Before, I Had No Choice

More than ten minutes later, after exhausting his words and scheming to cover up his deception, the fraudster, who seemed to have been pulled out of the water, finally managed to fool his wife Skadi's check-up. Suspiciously, he pressed himself against the wall and touched the flagship.

However, the moment he furtively opened the door and crouched down to slip into the house, the scene inside made Samael's heart stop.

"Oh? The dragon has arrived?"

A languid, slightly nasal inquiry came from the dim light. As the graceful figure sat up, the silk quilt slipped down, and her cascading purple hair either draped over her snow-white shoulders or fell across her chest, subtly covering her undulating breasts.

"Cough cough... You woke up so quickly, why don't you sleep a little longer?"

Samael, standing at the door, quietly withdrew his hand from the doorknob, turned around, and coughed dryly, trying to appear calm.

The Queen of the Land of Shadows glanced behind her, then stretched lazily, got out of bed, and looked amused.

"So you know all this, my friend, Samael..."

"I... I'm sorry, I... I..."

With the truth suddenly revealed, Samael, with no room for maneuver, looked embarrassed, ashamed, and even dared not face his good friend.

"I slept well last night."

"Ah?"

"Therefore, you have no need to feel guilty or ashamed."

"..."

In the eerie silence, Scathach, standing by the bed, stretched her joints and coordinated her slender limbs, producing a series of crackling sounds.

"What's wrong? You seem surprised?"

The Queen of the Land of Shadows turned her head and looked at the stunned Emperor, asking him indifferently.

"Your reaction was too calm, too forgiving. I thought..."

Samael seemed to wake from a dream, and with a bitter smile, he muttered to himself, but his words stopped abruptly at a certain point.

"I thought I would be like those ordinary women, hiding in a corner, trembling, like a helpless sheep."

Or they might cry and wail, accusing you and acting like a victim, demanding comfort and compensation from you.

Or perhaps, in a fit of rage, she'll search everywhere for Wu Yuan, determined to kill you and exact revenge, washing away the shame?

Scathach, like a lioness surveying her territory, strode in with elegant and composed steps, squeezing the flustered Samael into a corner, raising her eyebrows and asking in a half-smile.

For a moment, the Queen of the Land of Shadows, who had turned the tables, made Samael appear quite vulnerable, more like a lamb that had been abused the night before.

Samael, hiding in the corner, avoided the spring scenery that was swaying in front of him, offering only words of praise and response.

"Queen Majesty, your magnanimity and open-mindedness have truly impressed me."

"You weren't in the know. On the contrary, I was determined to win this bet with Skadi and chose to deliberately conceal it. It was an unexpected incident in the plan, and once it was done, it was done. Why shift the blame onto others?"

After a moment of contemplation with a faint smile, Scathach raised her hand and patted Samael on the shoulder, her expression haughty.

"Besides, if I were really determined to resist, you wouldn't have been able to touch my bed at all last night."

"You..."

Samael was taken aback, but then a smug look of instinctive smugness, typical of male creatures, flashed in his eyes.

"I just hate the feeling of losing, you know?"

Scathach glanced at the man in front of her, then calmly extinguished his fantasy.

The Queen's gaze was calm yet sharp, like a long, gleaming spear.

"My friend, I admire your talent and skill. Don't let this trivial matter interfere with our relationship."

"Don't worry, I've always considered you a close friend I can entrust my back to. This sincere feeling will never change!"

Samael spoke with conviction, but his gaze flickered and wandered the moment Scathach turned around, revealing the impressive curves of her chest.

The Queen of the Land of Shadows looked pleased and her eyes showed admiration. She casually took down an elegant purple dress and an exquisite silver crown from the clothes rack and dressed herself without any hesitation in front of her close friend.

Samael consciously turned his back and closed his eyes, but the rustling sound that entered his ears made him feel restless and anxious.

At the same time, with his eyes closed, the enchanting moments of last night lingered, repeatedly replaying in his mind, filtering through frame by frame.

It seems reasonable that Scathach is the older sister.

Well, according to the stage of development...

Finally, the agonizing wait was drawing to a close, and Scathach finally put on that more elaborate and gorgeous dress, concealing the spring light that filled the room.

"Your Majesty, you have won this bet. So, do you intend to revert to your original identity, or continue this role-playing?"

The unexpectedly good outcome put Samael at ease, and as he opened the door, he casually asked a question.

"I like things to start well and finish well, and it's a rare opportunity to unload my burdens, leave the Land of Shadows, and experience the lives of others..."

Scathach closed her eyes, enjoying the sea breeze, a faint smile on her lips. Her aloof demeanor softened, making her appear more approachable.

"Alright, but remember not to let slip anything about He from last night in front of Skadi..."

Samael nodded in agreement, but didn't forget to offer a reminder.

"My friend, you seem to have misunderstood something..."

However, Scathach, who was standing under the sea breeze, opened her eyes and turned her head upon hearing this, her expression a half-smile.

"I have no reason to hold you accountable, nor do I have an obligation to cover for you."

If my dear sister Skadi asks, I will tell her the whole story...

"Bang!"

Samael stumbled and nearly fell, his smug satisfaction at escaping the law vanishing completely.

His emotions fluctuated wildly, and he immediately grabbed Scathach's arm with a mournful face, his eyes full of sorrow.

"Old friend, if Skadi knew, she'd skin me alive, freeze me into raw snake slices, and serve me on a platter!"

"Sliced raw snake..."

The Queen of the Land of Shadows pondered for a moment, her expression serious, seemingly realizing the gravity of the situation. Then, she asked a question that caused Samael's heart to stop.

"...Is it tasty?"

"Your Majesty, is this a matter of whether it tastes good or not? People could die!"

When the person's breath hitched, their voice rose eight octaves, and they went completely berserk.

"What does that have to do with me?"

Scathach tilted her head, still with that nonchalant look and that ambiguous smile.

"..."

Samael was speechless, his facial muscles twitching violently, while he was inwardly cursing wildly.

You said you wouldn't hold grudges! You said you wouldn't seek revenge! Turns out you were digging a pit for me to fall into!

A woman's mouth is a deceitful devil!

In the end, the ancient serpent surrendered, its face filled with sorrow.

"Your Majesty, what can I do to get you to agree to help me? Please give me a way out! I don't want to be hunted down by Skadi before I even get to Greece!"

Scathach smiled slightly, her slender arms outstretched, her five fingers curled, and two Scarlet Demon Spear with sharp thorns appeared in her palm.

"It's been a long time since we've had a match. Play a game with me, and if you win, I'll help you out..."

The Queen of the Land of Shadows slowly stepped forward, gazing down at the visitors from the Demon Realm, the only opponent in a thousand years who could rival her in spearmanship. Her pink tongue excitedly licked her lips and teeth, her scarlet eyes overflowing with fervor and desire.

"Do I have any other choice?"

What do you say, my friend?

Samael, resigned to his fate, summoned his Cross Spear and followed Scathach, his face filled with immense sorrow, as if he were heading to his execution.

With the door half-open, the sea breeze blew, the velvet comforter slipped off, and a dark red plum blossom stain appeared on the sheet, vivid and pure.