Chapter 229: Drunkenness and a Sudden Kiss
Outside the city of Holy Radiance during the day.
Just as the pure white beam of light tore through the earth and silently wiped out the monster tide, a pair of eyes hidden under a hood suddenly narrowed in a cave dozens of kilometers away.
Finn, the deceased one of the Seven Sages of Demon Queen Annalise, had an extremely ugly expression on his face at this moment.
After realizing that the power of Crescent City's barrier had weakened, he spent countless efforts. He even used the precious power bestowed by Her Majesty to bring about this devastating disaster ahead of time.
He originally intended to destroy Crescent City along with its weakened barrier as a generous gift to Her Majesty, while also obtaining countless corpses as raw materials for himself.
However, all the scheming and ambition vanished into nothingness under that beam of light—power so overwhelming it no longer belonged to this world.
He could even feel his spiritual power, which had been attached to the monster horde, evaporate instantly when it faced the attack of the light cannon, without even a trace of pain being transmitted back.
That power was far beyond his comprehension.
"Kurtz the Godslayer!" Finn practically spat out the name through gritted teeth.
His aversion to the title of Godslayer and his fury at his failed attempt distorted his face.
This man not only destroyed the possibility of demons dominating the world a thousand years ago, but also severed their connection to the gods.
It was unknown what methods he used to survive for thousands of years, and even today, he was still working on plans against the demon race.
Even the current Demon Queen must temporarily avoid his sharp edge.
Finn had initially thought that the power bestowed upon him by the Demon Queen would be enough to realize his plan.
But now he understood.
Before the Godslayer Kurtz, he was like a clown on a stage, believing he was in control of the situation, but in reality, his life and death were entirely in the other party's hands.
Leave?
It would have no meaning other than becoming another wisp of dust dissipating under that beam of light.
"Tch—" Finn let out a sound of extreme resentment, then turned and left.
He had to immediately report Kurtz's appearance here and the terrifying power he had displayed to Her Majesty.
The game of chess in the future must be played by Her Majesty herself.
...
Time passed, and it was late at night in Crescent City.
All was silent, save for the cold moonlight that fell without a sound.
Kurtz quietly opened his eyes in the room. He was not asleep, but was only in a state of light rest.
The aura emanating from Serie in the next room had changed; it seemed she had left.
He immediately stood up and, following the familiar fluctuation of magical energy, arrived at the open terrace at the back of the mansion.
Serie was sitting alone on the terrace railing. She wore only a simple white robe, her long, radiant golden hair loose and flowing freely, shimmering softly in the moonlight. However, the few overturned bottles of wine at her feet seemed somewhat out of place.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of alcohol and even the pungent scent of the dwarves' unique spirits.
Kurtz frowned slightly. This elf lady seemed to have drunk quite a bit tonight, and she had specifically chosen drinks with high alcohol content.
He walked slowly closer. Serie seemed unaware, or perhaps she was aware but too comfortable to turn around. She simply gazed up at the bright moon.
Her eyes were not as clear as usual; instead, they were veiled with a hazy, watery light, and her focus was somewhat unfocused.
The moonlight outlined her delicate profile, revealing a languidness and confusion unlike anything she usually exuded.
"Can't sleep?" Kurtz's voice was soft as he stopped beside her.
Serie slowly turned her head, trying to focus her eyes on Kurtz, and blinked.
She didn't answer immediately, but instead raised her wine glass and swirled it at the moon. Her movements were slightly sluggish due to her intoxication, and she even looked limp.
"Hmm, the moon...." she murmured to herself, her voice soft and sweet, quite different from her usual cool and aloof tone, and inexplicably carrying a hint of allure.
Kurtz couldn't help but chuckle; it seemed the elf lady was quite drunk.
He reached out to take the glass from her hand and said gently, "Alright, give it to me. If you drink any more, you'll regret it tomorrow."
Serie instinctively pulled her hand back to protect the cup, like a child unwilling to have her candy taken away.
She glared at Kurtz, trying to make a fierce expression, but in her drunken state, she only appeared charming and even cute.
"It's fine if you don't give it to me," she pouted, even trying to straighten herself to prove she wasn't drunk, but she lost her balance.
She almost fell off the railing.
Kurtz, feeling helpless, stopped insisting and simply leaned against the cold railing, maintaining a slightly intimate distance from her.
After a moment of silence, Serie suddenly spoke, her voice heavy with intoxication and a hint of undisguised confusion.
"Kurtz, tell me, isn't this kind of thing boring?"
"Boring?" Kurtz turned to look at her. "There's a demon queen outside that we haven't dealt with yet. How can this be boring?"
"You're here!" Serie said matter-of-factly, with an almost blind trust. She tilted her head slightly, leaned against the cold stone pillar, and looked at Kurtz. "Anyway, you'll definitely be able to handle it in the end. I won't even have a chance to help."
"What if I can't solve it?" Kurtz gave the elf a slight flick on the forehead in an attempt to bring her to her senses, but it clearly had little effect.
"Well... there's nothing we can do about that then."
Serie lowered her head, paused, and said, "I've been in the forest for too long. I can cast spells with my eyes closed, and I've even read through the magic books several times. New research is as slow as a snail's pace—"
'I see,' Kurtz thought. He understood now.
Eternal life and magic that had long since reached their peak left this elven lady feeling an overwhelming sense of weariness and emptiness.
Even though external threats still existed, deep down, she was convinced that he could handle everything, which only intensified this feeling of idleness.
"So, you don't want to go back to the forest?"
Kurtz did not continue to discuss whether he could defeat the demon queen.
Perhaps, as Serie said, she knew he had to deal with the other party and bring this thousand-year-old story to a perfect end.
"Mmm!" Serie nodded vigorously, her golden hair slipping down with the movement, brushing against Kurtz's hand and causing a slight tickle. "It's boring. I want to find something different to do."
Seeing Serie shed all pretense and reveal a rare moment of confusion, honestly expressing her innermost thoughts, Kurtz felt a slight stirring in his heart.
A long-gestating idea had now clearly emerged.
He smiled and said, "Since you're feeling bored and want to find something interesting to do, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?"
Serie strained to focus her gaze, looking at him curiously. "What are you thinking?"
"Let's create an organization." Kurtz's gaze drifted to the night sky.
"A magic association that transcends national and racial boundaries and includes all magicians on the continent."
"The Magic Association?" Serie repeated the unfamiliar term, a hint of interest seemingly igniting in her eyes.
"Yes! Look, the ranking of mages on the mainland is currently in complete chaos."
Human court certifications, the rankings of various magic academies, the ancient traditions of the elves... the standards varied, making it difficult to measure true superiority or inferiority.
"We can establish a unified evaluation system for mages that is recognized by all intelligent races."
"Why would anyone else join your system?" Serie asked the most crucial question.
Without certain benefits, other mages simply wouldn't participate in the evaluation of this magic system.
"It's very simple. As long as a mage passes our final test, we can grant them any spell they desire. And this highest level, representing the pinnacle of the magical path, shall be called a First-Class Mage. And this level of examiner is unique and has the final say."
He paused deliberately, creating suspense.
Serie's eyes widened completely, her drunkenness seemingly dispelled by the incredibly tempting suggestion. She subconsciously leaned forward slightly. "It's me?"
"Yes!" Kurtz laughed. "Who is more suitable than you? You have the title of the strongest mage on the continent, and your immense magical power is enough to make any examinee intimidated before the exam even begins."
"In this association, you will meet mages from all over the continent, possessing all sorts of magical talents, and even mastering different magical systems."
"You can freely choose whoever catches your eye to teach, and you can also freely explore magical realms that you may have never explored before."
Serie was captivated.
Those eyes, hazy from intoxication, now shone with an astonishing brilliance. All boredom and confusion were swept away, replaced by an excitement akin to rebirth.
It had to be said that Kurtz's suggestion really appealed to her.
"The only examiner for a first-class mage..." She murmured these words, a smile creeping onto her lips that finally broke into a light, pleasant chuckle. "Sounds interesting!"
She excitedly stood up abruptly, wanting to express her agreement.
However, she clearly overestimated her physical abilities at that moment and underestimated the aftereffects of the alcohol she had just drunk.
She felt her legs buckle, and her body fell uncontrollably downward.
If nothing unexpected happened, the elf girl would likely fall to the ground in a rather undignified manner, and obviously, Kurtz would not let that happen.
He reacted very quickly and reached out to catch her.
With his speed and strength, he should have been able to pull her back easily.
However, perhaps because the moonlight was too beautiful, his movements were inexplicably slow by a mere half-beat.
"Ah!"
"Ugh."
Their figures overlapped, and they both fell to the cold ground.
Kurtz was below, Serie was above.
The expected pain did not come; Serie only felt herself being caught by a firm but soft cushion.
But even clearer than the cushion was the soft touch on her lips.
Kurtz lay on the ground, Serie nestled against his chest, both of them completely frozen in place.
Their lips were pressed tightly together.
Serie's long golden hair cascaded down like a golden curtain, enveloping the two in a small space filled with their scents and the rapid beating of their hearts.
Accident?
Kurtz's mind went blank for a rare moment, the scent of Serie lingering around his nose and the slightly sweet aroma of alcohol on his lips.
Serie was completely stunned, her eyes wide open, all her drunkenness vanishing instantly from the sudden kiss.
She could clearly feel the warmth emanating from Kurtz's chest beneath her and the heart-pounding touch on her lips. A complex, chaotic emotion instantly filled her, making her stiffen and even forget to breathe.
A second or two felt like an eternity.
"Ahhh~!" Serie finally came to her senses, hurriedly propping herself up from Kurtz and sitting on the ground, scrambling back two steps.
Her cheeks quickly flushed an unnatural red, which then spread rapidly to her ears and neck.
"You!" She pointed at Kurtz, wanting to say something, but her words were incoherent from the turmoil in her mind, and her eyes were full of helplessness.
Kurtz sat up and touched his lips, where the soft touch seemed to linger, and a lick appeared to carry a faint smell of alcohol.
Seeing that Kurtz had even licked his lips, Serie was both angry and annoyed. She grabbed a nearby wine bottle and threw it at Kurtz's thigh, though not with much force.
He coughed lightly, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere. "Ahem, it was purely accidental. You lost your balance; I was trying to catch you."
Although he had been a beat too slow at the end, he didn't say it aloud.
"Is that how you respond? And do you think I'd believe that?!"
Serie clearly did not accept this explanation. Given the man's physical abilities, catching her should have been an easy task. How could he have allowed her to tackle him to the ground, and at such a close distance?
She felt her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.
This feeling was so unfamiliar! So strange!
"Okay, okay, it's my fault." A smile involuntarily crept onto Kurtz's lips.
Unexpectedly, his first kiss with Serie had been by accident. However, this version of Serie was quite novel. He wanted to see it a few more times.
Serie glared at him, but her gaze was devoid of any threat due to the complex thoughts in her mind.
She turned around, her back to Kurtz, trying to calm her disordered breathing, and asked with feigned composure, "You—what's the first step for this magic association you mentioned?"
She abruptly changed the subject, trying to banish the thoughts that had arisen from the earlier accident from her mind.
However, out of Kurtz's sight, she subconsciously licked her lips, as if savoring something.
Looking at the bright-reddened ear tips, Kurtz didn't bring up the matter again and continued, "First, we need to establish a rigorous set of level assessment standards. The levels can be ranked from third-class, second-class, first-class, and so on, with first-class being the highest."
"The assessment location can be set in major cities, but for the final assessment of a first-class mage," he looked at Serie's back and said, "why not set it in the capital of El? Given Serie's historical status, it would be enough to convince everyone."
Although Serie didn't turn around, she pondered for a moment and nodded. "Okay, but the standard has to be high enough. A mage isn't something that just anyone can become."
"That's natural," Kurtz laughed. "At that time, all the mages on the continent will undergo magic level assessments to gain recognition and aim to become first-class mages."
"Just imagine how many eccentric individuals would desperately research magic for this goal, and how many novel ideas would emerge?"
Serie imagined such a scene, and the light in her eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Indeed, this was much more interesting than staying in the forest!
She even began subconsciously thinking about what kind of abnormally... strict assessment methods to set up.
The initial panic caused by the unexpected kiss seemed to be temporarily overshadowed by her anticipation.
But a rapidly growing affection could no longer be contained.
All of this was observed by a figure in the corner.
[End of Chapter]
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