The western part of the city was under strict lockdown. Crimson and yellow warning lines demarcated a wide and empty road stretching directly from the western city gates to the embassy.
Buildings nearby bore prominent magical markings, while military mages were stationed densely in concealed positions, fully authorized to eliminate anyone displaying suspicious behavior. Civilians had been evacuated, and even the underground sewer systems were monitored. Not even a rat could sneak in. Beyond the warning lines, lethal magical beams continuously scanned the area, rendering any attempts at hidden infiltration futile.
Every conceivable security measure had been deployed—short of summoning a flying fortress.
It was clear that some high-ranking dignitaries were about to arrive in Flyn County.
"Scan complete. Security status confirmed. All areas are clear. Preparing to open the city gates," a voice—mechanical and androgynous—resounded in the Nightmare Corps commander's mind.
He immediately gave the next order. "Double the scan range. Fully activate the aerial defense system."
The magical system carried out his command almost instantly. "Understood. Your will has been executed."
"Good. Prepare to receive them."
The city gates creaked open, revealing four carriages in the lead, unmistakably adorned in the distinct style of Saint Lanskat. The horses pulling them weren't real—they were constructs of summoned spirits, powered by the will of their mage handlers, and their pace was remarkably swift. Surrounding the carriages were black-uniformed mages armed with glowing lances, their chests bearing the insignia of the Emerald Holy Lance.
Behind these carriages came eight fiery steeds draped entirely in flames, pulling an ornate golden carriage.
This golden carriage was less a vehicle and more a work of art, devoid of any magical mechanisms, relying solely on the eight fire steeds for propulsion. A mage cast spells on the ground to lift the carriage's wheels slightly, allowing it to hover just above the surface. The fiery aura emanating from the steeds could be felt even two streets away. Their flames, saddles, and reins were all pure gold.
From a distance, the golden carriage seemed not to be drawn by horses but by a blazing sun.
In a darkened room near the roadside, Slo Lampez drew the curtains back slightly, allowing a sliver of dazzling light to pierce the gloom. He stood inside a commandeered civilian house, the original occupants having been evacuated for security purposes. Once the reception was over, they would be compensated by the military.
Besides Slo, a black-robed mage occupied the room, his face obscured by a hood and shadows. His voice was raspy, almost as if artificially altered. "Mythical beasts… fire steeds that once pulled the sun. It seems the one inside is indeed her."
Slo narrowed his eyes, watching the golden carriage through the gap in the curtains. "Untouched by the dust of the world, deaf to its noise—why would she involve herself in this negotiation?"
"Don't be naive. She's clearly not here for the negotiations," the black-robed figure scoffed, pouring himself some water as he sat by the table. "You should run while you still can."
Slo shook his head. "Just a little longer. I hope to finish what I started before I leave."
"She surely knows what you're doing," the black-robed mage warned, his tone carrying an edge of menace. "Don't overstep."
Still, Slo shook his head. He watched the golden carriage disappear at the end of the street before finally drawing the curtains shut. "There is nothing she doesn't know. But there is also nothing the Eternal Night cannot achieve."
The black-robed mage fell silent, sipping his water before offering his opinion. "For your sake, I hope that's true."
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "At the very least, you need to move the girl somewhere safe."
"Amora?" Slo frowned, clearly troubled. "That's complicated. In every sense. I can't touch her."
The black-robed mage wasn't surprised. "That's natural. With divinity comes eternal purity and tranquility. Consider the one we just saw—no one can utter her name, no one can depict her likeness, and no one can defy her will."
"Amora hasn't fully matured yet," Slo muttered, rubbing his temples in clear frustration. "And yet, even now, I can't feel malice toward her, can't desecrate her, can't even…"
He trailed off, and the black-robed mage raised an eyebrow. "Can't even what?"
"Can't even—" Slo paused, then sighed. "It was Mengel who tested it. He borrowed a large quantity of hallucinogens from me."
The mage spluttered, spitting his drink across the room, the liquid crystallizing into stones as it hit the floor. "Wait, what? Did you just imply… Never mind! Just get her out of here. Send her anywhere. The Black Mage Tower, perhaps?"
"That's easier said than done," Slo replied, massaging his brow again. "Find me a way to move her to the Black Mage Tower without evoking a single shred of malice."
"Take her sightseeing," the mage suggested mockingly. "Tell her you're taking her to see the man-eating forests and the eternally dark, rotting swamps. A romantic journey."
"Thanks for the advice," Slo said dryly. Clearly, he would need to come up with his own solution.
By the time Slo returned home, it was already deep into the night.
In the living room, Shu was sprawled across the sofa in a decidedly undignified sleep, while Amora was still in the study, engrossed in her books. She had spent the day memorizing the magical glyphs in that mysterious blank book and was now reading other materials for a change of pace.
"Not going to sleep?" Slo's voice emerged like a shadow, and his figure appeared at the desk, casting an eerie silhouette over Amora in the lamplight.
Startled, she quickly closed her book and glanced at the clock. "It's this late already?"
"Yes. Some urgent matters delayed my resignation paperwork. I'll have to postpone our lessons." Slo's gaze fell briefly on the book in her hands, a complex application manual. "Also, the young duke will be leaving within the week. You won't need to feel uncomfortable around him for much longer."
Plans never seemed to keep up with change. Amora had known Shu would leave for his assignment overseeing the northern canal construction soon, but she hadn't expected it to be this quick. Of course, Slo had no problem traveling between the northern cities and Flyn County, so teaching Shu separately wouldn't pose any difficulty.
But what exactly had happened to delay Slo's resignation?
"I have a question," Amora suddenly said. Surely, Slo didn't intend to watch over her for the rest of her life?
Slo's tone remained indifferent. "When you come of age, you can go to Saint Lanskat for advanced studies. They have faith-based foundational systems there."
Amora still had at least five years before adulthood—more than enough time for that black jade to turn to dust. She didn't have the luxury of staying here, playing this waiting game with Slo.
"Why not now?" she tested, hoping for a loophole.
Slo's calm demeanor didn't waver. He reached over and shut her book gently before answering, "Because the empire's laws dictate that minors must live under the supervision of their guardians. Except in special circumstances, exit visas and foreign residency permits are only issued to adults."
"I see…" Amora feigned a look of sudden realization. "Looks like I'll be troubling you for quite a while then."
Slo pushed up his glasses, the lenses catching a chilling gleam. However, when she looked again, his face remained as calm as ever. "It's no trouble. You should get some rest."
With no choice, Amora stood up. Before leaving, she turned back and asked, "By the way, when exactly is the young duke leaving for his northern assignment?"
Slo pushed his glasses again, the reflection hiding his eyes. He appeared to study Amora for a moment before finally saying, "That's none of your concern."
Amora's lips curled into a sweet smile. "Alright. Good night, Professor."
She closed the study door behind her, stepping into the pitch-black corridor. Her heart pounded rapidly.
Slo and Mengel were part of some mysterious religious organization—no, perhaps even a cult. Years ago, Mengel had infiltrated the upper echelons of the Emerald Holy Lance and spearheaded the development of its most crucial magical system. But just as the foundational system neared completion, Mengel had fled Saint Lanskat, stealing all the research and inflicting massive losses on the Emerald Holy Lance.
Now, Slo seemed to be walking a similar path, though his goals were entirely different.
For the Emerald Holy Lance back then, the foundational system had been paramount. But for the Nightmare Corps now, nothing was more critical than the Grand Canal.
The Grand Canal represented gold and diamonds, land and slaves—a virgin territory untouched by war, opening the northern frontier to the empire's ambition.
Amora boldly speculated that, in the coming two centuries, the northern territories would dominate the continent's focus. Since the last magitech revolution, the magical armies of the great empires had expanded to their absolute limits. The unrestrained competition for military strength would inevitably ignite a war. And the trigger for that war would likely be the "jointly developed" fertile northern lands.
Years ago, Mengel had stolen the pinnacle creation of the foundational system. Now, Slo seemed poised to steal the southern-northern passage. When Slo killed the young duke and installed his own man to oversee the northern section of the canal, that would be the moment he shed his disguise and left the Nightmare Corps.
Amora had to escape his control before that happened. She could not—would not—relive the horrors of the past decade.
Her steps echoed steadily through the darkness, her resolve firm, her direction clear.
The next morning, Amora was jolted awake by a loud knocking on the door.
Slo had already left, as he often did, seemingly buried under endless work. The young duke had woken up once, then promptly fallen back to sleep, his routine more pig-like than princely. The knocking grew louder. By the time Amora reached the living room, Shu was still dead to the world on the sofa.
"I'm coming," Amora called, ignoring Shu as she headed for the door. "Professor Slo isn't here. May I ask what this is about?"
Standing at the door was Green, visibly tense, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm here to see the young duke! The duke has summoned him back to the castle immediately!"
Amora raised an eyebrow in surprise. Shu had only been thrown out a day ago, and now the duke was urgently calling him back? From what Amora had observed, Shu and his father didn't exactly get along. After just one meeting upon his return from the imperial capital, Shu had stormed off and been promptly deposited in Slo's care. Whatever was happening now had to be urgent.
Speaking of urgent matters—had Slo's delayed resignation been caused by the same event?
Amora didn't pry further. She turned back and shook Shu awake. The moment he opened his eyes, he glared at her in outrage. "You lunatic! Let go of me!"
"Your father sent someone for you," Amora said plainly. "He's waiting outside."
Shu threw a cushion at the door and collapsed back onto the sofa. "Get lost! I don't want to see that bastard!"
Outside, Green silently cursed his bad luck but had no choice. "Miss Ernier, please open the door."
Under Shu's venomous glare, Amora obliged. She was astonished to see Shu pull a small knife from his pocket and hold it to his neck. "Don't come closer! I swear, if you take another step, I'll kill myself!"
Green froze in shock, completely unprepared for Shu's dramatic resistance.
"…Your blade is upside down," Amora pointed out helpfully.
Flushing, Shu quickly flipped the knife around, brandishing it with new determination. "I fear no death! I would rather die cleanly than submit to darkness and corruption!"
Yesterday, you didn't act so brave.
Amora vividly remembered Shu groveling for his life in front of her. Perhaps she didn't count as "darkness"? Whether it was light or dark, people always submitted to some form of authority to survive.
Green interjected quickly, trying to calm Shu as if speaking to a child. "You misunderstand! The duke summoned you to attend a ball—a simple, informal reception for the foreign delegation."
"A ball?" Shu faltered slightly, but his face hardened again. "I won't go!"
Green persisted patiently. "It's for the Saint Lanskat peace delegation. The duke has invited a few of their younger members to attend."
Amora's heart leapt at the mention of the peace delegation. This had to be the team sent to handle the fallout from the recent airstrike.
The Nightmare Duke wouldn't want to offend the emperor of Saint Lanskat, so he would maintain the façade of diplomatic pleasantries while quietly meeting with key individuals behind closed doors. Shu, meanwhile, served as a convenient shield, interacting with the younger delegates to make the reception appear more natural while earning some political capital in the process.
"I said no! Get lost!" Shu bellowed, but Green's next words silenced him completely.
"The Frost Valkyrie!" Green declared loudly. "The Emerald Holy Lance's Frost Valkyrie will be there!"
Shu's jaw dropped, his mouth frozen wide open. In a hoarse voice, he stammered, "Are… are you serious?"
Green nodded firmly. "She's already at the embassy. Many people saw her arrive."
"She… she'll be at the ball?" Shu asked hesitantly, as though afraid to shatter a dream.
Green maintained his confident tone, though he had no idea. "Yes, she will."
"Prepare my suit!" Shu barked suddenly, his earlier resolve crumbling like dust. "Go have my formal attire tailored immediately!"
Amora hadn't expected such a rapid change of heart. She was curious about the Frost Valkyrie, but far more importantly, something critical had just occurred to her.
The black jade had been taken by someone from the Emerald Holy Lance.
Now, with Saint Lanskat's delegation—including members of the Emerald Holy Lance—arriving for peace talks, there was a chance that someone in the delegation had handled or even carried the ring.
It was a slim opportunity, but if Amora wanted to avoid waiting five long years for adulthood, she had to seize it.
"Take me with you." Amora approached Shu, offering him a sweet smile before lowering her voice threateningly. "Or I'll kill you."