"No worries, I’ve got it all sorted out. But hey, if you’re skeptical, go ahead and double-check for yourself," Aurianna said, flashing a reassuring smile. Helua nervously nodded.
Helua’s hand trembled as she conjured a glowing red light that enveloped Aurianna. After a few tense minutes, the crimson radiance faded away. "No need to fear, the mark is inactive," Helua confird, prompting a collective sigh of relief from the room’s assembled orcs and goblins.
"Apologies for not fully trusting you, Princess," Helua admitted, her voice tinged with unease. "We’ve had our fair share of betrayal cases in the past, so we’ve learned to be cautious—especially when dealing with humans," she added, bowing slightly before locking eyes with Aurianna, who returned her warm gaze.
"Don’t bla yourself one bit. In your shoes, I’d probably do the sa and even resort to extre asures," Aurianna remarked, her tone cold that sent shivers down everyone’s spines.
At that mont, Mike stepped forward, offering a slight bow and a friendly smile. His deanor exuded respect, making it evident that he was soone important. Speaking with a silky smooth voice, he addressed the princess, "Princess Aurianna, it would be my utmost pleasure to escort you to the cozy couch. Wouldn’t want you to keep standing, right?" Mike suggested, and Aurianna nodded in agreent.
However, she couldn’t help but notice a peculiar change in Mike: his sclera had turned as black as a demon’s. Yet, Aurianna decided not to question this transformation and simply followed him.
Mike turned slightly, gesturing towards a magnificent couch situated at the heart of the room. It was a true masterpiece of craftsmanship, boasting plush golden velvet upholstery and intricately carved wooden legs. Aurianna wasted no ti and settled herself onto the couch, which seed to welco her with open arms. The cushions yielded beneath her weight, cocooning her in a cloud of luxurious softness. With a subtle wave of his hand, Mike signaled the attendants to bring forth a gleaming silver tray adorned with an array of mouthwatering delicacies.
The hobgoblin attendants approached, each presenting the ticulously selected delicacies with utmost care and artistry. As Aurianna reached out to grab a pastry with her greasy hand, Mike swiftly smacked it away and gave her a pointed look.
"Princess, did you forget that you were eating at just a few monts ago?" he asked, his words dawning on Aurianna with sudden realization.
In an instant, a gentle, light blue aura enveloped Aurianna’s hand, forming a ball of water that effortlessly cleansed her hands until they were impeccably neat and tidy. Not a trace of oil or dirt remained. She then summoned a flicker of fire, turning the water into a wisp of steam, and fixed her piercing gaze upon Mike.
"You can enjoy the macaroons now, princess," Mike said, a hint of amusent in his voice. Aurianna wasted no ti and eagerly devoured three of them in one go. As she chewed, a satisfied smile spread across her face, acknowledging just how delectable they tasted.
Witnessing her joyful expression, everyone in the room couldn’t help but let their guard down montarily. However, the realization of whom they were dealing with swiftly brought them back to a state of tension.
At that mont, Mike handed Aurianna a small, adorable one-eyed ball. She eyed it skeptically and asked, "A video imu?" Mike nodded in response, confirming her question. Without hesitation, she pressed its back, causing it to soar into the air and display a screen before them.
On the screen was a person who looked like a new adult around 18. He had beauful brown that glead like the dark brown leaves in autumn under the sun. he also had longgreen hair cascading down the sides of his his. His beautiful green eyes shimred like emralds and he wore a luxurious white suit.
"How’s my dearest little sister doing?" the man asked, his face beaming with joy.
"Barely surviving, dear brother Vatium," Aurianna replied, her smile now tinged with coldness.
"Are the conditions in your mansion not up to par?" Vatium inquired a bit puzzled.
"Forget about that. Let’s set it aside for now. You, my dear brother, are a complete jackass!" Aurianna’s voice turned icy, anger radiating from her as she glared at him, leaving those in the room stunned by her sudden outburst.
"Why would you say that? Did I do sothing to upset you?" Vatium asked nervously, his tone frantic.
"For two whole years," she said, raising two fingers to emphasize her point, "you didn’t send a single letter!"
Everyone in the room thought in shock, ’Is that what she’s upset about?’ The room was taken aback by her revelation. They had anticipated sothing far more dramatic based on her earlier behavior.
"What kind of big brother does that?" Aurianna grumbled, pouting her cheeks and crossing her arms in frustration.
"Sorry about that," Vatium admitted with a guilty laugh, scratching his head in embarrassnt. "Due to certain circumstances, I wasn’t able to write you those letters."
"You couldn’t spare a few minutes to write a simple letter?" Aurianna asked, her neck veins visibly popping as the room’s atmosphere grew tense and heavy. Everyone thought, "She’s really upset," and nervously stared at her.
"Wait, Aurianna, that’s not what I ant! Don’t get the wrong idea!" Vatium frantically waved his hands with a nervous look.
"I apologize for not reaching out earlier, Aurianna," Vatium said earnestly, noticing the tension in the room. "I should have written or called. I’m truly sorry, little sis."
Aurianna smiled with satisfaction and nodded. "You better be sorry. Next ti, just send a letter or call . I’ll leave my number with them so that you can reach ," she said, pointing to Mike.
However, her expression quickly changed, becoming serious, and she looked at Vatium with a mischievous grin. "So, what’s the real reason you called ? I know it’s not for pleasantries or a family reunion."
Vatium chuckled. "You’ve beco really sharp, little sis. Alright, let get to the point."
"Please do," Aurianna replied coldly. "My Divine Knight might be searching for soon."
Vatium’s expression turned serious, and he stared at her intently. "I need you to do sothing for . Stop my general, Ostusi, from raiding Sandeph."
’Oh, now I rember his na,’ Aurianna thought, and then said aloud, "He’s going to fail in his mission of rescuing the demons. A few might be saved, but they’ll end up getting captured again," her voice held a hint of disgust.
In a rather stern tone, Vatium recounted, "That was the day when King Girsal caused imnse despair in the kingdom, even though he had the manpower to prevent the attack. He only ca to the people’s rescue when they were almost on the brink of losing all hope. It made him appear like a savior, saving his people after slaying the demon."
Aurianna chuckled, responding in a casual yet understanding manner, "Seems like we’re both on the sa page here, huh?"
Worry and concern filled Vatium’s face as he pleaded with Aurianna, "I really don’t want my general to die. Please, stop him and save him."
Aurianna crossed her arms, giving it so thought. "You do realize you’re asking quite a lot, right? I’ll be up against a demon as strong as an Arc Human. Why can’t you just call him and tell him to stop?"
Vatium sighed and explained, "I already tried that, but he didn’t listen, and he left his calling stone behind. Besides, I’m not allowed to leave the Mystical Academy for personal reasons. They keep a close eye on students who leave the premises, and I don’t want them on my case."
Aurianna raised an eyebrow, curious about alternatives. "Why not send another demon general to stop him then?"
Vatium nervously replied, "They’re all out on separate missions, and they won’t make it back before the big clash happens – which, by the way, is in three weeks."
Aurianna processed the information. "So, three weeks until the confrontation with Sandeph and the Infinite nation, and Ostusi might see it as the perfect chance to attack Sandeph," she summarized, her mind racing with thoughts.
Vatium nodded anxiously. "Exactly. The timing is just too risky."
Aurianna focused on the task at hand. "Okay, we need to act fast. Do you rember the exact date of that incident? I need to know."
Vatium thought for a mont. "I don’t rember the exact date, but I can find it in my records. Give a second."
"Oh, it’s on the 23rd of July," Vatium replied, giving the date Aurianna needed.
Aurianna raised an eyebrow curiously, "Alright, spill it. What’s in it for ? I don’t work for free, you know. And why do you have so much faith in for this task?"
Vatium smiled, explaining his trust in her, "I believe in you because I know you’re different in this life. You’ve got this undeniable charm that works wonders, so I’m sure it will help you reason with him. And as for rewards, don’t worry about that. I’ll give you a thousand magic coins."
"Master Vatium, that’s way too much!" Helua couldn’t help but exclaim, knowing that it was a substantial amount of money.
"Aww, isn’t my big brother being incredibly generous today?" Aurianna grinned mischievously. "With such a lovely reward on offer, I can’t help but do even more."
Vatium looked intrigued, "What do you have in mind?"
"Let’s make a deal, brother!" Aurianna declared, taking a bite of a small cake.
Vatium was curious, "What kind of deal?"
"After the war, you’ll gain an army of 50 thousand loyal humans!" Aurianna stated confidently, causing everyone in the room to gasp in shock.
"Wait, that has to be a joke, right?" Mike couldn’t believe the bold claim.
"And won’t they just betray ?" Vatium asked, his expression serious.
Aurianna laughed, "Co on, brother, your vision is too small. Why would I suggest this proposal if I thought so of them would be disloyal? You seem to forget about my ability to make people crazy in love just by looking at !" She chuckled, hinting at her srizing charm.
"But that won’t be enough," Vatium pointed out, looking concerned.
"I know, which is why I possess a skill that can turn anyone into my loyal servant. The re thought of betrayal would trigger an explosive reaction in their body, leading to their demise before they could even think of betraying . And the best part is, I don’t even need their permission to use this power. I can control individuals of any level, though it might be harder to affect soone stronger than with a simple explosive burst," Aurianna revealed, leaving Vatium both surprised and a bit nervous as he stared at her.
"Are you sure this skill is effective?" Vatium inquired cautiously.
Aurianna bead confidently, "Absolutely! I’ve already tried it on a few individuals, but I can’t say for sure what would happen if I use it on 50 thousand people at once."
"It sounds like an incredible ability, but such power must co with so side effects," Vatium observed.
"That’s my little secret, big brother," Aurianna replied with a wink. "So, do you trust ?"
"If you speak with that much confidence, how can I not believe you, dearest sister?" Vatium replied, returning her smile.
"Wise words, brother. I promise you won’t regret this decision," Aurianna assured him with a satisfied grin. "So, what’s the plan?"
"We need a way to distract the entire population of Sandeph, but that’s no easy feat. I want to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past," Vatium said, his body trembling with a mix of concern and determination.
"If you don’t have a clear plan, I’ve got an idea," Aurianna perked up, piquing Vatium’s curiosity.
"And what might that be?" Vatium asked, intrigued by Aurianna’s sudden excitent.
"A lone princess taking on an entire army by herself and going head-to-head with an Arc Human!" Aurianna blurted out with enthusiasm.
"Are you out of your mind?!!" Vatium exclaid, standing up from his seat. "There’s no way I’m allowing that, and you have to keep a low profile to avoid drawing attention from father, rember?"
"Brother, hiding is just not my style anymore. I’d rather showcase my power so that no one dares to underestimate . And when they see in action, they won’t be able to take their eyes off ," Aurianna stated fiercely, her determination evident.
Vatium was about to scold her, but when he saw her resolute expression, he couldn’t help but sigh and slump back into his seat.
"You’re being reckless. You could get hurt, or even worse die," he said, rubbing his temples.
"I won’t! As heartless as King Girsal can be at tis, he won’t let go of a useful asset like that easily," Aurianna reassured him with a confident smile.
"But no one can guarantee your safety, and I don’t trust King Girsal," Vatium stated coldly.
"I know that, but if you want this mission to succeed, this is the best way," Aurianna argued.
"Even if you sohow manage to convince father to let you lead the battle, which I highly doubt is possible, it’s still not enough for everyone to keep their eyes on you. You’d need high-level charm magic to pull that off!" Vatium pointed out, trying to reason with her.
"Then give the essence of succubuses. I heard drinking it can boost your charm. I need gallons of it. If that’s what it takes to keep the entire High Land’s eyes on , then I’m willing to go for it!" Aurianna declared confidently.
"Are you insane?! Succubus essence would wreck a human’s body! And let’s not forget that the charm could totally backfire, leaving you with people who are obsessed and trying to possess you!" Mike cautioned with genuine concern.
"Possess, huh," Aurianna mumbled, her grip tightening on her left arm.
"Yeah, Aurianna, listen to Mike. This path you’re considering is just like the one you took the last ti," Vatium added, agreeing with Mike’s words.
Upon hearing Vatium’s remark, Aurianna understood exactly what he ant - her past life. mories of her previous existence flooded her mind, reminding her of the mistakes she had made, and the consequences for those mistakes.
"Alright, give a few days to think things through, and then I’ll sit down with my generals to co up with a solid plan," Vatium declared, wanting to find a safer alternative.
But Aurianna was relentless. She stared at Vatium with intense determination, fear nowhere in sight. "Will your plan be as effective as mine? Can you guarantee that?" she questioned firmly.
Vatium sighed, gripping his palms tightly. "Honestly, I don’t know," he admitted, feeling the weight of the decision on his shoulders.
Undeterred, Aurianna insisted, "Give the succubus essence. I’m willing to do whatever it takes, and anyone who dares to try and possess , I’ll slaughter them down without hesitation!"
Mike raised his voice, hoping to change her mind, "Did you even hear what I said about the essence being poisonous to humans? It’s dangerous, Aurianna!"
"I’ll be fine, trust ," Aurianna responded, her determination unshaken as she t Mike’s gaze.
Finally, Mike relented. "I guess we have no choice. We’ll give it to you, but you’ll have to wait five days," he stated, and Vatium nodded in agreent.
"And how do I get my hands on it?" Aurianna asked, eager to see this plan through.
"Don’t worry, I’ll take care of getting it to you," Mike assured her.
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