Teleportation Incident Begins

After I confirmed our cooperative relationship with Ariel, her mood clearly improved a little.

Just as I was about to discuss our recent plans with her, a bespectacled gentleman walked over.

"Greetings. I am Derrick Redbat, Lady Ariel's guardian mage. I look forward to working with you."

A new guard? Honestly, I didn't have much interest in the guards around Ariel. But they were also important cannon fodder later on, when protecting Ariel on the way to Sharia. So I didn't show any contempt toward him.

"Hello, I am Princess Ariel's Guardian Knight, Dolin Prodia Greyrat. I look forward to working with you."

Then I turned to Ariel and said to her, "I have plans that need to be carried out soon. I can tell you each of these plans, as well as the reasons behind them. Please find us a secluded place so the two of us can speak alone."

After all, I was Ariel's Guardian Knight. Spending time alone with Ariel did not violate etiquette. So, led by Ariel, the two of us went to the stone pavilion in the rockery area of the garden.

The other guards and attendants, as well as Luke, could only watch us leave with envy in their eyes.

Once we reached a place where no one was around, I loosened up a bit. I got straight to the point and said to Ariel:

"You have no chance of winning in Ars."

"What do you mean by that?"

"In Ars, the nobles are the ones who hold power. Your prestige among the nobility is far too far behind your two elder brothers'. If you want to rely on noble support to rise to the throne, it's simply impossible.

"Even if Notos supports you, the moment they see that you have no hope of ascending the throne, they'll betray you at once. Notos will never bear the risk of retaliation after the First Prince becomes king.

"I'm not trying to scare you. As long as you use your head and think about it, you should be able to understand that clearly. Perhaps you've already thought it through."

"Yes, I have thought about it. That's why I previously tried to increase my influence among the commoners and the army. But wasn't that something you refuted? If I don't do any of that, then I have even less chance of winning. I cannot accept being a decorative princess."

"Yes, I did refute your decision to increase your influence among the commoners and the army, but at that time, you had no way to protect yourself. When you couldn't even protect your own life, you still wanted to bare your fangs. Wasn't that just courting death?

"Now I'm back. I'm already a Water King Tier magician. In Asura, apart from my teacher, the Water God, and a few members of the swordsmanship royal families, assassinations by other small-time thieves are no longer worth worrying about."

"Are you truly willing to stay by my side and protect me?"

"Yes, I will protect you during this period. Until you are sufficiently safe."

"What do you mean by sufficiently safe? And what do we need to do now?"

"Fine. From now on, you follow my instructions and obey my command. I can tell you all the plans I'm able to tell you. As for the plans I can't tell you, don't ask. How about it?"

"All right."

"First, I need an open space. I will establish an exhibition there about the Seven Heroes resisting Laplace. I'll handle this matter, and I'll build the structures with earth magic.

"After I establish the exhibition, I want you to use your influence to invite children from across the entire nation to come and visit. Take note: the invitation is to children from across the nation, but I hope that the main visitors to the exhibition will be children from Fittoa Territory.

"Don't ask me why. I can't tell you the specific reason for this. Once you guess the specific reason yourself.

"You still cannot tell anyone. Remember, anyone.

"Only you and I know that the main target of the invitation is children from Fittoa Territory. If this matter spreads, then our cooperation is canceled. I'll go directly to support the First Prince. Do you understand?"

Ariel was completely confused now, unable to see through my arrangements at all. I continued:

"After this matter comes to an end, I need you to leave Ars and head to Sharia. The public reason for leaving will be studying abroad, but the explanation to insiders will be that you were assassinated and fled overseas to take refuge. Of course, if no one assassinates you, I will also send someone to stage an assassination attempt, to give you this suitable reason.

"When you go to Sharia, you can study at the local Ranoa University of Magic, then build good relations with the local nobles.

"Here, what I can reveal to you is that in Sharia, you will have the chance in the future to meet one of the only living Seven Heroes of today, the Armored Dragon King Perugius.

"Your task is to get acquainted with him, then have him support you in seizing the throne.

"As for exactly how you get him to support you, that will depend on your own efforts.

"If you can't do it, then spend the rest of your life in Sharia as a wandering princess! Coming back would only be sending yourself to your death, and you would get everyone around you killed too.

"When the time comes, if you cannot make Perugius support you, I will personally help you sever all thoughts of becoming king. Do you understand?"

After hearing this plan of mine, Ariel gave a solemn nod. She agreed with my opinion. She should also have understood that, given her current circumstances.

The only chance of victory was to find powerful outside aid, and that aid had to be someone with a great reputation in the Asura Kingdom.

Perugius was the best choice.

"All right, that is my plan. I've told you what I can say and what I can't. If there are no issues with the plan, I will serve as your Guardian Knight during this period. But I can't be certain that I'll be able to escort you at the same time when you go to Sharia. Still, don't worry. If I can't go with you, I'll find someone to take my place as your guard."

Ariel looked at me with a resentful gaze.

"Can't you just keep being my Guardian Knight and stay by my side?"

"No. I still have many very important things to do. You and I are not in a Guardian Knight and princess relationship. You and I are in a cooperative relationship. Do you understand?"

Those words seemed to make her bristle. She walked off, a little angry.

Watching her back, I scratched my head in irritation.

Then I shouted, "I'm going to prepare the exhibition! If anything comes up, send someone to find me!"

Then I ran off like a puff of smoke. Ariel stomped her feet in anger over there. "Hmph, what do you mean serving as my Guardian Knight during this period? You won't even stay by my side. You go off to busy yourself with your own matters, and even make me send someone to find you. This is truly outrageous."

After leaving the Silver Palace, I visited my teacher, the Water God Reida Reia, again. Isolte was by her side as well. Teacher Reida Reia was also very gratified by Isolte's growth. Although my own growth in the Water God Style had remained stagnant, she was naturally gentle with me as well.

After leaving, I began my plan to save the children of Fittoa.

First, I spent close to three months creating the so-called venue. In order to let those orphans or refugees have a good living environment in the future.

I used my own funds in Millis Bank to prepare many daily necessities. Beds, pots, bowls, ladles, basins, food, and all sorts of other things that would be needed later. Of course, I secretly stored all of these away. I needed to conceal the fact that I knew the Teleportation Incident would happen.

Otherwise, I might have been suspected of being the culprit behind the Teleportation Incident. After all, there was no clear way to explain it.

Time passed quickly, especially when I was busy every single day.

Because I had no idea how many of the orphans from Fittoa Territory who would later be stranded in Ars would be able to find their parents again, I decided to build this exhibition venue especially sturdy.

After using earth magic to construct a building, I would use magic again to compress and reinforce the walls. I made them sturdy enough not to collapse for at least twenty years.

Also, since Ariel and I couldn't possibly stay in Ars forever, I planned to look for some people who could manage this children's refugee camp when the time came.

Of course, I couldn't fund it all by myself. I would have Ariel organize donations. Hopefully, we could save a group of people.

By the fourth month, the venue for the exhibition on the Seven Heroes' resistance against Laplace had already been completed. I also mobilized my family's influence and Ariel's connections to find some nobles and solicit donations of exhibition artifacts related to the Seven Heroes' resistance against Laplace.

There were weapons and armor used by the Seven Heroes back then. There were also city-defense weapons from that era used to resist the Devil Race, the Asura Kingdom's battle flags, and so on. When the king learned that I was holding this exhibition, he even specially allocated a batch of four-hundred-year-old artifacts from the national treasury for display.

In a roundabout way, this was also a form of patriotic education for the nation. For the Asura royal family and the nobility as a whole, it was a good thing. It would give the next generation of commoners in the country a stronger sense of belonging to the Asura Kingdom.

When we arranged the venue, Ariel also personally brought people over to help.

She even mocked me for having no architectural talent, saying the venue I had built was ugly and rustic, with no aesthetic value.

What a joke. Compared to any patriotic education, this venue's practical significance would definitely be far greater. When the time came, I wanted to see whether Ariel would still mock me.

By the fifth month, basically all the arrangement work had been completed. All kinds of children's schools in Fittoa, as well as training classes for children, had received invitations to visit the royal capital. In order for the children of Fittoa to arrive smoothly, I also met with James. After all, he was the current head of Boreas, and at my request, he still gave me plenty of face and sent word to the city lords throughout the territory.

When the time came, the children who came would all be reimbursed for travel expenses and food costs. A month-long free visit. Just this expense alone cost me nearly five thousand gold coins.

As for why it was only Fittoa Territory, Ariel helped me come up with a good method. The method was that children from all four great territories in the nation would be arranged to come visit, starting with Fittoa Territory.

That way, it wouldn't seem especially abrupt.

As time entered November, I remembered that Rudeus's birthday was in winter, but I had forgotten the exact day. The children from the schools in Fittoa Territory also began arriving one after another. For now, most of them were staying in the buildings I had constructed.

Right now, my feelings were extremely uneasy. I was afraid the Teleportation Incident would come too early, causing many children still on the road to be transferred away. I was also afraid the Teleportation Incident would come too late, and when the children returned to the territory, all my efforts would be like drawing water with a bamboo basket, ending in nothing.

Amid this uneasy state of mind, Eris came. She brought Ghislaine with her to visit my home.

"Why are you alone? Uncle Philip and Aunt Hilda didn't come?"

"Grandpa brought me here. He's at our Boreas ancestral residence right now. He seems to dislike your family, and when he heard I was coming to your house to find you, he wasn't in a good mood either."

"What about your parents? Why didn't they come? Didn't I invite them too?"

"I heard Grandpa say Father absolutely refused to come because he didn't want to see Uncle James. Since Father didn't come, Mother didn't come along either."

I grew a little anxious about what to do. The reason I had Eris come this time was precisely for her parents. Aunt had treated me so well. I couldn't just watch her die like this. No, I needed to do something.

I looked anxiously at Eris, but I didn't know what exactly I should do.

Just then, my gaze fell on Ghislaine. My eyes lit up.

I stood up and said to Ghislaine, "Ghislaine, come here for a moment. I have something to tell you."

Ghislaine looked at me with a blank stare. There was no more time to explain. I took her hand and went to the room next door, regardless of how unhappy Eris was over there.

After we reached the adjoining room, I shut the door.

"Ghislaine, if Philip and Hilda were in danger, what would you do?"

"Protect them, of course. Kill the enemies who come for them."

"Good. This time, the reason I called Uncle Philip and Aunt Hilda over is because I heard someone wants to harm them. That's why I wanted them to take shelter in Ars."

"Who? Who wants to harm them?"

"I don't know who either. I only know that they're in great danger in Roa. I don't know if there's still time now, but I need you to go to Roa at the fastest speed possible and bring them here."

"After you find them, no matter what method you use, even if you have to knock them unconscious, you must take them away from Fittoa. Understand? Go as soon as possible. Don't waste words. Take them away directly. No matter what important business they have, you must be quick."

"Wouldn't it be fine if I protected them at their side?"

"No. Even if one of the Seven Great Powers went to protect them, it wouldn't work. Remember, as long as you take them away from Fittoa Territory, they'll be safe. Stay outside for at least a month. Whichever direction gets you out of Fittoa fastest, take that route."

"I'm entrusting this important mission to you. During this time, I'll protect Eris's safety."

"All right. I'll go now."

Then Ghislaine turned and left the room, heading in the direction of Roa.

Sigh. I hoped there was still time.

When I went out, Eris was stunned. She was shocked by Ghislaine's sudden departure without farewell.

"No need to look. I sent Ghislaine to pick up your parents. There'll be a special surprise at my birthday. Your parents need to be present when the time comes. I hope she makes it in time."

"Oh, Cousin, what surprise? Can't you secretly tell me?"

"If I tell you, what kind of surprise would it be? Don't think about it. You'll know when the time comes. Come on, I'll take you back to your grandfather's place."

Sigh, my surprise is saving your parents' lives! Silly girl. After that, I took Eris back to the Boreas main residence.

Time passed day by day. These past few days, because Ghislaine had left, Eris seemed as if she had lost a playmate and clung to me every day. She even shouted for me to teach her flying magic. But the moment I asked what level her magic had reached, she fell silent.

Because the exhibition had already begun, I had to go to the exhibition every day to preside over the work. In addition, all the people I had recruited to help with the exhibition had already been found.

Ariel also often came to inspect the exhibition. She had always been especially interested in why I wanted to hold this exhibition. Because we were together so often, Eris and Ariel also met frequently. I could only say, as expected of Ariel. Even with someone like Eris, who often resorted to violence and wasn't good at communicating with strangers, she could still build a good relationship.

All I could say was that people with maxed-out social talent really were amazing.

Until That Day

Dragon God Calendar, year 417, November 23.

At noon that day, I was handling matters related to the exhibition as usual. Eris was someone who could never sit still either, chattering nonstop beside me.

"Cousin, what's the point of this exhibition? Let's have a match. I'm already an Advanced-tier swordsman of the Sword God Style now."

"Oh, that impressive? Then if I sparred with you, I probably wouldn't be able to beat you!"

"No, Cousin, you're a magician. The fact that your Water God Style swordsmanship reached Advanced-tier surprised me too. Listen, that magician our family hired before to teach me magic—he's also learning the Sword God Style with me. But he's so lame. He's practiced for three years and he's still Beginner-tier. He can't even dodge one of my moves."

She was probably talking about Rudy. I doubted there was any other magician who would go learn swordsmanship with her.

"Oh, then how is his magic?"

"His magic is all right, I guess. I heard he's Water Saint Tier, but he's not as amazing as you, Cousin. You're Water King Tier."

"Water Saint Tier is already very impressive. In magical battles, Saint-tier magic is actually rarely used. The only time it's truly useful is during large-scale wars. In ordinary spars with swordsmen, no matter what school the swordsman follows, they won't give a magician time to cast Saint-tier magic."

"Mm, then doesn't that mean in a normal spar, I'm stronger than you now, Cousin?"

"Haha, we won't know unless we try."

"Great, then let's spar together in a bit."

"Once I'm done—"

My words were strangled by a deep purple flash of light.

The instant I saw that light, my heart went thump. It was too sudden.

I immediately picked up Eris. Invisible Wings, "Invisible Wings." Holding her, I flew up to the roof of the exhibition hall.

The staff at the exhibition, the invited children, and the ordinary civilians of Ars all looked at me. At the same time, they also looked at that point of light.

"Cousin, Cousin, I'm flying! Wow, you should've told me earlier you could take people flying. You made me only find out now. Ah, Cousin, hold me tighter. I'm scared I'll fall. Cousin, what is that? It's so pretty."

I shook my head and said, "I don't know."

After I landed on the roof, I let go of Eris.

All I saw was that purple point of light continuously expanding, expanding again. Then it plunged from the sky into the earth like a beam of light. In the end, it turned into a ring and scattered rapidly in all directions, spreading wider and wider until it covered the entire Fittoa Territory. It lasted another five seconds or so. Then it vanished from the sky.

"It's over."

At the same time I finished saying that, a scream came through the air.

First, a tree appeared in the sky over the distant city and fell down from the heavens.

Then some people suddenly appeared from points of light on the ground, while others fell from the sky and were smashed to death.

Then houses, stones, door panels, wooden barrels, cows, sheep, and horses appeared in all sorts of unimaginable places.

Chaotic noises also rose from the royal palace.

I immediately held Eris tight and flew toward the royal palace.

By the time I flew to the palace garden, it was already over.

Ariel was protected by a group of guards.

In the center of the lake lay the corpse of a Demonic Beast, and on top of the Demonic Beast's corpse sat a little girl with white hair.

Beside the Demonic Beast lay several guard corpses. Among them was Derrick Redbat, who had spoken to me last time. I was not too familiar with the other two. One of them seemed to be the woman who, during the previous assassination incident, had asked me why I did not chase after the assassin. Her head was gone, so I could not make out her face.

After I set Eris down, I rushed toward the crowd and saluted Ariel. "Lady Ariel, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. The Demonic Beast fell from the sky. It was the girl on the Demonic Beast who saved us. Derrick Redbat, Colinu, and Edway are all dead. Is this an assassination?"

"Probably not. Just now, to the southeast of Ars, in the direction of Fittoa Territory, there was a purple ball of light. Then the ball of light generated radiance that covered that entire stretch of land. I don't know whether someone cast a spell. When I was coming over, in the city and in the sky, there were many buildings, people, and animals that suddenly appeared. They were in the same situation as that Demonic Beast and that person."

After I explained the specifics to Ariel, I walked toward the girl on the Demonic Beast.

"Who are you?"

"I don't know."

"Where are you from?"

"I don't know. I can't remember."

She should be Sylphie. I had not expected that after she was teleported here, she would also have amnesia.

I waved to the attendant beside Ariel. She should be called Elmoia, right?

"Take this young lady to wash up. Change her into a set of clothes suitable for wearing in the court."

Elmoia looked toward Ariel. Ariel nodded. Then she took the girl away.

I returned to Ariel's side.

"Your Highness Ariel, that girl just now was actually able to defeat a Demonic Beast like that, so she should possess considerable strength. You can try to win her over. I still need to find out the whole story behind this matter, so please excuse me."

Then I took Eris by the hand and prepared to leave. Eris was still standing there in a daze, even preparing to perform that stiff, almost robotic etiquette of hers.

Before she could finish her salute, I wrapped an arm around her waist and flew away.