Chapter 26: Go for it, Brother-in-law 3

Slan was stunned. Had he misheard? He looked Su Yun, Maria's sister, up and down, wondering if she had suffered a head injury during the kidnapping by his subordinates moments ago.

"Brother-in-law!" Xining looked at Slan with complete composure.

Slan gasped, turning around with a mix of excitement and agitation as he looked for a place to sit. He needed a moment to collect himself—the happiness had come too quickly, and his sister-in-law’s immediate acknowledgment caught him off guard. He barely managed to settle into a chair, nearly tipping over; he only avoided making a fool of himself by bracing against his magic staff.

He pulled smelling salts from a pouch on his belt. As a mage, he always kept a few remedies on hand. After inhaling, his excitement seemed to subside, though he still asked in a voice he could not keep from trembling: "What did you call me?"

Was this the extent of the poise and promise of the heir to the premier magic family? Xining began to doubt his capabilities. Well, perhaps he was just so infatuated with the original host's sister that he had lost his composure.

"Brother-in-law!" Xining repeated, emphasizing the tone. "You will be my brother-in-law in the future."

A faint smile touched the corner of Slan’s mouth, but he kept his handsome face haughty. "There is no need for that. I have already said it was a misunderstanding. You may leave."

Damn it, how could she leave? If she left, she would be finished; the manor was destined to be blown into a giant crater.

Xining continued to lie calmly. "I lack the innate talent for magic, but no one knows that I possess the gift of divination."

Slan’s eyes lit up, his blue, gem-like pupils sparkling even more intensely, though he remained skeptical. "Divination requires aptitude, and for the last hundred years, diviners have been few and far between. If your divination were truly accurate, you would have become a Grand Diviner long ago."

Xining felt that ever since she had faced off against that black-hearted lotus in her last mission, her eloquence had improved. "Divination consumes energy. Because I lack innate talent and my constitution is poor, nine times out of ten I see nothing. But if I succeed even once, it becomes reality."

To win Slan’s trust, she spoke as if it were a matter of fact. "For instance, today, I knew I would be kidnapped, because this is the first step in your marriage to my sister."

Since waking up, she hadn't seen a hint of panic from Su Yun. Though diviners were in decline, they still existed. Most were fame-seekers, but there were indeed some who saw nothing in their crystal balls nine times out of ten, yet they never lied; if they said there was nothing, there was nothing. But once they did see something, it always came to pass.

At that moment, Maria unleashed another fireball, which slammed into the barrier. It exploded with a spectacular spray of sparks. "Maria Pompade, release her at once!"

Xining got off the bed. "I will explain things to my sister, and then I will discuss the details with you."

Slan thought this was an excellent idea. If the divination were true, he and Maria had a chance—he genuinely loved her. Even if it weren't true, at least he would have the support of the Pompade family, especially through Maria's sister.

Xining opened the window, and a ball of ice the size of a soccer ball flew straight at her.

Xining...

Fortunately, the barrier blocked it, and it shattered half a meter away. She could still feel the bone-chilling cold radiating from it.

Was Maria being reckless? She was hurling all sorts of projectiles without even looking. If not for the barrier, the original host would have been turned into a popsicle or blown to bits, leaving frozen remains scattered everywhere. It was starting to seem like the original host’s death wasn't an accidental killing by Slan, and the destruction of the manor wasn't his doing either.

She looked at Maria, who was hovering in mid-air, dressed in the black robes and cloak of a grand mage. Each edge of her garment was embroidered with golden roses—the mark of the Pompade family.

Maria was incredibly beautiful, with skin as fair as a porcelain doll and thick, golden, wavy hair that reached her knees. Her eyes were equally striking. Pure-blooded mages usually had colored eyes—blue, green, or gray—but Maria’s were a unique violet.

Hovering there, radiating hostility with her cloak and long golden hair whipping in the wind, Maria looked quite impressive. She was so beautiful and distinctive that Xining couldn't help but give a mental thumbs-up.

Seeing her sister at the window, Maria’s beautiful face filled with urgency. "Sister, I am here to save you!"

Xining shouted, "Sister, it’s a misunderstanding! Slan just wants to talk to me."

Maria replied, "Don’t worry, with me here, no one will dare bully you!"

Xining: "Really, I’m just a guest here."

Maria: "If anyone dares to touch a single hair on your head, I will make them pay a heavy price!"

Xining...

Xining turned to look at Slan, who was sitting in his chair. "Can they not hear us outside the magic barrier?"

Slan, posing with an elegant and arrogant air as if he were sitting for a portrait, replied, "They can hear us. I didn't set up a sound-dampening barrier."

Xining...

Maria was still calling out earnestly, "Sister, come out and come home with me. Don't worry, no one will dare hurt you."

This sister was beautiful, indeed, but she must be deaf!

Xining twitched her lips and shouted, "I am a guest here! I will come home once we finish talking. You go ahead first."

Maria finally heard her. After a brief pause, she shrieked, "Slan, have you cast some sort of curse to control my sister? I never expected you to be such a shameless man!"

Xining...

Slan...

She was speechless. Did Maria have a "sister-victimization" complex? Slan was the head of the premier magic family, and his reputation had been quite good until this incident started to tarnish it. It was only after he married Maria that his name was cleared.

Feeling there was nothing more to say to Maria, Xining simply closed the window.

Maria... *Why did she close the window? My sister wouldn't ignore me; Slan must have cast a spell.*

Thinking this, Maria attacked with even more frustration, determined to rescue her poor, magic-less sister.

Amidst the rumbling, Xining walked over to Slan.

Slan looked somewhat helpless. "Your sister is just like that. If she thinks something is bad, then it is bad; she doesn't listen to anyone."

If he knew that, why was he so set on her? Well, she was undeniably beautiful, could use magic, and was the head of the Pompade family—a perfect match in status and appearance.

"Boom!" Another loud crash echoed.

"Slan, you shameless villain! Release my sister at once, or I will blow up your manor today!" Maria’s furious shouting drifted in from outside.

Xining rolled her eyes. How was one supposed to have a proper conversation? "Hey, you better go and get rid of my sister."