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"Of course I’m worried! Isn’t that obvious?" Mengdie really wanted to push the girl away, but her body was still too weak to even move a finger.

"Edward just got injured, and now he’s fighting Xiu forcefully. What if his injury worsens? And Xiu, his magic takes a long time to conjure, what if he gets cut by Edward? They both are good people; of course, I don’t want anything bad to happen to them. Hurry, Nia, go and persuade them."

Nia lifted her head, her cheeks puffed in a huff. But unable to resist Mengdie's repeated urging, she reluctantly stood up and walked to the door.

"I know, Sister Mengdie, you have a good rest."

Nia then opened the cabin door a crack and went out. Soon, the sounds of fighting ceased, leaving only the gentle rocking of the boat...

Mengdie, hearing no more noise, finally relaxed and closed her eyes. She needed to rest quickly to recover her strength.

※※※

The boat rocked gently, and a lake breeze blew softly. After an unknown amount of time, a knock on the cabin door awakened Mengdie from her deep slumber.

"Ugh… have we reached the other side of the lake?"

Perhaps due to excessive blood loss in the battle, Mengdie felt somewhat anemic upon waking. She struggled to open her eyes, but her eyelids stuck together, her long lashes covering her bright eyes, and they remained shut for a long time.

"Ugh… I must get up…"

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Mengdie forced herself to sit up, feeling something soft slip off her. Looking down, she saw it was a blanket. She grabbed the blanket, shook her head to clear it, and checked her injuries once her mind was somewhat clearer.

"Good. The wounds have completely healed." The skin on her chest, abdomen, arms, and legs was once again flawless. Unhappy with this, Mengdie huffed.

"Scars... Can't I keep just a couple of scars? What kind of body is this..."

Every time she was injured, slept, and woke up, Mengdie always hoped for a couple of manly scars on her face or arms. But every time, she was disappointed. The soft, smooth skin always made her temper flare.

Another knock on the door came, accompanied by Nia's voice.

"Sister Mengdie? Are you awake?"

"I am!"

Mengdie replied, releasing the blanket and sitting up. Perhaps because she hadn't slept long enough, although her wounds were perfectly healed, her bones and muscles still ached, and she couldn't clench her fists.

Hearing Mengdie's response, Nia opened the door and walked in. But upon seeing Mengdie's almost naked state, she hurriedly locked the door. She pointed to a set of clothes beside Mengdie and said, "Sister Mengdie, please put on your clothes."

Mengdie shook her head, her hair falling loosely. She glanced at the folded clothes, which were obviously a dress, although she hadn't fully unfolded them to see the entire outfit.

"I won’t wear it," Mengdie replied crisply. "Where is the boat now? Why do I feel like it’s not moving?"

Nia pouted and shrugged her shoulders. She knew Mengdie's temperament, but despite the slim hope, she had wished Mengdie would wear a light and airy dress. The thought of walking down the street with such a beautiful sister excited her.

But hope was indeed slim. Nia glanced regretfully at the dress and reluctantly brought in a set of men's clothing for Mengdie to wear.

After dressing, Mengdie followed Nia out of the cabin. As soon as the door opened, the bright sunlight streamed in, making Mengdie squint. It took her a few minutes to adjust to the light outside and take in her surroundings.

"Buzz... Buzz..."

Unknown waterbirds flew over the sparkling water, and the blue sky seemed as if washed by gods, spotless! Under the sun, several boats were anchored around Mengdie's vessel. Looking towards these boats, they could see a vibrant island rising from Lake Mississippi!

A waterbird landed on Mengdie's shoulder. She shrugged it off, and the bird, with a couple of cries, flew towards the lively dock of the island.

"What... What’s going on? Haven’t we reached the Luville Empire yet?"

Xiu, leaning on his staff, approached from the bow and smiled, "Miss Mengdie, it seems our luck isn’t very good. We were just supposed to stop briefly, but then we received notice that the third princess of Luville Empire is returning to her country. For safety, not only is the entire Lake Mississippi, but all the roads to Luville City are blocked. It might take another day or two to cross the lake."

As Xiu was explaining, Edward approached as well. His sword was deformed beyond use and he could only carry it in his hand. Hearing Xiu's words, Edward became anxious, "Wait a day or two? But Xiu, what if the Black Flame Serpent’s people catch up again, or if the White Shadow takes advantage of this to get even farther away? Is there no other way to cross the lake quickly?"

Edward’s concerns echoed Mengdie’s thoughts. She nodded and looked at Xiu, waiting for his answer.

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