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"Why did you stop? Keep reading," Yaeger teased with a smirk, lounging comfortably in Irene’s room.

Irene, having snapped out of her deep immersion, now stared intently at the book, her face flushed as red as a ripe tomato.

"Feeling embarrassed?" Yaeger leaned in closer, her warm breath teasing Irene’s ear, intensifying the flustered atmosphere.

Irene’s sense of embarrassment skyrocketed, her grip on the book tightening.

"Uh… Can I skip this part?" she asked hesitantly, her voice laced with desperation.

"Nope," Yaeger answered with an amused grin.

The next two pages contained nothing but unfiltered, shameless passion. Not only that, but these scenes were far more explicit and unrestrained than anything that had come before.

Even a brief glance was enough to set someone’s face ablaze—reading it aloud was practically impossible. To make matters worse, an impossibly stunning beauty was watching her intently. Just imagining Yaeger as the protagonist in those scenes made Irene's brain short-circuit.

“Gulp.” Irene swallowed hard, feeling as though her body temperature had risen several degrees.

‘No, I can’t! God is watching me right now!’ she screamed internally, trying to resist the sinful temptation.

"Hurry up. I’m waiting~" Yaeger’s smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"N-Nooo, stop~!" Irene whimpered, hiding her face behind her hands as she tried to suppress her burning embarrassment. If she kept indulging these dangerous thoughts, she feared she might slip into an uncomfortably… pleasurable mindset.

If that happened, all her shameful desires would be laid bare before Yaeger. Just imagining it sent shivers down her spine—equal parts fear and thrill.

"Fine… I’ll read them," Irene muttered in surrender. But before Yaeger could savor her victory, an overwhelming aura suddenly flooded the room.

Irene immediately snapped to attention, her instincts flaring in response to the powerful presence. "A Legendary-ranked aura… Could it be Emperor Richard?" she gasped in shock.

"Most likely," Yaeger replied, her tone turning serious. A quick glance at the clock confirmed it—Richard was due to return to Jade City around this time. But why was he unleashing such an overwhelming display of power the moment he arrived?

Was he taunting someone? Issuing a warning? Or… was he simply in a foul mood?

A warrior of Richard’s caliber could control his aura with absolute precision—there was no way this was accidental. A man like Richard would never unleash his full strength unless absolutely necessary. ℝ𝓪𐌽őΒΕ§

After considering the situation, Yaeger concluded that he was simply venting frustration. ‘Did he suffer a setback at the northern border?'

"Irene, something urgent came up. We'll finish this another time." Yaeger slipped the lewd novel back into her ring as she spoke.

‘Nooo! At least let me finish the good part!’ Irene nearly wept as Alicia's masterpiece vanished in an instant. She had barely skimmed through the upcoming pages, unable to commit the spiciest parts to memory.

Yaeger leaped out of bed, unleashing her aura to scan the area beyond the door. After confirming the situation, she swung the door open and strode out without hesitation. Shutting the door behind her, she sprinted forward and vaulted out of the Cathedral with a [Double Jump].

Meanwhile, within the fortress… A heavy, suffocating tension blanketed the air. Soldiers and officers alike dropped to their knees, their bodies quivering under immense pressure.

As the pitch-black carriage advanced, the overwhelming Legendary-ranked aura grew heavier, pressing down like an invisible force.

It was suffocating—utterly unbearable! Some collapsed, unconscious, while others convulsed and foamed at the mouth. Only when the carriage passed did the suffocating weight ease, allowing the soldiers to gasp for breath, feeling as though they'd narrowly escaped death.

A high-ranking officer, struggling to steady his breath, approached the black-armored soldiers for an explanation. The response he received only deepened his confusion.

‘His Highness clearly won the battle, so why does he carry himself like a man in disgrace?'

Of course, he wouldn't dare voice such thoughts aloud. Yet, judging from the grim expressions around him, he wasn't the only one who found this strange.

A hundred elite black-armored soldiers flanked the pitch-black carriage as it rumbled down Crystal Avenue toward the inner city.

Inside the carriage, Richard sat expressionless, but his heart smoldered with rage. The mere thought of what transpired at the Northern Fortress only stoked his fury further. His earlier display of power was nothing more than an attempt to release his frustration.

Yet, it did nothing to quell his simmering rage. He shook his head, forcing himself to let it go—for now.

Moments later, his expression darkened, and a single name left his lips, laced with venom. "Alicia…" To him, his treacherous sister was the single greatest obstacle that needed to be eliminated.

Meanwhile, inside the third-floor office of the Imperial Auction House… Kastina’s hands clenched into fists as she received the news—Richard had returned.

She knew she should be heading back to the palace right now. However, there was a problem—Yaeger’s materials were still locked in the basement. The treasure vault was magically sealed, requiring Kastina’s imprint to open. Without her, it was inaccessible.

If she left now, Yaeger would have no way of getting what she needed. Furthermore, there was no telling if the auction house would be seized today.

‘I’ll wait fifteen more minutes. If Lil' Hime doesn’t return by then…' That thought only made her more restless.

Ordinarily, Kastina’s absence from the palace wouldn’t matter. However, with her father returning in triumph, if she wasn’t there to greet him, her scheming siblings would surely seize the opportunity to slander her—or worse, orchestrate her downfall.

‘I’ve made a fortune recently. They must be seething with envy.'

Just thinking about her conniving siblings made Kastina’s blood boil. At times like this, she wished she had been born into an ordinary household—one free from political intrigue and endless power struggles.

The door creaked open suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts. She instinctively turned toward the sound, and the sight before her made her heart soar. Standing in the doorway, radiant as ever, was none other than Yaeger.

There she was—the dazzling, breathtaking presence that never failed to steal the spotlight.

"Lil’ Hime, my father has returned!" Kastina shot up from her seat, hastily approaching Yaeger.

"I know. That’s why I came as fast as I could," Yaeger replied, her voice steady.

"There’s no time to waste—we need to get to the treasure vault now." Without waiting for a response, Kastina seized Yaeger’s hand and rushed ahead.

Sensing Kastina’s urgency, Yaeger opted to stay silent and let her lead the way.

"I’ve gathered most of the materials, but you’ll need to secure the remaining ones yourself," Kastina informed her.

"Got it. Thanks for handling the hard part," Yaeger said with a calm smile. Kastina had made things far easier—without her help, this task would’ve been an absolute nightmare.

If Yaeger had been forced to gather these materials herself, she would’ve encountered countless obstacles and wasted precious time. The entire process would have been an exhausting, time-consuming ordeal.

"Why are you being so formal with me?" Kastina huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Fine, I’ll stop," Yaeger replied, amusement dancing in her eyes. For a brief moment, a quiet warmth lingered in the air between them. But Kastina didn’t have the luxury of basking in it.

She marched ahead at a breakneck pace, as if her very future depended on it.

‘It must be difficult for Kastina, too.' Yaeger wasn’t well-versed in royal politics. However, even with minimal knowledge, it was obvious that Kastina’s position was precarious—she had neither power nor influence to protect herself.

‘Her arrogance and overbearing attitude… it’s just a shield to protect herself.'

Before long, they arrived at the basement. Kastina still clung to Yaeger’s hand while pressing her other palm against the treasure vault’s entrance.

A soft white glow spread across the surface of the vault door. A low crackling noise echoed through the chamber. Then, with a deep rumble, the massive vault doors parted.

"Everything we made from the auction house, along with the materials you need, is in here." Kastina spoke with clear satisfaction as they stepped inside.

Yaeger scanned the room, her gaze settling on carefully stacked materials and an enormous pile of gold coins and banknotes. This was their collective fortune.

Staring at the treasure before her, Yaeger felt as if an eternity had passed. She recalled the days when she and Rakshasa had struggled to earn even a few coins back in the Novice Village.

Now, wealth simply poured in with barely any effort on her part. It was almost surreal. But it was time to snap back to reality.

Without hesitation, Yaeger stored everything into her ring. With their business here done, she and Kastina left the auction house together.

"Once you're back in the palace, be careful. Deny any and all association with me," Yaeger reminded her before they parted ways.

"Understood." Kastina nodded firmly.

Their staged fallout had been dramatic enough—no one would be able to use it against them now. As long as she stood her ground, Richard would likely overlook her involvement.

Once Kastina disappeared from sight, Yaeger let out a quiet sigh and muttered to herself. "Now then… Should I leave Jade City immediately, or stick around to see how things unfold?"

Beneath the sweltering sun, her silhouette flickered before vanishing into the shadows.

Twenty minutes later… Inside the grand chamber of the Royal Palace… Commander Blei, clad in his red-and-black plate armor, knelt in the center of the chamber. His face was deathly pale, his heart pounding with unease.

The officials on both sides also knelt, their faces reflecting the same anxiety. Although Blei had been given full command over the succubus hunt, the others weren’t entirely free of blame.

With no trace of the succubus found, they all had to bear the weight of this colossal failure.

Kastina and the other royal family members kept their heads bowed, not daring to meet Richard’s gaze as he sat upon the throne. Richard’s face was dark and unreadable, his eyes carrying a murderous glint that sent a chill through the room.

Everyone present understood one thing—Richard was furious beyond words. Some men raged with shouts and threats, but the truly terrifying ones grew silent. Richard was the latter.

“Blei.” Richard’s voice finally broke the silence, cold and sharp like a blade. The weight of his voice sent an eerie shiver down everyone’s spine, like the prelude to an execution.

"Y-Yes!" Blei tried to steady himself, his voice firm but edged with unease.

“What were my orders before I left for the Northern Fortress?” Richard’s gaze was unwavering, his tone ice-cold.

Blei remained silent, his armored frame trembling as sweat dripped down his back. Days of fruitless searching—no leads, no traces of the succubus. He had nothing to show for his efforts, and regret gnawed at his gut.

“Blei… you’ve disappointed me.” Without another word, Richard raised his hand and made a simple, effortless push.

A deafening impact reverberated through the chamber. A sickening crack split the air. In the next instant, Blei’s body was hurled backward as if struck by an invisible battering ram.

Those with sharp eyesight noticed a terrifying imprint of a palm seared into his breastplate.

“Gah—!” Blei coughed up a mouthful of blood mid-air, his insides feeling as though they had been churned by a merciless grinder.

With a heavy thud, his body slammed against the chamber’s entrance, cracking the pristine marble floor. His limp form crumpled onto the shattered tiles, motionless for a brief moment.

“Crawl back here.” Richard’s voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable command.

Twitching from pain, Blei struggled onto his hands and knees. With gritted teeth and barely restrained agony, he obeyed—dragging his battered body forward, inch by agonizing inch.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read