NOVPUBThe Bingxue Witch, Artemis, maintained an aura that was as chilling as ever, yet Princess Xiu Bailian felt unparalleled warmth from it. While on the Northern Continent, it had been her teacher who took meticulous care of her daily, and their bond would never fade.
"Long time no see."
The Bingxue Witch had originally intended to push Princess Xiu Bailian away but, seeing her in this state, she once again didn’t have the heart to do so.
Without Talia to look after Princess Xiu Bailian, she seemed to have become her only guardian.
She gently placed her hand on Princess Xiu Bailian’s back.
Then the Bingxue Witch lifted her gaze to look at the three employees in the restaurant behind Princess Xiu Bailian.
That "long time no see" was also directed at them.
She never expected that those from the Great Demon Clan, who had survived from the old era, would reunite in such an ordinary human restaurant.
The three restaurant employees, though unfamiliar faces to her, bore a familiar aura and magic fluctuations that the Bingxue Witch recognized instantly.
The woman sitting at the bar looked calmly at her, her long black dress befitting a noble lady of a distinguished family; she was Law Breaker Sinola.
And the short-haired woman with a casual yet playful demeanor, dressed in a leather vest, tight leather pants, and high boots, was clearly Guardian Antanas.
The man wearing a dark brown suit vest, appearing particularly restrained and profound in the dim light of the bar, was Truth Pullane.
"Artemis, it’s been over a hundred years."
Antanas revealed a relieved smile as she spoke to her.
She had a good relationship with most of the Demon Race, including the Half-Demon Bingxue Witch.
"Do you need something from us?"
It was Pullane who spoke with an expressionless face, his eyes fixed on Artemis.
Sinola had initially intended to greet the Bingxue Witch, but upon seeing her brother’s demeanor, she immediately halted her words and remained quiet.
Upon reflection, Sinola also understood why her brother was so cold toward Artemis.
Compared to finding Princess Xiu Bailian, Artemis was obviously there more to seek them out.
Now, the Allied Forces sorely lacked Eighth-tier Heroic Units and were being pushed back on the battlefield, continuously contracting their lines, and the three Eighth-order Great Demon Clan members hidden in Ichrite were a force that could not be ignored.
But their duty was to protect Princess Xiu Bailian and not to assist the Bingxue Witch in any troop deployment.
"I want to ask for your help."
Finally, the Bingxue Witch gently pressed on Princess Xiu Bailian’s shoulders, moving her aside to face the three Great Demons.
She knew that the wise Demon Pullane could see right through her intentions.
In such a case, there was no point in hiding anything.
"Impossible, we won’t leave Princess Xiu Bailian’s side. Her safety is our highest priority."
Sinola replied decisively.
Even if it wasn’t a mission entrusted by Lanci, she would still protect Princess Xiu Bailian. Princess Xiu Bailian was her irreplaceable best friend, and she would not let her take the slightest risk.
"Artemis, it’s not that we don’t want to help you, but guarding the princess is our most important task," 𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
Antanas added.
At this moment, they all belonged to the South Continent alliance camp. If the Allied Forces lost, they, too, would be left homeless. However, they also had their own duties.
"..."
Pullane watched the Bingxue Witch for a moment,
"The biggest current disaster in the Cerryti Empire seems to be Duke Rashar, the Third Ancestor of the Blood Clan, who possesses the power ’Blood Control Heart,’ which is at the pinnacle of Spiritual Magic and Illusion Technique. The greater the enemy’s negative emotions, the easier it is for Duke Rashar to find vulnerabilities in their psyche, achieving mind control and forced brainwashing."
He still spoke, sharing the intelligence and Lanci’s prophetic dreams with the Bingxue Witch.
Although it seemed the Blood Clan had not yet stepped out from behind the scenes in the Cerryti Empire, their manipulation was inextricably linked to the empire’s declaration of war.
This intelligence, solely possessed by them, did not need to be widely publicized. On one hand, the Allied Forces’ frontal battlefield could not threaten the Blood Clan in the rear. On the other hand, it might startle the snakes, causing the empire’s Blood Clan to be on guard.
Perhaps due to multiple factors interplaying, the world line the Goddess of Destiny allowed Lanci to see had shifted, such as the war of the Cerryri Empire starting several months earlier than expected, signifying that the Blood Clan’s preparations were not as full as originally thought.
Even so, the Blood Clan would still find every means to kill Princess Xiu Bailian.
The true significance of Princess Xiu Bailian’s death to the Blood Clan was to break Duke Migaya’s mental defenses.
Only then could they enslave Migaya and take possession of all his original magic.
Duke Migaya’s Dark Magic was of utmost importance to the Blood Clan, acting as their shield even during the day. Only by having it could they significantly accelerate their erosion of the Cerryti Empire.
If they could also find the Ninth Progenitor Marquis Bainhardt, they could have him absorb Migaya, maximizing the benefits of Migaya’s abilities.
If something happened to Princess Xiu Bailian, it meant that Duke Migaya would become a puppet under the mental dominion of Duke Rashar, the Third Ancestor of the Blood Clan.
Even if Duke Migaya’s combat abilities were only about at the Bishop Elect level, his research capabilities, if added to the empire’s side, would also lead to disastrous consequences.
"Blood Clan..."
The Bingxue Witch pondered for a moment, aware that there had always been rumors of the Blood Clan within the borders of the Cerryti Empire. During a previous battle with Loren in the Nanwantina lands controlled by Hutton, there had been a powerful Eighth-order member of the Blood Clan.
