[The Falling Queen] Volume 1: Princess of Aus (Magical Fantasy Long Serial)

Atalia, arcing downwards from the World Tree, faced a dire crisis. Orphila's arrow hadn't inflicted significant physical damage, but it had embedded a circular, gem-like object onto her chest. Atalia recognized it instantly; it was an auto-restraint device, developed from a rune array she'd once stumbled upon, specifically designed to bind high-level elves. The gem fixed itself to Atalia's chest, extending countless straps in all directions. Her arms were forcibly twisted behind her back, several straps binding them together. Atalia struggled to resist, but as the gem on her chest activated, her magic was suppressed. White straps bound her above and below her elbows, mid-forearm, and at her wrists. The straps wrapped around her arms once before converging in front, tightening with immense force. Atalia felt her arms being pulled together, pressed flush against her body, leaving only her fingers free. Then, black membranes began to extend between the straps on her arms. These membranes were incredibly tough, eventually encasing everything from her upper arms down, including her fingers, leaving her only able to clench her fists. Thus, Atalia's slender arms were forced together, encased in what felt like a black, resilient glove, further cinched by white straps. There was no space between her arms, only a slight separation at the very top of her upper arms. This intense pressure forced Atalia to lift her head and chest, her breasts also being tightened at their roots by the straps above and below, standing erect as if inflated. Her original deep V-neck, held by a tie, was now stretched to its limit, threatening to snap and release her rounded breasts into the air. Next, the gem on her chest extended further, coiling around Atalia's slender neck to form a black collar. In the center of the collar, directly on Atalia's neck, a small ring formed, from which a long strap extended, as if for leading her, filling Atalia with shame. The back of the collar also changed, with two black straps extending downwards to connect with the white straps on the upper part of the arm restraints. This linked her neck to the arm restraints, ensuring that any violent struggle would tighten the collar, suffocating her. Atalia's upper body was now a single, restrained unit. Her waist was not spared. Between the two white straps extending from her back, black leather emerged, eventually encasing her slender waist. This leather appeared much thicker than that of the arm restraints, and after enclosing her, it continuously tightened until Atalia's waist was reduced by a full circumference. Poor Atalia, her chest compressed by straps and her waist cinched by the binder, found her breathing shallow and rapid, deep breaths becoming nearly impossible. Following this, white straps extending from the bottom of the waist binder reached down, and with Atalia's flushed face, they wrapped around her crotch. They then split into two, one connecting to the straps at the back of the waist binder, and the other to the end of the arm restraints. These straps were no ordinary ones; they could be controlled to perform various functions like vibration and friction. If she struggled beyond a certain limit, they would automatically activate one of these functions, preventing the restrained individual from gathering strength. These straps tormented Atalia. Her legs clamped together, her pretty face reddening as the straps began to vibrate gently. Atalia realized then that the restraint device had been modified with some "pleasure" functions, likely intended for her. Her sister might not have intended to kill her, but she probably planned to imprison her forever, turning her into her plaything. As these thoughts flashed through her mind, Atalia's legs were also tightly bound by the encircling straps. From the roots of her full thighs, through the middle of her thighs, above and below her knees, mid-calves, ankles, and feet, precisely seven white straps bound her long, slender legs, clad in coffee-colored stockings, so tightly that no amount of force could shift or separate them even slightly. The straps visibly dug into Atalia's soft flesh, creating bulges on her legs. "Damn those guys... Ugh~" Atalia tried to wiggle her legs, and a vibration in her lower body made her cry out in a delicate voice, cursing the person who had modified the restraint device. At this point, black membranes began to extend between the straps on her legs, eventually encasing everything below her thighs, turning them black. Her toes, which she could still wiggle moments before, were now rigidly fixed, her insteps forced into an arch. She looked as if she were wearing extremely high heels, her toes pointed. Two long, slender heels, a full 20cm, extended from the back of her soles, connected together. Even if Atalia could stand after landing, movement would be difficult. With this, the restraint from Atalia's neck down was complete. She had lost all her previous agility, her entire body firmly secured by straps and membranes. Her arms, fingers, torso, legs, and even her feet were completely devoid of freedom. Her green tunic, which she had been wearing, now clung tightly to her body. The hem, due to the straps around her crotch, had long been folded up and secured at her waist, hidden beneath the waist binder. This meant Atalia's fair, shapely buttocks were completely exposed, with the straps around her crotch and her elastic buttocks clearly visible. When she had burst from the World Tree, Atalia had expended her remaining magic. Coupled with the momentum from Orphila's arrow, she had flown a great distance and was still gliding through the air. Her wings had vanished due to the suppression of her magic, and she felt herself falling. However, the restraint device seemed to be absorbing her magic to provide some propulsion, preventing her from plummeting to her death. This was likely a safety feature designed into the restraint, preventing the prisoner from committing suicide or dying accidentally while bound, thus saving her life. But Atalia remembered that the restraint system had runes divided into three parts: one for the legs, one for the upper body, and one for the head. As expected, after the final tightening of the full-body restraint, the collar changed again. Black membrane extended from the upper part of the collar to her mouth. Her delicate lips were forcibly parted, and as the membrane sealed the lower part of her nose, she felt a soft rubbery object being injected into her mouth, filling her oral cavity, pressing against her throat, and pinning her tongue down, rendering it immobile. Her lips were then forcibly closed, the outer black membrane sealing them together, even sticking her teeth. Finally, the membrane gradually hardened, transforming into a black leather mask that sealed her mouth. Atalia tried to make a sound, but only a faint "Mmmph" escaped, barely audible to outsiders. Next, two straps extended from the upper part of the leather mask, one on each side, wrapping around her delicate nose and converging between her eyebrows. From there, membranes spread outwards, covering her eyes. They were secured near her temples, and two straps extended to the back of her head to merge and fix. Thus, Atalia's eyes and mouth were securely sealed. She could see nothing and say nothing. The once peerlessly beautiful elven princess had become a helpless, broken doll. "Mmmph... Mmmph mmmph..." Atalia let out a delicate cry. With a membrane also fixing her chin to her neck, her nods and shakes were limited to a very small range, preventing any significant movement, which greatly displeased her. The tightness all over her body had rendered her soft form rigid. Fortunately, the leather was temporarily flexible, allowing her to bend at the waist and knees. However, if the system detected any attempt at large-scale movement, it would likely harden instantly, perhaps even restraining her in a full spread-eagle position. At this moment, the only thing on her body that could move freely was her stunning golden hair, which fluttered in the wind. Everything else was restricted to some degree. The wind whistled past her ears. Atalia had been gliding through the air for over ten minutes. She didn't know where she would land, or what would happen to her upon landing. Her mind was in turmoil, grappling with the shock of her sister's betrayal and the fear of the future in her helplessness. In this state, even if she survived the landing, what could she do? "Mmmph... Mmmph mmmph..." After a few more minutes, Atalia heard some sounds from below, indicating she was nearing the ground. Suddenly, the gliding mechanism on her restraint system shut off completely. Atalia cried out in surprise and plummeted downwards. She felt a heavy impact on something, and then she lost consciousness. ... Scott was completely bewildered. He had no idea what day it was. Just a moment ago, he had been on the verge of being killed by a goblin chieftain. Now, that same chieftain had been crushed by something falling from the sky. The surrounding goblins stared for a few seconds before screaming and scattering, their leader's death clearly having a profound impact on them. Ten seconds later, the once bustling clearing was left with only Scott... and a crater. Scott picked up his short sword and cautiously approached the pit. He peered inside and saw, amidst the rubble, a person lying there. To be precise, a... broken doll? Scott had never seen an auto-restraint system before, but he had seen restraints like hand-mittens. The person in the pit, lying on top of the goblin chieftain whose head had been smashed, seemed to be bound very tightly by these restraints. What was this? A windfall from the heavens?

After pleasuring himself, Scott began to study how to undo the restraints. But the more he studied, the darker his expression became, until his face was ashen, devoid of its previous joy and smugness. The reason was simple: he couldn't undo them. All the straps had no openings and were incredibly tough. He could barely pry open a tiny gap, and that was only because Atalia's body was soft. There were no other openings. As he studied, he discovered that it all stemmed from the circular gem above Atalia's breasts. After examining the gem closely, he gave up. The gem contained a highly complex runic lock that required corresponding runestones to control and open. Without them, one would need an extremely powerful elf to forcibly break it. The complexity of the lock before him, Scott deduced, was at least S-class, possibly S+-class. He was definitely out of his league. Not being able to open the lock was one thing, but Atalia's origin was another. Scott had never seen this type of integrated restraint before, but he had heard of them. He'd heard other traffickers bragging that such restraints were only used against elves of noble blood within three generations, or against individuals of immense power. Ordinary people couldn't get their hands on them. Therefore, Scott inferred that Atalia must have come down from the World Tree, which also explained why she had fallen from the sky. Selling an elven noble was extremely dangerous. The elven bloodline hierarchy was incredibly strict. If it were discovered that he, a low-class elf, had sold an elven noble, execution would be considered lenient; torture was almost certain. Scott dared not take such a risk. Moreover, even if he were audacious enough to sell her, no one would buy her. This runic lock was a nightmare to open, and no one wanted to pay a high price for an elf they could only touch a few times or just look at. Thus, the price would definitely not be high, and likely even lower than what he usually got for adventurers. Scott slumped to the ground, running his hands through his hair in frustration. Such a prize was right in front of him, and he was helpless? He frowned, thinking, then his eyes suddenly lit up. Of course! Someone so heavily restrained was likely a noble prisoner. If a prisoner was lost, there would surely be a reward. If he turned her in, he could earn a hefty bounty! Scott scrambled to his feet and carefully lifted Atalia's hair to examine the inscription on her collar. Prisoners were usually fitted with collars bearing their prisoner classification. Scott searched and searched, finally finding two characters in the center of the collar: "Prisoner Slave." "..." Scott was so angry he didn't know what to say. "Prisoner Slave" meant the woman before him was the private property of some powerful individual, not a prisoner at all. No wonder the restraints were complex yet retained a certain allure. Scott could vaguely sense that the restraints had many hidden functions designed to torment the restrained Atalia, likely catering to the owner's peculiar tastes. "Whatever, I'll leave her here for now. I don't believe no one will come looking for her!" Since she wasn't a criminal, Scott could only wait for someone to post a notice. After all, losing such a perfect slave was something no one would easily accept. Whether publicly or privately, there would be news of a search. With this thought, Scott carried Atalia and placed her by the wall. He took a coil of rope, tied one end to her waist, and the other to a hook on the wall, hanging her like a piece of clothing. Atalia could barely touch the ground with her tiptoes, forced to stand there. Scott lay down on the bed and grumbled resentfully, "If you don't give me any benefits, I won't let you have an easy time either." Then he rolled over and went to sleep. After an unknown amount of time, Atalia woke from her unconsciousness, still tightly bound. She felt as though she could only stand? "Mmm?" Atalia was very confused. She tried to twist her body, but only swayed slightly. Something was hanging her by the wall, forcing her to stand on her tiptoes. Atalia's heart sank. This was clearly not a function of the restraints; she had likely been found by someone. "Mmm! Mmm mmm!!" Atalia made sounds, trying to call out to the person nearby. But her soft cries, muffled by the rubber and mask, were incredibly faint, like the buzz of a mosquito. After calling for a long time, there was no response. The surroundings were silent. Judging by the air currents, Atalia deduced she was indoors. She tried to lean to the left, but her chest was immediately pulled back by a tightening strap. Now Atalia was helpless, as all she could do was these limited movements. Her arms were tightly bound behind her back, her legs felt like one, and even turning her head was extremely difficult. In such a state, Atalia was at the mercy of others. However, thanks to the restraints, Atalia wasn't worried about being violated. The restraints were designed to protect the wearer; unless the rune stone holder assaulted her, they would trigger a counterattack. Still... some touching and caressing were unavoidable, and Atalia could only endure them. Hanging there with nothing to do, Atalia thought about what had happened before. Thinking of her betrayal by her own sister, her first feeling wasn't anger, but a sense of confusion and sadness. In her memory, she and her mother had always shouldered the complex affairs for her sister. Her mother had placed the expectations of an heir upon her, and she had strived to live up to those expectations. Beyond that, she didn't want her sister to be involved, so she forced herself to learn the intricate political maneuvers she couldn't understand, hoping to protect her sister in the future. But now, she realized she had been too naive. Perhaps her sister had never wanted to be protected by her. Was her protection seen as a shackle? Atalia was lost. She didn't know the exact number of people involved, but even a portion of the city guard had participated in this conspiracy. It was likely that the harmonious atmosphere she usually saw was merely a facade. She had ultimately failed to learn the political skills her mother had taught her. Perhaps I'm not suited to be queen, and my sister is? Atalia recalled past memories: her sister's gaze when their mother groomed her to be the next queen; her sister's gaze when she was considered a prodigy due to her exceptional talent; her sister's gaze when she studied various cultures and combat techniques with the young geniuses of the Blue Kite Snow Blade sect... All of this, she had overlooked before. Now, it seemed her sister's face showed joy, but her eyes did not. "Mmm..." Atalia didn't know how to express her current feelings. She wanted to give up. Perhaps it would be better for her sister to be queen. She suddenly felt so tired, wanting to do nothing, just... "Why me, Mother?"

"Mmmph! Mmmph!" Atalia's face throbbed from the pressure of Scott's grip. Her soft cheeks were dented, and the pain made her whimper. She struggled to protest, but her sealed lips rendered her efforts futile, producing only unintelligible muffled sounds. *Stop it! What is this guy doing?!* If Atalia hadn't known Scott couldn't remove the gag from outside her mask, she would have suspected he was orchestrating this whole thing himself! But now, she was helpless. Unable to speak or move, she could only endure as Scott pried at her lips. Scott, in part, was being deliberately rough. He felt a significant amount of resentment. Ever since he'd gotten entangled with Atalia, he'd been walking a tightrope. Not only did he have to worry about being hunted daily, but he'd also nearly become fertilizer this time. He'd regretted saving Atalia more than once, but there was no undoing it. After a few complaints, he'd resigned himself to his fate. But now, Atalia suspected him of gagging her? Not only was it an absurd notion, but Scott, a fundamentally self-centered person, was now dedicating himself to Atalia's well-being, enduring great danger (though also for his own survival and reward). He'd endured hardship and effort, and if she wouldn't even let him touch her, she was now *suspecting* him of harming her? This irked Scott, who was accustomed to selfishness, immensely. However, he dared not show it, so he seized this opportunity for a small release. He had to admit, Atalia's face was incredibly smooth and her cheeks were soft. Even with the gel in her mouth, it didn't detract from the supple texture. Scott squeezed Atalia's face, relishing her impotent fury. The pent-up frustration of recent times dissipated considerably. "Mmmph!!!!" Seeing Atalia on the verge of exploding with anger, Scott quickly let go. He scratched his head and feigned innocence, saying, "Uh, it looks like something's stuck to your mouth. I can't get it open either." "Hoo... hoo-mmph..." Atalia's pretty face flushed crimson as she glared at Scott. She suspected he was doing this on purpose, but she had no proof. At least, Scott was acting like he was trying to help, and she couldn't afford to provoke him too much. What if he risked his life and did something to her? Then she'd truly be in trouble. But this feeling was deeply unsettling. She, the crown princess of the Os Kingdom, was having her mouth pried open by someone holding her face. And she couldn't resist. This humiliation left Atalia feeling incredibly stifled, but she could only swallow her pride. After a few moments of catching her breath, Atalia gradually calmed down. She tried to move her lips, but her plump, rosy lips were sealed tightly together, refusing to part. From the outside, her mouth looked normally closed. Anyone else would think nothing was wrong, but only she knew how agonizing it was to be unable to speak because her mouth was stuck. It was then that Atalia remembered. When she was dragged under the divine tree and hung up, a sap-like liquid had been forced into her mouth. She had reacted quickly, immediately using her restraint suit to cover her mouth and severing the vine. She had initially thought the sticky substance in her mouth would be neutralized by the gel in the suit, disappearing when she removed it, as if nothing had happened. But now, it seemed the restraint suit could only absorb ordinary gagging materials, not this special viscous fluid. With this realization, Atalia could only sigh in resignation. Her eyes darted around as she contemplated a way to dissolve the sticky substance. This fluid was incredibly troublesome; it didn't dissolve in water. However, there was a special type of water that could, and that meant heading to their next destination. "Oh, right. After you passed out, a woman, uh, who called herself Xue Xin, asked me to give you a message." Scott, seeing that Atalia wasn't blaming him further, felt a secret joy. The soft touch on his hands still held a lingering warmth, and his mood brightened considerably. He remembered Lu Xue Xin's earlier instructions and relayed them to Atalia. "Mmm?" Atalia blinked in surprise. Xue Xin? Lu Xue Xin? Hearing this, she immediately looked at Scott, urgently "Mmmph! Mmmph-mmph!!" she cried, seemingly urging him to speak quickly. "Uh, don't rush." Scott hadn't expected such a strong reaction from Atalia. It seemed their relationship was indeed extraordinary. He dared not delay and relayed Lu Xue Xin's message verbatim. "Mmmph... mmmph..." After hearing Scott's retelling, Atalia nodded. A hint of moisture appeared in the corner of her eyes, and her gaze softened like water. Lu Xue Xin's assistance filled her with joy and gratitude. These past few days, bound and helpless, this was the first time she felt she wasn't alone. After all, for Lu Xue Xin to find her, it must have been because of the cylindrical object Atalia had given her. Atalia had activated her life-mark, and the object had sent a signal, allowing Lu Xue Xin to locate her, just like when Ke Te Miao had found her initially. But simultaneously, it would also alert those tracking her, meaning Lu Xue Xin likely encountered them. Lu Xue Xin was the second daughter of the Blue Kite Snow Blade Sect leader. If she were caught by those people, let alone whether she could save Atalia, the incident itself would escalate into a serious political and diplomatic crisis. Therefore, the Snow Blade Sect leader would never agree to such a thing. Under these circumstances, Lu Xue Xin still risked sneaking out to help her. How could Atalia not be moved by such a debt of gratitude? Moreover, she had promised to fully support Atalia. Atalia only had to think about it to guess the immense obstacles she would face. She knew Lu Xue Xin well; her promises were never empty words. She would definitely do it. Having such a friend, what more could she ask for? "Oh, right. And, uh, someone who called herself the Spirit of the Divine Tree gave you a leaf." Scott remembered something else and pulled out the leaf from his pocket. Atalia's eyebrows shot up in surprise upon seeing the leaf, clearly sensing the immense energy contained within. This was exactly what she needed! "She also said that in a year, the Serene Forest will return to its former state." "Mmm, mmm-hmm." Atalia nodded, then repeatedly tilted her chin.

Atalia's heart sank. Her boots were crafted by the Lord of Darkness himself. Even in his dissipation, he had to leave her with such a predicament?! "Ugh—!!" Atalia arched her upper body, straining to spread her legs, but not only was it ineffective, it triggered a new round of changes. A wisp of black energy touched the straitjacket on Atalia's upper body. The straitjacket, mistaking it for an external energy intrusion, activated itself! The single glove on Atalia's back gradually vanished, leaving only straps. However, this was not a release; because she had been bound for so long, Atalia's arms were stiff and immobile behind her back, forced to move with the straitjacket. Her forearms were bent backward, her elbows brought together and pushed upward until her palms could touch the back of her neck. Then, her palms were pressed together, first fixed with adhesive, and then encased in a full leather glove. This rendered Atalia's fingers immobile once more, leaving her in an extremely uncomfortable, hands-clasped-behind-her-back position. The straps wound down, encircling her wrists and forearms three times. A black membrane extended from the center, eventually evolving into black leather, rigidly binding Atalia's forearms together. This forced Atalia's elbows to press together again, even more uncomfortably than before. Her arms were bent into a W-shape, her elbows forced into contact. Fortunately, Atalia's physique was robust, or she might not have been able to endure it. With her elbows pressed together, three straps wrapped around her upper arms, completely immobilizing them. Atalia's arms were pulled into an extreme adduction, her forearms pressed tightly against her spine, her back muscles stretched to their limit. She couldn't move at all. From the front, her arms remained hidden, only her forced, prominent breasts visible! Next, black leather spread between the straps, encasing Atalia's arms, which formed an inverted triangle, leaving only a portion of her palms visible at the top. "Mmph!" Atalia's brow furrowed in pain as she desperately tried to move her arms. This time, however, the restraint was even tighter than before. Her arms felt as if they were encased in cement, making movement impossible. To even twitch her fingers was a pipe dream. Meanwhile, the restraints elsewhere remained unchanged. Her arms were pressed against her body, and straps wound around her chest, top and bottom, securing her tightly. Atalia's upper body thus transformed from an extreme elbow bind to an extreme "Reverse Praying Mantis" pose. Scott watched all this, utterly helpless and dumbfounded. He had no idea the straitjacket had so many variations. These were the same severe bindings he used on his own "meat cargo," and with this, Atalia would surely be even more unable to escape (though she couldn't before). "Hoo, mmmph..." Atalia panted, her face flushed, her eyes filled with discomfort and pain. But it wasn't over. As if sensing Atalia's attempt to spread her legs and arch her upper body, the boots on her feet began to emanate black energy. Gradually, her legs, which she could still separate, were pulled together. The straps that had previously bound her thighs and calves now merged in the middle, like a pair of figure-eight shackles, immobilizing her legs. Atalia's legs were thus bent backward, turning her into a wriggling segment of flesh on the ground, devoid of usable limbs. "Ugh!! Uuuu!!! Mmph?!" Atalia's delicate body swayed back and forth on the ground like a seesaw, trying to break free. Suddenly, her mouth was covered by blackness. The black energy formed a muzzle, obscuring everything from her nose down to just above her collar. It seemed to coexist with the straitjacket, not encroaching on the upper body secured by it. Instead, two black straps extended from behind her head, pulling Atalia's small head upward, forcing her chin higher and higher until the other ends were attached to her straightened toes and heels. The black energy solidified into two leather straps. Atalia frantically signaled Scott with her eyes, but Scott's knife couldn't cut through the seemingly thin straps. He could only watch helplessly. With that, the black energy subsided, retracting back into the boots. But Atalia was in a dire state. Not only had the black energy triggered the straitjacket, binding her arms into an even more agonizing position, but her entire body was contorted into a circle, her toes nearly touching the back of her head. Her small head was forced upward, her bulging breasts pressing against the floor and springing back with her movements. She could only rock back and forth on the ground, with only her abdomen touching the floor. She couldn't even shift her position slightly. Although the straps binding her calves and thighs had loosened slightly to bring her toes closer to the back of her head, allowing her legs to separate a bit, this did not improve Atalia's situation. Her legs were still immobile. Due to the combined effect of the straps connecting her head to her feet and the straps around her thighs and calves, her lower legs were held straight in mid-air, unable to move down or up. "Mmph! Uuuu!!! Uuuu!!! Mmph mmph mmph!!!" Atalia's muffled cries emanated from behind the muzzle. Her body was bent so severely that she felt her waist would break. Her green eyes were filled with pain. Scott stood before her, watching her desperate signals, but unable to do anything. This plunged Atalia into deeper despair. Damn this Lord of Darkness! Once I reclaim my throne, I'll exterminate your entire race of dark creatures! Ah! It hurts! It's too, too tight! Atalia was so enraged that even her regal "this princess" self-exclamation slipped out. However, it was useless. Her current circular form held no threat; any child could kick her around like a ball. Gradually, Atalia began to lose the strength to struggle. Although her greatest effort was a seesaw-like rocking that made her breasts appear more elastic, this was her all-out exertion. Her golden bangs were plastered to her forehead with sweat, her eyes lost their sparkle, and her whimpers grew softer. She stared blankly ahead, her heart filled with despair and humiliation. I can't... I'm so tired... breathing... How am I supposed to... "Um, what should we do about this?!" Scott's voice jolted Atalia back. She lifted her eyelids slightly. Unable to do anything, even shaking her head was a luxury. She could only blink her eyes and let out a few hums. Scott scratched his head. Communication was impossible in this state. He could only say, "Uh, should I try to put you in a more comfortable position first?" "Mmmph..." Atalia wanted to nod but ultimately only managed a couple of hums. Two main points contributed to her despair: firstly, this was the Lord of Darkness's creation, not a "humanized" restraint that might relax; who knew if she'd be stuck like this forever? Secondly, she couldn't communicate with Scott. Atalia knew that Silver Moon Spring Water could likely purify this dark artifact, but how could she tell Scott? The thought alone made her feel dejected. Scott had no better ideas; he knew nothing about this. He could only carefully lay Atalia on her side and then use his own straps to secure her to the bench. Lying on the bench, Atalia resembled a bent meat tire, her bulging breasts nearly bursting from her clothes, making Scott swallow hard. "So, we're continuing to the Silver Moon Forest?" "Mmmph." Atalia blinked, confirming. Scott nodded, ensuring Atalia wouldn't fall off the bench from any rocking motion. He closed the carriage door and went outside. He drove the carriage, continuing towards Silverwind Town. Inside the carriage, Atalia, bound in a circle, let out weak, faint moans from her nostrils. She slowly closed her eyes, utterly exhausted.

The Lord of Darkness explained, "You were thrown into a place filled with dark matter. That elder tried to have you lose your mind to the darkness here and become his servant." Atalia recalled that before she passed out, she seemed to have fallen into something. She asked again, "Then what about you? Weren't you suppressed?" "Hey, I have to thank those who came to capture you. Their scuffle broke the damn duct tape and ropes, and I was able to recover. What's with that look? I saved you!" The Lord of Darkness spread his hands, seeing Atalia's suspicious gaze. "Why did you save me? Wasn't it in your favor for me to be controlled by darkness?" The Lord of Darkness scratched his head and said, "Alright, I'll explain it to you. That elder was indeed controlled by darkness. If I hadn't saved you, you would have ended up like him, or even worse, becoming his servant. However, because the thing that corrupted the elder was not the Lord of Darkness, the elder gave birth to his own 'delusion'." "Dark creatures submit to the Lord of Darkness because the Lord of Darkness is the god in their consciousness, someone they cannot resist. Although they have their own consciousness, if the Lord of Darkness wills it, he can control them. But without the Lord of Darkness, dark creatures will submit to the delusions in their own minds. They will imagine a 'god' for themselves, become its followers, and then act according to their own desires. This is what you've seen before as berserker rage." "The elder is clearly in this situation. Because the Lord of Darkness is weakening, he was not controlled by the Lord of Darkness. Instead, he gave birth to his own delusion, the 'Dark Moon Goddess.' This Dark Moon Goddess doesn't actually exist; she is a manifestation of his own selfish desires. So, under the guidance of the false Dark Moon Goddess, he began his ambition to expand his tribe. He gradually corrupted everyone in the village and polluted the Silver Moon Spring. Once his power reached a certain limit, everyone who drank from the Silver Moon Spring would be under his control." "As for the dark energy controlling him, it must be immense, as this is Silver Moon Village, which suppresses dark matter. If I'm not mistaken, it must be the Dark Moon Sword being activated, done by the sword spirit within. He must have been planning this for a long time: to directly pollute Silver Moon Village after its activation, and then, upon his return, he would have a 'Dark Moon Goddess' to command him and a group of followers, thus achieving his goal. However, he didn't expect the little girl who activated him to completely ignore him, refusing to be his 'Dark Moon Goddess' and not even having any intention of coming to Silver Moon Village. This caused the Elder to grow infinitely powerful and become like this." After listening to the Lord of Darkness's explanation, Atalia pondered. What the Lord of Darkness said made a lot of sense. It was equivalent to the Dark Moon Sword originally wanting to control the person who activated it, making them the 'Dark Moon Goddess,' and then taking them back to the corrupted Silver Moon Village to control the elder and villagers who worshipped the 'Dark Moon Goddess,' ultimately dominating the world. But he didn't expect Elish to completely ignore his temptations and instead use him as a weapon. This led to the current situation where Elder Silverwood gave birth to his own 'Dark Moon Goddess' and ultimately became so powerful. Although the sword spirit of the Dark Moon Sword was the instigator, the process exceeded his expectations, and it was unclear whether it was good or bad. "So, what do we do now? My body still seems to be..." Atalia straightened out her thoughts and asked. "Hoo... You should feel lucky that you kept me. Otherwise, you would already be controlled by darkness... This straitjacket wouldn't be able to protect you." "Hmm, judging by your expression, you have a way?" The Lord of Darkness raised an eyebrow: "I do, but I need your cooperation." "Tell me." "So decisive. You seem to have changed." Atalia smiled: "Go ahead." "I need you to tear a small opening in the straitjacket on your legs, exposing a part of your boots, even just the heel is fine." "Just that?" "Yes, but your straitjacket is currently completely enveloping you, and besides maintaining your life, it's the most secure wrap. Fortunately, it's busy dealing with the dark matter encroaching from the surroundings, so if you try hard enough, you can do it," the Lord of Darkness said. Atalia closed her eyes, pondered for a moment, and nodded: "Let's do it." "You trust me?" "If I don't trust you, what else can I do, right?" The Lord of Darkness looked deeply at Atalia, and his figure dissipated. "Hoo..." Atalia looked down at her right hand, her fingers fair and slender. She clenched her fist suddenly. Her sister's betrayal, Scott's help, Elish's joining, Kurt Meow's support, Elfi's efforts, and Lu Xuexin, who came to her rescue from afar... Atalia would no longer pity herself or be lost. Perhaps she still had a long way to go, but compared to her previous self, who felt wronged and helpless in her environment and was passively awaiting execution, she was more eager to give her all to change everything. Things hadn't reached the worst point yet. She clearly had so many opportunities; why should she dwell on pessimistic thoughts? She was not anyone's slave, not anyone's chattel, not a traitor. She was the rightful heir to the throne, her mother's hope, the strongest in Os, the eldest princess.