SSS Class Infinite Regression: Ascension of the Mad Dragon Prince-Chapter 181: Life Changing Decisions [2] — Back To Emerald Grove

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Louis soared above the beautiful green farmlands, forests, and plains of City District A. The soil thrummed with spiritual energy. The sight filled him with freedom—he could finally fly as long as he wanted now that his strength let him sustain his wings.

By reversing the skeletal hand wings from his fusion with the Necromancer Incarnation of Despair into Hope, they had become radiant wings of light—far faster than the skeletal pair. With his current high Fantasium levels, he could maintain them for hours without strain.

"I'm glad everything went well," Mirai sighed in relief, gazing at the sprawling landscape below. "Wow… flying so high still amazes me. Not long ago I was trapped in a lab, dreaming of seeing the outside world like this. Now I feel truly free…"

"It's nice," Louis said with a small smile. "These areas are protected by several Spiritual Forests and Towers that maintain the kingdom's largest barrier. It creates a vast, fertile region where we can grow almost anything. It's one of the many assets that keep our kingdom at the top of the world."

"At the top? I thought Yamato or Camelot were—"

"Frostbane is naturally the world's leading superpower…" Louis said, ignoring her comment.

"Well, sure…" Mirai sighed. "Anyway, I don't sense any more miasma here. Is that Emerald Grove? How are things there? Last time there was a whole Fantasy Field, but now… nothing?"

"Hm, there isn't," Louis confirmed. "Zorba went ahead with Uncle Eduard and his agents. We should join them."

They descended to Emerald Grove's entrance. Everything appeared ordinary. Elven knights guarded the perimeter and bowed deeply in greeting.

"Lord Verdant Bellflower governed this place after the rebellion began," Louis explained as they walked. "He teleported here with his troops, various nobles, and mercenaries. Those who fought us before were likely hunted down by Tisha and her knights."

"Do you think any traitors remain?" Mirai asked. "The Fantasy Field is gone too. Did the Gardener lose the power to maintain it in multiple places?"

"He was still controlling smaller Corrupted Domains, so that's not true…" Louis rubbed his chin. "We'll learn more once we investigate and interrogate. Let's move."

Inside the city, Zorba and Eduard's team waited. Catrise, Juliette, and the children had stayed behind with Lady Agustina and her mother. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Ah, Lord Louis, welcome back. Did things go well with the child?" Zorba asked.

"Timothy isn't exactly a child," Louis replied. "He's my age. But yes—it went well. I recruited him. He'll bring his entire family. I've arranged jobs for them too, so they'll be occupied."

"Does he have good character?" Zorba wondered. "I hope he's not some childish brat…"

"He seems like a normal young man his age," Mirai said. "Well… not that I have much to compare against."

"Louis, you're back!" Eduard called, approaching with occasional radio-like buzzes from his head.

Louis greeted him and fell in step. "Uncle, how did things go? Have you investigated deeper?"

Eduard crossed his arms and nodded. "Sort of. We've mostly scanned the surroundings with tools to measure miasma levels. This city is surprisingly clean—no trace of a Fantasy Field."

"Really?" Louis raised an eyebrow. "Huh… We'll check anyway. Gather every noble known to have had any close ties to Bellflower—and his cult, of course."

"Yes sir," Fernand—one of the Frost Knights—nodded and moved quickly with the rest of the order.

Thus Prince Louis shattered the calm of Emerald Grove—a city of towering trees and homes built among branches. The elven population recoiled as commotion spread.

Elves shouted in anger and disbelief as Frost Knights—or even Undead Knights—dragged them away. Some tried to flee.

"What kind of prince punishes his own people over something someone else did?!"

A tall, red-haired elf leaped into the forest and used spirit magic to take flight.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Louis overtook him effortlessly, closing kilometers in a single bound.

"Eh?"

With a casual swipe of his claws, he disfigured the elf's face. The elf plummeted and crashed into a tree below.

CRAAASH!

Barely alive, he was dragged away with the others deemed complicit with Bellflower.

The population fell into chaos, but they could only blame their own ruler for what was happening.

Once Louis had rounded up every potential traitor, he imprisoned them and fitted them with magic- and spirit-sealing devices—bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces.

With Espers' help, he combined his Psychic Abilities with Spiralwalker techniques to corrode their hearts and minds.

After more than a day of relentless interrogation, the elves broke and confessed everything.

Most were innocent and unconnected to Bellflower. A few—especially those who had fled—were accomplices who had stayed behind and now feigned innocence.

Their crimes ranged from cooperation to gathering "sacrifices"—usually poor wanderers seeking odd jobs or villagers no one would miss. Dozens have vanished over the last two years.

Furious that these ungrateful elves had preyed on his people, Louis showed no mercy. He judged those whose actions had cost lives and separated them from those with lesser crimes.

He pardoned the less guilty—some admitting they acted out of fear or coercion—promising different punishments later.

Then he gathered the fanatics who had kidnapped and fed people to The Gardener for nearly three years.

"I've brought you here to punish you for what you've done," he said, voice cold with rage, eyes blazing gold. "I want you to cower in fear, scream in agony, and suffer the same way you made my people suffer. I will execute each of you personally… but I am no coward. Your sealing devices are removed. Use your magic, your soul weapons—whatever you have. I will now show you the true strength of the family you've always looked down on!"

"You arrogant son of a bitch!"

"We never liked Queen Benladra anyway!"

"Your mother is a fucking slut that fucked a disgusting human!"

"Die! Die you fucking lizard!"

"We'll kill you right now, you stupid and foolish idiot!"

"Hahaha! Honor?! You imbecile! We're over a dozen! Are you courting death or something?!"

They attacked in fury. Some even unsealed Entities stored in their souls.

Dozens of spells rained down—fireballs, wind blades, thunderbolts, meteors, bladed boulders, icicle spears, wooden lances, spirits, tamed beasts, Entities.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!