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“Teacher?”

Inside the tent, a small head peeked out.

Startled awake by the noise, Messiah’s big eyes were full of curiosity.

“It’s nothing.”

Su Lu waited for a moment, then saw a centaur returning, its spear tip stained with blood. It saluted him, disappeared into a card, and vanished.

“Did it manage to escape?”

He chuckled, unconcerned. “It seems it has some genuine skill.”

The mutated centaur was not as powerful as Rophis, but it was equivalent to a knight just entering the third rank.

To be able to escape from it, even if at the cost of some injuries, was quite impressive.

“Teacher… is this also one of the abilities I will learn?”

Messiah, who had originally disappeared into the tent, once again peeked out, a look of astonishment on her face as she looked at the centaur card.

“You don’t need to know the answer to that question.”

Su Lu said sternly, “A lady should not be awake and peeping around at this late hour.”

“Teacher, you remind me of my nanny… just as stern.”

Messiah pouted but then suddenly fell silent again.

Su Lu suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. Most of the people in the palace must have perished in the war.

“Well, go to sleep now!”

He crawled into his own tent and stretched comfortably.

At the same time, a shadow clone emerged, faithfully standing guard like the most loyal of sentinels.

The Western Region.

This land was known as the kingdom’s land of flowers, producing every kind of bloom.

And the ruling core of the Drake family resided in Tulip Castle.

Inside the council hall.

Many Western Region nobles lined both sides, some seats left vacant, or temporarily occupied by women and children.

These were the nobles who had marched to the capital with the Duke of Drake. Most had died in battle, some had become prisoners.

In short, their vassal duties and responsibilities were now temporarily borne by their wives or children.

In the high seat atop three stone steps sat a young boy of only about eleven or twelve years of age.

He was the late Duke’s second son, Bard. As his elder brother had died of illness, he had officially assumed the title of Duke of Drake and received the allegiance of the nobles present.

But the young Duke was clearly nervous and often glanced at the scholar next to him.

“Ahem…”

This scholar was an elderly man with a full head of white hair. He held a book, his eyes full of clever light. He coughed, “Ladies and Gentlemen… the crow brings us unfortunate news. I understand your sadness and hatred, but rationality is the only solution to this problem. The Western Region can no longer endure the flames of war… ”

“Scholar Brunei, do you plan to force us to make peace with those Northern barbarians?”

Standing next to the young Duke Bard was another nobleman.

He was middle-aged, with a hawk nose, a gloomy face, and a high hairline, seemingly suffering from hair loss due to long-term worry.

At this moment he was filled with rage. “Those barbarians killed my brothers, my sisters… and now we’re supposed to bow to them?”

“Lord Shaker, please stay calm. I am merely considering the realities of the Western Region…” Scholar Brunei explained.

Scholars were equivalent to personal advisors of noblemen, and they didn’t necessarily have titles themselves.

Their status and power directly related to the favor and authority of the ruler.

Scholar Brunei had been a favored scholar of the Duke of Drake, but now the young Duke’s authority was weak, and he did not trust him as his father had. Facing Lord Shaker, the current Duke’s paternal uncle, he had no choice but to explain.

“We haven’t lost yet!”

Shaker roared, “The true rebels are the barbarians from the North! We need to seek support from the South and the East… right, we also need to find the Queen! I have received news that by the grace of the Mother Goddess, our queen is unharmed, she has escaped!”

“Oh!”

A cheer erupted from below, this was the only ‘good news’ all the nobles had heard.

“All of you… The Northern barbarians will not miss this opportunity. They will surely attack the Western Region. We need to be ready for war! Mobilize immediately!”

Shaker took this opportunity to begin a soul-stirring speech.

Meanwhile, the expressions of Scholar Brunei and Duke Bard darkened, as if they had been forgotten by the crowd.

“Your Grace, please exercise patience for the time being.”

After the meeting adjourned, Scholar Brunei quickly caught up with the Duke and said softly.

As the Duke was still underage, Shaker had been granted significant power, akin to ‘regency’.

Once a war got underway, power would inevitably tilt more toward him. This defied the interests of the young Duke!

However, as someone with deep-seated enmity against the North, it was impossible for the Duke to propose peace. Even today’s probing of sentiments through the Scholar had met with dismal failure.

“I understand. Moreover… as my uncle said, it’s very likely that the Northerners will attack us directly … Let’s get ready for war.”

Duke Bard said with a bitter smile.

Late at night.

Shaker found himself in the council hall again.

Unlike last time, he was now clad in the Duke’s ceremonial garb, brimming with satisfaction as he accepted the cheers of the nobles below.

This was his deepest heart’s desire, but he hadn’t expected it to be fulfilled so soon!

“Where… where am I? Am I… dreaming?”

The previous Shaker was quite intoxicated, but suddenly a chill as cold as ice bathed his body, and he came to his senses.

“Correct answer, you are dreaming!”

At that moment, everyone turned around, their faces sporting strange smiles.

Their figures blurred, like paper-thin cutouts, then fused together in an eerie transformation into a stranger’s appearance.

It was a young man who looked to be in his twenties, clean and tidy in a knight’s uniform, his figure tall and straight, his eyes dark and enigmatic, and quite alluring.

“Allow me to introduce myself, I am Su Lu Pottery! Uh… the chief court mage appointed by Her Majesty! Please forgive my intrusion.”

“It’s you!” Shaker’s face changed, “Did the queen send you? Where is she?”

“She’s safe, and will arrive in Tulip Castle soon. I’m here to ensure her safety.”

Su Lu smiled.

He didn’t feel like sticking by Messiah’s side all the time, and besides, there was no ‘hardening’ significance to that anymore.

“The queen will surely be safe in the Western Region…”

Shaker resisted for a moment but finally caved in, “What do you want to do? Want to make a wizard’s contract?”

“No, that’s simpler than that!”

Su Lu shook his head, “I don’t even need your cooperation…”

“You…”

Shaker was horrified, but he stood no chance against Su Lu in a dream, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared disoriented.

Su Lu took a step forward, his index finger pointing to Shaker’s forehead.

“A psychic trick combined with dream-making ability… Altering memory can be done flawlessly!”

“But to be safe, I might as well leave a time bomb of a curse here.”