"That's right. Although she won't compete directly, in the end, she'll definitely support her sister, Delina. That means this time we've gained three full-fledged competitors," Pasfield said with a dark expression.
The Dori family had lasted for many years. Although there was no distinction between main and branch bloodlines, history had gradually divided them into several factions.
In his generation, aside from himself, there were two primary competitors for control of the family's business empire.
One was Diana's elder sister, Delina. The other was Pasfield's cousin, Nicola. These two, besides Pasfield, currently have the most successful commercial ventures within the Dori family.
The Dori family had never formally named an heir. Each generation's "successor" was simply the one who held the largest share of the family's assets. That was precisely why the family had split into multiple factions. Ur didn't fully understand Pasfield's inner calculations, and even if he did, he probably wouldn't care.
Family struggles were far too complicated. He only needed to confirm one thing: Diana was an enemy.
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Nothing happened that night.
Before dawn the next morning, Ur suddenly opened his eyes inside the ice cellar. "Something's happening."
He quickly woke Pasfield and Jangsen, and the three hurried outside.
Mornings on the glacial island were bitterly cold. The Vichy rarely rose early. But today was different. As Ur and the others stepped out, they saw Vichy tribespeople heading one after another toward an ice cellar to the right.
Following the crowd inside, they soon saw a pale and frail Vichy woman surrounded by Jelka and the others.
"The Priestess has awakened!"
Ur and Pasfield exchanged glances, surprise evident in their eyes. After all, the Priestess possessed the navigation map to the holy land, Gulya Glacier.
Originally, Pasfield hadn't been in a hurry, but once he learned his "siblings" had arrived, urgency became unavoidable.
Jelka was using Light Magic to heal the Priestess. The light magic of Angel's Wing had restorative properties, not as powerful as specialized healing magic, but still highly beneficial.
Beside the Priestess, another Vichy tribesperson spoke with her in hushed tones, likely discussing the route to the holy land. Perhaps out of gratitude for being saved, the Priestess hesitated for a long moment before personally drawing a navigation map to the sacred site and handing it to Jelka.
Seeing the map, Pasfield's eyes lit up.
Even if the map was currently in Diana's hands, they could follow her ship at sea and locate the holy land.
However, Ur's thoughts were completely different.
"Oh? Big Brother Pasfield, you're awake?" Diana said brightly after receiving the map from Jelka, only then seeming to notice his arrival.
"Yes." Pasfield smiled and nodded. "Perfect timing. I just obtained the map to the holy land. Why don't we depart together?"
"It would be our honor."
Watching the siblings' "superb acting," Ur almost felt like awarding them each an Oscar. He would bet that if he hadn't sensed something unusual that morning, Diana would have quietly left the island with her group without a word.
Time passed.
As dawn broke, the group bade farewell to the Vichy and headed toward the coast.
Pasfield's and Diana's ships docked on opposite sides of the island. So not long after leaving the canyon, the two parties had to part ways.
"Then, Big Brother Pasfield, see you shortly!"
"Of course. See you soon, my dear sister."
The two groups separated along the glacier. Yet, both groups walked unusually slowly, as if weighted down with lead.
Finally, when about thirty meters separated them...
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
In an instant, Ur and the three members of Angel's Wing vanished from their spots. When they reappeared, the four were already locked in combat.
Facing three alone, Ur quickly forced them back. The sudden upheaval startled Pasfield, but he recovered swiftly, narrowing his eyes.
"My dear Diana, what exactly is the meaning of this?"
Diana laughed softly. "I should be asking you the same, Big Brother Pasfield."
"So there's no room for negotiation?"
"I'm afraid not. My sister doesn't wish for you to reach the holy land. So you'll have to excuse us for inconveniencing you a little, dear brother." She waved her hand. Immediately, large numbers of figures emerged from all directions.
"Just surrender, Big Brother Pasfield. You're no match for me." Her posture remained elegant, but now her face carried unmistakable pride.
Pasfield's expression darkened. Ur's eyes, too, flickered with surprise. He had always thought his own plan ruthless enough, but this young woman was even more ruthless.
Judging from the setup, Pasfield had likely been calculated against from the very moment he reunited with Diana.
Glancing at Pasfield, Ur couldn't help shaking his head.
Not ruthless enough.
After that brief reflection, his gaze returned to the three from Angel's Wing and to Diana. The current situation differed slightly from his own expectations. But not by much.
"Jangsen, protect your master." After tossing out that cryptic instruction, Ur turned his eyes toward Jelka and sighed.
"What a pity."
"Yes, it truly is," Jelka replied with equal regret before he could finish. "This reunion isn't exactly pleasant. But it can't be helped, can it?"
"No. That's not what I'm regretting." Ur's expression grew calm, almost cold. "I'm regretting that your mission is about to fail."
Boom!
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Next Chapter: The Great Demon King
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