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Chapter 255 Chief Archmage Gai

call--

A giant red dragon soared through the sky.

The booming sound of something cutting through the air quickly reached the sky above the Red Castle in Poker County.

"Look!"

"General Chapo!"

"Is Her Majesty Beth back?!"

The poker soldiers and servants remaining inside the Red Castle looked up and saw the dragon, and immediately prostrated themselves in reverence.

When Chapo landed in Queen's Square at the Red Castle, Earl Bluebeard came to greet him with a large group of his men.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty!"

Bluebeard Rice knelt on one knee, his expression quite respectful, without the slightest fault.

He lowered his head and said in a deep voice:
"I received an urgent message from Ursula. I heard that Queen Melana has set up an ambush on the northern plains, and Prince Snow White has sent three giants to help her. I was very anxious after learning about this and couldn't sleep at night... Fortunately, Your Majesty is safe and sound."

As he spoke, Bluebeard even let out a long sigh of relief, as if to make a show of it.

"Oh, so anxious? Unable to sleep at night?"

Red Queen Beth gave a cold laugh.

“Count Rhys, I think you’re too excited to sleep... After all, I’m not in the Red Castle, so you’re the one who calls the shots here.”

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? How could I dare..."

Bluebeard then saw the red dragon Chapo casting a gloating glance at him, and his heart sank.

This guy must have snitched to the Red Queen.

hateful!

We should have gone all out and killed him back then, otherwise all this trouble wouldn't have happened.

Immediately afterwards, Bluebeard saw a familiar figure dismounting from the dragon's back.

"It's you?!"

He narrowed his eyes and immediately shouted:

"You spy for the White Queen, how dare you come back... Guards, seize him!"

Wow!

The poker soldiers around him immediately raised their spears and aimed them at Wang Xi.

However, Wang Xi ignored this and simply took a step closer to the Red Queen, revealing a faint smile.

"Hmm?" Red Queen Beth raised an eyebrow, her face turning frosty: "Are you planning a rebellion?"

The poker soldiers exchanged glances, none of them daring to make a move. They quickly put down their spears and knelt before Beth.

"Your Majesty!" Bluebeard stood up on his own, pointed at the young man and said in a deep voice, "This man's origins are unknown. He previously infiltrated the Red Castle, disrupted the execution ground in public, and rescued those condemned prisoners... I strongly suspect that he is a spy sent by the White Queen!"

Beth shook her head and calmly said, "A spy won't save my life."

Upon hearing this, Bluebeard's expression grew even more gloomy.

This guy……

After escaping from the Red Castle, he somehow ended up on the northern plains, where he rescued Beth, who was being pursued.

This makes things difficult!

“And what about the death row inmate you mentioned…” Beth gave Bluebeard a deep look. “Could it be the Poker County woman who defied your will and didn’t accept your marriage proposal?”

"Your Majesty, please take a closer look!"

Bluebeard lowered his head.

"I have always been diligent in protecting Poker County and Red Castle, fearing that the White Queen might send people to cause trouble while His Majesty is away on campaign... That's why I've been a bit strict, not as you say."

"Alright," Beth waved her hand somewhat listlessly.

She knew all too well what Bluebeard had done, but she had always turned a blind eye.

If she could, Beth would have chopped this guy's head off long ago.

“Mr. Gai is my honored guest, Earl Rice, please do not neglect him.”

Beth said calmly.

"As for the so-called 'spy' claim, from now on, there's no need to mention it anymore."

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

Bluebeard suppressed his murderous intent and forced a fake smile.

Wang Xichao bowed to Rice with his hand on his chest and said, "Count, there was a misunderstanding between us before, please don't take it to heart."

"Since His Majesty has spoken, then so be it."

Rice stroked his beard and smiled.

When the opportunity comes...

I'll definitely kill you!

The two exchanged a smile, but the same thought flashed through their minds at the same time.

Just as everyone was about to escort the Red Queen through the castle gates, a sharp whistling sound suddenly came from the horizon.

call out--

A middle-aged woman dressed in a dark blue robe, riding a bone staff, fell to the square like a shooting star.

"Damn it!" The woman cursed as soon as she landed, putting away her staff. "Those two damned giants almost destroyed my crystal ball!"

Upon seeing the Red Queen, she suppressed her anger, forced a smile, and stepped forward to bow.

"Your Majesty, I'm so glad you're alright... I just shook off the pursuers and searched for you for a while in the northern plains. Only after seeing the corpse of that Wind Giant did I confirm that you had escaped."

"Master Ursula, thank you for your hard work."

Beth said calmly.

"Fortunately, Mr. Chapo and Mr. Gai arrived in time and saved my life."

"Little Chapo is back?" The woman's eyes, crow's feet crinkling at the corners, narrowed as she saw the dragon, a look of surprise on her face. "And Mr. Kai is...?"

She glanced at the young man beside the Red Queen, a hint of wariness and scrutiny flashing in her eyes.

Wang Xi was also sizing up the woman.

"Sea Witch Ursula (Hostile/Title 4-Star/Elite)"

The title is four stars with a bronze frame.

His strength is equal to that of Bluebeard.

“Jai Farrell,” Wang Xi introduced himself with a smile. “An ordinary spellcaster.”

"Just ordinary..."

Ursula smiled, but inwardly she scoffed.

She could clearly feel a surge of powerful magic emanating from him, which, while not as great as her own or Bluebeard's, was not far off.

Moreover, how could someone who could kill the Wind Giant, one of the seven giants under Snow White's command, be ordinary?
“Too much modesty is arrogance, Lord Gai.”

Ursula's words were pointed.

"But thank you anyway for saving our Emperor."

"Alright." The Red Queen gestured. "It's perfect timing, Ursula, you're back too. Let's go inside and talk."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Bluebeard and Ursula bowed in unison.

But the two exchanged a glance without leaving a trace, engaging in a subtle exchange of glances.

...

...

The interior of the Red Castle is quite luxurious.

The spacious corridor was covered with a deep red plush carpet decorated with gold playing card patterns. The walls were covered with dark wood paneling, inlaid with numerous gold-leaf-outlined vine-patterned reliefs.

A huge crystal chandelier hangs from the towering ceiling, its core powered by a dazzling magical crystal that emits a steady light source, refracting a colorful halo.

The huge oil painting hanging on the wall, depicting a fantastical fairyland scene and the queen's majesty, will be illuminated.

Cha Bo was dutiful and responsible, like a butler leading the way, guiding everyone through long corridors and atriums, and finally arriving at a more magnificent hall.

"Welcome to the Crimson Hall."

Red Queen Beth tilted her head and spoke to Wang Xi beside her.

“I usually handle my daily affairs and meet with guests here.”

"It is my honor to be here, Your Majesty."

Wang Xi bowed slightly.

Beth's lips curled into a slight smile.

In the center of the hall stood a giant long table covered with a red velvet tablecloth, at one end of which was an even larger throne.

Beth sat down.

"Please sit down," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

Bluebeard and the Sea Witch sat on either side of him, while Wang Xi sat in a seat slightly lower down.

At this moment, Wang Xi noticed two familiar figures—the elite poker guards he had previously faced off against in Queen's Square, the Jack of Clubs and the Jack of Spades.

The two guards, their armor restored to its original condition, stood like statues on either side of Beth's imposing throne, their expressions indifferent.

Bluebeard noticed Wang Xi's gaze and chuckled, "Lord Gai really doesn't hold back. He smashed these two guards to pieces at the execution ground earlier... It took me a lot of effort to restore them."

Although it was said in a joking tone, it was actually quite pointed.

Ursula glanced at Wang Xi, a slight smile curving her dark green lips: "It's rare to see Rice suffer a loss. Mr. Gai is truly remarkable."

However, Chapo, who had transformed into a red-haired young man in a tuxedo, stepped forward and bowed beside the Red Queen Beth:

“Your Majesty, I was there at the time… Mr. Gai did not kill them; instead, Count Rice stomped them to death.”

"..."

Bluebeard's smile froze instantly, leaving him looking extremely embarrassed. He opened his mouth, as if to offer some explanation.

"Alright." Beth gently raised her hand, her voice calm and even. "Let's leave it at that."

Her tall stature gave people a strong sense of pressure.

Beth looked at Bluebeard and said:
“Count Rhys, since you destroyed your personal guards, you are responsible for restoring them.”

With a single, casual remark from the Red Queen, Bluebeard's eagerness to use the situation to his advantage was extinguished.

A dark glint flashed in Rice's eyes as he lowered his head and said:

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Beth ignored the little incident and instead ordered, "Chapo, go and fetch my treasured 'Gem Tea.' I must keep my promise to entertain Lord Gai."

Cha Bo accepted the order and left.

Soon, he returned carrying a red crystal jar.

“Gem Black Tea…” Ursula’s eyes lit up when she saw the tea canister.

"This is a treasure that has been lost to time. It is said that each tea leaf contains the purest magic power. Drinking this tea can not only greatly increase magic power reserves, but also purify the source of magic power and improve affinity..."

Her tone was full of longing, clearly indicating that she was extremely envious.

Bluebeard held his breath, staring intently at the small crystal jar.

Beth seemed oblivious to Ursula's sentiments and personally broke the seal on the crystal jar.

An indescribable, elegant fragrance instantly filled the entire hall, and a dazzling golden-red light emanated from the mouth of the jar.

The Red Queen's gaze softened slightly at this moment, tinged with a hint of reminiscence as she said, "When we were little, Melanie and I loved the Gem Tea Tree the most. It grew in my grandfather's garden, its branches and leaves flourishing. We often hid under its shade, chatting and dreaming about the future..."

Beth quickly regained her composure and said calmly:
"Unfortunately, she dug up the whole tree for her own ambition... I only had time to keep this little bit of tea leaves."

After saying that, she carefully took out a few crystal-clear tea leaves with her delicate silver tongs and put them into a specially made metal teapot.

Beth's fair fingertips gathered pure water elements and poured them into the pot. Then, she snapped her fingers to summon fire elements to heat it.

He performed the entire process meticulously, with a focused expression.

Before long, the aroma of the tea reached its peak along with the steam.

Beth poured two small cups of tea and handed them to Ursula and Bluebeard: "These are for you."

She then personally handed the remaining entire pot to Wang Xi, saying, "Please, Your Excellency Jia Yi."

This unequal distribution of resources caused Ursula and Bluebeard to feel extremely resentful.

The two men's faces were as black as the bottom of a pot.

Their gazes toward Wang Xi grew increasingly hostile.

Wang Xi ignored the two piercing gazes and respectfully extended both hands to accept the teapot: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He did not drink it immediately, but looked at the Red Queen and exclaimed, "Your Majesty's posture in preparing the tea was so elegant that just watching the process was a pleasure... Now, to be able to drink the tea brewed by Your Majesty's own hands, the tea becomes even more precious and sweet."

His words were not flattery, but came from the bottom of his heart.

Although Beth was very tall, her proportions were very well-balanced, especially her delicate face and exaggerated breasts, which added to her majesty and beauty.

Everyone present was stunned after hearing Wang Xi's words.

Beth's hidden sensitive spots were instantly touched.

No one has ever used the word "elegant" to describe her before... It seems that it is the exclusive praise of her sister, the White Queen Melanie, and has nothing to do with her.

The Red Queen bit her lip, a rare occurrence, and coughed:
"Um, Lord Kai, please drink it while it's hot. If the tea gets cold, its effects will be greatly reduced."

However, her tone became increasingly gentle, and the joy in it was almost impossible to hide.

Bluebeard and the sea witch exchanged a glance, both seeing the fear on each other's faces.

This young man is not only powerful, but also extremely adept at scheming and currying favor with His Majesty... If this continues, their positions may be in jeopardy.

Wang Xi said no more and began to savor the ruby ​​black tea.

Upon tasting the tea, a refreshing sweetness accompanied by a slight bitterness instantly dissipates. A warm and powerful pure energy flows down the throat into the abdomen, and then spreads throughout the body.

He instantly felt his magical soil being irrigated, its upper limit greatly increased, by about 30% to 40%.

'nice one! '

Wang Xi was secretly pleased.

Feeling the surging power within him, he knew it was the right time to consume another precious item.

He drank several more cups of tea until the teapot was empty, then flipped his wrist and took out a fruit the size of a fist.

The fruit is like green jade, crystal clear, with green leaf veins covering its surface. Even more wondrous is that inside the fruit is the phantom of a forest, brimming with vitality.

It was a magical fruit bestowed by the Insect Sage.

"This is?!" Ursula's eyes widened in surprise. "The magic fruit of that old bug in the Dawn Forest?! You, you..."

She looked bewildered and exclaimed, "You killed Harvey?!"

Swah——

Bluebeard also stood up abruptly, staring incredulously at the fruit in the young man's hand.

Insect Sage Harvey...

That is an ancient existence that neither the Red nor White Queens would easily offend; its strength is unfathomable.

This fruit is the source of his magic, how could it have fallen into the hands of this young man?!

Under the horrified stares of Bluebeard and the Sea Witch, Wang Xi shook his head and said, "You two have a deep misunderstanding about me. I love peace and dislike killing. How could I harm Mr. Harvey... It was just a gift he gave me."

Wang Xi was talking about something trivial.

Bluebeard: "..."

Ursula: "..."

The Red Queen raised a pretty eyebrow and glanced at Chabo.

The red-haired youth nodded frantically like a chicken pecking at rice, which drew a gleam in Beth's eyes.

Gift? !
Forcibly extracting his source of power and giving it away?!
Has Harvey gone mad, or have I?!
Bluebeard and the sea witch's expressions were absolutely hilarious.

No matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn't understand it, which only made the mystery and sense of threat surrounding the young man even stronger.

Wang Xi took in both of their expressions.

'If this weren't a fairy tale world, they would probably say something like, "This child is terrifyingly dangerous; he must not be allowed to live."'

He muttered a complaint to himself.

Wang Xi shook his head and put the fruit directly into his mouth.

hum-

An immense force erupted instantly.

The Magic Fruit took over the baton from the Gem Black Tea, perfectly fusing and transforming within Wang Xi's body.

Not long after.

The magical energy emanating from Wang Xi surged like a geyser, with a visible layer of fiery red and deep blue flames intertwining before finally merging into a pale white.

A wave of air emanated from him and spread outwards, causing the long tablecloth to sway and the crystal chandelier to sway gently and make a rustling sound.

Bluebeard and the sea witch frowned.

This guy has gotten even stronger!
As the light faded, Wang Xi's eyes became even more profound.

'The maximum mana has almost doubled.'

He subtly checked his own status. Sure enough, the entry in his field of vision had changed:

"Wang Xi (Title: 3-Star/Legendary)"

Gold-framed title, three stars!

Another template's rating has been improved.

This means that, setting aside favorable timing, location, and conspiracies, in terms of sheer power, he is already capable of directly confronting powerful beings from the Fairy Realm such as Bluebeard Ras and the sea witch Ursula.

Looking at his transformed appearance, Beth's smile widened even more: "It seems Lord Gai has made great progress. Congratulations."

"Thank you again for the tea, Your Majesty."

Wang Xi stood up and bowed slightly to the Red Empress.

...

...

The atmosphere in the Crimson Hall grew increasingly strange.

Bluebeard and the sea witch fell silent.

After a while, Rice and Ursula exchanged a glance, then Rice suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice:

"Oh, Your Majesty, there's an important piece of news I almost forgot to report."

He cleared his throat.

"A messenger from the Barn royal family arrived at Red Castle yesterday, bringing with him an oral message from George Louis. The old king is deeply concerned about the dispute between His Majesty and her sisters. He believes that with the Kingdom of Atlantis pressing in, our Chessboard Kingdom should set aside past grievances and unite against this common enemy."

"The old king invites you... and Queen Melana the White to the capital of Barn to attend a meeting and discuss a grand plan to confront the Kingdom of Atlan."

Upon hearing this, Beth frowned slightly.

She looked thoughtful.

After a brief silence, the Red Queen nodded slightly:

"The Barn royal family's concerns are not unfounded; the ambitions of the Kingdom of Atlan should not be underestimated. Reply to the messenger that I will attend the meeting as scheduled."

Her voice regained its usual authority.

After saying that, Beth's gaze naturally turned to Wang Xi.

“Lord Gai,” Beth’s voice softened, taking on a hint of sincerity, “the Barn royal family and Queen Melana the White have always been my enemies. This trip, though supposedly for peace talks, will likely not be smooth sailing…”

She paused.

"I am in dire need of a strong ally. Would you be willing to become the chief archmage of the Red Castle and accompany me to the capital of Barn?"

Bluebeard and the sea witch looked displeased.

But they didn't say much.

Wang Xi bowed to the Red Empress with his hand on his chest: "It is my honor to have Your Majesty's trust. Where Your Majesty's sword points, that is where I will go... On this trip to Barn, I will do my utmost to protect Your Majesty."

He raised his head again and smiled, "Moreover, being able to stay by Your Majesty's side and witness your majesty and wisdom is, for me, the most precious opportunity in the world."

Beth felt a surge of comfort, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips: "Very good!"

After a while.

Rice and Ursula took their leave, their thoughts unsettled. The Crimson Hall grew quiet, with only their trusted confidant, Chapo, standing loyally by their side.

Red Queen Beth rubbed her temples wearily, waved her hand, and ordered Chapo to retreat outside the palace.

Only Beth and Wang Xi remained in the vast hall, the light from the crystal chandelier casting long shadows on them.

“Lord Gai,” Beth’s voice was soft, revealing a rare gentleness, “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

“Your Majesty,” Wang Xi bowed again. “I have a request. I have become separated from two of my companions, and the Immortal Realm is too vast for me to find on my own… so I wish to ask for your help to find them.”

He briefly explained Godardiel and Pinocchio's information.

Beth listened quietly until the end.

“No problem.” She smiled and readily agreed. “I will personally give the order to search for your two companions.”

Wang Xi breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Beth waved her hand slightly, indicating that it was nothing.

Looking at Wang Xi's young and handsome face, she felt happy, and her fatigue seemed to dissipate somewhat. She whispered:
"Go and get some rest. The chief archmage's palace has been arranged for you; you'll like it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Wang Xi bowed respectfully and took his leave.

That night.

After dismissing the servants, Wang Xi lay down on the luxurious and spacious bed.

Looking at the moon outside the window, he thought to himself:
'Caus, return.'

(End of this chapter)