Chapter 52: Preparations Without Tension
Two tents stood on the deserted wasteland outside Golden Griffin City, a bonfire crackling between them. The campsite looked lived-in, the snow cleared away, and faint traces of footprints and bloodstains were barely visible beneath a fresh layer of snow.
Abyss carefully rolled up the parchment scroll in his hands, holding it at both ends, and declared, “I hereby announce that I have finished reading all of Star’s notes!”
Leona, sitting on a blanket inside the tent opposite Abyss, a knightly novel in her hands, glanced over. “You finally finished. Any useful discoveries?”
“I’ve gained a comprehensive understanding of the upside-down man who plagued Star, based on his records. Although Star didn’t provide a method for fighting him, some of the details might prove useful in the future,” Abyss said, casually summoning his Magic Catfish and feeding it the scroll. He then retrieved a baked potato from the bonfire, blew on it briefly, and started eating. He had been too engrossed in the notes to eat earlier.
They had bought the tents yesterday. Leona had been complaining about the indignity of sleeping on the ground, so Abyss had spent some money on two tents, blankets for comfort, and various other necessities. Although his funds were dwindling, this small but well-equipped campsite finally satisfied Leona.
“These past three days have been so boring. When is that invincible old geezer from the Council of the Dead coming?” Leona grumbled, pouting. “Can’t we just leave? I’m a princess of the Western Empire, a knight personally bestowed with a title by the Emperor, a Dou Qi genius who can shatter a mountain with a single punch. Why do I have to wait here for a dawdling necromancer?”
“Have some understanding. Not everyone has a frost dragon like me,” Abyss said, his mouth full of food, but it didn’t hinder his speech. “Besides, while we’re waiting, we can enjoy the drama unfolding in the court.”
Indeed, it had been three days since they reached an agreement with Princess Helen. Abyss hadn’t seen her since, as the princess was incredibly busy—she had been tirelessly visiting various nobles, gaining a large number of devoted allies in just three days. The girl, who had never participated in power struggles before, was surprisingly effective, her efficiency astonishing even Leona, who felt a sense of pride as if she had accomplished these feats herself.
Those who had met with the princess kept their lips sealed, while those who hadn’t were completely baffled. No one knew why her persuasion was so effective. Could she be a hidden diplomatic genius?
The details of what transpired behind closed doors remained a secret, but everyone knew that as the princess gained more supporters, the Emperor’s decisions gradually shifted in favor of his previously overlooked daughter. The establishment of the Royal Medical Association, overseen by Princess Helen, seemed only a matter of time.
“Hmph, that little Helen is quite the dark horse. I thought she had never received any training in this area and would be completely lost,” Leona said, lying comfortably on her side on the blanket. “She might even be better at this than me.”
“If you were Helen, what would you do now?” Abyss asked with amusement.
“Me?” Leona thought for a moment. “I would grab the most influential minister by the collar and make him support me. If he supports me, he becomes my ally, and he’ll be handsomely rewarded. If he doesn’t support me, that means he’s disrespecting Leona. I’ll beat him black and blue and then demolish his house.”
“…That’s quite straightforward,” Abyss said, imagining the scene. It did sound like something Leona would do. After all, she was an invincible Dou Warrior. If not for the curse from the Outer God’s artifact, no one on the continent could have killed her.
Thinking about this, Abyss felt a surge of curiosity. The deaths of the five talented girls had been orchestrated by the Creator God. Was he the meticulous planner of these events, or did he simply nudge the threads of fate, triggering a chain reaction that led to their demise?
Did he even know about the Outer Gods? If so, what was his relationship with these powerful beings from another world, who embodied chaos and destruction? What was his stance on them?
“Abyss, speaking of which, Flora has been busy outside all day. Why hasn’t she returned? Could something have gone wrong?” Leona suddenly asked, pulling Abyss out of his thoughts.
“Don’t worry. She’s my follower. I would sense it if she was in danger. And if she calls my name in her mind, I’ll definitely hear it,” Abyss said, waving his hand dismissively.
“So you can peek into our minds?” Leona asked, her hand protectively covering her flat chest.
“Of course, but I wouldn’t do that without your consent,” Abyss replied.
“That’s more like it,” Leona nodded, then sat up from the blanket. “Oh, speaking of Flora, here she comes now.”
Abyss stood up and looked in the direction she indicated. In the pitch-black night, Flora was approaching, her expression relaxed, the rabbit familiar Abyss had created for her perched on her shoulder.
“Flora, are you done?” Abyss asked with a smile. “You’ve worked hard.”
“Ah, thank you,” Flora bowed from afar.
Leona ran out of the tent, greeting Flora cheerfully. “Flora! You’re finally back! I was so bored without anyone to play cards with! Why did you suddenly decide to pray in a secluded place?”
Flora smiled as Leona took her hand. “I’m sorry, I can’t reveal the content of my prayers. It would nullify their effect,” she apologized.
“There’s such a rule?” Leona looked at Flora in surprise, then shrugged. “Ah, whatever. You’re a genius Divine Arts user on my level, after all.”
“So, we’re all preparing for the upcoming enemy, while you’re just playing cards,” Abyss said, teasing Leona.
“Huh? Do you have some misconception about my invincibility? Do I need to prepare?” Leona puffed out her chest. “Let me tell you, I haven’t shown you my full strength yet. Don’t be surprised when I fight that guy!”
“You haven’t shown your full strength?” Abyss raised an eyebrow.
“Hah, it seems your knowledge is limited. Just watch me work my magic,” Leona said, flicking her wrist proudly. “I’ll show you what happens when Dou Qi reaches a certain level and transforms into something else.”
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