I'm Back.

As they gazed at the explosion ruins,

Another steam car, billowing black smoke and having lost power, slowly came to a stop in front of Luo Wei.

Police Chief Raymond emerged, looking disheveled.

"Luo Wei... thanks... thanks for your warning..."

He was breathing heavily, his tense nerves only now beginning to calm down.

"Otherwise... I would have been blown to pieces in there..."

Luo Wei looked at him - apart from some minor scrapes, he was intact from head to toe, still as vigorous as before.

As expected of him.

The fastest police officer in all of Saint Callen.

The two bedraggled men exchanged glances, both letting out bitter smiles as they sat on the ground.

Looking at the ruined building in the distance, Police Chief Raymond furrowed his brow, "This is no longer just a simple case of disappearance and theft..."

Hearing those screams, his tone grew increasingly indignant.

"What could be their purpose... targeting so many defenseless civilians, it's too much! It's absolutely insane!"

"A bloody ritual by the Truth Cult? An enemy nation's declaration of war? Or perhaps..."

As he pondered more seriously, the possibilities had already far exceeded his jurisdiction as the East District Police Chief.

While Raymond was lost in thought, many of his colleagues arrived from all directions in vehicles with blaring sirens, heading toward the ruins.

After all, the people gathered in this area were either wealthy or noble - if anything happened to them, the entire Saint Callen Police Department would be held accountable.

Luo Wei slightly frowned as various pieces of evidence flashed through his mind.

An upscale venue for the wealthy and noble, a hijacked airship, a student who could pilot airships, the Truth Cult, the misleading method of operation...

And a balloon.

That afternoon, colorful flags had lined the streets as the Emperor reduced taxes for merchants.

It was to welcome someone.

Luo Wei looked at Raymond with a dark expression.

"Where was the Fifth Princess attending the banquet?"

These words immediately shocked Raymond to his core. Even with his slow reactions, he realized what this meant.

His expression became even darker than Luo Wei's.

With trembling fingers, he pointed toward the ruins ahead.

"The Imperial Hotel..."

It's over.

This was Raymond's first thought.

Though people said this Fifth Princess wasn't favored by His Majesty, she was still a member of the royal family, His Majesty's youngest child, a figure far too important for him to even contemplate...

And looking at today's festive street scenes, where was the supposed disfavor toward the Fifth Princess? His Majesty clearly adored her...

But regardless, the Fifth Princess had died in the safest and most prosperous East District, died in his jurisdiction...

It was truly over...

Raymond's face turned ashen as he muttered under his breath.

"Assassination..."

"It was an assassination..."

And Luo Wei, upon hearing that Ophelia had just been in that area and might have died in the explosion...

Felt waves of shock surge through his heart.

Impossible... how could this be...

Ophelia dead? Dead right under his nose?

Could death come so easily?

As he was still in shock and questioning reality...

His palm was suddenly gripped tightly by Helena.

Following Helena's vigilant gaze, Luo Wei looked straight ahead.

A large black carriage drawn by four horses was rapidly approaching their direction.

The carriage moved extremely fast and emitted a faint mysterious glow.

Luo Wei narrowed his eyes for a closer look - the black carriage bore a complex coat of arms combining a black dragon, sword and shield, and thorny flowers.

It was a royal carriage.

Raymond's whole body trembled at the sight of the carriage, feeling a surge of excitement and elation.

Not because he wanted to shout "Long live His Majesty!" or anything like that... but because the carriage had come from the direction of the ruins, and could very likely be the Princess's transport!

"Luo Wei! Luo Wei, look!"

"I won't lose my job! The Princess is still alive!!"

"Eh? Luo Wei, what's wrong?"

Luo Wei's expression was completely opposite to Raymond's. When he clearly saw the royal coat of arms, his expression immediately turned sour.

Then, as if struck by stomach pain, he crouched down and pulled Helena down with him.

"Don't look back..."

Don't see me, don't see me...

The royal carriage sped past where the three of them were crouching, heading toward a more distant location.

Dust filled the air, leaving the three covered in dirt and grime.

Helena waved away the dust, her brows unconsciously furrowing.

Her eyes glanced at the recklessly charging carriage, her gaze deepening.

Was it her carriage?

Helena looked at her brother again, wanting to see his expression.

Luo Wei crouched on the ground, heavy with worry, still not daring to look at the now-distant carriage.

Thank goodness... she didn't see me...

Although he knew they would meet someday, he really didn't want to see her at this time.

Helena watched her brother's nervous demeanor and tilted her head slightly.

"Brother?"

...

Inside the speeding carriage, a woman with silver-white hair gently lifted the curtain.

Everything behind the carriage was rapidly receding - the ruins, thick smoke, police, panicked pedestrians.

As her gaze passed by casually, Ophelia looked at the civilians crouching on the ground in the distance, her delicate brows slightly furrowing.

There was an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

But the carriage was too fast, and in the next second, those small figures had disappeared from view.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?"

The lady-in-waiting asked softly.

"Nothing."

The cold voice responded quietly.

Perhaps it was just an illusion born from her thoughts.

"Your Highness," an attendant carefully asked:

"His Majesty wants you to return to the palace immediately, and with such dangerous events occurring outside, do you still want to go to that place?"

In the bumpy and dark carriage, the attendant couldn't see the Princess's expression.

But this wordless silence made the attendant even more nervous.

Their Princess was a woman of few words with a cold personality.

More importantly, the Princess was ruthless in her methods, making it impossible for anyone to guess her thoughts, which made every attendant extremely cautious when communicating with her.

The atmosphere remained deathly silent as beads of sweat formed on the attendant's forehead.

As the Princess continued to withhold her response and the attendant grew increasingly nervous...

"Go see Father."

The cold voice spoke again.

The attendant immediately felt relieved.

But not daring to show it on his face, he simply responded repeatedly.

"Yes!"

The royal carriage slowed down, gradually turning at the intersection ahead.

Ophelia glanced at the increasingly familiar Saint Callen Street, a hint of nostalgia appearing in her eyes.

She wasn't nostalgic for this city - she didn't like this city.

Rather...

In the darkness, Ophelia's lips curved slightly upward.

I'm back.

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Here's four chapters! Written in the deep mountains and forests! Please urge for updates, leave comments, and send small gifts~