Published at 3rd of February 2026 6:53 am

Chapter 2523: Princess

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“Honorable sir, your companion has returned safely, what a joyous occasion. How could the illusions of the Rainbow House withstand your divine power?” Slaikum, eager to make Angel believe it had truly pledged allegiance, seized every opportunity to flatter and praise.

Angel: “This is just a trivial matter, is there anything to be joyous about? Or is it that deep down, you hope this small matter would turn into a big one? Hmm… preferably, none should return?”

Slaikum frantically shook its snake head: “How could that be? Absolutely impossible, I have never thought that way. I’m about to become your most loyal servant, naturally hoping everything is safe and sound.”

Angel: “Is that so?”

With that, a parchment scroll emitting a faint glow appeared in Angel’s hand.

“No need for ‘about to’, you can become my servant now if you sign this contract.”

Various characters swirled around the parchment scroll. Though Slaikum couldn’t discern the meaning of these characters, it could sense the binding force unique to a contract.

Slaikum stiffened as it looked at the glowing contract.

“What’s the matter, you’re unwilling? Seems like what you said earlier was all lies…”

Before Angel could finish speaking, Slaikum interrupted abruptly, showing distress and sorrow: “Sir, please don’t misunderstand, it’s not that I won’t sign the contract. I became the door spirit of the Princess’s room because I had previously signed a contract with her, yes, that malicious woman constrains me.”

Seeing Angel squint his eyes, Slaikum hurriedly added: “However, how could I willingly submit to that devil forever? Through my deception, the Princess, who was only three years old at the time, and I signed a contract that was not a master-servant contract, but a… parity contract.”

Angel watched Slaikum’s exaggerated performance, internally giving it a decent score for its reaction capabilities, but outwardly remained calm: “So, you can’t sign a contract with me then.”

Slaikum: “Even if I can’t sign a contract, I am willing to become your humblest servant.”

After a pause, Slaikum continued: “If the only way you can trust me is by signing a contract, then perhaps you can discuss with the Princess, to terminate the contract.”

Angel: “Discussion is out of the question, if I approached the Princess, it would end in a deadly confrontation. But, if the Princess were dead, it might also terminate your ‘parity contract’. ”

Slaikum, suppressing its somewhat agitated mind, nodded: “Yes, that is also a way to terminate the contract.”

Although Slaikum managed to restrain itself considerably, the keenly perceptive Angel still noticed: “You seem thrilled?”

“Uh… I, I’m excited about the possibility of escaping the Princess’s clutches.”

“Is that so?” Angel replied casually, turning away. Because Lady Melo and a group of Talented Ones had already walked over.

The expressions on the Talented Ones varied, but they all carried a trace of relief in their eyes. Clearly, their experiences had not been pleasant.

“Sir, everyone is accounted for,” Lady Melo said respectfully.

Angel nodded: “Just in time, the Gray Crow Wizard downstairs has made his move, in about two minutes they will be up here.”

Upon hearing this, the Talented Ones showed expressions of urgency. Even Lady Melo couldn’t help but ask: “Shall we depart now?”

Angel: “No rush, those two over there haven’t finished changing clothes, and there’s one more task I need you to do.”

Lady Melo immediately said: “Sir, please instruct me.”

Angel took out a wooden disc from his bracelet, then pulled out an engraving pen, swiftly engraving several symbols and lines on the disc.

“Is this a magical energy array?” Lady Melo couldn’t quite understand, it looked like one, but felt different.

While Lady Melo mentioned the magical energy array, Slaikum on the other side showed a slight change in its eyes, does this wizard also understand magical energy arrays?

“It’s not a magical energy array, just a little gadget to momentarily deceive the magical energy array’s energy circuit.” Angel handed the disc to Lady Melo, and said: “Insert this into the hole in the door, the one where this door spirit emerged from.”

Did the sir mean there’s a magical energy array here? Lady Melo was puzzled, Slaikum hadn’t mentioned it earlier.

Although it felt strange, Lady Melo didn’t inquire further, she took the disc and walked towards the door.

As soon as Lady Melo took a few steps, Slaikum transformed into a light arrow, attempting to rush towards her.

Yet, before it could reach Lady Melo, an invisible wind wall blocked it. Naturally, this wind wall was created by Speedy.

Hearing the commotion behind her, Lady Melo glanced back, and seeing Slaikum’s face turning menacing again, she seemed to understand something and smiled slightly as she continued towards the doorway.

Surrounded by the wind wall, Slaikum at this moment heard Angel’s voice.

“Seems like you were not excited to escape the Princess, but rather hoping for a direct confrontation between me and her?”

Angel walked over, gazing at Slaikum with calm eyes.

Slaikum took a deep breath, restrained its ferocious expression, and resumed its sycophantic demeanor: “Sir, I…”

“Stop pretending, you didn’t mention the magical energy array hidden here when you were revealing secrets to Lady Melo, many answers became clear to me then,” Angel spoke directly to the point, also praising: “Even though I knew the truth, I thought your acting was quite good. Especially your reaction when I brought out the contract, performing a setback first before rising, was well done. Better than the young Demon King over there. Of course, in terms of contrast and story appeal, the young Demon King was more memorable.”

Hearing Angel refer to its previous actions as a performance, Slaikum’s face turned sullen.

“You will surely die!”

“You can’t escape, the magical energy array here is beyond your imagination! You should have seen the magical energy array in the prison, this one is countless times stronger, you are absolutely unable to escape!”

Perhaps to boost its own confidence, Slaikum repeatedly asserted “you can’t escape” within a single sentence.

Angel: “You are correct, the magical energy array here is indeed stronger than the one in the prison.”

The magical energy array in the prison, Angel could directly block the energy channel with a playing card. But here, it required creating a corresponding external array plate to deceive the magical energy array’s energy flow; this difference showed the two arrays were not in the same league.

“This magical energy array is filled with magic pattern horns related to bloodline and soul, it feels inexplicably familiar.”

When Angel analyzed the Crimson Authority earlier, he also discovered many magic pattern horns related to bloodline and soul. Although the patterns were different, the feeling was the same.

“Is this supposed to be a magical energy array that requires activation by the bloodline of King Gumman’s family? You want me to face the Princess directly because she could enhance the magical array’s effect?”

Slaikum looked at Angel in shock. Ever since entering the room, it had been following Angel, witnessing almost no movements by Angel, yet he managed to detect the magical energy array here and even describe the method to activate its full power.

“Don’t look at me with such genuine surprise, it makes me feel awkward… I prefer watching your performance.” Angel: “By the way, you haven’t answered my question, is the secret on the Princess just this?”

Slaikum remained silent.

“Looks like I was right.”

“Bloodline, soul, magical energy array, and… something that even the Gray Crow Wizard has to obey… The Princess’s threat level in this castle seems stronger than I imagined. However, it appears her control is quite ordinary.”

If the Princess had stronger control, Dox’s previous entry might have been detected.

“By the way, I have another question for you. For royal bloodline and royal soul, do both need to be present to utilize their effects here, or is having just one sufficient?” Angel looked at Slaikum.

Slaikum remained silent, seemingly waiting for something.

Not far away, Lady Melo successfully embedded the disc into the opening, and at that moment of merging, the hidden magical energy array in the room appeared, flickering faintly with distinct patterns.

But soon, the glowing patterns dimmed, while the disc Lady Melo placed began to shimmer.

Seeing this, a cloud of gloom and melancholy enveloped Slaikum.

Clearly, it had confirmed that the magical energy array here had indeed been deceived.

And its last reliance was gone. It could probably guess what its fate would be.

Hence, in response to Angel’s question, it adopted a completely uncooperative attitude.

Angel wasn’t annoyed by its silence: “If you don’t want to say, that’s fine. However, I didn’t expect that deceiving this magical energy array would make all the hidden magic patterns reveal themselves… Although the reverse-engineering process is a bit cumbersome, it seems I don’t need to get the answer from your mouth.”

At this moment, Lady Melo returned.

Angel nodded to her: “The barrier on the second floor is almost broken by the Gray Crow. It’s about time for us to leave. However, since we’re here, we might as well leave a little gift for the Princess before we go.”

After saying this, amid the puzzled gazes of others, Angel took out a vial of potion that glowed with a ghostly light and approached Slaikum.

Moments later, under the terrified gaze of Slaikum, Angel opened the Gate of Void.

Without the obstruction of the magical energy array, the Gate of Void directly led to the outskirts of the Princess Castle.

Seeing the hope of freedom, everyone became jubilant and exited one by one, with Angel being the last to leave. After everyone had left, he waved to Slaikum.

Silently, he mouthed the words: “Goodbye, or perhaps, farewell forever.”

…

Shortly after Angel left, less than half a minute later, a girl wearing a pink princess dress hurriedly rushed into the room.

This girl appeared harmless on the outside, but anyone who had heard rumors about her would know that beneath the harmless exterior lay a mind incredibly filthy and dark.

She was the owner of this castle, the Princess.

Upon entering the room, the Princess immediately let out a scream: “Where is my pet?! And my canvas, my canvas is also gone!”

The Princess screamed hysterically; the fair and tender boy was her long-ago chosen pet, and the one with bandaged hands, whose skin she had also reserved, was her canvas!

But now, the pet was gone, and the canvas had vanished too!

A surge of manic energy radiated from the Princess, faintly aligning with the surrounding magical energy array, causing it to emit a terrifying pressure.

Meanwhile, the disc Angel had embedded at the door fell to the ground. Apparently, when the magical energy array encountered its true master, the deception methods would immediately be rejected.

While the Princess recklessly wielded the power of the magical energy array in anger, the Gray Crow Wizard silently stepped forward and picked up the disc from the ground.

With just one look, he knew there was undoubtedly a master-level expert skilled in magic patterns among those who had been here.

Such a person was certainly no unknown figure.

Gray Crow felt a surge of interest and relief that he hadn’t exerted himself fully when breaking the illusion on the second floor. Otherwise, if a Magic Pattern Master encountered any mishap, it would involve numerous powerful figures.

Gray Crow didn’t think a Magic Pattern Master would necessarily be defeated by the Princess’s magical energy array, but here, the Princess could indeed make the meticulously customized magical energy array unleash terrifying power.

While these thoughts were silently taking shape in Gray Crow’s mind, the Princess had already stormed over, filled with fury.

“What is this? Show it to me.”

The Princess’s tone carried interrogation and an undeniable command, making Gray Crow’s expression slightly grim. However, Gray Crow said nothing and directly handed it over.

Though the Princess was young and malevolent, she was not a fool. Upon seeing the disc, whatever Gray Crow could think of, she could think of too.

However, with the Princess’s rampant nature, she cared nothing for the identity of a Magic Pattern Master; she only wanted to find this criminal and then use the most terrifying methods to tear him apart!

Before that, she needed to know who the intruders were.

“Tell me, who took my pet?” The Princess first interrogated Gray Crow.

Gray Crow replied casually: “I came with you, Princess. If you don’t know, how would I?”

“The illusion on the second floor and the magical energy array left on the third floor, these two pieces of information, do they remind you of anyone?”

Gray Crow indeed had a few candidates in mind, but he still said: “I don’t know. Besides, illusions aren’t a clue, since illusion-type skin scrolls or illusory magical energy arrays can be bought by anyone.”

Only this temporarily crafted array plate clearly indicated that the other party was definitely a master-level existence.

Though there aren’t many Magic Pattern Masters in the Southern Domain, there are quite a few, and they all have extensive connections, making it difficult to immediately identify who it was.

The Princess, realizing she wouldn’t get any useful information from Gray Crow, slowly turned her gaze toward the shivering pink python in the corner.

Without hesitation, the Princess walked directly toward it.

However, the pink python vigorously shook its head at her.

The Princess didn’t understand its meaning and even showed anger: “Slaikum! You dare shake your head at me, do you intend to betray me?!”

The Princess stormed over to Slaikum, reaching out with both hands to grab its neck.

But just as her hands touched Slaikum, a deafening explosion rang out.

The explosion erupted from within Slaikum, not only blowing it to shards but simultaneously releasing a ghostly green mist, slowly permeating the air…

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