The Hero's Mission

News of the border town's attack by undead creatures reached the royal city on the evening of the third day, and clearly, this was not good news for anyone.

Why didn't you report this to me immediately?

Catherine, holding the report, had a serious expression and a furrowed brow; clearly, she was quite displeased.

"Shouldn't such a serious and urgent situation be reported immediately?"

"No, I'm very sorry, Your Highness."

Since Catherine transformed into an angel, not only have her subjects become increasingly respectful towards her, but even her parents' feelings towards her have changed. After all, she is no longer just their daughter, but a messenger of God. With this complex sentiment, the King and Queen are well aware that their daughter's prestige is rising, and the people are increasingly revering the princess. Therefore, for the sake of Dideyasi, it is time for them to begin preparing for the transfer of power. After all, if Dideyasi could have an angel as their ruler, it would clearly bring about change and impact on their country. Perhaps, this gradually declining nation would be transformed. It is with this in mind that the King and Queen have slowly begun to decentralize some powers and positions. Catherine has wielded greater power, and her performance is reassuring.

"According to the border patrol, when they arrived, they found the enemy had already retreated. They assumed they were just spies sent by other countries to cause trouble, so they didn't take them seriously. It wasn't until the accompanying priest discovered the undead creatures that they realized the seriousness of the situation and immediately reported it."

After hearing the other person's reply, Catherine sighed and shook her head.

"It seems we can't entirely blame the border patrol. But undead are difficult to deal with, and not something ordinary soldiers can handle... So, who is leading the undead?"

"Based on the description from the surviving soldiers, it should have been a little girl."

"A little girl...?"

At this point, Catherine pretended to ponder for a moment. Deep down, Catherine knew exactly who this girl was. She also understood what Li Lin wanted her to do. After all, these things had been planned long ago; this was simply the beginning of their execution.

So, what are your thoughts on this?

After confirming that everything was proceeding according to her master's plan, Catherine looked at the officer in front of her with a somewhat somber expression.

Who do you think will launch an attack against us?

"Well... it's hard to say, Your Highness."

The officer who was asked the question blushed slightly; he was quite embarrassed and didn't know how to answer Catherine's question.

"Since they are undead, they are unlikely to be the armies of other countries; this seems more like the work of demons. I believe it's highly probable that a terrifying demon has appeared and is attempting to threaten our nation. However, the specifics... perhaps only the Temple knows..."

"Do you have any further intelligence regarding the airship that appeared in the neighboring country earlier?"

Catherine asked the question again, and although her tone remained calm, her expression was far from relaxed.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, we haven't heard from that magic ship since then."

Although he answered Catherine's question immediately, the officer had now calmed down and was carefully considering its implications. Why would the princess suddenly ask about that matter at this moment? Before, she hadn't cared much about such things, so why now...?

"Thanks a lot."

The slight hesitation on the officer's face did not escape Catherine's careful observation.

"You may leave now."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The officer immediately gave a crisp salute, then turned and left the room. Catherine, meanwhile, rose from her desk, walked to the window, and gazed at the scenery outside. A cold, smug smile played on her lips. Everything was proceeding according to her master's plan. These foolish humans were completely oblivious to their predicament. With their stupid minds, it was only a matter of time before her master reigned supreme.

Thinking of this, Catherine unconsciously took out a small, transparent bottle from her pocket—the very bottle Li Lin had given her to hold the potion. Catherine stretched out her finger and gently stroked the bottle, her face slightly flushed, a happy smile spreading across her face.

"Master... everything will ultimately turn out as you wish..."

Muttering to herself, Catherine put the small bottle away again. Then, she straightened her clothes, her expression returning to one of serene elegance. Catherine opened the door and left the room. After walking down the corridor, she came to the garden on the other side. Looking at the two elderly people sitting in the pavilion, chatting and drinking tea, Catherine's eyes became somewhat lost—but she quickly regained her composure. She shook her head, banishing those tedious and chaotic thoughts from her mind, then smiled and walked towards the pavilion.

"Father. Mother."

"Catherine."

Hearing Catherine's call, the two elderly people quickly turned around. Upon seeing their beloved daughter, they smiled happily.

"It's rare to see you at this time. Is there a problem?"

"There are indeed some minor issues, and besides, it's been a long time since I've had afternoon tea with my father, hasn't it?"

Catherine sat close to the king and took his arm, just as she had done long ago.

"Besides, I caused you all some worry recently..."

"No matter what happens to you, you will always be our most important child."

The Queen took Catherine's hand, her eyes filled with love.

"You have no idea how happy your father and I were when you finally came out of the room."

"I understand, Mother."

Catherine grasped the Queen's hand and whispered, then glanced around. The King, quickly understanding Catherine's implication, ordered everyone to leave. Only after confirming everyone had departed did Catherine's expression darken slightly.

"I'm sorry, Father, Mother, I didn't mean to disturb you. But I just received this information."

As she spoke, Catherine quickly recounted the intelligence she had received to the two men, causing them to frown. Catherine not only reported the situation at the front lines but also subtly linked it to the airships that had appeared in the neighboring country. Given that the Five-Nation Alliance was aware of what had happened in Casablanca, her seemingly "malicious" connections appeared quite natural.

"And there's something I've been meaning to tell you, Father and Mother."

After determining that the time was right, Catherine decided to deliver the final blow.

"When I was transformed into an angel at the Holy Light Festival, I clearly heard the oracle of the God of Justice."

"What divine oracle?"

Catherine's solemn and tense tone made the King and Queen involuntarily tense as well. They had no doubt whatsoever, and had no idea that their daughter was deceiving them.

"The God of Justice told me that in the not-too-distant future, a terrible evil will invade our land of Dideyasi, and will use this as an opportunity to become an evil that ravages the entire continent. Therefore, he bestowed upon me power, hoping that I could represent light and justice to stop and destroy the Root of that evil. Now it seems that because of my transformation, that evil has become impatient; they are ready to attack us. We must take precautions and completely annihilate these evil ones."

"You mean..."

Although Catherine's hints were subtle, it did not prevent the king from understanding the true meaning behind her words.

"Of course, this matter is of great importance, and I don't want to start an unnecessary war. Therefore, Father, Mother, I want to explain something to you first. I hope you can help me complete my mission; otherwise, Dideyasi will be plunged into eternal darkness and chaos, becoming history. I plan to send some people there first to assess the situation. If things are as we expect, then..."

"Don't worry, my daughter."

The king reached out and stroked Catherine's long hair, a gesture that caused Catherine to stiffen slightly before quickly regaining her composure.

"We are all your supporters, and naturally we will support all the decisions you make. If things really turn out the way you want, then we will not surrender."

"Thank you, Father..."

Catherine took the king's hand and closed her eyes.

Thank you for your trust...

And stupid.

No one noticed what Catherine was thinking at that moment.

Even Li Lin was the same.

He was currently in the room arranged for guests, perusing history books. Li Lin had been living a very low-key life these past few days. He hadn't met with the King of Dideyasi. Given his current disguise, meeting the king would require a grand ceremony, and as Arcane Mage, Li Lin naturally disdained to bow to the murderer of his country. Catherine didn't want her master to be mistreated, so she arranged for Li Lin to stay in a VIP room, creating the illusion of her fervent desire for him to remain. This made Li Lin's temporary stay seem more legitimate. It seems this wandering swordsman isn't quite adapted to palace life, but the warm welcome from their great and holy princess isn't so easy to refuse, so he has no choice but to stay. To most people, this would just be a good-natured joke. If, before the Holy Light Festival, some might have suspected Li Lin of being a conman intending to deceive the princess's feelings, after the Holy Light Festival, no one thought that anymore. After all, Catherine had become an angel, while Li Lin was clearly just a human. Such thoughts were simply impossible to hold.

Of course, no one knew that every night, Catherine would secretly come to Li Lin's room, writhing and moaning beneath him, yearning for pleasure.

Unfortunately, even under these circumstances, Li Lin still had no spare time.

I thought you guys would sleep for another hundred years.

Without looking up at the elegant lady standing in the corner of his room, Li Lin asked a question. He wasn't unaware of the faint Dragon Fear's aura emanating from her, and he even knew quite well who she was. Just a moment ago, the area was deserted. Although infiltrating the heavily guarded royal city was an extremely difficult task for humans, for some races, it was no easier than having morning tea.

"Arcane Mage, I have come to you today seeking some proof."

"If you're referring to the Chromatic Dragon Kind, I have indeed made an agreement with them."

Li Lin turned a page of his book and answered calmly.

"What, does Bahamut disagree? I thought you would be more peaceful than those devils and demons in the Lower Planes."

"... His Temple did not express any objection."

Silver Dragon's tone remained as elegant as ever, without the slightest change.

"We will abide by our laws; this is our decision, and that is why I have come here specifically to explain it to you."

I don't think that's necessary.

Li Lin then closed the book and looked at the woman properly for the first time.

"From a polite standpoint, I should take the initiative to visit him."

"We're not oblivious to what you did on Outer Sea Dragon Island, Arcane Mage."

Silver Dragon clearly did not agree with Li Lin's statement.

"We've detected a very dangerous and malevolent presence around you. Of course, we have no intention of interfering with the choices of Arcane Mage, but if possible, we don't want to have any contact with them. Also... we don't want our home to become a mess like those Chromatic Kind."

So that's how it is. The Metallic Dragon noticed the commotion on the Outer Sea Dragon Island and, to avoid the trouble spreading to their own territory, decided to resolve the matter outside. This is rare for their lazy nature, but not impossible. Moreover, as creatures of the benevolent alignment, the Metallic Dragon naturally didn't want any interaction with Angela, who was clearly an embodiment of evil, much less be at odds with Arcane Mage. Besides, Li Lin's actions weren't entirely without benefit to the Metallic Dragon. And as the most prideful race, they wouldn't allow themselves to submit, even if only nominally, like the Chromatic Dragon Kind. So they simply took the initiative, resolved the matter, and preserved their dignity.

Dragons aren't fools.

"So, you've made your decision?"

"Of course, Arcane Mage, we will remain on the sidelines regarding this impending war and will absolutely not actively join it. This is the only agreement we can make at the moment."

"I understand."

Li Lin nodded, then flicked his Silver Dragon finger, and a golden contract appeared out of thin air. After carefully reading the terms, Li Lin added the mark of Arcane Mage. Then, the contract shattered under the power of magic, turning into golden light and disappearing into the air.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Please come in."

Li Lin placed the book he was holding on the table and responded at the same time.

"Mr. Li Lin, Her Highness the Princess is looking for you. Please prepare immediately."

The maid who entered looked around curiously, then quickly relayed Catherine's orders.

"Okay, I'll go right now."

"Um... Mr. Li Lin, were you talking to someone just now?"

Looking around the room, the maid asked with some curiosity.

No, what's wrong?

"No... it's nothing, maybe I misheard."

Led by the maid, Li Lin quickly arrived at the reception room, where he saw the young priestess, Geligao Li and his companions, and a serious and nervous Catherine, who was clearly doing as he had instructed. The atmosphere was somewhat subtle. Li Lin noticed that Geligao Li was obviously observing Catherine intentionally or unintentionally, while the young priestess's gaze towards Catherine no longer held the previous doubt, but was instead filled with complete worship and respect. Clearly, Catherine's transformation into an angel had a greater impact on her.

Just like the booked plan.

Li Lin and the others greeted them, then, concealing his smugness, sat down.

"I am truly sorry to have bothered you all amidst your busy schedules."

At that moment, Catherine began her performance according to the originally planned script.

"In fact, this morning I received a report from the border patrol that one of our border towns had been attacked by undead creatures. There have been numerous casualties; this is a very serious situation. We all know that the undead haven't launched such a large-scale attack in a long time, and now it's clear they're planning something. As the princess of Dideyasi, as the representative of the gods, I cannot stand idly by. The undead must be eliminated, and our people must be able to return to a life of happiness and peace. But now, we face a crisis."

Upon hearing the mention of books, both the young priestess and Geligao Li were momentarily stunned, then their expressions immediately turned serious.

"Are you sure it's an undead creature, Lady Catherine?"

"I'm sorry, without seeing it with my own eyes, I can't be absolutely certain. Furthermore, the enemy wasn't eliminated; they withdrew before the patrol arrived. We can only confirm based on fragments. This is extremely difficult. We suspect these undead creatures might have some connection to our neighboring country. However, as everyone knows, undead creatures are not easy to deal with. Even sending a large army would only result in unnecessary casualties. I don't want to start a war, but I also won't condone evil. Therefore..."

Having said that, Catherine looked at everyone in turn, finally fixing her gaze on Li Lin.

"I hope Mr. Geligao Li can lead an elite team there to find out the truth... Of course, I personally recommend Mr. Li Lin to accompany you."