Chapter 154: 【One Year Ago】

On a battlefield at the border, this was the final clash between Queen Dolores and Flash Spirit.

Within a hundred-li radius, the land lay desolate and uninhabited—scorched earth everywhere, scarred and cratered from the aftermath of battle.

The two had fought for a long time. Eventually, both reached the point of utter exhaustion.

They collapsed onto the ground in mutual disarray, too drained to even twitch a muscle. The ashen air reeked of gunpowder and smoke.

Flash Spirit’s military uniform was caked in dust, torn in several places from the fight, looking thoroughly worn and ragged. He accidentally inhaled a mouthful of dust and coughed a few times.

Dolores clenched her silver teeth, glaring at Flash Spirit with blazing eyes. Yet her body had no strength left. Even her refined, exquisite face was smudged with gray grime.

Since neither had the energy to keep fighting, they simply lay there panting, catching their breath.

In an unexpectedly harmonious “halftime break” between two sworn enemies, they rested on the ground and traded verbal barbs—determined to claim some kind of victory.

“Pfft hahaha! So the famously arrogant Queen Highness can end up sprawled on the ground like a pitiful little dog, wagging her tail and begging for mercy from me?”

Flash Spirit struck first with mockery.

In terms of raw power, he had clearly come out on top in this battle. But Dolores’s flashy, over-the-top techniques had been so numerous that, in the end, he still hadn’t managed to kill her.

“Shut up… Who’s wagging their tail at you? I am… the Queen! To reduce me to this state—I will never forgive you…!”

Dolores instantly felt deeply insulted. She spat the fiercest words she could muster in her weakest voice.

“No tail, huh? Wait right there. I’ve got a dog tail in my pack—the kind you stick up your butt. Might hurt a bit. Let me crawl over and put it on you.”

Flash Spirit reached into his pack as if preparing to pull something out.

“You insolent lowborn scum! If you dare come any closer, I’ll kill you on the spot! But why the hell would you bring something like that onto a battlefield, you notorious beast-kin pervert…?”

So the famous Flash Spirit Exterminator was actually a pervert?

“Say whatever you want. Also, can you breathe normally? You sound like you’re in the middle of climaxing. Just so we’re clear—I haven’t done anything to you. If someone misunderstands, that’s not on me.”

“You…! Haa— This time, I will definitely kill you…!”

“Whatever, whatever. Give it a rest already. Can you even stand up?”

“Hmph. Flash Spirit, you don’t exactly look relaxed yourself.”

“Ah, yeah… it’s a bit embarrassing. I don’t have the strength to stand either. But I’ve still got enough energy left to tease the arrogant Queen Highness. Seeing the usually lofty and superior queen reduced to a pitiful, tiny, helpless little girl—it’s quite the picturesque sight.”

“Shut your mouth…”

Dolores’s face flushed crimson. She yanked off one of her high heels, gripped it tightly, and hurled it forward with all her might.

It struck Flash Spirit square on the head. He let out a very small, pained “Ah.”

“Hey, aren’t you a queen? Have some class! Throwing your shoe at someone’s head actually hurts, you know. Here, take it back.”

With a whoosh, the high heel was tossed back—landing with a solid thunk on Dolores’s small head, bouncing once in midair.

“Uuu…”

Dolores unconsciously let out a very sweet, melodic whimper.

Flash Spirit’s eyes froze for a second. Then they lit up as though he’d just seized the perfect leverage. He immediately switched back to full mockery mode—

“Oh? Did I just hear something?”

“W-What?”

“Ohhh? What was that sound~? Did some little girl just make a really cute noise?”

“Cut your ears off!”

“Could it be… our dignified and majestic Queen Highness?”

“Damn you…”

Tears shimmered in Dolores’s eyes—crystal-clear droplets swirling in her flawless, gem-like pupils. She ground her teeth and snarled viciously at Flash Spirit:

“Next time, I will absolutely kill you! I’ll repay this humiliation tenfold—!”

“Oh~? So you’re not going to kill me this time?”

To her shock, Flash Spirit slowly rose to his feet.

He actually still had the strength to stand!

Step by step, he walked toward Dolores. The sound of his footsteps drew steadily closer.

A profound sense of crisis surged in Dolores’s heart.

What—he still has power left?

He was holding back the whole time?

This is bad—I’m going to be exterminated—

But Flash Spirit stopped right in front of her. He slowly crouched down and spoke softly:

“I’m just going to touch your face. Don’t bite me, okay?”

With that, Flash Spirit reached out—approaching her cautiously, as though handling a small, fierce-yet-adorable beast.

He gently stroked Dolores’s cheek, wiping away the soot and grime.

“Look at that. Isn’t this just a cute girl? Why do you have to be so fierce all the time?

There, there~ Don’t cry anymore. Your face is going to get all messy again.”

Completely defenseless, Dolores heard this “comfort” and—far from feeling soothed—shook with rage so intense her shoulders trembled.

Of course, Flash Spirit was saying it on purpose.

After so many clashes, he had long since figured out the secret to defeating Dolores.

The prouder someone was, the stronger their pride. Shatter that pride—and victory was already decided.

The outcome of this battle had already been settled. It just wasn’t measured by life and death this time.

“Oh~ Before I go, let me draw a little kitty face on you. When your subordinates see it, they’ll definitely think you’re super cute.”

Flash Spirit dragged his finger across the black soil, then drew three dark streaks on each of Dolores’s cheeks—like a cat’s whiskers.

Dolores froze. She tried to reach out and grab him, but Flash Spirit dodged easily.

Before leaving, he went even further—giving her small bottom a light pat, then striding away with a swagger.

A proud queen, reduced in this moment to utter vulnerability—like a soft plush ball at someone’s mercy. The sight filled Flash Spirit with immense satisfaction.

This girl who kept trapping him in illusions had been such a pain. Finally, he got to teach her a lesson.

Dolores clenched her fists tightly.

From the day she was born until now, she had never suffered such humiliation.

If she had even a shred of strength left, she would have cut Flash Spirit down in one strike.

But the earlier battle had pushed her to her absolute limit. Even so, Flash Spirit hadn’t been broken.

As expected of the Chief Exterminator—his resilience was beyond imagination.

“You’re not going to kill me? Flash Spirit.”

“Hm? Could I even kill you? Who knows—everything I’m seeing right now, this world I’m standing in… maybe it’s another dream you created. Maybe you’re just an illusion again.”

“Oh? You’re quite cautious.”

“Of course. Gambling with my life—I don’t have that kind of resolve yet. Until we meet again.”

With a casual wave, Flash Spirit vanished from the battlefield.

That time, Dolores had narrowly survived.

In truth, the situation hadn’t been an illusion—it was reality.

If Flash Spirit had truly decided to kill her, she would have died right there.

“Next time, I’ll make you kneel before me and beg for mercy!!! I won’t let you die so easily. I’ll train you properly—make you completely submit to me, conquer you utterly, and let you taste the feeling of being humiliated with no power to resist!”

“It hurts…”

Enemies on a narrow road.

One year later, in the city of Tantan, the two would meet again for another fierce battle—

Only this time, Dolores had become far more powerful!

【Become my favored consort, Su Xiaoxiao.】