The heavy iron door was slowly pushed open by Delilah amidst a piercing friction sound. That noise echoed in the empty, gloomy depths of the underground, as if awakening some long-slumbering taboo.
Princess Vasha subconsciously shrank behind Sophia. Although she maintained the dignity of a noble, her tightly interlaced fingertips betrayed the panic in her heart.
"Your Majesty Sophia, be careful of those mists. Royal Father said that is the curse she frequently toys with."
Sophia paid no heed to this warning.
Her pale golden pupils flickered with the light of rationality in the darkness. The soles of her boots stepped on the damp stone bricks, producing a crisp and rhythmic sound.
Turning the final corner, the scene before her eyes caused Sophia's breathing to hitch slightly.
In the center of this dungeon, which was devoid of sunlight and should have been rotting and foul, there actually permeated an extremely incongruous sense of holiness.
Since there was no sunlight, several bottles of pale pink liquid emitting a soft fluorescence hung on the stone walls. They served as temporary lamps, outlining the silhouette of a young girl sitting by the stone bed.
It was a girl beautiful to the point of being illusory.
She wore a white long dress that had long since been damaged and covered in dust, yet it could not conceal that dazzling long hair which looked like melted gold. Even in such a terrible environment, those strands of hair still draped smoothly to her waist, glowing with a fluorescent luster.
When she raised her head, Sophia met a pair of emerald-green eyes that were as pure as top-tier gemstones, yet filled with shock and wariness.
This appearance, this temperament...
Orange alarms instantly blared in Sophia's heart.
Blonde hair and green eyes, coming with her own glowing filter... This configuration, this level of beauty, is definitely not a product that the mediocre genes of the Kingdom of Orr could produce.
What kind of witch is this? A magical girl or an elf maiden?
"Who are you?"
Daphne-Orr tightly grasped the hem of her skirt in her hand. Her voice was crisp but carried a dryness resulting from long-term solitude.
She looked at Sophia.
That shimmering black long dress, that golden crown exuding a chilling aura, and that heavy pressure almost solidified around this woman—a pressure named 'Tyrant'.
Daphne had been in this world for three years. She had seen countless hypocritical nobles, but she had never seen such pure and powerful eyes of a predator.
"This Queen is the ruler of the Kingdom of Mason, Sophia Mason."
Sophia stood still at a spot three steps away from her. That was an absolute safe distance, and also an absolute distance for scrutiny.
"This Queen heard that in this filthy place, you used 'Witchcraft' to save a person who was destined to die."
A trace of pain flashed through Daphne's emerald eyes. She stubbornly puffed out her chest, even though her body was trembling slightly:
"That is not Witchcraft!
I just... I just didn't want to watch those guards have their legs rot away in the heavy snow!
I used the Sy... no, I used herbs and Suture Arts. I didn't harm anyone!"
Sy?
Sophia keenly captured that syllable, as well as the fact that the girl before her didn't say 'suture surgery', but 'Suture Arts'.
Sure enough, a visitor from another world.
Looking at her reaction, she is simple, kind, yet has suffered enough in this world that is arrogant due to its ignorance.
Tsk, that old thing, the King of Orr. Leaving a strategic-level healer capable of reviving the dead and regrowing flesh unused, and actually locking her up here?
The corner of Sophia's mouth hooked up into an extremely cold and subtle arc.
"In this mediocre world, excess talent and mercy are, in themselves, a sin."
"Are... are you also here to judge me?"
Daphne looked at Sophia, her eyes full of guardiness.
"Or do you want to be like the King of Orr, forcing me to hand over that so-called 'Potion Recipe'?"
She didn't even address the King of Orr as 'Father'.
"That kind of thing? This Queen has no interest."
Sophia took a step forward. The immense oppression caused Daphne to lean back subconsciously.
Sophia extended that fair and powerful hand, her fingertips gently brushing past Daphne's long golden curly hair.
"What This Queen wants is you, Daphne-Orr."
Sophia turned her head, her pale golden pupils looking directly into those emerald eyes, her tone dominating and allowing no doubt:
"What the Kingdom of Orr gives you is chains and darkness.
What the Kingdom of Mason can give you is a laboratory of Truth, a status revered by people, and absolute power where no one dares to disturb your relief efforts."
Daphne was stunned.
"You... you aren't afraid of my Witchcraft?"
"Witchcraft?"
Sophia let out a scoff, her black skirt tracing an arc in the dim light.
"In Mason, this kind of means capable of saving people is called an Ability.
As long as you can make one less of This Queen's soldiers die, you are Mason's most precious treasure."
Sophia leaned down, her own coldly arrogant figure reflecting in those emerald pupils:
"Come with This Queen.
Or, continue to rot here.
This Queen does not have much patience. This is the only chance."
Delilah, guarding the door, gripped her sword hilt so hard it made a sound due to her extreme shock.
I knew it, everything is within His Majesty's control!
Delilah looked at Sophia's confident and uninhibited posture.
Look! His Majesty didn't even deign to ask about that shocking healing art; what she values is this Truth itself!
She wants to bring this 'Witch' who possesses golden radiance under her command, not for selfish desire, but to make the war potential of the Kingdom of Mason break through the limits of humanity!
Miss Irene is responsible for creation, this Miss Daphne is responsible for rebirth, and His Majesty is the God who commands it all!
Delilah's gaze looking at Sophia had already sublimated from worship into a kind of fanaticism named martyrdom.
Letting Princess Vasha witness this scene is to completely destroy her last shred of illusion regarding the Royal House of Orr, making both princesses willingly become the cornerstones of the Kingdom of Mason.
Your Majesty, you are not merely saving a person; you are using this ultimate charisma to pull up the enemy country's future by the roots!
"Can you take me away?"
Daphne's gaze landed on Princess Vasha behind Sophia.
If she remembered correctly, this nominal eldest sister of hers also seemed to fear her greatly.
Although she didn't know what method the Queen before her had used to enter the dungeon, she didn't think Vasha would agree to let this person take her away.
"I can," Sophia said.
"You... do you really want to take her away?" Princess Vasha was somewhat hesitant.
She indeed wanted to use some means to gain Sophia's approval and have her take her to Mason.
But she had never imagined that Queen Sophia would be interested in Daphne and even attempt to take Daphne away!
Sophia tilted her head slightly, her emotionless line of sight landing on Vasha, causing Vasha to involuntarily shudder.
"Can I not?"
"Royal Father won't let you off..." Vasha whispered, "He has always wanted to obtain the secret on Daphne's body."
"The treasure is right here. If he can't take it, don't blame others for taking it away," Sophia said unquestionably.
"Does Princess Vasha want to stop me?"
____
________________________________________
🌸 Help Love Bloom!
Our girls need a little push... and you can help!
💖 Gift for Everyone: Once we hit 100 Powerstones, I'll release +1 bonus chapter to warm your hearts.
🚀 Community Reward: If we reach 20 supporting members, we'll have a +5 chapter marathon across all stories! The romance won't stop.
👻 Come to our secret corner: Search for GirlsLove on (P). You know that's where the magic happens... 😉