Oldrango, the Aldridge Empire’s resort town, the largest holiday destination in the Eastern Human Continent. If one included the islands at sea, the entire city was bigger than the capital of the Aldridge Empire, about as large as the capital of the richest Human Empire in the center of the continent, Macnadix City.
The whole of Oldrango was divided into two parts, namely, the coastal resort area, as well as the cluster of islands not too far from the city. The center island, Oni Island, was supposedly the largest artificial island on the Human Continent. Bella’s first impression of Oldrango was how it seemed to be the Other World’s version of Dubai. The cluster of islands was created by mages using arcana land reclamation. Although the buildings weren’t as luxurious as the ones in the Manasvir Empire, they were obviously more elegant.
When Bella and the others alighted from the magic train, the greeting officials of the Aldridge Empire were surprised. According to the schedule, the ones who were meant to arrive were the Alessandra Academy for Foreign Races or the Antoinette Academy, which narrowly escaped the horrifying city, not the third train that carried the students of Olsylvia Academy.
“Can you arrange accommodation for us? We set off early, and the boys are still behind!”
“Right away, Duchess Baize. Did you encounter anything strange along the way?”
“No, the scenery was beautiful. What’s the matter? Does the magic train hide some sort of secret? “
“No… it’s just a casual question. You don’t have to take it to heart.”
Chancellor Kirton of Oldrango was in charge of receiving Bella. Kirton himself was an ice magister. However, despite his identity, he was very respectful towards Bella, as she was now using her false identity, Duchess Baize, a Dragon Mage. Since she hadn’t received an examination, Bella was still a mage who was considered a level below the magisters. However, her ability to summon dragons surpassed the mages, hence the careful treatment from Kirton.
Bella sized up the reception party and couldn’t help feeling disappointed. The officials sent by the Aldridge Empire were all old men like Kirton. Although they were great mages, they were about as boring as the old teachers of the magic courses at the Olsylvia Academy.
It wasn’t difficult for them to send a beautiful girl. Bella had learned from Princess Ariel that the Aldridge Empire had quite a few princesses, no less than the Manasvir Empire. Aside from the First Chapter of the Sky Princess Eveny, Third Chapter of Taboo Princess Effie, and Second Princess Aslan from the academy next door with whom Bella had her way, there were several other princesses. She certainly wouldn’t mind receiving any one of them!
Kirton had no idea that Bella’s evil thoughts had extended to the imperial princesses. According to the reception planned, he led the girls from Olsylvia Academy to the Hayden Resort for the time being. Following the itinerary, after all the students from the twelve academies had arrived in the city of Oldrango, they would take the big ship out to Oni Island at sea. The exchange tournament between the twelve academies would be held there this year.
They could have originally used a teleportation array to transfer to Oni Island. But since the teleportation array was temporarily sealed because of a policy change, they had to take a boat instead. Bella had no problem with this arrangement. Her only dissatisfaction was Kirton’s unwillingness to disclose the reason. Even if Bella ordered him by borrowing Ariel’s status as a princess to pressure him, Kirton still refused to do so. If this guy had participated in the revolution, he would certainly be a qualified secret party member.
The weather in the coastal city of Oldrango was hot. Summer seemed to have arrived ahead of schedule. One could feel the heat waves when walking outdoors in broad daylight. As soon as they checked into the Hayden Resort, the girls didn’t want to leave. Why would they run out and bask in the sun on a hot day when they could stay in the magically cooled room?
On the other hand, Bella was very interested in exploring the city. She changed into a black mage robe and followed Mage Ariel, Princess Eveny, and Princess Effie out shopping as Duchess Baize. The imperial princesses were certainly familiar with the city.
Since Ariel had never been out here, only Princess Eveny and Princess Effie, who often traveled, were familiar with the place. They had been bullied into submission by Bella. At her request, they agreed to be her guide without the slightest hesitation, even giving up their precious meditation time.
The girls caught everyone’s attention as they roamed the streets of Oldrango City. After all, the Duchess was strolling with three princesses without any guards. Contrary to other empires where the safety of these princesses couldn’t be guaranteed, the Aldridge Empire was a nation of mages. Even the lowest level mage apprentices earned more than civilians.
Those above mage apprentices had a fixed income, and the union also distributed enough income for their support themselves. Therefore, the nation was safe and secure because no citizen would rob and commit crimes.
The criminals in the Aldridge Empire were basically immigrants from other empires. Since they couldn’t practice magic, many people went astray after living in poverty. This was also one of the reasons why the arcana nation looked down on visitors from other empires. In their eyes, immigrants were potential criminals. The Aldridge Empire tried several times to issue orders prohibiting foreigners from entering the country, but these orders weren’t successful under the Imperial Union’s boycott.
Unfortunately, the Aldridge Empire was full of mages with almost zero agricultural foundations. Thus, they only produced magic artifacts. Many items had to be imported from other empires. Every time these haughty mages wanted to announce a ban on entry, the Gabriel Empire, the nation of swordsmen in the south, threatened to suspend food exports, while the Manasvir Empire would issue a decision to stop the import of magic products.
Every time these two empires spoke, the Aldridge Empire could only listen. Food imports and magic props exports were related to the stability and prosperity of the empire. In the face of reality, these mages had to keep their proud heads lowered and shut up. Although there would be similar orders from time to time in the future, they would certainly be thwarted by other empires.
In Bella’s opinion, although these mages were arrogant on the surface, once pushed, they were gentler than the holy maidens of the Radiant Church. The Eight Chapters of Olsylvia Academy’s Magic Department were all like this. Before they met Bella, they were proud and never looked at non-magic professions, but after meeting her, they became incredibly gentle.
Without much of a choice, Bella had to go shopping. Thermal underwear was the rage in this Other World. Although aristocratic ladies played by the sea, they wore dresses and soaked their bare feet in the water. None of them wore even the most basic sleeveless swimsuit, let alone bikinis.
Bella thought that a beach without swimsuits and bikinis couldn’t be called a beach at all. Previously, the girls would wear thermal underwear as swimsuits in swimming pools. Under Bella’s guidance and various evil means, her girlfriends and the girls around her began to wear bikinis.
It wasn’t practical to head to the beach now since Bella didn’t want the Rose Society girls showing off their beautiful bodies to the residents of Oldrango. Only when they arrived at Oni Island would she consider a swimwear party. Aside from the Olsylvia Academy, Bella had a secret relationship with the Student Union Presidents of half of the twelve human academies. In fact, her real opponent in this tournament was the Alessandra Academy for Foreign Races. The other academies basically posed no threat.
Bella and the girls were walking down Frida Street, the largest commercial street in Oldrango. Because of the heatwave, there weren’t many pedestrians at the moment. Bella and Mage Ariel possessed darkness properties. Their bodies had very low sensitivity to heat, so they wouldn’t sweat no matter how much they basked in the sun. However, the opposite was true for Princess Eveny and Princess Effie.
“Bella, it’s too hot. Shall we stop at a cafe?”
“Sure, Princess Eveny. Lead the way!”
Considering their status, shops along the street were very attentive to Bella and her party. Ordinarily, these storekeepers didn’t even look at foreign tourists, completely different from their present enthusiasm. Xenophobia was very serious in the Arcana nation. The goods in the stores were sold at the original price to the natives, but foreigners would have to pay more than double.
“Honorable Duchess Baize, our latest master-level Dark Mage robes, Dark Dawn, looks better than your current mage robes. For you, it’s half the usual price. Are you interested?”
“Princess Eveny, if you purchase the latest Great Sage Scepter, you will receive the entire Great Sage outfit along with it.”
“Princess Effie, our magic bible is on discount. Buy two get one free, and for a limited time only, buy ten copies and get a super magic crystal ball for free.”
Along the way, they passed many enthusiastic vendors who promoted magic artifacts. The Aldridge Empire was rich in these items, so the price was extremely low. This was equivalent to gasoline in oil-rich countries on earth being cheaper than water. The expensive magic artifacts sold in other empires were priced ridiculously low here.
The Great Sage Scepter cost tens of thousands of gold coins in other empires, but it was less than a thousand gold coins here, a price difference of more than ten times. Originally, tens of thousands of gold coins could only buy one a full set of Great Sage suits, which was included as a free gift here. The latest master-level Dark Mage robes, Dark Dawn, sold for over six hundred gold coins, with a discount of three hundred gold coins.
Even the most expensive magic bible was ridiculously cheap here—a few gold coins per copy. Gold coins weren’t hard to earn for mages. The empire’s magic artifacts were sold steeply elsewhere, mainly to fool mages from other empires into buying them. Mages from the Aldridge Empire had a high opinion of themselves. They only regarded their own kind as orthodox mages, while those from other empires were considered heretics. Hence, the exorbitant prices elsewhere weren’t unreasonable.
Since Bella was with several princesses, these magic artifacts dealers didn’t dare fool her. The Aldridge Empire never made it clear whether or not Bella was born here, and there were many who doubted her identity. Bella dismissed the sales promoters and gently held Princess Ariel’s hand to comfort her.
Princess Ariel wore a black cloak to hide her identity. It was rumored that she was still an ugly princess, so these vendors were unwilling to approach her, even if she was a princess. However, Ariel wasn’t upset. It didn’t matter if others thought her ugly, as long as Bella was good to her. Her beauty should only be seen by Bella and her close friends.
“Ariel, these vendors know nothing. Don’t mind them.”
“Bella, you don’t have to comfort me. I’m not so fragile. Take us to the cafe.”
Princess Eveny and Princess Effie no longer rejected Ariel as much. After seeing Ariel’s far more beautiful hands, they suspected that the rumors about her were fake. Unfortunately, Bella and Ariel hadn’t revealed anything yet, and it wasn’t appropriate for them to bring it up.
Princess Eveny and Princess Effie could only keep their thoughts to themselves, pretending they didn’t know how beautiful Princess Ariel really was. There were many cafes along Frida Street. Bella and the girls chose a cafe selling special ice creams. The cafe was called “Ice Love Song”, famous for its couple crepes. However, there were few couples in the store.
“Welcome! Oh, Princess Eveny, it’s you. What a rare occasion! Table for? Are you waiting for your boyfriend?”
“What nonsense. It’s just four of us. We don’t have boyfriends. Don’t listen to her nonsense, Duchess Baize… Um, Bella, what’s wrong with you?”
“No, it’s all right, Princess Eveny. Lead the way!”
The patrons of Ice Love Song were usually couples. As soon as the waitress noticed Princess Eveny, she assumed she was here with her boyfriend. She couldn’t help teasing her in the spirit of gossip. This frightened Princess Eveny and Princess Effie, who immediately interrupted the waitress’s wild imagination. Bella was present. If she misunderstood, there would be all sorts of shameful games for them to experience.
Bella didn’t care about the waitress’s teasing. As soon as she entered the cafe, she found something was wrong. She was scanned by something similar to radio waves. Princess Ariel, who was holding Bella’s hand, was also aware of the abnormality. She secretly clenched her hand, while Princess Effie and Princess Eveny were completely oblivious. Unlike Bella and Ariel, they were native inhabitants of the Other World.
“What’s the matter, Ariel? Do you feel something?”
“Mistress Bella, you can’t see anything in your Demon King state now. But you don’t have to change into your Demon God form. I’ll use collective magic.”
After a round of telepathic communication, Bella acquired part of Renegade Ariel’s abilities. This time, her eyes could finally see where the source of abnormality within the cafe was. Among the few diners here, two men and two women sitting at one table aroused Bella’s vigilance. All four of them wore mage apprentice robes with a certain human academy’s insignia on their chests.
From everyone else’s perspective, they appeared completely normal, like any mage apprentice. However, their true identities were exposed to Bella in her Quasi-Demon God state. There were several virtual screen-like objects on the top, front, and back of their heads. The screens resembled the menu page on certain VR games.
However, this wasn’t a VR game menu page, but a unique golden finger belonging to the Savior system, a plug-in menu which provided them with various artifacts and tasks as well as helped them collect data of the Other World residents. The uncomfortable staticky sensation Bella felt was due to being scanned by their plug-in system.
Demon Kings couldn’t see the Savior’s system, but it was different for Demon Gods. It seemed the Savior’s system wasn’t as strong as those natural plug-ins. As long as they were cut off from their system, one could easily crush them.
As Bella secretly observed the Saviors, these Saviors blankly stared at the information displayed on their system. The omnipotent system capable of scanning any native resident of the Other World actually showed a bunch of question marks after scanning Bella and Ariel. They couldn’t even tell the specific camp. The information on Ariel showed a combination of the Savior and Darkness Camp. Bella was even more strange. The information on her camp was a complete mess. The system couldn’t confirm anything at all.
