Chapter 338

Chapter 338: I Hope You Find Happiness, Your Majesty

Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment, imagining Little Yu fighting Elise as her opponent, being hit by the other side while riding a giant dragon. She smiled and gently patted the child’s head, saying:

"You don’t need to feel sorry. Next time you fight Little Yu, just give it your all. Trust me, Little Yu has made a lot of progress lately, and she will definitely surprise you."

Although she thought Little Yu could be a bit silly and a little slow, the child was trying hard to face her past and was not so unprepared anymore. With the challenges in training, she had improved a lot.

Chu Yuanqing had a bit of a soft spot for her student.

Well, that may be true, but she didn’t think Little Yu could defeat Elise.

By personally reviewing this child’s Flower of the Soul, she could accurately judge the quality and nature of their magical power, as well as many traits awakened in the River Realm.

Little Yu had six awakened traits.

Elise, on the other hand, had an astonishing nine traits, which included the Magic Furnace, the Heart of the Red Dragon, the Lone Scaled Spike, the Blessing of the Stars, the Eternal Flame Extinguisher, the Spiral Dragon Eye, the Favor of the Elemental Dragon King, and the Domain of Pride.

These nine traits were all related to dragons, could work together to create a terrifying combined effect, and were all focused on combat, making her well-armed and deserving of the title Dragon Witch.

You could say this child was like a human young dragon, but capable of taking down most legendary young dragons.

Thus, the regretful sacrifice of that Lantern Elf, from a combat perspective, only accounted for about ten to twenty percent of the Dragon Witch’s strength, which was why the Countermeasures Bureau felt very sorry about Elise’s deterioration.

There were very few captain-level witches, and those as strong as a Dragon Witch, with untapped potential, were even rarer.

Elise nodded with a hint of understanding.

In fact, when she practiced battle before, she was always afraid of hurting Sister Little Yu, who often gave her clothes and snacks, so she always waited until the time was up to spar gently.

But since Sister Chu said that, it meant Sister Little Yu had become very strong, and going easy would actually hurt her pride, so it was better to fight seriously.

Chu Yuanqing asked:

"Elise, how is your body recovering?"

The Lantern Gem shattered, and the Flower of the Soul unraveled, meaning that the techniques, characteristics, magic power, and even the language of flowers would all revert to their original state, until they returned to the level of ordinary people.

Chu Yuanqing was able to save the other person because her magic power was very special.

The possibilities for magical girls were limitless; they were classified into six categories based on their compatibility with techniques: elements, spirit, time and space, concepts, rules, and life.

But even if they fell into the same category, the nature of the magic power remained unique.

It was like Elise’s magic power, which, due to the birth of its characteristics, had been optimized and corrected multiple times, leaning towards the concept of a dragon, and the same went for other magical girls.

At the same time, this kind of characteristic would show itself from the beginning. For example, at the town’s performance, Xie Qingxuan’s magic displayed a cruel destructive power.

Chu Yuanqing’s magical nature was a bit more special because, as the savior, her experiences from the first playthrough gave her a terrifying intention to kill that was strong enough to interfere with reality when facing disaster beasts.

These qualities in her magic transformed into a baptism of specialization, destruction, ruin, and purification.

Additionally, as a soul gem with a pure white essence, which could adapt to all magical categories perfectly when whole, she was the Pure White Witch who could directly wield ether particles. While replenishing magic, she could adjust the small idols’ Cocoon of the Heart, subtly enhancing their potential.

If magical girls were a kind of race, she would be the empress among them, the most perfect individual, possessing a kind of power that even she could not fully explain.

This time, to save Elise and pull her out of her degraded state, Chu Yuanqing relied on her uniqueness and used her immense willpower to make a wish.

Chu Yuanqing wasn’t sure if she would succeed, and she had no idea if there would be any side effects.

Elise tilted her head and answered sweetly,

"Sister Chu has asked many times. I really don’t have any serious issues. Even though I fell from ‘Full Bloom’ back to ‘Lighting Up’ and only three traits remain, this should be a side effect of the degradation."

The little girl said, glancing at the purple-red Lantern Gem. She held it up, and her expressionless, tender face showed a hint of sadness, as if she remembered the lively fairy from before. She bit her lip and continued speaking:

"I can feel it. Just like everything faded away during the regression, now everything is slowly coming back. In a few days, it should be fine."

Chu Yuanqing keenly noticed Elise’s feelings. Being thoughtful, she did not bring up this topic much; she just smiled and said:

"If that’s the case, Elise can come back to Yves Saint Laurent with me. Your Teacher Dream Weaver is there too; let’s go to school together at the academy."

Elise nodded obediently but suddenly frowned. She looked confused at her slender arms; as her magic gradually returned, strange and difficult-to-understand patterns began to appear on her skin, starting to twist and spread like flowing water.

"This is…?"

Chu Yuanqing took the little girl’s hand, and in her mind, fragments of memory belonging to Lucy Tiffany surged forth, causing her to blurt out:

"Is it a reverse spell formed by the human body?"

The Pure White Witch was not foolish; her quick mind connected Elise’s strange position in the Tiffany family and nearly figured it out instantly. Her expression turned cold as she softly said:

"Auguste, or the other members of the Tiffany family, likely inscribed this spell on you, wanting to use your flesh and soul as the main material to create a special Philosopher’s Stone."

The Philosopher’s Stone, also known as the Red Elixir, the Stone from the Sky, the Sage’s Stone, the Great Alchemical Elixir, and the Fifth Element.

Legend says that during the Second Divine Age, the Emperor, in his battle against the gods and various races, created the Philosopher’s Stone using a forbidden form of alchemy to resurrect fallen heroes and strengthen human warriors, using the souls of other races and even gods as materials.

The three most precious stones gave rise to three Sages in the divine era.

White Chalk, Forest Moon, Black Sun.

The next tier, made from non-divine souls, was used to create the unbeatable Imperial Guard, keeping some to revive the great heroes of battle.

The core of this alchemy is to return all things to their original state, but no one learned the Emperor’s method, and instead, a simplified version was created that could break down similar souls to form a Philosopher’s Stone.

However, when this was discovered, Holy Sophon was still active, and it was soon deemed a danger to humanity, immediately classified as forbidden, and all copies were destroyed, preventing a disaster.

It is worth noting that this invention was created by a genius Alchemist sponsored by the Tiffany family.

This is also easy to understand.

The Karembu Empire is not the modern world of information explosion, where you can look up theories and methods of making nuclear weapons online.

The Tiffany family has been a family of alchemists for generations and is one of the Three Oaths. Only by joining such a noble family can one hope to learn the Emperor’s alchemy.

Elise is also in the Tiffany family, protected day and night by Lucy’s alchemical creations. If such things can happen, it can only be suspected that there is a traitor.

Not to mention that Duke Auguste’s attitude toward his daughter is indeed strange.

Elise feels no emotion towards the cheap father in the Ideal State and is not sad at all. She looks at the marks of the spell on her arm, writhing like a mass of snakes and being devoured by her own magic, with a hint of curiosity on her cute face as she guesses:

"Could it be that Elise Tiffany from Historical Echoes has some special physique?"

"Because normally, creating a formation should only require the soul, while flesh and blood would be impurities that affect purity."

"And Sister Chu, do you have the content of the Tiffany oath in your memory?"

Chu Yuanqing recalled what she had heard.

The Tiffany family is the oldest alchemist family in the empire, and following the path of alchemy often leads to losing humanity due to excessive curiosity, chasing after things that are elusive and extreme, committing great sins.

Therefore, the vow made by the Tiffany family long ago included that their descendants must never break the taboos of alchemy.

In other words, the members of the Tiffany family are not allowed to use such spells; if they do, it is a breach of contract, and even if Holy Sophon is sleeping, the mechanisms left behind will be activated to bring about judgment.

Chu Yuanqing suddenly said:

"No wonder the bishop’s memory was so confident about undermining the Tiffany family; it turns out Grand Duke Tiffany himself wanted to break the vow and betray the empire?"

"But why? Does Auguste want to live forever or control Holy Sophon to rule everything?"

Elise also thought hard, and since they were all supposed to be sleeping, she had very few memories given to her by Historical Echoes, but she quickly found a clue:

"Sister Chu, that uncle liked to come and see me when I was sleeping and then said he was sorry for not being able to cure my illness, and for the wishes of the Tiffany family, he would feel guilty about me."

Chu Yuanqing looked up in confusion and murmured:

"The Tiffany family’s long-held dream?"

…

…

Yves Saint Laurent, Rose Street.

Outside the Tiffany estate, there were Alchemist Workshops and a family library that served as a landmark.

This was perhaps the grandest building after the Imperial Library, its outer shell as dark as glass, made of magic energy crystals more precious than gold, looking from afar like a gigantic black diamond.

And if you walked inside, you would find endless rows of bookshelves stacked high, like a staircase leading to the sky, with a giant floating island sitting above the dome, matching the spires of the buildings outside.

This design, based on alchemy and magic, had a surreal beauty that defied architectural and physical laws; the murals beneath the floating island blurred softly, revealing their misty shapes, while the edges of the murals were remarkably clear, intricately inlaid and carved.

Unlike a normal library, this one had a statue of a wise goddess in the hallway that blessed visitors, and it did not include any beliefs or powers about deities.

Thousand Faces walked inside this building full of historical charm and the feeling of time. He admired the giant main reading room, gently touching the relief on a marble column, and smiled in amazement.

"Incredible, how many books are here?"

Auguste replied indifferently,

"78.19 million volumes. Compared to the Imperial Library, this collection is nothing special."

Thousand Faces shook his head and said,

"As far as I know, the Tiffany family’s collection is focused on alchemy. Most of the books here are about alchemy; the amount is already quite impressive."

As for comparing it to the Imperial Library? That idea makes no sense at all.

You must know that the Imperial Library is built at the roots of the Tree of Thought, naturally connected to the Holy Sophon. Even the Imperial Council is located at the top of this building, which is entirely a different concept from ordinary buildings.

If he could, he wanted to steal all the knowledge about this kind of building before destroying it, to prevent the Countermeasures Bureau from obtaining it and gaining a stronger advantage.

The man’s smile behind the mask was bright, and unlike the other archbishops, he had no faith in the Calamity God; he was a fun-seeker in the middle.

Thousand Faces did not want the Calamity God to revive, as it would be far too boring; he could see humanity’s downfall and the end of civilization in an instant, with no interest or beauty in it.

Likewise, he did not want the magical girls to win, completely wiping out the cultists and keeping the Calamity God sealed, creating a one-sided era of peace that would take away the space for fun.

Therefore, he would not kill all the magical girls in the Ideal State, nor would he allow the other archbishops to have a good time. Instead, he would find a middle ground, creating a script of death for both sides, with each losing half of their people; that would be interesting.

You see, the way Archbishop Russell died was quite good.

The man indeed borrowed some powers from Helldir and learned the location of the Dragon Witch.

But it was limited to knowing, not seeing.

To be precise, when he peered into the future, only red and black flames appeared in his eyes, and then his head exploded; he used 18 personality avatars as substitutes to escape the following consequences.

Thousand Faces was very rational. With just one glance, he realized that the remaining chips exchanged after the foreign countries’ existence had vanished were all used up. This showed that something was very wrong with the Dragon Witch.

The strongest member of the Tiffany family, Duke Auguste, was on his side, so it was unlikely to be related to the natives. It was more likely a backup from the Countermeasures Bureau, not a terrifying figure like a Chief of Staff, but something even more extraordinary, far beyond comprehension.

Therefore, when the opponent went to find the Dragon Witch, it was unlikely they would come back, let alone gather the spoils.

Thousand Faces couldn’t help but feel curious. The previous Chief of Staff of the Countermeasures Bureau was the one known as the source of all magic, the Original Witch—Esther.

She had long merged with the celestial device, becoming a tool to maintain the covenant, unite humans, and gain the trust of planetary consciousness.

So, after many years, did the Countermeasures Bureau have someone who could replace her?

Magical girls were truly terrifying. I wonder if his "precious daughter" Tang Liuli has such potential too?

Thinking this way, it was indeed rare fortune that Eiwas’s personality shard didn’t sacrifice himself for him.

Thousand Faces seemed to think of something joyful, and a smile appeared on his face, filled with anticipation.

Auguste did not pay attention to the mysterious "guest." He ignored him and climbed the stairs alone, walking to the area filled with family history. He took out his ancestor’s notebook and fell into silence.

The man’s cold face showed complex emotions, and he whispered softly:

"The vow of the Tiffany family is made for the emperor, and it can also be broken for the emperor."

After saying this, Auguste put the notebook back on the table, his icy blue eyes became calm again, as if he had made a decision. He took off the Vow Ring and turned to leave.

On the desk, the old notebook containing his ancestor’s memories rustled in the wind.

"Kexia Fez, do you still remember the emperor’s face? I feel ashamed to say, I have almost forgotten."

"Even though I admired him, loved him, respected him, and thanked him, my true loyalty to that crowned one, my mind still cannot resist this strange erosion. Perhaps one day, even the emperor’s gender will become unclear in my mind?"

"I know that forgetting him is the wish of that crowned one."

"Humans are fragile and forgetful beings. As long as we follow the Emperor’s will, in two hundred years, the marks of the Emperor will surely disappear completely."

"Whether it is considered a great rebellion or pure foolishness, I still want to keep everything about him, and I believe you do too. Otherwise, how could you have such a foolish idea of wanting to carry the Lapis Lazuli Radiant Dragon into a thousand years, or even ten thousand years, in the future?"

"I do not reject this foolishness, but compared to that fleeting warmth that may not be remembered, I hope to truly save His Highness."

"The Emperor is always alone; he fights alone, forever bleeding, only because that flame that surpasses destruction and the end, like a restless vengeful spirit, wraps around him, gnawing at flesh and blood, just like a rebellious minister."

"Kexia Fez, have you ever felt the sting of the Emperor’s flame?"

"I have felt it; it is the soul being crushed back and forth, blood boiling and evaporating, the marrow in my bones melting. The pain that can kill in a thousandth of a second is scarier than death."

"Even if the Emperor used the Philosopher’s Stone to save me, I still experienced a month of phantom pain before I barely regained my sanity."

"Since then, I realized that the Emperor has always borne such pain, but he never speaks of it, always selfless, gentle as if he knows nothing of the world, a boy excessively kind."

"But it should not be like this; he brought hope to the world, saved countless lives, and gave humanity a brand new future."

"Isn’t a person as great as this the one who deserves happiness the most?"

"The crown prince has left; he did not give us a chance to repay him. Perhaps I will spend my life with this regret and guilt, but because of this, I cannot easily give up."

"I have sketched a draft. I will use the long years of the Tiffany family to surpass the forging skills and alchemy taught by the emperors, and in the name of Tiffany, create armor that can protect the crown prince from being burned by fire."

"Will I succeed? Will the Tiffany family succeed?"

"I don’t know, but I still hope that one day the crown prince can let go of his sorrow, embrace those he loves, and find happiness."