"Who on earth is so audacious as to have a secret tryst in the west chamber of the South Hall?"
"The South Hall was once the residence of the former empress. His Majesty has long forbidden anyone to set foot in the South Hall. Unexpectedly, someone dares to commit such a heinous crime and come here for a private meeting!"
"Your Majesty the Queen Mother, if there are such immoral people having an affair, they must not be let off lightly!"
"Right. Such adulterers and adulteresses must not be tolerated!"
"..."
The noble ladies were indignantly discussing. Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "Eh? Why is there a person lying here?"
"Maya, go and see who that person is."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Queen Mother."
The court maid named Maya quickly stepped forward and neatly examined the person who was already lying unconscious on the ground. On closer inspection, it turned out to be Rose, the maid who often accompanied Alice.
"Reporting to Your Majesty the Queen Mother, this person is Rose, the maid of Miss Alice of the Alva Family!" Maya stood up and replied.
Upon hearing this, Lady Lilia blurted out without thinking, "Could it be that the person having an affair is Alice?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole place instantly fell into a dead silence. The Queen Mother's face had already become extremely gloomy.
Irina, who was in the middle of the crowd, had a glimmer of maliciousness in her eyes. Alice, you should stay in the mire and don't try to struggle out!
The Queen Mother said coldly, "Go and open that door. I want to see who is so bold as to have a secret meeting in the South Hall!"
The guards on both sides of the Queen Mother immediately responded in unison. Then they stepped forward to prepare to open the door. However -
"Ah...ah..."
There were bursts of shrill screams coming from the west chamber of the South Hall. Moreover, flashes of fire could also be faintly seen.
The Queen Mother felt a tightening in her heart and immediately ordered to quickly open the door of the west chamber.
The door was pushed open, and a fat man covered in flames came into view. The facial features of the fat man were recognized by all the noble ladies.
It was the fifth prince, Alexander.Green!
"Put out the fire quickly!" Someone shouted. The guards immediately gathered the magic power in their hands and waved it towards the fifth prince Green, trying to extinguish the flames on his body.
But this flame was very strange and showed no sign of weakening at all!
Instead, it made the fifth prince Green's injury even more serious!
Suddenly, the fire in the west chamber of the South Hall raged, and the flames soared into the sky.
"Come here! There is a fire in the west chamber of the South Hall!"
"Go and put out the fire quickly!"
In an instant, everyone was in a panic and chaos.
And the person lying on the ground had somehow changed quietly.
The Queen Mother witnessed this chaotic scene and was so angry that her chest felt stuffy and she almost couldn't breathe.
Alexander.Green was suffering from the burning of the flames while being deeply charmed by the aphrodisiac incense. Sometimes he was sober and sometimes he was confused.
It seemed that in his dream, he was constantly kissing affectionately and doing some intimate things with a familiar and beautiful face.
Alexander.Green made groans of both pain and pleasure, and even shockingly shouted out a name: "...Sister Irina, so comfortable..."
"Sister Irina, you are too enthusiastic. Don't be like this..."
Immediately afterwards, his arm was burned by the flame. The intense pain made him instantly sober up. He rolled and struggled on the ground, longing to put out the flames on his body.
Because Alexander.Green's voice was not small, and all the people present had more or less magic power cultivation, so they could hear it very clearly!
It turned out that the person having an affair with the fifth prince Alexander.Green in the west chamber of the South Hall of the South Hall was Irina, the eldest daughter of the Sullivan Family!
But wasn't she having an ambiguous relationship with the third prince?
Could it be that Irina was two-timing?
Almost everyone's eyes immediately turned to Irina. The looks in their eyes were full of disgust and contempt, and there was also a sense of schadenfreude.
Irina was also stunned.
She opened her mouth to explain, "It's not me. I came with all of you. How could I be fooling around with the fifth prince here?"
Most people showed a look of disbelief.
Irina panicked and continued to defend herself, "It's really not me! Alice's maid is here. The person fooling around with the fifth prince must be Alice!"
Suddenly, a clear and pleasant voice came from behind the crowd, "Who is calling me?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman in a red dress like a raging fire appearing at the gate of the South Hall in the night, followed by her maid Rose.
The woman's fair and delicate fingertips were gently playing with a slender magic wand, giving a sense of laziness, leisure and carelessness.
"Who is calling me?" Alice put the magic wand behind her back and repeated.
Irina's face immediately froze. Why did this bitch Alice come in from the outside...
A woman who usually couldn't stand Irina sneered, "Sullivan.Irina, you had a secret tryst with the fifth prince in the west chamber."
Irina's face became even uglier. What was going on? How could her plan go wrong?
Irina's thoughts were racing in her mind. Suddenly, her eyes fixed on Rose, who seemed invisible. She said loudly, "Your maid was lying there just now!"
Rose retorted angrily, "Nonsense. I have always been with my lady and have never been anywhere else."
Irina had a confident look on her face and pointed to the place where the person was lying just now, "Look if you don't believe me..."
Irina saw the maid lying motionless on the ground. The words she wanted to say were suddenly stuck in her throat.
The people were also very surprised. After all, the court maid Maya of the Queen Mother clearly said that the person was Alice's maid. Why did it seem that there was one more person now...
The Queen Mother saw this situation and glanced sideways at Maya with cold and sharp eyes and asked, "What's going on?"
'Plop ——'
Maya knelt down in a panic. Just as she was about to speak, an invisible magic thread instantly pierced into the nerves of her head. Maya lowered her head, and the light in her eyes instantly dimmed. No one noticed that she was in a dull state at this moment.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty the Queen Mother. I was bewitched and accepted Irina's bribe. Then, according to her instructions, I disguised the unconscious person on the ground as Alice's maid. Actually, I don't even know what Alice's maid looks like. I don't know anything else..."
The Queen Mother heard this and swept her eyes towards Irina with a sharp look accumulated over the years.
Irina was greatly shocked.
"Come here. Execute this Maya immediately. Also, detain Irina and throw her into the dungeon!" The Queen Mother said every word firmly and powerfully.
The Queen Mother hated it most when someone acted recklessly in her territory.
Even if that person was a junior she favored!
In this world, the strong are respected. However, in a country like the Augustan Empire, power still occupies a very important position!
The three major cultivation families of the Augustan Empire are still lower in status than the royal family!
However, in medium-sized countries, upper-class countries and super countries, the cultivation families have a large number of talents, so they form a situation of contending with the royal family or even surpassing it.
The Queen Mother personally ordered, "All of you, step back!"
The noble ladies also didn't stay any longer and left to go home one after another.
Alice glanced at Green, who was being rescued by many guards, and slightly curled her lips. The magic wand between her fingers gently turned.
The flames on Green's body instantly dimmed.
Alice thought that the fifth prince Green had no interaction with her before and had never bullied her. So she would forgive him this time.
After Alice walked out of the South Hall with Rose, Lynn, the butler of the emperor who had been waiting for a long time, came up with a big smile and said, "Alice, His Majesty the Emperor invites you."
Alice looked at the old butler Lynn with a beaming face in front of her and couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart. She thought to herself: This old butler is smiling so strangely. Presumably, the mysterious person who has been manipulating everything behind the scenes is finally about to show up. Although her heart was full of doubts and uneasiness, she still tried hard to maintain her composure on the surface.
Alice said, "Butler Lynn, shouldn't we go in and take a look? His Highness the Fifth Prince is seriously injured!"
Upon hearing this, Butler Lynn, whose old face was made deathly pale by the powder, twitched slightly. He forced a smile and said, "His Majesty the King is already aware of this matter. At present, the task entrusted to me by His Majesty is of utmost importance. Miss Alice, please. Don't keep His Majesty waiting."
Butler Lynn gently waved the magic wand in his hand and made a gesture of invitation.
"Okay." Seeing this, Alice knew it was not appropriate to decline further. After all, she also wanted to know what was on the mind of the King of the Augustan Empire in secret. It was really puzzling that he would summon someone like her, who was known to be a good-for-nothing, to the palace... This really made her extremely confused, and countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Could it be that the king wanted to take the opportunity to humiliate her? Or was there some other ulterior motive? She knew very well that in the eyes of everyone, she was just an ordinary person with no magic talent. But now she had been summoned to the palace. There must be something strange about it.
Alice walked forward with Butler Lynn while repeatedly thinking about various possibilities in her heart. The uneasiness in her heart was like a surging tide. She knew very well that there were undercurrents in the palace. If she was a little careless, she might fall into an abyss of doom. But she had no clue and could only move forward bravely.
The Hall of Solitude.
The interior of the hall was resplendent and magnificent. Many magic candles were burning, making the hall brightly lit. A man in a gorgeous golden magic robe was standing in front of the throne with his hands behind his back, looking up at the mural of the magic dragon above the throne.
His eyes seemed to be full of forbearance, helplessness, and even more so, a sense of sentiment. He pondered for a moment and said, "The kingly hegemony, yet the king is also imprisoned in a small place and cannot develop freely and on a large scale. If more than ten years ago, I could also be cruel enough to abandon power, wealth, and fame and devote myself wholeheartedly to cultivating magic, I would be much freer than now..."
"What do you think of what I said?"
After finishing speaking, he turned around and looked at the red-clothed woman who happened to have one foot stepping over the threshold of the Hall of Solitude.
Alice met his pair of sharp yet lonely eyes. At this moment, Alice's heart tightened. She realized that the king in front of her was by no means an ordinary person. His every look seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts. She quickly thought about countermeasures in her heart while also trying to figure out the deep meaning of the king's words. "Your Majesty already has an answer in mind, doesn't he?" Alice said slowly without avoiding his extremely intimidating gaze. She knew very well that in this situation, retreating would only make her more passive. Only by facing it bravely might she find a glimmer of hope.
Adrian couldn't help but smile when he heard this.
He restrained his aura and beckoned Alice to come over.
Although Alice couldn't figure out the intention of this man with great power in the Augustan Empire, he didn't seem to have any malicious intent. Even so, Alice's vigilance in her heart still did not relax at all. She carefully walked closer to Adrian, and every step seemed to step on her own uneasy heart. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Alice obediently walked forward and stopped five steps away from Alexander.Adrian.
Adrian looked down at her with kind eyes and said, "The first time I saw you, you were still a cute, chubby baby. Now that baby has grown into an adult."
"Yes." Alice silently recalled the vague memories of the original owner in her heart, trying to find some clues related to the king, but found nothing. She was full of doubts about Adrian's intention. In the memory of the original owner, she had only seen Adrian a few times. It was even more impossible to expect that the original owner had a good relationship with this king. She didn't understand why the king suddenly mentioned these old things. What secret was hidden behind this?
Now recalling the past...
Adrian stared at her deeply for a few times and said, "You look a lot like your mother. It's just that your temperament and behavior are very different from your mother Alicia's."
When Alice heard Adrian mention her mother, her eyebrows knitted slightly, and a glimmer of light flashed in her clear eyes. Although her memory of her mother was also very vague, the word "mother" touched the softest part of her heart. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of past the king and her mother had and why he mentioned her mother at this time.
Alice said with a charming smile, "Your Majesty, if you have something to say, please speak frankly. My grandfather is still waiting for me to return to the family castle. If he doesn't see me too late, I'm afraid he will come to the palace alone. If he offends Your Majesty at that time, I hope Your Majesty will forgive him." Alice tried to test the king's reaction with such words and also wanted to end this disturbing summons as soon as possible. She knew very well that her grandfather loved her. If she encountered any misfortune in the palace, her grandfather would definitely not let it go. And she didn't want to cause trouble for her family because of herself. So she hoped that the king could show his intention as soon as possible so that she could be prepared.
Adrian didn't get angry when he heard this. Instead, there was an extra smile in his eyes.
This girl now is a bit like her mother.
"Actually, I know both your father Alva.Erik and your mother Alicia." Adrian smiled and continued, "They have saved my life more than once. I have a very good relationship with your parents. A few days ago, old Alva came to the palace and had a long talk with me..."
"Old Alva said that you can already cultivate magic. He asked me to give you a quota for the enrollment assessment of the Magic Holy Capital Academy!"
Alice's pupils shrank, and a sense of sourness rose in her heart. She was both grateful for her grandfather's efforts for her and felt helpless about her own situation. Grandfather, such a proud Grand Magister, actually begged Adrian for her. She knew very well the preciousness of this quota and also understood that her grandfather had put aside his dignity for her. But she didn't want to rely on her grandfather's plea to get the opportunity. She secretly swore in her heart that she must prove to everyone with her own strength.
Seeing Alice lowering her eyes and remaining silent, Adrian continued, "However, I haven't agreed yet. Because the Augustan Empire is only allocated three quotas for the enrollment assessment of the Magic Holy Capital Academy. If I rashly give you one, as the monarch of the Augustan Empire, I will be unfair. I hope you can understand."
Alice nodded and looked up at Adrian and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. Since grandfather wants me to get this enrollment assessment quota, I will win it with my own strength!" Alice was full of fighting spirit. She didn't want to be looked down upon and didn't want to disappoint her grandfather. She knew that this was a rare opportunity. No matter how many difficulties there were ahead, she wanted to give it a try.
Adrian looked at her with appreciation and said, "Good! One year later is the once-in-a-decade enrollment time of the Magic Holy Capital Academy in the Eastern Continent. And half a year later, I will hold a quota competition for the holy academy assessment. I hope you can win the top three at that time."
Before Alice could speak, Adrian added, "Although you can already cultivate magic and old Alva said that you have good talent, you are still far behind your peers. Remember to practice magic hard in the next half year."
"Okay." Alice nodded with a smile. She knew very well the gap between herself and other magic prodigies in her heart, but she was not discouraged. She remembered her experience in the black market. Those hardships and difficulties did not defeat her. Now facing this new challenge, she also had the confidence to overcome it. She silently planned the next cultivation plan in her heart and was determined to improve her strength as much as possible within half a year.
Alice talked with Adrian for about half an hour.
From Adrian's mouth, she learned a lot of information.
The Magic Holy Capital Academy is a place that countless magic prodigies in the Eastern Continent are eager to enter. In the once-in-a-decade assessment and enrollment, the first round first screens out a part of magic prodigies from countless countries, and then they gather in the Magic Holy Capital Academy to participate in the enrollment assessment together!
Only by passing the second round of assessment can one become a student of the Magic Holy Capital Academy!
Different countries get different quotas. Small countries only have three, medium-sized countries have six, large countries have twelve, and super countries have twenty.
The age range is from thirteen to twenty-five.
The Magic Holy Capital Academy has a history of thousands of years. And in the past three hundred years, no one from the Augustan Empire has been able to successfully pass the assessment and enter the Magic Holy Capital Academy!
It can be imagined that there is always someone better in this world.
The most talented young magic prodigy in the Augustan Empire is Nobby.Nock, who is twenty years old and at the eighth rank of Magician.
The second is Prince Arthur, who is twenty-one years old and at the seventh rank of Magician.
When King Adrian asked her about her magic cultivation level, she thought for a while and decided to conceal her actual strength. Then she made up a cultivation level of the seventh rank of Apprentice Magician. She was worried that her real strength would cause unnecessary trouble. After all, in this palace, people's hearts were sinister. She didn't want to expose herself too early.
Unexpectedly, when Adrian heard it, he looked at her like a monster.
"You have reached the seventh rank of Apprentice Magician in less than a month of cultivating magic!"
Alice's mouth twitched. Isn't this very low? She wondered in her heart whether her understanding of magic cultivation level was wrong. Since she came back from the black market, she has been working hard to cultivate magic and has already broken through to the third rank of Novice Magician. Even so, she was still despised by that annoying Caesar. She remembered Caesar's disdainful look and mean words, and her heart was filled with anger. She didn't understand what she had done wrong and why she always couldn't get the recognition of others.
"… It's okay." Alice pulled the corners of her mouth.
"Your magic talent should be higher than your father's!" Adrian showed a nostalgic look and sighed.
After praising her a few words, Adrian told her to practice magic well.
Before leaving, Alice asked Adrian, "Your Majesty, why are you so kind to me?"
Adrian was silent for a moment and finally said slowly, "Because you are the only daughter of them. I owe them a lot. In the past, I didn't summon you to the palace. One reason was that I was afraid that others would be jealous of you and cause them to attack you. The second reason was that old Alva wanted you to have a peaceful life. But - "
"Everything has changed, because you can cultivate magic now!"
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