Chapter 203: Chapter203-The First Time with Leslie
Leslie couldn’t hold on any longer!
As Taylor was about to leave, this thought suddenly crossed his mind. Regret flooded his heart.
If he had endured just a little longer, even with his severely injured body, Leslie—whose level was far below his own and who had burned her mana core—would have been left completely helpless, a wounded husk, at his mercy.
Yet, fear of death and Leslie’s unwavering resolve had forced him to retreat.
Throughout their intense battle, Taylor had sensed Leslie’s strength waning.
However, each time he believed she had reached her limit, Leslie had somehow managed to persevere.
This repeated disappointment instilled a sliver of fear deep within him.
Her willpower was unmatched by any Middle Earth warrior or ascetic he had encountered.
It was as if nothing could stop her once she set her mind to something.
Damn it!
In a mix of anger and regret, Taylor was swallowed by the space portal, leaving the battlefield and returning to Middle Earth.
This spatial escape was his greatest trump card—his safeguard in case of life-threatening danger.
However, using it now made him wish he had no such option.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that things would’ve been different without it.
After Taylor disappeared, Leslie’s airborne body trembled violently before she crashed to the ground. If not for the spear she leaned on, she wouldn’t have been able to stand at all.
She was drenched in blood, her once pale skin covered in burn marks. Her entire body seemed withered, her face deathly pale.
She licked her parched lips, watching as Taylor disappeared through the spatial portal back to Middle Earth.
Only then did she allow herself a small sigh of relief. If not for the last burst of strength that had forced Taylor to retreat, she would have been completely defenseless against him in her current state.
Looking down at her burning, aching body, Leslie sensed the remains of her mana core within her.
Once her wellspring of magic, it had withered, though it had not yet crumbled like sand in the wind.
A wave of dread surged through her as she tried to summon mana to stabilize the core.
If her mana core dissolved, she would lose her magic forever and become unable to practice again—a magical cripple.
Despite her best efforts, no mana responded to her commands. Instead, the remaining magic within her began to leak out, dissipating along with her failing core.
“Your Majesty!”
The guards from House Ravenwood and the palace, having arrived at the scene, saw the state Leslie was in, and many of them had tears in their eyes.
Although some people had called Leslie a ruthless tyrant, they knew that since ascending the throne, she had improved their lives, showing concern for both the soldiers and the common folk.
She was the queen who had propelled Azure Kingdom toward its rise.
But now, the queen had burned her mana core, becoming a cripple who could never use magic again!
Meanwhile, spies from other kingdoms were thrilled.
Leslie, the recently ascended queen of Azure Kingdom, had fallen.
This was exactly what they had hoped for. Leslie had been listed as second on the Domination Leaderboard, right below Owen.
If both Leslie and Owen had fully risen to power, they would have become the greatest threat to the other kingdoms.
But now, it seemed fate had turned, and Leslie’s promising future had been cut short.
Academy City members observing the scene felt deep regret.
They had seen Leslie as someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Owen, someone whose strength and ambition would reshape the continent.
The world would have been forever changed by her.
But now, this remarkable figure was broken.
Within the city, some ambitious families, seeing Leslie’s mana dwindle, began to stir.
Leslie had ruled with a firm hand, but her strength, meticulous planning, and the support of Owen had kept them in check.
Now that Owen was far away in Kyrik, and Leslie had become powerless, it was the perfect time to seize control.
Some family heads began to plot. If a mere woman could sit on the throne, surely they could too!
However, just as these thoughts were forming, a streak of light shot across the sky, blazing with brilliant white wings, splitting the heavens with the sound of wind and thunder.
All eyes widened in shock. It was… Owen!
There wasn’t a mage in the imperial capital who didn’t recognize Owen.
Not long ago, news from Academy City about Owen had shaken the entire continent.
But wasn’t Owen supposed to be in Kyrik?
He had destroyed four of Kyrik’s main cities, confronting the King of Kyrik himself, who had summoned their founding emperor.
The two nations were separated by a vast distance, and even for a diamond-tier mage traveling at full speed, it would take at least a day.
Owen’s speed was unbelievable!
As the crowd watched in astonishment, Leslie, now at her limit, closed her eyes and began to collapse backward, her body like that of a withered tree.
Just as she was about to fall, she felt herself caught by a warm and familiar embrace.
Using the last bit of her consciousness, she squinted and saw Owen’s face, full of pain and sorrow.
…
Inside House Ravenwood, in a small courtyard covered by trees.
Leslie, sitting on the ground, coughed weakly as she slowly opened her gem-like eyes.
Across from her sat Owen, surrounded by a radiant, life-giving aura, which steadily flowed into her, healing her injuries.
The vitality radiating from Owen was unlike any healing magic she had ever encountered—far more precise and powerful.
Her injuries had been severe, with deep, bone-revealing wounds and mana-induced internal damage.
Even with regular magic, it would have taken a long time to recover.
Yet, under the influence of Owen’s magic, most of her injuries had already healed.
Only her severely damaged internal organs and her destroyed mana core had not yet recovered.
When Leslie awoke, Owen exhaled a long breath of relief.
The Order of Life truly lived up to its reputation as the strongest healing force. Although Owen had only begun to grasp its power, it had already managed to heal the majority of Leslie’s injuries.
“Owen, thank you,” Leslie said softly, her expression filled with gratitude as she regained her voice.
“You’re my fiancée—no need to be so formal,” Owen replied, somewhat uncomfortable with Leslie’s politeness. In his mind, Leslie was already his wife.
What Leslie said next left Owen stunned.
“Owen, I’m a cripple now. I can no longer use magic. Let’s call off our engagement.”
Leslie’s voice was calm at first, but when she reached the words “call off our engagement,” her lips trembled slightly.
She knew Owen’s talent was boundless. The continent was merely the beginning for him.
He was like an eagle destined to soar higher and higher.
Before, Leslie had been confident in her own abilities.
She had believed she could stand by Owen’s side and explore the vast world together.
But now, as a cripple with a burned-out mana core, that dream was gone.
Since she could no longer accompany him on his journey, she would let him go, even if she loved him deeply.
Owen’s mind buzzed as he realized Leslie’s intent. She didn’t want to hold him back.
Without hesitation, he pulled Leslie into his arms and kissed her passionately, his embrace both commanding and resolute.
In that instant, it was as if the two of them had ignited, their kisses deep and intense, as if trying to merge into one another completely.
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