Chapter 48
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Volume 1 + Chapter 48: The End of The Civil War
Xia Yi’s goal in coming to the Blackstone Kingdom had always been simple—to escape the Dragon Royal Palace and seize her chance to run away.
And now, the moment has arrived!
The only one sent by Xia Lulu to keep an eye on her was Lucia.
As long as she could shake Lucia off, she’d be free to disappear without a trace.
“Princess, what mission do you require of me?” Lucia inquired.
Xia Yi explained, “Lucia, you must realize that the situation in the Blackstone Kingdom isn’t as simple as it seems. The Fox Clan has interfered.”
“Oh…?!”
“You saw it yourself—that fox girl who challenged me was none other than the daughter of the Nine-Tailed Fox Emperor.”
“The Fox Princess, Yue Liu · Jitusierzhuoya,” Lucia recalled. “Though I’ve never met her, I’ve heard of her. After all, the Fox Kingdom isn’t far from our Dragon Realm.”
“The Fox Clan likely aided Gu Dan in hopes of gaining something from the Blackstone Kingdom,” Xia Yi said. “I intentionally let Yue Liu escape. As a princess, she wouldn’t travel alone—I intend to track down those behind her and extract every bit of intel!”
“Princess, I support this decision. The Fox Clan meddling in our vassal state is no small matter.”
“Then, Lucia, you will remain here on the battlefield while I pursue the Nine-Tailed Fox Princess,” Xia Yi commanded.
“Shouldn’t I be the one handling this?” Lucia asked, puzzled. “Such a simple task shouldn’t trouble you.”
“No! Lucia, you must stay here to guard Gu Dan and keep the other lizardmen in line. Once Gu Ya arrives, hand Gu Dan over to him. I suspect this could be a Fox Clan ploy—they’re cunning. If the Fox Princess deliberately lured us away only to rescue Gu Dan later, we must be cautious. With you here, I trust you can handle it!”
“……”
Lucia’s expression flickered with something unreadable before she quickly masked it.
“As you command, Princess. Your foresight is truly admirable. Rest assured, I will fulfill this duty without fail, upholding the honor of the Royal Maiden.”
“Good, good! Then I’ll be off, Lucia!”
With that, Xia Yi dashed off in the direction the little fox had fled, pretending to give chase.
Watching the little princess’s retreating figure, Lucia nearly called out her bluff.
But then, she remembered the Queen’s orders.
No matter what the Princess commands, obey without question.
And so, she could only let her go.
“Your Majesty… you truly spoil the Princess too much…” Lucia sighed under her breath.
She remained behind, her draconic presence alone enough to keep the lizardmen in line.
Before long, Hei Ya returned with Gu Ya in tow.
The prince’s face lit up with shock and delight at the sight before him. “Lady Lucia… has our plan succeeded?”
“Indeed,” Lucia replied coolly. “Prince Gu Ya, though there were minor complications, they were trivial matters for Her Highness. She effortlessly crushed all opposition and captured the traitor Gu Dan.”
With that, she tossed the unconscious Gu Dan unceremoniously at Gu Ya’s feet.
Seeing his once-arrogant uncle now reduced to a helpless prisoner, Gu Ya couldn’t suppress a grin.
“Your Highness, thanks to Princess Xia Yi, the enemies blocking your rightful ascension are no more! The Blackscale Kingdom is yours once again!” Hei Ya exclaimed excitedly.
“Lady Lucia, I cannot thank the Dragon Clan enough! Without your aid, I wouldn’t have known what to do! Where is the Princess? I must express my gratitude in person!”
Though eager to deal with his uncle, Gu Ya knew better than to skip formalities—respect and face had to be maintained.
“Her Highness has urgent matters to attend to. If you have words, I will relay them,” Lucia said, her tone laced with quiet menace. “And do not forget your promise. For the Dragon Clan, placing anyone on the Blackscale throne is no difficult task.”
The unspoken threat hung in the air.
The reverse is equally true.
This was the Dragon Clan’s warning.
Gu Ya swallowed hard—he understood his future all too clearly now.
“O-Of course! Lady Lucia, the Blackscale Kingdom will never forget the Dragon Clan’s kindness! Our promises will be honored!”
Just then, Gu Dan stirred awake. Seeing his smug nephew, he roared in fury, “Gu Ya! Release me, or you’ll regret this!”
“Uncle, save your breath. With the Dragon Clan backing me, what hope do you have?”
“You—!” Gu Dan’s eyes flicked to Lucia. “What did you offer them? How did you get the dragons to help you?!”
“Nothing much,” Gu Ya smirked. “Her Majesty the Queen proposed joint mining rights to our kingdom’s magic crystal veins. I found the terms… reasonable.”
Gu Dan froze—then exploded in rage.
“You fool!! Handing our kingdom’s lifeblood to outsiders?! You’ll go down in history as a traitor!”
“Traitor? I care only for my throne. And really, Uncle, this is all your fault. Had you not forced my hand, I’d never have sought the Queen’s aid. You brought this upon the Blackstone Kingdom.”
“You damned disgrace…!”
“Coming from you, that’s rich. But shout all you like, Uncle. If it eases your final moments, by all means—ha ha ha!”
The victorious Gu Ya laughed without a care, ordering Hei Ya to drag his uncle away.
Lucia saw the future clearly—no one in the Blackstone Kingdom would dare oppose Gu Ya now. The civil war would end swiftly, and the magic crystal veins would fall into the Queen’s grasp.
…
Meanwhile, Xia Yi had no intention of chasing the little fox.
She’d long since memorized the Blackstone Kingdom’s maps and planned her escape. Now, at the border, she only needed to reach the city of Blackriver and board a ship—following the river’s current would carry her out of the kingdom.
And then… freedom.
She slipped into a pre-scouted deserted cave to hide.
Pulling out a transformation potion, she downed it in one gulp. Dizziness washed over her, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
When she awoke, her form had shifted—she now bore the appearance of a human girl.
Even her draconic aura had vanished entirely. Even if Lucia sensed something amiss and came searching, she’d find no trace.
My plan is flawless.
Heh heh heh… Farewell, Silver Dragon Queen. Our little mother-daughter charade ends here!
