First Move, Checkmate: How Will You Respond?

Duke Rivierre appeared behind Erica, his hand on her shoulder, his face extremely cold.

When Erica saw her father suddenly appear behind her, she was a little scared.

She thought her attempt to sneak away had been discovered.

Her eyes shifted around as she pondered countermeasures, but then she heard Duke Rivierre ask:

“Explain why you were able to persist on the magic circle for so long just now?”

Upon hearing Duke Rivierre’s question, Erica instantly relaxed.

Her tense smile also became more relaxed.

“Oh, so it’s about this.”

Erica circled around to the back of the Duke and mysteriously said: “That’s because I have a treasure!”

“Treasure?”

Duke Rivierre was a little puzzled. What treasure could have such an astounding effect as to make Erica’s mental strength so powerful?

Erica proudly told her father:

“It’s Professor Victor’s item.”

“What? Victor’s?”

Upon hearing this name, Duke Rivierre was truly stunned.

Of course he knew Victor was a genius who had already become a professor at such a young age.

Victor had already created an item that could increase mental strength?

No, that’s not the point!

The point is, why did Victor’s item end up in Erica’s hands?

Did Victor give this kind of thing to Erica to curry favor with her?

Duke Rivierre was instantly furious, feeling a flame ignite in his heart.

“That damn Victor, I knew you still had your eye on Erica!”

He was ready to twist that bastard Victor’s head off!

To covet his precious daughter, he must make Victor understand the meaning of consequences!

But then he suddenly felt something was off. Wasn’t Erica very disgusted with Victor?

How could she now speak of Victor with such pride!?

The more Duke Rivierre thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Victor was seducing his daughter.

Seeing Duke Rivierre’s reaction, Erica took out a small blue potion from her bag.

“What is this?”

Seeing the potion she produced, Duke Rivierre curiously asked.

It was his first time seeing a blue potion like this.

“This was bought at Professor Victor’s gadget shop for 1000 ducats a bottle!” Erica proudly stated again.

Duke Rivierre: “……”

The misunderstanding was resolved.

He had thought Victor was seducing Erica back at the academy.

Now it seemed things were not as he had imagined.

Looking at the potion in Erica’s hand, he was suddenly dumbfounded.

“Wait!”

“Erica, did you say how much this thing cost?”

Duke Rivierre doubted his own ears. 1000 ducats must be what he had misheard.

Erica stuck out her chest and arrogantly repeated: “1000 ducats!”

Duke Rivierre: “……”

When did he raise such a spendthrift daughter?

Oh well, oh well, she was his own daughter, his flesh and blood.

Duke Rivierre took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and forced out a smile at Erica, saying insincerely:

“I don’t think I ever taught you to spend money so recklessly.”

Upon hearing her father say this, Erica immediately retorted:

“I did not spend money recklessly!”

“Your mental strength is no longer enough to continue supporting the magic circle, right?”

Duke Rivierre nodded.

Just as Erica said, although countless second-tier mages were providing magic power, his own mental strength was already half depleted, forcing him to come down and rest.

This was something all mages were helpless against.

Even with a powerful command of magic, without sufficient mental strength, magic power could not be mobilized, magic circles could not be deployed, runes could not be carved, and spells could not be cast.

If someone claimed they could continuously cast magic for three days and three nights without collapsing from exhaustion.

Don’t say anything else, just give them a solid punch.

Even bragging had its limits.

Although he said this, Duke Rivierre still recalled Erica’s heroic bearing as she continuously channeled magic power into the circle for five straight hours.

Could this be related to that thing somehow?

“Try this.”

Erica opened the potion bottle and handed it to her father.

Seeing the small blue bottle, Duke Rivierre frowned. He felt some resistance in his heart. It did not look like quality goods based on its appearance.

“This….liquid….looks like it’s just industrial waste water filled with dye.”

Can this stuff really be drinkable?

“Hurry and chug it down!”

Erica urged him impatiently.

Hearing his daughter’s urging, Duke Rivierre suppressed his hesitation and drank it down.

Whoosh!

A faint cyan glow emerged on his body.

In practically an instant, a portion of the mental strength in his body was restored.

It was enough to allow him to continue releasing magic.

He felt his weary mind instantly relax considerably.

Duke Rivierre rubbed his forehead. The previous fatigue had almost completely dissipated.

As a high-tier mage who had immersed in the third-tier for over thirty years, he naturally understood how astounding the effects of this stuff were.

Taking advantage of no one else being around, he decisively pocketed the now empty bottle and lowered himself to shield Erica, softly saying in her ear:

“You must not let word of this thing spread, at least not right now!”

“Tell dad, how many more bottles do you have left right now?”

Erica counted off on her fingers.

She had bought 10 bottles total. At home, she had wasted 1 bottle experimenting with the effects. Maintaining the magic circle had used up 4 bottles. Her father drank 1 bottle to restore his mental strength. So there were still…

“Four bottles left.”

Duke Rivierre gripped Erica’s shoulders, bowed his head, and solemnly said:

“You must keep this a secret until we return to the capital.”

“If word of this gets out now, it will likely attract the covetous gazes of ill-intentioned people.”

“You can’t control this thing, give it to dad. Dad can control it!”

Upon hearing her father say this, Erica uttered “Oh” and shook her head:

“No way. I used up quite a bit of my allowance to buy this.”

“Double your allowance when we get home!”

“Deal.”

Erica thought:

‘Anyway, this was made by Professor Victor. When I see him at the academy, I’ll just ask him to make some more.’

‘Professor Victor should agree to help me…right?’

Feeling like she had made quite a bit of money off her father, Erica was in a great mood. She readily handed over 3 bottles to Duke Rivierre.

If her father hadn’t said to leave one bottle on herself just in case, she would have given him everything.

Duke Rivierre held the potions carefully and left.

Seeing her father’s somewhat silly demeanor, Erica couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Duke Rivierre quickly returned to the mountainside and retook his position atop the grand magic circle, continuing to channel magic power to maintain the formation.

The few third-tier mages who were still resting saw Duke Rivierre go back up the mountain. They couldn’t help asking:

“Lord Duke, don’t you need to rest?”

Duke Rivierre turned to look at them, a kindly smile on his face. “No, my mental strength is still adequate. You all rest first, I can maintain the circle myself.”

???

Again?

The few mages who had exhausted their magic power were stunned in place.

Just now it was your daughter who stood resolute for five hours, and now you’ve taken her place and don’t want to come down?

Is every member of the Duquois family a freak!

At this time, Erica was extremely delighted. If not for the need to divert her father’s attention, she wouldn’t have handed over the potions even for a tenfold increase in her allowance.

She wanted to go to the mountain peak. Now, Gwen was her only option.

So Erica went back in front of Gwen, pretending to be embarrassed as she said: “Sister, I really can’t endure it anymore!”

“We’re both girls, sister must understand me.”

Erica looked at Gwen tearfully, pleading.

Gwen thought for a moment, and suddenly her complexion flushed slightly.

She seemed to grasp what Erica was referring to.

But wasn’t that time of the month for her today?

This kind of matter pertained to a girl’s dignity. Gwen considered, and could only acquiesce to Erica’s request.

Erica’s rationale made it difficult for her to refuse.

At first Erica was elated, nearly jumping for joy. But she remembered her previous words and could only keep up the act of being in agonizing pain.

She then heard Gwen say: “For your safety, I will accompany you.”

Erica instantly deflated.

With such a powerful knight shadowing her, the chances of escaping under Gwen’s nose were slim.

But Erica had not given up. As long as she found an opportunity, she could still slip away!

Soon, the two arrived at a deserted area.

The volcano’s surface was flat and open, with scarcely any cover to be found.

They barely managed to find a rock that could provide some meager concealment.

Erica’s eyes shifted around. Blushing, she told Gwen to keep some distance, since she felt shy.

Gwen was puzzled for a moment, but continued saying: “We’re both girls, what’s there to be shy about?”

Even so, she still retreated several steps back.

Erica crouched behind the rock, seeming to make motions to remove her pants. As she lifted her head, she happened to meet Gwen’s gaze.

Feeling somewhat indignant, she called out from afar to Gwen: “Could you please turn your head away and not look at me!”

Gwen: “…..”

She silently retreated a few more steps, then turned her head away.

If not looking was required, then so be it. Either way made no difference.

In the moment Gwen had turned her head, a blue radiance shone upon the volcano. Gwen just so happened to catch sight of the faint blue glow at the edge of her vision, and immediately whipped her head back around.

A teleportation magic circle had formed. Erica’s figure stepped into it, smiling and waving at Gwen.

“Help me tell father that I will return safely.”

Gwen rushed forward desperately trying to stop her, but the distance was too great and it was far too late.

Whoosh!

Erica’s figure vanished in an instant.

Gwen’s attempt met only empty air. Head lowered, gazing at the ground, she murmured:

“Teleportation….magic?”

Where could she have gone?

Gwen recalled Erica’s initial inquiry.

“Who is that mage?”

The name Victor Clayvinna suddenly flashed through her mind. Her eyes swiftly turned towards the mountain peak.

In the next moment, a gust seemed to rise beneath her feet as she sprinted towards the summit at extreme speed.