The vast mansion was empty, coldness permeating the corridors, giving an illusion of being uninhabited. The servants had retired early, leaving behind only coldness and silence in the darkness. Felicia stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, the window frames dividing her reflection into a cross shape. Outside the snow-covered glass, snowflakes were falling from the sky.

In the darkness of the night, the lights extended from the foot of the mountain to the harbor. But only the area near the harbor could be considered brightly lit, while the areas where ordinary citizens lived had only sporadic dim lights. To build this lord's mansion, the Empire's construction team forcibly demolished the residential area on the mountainside, and within two months, they built this luxurious mansion befitting the royal family's status. However, no compensation was given to the displaced residents.

What happened to those residents who were driven out of their homes? Putting on the demeanor of a victor, trampling on the defeated, is this what they call ruling?

Felicia shook her head lightly, pushing these thoughts out of her mind.

There is no absolute right or wrong in the world, only things that must be done.

Amidst the wind and snow, the distant lights flickered as if they were remnants of candles in the wind. Felicia closed her eyes, breathing out a white puff of air. In the wind and snow, two Magic Armors painted in red guarded the mansion's gate. They held giant knight spears with built-in 20mm machine guns, standing tall in the cold wind. They were knights of the Flame Knights Order. Although not part of the Imperial Guard, they took on the task of guarding the mansion.

The Empire had four major knight orders: the Flame Knights Order, the Frost Knights Order, the Storm Knights Order, and the Imperial Guard, which guarded the capital. The other three knight orders were deployed on the Empire's frontlines. Each had their own distinctive paint scheme - red, blue, and green, respectively. Initially, Magic Armor was exclusive to knights, and only nobles could pilot these powerful war machines. The Empire's knights honed their skills through ritualistic duels and close combat, making them almost invincible in melee combat. This was especially true when they deployed Magic Armor on the ground, as the Federation's military was almost helpless against the Empire knights' assault formations. On the other hand, the Federation's use of Magic Armor was the opposite, with almost all of their Magic Armor dedicated to aerial supremacy. They were equipped with lightweight machine guns with drum magazines and had excellent flight performance.

However, Felicia inadvertently broke the Empire nobles' monopoly on Magic Armor. Although mass-produced basic Magic Armors were not as powerful as those of the knight orders, they were cheap and easy to produce. She gathered these generally underestimated mass-produced units from all over the Empire and deployed three thousand of them in the Fort Hurricane campaign, successfully overwhelming the elite Federation Magic Armor units. This achievement gained significant attention. After the war, mass-produced Magic Armor was extensively used by the Empire's military, allowing regular soldiers with suitable physical conditions to undergo three weeks of training and pilot the mass-produced units on the battlefield, making it convenient and efficient.

This move greatly shook the status of the Empire's three major knight orders, causing various criticisms.

The Flame Knights Order held deeper resentment towards Felicia for guarding the mansion. In the initial stages of the Fort Hurricane campaign, Felicia forcefully deployed the elite knights into the forward battle, conducting raids and forced reconnaissance. As a result, a large number of knights were killed, causing the Flame Knights Order to lose nearly half of its manpower. Although victory was eventually achieved, the knights' resentment remained unquelled, even sparking a wave of impeachment against Felicia.

Therefore, Felicia never had any trust in the knights standing in front of the gate from the beginning. She was well aware of her situation - alone, relieved of her military position, and without any support within the country. Even her own father distanced himself from her because of her red hair. It could be said that being appointed as the governor of Fort Hurricane was no different from being exiled. Several princes who were eyeing the throne had secretly organized their private armies, but Felicia had nothing, and she even had to entrust the mansion's defense to the Flame Knights Order that despised her.

If something were to happen, those knights would definitely stand by and do nothing, wouldn't they?As soon as she thought of this, Felicia wished she could immediately return to the fleet and sit in the position of fleet commander that no longer belonged to her. Only there did she feel safe.

For some reason, a figure suddenly appeared in her mind. In the pitch-black and chilly alley, only she stood out, as if she didn't belong to this world. Uther Norheim, who was clearly only around 12 years old, but seemed more mature and understanding than herself. Beauty and intelligence were bestowed upon her by the gods, and even her speaking style exuded a unique charm, akin to that of an adult male. That perfectly doll-like face radiated a beauty that seemed inhuman. If one were to describe it, it was closer to that of a fairy than a doll.

A beautiful and intelligent fairy.

This was Felicia's first impression of Uther, and also the most vivid impression. She pondered, what is that child doing now? On this stormy night, does she have a warm place to return to? The mother and child who died in the alley suddenly appeared in Felicia's thoughts, the cold mother holding the lifeless body of her child, causing a strong sense of guilt to churn in her stomach.

This tragedy must end, and that is what she must do.

"Be patient and wait," she murmured, "Uther, I will do my best."

In the seemingly calm snowy night, dark currents were quietly surging.

The door opened, and a man in a coat walked into the warehouse that served as their base. He shook off the snow from his coat and pulled down his hood, revealing a sharp and disciplined face that belonged to a warrior. He was Carlos, a former Federation military colonel, now a member of the assassins.

"What's the situation?" Carlos asked.

"The final tests are underway," his companion replied, "according to the agent's instructions, they have all been marked in red."

"To disguise themselves as the Flame Knights... killing two birds with one stone," Carlos muttered under his breath. "Where is the agent? I have a few things to say to her."

"Sir, the agent is on the second floor."

Carlos ascended the stairs and walked into a small room suspended on the second floor. The mysterious person wearing a hooded cloak was sitting at the table, her face still obscured in the shadows of the hood.

Several strategic points were marked on the tactical map spread out on the table, key elements of the operation plan. The veterans gathered around the table quietly discussed, placing their own units as pieces on the map. It seemed they had just conducted a military simulation, and the chances of success seemed high.

"Agent," Carlos saluted, "there's something I must report to you."

"What is it?" the mysterious person asked in a soft and feminine voice.

"Regarding this afternoon, three of our men spotted someone who appeared to be Felicia in the city. They quietly followed, but were injured by someone."

"Oh, is that so?" the mysterious person pondered for a moment. "How are their injuries?"

"Each of them took a shot to the thigh," Carlos said, "they'll be fine, but I'm afraid they won't be able to participate in tonight's operation."

"It seems the other party showed mercy," the mysterious person thoughtfully placed her chin on her hand. "Who could have injured your three men?"

"According to them... it was a little girl, around 12 years old."

The veterans in the room stirred, and someone even laughed.

"Have the injured men receive medical treatment and make sure no information is leaked," the mysterious person's statement quelled the commotion. "It's not a big deal. Everyone will proceed according to the planned operation. Oh, that mechanic, Lin... why didn't we see that kid?"

"After adjusting the Magic Armor for us, that coward disappeared," Carlos shrugged. "There's nothing we can do, mechanics who stay in the rear are all like that. People who make a living with their skills tend to be especially timid."

"What's the status of the Magic Armor adjustment then?"

"Perfect."

"In that case," the mysterious person smiled slightly, "that person is no longer useful to us. Send a few to kill him to prevent any loose ends."

Carlos looked at the mysterious person in astonishment, and the expressions of the other veterans changed as well.

"I don't think it's necessary," Carlos said, "he was once our comrade after all, and he helped us a lot. Isn't it a bit too much to just kill him like that?"

"That man knows our secrets, and he knows the location of the Magic Armor. He knows too much. I don't want any variables in this plan. The one who has the precious jade holds all the blame. Do you understand, Colonel? You are all valuable talents of the Federation, and I don't want to put everyone in danger because of one person. The planned operation is set for midnight tonight, and I hope by then that person will be dead."Carlos swallowed his saliva and nodded, "I'll go take care of it now."

The wind and snow were very strong.

Lin struggled to push open the frozen door and closed it before the cold wind rushed in. The room was empty, and it seemed that Uther had disappeared again. Lin took out some private goods from under his coat - a set of magic conductive circuits and two pieces of magic steel parts. These were necessary components for repairing Uther's Magic Armor, and he happened to have brought them back from the construction site. He told himself that it was not stealing, just taking what was deserved. But he couldn't help feeling anxious.

Forget it, consider it as a reward.

To be honest, he was really surprised when he saw the warehouse full of Night Owl series Magic Armor. Although they were painted red, they were mostly active duty products of the Federation Army. It took great power and influence to smuggle them in. However, when Lin started inspecting these Magic Armor, he discovered a problem. Based on the main frame numbers, they were all from the Fort Hurricane Defense Force and the Magic Armor unit that had served at Fort Hurricane.

These units should have been confiscated by the Empire Army, so why were they here?

With this question in mind, Lin quickly repaired all 22 Magic Armors and, after obtaining the drivers' approval, packed up his things and hurried home, taking the necessary components with him. In short, his work was done, and he had no further connection with the old soldiers who were planning to assassinate Felicia von Bergmann. Now he just needed to fix Uther's Magic Armor. With such thoughts, he began the final assembly.

On the same night, however, Uther was still wandering the streets.

The harsh weather of snow and wind drove away the pedestrians on the street. Even the small Spirit Seed Furnace-powered vehicles were nowhere to be seen. Uther struggled to take steps in the snowstorm, the cold wind blowing and frosting her long hair. For a whole month, she had been gathering intelligence about the ghost ship Barbarossa, but had found nothing. Maybe she should take shelter here? Uther rubbed her frozen hands and turned to enter a building by the street.

Once inside, a stage surrounded by thirteen rows of seats appeared in front of Uther. It was a theater. Many years ago, she had been here and watched a magic performance. There was no one on the stage now. The elderly magician seemed to have ended his performance early. There were no audience members or laughter here. Uther approached the stage with a nostalgic feeling, then climbed up onto the crude wooden stage. She looked down at the seats below, searching for the place where she had once sat.

Suddenly, a faint magical fluctuation caught her attention. Although it was only residual magical traces, there was still a weak presence. Uther crouched down and lifted the red carpet on the stage, revealing a series of inscriptions beneath the worn-out carpet. Although they did not form any magic spells, they were arranged in a specific order.

It was an extremely simple combination of inscriptions.

Uther gathered her magic power and cautiously activated the inscriptions. In an instant, brilliant lights and shadows soared on the stage, sometimes turning into doves, sometimes bursting into fireworks, a beautiful scene. This was the source of joy that the old magician brought to the children, magic derived from the ancient magical techniques.

"What are you doing?"

A frightened voice came from behind Uther. She immediately stopped infusing magic power, and the splendid illusions disappeared. The old magician stood in front of the curtain backstage, looking at her in disbelief.

"Sorry," Uther lowered her head, "I activated these inscriptions without permission."

"Inscriptions, you said inscriptions!" The old magician became excited. "I've never mentioned them to anyone, nor have I taught anyone about the knowledge of the ancients. Where did you learn them from?"

"From my teacher," Uther respectfully said, "she is a mage."

"To actually call herself a mage," the old man smiled mockingly, "my name is Birmingham Hawkins, just an ordinary person, a fallen magician."

"I am Uther Noenheimer." Uther bowed gently.

"You came to kill me, didn't you?" Hawkins' eyes were clouded with gloom. "Chasing me all the way from a distant country, assassinating me to exterminate me?""Ah?" Uther was taken aback. "I don't understand what you're saying, but I definitely didn't come here to kill you. I watched your performances when I was younger, Mr. Hawking. I hope you continue to bring smiles to children. Why would I want to kill you? Although I don't know what kind of past you have, I believe you are a good person."

"A good person, huh..." Hawking sighed. "Perhaps."

"Please allow me to apologize again," Uther said humbly. "The weather outside is too harsh, and I was looking for a place to take shelter. I entered without Mr. Hawking's permission, and I apologize for that."

"Oh, such a polite child," Hawking waved his hand. "Come inside. The heating outside has been turned off. You don't have to freeze."

Indeed, the backstage area was warm. Uther, holding a cup of hot chocolate, looked at Hawking a bit unsure, but the old man showed no sign of anger and remained calm.

"Mr. Hawking," Uther asked, "why don't you call yourself a mage? Instead, you call yourself a magician?"

"A mage, huh," Hawking sighed. "Unfortunately, we amateurs don't have the qualifications to call ourselves mages. Just studying the ancient spells has taken up my whole life. Child, if you have really studied those scattered pieces of spells, you would know how wonderful they are. These magical spells can form complex magic rituals, creating greater effects than just illusions on stage. Unfortunately, the last mage has long passed away. If only I could witness the magic rituals of the ancients, I would die with no regrets."

"If it were just simple..." Uther decided to fulfill the old man's wish. "But Mr. Hawking, you must not die, we have an agreement. The smiles of the children in the slums need your protection. If you get too carried away, I might become a heinous criminal..."

Hawking smiled, thinking that Uther was comforting him, and resumed his work of injecting magic.

"In the name of Uther Nornheim," Uther traced a spell in the air with his finger, building a magic ritual starting from basic spells rather than using his own inherent magic. "I offer this contract, light, shadow, imagery, color. What I seek is the illusion of fantasy."

The glowing spell formed the magic ritual and smoothly operated. The pale blue light transformed into countless beautiful butterflies flying into the air in Uther's hands. The training from Lucita's mage training was deeply imprinted in her mind, and constructing basic magic rituals was not difficult for Uther. Hawking widened his eyes as he watched the fluttering butterflies. He was deeply fascinated by the beautiful and illusory scene before him.

"This is a complete magical ritual..." Hawking muttered. "How wonderful it is."

"Mr. Hawking," Uther said, "I apologize for my clumsiness in front of you."

"Child, compared to you, I have been 'clumsy' my whole life," Hawking let out a sigh. "When I was young, I purely wanted to acquire the power of killing, until my foolishness caused the deaths of all my research partners. Only then did I come to my senses. Indeed, without fully understanding the ancient mage techniques, I was just a fool playing with fire. In the end, Uther, I have to thank you for showing me the true power of a mage."

"I must admit," Uther smiled bitterly, "I haven't completed my mage training either. Because my mental capacity is not enough, I can only create magic rituals from the eighth tier onwards."

"It doesn't matter. I am already satisfied," Hawking said, relieved. "Mental capacity is indeed a problem. The strength of mental power determines the power of a magic ritual. Generally, expanding mental capacity requires training from a young age, accumulating for decades to become a true mage. However, there is a more convenient way to increase mental power, and that is by using a mage device. Child, I happen to have something to give you. It can be considered a gift, and I believe it will be useful to you."

After saying that, he walked into the storage room and soon came back with a book.

Uther carefully studied the book handed to her by Hawking. It was a magical book, with a metal cover engraved with the image of a mage god, and a lock protruding from the god's mouth, holding the book shut. As Uther held it in her hands, she could feel the power emanating from the book. It was an inheritance from the ancients, an artifact created during the era of the Mage Kingdom, yet time had left no trace on it. This book was protected by a mysterious and powerful force.(Confirming the tactical connection of the Magic Tome "World Records".)

The voice of Tenin, who had not appeared for a long time, rang in Uther's mind. In order not to let Mr. Hawking think of him as a strange person talking to himself, Uther temporarily ignored this self-proclaimed omnipotent voice.

"Can I really accept it?" Uther stroked the metal cover. "This World Records is a very precious magical device, an invaluable treasure."

"Hahaha," Hawking laughed. "Actually, this magical device should have been very valuable in ancient times. Its built-in calculation core can significantly enhance the bearer's mental power. Anyway, this book is of no use to me anymore, so I'd rather give it to someone who is destined for it than let it rot in a box."

"Then I will gladly accept it," Uther bowed slightly. "Thank you, Mr. Hawking."

"Come and see my magic show another day," Hawking said. "You must come."

"Thank you once again."

Watching Uther disappear at the door, Hawking smiled with relief. That magical book was the starting point of all his research. He had spent his whole life deciphering it, but he couldn't even open the cover. Thirty years ago, he had tried to force it open, but the result was catastrophic. The World Records activated a defense program and instantly destroyed the magical research institute on the isolated island. Afterwards, Hawking was severely reprimanded and expelled from the national research team. However, he never gave up even in his wanderings. But today, he finally let go of the burden on his shoulders and felt completely at ease. Everyone has their destiny, and perhaps his destiny is to deliver this magical book to its true owner.

A beautiful and intelligent girl, like a fairy, visited his broken stage on a snowy night. Isn't this fate?

"I'm back!"

The door slammed open, and Uther, wrapped in a coat, rushed into the warehouse. She quickly closed the door and propped it up from the inside with a piece of wood. The wind was strong tonight, and the cranes in the harbor swayed in the wind, making unsettling sounds. The roof tiles rattled, but if they hadn't been reinforced with stones and planks a few days ago, they might have been blown off. Roof tiles were expensive, and although they could be synthesized directly with Magic Elements, the use of alchemy was not without cost.

Uther shook her head like a cat to shake off the snow from her hair. At first glance, she saw the fully assembled Night Owl Commander standing in the center of the warehouse. She ran over and rubbed her cheek against the newly painted external armor, looking very happy.

"Hey," Lin poked his head out of the cockpit. "Don't imitate Carluse and rub your face against steel. It will leave scars on your face if you're a girl."

"I couldn't control it," Uther climbed into the cockpit, her eyes twinkling with star-shaped lights. "Lin, is my armor ready for use now?"

"Only the final adjustments are left. And don't call me 'brother'!" Lin lightly tapped Uther's head with a wrench. "I'll raise the pedal a bit and increase the length of the control lever to match the length of your hands and feet..."

"Why beat around the bush if you think I'm not long enough?" Uther pretended to be angry. "Why not just say it directly?"

"Are you being coquettish?" Lin lowered his head and continued working. "Why do I feel like you're saying something else?"

"I'm not being coquettish!" Uther made a grimace and jumped down from the ladder. "I'll go change my clothes. If you want supper, decide before I come down."

After saying that, she quickly climbed up to the attic. By the way, the vacant attic became her room after Uther arrived. Lin didn't want to share a bed with the little girl.

Finally, the final adjustments were completed. Lin wiped off his sweat with his hand and dragged his tired body out of the cockpit. Before he could take a sip of water, there was a knocking sound at the door. Who could it be this late? Lin quickly covered the Night Owl Commander with a canvas he had prepared in advance, and then removed the wooden stick at the door and opened it. The cold wind immediately rushed in, along with six men in cloaks. They were armed with guns and daggers, looking aggressive. However, one of them was limping and seemed to have a leg injury.

"Lieutenant Martin?" Lin recognized one of them. "What brings you here at this late hour?"

"Lin, I'm really sorry." The young man named Martin's expression twisted. "The commissioner ordered us to kill you tonight. Although Colonel Carlos objected, there is no way..."Indeed, Lin sighed. Surrounded by six former soldiers, there was no way out for her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to embrace death. After all, she had nothing left.

"Lin? Is it a friend?" Uther, wearing pajamas, came down from the attic and saw a little girl appearing in the warehouse. The assassins hesitated, as attacking a little girl went against the honor of a soldier.

"Uther," Lin calmly said, "go back upstairs, don't come down."

"Alright." Uther nodded, pretending to be an innocent child.

But at that moment, a man recognized her.

"Captain! It's her!" He shouted, "It was this little girl who shot and injured us in the alley. I won't be mistaken! It's her!"

Lin was shocked. What trouble had Uther caused outside?

After speaking, the man pulled out a dagger and lunged towards the sleepy Uther. Lieutenant Martin wanted to stop him, but it was too late. Blood sprayed along the dagger's groove, gradually staining the ground red. Uther and the man struggled together and stopped moving.

"Don't kill a child!" Martin groaned, "Aren't we supposed to be executing justice?"

"What kind of justice is it to kill a child?" Lin punched him in the face, "Have you guys ever thought, even if you really assassinated Felicia von Borgman, would the situation at Fort Hurricane improve?"

Perhaps it was the shocking reality in front of them, all the assassins fell silent.

"Well said," Uther's voice broke the silence, "Killing a child, what kind of justice is that?"

The body of the old soldier fell loudly, with the dagger plunged into his heart. Uther, wearing blood-stained pajamas, stood there holding the man's revolver in his hand.

Gunshots rang out, two assassins were shot in the head and fell down, and the remaining men hurriedly fought back. Lin was shot in the abdomen during the melee, but he endured the pain and pulled the indoor power switch, plunging the warehouse into darkness.

"Well done!" Uther shouted in the dark, "Leave the rest to me!"

"There are only two enemies!" Lieutenant Martin shouted, "Ross, guard the door, Jon and I will go up."

"How foolish," Uther's voice echoed in the darkness, "If I were you, I would have turned around and ran away long ago. With half of your manpower lost, do you really think you can succeed?"

"Shut up!" Martin raised his gun and fired several shots.

Something started in the darkness. With a buzzing sound, golden light particles were released from the ventilation duct. The canvas was pulled off by a mechanical arm, revealing a Magic Armor Command Model in front of the assassins.

"Magic Armor?" Lieutenant Martin held his gun in surprise, "How can there be something like this here?"

"Although I don't really want to kill you for the sake of our former colleagues," Uther pulled the trigger, "But… you assholes who aimed your guns at my brother, go die!"

The 9mm submachine gun built into the Night Owl's arm shot out tongues of fire. This weapon rarely had a chance to be used, as it was difficult to penetrate enemy armor. Uther ruthlessly sprayed the remaining three assassins until the ammunition in the drum ran out.

He pulled up the power switch, and the interior lighting returned. Uther came to the wall and saw Lin sitting there, holding his abdomen. Red blood was oozing from between his fingers, gradually staining the ground.

"Oh my god! Brother! You got shot in the liver," Uther examined the wound, "How did this happen?"

"It's really bad," Lin sighed, "Massive bleeding from the liver, no hope..."

"Hey, don't give up easily!" Uther shouted, "A guy who drinks until he gets alcoholic liver and dies from massive bleeding after getting shot in the liver, that's not a funny joke at all!"

"At least," Lin lightly touched Uther's cheek with her hand, "Please tell me, who are you?""I am nobody." Uther avoided his hand, "but I will save you, I promise." She stood up and traced glowing incantations in the air, forming a magical pattern, "I offer this contract, for life, recovery, healing, and health, I seek the light of healing!"

Green light gathered on Lin's wound, and although the bleeding didn't stop, the amount of blood reduced. The red crystal hanging around Lin's neck absorbed Uther's magic, activating invisible micro magic circuits within the crystal, releasing a faint red glow.

"Not enough!" Uther clenched her teeth, "rewrite the circuit!"

The glowing incantations gathered again, but dissipated midway.

"What's going on?" Uther anxiously pressed on Lin's wound with her hand, "Is my magic insufficient?"

(Negative! Magic is sufficient, but mental power is lacking. Healing magic requires stronger mental power.)

The long-lost voice of Tianying echoed in Uther's mind. Uther never expected this self-proclaimed almighty being to be of any help, but now it was necessary for it to lend a hand.

"Aren't you the Almighty? Do you have any solutions?"

(Initiating search... Search complete. The 'World Record' is accessible. Shall we proceed with tactical connection?)

"Execute the tactical connection program," Uther commanded, "begin synchronization."

(Understood, synchronization initiated.)

In an instant, Uther felt something being drained from her body. She hugged her shoulders in pain, enduring the agony that spread throughout her body. It was phantom pain caused by reconnecting the magic circuit, just like human nerves.

(Synchronization complete. Shall we activate the Grimoire?)

"In the name of Uther Nornheim," Uther commanded, "liberate, World Record."

Amidst the deep purple light, the locked Grimoire appeared in front of Uther. With a resounding sound, the lock on its cover was released, and the glowing pages flipped, releasing numerous incantations that floated around Uther's body. Uther gently held up the Grimoire and composed another spell, "I offer this contract, for life, water, healing, and health, I seek the spring of life!"

The 6th level healing spell smoothly activated, and a spring emerged from the ground, enveloping Lin's body. The bullet embedded in his body was squeezed out from the wound, and then his abdominal injury began to regenerate at an astonishing speed, completely disappearing without leaving a scar.

Uther closed the Grimoire and let out a sigh of relief. Although innate magic was convenient, out of the 1000 innate magic she mastered, almost all were attack spells used for killing, and there were hardly any spells for healing others.

This made her wonder.

For what purpose was this body created?

Uther had doubts about this.

Opening his eyes, a bone-chilling coldness woke his consciousness. His brain started working, feeling dizzy and weak all over, a symptom of blood loss. Lin looked at the swirling snowflakes and a question popped into his mind: How did I survive? The liver is the blood storage of the human body, and being hit in the liver is almost equivalent to death on the battlefield. He gently touched his stomach with his hand, feeling no pain. The wound had completely disappeared. If it weren't for the shirt stained red by blood, he would have thought it was all a dream.

Heavy footsteps approached from the side, and Lin shifted his gaze, seeing a Night Owl Command Type Magic Armor pushing a cart with great effort. He lay on the cart, covered by canvas and straw, with a thin layer of snow covering him. Was this some peculiar escape method? He couldn't help but look at the Magic Armor pushing the cart, already guessing who the driver was.

"You've come back to life, brother."

Uther's voice came from the Magic Armor. She controlled the massive Magic Armor like manipulating her own body. Generally, Federation soldiers were skilled in aerial combat, and there were few who could manipulate armor on the ground for precise operations, let alone lower the Spirit Seed Furnace output to the lowest to hide their tracks and push a cart on foot. The standard Federation Magic Armor did not have an automatic stabilization system. Simply maintaining balance and walking required extremely high operational skills."What's on my face?" Uther opened his helmet and asked, "Or are you feeling cold?"

"A heartless person like you wouldn't care." Lin sighed, "But speaking of which, what are we doing out here in the snowstorm at midnight?"

"Fleeing."

"Fleeing?"

"I don't know how you managed to anger those former soldiers, but I think it's better to abandon our stronghold and escape," Uther said, "I can't grasp the current situation, but I believe it's wise to temporarily withdraw and regroup. Don't worry, I left some 'gifts' and 'surprises' for our pursuers. Remember the high-concentration Magic Element you stored in the warehouse to court death? I made the most effective use of them."

As they spoke, an explosion occurred in the distance.

"It seems like they got a surprise," Uther chuckled lightly, "A trap made with a single pistol bullet, very cost-effective and effective."

"Using a bullet to ignite Magic Element, are you a genius?"

"I'll gladly accept that praise."

Just when they became homeless and their shelter, the warehouse they had stayed in for a year, was blown up, Lin didn't feel any regrets. There wasn't anything valuable there to begin with, and the dilapidated roof probably wouldn't last until next spring. He had sold the house he planned to marry Eileen with, so he had nothing left. The faint sense of belonging was the only reason he stayed there. But now, everything was gone, and yet there was a feeling of relief. Lin looked at Uther and realized she was only wearing a thin shirt, while the military coat was draped over his body.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Of course, I'm freezing to death," Uther exhaled a breath of white mist, "But you need warmth more than I do. An injured person who has lost too much blood can become very dangerous if their body temperature isn't maintained. Listen, I know where that baldy Hadley lives. Let's seek refuge with him and hide in his house for a while."

Completely correct judgment, devoid of childishness and full of rational thinking. However, loading all these onto such a lovely and beautiful girl didn't seem out of place for some reason. Was it innate charm or a matter of character? Lin couldn't judge, but the questions in his heart were growing more and more.

"Speaking of injuries," he said, "I should've been hit, right?"

"Yeah, your alcoholic liver got punctured and you bled profusely," Uther said, "The alcoholic died from heavy bleeding from the liver, but this joke just isn't funny..."

"Well, what about the wound?"

"Um..." Uther suddenly became tongue-tied, "Let's just call it a miracle."

"Miracles come at a cost, and I never believe in miracles," Lin said lightly, "If I'm not mistaken, our deal shouldn't be fulfilled?"

"Deal? What deal?"

"Hey, don't play dumb!" Lin sighed, "Uther Noinheim, I repaired your Magic Armor as agreed, and now it's about time you told me about Karlus, right?"

"That thing..." Uther's voice trembled, "He's dead, just like that."

"He's really dead, that guy..." Lin sighed, "So, what's the relationship between you and Karlus?"

"I can't say..."

"Why not!"

"Just can't say..."

"You know what, don't act like a child throwing a tantrum at this time. It's not cute at all."

"I just can't say!" Uther shouted, "Why do you have to dig so deep into it? You weren't like this before, living carefree days with that little book all the time!"

The wind blew Lin's light brown long hair, and strands of snowflakes stuck to the hair danced in the wind. Lin looked into Uther's eyes, but Uther averted his gaze as if guilty.

"Please, stop asking," Uther lowered his head, "This is the only thing I can't tell you. If you knew the truth, I'd definitely die! And it would be a shameful death..."

There was a moment of silence, then Lin suddenly spoke, "Karlus Noinheim, how did you become a little girl?"

"Huh?" Uther widened her eyes and let out a small gasp, but in the next second, she realized it was a trap.Seeing her reaction, Lin's face showed a surprised expression. He burst into laughter but ended up coughing because of the cold wind, a pained expression on his face.

"Lin, are you okay?" Uther asked, with a worried look on his face.

"How could I be okay?" Lin stopped coughing. "We've known each other for over twenty years, and you never cease to amaze me. You hid a cactus in the principal's cushion, made the church's monk reveal his bald head, and then became an apprentice to that lame old man to learn how to operate the Magic Armor. And after joining the military, you became an ace pilot... I thought that by now, you wouldn't surprise me anymore, but now you've turned into a child, and a beautiful girl at that! It's almost jealousy-inducing! By the gods, I am truly amazed today."

"Are you mocking me, brother?" Uther pulled the control lever and the Magic Armor's mechanical arm loosened, causing the vehicle to almost flip over. "I didn't tell you because I genuinely couldn't. Are you satisfied now? My self-esteem has been destructively crushed! Does it make you feel better? Fine, I admit that I never paid you back the money I won from you that day, but there was a reason for it. I died once, okay?"

"Alright, my bad." Lin couldn't help but laugh again. "But... hahaha."

"That infuriates me! If you keep laughing, I'll cut off our friendship! And stop calling me brother!"

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore." Lin forced himself to stop laughing. "If we have time, I'd like to hear how you ended up like this. But... it seems like we don't have time."

The engine roared as over twenty Magic Armors flew from the northwest, flying low in formation towards the Governor's Mansion halfway up the hill.

"From their silhouette, aren't they Night Owls?" Uther was surprised. "Why are they painted red?"

"It's impressing that you can see that in such a dark night." Lin sighed. "Nevermind, today I won't be surprised anymore. Before my worldview and understanding of life get completely shattered by you, let's talk about the current situation."

"What's the situation?" Uther asked. "Why is the Federation Army here?"

"These are Major Carlos and his subordinates," Lin said. "Their target is the life of Felicia von Bockman, the Border Duke. A mysterious woman claiming to be a Federation envoy brought them together, intending to eliminate this war princess who has defeated the Federation countless times before the Federation Army counterattacks, gaining tactical advantage."

"Nonsense," Uther shook his head. "According to reliable sources, the Federation Fleet is attacking Yujing and can't possibly spare any forces to attack Fort Hurricane."

"So, it's a lie," Lin said. "In that case, let's change our line of thinking. If Felicia dies now... who benefits the most?"

"Damn it," Uther realized something. "Clearly, Admiral Merkert and Mayor Denglar, and those behind them."

"These two have a certain prince from the Empire backing them up," Lin sighed. "From start to finish, this is all a power struggle within the royal family."

"Damn it, don't drag us into your quarrel so easily," Uther punched the armor plate. "What does Empire's prince and princess have to do with me? But at least Felicia is an upright person. I can't let her be schemed against on such a snowy night."

"Go, Uther," Lin said. "This is your chance to be the knight in shining armor."

"Too bad I don't have a horse now. Can't be a prince anymore."

"Please don't say such perverted things with that innocent and cute face!"

"Go to hell! Explode!"

Uther increased the injection of mana, and the Spirit Seed Furnace roared, releasing a faint green light. The next second, the Night Owl Command Type spread its wings and took off, disappearing into the flying snow.

Lin watched as the Night Owl Command Type vanished into the snowstorm and quietly pulled out his revolver.

"You should come out by now, Special Envoy Lady."

A beautiful laughter echoed in the darkness as the mysterious woman in a hooded cloak appeared in the shadows, holding a sword in each hand. The sword's blades shimmered with a gentle red and blue glow."I never thought that you would ruin Lord's plan," she sneered, "It seems that my only mistake was not killing you myself."

"Perhaps, but I still can't die."

Just as Lin raised his revolver, the azure machine sword shattered his gun, and the deep red machine sword stabbed towards his throat. The red crystal hanging around Lin's neck emitted a dazzling light. In the next moment, the mysterious woman's magic sword was struck by the crimson lance, breaking into two pieces.

Red magic burst forth from Lin's body, and he spoke in a completely different tone, using an ancient language that had long been lost. "Oh my, that was dangerous."

"You..."

"Serving humans, are you? Fiona, your actions are truly regrettable. Is there no dignity left for a Mage Knight?" Lin moved his neck, making a cracking sound, "But thanks to you, I have regained my physical form. It feels so good to have flesh and blood again."

"No way!" The mysterious woman took off her hood, revealing Fiona's face, "This magic fluctuation... could it be... It's impossible! This can't be happening!"

"Nothing is impossible," Lin sneered, "Fear and submit. I will make you realize once again who is the ruler of you 'counterfeit' beings."

Several red spell formations unfolded behind him, causing Fiona to involuntarily swallow a mouthful of saliva.

"Demonic Devourer!" Lin coldly uttered the activation phrase.