Chapter 21: The Dominating Heiress and a Hidden Authority

“Anna, Anna?” Felicia called out, walking down the long corridor, attempting to summon Anna. The result, however, was clearly a failure.

‘She usually appears with just a casual call, but now, when there’s something important, she’s nowhere to be found. How infuriating…’ Felicia found herself at a loss for words.

As for asking Taosu?

Taosu practically never left the library; Felicia was better off than her, at least Felicia knew the way.

If Taosu were sent to find Anna, it was a given that she would get lost in the castle, let alone actually find her.

This castle was truly enormous. Felicia had roughly estimated that with a few modifications, it could house tens of thousands of people, perhaps even more.

“Since I can’t rely on anyone else, I suppose I’ll have to search myself. Hopefully, I’ll find her.”

Felicia pondered for a moment. She couldn’t just wander aimlessly like a headless fly; she needed to rule out a few locations first.

First, her own room was out. Seraphina was more likely to be teasing Felicia in the infirmary than Anna would be there.

Then, the kitchen. This option was, of course, immediately discarded.

Excluding these two places hadn’t been helpful at all.

‘…I might as well just wander around. What if I stumble upon her?’

And so, Felicia began to wander aimlessly. She passed the library once more, peered inside, but found no one.

After walking for several minutes, Felicia arrived at the place where she often dined with Seraphina. She seemed to hear two people conversing.

‘Someone’s talking, and judging by the other person’s voice… is it Seraphina? It seems just wandering around is indeed the easiest way to find people. Sometimes, I don’t know whether to call myself lucky or unlucky.’

If she were truly lucky, Felicia probably wouldn’t have been captured and brought here in the first place.

Yet, if she were truly unlucky, Felicia wouldn’t have stumbled upon her target just by walking around.

Felicia instinctively lightened her footsteps, looking rather like a thief. Of course, she certainly wasn’t there to steal anything.

“Hmm? Something’s not right…”

She suddenly realized that something had vanished.

What could have disappeared?

Soon, Felicia found her answer: the sound of her own footsteps.

Felicia remembered clearly that her shoes made a sound when they hit the floor. Even with light steps, it was impossible for that sound to vanish completely.

But now, the sound was entirely gone.

“Is it… magic?” Felicia found herself instinctively channeling her magical energy, constructing a mana circuit.

‘Could it be due to the Dragon Emperor’s Authority?’

Felicia realized that ever since she had awakened the Dragon Emperor’s Authority, she would occasionally gain new abilities.

Of course, these abilities weren’t particularly strong. For instance, conjuring a small flame, or freezing a cup of water into ice, and now, silencing her footsteps.

‘Such a tasteless magic is far too weak… When will I get a world-destroying super magic? I could just unleash one here and scare Seraphina to death.’

Felicia felt as if she were constantly drawing cards, pulling a random ability every now and then.

Currently, however, none of the abilities she had acquired were of much use.

Nevertheless, with this new magic, Felicia could now walk boldly. She found a spot where no one could see her and crouched down.

Eating her fries, she secretly listened to what they were saying, while also observing the situation.

Seraphina sat in a chair, a black-haired youth in a gray tailcoat standing respectfully beside her.

Anna was also naturally by Seraphina’s side, holding a watering can.

It was evident that Seraphina held a significant position. This was quite obvious, as an ordinary person wouldn’t possess such a vast castle, nor could they casually offer a salary of fifteen thousand Nayu per month.

“Last month, a sudden surge of demonic beasts appeared deep within the Blackrock Mountains. Even though the family has dispatched reinforcements, they are overwhelmed. I humbly implore you…”

“Stop.”

Before the tailcoated youth could finish his sentence, Seraphina interrupted him.

“I’ve seen the news. The demonic beasts in the Blackrock Mountains are generally not that strong, are they? Logically speaking, you should be able to handle them.”

“Even if the situation has changed, I recall allocating several million to you. Millions are enough for you to hire several experienced adventurer teams to resolve it.”

“Are you implying that I still need to go there? If I have to do even such trivial matters, then what is the meaning of your existence? Should I eat and drink for you, find companions for you, live for you?”

“No, I wouldn’t dare…” The tailcoated youth trembled.

He felt as though the current Seraphina was a fierce tiger, ready to pounce and tear him apart if he overstepped even slightly.

“Though the head of the Morningstar family is still that old geezer, not me, if I wanted his position, he’d hand it over in minutes. Understand?”

“Naturally, I understand.” The tailcoated youth replied, simultaneously recalling the records concerning Seraphina.

A genius rarely seen in the Morningstar family for a thousand years, she began cultivating at the age of six, mastering both magic and martial arts.

Though only eighteen, Seraphina’s strength could almost be said to stand at the apex of this world. Even the peak Dominators and False Gods were not beyond her reach…

“I don’t wish to waste any more time on you. Since you understand, you may leave.”

Seraphina picked up her teacup, gently blew on it, and took a sip of tea.

“I believe you know what to do, right?”

“Your subordinate will arrange everything appropriately.” The tailcoated youth gave his answer, then quickly departed.

It was Felicia’s first time seeing such an overbearing Seraphina, and she was momentarily stunned. Hearing “Morningstar family” also gave her a sense of déjà vu, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

She thought for a moment and realized she had indeed seen records related to the Morningstar family.

Legend had it that in the Empire of Isoria, there was a vast family that had stood for a thousand years, and at its peak, it subtly held sway over half the empire.

The current Morningstar family was naturally not as powerful. Perhaps they had been targeted by the emperor, or perhaps their descendants were less capable, leading to a gradual decline.

However, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; the Morningstar family remained, without a doubt, the foremost family in Isoria.

At this moment, Felicia was somewhat incredulous. The next head of such a millennium-old, indomitable family was actually a perverted woman?

‘No wonder the family is gradually declining; their judgment in people is far too poor…’

Suddenly, a shadow enveloped Felicia.

Felicia seemed to realize something. She looked up and met Seraphina’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Oh, little one, how long have you been eavesdropping here? Are you feeling very shocked?”

“Indeed, very shocked…”

Felicia felt as if Seraphina had split personalities; a moment ago, she had nearly scared the tailcoated youth to death, and now she stood before Felicia like an energetic young girl.

“I bet you’re thinking something impolite, aren’t you?” Seraphina narrowed her eyes, staring at Felicia.

“No, no, you must be mistaken.” Felicia replied, feigning composure.

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