Princess Ivy is currently seated on a throne in her private chamber, accompanied by Ellie, her personal secretary. After the party, Princess Ivy decided to take a moment to rest here while conversing with her subordinates.
Ivy's expression appears to be a wide, almost psychopathic smile, as if she has achieved her goal.
"Congratulations on your engagement, Ivy-sama,"
"Well, hahaha, it seems my plan to gain Duke Joseph's support is going smoothly,"
"Yes, all your plans will go as you expect, Ivy-sama,"
"I hope so, Ellie,"
"You've had intelligence since birth, Ivy-sama, all your plans are sure to go smoothly,"
Ellie praised Princess Ivy with a smile.
"Hahaha, you rarely praise me like this, Ellie, is there something?"
Princess Ivy felt a bit strange because Ellie suddenly praised her.
"Nothing at all, Ivy-sama,"
"Very well then, how are my annoying older brother and my very innocent younger sister doing?"
"Prince Philip seems to continue seeking support from nobility and the military, and there is a possibility that he has connections with eastern countries,"
Princess Ivy smiled upon hearing Ellie's words.
"Oh, how intriguing! Do you think I should go to the Drazon Empire or the Lumeria Kingdom? Or even to the Demon Lord's territory to establish diplomatic relations?"
Upon hearing Princess Ivy's words, Ellie was very confused about how to respond. She knew that Princess Ivy was testing her intelligence right now, and Ellie knew that the Igrasian Empire's relations with the western nations were very poor.
"If we open diplomacy with the western nations, they are likely to agree and support us. However, the Igrasian Empire will split into two, with you, Ivy-sama, supported by the western nations and Philip-sama supported by the eastern nations, and if one of them wins, the Igrasian Empire will become a vassal state,"
"An interesting answer, Ellie, hahaha,"
"It's not in vain that I've raised you since childhood,"
Ivy looked satisfied after hearing Ellie's response.
On the other hand, Ellie felt relieved that she had successfully answered Princess Ivy's question.
Since childhood, Princess Ivy has been constantly searching for talented individuals in very remote areas, and she always picks them up like stray kittens, taking care of them as if they were pets. Of course, they were very happy to be taken care of by Princess Ivy, as they had previously struggled to find food but could now easily obtain it.
"Thank you, Ivy-sama,"
Ellie bowed her head.
"So, is there any news about my little sister Ciel?"
"Ciel-sama is still focused on her studies at the academy, and it seems she has no interest in politics because at the academy, she's just like any other normal student,"
"Is Ciel supporting me or Philips?"
So far, Ciel remains neutral, and she still enjoys her school days,"
Princess Ivy thought back to her past when she used to live with Ciel. Ciel was a quiet child, seemingly without ambition or purpose in life.
To Princess Ivy, Ciel seemed like a ship adrift in the open sea, lacking direction. This was also good news because Princess Ivy only had one rival, Prince Philip.
"And then...."
Princess Ivy's gaze turned sharply towards Ellie, making Ellie very nervous.
"W-what is it, Ivy-sama?"
Ellie's body trembled with fear due to Princess Ivy's intense gaze, like a knife ready to pierce Ellie's heart.
"What about Marquess Reinhard?"
"There have been no developments yet,"
Ellie answered Princess Ivy's question with fear evident in her trembling body.
Princess Ivy immediately laughed upon seeing Ellie trembling in fear under her gaze.
"Hahahaha, don't be afraid like that. I'm not a monster,"
"So, did the healers manage to cure Marquess Reinhard's child?"
"I apologize beforehand! The healers couldn't cure Marquess Reinhard's child's illness,"
"Damn it!"
Princess Ivy looked very frustrated upon hearing Ellie's response.
"It's a shame. I can't use Marquess Reinhard's child's murder as leverage because my brother could exploit that,"
"I agree,"
"So, what about the Doppelganger captured in the Abyssal Forest two months ago?"
"The creature is currently being tamed and should be ready in one to two weeks,"
"Very interesting. If that Doppelganger becomes obedient, I can use it to gain Marquess Reinhard's support,"
"Y-yes, Ivy-sama, your plan is truly amazing, using the Doppelganger to exchange for Marquess Reinhard's child,"
"Hahaha, of course!"
Princess Ivy's gaze then turned to the side of the room.
"Hey, you three! There's no need to hide your presence now,"
Instantly, three people who had been standing on the side of the room from the beginning appeared. These three individuals were both guards and Princess Ivy's personal servants. They had been adopted and trained by Princess Ivy since childhood to have unwavering loyalty to her.
They were Mikami, Rufus, and Clara.
Mikami was a man with a large, imposing physique, although he couldn't quite match the handsomeness of Prince Ryan. With black hair, a highly toned and muscular body, and always dressed in a black suit, he was one of the strongest individuals in the Igrasian Empire. Princess Ivy had trained him rigorously since childhood, even using him as a punching bag, a target for kicks, or stomps when she was extremely frustrated.
Mikami appeared to be around 24 years old, and his posture was always alert, as if he were perpetually vigilant and dedicated to protecting Princess Ivy.
In contrast to Mikami, Rufus looked like a young man of around 18, with dark brown hair. Rufus had the appearance of an ordinary man, not particularly muscular, but he possessed talents in assassination, magic, and intelligence. His facial expression was calm and relaxed. Like Mikami, Rufus also wore a black suit. His hair was somewhat disheveled, and he constantly surveyed his surroundings while using his magic to detect any suspicious individuals.
Clara played the role of a healer and support for Princess Ivy. In battles, Clara would take the rearmost position, providing buffs and removing debuffs for her teammates. Clara was a rather quiet woman with black hair, and her appearance was quite ordinary and typical of the women one might encounter.
However, she was skilled in disguises, blending in seamlessly due to her overly common appearance.
Princess Ivy then snapped her fingers on her right hand, and instantly, Mikami nodded and fetched a small chair, placing it in front of Princess Ivy.
"Smart,"
Princess Ivy simply smiled.
"Thank you, Ivy-sama."
Princess Ivy then raised both of her feet onto the small chair in front of her and stretched her legs.
"Damn, dancing is so tiring,"
Rufus and Mikami then knelt near Princess Ivy's feet and began massaging both of her legs. They seemed accustomed to this, as Princess Ivy often asked them to massage her feet.
(Ahhhhh, getting a massage when tired is truly enjoyable)
After overseeing the engagement event since morning, Princess Ivy could finally take a break for now.
"Ughhhh!! Ughhhh!!!"
Suddenly, Princess Ivy coughed as she felt a terrifying and ominous surge of magical energy. Her previously relaxed expression turned serious and highly surprised.
"What is this... It can't be...."
Naturally, all of Princess Ivy's subordinates were deeply concerned for her.
"Rufus, do you sense it!?"
Ivy asked with a fairly loud voice and a still serious expression.
"Yes, I sense an extremely formidable magical energy,"
"Tier A magic? Not Tier S? Tier S+?"
Ivy was greatly puzzled because she had never felt such a horrifying magical energy.
"We need to go to the roof now!"
Princess Ivy immediately rose from her throne and walked straight to the roof of her palace.
Princess Ivy's palace was situated on a hill in the middle of the city, making it the tallest location in the city, ideal for monitoring the city.
Her subordinates followed her from behind. Upon reaching the roof, Princess Ivy and her followers were shocked to see a light emanating from the Abyssal Forest.
The light seemed to stretch across the sky and had a blue hue. Unfortunately, a series of mountains obstructed their view of the light's source.
"What kind of light is that?"
Princess Ivy asked.
"If I'm not mistaken, there's only one type of magic that emits such bright light, Tier S+ magic,"
Rufus answered Princess Ivy's question.
"Are you sure?! Isn't Tier S or S+ magic just a myth and nonsense?"
"I read an ancient book that appeared to be thousands of years old, and it said that Tier S or S+ magic would emit light that reaches the heavens,"
Princess Ivy then thought hard because she was trying to guess who might be using mythical magic tonight. Her hands clenched a stone serving as a railing on the rooftop.
They could only stare at the distant, faintly visible bright light. The distance between Princess Ivy and the Abyssal Forest was about 500 kilometers at the moment, but the light was still visible, albeit very small.
"Ivy-sama, this is dangerous! You should not be at the edge of the roof,"
"Yes, this is very dangerous, Ivy-sama!"
Rufus and Mikami warned of the danger, as their instincts sensed a great threat.
Princess Ivy then leaped backward about 2 meters, with Rufus and Mikami in front of her, while Ellie and Clara were behind her.
"Twin Defense Magic: Giga Magic Shield!"
Rufus immediately created a shield that protected the five of them. Meanwhile, Mikami prepared to shield Princess Ivy using his incredibly strong body.
Suddenly, the blue light became intensely bright and blinding, then vanished within seconds.
"What just happened?"
"I don't know, Ivy-sama, but I sense danger,"
"We must protect Ivy-sama!"
The previously dark sky suddenly turned red, and there was a massive explosion in the distance. The explosion's clouds formed a giant mushroom cloud that was far taller than any mountain.
"What in the world is this!?"
Princess Ivy looked utterly baffled and quite frightened by the horrifying magic. If she had been closer to the magic, there was a possibility that they wouldn't have died from the explosion, but from sheer terror.
The sound of the explosion also echoed from a distance, leaving everyone staring in the direction of the source with expressions of astonishment and fear.
"Is this magic wielded by a god?"
Princess Ivy fell to her knees due to the terror of the magic.
Princess Ivy is currently seated on a throne in her private chamber, accompanied by Ellie, her personal secretary. After the party, Princess Ivy decided to take a moment to rest here while conversing with her subordinates.
Ivy's expression appears to be a wide, almost psychopathic smile, as if she has achieved her goal.
"Congratulations on your engagement, Ivy-sama,"
"Well, hahaha, it seems my plan to gain Duke Joseph's support is going smoothly,"
"Yes, all your plans will go as you expect, Ivy-sama,"
"I hope so, Ellie,"
"You've had intelligence since birth, Ivy-sama, all your plans are sure to go smoothly,"
Ellie praised Princess Ivy with a smile.
"Hahaha, you rarely praise me like this, Ellie, is there something?"
Princess Ivy felt a bit strange because Ellie suddenly praised her.
"Nothing at all, Ivy-sama,"
"Very well then, how are my annoying older brother and my very innocent younger sister doing?"
"Prince Philip seems to continue seeking support from nobility and the military, and there is a possibility that he has connections with eastern countries,"
Princess Ivy smiled upon hearing Ellie's words.
"Oh, how intriguing! Do you think I should go to the Drazon Empire or the Lumeria Kingdom? Or even to the Demon Lord's territory to establish diplomatic relations?"
Upon hearing Princess Ivy's words, Ellie was very confused about how to respond. She knew that Princess Ivy was testing her intelligence right now, and Ellie knew that the Igrasian Empire's relations with the western nations were very poor.
"If we open diplomacy with the western nations, they are likely to agree and support us. However, the Igrasian Empire will split into two, with you, Ivy-sama, supported by the western nations and Philip-sama supported by the eastern nations, and if one of them wins, the Igrasian Empire will become a vassal state,"
"An interesting answer, Ellie, hahaha,"
"It's not in vain that I've raised you since childhood,"
Ivy looked satisfied after hearing Ellie's response.
On the other hand, Ellie felt relieved that she had successfully answered Princess Ivy's question.
Since childhood, Princess Ivy has been constantly searching for talented individuals in very remote areas, and she always picks them up like stray kittens, taking care of them as if they were pets. Of course, they were very happy to be taken care of by Princess Ivy, as they had previously struggled to find food but could now easily obtain it.
"Thank you, Ivy-sama,"
Ellie bowed her head.
"So, is there any news about my little sister Ciel?"
"Ciel-sama is still focused on her studies at the academy, and it seems she has no interest in politics because at the academy, she's just like any other normal student,"
"Is Ciel supporting me or Philips?"
So far, Ciel remains neutral, and she still enjoys her school days,"
Princess Ivy thought back to her past when she used to live with Ciel. Ciel was a quiet child, seemingly without ambition or purpose in life.
To Princess Ivy, Ciel seemed like a ship adrift in the open sea, lacking direction. This was also good news because Princess Ivy only had one rival, Prince Philip.
"And then...."
Princess Ivy's gaze turned sharply towards Ellie, making Ellie very nervous.
"W-what is it, Ivy-sama?"
Ellie's body trembled with fear due to Princess Ivy's intense gaze, like a knife ready to pierce Ellie's heart.
"What about Marquess Reinhard?"
"There have been no developments yet,"
Ellie answered Princess Ivy's question with fear evident in her trembling body.
Princess Ivy immediately laughed upon seeing Ellie trembling in fear under her gaze.
"Hahahaha, don't be afraid like that. I'm not a monster,"
"So, did the healers manage to cure Marquess Reinhard's child?"
"I apologize beforehand! The healers couldn't cure Marquess Reinhard's child's illness,"
"Damn it!"
Princess Ivy looked very frustrated upon hearing Ellie's response.
"It's a shame. I can't use Marquess Reinhard's child's murder as leverage because my brother could exploit that,"
"I agree,"
"So, what about the Doppelganger captured in the Abyssal Forest two months ago?"
"The creature is currently being tamed and should be ready in one to two weeks,"
"Very interesting. If that Doppelganger becomes obedient, I can use it to gain Marquess Reinhard's support,"
"Y-yes, Ivy-sama, your plan is truly amazing, using the Doppelganger to exchange for Marquess Reinhard's child,"
"Hahaha, of course!"
Princess Ivy's gaze then turned to the side of the room.
"Hey, you three! There's no need to hide your presence now,"
Instantly, three people who had been standing on the side of the room from the beginning appeared. These three individuals were both guards and Princess Ivy's personal servants. They had been adopted and trained by Princess Ivy since childhood to have unwavering loyalty to her.
They were Mikami, Rufus, and Clara.
Mikami was a man with a large, imposing physique, although he couldn't quite match the handsomeness of Prince Ryan. With black hair, a highly toned and muscular body, and always dressed in a black suit, he was one of the strongest individuals in the Igrasian Empire. Princess Ivy had trained him rigorously since childhood, even using him as a punching bag, a target for kicks, or stomps when she was extremely frustrated.
Mikami appeared to be around 24 years old, and his posture was always alert, as if he were perpetually vigilant and dedicated to protecting Princess Ivy.
In contrast to Mikami, Rufus looked like a young man of around 18, with dark brown hair. Rufus had the appearance of an ordinary man, not particularly muscular, but he possessed talents in assassination, magic, and intelligence. His facial expression was calm and relaxed. Like Mikami, Rufus also wore a black suit. His hair was somewhat disheveled, and he constantly surveyed his surroundings while using his magic to detect any suspicious individuals.
Clara played the role of a healer and support for Princess Ivy. In battles, Clara would take the rearmost position, providing buffs and removing debuffs for her teammates. Clara was a rather quiet woman with black hair, and her appearance was quite ordinary and typical of the women one might encounter.
However, she was skilled in disguises, blending in seamlessly due to her overly common appearance.
Princess Ivy then snapped her fingers on her right hand, and instantly, Mikami nodded and fetched a small chair, placing it in front of Princess Ivy.
"Smart,"
Princess Ivy simply smiled.
"Thank you, Ivy-sama."
Princess Ivy then raised both of her feet onto the small chair in front of her and stretched her legs.
"Damn, dancing is so tiring,"
Rufus and Mikami then knelt near Princess Ivy's feet and began massaging both of her legs. They seemed accustomed to this, as Princess Ivy often asked them to massage her feet.
(Ahhhhh, getting a massage when tired is truly enjoyable)
After overseeing the engagement event since morning, Princess Ivy could finally take a break for now.
"Ughhhh!! Ughhhh!!!"
Suddenly, Princess Ivy coughed as she felt a terrifying and ominous surge of magical energy. Her previously relaxed expression turned serious and highly surprised.
"What is this... It can't be...."
Naturally, all of Princess Ivy's subordinates were deeply concerned for her.
"Rufus, do you sense it!?"
Ivy asked with a fairly loud voice and a still serious expression.
"Yes, I sense an extremely formidable magical energy,"
"Tier A magic? Not Tier S? Tier S+?"
Ivy was greatly puzzled because she had never felt such a horrifying magical energy.
"We need to go to the roof now!"
Princess Ivy immediately rose from her throne and walked straight to the roof of her palace.
Princess Ivy's palace was situated on a hill in the middle of the city, making it the tallest location in the city, ideal for monitoring the city.
Her subordinates followed her from behind. Upon reaching the roof, Princess Ivy and her followers were shocked to see a light emanating from the Abyssal Forest.
The light seemed to stretch across the sky and had a blue hue. Unfortunately, a series of mountains obstructed their view of the light's source.
"What kind of light is that?"
Princess Ivy asked.
"If I'm not mistaken, there's only one type of magic that emits such bright light, Tier S+ magic,"
Rufus answered Princess Ivy's question.
"Are you sure?! Isn't Tier S or S+ magic just a myth and nonsense?"
"I read an ancient book that appeared to be thousands of years old, and it said that Tier S or S+ magic would emit light that reaches the heavens,"
Princess Ivy then thought hard because she was trying to guess who might be using mythical magic tonight. Her hands clenched a stone serving as a railing on the rooftop.
They could only stare at the distant, faintly visible bright light. The distance between Princess Ivy and the Abyssal Forest was about 500 kilometers at the moment, but the light was still visible, albeit very small.
"Ivy-sama, this is dangerous! You should not be at the edge of the roof,"
"Yes, this is very dangerous, Ivy-sama!"
Rufus and Mikami warned of the danger, as their instincts sensed a great threat.
Princess Ivy then leaped backward about 2 meters, with Rufus and Mikami in front of her, while Ellie and Clara were behind her.
"Twin Defense Magic: Giga Magic Shield!"
Rufus immediately created a shield that protected the five of them. Meanwhile, Mikami prepared to shield Princess Ivy using his incredibly strong body.
Suddenly, the blue light became intensely bright and blinding, then vanished within seconds.
"What just happened?"
"I don't know, Ivy-sama, but I sense danger,"
"We must protect Ivy-sama!"
The previously dark sky suddenly turned red, and there was a massive explosion in the distance. The explosion's clouds formed a giant mushroom cloud that was far taller than any mountain.
"What in the world is this!?"
Princess Ivy looked utterly baffled and quite frightened by the horrifying magic. If she had been closer to the magic, there was a possibility that they wouldn't have died from the explosion, but from sheer terror.
The sound of the explosion also echoed from a distance, leaving everyone staring in the direction of the source with expressions of astonishment and fear.
"Is this magic wielded by a god?"
Princess Ivy fell to her knees due to the terror of the magic.
