Chapter 322: Never Lose Again

Chapter 322

Never Lose Again

Steven didn’t let the Emperor interject. He still had crucial conditions that the other party needed to understand. From now on, the Setter family would no longer be under their feet. They would not simply follow orders without objection. They would take control of this game themselves.

Did anyone care how much danger the Setter family faced? He had sent both his sons, and even the future lady of the house had joined the battle herself. If they failed, did anyone think there would be anyone who would help the Setter family? Most likely, they would swarm in to bully them.

Don’t think that they hadn’t noticed everyone gathering earlier. Their spies reported clearly what would happen to the Setter family if they failed!

Even the Emperor himself...Did he think Steven was foolish and unaware? Those who planned to seize their 6th-floor cities if they lost the battle, those who intended to take all the Setter family’s resources under the pretense of protecting them and elevating them to a high-ranking noble family within 5 years. How could 10 years be considered too little time!!

“What we, the Setter family, are doing is for straightforward justice. The cities on the 7th floor, for which the Setter family has paid fees to provide for the people, we own and will take good care of them.”

“Of course, if it’s a city you paid for, and you don’t want to reclaim ownership, then you don’t need to repay, Your Majesty. But everyone in that city must obey the Setter family.”

“There are many high-ranking races on the 7th floor. We cannot let anyone tarnish our reputation. If we allow it and some families cause dissatisfaction among these races, bringing vengeance down on the Setter family would be wrong. Therefore, control is crucial.”

“You may not know yet, but the high elves, from whom we humans learned so much, have been completely destroyed simply because they angered the high-ranking races!”

Upon hearing this fact, the Emperor was immediately taken aback. Now, besides feeling resentment towards the Setter family, he also felt fear of the 7th floor. Even the high-ranking races, whom they could hardly touch, could be annihilated. What would be left for them then!?

"For the details, I think we can discuss them later. After all, we still have 10 years before we are sent to the 7th floor. In the meantime, we have plenty of time to prepare. Since today is a celebration, let’s enjoy the festivities first." Prince Jason sensed the atmosphere was not favorable; they were clearly at a disadvantage, and it seemed this agreement was unchangeable.

However, in his mind, since the Setter family had used their strength to challenge and win, within these 10 years, they might gather their forces and achieve the same. Therefore, there was no need to quarrel with them now. It would be better to gradually seek opportunities and strengthen their own army!

Prince Jason was correct, and his thoughts were excellent. The Emperor exhaled a long breath, looking at his much-improved son and nodding with satisfaction. Unlike Joseph, who had joined the Fernal family and indirectly become the Setter family’s enemy, he was no longer useful.

"Good, then have the people start the banquet. Since it’s a celebration, how could there not be good performances?" said the Emperor, signaling Jason to proceed. The prince merely had to clap his hands to give the command. All the performances had already been prepared for 7 days and 7 nights!

During the performance, Ellie met Duchess Vida, who invited her to join a conversation, which mostly included people from the noble families of the Ares Kingdom on the first day. Ellie accepted the invitation and sat with Duchess Vida. After all, they were all ladies, with Aria in the group, along with other young ladies, including those from the Cherine and Fernal families.

Little Zoey followed Ellie closely, not knowing her exact duties, while Wint performed excellently in his role as a knight.

The ladies had their own topics to discuss. Ellie didn’t participate much, but her presence alone was enough to make others envious. The numerous jewels she wore were worth more than their mansions. How could they not be envious? Even Vida herself couldn’t match the value of Ellie’s treasures.

Looking at the gemstones from the 6th floor adorned with magical runes, even if one wanted to buy them, they would probably not have enough money. It wasn’t just about the luxurious attire; the attentive behavior of the eldest young lord was also noticed by everyone.

Some people there thought Ellie was the one who approached the eldest young lord first. However, seeing his actions, it was like having cold water splashed on their faces, making them realize that what seemed impossible was actually happening. Moreover, it seemed Ellie didn’t have to do much; just sitting quietly, she was ready to receive everything!

“Princess Ellie, am I being too forward? I have a fiancé myself, but he doesn’t pay much attention to me. Do you have any advice on how to capture a man’s heart so well? I would be deeply grateful for any tips you could offer, even a little,” one woman couldn’t hold back any longer and chose to ask directly.

Ellie, who had been listening to the serious discussions between the nobility and the Setter family for a while, felt quite relaxed when she heard the conversation among the ladies.

They didn’t care about other matters, leaving those responsibilities to the elders in the family. It seemed like a rather good life, enjoying the banquet and their aristocratic conversations, leaving the stressful work to the men. However, Ellie didn’t want her fate to be like that. How could happiness on someone else’s terms be called true happiness?

She had initially intended to live happily in the tower and never show her face again. However, after realizing that this world had more to offer than she thought, her goal now was to gradually rise to the top, to become someone untouchable, with no one bothering or meddling with her. After that, she could live her life quietly and happily.

Ellie thought this way because she knew that these powerful races could still interfere with her life at any time. Even the Setter family had to live in fear.

If they ascended the 7th floor and heard that the noble Elf race had been easily destroyed, everyone would understand that they couldn’t be content with just living a peaceful life! Being constantly subordinate, with a fate that could be bullied and oppressed by others, how could that be called peace?!

Of course, all these thoughts were Ellie’s alone, not those of the other women. Because of this, having a conversation with women who spent their days thinking only about how to make men fall in love with them was a form of relaxation for her as well.

Ellie reflected on her response before smiling.

“How could I have a method to capture a man’s heart? I spend my days studying and training. Maybe by making oneself valuable, a man might become interested,” Ellie said briefly, but it was a well-thought-out answer.

In both this world and her previous one, only women who had self-worth garnered attention. Weak women who only sought out men might initially bring them happiness, but eventually, they might grow bored. Women shouldn’t feel sorrow when men grow weary. A good woman could let go of a boorish man and find a better one to replace him!

Everyone was taken aback by Ellie’s thoughts, but the more they pondered, the more it seemed that this young girl was actually living by them. They knew Ellie was very dedicated to her studies, excelling in potion concocting to the extent of winning inter-institute competitions, and even becoming a renowned figure in the field of stratagem creation.

They had heard that the central association, the Annihilation Stratagem Association, had inquired about Ellie through various influential families, seemingly preparing to invite her into their central association.

Unfortunately, this news was announced first, causing the association’s actions to be halted. They had more pressing matters to deal with. It was heard that the 7 central associations had already gathered, knowing that beyond the 7th floor lay an even greater battle. Because of this, many speculated that the central associations would unite to challenge the 7th floor.

Given their strength, they were likely to pass. If they really succeeded...they would see many nobles trying to curry favor with them.

However, the 7 central associations were extremely proud, accepting only the strongest in each field. They might be the first group to pass the 7th floor’s test if not for the appearance of Eldest Young Lord Owen or the presence of Ellie herself...

The central association was the only group that hadn’t contacted the Setter family. They seemed to have attempted to challenge the 7th floor many times, sending various types of people, yet still couldn’t achieve victory.

Recently, upon hearing that the Setter family, known only for their strength, had managed to conquer the challenge, they reviewed their own records and found that they had previously sent the Central Fighter Association as well, but were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, it was believed that they would contact them soon, as information was currently the most critical aspect.

After the ladies heard Ellie’s responses and considered her capabilities, they finally thought that Ellie was indeed speaking the truth. Had she really used her own strength and abilities to win the Setter family’s favor?

Ellie’s answer was half correct because her exceptional plant cultivation skills had indeed made her the savior of Eldest Young Lord Owen. However, she still didn’t understand why Owen was so infatuated with her afterward.

Ultimately, only Owen knew the reason. After he channeled his magic power to protect Ellie, it allowed him to easily sense the girl’s movements.

With nothing else to do due to his weakened body, he spent his time observing her simple actions. As time passed, he became addicted. No matter what Ellie did, in Owen’s eyes, she appeared the most beautiful.

The girl’s dedication to her studies and training was undoubtedly one of her charms. However, her different ways of thinking and her clever demeanor made her even more appealing.

Ellie understood that it was all because of the herbs and saving Owen’s life. However, she didn’t realize that if it were just for saving life, the Setter family could have repaid her with countless valuable items. There was no reason for Owen to be so attached to Ellie, which had been a question for the family head as well.

Although he wanted Owen to marry Ellie, he had recently become extremely annoyed with his son’s behavior. Even during important meetings, Owen could always disappear for the sake of this little girl. It seemed that the father, who had painstakingly cared for his son, was not as important. How could a father’s heart not be hurt by this?

“Your Highness, your advice is truly wonderful.”

"From now on, I’ll have to try harder."

"Me too, so my betrothed won’t look at other women."

"That’s right. Recently, my fiancé has been talking about the young lady from the Fronda family quite a bit. Even though he says there’s nothing to it, he seems unusually happy whenever he mentions her."

"Your fiancé is a light magic user, right? He must be around that woman from another kingdom often. All I know is that she positioned herself as Princess Ellie’s enemy, and after that, she never went near her again."

"Exactly. But when I recently told him not to get too close to her, he said that everything I’d heard might be incorrect. He claimed that the intentions of the young lady from the Fronda family was innocent, that she might overthink on behalf of others but had no ill intentions! See! Can you believe it? How could he say that?""Misunderstood, you say? Her misunderstood intentions almost got two students punished. Is your fiancé blind or what? He’s falling for her tricks." Everyone started talking about Lady Grace. Knowing that Ellie disliked her, steering the conversation this way might help build camaraderie.