CHAPTER 278: THE ISLAND KINGDOM

Surely she wasn’t just hoarding it for no reason.

There had to be a purpose behind it. What was she thinking?

A cold chill ran down Dominic’s spine.

Almost as if she had been waiting for that very moment, the woman entered the room, pushing in a cart loaded with lunch.

When she noticed Dominic’s hand resting on the wall, she spoke.

"Are you interested in that wall?"

"What is it made of? I’ve never seen anything like it."

The woman explained with obvious pride in her voice.

"It’s the remains of a sea creature from ancient times. Most likely, this was part of the shell that covered its body. The rest had already weathered away, but this section remained, forming a large hollow cavern. I discovered it in the rocks of a small island. It had fascinating properties, so I had it brought here. It was enormous, and moving it was no easy task but its usefulness far outweighs the trouble."

"It’s absorbing my magic, isn’t it? There must already be a tremendous amount stored in it, yet it continues to feed. What are you planning to do with all that power?"

The woman’s eyes gleamed as she smiled.

"It is my dream. This country was once an island kingdom in the middle of the sea. But now that it’s connected to the continent, I’ve learned there’s a vast world beyond. Dominic, you and I will rule that world together."

"So that’s what all this power is for?" Dominic asked coldly. "Queen Isolde, do you plan to crush others with force and become some kind of Demon King?"

"The Demon King?" The woman gave a small laugh. "That doesn’t sound so bad."

Dominic sighed, almost in disbelief.

The phrase ’a frog in a well knows nothing of the ocean’ had never fit someone more perfectly.

"Are you serious? The world is far too vast. Magic power alone won’t be enough to rule countless nations. To start a war is the height of foolishness. If you do this, you’ll destroy your own country within your lifetime."

"Dominic," the queen said softly, her confidence unshaken. "There are still things you do not know. I possess a great trump card. You will see it soon enough. And when you do, you will stand beside me as the ruler of the world. You should feel honored."

She said it with absolute conviction.

Dominic could not understand where that level of confidence came from.

The queen didn’t seem like the kind of fool who was blinded by her own power, so that meant she truly believed in this so-called trump card.

Could it be connected to this wall made from the shell of a creature that endlessly absorbed magic?

An uneasy feeling settled deep in Dominic’s chest.

Something about this was terribly wrong.

...

From high above, after teleporting, Shiao Yi could see that the island lay in the southwestern sea.

It stretched wide from east to west, large enough to hold several towns.

It was connected to the continent she had traveled across with Dominicn by a long, narrow strip of land.

It wasn’t a sandbar, but rather a thin, raised ridge of rock that had once risen from the sea.

In some places, the waves had carved caves into it, and the erosion was still slowly eating away at the edges.

A narrow path ran along the jagged cliffs.

Given enough time, this peninsula would surely become an island again.

Shiao Yi focused his eyes on a lake that shimmered in the west and teleported again.

Beyond the mountain range that stood in the island’s center, he could see a cluster of buildings in the far distance.

It might be the capital city of the nation he had heard about in rumors.

Be reappeared in the middle of the lake, his body solidifying above the water.

He raised his head above the surface and scanned the area carefully, searching for a place without people and swam toward a quiet shore.

Once on land, he stripped off his soaked traveling clothes, revealing a black outfit underneath.

Every part of it was drenched, but the air was warm and the sunlight strong, so it would dry soon enough.

Without delay, he sprinted toward the nearest lakeside village.

When he slipped into the shadow of a house, the sharp contrast of sunlight and shade swallowed his form completely.

Dressed in black, he blended perfectly into the darkness.

"Got these fine goods straight from the capital!"

Shiao Yi’s telepathic senses caught a voice nearby.

It came from a small village of about a hundred people, where life seemed simple and peaceful.

A merchant was showing off his wares, spreading them out before a group of curious villagers.

One of the women seemed especially interested and others were starting to gather around.

"What a nice fabric! If I could make a dress out of this, it would look so beautiful."

"And this hair ornament, it’s so pretty! But it’s too expensive for me. I can’t afford it, even though I really want it."

The air was filled with a mix of emotions, admiration, longing, hesitation.

The villagers surrounded the goods, their eyes shining with simple desires.

Feeling amused, Shiao Yi gently nudged the thoughts of the woman who dreamed of the distant capital, giving her a small psychic push of encouragement.

"There must be so many beautiful things in the capital."

"And there must be lots of different shops too."

From one woman’s comment, the others began to follow, their curiosity turning into shared excitement and longing for the capital.

"You’ve been to the capital many times, haven’t you? What’s it like now? Is it still as lively as they say?"

"Of course it is, it’s the city where the Queen herself lives. It’s always full of life and noise. Though honestly, it can be exhausting. I prefer the quiet of the countryside. Still, I can’t help wanting to go back again. Strange, isn’t it?"

"The Queen, huh... I’d love to see her, even just once before I die."