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The golden fragments disintegrated into particles of light, leaving only a small purple glow in front of Alicia. Within that glow, something minuscule was concealed.

“This is…” Yaeger’s eyes sharpened as she expressed slight surprise.

“What is it?” Yunuen and Little Fairy asked simultaneously, their curiosity piqued.

“Ordinary gold,” Yaeger whispered as she observed the purple glow dissipate.

Yunuen and Little Fairy cast another glance at Alicia, who had witnessed the complete dissipation of the purple glow, revealing a pair of beautiful earrings.

Silence engulfed the room.

To Yunuen and Little Fairy, the earrings appeared unrelated to the dispelling of curses. They seemed to be an exclusive set of jewelry without any extraordinary powers. They appeared ordinary, yet not entirely so. After all, some immensely powerful treasures often appeared deceptively simple.

However, any lingering possibility was extinguished when Yunuen and Little Fairy noticed Yaeger shaking her head slowly. That faint glimmer of hope had faded away.

Alicia’s face turned pale, her forehead glistening with sweat, her pupils constricting to the size of pinpricks. Her body trembled uncontrollably, as though she had plunged into a freezing abyss.

Indeed, the earrings floating before her held no ability to dispel curses. They were merely exquisite and rare pieces of jewelry. While they might hold great value to the common folk, they were useless trash to Alicia—a bitter disappointment.

She had failed.

After years of planning and tirelessly making her way to this moment, she had faltered.

An overwhelming sense of grief engulfed her, causing her body to tremble even more, her mind going blank. According to the rules of the [Ancestral Land], each participant, even royal members, could only choose a single reward under normal circumstances.

This meant that Alicia’s life was nearing its end.

Dizziness swept over her, her legs turned weak, and she collapsed.

“It’s over… It’s all over…” Despair consumed her heart at that moment.

“Don’t panic, we’re here.” Yaeger suddenly appeared beside Alicia, supporting her and lending her strength. Startled, Alicia’s eyes regained focus, and a glimmer of hope ignited within her.

“I’m so foolish. The [Child of Destiny] is right here with me. Why should I despair?” Alicia realized that she had met the [Child of Destiny] under the guidance of the goddess of fate, which meant that the [Child of Destiny] could undoubtedly help her.

In an instant, the flame of hope reignited, burning brightly. “I’m sorry for losing my composure earlier,” Alicia apologized.

“Don’t worry. I can’t say I would have reacted any differently,” Yaeger consoled her, understanding that Alicia’s failure wasn’t unexpected.

In her past life, no Empress had ever ruled the Empire. It was evident that Alicia wasn’t destined to ascend the throne. Her luck was abysmal, and her ability to accomplish her goals as planned was as unreliable as the performance of China’s national football team. Failure was almost inevitable.

“Sister Alicia, are you okay?” Yunuen and Little Fairy hurriedly approached, expressing their concern.

“I’m fine, really,” Alicia reassured them, waving her hand with a smile, though her face still retained a pallor. It was an improvement nonetheless.

“It truly is an ordinary gold item,” Yaeger remarked, shifting her gaze to the floating earrings. Instantly, the information about the earrings appeared before her.

High-grade Accessory: Amethyst Earrings
Level: None
Effect: +100 Charm
Description: This is a legendary item produced by master jeweler Aaron. It is incredibly valuable. Wearing it to a banquet will make you the star of the show.

After reading the description, Yaeger and the others had their eyes twitch involuntarily. These earrings were even more useless than common items, a disappointment that dampened their hopes.

‘Alicia’s luck is truly unfortunate,’ Yaeger thought, her heart heavy with disappointment. She turned to Yunuen and said, “Yunuen, it’s your turn to choose.”

“Got it!” Yunuen nodded determinedly, took a deep breath, and carefully examined the remaining spheres. She understood the weight of her decision and searched for a glimmer of hope among the options.

After a few moments, Yunuen’s eyes widened with excitement as she pointed to a sphere the size of a washing basin. “That’s the one!” she exclaimed.

The chosen sphere descended and landed in front of her, filling the air with anticipation. Yunuen swallowed nervously, stealing a glance at everyone around her.

“Bless me, Princess!” Yunuen exclaimed, summoning her courage as she tapped the sphere with her finger.

Crack!

The sphere shattered, revealing a modest-looking belt with a delicate engraving. However, it was evident that this item held no power to dispel curses. Alicia’s last flicker of hope vanished, leaving her disheartened once again.

“It’s alright, it’s alright, everything will be fine. The [Child of Destiny] hasn’t made her move yet. The goddess of fate led her to me. She is the [Child of Destiny] who will change my fate! Haven’t I achieved all this by trusting in her?” Alicia clasped her hands tightly, exhaling deeply to calm herself.

“Oh, I messed up,” Yunuen said, her eyes welling up with tears despite having none left to cry.

“It’s alright. We still have two more chances,” Yaeger reassured her, gently rubbing her head.

“That’s right, Yunuen. We still have hope,” Alicia added, offering her consolation. Yunuen nodded, though she couldn’t shake off her unease entirely.

“A Rare belt? It suits you,” Yaeger commented with an indifferent smile, then turned to Little Fairy. “You can choose one too.”

“Yep!” Little Fairy responded, choosing a sphere about the size of a hand mirror.

At that moment, Alicia’s hope was reignited. However, it was quickly extinguished within five seconds. Little Fairy was just as unlucky as Yunuen, unboxing a Rare necklace.

“I’m sorry. I seem to have bad luck,” Little Fairy said, embarrassed by her results.

“It’s alright. You did your best,” Alicia reassured her with a smile, though her own smile held a touch of sorrow. It pained Little Fairy to see this.

“Now, it’s my turn.”

When Yaeger’s voice sounded, Alicia’s gaze became hopeful once more. The flames of hope within her burned intensely, as if ready to burst forth at any moment. Yunuen and Little Fairy also looked at Yaeger, brimming with anticipation. Even Nangong and the others watching the broadcast had starry eyes as they observed the scene.

In that moment, Yaeger seemed to embody light and electricity. The entire village’s fate hinged on her choice.

“This one.” Yaeger casually pointed at a small sphere, no larger than a palm, among all the options.

With a swift descent, the tiny sphere floated before her. Yaeger extended her hand and gently tapped it.

Crack!

The light of hope had arrived.