Imperial Crown.

Chapter 206 Coercion and inducement

In late spring and early summer, the nights are cool.

The lights in the church were on dimly.

Lux stood at the door, covered in light, her arms holding up the door illuminated by the moonlight.

Her golden hair flowed softly on her shoulders, her sapphire eyes reflected the full moon like a deep pool, and her cold white skin was more dazzling than the silver light.

Her cherry lips slightly parted.

Raven's heart skipped a beat and he was about to grab Lux's hand, but the girl in the night had already turned around and walked upstairs.

As she jumped, the light pink nightgown fluttered and the heel separated from the shoe upper, revealing a youthful outline.

After a moment's pause, Raven followed quietly.

On the second floor, Lux opened the bedroom door, held the gift box in both hands and placed it in front of her chest. Although she was a little hesitant, she still bit her lip and handed it up.

The gift box was wrapped in bright yellow satin and tied with a white ribbon and a cute bow.

Lux lowered her head slightly and glanced at Raven, feeling three parts nervous and seven parts expectant.

Raven reached out to take the box, gently untied the ribbon, and the satin fell down, revealing a wooden box.

The moment he opened the wooden box, Raven's breathing paused slightly.

It was a golden quill pen made of swan feathers, but if you looked closely, you would find that behind the quill it held were not feathers, but strands of fine golden hair, soft to the touch and with a hint of a girl's body fragrance.

Those are feathers woven from Lux's hair.

Lux pursed her lips, twirled her hair with her fingers, and thought to herself, "... Don't you like it?"

"No, I like it very much." Raven smiled, put the gift in his palm, put it into his belt, and slowly walked forward.

Lux backed away step by step, and suddenly let out a scream and fell onto the bed.

Her chest heaved, her pupils slightly constricted, and she looked at Raven like a little white rabbit facing a big bad wolf.

"You have beautiful feet." Raven said.

He was not lying. Lux's feet were small and slender, her feet were white, her toes were long and thin, and her toes were round and cute. Since she had just exercised, the edges of her soles were slightly red, showing a clear arch.

Lux moved towards the bed, and leaped onto it with her two legs like a fish, which attracted a pair of hands that chased her relentlessly.

"My feet are not cold." Lux said softly.

"Then warm my hands."

But immediately, Lux knew that Raven was lying. His hands were not cold but hot. The heat flowed along her skin and baked her cheeks red.

The moonlight was like water, creating waves on the sheets, and the black fish was chasing the goldfish's tail.

Eventually, the goldfish became stranded on the beach, leaving the black fish to lie at the bottom of the pond.

Raven was lying on the bed, looking at Lux leaning against the headboard, and suddenly asked, "Why a pen?"

"You are a lord and you write often." Lux blinked her eyelashes gently: "I think... every time you write, you can think of me."

Raven smiled, raised his body and slowly leaned forward: "Actually, there is another way."

“What…?” Before she could finish her words, Lux’s lips were blocked, her eyes widened with a hazy light flowing in them.

After being confused, she seemed to muster up the courage and put her arms around Raven.

Just like water in a bottle, or like fish in a bottle.

The slender white legs were twisted together.

a long time.

Lux lay quietly in Raven's arms, her lips slightly swollen, and she pushed away Raven's hand that was trying to climb up her waist.

Raven stopped moving and just held the slender fingers.

The atmosphere was quiet. For a moment, apart from each other's breathing, the two could only hear the faint chirping of insects outside the window.

Lux quietly looked at Raven's profile, a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and her lips slowly moved closer to his cheek.

At this moment, Raven suddenly turned his head and their eyes met. Lux hurriedly tried to shrink back, but Raven grabbed her shoulders.

Scored twice.

"You see, even if you want me to forget, I can't." Raven said.

"...I can't forget it either..." Lux's voice was as soft as a mosquito.

"what?"

“…You heard it.”

Raven smiled slightly, said no more words, and just hugged the beauty in his arms tighter.

No matter how long they stayed, Lux would not allow Raven to spend the night in the church.

So when we left the church, it was still dark.

Raven was walking on the road as the morning mist gradually rose. He rubbed his fingers and recalled the awkwardness of Lux, but suddenly he thought of something and frowned slightly.

"What's going on?" An old voice sounded behind Raven, "Are you thinking about how to deal with the old antique standing between you and your lover?"

"Yeah, then..." Raven was stunned after saying a few words. He turned around slowly and saw Crouch looking at him with a weird smile. He felt a little embarrassed for a moment.

"Rhys, huh." Crouch said sarcastically, "I'm really old. I didn't even guess that it was the abbreviation of Raven Griffith."

Having just taken advantage of a student, he was caught by the teacher. Even with his thick skin, Raven felt a little embarrassed: "Well... I didn't mean to deceive you, it's just..."

"Stop talking nonsense." Crouch snorted, "If it weren't for the fact that you are still well behaved, do you think you can still stand here?"

"follow me."

Crouch had said so, so of course Raven had no choice but to obey.

It has to be said that the old man has a really good temper. If his daughter was liked by another yellow-haired boy, Raven would definitely not be able to keep his composure like Crouch.

We followed Crouch for a long way, until we stopped deep into the Thousand Needles, and the time was the deepest darkness before dawn.

Crouch walked to a huge rock and flicked his sleeves. A golden light flashed with the sound of wind, and suddenly large amounts of fine stone powder flowed out from the rock.

When the dust was blown away, the boulder disappeared without a trace, leaving only a set of stone tables and chairs.

Then, a number of Lewis chess pieces appeared on the table, clearly black and white.

The patterns on the chessboard also became visible, emitting a scorching light in the darkness.

This method seemed so effortless that if Raven hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he probably wouldn't have believed that anyone could do it.

If it is put on stone, it will carve out a shape; if it is put on a person, it will be like being cut into pieces!

"I, the old man, will play black first."

Before he finished speaking, Crouch had already moved the chess piece.

Raven could only walk to Crouch's side to engage in battle, but after just thirty steps, he was forced into a dead corner and had to resign himself to defeat.

"Come again."

"Come again."

"Come again!"

Raven lost four games in a row.

Crouch held the chess piece proudly and said, "Boy, you are very good at chess, aren't you? Why can't you do it now?"

"Before, I was Leis, of course I could win." Raven smiled helplessly: "Now I am Raven, I can't win."

"Are you scared now?" "Yes."

"Then leave Lux."

"It can't be done."

"What did you say?" Crouch stared at Raven. "Say it again."

Raven stared back without giving in. "I can't do it!"

Crouch's body stiffened: "Do you know that I am a seventh-level great divine magician?"

"I know."

"No, you don't know anything!"

Before he finished speaking, Crouch's body slowly rose up, his clothes moved without wind, and light gushed out, dyeing his originally silver hair and beard golden.

He stretched out his hand and a wave of pure golden flames flew out, circling above his head.

Nine balls of flames, like nine scorching suns shining in the sky, dispelled the darkness of the night and made the earth brighter than at noon in summer!
The tender green willow leaves were scorched, and sweat poured out of Raven's forehead and quickly evaporated, causing his lips to crack and bleed.

In the light, Crouch's face was serious, like a god sitting high in the church.

"Leave Lux, and I can spare your life."

Raven still held his head high, and even slowly stood up, expressing his attitude with his actions.

Crouch's eyebrows jumped - he was able to withstand his pressure, this guy has already reached the third level! ?
Only two years of practice to reach the third level! ?

A hint of admiration emerged in his heart, but his attitude became even colder:

"act recklessly!"

Crouch waved his staff lightly, and a scorching sun roared towards Raven!

Before they even got close, the high temperature generated by the burning light caused the jungle nearby to catch fire!

Ashes rose up.

Raven stood there, not moving an inch.

The scorching sun passed by his ears, and the scorching heat burned his hair, causing it to curl and fall into the ground behind him!
boom--

The earth is shaking!

A huge amount of mud and sand was splashed along with the broken trees, and was ignited and melted in mid-air by the terrifying heat, turning into heavy rain of fire.

Raven slowly turned his head and saw a deep pit with a diameter of tens of meters appearing a hundred meters behind him. The pit was covered with cracks, and the cracks were filled with red magma. The bottom of the pit had turned into a lava lake!
The originally flat land turned into a dangerous terrain like a crater!

"Raven!" Crouch's voice rang out, "If you don't agree, I will destroy your Eagle Town and then kill you!"

"No...you won't." Raven said.

Crouch frowned: "You want to bet that I will be lenient?"

"I never gamble." Raven shook his head, his voice weak but clear: "The reason I say this is because you are Lux's teacher."

"Her teacher would never kill innocent people."

Yes, if Crouch was really that kind of person, he could have taken action a long time ago and there was no need to wait until now.

Crouch was silent. The eight blazing suns around him gradually dissipated, and his body fell back to the ground. "...Raven, you are indeed very smart. It seems that I was soft-hearted for a moment, and you saw the flaw."

Raven said, "It's because I trust Lux."

Hearing him mention his students again, Crouch snorted: "Since you know Lux so well, why don't you know yourself?"

"How long can you survive the blood curse on you?"

Raven said: "...Eighteen years."

"Eighteen years! You only have eighteen years left to live. Do you want my student to be a widow for you?" Crouch stroked his beard, his eyes rolling around. "But I do have a way to deal with your blood curse."

"How about this, you make a soul oath and leave Lux from now on, and I will help you remove the blood curse, how about that?"

Raven didn't hesitate for a moment: "I refuse."

"I'm still young. I can slowly find a way to break the blood curse, but eighteen years of life is not a short time."

"I can't accept a life without Lux!"

Crouch was choked by this sentence. He was an experienced man and could tell whether someone was lying or not at a glance. There was no falsehood in what Raven said.

Little bee, why are you holding on to a flower and won’t let go?

I tried forcing him, but it didn't work; I also tried bribery, but it still didn't work!

Instead, I was shown off by this kid!
"You're really stubborn." Crouch sighed helplessly.

Raven said firmly: "This is my attitude. Why don't you go and persuade Lux?"

"Humph! You understand her, don't I? She is just stubborn! Once she makes up her mind, no one can pull her back, not even if I am her teacher!"

Crouch was so anxious that he scratched his head and said, "I don't know what's so good about love. One by one, two by two, they are all like this!"

Raven's expression brightened: "So, you agree to be together with us?"

"Promise me nothing!" Crouch waved his hand. "She is a priest. Do you understand what a priest is? You don't understand the twists and turns here at all!"

Raven pressed on, "So what do you mean?"

"It's boring!" Crouch snorted. "When I was young, I was bullied by my teachers. Now I'm old, I'm bullied by my students. I've never had peace in my life."

"I have some things to think about."

He was about to leave, but stopped halfway, turned around and pointed at Raven, saying, "Behave yourself recently and don't go into the church so often. If you do anything out of line, I won't forgive you!"

Watching Crouch go away.

Looking at the deep pit that was still emitting scorching heat, Raven lowered his head and stroked the chessboard. The touch was as delicate as jade: "This is the seventh level..."

After sighing with emotion, he sighed in annoyance, took out his staff, and began to chant a spell.

why?
Put out the fire!
Crouch was showing off his power just now and set a lot of wood on fire. If we leave nothing to do, who knows what will happen to the woods.

After the heavy rain, the flames gradually died down, and Raven returned to the Eagle Territory in the rising sun.

When walking on the street, you can hear passers-by talking about a meteorite falling in the direction of the Thousand Needles Jungle, and some people are discussing whether to pick up the meteorite to exchange for money.

Raven, who knew the truth, was silent for a moment, but he had to admit that the power of a seventh-level strongman was no less powerful than the power of nature.

After returning to Eagle Castle, Raven sat in the study, playing with the gift Lux gave him in his hands, and a smile gradually appeared on the corners of his mouth.

I gained a lot today. I witnessed a seventh-level strongman take action, and most importantly, I found out Crouch's attitude.

He was obviously on Lux's side and was considering everything for Lux.

And standing on Lux's side means that he is on Raven's side.

In fact, Raven considered several times whether to call on the Bone Dragon to take action, but in the end he restrained himself thanks to his understanding of Lux and his grasp of human nature.

Now it seems that this decision was extremely wise.

"My Lord Baron." Petty's voice rang out.

Raven was slightly dissatisfied: "Didn't I tell you not to notify me no matter what happens today?"

"Please forgive me, Lord Baron, but I have to tell you this news."

Petty's voice was a little panicked: "...The Count of Montreal, here to visit!"

……

(End of this chapter)