"What… what do you mean, Madam Anda?" Princess Waniwani was not expecting this kind of twist at all.
She had thought this moment would sour their newly built friendship immediately.
Due to her status, not many people dared to speak with her casually. Most became very respectful, keeping their distance. And those who did not were usually her opponents.
So finding someone like Anda, who was not fazed by her identity and did not change her attitude around her, had been a breath of fresh air. Especially after her many failures last year.
Anda's presence alone made her feel like she was interacting with someone of equal status, or even greater. That was interesting, considering she knew Anda was just a commoner from another continent.
As a capable princess, a reputation she had built for herself over many years, she was someone people always depended on. Showing vulnerability to them was out of the question.
So when she became friends with Anda half a year ago, she could finally talk to someone. Let out her frustrations. It was an incredibly relieving feeling, finally having someone to confide in and rely on. Like a huge burden had been lifted.
The situations in the colossal tree's shade had changed drastically since the portal appeared here.
While the factions of Prince Charles, Prince Ozan, and Supreme Alchemist Mujin were actively gathering their forces around Bellion's city, the remaining three factions, including hers, were not faring nearly as well.
Mental Lord Vincent's faction completely disbanded a few months after his disappearance. Without a leader, the members scattered in all directions. Since they could not enter Bellion City, many of them chose to join one of the three major factions surrounding the city, hoping that if their new faction emerged victorious, they would gain access to the portal and return home.
As for the Pink Enchantress faction, they also disbanded after the lustful men discovered that all the great beauties within their ranks had vanished.
They searched everywhere, only to eventually learn that the great beauties had already settled inside Bellion City. The discovery enraged them.
It turned out that Pink Enchantress Rose had secretly made arrangements long in advance, bringing her faction's great beauties into Bellion City so they could secure a chance to go home, abandoning all the men in the process.
The betrayed men swore to make the great beauties, including Pink Enchantress Rose herself, pay for this treachery. Burning with resentment, they too joined one of the three major factions encircling the city, further swelling their numbers.
On the other hand, Princess Waniwani's faction faced an entirely different problem.
Even if she wished to participate in the battle for the portal, she simply lacked the manpower to do so, despite having one of the largest factions on paper.
Most of her members had been completely influenced by the cursed land, unwilling to leave the plaza and obsessively devoted to making the place prosperous. Only fewer than three hundred remained unaffected, mostly those who worked outside the plaza and traveled frequently.
After discovering that Pink Enchantress Rose had successfully settled her people within Bellion City, Waniwani began to consider doing the same.
Later, she learned that more than a thousand excess slots remained available for the portal, far more than enough to allow all of her unaffected members to return home safely.
Thus, she headed to Bellion City.
She made several attempts to contact Formation Prodigy Bellion, only to be repeatedly turned away. Eventually, however, she was introduced to a woman who was deeply respected within the city, someone everyone addressed as Madam Anda.
During the long journey toward the colossal tree, many cultivators had suffered hidden injuries or strange afflictions that could not be cured using the healing items they had prepared. Some simply exhausted their supplies. Furthermore, very few alchemists had joined the expedition in the first place.
When Anda offered her expertise, everything changed.
She quickly identified the root of their ailments and concocted remedies on the spot, curing problems that had plagued them for months. Her reputation soared almost overnight.
From then on, her name spread rapidly throughout Bellion City.
Another prodigy!
Alchemists were not medical practitioners or doctors. These were two entirely different professions. The vast majority of alchemists focused solely on research and the refinement of alchemical products. Being both a doctor and an alchemist was extremely rare. Even within sects that specialized in medical alchemy, the doctors and alchemists were usually separate.
Because of this, the people within Bellion's faction were ecstatic.
Not only did they have a formation prodigy as their leader, now an alchemy prodigy had joined their ranks as well.
Discussions quickly erupted throughout the city, with many comparing Anda to Supreme Alchemist Mujin, arguing passionately about who was superior.
Princess Waniwani soon learned that Anda was also a newcomer to the city, yet she had already gained Bellion's complete trust, even being entrusted with deciding who could or could not enter the city for the remaining portal slots.
This alone was enough to make her seek out a meeting.
Their first encounter left a strong impression on her. Anda's unique appearance immediately caught her attention. Dressing herself to match her birthmark was an intriguing choice, yet it suited her perfectly. The birthmark that should have made her face appear unattractive instead became a defining feature that enhanced her charm.
They got along quickly, and before long, they concluded their transaction. With the enormous wealth Princess Waniwani had accumulated, paying for the slots posed no difficulty.
Later, Anda casually pointed out her husband as he passed by, accompanied by a hulking figure that the princess instantly recognized.
Her heart skipped.
It was the same man who had once traveled alongside Pink Enchantress Rose. He was also the man she had encountered while climbing the colossal tree.
If this Leyvi was truly Anda's husband, then what did that make his relationship with Pink Enchantress Rose?
Was he cheating?
No. More likely, he had been bewitched.
That thought unsettled her.
From that moment on, Princess Waniwani began investigating Leyvi. She wanted to uncover the truth before telling Anda that her husband might be under someone else's influence.
But before her investigation could conclude, Anda had already noticed.
And her reaction completely shattered every expectation Waniwani had.
What do you mean, I fell in love with your husband?
What do you mean, you want to introduce your husband to me?
"Hehe. I'm just guessing. After I showed you my husband last time, you immediately sent people to investigate him. Isn't it normal to suspect that you fell in love with my husband?" Anda giggled as she replied.
Princess Waniwani nearly fell from her seat.
She looked both elegant and foolish at the same time, a contrast that somehow made her appear even cuter.
Where in the world do people think like that? Isn't it far more reasonable to suspect I was investigating him for some ulterior motive?
Yet inwardly, she felt a wave of relief.
At least, Anda did not seem upset.
It was better to come clean immediately.
Princess Waniwani promptly explained the true reason she had investigated Leyvi, recounting everything she had witnessed and the suspicions that followed.
Anda burst into laughter.
She found the misunderstanding utterly amusing. The part about being bewitched was nothing unusual, but the cheating accusation was simply too funny.
It had never once crossed her mind that Leyvi would ever be accused of something like that.
Seeing Anda laughing so freely, Princess Waniwani could not help but blush, feeling both embarrassed and awkward.
Done laughing, Anda took a deep breath and spoke. "Princess. There is no way my husband would be cheating. Because I allowed him to go out there and seduce any woman he fancies. In fact, I want him to bring more women back."
Princess Waniwani was dumbfounded. Did I mishear? She had always been so logical in their other conversations, but this one made her feel as if the world had turned upside down.
"Hehe. Don't be so surprised. This is also a dilemma for me. Because he loves me so much, he doesn't actually do this kind of thing. It is always me who has to do the hard work of bringing him all the ladies, but he keeps complaining about it. He says he feels guilty for not being able to love them as much as he loves me. I understand his perspective, so I have held back a lot now." Anda explained with a proud smile.
Princess Waniwani blinked, her mouth still agape. A bragging session?
She shook her head and composed herself. "Then what about Pink Enchantress? It is dangerous for your husband to be near her. Madam Anda, you don't know her very well. She is a dangerous individual, especially for men."
"Princess, you don't have to worry about it. Leyvi is the best man in the world. Her charm doesn't work on my husband because, like I said before, he loves me the most." Anda repeated.
Princess Waniwani couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Bragging again. Just how lovestruck is this woman? Wait, Pink Enchantress' charm didn't work on him too? Could he really have the same unique heavenly body as me? She wondered.
That day, Princess Waniwani learned about Anda's weird preference.