Royal Court, why can it serve as the negotiation venue after the end of the Dual Fire War?

It's not because Barbara's second sister is the Queen of the Royal Court.

But because, on the surface, the Royal Court is neutral.

Otherwise, even if the Warm Fire Commerce Association wanted to negotiate at the Royal Court, the Magic Guild wouldn't agree.

"The Royal Court is neutral—this is the foundation of the upcoming negotiations at the Royal Court! However, if the Royal Court is actually not neutral, or not even an ally..."

Andrew almost dared not think further.

An illusion? A voice inside instinctively questioned.

Perhaps it really is an illusion.

After all, the Queen of the Royal Court is the second young lady of the Warm Fire Commerce Association, Barbara's own second sister.

There's no reason for any problems!

The old Andrew might really have told himself, "Maybe it's just an illusion? Let's observe a bit more!"

But after undergoing special training on the airship, especially the first step of that training, Andrew understood one truth: to believe in the good side of human nature, but not to blindly trust the whole of it, because besides the good, there's also not-so-good in human nature!

Even Beiru, who might become his future father-in-law, tricked him during the first step of that training.

To Andrew, the Royal Court is even more distant, belonging to the category of a "friend of a friend," so why couldn't there be issues?

"Calm down, calm down!" Andrew told himself.

Suppressing the impulse to immediately explain his new findings to Dean Charlie,

he saw that when Dean Charlie heard the phrase "the Queen's maternal family," he wore a cheerful smile.

But beneath that smile, a hint of sharpness flickered deep in his eyes!

It seemed Dean Charlie had sensed something amiss from somewhere!

"Ah... We've arrived."

The Warrior Chief laughed at this moment.

Sure enough, the group had already reached the vicinity of the Frost Fortress, where the Royal Court was situated.

Though called a fortress, in fact, it's not a war fortress like the "Dragon's Nest" or "Crimson Battle Lance."

Instead, it resembles a massive estate.

A frozen moat encircles the estate.

Seeing the Warrior Chief step forward, about to call for the drawbridge to be lowered and the gate opened to welcome the group inside, Andrew couldn't hold back.

Mainly because there was really no way to continue entering the Royal Court so rashly while sensing something amiss!

Andrew spoke up, "Um... could you wait a moment?"

"Oh, why?" The Warrior Chief turned back, his attitude still impeccable.

Companions Susan, Barbara, and others also looked over, their eyes filled with confusion, not knowing what Andrew intended to say at this moment.

Andrew remained silent for a moment, unable to think of a good excuse to delay, and finally said dryly, "I want to go to the bathroom."

The Warrior Chief: "?"

Aside from Dean Charlie, Susan, Barbara, Havier, and Sabye: "??"

In such an occasion, under such an atmosphere, Andrew's statement "I want to go to the bathroom" could no longer be simply described as abrupt, but almost a sudden twist!

It left everyone present dumbfounded!

"What... what are you doing?" Barbara was stunned, then couldn't help but step up, tugging at Andrew's clothes, and whispered, "Even if you want to use the bathroom, go into the Royal Court first. Andrew, you..."

She wanted to say, Andrew, are you planning to use the bathroom out here in the wild and then enter the Royal Court?

However, upon looking at Andrew's eyes closely, Barbara sensed something, feeling a slight shock in her heart.

Moments later, Barbara turned back and said, "I also want to use the bathroom."

Everyone: "..."

Utterly stunned.

Especially Havier, who was about to start scolding, stopped as soon as he heard Barbara unexpectedly joining Andrew in "suddenly going crazy." The words on his lips swallowed back.

For this aunt, Barbara, Havier had a measure of respect.

The Warrior Chief had a peculiar look, striving to maintain a polite smile, glanced at the silent Dean Charlie and the frowning Susan, then turned back to Andrew and Barbara: "If you both wish to use the bathroom, you can certainly do so after entering the Royal Court—"

"I'm used to using the bathroom outdoors," Andrew interrupted, and since things had reached this point, he decided to throw caution to the wind regarding his dignity, saying expressionlessly, "Can you wait for me for a bit? I'll be quick."

The Warrior Chief, no doubt a high-ranking Tier Eight Frost Guard, quickly returned his expression to normal, nodding, "Very well. Then... Miss Barbara, you..."

Barbara's face twitched slightly, and as a girl, she really couldn't say, "I'm also used to using the bathroom outdoors."

Mainly because, should she say it, and truly end up going out into the wild to find a place with Andrew, it would be utterly embarrassing!

Her lips moved. At that moment, Barbara really wanted to ask, "Andrew, what exactly did you discover?"

She understood Andrew well, knowing that his sudden request to use the bathroom out of the blue had a reason behind it.

Having just met Andrew's eyes up close, she quickly realized: Andrew was doing it on purpose.

The issue was, Barbara only knew Andrew was deliberately stalling for time for a reason.

But she didn't know exactly why.

As for Andrew, he too hadn't yet come up with a good solution. He just felt that, no matter what, they couldn't enter the Royal Court like this!

If after entering, what awaited was a terrible ambush, like when Barbara rushed into Humboldt's Magic Laboratory, what then?

Andrew didn't want to gamble on such matters.

Nor did he feel he was making a fuss out of nothing.

The group came to the Royal Court for negotiations, and the opponent was the Magic Guild!

So even though the location was the Royal Court, to Andrew, this negotiation was the same as going to the front line to battle.

And since it was going to the front lines, there was no room for carelessness or luck!

"Speaking of which... Did the people from the Magic Guild arrive yet?"

As he wondered this, Andrew's expression shifted, turning to look southwest of the Royal Court.

Simultaneously, everyone else present seemed to sense something, looking in the same direction.

Suddenly, the southwestern sky was dyed a worrisome dark red hue.

The dark-red sky suddenly split like a torn curtain.

A colossal dark-red near black figure tore through the sky, roaring with a soul-stirring sound, speeding from the horizon!

It was a Flame Giant Dragon!

This world does not have dragons born able to soar naturally, and even if they existed, like the Frost Pattern Titans that once inhabited the land of the Royal Court, they have long disappeared into the vast river of history.

The dragon rushing right now was actually a massive "elemental life."

There's no such high-level elemental life spell in Warm Fire Magic.

The only magic worldwide that can summon such enormous and formidable Fire Elemental Life is the "Hellfire Series" of Earth Fire Magic.

More accurately, it's the Tier Nine magic of the "Hellfire Series": Hellfire Dragon!

"So that's... the Magic Guild people arriving?"

At this moment, seeing the overwhelmingly powerful aura of the giant dragon rapidly approaching, Andrew instead felt a bizarre sense of security.

In truth, compared to unexpected and unknown dangers, an opponent who is strong but at least expected brings more reassurance!

Meanwhile, as everyone's attention, especially that of the Frost Knight Commander, was momentarily drawn to the rapidly approaching Flame Giant Dragon, Andrew and Dean Charlie simultaneously did one thing.

Neither used the Heart Net, which had been breached during the Dual Fire War.

One wrote in Barbara's palm.

The other wrote in Susan's hand.

It read: "The Royal Court might have an internal traitor. Be cautious!"

Upon receiving it, Susan remained expressionless despite being startled.

Barbara, on the other hand, slightly jerked, then acted as if nothing was amiss, without showing any flaw.

Andrew succeeded in relaying his message without needing any more bathroom excuses.

Besides, now no one cared whether he still needed to use the bathroom.

Because the Flame Giant Dragon, with a wingspan of nearly a hundred meters, had arrived. It suddenly dropped down, giving barely any time for everyone on the scene to react. Like a meteor striking the earth, it descended not far in front of Andrew and the group.