Not good...

Ryosuke’s current situation could only be described as—

Extremely not good.

At this very moment, the great Iceflower Evil God Dragon, Ryosuke, was cradled in the arms of a girl whose figure had matured far too early—perhaps "precocious" was the better word.

Having been embraced by madams in his past life, Ryosuke endured it.

Though that was the *only* kind of embrace he’d ever experienced…

【Ah! Don’t dredge up those painful memories! The tears will just start flowing!】

That was tolerable…

But this girl wore only tight-fitting inner armor, her smooth, pale thighs pressing firmly against Ryosuke. This…

Though utterly intolerable, Ryosuke still endured it!

Who could blame him for this boyish figure? There was simply no way to make anything… *special* happen…

That was tolerable…

If they’d been on flat ground, it might not have been so bad. But perched atop a galloping horse, bouncing up and down…

Ryosuke felt a scorching heat welling deep in his nostrils, threatening to burst forth…

“How’s this! Not bad, right? This ‘Thousand Mile Snow’ steed took this princess *ages* to acquire!”

Ryosuke swallowed hard, forcing a faint “Mhm” from his throat.

“Uh… Your Highness? Could you please put on your light armor?”

“Haha! What’s a little kid like you thinking about~~? Why cover your nose, little brother? Hoo~~~~”

Princess Rose unexpectedly blew a soft breath into Ryosuke’s ear, sending shivers down his spine.

“Haha! Don’t blame this princess, little brother. Your body’s so refreshingly cool, and the sun’s blazing hot…”

Ryosuke glanced down at the light armor hanging from the saddle. Water droplets still glistened on its surface. He could only smile bitterly.

It was high noon—the hottest season across the entire Reno Continent.

Perhaps due to his Iceflower Evil God Dragon nature, Ryosuke felt no heat at all. Instead, a cool chill radiated from within him. That was precisely why Princess Rose refused to let go.

After a few deep breaths, Ryosuke gradually grew accustomed to being held. But Princess Rose’s next question nearly choked him on air.

“Just who *are* you…”

“Cough! Huh? This young master doesn’t understand what you mean…”

“Don’t underestimate me. I am Cecile of the Hung Clan, Wind Devourer, Ninth of the Radiant Ten Stars.”

“Windstroke patient?”

“Wind *Devourer*! Tch! Where’d you get ‘patient’? I’m not sick!”

“You said it yourself…”

“Heh… Don’t try to change the subject…”

As Thousand Mile Snow slowed its pace, a chorus of iron-shod hooves thundered behind them, accompanied by shouts of “Your Highness!”

“Tch. So annoying.”

Cecile nudged the horse’s flank. Thousand Mile Snow leaped forward. The sudden jolt plunged Ryosuke straight into the soft peaks behind him.

Ryosuke cleared his throat awkwardly and shifted back into place.

“The wind flowing over you carries the scent of a demon beast.”

“The smell of a wild boar?”

“How should I know!”

“Useless.”

“Well, excuse me! But I’m certain it’s not some lowly beast like a wild boar. The wind’s response tells me it’s the aura of a *high-tier* demon beast!”

“I know!”

Ryosuke put on an utterly innocent expression, his flushed cheeks impossibly cute.

“Know what?”

Cecile couldn’t hide her anticipation.

“It’s the smell of the *Wild Boar King*!”

“…………”

Ryosuke smirked coldly inside, his face still a mask of pure innocence.

“Actually! The night before coming to Xianglong City, my old man hunted a Wild Boar King for dinner! To keep other demon beasts from attacking us, he bathed us in the Wild Boar King’s blood. It scares off lesser beasts. So what you’re smelling is definitely the Wild Boar King!”

“Is that so…”

Cecile replayed Ryosuke’s words in her mind but found no contradictions. She had no choice but to let it go.

Unnoticed, the towering gates of Xianglong City had vanished. Their single steed splashed through a rushing stream, turned onto a winding path, and entered a forest of ashen gray.

“Hey, the vibe here feels off. What do you plan to do with this young master in this place?”

“What? Scared? Brat, weren’t you just loudly boasting about the mighty Crimson Mercenary Corps? Heh. Let this princess make you ‘mighty’ too!”

Ryosuke’s interest was piqued.

“You seem to hold quite a grudge against the Crimson Mercenary Corps…”

“Heh… A bunch of trash. I may not have fought in the Isthan War, but I know plenty about what really happened.”

【Come to think of it, Saori, Isthan’s new city lord, is also one of the Radiant Ten Stars… So that’s how it is…】

Ryosuke leaned back, gazing dreamily at the sky. The image of a certain small chest surfaced in his mind.

“If only… if Heaven would grant me one more chance…”

【Fan Qiandai…】

【What am I even doing? Didn’t I come to Xianglong City to find a proper academy, master Battle Qi and magic systematically, and quickly uncover the primordial power needed to save Fan Qiandai…】

Cecile’s heart swelled with delight at her brilliant plan. She’d let this brat take so many liberties—even offering herself up—just to bring him here:

Ashen Forest. Demon Beast Hunting Grounds.

Normally, this was Kempfer Royal Academy’s training ground. Populated by low-tier demon beasts like Level 2 Azure Wind Wolves or Graybears, its high density made it ideal for team exercises.

But that was for humans wielding Battle Qi or magic. For a pretty-faced weakling—

This place was undoubtedly the perfect grave.

Such an act would tarnish the Radiant Ten Stars’ honor. But Cecile believed she’d paid a fair price.

What was the greatest threat on Reno Continent right now?

Demon beasts! They were everywhere!

The Demon Kind had once been a danger too, but their threat vanished after the Iceflower Evil God Dragon appeared.

As Xianglong City’s noble princess, Cecile revered and adored the Iceflower Evil God Dragon. Especially after her close friend Saori revealed he was actually a silver-haired man—her image of a perfect prince was complete.

Thus, Princess Cecile, fellow member of the Radiant Ten Stars, despised two kinds of people above all:

First—useless pretty boys who relied on their looks to leech off others, yet dared to mimic the great Iceflower Evil God Dragon by dyeing their hair silver. An unforgivable sin!

Second—any human who slandered or harmed the great Iceflower Evil God Dragon. Among them were the cowards of the Crimson Mercenary Corps.

And our innocent brother, Sima Luan Tong, had the misfortune of hitting the jackpot on both counts.

But events began to slip from Cecile’s plan.

Because our esteemed Sima Luan Tong, the moment Thousand Mile Snow galloped into Ashen Forest—

Executed a perfect 180-degree free rotation!

Like an Olympic gymnast—

He vaulted off the speeding steed!

Cecile was utterly unprepared. No one in their right mind would jump from a galloping Thousand Mile Snow—especially not a seemingly powerless pretty boy.

Everyone understood inertia.

“Are you trying to kill yourself?!”

The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

Because the boy she’d dismissed as a freeloader stood firmly on the ground—not a single stumble.

For Ryosuke, who wrestled wild boars daily, overcoming such minor inertia was effortless.

“This young master is heading back. Enjoy your playtime alone.”

Sima Luan Tong casually waved and strode away.

“Hey! Do you even know how far it is back? You’d walk until tomorrow and still not make it!”

Ryosuke turned, flashing a smile far too composed for his apparent age.

“Aren’t your lackeys following? I’ll just borrow one.”

Cecile stared, transfixed.

That slender back… somehow radiated an inexplicable weight of sorrow and loneliness.

A certainty struck her—this silver-haired boy was beyond her grasp. For no reason at all…

Suddenly, countless pairs of green eyes glowed in the shadows around her.

The rough panting of beasts closed in from all sides.

“Azure Wind Wolf pack? I’m not your prey! *He’s* your prey!”

Cecile jabbed an angry finger toward the boy’s direction.

Where she pointed, only a few stray silver hairs drifted on the breeze, carrying the faint scent of… Wild Boar King.

“Where’d he go?! That brat! He dares look down on this princess!”

Cecile ground her teeth, her chest heaving. In one fluid motion, she seized her light armor and began fastening it.

At the same moment, a high-pitched wolf howl pierced the air. The pack seized its chance. Dozens of Azure Wind Wolves lunged at Cecile in unison.

Yet Cecile didn’t spare them a glance. Her fingers flew over buckles and straps. Every time a wolf’s claws neared, she dodged as if forewarned—like a crimson maple leaf dancing untouched through a storm.

No wolf could touch her.

*Click.*

The final buckle snapped shut. Cecile drew a silver longsword.

To face an opponent in one’s strongest form was the standard of battle etiquette. Whether that opponent was human…

Or not.

Had Sima Luan Tong truly left? The answer was no.

Having taken so many liberties, he owed her a favor.

Before entering Ashen Forest, Ryosuke had sensed a powerful presence within—a presence that had clearly detected his own primordial aura:

The aura of the Iceflower Evil God Dragon.

It was a resonance between high-tier demon beasts, much like how Dilu could sense Alpha’s presence.

An aura only those of the same bloodline could perceive.

Fellow demon beast kin…

The forest’s master was approaching at terrifying speed.

Why? Ryosuke didn’t know. Best to step aside for now.

Meanwhile, our esteemed Sima Luan Tong crouched on a massive ancient tree branch, a wild stalk dangling from his lips. He peeked sideways at the effortlessly graceful Wind Devourer below.

The Seventh Star of the Radiant Ten Stars… was finally about to make her move!