505 I Think Something Is Wrong With You (2/2)

When the light ball dimmed, Roland would release another one subconsciously.

When he was hungry, Andonara would always show up at his side in time with delicious food. All he needed to do was open his mouth, and then Andonara would deliver the food into his mouth gently. Roland was fully concentrated on the books left by the other Mages.

In the books he read in the first couple of days, there were the princesss husbands notes. But as the books got harder and more intricate, the princesss husband could hardly understand them anymore. He merely read them and left nothing behind.

However, Roland could understand these books.

Some of the Mages books were very whimsical. Some were based on their personal experience, and some were purely presumptions.

But all in all, they were all brand-new ideas.

Innovation was always advocated in modern society, as if one could get new technologies with nothing but creative thinking.

However, they ignored that a solid foundation of knowledge was the prerequisite for any innovation.

Ideas that were proposed with unrestrained imagination would be pure nonsense if they couldnt ever be put into practice. Some of those whimsical ideas were indeed very interesting, but none of these Mages could put the ideas into practice, so they had to leave their ideas behind in books.

At this moment, all their ideas became knowledge and experience for Roland.

That was exactly the importance of a solid foundation. Otherwise, your ideas would only become fertilizers for other people.

The Golden Sons did not need any sleep. They wouldnt feel exhausted either as long as they didnt exercise too much.

Therefore, Roland had no idea how long it had been, but he had only finished half a bookshelf, and there were still three more bookshelves that carried the Mages journals.

He wouldnt feel bored for a long time.

Roland sat down on a stone chair that he made with Mud to Rock.

On the ground floor, Andonara, Stephanie, and a few noble ladies were drinking fruit wine, having cake, and gossiping in the manors pavilion.

Seizing an opportunity, Stephanie asked Andonara in a low voice, Mr. Roland has spent four days in the basement. Does he never get sleepy?

This is just what he does when he studies magic. Its not unusual that hes not seen for days. His longest record is two months in the magic lab without leaving it at all. Andonara smiled.

Stephanie was rather surprised. Is he so diligent?

Then he is a boring man, isnt he? A noble lady interjected. Andonara, youre too beautiful to be stuck with such a boring man. Youre pretty enough to be a royal princess. Stephanie chuckled, as she believed so, too.

Andonara, however, said, Im afraid you dont understand things very clearly. Even if a man is incapable of sweet talk, youll feel reassured as long as you know where he is, and that hes not fooling around with other women. As long as I can be with him, Ill feel happy even if he doesnt talk to me and just focuses on his business. However, if a man is loose, and you dont know which woman hes sleeping with when you miss him, will his sweet talk still be a good thing? After she said that, all the noble ladies around her seemed embarrassed.

Their men were exactly like that. They didnt know which women their husbands were sleeping with at all.

After a brief shock, Stephanie chuckled. So, you prefer a peaceful life even though youre very strong. What a shame.

Andonara smiled and said, I can only protect him if Im strong!

Looking at the happiness on Andonaras face, a noble lady was pissed and said, Thats because hes never been tempted. Why dont we send someone beautiful down there? Chances are that hell become loose too after he has a taste of other women

The atmosphere immediately became chilly.

At some point, Andonara had left her seat and placed a short dagger to the neck of the noble lady who just spoke. Bitch, why dont you try that?

Andonara, who had always been gentle and friendly, was intimidating now that she became indifferent.

While the Phoenixes had a Hero bloodline, Phoenix had been one of the great devils in the Realm of Devils according to Diablo, the Devil King, until he betrayed the Realm of Devils.

Therefore, it was not wrong to say that Andonara was the descendant of a devil.

I I was I was just playing

The noble lady had never been threatened in such a way. She felt that the cold iron blade on her neck was so sharp, it would cut her tender skin apart if she moved.

She was so frightened that her face became pale and the stink of urine could almost be smelled.

Stephanie didnt stop her. She had been treated by Andonara the same way years back, but Andonara used a longsword back then, and she wasnt nearly as daunting as now. You must pay close attention to what youre saying. Dont ever forget that. Andonara waved her hand, and the short dagger was gone. She looked around at the other noble ladies. Do any of you have similar thoughts?

All the nobles shook their heads hard.

Thats good.

Andonara sat back in her chair and unhurriedly drank her fruit wine.

However, the atmosphere had been completely ruined.

After she finally calmed down, the noble lady who was just threatened felt that her crotches were cold. Realizing that she had just wet herself, she covered her face and ran away from the manor in tears.

The other noble ladies also rose and bowed at Stephanie the First Princess courteously, before they left the manor.

Heaving a sigh, Andonara said, Sorry for ruining your afternoon tea. I got too excited. Thats fine. Stephanie refilled her cup and continued, Theyre only acquaintances to me anyway, not really close friends. You can have fun in afternoon tea whether youre with a large crowd or with only one friend, right?

Andonara nodded in agreement. Then, she looked around to see if there was any enemy nearby, before she said, You asked me to protect you, but I didnt see anyone suspicious in the past few days. Did you trick me?

I dont know if someone would come and kill me either. Stephanie seemed to be at a loss. But it was common knowledge that the deputy chairman was on my side. The enemy probably didnt attack me because I had always stay in my manor.

At this moment, Stephanies old butler barged in. Holding his knees with his back lowered, he breathed heavily and said, First Princess, not good! Something happened! General Louis is dead! Hes hanged on a crooked tree behind his manor!

What?! Stephanie rose abruptly with fury all over her face.

General Louis was her subordinate, and a talent that she had always counted on.

She even planned to let General Louis take charge of the royal guards after she became the queen.

It was not hard to imagine how much she trusted General Louis.

However, at this moment, the man she had trusted and thought highly of was hanged right behind his home.

With this, she would never believe that nobody was conspiring against her.

Bring the guards and check it out with me. The First Princess slapped the desk so hard that the cups and pots on it suddenly bounced and fell, splashing water everywhere.

Ill go with you. Andonara approached the First Princess.

Stephanie managed a smile and nodded.

At this moment, Andonara suddenly clapped her hands and said, Why dont we bring Roland with us? Hes very smart. He might be able to see something. Can he? Stephanie was slightly doubtful. She already considered Roland to be a nerd as he had spent days reading books without coming out.

Those men were knowledgeable but generally werent good at applying their knowledge to real-life scenarios.

I want him to come out and take a walk, said Andonara with a smile.

Fine, whatever you say. Stephanie smiled. For her, Andonara was her only friend and a unique person.

Andonara ran to the underground tunnel happily and soon dragged Roland out although he failed to realize what was going on yet.

At this moment, Rolands mind was still concentrated on the tips and writings on magic, and he hadnt come back to himself yet.

It was not until Andonara dragged him into the carriage and he saw a naked man who was hanging from a tree and drifting along with the wind after arriving at the crime scene, crawling with more than a hundred soldiers, that he was finally completely woken up.

The atmosphere in this world was relatively open. Neither Andonara nor Stephanie was embarrassed at all to see a naked man.

They even seemed rather grave, mostly because the victim had died too miserably.

There were a dozen long cuts caused by sharp weapons on his body. Each of those cuts had nicked his bones.

On the other hand, the naked mans abdomen had been cut open. His pink intestines and other internal organs of different colors had all been revealed. The intestines were almost drooping to the ground. The air was filled with the intense stink of blood. On the ground right below the hanging body was a pool of black blood that hadnt been entirely frozen yet. The surroundings had been cleared. Nobody was around except Roland, Stephanie, and her hundred soldiers.

However, the air was rather dull, and an odd, creepy wind was blowing under the scorching sun.

The victims eyes were wide open, and his tongue was stuck out of his mouth. The tongue was long and disgusting. Put him down. Stephanie waved her hands coldly.

Immediately, several soldiers stepped forward and untied the noose on the victims neck, before they laid him down on the ground.

They even kindly put the victims intestines back in his body.

Roland circled the victim and looked around. Then he asked weirdly, First Princess, someone told me before I came here that this place is right behind the victims home, right? Judging from the color of the blood, although the victim hasnt been dead for too long, its been at least more than an hour. His home is right ahead of us, yet none of his family came out and took a look?

I find it odd too. Stephanie nodded. Ive already sent someone to the manor to see what happened. It seemed that the First Princess was not an idiot. At least, her reactions were normal and rational.

Roland finally thought a little more highly of the First Princess. Then, he squatted before the victim and gazed at his face. After that, he stood up, deep in thought.

Did you find anything? Andonara walked to Roland.

She was already holding her longsword in her hand.

Roland raised his eyes and asked, First Princess, was this dead general capable of using magic?

No. Stephanie shook her head. General Louis was a pure Warrior. Look at his bulging muscles. How could he possibly have been a Mage?

I thought so too, but I was afraid he had been both a Mage and a Warrior, Roland stood up and said, There are certain vague magic elements in his body that are dispersing slowly. Ordinary people cant sense it at all. Your mental power has to be high enough for you to perceive it. Thats why I asked you this question.

Stephanie frowned. How is it possible? General Louis never learned magic. Why are there magic elements in his body?

If the magic elements do not belong to him, someone else might have blown them into him. Roland stood up and circled the dead body again. I think the sharp cuts on the surface of his body might be a disguise for the real cause of his death.

Stephanie was smart enough to understand Rolands meaning immediately. Are you saying that he was killed with magic? Can you tell what kind of magic it was exactly? Roland shook his head. We came too late. The magic has been restored to the most fundamental elements. However, considering that there are sharp cuts all over his body but no scars caused by the evoking magic, he mustve been killed either by a curse or a mental spell. Is there anyone in the Association of Mages who is adept at those two kinds of spells?

Stephanie chuckled coldly. There are a lot. However, now that you put it that way, I have a few suspects in mind. Then, she waved her hands and said, Give General Louis a proper funeral first, and make sure he puts on some decent clothes.

Several soldiers immediately stepped up and covered the dead body with a straw mat, ready to take him to the manor ahead.

At this moment, a few soldiers ran over from afar. Their captain rushed to Stephanie and fell on one of his knees, before he said in panic, First Princess, not good. Everybody in General Louiss home is dead. There are no survivors at all.

Stephanies face darkened. Then she burst into fury and gnashed her teeth. Everybody, surround General Louiss home first. Make sure that even a fly cant escape that place.

Then, the hundred people ran to the manor and broke in.

The yard was rather clean and peaceful. The captain who just appeared led the way while he said, Everybody in General Louiss home has been left in the storage room on the third floor. They died in exactly the same way General Louis did.

Half of the soldiers stayed downstairs and defended the door in case an enemy barged in.

The other half of the soldiers entered the house and searched every closet and cabinet. Ensuring that nobody was hiding inside the house, they finally invited Stephanie upstairs.

Stephanie, Roland, and Andonara smelled the intense stink of blood the moment they reached the third door.

Because the building was airless, the stench here was a million times more unpleasant than outdoors.

When they came to the storage room, the stench got even stronger.

They looked into the room from the door, only to see at least three bodies heaped in the tiny storage room without any clothes. Black blood was everywhere on the floor.

The victims were of different genders and ages. All of them had sharp cuts all over their body, and their abdomens had all been cut open.

Stephanies face was extremely pale. She could stand one body, but a pile of so many bodies was too much a challenge for her.

She covered her mouth and stepped aside, almost throwing up.

Roland stood at the door for a moment. Then he walked back and said, Their situation is the same as General Louiss. They all have feeble magic elements in their bodies that are dispersing slowly. I understand.

Unwilling to stay here any longer, she quickly went downstairs and took a few deep breaths on the lawn. Then she said to the people around her, Burn this building. I remember Louis has a blood brother whos an honorary knight serving another noble. Inform him that General Louis has died for this country, and that he will inherit his brothers title. If hes willing to, I can perform an investiture for him.

The captain next to her nodded quickly.

Then Stephanie returned to her carriage. Roland and Andonara entered the carriage too. The carriage moved unsteadily on the road.

Stephanie looked at Roland. Is it really impossible for you to figure out the original nature of those magic elements? No. Roland shook his head. But that may be because Im not skilled enough. You can ask the Masters of the Association of Mages to examine them.

That will be unnecessary.

Stephanie turned around, lifted the curtain, and looked out of the window. Even though they were very far away, the three main buildings of the capital of Fareins-namely the Temple of Light, the square hall of the Association of Mages, and the royal palacecould still be seen clearly.

Those three buildings formed a marvelous equilateral triangle, which indicated the balance of the three forces.

However, at this moment, Stephanie suddenly had the feeling that, while the royal palace was big enough, it shouldve been higher.

She put the curtain down again and looked at Roland, before she said, Since they were all killed by magic, the Association of Mages is definitely very suspicious. If I go ask them to examine the bodies, wont I be indirectly telling them that I already know something? Am I that stupid? Are you testing me?

No. Roland shook his head.

Hmph. Stephanie snorted and said, You Mages all have infinite tricks up your sleeves. Who can possibly know whats on your mind?

Andonara grabbed Stephanies hand and explained to her, I know that Roland is not that kind of person. He only said that because he didnt think that you trusted him. It was not a test whatsoever.

Stephanie looked at Andonara and then Roland who was apparently unconcerned. Then, she suddenly put on a smile and said, Sorry for my lack of manners. I was in a bad mood. Please forgive me.

Thats fine. Roland waved his hand.

After the carriage returned to the manor, Stephanie said, Mr. Roland, I have to go to the royal palace to meet my father. I need Andonaras protection, so youll have to stay in the manor on your own. After all, the Golden Sons are undying. I dont think you need protection, do you?

All that Roland wanted was to continue reading the books. He couldnt have been happier to be left alone again. He immediately went to the secret tunnel and opened the library.

Then, he sat down and continued from where he left off earlier.

After reading this book, he picked up the next one which had the words Elsas Aspirations on its cover page. He thought that it was a book on light magic or mental magic, but after he opened the book, he found that the cover of the page was just a disguise, and that the book was actually a journal.

August 14, Year XX

Ive finally got Lady Ivanka. It seems that Inferior Human Charming does work as long as you give it enough time

September 22, Year XX

Stephanie is very beautiful. Her body feels great too. But shes too cold. She isnt willing at all when we have sex. Also, she is a domineering woman. I wonder if its really a good thing to become her husband After reading to this part, Roland realized that the journal belonged to the First Princesss husband.

was net

Other people might have seized the opportunity to finish the journal, but Roland was never interested in someone elses private affairs. He simply closed the journal and put it back on the bookshelf. Then, he picked up another book on magic.

After Roland finished another book, Andonara came back. She shook Rolands arm and woke him up from the ocean of books. Then she said, Roland, the First Princess needs your advice. Something has changed.

Well How troublesome.

Roland was rather unwilling to go, but then he thought that he should return the favor now that he had read so many books for free, so he followed Andonara out of the library.

In the pavilion, Stephanie said to Roland after they greeted each other, Sorry to interrupt your pursuit of knowledge again, Mr. Roland. I have a question. Whats mens favorite thing to

do?

e

Every man likes different things, but if I have to name one thing that all men like, its probably the process during which kids are created.

Andonara covered her mouth and chuckled while she blushed slightly.

LOW one

Stephanie smiled and said, You are too frank. I cant even find a chance to mock you. I just met my father, hoping that I could borrow on or two Royal Guardians from him, but he turned me down. Huh? Why?

Stephanie sneered and said, He said that, although he didnt know who assassinated the deputy chairman and annihilated Louiss family, he believed that it was a test for me, and that only if I passed the test could I retain the qualification to be the future queen of the country. But if I fail, I will be married into another country three months from now. I will be the third princess in Fareins whos married into another country in the past two hundred years.

Rolands eyebrow twitched. He didnt say anything.

This was somebody elses family business. He didnt want to get involved at all.

Seeing that Roland was absolutely uninterested, Stephanie was supposed to be mad. But for some reason, she smiled and said, I know that Ive become a joke now. Im clearly the strongest in the royal family except for my father, but I cant find out who my enemy is even though they have launched multiple attacks against me. Its so hilarious. Even I feel like laughing at myself.

After that, Stephanie lowered her eyes as if she were devastated.

Roland still didnt want to talk to her.

At this moment, Andonara walked over, grabbed Stephanies hand, and said, Ill help you. If your father marries you to a foreign man, Ill ask Roland to take you to Delpon and hide you there.

Roland smiled after he heard that.

He had thought that Andonara would say something like Youre my friend and Ill be there for you no matter what.

However, she turned out to have little faith in Stephanie. She didnt want to part with Roland or her friend, so she wanted Stephanie to fail, so that Stephanie would come with her and be by her side as her friend for the rest of her life.

Roland had to say that Andonara was rather manipulative.

Stephanie was slightly smarter than Andonara. She certainly realized Andonaras plan very well.

She was both angry and amused.

The feelings were so mixed that even her stomach was cramping.

She couldnt help but hold her abdomen. She said reluctantly, Are you trying to help me, or are you hoping that I wont be lucky?

Andonara smiled but didnt say anything.

Stephanie heaved a long sigh.

At this moment, Roland interjected, Dont be frustrated yet. Actually, your father and the Church of Light are just as ignorant of whats going on as you are. The Association of Mages might know a thing or two, but youre too proud to ask them.

How do you know that the Church of Light is ignorant of the situation too? Do you know any big shots in the Holy Realm of Light?

I know a Saint Samurai.

Just keep bragging. Naturally, Stephanie was unconvinced. How long have you been in the capital? And youve already made friends with a Saint Samurai?

One of the Saint Samurai is actually a Golden Son

Stephanie waved her hand. Ive already looked into it. Actually, not all the Golden Sons know each other. Sometimes you can be in conflict too. That Golden Son Schuck is the most appreciated talent in the Church of Light in the past years. How can you possibly know him?

I really know him. We were friends to begin with, said Roland casually.

Stephanie asked suspiciously, You really do?.

Forget it if you dont believe me. Roland didnt try to convince her, because it was none of his business whether or not she believed him.

No, I believe you. Stephanie suddenly jumped from her chair and hopped to Roland. If you are good friends, can you do me a favor?

Do you want me to ask him out for you? Seeing her glittering eyes, Roland thought that Stephanie was one of the women who were charmed by Stephanies handsomeness.

Stephanie, however, said, It doesnt matter whether I can meet him or not, but can you ask for five red dragon scales from him for me?

Huh?

Roland was slightly surprised. Why do you want that?

To make an alchemical potion, said Stephanie with glowing eyes. Im a Warrior too, but my gifts are limited. However, the case will be different if I have the red dragon bloodline, which can significantly improve my upper limits. Even if I cannot become a demigod, there will be hope for me to become a Legend before I die.Its very precious, isnt it?

Stephanie nodded quickly.

I cant help you.

Roland shook his head. Since the dragon scales were precious, it meant that losing them might be harmful for the dragoness.

Roland wasnt very close to the dragoness, but she was his brothers woman, or mount, anyway. He couldnt do such a terrible thing as to beg his brother to harm his mount, just for a princess that he hadnt known for even tens yet.

It seems that youre only bragging. Stephanie heaved a sigh of disappointment.

Roland knew that she was only trying to goad him into action with mockery. He wasnt fooled at all.