“Well then, I’ll set out first. I don’t know what route Violet plans to take, but make sure to come to the capital as soon as possible. If you run into trouble, don’t forget the token.”

 

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

 

Princess Lilya, dressed in fine attire, blinked at the dark-haired girl not far away and then gazed earnestly at her delicately pretty face, as if she wanted to firmly etch that visage into her memory.

 

“Well then, farewell to the capital.”

 

After a moment, the princess reluctantly boarded her carriage.

 

“I was going to say, ‘Take care,’ but I suppose you don’t need to worry about that. So… just don’t make too much commotion. Goodbye.”

 

Crimson Flame Flora, familiar with Violet, patted her shoulder and nodded toward her before climbing into Lilya’s carriage.

 

… Why does it feel like this person’s words were somewhat offensive? “Don’t make too much commotion.” Am I some kind of mobile natural disaster?

 

Considering that Miss Flora was known for her straightforward personality and the fact that they were about to part ways, Violet ultimately resisted the urge to retort.

 

“Goodbye, and be careful on the road!”

 

Violet waved to the princess as she leaned out of the carriage window, and the latter responded with a thumbs-up, signaling there was no need to worry.

 

And indeed, that was the case.

 

Unlike the arrival, where out of the 5,000 Silver-Armored Shadow Guards who accompanied Princess Lilya from the capital, only a thousand returned alive, with most perishing in rebellions, battles, or being condemned to slavery for alleged crimes at the Wanhe Fortress, this time, General Leyton dispatched the forces of three full legions to escort the princess back to the capital.

 

Furthermore, thanks to Violet’s teachings and her extensive combat experience, Lilya’s abilities and combat awareness had undergone a drastic transformation. Along with the presence of Crimson Flame Flora, even if those princes were to bring several more throne-bearing individuals, it would be impossible to harm the princess.

 

After all, legendary individuals are still human and haven’t reached the level of single-handedly taking on thousands of troops.

 

Violet could part ways with Lilya here with peace of mind and embark on her journey alone.

 

The princess’s forces departed in a grand procession, and Violet bid farewell to General Leyton and his son, as well as other military leaders who had come to see them off. 

 

She declined the equipment and items they offered her, accepting only a sum of the kingdom’s gold coins that might be useful during her travels. She then left the Wanhe Fortress through the eastern gate.

 

Unlike when she was wandering alone on this land before meeting Princess Lilya, this time Violet had access to a precise and comprehensive map of the entire Human United Kingdom, along with a wealth of intelligence information, allowing her to plan her route.

 

Instead of taking the official roads directly to the capital, Violet’s final destination was also the capital, but she took a much longer and roundabout path compared to Princess Lilya and her group.

 

There were a few places rumored to hold strange legends that piqued her interest, and she might spend a considerable amount of time exploring their secrets, as that was the essence of adventure.

 

However, it was clear that her arrival in the Courage City might be significantly delayed.

 

After all, the Human United Kingdom covered a vast area, with an expanse of at least ten million square kilometers.

 

After a few days of relatively uneventful travel, Violet finally reached her first planned destination.

 

In reality, although Violet had a simple itinerary planned, she wasn’t strictly adhering to a fixed route. Depending on the situation, she would make corresponding changes. However, there was one place she was determined to visit no matter what.

 

Flame Dragon City, the only city within the borders of the Human United Kingdom that was definitively connected to real dragons.

 

In this world, Violet still didn’t have accurate information about dragons. Until now, she hadn’t received precise information about their true appearance and capabilities. Most of the records in Human United Kingdom’s books were vague and speculative.

 

However, there was no doubt that dragons existed in this world, or at least had existed at some point. Whether it was the half-dragon people among the beast tribes, Nasserian, the ancient dragon-turtle guarding the Black River, and the various magical beasts with mixed dragon lineage, they all confirmed this fact.

 

Unfortunately, even with a million-strong army, the royal half-dragon individuals of the beastmen had not appeared in the war, leaving Violet somewhat disappointed.

 

Her beloved pet, her closest companion, Xiao Guang, was also a dragon. So, Violet was determined to understand the dragons in this world, their connection to the 【Illusory World】, and the similarities and differences.

 

Flame Dragon City was undoubtedly the best destination.

 

It got its name from the legend that a powerful mythical red dragon fell here a very long time ago. The magical dragon’s blood infused the land, making the crops grown in this area contain varying degrees of fire attribute magic.

 

Local magical beasts seemed to have also developed some dragon-like bloodlines due to this phenomenon.

 

This situation was, in fact, a tremendous opportunity.

 

Although the red dragon’s blood had caused mutations in plants and soil, in return, the production of various fire-related heavenly materials and earth treasures had significantly increased. These were essential for alchemy, equipment crafting, feeding magical pets, and even assisting magicians in their practice.

 

As a result, Flame Dragon City gradually developed specialized production and cultivation processes tailored to the local unique environment. This greatly boosted the economy and expanded the settlement, which had originally been a small town, to its current size.

 

Now, the permanent population of Flame Dragon City had reached 300,000, with 5,000 city guards stationed there. It was considered a decent second-tier city in the Human United Kingdom. It was much busier than the city Violet had failed to visit when she first arrived in this world, Sil City.

 

Upon reaching the city gates with Little Dragon Lady, they found a long queue already formed.

 

Most of the surrounding plants had a varying degree of redness, which was the materialization of fire attribute magic within them. The city walls and the armor of the guards were also adorned with a paint resembling the symbolism of the flames, giving the city a distinctive appearance.

 

The temperature in the entire Flame Dragon City and its nearby regions was evidently several degrees higher than the outside.

 

While the autumn in the western part of the kingdom was quite cold, and winter was approaching, here, it was warm and pleasant. The residents were dressed relatively lightly, unlike those in other cities who had bundled up in thick layers.

 

Violet, clad in her perennial white robe with an inner lining, didn’t stand out as much in this context.

 

“Oh, so many people… How long do we have to wait to get into the city?”

 

Violet looked up at the crowd estimated to be tens of meters long and wore a troubled expression.

 

“Master, if you don’t want to wait, we can enter from above.”

 

Xiao Guang pointed to the red city wall, which was about ten meters high, significantly shorter than the walls of the Wanhe Fortress. She believed that they could probably leap over it easily. For a dragon, human regulations and constraints held little significance.

 

“That would be breaking the rules. It’s possible, but there might be a better option. I have another idea.”

 

“What is your plan, Master?”

 

“Follow me.”

 

Violet, along with her pet, bypassed the long line of people and went directly to the city gate. They were then stopped by several soldiers in red armor, who used their long spears to block their way.

 

“Halt. If you wish to enter the city, please follow the normal process and wait in line. Trespassers will be arrested according to the city’s laws,” said the soldier at the front, who appeared to be a middle-aged man and seemed to be a squad leader.

 

Perhaps because both of them were exceptionally beautiful, dressed differently from the common people, and exuded an extraordinary aura, the squad leader’s tone was relatively gentle, and he didn’t attempt to physically restrain the girls.

 

Violet, on the other hand, didn’t mind and pointed to the notice board behind the man. There was a mischievous glint in her silver-blue eyes.

 

“I’d like to ask, is the notice you posted still valid?”