Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

The air was filled with the rich aroma of roasted ribs and spices, the freshness of fresh fruits and vegetables, and the intoxicating fragrance of the newly opened bottle of "Starlight Ember," which seemed to seal away the stars and honey.

Several exquisite dishes were placed around him, the result of Cohen's own cooking.

Mavis sat demurely opposite Cohen, though her clothes were not exactly demure.

The artist changed into a soft silk nightgown.

Her nightgown was a deep, dark blue, like the starless night sky, making her exposed skin appear even more radiant and fair.

The style is somewhat revealing, which is quite a challenge for the traditionally conservative Mavis.

The nightgown clung tightly to her beautiful body, outlining her shapely curves.

What's even more eye-catching is that as she occasionally changes her sitting posture, the silky fabric flows like water, revealing her slender waist and rounded shoulder contours.

It exudes an amazing charm that makes it impossible to look away.

Mavis had just taken a shower, and her slightly wavy long hair was still a little damp, casually draped over her shoulders and back.

She has lost some of the imposing aura of a seasoned intelligence officer from a lost land, and gained more of the gentleness and languor inherent to women.

Mavis adjusted the straps of her nightgown; for someone of her size, the straps were a little too tight.

Cohen took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

Mavis's unintentional display of captivating charm was making it hard for him to resist.

Then, pointing to the dishes on the table, he said with a smile:

"I made this myself, how does it taste?"

Mavis raised an eyebrow:
"I never expected you to know this trick. Did you learn it from Adele?"

Cohen gave a thumbs up:

"As expected of a seasoned intelligence officer from the Lost Lands, he guessed it right away!"

Mavis gracefully cut off a small piece of perfectly roasted rib, put it in her mouth, and asked casually:

"Why is it just the two of us?"

What about Grace, Windsor, and the others?
"Aren't you afraid of upsetting those jealous girls by giving me special treatment like this?"

Mavis was still a little guilty, after all, those women were either Cohen's official princesses or his fiancées with whom he was engaged, and she, without any official status, looked like a mistress who had cheated on her husband.

After chewing slowly, Mavis picked up the crystal glass in front of her and gently swirled the "starlight embers" inside, which resembled liquid amber.

A hint of admiration appeared on her beautiful face; clearly, Cohen's skills had greatly exceeded the girl's expectations.

Cohen also took a sip of the wine in his glass, letting the rich and complex liquid slide down his throat, before looking up at her with a gentle smile on his lips:

"They all have their own things to do."

It's just the two of us tonight.

There are some things I just want to talk to you about alone.

"Thank you for your hard work these past few days, Mavis."

Mavis's beautiful eyes revealed a gentle smile:

"What's wrong? You seem a bit strange today?"

Cohen coughed lightly and smiled:
"It's nothing, just a sudden thought. Let's eat!"

The lovely candlelight dinner took place in a tranquil and slightly cozy atmosphere.

The two chatted about the recent situation in the Lost Lands, some subtle developments within the Supreme Council, their initial ideas for the future, and some trivial matters.

Cohen would occasionally mention some anecdotes from his past life, which would make Mavis chuckle softly.

Before they knew it, they had downed half of the bottle of "Starlight Embers." The alcohol wasn't strong, but it was like the finest incense, quietly permeating their hearts.

It made the surrounding air seem thick and sticky.

Having a candlelight dinner with their loved one, neither of them used any magic to get rid of the effects of the alcohol, and they gradually became slightly tipsy.

As dinner drew to a close, Mavis felt a bit hot, perhaps from the alcohol, or perhaps from the warmth of the candles burning in the room.

Her legs, which had been neatly placed under the table, stretched slightly to the side, and her delicate feet slipped out of her red-soled high heels, stepping onto the cool, dark wooden floor.

Beneath her nightgown, her already fair and smooth legs, bathed in the silvery moonlight streaming in from the high window, lost the warm yellow hue of candlelight and were instead coated with a cool and sacred glow.

Her calves, with their smooth and graceful lines, and her shapely and supple thighs, were partially hidden by the dark blue silk nightgown, resembling an exquisite ivory sculpture, so perfect as to seem unreal.

It possesses a breathtaking, fragile yet resilient beauty.

Her jade-like feet were equally exquisite, with the soles of her feet slightly arched as she stepped on the cold floor, her toes gripping the ground almost imperceptibly, as if getting used to the icy touch.

The high arch of the foot draws a beautiful arc, and the skin on the instep is so thin that you can almost see the pale blue veins underneath.

She wasn't wearing socks; the high heels that had covered them were casually kicked to the side of the table. Her toes, now exposed, were clean and tidy, and her ten toes, like newly sprouted bamboo shoots, were round, pink, and gleaming with a pearly luster.

Cohen's gaze had somehow slipped from her face to under the table.

That fleeting glimpse of the scene, as if hooked, instantly seized his breath and heartbeat.

My blood seemed to be flowing faster, and my throat felt a little dry.

He forced himself to look away and refocus on Mavis's slightly flushed cheeks, but the image of her ivory-sculpted legs and star-like toes remained deeply etched in his mind.

He cleared his throat, his voice slightly lower than before, a hoarse tone tinged with restraint:
"Mavis, what are your thoughts on the Supreme Council's most important task next—the establishment of the nation and the selection of the emperor?"

Mavis was sipping the remaining wine in her glass, slightly tipsy. Upon hearing this, she raised her eyes, which were misty with a faint sheen, less sharp than usual and more dreamy.

She seemed oblivious to Cohen's momentary lapse in concentration, or perhaps, under the influence of the wine and the intimate atmosphere, she herself was much more relaxed than usual.

She tilted her head slightly, a somewhat childlike gesture, yet it possessed a unique charm when she did it.

"Thoughts?" Her voice, slightly tinged with the effects of alcohol, sounded soft and gentle.

"I'm fine with anything, whatever you decide, I'll support it."

Cohen looked at her, at the fan-shaped shadow cast by the candlelight under her long eyelashes, at her lips that were even more luscious with the effects of the wine, at the small patch of dazzling white skin beneath her slightly open collar, and at the breathtaking view unintentionally revealed under the table.

The ripples in my heart, stirred by the fine wine and the night, gradually expanded.

Cohen stood up, walked around the small round table, and went to her side.

The shadows descended, mingling with the candlelight and moonlight, completely enveloping Mavis.

Mavis seemed to pause for a moment, then raised her hazy purple eyes to look at him.

Cohen didn't explain, but simply bent down, gently supporting her slender waist with one hand, and reaching under the table with the other to precisely grasp her right ankle, which was resting on the cold floor.

As her slightly cool skin was suddenly enveloped by a large, warm, even slightly hot, hand, Mavis couldn't help but gasp softly. Her body stiffened instantly, and she seemed to sober up a bit.

She instinctively tried to pull her foot back, but Cohen held it firmly.

Cohen held her slender ankle; it felt cool to the touch, and her skin was incredibly delicate, like the finest mutton fat jade.

He could even clearly feel the shape of the bones in her ankles and the pulse through her skin.

The candlelight cast flickering shadows on Mavis's ivory skin, outlining the breathtaking curves from her calves to her ankles.

A slightly tilted neck, slightly parted red lips, and watery eyes... all of this, under the combined influence of fine wine and the night, creates an indescribable and fatal allure.

Cohen's gaze darkened, churning with emotions thicker than the night outside the window.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and the string of reason, before the delicate touch of the fingertips, the unique cool fragrance lingering around his nose, and the unsuspecting yet captivating scenery before his eyes, finally snapped with a "clang."

"I originally wanted to talk to you about serious matters first, but I realized... I overestimated my willpower..."

Cohen did not loosen his grip on Mavis's ankle; instead, he used the force to pull her towards him quite naturally.

At the same time, his other hand, which had been resting on the back of the chair, gently slipped under her knees.

Mavis let out a short gasp, her body instantly losing its balance as he lifted her horizontally from the seat in a forceful yet gentle manner.

The hem of her silk, dark blue nightgown trailed in the air, and her beautiful, delicate feet, breathtakingly beautiful in the moonlight and candlelight, left the cold floor she was trying to grasp.

Her gasp was cut off as Cohen lowered his head and precisely captured her lips.

……

……

……

After an unknown amount of time, the storm gradually subsided.

Mavis sank softly into the soft bedding, ... as if all the strength to lift a finger had been drained away.

She lay on her side, her smooth back facing Cohen, the beautiful curve of her back extending in the dim light, with a few faint red finger marks still remaining on it.

Cohen embraced her from behind, his strong arms encircling her slender waist, his chin resting gently on her sweaty shoulder.

In that lingering moment, as if time itself had stood still, Cohen's deep voice slowly rang out:
"Mei'er"

"Ok?"

Mavis responded lazily, her voice thick with nasal tone and a languid hoarseness, like a satisfied cat.

"There's something about Melantha that I think I should tell you now."

Cohen tightened his arms slightly, pulling her closer to his warm chest.

Upon hearing her sister's name, Mavis's languid demeanor softened, and her beautiful eyes opened in the dim light:

"What's wrong with her?" Cohen kissed her shoulder, his voice calm.

"Not long ago, Melantha encountered great trouble when she tried to break through to the half-step legendary level, which could even be described as a life-or-death crisis."

"what?"

Mavis stiffened and tried to turn around, but Cohen's arms held her firmly in his embrace.

"When did this happen? How come I had no idea?"

Mavis blurted out a series of questions, her voice filled with undisguised worry and lingering fear.

Melantha was her blood relative in this world, the sister she would protect with her life.

"Don't rush, let me finish."

Cohen gently stroked her arm, feeling her skin tighten instantly. "It's all over now. She's doing well, and she's even benefited from the misfortune. Her strength has stabilized at the half-step legendary level, and she's even touched the threshold of legendary status."

Upon hearing this, Mavis's tense body relaxed slightly, but the worry in her beautiful eyes did not completely disappear; instead, it turned into deep doubt and a trace of self-reproach.

She, the older sister, was completely unaware of the perilous experience her younger sister had gone through.

Cohen continued, "When she took the potion to break through the bottleneck, her mind was pulled into the 'realm of truth'—an extremely dangerous mental illusion."

Becoming hopelessly addicted to it could lead to your soul's annihilation at any moment.

Mavis's heart leaped again, and she held her breath.

“In order to awaken her,” Cohen paused, as if choosing his words carefully, “I also entered her ‘realm of truth’ through a special secret method, using my own spirit as a guide.”

Mavis frowned slightly.

She had heard of the dangers of the "realm of truth," a projection of a person's deepest memories, obsessions, and fears.

Forcibly entering by outsiders not only poses a great risk to themselves, but may also cause irreversible harm to the person being intruded upon.

Cohen took such a huge risk to save Melantha... This kindness warmed her heart. No wonder her younger sister, who was always so arrogant, had fallen so devotedly in love with Cohen back then.

So that's where the connection lies.

But then, a deeper doubt arose in my mind.

Why did Cohen suddenly bring this up at this time?
Soon, Cohen's next words made her blood seem to freeze instantly, only to boil again in the next second.

Cohen's voice was calm, yet every word was clear, like a heavy hammer striking her heart:
“There, deep within her true self, I saw not only her deepest fears and obsessions… but more importantly, I saw fragments of memories.”

Some memories that belong to you sisters.

He tightened his grip on her arm slightly, as if to offer her support, and then said, word by word:

“I saw you and Melantha right after you were born.”

Mavis's mind went blank. The lingering warmth of their recent encounter, the weakness in her body, the fear of her sister's safety... all of it was replaced by the shock brought about by this simple sentence.

She knew that she and Melantha were orphans found by Belmody near some ancient ruins in the Lost Lands, and her memories of her earlier past were hazy, as if shrouded in a thick fog.

Vermoti only said that they were exceptionally talented and might have an extraordinary background, but he was vague about the specifics.

This is the mystery of her origins hidden deep in her heart, a soft and empty space beneath her strong and calm exterior that even she herself often doesn't want to touch.

And now, Cohen actually claims to have seen the scene of their sisters' birth?
What did he see?
Who are their parents?
Where do they come from?

Why were they abandoned in the Lost Land?

Countless questions were clashing wildly in her mind, almost suffocating her.

Cohen could clearly feel the sudden stiffness of the delicate body in his arms and the uncontrollable trembling.

He didn't urge her, but simply held her quietly, giving her time to process this turbulent situation.

It felt like an eternity before Mavis finally found her voice again:

"What...what did you say?"
You saw... us... being born...?

Cohen's chin gently brushed against her smooth shoulder, his voice steady and firm:
Yes, I saw it.

Although it was just a fragmented piece, the scene was incredibly realistic.

That must be the imprint of your earliest memories, buried deep within Melantha's soul.

He paused, sensing that Mavis's breathing was becoming increasingly rapid, and continued in a calm tone:
“I know that you and Melanie have always had questions about your origins.”

When Bei found you, you were babies, completely unaware of your past.

And what I'm going to tell you tonight is the mystery of your and Melantha's past.

I saw your parents in the Realm of Truth. Your father was... the last prince of the Arcane Empire!

"The Arcane Empire...the last...prince?"

Mavis abruptly broke free from Cohen's embrace, ignoring her aching body and nakedness, and forced herself to sit up. The silk quilt slipped off her smooth shoulders, revealing large expanses of snow-white skin.

But she was completely unaware of it at the moment. She turned to face Cohen, her eyes wide open in the dim light, filled with extreme shock, bewilderment, and an almost absurd disbelief.

"The Arcane Empire... that legendary Arcane Empire... that was completely annihilated in the dust of history thousands of years ago because it touched a taboo and caused a great collapse?"

Her voice trembled violently, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

The legend of the Arcane Empire has always been considered a sacred place in the continent of Magic Tide, especially among explorers of the lands where magic flourishes and those ancient ruins.

That was a glorious era in which magical civilization had developed to an unimaginable level. It is said that their arcane skills had reached their pinnacle, and they were even able to explore the fundamental rules of the world and touch the realm of the gods.

But precisely because of this, it rose to its peak and then declined. In the end, due to a catastrophe of unknown cause, the entire empire, along with most of its knowledge, glory and civilization, vanished in a very short time.

Only scattered legends and ancient ruins scattered across the continent remain, still full of danger and mystery.

The Lost Lands are the ruins of the fallen Arcane Empire.

It can be said that the Lost Lands are able to have such a developed and extraordinary civilization mainly because of the blessings of the Arcane Empire.

And now, Cohen tells her that she and Melantha are actually the last bloodline of that mythical empire that was long believed to have been severed and annihilated in the torrent of time.
Is she the daughter of the legendary last prince?
Cohen also sat up and gently placed his hand on the back of Mavis's hand.

"Yes, you and Melantha are the only remaining royal bloodlines of the Arcane Empire!"
In the realm of reality, I saw palaces so magnificent they defied description, domes flowing with liquid energy, and extraordinary beings dressed in strange attire, radiating powerful arcane energy.

And your parents placed you, as infants, into a mysterious protective capsule before the disaster struck.

I will seal you and time together...
It's been delivered to me now, right here beside me!

Mavis felt a chill run through her body, and a deep, indescribable tremor and sorrow welled up within her.

Through Cohen's description, she seemed to see the glorious apocalypse, the desperate gamble of the young parents, and feel the resolute love that was willing to give everything, even life and death, to protect their flesh and blood.

"Sealed...time?"

She murmured the same thing over and over, her voice hoarse.

This was beyond her understanding of magic.

Sealing ordinary magical items, spaces, or even souls is already an extremely advanced skill.

Sealing time, which involves separating, freezing, or sealing the target from the normal flow of time, is almost a means that belongs to mythology and the realm of the authority of the gods!

The Arcane Empire of that time had actually reached this level of power?

This gave her a more direct and even more terrifying understanding of that legendary empire.

Its power and its demise seem to be shrouded in an even deeper fog.

"Yes, seal away time!"

Cohen nodded firmly, his eyes deep. "It's a kind of power that I can't fully comprehend, almost at the level of rules."

It was this incredible seal that protected you, allowing you, as infants, to spend countless years in a state of near-time freeze.

Until… she was discovered by Bayonetta, who was exploring the ruins.

Shock, confusion, sadness, a heavy sense of fate... a variety of complex emotions crashed over Mavis like a tide, and she felt dizzy and her body swayed slightly.

Cohen put his arm around her shoulder at the right moment and pulled her back into his embrace.

A brief silence fell over the room, broken only by the sound of their intertwined breaths.

Mavis leaned on Cohen's shoulder, her purple eyes staring blankly at a point in the air, processing the truth that was enough to overturn her entire understanding of the world.

After an unknown amount of time, Cohen's deep and firm voice rang out again:

"Meir, the Lost Land, this vast and ancient land, where countless relics, knowledge and secrets of the Arcane Empire are buried deep underground."

This land itself, in a sense, is the last territory and legacy of the Arcane Empire.

And you sisters, as the last and purest royal bloodline of the Arcane Empire, are the rightful heirs to this land.

It is the only bridge connecting that glorious past with the brand-new future.

He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look him in the eye, his gaze intense, as if trying to infuse the conviction and power in his words into her soul:
"Therefore, I believe that only you, Mavis, only the last princess of the Arcane Empire, can ascend the throne and best unite the recognition and loyalty of all races, tribes, and descendants of the lost lands."

Only then can we legitimately integrate, explore, and inherit the legacy left by the Arcane Empire.

Lead this land towards a truly unified, prosperous, and revitalized future!

Every word he spoke resonated powerfully, echoing in the silent room:

"Therefore, I, Cohen Corleone, as King Effie, an ally of Serene and the Starry Empire, and your man, hereby propose this, and will certainly give my full support—"

By you, Mavis Tinuvel, descendant of the Arcane Empire.

To become the one and only Empress of this new empire that will rise from the ruins of the old one! (End of Chapter)