Meditation World.
After more than half a year, Allen and Kelly returned to the Mulan Barony.
After the funeral for the tragically assassinated "Anna," the Baron, disguised as a man, continued to lead the bride's procession.
Upon arriving at the Lancer Earldom, they were unexpectedly met with indifference.
The Earl was hosting a knight's tournament.
Nobles from near and far attended, making the occasion quite lively.
Earl Lancer only managed to meet his future son-in-law once, never mentioning the engagement and even making a blatant suggestion:
Unless Arthur won the tournament, proving himself mature and brave enough to assume the position of Lord of Mulan, he would have to reconsider his daughter's engagement.
At this point, Allen and Kelly knew the truth.
Winning the tournament was merely a pretense.
Many renowned knights-errant participated in the tournament.
The young Baron Mulan was far from qualified to compete with such established knights.
The Earl's demand that he win the tournament was simply asking too much!
Perhaps he had always intended for him to withdraw.
If Arthur, ignorant of his own limitations, insisted on participating and disgraced himself, he couldn't be blamed.
Alan accompanied his sullen sister back to their quarters to discuss a strategy.
As soon as they sat down in the living room, they heard a knock on the door.
Alan stood and opened the door.
A thin figure stood outside, draped in a cloak.
The hood of the cloak was pulled low, casting a shadow over the face.
"Who are you?" Alan asked warily.
The cloaked figure remained silent, seemingly wary of the burly, massive man before him.
Kelly heard the noise and approached.
The cloaked figure took two steps sideways.
His gaze passed through the door, nearly blocked by Allen, and fell upon the baron's handsome face. His eyes shifted from vigilance to delight.
"Arthur, your guards don't seem to recognize me."
The cloaked figure's voice was soft and melodious, like the sound of a nightingale.
He removed his hood, revealing a delicate face.
A thin, petite girl in a snow-white dress.
She was wearing high heels and no taller than five feet.
Her chest was slightly protruding, giving her the appearance of an elementary school student.
"Lily!"
Kelli recognized her fiancée instantly, drawing on the memories of her ancestors.
Alan rubbed his nose and tactfully stepped aside. Lily excitedly trotted along, throwing herself into her fiancé's arms.
Count Lancer's youngest daughter, Lily, was frail but incredibly intelligent.
Lily was deeply in love with her fiancé, Arthur, and a close friend of Arthur's twin sister, Anna.
Kelly, having merged with Anna's ancestral spirit, met Lily as Arthur.
Alan could see that his sister wasn't quite accustomed to the complex identity she assumed.
He held the petite Lily in his arms, unsure what to say.
The atmosphere was awkward.
Lily noticed her lover's unusual silence and assumed he'd been upset with the Count and was taking his anger out on her.
She sighed and spoke softly.
"Arthur, perhaps you don't believe me, but I still have to say..."
"My father and my eldest brother did indeed consider breaking off the engagement."
"But I swear to the ancestors that I have no such intention!"
"Arthur, I know you've been wronged, but please don't blame me, okay?"
"These days, I've been trying every possible way to save the engagement."
"Please believe me, my dear. If we work together, we will overcome all obstacles and find happiness!"
"If you're going to give up, I... I don't want to live anymore!"
As she spoke, the Countess choked up.
Kelly couldn't bear to see her tears.
She took her hand and said softly, "Lily, don't get excited. Let's sit down and talk."
Then she gave her brother a commanding glance.
"Alan, close the door and don't let anyone in."
"As you command, my lord!"
Alan bolted the door, his hands on his hips, and stood guard.
His ears perked up, his face alert, like a gangster.
Lily took the handkerchief her fiancé handed her and wiped away her tears.
She glanced up at Alan, her eyes filled with fear.
"Arthur, is Alan your squire? I've never seen him before."
"Not just a squire, but a close friend, a half-brother!"
Kelly's face was serious.
"My dear, feel free to tell me anything, Alan. He's a tight-lipped man and absolutely reliable."
"He's so tall, as strong as a bear, so scary!"
Lily whispered, secretly observing Alan.
"He's not ugly, of course, but he's far inferior to you."
Kelly smiled sympathetically.
"Don't be fooled by his size; he's actually kind and gentle, and quite chivalrous."
Lily stole a glance at Alan, half believing and half doubting her fiancé's assessment.
"Arthur, do you know why my father has been so cold to you, even considering breaking off the engagement?" The Countess returned to the point.
"I'm afraid it has something to do with my uncle, who harbors rebellious intentions."
Kelly picked up her teacup and replied calmly.
Lily nodded and whispered, "Your uncle, General Gondorff, has long harbored ambitions of rebellion and usurpation."
"He kept it a secret until your father's death, when his ambitions were finally revealed."
"A month ago, Gondorff sent a special envoy to meet with my father, offering him generous gifts and a request for neutrality in the power struggle in Mulan Province. He promised a generous reward upon success."
"My father is still hesitant, worried that you're too young and lack the foundation to defeat General Gondorff, who's accustomed to the bloodshed." "What's more, most of Mulan Province's troops are controlled by Gondolf..."
"You know my elder brother, Leon, he's clueless and only knows how to be competitive."
"You refused to participate in the knight's tournaments Leon hosted twice before. Leon felt you were deliberately insulting him and told everyone you knew you were a sissy and a coward..."
"So, Leon doesn't think you can hold onto the throne of lord."
"Hmph!" Kelly slammed the table in anger, knocking over the teacup.
Lily quickly hugged her lover's arms, her face filled with sorrow.
"Arthur, don't be angry! No matter what others say, I will always stand by you."
Kelly held her hand, naturally slipping into the role, her eyes filled with affection.
"Lily! Forget your father and brother, just elope with me!"
Lily was startled by her lover's words.
He stared at Kelly with a complex expression.
"Arthur, you've changed... You're like a completely different person."
Huh?!
Kelly's face froze, and she quietly grasped the dagger at her waist.
She immediately prepared to kill and silence the witness!
Alan saw his sister's motive and was speechless...
Just now, he had been so affectionate as to want to elope with his sister.
When he realized that his identity might be discovered by his sister, his expression immediately changed, and he didn't hesitate to kill and silence the witness.
You are truly worthy of being my sister!
Alan felt that it was fortunate that Kelly was a girl.
If she had been born a man, with such a ruthless and decisive character, she would have been a powerful figure at any level!
The Countess was so captivated by her love that she completely failed to notice the sinister look in her lover's eyes.
Holding Kelly's hand, he said infatuatedly, "You used to live under Anna's wing like a little boy."
"Now you've changed. You've become brave, decisive, like a real man!"
"Arthur, I love the change in you. My love for you is deeper than before..."
Kelly breathed a sigh of relief, quietly sheathed the dagger, and deep affection returned to her eyes.
"Lily, my love, I can't live without you."
"Please believe that no matter what happens, I will never let you get hurt!"
"Arthur..." Lily's eyes welled up with emotion.
If it weren't for the presence of someone in the way, she would have almost kissed her lover.
"Arthur, I want to go with you, too, but what will happen after we elope?"
The Countess was still reasonable after all.
"It's easy for us to elope, but how will you face my enraged father and brother?"
"The consequence of doing so would be to force them to completely side with General Gondolf."
Kelly had to admit that Lily's concerns were quite realistic.
"Alas! The situation is stronger than me. It seems I have no choice but to accept your father's offer and strive to win the tournament. Then, your father will have nothing to say!"
Lily nodded and pulled away from her lover's arms.
"Arthur, I will help you defeat your opponent in the tournament."
Kelly looked at the frail girl in confusion.
She looked so frail. How could she possibly help?
Lily smiled faintly, opened her storage bag, and took out a breastplate and a longsword.
Both the weapons and armor were first-level enchanted equipment.
Kelly unsheathed the sword, a brilliant silver gleam evidently made of refined silver! "Arthur, you'll need your armor and sword in the tournament."
"Most of the knights participating in this tournament are from beastman noble families, protected by their ancestral spirits, making them invulnerable to ordinary iron."
"Only enchanted silver can penetrate their beastmanly protection spells," Lily explained.
The "beastmanly nobles" she referred to were violent sorcerers who had awakened their beastmanly bloodline.
The so-called "beastmanly protection spell" is the supernatural damage-reducing armor granted to beastmans of level two or higher after a reversion to their ancestral form.
Beastmanly armor is similar to a body refining technique.
It offsets a certain amount of physical damage based on the player's physical attributes.
Weapons infused with silver or mithril are unaffected by this protection spell.
This is known as a "silver-refined weapon."
Ordinary silver-refined weapons can only penetrate level two beastmanly armor.
To combat Tier 3 Beast Armor, a silver-refined weapon alone isn't enough.
It must be enhanced with at least a Tier 1 enchantment.
The sword Lily gifted Kelly was a Tier 1 enchanted silver sword.
Observing this scene, Allen naturally speculated:
Could the opponent in this tournament be a Tier 3 warrior?
Kelly's only at the early Tier 1 stage...
That's pointless! It's practically certain death!
Fortunately, Lily's next words dispelled his concerns.
"My eldest brother, Leon, will also be participating in this year's tournament."
"You know Leon's strength. He's in the late second stage, with the bloodline of a lion."
"Another favorite to win is Lord Robert of the Wilwolf family."
"The Wilwolf family, known as the 'Wolf Nobles,' inherits the bloodline of the werewolf."
"Robert is also in the late second stage, and his strength is comparable to Leon's."
"Both Leon and Robert are proficient in the secret art of body refining, further strengthening their second-stage beast armor. Ordinary silver weapons are ineffective against them."
"This enchanted silver sword is essential for your path to victory!"
After hearing Lily's story, both Kelly and Allen breathed a sigh of relief.
A late second stage warrior is no match for Kelly at the moment.
But with the sword in hand, there's still a glimmer of hope!
"Arthur, Robert doesn't mind, but remember to show mercy when you face my eldest brother."
Lily warned, somewhat worriedly.
"I don't want this sword I gave you to end up being the weapon that takes your brother's life."
Kelly nodded solemnly, taking note of her warning.
Alan listened from the side, feeling a vague sense of foreboding.
According to the mythological cliché, a princess with a treacherous elbow, gifting a sword to a prince, then using it against one of her own family...
Then there's always a death sentence, so how could there be any mercy?!
I hope my sister will be careful with her actions and not make Lily handle the funeral.
Then, Lily took out a pair of magic rings.
She put one on herself and placed the other on her lover.
These were "telepathic rings," allowing the wearer to communicate telepathically within a hundred meters.
Lily was under strict supervision by her parents and brother, and she had taken a great risk sneaking out today.
It would be difficult for her to find an opportunity to go out and meet her lover in the future.
With these magic rings, even if they couldn't see each other, they could still express their feelings.
"Lily, thank you for giving so much for me."
Kelly couldn't help but hug the Countess and kiss her.
Lily shyly responded.
She completely forgot there was someone watching.
As they embraced passionately, Kelly felt a mixture of emotions.
Although she had magically transformed into a man, she was still a girl at heart.
Pretending to be a younger brother to flirt with her bestie felt strange...
Just then, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door.
Alan's face paled slightly, and he immediately blocked the door.
Bang!
The door slammed violently! Alan grabbed the bolt and pushed hard against it!
Bang, bang, bang!
The banging on the door intensified.
From outside, a man's voice shouted:
"You bastard! Open the door!"
The Countess recognized her brother's voice and quickly left her lover's embrace, hastily fixing her hair and clothes.
Kelly turned toward the door, her face gloomy.
"Alan, open the door! Let them in and talk!"
Alan unbolted the bolt and stepped aside.
Bang!
The door was violently kicked open.
Two young men burst in.
The blond youth in the lead was Lily's brother, Leon.
A dark-haired youth, looking furious, followed behind.
This man was the eldest son of the Wolf family, Lord Robert, first in line to the Wilwoff family throne.
Even before Lily and Arthur became engaged, Robert had been Lily's most ardent admirer.
However, Lily preferred Arthur, a gentle and elegant young man, to the rude and domineering Robert.
Robert was deeply jealous of Arthur for this.
He repeatedly attempted to eliminate his rival in the duel under the guise of a joust.
Arthur, sensing his ill intentions, refused to participate, denying him the opportunity to kill him.
Because of this, Robert mocked Arthur, both publicly and privately, for being cowardly and unworthy of the Earl's daughter.
"Leon, Robert, what are you trying to do by barging into my room?"
Kelly's face darkened, and she assumed the airs of a baron.
"How dare you ask me?" Leon's eyes blazed. "What are you and my sister, alone in this room, doing, hiding in this room?!"
"Leon, are you blind?"
Kelly retorted coldly.
"Not to mention that Lily and I are already engaged, so a private meeting is perfectly legal."
"Stepping back, don't you see that besides Lily and me, there's also my personal guard in this room?!"
Alan stepped forward at the right moment, bowing slightly.
"Greetings, my lords!"
Only then did Leon notice the large man in the room.
He knew, of course, that his sister was no promiscuous woman.
There was no way she would engage in such an unethical affair with Arthur in front of others.
In other words, he was furious.
Rushing over to catch the adulterer...
Only to find nothing!
Instead, he made a complete fool of himself, a disgrace.
"Robert! What are you up to!" Leon raged. "You haven't even investigated the matter yet, and you're asking me to come with you to catch someone... How bizarre!"
The Wolf family's young master was also utterly embarrassed.
Kelly sneered and, right in front of him, swept the Countess into her arms.
This blatant provocation drove Robert wild with jealousy!
"You little bastard! Get off your paws! I won't let you insult Lily like this!"
"Haha! Lily, do you think you can call her by her first name?"
Kelly wrapped her right arm around the Countess's slender waist. Ignoring her shy expression, she forcibly pulled her into her arms, a display of dominance.
"I'm being affectionate with my fiancée, what the hell is it to you?!"
"Lily and I are in love, who the hell are you to tell us what to do?!"
Kelly's smile was half-smile, but every word pierced Robert's nerves.
"What's the matter? Are you jealous?"
"What a shame! I was planning to invite you to Lily and my wedding."
"Since you're so clueless, forget it."
"On our wedding night, while we enjoy our love, I don't want to hear you crying outside the window. It's a spoiler."
"Arthur! You beast! I'm going to kill you!!"
Robert could no longer bear it and drew his sword in anger.
Alan's eyes glared, and he took a step sideways, blocking his sister and the Countess behind him.
Lily's face darkened as she shouted to her brother:
"Leon! This is the Earl's Mansion!"
"Robert committed a crime right in front of you, attempting to murder your own sister, and you, as her brother, just watched?"
"Lily! I wasn't! I didn't mean to hurt you!" Robert quickly explained. "I wanted to kill Arthur—"
"Arthur is my fiancé! If he's dead, I don't want to live!" Lily demanded sharply. "What's the difference between you trying to murder Arthur and me?!"
Robert was struck by lightning, his face draining of color.
Leon quickly snatched his sword, admonishing him, "Forget it! It was just a misunderstanding. Let's go!"
Robert was dragged out of the door by Leon, feeling resentful.
He turned sharply, glaring at Kelly, his teeth gnashing.
"Coward! All you do is talk!"
"You can't escape this tournament!"
"Wash your neck and wait!"
"I swear by the spirits of the Wilwolf family—"
"I will personally slay you with my sword to avenge this shame!"
...
Watching Leon and Robert leave, Lily's eyes grew more worried.
"Arthur, I can't stay here long. Before I leave, I have something important to tell you."
"First, you need to prepare a fine mount for tomorrow's tournament!"
"I have a fine horse—" Kelly was interrupted by Lily's wave of her hand before she could finish her words.
"No matter how good the horse, it won't help!"
"Do you know what Leon and Robert ride?"
Lily asked herself, answering her own question.
"My eldest brother's mount is a ferocious lion!"
"Robert's mount is a winter wolf!"
"You're riding into battle, and you've already lost seven points before the fight even begins!"
Kelly was stunned. "Isn't it against the rules to ride a monster in a competition?"
"This is a new rule for this tournament. Participants can choose any mount, no restrictions on horses."
Lily explained with a wry smile.
"As smart as you are, it's easy to see that my father made this new rule to help Leon and Robert advance, but also... to make things difficult for you."
Alan's heart moved, and he stepped forward and asked Lily, "If that's the case, Lord Arthur can also choose a monster as a mount?"
"Of course."
"Is riding a griffin okay?"
"Uh... I'm afraid not."
Lily shook her head quickly.
"Only land-based mounts!"
Alan was secretly disappointed.
He had been planning to help his sister tame a powerful magical beast, using it as a mount to make up for the difference in his own strength.
Alas, the tournament begins tomorrow, and it's too late to go hunting in the wild.
Lily opened her storage bag and took out a scroll.
"Arthur, my family's zoo has lions and tigers."
"Take this 'Beast Becomes Friend' scroll, enter the zoo in my name, and tame a ferocious beast as a mount."
"Ordinary lions and tigers, while not as powerful as dire lions and winter wolves, are still capable of fighting."
"Thank you, Lily, for your thoughtful consideration, but..."
Kelly pondered for a moment, a strange look on her face.
"I prefer leopards to lions and tigers."
"Leopards...?"
Lily was stunned for a moment, then shook her head slightly.
"There are leopards in the zoo, but they're too skinny to be a mount."
"Ordinary leopards won't do, but I happen to have a particularly sturdy one at home. It's stronger than a lion or tiger, making it perfect for my mount!"
Kelly smiled confidently.
Seeing her lover's confidence, Lily stopped trying to persuade him and pulled out two magic potions from her treasure-packing storage bag.
"If you encounter Robert in the arena, remember to take the potion beforehand, and for your mount as well!" Lily instructed him. "After taking it, you'll temporarily gain a 'cold resistance barrier.'"
Robert's mount, the winter wolf, has a bite that deals frost damage and can also spit out freezing air!
Lily's provision of these two magic potions was clearly intended to combat the winter wolf.
The "cold resistance barrier" gained after taking the potion can offset some of the damage caused by the cold.
Lily shared all the information she knew, helping her lover prepare for the situation.
Finally, she pressed a small bottle of perfume into Kelly's hand.
"This is my secret weapon against my eldest brother. Keep it!"
Kelly took it and sniffed it curiously.
The perfume bottle exuded a faint, spicy scent, like mugwort.
Alan's knowledge of herbs far surpassed his sister's.
He took the perfume bottle from her and, after a brief examination, understood.
This herb isn't poisonous to humans.
In his previous life, Alan had eaten a salad made with it.
Even in this life, his father would use it to brew beer, giving it a unique flavor, the so-called "craft beer."
Leon's actually afraid of this thing—how bizarre...
Then she thought of Leon's beastly bloodline, which made sense.
Alan avoided Lily's gaze and flicked out a bone spur from his left palm.
He drew the liquid from the bottle and deposited it into his venom gland.
This way, the venom gland would synthesize itself, allowing it to be released in battle.
He had said everything he needed to say.
Lily embraced and kissed her lover goodbye, then quietly left.
Kelly closed the door and turned to look at her brother with a smile.
"Alan! Transform into a blue leopard! I'm going to ride you to the duel!"
"Sir, please respect yourself!" Alan said sternly.
Kelly was startled, immediately realizing someone might be watching from outside the window.
He put away his smile and said calmly, "Alan, prepare the horse! Come with me to the countryside to relax and get some exercise!"
Alan was speechless.
It seemed Kelly was determined to ride her brother into battle!