Collection 1 Chapter 48 538-547

Chapter 538: Ian's and Chiffon's Secret

The days passed swiftly and the Staff of the Academy busied themselves with the preparations for Princess Sidonie's Birthday Party.

Several servants from the Royal Palace had been sent to the academy to help, and even the Head Butler of the Palace was mobilized into action.

"Everyone, Her Highness' birthday is just two days away," Michaelis, the Head Butler of the Kraetor Royal Palace, said in a commanding tone. "I don't want any mishaps to happen, so please, do your best. Do I make myself clear?"

""Yes!""

This was not the first time that a member of the Royal Family had celebrated their birthday in Silverwind Academy. Everyone already knew the arrangements that needed to be made, so the preparation was going at a smooth pace.

While everyone was doing their best to make her happy, Princess Sidonie was currently inside the Beach Villa, on the Tenth Floor of the Dungeon of Atlantis.

As the day of her Eighteenth Birthday drew near, the power inside her body was starting to awaken. It was to the point that William had to help her with maintenance every two days, to prevent it from breaking out completely.

Her voice tinged with pleasure sounded inside the room, as William absorbed the power of her Divinity inside the gem embedded in his chest.

William had to admit that if he didn't have the Incubus Job Class, he would be hard pressed to help his lover alleviate the burning desire that was threatening to consume her.

"Darling, I promise that I will not let you rest on your birthday next month," Morgana vowed as she lovingly kissed William's lips.

After their passionate kiss ended, the beautiful succubus pressed her sinful body against her beloved before whispering in William's ears.

"I swore long ago that I will have your babies. I will not let you run away."

William kissed Morgana's neck before replying to her.

"I don't have plans on running away," William whispered. "Let's fight for thirty rounds if you like. The winner will get to order the loser to do one thing. What do you say?"

"Sounds good. Sidonie is also in agreement. Are you ready to lose, Darling?"

"Silly girl. Let's see if you will be able to brag after I'm done with you."

The two once again frolicked on the bed, not caring about what was happening in the outside world.

Ian was currently taking care of Chiffon. Due to William's declaration that he would take care of her, the students of the Academy no longer called her Trash Eater in the open. Especially since they were aware that the girl no longer visited the Garbage Dump since she started hanging around William and Princess Sidonie.

This change in her routine made the other students almost forget the things that she had done in the past.

Also, Chiffon was not only well fed, but also well taken care of. Her uniforms were clean, her hair smooth and silky, and her skin was white and radiant.

After weeks of rehabilitation, the pink-haired girl that everyone ridiculed was like a blooming flower that carried the scent of jasmines.

Even the boys in the academy were starting to take notice of this cute, and adorable girl, who seemed to have transformed from a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

There were even high-ranking nobles who were starting to think that she would be an ideal lover after a few years, once she had matured.

(A/N: Chiffon's race and age are only known by a select few, namely William, the Emperor Leonidas, and Evexius. Everyone else thinks of her as a twelve year old girl because of her cuteness and height.

Just in case any of you had forgotten, Chiffon is older than William by a year. She likes to call William Big Brother because she wanted to be spoiled by one, but her blood related brothers were scum, so there has never been an opportunity.)

As Ian and Chiffon strolled around the academy, the little girl seemed spaced out. Although she didn't mind being around Ian, she still preferred to hold William's hand. Although it felt rough to the touch, her heart felt

at peace whenever they were together.

Also, her stock of chocolate lollipops grew by the day.

William was able to create fifty of each lollipop type, except for the Pink Lollipop. The effect of the chocolate lollipop lasts for three days. Even if Chiffon were to chew one, it wasn't much of a problem.

Chewing the chocolate lollipop made her not feel any hunger for a day. Right now, she had hundreds of them in her storage ring, so she felt at ease.

(A/N: Since she is the Sin of Gluttony, the effects of the chocolate lollipop is lessened. Instead of three days, its effect lasted only a day.)

Chiffon was now also able to enjoy regular food like normal people. Back then, she didn't really have the luxury of taking the time to enjoy the taste of the food, because her hunger had clouded her other senses.

Sometimes, she would wake up in the middle of the night in tears because she had a bad dream. A dream where her current life, and the happiness she was experiencing, was only an illusion.

If not for the fact that she slept beside Princess Sidonie every night, the pink-haired girl might have suffered from a nervous breakdown. She didn't want to return to those dark and difficult days when she had to fend for herself, alone.

Chiffon would rather stay in the dream and never wake up, if the reality that awaited her when she opened her eyes was a nightmare that she had to live with for the rest of her life.

"Ian, when will Big Brother return?" Chiffon asked as the two sat on one of the benches overlooking the Black Giant Monument in the plaza.

"Don't worry. He will be back soon." Ian patted Chiffon's head. "Why? Do you miss him already?"

Chiffon nodded before looking at the Giant Monument where the names of the most outstanding students of the academy could be seen.

William's name shone brightly at the very top of the monument, and Chiffon looked at it with a pout. Although she knew that William was Princess Sidonie's fiance, she couldn't help but feel envious of the beautiful princess because she had what she didn't possess.

When the two kissed in front of the Girl's Dormitory many days ago, she felt a slight pain in her chest. She didn't understand why she felt that way.

After leaving the Whispering Wind Tavern, she had consulted William about the pain she had felt back then. What the Half-Elf did back then was to place his hand over Chiffon's head and close his eyes.

Chiffon felt a slight tingling sensation as William activated his Life Mage Job Class and used a diagnostic scan on the little girl's body to check if there was something wrong with her. The test results showed that everything was fine, and Chiffon was perfectly healthy.

The pink-haired girl trusted William with all of her heart, so when the Half-Elf told her that there was nothing wrong with her, she thought that it was just a figment of her imagination.

However, whenever the image of the Princess kissing William appeared in her mind, the slight pain returned and it made Chiffon feel uncomfortable.

"Ian, does your chest hurt sometimes?" Chiffon asked. "Mine hurts from time to time."

Ian frowned, and decided to ask Chiffon more about the pain she was experiencing. Although she wasn't an expert in medical knowledge, she still knew the basics on how to deal with simple illnesses.

"What kind of pain do you feel?" Ian asked. "Is it a dull pain, a sharp pain, or a stinging pain?"

Chiffon placed her hand over her chest and closed her eyes. She recalled Princess Sidonie kissing William and felt a dull ache spreading in her chest.

"It's a dull pain," Chiffon replied. "If I hold the image long enough, I feel like I will suffocate from the pain."

"Image? What image?"

"The image of Sidonie kissing Big Brother. The pain, it's suffocating. It's hard to breathe."

Ian's body stiffened as she looked at the little girl beside her. She then pulled her close and gave her a hug, while silently cursing the Half-Elf who was spreading his pheromones everywhere.

"Stop thinking about it," Ian said softly. "Nothing is wrong with you. The pain you are feeling is normal. Sometimes, I feel like that, too"

"You do?" Chiffon opened her eyes and looked at Ian in surprise. "Do you also feel pain when you see Princess Sidonie kiss Big Brother?"

"No." Ian firmly shook her head. "However, back then, I also felt a similar feeling."

Yes. In the past, when William was together with Wendy, Ian felt the same. That dull ache in her chest as she looked at the lovey-dovey couple who were blatantly showing their affection in public.

"Is this pain really normal?"

"Yes."

In truth. Ian was on the fence about whether to tell the little girl the truth or not.

'Maybe it's just a crush,' Ian thought. 'Since William is the first person who treated her kindly, she feels a certain attachment and like for him. The moment that attention is diverted to other people, she unconsciously feels jealousy.'

Ian sighed internally and cursed the red-headed teenager a second time. Right now, she couldn't tell William what the little girl was going through. There was a possibility that William would distance himself from Chiffon, in order to prevent the little girl from developing feelings for him.

She knew that if that were to happen, Chiffon might close up her heart to people and return to the state she was in the past. Ian didn't want to see that happen because she found the little girl too pitiful.

"Chiffon, don't tell anyone about this, okay?" Ian said as she held Chiffon's hand firmly. "Not even to Will. This will be our secret. Can you promise me that?"

Chiffon nodded her head. Although she didn't understand why she must keep the pain she was feeling a secret from William, something inside her was telling her that Ian was right.

"Then, what should I do if I feel the same pain again?" Chiffon inquired as she stared straight at Ian's eyes.

Ian met her gaze steadily and smiled. "It's really simple. Whenever you feel that kind of pain, all you need to do is…"

Chiffon listened to Ian's suggestions and closed her eyes. As soon as she followed Ian's advice, the pain in her chest disappeared and was replaced by warm, and happy feelings.

The corner of the little girl's lips rose very slightly. It was very hard to detect, so Ian wasn't able to see it.

"Ian, you are right," Chiffon said with her eyes still closed. "I no longer feel any pain. I feel warm and safe."

"Mmm." Ian hummed.

Ian then hugged the little girl more firmly. Ian sincerely wished that Chiffon would find happiness in her life. Just like how she found her happiness, in the embrace of the person she loved.

Chapter 539: My Taste In Men Is Simply Amazing

William looked at the mirror while fixing his hair. It was six in the evening, and the party in the Academy's Grand Ballroom was already in full swing.

The Half-Elf didn't intend to go early because he didn't want to become the center of attention. His short exchange with Prince Jason had been a juicy gossip among the nobles, and many were looking forward to seeing how he would conduct himself at the birthday party.

If he had his way, he wouldn't bother joining the festivities. However, Sidonie had asked him to go, so he had no choice but to go.

William looked at his reflection in the mirror and smiled.

"Ladies, prepare to get heartbroken," William said as he made a suave pose in front of the mirror. "This Sir, is already taken."

"…"

Ian, who was in the same room as William, shook her head helplessly. She already knew that William could be childish at times, and she was helpless against it.

"Let's go," Ian said as she approached the red-headed teenager who looked very handsome in his suit. "Sidonie and Chiffon are already there. Let's not keep them waiting."

William nodded. He glanced at the mirror one last time before heading out of the room.

Ian played her role as William's retainer, and walked a few steps behind him. They had already agreed upon a few things on what they would do at the party, and one of them was lobbying a certain Prince that was trying to get his hands on Princess Sidonie.

It didn't take long before they arrived at their destination. Several royal guards patrolled the surrounding area to ensure that nothing out of place would transpire during this important event.

As soon as William stepped inside the Ballroom, Chamberlain announced his name, which made everyone look in his direction.

William walked with grace, that wouldn't lose to the members of the Royal Family. He had already equipped the Sun Knight Job Class, which greatly enhanced his charisma, making the ladies that looked at him giggle in delight.

Princess Vanessa looked at the Half-Elf from where she was seated with a serious expression. She had also heard what had happened in the tavern after she and her twin brother had left.

The Princess couldn't believe that someone would treat her beloved that way, and it made her dislike the handsome Half-Elf who seemed to be enjoying the attention that everyone was giving him.

'Brother, do you know anything about him?' Princess Vanessa asked her brother, Prince Rainier, using telepathy.

Princess Rainier glanced at William's direction before answering her twin. 'I know very little of him. The only thing I know is that he is from the Southern Continent. He was the one that led the resistance against the Elves, who tried to conquer his Kingdom."

Since they were born as twins, they shared this unique ability to communicate with each other, as long as they were within five miles away from each other. This was quite similar to how Ashe could talk to William using the gem that was embedded in his chest.

The only difference was that Ashe could contact William even though they were miles away from each other. As long as both of them were in the same continent, the two lovers could talk to each other wherever, and whenever, they wanted.

Princess Vanessa nodded her head. She also didn't know much about the Half-Elf, but one thing was clear.

'He is Big Brother Jason's enemy,' Princess Vanessa thought as she looked in the direction where the Fifth Prince of the Kraetor Empire was currently at.

Prince Jason was at the opposite table, along

with Prince Maximilian, Prince Kevin, Princess Sidonie, and the girl that everyone in the academy referred to as Trash Eater.

The pink-haired girl was wearing a pink ballroom dress that brought out her cuteness. She was like an adorable doll that made everyone attracted to her.

Fortunately, this doll didn't know how to smile. If she did, her charm would probably be as destructive as Princess Sidonie's.

The birthday girl was wearing a red princess ball gown, which enhanced her natural beauty. Her reddish-brown hair was neatly arranged, like that of a bride that was about to be married off to a Prince of the neighboring kingdom.

A tinge of myrth appeared in her mesmerizing hazel eyes, the moment she saw her lover walk in her direction.

From within their shared mindscape, Morgana squealed in delight because the Half-Elf was wearing the clothes that she had personally chosen for the party. She had already memorized William's body size, so it was very easy for her to pick a suit that suited him perfectly.

< I knew it. My taste in men is simply amazing. >

'That's OUR taste in men, Big Sister.'

< Fine~ >

While the two were giggling inside their Mindscape, William finally arrived at their table and bowed courteously.

"Happy Birthday, Princess," William said as he looked at the princess with gentle eyes. "May you always find happiness in your life for many more years to come."

"Thank you, Sir William," Princess Sidonie replied. "Please, enjoy the party."

"I shall, Your Highness," William bowed his head once more before shifting his attention to the adorable pink-haired girl seated beside Princess Sidonie.

"You look very cute in that dress, Chiffon," William grinned.

"Really?" Chiffon asked half in doubt.

It was Princess Sidonie that had picked the dress that she was wearing at the party. At first, she refused to dress up and insisted on only wearing her uniform. However, when the Princess mentioned that William would definitely praise Chiffon if she dressed up, the latter reluctantly agreed to Princess Sidonie's arrangement.

"Yes, you're very cute." William nodded in affirmation. "Well then, shall we go?"

William extended his hand to Chiffon, and the latter subconsciously reached out her hand as well. She had always been with William most of the time, and holding his hand felt natural to her.

"I'll be taking her for now, Princess," William said with a smile.

"Okay." Princess Sidonie nodded.

However, before William could leave, Princess Sidonie took the initiative to ask him for something that made Prince Jason frown.

"Sir William, can I reserve you for my first dance?" Princess Sidonie asked in a teasing tone.

Prince Jason looked at the princess before glaring in William's direction. He had already planned on asking her out for the first dance, but it seemed that his beloved cousin planned to avoid his advances.

"Naturally," William nodded. "Afterall, I am your fiance. It is only natural for me to have your first… and last dance."

The way William said the words had a deeper meaning in it. The beautiful princess and her seductive other half immediately understood what William was talking about, and they couldn't help but blush because of his boldness.

"I will look forward to it then, Sir William," Princess Sidonie replied and gave William the "You're not getting any sleep tonight" wink.

This playful exchange between the two made Prince Maximilian, and Prince Kevin give each other a knowing glance. They didn't expect that William was capable of doing such a feat, especially when he was in the presence of the Royal Family.

"You think too highly of yourself, Shepherd," Prince Jason commented from the side. "Know your place."

Prince Jason wasn't planning on saying anything, but the moment he saw the blush on his beloved's face, his jealousy burned within his chest.

Everyone was paying close attention to what was happening at the table of the Royal Family. Although the nobles kept their distance and were chatting with each other, their ears, and eyes, had locked in to the conversation that Prince Jason and William were having.

William frowned as he glanced at the Prince who was staring daggers in his direction.

"Who are you again?" William asked. "Sorry, but I only know important people."

Princess Sidonie's, Prince Maximilian's, and Prince Kevin's bodies stiffened at the same time. They didn't expect that William would openly provoke Prince Jason in front of everyone in Silverwind Academy.

The three princes wanted to slap the Half-Elf because he intended to have a repeat of what he did in the tavern, which was so close to becoming a brawl between William and Prince Jason.

"Oh? This is interesting. Someone in my Empire doesn't know the name of one of my Grandsons."

A deep and powerful voice said from behind William.

William turned around as he respectfully bowed his head in greeting.

"Good Evening, Your Majesty." William greeted Emperor Leonidas.

Emperor Leonidas gave him a brief nod in acknowledgement before repeating his question.

"Tell me, do you really not know his name?" Emperor Leonidas inquired.

Evexius who was standing not far from the Emperor sighed internally. The Emperor of the Kraetor Empire was someone that protected the reputation of the Royal Family. Anyone who dared to step on its dignity would be sent to the prison to be tortured for an entire week, before sending them to the gallows to be executed.

"Sorry, but I don't really know who he is," William replied fearlessly. "Why would I bother to know the name of the person that is eyeing my fiance with lusty eyes?"

All the students, including the Professors inside the Great Ballroom, sucked in a deep breath after hearing William's words. Although they were surprised that the Half-Elf dared to talk back to their Emperor, they were more surprised at the bomb that William had thrown at them.

Their gazes landed on the Fifth Prince of the Kraetor Empire who had a calm expression on his face. If what William said was true, Prince Jason's reputation would take a beating, and he would be the subject of the most juicy gossip the Kraetor Empire had ever heard in a long time.

Chapter 540: Too Smart For Your Own Good

"I don't know if you are very brave, or very stupid," Emperor Leonidas commented as he appraised the young man in front of him. "I think it is the latter."

William chuckled as he faced the Emperor with a devilish smile. "That is also what the Elves thought, before they got massacred. They thought of me as a stupid country bumpkin that only knew how to rear sheep in the countryside. Jokes on them, I'm not someone that they can step on lightly.

"You should have seen the look on their faces, Your Majesty, when their Demigod…"

William didn't finish his words and left it hanging in the air. His words carried confidence and even a subtle hint that he could do the same to the Demigod of the Kraetor Empire, if they went too far and annoyed him.

Naturally, this was just a bluff.

He was only able to capture Sepheron, the Demigod of the Elves, because Takam had helped him seal him for a period of time. If the pocket cube alone had been used against a Demigod, it would immediately be destroyed, and the capture would automatically fail.

If Takam didn't partake in Sepheron's capture, William would have had no way to deal with the Demigod of the Silvermoon Continent. He would probably run back to Lont, and hug Vlad's legs and ask him to deal with the Demigod who wanted to bully him.

'This boy sure knows how to cause a scene,' Evexius was starting to regret his decision of accompanying the Emperor to attend Princess Sidonie's Birthday Party.

"The last time someone threatened me, they suffered terribly before they died," Emperor Leonidas said.

"What a coincidence," William smirked. "I'm good friends with the dead. Do you want me to meet up with my friends, Your Majesty?"

William subtly opened the portal that led to the Undying Lands. Eight powerful auras descended inside the ballroom which made everyone gasp for breath. Before he came to the party, he visited the Undying Lands and asked Malacai if the Demigod could help him with his bluff.

After the war ended, Malacai had stepped into the Ranks of the Demigods, but he was still unable to break the chains that bound him. He would have to wait for a year or two before he was freed of his shackles.

Malacai agreed with William's request because he was feeling bored. Since there was nothing to do within the Undying Lands, scaring a Human Emperor was a good way to pass the time.

Emperor Leonidas had heard from Evexius that several powerful Undead helped William in the war against the Elves. Since he didn't see it personally, he was unable to estimate how strong these undead were.

The Emperor of the Kraetor Empire felt a chill run down his spine when he sensed something sinister among the eight auras that leaked into the Great Ballroom.

He wasn't too worried about the other Seven Powerful Auras that were being released. Although these auras belonged

to the peak of the Myriad Beast Category, they were no match for the Demigod that watched over the Kraetor Empire.

What unnerved him was the eighth aura that he had perceived. This aura clearly belonged to a Demigod, and a very powerful one.

It was a presence that was stronger than the Protectors of the Empire and the Demigod that ruled them all.

"Your Majesty, I want to visit Aamon's Temple," William said. "You're going to give me permission, Yes?"

William was sick and tired of waiting for the Emperor to give him permission to meet with Aamon. He didn't come to the Kraetor Empire to enroll at Silverwind Academy, or to play mind games with the Royal Family.

Also, he still had to go to the Misty Sect for his promised battle with Rebecca that would be happening on the Founding Anniversary of her sect.

Since the Emperor wasn't taking him seriously, he had no choice but to show Emperor Leonidas that he was someone that the Royal Family didn't have the leisure to ignore.

William closed the connection to the Undying Lands because everyone in the ballroom, except for Princess Sidonie, Chiffon, Ian, Emperor Leonidas, and Evexius, were already gasping for breath.

The Half-Elf had shielded his two lovers, and the little girl that was holding his hand, from the effect of the Undead Auras.

For someone of Malacai's level, his Aura was several times more powerful than Ezkalor's Dragon Fear that could easily paralyze anyone below the Adamantium Rank (Centennial Rank).

"Since today is my Fiance's birthday, I will wait to receive his Majesty's answer tomorrow," William said as he gave Emperor Leonidas a curt nod. He then guided Chiffon towards the table of Class F who was looking at him as if he was a monster.

< Darling is so awesome! Damn, that confidence gave me the chills! >

Morgana had entered her fan girl state as she cheered for William inside their shared mindscape.

Princess Sidonie, on the other hand, had a complicated look on her face as she gazed at her lover from afar.

'Will, you took things too far.' Princess Sidonie sighed.

William had already told her his frustrations about the lack of reply from Emperor Leonidas in regards to his request. She had also helped William and talked to her grandfather once, but the latter brushed her inquiry aside and changed the topic.

< Sidonie, sometimes, the most direct method is the most effective. Darling is usually a carefree person, but when it comes to things that are important to him, he will not back down. I'm sure that he will do the same for us if we were in Ashe's and Est's circumstances. >

Princess Sidonie smiled bitterly because she also understood this. It is because she understood, that William's action made things complicated.

'Grandfather is not someone who takes threats lightly,' Princess Sidonie said. 'Although he will give Will his permission to visit Aamon's Temple, our lover's relationship with the Kraetor Royal Family will not be the same again.'

< No, Sidonie. I think you are misunderstanding something. >

Morgana replied to her other half with a smirk.

< This is not where we belong. We are from the Southern Continent, and we will return there someday. Whatever the Kraetor Emperor wants to do with his empire is none of your business. With that said, who we want to marry is none of his business as well. >

Princess Sidonie's eyes widened in realization. She had completely forgotten that she was only visiting the Kraetor Empire because she wanted to help William meet with Aamon in his temple.

Her other half was right. She didn't belong in the Kraetor Empire. Wherever Wiliam would be, that was where she would belong.

'Thank you for reminding me, Big Sister. I had practically forgotten that this was not the place I was born due to the VIP treatment that we are receiving.'

< You're too smart for your own good, Sidonie. Don't worry, as long as I'm around, you don't have to worry about the small stuff. >

Evexius walked towards Emperor Leonidas and stood by his side. He had served the Emperor for many years, and knew his personality. Deep inside he was even anticipating what was going to happen in the future.

'Congratulations, your Majesty,' Evexius said through telepathy. 'You succeeded in probing one of William's Trump Cards.'

The corner of Emperor Leonidas' lips raised slightly. Just like what Evexius had said, he was only probing William. He wanted to know how the Half-Elf would react if he faced him directly.

The Emperor of the Kraetor Empire wanted to know where William's confidence was coming from.

'You're right, Evexius,' Emperor Leonidas replied. 'I underestimated him. With this, I have gained more confidence in the plan we have in mind. We are going to proceed as planned.'

Evexius briefly nodded his head to acknowledge his Emperor's command. 'As you wish, Your Majesty.'

Chapter 541: I Am The One That Makes The Rules

The sound of music permeated the Grand Ballroom as two people danced at its center.

Princess Vanessa watched the two of them from afar in admiration, but it only ended in admiration.

She didn't envy them, nor felt jealousy. In fact, she even felt happy because William had made his stance. Princess Vanessa hoped that after William's show of force, her beloved Prince would give up on his pursuit from their cousin that hailed from the Southern Continent.

William firmly held Princess Sidonie's hand, and waist, as they danced across the ballroom. The princess had a sweet smile on her face, as she looked at her lover lovingly. They were like a match made in heaven, and everyone couldn't help but sigh in their hearts because the gorgeous pair looked good together.

What they didn't know was that the two lovers were in fact having a serious talk as they danced.

'What would you do if the Emperor didn't give you permission to visit Aamon's Temple out of spite?' Princess Sidonie asked. 'You should have endured a bit, Will, and talked to him properly.'

'Sidonie, you and I both know that talking to him will not work,' William replied. 'The Emperor is merely gauging me to see what I can do. Well, if he refuses to give me permission, I'll find other means to sneak into Aamon's Temple.'

'You're still going even if it means burning the bridge between you and the Emperor?'

'Yes. I don't have much time left to do the things I need to do. I'm on a tight schedule.'

< I suggest that the three of us elope! I bet that would be very interesting. >

William's smile stiffened because Morgana could also communicate with him directly due to the added feature on the Collar of Wisteria. As long as they were a mile away from each other, communication was possible.

The Half-Elf had also explained to Princess Sidonie that whenever her Divinity was going out of control, she should just immediately teleport to the Thousand Beast Domain, and ask William to help her.

Princess Sidonie knew that her lover couldn't stay with her all the time because someone like him carried many responsibilities. This was why being able to enter the Thousand Beast Domain at any given time was an advantage on her part.

Among William's lovers, she was the only one that had been given this capability. She could come and see him anytime, and return to the exact place where she activated the collar when she exited the domain.

'You read too many novels, Morgana,' William replied at Sidonie's other half that had been inspired by the latest romance book that she had read.

< Boo! Darling, you're no fun! >

Princess Sidonie chuckled internally as William and Morgana started a debate at the pros and cons of elopement. Soon, the music came to an end, and both of them bowed to each other.

Just as William expected, Prince Jason had stood up from his seat and walked towards Princess Sidonie. It was obvious that he was planning to ask her for a dance, but William had already taken this into consideration.

"Would you honor me with a dance, Princess?" Ian bowed respectfully and offered his hand to Princess sidonie.

"It will be my honor, Sir Ian," Princess Sidonie replied and accepted the invitation.

Prince Jason stopped halfway when he saw the recent development, William shot him a smirk before going towards his table, where Chiffon was waiting for him.

The pink haired girl looked at William with a calm expression. She was waiting for William to sit beside her, so that she wouldn't feel lonely, while Ian was away.

"Do you want to dance?" William asked.

Chiffon pondered William's question for a while before giving her answer.

"I don't know how to dance," Chiffon replied. "But, I memorized how you danced with Princess Sidonie. I don't know if I can fully imitate it, but I'll know when I try."

"Oh? Are you good at memorization?"

"Well, I can remember everything that I see."

William looked at the adorable girl with a curious gaze. He had heard that there were people that had incredibly good memories because they could remember practically everything that they had seen.

The term used for this was Photographic Memory.

"Well then,

why don't we give it a try?" William asked. "Will you honor me with this dance, My Lady?"

Chiffon stood up from her seat and held William's outstretched hand. Other people were also going to the dance floor with their partners.

Surprisingly, Prince Jason and Princess Vanessa were also on the dance floor, right next to Princess Sidonie and Ian.

The one that invited Prince Jason to dance was none other than Princess Vanessa. Since the Prince was already standing in the ballroom, it would be awkward if he returned to his seat empty handed.

Because of this, Princess Vanessa took the initiative to invite him to dance with her. The Prince politely accepted her request and led her to the center of the dance floor, where the apple of his eye was standing.

'He really doesn't know when to give up,' William thought as she led Chiffon right next to Princess Sidonie.

Emperor Leonidas and Evexius looked at this scene from afar with knowing smiles on their faces.

"It's good to be young," Emperor Leonidas said.

Evexius nodded as he eyed the six children from afar. "Princess Vanessa had grown to be a fine and considerate lady. It's just a shame that the one she likes doesn't return her advances. Also, that girl, Chiffon, looks better now compared to how she was when she first arrived here."

Emperor Leonidas shifted his attention to the pink-haired girl that was dressed like a princess. Although he wouldn't say it out loud, he was quite happy with the way the little girl was being cared for by William, Princess Sidonie, and Ian.

"Her father is a bastard," Emperor Leonidas commented. "Seriously, we should have stopped April back then. She deserves someone better."

Evexius sighed as he nodded his head. "Sometimes, I think that she would have been happier if you had taken her as your concubine, Your Majesty."

"Yes. I should have done that. At least, she wouldn't be dead," Emperor Leonidas replied. His voice was tinged with regret. "Even if everyone in the family had opposed it back then, I should have been more bold. Now, it's too late.

"The only thing I can do is to watch over her daughter in her place, which I've also failed to do quite miserably. If not for that boy, William, Chiffon might still be eating at that Garbage Dump right now."

Emperor Leonidas looked at the little girl who was dancing with the red-headed teenager. Although her movements were a bit stiff, William was able to guide her properly.

"I forgot to tell you, Your Majesty, that person's envoys arrived at our borders yesterday. They will arrive in the Academy anytime. I'm sure that they will not be very happy if they see her being treated well. They will definitely demand that we cut any form of support to her immediately."

"Ignore them."

"They might insist that it is their duty and make contact with Chiffon," Evexius stated. "It's very possible that they might take her away by force if we don't comply."

Emperor Leonidas chuckled as he shifted his attention to his Grand Archmage.

"If they make any trouble, you have my permission to kick them out by force," Emperor Leonidas replied. "This is my Empire. I am the one that makes the rules.

"If we can't even protect one little girl then wouldn't we become the laughingstock of the Central Continent? Also, I doubt that He of all people will care. Afterall, he was the one that tossed the child away. Someone like him… doesn't deserve to be a father."

Evexius nodded. "Do I have your permission to eliminate them, Your Majesty?"

"I leave it in your care, Evexius. Just make it so that it doesn't get traced back to us."

"Understood."

—–

When the second dance ended, Prince Jason approached Princess Sidonie to invite her to dance with him.

However, the Princess politely declined his request with the excuse that she was tired from dancing.

She then walked towards the table of the Emperor and sat on his right side. Prince Jason had no choice but to let her go, and joined the other Princes' at the table reserved for them.

The night went on, and the party went without any mishaps. Prince Jason made several attempts, but all of them were in vain because William blocked him every time.

After several attempts, Prince Jason reluctantly backed off. He didn't want to create a scene, so he held back his anger as he stared hatefully at the Half-Elf who was chatting happily with Chiffon.

'Just you wait, I will show you your place in the tournament,' Prince Jason vowed. 'It is not only you that can jump in the ranks using an ability. I can do that, too.'

A week ago, Prince Jason had been called by the Oracle at Aamon's Temple. There he received an artifact that was said to be one of Aamon's possessions.

Although the Prince was surprised at the unexpected gift that came from the Kraetor Family's Patron God, he was quite happy to receive it. He believed that William was only superior to him due to the Half-Elf's ability to jump to the Ranks of a Saint, for a short period of time.

Now that Prince Jason had the same ability in his possession, he wanted everyone to witness that William was nothing special. The only reason why he hadn't used this ability yet was because of Aamon's condition was that he could only use it during the tournament.

—–

Outside of the academy…

"Let us in, we want to see Chiffon," a man wearing a black robe demanded. "We have an agreement."

"I know, but we can't allow you to enter the Academy right now," the Captain of the Guards of the Academy replied. "Today is Princess Sidonie's birthday, and the Royal Family is inside. If the Emperor sees you right now, he might become annoyed. I advise you to come back in two days. I promise that I won't get in your way then."

The black-robed man frowned, and exchanged a glance with their leader. He was only the spokesperson of their envoy, and it was not up to him to call the shots.

"Fine. We will leave for now," a deep and powerful voice stated. "We will return in two days. Make sure that you won't get in our way then."

"As long as you don't do anything unnecessary to the students of the Academy then I will allow you to pass. Remember, you are only allowed to see and talk to Chiffon. Contact with the other students is prohibited."

The leader of the envoy nodded. He gave the gates of the Academy one last glance before walking away under the cover of darkness.

Their mission was to check on Chiffon to make sure she was suffering. If she was not then they would do their best to make her life miserable.

It was the mission that had been assigned to them by their Lord who ruled in the Northern Continent, and they were duty bound to see it through at all cost.

Chapter 542: To Damnation And Beyond

In a sea-side port located in the Hellan Kingdom…

"Mistress, it's time to go," Oliver said as he looked at the beautiful Elf that was drinking tea, while staring outside of the room of their inn. "The ship bound for the Central Continent will be leaving in two hours. We should board it now, Mistress."

Celine placed the empty teacup on the table, but she didn't stand up right away. Instead, she glanced at the Parrot Monkey that had accompanied her for many years.

"Oliver, have you ever had the urge to return to the Silvermoon Continent?" Celine asked.

"No, Mistress," Oliver answered in a heartbeat. "I don't have much attachment to the Silvermoon Continent."

"Oh? I always thought that you wanted to see Grandfather."

"While it's true that I think of him from time to time, I have no intentions of returning to the Silvermoon Continent. Of course, if Mistress wants to go there, I will have no choice but to accompany you on your journey."

Celine smiled wryly as she stood up from her seat. She then took a purple hat, and covered her face with a veil. As a very beautiful elf, she was always in danger of being targeted by people with bad intentions.

Of course, Celine had dealt with several of these people in the past and had sent all of them to the afterlife.

Two hours later the ship headed for the Central Continent blew its horn to announce its departure. Celine, who was standing at the deck of the ship, looked at the Southern Continent with a sad expression.

"When I first arrived here, I didn't have any expectations," Celine said softly. "I thought that I would be living a dull and monotonous life, but Lady Fate thought otherwise."

Oliver, who was hiding in her shadow, listened attentively. He knew that Celine was feeling emotional, and decided to let her relieve the burdens in her chest.

"Isn't it funny, Oliver? I never imagined that I would have a Disciple in this lifetime." Celine chuckled. "It's quite unfortunate that the Disciple I chose is a troublemaker. He always makes me worry."

"That he is, My Lady. That he is."

"Say, Oliver. Do you think that we made the wrong decision in teaching William the Dark Arts?"

The Parrot Monkey pondered this question seriously. After a few minutes of silence, Oliver said his honest thoughts for Celine to hear.

"I think we made the right decision."

"You think?"

Oliver nodded his head. "If Mistress didn't make William her Disciple, I'm sure that life would have been… boring. While it's true that he has a penchant for trouble, he is also someone that strives to reach greater heights."

Celine nodded in agreement. Although she didn't want to admit it, she was very proud of William. During the war against the Elves, the boy went above and beyond her expectations.

"I only have one last thing to impart to him before I go and meet Master in the Demon Continent," Celine said. "Oliver, I think it would be best if you stayed by William's side. That way you would be able t-"

"I won't leave you, Mistress." Oliver cut Celine off before she could finish what she wanted to say.

"William doesn't need me anymore. He's no longer the helpless child that we need to

save from time to time. He can already stand on his own. Also, I don't want the Mistress to be lonely. That is why wherever you will go, I will follow."

"Thank you, Oliver." Celine looked at the Southern Continent that was slowly getting farther and farther away.

She had already said her goodbyes to the people in Lont, and had tied up all loose ends before leaving. Celine didn't know how many years it would take before she returned to the Southern Continent.

The path that she had chosen was a thorny one, and salvation may be out of her reach. Even so, she still wanted to meet William, and her twin sister, Celeste, one last time before seeing her Master in the Demon Continent.

It had been many years since she had seen Celeste. Although the twins didn't know when the prophecy of the Elves would come to pass, Celine felt that it would be happening soon.

Because of this, she wanted to meet the people that were important to her, before destiny took its hold of her.

"Oliver, if I decided to turn this world upside down, would you still stay by my side?" Celine inquired.

If possible, she didn't want her loyal retainer to be mixed up in the struggles that she would face in the future. Celine would rather choose to be lonely than to see the Parrot Monkey follow her down a path of no return.

"I will, My Lady," Oliver answered. "I will follow you, to Damnation and Beyond."

—–

Inside the Thousand Beast Domain…

A pretty elf sighed in pleasure as sharp fangs sank into her neck. Her Name was Charmaine and she was one of the thirteen Elves that served as William's blood banks.

They were part of the Elven Army that tried to conquer the Hellan Kingdom, and became his spoils of war. All of their memories had been erased by the Undead Lich, and the latter had made sure that they would be loyal to their new Master, William.

Ashe had pleaded with William on their behalf, and the Half-Elf agreed that he would set them free after a few years.

After a few minutes, William retracted his fangs and healed the wounds that he had made on the elf's slender neck.

"Thank you, Charmaine," William said as he patted her head. "You can now put your clothes back on."

"You're welcome, Master," Charmaine replied as a blush spread across her face. "I will always be here if you need feeding. Don't hesitate to call me anytime."

William nodded his head. He watched as Charmaine wore the maid's uniform that he had bought for her from the Godshop. Once she was properly dressed, she gave William a respectful bow before leaving the room.

After the Elf had left, William closed his eyes and asked the System to take him to the Auction of the Gods.

He currently had 4,450,642 God Points, and he planned to participate in the morning auction to see if there were items that were worth bidding for.

The morning auction was an auction exclusive to the followers of the Gods of the Temple. This is where several candidates like William would auction their goods that they had acquired in their current world.

Naturally, if the quality of these goods passed a certain threshold, it would be automatically sent to the Night Auction where the Gods would be able to bid for it. Just like what happened to William when the System sent the Demigod Sepheron for auction.

"Two hundred Thousand God Points!"

"Two hundred fifty!"

"Four hundred!"

William leaned on his couch as he listened to the bidders raise the price of the items that were auctioned. So far, he hadn't seen anything that caught his fancy.

'Looks like today is another miss,' William thought as the auctioneer presented the last item to be auctioned.

The beautiful lady who served as the host of the auction smiled at the crowd.

"The last item to be auctioned is an Exotic-Grade Gauntlet," the lady declared. "Although it is labeled as an Exotic-Grade Weapon, its true rank is Pseudo-Legendary. A weapon that even Heroes from any world would want to have in their possession."

When the cloth that covered the glass casing of the weapon was removed, William instinctively felt that this would be a good gift for Chiffon.

During the battle at the 50th Floor of the Mirage Caverns, Chiffon's gauntlets broke. The gauntlets she used were nothing special, and could be bought from or commissioned by any blacksmith in the Empire.

However, William always wanted to give her something that was more durable and packed a stronger punch.

"The name of this weapon is Titania's Gauntlets," the lady declared. "A gauntlet that had been forged by the Fairy Queen herself. It is slotted with a special gem that allows its wielder to use the Wind Element proficiently even though they may not have the affinity for it."

Gauntlet type weapons were not very popular in the auction because people preferred using swords, spears, axes, and other martial weapons. This was why it was being auctioned in the Morning Auction instead of the Night Auction.

The auction house hoped that there would be some melee fighters who would be tempted by the Pseudo-Legendary label that they had attached to the weapon.

After seeing the lackluster response of the audience, the beautiful lady felt anxious. However, she still raised her slender hand, and commenced the start of the bidding.

"Bidding starts at 500,000 God Points with an increment of 100,000. Bidding starts now!"

Chapter 543: When Was The Last Time You Ate Trash?

Titania's Gauntlet was a pair of dark-steel gauntlets with gold plated lines engraved over it. Its design was similar to the Infinitea Gauntlets that he had seen in a movie, which was used by a Super Villain to wipe out half the population of the universe.

William noticed that only one of the gauntlets had a green gem embedded on it that glowed with a greenish light. There were five slots in each gauntlet, which meant that it was possible to embed other gems in it to increase its power.

Although William didn't know how he could procure these other gems, the most important matter at the moment was securing the gauntlet. He could worry about the elemental gems later.

"500,000."

William raised his bid as soon as the auctioneer opened the bidding.

"600,000!"

"700,000!"

The Half-Elf narrowed his eyes because he expected that there would be interested parties that would bid for it as well. However, he had no intention of backing down.

"1.3 Million!" William declared.

William wanted to intimidate everyone so he decided to raise the bid instantly. He only hoped that the other bidders would be intimidated and back off, because he had limited funds.

Unfortunately, there were others that had also noticed the potential of the gauntlets, and wanted to acquire it for themselves.

"2 Million!" one of the bidders declared.

"2.5 Million!" William countered.

"3 Million!" the person who had outbid William earlier shouted.

Clearly, he was not going to back down.

William only had over Four Million God Points, and he had already gone past his budget. He leaned back on the comfortable couch and sighed in regret.

< Host, if you like, I can analyze the gauntlet and create a recipe that you could use to craft a near-replica of it using the Blacksmith Job Class. However, you will need to pay 100,000 God Points for it. Would you like to proceed with the analysis? >

The System's words were like music in William's ears. He had completely forgotten about his Blacksmith Job Class. Although its level wasn't high enough to create Titania's Gauntlets, creating a near-replica was not impossible.

'Yes! Analyze it for me!'

< Understood. >

< Starting Analysis. >

After William stopped bidding for the gauntlet, the auctioneer tried to hype it up a little more, but the bidders had already decided to give up.

They were only candidates, and their funds were limited. They couldn't compete with Big Shots that were greatly favored by their Patron Gods that showered them with God Points.

"Going once!

"Going twice!"

"Sold for 3 Million God Points!"

The auctioneer's gavel slammed on her desk, marking the end of the Auction.

William waited in bated breath as the System rapidly analyzed the gauntlets before it was taken away by the staff of the auction house.

Only after William heard the familiar notification sounds did he breathe a sigh of relief.

—–

< Analysis Completed! >

< Titania's Gauntlet (Replica) Crafting Recipe has been acquired. >

—–

God Points: 4,350,642

—–

William hurriedly checked the materials needed to craft the gauntlet. Not only that, the exact process on how he could craft it was also written in the recipe that the system had analyzed for him.

'A little tricky but not impossible,' William pondered. 'If I succeed, It will take me three days to craft it. The materials that I need are a bit pricey, but they are still within the acceptable range.'

After confirming the things he needed, he asked the System to purchase the items that he currently didn't have in his possession.

'I need to tell Ashe and Sidonie that I will be gone for a day or two,' William mused as he returned to the Thousand Beast Domain. 'For the time being, I'll have both of them to look after Chiffon while I'm gone.'

Just as soon as William returned to his room inside the Boy's Dormitory, Ashe's voice sounded inside his head and it sounded very urgent.

"Will, come and help us," Ashe's said in a voice laced with anxiousness.

"There are six people that have us surrounded. It seems that they know Chiffon, and wanted to take her away. Please hurr-kyah!"

Ashe's words were cut off and it sounded that she had been attacked by someone. William immediately dashed out of his room and asked the System to pinpoint her location. After finding her coordinates, William clad himself in lightning and disappeared from where he stood.

—-

Fifteen minutes earlier…

Ian and Chiffon went to see the Garden of Silverwind Academy. The two were admiring the beautiful scenery around them when suddenly, six people encircled them, while they were taking a stroll in the garden.

Ian immediately knew that something was wrong because the moment Chiffon saw one of the men, her body stiffened, and started to shake uncontrollably. She then pulled the little girl close to her as she eyed the adults with a guarded stance.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Ian asked.

One of the men stepped forward and gave Chiffon a sidelong glance before shifting his attention to Ian. The man seemed to be in his mid-twenties and had short purple hair. He also had above average looks, but his light-red eyes, that were looking at Ian, weren't friendly.

"Who I am is not important," the purple-haired man replied. "We have no business with you. Our purpose for coming here is to talk to that little girl by your side. Chiffon, come with us. I'm sure that you don't want your friend to be involved in our business, right?"

Chiffon's body shuddered even more when the man called out her name. The little girl felt her legs weaken, and would have collapsed on the ground if Ian didn't support her body right away.

"I-I don't want to talk," Chiffon stuttered. "P-Please, I've been a good girl. I haven't done anything wrong."

The purple-haired man eyed the shivering girl from head to foot. His eyes were filled with ridicule and contempt as he took a step forward to grab Chiffon's wrist. .

The little girl cried out in fear. And clung to Ian like her life depended on it.

"Let her go now, or I'll call the guards!" Ian threatened as he wrapped his arms around Chiffon to prevent anyone from taking her away.

The purple-haired man chuckled as he firmly held Chiffon's wrist like a vice grip. The little girl was in a state of complete fear, that it had over-ridden the pain she was currently experiencing from the man's strong grip.

"Guards?" the purple-haired man snorted. "Are you talking about those guards over there?"

The purple haired man pointed at a dozen guards in the entrance. They were blocking the entrance of the garden and prevented any students from coming in.

It was quite obvious that they were in cahoots with the six-men that were surrounding two of their academy's students.

"Chiffon, you look so pretty and neat right now," the purple haired man said with a smile. "Tell me, when was the last time you visited the Garbage Dump? When was the last time you ate Trash? Isn't your nickname Trash Eater? Why have you stopped eating it?"

A tear slid down the side of Chiffon's face, followed by another, soon, the pink-haired girl's face was stained by tears as she started to wail and struggle from her captor's grip.

"Bastard! Let her go!" Ian summoned her water whip and immediately attacked the man out of anger.

However, the man was already on his guard and summoned his own weapon to deflect Ian's attack.

"Since you attacked first, I will fight back as self defense." The purple-haired man sneered. "Don't worry, I will not beat you up too much because we have a deal with the Academy."

The purple-haired man kicked Ian's chest sending him flying a few meters away from Chiffon. Two men immediately pinned him down to the ground to prevent him from interfering with their mission.

"Ian!" Chiffon cried out as she struggled to break free from the man's grip. "Let me go! Let me go!"

The purple haired man chuckled as he grabbed the little girl's neck and lifted her in the air.

"Don't worry, I will let you go, but we have to take a trip to the Garbage Dump first," the purple haired man said in a teasing tone. "I'm sure that you're very hungry right now, so I'll help you eat a lot."

Chiffon's face was starting to redden due to her struggle and lack of air to breathe. The guards who were watching in the distance sighed as they averted their gaze in guilt. If possible, they wanted to help the little girl, but this was what they had agreed upon when the six men came to meet Chiffon during Princess Sidonie's birthday party.

"Chiffon, you're so light right now that I can lift you with a single hand," the man said. "This is no good. You must eat more trash. You need to eat a lot until you are full."

Chiffon's gaze was starting to blur due to the lack of oxygen. She had already stopped struggling because it was pointless. The little girl had already accepted her fate, and no longer resisted her captor's taunting.

Seeing that Chiffon had already given up hope, the purple haired man sneered internally. He was about to let the little girl go when a flash of light appeared, followed by a loud cracking sound.

"Ahhhhhh!" the purple-haired man screamed in pain as he held his arm, which was now bent in an unnatural angle.

Chiffon raised her head to see who had come to save her. Even though her vision was already blurry, she immediately recognized the red-headed teenager who was holding her in a princess carry.

"Sorry I'm late," William said in a voice laced with killing intent.

After seeing Ian being pinned down on the ground by two men, and Chiffon being strangled by someone, the Half-Elf's killing intent oozed out from his body.

The Half-Elf looked down at the purple-haired man who seemed to be the leader of the group that was responsible for hurting his girls.

"Hey, punk, do you want to try dying once?" William asked.

William was not someone who condoned senseless killing, but he didn't shy away from killing bastards that deserved to die.

Right now, even if the Emperor of the Kraetor Empire intervened, he would stop at nothing until he gave the man in front of him a very slow, and painful, death.

Chapter 544: Your Souls Are Mine

"Big… Brother," Chiffon said weakly. More tears flowed down from her eyes as she looked up at the person that had declared to become her caretaker. "Don't fight them. They are very strong. You will only get hurt. I will go with them, and apologize on your behalf. So, please, take Ian and go."

"Strong?" William smiled as he helped Chiffon to stand up. "A bunch of men bullying a little girl is strong? Don't worry, Chiffon. Now that your Big Brother is here, I'll beat up these bullies for you."

William didn't add that he also planned on killing them later even if he had to chase them to the ends of the continent.

The Half-Elf used his fingers to wipe away the tear stains on Chiffon's face before shifting his attention to the purple-haired guy that dared to strangle the little girl that he had taken under his wing.

"Oi, I don't know who you are, or where you came from, but you have successfully made me angry," William said.

Ian, who had been pinned down on the ground earlier, was also sheathing in anger. However, the two men that were holding her in place were stronger than her. However, she was no longer worried because her lover had come to their rescue.

She sneered internally because she knew that the six people who had ganged up on them would not have a good ending.

The Half-Elf's eyes glowed with power as tendrils of lightning snaked around his body. He then pointed behind him and two streaks of lightning zapped the two men that were pinning Ian down, sending them skidding across the ground for several meters.

Ian immediately stood up and ran towards William and Chiffon.

The six men were at least Adamantium Ranked Fighters (Centennial Ranked). They couldn't believe that a mere teenager was able to push them back as if they were just rookie mercenaries.

The purple-haired man forcefully fixed his broken arm using an elixir before giving William a hateful glare. He didn't know how the red-headed teenager managed to land a sneak attack on him, but now that he was on guard, he wouldn't allow the same mistake to happen again.

"Brat, we have an agreement with the Academy, so we are not allowed to severely injure the students here," the purple haired man stated as he summoned a greatsword in his hand. "Although I won't kill you, I will cut off one of your arms. That way, you will know that there are people in this world that you can't afford to provoke no matter what."

The guards that were standing at the side glanced at each other. They were not only there to prevent the students from entering the garden, they were also there to ensure that the six Adamantium Ranked Mercenaries wouldn't go too far with their harassment.

Now that the situation had turned for the worse, the Captain of the Guard finally decided to step in and prevent the mercenaries from harming William. However, before he could even make his move, William's words stopped him in place.

"Since you had already decided to become mere spectators then you can stay as spectators." William turned his head to glare at the Captain of the Guards. "Don't interfere, or I'll hold you accountable for turning a blind eye

on this farce."

The Captain of the Guards unconsciously shuddered because, for a moment, he thought that a blade was pressed against his neck. If he took a step forward, this blade would penetrate his flesh and draw blood.

After saying what he had to say, William shifted his attention to the purple haired man whom he was planning to torture to death.

From behind his back, a portal emerged and dozens of Rainbow Birds flew out with a vengeance. B1, and B2, had spent some time with Chiffon inside the Mirage Cavern and grew fond of the girl.

Although they didn't know exactly what happened, William's feelings passed through them and their gazes locked on to the purple-haired man who was a few ranks above them. Even so, the two dumb birds were not afraid.

Unfortunately, William had already ordered them to deal with the other five men, because he personally planned to beat the crap out of the bastard that dared to kick Ian and strangled Chiffon.

The last one to come out of the Portal was Psoglav. The Demonic Dog smirked evilly as his single eye scanned his surroundings.

'Just where did that pig-headed Anteater go off to?' Psoglav thought. 'Well, I'll just look for him lat–'

Just as Psoglav was about to summon his doppleganger, a big shadow loomed over them.

Psoglav raised his head, and the smirk on his face widened when he saw a Golden Dragon hovering above them. On top of the Dragon's head, a small rainbow-colored anteater arrogantly looked down upon the six men as if they were just little insects.

"Psoglav, Kasogonaga, B1, and B2, I will let you handle the small fries," William ordered. "Don't kill them, understand?"

""Okay!""

"Ian, watch over Chiffon for me." William summoned his wooden staff and held it firmly in his hand. Without another word, he stomped on the ground and appeared right next to the purple-haired man.

The name of William's opponent was Augustus. He was a Demon Mercenary that had been hired by a High-Ranking Noble from the Demon Continent to ensure that Chiffon lived a miserable life in the Kraetor Empire.

He and his men would visit Silverwind Academy twice a month in order to observe Chiffon and send a report to their employer.

Augustus liked this mission very much. Why? Because it was super easy to do and the pay was quite high. He would rather bully a little girl than face dangerous missions in the Demon Continent where the chances of dying were high.

He just didn't expect that this easy mission of his would encounter difficulties that would cause him to waste a precious elixir to fix his broken arm.

The two clashed several times against each other. Both men were trying to gauge each other's strengths, while exchanging blows deadly enough to instantly kill a weaker opponent.

It didn't take long before Augustus noticed that he was being pushed back by the red-headed teenager, who was looking at him as if he was a walking corpse.

Augustus channeled his aura into his weapon with the intention of using his most powerful attack, to obliterate the annoying Half-Elf.

William was about to dodge the attack when he realized that the man in front of him didn't randomly choose this instance to hit him with a full-powered strike.

Ian and Chiffon were directly behind him. If he dodged Augustus' attack, it would hit the two people behind him. William knew that even if the two girls survived, they would be severely injured due to how powerful his opponent's attack was.

"Ignite!" Augustus roared. "Blaze Fury!"

William raised his left hand and summoned a Silver Shield in front of him. The wooden staff in his right hand disappeared and it was replaced by Soleil.

Right now, William had equipped the Sun Knight Job Class, which was known for its very high resistance against flame-based attacks.

William's feet skidded on the ground as Augustus' attack collided with his shield. The flames had ignited the flowers around them, turning their surroundings into an inferno.

Ian had held Chiffon close to her when the attack started and used his body as a shield to protect the girl from the raging flames that seemed to have a life of their own. William sneered as Soleil glowed in his hand. The Mythical Weapon greedily absorbed the flames since they could be used as a source of power.

A few moments later, the raging flames died out completely, and the spear in William's hand turned dark red.

William didn't dare to use Soleil inside the academy because there was a chance that some of the students might get involved in the destruction that Soleil was capable of unleashing.

Augustus clicked his tongue because his plan failed. He then hurriedly distanced himself from the red-headed teenager as he took out a Seventh-Circle Scroll from his storage ring to unleash a follow-up attack. He didn't intend to use this scroll because it was very expensive.

However, William had angered him so much that he decided to not only pull the teenager's soul out from his body, but to devour it alongside Chiffon's and Ian's.

"Your Souls are Mine!" Augustus activated the scroll in his hand. "Soul Devourer!"

The leader of the Mercenary Group knew that once he activated his Trump Card, the annoying brat and his friends were bound to die. Although it was regrettable that Chiffon would be part of the casualties, Augustus didn't mind.

All he wanted to do was kill the boy in front of him, regardless of what methods he used to make it happen.

Chapter 545: Your Daughter's Lover Is A Good Person

The Seventh-Circle Spell was designed to capture the souls of anyone in its path.

A seven-meter tall apparition of an Astral Worm appeared in front of Augustus. It then opened its mouth as it sucked greedily to absorb the souls of the three teenagers in front of it.

Ian felt her spiritual world tremble as the Soul Devourer skill passed through her. She had given half of her heart to William, so her Spiritual World's defenses were also cut in half. Although she had a very high-resistance to Soul Attacks, a Seventh-Circle Spell was nothing to sneeze at.

William was about to decimate the Astral Worm using his Life Mage Job Class when a determined shout reverberated in the air.

"N-No!" Chiffon cried out. "I won't let you hurt my friends!"

Chiffon stood in front of Ian who was already kneeling on the ground and doing her best to keep her soul from leaving her body.

The pink-haired girl opened her mouth as wide as she could. It was at that moment when the air around her trembled, and a powerful suction force collided with the Astral Worm's own devouring power.

It was then when something unbelievable happened. The Astral Worm's apparition shrieked in fright as a powerful force pulled its body towards the little girl.

William, who saw this scene, wasn't too surprised because he already knew what Chiffon was capable of. He even laughed internally as he lunged towards Augustus to give him a world of pain.

He wasn't too worried about Chiffon when it came to a battle of Devourers. Challenge the Sin of Gluttony to an eating contest? They must be out of their mind!

Just as William expected, the Astral Worm was sucked up by the pink-haired girl's little mouth, until nothing was left.

Augustus didn't expect this outcome, so he was a second late in raising his guard to block William's punch that was headed right into his chest.

A loud clap resounded as William's fist dug into August's chest that sent him smashing towards the ground. The punch that William did was not an ordinary punch, but a punch that he had not used for a very long time.

It was the Monk Skill, Overwhelming Strike, that he used to beat the Sword Saint's Disciple and the pompous noble that had a crush on Rebecca.

—–

< Overwhelming Strike >

(Needs 5 Skill Points to unlock)

— Once a day you can deliver one full-powered unarmed strike that contains all of your strength.

— Damage dealt is equivalent to your Strength Stat multiplied by 20.

—–

William's attack was so strong that a seven-meter-wide crater appeared in the ground where Augustus' body laid. The purple-haired man's eyes had rolled on its sockets, and blood spilled at the corner of his lips.

The Half-Elf held back a bit to ensure that the Demon wouldn't die because he planned to torture him slowly.

William turned his head to see how the others were faring, and saw Kasogonaga and Psoglav slapping the face of the last conscious mercenary in the six-man group.

Ian and Chiffon were both unharmed, and were currently looking at Augustus, who was sprawled on the ground.

William smiled and walked towards the little girl with a smile.

"You did well," William said as he patted Chiffon's head. He then shifted his attention to Ian who seemed eager to kick the half-dead man on the ground because of what he had done to her.

"You, too, Ian. Thank you for protecting Chiffon," William pulled Ian close to him and whispered something in her ears. "Don't worry, I will let you torture him later. Make sure to pay him back a hundredfold for hurting you."

Ian gave William a very rare evil smile that didn't match her personality. It just showed how much his mermaid lover resented the man who had

barged in on their peaceful stroll in the garden.

When William was thinking of how to smuggle the six unconscious men to his Thousand Beast Domain, the Headmaster of Silverwind Academy, along with some of the Professors, arrived at the garden.

Gilbert sighed when he saw the damage that William's battle had caused. The Garden was one of the most famous attractions of their Academy. However, more than half of it had been destroyed, and had been turned into scorched Earth.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Young Man?" Gilbert asked as he looked at William's direction. He had the strong urge to pull the Half-Elf's long ears until the teenage boy cried out in pain.

"Took you long enough," William replied in a casual manner.

Gilbert found himself unable to reply to William's reply. He had been informed days ago about the six mercenaries that had come to perform their regular check on Chiffon's lifestyle in the Academy.

This life-style check had been going on for more than a year already, and the Headmaster had turned a blind eye on it due to the agreement that the Kraetor Empire had with the Demon Continent.

William snorted and summoned a water whip to tie up Augustus' body, along with his men. He was about to drag them away when Gilbert stepped in to stop him.

"We will take over from here," Gilbert said in a firm manner. "This falls under our jurisdiction."

"What if I refuse?" William asked back. He used his question to stall for time while the System put some trackers on the six men, so that the Half-Elf could hunt them down later.

< Host, trackers have been successfully planted on their bodies. >

'Thank you,' William replied. He had spent six hundred God Points to ensure that no matter where the six men went, William would know exactly where they were.

"What do you want?" Gilbert asked in irritation. Not only did he have to deal with the damages that had been made to the Academy's garden, he also needed to bribe the Half-Elf who was defying his authority.

"I want them dead."

"Sorry, that's not possible."

"Alright, then give me Six Centennial Beast Cores instead. If you do that, I will let them live." William proposed.

Gilbert frowned and held up two fingers. "Two Centennial Cores."

WIlliam shook his head. "Not only did these men hurt three students of your Academy, they also scared my two dumb pets."

William pointed at B1, and B2, who was perched on top of two of the six mens' heads.

"These Motherf*ckers scared the sh*t out of me!" B1 shouted in an aggrieved tone. "I will sue your Academy for Emotional Trauma!"

B2, raised its head in an arrogant manner as it lifted its claw. "Just look at my pinky claw, I can't raise it up due to how scared I am. You old f*cker better take responsibility, or else you'll talk to my lawyer!"

Gilbert had the very strong urge to hurl a fireball at the two dumb birds to roast them completely.

What Emotional Trauma?

Can't raise a Pinky Claw?

If anyone needed to sue someone due to Emotional Trauma it would be no one else but him!

"Three Centennial Cores. That is my final offer," Gilbert said as flames danced on the tip of his fingertips.

B1, and B2, hadn't stopped hurling profanities in the Headmaster's direction calling him "Old Motherf*cker" and other vulgar words that pushed Gilbert to the limits of his tolerance.

"Fine," William agreed before the old man snapped and roast the two dumb birds to the afterlife. "Pay upfront or no deal."

Gilbert took three Centennial Cores from his storage ring and shoved them into William's hands. The Half-Elf took them and stored the Beast Cores inside his storage ring before holding Ian, and Chiffon's hand, leading them back to the Boy's Dormitory.

The three students left without a word. Psoglav, and the Rainbow Birds returned to the Thousand Beast Domain, while Kasogonaga once again rode on top of the Dragon's Head.

Kasogonaga was currently the King of the Bestiary in the Third Grade Division. The rainbow-colored Anteater intended to brainwash all the Magical Beasts that belonged to the students of the Academy to become its followers.

—–

Gilbert watched William's entourage leave with a sigh. He then kicked one of the tied up men who had just regained consciousness to vent out his anger. The pitiful man once again lost his consciousness as his eyes rolled up into their sockets.

"Take them and lock them up properly!" Gilbert ordered. "I am going to see his Majesty!"

The Headmaster of Silverwind Academy didn't even bother to give the six mercenaries a second glance as he left to return to his office. He knew that Evexius was planning to deal with the mercenaries after they had left their territory.

However, William had already done the deed which complicated things. If this matter wasn't resolved properly then several problems might arise regarding the relationship of the Kraetor Empire and the Demon Continent.

—–

Somewhere in the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods…

"Eros, it seems that your daughter's lover is a good person," a fat Goddess said while eating a slice of cake. "You know, although he's a bit skinny for my taste, I like his personality."

Lady Eros smiled as she sipped her tea. The Goddess of Gluttony, Adephagia, suddenly appeared in front of her castle, and asked if she could come in for some afternoon tea.

Naturally, Eros invited her in because she was none other than her best friend in the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods.

What the Erotic Goddess didn't expect was that Adephagia would come to see her, in order to talk about William. The Fat Goddess kept on asking personal questions like what William liked to eat, or how many lovers the boy had.

It was quite obvious that her good friend wanted to either fatten William up to suit her taste, or help her daughter, Chiffon, make her move on the boy.

Lady Eros was quite supportive of her friend, so she decided to help her out a bit. Whether Chiffon would end up becoming one of William's nine lovers, was none of her business.

The only thing that mattered to her was the happiness of her daughter, whose power was currently being kept at bay by the Half-Elf who seemed to have caught the attention of another troublesome Goddess.

Chapter 546: A Sin That Is Too Much To Bear

Chiffon was currently seated on William's lap, with her head resting on his shoulder.

Ever since they had returned to William's room in the Boy's Dormitory, Chiffon refused to leave his side. The Half-Elf wanted to ask her some questions regarding the six men, but decided to put it on hold for the time being.

Chiffon was in no condition to answer any questions, so William decided to just stay by her side until her fears subsided. The little girl's body would shudder from time to time, even though she was enclosed in William's protective embrace.

Clearly, she had suffered some kind of trauma at the hands of the six mercenaries that were commissioned to make her life miserable.

"Don't worry," William coaxed the trembling girl in his embrace. "I will not let them hurt you again. I promise."

Chiffon gripped William's robe as she tried her best to calm her heart that seemed to be on the verge of bursting. The past month had been the happiest month that she had spent in the Academy. She had been so happy that she had forgotten why she was sent to the Kraetor Empire, and why those mercenaries would visit her twice a month.

"Big Brother, I'm scared," Chiffon said softly. "I'm scared that they will take me away. I don't want to go."

"Rest assured, As long as I'm around they will not be able to take you anywhere." William promised.

"Really?"

"Yes. So, stop crying."

Chiffon sighed as she leaned her body on her protector. For some reason, her heart was telling her that William would indeed keep his promise. Perhaps due to the feeling of relief, and William's assurance, the little girl closed her eyes, and fell asleep in his arms.

William stayed still until Chiffon's breathing became steady. After making sure that the girl was in deep sleep, he carried her to the bed, so that she would be able to rest properly. After settling her down, the Half-Elf was about to go when a small hand grabbed his arm.

Chiffon was still asleep, but her body moved unconsciously to prevent William from leaving her. The Half-Elf glanced at the hand on his arm, and the sleeping girl on the bed before sighing internally. Her breathing had become unsteady and he knew that she might wake again if he took another step away from her.

"B1, B2, fly around the Academy and gather some information. It doesn't matter what kind of information it is, even random things are fine too," William ordered. "When you return, I'll give both of you one Centennial Core each."

A small portal appeared above William's head and one Red and one Blue Bird appeared inside his room.

The Half-Elf waved his hand and the window in his room sprang open. The two noisy birds left the room without uttering a single word because they noticed that Chiffon was sleeping. Although the Angray Birds were all vulgar birds, they were surprisingly considerate to the people whom they deemed to be their friends.

With another wave of his hand, William closed the window and laid beside Chiffon. He hugged the little girl to assure her that he's not going anywhere. The hand that held William's arm relaxed, and Chiffon's breathing once again became steady.

William brushed away the strand of hairs that were blocking her adorable face, and looked at it closely.

'The Sin of Gluttony might be too much for you to bear,' William thought as he hugged Chiffon. 'But, don't worry. I will make sure that you won't go hungry again.'

Yes. Using the power of the Divinity that she received from the Goddess Lily, William was confident that he could

prevent Chiffon's sin from taking over her rationality.

Princess Sidonie's Sin of Lust was capable of charming anyone around her, making her a very dangerous being.

Chiffon held the Sin of Gluttony. William didn't know the extent of this Sin's power. However, after seeing Jekyll devour the Elves in the war just by opening his mouth and sucking them all in, the Half-Elf guessed that Chiffon's Gluttony works the same way.

William wasn't aware that there was a time when Chiffon's power went out of control in the Demon Continent. Back then, she was in a gathering of High-Level Demons that oversaw the different territories of the Demon Realm.

Chiffon's father had starved her for a month, in order to use her as a means to make the other Demons submit by force. However, he didn't expect that the little girl's power had far surpassed his expectations.

Back then, Chiffon had gone crazy due to hunger and started to devour everything around her. Houses, demons, monsters, even the rocks and dirt had not been spared.

She had become a small black hole that greedily sucked in everything around her. Because of this, all the High-Ranking Demons tried to stop her by bombarding her with powerful spells. Unfortunately, these spells were also devoured by her, leaving her father and the High-Ranking Demons helpless.

Killing one of the Seven Deadly Sins was taboo. Anyone who dared to do that would have their entire bloodline suffer eternal punishment under the hands of the God, or Goddess, to whom the Original Sin belonged.

This was why Chiffon's father, and the High-Ranking Demons, could only attempt to knock her unconscious to stop the destruction that she was causing.

Chiffon's rampage ended after a day had passed. The little girl fainted after sating her hunger.

After she collapsed, the High-Ranking Demons all agreed to seal her because she was far too dangerous. However, Chiffon's father proposed a different idea.

"Let's send her to the Central Continent and let the Humans deal with her," Chiffon's father proposed. "It will be an effective way to weaken their forces. If they tried to kill her then their lands would be cursed and that would only be to our advantage."

His proposal was well received by the High-Ranking Demons and all of them voted for Chiffon's exile. Chiffon's father then sent her to the Kraetor Empire because he knew that Emperor Leonidas would not be able to turn her away.

However, the Human Emperor wasn't a fool either. In return for taking Chiffon custody, he extorted Chiffon's father for precious resources that could only be gained from the Demon Continent.

Both sides had settled on a compromise, and Chiffon was sent to the Kraetor Empire. The High-Ranking Demons would occasionally send mercenaries to check Chiffon's condition in order to see if she was nearing her limit.

Emperor Leonidas was not aware of the danger that Chiffon posed to his Empire, and tried to help the girl in his own way.

Albert, William's Alchemist Master, was in charge of supplying Chiffon with Food Pills. However, it didn't take long for them to realize that the Food Pills' effect gradually lost its power as time went by.

Right now, a pill was only enough to stave off Chiffon's hunger for half an hour. Although they could keep on making pills for her, the nobles of the Demon Continent had sent supervisors to check her condition.

After they found out that Chiffon's hunger was being kept at bay using pills, they sent a petition to the Kraetor Empire and Chiffon's father and threatened to bring her back to the Demon Continent.

Knowing that what awaited the girl–if she were to return–was suffering, Emperor Leonidas decided to cease all support to the girl and allowed her to fend for herself.

Of course, Albert would sneak a few pills every now and then, so that she could eat them when the hunger became too unbearable. However, due to the heavy monitoring that was being done on the girl, he couldn't help her much.

—–

"The boy beat them up?" Emperor Leonidas asked with a smile. "Did he beat them good?"

"Your Majesty, this is no laughing matter," Gilbert said. "What should we do with the Demon Mercenaries? If they return to the Demon Continent then news of this will spread and they might even send a punitive expedition."

Emperor Leonidas pondered for a while before giving his decree.

"After they had recovered from their injuries, set them free," Emperor Leonidas ordered. "I doubt they will be stupid enough to find trouble for Chiffon after the suffering that they have received from William."

"But, what about the Chiffon's father?" Gilbert inquired.

A devilish smile appeared on Emperor Leonidas' face as he told Gilbert the answer.

"Tell them that the one that beat up the men he sent was the son of the Dungeon Conqueror and the Saintess of the Elves," Emperor Leonidas replied. "I'm sure that once he gets this news, he will try his best to capture the boy."

"Will we let him catch the boy?"

"Catch him? Well the possibility exists, but are you forgetting something important?"

Gilbert frowned, "Something important? Ah!"

The Headmaster of the Academy remembered the Auras that he had felt when William fearlessly confronted Emperor Leonidas.

"That boy isn't even afraid of me," Emperor Leonidas said. "Since that is the case, why would he be afraid of Chiffon's father? I hope that sorry excuse of a father gets his just desserts. Losing an arm against the Dungeon Conqueror back then was not enough for his arrogance."

Emperor Leonidas would love to see the face of Chiffon's father after he realized that he had f*cked up. What he didn't know was that the Half-Elf was only bluffing back then.

William couldn't ask for the help of the Myriad Undeads in the Undying Lands, unless he was about to conduct a massacre that would number in the hundreds of thousands.

Malacai was not running a charity.

There were only a little more than a year before he would be free from his bindings. When that happens, he would once again set foot in the lands of Hestia. A land that he had not seen for thousands of years.

Chapter 547: The Vault Of The Vanished Warlord

Just like William instructed, B1 and B2 started to gather information inside the academy. Most of the information they gathered was about the battle that had happened in the Garden.

There were rumors flying around that the Academy was under attack and the Headmaster was keeping a tight lid on it. The two birds knew that this was not the information that William wanted so they kept their ears open for any kind of gossip no matter if it was credible or not.

"Man those idiots, I shouldn't have agreed to let them inside the academy." Eumann, the Guard Captain of Silverwind Academy scratched his head in irritation. "Everytime those bastards come here, I get the urge to punch their faces."

The other guards nodded their heads in agreement. Earlier, when they saw William and his summoned monsters beating the mercenaries, they wanted to join the fight and clobber the bastards as well.

However, they were duty bound not to interfere because this was something that the Emperor had decreed. It would become a dispute, so they couldn't do anything about it.

"Look at the bright side, Captain," one of Eumann's trusted subordinates commented. "I doubt they'll have the guts to return here after that one-sided beating."

Eumann snorted because he knew that things weren't that simple.

"Even if they don't come back, the other side will send in more people. This time, those hired goons will be stronger and more brutal than the first batch."

B1 waited just in case Eumann would say more, but half an hour passed and no further talks about Chiffon were discussed.

B2, on the other hand, went to see Kasogonaga and asked it for help.

"Those motherf*ckers," Kasogonaga cursed. Due to the influence of the Rainbow Birds, the Deity of the Sky would curse from time to time, especially when it was around them. "Don't worry, B2. I'll ask my minions and share the news at a later time."

B2 nodded and flew away. It still didn't find any worthwhile information, so it decided to go to the places where many students gathered to listen to their conversations.

—–

Meanwhile in the Infirmary of Silverwind Academy…

"You've already seen Chiffon," Gilbert said as he looked at the six mercenaries that had been patched up by their school's clerics. "Now leave this place before I ask you to pay for the damages that you have caused."

"Headmaster, do you think that this will end well for you?" the leader of the mercenary group, Dickie, sneered. "If my employer hears about this, he will definitely not sit idly."

"Indeed." Gilbert agreed. "I mean, if I heard that the mercenary group I hired was beaten black and blue by a teenager, I would probably be infuriated. Who knows? I might even kill you on the spot for being incompetent fools."

Dickie flinched because the possibility of that happening was very high. Their employer was not a very understanding person, and once he got angry, heads would start to roll.

"In fact, I was just about to write a letter to him," Gilberd said with a smile. "I will make sure to report everything that happened here. I'll even ask him to pay for the damages that you have caused.

"Don't you know that the Garden is one of our Academy's attractions? Now that half of it is destroyed, it will take a while for it

to be restored to its former glory. Guess what? That's going to cost a great sum of money. I bet your Employer will be very happy when he reads my letter."

Dickie was starting to feel anxious. If word of their group's failure were to spread, they would definitely become fugitives in the Demon Continent and would have no choice but to stay in the Central Continent to evade their employer's wrath.

This was something that they had to prevent at all costs!

Dickie cleared his throat, "Headmaster, we've known each other for a while. Why don't the two of us compromise?"

"Hmm? Compromise?" Gilbert questions. "Are you going to pay me for the damages?"

"…No, but I have a better idea," Dickie could tell that he was at a disadvantage in the negotiation.

The leader of the mercenary group knew that If he didn't come up with something to keep the Headmaster's mouth shut, things might get dicey for him in the future.

"How about this, I will give you this scroll that I stol– I picked up by accident," Dickie said as he summoned a scroll from his storage ring. "A merchant was carrying this scroll and it seemed to be a prized possession. I was planning to sell it at an auction, but since the Headmaster and I are good friends, I will use this to pay for the damages I did to your academy.

"Not only that, I will also report that Chiffon is more miserable than the last time I saw her. I will continue to give this kind of report to my employer, everytime we visit in the Kraetor Empire. How does that sound?"

Gilbert thought for a while before nodding his head in agreement. If he could wrap things up in a peaceful manner then he and Emperor Leonidas didn't need to worry about Dickie's employer.

Also, he was very curious about the scroll in Dickie's possession. Since he had nothing to lose in this exchange, he acted to reluctantly accept the Mercenary Leader's offer.

"Fine," Gilbert made a gesture for Dickie to pass the scroll to him. "I will compromise, but we will make a soul contract first. All six of you will sign it with your blood. Do we have a deal?"

"Of course!" Dickie answered in a heartbeat. He was worried that Gilbert would change his mind so he hastily gave him the scroll and waited for the Headmaster to finish drafting their contract.

Although he lost an ancient scroll that he was planning to sell in an auction, it was more important to keep his head on his body. His employer was someone that didn't look at failure favorably.

After all six mercenaries had signed the contract, they hastily left the Academy to return to the Demon Continent. Dickie had seen the pure killing intent in William's eyes, and he knew that the boy was serious.

This was why he didn't bother to stay long in the Academy just in case the Half-Elf would come knocking on their doors.

Gilbert had asked the guards to escort the mercenaries out of the Academy to ensure that they wouldn't do anything stupid along the way.

"Finally, everything's been wrapped up nicely," Gilbert sighed as he sat on his couch. "I swear that William brat will be the death of me."

The Headmaster of Silverind Academy shook his head in helplessness before opening the scroll that Dickie had given him. He was a linguist and had studied almost all the languages in the World of Hestia, including the Ancient Language of the Firstborns.

The Firstborns were the first residents of the world when it was just formed. They were an ancient race that was said to have gone extinct during the Era of the Gods because they were hunted down by the other races due to their unique abilities.

Gilbert raised the cup of tea on the table and took a sip. However, he immediately spat it back out after reading the first lines on the very top of the scroll

"The Vault of the Vanished Warlord."

The Headmaster's hand trembled because he knew the backstory of the Vanished Warlord.

He was the ruler of the Firstborns, and was said to possess an incredible treasure that could rival the power of the Gods.

Gilbert had dedicated his life to finding the Vault of the Vanished Warlord, where the Priceless Treasure of the Firstborns was held.

"To think that I would find its location in this manner, Fate is really a fickle lady," Gilbert muttered as he read the contents of the scroll. Five minutes later, the Headmaster of the Academy slammed his fist on the table in anger.

"Dammit! Why must it be on the 51st floor of Babylon?!" Gilbert cursed out loud. "So this is why no one had found it, even after all these years. It's right there!"

The Headmaster of the Academy cursed for ten-full minutes before he finally calmed down. After reigning in his emotions, the first thing he did was to press his left palm over the scroll.

A moment later, a flash of light shrouded the room in white. Gilbert used his unique ability to create a perfect replica of the scroll that would lead him to the treasure vault that he had searched for his entire life.

The Headmaster didn't settle for one copy. He made twelve exact copies of the scroll and translated the text into the language commonly used in the world of Hestia, this way he could look for people who would dare to challenge the place where none had returned alive.

Chapter 48 - 538-547

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