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  • Female Lead Was Coaxed Away by the Villain Again [Quick Transmigration] 110

    Chapter 110: I Want To Do As I Please (12)

    As if nothing had happened, Yu Qici carefully closed the door and went downstairs for breakfast.

    “Why did she leave so early?” Yu Qici frowned.

    No one answered her question. After breakfast, she found a spot and put on the equipment as instructed by the robot. When she opened her eyes, she saw her mentor.

    Her mentor was looking at her curiously, stroking her chin.

    “Professor,” Yu Qici greeted, standing up shakily.

    Xie Min nodded, a look of surprise in her eyes, and asked curiously, “How does it work?”

    “It feels similar to a full-dive VR game,” Yu Qici said.

    “Are you alright?”

    “Everything’s fine,” Yu Qici paused. “What did the person who contacted you say?”

    She hadn’t thought she would be able to ask this question, but she had managed to say it smoothly.

    “Oh, they just said your physical body couldn’t come at the moment, but you still wanted to help me with my work, so you sent an android instead,” Xie Min said.

    “They didn’t ask you to hide my identity?” Yu Qici raised an eyebrow, surprised she could even say that. She wanted to reveal her location, but she couldn’t, no matter how she tried, as long as she had the intention of revealing her location, she couldn’t speak.

    Xie Min shook her head and looked at Yu Qici again: “That person is quite capable, I studied it for a long time, but I still couldn’t figure out how you disappeared.”

    “I was kidnapped on the way.”

    Xie Min nodded: “Was that what I asked?”

    Yu Qici smiled: “After spending some time with her, I’m starting to question the significance of our current research. Her visual interference system is very advanced, and she probably has other things as well.”

    “Let her do her thing, we’ll focus on our own research, even if she’s capable, if she doesn’t tell us, we can’t skip the current steps,” Xie Min said calmly.

    “You’re right.”

    “Alright, let’s get to work.”

    Yu Qici nodded.

    The System had been monitoring their conversation ever since Yu Qici started working: “Yu Qici’s mentor is very calm.”

    “Xie Min was recruited from the space pirates by the alliance,” Jiang Zhiyan said. “It’s normal for her to be calm.”

    “Huh?” the System was shocked. “I didn’t even know that?”

    “It wasn’t explicitly stated in the book, but it was hinted at, not many people know about this, only some high-ranking officials in the alliance, otherwise, how could she be peacefully doing research at Imperial University… but not many people trust her, that’s also one of the reasons why her and Yu Qici’s proposal to upgrade the imperial star’s defense system hasn’t been approved.”

    “So there’s another reason behind it.” The System was shocked. “So many people have hidden identities.”

    “I only found out recently myself,” Jiang Zhiyan leaned back in her chair. She had been questioning Yu Qici’s identity and hidden cards recently, the Yu Qici in the book firmly stood with the alliance, later maintaining the stability of the alliance’s rule together with the male lead.

    But with Xie Liaoyi’s influence, Jiang Zhiyan felt that Yu Qici might make a different choice.

    “What’s the male lead doing?”

    She hadn’t heard any news about the male lead since she arrived.

    The male lead, Ji Linhuai, was a seemingly gentle madman, a vice admiral in the alliance. He had launched many suicide attacks in the history of the alliance, but always managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, the casualty rate not as high as one might expect.

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t know if it was because of his talent or his protagonist halo, but he was a controversial figure in the alliance.

    “He took a hundred people to… District 35?” the System’s voice suddenly rose. “Isn’t he usually stationed in District 37? Did he receive information in advance? But just a hundred people, what can he do?”

    “Host, I’ve discovered that he likes doing the same things as you,” the System commented.

    Jiang Zhiyan: ?

    “It’s different, I usually act alone, he’s a coward.”

    The System didn’t want to argue: “He’ll be fine, right?”

    “I only know that if he succeeds, my identity might be exposed,” Jiang Zhiyan said, stroking her chin. “As expected, exiling him to a desolate planet is the best option for me.”

    The System didn’t speak, nervously waiting for Jiang Zhiyan’s next words.

    “When are the Stargazers planning to take action?” Jiang Zhiyan asked.

    “Next month.”

    “Mm, let’s speed up the manufacturing of our mech.”

    “Host, you’re not planning to go there yourself, are you?”

    “No, just preparing for the worst-case scenario,” Jiang Zhiyan looked out the window, a man walked out of a villa, looking pleased, then was attacked fifty meters away, only to be rescued by the arriving mechanical guards.

    His expression was filled with terror, then, as if realizing something, he took out his terminal with a grim look on his face.

    “Excellent,” Jiang Zhiyan hummed a tune.

    This man had planned to take his time after obtaining the evidence and even wanted to use it to gain benefits from Jiang Chen, but how could Jiang Zhiyan allow that? The sooner this matter was exposed, the better for her, and those two definitely couldn’t maintain a superficial balance any longer.

    However, Jiang Zhiyan didn’t expect him to be so ruthless, directly submitting the evidence to the alliance, thankfully, she had made sufficient preparations.

    “Host, what if Jiang Chen refuses to admit it?”

    “That’s not our problem, the alliance will handle it, the evidence we provided is enough for them to work with.”

    Because so many Jiang family members had died recently, the Jiang family had been pressuring the alliance. Now that they finally had a criminal with solid evidence of colluding with space pirates, even if the other evidence wasn’t completely conclusive, the alliance would still find a way to convict Jiang Chen.

    And if the criminal was a member of the Jiang family, and one who colluded with space pirates, it was even better, the Jiang family would have to swallow their anger and even try to appease the alliance, after all, the alliance now had every reason to suspect that there were more people in the Jiang family colluding with space pirates.

    Jiang Zhiyan remotely watched Jiang Chen’s expression as he was being arrested. His face was pale, watching as the mechanical guards inexplicably came to his “rescue.”

    Even if Jiang Chen colluded with space pirates, he was just a small fry, but now he felt like he was the big boss, he knew clearly that someone was framing him, but he couldn’t defend himself.

    He felt like someone was watching him nearby, but he couldn’t pinpoint who.

    “I didn’t do it! I didn’t kill anyone! I don’t know what’s going on with these mechanical guards!”

    Jiang Chen roared, defending himself, but no one believed him, the people injured by the mechanical guards glared at him.

    “It wasn’t me, I was framed! It was Jiang Zhiyan! It must be Jiang Zhiyan!”

    No one paid attention to him, everyone knew he had a grudge against Jiang Zhiyan.

    The Jiang family was already in chaos, and after Jiang Chen was arrested, it completely descended into turmoil, unable to even maintain a facade of prosperity.

    The Jiang family’s rivals took action, seemingly preparing to seize this opportunity to permanently crush the Jiang family, after all, the Jiang family occupied a large share of the mecha manufacturing market, and many were eyeing it covetously. All the Jiang family’s companies were investigated, many irregularities were uncovered, and after the investigation, sixty percent of their employees resigned.

    Because it involved space pirates, and everyone could see that the Jiang family was declining, few were willing to help them.

    “What a pity, if Jiang Zhiyan were still here, maybe things would be better.”

    “What’s the use of saying that now? It’s the Jiang family’s own problem, they can’t retain their people.”

    …

    Yu Qici lived a life of “going to work and coming home” every day. She heard about the upheaval in the Jiang family from others; Jiang Zhiyan hadn’t mentioned it at all, and she didn’t have time to browse the news.

    “Is it possible for the Jiang family to collapse?”

    “Impossible,” Yu Qici shook her head. “A dying camel is still bigger than a horse, but they’ll definitely suffer a great loss.”

    “Tsk, it’s a good thing you broke off your engagement with the Jiang family,” the other person continued.

    Yu Qici, looking at their relieved expression, smiled. She felt that if she hadn’t broken off the engagement with Jiang Zhiyan, the Jiang family might not be in this situation.

    “What is Jiang Zhiyan doing now? She’s quite lucky, having separated from the Jiang family, otherwise…”

    “Just watching the show,” Yu Qici said.

    “Indeed, if it were me, I would be overjoyed.”

    Yu Qici was just guessing, she couldn’t tell what Jiang Zhiyan had been doing recently, she always looked tired, and sometimes she could even smell a scent on her similar to that of her lab, she suspected Jiang Zhiyan was building something.

    She looked down at the device in her hand, and just as she entered the parameters, she heard an explosion.

    Yu Qici’s eyes widened, she looked ahead and breathed a sigh of relief, it wasn’t a problem with the machine she was testing, but then another explosion came from outside.

    “Outside?” The person next to her quickly took out their terminal, saw the news, and their expression turned grim. “An attack? But this is District 6!”

    Yu Qici thought of Jiang Zhiyan again, but quickly dismissed the idea.

    “I’ll go take a look,” Yu Qici said. “You go regroup with the others.”

    She was in an android body, so she wasn’t afraid.

    Yu Qici ran outside and looked up, mechs engaged in combat flew overhead, and a few energy blasts rained down.

    “Jiang Zhiyan! Jiang Zhiyan!” Yu Qici called out softly.

    “What is it?” Jiang Zhiyan’s tired voice sounded in her ear. “What happened? Why does your voice sound like that?”

    “District 6 is under attack…” Yu Qici’s voice trembled. She pulled up a classmate who had fallen to the ground from fright. “So many mechs.”

    “Huh?” Jiang Zhiyan was stunned.

    “Was it you?”

    “You suspect me?” Jiang Zhiyan asked back, her voice changing from tense to sad and aggrieved. “Do you think I would attack the school where you are?”

    Yu Qici suddenly didn’t know what to say. This time, the energy blast landed right in front of her, she felt a blinding light and immediately took off the equipment, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

    She held her head, her body trembling uncontrollably.

    What had she just asked? Why would she ask such a question?

    Yu Qici’s vision darkened, and she lost consciousness, sliding off the chair and falling to the ground.

    Jiang Zhiyan, hearing the System’s scream, immediately rushed out of the lab, carried the unconscious Yu Qici out, and placed her on the bed.

    “Host, don’t be sad, this is your character setting after all, the fact that she misunderstood you means you’ve successfully portrayed your character,” the System tried to comfort her, although it felt its words were weak.

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t speak, just stood there, waiting for the medical robot’s examination, she glanced at the data on the robot’s display panel, there was nothing wrong, she had just fainted.

    After a while, Jiang Zhiyan asked: “What’s going on in District 6?”

    “It wasn’t the Stargazers, just a rebel organization,” the System said. “The alliance recently lowered the tax threshold again, and probably some other things happened, a group of people couldn’t take it anymore.”

    “Then why attack a school? Is it the students’ fault? I don’t think Imperial University is even in District 6’s administrative area, is it?” Jiang Zhiyan said, speechless. “Where are they now?”

    “They’ve already been suppressed.”

    Jiang Zhiyan sat on the edge of the bed, held Yu Qici’s hand, and kissed her forehead.

    …

    Yu Qici was sitting at the round table again, pressing her temples, looking at the shadows around her, finally reaching the free discussion session, she raised her hand: “What if I said something hurtful before waking up?”

    The discussion immediately quieted down, although they were just shadows, she could clearly feel all eyes on her.

    “Solve your own problems.”

    Yu Qici: ?

    “Aren’t we all the same person?”

    “One fragment acts, the other bears the consequences.”

    “Who said they wouldn’t betray themselves?” Yu Qici sighed.

  • The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated 493

    Chapter 493: “Still Not Good Enough?”

    “Sister Carol…!?”

    Seeing Carol raise her staff and point it at Shien, Melika panicked.

    Lucy, Airi, Lilith, and Lasha’s expressions turned serious, and the surrounding air instantly became heavy.

    A deadly pressure filled the air.

    “—!”

    Feeling the terrifying pressure, the expressions of the elven girls in the Elven Corps changed, and the playful atmosphere instantly vanished.

    Even Carol’s eyes flickered.

    This scene told Carol that the human youth she had stopped seemed to be the central figure of this group.

    Otherwise, they wouldn’t all have such serious expressions and emanate such astonishing pressure when she tried to stop him.

    Especially the little girl, who had seemed innocent and naive, constantly looking at them with curiosity, now showed no trace of her previous demeanor, instead emanating a suffocating evil aura.

    It was as if someone she cared about deeply had been bullied, and she was about to go on a rampage.

    Even the short-tempered black dragon stopped roaring, staring coldly at them with her big eyes, her silence even more terrifying than her previous roars.

    The area was enveloped by an astonishing pressure, making all the members of the Elven Corps realize that they seemed to have poked a hornet’s nest.

    Melika hurriedly tried to say something, but Shien stopped her.

    Shien finally stepped forward and looked at Carol.

    “Why can’t I enter?”

    Shien asked innocently, as if he didn’t understand.

    Carol stared coldly at Shien.

    The reason she stopped Shien was simple.

    “There’s something strange about you.” Carol said frankly, “You’re a man from another race, yet for some reason, your magic power and aura are closer to nature than even our Elven Race. If you enter the Elven Homeland, I don’t know what kind of impact it will have on us.”

    Carol pointed to the surroundings.

    “Look, those children are reacting very strongly.”

    Carol was referring to the fairies who had just been scared away by Yulin.

    Those fairies peeked out from behind the glowing trees, looking at Shien, their expressions strangely excited.

    “Those children seem to like your magic power very much. Even we elves, who possess intelligence, feel that you’re special and have a sense of closeness to you.”

    Carol spoke directly and frankly, without any pretense.

    “If you were to do something in the Elven Homeland, it would definitely have a huge impact on the Elven Race.”

    “And I want to prevent such an impact, because I don’t know if it would be a good thing.”

    “Therefore, I won’t let you enter.”

    Carol’s serious expression and tone showed her straightforwardness, decisiveness, and sense of responsibility.

    This made Shien stunned and speechless.

    “That’s it?” Shien rolled his eyes. “Just because I give you a good feeling, you’re going to drive me away?”

    “Yes.” Carol answered firmly, without any hesitation.

    At this moment, Shien really wanted those protagonists with halos, who could easily attract beautiful and cute elves with their natural charm or gentle aura, to come here and see what reality was like.

    Did they think that with a flex of their muscles and a release of their domineering aura, those aloof and pure beauties would instantly fall to their knees and beg for their favor?

    In your dreams.

    The truth was, he was someone they should be wary of, yet he was emanating a friendly magic power and aura. This would only arouse their vigilance, making them think he was up to something.

    Melika was like this before, and Carol was the same now.

    And compared to Melika, Carol was a vice-commander of the Elven Corps, whose duty was to protect the Elven Race and their homeland.

    Even if she didn’t have any hostility towards Shien, for the sake of her race and her homeland, she would fulfill her duty, be impartial, and eliminate all potential threats.

    “But, Sister Carol…!”

    Understanding this, Melika wanted to tell Carol that Shien would definitely not harm the Elven Homeland.

    But Carol’s actions were even more decisive than anyone imagined.

    “I know what you want to say, Melika. Since he was invited by you, it means you’ve acknowledged him. Although our Elven Race is exclusive and doesn’t have a good impression of men from other races, during the Peace Festival, anyone recognized by a member of our race is still worthy of our hospitality.”

    Carol’s gaze, however, never left Shien.

    “But setting aside everything else, just the natural magic power emanating from him is a natural temptation to those immature fairies who don’t have enough willpower and consciousness yet. I don’t want to see so many children, who haven’t become members of our race yet, unable to resist this temptation, follow him out of the Elven Homeland, and eventually be harmed in the outside world. Do you understand?”

    These words left Melika speechless.

    Lucy, Airi, and Lasha also frowned.

    It couldn’t be helped.

    Carol was speaking from her own standpoint. Although it seemed unreasonable, inflexible, and overly conservative, if they were in her shoes, they might make the same choice.

    Therefore, the three of them turned their gazes to Shien, seemingly letting him decide.

    Only Lilith didn’t care about these things.

    Her thoughts were simple: just kill anyone who tried to bully Shien.

    She didn’t care about others’ thoughts, positions, or difficulties.

    There was only one thing she cared about.

    That was, no one could bully Shien.

    That was all.

    Lilith extended a small hand, and a terrifying evil aura began to swell.

    “…!”

    The members of the Elven Corps all paled.

    That evil and chaotic power was undoubtedly the most abhorrent and terrifying thing for elves, who were close to nature.

    Just now, Lilith had restrained herself, and they hadn’t sensed the threat, but now that Lilith’s power was activated, if they couldn’t feel that deadly threat, then they would have lived all these years in vain.

    “Defend!”

    Carol shouted without hesitation.

    “Hum!”

    The elven magicians raised their staffs, chanting spells as magic power surged like a gale.

    The next moment, thick barriers shimmered into existence, protecting all the elves, the glowing trees, and the fairies.

    Those magic barriers radiated a dazzling light, looking like giant flower petals, the magic power within incredibly dense.

    It was easy to imagine the defensive power of a barrier cast collectively by the world’s strongest magician corps.

    However…

    “Boom!”

    When the terrifying evil aura surged out like a storm, striking the barrier of light, the barrier flickered a few times, then cracked.

    “What!?”

    “Impossible!”

    “This is a lie, right!?”

    The magicians of the Elven Corps widened their eyes.

    Even Carol was shocked.

    “The [Pure Flower Curtain], the strongest defensive magic unique to the Elven Race, cast by ninety-nine elven magicians above level eighty, actually…?”

    Carol couldn’t believe her eyes.

    Carol didn’t know that Shien and the others were also surprised.

    “It actually blocked it?”

    Shien raised an eyebrow.

    “Interesting.”

    Airi seemed intrigued.

    “Is this the legendary [Pure Flower Curtain]?”

    Lucy looked at the flower-shaped barrier of light that was resisting Lilith’s evil aura, her eyes flickering.

    Lilith, seeing her attack blocked, was stunned for a moment, then twitched her nose and extended her hand, as if giving an order, making the surging evil aura even more terrifying.

    “Rumble…!”

    The storm of evil aura transformed into a black torrent, continuously impacting the flower curtain of light.

    “Crack, crack, crack…!”

    Cracking sounds came from the barrier of light, and cracks finally appeared on it.

    “Vice-Commander…!”

    “We can’t hold on much longer!”

    “This is bad!”

    “Ah!”

    The elven magicians cried out, their faces strained with effort, and the magic power fluctuations around them dimmed.

    With this dimming, wisps of black, smoke-like evil aura leaked from the cracks in the barrier.

    “Bang—!”

    Finally, with a loud shattering sound, the flower curtain of light vanished.

    “Boom!”

    The evil aura, breaking through the magic barrier, surged forward like a black avalanche, a terrifying mudslide, about to engulf the delicate and terrified elven magicians.

    And at this moment…

    “Alright, stop, Lilith.”

    Shien’s voice finally rang out.

    “—”

    Almost instantly, the surging evil aura froze in mid-air.

    Then, like snow melting under the sun, the evil aura slowly dissipated.

    The elven magicians, their faces still filled with fear, looked forward subconsciously.

    There, Shien, patting Lilith’s head, making her beam, looked at Carol.

    “As you can see, if I really wanted to do something in the Elven Homeland, I wouldn’t need to resort to such roundabout methods. I could just force my way in, and you wouldn’t be able to stop me, right?”

    Shien declared.

    “Will you let me in now?”

    “Still not good enough?”

    “Then I can only use my own methods to prove myself.”

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 149-150

    Chapter 149: The Woman Who Formed a Contract with a Legendary

    The Yin Tomb mountain range. A torrent of spirit energy, a terrifying, bone-chilling pressure, converged upon the blue-haired girl at the summit.

    Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace!!!

    Her water-blue hair dancing in the wind, she calmly surveyed her surroundings, her expression cold and indifferent, a baffling display of arrogance.

    Just moments ago, this woman had single-handedly defeated the Four Guardians, her Water Element going berserk and stealing the legendary Overlord, a feat that had shocked all who witnessed it.

    “Sorrowful Saintess, do you realize what you’ve done?”

    “What is your relationship with that Water Element? Explain yourself!!”

    Bang!

    A woman’s sharp voice echoed, a blade of energy piercing the sky.

    A massive silver fox, its body almost spanning the entire mountain range, materialized before Gong Lianyue.

    Its graceful form, its fur shimmering with sword light.

    Ah, this… it was the same form the little fox had used as a disguise in Gray Shadow Mountain, the high-rank Silverblade Fox!

    Its master was a woman in a Firefly Palace uniform, her aura incredibly powerful, almost on par with the strongest Spirit Master Gong Lianyue had ever encountered, Shui Qinghou.

    A Vice Palace Master, or perhaps the chief of the senior instructors…?

    Gong Lianyue remained silent, her expression unchanged, then raised her hand, releasing a wave of spirit energy, a dense purple starlight spreading outwards like the tide.

    The six teardrop beauty marks on her face shimmered faintly, radiating an oppressive aura.

    Seeing this, the surrounding Spirit Masters gasped, even the Firefly Palace woman pausing in surprise.

    Was she… challenging her?

    She was a peak Nether Traverse Stage expert, just a step away from the Sun and Moon Realm. Why would this woman make such a reckless decision!?

    Illumination, Dawn and Dusk, Dead Sea, Samsara, Nether Traverse, Sun and Moon—

    It was common for Saint-rank Spirit Masters to defeat Dead Sea Stage opponents at the Illumination Stage, but a Dead Sea Stage Saint-rank defeating a Nether Traverse Stage expert? Impossible.

    That was because…

    Although the Samsara Stage seemed like a single level, it actually had six distinct sub-levels!!!

    First Cycle, Second Cycle, Third Cycle, Fourth Cycle, Broken Cycle, Sixth Full Cycle. Each cycle was a world of difference, a significant leap in power.

    This meant that for a Dead Sea Stage Spirit Master to defeat a Nether Traverse Stage opponent, they weren’t just crossing one level, but seven!

    Standing at the top of the valley, Gong Lianyue and the Firefly Palace woman faced off, their auras clashing, a terrifying shockwave dividing the world into two, silver and blue, swirling dust and debris filling the air.

    Neither yielded, creating the illusion of an even match!

    “Stop. She has a Dual Soul Body. If this becomes a true battle, you might lose.”

    “And… you’re aware of the Penetrating You Pool incident, right?”

    Hearing the weak voice from below, everyone looked down. A silver liquid was coalescing into a humanoid form.

    The Six-Faced God’s body was regenerating, its aura weak and faint, its appearance battered.

    Hearing the mention of the Penetrating You Pool, the Firefly Palace woman’s face darkened. She glanced nervously at the Sorrowful Saintess, then at the Six-Faced God.

    “Even if the Guardian says so, we still need to know her relationship with that Water Element.”

    “And what exactly do you expect to find?” the Six-Faced God continued.

    “What if she answers truthfully? Are you prepared to face the truth?”

    “Hundreds of Wind Realm Spirit Masters were slaughtered, yet she emerged unscathed. Do you understand what that means?”

    “…”
    “…”

    After a long silence, the Firefly Palace woman bowed respectfully and retreated into the crowd.

    Although the official reports claimed the Water Element hadn’t been captured, besides the Firefly Palace’s Sword Emperor, the other two Emperors’ spirit beasts had been severely injured, on the verge of death.

    No human could withstand the might of a legendary being. This was a bloody lesson learned from millennia of history.

    The once mighty Penetrating You Pool had been annihilated by the Snow Monarch, not even a trace remaining.

    This Water Element had taken the Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner. Wielding the power of two legendary beings, if it truly wanted to destroy a realm, it wouldn’t even take half a day.

    Therefore, if the Sorrowful Saintess truly had a connection to the Water Element, the Wind Realm couldn’t afford to face that terrifying truth.

    Seeing the Firefly Palace woman retreat, Gong Lianyue inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and withdrew the Ice Soul Cold Star’s aura.

    The Dual Soul Pill’s effect had worn off, and the Tyrant Demon Seed was now contracted. Able to summon only two spirit beasts, she was no match for a Nether Traverse Stage expert in a direct confrontation.

    “Sorrowful Saintess, may I ask you a question?”

    “Do you know the reason behind the Water Element’s actions?”

    Facing the Six-Faced God’s serious question, Gong Lianyue paused, then replied coldly,

    “Our contract was severed. I can no longer sense its location or its state.”

    “…”

    Gong Lianyue’s simple words sent a wave of shock and disbelief through the Wind Realm Spirit Masters.

    A look of terror appeared on the Six-Faced God’s mask, its chaotic aura fluctuating wildly.

    “What? You had a contract with a legendary being?!”

    They had assumed it was a temporary possession, a symbiotic relationship. This was unbelievable.

    How could a legendary-rank spirit beast form a contract with a human Spirit Master…?

    No, wait. There had been a recent example, right here in their vicinity!

    The legendary being of the Cangsheng Palace, who had fallen in love with a mortal!

    But that was an extremely rare exception. This couldn’t possibly be related to love again.

    Just what kind of terrifying power did this woman possess, to make a legendary being willingly form a contract with her?!

    The Spirit Masters exchanged shocked glances.

    “Well, in that case, the Wind Realm will handle this matter on its own. I can still sense my master’s aura. It should be within the Cangsheng Palace.”

    “Sorrowful Saintess, whether you wish to remain in the Wind Realm or return to the Sea Region is up to you.”

    The Six-Faced God’s attitude shifted completely, its tone now polite and welcoming, though still tinged with fear.

    If it weren’t for that terrified mask, Gong Lianyue might have actually believed it.

    As for her own plans, she would first go to the Gray Citadel and return the Swallow God. And after that…

    …

    …

    She would find the Water Element.

    Chapter 150: Shaking Two Realms

    –Storm Realm, Gray Shadow Mountain

    Within Gray Shadow Mountain, the once stable balance of power, dominated by the Saintess’s faction, had been shattered, the Saintess Hall obliterated by an unexpected disaster.

    Now, the Bone Saintess’s position had been usurped by Shui Qingyue, that arrogant bully who threatened to have anyone who offended her sent to the mines.

    Shui Qingyue would be attending the Overlord’s birthday celebration in the Saintess’s place. This news filled Gray Shadow Mountain with unease.

    Although the Bone Saintess’s influence had been considerable, she hadn’t openly abused her fellow disciples. This Shui Qingyue, however… who knew what she would do once she became Saintess?

    “I won’t let this happen!!!”

    The Bone Saintess, her body wrapped in bandages, limping slightly, walked towards the main hall.

    As soon as she recovered, she had checked the records. That scorpion that had destroyed the Saintess Hall wasn’t a Wind Realm creature, but a Sea Region Iron Jade Ice Scorpion!

    Although she didn’t understand why there was such a vast difference in power between the Giant Bone King and the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, both high-rank, the Bone Saintess knew Shui Qingyue wouldn’t last long. She was a Sea Region spy! Once she informed the higher-ups, Shui Qingyue’s arrogance and schemes would be exposed.

    Confident, the Bone Saintess entered the Gray Shadow Mountain main hall. The higher-ups should be in a meeting at this time!

    “That Shui Qingyue is a Sea Region spy! She attacked me! Her spirit beast is a high-rank Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, a Sea Region specialty!”

    The Bone Saintess announced loudly upon entering.

    She had expected the higher-ups to be shocked and alarmed, but their reaction was… unexpected.

    The senior instructors of Gray Shadow Mountain looked at her with a mixture of pity and surprise, as if she were someone who shouldn’t have survived.

    The Bone Saintess was quite resilient, having survived an encounter with the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, the same beast that had defeated the Windchaser Emperor?

    As the Bone Saintess stared in confusion, Senior Instructor Feng Wan handed her a piece of paper.

    The Bone Saintess glanced at it, then her pupils constricted.

    [Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, defeated and subdued the Tyrant Demon Seed two weeks ago and infiltrated the Wind Realm through a hidden passage, undetected.]
    [Gong Lianyue, disguised as “Shui Qingyue,” defeated the Bone Saintess a week ago and secured a spot at the Overlord’s birthday celebration.]
    [Gong Lianyue’s true identity was exposed by the Gloomy Saintess of the Shadowcandle Temple during the Overlord’s birthday celebration.]
    [Gong Lianyue, using a low-rank Ice Spirit, instantly defeated the Gloomy Saintess’s Wicked King of the Wind, then encountered the Windchaser Emperor.]
    [Gong Lianyue, using a high-rank Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, suppressed the Windchaser Emperor.]
    [Gong Lianyue, summoned the Saint-rank Frost Snow Woman and defeated the Windchaser Emperor, then encountered the Sleepless Sparrow.]
    [Gong Lianyue, summoned the Saint-rank Blood Garden Phoenix Stage and forced the Sleepless Sparrow to retreat.]
    [Gong Lianyue, facing the combined forces of the Wind Realm’s Four Guardians, summoned the Saint-rank Ice Soul Cold Star (true form of the Ice Spirit) and the Saint-rank Tyrant Demon Seed, confirming her Dual Soul Body.]
    [Gong Lianyue, defeated the Four Guardians in ten minutes, then summoned a legendary-rank spirit beast resembling a Water Element.]
    [The Six-Faced God, leader of the Four Guardians, attempted to intercept the Water Element but was defeated. The Water Element seized the legendary Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner, and with a single strike, devastated the Wind Realm forces before departing.]
    [The Saintess delegation from the Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis encountered the Water Element and was annihilated.]
    [The Three Emperors attempted to intercept the Water Element but failed, allowing it to reach the Cangsheng Palace, where it disappeared.]
    [Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess, is suspected to be a Lord Attendant (one who serves a Realm Overlord).]

    If reading about the Sorrowful Saintess defeating the Four Guardians had been shocking, then reaching the end left them speechless.

    Not just the stunned Bone Saintess, but almost everyone was in disbelief. The Sorrowful Saintess… a Lord Attendant?

    A legendary Water Element wielding a legendary demonic blade, a single strike devastating the Wind Realm forces… only those present could truly comprehend the terror of that moment.

    The Sorrowful Saintess’s rampage during the Overlord’s birthday celebration sent shockwaves throughout the Wind Realm.

    This earth-shattering news spread like wildfire.

    It wouldn’t be long before the entire Sea Region also learned of it.

    However, the panicked Wind Realm factions didn’t know that the Sea Region had already received the news.

    The Ice Shield Palace of the Sea Region Alliance was the first to release the report on the Overlord’s birthday celebration!

    The Sorrowful Saintess had a Dual Soul Body!

    The Sorrowful Saintess had four Saint-rank spirit beasts!

    The Sorrowful Saintess had single-handedly defeated the Wind Realm’s Four Guardians!

    The Sorrowful Saintess was a Lord Attendant!

    The Water Element was a legendary-rank being!

    Never Forget Autumn Water, foremost of the Ten Sacred Waters of the spirit world!

    Lord of the Nether Spring, the untouchable, purest being, ancestor of all water-type spirit beasts!

    Jade Concubine of the Waterfall Lake, the most beautiful being in existence, ruler of the Waterfall Lake Wonderland, the legendary Martial Empress!

    Based on appearance, aura, origin, compatibility, circumstances, and strength, these were the three legendary water-type beings it could possibly be.

    Only the Lord of the Nether Spring had a title, indicating its combat prowess was on par with the Snow Monarch and the White Moon Lord.

    Although the Jade Concubine of the Waterfall Lake had no title, she controlled a realm even more valuable than a title, the Waterfall Lake Wonderland. She was an uncrowned empress.

    The most terrifying one was Never Forget Autumn Water, the daughter of the mythical-rank Azure Spring, Celestial Maiden!!!

    Overnight, the name of the Sorrowful Saintess once again resounded throughout the Sea Region.

    Who would have thought that ordinary, unremarkable Water Element was actually a legendary being!!!

    However, some had guessed, and their number wasn’t small…

    As the Overlord’s birthday celebration ended, the name of the Sorrowful Saintess, the Lord Attendant, shook both the Sea Region and the Wind Realm.

    Amidst this chaotic frenzy, in a calm, azure region of the Sea Region, a ripple appeared.

    The surface of the water, undisturbed by any wind, stirred, forming a massive whirlpool.

    The shimmering vortex swirled, then calmed, the churning water subsiding.

    The Winter Floating Sky Spirit Masters stationed there didn’t notice the chilling aura that had briefly emanated from the depths, a gaze from thousands of meters below scanning the surface.

    This place, once known as the Sacred Land of the Sea Region, had commanded the obedience of dozens of realms, its power unmatched. It had also been reduced to ruins, its inhabitants annihilated, shattered and lost.

    This was where the Penetrating You Pool had once ruled, the site of its destruction at the hands of the Snow Monarch…

    After a thousand years, something was stirring once more!!!

  • Reborn to Stew Soup (GL) 109

    Chapter 109: Wait a Moment

    Director Pan’s suggestion made Ji Junxin feel uneasy. So I’m the only one curious about what happened between Qiao Rubai and Mi Hongdou, and why Mi Hongdou was crying? Director Pan’s serious and urgent tone, urging her to fetch Mi Hongdou, made her feel like her curiosity was the strange one.

    Urged by Director Pan, Ji Junxin slowly walked back to find Mi Hongdou. She hadn’t gone far when she saw Mi Hongdou walking towards her. And then, Ji Junxin clearly saw Mi Hongdou freeze, hesitate, and then try to avoid her, stepping aside as if to walk around her.

    Although Mi Hongdou quickly corrected her course, Ji Junxin had seen her hesitation.

    So you two have secrets now, not even telling me! And now one runs away, and the other tries to avoid me, what’s going on! Ji Junxin, who had been worried about them earlier, was now angry. Facing the approaching Mi Hongdou, who was trying to smile, Ji Junxin felt annoyed and couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries.

    “Director Pan is looking for you,” she said coldly, then turned and walked away.

    Ji Junxin’s expression was even worse than when Mi Hongdou hadn’t answered her question earlier, and Mi Hongdou didn’t dare to follow, just trailing behind her slowly as they returned to the set.

    Ji Junxin had initially walked quickly, then slowed down. But Mi Hongdou still hadn’t caught up, and Ji Junxin, spoiled by Mi Hongdou’s attentiveness, was furious. She felt like, after that short conversation between Qiao Rubai and Mi Hongdou, her treatment had plummeted.

    Regardless of their emotions, one angry, the other anxious, they quickly returned to Director Pan.

    Director Pan wanted to reshoot Mi Hongdou’s suicide scene. He said that her earlier performance was good, but he felt that the Empress, although resolute in her decision to die for the sake of the country and the eldest prince, should also have some lingering attachment to life.

    Even the most courageous, facing death, would instinctively cling to life. And the Empress’s character didn’t need to be so heroic, a more tragic portrayal would be more fitting.

    Tragedy was about being forced to do what you didn’t want to do, being forced to die when you didn’t want to die.

    The earlier take, although capturing the Empress’s righteousness and resolve, lacked that sense of reluctance. It was a positive portrayal, but not tragic enough. The Empress, calmly accepting her death after arranging her affairs, didn’t resonate with Miao Qianye’s later grief. Friendship wasn’t a one-sided emotion.

    Director Pan didn’t ask why Mi Hongdou’s eyes were red after her private conversation with Qiao Rubai. He just said that her current state was perfect for reshooting the scene. Dying with reluctance would be more impactful than dying without any attachments.

    Normally, after such a detailed explanation, Mi Hongdou would understand and deliver a perfect performance.

    But now… although she understood, she didn’t want to reshoot.

    After hearing about her death in her previous life from Qiao Rubai, having to film a suicide scene again, was Director Pan deliberately trying to torture her? Mi Hongdou was speechless.

    She hesitated, not responding. Director Pan, thinking that he hadn’t explained clearly enough, analyzed the Empress’s psychological state before her death.

    Mi Hongdou still didn’t respond, seemingly distracted.

    Director Pan frowned.

    Even though she was still angry at Mi Hongdou, Ji Junxin didn’t want to see her being scolded. She nudged Mi Hongdou gently. “Director Pan explained it so clearly, even I understand. Go touch up your makeup, while your eyes are still red, let’s film the suicide scene quickly, so we can continue with my scene.”

    Mi Hongdou glanced at Ji Junxin. She didn’t want to “die” again in front of her.

    Ji Junxin, oblivious to Mi Hongdou’s feelings, pushed her towards the makeup area.

    Mi Hongdou couldn’t find a reason to refuse, and with Ji Junxin’s insistent gaze, she was pushed back onto the set.

    Facing the “poisoned wine,” Mi Hongdou was no longer as calm as before.

    She didn’t want to “die” again in front of Ji Junxin, looking at the wine pot, wondering if she should be grateful that the Empress died from poison, not from jumping off a cliff.

    The crew was ready, but Mi Hongdou couldn’t find any inspiration. Acting? She was in no mood…

    But thinking about Director Pan’s insistence on realism… if she couldn’t nail this scene in one take, he would ask for another, and another, and another. She would have to die countless times in front of Ji Junxin… Although she knew Ji Junxin understood it was just acting, she still didn’t want to repeat this scene, she couldn’t bear it.

    Without the right mood or emotions, her mind still on the earlier conversation, Mi Hongdou, to avoid NGing, could only try to immerse herself in the role.

    Sitting at the table, her gaze lowered, looking at the “poisoned wine,” she seemed to be in a trance.

    The Empress’s suicide scene, first take, reshoot.

    The young Empress sat quietly, her eyes lowered, seemingly studying the wood grain of the table, or perhaps just lost in thought. After a long moment, she slowly looked up at the wine pot and smiled faintly, a gentle smile. Then, with a decisive movement, she picked up the pot and poured a full cup of wine.

    Her grip on the cup was so tight that her knuckles turned white. She brought the cup to her lips, then paused.

    She looked towards the door. It was closed, no one there. But she seemed to be looking through the door, at a distant place, a distant person… Her eyes reddened, her gaze deep and melancholic.

    Frozen like a statue, she seemed to be waiting, waiting for someone to open the door, waiting for someone to appear. She seemed reluctant to drink the wine, waiting for someone to stop her.

    Just as she looked at the door, her expression vulnerable, almost as if she would change her mind, her gaze hardened.

    The hesitation was just a fleeting moment, a final indulgence in life.

    Two tears silently slid down her cheeks, and she resolutely drank the wine.

    She looked at the door again.

    Not with anticipation, but… with a final farewell.

    Then she stood up, frowning, her lips pressed together, clutching her stomach, seemingly in pain, her back straight, and walked towards the bed.

    Just before getting into bed and drawing the curtains, she looked at the door again.

    Still closed.

    Her eyes reddened again, her gaze filled with an unconcealed sadness and longing.

    Finally, the curtains fell, and the room was silent.

    Yes, silent.

    Not just the set, but also the crew, watching.

    A heavy, oppressive silence, as if the young Empress on screen had truly crossed the boundary between life and death. That resolute choice of death, and the lingering attachment to life, two seemingly contradictory emotions, perfectly intertwined.

    So real, so real that it tugged at their heartstrings.

    For a long time, no one spoke, the cameraman didn’t even stop filming.

    Although the scene was over, the silence behind the curtains lingered, everyone holding their breath, wanting to pull back the curtains, yet also hesitant.

    Mi Hongdou, lying on the bed, her eyes closed, thinking about her life, slowly detached from the role.

    When she opened the curtains, she was surprised by the silence, a strange, almost eerie silence.

    But as soon as she emerged, the crew members, who had been captivated by her performance, relaxed. It was just acting… they thought, relieved.

    Director Pan, his fists clenched, his expression serious, his eyes shining, remained silent for a long moment.

    He had just suggested a minor change, a slight shift in emotion, because he had noticed Mi Hongdou’s red eyes, and he hadn’t expected… such a brilliant performance!

    Especially her three glances towards the door, the anticipation, the reluctance, the regret, contrasting sharply with her decisive action of drinking the poison. That bittersweet mix of longing and resignation, portrayed so vividly, it was heartbreaking.

    This was the power of death, the power of tragedy, and… something more. Director Pan couldn’t articulate it, but he felt a deep emotional resonance.

    This take was far superior to the previous one.

    Next, it was Miao Qianye’s arrival.

    The Empress’s suicide, like a gentle breeze, subtly brought the audience’s mood to a low point. And then Miao Qianye’s grief would be the catalyst, transforming the sadness into tears, the emotional climax of the film.

    But… Mi Hongdou’s performance was so good that if Ji Junxin’s next scene was just technically proficient, without genuine emotion, it wouldn’t be enough, it wouldn’t be able to build on Mi Hongdou’s performance. Director Pan, after his initial elation, now frowned, his excitement replaced by worry.

    Just as he was feeling frustrated, Ji Junxin, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

    “Film… film my scene,” she said, her voice slightly trembling, her gaze towards Director Pan unusually firm and eager. “Now.”

    It wasn’t just Director Pan and the crew who had been moved by Mi Hongdou’s performance…

    Ji Junxin, having watched the scene, her heart pounding, felt an unprecedented urge to act.

    She knew, she knew what the young empress was looking at, what she was waiting for.

    A voice urged her, Go, don’t make her wait, go…

    Director Pan was puzzled by her sudden eagerness, but he quickly made the arrangements. It was the same set, they just needed to adjust the camera angles.

    He didn’t know that Ji Junxin, watching Mi Hongdou’s performance, had already become immersed in the role. Her urgency was Miao Qianye’s urgency… Miao Qianye had seen the young empress’s waiting, and although she knew it was too late, she couldn’t bear to make her wait, not even for a second.

    As the crew adjusted the cameras, Ji Junxin waited, her hands trembling.

    Mi Hongdou, off-screen, didn’t go to Director Pan, but returned to her resting area.

    This immersion had been incredibly draining.

    The events of the day, past and present, on and off screen, life and death… Mi Hongdou felt like she had been through a wringer.

    Although she knew that she was back in the past, that as long as she didn’t do any wire stunts, she wouldn’t die and wouldn’t have to see Ji Junxin’s devastation again, that with her memories, she could even protect Ji Junxin from her past hurts, like Zhang Zijing and Jiang Duo,

    She was still haunted by Qiao Rubai’s story, heartbroken by what happened after her death. She needed time to process it.

    Already emotionally vulnerable, the reshot suicide scene had exhausted her. Fortunately, it was her second to last scene in “Imperial Secrets.” She sat in her chair, watching the crew adjust the equipment, glad that the scene seemed to be a pass. She didn’t want to analyze her performance, her mind needed a break.

    Her last scene was Miao Qianye’s arrival. She just had to play a corpse, no lines, no actions, it should be easy.

    Although playing a corpse should be easy, Mi Hongdou was surprised when a crew member came to call her back to the set so soon. Didn’t they usually have a break? And adjusting the cameras always took time…

    Well… it was just a corpse…

    Mi Hongdou obediently lay back down on the bed.

    Why the quick change? Because Ji Junxin, with an uncontainable eagerness, had been staring at the crew. Although they didn’t understand her impatience, they quickly finished setting up.

    Immersion was easy for Ji Junxin, but being pulled into a role by another actor’s performance, this was a new experience, an uncontrollable surge of emotion that almost made her blood boil, burning away her reason. And detaching, as always, was difficult. After the wait, she was still completely immersed.

    Her mind, her heart, filled with the image of the young empress gazing at the door.

    Wait, just wait a little longer, I’m coming…

    Just as Ji Junxin was almost on the verge of tears, the cameras and the crew were ready, Mi Hongdou was in position, and they could start filming.

    To push past the servants blocking her way and reach the Empress’s chamber, Miao Qianye, although her eyes were red, maintained her composure and authority as a Noble Consort, her voice sharp, even pushing aside those who tried to stop her.

    Tears streamed down her face, betraying the vulnerability beneath her anger.

    Despite the tears, her aura was powerful, and with her high rank, second only to the Empress, she barged in.

    She rushed into the Empress’s chamber, then… stopped abruptly, seeing the wine pot and the cup on the table.

    Her earlier anger, her urgency, all gone.

    The facade of a dignified Noble Consort vanished.

    The woman who slowly approached the table was trembling.

    No aura of authority, no composure, just disbelief in her eyes, tears streaming down her face, her steps faltering.

    She slowly walked towards the table, as if wanting to examine the pot and the cup more closely.

    But as she got closer, she stopped, closed her eyes, and turned her head away.

    Opening her eyes again, she didn’t look at the table, her steps now steady, as she walked towards the curtained bed.

    Her hand, as she reached for the curtain, didn’t hesitate. But upon seeing the person lying on the bed, it started trembling uncontrollably.

    The light curtain swayed slightly with the trembling of her right hand.

    She held the curtain with one hand and reached for the Empress’s nose with the other.

    A long, long moment. Her hand didn’t move.

    Finally, as if confirming the Empress’s death, Miao Qianye withdrew her hand, stood up, and let the curtain fall.

    Everyone remembered the earlier takes, she should now step back and collapse, crying, by the bed.

    But she didn’t…

    She just stood there, releasing the curtain.

    As the cameraman waited for her to step back, ready to adjust the camera angle, Ji Junxin suddenly pulled back the curtain again, her movement so swift that it startled everyone.

    And then… what surprised them even more was Ji Junxin’s deviation from the script…

    Miao Qianye, who had just let the curtain fall, her expression blank, suddenly bent down, pulled back the curtain with her right hand, and grabbed the front of the young empress’s clothes with her left, pulling the lifeless body slightly upwards.

    Her face was a mixture of anger and grief. And then, the anger faded… leaving only… immense sorrow.

    Unlike her earlier rough movements, as she gently lowered the body back onto the bed, her touch was gentle, careful…

    That sorrowful tenderness was heartbreaking, even the cameraman’s eyes stung.

    The young empress lay still… Miao Qianye bent down and smoothed out her rumpled clothes, folding her hands over her abdomen. Then she sat down slowly, leaned over, and rested her forehead against the folded hands.

    The bed was a prop, the curtain opposite it was also a prop, and another camera was filming from inside the curtains.

    By now, the curtain had fallen, and the cameraman outside assumed the scene was over.

    Only the cameraman inside knew… it wasn’t… because Ji Junxin, her head bowed, was trembling slightly, as if still crying.

    As the outside cameraman looked at Director Pan, waiting for instructions, a muffled, choked sob came from behind the curtains, startling him.

  • The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v2c53

    Chapter Fifty-Three: Little Elsa’s Big Change, A Mother’s Pain

    Luo Ling hadn’t initially told Fiona about her experiences in the Incubation Barrier partly because the situation wasn’t clear, she wasn’t even sure if it was real or an illusion.

    And…

    She didn’t fully understand the Company and Victoria.

    As her investigation deepened, Luo Ling realized that Victoria was like a massive whirlpool, silently consuming everything.

    The more she learned, the more unfathomable this whirlpool seemed, like a bottomless abyss.

    The Harbingers and the Company used Victoria as their chessboard, everyone, including the Company itself, merely pawns, the players being the six figures in the shadows… or perhaps five.

    And the relationships between these pawns were incredibly complex.

    Not just the entanglement between the Company and the Harbingers, but also the power struggles within the Order-side factions, and the Grotesquery Apostles and Agents lurking in the darkness, ready to seize any opportunity.

    The Speakers, the most enigmatic faction, seemed to exist outside this game, their true allegiance unknown.

    Fortunately, Luo Ling had also transcended this game. Although not yet a player, she could observe the entire board, even influencing the players to a certain extent.

    Essentially, backseat driving.

    As one of the Fate Society’s three constellations, Fiona was undoubtedly a crucial piece in this game, perhaps not the “king” or “queen,” but at least a “rook” or “knight.”

    Therefore, regardless of her motives, Luo Ling had waited until she had a general understanding of the situation before revealing it to Aunt Fiona.

    Now, the time was right.

    “I’ll see if Aunt Fiona can use the remaining Sacred Medicines.” Luo Ling thought. “If not…”

    Only Eve seemed interested in them. Perhaps she could trade them for something useful.

    Giving them away wasn’t impossible, but given Eve’s personality, she likely wouldn’t accept them, or would feel indebted, even though she could be frivolous at times, she was a reliable senior.

    Therefore, a trade was the better option.

    After everything was settled, everyone except Luo Ling was exhausted, so despite it being New Year’s Eve, there were no special activities, and they quickly retired to their rooms.

    Eve, who would be moving in a few days later, having received the valuable Judgment path Sacred Medicines from Luo Ling, rushed home.

    She had enough experience and qualifications within the Company, only lacking the strength of a high-order Awakened One and a formal review for promotion to P7.

    Those below P7 were considered low-level employees. Only those above P7 held any real power within the Company, considered minor leaders.

    Their treatment and access to resources were significantly better, even allowing them to occasionally snag some food from the Company’s private kitchen…

    Luo Ling had experienced quite a bit today, the tea party and the twilight Kingdom had been mentally taxing, and then experiencing the Leader’s memory, witnessing the other side of the Seventh Path, Transcendence.

    Even the Leader had only known about Doomsday.

    Hearing her sister’s voice again had lifted Luo Ling’s spirits, prompting her rare attempt at cooking, which had even received praise—at least they had eaten it.

    Only now, after relaxing, did Luo Ling feel the mental exhaustion.

    As the clock struck eight, Elsa yawned, changed into her pajamas, and climbed into bed, only to find the opposite bed occupied, a few strands of black hair peeking out from beneath the covers.

    “Hmm?!”

    Elsa’s drowsiness vanished as she tiptoed over, seeing Luo Ling lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

    “Miss Luo Ling, why are you sleeping so early today?”

    Elsa was startled, reaching out to touch Luo Ling’s forehead.

    “Don’t worry, Elsa, I’m not sick.” Luo Ling said softly, not moving Elsa’s slightly cold hand. “I just want to sleep, but I can’t.”

    Although mentally exhausted, she couldn’t close her eyes, simply lying in bed, her heart pounding in her ears, making her anxious.

    An inexplicable unease lingered, like a nameless anxiety.

    “But you look so tired.”

    Elsa leaned over the bed, her face filled with concern, seeing Luo Ling’s exhaustion.

    Yes, she was tired.

    Luo Ling was alone, facing the Company, the Harbingers, and even the Grotesque-side tea party… various dangers, endless schemes and power struggles.

    The more she learned, the more she realized that even as a High-Risk Grotesquery, she was still insignificant in Victoria’s game.

    The Harbingers had killed a twelfth Sequence High-Risk Grotesquery to obtain Philosopher’s “Traveler” Authority.

    And Educator’s domain, casually eradicating all life within a ten-mile radius, was terrifying, his Sequence likely no lower than twentieth.

    The Company directors, capable of rivaling them, must be equally powerful.

    If her identity as the White Witch were exposed… she would be considered merely a sacrifice on their path to godhood. With enough preparation, even a Silent Demise Grotesquery could be silenced.

    “…I’m not that tired.”

    Luo Ling turned away slightly, seeing the worry in Elsa’s beautiful green eyes.

    That worried gaze… felt familiar.

    She had seen it before…

    No, there was no need to think about it. The answer was obvious.

    “But Miss Luo Ling, I can’t even help you.” Elsa sighed, her expression filled with self-reproach. “Even though I’m your Apostle…”

    “Godchosen.”

    Luo Ling corrected her. She found the terms “Apostle” and “Agent” a bit unsettling.

    The tea party’s terms, “Godchosen” and “God’s Favored,” sounded much better.

    “Oh right, Godchosen.” Elsa nodded repeatedly, then frowned. “But I’m only equivalent to a seventh-order Awakened One…”

    “Hmm?” Luo Ling paused. “You’re already seventh-order?”

    “Yes.” Elsa nodded, then demonstrated her abilities. “I’ve killed three of the Grotesqueries sealed within me, absorbing their power.”

    The six Grotesqueries forced into Elsa by Scientist had been her greatest fear. Even Scientist simply entering Elsa’s consciousness space could trigger a mental breakdown.

    After Luo Ling suppressed them with the White Witch’s will, their lives had become increasingly difficult.

    Previously, Elsa had to pay a price to use their abilities. But now, they couldn’t even scare her, let alone demand payment.

    Therefore, whenever Elsa used their abilities, it consumed their very existence.

    And after accidentally killing “Soul Torture,” the most troublesome of the six, in her consciousness space, Elsa had discovered that she now completely controlled its ability.

    It was no longer channeled through the Grotesquery, but her own.

    The former was difficult to control, often causing friendly fire, while the latter, although consuming her own Inspiration, was completely under her control.

    After that, Elsa had sent two more Grotesqueries to their demise, the remaining three submitting to her, allowing her to use their powers at the cost of her own Inspiration.

    With three Grotesqueries’ abilities and three more willingly offering their power, Elsa possessed six abilities in total.

    Both in terms of power and Inspiration reserves, she was a true high-order Awakened One.

    “Do the others know?” Luo Ling asked.

    “No, I’ve kept it a secret. They think I can only use ‘Proverb’.” Elsa lowered her voice. “I’m only telling you, Miss Luo Ling.”

    “You should use them when necessary.” Luo Ling reminded her. She couldn’t stand by and watch her teammates in danger just to hide her abilities.

    “Of course, I know. But Eve always takes us to low-level Incubation Barriers, so ‘Proverb’ is enough.” Elsa puffed out her chest proudly. “They think I’m incredibly strong just with that.”

    Elsa had been hiding her true strength, unable to reveal her accomplishments.

    Now, before Luo Ling, she could finally share her secrets.

    “Elsa is amazing.”

    Luo Ling pinched Elsa’s cheek, soft and squishy like a marshmallow.

    “Hehe.” Elsa giggled, then sighed softly. “But I’m still too weak to help Miss Luo Ling…”

    “You’re already very strong, Elsa. You’ll be able to help.” Luo Ling gently brushed aside Elsa’s bangs. “Trust me, your potential is far greater than this.”

    Luo Ling thought of the living Grotesquery and the High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic fragment she had given Elsa. These could make her even stronger.

    Elsa possessed a unique talent for controlling Grotesqueries, something neither Scientist nor Elsa herself had fully realized.

    Although she could currently only control those below Dangerous Grotesquery level, with Luo Ling’s help, she might even be able to control High-Risk Grotesqueries, or perhaps even… Taboos.

    “Really?”

    Elsa’s eyes widened.

    “When have I ever lied to you?” Luo Ling smiled faintly. Seeing the adorable little Elsa, her anxiety subsided slightly.

    Drowsiness, brought on by her biological clock, washed over Elsa, and she yawned.

    “Ah~ ha~”

    Elsa rubbed her eyes.

    “Miss Luo Ling, I can’t take it anymore, I have to go back to sleep… tomorrow…”

    “Go back?” Luo Ling chuckled. “Don’t you always sneak into my bed?”

    “Huh?”

    Elsa’s drowsiness vanished, staring at Luo Ling in disbelief.

    “Come on, sleep with me, if you don’t mind.”

    Luo Ling lifted the corner of her blanket, patting the bed.

    They usually slept separately—mainly because Elsa slept early, while Luo Ling stayed up past midnight.

    Only upon waking up would Luo Ling find Elsa in her bed.

    This time, Luo Ling was taking the initiative.

    “I… I don’t mind! Ah~ ha~ of course I don’t mind… I’m coming…”

    Elsa yawned as she snuggled into Luo Ling’s bed, pressing close to her.

    “Miss Luo Ling…”

    Elsa seemed to want to feel Luo Ling’s warmth, but her drowsiness was overwhelming, her eyelids growing heavy, soon drifting off to sleep.

    “A bit cold…”

    Luo Ling took Elsa’s small hand, warming it with her breath.

    Elsa’s slightly trembling body relaxed.

    Looking at the adorable sleeping face, framed by messy red hair, her small chest rising and falling gently with each breath, a warm smile appeared on Luo Ling’s lips.

    No, wait…

    She wasn’t alone, facing Victoria’s terrifying whirlpool.

    At least now, she had Elsa, always by her side.

    Luo Ling wrapped her arms around the small, red-haired girl and closed her eyes slowly.

    “Elsa… it’s good to have you here.”

    A dreamless night.

    ………..

    Bright red lipstick, thick white foundation, crayon-like eyebrows, and blush that looked like spilled ink.

    This woman sat in the cafe, even the waiters avoiding her, not daring to ask for her order.

    “Is she crazy?”

    “Definitely crazy…”

    Whispers echoed around her, and Luo Ling frowned, wondering if she had done something similar to the patients at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.

    But examining her memories, she couldn’t find anything amiss.

    Everything was normal.

    Miss Luo Ling—or rather, Ms. Luo Ling—waited for about ten minutes, then a brisk figure appeared before her.

    But the figure immediately stood up after sitting down, bowing apologetically. “Sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”

    “Aunt Fiona, stop joking.” Luo Ling said helplessly.

    “…You’re really Luo Ling?” Fiona asked, her face filled with shock.

    “…….”

    Luo Ling remained silent.

    This was a disguise.

    Meeting Fiona required caution, especially now, with Luo Ling in the spotlight. She didn’t believe the Company and the Harbingers weren’t monitoring her.

    Fortunately, the Speakers couldn’t scry her, even Ji Shinian, the most skilled among them, had failed, which would have been even more troublesome.

    Therefore, Luo Ling had left the apartment in disguise, even leaving a decoy behind, pretending to be reading.

    However, she wasn’t skilled at disguises. Theoretically, she could alter her appearance with the Puppet Ballad’s “Proliferation” ability, but to avoid growing extra limbs on her face, she had abandoned that idea.

    She had heard that makeup could transform a person, and since Luo Ling never wore makeup, she decided to try it.

    After finding some makeup tutorials in the puppets’ memories, she had confidently applied some of Cen Xiangyun’s cosmetics, and her “masterpiece” was born.

    “…Truly a masterpiece.”

    Fiona gasped, her heart sinking.

    Then, after a moment of hesitation, she covered her mouth, as if about to cry. “So similar… she didn’t wear makeup either…”

    “…….”

    She really wanted to drag Linna back here.

    Luo Ling had informed Fiona of the meeting through her spores, planted in the Victoria Opera House during her previous visit.

    Hearing Luo Ling’s serious tone, Fiona knew it was important, so she had made arrangements to avoid the Company’s surveillance, meeting Luo Ling at the designated cafe.

    She hadn’t expected to see Miss Luo Ling—Ms. Luo Ling—like this…

    “Luo Ling, the saying ‘makeup can transform a person’ means making them look better, not worse.”

    Fiona said earnestly. “However, turning such a good foundation into this… is a special skill indeed.”

    “Do I… look that bad?” Luo Ling asked hesitantly.

    “Not just bad,” Fiona shook her head. “Exceptionally bad.”

    She also heard the whispers around them, her expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

    Like her daughter Linna, Miss Luo Ling’s sense of aesthetics was disastrous…

    “I see…”

    Luo Ling nodded thoughtfully.

    “This puppet’s memories are useless. I’ll have to find another one.”

    Her previous cooking “success” had given her confidence. With the puppets’ memories, she could learn anything.

    If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

    “But as a disguise, it’s perfect. No one would recognize you as Luo Ling, even I hesitated for a moment.”

    Fiona smiled, then her expression turned serious. “You wouldn’t meet me like this unless it was important.”

    “Yes.”

    Luo Ling nodded, then hesitated, looking around.

    Fiona placed a clock-like Sacred Tool on the table.

    Time seemed to freeze, everyone’s movements stopping, only Luo Ling and Fiona unaffected.

    “A Chaos path Sacred Tool, ‘The World.’ I don’t know why the creator chose such a strange name, but it’s quite useful.”

    Fiona explained, “It creates a three-meter radius domain where time stops relative to the outside world, lasting up to half an hour.

    “Meaning, we can talk here for half an hour, and only a moment will have passed outside.”

    Even the Speakers’ Other Shore abilities couldn’t penetrate this domain. This was one of Fiona’s methods of concealment.

    “Indeed, very powerful.”

    Luo Ling was impressed. This Sacred Tool must have been crafted from a High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic, even she was slightly envious.

    Unlike Luo Ling, Fiona was one of the three highest-ranking members of a large Awakened organization, the Fate Society, renowned for its Sacred Tool crafting. She had easy access to such items.

    The Sacred Tool she had given Luo Ling, and the one Linna used, were both crafted by Fiona.

    “If you’re interested, I can give it to you.” Fiona chuckled, then her tone changed. “However, I have a small request…”

    “Stop right there.”

    Luo Ling raised her hand, anticipating Fiona’s words.

    Absolutely not.

    Impersonating Linna once was enough.

    “What a pity.”

    Fiona said regretfully.

    Before Fiona could offer more temptations, Luo Ling got to the point.

    Her expression turned serious. “Aunt Fiona, did you know that the ‘Hunt’ team’s annihilation wasn’t an accident?”

    Fiona’s face fell, a bitter expression appearing.

    “Of course, I know.”

    How could she not?

    Having reached her current position, Fiona wasn’t naive. She had her suspicions.

    But…

    Who was the culprit?

    Their rivals, the Torchbearers? Or the Company? Or the Harbingers of Calamity? Or even… another faction within the Fate Society?

    Fiona didn’t know.

    Every time she tried to investigate, an invisible barrier blocked her, preventing her from finding any clues.

    She knew Linna had been murdered.

    But she didn’t know by whom, who to avenge.

    As a mother, Fiona had suffered for years, only finding some solace in Luo Ling’s presence, a distraction from her grief.

    “Perhaps, it’s time to let go.”

    Fiona had resigned herself to the unknown.

    Until Luo Ling’s next words.

    “I know the culprit, and everything that happened.” Luo Ling said slowly. “I witnessed the entire conspiracy, the deaths of every member of the ‘Hunt’ team.

    “And… I also met Linna.”

    “Yes, Aunt Fiona, your daughter, Linna.”

  • Malicious Female Lead’s Guide to Causing Trouble [Quick Transmigration] 55p3

    Chapter Fifty-Five p3

    “Rise of the Phoenix” was a big female lead drama, with a fantasy cultivation setting. The female lead, Ye Canghua, was the daughter of the prime minister, and had a childhood engagement with the only son of the general’s mansion. Ten years passed in a flash, and the only son of the general’s mansion was found to have dual spiritual roots, so he immediately broke off the engagement, left the mortal world, and went to the immortal sect to cultivate.

    The female lead was ridiculed by the capital because of this, and her family was also disliked by the emperor due to the turmoil. The once glorious prime minister’s mansion gradually declined, and she couldn’t even find a good doctor when she was sick. After her parents passed away, the female lead had a great epiphany, and from then on, she went to the immortal sect alone, determined to pursue the supreme path and become a true immortal.

    This was a cool and refreshing drama that included the trope of breaking off an engagement, but it wasn’t a brainless drama. There were many places that tested acting skills. Yu Zhao studied it carefully, first read it roughly, and then took out a pen and paper, and began to analyze the female lead’s mentality and emotions step by step.

    She was serious, immersed in the world of ‘Ye Canghua’, as if she had seen a woman’s bumpy life through the words on the paper.

    Until a snap sounded, and the suddenly lit lights brought Yu Zhao back from her immersion. She looked at the dark sky outside in a daze, and murmured: “Is it already night?“

    “Yes, why are you sitting there without turning on the lights? I thought no one was home.” Bo Chi unbuttoned her suit, stretched, then followed the smell into the kitchen, and said happily: “When did you make pork rib and corn soup? It smells so good!“

    Yu Zhao closed her notebook, also stretched, walked behind her and looked at the soup, and said with a smile: “I made it in the afternoon, and it’s ready now. You have a bowl first, and we’ll eat after I finish cooking.“

    Bo Chi couldn’t bear to let her work alone while she enjoyed herself, so she suppressed her hunger and insisted on cooking with her.

    One of them cut and washed the vegetables, and the other stir-fried and served the dishes. Soon, the three dishes were finished.

    Although they were in a relationship, they didn’t have any contact during the day, and didn’t know what the other had done. Now, sitting at the table to eat, before Yu Zhao could ask, Bo Chi started talking, sharing the things she encountered at the company.

    There wasn’t much fun at the company, and Bo Chi was the CEO, so ordinary people didn’t dare to offend her.

    But Bo Chi’s mind worked in strange ways, she was always able to find interesting points in ordinary things, or come up with novel ideas.

    The boring life, when told by her, was like it had undergone magic, becoming vibrant and full of fun.

    Yu Zhao listened attentively, with love in her eyes that she didn’t even notice.

    After Bo Chi finished speaking, she said: “I bought some fruit today, I’ll wash it and bring it to you later. I put half of the lychees in the freezer. I heard that they taste better that way. I haven’t tried it, so I’ll try it now.“

    “I spent the afternoon reading the script. Ye Canghua is not a smooth-sailing person. Whether it’s being rejected, her parents dying, or encountering crises on her cultivation journey, they all require different emotions to interpret. Although the male lead doesn’t have many scenes, he will appear from time to time. I’m not very confident about this, because the interaction between the male and female leads is different from the current mainstream, it’s like a cool girl and a little husband.“

    Bo Chi said sincerely: “That’s good, an unconventional CP. If you act well, you might gain a group of CP fans.“

    Yu Zhao paused with her chopsticks, and shook her head: “If fans like the CP in the plot, I have no objections, because I respect the original work, and the male and female leads in the original work are a couple. But I don’t like CP fans in real life. After all, I’m Yu Zhao, not Ye Canghua. I have someone I like.“

    Speaking of this, she suddenly changed the subject, and stared straight at Bo Chi: “Otherwise, I’ll find an opportunity to announce that I have a partner?“

    Bo Chi didn’t realize that she was testing her, and shook her head: “Who would announce this kind of thing as soon as they debut? Having a partner is not a problem, but what if the fans think you’re too focused on love, not focused on your career, and they all leave in disappointment?“

    Yu Zhao said calmly: “I’m an actress, and I care more about good scripts. Of course I’m happy if fans like me, but even if they all leave, it won’t affect my foundation. As long as there are scripts for me to take, I have nothing to be afraid of.“

    Bo Chi still shook her head: “That won’t do, you have to wait until you’re stable before announcing this.“

    Yu Zhao looked at her carefully, and seeing that she was receptive, without any resistance, and only because she was worried about her career, she didn’t give in, and immediately relaxed and smiled: “Okay, as long as you’re willing, then everything is easy to say.“

    Bo Chi looked satisfied, and then said: “Speaking of which, do you need me to rehearse with you?“

    Yu Zhao was stunned: “Rehearse?“

    “Yes.” Bo Chi said while biting on a rib: “Didn’t you say that the scenes between the male and female leads are a bit difficult? I can rehearse with you, so you can find the feeling. Maybe after you sort out your thoughts, the acting will be smoother?“

    Yu Zhao pondered for a while, and smiled: “Okay, then I’ll trouble you.“

    After dinner, after washing two or three plates of fruit, Bo Chi and Yu Zhao sat on the sofa, head to head, studying the script.

    “This part is the first encounter between the male and female leads.” Yu Zhao pointed to the script: “The female lead accidentally enters the Peach Blossom Pool and sees the male lead taking a bath, and then shows a surprised expression.“

    “Hmm.” Bo Chi peeled a grape and handed the pulp to her lips, tilting her head and saying: “Is there any problem with this part?“

    Yu Zhao opened her mouth and ate the pulp, and licked Bo Chi’s slender, white fingers, making Bo Chi blush and glare at her.

    Yu Zhao acted as if she didn’t see it, and said seriously: “I haven’t seen anyone beautiful enough to surprise me, let alone a man. As soon as I think of a man’s face, I’ll be out of character.“

    Bo Chi immediately became worried: “Then what should we do? I’m not a man either, can I still rehearse with you?“

    “Of course you can.” Yu Zhao said with a smile: “You just need to say the male lead’s lines and let me find the feeling. When we get to the set, I can naturally recall your face and act smoothly.“

    Bo Chi suddenly realized, wiped her hands and said: “I understand, I’ll go memorize the lines now.“

    In order to help Yu Zhao, she exerted her ability from the college entrance examination, quickly memorized a series of lines, then put down the script, and said excitedly: “I’m ready, let’s start!“

    “Okay.” Yu Zhao stood up: “Then I’ll go to the bathroom and run the water.“

    Bo Chi: “Huh??“

    She quickly grabbed Yu Zhao’s clothes, and said in confusion: “What water are you running?“

    Yu Zhao said innocently: “Bath water, of course. Didn’t the male lead bump into the female lead while taking a bath?“

    Bo Chi was dumbfounded: “We’re just rehearsing, do we need to go this far?“

    Yu Zhao shook her head disapprovingly: “Rehearsing requires atmosphere and emotions. If you’re in the state of taking a bath, can you say the male lead’s shy and flustered lines?“

    Bo Chi: “…”

    Yu Zhao narrowed her eyes: “You can’t, you can only say it in a happy tone, as if the male lead is about to invite the female lead to bathe together in the next second.“

    Bo Chi covered her face: “Stop talking, I’ll go soak in the bathtub.“

    Because Yu Zhao looked so serious, Bo Chi didn’t think about anything else, and was tricked into getting into the bathtub obediently.

    Under the clear water was the girl’s soft and fair body. Under Yu Zhao’s gaze, Bo Chi suddenly felt ashamed, and unconsciously covered her chest with her hands, her face red as she avoided Yu Zhao’s gaze.

    Yu Zhao curled her lips imperceptibly, and said seriously: “Shall we begin then?“

    Bo Chi also became serious, nodded, hesitated for two seconds, and gritted her teeth and put down her hands.

    Yu Zhao’s blood rushed to her head, she stared at her with deep eyes, and approached step by step.

    Bo Chi’s face was already flushed, even her snow-white neck was crimson, but she still played the role of the male lead conscientiously, raising her hand to brush her black hair behind her.

    ——If it were on TV, the ‘male lead’ at this moment would definitely have a soft light and skin smoothing filter, showing his beauty from all angles.

    Ripples spread in the warm water, and the snow-white mounds rose and fell on the surface of the water. Yu Zhao, who was amazed, walked forward obsessively, and accidentally kicked something, making a small sound.

    Bo Chi immediately put on a startled expression, resolutely turned around, turned her back to her, and said in a panicked voice: “Who?!“

    Yu Zhao stopped, her gaze still burning as she stared at her back, and said apologetically: “Sorry, I was just passing by, I didn’t know that the young master was bathing here.“

    Bo Chi turned slightly, revealing her beautiful side profile, her eyes watery, her red lips slightly parted: “There is a barrier here, mortals cannot enter. You stumbled in by accident, could it be that you are a natural spirit body?“

    Yu Zhao’s tone was confused, and she said carefully: “Young Master, are you an immortal? I don’t understand what a spirit body is, I only know that I didn’t encounter any obstacles along the way.“

    Bo Chi suddenly became quiet for a while, and after a while, she gritted her teeth and said with an out-of-character expression: “Come closer, let me take a look.“

    Yu Zhao held the script, knew what she was thinking, but deliberately pretended not to notice, and continued acting: “Okay, thank you, Immortal.“

    She stepped forward, and when she reached the bathtub, her foot twisted, as if she had been tripped by something, just like in the script, and she fell straight forward.

    Bo Chi in the bathtub hesitated for two seconds. After all, she was still afraid that she would bump into something, so she turned around according to the script, opened her arms like the male lead, and caught Yu Zhao.

    In the plot, the female lead bumped into the male lead’s thin chest.

    However, in reality, Yu Zhao was deeply buried in the soft mounds, and let out a sigh of satisfaction.

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! 76

    Chapter 76: The Seven Deadly Sins Witches

    While Luo Yuxi was in Apal, pondering how to find the protagonist and Yun Keke and Yu Keke’s mother, a greater danger was brewing in the Witch Kingdom. In a spacious room with a large round table, unlike the one in the Church, this table had only seven seats. This was the meeting room of the Seven Deadly Sins Witches.

    “Ugh… really, I’m not even awake yet, why call a meeting so early~?”

    As moonlight streamed into the room, a glamorous girl with long black and white hair draped over her shoulders sprawled lazily on the table.

    “I’m hungry…”

    Beside her, a loli with a witch’s hat and short green hair sat down. She looked incredibly cute, completely at odds with her identity as one of the Seven Deadly Sins Witches, capable of obliterating everything within a hundred miles.

    Ruo Li, the Lust Witch, entered, her attendant respectfully removing her heavy coat before standing silently at the side. Ruo Li sat down at her designated seat.

    “It seems I’m the third to arrive. Not too late…”

    As she spoke, a shadowy figure materialized in the seat beside her, a girl shrouded in black mist, her features completely obscured.

    “…”

    Ruo Li looked at the girl, thinking, She’s still hiding herself, as always. Just as she was about to say something, the door burst open, and two girls entered.

    “It seems everyone is on time today. I didn’t expect even Sloth and Gluttony to be here~”

    “Really, why call a meeting for such a trivial matter? So troublesome. I could handle the Church alone…”

    With the arrival of the two girls, the moonlit room was bathed in an eerie purple light. Each seat was engraved with a title. Ruo Li glanced at the word “Lust” on her seat and quickly covered it with magic.

    “Really, a communication spell would have sufficed. Why all this formality? And why am I Lust…?”

    Ruo Li grumbled. Although she was a succubus, she only consumed magic power to sustain herself. She had been given the title of Lust after reaching 2nd Order.

    “Don’t worry about it, you didn’t object at the time~”

    The girl at the Seat of Sloth, her long black and white hair cascading over her shoulders, lazily propped herself up with a pillow.

    “I’m hungry… Lulu is hungry too…”

    The loli at the Seat of Gluttony patted her stomach and poked her witch’s hat. The seemingly ordinary hat opened its mouth, revealing a terrifyingly long, red tongue with sharp teeth.

    “Hungry, so hungry…”

    The loli’s eyes became vacant. The girl at the Seat of Envy, shrouded in darkness, pulled out a cake and tossed it into the hat’s mouth. The hat closed, returning to its normal appearance.

    “Alright, enough with the distractions. The reason for this Seven Sins meeting is that Greed has been captured…”

    The blonde girl at the Seat of Pride, arms crossed, looked at the empty Seat of Greed. Everyone already knew, but no one had wanted to bring it up. Ruo Li sneered.

    “If she was captured, she’s not worthy of this seat. A mere 6th Order witch, it’s no big deal~”

    Ruo Li chuckled. She had always disliked Herolise’s way of thinking. The girl at the Seat of Pride simply smiled.

    “But I heard you lost to that so-called 6th Order witch during the recent witch uprising~”

    “You!”

    Ruo Li’s eyes turned cold, her aura filling the room. The girl at the Seat of Wrath, sensing the surge of magic power, jumped up.

    “What’s going on? Are we fighting? Count me in, count me in~~”

    She bared her shark-like teeth, her aura clashing with Ruo Li’s. Ruo Li, after a brief glance, sat back down. Not out of fear, but because a fight would only complicate things.

    “What a letdown, I thought we were going to fight…”

    Wrath sat back down, her blood-red eyes returning to their normal black. The girl at the Seat of Sloth had already fallen asleep, her ample bosom squished against the table.

    “So, Greed wasn’t just captured, if we do nothing, they’ll think we’re easy targets. We can’t let the Church look down on us~”

    Pride raised her hand, and the moonlit table shone brighter. Wrath jumped up excitedly.

    “We’re finally fighting! Let me destroy the Church alone~”

    “I think we need a plan. For example, we could combine our—”

    Pride pulled out a map of the Church’s territory and circled Apal, the central city.

    “We’ll lead a group of witches and storm the Church headquarters. Rescuing Greed shouldn’t be a problem…”

    “Isn’t that… still not a plan…?”

    Ruo Li sighed. This wasn’t a plan, it was just brute force. Before she could offer a suggestion, Wrath had already vanished, and Pride slammed her hand on the table.

    “Alright, it’s decided, let’s go!”

    “Are you going there to die?!”

    Ruo Li tried to make them reconsider, but before she could finish, only Sloth remained, asleep on the table, while Envy had vanished into a black mist.

    “Do you really want to save Greed? As expected, cooperation between witches is impossible…”

    Ruo Li sighed. But it was fine. If the rescue failed, she wouldn’t have to see Herolise’s smug face. The thought of Herolise calmly saying “Your wife is amazing” made her furious.

    “Using the Church’s hands to eliminate Greed isn’t a bad idea…”

    Ruo Li muttered as she left the room, her two attendants relieved. Even just standing by during a meeting between high-Order witches was almost too much for them.

    “That succubus in Apal hasn’t reported back, she’s probably been discovered. Send another one…”

    “Yes… Master…”

    As Ruo Li left, the room fell silent. A figure stirred in one of the seats. Sloth removed her eye mask and looked around.

    “Really, did they leave me behind again? How troublesome~”

  • A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life 149

    Chapter 149: One Sword

    “Patrol Fortress 301 and 313 approaching target area. Patrol Fortress 311, 315, and 322 advancing at full speed. Reinforcements will arrive within three hours.”

    “What’s the current status of Suspended High Tower 132?”

    “Mayor Qualcomm ordered the separation of the tower and the disaster engine. The deep space behemoth’s target is clearly the tower’s outer shell.”

    Hearing this, the Federal Council President’s face darkened, and he pondered.

    “Sacrificing the tower to protect the engine core… Although cruel, it’s the best option.”

    The outer shell could be rebuilt, and the millions of Tower People could be replenished from the wasteland settlements.

    But the loss of an engine core was irreversible. The current Federation couldn’t manufacture them.

    The President thought Qualcomm’s decision, although cruel, was understandable.

    “He’s already committed crimes against humanity, one more charge won’t make much difference.” The President thought for a moment, then issued another order. “Have the nearby Suspended High Towers prepare to retrieve the engine core.”

    The order was sent, but there was no reply.

    “Hmm?”

    The President was slightly surprised, then his assistant’s trembling voice came from the digital terminal.

    “President… Mayor Qualcomm isn’t protecting the engine core. He’s piloting the disaster engine, charging towards the deep space behemoth. It seems he’s planning to… attack?”

    “Attack a deep space behemoth?” The President jumped up from his seat, his face filled with disbelief. “Are you sure he hasn’t gone mad? No, wait… he’s always been a madman… a complete lunatic!”

    How could a normal person come up with such a crazy plan as using the “string vibration” device for interdimensional travel, and actually carry it out?

    But the President also knew that an ordinary Suspended High Tower didn’t have any weapons capable of effectively attacking a deep space behemoth. Qualcomm’s action was like a moth flying into a flame, and it would also waste a disaster engine.

    “It’s true… President, he overloaded the disaster engine and is charging towards the deep space behemoth…”

    The assistant’s voice trembled. He had seen the real-time video from the patrol fortress’s long-range detection device. Even though the image was pixelated, the behemoth’s terrifying presence was still palpable.

    The President’s digital terminal also received the video, and he stared blankly at the bright light, like a firefly flying towards a giant beast, then collapsed into his chair.

    “My god…”

    This was the President’s first time seeing an overloaded disaster engine, and it would probably be his last.

    “Connect me to Qualcomm, immediately!”

    The President shouted, gnashing his teeth.

    “O-okay…”

    The assistant hurriedly connected the communication channel. As the beeping sound rang out, the entire world seemed to fall silent, waiting for the response from the man facing the end of the world.

    …

    “Beep… beep… beep…”

    Amidst the deafening roar of the overloaded disaster engine, the communication signal was barely noticeable.

    Qualcomm glanced at the channel, then answered.

    “Mr. President, at such a critical moment, what instructions does the Federation have?” Qualcomm asked slowly.

    “Qualcomm, you madman… Stop the engine, it’s not too late!”

    The President’s furious voice rang out, his urgency evident.

    “You know how important a disaster engine is to human civilization… Qualcomm, stop!”

    “Thank you for your compliment, Mr. President, I mean, the ‘madman’ part, but I’m sorry,” Qualcomm’s tone was slightly playful, “although I would like to obey your orders, the madman piloting the engine now isn’t me, but another madman.”

    “Who?”

    The President was stunned. Who else could Qualcomm refer to like this? Could it be his brother, Lingxi?

    No, Lingxi was already dead…

    “A little girl who calls herself an ‘immortal’…”

    Qualcomm shook his head, even he found his own words ridiculous.

    “Whoever it is, stop the engine! I want to talk! I want to talk to her!”

    “I’m just an immortal. A deity should be on a different level.” Luo Xue’s calm, childish voice rang out.

    After Soul Transformation, above Ascension, that was the level of a deity, right?

    “It’s all the same, no difference.” Qualcomm shrugged, glancing at Luo Xue. “Why don’t you talk to the President? It’s a rare opportunity to talk to such an important figure, haha… It’s good to leave some last words.”

    “Not interested.”

    “She said she’s not interested.”

    “It’s… a child?” The President was about to explode. “Qualcomm, what are you doing?!”

    “It’s not what I want to do, it’s what she wants to do, Mr. President… I’m not joking, charging towards the deep space behemoth was really her decision.”

    Qualcomm seemed indifferent. After his plan failed, he seemed to have lost interest in everything, like a mere spectator.

    “Whoever it is, stop the engine immediately! I order you! Stop!”

    The President’s furious voice echoed. Compared to the lives of a Suspended High Tower and millions of Tower People, he… or rather, human civilization, valued the disaster engine more.

    Luo Xue ignored him and closed her eyes.

    She needed to be in her best condition to control the power of the overloaded disaster engine.

    Seeing this, Qualcomm discreetly closed the communication channel, and the President’s shouts abruptly stopped.

    “Is there anything I can do to help?”

    Qualcomm asked casually, bored.

    Luo Xue opened her eyes slightly, hesitated for a moment, then said,

    “Can you still enter your space-time avatar state?”

    “Probably, what do you want to do?” Qualcomm asked. “Let me tell you, I can’t rewind time or anything. The engine is already here, you can’t go back.”

    “Of course not…”

    Luo Xue looked up at the approaching deep space behemoth and said faintly,

    “I just… need a sword, a sword capable of severing a deep space behemoth.”

    “You mean…”

    Qualcomm’s expression turned serious. He suddenly realized what Luo Xue was planning.

    “Your space-time avatar, it can tear space, right? At its limit, can you… extract a fragment of space?” Luo Xue continued. “I think, if you can do that, it should be… the sharpest sword in the world, right?”

    Qualcomm was silent for a moment, then nodded.

    What he didn’t say was that to achieve this, he would have to reach Level 10.

    Or… pay with his life, his body completely eroded by space-time.

    Lingxi had once said that for humans, abilities were like a “disease,” and ability users were “patients.”

    The higher the level, the more severe the “disease,” until they reached their limit, becoming terminally ill, beyond saving.

    Having reached Level 9 and looking towards the Level 10 beyond the limit, Qualcomm felt that Lingxi’s words were incredibly accurate.

    He constantly felt the severe erosion of his ability on his body.

    The last time he used his ability at full strength, it took his legs, and this time, it had almost paralyzed his entire body. Next time, it would take his life.

    But…

    What did it matter?

    “You… need a sword?” Qualcomm looked up slightly, his eyes narrowing. “Then it has to be… a very, very long sword, right?”

    “No, a short sword is fine.”

    Luo Xue shook her head.

    “Alright,” Qualcomm smiled faintly. “I’ll give you this sword.”

    He struggled to stand up, taking his final step.

    The distorted shadow reappeared, the laws of time and space completely consuming his body.

    Three minutes before the deep space behemoth’s attack, a twisted shadow left the disaster engine.

    Less than five hundred meters away from the behemoth’s claw, a visible area of space began to distort, a spatial fold slowly forming.

    A minute later, the brightly shining disaster engine approached this area, and the spatial fold fully formed.

    It was… a sword.

    Then, as the entire world watched with bated breath, the disaster engine began to disintegrate.

    More accurately, it was the external structure of the disaster engine that was disintegrating. Only the core formation remained operational, its overloaded light not dimming, but intensifying.

    Luo Xue stood at the core, surrounded by collapsing formation runes, an astonishing amount of spiritual power surging around her.

    After a few minutes of overloading, the disaster engine… the energy-gathering formation had reached its limit, and power almost equivalent to that of a peak Nascent Soul cultivator was at Luo Xue’s disposal.

    If Luo Xue were just an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, even if she squandered this massive amount of spiritual power until she was exhausted, she wouldn’t be able to use much of it.

    But Luo Xue possessed the Law of Withering, a Nascent Soul level weapon. Its only drawback was its high consumption, difficult even for Core Formation cultivators to withstand.

    “I have a sword,”

    Luo Xue extended her hand, and the spatial fold, like a giant scar, was folded and condensed until it was the length of a dagger, like a self-defense weapon for women.

    But this dagger possessed the terrifying power to cut through space and time.

    “Capable of severing the heavens.”

    Luo Xue gripped the dagger, and an astonishing sword intent condensed, the Law of Withering even affecting the nearby deep space behemoth.

    Before she even attacked, signs of withering appeared on the behemoth’s claw.

    This immediately diverted the behemoth’s attention from the Suspended High Tower’s outer shell to the insignificant speck of light beside it, its terrifying eye turning to Luo Xue.

    Luo Xue looked up, calmly meeting the behemoth’s gaze.

    The next moment, a sword light flashed.

    All the spiritual power of the disaster engine converged on this sword strike, the condensed sword intent of withering dimming the surrounding space.

    Every inch the sword beam advanced, it was as if it was severing millennia, everything withering in its path, even the deep space behemoth.

    “Weng—”

    This seemed to be the deep space behemoth’s angry roar, echoing through the sky, but it was futile.

    When the sword intent of withering struck, the behemoth’s claw was as fragile as paper, slowly being severed, its constituent matter disintegrating.

    The severed claw fell from the sky, and black blood, like rain, poured down upon the earth.

    “It… actually severed the deep space behemoth’s claw…”

    Everyone watching was shocked, beyond words, even though they could only see a pixelated image.

    The Federal Council President stared blankly at the video from the front lines, speechless.

    He suddenly realized that the immortals Qualcomm had mentioned jokingly might be… real immortals…

    Even the patrol fortresses, equipped with humanity’s strongest weapons, couldn’t achieve such a decisive strike. The Federal Military had been prepared for a months-long battle against the deep space behemoth.

    But now…

    The military immediately reacted. This was a perfect opportunity.

    The deep space behemoth had been severely injured before it could fully form. Such a perfect opportunity would probably never appear again.

    “All patrol fortresses on standby, attack immediately! All Suspended High Towers within range, please cooperate! We will launch a swift and decisive strike against the deep space behemoth!”

    The military abandoned their plan for a long battle and used all their trump cards, taking advantage of this opportunity to hunt down the behemoth.

    However, the deep space behemoth, having lost a claw, wasn’t completely incapacitated. Instead, its true rage was ignited. Its terrifying eye narrowed, fixated on Luo Xue.

    It would make the small speck of light that injured it pay the price, even with its incomplete body.

    Its twisted and deformed body struggled out of the dark clouds, its massive and tiny limbs pieced together on its grotesque body. This was the first time many humans had seen a deep space behemoth.

    The deep space behemoth was completely devoid of beauty. It was simply a crude combination of its understanding of this world, an indescribable monster.

    This monster didn’t resemble any beast known to humanity. Its bloated body looked like an irregular tumor, a pair of terrifyingly large eyes embedded on it, along with many smaller eyes of various sizes.

    Its extending limbs, some like tentacles, some like claws, were all weaker than the severed claw.

    It could be seen that Luo Xue’s sword strike had indeed caused irreversible damage to the deep space behemoth, even forcing it to abandon its prey.

    Sensing the behemoth’s rage, Luo Xue’s expression remained calm, even as she was being eroded by the Law of Withering, a dark aura enveloping her.

    The surrounding formation runes were on the verge of collapse, their brilliant light gradually dimming.

    Only the short sword remained bright.

    “It’s not over yet…”

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! 75

    Chapter 75: Exclusive Nun

    Luo Yuxi walked down the street, her petite form attracting the attention of the nuns around her. Even as a loli, her charm was undeniable.

    “Finally done. I didn’t expect branding 40 fairies would take so long…”

    Luo Yuxi rubbed her numb fingers, surprised that she had done something so villainous. Looking at the Summoning skill, although she didn’t know its combat effectiveness, being able to summon fairies at will was quite convenient.

    “Wait, if I can summon fairies, why not use them to gather information?!”

    Fairies were small and good at hiding. They might not be ideal for combat, but they were perfect for reconnaissance.

    [Summoning Divine Art: Ruler of the Fairies]

    “I’ll have them gather information on the bishops. I should be able to find a clue about Yun Keke and Yu Keke’s mother~”

    A magic circle appeared on Luo Yuxi’s palm, and a delicate fairy emerged, looking around in confusion, then at Luo Yuxi, her legs going weak as she fell onto Luo Yuxi’s hand, her eyes filled with fear.

    “M-Master, what are your orders…!”

    “Really, am I that scary? I was just curious about your taste…”

    While subduing the fairies, Luo Yuxi, recalling the “fairy tea” scene from the game, had a sudden whim. If it’s so delicious, what does it taste like to lick one directly? She had then proceeded to… taste… a fairy.

    “P-Please don’t eat me, Master!”

    “She must be traumatized by that scene…”

    Luo Yuxi waved her hand, dismissing the fairy after giving her the information-gathering task. Looking at the apartment, she realized a more pressing problem.

    “How do I explain where I was last night…?”

    Luo Yuxi sighed. In her current loli form, not only was she cute, but her voice had also become childish, making her seem even more vulnerable. If she went back now, she would probably be “educated” in bed.

    “Forget it, I’ve already been gone for a night, a few more days won’t make a difference~”

    Luo Yuxi turned towards the Church, but a figure blocked her path. Yuehua Fengyun, hands on her hips, looked at her curiously.

    “Why do you look like this?”

    “I’ve been exposed so quickly? Even in this loli form, she still recognized me?”

    Luo Yuxi had thought Yuehua Fengyun hadn’t recognized her and was prepared to play along, but it seemed her identity was known.

    “It wasn’t certain at first, but I smelled your familiar scent…”

    Yuehua Fengyun approached, looking at the pink-haired loli. She still looked the same, but somehow even cuter today.

    “Why do I want to hug her and ravage her…?”

    Yuehua Fengyun looked away, her desire intensifying as she looked at the pouting loli. Luo Yuxi, unaware of the effect her loli form had, still thought her attractiveness had decreased without her usual assets. She even unconsciously struck a cute pose.

    “Since you’ve found me, what’s the matter? I have important things to do, like chatting with a cute girl~”

    Luo Yuxi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Yuehua Fengyun couldn’t resist pinching her soft cheek. Even she was surprised by her own impulsive action. Luo Yuxi, oblivious, swatted her hand away.

    “Stop it! What if it gets swollen?!”

    Yuehua Fengyun snapped back to reality and coughed, turning and walking towards the cathedral. Luo Yuxi, confused, followed.

    “Where is she taking me? It’s not some dangerous mission, is it…?”

    Luo Yuxi muttered to herself, following the silent Yuehua Fengyun. Being a bishop is nice, even the nuns bow to you. They arrived at a room.

    “What is this place?”

    “This is where troubled souls come for self-reflection. There are over 100 of these rooms, this is just one of them…”

    “Why did you bring me here, Bishop? I don’t think I need self-reflection. Well, maybe a little…”

    Luo Yuxi looked around and saw a girl kneeling before the Goddess statue. She recognized her as Lola, the Saintess candidate she had fought a few days ago.

    “Why is she here? Why did she bring me here?”

    Luo Yuxi looked at Lola, who no longer had her arrogant demeanor, her eyes closed as if in a trance. Yuehua Fengyun coughed.

    “Bishop…”

    Lola turned around. Luo Yuxi remembered her rebellious eyes and casual attire from their first meeting. Now, she looked like a lifeless doll in a plain nun’s habit, her eyes empty.

    “From today onwards, she’s your exclusive nun. She will obey your commands unconditionally…”

    “Why is she like this? She seems so pitiful.”

    Luo Yuxi remembered how Lola’s Spatial Severance had given her a hard time, and now she was completely unresponsive. Yuehua Fengyun unbuttoned Lola’s habit, revealing a blood-red mark on her collarbone.

    “Originally, defeated Saintess candidates were branded with a blood oath, forcing them to obey the Saintess. But it was abolished later because it was considered inhumane…”

    Yuehua Fengyun continued to unbutton Lola’s habit. To Luo Yuxi’s shock, the mark extended down to Lola’s chest, looking incredibly seductive. Luo Yuxi had never heard of a blood oath in the game.

    “Then why…?”

    “She didn’t stop attacking even after the battle was over. To prevent betrayal, this is how the Church deals with her…”

    Yuehua Fengyun’s tone was indifferent, as if discussing the weather. Luo Yuxi was about to say something when Yuehua Fengyun grabbed her hand, a sharp pain on her fingertip as a blade cut through her skin, blood dripping onto the floor.

    “Now for the final step, the blood oath.”

    Yuehua Fengyun explained calmly. Luo Yuxi watched in shock as Lola, like a puppet, lifted Luo Yuxi’s bleeding finger and sucked on the wound. The mark on Lola’s body glowed red.

    “It’s done. You can command her now, she won’t resist…”

    Luo Yuxi looked at Lola, who had gone from a Saintess candidate trying to kill her to her exclusive nun. It had happened so fast.

    “Is this mark also part of a divine art…?”

    Yuehua Fengyun didn’t answer, just nodded after a moment of hesitation. Luo Yuxi wondered if that blood-red mark was truly divine. Just then, the door burst open.

    “La la la~ It seems you’re done~”

    Lika, who had taken Luo Yuxi to get her equipment, entered the room and habitually reached out to touch Luo Yuxi’s face. However, her hand passed right through her.

    “Huh? Strange, the voice is right here…?”

    “A little lower…”

    Luo Yuxi, seeing Lika groping above her head, realized she was still in her loli form. Lika, hearing her, lowered her hand and found the familiar texture she had been seeking.

    “Oh my, what happened? Why are you so short~?”

    “Well, due to some unforeseen circumstances…”

    Luo Yuxi didn’t want to explain that she had been transformed by a fairy witch. After all, Bertha was now “hers,” revealing her existence wouldn’t be beneficial.

    “Wait… instead of searching for the protagonist and the twins’ mother, I can use Lika…”

    Luo Yuxi smiled, then was startled by her own thought. She, who had always wanted to slack off, was now thinking of using others.

    “I’m not myself anymore…”

    Author:

    What happens to a nun captured by a witch, as shown below:

    (Praying to the Goddess while clutching a cross, then having her faith shattered by a witch and turned into a toy).

  • The Villainous Older Sister Who Loves Her Younger Sister Aims for the Guillotine 58

    58: Piled-Up Trust

    A small figure pushed open the door and entered the inn attached to the ranch.

    Their hair was silver. They wore a dirty coat and a casquette pulled low, obscuring their face.

    The knees of their trousers were patched, one even torn, revealing skin beneath. A rather shabby appearance.

    “Excuse me, but we don’t accommodate walk-ins. Do you have a referral?”

    The innkeeper, alone at the reception counter, politely asked the ‘boy’ to leave, seeing no reservation and noting their attire.

    The ‘boy’ chuckled softly.

    “—I’m not a ‘walk-in.’”

    “…Excuse me?”

    The figure removed their hat, revealing beautiful, moonlight-silver hair tied back in a bun.

    This was clearly not the shabby—almost “back alley”—boy the innkeeper had imagined.

    His eyes widened, and he straightened up.

    “Lady Adelheid…? M-my apologies!”

    “No, it’s fine. It’s good to know my disguise skills haven’t gotten rusty.”

    She—Adelheid von Vanderwaals—smiled, and the innkeeper inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

    The simple act of removing her hat made it impossible to understand why he had mistaken her for a vagrant just moments ago.

    Come to think of it, he had seen glimpses of her silver hair.

    Even so, perhaps it was her clothing, or the aura she projected… everything about her had screamed back-alley dweller.

    But now, regardless of her attire, she looked every bit the young head of a powerful ducal family.

    Adelheid put her hat back on, concealing her hair, and approached the counter, facing the innkeeper.

    “I have some business here. I came on a rented horse, so I’d like you to take care of it. I won’t be staying, but I’ll need a room and a bath. And could you pack me a lunch, something I can eat outside?”

    “Certainly. Right away.”

    He bowed respectfully, mentally repeating her requests—no stay, room, bath, packed lunch—and committing them to memory.

    Then, she took a small leather pouch from her pocket and emptied its contents into her palm.

    While it resembled a coin purse, it was probably a divided pouch for making specific payments smoothly, different from a regular wallet.

    The innkeeper was slightly surprised by this display of commoner-like behavior, considering he had never seen the ducal lady—no, the head of the family—pay for anything herself.

    However, the color and the clinking sound of the coins she produced were anything but common… they were all gold.

    “By the way, congratulations on your youngest daughter’s engagement.”

    “Ah… yes. You’re well-informed.”

    He nodded.

    “Allow me to offer my congratulations. I heard her fiancé is much younger. She waited for him to come of age, didn’t she? He seems like a sincere young man.”

    “Thank you. I was against it at first, but after meeting him, I realized he was quite mature for his age… It’s a relief to have her settled.”

    She placed the gold coins from her palm onto the polished wooden counter.

    “Um… is this…? There’s still a considerable balance remaining in the Vanderwaals’ account…”

    Large clients like the Vanderwaals and the Eustasia Knights paid a lump sum in advance. The inn would deduct charges from that, and when the balance ran low, they would contact the client’s accountant for replenishment.

    This saved the clients the trouble of paying for each transaction and allowed the inn to manage its finances smoothly.

    However, it also created opportunities for the inn to commit fraud, and for clients to skip out on payments.

    ――Of course, clients who would tolerate unfair charges didn’t enter into such agreements with nobles or organizations.

    Conversely, attempting to evade payment would not only violate kingdom law but also expose a weakness to political rivals… The few instances of attempted fraud had invariably resulted in the downfall or effective absorption of the offending family.

    “It’s a congratulatory gift.”

    A slender, white, delicate finger picked up a gold coin and placed it back on the counter.

    Then another, stacking it on top of the first.

    “Speaking of which, you spared no expense on the wedding dress.”

    A third gold coin was added to the stack.

    “Well… she’s my precious daughter, so…”

    “I envy your daughter.”

    Chuckling, she added a fourth gold coin.

    The innkeeper recalled her history: how she had lost her mother at a young age, and then her father suddenly due to illness, becoming the head of the ducal family.

    He remembered her as a charming, fairy-like child, visiting the ranch frequently and learning to ride from her governess… Ciel. The two of them, riding together, looked like true sisters.

    ――However, seeing her riding bareback and even practicing mounted archery, he had wondered what she was aiming for.

    Working in hospitality, you met a lot of people.

    And some guests left a lasting impression.

    The former fairy picked up a fifth gold coin.

    “I hear the shop you commissioned is quite reputable.”

    “Yes. She’s a foreign tailor, but very skilled. I hear she’s the exclusive tailor for a certain noble family… The fact that she’s a woman was also a deciding factor.”

    While he understood it was simply a tailor’s job, as a father, he was still hesitant to have a strange man touch his daughter’s body.

    While the female tailor’s touch seemed a bit strong, and his daughter had been flustered, he doubted she would do anything inappropriate with the father present.

    Besides, even the initial fitting was clearly top-notch work, impressive even to him, with his discerning eye, accustomed to dealing with nobles.

    The fifth gold coin was placed on the stack.

    “A pure white dress… the lace will look beautiful.”

    “Yes.”

    She nodded with a smile.

    “It cost fifty gold coins, didn’t it?”

    “Yes…”

    She nodded with a smile.

    And then she froze.

    “…Lady Adelheid.”

    He finally managed to speak, and she laughed, adding a sixth gold coin to the stack.

    “Yes?”

    “…How did you… know the price of the dress…?”

    He hadn’t told anyone.

    No, it must have been the design.

    While pure white was a standard color for wedding dresses, he hadn’t told anyone about the extensive use of lace. That was meant to be a surprise on the day.

    And certainly not the price.

    He hadn’t told anyone, as he didn’t want to be seen as the kind of vulgar person who bragged about how much they spent.

    While he had dismissed the lace as a common detail, the fact that she had guessed the exact price suggested she was certain.

    She chuckled softly.

    Like a fairy—the kind that played tricks on people.

    The tailor he had commissioned for his youngest daughter’s dress was from a country famous for its fairy tales—stories of fairies sometimes helping people, sometimes leading them astray.

    The image of a tiny, beautiful girl with butterfly wings was only one aspect of fairies.

    They were different.

    Creatures that operated on a different logic than humans.

    A seventh gold coin was added to the stack.

    She leaned on the counter, clasped her hands, and smiled.

    “Geckos are everywhere.”

    Yes, they were.

    They were at the ranch, and they weren’t uncommon in town either.

    The people of Eustasia were practical and generally tolerant of geckos. They were considered beneficial creatures, as they ate insects.

    However, some people disliked them, and it wasn’t unusual for them to be chased out of houses.

    This inn also had guests who disliked geckos, so they tried to remove them from the premises.

    He felt like he had encountered a ‘wall lizard’ indoors.

    As if a pair of ever-watchful black eyes were staring at him.

    The innkeeper cautiously looked up and met her gaze—deep blue eyes, like a clear yet bottomless lake.

    She toyed with an eighth gold coin and spoke.

    “I have a request.”

    “…Yes. Please, tell me what you need.”

    There was no other answer.

    The Vanderwaals were valued customers.

    They had been patrons since the previous generation, and both the family members and their servants were well-mannered, paid well, and never caused any trouble.

    He had never been subjected to any unreasonable demands.

    He had even thought that the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals” were just a nasty rumor…

    And yet, now, with summer just around the corner, a chill ran down his spine.

    The eighth gold coin was added to the stack.

    Two more remained.

    “First, as a matter of course, I ask for your discretion… I’m here incognito. You understand?”

    “Yes, of course.”

    He nodded respectfully.

    “Especially… make sure my sister, Leticia, who has been a frequent visitor recently, doesn’t hear about this.”

    “Yes, ma’am.”

    He hung on her every word, his entire body straining to listen, nodding emphatically to show he was paying attention.

    “Keep this from the ‘Vanderwaals family’ as well.”

    “E-excuse me? …Yes, understood.”

    He almost asked her to repeat herself, then quickly corrected himself.

    “Don’t record any of this. The payment… is here.”

    She gestured to the neatly stacked tower of gold coins.

    It was clearly excessive for a single day’s use. The innkeeper braced himself for the coming request… the ‘favor’ she was about to ask, taking it as a silencing fee.

    She added a ninth gold coin to the tower and spoke.

    “I need to borrow a shovel and a bucket.”

    “…Excuse me? I… don’t quite understand…”

    A shovel. A bucket.

    What kind of code was this?

    Sensing his confusion, Adelheid clarified in a calm tone,

    “Take it literally. A shovel for digging, and a bucket for carrying water.”

    “Of course, we can provide those immediately. This is a ranch, after all.”

    As he responded, the innkeeper mentally reviewed his inventory, deciding to provide a brand new set to avoid any offense.

    “And then…?”

    She held the tenth gold coin in her hand and blinked.

    “That’s it.”

    “Huh?”

    ――He didn’t understand.

    A shovel. Was she going to bury a body? —No, even if he was being paid for his silence, no one would be foolish enough to borrow tools for such a purpose here.

    And what about the bucket? Was she planning to plant trees and water them?

    Seeing his bewilderment, Adelheid, who had been acting so confidently, chuckled self-deprecatingly.

    “…Perhaps it’s an occupational hazard… that I can’t feel at ease unless I do this, even with someone I’m familiar with.”

    She moved away from the counter, and the sunlight from the window, no longer obstructed, illuminated the tower of nine gold coins, making them gleam.

    “…But why such a large sum…?”

    ――Intimidation and bribery.

    Intimidation alone should have been enough.

    …Especially for such a… trivial request.

    Perhaps this was the only way ‘Adelheid von Vanderwaals’ could operate.

    However, he still felt the amount was excessive, and he inwardly puzzled over it.

    It might not be a significant sum for a noble, but the ‘request’ itself was… surprisingly… mundane.

    “Didn’t I tell you?”

    She picked up the tenth gold coin and gently placed it on top of the stack, completing the golden tower.

    As she shifted her position slightly, perhaps coincidentally, the sunlight caught her eyes, and she squinted.

    Her face was momentarily cast in shadow by the backlighting.

    Even so, he could tell from her voice that she was smiling.

    “It’s a congratulatory gift.”

    ――Come to think of it, she and her governess, Ciel, had once helped his youngest daughter, still a child then, learn how to care for horses.

    He had seen them many times since then.

    His youngest daughter, entrusted with the care of Lillie, the prized horse gifted by the previous head of the Vanderwaals, had been so enthusiastic.

    While his eldest daughter had married early and his second daughter helped with the family ranch and inn, Adelheid had only been around for a short time.

    Aside from the innkeeper himself, his youngest daughter was probably the one most familiar with her.

    “…Your generosity is greatly appreciated.”

    Out of respect, not fear, the innkeeper bowed deeply.

    Then, he carefully picked up the tower of gold coins, almost reluctant to dismantle it, and quickly stored it in the safe.

    “Allow me to show you the way.”

    He came out from behind the counter and led the way.

    She followed, her attire boyish, yet her movements graceful.

    “A shovel and a bucket, you said. Leave everything else to me.”

    “Yes.”

    The Vanderwaals had a reservation for tomorrow. Two of their horses were to be prepared…

    And—the First Prince, the Knight Commander, and the Chief Physician had also reserved or requested horses…

    A distinguished group.

    While she wasn’t staying and didn’t plan to enter the ranch itself, he had been informed that the Eustasia Knights would be securing the perimeter.

    Something was going to happen tomorrow.

    Today’s preparations were likely for that.

    He honestly had no idea what she was planning.

    But if it was something she was doing…

    …no matter how ‘unconventional’ it seemed…

    He felt it was worth cooperating.