Chapter 218: Silverleaf Academy (LXVI)

“…It’s time,” Aestrea said quietly, his eyes locked onto the grand golden doors at the top of the ruined stairs.

The pressure leaking from inside was thick, as he could feel the Sword Duke’s aura patiently waiting for him.

Yara stood beside him, her dark eyes burning with excitement. She leaned forward slightly, her grin sharp, like she’d been waiting for this moment all her life.

“Then go, Darling~” she whispered.

Aestrea nodded once.

『 Mixed Ice Series: Frost Step! (✦ 3rd-level Spell ✦)』

SWOOSH!!

A burst of icy wind exploded under his feet.

In an instant, he vanished from Yara’s side, shooting forward like a silver blur.

His boots slammed against the stone path as he raced up the broken stairs toward the main hall’s doors.

Ahead, imperial soldiers were already panicking.

“CAREFUL! AN ENEMY IS TRYING TO ENTER THE PALACE!”

“CAST SPELLS! NOW!”

Light flared, and dozens of mages raised their hands. Spheres of fire, bolts of lightning, holy spears, and blades of wind flew at him from all directions.

But they couldn’t make Aestrea slow down.

『 Mixed Ice Series: Frozen Mirage! (✦ 4th-level Spell ✦)』

WHOOOSH!!

A thick, cold mist erupted from his feet, spreading fast.

In seconds, the entire entrance was filled with blurry figures, dozens, then hundreds of perfect copies of Aestrea, all moving in different directions.

“WHICH ONE IS REAL?!”

“STOP HIM!!”

Panic spread through the defenders.

BOOM!!

BOOM!!

Spells exploded left and right, tearing through illusions, cracking the stone pillars—blinding flashes of light flared across the stairs.

But none of them hit the real one.

CRAAASH!!!

Aestrea kicked the gates open.

The enormous metal doors bent inward with a metallic scream before flying open completely, slamming against the marble walls.

Dust and mist swept inside.

Aestrea’s cloak fluttered behind him, his eyes sharp and cold, standing in the middle of the throne hall.

Across from him…

A group of armored elites turned to face him, with their weapons ready to attack.

Behind them, five S-rank awakeners stood in a line, their auras heavy.

And in front of the throne, one man stood calmly—

The Sword Duke.

Broad shoulders, tall frame, a hand resting lazily on the hilt of his blade.

And finally… seated on the golden throne itself…

The Emperor.

He looked down at Aestrea like one would look at a wild dog let into their palace, calm, unreadable… but a little tense.

No one moved.

The silence stretched.

And then…

Aestrea muttered softly, without raising his head.

“…Lilith.”

CRACKLE!!!

The air twisted.

A purple circle opened beside him, lined with runes, humming with strange, seductive energy.

From the portal stepped Lilith, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

Her long black hair flowed behind her, eyes sharp and playful as ever. She gave a sultry smirk the moment her gaze met the Emperor.

“Miss me, Francis~?” she whispered sweetly.

The Emperor’s eyes widened. His face didn’t move much, but his fingers clenched the throne’s armrests.

“…What a surprise, huh?”

Aestrea took a step forward.

Lilith glanced sideways at him, her smile twitching as she felt the pressure radiating off his body.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Aestrea beat her to it.

“Take care of the rest,” he said, his voice sharp as a blade. “Everyone here—except the Emperor. He’s mine.”

Lilith blinked in shock.

Her playful grin cracked for a second.

“The… Sword Duke is here too, you know?” she said softly. “He’s not someone I can deal with.”

She wasn’t joking.

The Sword Duke stood just ahead, slowly stepping down from the platform. His eyes were calm, but dangerous, like a dragon who didn’t need to roar.

But Aestrea didn’t flinch.

He didn’t even blink.

He just turned his head and looked at Lilith.

Coldly.

“Do it or die.”

Then he narrowed his eyes and added with a low sneer.

“Besides. You just need to waste his time.”

That made Lilith’s heart skip.

Her grin returned, sharper, curling up like a cat about to pounce.

“You’re cruel when you’re serious~” she purred, licking her lips. “But fine… I love it when you talk rough.”

BOOM—!

She launched herself forward without warning, flames spiraling from her hands as she shot toward the first group of elite guards.

“Come on, boys!” she shouted, dancing through the air.

“Let’s play~!”

The S-rank awakeners reacted instantly.

Spells collided.

Swords clashed.

And at the center of it all, Lilith spun like a storm of fire and shadows, laughing, taunting, barely dodging the massive blade that the Sword Duke suddenly swung at her.

“Focus on me, handsome~” she giggled, twisting in mid-air to land on one of the broken stone pillars.

“You wouldn’t want to ignore a lady, would you?”

And just as she said those words, another massive blade shot towards her.

CRAAAACK—!!

The Sword Duke’s blade hit the marble floor like a falling guillotine, and the whole hall shook.

The slash carved a long scar through the floor, spraying broken tiles and molten dust into the air.

The heat from the strike alone scorched the banners hanging from the upper balconies.

Lilith twisted her hips mid-air, barely dodging the arc of destruction.

Her bare legs spun upward, flipping gracefully before she landed in a low crouch across the ruined floor, flames licking around her heels.

“Tsk~ I was hoping for a softer welcome,” she teased, licking a bit of blood from her lip.

“Hah…” She let out a deep breath and then brought her fingers up.

SNAP!

SPLURTT!!!

More than half of her enemies exploded into a bloody mist, and right at that moment, the others attacked her.

Behind her, three of the Emperor’s elite guards charged, their weapons glowing with aura.

One swung a silver glaive directly at her back.

She didn’t look.

Instead, she leaned back, bending at the waist until her head nearly touched the floor, the glaive missed by inches.

BAM!

She kicked her heel up hard, slamming it into the guard’s chin with a sharp crack.

His head snapped back, blood splattering the wall.

Her body twisted like a dancer’s. She caught the second attacker’s sword between her fingers, smirking as sparks danced against her nails.

“You’re aiming too high,” she whispered.

Then her leg came up like a whip—

CRACK!!

It smashed into the side of his head, sending him flying across the hall like a broken doll.

The third hesitated.

Lilith grinned.

That was all she needed.

『 Demon Series: Crimson Entangle! (✯ 7th-Level Spell ✯)』

FWOOOOSH!!

Black thorns burst from the floor beneath the final attacker, wrapping around his legs, digging deep into his flesh.

He screamed.

She spun, raising her hand.

『 Seduction Series: Scarlet Spear Kiss! (✯ 7th-Level Spell ✯)』

SHHHHUNK!!!

A blood-forged spear exploded from her palm, piercing the man’s chest straight through. He slammed into the wall, pinned like a corpse on display.

Lilith stood up slowly, brushing her hands clean.

But then—

BOOM!!!

Elandor, the Sword Duke, stomped the ground.

One step, and the air around her shattered.

Lilith’s entire body jerked backward as a blade of invisible pressure cut through the space she’d just stood in.

She crashed onto her back, the floor beneath her cracking—

But she laughed.

Her chest rose and fell as she lay sprawled across the ruined floor, black fire coiling around her hips and shoulders.

“You really don’t hold back, do you?” she purred.

The Sword Duke didn’t reply.

He raised his blade, and his figure instantly blurred.

Lilith’s eyes widened.

Then—

KAAAAANGGG!!!

She blocked with a devil-forged dagger just in time. The impact threw her sideways, slamming her into a column, which exploded on impact.

She coughed violently, blood running down her lips.

“Fuck—” she hissed, crawling to her feet, hair messy and one heel cracked.

The Duke didn’t wait.

He appeared in front of her again, swinging his blade in a wide arc meant to split her in half.

She bent back—

CLANG!

Sparks flew as her other dagger parried it, but her arms trembled from the force.

Then she vanished.

FWOOM—!!

Reappearing above him, arms stretched wide.

『 Seduction Series: Lustful Comet! (✯ 7th-Level Spell ✯)』

A ball of crimson fire crashed down with her like a meteor.

BOOOOM!!!

It exploded at the Sword Duke’s feet, covering the hall in flame and thick smoke.

But—

SWOOOSH!!

He shot out from the smoke, his cloak torn, his armor slightly singed, but his eyes calm.

CRASH!!

He slashed forward, and the wave of sword energy tore through everything on its path.

Lilith flipped back again, skidding across the stone.

Her breathing was ragged now.

“You’re not bad…” she muttered, blood trailing from her forehead.

“But you’re still looking at the wrong girl.”

She raised her arm slowly.

Blood dripped from her palm.

『 Demon Series: Second Skin of Flame! (✯ 8th-Level Spell ✯)』

THUMP!

THUMP!

Her heartbeat pulsed in the air.

And then—

Fire wrapped around her like a corset, tightening over her body, forming a revealing armor of black and crimson.

Her skin glowed beneath it, her legs elongated with runic tattoos trailing up her thighs, and her hair floated like smoke.

“You like this form?” she whispered, her voice echoing with devilish allure.

The Sword Duke didn’t respond, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

Lilith laughed.

“Too bad. You’ll be seeing it until your lungs are full of ash.”

Her gaze lifted to the Sword Duke, and this time, her lips curled into something far more dangerous than a grin.

“You’re not the type to fall easily, are you?” she cooed, her voice smooth as honey dripped over a knife.

She let her fingers slide along her exposed collarbone, her chest rising with a breath that seemed too soft for a battlefield.

“But I wonder…”

『 Devil’s Tongue: Crimson Desire Bloom! (✯ 8th-Level Charm Spell ✯)』

Shhhhhh~

A wave of faint pink mist burst from her lips like breath on a cold morning, swirling gently in the air.

It didn’t move fast, nor did it crash like fire or lightning.

It slowly spreaded through the air, in a beautiful and tempting manner, like a sweet yet deadly perfume wrapped in a spell.

The Sword Duke’s eyes twitched.

He took a step back without meaning to.

Lilith stepped forward.

Tap… tap… tap!

Her heels clicked on cracked marble, very sound ringing with unnatural rhythm.

“Just let your guard down… a little,” she whispered, her finger curling in the air like she was tugging on invisible strings.

And she was.

The mist wrapped gently around the Duke’s armor, seeping through cracks, coiling near his throat.

He raised his sword with both hands, frowning deeper now. His stance stiffened, not in fear, but in discomfort.

His sword trembled slightly.

“You…” he growled.

“These disgusting charm spells!”

Lilith giggled.

“Well… if you’re this easy to seduce, this only means that your wife is not that beautiful~” she said sweetly, her tongue sliding along the edge of her teeth.

『 Seduction Series: Heartbreak Bloom! (✯ 8th-Level Spell ✯)』

The mist exploded.

FWOOOOOOSH!!

Dozens of rose-like sigils bloomed mid-air, crimson petals fluttering around the Sword Duke’s head. And exactly for just a split second, he hesitated.

It was enough for Lilith.

CRACK!

Lilith vanished in a swirl of red light and reappeared behind him.

Her hand dragged down his back, not with claws or daggers, but her dark nails.

He flinched violently.

And then—

SHHHNK!!!

Her other hand, wrapped in demon flames, plunged into the side of his abdomen, flames curling from her palm as she forced the energy inside his body.

“A man that hard to crack,” she whispered against his ear, “shouldn’t show weakness in front of a woman like me.”

The Sword Duke roared and elbowed her!

BANG!

Her body whipped back through the air, crashing through a pillar and landing in the rubble.

But she stood up again, slower this time, her lower lip bleeding as she wiped it with her thumb.

“Mmh… rougher than I expected.”

The charm spells were working, but just barely.

That man was a wall of steel and hatred, impossible to seduce fully, but…

He was slowing down.

Shaking.

And Lilith… still smiled.

“Let’s keep dancing, Duke~” she sang.

“After all… the longer you play with me, the less time you’ll have left to defend your precious Emperor.”

The Sword Duke’s eyes flared wide.

Lilith winked.

And then vanished again.

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