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Nicholas William\'s voice grew serious. "Wouldn\'t it be better to just capture one of their ministers? They\'ve been in the capital the whole time, so they must know the details of what\'s been happening."

Dean Bruce shook his head and replied, "Ministers are still just officials. There are many things they might not be privy to. Besides, the entire Joy family seems rather strange. The information we get from them should be more genuine."

Nicholas William nodded and said, "Teacher, whatever you need me to do, just tell me. From what it looks like, my fiancée\'s fate is already sealed. The only way I can avenge her is by uncovering the truth!"

"Don\'t be so pessimistic. There are too many suspicious points about this incident. Your fiancée might still be alive," Dean Bruce said calmly. "Rest well. After the banquet tonight, we\'ll see where things stand before making any decisions."

As he finished speaking, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside.

Miranda Joy entered and bowed respectfully. "Elder, there\'s still some time before the banquet begins. Would you like to train? My palace has a training room with a Spirit Gathering Magic Array."

"Although the array\'s effect can\'t match that of the Magic Guild, it will still enhance your cultivation significantly."

Dean Bruce, being highly cautious of the Joy family, naturally refused to enter such a magic array. Shaking his head, he said, "No need. I\'ll just rest here for a while. Call me when the banquet is about to begin."

"Understood."

Despite his words, Miranda Joy did not leave Dean Bruce alone. Instead, she took a seat nearby and continued in a respectful tone, "Elder, has this incident caused a great disturbance? For it to have reached the attention of someone like you at the headquarters."

"It doesn\'t seem that serious," Dean Bruce countered. "After all, your two brothers haven\'t returned, which means not many people must know about it."

Miranda Joy\'s face showed a trace of embarrassment as she softly explained, "Perhaps my brothers are preoccupied with military affairs and couldn\'t make it back. You see, the Empire of Lane Cloud borders several other empires, especially the Dragonrock Empire and the Bloodfire Empire. They are extremely aggressive and have instigated wars multiple times.

My brothers are probably staying away for the greater good."

"Otherwise, if they learn about internal unrest within the Empire of Lane Cloud, they might launch a full-scale invasion!"

Hearing mention of the Dragonrock Empire, Dean Bruce\'s mind couldn\'t help but stir.

It seemed that the runaway saintess\'s fiancé was a prince of the Dragonrock Empire!

If the Dragonrock Empire had such a poor reputation, it would make sense why she would want to flee from the marriage.

However, considering the gravity of her position, running away from such a marriage would have dire consequences!

Dean Bruce steadied his mind and remained cautious, unwilling to fully trust Miranda Joy\'s words. He chatted with her casually, attempting to probe for more information.

Unfortunately, Miranda Joy was skilled in conversation. Despite her youth and relatively low status, she managed to respond impeccably without Dean Bruce having to resort to asserting his rank. She answered with just enough detail, leaving almost no useful information for him to latch onto.

The only thing he could confirm was that there were indeed internal issues within the Empire of Lane Cloud. Miranda Joy\'s two brothers were far away on the empire\'s borders, and Prani Joy was suffering from a severe illness. He was relying on medication to keep himself alert and maintain stability in the current situation.

But that was not a sustainable solution.

From the moment Dean Bruce watched Prani Joy take his medicine, he could tell that the king wouldn\'t last long. The medicine didn\'t improve his health—instead, it was draining his vitality and spreading toxins throughout his body.

Once the poison had fully consumed his internal organs, his death would be inevitable.

When that day came, Miranda Joy would be the only remaining member of the royal family in the capital, and it would be obvious who the next king would be.

Because of this, Dean Bruce\'s suspicions about Miranda Joy grew stronger. He started to believe she might be the mastermind behind everything.

But there were still too many unanswered questions!

Dean Bruce could sense that Miranda Joy\'s strength wasn\'t particularly impressive. How could someone like her make so many people disappear without a trace?

One must consider that those who survived in the capital—especially the generals—were by no means weak. Even if their magical understanding wasn\'t as profound as Dean Bruce\'s, their levels and magical power were certainly superior. How had Miranda Joy managed to ensnare them all?

Could it be that Miranda Joy was pretending to be weak?

But that didn\'t make sense either!

If Miranda Joy truly possessed such strength, there\'d be no need for subterfuge—she could simply disregard her own identity and openly challenge for power!

All in all, the situation remained incredibly perplexing.

Time passed slowly, and before long, night began to fall as Dean Bruce and Miranda Joy continued their conversation.

Soon, a group of maids entered the hall and placed mineral stones inside the lanterns, instantly lighting up the entire room with a soft glow.

Miranda Joy bowed respectfully and said, "Elder, the time is drawing near. Shall we go to the banquet?"

Dean Bruce didn\'t refuse. Nodding slightly, he replied, "Lead the way. I\'m quite curious to see how the Empire of Lane Cloud entertains its guests."

Hearing this, Miranda Joy forced an awkward smile. She could discern the subtle undertone in Dean Bruce\'s words.

After leaving the palace, Miranda Joy led Dean Bruce and Nicholas William toward the grand hall at the end of the staircase.

As they drew closer, Dean Bruce could see hundreds of people struggling to climb the stairs. Many were civil officials whose physical condition was rather poor. With their inherent lack of strength and advanced age, the climb up these stairs at night proved to be a difficult task.

The air was filled with grumbles and complaints, causing a look of embarrassment to flash across Miranda Joy\'s face.

Dean Bruce shook his head slightly, realizing for the first time that even in a world with extraordinary power and magical abilities, there were still many ordinary people.

He had always assumed that in such a world, those with power would also possess great strength. But now it seemed that was not necessarily the case.

Noticing Dean Bruce\'s subtle shake of the head, Miranda Joy thought he was displeased with the murmuring complaints. She immediately cleared her throat lightly.

In an instant, everyone climbing the stairs sensed something was amiss. Looking up, they saw Miranda Joy and their expressions shifted instantly. Smiles broke out on their faces as they respectfully bowed to her.

Among the crowd were several individuals with formidable strength, their bodies surging with magical energy. Some had already reached the level of Grand Magus or even Archmage, yet they still displayed obsequious smiles.

Aside from the weaker officials, those with greater strength quickened their pace and reached the top of the stairs in a few strides, approaching Miranda Joy with utmost respect. Their gazes drifted toward Dean Bruce and Nicholas William, filled with curiosity and confusion.

"Allow me to introduce you all," Miranda Joy announced, her voice carrying a hint of pride. "This is Elder Dean from the Magic Guild Headquarters, a powerful figure in his own right. Tonight\'s banquet is held to welcome Elder Dean and express our gratitude for his assistance."

"An Elder from the Magic Guild Headquarters?" read-only-on-MvLeMpYr

Upon hearing this, all eyes turned toward Dean Bruce, and the atmosphere grew tense.

As they sensed the fluctuations of magical energy within Dean Bruce\'s body, they could only detect the power level of a mere Magus. Naturally, they didn\'t believe it, assuming instead that his true strength must far surpass theirs, leading to such a severe misjudgment on their part.

No matter how young Dean Bruce appeared, the crowd grew tense in an instant, treating him as a true powerhouse.

Of course, their instincts weren\'t wrong. Dean Bruce possessed numerous high-level spells and the ability to comprehend and wield transboundary magic with ten times the usual potency. Coupled with the various magical artifacts he carried, his true strength was indeed deserving of the title "powerhouse."

As a result, all the dissatisfaction these officials had felt at being summoned in the dead of night dissipated instantly. Smiling and bowing respectfully, they ushered Dean Bruce into the grand hall with the utmost courtesy.

Upon entering the hall, Dean Bruce was greeted by a brightly lit space filled with tables, each one set individually and laden with delicacies and fine wine. In front of each table was a cushion placed for seating.

The many officials found their respective seats according to their rank, bowed slightly, and sat on their cushions. However, none of them dared to touch the food or wine. They only engaged in quiet conversations with the officials next to them.

The grand hall also featured a long staircase leading up to an elevated platform where a larger, more ornate table stood.

It clearly the king\'s seat.

Yet, to Dean Bruce\'s surprise, Miranda Joy guided him up the staircase and toward that very table.

Seeing this, the officials already seated couldn\'t help but have their pupils constrict, their faces filled with shock.

Typically, only the most distinguished guests were allowed to sit beside an empire\'s king!

Strength alone wasn\'t sufficient.

Even for those who had reached the rank of Sage Magus, if they didn\'t have the backing of an empire or a top-tier organization, they still wouldn\'t qualify!

No matter how powerful you were, you couldn\'t single-handedly oppose an entire empire.

If tens of thousands or even millions of soldiers were to attack you simultaneously, using special methods to seal off space, it wouldn\'t matter if you were a Sage Magus, a Martial Saint, or a Sword Saint. As long as your magical or physical energy was drained completely, death would be your only outcome.

That level of power capable of nation-level destruction could only be achieved by those who had stepped into the realm of divinity!

While everyone was still reeling from shock, Dean Bruce reached the top of the staircase and noticed something unusual. Besides the central table, two smaller tables were set to either side, similarly adorned with food and wine.

Miranda Joy led Dean Bruce and Nicholas William to the right side and said respectfully, "Elder, please take your seat. This is the highest form of hospitality we can offer. I hope you won\'t decline."

Dean Bruce\'s eyes narrowed slightly. He had a strong feeling that this banquet was going to bring forth more than just food and wine—there was sure to be a greater drama unfolding tonight!