CHAPTER 237: THE VICTORY OF THE VALMIRE FAMILY’S TROOPS

"What the hell is going on? Whose hand is that?" Aston wondered in shock.

Just moments ago, he had felt Galian’s strength and aura surge to an overwhelming level, as if they were about to explode with unstoppable momentum.

Aston’s skin crawled. If he had to face Galian in that state, his life would surely be at risk.

But then, out of nowhere, a massive hand appeared and slammed into Galian, hurling him away until his figure vanished from sight.

With cautious steps, Aston moved forward. The spot where Galian had stood was now a gaping hole, five meters deep.

Inside it, Galian lay motionless.

Is he dead? Aston muttered under his breath.

Curiosity got the better of him. He leapt down into the pit and rolled Galian’s body over—lifeless.

His armor was shattered, fragments piercing through flesh. Blood seeped from several wounds, painting a gruesome sight.

"Huh..." Aston let out a soft sigh. "Who does that giant hand belong to? Why would that figure help me and my troops?"

Ever since the magic barrier appeared and crippled the Black Wings soldiers, Aston had been trying to figure out who was behind it. Yet no answer came to mind.

Only a Celestial mage could pull off something like this. And as far as he remembered, none existed in the Empire—except within the palace.

Shaking off his thoughts, Aston sheathed his sword and raised his gaze.

"Soldiers!" he shouted.

Several soldiers near the hole rushed over and peered inside.

The sight of Aston down there left them stunned.

"My lord, what are you doing inside?" One of them asked, bewildered.

"Galian is dead," Aston replied calmly. "We... won."

His words shocked them again. But before they could celebrate, Aston’s weary voice followed.

"Get me a rope or something to pull me up."

"Yes, my lord!" they answered in unison.

***

"Are you satisfied?"

High above the sky, Malverna folded her arms across her chest, casting a glance at Nolan beside her.

"Very satisfied." Nolan gave a small nod, smiling. "Actually, I was going to tell you not to help directly, but I didn’t expect you to be clever enough to read my intentions. That’s really... impressive."

The compliment, which should have pleased Malverna, instead sounded like mockery. The corners of her mouth twitched, and blue veins surfaced on her forehead.

"You..." Her right hand clenched tightly as she opened her mouth, ready to unleash her fury.

But Nolan suddenly snapped his fingers, and a potion bottle glowing blue appeared in the air.

He caught it and handed it to Malverna.

"This is a gift for you," he said casually.

Malverna swallowed her anger and accepted the potion with care.

"What is this?" she asked.

"A potion that strengthens the soul while restoring power," Nolan explained. "As you know, your soul hasn’t stabilized, and your strength hasn’t fully returned. If I’m not mistaken, you’re only at about seventy percent. By drinking this, your soul will grow stronger, and your strength will recover up to eighty percent."

The main reason Malverna hadn’t fully recovered was her soul. When Nolan first met her, Malverna had only been a fragment of a soul, not a complete one.

That was why she couldn’t heal completely. Nolan had to stabilize her soul first before slowly restoring it.

Fortunately, over the past few days, Malverna’s soul had begun to recover naturally—though at a very slow pace. With the potion Nolan gave her, however, that process could be accelerated until she reached full recovery.

He was certain that within ten to fifteen days, Malverna’s soul would be completely restored. Along with it, her strength would return to its peak, just like her glory from a thousand years ago.

Hearing his explanation, Malverna froze. Her gaze lingered on the potion bottle in her hand before shifting back to Nolan, who was smiling.

Her face flushed red, and her heartbeat quickened.

Quickly, she looked away, slipped the potion bottle into her pocket, and whispered, "Thank you..."

Nolan’s heart stirred, the urge to tease the shy Malverna rising inside him.

But after a moment of thought, he held it back. If he teased her now, she would surely get angry and sulk—making it troublesome to coax her later.

"By the way, let’s head to the Castellan family estate. There’s something important I need to check there," Nolan suggested.

Malverna stayed silent but gave a small nod.

With a wave of her hand, the two vanished from sight.

***

"Surrender, or you will all die here."

Aston stepped forward, glaring at the two hundred Black Wings soldiers already surrounded by his forces.

Their faces went pale, bodies trembling as cold sweat trickled down their backs.

At Aston’s command, they immediately dropped their weapons and crouched down, hands clasped over their heads.

The mages—whether high-ranking or sage-level—followed suit.

They weren’t fools. Their leader, Galian, was dead. To resist any further would be nothing but pointless.

Surrender meant survival. Even if harsh punishment awaited, it was still better than death.

Aston nodded in satisfaction at their choice. He quickly ordered his men to tie them all up.

"Everyone!" he called out loudly. "This battle must have drained you! Take some time to rest before we continue our march to Gardian City!"

"Yes, my lord!" The soldiers and witches replied in unison, their voices filled with excitement.

...

"Hmm... I wonder if the jewelry I ordered will arrive today. If it does, I should try it on immediately and make sure it suits me."

In his study, Rovert leaned back casually, admiring the nail ornaments and gold rings on his fingers.

He was obsessed with personal beauty, always ensuring he looked flawless at all times.

"By the way..." Rovert’s gaze shifted to the window beside him. "The troops sent by the Red Obsidian Trading House should have stopped Aston’s forces by now. If so, then everything is going just as I expected."

But his expression suddenly tensed. He bit the tip of his index fingernail in agitation.

"I truly want to meet Aston Valmire. Of all the men I’ve seen, he’s the most perfect. I want to savor him... ah, it would be so exquisite! Argh... my body burns with desire..."

Rovert writhed like a snake, biting his lower lip, his face flushed as desire burned vividly in his eyes.

But suddenly—

Knock!

"My lord, danger! We’ve received word that the troops sent by the Red Obsidian Trading House have been defeated by the Marquis Valmire family forces!"

*****

Author’s Note: Every time I write a Rovert scene, I get goosebumps. It feels like pure torture, and honestly, I just want to kill him off already. Please support me with gold tickets, gifts, or power stones so I can cling to my sanity! (,,﹏,,)

Thank you!