"Is it tasty?"
North, Royal Court.
In a pastry shop not far from the South Gate within the city, the shop owner was eagerly yet anxiously watching a woman who was strikingly beautiful to the point of surrealism, asking once again: "Is it tasty? The pastries from our shop are the best in the whole Royal Court! Eat them while they’re hot, eat them while they’re hot!"
In Wildfire Territory, the sun blazed as battles burned the sky, while Northern Country remained a snow-white expanse.
Today, there were exceptionally many clouds, layered and floating out from the snow-capped mountains north of the Royal Court, turning into heavy snowfall.
Snow descended upon the Royal Court.
Along with the silent snowfall within the Royal Court, there was also the woman in the shop.
She seed to have just erged from the snow, like an elf, brimming with a dreamlike unreality, garbed in richly antique styled attire.
She took small bites of the steaming hot specialty pastry of the Royal Court, her delicate face sowhat obscure amidst the shop’s white steam.
Judging by her actions, she ate very slowly.
Strangely, piece after piece of pastry vanished into her cherry-like mouth despite her seemingly slow movents.
Ti around her seed to have its flow distorted.
She swiftly demolished over twenty pieces of pastries, only then pausing and nodding her head, saying: "Delicious."
Her speech was sowhat unclear, as if she hadn’t spoken for a long ti.
The shop owner, initially enchanted by her beauty, now felt a pang of pity, thinking she might be a lost child.
He handed over another serving, saying: "Here, have so more." After a pause, he asked, "Miss, what’s your na? Where is your ho?"
The woman hesitated montarily, tilting her head in thought.
After sleeping for so long, she had not only forgotten how to speak but seed to have hazy mories of her own na.
"Hmm... I think my mother calls ’Shuangshuang.’"
After pondering for a long ti, she said uncertainly.
Her actual na is "Shuang," just like her father Xu and her mother Li, having a single word as a na unique to ancient tis.
Shuangshuang was her nickna.
Pursued by Lidzmat in the past, Shuangshuang was gravely injured and near death, unable to continue with the main forces, so the Water God reluctantly sealed her in an ice coffin, buried deep underground.
Over all these years, Shuangshuang never awoke. If she continued in her slumber, she might never wake up.
Luckily, not long ago, Andrew returned to the Fla Realm, erging from the Underground Space, where he split off a clone.
The water elent clone contained a spell nad "Revive."
The clone quietly made its way to Northern Country, fulfilling Andrew’s promise to the ice coffin: "I may not have the strength now, but soon, in the near future, I will co back and awaken you!"
Thus, Shuangshuang successfully awoke under the influence of the "Revive" magic.
The striking blood-red Dragon Claw Mark on her chest also vanished, healing quickly.
Yet, Shuangshuang did not intend to go to Wildfire Territory.
She was too hungry, to the point of dizziness and faintness.
So she took a step out of the snowy mountains, appeared in front of the pastry shop on the second step, and simply pointed at the steaming pastries like a newborn yearning for food.
She was indeed quite like a newborn now.
A long slumber proved that awakening again was not like waking up from a nap, rembering things before sleep.
It was more akin to experiencing a reincarnation and rebirth, where mories of her previous life blurred to near blankness; the current Shuangshuang could be seen as an entirely new person! How could she know that the battle in Wildfire Territory urgently needed her participation and assistance?
At this point, telling her about Wildfire Territory, it’d be good if she didn’t ask, "Is Wildfire Territory sothing you can eat?"
Fortunately—
"Who are these people?" Shuangshuang, while eating the second serving of pastries sent by the owner, eating much slower now, pointed at the shop’s entrance, asking.
Outside the shop lay a road leading straight to the South Gate of the Royal Court.
A large force was hastening in orderly fashion along the road, heading outside the city gate.
The troops largely consisted of Frost Guards from the Royal Court, with a few Crimson Knights and Warm Fire Mages.
"I don’t know," the owner shook his head, candidly admitting.
He truly had no idea where this troop was heading.
After the outbreak of the Second Twin Fire War, the side of Warm Fire Comrce Association, under President Beiru’s leadership, launched offensives towards the Magic Guild from multiple directions.
East in Warm Fire City, Shield of Flowing Fire...
Central’s two major fortresses, "Crimson Battle Lance" and "Dragon’s Nest"...
Plus the Royal Court in the north—
All these significant strategic fortresses served as a starting point for attacks and source places for troops, sending large forces to the front line.
Centrally closer to the south, Wildfire Territory and Southern Retreat Land assud logistical support responsibilities.
Except for the west where the Magic Guild resided, the other directions east, south, and north each applied pressure on Scholar’s Fortress.
Though not surrounded on all sides, Scholar’s Fortress was at least besieged on three fronts by Warm Fire.
Simultaneously, President Beiru prudently retained significant forces in Warm Fire City, Crimson Battle Lance, and the Royal Court, rather than leaving the rear vulnerable due to the offensive.
To prevent the Magic Guild from employing strategies like "ho-stealing" or "ho-exchanging."
Such events have occurred in history.
Once, a president of the Comrce Association with great talent forced the Magic Guild to a corner, but was eventually thwarted by the opponent’s gambling "ho-stealing" strategy, causing a near-collapse and shaking the foundations of the Warm Fire Comrce Association.
"Although we may not understand these world affairs, common sense suggests that these troops stationed at our Royal Court shouldn’t be easily dispatched."
The shop owner uttered this, unintentionally furrowing his brows with concern, saying, "Unless... unless sothing urgent happened on the front lines? Is the front in danger?"
Shaking his head, the shop owner decided not to ponder over things he couldn’t comprehend, turning back: "Miss Shuangshuang, right? Where are your family—eh?"
Only to find the shop filled with lingering steam and two empty plates on the table, utterly devoid of residue, spotless.
Along with them, Shuangshuang had vanished!
"This... this—!" The shop owner stuttered, his admiration and pity instantly replaced by heartache and anger.
Soon, a broken high-pitched yell echoed loudly in the shop: "The money?! She didn’t pay! No matter how beautiful, you can’t just eat without paying!!"
Having just relished a free al, Shuangshuang was now amidst the convoy leaving the city.
Most of the convoy consisted of Frost Guards bearing the cold ice attribute, whose elental attributes naturally made Shuangshuang feel familiar and close.
She herself was of the Ice Elent, though not a combat class, but a mage.
She was a Frost Witch.
Ti’s passage eroded many of her past mories but barely dulled her strength.
Holding the last piece of pastry, she ate and walked toward the front of the convoy.
Her light skipping deanor, how unlike an exceptionally beautiful young woman! Clearly, she was a little girl hopping with snacks while strolling!
Strangely, all Frost Guards who brushed past her noticed not a trace of her presence.
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