Demi-human Girls Completion Manual Chapter 1327 - 20: Explosion

With Mier's pronouncement, a chilling silence descended upon the Royal Court.

Rafael stood frozen, her form rigid as if seized by rust, barely capable of movement. Only the subtle rise and fall of her chest betrayed that she was still alive.

Observing Rafael's state, Mier, the messenger, felt an escalating unease. She understood the gravity of the news she carried and how it would impact Rafael. Furthermore, it appeared that Rafael and Moli had already engaged in a dispute prior to her arrival, making Mier question the timing of delivering this crucial message.

Nevertheless, it was critical military intelligence, and any delay was out of the question, despite the apparent impropriety of the moment.

"My deepest apologies, Lord Raphael!"

In contrast to Rafael's stunned paralysis, Fisher's reaction was one of sheer bewilderment.

When recollections of marriage surfaced in his mind, only Valentina of the Northern Realm came to the forefront; no other woman held that distinction.

Consequently, upon hearing Mier mention an official wife arriving to seek him out, his initial thought was: "Has Valentina arrived?"

This was indeed startling news, especially given the already precarious and unresolved state of affairs; her arrival felt akin to pouring oil onto a raging fire.

Moreover, her arrival seemed plausible, as Fisher had recently speculated about Valentina's current condition.

Before his departure from the Northern Realm, she had fallen into a deep slumber. While he was uncertain about the duration of the Phoenix Species' Nirvana and body reshaping, Valentina might be the first in history to undergo such a profound transformation.

Now, with four and a half years having elapsed since then, the probability of Valentina awakening was significant.

If she had indeed awakened, then as the Phoenix Species, once cherished by the Six Clans, she would undoubtedly rise to prominence in the Northern Realm, reclaiming her ancestral glory. This process, however, would likely require time, leading Fisher to believe she might not have the immediate leisure to seek him out.

Yet, one could never be certain. If Valentina chose to seek him out first, and with the assistance of Slimes possessing both transmission and disguise capabilities, it was highly probable that by the time he entered the Red Dragon Court, news would already have reached Valentina via those very Slimes.

It was important to recall that Fisher had previously leveraged a favor to procure a Seal from the Slimes. With this favor, it was conceivable that the Slimes had undertaken certain tasks on his behalf during these past four and a half years.

"Could it truly be Valentina paying a visit?"

Just as this thought crossed Fisher's mind, he detected a subtle inconsistency.

If it were indeed Valentina, then from the time of his departure, four and a half years should have passed. However, the so-called "official wife" was reported to have arrived after only "four years." Fisher suspected that Valentina, with her meticulous nature, would not overlook such a precise temporal discrepancy, especially when needing Fisher at the Red Dragon Court to recognize the visitor's identity – even if it concerned a scandal.

Furthermore, Valentina would likely not opt for a Schwali country in the Western Continent as a cover for her false identity. While not as prestigious as Nali, Schwali was a recognized southern colonial power. Identifying herself from the Northern Realm would present far fewer complications than choosing Schwali, thereby avoiding unnecessary entanglements.

"Fisher, what is the meaning of this? Schwali's... official wife?"

At that moment, Rafael turned her rigidly held head towards Fisher. In stark contrast to her earlier restraint with Moli, her eyes now displayed an eerie green luminescence, giving her a spectral appearance that sent shivers down the spine.

It seemed that even carefully laid plans could not contain her current fury.

Fisher had neither the time nor the inclination to panic or respond directly to Rafael's question. Instead, his gaze fixed on Mier, who still stood by the gate, appearing more anxious than himself, he inquired first,

"Mier, you stated the individual who arrived was human?"

"Yes, she appeared to be a young lady from that... Schwali human country. Her ship was laden with numerous treasures."

"Confirmed to be human?"

"I did not detect any unusual characteristics about her; she is confirmed as human."

"..."

Hearing Mier definitively state that the visitor was indeed human, Fisher let out an inexplicably profound sigh of relief.

Yet, at this juncture, he was uncertain whether to be grateful for his 'delicate' preferences, often the target of mockery, for this personal trait had unexpectedly provided a crucial criterion for assessing the visitor.

Following this, Fisher straightened his posture slightly, explaining to Rafael,

"Absolutely not. I am acquainted with no woman from Schwali, let alone an official wife..."

Rafael's expression relaxed somewhat, and she remarked,

"Ah, so you only associate with ladies from elsewhere, don't you?"

"..."

Wisely, Fisher offered no response. Rafael, having no immediate intention of pressuring him further, simply stroked her chin, a contemplative silence falling between them.