knock!

    Veronica stood up and opened the door.

    The moment she saw the person who was in front of her door, her expression changed. Almost immediately she tried to shut the door.

    The uninvited guest said, "Wait, hold on. You cannot shut the door over my face! I''m the future king!"

    Veronica had only one sentence waiting for that person. "Go away!"

    Dastan didn''t care how unwee the host was. He slipped inside and sat on the nearby chair.

    "Shouldn''t you treat me to some food as a host?" he shamelessly asked.

    "Why should I? I didn''t invite you. Get out!"

    Veronica was furious. Her pale cheeks had tints of redness.

    Dastan saw her rigidly standing beside the door and said, "You don''t have to be so guarded. I''m not here to bother you."

    Veronica said, "You are bothering my sleeping time."

    "I saw the lights were on. That''s why I came for a chat."

    Dastan looked at the table and found a scroll.

    "Oh, I see you started reading a scroll already."

    He stood up and went closer to the table to check what she was reading.

    "It doesn''t seem like you were lying to my father. You indeed want to know about yourself," hemented.

    "Since you can see I am busy, leave," Veronica pointed at the door.

    Dastan casually said, "Before I go, answer my question."

    Veronica frowned. She couldn''t help but get angrier.

    "Do you even know how to say please?" she sneered.

    "Did you marry Arthur?" Dastan directly questioned her.

    "Why is that any of your business?" Veronica shot back.

    Dastan replied with a grave expression, "Marrying a wizard is already bad for you. Thest thing you need to do is to marry a guy like him."

    "''Him?''" Veronica squinted her eyes. "What kind of guy is ''him''?"

    "He is a person filled with malice, Veronica. You won''t be happy with him. If you marry him, your future is full of darkness."

    "Is that so? Then, I will embrace that darkness and turn it into a light."

    "I''m not trying to deceive you, Veronica. Heed my warning. He has nothing to offer you."

    "My personal life is none of your business."

    "Veronica, you will suffer. I can see malice."

    Dastan already realized that the guy she was married to was none other than who he was afraid of. His heart became heavy just thinking about it.

    He heard her saying, "All my sufferings came from the people I don''t even know. My husband protects me from all the malice of the world."

    He could only sigh.

    He stated, "You don''t know what you are talking about."

    Veronica already had enough of him.

    She told him, "You don''t know me or my family enough to talk about malice with me."

    "See what he did to you? You weren''t like this before. He changed you, didn''t he?"

    Ovior waited impatiently in the cave. After Felix dived into the water, he noticed a few bubbles before things remained quiet. He knew Felix would resurface soon, but the silence was unnerving.

    He couldn''t tolerate the stillness. He strode from one corner of the cave to another.

    Three minutes¡­

    Five minutes¡­

    Ten minutes¡­

    ''That''s it. I''m going,'' Ovior decided when no one showed up on the surface. As he took off his shoes, someone popped out.

    Startled, he halted on his track only to see who came back. He spotted silver locks in the blueke. Following brte and light brown hair.

    As Veronica moved closer to the shore, Ovior came forward and pulled Dorothy to the dry area. He didn''t even look anywhere else. Cupping her face with his shaky hands, he checked her vitality.

    Dorothy opened her clear blue eyes and coughed out water. He helped her to sit straight and let her have fresh air. She calmed down after she oxygen filled her lungs.

    "Do-Dorothy? Can you¡­. hear me?" Trembling voice came with a suppressed sob.

    Dorothy finally looked at him. At first, she seemed confused. She didn''t seem to recognize him. However, slowly, her memories started toe back and she opened her mouth.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo could understand his son''s emotions. He was also astounded when he heard the news. After all, a blessed child marrying was unheard of.

    "A wizard?"

 Chapter 547 STUPEFACTION

    Chapter 547 STUPEFACTION

    "Ah¡­ don''t mind it." She hurriedly said. "Forget what I said. I thought going to a new ce all alone by myself, I''ll be lonely. I also need someone to help me¡­"

    "I''ll help you!" Sebastian instantly cut her off. "I''ll be with you so that you don''t feel lonely¡­"

    Only then did he realize that he was being too forward, it was out of character. He awkwardly scratched his head. "I¡­ I mean¡­" he stammered.

    "Perfect!" Catherine grabbed his hand. "It will be good having you around. I want to buy a house around the mountain. I want to grow vegetables in the back garden and flowers in from of the house. There should be a flower path so that people whoe to my house feel wee. And¡­"

    She went on and on, not noticing how dearly Sebastian was staring at her and listening to her.

    -----

    Dorothy looked around the camp, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Her fingers strongly squeezed Ovior''s long sleeve.

    He looked at her with concern. He knew she was feeling ufortable. He wanted to directly go back to the tower but Darius sent him a message through theirmunication stone. He had to change his direction ande back to the camp.

    He couldn''t leave Dorothy all by herself in an unknown ce like the Magic Tower and so he took her with him. But now, he had mixed feelings.

    "What do you want to talk about?" he asked Darius who was waiting for him in the camp.

    "Ovior, nice to see you back. I went to look into the thing you asked me for." Darius handed a scroll to him.

    He took it while asking, "Did you find it?"

    "I did. In fact, I was surprised when I saw it with my very eyes. That freaking witch went to Utahill. I saw her climbing the mountain range Alss. She even went inside the sacred temple."

    Ovior frowned from the report.

    "Are you sure it was the witch, not anyone else?" He pressed. Thest thing he expected was that the witch had any connection with the Rosemary Temple or the saint.

    "I know my way there. I didn''t go to the temple myself but I know where it is. Also, do you think there would be anything else other than the sacred temple?" Darius tried to justify.

    "What you just told me is something grave, you realize that, right?" Ovior wiped his forehead. "We are still dealing with the elves. If another force tries to attack us now, we won''t be able to handle it. "I wish Veronica was with us right now. I would have sent her with you, Merlin and Zinnia. She would be the best person to handle that."

    Darius said, "I would love to see her turn into a dragon and burn down the witch. She acted all creepy when she climbed the mountain. It was like she knew the path. She took a secret root inside the cave and went to the temple."

    "You mean there is a cave that leads to the temple?" It was the first time Ovior heard of it. Not even Veronica mentioned this to him before. "Not inside the temple," Darius corrected. "Outside the temple. Still, it''s way better than going to the temple through snowstorms and coldness." "I need to inform this to Arthur. We cannot go there but I''m sure he''ll approve Veronica to go there," Ovior contemted.

    "If you want, I can go there and keep an eye on her," Darius said. "I still don''t understand how she went there. Utahill is a forbidden ce for you people. If magicians can be there, how can the dark witches step there? It''s a holy ce. And the sacred temple?"

    "Maybe the holiest ce isn''t holy anymore," Oviormented.

    "By the way, who is the girl behind you?"

    Since he had nothing to report, Darius finally asked about the girl who was hiding behind Ovior.

    At first nce, she was a renowned beauty with light blue eyes and brte hair. However, taking a proper look, he realized that it was a teenager. He never thought that he would see a beautiful girl with the most stoic, strict, harsh and boring man on earth.

    Ovior instantly reached out when Darius mentioned her. He gently held around her shoulder and said, "Dorothy, meet my friend, Darius. Darius, this is Dorothy."

    "Hello, youngdy. It''s a pleasure to meet you." Darius reached out his hand. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Hello, milord. The pleasure is mine." Dorothy slightly bowed and held his hand.

    Darius took her hand and tried to kiss the back of her hand when her hand was snatched by Ovior.

    "What was that for?" Dariusined.

    "No need to be all touchy with her."

    "What do you mean by touchy?" Darius took his behavior personally. "She consented by giving me her hand. Don''t treat me light a gue. Isn''t she just a child? I''m not into children. Anyway, why are you with a child? Who are you to her?"

    "I''m¡­" As if something caught in his throat, Ovior answered with a bit of hesitation, "My friend."

    "A friend?" Darius was skeptical. "How can a boring person like you have a teenage friend?"

    Ignoring his question, Ovior replied, "I''m d you two met. Thanks for the report, stay with Arthur for now. No need to tell him anything. I''ll head back with Dorothy first."

    "Sure," Darius agreed. He saw Ovior and the girl leave. After they disappeared under his watch, he mumbled, "Damn it! Since when was he a pedo? I never thought I''d see the day he kidnapped an innocent girl. To whom should I tell this story? I bet no one would expect something like that."

    Humming a song, he walked toward Zinnia''s camp when he saw Sebastian hugging Catherine. His jaw dropped.

    ''How in the name of sexy girls the world has turned into?'' he wondered. ''How could a punk who doesn''t even know how to masturbate can get himself a girl? Howe I can''t get a woman?''

 Chapter 548 VISITING MAGIC TOWER

    Chapter 548 VISITING MAGIC TOWER

    Ovior took Dorothy to the Magic Tower. It wasn''t Dorothy''s first time in the tower. Long ago, when Ovior was still a disciple, he once brought her to show around. "This ce has changed," shemented. She noticed that the dark and gloomy ce that made her scared back then was no more. She was surprised to see flowerpots, chandeliers, candles and colorful magic stones decorating the tower. It looked mysteriously beautiful.

    "Do you remember?" Ovior was surprised. He looked at her in anticipation. Unbeknownst to her, she was dead for at least 8 years. Although to her, she was in a deep sleep, it wasn''t the case. He wanted to know how much she could remember. "Uhu," she replied with a smile. "On my birthday, I wished to visit the Magic Tower but the doors were closed to visitors. You promised me the day before my birthday that you would take me there. And you kept your promise."

    Ovior stared at her endearingly. He remembered that as well. Dorothy was intrigued by the things he was interested in. She would follow him around and ask him numerous questions about the spells and stones. He would patiently reply to her questions one by one. He remembered that day she turned sixteen. He fulfilled her promise by taking her to the tower.

    "Come on, I''ll take you to my office." He held her hand and took her to his office.

    The door of his office opened to wee them. Dorothy was in awe. "This is your office?!" She was excited. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Do you remember that I told you that day?" Ovior asked her. He took her hand and gently guided her to the balcony. "I gave you a ring and asked you to be with me if I sessfully became a magician. Do you remember that?"

    "Yes, I remember," Dorothy replied. Her heart fluttered as she recalled the wonderful memory. It was still vividly nted in her heart. She could never forget that day.

    She had known him since she was a child. She couldn''t remember when she fell for him but she could remember that every time they met, her eyes never left him. He was always in her sight. He was the only person who was kind to him. Every time she was in trouble, she could always count on him. As long as she remembers, he was the gentlest soul she had known in her entire life.

    ~ shback ~

    The day she turned sixteen, he fulfilled her promise by giving her a tour at the Magic Tower. He was still an apprentice. On this very balcony, he proposed to her. Their n was to get married after he was promoted as a magician. That would take him two more years. However, everything turned upside down after a week. She had no idea what had happened before her death.

    Ovior squeezed her hand. "Do you want to think about the proposal again?" His voice was as gentle as the spring breeze.

    Dorothy tightened her grip on his sleeve with her free hand. "I¡­ have questions." She looked him in the eyes. "What is happening? What happened to me? Why did you not take me to my family''s house? Why do you look more¡­ mature than I remember? What happened before I went to so-called ''deep sleep''? Please give some answers."

    Ovior closed his eyes. He didn''t want to answer her questions.

    "I seemed to have rushed you before giving you a proper exnation. I apologize."

    "No, don''t apologize," Dorothy shook her head. "I''m just¡­ so confused. I could barely recognize Arthur and¡­ the tower looks so different. You said I was sleeping and I want to know more about it. What exactly happened?" Her bright eyes stared at him. "I should have done better to protect you." A trace of regret came out of his mouth.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Let''s sit first. This will be a long story." Afterward, Ovior took her inside. They sat on the couch. He sorted out his thoughts and then began to tell her what happened after the proposal.

    Dorothy had a lovely trip in the tower on her birthday. She was even proposed to marry by Ovior. She couldn''t be happier. She left the tower with butterflies in her stomach. After she went home, she was called by her father, Count Eckles. Her mother and elder brother were as well. Count Eckles was displeased that his daughter spent her entire day in the Magic Tower. He expressed his dissatisfaction with her friendship with amoner.

    Dorothy tried to protest that Ovior was a good boy even if he was amoner but her mother berated her for being disobedient. As she shut her mouth, her father brought up the topic of her marriage. The targeted person was another nobleman who was serving in the Royal Guards. Nice fellow, they heard. The boy had a good reputation. They wanted to hold the engagement in a month. They would start the preparation for the marriage after a year ¨C that was the n.

    Dorothy was pale when she heard that. She wished to object but her elder brother interrupted her. None of them asked for her opinion as they started talking about her engagement in front of her.

    Later on, the family meeting ended with a restraining order. Dorothy lost contact with Ovior for a while. At the time she was isted from the rest of the world, she had to meet her future groom. The nobleman was descent; at least that''s how he was at first in front of Dorothy. One day, she got lost in the hugepound of the royal barracks. When she tried to find her way out, she stumbled upon a group who were having a conversation.

    It wasn''t that she wanted to eavesdrop on their conversations but her name caught her attention. They were talking about her. The center of the conversation was her fianc¨¦. The group was making fun of her fianc¨¦ who said to only use her as adder to gain fame and ess to the high noble society.

 Chapter 549 FORCED ENGAGEMENT

    Chapter 549 FORCED ENGAGEMENT

    Being separated from Ovior, a forced engagement and imprisonment at her own house were enough to make Dorothy upset. Then, she found out that her fianc¨¦ just wanted to use her to climb thedder. She was devastated and scared.

    She ran away from that ce, not knowing where she was going. Afterward, she crashed into someone. "Dorothy?" A familiar voice called out. With teary eyes, Doroty looked up and saw Ovior''s worried face.

    "Why are you crying, Dorothy? What''s wrong? Did something happen to you?" He agonized as he cupped her face.

    He came to the Royal Library to study for his uing exam. He didn''t expect to see Dorothy blindly running in the royalpound. She was also startled by the unexpected presence of Ovior. They had recently be lovers and promised to marry him but her parents forced her to be courted by a nobleman who wants to use her for his gain. Seeing the man she loved all of a sudden made her heartbroken.

    "Ovior, take me away from here, please," she cried out as she begged.

    Although Ovior knew nothing about what happened to her, it was the first time she saw her so devastated. He held her hand and took her somewhere quiet.

    After she calmed down, she told him what happened after theirst meeting. Ovior attentively listened to her. his heart ached that she suffered while he was busy studying.

    "Dorothy, do you want to run away with me?" he suggested.

    She looked at him in disbelief. The boy she liked was never a person who would recklessly do something without a n. He had a dream and a goal, and he worked very hard trying to reach his goal. His wild suggestion only made her realize that he said it only thinking of her. "We can''t, Ovior," she said. "My brother is your friend. I don''t want to destroy your friendship just because of this. What will happen to your dream?"

    Her worry was worth caring about. Young Master Eckles became friends with Ovior because of his talent. Although Count Ackles didn''t like amoner loitering around his ce, he didn''t say anything to his son as he adored him so much. Young Master Eckles also trusted his friend. Ovior got to meet Dorothy only because Young Master Eckles created the opportunity.

    Who would have thought that his only sister andmoner friend would be a couple under his nose?

    Furthermore, Ovior was getting a schrship from Count Eckles. His rmendation gave him ess to the Royal Library where only royals and aristocrats could venture. If they were to run away together, Ovior''s dreams and hard work would go to waste. That was something she ever wanted. She squeezed his hand and forced herself to smile. "I can wait for you. I will endure the engagement. If I listen to my parents properly and make them happy, I can request that to move the wedding after two years. This way, you will have time. Focus on your study. After you officially be a magician, you can send the marriage proposal to my father." Ovior stared at her intently. "Are you sure you can push back the wedding?"

    Dorothy nodded. He felt helpless. A sense of powerlessness washed over him. He paid no heed to his destitution. With his pride so high like a tower, he always strove for sess. He worked hard to get where he was. Nheless, his beloved, the only person he cared about broke down and shared her sadness. He realized how insignificant he was. Because of this, he couldn''t even do anything to protect her smile. He had to let her get engaged to another man even though he was the one who put a ring on her finger. She had to endure being engaged to a man she didn''t even know properly. He was the one who proposed but she was the one who was fighting to be with him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He never hated his situation more than he did at that time. His pride crumbled.

    He embraced her close to his heart and promised, "I will definitely marry you, Dorothy. You don''t have to be scared. If things get worse and you are forced to do something you don''t want to, I will hide you. I will never let anyone take you away from me."

    Dorothy nodded silently in agreement. Her red eyes teared up once again. She bit her lips not to let out her sobs. Afterward, she became obedient and stayed home. Unless her parents took her somewhere, she didn''t step outside the gate. Her parents were pleased by her behavior. Soon, she got engaged. After that, her parents didn''t stop her from going anywhere.

    Finally getting ess to go outside, she went to the Royal Library often. Only there she could meet Ovior. After the engagement, Ovior avoided going to the Eckles Mansion. So, the library was the only ce they could meet. While Ovior studied, Dorothy would peel apples for him and would feed him. Sometimes, she would even prepare sandwiches or bake cookies for him. Sheter pleaded so that the wedding was pushed back until she turned eighteen. Although the groom''s family didn''t want to push the date for another year, she managed to make her mother agree to her request saying her heart would hurt and cry for her parents if she left to get married so soon. She was engaged anyway. If the wedding was after two years, it wouldn''t harm anyone. Countess Eckles'' heart softened. Although Count Eckles didn''t want to push the wedding date for another year, he had to listen to his wife. Dorothy was relieved. She couldn''t be happier. However, things went awful on the groom''s side. Her future husband started to be rude toward her. He often disrespected her in front of his friend and made fun of her. Since she was too soft toin or argue, he took advantage of her personality. Sometimes he was rude enough to engage with other females right in front of her without caring for her.

 Chapter 550 BECAUSE OF YOU

    Chapter 550 BECAUSE OF YOU

    No matter how awfully he behaved, Dorothy said nothing. She didn''t utter a singleint. She knew she wasn''t marrying him. She didn''t want to voice any issue in case her family became wary of her n. Aside from her fianc¨¦''s rude behavior, her days were peaceful. No matter how hurt she was, she could at least meet Ovior in the library. That was more than enough for her.

    Just like that, two years passed and Ovior''sst examination was right around the corner. This exam was a duel fighting against a fellow disciple. Those who won would be magicians. There weren''t manymoners fighting against the nobles. Having the title ''magician'' was much superior to having a noble name. A sessful magician was widely recognized in the entire continent. They would be rich and powerful.

    It was the very reason Ovior knew that once he would be a magician, he would have no problem getting married to Dorothy. Thus, he focused on winning.

    However, the day before his fight, an ident urred. If only he paid a bit of attention to Dorothy''s surroundings, he wouldn''t have to pay the price of being separated from her.

    ~ shback ends ~

    That''s where Ovior stopped. He didn''t say anything else.

    "What happened?" Dorothy was curious and worried at the same time. "Why did you stop? What was the ident? Did you get hurt and fail the test?"

    "It''s just¡­" Ovior had a hard time exining it to her. "Some people hurt you to distract me."

    "Hurt me? I don''t remember anything. What exactly happened?"

    He swiftly hid the fact of how she was assaulted by the Second Prince and his friends. He couldn''t add the fact that her former fianc¨¦ was also one of them. He and Arthur only knew what exactly happened and what they did to punish the sinners. His friend would never mention the past. Therefore, it would be buried for the rest of their lives. "You had a carriage ident," Ovior said. "They just wanted to hurt you a little but your injury was more severe than they expected. You were unconscious until now. Since you cannot remember a certain part, I hope you don''t ever remember the horrifying ident."

    He swiftly hid the fact of how she was assaulted by the Second Prince and his friends. He couldn''t add the fact that her former fianc¨¦ was also one of them. He and Arthur only knew what exactly happened and what they did to punish the sinners. His friend would never mention the past. Therefore, it would be buried for the rest of their lives. "What about my family? How did they react after my ident? Why was I not home when I woke up?" Dorothy asked the remaining questions that were left in her mind.

    Ovior paused. He deliberately took time to ask her, "Do you want to meet them?"

    "Of course, I do!" she replied. "But you are not telling me everything." She also caught on to his trick and refused to let it go. "You know you can tell me about my family. If they abandoned me¡­"

    "They most certainly did not abandon you," Ovior firmly replied. "This is not as bad as you think. After your ident, I brought you to the tower to keep you alive. We had to take you to the healingke to wake you up. You saw Veronica. She helped us get you back."

    "Oh¡­" She was relieved to hear that. Although she said that she could handle the news of her family abandoning her, she was lying. She could never. She loved her family more than anything. She missed them so much. How could she handle being abandoned? She had a feeling that he was trying to hide things from her. She wanted to show him that she was mature enough to handle any kind of scenario. Seeing him growing so much while she still had the maturity of eighteen years old, she wished to reduce the maturity distance between them.

    "Then¡­" she started, "Can I meet my family?"

    "Of course, you can," Ovior easily agreed. "I''m sure they will be delighted to meet you. How about you rest here for today and then tomorrow we will visit them." Dorothy''s eyes lit up. "Thank you, Ovior! You have done so much for me and I¡­"

    "Don''t say that." He held her tightly in his arms. "You have done everything for me. I wouldn''t be where I am today if it weren''t for you. Everything I have now is because of you. That''s why I need you by my side. Everything else is meaningless without your presence."

    Water formed in Dorothy''s light blue eyes, making it look like a smallke on a sunny day. She clung to his embrace, feeling the warmth of his words enveloping her like a protective shield. Later, he took her to his bedroom. After showing her the bathroom, he left the room. She dipped into the bathtub and enjoyed the warm rose water. When she was done with her bath, she wrapped towels around her body and head.

    After that, she went to the bedroom and opened the wardrobe.

    "Huh? These are¡­" She realized that none of the clothes in the wardrobe were for a woman. She recalled what kind of clothes Ovior was wearing and instantly realized that those clothes belonged to him. "Does that mean¡­"

    A sudden realization hit her. blood rushed to her face, making her face as red as a cherry. She rubbed her face and quickly scanned the room. She noticed none of the decorations suited her taste. It was more like Ovior''s room than anyone else''s.

    Her blood boiled thinking she was only wrapped in a towel in his bedroom that was filled with his smell. "Why didn''t I think of clothes before I took the bath?" she asked herself. She wanted to scold herself for acting without thinking. "What should I do? What if¨C" She didn''t get the chance toplete her sentence before there was a knock on the door. And then, the door was opened.

    Ovior stepped inside with a bag. He halted on his steps when he saw something he didn''t prepare his heart for.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The woman in his dreams standing in the middle of his bedroom. Her face and entire body were flushed as if she had taken a bath recently. Her eyes and lips seemed moist. She was only wrapped with a towel. There was no mistake that underneath the towel, she waspletely naked.

 Chapter 551 OVIORS FEELINGS

    Chapter 551 OVIOR''S FEELINGS

    It happened instantly that he didn''t have the time to react. After dropping her to the bedroom, he teleported to the best clothing store for women. He remembered that Arthur also bought clothes for Veronica from here. Her clothes were simple and elegant. It suited her taste. He recalled what kind of clothes Dorothy liked. She didn''t wear simple clothes. Her clothes were always bright and colorful. He liked the way she always dressed up. It reminded him of spring. She became his spring amid his dark life. She was his spring. He ordered a few clothes remembering her size. The tailor was a magician too. She immediately made dresses for Dorothy and packed them for Ovior. While the dresses were being made, Ovior went to the jewelry shop and bought as many as he could. Dorothy liked jewelry with colorful stones. She used to match jewelry with her dresses. At home, she liked to wear flower crowns. He teleported back to the tower with boxes of jewelry and clothes. He wanted to go to his room directly but thinking about a girl alone in the room, he decided not to. He knocked on the door and entered the bedroom. That''s how he ended up seeing the scenario he dreamed of a long time ago.

    However, he had no preparation for seeing what he dreamed of seeing a long time ago. He didn''t think while he went shopping, she would take a bath. He thought she would be resting. Unexpected situations always dy the right decision ¨C the same happened to him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    That''s why, he couldn''t restrain himself. His eyes wantonly scanned her, saving every little detail in his mind. The moment he realized what he was doing, it was a bit toote. Dorothy''s face was dyed in multiple shades of red.

    "¡­I bought clothes¡­" he came forward and dropped them on the bed. Then, he turned around and marched out of the room.

    After the door closed, he leaned against the door and panted heavily. He could feel his body growing warm. Something was irritably warm and excited in between his legs. He covered his face and inhaled sharply. It took him a long while to erase the image for the time being. ''I should have apologized,'' he thought after calming down. He contemted if he should apologizeter on or not. It would be rude not to do it but it would also be awkward to talk about it. He didn''t know what to do.

    On the other side of the door, Dorothy copsed on the bed as soon as the door closed. She dug her head into the pillow and let out a scream that only she could hear. Numerous thoughts came to her mind. She was deeply ashamed of what just happened. She harshly scolded herself. She scolded Ovior a tiny bit foring to the room all of a sudden. Everything she said was in her head. Nothing came out of her mouth. Knowing neither of them was at fault, it was purely an ident made her sigh in helplessness. Forcing herself to her embarrassment, she sat up. She looked at the boxes. She opened them and gasped. She covered her mouth as she tried to control a sob that tried to force its way out of her mouth. Her eyes moistened and then turned red. She realized that Ovior never forgot how she dressed. All her dresses had floral designs. She liked flowers. So, her mother always ordered clothes with floral designs. She liked matching jewelry with the designs of her dress. He bought her exactly the things she wanted. Her heart filled to the brim. After waking up, she saw how Ovior took care of her. The day hadn''t ended but her heart was already filled with happiness. She remembered how he cared for her in the past. The moment she realized that he still felt the same way, she couldn''t stop herself feeling emotional. She gently touched the fabric as her tears dropped on the bed sheet. All of her clothes were made of high-quality silk that could only be worn by the royals and higher-ranking aristocrats. Ovior was gentle and caring toward her. Even the things he gave her could be used by the richest and most powerful people. Long ago, he couldn''t do this kind of thing for her because he was poor. Now that he was capable, he showered her with the most expensive and high-quality products ¨C that much he cared for her.

    It''s not the expensive materials that touched her heart. It was the thought and the way he remembered what she liked and wasfortable in. The designs of the dress changed significantly considering thetest trend but the floral pattern she liked was there. It meant that he didn''t buy anything expensive just because he was rich. He bought her clothes depending on what she liked but of a better quality because he cared and was capable.

    He loved her exactly how he loved her when they were young. It didn''t change after all these years of separation. She was touched. After wiping her eyes, she changed into a yellow dress, dried her hair and wore a pair of earrings. When she opened the door, Ovior was not there.

    ''Did he go to the office?'' she wondered. Her heart shuddered in nervousness as she walked in the corridor. She took a magical elevator to go to his office. While the elevator was flying like a magic carpet, she grasped her skirt until there was a crease.

    When she reached in front of Ovior''s office, she noticed the door open and a beautiful redhead came out of the room. She gaped at the open.

    ''H-how can ady wear such revealing clothes?!'' she gasped while thinking.

    Being an outstanding fighter, thedy in question had some advantages. She had excellent hearing. The sound of someone gasping didn''t escape her ears.

    Zinnia looked at the way where Dorothy was standing. She let out a flirtatious smile.

    "Oh my! What do we have here?" she yfully asked.

 Chapter 552 TOURING

    552 TOURING

    "Oh my! What do we have here?"

    Ovior came out of his office as well and looked in the same direction. "Dorothy?" He stepped forward and came closer. "Why are you here? I thought you would be resting."

    "I didn''t want to stay in the room alone. Are you busy right now?" Dorothy''s eyes shifted toward Zinnia.

    Ovior immediately replied, "No, I''m not busy at all. Let me introduce you. She is Zinnia. She is Arthur''s friend. We work together. Zinnia, this is Dorothy from the Eckles family."

    "''The'' Eckles family?" Zinnia pondered for a second before smiling at a nobledy. "I never thought I would have the chance to meet the famousdy from the Eckles family. It''s a pleasure to meet you, My Lady."

    "The pleasure is mine." Dorothy gave a slight bow to show courtesy. "Are you a magician, Lady Zinnia?"

    Zinnia chuckled. "Oh, no. I''m someone who protects the important people in the tower. I''m a warrior, not a magician."

    "I beg your pardon," Dorothy quickly apologized.

    "It''s fine," Zinnia brushed it off. "Aren''t you quite a charmingdy? Is this your first time in the Magic Tower? Why don''t I show you around?" Dorothy politely refused, "That won''t be necessary. I''ve already visited this tower some time ago with Ovior."

    ''Did she just say that she visited the tower with Ovior? Our ''Ovior''? The same guy who never paid any attention to any woman in his life?'' Zinnia secretly nced at the man in question and saw him looking at the nobledy. His loving gaze made her bite her tongue.

    ''My, my¡­ am I seeing things? Is he really Ovior or someone else? Who is this girl?''Numerous questions rushed into her head. She couldn''t believe her eyes after seeing him smiling at a girl. ''Just who is she?''

    "So many things have changed in the past few years. Would you like to look around? I have something to finish. Then, I will join you for dinner. Is that okay?" Ovior gently proposed the idea. Honestly, he would rather spend a few days with her. However, Zinnia brought up an urgent task and he needed to check it out.

    "Yes, indeed," Zinnia went along with hisment. After Veronica came to this tower, this ce changed in the blink of an eye. Why don''t I show you around?"

    "She is right," Ovior went along. "It will be safer to go with her. Since most of the people here don''t know you, you might be ufortable."

    "All right," Dorothy agreed instead of speaking her mind. She wanted to be with him. She didn''t like to be around people she didn''t know. Especially someone wearing revealing clothes and acting as if she (Z) was trying to seduce Ovior.

    "I''ll see you in a bit." Ovior''s loving gaze stered on her as his hand stroked her face.

    After he went back to his officer, it was just Dorothy and Zinnia.

    Zinnia smiled at her. "Shall we go?"

    Dorothy reluctantly nodded. The two of them walked around. Zinnia told her the paintings, sculptures and jewels that decorated the wall. All of the pieces had significant stories behind them.

    "You are very knowledgeable about arts, Lady Zinnia," Dorothymented.

    "Oh yes, I learned about them when I was a child. It was a boring lesson anyway."

    "How is it boring? Art, history and culture make us who we are. We must never forsake them."

    "That may be true. However, some people are practicing literature, are they not? I don''t see the reason I have to do the same. I can do other things that people aren''t doing.

    "What can be more important than our culture?"

    "Protecting human lives¡­ or rather, peace?"

    Dorothy bit her lower lip. She didn''t know why, just Zinnia''s very presence made her ufortable. Moreover, whatever she thought was important in her life, ''that seductivede'' effortlessly made them insignificant. She was no fool. She knew that nothing was more important than human life. She knew that very well. She couldn''t remember what happened to her but she was unconscious. When she opened her eyes, Ovior and Arthur were all grown-ups. She missed how they grew up and she was upset that she didn''t grow up with them. Furthermore, she knew Zinnia was correct but she hated the fact that she lost to her. She had no idea why she had these ugly feelings and she found everything around her unreasonable. Confused by her own emotions, she looked away. Her face turned red. She didn''t talk for the rest of the tour.

    ''What''s with her attitude?'' Zinnia wondered as her eyes swept toward the girl. As mature as she was, she respected that everyone had different opinions. Most of the people wouldn''t have the same opinion as her and she respected everyone''s opinions, ideas and thoughts. However, she didn''t like it when someone pushed their opinions on others. She was interested in Dorothy because Ovior was so gentle with her. She never saw him acting like that. That didn''t mean she wanted to fight with a mere child. She calmly tried to deal with the argument that almost surfaced.

    The rest of the evening, none of them spoke. Zinnia dropped her in front of Ovior''s office and bade goodbye.

    After she left, Dorothy knocked on the door and the door opened automatically. She found Ovior behind his desk.

    He dropped his quill and looked at her. "Are you done touring? That was fast." He smiled at her.

    "Talk about feeling ufortable. I don''t want to see her again." Dorothy frowned just thinking about Zinnia. She strode toward the desk.

    Ovior was surprised to see her angry. His surprise soon turned into concern. "What happened? I thought you would enjoy the tour." He gently held her hand and pulled her toward the couch. As they sat side by side, she told him, "I don''t like her. She doesn''t dress properly and something is irritating about the way she talks. I don''t like it when she is around you." She looked at him cautiously and said, "Please don''t work with her anymore. I don''t like her."

    50 GoldenTicket+3 BONUS chap n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 553 LOVERS QUARREL

    553 LOVERS QUARREL

    "Please don''t work with her anymore. I don''t like her."

    Ovior was astonished as he stared at his beloved. He couldn''t understand what might have happened between them for her to dislike Zinnia so much. No matter how Zinnia acted toward men, she was fairly kind toward women, especially anyone weaker than her. Never in his life had he heard from any female magiciansining about her.

    However, his beloved whom he knew the kindest of them all badmouthed Zinnia. Not only that, but she also repeatedly emphasized that she didn''t like her. She wanted him to promise not to work with her. And why was it? It was because she was dressing properly and the way she talked made Dorothy irritated.

    "She doesn''t dress properly¡­" he focused on that. "What do you mean?"

    Dorothy''s face flushed in embarrassment. "Did you not see how she dressed? It''s so inappropriate!"

    "Was it?" Ovior was in deep thought. He tried to recall what Zinnia was wearing. She was wearing a red blouse and tight leather pants. She liked wearing high-heeled boots. It was easy for her to hide her shurikens. Other times, she would wear skirts to cover her weapons underneath. Her weapons for to protect herself and others. It was nothing unusual. "What''s exactly wrong with her clothes?"

    With his repeated questions, Dorothy was dumbfounded. "How¡­ how can you not see? She is showing too much of her skin."

    "Oh¡­ about that, you don''t have to worry how she dresses up." He was relieved that it wasn''t anything serious. "She''s always like that. If a guy tries to take advantage of her because of how she dresses up, she will take care of it by herself. We are also used to how she dresses up."

    "You are used to it?!" Dorothy''s voice raised subconsciously. Her eyes widened in surprise and her mouth was wide open. Ovior was bbergasted. He understood that he had misspoken and caused her misunderstanding. Her reaction said it all. She was bewildered by hisment. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Dorothy, I said it wrong," he started nervously.

    "Dorothy didn''t seem like she wanted to continue this conversation. She clutched her skirt and bit her trembling lower lip. Her eyes were tearing up. She stared at him with her using eyes.

    His heart ached for her. He didn''t mean to hurt her. "It was a slip of the tongue," he hurriedly said to resolve the misunderstanding. He tried to hold her hand.

    "That''s enough! I don''t want to hear anymore!" She moved her hand away from him and stood up. Before he could say another word, she turned around and ran away leaving him confounded on the couch.

    A few minutester, Zinnia knocked on the door and came inside. Seeing him on the couch, she asked, "Why are you there sitting like a statue?"

    Eventually, Ovior moved. He looked at her with a nk expression.

    Zinnia frowned. She dropped a brown envelope on the tea table and sat on the couch across from him. "What happened? Did you get any ill news?"

    Ovior finally focused on her. He let out a deep sigh. "We cannot work anymore."

    "¡­" Zinnia raised an eyebrow. It was so random that she didn''t know what to say.

    "Dorothy¡­ did you two fight when you were showing her around?" Ovior slowly asked. He needed to inquire about what happened between those two women before he could take the next move.

    "With yourdy? Nothing much." Zinnia shrugged. "We had different opinions on literature and how I lived my life. I don''t mind it. I had a feeling she didn''t like me much. It''s not my duty to make people like me."

    "She doesn''t want me to work with you anymore," Ovior stated.

    Zinnia was surprised. "¡­And so, you decided not to work with me anymore?!" She never thought the stoic, heartless, pitiless and icy-headed man like him could be lovesick ¨C to the point he acted illogically. "Do you want to share what exactly happened? There is no way we can just stop working together and you know that very well. If there is a problem, we can try solving it together."

    As she encouraged him to speak, he took a deep breath before sharing the issue. He started from his teen life to her tragic death and didn''t miss talking about their recent conversation. She was a good friend to both Arthur and him. He knew he could trust her with his secrecy.

    "I don''t know how to act in front of her. She is very sentimental. I hurt her with my words. I don''t know how to make it up to her. I never did this kind of thing before," he shared afterward.

    ''I wasn''t expecting him to be so loyal!'' Zinnia was amazed after finding out the history of Ovior and Dorothy. Her respect for him even increased. Moreover, as the Second Head of the Magic Tower, he had lots of responsibilities. He didn''t care what he had to say and didn''t need to bother with how people looked at him due to his behavior or actions.

    She said, "It is understandable that you will make mistakes considering you never dated before and you don''t know what can make a woman angry. Since she died at the age of eighteen, her age stopped there. She will act like a teen. Teens are more emotional than a grown woman. "Oh well, any woman in love can be this emotional as well. Think about Veronica. She jumped off the cliff after thinking Arthur cheated on her. Do you remember how much we all suffered because of it? Arthur slept with many women but he never loved any woman before. Veronica was his first.

    "Both of them took romance and marriage like a fairy tale. As a result, they had to face lots of trials and look at them now. They cleared up their misunderstanding, understood their wrongdoings and they are the most loving couple who support each other. They are finally being a responsible married couple¡­"

    50 GoldenTicket+3 BONUS chap

 Chapter 554 REGRET

    554 REGRET

    "¡­They are finally being a responsible married couple.

    "You will face trials too. This is the first step. Let her cool down first. You two are supposed to have dinner together. She will get hungry soon. Take her favorite meal to the room. You can have a private dinner. Due to hunger, her head might cool down. This is when you tell her what she misunderstood."

    After getting a piece of warmup advice from her, Ovior stood up. "Thank you, Zinnia. I''ll keep your advice in mind. I should ask the cook to make her favorite meal."

    "Don''t forget to check the documents I brought," Zinnia said.

    "Okay." And then, he disappeared.

    "Love is surelyplicated," Zinnia murmured alone in the room. A faint smile hung on her lips.

    -------

    Dorothy came to the bedroom after having an unintentional fight with Ovior. She hid herself in theforter and thought about what they talked about.

    ''How can he be so nonchnt about a woman''s body? She¡­ she is almost bare and you can nearly see her private parts. And the way¡­ you can see her curves and body shape¡­ it''s so shameful¡­ how can you say you are used to it? Just how much did you see a woman''s body?''

    The more she thought about it, the more she became angrier. The more she became angrier, the more she found it unfair.

    ''I just wanted to share my feelings. Why did he have to say something like that?''

    She pondered more and more and then her stomach growled. She curled up and covered her stomach. She could feel the hunger burning her belly. It was hard to bear. It had been hours since shest ate something. The first thing she ate was a piece of bread and that kept her full for hours. ''It was a strange ce,'' she thought.

    After talking to Arthur and Veronica, when Ovior took her away, hepletely covered her with a magical cloak. She didn''t know that it was to make her invisible. As a result, she saw no Elves. When he uncovered her, she was in front of a breathtaking view. It was theke that could open the portal. He didn''t say anything and she had no time to ask him. Her heart was filled with thoughts about how much Ovior and Arthur grew up and how it all happened without her realization.

    Now that she thought about it, she realized she didn''t know this adult Ovior much. That mere thought made her heart sink. With a disappointed heart, she opened her eyes and theynded on the gifts Ovior personally prepared for her. The dresses and jewelry were exactly how she liked them. She bit down her lower lip. ''No matter what it is, he still loves me. He wasn''t wearing a wedding ring. That means something. He didn''t get married. He waited for me. He waited for me to wake up. What he couldn''t do before, he did it now. He can buy me clothes now and give me a ce to stay. He still loves me. That''s why he still remembers what style I like.''

    As she thought about it, her heart settled down. And, her confidence came back. ''I should have listened to him. Why did I run away? Now he''ll think that I act like a child.''

    She started regretting her previous actions. She recalled Zinnia again and she frowned. She was wearing revealing clothes, nearly showing her body parts to everyone. The way she seductively talked; any man would fall for her. Now that Dorothy acted so immaturely, it was immature. Ovior would think if her as a child while Zinnia was a grown-up maturedy who helped him with work. Whereas Dorothy barely knew what to do in the tower. What if he fell for Zinnia''s maturity and left Dorothy alone?

    As the thought came to mind, her heart chilled. Her eyes widened just imagining it. Fear consumed her heart. ''What should I do? Should I apologize to him?''

    She perambted from one corner to the other corner of the bedroom. Her pace quickened as her heart panicked further.

    ''What if he doesn''t forgive me? What should I do? What if he gets mad at me and avoids me?''

    Her recently found confidence plunged in the mud. She felt like crying again.

    ''I should go to him. He didn''te after me when I ran out. I shouldn''t have acted selfishly. Ii should have stayed until he finished speaking. I also told him not to work with her. They must work on something important. Since I argued with him, he could be mad¡­''

    Knock! Knock! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    As she was debating by herself, there were knocks on the door. Her heart jumped from the sudden sound.

    She quickly walked towards the door and opened it. What waited for her was Ovior, whom she was anxious to meet, with a flying tray. "¡­"

    Her heart wasn''t prepared to see him so soon. She didn''t know what to say. Her eyesnded on the flying tray beside him. The tray was filled with covered pots. She could smell something delicious. Growl~

    Her stomach painfully cried out for the food. The sound was so depressing.

    Dorothy, who was worried about how to act in front of him, became embarrassed.

    "I¡­ uh¡­." She stuttered.

    "You must be starving," Oviormented. Despite her worries, he sounded concerned. His bedroom door automatically opened wide. He quickly walked into the room and the tray gently sat on the table. After giving the tray directions to serve the meals for both of them, he looked at her.

    Dorothy''s eyes stered on the tray as tes flew in front of her. They sat in front of the chairs. The knives, forks and spoons sat beside the tes. The lids of the pots opened one by one. She could see the dishes inside the pots.

    "!!!"

    The dishes took her by surprise. Her heart beat faster. They were all her favorite foods!

    He remembered!

    50 GoldenTicket+3 BONUS chap

 Chapter 555 BEAT HERSELF UP

    Chapter 555 BEAT HERSELF UP

    "Ovior¡­ this is¡­" Dorothy stared at the table.

    "I asked our chef to cook your favorite meal. I hope they suit your taste," Ovior said.

    Dorothy teared up once again. She realized how wrong she was to doubt his feelings for her. If she could, she would scold herself so badly for overthinking. The more she doubted him, the more she disrespected him. She wanted to question her morality at this point.

    Although she was being unreasonable toward him, he didn''t get mad at her. He even requested the chef to prepare her favorite meal. She got a fancy ce to stay, the clothes and food she preferred and a man with a heart of gold. She couldn''t ask for more.

    Noticing her breaking into tears, Ovior panicked. He came forward and asked, "Do you not like the food? Should I tell the chef to prepare something else for you?"

    "No, not at all." Dorothy shook her head as she sobbed. She leaned on his broad chest and sharply inhaled. "I apologize for being so emotional. I don''t know how to control myself right now."

    "Dorothy, you just woke up today. You can barely walk properly. There will be lots of things you will have a hard time controlling. Take your time to adjust. You don''t have to be in a hurry."

    He sounded too kind. It made her feel even more guilty. At this point, she hated herself for not trusting his feelings properly.

    "I need to apologize to you for being unreasonable," she muttered as she clutched his robe. He gently stroked her head and carefully inquired, "When did you act unreasonable?"

    She mentioned, "I should have said those things. I shouldn''t tell you what to do."

    The corner of his lips raised ever so slightly. He pulled her deeper into his arms and said, "You are the only person allowed to tell me what to do. I won''t give this authority to anyone else."

    Dorothy stopped crying. She wiped her tears and raised her face to look at him. "Do I really have the authority to do whatever I want? Will you listen to me?"

    He saw her beautiful face popping out of his arms. He leaned forward and said, "I will do anything you ask me to. I even told Zinnia that I wouldn''t work with her anymore."

    He answered in a light tone, "There are some confidential tasks we cannot give just to anyone. Zinnia is one of the very few people Arthur and I trust. Her work is dangerous but she is strong enough to handle her tasks. However, if she cannot work for me, she can work for Arthur. So, it''s fine." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    14:33

    "No, no, it''s not fine," Dorothy denied. "I just didn''t like the way she was dressing up. That doesn''t mean I want to hamper your work. I hated that you were used to it."

    She gasped. She covered her mouth but her eyes were wide open. "Oh no! This is not what I want. She must do important work for you."

    He answered in a light tone, "There are some confidential tasks we cannot give just to anyone. Zinnia is one of the very few people Arthur and I trust. Her work is dangerous but she is strong enough to handle her tasks. However, if she cannot work for me, she can work for Arthur. So, it''s fine."

    "No, no, it''s not fine," Dorothy denied. "I just didn''t like the way she was dressing up. That doesn''t mean I want to hamper your work. I hated that you were used to it."

    "Ahh¡­" Ovior paused. He felt guilty for the slip of his tongue. "I didn''t mean it that way. It''s just, we don''t see her as a woman. So, that''s why it never urred to us that her clothes were too revealing."

    "What do you mean by you don''t see her as a woman? She is clearly a woman!" Dorothy was surprised by thement he made.

    Ovior patiently told her, "Arthur has Veronica. You didn''t meet Ironin. He''s another person we trust. He has a wife at home. Darius, whom you met in the camp, likes younger women. Zinnia is too old for his taste. As for me, I have you. I don''t need anyone else. That''s why it''s irrelevant for us who dresses how."

    Dorothy felt a sense of shame as he said that. She also felt a tingling sensation in her heart. "You can work with her. I don''t mind," she softly said. After a pause, she added, "Just don''t stare at her too much." She thought it was important to tell him that.

    No matter what she thought of Zinnia, she had to admit that Zinnia was an attractive woman and any man could fall for her even if she didn''t wear revealing clothes. For a beautifuldy to spend time with Ovior ¨C just thinking about that made her feel an unknown emotion.

    Ovior smiled at her request. To him, no matter what she asked for, she looked cute and adorable. He said, "I never look at her properly. Since you said so, I won''t look at her at all."

    She mumbled, "Ah¡­ I mean¡­ just don''t look at her for too long. That''s all."

    "Are you jealous?" Ovior suddenly asked. Dorothy was startled by his sudden question. "What do you mean?"

    "I already told you that I have eyes only for you. I also told you that I don''t see her as a woman. But since you still mentioned that I cannot look at her for too long ¨C doesn''t that mean you are jealous?"

    "That''s not it! This is absurd! I''m not jealous!" Dorothy retaliated in a loud voice. Her face was flushed in different shades of red. Even Ovior couldn''t tell whether it was anger or embarrassment. "Well, you can be jealous. That will make me overjoyed," he said. His teasing tone made her heart flutter. She could feel her blood boiling. Confused by her body''s reaction, she pushed him away. She realized that sometimes he wasn''t good for her heart. "Let''s eat. I''m starving," she said. She quickly sat on the chair and began eating.

    Ovior scratched his nose. He wanted to tease her a bit more but controlled himself. He could feel the spring breeze in his room. He loved her for so long but now he could finally do things that couples usually do. He now felt Arthur''s emotions around Veronica. ''I''ll endure. I''ll endure. I''ll endure.'' He repeatedly reminded himself so that he wouldn''t let his actions run wild and make her scared.

    He sat across and had dinner with her. Later, the problem urred with who was going to sleep in bed.

 Chapter 556 ITS BEDTIME

    Chapter 556 IT''S BEDTIME

    After the peaceful meal, Ovior made the tray of empty dishes disappear. As he was going to ask her if she wanted to go, she started yawning. After facing a rollercoaster of emotions and then eating her stomach full made her sleepy.

    "Do you want to sleep now?" he asked her in a soft tone. The boxes of clothes and jewelry moved to the wardrobe after his clothes moved away to give her things some space.

    Dorothy was staring at the moving objects and muttered, "I always knew that magic was amazing but I never thought that it could make my life easier."

    "Do you like magic that much?" Ovior asked while stroking her head. "I do," Dorothy nodded and then yawned again.

    "You should go to bed," he urged her after taking notice that she could barely keep her eyes open.

    She rubbed her eyes while asking, "What will you do?"

    "I still have some work to do."

    "You want to work thiste?" She looked at him and then finally realized it was his room. She said, "This cannot be done! You sleep here. I will sleep somewhere else. How can I sleep in your bed and you sleep in the office."

    "That''s not it¡­" he wanted to deny her im but she wouldn''t listen.

    "No, you have to sleep in your own bed." She grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the bed. When she pushed him on the bed, he instantly grabbed hers and pulled her with him. Both of them fell on the bed while she was in his arms.

    Dorothy shut her eyes tightly when she fell. She was too scared to open her eyes. She was prepared for a harshnding when she realized that she was wrapped so tightly that she couldn''t move an inch.

    She opened her eyes and raised her head only to see Ovior''s smiling face. His handsome face with mature features. Deep purple eyes emitted words that he couldn''t speak of. All of a sudden, her brain just shut down. He didn''t know what was happening anymore. He was right in front of her as always but it was not the same as before. His face was too close. She wasn''t hugging him but her body was stered to him. His arms were securely holding her waist. She could hear his heartbeat. It was beating rather fast. She was conscious of his touch, his warmth, his smell ¨C his everything. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    For whatever reason she couldn''t make a single noise. She stared at him, without blinking. He did the same. They were just staring at each other as though both were hypnotized by the other party''s mesmerizing beauty. She didn''t know how long they were staring at each other. It could be minutes or hours. She saw his face getting closer. She felt his breath on her flushed face. Then, their noses touched. Her lips slightly parted. His nose yfully rubbed hers as if to scratch her ticklish nose. After that, their eyelids shed. She instinctively closed her eyes. That''s when her lips were pressed against something warm and soft.

    Dorothy forgot to breathe. She sensed something rubbing against her lips and it took her lower lip and sucked it. She could feel her soul leaving her body.

    If sleepiness was a human, it would jump out of the window to suicide because it wasn''t a ce for it any longer.

    She clutched his clothes and let herself feel the texture on her lips. To feel it more, she moved her lips. The things that were chewing her lower lip a few moments ago paused. It was quiet for a second before changing its angle to take her upper lip. Their bodies rubbed against each other and their breathing became ragged. Their hearts were pounding in sync. "Mmm¡­"

    "Haahh¡­"

    "Ung¡­"

    Luscious moans came out of her lips as they were being eaten vigorously. She pushed herself forward and took his lips to taste them. They had a unique smell in them. It was the same as the smell of his room and his clothes. It was his smell. It was so addictive. It provoked her from deep inside to ravish himpletely.

    She wasn''t the only one who was in that situation.

    The moment she eagerly kissed him, Ovior, who was only tasting her lips, started eating them. Years he had waited. Years he had controlled himself. Years he had left alone. Finally, the captivating beauty was in his bedroom, in his arms, in his bed. He couldn''t control himself from exercising his rights. He sensed a strong desire to tear her clothes and make love to her madly until she couldn''t walk anymore. He wanted to see every corner of her body. He wanted to taste her every inch. He wanted to feel her like there was no tomorrow. Furthermore, her captivating moans weren''t helping him much. He moved his right hand from her waist to the back and using magic, he made their clothes disappear and put their night dress on. His beloved was so engrossed in tasting him that she didn''t realize that their clothes had been changed into night clothes. Since their night clothes were lighter, they could feel each other''s warmth even more. He noticed that she couldn''t breathe properly. He finally pulled his lips away. They both gasped for air. After all, they both just shared their first kiss. While heaving, he stared at her amorous face. Her face was dyed in red hues. It glistened due to the sweat forming on her skin. Her eyes were teary and slightly puffy. The pair of alluring lips that he had been eating for a while turned reddish and swollen. The steamy look she was radiating a sultry vibe. The radiant girl had transformed into a bewitching beauty just from a few kisses from him ¨C the provocative thought made him hungrier.

    The woman in his arms was catching her breath. She didn''t know what the dangerous man in front of her was thinking. Her head could barely think of anything. Before she knew it, she was lying in bed and the man she loved more than anything was on top of her.

 Chapter 557 TO CONTROL

    Chapter 557 TO CONTROL

    It happened so fast that she couldn''tprehend what had happened. Before she knew it, she was flipped. Their positions changed. As he was on top of her, his gray locks touched her face and it tickled. She wanted to say something but his lips brushed past her cheek and then her forehead, her nose and then pressed on her lips. She focused on his lips so much that she didn''t notice that she was hugging his back too tightly. As a result, their bodies were firmly pressed against each other.

    The sound of wet kisses reached her ears. It made her ears burn in shyness. However, she couldn''t stop kissing me. Back in the time when she used to hang out with her friends, they would read romance novels together and would discuss erotic actions between lovers. They all fantasized about doing things like that with the men they loved. Dorothy was no different. At present time, she was doing something intimate with him which she had never done before but only dreamed of. It waspletely different from what she imagined.

    She couldn''t go on for too long. The kissing was going well. However, she couldn''t take it anymore.

    While being smooched by him, she spat out, "I can''t breathe¡­"

    Ovior stopped and then looked at her. His thumb caressed her adorable, flushed cheek.

    "¡­You are heavy¡­" she softly added. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Only then did he realize that she was hugging him so tightly that he didn''t realize that he was covering her body with his. His entire weight was on her. It made her body numb and she felt ufortable.

    ''I was supposed to take things slow,'' he reminded himself. Cursing himself inwardly, he raised his body and separated from her.

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to make you ufortable," he said. He helped her get up.

    She barely had strength left. The intensive kisses paralyzed her body. She leaned against him and said, "I liked it." Although she was embarrassed. She wanted to express her feelings. She clutched her sleeve and added, "I like it when you kiss me. I only do this with you."

    Ovior smiled at her honesty. "I like it too. But we shouldn''t do any further."

    "Why not?" she innocently inquired. Her pure eyes stared at him as they demanded an answer.

    Her innocence made him feel guilty. He reprimanded himself in his mind and then told her the issue he was struggling with, "Then, I won''t be able to control myself."

    In his bed, they were both wearing night garments. Her hair and clothes were messy. Her alluring body was so close to him as if she was inviting him. If they once again started kissing, he would go until the end.

    When he said that, her ears began to buzz. She blurted out, "You don''t have to. I know what lovers do."

    She knew about sex. Ovior didn''t know how an innocentdy like her managed to know the art of lovemaking. However, she was assaulted before. That made him nervous.

    "¡­How do you know that?" he lightly asked, wishing she didn''t remember anything of what happened to her in the past.

    "I read¡­ books¡­"

    She read many erotic books. She knew the process of lovemaking and how lovers enjoyed doing things like that.

    He was relieved to hear that it was just books. That meant she didn''t remember anything else. He noticed that he was sweating from nervousness. He told her, "Even if you read books, we mustn''t do anything until we are vowed to be together."

    ''The vow'' clearly meant marriage. Dorothy''s eyes sparkled. "Are we getting married?"

    "Of course we are. I proposed to you, remember?" He wanted to legally ept her as his partner before they consummated. He remembered Veronica was the same. She didn''t want to go further before they vowed. Although Arthur was frustrated, he loved her. Thus, they got married as soon as they could and only then, they consummated. He thought the same. He wanted to respect the social and religious rituals to show how much he cherished her. He never believed in religion and didn''t care about social norms. But he knew his partner and her family cared about it. Since he cherished her more than anything else in the world, it wasn''t a problem for him to hold back until they got married. In the end, he knew she was the only one he wanted to spend the rest of his life. Dorothy asked, "Yes, I know. I mean¡­ are we getting married anytime soon?"

    To all intents and purposes, she didn''t mind if they did the deed before getting married. However, she didn''t wish to force her desire on him when he already expressed what he wanted. Ovior rubbed her cheeks and lovingly answered, "As soon as you want."

    She jumped on him and embraced him in her arms. Her wish would finallye true. She had been dreaming for ages of being his wife. She didn''t want anything else. She just wanted to be his one and only bride.

    His smile deepened as he took her in his arms. He nted a kiss on her head. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy. He was content to see her cheerful with his decisions and actions.

    After sharing a warm hug, he said, "You should go to sleep. I need to go to my office to finish some work."

    Dorothy inquired, "Will youe back to sleep with me?"

    He wanted to tell her that it would be torture for him but he said, "¡­Yes, I wille back and sleep here.

    "Come back quickly," she urged him. "I cannot sleep alone."

    Ovior was visibly surprised. "Can you not sleep alone? But I thought you could¡­"

    "It''s a new ce. I''m not familiar here," she told him.

    "Okay, wait for me for about five minutes. I''ll bring my papers here. I''ll be working at the desk while you can sleep. Is that okay?"

    Only then did she agree.

    Later, Ovior thanked himself for staying with her overnight.

 Chapter 558 WAKE UP FROM THE DREAM

    Chapter 558 WAKE UP FROM THE DREAM

    As promised, Ovior brought his documents to the bedroom. He dropped the papers on the table and sat on the chair. Then, he turned around and smiled at Dorothy who was peeking at him from the bed. "You can go to sleep now," he said.

    "All right. Goodnight, Ovior," she said.

    "Goodnight, Dorothy."

    The night was quiet. Her breathing was soft and even. She managed to sleep despite Ovior having the magic light on. It wasn''t that the entire room was lit up. It was only the tablemp that was lit up so that he could read the papers.

    After midnight, he finished his work. He dropped his sses and pinched in between his eyebrows. ''It was tiring, but I''m d I finished the remaining work. I can keep my schedule empty for tomorrow. If Dorothy wants, I will take her to see her family. I should also prepare some gifts for them. If I propose to have her hand in marriage, I won''t be refused this time. What should I take for them?''

    He started making a list of presents he wanted to take to his future-inw''s house.

    At that moment, he heard a groan. He paused what he was doing and looked at the bed. He heard it again. He stood up and briskly walked toward the bed. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    As he reached, he heard Dorothy groan again. She was frowning in her sleep. She was sweating. She made fists and kept her arms close to her chest. She seemed scared.

    "Pl¡­please¡­ don''t¡­ I¡­ can''t¡­"

    He reached out and stroked her hair. "Dorothy, you are all right. Wake up. Wake up." Stroking her hair didn''t work. She kept mumbling. Her frown deepened. She was sweating profusely. "N-no¡­ I don''t want that¡­ please¡­ please¡­ stop!"

    This time, he had to shake her shoulders. "Dorothy, wake up. This is a nightmare. You have to wake up!"

    His yelling had worked because her eyes flew open. She tried to sit up. Ovior helped her sit. She panted vigorously. Her pupils were shaking. She was scared.

    He saw that her situation didn''t seem well. He sat in front of her and took her in his arms. Her body was cold. Her back was soaking wet. He caressed her back and gently said, "Take breaths. Deep breaths. It was a nightmare. Nothing you saw was real. It will get better soon. Don''t you worry about anything?"

    It took her some time to calm down. His voice was soothing. It was gently ringing close to her ear. Her focus was on his voice. It helped her rx.

    Ovior noticed that she was finally at ease. He held a ss of water in his hand and said, "Here, drink some water." She emptied the entire ss in a few gulps. When she was done, he wiped her lips. Then, he asked, "Were you scared?"

    Dorothy nodded. Her eyelids trembled just from thinking about what she saw. She heard him asking, "What did you see? Do you want to share?" She closed her eyes. Her lips trembled.

    "¡­it was so real¡­" she muttered. "I saw ghosts chasing me." She thought Ovior wouldugh at her. In the end, he didn''t. He seemed to ponder about her dream and after that, he said, "You know I will save you from anyone, right? Even from a ghost. No ghost can win against me. Are you still going to be scared of ghosts?"

    Dorothy listened to him and replied, "No, I have you by my side."

    Ovior smiled. "Go back to sleep now."

    "Did you not finish your work?" She looked over the table.

    "Yes, I''m done with my work."

    "Then, sleep with me."

    "Dorothy¡­"

    "You promised to sleep with me."

    "All right¡­" Ovior had no choice but to resign at her request. Heid down next to her.

    She reached out and demanded, "Hold my hand." After he did as she requested, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

    ''What should I do?'' she thought. ''That dream was so real. It didn''t seem like a dream.''

    What she saw in her dream was her family being mean to her. Ovior did tell her everything she seemed to forget. But what she faced in her own house, she knew better than anyone. Back then, she might have hidden some facts from Ovior. Thus, he didn''t know how much she was suffering in her own house.

    In her dream, she was telling her parents that she loved Ovior. She even showed them the ring. Just as she did, her father walked forward and pped her hard.

    She was never used to physical abuse. Her father used all his strength to p her. She was flown to the corner of the room and hit her head.

    "How dare you disrespect me?" her father shouted. "You want to be with a street dog? Is that what we taught you? I''m the one who gave you luxury. All the food and clothes I gave you, how dare you disregard all that? Who gave you the right to do so? Do you think you can do whatever you please and we will let you get away with it? You will be engaged to a noble family as soon as possible. That child from the Rohan Family is pretty good."

    She was unfocused due to the pain in her head. Her ears rang from her father''s shouting. But when she read about her engagement with a nobleman, she had to refute, "Father, he is scary. I don''t like him." "Impudent!" Her father was enraged. "He is from a noble family with a promising future. Looks are not important. He and his family background are far better than the street bastard! What the hell are you trying topare?!"

    She helplessly looked at her elder brother who loved her very much. Since Ovior was his friend, she thought he might help her. Unfortunately, her brother was not on her side. That evening, she realized that her family didn''t think about her happiness at all.

    Ovior was wide awake beside her. He noticed her trembling while sleeping. His expression darkened.

    ''I need to contact Sebastian,'' he decided.

 Chapter 559: THE HUANTED NIGHTMARES

    Chapter 559: THE HUANTED NIGHTMARES

    ?

    The next day, Ovior got up from the bed earlier than usual. After freshening up, he went to the kitchen and made tea. Later, when he went to the office, he had his tea while being in deep thought.

    Around seven o''clock, he used hismunication stone to contact Sebastian.

    Tybu has hilly areas. The hilly areas are covered in flower and fruit nts. Catherine and Sebastian bought an entire hill. They were designing a house to build one on that private hill. For a moment, they were living in a nearby hotel.

    Sebastian had a habit of practicing swordsmanship early in the morning. When Ovior called him, Catherine, who was in the room, noticed it first. She took themunication device and hurriedly walked outside.

    "Sebastian, you have a call," she called out

    Sebastian took themunication device with his free hand and turned it on. Ovior''s face came into view.

    "I hope you are doing well, Sebastian." Ovior''s stoic voice could be heard from the device.

    "I am," Sebastian replied. "Thank you for asking. How do you do?"

    "I''m doing well. Thank you. Is Catherine doing fine?" Ovior wished to know.

    "She is... do you perhaps want to talk to her?" Sebastian turned to look for her but she wasn''t there. "I think she went back to the room."

    "That''s not necessary," Ovior replied. "Did you see anything unusual about her?"

    "Usual?" Sebastian frowned. "Usual like what? She looked pretty normal?"

    "Does she not remember anything? Something she shouldn''t remember - like the memory before her death?"

    Sebastian was a bit nervous. He finally got together with Catherine. He didn''t want her to remember something so painful and then leave him. "No, I don''t think she remembers anything like that. She seemed fine to me. If she remembered..." He didn''t want toplete the sentence. He didn''t know what would happen if she remembered. His imagination wasn''t that creative.

    "Why do you ask?" he inquired. He recalled Arthur mentioning to him about Veronica bringing back Dorothy''s life.

    He knew Dorothy as he was one of the guards who guarded her. Since he could be visibly confused seeing a dad walking around, Arthur mentioned to him about her in case nothing happened. The rest of the guards were already informed. They would also keep it a secret. "Did something happen to Lady Dorothy?" he asked.

    "No... I just wanted to check. Let me know if you see any change in Catherine''s behavior." "I will."

    After Ovior hung up, Sebastian went into deep thought. Soon, he went back inside the hotel. He found Catherine humming a song as she folded the dry clothes. It gave him a married-life vibe. He hugged her from behind and buried his head in the crook of her neck.

    Catherine stopped her work and held his arms. "Did Ovior call you to get back to the tower?" she asked.

    "No, he just wanted to know if we were doing well."

    "It''s been only a day and he misses us?" Catherine hummed. "I don''t think so. I think he is looking for us so that we can work again."

    Sebastian chuckled. It was exactly how Ovior was. He understood nothing except for work. He was d he decided to take a month off from work.

    "How about holding our wedding after we build our house?" he proposed.

    "!!!"

    Catherine was surprised. She thought they would take more time to have a good rtionship and then she hoped one day he might propose to her. However, he did it so quickly, it took her off guard.

    She raised her head and looked at him properly. He also lowered his head to look at her.

    He was nervous. He wasn''t sure how she would take it. "Are you upset?" he inquired. ''Should I have waited a bit more before proposing? I didn''t mess it up, did I?'' He was worried.

    "N-no... it''s just I wasn''t expecting it so soon.

    "Did we not wait too long?" he said. "I''d rather be married to you as soon as possible." Catherine smiled. He was right. They wasted so much time. She unexpectedly came back. She wanted nothing more than to have her own family and grow old with the man she loved. She couldn''t control her tears. Sheughed and cried.

    "Me too," stifling her nose, she answered. "Let''s have our wedding in our new house." Sebastian wiped her tears and kissed her forehead. Then, they hugged each other.

    Magic Tower

    Ovior wasn''t satisfied with Sebastian''s answer. He contacted Arthur.

    The first thing his friend said was, "You look horrible."

    Ovior felt bitter when he heard it. "Thanks," his answer was sarcastic. "I''m d my friend cares for me."

    "I don''t. Don''t delude yourself," Arthur scoffed. "I thought you were going to take a break. What happened?"

    "What happened?" Ovior cursed. "If it weren''t for you, would I still work? Come back quickly. I need a vacation."

    "I was nning toe today at noon. Why are you in so much hurry? Is Dorothy doing

    well?"

    "She is having nightmares," Ovior said while rubbing his forehead. "I believe she can remember something."

    Arthur understood the situation. "Is that why you didn''t sleep? What did she dream of?" "She didn''t say it. She didn''t want to worry me. She lied about the dream. But I''m sure she remembered something. She was trembling when she went back to sleep." Ovior sighed. "Later at night, she muttered something but I didn''t understand what she was saying. I just stayed awake in case she has another nightmare."

    "How much does she remember?"

    "She remembered until she came to the tower. She didn''t remember anything afterward."

    "That''s nearly two years of memory. That''s strange, isn''t it?"

    "Not only is it strange, but there might also be a chance she might remember everything. I don''t want her to live with trauma for the rest of her life." Ovior sounded vexed. He was

    worried sick.

    "I''ve already left Nica in the Elven Realm but I still can ask her about the side effects," Arthur stated. "Did you talk to Catherine? Did she remember anything?"

 Chapter 560: THE DISCUSSION

    Chapter 560: THE DISCUSSION

    ?

    "Did you talk to Catherine? Did she remember anything?"

    "I talked to Sebastian," Ovior replied. "There wasn''t anything suspicious. Maybe I''m overreacting but I feel helpless if I can''t do anything while she''s suffering!"

    "I understand," Arthur was sympathetic. He knew this feeling more than anyone. He also couldn''t do anything when Veronica cried as she described how she killed humans. Sometimes, she would have nightmares. He was already d that she didn''t remember what she did in her dragon form.

    "At a time like this you just need to be there by her side," he advised his friend. "Only your affection and time can heal her. Her pain is hers to bear. If you want her to be your bride, she needs to grow up as a strong woman. She isn''t just your future wife, she will also be the Governess of the Magic Tower."

    Arthur had to remind his friend about the future responsibility Dorothy would hold. When he married Veronica, he didn''t mention the weight of her responsibility. As a result, they both suffered. He nearly broke her wings and tied her in a ce she''d begun to hate. In the end, they worked it out. He thought he was very lucky to make things work with his wife. He wished his friend didn''t face the same problem.

    "Did I be powerful so that she can bear the pain alone?" Ovior expressed his frustration.

    "You don''t even know for sure whether she got her memory back or not. Sometimes only time can heal pain. There''s nothing else you can do," said Arthur. "Go out with her. Leave the documents for me."

    Afterward, Ovior dropped some documents at Arthur''s desk. Then, he went to the bedroom. Dorothy was still sleeping. It didn''t seem like she was having any more nightmares.

    The Elven Realm

    Veronica''s head dropped on the desk. She barely had a wink of sleepst night. She wanted to find out how to bring back Felix''s lover who didn''t have a body left. Unfortunately, it was in vain.

    The sun had already risen in the east sky. She still didn''t get any answer. Now a new day started and she could barely keep her eyes open.

    Ironin saw her napping on the desk. He silently collected the light nket from her bed and dropped it around her shoulder.

    As he left the room, he met Felix. Since Ovior left and Arthur had to leave as well, Felix came to stay with Veronica and Ironin. Felix barely had a wink of sleep. He stayed awake hoping Veronica would find a way to revive his beloved.

    He yawned and stretched his arms. "You left her side. Did she finally fall asleep?"

    "Barely," Ironin curtly replied.

    "I don''t know if I should be hopeful. But seeing two dead women walking freely made me greedy," Felix sighed. "I can''t seem to let it go."

    Felix was scared of hearing that Veronica would say she failed. His greed made him selfish. At this point, he only cared for his beloved.

    Ironin quietly listened to him. He made tea for both of them. Looking outside the window, they could see the Elves starting their daily life. It was always the same routine. It was peaceful and boring at the same time.

    Brrr.... Brrr....

    Ironin checked hismunication device. He turned it in and saw Arthur''s face.

    "How''s she?" Arthur asked the moment Ironin''s face popped up.

    "Didn''t rest well," Ironin answered.

    "Is she resting now?" Arthur inquired. He was worried that his wife might copse at the rate. However, he got a slight nod for his question. "Tell her she''s only allowed to study for five hours a day."

    "At this rate, I won''t be able to see you in five years."

    The voice came from the doorway. Veronica was awake. She came forward and sat on a chair. "Good morning, Arthur."

    "Good morning, Nica," Arthur greeted her. "Did you not sleep well?"

    Veronica covered her mouth as she yawned as if to answer his question. "You do realize that I want to be with you as soon as possible."

    "..." Arthur''s tongue was tied.

    "...And I also don''t want to keep Felix waiting," Veronica added. "I want to see if there is any chance that I can bring Sister Ruth back. She was the kindest soul. So please, wait patiently. I will finish my work in no time. When Ie back, I''ll just rest and rest."

    Arthur nodded. "Fair enough. But don''t skip your meals and try to sleep for at least three hours. This is how Ovior is still alive."

    Veronica''s eyes widened in surprise. "Don''t tell me you are still not there yet! You are supposed to give him a week off."

    Ironin handed her a mug of tea. She took it from him and thanked him.

    While she took a sip, she heard her husband say, "I was supposed to move there after talking

    to you. I wanted to ask you something regarding reviving dead people. Do they have any side

    effects?"

    Veronica moved the mug away from her lips. "What do you mean?"

    Arthur stated, "He said Dorothy was suffering from nightmares. She also showed symptoms of two years of memory loss. We are not sure if it is because of being revived after a long

    time."

    "I don''t know," Veronica shrugged. "Cathy seemed to be doing fine. If there were any side effects, she would have told me by now. Since you asked, I will look into it."

    "Don''t stress yourself."

    "I won''t. I will see you soon."

    "Bye."

    "Bye."

    As themunication was disconnected, Felix asked, "If there are side effects from reviving people, what are the chances of getting their memory back?"

    "I thought there was none. I mean isn''t it a blessing not to remember a painful death? I was happy that Cathy couldn''t remember the pain she went through. As for Dorothy, her situation was even worse. But not having two years of memory... I don''t know."

    "Maybe they wille back," Ironin said. When Veronica and Felix looked at him, he added, "Maybe through nightmares."

 Chapter 561: FINDING OUT THE TRUTH

    Chapter 561: FINDING OUT THE TRUTH

    ?

    "Maybe they wille back. Maybe through nightmares."

    || ||

    Veronica and Felix were speechless. ''Could he not say that earlier?'' they wondered.

    "I should contact Ovior." Veronica took themunication device and contacted him. However, he wasn''t in the office. He was in the bedroom.

    Magic Tower

    Ovior was sitting beside Dorothy and feeding her a spoonful of chicken soup. "Does it taste good?" he asked.

    "Umm..." Dorothy nodded. She liked the chicken vegetable soup. She was still in bed. She didn''t want to get up but her man had a different n. He wanted her to have breakfast on time.

    He was nning to take her out before Arthur coulde. Who knows what will happen if he stays and Arthur pushes half of his work to him? No one should take this chance.

    Ovior tore a baguette into small pieces and added to the soup. As he fed her, he suggested, "Let''s do some shopping today."

    "Hmm... howe? You gave me enough clothes." She didn''t want to spend too much money on clothes and jewelry. It''s not like she was attending a party anytime soon.

    "It''s for your family," he answered.

    Dorothy froze on the spot. "...My family? ...Why?"

    "You will finally meet them today in the evening. I also want to bring the marriage proposal to your family to make it official. Should we go empty-handed? It doesn''t look nice."

    She held his wrist and looked at him. "Let''s not meet them."

    Ovior dropped the spoon on the bowl and asked, "What do you mean?"

    "Why do we need their permission? We are getting married. Why would they need to give the permission?"

    "I thought you were eager to meet them. Didn''t you say sost night? I already sent them a letter telling them that I would meet them this evening."

    "Doesn''t matter. You can cancel the meeting," she grumbled.

    "Dorothy," Ovior put down the bowl and cupped her face, "are you scared of something? You know you can tell me. I will be with you no matter what you decide anyway."

    Dorothy''s lips trembled. Her tears threatened to fall. "I don''t... I don''t want them to disrespect you. You will be my husband. No one has the right to disrespect you."

    "Why would they disrespect me?"

    "You don''t understand... they value family lineage... I don''t know... I want to make this worse. Do they even know that I''m awake? What did they do after I was unconscious? Why was I with you and not with them? How could I not be with your family?"

    The more she said those things, the more things became clear to her. She realized that she wasn''t important to her family. If she was important, she wouldn''t be here with him. If she was precious to her family, they would never let her go, especially not to someone whom they thought was a street dog.

    "I stole you, Dorothy," Ovior said. After listening to her, he decided to tell her about a certain event.

    Confused, Dorothy asked, "What do you mean?"

    "They wanted to bury you. Arthur and I waited until your funeral was over. Later at night, I dug the grave and brought you here," he told her the truth at this point. The next ones werepletely a lie, "We thought if we kept you here, you would open your eyes again. However, that wasn''t the case. You slept for years. I was worried. One day, Veronica found a way to solve the issue. That''s how you woke up."

    Dorothy covered her mouth. "What are you saying? My family thought I was dead?" "Your body was cold and you were barely breathing. The doctor said that there was no guarantee whether you would wake up or not." What he said just now was the truth.

    She didn''t die after being raped. The excessive bleeding made her unconscious. As the doctor said he did his best but she didn''t wake up, so her family decided to bury the incident along with her. No one was allowed to see her face at her funeral. They couldn''t let people see the bruises she got. They didn''t even seek justice for their daughter. They mourned for her death but that''s it. How could they seek justice after staging the entire thing as a carriage ident? Ovior didn''t want her to know everything. He wanted her to keep the family bonding. After all, a person without family knows how precious family bonding is.

    Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but Dorothy held back. She didn''t want to show her weakness like that. She wanted to look mature in his eyes. She hoped she would look mature in front of her beloved.

    "It''s okay to cry," Ovior gently whispered. He felt a pang in his heart. He didn''t want to see her cry. Her tears made him suffocate. "I''m right here. I''ll be with you even if you cry."

    After hearing his words, she couldn''t control her tears any longer. Her wail became louder. Her tears soaked Ovior''s chest.

    She kept thinking, ''Just... why? Why did I have to go through this? Why didn''t my family wait? Did I be a burden? Just an ident was enough to make me throw away?! Did they ever see me as their family member? Was I ever their family?''

    She couldn''tprehend this situation no matter what. If she had a child with her beloved, she would cherish the child more than her life. The child came from her womb, she raised the child. How could she not feel for it?

    How could her parents not feel the pain after she was unconscious? How could they not wait?

    "We are not meeting my family. I don''t have a family," she dered after wiping her tears. Her eyes were motionless. She looked determined.

    Seeing her like this, Ovior could only agree. "Whatever you prefer, I will go along with it."

    "Thank you," she reached out and hugged his waist. "I only need you. I don''t need anything else."

    "Okay," Ovior softly spoke. He was pleased to hear her. "Should we get married then?"

 Chapter 562: MEETING FRIENDS

    Chapter 562: MEETING FRIENDS

    ?

    "Should we get married then?"

    Dorothy checked if he was being serious or not. Then, she asked, "Right away?"

    Ovior chuckled. "Do you not what a wedding ceremony is?" He didn''t know she was so eager to get married to him. It made his heart warm.

    "Of course! I want a grand ceremony. I want to invite all my friends. They will let my family know that we are getting married. Imagine how they will react if we get married without inviting them." She giggled just imagining it.

    "What do you think we should do now? Should we prepare the guest list or your clothes?"

    "If we must go out today, why don''t we go to the shop?" Dorothy suggested. "Let''s look around. I want to see what they have in town. I also want to meet my friends. At the end of the week, we can decide what day we will hold our ceremony. I want to order the best wedding gown in town. I want flowers in my dress and butterflies too. Can we make the butterflies move around my gown?"

    "We can manage that."

    "Then, this is what I want!" Dorothy became excited. She went on and on about what she wanted for the decoration and food.

    Ovior obediently listened. Unbeknownst to her, he was smiling. He took note of everything she said. He didn''t miss a single detail.

    Three dayster, Dorothy met her friends. Asha and Nisay. There was a parlor in the town. Ovior rented the entire ce so that Dorothy could enjoy her time. With their entire parlor empty, Dorothy was at ease.

    As she waited, Asha and Nisay came. When they saw her, they dropped their umbres. They looked like they saw a ghost.

    "I didn''t die," Dorothy said. She saw how pale her friends were. She felt sorry. "It was a fake funeral. You didn''t see my body during my funeral, did you? It was fake."

    As she tried to make them understand, Nisay fainted. Asha shouted as she held her, "Oh my goodness! Nisay! Nisay wake up!"

    Dorothy panicked as well. She ran toward them and held Nisay. "Let''sy her down on the couch," she instructed Asha,

    Asha''s eyes widened in shock. The ghost came right in front of her. It even touched her best friend. How could she follow Dorothy''s instructions? She felt weak on her knees and she fell taking Nisay with her.

    In one word, the meeting turned into a disaster.

    Twenty minutester -

    "Just... how..." Nisay weakly asked. She just woke up. Asha handed her a ss of water.

    Dorothy felt guilty after shocking them like that. She also felt wronged. "I told you already. I didn''t die."

    "We were at your funeral, Dorothy," Asha said. She still had a hard time believing the thing in front of them was not a ghost.

    Dorothy told them, "And I said it was a fake funeral. I was unconscious. I wasn''t dead."

    "But then..." Asha still couldn''t believe it.

    "My family decided to bury me," Dorothy told them the truth.

    Nisay was beyond shocked. "What are you talking about?! Why would they?" she couldn''t think of any reason a family would do something like this to their own. It was simply unimaginable.

    "That''s because there was no guarantee whether I would wake up or not," Dorothy expressed her sadness. "They didn''t want to wait. So, they decided to bury me."

    "So, they just buried you?!" Nisay eximed.

    "Ovior stole me secretly. I was in the Magic Tower until now. He and his friends did their best to help me wake up."

    "Ovior? Who''s that? You were in the Magic Tower? How?" Asha was curious.

    "You know Ovior! Didn''t I tell you I loved him? He even proposed to me!"

    "Wait... is he the guy whom your family didn''t approve of? Did he finally be a magician?" Asha asked. "...I think I heard his name before..." Magic Tower wasn''t her thing. She didn''t know much about it.

    "He is the second-inmand. When the Master of the magic Tower isn''t there, he works as the Head."

    "My Goodness! Is he THE Ovior?! I can''t believe this! He is a famous workaholic and the most ruthless of them all!" Nisay was stunned. "How did you manage to fall in love with him? Hold on a minute, is he treating you nicely?" Since her brother was a magician, she knew a lot about the Magic Tower.

    "What are you talking about?" Dorothy frowned. "Since when was he a ruthless person? He is the nicest of them all." She defended her lover. She saw nothing but the sweetness of him. she didn''t like it if other people badmouthed him right in front of her.

    "Are we even talking about the same person?" Nisay was confused. Thanks to her brother, she knew the magicians called Ovior a monster in human flesh.

    "So, you have been abducted and saved by the Magic Tower Master and you are in love with each other?" Asha said. "...Unbelievable! It sounds more like a romance story."

    "I know! And we are finally getting married!" Dorthy covered her face, feeling shy.

    "Goodness gracias! You are getting married?!" Nisay screamed. She was excited, shocked, happy and more. All kinds of emotions just came to her all of a sudden. "I wish you all the best, Dorothy!"

    "Wait, you just woke up and you are getting married. You also heard about how cruel your family was to bury you alive," Asha said. She couldn''t get excited just yet. She was more level- headed than Nisay. "Dorothy, I''m sorry that you had to go through this. I''m so d you are alive." Controlling her emotions, she hugged Dorothy. "Wee back."

    "Thank you." Dorothy choked. She hugged her friend back.

    Nisay was in tears too. She spread her arms and hugged them both. After the emotional

    encounter, they wiped their tears and ordered some snacks and tea.

    "So, what''s your n for marriage? Did you talk to your family? Did they approve?" Asha

    inquired.

    "I''m not meeting them. I don''t think I have the face to meet them yet. I also don''t think they will approve of our marriage," Dorothy expressed her grief.

 Chapter 563: FOR A SOLUTION

    Chapter 563: FOR A SOLUTION

    ?

    "I''m not meeting them. I don''t think I have the face to meet them yet. I also don''t think they will approve of our marriage," Dorothy expressed her grief.

    "You are right," Nisay said. She exchanges nces with Asha. "Our families only care about family lineage. Blood is everything to them. But your soon-to-be husband is the Second Master of the Magic Tower. You will be the Governess of the Magic Tower if you marry him. Shouldn''t your family approve of it? Nothing is better than being the fourth most powerful woman in the kingdom."

    There was a heavy silence after what she said. Both Asha and Nisay thought about their love and how they sacrificed them for their families. Dorothy sympathized with them. No matter how many trials she had to face, at least she could get married to her lover.

    "So, what are you nning for the wedding?" Asha asked, trying to change the atmosphere. "Oh, I already nned everything," Dorothy told them the details of her n.

    "This is going to be the most gorgeous wedding ever!" Nisay became excited. "Tell us what you want us to do. I''ll empty my schedule for your wedding. This should be the wedding of the century!" She looked at Asha and asked, "Do you remember the wedding of the Master and the Mistress of the Magic Tower? It was something but THIS is what we called GRAND!"

    Her excitement reached Asha too. They started nning together.

    The Elven Realm

    It had been a week since Veronica was looking for a way to revive Sister Ruth. However, it wasn''t as easy as she thought. Urs wanted to help her but he was swarmed with duties. Moreover, he was still looking for his elder brother who hid after harming Veronica.

    Veronica couldn''t ask Ironin or Felix to help her. They didn''t know an unpopr deadnguage. So, the entire responsibility fell on her tiny shoulders.

    Felix kept an eye on her while chewing the freshly picked green leaves with a bored face. He didn''t want to be a rude person but he was so tired of eating raw leaves every day. There was no meat, no vor. He couldn''t understand how people were surviving in this world. Since Veronica and Ironin never said anything, he kept his mouth shut. He also felt helpless for not being able to help Veronica.

    Ironin quietly organized the papers around Veronica while she read the scrolls. At one point, she stood up. Her eyes were tickling with excitement.

    "I think I know where I have to go," she dered.

    Ironin paused and Felix jumped out of the chair. "Do you? What do we have to do?"

    "We have to go to the Rosemary Temple," she said.

    Felix couldn''t talk for a few seconds. "...You mean... we need to go to Utahill?"

    "Yes, we should go as soon as possible!" Veronica was excited. She didn''t give herself any rest thesest few days. All she was looking for was a way for a solution. However, today, she noticed one scroll mentioned spirits.

    "Here, look," she showed them the scroll. "If there is no body of the dead person but the person''s spirit remains, there is a possibility to revive the person!"

    || ||

    Felix and Ironin stared at the scroll without understanding anything. Instead, they felt her excitement. They exchanged nces.

    "Before we go, we need to inform Arthur," Felix stated. "We might meet Zinnia and Darius in the Alps."

    "Are we meeting them there? Why are they there?" Veronica was surprised. She didn''t know everyone''s secret missions. Arthur''s missions had nothing to do with her. She had her responsibilities, which her husband couldn''t interfere with.

    "They have a mission," Ironin replied. He didn''t want to say anything further. Felix didn''t add anything either.

    Although she was curious, she didn''t push for an answer. More importantly, she had to find a solution. She was close to seeing Sister Ruth once again.

    "Wait, you mentioned spirits but Ruth''s spirit is gone," Felix stated. "You gave me thest bits of her."

    "I remember," Veronica said. "I cannot tell you everything, Felix. I apologize." "Okay," Felix said. The hope that was slipping from his finger finally came to his palm. He who didn''t believe in religion prayed to the Goddess.

    Later on, Arthurmunicated and Veronica told him that she wanted to visit Utahill.

    He frowned when he heard her n but then said, "Sure, you can go there. I mighte and see you."

    "You don''t have to! Don''t you have work to finish? I heard Zinnia and Darius are there. It''ll be just fine."

    "But..."

    "I''m going to be with your most fearsome army. Do you not trust their skills? Moreover, you are not allowed to use magic in Utahill, what can you do there? Finish your work, all right? I will be with you as soon as possible."

    As Veronica persuaded him, Arthur finally agreed. "All right, then. I will leave it to you. You have to hurry though. Ovior and Dorothy are getting married at the end of the month."

    "Oh my! Really?!" Veronica was surprised and delighted upon hearing the news. "We have three more weeks! That won''t be an issue. Unlike here, we can teleport everywhere in the Human Realm. We will be there as soon as possible."

    "You promised. You cannot miss it," Arthur said.

    After themunication ended, Veronica decided to meet Urs. He wasn''t home. So, she headed to the Royal Tree. The guards saw her. They bowed and let her enter.

    Elven King Erestor Culn¨¢mo was sitting on the throne. "Are you done with everything you are here for?" he asked.

    "I have not, Your Majesty," Veronica answered.

    "How may I help you then?"

    "I have to visit the Human Realm for a couple of weeks. I will be back after that. I wanted to inform the Second Prince but he wasn''t present. So, I came to inform you, Your Majesty."

    Elven King Erestor Culn¨¢mo hummed when he heard her reasons. His index finger tapped the handle of the throne. He didn''t give his permission yet, he didn''t stop her either.

 Chapter 564: THE PERMISSION

    Chapter 564: THE PERMISSION

    ?

    Veronica waited for a reply from Elven King Erestor Culn¨¢mo. However, he didn''t say anything. He seemed to be thinking of something.

    "Your Majesty," she spoke.

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo looked at her and said, "Follow the path you must follow. However, you can alwayse here as this is your home."

    "Thank you, Your Majesty."

    King Erestor Culn¨¢mo added, "There will be many circumstances that will make it unbearable for you. You must know that you can always step back. You have the right to choose the path that removes your hardship."

    "...Thank you, Your Majesty."

    Veronica found it extremely strange for the Elven King to speak out. He suddenly acted like a parent would to their children. Any child would expect their parents or guardian to support them emotionally - something Veronica never had when she was a child.

    All the same, she had Arthur now who would support her in any situation. She had faith in him. She didn''t need anyone else. Even so, it felt nice to be supported by someone other than her husband.

    After she went back to the room, she packed her bag. As she was ready to leave, Felix came to her with a somber expression.

    "What''s wrong?" she asked.

    "There are soldiers in front of the house," he stated.

    "What do you mean?" Veronica looked outside the window. She saw around ten soldiers. "Are they perhaps there to escort us to the portal?"

    "No," Ironin said. He was at the top of the tree, watching Veronica going to the Royal Pce and thening back. He saw Felixe inside. Then, he came in through the window. "More soldiers in the back of the house," he mentioned. "More are hiding behind the trees." After staying around elves for so long, he got ustomed to their ways.

    "There shouldn''t be that many soldiers to escort us to the portal, should there?" Felixmented. He didn''t seem surprised. "I had a feeling it would be hard for us to get out of this ce."

    When Veronica wanted to stay behind for Felix, Arthur warned him that something like that could happen. They all were prepared for it. Unfortunately, Veronica wasn''t.

    "There must be some kind of exnation," she said. "This isn''t the first time I''ve been here. I never had a problem leaving this ce."

    "That was before they found out that you were married to the Master of the Magic Tower.," Felix bitterlymented.

    "What''s wrong with marrying a magician?" Veronica couldn''t get it. Long ago, she noticed that the elves didn''t have a good rtionship. Urs and others were hostile toward Arthur and other magicians.

    One time, she was curious and asked Urs about it and she only heard illments about magicians. However, she knew more than anyone how magicians behaved. Whatever the history was behind magicians, one or two magicians'' actions couldn''t represent all the magicians. She didn''t retort back at that time because she thought it wasn''t her ce toment on one''s prejudice. However, now, she wasn''t so sure. She slightly regretted not trying to stand up for the magicians.

    "I will talk to them and try to find out what they want to say," she dered. As she opened the door, the soldiers bowed to her. Theirmander politely bowed and said, "We will guard you, Lady Veronica. You have nothing to worry about."

    "Guard me from what? Do we have any enemies here?" Veronica asked. When she didn''t get any reply, she said, "You don''t have to bother to guard us. We are leaving."

    "That cannot be done, Lady Veronica," themander calmly stated. "His majesty the King has already ordered us to stand in guard. We cannot allow you to leave."

    "Am I under house arrest right now?" Veronica was stunned. "This isn''t my home! I have to go back home!"

    "This is your home, Lady Veronica," themander said.

    Veronica''s mouth was wide open. She couldn''t believe their audacity. ''This won''t work,'' she thought. ''I need to change my tactics.''

    She said, "I''m studying something very important. I need to go to the Holy Temple to get a scroll. I wille back afterward. If you don''t have any faith in me, you cane with me."

    "That is not possible, Lady Veronica," themander replied. "We dare not mistrust you or judge you. You are our Great Dragon. We have absolute faith in you. However, we cannot disobey His Majesty''s order."

    Veronica nodded as though she understood. She shut the door on his face and entered the living room. "I can''t believe this," she said. She was fuming.

    "Can we not wait until they let their guard down?" Felix suggested.

    "Never happening," Ironin curtly replied.

    "How about we leave at night?" Felix said.

    "Thest people you should underestimate are the elves," Veronica said. "There must be something we can do."

    "You can''t," Felixmented. "They want you to stay here. We can leave." He pointed at him and Ironin.

    "I should contact Arthur," Veronica said. She took out themunication device and then suddenly stopped.

    "Why did you stop?" Felix inquired.

    "We can''t contact him," she said. "If we tell him, he will most likely bring the magicians. They are still recovering. They cannot win against the elves in the Elven Realm. A good number of innocent lives and resources will be eliminated just because of a person''s greed. I cannot let that happen."

    "You are the wisest," Felixmented. "But our wisest Elven King cannot make the wisest decisions. This is upsetting."

    "He has his reasons," Ironin stated.

    "Just whose side are you on?" Felix asked him. "We have to get out of here no matter what his reasons are. Veronica has a husband and loved ones waiting for her in the Human Realm."

    "...Talking about loved ones..." Veronica muttered, "We can contact Ovior and ask for his idea." Using themunication device, she contacted Ovior.

    Ovior answered the call. "Good to see you, Veronica. How may I help you?" He sounded refreshed. His tone was light and gentle. He seemed to be living in dreand.

    "Ovior, we are in trouble. The soldiers are surrounding us. We cannot leave the ce!" Veronica told him.

    Ovior frowned. "Are you ready toe back?" He didn''t hear anything from Arthur since he was on holiday.

    Veronica told him everything in detail and requested, "Now please give us some solution. We cannot skip their guarding eyes."

    Ovior was in deep thought. He took his time to answer while others patiently waited, "King Erestor Culn¨¢mo is a smart king. He knows that you won''t contact Arthur. You don''t want bloodshed. That''s why he didn''t confiscate yourmunication device. This ispletely useless that''s what he thought." He smirked. "If you cannot use magic or walk out right in front of their eyes, there is only one solution."

    Veronica thought she heard it wrong. "...Dig a hole... you mean you want us to dig a hole until

    we reach the portal."

    "Good luck doing that," Ovior said.

    Veronica was astonished. "What do you want us to dig a hole with? Hands?!"

    "We can get some shovels outside," Felix said. "Or maybe we can make some."

    "Iron in the Elven Realm? I don''t know if we can get any," Veronica wasn''t so sure.

    "We can''t make them suspicious," Ironin said. Iron or not, if they brought some items that

    could be used to create holes in the ground, they would be alerted. They were sharper than any

    human in the world.

    "Wooden forks and spoons will cork too," Felix put some of them on the table.

    Veronica didn''t know whether she should cry orugh.

    Magic Tower

    Dorothy was checking out the wedding dress designs.

    "Lady Dorothy, since you love flowers, we have made a few designs, especially for you. Please

    check them," the designer said.

    In the tower, the finest designer of Tybu came with her newest designs. She is the one who designed Veronica''s wedding gown as well. Moreover, all royal gowns are designed by her. Dorothy looked through the designs and got confused. She looked at Ovior with a pitiful expression. "I don''t know what to choose. They are all so pretty. I like them all!" Ovior was apanying her. He knew that floral design was her weakness. He suggested, "We can order all of them. You try them on. The one you think is the most special, you can

    wear it to our wedding."

    Dorothy''s eyes widened in surprise. "How can that be?! It will be very expensive! More than that, how can I have so many white gowns? It doesn''t make sense."

    The only reason she wanted a white gown was because of her wedding. With her colorful taste, she could never wear white gowns at other parties.

    The designer''s eyes were sparkling when she heard that she could sell all her designer clothes.

    Just thinking about the money she would get by selling all the gowns, she realized that she would live avish life for the rest of her life without working at all.

    She said, "I can change the colors of the other gowns. I will change them taking your taste

    into consideration. You have nothing to worry about."

    ''I didn''t know I was marrying the king,'' Dorothy thought.

 Chapter 565: THE DISCUSSION

    Chapter 565: THE DISCUSSION

    ?

    Dorothy never expected that Ovior would be the Second Master of the Magic Tower. That''s why her expectations were limited. Upon realizing how much her wedding was going to cost, she didn''t know how to react.

    "What''s wrong?" Ovior asked after the clothing designer left. He had been observing her the whole day. She was excited at first, then when started checking the design she became confused, then overwhelmed and after he ordered all those clothes, she became quiet. She seemed troubled.

    "I don''t know if we should spend that much money just for a day," she spoke her mind. "We have a whole while ahead of us. We have to think about our future." She wanted to mention having children and raising them but she held back. It was a bit embarrassing to point it out. She could never look at him properly if she said it.

    "But you heard her. You don''t have to wear those gowns all at once. Take your time wearing them." Ovior said. Afterward, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her toward him. "I didn''t know my fianc¨¦e was so frugal. I will be a lucky husband."

    He knew being born with a silver spoon Dorothy had avish lifestyle. Her clothes and jewelry were made by personal designers. If she went out, she would go to the finest stores and restaurants. Nothing that belonged to her came cheap.

    Ovior fell for her at first sight. He fell for her dazzling smile as if she was a blooming flower in spring. He took note of her favorite food, clothes and jewelry. He realized the way he was he could never afford to bring happiness to her. That''s why he worked hard and became the Second master of the Magic Tower. This was the reason why he said whatever he had built and had been all because of her. The credit belonged to her because he wanted to be sessful to give her a better life. Everything he had was for her.

    However, he ordered some wedding gowns and that made her worried about his finances. That made him wonder why she wanted to marry him in the first ce.

    Dorothy nudged him after feeling embarrassed by hisment. "It''s not that I''m being frugal. I don''t know how much you earn but you are already giving me an extravagant wedding. You know it was my childish dream but I can stillpromise. Most of the things I shared with you were because I knew they would be done by magic. But gowns will cost you a fortune. Should we do this?"

    Ovior stroked her cheek and said, "We aren''t married yet and you are already worried about my wallet? What will happen after we are married? Am I going to die of hunger?"

    Dorothy''s face dyed in embarrassment. "What are you talking about? How can that happen? I''m saying this because I don''t want you to think I''ll live the same way I used to before. I know I have lived an improvident life before but then I fell in love with you. I realized money wasn''t everything. Money didn''t give me happiness. More than that, it tied me down with oppression. I couldn''t dream of anything and there was no one to support me. I was all alone."

    She felt sadness in her heart when she described her life. She grew up with the people who were closest to her but how lonely she was.

    What''s the point of having money if a person can''t live their life to the fullest?

    She then looked at him and smiled. "With you here, I can do whatever you want and you will always be by my side. I have nothing to worry about. I fell in love with you for who you were, not because of your status. Even though I knew you may not be capable of giving me an expensive lifestyle, I was ready to be with you back then. That''s why I epted your proposal."

    Ovior attentively listened to her and then said, "So, you are saying that you didn''t mind living where I''m living."

    "That''s right," she agreed. "I wasn''t thinking of living in the tower though.

    "Is that so," he muttered. "What did you dream of doing after getting married to me?"

    "I thought of a simple lifestyle. We would have a hut for ourselves. It would be nice to have a hut in a quiet ce. We would have a servant who cleans the house and a chef to cook for us. I will manage the house when you are in the tower to work. Also... many other things..." Once again, she didn''t mention the children.

    Ovior was surprised after finding out about her dream. His dream waspletely opposite of hers. He wanted to give her a huge mansion with lots of servants, a ranch with horses, expensive clothes and jewelry for parties and tight security. He wanted to give her so much so that she could never regret marrying him and start missing her life before marriage. "Did you not think what would happen to you if you didn''t have a maid?" he asked.

    "I can manage myself without a maid. You gave me a magic brush that decorates my hair just the way I like. I don''t like wearing corsets. It makes me stuffy and I cannot breathe. The clothes you gave me are easy to wear. I don''t need help wearing those clothes. I can bathe by myself. I have hands, feet and a brain to work on. If I needed a maid, I would have asked you long ago." Maybe because she was asleep for a long time, she enjoyed moving her limbs and using her brain to do things on her own.

    "What about parties?" he asked. "If you live in a small hut, you will almost live like amoner. Won''t you miss the parties?"

    "I used to look forward to the parties because my friends would be there," she answered. "I thought, if I weren''t living a noble life anymore, my friends would leave me. If I had no friends at the parties, why would I go there? That''s why I left out the parties."

    Ovior couldn''t understand why she was ready to leave everything behind. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn''t understand. "Did you want to sacrifice so much that you wouldn''t have friends? What would you gain to be with me? Wouldn''t you lose everything else just to be with me? Can you call that happiness?"

    Dorothy told him, "I didn''t know you were thinking like that. It was because I would be with you. You are someone I got along with without anyone telling me to do it. The friends I have, Asha and Nisay, I got along with because my mother told me so. Long before when we were children, we didn''t get along at all and were fighting all the time. I hated them so much. But I had to get along with them because their parents were important to my family business.

    "When I wanted to make more friends, my mother didn''t allow me. I had no one to rely on. After my nanny died, I didn''t have anyone who belonged to me. All the maids took care of me because it was their duty. I had no one to cuddle with. I had no one to share what I felt. No one ever asked me what color I liked, what food I loved the most or where I wanted to go.

    Everything was decided by me.

    "And then I met you. I saw your freedom. At that time, I envied you so much. I knew you didn''t have a noble title but you had everything else I desired. I wanted to get along with you to understand your lifestyle. I realized you were quick-witted and ambitious. I don''t remember when I started liking you but I knew I liked you and wanted to get along with you willingly. When you proposed to me, I was so happy. I started dreaming about our life together. I didn''t mind if you didn''t have enough money to buy mevish clothes. I was ready to leave everything behind. All I wanted was to be with you."

    She never had the chance to tell him how she felt. She felt better after telling him what she wanted. Since she was a child, she was deprived of the affection of her family. Money indeed couldn''t get her everything she wanted. She had a dream, after her marriage, she could finally

    achieve it.

    Ovior felt a surge of emotions inside. His heart squeezed tightly to the point it left him breathless. If he could, he would cry. He just couldn''t do it in front of her. The woman he chose to spend the rest of his life with, he never thought her desire for him was so strong that she would leave everything behind.

 Chapter 566: THE DREAM

    Chapter 566: THE DREAM

    ?

    He was quiet. He was trying to face his motions and trying to understand her affection for him.

    The silence was too much for Dorothy to handle. "What''s wrong?" she asked him. "Did I say something wrong? Your expression is scaring m...!"

    Before she could finish her sentence, she was tightly embraced by him. She was surprised by this sudden action. Feeling confused, she hugged him back. She patted his back as if she was trying to assure him of his unspoken worries.

    He swore, "I will be with you every day. I will support you with everything you decide on. Whatever you choose, I''ll be there by your side. I will make your every dreame true."

    She smiled when she heard it. "I know you will, even if you don''t say it. You are my greatest wish. That''s why I want to be with you. I apologize. I''m being selfish."

    "Be selfish. You can be selfish," he encouraged her.

    They stayed like that for a long time, feeling each other''s presence. Just feeling each other''s warmth "You always live here. Are we going to live here after we get married?"

    "We can if you want," he replied. "Arthur and Veronica live here. This is practically our house since we eat, sleep and work here. I never heard Veronica say anything about having a separate house. But that doesn''t mean we have to do the same thing. I already have a mansion in the city. I thought you wanted to live there. I bought it years ago. I never thought you wanted a hut."

    He bought the house after bing the Second Master of the Magic Tower. He decorated it with her taste in mind. Back then, he cried inside while doing the decoration. At that time, she was dead. He was imagining how happy she would be after seeing all that. At that moment, he knew it was in vain but he once promised himself that he would do this for her. He gained everything for her. He nned that after his retirement, he would move her body there and guard her until hisst breath.

    "You have a mansion?!" Dorothy was stunned. "Why didn''t you say it before?"

    "Do you want to live there? I can just demolish it and turn it into a hut if you want," Ovior said.

    "Why are you saying? If you have no work to do, let''s go there now!" Dorothy stood up and pulled his hand.

    He smiled and teleported themselves in front of the mansion. It was a huge ce. In front of the mansion, there was a massive fountain. The garden was filled with colorful flowers. Anyone who knew Dorothy would know the vibe of the ce was simr to hers.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "This ce is gorgeous!" she eximed in surprise. She had never seen a beautiful ce in her life. However, despite the beauty of nature and architecture, she didn''t see any other life. "Who takes care of the garden and the mansion? I don''t see people here."

    "I will take you inside," Ovior said. "You will know the answer." He took her hand and guided her to the mansion.

    As soon as they stepped on the stairs, the giant doors of the mansion opened on their own. There wasn''t any human presence there but the entire ce was sparkling as if they were cleaned with utmost care every single day.

    "This is..." Dorothy was speechless. "Did you use magic?"

    Ovior didn''t have to mention anything because she was a mop and a bucket in the corridor. The mop was doing the cleaning and the bucket was going after it.

    "I love magic," she said. She realized if magic could be used like this, they would never need a maid. That would save them a fortune!

    She didn''t know magic like that cost triple that of having a maid. This kind of magic is done by huge magic stones depending on how spacious the ce is. The magic inside the stone has to be renewed every month and depending on the size of the stone, it may cost a person''s lifetime fortune.

    Luckily for her, her soon-to-be husband was the Second Master of the Magic Tower. They wouldn''t have to hire a magician to renew the magic. He could do it every month. They wouldn''t have to spend a penny.

    "Do you like this ce or do you want me to turn it into a hut?" he asked.

    "Huh? No! No, no, don''t do that. I love this ce. This is a ce you built and decorated thinking of me, I will never think of going anywhere else." Dorothy was emotional. Several bottles of emotions turned her as soft as cotton candy. With tears tickling her eyes, she said, "Thank you for building this ce. I''m so happy that I cannot describe it. This ce is so precious."

    Ovior took her in his arms to console her. His heart was content. The person he built this ce for was able to see the mansion. This ce finally found its owner.

    He said from the top of his head, "As you can see, everything in the house is being taken care of. If you want to change something in the garden, just let me know. I will hire a chef who can cook for you whatever you want. You will also need two personal maids as you cannot use magic. When I''m not there, they will help you. It will also make you less lonely."

    "The chef cannot do anything on his own. Who will cut the vegetables and slice the meat for him?" Dorothy thought about having guests in the mansion. It would be hard for the poor chef to cook on his own.

    Ovior said, "He can use the magic stone as a helping hand."

    Dorothy didn''t like that. Even when she worked, she would want someone to help her. She retorted, "What if he is lonely cooking alone in the big kitchen?"

    "Then, we will ask him if he wants a helping hand or magic stone."

    Satisfied with his words, she was reassured. "I should look for maids starting tomorrow. I''ll ask Asha and Nisay to help me."

 Chapter 567 THE DREAM HOUSE

    Chapter 567 THE DREAM HOUSE

    "I should look for maids starting tomorrow. I''ll ask Asha and Nisay to help me." Dorothy had already begun to calcte everything in her mind. "What should I do about the money?"

    "I''ll show you." Ovior held her hand and took her to another room. The moment the door opened. she gasped in surprise. The room was filled with gold coins, jewelry, expensive stones, statues, famous paintings, and ancient scrolls. It was a treasure room.

    "Ovior¡­ this is¡­" Dorothy could barely breathe. She had seen expensive statues and paintings in several noble houses including hers and stones and jewelry could be seen in the best jewelry stone in the empire. However, what she was seeing right in front of her was beyond her expectations. She had never seen anything like this before.

    "I have saved them over the years," Ovior casually stated.

    He never had a hobby. He worked like a mad dog after Dorothy''s death. The only ce that was of his own was the mansion. He built it for her. He did nothing for himself. He put everything he earned and he was gifted there. He left this huge mansion unattended. No one thought there could be any treasure. He never bothered with it. Even if his vault became empty, he wouldn''t care because he didn''t need them. He earned everything for the person he loved and at that time, she was dead. Thus, he didn''t care about his treasure vault.

    "This is yours to use," he said. "All you see here is what I earned over the years. You will be in charge of managing them."

    "But¡­ this is¡­ too much¡­ I have never managed something so valuable in my life," she answered. She was breathless after seeing the enormous treasure trove. She didn''t lie. She was used to helping her mother with her management work but she never managed property directly. She didn''t have ounting knowledge.

    "If you need help, I can arrange someone. My secretary is good at this. Her name is Catherine. She is currently on holiday. I can ask for her help," Ovior suggested.

    "If she is on holiday, as an employer, you shouldn''t bother her," she denied. "I will send her a letter and request her help. I will pay separately if that''s necessary."

    "If you offer her money, she might agree," he replied. "She is very greedy for money."

    "I will take my chance then." Dorothy smiled.

    ''Ovior has a female secretary who is helping her and a female warrior who is reliable. I know nothing. How can I be a good wife to him?'' she wondered. She felt depressed just thinking about it.

    "I will show you the bedroom and your parlor." Ovior walked her to the third floor and showed her the bedroom. The spacious bedroom was colorfully painted. Ovior opened therge windows. The pink siphon curtains danced in the wind. The sunlight directly fell in the middle of the room. From the bedroom balcony, anyone could see the flower garden. It was a bright room that could lift anyone''s mood. "Do you like it? You can change the arrangement if it doesn''t suit your taste," he said,

    "What are you saying?" Dorothy was bbergasted. "This is perfect. I could never think of changing the decoration. I''d rather stay in this room forever!"

    Herstment stiffened Ovior''s back. Dark thoughts came into his mind. ''That can be arranged,'' he thought. At that moment, he knew exactly how Arthur felt about Veronica.

    Having his desire at bay for so long made his hunger uncontroble. He was barely controlling himself while sleeping in the same bed as her. To think she would mention something like this in their future bedroom ¨C she really didn''t know who she was getting married to. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Huh? Ovior, what are you thinking? You look absentminded." The person in question moved closer and touched his cheek. "I''ve been thinking how much I''m suffering," he said.

    Dorothy was surprised as well as concerned. "Why are you suffering? Did something happen?"

    "That''s because I have promised you. But to sleep next to you every night without doing anything is hard." Ovior''s fingers traced her supple cheek.

    Dorothy shuddered at his touch. His burning eyes boiled her blood. Feeling flustered, she looked away. "Wh-what do you mean?I don''t understand."

    Ovior leaned closer and pressed his forehead against hers. "After our wedding, I can keep you in the bedroom for the rest of your life if you want."

    "Y-you are teasing me again, aren''t you?" Dorothy''s face dyed several shades of red. She realized what he meant by keeping her in the bedroom right after mentioning sleeping in the bed at night. "H-how can you be so brazen? This is sphemous!"

    His lips were threatening to smile but he held back. He whispered in her ear, "You want to stay in the bedroom forever, correct? I can make your dreame true." "Do-don''t do that right now! It''s broad daylight!"

    "So, you are saying that it''s okay if it''s nighttime? Shall we stay here until nighttime?"

    "You promised that you won''t do anything until our wedding."

    "I can take back my words anytime, you know!"

    "Ovior, you¨C"

    Before she could finish her sentence, her lips were sealed.

    Later, she sat on the bed. Ovior put her there after she was weak on her knees. She tried to cool her head.

    ''It''s all his fault! If only he didn''t kiss me so hard¡­'' she couldn''t think of it anymore. She was d that she was left alone. She still wanted to check all the rooms. Ovior went to the tower saying someone was calling him. She took this chance to look around the ce.

    The more she saw, the more she knew he thought of her every single moment when he decorated this ce. Every corner of the mansion was stered with her taste. There wasn''t a single room that had the dark grayish-purple color that gave off his vibe. Somehow, it made her despondent. She took notes on what she wanted to change. Afterward, she went to the room Ovior called her parlor. There was a desk and a table. She decided to write a letter to Miss Catherine before Ovior came back.

 Chapter 568 THE FRUSTRATION

    Chapter 568 THE FRUSTRATION

    The Elven Realm

    "You know it would be better if we could use the swords, right?" Veronica bitterly pointed out.

    "I''m not using my beloved sword to dig a hole," Felix said. "It''ll lose its sharpness. I can''t kill anyone with itter on. The same goes for the daggers."

    "It''s been two days we are digging. We are barely anywhere," Veronicained. She was exhausted.

    These two days, they were digging a hole in her bedroom. Felix and Ironin definitely had more strength than she had. Her contribution was a little but they still managed to go underground.

    No elves came to her bedroom. So, it was easy to do it there without people noticing. An Elvendy served them dishes in the living room. Veronica, Felix and Ironin would freshen up before eating. Of course, they weren''t too quiet to make it look suspicious. Every day, Veronica sought an audience with King Erestor Culn¨¢mo. However, it was in vain. The guards apologized. The door of the Royal Pce was closed. The Elven King didn''t want to meet her. In the end, she could roam around in the vige but she couldn''t get out of the boundary. As for Felix and Ironin, they could go anywhere without a problem. The soldiers even said that if Ironin and Felix wished to leave the Elven Realm, they would be respectfully escorted out. So, everyone could leave except for her.

    Therefore, Veronica and the rest had no choice but to dig a hole. Moreover, the Elves had a good hearing sense. So, they couldn''t make too much noise. Even when talking orining, they had to whisper. After making a hole, they had to be quieter because they didn''t want their voice to echo.

    "I''m so d I borrowed two Elven daggers. If it weren''t for them, I couldn''t imagine digging with a wooden spoon.," Veronica muttered.

    "No matter what you do, it will take us forever," Felix said. "Why don''t you meet Urs? We can wait for him. After hees back, we will seek his help. He is your friend, isn''t he?"

    "He is but he''s on an expedition," she said. "He has to find his brother to bring him back and imprison him. Dastan is highly skilled. I don''t expect him anytime soon. It''s not like we are digging until we reach the portal. We will dig until we reach the border of the vige. Then, we will get out through the forest."

    "Elves hide behind the trees in the forest," Ironin stated ndly.

    "See? Even if we get out to the vige border, we will be caught. It''s a bad idea," Felix said.

    Veronica dropped the dagger. "Then, what do you want me to do? We can''t wait forever! I don''t want to stay here even for a minute!" She hissed in anger. The most frustrating part was she couldn''t express her feelings out loud in case the Elves heard her. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "I believe I''m more desperate than you. However, being impatient won''t take us anywhere," Felix calmly stated. "I have an idea. How about you turn into a dragon? We can ride on your back. You can fly us to the portal. No Elves can stop you."

    "That''s a good idea!" Veronica smiled. "They won''t be able to touch me if I turn into a dragon. To them, the dragon is the most sacred being. I''m the great and mighty dragon. How about you two throw me off the tree and then I''ll turn into a dragon?"

    Felix gulped. "Throw you from the high area? What if you cannot turn into a dragon?"

    Veronica''s face brightened. "I''ll die."

    "¡­"

    Felix stared at her for a while and then said, "Why don''t you rest for a while? I think your head has stopped working."

    "No, no, just push me off a high ce. I think this tree is high enough too. Ironin always hangs in there like a monkey. I can climb trees too, you know. I will jump from there."

    Veronica stood up and went to the bedroom.

    "Did I piss her off?" Felix asked Ironin.

    "You did," Ironin replied.

    Veronica took a bath and changed her clothes. She went outside for a walk. She wanted to cool off but she could feel Elven soldiers staring at her back.

    She let out a deep sigh. She wanted to bring back Sister Ruth as soon as possible and go back into Arthur''s arms. Nevertheless, things wouldn''t go as she wanted. ''I wanted to be good. I wanted to mind my business. Why do people have to poke their nose on mine? Why can''t they just focus on their life?''

    She was frustrated. She recalled what the Elven King told her at the time she bade her goodbye. What made her angrier was that she fell for it. She stood in front of the vast field and deeply inhaled. Nowhere on earth could have this fresh air. It could help any human live a hundred years longer. Pollution only belonged to the Human Realm. Elves didn''t know the word ''pollution''.

    After taking deep breaths, she felt better. As she walked toward her house, she noticed the floor of her house was wide open.

    She frowned. She was sure that she shut the door before leaving. She quickened her steps and went inside. The living room was lit up due to themp but the bedroom was dark. They kept it dark because they were digging a hole.

    She walked inside the bedroom. The hole was dark. She didn''t hear any noise from there. She doubted if Ironin and Felix were in it. However, she couldn''t call out in case her voice echoed.

    She prayed nothing bad happened to them. What would she do if they were caught and kicked out of the Elven Realm? She''d be all alone here. She didn''t want that.

    She didn''t dare to take themp. Looking around her surroundings one more time, she went in. It was too dark to see anything. She didn''t hear a tiny bit of noise. ''Are they really gone?'' she wondered. As she was thinking what to do, something cold touched her shoulder.

 Chapter 569: TO LEAVE THE ELVEN REALM

    Chapter 569: TO LEAVE THE ELVEN REALM

    ?

    Veronica was startled by the action. She didn''t hear anything but something cold that felt like a hand grabbed her shoulder. Her soul left her body. She involuntarily opened her mouth to shout. However, the person understood what she would do and covered her mouth.

    Veronica fought to get out of the attacker''s grasp but the attacker overpowered her.

    "Shh... don''t scream..." the attacker whispered.

    Urs!

    Veronica''s eyes widened in surprise. As she stopped struggling, Urs let her go. She turned around. Her eyes were already adjusted to the dark. She could see his body structure. "Why are you here?" she whispered back. "I thought you were still looking for your brother." "We found him. Come this way." He held her hand and guided her further toward the tunnel. Veronica followed him withoutining. She was amazed at how long the tunnel had be. She was sure it wasn''t that long because a few hours ago she was digging it with Ironin and Felix. It wasn''t enough for people to walk more than five minutes. Forget about walking, they could barely sit in the tunnel.

    Soon, Urs stopped as the tunnel ended. Then, he opened a hatch right above him. Light reached the tunnel.

    "You go up first," he said. With her permission, he grabbed her legs and lifted her. As she grabbed the edge, Ironin came and brought her up.

    "You were here all the time?" Veronica didn''t expect him there. She looked around. It was a room she knew well enough.

    It was Urs'' kitchen.

    Urs came to the surface and closed the hatch. "I came back in the afternoon. I heard some noiseing from under my kitchen. I went inside the tunnel to check what was going on. Then, I found them digging the tunnel."

    "I''m grateful to the prince for not selling us out," Felix said. He was sitting on a chair, drinking tea.

    "My father has his way of dealing with issues. I don''t want to betray my friend," Urs looked at Veronica. "I''ve already heard everything. You all need to leave this please as soon as possible."

    "I''ve already packed some food and drinking water." Felix showed a pouch.

    "But how?" Veronica said. "Can we use this tunnel? I just saw it ended in your kitchen." "There is another tunnel. Come." Urs took them to his bedroom. There was another hatch under his bed. He opened it. "Take amp with you. This tunnel goes straight to the portal. I will give you the code to open it. Here, take this." He took a scroll from the table and handed it to her. "Just walk forward. Don''t look back. Don''t make a sound. Before you get out of the tunnel, turn off the light."

    "That won''t stop the Elves from seeing us," Ironin mentioned.

    "Indeed, they will see you. But don''t you worry about it. I''ll take care of everything," Urs said.

    "If you go against the king, what will happen to you?" Veronica was worried.

    "Don''t worry about me," Urs smiled. "My brother is now a criminal who attacked the mighty dragon. He lost the throne. My father can''t lose me as well. He won''t hand over his throne to anyone other than his bloodline."

    Veronica grabbed his hands and squeezed them tightly. "I can''t express my gratitude just with ''thanks'', Urs. You are a good friend. I''ll remember it forever." She expressed her heartfelt gratitude.

    "You owe me one now," Urs reminded her.

    "Yes, I owe you. I''ll definitely help you out in the future," Veronica promised. "You just have to ask."

    "I will see you again, my friend," Urs shook her hands, "...until then, stay well."

    They bade goodbye. Felix took themp and went down first, then Veronica and thest person was Ironin.

    Before Ironin went down, Urs held his arm. "I know," he said.

    Ironin nkly stared at him. He didn''t express anything though he was curious about what the Elven Prince knew.

    "I know about your blood," Urs said.

    Ironin''s back stiffened but he kept hisposure. He didn''t show any form of weakness.

    "Please keep her safe," the Elven Prince requested.

    Ironin nodded in reply.

    Following the tunnel, they went to thekeside. Felix blew out themp and got out first. Veronica and Ironin followed after him. As they were close to theke, three Elves came forward with swords in their hands.

    Veronica''s senses were sharp but Felix''s and Ironin''s were sharper. They didn''t even realize when they were surrounded by the Elves.

    "We are leaving this ce. Are you trying to stop us?" Veronica asked them.

    "Lady Veronica, we are only following His Majesty''s order," one of them said.

    "Do you want me to turn into my dragon form and destroy thisnd?" Veronica coldly refuted.

    The Elven soldiers knelt and said, "Please quell your anger, Lady Veronica. We dare not to anger you. Unfortunately, we cannot defy His Majesty''s order."

    "That won''t stop me from going home," Veronica stated.

    "You don''t have to stop, Mdy," a youthful voice spoke.

    They turned around and saw a group of Elven soldiers. The person leading them was Juvelius. He was Urs'' army''s second-inmand.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Please go to your destination. We are the supporters of the Great Dragon. We wish you all the best for your journey," he said.

    Veronica realized what Urs meant by taking care of the soldiers. She was grateful to him and his army.

    "Thank you, Juvelius. I''ll remember your kindness," she said. She hurried toward theke and then opened the scroll.

    The moonlight fell on the scroll and the ancient words lit up. A blue light came out of theke. The portal opened.

    Veronica took Urs'' advice. She didn''t look back and neither did Ironin or Felix.

    In the next moment, they were in the human realm.

    "We should go to the closest vige. Our horses should be still there," Felix said.

    "Let''s do that," Veronica agreed.

    Felix was right. Their horses were still there. Since they paid for them to be taken care of, the horses were in good shape. They took their horses and galloped to the north-west.

 Chapter 570: DRUNK FOLKS

    Chapter 570: DRUNK FOLKS

    ?

    The three of them crossed the rivers, mountains and the vast prairie. They didn''t stop until the sun rose in the east sky.

    They stopped by in a small vige. Veronica disguised as a man. So, no one suspected three men traveling. They booked a triple room for themselves and rested there for a day. The horses needed some rest and so did they.

    In the evening, they went to the local pub and ordered a few drinks.

    "Should we drink alcohol?" Veronica was skeptical. "We need to move out tonight."

    "We are going to the north. The closer we get, the colder it will be. A mug of alcohol will keep you warm," Felix said. "If you cannot handle alcohol, one mug should be fine for you."

    "Even a mug is too much..." Veronica muttered. She took a sip in the mug of beer and her mouth twisted in disgust. "So bitter..."

    She found the locals were bustling in the pub. The musicians were ying local music. People were bursting intoughter. It had apletely different vibe than the Elven Realm. The lively atmosphere lifted her mood.

    ''The Human Realm is the best,'' she thought. ''Nothing can be better than an energetic atmosphere. Something like this can never be found in the Elven Realm.''

    She noticed Ironin and Felix drinking ss after ss and they were still sober. How they could stay all right after drinking a few mugs of alcohol was beyond her imagination. She wondered if she could do the same and still be sober.

    "The capital is going crazy. How can the blessed child act like that?" someoneined.

    "I would rather say the Royal Family is crazy for supporting a blessed child like that." A person scoffed while speaking out loud.

    "..."

    Ironin and Felix exchanged nces. After speaking through their eyes, they came to an agreement.

    Felix stood up and got close to the locals who were expressing their dissatisfaction. "What''s happening with the blessed child, folks?"

    The locals looked at him and said, "Ahh, you must be a traveler. Where are you heading?"

    "I''m going to Utahil," Felix answered.

    "Ahh, I wouldn''t rmend that. That ce is going crazy?"

    "How can a holy nation where the blessed child resides can go crazy? You must be joking," Felix said, pretending not to believe their words.

    "This brother doesn''t know a thing. Where have you been living all this time? In the cave?"

    "Since he doesn''t know, we should tell him."

    "Listen, young traveler, the blessed child doesn''t heal sick people anymore. Things weren''t going well in the holy country, Utahill. It''s not raining much. The crops weren''t growing well. The Royal Family had to buy crops from the neighboring countries."

    "People are also getting sick. Especially the newborn children. Some are saying that the country is being cursed. That''s why the Royal Family organized a nationwide festival."

    "Two weeks ago, in the festival, the blessed child was supposed to show her appearance. It was said, she would bless everyone while going through precession."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Rumors say, she was wearing extravagant clothes while people were suffering. She only healed people who gave her money or expensive gifts. In other words, aristocrats and rich merchants'' family members."

    "If this isn''t crazy then what?"

    "Tell him the rest."

    "A cousin of mine came from Utahil five days ago. He told me that a sickmoner child wanted to be healed by the blessed child. But the blessed child actually kicked the sick child and ordered the temple to be closed formoners!"

    "That can''t be possible. The Head Priest won''t allow it," Felix said in disbelief. He also couldn''t believe that the fake blessed child would do something like that and the Royal Family of Utahil would stay quiet.

    "The Head Priest... you mean the old folk? He''s dead. He was sick for some time now. He diedst year, was it?"

    "Doesn''t matter when he died. The problem arose after the new priest was appointed as the Head Priest. He only likes money. He became friends with all nobles and rich merchants. He doesn''t care about themoners."

    "Some say that he has a secret rtionship with the Head Priest."

    "That''s sphemous! How can you say such disgraceful words?!" The other local scolded his friend.

    "But isn''t this what''s spreading among people?" the drunk local retorted. "There shouldn''t be any smoke without a fire."

    "You have entertained me long enough. As a token of appreciation, I''ll buy you folks some beer," Felix offered.

    The locals celebrated.

    After talking to them, Felix went back to the original ce but Ironin and Veronica weren''t there. He scanned the entire pub but they were nowhere to be found.

    "Huh? Where did they go?"

    While he was talking to the locals, Veronica and Ironin were quietly drinking. Although Ironin was with Veronica to guard her, his focus was on the locals surrounding them.

    They were all drunk and talking to their hearts'' content. He could hear all kinds of gossip and find out what was happening in the world. He had been in the Elven Realm for so long that he waspletely detached from the Human Realm.

    Burp!

    He looked at the girl in front of him and saw that Veronica was drunk.

    She had two mugs of beer!

    Her right hand reached out for the third mug but he grabbed her wrist. "Don''t drink anymore."

    "No!" she protested. "I have to drink... burp!" Her face was flushed and her eyes were dropping. She was nearly sane. With his free left hand, she tried to hold the mug.

    Ironin pushed away all the mugs and said, "That''s enough." His usually curt tone

    disappeared. His voice was low and soft, only for her to listen.

    "No, no, no! I won''t listen to you! How can you drink five mugs and still be okay and I can''t? This isn''t fair! I want to drink!"

    Her voice was getting louder. The locals started looking at them. Ironin couldn''t let them find out that she was a woman disguised as a man. He had to pull her out of the pub despite her

    protest.

    "No, no! I''m not going!"

    Herints didn''t reach his ears. Noticing that she dropped to the ground and hugged his

    right thigh.

 Chapter 571: DRUNKEN STUPOR

    Chapter 571: DRUNKEN STUPOR

    ?

    "No, no! I''m not going!"

    Ironin didn''t heed her words. But then, he was startled when she dropped to the ground and hugged his thigh. He never faced her challenging behavior before. If it were someone else, he would kick them out or cut their throats. He couldn''t do that to her.

    "Let go," he calmly said.

    "I''m going nowhere!" Veronica was stubborn. She wouldn''t let go.

    Ironin let out a sigh. He never felt so helpless before. He leaned and grabbed her both arms. He gently pulled her. "Get up."

    "No!"

    "Please."

    "No! No!"

    "I''m begging you."

    His voice was gentle each time he urged her to stand up. There was a sense of feebleness in his tone.

    He was a person with a strong personality. He never begged anyone for anything. He was never unreasonable. Thus, whatever he asked for, he got it. People never personally messed up with him. Those who did, he shot them dead.

    However, it was different tonight. He wasn''t being unreasonable. The person who was hugging his thigh was. And, he couldn''t shoot an arrow at her.

    He took a deep breath. Afterward, he grabbed her arms and strongly pulled her up. As he lifted her, her body shook.

    She wasn''t prepared to stand up right away. As a result, her bnce was off and she fell forward.

    Ironin grabbed her by reflex. His arm was tightly wrapped around her waist.

    Veronica was going toin about the pain but then she saw his face very close to hers. Her half-lid eyes enjoyed the beauty in the evening with her drunken stupor. All of a sudden, she grinned.

    Confusion was written all over Ironin''s face. He never faced anything like that before. He didn''t know this side of Veronica in the past. He had no idea what she was thinking. Still, he knew one fact that was, she was having some kind of plot to bother him more.

    Before he knew it, she pressed her lips on him.

    "!!!"

    Ironin''s eyes widened in shock. Since his reflex was faster than hers, he was able to manage to press his palm on her lips. So, his left hand was in between their lips. She wasn''t able to kiss him at all.

    Veronica realized that too. She wasn''t upset. She narrowed her eyes as though she took his action as a challenge. She stuck out her tongue and licked his palm.

    "!!!"

    Ironin''s heartbeat escted. He wanted to push her face back so much but held himself back. Rather, he grabbed her face with his left hand and pushed her away. His movement was slow, trying not to hurt her. His right arm also let go of her waist, keeping her steady instead.

    She realized it didn''t work. She moved her tongue on his palm, leaking every nook and cranny. Her tongue moved seductively as if she was trying to allure him like a siren.

    "..." Ironin stared at her with confusion in his eyes. He was baffled by her action. It was his first time being assaulted by ady he admired. He didn''t know what to do. The ruthless archer suddenly seemed too innocent.

    He thought of something. Then, he tossed her around his shoulder and strode toward the inn. Being upside down on a man''s shoulder for the first time made Veronica''s head spin.

    "Hey, handsome! How can you be so rough with a beautifuldy like me? You should treat gorgeous women gently. Just because I showed some interest in you, doesn''t mean you can do however you please!"

    She shouted at him but he didn''t pay attention.

    She raised her head and saw him going inside the inn and climbing the stairs.

    "If you think of sleeping with me without my consent, I''ll scream! I just wanted to kiss you. I don''t want to sleep with you. Who would sleep with a rough man? No one likes a rough man! Women like gentlemen! Gentlemen!"

    Ironin''s ears burned. He never felt so humiliated in his life. His ears were burning. He could see a few watchful eyes throwing daggers at him but no one came to stop him.

    He unlocked the door and opened it. It was Veronica''s room. He gently put her on the bed. He thought she would struggle to get away from him.

    But to his surprise, she grabbed his cor and pulled him into bed. Within a second, their position changed. She was sitting on top of him.

    Surprise after surprise made him speechless. He didn''t know a gracefuldy he had known for quite some time could turn into somethingpletely different after getting drunk. Veronica smirked as she looked down at him. "Did you think you could do anything you want because you are more powerful? You are wrong. Don''t think too highly of yourself." Then, she paused and looked at him properly. She smirked and changed his tone while saying, "Pretty boy, you seem very family. Do I know you?"

    Her question made his heart skip a beat. "You... you don''t," Ironin said in a gentle voice. "And you never will."

    Right after he finished answering her question, he hit the corner of her neck. Her body dropped on top of him. He carefully grabbed her and put her in bed. After covering her with the nket, he left her there. He dragged his feet to his bed.

    He took deep breaths to calm his heart. Her words and actions scared him out of his wits. Somehow, her actions reminded him of something. It drifted him back in the past. He felt

    depressed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He closed his eyes and tried to remember the past. The same images continued to y in his head as though he didn''t want toe back to reality. Slowly, he fell asleep.

    While they were busy with themselves, Felix searched the entire vige for them. Then, he came back to the inn only to see both of them were asleep.

    Felix woke up Ironin. "Why are you sleeping? We are supposed to leave at midnight."

    "Let''s rest before we go." Ironin sounded tired. He closed his eyes again.

    Felix was speechless. He didn''t know what could have happened for the two of them getting

    so tired after resting a whole day. Especially Ironin, he was acting a bit differently.

 Chapter 572: THE REQUEST

    Chapter 572: THE REQUEST

    ?

    Ironin wasn''t a person who showed his tiredness to anyone., No one ever saw him tired. ''What could happen to him?'' Felix wondered.

    Tybu

    Dorothy sent a letter to Catherine where she was residing. Catherine was in the garden. She was sitting there and enjoying her afternoon tea when the letter arrived through a bird.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Who sent you the letter?" Sebastian, who was practicing swordsmanship, asked.

    Catherine checked the seal and eximed, "It''s ady named Dorothy! She is using Ovior''s seal! Can she do that?"

    Sebastian scratched his cheek. "She is Ovior''s lover. I''m sure he approved of it. It could be important."

    "He had a lover?! Why did I not know that?" Catherine opened the letter and read the contents. "She wants my help," she said. "She wants to learn household management and calcting too, I think. What is happening?"

    "She is his long-lost lover whom he got back very recently. I heard they want to get married soon," Sebastian exined without telling her the details.

    Catherine was stunned. "They are getting married?! Howe I don''t know?"

    "You are on vacation, remember? I think they haven''t sent the invitations yet. Maybe if you ept her offer, you need to help her write the invitation letter too," Sebastian said.

    "I should give her a reply then," Catherine was curious to find out more about the lover of her employer. "There is nothing wrong with earning extra money." She smirked. Her brain had already started calcting the profit.

    Sebastianughed. "Take it slow. Don''t work too hard. We have to check the construction of our house too."

    After buying a hill, the construction of the house began. Catherine, who designed her dream house, went to check the construction work every day by herself.

    Sebastian helped her out when she wasn''t there. It was said that the house would be established in two more weeks. That''s why thesest two weeks were more crucial.

    "Don''t underestimate Ovior''s Secretary," Catherine proudly dered. "There is nothing I cannot do."

    Later that day, Dorothy got the letter. She became excited. She went to Ovior''s office to tell him the news.

    "I knew she would ept it," Ovior said. "You can bring her here to learn your lesson."

    "No, I want to go to her ce," Dorothy requested. "Didn''t you tell me she is living in the hilly area? I want to go there. It must be a nice ce to study. I want to take a carriage to see the view. I don''t want to teleport there."

    "How can I let you go there unattended? It''s not a safe ce. You might face troubles if you go out. What if idents ur? Even if you want to go out, teleporting there might be a good option," Ovior tried to persuade her.

    He wasn''t like Arthur who wanted to tie her down with the tower and never let her go. It was just that she was still so immature and she didn''t know the way of the world. Girls like her would suffer more because of their innocence.

    Moreover, he had already lost her once. He dared not to leave her alone. Although he wasn''t working full-time, he had to take care of outside work while Arthur was working day and night hiding behind all the documents he sent. He couldn''t go out with her all the time if she wanted.

    If the ce was closer, he didn''t mind dropping her off. But she didn''t want to use teleportation, and it would take three hours to go to the hilly areas. They would have to go past the rural area too.

    "That cannot be done!" Dorothy refused. "I never went to the hilly areas. The view must be nice ording to the story books. I want to travel by carriage and enjoy the view."

    "I will see what I can do. Give me some time to think about it," Ovior said.

    "I knew I could count on you!" His lover beamed in happiness. "I will listen to your n at dinner time."

    After she left, he let out a sigh. He had a headache. He pinched in between his eyebrows and started brainstorming.

    Later, he went to visit Arthur. All he heard was a grumpy voice, "What do you want?"

    "Don''t you have the magical carriage that can fly?" Ovior asked.

    Arthur frowned. "And what of it? Did you think I''d let you borrow it for your rendezvous while I''m wifeless right now? You can dream on!"

    "Who would want anything from you?'' Ovior bickered. "I want The magical scroll you created it with."

    Arthur snorted. "Get it from the shelf in the back."

    "Which shelf?" Ovior stared at the twenty shelves in Arthur''s office where at least thousands

    of scrolls were.

    Arthur shrugged. "I don''t know. Can''t you see I am busy with work? Find it yourself."

    "What a bastard," Ovior cursed under his breath.

    He brought a stone with him and recited a mantra. The stone guided him to the scroll. He took the scroll and went back to his office.

    He created exactly the same magical circle but changed itsmand by writing his and Dorothy''s names instead of Arthur''s and Veronica''s. Later, he took the scroll downstairs. Using the magic circle in a carriage turned it into a flying carriage.

    After the deed was done, he went to meet Dorothy with a light heart.

    It was already dinner time; Dorothy was waiting for him in the dining hall. She stared at his face, trying to read his expression to find out what he decided on.

    Ovior ordered his food and sat down. He looked at his lover who was anticipating something from him. He cleared his throat and said, "You can use the carriage. I made sure that it could fly. The chariot will take you anywhere you want as long as you use the flying carriage."

    Dorothy couldn''t believe her ears. She covered her mouth to control her excitement. She swallowed her uing scream and whispered, "Flying carriage? You can do that?!"

 Chapter 573 WORRIED OVIOR

    Chapter 573 WORRIED OVIOR

    "Flying carriage? You can do that?!" She couldn''t hide her excitement. Ovior smiled. He liked how bubbly she had be in thest few days. "Yes, I can. I need to make sure no one can harm you. So, I decided to give you a flying carriage. Now, I hope you are happy with it." "Of course, I am!" She eximed. "How can I not when you are giving me a flying carriage?! Thank you, Ovior. I will be careful."

    "I''m d you like it," Ovior said. "Let''s have our meal."

    After dinner, they went back to the bedroom. Dorothy changed her clothes. Her nightgown was modest since she didn''t want Ovior to spend a sleepless night. Even though he was taking his time off from work, he still had a lot to prepare for their wedding ceremony and party. They went to bed together. Ovior held her hand while waiting for her to sleep. After she fell asleep, he closed his eyes. When was in deep sleep, suddenly he felt something grasp his hand to the point that his hand hurt. He was forcefully brought from his deep sleep. His eyes opened and he looked at his hand. It took him some time to realize that Dorothy was mumbling while tightly gripping his hand.

    He was wide awake at that point on. He watched her crying in her sleeping. Her face was twisted in pain. "¡­Help¡­ n-no¡­ sa¡­save me¡­"

    Ovior shook her body. "Dorothy, wake up. Wake up please!" He became anxious when she had a terrible expression. He wanted nothing more than to wake her up. In the end, Dorothy woke up. Her eyes flew open. She panted as she sat up. Her shoulder area was drenched in sweat. Ovior wrapped his arm around her shoulder and said, "Take a deep breath." Dorothy followed his instruction and took deep breaths until she stopped shivering and panting. Afterward, she was handed a ss of water. When Ovior noticed that her hands were shaking with the ss of water and could spill on the bed, he took it from her and fed her.

    Dorothy must have been dehydrated. She chugged down the ss of water until it was empty. Ovior fed her another ss of water. After emptying two sses of water, she finally became calm.

    "I''m fine now. Thank you," she said. Her eyes formed tears and she wiped them. "Was it another nightmare?" Ovior asked. "You have been having too many nightmarestely. Will you please tell me what you are seeing in those nightmares? He held her hand with care. "You know you can share everything with me."

    "I¡­" Dorothy looked at him and continued, "¡­I¡­ dream of bad things happening to me. It was so sad. I felt like I was in real pain. It was so scary."

    "What kind of bad things were happening to you?" Ovior patiently asked. He just prayed that she wouldn''t start remembering the scene before her death.

    "Something like¡­ getting pped or having my hair pulled¡­ I was¡­ I don''t know how to exin it. It''s so foggy¡­" Dorothy leaned against his shoulder and cried. Ovior didn''t know what expression he was having at that time but he felt chills down his spine. The next day, Dorothy went to meet Catherine by flying carriage and Ovior teleported to Catherine''s ce. Since he just teleported, he reached there earlier than Dorothy.

    Catherine was visibly surprised to see him. "Ovior," she said, "I wasn''t expecting to be here to be honest. You didn''t make the appointment using Lady Dorothy''s name, did you?"

    "No, but I have something urgent to talk about," Ovior stated. "Do you have time?"

    "What''s wrong with you? You look ghastly pale," Catherine expressed her concern.

    "Do you remember how you died? Do you remember anything before your death?" Ovior frantically questioned her. "Do you have nightmares about anything that seemed vivid but felt like a dream? Do you have times when you dreamed of something that made you feel like it happened in reality?"

    "¡­Umm¡­ no¡­." Catherine squinted her eyes. "I don''t know what happened to you but I can say this much, I don''t have nightmares and I don''t remember the time of my death."

    "¡­Are you sure?" Ovior tried to confirm.

    "Absolutely," Catherine confidently answered.

    "What will you do if you remember your painful death?" Ovior inquired. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Was it that painful?" Catherine was in deep thought. Ultimately, she could only answer, "I don''t know, Ovior. Ver told me that it was a good thing that I didn''t remember it. I want to keep it that way. I honestly don''t want to remember if I was given a chance."

    Ovior''s jaw dropped. He didn''t know how to handle her answer. In the end, he absentmindedly bade her goodbye and left.

    In the Magic Tower, he collided with Zinnia. "I was looking for you," she said. "Where did you go this early in the morning? I thought you were on a break."

    "¡­I had to gather some information¡­" Ovior felt drained when he answered. "You seem exhausted. What''s wrong? Did something happen to Lady Dorothy again?" Zinnia enquired. Since she mostly knew about Dorothy''s past, Ovior told her everything. While talking over the tea, he pressed his forehead. "I don''t know what to do. I can''t let her remember anything."

    Zinnia thought for a while. Then, she said, "What if she isn''t remembering the incident before her death? For example, Catherine said that she doesn''t remember any of that incident and she doesn''t have any nightmares about it. She is living a healthy life. Dorothy could be the same. She might not remember that incident. Didn''t you tell me that she couldn''t remember almost two years before her death? She has been dead for so long that it could be a part of the side effects she is having. What if she is remembering her two years of life through her dreams."

    "Why¡­." Ovior couldn''t understand, Dorothy was the daughter of Count and Countess Eckles. She was loved and cherished. Why would she have painful memories?

 Chapter 574 MEETING CATHERINE

    Chapter 574 MEETING CATHERINE

    Ovior couldn''t understand why Dorothy would suffer for two years. Zinnia noticed how worried he was and mentioned, "It can be just nightmares." She shrugged. "You have never slept with her before. Now you do, you are going to see more of her. I don''t know if it has anything to do with her family. She had a fianc¨¦. If it''s rted to that guy¡­ he''s already dead. You made sure of it."

    "If it''s him, I''ll destroy all his family members and rtives," Ovior''s eyes burned in anger. "She can''t even tell me properly if it was just a nightmare or reality. If I ask her, she shivers in fear.'' He clenched his fist as he realized how helpless he was in that situation. He didn''t know how to get rid of her pain. Their wedding was approaching and they were barely sleeping. He just hoped that Dorothy wouldn''t pass out on their wedding day. While he was worried about his future bride, the future bride was enjoying her time walking around the hilly areas with Catherine.

    "It must be nice to be able to live here," Dorothy stated. She couldn''t help butpliment the area. "My house is being constructed. It''s not far from here. It won''t take much time to go there. I''ll show it to you. Come with me." Catherine took her to the construction site. Catherine resided in the hilly terrain. Her home was perched above a hill. Her lovely stone cottage stood on stilts. The outeryer of the cottage was done. The interior design was still ongoing. In front of her home was a path leading to the road through a flower garden. Therefore, anyone visiting her home would first travel along the flowerbed route before arriving at her residence. The path was lined with vibrant blooms of all colors, creating a picturesque entrance to Catherine''s abode. The scent of the flowers wafted through the air, adding to the charm of her hilltop retreat. It was a breathtaking sight. The entire area was surrounded by trees, which obscured the couple''s home and private lives. "This ce is gorgeous!" Dorothy was mesmerized by how the beauty of nature surrounded the area. She couldn''t help but think about her and Ovior''s house. "I''m amazed how you managed to do everything with the money you earned," she said. "I''ve never met ady who saved money while working and built her own house. You have earned my respect, Lady Catherine." She didn''t lie. She truly admired Catherine''s nning and management skills.

    "Oh my, thank you,dy Dorothy. It''s my honor to be respected by you," Catherine politely stated. From the moment she saw the young nobledy, she liked her. She was at first surprised by knowing that the girl was soon-to-be Ovior''s bride. After all, she looked too young for a man around his thirties. However, it was Ovior and Dorothy''s choice. She was merely an outsider in their rtionship. She had no right to be nosing around people''s private life. "I knew I could trust you. After all, you worked with Ovior. He highly rmended you," Dorothy voiced out.

    "Did he?" Catherine couldn''t help asking, "Did he say I was a gold digger?"

    Dorothy paused. She didn''t know how to reply. Although Ovior directly didn''t call her a gold digger, he mentioned how much she loved money.

    To save the skin of her future husband, she replied with a dry smile, "¡­No¡­ there is no such thing. How could he say something like that."

    Catherine smiled at her response. "Is that so? I''m d that he changed his personality so quickly. It must be because of you, Lady Dorothy."

    "No such thing¡­" Dorothy was embarrassed. She started seeing Ovior in a new light. She realized no matter how nice he was to her, he was rather mean toward someone who worked for him for a long time.

    Later on, they went back to the hotel where Catherine and Sebastian were staying. Catherine taught her about money management ¨Cspending, savings, budgeting, investing and nning for the future. She also taught Dorothy how much financial independence and security were important.

    Sebastian heard her speaking from time to time. He was proud of the woman he loved. Any man would want a wife who was good at saving and nning for the future. When he heard about financial independence, he told her, "Ovior is the richest of all rich people who live in Tybu. Even Arthur isn''t as rich as him. I don''t think they (Ovior and Dorothy) need to worry about financial independence. Even if Ovior stops working, he can feed his entire future generation with his wealth."

    Dorothy shyly refuted, "It''s not like that. Whatever we have, we need to manage it."

    Sebastian told her, "Lady Dorothy must have seen Ovior''s wealth when you visited the mansion. I know what you saw. I used to manage his ce for him before I was transferred to a different ce. Catherine is the one who has managed his wealth until now. That''s why Ovior rmended her to you. No one is more suitable than her."

    "Honestly, you don''t have to say more." This time, Catherine was embarrassed. "Lord Sebastian is a lucky man to have a talented person like Lady Catherine by his side," Dorothy was full of praise.

    "No¡­ it''s not like that¡­" Catherine tried to speak but Sebastian said, ''You are absolutely correct, Lady Dorothy. I''m very lucky to have her." He touched Catherine''s shoulder and smiled lovingly at her. Catherine looked at him and smile came to her lips automatically when she saw his smile. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Dorothy stared at them with a smile on her face as well. She prayed for their happiness for the bottom of her heart. In her eyes, the world suddenly became very beautiful. She thought, if people could love each other like that all the time, how wonderful the world would turn out to be.

    By the time she reached the Magic Tower, it was eight in the evening. She was warmly embraced by Ovior. "You camete," hemented. "I was getti

    ng worried over here. What did you do there for so long?"

 Chapter 575: THE SUPPORT

    Chapter 575: THE SUPPORT

    ?

    "I was getting worried over here. What did you do there so long?" His voice was gentle as he rubbed her against him, making her feelfy.

    "I was with Catherine," Dorothy stated as she rubbed her face on his chest like a kitten. "I think I learned about the entire world just in one day."

    "Catherine is efficient," Ovior admitted. He knew how much he could count on her. After all, she was his secretary who took away half of his workload.

    "I wonder why we didn''t learn these lessons at home or the Royal Academy," Dorothy said. "Shouldn''t we learn about management and savings when we were younger?"

    "I understand what you mean. I will talk to His Majesty the King and propose this to him. I will make sure our future generation receives a proper education," Ovior told her.

    Although he spoke roundabout way about ''their children'', Dorothy was quick to catch it. Her ears burned in embarrassment. "Yes, make sure to tell him that," she insisted with her head lowered.

    Ovior found her reaction cute and smiled at her. "Let''s have our dinner first. You must be tired from studying."

    "I''m starving! I want the beef stu with rice," she demanded.

    "Beef stu it is..."

    After lunch, Dorothy had a bath before going to bed. Ovior was waiting for her there. When she came to bed, she saw him in deep thought. She casually asked him, "What are you thinking about?"

    "I was thinking..." Ovior turned toward her and looked her in the eyes, "Dorothy, you know I love you no matter how you choose to be, right?"

    Talking about love was so sudden that Dorothy was slightly taken aback. She wasn''t prepared to hear about his confession. He was too old-fashioned to talk about love and she knew it. She liked him this way. Now that he suddenly opened up about it, it made her shy.

    She softly nodded her head as to agree to his confession. She believed how much he adored

    her and epted her the way she was. That''s why she was able to be with him after waking up. Not once did she try to look for her parents. She felt safer under his eyes.

    Ovior patiently uttered, "Since you know that I love you, you can please tell me what is making you scared to the point you are seeing nightmares almost every day?"

    "Ovior..." Dorothy wanted to speak but he gently held her hand.

    "Dorothy, it''s okay. I''m with you. That''s why I need to know. I can''t help you get out of your fear unless you tell me."

    "It''s... I don''t know how to say it... I wish I could but..."

    "Take your time. I''m here. But I need you to tell me before one of us passes out fromck of sleep."

    "I''m sorry, Ovior, I didn''t mean this to happen..."

    "Dorothy, I''m not ming you. I know it must be hard for you. You barely recall two years of memories. It must be confusing."

    "...It''s not that confusing," Dorothy finally confessed after realizing how supportive he was being. "I started remembering bits of it."

    Ovior sat up and straightened his back. He was all alert. He prayed that she wouldn''t say something rted to her death. He couldn''t understand what else there could be other than sexual assault. Otherwise, she had no reason to hesitate this much.

    He noticed her face getting paler. He took both of her hands and squeezed them gently. "Dorothy, if you need time..."

    "No, let me tell you. I don''t think I will have the courageter on." She sat up and her head was down. "I..." she started in a trembling voice, "I was abused by my family."

    Ovior looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

    "I... I lied to you, Ovior." She broke into tears as she admitted, "I didn''t tell you the truth. When I asked for a two-year marriage hold, my family objected. I was confined in my room. I was starved. I didn''t know what to do. I barely had any drop of water to drink. In the end, I had to agree to this marriage." She sobbed while telling her the story of what he didn''t know.

    Back then, she was so much in love that she couldn''t agree to the marriage with the nobleman. When she politely refused, her father pped her. Both Count and Countess Eckles refused to acknowledge an orphanmoner to be their daughter''s lover.

    Not only they were angry, but her beloved brother also who always supported her turned his back on her. He was willing to cut ties with Ovior for making his sister fall in love with him. However, she begged him not to do it. In order to make her meet the nobleman, her brother made a deal with her.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    So, to keep the friendship between him and Ovior, Dorothy had to meet up with the nobleman and his family. The family got together and held avish party. They wanted to announce their engagement when Dorothy pretended to be sick and created a scene.

    Her parents were furious. Her father confined her to the altar. It was so dark that she could barely see anything around her. The sunlight didn''t reach through the windows because the windows were covered with wooden ques. She wasn''t given even a crumb of bread. A ss of water came once a day.

    The beloved daughter of the count never faced anything like this in her life. She was shaken to the core. She was so scared that she shivered days and nights without uttering a single word. The coldness and hunger nearly turned her insane.

    At that time, the only thing that came to her mind was - I have to survive.

    That''s when she gathered thest bit of her courage to bang on the door and shout that she would get married.

    After that, she was never a normal person. She began to avoid meeting her family members. Even when her mother or brother approached her,

    she would tremble.

    The girl they knew changedpletely.

 Chapter 576: CONFESSION

    Chapter 576: CONFESSION

    ?

    Countess Eckles would criticize her for this behavior. Nheless, Dorothy''s situation didn''t improve. In the end, thinking about the family''s reputation, Count and Countess Eckles let her go outside on her own. They didn''t go anywhere with her in case people noticed her behavior around them.

    She met Ovior as well in the name of meeting her fianc¨¦. She was devastated when her fianc¨¦ talked badly of her. She was affected by everyone around her. Her only healing oasis was Ovior, who loved her unconditionally.

    That''s how her life was going. She was dying inside but she kept herself alive with all her willpower just in the hope that Ovior would be a magician soon and take her away from hell.

    When she was done telling her part of the story, she sobbed and apologized to Ovior, "I''m so sorry that I agreed to this engagement, Ovior. I didn''t mean to but I couldn''t help it. I''m such a coward. I don''t know how to..."

    "Enough, Dorothy," Ovior''s voice quivered as he spoke. He pulled her in his arms and pressed her against his chest. "You have done nothing wrong. Why did you not tell me that you were suffering? I would have taken you from there if I knew your family abused you."

    "I couldn''t tell you," Dorothy stated. "You were focusing on yourpetition. I didn''t want to distract you. I knew I could endure it for two years. I wanted to be stronger for you."

    "You are the bravest woman I know, Dorothy. But I cannot condone your suffering in my presence."

    Ovior meant everything he said from the bottom of his heart. He was shaken to the core upon listening to how much she suffered. He felt cold all over his body only imagining her staying in the dark, cold altar. The woman he thought of cherishing his whole life had to suffer because of their love - his heart bled from that thought.

    Dorothy raised her head and looked at him with her tear-soaked eyes. "Are you telling the truth? Am I the bravest woman you know?"

    "Most certainly you are," Ovior replied. "How many women out there would choose their love over luxury? You have suffered so much and didn''tin or utter a single word of it to be with me. If you are not the bravest woman, who is?"

    Dorothy felt better from hispliment. She finally stopped crying. She wiped her tears and asked hesitantly, "But... I did agree to the engagement. Are you not angry?"

    "With you? Not at all," Ovior stated. "If I''m angry about something, it will be your family. How dare they make you suffer like this?" Although he was seething inside, he didn''t express it. He lightlyined about it in front of her. He didn''t n on scaring her.

    However, Dorothy had something else in her mind. She clutched his nightshirt and said, "Don''t be angry with them. Whatever they did, I want to forgive them. After all, they raised me and because of my brother, I was able to meet you. I''m grateful for everything they have given me - whether it is food, clothes or shelter. For whatever bad things they did to hurt me, I want to peacefully let it go and stay away from them. I just don''t want to associate with them. Just even thinking about them makes me scared."

    "Don''t worry. I don''t let them touch you," Ovior promised. "I will never mention anything about them in front of you. I won''t tell you to meet them. I will make sure they nevere in front of you."

    The promise he made was more to himself rather than to her. The resentment he felt was burning his heart. He lovingly held her in his arms but his eyes were as cold as ice.

    The next day, Ovior sent someone to gather some information about Count Eckles and his family. It turned out that they were doing fine without their daughter. Count and Countess Eckles'' only son Young Master Eckles got married two years ago. They had a daughter a year ago. His wife was currently pregnant with a child. Young Master had been working in the Imperial Pce for five years. He had a good rtionship with the secretary of the Crown Prince.

    Ovior scoffed. He was absolutely disgusted by how they moved on with their lives and were living happily ever after when their daughter suffered and died because of them. If she wasn''t engaged to that soldier nobleman, she wouldn''t have suffered from the assault and die so young.

    How horrible must have she felt when she was being assaulted by so many crude men when she was never touched by her lover. The unfamiliar men untouched her unknown ces, gave her the pain that was beyond imagination when she did nothing wrong - all these thoughts turned him into a madman.

    Before, he didn''t know what the Eckles family did to Dorothy. He took the lives of everyone who hurt her. He left the Eckles family unscathed thinking of her. However, he terminated his rtionship with them.

    But now that he knew everything, would he let go of them so easily?

    Out of question!

    He went to the Imperial Pce and coincidentally met the Crown Prince Louis. The moment

    the Crown Prince saw him, he called out, "Ovior, my old friend!"

    Ovior politely greeted him, "Greetings to the Sun of the Empire."

    "You don''t have to be polite to me when it''s just the two of us," Crown Prince Louis said with

    a smile. "It''s a pleasant surprise. I didn''t think I''d be seeing you here today. Do you have anything to discuss with my Imperial Father?"

    "No, your Highness. I want to talk to you. Do you have time?" Ovior stated.

    The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that''s wonderful! I have something to share with you too. I was going to meet Arthur about this but since you are here, I will talk to you about the issue. Let''s go to my office."

    After they went to the Crown Prince''s office, the maid brought tea. After the maids left, the Crown Prince looked at Ovior. "Tell me what you want to say."

    Without beating around the bush, Ovior told him, "Your Highness, I want you to remove Young Master Eckles from the Ministry of Finance."

    The Crown Prince was momentarily speechless by his words. Ovior sounded like he wasmanding the Crown Prince which was a crime against the crown. No one other than the King could order the Crown Prince.

    However, Prince Louis didn''t mind. He was used to Ovior''s behavior. Ovior was usually rude and blunt. It was the first time he talked to the Crown Prince in amanding tone.

    "...is there any particr reason you want him out?" the Crown Prince inquired. "I thought you two were friends when you were teens. I know you two are not on good terms anymore. It doesn''t mean you have some kind of grudge against him, do you?"

    "Past rtionships don''t matter, Your Highness. What matters most is the present," Ovior said. "He isn''t being an honest ountant."

    The Crown Prince listened to his logic and said, "Even if he isn''t, there should be a reason for you to talk about him out of the blue. Could it be because of his sister? But he is the victim''s

    family."

    The Crown Prince already knew the story of Ovior falling for Dorothy, thedy of the Eckles family. After all, his stepbrother Second Prince Philip was one of those who attacked her which was the reason he was killed by Ovior and Arthur during thepetition. Not only that, but Empress Isabe also lost her power and Crown Prince Louis had no morepetition for

    the throne.

    "He''s been embezzling money from the Royal Vault, Your Highness," Ovior said without entertaining his thoughts. He had no intention of telling the Crown Prince that Dorothy was revived from the dead.

    Money embezzlement was a serious crime and if it was in the Royal Pce, then it was treason. The entire Eckles family would be guillotined if it reached the King''s ear.

    Crown Prince Louis narrowed his eyes. He thought of something and asked, "Do you want to plead for him? If the words get out, you will be in serious trouble."

    Ovior said, "For the old time''s sake, I''m requesting you to deal with this issue privately. Please transfer him to a rural area and demote his family as Baron. Take half of their wealth or

    more if you wish."

    "Are you trying to save him or punish him?" The Crown Prince wondered aloud. "If you didn''t mention it, I wouldn''t have known."

    "Nheless, you would have found out sooner orter. I''m trying to negotiate with you so that things won''t escte further when everyone will find out," Ovior showed him his

    reasons. "Since I told you, it''ll be more discreet and fewer people will find out."

    "And what are you going to do about the ''fewer'' people who will find out."

    "Just leave them to me, Your Highness. Those people will be the ones who are doing the samen/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    crime. I''ll silently deal with them."

    "And what do I get from doing all that for you?"

    "I''m the only one who will deal with the criminals and get rid of the insects living off the Imperial Family. I''m also the only one who pointed out their misdeeds. Are you sure I''m not the only one who is helping you out?"

 Chapter 577: KARMA

    Chapter 577: KARMA

    ?

    "Are you sure I''m not the only one who is helping you out?" As bold as he was, Ovior questioned him back.

    The Crown Prince let out augh. "You are as sly as you were ever. Fine, I''ll take care of this. I''ll leave the rest of the problem to you."

    "Thank you, Your Highness," Ovior slightly bowed to him.

    "As for the other issue I wanted to talk to you about..." Crown Prince Louis started, "Have you heard the news about Utahill these days?"

    Ovior didn''t blink nor did he change his expression. "News of Utahill... I didn''t hear anything. What happened there?" He had been so busy organising his wedding that he didn''t have time to pay attention to anything else.

    "I heard that their High Priest has died and a new High Priest came to the temple. He changed some rules. People who went to the temple to get healed have been kicked out. Nomoners could get treatment from the blessed child anymore. You know how many of your people go to Utahill to get healed because they can''t afford the healing stones, I heardints from them."

    As the Crown Prince described the situation of Utahill, Ovior frowned. He didn''t expect things to escte in the worst possible way in Utahill. "Only themoners are being kicked out of the temple?" he asked.

    "That''s right. The nobles and the rich merchants are getting all the attention since they are paying a hefty sum of money. Otherwise, they would be kicked out as well," the Crown Prince scoffed.

    Ovior frowned. He was in deep thought. He wasn''t sure of how Veronica would react if she heard it. She spoke highly of the High Priest. She liked him very much. She would be heartbroken if she heard the news.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Moreover, the blessed child was disregarding themon people. It wouldn''t set well with Veronica. Nheless, she didn''t want that position. She said it clearlyst time that she wanted to be free and roam around the world. She didn''t want to be tied in the temple of the pce for the rest of her life by following her duties.

    If she retorted back to the crime the temple wasmitting, she would have to expose the fake blessed child and take her original position back. She would absolutely hate it.

    The Crown Prince saw him frowning and thought that he was worried about the sick people. He suggested, "Is there any way to have any kind of cheap healing stones so thatmoners can afford them?"

    Ovior calctedly stated, "If we try to lower the cost of magical stones and the healing spell, it won''t be as effective as the others. You better ask us to do it for free. We can have booths in every county and local people can be healed without paying a significant price. However, the Imperial family has to bear the remuneration. As long as the Imperial familypensates, we have no reason not to oblige."

    Ovior''s offer wasn''t unreasonable, even so, the Crown Prince found his demand unbearable. Noticing him being distraught, Ovior told him, "If we can spread the news about healing people, more people wille to care. ''More people'' means more resources. This kingdom will flourish. Please think about it."

    "I will do so. Give me some time," the Crown Prince said.

    "I''ll send you a draft of the budget nner. I have all figured it out," Ovior told him.

    "You are quite efficient. It looks like you have nned it a long time ago," the Crown princemented.

    "Since the time we invented the healing spell, we had this kind of n but we never had the opportunity to make it effective. Now, we have." Ovior stood up. "I''ll take my leave, Your Highness. Let me know when you deal with the Eckles family."

    Three dayster, the Eckles family members were punished for the money embezzlement. They were stripped of the Count title and given baron title. Theirnds and wealth were snatched away. They were banished to a countryside area.

    Young Mistress Eckles couldn''t take the downfall of her husband and the inws. She had a miscarriage. Countess Eckles, who became a Baroness overnight, was bedridden. Her pride was hurt to the point she became paralyzed. Count Eckles'' hair became white from the pressure and humiliation. Young Master Eckles tried tomit suicide. However, he was a coward who couldn''t even end his life. He couldn''t face his wife or child. He ran away from home.

    Before the moon had the chance toy down, the Eckles family was finished.

    As for the rest of the culprits, Ovior sent an assassin to finish them.

    The next day, Ovior heard the news, bought a bouquet Dorothy liked and gave it to her as a surprise gift. Dorothy smiled brightly as she epted the bouquet.

    As she hugged him, Ovior nted a soft kiss on top of her head. He said, "From now on, you have nothing to worry about. You will never meet your family. I made sure of it."

    Dorothy was surprised. She looked at him and asked, "What did you do?"

    "I simply asked the Crown Prince to move them to the countryside since your brothermitted a crime. Due to my plea, the Crown Prince didn''t punish them. He just epted my request and sent them to the countryside. From now on, you will never have to be afraid of meeting them. You can go around the town whenever you want or attend any party without worrying too much."

    Ovior''s answer made her wonder about her family at first, nheless, she was happy that her family was able to get away from the punishment and she wouldn''t have to face them ever

    again.

    "You did a lot for me. Thank you, Ovior."

    "Anything for my love."

    Dorothy blushed at his words. She poked his firm chest and mumbled, "You tease me too

    much."

    Ovior''s heart melted from herment. He couldn''t help but kiss her lips.

    While the two of them were drowning in romance, Arthur was looking at the paper in his hand with a frown.

 Chapter 578: BEING CHASED

    Chapter 578: BEING CHASED

    ?

    Arthur stared at the report he just got an hour ago. After meeting up with the Crown prince, Ovior came to him with the news of Utahill and told him about the uing project he wanted to take over.

    Arthur sent a spy to gather information about Utahill. It took the spy three days to gather all the information Arthur wanted and bring the report back with evidence. The spy was brave enough to go inside the temple and use the stone to record the fake blessed child''s attitude toward themoners and nobles.

    With a frown, Arthur mutedly considered the circumstances there and then tried tomunicate with Veronica. However, she didn''t answer hermunication device.

    He wondered if she was sleeping. He didn''t try to reach out to her any longer. He nned to wait for the next day.

    His thoughts weren''t wrong. Veronica was indeed sleeping. She was drunk and passed out. She didn''t even notice that Ironin carried her to the horse and they started riding again.

    Felix turned his head to check their back and then looked straight. He said, "We should speed up. I think the Elves will find out soon that we left."

    The reason they had to leave without letting Veronica rest, because when Felix wasing back, he noticed an Elf in another pub. He seemed to be looking for them. Because of their unusually tall build, it was easy to differentiate between them and humans.

    Felix immediately recognized him and went to their hotel room to alert Veronica and Ironin. Who knew Veronica was dead drunk and passed out? They could only carry her to the stable.

    "Teleportation stone," Ironin curtly said to remind Felix.

    Felix checked his pouch and cursed. ''I didn''t bring any because I thought it wouldn''t be effective in the Elven Realm," he confessed pitifully.

    Ironin said no more. He lowered his head to check up on the drunken sleeping beauty. Afterward, he tightened his fingers around the rein. His eyes were cooler than Alss'' snow.

    Felix wasn''t wrong. The Elves caught up to them soon. They realized that Veronica and her group left the small town. They checked the trail and followed it.

    It became dawn. The sky began to brighten. The world slowly awakened as the sun peeked over the horizon, casting a warm glow on everything it touched.

    The horses ran relentlessly. Felix and Ironin didn''t look back. Their eyes were fixed at the border of Utahill and their eyes were heeding to the sounds of the horses behind them.

    The Elves were efficient. The Human Realm couldn''t slow their power. They were catching up. At that time, Veronica opened her eyes. She yawned and wondered why her body was jerking so vigorously. Then, she noticed Ironin''s face. He was so close that she almost freaked out. "Wh-what''s going on?" she stuttered. She looked around and found herself in the middle of nowhere. She was on top of the horse and Ironin was holding her.

    From the way they were going, it felt like they were being chased by someone or some people. She became alert and looked behind Ironin''s shoulder. She saw the Elves almost caught them.

    She quickly looked away and stayed quiet. She squinted her eyes, trying to see if they were near the border. The Elves wouldn''t be able to fight them inside a crowded ce guarded by the soldiers.

    As they got closer to the border, they saw two silhouettes. Veronica''s heart skipped a beat. She was worried that those two were waiting to ambush them. Nevertheless, Ironin and Felix didn''t halt. They moved forward, getting closer to the two silhouettes.

    As they got closer, Veronica recognized who they were. Her eyes lit up in excitement. Two silhouettes were standing there all rxed. As they crossed the border, the two silhouettes sprinted forward.

    One of them threw a couple of shuriken at the Elves, injuring their horses and leaving them in disarray. Another person grabbed his ax and mmed it on the ground. The ground shook violently before separating. It left a huge gap between the Elves and Veronica''s team. The Elven horses could jump and go to the other side but they were stopped by the rains of shuriken.

    Ironin and Felix didn''t look back to see what was happening. They crossed the gate and only then, they stopped. They knew they were safe inside the gate.

    Felix stroked the horse andplimented it, "Good girl." The horse neighed in glee.

    Two silhouettes came in and looked at them.

    "Geez, you people. I have been waiting for you for an hour. And you only show up now?" Darius couldn''t helpining.

    "Thank you for saving our butts," Felix said while dismounting from the horse, "really appreciate it."

    "Don''t worry about it. I thought you would have a peaceful farewell. Wasn''t expecting you to be chased by the Elves," Zinnia stated.

    "Talk about the shock we felt when we received your letterst night," Dariusmented. "What did you steal from them?"

    "What else? The almighty Dragon Blood!" Felix bowed and dramatically moved his hands toward Veronica.

    Veronica felt embarrassed. She dismounted from the horse as well and said, "I should have known that things would turn out like this. Who would have thought..."

    "IT''s okay, sweety," Zinnia said. "We know that they are good to you. You have been with them for a long time. You wanted to trust them. It''s them who broke your trust. It''s their fault."

    Veronica wanted to say something in return but Ironin asked, "Where do we stay?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Oh, let''s go to our ce first," saying Darius used a magic stone and opened a portal for them. All of them, including the horses, were teleported in the middle of the capital city. Darius and Zinnia rented a house there. There was a stable as well.

    "How... did we get in here?" Veronica was bbergasted. "The magic stones are not supposed to work here."

    It wasn''t just her, Ironin and Felix were surprised as well. They looked at Darius and Zinnia, waiting for an exnation.

 Chapter 579: MAGIC IN UTAHILL

    Chapter 579: MAGIC IN UTAHILL

    ?

    As they all looked at Darius and Zinnia, it was Darius who opened his mouth first. He shrugged and said, "Look, we don''t know what is happening either, all right? When I used the magic stone to light up my room, I realized that we could use magic. That''s when we started testing magic stones and no one came to bother us."

    "How can that be?" Veronica couldn''t understand what was happening. "The holy city is covered with ayer or the blessing of the powerful Head Priest, Saint Ava and the blessed child, that is me. Thest time I was here, I''ve personally checked theyer myself and added a bit of my power to strengthen it. Even if I wasn''t here, the Head Priest would keep an eye on it. No magic stone is supposed to work here."

    "About the Head Priest," Zinnia and Darius exchanged nces before Zinnia stated, "He is no more."

    Veronica fell on her knee. Her head spun. She wasn''t expecting to hear this news.

    Others felt sorry for her. Zinnia came closer and helped her to stand up. "Let''s get inside," she said.

    Veronica sat on a chair and covered her head. She couldn''t believe a kind, gentle and a fatherly being would be just gone so early.

    Since she was a child, she thought of him as a father figure. While Sister Josephine was a scary demon whom everyone feared, the Head Priest was theplete opposite whom everyone loved and respected. He would make the childrenugh while telling them stories.

    Back when he was still young and didn''t promote as the Head Priest yet, he used to give the children piggyback riding and horse riding. Even after bing the Head Priest, he gave children horse riding on his back being other priests'' and nuns'' back.

    He was the apple of everyone in the temple''s eye.

    How could he die so easily? He had yet to see Veronica''s sess. He had blessed her to live a free life. He told her to live the way she wanted. She had yet to show him that she was fulfilling her desire and there was a man by her side who assisted her to fly like a bird. How could she ept that he died before she could show her happiness to him?

    Everyone felt bad for Veronica as they watched her drowning in sorrow.

    Zinnia tapped her shoulder and said, "I know it''s hard for you to take it but you have to get a grip now. We have toplete our mission here as soon as possible."

    Veronica stood up and asked, "Where is the bathroom?"

    "I''ll show you," Zinnia took her further inside.

    After they left, Darius mumbled, "That''s just sad."

    Zinnia came back soon after and asked, "So, what do you want us to do here?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "We need to go to the Rosemary Temple and find a scroll. Veronica will get the scroll while we guard her. Since we can use magic here, we can simple teleport ourselves to the temple and then to the Magic Tower," Felix said.

    "Our teleportation stones aren''t powerful enough to take us from one country to another," Zinnia stated. "If we had a magician with us, it would be possible. We have three more stones left. We can only use them to leave this ce. So, I suggest we walk to the Rosemary Temple."

    "Sounds good," Felix said. Ironin nodded in agreement.

    After Veronica and the rest freshened up, they had breakfast and then headed to the temple.

    On their way, Veronica suddenly realised that their dry food wouldn''tst long. They would have to hunt animals. "Ahh! Are we going to eat cute animals?" she asked.

    "We have to eat," Felix lightly replied.

    "But... but... bunnies..." Veronica didn''t know how to argue.

    If it wasn''t a reality, she would rather starve than eating cute, small animals. However, if they didn''t eat, they wouldn''t have the energy to go on. Climbing mountains weren''t the easiest thing to do.

    They needed to survive.

    "Don''t worry," Darius assured her. "At least we won''t eat a cat."

    Veronica frowned. She didn''t know if there was anyone on earth who would eat cat. "What''s with the cat?" she enquired.

    Darius looked at her, pretended to be surprised. "Have you forgotten your own kind?"

    "Pfft!" Felix couldn''t control hisughter.

    Veronica''s expression changed.

    She recalled that one time, she turned into a cursed cat and she wasn''t allowed to tell anyone her real identity. It was an absolute nightmare.

    She wasn''t even in a mood to joke around and Darius was already teasing her by bringing out her old wound. Her expression turned sour.

    Darius didn''t stop there. He continued, "Did you lick your pussy after pooping? I heard all cats do it... ow!!!"

    Veroncia didn''t tolerate anymore and kicked his shin. She didn''t restrain her strength at all. It was enough to make him shut up.

    Zinnia helplessly shook her head. She was less worried about Veronica since Darius did his best to divert her attention.

    As they walked to the bustling city, Zinnia and Darius told them what was happening in the temple right now. Just like everyone else, they also heard about the situation of the fake blessed child.

    "Is it really that bad?" Veronica had a hard time believing the story.

    Zinnia said, "I disguised myself as amoner and went to the temple. I wasn''t able to go through the second door because I was wearing shabby clothes. I watched the fake blessed child walking past me. She was wearing gold and expensive clothes. She looked at me and the rest of themoners in disgust and asked the soldiers to throw us away because we were filthy."

    Veronica frowned. She thought to herself, ''No wonder the barrier around the holy city weakened. With corruption in the temple and the Head Priest gone, how could the barrier still stay? I need to talk to Saint Ava as soon as possible.''

    As she was in deep thought, someone suddenly grabbed her hand and eximed, "You are Veronica, aren''t you?! I''m sure you are!"

 Chapter 580: MEETING HANDSOME FELLOW

    Chapter 580: MEETING HANDSOME FELLOW

    ?

    "You are Veronica, aren''t you?! I''m sure you are!" A youthful voice spoke in surprise.

    Veronica turned around and saw a handsome face. His pale face and shiny blonde hair with a radiant smile on his face blinded her for a moment.

    "Who..." She took a trip down memoryne to recall the face but couldn''t find it.

    "Veronica, it''s me! Eugene! Howe you don''t remember me!" The youth seemed excited and depressed at the same time. He was excited to meet her again and depressed that she couldn''t recognize him

    "Eugene..." she muttered the name while searching in her memories. Finally, something rang a bell.

    She recalled a blonde child wearing fancy clothes while visiting the temple. He was a crybaby with a zero sense of direction. Every time he would get lost in the temple, he would cry his heart out and Veronica helped him find his guardian. That''s how they became friends.

    "You are... that Eugene?!" Veronica looked at him in disbelief. She had a hard time stomaching that crybaby turned into a handsome man. "You have be a good-looking man. I can barely recognize you."

    "Talk about yourself! If it weren''t for your silver hair and tomboy look, I wouldn''t have recognized you either," Eugene said.

    "Tomboy look?!" Veronica was fuming. "How dare you?! I''m the most feminine girl in thend. How dare you call me a ''tomboy"?"

    Eugeneughed heartily. "But you are! You still have that look on your face."

    "What look?" Veronica demanded.

    "It''s the look when people are giving off a threatening look like you are going to beat them up if they mess with you. You have always been like this since you were a child, remember?" As Eugene mentioned, it was indeed the case. She was the nicest and the most obedient around the elders. Only after they were out of sight would she show her real self. The boys in the temple feared her but they couldn''t utter aint about her. No elders would believe that the nicest girl was a devil when they weren''t around.

    "I wasn''t a tomboy," Veronica strongly refuted. She proudly stated, "Whatever it was, it was my charm."

    "Pfft!" Eugene couldn''t control hisughter. Heughed heartily before saying, "Fine, fine, I believe you. I''ve been looking for you for the past three years. I haven''t seen you in the temple. Did you move somewhere else?"

    Veronica crossed her arms. "Why did you try to find me after all these years? You disappeared without telling me and were gone for so many years. Do you have the right to ask me that question?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    While those two were chatting, Ironin, Felix, Darius and Zinnia were standing around the corner. They didn''t want to look suspicious. So, they were looking around the street shops, checking out the products. Nevertheless, all of their ears focused on two people''s

    conversations.

    Darius muttered, "I don''t know why but I feel like I''m listening to two lovers'' childhood romance. Correct me if I''m wrong."

    "I don''t think you should speak about it out loud. You don''t want this story going to Arthur''s ears," Felix casually warned him.

    It wasn''t wrong for him to say it since they all knew it wouldn''t be the brightest idea to make Arthur jealous.

    Arthur recently learned to let her wife do whatever she pleased. A possessive man was trying to give his wife freedom as much as she wanted. His attempt to be a generous husband wasn''t the easiest task but he managed to do his best.

    They didn''t want to ruin the couple''s rtionship by telling him a story like that, especially when it was mostly an assumption.

    "Don''t worry, boys," Zinnia assured them. "She chose Arthur in the end. She married him and led the life she wanted. Even if she liked that golden boy first, her man now is Arthur. Do you think she would choose him over Arthur? Out of the question."

    While they were debating, Veronica and Eugene were in their own world. They didn''t know some people were talking about them.

    Eugene told her, "I apologise for leaving so suddenly. Actually, my parents sent me abroad to study. They didn''t think I would do well studying here. It was too sudden. I tried to sneak out in the middle of the night to meet you but I got caught, resulting in being grounded until the day I left. Ipleted my study and came back but you were gone. I looked for you everywhere..."

    "So, that''s how it was," Veronica sighed, looking forlorn. She did wait for him for months, even years. He was his first friend from outside the temple and she wanted to know more about the world from him. So, every Sunday, she would look forward to meeting him. Unfortunately, he never came back and she had to move on.

    "That''s okay, I understand," she stated. "It''s not easy to be a nobleman. I think I''m lucky to be born as amoner."

    "Don''t say that," Eugene said. He was still holding her hand. "So, you left the temple. Where are you living now? How are you doing?"

    Veronica replied, "I''m living in the south. I''m doing great. I have many responsibilities now. I just came here because I was missing this ce. I''ll be here for a short while. How are you doing these days?"

    "I''m doing fine, thank you. Busy with responsibilities and whatnot," Eugene lowered his head, looking at their connected hands. "Veronica, I was wondering if I could talk to youter tonight. I have an urgent task to deal with. Later at night, I''ll be free. Why don''t we catch up?" "Tonight..." Veronica mumbled and then she said, "I''m sorry, Eugene. That''s not possible. Maybe in two weeks but not tonight. I also have something on my te. Afterward, let''s catch up for the sake of old times."

    Eugene nced at her. He squeezed out a smile and said, "Sure, let''s do that. Where can I find you?"

 Chapter 581: JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAIN

    Chapter 581: JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAIN

    ?

    "Sure, let''s do that. Where can I find you?" Eugene asked.

    Veronica couldn''t tell them where Darus and Zinnia were currently residing. It would be a breach of privacy especially since she didn''t live there. So, she blurted out, "Morina''s ce." Darius coughed vigorously when he heard it. Even Eugene was stunned. Morina''s ce was a historical ce that was in the infamous redlight district. People who lived in Utahill knew that ce so well that no one would speak about it out loud, most certainly not in the broad daylight.

    Eugene''s hand tightened around her wrist. "Veronica, what are you saying? Why would you be there? Are you living well? What''s your connection with that ce?"

    Veronica regretted saying it since she was being bombarded with a series of questions.

    "Rx, it''s not what you think. I already told you I live in the south. I have no connection with that ce. Sometimes I go there to meet a female friend of mine. That''s why I said so."

    Her swift lie made Eugene at ease. He finally rxed and released her hand. "All right, I''ll see you there. Wait for me."

    "Hmm, take care," Veronica bade him farewell.

    After he was out of sight, Darius came behind her and used her, "Veronica, you should have told us that you have hidden your childhood lover. How could you cheat on our Arthur? Poor Arthur." Hemented.

    Veronica red at him. "What do you mean by childhood lover? What would children know about romance? I didn''t even know what romance was until I met Arthur. The man you saw just now is Eugene. He is a friend. We hadn''t met for over eight years. Don''t think badly of us." As she snapped at him, Darius became quiet. Zinnia, on the other hand, said, "You promised to meet him. Are you really going to do that?" I thought we were teleporting to Tybu after we were done with our mission." After all, she and Darius had other missions.

    Veronica replied, "You all can go if you want. I want to look around after getting the scroll. I didn''t realize that I missed this ce badly until I got here. I also have things to talk about with Saint Ava. She is the only one who can help me."

    Felix and Ironin exchanged nces and then, Felix said, "If you aren''t going, I''m not either. We are all on this journey for my sake. I won''t leave until I see the endgame."

    "Suit yourself," Veronica spoke in a light voice.

    They started their journey after buying some food and warm clothes. They wrapped themselves infortable warm clothes and headed to the mountain range.

    No matter how often Veronica and the rest came here, they still couldn''t get used to the harsh winter in Alss. It was always frozen, always having snowstorms and always hard to stay overnight. And yet, the peaks of Alss were high and mighty, and proud as ever.

    They stayed inside a cave for the night. Darius and Ironin sat in a corner. They started a fire and roasted the chicken they had bought from the farm. Soon, the delicious smell of the roasted chicken filled the cave.

    Felix sat in the corner and chewed the roasted chicken. Zinnia and Veronica weren''t far behind. After dinner, Veronicaid down and instantly fell asleep.

    Zinnia heard her even breathing and covered her properly with a woolen coat. "She didn''t have enough rest thest few weeks, did she? The bags under her eyes are too visible. I''m afraid Arthur won''t be too happy to see her in this condition."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Even if he does, what can he do about it?" Felix asked. "He wants to make his wife happy and this is how she can be happy."

    "So, what scroll is she looking for? Another kind of sorcery?" Darius asked.

    After a pause, Felix shrugged and said, "...I don''t know... don''t ask me." Since Veronica kept it a secret, he wasn''t sure it was the right choice to tell them yet.

    Especially when Darius was a bbermouth when he got drunk, serious topics like reviving the dead would be even more dangerous.

    Zinnia stared at Felix, contemted something and then looked at Ironin. "Ironin, did something happen between you and Veronica?"

    Ironin quietly looked at her. His expression didn''t change. However, his hands that were grilling the chicken halted. Darius and Felix curiously looked at him. They were so busy with Elves and missions that they didn''t have time to notice anything.

    Zinnia was always sharp about people surrounding her, especially when they were her friends. She had noticed it since she watched Ironin riding with Veronica while being chased by the Elves.

    She saw how closely he was holding Veronica. Of course, he was supposed to since she was literally drunk and passed out. Nevertheless, the moment she dismounted from the horse, Ironin avoided her.

    He was always a light-spoken person. Even so, anyone could see that he was involved within the group, caring for everyone around him in his own way. However, for some reason, he hardly looked at Veronica as though she was nothing but air.

    Zinnia found it extremely odd and couldn''t help but ask. If there was any difort between group members, it should be discussed among themselves and resolved - that''s what she believed.

    "...Nothing happened," Ironin gave them a cold reply after a long pause. He shifted his gaze toward the fire. As the wooden sticks crackled in the fire, his eyes were aze. The mes reflected in his intense stare, giving him an almost otherworldly appearance.

    The next day, they started their journey again. The snowstorm got worse than the previous night. The temperature dropped to the point they shivered; the warm clothes weren''t enough. The wind became stronger and snow was piled on top of them in no time.

    Their progress was slow and difficult, with the harsh conditions making it hard to see more

    than a few feet ahead. Despite their determination, they knew they would have to find another cave soon before the storm became too dangerous to navigate.

    "Is there any cave nearby?" Darius shouted.

 Chapter 582 THE ROSEMARY TEMPLE

    Chapter 582 THE ROSEMARY TEMPLE

    "Is there any cave nearby?" Darius shouted. His question was directed to Veronica who knew this mountain range like the back of her palm.

    "If there was one, we have already passed it," Veronica yelled back. The strong wind was surpassing her words. She signaled with her hand and said aloud, "There is another cave close to the temple. We cannot rest tonight. We have to walk until we reach there."

    Others understood and silently moved forward. Only Darius cursed their misfortune.

    By the time they reached the cave, it was already another morning and the snowstorm ended. They dropped their bags andid t on the ground.

    They were all out of breath and most importantly, they were hungry and tired. They didn''t eat or sleep for an entire day!

    "If I knew magic works in this ce, I would bring the fire stones. At least, that would keep us warm," Dariusmented.

    He wasn''t the only one who felt that way. They all did. Unfortunately, none of them had it and they weren''t wizards.

    Despite feeling exhausted, Ironin dragged his fatigued body, gathered some dry sticks and then started a fire. "I''m surprised hat someone gathered sticks and left them here. It''s a good thing that they are dry," Felixmented.

    "I left them here. I''m d no one used them," Veronica breathlessly replied.

    "That means no one else came here," Darius stated. While Darius stayed on guard, others slept for hours. Ironin woke up after four hours and let Darius sleep while he guarded. In the afternoon, they had breakfast and brimmed with energy.

    Afterward, they headed to the temple. The snowstorm was gone. Veronica opened the heavy stoney doors for them. It was the first time Darius was able to enter the Rosemary Temple. The same for Zinnia and the rest. They looked around them while holding their breath. "You don''t have to be stiff," Veronica casually said. "We don''t have guards here. It''s the Saint Ava who lives here." She firmly walked forward and looked for Saint Ava in the prayer room.

    Unfortunately, she wasn''t there. Veronica looked elsewhere but she was nowhere to be found.

    "Where did she go?" she slowly muttered to herself. She even went to the garden but couldn''t find her.

    "Veronica, you need to see this," Zinnia called out from another room.

    "What is it?" Veronica''s heart dropped as she heard her voice. She quickened her pace. She entered the room Zinnia was in and stopped on her track.

    Her body chilled as she stared at the scene. It was the library where all the ancient scrolls were kept. She was used to staying here most of the time while she lived here. At that moment, the little ancient library was a mess. The shelves were broken and leaned toward the wall. The scrolls were either tattered or on the ground. Her heart was torn apart when she saw the ancient scrolls in ruin. More than that, there was blood sttered all over the ce ¨C on the floor, on the scrolls, shelves and the wall.

    ording to Veronica, only one person lived here ¨C Saint Ava.

    Could it be that she was attacked by someone?

    But who could have done that?

    Someone had to open the temple door to have any ess inside. And, only three people knew the code. The Head Priest, who was dead, Veronica and Saint Ava.

    "This is impossible¡­" Veronica didn''t want to believe it. She stepped back. "I will look around. You all have to look for Saint Ava. She doesn''t know how to fight. There is no way she can attack anyone."

    ''Come down first, Veronica," Zinnia calmly stated while holding her shoulder. "We will scan every nook and cranny. If you know any passage to go outside, let us know."

    "I''ll be with her," Felix said. He didn''t want to leave her alone, especially when someone was attacked on the premises.

    Darius crouched and touched the blood. He then smelled it and said, "It''s too dry and dark. It has a rusty smell. It could have been a couple of weeks."

    "That''s too long¡­" Veronica muttered. Her blood felt cold. Her entire body shuddered in the process.

    Even if Saint Ava was injured, there was no way they could save her now¡­ oh wait¡­ Veronica recalled something. Saint Ava was a saint. There was no way she didn''t know how to heal herself. The moment she thought of that, she rxed. Zinnia watched her rxing her muscles, she was relieved. They divided into four groups and spread the search.

    The sun had dropped long ago and the moon had appeared in the vast clear sky. The moonlight shone upon the Holy Tree in the middle of the ancient garden.

    Veronica stopped there and looked at the Holy Tree. It had be so old and yet it was all high and mighty. She reached out and touched the rough skin. She closed her eyes as though she was trying tomunicate with the venerable being. Felix stood behind her. He was in awe as he stared at the magnificent tree. He couldn''t believe his eyes that he was standing in front of the oldest tree in the world. His legs trembled as he felt weak on his knees. He bowed to pay respect to the Holy Tree.

    Veronica finally opened her eyes. She turned to face Felix. "Did you hear something?"

    Felix shook his head in return. He didn''t hear anything.

    Veronica frowned and looked around. She was sure that she heard a groan. She suddenly remembered that there was a tomb of the Great Dragon. It was hidden behind the vines. She quickly went there and moved the vines. The hole was still there. Without another thought, she slipped inside.

    Felix panicked when she suddenly disappeared. He went after her.

    Veronica took her time to adjust her eyes in the dark. She saw the stone-cold dragon''s lying body. Right beside it, a woman wearing a red dress was resting. The dress wasn''t red at first. It was a white dress that turned red from the blood. Veronica recognized the face instantly. "Saint Ava!" She rushed to the woman who was resting. "Saint Ava, are you okay?"

 Chapter 583: SAINT AVAS SITUATION

    Chapter 583: SAINT AVA''S SITUATION

    ?

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Saint Ava, are you okay?"

    Saint Ava slowly opened her eyes. She couldn''t see Veronica at first. She slowly got back her vision and noticed Veronica''s desperate expression.

    She was stunned to see her. "Why... why are you here?" she tardily asked. Her words slurred as she spoke. She almost choked due to her dry throat, only to realize she hadn''t had a sip of water in hours.

    Veronica realized that she must be perched. She took out her water pouch and let Saint Ava drink mouthfuls.

    Saint Ava chugged down as much as she could. Afterward, she wiped her lips. She sat properly and looked at Veronica.

    "Thank you for the water," she said. Her pale face looked slightly better.

    Veronica spoke in a worried tone, "But Saint Ava... how are you holding up? The blood..."

    "It''s mine," Saint Ava confessed. "But I healed myself, so, I don''t have injuries anymore. I just bled too much before I healed."

    "Who attacked you? How long were you here? More importantly, how did someone enter here and attack you?" Veronica threw her a series of questions.

    "Come down, child," Saint Ava stopped her. "We are not the only ones who know the code to enter the temple. There is a scroll where it''s mentioned. Whoever has the scroll will be able to open the door. Anyway, I ran away when I knew I wouldn''t be able to survive the attack. I''ve never fought in my life, you see. Let me guess, the scrolls in the library are gone, aren''t they?" "That''s..." Veronica hesitated. The stolen scrolls were all written in the ancientnguage. Any normal human would find no value in getting their hands on it. Unless it was a priest, a wizard or a witch, the scrolls were worthless.

    Saint Ava stole a nce at Veronica and knew the answer. "There is nothing that can be done now. The scrolls are long gone. Since you are here all alive and well, I guess the intruder is gone. Help me get out of this ce. It''s too dark here."

    After they left the cave, they saw Felix. He ran toward them. "Veronica! You scared me. Don''t go anywhere without telling me. I beg you!"

    "I''m sorry, Felix. Please take Saint Ava to the bedroom. She lost too much blood," Veronica said.

    "The Saint...!" Felix was stunned. He quickly caught the woman covered in the bloody white dress.

    They quickly took her to the nearest bedroom. After checking the entire premises, Felix already knew this area.

    Ironin, Zinnia and Darius met them there. "Is she dead?" Zinnia asked the moment she entered the room.

    "As you can see, I''m alive and well," Saint Ava calmly stated. She was sitting on the bed and chewing an apple that Veronica recently peeled for her.

    "She is Saint Ava, the owner of the Rosemary Temple," Veronica formally introduced her to them. Then, she exined, "She has been attacked by the intruder and hid in the cave afterward. The intruder took the scrolls by that time and escaped."

    "Hu? She is the Saint? Shouldn''t she be a hundred years old? Howe an onlydy looks so young?" Darius blurted out his curious question.

    Saint Ava red at him and then looked away. Veronica nervously answered, "It''s because of the amount of high healing power. This is a holy power, so, if the amount is high, you stay alive and young for a long time."

    She didn''t give Darius to make anotherment. She looked at Saint Ava and asked, "Anyway, about the intruder, Saint Ava, do you know who it was?"

    Saint Ava slowly answered, "A woman, covered in a ck cape. She had a ck mask covering her face as well. I wonder why she covered her face. Was she someone I knew? But how can it be? It''s been a long time since I went outside the temple and associated with any human. It''s not that I know any woman other than you and Sister Josephine."

    "If that''s how it is, maybe she is as old as you are, Saint Ava," Zinnia stated her opinion." "If I''m not wrong, it could be the head of the ck witches. She has yet to die," Darius said. "If that''s her, then there is no question about it. After all, the scrolls were written in the ancientnguage. She can read the scrolls." Veronica told them.

    "How do you know she can?" Darius asked.

    "How can she be a witch without reading the ancient scroll?" This time, it was Saint Ava who spoke. "If she is the head witch then she should have known. After all, they have some kind of ritual they go through and that requires them to know the ancientnguage."

    "For a deadnguage, it''s not so dead, is it?" Darius bitterly muttered.

    "If the witch has the scrolls, what will she do with them?" Felix asked with his clenched fist hidden from everyone''s eyes.

    Veronica truly felt sorry for him. They were so close to reviving Sister Ruth. Unfortunately, the enemy got their hands on it before they could.

    "All the scrolls we had here shouldn''t go in the hands of any human, let alone a witch," she dejectedly replied. "All the scrolls we had here were filled with forbidden knowledge. Nothing good wille from getting their hands on them."

    "When were you attacked?" Zinnia asked Saint Ava.

    Saint Ava shook her head. "I passed out after healing myself. I don''t remember much. It could be two days or maybe it happened yesterday."

    "Could there be a way to catch that witch?" Felix mumbled. He wanted nothing more than the scroll that could revive his beloved.

    "That witch might be long gone. Don''t forget the holy barrier is gone. We can use magic in Utahill now," Zinnia said.

    "So, the barrier weakened, huh? I need to fix it," Saint Ava said.

    "Please recover first and then fix it. It seems like you are our only option when we are about to fight against evils. We can''t always depend on Veronica," Zinnia calmly stated.

    "What now?" Veronica said. "With those scrolls..." she didn''t want to say the rest. Others could imagine her worry.

 Chapter 584: MEETING HER CHILDHOOD FRIEND

    Chapter 584: MEETING HER CHILDHOOD FRIEND

    ?

    "We can only prepare for the worst," Ironin finally opened his mouth. "Let''s take Saint Ava with us. She needs plenty of rest."

    With him finally speaking, none of them refuted. Saint Ava didn''t feel like being stubborn either. She agreed to go to the human world for the first time.

    They went to Darius and Zinnia''s house that was located in the center of the city. They let Saint Ava recover there.

    "I''m going to send a message to Arthur. I''ll see you in two days," saying that Felix left for the tower.

    In the evening, Veronica got ready to leave the house. As she opened the door, Ironin asked, "Are you going to meet the man from thest time?"

    Veronica halted and looked at him. He was leaning against the wall. He was as calm as ever as if nothing could phase him.

    "I am," she casually replied. "If you want toe along, you can. I won''t stop you from guarding me. It would be nice to havepany."

    Ironin stared at her for a while before heading inside to get his cape. He wrapped it around him and covered his head before heading out. Soon, they went to Morina''s ce.

    The ce was as busy as usual, bustling with the crowd, beautiful and seductive women, smell of alcohol, music andughter. Veronica, who disguised herself as a man, tugged her hoodie so that no one would recognize her.

    They moved to the center of the structure. A hall was present. There are numerous tables and chairs set up there. While some women were ying music, others were dancing. The chairs were upied by the patrons. Gazing at the alluring dancers, they neglected to eat. The atmosphere was lively and energetic, with the music filling the hall and the dancers moving gracefully. The customers were captivated by the performance, enjoying the entertainment provided.

    Veronica chose an empty table of two and sat on the chair. Ironin chose another empty table. They both ordered food and drinks. The meal arrived not long after. While Veronica got roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and baked vegetables, Ironin got steamed salmon with cream potatoes and vegetables. Both ordered orange juice instead of alcohol.

    As they savored their meals, Veronica and Ironin couldn''t help but admire the skill and passion of the dancers on stage. The vibrant energy of the restaurant seemed to enhance their dining experience, making it a night to remember.

    While Veronica was eating, someone came forward and said, "I didn''t think you would dress as a man."

    Veronica looked at him and saw the familiar blondie. She childishly grinned at him. "And still you recognized me. Were you expecting me to be one of those girls in red dress?"

    "I can''t say I wasn''t. I''m disappointed that I didn''t see you as one of those dancers," saying that the blondie took the chair opposite of her and sat down. "Please don''t misunderstand me. I''m not saying that I wanted you to have a life you wouldn''t want. This kind of life is pretty sad as it is. But I at least thought you would have a dancer disguise. Would be nice to watch you perform."

    "Huh! I thought I have made you perform a lot since we were children. You still have the energy to think about performance?" Veronica asked.

    The blondieughed slightly but it seemed more forced than real. "Those things from childhood still haunt my nightmares."

    Back then. Veronica was a brat who would order her team to perform for her. She always pretended to be the king and made her ''subjects'' do different performances and if they failed to amuse her, she would beat them up. No one dared to talk about her tyranny because of how scary she was when she was a child. After growing up, she became a gracefuldy. They didn''t know how it was possible.

    Only Eugene who was a noble born went to study abroad didn''t know how she grew up to be. He was quite surprised to see ady out of an evil brat, although he didn''t know how didn''t she became a devilish nun.

    After ordering his meal, he looked at her. "So, what are you doing these days? Why are you outside the temple wall and wearing clothes like that? Did you not be a nun? Or did your crazy idea of bing a free humane true?"

    "Why? Do you think I would be a great nun or something?" she tried to tease him.

    "No, no," he quickly shook his head and truthfully answered, "You would be a terrible nun. If you left the temple already then you have done a great favor to them."

    Veronica sighed. "I''m not like that anymore. I''ve grown up. I hate violence than anyone else. Trust me."

    "I would want to but I''m not sure if I can fully trust you based on your words," he uttered. "So, you are finally free I presume."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Veronica smiled upon hearing the question. "You are right. I''m free. I can do whatever I want and there is no one to stop me from doing what I want. I''m living the best life." As she answered, her eyes looked forward. Her emerald orbs were shining.

    Ironin was silently chewing his food. He paused when he heard her answer. His mind suddenly wandered beyond reality.

    Eugene stared at her in silence. Afterward, the corners of his lips stretched. "So, you are free, huh? Good for you." He sounded forlorn and yet he wished her well.

    "What about you?" Veronica asked. "You havepleted your studies, have you not? Did you take over lord''s duty or something?" She didn''t mean to ridicule him. She just wanted to make fun of him as amoner. The fact that she wasn''t amoner anymore wasn''t known to

    him.

    However, his reply was rather dull. He sounded more depressed as he said, "Duty... you can say that. I''m not as lucky as you are. If I was, I''d be having an adventure in the ocean. Living in civilization isn''t my thing."

    When she heard him, Veronica shook her head.

 Chapter 585: CURIOUS

    Chapter 585: CURIOUS

    ?

    Veronica couldn''t help but feel sad for her friend. Some nobles would enjoy luxury but she knew him since childhood. He liked nothing more than the ocean. He would tell her stories we read about pirates and finding their hideout to get all the treasures pirates took.

    "How about this? Hand over your duties to your brother and escape from your house," Veronica suggested. "You can go directly to the port. Find a job on a ship. They always need crews."

    Eugene heard her imperative tone and realized that she was serious. The corners of his lips gradually spread, turning his lips into a half-moon shape.

    "If I want to run away, will you help me?" he asked.

    "Most certainly I will! What kind of friend do you think I am?" Veronica snapped.

    "A scary one," Eugene answered without batting his eyes. Anyone who knew her since childhood would never trust her. He didn''t want to leave his fate in her hands either.

    Veronica coldly sneered. "Then, stay the rest of your life in the cage."

    Eugene tried to appease her by saying, "Now, now, aside from duties, it''s not that bad. You can eat whatever you want, do whatever you want, spend as much money as you want."

    "Spending money on vanity," she scoffed, his words didn''t please her at all.

    After being the second most powerful woman in Tybu, she still lived a simple life. She wore simple and elegant clothes with small sets of jewelry. Aside from imperial parties, she wouldn''t prepare any fashionable clothes. She''d avoid going to tea parties and other evening balls to avoid having an extravagant lifestyle.

    Even though she knew how rich her husband was, she never tried to show off Arthur''s wealth, nor did she have the desire to covet them. Fortunately, her husband knew her taste and never forced her to wear anything ufortable. Her most expensive clothes and jewellery sets would be her wedding ones. Since it was a special day, she let Arthur prepare everything.

    Eugene wasn''t bothered by her dislike of richness. Hemented, "Even if you say that, without money what can you do in this ruthless world?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Can money give you happiness?" Veronica questioned him.

    Eugene smirked. He remarked, "You seemed to live a good life, enough to the point you find money worthless." Looking at her bbergasted expression, he said, "If you have a roof on top of your head, your stomach is filled with food, cover your skin withfortable clothes, what else do you need? Can you afford them without money?"

    Veronica argued, "I''m not saying that without money you can survive. I''m talking about happiness. How many nobles did you see to be happy with their wealth? Look at you. Are you happy with your heavy duties and responsibilities? You don''t have the freedom to even go to the ocean. Nothing excessive is good."

    Eugene retorted, "But what can you do? It''s not like you can change the way society works. If you can, be my guest and be the ruler of the world. Try dismissing the nobles and giving away the wealth to the poor. What do you think will happen?"

    Without waiting for her answer he continued, "The nobles will be after your throat. Poor will gobble up the wealth. Nothing will remain. During an emergency, there will be no one to protect anyone. Equality will destroy the remaining peace in the world. Do you know why? It''s because humans are selfish. There will always be greedy people lurking around to trample the weak. There will be people who like to snatch others belongings. Equality doesn''t exist and it shouldn''t exist."

    After he was done speaking the atmosphere became heavy. None of them spoke for a while. They could hear the music, seductive voices and drunkenugh of the patrons. Realising that he said too much in front of his childhood friend, he smiled and tried to loosen up the tension.

    He said, "You are still idealistic. This is good though. You dreamed of something and worked hard to achieve it while I stayed realistic and couldn''t fulfil my dream. You definitely deserve my respect."

    "If you don''t dream the impossible, how can you have the courage to do what it takes to get what you want?" Veronica hummed.

    The atmosphere around them became friendly once again. After finishing their meal, Eugene ordered another jar of orange juice for Veronica. He also insisted on paying for the meal. Veronica suddenly regretted not choosing the most expensive meal. She was mulling over if she could invite him over one more time, Eugene noticed something in her finger. "This is an unusual ring," hemented.

    Veronica bit her tongue. Subconsciously, she took her wedding ring from her pocket and put it on. The ring was embedded with the sign of the Mistress of the Magic Tower-in other words, it was her seal. Not many people knew the shape or design of the seal, but she knew that she should remain careful.

    She crossed her arms, an act to hide her ring and said, "What? I like this ring."

    "Where did you get it?" he suddenly became curious.

    "It''s a gift," she lied.

    "A gift from a man?!" Eugene was genuinely surprised.

    Veronica told him, "No, you remember Catherine? She gave it to me. I have no clue where she bought it."

    "Ah, the blonde who always stuck to you like a glue." Eugene didn''t seem to catch her lies. "I wonder where she got it. Do you know where she is now?"

    "No," Veronica replied with a frown. She couldn''t understand why he was so curious about the ring. "Why are you so persistent to find out?" she asked.

    "This ring is so unique. It looks like an ancient relic. I want to know from your friend, Catherine if she bought it from the ck market," Eugene stated.

    "I didn''t know that you had a thing for antiques. But I apologize, I cannot help you." Veronica

    shrugged.

    "Why not?"

 Chapter 586: ENVIOUS

    Chapter 586 ENVIOUS

    "I didn''t know that you had a thing for antiques. But I apologize, I cannot help you." "Why not?" Eugene was surprised that she refused to help.

    "She left Utahill. She told me that she fell in love with a foreigner and left with him. That was long time ago. I also kept moving from one ce to another ce. We couldn''t exchange any letters. So, I have no idea where she is."

    Mixing with the truth, she came up with a story and told him without feeling guilty. Eugene''s shoulders slumped. "Is that so¡­" He looked despondent. He didn''t press her any further.

    "So, I''ll be heading back now. Do you want me to give you a ride?" he offered. "I can assure you that my carriage is morefortable than the local carriage."

    "Thank you for the offer. I have some business to do. You go ahead," Veronica told him.

    As she tried to make him leave, Eugene hesitated. "Do you mind if I tag along with you."

    "I mind. It''s a personal business."

    "Fine," Eugene didn''t push her any further. "When can we meet again?"

    "Hmm¡­ I don''t know. If I''m in town and you are also roaming around, we will certainly meet again. Until then, farewell," Veronica politely bowed and then turned around. Before he knew it, she blended into the crowd. It was already evening. The streetmps in the red-light district weren''t the brightest. He couldn''t see her anywhere in the dark. "She isn''t an ordinary woman anymore," he mumbled looking at the far distance. "She was never an ordinary woman." He couldn''t help but smile in amusement. He suddenly felt jealous of her. He knew he could never roam around the city in the dark without guards around him. They were always watching over him. And here she was, walking along on her own without anyone''s protection. She was freer than any bird in town.

    He then went inside the carriage. After the carriage left the red-light district, Ironin moved from the dark shadow. He met Veronica in front of a pawn shop.

    When he came, she asked him, "Did he try to follow me?"

    "No, he left," Ironin curtly answered.

    Veronica smiled in return. They headed home.

    After reaching home, Veronica took themunication device and headed out once again. She went as far as she could get from the holy temple and called Arthur.

    Arthur instantly received the call. "Nica¡­"

    His deep voice warmed Veronica''s heart. "Arthur, how are you?"

    Arthur seemed to savor his voice before replying, "How can I be fine without you? How are things? Are you okay? Are you done with your mission?"

    Veronica was shoved by the series of questions. She couldn''t help smiling upon hearing his concern. "I want to say everything went smoothly. Unfortunately, I can''t."

    Arthur heard her sighing. He immediately asked, "What happened?"

    Veronica told him everything. When he heard how the Rosemary temple was invaded and the saint was attacked, he frowned. "Nica, I think you shoulde back. Let Zinnia take care of Saint Ava. Darius and Felix can look for the clues to find the witch. Since she is still alive and already in the holy country, that ce is no longer safe for you."

    "I understand what you mean but I promised Felix¡­"

    "There is nothing you can do for him unless he can get the witch and have the scrolls."

    "But I''m capable of taking care of myself," Veronica grumbled.

    "Nica, it''s not that I don''t trust you. I know you are well capable of taking care of yourself. I just don''t want you to turn into a dragon and attract more attention to yourself. I''m pretty sure you don''t want the world to know that either. It''s not that I don''t want to protect you from others. I know you will feel guilty about the bloodbath."

    After telling her about his thoughts, he mentioned, "Moreover, Ovior and Dorothy''s wedding ising soon. You have to prepare a party dress and meet up with Catherine. Speaking of which, she visited me yesterday. She wanted to talk to you about something."

    "Is that so? Did she say anything to you?" Veronica was surprised. Her friend knew she was busy. Something important she might want to share and that''s why she wanted to contact her. Going through Arthur would be the easiest way to reach out to her since she was away from home.

    "No, she wanted to talk to you privately. I didn''t pry," Arthur answered.

    Veronica finally concluded, "All right, I will talk to Saint Ava and decide what to do."

    "Hurry ande home," Arthur said seductively. "I miss you."

    Veronica felt blood rushing on her face. She knew Ironin was closely guarding her and he was listening to their conversation even if he didn''t want to. She felt embarrassed realizing that he heard Arthur flirting with her.

    "I¡­ I miss you too. Bye!" She quickly locked the device.

    She headed back to Darius and Zinnia''s house. She found Saint Ava having a meal with others.

    "About time you show up," Dariusmented. "What did Arthur say?"

    Veronica replied, "He said it''s not a safe ce for me since the witch is still alive."

    "What of it? You can take care of the witch single handedly," Darius said.

    "Yes but think about the consequencester on. That''s what Arthur is worried about," Veronica told him.

    Realizing what she meant, Darius sealed his mouth.

    "I see that you are happily married," Saint Avamented. "You are living your life."

    "That I am," Veronica didn''t deny. After dinner, she was alone with Saint Ava. "Say. You want to escape your responsibility so badly that you left the country. Why are you bothering with our affairs now? You realize that if you didn''t leave, things wouldn''t turn out like this, right?" The Saint stated.

    "You are correct, Saint Ava," Veronica didn''t refute. "I want to live a happy life. I wanted to roam around the world. Somehow, I got tangled with the situation. It''s like fate is ying with me. I don''t know what to think about it. The more I want to lead a normal life, the more I get involved with this kind of situation."

 Chapter 587: ASKING FOR HELP

    Chapter 587: ASKING FOR HELP

    ?

    "...It''s like fate is ying with me. I don''t what to think about it. The more I want to lead a normal life, the more I get involved with this kind of situation.

    "And, I have no intention of running away. I''m never running away. The situation in the temple is terrible. I understand. It''s not my fault. I refuse to ept that if I became the blessed child and stayed in the Royal Pce, the situation would be any better. The nobles and the Royal Family would try to control me by imprisoning me. They would try to use me for their gain just like they are doing it now.

    "There is no way to stop them unless the ruler of thend is just. As the Saint, you couldn''t change them. Isn''t this why you were in the Rosemary Temple? You didn''t want to be imprisoned by them and that''s why you imprisoned yourself in the temple. But I, who has the lower position wouldn''t be able to choose the same path.

    "This was selfish of me and I know it. But I didn''t cause anyone''s misery. What I believe is that I was born to end people''s misery. That''s why, Saint Ava, I need your help. As the Saint, you must know the future. Back in the days, you used to talk like you knew it all. If you by chance know where the witch is, what she will do with the scrolls and where she is hiding them, I''ll be forever grateful."

    After Veronica was done, she bowed to her. Saint Ava stared at her for a while and then released her breath.

    She said, "I don''t know what you are thinking but I don''t foretell the future. I cannot do such sphemy. Goddess Juvena will never forgive for such sin. You have mistaken something. I took you with me to teach you what''s right from wrong but you chose to take another path. You didn''t learn anything before you jumped to the unknown world.

    "You shouldn''t have left and yet you did. You shouldn''t have married your husband and you did. Only Goddess Juvena and you know what you actually did. You never knew why you shouldn''t do it. You unintentionally chose the wrong path.

    "However, I neverined. It''s because everything has a reason. If you didn''t act the way I wanted, it''s probably because it was bound to happen. If I didn''t help you by telling you the future, it means that it was bound to happen. That cannot be changed and it shouldn''t be changed.

    "I know your nature. If I tell you the future, you will try to change it. Sacrifice isn''t your nature. You will try to save people from misery. You will also want to save yourself. That will lead to one disaster to another. Whatever is happening, is happening for the good. Just believe in that and stick to it. Do whatever you want to solve your mystery. Just don''t try to involve me in it."

    Veronica was stunned by her nonchnt words. She knew Saint Ava was always distant but she never imagined her to be so cold toward others.

    "Saint Ava, do you not worry about the innocent people? The vulnerable people and children are suffering because of those greedy nobles. And the witch! She took many valuable scrolls. Even I can feel that something bad is going to happen. Why would she need the forbidden scrolls if it weren''t for something sinister? Saint Ava, please think about it. We can prevent everything by nipping the rising problems in the bud."

    She tried to persuade Saint Ava for a long time but it didn''t seem to affect the Saint. In te end, she could only resign and leave.

    The next day, Ironin and Veronica went back to the Tybu. Arthur weed her with open arms. The moment she appeared under the magnificent chandelier in the Magic Tower, she was tightly embraced by him.

    She melted in his arms and inhaled sharply. His affectionate gesture put an end to all of her anxieties and mncholic thoughts. Veronica felt a sense of peace wash over her as she closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

    "You have be skinnier," hemented. While embracing her, he was trying to physically analyze her. "I feel nothing but bones under your clothes. You have burned your skin as well. Your hair has gone rougher. The skin of your lips is tatters. You are dehydrated. I thought you were taking care of yourself since you weren''t alone."

    Hisints were never-ending. Veronica was slightly embarrassed as it felt like she was a child who did something wrong and her mother caught her in an act.

    "Too much happened. I didn''t have time to take care of myself."

    "That doesn''t mean others couldn''t take care of you."

    She wanted to tell him that they all had their missions and they all were big girls and boys who were responsible for themselves. No one should have taken care of one another. It just wouldn''t make sense.

    To bring an end to hisints, she pitifully looked at him and said, "Do you think I''m ugly? Do you not love me anymore?"

    Arthur''s frown deepened. "You know that''s not what I mean."

    "But you''re telling me that I look ugly."

    "I didn''t say that." Arthur sighed and said, "Fine, let''s go upstairs. You need to freshen up."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    He teleported her to the bathroom. He helped her untie her boots while she unbuttoned her shirts. Her essories and clothes dropped on the marble floor one after another. She untied her hair and her silver locks went past her shoulders.

    As she stood there with her birthday suit, Arthur scanned her body and let out a deep sigh. With her clothes on, he could already feel how skinny she had be. Now that he saw her naked, his heart was in pain.

    He set up the bathtub for her and then said, "Take a shower first. I''ll prepare spicy beef stu for you." He turned around to leave.

    However, Veronica circled her arms around his stomach and said, "Please help me bathe."

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