My exclusive card pool

Chapter 284 The Archmage is Coming to Collect You
Click...

After a long and arduous journey, Wang Xi heard the familiar sound of gears turning.

A corresponding prompt popped up in my mind:
"The gear-shaped brand has been removed!"

Current corruption progress: 400/999

"Ok?"

Wang Xi crossed the hill and sat down on the edge of the bed, glancing in surprise at Beth, who was already fast asleep.

The Red Queen actually loved him...

Otherwise, the gear imprint will not be removed.

Wang Xi sighed inwardly and gently tucked Beth in. Unexpectedly, Beth grabbed him in her sleep, causing him to fall into the valley again.

Time turns.

Nearly half a month has passed.

During this period, Wang Xi and the Red Queen were staying at the Barn Palace. During the day, Princess Lucy would always find various excuses to stay close to him.

As for Brother Bai Xue's injuries...

She had long forgotten about it.

She would take him for a stroll in the garden or share delicious food. Once, she even invited him to her boudoir, saying she had a few new clothes she wasn't sure about and wanted to show them to him.

What's so interesting about a little girl?

Wang Xi resolutely refused.

He went to the Red Queen's place that night to see the eldest daughter.

After a few days, Wang Xi's gear-shaped brand was completely removed. Correspondingly, Beth's condition improved day by day, her face glowing and full of energy.

At the small meetings that King George III convened every few days, Queen Melanie the White looked at her sister with increasingly strange eyes.

Even King George III and Queen Mirror were quite puzzled.

What's wrong with Beth?
Not only does he often have a smile on his face, but he also occasionally bursts out laughing out loud.

this day.

The marriage alliance sent by George III to the Kingdom of Atlantis has finally returned.

However, only Gulliver returned.

No, to be precise, there was also a frog.

As for the three people who were escorting the group—Bluebeard Rass, the sea witch Ursula, and the White Queen's handmaid Bura—they had all disappeared without a trace.

Upon being asked, George III nearly died of anger on the spot.

now.

Sir Gulliver stood in the center of the banquet hall, enduring the almost tangible fury emanating from the direction of the throne.

“Your Majesty.” He bowed deeply, almost burying his head in his chest. “We arrived in the Kingdom of Atlan smoothly, and Princess Pearl the Mermaid agreed to return to the Kingdom of Barn with us.”

He paused for a moment and said in a deep voice:
"On the return voyage, the sea was calm. Ursula seemed to take special care of Princess Pearl, often staying by her side. At first I didn't pay attention, but gradually, Princess Pearl became obedient to Ursula and even distanced herself from her personal maid."

"Suddenly one day, Ursula attacked the ship's guards without warning and, together with Rice, kidnapped Princess Pearl... The accident happened so fast that we didn't have time to react!"

"The Miss Bura sent by Her Majesty the White Queen went after her, but... but she never came back."

Gulliver lowered his head in dejection:

"My strength is too weak to pursue them, and I could only wander around the nearby waters for several days. However, the sea is vast and there was no news. With our supplies running out, I had no choice but to order a return voyage. But on the way back, we encountered an unprecedented storm... and the entire ship sank."

"I was lucky enough to drift to a deserted island clinging to a plank. Exhausted, I passed out. When I awoke, I found myself bound by ropes by countless tiny people, no bigger than a thumb. They called themselves 'Lilliputians,' and regarded me as a 'mountain of people,' imprisoning me and preparing to offer me to their king..."

"Just when I thought I was going to die."

Gulliver looked at the frog squatting quietly at his feet: "It was this...this frog prince who saved me. He not only persuaded those little people to release me, but also escorted me all the way...we drifted at sea like this until we finally encountered a patrol ship from the Kingdom of Barn, and were able to return home."

He bowed deeply again: "Your Majesty, I am incompetent and have failed to complete my mission... I beg Your Majesty for punishment."

The banquet hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

After listening to Gulliver's account, the nobles present all frowned, because this experience was truly unbelievable.

George III's face turned from ashen to crimson, and the veins on the back of his hand, which was resting on the armrest of the throne, bulged as he slammed his hand on the armrest.

boom!
The heavy sound echoed in the silent hall, making the silverware on the table hum.

"The marriage alliance failed! The princess was kidnapped! The Barn royal family has completely lost face!"

George III's chest heaved violently.

"Ursula! Rice! Those two damned traitors! How dare they?!"

Queen Adele frowned, and a layer of frost settled over her dignified face.

The nobles were terrified and dared not utter a sound.

Wang Xi sat to the left of the Red Queen Beth, his gaze darting back and forth between Gulliver and the frog, his expression somewhat strange.

He had just heard Gulliver say that the frog called itself the "Prince of the Great Man Kingdom," and that it had become like this because of an accident and was cursed.

The land of giants and the land of little people are enemies.

The frog was helping Gulliver, but in doing so, it was also helping itself.

but……

The Frog Prince?

This channel mix is ​​a bit too far-fetched!

Wang Xi shook his head.

Garlic bird garlic bird.

Anyway, he had long since realized that the people and events in the fairy tale world were always so ambiguous. Even Snow White could have a gender swap, so he wasn't surprised by anything more outrageous.

King George III suppressed his anger, his voice low and menacing: "Sir Gulliver, where are those 'glass slippers'?"

Gulliver lowered his head even further:

"Your Majesty... Upon arriving in the Kingdom of Atlan and having my first audience with Princess Pearl, I presented her with the 'Glass Shoes' as a betrothal gift to show my sincerity. Now... the princess has been abducted by Ursula, and the shoes must have fallen into her hands as well."

"Bastard!"

King George III abruptly stood up.

He was so angry that he was trembling all over. He pointed at Gulliver, his lips quivering, and he couldn't say a word for a moment.

This incident was not only a diplomatic humiliation, but also meant that the hope of waking up Princess Rose had once again become slim.

Seeing that George III was on the verge of exploding in rage, Red Queen Beth's face also turned extremely ugly.

She took a deep breath, stood up, and her large figure cast a long shadow in the flickering candlelight.

“Your Majesty George, this matter was caused by my two subordinates... I bear an inescapable responsibility.”

Beth's tone was tinged with anger and embarrassment.

She adopted a humble posture, taking the initiative to assume responsibility. However, George III merely glanced at her coldly and did not respond immediately.

His gaze swept over Beth and the equally pale-faced White Queen Melanie beside her, and doubts began to creep into his mind.

Not only Rice and Ursula, but even Bura has disappeared...

Red and white double queens...

Did they secretly conspire to sabotage this marriage and prevent Rose from waking up?!
It's no wonder that George III was suspicious.

Because it is a fact that these three guards have all disappeared.

Ultimately, the Barn royal family had to take the blame.

"..."

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely oppressive.

Just then, Adele, the Mirror Queen, gracefully rose, walked to her husband's side, and gently took his arm.

She spoke softly:
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Although Sir Gulliver has made a mistake, it is fortunate that he was able to bring back the news alive."

"Now that things have come to this, the most urgent task is to remedy the situation as soon as possible. We must find Princess Pearl, retrieve the glass slipper, and severely punish the two culprits, Rice and Ursula."

Queen Mirror's words finally brought George III back to his senses. He sighed and slumped back onto his throne, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant.

“You’re right, Adele…”

King George III rubbed his temples wearily, his voice hoarse.

He first turned his gaze to the quiet frog, forcing a smile: "Thank you, Your Excellency Henry, for rescuing my Foreign Minister. Please make sure you stay at the palace and receive the warmest hospitality of the Kingdom of Barn."

Prince Henry the Frog nodded slightly and spoke in a human voice, a young male voice:
“You’re too kind, Your Majesty. I have long admired the Kingdom of Barn and it is an honor to stay here.”

Then, George III looked at his wife: "Adele, please use the magic mirror as soon as possible to find out where Ursula and Rice are."

"Your Majesty, don't worry."

Queen Adele nodded in agreement.

At this moment, Wang Xi thought for a moment, then quietly got up and walked to the side of Red Queen Beth.

He leaned close to Beth's ear and whispered a few words.

The warm breath brushed against Beth's earlobe, causing her body to tremble slightly. The evil fire in her heart, ignited by Bluebeard and the sea witch's betrayal, was instantly diluted somewhat.

If the occasion weren't so inappropriate, she would have loved to immediately drag this man, who always brought her comfort, back to her bedchamber.

Once you taste the sweetness, you can’t stop.

After hearing Wang Xi's whisper, Beth's beautiful eyes flickered, a hint of surprise flashing across them, which quickly turned into deep emotion and trust.

She calmed herself down and then spoke to George III:
"Your Majesty George!"

All eyes were once again focused on her.

Beth straightened her back, her face solemn: "Since this trouble was caused by my people, it is up to me to resolve it. Once Queen Adele finds Ursula and Rice's whereabouts, Archmage Gai will personally take action to capture them."

"We will definitely tear those two traitors to pieces and bring Princess Pearl and the Glass Shoes back safely!"

Upon hearing this, the members of the Barn royal family, including George III and Queen Mirror, showed a slight softening on their faces.

They had witnessed the power of this Archmage Gai firsthand; even the First Knight of Barn, Prince Snow White, had been defeated by him.

With his intervention, everyone seemed to see hope.

King George III nodded, looked at Wang Xi, and said respectfully, "Your Excellency Gay, I'll leave it to you."

Wang Xi smiled and bowed slightly: "Your Majesty, please rest assured."

In fact, he had long wanted to get rid of Rice and Ursula, but he hadn't had the chance to do so because of Beth.

Now these two guys have brought this upon themselves by defecting and kidnapping people, giving him a perfect opportunity and a perfectly legitimate reason.

...

Soon, it was the next morning.

King George III once again summoned everyone to the banquet hall.

Adele, the Queen of Mirrors, holds a mirror that emits a misty haze.

"Your Majesty, everyone."

The Mirror Queen's voice carried a hint of weariness.

"The magic mirror has revealed the truth. Ursula and Rais have already fled to the Kingdom of Oz with Princess Pearl."

The Chessboard Kingdom has two neighboring countries.

One is the Kingdom of Atlantis, which lies across the sea, and the other is the Kingdom of Oz to the southwest.

The three kingdoms were in a tripartite balance of power, and there were frequent conflicts.

Legend has it that the Kingdom of Oz is centered around the Emerald City and is ruled by the legendary wizard Oz. The kingdom is filled with strange magical creatures and dangerous places, and there is a powerful witch in each of the four cardinal directions, making it a mysterious and dangerous country.

Wang Xi stood beside Beth, and his eyes flickered slightly when he heard the name "Kingdom of Oz".

Having obtained crucial intelligence, he did not delay any longer and bowed to King George III:
"Your Majesty, there is no time to lose, I will set off immediately."

King George III nodded in response, and everyone looked at him expectantly.

Beth gently tugged at his hand and whispered:

"be careful."

Wang Xi smiled and nodded, then patted Beth's hand.

Immediately afterwards, he turned around and strode out of the banquet hall.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, it transformed into a golden meteor and shot straight into the sky.

...

...

The western border of the Kingdom of Oz.

A deserted place.

A dry wind whipped up dust, sweeping across exposed rocks and sparse, withered grass. The sky was overcast and gray, so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

This place is far from the Emerald City; it is the poorest and least noticed corner of the Kingdom of Oz.

Ursula, the sea witch, rode on her broomstick, warily scanning her surroundings. Bluebeard Ras followed closely behind, riding a giant eagle he had somehow captured.

In Ursula's arms, a petite figure lay softly on the broom—it was Pearl, the Little Mermaid.

Pearl's once smooth and delicate fish tail was now dull and lifeless, her scales dry and curled up, and her long, azure hair, a symbol of the ocean's vitality, had also become withered.

The long flight and dehydration left her extremely weak.

"Well……"

Pearl let out a weak groan, her body suddenly slipped, and she fell off the broom, crashing heavily onto the hard, cold Gobi Desert.

Ursula cursed under her breath and swerved the broom to land.

Pearl lay in the dust, her fishtail thrashing weakly a few times, her lips cracked, uttering only a faint, feeble sound:
"Water...give me water..."

Ursula clicked her tongue impatiently, but still raised her withered fingers. Moisture in the air quickly condensed, forming a murky water ball in her palm.

She roughly shoved the water balloon into Pearl's mouth.

The Little Mermaid greedily took two sips, the murky water sliding down her lips and soaking the dust beneath her.

After a few sips of water, a bit of color returned to her pale face, and her eyes became more focused.

However, the relief of surviving the ordeal was quickly overwhelmed by immense fear and resentment. Crystal tears rolled down Pearl's beautiful eyes as she looked up, her voice trembling with sobs, and asked Ursula:

"Ms. Ursula, is what you're saying true? If I agree, I can become a real human?"

Ursula crouched down, trying to make her voice sound "gentle": "Of course it's true, my dear princess."

"Think about it, Prince Snow White is handsome and dashing, the first knight of the Kingdom of Barn, and the future king! You will become his queen, how glorious! But the prerequisite is that you must wear those 'glass dancing shoes' that symbolize the marriage."

She paused deliberately, then continued in a seductive tone:
"But you only have a fish tail and no legs, so how can you wear human dancing shoes? Only by becoming human can you fulfill this sacred marriage, live up to the expectations of the Atlantean royal family, and make your father and mother proud of you!"

Pearl's voice trembled: "What is the price? You said... there would be a price to pay..."

Ursula chuckled. "The price? Oh, that's insignificant. It's just... you'll lose your ability to sing forever. After all, magic always requires an exchange, doesn't it?"

"Losing her voice?!"

Pearl was struck dumb.

Her beautiful, soul-stirring voice was an innate talent, the source of her favor and high status in the Kingdom of Atlantis.

Losing her voice is more painful than having her heart ripped out.

Seeing Pearl's hesitation, Ursula immediately increased the stakes, her voice carrying a barely perceptible threat:

“Your Highness Pearl, you don’t want to disappoint your father and mother, do you? This marriage is about the peace between our two countries and the well-being of countless people! Are you going to let everyone’s hopes be dashed because of a small ‘sacrifice’?”

"Father...Mother..."

Pearl murmured to herself, her tears flowing even more fiercely.

She recalled her father's solemn instructions before her departure and her mother's tearful embrace.

This marriage was key to ending the long war between the two countries... and she carried the hopes of the entire kingdom.

Pearl closed her eyes, took a deep breath as if using all her strength, and gritted her teeth, saying, "Okay... I agree!"

"Wise choice!"

Ursula's eyes flashed with smugness.

She immediately began reciting obscure and ancient incantations.

Her hands moved rapidly through the air, gathering a dark, sea-smelling magic. This magic, like viscous ink, coiled around Pearl's fishtail.

"Uh-"

Pearl let out a painful groan, feeling as if her tail had been pierced by countless needles at once, or as if she had been thrown into a scalding furnace.

The scales quickly lost their luster under the erosion of magic, turned gray, and then peeled off as if weathered.

Gaba!

Click!

The bones are twisting and deforming, and the muscles are being torn and reassembled.

This process is painful and lengthy.

When the magic dissipated, Pearl convulsed a few times and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

She looked down and saw that the beautiful fishtail that once symbolized the mermaid princess had disappeared, replaced by a pair of fair and slender legs belonging to a human.

I……

I have legs now?

Pearl's face lit up with unbelievable surprise as she struggled to her feet, savoring the novel sensation of her feet touching the ground.

She opened her mouth, wanting to cheer, wanting to express her inner excitement—

However, no sound came out of her throat.

She froze, and tried to speak again, but only managed to produce a hissing sound.

Pearl clutched her neck in terror, looking at Ursula with eyes filled with confusion and fear.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Ursula could no longer contain herself and burst into a triumphant and grating laugh, filled with malice and a vengeful pleasure.

“That’s right! My Prince Pearl, you do have legs now! But your singing voice, which could awaken sleeping souls and bring tears to the eyes of even the hardest stones, is gone forever! Hahahaha!”

Ursula suddenly stopped laughing.

Her eyes revealed a deep-seated hatred.

“I hate Atlantis! I hate those high and mighty royal families! I was the most outstanding witch in Atlantis, but because of a little ‘offense,’ I was hunted down like a stray dog!”

"I was forced to flee to the Kingdom of Chessboard, to serve under that ugly, giant woman, and to live like a rat in a gutter!"

"Now, they want to use your singing to awaken the sleeping princess of Barn and make Barn stronger? Don't even think about it! I will never allow Atlantis and Barn to unite! I want to watch them continue to struggle in the quagmire of war!"

At this moment, Bluebeard Rice, who was standing to the side, urged:
"Ussula, we should go."

"What's the rush, my dear Rice?"

The sea witch said slowly, "My cousin is the witch who rules the west of Oz. Her power is unfathomable. Even Aladdin's lamp might not be able to do anything to her... Once we enter her territory, we will be safe."

"Okay." Rice had a bad feeling, but she nodded anyway.

He suddenly realized something, and a hint of doubt appeared on his face:
“Usura, don’t you think… Bura, the White Queen’s maid, is strange? She clearly caught up with us. With her strength, even if she couldn’t defeat us together, she could have easily caused trouble and bought us time. But she just left with a ‘Watch out for Kai Farrell’ and turned to leave… What does she mean? What is the White Queen planning?”

Ursula snorted coldly: "What other deeper meaning could there be? Melana, that woman, is ambitious. She has always wanted to use the power of Prince Snow White to suppress the Red Queen and even try to seize the power of the Barn Kingdom."

"Now that Barnes and Atlantis are united by marriage, and Snow White is tied up, her plans have failed. Of course, she didn't want the marriage to succeed anyway!"

“Bura’s actions are nothing more than an indication that she and her master share the same goal as us, and may even be secretly hoping that we will escape successfully and sabotage the marriage. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and this principle is not hard to understand.”

Rice thought about it and felt that Ursula's analysis made sense, so his doubts lessened.

The two then set off again.

Ursula urged the broom on, preparing to lift the distraught Pearl up again.

At this moment——

A blinding golden light tore through the gray sky without warning.

The light was so dazzling, like a burning sun falling from the heavens, rushing toward their location with unparalleled pressure and speed.

call out--

Ursula and Rice's expressions changed.

The golden light crashed to the ground not far in front of them, but there was no earth-shattering explosion as expected. The light quickly subsided, revealing a tall, imposing figure.

The golden dragon wings slowly folded, and the burning crown turned into specks of sparks and dissipated, revealing the youth's calm and composed face.

"Mr. Rice, Ms. Ursula, where are you rushing off to?"

(End of this chapter)