With a clang, the head maid let the staff slip from her hand and collapsed to her knees, utterly dejected, silently awaiting the end of her life.

“Attacking the royal family is a crime punishable by death.” Phillis finally turned around, giving the head maid, who had lost all will to fight, a stern look, and continued to announce her crimes without any pity. “Moreover, you have seen another secret of mine. For both reason and sentiment, I cannot let you live.”

"Please, Princess, grant me death," the head maid said resignedly.

"Smack."

Philliss nodded approvingly, then snapped his fingers crisply.

The flames in front of him vanished instantly, then burst into bloom again at the head maid's feet.

Body and soul, all were burning, and the pale flames seemed to burn away all the impurities in the world.

Surprisingly, the head maid, looking at her arm that had begun to burn, felt no heat at all. In her final moments, not wanting to die with doubts, she asked without hope, "What kind of magic is this? I have never seen such magical flames, and I have not seen you chant any incantations."

"How could I possibly use something as inconvenient as magic?" Phillis casually answered the head maid's question.

The flames had engulfed her entire body, revealing her flesh, bones, and every other part of her human form. In her final moments, the head maid spoke with her last words.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Although I still hate you, I still wish you a speedy realization of your ideals, so that all the people of this world can be freed from suffering."

Philliss did not respond, because her head maid could no longer hear her.

"Smack."

After the flames had completely incinerated the head maid, Phillis snapped his fingers again, and the flames vanished, taking with them all traces of the head maid.

When she was all alone, Phillis first squatted down, scooped up a handful of yellow sand, and then wiped it onto her delicate face without hesitation. After letting go, she was covered in dust.

But that wasn't enough. Phillis roughly lifted her skirt and ripped it open, tearing the beautiful and expensive princess dress to shreds. She tied it in a knot, then hunched over and slowly moved toward Wu Yu.

The sandstorm made it hard for Philliss to open her eyes, and walking on the sand without shoes was extremely difficult. As she struggled forward, she began to miss her head maid.

······

"Ha, ha." Wu Yu, clutching his severed arm, came to Jack's side, panting heavily.

Every step Wu Yu takes now is so difficult. The dizziness caused by excessive blood loss is affecting his mind, but he cannot collapse now.

Having clearly defeated the Demon King, how could they possibly die on their way back?

Wu Yu took out the storage ring from his pocket and returned it to Jack.

It was only thanks to Jack that he was still conscious, otherwise Wu Yu really didn't know what to do.

Jack took the storage ring and immediately took out two bottles of intermediate-level life potion. He handed one bottle to Wu Yu and opened the bottle himself, pouring the contents directly into his mouth.

Wu Yu hadn't suffered any internal injuries, so he directly applied the medicine to his severed arm.

The medicine was indeed miraculous. As soon as it was applied, the bleeding at Wu Yu's severed arm stopped, and then a scab slowly formed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Apart from a little itching, Wu Yu did not experience any discomfort.

Jack successfully sat up and beckoned Wu Yu to sit down. He then took out a bundle of bandages to bandage Wu Yu's wounds. After tying the knots, the treatment was finally finished.

The two, weakened, sat back to back on the sand, as tacitly in sync as ever, both remaining silent.

"Tap, tap, tap."

Jerry returned through the sand, holding the dagger Wu Yu had thrown on the ground earlier. His eyes were wide open, but devoid of any color. He swayed as he approached Wu Yu like a walking corpse.

"Why?" Jerry muttered to himself.

"You clearly possess such immense power, so why can't you save the people of this desolate city? Tell me why!"

Jerry seemed to have broken down; he roared in agony as he pointed the dagger at Wu Yu, as if he were about to stab him at any moment.

"Again?" Wu Yu looked at this scene with a headache. He didn't expect that his crisis was not over yet.