direction, shot out like an arrow from a bow.
Before it even landed, Hilulele jumped to Veronika's side first.
The Hippogryph landed behind her, quietly preening its feathers.
It was clear that Hilulele had practiced this cool move many times.
"Sorry, sorry, Veronika, I kept you waiting."
Looking at the shattered stone pillar fragments all over the ground, Hilulele could imagine how long Veronika had been waiting there.
Hilulele felt a little guilty.
Putting herself in Veronika's shoes, if someone called her out, and then the other person just ran off without a word, making her wait so long...
She would definitely swing a spiked club and give them a good whack, right?
Veronika put away her iron sword and said softly, "It's alright. In fact, I should thank you, Hilulele, for rushing back to look after me again during your busy schedule."
As she spoke, Veronika's gaze unconsciously drifted to the Hippogryph behind Hilulele.
Swearing by her identity as a Lv92 Crusader Knight, the Hippogryph perfectly met Veronika's aesthetic standards.
This perfect creature was practically tailor-made for Knights!
Aloof, mysterious, elegant, yet without losing the ferocity of a raptor.
If the Lucania Kingdom could form such a Hippogryph cavalry, they might be more deserving of the title 'Kingdom of Knights.'
Raising a group of Hippogryphs would not only increase the Lion Fang Knights' combat power but also strengthen the Knights' pursuit of the Knight's Way.
In Veronika's view, a Hippogryph cavalry could even become the spiritual symbol of the Lucania Kingdom.
But she dismissed the thought.
Even if the Elven Kingdom currently had many such high-level magical beasts, they were clearly not something that could be included in trade.
Withdrawing her gaze, Veronika said apologetically, "Sorry, Hilulele, today, while experimenting with various enchanted weapons, I accidentally damaged many of them. I'll compensate you for them at their original price later."
"Damaged them?" Hilulele was a bit surprised.
The equipment from the MC Dungeon, used on the Aetheram Continent, was attacking some magical beasts and stone pillars on the Aetheram Continent.
Logically, its durability should be superior, but even so, Veronika managed to break them?
She hadn't rested at all, had she?
"It's nothing, just some inexpensive things. If they're broken, they're broken. No need to compensate."
Hilulele waved her hand magnanimously.
She could make hundreds of these things from the MC Dungeon in her sleep; they weren't worth much at all.
But Veronika insisted on compensation, even including the alchemical potions and other resources she and Meluti had used.
After the experiments, she realized the true value of these items, and it was no longer something she could readily accept as a gift from Hilulele.
The Lucania Kingdom certainly had its difficulties, but they could afford these things.
As a friend, she could accept Hilulele's kindness, but as a Lion Fang Knight, she could not.
Veronika always remembered her teacher's dying words—
"A kingdom without strength and wealth is a weak kingdom; but a kingdom without spirit and will is a vile kingdom."
Knight's spirit was the one thing the Lucania Kingdom could least afford to lose now.
After a long back-and-forth, Hilulele suddenly fell silent.
"Veronika... do you want to see something even more amazing?"
Veronika paused, pointing to the iron sword in her hand.
"Better than these? If possible..."
No sooner had she spoken than Hilulele pulled out a heart radiating intense heat and a blazing longsword of flames.
With just one glance, Veronika knew the power of these two items.
That still, fiery red heart still exuded a wild, explosive pressure, and magma seemed to flow through its blood vessels.
Veronika sensed a similar aura to An Duo from this heart.
And that blazing enchanted longsword, in Veronika's perception, was even more powerful than the Lion Fang's Song, which had been passed down through generations of Lion Fang Knights.
Above legend... was it a divine artifact, or a demigod artifact?
Veronika only knew that the aura of this sword and that heart were identical.
"This is..."
Looking up at Hilulele in a daze, Veronika's eyes were filled with disbelief.
"It's exactly what you're thinking."
"A Dragon's heart, and a legendary weapon forged from Dragon blood and Dragon bones, the Dragon Flame Bone Blood Sword!"
—
From the day she returned after dealing with the Hydra, Veronika saw a Dragon with Hilulele.
And Su Lin also returned to the peaceful days of adventuring with Tashiniya and the others during the day, and then going back to Hilulele at night to check on Veronika.
Seven days passed in a flash.
Nothing else happened in the MC Dungeon these seven days; an exploration team encountered a Gorgon.
But ever since the incident with Lawrence last time, Su Lin had strictly required all exploring armies to memorize the 'Beast Manual' by heart.
Thus, there were no losses.
In addition, the exploration team successfully brought back a dark white Ice Dragon egg for Su Lin.
Adding the Electric Dragon that hatched during the thunderstorm a few days ago, Su Lin now had all three Dragons.
However, Su Lin didn't casually name these two Dragons like he did the Fire Dragon.
The Black and White Twin Fiends, just standing there, exuded two words—'Hardcore Handsome!'
So... the Black Dragon was named Nidhogg, and the White Dragon was named Third Prince.
That felt right.
Aelita and Hilulele also successfully acquired their own Dragons, but Hilulele couldn't be happy.
Both her and Aelita's Dragons were Ice Dragons, and coincidentally, one male and one female... As soon as they hatched and grew a bit, Aelita dragged her into a long speech about 'for the glory of the Elven Kingdom' and directly sent them off to be breeding Dragons.
Hilulele had only seen her Dragon three times in total over these past few days.
The ice and fire legend floor was more than half developed, but Su Lin's development value accumulation was still quite a bit short.
By slowly grinding, it would probably take another one or two months, and he was a bit impatient.
Hilulele reported to him daily about Veronika, and Su Lin also occasionally chatted with her a few times.
Honestly, Veronika's Knight's spirit truly shocked Su Lin.
From his perspective, if Veronika were back home, she could be a high-end alternative to the legendary King Arthur in the history of the Disunited Kingdom of Great Britain.
She was a perfect individual on the path of a Knight, and Su Lin couldn't help but show deep respect.
However, he had heard from Hilulele and the others these past few days that the Lucania Kingdom's situation was quite complex, and there were also various factions within the Lion Fang Knights.
Veronika's extended stay in the Elven Kingdom for this business trip seemed to also involve a desire to avoid trouble and wait for the so-called Shudrak remnants to surface.
The comprehensive conclusion was that Veronika could enter the MC Dungeon, but the Lucania Kingdom... Veronika would have to clean it up first.
With help from the MC Dungeon and the Elven Kingdom, plus the Lion Fang Knight's integrated military and political status, it shouldn't be too difficult.
As for Tashiniya and the others... they were as silly and boorish as ever, but they weren't unintelligent; they just lacked common sense for living in a fragile environment.
Angels from the Celestial Realm, Witches connected to gods, Demons raised in Dungeons, Silver Dragons rarely seen on Dragon Island for tens of thousands of years, top-tier Liches... To put it simply, before they gathered, they might not have even seen many other life forms.
Su Lin could understand their past abstractness.
The strong naturally find it difficult to adapt to the living environment of the weak, and the strong do not need to adapt to the way of life of the weak.
However, since Li Qiaoqiao joined them recently, under the influence of her extreme social anxiety and pure soul, they had grown a lot.
If Veronika was a high-end alternative to King Arthur, then Li Qiaoqiao was a high-end alternative to the Virgin Mary.
Su Lin always felt that these two would have a lot in common.
In any case, Su Lin planned to have a serious talk with them. Although the plans for the Celestial Realm were still far off, given the objective existence of the MC Dungeon...
It was only a matter of time... "Pope, what are you thinking about?"
Tashiniya leaned over and poked Su Lin.
"You've been spacing out for a while. Is something wrong? Don't be afraid to speak up; this Angel will definitely help you solve all your troubles!"
"Nothing."
Su Lin smiled, glanced at the sky, and said softly, "It's getting late. I'm heading back first."
"It's not dark yet, is it?"
"Almost."
"Alright..."
Tashiniya nodded sullenly, then pressed, "Will we meet at the usual spot tomorrow? By the way, Pope, where do you even live? Why won't you let us visit you?"
Su Lin didn't answer directly.
In Tashiniya and the others' perception, Su Lin looked at each of them with a very complex gaze before slowly speaking, "Tomorrow, we won't go to the usual spot."
"Ah?" Tashiniya and the others felt as if their hearts skipped a beat.
After so many days of adventuring together, although Su Lin was always unwilling to join their party, they had long considered him a companion.
When Su Lin said that, they felt a hint of farewell.
"Pope, are you leaving the Elven Kingdom?"
After a long hesitation, Tashiniya cheerfully slapped Su Lin's shoulder.
"Alright! Let's go together!"
Su Lin was a bit surprised.
"Aren't you waiting for the Elven Kingdom's Dungeon? If you leave, you might not be able to re-enter the Elven Court to wait."
"That kind of thing doesn't really matter."
"Who knows if the Elven Kingdom will open the Dungeon, or when they'll open it? Instead of just waiting, why don't we adventure together? It's much more fun to explore the Aetheram Continent as a group."
After a brief pause, the playful look on Tashiniya's face disappeared, and she looked at Su Lin with genuine sincerity, saying, "Besides, compared to the Dungeon and all that, companions are definitely more important!"
"I can't believe Tashiniya said something so touching."
Su Lin teased, then hinted, "But in the end, I haven't joined your adventure party."
"That doesn't matter! Companions aren't defined by just an adventure party!"
Tashiniya smiled foolishly.
Under the setting sun, Su Lin saw an Angel's halo on Tashiniya for the first time... Oh—
He was mistaken.
It was Tashiniya's Angelic halo turning on as it got dark.
Lulu, however, was once again moved by Tashiniya's sudden seriousness.
"The Captain rarely says such Knightly things!"
"This is an Angel's spirit, Lulu!"
"Didn't the Captain say that an Angel's spirit is to be cowardly, bully the weak, and take advantage of others?"
"That was a joke! It was a joke! Can't you forget that?"
"This is all your fault, you silly Angel! I told you long ago you'd corrupt Lulu!"
"But... for a Demon Thief, if I corrupt Lulu, her whole family would thank me, right?"
Watching the few clowns start their antics again, Su Lin chuckled and turned to leave.
Tashiniya stopped arguing and quickly waved, shouting, "Wait! Pope, don't go! We'll leave with you!"
"Hey! Pope! Even if you don't want to go with us, at least tell us where you're going, and where we can find you! Su Lin!!!"
Looking at the silent figure gradually disappearing into the darkness.
Tashiniya's eyes reddened, and she forcefully slammed her staff on the ground.
"Honestly... do you dislike us now too?"
Tashiniya didn't understand.
If Su Lin didn't want to be their companion, why did he spend every day with them during this time?
They got along so well.
Adventuring together, picnicking together, fighting together, running away together... they did so many things that only good friends would do, so why such a cold and heartless farewell?
Had they done something wrong again?
They had tried so hard to learn and change, to ensure their high-level existence didn't cause trouble for the weak.
"Hey!"
"Tashiniya!"
Suddenly, Su Lin's voice came from far away, from the edge of their vision.
Everyone looked up, vaguely seeing him waving in the darkness.
"See you tomorrow!"