"Victoria, let me introduce you," Linna said enthusiastically, "this is ......"

The girl had just taken a shower, she was refreshed, and she didn't wait for Lin Na to finish speaking before she spoke.

"Greetings to you, Your Excellency Duke Hywell," the maiden bowed to the blond-haired red-robed man, "and I greet you on behalf of myself and Miss Douglas." ”

According to the Lord of Black-

He had told Duke Hywell that the maiden was a soul from another world. The rest of the Imperial staff, including Linna, only regarded the girl as "a new soul that had split from Victoria Douglas's soul after a failed spell experiment". Except for Duke Hywell, only a few top levels in the Empire, including His Majesty the Emperor himself, knew about the fact that the girl was an otherworldly creature.

Of course, the maiden has no soul, but is a top secret known only to the Lord of the Black and Goth!

Duke Hywell was Linna's adoptive father, the true decision-maker of the Imperial Legations, and the Emperor's right-hand man. Duke Hewell's prestige has long spread throughout the Cloud Continent...... And according to the Lord of Black, this duke is one of the most powerful secret warriors in the world. Duke Hywell's Duchy of Sunflame City is also the most powerful of the four principalities in the northern part of the empire.

The four northern principalities nominally enjoyed many privileges, but in essence they had long been provinces of the empire. In the girl's original work, although Duke Hewell has an appearance, there are only a few strokes of "a powerful duke in the north of the empire, with an upright personality, and a close friend of the emperor". She vaguely remembered the description of Duke Hywell's appearance, but she could recognize it at the first time.

The Duke smiled, looking very happy.

"You know me," he said, "very well." I don't think you seem to like using the last name Douglas – how about I call you Victoria too? ”

"You are an elder. Just as you want. The girl replied politely.

Everyone sat at the table, and the atmosphere seemed to be very harmonious. Only the man in the gray robe—whom Lin Na introduced as the Duke's chief retainer, the mage Aiken—looked preoccupied. The girl guessed that the loyal mage might have been ordered to deliberately disguise himself.

Today's girls wear bright red tunics, knee-length skirts with pale gold lace, spotless white stockings, beige round-toed women's shoes with tiny bows, and golden parasols "Bright World" in their hands.

In fact, the girl and Xiaowei had argued for a long time about the dress when they met the imperial people: she had the dual identity of "secret warrior" and "mage", and it seemed inappropriate to wear a warrior's costume or a mage robe, so in the end, she asked Fran and others to prepare a more fashionable women's dress for herself.

Soon—

"The 'Bright World' is willing to return to the Empire, and we naturally welcome it," the Duke didn't make much of a gesture, but quickly got to the point, "Would you rather use Victoria Douglas's identity, or will we prepare a new identity for you?" ”

[My identity is too eye-catching," Xiaowei said, "I'm afraid it will cause trouble for the empire.] 】

"If I join the Empire as Victoria Douglas," replied the maiden, "the Okad Federation will protest to the Empire." Moreover, Victoria Douglas is a mage, and her ability to wield the power of the secret weapon 'Light World' will also arouse the suspicion of the world. I think let's prepare a new identity. I can also change my appearance. ”

"All right," the Duke nodded, "and I'll do what you say." From this day forward, you are a distant descendant of the Hywell family from a distant land, who has been chosen by the 'Light World' to become a member of our empire again. As for physiognomy? Long-term deformation of physiognomy is quite cumbersome and prone to mistakes, so it is not necessary. ”

"Won't this cause trouble for the Empire and your family?" The girl couldn't help but ask.

"My Hywell family has a lot of distant relatives with different surnames, you are a dignified 'bright world', and borrowing the surname of the Hywell family for the time being is also an honor for my Hywell family," the Duke didn't care, "As for whether anyone will suspect that you are Victoria Douglas?" Let them guess. ”

Lina Nunu mouthed: "Even if you look alike, it's hard to associate you with Okad's 'Victoria Douglas'." No one could have imagined that a fugitive mage would become a mystical warrior...... The temperament and dress are different, and no one can be sure unless they have seen it with their own eyes. ”

The Duke sneered: "Even if you can be sure, what? When the time comes, you will directly admit that you are Victoria Douglas! The Okadians did not dare to do anything to my empire. ”

Hearing the duke's promise, the girl and Xiaowei were very grateful. But compared to Xiaowei, the girl is more calm.

"I have some conditions," said the maiden, taking out a piece of parchment from her coat pocket, "all written on it." I don't know if the Duke can help me do it. ”

[Actually, they are so sincere,] Xiaowei muttered in her inner world, [We don't need to open their mouths like this at all. 】

In the original plan, the girl and Xiaowei planned to first propose some more difficult conditions to the imperial people, and then "ask for the price and pay the money on the spot". In Xiaowei's opinion, since the duke's attitude is so sincere, there is no need to talk about these conditions, just discuss the real needs directly.

"You ......," Master Aiken leaned up and glanced at the list, "...... I really dare to make a bid. ”

The first item on the list - the title of the territory.

The second item on the list is the reward of four thousand gold coins.

The third item on the list - mentors and items that she and Xiaowei may need, such as teachers who guide martial arts and spell-casting techniques, as well as "magic armor", "off-hand weapons", "spell-casting aids", "Empire-unique spell knowledge" and so on. Its total value should not be lower than that of article 2.

"How?" The girl said with a smile.

The Duke was solemn. He took out his quill and crossed out a few items on the list: "Others, you can agree." ”

"You really agreed?!" The girl was surprised, "And, this ......"

She could see it clearly, the Duke had crossed out the items needed for the "Martial Arts Teacher" and the Secret Warrior, but the rest did not move at all. In the girl's imagination, as a "bright world", she will definitely be vigorously cultivated by the empire in the way of the secret warrior, but in the title? It's nice to get a title of honor. The empire has far more resources to train warriors than mages, but it seems that the Duke would rather help Xiaowei more.

"There is a castle between the Duchy of Yangyan City and the Duchy of Snow Waterfall City to the east, which has been abandoned for many years, and has recently been restored," the Duke said, "I will make you the baron who rules there, and you will own the surrounding villages, farms, mines, etc." I am your lord, and when you first arrived, you were not taxed on the income of your territory for the first three years, and you were at your disposal even the four thousand gold coins I gave you. ”

Xiaowei didn't know what to say anymore. The girl struggled to keep her voice from trembling.

"Dare to ask the Duke, this territory is ......"

"It's the same as the realms of other nobles in the Empire. In the future, if you are willing to marry, as long as your husband is a native of the empire, or if the other party is willing to join the family, you can pass on the territory to future generations, regardless of whether the surname is 'Douglas' or 'Hywell'. If you don't want to marry and adopt an adopted son, you can also transfer the land to him. There are a lot of female secret warriors who like to be single," the Duke laughed, "and as for Miss Douglas, we will do our best to cultivate it." Although my empire is inferior to Elrios in the path of mages, it is not necessarily worse than Okadian...... In the future, if the two of you are separated, I will present Miss Douglas with a mage tower. ”

[I ......] Xiaowei held back for a long time, and there was still only one "I" word. Her mother taught her the spell-casting techniques of the Okadians; The Lord of Darkness gave her knowledge of Elrios' spells; Now coupled with the empire's, and at the same time received gifts from the three major countries of the continent, I am afraid that no young mage in the whole continent is treated better than her.

On the other hand, as the noble lords of the Empire, it is difficult for the Okadians to act even if they know their identity.

But the girl quickly regained her composure. There was one question she had to ask.

"May I ask the Duke, what should I do if I need a teacher on the path of the Mystic Warrior, or a magic item suitable for the Mystic Warrior?"

"You can exchange treasures for money, as long as they are willing to exchange them for you," the Duke said leisurely, "If you have made a contribution to the empire, you will naturally be rewarded accordingly." As for teachers, you can either hire them with money or develop your own network...... As long as it doesn't violate the laws of my empire, I won't care. As long as you have enough potential and merit, it will not be difficult for me or Your Majesty to teach you personally. ”

The girl knew it in her heart.

Sure enough, there is no such thing as pie-in-the-sky...... The duke's "reward" simply put himself on the fire to roast!

Money? Although there are many rewards, it is still very difficult to buy those powerful magic items that have no price. I'm afraid that many precious and even unique magical items are impossible to obtain unless they are deeply related or bartered.

Territory? casually given a small girl's territory, and she is the heir to the "Bright World...... I'm afraid that the girl will attract the attention of the whole empire at the first time. When the time comes, it will be difficult for him to guard against the secret hands of the Okadians, and to develop his own new network. Just finding a teacher who has the ability to guide her involves a lot, and she has to work her own.

"I accepted it, Lord Duke." The maiden got up and prepared to kneel on one knee and salute as a vassal did to a vassal. She didn't like the etiquette, but at least the superficial work was done.

"You don't like red tape, you can do it henceforth," the duke, seeing the girl's reluctance to do so, did not care, "from this day on...... You're my baroness. ”

"Female" baron? The girl stood up and touched her nose, why was this so awkward in her native language?

"Congratulations." Linna looked delighted.

“…… Congratulations. "Master Aiken was a little helpless. After the two parties - the girl and Xiaowei signed their names separately - signed the document, the contract was completed.

"In the Empire, everyone will have to call you 'Victoria Hywell.'" Lin Na said happily. She grew up in the Duchy of Yangyan City, and her feelings for her adoptive father are only deeper than those of her biological father...... To her, it's like having an extra sister of her own.

The girl could only nod.

[Everything is going well," Xiao Wei said quietly, "In the future, we will repay the favor of the Duke." 】

[Yes, I will repay it. The girl responded, but in her heart she was thinking about her strategy after going to the empire.