Chapter 1340: Give up, Nightfire?

"Everything is... alright, but what if I get caught?"

Nightfire shifted uneasily.

"I mean it. What if they see me, or—" She hesitated, "What if I get caught?"

Victor shook his head, lips curving in a calm, "Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. All you need to do is sneak in quietly, just a shadow in the dark, and sneak out quietly the same way. That’s all, darling. Trust yourself, and that’s all you need to do."

Nightfire shook her head, lips pressing into a stubborn line. "I understand that... but still, there’s a chance I might get caught. I mean, we’re talking about that woman—she’s mad. She sees everything. Who knows what she’ll do if she finds out?"Her expression turned dead serious, eyebrows knitting tight.

Victor stared at her, silent.

Honestly, she was right. There was always a risk, even if they prepared for everything.

"If that happens, I will intervene."Raven’s voice sliced through the quiet, her hand rising.

Everyone’s gaze snapped to her in mild surprise.

"After all," she said, "as a Chosen One, I can handle both energies. I can handle what’s coming, and..." Her lips curled in a faint, haughty smile. "I am fast." She swept her gaze over each face,

"I mean—very fast."

Well... she was not wrong. Raven’s speed outmatched any of them. Lately, her powers had grown unpredictable, almost wild—rising faster than even Victor’s.

However,

"She will kill you."

Victor’s words landed like a blade, "Mary would not hesitate, not for a heartbeat. If you cross into her territory, she will strike. And even if you’re faster than the wind, that woman’s speed is something you can’t underestimate."

He met Raven’s gaze, "Don’t think she’ll show mercy, not for you, not for anyone."

"I am Empress here." Raven’s eyes flashed, "She cannot simply cut me down. Does Mary know what it means to rouse the wrath of every dragon?"Her fury shimmered as she shot Victor a look—her husband, siding with that woman instead of her.

Victor shook his head, "That’s the point... You are Empress, and that means if you enter unbidden, she has every right to retaliate. The world already knows Void and Pyra are locked in enmity. If you cross the line, all eyes will blame you. Even your title will not shield you from consequence."

"Then what else should we do?" Thalia, unable to contain her irritation, "We cannot just stand here waiting, wringing our hands, if Nightfire gets caught. Are we truly helpless?"

Nightfire’s face fell, defeated and desperate. "Yeah, that’s why I’m saying... let’s end this disaster plan and let’s just fuck!!"

However, Victor only stared at her.

Nightfire’s cheeks flushed pink, "Oh my~ Are you going to fuck me here before everyone~ So naught—"Her voice faded, embarrassed and daring, but she couldn’t stop the blush from rising.

"I will intervene then."

"Huh?" Nightfire blurted, eyes wide, caught between shock and laughter.

Victor grinned, "If you get caught, I will come..."

Selene frowned, "And what makes you so sure Mary wouldn’t kill you?"

Victor just shrugged, "I don’t know. But if I’m sure of one thing, she would not kill me. Even if she tried... she could not."

His certainty was chilling as he grinned.

Nightfire’s face twisted in horror as she shouted, "FUCK—"

Now, currently...

"Now, that would have hurt us, you know~"

Mary spoke with a wicked grin curling on her lips as she stared at the last trails of purple flame falling from the sky, watching the fire slowly fade as dust and smoke settled all around them.

Morgana stood at her side, chest heaving from the near-disaster. If not for Mary’s timely intervention, Morgana knew she’d have burned alive—roasted where she stood.

As the haze cleared, her eyes locked on Victor, who knelt in the chaos, cradling Nightfire in his arms.

Morgana’s face twisted with fury, lips curling back. "How dare you!!"

She stepped forward, but Mary calmly blocked her path with an outstretched hand.

Mary’s eyes glittered as she addressed Victor, "You know... what’s your current situation, right? Dragon Emperor~" She smiled wickedly from beneath her veiled silhouette.

Victor didn’t spare a glance at the gathering enemies; his entire focus was on Nightfire, fragile and broken in his arms, blood staining her lips.

"T-Took you long enough..." Nightfire managed, her voice a broken whisper.

Victor’s hands trembled as he brushed her nose softly, a broken smile forming on his lips.

"Sneak in quiet? Sneak out quiet? That was the plan, right?" His tone tried to be gentle, but pain and guilt edged every word.

Nightfire let out a weak, lopsided smile, shoulders giving a tiny shrug as if to say, ’What can you do?’

Victor shook his head. He took a high-grade healing potion from his storage and pressed it to Nightfire’s lips, urging her to drink and mend her wounds.

Then, for the first time, he looked up and realised they were surrounded—hundreds of guards and workers in armour glared at him with open hostility.

After all, Victor was the one who had once stormed their Empire, the invader who hurt their Empress.

And now, again?

They were not about to let this dragon-claimed stranger do as he wished in their land, not anymore.

Victor ignored their rage and fixed his gaze on Mary and Morgana as they approached with cool, unhurried steps.

Mary’s expression was all regal calm, "Last time, you saved my daughter, so I personally overlooked your previous attacks. But now..." She drew a breath, "This is, diplomatically speaking, a fucking invasion! So tell me, Dragon Emperor—what business do you have with my subjects?"

A guard hurried forward, bowing briefly before handing over Nightfire’s Origin Card.

Mary accepted it, turning the card in her slender fingers with mild curiosity.

"What’s there to discuss? Just kill him already!"

Morgana furiously shouted, eyes narrowing as she glared at Nightfire, who was quietly sipping the healing potion, deliberately avoiding Morgana’s burning gaze.

Mary shook her head, smirk deepening."No, no... Let’s give him a chance, shall we?" She looked directly at Victor, as if daring him to speak.

Victor glanced around at the hostile faces, then met Mary’s eyes without flinching.

"Unfortunately for you, I am in love with her—"

"Cough, cough!"

Nightfire nearly choked on her potion, face turning beet red, embarrassment and shock colliding as she hid behind her tangled hair.

Victor’s lips quirked in faint amusement, but his attention never strayed from Mary.

"Today, I came to take her from this place to mine. Only to find her targeted by two monsters?"

Morgana scoffed, folding her arms and tossing her head back in cruel laughter.

"Love her? Hahaha... Oh my goodness... You love a succubus? Don’t you have anyone better than that? How far the mighty Dragon Emperor has fallen!"

Victor raised an eyebrow, "Indeed... this woman made me fall for her more than anyone before." His tone was soft, but unshakable, and laced with a hint of pride.

For reasons she refused to acknowledge, Morgana’s face twisted—disgust and anger warring in her eyes as she glared at Nightfire with open contempt.

"I’m telling you, that guy’s going to use you and throw you away... like shit!"

Mary raised her hand,

"It doesn’t matter what you love..."

"That girl—your Nightfire—secretly crept into the most heavily guarded sanctum of my Empire. She knew the risks, and as punishment for her crime...

She must die.

There are no exceptions to my rule, Victor. And you..."

Mary’s eyes lifted, meeting Victor’s with a cold, "You—Dragon Emperor—marched into my Empire. Into this land. You came without prior notice, without a letter, without the simplest sign of respect. "Her words curled sly,

"As a ruler, you should know the weight of such actions. What you’ve done is more than trespass—it is, in every sense, a call to WAR.

This is practically begging for it!"

Her tone hardened, fingers tapping meaningfully on Nightfire’s Origin Card.

Victor stood utterly still.

He understood the stakes.

Mary was baiting him, pushing the crisis to its breaking point with the threat of open war.

If anything, the Void Empire now held the strongest hand at this broken table—its resources vast, its warriors unbroken.

The other Empires... their strength stripped!

If Void wanted to, they could roll across the empires.

Honestly, if their positions were reversed, he might have done it already.

And yet, The Void Empire had not made such a move. Perhaps they didn’t care, or... perhaps their indifference was more frightening than conquest.

But for Mary to speak of war now, to dangle that word before him... She was throwing down a gauntlet.

It was a challenge... meant to show just how close he stood to annihilation.

One war led to another, and then another—like falling dominoes.

His decision, here and now, could shatter the fragile peace.

"I told you, didn’t I? Don’t get involved with my Empire."

Morgana’s voice slid through the air, sly and mocking. Her lips curled in a disappointed, disgusted smile,

"You should know your limit, Victor. You should have known it."

No matter what the others said, it was undeniable: Victor had crossed a forbidden line.

No one could blame Morgana or Mary; they had issued every warning, set every boundary, and he alone had ignored them.

He knew the feeling. If their positions were reversed, he would never let such a trespass pass unpunished.

Mary and Morgana same as him.

They were waiting.... Calculating!

Like queens across a chessboard, waiting for him to move, hoping for an opening they could turn to their advantage.

Victor looked down at Nightfire. Her body, still battered, slowly healed beneath the power of the potion, but her eyes were fixed on him...

Would he ignite a war for her sake? Would he risk the fate of Empires for the love of a single, trembling woman?

Or would he abandon her to fate, preserve his Empire?

Of course, he thought, the answer was already written.

Give up, Nightfire?

Surrender the woman he bled for, just to hold onto a throne?

Never!!

But if he called for war, everyone in his Empire would bleed.... A nightmare would unravel for Nightfire!

Irony~

But Victor was Victor.

When others saw only two choices, he always found a third path.

He was no one’s pawn.

"Hehe~"

A sly, dangerous smile from Victor’s lips, enough to make even the boldest soldier tense.

He always found his own answer!

"You know, I like that wicked smile on his face... it makes me... feel weirdly excited..."

Mary whispered, leaning close to Morgana, her eyes fixed on Victor’s face.

"But when he points it at me, when I see that damn grin... I absolutely fucking hate it."

Morgana rolled her eyes. Her brow creased in a frown as Victor’s laugh grew louder and then,

"I know... Where is your Grenthollow"

GASP!

No, not from Mary or Morgana, but from the People who were witnessing this.

Mary and Morgana’s faces darkened instantly.

He had used that card!!