Chapter 207: Faceoff of Princesses (2)

Tiffany wasted no time and got straight to the point.

“Miss Ethernina, I’m sure you’re aware of our Alcott Empire, correct?” she asked. “Both Sophia and I are princesses from there, after all.”

“Of course, I am,” Nina replied, her smile unwavering. “And?”

Tiffany’s smile turned confident—and somewhat sinister. “Then you must know that, more than the first princess, who is completely useless, I’m a better choice for a backer, right?”

Nina remained silent, choosing to listen.

First of all, Sophia wasn’t one to engage in martial affairs.

Even if she did, she’d typically delegate all contributions and achievements to others, like Kyle, for example. The only thing that truly interested the hobbyist princess was powerful artifacts.

In contrast, Tiffany was a woman forged in battle.

She had fought through many wars and navigated a landscape filled with controversy and betrayal. The lives claimed by her blade were numerous, and she was fiercely clinging to her hard earned accomplishments, striving to elevate her standing and lay claim to the throne.

When it came to strength of their ambition, Tiffany won hands down.

Furthermore, her wide array of achievements meant her connections were equally expansive. In comparison to Sophia, aligning with Tiffany seemed far more “beneficial.”

“… So? What do you think?” Tiffany tilted her head, her lips curling into a thin crescent.

Her confident smile suggested she didn’t even need to ask, as the answer was already clear.

“I’m sure aligning with me over my useless sister would be advantageous for both of us,” she added.

Nina frowned, crossing her arms over her modest chest. She appeared to be deliberating her response, and the momentary hesitation was a positive sign for Tiffany.

’She’s in the bag!’ Tiffany thought, feeling convinced.

However…

“No. Sorry, but I’ll have to refuse your offer.”

Nina’s response, coupled with the return of her friendly smile, left Tiffany stunned.

“W-Wait, were you even listening to me?” she asked, her smile slowly shifting into an angry frown. “Sophia is a useless princess! Staying with her will only lead to your losses! Coming to my side is definitely the best choice!”

Logically, that was the sensible option.

With Tiffany’s backing, Nina would be nearly untouchable in the Empire, especially now, if it was known that the first prince had died and Sophia had failed miserably, leading to the loss of thousands of her men.

However, that would only hold true if she were in a “weaker” position.

Nina’s smile transformed—a subtle change, but noticeable to anyone observing closely. It was no longer as friendly; it resembled more of a sneer.

“Well, truth be told, I don’t find your offer appealing at all,” she said, shrugging lightly. “You have too much ambition, and that’s not good for our side. Therefore, we’ll stick with Sophia, who is easier to manage.”

“You…!”

At that moment, the answer became clear.

Tiffany misjudged Nina’s—or rather, the Axevaria Kingdom’s—intentions.

They weren’t assisting Sophia to curry favor with the Alcott Empire; no, they were planning to devour the empire as a whole!

Their scheme involved placing Sophia at the top and establishing her as a puppet monarch!

“Bitch…! You think you can lay claim to my Empire so easily?!”

Tiffany growled, drawing the sword from her waist—a short, light weapon that even a woman could wield with ease.

She stepped forward, swinging the sword toward Nina’s neck.

It was a move she was well accustomed to. A killing move executed in one powerful stroke.

However, a problem arose.

CLANG!

“…!”

Her blade halted just an inch away from Nina’s neck.

She hadn’t blocked it; the sword merely stopped as if an invisible barrier prevented it from advancing.

But that wasn’t all.

Faint black lines, resembling blood vessels, marred the sword’s blade, quickly creeping up the handle and reaching the princess’s arms—spreading rapidly throughout her body.

Within moments, the black lines enveloped her entirely, from head to toe.

They traced the contours of her veins, creating a complex diagram throughout her body. This entire phenomenon occurred in the blink of an eye, as if it had existed long before but had only just become visible.

“This is…?!” Tiffany gasped, realizing the anomaly.

Nina, however, only giggled at her reaction, as if she found it amusing. “You noticed it too late,” she whispered.

With a light snap, the entire “field” transformed.

With Nina at the center, a large magic formation began to unfold. Lines of shadows wove along the ground, forming an abstract yet oddly cohesive “net” that ensnared everyone in Tiffany’s army.

Yes, everyone.

Including Crow, as well as the Shadows that spread throughout.

“I guess using curses to create illusions and conceal my actions is a bit of an overkill.” After loudly laughing to herself, she let out a soft sigh. “I bet you wouldn’t have noticed it even if I had done it right in front of you.”

“Urgh…!”

Tiffany refused to give up, struggling to break free from the strange, metaphysical constraint. Of course, it was futile; her body felt almost foreign, unresponsive to her commands!

What Nina had done was cast a curse.

But how did she manage it?

Curses aren’t solely performed through chants like spells. The most common methods involve physical objects—like using a voodoo doll, a strip of paper, or a strand of hair… Sometimes, just securing a clear vision of the target is more than enough.

Nina silently drew sigils on the ground while applying a curse that made her appear as if she were standing still.

Then, the sigils resonated with one another, reaching out to anyone designated as a target of the curse—Shadow Weaving. This indirect curse didn’t directly affect the individuals but instead immobilized their shadows.

Of course, with Nina’s power, she could have easily killed everyone present. In fact, that would’ve been a lot easier than this complicated curse.

Yet, that wouldn’t serve her purpose.

And to make matters worse, Nina had concerns that prevented her from using an Obedience Spell on the princess at first sight. Her guess was soon proven correct.

“As expected…”

Nina smiled as she observed her own body becoming ensnared by shadows, marking her skin like an ugly, persistent tattoo.

“You… have a curse-reflecting charm with you, right? Fortunately, I only used Shadow Weave.”

Nina carried a Substitute Doll with her, but there was a slight risk of failure—approximately 0.1%. Almost nonexistent, but it still meant the doll offered a not-so-perfect-defense. If she pulled that 0.1% change at the wrong time, then she’d end up being a laughingstock instead!

But despite her worries, the doll functioned perfectly

In moments, the shadows binding her began to dissolve, restoring her freedom… Same with the princess before her.

“…Looks like I overestimated you once again.”

Nina wore a gentle expression as she gazed at the princess jumping back, gaining distance. She even seemed to feel pity for her.

But it was a one-sided feeling.

Tiffany had never felt so disrespected before!

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