Confronting the Adversaries

Upon hearing this, the crowd instinctively took a few steps back, distancing themselves from Willie Aike. Their gazes towards him were filled with dread, as if they had just seen a demon emerging from the abyss.

This made Aike so furious that a metallic taste rose in his throat. Fortunately, he managed to swallow it back, preventing himself from spitting blood in public.

The members of the Willie Family, who were closest to him, were also greatly affected by the foul stench.

What kind of strange birds and beasts could have caused this?

They too wanted to move away from Aike but were afraid of being punished or receiving other forms of discipline if he noticed.

Aike quickly led his family members and left in a hurry.

The onlookers, seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, dispersed like a flock of birds.

Alice also returned to the mansion with Duke Alva.

In the main hall, Duke Alva sat majestically in the host's seat, staring intently at the young girl in a white dress standing in front of him.

"All of you, leave." Duke Alva waved his hand, signaling the irrelevant people in the hall to depart.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Do you have anything to explain?" Duke Alva asked, his eyes burning with a piercing gaze.

Alice gently lifted her hand, and suddenly, a cute little white fur ball appeared in her palm. "Everything started because of it."

"What's going on?"

Duke Alva frowned in confusion. He got up and walked over to Alice, carefully examining the little fur ball. However, after looking for a long time, he couldn't find anything special about it.

Alice put on a bitter expression on her delicate face and said with a complaining tone, "This little guy is a divine beast."

She didn't have the wealth or spiritual objects to support a divine beast. Would this divine beast starve to death if it followed her?

A look of shock flashed in Duke Alva's eyes, and his heart was in turmoil for a long time.

"Is this the divine beast that was recently rumored to be emerging in the Flaming Forest?"

Alice thought for a moment and nodded slightly.

Duke Alva was seeing such a "peculiar" - looking divine beast for the first time. The more he looked at it, the more doubts he had. "Is it really a divine beast?"

"Squeak."

The little fur ball seemed to be angered by the doubt and instantly released the pressure of a divine beast, filling the entire hall.

Alice quickly stuffed it back into the contract space and seriously warned it through her spiritual sense, "Without my order, you are not allowed to reveal the aura of a divine beast again!"

"Squeak." The little fur ball whined pitifully.

Alice's tone turned cold. "Since you have chosen me as your master, you can't act willfully."

The little fur ball drooped its head and shrank its neck.

Seeing this, Alice couldn't help but feel a softness in her heart. Then she said earnestly, "Do you know how many people covet you? Once the fact that you are a divine beast is revealed, I'm afraid countless people will come to snatch you. You and I have a life - and - death contract. If I die, you won't survive either."

"You are still in your juvenile stage and can only compete with those at the level of a mage."

The little fur ball seemed to understand her words. It ran over and rubbed against Alice's spiritual sense body, squeaking twice.

Alice's lips curved slightly upward, and her eyes became a bit gentler.

"Alice, what about the divine beast?"

Duke Alva's words brought Alice's thoughts back to reality. Seeing Duke Alva's shocked and worried expression, she felt a warmth in her heart.

"Grandfather, I know what I'm doing. I won't let others easily discover that the little fur ball is a divine beast." Alice comforted him.

Duke Alva sighed and looked at her deeply. "In the past, I always concealed your father's strength and talent, which made him never shine in front of others. This is my regret."

"I used to be overly cautious, which unconsciously tied my own hands. In this world, only the strong are respected, and only the strong can determine justice."

"Alice, you can shine brightly. I will protect you from behind!"

Until today, he finally realized that Alice, who was able to cultivate, was so confident, free - spirited, and high - spirited...

This is how the descendants of the Alva Family should be!

Alice looked up at the old man with half - white hair and felt an indescribable warmth in her heart.

"I will."

Alice and Duke Alva talked for a long time.

The next morning.

The Alva Family mansion received an invitation from the Augustan Empire royal family.

The invitation fell into Alice's hands. She held it and began to recall various things about the Augustan Empire royal family.

"Miss, you were never invited to the Flower Banquet held by the Empress Dowager in the past. Why is it different this time?" The maid Rose asked, frowning.

"The one who invited me is probably someone else." Alice curled her red lips slightly.

Rose looked at Alice blankly.

Alice reached out and gently tapped Rose's head, smiling. "We will face whatever comes. Little Rose, quickly prepare some paper and pens for me."

Rose touched her forehead. When she heard Alice asking for "paper and pens", she had a strange expression.

Miss usually hated practicing calligraphy and reading. She often said that she would get a headache as soon as she saw a book. What was going on today? However, she didn't ask her doubts in the end.

After Rose brought the paper and pens, Alice found an excuse and locked herself in the room. She didn't come out for a long time.

Alice picked up a quill pen and started writing and drawing with great speed.

If a rare rune master were here, he would surely be deeply shocked and pleasantly surprised.

At first, her speed was a bit slow. But after getting familiar with it, her hand holding the pen moved so fast that only a blurred shadow could be seen.

Alice locked herself in the room for three whole days. Except for necessary meals, she hardly stepped out of the room.

"You said she has been locking herself in the room these days. Even when you told her that the third prince Arthur returned from the Flaming Forest, she didn't react at all?"

Rose nodded and replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Grace. It seems that Miss doesn't care about the third prince anymore."

"It's good that Alice has figured it out." Duke Alva let out a long sigh. Suddenly, he remembered something and turned to ask Rose, "Has Alice been studying these days?"

Rose hesitated for a few seconds. Remembering the scene of seeing the floor of Miss's room full of paper through the crack of the door before, she nodded slightly. "Yes."

"This girl..." Duke Alva's frown deepened.

Duke Alva swung his arm and put it behind his back. "Let's go. I want to see what this girl is doing!"

"Yes."

The attic where Alice lived was called the Starlight Pavilion. Because the roof of the Starlight Pavilion was half - destroyed by Willie Aike a few days ago, she moved to the slightly smaller Star Whisper Pavilion to stay temporarily.

And the repair cost of the Starlight Pavilion naturally had to be borne by Willie Aike, the head of the Willie Family.

Aike could only swallow his anger.

In front of the Star Whisper Pavilion.

"I'm here to visit Alice. Let me in." A sweet voice like a nightingale's song came. A girl in a moon - white long dress was standing gracefully at the door, looking gentle and charming. There were two maids beside her.

Duke Alva and Rose happened to witness this scene.

"Miss Irina, please wait a moment. Evan has gone to announce your arrival." The guard said.

One of the maids arrogantly scolded, "Hmph, you, a little guard, dare to stop our miss. If our miss didn't pity that useless girl, who would make friends with the useless people of the Alva Family?"

"That useless girl is ungrateful. After encountering a fifth - level magical beast with our miss, she shamelessly ran away!"