The staff at the Ambrosian Refectory had never in their lives seen anyone refill noodles a hundred times. But today, they got to see it happen.
Craig facepalmed. “Laura, I think that’s enough.”
Laura finished her soup, still looking like she could have another bowl, but seemed content. “This soup is so good,” she said.
Linda gave her a fond look. “If you like it, we’ll come back again.”
The waiter almost dropped to the floor in shock. He made a mental note to remove “free refills” from the menu immediately.
Once Laura finished eating, Linda took care of the bill herself. The whole meal cost 120 luster shards. Laura murmured, “Should’ve pushed for twenty more bowls.”
Only then did Craig realize Laura had been trying to help Linda get her money’s worth.
Linda caught on too. She paused for a moment, then turned to Laura with a gentle smile.
She said, “You don’t have to worry about that. I can always earn more luster shards. I promise, you’ll never go hungry with me around.”
Not to mention the Mystic Silver–Leaf. Just her runecrafting skills alone could bring in plenty of luster shards.
Linda never really cared about money because she never lacked it. She had a real knack for making luster shards whenever she wanted.
But seeing Laura still looking troubled, Linda smoothed a strand of hair from her temple. “If I’ve got food, you’ll always have some too, I promise.”
After Linda paid the bill, she and the crew left together. Just then, a bunch of people stepped right in front of them.
A guy said, his tone arrogant. “Well, look who it is, the Farrell family’s bottomless pit.
“As soon as I heard someone wolfed down a hundred bowls at the Ambrosian Refectory, I knew it had to be you lot.”
When Linda looked ahead, she finally got a look at the person blocking their way. He was dressed to the nines, but reeked of decadence.
With dark circles under his eyes and sallow skin, his gaze kept flitting around. He was obviously someone who had wasted years drowning in booze and pleasure.
“Isn’t that one of the Barber family’s heirs?” someone whispered.
“The Barber family?” another person echoed. Linda glanced up, checking him out.
She could tell he wasn’t from the Barber family in Vrepridge. But when she caught sight of the token at his waist, it dawned on her.
‘Oh, I see. Empathic Resonance, Linda thought. ‘He’s from one of the Barber family’s side branches.‘
Marietta’s family was an elite clan, their strength easily rivaling the top sects.
In recent years, through expanding influence and collaboration with the High Sanctum, they had begun to overshadow
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other sects.
The sects were losing ground, while the elite clans were rising to the top.
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The Barber family was well on its way to becoming the number one among all the elite clans. Boris basically called the shots. at the High Sanctum now, and Marietta’s clout was rising fast too.
But Marietta and Boris were both from the main branch of the Barber family.
That a minor branch like the Resonance Tether dared to act so insolently showed just how much power the Barber family now wielded.
That was why even some minor side branches from a tiny town dared to act like they ran the show.
Travis noticed Linda glaring at him and asked coldly, “What are you staring at?”
“Just looking at how ugly you are.” Linda’s voice was flat. As she spoke, her eyes swept over him from head to toe. The blatant mockery infuriated him.
Travis raised his hand and cast an Aer–Soul. Laura was ready to jump in, but Linda grabbed her arm, holding her back.
With her free hand, Linda’s palm shot out, ready to counter. She reached right into the heart of the Aer–Soul vortex.
Everyone around started laughing. “What an idiot. Who the hell deals with a spirit art like that?” someone scoffed.
“Clearly she’s got no clue about cultivation at all,” another person echoed.
However, Linda stepped forward, her voice calm and unruffled. “Rip,” she commanded. A sharp, snapping sound echoed in the air.
With a single, effortless motion, Linda’s hand tore the swirling wind apart right before their eyes. The gust split and swept around their sides.
The breeze lifted and tossed the long hair of Linda and Laura. Everyone was struck by how breathtakingly beautiful they
were.
Rafael was practically hopping mad. He knew he was no match for Travis, who was already in the Foundation Phase.
But seeing Craig make no move either, he fumed. “Bro, are you even a man?” Rafael snapped.
“Obviously,” Craig shot back, giving him a look. “You wanna try it yourself?”
Rafael was left speechless for a moment. “So you’re just going to watch and do nothing?”
“Who says I’m just watching? I’m sitting right here, keeping an eye on Laura and doing the math. If a fight breaks out, can we even afford the bill?” Craig replied.
But seeing Linda rip Travis’s wind spell apart with one move, Craig was stunned. “Man, she’s gotten way tougher.”
After sparring with Laura every single day, Linda’s body had toughened up enough to stand against tier–one incantations
now.
Travis might not be much of a threat, but that was still a tier–one incantation. And she took it head–on with her bare hands.
‘Damn, Linda’s got some serious skills,‘ Craig thought. ‘Now that’s embarrassing.”
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Travis was left speechless. “You didn’t even use any mana?”
Linda glanced at him coolly. “Against you? Is it necessary?”
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Travis lunged forward, this time casting a tier–two incantation. Wind blades erupted from the center of the hall, slicing through the air.
Linda let out a snort and raised her hand to meet them head–on. She knocked each blade aside with a single slap of her palm.
With every move, she closed in on Travis, narrowing the gap between them. Slap! She landed a stinging slap right across his face.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, she smacked him again on the other cheek. Slap! Slap! Slap! A dozen rapid strikes followed.
Travis stumbled back, reeling between fury and disbelief that she still hadn’t used a single spell. “You’re humiliating me!” he
roared.
“Do I need to pick a special day just to humiliate you?” Linda sneered. She gave Travis a frosty glare. “Next time you see us, watch your mouth.”
“All that food you stuff down clearly hasn’t done you any good,” Linda added. Then she turned to leave.
But Travis was shaking with rage. “Laura, you’re just a pawn the Farrell family sold off to me as my fiancée. You dare walk away?”
This time, all four of them turned around together. Even Rafael turned to glare at Travis. “Fiancé? Seriously? You think you Meserve that?” Rafael burst out laughing.
ravis fumed. “What are you laughing at? Everyone knows the Farrell family betrothed Laura to me. They set up our engagement when we were six years old. Laura is my fiancée.”
Laura shot back, “I have no idea who you are.”
Craig snorted. “Did you catch that? She doesn’t even know who you are.”
“But I know you,” Travis said, his eyes fixed on Laura with a hungry, almost possessive intensity. Linda recognized that look right away.
It was the same look Marietta used to give her, back before she ever formed her gilded core. It was restrained, yet unable to fully hide a trace of greed.
But it wasn’t affection. It was a craving for something inside them. Linda’s fingers clenched tight. ‘Something’s off, she thought.
Laura frowned. “I’ve never met you in my life.”
Linda kept her eyes locked on Travis, trying to read what lay behind his stare. Her gaze was so sharp it made him flinch.
“You.” Linda seized Travis by the jaw, locking eyes with him. “What’s inside you?”
Travis’s heart raced. “What are you doing? Why are you grabbing me?”
Linda lifted her hand, covering his eyes. “These eyes. If I gouged them out, they’d make for some fascinating research.”
Genuine fear flashed across Travis’s face. He shoved Linda away, shouting, “You’re insane!”
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But Linda hadn’t missed a single shift in his expression. That earlier strangeness was gone now. She glanced back at Laura, who also seemed puzzled.
A suspicion flickered in Linda’s mind. But Travis’s attendants rushed forward to shield him.
Linda gave him one deep look. She smirked, her voice low. “I really like your eyes. If you’re ever looking to sell them, just name your price.”
A chill ran through Travis and his attendants. They hurled insults, but Linda paid no mind. She only shot Travis a meaningful smile, then took Laura’s hand and walked away.
Travis stood there, pale as a ghost. ‘Did she figure out my secret?‘ he wondered.
As soon as the four of them left, Rafael said, “Someone’s following us.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
