"Why are you looking at me with that strange expression?" Charles asked Zara with a smile.
Zara finally snapped out of her thoughts.
Her face shifted with hesitation and doubt.
After a pause, she asked, "Were you two just acting?"
"Of course. If I had fought with full strength, how could Connell have lasted that long? And my mystical beasts are far stronger than his—if it were a real fight, his beasts would have been killed in an instant."
Charles smiled as he finished arranging Connell's mystical beasts.
"So, what should we do next?" Zara had calmed down.
She more or less understood the situation now, but she still needed Charles to clearly state their next steps.
"Since the battle here is over, we should head to support General Sost. We must strike hard against the Ancient Academy and the Serpent traitors under Aldany's control.
But we must not kill the commanders of Ancient Academy or Aldany himself—we have to let both of them escape."
Charles quickly laid out the plan.
