Collection 1

261-270

Chapter 261: A Short Visit To Lont

Inside the flying carriage, Wendy was seated on William's right, while Brianna was seated on his left.

The little Loli was looking starry-eyed at the scenery that she was seeing for the first time. After tying up the loose ends, William and his group, along with Sir Jerkins' entourage, left the Kyrintor Mountains. The two flying carriages flew side by side as they made their way back towards the Hellan Kingdom.

"Don't poke your head out too much, Brianna," William said helplessly. "You might fall out of the carriage window if you lean more than that."

"It's fine," Brianna replied while still gazing at the scenery under the flying carriage. "Big Brother is holding my waist, I'm not going anywhere."

"You're so troublesome." William sighed and the little loli just giggled in acknowledgement of his claims.

The Half-Elf then shifted his attention to the beautiful lady with light-purple hair and eyes that was seated in front of him.

Aila, the Second Princess of the Zelan Dynasty, was also looking outside the carriage window. She had stayed in that pose ever since the flying carriage took off in the air. William wondered what her fate would have been if her marriage to Connal hadn't been interrupted.

As if sensing his gaze, Princess Aila turned her head to the side to look back at him.

"Is there something on my face, Lord William?" Aila asked.

"No," William replied. "I'm still not sure what Prince Alaric was thinking when he asked me to take you to see my grandfather."

"My Big Brother might seem easy going on the surface, but he is a worrywart at heart." Princess Aila closed her eyes as if trying to hold back the sadness in them. "He only wants the best for me, so he decided to ask a favor from you."

"I see…" William didn't pursue the topic because he felt like Princess Aila didn't want to continue the discussion.

After a few hours, they finally arrived at the town where a teleport gate was stationed.

William and Sir Jerkins had talked beforehand about their next course of action before parting ways. The ambassador was to return to the capital to inform the King about the result of their mission.

William, on the other hand, would first head to Lont and drop off Princess Aila before going back to the Royal Academy.

To be honest, William was worried that Princess Aila was a spy sent by the Crown Prince to monitor their movements. He hoped that his grandfather would be able to supervise her and ensure that she didn't do anything stupid while she was staying in the Western edges of the Hellan Kingdom.

Two days had passed after they had left the Kyrintor mountains. It was around noon when they saw the familiar town of Lont appear before their eyes.

Brianna suddenly screamed and grabbed William's arms while pointing outside the window of the carriage.

"T-There are Wyverns outside!" Brianna exclaimed. "They are heading in our direction!"

Princess Aila, who was meditating, suddenly opened her eyes and showed an anxious expression. There had been several Wyvern attacks in the Zelan Dynasty and the people there were very wary of Wyverns.

There was an occasion when her entourage was attacked by a Wyvern while visiting the towns near their borders. Since then, Princess Aila had been extra careful about not venturing into the territories where Wyverns were said to hunt.

"Don't worry," William patted the head of the anxious loli. "They are on our side."

"Huh?" Brianna looked back at William in confusion.

A few seconds later, the Wyverns flew alongside the flying carriage as if they were guards protecting a VIP guest.

It took Brianna a minute to realize that the Wyverns were indeed not there to harm them. She then poked her head out of the carriage to stare at these notorious beasts that were often called "Lesser Dragons" in their domain.

Princess Aila had also calmed down after her initial shock, but she didn't let her guard down. She just stared at the Wyvern's outside the window with a complicated gaze, as the carriage slowly descended from the sky.

Dave guided Lionheart towards

the Ainsworth Residence and landed fifty meters away from the main entrance.

James, Mordred, Anna, Eve, and Helen were already standing in front of the entrance and waited for their guests to disembark from the carriage.

"I came to visit," William said with a smile. "It's good to see you again, Grandpa, Uncle, Auntie, Eve, and Aunt Helen."

"Will!" Eve immediately reached out to her "Big Brother".

William chuckled as he hurriedly picked up his adorable cousin and kissed her cheeks.

James smiled as he looked at the guests that William had brought along with him. He was already familiar with the others, but there were several new faces that he hadn't seen before namely Amelia and Princess Aila, who were both beautiful ladies.

The old man laughed as he patted William's shoulder. "You did well boy. Should I start preparing for a grand wedding ceremony?"

Before William could even give a retort to his shameless grandpa's words, Brianna hurriedly ran towards James and grabbed his hand.

"Grandpa James, we meet again!" Brianna said with a big smile on her face. "Do you remember your promise? You said that you would give me a Wyvern the next time we saw each other."

"Brianna?" James almost didn't recognize the adorable girl that suddenly clung to him. "What are you doing here? Did your old man allow you to leave the mountain? Wait. Don't tell me… you ran away from home and hitched a ride?"

A mischievous smile appeared on Brianna's face as she gave William a side-long glance before returning her attention to James.

"Grandpa, Big Brother William said that he fell in love with me at first sight," Brianna stated with a face filled with injustice. "He challenged a Prince in order to win my hand in marriage. Right now, I am his fiance."

James almost choked on his saliva when he heard Brianna's words. He then stared at William as if he was looking at a scum.

"Boy, even though I always tell you to look for girls to marry, I didn't tell you to prey on little girls," James said in a righteous manner as if he was free from sin. "However, since you can't uncook cooked rice, I will turn a blind eye on this matter. Just make sure that you treat Brianna well in the future."

William snorted and raised his hand to flick the loli's forehead. Unfortunately for him, Brianna had already anticipated his reaction and backed away while giggling. She then stuck out her tongue at William which made the Half-Elf scratch his head in helplessness.

Eve found William's reaction funny. She then reached out her two small hands to grab his hair and pulled on it.

William ignored Eve's actions as he confronted his grandpa.

"It is true that I won Brianna's hand in a duel, but I intend to pair her with Prince Ernest," William hurriedly explained because his Aunt Anna and Aunt Hellen were looking at him with displeasure. He didn't want the two ladies, who had helped to raise him, to have any misunderstandings.

He then glared at Brianna who was hiding behind Wendy's back.

"I see." James played with his beard as he accepted William's explanation. "Then how about the other two ladies whom I haven't seen before? What is your relationship with them?"

William felt relieved because his Grandpa readily accepted his explanation. He then started to introduce the two new faces that accompanied him back to Lont.

"The beautiful lady with green hair is Lady Amelia Louise," William said. "She is a permanent member of my own knight squad."

"Louise? Is she perhaps the daughter of Philip? The Baron of Bradford?" James inquired.

Amelia who was standing not far away from William made a curtsy. "It is an honor for Lord Ainsworth to know of our humble origins."

James grinned as he waved his hand in a casual manner. "Your father and I are not close and we've only met twice in the past when I was passing through your barony. Even so, Philip is well-known in the noble circle for not sticking his head in places that he shouldn't stick his head in. Your father is quite an admirable person."

Amelia blushed at James' praise towards her father. She didn't expect that the Hidden Overlord of the West had met her father in the past.

After that brief exchange, William then introduced the VIP guest that had accompanied him from the Kyrintor Mountains.

"This beautiful lady here is the Second Princess of the Zelan Dynasty, Aila Sol Zelan," William announced. "Her reason for coming here is due to the request of the Crown Prince, Alaric Sol Zelan. He also asked me to give this letter to you, Gramps."

William took out the handwritten letter from his storage ring and presented it to his grandfather. James opened the letter and started to read. At first, there was a frown on his face, but his expression calmed down after he finished reading the letter.

"Aila, was it?" James asked in a friendly manner. "From this day onwards, you will be a guest of our humble town of Lont. Although the amenities we have can't compare to the things inside the Zelan Royal Palace, they aren't too shabby either."

"Thank you, Lord James." Princess Aila made a respectful curtsy towards the legendary figure that once visited their domain many years ago. "I will be in your care from now on."

"Mmm." James nodded his head. "According to Alaric's letter, you are studying Life Magic, right?"

"Yes, Lord Ainsworth."

"Do you have a Master teaching you?"

"No."

James once again nodded his head. "It's quite fortunate that we have a very capable Life Archon here in Lont. If you wish, I can introduce you to him and ask him to take you on as his disciple."

Princess Aila's eyes widened in shock. She didn't expect that this small town had a Life Archon in it. There was only one Life Archon in the Southern Continent and that person had been shrouded in mystery.

The only thing that the Life Mages of the Southern Continent knew about this legendary figure was that he liked beautiful young women and his stamina seemed endless.

"Lord Ainsworth, are you referring to the Archon of the Spring of Life?" Princess Aila couldn't stop herself from trembling in excitement. "Is he here? Is the renowned Life Archon, Sir Owen, here in Lont?"

"Yes." James chuckled. "Knowing that old man's taste, he would be more than happy to make you his disciple."

William who was listening to the side had a dumbfounded expression on his face. He didn't expect that the old coot that boasted about his ability to go several rounds in bed was someone so famous.

He even wondered if Princess Aila was referring to someone else, and not the shameless and perverted old man, who had secretly told William several tips on how to make a woman feel good in bed.

Chapter 262: Just Wait, My Beloved Little Pets

"Just because you are a Princess doesn't mean that I will treat you favorably. I am a very strict teacher, are you sure you want to become my apprentice?"

"Yes! Please, make me your Disciple, Lord Owen."

"Very well," Owen nodded in a righteous manner. The charisma that was oozing from his body was that of a Master that had faced great battles and had lived to tell the tale.

William couldn't stop his lips from twitching as he stood at the side, watching this Master and Disciple pair.

He wanted to grab the old man and shake his body so badly while shouting, "Where is the real Owen? You impostor! Tell me where did you hide that old pervert who only knows how to boast about how he mastered the 444 positions that would make a woman go crazy!"

When he saw Princess Aila kneel and pay her respects to her new Master, William almost spat on the ground. The old pervert winked at him and gave him the "Now you know how awesome I am!" expression while Aila wasn't looking at him.

William's reply was simple.

He gave Owen the middle finger.

This brief exchange between the two came to an abrupt end when Princess Aila raised her head to look at her new Master.

Owen extended his hand to hold her hand, which was the procedure of accepting a Disciple among the Life Mages.

Princess Aila stood up with Owen's assistance, completing the ceremony of apprenticeship.

"Rest for now," Owen said in a tone that was befitting of a monk that had abstained from worldly desires. "Our training will start tomorrow. I'll pick you up when the sun rises."

"Yes, Master," Princess Aila bowed respectfully before walking back towards the Ainsworth Residence.

William and Owen watched her retreating back in silence. The moment the girl disappeared from their sight, Owen's exalted form, and aura, disappeared completely.

"Will, I'm going to tell this to you now, you'd better not extend your filthy hands onto my disciple," Owen said in disdain.

"Excuse me? I'm not an old cow that preys on young grass. Just look at how handsome I am! Do I even need to put an effort into making the ladies fall in love with me?" William snorted. "Old man, you'd better behave and not do anything untowards to your new Disciple, or else I'll tell your wife."

Owen summoned his staff and immediately whacked William's head. Even though he had already mastered a lot of skills and had grown stronger over the years, Owen's strike cleanly landed on William's head which made the boy cry out in pain.

"Fool! Do not say such stupid things," Owen reprimanded. "Life Mages don't do those things, especially between Master and Disciple. You'd better not spout any of that nonsense, especially in front of Aila."

"You've finally shown your true colors, old man!" William grumbled. "What Great Archon? What Legend? Pitui! You're just a lecherous old man who likes to eat young grass!"

Owen was about to whack the boy again when the door of his house opened, revealing his young and beautiful

wife, Sarah.

"Darling, lunch is ready," Sarah said with a smile. "Little Will, it has been a while. Do you want to have lunch with us?"

William and Owen smiled as both of them patted each other like they were the best of friends. Sarah smiled sweetly at the two and was very happy that the "boys" were getting along.

"Thank you for the invitation, Big Sister Sarah," William replied. "However, I have guests back at the residence and I need to entertain them. Perhaps next time?"

"Alright." Sarah nodded. "Make sure to visit us again Will and study properly at the Royal Academy."

"I will, Big Sister."

"Darling, let's go and eat while the food is still warm."

"I'm coming, Honey," Owen said. "See you later, William."

"Bye bye, Sir Owen."

After the couple closed the door behind them, William shook his head helplessly as he walked back towards the residence.

'That old coot must have saved a planet in his past life to have Sarah as his wife,' William thought. 'Then again, Princess Aila becoming Owen's Disciple is also a good thing. Grandpa and Owen are not fools. They will be able to monitor Princess Aila and see if she has any hidden agendas in the Hellan Kingdom.'

The group stayed the night in Lont before going back to the Capital the next day. Although William could stay longer, he had many important matters to attend to. After two days of travel, they finally arrived at the Capital and immediately headed towards the Royal Academy.

—–

Two hours after arriving at the academy, William was summoned to the palace. He took Brianna with him, because he intended to discuss with the King about making Brianna the fiance of Prince Ernest.

Although there was no certainty that Great Chief Evander and his sons would be able to retain their position as the leader of the Tribes, William thought that it would be best to officially declare Brianna as Prince Ernest's fiance since the two kids seemed to have feelings for each other.

—-

Thirteen days.

That was the amount of time that had passed since William had left the Royal Academy and many things had happened while they were away.

The Academy was busy preparing for the Inter-Division Battle, and all the Divisions were training seriously for the chance to become this year's champion. Of course, aside from the students, Carter had also been very busy.

With the help of Charlotte, and the children that had been affected by the suggestion spell, the candies had made their way to the First, Second, and Third Years of the Magic Division. He didn't dare try to ensnare the Fourth Years because there were strong individuals like Matthew and Leah who had very strong perceptions.

Carter didn't want to jeopardize his plan, so he focused on these three divisions. Right now, he had successfully corrupted 70% of the student body and the rest would be fully under his control a few days before the Inter-Division Battle started.

"So, Wendy and the Knight Commander have returned to the Academy?" Carter's face brightened when he heard Charlotte's report. He had been waiting a long time for Wendy's return and had prepared a special variety of candy just for her.

This candy was more potent than the rest and it would only take three to four days for the spell to mature inside his target's body.

"Yes," Charlotte replied happily. "Right now, Wendy is resting inside her room. Do you want me to give her the candy you specially made for her?"

"Yes, please." Carter handed the pouch to Charlotte with a smile. "I'm counting on you, My Love."

Carter drew Charlotte close and hugged her. "This weekend, invite her to have lunch with you and bring her here, to my room. That will be when we will discuss our… marriage and invite her to become my second wife."

"Sounds like a good plan," Charlotte nodded. She really wanted to have Wendy as Carter's second wife because she only wanted those who were close to her to share the love of her beloved man.

Carter was planning to have a special time with her and Wendy on the day of the Inter-Division Battles. All he needed to do was wait two more weeks before he could leave the Southern Continent.

He would conduct a massacre then take the talented girls of the Hellan Royal Academy back to the Demon Continent. After that, he would receive the rewards that the Demon Lord promised him.

Carter could feel the heat in his loins, but he endured it for now. He returned to his laboratory to make more candies. This was a crucial time, and he couldn't afford to keep thinking about the young beauties that would soon be brought back to the Demon Continent.

'Just wait, my beloved little pets,' Carter mused. 'Soon, I will take all of you to the peak of pleasure and make you forget your lives in the Southern Continent.'

Chapter 263: William's Gamble

William was currently walking hand in hand with Brianna inside the palace. The little Loli was looking everywhere with an undisguised curiosity that would make anyone label her as a country bumpkin, but she didn't care because no one was around.

The Half-Elf discovered that Brianna had an uncanny ability to change her expressions in less than a second the moment she sensed someone aside from those close to her. One moment she looked like an ignorant bumpkin, the next she looked like a dignified princess.

William was quite impressed by the loli's ability that he gave her two thumbs up in his heart.

As they were about to reach the main hall where the King was waiting, they saw a young boy blocking their path. He tried to act calm on the surface, but his body language was saying otherwise.

It was as if he wanted to run towards them, but his years of being trained as a member of the Royal Family prevented him from doing something unbecoming of a Prince.

Brianna clung to William's arm as the two neared the Youngest Prince of the Hellan Kingdom, Prince Ernest. She had a smile on her face while looking at Prince Ernest. William, on the other hand, just played along with the adorable loli because he, too, was interested in how the Young Prince would react.

"Sir William, I am here to congratulate you for a job well done in preventing the Northern Tribes from turning hostile on us," Prince Ernest said as soon as William stopped a few meters in front of him. "My Father is waiting at the great hall. Please, see him as soon as possible. I will look after Lady Briana, while you make your report to my Father."

Brianna looked up at William with longing, "Darling, don't take too long. I'm scared."

"Don't worry, Honey," William replied as he patted Brianna's head. "I won't be gone for long."

It was then when Prince Ernest stepped forward and pried Brianna's hands off William's arm. He then pulled her away from the Half-Elf. The Young Prince hid the loli behind his back before glaring at William.

"Sir William, I know that the two of you are just acting, but let me say this here and now," Prince Ernest stated. "Big Sister Brianna is going to be my fiance. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't make any further moves towards her."

William looked at the little shrimp with amusement. Prince Ernest had a serious expression on his face, while the mischievous loli behind him was covering her lips as her body trembled. Clearly, she was doing her best not to laugh out loud.

"Your Highness, I won Brianna's hand in a fair duel," William said in a righteous manner. "Her father has also given me his consent. What I do with her is none of your business."

"Sir William, your attempt to make me jealous is working. I would greatly appreciate it if we stopped this farce, right here, right now."

"Che~ you're no fun."

William crossed his arms over his chest with a smile. Although he wanted to tease the Young Prince a little more, he knew that now was not the time to do it.

"Big Sister, please stop teasing me as well," Prince Ernest looked at the adorable girl behind him and pouted. "Do you really enjoy seeing me suffer? Is it fun to bully me?"

"Awww! Little Ernie, you've grown taller since the last time I saw you," Brianna gave Prince Ernest a hug before patting his head. "Just a few more years and you'll be taller than me. When that happens, I'm afraid that the one to be bullied would be me."

"I will never bully you, Big Sister."

"You'd better not, or I'll run to Darling's~ side."

Prince Ernest nodded his head seriously which made William grin.

'Looks like Prince Ernest will be a hen-pecked prince in the future,' William mused. "Okay. I'll meet with the King first. Prince Ernest, please, entertain our Northern

Princess."

Prince Ernest smiled and pulled on Brianna's hand, "Big Sister, let's go to the garden. The flowers are in full bloom and you will definitely love them."

Brianna waved her hand at William before allowing herself to be pulled away by a jealous Prince Ernest. The red-headed boy waved back at her before walking towards the Great Hall where the King was waiting for him.

—–

"And that is how our Northern Expedition ended, your Majesty," William finished his report and bowed towards King Noah.

Noah nodded his head. "I received Sir Jerkins report yesterday, but I still wanted to hear your own version of the story. You did well and the merits you earned for our Kingdom deserves a reward."

The King of the Hellan Kingdom secretly praised himself for sending the Half-Elf with his Foreign Ambassador to the Northern Regions. If it was only Sir Jerkins that had gone then the Northern Tribes would have successfully allied with the Two Dynasties and pincered the Hellan Kingdom from three sides.

Because of this, he decided to give William a reward. As for what that reward was, he couldn't think of anything that the boy might like. This was why he decided to wait for William's visit to the palace and personally ask him the reward he wanted the most.

William pondered for a bit. But right now, nothing came to mind, so he decided to put his reward on hold.

"Your Majesty, I can't think of anything right now," William said. "For the time being, can you put my reward on hold?"

"Understood." Noah smiled. "When you finally know what you really want, come and find me. No matter how many years it takes, this promise of mine will still hold true."

"Thank you, your Majesty." William bowed.

After that brief exchange, William decided to discuss Brianna's matter with King Noah. He said that although Great Chief Evander and his family might not be able to retain their position after four years, the possibility still existed.

Because of that, William insisted that Brianna be properly betrothed to Prince Ernest as his Official Fiance. Surprisingly, King Noah didn't agree or disagree with William's suggestions. The only thing he promised was that he would see to it that the "Northern Princess" would be properly cared for in the palace.

William sighed in his heart, but he knew that he couldn't be too pushy. He was about to ask for his leave when the King made a gesture for him to come closer.

"Sir William, there is something that I would like to entrust to you for the time being," King Noah said with a serious expression.

The King then took out a sheathed dagger from his storage ring and handed it over to William.

"Hold on to this dagger for safekeeping," King Noah ordered. "In any situation, you are not allowed to divulge to anyone, not even your family, that I gave you this dagger. Also, you will not hand this dagger over to anyone, regardless of who they are or whatever position they have. Do I make myself clear?"

"As you command, Your Majesty," William replied as he took the sheathed dagger from the King's hand.

After taking hold of the dagger, he immediately used his appraisal skill to get more information about the dagger that was entrusted to him.

—–

< ???? >

— ?????

—–

'Um? How come I can't read anything?' William thought. 'I'll ask the system later. It would be disrespectful to investigate further in front of the King.'

William stored the dagger in his storage ring and took a step back. King Noah looked at him seriously before waving his hand.

"You may go." King Noah smiled. "Please, do your best, and continue to protect our kingdom to the best of your abilities, Sir William."

"The Hellan Kingdom is my homeland," William replied. "I will do my best to meet your expectations, Your Majesty."

After concluding his visit, William left the Great Hall and went to find Briana in the garden. He explained that the little Loli would be staying at the palace and be treated like a VIP guest. William also warned Prince Ernest that he should take care of Brianna or else he would take her away.

Prince Ernest made a solemn promise that made William and Brianna pat his shoulders in admiration. After bidding goodbye to the Young Prince and the adorable Loli, William headed towards the stables where the flying carriage was waiting for him.

He was only a hundred meters away from the stables when the system suddenly gave him an emergency report.

< Host! The spell that was dormant in Wendy's Soul of Consciousness has suddenly been strengthened! Right now, 60% of her Sea of Consciousness has been taken over. I estimate that before the day is over, it will reach up to 65% completion. >

'What?!' William almost jumped off his feet at the sudden turn of events.

He had only left the Royal Academy for two hours and, in that short amount of time, the corruption of Wendy's Sea of Consciousness had already advanced to such a degree. William couldn't believe it, and he found this a very hard thing to stomach.

'Tell me all the details,' William ordered. 'Make sure to not leave anything out.'

< Understood. >

< When the host left for the Royal Palace, Wendy returned to her dormitory to rest. An hour later, she left her dormitory room and met Lady Charlotte in the hallways. Wendy's "Big Sister" then gave her a pouch filled with candies.

< Upon contact, I successfully placed a tracker on her and started monitoring her as well. Lady Charlotte returned to her own dormitory room to handle the affairs of the Third Year Magic Division. Wendy, on the other hand, went to the Host's dormitory room in the Solaris building. >

'She went to find me?' William thought. 'Continue the explanation.'

< Seeing that the host is not inside the room, Wendy didn't go out, instead, she laid on top of the host bed and began eating the candy. >

William clenched his fist so hard that his nails dug into his palm. 'How is she now?'

< She is currently sleeping on the host's bed. >

William ran towards the stable in order to return to the Royal Academy as soon as possible. He wanted to be beside Wendy right now, and personally check her current condition. The Half-Elf knew that he was making a gamble with Wendy's life on the line and hated himself for it.

If possible, he really wanted to kill the Mastermind behind this whole incident and prevent the girl, who loved him so much, from suffering any harm.

Chapter 264: Promises That He Would No Longer Be Able To Keep

Half an hour earlier…

'It's so boring here in the academy,' Wendy thought as she finished changing her clothes after taking a shower. 'I guess I'll just visit Will for now. I hope he's back from his meeting with the King.'

She had just left her room when she saw her Big Sister Charlotte walking in her direction with a big smile on her face.

"It's good to see that you're finally back. I missed you," Charlotte said as she gave Wendy a light hug. "Where have you been?"

"I missed you too, Big Sister," Wendy returned the hug as she replied to Charlotte's question. "We went to the North– North to train! That's right, Sir William wanted to perfect our team formation so we had to leave the academy to train."

"Is that so? I hope that the Knight Commander isn't pushing you too hard." Charlotte frowned. "Make sure to tell me if he bullies you. I don't care if he's the Knight Commander or not, I'll shove a fireball right up his a*s."

Wendy giggled when she imagined William holding onto his bum while running away in fear.

Seeing that Wendy seemed to be fine, Charlotte remembered her reason for looking for her.

"Here you go, some candies for you." Charlotte handed the pouch filled with candies with the "Be thankful I care for you" expression on her face.

"Thank you, Big Sister." Wendy happily took the pouch from Charlotte's hand. "You're the best!"

"You only say those words when I give you gifts. Well then, I have to go. There are still documents that I need to work on for the Third Years. I only came here to check up on you and see that you're in one piece."

"Thank you once again, Big Sister. I'll treat you to something good tomorrow."

"You'd better remember those words." Charlotte patted Wendy's head before going back to the Third Year Dormitory.

Wendy was about to eat a candy when she suddenly remembered what had happened in William's room when she gave him a candy. Her face reddened as she reminisced about the passionate kisses that she had shared with him.

'I'd better give him some candies as well,' Wendy thought. She was looking forward to another kissing session with William that would only become possible because of the candies that were in her possession.

Wendy had been a regular visitor of the Solaris Dormitory that the guards only nodded at her and allowed her to pass without question. They knew that the beautiful lady was a member of the Knight Commander's personal knight squad and gave her the respect she deserved.

William's room had a special enchantment in it that prevented anyone from entering without permission. Fortunately for Wendy, she was one of the few exceptions that could enter the room without using a key.

'He's still not here,' Wendy thought as she scanned the room. 'It's fine. I'll just wait for him to arrive.'

The blonde beauty immediately headed towards William bed and sat on top of it. She then opened the pouch of candies and started eating.

'I'll only eat half and share the rest with William,' Wendy thought as she put a red colored candy inside her mouth. 'This way, it's a win-win for both of us.'

After eating eight candies, Wendy suddenly felt drowsy and slept on top of William's bed, while hugging

William's pillow.

——

Somewhere in Asgard…

"Captain, please wake up! We are being dispatched to the battlefield to collect the souls of warriors. We are the team that is currently on standby, so we have to hurry before our superiors deduct our wages!"

"Just let me sleep for five more minutes."

"What are you talking about, Captain?!" a beautiful lady with dark-brown hair raised her voice as she shook the sleeping beauty violently. "If we don't go soon, Commander Gunnr will deduct our wages! I plan to have a date with my boyfriend this month. I need to buy a new dress!"

"You're so annoying." The sleeping beauty finally relented and propped herself up from the bed. Her long, silky, blonde hair shimmered briefly as the rays of the sun fell upon them. "I'll be ready in five minutes. Wait for me outside."

"Understood. Please, hurry, Captain."

"Okay, stop nagging and just wait for me to finish changing my clothes. Sheeesh!"

The blonde beauty who seemed to be in her early twenties, walked up to her closet and began to put on her light-weight armor that was designed for the battlefield. After strapping on her protective gear, she walked towards the mirror in order to fix her hair.

The image of a beautiful lady with long blonde hair and a pair of blue eyes, that were as clear as the skies of Asgard, were reflected in the mirror. She then began to comb her hair until she was satisfied with it.

The blonde beauty then picked up the winged circlet lying on top of her table, and looked at the mirror one last time before going out of her room. As the Captain of her squad, it was her duty to lead the other Valkyries on the battlefield to collect the souls of the brave warriors that had fallen in battle.

An hour later, twelve Valkyries with their Captain in the center descended towards Midgard where a battle had just ended. They had done this duty countless times before and they were already used to guiding the souls of the brave warriors to Valhalla.

However, this time, the scene they encountered was different.

"T-There are no souls?" one of the Valkyries, that were hovering above the dead bodies, stuttered.

"Captain Wendy! There are no souls on this battlefield," one of the Valkyries reported. "It was as if they have vanished into thin air. This has never happened before."

"Calm down." Wendy raised her hand as her eyes scanned the bloody battlefield that was bereft of any signs of life. "Go in teams of two and investigate. Maybe there are still lingering souls somewhere on this battlefield. We need to know what happened."

""Yes!""

Usually, hundreds, even thousands of souls, could be harvested on the battlefield where the fighting had just ended. Not all souls could go to Valhalla. Only those that fought bravely and for a righteous cause were invited to the great feast that the Gods had prepared that watched over the Nine Realms of Yggrasil.

The Valkyries investigated the battlefield in pairs, and just like Wendy mentioned, they did indeed find souls, but their number didn't even surpass ten.

While the rest of the Valkyries were doing one last sweep of the battlefield, Wendy flew towards its center and saw a young man with arrows sticking out of his body and a bloody hole in his chest.

Clearly, the young man was already dead, but Wendy couldn't help but admire the warrior because he was the only one in the battlefield that had remained standing even after he died.

The young man had long silver hair that fell behind his shoulders. His face was stained with blood, but that didn't prevent his good looks from showing through. Wendy caressed the warrior's face, and felt a very subtle fluctuation in his body.

Wendy immediately used her powers and coaxed the warrior's soul, that had refused to separate from its mortal vessel, out.

"I, Wendy, the Valkyrie Captain of Lady Brunn have come to take you, Oh Brave Warrior, to come with me and enter Valhalla," Wendy said in a respectful tone.

This was an etiquette that the Valkyries had learned during their training when addressing the brave warriors that had died in[on] the battlefield.

Soon, the soul of a young warrior appeared before Wendy. According to her estimate, the young man was still in his late teens and hadn't even grown a beard, which was very uncommon among the warriors that had ascended to Valhalla.

"What is your name, Brave Warrior?" Wendy asked.

"William," the young man answered. "William Pendragon."

Wendy extended her hand in a gesture of invitation.

"Come, Brave William," Wendy said softly. "The Halls of Asgard are waiting for you. Your duty in the mortal world is over. Your duty to protect the Nine Realms is about to begin."

William looked at Wendy's delicate hand before reluctantly raising his own. The Valkyrie Captain could see the unwillingness in his eyes. Those were the eyes of someone that still had unfinished business in the mortal realm.

Wendy had seen these kinds of eyes many times in the past. However, she knew that the young warrior would gradually forget about his ties with the mortal world the moment he stepped into the halls of Asgard.

The beautiful Valkyrie firmly gripped the young man's hand and flapped her wings to ascend to the sky. Soon, the other Valkyries joined her in flight as they took the surviving souls to their final destination.

William glanced at Midgard one last time before he closed his eyes to weep. He still had promises to keep…

Promises that he would no longer be able to keep.

Chapter 265: A Farce With A Tragic Ending

"Hah…. Mmm… ehe… heh," Wendy mumbled in her sleep as she unconsciously tried to reach out for something.

William who sat beside the bedside caught her hand and held it firmly. Perhaps feeling the familiar touch, a smile appeared on Wendy's face as she continued to sleep.

"You're such a handful," William said softly as he brushed away the strands of hair that blocked the sleeping girl's face.

< The spell inside her had finally stabilized. Right now, 65% of her Sea of Consciousness has been invaded. >

'Understood.'

William sighed as the internal struggle in him waged on. After putting a tracker on Charlotte, the System had been monitoring her every move. However, she still hadn't met anyone that the system had deemed suspicious.

Because of this, William still couldn't do anything aside from making sure that the girl that was holding his hand wouldn't suffer any harm.

He had already steeled himself for this scenario, but when it actually happened, he still felt bitter in his heart.

Minutes passed…

Hours passed…

After three hours, Wendy sleepily opened her eyes. She had a good dream, and it made her feel refreshed after waking up.

The first thing she saw was a sleeping Half-Elf's face in front of her. It took a moment for the gears in Wendy's head to start churning. Half a minute later, her eyes widened when she found herself lying in the young man's embrace.

Ironically, her hands were wrapped around William as if she was holding a hug pillow. The boy, on the other hand, had his arms wrapped around her in a protective embrace.

Wendy didn't know what to do at the moment. A part of her wanted to stay in William's embrace and let this moment last a little while longer, while the other part of her wanted to plant a kiss on his lips.

She was afraid that if she took the initiative to kiss William, the latter would wake up and the feeling of warmth and security she was experiencing would disappear.

Fortunately, before she could finalize her decision, the boy's eyes opened. Blue eyes met green and the two stared at each other for a long time before William pulled her closer to him and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Did you have a good rest?" William asked. Although he tried to hide it, there was a tinge of worry in his voice.

"Yes," Wendy replied as she breathed in his scent. "I always sleep well when you are around."

"Then sleep here with me tonight."

"… Un."

The two embraced each other for a while before reluctantly separating.

"Will."

"Yes?"

"I had a good dream, but I can't recall anything about it when I woke up," Wendy said while fixing her messy hair in front of the mirror. "Even so, I have a feeling that you were in that dream as well."

William crossed his arms over his chest and gave Wendy a smile. "I don't know what your dream was about, but if I was in there then that means that it was an awesome

dream."

"… Although I can't recall much of my dream, I have a feeling that your expression in that dream of mine was a very sad one. It was as if you lost or had forgotten something very important."

The smile on William's face stiffened when he heard Wendy's reply.

"It's just a dream," William said as he walked towards the girl who was currently fixing her hair in the mirror. William then gave her a light hug as he tried to bury the anxiousness he was feeling in his heart. "Just a dream, so you don't have to think too much about it."

"Un…," Wendy replied as she placed her hand over William's.

——

In the Far East where the Kingdom of Freesia was located…

"Sidonie, the Hellan Kingdom seems to be having some difficulties right now," the King of Freesia said with a serious expression. "Because of this, I've decided to send you there as my envoy."

"Understood," the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Freesia, Sidonie, replied. "Will I be going alone?"

"No. You will be accompanied by four teams of Aerial Cavaliers. Also, I will give you full command over them. Do what you see fit in order to help our allies. We mustn't let the Hellan Kingdom fall. The moment they fall, it will be our turn next."

"Don't worry, Father," Sidonie replied. "I will support our allies to the best of my abilities. When will I be leaving?"

"You will be leaving by midnight. Prepare the things that you need to bring. Don't forget to take your maidservants along with you."

"Understood. Be careful while I am away, Father."

The King of Freesia smiled, but he was standing at least ten meters away from his daughter. Any closer would make it impossible for him to resist the effect of her powers.

Princess Sidonie, like always, was wearing a veil. Not only to hide her beauty, but to protect anyone from being ensnared by her powerful charm. No one is safe from it. Men, women, and even some Beasts under the Centennial Rank, wouldn't be able to resist her.

Although the King felt reluctant to let her leave the kingdom, his advisers had strongly suggested that they send her to the Hellan Kingdom as his representative. This was a way to show their support, and help them understand that Freesia hadn't abandoned them.

After Princess Sidonie left the room, the King's expression became serious as he called upon his trusted subordinates to update him of the current movements of the Two Dynasties.

This upcoming war made him feel anxious because the decisions of the Two Dynasties were too sudden. Although there was an unwritten rule between the four major powers in the Southern Continent that they wouldn't attack each other, no treaties had been signed to enforce it.

This unwritten rule had lasted for a few hundred years, and Redmond Val Freesia, the current King of Freesia, thought that it would last for a hundred more before the Southern Continent was once again embroiled in strife.

His advisers had already mentioned that there was something fishy about this war, but their spies hadn't discovered any credible information about why the Two Dynasties suddenly made an alliance and teamed up to attack the Hellan Kingdom.

Naturally, King Redmond was aware of the series of unfortunate events that had happened to their staunch ally in the West. Even he thought that the back to back events seemed to have been planned by someone hidden in the shadows.

"The only thing we can do is prepare for war," King Redmond said softly as he stared towards the West. "Since this war is already inevitable, I need to make sure that Freesia would not suffer too many casualties."

King Redmond wanted to help the Hellan Kingdom survive the storm that was slowly creeping on its borders, but they were just too far to offer any real assistance. All he could do was send his daughter, Princess Sidonie, with their prided Aerial Cavaliers to at least tell King Noah that they were in this war together.

'I just hope that we are not being used as a chess piece by some Higher Power,' King Redmond thought with a frown. 'Because if that is the case then this whole farce will have a very tragic ending. Not only for the Hellan Kingdom, but for everyone that lives in the Southern Continent.'

—-

Princess Sidonie walked towards her quarters with even steps. The maidservants following behind her had been unable to resist her charms and were now her loyal subordinates. If she wished for them to die, they would gladly stab their hearts in front of her with smiles on their faces.

If Sidonie wished it, she could easily bring down an entire nation on a whim. However, she didn't have any interest in dominion over the Southern Continent, what she wanted in life was very simple.

To find someone that would make her understand the true meaning of Love, which was something that was far beyond her reach.

Chapter 266: Lost Memories

"I knew that you would be here," Wendy said as she descended from the sky.

The silver-haired young man didn't turn his head and continued to stare at the bridge that connected Asgard to the other realms of Yggdrasil.

"Listen, I know what you're thinking, but it's not going to happen." Wendy stood beside the warrior whom she had personally brought back from the battlefield a week ago. "You can't return to Midgard. Just give up."

William didn't say anything because he knew that she was right. He was already dead and it was impossible for him to return to Midgard. The young man knew this, but he was still unwilling to give up.

"Is there something you need to do?" Wendy asked. "Pass a message perhaps? If you ask nicely, I'll find a way to deliver your handwritten letter the next time I go to Midgard to gather the souls of warriors."

This time, the young man finally had a reaction. He stared at Wendy intensely as he grabbed her arm.

"Can you really send a letter back?" William asked. "Will you do it?"

"That will depend on my mood," Wendy replied with a smile. "Also, it depends on the contents of the letter. Take note that coded messages are not allowed. If you play something fishy, I will personally hand you to Lady Freya to have your memories erased completely."

The young man flinched when he heard Wendy's warning. He was planning to send a coded message to someone very important to him, but if the price was to have his memories erased then it would all be for naught.

Wendy gave him the "I knew you'd do that" expression and pried away the hands that were holding onto her arm.

The man snorted and walked away. Since his plan to send a message could no longer be achieved, he had to find another way to contact that person in Midgard.

—–

Three months later…

William thrust his spear and pierced the eye of an Orc Champion that was wreaking havoc on the battlefield. The monster screamed in pain and waved its giant axe at random in order to protect itself from further attacks.

Finding a gap in the Orc Campion's attack, William charged in and slid between its legs. He then used his full strength to cut off its head from behind, ending its life and making its subordinates scatter in fear.

The green fountain of blood rained upon the beheaded champion's surroundings, which made the warriors that accompanied William regain their morale and attack the Orc Champion's subordinates with renewed frenzy.

"Good Job," Wendy landed beside William. "With this, we have successfully defended this Elven Outpost. I'm sure that the Lords of Alfheim will reward us generously… What's wrong?"

Wendy noticed that William was looking absentmindedly at a dead Elven warrior not far from him. Since this was an outpost that belonged to the Elves, it was only natural that the ones protecting it were the Elven Warriors of Alfheim.

"Don't tell me that the standoffish William has suddenly awakened to Necrophilia?" Wendy asked in a teasing tone. She had already noticed that the Elven warrior that had died was a woman and wondered why William was looking at her

with such an intense gaze.

"Do I know any Elves?" William asked absentmindedly. "I can't remember anything, but for some reason looking at her is making me feel anxious. It's as if…"

The silver-haired warrior paused mid-sentence before holding his head as if he was suffering from a headache.

'The cleansing has already reached this stage,' Wendy thought with a sad expression. 'He stopped going to the Bifrost Bridge two weeks ago and just stays within Valhalla to train everyday.'

The so-called cleansing was the gradual loss of memory after a warrior had entered Asgard. Most warriors completely lose their memories within a month of their arrival, as they helped the Gods of Asgard safeguard the denizens of the other Realms from invaders that were allied with Jotunheim and Muspelheim.

Those who had broken free from the shackles of their past lives were baptized by the light of Yggdrasil and were born anew as an Einherjar.

(A/N: Einherjar means "Army of One", or "Those Who Fight Alone".)

William, was a very rare existence because he had held on this long and still kept a few of his memories intact. However, it wouldn't be long before those precious memories of his also vanished into thin air.

When that day came, he, too, would be reborn as an Einherjar.

Wendy had watched over the cold, yet brave warrior, who would always fight on the frontlines in order to protect his comrades. She watched him save the weak and helpless from the monsters that invaded their lands without even thinking of his own safety.

Part of her wanted to see William free from the shackles that hounded him, even in the afterlife. The other part of her wanted to preserve the memories of the brave warrior that had wormed himself into her heart.

"Let's go back, Will," Wendy said softly as he patted the warrior's shoulder. "Let's go back to Asgard."

William blinked and looked at her absentmindedly. Soon, he nodded his head and accepted Wendy's invitation.

The Valkyrie Captain transformed into a Pegasus and allowed William to mount her. This was a special privilege to a select few. Usually, only those that a Valkyrie had chosen to become her life partner would gain this right.

Naturally, William wasn't aware of this hidden rule among those that ferried the souls of brave warriors to the halls of Valhalla. He was busy trying to grasp the fleeting memories in his hands, before they too, disappeared for eternity.

—–

Inside William's Quarters in the Solaris Dormitory…

Wendy opened her eyes and found herself inside William's room.

She had been sleeping with him since the day they had returned from the North and rumors were starting to spread in the Martial Division that she was their Commander's Lover.

To her surprise, William didn't deny or affirm the rumors. He simply brushed them aside as if they were something insignificant and not worth his attention.

Wendy's twin, Spencer, was very vocal about it and would confront William from time to time. However, after William threatened that he would kick Spencer out of the Martial Division, the Siscon Brother had no choice but to back off.

William was not only the Commander of the Knight Order, but also the Head Prefect of the Martial Division. His words were law and no matter how aggrieved he was, Spencer wasn't able to do anything in front of William.

Instead, he would often tell his sister that the Half-Elf was a Wolf in Sheep's clothing and if she wasn't careful, she would be eaten up in a heartbeat.

Little did Spencer know that Wendy was looking forward to being "eaten" by William. It was quite unfortunate that, aside from simple hugs and kisses, William wouldn't do anything that was beyond his bottomline.

"Good morning," William said when he noticed that Wendy was already awake. "I brought you some breakfast."

William went early to the kitchen to smuggle breakfast for both of them. He had done this for the past few days, and Wendy loved these simple gestures that made her feel as if they were newlyweds.

After eating breakfast, Wendy returned to the Magic Division because today was Saturday. It was also the day that she promised Charlotte that she would accompany her to train.

"Big Sister, this is not the way to the training grounds," Wendy said after she noticed that they had left the premises of the Magic Division.

"There is a place that we need to visit first before we start our training," Charlotte replied with a smile. "I need to meet the maker of those candies that you love so much. He said that he has finished making another batch and asked me to pick them up."

"Really?" Wendy was pleasantly surprised by Charlotte's words. "I've long wanted to meet the one who makes those delicious candies."

"Don't worry, now is a good opportunity to meet him," Charlotte patted Wendy's head. 'I'm sure that you will love him, too, Wendy. This way, the two of us can become his brides and live happily ever after.'

Charlotte guided Wendy towards the residences that were reserved for the teachers of the Royal Academy. The place where a certain candy maker was looking forward to her arrival.

Chapter 267: I'm Sorry

"Are the rumors about you and Wendy true?" Est asked as soon as William sat down inside the meeting room for the First Year Representatives of the Martial, Magic, and Spirit Divisions.

Priscilla, who accompanied William to this gathering, perked her ears up in order to listen to their conversation. The rumor about the Half-Elf Commander and the beautiful lady that was part of his personal Knight Squad had been circulating throughout the Martial Division.

No one was brave enough to ask their Commander whether it was true or not, for they didn't know how he would react to the question. Spencer had been a very good example of how William dealt with those who were trying to raise a ruckus.

Wendy's twin was currently undergoing a mission to gather "rare herbs" that could be used to craft healing potions. This was the decree that William had given after Spencer confronted him about his relationship with his twin sister.

After that incident, no one dared to talk about the rumors in William's presence.

William propped his chin up using his hand and gave Est a smile. "I didn't know that you like gossip."

"So, is it true or not?" Est raised an eyebrow. He really wanted to know how far the two had gone in their relationship.

"No comment," William replied with a smug expression. Although he didn't mind admitting that he had already recognized Wendy as his lover, he still had to consider his grandfather's and Lawrence's faces.

Afterall, Rebecca was still "technically" his fiance, and he still had to deal with that issue before officially declaring his relationship with Wendy.

Est scoffed while Ian looked at William in disdain.

During the course of their journey in the Kyrintor Mountains, William had shown through his actions how much he cared about Wendy. They were always holding each other's hands and they even slept together. It was more than enough evidence to tell that the two were already in a romantic relationship.

Even so, Ian was unwilling to recognize it. He would rather turn a blind eye on the two's "public display of affection" than to hear William officially announce that he and Wendy were now a couple.

The Head Prefect of the Spirit Division, Erwin Boaz, was the last one to arrive in the room, followed by his Vice-Prefect. When all the leaders of the First Year Divisions had gathered, the head instructors of the divisions, Grent, Layla, and Lourdes, started the meeting.

"In two and a half weeks, the Inter-Division Battle is going to begin," Grent said. "We are waiting for a special guest to arrive from the Kingdom of Freesia, so the opening ceremony might be delayed a day or two."

Grent then nodded to Lourdes, so that she could continue the explanation.

"We have already informed you of the rules of the competition," Lourdes stated. "We will conduct a brief review to ensure that all of you are familiar with the rules."

Lourdes then

asked the Head Prefects to recite the main rules of the tournament to ensure that they had memorized them properly. After that, the meeting veered in the direction of how they would conduct the battles and the point system that they would be using for the event.

The meeting only lasted an hour and the three instructors were satisfied because all the Head Prefects were very capable.

"All of you do your best," Grent smiled. "It doesn't matter whether you win or lose. Just enjoy this event and hone your skills to fullest. All of you are now dismissed."

The Head and Vice-Prefects bowed their heads respectfully to their instructors before leaving the conference room.

"It's finally over," William said after he stretched his arms and waist. "I'm really not used to attending these kinds of meetings. Priscilla, have you covered everything?"

"Yes, Sir William," Priscilla replied.

"Good. Please, make sure that everyone is informed about the topics that were discussed in the meeting."

"Understood."

Priscilla gave William a brief nod before heading towards the Solaris Dormitory.

"Deep inside she must really hate you," Ian commented with his arms crossed over his chest. "You just shove your responsibilities onto her then laze around all day long."

"Do you really see it that way?" William asked back.

"What do you mean?" Ian frowned. "Aren't you just dumping the workload on her?"

"Of course not. This is what you call Trust."

"Hah? Trust?"

"Yes. Trust," William said with his chin raised in an arrogant manner. "I trust Priscilla that she will be able to handle the job more effectively than I would. Since that is the case, why should I get in the way of her role?"

Ian scoffed at William's shameless way of sugarcoating his laziness. Est and Isaac who were standing beside the two sighed in helplessness.

"Ah, that reminds me, Est." William shifted his attention to his good friend. "Have you thought about whether we should continue our bet or not?"

Est frowned, he had thought long and hard about his bet with William, and he was still on the fence whether he should agree or not. However, William's answer to his earlier question about his relationship with Wendy was brushed aside, so he was feeling irritated.

Because of this, he decided to accept the Half-Elf's proposal and agreed to his bet.

"Let's do it," Est replied. "I agree to the terms of our bet."

"Good." William chuckled as he extended his hand. "May the best man win."

Est firmly gripped William's hand and shook it.

Suddenly, the smile on William's face vanished as a serious expression crossed over his face.

"What's wrong? You look like you've just swallowed a fly," Est teased the handsome Half-Elf that was looking at him as if William was seeing him for the first time.

< Host. Est's Sea of Consciousness has been fully invaded by the Mind Weaver Spell. >

'Put a tracker on him. Include all the add-ons!'

< Understood. >

William unconsciously tightened his grip on Est's hand as he did his best to control the rage that was building inside his heart.

'Too far! Whoever this person is has gone too far!' William's breathing became heavy as he forced himself to calm down. Est was the very first friend he had made outside of Lont and he was very special to him.

For his good friend to be under the subtle control of someone from the shadows pained his heart.

"I'm sorry," William said softly. This was the only thing he could do for his friend. He didn't know if the Mastermind was alone, or he had many helpers in the background. Until he managed to capture their trails, he couldn't afford to dispel the Mind Weaver Spell inside Est's body.

Doing so would only alert the Mastermind because the spells were directly connected to their consciousness.

"Sorry? For what?" Est asked. "Don't tell me you're apologizing to me because you're confident that you'll be the one to win our bet? Will, you might be strong, but don't underestimate me. I will make you taste my true power when the two of us face off in the arena."

William was about to say more, but his words stopped in his throat when the system gave him an emergency notification.

< Host! The spell inside Wendy's body is rising at an alarming rate! The invasion on her Sea of Consciousness has suddenly risen to 95%. She is now currently in a trance, and is now in the presence of someone who could potentially be the Mastermind behind all of this!

According to my estimate, it will only take twenty more minutes before her Sea of Consciousness has been taken over completely! >

Chapter 268: Would You Like To Kiss Me?

(Disclaimer: If you are faint hearted or someone that gets triggered easily, I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU that you read this chapter along with the chapter entitled "Chapter 268: A Vessel That Held Limitless Possibilities". If the chapter I mentioned is not currently available, hold off in reading this chapter and wait until the next day.

If you don't want to feel anxious and constipated for the remainder of the day, make sure to follow my advice. I don't want to hear any complaints, and people telling me that I didn't warn them beforehand. Read this chapter at your own risk.)

——

Half an hour earlier…

"Big Sister, isn't this the area where the instructors have their own residences?"

"That's right."

"Wait. You mean to say that the one who makes the candies is an instructor?" Wendy asked in disbelief.

"That's right," Charlotte replied with a smile. "And we have arrived at our destination."

Wendy gazed at the small gate that led to a three-storey house. This house was located on the outskirts of the Teacher's residences and no other houses were around it.

"Let's go inside," Charlotte said as she firmly held Wendy's hand and led her inside the gate.

"Big Sister, can we really enter without permission?" Wendy inquired.

Charlotte chuckled and patted Wendy's head, "You're such a worrywart. Of course, I have already gotten permission from the instructor. Just relax your little head and follow me."

Wendy's Big Sister opened the front door and invited her in as if she was the owner of the place. Charlotte then guided her to the second floor where Carter's room was located.

For some reason, Wendy suddenly felt a sense of anticipation in her heart. She thought that it was just her curiosity about finding out who the candy-maker really was making her heart beat a little faster than normal.

Charlotte then knocked on the door to announce their presence, "Professor, it's me."

"Come in," a gentle voice replied from the other side of the door.

Charlotte opened the door to the room and signaled for Wendy to enter before her. The latter obeyed her Big Sister's gesture and entered the room obediently. After Wendy had entered the room, Charlotte also stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

She made sure to lock the door properly to ensure that no one would be leaving the room without Carter's permission.

Wendy's gaze landed on a handsome man who seemed to be in his early twenties, seated on a chair with a book in hand. He seemed to be reading the book before they arrived and Wendy thought that the image of an esteemed scholar fit him perfectly.

"Allow me to do the introductions," Charlotte said with a smile. "Wendy, this is Professor Carter. He is the Magic Teacher of the Third Years that specializes in Magic Combat. He is also the maker of the candies that you love so much.

"Professor, this is Wendy Armstrong. Although we are not blood related, I treat her as my own little sister. I hope that the two of you get along well."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Armstrong," Carter greeted as he stood up from his chair and gave Wendy a respectful bow.

Wendy curtsied like a proper noble and returned Carter's greeting, "The honor is mine, Professor Carter. It's a pleasure meeting the maker of those delicious candies. Are all of them really handmade?"

"They are," Carter answered with pride. "Charlotte has been telling me over and over again how beautiful and talented you are. Seeing you face to face, I have no choice

but to agree with her words."

Charlotte giggled as she walked towards Carter, "You mean to say that you didn't believe the words I said, Professor?"

Charlotte playfully pounded Carter's shoulder and the latter only laughed. Seeing the two of them side by side made Wendy's heart beat faster. The scene reminded her of how she and William would normally interact when it was only the two of them inside his dormitory room.

"Ah! I almost forgot." Carter lightly tapped his head as if he had really forgotten something important. "I just made a new product and I am looking for someone to do a taste test. Ms. Armstrong, are you willing to give it a try?"

Carter took something out from his pocket and unwrapped it. Inside was a red candy that was as dark as blood.

Wendy swallowed unconsciously the moment her eyes landed on the candy. It was as if she had been unable to direct her gaze anywhere save on the crimson candy that lay harmlessly in the professor's palm.

Carter smiled and lightly swung his hand to the left. Wendy's gaze followed the candy as if her eyes were stuck on it completely. The professor then walked towards the beautiful young lady and extended his hand.

"Do you want it?" Carter inquired.

"I-I…," Wendy stuttered.

Carter was using the spell that was inside her body to control her emotions in a subtle manner.

"Do you want it?" Carter repeated.

"I… want," Wendy replied.

Carter chuckled and glanced at Charlotte who was standing beside him.

"Feed this to your little sister," Carter ordered. He wanted Charlotte to personally do the act because it was more interesting that way.

Charlotte obeyed and picked up the candy from the professor's palm and slowly approached the young lady who seemed to have lost her ability to think.

"Open your mouth," Charlotte ordered.

Wendy obediently opened her mouth, which made Carter grin internally.

Charlotte then softly pressed the candy against Wendy's lips and moved it ever so slowly, like she was applying lipstick on her luscious pink lips.

After completing a full cycle, Wendy's Big Sister finally slid the candy inside Wendy's mouth and watched as the girl in front of her fell into a trance-like state.

The candy dissolved the moment it entered Wendy's mouth. The sweet taste washed away all thoughts that she was currently thinking. Devoid of all thoughts, Wendy felt as if she was floating. She was like a painting that was slowly being stripped of her colors.

Carter watched with a satisfied smile as he looked at the girl that was slowly succumbing to the power of his spell.

Charlotte returned to his side and wrapped her arms around the professor, before kissing his lips. It was as if she wasn't a least bit worried about what was happening to Wendy, all she cared for was the love of the man whose hands were firmly grabbing her waist.

It didn't take long before a sigh escaped Wendy's lips. She blinked once then twice as she looked at her Big Sister kissing the handsome professor in front of her.

Her heart started to beat wildly inside her chest and a sudden heat washed over her body, making her face flush in embarrassment.

"What's wrong, is this your first time seeing a kiss?" Carter asked.

"N-No," Wendy stuttered.

"Oh?" Carter raised an eyebrow. "Then, have you kissed someone before?"

"Yes."

"Who was it?"

"Will," Wendy replied. "The Knight Commander of the Angorian War Sovereign."

"Ah… him," Carter smiled. He didn't mind Wendy having her first kiss stolen from her. What was important to him was the girl's chastity that was still intact. He even sneered at the Knight Commander for being too young and too naive to take advantage of the girl that was clearly infatuated with him.

Carter's gaze, that was fixed on Wendy's face, slowly shifted downwards. It stopped on her ample chest for a brief moment, before continuing to move down her body. The professor gazed at that "part" as if his eyes could see past through Wendy's clothes and smiled.

"How is the Knight Commander's kiss?" Carter asked. "Does it feel good?"

Wendy could feel the warmth spreading into her entire body like an aphrodisiac as Carter empowered the spell that had almost taken over her Sea of Consciousness.

"It feels good," Wendy replied as she once again fell into a trance. She couldn't take her eyes off the handsome professor in front of her.

Wendy felt confused, but her thoughts were muddled right now. She couldn't think straight as the professor raised her chin with his fingertip.

"Would you like to kiss me?" Carter inquired while strengthening his hold over Wendy's consciousness.

"I-I…" Wendy's thoughts had turned completely blank. She couldn't muster any resistance to the spell that was urging her to say yes.

'Such sublime pleasure,' Carter thought as he watched the internal struggle in Wendy's eyes.

He then slowly lowered his head to taste the girl's luscious lips that were begging to be kissed.

When the professor's lips were mere inches away from her own, the image of a red-headed boy appeared in Wendy's head.

"N-No!" Wendy hastily pushed Carter away and took a few steps back.

Carter was surprised, but soon an evil smile appeared on his lips. It was as if Wendy's last second struggle was turning him on.

"No?" Carter asked. "No, what?"

"I-I!" Wendy stuttered, but the image of the boy inside her head suddenly disappeared when Carter fully activated the spell inside her Sea of Consciousness.

Wendy's expression slackened as her beautiful blue eyes clouded over. Carter's smile widened as he neared the girl.

His prey had already been cornered. All he needed to do was to reach out and make Wendy fall into the abyss of darkness.

Chapter 269: A Vessel That Held Limitless Possibilities

Charlotte watched from the side as Carter reached out his hand towards her "little sister".

However, just as the Professor was about to claim his prize, a sudden knock on the door of his room stopped him in his tracks.

"This is the Knight Commander of the Angorian War Sovereign," a commanding voice sounded from outside the door. "There is an emergency situation and I am gathering the members of my Knight Order for a mission. I was told that my subordinate, Wendy Armstrong, was seen entering this house. I would like the residents to please cooperate with our Knight Order's mission."

Carter frowned because he was once again foiled from having his way with the young noble lady in front of him. However, he was someone who knew when to step back in order to obtain the bigger picture. Wendy was already under his full control. The girl wouldn't be able to escape even if she wanted to.

'I guess putting it off for later would[will] make the main dish more delicious,' Carter thought as he calmed the heat that was surging in his body. He took a step back and glanced at the door before looking back at the dazed girl in front of him.

"Let's continue this later," Carter said softly. "Visit me tonight, here in my room. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Wendy muttered absentmindedly.

Her clouded eyes slowly returned to normal. Wendy blinked as she looked at the professor in front of her and tilted her head in confusion. She couldn't remember what happened after the professor had asked her to taste the candy. The blonde beauty couldn't even remember if she had tasted the candy or not.

"Um, about the candy?" Wendy fidgeted. "You were asking me earlier to taste test it right, Professor?"

"Don't worry. You can come back later and taste as many as you want." Carter grinned as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Okay." Wendy smiled and nodded her head.

Another knock was heard on the door as William's voice passed through Wendy's ears.

"Wendy? Are you here?" William asked. "We have an emergency mission. I came to find you."

Carter walked towards the door and opened it. He then came face to face with the boy who had prevented him from conquering his target.

"I've long heard about the Knight Commander's fame, but I didn't have the opportunity to make your acquaintance," Carter extended his hand for a handshake. "I am Professor Carter Aracelli, Third Year Magic Instructor."

"William," William replied as he shook the Professor's hand. "William Von Ainsworth."

Carter was about

to say more when a faint fragrance, that came from the young boy's body, entered his nose. His pupils shrank in their sockets as he stared directly at the boy's chest.

"Professor?" William asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"N-No," Carter stuttered. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir William."

"Same here, Professor," William said as he waited for the professor to release his hand. For some reason Carter was holding his hand in a vice-like grip, unwilling to let it go. "Professor. You can let go of me now."

As if awakening from his daze, Carter awkwardly released Wiliam's hand and scratched his cheeks. "I'm sorry. It was my first time shaking the hand of a Knight Commander and I lost my composure for a while."

"I see." William nodded. "Professor, we really have an urgent mission. If you don't mind, can you tell me if my subordinate, Wendy, is here?"

Hearing her name, Wendy opened the door wider and showed herself to William.

"I'm here, Will."

"Let's go. We need to go on an emergency mission."

"Understood," Wendy replied. "Sorry, I have to go now, Big Sister, Professor Carter."

"Don't worry about me and do your job properly." Charlotte waved at her.

"Be safe and may the Gods watch over the two of you." Carter pressed his fist over his chest.

"Thank you." William and Wendy said at the same time.

Carter and Charlotte even walked the two of them to the front door and gave them one final wave of farewell before returning inside the house.

"Professor, why don't we return to your room and continue where we left off?" Charlotte proposed in a seductive manner.

"There's no need to rush, My Love," Carter caressed the side of her face before giving her a kiss. "Handle your duties first and return here tonight. I suddenly remembered that I needed to do something important."

A look of disappointment flashed over Charlotte's face, but she still accepted Carter's excuse. "I will return tonight then."

"Good. I love you."

"I love you too, Professor."

The two shared a passionate kiss before parting ways.

Carter returned to his room in a hurry and closed the door behind him. His hand was trembling in excitement and there was a look of joy in his eyes.

"God's essence! That was definitely God's Essence!" Carter's eyes went bloodshot when he remembered the subtle power that pulsed within William's chest. "To think that I would find someone with God's Essence in this kingdom, and he seems to be completely oblivious of it! What a waste!"

Carter's handsome face contorted as he paced around his room. "I can't be wrong. That is definitely the scent of God Essence and it is stronger than the one that the Princess possesses."

In the past, he had encountered the same feeling when he was introduced to the Princess of the Demon Race. The Demon Princess was hailed as one of the Seven Deadly Sins and the God Essence inside her had the power to devour anything in existence.

'What should I do?' Carter thought as he paced around the room. 'Should I report this?'

Carter immediately rejected this idea. Only a fool would report such a find to his superior and he was not stupid. Since he was the one who found it, he would claim it for himself and not share it with anyone!

"I need to rethink my strategy," Carter muttered. "The current one is no good… wait! That girl Wendy is close to him. I can use her! This is perfect!"

Carter began to laugh as a plan started to form inside his head. "Being a Knight Commander is far superior than being a talented instructor at the Royal Academy. I guess it's time to switch bodies again."

The professor grinned evilly. He never thought that he would find the perfect vessel–that held limitless possibilities–in a Kingdom that was assigned to him. Although he felt sorry for betraying his superior's orders, he was certain that once he got hold of William's body, no one in the world would be able to stop him.

Chapter 270: Pain Is Temporary, But My Fists Are Eternal

"Where are we going?" Wendy asked. "What mission will we be doing this time?"

William didn't answer as he led Wendy through the Solaris Dormitory. The students that saw them together immediately made themselves scarce because Williams was radiating a "Do not fck with me right now B*tches" aura.

Wendy was oblivious of William's current expression because the red-headed boy was walking ahead of her. All she knew was that something was very different about the boy whom she had been with for the past few days.

When the two finally arrived inside William's room, the red-headed boy turned around and hugged Wendy all of a sudden.

The blonde beauty was caught by surprise because she didn't expect that William would suddenly hug her out of the blue. Also, the boy's body was trembling as if he was trying to hold himself back from doing something.

Wendy instinctively hugged him back and caressed the back of his head, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

William didn't answer. Instead, he held her tighter. The scene where Carter almost kissed Wendy played over and over inside his head, and it made him feel like killing someone. He had used all of his willpower to stop himself from attacking the professor after he opened the door in his room.

He knew that he still didn't know whether the Professor was the true Mastermind behind it all, or if he had acquaintances that were working with him inside the academy. All he knew was that he couldn't allow Wendy to be tainted by a man who would resort to such lengths to ensnare the girl that he wanted to protect.

A girl that had found a place inside his heart.

After calming down, William reluctantly took a step back and faced the worried-looking girl in front of him.

"Wendy, I want to give you something," William said as he took out a lollipop from his pocket. He removed its wrapping and presented it to the girl who loved to eat candies.

"This is my candy," William said. "Try it. I'm sure that it tastes way better than all the candies that you have eaten in the past."

"Really?" Wendy took the candy from William's hand and appraised it. "This is the first time I've seen a candy like this. What is it called?"

"It's called a lollipop."

"Loli… pop?"

"Yes." William nodded. "Try it."

Wendy smiled and placed the pink lollipop inside her mouth and started to lick it. It wasn't as sweet as the candy that the Professor gave her, but there was an addicting taste to it that she couldn't explain. A few seconds later, she felt light-headed, and leaned helplessly against William's body for support.

"Don't worry," William whispered in Wendy's ear. "You're going to be fine now. Everything is going to be alright."

The lollipop inside Wendy's mouth dissolved completely, and its Divinity washed over Wendy's body like a gentle breeze. It felt so good that the girl sighed once before burying her head into William's chest to sleep.

William sighed in relief as he gently lifted her body and carried her towards the bed, so that she could sleep more comfortably. After taking off her shoes, the red-headed boy sat beside Wendy and held her hand.

He had already made his decision to remove the spell inside Wendy's body. He wouldn't allow Carter to use the Mind Weaver Spell to force her to do something that she didn't want to do. The scenes that the system had shared with him while he ran full speed towards Carter's residence made him want to murder Carter a thousand times over.

If he was only a few seconds late, Wendy might have already been…

Killing intent rose within William's heart as his gaze sharpened like a blade. He had already considered Wendy his lover and he wouldn't allow Carter, or any man, to lay their hands on her.

William wouldn't allow it.

No matter who it was. Whether it was a Teacher, a Knight, a Prince, or a King, he would kill anyone who tried to hurt Wendy. He didn't mind dirtying his hands as long as the people that were important to him lived happy and carefree

lives.

Soon, the killing intent receded as William got hold of his senses. The System was currently monitoring the changes in Wendy's body and her vital signs had already returned to normal.

< Host, the Mind Weaver Spell has been completely erased from Wendy's Sea of Consciousness. She is no longer under its effects. Also, with the power of the Lollipop, she has gained a high resistance against Charm Spells that are not re-enforced by Divine Powers. >

'Thank you for the report,' William replied. 'Did you succeed in planting the tracker on the Professor's body when we shook hands?"

< Yes. Currently, the professor is sitting in his room with his eyes closed. I assume that he is just meditating, or perhaps controlling those under the effect of the Mind Weaver Spell from his location. >

'Continue to monitor him,' William ordered. 'If he does something suspicious, let me know right away.'

< Understood. >

—–

Somewhere in Asgard…

"William, do you want to join my team?" a beautiful valkyrie with red hair asked with a smile. "Your performance in the last battle against the Orcs was amazing. I'd like to have a brave warrior like you on my team."

"I'm sorry, but I'm already a member of Captain Wendy's Team," William replied.

The Valkyrie chuckled as she leaned her voluptuous body over William's. "I'm sure that I can give you more benefits than that tomboy could ever give you. If you like, I can even…"

"Hold it right there, B*tch!"

An enraged Wendy stormed towards William and pushed the red-haired Valkyrie aside.

"How many times do I need to tell you, Herja, that William is my teammate?" Wendy asked with a glare. "Stop poaching the warriors from our legion!"

Herja crossed her arms over her chest and fearlessly returned Wendy's glare. "I'm just giving William an option. I mean, warriors are allowed to go to another Legion if they want to. You can't make them stay by force. This is the rule that Lady Freya has decreed, is it not?"

"Yes. What you say is true," Wendy replied with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "However, blatant poaching of a warrior from another Legion is not included in Lady Freya's decree. You are overstepping your bounds. If William wants to leave my Legion then I will allow it. What I will not allow is for you, or any of the other Captains, to take him away by force!"

"Silly Wendy," Herja grinned. "I'm not forcing anyone. Like I said, I am only giving William an option. I am not the first, nor will be the last to ask him to jump ship. Others have already done so before me, so it's only normal for me to join the trend as well."

Herja was stating a fact and Wendy couldn't refute it. Among the new warriors that were brought to Valhalla, William was simply too eye-catching. His silver hair, coupled with his handsome looks already made him an eye-candy to the ladies. However, aside from his good looks, he was also a strong and very capable warrior.

A warrior who didn't shy away in the face of danger in order to protect his comrades and allow them time to escape from an enemy that was stronger than them. Valkyries may be warriors, but they were also maidens. They were constantly looking for a life partner that could protect their backs on the battlefield.

Wendy understood this, and that's why she was always in the lookout for those who were bold enough to seduce William and whisk him away from her hold.

Seeing that the look on Wendy's face was close to a breaking point, Herja decided to take her leave. Although they were both Valkyries, Wendy was stronger than her. It could even be said that Wendy was among the top three strongest Valkyrie Captains because she was blessed with superhuman strength.

She could easily turn an Orc Warrior's head into meat paste with a single slap. This was why most Valkyries didn't want to get on her bad side. The only reason why they dared to was because of William.

The silver-haired warrior was simply too irresistible for the Valkyrie Captains to ignore.

"Take your time and think about it, William," Herja said as wings sprouted behind her back. "You are welcome in my Legion anytime."

After saying those words, Herja flew towards the sky and gave William one last wink before flying away in the direction of her residence.

Wendy looked at the retreating figure with disdain. She was so close to summoning her spear and turning the hateful Valkyrie Captain into a skewered pig.

"William," Wendy said as she turned her head to look at the warrior who was looking at her with a calm expression. "I have something to ask of you."

William placed his hands behind his back as he stood straight like a sword. "Is it another mission? I am ready to go anytime, Captain."

Wendy chuckled. This was the sort of person William was. As long as it was a mission, he would do it in a serious manner that earned him the admiration, and respect of warriors and Valkyries alike.

'And because of this, I can't allow others to have you,' Wendy thought as she walked towards the warrior that she had personally taken from the battlefield of Midgard.

She looked at his silver-hair, his beautiful light-green eyes, and his face that had made the ladies in Valhalla look at him like wolves finding their prey.

"William."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Will you marry me?"

"… Excuse me?"

Wendy looked at the confused teenager with a smile on her face. Her hands wrapped around his body in a light embrace. It was loose enough to allow William to not get suffocated, but firm enough to prevent him from escaping.

The tomboy Valkyrie Captain under Gunnr's legion had finally decided who her "Partner for Life" would be. She would not allow anyone to take her silver-haired warrior away from her, so she decided to marry him and stop anyone from making advances on him.

"Will you marry me?" Wendy repeated. "I swear that if you say no, I'll break all of your bones and drag you to Lady Freya's quarters. There, we would exchange our vows and become partners for life. Don't worry, I'll ask the Goddess Idun to give me some of her golden apples to help your body heal after our wedding is done."

Wendy narrowed her gaze as she looked straight into William's eyes. They were the eyes of a woman that wouldn't take "No" for an answer.

"So, are you going to say yes? Or must I drag you kicking and screaming like a little girl? The choice is yours to make. Also, remember this, William. Pain is temporary, but my fists are eternal. If you don't want to suffer eternal pain, you should already know what answer you are going to give me, yes?"

"…"

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