Chapter 721: Chapter 239: Unexpected Change

“Sorry, Sister Auswia, I would love to accept your invitation, but I must obtain my father’s permission to leave Karlars Province.”

Regrettably shaking her head, Fiona politely declined the invitation.

“That’s truly unfortunate, but if one day in the future you wish to go out for a visit, I can mention it to Duke Carrot for you.”

The Fourth Princess nodded, not prolonging the topic further.

“Speaking of which, have you heard? The Mechanical Network Headband promoted by the Federation Council has recently been circulating in the Empire, though only in small scale.”

Seeing the conversation flag, the seventh daughter of the family head with golden hair and purple eyes, Catherine Alfred, spoke up to steer the conversation in a new direction.

“I’ve also tried it before. There are indeed many interesting tidbits and local legends on it, as well as some special games that let you simulate the life of a High Rank Professional. It seems there’s a reason it’s so popular among the common folks.”

“The Empire has always been strict about preventing the spread of such things. Those headbands you mentioned are probably circulated through some shady special channels.

Moreover, those devices are actually very dangerous, it’s best not to touch them lightly.”

Hearing her comment, Auswia shook her head, her face taking on an unusually serious expression.

“The event involving the Master of Dreams that shocked the entire Yar Continent, as well as the emergence of the Contactor group—if we delve into the causes, the Mechanical Network Headband played an indispensable key role in it.

In that incident, many Professionals who put on the headbands fell into a sleep and never woke up again.

Although now they’ve removed the headbands’ direct network connection capability, scholars from the Royal Research Institute have found that these headbands are still absorbing the professionals’ diffused spiritual power and injecting it into the network to maintain its operation.

Furthermore, behind the Mechanical Network, there are many High Rank Prophets from the Federation manipulating it, making it difficult to ensure that a disaster similar to the previous Master of Dreams event won’t happen again.”

“Is… is that so? Thank you for informing me, Your Highness.”

Catherine’s smile stiffened a little; she had prepared several high-level Mechanical Headbands to share with everyone at the tea party, but it seemed her original plans were going to fall through.

….

While the ‘young ladies’ were holding the tea party, Anvis found the Chief Maid Annie, who was on standby on one side of the garden. She was directing the many maids in an orderly manner, ready to remedy any possible issues that might arise.

“Miss Annie, have there been any unusual personnel changes or situations in the City Lord Mansion recently?”

“Unusual personnel changes and situations?”

Annie glanced at him with some confusion, as the City Lord’s Deputy, shouldn’t you be aware of these messages yourself?

“I’ve received some information that a powerful being might come to attack City Lord Fiona soon, and I need to prepare some defenses in advance.

But if I rely only on my own sources, I might miss some key factors, so I want to hear your opinion.”

Anvis explained to Annie, half truthfully, half deceptively.

“A powerful being attacking?!”

Upon hearing Anvis’s words, Annie was immediately alarmed.

“Hmm, as far as I know, there has been no personnel change in the castle recently, nor any unusual events. Everything is normal.”

After a moment of thought, Annie ultimately shook her head.

“Besides, with the Ninth Rank Limit Guardian here, Miss’s safety isn’t something we need to worry about, right, Lord Boli?”

…Ninth Rank, after all, is not all-powerful.

Seeing Annie’s unimpressed demeanor, Anvis sighed inwardly, but he also knew that this level was not yet within her reach.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it, I was just asking.”

Anvis turned and left under Annie’s puzzled gaze, deciding to temporarily make some arrangements around Fiona, waiting for the enemy to grow impatient and act.

As a top-tier Child of Destiny, Fiona in fact possesses considerable strength, and as long as some opportunities can be created, there is a high likelihood that the power of destiny will help her turn danger into safety.

After focusing attention here, that indistinct premonition became even stronger, reinforcing Anvis’s certainty that he was not on the wrong track.

Although according to the Duke, Fiona, being a magical experiment, has no blood relation to him.

But since his unique dual bloodline structure was referenced during her creation, there exists a special fate connection between him and Fiona, different from kinship.

Even though the Net of Destiny has been temporarily obscured by the power of the Alien God, preventing prophecy regarding related matters, the indistinct premonition brought by this connection cannot be entirely hidden.

…

Two days later, somewhat to Anvis’s surprise, Duke Carrot did not return, but Pomona appeared alone with injuries.

Anvis had thought neither of them would be able to return for the time being, but unexpectedly, one did come back.

In any case, it was good news. With one more Ninth Rank fighter, they could also find out what had happened.

According to Pomona, who returned to the family, he had been caught off guard and ambushed by the enemy, trapped in Divine Power Flames. To save him, Duke Carrot had battled with an Alien God Priest.

In the heat of battle, he was suddenly teleported out by the flames, landing in a primordial forest near the Federation West Coast.

By the time he made his way back to the vicinity of the battlefield, Carrot had already disappeared, leaving behind only traces of their struggle, and Tracking Spells proved ineffective.

The family members did not question Pomona’s words since currently there was no way to determine the Duke’s whereabouts.

Considering safety concerns, the Family Guardian decided to personally investigate the last battlefield where Carrot disappeared and instructed Pomona to return to recover from his injuries while temporarily watching over Fiona in his stead.

No one objected to this development.

Although Anvis always felt something was amiss, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

That night, driven by a peculiar sense of restlessness, Anvis did not continue with his daily tasks but wandered aimlessly to the terrace at the top of the City Lord Mansion.

The summer night sky was very clear, and the twin moons hung high, casting bright dual-colored moonlight that seemed to energize the spiritual power.

Beneath the terrace, Silver Gull City in the veil of night revealed its enchanting other side, with the light seeping from countless house windows resembling the starry river in the sky, serene and dazzling.

“Hmm?”

However, it seems not only Anvis appreciates the view, for atop the terrace there already stands a silhouette long present in the darkness.

“May I ask who you are?”

Approaching with some confusion, although he has recognized Pomona’s figure, as an ordinary Fifth Rank Deputy ‘Levin Boli’, Anvis still pretends to be unclear and inquires.

“…A bug that doesn’t know whether it’s dead or alive.”

However, contrary to Anvis’s expectations, Pomona’s reaction to his appearance was to slap him across the face.