Mage Manual

7:45 p.m. The Blood Moon tonight was also very bright, but under the decorative lights of the central avenue of World Film City, the blood‑stained night sky could only serve as a dreamy backdrop for the float parade.

Ordinary tourists could only watch from behind the rope barriers with stanchions, but as top‑tier VIPs, Ash and the others could sit on the second floor of a roadside castle, drinking while they enjoyed the view below.

Ash sipped his juice, then suddenly nudged Sonia’s elbow. "Look, that puffed‑up cat looks just like my girlfriend!"

Sonia looked over and saw a gray cat sitting on the float, arms crossed, eyes wide and sulky, tail swishing back and forth. It was puffed‑up and ridiculously cute.

She was both annoyed and amused. Twisting Ash’s ear, she asked, "Which girlfriend of yours does it look like?"

"The cutest one!"

"Hmph." She shot Ash a glare, turned sideways to lean against the sculpted balustrade, and gently swirled her wineglass. The bright, sweet red wine formed a sharp contrast with her snow‑white Bride outfit, adding a touch of temptation to that flawless holiness.

"I knew I shouldn’t have told you so early," Ash said with his chin propped in his hand, smiling. "Made you unable to enjoy yourself the whole day, always hanging your head, racking your brains over cultivation... I could’ve wandered World Film City without a care, but seeing you in no mood, I could only wander World Film City in a state of anxiety too."

"So it’s my fault now?" Sonia crossed her arms and turned her head away in a huff. "So you’re saying I’m in the wrong, that I don’t know how to have fun, and I’m getting worse and worse compared to your other lovers."

Ash glanced at the gray cat below and then at her, almost bursting into laughter. He wrapped his arm around her waist. "Can you please stop being this cute?"

"Nope, I’m the cutest." Sonia snorted. "And it’s not like I spent the whole day thinking about how to deal with Dazzling Star... I’m also a beautiful girl who loves to enjoy life. I used to dream of becoming Upper Nobles, I’m not some workaholic Magic Fanatic!"

"Yeah yeah yeah, then what have you been thinking about all day?"

"Can’t tell you yet." Sonia shot him a sidelong glance, the corner of her lips curling up, a warm peach‑pink spreading over her skin. "I’ll tell you when we get back."

"Oh, right." Ash glanced casually at the Witch, Silver Lamp, maid, Freyja and the others standing beside the Sword Maiden. "When I’m not around, this team will be relying on you to lead and command."

"You’re not around?"

"I think when the final battle comes, there’ll be two battlefields. I’ll be responsible for dealing with Dazzling Star, and you’ll handle cutting down Dazzling Star’s followers," Ash said. "Honestly, I never really interfere with your specific tactical arrangements. I just make the big decisions. The team’s always been led and commanded by you, hasn’t it?"

"Nope!"

Diya popped up between Ash and Sonia, cheeks flushed with anger. "I’m the one in charge of command! Once the Sword Maiden starts fighting, she just charges in and hacks back and forth a few rounds. She’s fine for a frontal assault, but when it comes to command, it’s nowhere near her turn!"

"I’m the one who’s always monitoring the whole field and supporting everyone. Ash, you only ever have eyes for the Sword Maiden!"

Sonia’s expression turned a bit awkward. In the first two team fights, she really had opened with Blood Moon Shattered Lake, followed by the sky falling and the earth cracking. Once the battle started she could at most coordinate with her teammates; her contribution to command was practically zero.

"By the way, I’m the one doing support and analysis." Weiser leaned in from behind and hugged Ash. "After all, my actual Combat Power is far inferior to you Demigods, but the God of Silver Lamp’s Divine Power is ambiguous, and I can Imitate every Miracle I know. Whether it’s offense, defense, Reconnaissance, or movement, I can help out. I can use all sorts of methods to find the enemy’s weak points."

Vishi walked to Ash’s side, leaning back against the railing and taking a heavy swig of liquor. Slightly drunk, she said, "Right now I’m specializing in Soul Control. Either way, none of you are escaping from the palm of your hand anytime soon, and the team has enough killing power. The World Secret Domain ’Sky Garden’ is also very suitable for a Soul Control path... Even if it’s the Supreme Star Dazzling Star, I’m confident I can force her to expose a brief opening."

"As expected of my new Brides—every one of you has your own unique talent." Ash laughed. "So if there comes a time when I’m on a different battlefield from you, who exactly will you center your actions around?"

Sonia felt a bit guilty. After all, her role really was frontline warrior, charging ahead, and the others all seemed more suited to being the core... But Diya and the other two exchanged looks, then turned to her in unison.

"The Sword Maiden is still the best choice." The Witch went over and took the Sword Maiden’s arm. "Once something unexpectedly dangerous happens, I’ll get nervous, but the Sword Maiden never seems to get nervous. The more dangerous it is, the stronger she gets."

"I approve of Sonia too." Weiser raised her hand in agreement. "Her intuition is the sharpest I’ve ever seen; seizing an opening in battle is practically her instinct. At critical moments, what you need for crucial decisions isn’t careful deliberation, but Sonia’s kind of unwavering resolve and the ability to act on it immediately."

"It’s not like my disapproval matters anyway. You lot wouldn’t follow me." Vishi muttered. When Sonia looked over at her, nervous and unsure, she went to stand beside Sonia, lifted her glass to clink against Sonia’s, and flashed a defiant smile. "But sometimes, only when a warrior charges at the very front will there be people willing to follow behind."

Felix and the others watched this scene from the side, feeling as if they were witnessing the birth of the master of the harem beneath the Supreme. Sonia was even more excited, throwing her arms around Ash and hopping up and down, so happy she didn’t even know what to say. Ash was half amused, half helpless. "Didn’t I just acknowledge you too? How come you’re even happier now than you were earlier?"

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