Going to Dreamland to spend money was a terrible disgrace, whether for nobles or the Imperial Guards.
But no one dared cause trouble for the Imperial Guards.
There were many people in the Hain Empire who could sit upon the Crystal Throne, but there were only seven Imperial Guards. They could not be replaced, nor defeated through politics. Any offense against them would invite merciless retaliation.
Not to mention that this was the unfathomable Constance,1
the only special Imperial Guard in a thousand years who did not bear the surname Hain.4
However, just as the two Civil Officials were discussing things heatedly,
a gaze from the distant Sanctuary
silently fell upon them.
Then,
a dark spatial rift opened soundlessly behind them.
Next...
A light, charming voice suddenly rang out behind the two Civil Officials.
"What are you two ministers talking about? You seem so happy."
From within the spatial rift,
a seductive, sexy black-haired beauty dispersed the scythe blades capable of tearing space apart and gracefully stepped through the opening.7
The two Civil Officials immediately tensed up, terrified to the point of near suffocation.
1. Demigod
There was a secret circulating in the Imperial Capital.
The all-powerful Imperial Guards had honed surveillance magic to the extreme, to the point that the entire Imperial Capital was under the constant watch of these demigods.4
Whether commoners or even the Empress, theoretically, everyone was constantly within their gaze.
Just like the Crystal God, who looked down upon the mortal world from the heavens.
Her daughters could likewise see through the mortal world with ease and control the entire situation.
The bureaucrats of Hain were basically all aware of this.
However, when one of these demigods selected you from the mountains of complicated information and cast a glance your way,
the fear was still enough to make one tremble.
Being visited by the Imperial Guards was never a good sign.
Hela ranked third in bloodline purity among the current Imperial Guards.
She fit every stereotype ordinary people had about the Imperial Guards.
Beautiful, powerful, greedy, cold-blooded, ruthless, and twisted in personality...6
Faced with Hela,
the two guilty Civil Officials hurriedly lowered their heads, leaving only fear in their hearts.
Hela, meanwhile, appeared to be in a good mood, a kind smile on her face:
"What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"1
The two Civil Officials shuddered.
Because of her highly pure goddess bloodline, the black-haired beauty before them naturally looked even more like a divine being, possessing an astonishing, almost sacred charm.
Merely looking at her was enough to make one's heart flutter.
If one were alone with her, one would inevitably fall madly in love with her.3
This was the magic of the gods, the manifestation of their power to absorb faith.
She wore a delighted smile, spoke in a cheerful tone, and had a gentle gaze, seeming very easy to get along with...
But.
That bitch simply liked smiling!9
Whether on the battlefield or in the court, she was an executioner with blood debts piled high.
She had killed countless foreign enemies, but she had also persecuted plenty of political rivals.
She acted with such reckless abandon, refusing to accept any restrictions.
After all,
no one dared hold her accountable.
"Lady Hela..."
The Civil Official endured the pressure in his heart and said truthfully:
"We just heard that Prince Rhine was bewitched by the Evil Dragon and went to Dreamland to consort with those demons..."
Hela asked, "So you were planning to tell the Empress about this?"
The Civil Official suddenly understood and asked in shock, "Lady Hela, have you already chosen to support the Prince?"
"No, I haven't chosen anyone."
Hela said with a broad smile, "But think about it. Rhine Hyun visited Dreamland, activated the Nether Realm Gate, and met the Evil Dragon Olivia face-to-face... Don't you think that information is worth a lot of money?"1
Her words struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
The two Civil Officials' hearts pounded wildly:
"Y-You mean Prince Rhine really went to meet the Evil Dragon?!"
But as soon as they finished speaking,
their faces turned deathly pale.
Oh no!
The Imperial Guards' investigative abilities were far beyond those of a few stinking beggars.
Clearly, Hela had discovered even more information in Dreamland!
Rhine Hyun actually had a connection with the Evil Dragon!!
If this was not merely a rumor, then it would be the Empire's biggest news of the year!
The two Civil Officials' hearts sank into despair...
Scarce information was as valuable as invisible gold.
And Hela was notoriously fond of amassing wealth.11
Information that Prince Rhine had made a deal with the Evil Dragon would be an excellent bargain, whether they sold it to a Prince to use against the Prince or demanded hush money from the Prince.
Naturally,
she would not allow anyone else to share this business with her.
However, now,
the two Civil Officials had let their loose lips get them into trouble and accidentally intended to inform the Empress of this important intelligence.
How could Hela sit by and do nothing?
But now,
the information had already been burned into their minds, and Hela could no longer take it back.
What else could they do?
Die, of course!
The two Civil Officials immediately understood and skillfully pulled out the fast-acting poison they had prepared.11
"We understand, Lady Hela."
The two Civil Officials knew their place:
"Everyone makes their way in the palace according to the rules. We understand! We're going to pay our respects to the Crystal God. See you in our next lives!"1
"Wait!"
Hela stopped them and asked in surprise:
"What are you doing? Do you think I'm forcing you to commit suicide? Come on, am I really that cruel?"
This time, the two Civil Officials revealed genuine confusion from the depths of their souls. "Uh... aren't you?"
Hela smiled brightly. "Not today, at least. You've heard of Maladitz Country, right? Last week, I went on patrol across the Emerald Plains and scared them half to death. Then they gave me a pile of good things. Come, take a look."
Hela casually tore open space and pulled out a clay jar.
She opened the jar.
Inside was a translucent Ore Worm.
Hela introduced it excitedly: "The locals call this little fellow Priestley. It's a remnant shed by an elven demigod, making it an absolute treasure!"1
"Ha..."
The two Civil Officials looked utterly bewildered. They knew that Hela's greatest hobby was collecting all kinds of high-end equipment from every corner of the mortal world.
Clearly, she had found another satisfying trophy during this expedition, which was also why she was in such a good mood today.
But why had she taken this thing out now?
Was she planning to use this worm against them?
Hela said, "Its function is to devour the souls of living creatures. It's just perfect for the situation now."
The two Civil Officials were about to cry.3
Damn!
They had actually guessed right!!
Hela comforted them, "Don't be afraid. Its lethality is highly random. If it only gives you a light bite, then with good luck, you'll merely lose a few days of memories. Don't you think that's quite suitable for the current situation?"1
The Civil Official asked weakly, "...And what if we're unlucky?"
Hela smiled without saying anything.
The Civil Official trembled violently.
A demigod... Those ferocious, terrifying monsters, if they did not target only the elves, would be an ultimate nightmare far more terrifying to humans than a demigod.3
And this worm
was a part of a demigod's body.
Rather than let this thing bite them, the Civil Officials would rather choose a painless fast-acting poison.
The Civil Official said, "Why don't you just let us die..."
"Hahahahaha!"
Hela burst into laughter, then abruptly reined in her smile:1
"No."3
The Ore Worm's body grew scorching hot. It then let out a shriek, and finally, with a flash of light, the conversation became known to no one.
Afterward,
Hela tore open space again, but instead of returning to the Sanctuary to continue praying, she directly skipped work and went home.1
"All right, think it over carefully. Our dear Prince actually made a deal with the Evil Dragon... How should we make use of such interesting information?"9
16. Love at First Sight
A demigod's perception was extraordinarily powerful. Even without deliberately using any spells, the blessings permanently residing within them allowed them to easily monitor targets the size of an entire town.
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