When Fia finished her magic studies, night had already fallen completely—though, in reality, the only spells Fia had learned were “Food Creation,” “Telekinesis,” and “Flight.”
It wasn’t that Fia was slow at learning, but rather that she chose a “quality over quantity” approach.
After getting a rough grasp of the three spells, Fia focused on them, studying each one thoroughly until she had fully mastered and integrated them into practice.
As a result, “Food Creation” was no longer limited to making salted fish cakes; she could now create hard black bread and naan as tough as iron.
Compared to the salted fish, which at least counted as meat, the inedible black bread and naan were definitely worse, but at least the menu was more varied, which was a good thing.
The upper limit of “Food Creation” was still pickled salted fish—she couldn’t make anything tastier than that.
Both black bread and naan were just inferior versions of salted fish.
As for “Telekinesis,” Fia could now control it as easily as moving her own arm, with a margin of error down to the millimeter.
Threading a needle from thirty meters away was child’s play for her now.
Finally, there was “Flight.” Once she could use her mind to form wings of elemental light, Fia was as happy as a kid with a new toy.
She quickly discovered she could use her mind to change the wings into all sorts of shapes—not just the original six-petal cicada wings, but also angelic feathered wings, or even glowing mechanical wings straight out of a sci-fi story.
As long as the wings looked like wings and could fly, she could make them.
If “Telekinesis” had color, Fia could even turn herself into a mechanical angel.
For example, she could first make her wings look all sci-fi, then use “Telekinesis” to create floating cannons hovering behind her—if she learned the moon dragon’s purple magic shield, she’d have a matrix shield.
A mechanical spirit—just the sound of it was cool.
Unfortunately, “Telekinesis” wasn’t an extension of her body, but a type of magic, so Fia couldn’t use it to cast “Ice Bullet.” Otherwise, the floating cannons wouldn’t just be for show—they’d actually be able to fire.
As for flight speed, even though Claire’s “High-Speed Flight” was fast, maybe Claire was holding back, because they never hit the sound barrier.
Fia, on the other hand, could easily break the sound barrier and create a sonic boom—she didn’t know exactly how many times the speed of sound she could go, but it was enough to reach the stratosphere with ease.
Since the stratosphere made it hard to breathe and left her freezing, Fia only stayed there for a bit before coming back down.
Also, because she didn’t have a landmark, Fia almost couldn’t find the carriage on her way back.
In the end, it was the wildfire caused by the mountain of salted fish that helped her find her way.
As for the fire, Fia alternated between using “Ice Mountain” and “Torrent,” and quickly put it out—at full power, “Torrent” had a diameter of ten meters, and the water column was as spectacular as a river bursting its banks.
If Fia used “Telekinesis” to make a floating platform under her, “Torrent” could even launch her into the air.
Even though she hadn’t learned any attack spells, the three support spells were all really useful and would come in handy in daily life.
She could leave the attack spells for the next few days.
“There are more and more refugees on the road.”
With a serious look, Anastasia frowned.
Just as she said, ever since the carriage crossed the suspension bridge, there had been more and more refugees coming from inside Count Olo’s territory.
At first, there were only a few scattered here and there, but now you could see groups of refugees helping each other along.
Some of them were limping, with bandages wrapped around them—clearly injured.
When Fia’s carriage got close, almost every refugee looked at them with surprise and longing.
Some of the braver lower-ranked nobles even came up to ask if they could get a ride out of Count Olo’s territory.
Fia refused them all.
Never mind that she wasn’t short on money—there was no way she was turning back.
But the growing number of refugees meant one thing: the three of them were getting closer to the disaster zone.
With a sharp look at the refugees on the roadside staring at the carriage, Anastasia tightened the reins and turned to look at Fia in the passenger seat.
“Your Highness, should we camp here, or go a bit further to the settlement the refugees mentioned?” On the way, Anastasia had stopped plenty of refugees to ask for information—the payment was salted fish made by Fia.
Before the “Flame Storm” burned up all the salted fish mountains, Anastasia had managed to save some.
According to more and more refugees, they all said they’d passed a refugee camp led by a noble, and that noble was preparing to fight back.
Since the refugees thought it was more important to get out of Count Olo’s territory quickly, they didn’t stay there and didn’t know who the noble in charge was.
For Fia and the others, since the camp was run by a noble, it meant it wouldn’t be too chaotic and there would be order.
The Principality of Bart was on good terms with the Elven Kingdom, so camping there would be convenient in every way.
Not to mention, they could say hello and find out what was going on.
Fia understood what Anastasia was getting at.
After thinking for a moment, she nodded.
“Let’s keep going and head to that refugee camp.
Since we have to pass by anyway, going early saves us the trouble of setting up camp ourselves.
But,” Fia’s tone changed, her previously calm expression now uncertain, her voice full of hesitation, “should I dress up before meeting the noble, to show my respect? Is this dress formal enough?” Up until now, Fia had been focused on learning magic and experiencing the local culture, with no time to learn noble etiquette.
Anastasia was always busy too, so even if Fia wanted to learn, there was no one to teach her.
When it came to etiquette, Fia was a blank slate.
Anastasia was stunned for a moment, but when she realized what Fia meant, her expression relaxed and she smiled playfully, like an older sister seeing her cute little sister.
“Your Highness, you don’t need any embellishment to make other women feel out of reach.
As for the dress, just tidy it up a bit along with your hair.
When you were testing magic earlier, you messed them up.”
“Let me do it, Sis! I’ll give you a light makeover, and those nobles won’t be able to take their eyes off you! Even among us beautiful elves, you’re the prettiest!” With a face full of confidence and pride, Liti poked her head out of the carriage, her whole body brimming with energy.
Liti really did look like a princess who knew how to dress up.
Even though makeup was a little embarrassing… it was part of a princess’s training.
Comforting herself with that thought, Fia took a deep breath, like someone about to go into battle.
“Then… I’ll leave it to you, Liti.”
“Leave it to me!”
◇
After the carriage crossed a small hill, the three of them saw the settlement the refugees had mentioned.
Looking down from the hill, the settlement on the plain looked a lot like a military camp.
There were torches everywhere, and every dozen meters or so stood a soldier.
There were also patrols in light armor walking around.
Inside the settlement, there were tents of all sizes and colors, with ragged people coming and going.
Most of them looked pale and unhealthy.
The tents were packed close together, the roads were narrow, and it was hard for people to even find a place to stand.
Some tents were clearly overcrowded, and some refugees who didn’t get a tent had to sleep outside, guarding what looked like pots and pans.
Occasionally, smoke rose from the campfires, but it seemed the nobles couldn’t provide food, so the refugees had to fend for themselves.
The most eye-catching thing was in the center of the camp: a tent much larger and fancier than the others.
Outside it, soldiers were building a wooden platform under the command of a man dressed in extravagant clothes—clearly getting ready for a speech or something similar.
The passing refugees hadn’t lied to Anastasia—the camp was well-ordered.
“Sis, now’s the time to lower the curtain.
Don’t peek, or people will think you’re a country noble who’s never seen the world.”
“Ah, got it.”
Liti’s reminder made Fia lower the curtain.
While Fia was peeking at the camp through the window, Anastasia had already driven the carriage to the camp entrance.
She could see the expressions of the soldiers guarding the camp—tense, overly nervous, like startled birds, reminding her of soldiers who’d just lost a battle.
If anything happened, even a rabbit running by, they’d probably shout, thinking it was an enemy attack.
The nobles here, like the refugees, had all fled from the city.
The soldiers’ faces told Fia everything.
The carriage stopped, and Fia could hear Anastasia talking to the soldiers at the gate.
According to them, the carriage couldn’t enter the camp and had to be handed over to the soldiers to feed and watch.
The soldiers would take them to see the noble in charge.
When Fia heard the noble’s name, her heart skipped a beat.
The third daughter of the Olo family.
A noble who had met the elven princess a few times and exchanged letters.
Estelle Olo.
She hadn’t planned to see her, but here they were, meeting by chance.
Fia couldn’t help but feel nervous—she had no memory of this vampire girl and just hoped Estelle would accept that she’d lost her memory.
Soon, with Anastasia’s help, Fia and Liti jumped down from the carriage—this was part of noble etiquette, since women who jumped down on their own would be seen as uneducated.
The soldiers led the two eight-legged horses away, while Fia, Liti, and Anastasia followed the soldiers into the camp.
Clearly, neither the refugees nor the soldiers expected outsiders to show up at this time.
As the three of them passed by, almost every refugee stopped what they were doing to stare, especially at Fia.
Just like Liti had said, their eyes went wide, staring straight at her, making Fia feel embarrassed.
“Is Miss Estelle the only one here? What about Count Olo?” On the way, Anastasia asked the lead soldier.
“It’s not just Third Miss, but also Young Master Norton.
As for the Count… I don’t know where he is either.
That day, there was a sudden explosion in the city, and then those black monsters came flooding in like a tide.
Everyone who touched them died.
It was Young Master Norton who fought his way out with the family servants and managed to get Third Miss out.
The people you see here now, that’s all of us.”
By the end, the soldier lowered his head, his voice growing smaller, clearly lacking in spirit.
“We don’t know how many people are left in the city.
All we can do is ask passing refugees, and from what we’ve heard, the city isn’t completely destroyed—there are still people waiting for us to go back and rescue them.
That’s why Third Miss is stationed here.
Who knows how long it’ll take for the neighboring territories to send reinforcements? We have to go back ourselves.
Even if we can’t defeat those black monsters, we have to at least get the survivors out.
Third Miss said it’s our responsibility.”
Whoa.
Fia couldn’t help but admire the vampire girl named Estelle in her heart.
When disaster struck, her first thought wasn’t to run, but to go back and save people.
That kind of resolve is already beyond most people of her time.
Just like Anastasia said, the nobles of the Bart Duchy really value their status, so they take their responsibility to their people seriously.
“Young Master Norton is the fourth son of the Count of Olo.
The Count isn’t with us, so I think he’s probably dead.
When you meet Miss Estelle, Your Highness, you can give her some of the spoils you took from the temple.
That’ll show your goodwill, and Miss Estelle will owe you a favor.
She always repays her debts, and she’ll definitely return the favor several times over in the future.”
Anastasia whispered an explanation to Fia.
Hey, isn’t that a bit too calculating? Looking for payback right from the start—are all nobles like this? Fia grumbled inwardly.
Just as she finished thinking that, Fia stopped because the soldier leading the way had stopped.
He turned around, his gloomy face showing a bitter smile, and pointed at the crowd ahead.
“Looks like Third Miss will need a while before she can see you all.”
Following the soldier’s finger, Fia looked ahead.
The platform she’d seen earlier on the hill was now fully set up, and a huge crowd of refugees was packed below it, all looking up at the stage with hopeful eyes.
On the stage, besides a few soldiers, there was a girl in a red formal dress.
Bat-like wings stretched out from her waist, her eyes a vivid, almost bleeding red, and every now and then, sharp fangs flashed from beneath her lips as she spoke—everything about her screamed that she was a vampire.
Fia had read in “Witch’s Secret History” that vampires are divided into purebloods and non-purebloods.
Purebloods have the purest lineage and the greatest power.
They aren’t afraid of sunlight, have incredible healing abilities, and unless you use holy or light magic, as long as you don’t completely crush them, even if there’s only a finger left, they’ll recover after a while—it’s basically resurrection.
A pureblood’s wings grow from their lower back, not their upper back, and the girl in front of her was exactly that type.
This must be Miss Estelle.
Fia had a hunch.
She really did have that noble air—rational, elegant, and dignified.
The elven princess had those qualities too, but her looks gave off a cold, lifeless vibe, while Estelle’s was more intellectual and approachable, though she still kept her distance like a true noble.
Estelle looked only a little older than the elven princess, maybe fifteen or so.
Pureblood vampires, like elves, are long-lived, but they grow differently.
Vampires develop at the same rate as humans until they’re twenty, then stay young and beautiful until they’re three or four hundred, when they finally start to age very slowly.
In short, if Estelle looks fifteen, she really is only fifteen.
She’s a beauty.
That was Fia’s verdict.
Her golden hair, reaching down to her hips, was tied with a big black ribbon.
Even though she was only a bit older than the elven princess, her chest had developed into a perfect shape.
Most of her skin was hidden under a red dress full of ruffles and lace, and even her hands were covered with black lace gloves patterned with flowers.
From the front, she looked conservative, but from Fia’s side angle, she could see the skin at the base of the girl’s wings exposed to the air, and the slit at the waist of the dress gave off a subtle hint of sexiness.
Her features were still a bit childish, but the elegant air of a noble lady covered up any immaturity.
Especially when she stood on stage, her gaze sharp and full of authority—if an ordinary person stood before her, they’d probably lower their head without even realizing it, not daring to look her in the eye.
That kind of presence only comes from someone used to being in charge.
The speech had been going on for a while.
The girl’s eyes swept over the refugees below, and when she saw that everyone was listening intently, she looked satisfied.
“The Darkspawn are not invincible enemies.
We’ve already sent messengers, and His Majesty the King will soon send troops to wipe them out.
But before that, there’s something we who escaped must do—rescue your family and friends from the ruined city.
They’re trapped there, waiting for us to save them.
We can’t just watch them die in despair! Tomorrow, I, Estelle Olo, third daughter of Count Olo, will lead the soldiers to rescue them.
I will fulfill my duty as a noble!”
Her powerful voice fell, and Estelle’s commanding gaze swept to the right side of the platform, where a group of soldiers was escorting people dressed as priests.
“But before that, there’s something we must do.
The reason the Darkspawn appeared in the city is because those despicable followers of the God lured them in.
The Holy Nation of Milcandis has coveted Olo’s rich lands for a long time.
They want the Darkspawn to drive us out so they can take this land for themselves! As people born in Olo, we can’t let our sacred land fall into someone else’s hands! Now, on behalf of all of you—all the refugees driven from your homes by the church—I will bring divine punishment down on these filthy followers of the God!”
Huh? Estelle’s words made Fia tilt her head a little.
Her speech reminded Fia of what she’d seen in Aurora City, when the church executed Darkspawn plague victims.
The difference was, the plague victims really were innocent, but as for Estelle’s claim that “the God’s followers lured the Darkspawn into the city,” Fia had no way to verify that.
Thinking about it, the church was ruthless to plague victims, but they really were mortal enemies of the Darkspawn.
Objectively, the church always acted for the good of humanity, treated their own people well, and strictly followed their doctrine.
According to church doctrine, the Darkspawn are the ultimate enemy, and other races exist to serve humans.
So it’s hard to imagine the church would work with the Darkspawn just to deal with a race created by the Goddess of Life.
It’s not about profit—it would go against the Goddess’s will and shake the very foundation of their faith.
If the church really did work with the Darkspawn, they wouldn’t be able to use faith magic anymore.
So Fia seriously doubted Estelle actually had any proof.
Of course, even if Estelle didn’t have proof, Fia didn’t have anything to say about it.
Every faction in this world has its own interests and grudges.
They need to execute heretics to unite their people.
Just like the church executed the plague victims, other factions do similar things.
If Estelle, a noble of the Bart Duchy, fell into the church’s hands, things wouldn’t go well for her either.
Estelle’s actions were for her own people.
From a noble’s perspective, she had to stir up fighting spirit so they could go back and save more of their people tomorrow.
It’s a cycle of revenge, a deadlock that’s been going on forever.
Only outsiders like Fia would even wonder if the people being executed were actually innocent.
What a pain.
Feeling impatient, Fia clicked her tongue.
The good impression she’d just had of Estelle quickly faded away.
