Hello, Arknights

The two searched under his bed again and again, but there was nothing under the bed except for the fairly clean floor. There was no purple fire and no one in sight. Vidya's words left Ling somewhat confused.

"Xiao Xiya, what does that auntie look like?" Ling Dengxian had no choice but to ask.

However, Vidya mumbled something unclear, only mentioning "purple fire" repeatedly while gesturing with the horns on her head. Ling Dengxian pondered for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. He waved to the two people at the door. The two who had witnessed Talulah and Ling Dengxian's interaction earlier had complicated expressions, but given the seriousness of his request, they had no choice but to pack away their gossipy thoughts and go find Mostima and Purple respectively.

He then whispered something in the dragon girl's ear. Talulah nodded, took Vidya's hand, and went downstairs. Ling closed the door, walked around the bed, and after a long silence, finally spoke:

"Abrahana, come out." Ling Dengxian lit a light with his fingertips, and the blazing white flames were reflected in his pupils. The traces of purple flames that were invisible to others were now clearly visible.

Purple fire and dragon horns—it was hard for him not to guess who it was. He simply hadn't expected that the other party would have such methods even without coming in person.

The purple flames that surged from under the bed flowed slowly, and a gradually expanding vortex floated and layered. Long legs wrapped in black silk stepped out, and a figure that was not unfamiliar to him slowly emerged and solidified.

...An unfamiliar spell circuit. Ling Dengxian was very surprised. Ninety percent of the spell circuits he had seen were essentially the same, with occasional minor variations that were refreshing. He had also made his own deductions, but he had never seen this long-distance projection-style fire spell before.

In a flash, he realized the foundation of the technique. He took out the dragon horn from his pocket, and the mysterious technique emanated from it.

This is not a spell based on Originium, it is not "Originium Arts". This spell is also different from his own white flame. His white flame is essentially unrelated to Originium, but its usual application is a pure Originium Arts spell casting system. The only spell he has ever seen that is truly similar to this is Mostima's time stop.

"...Nothing to say, Your Excellency?" Draco asked with a smile, as if the two were old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time.

"What do you expect me to say? The only thing I'll ask you is when you arrived, you bastard, and how long you've been spying on me?" Although Ling Dengxian asked this, the white flame had already lit up, clearly indicating that he didn't care much about the answer.

"I'm the one who suffered the biggest loss, so why are you the one who's unhappy about meeting again?" Abrahana wasn't nervous at all, even though she knew how much of a threat Bai Yan posed to this projection, she remained calm and composed.

“I don’t think our relationship has reached the point where I can pay a visit.” Ling approached, and Abrahana’s figure appeared even more ethereal.

"That viscount really has a short memory. Didn't he just visit Tara in Nasrsha not long ago?"

“Being called ‘Master’ by the King of Tara is quite an honor—are you here to cause trouble too?” Ling Dengxian’s gaze was sharp, white flames approaching the phantom of Drak, while purple candlelight flickered and smiled.

“No, I’m just here to extend an invitation to a conqueror.” Abrahana’s purple fire projection sat on his bed, and the moment she noticed his rapidly changing expression, she immediately stood up. Her flame shadow completed a gathering and dispersing migration and appeared behind Ling Dengxian. Her slender high heels landed precisely outside the range of the swirling white flames, which was what offended Ling Dengxian. He didn’t know why, but this woman could always give people the illusion of closeness even when there was a distance between them. This was not a virtue, at least not everyone was the audience for her social trait.

“I know you wish it were Raphsini here, but unfortunately, I can learn this projection spell much more easily, and for her, it’s too early for her given her academic level.” Abrahana shrugged, indicating that she understood his dissatisfaction. “Besides, I have the medium for casting the spell.”

"Although I would love to say, like those characters in movies, that it's a matter of stance and has nothing to do with the person I'm talking to, I unfortunately can't do it. It's not just about stance; I can't let go of the person I'm talking to." Ling Dengxian made no attempt to hide it, and their confrontational approach was the main theme of their negotiations from the very first meeting.

"I know what you're concerned about, but let's put aside the matter of me and Raphsini for now." Abrahana remained composed, her long tail billowing purple flames behind her, shining like jewels on a scepter. She raised her tail in front of her, separating the two of them. "That's enough of the 'old friend' greeting. Ling Dengxian, are you interested in taking Tara's flame?"

"What you said before, the invitation?" Ling Dengxian narrowed his eyes, as if trying to find the malice hidden in his words. "Shouldn't Tara hate me the most right now? The petty assassin who humiliated the Red Dragon."

"Yes, that was unexpected. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here extending an invitation to you now; you should have been buried for some time now."

“I’m really sorry… Do you think I would agree?” Ling Dengxian looked directly into Drak’s eyes through the purple flames, and the white-haired Drak stepped forward under his gaze.

"The logic is backwards. No matter what your response is, our attitude is the most important thing. Just like you didn't take my life as I expected, what if you unexpectedly agree again?"

Ling Dengxian touched the broken horn in his hand and sighed, "Putting everything else aside, the fact that the red dragon with the broken horn spoke so eloquently to the horn cutter makes me have to acknowledge your magnanimity. I am also very grateful for the escort you and that duke provided for my escape, which is the basis for our conversation until now. But the respect that comes with this recognition and gratitude ends here. You've come to the wrong person."

“I never deny my evil deeds, but Tara today, who has suffered injustice and unfairness, cannot repay evil with good.”

“I know, I know better than you. My upbringing taught me that there are no sacrifices in any struggle, no one forces anyone. As for the blood feud between Tara and Victoria, all I can say is… I'm sorry I couldn't help. I don't oppose your resistance, but… I can't accept that you chose a completely unrelated city as a sacrifice, that you chose the warriors of Aitara as a sacrificial lamb…”

“I know you are noble enough that death is just an embellishment to you, but I am not. I will only choose the way that brings the greatest benefit... Standing in this position, the only thing worth praising is the word ‘responsibility’. Monsters alienated by this position have no right to wholeheartedly pursue quality and reputation.” Abrahana did not hold back her praise, but an undisguised flame gradually welled up in her eyes.

"A kind person cannot be an official, and a compassionate person cannot command an army." Ling Dengxian uttered these words as he looked at the "monster" before him.

“But, if the general direction is right, I don’t mind fulfilling some ideals.” Abrahana reached out her hand to him, her eyes brimming with boundless ambition: “The Duke of Victoria is in a state of division, with various forces hindering each other. The campaign against the Crimson Monster has led to a surge in infected people, but they dare not touch the interests on which the old nobles depend for their livelihood. They rely on building momentum for the new monarch, diverting contradictions, and controlling domestic public opinion to suppress internal troubles… Tara’s new banner has not yet been fully raised, and just two days ago, the three dukes recognized my legitimacy.”

"Legality? What legality?" Ling Dengxian asked in confusion.

“…Have you forgotten? Although Victoria has been ruled by the Lion King for many years, it has always been nominally a kingdom jointly ruled by Drak and Aslan.” Abrahana flicked her tail and took another step closer to him, only a step away. “But we are the Tara Red Dragons, blood relatives of King Gale of Victoria, but we have never truly worn the crown to rule the entire territory of Victoria—that crown was handed over by Victoria Drak under duress from Aslan’s invasion. Tara…now we just want to be Tara, do you understand what I mean?”

"..."

“That child, and that Draco, are the true claim of Victoria.” Abrahina’s ambition filled her gaze, her aggressive gaze sliding across his cheek, rolling down his Adam’s apple, and probing his collarbone. The red dragon exhaled, melting away the other’s wariness with her most genuine ambition.

"In Dragon Valley, once again under the unified Victoria, all nations will submit. Everything you wish to protect will be safe and sound. That mother and child will no longer have to hide for their entire lives. Everything you desire will be further advanced. I will also give my full support to the cause of Oripathy. What you wish to conquer... even the Red Dragon, may not be impossible to become the overlord."

By the time Ling Dengxian came to his senses, Abrahana had already begun to retreat, her gaze deep and unfathomable.

"...Abrahana, don't you think you're living a very unreal life?" Ling Dengxian tugged at his clothes, seemingly thousands of miles away.

"What is illusion? Does it have to be farmland, pasture, herds of animals, and long songs to be real?" Abrahana retorted sharply, acknowledging his conquest but also mocking his lukewarm attitude.

How could there be such...double brilliance...?

For a fleeting moment, it seemed as if a shadow flickered around him and merged into that wild ambition, but in the end, he did not waver.

She gave up trying to win over a deep abyss.

In response to Abrahana's question, Ling Dengxian slowly tapped his words into the air: "The King of Tara with the broken corners lived a fulfilling life because she herself knew that she had been transformed into a monster of power, but 'Abrahana' lived a far more illusory life than Lafshini. For her, death was the only reality, and I did not grant her death that day."

"Whether you hate me or have ulterior motives, Abrahana, you've come at the wrong time. I have no interest in the Tara overlordship or the unification of Victoria."

"My current goal is to find a way to marry all the girls I care about," Ling Dengxian declared without batting an eye, his resolute tone making it seem as if he were talking about some grand and ambitious objective.

"..." Abrahana remained silent for a moment, her gaze shifting slightly. The purple fire projection suddenly disappeared into the broken corner, as if for the first time in her life she was speechless.

"I'm just an ordinary person... If you talk about those things too much, you'll become alienated..." Ling Dengxian breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the matter was finally over. Recognizing himself was the key to living authentically. After making this declaration, he believed that Abrahana would no longer think that they were on the same side.

The subtle influence of a person is more terrifying than a ghost.

He turned around, and a figure in azure blue breathed at him. The fallen angel's mysterious eyes gleamed with amusement. He took a step back, covering his mouth with a smile.

"Wow~"

"Junior, do you need any help from your senior?"

Faced with Mostima, whom he knew inside and out, Ling Dengxian's choice was... to try his best to explain.

Mostima nodded and said seriously, "Ling Dengxian, there's no need to hold my shoulder so tightly. I won't run away."

"I'm afraid you'll misunderstand me..."

"What misunderstanding? Ah~ you said before that you didn't want people to misunderstand, so that's what you were after—"

"No!" Ling Dengxian felt he was facing an unprecedented crisis. He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself down, but all he could breathe in was the scent of the person in front of him. His mind went blank.

"Mastema!"

"I'm here."

"Please, don't tell anyone."

“Okay.” The angel with demonic horns and an arrow-shaped tail readily agreed, then revealed an innocent smile:

"What's the price?"