Dear, It's Time to Take Your Medicine!

Augustus's words made Ekaterina's expression darken at once. That was true—she had committed such a grave mistake this time. Having her status as a Hero's Party member revoked, without suffering any other punishment, was already a blessing amid misfortune.

Augustus was already doing his best to preserve her dignity, hoping that she would withdraw voluntarily. Otherwise, he would join forces with Wadsworth and Saint Monica to strip her of her position.

Ekaterina accepted this rather calmly, but Rosweisse panicked.

The members of the Hero's Party had to work together as one. They absolutely could not allow anyone else to join them. Replacing any one of them with someone else would have an enormous impact on their plans.

"Your Holiness, that would not be appropriate... Sister Ekaterina has only made her first mistake. She should be given another chance..." Rosweisse tried her best to persuade the Pope to change his decision.

But the Pope's attitude was exceptionally firm. "One mistake nearly killed the Hero. Can you guarantee that she will not have another drunken fit next time? Can you guarantee that the Hero will be rescued in time next time?"

"The Hero is tied to the life and death of Skyvault Continent. Such a threat absolutely cannot remain at the Hero's side."

Seeing that Augustus's decision could not be changed, Rosweisse could only turn a pleading gaze toward Qin Chu, seemingly hoping that he would put in a good word.

Qin Chu considered it briefly. "Forget it, Your Holiness. Give Ekaterina one more chance..."

"After all, her strength is considerable. Although she has not guided my cultivation for long, the results have been very good. As for the drinking problem, we simply need to make sure Ekaterina does not get drunk again in the future. Besides, given Skyvault Continent's current situation, we must cherish every expert we have."

Augustus frowned slightly, apparently not expecting Qin Chu to still speak for Ekaterina. "Is Lord Hero worried about the Hero's Party being short-handed? There is no need to worry. I can arrange for an expert whose strength is by no means inferior to Ekaterina's..."

"No, no, that is not what I mean. I mean that the members of the Hero's Party have cooperated for years and are already accustomed to one another. Replacing someone suddenly would likely cause major conflicts, and their combat strength might plummet."

The real reason was simply that Qin Chu could not bear to part with such an excellent toy.

His revenge had only just begun. If Ekaterina left like this, it would be far too boring.

Before he grew tired of playing with her, Qin Chu would absolutely not let go.

Augustus knitted his brows tightly. He glanced at Qin Chu, then at Ekaterina and Rosweisse, as though judging something. After a long while, he finally withdrew his gaze. "Very well. Since Lord Hero believes there is no problem, I will say no more. But if Lord Hero encounters any trouble again, you may come find me at any time..."

Though he dearly wished to replace everyone around the Hero with his own people, such things could not be rushed.

Ekaterina, who was crouching on the ground, was overjoyed.

This man had initially even wanted to hide the truth of what had happened, because revealing it would destroy his reputation, even though he had suffered such a great injustice...

So many people had blamed her. Augustus had even wanted to strip her of all her titles and honors. Only Rosweisse and Qin Chu had been willing to speak for her. Rosweisse was her good sister, so that was only natural.

Qin Chu was different. She had been like a violent mother gorilla, attacking him without understanding anything and nearly killing him, yet Qin Chu had still been willing to give her another chance.

Could it be that he was actually quite a decent person?

All of a sudden, Qin Chu looked much more pleasing to the eye. He was not especially handsome, but he was the sort who became more appealing the longer one looked at him. The more she looked, the more she vaguely felt that he was actually rather good.

It was still a pity that her pure body had been taken just like that, but giving it to Qin Chu seemed barely acceptable.

Today's update was nearly ten thousand words, all done. Since I updated so much today, toss me a few monthly votes, will you? Let me ask—do any of my readers have experience as a community manager? Tomorrow is National Day, so I will see if I can update even more. Thanks to Liang Haha for the reward, and thank you for the support.

Tears of the Stone Statue

(Three updates again today)

From extreme disgust and revulsion at the beginning, to finding him rather pleasing to the eye now—even giving her pure body to Qin Chu seemed barely acceptable.

Perhaps it was because she had experienced far too much in such a short time that Ekaterina's thoughts had become a complete mess. On top of that, Qin Chu was speaking for her, so she had not noticed the changes in her attitude toward him at all. The name Jello had not even appeared in her mind once.

Love That Topples Cities was taking effect.

The potion modified by Saya had an influence even more exaggerated than Saya herself had anticipated. And she had only taken one bottle so far.

Augustus finally removed the restriction around Angelica's neck.

The instant the black collar was removed, surging elemental power flooded wildly into Angelica's body. Watching the aura around Angelica rise steadily, Rosweisse's face darkened to the extreme.

Angelica was an exceptionally gifted girl. After all, she had once been Rosweisse's strongest opponent, so naturally her strength had been roughly on par with Rosweisse's.

For the past few years, because she had worn the collar, her abilities had been sealed and she had been unable to cultivate. But her foundation remained.

The billowing elemental power continued for several minutes before finally subsiding. Having gone so long without controlling the magic power within her body, Angelica was even somewhat unaccustomed to it for a moment. Milky-white light flickered faintly around her body, making her look like a large light bulb with faulty wiring.

Both the amount of her magic power and her control over it had declined to a certain extent.

But even so, Angelica now possessed strength no weaker than Candice's or Qin Chu's. Of course, that was assuming Qin Chu did not use the two Transcendent Authorities, Devourer and Rage Burst.

Moreover, given Angelica's condition, it would not take long for her to recover her original strength, which should have been around level seventy. By then, she would surely become a powerful source of support at Qin Chu's side.

Angelica's little face was flushed red. She had never dreamed that there would come a day when she could use magic again. Her slender body fluttered around Qin Chu like a happy little sparrow.

She knew very well who deserved the credit for unsealing her.

"All right, all right. You are such a grown-up already, yet you are acting like a child. Settle down." Qin Chu could not help smiling. He affectionately patted Angelica's forehead and pretended to scold her.

But Angelica treated Qin Chu's gesture as a reward and comfortably narrowed her eyes.

Being so intimate under everyone's eyes made Qin Chu a little embarrassed. He turned his gaze toward Augustus beside him.

"Lord Augustus, thank you for this."

Augustus was deeply satisfied with Qin Chu's reaction.

He had already seen that this Hero was not as simple-minded as the First-Generation Hero. He was more scheming.

Controlling the Hero could not be rushed. Leaving behind a good impression was not bad either.

Augustus put on none of the Pope's airs, nor did he display the sharpness and power he had shown when blocking Ekaterina's attack. He was like a kind and benevolent old man, bending slightly at the waist. "The honor is mine!"

"Miss Ekaterina, and Her Holiness Saint Rosweisse, I believe you have much to discuss. I shall not disturb you any longer. Farewell..."

Qin Chu bade them farewell with impeccable gentlemanly manners, then turned and left. Nicholas, who had previously hidden away, led his subordinates after him.

These guards were not actually of much use. For the current Qin Chu, he could handle ordinary assassinations himself. If an expert like Ekaterina appeared, these guards would be of no use at all.

Now that Angelica was at Qin Chu's side, the guards' usefulness had diminished even further.

Of course, Qin Chu did not drive these guards away. After all, Wadsworth had arranged them. With these guards present, Wadsworth could also feel more at ease about him.

The Nobles' District did not have the filth and grime of the Commoners' District. Even the air carried a fresh scent. There were no ragged poor people to be seen, no corpses lying dead by the roadside—only the flourishing splendor of wine, green lights, and red lanterns.

The streets were not as noisy as those in the Commoners' District either, though they lacked some of the vitality of life. Though many people came and went, most traveled in luxurious carriages. Even pedestrians who met on the road constantly minded their noble etiquette. They spoke softly and elegantly, every movement deliberately displaying noble dignity.

As the Hero, with a large number of guards behind him, Qin Chu drew everyone's attention wherever he went. A professional smile remained on his face as he pleasantly dealt with every person. Before long, Angelica was carrying a huge stack of invitations in her arms.

During the first cycle, Qin Chu had been single-mindedly focused on eliminating Demonic Beasts as quickly as possible. Nearly all his time had been spent cultivating, training, and fighting, so his relationship with the nobles had been extremely strained.

This was also one of the reasons why, in the end, not a single noble had been willing to stand up and speak for Qin Chu.

Without realizing it, they had arrived at Antia Long Street once again.

This street ran through both the Nobles' District and the Commoners' District.

At an intersection in the Nobles' District, there even stood a life-sized stone statue of Antia.

The statue was roughly one meter seventy tall, a nearly perfect figure for a woman. In her hand, she still tightly gripped a spear wrapped in the Orwell Empire's banner, raised high overhead.

The statue had been carved with lifelike precision. Looking at that face, one might even suspect that what stood before them was not merely a statue, but a living person.

Her lips were parted, as though she were crying out a battle cry.

She wore armor, yet her long, slender legs were exposed.

Her long hair seemed to be blown by the wind, streaming behind her.

Even merely looking at the statue, one could clearly sense that spirit and arrogance: even before an army of a thousand troops and ten thousand horses, I alone press onward without fear.

The Orwell Empire had a legend that said touching Antia's statue would earn Antia's blessing. As a result, Antia's statue had been rubbed smooth and slick, nearly reflecting light.

During the first cycle, Qin Chu had not paid much attention to Antia or this statue. He had only sighed that she was an extraordinarily remarkable woman.

But this time, Qin Chu could not help stopping before the statue.

Nicholas arranged for the guards to establish a perimeter around them. This place was already close to the Commoners' District, and it was also at the center of a crossroads, with countless people passing by. They had to guard against any possible attack targeting the Hero.

Only Angelica remained beside Qin Chu. Seeing that Qin Chu seemed very concerned with the statue, Angelica chose her words carefully before speaking softly. "This statue is of Miss Antia..."

"Miss Antia was the hero who saved the Empire a thousand years ago. She was honored as the strongest Goddess of War the Empire had seen in thousands of years. When the Imperial City was on the verge of being breached by the enemy, Miss Antia stepped forward, raised the banner, and used the private forces of nobles and royalty as her army. She repelled every invader, recovered all occupied territory, and preserved the Orwell Empire's integrity and might."

Angelica recounted the legend of Antia. It was clear that she greatly admired this strongest Goddess of War.

"Miss Antia originally wished to lead her army to flatten the surrounding kingdoms and turn all of Skyvault Continent into Orwell territory. But it was such a pity. She suffered too many wounds during the war, and after recovering all of Orwell's territory, she fell ill and never rose again, eventually passing away."

"Even after her death, she was remembered by hundreds of millions of citizens. The street beneath our feet was named after Miss Antia. The Emperor at that time also posthumously conferred upon Miss Antia the title of Princess Consort."

"Miss Antia's Lineage is now also a grand ducal house of the Orwell Empire. Although it has gradually declined, its remaining prestige still exists."

"If Miss Antia had not died so quickly back then, her Lineage would probably have flourished many times more. At the very least, it would not have fallen into decline like it has now." Angelica let out a low sigh.

Qin Chu did not answer. He merely lifted a hand and gently brushed across the statue's cheek before him. His expression became very strange.

During the first cycle, even after hearing this story, he had felt nothing beyond admiration for Miss Antia's bravery.

But now, he thought of himself, and a very strange thought suddenly surfaced in his heart.

"Anjie..."

"Who can guarantee that Miss Antia was not assassinated because her achievements overshadowed her ruler?"

Angelica was horrified. Her eyes widened and her little mouth fell open, yet she could not make a sound.

The legend of Miss Antia was widely sung and known in every household. It was practically one of the Orwell Empire's most famous legends. Even children could recite it, hearing it again and again, telling it again and again.

The belief that Miss Antia had died from too many old wounds had taken root deeply in nearly everyone's heart. No one had ever doubted the story.

Upon suddenly hearing Qin Chu's words, Angelica even felt her scalp tingle. Goosebumps covered her body in an instant.

The feeling was probably no less shocking than telling Qin Chu that in Journey to the West, when the real and fake Sun Wukong met the Buddha, the one who was killed was Sun Wukong, while the one who later went to obtain the scriptures was the Six-Eared Macaque.

Angelica did not know how to answer and stood rooted in place for a moment.

"Sorry, I was only speaking casually. Do not take it to heart." Qin Chu smiled, withdrew his hand, and raised his head to look at the sky.

The sky, which had been clear for miles, had at some point become densely covered in dark clouds. Darkness churned overhead, bringing an oppressive weight.

The nobles on the street began to quicken their pace. Noble ladies lifted their skirts, cursing the damned weather, but even so, they maintained their noble dignity and would never run wildly through the streets.

"Looks like it is going to rain. Let us head back too..."

Boom... crack...

Before long, a clap of thunder streaked across the sky.

The gloomy world suddenly gained a thread of brightness.

Torrential rain poured down from the heavens. Antia's statue was bathed in the storm, water rolling down from the corners of its eyes and across its cheeks, like tears...

Happy National Day to everyone. Three updates again today. It is the beginning of the month, so if you have monthly votes, please cast a couple. Thank you.

Thanks to Zui Lanfeng, reader 20210616130456468, and RXDCTFYUIO for the fifteen-hundred coin rewards; thanks to August Gugugu and Shennong 121380 for the five-hundred coin rewards; thanks to Prosperity Fades and Ends in Sorrow and reader 20190725001020281 for the rewards. Thank you for your support.

You Wouldn't Want...

(Please vote monthly tickets)

"Sister Ekaterina, you have truly disappointed me."

In the Saintess's bedroom, Rosweisse could no longer control her temper and harshly rebuked Ekaterina.

Within the Hero's Party, Rosweisse had always played the role of Eileen and Aili's gentle older sister, and everyone else's obedient younger sister. No matter whom she spoke to, she was always courteous, her voice always soft with a trace of charm. But this time, Rosweisse truly could not endure it any longer. Her expression was extremely stern, and her body nearly trembled because she could not control her anger.

Ekaterina also knew that she had committed an extremely serious mistake this time. She lowered her head and let this sister, who was far younger than she was, scold her without daring to make a sound.

"Because of what you did, our plan nearly collapsed completely. Can you use your brain before doing anything? Please, can you at least consider the consequences?" Rosweisse rubbed her temples, feeling as though her head were splitting apart.

She was truly far too irritated.

Ever since the Second-Generation Hero, Qin Chu, had been summoned to Skyvault Continent, Rosweisse had felt that she had not spent a single peaceful day.

She had utterly lost face at the welcoming banquet.

Angelica, whom she had once freely ordered around, bullied, and humiliated, had unexpectedly turned the tables.

Her home had been robbed as well. The notebooks and diaries recording her secrets had all been stolen. Overnight, she had become penniless, and even the seven Divine Oracles most important to her had vanished without a trace.

She had wanted to use Angelica to control Qin Chu, but the two nuns assigned to abduct Angelica had both been killed. Qin Chu had even used the matter to remove Angelica's seal...

Ever since Qin Chu appeared, that thieving heavens seemed to be deliberately working against her in the shadows.

Everything she wanted to do, even when she was completely certain that no mistake could possibly occur, would fall through because of all sorts of random, chaotic reasons.

Rosweisse had already been driven nearly mad by that. Now Ekaterina had caused such a huge mess, nearly making all their arrangements come to nothing.

This time, even Rosweisse, who had always been calm, could not take it anymore. After Qin Chu and Augustus left, she immediately called Ekaterina into her room. She had to give Ekaterina a proper warning.

This time, they had escaped danger without disaster. But if Ekaterina did not change her temper, something like this would happen again sooner or later. Next time, they might not be so lucky.