Chapter 63, Chapter 56: The Hunter Behind
The hard-soled boots stomped on the ground littered with broken flames and shattered branches and skeletons, sounding exceptionally harsh in the silent air where only lingering embers burned.
In the young man’s embrace, Verafia also managed to lift her eyes with effort. Her flawless snow-jade countenance was pale, devoid of any trace of blood color. The wide-eyed young girl saw the approaching figures.
“It’s you…”
In the girl’s eyes were people she was not unfamiliar with: adventurers who had thanked her, a half-elf looking lost and confused, and the warrior Hel, who hung his head with guilt.
And at the forefront of them all, the Paladin Ronald, as dazzling as the sun’s rays.
“Miss Verafia, it’s been a long time.”
The tall and handsome young man smiled slightly and bowed to the girl. His voice was gentle and full of knightly bearing.
“Ronald… you saw what just happened?”
“Of course. I personally witnessed Miss Verafia easily kill the Platinum Rank Blazing Flame Demon Tree, and just now, your battle with that Frost Dragon.”
Ronald’s words made Ig feel an extreme sense of foreboding.
What the Paladin said undoubtedly meant they had seen the girl repel the Frost Dragon in her Phoenix true form, which represented…
“I see…”
The girl chuckled softly. She suddenly tilted her pale little face and spoke in a weak, slender voice.
“Tell me, who are you, and why are you looking for me? Chasing me all the way here… I don’t think this is a coincidence.”
“Miss Verafia, I apologize for hiding my identity from you. I am Ronald de Wisneut, and the lord of the Brandenburg Marquisate, Marquis Keso, is my father.”
“As for what you said, it is naturally not a coincidence. In fact, I had the honor of glimpsing your beauty at the Balosais Trade Union in Vist City a few days ago.”
Ronald smiled, his face as radiant as sunlight. It was clear he was thoroughly enjoying the moment of revealing everything, relishing the power of being in a superior position, looking down on everything.
“Could it be that time…”
Ig’s expression changed, and he couldn’t help but speak.
Verafia slightly tilted her golden eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, a thoughtful look in her eyes.
Ronald’s gaze fell upon Ig, who was holding the slender girl, and he chuckled.
“That’s right. Brother Ig, to tell you the truth, I heard a little about your conversation with Miss Verafia that day, which is why I sought someone to issue the decree for the讨伐 of the Dragon Crystal Flame Burst Tree.”
Verafia lowered her pupils slightly, a faint smile flashing across her face.
She had always been curious how Ronald would explain the matter of the magic tree’s core to Hel, but she never expected him to just state it directly, without even attempting to conceal it.
This action was not difficult to interpret…
A hint of weak pity flickered in the girl’s pupils.
Ronald suddenly turned his eyes to the girl, and a fervent, almost overwhelming greed appeared.
“However, I must say, although I’ve speculated about Miss Verafia’s identity many times, I truly never expected you to be so powerful and noble, so dignified and beautiful!”
Ronald’s voice was quite fervent. Even with his composure, seeing the beautiful girl, weak and leaning in the young man’s arms, he couldn’t suppress his immense excitement.
A pure-blooded Blazing Phoenix! Such a legendary, noble creature that could rival the most noble royal dragons had actually appeared before him!
Verafia slightly lifted her cool and composed face.
“Cough, cough, are you planning to make a move on this young lady? With just you?”
With great effort, leaning on the young man’s arm, Verafia’s slender feet touched the ground, and she slowly stood up again.
Although extremely weak, in the girl’s burning gold, exquisite pupils, there was only the lofty contempt and indifference.
“As the child of a Saint Rank lord, you only have two Platinum Rank guards by your side… Hmph, flaunting the so-called ‘Wisneut’ surname, I wonder how much courage you usually have to utter that name?”
“A lowly, humble bastard.”
Similarly, as the son of a Saint Rank and a Marquisate lord, even Ig would normally have at least Crystals or even Stars by his side.
Ronald’s expression changed. The girl’s voice seemed to pierce directly into his most sensitive point.
However, Ronald quickly suppressed the uncontrolled expression on his face and looked back at the girl’s fair, exquisite, yet undeniably weak cheeks.
“As expected of you. However, if Miss Verafia hadn’t expended so much of her strength in your previous battle with the Frost Dragon, perhaps I truly couldn’t have done anything to you, but now…”
The Paladin suddenly raised his head forcefully and shouted sternly:
“Iboen, Ein, capture her for me!”
“Lord Ronald!”
The half-elf young girl Grisia exclaimed, trying to intervene, but the black-clothed Platinum Rank Swordsman and Mage behind the Paladin had already stepped forward. Powerful spells and Dou Qi fluctuations instantly appeared on their raised staffs and long swords.
The unhidden Platinum Rank fluctuations, in the silent air, stirred up like a raging storm!
Verafia bit her lip and, at the same time, pushed away the young man beside her. Her slender little hand firmly grasped the crimson flame staff.
“Just two Platinum Ranks… Ig, get out of the way quickly!”
—
From a distance of over thirty meters, under the Swordsman’s intention, they arrived in a single breath!
The moment she pushed the young man in front of her away, Verafia forcefully raised her crimson staff and unleashed a spell with all her might at the Swordsman who was almost upon her.
“Wind Thunder Slash!”
A low shout rang out. The long sword raised by the black-clothed Swordsman glowed with powerful light. The roaring wind and thunder Sword Qi directly cut through a patch of flames.
Lingering flame residues scattered. The arc-shaped Sword Qi, intertwined with wind and thunder, carved deep ravines on the ground. Verafia forcefully pressed her staff, then summoned another spell attack as she laboriously shifted her body.
Fierce Sword Qi grazed her face, cutting off a strand of golden hair that fell to the ground, burning into golden flames.
Verafia forcefully lifted her pale, pretty head. Her slender hand tightly held the staff, which suddenly lit up with spell light. Instantly, a massive fireball condensed.
“Cough, Fire… Expansion!”
“Boom!”
The scorching flame impact pushed the Swordsman, who was blocking with his sword, back several steps. On the Swordsman’s tall, straight body, his black cloak fluttered. The Platinum Rank Swordsman swung his blazing blade and unleashed a massive Dou Qi wave, completely obliterating the impact in front of him.
Verafia also retreated several steps under the impact. In the air, a sharp wind swept through her smooth hair, scratching her fair, tender face like hard blades.
The girl bit her red lips. In her raised golden eyes, she saw the Mage, also Platinum Rank, behind the Swordsman, had already raised his staff and arrived, clearly within his attack range!
