Click—
The lights clicked off, plunging the room into darkness.
That night, Lena and Celia shared a bed for the first time.
Two months had passed in the blink of an eye.
It was afternoon. Orl sat on the sofa in the villa’s living room, leisurely sipping tea, his white-gloved hands a picture of repose.
Autumn sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his staff. The white reflection shimmered, carrying with it a subtle chill.
Beside him, a servant in a black and white uniform wore a troubled expression.
“Lord Orl, the Hero Assessment is in just three days…”
The servant hadn’t forgotten the agreement between Orl and Instructor Celia. If Celia’s team triumphed over a Tier 4 demon beast during the Hero Assessment, Orl would be forbidden from obstructing her path to becoming a Hero.
Originally, he hadn’t been concerned. To advance from a Tier 2 Hero to defeating a Tier 4 demon beast in half a year seemed an insurmountable challenge.
However, recent intelligence had left him increasingly restless.
“I’ve heard that Young Miss Celia has now crossed the threshold into Tier 3 magical power. With their current strength, a Tier 4 demon beast might not be enough to stop them.”
When they were merely Tier 2, defeating a Tier 3 demon beast was already an effortless feat for them.
Now that they had ascended to Tier 3, overcoming a Tier 4 demon beast no longer seemed such an impossible task.
It appeared Lord Orl was on the verge of losing.
“Tier 3 magical power, you say? Truly worthy of the Princess; her progress is remarkably swift.”
Orl chuckled softly, taking a leisurely sip of his tea before responding with unhurried calm.
His composed demeanor only fueled the servant’s growing anxiety.
“Lord Orl! If she defeats a Tier 4 demon beast, won’t she become a true Hero? At that point, not even you will be able to stop her…”
“Do you truly believe I would lose?”
Orl’s words momentarily stunned the servant, and the frantic disquiet in his heart silently dissipated.
‘That’s right,’ he thought. ‘The man before me is the steward of the Fiona family. To sustain such an immense household, his capabilities far surpass those of ordinary men. How could he possibly lose to that particular Hero?’
Having served by his side for over a decade, the servant had never witnessed Orl suffer a significant setback.
Lord Orl’s serene composure clearly indicated that everything remained firmly within his control.
“Do you truly believe they can defeat a Tier 4 demon beast with such ease? There exist significant disparities even among Tier 4 creatures, and furthermore…”
Orl paused, his gaze drifting towards the forest beyond the villa, his expression inscrutable.
“This forest has begun to stir restlessly. The hidden shadows will soon rise once more, and when that time comes, even the Silverbloom Sword Princess will struggle to protect herself. How, then, could the Princess remain in this city?”
“I believe she will come to understand my earnest intentions.”
****
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, the door to Governor Roy’s office was abruptly pushed open by an adjutant bearing urgent news.
“Lord Roy!”
The sudden gust from the opening door scattered several documents across the desk. Witnessing the young man’s frantic demeanor, Roy slowly set down his pen and furrowed his brow.
“Why such a panic? Has something terrible occurred?”
Possessing magical power within him, Roy appeared to be a young man in his early twenties, yet his true age was nearing sixty.
“Lord! Not a single knight we dispatched to investigate the Gloomwood Forest has returned, and the messages they sent back indicate…”
“Speak slower. What is the rush?”
Roy coldly interrupted the adjutant. The latter awkwardly straightened, his face flushing crimson as he bowed and offered his apologies:
“My apologies, Lord Roy. It is because this incident could imperil Vidona’s very existence, and so…”
“Even if Vidona’s survival is at stake, you should not succumb to such panic. The more critical the moment, the calmer one must be. Do you not comprehend this fundamental principle?”
“…Lord Roy is absolutely right.”
Cold sweat beaded on the adjutant’s forehead. He was typically a composed man, but the unfolding events had far exceeded his wildest imagination.
Roy was satisfied with his subordinate’s acknowledgment of error. He nodded, choosing not to dwell further on the adjutant’s momentary lapse in composure.
“Now, tell me, what is the matter?”
“Not a single knight we sent to investigate the Gloomwood Forest has returned. Based on the messages they managed to transmit, we deduce that a demon beast tide of unprecedented scale will soon assault Vidona.”
“Unprecedented scale? What magnitude are we speaking of?”
“There might be Tier 6 demon beasts, or… even higher.”
A bitter expression clouded the adjutant’s face as he uttered those words.
Although Vidona faced demon beast tides throughout the year, these incursions typically involved creatures no higher than Tier 2.
In recent years, the largest tide had merely featured a single Tier 3 demon beast.
Such beast tides could be handled not just by Heroes, but even by the Governor’s own knights.
The adjutant’s bitterness stemmed from the grim deduction they had made: based on the information relayed by the fallen knights, the next demon beast tide was predicted to feature Tier 6 demon beasts.
It was imperative to remember that Vidona’s most powerful individual was only a Tier 5 Hero. A demon beast tide of such magnitude could effortlessly annihilate the entire city.
If given the choice, they would have refused to believe this grim prognosis, yet it was a truth bought with the lives of their knights.
Even upon hearing the possibility of Tier 6 demon beasts within the impending tide, Roy’s face remained impassive, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
After a moment of contemplation, he inquired, “Which Heroes in neighboring cities possess the capability to quell this demon beast tide?”
“Skyfire, the Hero of Ergaer. Beyond her, no other Hero could accomplish such a feat.” The adjutant blurted out the answer without a moment’s hesitation.
Rumor had it that Skyfire commanded Tier 7 magical power, making her the sole Hero capable of resolving a demon beast tide of this scale.
Roy, of course, had also heard of Skyfire. However, instead of pressing for details about her, he raised an eyebrow and inquired about other Heroes.
“I heard there’s also a formidable senior in the Hero Guild recently? Have you heard of her?”
“My apologies. Chairman Sharlene refuses to disclose any information about her. We are unaware of her origins or her name.”
The adjutant’s face was etched with shame.
In truth, they had noticed this senior figure long ago. However, Chairman Sharlene had protected her so effectively that they had been utterly unable to make contact.
“Is there any way for me to arrange a meeting with her?”
“My apologies, but conventional methods would likely prove ineffective. Even for Lord Roy, Chairman Sharlene would not consent. However, if one were to follow the Young Miss of the Fiona family…”
“Dismiss that notion, then. It’s a pity; I truly wished to meet her. For now, we can only hope that when Vidona faces its gravest peril, she will intervene to help us overcome this crisis.”
Roy waved a dismissive hand, rejecting the adjutant’s preposterous suggestion. Simultaneously, a measure of dissatisfaction towards Sharlene began to brew within him.
Across the cities of the Luoxi Empire, the relationship between city governors and Hero Guild chairmen was typically fraught with tension. After all, no one desired unruly individuals within their jurisdiction.
“If we request aid from Ergaer’s Hero Guild, how long would it take for Skyfire and her team to reach Vidona?” Only then did he press for details regarding Skyfire’s situation.
“Based on past experience, it would likely take a minimum of five days.”
“Then let us pray the demon beast tide does not erupt within these five days.”