Along with Charlotte’s whip, the twins appeared out of nowhere and leaped at her from both sides.

Jill did a flawless somersault, landing right behind the twins. She kicked into their backs, sending them crashing them to the ground, and grabbed the whip that came at her from the side.

“Maybe Rick and Andy should redo their training?”

“When a goodbye from Hades was all it took to defeat you?”

However, when she tried to pull the whip with all her might, a sharp, shocking pain ran through her palm.

Oh no…!

Magic was coursing through the whip. Jill immediately released the whip, but it wrapped around her body like a living thing, restraining her with magic. As she tried to step on it to tear it off, her brothers grabbed her ankles and threw her against a wall.

Immediately, the taste of iron spread in her mouth, but the onslaught didn’t stop.

Another of Charlotte’s whips seized her neck. Jill was swung around in the air in a circle before being slammed against the castle wall.

As if Charlotte’s magic wasn’t enough, the wall was also fortified with magic, and magic continued to strike Jill’s body like lightning. Through her blurry vision, she could see Lawrence looking down from the battlement.

“The Saber family sure is merciless. Now, all that’s left is to bring her inside the barrier—”

Lawrence couldn’t afford to finish his sentence. Not because of Jill, but because of her family.

There was an explosion, followed by a smoke.

Andy grabbed Lawrence and withdrew. The same couldn’t be said about Rick.

The Dragon Princess’ Sacred Relic had transformed into a whip and flew towards him. Unable to dodge in time, Rick crashed into the ground.

Charlotte was the only one who could avoid the whip that lashed around like a tentacle. To add insult to injury, she proceeded to knock Jill down using the same type of weapon.

After blowing away the magical barrier, Jill closed in on her mother.

“You dare go against the Dragon Princess’ Sacred Relic!?”

“I can’t afford to fall behind my daughter when I’m also using a whip? Even so, it seems that you can still use the Dragon Princess’ Sacred Relic. I wonder if it’s unaffected by your rift with the Dragon Emperor?”

“My mother is surprisingly dense towards the subtleties between men and women. The fact that I’m still wearing the ring is self-explanatory.”

“Oh my, I should say the same to you! Don’t you think that you’re being short-sighed and optimistic?”

It didn’t take long for Jill to realize it. Charlotte’s skill at wielding the whip was still better than her own. Jill had her hands full trying to block the whip as it came at her from above, below, left, and right.

“I’m only speaking the truth. The Dragon Emperor has deemed you unworthy of the title Dragon Princess. If you start pursuing him now and demand him to marry you, do you think he’ll give you the time of day?”

“Don’t worry, I was definitely abandoned by His Majesty—but, he won’t give up on me!”

“…And that’s how the Dragon Emperor manipulates the Dragon Princess to be his shield.”

“Maybe so!”

Finding a Dragon Princess was easier said than done. Taking those circumstances into consideration, Hades would probably try to have Jill remain as the Dragon Princess.

Charlotte frowned. Jill seized that opportunity to slip out from between the whips and rose into the air.

“You won’t even deny it? As your mother, I can’t approve of such a gentleman.”

“It’s fine even if you don’t. After His Majesty leads the Rave Empire army to invade the Saber family, he’ll definitely ask me to be his bride.”

“Are you truly alright with that?”

“I am not! That’s why I’m trying to stop him!”

The fact that Jill could still use the sacred relic signified that Hades still had a sliver of hope towards her.

Hades, who’d usually abandon everything without a second thought.

—See, I knew this would happen.

I know the kind of person you are …but.

…But, even if after everything, you still aren’t giving up on me—

“—This is a fight between me and His Majesty, stay out of it!”

Jill transformed the the sacred relic from a whip to a sword, and hurled a mass of her magical power towards Charlotte.

The mass of magical power was whipped in two, each tearing through the roof and walls of the palace. In the next moment, the tip of Jill’s sword, which came rushing in with a flurry of magical power, was aimed directly at Charlotte’s left breast. It couldn’t be avoided from such a distance.

No hesitation—that was how Jill was raised.

As time seemed to slow down, Charlotte closed her eyes.

“—I see. You’ve really become a bride.”

Being overcome by the sensation of her skin being pricked, Jill flicked the tip of her sword.

“—Your Highness Geraldo, I leave it to you.”

“I know. …What a shame, Your Highness Jill.”

Soundlessly, a black spear lunged at her from the side. Although Jill was able to block it at the last second, the impact propelled her towards the sky. Still, the shock wasn’t enough to kill her.

“You should’ve listened to your family.”

Geraldo passed Jill, who was blown away, and thrusted his spear straight down from above. The spear gleamed in the darkness of the night.

—The Holy Spear of the Goddess!

The Dragon Princess’ Sacred Relic, which transformed into a shield, caught the tip of the spear head on.

It’ll be fine. He was one step ahead, but I won’t give up so easily.

Besides, I have the Sacred Relic of the Dragon Princess with me. Even within the Kingdom of Kratos, it won’t be so easi—

“—O, Dragon Empresses of all generations, the time has come for liberation.”

Geraldo muttered as a vortex of magical power surged.

Then, his spear tip plunged into her shield, catching Jill off guard.

“What…?”

She didn’t sustain any damage. Neither did the shield. There wasn’t even a sound.

Yet, the spear passed through.

It was as if the Sacred Relic of the Dragon Princess had accepted the Holy Spear of the Goddess.

“Never shall the Goddess forget your sorrow; understand your love she shall.”

Her back was being engulfed by magic.

The barrier of the Sword of Protection—and that’s not all.

The barrier and the tip of the holy spear were connected by magical power.

A colossal magical circle appeared to swallow the Sacred Relic of the Dragon Princess.

“—The time is nigh. Retribution for the Dragon Emperor, to whom love is fathomless.”

The Holy Spear of the Goddess pierced through the shield.

In a blink of an eye, her gold ring unraveled and vanished.

Jill fell into the center of the palace on her back, directly inside the barrier that sealed the National Seal.

Im… possible…

Reeling from the impact of the crash, her entire body was racked with pain. She couldn’t even muster a scream. All she could do was watch as the blessing she received from the Dragon God floated away like bubbles.

Sparkling and golden, yet the higher it rose, the darker it became, as if being drawn into the Holy Spear of the Goddess Geraldo was holding.

“The Dragon Emperor will no longer accept you.”

Geraldo grinned, positioning the sacred spear right above her.

“—But I’m different from the Dragon Emperor. I’m willing to accept you, Your Highness Jill. Even if you are no longer the Dragon Princess.”

Their surroundings grew darker and darker. Her senses were impaired, probably because of the barrier. Amidst the tremendous pain, her strength was leaving her body. After a while, she realized that her magic was being drained.

“Will Sister Jill be alright?”

“She won’t be able to move for a while due to the effect of the barrier—but worry not. It’s simply taking away the power of the Dragon Princess. Now, return the Sword of Protection to the Southern King.”

“What are we going to do now, Your Highness Geraldo? I’m most concerned about the Dragon Emperor.”

“At this point, there’s no point in capturing him anymore. Get rid of him. As the Southern King is in possession of the Sword of Protection, the Dragon Emperor might come after him later. We’re moving the soldiers. Even if this leads to war, allowing them to ransack this place will be our undoing.”

The voice became distant, while her vision became blurry. All she could see was the golden bubblesrising higher and higher—

—The power of the Dragon Princess.

The power to help him.

“Your… Majes, ty…”

With her trembling left hand, Jill managed to grab a small bubble, only for it to burst.

At the same time, her consciousness left her.

---

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***T/N: I’m an adult I’m an adult I’m an adult I’m an adult I’m an adult

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