"Your Highness?" Evelyn looked at Luo Wei with confusion. Who was this 'Your Highness'?
There weren't many people in the entire empire who could be addressed this way, so how was Luo Wei connected to them?
Moreover, these people who suddenly appeared weren't ordinary folks.
Especially their leader - though average-looking, he emanated an extremely dangerous aura. This person must be very powerful.
Evelyn grew increasingly curious about how Luo Wei had gotten involved with such people.
Under everyone's gaze, Luo Wei's expression remained unchanged.
He simply put down his cutlery quietly and looked up to question the man.
"Can't this wait? We haven't finished eating yet."
Having his sister and teacher together for a meal was unprecedented...
Unfortunately, these people had to ruin it.
The man quickly replied with a smile: "Mr. Luo Wei, His Highness has prepared a sumptuous dinner for you, there's no need to worry."
Though his smile seemed sincere, his eyes revealed an unyielding determination.
Luo Wei stared at him expressionlessly while sighing internally.
What was meant to come would always come...
There was no avoiding Ophelia this time.
Just as he slowly stood up, preparing to follow the man in black.
Helena suddenly clenched her fists and stood in front of him.
"You're not taking my brother away!!"
Everyone turned to look at her.
Her shoulders and arms began trembling violently.
Her gaze, unflinching, locked onto the man in black, her tentacles seemingly ready to strike at any moment.
Seeing her state, everyone immediately showed vigilant expressions, their hands moving toward weapons hidden under their coats, ready to attack if Helena made any moves.
"Helena!" Luo Wei quickly tried to grab her.
But it was too late. The leader, seeing Helena's intention to block them, immediately unleashed his power.
Luo Wei couldn't even see how he attacked, but a chaotic burst of energy struck his cheek, and Helena stepped back with a muffled groan.
"Don't touch my sister." Luo Wei shot the man a cold glance while hurrying to support Helena's body.
Helena's emotions grew increasingly agitated, and Luo Wei worried she might transform into something fearsome right there in the small tavern, instantly becoming surrounded and attacked.
None of Ophelia's people would be easy to deal with.
"Miss, His Highness's orders cannot be defied," the man in black warned.
Luo Wei ignored him and turned to Helena reassuringly.
"I'll be gone for a while, wait for me at home like a good girl, I'll be back soon."
Then, ignoring Helena's struggles, he winked at Evelyn.
"Teacher, please take care of my sister."
And with that, he followed the group out of the tavern without looking back.
"I don't need her to take care of me!!"
"Brother!"
Helena's calls came from behind, but she was quickly pulled back by Evelyn.
"Don't be rash! Those guys... they're even more troublesome than the Special Affairs Department agents..."
Evelyn watched the group's retreating figures vigilantly.
"People of our status shouldn't carelessly cause trouble for Luo Wei..."
As she said this, she suddenly remembered the look Luo Wei had given her before being taken away.
It felt like that guy had some hidden meaning.
No wonder he suddenly let her out... had he anticipated something like this would happen?
...
After being led into a dimly lit carriage,
Luo Wei was blindfolded with an opaque black mask by the man.
"Mr. Luo Wei, I apologize for the inconvenience."
Experiencing complete darkness before his eyes, Luo Wei gave a cold laugh.
"Where exactly are you taking me? Is all this secrecy really necessary?"
His question was met with silence; the man spoke no more.
Then, the carriage began to shake slightly as it sped off in a certain direction.
Though he couldn't see anything, Luo Wei's familiarity with Saint Callen's streets and alleys these past days told him the carriage was heading toward the outskirts of the city.
The ride changed from smooth to bumpy - there weren't such uneven roads within the city.
Luo Wei silently counted the time in his head. After about three hours of silent travel, the carriage finally came to a gradual stop.
When his blindfold was removed, the sudden light made him squint.
"Mr. Luo Wei, please follow me."
After getting out of the carriage, Luo Wei was surprised to find himself at a countryside manor in the twilight hours.
Looking out, he saw endless farmland, with windmills turning lazily on the mill, while cricket chirps echoed from the wheat fields along the country path.
A gentle breeze passed by, and Luo Wei took a deep breath.
The air here wasn't as polluted as in Saint Callen city, instead offering a refreshing sensation that lifted one's spirits.
As Luo Wei looked around, his gaze stopped on the manor in the distance, and he froze.
Not because of the beautiful pastoral scenery.
But because he had been here before.
This was the countryside manor where he first met Ophelia in his first timeline.
She had actually brought him to this place?
Luo Wei followed the man in black, continuously observing his surroundings.
But as he looked, he suddenly realized something was off.
The original manor hadn't been in Saint Callen's suburbs, but in the countryside of another city.
So how could there be scenery identical to that countryside manor here?
Unless...
When the man in black led him through the gates and into the manor,
Luo Wei immediately confirmed his suspicion.
The manor's interior was exquisitely decorated, but there were subtle differences from his memories.
Though the layout and furnishings were identical, he felt this place was newer, lacking that sense of aged grandeur that came from years of minimal maintenance typical of royal countryside manors.
This meant...
Everything here, from the farmland to the manor, every brick and tile, every blade of grass, had been meticulously replicated by Ophelia.
Luo Wei felt a deep sense of shock.
What level of obsession would drive someone to such detailed replication? How much must she miss their life at that manor from those days...
To the point of forcibly creating an identical manor in the precious outskirts of Saint Callen.
Along with the shock came fear, fear of the unknown...
Luo Wei didn't know what Ophelia intended to do.
As an imperial princess, she had the most forceful personality among them all. Judging from this manor, her obsession was no less than Helena's, and for Luo Wei, given her power and authority, she might be even more troublesome to deal with in some ways...
"Your Highness, Mr. Luo Wei has arrived."
After saying this, the man in black nodded to Luo Wei and quietly left the dining room door.
[Save Point: Ophelia's Manor]
[Available Save Slots: 5/5]
Looking at the suddenly appearing save point prompt, Luo Wei took a deep breath.
After making his final mental preparations, he slowly pushed open the door.
He was greeted by a long dining table adorned with beautifully patterned cloth, where elegant candlesticks cast flickering flames.
The manor's mistress turned around with a smile.
As twilight faded away,
In the thick night, a bright moon shone through the stained glass windows, illuminating her porcelain-like delicate skin and breathtakingly beautiful features.
"Luo Wei."
She smiled as she walked closer, her moon-white silver hair flowing slightly.
Luo Wei watched the approaching woman and also showed a slight smile.
"Ophelia, it's been a long time."
Like old friends who hadn't met for years, Ophelia extended her arms and gently embraced Luo Wei.
"Indeed, it has been a long time..."
As she spoke, that face that usually remained cold to others showed the cunning smile of a girl her age.
"Four years have passed, did you miss me?"
Luo Wei smiled as they embraced silently.
"Of course I did."
"Really?" Ophelia released him, her gaze slightly doubtful.
"You were gone for four years, and after returning you didn't come to see me first. It doesn't seem like you missed me as much as you say?"
"Well..." Luo Wei instinctively explained: "I had quite a few things to deal with, I was planning to come after handling everything..."
"I don't like lying."
The cold voice suddenly rang out.
Ophelia's smile faded as she gently placed her palm on Luo Wei's chest.
"Don't try to deceive me, because I know what you're thinking."
Luo Wei blinked, his smile turning innocent.
But in his heart, he wondered, 'Is that really true?'
He didn't remember Ophelia having mind-reading abilities.
When their eyes met, the character information appeared before him.
[Ophelia]
[Race: Unknown]
[Affection Level: 100]
[Corruption Level: 15]
[Description: Cherishing the past with you, dreaming of the future with you]
The character information was incomplete, lacking a surname, race, and attribute information.
This was because she had left the "containment" state, similar to when he first crossed into the game and met Helena.
But with previous lessons learned, Luo Wei didn't believe she was as harmless as the initial prompt suggested.
Her race was something extraordinary, and when dealing with Ophelia, he needed to be extremely cautious.
"Well, since you have your secrets, I'm not one to pry," a faint smile returned to Ophelia's face.
She led Luo Wei to sit at the dining table.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you? They're busy in the kitchen preparing all your old favorites from the manor."
Luo Wei nodded and smiled, "Thank you."
"Don't be so formal with me." Ophelia's eyebrows raised slightly, "Everything here is prepared for you."
As she spoke, she looked around, her gaze settling on the window outside.
"After Father King granted me certain powers, I wanted to buy that village from back then, but unfortunately..."
She shook her head slightly, sighing, "It's now become a factory district, filled with choking fumes and polluted water. Our beautiful memories have been completely erased by the uncontrolled expansion of the Magical Industry..."
"However..."
"Everything here beneath your feet is identical to the manor where we first met, even the surrounding scenery has been recreated exactly as it was."
Ophelia gazed intently at Luo Wei, smiling once again.
"Do you like it?"
"Of course I do," Luo Wei said with a smile, not daring to say otherwise in this situation.
However, right after he spoke those words.
[Ophelia]
[Corruption Level +1]
[Corruption Level +1]
[Corruption Level +1]
Luo Wei froze.
Ophelia's expression remained unchanged, with that gentle, serene smile still on her lips.
But her corruption level had started rising uncontrollably after his response!
Could she really read minds??