Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 217: The Suffocation Forest (Part-12)

For Guinvere, he felt bad. But an apology was all he could offer. Any further comfort would be nothing but cruelty in disguise.

Guinvere stared at his retreating figure, her chest tightening painfully. Beneath the ache, resentment quietly took root.

For years, she had been the proud daughter admired by countless talents. She had rejected them all without hesitation, because the only one she ever wanted was him.

And now, a woman who appeared out of nowhere had shattered everything.

How could she accept that?

No.

She would never accept defeat.

How could she lose to a woman who, in her eyes, was nothing?

Guinvere’s gaze hardened. She convinced herself that Prince Kael was merely momentarily blinded. One day, he would wake up.

When that day came, she and Prince Kael would still be the most perfect pair.

*

When Prince Kael returned alone, many expressions quietly shifted. Anyone with half a mind could guess how that conversation had ended.

"I never thought Guinvere would fall so hard," Elowen said with a faint smile. "Seeing her lose to an ordinary girl is rather... satisfying."

"Enjoying her misfortune doesn’t suit you," Sigmund said, frowning slightly.

Elowen laughed softly. "Don’t you like her? Shouldn’t you be the happiest one here?"

Sigmund’s expression stiffened. He didn’t deny it.

"With Guinvere’s temperament," Zephrin said coolly, eyes sharp, "she won’t give up so easily. That Zora is bound to face trouble."

Fiona’s eyes gleamed with venom. "That woman deserves it. Even if Guinvere doesn’t act, I won’t let her go."

As the young miss of the Ji family, she had never suffered such humiliation.

Elowen glanced at her with a knowing smile. "Prince Kael has already made his stance clear. Are you really prepared to offend him over Zora? You should think carefully."

Her gaze drifted toward Zora. She didn’t know what Zora had done to capture Prince Kael’s heart, but she had to admit one thing.

An ordinary woman who could make both Guinvereand Fiona stumble was anything but ordinary.

If there was a chance, befriending such a person might be far more interesting than making her an enemy.

When Guinvere finally returned, the surrounding chatter died instantly.

Silence settled over the clearing, heavy and expectant, as the shadow of the coming conflict quietly took shape.

Prince Kael settled down beside Zora, his handsome features lit with a teasing smile. "Darling, aren’t you curious about what Guinvere and I talked about?"

Zora raised a brow slightly. The curve of her lips traced an alluring arc as she replied calmly, "Do you want to tell me?"

Before Prince Kael could answer, Black and White had already squeezed in eagerly, their eyes glittering with gossip. The two little fellows were far too curious for their own good.

Prince Kael laughed softly. His wife truly was different from ordinary women. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

He reached out and held Zora’s hand, his voice lowering into something gentle and reassuring. "I’ve already made things clear with Guinvere. She may need some time, but whatever she does in the future, just don’t mind it. You only need to believe me."

Zora leaned slightly toward him. His decisiveness earlier had already pleased her greatly.

What she disliked most were men who wavered in such matters, keeping their stance vague and leaving everyone trapped in false hope. Prince Kael, at least, was clean and resolute.

As for Guinvere’s reaction, Black and White had already reported everything to her in detail. Zora knew very well that her conflict with Guinvere had only just begun.

Men rarely understood how sharp and silent battles between women could be. Wars without smoke were often the most chilling of all.

But she wasn’t afraid.

In all the chaos and potential future trouble, Zora didn’t even realize how her feelings were changing toward Kael, whom she only treated as a namesake husband so far.

*

Soon, everyone closed their eyes and began to regulate their breathing. By tomorrow, the ancient ruins would fully emerge. They needed to face what lay ahead in peak condition.

Ancient ruins were filled with priceless treasures, but the dangers within were just as numerous. A single mistake could cost one’s life.

Not to mention the many competitors gathered here. Once the struggle for treasures began, it would inevitably turn bloody.

With her current cultivation, Zora knew the risks she faced were enormous. Her only real advantage lay in her understanding of ruins and ancient mechanisms.

As night deepened, the area fell into an eerie quiet despite the gathering of so many spirit warriors. Only the roars echoing from within the ruins shattered the silence, their oppressive power making everyone’s scalp tingle.

"Shihtzu, do you know what kind of guardian beast it is?" Black asked, frowning. "That thing is really noisy."

Shihtzu nodded slowly. "It should be an Abyssal Crocodile."

As more inherited memories awakened within it, its understanding of ancient beasts had grown clearer, allowing it to make this judgment.

Hearing the name, Zora’s expression changed slightly.

"An Abyssal Crocodile is comparable to a human spirit warrior at the Yellow Realm," she said solemnly. "And one that has guarded ancient ruins for so many years will be far stronger than an ordinary one."

"I didn’t expect something like that to be here," Black muttered, his face grave. "This is going to be troublesome."

Even the mechanisms and trials inside the ruins wouldn’t be easy. Adding such a guardian beast made matters far more dangerous.

"Shihtzu, can you suppress it?" Black asked hopefully. "After all, you’re a king among beasts."

Shihtzu looked somewhat dejected. "My strength is still too weak. I can probably only use my aura to intimidate it... and even then, only for a short while."

At those words, a sharp glint flashed through Zora’s eyes.

Shihtzu had only been born for a few months. That its aura alone could momentarily suppress an Abyssal Crocodile was already far beyond her expectations.

"Don’t worry," Zora said softly, the corner of her red lips lifting in a faint, knowing smile. "There are so many people here. Even if we don’t make a move, someone else will."

With so many resources and forces gathered, it would be a waste not to let others take the lead.

The four great families were undoubtedly far more eager to enter the ruins first. Once the Abyssal Crocodile appeared, they would definitely rush forward without hesitation.

After all, they would never place their hopes on a group of academy students, no matter how talented. In their eyes, students were nothing more than potential seeds, not forces that could stand on their own in the short term.

"The master is right," Black said, its eyes sparkling with crafty brilliance. "Let them burn their strength first, then we’ll move. Otherwise, wouldn’t we be doing free labor for them?"

"Exactly," White chimed in smugly. "When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up. We’ll just reap the results."

Shihtzu glanced at the powerful figures nearby and had to admit that their way of thinking was... remarkably practical.

At that moment, Sebastian and Miel gathered everyone together, their expressions solemn.

"If nothing unexpected happens, the ruins will open tomorrow," Sebastian said gravely.

"This is an opportunity accompanied by great danger. You might gain a breakthrough, or you might fall behind. No one can predict the outcome."

His voice grew heavier. "Even with my cultivation, I can’t guarantee absolute safety. The only thing I can hope for is that the mechanisms and trials inside won’t be too cruel."

The atmosphere instantly became weighty.

For most of them, this was their first time facing ancient ruins. Everything they knew came only from rumors and secondhand tales.

Even so, they were well aware that every ruin was stained with blood. The only small comfort was that, due to the suffocating miasma, the number of competitors would be somewhat limited.

"Besides the mechanisms and trials, the other forces must not be underestimated," Miel added with a sigh. "Once treasures appear, conflict is inevitable."

Competing with the four great families and the spirit warriors of Tianzhuzong was already difficult enough. Worse still, the tension between Fiona and Zora had not eased in the slightest.

If they encountered each other inside the ruins, Zora’s situation would become extremely dangerous.

Yet even so, no one was willing to give up.

Afterall, Such an opportunity, however slim and perilous, carried an irresistible allure.

And not to mention, after coming this far...