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“Huh…?”

Lilith tilted her head adorably, her eyes fixated on the newspaper that had just been released today. Small question marks seemed to constantly hover above her head.

“As confirmed by the Third Divine Elder Grez of the imperial family, Prince Yeager, the eighth prince is responsible for the largest mass poisoning incident in the history of the Holy Dragon Empire. The eighth prince has admitted to this crime and expressed deep regret and remorse. In an effort to make amends, he is willing to compensate the victims by offering them a year’s worth of his own monthly allowance, alongside a public apology. The executive committee of the Great Celestial Rite strongly condemns the actions of the eighth prince, and as a consequence, disqualifies him from participating in the tournament…”

What is this?
What is all this about?
How did this happen?

Lilith had a barrage of questions in her mind.

Framing Yaeger was indeed part of her plan, but her intention was to incite conflict between the eighth prince and the other participants. The eighth prince, being a prince, was highly unlikely to admit to something that could damage the imperial family’s reputation, especially since he was not the real culprit. Moreover, the victims would never believe his denial either. They were determined to hold someone accountable for this humiliation, even if the other party was part of the imperial family. It was certain that the victims would create a commotion, and if Lilith added fuel to the fire, she would be able to create a major explosion.

In Lilith’s mind, the best outcome would be for the enraged victims to storm the eighth prince’s manor, forcing the imperial family to send saint-level experts to quell the riot. This would only further infuriate the victims, and tens of thousands of rank nine participants were not exactly easy to subdue. They would call upon their friends and gather all their power to hold a massive protest in the city. In the end, at least half of the participants could be disqualified before the tournament even began.

Who would have thought that the imperial family would directly announce that the culprit was indeed the eighth prince?

What the heck?
Is the eighth prince really that insignificant within the imperial family?
It’s hard to believe how easily he can be slandered and framed.
Is he really the emperor’s real son?
How pitiful the eighth prince is!

Lilith could not help but feel a wave of sympathy for the eighth prince. The newspaper stated that he not only lost a year’s worth of allowance, but he was also grounded for six months. What a dreadful punishment for someone accustomed to a carefree lifestyle! The eighth prince truly had it rough!

“Wait. If the eighth prince is grounded, what about the dog?”

Lilith blinked, realizing that she had not heard any news about the dog. Could it be possible that the dog would also be locked up for six months alongside the eighth prince?

Poor dog. Although Lilith still had no idea about its own gender, the thought of it having to spend six months with Prince Yeager brought tears to Lilith’s eyes. What if it accidentally lost its precious innocence?

“Oh well, I guess I lost the dog. I can always find a goose to fill in the empty slot during the tournament. It seems like this incident hasn’t had much impact on the Great Celestial Rite. I better start focusing and preparing for the tournament. Failing at such a crucial moment would be incredibly embarrassing.”

Lilith nonchalantly threw the newspaper away and quickly moved on from the incident. She settled comfortably into her wide seat, holding a cup of tea and crossing her legs. She narrowed her eyes and began contemplating how to navigate through the upcoming Martial God Tournament.

◆◇◆◇◆

“…And that is the end of the incident, Your Highness,” a middle-aged servant with a slightly weathered face said. She glanced briefly at the newspaper article about the poisoning incident before bowing her head respectfully toward the slender silhouette behind the paper screen.

“I see.”

Princess Estelle stretched her back, casting the stunning shadow of her figure on the paper screen.

“That fool Yeager, to think he would resort to such a method. I have underestimated him.”
“It was nothing more than a petty trick. He’s still no match for Your Highness,” the servant replied respectfully.
“Indeed. Such feeble tactics will never faze me. By the way… What is that little sister of mine doing?” Princess Estelle inquired.
“I… do not have a clue.”
“Hmm?”

Princess Estelle’s gaze pierced through the paper screen and landed on the female servant. Though her expression remained calm, an underlying abyss seemed to lurk behind her eyes. Overwhelmed, the servant’s legs gave way, causing her to collapse onto her knees, trembling uncontrollably.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness! I have assigned someone to keep a close watch on Princess Oriana, but since her return from St. Caroline Academy, she has isolated herself in her room. She allows only her meals to be delivered to her door. Because of this, I have been unable to ascertain Princess Oriana’s activities, but…”
“But what?”
“Recently, some servants on night patrol have reported hearing strange noises coming from Princess Oriana’s room.”

“Strange noises?” Princess Estelle raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “What kind of noises?”

“It sounded like… like…” the female servant hesitated. As the piercing gaze bore into her, she gathered her courage and finally continued, “It sounded like… she was moaning.”

“Moaning? Which kind?”
“The kind that you hear… when a man and woman are together…”

Princess Estelle was taken aback for a moment, then covered her mouth and stifled a laugh. “Could it be that my sister has found herself a lover?”

“That I do not know, Your Highness. I dare not speculate on such matters.”
“Very well, you may leave.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Your servant will take her leave.”

The female servant bowed and exited the room.

Princess Estelle’s gaze remained fixed on the paper screen, seemingly peering into an unknown distance beyond it. After a moment, a sweet smile graced her lips as she murmured to herself, “All my siblings are nothing but weaklings. Even my only rival is indulging in the pleasures of the flesh. Who could possibly obstruct my path to triumph in this tournament?”

She lowered her head and nonchalantly looked at the book in her hands, titled “Hot news! The Predictions For The Top 100 Participants for the Martial God Tournament of the Great Celestial Rite! Guaranteed Accurate!”

She had initially dismissed it as nonsense, but upon flipping through its pages, she discovered that she was only ranked third. Princess Oriana was ranked second, which was expected, as she had reached the pinnacle of the mortal realm six months earlier than herself.

What about the person ranked first?

Unlike the other entries, there was no introduction, no name, no photo, and not even a reason for the rank. There was only a silhouette of a petite young girl with a golden “1st” above her head.

It was intriguing, to say the least. Was there truly someone who surpassed both herself and Oriana? She had been completely unaware of such a person’s existence.

Princess Estelle’s fingers traced over the silhouette, a smile slowly forming on her lips.

Was this person real, or was it just a gimmick? She could not wait to find out. Regardless of the truth, she was determined to prove herself… as the strongest in the Martial God Tournament of the Great Celestial Rite!

Her master was the Guardian in the Holy Dragon Empire, the great Aurora Dragon, Lord Taylor! As his disciple, it was her destiny and mission to uphold his legacy and surpass all others. No one was allowed to stand in her way!