Lia nervously clenched her fists, looking at Elo like a little rabbit.

Elo stared at Lia for several seconds, his face returning to calm. “Let’s go inside to talk.”

Thus both figures disappeared together in firelight. Read full story at novel fire.net

When they reappeared, they were back in the bedroom palace.

Elo sat sprawled on his throne, one hand supporting his chin, looking at Lia standing below.

“This is my royal palace. You don’t need to speak hesitantly and unclearly.”

In Lia’s perception, only the two of them remained in the room.

Although Lia couldn’t know if anyone was monitoring from the shadows, she believed the Black Flame Emperor would take responsibility for the secrecy here.

If the other party still chose to transmit the information she revealed to other Tribunal personnel under these circumstances, Lia could only accept it.

“Lord Stuart is in the deepest part of the Tribunal. You know where that place is, but please forgive me, I cannot say.”

Elo didn’t get angry because of this. Lia had almost exposed the answer right before him.

“Maze Corridor…” What Lia couldn’t specify, he could directly speak aloud.

Elo had already thought of Stuart being trapped in the Maze Corridor.

An indescribable fury burned up from his heart. But this fourth-rank wizard extremely skilled at controlling Black Flame was equally skilled at controlling his own anger.

Though he was furious, he also knew what to do at what time.

So this fury ultimately just circled once in Elo’s chest before returning to the unknown depths of consciousness.

It just hadn’t extinguished – waiting for kindling to blaze across the plains again.

Elo didn’t change his posture at all, directly asking Lia, “What are you trying to achieve by telling me this?”

Lia knew she had succeeded. “So that when the black tide comes in three years, the Tribunal can focus maximum energy on resisting the black tide.”

“So selfless? But aren’t you afraid that telling me about Stuart will cause me to break with Frim, leading to the Tribunal’s collapse and ultimate inability to organize effective black tide resistance?”

Lia raised her head. “I know you won’t. You treasure the Black Flame Empire and your people more than anyone.”

Elo moved his palm from his chin to his brow bone, cold eyes sweeping over. “So you’re deliberately clarifying this matter to persuade me to consider the big picture and endure Frim this time?”

Lia’s body trembled lightly, like being stripped naked and thrown into icy seawater.

Her teeth chattered constantly, even her voice becoming somewhat disconnected. “No, can’t endure. Endure once, and there will be a next time. He already sees the Tribunal as private property, even considers the Tribunal more important than Nephret.”

As she spoke, the cold sensation decreased and finally disappeared. Lia’s voice no longer trembled.

Elo leaned back slightly. “Speak then. How do you want to proceed?”

He hadn’t been provoked to resistance by Lia’s words. In Elo’s view, whether it was his compromise with Frim or disputes with Frim that triggered earthquakes, ultimately everything was to help Nephret Continent persist under black tide erosion.

If Lia proposed directly breaking with Frim and the two sides fighting each other, he absolutely wouldn’t agree.

Instead, he might directly hand Lia over to Frim for handling. This seemingly heartless scene would also be for the Tribunal’s stability.

Without the Tribunal, relying on his power alone couldn’t protect Black Flame at all.

However, Lia’s next words weren’t about instigating their relationship.

“Your Majesty Elo, we all acknowledge that in Chief Frim’s heart, protecting Nephret Continent and resisting black tides comes first. It’s just that as time passes, many things have occupied his mind. We only hope Lord Frim can return to purity and focus on resisting black tide erosion of Nephret.”

“Seems the power behind you isn’t small either.” Elo chuckled lightly. “Stop the empty talk. Tell me, what do you hope I’ll do by coming to persuade me, or are you just advising me to do nothing?”

Lia pressed her chest and bowed in salute. “Apologies, Your Majesty Elo. Today I only came to convey our principles and don’t intend to exchange your promises using this opportunity. We understand that once you discover what we’re doing isn’t beneficial to Nephret, even if you promise today, you’ll definitely violate it in the future. We only hope that when you need to make choices in the future, you’ll consider what’s best for Nephret, rather than worrying about personal relationships and benefit entanglements.”

“Finished? That’s all?” Elo somewhat didn’t believe it.

Lia remained bowed, just raising her head slightly. “Finished. That’s all.”

However, just as her words ended, her peripheral vision suddenly saw a streak of black firelight, followed by violent impact and intense explosion.

In the deafening explosion, Lia almost thought she had already become charcoal in the firelight. But when her consciousness slightly recovered, she found herself lying on the small garden’s ground, her entire body transmitting burning pain that almost forced her unconscious again.

She was somewhat shocked for a moment, not expecting Emperor Elo would actually do this.

Feeling somewhat frustrated and wronged in her heart, she ultimately hadn’t been able to properly complete the task Lord Saul had assigned.

She struggled to climb up from the ground, with some skin tissue being peeled away during the rising motion.

Very painful, but Lia didn’t dare cast magic in Emperor Elo’s small garden, as that might anger him again.

She limped outward, her flesh sticking to her clothes, inflicting a second round of punishment. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on N()velFire.net

To avoid fainting again, she walked while reflecting on what exactly she had done wrong. When Lia finally stepped out of the small garden, two familiar figures rushed over.

These were two wizards who had accompanied Lia. They supported her left and right, both showing shock in their eyes.

When they asked about the other person, Lia told them with difficulty that he had already turned to ash.

One of the older wizards shook his head saying, “I already said not to actively disturb His Majesty Elo. You young people, just…”

He didn’t finish the rest, but Lia also knew the other party thought she and the deceased wizard, relying on their status as Tribunal wizards, had acted imprudently when communicating with Elo and deserved being dealt with like this.

Listening to the wizard’s nagging beside her, Lia suddenly understood why Emperor Elo had attacked her at the end!

The wizard who had directly entered the garden earlier was indeed instigated by Lia to actively offend Emperor Elo. And Lia wanted to use the apology as opportunity to speak with Elo.

But doing this was still somewhat abrupt. If Lia returned completely unharmed, people might suspect she had said something to Elo that prevented him from punishing her.

Now, Elo’s final strike had nearly roasted her to charcoal as well. This way, any communication the two might have had become her offending a fourth-rank wizard and being directly taught a lesson, nearly dying.

Soon, the three walked out of Emperor Elo’s bedroom palace. One wizard continued chattering endlessly, seemingly afraid of being implicated, while another wizard directly began treating Lia’s burns.

Facing the head-spinning accusations, Lia could only smile bitterly. “I understand now. I truly understand.”

(End of Chapter)

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