An Understated Dominance

“Sure. I’ll go along with your plan.” Dustin nodded.

The rare treasures hidden in the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit were likely the Dracan essence.

A treasure linked to the fate of the nation should never fall into the hands of the Hall of Gods. Who knew what kind of trouble that might cause?

Dustin had initially braced himself to tackle this challenge alone. But now, he felt much more confident about taking on the Hall of Gods with Grace by his side.

As a representative of Dragonmarsh royalty, she had the influence to rally allies and back them up.

Grace said, “Okay, enough about the Hall of Gods. You need to stay focused on bringing your best at the Combat Tournament.”

She added, “And remember, Sacred Wrym Summit wouldn’t organize something meaningless. The top three competitors are in for some serious perks and rewards.”

“I’ve already registered. I’m fully committed to giving it my all. You can count on that,” Dustin replied with a smile.

In fact, he was excited about facing off against strong opponents in the tournament.

“By the way, there’s another important matter I need your help with,” she said, changing the subject.

Dustin looked curiously at her. “Oh? What’s that?”

“I have a close friend who came for the Combat Tournament. But she suddenly felt sick yesterday. Despite consulting several renowned doctors, they couldn’t do anything. That’s why I’m coming to you.”

She knew Dustin was a medical genius. Unless someone was at death’s door, he could handle any tough case with ease.

“Close friend? What’s the story there?” He raised an eyebrow.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Since she was the princess of Dragonmarsh, he knew anyone who could be friends with someone of her stature must be pretty remarkable, too.

“You know Alloy Marshall, the Celestial Alliance’s guildmaster, right? Well, my friend happens to be his daughter, Alicia Marshall,” Grace stated.

“Ah, I see.” Dustin nodded.

“Huh? You know her?”

“I don’t, but I’ve heard about her. She’s fifth on the Beauty Ranking list and has a solid reputation in the martial world, ” he said.

Every young talent in the Celestial Alliance was vying for Alicia’s attention. It was partly because of her status but also because of her undeniable beauty.

Described as breathtaking and mesmerizing, she had everyone under her spell. Even Fenley, one of the Celestial Alliance’s brightest talents, couldn’t resist her charm.

That just showed how irresistible she was.

“Yes. I can’t deny her beauty caught my eye,” Dustin admitted.

Grace smiled mischievously. “Well, if you’re interested, I could totally set you two up,” she teased and playfully winked at him.

“No thanks!”

Dustin quickly refused. “Thanks for the offer, but let’s not stir up any unnecessary drama. I’ve got enough problems as it is, and I don’t need any more.”

Alicia wasn’t just a knockout on the Beauty Ranking. She was also the daughter of Alloy, the guildmaster of the Celestial Alliance.

With plenty of men trying to win her over, any special attention toward her could stir up drama and envy.

To Dustin, she was the classic femme fatale that he preferred to steer clear of.

“Geez, you look like you’ve seen a ghost Was all that fuss really needed?”

Grace chuckled.

Most men would try to cozy up when they saw a beautiful girl. But she wondered why Dustin was doing the exact opposite.

“I’m here to heal the sick and save lives, not get involved in romance,” Dustin said earnestly.

“Fine. I won’t try to set you up. But if you can cure Alicia’s illness, think of it as a favor from the Celestial Alliance. They’ll owe you one if you ever need their help.”

“Let’s go. We should check on the patient,” Dustin said, not saying much else.

His decision to help wasn’t just about obligations to the Celestial Alliance. It was also a sign of respect for Grace.

Otherwise, convincing him to step in wouldn’t have been so simple.

Half an hour later, Dustin and Grace pulled up to a lakeside villa in their car.

The villa was close to Sacred Wrym Summit. It was nestled amidst lush green mountains with a stunning view of the lake. It was an excellent place to reside.

The place was also fortified with walls and guarded heavily to keep out unwanted visitors.

As Dustin and Grace approached the gate, they were stopped by several vigilant guards.

“This is a private residential area. You can’t enter without an invitation.”

The guards were all on high alert as their hands were already on their weapons as they spoke.

If Dustin and Grace made any sudden moves, they wouldn’t waste a second before taking action.

“Don’t worry. We’re here to treat Alicia’s illness,” Grace reassured with a polite smile and showed them the golden emblem.

It was a gift from Alicia. The emblem granted Grace special access within the Celestial Alliance.

“Oh, you’re Ms. Marshall’s esteemed guests. My apologies for the earlier misunderstanding. Please come in.”

The guards nodded respectfully at the sight of the emblem and opened the gate to let them through.

Grace’s emblem marked her as a VIP within the Celestial Alliance. It was reserved for the highly esteemed or those who had made substantial contributions.

When the guards saw it, they couldn’t afford to be anything less than respectful.

Passing through the gates and strolling through the garden, Grace and Dustin approached the villa. Just then, a middle-aged woman dashed out anxiously.

“Ms. Linsor, you’re finally here. Ms. Alicia’s condition has worsened. Please, come quickly!”

When the middle-aged woman spotted Grace, she seemed to view her as a savior and promptly ushered her indoors.