Several hundred acres of land was a temptation Luo Wei could still resist; over a dozen Magic Stone Veins was an allure she could not.

On the Western Continent, every sizable Magic Stone deposit was either in the hands of the Magic Association or under Church control—almost none entered open circulation, and prices were absurd.

Luo Wei had long wanted to establish a teleportation channel from the Western Continent to the Misty Plains, but her mental strength was nowhere near enough to draw an advanced teleportation array.

Forget drawing it—just picturing its lines would make her bleed from all seven orifices.

If she couldn’t inscribe an advanced array, she would have to rely on intermediate teleportation runes, performing long-distance, multi-stage spatial transit.

From Siria to the Misty Plains was at least over twenty thousand kilometers. With her current magic power she couldn’t open a channel spanning that distance.

To do so, she’d need a tenfold increase in magic power.

Never mind how long that would take—by the time she reached it, she would already have the ability to draw advanced teleportation arrays.

But if she possessed Magic Stone Veins, she could leverage the stones’ power to set up a one-time teleportation channel from the Western Continent to the Misty Plains now.

On the trip back she wouldn’t have to fret over insufficient mana or stones; there was a powerful Dark Elf on the Misty Plains—he could help her activate a return array and send her back.

Once that Dark Elf came to the Western Continent, she could have him inscribe a permanent advanced teleportation array. Two shores, instantly linked.

The vast Misty Plains beckoned. Luo Wei suppressed the surge of excitement and calmly asked, “How do I believe you?”

“I’ve no reason to lie!” Vina blurted. “If you discover I deceived you, kill me!”

“What use is killing you?” Luo Wei’s gaze sharpened, a warning. “If you can’t produce the Magic Stone Veins, I’ll kill your father instead.”

“If I can save him, I can kill him.”

“Fine—if I’m lying, kill us both!” Vina’s tone didn’t waver.

That boldness and resolve earned her a touch more regard.

“I’m curious,” Luo Wei said, watching her. “Why are you so sure I can save your father?”

“You’re so smart—there must be a way,” Vina said, learning at this life-or-death moment to flatter first. “And you have a Magic Swordsman as your guard.”

The last part was the real reason.

Luo Wei let out a soft laugh. “What if he can’t save your father?”

“Or what if your father dies before he reaches Gore City?”

Though she loathed those possibilities, Vina forced herself not to cry and forced out a pledge. “As long as you’re willing to send him—regardless of whether he ultimately saves my father—I’ll give you the Magic Stone Veins. He won’t make the trip for nothing.”

“I know the rules when asking for help.”

She was painfully aware of her own uselessness—just a noble girl who only knew eating, drinking, and play.

If her father were gone, she couldn’t guard the veins alone. Better to hand them to Luo Wei than be captured and tortured over the family treasure map.

At least Luo Wei wouldn’t silence her after taking the prize.

She’d hurled so many ugly insults at Luo Wei before, and Luo Wei hadn’t killed her—just made her write an apology letter. That character she chose to trust.

To show sincerity, Vina immediately tugged off an emerald necklace and handed it over.

“This necklace has been passed down from my ancestors. My grandfather gave it to my father; my father passed it to me.”

“It’s actually a Spatial Necklace. A master Array Mage engraved spatial runes behind the gemstone—every piece of my jewelry is stored inside. Take it as collateral.”

Luo Wei accepted the necklace, pleased. “Deal. Then I’ll go find my knight. Remember what you said—whether it succeeds or not—”

“The Magic Stone Veins are yours,” Vina said firmly. “The Wesley family never lies. I keep my word.”

“Good.”

Luo Wei pocketed the necklace and strode out of the grove.

Gore City’s gates had been breached yesterday; a whole night had passed—she had no idea if Vina’s father was still alive.

Even though Vina promised them to her regardless, trading a corpse for the veins would leave a twinge on her conscience.

To save time, Luo Wei returned straight to her dorm and used the teleportation array back to Star Luo Residence.

Unfortunately, Troy wasn’t there.

She asked Chris and learned Troy had gone to the mulberry orchard outside the city to gather silkworm eggs from the leaves with the workers.

Going out there would cost another twenty to thirty minutes.

The griffin was still seventy kilometers away in the mountains herding sheep. Without a whistle she couldn’t summon it, and in broad daylight she didn’t dare sprout wings and fly herself.

Standing beneath the corridor eaves, brow deeply furrowed and about to order a horse readied, she saw the raven that had been kicking its legs in the wicker basket drop suddenly down.

“Caw—gah gah?”

The raven hunched its wings, beady black eyes fixed on her.

That cracked, raspy voice sounded like a funeral dirge; Luo Wei’s heart clenched—surely Vina’s father wasn’t already a corpse?

When she didn’t react, the raven flapped forward a few steps and scratched at her little lambskin shoe with sharp talons. “Caw—caw—caw—caw, caw?”

“Quit it.” Luo Wei nudged it aside with her toe and turned to Chris. “Have Yves bring a horse. I need to go outside the city for Troy.”

“Caw!”

The raven shot skyward, wings snapping wide, streaking out like a meteor—only an afterimage left behind.

Luo Wei assumed it had flown off to play and ignored it. When Yves led a horse to the courtyard gate, she walked over, ready to mount.

“Caw—caw—”

A piercing cry sounded above. Light dimmed as a dark blur projectile-dove to the steps ahead.

Before she could look down, a strand of hair drifted across her vision and settled lightly on the horse’s back.

Luo Wei hooked it up with her fingers. Against her pale skin the curly strand blazed red.

At the root a tiny white fatty sheath still clung—as if freshly ripped from the scalp.

Why did this look so much like Troy’s hair?

Just as the thought rose, a figure sprinted toward her from distant ground—runes blazing at full output, speed near lightning.

“Troy?”

Luo Wei called, uncertain.

“Zzz—”

A sword sheath rasped along stone, throwing a trail of sparks as Troy used friction to brake. Wind-tossed hair wild, he came to a halt.

“Your Highness.” Troy, sword sheath in his left hand and longsword in his right, bowed—ragged and embarrassed.

It really was Troy. Luo Wei was taken aback.

“How did you get back?” Her gaze fell to his drawn blade. “Were you planning to hack someone?”

“No!” Troy shook his head and hurried the sword back into its sheath.

“Caw—caw~”

From the steps came the raven’s luxuriant, smug cry. Luo Wei turned; wings spread, it ran toward her, every feather radiating pride.

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