Approval

The Knight Princess had entered a state of invisibility, but she was keenly aware that her current condition could be detected by the senses of high-tier professionals. Ordinary people and even low-tier professionals couldn't see her—though Alice's "pervert" intuition was an exception. This feeling was just a sensation; she couldn't explain why she knew it, like an instinct.

Moreover, as she moved, stepping to the rhythm of the "Wave," her steps felt noticeably lighter, and her speed had clearly increased. In just five minutes, she reached the west wall of the Duke's Mansion. She couldn't go any further—beyond that lay the warning range of Aunt Kaydelin's Magic Tower. She planned to slip in by scaling the tower at the southwest corner of the mansion. At this hour, the guards wouldn't look down at the tower unless they heard something, and even if they did, they wouldn't see anything.

Struggling to maintain the frequency of her Battle Qi fluctuations, she leaped up, grabbed the top of the three-meter-high wall with one hand, and flipped over. She landed without a sound, astonishing even herself. It seemed this sword still had much to uncover.

Just as she was about to sneak back to her bedroom along the shadows of the flower bushes in the front yard, she suddenly "saw" a person. In her invisible state, she could see things as clearly in the pitch-black night as if it were day, complete with dazzling "special effects." For instance, the Magic Tower's warning range was different from elsewhere, glowing with a purple halo.

That figure was sneaking out of her aunt's Magic Tower. And it was someone she knew intimately—her father, the Grand Duke of the duchy. She covered her mouth in shock. Since her mother passed away giving birth to her younger brother, her father had never remarried. A few years later, her aunt had returned from Middle Earth with Alice, taking care of her and her brother. She had always regarded her aunt as a mother and Alice as a real younger sister.

If her father married her aunt, no one would object, right? But after more than a decade with no movement between them, everyone had grown used to it. Yet today, what Princess Andrea witnessed reignited the gossip fire in her heart...

After her father's figure disappeared into the distance, she sneaked back into her room through the window, changed clothes, and pulled open the bedroom door. She gently patted the cheek of her maid, who was sound asleep on the small bed in the outer room, and said, "Wake up, Lulu. Time to get up. I need to go practice my sword."

Though she hadn't slept all night, the princess, a Great Knight, was now brimming with energy, ready to greet the new day...

On the other side, in the Ayrland Empire, the esteemed alternate committee member Wilson calmed down and fell into reflection. First, that country bumpkin student from the New Continent had tricked him, but the cost he paid compared to the gains was negligible. In the previous transaction, he had already come out far ahead. And this time, according to the supplementary terms of the last Magic Contract, as long as he gave that youngster the formal alchemist's Meditation Method and corresponding spell knowledge, the kid would obediently hand over the patent technology for concrete. And if he could meet the military's needs this time, their support for his promotion to full committee member was a given. Then his family would hold a vote in both the Mage Committee and the Alchemist Committee, making them a top-tier Magic Clan in the country in no time.

But here was the problem: the Ayrland Empire had abolished the old master-apprentice tradition of magic, forbidding the private teaching of magical knowledge. If that kid were still in school, he'd get the advanced knowledge needed to become a formal alchemist without Wilson's help, and the academy would nurture him heavily. Now, giving it to him wouldn't matter in itself, but he feared leaving evidence for the future... What should he do?

A few days later, an application, after passing through layers of screening, landed on the desk of Sir Klein, President of the Ayrland Alchemist Committee and Secretary General of the Pan-Continent Alchemist Association.

He picked up his exquisite Gold-Rimmed Crystal Glasses, placed them on his nose, and lifted the document from the finely carved, precious Mahogany Desk, reading it carefully.

The title read: "Application for Establishing a New Alchemist Association Branch in the White Hawk Duchy of the New Continent."

The content was as follows:

To the Honorable Secretary General:

It has come to our attention that Mr. Edward Smith, a graduate of our school in the White Hawk Duchy of the New Continent, has recently been promoted to a formal alchemist.

His ambition upon leaving school was clear: to take root in the remote New Continent and expand the alchemist profession's territory. After joint deliberation by the Alchemy Department faculty of our school, his qualifications meet the association's requirements for establishing a branch in the New Continent—namely, the presence of a Mage Guild branch and a Magic Tower within the territory, along with a resident formal alchemist.

With the entire Middle Earth engulfed in war, ensuring a stable and smooth supply line from the White Hawk Duchy to the Ayrland Empire is urgent. An experienced alchemist is needed to sit on the other side of the ocean, maintaining and repairing the Steam Engine Magic Arrays for cargo ships on the route.

Therefore, we hereby apply to establish the White Hawk Duchy Alchemist Branch, issue corresponding supplies, and appoint Mr. Edward Smith, formal alchemist, as the branch president of the White Hawk Duchy Alchemist Association.

Respectfully submitted,

Alchemy Department, Ailande Royal Magic Academy

Guarantor: Derek Wilson, Alternate Committee Member, Ayrland Empire Royal Alchemist Committee.

Sir Klein's aged, wrinkled face broke into a faint smile. He took off his glasses, shook the document in his hand, and asked his assistant beside him:

"Carter, have you read this document?"

The middle-aged man standing by nodded slightly. "Yes, Sir, I have."

"Any thoughts? Speak your mind." The old man narrowed his eyes, watching his assistant.

"That alternate committee member is quite patriotic, thinking to secure our maritime shipping route. A very patriotic display." The assistant offered a high-sounding, insincere remark.

"Hmph—" The old man snorted dismissively.

"That guy, with his meager academic achievements, wants to elbow his way into the committee? A pipe dream. It seems he's impatient, already trying to build his own power base within the association.

You should know, when electing alchemist committee members, every branch gets one vote. And becoming an alchemist committee member automatically grants you the status of a Royal Alchemist Committee member. The Wilsons have quite an appetite!"

"But Sir, you must know, if young Mr. Wilson can meet the military's needs this time, the empire's defense line at Marchburg will stabilize. Then the military's opinion..." Assistant Carter leaned in, lowering his voice.

"It seems you've benefited quite a bit too, or this document wouldn't have reached me so fast." The old man smiled, lightly pointing his quill pen at the assistant.

"But this time, I'll do old Wilson a favor. After all, the war has started, and that thing isn't so scarce anymore. Opening a new branch isn't a big deal."

With that, the President and Secretary General wrote "Approved" below the application and signed his name.

Watching his assistant walk out with a stack of documents, the old man leaned back into the carved sofa chair. The sunlight slanted through the window, casting his face in half-light, half-shadow.

He muttered to himself in a voice no one could hear:

"When someone comes in, someone leaves. That young Mr. Wilson is in such a hurry to get in. Hmph, when the time comes, you'll see—being a lifetime alternate is the happiest fate..."