“Dietrich was the one behind all this chaos. And it has nothing to do with Duchess Vexley.”Marc exhaled deeply as the realization sank in. All this time, he’d completely misunderstood the situation.Dark Star hadn’t been the force that unleashed goblins to wreak havoc in Walenstein. The truth was far more sinister—Dietrich had been using Dark Star’s name as a cover for his own actions.He had hired mages, assassins, and cultivators to ruthlessly maintain his grip over the province. And to shield himself from the consequences of breaking countless noble laws, he’d pinned everything on Dark Star, working entirely from the shadows.So whenever the royal court investigated the crimes plaguing Walenstein, all evidence pointed to Dark Star—an organization led by Miralda. And that meant the blame would inevitably fall on the duchess.In other words, Dietrich had played his cards masterfully. On one hand, he could carry out his schemes without restraint. On the other, he remained protected b

Back to the present.“I want,” Marc continued calmly, “for you to hand over the token to me.”He looked Miralda straight in the eyes, calm yet commanding. Then, in a surprisingly humble gesture, he extended not just one hand—but both—toward her in a silent plea.Despite his current status being higher than Miralda’s, Marc didn’t hesitate to lower himself. He wasn’t here to strong-arm the duchess—only to ask, sincerely, for the token.But Miralda responded with a cold, cynical smirk.“Hmph. You don’t have to play nice with me. It won’t work,” she scoffed. “Besides, it’s laughable to hear a kid your age talk like that. Do you even understand what you’re saying?”She could sense Marc’s mysterious power—but this was the mental realm. For all she knew, the strength he projected was nothing more than an illusion, a spell designed to manipulate her thoughts. Just like he had done with everyone else here.More importantly, she was still uncertain whether the young man standing before her was

“Duchess Vexley, please believe me—I didn’t come here with any ill intent, especially not the kind you’re accusing me of.”Marc’s voice was calm, almost pleading.“I only want us to work together.”He truly didn’t want to fight Miralda. But judging by her expression, his words did nothing to ease her fury.“What else do you have to say?” Miralda shouted, her eyes blazing with the color of roaring flames.And it wasn’t just her eyes anymore. The fire engulfing her body surged even higher, surrounding her in an inferno.“I know you’ve always seen me as weak. I know you’ve never used your full strength against me. I know that, in your eyes, I’m not even worth taking seriously—because I’ve never been able to beat you. So tell me, what could you possibly want from someone like me?”The more she screamed, the more violently the flames around her body expanded. Now, they began to form the towering shape of a phoenix—nearly thirty meters tall—rising behind her, its wings unfurling with a scor